When I was growing up, we had a laundry cupboard upstairs. It was kept very neat and tidy, which was kind of in contrast to the rest of the house. Mum didn’t use any fancy washing powder; she was a big Bold3 devotee (still is!) but she hung lavender bags in the laundry cupboard- it was the 1980’s- everyone’s mum did! The scent of lavender mixed with the fresh, neat stacks of pillowcases and sheets was comforting and calming. Mum would change our bed linen on a Friday, and I loved Friday afternoons when I got home from the school bus and my bedroom smelled so good. I shared a bedroom with my sister Melanie, and like most sisters, we fought a fair bit. Not on a Friday afternoon though- our fragrant bedroom had us feeling much to zen-like to fight!
Linen has always been a special scent. Not only was it the first fragrance I developed, but it’s been our best-selling scent since we started.
It’s 2002, and I was just starting out my new business venture; making soaps in mum’s kitchen. After a crash course in chemistry and soap alchemy, the soaps were working out well, but I needed fragrances and names for them. Linen was the first fragrance I thought of, and to capture the scent of the laundry cupboard upstairs. The thought of the clean, fresh scent made me feel calm; perhaps instinctively that’s why it was the first scent I thought of.
Linen is essentially a Lavender fragrance. It’s made with English lavender which is sweeter and more floral than French lavender. The herbal notes of Geranium and Rosemary, which gives it a crisp freshness. Fun fact - Rosemary and Lavender are closely related, both belonging to the Lamiaceae (Mint) family and share aromatic and woody layers. Warming base layers of sandalwood and creamy vanilla really bring Linen together.
The end result is a striking, fresh and unforgettable scent. We sold it first as a soap bar; called Irish Linen in our early days. It was an instant seller. It outsold all our other fragrances put together and still does. Customers loved it, and those same customers are still with us and Linen remains their favourite to this day. Of course, it’s now available to enjoy in Candles, Diffusers, Hand Lotion, Hand Wash, Car Fresheners and still, always our soap bar.
Not all scents are best sellers or have their own fan clubs. But we can really say that with Linen. Most fragrances can become dated over time and need a little work from time to time. But, hand on heart, it’s the only scent we have never tinkered with or updated. I think the fact that at its heart it’s a lavender scent means that it’s timeless and a classic scent in its own right.
It’s a special feeling to know that we have created a scent that people truly love, and constantly have in their homes. Maybe like me lots of people had a similar laundry cupboard growing up and love the reassuring fragrance from their childhood.
I keep a
linen diffuser on the shelves beside my laundry cupboard at home. I don't bother to iron my pillow cases or sheets, life is too short! But I reckon they still smell as good as Mum’s.
Shop the full Linen Collection here.Alix x
P.S. Here's a photo of how our 20 year old Linen used to look and how it looks now!
2026 🤍
Rated Excellent
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