Niche unisex fragrance, made in Montréal

There are perfume houses with factories, and there are houses with a bench, a scale, and a few hundred bottles a month. We are the second kind. Maison Carthia is an artisan perfume house in Montréal: one perfumer, one small atelier in Westmount, and ten scents we stand behind completely.

If you landed here searching for a niche unisex fragrance in Montréal, this page is our honest answer to what that actually means, and how to find the scent that fits you without gambling on a full bottle.

What niche means at our scale

Niche has become a word big brands print on boxes. Here it is literal. Our batches are small enough to mix, fill, seal and pack by hand. Nothing is composed by committee, and no formula is softened to please everyone in a shopping mall. A Carthia scent is allowed to have a point of view: saffron that actually smoulders, oud that is really there, jasmine you can pick out with your eyes closed.

Small also means we can afford real dosage. Many fragrances labelled eau de parfum sit near 10% fragrance oil. Ours are extrait de parfum, often in the 25 to 30% range, because concentration is where depth and staying power come from.

Why our perfumes are unisex

We compose for skin, not for aisles. Oud, bergamot, tonka and orange blossom never belonged to one gender; perfume counters sorted them that way for convenience. Our line is organized by scent family instead: woody, floral, gourmand, fresh. Tropical Oud is worn by women who love its passion fruit brightness and by men who come for the dark oud beneath it. The Sailor reads as sea air on one person and warm amber on another. The jasmine of Granada Bloom and the honeyed smoke of Oud Velvet get worn by everyone. That difference is the point.

Extrait de parfum, and why it lasts

Dosage is the percentage of fragrance oil in a formula. Body mists sit around 1 to 5%, eau de toilette around 5 to 10%, eau de parfum often 8 to 15%. Extrait starts where those end, around 15 to 25% and up. Ours are generously dosed, which changes how the perfume behaves: on most skin you can expect 6 to 12 hours of wear, with traces on clothing and hair that last longer still. A couple of sprays is enough.

Composed in Djerba, blended in Montréal

Every scent begins with our master perfumer on Djerba, an island off the coast of Tunisia. He has spent a lifetime around raw materials sourced from France, Switzerland and Oman, and we send ideas back and forth for months. Nothing leaves his bench until it smells right.

The finished compositions come home to Westmount, Montréal, where we blend, fill, seal and pack every order ourselves. When a bottle arrives at your door, it passed through our hands first. The longer version of that story is on our about page.

A perfume house in Montréal, on purpose

Montréal shaped this house as much as the Mediterranean did. The city gave us winters that ask for warmth, a neighbourhood in Westmount quiet enough for slow work, and people who will tell you exactly what they think of a scent in two languages. We fill bottles a short walk from where they are sold and shipped, and if you are in the city, you can smell everything at our seasonal kiosks and pop-ups before deciding.

How to find yours

The only reliable way to choose a niche fragrance is on your own skin, over a full day. Our Discovery Set exists for exactly that: all seven signature scents in 3 mL vials for $39, with $30 back on your next order of $100 or more once you have found the one. If you would rather be guided, the scent quiz narrows the line to a few suggestions in about a minute. And if you already know your family, the full collection and our oud perfumes are open to browse.

Questions we hear most

Where are the perfumes actually made?

Composed in Djerba, Tunisia, with raw materials from France, Switzerland and Oman. Blended, filled and packed by hand in our Westmount atelier in Montréal. Made in Canada is on the label because that is where each bottle is born.

How long do they last on skin?

Six to twelve hours for most people, depending on skin, weather and how much you apply. Extrait concentration is why; there is simply more perfume in the bottle.

Can I try before committing to a full bottle?

Yes. Full-size orders include a sample vial so you can test before opening your bottle, and the Discovery Set covers the whole line. Unopened bottles can come back within 10 days.

Is unisex just marketing?

Not here. We have never composed a scent for a gender. Pick by family and by mood; the perfume does not care who wears it.