Which Sarah Baker sample to try first
Sarah Baker Perfumes casts each scent as a character in a fantasy world, made with a different independent perfumer. Eight samples in order of ratings, and a map of the peach, vanilla and spice.
Sarah Baker Perfumes is run from a studio in East London by two artists, Sarah Baker and Andy Hsu, and it works the way an art project would: every perfume is a collaboration with a different independent perfumer, credited on the bottle, and each is cast as a character in an ongoing fantasy world. The boxes are hand-stamped with art-nouveau illustration and come with a mini screenplay. The perfumes are made in small batches, with diluting, filling and boxing done in London, and most are Extrait de Parfum in 50 ml. A character is a promise, and only skin shows whether you like it, so a Sarah Baker sample is the sensible first step.
Sarah Baker: eight samples, ordered by ratings
We ordered the samples on our list by the number of ratings each perfume has collected on Parfumo, as gathered by NicheGems. Rating counts show how widely a perfume is discussed, not how good it is, and for newer perfumes they are small. Notes are given as the house records them.
Peach’s Revenge (2024, Chris Maurice) is a juicy, spiced peach with a Renaissance power-play attitude: peach, guava, nectarine and amaretto, then orris, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon bark, over amber, vanilla, caramel and musks.
Jungle Jezebel (2018, Miguel Matos) is deliberately provocative: banana, peach, bubblegum and grape, then tuberose, ylang ylang, rose and sandalwood, over civet, vetiver, vanilla, tonka bean and amber.
Atlante (2019, Sarah McCartney) is a salty tidepool with a mermaid-song theme: yuzu, pink pepper and seaweed, then orris, lily of the valley and wet rock, over ambergris, seashells, cedar and driftwood.
Gold Spot (2022, Chris Maurice) is the luxe oud of the house: orange blossom, bergamot, neroli and cypriol, then dark chocolate, Laos oud and butterscotch, over Suyufi agarwood, musk, amber, vanilla and sweet myrrh.
Charade (2019, Andreas Wilhelm) is the most classical composition: tuberose and ylang ylang, then benzoin, leather, styrax and tea, over honey, amber, vetiver, moss and sandalwood.
Pastel Rumours (Eau de Parfum, 2024, Chris Maurice) is a dreamy, milky peach: peach, fruit loops and ginger, then milk, cardamom and caramel, over custard creams, vanilla and musks.
Rococo Pie (2024, Chris Maurice) is spiced peaches and cream: peach pie, tangerine zest and coconut, then walnut, jasmine and creamy notes, over amber, sandalwood and musk.
Tartan Cask (2024, Sarah McCartney) is a smoky Highland autumn: peaty whisky, bread, hops and heather, then cedar, tobacco and leather, over smoke, moss, Buddha wood and labdanum. Flame & Fortune and Va Va Vanilla belong to the same range.
The Sarah Baker note map
Vanilla sits in Peach’s Revenge, Jungle Jezebel, Gold Spot and Pastel Rumours, and amber in five of the eight. Peach runs through four perfumes, and cardamom links Peach’s Revenge and Pastel Rumours. Tuberose belongs to Jungle Jezebel and Charade, leather to Charade and Tartan Cask, and oud to Gold Spot. For the sweet side, gourmand perfume samples and fruity perfume samples gather other houses. The vanilla samples guide places the vanillas among others.
A first order of Peach’s Revenge, Atlante and Tartan Cask covers fruit, sea and smoke, three very different characters. How to test perfume on skin gives a simple routine, and winter perfume samples suits the smoky and sweet ones.
From Sarah Baker sample to bottle
If one holds up over several wearings, the bottle is the next step. Our vial is filled by FragranceGems from the original bottle and labelled by us; Sarah Baker is not involved and it is not a brand sample. The first perfume in full size is at Sarah Baker Peach’s Revenge. The sample set page shows how to combine vials, and the FAQ covers filling and labels.
FAQ
Which Sarah Baker sample should I try first?
Peach’s Revenge. It has the most Parfumo ratings of the eight on our list, and its peach, guava and nectarine with amaretto over cardamom, ginger, amber and caramel shows the house at its most playful.
Why does each perfume have a different perfumer?
Every Sarah Baker perfume is a collaboration with a different independent perfumer, credited on the bottle label and the product page. Chris Maurice, Sarah McCartney and Andreas Wilhelm are among them.
Are Sarah Baker perfumes vegan?
Many are. The brand names Atlante, Charade and Flame & Fortune as the ones that are not, and says it uses only ethically sourced animal products, such as ambergris foraged from beaches. Check the note list of each sample.
