Nadia Zuodar is a Swiss perfumer who creates artisanal perfumes with precious indigenous plants from all around the world. She is the nose behind the niche brand Nadia Z and what she wants is to express emotions through olfactory works of art. Judging by the samples I got from some of her creations these are intense and bold feelings full of interesting nuances. The line was launched in 2014 and it comprises 20 different scents.

Nadia Zuodar

The prevalence of natural exotic ingredients is very obvious in these fragrances. There is a sense of ancestry and of ancient rituals both in the smells and the bottles with hand sculpted caps. These are sensuous, deep, complex and dense scents, very far from commercial perfumery. These are truly serious perfumes for true perfume aficionados. “Nature becomes the ultimate refinement,” claims Nadia Z. In fact this is 100% natural perfumery, using no synthetic fragrances and a high percentage of indigenous oils.

The samples I got from Nadia Z are thick juices charged with unusual and spiritually rich scents. As I was opening the samples again I noticed that they had solid particles, floating oils and resins. This was strange to me but I still tried them on my skin. They all smelled heavenly gorgeous and no harm seems to have happened to the perfume. So I asked Nadia why this happened. I found the answer very honest and interesting, so I wanted to share it with you: “As part of my unique way of formulating, I do not filtrate the perfumes, I keep the plant oils inside, some of them will remain on your skin, others will be absorbed,” explains the perfumer. “Sometimes if you keep it too cold like in the freezer, some of the oils may solidify into butter, so you just need to warm it a little but no more than 30°C. In the actual bottle the heavier oils are remaining at the bottom at a small amount and one needs to shake it well before applying to avoid blocking the pump. In the samples like you have I sometimes put more of the oil part to make sure people realize it is a different composition.”

By assuming these changes in the aspect of the liquid and by enhancing the therapeutic properties of the various plants, Nadia Z is a natural perfumery statement. Being Swiss can be a plus regarding the resrictions imposed by IFRA. “In Switzerland we do not have these restrictions that is why I am more free to do research on plants and health and produce exclusive perfumes locally. In my opinion it is always a matter of what you use, in what quantities, whether or not it is isolated (I use complete plants because many times the bioactivity is different if you use extracts or if you single out a molecule), and in what mix you do it. And finally also how you apply it.”

Natural perfumery is still not a very well-known field for European consumers and this is why NadiaZ can be such a surprising brand, providing us with a really different perfume experience, more closely connected to our ancient roots and the origins of perfume itself. Mixing dozens of plant extracts, some of them still rarely used in this field, Nadia Z insists on very complex juices with complex ingredient interactions. Nadia says: “unfortunately most laws do not take into account the different factors and try to simplify by putting a single factor like a concentration as determinant, while working with plants is a more complex matter. On the biochemistry side only, science today enables us to measure the interactions of a few molecules at a time, not the 9000+molecules you may have in one of my perfumes with the high number of plants. That is why the science behind perfumery and its impact on health, the brain and the skin is so interesting. On the scientific side I would like to develop further research with universities on specific plants and neurobiology, which is why in the mid-long run I’d like to build a foundation that can facilitate research.”

Nadia uses indigenous oils like Ximenia as fixatives, so that it is also part of the oily feel you have when you use them. Nadia Z is, therefore, a different experience of fragrance. According to her, “the smell stays good nevertheless but the more oil you have, the best it is fixed and it moisturizes the skin, avoiding for example the dryness caused by alcohol and sometimes enabling the use of ingredients that otherwise may sting the skin a bit. In Mar de Cadiz you have some green algae inside, in Fleur de Loukoum you have resins too. All the perfumes remain good for 2 years as long as you don’t expose to sun, UV or overheat, some can remain longer, some like the citrus (for example Camino de Azahar) may become less sharp if kept beyond 2 years but again it depends also on the version (man or woman). So far I never had a perfume turn bad. Then if you leave the tube open and the alcohol evaporates together with the lighter perfume particles, you will remain only with the oils which will have a different perfume profile.”

“Perfume Made Art” is the promise of Nadia Z. Not only by creating a different style of perfumery but also by incorporating the Shona Stone Sculptures from Zimbabwe into its bottles. I have not smelled all of her creations, but I was astonished by the balmy, resinous, sweet and enveloping character of Japanese Spring and Métamorphose Lilas Night. Camino de Azahar For Men is a sensual interpretation of the Mediterranean orange blossom that opens with a very pungent clove-effect top. Fleur de Loukoum Night is a sweet narcotic floral with indolic white florals that are truly mesmerizing. Mar de Cadiz is fresher but it has a balmy heart too. Everything verges toward the oriental and they have an oily aspect that I find comfortable. These fragrances have just the right intensity and projection but they are thick for sure and you have to enjoy the warmth in a perfume and have a taste for the exotic to like them. Below I showcase three of the fragrances from the collection.

Nadia Z Perfumes for Women

Métamorphose Lilas Pink

The romantic, delicate and inspiring scent of blooming lilac and tuberose flowers sublimed by a hint of red fruits from the Fynbus Buchu and Australian Strawberry Gum. The tenderness of Patchouli, Beeswax, Tonka Bean and precious Namibian Omumgorwa Resin, gounded by mystical woods such as Sandalwood and Oudh and an evanescent touch of Hyraceum.

Nadia Z Perfumes for Men

Japanese Spring

A well kept secret which can be described by the scent of rain. It draws its original and ethereal nature from Namibian Omumbingu Resin, the narcotic emanations of Hyacinth sweetened by the earthy and masculine hint of pheromonal Hyraceum.

Nadia Z Unisex Perfumes

Anji Bamboo Mist

The magic of imagining a Bamboo Forest through the unexpected floral, green and fruity accords of intense flowers such as the magnificent Chinese Aglaia, the exotic Australian Boronia and the enigmatic Tuberose. Spirituality, complexity and depth emanate from Palo Santo, Coffee Flower, Wild Mushrooms and Precious Woods in an evanescent fragrance.

The Nadia Z fragrances can be found on the brand’s Official Website. For now Nadia only does 365 bottles a year starting from 5000CHF. And there is also a discovery box for the price of 800CHF.

Miguel Matos is a Portuguese journalist obsessed with perfume. Miguel likes to see himself as a fragrance curator, investigating perfume as contemporary art. He directs his own cultural magazine, Umbigo, and writes texts for museums and galleries. He is a vintage perfume collector and organizes regular talks called Vintage Perfume Sniffing. He also writes on beauty and grooming for Beautyalmanac.com. He is a Fragrantica writer, translator and editor of Fragrantica.com.br.

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