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harrietvane · 9 months

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Perfume chat, because it's hot, summer's ending, and I'm of a mind to list out some of my favourite Hot Weather Perfumes. To be fair, once it gets above 30C/86F, I don't tend to wear scent, but all these I ones I could, and have worn in hot weather, and worth mentioning. Lot of citrus going on here, not much floral, and heavily leaning towards citrus cologne strenght (and away from big floral, gourmand, or sweet eaux de parfum). BYO gender, none of these are marketed specifically one way or another.

-Cédrat Enivrant (Atelier Cologne): the 'cedrat' here is not referring to cedar, but to the ur-citrus known in english as the Citron, aka the mighty Etrog. It's one of the original citrii from which all others spring: it's lumpy, bitter, like 60% rind, and doesn't care what you think. Cedrat Enivrant is a bitter cocktail cologne resembling a French 75 - which is gin and champagne - but dry AF. There's a mintiness, and a pine needle dryness as well. Starts off very high and tart, dries down herbal.

Paris-Deauville (Chanel): part of their Eaux de Chanel cologne-style lighter series, this is an orange/basil combo that stays fairly light and dry - the sweetness is from orange, but otherwise the addition of basil heart note keeps this summery and green. Starts off quite juicy, but 'dries' as it dries, ending in mostly sweet herbs, and the basil is unexpected. Light enough to be a splash bottle though, not a typical Chanel.

Blenheim Bouquet (Penhaligon's): despite going all-in on flashy, heavier things lately, Penhaligon's keeps the old BB on the shelf because I'm p sure it's still one of their best sellers: it's a classic for a reason. Despite listing notes of lemon, black pepper and pine, this comes off mainly with a 'clean pencil shavings' vibe on me, and it suits that freshly-sharpened pencil image. Lemony, sharp, dry, precise. if it was a person it would be Anton Lesser's character in Endeavour.

Melograno (Santa Maria Novella): I sought this out after seeing it on-screen in Casino Royale as one of Vesper Lynd's few belongings in Venice, and it did not disappoint. A warning: despite the name, if you go in expecting a syrupy bath and bodywork's style fruity pomegranate, or dislike things 'that smell like perfume' this perfume is not for you. There is very little, if any, fruit in Melograno, and I confess it's a surprise entry to a cologne-y summer list because it lists several flowers (and oakmoss! and patch!), BUT the reality of it on me is dry dry dryyyy. I have worn this in very hot weather, and the impression is a herbal soap in the cleanest italian bathroom that's ever existed, with a rigid linen handtowel, and some dried flowers in a bowl on the window.

Bergamotto di Positano (Floris): if you DID want fruit, but not syrup, Floris has you covered for orange and mandarin. It steers away from Body Shop fruit with marine notes, but don't let that dissuade you if you avoid CK One types: there's a softness to this from some ginger, green tea, and vanilla in the background. Never goes overly gourmand on me despite the fact that these are all edible things.

Ouarzazate/Series 3 (Comme des Garçons): whaaaaat, an incense in a summer list?? Adding it here as we can't have an entirely citrine list, and this makes the cut due to DRY. CdG did a little series on incense of various styles (the most infamous being Avignon, which does actually smell like a realistic in-use thurible, so hats off to them), and Ouarzazate is their desert incense vibe. It's clean in that dry sauna/spa room sort of way. It's the driest and woodiest of the 4 they did imho. Like walking into a shady, cool, dark wooden room when it's hot outside.

Le Pamplemousse (Miller Harris): MH perfumes divide into those made when Lyn Harris was the nose (interesting, lots of werird herbal combos), and those after she left (generally bigger and sweeter) - this is one of the former. Obviously grapefruit as a theme, which is always a nice bitter citrus for summer, this wears like a crisp white shirt. Despite mentioning things like rhubrarb, the notes are kept in strict order by rosemary, sage, and vetiver. The grapefuit fades as the herbs take over on drydown, manages to evoke clean laundry with no musk. (Bonus points: I have also loved Le Petit Grain from the same house for its twiggy orange tree bundle vibes, but it's discontinued)

Budget options: some countries get great sampling or decanting services (not mine, booooo), and getting 10mls of the above might be easier for you than me, but if not: here's some you can get for a lot less cash but still give you quality-

Vetiver Pamplemousse (Zara): done by theee Jo Malone, so that gives you an idea of the vibe (light, approachable). It's grapefruit, tangerine, and vetiver. Vetiver keeps it dry, quite linear development. Might be slightly 'spicier' than the MH Pampelmousse, or at least more vetiver-forward. Comes in a rollerball for those wanting a short commitment!

4711 (Mäurer & Wirtz): how could i not end on the OG, the classic, the unbeatable 4711. Four-Seven-Eleven has been freshening up people's bathroom routines since 1799, and boasts of a recipe (mostly?) unchanged since Napoleon was tramping around the area. It's citrus, it's lavender, it's romemary, it evaporates in 8 seconds, it's fresh lemony goodness. It's an aftershave, it's a cologne, it's a linen spray, it's a bath soak, is there nothing it cannot do? M&W have started to do endless 'remixes' of the base cologne, in many fruit and floral varieties, but the classic is where it's at. And it costs almost nothing.

#perfume #text post shenanigans #some of these do travel sizes and giftsets (floris and pen's mainly) and SMN does an amaaazing cake soap in that perfume #might do an autumn/winter list later in the season #[edited for typos after posting!]

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perflorale · 9 months

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Fragrances i think Rachel Green would wear…

Romance by Ralph Lauren

This is a clean and light fragrance. Floral but not so over powering. It’s feminine and I know of some people who have worn this to the gym and to work. Its not so in your face so it’s appropriate for the work environment. Rachel Green works at Ralph Lauren too, so this fragrance is definitely one i can see her wearing. I don’t see her as having a specific every day scent, she doesn’t like routine or to restrict herself like that, but this fragrance is a favourite of hers at work and it’s definitely a contender for every day. She’s fashionable in an effortless way, she doesn’t ever overdo it with how she dresses but is always put together and this fragrance encapsulates that perfectly. Its effortless but very pretty. She’s also a romantic at heart, a big reader of romance novels, in addition to her love for soap operas. This fragrance is romantic in that sense too. Its a sophisticated fragrance that doesn’t try too hard and i think its definitely something she’d love.

Coco Noir By Chanel

I can see Rachel as being a Chanel girlie. She does seem to enjoy wearing Chanel perfume in the earlier seasons, if I remember correctly its definitely mentioned. Coco noir is a very sexy and sophisticated perfume. I can see this being her fragrance for special occasions. Maybe she attends a formal event, or has a date. I can see her reaching for this in those occasions. The perfect perfume to wear with a classy dress. It opens up fresh with citruses at the top and settles into something warm, deep and rich with the sandalwood, cloves, vanilla, tonka and benzoin at the base. It’s timeless.

Paris Paris (Les Eaux Des Chanel) by Chanel

Another Chanel perfume. To reiterate, I see her as a Chanel type of girl. This is the one that stood out to me the most from Chanel’s Eaux des Chanel line. This line is inspired by destinations that are dear to Gabrielle Chanel, with each perfume in it being dedicated to a particular city. I chose Paris Paris for Rachel as it is part of her storyline towards the end where she is offered a job in Paris. This fragrance is best described as pretty. It’s light and fun and really matches her girl next door vibe. I can also see this being a pretty wedding scent and she was first introduced as a bride in the pilot episode. Its just a very pretty scent. Its got pink pepper and citruses at the top, giving it a sharp opening but then it's also softened by that rose note in the middle and the patchouli at the base gives it that sophistication that Chanel is so known for. Remember I said Rachel isn’t too strict with having an everyday scent? I feel like she alternates a lot and between this and Ralph Lauren’s romance. I can see her rocking both everyday. Alternatively there is also another perfume from this line i would have chosen for her, which is Paris-Venise since she had that whole storyline with Paulo and he’s Italian, but I thought this one suited her better.

Mixed Emotions by Byredo

Another contender for Rachel’s everyday fragrance, or maybe just a fragrance she wears on occasion and finds nostalgic, as perfumes often evoke memories for most of us. I feel like the name of this fragrance is also very accurate as a representation of her infamous relationship with Ross. Maybe this is a fragrance they both shared? It's unisex and could be for both Ross & Rachel. This is a lovely tea centred fragrance with mate in the opening and tea leaves in the middle, the base is quite green as well with woods and plants such as birch and papyrus. It’s an earthy scent sweetened by a fruity opening thanks to the black currant top note. It’s a very strong yet sweet and tame scent and there's something calming about it. Also to quote Phoebe, “Rachel’s just more flexible and mellow.” This is a fresh earthy scent. I definitely can see this as a fragrance Rachel would wear when pampering herself, as she frequents spas on occasion, or a perfume she and Ross would have worn together, at least when they weren’t on a break.

🌸 If you want to see more fragrance match ups for characters you love, or for yourself hit me with an ask! 🌸

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lecoque · 2 years

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******* INFO-POÉTIC *******

******* PHRANCOPHONÉC *******

******* T A Y T A Y *******

------------------ LE CHAMEAUT -----------------

-------------------------- & --------------------------

-------------------- LA CHANEL -------------------

Et oui je suis d oregine du disre un chameaux

Et j ai d autres oregine mi cheval et mi toro

Qui tire vos charettes qui contien vos toneaux

Ou qui port vos caravanes sur sont propre dos

Il est temp d on finir de descendre vos fardeaut

Que j ai rien on a avoir de ces dolar ou de l euro

Meme pas un pour boir pièce comme cadeaut

même pas un remerciment s est gratuit les mot

Meme pas carte postal l adrese de vos locaux

Ni une lettre de saimpatie entre des familiaux

Ni joiyeux anivrsere ni bonne anné ni aucun allo

new fack face booc anti renseignement ou info

faux compt faux gent fausse note faux photo

Areter votre cinema vous n exister par le faux

Ni vous pouvez nous trahire dans notre dos

Comment vous voulez nos tromper a chaud

On sais qui vous ete et on conner vos reseaux

Des autorités secret les non guouvrnementau

Ou des parasites par excellence des genereaux

Ou des profeteur de classe oudoussou des haut

Ou des saboteur les bondis d etat et des escro

On est comme la chouette on voie les corbeaut

A la nuit ou il fait sonbre comme le noir cheveux

Ou deriere le mur notre lazere direct vos sursaut

On vous trouve ou vous vous cacher sous l eaux

Ou sous les décombres la cachette des clondo

dans les bon lieut dans des barak des saleaux

L aigle il pic si il a vue sa proie cour au galeaut

Et le lionx il surgie de nul par de n import ou

Et le chat gette le rat le coince entre ses grifeu

Et nous on atent le jour j pour fair nos asseaut

le chameaux s est un demi chat et demis gunou

la chanel s est sa femele entre vierg et puseaut

Nul ne saie quesque il ya dans la tête d un barbo

Et lui nul ne saie quesque il ya dans sa jujeaux

Et Non vos vallet on est pas dans vos chateaut

Et Non vos esclave on est pas dans vos annaux

vos fonctionnaire on est pas dans vos bureaux

vos entrepreneur on est pas dans vos gard saut

de qui on se melle ni lien ni liesent 08 huit clos

******* D A V I N C H I *******

( idicas au trumblr poem d info poetic.le votre)

#davinchi info poetic

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bloommemory · 2 days

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Top 4 nước hoa nữ thơm lâu, được yêu thích nhất năm 2024

1. Chanel Eau De Parfum

Nổi bật trong top nước hoa nữ Chanel không thể không nhắc đến Chanel Chance EDP với hương hoa cay nồng dần nhưng đọng lại trong không khí chút ngọt ngào, tinh tế vấn vương.

Hoa nhài, hạt tiêu hồng và vani là một trong số các thành phần chủ chút mang đến nốt hương ấm áp, quyến rũ cho Chanel EDP.

Thông tin sản phẩm:

Thương hiệu: Chanel

Xuất xứ: Pháp

Nhóm hương: Floral

2. Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume

Không còn quá xa lạ với các tín đồ đam mê mùi hương nước hoa nữ, Atelier Cologne đã xây dựng đế chế nước hoa với các bộ sưu tập đình đám chiếm trọn trái tim phái đẹp. Dòng Vanille Insensee Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume chính là kiệt tác giúp thương hiệu đến gần hơn với trái tim của mọi người.

Đặc biệt, Vanille Insensee Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume sở hữu bảng thành phần độc đáo khi có đến 91% tự nhiên gồm vani từ Madagascar, rau mùi từ Nga, chanh từ Mexico tạo nên bản âm hưởng hương sắc đa dạng.

Thông tin sản phẩm:

Thương hiệu: Atelier Cologne

Xuất xứ: Pháp

Nhóm hương: Woody

3. Chanel Les Eaux De Chanel, Paris-Edimbourg

Góp mặt trong bảng danh sách nước hoa nữ chính hãng đình đám nhất đến từ nhà Chanel, Les Eaux de Chanel, Paris-Edimbourg được mệnh danh là phiên bản hương nước hoa thơm lâu nhất của hãng.

Thông tin sản phẩm:

Thương hiệu: Chanel

Xuất xứ: Pháp

Nhóm hương: Woody

4. Gamine Eau de Parfum

Thành phần có trong Gamine Eau de Parfum là sự kết hợp hoàn hảo giữa rễ cỏ vetiver, cây gai dầu xanh, chocolat noir cùng cây hoắc hương Indonesia hoang dã đầy dư vị của thiên nhiên.

Thông tin sản phẩm:

Thương hiệu: Gamine

Xuất xứ: Pháp

Nhóm hương: Chypre

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solisjetflights · 9 months

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Itinéraire De Luxe De 3 Jours À Saint-Tropez

Préparez-vous à mettre vos lunettes de soleil et à lâcher vos cheveux, car nous sommes sur le point de plonger tête la première dans le monde glamour de Saint-Tropez !

Attachez vos ceintures, car il ne s’agit pas d’un voyage comme les autres, mais d’une escapade de trois jours qui vous permettra de vivre pleinement votre vie dans ce paradis méditerranéen.

Saint-Tropez n’est pas une escapade ordinaire. Non, c’est un endroit où le luxe et le style règnent en maîtres. Vous y trouverez des plages magnifiques, des restaurants gastronomiques et suffisamment de boutiques haut de gamme pour faire rougir votre carte de crédit !

Dans ce blog, nous vous livrons tous les secrets pour vous aider à planifier le genre de voyage dont vous rêvez. Qu’il s’agisse de siroter du champagne dans des clubs de plage branchés ou d’explorer les eaux scintillantes de la Côte d’Azur, nous avons tout ce qu’il vous faut.

Alors, prenez votre maillot de bain le plus chic, votre tenue la plus fabuleuse, et préparez-vous à être ébloui par l’opulence de Saint-Tropez. C’est votre billet pour une aventure de trois jours aussi funky que fabuleuse ! Plongeons dans l’aventure !

Jour 1 : Arrivée et détente au bord de la mer

Matin :

Arrivée à l’aéroport de Nice Côte d’Azur et transfert à Saint-Tropez en voiture privée avec chauffeur ou en hélicoptère.

Installation dans votre hôtel ou villa de luxe surplombant la mer Méditerranée.

L’après-midi :

Rendez-vous sur l’une des célèbres plages de Saint-Tropez, comme la plage de Pampelonne.

Réservez une cabine privée en bord de mer avec un service attentif.

Dégustez un déjeuner gastronomique de fruits de mer au bord de l’eau.

Le soir :

Rafraîchissez-vous et promenez-vous dans les charmantes rues de Saint-Tropez.

Dîner romantique dans un restaurant étoilé comme Le Vague d’Or.

Jour 2 : Découverte de Saint-Tropez

Le matin :

Commencez votre journée par un délicieux petit-déjeuner à votre hébergement.

Visite de la vieille ville historique de Saint-Tropez. Explorez le marché de la Place des Lices pour y trouver des produits locaux et des souvenirs.

Visite guidée de la Citadelle de Saint-Tropez pour ses vues imprenables.

L’après-midi :

Déjeuner dans un bistrot chic de la vieille ville.

Explorez le musée de l’Annonciade, qui présente des œuvres d’art impressionnistes.

Passez l’après-midi à faire du shopping dans des boutiques haut de gamme comme Chanel et Louis Vuitton.

Le soir :

Dîner dans un restaurant branché comme L’Opera ou Le Byblos pour goûter à la cuisine locale et internationale.

Après le dîner, découvrez la vie nocturne de Saint-Tropez dans des bars comme Les Caves du Roy.

Jour 3 : Expérience sur un Yacht de Luxe

Matin :

Après le petit-déjeuner, vous vous rendrez au port et monterez à bord d’un yacht de luxe privé.

Croisière le long de la magnifique côte de la Côte d’Azur.

Profitez des activités nautiques telles que la plongée avec tuba et le jet ski.

L’après-midi :

Savourez un déjeuner gastronomique préparé par un chef à bord.

Visitez les îles voisines comme Porquerolles ou l’Île de Port-Cros pour explorer l’île et vous détendre.

Soirée :

Retour à Saint-Tropez et débarquement de votre yacht.

Dîner d’adieu dans un restaurant au bord de l’eau avec vue sur le coucher du soleil.

Cet itinéraire devrait vous donner un avant-goût du luxe et de la beauté que Saint-Tropez a à offrir. Bon voyage !

En conclusion, une escapade de luxe de trois jours à Saint-Tropez offre un mélange parfait de détente, de culture et d’indulgence. Des plages immaculées et de la vieille ville animée à l’extravagance des yachts privés et des repas gastronomiques, Saint-Tropez promet une expérience mémorable à ceux qui recherchent les meilleures choses de la vie. Que vous vous prélassiez sur les rivages ensoleillés, que vous exploriez les sites historiques ou que vous savouriez une cuisine de classe mondiale, cette ville pittoresque de la Côte d’Azur vous laissera à coup sûr des souvenirs impérissables d’une escapade vraiment luxueuse.

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thebeautycove · 2 years

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CHANEL • PARIS-PARIS • LES EAUX DE CHANEL • Eau de Toilette • Novità 2022 • Saw her walking down rue Cambon. She owns this city. Paris belongs to her. They share that attitude and a beaming soul. Gabrielle owes much to Paris,and so Paris owes Chanel the recognition of an unmistakable style, the innate allure that arises from flawless effortless style. . Paris - Paris il nuovo capitolo olfattivo de Les Eaux de Chanel non è semplicemente un viaggio nelle destinazioni care a Mademoiselle. È tutto ciò che Parigi ha rappresentato nella sua vita. Alfa e Omega. Origine, conoscenza ed esperienza, ispirazione e creazione, sfide e gloria, l’apoteosi di un successo eternizzato. Gabrielle avrebbe a cuore questa fragranza, con quella sontuosa rosa damascena dall’aria disimpegnata, fresca e sagace, pungente e spensierata, delicata e misteriosa, perché le sue sfumature odorose non sono mai completamente svelate. Amerebbe gli accenti esperidati di limone e mandarino, la vivacità aromatica delle bacche di pepe rosa che Olivier Polge ha incastonato nel sillage, facendola brillare e vibrare di leggerezza e sensualità. Troverebbe in quel riverbero di patchouli il suo sguardo, come un cenno d’intesa alla città, a quell’eleganza senza eccessi che definisce il suo stile, a quell’allure effortless chic che solo Parigi può vantare.

Creata da Olivier Polge. Eau de Toilette 125 ml. In esclusiva nelle Chanel Beauty Boutique e online ©thebeautycove @igbeautycove

#chanel #chanel beauty #paris paris #les eaux de chanel #perfume #scent2022 #livelovesmell #thebeautycove

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angelitam · 2 years

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Paris-Paris de Chanel

Nouvelle Eau de Chanel, Paris-Paris. Paris-Paris de Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel sont inspirées de destinations chères à Gabrielle Chanel. Paris-Paris fera instantanément voyager les sens, avec une sensation de fraîcheur et d’évasion. Paris-Paris Les Eaux de Chanel L’inspiration pour cette fragrance est l’ouverture de sa première boutique, rue Cambon, en 1910, à ses derniers jours au Ritz, en 1971,…

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#Chanel #Gel douche corps et cheveux Paris-Paris #Gel douche corps et cheveux Paris-Paris chanel #Lait pour le corps Paris-Paris #Lait pour le corps Paris-Paris chanel #Les Eaux de Chanel #Olivier Polge #olivier polge les eaux #olivier polge les eaux de chanel #olivier polge les eaux paris paris #olivier polge les eaux paris paris de chanel #olivier polge paris paris #olivier polge paris paris de chanel #Olivier Polge x Chanel #parfums Chanel #paris paris #paris paris chanel #paris paris les eaux #paris paris les eaux de chanel

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eau-de-moi · 5 years

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Лимитированное издание Chanel Paris — Riviera выйдет в продажу 1 июня этого года. Его выпустят в концентрации Eau De Toilette в лаконичном флаконе объемом 125 мл. Штатный парфюмер Chanel Оливье Польж охарактеризовал его “luminous floral”. В русском языке нет адекватной замены первому слову. А вот пользователи Реддита обсуждали значение “luminous“ в контексте парфюмерии. Цветы + сандал + амбра, дающие тёплый и рассеянный, как свет сквозь туман, аромат.

#news #new perfume #chanel #les eaux de chanel #paris-riviera #aromo #русский блог #русский tumblr #по-русски #русский тамблер #весна2019

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momogaoka · 4 years

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Le bel été / Beautiful Summer (Travel Diaries by Pathport) - Phone Lockscreens

Size: 999x1776 (9:16)

Top (L-R): Paris, Eze, Venice

Middle (L-R): Juan-les-Pins, Saint-Tropez, Biarritz

Bottom (L-R): Eze, Biarritz, Venice

From the Pathport x Les eaux de Chanel travel diary series

Photography by Camila Gutiérrez

#france #italy #photography #lockscreens #summer aesthetic #summer #fadenet #allresources #completeresources #yeahps #itsphotoshop #mine: all #mine: lockscreens

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eatingmyownwiener · 4 years

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Banana Fish boys and signature scent - some options

Hey, so I asked about the scents for the characters because I'm really into perfume and wanted to do a post like this based on your opinions of what the characters would smell like.

So, here's what I think:

Eiji: You said "the sweetest scent. he smells like marshmallow and orange blossom + his hair smells like lemons"

I couldn't quite find marshmallow and those citrus scents in a fragrance I thought would be fitting, but what I could come up with was:

Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Deauville which is a fairly recent unisex release from Chanel in an eau de cologne style. It kinda of features all those citrus notes you mentioned (though it's certainly more orangey than lemoney) and has some nice sweetness from jasmine. It's also on a base of neutral, soothing woods that smells like a very typical type of fragrance that was very popular in Japan in the 90s, the kind of "Zen" fragrance (this is just the base, though, that gives it some heft and keeps it from being too sheer like most eaux de colognes; the fragrance as a whole is not woody and is much more a sweet-citrus-aromatic). All in all I'd say the key notes for me in this are (in order from most to least noticeable): sicilian orange, bergamot, lime, lemon, jasmine, hedione, assorted greens and petitgrain. If Eiji's hair smells significantly more lemony, I would suggest he might wear Paris-Deauville on his skin, and spray a light mist of Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte on his hair, or to walk through. Not a cheap combination, though!

Hermès Le Jardin de Monsieur Li is another citrus-sweet watery unisex fragrance with slight Zen undertones (though without any of the slight woodiness of the base of Paris-Deauville). The burst of citrus here is not due to a combination of oranges and lemons but to juicy kumquat, which is a very distinct citrus smell, and pretty great for someone looking for a distinct signature scent. Like in Paris-Deauville, the sweetness here is largerly thanks to jasmine (a flower, which, like, say, tuberose, is categorized as a "white floral," a catergory of perfumery quite known for sweetness to say the least). I think this is probably the more Eiji-like fragrance of the two, or at least the one I can more easily imagine him wearing, even though I think Paris-Deauville is more on par with your description. The reasons why aren't many, but I think this one skews generally more traditionally masculine than Paris-Deauville (which is a very blank unisex, in terms of traditional gender norms in perfumery), is probably easier to find (I think the Les Eaux de Chanel range is an in-house exclusive?), cheaper (you can find some good deals on this online, generally), has less of an overall "pretty veneer" than Paris-Deauville (Le Jardin de M. Li is still a masterful fragrance, but it is less "cute" than P-D, which I think Eiji would appreciate, as he is generally self-conscious of being thought of/seen as too cute), and is a more faint, discreet smell. And I mean faint. All of the fragrances in the Hermès Le Jardin series are very watery and sheer, but really, none more so than this one. If you're in the market for a bright, tart, citrus scent, many of the fragrances in the Le Jardin series deliver (particularly as a top note), and, in fact, many of the fragrances Jean-Claude Ellena made for Hermès in general during his time as in-house perfumer there could be appealing. Ellena stepped down from his post in 2016, but many of the scents he made feature a tart, fizzy, bright, effervescent grapefruit top note, which became something of a signature for him, and is a very, very citrusy smell (though this particular grapefruit accord is not present in Jardin de M. Li).

The marshmallow note is tricky. You can find it in fragrances, but those generally skew very feminine, young (both of those as far as traditional gender norms in perfumery go; I truly don't feel scent has gender, but I do think we have become used to certain norms in smells as regard gender and age) and loud in register (big projection and longevity, which I don't think is something Eiji would seek out or be comfortable with). The best ones I can recommend if you have an interest in fragrances with this note are Demeter Fragrance Marshmallow (aptly named) and Etat Libre d'Orange Divin'Enfant, though none of those fragrances register as Eiji to me, and they only fit your bill insofar as the marshmallow note goes.

Some other ideas for Eiji, in order I find from most to least applicable: Le Labo Fleur d'Oranger 27, Louis Vuitton Sun Song, Hiram Green Dilettante, Hermès Concentre d'Orange Verte.

Ash: You said "rosemary" is his signature scent. So, this is what I came up with:

Chanel Platinum Égoiste, which is actually a very popular masculine aromatic (basically lots of herbs and spices) flanker of the older Chanel classic Égoïste (which I wouldn't recommend for Ash by the way, at least not on your brief. Flankers are basically new scents that piggyback on more established names from a perfume house's stable. Some bear a very close resemblance to the original, and with some it's just more of a marketing ploy that suggests to the public that a classic fragrance they probably have heard about has been "updated for the now" - Cristalle Eau Verte, for instance, that I recommended for Eiji as a hair mist above, is a flanker of the original 1970s Cristalle, which, by the way, is so good, though off-topic). Anyway, Platinum Égoïste, which skews warm-spicy with slight woody undertones in the base (therefore creating a slight connection with Eiji's scent, if Eiji were to wear Paris-Deauville - which would also mean they're both fragrances from the same house!), and which sells like hot-cakes in France, has a very interesting and quite delicious rosemary note (it definitely is the kind of fragrance to make you swoon if you smell it on someone - specially someone you already fancy), and is done in a very kind of traditionally masculine formulation. It feels kind of tough or a bit butch on the outside, but is kept from being simplistic or overly-macho in a cartoonish way by a deceptive quiet sophistication and harmony in the notes (I recommend letting this one breathe a bit; not applying just as you're out the door). I think Ash would really dig this one, and I think Eiji would probably dig it even more on him. To my nose, the notes that play the most significant part in the composition of this are (from most perceptible to least): geranium (which is a very interesting floral in perfumery that rarerly registers as what we generally think of as floral; it's quite warm, spicy, a bit powdery, and clean, though paradoxically quite earthy), that gorgeous rosemary note, lavender, oakmoss, clary sage, petitgrain, cedar, sandalwood and amber. One last thing to mention about this is one is the slightly woodsy base, which while it doesn't make me think of Cape Cod in the summer, does bring to mind notions of being outdoors in upstate New York, just as summer is turning to autumn. Overall, this has an easy sophistication that feels very Ash, and is also quite a comforting scent to smell on someone. Eiji would go bananas.

Other than this, probably the most prominent rosemary note in perfurmery comes courtesy of the very inexpensive and oft-overlooked Clarins Eau Dynamisante. This is a very fresh-spicy aromatic citrus, and interestingly, though there are a lot of really well-placed notes playing off each other here, the two key players really are rosemary and... lemon! Which in a way makes me think it is the perfect scent for Ash, because, as per your description, Ash's signature scent is rosemary, and Eiji's hair smells of lemons. So there you go! I think there's something really touching and sweet about Ash's signature fragrance carrying overtones from and sharing commonalities with Eiji's signature scent, as if never really wanting to be away from Eiji, and subconsciously compensating for that with a fragrance that both manages to remind him of Eiji and remind Eiji of him when he smells it. Eau Dynamisante is often marketed as aromatherapy water, specially in France (and is actually often used as a layer topper-upper - something people might spray on top of other fragrances to create a more unique scent), and is often used that way. That theory definitely holds water: just spritz it and you are likely to feel both more perky and somehow soothed. I mean, it's crazy to think you can get that effect from a bottle, but you can, and for this reason, it's usually something I like to recommend to people. It's also a fairly inexpensive scent, and one that has fallen a little out of fashion with younger consumers these days. A lot of people also ignore it on account of it coming in a non-fancy plastic bottle, but I think to do so is a mistake. Truly, this is one of the more sophisticated scents out there, and you can get it for almost nothing, and smell like almost no one else. Be advised though that this is very faint, and stays very much a skin-scent - people will smell it if they are close to you, which is probably something I think Ash would prefer. I don't see him wanting to wear something very loud, specially if he's only just recently been getting into perfumes, and might still be worried about leaving a trace.

Now, all of the other ones I'm going to mention feature prominent rosemary notes to some degree, but in neither of them is it as much of a key player as it is in the previous two: Christian Dior Eau Sauvage (a very classic "barbershop" kind of fragrance, but quite appealing - I mean, the middle and latter developments of this are quite sexy, in a wow kind of way. Definitely more of a summery scent, with again some citrus notes to throw it back to Eiji. Strangely enough I could also see Blanca wearing this as a signature.); Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio (which most people have probably smelled, and which is a more aquatic, more "sporty," more stoic, less old-school classic and less sexy take on some of the ideas in Eau Sauvage); Tommy Hilfiger Endless Blue and Yves Saint Laurent M7 (by far the least prominent rosemary note here, and one that is quite butch in a big and burly way that makes me think it might be more suitable to Blanca. I think this scent is probably more representative of other people's ideas of Ash than of Ash himself. Though released in the 2000s, it is done in a very 80s action hero kind of way that Ash was sometimes portrayed externally as). These are in order of what I think Ash would be most to least likely to wear.

Okay! So, that's pretty much it. Let me know if you like it, and I can make a Part 2 with Sing, Shorter and Yut-Lung. My picks for them are much more straight-forward.

____________________

Oh wow! This is amazing!!! Thank you so much for taking time writing this. I'd like to read more about it, if you wouldn't mind, of course.

#if i knew i'd do a little bit more of research #thank you for the submission #banana fish #ash lynx #eiji okumura #submission

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hoochy-coo · 3 years

Note

What are some good perfumes that are not oversaturated, but are accessible? The ones that are your favorites, are mostly not accessible or discontinued ( vivienne westwood boudoir, the original poison line, magie noire ( although not completely inaccessible, you have to order it online, with no sample available, plus shipping?... ) And I checked out diptyque, their perfumes cost arms and legs.

I don't mind paying for a good quality perfume,that's long lasting and worth the money. l'm just finding a hard time finding ones that I can still purchase in stores but are not like, completely, oversaturated, that everyone and their mom already wears ( alien theirry muglar, coco chanel, flowerbomb Viktor and rolf, a few other scents from Tom ford ), I feel like giving up already lol. If you have any suggestions, or anything like that, please please tell me! You seem to know a lot about perfumes, help a girl out trying to smell distinct/not like everyone else already smells.

Maybe try brands like Guerlain, Chanel or JPG? I feel like they’re all fairly popular and accessible brands, but the range is so wide that most people only gravitate towards 1-3 scents and neglect the rest. Same goes with Tom Ford - like tons of people are so stuck on ‘Velvet Orchid,’ ‘Black Orchid,’ and ‘Neroli Portofino’ that they overlook other great scents like ‘Shanghai Lily’ (we’re all waiting for this beauty to come back in stock - it’s confirmed that they haven’t discontinued it!), ‘Oud Wood,’ ‘Patchouli Absolu’, ‘London’ and ‘Plum Japonais.’

My rec for Chanel (forget the new ‘Les Eaux de’ line - overpriced and nothing special): Allure (it used to be popular but idk one person who owns a bottle of this gem anymore), No. 19 (not UNpopular but it’s def not popular with the younger crowd - very timeless spell!), No. 22, Egoiste Platinum, Eau Verte

My rec for Guerlain: Mon Guerlain, Shalimar, L’Instant de Guerlain, Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, Champs Elysees, Nahema (wouldn’t rec this if you’re after the typical Guerlain scent - it’s a very different smell for this house!), Terracotta

My rec for JPG: Kokorico, Fleur de Male, La Belle (highly rec if you love vanilla-based scents), Classique Essence, So Scandal

Other underrated scents I personally love: YSL’s Rive Gauche and Opium, Dior’s Dune, Prada’s Infusion d’Homme, and Infusion d’Iris C’edre, Gucci by Gucci, Miu Miu EDP, Cacharel’s Eden, Lancome’s Tresor

Feel free to send in another ask (or even private message me) with base notes and accords that you’re usually drawn to if you want more specific recs,

*Btw some of these fragrances that I have listed are aimed at men because I personally don’t mind wearing them!

#ask #answer #perfume #fragrance

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mcintxshenzo-archive · 4 years

Photo

A TASTE OF FRANCE GIFT SET 💕

Inside: [IMAGES]

MAJE — GUIPURE PLAYSUIT

YVES SAINT LAURENT — BIANCA SANDALS IN SMOOTH LEATHER

LOUIS VUITTON — CAPUCINES BB

HERMÉS — REGATE 24 BELT

YVES SAINT LAURENT — SUFFOLK BLACK HAT

CARTIER — TRINITY NECKLACE

Inside: [IMAGES]

KAYLA’S CAKE — MACARON SELECTION BOX

DOM PREIGNON — 1973 PLENTITUDE P3 VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE

CHANEL — PLUME DE CHANEL RING

CHANEL — LES 4 OMBRE EYESHADOW QUAD-PALETTE

CHANEL — ROUGE ALLURE LIQUID POWDER MATTE LIP COLOUR

DIOR — 5 COULEURS COLOR GAMES EYESHADOW PALETTE [287 DIVE]

DIOR — BACKSTAGE CONTOUR PALETTE

DIOR — PRESTIGE SKINCARE SET

DIOR —LES EAUX DE CHANEL LE VOYAGE FRAGRANCE SET

LANCÔME — CUTCREASE EYESHADOW PALETTE

INTEROSE — RAINBOW ROSE BOUQUET

ZCHOCOLAT — BIRTHDAY JADE 6

#carcla

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helshades · 5 years

Text

Tip of the Nose: Eaux Thicker Than Water

Today, in our great series on the history of perfume(ry) that nobody really asked me for, I reply to a simple comment and manage to make it into a very long lecture on perfume concentration. Stay yourselves with flagons!

Eau de toilette or eau de parfum, perfume is never sold pure but diluted in a water-alcohol solution. In principle, the percentage of actual perfume determines the commercial appellation. In principle.

In any case: mind the French! Your reputation may depend on it.

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@katbelleinthedark:

Yes good. I have a lot of eau de toilette(s?) as I'm #poor&cheap and I never wear that as I always forget to use it. I once had the same bottle for 13 years.

Well, I occasionally wear perfumes from bottles issued in the 1970s and 1980s, so if the old bout of snobbery catches you off-guard sometime you can still pretend it is ~vintage~ juices you’re keeping. I’ve just placed a bid on EBay for a ‘perfume extract’ bottle of Jean Patou’s mythical Joy (definitely not the horrid recent Dior release of the same name) that was left unopened in a shoebox for decades, meaning there’s no way to tell if it’s actually wearable or not. I have issues. Mostly with my banker. [Edit: as it turned out, in a cruel twist of fate, that the bottle in question was actually a dummy. The seller, overtaken by doubt, finally broke the seal open and confirmed his worst suspicions. No Joy for me this year.]

In any case, it will be eau de toilette or eaux de toilette, not eau(x) de toilettes or you’d be suggesting that you’ve been lining up jars of toilet water on some cupboard shelf for years—not that I be judging, but still. Others might.

Although, technically, les toilettes in reference to the crapp... er, the loo, has only been a plural since the 20th century, and it isn’t necessarily true of all variants of French since the Belgians for instance still speak of la toilette. In any, the euphemism is transparent: it’s the equivalent of ‘the lavatory’. The French version mostly comes from the locution cabinet de toilette, referring to the small, private room specifically used (by rich people) to ready themselves for the day, and gradually, as hygienic practices progressed throughout the 19th century, for hygiene purposes as well: in other words, the equivalent to the English ‘bathroom’—and indeed it ended up being replaced by the latter’s literal equivalent, salle de bain.

Jean-Baptiste Fortuné de Fournier, Le Cabinet de toilette de l'Impératrice Eugénie à Saint-Cloud, 1860. Or when you realise that First Empire style is basically Donald Trump’s bathroom meeting Regency fashion.

No, the toilette of eau de toilette is a more direct reference to the cosmetic aspects of a noble’s routine, as la toilette since the end of the 17th century has referred to the act of preparing oneself to appear in public. If the word literally translates as ‘small towel’, it’s only because the toilette, between the 14th and 16th centuries, had come to refer to the fine cloth that was laid on the table where one would set all utensils meant for personal adornment. By metonymy la toilette was then used to speak of these utensils, then the piece of furniture in question (the ‘dressing table’ in English), then, abstractly, the various acts by which nobles readied themselves to appear in public. A number of paintings have portrayed ladies ‘at their toilet’.

The eau de toilette as it’s known today appeared in the early 1900s, thanks to the ‘flappers’, fashion icons of the Roaring Twenties who sought perfumes they could wear easily all day long. Technically, an eau de toilette is lighten than an eau de parfum, which is lighter than the most concentrated extrait de parfum, which used to be the only concentration available, prepared on demand for a wealthy clientèle; in more ways than one, the eau de toilette started perfume’s democratisation as perfumers began selling their products in different concentrations; for example, Chanel commercialised the already-revolutionary N ͦ 5 (created in 1921) as an eau de toilette as soon as 1924. Of course, a lesser concentration meant that the resulting product was cheaper, sometimes considerably.

Perfume extracts contain 20–40% essences diluted in almost pure alcohol (90° at least), meaning that only a dab suffices to perfume someone for most of the day. If the product contains rare essences (which is to say, when raw materials were scarce or if the extraction process was particularly delicate), a dozen millilitres may cost ten times the eau de toilette’s price! Jean Patou’s Joy, first released in 1930 to exorcise the 1929 crisis that deprived the famous French couturier of most of his American clientèle, was advertised as ‘the costliest perfume in the world’—a slogan created by American columnist Elsa Maxwell, a good friend of Jean Patou (and incidentally a pioneer of the treasure-hunt party game, for those interested). A bottle of only 30ml of perfume extract required 10,600 jasmine flowers and over 300 roses, and these only were the main ingredients! Current price of the extract: €1,000 ($1,121)... In passing, the two top consumers of natural jasmine today are houses Chanel and Patou, which both have their own private jasmine fields in Grasse.

Traditionally, perfume is described following three stages in the perception of particular ‘notes’, that is to say, the most discernible odours which tend to be more easily scented right after spraying, or on the contrary ones that can be smelled on the skin long after the others have evaporated: the ‘head notes’ (notes de tête) or ‘top notes’; the ‘heart notes’ (notes de cœur) or ‘middle notes’; and the ‘base notes’ (in French the notes de fond, ‘bottom notes’. The unfortunate yet I suppose unavoidable comparisons with a certain portion of human anatomy may well have decided that English-speaking perfumers should stick to a plainer term). Certain molecules are extremely volatile and can only be perceived for a few minutes after spraying, others are rather more tenacious and serve as a structure for the whole assembly. In a typical extract, top notes will make for 20% of the perfume, middle notes around 30%, and base notes, 50% of it.

On the other hand, the normal composition of an eau de toilette today will be around 50% top notes that evaporate almost immediately, 30% middle notes that last for about fifteen minutes, and 20% base notes that won’t last the whole day. This can also be explained by the fact that an eau de toilette only contains 10% maximum of concentrated perfume, diluted in a 50°–60° alcohol solution. Closer to the extract is the eau de parfum, which contains 7–14% perfume, dissolved in 90° alcohol (almost as much alcohol as in the extract). Head notes make for 40% of the fragrance, the heart is 30% and at the bottom, 30% as well. The beginning is usually intense but the scent will still fade quicker than in an extract... Nevertheless, still more affordable than any extract.

By the way, the real reason why we have eau de parfum in the first place isn’t so much the need for a middle ground between extracts and the lighter eaux as... the delicate matter of French taxes on luxury goods, which passed the 33% threshold in the late 1970s. To circumvent it, in 1978, Cacharel released its new perfume Anaïs Anaïs in two distinct concentrations, the regular eau de toilette and the novel eau de parfum version. An interesting side effect of it was that with this new concentration, the fragrances weren’t quite identical, either. For example, the eau de parfum version of N ͦ 5 which Jacques Polge created in 1986 was made following the traditional recipe of the extract, except the accrued sweetness of the vanilla noticeably emphasised the vivid citrusy head. Some women got into the habit to buy both versions of a perfume, reserving the more concentrated one to the evening or special occasions, for instance. Although, quite frankly, in the 1980s, the eaux de toilette were many things, but ‘office-friendly’, they were not. (Will elaborate, one of these days.)

Alembics and a bed of roses at the Fragonard factory. House Fragonard, founded in 1926, is one of the oldest perfumeries in Grasse, the oldest being Molinard (est. 1849, which makes it one of the oldest in the world).

I’m sure @thatiswhy will be thrilled to learn (or be reminded of the fact) that the mother of all alcohol-based perfumes is known as ‘Queen of Hungary’s water’, l’eau de la reine de Hongrie, maybe created in 1370 as a consequence of the European discovery of ethyl alcohol, or to be more accurate, the invention of the double distillation technique allowing one to separate in the alembic the ethanol from the foul-tasting esters. Before that, distillers added to their spirits such strong spices as anise or juniper berries, for instance, which covered the bad taste. In passing, the process of boiling a distillate several times is called cohobation, borrowed from alchemical lexicon (the etymology of Medieval Latin cohobare, as often is the case in this domain, is Arabic: كُهْبة, cohba, ‘brownish’, referring to the darker tint of the distilled liquid).

It is entirely possible that the initial recipe was based on an old formula for a rosemary tincture: the flowers were macerated in alcohol, but there was no distillation. This recipe was notably recommended by famous physician (and religious reformer) Arnaldus de Villa-Nova (c.1240–1311), who taught for many years at the prestigious Montpellier School of Medicine, before moving to Paris. He is, incidentally, credited with translating a number of medical texts from Arabic. He wasn’t the inventor of alcoholic maceration, of course, but his writings are an excellent illustration of what learned people thought to be good for the health at the time. Most often, there was little distinction made between substances that smelled good and remedies, and even in the 18th century perfume could still sell as an in-and-out panacea. The term elixir (borrowed from Arabic as well though the etymology is Greek), initially referring to a medicinal powder, was used in alchemy to speak either of the philosopher’s stone or a substance liable to cure all ills. Eventually, elixir came to refer to any alcoholic maceration of herbs, spices or fruits later distilled, to be employed as a medicine.

Historians have passionately debated which Hungarian queen exactly this miraculous ‘water’ was made for. It may have been Elizabeth of Poland (1305–1380), wife of Charles I Robert of Hungary. A popular legend had it that Queen Elizabeth obtained it from an angel and that it was so efficacious that she received a marriage proposal from the king of Poland at age 72—but historians have suggested that the confusion might stem from the fact that Elizabeth was named regent queen of Poland by her son in 1370...

Yes, alright, the legend might have been made up by perfumers who made an augmented recipe into a speciality of Montpellier during the 17th century; indeed, the first mention of it is found in 1660 savant books, at a time when the eau de Hongrie has become a favourite at Louis XIV’s court in Versailles. By that time, the old rosemary elixir was a more complex preparation, including marjoram, sage, lemon balm and cedrus. No matter the recipe, though, the use was unchanged: it was meant to be consumed or rubbed all over one’s skin, and expecting to heal migraines, various feminine vapours, rheumatisms, tinnitus, gout, palpitations, jaundice... (list far from exhaustive) up to the plague itself! Not to mention, of course, its many cosmetic advantages.

Note that such prestigious reputation isn’t completely unwarranted: ethanol is known today as ‘rubbing alcohol’ and ‘surgical alcohol’ for a good reason. Even though it is ineffective against bacterial spores, ethyl alcohol works well as an antiseptic against most fungi and bacteria, as well as a lot of viruses, killing organisms by denaturing their proteins and dissolving their lipids. This is a reason why spirits are known in several languages as ‘waters of life’: compare French eau de vie with Irish uisce beatha, for instance. In passing, alchemists were only trying to discover the recipe for an elixir of youth, you know.

Actually, the closest the perfume world can get to the infamous ‘Kit Marlowe really was Shakespeare’s plays unless it was all De Vere’ cross-century quarrel may well be the neverending bickering between the respective heirs of the Feminis and Farina families, since we may never know who invented the eau de Cologne, only that it became a huge sensation without ever needing to hire a very bored-looking, starving, overpaid actress to pout next to a bottle of it for it to become the talk of several countries, and a bit of a misnomer.

Versions diverge and (oddly credible) documents abund, but here is the most diplomatic variant of the story: one Giovanni Paolo Feminis, born in 1666 in northern Piedmont, emigrated to Germany where he opened a distillery in Cologne in 1693, in which he sold diverse scented waters, including a special aqua mirabilis (‘marvellous water’) made from rosemary, melissa, bergamot, orange blossom, lemon and citron essences in spirit. The true origins of this formula are unknown, but it’s hard not to think of the Florentine basilica of Santa Maria Novella, where the Dominican monks opened a perfumery in 1612 (which still exists today, making it the oldest perfumery in the Western world) in addition to the mediaeval apothecary office where sold essences, elixirs, balms... This pharmacy was already active in the 1300s, when historians found traces of rose water being sold by the friars to help repel the plague. Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) was a frequent customer of the time.

The convent's most prized product was probably created to honour Catherine de’ Medici when she left for France in 1533 to be married to the future King Henry II (she would be Queen of France from 1547 till she was widowed in 1559, after which she ruled France as a regent for her second son Charles IX, officially and officiously. She was an impressive bitch, Kate was) and took with her an Acqua della Regina in which citrus essences predominated, bergamot in particular. This is, indeed, very reminiscent of the ‘marvellous water’ which the Feminis distillery sold in Cologne in the late 1600s as a digestive and hepatic remedy, an antiseptic and a painkiller. Business was successful and Feminis was even named an honorary member of the Cologne Chamber of Commerce. Nevertheless, the perfumer died heirless in 1736.

In 1709, Piedmont-born Giovanni Maria Farina (he came from a village which his family co-founded near Feminis’ hometown of Crana) came to Cologne, where his brother Giovanni Battista traded luxury goods; Giovanni Maria was meant to lead a subsidary of their export company dealing toiletries imported from Italia: soap, perfume, face powder, and also wigs, lace, silk stockings, tobacco boxes... In that time, Cologne had the enviable status of a ‘free and imperial city’, which is to say it was subordinate only to the Holy Roman Emperor, as opposed to territorial cities which had to answer to territorial lords. What that meant for commerce was that by the time the Farina family established themselves in Cologne, Catholic foreigners trading in luxury goods—which meant gold, silver, silk and perfume—were welcomed with open arms. The privilege was abolished under French occupation (1794–1814), meaning that anyone could settle; one of the direct consequences of this was a significant rise in eau de Cologne forgery!

The famous ‘John Maria Farina opposite Jülich's Square ltd.’ perfumery (one of the oldest active perfumeries, too) notably sold an Aqua admirabilis whose invigorating freshness contrasted with heavier classical perfumes. A hydrolat (a result of steam distillation alongside essential oil, ‘flower waters’ are less concentrated than the latter and ideal for use as a lotion) added with brandy (eau de vie), Farina’s ‘admirable water’ contained rosemary, thyme, absinth, marjoram, melissa, lavender, angelica, hyssop, fennel, juniper berries, anise seeds, nutmeg, clove, caraway, nutmeg, clove, as well as lemon peel and bergamot oil... In spite of the impressive list of aromatic herbs, the Admirable Water is led by a sweet yet fresh citrusy scent. ‘I have created a perfume which is reminiscent of a spring morning following a soft shower where fragrances of wild narcissi combine with that of sweet orange flowers. This perfume refreshes me and stimulates both my senses and imagination’, Giovanni Maria wrote to his brother back in 1708.

By the time the Faculty of Medicine of Cologne officially recognised the great healing property of that perfume in 1727, Aqua admirabilis was renowned across Europe as Eau de Cologne, adored in every royal or imperial court. The first delivery to Paris was made in 1721 but the perfume became very largely diffused in France during the 1733–1735 War of the Polish Succession (between the Habsburgs and the Bourbons, and France was heavily involved because contender Stanislas I, disgraced former king of Poland, happened to be King Louis XV of France’s father-in-law...), thanks to French officers.

Under the reign of Napoleon I, when Cologne’s privileges were abolished, suddenly there were Eau de Cologne counterfeiting everywhere in town—it bears reminding that there was no such thing, at the time, as intellectual property... In the space of a few decades, nearly 2,000 forgeries were sold! Emphasis was put on the supposed medicinal virtues of the perfume, in an attempt to distance the concurrence. However, that did little to damage the success of the original preparation. In 1806, a grand-grand-nephew of the creator, Giovanni Maria Giuseppe Farina (also born, in 1785, in the family town of Santa Maria Maggiore) founded a perfume shop in Paris, rue Saint-Honoré, as ‘Jean-Marie Farina’. Quite interestingly, in an early brochure he claimed to be the great-grandson of Giovanni Paolo Feminis; which was, in all likelihood, meant to shut down rumours that the rights to the original Eau de Cologne should go to Feminis’ legal benefactors. True or not, Jean-Marie—who was one of Honoré de Balzac’s sources of inspiration for his character of César Birotteau—obtained in 1806 a contract to make and sell an ‘Eau dite de Cologne’, a ‘so-called Cologne water’, which was met with immediate success. Two years later, he had become Imperatrice Eugénie’s official perfumer, and he famously made for Napoleon I the ‘Emperor’s roll’, a special bottle that he could slip in his boot.

‘Cologne water is usually employed pure, or mixed with water or wine, depending on the circumstances. Its quantity must vary as well, for internal use a few drops with sugar or water, a teaspoon. For external use, doses are more considerable. It is used in liniments, frictions, unguents, localised or general baths, enemas and injections. For bathing the whole body, one may pour up to three bottles. In a foot bath, one should suffice. In an enema, in injection, one or two spoonfuls.’

— from a 1825 brochure...

In 1851, the authentic Eau de Cologne is sold in these small, slim bottles containing about one seventh of a litre, sealed with a cork and wrapped in printed paper with Jean-Marie Farina’s signature as well as an embossed stamp and a green wax mark bearing the arms of Prussia both on the box and on the bottle. Each bottle sold for one franc and 50 centimes, which mightn’t sound so impressive till you realise that at the time that was worth an entire year of a civil servant’s salary!

House Farina in Cologne still sells the original preparation as Original Eau de Cologne, but prestigious Parisian perfumery Roger & Gallet acquired the rights to the rue Saint-Honoré house in 1862 (which is how they became Roger & Gallet in the first place. They quickly made a name for themselves selling luxury soaps and quality scented waters), and they still sell an Eau de Cologne extra vieille. After winning a lawsuit over the right to use the name Farina in the first place, of course.

If the price is considerably less steep than what it used to be, one should also consider the fact that nowadays, eau de Cologne is a commercial appellation used to refer to an even lighter concentration of perfume than in an eau de toilette, 4–6% essences only. It is intended to be used as a lotion, a tonic for the morning, which may be a refreshing version of a perfume and worn at the same time as the latter. The citrus extracts do possess astringent, circulatory properties, not to mention their fresh, tart smell. The Extra-Vieille was advertised by Roger & Gallet in the 1960s as ‘a good friction for a good day!’ Glamourous. By that time, cologne had lost its aura of luxury. For decades it remained extremely old-fashioned, and not in the ‘retro chic’ sense... Then, in the early 2000s, fashion shifted and people began looking for ‘authenticity’, for natural smells, as well as simpler perfumes. Which, as always, is relative, since perfume overall is a luxury product and cologne by Guerlain (Eau de Cologne impériale, Eau de Cologne du Coq) for instance won’t be that ‘democratic’ an issue.

Still, my personal favourite shall remain Institut Très Bien’s Cologne à la russe, because I am weak. Also snobbish. And the perfume version, Très Russe, is one of my ultimate favourite scents of all time and space.

#aromaphilia #tip of the nose #perfume #to be continued

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