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Melograno Selvatico means "wild pomegranate" in Italian and refers more particularly here to the pomegranate tree blossom. According to I Profumi di Firenze, the fragrance is based on a 16th century recipe. This is another one in a series of fragrances from their collection which attempts to replicate an antique perfume formula and harks back to the era of the splendor of the Medici. The line is understated (they do not even seem to have a website; please correct me if I'm wrong) but I find their creations to be consistently interesting as often their perfumes present touches of unmistakable individuality.......
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Melograno Selvatico by I Profumi di Firenze" »
The Duke of Saint Simon recounts in his Memoirs that Louis XIV after having loved perfumes to excess in the first part of his life, and precisely for that reason, was not able to wear them any more in the second part of his existence. Perfumes would trigger excruciating headaches in him, to the point that he had to enforce a formal ban on perfume-wearing at the court at Versailles. Courtiers had to give up fragrances (and grey hats for that matter).
It is said that the only (sly) exception to the rule was the scent emanating from the jasmin-scented gloves of Madame de Maintenon, his second wife united to him through a secret, morganatic marriage. Saint Simon adds that there was however one scent that the king could still smell without becoming ill and that was "la fleur d'oranger" (orange blossom). Would Louis XIV have then approved of the scent created by nose Anne Flipo? Anne Flipo has created numerous perfumes, many of whom are florals. She is the author of L'Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons Extrême and of Poupée by Rochas, among others. I hesitate to say yes and this is why. Having read about the exceptional quality of the Tunisian orange blossom harvest from 2004 on which this vintage perfume is based, it made me think that this scent would be exceptionally delicate and subtle, offering a rich olfactory palette of half-tints and nuances never or rarely experienced before by human mortals. Talk about heightened expectations!
First of all, I discover an overture which is strong, even pungent. This is a more brutal opening than I expected. The orange blossom at this stage makes you think of the essence you use in certain culinary preparations rather than of the flower itself. If you know those Iranian sweetmeats made of slivers of pistachio coated with snow-white sugar and perfumed with orange blossom, it is exactly that same scent. They are delicious. I used to love these delicacies but to find this reference in a rare bottle of perfume is a little disconcerting. I would have expected something more sophisticated, complicated, or more natural beauty.
The scent progressively softens down and becomes rounder, smelling more flowery. The sweetness of orange blossom is enhanced by the addition of honey notes. Sometime in the development of the perfume I perceive undertones of wheat and even of wheat bread. At one point, I bump my nose into my wrist and I think, Bois Farine! Mercifully, you can still perceive some citrus notes in the drydown which prevents the fragrance from becoming too sweet.
The evolution of the perfume is fairly linear and should please people who want to get an orange blossom fix. If you are looking for an interpretation of orange blossom, it is not really there. It it not photorealistic either though. it is like a concentrated version of orange blossom. Does it smell good? Yes, but not exceptional. It is also heady and personally, having worn it twice, I twice got a headache. It doesn't agree with me somehow, but I hope it will with you. I dare say Louis XIV would have probably found it too heady. On the other hand, Anne Marie Orsini, princess of Nerola would have probably approved of it. I see her as a stronger supporter of all-out orange blossom. PS: If you dab it lightly it should probably help tone down the perfume. Notes are: orange bigarade, petitgrain, nerolia, honey notes, concreta of orange blossom
You can buy a 100 ml bottle for $250 at Luscious Cargo (2990 copies total were issued.
Photo is from Luscious Cargo.
 Sometimes, when you smell certain fragrances, you are reminded that wearing a perfume can be a simple act that weaves itself effortlessly into the quotidian fabric of your daily life. When I breathe perfumes from Les Néréides line in, I think these are good, solid, and trustworthy fragrances that I could see myself getting on my way to the market, because I need to smell good on that day, but not necessarily because I feel I need to add them to my collection of carefully chosen fragrances (I’m really not that way, just imagining this as I am very eclectic by nature and by taste). I imagine stopping by an old-fashioned apothecary or neighborhood perfumery and asking for a bottle of Patchouli Antique, Impérial Opoponax, or Oriental Lumpur. The merchant would tell me that they have just blended Patchouli Antique this very morning. He goes to the back of the store to get it, wipes the flacon with a cloth and hands it to me. I inhale some of its scent lightly escaping from the freshly sealed bottle, recognize a familiar fragrance, exactly the one I was looking for when thinking of wearing patchouli on that day. It smells good and I can tell it is good quality. I tuck it away in my market basket and off I go looking for other aromatic treasures that will perfume my salad and the day.
To me, Les Néréides fragrances allow to recreate an atmosphere that is closer to that moment of intimacy you share with yourself when doing your “toilette”. I think less of the public, of a living room, of a soirée and more of an initial intimate space where you prepare yourself before sailing into the bustle of the day. This is the reason why I imagine Les Néréides flacons sitting on a marble counter in the bathroom, scenting your passage as you step out of the bathroom where you have just performed your daily ablutions. They are not pretentious scents, they only aim at perpetuating a respectable tradition of widely spread know-how concerning perfumes and oriental perfumes in particular in France. They hit the mark and it is their only ambition.
I read somewhere that in Europe, and certainly in France, the family of perfumes that is most favored are orientals, while in the United-States, white florals and clean scents are preferred. Nothing counter-intuitive to me here; I certainly feel that heavier scents are much better tolerated in Paris than in Cambridge and Boston, if these places could be seen as reliable barometers for national tastes.
Patchouli is apparently adored by the masses in France; the last time I traveled to Paris I was struck by how many people seemed to appreciate patchouli, men as well as women. I was all the more struck because my own experience of a national trend in taste in the US is made through the MUA fragrance board and correct me if I’m mistaken, but the majority of perfumistas on MUA seem to find little charm in wearing patchouli. It unfortunately connotes too much of the hemp store, of Woodstock, of the hippie predilection for it, especially as a resource for covering up pot’s smell. Nobody wants to be identified with a grungy hippie, if I may say so. (they were grungy before the grungy movement). So, the 1960s and 1970s are still too vivid in people’s memories so as to allow abstracting from that major scent reference. Shall we call it the patchouli decades? (this is a gross oversimplification because a multitude of perfumes were of course produced at that time.) But somehow, patchouli remains representative of an era and of a social movement.
The 19th century in France was also very patchouliesque. Everybody wore patchouli, you can encounter numerous patchouli references in the novels of that era, in Balzac, Hugo, Flaubert, Zola, and others. Patchouli was often dabbed, not onto the skin, but on handkerchiefs, thus in Les misérables, M. Gillenormand trumpets, “Woman! There is no Robespierre who holds out, woman reigns. (…) the Revolution twisted them (royal scepters) between its thumb and finger like halfpenny wisps of straw (…) but get me up some revolutions now against that little embroidered handkerchief smelling of patchouli! I would like to see you at it. Try!” The supreme seduction of both woman and patchouli is thus conveyed by Hugo. Emma in Madame Bovary also scents her kerchiefs with patchouli to further seduce her lover.
Due to its popularity, patchouli came also to mean an ordinary fragrance in French. When you exclaimed, “cela sent le patchouli!” you could be meaning a) it smells of patchouli, that exotic, earthy-smelling essence coming from Asia and Oceania, b) it smells of a cheap and strong perfume made with patchouli and I do not like it, you’re offending my nose. Once again we see a derogatory association made with patchouli.
The history of its use is fairly recent in Europe. Patchouli etymologically means “green leaf” in Tamil (patchai = green, ilai = leaf). The term in French dates back to 1829 when the plant was first introduced in France. The English adopted the term later, in 1851, via the French.
Despite some of its travails, patchouli is not dead and appears even popular in France. Many perfume lines, both high-brow and low-brow, offer their own renditions of patchouli. When I think of patchouli, I think of literary references, the latest one being the one illustrated by the George Sand (1804-1876) fragrance by Maître Gantier et Parfumeur, a recreation of Sand’s beloved patchouli perfume by nose Nicolas de Barry.
 I'm still somewhere in my neighborhood but times have changed, well, maybe not that much. I go to Les Néréides, rue du Four, to sample their perfumes and I take three home with me.The gesture is simple, the prices are reasonable, the scents are good. It is a sensual line, with a dominant of orientals.
Impérial Opoponax is the one that I immediately noticed. It is a very warm, velvety scent, velvety to the point of making you think of caramel. It is sweet, it may evoke root-beer and Coca-Cola to you. Opoponax has natural overtones of lavender, so one is reminded of Musc Ravageur for this reason. A tangy, citrusy note becomes more apparent after the initial outburst of warmth. It warms up further and becomes slightly powdery. The sweetness becomes akin to that of sweet almond in the last stages. It becomes much more powdery in the end. Notes are: Opoponax (sweet myrrh), amber, vanilla, sandalwood, benzoin, citrus…
The structures of Les Néréides fragrances are fairly simple and straightforward. They are good juices, are made with some imagination and have great dry-downs.
Patchouli Antique smells very earthy, woodsy, and only slightly sweet. It is strong at first but not overwhelming at all, it keeps itself in check. It feels like you’re embracing a tree in a forest, your nose close up to its bark and mossy patches. Like the other Néréides it warms up very well. With time it loses some of its gravitas to become prettier, lighter, which is an unexpected twist. In mid-course it develops references to a smoky black tea such as Lapsang Souchong and those very earthy black/red tea bricks shaped like wheels that you can sometimes procure in Chinatown. Notes are: Indonesian patchouli, vanilla, musk…
Oriental Lumpur is a spicy and medium-green scent. It is sweetly soft while maintaining a rather transparent texture. Its name evokes exotic merchant counters in Asia -- Lumpur means “straits” in Malay. I see an active, individualistic woman wearing this perfume, someone dressed a little masculine, a white shirt, no jewelry, a black jacket and trousers with a taste for travels and adventure. Notes are: saffron, curry, nutmeg, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli…
You can buy these scents at Luckyscent for $60.
Photos are from www.luckyscent.com
Pamplelune is part of the Aqua Allegoria line and was composed by nose Mathilde Laurent who is also the creator of Shalimar Light (the 2003 version) and of Attrape-Coeur. It was launched in 1998. Pamplelune offers an original variation on the grapefruit theme. It is a fresh and sophisticated fragrance with a marked presence, some may say, too marked a presence. It is not as light and fruity as some of the other Allegorias. This scent contains certain asperities and it does not compromise with pleasantness.  The perfume opens up with a burst of acidic, juicy grapefruit enhanced by other citrus notes like bergamot and petit grain. Some dryness is immediately apparent, I can smell light, dry touches of patchouli. I also detect some mint. Next, the perfume becomes rounder, sweeter, fruitier and a little flowery with the neroli and the blackcurrant notes becoming most apparent to my nose. Then, the sweetness starts receding and a more acrid, austere accord emerges with the fruity grapefruit still in the background but now softened down. It is at this stage that the sulphurous note that is natural to grapefruit and blackcurrant makes its presence felt. The perfumer has chosen to emphasize this aspect of the fruits rather than suppress it, unlike the choice made for Eau Fantasque by Fragonard which also contains both these notes. It is a very astringent and dry, even acrid note, that is not unpleasant, but certainly not "easy." Luca Turin proposed a small experiment where he suggested we should try smelling garlic and Pamplelune side by side to catch a whiff of the common sulphur note. Out of curiosity I decided to follow his suggestion and did perceive the kinship between the two but I must say that despite this, I would not say that Pamplelune reminds me of garlic or spring onion.
However, Pamplelune does evoke B.O. to me as the drydown progresses. It makes me think of natural musk but since this note is not mentioned, it looks like it is the result of an accord. This odor is very present and becomes more pronounced as the drydown evolves.
Pamplelune is a difficult fragrance to wear in the context of the "deodorized society" in which we live nowadays in the West where body odors are supposed to be masked, and an agreable, non-offensive, scented barrier put between you and the rest of society. This trend I would say is particularly strong in the US where the acronym B.O. perfectly illustrates the deep fear most people have of smelling a little too natural that is, bad. In 17th century France, for example, it was not so, people wore perfumes to enhance their natural body odor according to cultural historian Alain Corbin, hence a marked taste for animalic scents such as amber, musk, and civet. Personally, I like Pamplelune because I find it interesting. It goes against the grain of current societal preferences and affirms a personality of its own. Out of the many Guerlain fragrances I smelled one afternoon at their counter, this one stood out (together with Mouchoir de Monsieur and Angélique Noire). I had the opportunity to sniff Grosellina and Tutti Kiwi that same day and didn't like nor hated them. Earlier today I stopped by The Body Shop and tested their new Rose Cassis. Well, my conclusion is that between smelling controversial and smelling cute (and sickeningly banal in this case), I'll choose the controversial perfume anytime. Notes are: California Grapefruit, Italian Bergamot, Neroli, Petitgrain, Black Currant, Patchouli, Vanilla.
You can find a 4.2 oz bottle of Pamplelune for $33.73 at Amazon.com
There is a review of Pamplelune by Cait Shortell available here on Legerdenez
 Violetta di Parma by Borsari is a singularly understated masterpiece, yet a true gem. Its fragrance evokes a sentiment of perfection. It is and cannot be anything more beyond itself. It is a deeply satisfying scent in my opinion.
How many hours, years, attention, intuition, and sums of intelligence were devoted to reaching this accomplishment, this materpiece of psychological maturity applied to the art of perfumery? One would need to research the archives of the Convento dell'Annunciata in Parma and/or those of the ducal palace of Colorno to understand how the frati worked in collaboration with Maria Luigia of Austria, Duchess of Parma to obtain this subtle violet scent.
The perfume is the result of a woman's deep passion for a flower ranging from its scent to its color. We are told that prior to going to Italy to claim her duchy in 1815 she wrote from Austria to her lady-in-waiting in Paris to ask her to procure the flowers in advance, plant them, and make them bloom announcing her intention to engage in the study of botany. Like many of her contemporaries Maria Luigia or Marie-Louise in French (for she was the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte) was wild about violets but it seems in this case to a degree unparalleled. Many years later, in 1870, Ludovico Borsari succeeded in prying from the hands of the frati dell'Annunciata the secret formula of her beloved perfume and his company has been producing it ever since then. Violetta di Parma starts from a medium-high point suspending its first fresh transparent accord in the air; it is evocative of fern soon revealing small violet flowers coming to the fore and distillating their sweetness in the middle of all the verdancy. It then evokes the fragrance emanating from a few fresh leaves being sensually crushed against each others in the hands of a walker pausing for a moment in the midst of a forest to absorb more profoundly the scents of the trees and of the humid earth. We imagine dewy leaves carpeting the soil of that forest, sometimes sticking themselves onto the walker's shoes at other times falling back onto the ground. We hear the rustling noise made by leaves brushing against the silken hem of a dress. It is cool and it is very early in the morning.
The perfume then becomes gradually deeper and softer, warmer, very slightly peppery, a tinge of it really. The perfume goes on to follow its course, becoming subter and subtler until almost achieving..........dematerialization, becoming non-existent. Disappointment may emerge at first. However soon enough you will discover that the scent did not leave your skin, it is still there albeit almost imperceptibly so. It is just taking a pause, gathering its forces after the initial burst of sensations.
Now, this is where Violetta di Parma reveals its true nature as a masterpiece in my opinion. I have never encountered a perfume that almost extinguishes itself in such a deliberate way and then comes back, like a tide, as an even deeper, warmer and more radiant fragrance. It is sphynx-like, a mythical human interpretation and understanding of the cycle of life and nature, of light and obscurity, of softly spoken words and silence succeeding to it, one in which one can only hear one's heart beat. If you do not smell it, you cannot see it. It is a moment of nakedness, blankness, and utter simplicity.
The first time I wore it I mistakingly thought that my skin, alas, was quenching its thirst by drinking in all the essence contained in the perfume. But then to my surprise I realized perhaps twenty minutes into wearing it that the most beautiful, elegant, and sensual fragrance was scenting the air again around me. Could it be so? Yes, it was unmistakingly developing and evolving further now revealing all of its beauty made more achingly beautiful by the modesty it had revealed and the longing it had provoked. It does unexpectedly so and for a long time as it is tenacious and persistent while maintaining an aura of discretion, softness and subtlety. A veritable tour de force. The creation of a hiatus in this fragrance for me is a mystery. Is it the natural effect of violet essence which is known to put olfactory nerves to sleep, so that one has to smell violets by approaching and then taking away a bouquet of violets further away from one's nose? Or is this natural effect artfully created so as to recreate the phenomenology of the smelling of violets? Is it illustrative of the violet flower's symbolic modesty? Or another possibility yet, is this fragrance imparted a meditative dimension of silence and quiet, unconsciously reflecting the spiritual convent atmosphere of dell'Annunciata? I would like to think so. The fact remains that no additional busy notes were added to cover that moment of retreat of the senses, perhaps another allusion to an experience of religiosity based upon a life of retreat from the world thereby provoking a retreat of the senses through the moral experience of abandonment and chastity.
Be it what it may this highly unusual trait emphasizes the depth of the perfume, its insistence on substance rather than appearance; vulgar, cheap, and showy it is not. You will find it at the other end of the spectrum. That sense of an olfactory pause mimicking muteness and silence is truly rare and precious, unique.
The drydown is again, what other word could we use, beautiful, tanto bellissimo, ever so slightly powdery and creamy, but mostly woody, yet, keeping the transparency, the freshness of a forest brook all along. With time only the fresh stream of transparent water remains. It is a supremely elegant perfume, one that conveys an aristocratic sense of simplicity. I warmly recommend it and think that it should be made part of every odalaphile's collection.
You can find a 3.4 oz spray bottle with atomizer for $35.01 at 99perfume and a 1.6 oz spray bottle without an atomizer for $34 at Luckyscent. As a curiosity, I will post separately a picture of a bouquet of violettes from ca. 1815 containing a secret.
 The other day, while trying to conjure up the memory of some of my best-loved hot-weather fragrances of the past, I suddenly remembered Eau de Patou by Patou. How could I have forgotten it, neglected it? It is one of the best hesperidic fragrances that I know of and also one of the best fragrances I've encountered, period. Why? Because it is a superbly fresh fragrance with a definite presence, character, allure, and sophistication. It was created by Jean Kerléo, the then official nose for the house of Patou, who introduced it in 1976. I believe it was reissued in 1991. Sadly, it is now discontinued and hard to find.
Jean Patou is well-known for having introduced the sportswear look for women, having even commercialized the very first tanning oil effective against sunburn in 1927, l'Huile de Chaldée, at a time when tan was becoming fashionable under the influence of Coco Chanel. He also created the knitted swimsuit look and designed the fundamentals of what we have come to consider are the typical tennis or yachting gears. Eau de Patou keeps in line with this philosophy; the blue line on its bottle is a reference to a marine, yachting theme. It is however also a very sexy feminine scent and could be worn both to compliment a casual look or a dressed-up one. May I add that it works very well in a hot, humid climate. I used to wear it in tropical Thailand and I can only remember that it stays faithfully with you, developping beautifully on your skin.
The immediate two dominant notes for me are the citron from Sicily spiced up with pepper, blended together with nasturtium, further refreshed by oranges from Guinea and rounded off by petitgrain. The sexiness comes from the ylang-ylang, the animalic notes, and the spice. There is also rose and sweet honeysuckle in it. It mellows down to a warm base of musk, amber, and moss. Some detect civet and labdanum in it too. It is a wonderful scent that has remained popular despite its disappearance from perfume counters.
On May 14, I will be able to give away a 1 oz bottle of it to the lucky winner of a drawing. I will be fundraising for the Orphan Foundation of America as part of the Benevolent Blogging charity event organized by Katie from Scentzilla and will donate $1 for each comment that you leave under a specific post that I will put up on Mother's day.
Advertisement image is from Images de Parfums
 Ladies, be forewarned here: if you ever decide to visit beautiful Scotland, and opt to wear Trouble by Boucheron, you may provoke not only some "trouble" (the French word) amongst the menfolk there -- that is, a gentle, almost shy turmoil of the senses, of an understated, sexual nature -- you may downright get yourself into trouble (the English word) and be confused with the sort of woman you do not wish to be identified with (at least, this is what I am assuming). What delicate visions of femininity did Trouble by Boucheron evoke to Scottish testers? "Corsets, closed velvet curtains and leave the cheque on the table." "Slut." Thus we learn, ahem, of the, perhaps, lower level of tolerance in Scotland for, shall we say, "sensual" perfumes (among certain Scots, "sluttish" perfumes, presumably). Actually, does anyone know of any "sluttish" perfumes -- that is, ones that sex workers think are good for their trade?Also, if you are from Scotland and you are reading this, please consider sharing with us your personal opinion of Trouble and of women travellers who wear it while traipsing about your moors...
Continue reading "Trouble by Boucheron (2004) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
 On a recent trip to Paris I came accross a line of niche colognes that I think have good chances of pleasing amateurs of refined and understated fragrances as well as potentially proving to be a welcome addition to the fragrance wardrobes of people who are looking for fumes discrete enough to wear at the office. They will also probably pique the curiosity of history buffs and rejoice Europeanophiles....
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Eau de Cologne à La Russe, à La Française et à l'Italienne by Pierre Bourdon for Institut Très Bien" »
Un Bois Vanille, created in 2003, is one of the more interesting variations on vanilla that I know of and one of the few fragrances in the Serge Lutens line that seems to be willing to compromise with the idea of being, possibly, a perfume to be worn --- how prosaic, I know. The common man, the one that is looking for mere empathy in a juice is glad to have found a more self-effacing Lutens perfume.
I find a most illuminating quote by Lutens on an unofficial website dedicated to him, Autour de Serge, the gist of it being that, what truly matters to the Master is not the fragrance per say that you happen to be wearing, but the way you wear it (my emphasis). In his mind, style and representations of the perfume may supersede the very contents of the perfume; how unusually desincarnated a thought for a perfumer, one may think...
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Un Bois Vanille by Serge Lutens" »
 Musc Ravageur, the edp and the oil, were created by perfumer Maurice Roucel in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Roucel is known for his creations of both luxury and niche scents such as Hermès 24 Faubourg, Guerlain L'Instant, Donna Karan Be Delicious, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, and Lolita Lempicka L, among others.
Musc Ravageur comes preceded by its reputation as Malle's best-seller. The perfume's name in French points to an act of seduction verging on destruction. Maurice Roucel, we are told by Editions de Parfums, thought of it as an "act of seduction and generosity." The perfumer confesses a predilection for warm, sensual scents and Musc Ravageur epitomizes those very qualities...
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Musc Ravageur Eau de Parfum & Oil by Maurice Roucel at Frederic Malle, Editions de Parfums" »
 Garçon Manqué will no doubt make the lighter and tender you come out and will perfectly espouse the mood of spring, renewal, and children's laughters in public gardens with a little detour to the baker's at four o'clock right on time for the goûter. You might be you on your own or with children awaiting the ritual of biting into the pain of chocolat and other scrumptious baked goodies. In Garçon Manqué, there is this characteristic smell and whiff you get upon entering a neighborhood boulangerie and if you approach your nose close enough to a tarte aux fraises (strawberry pie) you get the even more distinctive smell of a crème pâtissière on which fresh and juicy strawberries rest. My mother exclaimed upon getting a whiff of it, "it smells like a cake!" Yes, but not just any cake, it smells of the lovely crème pâtissière religiously decorating the shell of any self-respecting French strawberry pie. It also conjures up for me images of the kiosques à bonbons from the Jardin du Luxembourg, of the candies displayed there mingled with the freshness of the air and the scents of the trees in the park; the perfume manages to be both sweet and airy....
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Garçon Manqué by Des Filles à la Vanille" »
 One last perfume review before we take off for France and land in the capital of perfumes. We adore Paris and its Eden-like public gardens in the spring. There is also a less glamorous side to Paris as well that has come to the forefront of the news: the riots and the projects that are less than scintillating and postcard-like. I would recommend watching Mathieu Kassowitz's movie entitled "La Haine" or "Hate" in English if you want to open a vista onto the world of the under-privileged Parisian "banlieues" and appraise the tears in the French social fabric. It paradoxically turns out to be a beautiful movie, turning boredom, dullness, quotidian dreariness into objects of aesthetic contemplation and emotion. If it were a perfume, you would need a cement note to convey the starkness of those lives.
Spring came early in Boston; my whole body felt lulled by the new softness of the air which was already suffused with a different summery quality of light that anticipated the New England dog days while we were still all standing at the cold cusp of winter. So on my recent quest for a spring fragrance I happened upon Poupée by Rochas. I found its name to be somewhat unusual, enticing, suggesting both a pretty child's toy, a doll, and a certain type of prettiness that is, in essence, cute. The conflation of these two universes, that of childhood and of sophisticated womanhood made this scent stand out and piqued my interest. Or maybe it was the pink. No, but really, this name, I feel, is quite unusual for a fragrance...
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Poupée by Rochas" »
Carnal Flower....as the story goes, it nearly came to be named otherwise, but its French name equivalent, Fleur Charnelle would have sounded too much like Serge Lutens Tubéreuse Criminelle, hence the resort to English. Another story, posted on Basenotes, which is also unverifiable and somewhat contradicts the first story, has it that CF was composed in honor of Candice Bergen, Frederic Malle's aunt, and in particular, in reference to her role in the movie Carnal Knowledge. Hmm, do you call this unfettered creativity as the EdP are supposed to leave complete creative freedom to their perfumers? Stories, myths, and lore abound in the world of perfumery and this is what makes it what it is, secret, charming, magical, and for ever vacillating between fact and fiction. I have come to think that a folkloric study of perfume industry lore is in order. To paraphrase someone who said that perfume was emotion in a liquid form, I would be tempted to say that perfume is myth in a liquid form...
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion for Frédéric Malle" »
You will find that the juice contained in the bottle of Agent Provocateur is less dangerous than its name seems to indicate and less explosive than the shape of the bottle seems to imply. Some people have compared the bottle to an egg, even Agent Provocateur themselves; I have always seen a fleshy breast coupled with a hand grenade allusion. Please refer yourselves to the black ribbon on the side -- the subliminal advertisement on Agent Provocateur's website clarifies the association as we see a woman holding AP close to her partially naked breast, echoing its image as if in a mirror. Therefore, one can only say that it makes sense for a lingerie brand headed by Joseph Corre, the son of Vivienne Westwood, to promote this shape however slyly or unconsciously........
Continue reading "Perfume Review & Musings: Agent Provocateur by Agent Provocateur" »
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Choppy Waters for Stella Cadente Miss Me {Fragrance News}
: at 2007 i was in paris an i bought this perfume.Since then ...
Mandy Aftel on
Aftelier Perfumes Secret Garden (2011): Featuring Real Civet & Castoreum {New Fragrance}
: Thank you so much Marie-Helene for your lovely review! You are great ...
Kay on
Mona di Orio Chamarré (2009): Perfume Review in Memoriam
: This is very interesting. First thing that came to my mind when ...
Maddy on
Bint el Sudan, The Other, African Chanel No.5: Interview with Nick Evans of International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. {Perfume Q & A - The Scents of Africa}
: Interesting post. I've lived in Ghana but I don't remember encountering anyone ...
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