Skip to main content

Juniper Ridge: This Isn’t Your Grandfather’s Cologne

juniper ridge this isnt your grandfathers cologne
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When Hall Newbegin, the founder of the California-based fragrance company Juniper Ridge, develops a scent, he asks himself, “Does it really smell like that place?” An avid outdoorsman who has hiked many miles in the West Coast’s prime hiking destinations like Big Sur, the Cascades and the Sierra Nevadas, Newbegin wanted to bottle their scents so people didn’t have to venture into nature to experience them. “My whole thing was bringing the fragrance of the outdoors into people’s homes,” Newbegin told The Manual. So Newbegin started his operation in 1998 with a stall at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market selling handmade soaps and incense.

From there, Newbegin set out with a lofty goal: to craft fragrances that didn’t smell like the traditional scents that originate in the French school of perfumery, nixing the favored vetiver- and Bergamot-based scents that we’ve become all too used to. Instead of procuring components from the Grasse region in France, Newbegin combed the mountains, forests and deserts of the West Coast to harvest wild plant trimmings. The natural fragrances are then distilled and formed into Juniper Ridge’s product line, which includes colognes, incense, soap and room spray in seven different scents that include Cascade Glacier, Yuba River and San Jacinto. “It’s a new way to wear fragrance,” explained Newbegin.

That it is. Juniper Ridge isn’t the cutting-edge stuff that uses synthetic materials, nor is it the high-end strong stuff that old men wear. Newbegin works with state parks to harvest the trimming in a sustainable manner. It is all natural — the true scent of nature — taken from the very place where it originates. “You take the trees that grow in the Sierra Nevada and you take those plants that grow in a one or two mile area and you put them together in a fragrance, and have something magical, it smells just like that place,” said Newbegin.

Juniper Ridge is indeed magical and we’re glad that we discovered it. “I work on the premise that if I can capture a place and make it real and make it to the point that it smells like that place, that people will respond to it,” said Newbegin. We certainly responded to it. You should too.

For more information, visit juniperridge.com.

Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
The best spray sunscreens for healthy skin all season long
Spray-on sunscreens that won't give you greasy skin
Man spraying on sunscreen outdoors

 

It’s a necessary part of any skincare routine, but applying sunscreen is one step that many skip more than they’d care to admit. One bad experience with greasy, sticky sunscreen on a hot day is enough to make anyone "forget" to wear the stuff, even if SPF is known to protect against skin cancer, signs of aging, and other maladies.

Read more
How to make cologne last longer: The secret to smelling great all day
Smell great all day
Man spraying luxury perfume on black background, closeup

 

First impressions are vital. The moment you meet someone, they will make a snap decision about you, and if it is the wrong one, it will be a long road to fix it. There are ways to make a great first impression. You can look your best in every moment. You can wear the right clothes. You can get the perfect hair. Say the right things. But one of the most underrated secret weapons to a great first impression is to smell fantastic. The right cologne is the perfect way to draw in the people you want to surround you subconsciously. Of course, that is easy if your meeting, date, or conference is in the morning, but what if it is later in the day? Cologne can seemingly disappear throughout the day, which can be quite aggravating. Here is how to make cologne last longer so you can make the right first impression at any moment throughout the day, whether it is planned or not.
Why does my cologne wear off so fast?

Read more
I use this Clubman Pinaud beard conditioner and face moisturizer and I love it
Clubman Pinaud 2 in 1 beard conditioner and face moisturizer deal

I have a beard. Occasionally, no matter how well I wash that beard my face gets dry and itchy. It sucks, but that's part of having facial hair. You can counteract this with a proper beard grooming regimen, that includes not only washing your beard, but conditioning the hair, moisturizing your skin, and styling it with something like beard butter. Arguably, one of the most important parts of that regimen is using a proper beard conditioner. It keeps your facial hair smooth and healthy, but also works wonders for your skin. My top choice, and a conditioner I love to use, is Clubman Pinaud. It smells great, but the scent is not overpowering, and it both conditions unruly beard hair and moisturizes your skin. Plus, it's on sale right now, down to $6.62, usually about $7. You can also save a little more by setting up Amazon's Subscribe and Save service.

 
Why shop this Clubman Pinaud 2-in-1 beard conditioner and face moisturizer deal?
No, that chiseled hunk in the image above is not me. And look, I know the deal isn't crazy good or anything, you're only saving about 40 cents. However, I regularly use this beard conditioner and skin moisturizer from Clubman Pinaud and I love it, so I figured I would share. If there's anyone else out there that happens to deal with a dry beard, like I have, you may appreciate the callout.

Read more