PORCELAIN – A Natural High for Body, Memory, and Soul

Copenhagen has always struck me as a city of design, elegance, and thoughtfulness. Its rhythm is calmer than most capitals, yet it carries an energy that invites you to discover and reflect. During a stay at the Copenhagen Island Hotel, with its endless views of water and sky, I felt that very energy — openness, balance, and a readiness for new encounters.

It was there that I found myself drawn to PORCELAIN, a fragrance brand unlike any I had come across before. Situated in one of Copenhagen’s more affluent areas, not far from where the King and Queen reside, the boutique didn’t resemble a commercial perfume store. Instead, it felt like a sanctuary: olive-green interiors, feng shui details, and an atmosphere that calmed before I even tried a single scent.

First Encounter – The Bottle

What first caught my attention wasn’t the fragrance itself but the bottle. Smooth, white, porcelain. For me, over fifty now, it was instantly nostalgic. It reminded me of the hot-water bottles from my Italian childhood — the ones filled to keep me warm during cold winters. I held it in my hands and was transported back in time: simple evenings, comfort under blankets, the warmth that meant safety and home.

That is what PORCELAIN does best — it connects scent and memory. Before even opening the cap, I felt a story unfolding.

Meeting Stine Hoff

I had the privilege of meeting Stine Hoff, the founder and natural perfumer behind PORCELAIN. What struck me most was her passion, woven deeply with her personal story. She told me how her father encouraged her to pursue what she loved most, to follow her gift for working with natural oils, and to build a life around creating perfumes from the finest raw materials.

Her words weren’t rehearsed marketing lines; they were genuine. She spoke with warmth about challenges and joys, about nature as both teacher and companion. That level of authenticity is rare in the beauty world, and it drew me in even more than the porcelain bottle had.

Tuscany in a Bottle

As someone who lives in Tuscany, I was delighted to learn that many of PORCELAIN’s oils are sourced from Italy. The scents carried with them the soul of Mediterranean landscapes: the zest of Italian lemon, the depth of cedarwood, the herbal clarity of sage.

For me, this was more than perfume — it was a way of carrying Tuscany with me, wherever I traveled. A daily reminder of olive groves, sunlit hills, and the grounding rhythm of life in Italy.

As I sprayed the scents onto my skin, I realized this was not just about smelling beautiful. It was about belonging — to a place, to a memory, to myself.

Scent and Menopause – Why Natural Matters

Being in my fifties, I am navigating menopause. One of the changes I’ve noticed is how intensely I respond to smells. Synthetic perfumes, once tolerable, now overwhelm me. Some even trigger headaches or disrupt my mood.

This is why natural perfumes are not a luxury for me — they are a necessity. They align with my body’s chemistry, respect its sensitivities, and provide balance instead of chaos. PORCELAIN fragrances evolve gently on the skin, never clashing with hormones in flux.

Each scent becomes part of me, not a mask over me. In this chapter of my life, that feels essential.

My Chosen Scents

The first fragrance that captivated me was Myristica. It opens with the brightness of Italian lemon, uplifting and radiant. Quickly, layers of nutmeg and black pepper add warmth and vibrancy, while frankincense grounds the blend. Wearing it feels like stepping into a morning filled with possibility — energetic but centered.

Hero Ingredients in Myristica:

• Italian lemon
• Indian nutmeg
• Indian black pepper
• Omanish frankincense

The second, Cedarté, speaks more softly but with profound depth. Its cedarwood base is earthy, clary sage adds a fresh herbal lift, and Moroccan orris butter lends a luxurious, almost creamy smoothness. Labdanum finishes it with resinous strength. Cedarté feels grounding, like walking through a forest and breathing in its quiet strength.

Hero Ingredients in Cedarté:

• American cedarwood
• French clary sage
• Moroccan orris butter
• Labdanum

Together, these scents reflect two sides of my own journey: one vibrant and outward-looking, the other contemplative and rooted.

Imperfections That Tell a Story

Stine mentioned that because the bottles are crafted entirely by hand, there is the rare chance of slight leakage during transport. To me, this only added to the charm. Just as hand-blown glass or hand-thrown ceramics bear marks of their makers, these perfumes carry authenticity. They are not mass-produced in factories; they are shaped by passion and care.

In many ways, it mirrors life after fifty — imperfect, changing, but richer for it.

A Workshop in Presence

Inspired, I signed up for PORCELAIN’s Create Your Signature Scent workshop. Led by Stine herself, the session promises to guide participants through the process of blending raw materials into something entirely personal.

Workshops like this aren’t just about perfume-making; they are about wellness and mindfulness. They slow you down, teach you to listen to your senses, and anchor you in the present moment. Scent becomes not only fragrance but therapy — a way of reconnecting with memories, emotions, and inner calm.

I thought of how much value such an experience could bring not only to adults but to young people too. If schools taught children the power of natural smells — how they shape memory, mood, and wellness — we might raise a generation more attuned to nature and less dependent on synthetic quick fixes.

Why PORCELAIN Resonates

The more I reflected, the clearer it became why PORCELAIN resonated so deeply with me:

• Nostalgia: The porcelain bottle took me back to my Italian childhood.
• Passion: Stine’s story, guided by her father’s wish, reflects authenticity and love for her craft.
• Connection: Living in Tuscany, I feel proud that these oils often originate from Italy, bridging my daily life and these scents.
• Wellness: During menopause, natural perfumes offer balance where synthetic ones overwhelm.
• Imperfection: Handmade bottles remind me that beauty lies in uniqueness, not mass production.

Closing Reflection

Back at the Copenhagen Island Hotel, I sprayed Myristica as evening fell. The scent mingled with the salty air drifting from the harbor. I sat by the window and thought about how life, like fragrance, evolves throughout the day.

PORCELAIN is more than perfume. It is memory, ritual, and presence. It is Tuscany carried in a bottle, Copenhagen framed in design, and nature distilled for the soul.

As I held the porcelain bottle in my hand, I understood exactly what it offered: not just a fragrance, but a journey.

And as I often say:

“PORCELAIN fragrance is taking Tuscany on your journey of life.”
– Gracie Opulanza