4160 Tuesdays

London indie house making story-driven, small-batch perfumes with playful concepts and experimental materials.

Indie Official Website

About 4160 Tuesdays

4160 Tuesdays is an independent artisan perfumery based in London, created and run by perfumer Sarah McCartney. According to the brand’s own account, McCartney had been writing about fragrance for around 15 years, including work for Lush, before teaching herself composition so she could make the imaginary perfumes that appeared in her novel The Scent of Possibility. The name refers to the approximate number of Tuesdays in an 80-year life, a reminder to use that time for something interesting; in this case, blending perfume.

On its About Us page, 4160 Tuesdays states that it has been hand-making scents in London since 2011, producing all fragrances in small batches of roughly 50 to 200 bottles at its Hammersmith studio, where they also hold perfume-making workshops. Fragrantica notes that the first fragrance in the catalogue was released in 2012, with McCartney as the sole listed perfumer across the range.

The house is known for narrative, often humorous names such as The Sexiest Scent on the Planet Ever (IMHO) and Sunshine & Pancakes, highlighted by The Perfume Society for their Fragrance Foundation Awards 2016 shortlistings in the Best Indie Scent category. 4160 Tuesdays also develops side projects like the Our Modern Lives line, which The Perfume Society describes as a separate range focused on specific materials and wearability for people sensitive to common allergens.

Taken together, these details paint a picture of a small, hands-on operation where the founder controls both creative direction and production, with a strong emphasis on storytelling, limited-batch manufacturing, and inclusive pricing for an indie house.

At a Glance

The Brand

Founded 2011
Founder Sarah McCartney
Country United Kingdom
Category Indie

Scent Personality

Sweetness
Moderate
Freshness
Moderate
Boldness
High
Uniqueness
Very High

Worth It?

Price ££
Value
Very High
Accessibility
Moderate

Scent DNA

Gourmand Woody Amber Citrus Floral
  • 4160 Tuesdays scents are usually idea-driven, built around memories, places, or very specific briefs rather than abstract luxury themes
  • You often get unexpected note pairings, clear storytelling in both the name and structure, and a handmade feel where materials and formula tweaks are openly discussed by the brand
  • Even the more approachable compositions tend to have a twist that keeps them from smelling generic

Top Notes

Grapefruit Orange Lemon Bergamot Blackcurrant

Heart Notes

Jasmine Violet Lavender Rose

Base Notes

Patchouli Musk Amber Vanilla

Typical Performance

Longevity
Moderate
Projection
Moderate

Positioning

A indie, mid house known for gourmand compositions.

How It Compares

Who It's For

Best For

  • Indie and niche collectors
  • Story-driven gourmands and woods
  • Office-friendly but distinctive daily wear
  • Fragrance workshops and customization
  • People exploring non-mainstream British perfumery

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

  • Very distinctive concepts and naming that make perfumes memorable
  • Transparent communication about small-batch production and materials
  • Good price-to-quality ratio for an indie brand
  • Wide stylistic range from playful gourmands to more experimental compositions

Weaknesses

  • Inconsistent distribution; not always easy to sample globally
  • Batch variation is possible with small-scale hand production
  • Story-first approach means some scents can feel eccentric or polarizing
  • Branding and names can read too whimsical for buyers seeking classic luxury styling

Brand Evolution

The brand began as a one-woman operation focused on turning fictional and personal memories into perfume, with early launches in the 2012 period showing a clear love for vintage-inspired techniques. Over time, 4160 Tuesdays has broadened into award-nominated releases and spin-off lines like Our Modern Lives, which explore allergy-conscious and material-specific formulas. The studio has also leaned into education, increasingly using workshops and direct engagement to build community around independent perfumery. While production scale has grown, the company has retained its Hammersmith base and continues to emphasize limited batches and direct involvement by Sarah McCartney.

Quick Verdict

4160 Tuesdays is one of the more genuinely indie British houses, with real creative personality and fair pricing for hand-made work. If you want safe, department-store polish it may frustrate you, but if you enjoy oddball ideas and visible craftsmanship, it is absolutely worth exploring.

Perfumers

Sarah McCartney
Sarah McCartney 117

4160 Tuesdays Perfumes

Browse all 122 4160 Tuesdays perfumes