pause

Floral, Wood, Award Winning
5.0 (18)

Pause Eau de Parfum is a confident, textured floral.

With a verdant opening of violet leaf, Pause unfolds into a floral heart of mimosa and narcissus. Warm, sweet hay absolute gives an earthy dryness to the base.

Created with the intention of comfort, Pause resonates with those experiencing life’s transitions—and is cherished for its balanced floral profile.

Winner of Oprah Daily’s Best Fragrance O-ward in 2025.

Winner of InStyle's Best Beauty Buys Best Clean Fragrance 2023.

Read More
TOP Violet leaf
HEART Mimosa, narcissus
BASE Hay absolute
6ml
50mL
Buy now, pay later with
Scent profile +
Synthetic Switch +
Ingredients +

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will my Sample Sale order take to arrive?
A: Delivery times vary by country. Due to the high volume of sample sale orders, shipments will be processed within 10 to 14 days. Shipping delays are currently common, but we’ll keep you updated on any delays or issues as soon as we are informed.

Q: Can I adjust my order/order details?
A: We’re pleased to offer a self-serve Order Editing option for customers after placing an order this year. You’ll have a 30-minute window to make changes to your order. After this time, edits will no longer be possible.

To ensure you receive your order as quickly as possible, once our fulfillment houses receive their order list, your order is final and CANNOT be changed.

Q: How do I track my order?
A: Once your order has been dispatched (please allow up to 10 - 14 working days orders to be processed), you will receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number. Please allow up to 48 hours for the tracking number to load as it can sometimes take some time for our couriers to update your parcel movement in their systems.

If you have not received your tracking number within 14 days of placing your order, please get in touch with us at info@abelfragrance.com

Tracking by country:

EU orders will be dispatched from our fulfilment partner in The Netherlands. When your order is shipped, you will receive track and trace information. The information available in the tracking process once it reaches your country will vary depending on the carrier.

US orders will be dispatched from our fulfilment partner in New York. When your order is shipped, you will receive track and trace information.

NZ orders will be dispatched from our Wellington workroom. When your order is shipped, you will receive track and trace information. This year we are offering the option to pick up from our Wellington Abel Fabriek — further details above.

UK orders will be dispatched from our warehouse in Wales. When your order is shipped, you will receive track and trace information.

Q: Do you offer returns on Sample Sale?
A: We do NOT offer returns on Sample Sale orders, so please choose carefully.

We can however assess return requests on a case by case basis.

If a return is approved, the customer is responsible for paying for the return shipping. Goods must be returned within 14 days of receiving the order. 

Please email info@abelfragrance.com regarding returns.

Q: Can I use a discount code on my sample sale order?
A: No - Discount codes cannot be applied to items in our sample sale.

Q: Can I combine my orders?
A: Due to the high volume of orders, we are unable to change or combine orders. If you have placed multiple orders, these will be shipped separately. Through our Order Editing function, you can edit your delivery address within 30 minutes of placing your order, however this does not accommodate merging or combining orders, or changing items within the order.

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More FAQs here.

Orders & Shipping

Q: How long will my Sample Sale order take to arrive?
A: Delivery times vary by country. Due to the high volume of sample sale orders, shipments will be processed within 10 to 14 days. Shipping delays are currently common, but we’ll keep you updated on any delays or issues as soon as we are informed.

Q: Do you ship to my country?
A: These are our shipping regions:

Europe:
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden

United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Oceania
Australia
New Zealand

North America
USA (contiguous states)
Canada

Unfortunately, we do not ship to countries not listed above. Due to shipping restrictions on our perfumes, our shipping territories are currently limited. We're working on a solution for future sample sales.

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Q: What are your shipping costs?
A: Free shipping on all orders over €150 / £150 / NZD$250 / AUD$250 / USD$150 / CAD$200.

Shipping costs apply to all orders under the order values as stated above.

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Shipping costs under the Free Shipping minimums.

Europe

Flat Rate

Austria—€8.00
Belgium—€5.00
Denmark—65.00 kr.
France—€6.50
Germany—€5.00
Italy—€10.00
Ireland—€10.00
Luxembourg—€8.00
Netherlands—€5.00
Spain—€8.00
Sweden—€6.50

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United Kingdom

Flat Rate

United Kingdom—£5.00

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Oceania

Flat Rate

Australia—$15.00
New Zealand—$5.00

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North America

Flat Rate

USA (contiguous states)—$6.00
Canada—$10.00

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More FAQs here.

What is the Sample Sale?

Q: What is Sample Sale?
A: Each year we run a one-off Sample Sale where distressed stock (packaging only, perfume is perfect) is sold at a deep discount price. This Sale is available to the public for 24 hours only.

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Q: When is the Sample Sale?
A: Sample Sale (24hrs only):
Date: 5th - 6th March

New Zealand & Australia:
NZT: Starts 7AM on 6th Mar

Europe:
CET: Starts 7PM on 5th March

North America:
EST: Starts 2PM on 5th March

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Q: What is Sample Sale stock?
A: Sample Sale stock can be identified online by the circle label "Sample Sale" on the product listing. If the product listing does not have this label, it is not sample sale stock.

Sample Sale products are being sold at a generous discount due to one or more of the following reasons: 

  • Damaged outer box
  • Tester packaging - perfume packaged in plain tester box
  • Old retail stickers or barcodes on the box or cellophane
  • Wrong name on the perfume bottle (perfume will be listed on this site as the fragrance inside, not the name on the bottle)
  • Damaged print on the bottle
  • Scratches on the cap
  • No cellophane
  • Marks on the outer box
  • No notecard inside the box
  • Mismatched boxes and perfume
  • Sediment or discolouration of perfume - this does not affect the perfume, it’s just a natural reaction between some ingredients
  • White Vetiver only: there are some bottles of White Vetiver that are from an older production run. They are less fresh and bright smelling (less “white”!), and more earthy, smokey
  • Nurture Only: old packaging, the selection made at random
  • Nurture Only: different spray caps, to replace faulty caps from a particular batch

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More FAQs here.

Scent Profile
Synthetic Switch
Ingredients
Scent
A confident, textured floral, Pause is a sweet, earthy scent with bold, green notes of violet leaf and narcissus, sweet mimosa and a dry base of hay absolute.
Mood
Stillness after warm summer rain—a collective quiet, the smell of wet earth filling the air. Award-winning Pause was created as a tribute to the seasons of hormonal change.
Switch from these similar synthetics
Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom
Diptyque Oyédo
D.S. & DURGA Cowboy Grass
INGREDIENT ORIGIN
Ambrettolide Plant-derived musk note
Ambroxan Biotech ambergris note
Amyris oil Haiti
Anisaldehyde Biotech anise note
Bergamot oil Italy
Carrot seed oil France
Cedarwood oil USA
Copaiba balsam Brazil
Grapefruit oil Brazil
Hay absolute France
Mimosa essential oil India
Narcissus France
Verbena essential oil Morocco
Violet leaf absolute Egypt
Base: Grain Alcohol (Not Denatured) - Italy *Organic (Eau De Parfum Only.)
grain alcohol (not denatured) – Italy *organic
INCI (potential allergens): Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Farnesol / Farnesol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Benzyl benzoate, Eugenol, Benzyl alcohol, Isoeugenol
Get notified when Pause comes back in stock
CANCEL
pause

When I started to experience perimenopausal symptoms in my late thirties such as night sweats and an irregular period I was taken completely by surprise. Perimenopause was not even on my radar, nor did I know much at all about this reverse puberty that women go through, typically in the 5-12 year lead up into Menopause. Saddened and a little outraged by the stigma and shame attached to this life phase and the total lack of conversation around it, I wondered if there was a role in which scent could play and within that, if Abel could be a vessel for shining a light on this journey. The idea of attaching something beautiful like scent, to such a loaded emotional journey just felt right.

When I reached out to French perfumer Dr Fanny Grau to discuss the idea and found out that she was also experiencing symptoms such as insomnia and hormones in overdrive without knowing much at all about what it meant, I realise that there was a time and place for this scent.

The rich floral scent profile reflects our joint mission; to bring confidence and sophistication to this stage of womanhood.

Frances

pause FAQ'S

What does Pause smell like?

In Pause, you’ll first smell an earthy note of violet leaf, before mimosa and narcissus emerge as the bold floral heart notes. The fragrance settles into a warm and earthy drydown, with hay absolute and sandalwood coming to the fore for a dry, floral scent.

What are top, heart and base notes in fragrance?

Top notes are the first scents you detect immediately after applying a fragrance. They are light and vibrant but fade quickly. Once the top notes fade, the heart notes begin to emerge, forming the core of the fragrance. These notes bridge the transition from the initial fresh burst to the deeper, richer base notes. As the fragrance dries down on the skin, the base notes develop, providing lasting power and depth. Base notes are typically deep, warm, and heavy, leaving a lasting impression long after the other notes have faded.

From bio-plastic to biotech

RADICAL CAPS

Introducing our new perfume caps—circular step forward. Made from Vivomer, a biotech non-plastic material that is fully home compostable. The caps enzymatically break down over 20 weeks when returned to nature, leaving no trace.

100% natural fragrance
Master Perfumery
Biotechnology
Transparency

100% natural fragrance

We believe nothing is more important than what’s inside the bottle. We subvert the misconception that natural ingredients aren’t enough. The very original perfumery palette, nature provides everything our Master Perfumers and innovative scientists need to create distinct, sophisticated modern perfume, surpassing petrochemical-derived synthetics.

Our fragrances are made from natural, plant-derived ingredients that are readily biodegradable in our ecosystem. All of our products are vegan and cruelty free with all ingredients ethically sourced. We believe in complete ingredient transparency and provide a full list of ingredients in all our fragrances.

Master Perfumery

New Zealand's only Master Perfumer, Isaac Sinclair became Abel Founder Frances' first ally in the quest to disrupt an industry that didn't believe natural perfume could be chic, modern, or stand up alongside the world's best.

"Naturals have an (often misguided) reputation for being simple, subtle and organic smelling. As in any creative pursuit, there comes a time when you find yourself wanting to push the boundaries, to see if you can play right at the edges and surprise everyone." - Isaac

Biotechnology

Our approach to perfumery combines the innovation of biotechnology with the artistry of master perfumers. Biotechnology uses living organisms to grow, enhance and elevate our ingredient palette, eliminating the need for petrochemical-derived synthetics. It allows us to craft sustainable, long-lasting scents that work with — not against — the rhythms of nature.

Transparency

From our bottles and packaging to our ingredients and creative process, we’ll always be upfront about the way we do things.

The fragrance world has always been shrouded in secrecy. At Abel, we’re passionate about changing that. From our bottles and packaging to our ingredients and creative process, we’ll always be upfront about the way we do things.

Always conscious of our environmental footprint, we never introduce a new fragrance to our core collection without removing one first. Defying industry trends of excess, our ‘one in, one out’ policy embodies the mindful approach underscoring everything we do.
“Believe it or not, this fragrance wasforulated specifically for those experincing perimenopause. Featuring notes like mimosa and violet leaf, it's designed to help with unpredictable factors like mood, stress, anxiety and sleep”
“It smells like sunlight on hay. A late spring morning when there is morning dew and you can smell the dewiness on the grass and sunlight on hay and the warmth of the air when it starts to warm up from the night. It is very calm. there's such a softness to it, soft, inviting calmness. It smells like golden.”
“"Evidently this fragrance was created for women going through menopause, but even if (like me) you haven't yet reached that stage, it's a light, beautiful, calming scent made from natural ingredients. For me, it's also one of the few that don't trigger a headache." —Dhani Mau, Editor in Chief”

5.0 Rating
18 Reviews

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