Every day I see more perfume-related promotions than I can possibly process, from social media posts to press release emails to advertisements in subway cars. Despite, or maybe because of, all this saturation, word-of-mouth remains a potent force. When a neighborhood acquaintance and fellow fragophile recommended Lvnea, even pulling a small box of sample vials out of her bag to show me, I made a mental note to check out this small indie brand.

Lvnea (pronounced “lou-nay-uh”) is based in Montréal and its owner, April Lea, studied perfumery with Charna Ethier of Providence Perfume Company. Like Providence Perfume, Lvnea specializes in natural fragrances. However, Lvnea’s aesthetic is quite distinctive: dark, moody, with touches of the Gothic and the occult. (Right up my alley, in other words…)

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