The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Nathalie Benareau built The Forward around a strategic contrast, the bright citrus of honey pomelo against the warm cream of bourbon vanilla, with salt as the unexpected bridge. The perfumer designed it to be refined but with real presence, drawing on Mind Games' chess-inspired philosophy where every note is a calculated move. The brand's cerebral identity shows in how each layer feels deliberate, nothing wasted, nothing excessive.
The note structure reflects a deliberate philosophy of contrast. The citrus opening is designed to grab attention, the salt heart to hold it with something unexpected, and the vanilla-sandalwood base to keep them there. Benareau chose these materials knowing how they interact: honey pomelo's sweetness previews the vanilla to come, salt bridges the gap between fresh and warm, and cashmeran extends the creaminess of sandalwood to create a base that feels intimate rather than heavy.
The evolution
The Forward begins with a citrus salvo that feels both sunny and sophisticated, honey pomelo and mandarin softened by lemon's clean brightness. As the top notes soften, tonka bean's warm amber emerges alongside salt's mineral intrigue, creating an unexpected tension between sweet and savory. Jasmine arrives to temper the salt with floral grace, and then the base unfolds: bourbon vanilla's rich warmth wrapped in cashmeran's velvety softness, with sandalwood providing the final creamy, woody finish that lingers on skin for hours.
Cultural impact
The Forward appeals to wearers who wanted something between a designer citrus and a heavy niche oriental, neither sharp enough to feel sporty nor sweet enough to feel juvenile. Nathalie Benareau treats salt not as a marine note but as a balancing agent that keeps gourmand materials from becoming cloying. That technique is uncommon enough to make the fragrance worth discussing. The way salt integrates into the composition creates something that feels composed rather than accidental, and that intentionality shows in how the fragrance wears on different skin types.
