The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lasting Lavender launched in 2012. Chris Bartlett built it around lavender, but not the kind that treats the herb like dessert. The structure backs that up: rosemary arrives first, a second wave of lavender absolute deepens the middle, and white musk with sandalwood carries the whole thing down to the skin. The brief, in practical terms, was a lavender that behaves. Aromatic enough to feel alive in spring, close enough for a workday, and composed to develop gradually on the skin. The opening is brisk and herbaceous, with rosemary lifting the lavender and giving it a clean, energetic character. As the composition settles, lavender absolute brings a deeper, more resinous layer, while geranium and violet leaf introduce a green floral edge without making the scent overtly sweet.
What makes the composition interesting is the return trip. Lavender shows up in the top notes, then reappears as an absolute in the heart, which changes its character entirely. The first lift is bright and herbal. The second is denser, almost medicinal, with geranium adding a green floral edge and violet leaf keeping the whole thing from turning sweet. The middle develops with a clean floral softness that sits against the darker herbal character of lavender absolute rather than replacing it.
The evolution
The opening is a brisk slap of herbs. Rosemary cuts through the lavender, giving the first stretch a cool, clean and vigorously green character. Then the heart settles in. Lavender absolute rounds the edges without losing the spine, while geranium and violet leaf add a green floral hush. A softer floral note slips through the middle, adding a clean contrast to the more herbal materials around it. By the drydown, the whole composition has pulled in close. Sandalwood smooths things over, white musk keeps it sitting on skin, and ambergris adds that subtle warmth beneath, a hint of salt rather than sugar. The scent develops from a lively herbal opening into a layered floral heart, then gathers around the skin as the woody and musky notes become more prominent. Lavender remains the central thread, though its mood changes as the other notes move in and out of focus.
Cultural impact
Lasting Lavender offers a particular way of approaching lavender. The fragrance opens with rosemary, then builds through lavender absolute, geranium and violet leaf before settling into white musk, sandalwood and ambergris. That gives the composition a textured character, with the bright herbs and green floral notes balanced by smoother, warmer materials underneath. It invites closer attention to how each part changes the scent: rosemary lifts the opening, violet leaf cools the floral heart, and musk brings the final stage close to the body.
The House
Pell Wall PerfumesPell Wall Perfumes is a Shropshire-based fragrance house founded by perfumer Chris Bartlett. It combines ready-made fine fragrances with bespoke fragrance creation, consultation, and supplies for home perfumers. Its catalogue spans scents for men, women, and the home, including Equistem, Minted Mornings, Green Carnation, Jacinth, and 1953 Pour Homme. The business also develops coordinated fragrance products and offers practical guidance for anyone working with perfume materials.
The Creator
Chris BartlettBartlett favored natural materials and compositions that showcased ingredient quality over molecular novelty. His leather woody signature appeared throughout his work, from the animalic depths of Zoologist Beaver to the mineral-dusted warmth of Pell Wall scents.
