Perfumers spend a lot of time and energy to create beautiful, well-balanced scents. But did you know that you can experiment with fragrances yourself, going well beyond just buying a new bottle? You can layer perfumes too, which means wearing two or more perfumes at the same time. Today we will be talking about layering and we will suggest some great combinations too!

So why layer perfume? Firstly, you will create a unique scent that no one else is wearing. We would say buying perfume from niche designers is step one, and then layering them is the final step. It will also make the scent stronger and lasting for a longer time.

But how to layer perfume? First, spray them together on a paper stripe starting with the heaviest fragrance and observe how they interact. Not all perfumes settle together nicely (not even ours!) so it’s important to try out the mixtures before putting them on your body. If they smell together well, you can spray them on the same spot or different spots on the body or clothes. Another good piece of advice is to start with a simple musky perfume and put a more complex one on top (although complex, our Elemental Musk will do just fine). It’s good to avoid combining two very heavy perfumes as they can create an overpowering combo. We also recommend not layering more than two complex fragrances and not more than three single-note ones.

So which ones are the good combinations of Foras perfumes? 

• Oxidised Rose and Rosemary Benzoin is an oriental and flowery mix, perfect as an evening perfume but likewise great to be worn during the day. It’s deeper and heavier than Oxidised Rose but more floral than Rosemary Benzoin. To us, this combo smells like a rose garden in Morocco!
• Summer Vine & Fig Ozone. Two of our summery fragrances combine very well to create a fresh and fruity scent. This mix smells of a garden in summer with its notes of tomato leaf, sweet pea and fig, and it’s absolutely beautiful and perfect for the summer - although we love wearing it in winter just to remind us of the beautiful feeling of the sun on our faces!
• The mix of Elemental Musk with Bitter Citrus is leathery and sweet. The bergamot note that comes from Elemental Musk plays very well with fruity citrus notes of Bitter Citrus. To us, it smells like a bookshop with leather sofas somewhere in Southern Italy!
• Fig Ozone & Elemental Musk are a dry and sweet combination that also smells woody and leathery. They are a light mix perfect for the day. It’s one of our favourite combinations!

So don’t forget to mention layering perfumes when you come to our shop in Folkestone and experiment with the eight scents from our permanent collection! We are here to help you so don’t hesitate to chat to Michał, Jen and Heather. See you soon!

Hello everyone! You will be happy to know that the best-smelling shop in Folkestone just expanded! We now have a new room full of skincare designed and manufactured by us, so we have complete creative and executive control over the products which assures the best quality and great prices.

You probably noticed that smells are important to us. In our perfumes, we use plenty of niche notes to create a unique composition. We adopt this approach in our skincare too. We make sure it doesn’t only make your skin beautiful and soft but that it smells heavenly too. So today we are going to walk you through our new scented skincare line and also give you more information about our unscented products.

The first product we will present is our Pink Pepper Treatment Cream, perfect for the face and the body, a cream that will rescue your dry and damaged skin throughout the year. We achieved the hydrating and protective result through mixing a few of the best oils: the ones from the grape seed, the pumpkin seed, and coconut. To give it a distinct and beatiful smell, we decided to scent it with a mix of essential oils from sage, rosemary and orange (do you want you facial cream to smell like Provence in the summer?). To give it rejuvenating properties, we added vitamin E, known for its restorative properties. You can get all that goodness for just £17 for 60ml!

We also created two amazing new products that marry the best of the world of skincare and the world of bath care - body and bath oils. As the base, we used a powerful mix of plant-based oils: avocado oil, hemp oil, coconut oil and almond oil. We also added lovely essential oils so make sure they smell delightfully. The Eucalyptus Body And Bath Oil is refreshing and zingy. The Pink Pepper Body And Bath Oil has an exciting and warming smell of pink pepper, lavender, orange, sage and rosemary. You can enjoy the oils on their own as a part of your bath routine.

Don’t forget that we also created five types of single-grain unscented oils: argan, pumpkin, broccoli, rosehip and raspberry. They are meant to be used on the face, hair and body and you can read more about their properties here.

At the end we have to add that we are the only shop in the Folkestone area where you can buy the amazing luxurious skincare from Pelegrims - more information here.

So come to our shop and try our great skincare and beautiful fragrances. See you soon!

Christmas is just around the corner and it can be a bit stressful. There are all these preparations we have to make, all these presents we have to buy! That’s why we prepared a little Christmas shopping guide so you can relax and enjoy the days before Christmas. 

This year we have prepared something special - you can now buy gift boxes and lucky dips that will allow you to save quite a lot of money. Gift boxes start at £20 for a box set with bath salts, a piece of volcanic pumice and a notebook - perfect for people who enjoy writing while having a bath. ;) If you want to buy something truly special and Folkestone-themed, we have a £60 set that comes with a large Folkestone Green perfume, a bar of soap, a notebook and a card from Molly Pickle. Folkestone Green is our new fragrance that has been inspired by Folkestone’s green spaces and boosts with over 20 plant notes, so if you are looking for a lovely local gift, look no further. We also know how much people love our soaps so we prepared a full selection of our eight soaps for just £50. And if you like nice surprises, try our £8 lucky dip - each contains products worth £12-17 and is a great little gift.

Below you can also find gift set ideas for your loved ones.

For skincare junkies: £12-£60

Did you know that natural oils are a true gift of nature? We have chosen to manufacture five of the best types of oil out there and we have some weird and wonderful types such as broccoli seed oil and pumpkin seed oil. You can choose three oils for £33 or a set of all five at £60 - that’s just £12 per bottle!

For skincare junkies - deluxe edition: £68

Foras is one of the very few places in Kent that stocks skincare from Pelegrims. What makes it special is that it’s made with byproducts of wine production - grape skins, seeds and pulp. Pelegrims skincare is rich in antioxidants and vitamins - essentially it’s full of goodness. A set of facial cleanser and facial balm is perfect for anyone who treats the health of their skin seriously.

For people who love nature: £11

Books can transport you anywhere like by magic. At Foras, we love books that make us feel closer to nature and make us want to go outside and wander. We sell three amazing books by nature aficionado Robert Macfarlane. “The old ways” and “The wild places” explore the beauty of British nature while “Mountains of the mind” are an exhilarating history of mountaineering - what’s not to love?

For people who love nature - deluxe edition: £60

Our fragrance Mushroom Forest is inspired by a walk in mossy and misty woods and is perfect for everyone who loves nature. It is earthy, fruity and fresh, with notes of mushroom, earth, mossy wood, crab apples and wild berries. Apart from smelling lovely, a big 50ml bottle will last a long time!

For people who love spending time in the kitchen: £20

Molly Pickle is one of our favourite Kent-based designers. She makes cards, notebooks, pillows (and other beautiful objects) but today we want to talk about her gorgeous kitchen towels - we suggest buying a set of two different designs: “Busy bee” and “Octopus”. They were designed and printed by Molly Pickle herself. We guarantee you’re gonna love them!

For people who love bonfires: £30

Isn’t the smell of bonfire a window to the memory of good times with a great company of lovely people? Smell can evoke memories in a very powerful way. Good Candles have a strong and beautiful aroma, and they definitely have some of the best compositions on the market. Their Forest Fire candle smells just like a bonfire - how amazing is that?

Natural oils are a true gift of nature. They contain a plethora of beneficial ingredients, such as fatty acids and vitamins. We have chosen to manufacture five of the best types of oil out there and today we are going to tell you more about their properties - in brief, we will show you how amazing they all are! And if you are worried that oils might not be good for you because you have skin issues or oily skin, then we are happy to say that certain oils are perfect for acne and all skin types, so carry on reading!

Argan oil has a very high content of Omega 6, Omega 9 and antioxidants which means that if offers many benefits such as protection and rejuvenation of the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce signs of ageing in the skin. It also penetrates very quickly into the skin and leaves no oily film. You can make a nutritious facial serum by mixing argan oil with rosehip seed oil. Argan oil is great for tired and dehydrated hair too as leaves it protected, moisturised and with reduced frizz.

Although broccoli might seem like a basic plant, broccoli seed oil has quite sophisticated properties - with incredibly high percentage of erucic acid it feels and acts like natural silicone that is silky and doesn’t leave an oily film. If you want to give your skin a natural glow, look no further - broccoli seed oil is there to help you! It’s recommended to use this oil as a base in your skin conditioning routine, just before applying the moisturiser. It’s exceptionally good for nails and cuticles and is also perfect for hair treatments as it helps control split ends. It’s amazing for people in their twenties and thirties as it helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and prevents UV damage. It’s also good for skin with problems - it may help with dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis.

Another underestimated oil is the one made of pumpkin seeds, great for people with acne and skin where anti-acne products have been overused, as it contains zinc, widely regarded as an important mineral for skin health. Broccoli seed oil is rich in Omega 6 and Omega 9, great for lifting the skin, and in magnesium that regulates cellular regeneration and repair. These factors make it an excellent oil for people aged 40 years old and older; it also helps retain moisture in the skin, working against the creation of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also a great oil for sores and to reverse UV damage, so it’s perfect for mature skin with problems. Mix it with broccoli seed oil to create a powerful cuticle serum. You can also use pumpkin seed oil for your hair as it helps with hair growth and thickness; it’s really lightweight too so you don’t have to worry about oily appearance, in fact, it will make it feel soft and nourished, with reduced dandruff.

Raspberry seed oil is perfect for sensitive skin, especially in conjunction with rosehip seed oil. It’s deeply nourishing and emollient, leaving the skin supple, softened and protected against UV light and the elements. It has very good UV absorbing properties - some sources claiming protection of a factor between 28 and 50. As it is a very lightweight oil, it can be mixed with heavier oils. It contains a high amount of Omega 6 and Omega 3 making it perfect for everyday use - it’s even suitable for oily and combination skin as it doesn’t clog the pores. It also promotes anti-inflammatory and healing properties and it provides moisture retention for the skin and the hair.

Rosehip seed oil is another fantastic example of an all-round beneficial product. Great for dry and damaged skin, it can also be used on oily and combination skins as it absorbs very quickly without leaving an oily film, making it perfect for everyday use and under makeup. As it is intensely yellow, it will give your skin an even tone and a healthy glow when spread well (mix it with raspberry seed oil to reduce the intensity). Rosehip seed oil is great for mature skin as well as it has a very high content of antioxidant vitamin A and fatty acid Omega 3 which makes it a powerful anti-aging product that reduces wrinkles and fine lines, helping to keep the skin soft and supple. This oil is to be used on skin with acne, pimples and boils, and on skin overexposed to the elements, burnt or scalded. It is helpful for skin with other problems too - it reduces hyperpigmentation and makes enlarged pores less visible. It also normalises dry and oily scalps.

We are sure you will find a perfect oil at Foras - come to our shop at 11 Church Street in Folkestone to get special discounts on oil sets: a selection of three oils is just £33 while you can get a full set of five for just £60 - perfect as a Christmas gift!

Did you know that rodents have a perception called smound which is a mix of smell and sound information? You guessed that right, today’s topic is the sense of smell!

The sense of smell is strongly wired to our feelings and memories. Not only are we able to smell certain emotions, like fear and happiness, but also smells make us react emotionally which helps us empathise with others. Smell, unlike taste, sound and sight, gives us an emotional reaction before we can identify the scent. It has been proved that we can remember smells for much longer that feelings or products of other senses. Certain smells make us happy - these aren’t universal as what lifts our mood is linked to what we find pleasant. It turns out that shopping can give you happiness - as long as you shop for perfume!

There’s many interesting facts about the sense of smell. Human smell is like fingerprints - no two people smell the same (except identical twins). Apart from that, humans can identify blood relatives by smell, for instance, mothers can identify their biological offspring, but not stepchildren. Different people have a different sensitivity to odours, which is caused by genetic differences, it also goes well beyond the general susceptibility as we can be more prone than others just to certain smells. How many smells do you think we can identify? If you said one trillion unique odors, then you’re correct. A recent research project confirmed this number - isn’t the sense of smell amazing? It far outperforms other senses in terms of the number of stimuli it can differentiate. Smell is also the oldest sense - even single cell organisms have receptors that help identify the chemical composition of the surroundings.

Over 75% of emotions we feel, such as happiness, can be triggered by smells. Our perfumes and home scents will transport you to happy places. We’ve been told by many well-traveled visitors that our ‘Rosemary Benzoin’ perfume smells just like Morocco! ‘Summer Vine’ will take you to a greenhouse in summer with its notes of tomato leaf and sweet pea - isn’t that a happy place to be? ‘Mushroom Forest’ smells like a walk in mossy woods while ‘Bitter Citrus’ evokes southern Italy with its smell of blossom. If you want your home to smell heavenly, you should get our oils that you can use with diffusers and oil burners. ‘Eleanor’ has been created with inspiration from our store manager Michał, who loves the smell of sweet fig and mangoes. Our brand creator and perfumer Alex balanced them with grapefruit and black pepper to create a truly yummy and unique mix. ‘Eady’, with eucalyptus, basil and petitgrain, is an uplifting and cleansing fresh oil blend that will make you feel refreshed and renewed. We didn’t forget about candle lovers for whom we prepared interesting products too - Good Candles’ ‘Reading Books’ smells like a coffee shop in New York! With Foras’ smells you can now travel the world!

The Foras shop is almost one year old and we decided to throw a little party to celebrate it, and to celebrate all things summer. We also wanted to join other businesses and art places in the Last Friday events. Last Fridays of the month are a very special time in Folkestone: the galleries open till late, there are exhibition openings, performances and parties. If you don’t live in Folkestone and want to visit for a weekend, make sure you include the last Friday of the month in your holiday plans!

The shop was packed and everyone was enjoying their drinks and sniffing our perfumes. We also prepared something special: an olfactory poetry performance, a journey through scent and text. Imagine closing your eyes, smelling our unique fragrances and listening to poetry inspired by them. Our guests loved the performance as they said that it allowed them to experience the scents more fully. The poetry has been written by our store manager Michał Kamil Piotrowski, who’s a tech and visual poet, but who also writes textual poetry from time to time. He created seven poems, each inspired by one of the perfumes, each one transporting the visitor to a different place, from an old apothecary in Catania, to a pixie ring in a mossy forest.

We are pleased to report that our guests loved the fragrances. You will be happy to know that all our fragrances are unisex, so you can choose from all seven perfumes regardless of your gender. They are also made locally and the packaging is plastic free. Please read more about them in the ‘Fragrant Stories’ section of our website.

We are planning another party after summer so make sure you follow us on Instagram - we will announce the event there! See you soon!

The sun is shining, but maybe only for a week or two! We are in England after all. So, hurry! Grab your beach bag, something good to read, a fresh cup of coffee and your Summer Vine perfume. Watch the world go by and build a sandcastle or two down at Sunny Sands or find yourself a peaceful spot in the shade of the coastal park before heading to Mermaid Beach for a paddle. Scramble up onto the rocks and watch the waves crash in. Breath in the ocean air. Long summer days stretching into golden summer nights.

Summer is the perfect time to sit and do nothing. So grab a coffee from our shop, sit on the bench and relax. Don't think about anything, just look. What do you feel? Summer is great for other relaxing activities too, such as reading. If you love nature, we recommend 'The wild places' by Robert Macfarlane but we have plenty of other books for you to choose from. When you don't feel like sitting on the beach anymore, come to our shop and have a sniff of our lovely unisex fragrances (we have seven of them and are soon launching the eighth one!) - we are at 11 Church Street in Folkestone. We will be happy to give you a tour!

It’s summer - time to go to the beach, have ice cream and relax! We would suggest it’s also time to buy a summery fragrance, and we have three fragrances inspired by the sun, good weather and good times: Fig Ozone, Bitter Citrus and Summer Vine. They all go in very different directions and they will all take you to different places!

Do you like fresh figs? Imagine you are in Spain where figs grow, and you’re having a walk on the seaside - that’s what Fig Ozone smells like! The perfume isn’t very sweet, as we used fig leaf rather than sweet fig, and added subtle notes of fresh air and ocean water. We mixed it with gentle fruit notes to make it more summery; it’s our freshest perfume. It’s our lightest perfume too.

Bitter Citrus will transport you to an old apothecary in Southern Italy. It has an appealing slight medicinal scent. It’s very unusual and unique - it’s very rich and deep, which is unusual for citrus-based perfumes, as they are usually very light. We blended five citrus oils (such as petitgrain and blossom) to create a full fresh experience, we also added vetiver. Coriander, black pepper and amber are what makes the perfume distinctive - they give it a slightly woody and deep base.

Now think of a hot afternoon in a garden. The delicate scent of tomato leaf, tomato vines and sweet pea from the greenhouse reaches your nostrils. It’s a perfect day - warm and sunny. You sit on a bench in the shadow, you can clearly smell the dusty wood. The air is fresh. We managed to turn this beautiful moment into a perfume. Summer Vine has notes of tomato, sweet pea, dusty wood, bitter orange and fresh air.

We love unusual notes, so in our summery fragrances you can find tomato, fresh air and ocean water. Designing fragrances with unusual notes is one thing that makes our artisan perfumes special. Nature is important to us so we don’t use any plastic in our packaging. We also believe that people should be allowed to wear any perfume they like, so we made all of our fragrances unisex.

We have seven fragrances - if you like deeper scents, make sure you try Rosemary Benzoin and Mushroom Forest. Oxidised Rose will tickle your fancy if you like modern and floral fragrances and Elemental Musk is perfect for anyone who likes woody perfumes (we’ve added some bergamot in there too!). So what are you waiting for? Come to our Folkestone shop and have a sniff! We are open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays (10-4) and Sundays (12-4) and will be very happy to give you a tour!

We love discovering interesting meanders from our beautiful shop in Church Street. If you are a visitor or a local there are always new things to see. After delighting your senses with our scrumptious fragrances and sipping a cup of delicious Curve coffee, turn left out of our door and meander up one of the oldest streets in Folkestone.

Heading past St Eanswythe’s school curve around the bend to enter The Bayle. This was the site for an ancient castle, a Bailey situated at the brow of the hill. This beautiful square of pastel painted houses are a mix of tall Georgian and quaint cottages. If you are in the mood for some yummy pub grub, a glass of wine or pint. You can call into The British Lion, one of the oldest pubs in Folkestone with a bijou patio garden at the rear. A stone lion guards the entrance, the place where the soldiers would quench their thirst after a long day in the battery. Crossing over the road at the end of the row of houses is the delightful Bayle Pond. This pond was much larger in Victorian times and is the point that St Eanswythe made water run up the hill to her nunnery in the 7th century. The garden here with the sunken pond is a haven for wildlife. It also the home to two Triennial pieces, a Tracey Emin cast mitten and a Patrick Corillon, waterway 5. There are four wooden benches to sit a while and take in the birdsong. Tall, well established trees house wood pigeons, robins, magpies, chaffinches, blue tits and jays. Irises, water lilies, pansies, hyacinths, daisies abound in this little haven.

On our visit here in April we spied some beautiful Green Alkanet, Pentaglottis Sempervirens, its vivid periwinkle blue flowers and abundant green stems are originally from South West Europe. It makes a purple/red dye. It’s used to add colour to wine and alcoholic tinctures. It cures inflammation, burns, ulcers, leprosy and skin wounds. A reminder that an apothecary exists in our own back gardens. Next time on our meanders we will be discovering St Eanswythe and St Mary’s church, moments away from our scentsational shop.