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Trend Alert Archive
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 A French wedding crown with orange blossoms made of wax, ca. 1900
Orange blossom is, or was rather, the note of choice for brides to express their new commitment but also favored for its soothing qualities. While traditionally it was meant to symbolize virginity, purity and chastity, olfactorily speaking it is an ambivalent note which can be sultry and sexual or innocent and calm. it is potentially one of the best, natural ways to express your duality. While compositions may put the accent on one aspect over the other, all orange blossom perfumes are wonderfully optimistic and great heralders of spring and summer. In the spring and summer of 2011 (and beyond), we saw a new interest lavished upon this classic note with a number of recent releases. L'Artisan Parfumeur re-introduced the 2007 Harvest Edition of their Fleur d'Oranger...
Continue reading "The Renewed Popularity of Orange Blossom in 2011 {Trend Alert}" »
 Since 2009 - when we first proposed to gauge the new, emerging fashion and even admittedly craze for oud perfumes - the trend has not abated but on the contrary taken on the proportions of a small olfactory tsunami. One by one, it seems, perfume houses have each and everyone of them added an oud fragrance to their catalogs. Hermès' Hermessence collection has yet to follow suit, as does Les Exclusifs de Chanel or Serge Lutens, but most of the major and reference perfume houses that you can think of, now have an oud perfume to offer...
Continue reading "The Oud Aromania is Here to Stay (2010-2011) - Part II {Trend Alert} {Perfume List}" »
 Three makes a trend at The Scented Salamander observatory of perfumes. We were glad to see that even a paleontologist agreed when explaining that starting with 3 silexes found in a certain shape on a site, they know they have man-made artifacts in a definite style rather than accidents of nature.
This fall 2011, there will be three new feminine releases to choose from which are giving a key role to leather. To help you decide which one is best for you, we will run a 3-day perfume-reviewing session featuring the three new and yet-to-be released fragrances...
Continue reading "Three New Leather Women's Perfumes for Fall 2011 {Trend Alert}" »
 Trios of perfumes describing the triple facets of a woman have become somewhat of a popular standard lately. Take Benefit Cosmetics which looked at threesomes who could all be you with Crescent Row 1 and Crescent Row 2. Or more recently Fresh with the limited-edition Eat, Pray, Love. Then check Avon Reese Witherspoon Expressions which even more intriguingly does exactly the same thing, i.e., Love, Live and Laugh, apparently in that order, as the new Skinn Cosmetics Live, Love, Laugh, in that other order. Sold under the label founded by celebrity makeup artist Dimitri James, the trio of perfume oils comes to complement his beauty philosophy...
Continue reading "Skinn Cosmetics Live, Love, Laugh (2011): The New Femme Program: Be Multifaceted {New Fragrances} {Trend Alert}" »
 Flor Garduno, Embrace of Light, 2000
Before I proceed to review some of the recent, new and upcoming perfumes which reveal this characteristic interest in the radiant-bouquet motif, I thought I'd organize them in the Trend-Alert section. This current of sensitivity overlaps with the Pure White Olfactory Trend, but not always. There have been a number of perfumes in the years past which have attempted to capture the crystalline texture of florals (Chanel Cristalle, Versace Bright Crystal, Omnia Crystalline...), but more recently it has struck me how a whole genre of floral bouquets is pushing the limits of expansion in space, purity, crystal clarity, and seem to be inspired by the glacial beauty of snow...
Continue reading "Radiant & Pristine Floral Bouquets Renew Our Sensations, Expand Space in 2010-2011 {Scented Thoughts} {Trend Alert}" »
Perfumes were invested with magical powers by the archaic mind. It is therefore not surprising to rediscover this running thread in the history of fragrances to be still well and alive in today's neon-lit stores and supermarkets. There are no shamans burning herbs dancing around you, but you can turn to a number of contemporary choices for wearing a scent that says "Good luck!" Shopping around lately, I happened at first on little textile dolls sold with a vial of perfume which you were supposed to empty on the colorful funny and fugly creature then hang it somewhere to let luck fill your home. I came back later to get one and they were sold out. Fortunately there are more options for tongue-in-cheek or seriously superstitious people. Incidentally, research has shown that persons who are misted with perfume garner more spontaneous good-will on the part of strangers. It may be that you smell good or that your attitude is enhanced by fragrance, or both. It's not just about dark or white magic (Yes, I just saw Harry Potter, The Deathly Hallows). It's about projecting a positive attitude. So if you have a friend or relative that thinks it's best to be on the safe side and smell a scent filled with thoughtfully created good vibes (hopefully), you can check these ones out.  Esteban have issued a web-exclusive kit for men Kit Cadeau Porte-Bonheur pour Lui (29€) comprising 3 lucky charms in ceramic scented with Cèdre, Santal and Teck & Tonka. They anticipate you'll carry them to the office, hang them in the car, scent the gym (or gym bag) with their trails...
Continue reading "Perfumes that Bring Good Luck {Trend Alert} {Fragrance Shopping List}" »
 Spanish designer Jesus del Pozo has introduced his latest fragrance for women called Ambar launched to celebrate his 35 years of creativity. The composition, signed by perfumer Marie Salamagne of Firmenich, is inspired by the natural beauty of fossilized resin amber. The fashion designer added, drawing an analogy with couture, that for him amber in perfumery plays the role of a corset in period dresses, where it is not seen but can be perceived as it adds structure from below... 
Continue reading "Jesus del Pozo Ambar (2010): Another Amber for Fall-Winter 2010 {New Fragrance} {Trend Alert}" »
 Revlon has launched a new perfume called Bling Bling which is especially targeting the Spanish-speaking markets judging from their Facebook page which details the information about the new perfume in Spanish. The scent is said to be the love child of Hip Hop culture and that of the ostentatious luxury of Hollywood. It is about a world " where more is better." The composition is given as a vanilla perfume with a touch of exotic fruit....  An original rack of Hip Hop and Rap bling jewelry, via dallasvintangeshop.com
Continue reading "Revlon Bling Bling (2010): A Bling Fest is an Oh-So-Popular Concept These Days {New Fragrance} {Trend Alert}" »
 Picture © The Scented Salamander
The 2010 Fall season of fragrance launches promises to be particularly rich this year with many, diverse universes of fragrance to choose from. Here is our list of fragrances to watch and give a sniff to (there are and will be more, but you need to start somewhere, right?) In the Celebrity category, we're expecting to see some ripples made around the launches of Jennifer Aniston EDP (timely US launch for the Holidays although dates remain unspecified), Halle Berry Reveal, and Mary J. Blige My Life. The latter already launched on HSN to record-breaking sales based solely on the personality of the singer and philanthropist. More than 70 000 bottles sold in the first few days. The real test of perfume popularity will be of course to see how many happy repeat customers there will be. But Blige is already benefiting from a honeymoon effect and fans are creating an I-really-want-to-love-this-fragrance momentum. Jennifer Lopez will show once more what she has learned as a veteran and marketing trend-setter in the category with Love and Glamour. Beyoncé will no doubt consolidate her fan base with a new flanker, Heat Ultimate Elixir.Britney Spears may be past the height of tabloid frenzy regarding her private life but her new scent Radiance is just the right dose of Liberace Kitsch one secretly hoped to see expressed in a bottle. One should not neglect recent summer celebrity launches which will carry us into the fall: Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights and Paris Hilton Tease. The first one is clearly a fall and winter companion...
Continue reading "2010 Fall Fragrance Trends and Perfume Launches {Scented Thoughts} {Trend Alerts}" »
 Even if vanilla must be the most popular smell and flavor worldwide, it still makes a difference whether or not it is going to be featured in fine perfumery in meaningful compositions which can be considered to be trendsetting. This fall 2010, it will not escape your attention that four major fragrance names and perfumers are issuing each a perfume which is dedicated to the fruit of the tropical orchid. What is even more interesting is that two of these houses are centering their compositions on the idea of a "dual" vanilla and a third one on that of a "triple" vanilla. It's all about more and better vanilla. This is why I see here a big, mean vanilla trend. So, do you want to be in the know? See what Guerlain, Yves Rocher, Dior and Diptyque have in common scent-wise this fall...
Continue reading "The Big Vanilla Trend in Fine Fragrance, Fall 2010 {Trend Alert & Report}" »
 Sir Charles Bell Collection, 1920-21, Lhasa
This spring / summer 2010 we are seeing a series of new launches that sign the
return of dirty musks in a mostly white sea of musks. It is inevitable
that when there is an action there will be a reaction, at some point. In
2008 I was struck by the popularity of white musks in the traditional official
stronghold of carnal musks, Paris, and wrote two articles about it: The White Musk Trend in Paris... Really? and Top White Musk Trails to Try Out.
This spring, if white-musk trails still prevail, - inevitably one might
say given their overtake of the world of laundry detergents, dish-washing liquids and even candies - several
launches invite you to reconsider your musk options and step over
to the darker side. Smelling a number of new creations made me realize that at least six of them are cozying up anew to animalic musks. Réminiscence Eau de PatchouliI will go back to this perfume in a more detailed review, but this new iteration of the Réminiscence Patchouli classic,
especially appreciated as far as my field notes indicate in the center
of Paris and the Latin Quarter in particular, has been not so much
lightened up as made muskier. Its delicious musk accord is similar to the one found in a higher-end perfume which was reformulated in 2008: Profumo by Acqua di Parma. Musk lovers must check it out. Caron Parfum Sacré IntenseCaron
are also offering a new version of one of their classics, Parfum Sacré,
and like Eau de Patchouli above, Parfum Sacré Intense takes on a new muskier signature
while intensifying the whole composition with even more black pepper
and resins. It is a cattier version of its forebear thanks to the
pungent musk. There is also a new ad campaign fronted by Italian actress Luisa Ranieri. The scent impresses with its new force but is not as lasting
as one could hope for. Could "intense" mean also "enduring" as an added bonus?...
Continue reading "The Return of Dirty Musks: 6 New Ways to Musk Up for Summer 2010 {Perfume Reviews} {Trend Alert}" »
 One of the advantages of wearing fragrance is that it is such a ductile medium for reflecting your moods. Do you want to feel transported to the 1940s? Get a Lenthéric, or more easily done, Miss Dior. Do you feel like you want to read into the crystal ball of the future? Try Dans Tes Bras by Frédéric Malle, a violet perfume with a Blade-Runner vibe to it. Do you just want desperately to smell like the moment? Are you yearning to capture the transiency and unique character of those few weeks that will never be around again? One of your safest bets this spring and summer 2010 is to turn to a tuberose perfume if you love to ride a trend and feel fashionable... 
Continue reading "Tuberose is Oh-So-Trendy this Spring/Summer 2010 {Trend Alert}" »
  The concept of the anti-perfume seems to be the new trendy or cutting-edge critical thinking in town, it's still hard to tell. Even Jennifer Aniston, who comes across as intelligent by the way, managed to plug it in the celebrity fragrance category for Lolavie described as a "non-perfume" (there might still be a distinction with anti-perfume.) I have written a post on the Pure White Trend in fragrances, but I am still trying to sort out the implications of this movement and its connection to the anti-perfume concept. Please stay tuned for reviews of DKNY Pure, the latest Clean fragrances and L'Eau Serge Lutens to try to understand these olfactory ideas. This wave is of course encouraged by the societal anti-perfume movement in North-America which tries to limit the wearing of perfume in public spaces, but it has also received wider artistic credentials through art happenings such as that of Dadadandy and their non-perfume called Choix in 2007. In this vein, Biliana Velkova proposed the Celebrity-Perfume-Mirage concept in 2008. Long before them, arguably, there was the seminal Belle Haleine Eau de Voilette by Marcel Duchamp in 1921 which made do with anything liquid altogether...
Continue reading "Studio Beauty Mix at Fred Segal Nudité Intense (2010): "The Anti-Perfume" {New Fragrance} {Trend Alert}" »
 Purity by Iran Issa-KhanOne perfumery trend which emerged from 2009 and is garnering momentum this spring and summer 2010 is the Pure White Trend in Fragrances. It is as if the recession had helped get people in touch with basics and simplicity overall. Maybe, if you consider the recession like a minor scourge, it is also a way of purifying ourselves from our excesses and consumers' sins. One of the effects of the recession which has been observed is that people started giving renewed value to human relationships and putting all-out materialistic pursuits on the back burner. As it turns out, the Pure White Trend in perfume is not just about cleanliness but sentimentality and refocusing on the home front. Images surrounding several of these fragrances involve family imaginings. The scent of laundry never smelled so comforting, poetic and evocative...
Continue reading "The Pure White Trend in Fragrances: A Return to Fundamentals {Trend Alert}" »
 Mélanie Thierry just received the César prize for "meilleur espoir feminine" (best up-and-coming female actress). Although celebrity and perfume do not seem to mesh as well in French culture as in American pop culture, lately an effort has been made by French brands to corral in the charm of celebrities to create perfume consumption lust. This is not to say that there were never French celebrity perfumes. In fact in the early days of the 20th century, you could find a signature perfume by actor Jean Marais, the lover and friend of Jean Cocteau. Earlier than that Josephine Baker, an adoptive Parisian, had her name not only on cabaret posters but on fragrance bottles....
Continue reading "More French Celebrities Enter The Perfume Ring: Melanie Thierry and Marc Lavoine + An Hexagonal Retrospective" »
Trend Alert Archive
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