Memo Paris: where to start? 6 perfumes to discover the house

Memo Paris is a French niche house that bottles journeys. Each perfume is named after a place or an escape: the sea, the desert, the Riviera, a corner of Paris. And the house has a real gift for leather, which it makes green, spicy or marine.

The range is big, so here are six perfumes to start with, from leathers to sunny flowers. The notes we quote are the ones on our pages, nothing more.

Green leather: Irish Leather

Irish Leather, launched in 2013, brings wide open spaces to mind. Juniper berries and pink pepper open with a prickly freshness, clary sage adds a grassy touch, then leather arrives, softened by tonka bean.

A lighter leather than usual, perfect between seasons. The right place to start if the word "leather" scares you a little. See Irish Leather.

Spicy leather: African Leather

African Leather, launched in 2014, opens on saffron, cardamom and bergamot. The heart brings cumin and geranium, warm with a floral touch. The base gathers leather, patchouli and vetiver.

Spicy and dry, with an earthy finish. The most intense of the three leathers on this list. See African Leather.

Marine leather: Ocean Leather

Ocean Leather, by Aliénor Massenet, tells the story of a crossing at sea. It opens on lemon, mandarin and pink pepper. The heart mixes clary sage, an aquatic accord and cedar. The base brings together vetiver, a marine leather and labdanum.

A fresh leather that smells of sea air and salt. For you if you want a leather to wear in summer. See Ocean Leather.

Sunny tuberose: Marfa

Marfa, launched in 2018, takes its inspiration from the desert landscapes of Texas. It all turns around one note: tuberose. But it isn't heavy here. It's bright and a little dry, like a white flower warmed by the sun.

For you if you love white flowers but find the heavy tuberoses tiring. See Marfa.

The Riviera in a bottle: Cap Camarat

Cap Camarat is an escape near Saint-Tropez. The opening pairs pink pepper with apple. The heart is sunny, with ylang-ylang, jasmine and vanilla. The base is woody and soft: sandalwood, benzoin, amyris, patchouli and labdanum.

Late-afternoon sun on your skin. Ideal in summer, or to bring the holidays back in the middle of winter. See Cap Camarat.

The Parisian rose: Odéon

Odéon, by Aliénor Massenet, is named after the Paris district and its theatre. It opens on rose and a candied rose accord. The heart mixes sandalwood, cashmeran and patchouli. The base rounds off with tonka bean, a dry amber and musks.

A gourmand, woody rose, chic and warm. It's also the only one on this list that comes in 30, 75 and 200 ml. See Odéon.

How to choose

• You're new to leather: Irish Leather.
• You want character and spice: African Leather.
• You want a fresh leather for summer: Ocean Leather.
• You love white flowers: Marfa.
• You want southern sunshine: Cap Camarat.
• You love rose: Odéon.

All six come in 30 ml, so you can try one without breaking the bank. Compare the offers on each page to find the right price.