Saffron James Perfume
By Olessa Pindak, Senior Beauty Editor
I visited Hawaii for the first time last year and everything about it enchanted me—the lush green foliage, hidden beaches, colorful fish, and outdoorsy lifestyle. The sights, sounds, and sweetly perfumed air all came rushing back to me recently when I tried perfumer Kate Growney’s new Saffron James fragrance collection ($85-$110), which is based on the flowers of Hawaii. Growney grew up in Hawaii and used her childhood experiences to create the four sophisticated scents: A flower wristlet she wore to her prom inspired “Le’a”; the puakenikeni flower her first crush loved led her to create “Punono”; a favorite mountainous running trail was the basis for the ginger-scented “‘Ume” (my favorite); and “Nani” ($110) is an homage to the last crown princess of Hawaii, Princess Ka’iulani, and the pîkake flower. The scents are a blend of mostly natural essential oils with some synthetic bases, but all are phthalate-, paraben-, and formaldehyde-free. Each comes packaged in an ornate reusable box, and one dollar of the purchase price goes to environmental and cultural preservation organizations in Hawaii.
