VYVfragrance is a two-sister team who share similar memories and the same passion for creating perfume.
These perfumes are derived from nature, stimulated by experience, professional knowledge and training and created from the heart. Without gender bias we design our blends for everyone.
We formed the acronym VYV from both our names: Viv and Yve and as point of interest vif in French means lively, radiant, dynamic with vive meaning ‘long live’.
Our ethos at VYV is to maintain as clean a profile as possible, sourcing suppliers who also have ethical and environmental appreciation and responsibility.
We handcraft small batch fragrances to delight, question and educate the olfactory system and the ingredients used are accessed from the highest quality producers and suppliers.
Our full time professions before lockdown were 28 years as a professional, holistic aromatherapist and 30 years as a professional reflexologist. We have used the opportunity of losing our jobs to create our natural perfume business. With our combined empirical knowledge, we felt a newfound bravery, despite living hundreds of miles apart. We identified our individual and mutual skills and have created a product we are proud of.
Life has taken us to different geographical locations over the last 43 years and presented us with a plethora of life changing and life affirming experiences and challenges. We have spent many wonderful hours, thanks to technology, creating, discussing, fine-tuning our perfume blends inspired by our individual and mutual memories and experiences.
Our connection is one of passion, sensitivity, observation of the micro and macro world in which we live and of course, our bond is our love. To harvest the fruit of our life journeys and create VYV is beautiful and gratifying and precious.
Now we have the joy and privilege to share our creations with you.
I followed my heart from Scotland to Toulouse, France and spent 11 years in total there, absorbing the culture that included the odours and fragrance nuances of the city – Gitanes, garlic and mimosa.
Escaping often to the countryside where the southern French heat threw up warm smells of glorious vegetation.
On returning to Scotland, I began a 2-year aromatherapy course. Since 1996 blending essential oils has been my stock in trade and that has fuelled my lifelong fascination for fragrance.
In 2018 I completed a perfumery course in Grasse, France – the world centre of perfumery, giving me the impetus to move organically into creating natural perfumes and this is where the story of VYV began.
I started blending essential oils for perfume as soon as I discovered Health Food Shops over 38 years ago, when I first moved from Scotland to London.
As a vegan I have always used pure plant products and have created beautiful and interesting blends throughout my adult life. Living in Southeast Asia in my 30’s enlivened my spirit and inspired me further in my journey in olfactory and taste senses.
On arriving back from the East, I studied in Healing Arts for 10 years and worked intensively in Reflexology with people with Learning Disabilities for 25 years.
However, due to Covid, I lost my job temporarily and started my lifelong passion to start full time blending with my sister. It has been a joyous and satisfying experience…A simple story full of passion and intention.