Scents From Norra Norrland: Natural scents from the north

By Emma Rodin | Photos: Scents From Norra Norrland

Inspired by life in Sweden’s far north, the fragrances by boutique perfume brand Scents From Norra Norrland cleverly encapsulate the beauty of the land, featuring numerous scents that have never been bottled before.

Created, owned and run by Eva Henriksson, Scents From Norra Norrland is a true one-woman-band, which is especially impressive when you consider the numerous awards the perfume brand has won over the years. But then again, Henriksson has always had a nose for scents.

“I was born into a family of bakers, so fragrances, spices and nice-smelling things were always around in plenty, and for as long as I can remember, I have always been intrigued by scents,” tells Henriksson. “I’m the kind of person who, when eating out, will pick my bread up to smell all those delicious aromas.”

Practice makes perfect

Although Henriksson started experimenting with extracts and scents in her at-home mini lab many moons ago, she only launched her first perfume ‘Aurora’ in 2015. Indeed, it takes time to get the compositions of a fragrance right, particularly when you’re attempting to capture something that is far more abstract, such as the northern lights.

Aurora (named after aurora borealis, or the northern lights) is an original blend inspired by the northern, Swedish flora. It has top notes of iris and white tea, heart notes of mango and blackcurrant and base notes of tonka bean and cashmere wood.

Additionally, the perfume contains K24 cosmetic gold, which symbolises the value of northern forests and land and hints towards the old mines of Sweden’s north. Not to mention the small, red glass pearls found at the bottom of the flask. These pearls represent the arctic raspberry which is unique to this part of the world.

Made in France

Although the scents are a showcase of the north, they are developed and brought to life in Grasse, France, which has been widely considered the world’s perfume mecca for the past centuries.

“I wanted to ensure the best quality for my products, so seeking help from experts in Grasse was an obvious choice for me,” explains Henriksson. “I found a small, family-run business who shared my values and who liked my idea of launching the world’s most northerly perfume house. We were a great match,” she adds.

Once Henriksson is happy with a scent developed in her at-home lab (and approved by friends and family, of course), she sends a sample off to the team in Grasse who help develop the scent into small batches of perfume.

Like Henriksson, the small factory works with a local-first mindset, sourcing ingredients from nearby and teaming up with other businesses around to package and label products, a way of working that fits nicely with the brand essence of Scents From Norra Norrland.

Meet the bestseller

Another perfume in the range is ‘The Pearl’. This popular scent takes inspiration from the small village of Älvsbyn, which lies nestled between grand mountains and a glistening, blue stream. Fresh and light with notes of summery grass, bergamot and tonka bean, the bottle also comes with a pretty glass pearl to represent Älvsbyn as the pearl it is.

The line-up also includes ‘Vidder’, a dedicated men’s perfume with a citrusy and woody scent. Finally, there’s the award-winning ‘Arctic Elegance’. An ode to the city of Piteå, this crisp yet delicate scent will remind you of long summer nights filled with joy and harmony.

Unique perfume extracts

On top of the four perfumes, Henriksson has also created numerous perfume extracts, which work wonderfully as room scents or in conjunction with soaps, body products or fabric softeners.

In the rigorous process of making these extracts, Henriksson has managed to bottle scents that no one has ever done successfully before, such as arctic bird cherry blossom, arctic raspberry and cloudberry.

“Looking at the arctic bird cherry blossom for instance, I quite literally must capture its scent mid-air and during the right season, into a flask. I then send this flask to a lab in England who turn the scent into a specific code which I then send on to another factory in Grasse to transform it into ready-to-use extracts,” explains Henriksson. “It’s a long process, but with wonderful results.”

Indeed, with natural scents of the highest quality, Henriksson and her brand allow people everywhere to have a taste (or rather smell) of what life in Sweden’s far north is really about. So, find your match and inhale it all in.