Rake & Ruin Beaufort London
Fragrance Story
Rake & Ruin by BeauFort London is a fragrance for women and men. Rake & Ruin was launched in 2018. The nose behind this fragrance is Julie Dunkley. Top notes are Smoke, Angelica, Gin, Juniper, Sichuan Pepper, Pink Pepper, Licorice, Coriander, Orange and Lemon; middle notes are Smoke, Cypress, Castoreum, Pine needles, Cade oil, Labdanum, Costus, Violet and Orris; base notes are Smoke, Woody Notes, Ambrarome, Sandalwood and Musk.
Composition Profile
About the Perfumer
Julie Dunkley
Julie Dunkley is a British perfumer known for her work with BeauFort London. She created the bold and atmospheric scents Acrasia, Iron Duke, and Rake & Ruin for the brand. Her compositions often explore dark, narrative-driven themes with a modern edge.
Fragrance Notes
Top Notes
First impression · 15-30 min
Heart Notes
Core character · 2-4 hours
Base Notes
Lasting impression · 4+ hours
Character Profile
The Wanderer Archetype: Portrait of Rake & Ruin Beaufort London
Essence
The Wanderer is a soul adrift, one who finds meaning in the spaces between destinations. They are drawn to the margins, the ruins, the forgotten places where the veil between worlds is thin. Rake & Ruin captures this essence with its haunting, complex composition: the acrid bite of smoke, the herbal sharpness of gin and juniper, the animalic warmth of castoreum and costus, and the dark, woody base of cade oil and ambrarome. It is a scent of decay and rebirth, of the beauty found in desolation.
This fragrance is a journey into the unknown. The Wanderer wears it as a map of their own inner landscape, a scent that speaks of lost highways and forgotten dreams. It is a perfume of the liminal, the in-between, the threshold.
Style & Aesthetic
The Wanderer's style is eclectic and worn, a collage of found objects and secondhand treasures. They favor dark, layered looks-a frayed scarf, a patched coat, boots that have seen many miles. Their wardrobe is a collection of stories, each piece carrying the memory of a different life. They are drawn to textures that speak of age and use: cracked leather, threadbare velvet, rough linen.
Their aesthetic is one of romantic decay. They might wear a single earring, a ring made from a coin, or a jacket embroidered with symbols. Their look is a testament to a life lived on the edge, a refusal to be polished or contained. Rake & Ruin is the scent that lingers in their wake, a whisper of smoke and secrets.
Philosophy & Values
The Wanderer believes in the power of the journey, not the destination. They see life as a series of thresholds, each one an opportunity for transformation. They value freedom, authenticity, and the courage to embrace the unknown. Their philosophy is one of radical acceptance: they do not seek to control their fate, but to surrender to it.
They hold a deep reverence for the broken and the discarded, seeing beauty in imperfection. They believe that the most profound truths are found in the margins, in the places that others overlook. Their values are rooted in a willingness to be lost, to trust that the path will reveal itself.
Relationships
The Wanderer's relationships are fleeting and intense. They are drawn to fellow travelers, to those who carry their own shadows. They form deep bonds quickly, but they are always ready to move on. They are the friend who appears at your door at midnight, the lover who stays for a season and then disappears. Their love is a gift of presence, not permanence.
They need partners who understand their need for freedom, who do not try to tie them down. Their relationships are a dance of approach and retreat, a constant negotiation between intimacy and independence. They are loyal in their own way, but their loyalty is to the journey, not to any single person.
Lifestyle
The Wanderer's life is a series of departures and arrivals. They live out of a bag, their home a series of temporary shelters. They are drawn to the road, to the open sky, to the places where the map ends. Their rituals are those of the traveler: packing, unpacking, finding a place to sleep. They find beauty in the transient, the ephemeral.
They are drawn to the night, to the hours when the world is quiet and the stars are visible. Their days are marked by a sense of drift, a willingness to be carried by the current. Rake & Ruin is the scent of their journey, a reminder that the only home is the road itself.
Shadow
The Wanderer's shadow is a tendency toward rootlessness and avoidance. In their desire for freedom, they may run from commitment, from intimacy, from the hard work of staying. They can become addicted to the new, forever chasing the next experience and unable to find contentment in the present. Their embrace of decay can become a form of self-destruction.
In their shadow, the Wanderer becomes a ghost, drifting through life without ever truly living. They must learn that true freedom is not about endless movement, but about the ability to choose where to stay. The scent of Rake & Ruin, once a call to adventure, can become a reminder of the emptiness of a life without roots.
Conclusion
Rake & Ruin is the olfactory signature of the Wanderer archetype-a scent of smoke, gin, and animalic warmth. It is for those who walk the edge, who find beauty in the broken places. To wear it is to embrace the journey, a reminder that the path is the destination.