Clean + Conscious Awards. Best Natural Perfume 2023. Cygnet Perfumery

Cygnet Perfumery – Nocturne Extrait de Parfum

RRP: $120.00

BRONZE

Cygnet Perfumery creates artisanal perfumes using 100% natural ingredients. Nocturne fragrance features top notes of White Birch and Yellow Mandarin, heart notes of Blackcurrant and Virginian Cedarwood and base notes of Tobacco and Vanuatu Sandalwood. Aged for 6 months for optimum quality.

Clean

Formulated with excellent clean ingredients.

Ethical

Australian based brand Cygnet Perfumery, emphasizes ethical practices in all aspects of their business. They formulate and manufacture all products in-house, allowing control over ingredient sourcing and quality. They trace ingredient supply chains to ensure ethical production, including fair wages, no child labour, and safe work conditions. They source from small-scale farmers, award-winning biotechnology companies and directly from producers. For raw materials they can't source directly, they partner with two ethical suppliers that offer high-quality artisan distillations, and prioritise organic, fair trade ingredients. Furthermore they prioritise local ingredient sourcing to support communities and reduce their carbon footprint.

Sustainable

Cygnet Perfumery uses a natural grape spirit as the base of its fragrances, partnering with Tarac, the most sustainable supplier of alcohol in Australia, which upcycles Australian wine grape residuals into premium natural grape alcohol. The fragrances are released once a year in limited numbers to promote mindful manufacturing and consumption. The extrait de parfum packaging is letter-pressed on tree-free paper with eco-credentials, both bottle and outer packaging are recyclable and fragrances are shipped in post-consumer materials that are entirely recyclable. Cygnet Perfumery uses a selection of natural raw materials sourced from different regions across the globe, pays close attention to The IUCN Red List and CITES and makes the perfumes by hand using traditional techniques, resulting in a low carbon footprint. Sustainability is also a key criteria when evaluating ingredients. Cygnet Perfumery is constantly improving its sustainability practices, working on implementing a refill service for its fragrances and aiming for 100% circular packaging by 2025.

Responsible

Cygnet Perfumery is a female-founded business committed to supporting women through employment and sourcing, and pledging 1% of sales to First Nations organisations. They prioritise sourcing ingredients that make a positive impact, such as organic rose geranium essential oil from a South African farm and distillery that employs, upskills and empowers rural women. The brand also aims to grow the Australian fragrance movement and support young female perfumers, while complying with IFRA regulations and offering fine fragrances from the plant world. The brand acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong / Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, their Elders, past, present and emerging, and recognizes that sovereignty has never been ceded.

Product reviews from our experts…

The tobacco, amber and sandalwood notes are alluring. They capture a winter’s day spent sprawling by the logfire in a countryside resort. The artisan bottle and handwritten cursive name adds a sense of personalisation.

Their efforts in sustainable packaging and overall business practice, from sourcing their ingredients to giving back to first nations organisations is great. Supporting young female perfumers is pretty unique!

–Neha Hobson

I love that this natural perfume has been aged for 6 months, meaning only a small dab is needed, resulting in the scent lingering for hours and hours and changing subtly over time. A perfect balance of earthy and sweet citrus notes, oscillating between grounding and uplifting. A divine unisex scent, with minimal glass packaging.

I also love that Cygnet sources from local, small-scale farmers + distillers and that efforts are made to respect and take care of the earth and give back to local First Nations communities. This is a brand that truly cares – social responsibility is not simply an afterthought.

–Emma Freeman

A delightfully petit, vintage style, bottle that releases a beautifully bold and multi-layered fragrance. Nocturne is the sophisticated scent I turn to for nights out. I love that Cygnet Perfumery uses natural grape spirit as the base of their fragrances, which comes from upcycled Australian wine grape residuals. Now that is sustainable thinking!

I am also impressed by Cygnet’s dedication to ethical practices, implemented through tracing ingredient supply chains and in-house formulating and manufacturing for example. The brand’s sustainability goal of aiming for 100% circular packaging by 2025 is commendable.

–Dominique Scott