Where the Reflect Collaboration Began
When Ali and I started talking about this collaboration, the conversation was never really about fragrance notes or botanicals. It was about how we wanted women to feel.
How Rosie Hawkswell's Artwork Shaped the Fragrance
Rosie’s artwork became the starting point. The depth of the rainforest greens, the rich layers of foliage and those striking coral blooms felt feminine and beautiful, but there was also a strength and confidence running through the design that kept drawing me back.
Creating a Scent That Captures a Feeling, Not a Botanical
As I started developing denu’s part of the collaboration, I wasn’t looking to recreate a particular botanical from the artwork. I wanted to create a scent that captured the feeling of wearing the collection.
Why Reflect Uses a Refined Blend of Lavender and Ylang Ylang
For Reflect, I chose a deliberately refined blend built around lavender and ylang ylang.
A bespoke scent does not need to be crowded to have depth. For this collaboration, restraint felt important. Rosie’s artwork already had richness, movement and detail, so the fragrance needed to sit beside it beautifully rather than compete with it.
The craft was in finding the right balance.
I wanted a scent that felt calm but not sleepy, floral but not overly sweet, feminine but not delicate.
Lavender brings calm and clarity, helping to steady the senses. Ylang ylang brings soft floral warmth while encouraging feelings of comfort, confidence and connection.
Together, they create something that feels feminine, composed and quietly powerful.
Why Reflect Has Become My Favourite denu Fragrance
I’ll be honest, Reflect is one of those fragrances that has grown on me more and more over time. I liked it from the beginning, but now I absolutely love it.
Without a doubt, it has become my favourite fragrance in the denu collection.
When I wear it, I feel confident, feminine and quietly empowered. That is exactly how I hoped women would feel when wearing the collection.
The Power of Scent: How Fragrance Makes You Feel
For me, that’s the beauty of scent. It isn’t just about how something smells. It’s about how it makes you feel.
And that’s what Reflect was created to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does denu Reflect use lavender and ylang ylang essential oils?
We made a deliberate choice to keep Reflect simple. Lavender brings calm and clarity, while ylang ylang adds soft floral warmth and encourages feelings of comfort, confidence and connection. Together, they create a fragrance that feels feminine, composed and quietly powerful - without unnecessary complexity.
What does lavender do in the Reflect fragrance?
Lavender is known for its calming properties. In Reflect, it helps steady the senses and create a feeling of calm confidence when worn.
What does ylang ylang do in the Reflect fragrance?
Ylang ylang adds soft floral warmth to Reflect and is associated with feelings of comfort, confidence and emotional connection, making it ideal for a fragrance designed to be worn as a daily ritual.
Is Reflect a bespoke fragrance?
Yes. Reflect was created by denu as a bespoke natural fragrance developed specifically for the denu x Philosophy Australia collaboration. It uses only pure essential oils and is made in Melbourne.
Who is the Reflect fragrance designed for?
Reflect was created for women who want to feel confident, feminine and quietly empowered. It was designed to complement the Philosophy Australia silk capsule collection and to be worn as a personal ritual throughout the day.
What products are in the Reflect collection?
The Reflect collection includes a natural perfume, body mist, body oil and candle - all made in Melbourne by denu from natural botanicals and pure essential oils.
The artwork features Cape York Lily, Native Thyme, Southern Blue Gum, Lemon Myrtle, Veined Sun Orchid, Finger Lime and Cinnamon Myrtle. Together they create a rich visual tapestry that speaks to both the beauty and the quiet usefulness of Australia's native botanicals.
Reflect: denu x Philosophy Australia | Natural Fragrance Collection
Reflect is a bespoke natural fragrance collection created by denu in collaboration with Philosophy Australia. Perfume, body oil, candle & body mist. Made in Melbourne.
