Culture & History

Reek Perfume: A Tribute to Formidable Women

By Scented Chemistry · 3 min read We may earn a commission from purchases through these links at no cost to you. · Learn more
Reek Perfume: A Tribute to Formidable Women

Reek was a Scottish fragrance house founded by Sara and Molly Sheridan to celebrate women through scent. It worked with perfumer Sarah McCartney on Damn Rebel Bitches and Damn Rebel Witches, giving the perfumes a connection to women’s history and feminist campaigning.

What Reek Set Out to Do

Molly Sheridan’s 2016 Dangerous Women Project contribution describes launching the brand with her mother that year. Its first perfume, Damn Rebel Bitches, commemorated Jacobite women.

In an interview with the founders, they explain wanting to remember women whose stories received too little recognition. The project also included sticker campaigns, a blog and unretouched campaign photographs. Its message reached beyond the perfume bottles.

The collaboration with Sarah McCartney gave that idea its fragrance form. For readers interested in the historical subject, Maggie Craig’s Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 tells women’s stories from the 1745–46 Jacobite rising.

Damn Rebel Bitches: Citrus, Herbs and Malt

McCartney’s archive at 4160 Tuesdays describes Damn Rebel Bitches as a fresh gourmand with blood orange, hazelnut, clary sage and malt. Those are more useful expectations than assuming the forceful name means a forceful perfume.

In historical wearer reviews, one person loves sweet orange over creamy malt and hazelnut. Another bottle owner likes the fresh orange and nutty, musky sweetness but finds it too faint and short-lived on them. The contrast is about how the scent wears as well as whether the notes appeal.

The review page uses the retailer name Urban Reivers in its heading; the perfume discussed is Reek’s Damn Rebel Bitches.

Damn Rebel Witches: Tobacco and Woods

4160 Tuesdays’ description of Damn Rebel Witches gives tobacco, orange, twigs, musk, oakmoss and hazelnut brew. It connects the fragrance with women persecuted for witchcraft and the later use of that history in feminist expression.

This is a different scent to compare with the citrus, herb and malt combination of Damn Rebel Bitches. Use the actual fragrance name when looking for a sample or reading reviews, rather than treating one as an alternative label for the other.

Can You Still Buy Reek Perfume?

Reek itself has closed, but 4160 Tuesdays has continued parts of the scents’ history.

McCartney’s archive explains that she retained concentrate after Reek closed and subsequently released it. Her own shop also has a Damn Rebel Witches page; when checked on October 19, 2026, the house included it among its retiring fragrances. Check the current product page for ordering options and the supplied format.

Start with the 4160 Tuesdays shop if you are looking for these scents or more of McCartney’s work. For other individual makers, explore St. Clair Scents and Aftelier. The niche-house guide covers further houses to investigate by their perfumes and makers.

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