Ambrosia- Finalist for the 12th Art and Olfaction Awards 2026

A Milestone for Ambrosia: Becoming an Art & Olfaction Awards Finalist

Last year, my dear friend Clare Presser—the wonderful voice behind the Paperback Perfumes Podcast and an esteemed Geelong Librarian—encouraged me to submit my new fragrance collection to the Art & Olfaction Awards.

I’ll be completely honest: as someone very fresh to the perfumer scene, I hadn't yet heard of these awards. The idea of entering an international competition felt incredibly daunting. But I took a deep breath, carefully packaged my new creations, and sent them all the way to Los Angeles on a wish and a prayer, with my expectations firmly set at zero.

Last week, I woke up to an email that left me entirely speechless: Ambrosia had been selected as a top ten finalist. Initially, I thought it might be a mistake or a practical joke. Once the reality actually set in—accompanied by a racing heart, a few unfiltered shouts of joy, and perhaps a nervous sweat—I found myself in a state of quiet shock, trying to process the gravity and sheer enormity of the news.

For some context, the Art & Olfaction Awards celebrate excellence in independent, artisan, and experimental scent-making worldwide. The finalists are chosen through a rigorous, multi-stage blind judging process by an international panel of industry experts. To know that Ambrosia was evaluated purely on its artistic and technical merit—and resonated with the judges—is a profoundly validating and humbling experience.

Since Friday’s official announcements, I have been floating on cloud nine. I am living in a world of immense gratitude, disbelief, and awe to see my work standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most incredible and established artisan perfumers across the globe.  

It is truly incredible what can be achieved when you have the gift of support and I can say hand on heart that with out my incredible husband and business partner by my side, without the gentle and consistent encouragement from Clare, I would not be sitting here reflecting on this once in a lifetime experience.

This adventure has now officially begun! With the final awards ceremony taking place in Athens on June 11th, I have the profound honour of being one of only two perfumers representing Australia on the international stage. Please keep your fingers (and toes!) crossed for me as I embark on this experience and opportunity of a lifetime.

You can read more about the awards and view the breathtaking list of international finalists and honourable mentions over at ÇaFleureBon: The Art and Olfaction Awards 2026 Finalists and Honorable Mentions - 12th Edition.