toddrogersfl - Tumblr blog

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Latest Launches: Beguiling Beauties

This week’s latest launches will have you in rosy raptures and fragrant flutters. From Coach’s Floral Blush to Petit Grain by Perfumer H, (and with many delights in between), we love these beguiling beauties and we think you will too!

COACH FLORAL BLUSH Don’t we all need cheerfulness and optimism, right now…? That’s precisely what Coach Floral Blush sets out to deliver, in a spirit-lifting blend powered by goji berries. What do they smell like, in a scent? Juicily tart, sitting alongside grapefruit, mellowing to an armful of tea roses in the heart, masterfully gathered by perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglou, before a white woods finale. A playful floral that celebrates ‘the carefree energy of summer.’ £49 for 50ml eau de parfum johnlewis.com HERRERA CONFIDENTIAL SANDAL RUBY Joining the opulent Confidential line-up, exclusive in the UK to Harrods, Sandal Ruby is a tribute to the colour most associated with the Venezula-born firecracker designer, who’s always been fascinated by the colour red and with ruby gemstones. Evoking an ‘inextinguishable flame of passion’, it swirls with heady tuberose petals, warmed by a dash of back pepper and buffed by the smoothest sandalwood in the base. Simply red, simply divine. £235 for 100ml eau de parfum Harrods.com MALIN+GOETZ STEM We love the description of Stem as an ‘(un)floral that captures the crispness of freshly cut stems and aroma of crushed leaves.’ A collaboration with florists-of-the-moment Putnam & Putnam (they did Gwyneth Paltrow’s recent wedding, among other A-list events), it succeeds in conjuring up the exact scent of walking into a florist’s shop via mandarin leaves, wild freesia, hyacinth, muguet flower stalk, rosa Centifolia stems, white cedar, Ambrox and vetiver. A bunch of loveliness. £75 for 50ml eau de parfum malinandgoetz.co.uk PENHALIGON’S THE INGÉNUE COUSIN FLORA The Portraits family grows and grows. (A reflection of how popular these fragrances, with their innovative gold ‘creature’ caps, have become.) Now meet Cousin Flora, ‘the wide-eyed innocent of the family, courteous to the old, punctual for her riding lessons and a smiling angel round her mama.’ Naturally, Flora turns out to have a darker side – but it’s prettily portrayed via a cocktail of citruses, musk and Ambroxan. A contrast in naughtiness and niceness. £188 for 75ml eau de parfum penhaligons.comPERFUMER H PETIT GRAIN Colognes seem simple – but they’re so hard to get note-perfect. Lyn Harris succeeds with the most divine whoosh of Italian bergamot, Argentinian lemon, Florida oranges and that signature petitgrain. The flourish of woods and aromatic herbs that slowly introduce themselves make this for something more interesting than a typical Cologne, meanwhile. As with her other ‘seasonal’ creations, Petit Grain is available in a plain ‘apothecary’ bottle – or a pricier Michael Ruh blown-glass flacon. £220/£450 for 100ml eau de parfum At Perfumer H

The post Latest Launches: Beguiling Beauties appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/latest-launches-beguiling-beauties/

4 notes · View notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

How to expand your fragrance wardrobe

It can be difficult to keep track of all the new perfumes that are released – several hundred new ones each year! – and so we’ve done the hard work for you by selecting some Launches We Love for our latest Perfume Society Discovery Boxes. But if you’ve been a ‘signature scent’ hunter or just got stuck in a rut, how do you go about expanding your fragrance wardrobe? We’ve got the answers for you right here…

As Coco Chanel said, ‘Perfume is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion.’ So: some people have lots of shoes and bags and change according to their mood. A fragrance wardrobe provides the same opportunity for you to choose, according to your mood or the occasion.

What we aim to do through The Perfume Society is make sure that those choices are fragrances you truly love and which suit you – rather than something which languishes, unworn, on a shelf. (Just as we’ve all bought clothes which we’ve worn once, and realised, sadly, didn’t suit us.)

Perfume should never be sprayed on and sniffed immediately – you’ll just be getting whiffs of the alcohol! We advise waiting a few minutes until the scent settle on your skin, then you can start to decide if you like it…

If you’re trying something new, or a style of fragrance that differs to your normal choices, you really need to allow yourself at least several hours (if not a full day) to follow the fragrance through its journey of Top, Heart (middle) and Base notes as they warm and develop on your skin.

How many perfumes should you have? As many as you like! (How many pairs of shoes do you own…? Or jackets…? And would you wear sequins to work, or a fitted suit to watch a movie on a weekend…?) We don’t want to see fragrances gathering dust on a dressing table, so why not try out over a DOZEN new fragrances in Launches We Love at home?

You might want to have different fragrances for spring/summer and autumn/winter. Perhaps the subtle elegance of Flower By Kenzo Eau de Vie, the fizzing rhubarb freshness of Miller Harris Lost or the incredible new niche duo of Gentle Fluidity by brilliant perfumer Francis Kurkdjian might be your scents to turn to now the sunshine’s showing itself?

For evening fragrances and greyer days, some prefer a stronger concentration, or something with a richer woody or amber base. Consider Cartier La Panthère with its ethereal gardenia melting into musky, sandalwood trail, or perhaps the fabulously grown-up iris and amber buxom embrace of Miller Harris Violet Ida? Spice lovers are in for a treat with the new Alien Fusion For Her – a fascinating flicker between ginger and cinnamon touched with tuberose and orange blossom.

Something subtle to wear to the office? We’ve got you covered, with the succulent sunshine in a bottle of Shay & Blue White Peaches, or the gentle breeze of incense swirling through velvety, berry-tinged petals in the modern-day classic of Floris A Rose For…

There’s also a pretty trio of blooms from Yardley, with Decadent Mimosa, Elegant Iris and Luxe Gardenia to enjoy trying. And Mademoiselle Rochas Couture breezes through a bouquet of white flowers, heady orange blossom, the delicate freshness of lily of the valley and a truly hypnotic heliotrope – taking you from desk to dancefloor in the most contemporary-chic way.

If perfume brings you joy, indulge yourself – and let others indulge you (preferably in a guided way…)

Enjoy exploring all these scents and seeing which you might consider expanding your own fragrance wardrobe with. We’ve thrown in a full size Nails. Inc nail polish worth £15 on its own, and two dinky travel-size bath treats from I Love Cosmetics… making your wardrobe makeover a win-win!

Launches We Love Disovery Box £19 (£15 for VIP Club members)

The post How to expand your fragrance wardrobe appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/how-to-expand-your-fragrance-wardrobe/

2 notes · View notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

The best indie scents of 2019

As if winning a Jasmine Award 2019 from The Fragrance Foundation wasn’t thrilling enough in its own right, as part of our ‘duties’ we were invited to judge two categories in The Fragrance Foundation Awards, which will be presented on 16th May at what’s indubitably the glitziest event in the fragrance calendar.

Happily, we are olfactory ironman – or perhaps ironwomen, since The Perfume Society‘s judges were female: Suzy (Nightingale) and Jo (Fairley, a.k.a. me, the author of this piece). Because we first had to sniff our way through well over 30 entries to the Best Independent Fragrance Award at the headquarters of fragrance distributor Puig, who’d kindly lent a boardroom for the event. (Notwithstanding the freezing cold morning, the windows were duly flung open, since spritzing three dozen or so scents into an enclosed space can become overwhelming even for professional perfumistas like us.)

Then a couple of days later, we completed the challenging task of blind-smelling an equivalent number of entries for the Perfume Extraordinaire Award. It’s harder than you think, honestly. These fragrances must be tried on the skin, allowed to develop, judged for creativity, originality, quality and many other benchmarks. (Although we did eliminate some no-hopers without spraying them on ourselves, the better to focus on a long shortlist of those which impressed enough to warrant full exploration.)

Coloured stationery dots were involved, stuck onto as much skin as we could decently expose – carefully numbered so that we could match them to numbers on a list of submissions and award our considered scores. (It’s how perfumers do it, NB.)

We’ve no idea who’s actually won, yet – although we did award some very, very high scores this year, partly because there seems to be a return taking place to fragrances that simply smell beautiful. Not trying to be too clever-clever, or plunge us into olfactory shock, or different for different’s sake. Just downright gorgeous smells. And isn’t that what we all, really, want…?

Here are the shortlisted winners in both categories.

BEST NEW INDEPENDENT PERFUME

Roja Parfums Chypré Extraotrdinaire – Sarah Ireland Perfumes Crushed Velvet MW Perfumes Le Jardin Nostalgique Modernist Fragrance nihilism Ormonde Jayne Privé Sana Jardin Revolution de la Fleur Cloon Keen Atelier Róisín Dubh Angela Flanders Taffeta

PERFUME EXTRAORDINAIRE

Hermès Cardamusc Essence de Parfum Roja Parfums Chypré Extraordinaire Hermès Eau de Citron Noir diptyque Fleur de Peau (submitted by Givaudan) Jo by Jo Loves (submitted by Givaudan) Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Music for a While (submitted by IFF)

Haven’t smelled them? You’re in for some treats. (And they’re all the more enjoyable when you’re not covered in sticky dots, we promise.)

By Jo Fairley

The post The best indie scents of 2019 appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/the-best-indie-scents-of-2019/

3 notes · View notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Scenting the ‘sulking room’ with candles we covet…

Which candles should you scent a boudoir with? Here’s a list of just some we’re swooning over…

The word boudoir comes from the French ‘bouder’, meaning to pout or sulk, and for centuries has been a private, feminine space to indulge ones desires. Boudoir-type fragrances evoke images of face powder and rosy lipsticks, be-ribboned furnishings and velvet chaise-lounge to swoon on while reading love letters – or to recline on silken cusions while eating violet cremes and idly flick through the latest papers, searching for scurriolous gossip.

In fact, the boudoir was often the only place a woman could do as she liked, historically, and so they became intimate places of great mystery, a sanctuary to write and dream in, or a hotbed of sensual power.

In our just-published ‘We’ll Always Have Paris’ issue of The Scented Letter Magazine (which recently won another Jasmine Award from The Fragrance Foundation – we’re so thrilled to say!) we foucused on boudoir perfumes you should try; but there are so many more ways of scenting this ‘sulking room’, and here we’d love to share with you some of the candles we’re currently coveting for our own boudoirs and bedrooms.

A dreamier duo you’d be hard-pressed to find – burn this limited edition separately or (our favourite) together for a deliciously naughty infusion of soft, powdery caresses that follow, perhaps, a crack of the whip…?

Diptyque Leather & Violet Duo Set £94 for 190g candles

Evoking memories of orchid-hunting trips – tales regaled to you while you recline in something too sheer to be seemly – this blend of exotic blooms and smooth cedar will certainly get your senses swooning while he drones on.

Urban Apothecary Oriental Noir Candle £30 for 300g

Lady Blanche is busy lady, dispensing ‘female-friendly advice’, so Penhaligon’s intriguing story goes, from within her boudoir. There, the scents of rice powder and makeup mingle with rose perfume, and (we gather) utter lasciviousness.

Penhaligon’s The Powder Room Candle £48 for 290g

Narcotic tuberose was once banned by polite, Victorian society, for fear the heady scent was causing flighty females to experience involuntary orgasms. My my. We can’t vouch for that, but it is very lovely.

Kilian French Boudoir Candle £60 for 220g

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Scenting the ‘sulking room’ with candles we covet… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/scenting-the-sulking-room-with-candles-we-covet/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Gentle Fluidity – Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s new duo

‘Same note, two identities…’ So says perfumer Francis Kurkdjian – (pronounced coor-shone, by the way) at the end of the mesmerising film for his new fragrance duo of Gentle Fluidity. Scroll down to watch it, here, and find out how you can get samples of BOTH to try at home…

The idea was to create two fragrances that smell very different – using exactly the same notes but crafting them in such a way, the scents evolve their own distinct characters.

youtube

Such elegant playfulness can be said to be something of a signature for Kurkdjian throughout his lustrous career; begining straight out of perfumery school and slap bang into composing his first commercial scent, then aged just 25: Le Mâle for Jean Paul Gaultier.

An instant success and still a best-seller, fragrance fans and perfume industry peers could already see this was a special ‘nose’, setting out to do something different, with an insouciant dry humour and ultimate sophistication. From there, young Francis set about creating Iris Nobile for Acqua di Parma, Lanvin Rumeur, multi-award-winning Elie Saab Le Parfum, and a duo of fragrances for the newly-revived Carven perfume house, among many others. Finally, in 2009, he got to found his very own house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, near the Place Vendóme in Paris; and his subsequent creations have wowed the fragrance world ever since.

Talking of what creative freedom owning his own Maison affords him, Francis told us ‘…it is my way to express what I think about the world of fragrances, it is my take on luxury. It is nurtured from my background as a perfumer and a composer, my artistic sensibility and sensitivity.’

Put quite simply: the man’s a genius. And we don’t say that lightly.

You can read much more about his upwardly-mobile career and other fragrances on our page dedicated to Maison Francis Kurkdjian, but in the meantime, let us introduce you to his two newest fragrant launches – the Gentle Fluidity duo…

The inspiration: ”Working the ingredient to express its full potential and meeting the challenge of composing two different eaux de parfum with the same notes: juniper berries, nutmeg, coriander, musks, ambery woods and vanilla. The Gentle Fluidity duo was born of the perfumer’s imagination to offer two distinct olfactory silhouettes, for her or for him.’

gentle Fluidity Gold Edition £150 for 70ml eau de parfum selfridges.com ‘In gentle Fluidity’s (gold) generous, enveloping trail, we can find coriander seed essence and an overdose of musks and vanilla. The floral, spicy note of coriander seeds brings, just like musks, ethereal volume and a lingering trail. In the base notes, the gourmand, reassuring notes of the vanilla accord enhanced by the ambery woods reveal a radiant, bright silhouette.’

Gentle fluidity Silver Edition £150 for 70ml eau de parfum selfridges.com ‘In Gentle fluidity (silver), nutmeg and ambery woods are dominant and release a vibrant, comfortable trail. As for juniper berry essence, it leads to an ascending, ultra-fresh, aromatic note, similar to a “gin frappé” effect, balanced by the dry, slightly balmy, spicy notes of nutmeg. The base notes reveal ambery wood facets ranging from sweet and enveloping to powerful and dry.’

It’s really quite remarkable how unique they both smell – the Gold version warmer, a more snuggle-up-and-nuzzle-me type scent, perhaps, which is sure to be a hit for anyone who adores a more decadent, sensual side of perfumes. For the Silver edition, we find an unexpected freshness, a luminescence that shivers beguilingly and feels like wearing a lace shawl spun from dew-speckled spiderwebs. And yet, we must remind ourselves, these are the same ingredients…

It’s a useful reminder that we should never merely glance at a list of perfume notes and assume we know what something will smell like – it depends entirely on how and where the perfumer has used them in the composition; how they react to the other notes around them, the rate they evaporate on the skin depending if they’re used dominantly in the top, heart or base notes. So many factors can utterly transform how a perfume smells on your skin.

And so then – how to choose between them? Well we’re thrilled to offer you the opportunity to try samples of BOTH the gentle Fluidity Gold AND the Gentle fluidity Silver in our Launches We Love Discovery Box – among over a dozen new fragrances we’ve curated for you to explore at home!

Launches We Love Discovery Box £19 (£15 for VIP Club members)

We’re pretty sure whichever of the Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrances you fall for, it will be just the start of your love affair with this always-exciting niche house… and we cannot wait to see (and smell) what comes next.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Gentle Fluidity – Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s new duo appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/gentle-fluidity-maison-francis-kurkdjians-new-duo/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Latest Launches: Fragrant wishes granted

This week’s latest launches offer a bouquet of wildflowers, a soupçon of sophistication and a touch of French chic. With Atkinsons, Jo Malone and Goutal among our favourites, all your fragrant wishes can come true.

ATKINSONS THE JOSS FLOWER A celebration of 200 years of Atkinsons comes in the form of The Joss Flower, a reinvention of a 1911 creation. A soft caress: gardenia petals unfurl to reveal velvety peaches, while exotic ylang ylang breezes brush past with tingles of pink pepper and grounding incense. The joss flower grows in a spring-like meadow, where cool floral breezes are tinged with subtle spiciness, and you can watch the birds and bees through a hazy lens. £200 for 100ml eau de parfum Atkinsons1799.com ELIZABETH ARDEN WHITE TEA WILD ROSE With its easy-to-wear floral freshness, White Tea has been a huge success for Elizabeth Arden. Now, it’s been joined by two fresh interpretations: sweet Vanilla Orchid, and White Tea Wild Rose, created by Guillaume Flavigny and Rodrigo Flores-Roux. Always popular, roses are having a real moment right now – and here, Bulgarian and Turkish roses bloom alongside blush peony, clary sage, pear tree blossom, musks, tonka, sheer amber and that signature white tea note. £36 for 100ml eau de toilette spray elizabetharden.co.uk

GOUTAL PARIS ÉTOILE D’UNE NUIT This joins Tenue de Soirée and Nuit et Confidences in Goutal’s ‘Night Birds’ collection, which positively begs to be taken out to somewhere special for an extravagant dinner. Accessorise your best frock with Camilla Goutal and Isabelle Doyen’s sublime ‘Mummy’s handbag’ of a scent, conjuring up face powders, expensive lipsticks and soft leather via iris, rose and raspberry. The bottle’s suitably dressed up, too, with a silk scarf tied jauntily at the neck. £89 for 50ml eau de parfum johnlewis.com

JO MALONE LONDON WILD FLOWERS & WEEDS LUPIN & PATCHOULI To soak up inspiration for this latest snap-it-up-quickly limited edition from JML, star perfumers Louise Turner and Yann Vasnier drifted along canals, inspired by the tangle of blossoms and weeds on the riverbanks: the tangy sting of nettle, delicate white hemlock flowers, the silky leaves of willow. Of the five scents we find ourselves spritzing and re-spritzing this: a floral lupin accord, underpinned by drifts of patchouli. (Gorgeous, painted collectible bottles, too.) £49 for 30ml Cologne jomalone.co.uk

ULRICH LANG 17 NANDAN ROAD An olfactory ode to the Guangqi Gardens, Shanghai, where osmanthus flowers can be enjoyed in full bloom each October, crisp green leaves, Sicilian lemon and bergamot unfurl to reveal a heart of sun-dappled osmanthus blossoms – an infusion and Nature Print molecular capture of the apricot-tinged flowers. Entwined with elegant iris and resting on a transparently woody, suede-nestled base, it’s as sultry as Shanghai’s humid air – and as addictive as its former opium dens. £89 for 100ml eau de toilette libertylondon.com

The post Latest Launches: Fragrant wishes granted appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/latest-launches-fragrant-wishes-granted/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

LCW and The Beaumont Hotel present the Jimmy Beaumont Perfume Collection

We’re thrilled to share with you this fragrant event from London Craft Week and The Beaumont Hotel – that as a follower of The Perfume Society – we think you’ll really enjoy…

Date: Wednesday 8th May – Sunday 12th May 2019

Time: 10.30am – 8.30pm daily

Venue: The Beaumont Hotel, 8 Balderton Street, London, W1K 6TF

For London Craft Week 2019, The Beaumont plays host to some of the stars of contemporary British perfumery, each of whom has specially created a new fragrance for the Jimmy Beaumont Perfume Collection.

The brief was to design a bespoke scent – personal or ambient, in any format (perfume, scented candle, body spray, oil) – inspired by a character in The Beaumont’s gallery of rebels and reprobates from the golden age of stage and screen.

Among those taking part are Tom Daxon, Ormonde Jayne, Floris London, Paul Schütze, Sarah McCartney of 4160 Tuesdays, The Experimental Perfume Club, and Penhaligons, and their inspirations range from Lord Berners to Dolores del Rio, F Scott Fitzgerald and Vita Sackville West.

Some of the perfumes are available to purchase; some perfumers will create bespoke fragrances.

Visitors will be able to experience the Jimmy Beaumont Perfume Collection, thus named after the hotel’s fictional founder, in the hotel’s striking Art Deco lobby from Wednesday 8 to Sunday 12 May, from 10.30am to 8.30pm.

Entry is free.

NB This is not an event held by The Perfume Society, rather organised by London Craft Week and The Beaumont Hotel.

The post LCW and The Beaumont Hotel present the Jimmy Beaumont Perfume Collection appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/lcw-and-the-beaumont-hotel-present-the-jimmy-beaumont-perfume-collection/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Fragrances in Imperial Russia

We’re thrilled to share with you this fragrant event from one of our subscribers Olga Petrouchenko – that as a follower of The Perfume Society – we think you’ll really enjoy…

Date: Monday 29th April 2019 – 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Venue: Pushkin House, 5A Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2TA

In collaboration with Atkinsons we invite you to discover fragrances of Imperial Russia. It is the first of three events dedicated to the history of the Russian perfumery and will cover the time frame between 1843 and 1921.

What perfumes did the last Russian Royal family use? What do the French perfume icon Chanel no 5 and the Soviet Krasnaya Moskva have in common? What ingredients were used for fragrances in the 19th century Russia? We will answer all these and many more questions on the 29th April.

Who were loyal Russian clients of English brands like Atkinsons and Floris?

We will also speak about perfumers who worked in Russia: Henry Brocard, Alphonse Rallet, Alexander Ostroumov, Adolphe Sioux and will even try some of the vintage perfumes.

A glass of prosecco and a goody bag are included in the ticket price.

SPECIAL PRICE for groups (minimum 4 tickets).

The tickets are non refundable.

NB This is not an event held by The Perfume Society, rather organised by Olga Petrouchenko.

The post Fragrances in Imperial Russia appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/fragrances-in-imperial-russia/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Easter Egg Hunt: WIN Green & Blacks prizes!

Fancy some Green & Blacks chocolate? Of course you do! We’ve set a fragrantly themed trail of clues to lead you around our website – simply follow your noses, find the hidden easter eggs and you could be chomping your way to happiness. And all from the comfort of your own home…

THREE prize-draw winners will receive Green & Black’s Easter eggs. Feast your eyes, above (we’re drooling already!)

The deliciously intense milk chocolate egg is joined by yet more yumminess in the form of two large milk chocolate bars – milk chocolate with butterscotch, and milk chocolate with Anglesey sea salt. To share or keep for yourself? We rather think the latter, don’t you?

How to hunt: Simply read the clues and set off in search for all the colourful eggs pictured below (FIVE in total) scattered across our website, then drop us an email [email protected] telling us the location of each egg.

Closing date: Friday 19 April 2019

Fragrant clues to egg hiding places around our website:

1 – We J’adore… the fragrance house of this designer (and recently swooned at the V&A exhibition.)

2 – This Working Nose recently composed a texturally-inspired scent for Molton Brown…

3 – Which Fragrance Family (classification of perfume types) is perhaps most deliciously suited for Easter?

4 – We loved these launches, so put them all in a Box for you to try at home…

5 – Brush up on your History by discovering how these Perfume Crusaders distilled rose petals.

We wish you all a very happy Easter, and good luck!

Terms & Conditions: No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice. Closing date for entry will be 19/04/2019. After this date no further entries to the prize draw will be accepted.

The post Easter Egg Hunt: WIN Green & Blacks prizes! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/easter-egg-hunt-win-green-blacks-prizes/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Miller Harris get Lost with Violet Ida – try sample sizes here!

Miller Harris are one of our most-beloved British niche fragrance houses, and they continue to breathe colour and life into the classic perfumer’s art – complex fragrances ‘designed to tell vivid urban stories.’

They start with nature, with distinct greens and woods, with carefully sourced floral notes, iris from Florence, French violet leaf, jasmine from Egypt, Tunisian orange flower – but frame these precious botanicals in complex and unconventional ways, often inspired by artists, or more recently, urban foraging escapades and ever-cool, cult novels.

As Miller Harris puts it: ‘We honour nature by sourcing the finest raw materials and preserving the delicacy of our ingredients, then curate, combine and harmonise them to create perfumes that combine Parisian elegance with London’s eclectic street styles.’

We wanted to celebrate the fantastically diverse and always-exciting scents Miller Harris are producing, and so as part of our curated selection of Launches We Love Discovery Box, are thrilled to include samples of not one but TWO Miller Harris fragrances we think you’re going to love… Lost and Violet Ida.

Inspired by urban foraging, Miller Harris’s trio turned city greens into scents of dreams. Lost (in the city) is a celebration of that sharp pink ingredient, rhubarb, splashing fruity blackcurrants across a bed of wild rhubarb, rose and geranium. Earl Grey tea, crisp amber and musk settle in –but not before you’ve had your fill of bright fruits. It’s tart, fizzy and moreish – do prepare to have your inner child brought out by this one.

Lost (in the city) £95 for 50ml eau de parfum millerharris.com

Brighton Rock’s big-hearted Ida Arnold is the muse for this proper-handbag, lipstick-kissed, buxom embrace of a scent. Think glamorously disordered dressing tables and delightfully déshabillé dames up to no good (but with best of intentions) amidst a powdery orris, carrot oil and heliotrope affair. The amber-rich and vanilla-infused dry down is something to snuggle up to and savour for simply hours, and we predict this will be a huge hit… Violet Ida £75 for 50ml eau de parfum millerharris.com

Both of these incredible fragrances were composed by brilliant perfumer Mathieu Nardin, and you can read our exclusive Working Nose interview with him, here.

Before deciding which (we predict BOTH) of the Miller Harris fragrances you’ll be indulging in a full-size flaçon of, and exploring their delights in your own time – why not try them out at home in sample-size, in our Launches We Love Discovery Box – along with thirteen other scents, two scented shower gels and a full-size Nails Inc. nail polish (our extra gift to you), that’s worth £15 on its own?

For only £19 for the whole lot (£15 for VIP Club members). You know it makes sense…

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Miller Harris get Lost with Violet Ida – try sample sizes here! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/miller-harris-get-lost-with-violet-ida-try-sample-sizes-here/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

7 70s-tastic scent ads you have to see

A little while ago we regaled you with our selection of reto perfume ads from the 1980s, and you loved them so much we just had to continue the theme. Here, we shift the focus to 1970s fragrances, and you’d better hold on to your bell-bottoms, because there’s much to take in…

youtube

She’s been sweet, and she’s been good, she’s had a whole full day of motherhood, and she’s going to have… a bottle of gin. In fact no, she’s going to have an Aviance night. We, the viewer, are not informed as to what ‘an Aviance night’ might comprise, but the way she so seductively peels off those cleaning garments suggests someone’s in for a great time. We can only hope it’s her, alone, with the bedroom door locked, a Demis Roussos record turned up to eleven, and that aforementioned bottle of gin.

youtube

You have to hand it to Prince Matchabelli, they sure knew how to roll out attention-grabbing advertising campaigns. Here, we are introduced to the novel idea that a woman can have two sides. Yes, TWO! She might be at work, in a suit pointing at things; she might be at a fancy restaurant behaving all ladylike… ‘but up close, she’s something else.’ Did we mention she has two sides? Explore both of yours by watching, in awe.

youtube

We desperately want Mrs Slocombe from the 70s sitcom Are You Being Served to turn up in the middle of this, saying something, crossly, about her cat. Be careful how you slap on that Hai Karate, chaps, because we can’t see many department stores putting up with this kind of tomfoolery in the fragrance section anymore.

youtube

This Tabu ad is actually rather subtle and well done (especially when compared to other 70s-tastic scent ads on our list), with a countdown to seduction… but are we shallow for thinking ‘those EYEBROWS!’ when she finally turns around? It’s in comparisson with today’s rather bushier brows, we know, but still. Also, she looks a little nonplussed and about to burst out laughing. Back to perfume – if you can get your mitts on a vintage bottle of Tabu, you really should grab it, because it’s sublimely filthy in the very best way.

youtube

‘When a woman puts Denim on a man…’ well, she probably shouldn’t wipe it all over his mouth, no? We’ve seen lots of men put fragrance on all by themselves, and have yet to witness one rubbing it into his lips, but perhaps this was something all 70s dudes did? We like to imagine after the director yelled ‘cut!’ on this one, the male model was immediately asking his female colleague what the hell she was playing at. Perhaps a pre-fragrance-filming tiff!

youtube

Enjoli is the ‘8-hour perfume for the 24-hour woman’, which has us wondering – why not a 24-hour perfume to match her cut and thrust lifestyle? If she’s not ‘cooking bacon in a pan’, she’s ‘blowing kisses’, and somehow managing to go to work in between. It’s non-stop (unlike the perfume, apparently). Yes, this entire advert’s take on Peggy Lee’s “I’m A Woman” might leave you wondering why, quite often…

youtube

Finally, for deliberately funny one, watch this commercial for ‘Charming’ (clearly a spoof of the Revlon Charlie ads) which was a sketch on the Donny & Marie Osmond Show. We love commedian and actress Ruth Buzzi as the second ‘Charming girl’ trying out for the part – a more realistic representation that we can definitely relate to!

Written and selected by Suzy Nightingale

The post 7 70s-tastic scent ads you have to see appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/7-70s-tastic-scent-ads-you-have-to-see/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Spring clean scents: How to have the best-smelling house

We’ve all heard of influencers, but did you know that ‘cleanfluencers’ are a thing? Oh yes. There are several hundred hours of YouTube videos, blogs and even new glossy magazines dedicated to making cleaning fun – or at least, watching other people cleaning.

It all follows on from the recent Marie Kondo craze of tidying up (and how to de-clutter your life), but this one got us interested because now many brands are making household cleaning products less hum-drum, and something we aspire to buy, rather than merely functional items.

With packaging that’s cute or cool and scents that (thank heavens!) don’t put you in mind of public rest rooms, their perfumes have moved way beyond pine. Here’s some of our favourites that might even persuade us to get the mop out…

The cult company of Yope are a Polish brand that began with handwash and haven’t looked back. Housed in cool, cartoon-ish illustration covered bottles that we’d actively want to be seen, the French Lavender Floor Cleaner smells good enough to make us feel we’re in Provence (if we close our eyes anyway).

Yope French Lavender Floor Cleaner £5.99 for 1000ml Buy it at Waitrose

Some might chuckle at the idea of such a luxurious laundry detergent, but perfumer Francis Kurkdjian wanted his clothes to smell as good as his scents, making one of his best-sellers – the sparkling luminescence of Aqua Universalis – the base of this. There’s also a version available for dark colours, along with a matching fabric softener.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis Detergent €32 for 34fl.oz. Buy it at franciskurkdjian.com

Fragranced with blue chamomile, white cedarwood and sweet musk, Cotton Poplin smells like an expensive hotel room and crisp white sheets that have dried in summer sunshine. It’s a more ‘considered purchase’, as they say, but we’d be inclined to spritz this on scarves and jacket-linings (first checking it doesn’t leave marks by spraying on a tissue), as well as scenting our rooms.

Byredo Cotton Poplin Room Spray £85 for 250ml Buy it at byredo.co.uk

British perfumer Ruth Mastenbroek’s fragrances are now available in a range of room diffusers, which, she says, ‘will create a freshly scented room for hours.’ We happen to know from experience these scents fill the room for MONTHS, making every time you walk in your home a perfumed pleasure. Amorosa is inspired by Umbrian vineyards, sunlight and olive trees – just divine.

Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa Room Diffuser £30 for 150ml Buy it at ruthmastenbroek.com

A rather lush-looking washing up liquid if ever did see one, this is part of Method’s on-trend Rose Gold Collection, and smells of lemon zest, juicy pomelo, freesia, amber and pink peppercorns. It won’t do the washing up for you, but at least your hands will smell gorgeous, afterwards, and it’s naturally derived and biodegradable, too.

Method Rose Gold Washing Up Liquid £4.99 for 532ml Buy it at methodproducts.co.uk

This zesty blend of natural ingredients has been specially formulated to clean and add sheen to all your wooden work surfaces – including any bowls you have dotted around the place that could do with a bit of a buff. Added to smelling great, it promises to provide long lasting protection against scuffs, spills and woodworm. Which is more than your average perfume offers!

Town Talk Wooden Surface Wax £8.99 for 150ml Buy it at johnlewis.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Spring clean scents: How to have the best-smelling house appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/spring-clean-scents-how-to-have-the-best-smelling-house/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Latest Launches: Saints and Sinners

This week’s Latest Launches will take you from saint to sinner and back again. From Gucci’s hypnotic Voice of the Snake to Bianca Puro by Tiziana Terenzi. In between you’ll find sapphire seas, sandy beaches and petals galore. We’re saying “Si” to all of it.

GIORGIO ARMANI SÌ EAU DE PARFUM FIORI The gifted Julie Massé reinterprets Sì’s so-classic Chypre theme in a fragrance that bursts into life with sparkling green mandarin and blackcurrant – the familiar twin signatures of this contemporary classic – before white floral neroli unfurls its lush petals. As the temperature rises, prepare for an encounter with vanilla and white musk. The elegant lines of the scent are echoed in the bottle, reincarnated in a delicate nude pink. From £54 for 30ml eau de parfum Armanibeauty.co.uk

ISSEY MIYAKE L’EAU D’ISSEY PURE PETALE DE NECTAR The revolutionary L’Eau d’Issey began life as a fragrance which set out to evoke water. With L’Eau d’Issey Pure Eau de Parfum, that was reinvented as the scent of dew – and now, the dew turns to nectar, in a floral-gourmand eau de toilette that is first dripping with honeyed pear, then offers up sheer rose notes that are ultimately bathed in ambergris and a cashmeran accord. That classic ‘raindrop’ bottle? Splashed with rose gold, here. From £56 for 50ml eau de toilette boots.com

LES INDEMODABLES MUSC DE SABLES Using only a hint of green mandarin oil in the top notes, perfumers Antoine Lie and Valerie Pulverail get right to the heart of the matter with a suede-like plunge into heavenly orris absolute. One of the most costly materials in the entire perfume world, the treasure’s swathed in soft benzoin and smooth patchouli before a silky stroke of lithesome musks infuse a bitter almond and cinnamon-sprinkled base that delights as it warms. £177 for 50ml eau de parfum lessenteurs.com

TIZIANA TERENZI BIANCA PURO Wearing this feels like having walked in to one of those impossibly perfect holiday brochures – think white sands lapped by sapphire blue sea – only to discover it’s all a wonderful reality. Cool, woody breezes of vetiver and sandalwood softly tickle the creamy, warm-skin vanilla bean and rich patchouli; lusciously fruity flashes of mango, lemon, bergamot and green mandarin keeping the tropical vibe at the forefront of your deliriously fragrant daydreams. Spritz whenever you wish to escape… £250 for 100ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

GUCCI THE VOICE OF THE SNAKE From Alberto Morillas’s stunning The Alchemist’s Garden collection (see also p.XX), named for a serpent’s movement through a forest, Voice of a Snake is focused around notes of precious oudh. That rich and mysterious wood is entwined with dry patchouli and smooth leathers, with whispers of spicy saffron singing through this dark, deep blend. An intoxicating creation that demands you come closer, it’s as mesmerising as a snake charmer’s song. £240 for 100ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

The post Latest Launches: Saints and Sinners appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/latest-launches-saints-and-sinners/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

The Fragrance Foundation Awards Finalists 2019

The shortlist has been announced for the 2019 Fragrance Foundation Awards. Fascinating choices, as ever, judged by experts (for some categories), the public (for ‘people’s choice’ votes), and members of The Fragrance Foundation.

How many have you smelled…? We’re delighted that many of these appear in the Discovery Boxes on sale on our website. Scroll down to find out how you can get a whiff of what’s impressed the judges this year – and watch this space, because we’ll be live-tweeting the results on the night when picking up our own Jasmine Award 2019, for The Scented Letter ‘The Scented Alphabet’ edition.

BEST NEW MEDIA CAMPAIGN – WOMEN

Judged by: Howard Greenhalgh (Film & Music Video Director), Laura Pradelska (Actress), Pips Taylor (Presenter) and Penny Tyson (Photography, Film & Advertising).

Calvin Klein Women – Calvin Klein Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense – CHANEL Ombre Leather – Tom Ford Pure XS for Her – Paco Rabanne The Collection – Yardley London White Heart v.7 – Map of the Heart

BEST NEW MEDIA CAMPAIGN – MEN

Judged by: Howard Greenhalgh (Film & Music Video Director), Laura Pradelska (Actress), Pips Taylor (Presenter) & Penny Tyson (Photography, Film & Advertising).

1 Million Lucky – Paco Rabanne BOSS The Scent – Hugo Boss BOSS Bottled United – Hugo Boss Ombré Leather – Tom Ford Stories by Eliza Grace – try it in The Niche Collection II Discovery Box White Heart v.7 – Map of the Heart (if you bought The Niche Collection Discovery Box – which sold out super-fast – why not smell it again…?)

BEST NEW FRAGRANCE DESIGN & PACKAGING

Judged by: Nick Ede (Stylist & Presenter), Julien Macdonald (Fashion Designer), Melissa Odabash (Fashion Designer) and Jenny Packham (Fashion Designer).

Alexander McQueen Parfums Collection – Alexander McQueen Bronze Tonka – Carolina Herrera Bvlgari Le Gemme Murano Collection – Bvlgari Cartier Carat – Cartier – The Fragrance Wardrobe Discovery Box 34 Boulevard St Germain – diptyque Rêve d’Encens – Van Cleef & Arpels

BEST NEW HOME FRAGRANCE PRODUCT

Judged by: Baroness Karren Brady (CBE), Lucy Grosse (Beauty & Grooming Director net- a – porter group), Sarah Jossel (Beauty Director Style Magazine, The Sunday Times) and Joely Walker (Beauty & Health Director, Grazia).

A Midsummer Dream – Roja Parfums English Garden Candle – Matthew Williamson Honeysuckle & Davana Home Candle – Jo Malone London Jaipur Jewel Candle – Matthew Williamson Palm Springs Candle – Matthew Williamson Summer Siesta Candle – Matthew Williamson

READERS’ CHOICE FOR WOMEN

Voted for by Readers’ of The Evening Standard

Avon Life Colour by Kenzo Takada – Avon Calvin Klein Women – Calvin Klein Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense – CHANEL Gucci Bloom Acqua Di Fiori – Gucci JOY by DIOR – DIOR Lady Million Lucky – Paco Rabanne

READERS’ CHOICE FOR MEN

Voted for by Readers’ of The Evening Standard

1 Million Lucky – Paco Rabanne Bleu de Chanel Parfum – CHANEL Bvlgari Man Wood Essence – Bvlgari Gentleman Givenchy EDP – Givenchy Jimmy Choo Man Blue – Jimmy Choo Sauvage Eau de Parfum – DIOR

PEOPLE’S CHOICE – WOMEN

Voted for by users of boots.com

Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense – CHANEL Daisy LOVE – Marc Jacobs – try it in The Fragrance Wardrobe Discovery Box Good Girl – Carolina Herrera Jimmy Choo Fever – Jimmy Choo – try it in The Fragrance Wardrobe Discovery Box JOY by DIOR – DIOR L’Interdit – Givenchy La Vie Est Belle L’Eclat – Lancôme

PEOPLE’S CHOICE – MEN

Voted for by users of boots.com

1 Million Lucky – Paco Rabanne Bleu de Chanel Parfum – CHANEL Bvlgari Man Wood Essence – Bvlgari Gentleman Givenchy EDP – Givenchy Jimmy Choo Man Blue – Jimmy Choo Sauvage Eau de Parfum – DIOR

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Charabanc Kingdom Scotland – find them The Niche Collection II Discovery Box Map of the Heart Sarah Ireland Perfumes Stories by Eliza Grace – try them in The Niche Collection II Discovery Box Viali

HOLIDAY FRAGRANCE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Blu Mediterraneo Chinotto di Liguria – Acqua di Parma Good Girl Velvet Fatale Collector Edition – Carolina Herrera Muddled Plum Festive Bauble – Molton Brown No5 Red Edition – CHANEL Sapin de Lumière scented Candle – diptyque White Moss & Snowdrop Cologne – Jo Malone London

INNOVATION AWARD

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

A Rose for … Floris – try it in our Launches We Love Discovery Box Byredo Lexington Street Store diptyque Mayfair Pop-up Good Girl – Carolina Herrera Scent School – Floral Street Tiffany Scented Christmas Tree

BEST NEW FRAGRANCE IN LIMITED DISTRIBUTION -WOMEN

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Alexander McQueen Parfums Collection – Alexander McQueen A Rose for … Floris – find it in our Launches We Love Discovery Box Bvlgari Le Gemme Murano Collection – Bvlgari Blue Tea – The Merchant of Venice Paris Venise – CHANEL Revolution de la Fleur – Sana Jardin – find it in the Sana Jardin Discovery Set

BEST NEW FRAGRANCE IN LIMITED DISTRIBUTION – MEN

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Blu Mediterraneo Cipresso di Toscano – Acqua di Parma Bronze Tonka – Carolina Herrera Enigma Aoud – Roja Parfums Mint & Tonic – Atkinsons Paris Venise – CHANEL Tudo Azul – Anima Vinci – why not explore the Anima Vinci Discovery Set?

ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Online Retailer of the Year is voted for in three parts: Members voting for their preferred retailer, a series of mystery shops by an independent agency and a portfolio submitted to support how they have promoted & embraced fragrance through an innovative campaign to reach new consumers (including National Fragrance Week or any campaign), covering in-store, social media & online (judged by a panel of experts).

Boots Debenhams Harrods Lilou et Loic Roja Parfums Burlington Arcade The Perfume Shop

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Retailer of the Year is voted for in three parts: Members voting for their preferred retailer, a series of mystery shops by an independent agency and a portfolio submitted to support how they have promoted & embraced fragrance through an innovative campaign to reach new consumers (including National Fragrance Week or any campaign), covering in-store, social media & online (judged by a panel of experts).

Debenhams Floral StreetFloral Street Discovery Set – try the Harrods Miller Harris Coal Drops Yard Roja Parfums Burlington Arcade The Perfume Shop

BEST NEW FRAGRANCE – WOMEN

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Changing Constance – Penhaligon’s Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense – CHANEL Fleur de Peau – diptyque Good Girl – Carolina Herrera JOY by DIOR – DIOR Lost Cherry – Tom Ford Nomade – Chloé Ombre Leather – Tom Ford Tiffany Intense – Tiffany & Co Woman – Ralph Lauren

BEST NEW FRAGRANCE – MEN

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

Alien Man – Mugler Gentleman Givenchy EDP – Givenchy Ombre Leather – Tom Ford Sauvage Eau de Parfum – DIOR Tempo – diptyque Terre d’Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver – Hermès

ULTIMATE LAUNCH

Voted for by Members of The Fragrance Foundation

34 Boulevard Saint Germain – diptyque Alexander McQueen Parfums Collection – Alexander McQueen Eau de Soir – Sisley Good Girl – Carolina Herrera JOY by DIOR – DIOR

The post The Fragrance Foundation Awards Finalists 2019 appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/the-fragrance-foundation-awards-finalists-2019/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Feast your eyes! Perfume Bottles Auction 2019 sneak preview

Feast your eyes on some of the world’s most sought-after, rare and beautiful vintage perfume bottles up for sale in Perfume Bottles Auction 2019, as we take a close look at highlights from their just-published catalogue…

Since 1979, organiser and founder of The Perfume Bottles Auction, Ken Leach, has been working ‘to create public and corporate awareness of the artistry to be found in vintage perfume presentation.’ His antique shop’s show-stopping merchandise ‘has served as a source of inspiration for glass companies, package designers, and celebrity perfumers, before ultimately entering the collections of perfume bottle enthusiasts around the globe.’

The Perfume Bottles Auction will take place on May 3rd 2019 in Itasca, Illinois, but we are delighted to share with you a sneak-preview of some of the most important and appealing items that will be up for auction, along with their estimated prices. The Perfume Bottles Auction organisers are very kindly allowing us to see these images which they have not yet made available on their own website.

So which, we wonder, would you lust after the most…?

1920 Deluxe limited-edition, Rene Lalique for Volnay Ambre de Siam frost glass perfume bottle, pearls motif, oversized openwork stopper of maiden framed by thorny bramble. Molded R. Lalique on stopper. 4 3/4 in. $15,000-18,000

1912 Rene Lalique for Maison Lalique ‘Fougeres’ (Ferns) perfume bottle and stopper, clear/frost glass, overall fern pattern, blue/green patina, the bottle faces molded with 2 deep wells which meet on the interior, each set with a 24 carat gold foil-backed jewel molded with art nouveau female images which reflect light. Lalique script mark.

Detail of Fougeres bottle – Both female images and the fern motif appear in three separate Rene Lalique jewelry designs c1900. 3 3/4 in. $5,000-6,000

1920s Czechoslovakian, Hoffmann ‘Nude-Dauber’– smokey grey crystal perfume bottle, purple frost crystal figural dauber-stopper, pewter colored metal mounts set with purple jewels and feet. Metal marked Austria. 6 in. $5,000-7,000

1940’s Deluxe presentation for Dana Tabu clear glass bottle, luxurious openwork sterling silver overlay over all, including replica of label, silver screw cap. 925 Silver mark, silversmith mark. 6 1/8 in. $3,000-4,000

1948 Elizabeth Arden On Dit clear/frost figural perfume bottle and cover, stopper (flea bites), gilt tassel, box. *Interior paper same Rene Bouche graphic design used on box exterior of limited edition issued Christmas 1944. 4 1/4 in.

1946 Parkdale Perfumers Deanna Durbin- Smart Girl clear glass cologne bottle, molded plastic “portrait” screw cap, fabric, box. *Released with popular movie “Three Smart Girls.” 4 1/4 in. $100-200

1920 Georges Duchesne for Galeries Lafayette ‘Terre de Retz’ large paper mâché powder box, polychrome lacquer. 7 1/2 in. $300-400

We cannot urge you enough to go and browse through their website – and get ready to swoon at the sheer artistry and invention of these scent bottles, and perhaps wish that such delights were still being made, today.

For full-on enthusiasts, the print catalogue is available to buy for $55 USA/$69 Outside USA – so at least if you don’t manage to bid on these beauties, you can gaze at them forever whenever your heart needs lifting.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Feast your eyes! Perfume Bottles Auction 2019 sneak preview appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/feast-your-eyes-perfume-bottles-auction-2019-sneak-preview/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Just the best perfume book we’ve read in YEARS…

New perfume books don’t come along every day. But new perfume books this good? Rarer than hen’s teeth.

Last Thursday The Perfume Society was privileged to be invited by Michael Donovan, owner of Roullier White, to host the book launch for Neil Chapman‘s Perfume: In Search of Your Signature Scent, at this fabulous South London scent mecca. Neil is a.k.a. ‘The Black Narcissus’, a Jasmine-nominated blogger living in Japan where he manages to unearth incredible vintage treasures at flea markets to build his collection, and regularly shares his scented musings about fragrances (new and historic) on his blog. (Read The Black Narcissus here. No, do better than that: bookmark it.)

It was a super-fun evening where The Perfume Society V.I.P. Club members rubbed shoulders with Neil’s friends and family to celebrate the launch, and he read from his book, sharing the journey of his life-long scent obsession – which was kindled by his parents’ own rather impressive collection.

And oh, we love this book. As he explained, it divides fragrances by type, ranging from green scents to flowers, taking in the classic fragrance families (the floral-aldehydes and Chypres), moving on through gourmand, sexy scents, woods, incense, oceanic smells and ultimately, embracing futuristic smells. There are chapters called ‘The Spice Rack’ and ‘Eros’, and in all, well over 700 brilliantly concise, thought-provoking reviews.

I decided to put it to the test, and dived straight into the Chypre chapter, as a longstanding lover of this particular fragrance family. And you know what? At some point, I’d loved and/or worn (and in many cases still wear) every single fragrance in the chapter: Guerlain Mitsouko, Rochas Femme, Christian Dior Miss Dior, Carven Ma Griffe, Paloma Picasso, Lancôme Magie Noire, Eau du Soir and Millot Crêpe de Chine (like Neil, I once found a vintage bottle of this, in my case in a French flea market). Peerless, perfect examples, every one. Quite simply, Neil utterly nails it.

His writing is beautiful. A taster: here’s what he has to say about Sana Jardin Berber Blonde – a tale of fragrant hope, if ever we read one…

‘How perfume can be a psychological life-saver… Despite the excellent care, two months in the confinement of a Japanese hospital learning to walk again after major knee surgery was a traumatic time for me, and uncharacteristically, I found myself completely unable to enjoy my sense of smell. But once I was through the worst of the ordeal, on an impulse I decided to try a perfume sample I had brought along for and… rejoice! It was just so perfect for that particular moment that, suddenly mood-altered, I began spraying it in tiny amounts on different parts of my room and person: sunshined, respirited and elated.

Berber Blonde, made by an ethical perfume house using Moroccan fair trade oils, is designed to smell like pure yellow happiness and sunshine in a bottle, and it actually does. For me, at that vulnerable moment, it was like being transported away from the drab, antiseptic confines of the ward onto a citrus grove on a hot blue afternoon – just orange blossom buds and open flowers, fresh and alive in the heat, suspended above pools of bottomless, clear blue water.’

There’s just one thing. He got the title completely wrong. ‘In Search of Your Signature Scent’? Because there’s no way you’ll be able to stick to one, after reading this.

Perfume: In Search of Your Signature Scent/£16.99 – buy it here

PS To promote his book, Neil did lots of media interviews including one with the BBC’s Jo Good (who’s a perfume-lover from way back). Listen to it here.

The post Just the best perfume book we’ve read in YEARS… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/delve-into-the-best-perfume-book-weve-read-in-years/

0 notes

toddrogersfl · 5 years

Text

Oil’s well that ends well: layering with perfume oils

Fragrance oils fell out of favour for a while, but there’s no doubt they’re back – a trend we’ve watched build over the past year in to a full-on fragrant flurry.

Perfume oils are perfect for layering scents – you can prolong the strength and life of your perfume by adding an oil (on top or underneath – both ways are absolutely fine) in either a complimentary fragrance that enhances the notes of your chosen perfume, or a contrasting scent to boost an aspect you wish was there.

So, if you have a perfume that’s too sweet for your tastes now, try adding an oil that’s citrusy and fresh; if a fragrance smells too harsh, soften the edges with a vanilla or musk-based fragrance oil, and so on.

Think of it like cooking a recipe, and ‘tasting’ as you go – balancing the flavours until you reach the perfect blend. Or, if you’re a perfume purist, of course you can simply enjoy wearing these fragrance oils alone…

We can’t get enough of Ostens oils – impecable quality (they source them directly from IFF and, uniquely, make them available to the public for the first time), and they actively recommend you try layering them with any fragrances you already own. We love ramping up the rose in a perfume by adding this one – it’s like diving head-first into a mountain of freshly plucked petals. Exquisite examples of Jasmine and Cedarwood are also available, with Patchouli Heart and Cashmeran coming soon. We can’t wait to play!

Ostens Rose Oil Isparta £65 for 9ml perfume oil

If your Summer scents still seem a bit flighty to wear, add some depth with this deliciously fragrant oil – an unexpected mix of spice-infused bergamot and plum with an addictive leather/amber dry down that lingers for hours. Malin & Goetz like to surprise, and all their perfume oils are cleverly blended and rather sophisticated scents – so with this one, don’t worry, you wont smell like you’ve been hitting the bottle! The roller-ball application makes this especially useful for travelling or touching up your scent on the go.

Malin & Goetz Dark Rum £40 for 9ml perfume oil

Presenting the dinkiest trio of roll on perfume oils to allow you to create a signature scent by layering together, using in combination with other perfumes you have or wearing alone. Mocha Bloom has infused espresso with musky floral tones, Leather Haze fuses smooth woodiness with ripe berries and Vanilla Satori mixes spiced honey sweetness with the freshness of citrus and rich undertones of tobacco leaves.

& Other Stories Tailor Your Story Layering Scents £19 for 3 x 4ml perfume oil

As part of the gloriously packaged, apothecary-style The Alchemist’s Garden collection, Gucci spoil us with14 scents, comprising seven Eaux de Parfums, four Perfumed Oils and three Perfumed Waters, all composed by brilliant perfumer Alberto Morillas. Designed to be layered in the most luxurious way, the four oils are poetically named and elegantly scented – and we think they look fit to be displayed on Marie Antoinette’s dressing table. We loved the violet oil that walks a tightrope between powderiness and verdancy, a perfectly delicate touch to layer with green and forest-y scents.

Gucci Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet £295 for 20ml perfumed oil

Fragranced body oil are another great way of layering (and making your perfume last longer). Fans have flocked to this warm fragrance, and now you can smother yourself in the decadently rich oil as well – it’s powerful enough to wear alone, or really lovely layered with lighter scents. Warm ambergris and cedarwood are buoyed by luminescent jasmine, with distinct undertones of caramelised brown sugar to my nose. Argan, sweet almond and apricot kernel oils have been used as the base, making this gorgeously moisturising but never greasy.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Scented Body Oil £75 for 70ml

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Oil’s well that ends well: layering with perfume oils appeared first on The Perfume Society.

from The Perfume Society https://perfumesociety.org/oils-well-that-ends-well-layering-with-perfume-oils/

0 notes