Perhaps you already know COTTONCAKE the Amsterdam based concept store? Both cafe & store with an all-day breakfast menu to die for, a continuously evolving collection (with some of my fave brands!) Perfect cappuccino’s and so much more. Owners Tessa & Jorinde don’t like to settle but are always pursuing that true, love-at-first sight feeling to find products for the store. Creating products under their own label, where they can pour their inspiration into every detail themselves, making no concessions, is a big dream that came true. And so, the COTTONCAKE fragrance collection is here.

This is a project I so loved to see grow and participate in. And personally, experience all the hard work, love and a few tears Tessa & Jorinde put into it to make this happen. Looking so much forward to continuing this journey with them, and love to tell you about it.

– Marissa

Five fragrance universes were created, each of them inspired by personal travels, memories and moments from Tessa & Jorinde. An ode to their favorite states of being.

As a base for the eau de perfumes and scented candles they needed five scents. These were developed in collaboration with amazing perfume designer Drs. Tanja Deurloo, a real ‘scent nerd’ an academic chemist with a proven track record in perfumes (fine fragrances) and personal care.

She turned out to be the perfect person and guide to translate the wishes from the girls into five perfect scents.

To gain some more product knowledge about the fragrance collection I’ve had the pleasure to learn firsthand from Tanja. Among other things we talked about the different scent families and ingredients that were used for this line. It is such an intriguing world!

And as most of us experience, it will take you back or to certain moments, memories, it’s the ultimate nostalgia.

Our sense of smell is the only sense directly connected to our limbic system, the part of our brain, with which we feel, remember, desire and get motivated.

So is ‘Nomad Noir’ the translation of Tessa’s deep love for this 1001 night feeling she gets from those trips to Morocco. Love Shack translates Jorinde’s feeling from her weekend trips to this wooden cabin in the Catskills, from the time her boyfriend lived in NY.

‘L’eau Coco’ stands for that ultimate summer feeling. ‘Soft Sencha’ is such a subtle and elegant fragrance, and for me about a travel dream to come yet, think about being in a green Japanese tea garden. Early morning, dewy ground, old pines and soft lotus leaves.

As for my favorite fragrance and universe? I think it’s ‘April Haze’ woody and a hint of florals. Described as that ‘beginning of everything feeling’ on that first blue-skied spring day. On top of the world, rose-colored thoughts, beams of sunlight: a dazed state of being... an omen of the summer to come. My own translation? biking along the canals here in Amsterdam, after that first warm day, terraces full, and happy people.

The five different universes were translated into a photoshoot with actress Bo Maerten, photographed by Jennifer Kunes.

All scents are available in 10 ml & 50 ml Eau de Parfum, Scented Travel Candles & Home Candles. Soon my favorite scent will also be available here at aprilandmay.com

If you want to read more about the fragrances and COTTONCAKE visit here.

– Marissa