Olibanum (also known as frankincense) is a resin taken from the bark of the Boswellia tree. At Ffern we use _Boswellia carterii_. The trees grow wild along the Gulf of Aden in northern Somalia, and the resin ‘tears’ are harvested by local collectors over a period of weeks.⁠ ⁠


Olibanum (also known as frankincense) is a resin taken from the bark of the Boswellia tree. At Ffern we use _Boswellia carterii_ - a species native to Somalia. The trees grow wild along the Gulf of Aden in northern Somalia, and the resin ‘tears’ are harvested by local collectors over a period of weeks.⁠ By limiting the harvesting to a few weeks of the year, the trees are able to recover and regrow - making it a sustainable and manageable practice.⁠
⁠
Olibanum has been traded in the Middle East and North Africa for some 5,000 years. It is believed that the Babylonians and Assyrians favoured oliburnam for its sweet, woody scent and would burn it during religious ceremonies.⁠


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Olibanum- a fragrance ingredient from Gulf of Aden, Somalia, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Olibanum

Incense

Pepper

Old wood

Pine

Spice

Resinous

We harvest Douglas fir needles in Canada and transport them to France, where we extract the absolute. The branches are cut in the morning, for as they warm up during the day they release more of their precious oil. The note is very long-lasting, balsamic and fresh.


We harvest Douglas fir needles in Canada and transport them to France, where we extract the absolute. The braches are cut in the morning, for as they warm up during the day they release more of their precious oil. The note is very long-lasting, balsamic and fresh.


Winter 19

Douglas fir- a fragrance ingredient from British Columbia, Canada, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Douglas fir

Base

Balsam

Licorice

Green

Fresh

Our cinnamon is grown along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, where sandy soils lead to higher quality oil. To produce this scented oil, the inner bark of the cinnamon tree is stripped and hung to dry for five days before undergoing steam distillation.


Cinnamon has a long history as a valuable and sacred spice. It was imported to ancient Egypt from its native Sri Lanka as early as 2000 BCE. Our cinnamon is grown along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, where sandy soils lead to higher quality oil. To produce the oil we use in our fragrances, the bark is stripped, hung to dry for 5 days, and steam distilled.


Ceylon cinnamon bark- a fragrance ingredient from Southwest coast, Sri Lanka, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Ceylon cinnamon bark

Fruit

Warm

Wood

Found in temperate, mountainous forests in the northern hemisphere, oakmoss is a branching lichen that grows on the branches and trunks of the oak tree. Ours is foraged from wild oaks in Samokov, Macedonia, before being transported to Grasse, where the oil is extracted by a family-run distillery.


Oakmoss, despite its name, is not a moss but a branching lichen, varying in colour from very pale to dark olives and ambers when wet. It can be found in temperate, mountainous forests throughout the northern hemisphere, growing on the branches and trunks of deciduous trees and conifers, but most especially on the oak. Its presence is a sign of unpolluted air. Our oakmoss is foraged from the trunks and branches of wild growing oak trees in the hills of Samokov, Macedonia, and transported to Grasse, where the oil is extracted by a family-run distillery.


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Oakmoss- a fragrance ingredient from Grasse, France, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Oakmoss

Earth

Forest floor

Grown on Calabrian hills overlooking the Ionian Sea, the fruit is harvested by hand and the oil extracted at source. The La Face family planted their first bergamot in the 1930s and have been mastering the craft of producing citrus oils ever since. 


Grown on Calabrian hills overlooking the Ionian Sea, the fruit is harvested by hand and the oil extracted at source. The La Face family planted their first bergamot in the 1930’s and have been mastering the craft of producing citrus oils ever since. They are always our first port of call when it comes to sourcing bergamot and other citruses for our fragrances.


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Bergamot rind- a fragrance ingredient from Calabria, Italy, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Bergamot rind

Earl grey

Citrus

Floral

Black peppercorn is a perennial climbing vine, native to the Indian Malabar coast. Corn clusters are picked when ripe and sun dried for three days before hydrodistillation. The resulting essential oil has a fresh, spicy smell with a woody accent. 


Black peppercorn is a perennial climbing vine, native to the Indian Malabar coast. The pepper that grows here has an earthier, more autumnal feel that the popular Madagascan variety. The reddening corn clusters are picked when ripe and sun dried for three days before hydrodistillation. The resulting essential oil has a fresh, spicy smell with a woody accent. Pepper has been valued throughout the centuries, and in the Middle Ages earnt the name of 'black gold' due to its high cost.


Black peppercorn- a fragrance ingredient from Malabar coast, India, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Black peppercorn

Our Jamaica pimento is harvested by tree climbers. As iron knife blades can poison the tree, the twigs and branches are snapped by hand and dropped. These branches are flailed to loosen the berries, which are sun dried for seven days before being crushed and distilled at source.


Our Jamaica pimento - or ‘myrtle berry’ - is harvested by Jamaican tree climbers. The use of machetes is prohibited as the iron blades can react with and poison the tree, so the twigs and branches are snapped by hand and dropped. These branches are then flailed to loosen the berries, which are sun dried for seven days before being crushed and distilled at source.


Jamaica pimento- a fragrance ingredient from Westmoreland, Jamaica, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Jamaica pimento

Clove

Nutmeg

Sweet

Red juniper, also called red cedar, is a coniferous evergreen native to the north-eastern United States. We harvest red cedar in Virginia, when the plant is young, and steam distil the wood to extract a pure red juniper oil. 


Red juniper, also called red cedar, is a coniferous evergreen native to Northeastern USA. We harvest red cedar in Virginia, when the plant is young, and steam distil the wood to extract a pure red juniper oil. 


Red juniper- a fragrance ingredient from Virginia, USA, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Red juniper

Sensual

Amber

We chose Haitian vetiver over Javan competitors for its fresh, sparkling notes, and because the root provides sustainable employment for south Haitian communities. One year after planting, the roots are excavated, washed, cut, and sun-dried before they can be steam distilled at source.


We’re incredibly fond of this ingredient. We chose Haitian vetiver over its Javan competitor for its fresher, sparkling notes which work well with our bergamot, and because the root provides such a valuable and sustainable source of employment for the south Haitian community. One year after planting, the roots are excavated, washed, cut, and sun-dried before they can be steam distilled at source.


Vetiver root- a fragrance ingredient from Les Cayes, Haiti, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Vetiver root

Smoke

Root

Sparkling

Our nutmeg grows on the Banda islands of eastern Indonesia. The fruit is harvested with handheld telescopic pickers and left to dry in the shade - the seed oil is then steam distilled at source.


Our nutmeg grows on the Banda islands of eastern Indonesia. These islands - the original source of nutmeg - were a global secret throughout the 15th century, until in August 1511 they were discovered by a Portugese general, and the European race for nutmeg trade dominance began. Today the fruit is harvested with handheld telescopic pickers and left to dry in the shade - the seed oil is then steam distilled at source.


Nutmeg- a fragrance ingredient from Banda Islands, Indonesia, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Powder

Scentless when fresh and native to Asia, patchouli is a member of the _Lamiaceae_ or Mint family. Our patchouli is hand-harvested on the Indonesian Island of Java. It’s then dried in the shade and briefly fermented, helping to break down the cell walls before the copper still hydrodistillation.


Patchouli- a fragrance ingredient from Java, Indonesia, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Patchouli

Dark

Grown wild in the Gran Chaco jungles of western Paraguay, guaiacwood is known locally as ‘Palo Santo’ - or holy tree - for its supposed healing powers. As a slow growing tree, the harvest is closely regulated to ensure long term sustainability. Our wood is cut into chips and steam distilled at source.


Grown wild in the Gran Chaco jungles of western Paraguay, guaiacwood is known locally as ‘Palo Santo’ (holy tree) for its supposedly extensive healing powers. It ranks among the heaviest and hardest of woods known to man. As a slow growing tree, the harvest is closely regulated to ensure long term sustainability. Our wood is cut into chips and steam distilled at source.


Guaiacwood- a fragrance ingredient from Gran Chaco jungles, Paraguay, used by the organic fragrance house Ffern.

Guaiacwood

Rose

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Germany

Denmark

Spain

Finland

United Kingdom

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Sweden

United States

Floral broom, creamy tuberose and green petitgrain

Euro

Canadian Dollar

British Pound Sterling

Dollar

Autumn 19 is a delicate, richly spiced scent. Heavy on the base, it begins with complex olibanum, moving to mid notes of black pepper and patchouli and base notes of cinnamon, oakmoss and vetiver.

Organic Eau de Parfum twice aged and bottled in Somerset, England. 32ml.

Complex olibanum, black pepper, cinnamon and vetiver

Autumn 19

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