Atkinsons Shine Despite Everything Review: Notes and Wear

Atkinsons Shine Despite Everything is a Parfum Intense from the Atkinsons 1799 Reserve Collection, built on three accords: spiced incense and turmeric, powdery orris with caramel, and a base of coumarin, vanilla and Akigalawood.¹ It suits cooler days and evenings, and anyone who likes sweet, spiced, woody scents.

In short

• It opens with incense, turmeric and pimento berry, moves into orris and caramel, and settles into vanilla and a woody amber base.
• It is sweet and spiced rather than fresh, so it fits autumn, winter and evenings better than a hot afternoon.
• It reads as unisex, and wearers describe long wear, especially on clothing.
• If you like it, Born for Eternity is the closest sibling, and several other Atkinsons perfumes share its iris or its warm spice.

What Shine Despite Everything is

Shine Despite Everything belongs to the Atkinsons 1799 Reserve Collection, and the maker describes it as a homage to the legendary motto of Sarah Bernhardt.¹ It was announced in September 2024 alongside Born for Eternity. Fragrantica reported that both have a Parfum Intense concentration.⁵ The maker lists the family as “Woody Amber-Floral”.¹

Curious? Try Atkinsons Shine Despite Everything as a decant, from €10.90Try it →

The brand does not disclose its perfumers. Fragrantica speculated, judging by the ingredients, that the creators come from the Givaudan team.⁵ Trade magazine Export Magazine credits Jordi Fernandez as the perfumer behind Shine Despite Everything, and it is the only source we found that names anyone.⁶

The bottles are decorated by hand in Florence, which the magazine says makes each piece unique.⁶ Fragrantica describes a gold leaf glass bottle sold at Harrods and on the official website.⁷ At launch the 100 ml bottle was priced at 265 euros.⁵ Parfumo lists the perfume as released in 2024, for women and men.⁸

You can browse the Atkinsons house page to see the rest of the range, or go straight to Shine Despite Everything at 2 ml (€10.90).

How we reviewed it

This is an editorial review, not a laboratory test. We judged the perfume on six things: the opening, the heart, the drydown, how it behaves on skin compared with clothing, the season it suits and who it suits. Our notes come from the maker’s own note list, the ingredient makers’ descriptions of their materials and what wearers on Parfumo report. We state no scores and make no measurements of our own.

The notes, accord by accord

The maker lists nine entries in three named accords.¹ Reading them in order is the clearest way to understand the structure.

The Flamboyant accord: incense, turmeric and pimento

The first accord holds Somalia Orpur incense, turmeric seeds and pimento berry essence.¹ Orpur is a Givaudan quality label. Givaudan says it was established in 2000, means “pure gold” in French and now covers more than 200 natural ingredients.³ Export Magazine describes one accord as a touch of saffron interwoven with notes of incense.⁶

In wearing terms this is the warm, resinous and slightly peppery first impression. Turmeric adds an earthy, dry spice rather than heat. If incense in general interests you, our guide to the best incense perfumes sets this style in context.

The Avant-gardist accord: orris, caramel and Rosyfolia

The heart pairs Orris Germanica Orpur with caramel and “Ambrofix and Rosyfolia”.¹ Orris is the root of the iris, a powdery material that perfumers treat as a luxury; our piece on why iris costs more than gold explains why. Caramel gives the powder a sweet, almost edible edge.

Rosyfolia is one of Givaudan’s signature unique ingredients,⁹ and Fragrantica glosses it as a radiant, fresh rose and geranium accord.⁷ It is the lift that stops the caramel from feeling heavy.

The Charismatic accord: coumarin, vanilla and Akigalawood

The base is Cumarine Pure, Madagascar Orpur vanilla and Akigalawood.¹ Coumarin is the sweet, hay-like facet found in tonka bean, which we cover in our guide to tonka bean, vanilla’s warmer cousin. For vanilla lovers, the best vanilla perfumes shows where this one sits among the sweeter end of the style.

Givaudan calls Akigalawood radiant and room-filling, with a spicy, woody signature and woody facets of patchouli and agarwood.⁹ It is derived from patchouli oil fractions that previously would never have made it to the perfumers’ palette, through what Givaudan calls a ground-breaking biotechnology process.¹⁰ That is why the base feels woody and diffusive rather than purely sugary. One Parfumo blogger describes the base as creamy bourbon vanilla, with Akigalawood giving a soft, deep reverberation.¹¹

How it wears

From the note list, the sequence is clear. Incense, turmeric and pimento come first. Orris with caramel takes over in the middle, and the vanilla, coumarin and Akigalawood base stays longest. Parfumo describes the scent as sweet-spicy,⁸ which matches that reading.

Wearers on Parfumo describe strong, long wear. One Parfumo reviewer writes of “a whole day on the skin, on clothing even several days”.⁸ Wearers also report that two to four sprays are enough, and that it is a cold-season scent.⁸ No measured longevity figure exists, so treat these as impressions rather than data.

Our own reading is that it works best from autumn to early spring, in the evening or at dinner, and indoors where its sweetness can settle. It is a presence, not a whisper, so a light hand pays off.

Who it suits and who should skip it

This section is editorial reasoning, not a measured result. Shine Despite Everything suits:

• wearers who like sweet, spiced scents with a dry incense edge rather than a gourmand dessert;
• anyone who wants a perfume that reads as unisex, since Parfumo lists it for women and men⁸ and unisex-labelled perfumes hold 50% of Scento’s units (Scento Fragrance Index, October 2025 to September 2026);
• people who enjoy powdery orris and want it warmed with vanilla.

You may want to skip it if you prefer fresh, citrus or aquatic perfumes, if you need something quiet for a small office, or if you wear scent mainly in summer heat. In that case the lighter Atkinsons florals further down are a better start.

Shine Despite Everything vs Born for Eternity

The two perfumes were launched together. The maker lists Born for Eternity as “Woody Leather-Spicy” and says it honours Ancient Egypt,¹² while Shine Despite Everything honours Sarah Bernhardt.¹

Curious? Try Atkinsons Born for Eternity as a decant, from €10.90Try it →

In short, Shine is sweeter and more powdery, with iris and vanilla. Born for Eternity leans on saffron, oud wood and leather.

Born for Eternity by Atkinsons

Born for Eternity is the darker, more leathery of the pair. Born for Eternity at 2 ml (€10.90).

The story: Sarah Bernhardt and “Quand même”

Sarah Bernhardt was born probably on 22 or 23 October 1844 and died on 26 March 1923. She was known as “La Divine Sarah”.² Early in life she adopted a motto, “Quand même”, which translates as “No matter what”.² Export Magazine says the perfume draws on that motto.⁶

The motto was lived rather than decorative. Bernhardt kept acting despite acute knee pain until her leg was amputated on 22 February 1915.² The French national library records that in her 1907 autobiography Ma double vie she wrote, « Et je résolus ardemment d’être quelqu’un : quand même ! », recalling her famous motto.¹³

There is a link to the house too. Wikipedia lists Sarah Bernhardt among Atkinsons’ notable customers.¹⁴ The perfume’s flamboyant opening and its determined, long-lasting base fit the theme, though that reading is ours.

About Atkinsons

Atkinsons traditionally dates its founding to 1799, when James Atkinson headed to London accompanied only by a bear and set up at 44 Gerrard Street, Soho.⁴ A historian writing on Cosmetics and Skin notes that available records fail to confirm this traditional story, and that the first record found for James Atkinson is dated 1811.¹⁵

The house says that in 1826 King George IV appointed Atkinsons as the Official Perfumer to the Royal Court of England, and that in 1832 the business relocated to 24 Old Bond Street in Mayfair.⁴ According to Wikipedia, the brand relaunched in September 2013 after a long dormant period.¹⁴

Other Atkinsons perfumes to try next

If Shine Despite Everything appeals, these Atkinsons perfumes in our range share part of its character. Notes are as listed by the maker; prices are retail for the 2 ml size.

For the iris and sweetness, start with these three.

Gold Fair In Mayfair by Atkinsons

Gold Fair In Mayfair is listed as an oriental with absinthe and nutmeg, then iris and cocoa beans, over Ambrox, vetiver and incense.¹⁶ Gold Fair In Mayfair at 2 ml (€7.90).

Her Majesty The Oud by Atkinsons

Her Majesty The Oud opens with osmanthus and red berries, moves to Turkish rose, saffron and iris, and rests on oud, vanilla and leather.¹⁷ Her Majesty The Oud at 2 ml (€9.90).

Oud Save The King by Atkinsons

Oud Save The King pairs an Earl Grey bergamot accord with iris and suede leather over sandalwood and an oud accord.¹⁸ Oud Save The King at 2 ml (€9.90).

For the warm spice and vanilla, try these two.

The Other Side of Oud by Atkinsons

The Other Side of Oud lists ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, then coffee blossom and geranium, over an oud accord, roasted coffee and vanilla absolute.¹⁹ The Other Side of Oud at 2 ml (€9.90).

Oud Save The Queen by Atkinsons

Oud Save The Queen sets an Earl Grey bergamot accord against jasmine and orange blossom, resting on guaiac wood and an oud accord.²⁰ Oud Save The Queen at 2 ml (€9.90).

For lighter Atkinsons florals for daytime, these two work.

Tulipe Noire by Atkinsons

Tulipe Noire is a floral of bergamot and coriander, jasmine and tuberose, over cedar, sandalwood and white musk.²¹ Tulipe Noire at 2 ml (€7.90).

Rose in Wonderland by Atkinsons

Rose in Wonderland combines a rose dew accord and blackcurrant buds with rose centifolia absolute and geranium, over crystal amber and vetiver.²² Rose in Wonderland at 2 ml (€7.90).

Scilly Neroli, Posh on the Green and Mint & Tonic are also in the Atkinsons range at Scento.

How we compiled this

We built this review from the maker’s own pages, Fragrantica and Export Magazine launch coverage, Parfumo’s database and blog, Givaudan’s descriptions of its ingredients and reference works on Sarah Bernhardt and the house of Atkinsons, all read on 30 October 2026. The niche and unisex shares come from the Scento Fragrance Index, our own order data for Europe from October 2025 to September 2026, shown as shares only. Siblings were chosen from the stocked Atkinsons range by how closely their listed notes overlap with Shine Despite Everything.

Sources

1. 1Shine Despite Everything, Atkinsons 1799, read 30 October 2026.
2. 2Bernhardt, Sarah (1844–1923), Encyclopedia.com.
3. 3Orpur: the finest ingredients, Givaudan.
4. 4History, Atkinsons 1799.
5. 5Born For Eternity & Shine Despite Everything: New Perfumes by Atkinsons, Fragrantica, 19 September 2024.
6. 6Atkinsons Reserve Collection launch, EM Export Magazine, Perfumery Edition 6-24, p. 114.
7. 7Atkinsons Shine Bright Despite Everything, Fragrantica, 23 October 2024.
8. 8Shine Despite Everything Atkinsons 2024, Parfumo.
9. 9Unique ingredients, Givaudan.
10. 10From leftovers to luxury: upcycling, Givaudan.
11. 11Timeless Elegance: Born for Eternity and Shine Despite Everything, Parfumo blog.
12. 12Born for Eternity, Atkinsons 1799.
13. 13Sarah Bernhardt, la divine, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
14. 14Atkinsons of London, Wikipedia.
15. 15Atkinsons, Cosmetics and Skin.
16. 16Gold Fair In Mayfair, Atkinsons 1799.
17. 17Her Majesty The Oud, Atkinsons 1799.
18. 18Oud Save The King, Atkinsons 1799.
19. 19The Other Side of Oud, Atkinsons 1799.
20. 20Oud Save The Queen, Atkinsons 1799.
21. 21Tulipe Noire, Atkinsons 1799.
22. 22Rose in Wonderland, Atkinsons 1799.