“Bermuda is an exquisite place,” says perfumer and entrepreneur Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstone, her voice warm with reverence. “The island exudes its natural beauty from every corner you turn to—the botanicals, the ocean, the little alleyways. After living here for 22 years, I still think this is the most beautiful place on earth.”
For Ramsay-Brackstone, who has helmed Lili Bermuda since 2003, this isn’t just home—it’s her muse. Every fragrance she creates is infused with the island’s rhythm: the salty ocean breeze, the luminous blooms, even the effervescent hum of daily life. “My perfumes have a distinct sense of place,” she says. “They are luminous, happy, simple and beautiful.”
Ramsay-Brackstone is originally from Montreal, and also acts as Honourary Consul of Canada in Bermuda. “It may seem like an odd combination, and it is,” she admits with a laugh. “But … both roles are about care and connection—one through diplomacy, the other through scent.”. To0 her, perfume is deeply personal—a form of storytelling more intimate than words. “Perfume is probably the most intimate of all arts,” she says. “It tells something profound about the artist—what motivates them, what they love.”
Her creations are autobiographical, revealing different facets of her own identity. “With white flowers, I like them sharp, super sexy, but luminous,” she explains. “The ocean, for me, is salty, ozonic, filled with the energy of a crashing wave. And cedar—it’s strength, security, heritage.”
Ramsay-Brackstone’s journey began under the mentorship of Bermudian perfumer David Bothello, whom she describes as “like a father.” His philosophy still guides her today: work well, take care and create with love. “He taught me that a perfume complements someone’s soul,” she reflects. “It’s so much more than a colour of lipstick or a pair of shoes. It’s an intimate part of yourself that you reveal to the world—so it has to be perfect.”
Now, that legacy is expanding—literally—within her own family. “My daughter Gabrielle recently graduated in marketing and joined me,” she says proudly. “She’s young, but she has 22 years of experience just from growing up around the perfumery. She has opinions, and you can smell her influence in our new fragrances.”
Together, they’ve co-created Golden Hour, a lush, sun-kissed scent inspired by amber, roses and peach nectar. “It was her love for amber—specifically ambroxan—that started it,” Ramsay-Brackstone explains. “She even named it Golden Hour, evoking her favourite Friday evening sunset cruises. It’s wonderful to grow up in Bermuda.”
Each Lili Bermuda scent begins with a spark—an emotion, an ingredient or sometimes a memory. “When we created 32 North and 64 West, I wanted to capture the duality of Bermuda,” she says. “The ocean side—salty, sporty, luminous—with mandarin, lavender and mint; and the earth side—cedarwood, greenery, Suriname cherry leaves. Two directions, one island.”
Another scent, Petals, was inspired by a honeysuckle bush that perfumed her walk to a café in St. George’s. “It took me years to get it right,” she admits. “It’s probably one of the toughest fragrances I ever did, but I love it with all my heart.”
Even her son has contributed inspiration: “He was surfing one day at Hungry Bay,” she recalls. “I was reading about the Fibonacci spiral in National Geographic, and the wind, the salt, the waves—it all came together. That’s how Nautilus was born: a crashing wave sculpted by nature.”
Of all the stories bottled at Lili Bermuda, none captures the imagination quite like Mary Celestia—a perfume resurrected from the depths of time. In 1864, a ship carrying luxury goods, including fine perfume, sank off Bermuda’s south shore. More than a century later, divers recovered an intact bottle, still sealed, its fragrance preserved in the seabed.
“When the bottle first landed in my office, I had the feeling that I was literally touching history,” Ramsay-Brackstone recalls. “I wanted to honour this artifact and the story behind it.” She assembled a team of top scientists to study the perfume’s contents before attempting a recreation. “It wasn’t about a quick commercial success,” she explains. “This artifact belongs to the people of Bermuda.”
The reimagined fragrance revealed a simple, elegant blend of rosewood, neroli, amber, and grapefruit—an olfactory time capsule. “Back in 1864, fragrances weren’t gendered,” she notes. “They were worn on scarves or garments to mask unpleasant odours. It’s fascinating how scent tells the story of an era.”
As Lili Bermuda approaches its 100th anniversary, sustainability and craftsmanship remain at the heart of its philosophy. “Our new bottles are refillable, our packaging recyclable and our cedar boxes are designed as keepsakes,” Ramsay-Brackstone notes. “Our fragrances are made with the highest quality essential oils in compliance with IFRA standards. Sustainability and excellence go hand in hand.”
Visitors to the 18th-century St. George’s Perfumery can even craft their own signature scent through hands-on workshops.
Asked what advice she’d give to other creators building brands rooted in authenticity, her answer is simple: “Trust in what you know works for you and your clients. You don’t have to be everything to everybody. If you are true to yourself and your family, you will succeed. And work hard… very hard.”
For Ramsay-Brackstone, perfume isn’t just a business—it’s a bridge between memory, place, and passion. “I’m always working—but not really,” she muses. “Smelling is what I do all the time. It’s who I am.” —Noa Nichol
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