As a self-proclaimed fragrance obsessive, it’s rare for a new perfume brand to grab (and hold) my attention — and even rarer when it’s fronted by a celebrity. That’s not to say there aren’t gems: Kylie Jenner’s Cosmic 2.0 and Eilish by Billie Eilish have both been mistaken for far more expensive designer scents on me. Most of the time, though, they all smell… kind of identical.
But ‘Ôrebella, dreamt up by the one and only Bella Hadid, is built differently. Sure, there are the usual wearable notes (vanilla, jasmine and rose), but alongside them are spicy cardamom, savoury sea salt accord and briny olive — elements I can’t say appear in any of the perfumes in my current collection.
If that’s not unique enough, you can wear them — I mean really wear them — like skincare. Each of the four eau de parfums is designed to be shaken to activate, since they’re formulated without alcohol. Alongside the essential oils that give each fragrance its potency, they’re filled to the brim with moisturising oils like shea, almond and jojoba. It definitely takes the skin scent trend to a whole new level. Of course, you can spritz them onto your clothes, too, but be mindful that the high oil content might leave behind marks on certain fabrics.
While the brand has been racking up sales at Ulta in the US for almost a year now, it has just joined Selfridges’ fragrance portfolio in the UK — and the buzz is undeniable. Beyond the milky elixir, the geode-inspired bottle (which doesn’t stand upright on its own; you’ll need a separate stand, at an additional cost, if you want to display it) is garnering a lot of attention. But what about the juice inside?
I tried every single perfume in ‘Ôrebella’s collection and here’s what I want everyone to know.
‘Ôrebella Nightcap Eau de Parfum, £67
This is a warm mug of milky masala chai, bottled, and hands down my favourite of all of Ôrebella’s fragrances. Something about the soothing vanilla, spicy cardamom and creamy guaiacwood makes it perfectly nuzzly and cosy — so much so, I love wearing it to bed. I’m convinced it sends me off to sleep faster. I wore it to a concert recently, where it’s impossible not to get up close and personal with the other guests, and received a handful of compliments; one even wrote the name down in her phone immediately, it’s that good. It makes sense. Nightcap was created by perfumer Clément Gavarry, the visionary who gave us Phlur, Kayali and Chloé’s most viral fragrances.
‘Ôrebella Salted Muse Eau de Parfum, £67
Legendary French perfumer Jérôme Epinette, the nose behind multiple Noyz, Byredo and Victoria Beckham fragrances, is the architect of Salted Muse. Described as a “woody marine” scent, it blends sea salt accord with fig, sandalwood and amber. At first spritz, it’s invigoratingly fresh, not unlike CK One, with a nostalgic ‘90s feel. It doesn’t lose that freshness as it dries down; instead, the green notes (fig, lavender and olive tree accord) come to the fore. It’s reminiscent of warm air drifting through a garden at golden hour, when everything smells a little more alive. What I love is the comforting warmth it leaves on the skin hours later — that’ll be the all-encompassing amber. My partner and I fight over this fragrance — it’s genderless. This one lasts longer than any other in ‘Ôrebella’s lineup.
‘Ôrebella Window2Soul Eau de Parfum, £67
This is freshly showered skin, sun-dried laundry and cool cotton sheets — though you wouldn’t guess it from the long list of lush notes. Think vanilla-esque tonka bean, rich damask rose and intoxicating jasmine. That’s all balanced by a sprig of fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon, which cut through the richness and give it a clean, energising lift. I love spritzing this on my neck and décolletage post-shower — it sets me up for the day. Better still, the moisturising oils in the formula more or less double as a body serum. Genius.
‘Ôrebella Blooming Fire Eau de Parfum, £67
I’m calling it: Blooming Fire will be summer’s most viral scent. It captures that unmistakable feeling of spending all day at the beach, then heading back to the hotel, freshly showered, sitting on the balcony, waiting for your hair to dry while dipping into your snack haul. Sweet jasmine and Tahitian monoi — essentially gardenia petals soaked in coconut oil — give it a warm, sunscreen quality, while zingy bergamot adds freshness and peppery clove evokes sun-drenched skin. As tempting as it is to bathe in this, I’m saving it for my upcoming holidays. Again, perfumer Clément Gavarry masterminded this one, and he has a special talent for creating the perfect skin scent. Phlur’s Vanilla Skin and Peach Skin are just a few of his creations, but if you ask me, Blooming Fire trumps them.
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