Fragrant News: Christian Dior La Collection Particuliere

According to latest news on Russian site Moon-fish, Christian Dior House celebrates its 60 years anniversary and to commemorate the event will release La Collection Particulière, a new exclusive line of feminine scents, named Passage No.4, No.8 and No.9, proposed by John Galliano. The three perfumes in the new collection are dedicated to three of Dior's favourite models - France, Lucky and Victoire.

The actual scents were inspired by three flowers - rose, iris and tuberose. The bottles will be crystal amphoras like those used for the first Dior scents, in the bandeau tricolore: the three colours of the French flag ~red, white and blue. They come in a 75ml/2.5oz spray.
The perfumer behind them, Francois Demachy, describes the scents as "jewelled flowers".

Official notes:

Rose (France) - fiery rose with orange, pepper, amber and musk.
Iris (Lucky) - violet with iris, plus musk notes from ambrette seeds.
Tuberose (Victoire) - tuberose with jasmine, soft patchouli and vanilla.

According to other sources (ie.Octavian Coifan) three supermodels inspired the type of woman represented by each of them: Stella Tennant for Rose, Kate Moss for Iris and Gisele Budchen for Tuberose.


La Collection Particulière will debut in 30 Dior boutiques around the world starting Nov.19th

EDIT to add official Dior descriptions:

Passage No 4 (Rose): "A sovereign rose, a fiery pimento, a journey, a garden."

Passage No 8 (Iris): "A velvet violet, a sophisticated iris, a dream, a burst of laughter."

Passage No 9 (Tuberose): "A dazzling tuberose, creamy woods, late nights, fireworks."

Also Octavian Coifan has been the very first to smell those and has great things to say too. Please go to this link to read his reviews:
Reviews of scents in La Collection Particulière by Dior, by Octavian Coifan (1000fragrances).


Perfume Shrine will focus in depth on the Dior chypres shortly. Stay tuned!!

Pic from parfumdepub

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all the readers of Perfume Shrine and may the benevolent ghosts of your loved ones be around you on the dia de los muertos. I like to believe that our cherished, most loved ones can escape the Night's Sultan on this special occassion and for some brief moments come to us and kiss us gently on the forehead while we are fast asleep...

Perhaps you might want to burn some scented candles for them, on this special night, like I plan to for mine, and leave some sweet treats for them on the mantelpiece to ease their journey back.

Personally I am very partial to the very cool look of L'Artisan Parfumeur candles that were specially made for the leather-goods (and recently fashion too!) brand Bottega Veneta. Their Intreccio one (click here) with its herbal notes and touches of pine and cypress seems autumnal to me. And isn't it a pretty sight?

Or you might want to go more traditional and focus on the pumpkin quest!
This Colonial Candle in Pumkin Pie would make a great room fragrance, scenting the place with the spicy smells of the traditional dish; while this Pumkin Strudel from Claire Burke is unusual and yummy.
If you want to go the way of the burner, then The Body Shop has a seasonal offering in their range of room fragrance oils, called Pumpkin Nectarine, with fruity notes on a bed of spice and vanilla.
For an inexpensive easy treat Bath and Body Works has a device called Fragrance Bulbs in the seasonal scent Pumpkin Pie Paradise that includes the aroma of rich pumkin with the addition of cinnamon and caramel. Sounds terribly fattening, but without the calories. Of course you would have to be the type who goes for those bulby things in the first place. Myself I usually prefer the tradition of the candle.

Snow White Dove has a whole list of fragrance oils which could be used in a myriad of ways and for this occassion Pumkin Spice is a great bouquet garni of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. I am eyeing their Mulberry, with hints of pine needles, as well as their Vanilla Treasures with cranberry, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and roasted nuts for the upcoming winter months meanwhile...
At Specially Made by LLC, you can find a long list of fragrance oil as well, of which Eggnog, Gingerbread, Harvest Spice and of course Pumpkin Pie caught my attention.
Country Light Candles offer another wide selection, out of which yet another Pumpkin Pie raises its head.

Last but not least, if you have kids at the appropriate age for indulging in crafts, you might even consider making your own pumkin soap. You will find a lovely little recipe clicking here. Or just wash yourself with the handmade Soaps by Sarah in Pumpkin Cornbread. A Jack-o-lantern experience is guaranteed!

Pic of retro postcard from allposters.com. Pic of L'artisan candle from sybarites.org

Black Widow: fragrance review (in time for Halloween) & draw!

"Bob Rafelson's Black Widow with its good, flashy star-performances by Debra Winger and Theresa Russell, comes on with the seductiveness of an expensive perfume that inevitably evaporates before the night is over". When the New York Times critic gives you the opening line on a perfume review, you know it's one that has baggage attached. Black Widow ,the fragrance, has a name that might induce mirth, sarcasm or slight apprehension and would fit Halloween's fragrance choice to a T.
A while ago I was contacted by a small brand, Small Wolrd LLC who generously provided a bottle of the fragrance for me to test. (Which was a first!) I assume they went the same route with other bloggers as well, regardless of whether it was inferred or not. I don't flatter myself that I was the only one; decency dictates mentioning it.

Black Widow came with zero expectations, exactly because I was oblivious to its existence. A look at their site revealed a playful page full of catchy slogans, such as "What You Do With Your Prey is Your Business" or "At Least He Went With a Smile On His Face", which really made my evening.
To me nevertheless it is Bob Rafelson's 80s neo-noir that came to mind in a Nescafe-dissolving-in-a-styrofoam-cup kind of way: that is, instantly!

In the homonymous film

"The villain [...] is Catherine (Theresa Russell), beautiful, charming and intelligent woman that seduces and marries a whole bunch of wealthy men only to have them mysteriously die few months later. After collecting inheritance money, she disappears, takes new identity and begins her deadly scheme all over again. Her modus operandi, however, brings the attention of Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger), workaholic Justice Department investigator. After obsessively tracking down Catherine all over the country, Alexandra finally reaches her at Hawaii. Catherine there wants to pull the same stunt on Paul (Sami Frey), local tycoon. Knowing that she would have to catch Catherine red handed, Alexandra meets her and tries to strike a friendship, not knowing that Catherine has some suspicions too."

(synopsis by Dragan Antulov (1988))

Forget the big shoulder-pads on bright-coloured garments and the at-times-bouffant hair, this was a seriously entertaining neo-noir with a slightly hinted-at lesbian flair which differentiated it from most of the run of the mill productions. It even featured cult cameos by Dennis Hopper, Diane Ladd and Nicol Wiliamson! And if it missed by a shot, sumbitting to the mania for ethical endings, what the heck, it was a fun evening watch.
In one memorable scene, Alex offers a wedding gift to Catherine: a black widow jeweled brooch. And we see Theresa Russell's face smirk both seductively and diabolically as she slowly says: "Black Widow; she mates and she kills. The question is: does she love? It's impossible to answer that unless you live in her world. {she pauses}. Such an intriguing gift..." And then, bang! all the homoeroticism that was latent manifests itself as she grabs Alex by the back of her neck and kisses her violently on the mouth.

Black Widow is a fragrance that could have been chosen by Catherine to prey on her wealthy victims as well as charm women who are on her pursuit. Saturated with spice, it opens up on an intense peppery accent that catches your attention like a razor blade touching your throat. It stays there poised for a while, mixed with a little hesperidic touch, until a cascade of rich, smoky clove weaves itself into the trap laid for the unsuspecting victim: you!
Clove is such an underappreciated note, mostly because of associations with medical appointments involving root canals. But moi, who has never had the need for one, can appreciate it for its qualities beyond: those embryo seeds of Eugenia caryophyllata , full of natural eugenol and caryophylenne, that grows abundantly in Zanzibar are unctuous and lustful for moisture, with a tinge of the sweet in them. In food products, such as biscuits, the aroma is replicated by 1-Acetoxy-2-methoxy-4-propenyl benzene.
Here, in Black Widow, you can appreciate the natural clove essence, as the fragrance is purpotedly made up by naturals, which comes nifty if one considers the aromatheurapeutical benefits of such aphrodisiac essences.
It is this phenolic scent that dominates the heart of the perfume, alternating the sweet with the dry accents throughout as it marries with rich amber, sucking on it vampirically. Other spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg also surface, albeit less prominently, on hair that shines like spiderwebs; and they weave a sexy spell from which the soft, slightly powdery silk of the trully lasting drydown cannot escape unscathed.


The official information provided on the site runs thus:

Black Widow is made from all natural essential oils.
Black Widow is a sweet and spicy oriental
with a rich amber scent, top notes of citrus,
and middle notes of musk and spice, including
cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
We realize it is hard to describe a perfume with words so we hope it helpsto say that Black Widow resembles a fresher updated version of Opium.

I believe that the comparison with Opium is perhaps unjust, as it places Black Widow on the shadow, not appreciated for what it is; especially given the fact that it lacks the orange-mandarin aspect of the former and its intense floral-woody accord, concentrating instead on the natural spices and the ambery base. However, if you like spicy orientals such as Black Widow is not a bad scent to start your seduction ploys with. And "Oh! what a tangled web you will weave". Until a Federal Investigator catches you, that is...


Black Widow comes as a lasting Cologne Spray in simple, round black bottles of 60ml/2oz in a black box nand can be ordered directly from the Black Widow site here and also from Henri Bendel NYC, Heebee Jeebees in Colorado Springs and the Pleasure Chest in West Hollywood (so you know it has something going on for it! *wink*)

Please note that shipping costs to Europe or overseas might be a little different than those stated for the US.

Since we have such an abundance of the fragrance at our disposal, I am offering samples to readers who comment and a lucky draw for a decant of it to one lucky winner!

Poster of the film through impawards.com

Chypre Rouge by Serge Lutens: fragrance review

It's not often that a perfume assumes a stolen identity to pass icognito under our noses, hiding its true nature under a misnomer. Chypre Rouge is not a chypre by any stretch of the imagination, even taking into account the new chypre contestants that assimilate the older façade. It takes the symbolic image of red oakmoss of Chypre Rouge to make one think of an interpretation of a fantasy in which darkness and light mirror the hues of the No-like makeup that Lutens has always opted for in one of his previous incarnations as makeup director for Dior and Shiseido. And much like those waxy materials that metamorphose plain features into studies in cubism, Chypre Rouge has a weird power in it that transports the notion of chypre into the realm of oriental meets occidental.

Chypre Rouge came into the public scene with one of the most impressive yet somehow incoherent press releases to date.
It ran like this:

“I remember looking at the forest ground, covered with dead leaves, and finding it both macabre and beautiful. Something caught my attention: a strange patch of moss at the base of a tree, it looked as if it were bleeding, purple and red. Ceremonial dress, splendid and dying, lit by the rays of a nearby clearing. “Don’t deny, you will confess!” In this doorless dungeon we look for an exit. Thin light comes from a murdering hole.
Eagle nest, precious stones, coat of arms, standards, what are we made of? Eternity, limpidity, freshness, beauty, velvet softness. A secret continent of which we would be the body, in golden darkness, moss of spices and vermeil. The kiss of a choirboy on the ring of an archbishop.
Softness and depth, secret in scents where, laying our cheeks we can only dream.”

(press release courtesy of Scenteur d'Ailleurs)

Now, before you get any naughty ideas about the choirboy and the archibishop's ring, I have to add that imaginative imagery has always been at the core of the Lutens canon, so we are to take this as a flight of fancy, a reminiscence about his childhood in Hansel and Gretel land.

And just where is this mythical land? Osmoz says a propos de Chypre Rouge that it "was inspired by Serge Lutens’s memories of fall in his native Vendée region of western France". Native? Please allow me to disagree on that score. Lutens was born in Lille which is quite far from Vendée. In fact as revealed here, he spent his youth in Lille too!
However I am perfectly willing to believe that he had some extended family or friends who stayed there and that his visits were coloured with the sweeping brush of vermeil and purple mentioned.
It is not without importance to note that he was a neglected child whose mother donned black on her second wedding day, perhaps a symbol that rang poignant in his id. The confessional tone, mingled with the religious overtones of the papal purple, hint at a desire to express some secret ache that needs to surface through the catharsis of the artistic. And so Chypre Rouge becomes deeply personal, psychological endoscopisis rendering it difficult to interpret by someone outside the circle.

Upon encountering Chypre Rouge one is hit with the earthy smell of celery. So vivid is the impression that doubting our artistic tendencies we do a double take wondering what came upon them to devise such a -shocking to many- opening. Of course Lutens is no stranger to exagerration and carefully constructed ugliness; which puts the essential final straw on a perfect specimen, like the demonic camphorous Vapo-rub opening of Tubéreuse Criminelle, another daring Chris Sheldrake creation. However the latter is to be distributed directly from Les Salons du Palais Royal being part of the exclusive range, therefore a touch of the outré is not particularly unexpected. Chypre Rouge forms part of the export line and therefore it stroke me as odd that such a choice of top notes was opted for.
The progression to fenugreek and immortelle (the note that accounts for the maple surupy hot sands of a deserted beach of Annick Goutal's Sables and the pronounced curriness in Dior Eau Noire) comes after some minutes to soothe sensibilities and transport into the territory of the spicy with subtle whiffs of flowers, dried, rolled into heaps of curried dust. Mace and coriander raise their beady heads out of this basket that recalls Arabic souks, like most of the Lutens creations, especially Arabie, influenced by his mysterious seraglioat Morocco that no one has ever visited. Named "Al Medina al Hamra", Red City because of its architecture, Marrakesh has served as a rich pool of inspiration for Lutens and his vision of perfume as a homage to a cross-reference of civilisations.
The final phase of caramelised nuts rolled into musky, smooth moss is the least challengening, but by then potential audiences will have either walked away or braved the initial coup in anticipation of the soft nucleus. It is unfortunate that I tend to the former group.

Chypre Rouge launched in 2006 as an Eau de Parfum Haute Concetration, a term that denotes higher concentration of aromatic essences because of the nature of the latter that demand a higher saturation point to be perceptible and is not meant to imply that it is louder in odour volume.

Official notes:
thyme, pine needles, pecans, fruit gums, honey, beeswax, jasmine, patchouli, amber, vanilla, moss and musks.

Instead of further commentary I direct you to Placebo with brilliant Brian Molko and their song "Meds":



(uploaded by dagonsio)

Please remind me to post "The Bitter End" (again by Placebo) if Serge Lutens trully retires from fragrance creation, per rumours.

Top pic from the film Carrie by Brian de Palma (1976)/Filmhai. Ad pic courtesy of autourdeserge.

Chypres series 7: The Chypres that Time Forgot

If you're new to Perfume Shrine's Chypre Series, please refer to the following basic articles:
What ARE "chypre perfumes"?
What are the aesthetics of chypre fragrances?
What's the history and zeitgeist of "chypre" evolution?

There are some chypre fragrances that got sidetracked for various reasons, none of which is the fault of their actual scent. Either their heyday ended in an abrupt change in the public's sensibilities or they fell out of production because of a deal that got terminated, or alternatively they became so low profile and obscure that they didn't pique the interest of the general public anymore. Notwithstanding that chance that they got reformulated beyond recognition. Whatever the reason, today's choices are great fodder for rediscoveries, much like a wild safari in the virtual jungle.

 Deneuve by Catherine Deneuve
The jewel of the crown is the magnificent, transcedental chypre that was named and devised by none other than the perfumista par excellence, Catherine Deneuve. Her well established love of perfume blossomed into a creation she could call her own; first launched via an agreement with Avon for the US market (which might come as a surprise to some). However, according to her own admission in Elle magazine in 1994, that agreement fell through and the production stalled, maybe because greens were not so popular anumore, making Deneuve a sought after wonder of the online auctions even since.
She had personally been involved in its creation in France in 1986, "like a child in front of a magical toy", smelling hundreds of ingredients and combinations, eliminating (she hinted that the team creating it didn't really know what to do), testing the mods up till she settled for the final three ones. And then, on a shooting trip to Italy, she came up with the winning choice that materialised her vision: an "open" perfume, something that would be trully feminine, something classical and beautiful like a great piece of music, smelling like entering a garden which has an indefinable aroma. She wanted emotion, mystery, perhaps a bit of the Orient mixed in for good measure. {translated from quotes on French Marie Claire 1989}

I was moved by the brave sizlling top of green that combined intense galbanum with naturally eugenol-rich spicy basil, only to be awed upon coming across the lushness of the floral heart that spoke of warm smelling bouquets that rest on a mossy, sensual base that has a touch of the leathery animalic that is to be experienced in the drydown of classic chypre Miss Dior. It even came in a dusting powder which is so gloriously decadent and old-fashioned that I am stumped why it hasn't been featured in one of those highly successful commercially guides of how to become the perfect bombshell or something.
The downside? You must hunt it down on Ebay: be prepared for astronomical bids!
On the bright side, two dupes of it are reputed to be particularly spot on although I haven't tested them myself: Cannes from Long Lost perfumes (said to be a little sharp)and the Deneuve Type by DSH (said to be a tad richer)

Official notes for Deneuve:

Top: Green notes, Galbanum, Bergamot, Neroli, Basil, Aldehyde
Middle: Rose, Muguet, Jasmin, Orris, Ylang-Ylang, Violet, Hyacinth
Base: Moss, Musk, Cedarwood, Sandal, Civet

Coriandre by Jean Couturier 
It first piqued my interest when I read Susan Irvine's desrciption of it: "fit for a red headed Raymond Chandler heroine". Perfume Shrine has long worshipped the noir heroines and their universe and this was like a bowl of cream in front of a hungry kitten: irresistible!
Subtle and refined, it didn't speak of the femme fatale so much, but of a patchouli and geramium wreath around roses of a dark red hue, an elegant missile of indoors denotation. Contrary to its name, it doesn't predominantly smell of coriander, although there is discernible spiciness to it that does not recall the culinary. The green pong of angelica makes it dry and somehow young despite appearences.
Created in 1973 by Couturier's own wife Jacqueline, who was Grasse-trained and an heir to perfumers, it was the foundation on which the Couturier Parfums brand was established. It comes in a bottle topped by a green malachite-looking cap, beautifully veined.
Coriandre has been a little surgically enhanced (this happened in 1993), but it didn't involve a complete face-lift which is good news to its acolytes. Consider yourself honoured and not humbled to be included in the latter.
Available from newsparfums.com and other etailers for reasonable prices.

Official notes for Coriandre:

Top: Coriander, Aldehydes, Angelica, Orange blossom
Middle: Rose, Geranium, Jasmine, Orris
Base: Patchouli, Sandal, Vetiver, Civet

 Halston by Halston
  Halston by the american designer Roy Halston Fronwick stops at the Disco end of the Silk Road, being launched smack down in the middle of the 1970s decade (in 1975) in a bottle designed by Elsa Peretti, a designer famous for her "natural", organic shaped jewel designs for Tifanny. Those were the times that chypres were still in favour and its minty aroma that opens on green notes allied with marigold and bergamot, seguing to a lathery soapiness of orris, jasmine and rose touched with a little woodiness were alluring to the audiences of Studio 54. Then soapiness fell out of vogue and its vetiver-laden base with a slight smokiness of incense and moss to it was antithetical to the heavy drum n'bass of the 80s amber perfumes that dominated the corporate world, too busy to go dance recklessly under strobe lights.
Still, Halston manages to survive today as something that smells unique and invitingly warm. I was deeply surprised when Agapi Vardinoyiannis, the socialite wife of a tycoon, divulged casually upon being asked on the familiar smell emanating that it was her preferred signature scent. Surely a woman who can afford anything condoning this long-time forgotten little gem is enough motivation to seek it out.

Official notes for Halston:

Top:melon, green note, peach, bergamot, spearmint, marigold
Middle: jasmine, rose, cedar, orris, ylang ylang, carnation
Base: moss, patchouli, vetiver, amber, musk, sandalwood, incense

Jean Louis Scherrer original 
Jean Louis Scherrer (1979)by designer Jean Louis Scherrer is a precious sight in its elegant, tall hexagonal bottle that opens up to verdant glory of liquid emeralds. Green and with the rush of sparkling aldehydes it is soon intensly mossy and floral, recalling a bygone era. The violet note is mostly reminiscent of an iris fragrance, slightly metallic and otherwordly; but the brooding synergy with the other ingredients brings out a luminiscent aura that is tantamount to wearing an expensive necklace of Peruvian pre-Colombian emeralds set on antique gold.
It can be ordered from First in Fragrance/Aus liebe zum duft and Escentual as well as other etailers.

Official notes for Jean Louis Scherrer:

Top: aldehydes, cassis, violet, hyacinth
Middle: tuberose, jasmine, rose, gardenia, carnation
Base: sandalwood, vetiver, civet, moss.

Armani "Classic" Femme (for women)
Last but not least, one of the first perfumes that I donned on my juvenile person and came to love, earning lots of compliments in the process and assuming poses well beyond my years was Armani Femme, the original scent that was issued in 1982. Perhaps more green than traditionally chypre, it came in a bottle trifaced like a byzantine triptych, which enchanted my historically bent soul. The aroma of greens merged with the powdery and lush whiffs of flowers and fruits that never became sweet. It was perfume-y and proud of it, asserting its persona beyond doubt with a warm, erotic base that surely made more promises than those delivered to my admirers back then.
Sadly discontinued in favour of newer blunt releases...Shame, mr.Armani, shame.

Official notes for Armani Femme :

Top: Spearmint, Galbanum, Pineapple, Marigold
Middle: Jasmine, Tuberose, Cyclamen, Narcissus
Base: Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Tonka, Benzoin

Pics courtesy of parfumsdepub,okadi,toutsurdeneuve, escentual and Greek jeweler Fanourakis

Paloma Picasso Mon Parfum: fragrance review

It's hard for me to speak of Paloma Picasso perfume and not implicate the obliviously innocent in this. Because it happens to be the signature choice of someone I knew, someone who is most probably unawares of this blog, its writer and musings. I doubt I had even registered much in her mind back then when her scent made an impression on me. A really young novice I was at the Conservatoire, accompanying her vocal classes on the piano.

Anna was a creature of fire and spice, long tresses of chestnut trailing her back in thick curls, a straight, impressive nose under austere dark brows, but with a gregarious, roaring laughter that dared to flirt with anyone within a 10-mile radius. She dressed in full bohemia, just about 10 years after its heyday or about 20 before its resurgence, any which way you choose to see it. She wore dangling earrings made of ethnic beads and smoked heavy Gitanes. And her scent seemed to preceed her; which was not all that au contraire to the mood of the era, if only because there were numerous others, men and women alike, who followed a fragrance cloud rather than the other way around. That was the 80s, that was when Paloma Picasso launched Mon Parfum, a powerful chypre fragrance meant to embody her unique style.
Anna did not wear white shirts with black skirts, though, nor painted her lips in a crimson bloodfest that recalls the picadors in the tercio de varas. No, Anna was beyond such clichés...

The Ritual Fire Dance by Spanish composer Manuel De Falla conjures up comparable images in my mind. (the cello soloist is Julian Lloyd Webber and the clip was uploaded by gindobray)

The pungent green and dry chypré opening was like a bruise, aching long after the blow has been hit. And then roaring spices came cascading down in quick succession: clove and coriander, bold and proud, unashamedly pronouncing their presence before the hazy drop of flowers smelled at a distance was perceived, with a little hedione brightness. Rose was musty, musky, playing hide-and-seek with an effluvium of patchouli leaves with a little powder, much like that in Aromatics Elixir.
The gaunlet however was only thrown after the base notes develop, like the hides of dead animals, rich castoreum with more than a touch of the masculine, at a tannery on a warm day. The funk of a big animal in its ammoniac glory used to cure the hides is there and it dares you to bypass without closing your nostrils for a while, doubting if this is supposed to smell good or bad. A conundrum!

It came in a glorious soap formula that was made for bathing meant to make you smell dirtier than what you started with and didn't you love this, back then.
The eau de parfum was Anna's preferred concentration, encased in a black glass bottle from what I recall (current versions with lightned up base -due to restrictions in animalic ingredients used- are in plastic). And upon resniffing for the purposes of this review I couldn't but wonder how it was possible to tolerate, -nay, love madly- such a potent mix! It would take a very sparing application in this modern day and age to make it smell acceptable. But it is worth trying to find the perfect balance. The parfum/extrait which comes in a white splash bottle is perhaps the way to go as it is meant to be dabbed and not sprayed.
It's interesting to note that some modern day scents such as Sisley's chypre Soir de Lune were even inspired by Paloma's approach.

Paloma Piccaso, the daughter of Pablo, codenamed this scent Daphne 19, which puzzling as it is it is reminiscent of my own experience. Perhaps she knew someone named thus, while at her stint at Tiffany's as jewel designer, echoes of which are evident on the elaborate bottle, shaped after a pair of earrings made of petrified palm wood she designed for the brand? Or did she merely refer to the odorous plant? Dubious...
Mon Parfum was composed by Francis Bocris in 1984 with Paloma's guidance and includes the following notes:

Top: bergamot, lemon, hyacinth, angelica, ylang ylang, clove
Middle: Rose de Mai,jasmine, lily of the valley, orris
Base: Oakmoss, castoreum,vetiver, patchouli, amber, civet, musk, cedarwood, tobacco, sandalwood

.

The touch of a masterful persona that purposly discards social rules to do their own is evident in Mon Parfum by Paloma Picasso. Anna wore it amazingly well. Not all do.

Pics from parfumsdepub

Fragrance review: Midnight violet by Ava Luxe

By guest writer Ida Meister


I am such a neophyte, that I feel a disclaimer is in order.
To begin with: it should be noted that I am neither a writer nor a perfumer.
I am simply a woman possessed by a 50 year love affair with fragrance,
who lives for her nose…known to some of you as “chayaruchama”.

Helg most generously offered me the opportunity to write a review for
you all. She had just reviewed the magnificent Madame X{click for review} by Ava Luxe, and her enthusiasm spurred me to sample quite a few of Serena Ava Franco’s works.
I was delighted to discover how gifted Ms. Franco is.

Some fragrances announce their presence with a clarion call- others insinuate their way into a room. Midnight Violet falls into the latter category.
If Madame X is a symphony, then Midnight Violet is an etude, a dark one, by Chopin.

(click to experience what such a glorious thing is!)

Not melancholic in an abysmal sense, but deep, powerful, real,
evocative, and full of feeling.
There is no strident opening, no coyness or girlish blushes, no precocity.
Conversely, Midnight Violet is not a gloomy, dank incense.

Somehow, this unusual perfume manages to be richly hued, with many
layers of depth and nuance without being opaque or heavy.
Midnight Violet opens with a shaft of light, which is heralded by the joyful notes of pink pepper, cinnamon, and galbanum.
This translates into an intensely green, dry spiciness, which then
yields to a richer, denser resinous smoke flavored with orris, the scent
of damp earth and black hemlock.
Cedar and sandalwood- very soft and creamy- ally themselves, joined by a
languid moss, wood balsam, musk and civet.
The addition of these woody and animalic accords endows Midnight Violet
with a harmonious complexity that is very satisfying and possessed of
great warmth.

My impression is of being drawn into the woods at dusk, when the light
is just beginning to falter, and discovering that you are suddenly
surrounded by the approaching night.
The moon can be spied between the branches, but the forest is dark,
quiet, and very deep.
The haunting, faint odor of sylvan violet is nestled in an earthy, smoky
bower, peaceful and contemplative.

Pic of Liv Tyler from the advertising campaign of "Lord of the Rings". Thanks to Youtube for the clip of Chopin's etude op.10 #1

Labdanum: an important material (in chypre fragrances & not only)

It is well known to our readers by now that chypre perfumes are dependent on a strict formula that juxtaposes bergamot and oakmoss, interlaying labdanum and other earthy elements such as vetiver or patchouli.
Perfume Shrine has already focused on oakmoss extensively (click for relevant article), so the other important material that needed tackling was labdanum. And so here we are today, trying to examine some of its facets.

First of all, what is it? It comes as a sticky dark brown resin exudate from two sources: from the shrubs Cistus ladaniferus (western Mediterranean) and Cistus creticus (eastern Mediterranean), both species of rockrose. Rockrose forms the Cistaceae (or rock-rose family), a rather small family of plants reknowned for their beautiful shrubs, covered by flowers at the time of blossom. It consists of about 170-200 species in eight genera and those are distributed primarily in the temperate areas of Europe and the Mediterranean basin, although they can be found in North and South America too in some instances. The flowers themselves have a faint odour and are not used in perfumery.

Labdanum is a natural oleoresin but it differs slightly from other oleoresins in that it contains more waxes and less volatile oil than most of the other natural oleoresins.

There is an ancient background to labdanum, as its etymology reveals: lôt in Hebrew (coming from a semetic root) which means resinous herb, ladunu in assyrian, lâdhan in Arabic, ledanon in Greek and ladanum/labdanum in Latin. Egyptians used it in their Kyphi mixtures whereas the Hebrews burned it in their temples as incense, so it had a ceremonial character.
It is even referenced in The Bible (as Balm of Gilead): The Ishmaelite caravan coming from Gilead to which Joseph was sold, was transporting labdanum (Genesis 37, 25). Subsequently, Jacob ordered his sons to offer labdanum, along with other local products, to their brother, now an Egyptian dignitary:

"And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts and almonds."

(Genesis 43, 11) {found through Bible fragrances}.

It is believed that the above refers to the resin from the Pink Rockrose as "myrrh", although the two are not interchangeable. Myrrh per se is mentioned in the Bible (Psalm 45:8; Song of Solomon 4:14) and is believed to have been a mixture of natural myrrh (extracted from a tree in Africa and Arabia, like franckincense used to be got as well) and the oleoresin labdanum.

The Japanese use labdanum today in their Neriko mixtures, used during tea ceremony. The tradition is alive!

The use of ladbanum in medicine is well documented. Its high content in polyphenols makes it an excellent food supplement protecting the immune system.
In ancient times it was used for its properties of protection against bacteria and fungi.

It is suggested that the Pharaohs used fake beards made of goat hair (from animals that had grazed upon the resiny bushes) for that reason, but also to surround themselves with an aura of distinction.
Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed "myrrh" (the mixture of natural myrrh and labdanum, as above) for sores and the Romans used it to treat worm infestations, the common cold, coughs, and some infections. Up to 3000 tons of frankincense and myrrh were transported each year during the height of Nabataean trade!
According to Cocker, J. D.; Halsall, T. G.; Bowers, A. (1956). "The chemistry of gum labdanum. I. Some acidic constituents" (Journal of the Chemical Society: 4259-62) and II. The structure of labdanolic acid" (Journal of the Chemical Society: 4262-71):

Labdane is a natural bicyclic diterpene that forms the structural core for a wide variety of natural products collectively known as labdanes or labdane diterpenes. The labdanes were so named because the first members of the class were originally obtained from labdanum, a resin derived from rockrose plants."

while

A variety of biological activities have been determined for labdane diterpenes including antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, and anti-inflammatory activities.

(Studies in Natural Product Chemistry : Bioactive Natural Products, Part F, Atta-Ur-Rahman)

Theophrastus and Pliny mention labdanum as does Herodotus in his Historia, in the book "Thalia" (one of a total of 9,named after the Muses):

"Ledanum, which the Arabs* call ladanum, is procured in a yet stranger fashion. Found in a most inodorous place, it is the sweetest-scented of all substances. It is gathered from the beards of he-goats, where it is found sticking like gum, having come from the bushes on which they browse. It is used in many sorts of unguents, and is what the Arabs burn chiefly as incense.
Concerning the spices of Arabia let no more be said. The whole country is scented with them, and exhales an odour marvellously sweet."

{*please note that the Arabs referenced by Herodotus are ancient tribes inhabiting the region called Arabia and not today's islamic populace}.

But then why the confusion with opiates? The answer goes back to the Middle Ages and Paracelsus. A famous medical preparation of his own -which included gold, crushed pearls and other ingrendients (Opera, 1658, i. 492/2), but with opium as its chief component. Therefore the term is now used for the alcoholic tincture of opium (q.v.). The name was either invented by Paracelsus from Latin laudare (=to praise), or was a corrupted form of "ladanum" (from Persian ladan), a resinous juice or gum obtained from various kinds of the Cistus shrub, formerly used medicinally in external applications and as a stomach tonic." (Source 1911encyclopedia.org)


Labdanum's odour profile is highly complex. It is balsamlike, with woody, earthy, smoky, and even marshy undertones. Some even desrcibe it as ambergris-like, or leathery and honeylike with hints of plum or oakmoss after a rain. Usually it is referred to as ambery, but it is mostly used to render leather or ambergris notes, the latter especially after its ban on using the real animal-derived material, as there were concerns about the ethical production of it from sperm whales from which it originates (Ambergris is therefore very rare and costly if ethically harvested and is mostly synthesized in the lab. Please read this amber article for more info).

Its complexity is one of the reasons it has fascinated people since antiquity and it has been reported to affect the subconsious in profound ways. Its aromatheurapeutic value is that it is grounding, warming and sensual.

The method of extracting it is unusual and highly entertaing at that. Herodotus and Pliny report that labdanum was collected by combing the beards of goats, which were impregnated with the substance. The goats graze from the branches and the sticky resin gets stuck on their beards. Upon their return, their owners comb the resin our of their beards and extract the resin.

Also a rakelike instrument with long strips of leather attached to it, which they drag across the bushes to collect the resin, is used, called ladanesterion.
To this day labdanum is still gathered in Crete by driving goats into the thick forests overgrown with labdanum bushes. It is difficult work as it is best done in hot weather, under bright sunlight in the summer months. Sises is a Cretan village near Rethymnon, where such work is done to this day (coincidentally also the area from which El Greco/Dominikos Theotokopoulos comes).
You can read amazing detail on this matter on this site by Dimitris Niktaris: Labdanum Gr.

Today modern production is mainly concetrated in Spain and is done through easier means. However there is something to be said about the small, manual labour of cretan production that is of top quality.
The modern method involves boiling the leaves and twigs of this plant in water and the gum being skimmed off the surface and mixed with other resinous matter, which sinks to the bottom of the boiling water, as the resinoid is unsoluble in water. The extraction of the crude or cleaned labdanum gets done with a hydrocarbon solvent, whereas petroleum ether is being used increasingly because it yields a light amber resinoid which contains the most wanted odour principles in high concentration: cinnamon base - (isoeugenol) and labdanum resinoid. An absolute is obtained by solvent extraction whereas an essential oil is produced by steam distillation.

In perfumery it is used in many alloys, chypres notwithstanding and mixes well with hundreds of ingredients, interestingly one of which is lavender, another mediterranean herb.
Labdanum gum may contain up to 20% water, but this should be squeezed off or cautiously dried off. When in its fresh state, it is plastic but not pourable. It hardens on ageing, even to the point of becoming brittle. However if it is so at room temperature, it should be rejected as a starting material for the processing of labdanum derivatives.
Its shelf life is about 36 months and can be used in 10.0000 % in the fragrance concentrate.

One of the fragrances that focus on labdanum is Le Labo's Labdanum 18. Tagged as an enigma, to be used by both sexes, it focuses on the mysterious ambience that labdanum creates, fusing animalic and warm notes that meld on the skin.
Other fragrances that are rich with the note (but no guarantees on it always being naturally derived) are:
Donna Karan Essence Collection Labdanum ,Monia di Orio Lux, Dia for men by Amouage, L'eau Trois by Diptyque, Rien by Etat Libre d'Orange, Andy Tauer L'air du desert marocain ~Click for review~ (and reportedly it will feature in his Incense Duo as well), Patou pour Homme, Tabac Sport by Mäurer & Wirtz, Boucheron Pour Homme, Capucci Pour Homme, ST Dypont Signature pour homme, Eau Sauvage Extrême by Christian Dior, Whole Notes a floriental from Canadian perfumer Lyn Ayre of Coeur d’Esprit Natural Perfume, Prada, Prada Tendre and Prada Amber pour Homme, Mathew Williamson Incense, Ho Hang by Balenciaga, Jacques Bogart One man show, Ayala Moriel natural perfumes Ayalitta, Autumn and Democracy and Anya's Garden natural perfume Pan ~click for review~ that features real billy goat hair tincture.

Pics from bojensen.net, ladanisterion pic originally uploaded by labdanum.gr

Chypre series 6 ~Masculine chypres: does such a thing exist?

In this month of chypres examination and discussion, Perfume Shrine pondered on their origin, their composition, the modern variations, their aesthetics and the relation they have to the zeitgeist (Click on the links to go to respective subject).
It was about time we focused on the question whether there are indeed masculine fragrances that fall into this category of chypre.
The matter arises because most of the frequently mentioned chypre perfumes are feminine, if you think about it. We also attribute traditionally perceived feminine characteristics to them, such as elegance or sartorial sophistication (for some reason this wouldn't resonate with the Italian man, but I digress).
And the subcategories of floral or fruity within chypre often predispose one to think into such terms, although the seasoned perfumed lover is not restricted by such artificial limitations pertaining to gender.

Like we discussed before Chypre relies on the juxtaposition of bergamot and oakmoss, with the traditional inclusion of labdanum and usually of patchouli or vetiver. There is a comparable fragrance family for men, called Fougère (pronounced foozh-AIR), the French word for fern. In reality this is a fantasy accord because ferns have no real scent of their own. Fougère fragrances have fresh herbaceous notes, juxtaposing lavender with oakmoss on a fern-like base, with an element of Coumarin (the smell of freshly mown hay, naturally found in tonka bean, the seed of a West African tree which contains up to 40% of it).
Masculine fragrances have usually gone the route of the fougère when trying to recreate a forest floor impression instead of chypre, perhaps due to the fact that chypre perfumes have been marketed to women, or because they often included floral elements which are traditionally thought of as feminine in the 20th century (albeit not before!).

Classification is rather dubious territory, as there are countless exempla of diversifications according to the source. Open any guide or reference site and you will see the differences leaping to the eye. Therefore the following is only an attempt to examine whether there is any logical base in attributing scents to this or that odorous category.

For starters, the matter of whether leathery scents are a subdivision of chypres (as they do mostly contain the basic accord)or a seperate category termed Leather/Cuir (according to the French Society of Perfumers) is significant. Going by that leathery and oftentimes tobacco scents very often do smell rather more masculine; such as the various Cuir de Russie versions (Chanel, Creed, Piver etc), Miss Balmain and Jolie madame by Balmain, Caron's fierce Yatagan and smoky Tabac Blond , or Bandit by Piguet, lost semi-legend Jules by Dior and Bel Ami by Hèrmes. You will notice that there is a proliferation of both -marketed as- masculine and feminine scents in the above. Should we or shouldn't we classify them under chypre? The matter remains open for discussion.

Another cross-polination happens, involving woody undertones.
An example that would implicate those as well as a whiff of leathery castoreum is Antaeus by Chanel. Decidely butch, pheromonic almost and a powerhouse, it came out in 1981 by in-house perfumer Jacques Polge. It contains the pungency of male sweat and animalistic nuances with honeyed touches and much as I love it, I can't bring myself to don it on my person. The official notes listed (clary sage, lavender, myrrtle, labdanum, patchouli) do not include the classic accord of chypre despite the cool opening on an earthy animalistic background, yet one is hit with such a composition that might remind one of the family.
Shiseido's Basala is another one, as well as the original Armani Pour Homme.
There is some argument that coniferous elements such as pine essence as witnessed in Pino Sylvestre could be included in a subdivision of chypre.

The flip side of this confusion would be the lighter citrusy notes that might blurr the line between hesperidic and chypre. As chypre compositions contain a discernible citrusy pong via the inlusion of Calabrian bergamot, the notion isn't too far off.
Chanel Pour Monsieur could be such an example. Elegant, refined, conceived while Coco Chanel was still alive, it pays tribute to all the famous men she had known. Created in 1951 by Henri Robert, second nose in la maison Chanel after legendary Ernest Beaux, it plays on a sharp and clean citrusy top that includes lemon, petit grain (the essence rendered from the twigs and leaves of the Seville bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium) and neroli (the distilled essence of the flowers). It then segues to spicy notes of cardamon and white pepper that invite you closer, only to end on a whiff of cedar and vetiver that retains freshness and discretion for the wearer. Perhaps citrus-aromatic would be a closer categorisation.

And there are various decidedly masculine propositions that reek of the pungency of patchouli and vetiver, notes that are so much used for the modern chypres of the last few years.

Givenchy Gentleman, which is sometimes described as a woody oriental, is a beast of a patchouli perfume that remains untamed even though its name would suggest hand kisses and opening doors for you. He does, but then ravages you, ripping your bra off.
The original Aramis for Men could be another case in point, especially given -again!- the suave name that would belie its intentions that open on a crisp note of artemisia and bergamot. It has of course intense woodiness too, thanks to sandal, but with the elements of a classic chypre in place as well. Coupled with a pinstripe suit it goes out to the City to trade stocks and in the lunch break goes off for supposedly a gym session that is in reality an illicit tryst.
Why do such powerful and assertive masculine fragrances are given names that imply a more gentle approach? This could be the subject of another post...


For the time being, please offer your suggestions on masculine chypres and the reason why you classify them thus.

Picsfrom parfumsdepub

Femme by Rochas: fragrance review and associations

There are times when I reflect upon a fragrance to realise that it has been painted by the brush of a rampant personality, bigger than life, more enduring than the everyday routine. And those precious, troubling fragrances make it to my heart almost without my consent. Femme by Rochas , the glorious classic chypre, is one such fragrance, if only because I had learned a long time ago by a journalist friend that it was the signature scent of Melina Merkouri. Even Melina's name fits the rapport: it means "honeyed". I hadn't experienced this classic yet and when I did it was with this knowledge at the back of my mind.

Melina was a Greek actress and politician, famous from the cradle almost as she was the grand-daughter of a well-known mayor and the wife of acclaimed franco-american McCarthy "victim" director Jules Dassin. And her passionate campaign for the return of the Elgin/Parthenon Marbles to their birthplace assured a fond place in our hearts for her.
Those who have known her or even glimpsed a bit into her intense, passionate life and personality cannot forget her, even though it's been more than a decade she has been dead.
And although Femme was perhaps the first decisive foray into gourmand territory (by its creator's own admission: "very gourmande, very patiserrie") with its delectable fruity notes of succulent plum and peaches, it rested them on a bed of rather poignant amber and oakmoss base with powdery touches that suggested the hardship of the time it was conceived: World War II.

There is dryness alongside the initial lemony aldehydic spike and you'd be hard pressed to dissect individual notes, as the symphony unfolds on your skin.
Edmond Roudnitska used a methyl ionone compound he had smelled inside a forgotten barrel at a paint factory beside which he had been working during the rationed days of the war in 1944 Nazi-occupied Paris; this is when couturier Marchel Rochas came to him commisioning him a feminine scent for his beautiful young bride Helene.
And this is what gives Femme its sugarplum quality that contributed to its copious sensuality, of which a glimpse can be taken by looking at the curvaceous bottle originally encased in a lace-interlayed box.

A sensuality that Melina was not devoid of. In one of her most memorable films, Phaedra by Jules Dassin, she co-starred with Perfume Shrine's long-time favourite Anthony Perkins, as the wife of a tycoon who falls in love with her stepson, perpetuating the ancient Greek myth of Hippolytos and Phaedra...a tale of love and death, ερως και θανατος, like all Greek tales...

Here is a telling clip, with music by Mikis Theodorakis:


(uploaded by creepgreen)

There is a quality of intense drama in her persona, her tall lithe body moving with the grace of a feline but also the full tragic demeanour of a Hecuba or a Clytemnestra, coupled with sensitivity and what you feel is denied tenderness.
Her huge black eyes, burning coal embers under a handful of blond hair stare at you like cosmic lights.
The following clip from the 1949 staging of the play "A Streetcar named desire", in which she sings "Paper Moon" by Manos Hadjidakis, embodying Blanche DuBois, is testament to her power of penetrative gaze that sears through your soul much like Femme does to mine.


(uploaded by florentine7)


Here is an English translation of the song lyrics:

The sea shall bring birds
and the wind shall bring golden stars
that will caress your hair
and kiss your hand.
Paper moon, fake beach
If you believed in me a bit,
everything would be real.
Without your love
time goes by fast
Without your love
the world becomes more bitter

Femme was re-orchestrated in 1989 by Olivier Cresp, interlacing a daring cumin note of feminine sweat in spun sugar and lightening up somewhat the earthiness of the base. The new version is very likeable to me with its profound cinnamon oiliness and a little clove of fondant brandied compote and the louder drum bass of the very familiar dense ambery base of the 80s. Although the older version (circa 1960) is more ladylike and reserved, much like Melina was provocative in her personal life but without promiscuity in her public persona, the modern Eau de toilette is the real luscious bombshell with raunchy tendencies minus the retro feel, whereas the modern Eau de Parfum is more demure, if such a notion is applicable to Femme, and also less spicy.

Last but not least, for the delectation of our French (and Greek) speaking readers, here is a clip Melina made for the French TV, in which she accompanies the composer Manos Hadjidakis on a poignant song about the death of another era, the escape into dream and the inevitability of the end.
The way Femme elected to live in my dreams forever...

The song is called Kyr Antonis (=mister Anthony)(uploaded by Florentine7).


Notes for Femme:Top: Peach, Plum, berbamot, rosewood, lemon
Middle: jasmine, may rose, ylang ylang, orris, clove
Base: patchouli, musk, amber, civet, oakmoss, vanilla, benzoin, leather.

Pics of Femme ads courtesy of parfumdepub

Interview with a perfumer: Jean Jacques

It is always a pleasure to come across a young person who is entangled in the web of perfumery. Jean Jacques is such a young frenchman who has been immersing himself in scent to piquant effect, all the more so because he is what the French call nez; a nose ~that is a perfumer.


Jean Jacques however begun his career as a musician (as did another nose, Annick Goutal), much as I myself did; albeit with classical studies, in contrast to his jazz inclinations. I have thus always felt that the world of music is not that far off from the world of perfume: similar language of notes, chords, accords and rhythm balance each other in both realms, where beauty and innovation reigns supreme ~or should, at any rate. Both worlds antagonistic, one acclaimed professional outdoing the other in agilité and power of expression. This common ground makes me somehow feel a kindred spirit in Jean and prompted me to seek out his views.

He was already an accomplished pianist by the age of 16. And then one of those milestone incidents happened, as it so often does in life, when a friend of his mentioned ISIPCA, the Versailles school of perfumery. Jean was competing for a place both in the Conservatory and in ISIPCA, but the latter won his heart in the end. His artistic inclination found fertile soil in the fragrant universe and he likes to play with materials like puzzle pieces that nevertheless leave an indelible print in our memory.
After securing his degree in Biochemistry he entered ISIPCA and practiced at Quest International, alongside revered noses Pierre Bourdon and Maurice Roucel in 1993. From then on, next year found him at Kao Corporation, learning to create formulae and ameliorating his technique, while finally at 1997 he came to Takasago group, one of the great perfume companies today, producing his intriguing and diverse creations: Balmya for Balmain, Absolutely Givenchy, Ted Lapidus Pour Homme,Colors of Love for Guerlain, the Masaki Matsushima line, Oriflame Divine and Amethyst Fatale(collaborating with Francis Kurkdjian on the latter), L'or de Torrente, Silver Shadow Altitude for Davidoff and Lacroix's C'est la Fête; as well as the more utilitarian but lovely fruity, beachy scent of the Gamme Solaire Expertise (sunscreen range) for L'Oreal. Let's not forget that Takasago is a flavour and scent company, producing myriads of aroma-materials for various products.

Asked on the future of fragrance notes for the upcoming seasons, he said:

"Given the number of new perfumes, l'd like to think that maybe ingredients will take more importance, as Dior Homme's success is showing us. The question is money: will clients give us the means to use expensive materials? Also, dont forget brands need to sell: fruity notes have proven addictive and they will certainly continue to be used a lot for our pleasure."

This might come as a disappointment to perfume lovers who have had enough of fruity notes, but he does have a point, I guess.


But, now a little playful game cum interview to shed some light into this dark and fetching Frenchman's tastes!

What is your most cherished fragrant memory?
My mother's nightgown which I used as a sheet to sleep on when I was little.

What's your favourite spice?
Cumin.

Your favourite colour?
The primaries: red, blue, yellow.

What music to prefer to listen to?
Keith Jarett and The Koln Concert.

Your favourite season?
Has to be summer.

Favourite time of the day?
Morning, around 10 o'clock.

Which country do you like best?
I love France.

And what city, if at all?
It's Tokyo. {this came as a surprise!}

Do you have an everyday indulgence?
Yes, as a matter of fact; driving while listening to great music.

Which alcoholic beverage do you prefer?
I drink champagne.

And your favourite dish?
It's fillet mignon.

Do you have an idol, someone you admire a lot?
I idolise Rachmaninoff.

Who wouldn't ask a perfumer what perfume he hasn't created himself he admires a lot...So which is it?
Aromatics Elixir by Clinique.

Do you have a dream you hope it gets realised?
They are too many to even mention, surely.

Ending on that note, I hope his dreams get realised and that we are the lucky recipients of his fragrant ones, incarnated in sprites coming lithely out of crystal bottles.

Next week we continue with the Chypre Series: we tackle feminine and masculine propositions, as well as an important material.


Pic of Notre Dame by Conor McGowan/flickr
Pic of piano by Doug McPherson/blog.

Amethyst Fatale by Oriflame: fragrance review

Has it ever happened to you to completely dismiss something new merely on the value of past experiences and then be proved wrong? Surely it has! This is what happened to me with the newest perfume by Swedish skincare and cosmetics brand Oriflame, concerning their newest release Amethyst Fatale. Although I have sampled many of their products, I had always assumed that their fragrances are second in hierarchy after their skincare which forms the lion's share of their revenue anyway. Experiences with their fleeting specimens also contributed to a nonchalant view towards sampling more of them. Because although many were decent enough, their lasting power left something to be desired, which hinted at a cost-effective management decision.
Not so with their latest however. The first in the so-called Gem Collection, a line of scents that aims to be inspired by gemstones (obviously a big trend now if one judges by the similar offerings by Bulgari, Olivier Dubrano and Lalique) and focus on the perfumers themselves instead of the celebritoid du jour, managed to convince me that it might be worth a shot sporting it from time to time, especially as it has been created by Jean Jacques (responsible for Balmya, most of the Matsushima Masaki scents and L'or de Torrente) with the collaboration of one of my favourite noses, Francis Kurkdjian. And lo and behold, compliments ensued. Not a bad start!

According to Cosmeticsdesign-europe.com:

Sweden-based firm's new perfume is not marketed on the pull of fast moving celebrities, but on the role the perfumer behind the scent.
"A key trend in the fragrance market is the rise of signature fragrances and Gem Collection is tapping into that trend," said a spokesperson for Oriflame .
In the case of Amethyst Fatale, the signatory is the creator of the perfume, the well known "nose" Jean Jacques.
Oriflame's decision to use Jean Jacques' signature to market the new fragrance represents a new take on the endorsement idea.
"Consumers are becoming more aware of the complexity of perfumery and so educated consumers are likely to be drawn to fragrances that are endorsed by experts rather than celebrities," said Briony Davies from Euromonitor.

Perfumer Jean Jacques attempted to translate the Amethyst gemstone into a scent whilst being guided by the image of the femme fatale whose arresting beauty and gaze makes you dive into "an unexpected world of passion and danger". To complete this task, Jean Jacques used the iris.
"I could imagine in the elegant odour of the iris: powdery, soft and caressing, all of which echo the amethyst," said Jacques.

Amethyst with its deep purple colour (although there is a green variety as well, called prasiolite) is considered to make the wearer calm and in control of his various emotional levels. Its name derives from the Greek amethystos/αμεθυστος which means sober and is traditionally linked to protection from intoxication and to those born in the month of February. But don't let that stop you!
Its mythological root lies in the tale of Dionysus, god of wine and celebration, who was insulted by a mortal who didn't acknowledge him. Enraged, he spotted a young maiden named Amethyst. The unsuspecting girl, on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana, was detained and two tigers were summoned by the god to devour the youth. Amethyst cried out to Diana in despair and the goddess quickly transformed the young mortal into a glimmering white stone (known as “quartz”) to protect her. When he realized his wrongdoing Dionysus wept tears of wine onto the stone staining it purple, creating the gem we know today as amethyst.
Lovely tale, isn't it?


Iris and the colour purple are very au courant these days as well and with the charmingly pleasant experience of Prada Infusion d'Iris and the less exciting Iris Ganache by Guerlain in my short-term memory banks, I set out to explore another iris-based scent. This time it involved the smooth ambience of the modern chypre, a concept on which I talked in detail before.
Amethyst Fatale promises "pure fragrance intoxication. Combining warm amber notes with powdery iris and lush rose, this unpredictable scent refuses to be forgotten" according to Oriflame.

As I open the little glass vials of Eau de Parfum available for sampling, the impression of a chiaroscuro patchouli composition is greeting me with a wink. The feeling is far removed from the headshop and into the protection of clothes from moths, as was one of its primal uses. You can almost feel the tactile sensation of soft wools caressing your cheek as you open up an armoire with plush knits. Its crushed powder is gently folded in rosy liquid that recalls damp earth as if rained upon with the echo of distant thunder. The marriage of rose to patchouli is cemented in tradition but with the flair of a first-throes passion, as those two amorous lovers adore bringing each other's best points out: patchouli making the rosy petals unfurl indefinetely, mellowing them and anchoring the feminine smell; rose caressing the green leaves and rendering them softly powdery.
Francis Kurkdjian is of course famous for his modern rendition of roses -and abstract floral notes in general- such as in Guerlain'sRose Barbare, Ferre Rose, Narciso For Her or the re-issued Rumeur by Lanvin. And here I can see the mentor's influence.

The iris part might be contributing to the earthy feel I get as well, although to my nose this is not a predominantly iris scent, but rather a palimpsest. There is an element of powdery tonality that reminds one of white musks as used in popular renditions lately, as well as the slightly woody and vanillish whiff of benzoin. The impression is never too sweet and in that regard it is infinitely superior to most things currently put on a pedestral on perfume-store shelves and certainly to Armani Code whose bottle it might be argued that it vaguely reflects.
As it exits the scene in lento moves it does so with the gentle refinement of a lady who is assured of her attractiveness enough not to assume poses and goes for the subtle approach of white silk underwear instead of racy red lace.


Oriflame is available in European countries and overseas in the Americas and Asia, but not in the United States.
So, for our readers in the US I have a couple of samples I would be glad to offer if they enter a comment that they would like to receive one. Hurry while the offer lasts!

Stay tuned for an interview with Jean Jacques next!
Ad pic from Oriflame, ring pic courtesy of askDaveWest

Twin peaks~Aromatics Elixir and Earth by Apivita

Perfume Shrine is introducing a new feature: Twin Peaks.
Lynch inpired but lynch-free for the fragrances it aims to juxtapose and compare highlighting their similarities and kindred spirits.
I sure hope you enjoy finding some smell-alikes for things you were either scared of, unsure of, broke for or just bored to go hunting down following their lamented discontinuation.



The first duo on this feature is Aromatics Elixir (which has already been reviewed the other day here) and Earth by Apivita.

Apivita is an old Greek brand, founded in 1979 which goes

"back to a small pharmacy, owned by Niki and Nikos Koutsianas. Being both passionately fond of natural products and having great respect for Classical Greek philosophy, they created a line of soaps and shampoos based on bee products: honey, propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen. Their first brand, Dermoline, later named Propoline"

The brand quickly flourished thanks to their natural approach that utilised the best products of the rich Greek flora and of bees. "Api" stads for the api-doings they use in their excellent products and "vita" means of course life. Life through the workmanship of bees, then! Not a bad idea from a biological standpoint.
Today they are a leading brand on natural based products and aromatherapy offerings, focusing on the use of top quality essential oils and encompassing many different categories for the care of face, body, hair, pregnancy, babies, health and balance as well as aromatheurapetic and fragrant products. (You can visit their site here).

It was the latter that caught on in the eyes of the american public through the immense success of their Euphoria line: a fragrant eau de toilette, shower gel, body lotion and body scrub with notes of ylang ylang, vanilla and white chocolate that melted under your hands and hypnotised the senses.

And then recently they came out with a series of "soli-scents" (for lack of a better word) that focus on one respective element using natural essences as much as possible, for which they have already become well respected, but with a certain depth and complexity in the simple ideas laid out as well.

Of those 7 scents, Earth was the one that immediately caught my fancy, although I liked others as well, Jasmine being another one.
The familiar tang of relation to something old and enjoyed from afar dawned on me and I realised this is the younger, more wearable version of Aromatics Elixir.
Earth shares many common notes with the afore mentioned Clinique fragrance as well as the concept of aromatheurapeutic effect on the psyche. It is even advertised as having a positive energy surrounding it that you might want to share with the world.

Its intense patchouli base allied to sandalwood is unmistakeable and accounts for much of the impression it gives me of being close to Aromatics Elixir. Rosewood and a floral heart of ylang ylang add some airy, slightly soapy element whereas a mix of spices -of which clove bud is listed but I perceive many- and bitter mossy touches render the whole into a composition that transports one into a sensual realm of power and desire.
Because the company uses the mythological reference of Hera and talks about fertility (a Goddess concept to be sure) and because the cinematic associations with Excalibur were still fresh in my memory from the other day, I thought the clip below wasn't very far off from what I perceive it in my mind to convey.


(uploaded by rottenweasel on youtube)

If Aromatics Elixir is akin to the darker, bewitching powers of Morgana Le Fey, the scent of a villaness, Earth is simpler and unaffected, reflecting the innocence of the youth of Igrayne and her fertile womb, soon to carry the seed that would culminate in a legend. The dance sequence from the film is indicative of the slightly submissive stance that Igrayne takes to her husband and yet there is desire, ecstacy and lust in her movements that prompts Uther to his utterances despite the severe cost he would pay.
What the clip doesn't show is Uther, animated by highly charismatic Gabriel Byrne, literally spits at the end of the challenge by Igrayne's husband, ready to break the alliance and siege the castle.
I am not sure whether men would literally fight for a woman wearing Earth ,minus the skimmed-milk complexion and strawberry blonde tresses of Katrine Boorman, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try!

You can find Earth by Apivita at b-glowing and Amazon. There is a bigger 50ml/1.7oz glass bottle and a smaller 10ml/0.3oz bottle that is very cute and practical for your purse or travel.

Pic of twins by Diane Arbus via Transidex. Pic of Earth bottle courtesy of b-glowing.

Not another commercial!

I stumbled upon this lethal CHANEL commercial, originally found by Octavian Coifan, with actor Tim Duquette and directed by Marcel Langenegger.
It just begged for commentary, don't you think?



(Uploaded by TIMDNYC on Youtube) Click to watch.




The chronology of the commercial can be indirectly guessed as late 90s, judging from the jewels on the woman who plays Coco Chanel herself. I distinctly remember the white cuff bracelet with the beaded pattern emerging sometime in the 1997/1998 collections, leafing past issues of Vogue. If you want to get a glimpse of the newer bangles by the house of Chanel, those depicted here are very nice and wearable.
It was in 1922 that Coco, known as Mademoiselle, among anyone mentioning her name in her vicinity in later life, issued the most iconic designer perfume, No.5; and the year she used jersey, a humble material used for masculine underwear, as her foray into fashion modernity and avant-garde. Costume jewelry would follow as well as her famous jacket and the little black dress.

To revert to perfumed matters, ésprit de parfum means of course "the spirit of the perfume" and is a concentration very much favoured by Christian Dior Parfums among others, but basically it contains the ratio of essences vs. ethanol and water that we more often than not call Eau de parfum.
However Chanel has invested a great deal in branding our memories with the "L'ésprit de Chanel" tagline for its Coco scent ~and from then on for the whole line of products; and besides ésprit evokes a spiritual rite of passage, as if it contained something much more ethereal than the mundane cosmos of aromachemicals alongside some natural essences that it actually does. This is cunning advertising of course but also an allusion to the powers of olfaction to affect our mood and enhance flights of fancy, which is something quite tangible for perfume addicionados like ourselves.

In this specific commercial nevertheless it takes another not so subtle meaning, denoting the essence, the spiritual core and soul of those women who have been "harvested" almost, like flowers, to render their most precious essences. Recalling to mind the german book "Das Parfum" (last year reprised as a film titled "Perfume: The story of a Murderer"), in which Greneouille, the anti-hero, seeks out the best of humanity in the rare essence of untouched virgin beauties, using a technique similar to enfleurage to render a concrete that would mesmerise the world with its profound innocence and beauty. If only human essence could be captured, imagine how poignant farewells and break-ups could be or how memories of loved ones could linger on for ever.

Yet the commcercial also brings to mind the vats of formaldehyde and other preserving agents in which bodies are kept in such films of science fiction such as Alien, Event Horizon or The Matrix. I find this touch particularly ironic, as it might have been intentional as a tongue-in-cheek innuendo to the fact that Chanel No.5 contains synthetic ingredients. However recent occurences while bloggers visited the Chanel laboratory and appartment (allegedly house perfumer Jacques Polge uttered the dubious line that No.5 contains only natural ingredients) make me think that this is not meant for the masses and it is either my mind playing tricks on me or a very subtle hint by the director.

The vaguely forensics scene of the body of the woman and the drops of blood or -indeed, essence- of hers diluted in a pint of other liquid is a nod to detective stories and CSI-directed shows, which are quite popular by all accounts.
The sparse bottle apothecary style with the slanted writting on it, as it came from a latin-inscribed chest of drawers in a pharmacy is indicative of the spirit in which the spartan architectural bottle was conceived, if not in historical accuracy, then at least in a matter of kindred spirits.
The frightened look on the perfumer's face (which is of course quite different that the one of actual perfumer Ernest Beaux)and his tentative gesture that denotes the number five, to communicate the reply to the question how many women were murdered for this, is another playful take on the infamous tale on how Chanel No.5 came to its numerical "name".

All in all, this is probably the most beguiling commercial for Chanel No.5 I have come across, exactly because it is so contrary to every image of glamour and romance reiterated before it. It transpires as a little gruesome, a little cruel, which is not au contraire to the real ésprit de Chanel, a person who would have served time in jail for WWII treason (her affair with the Nazi officer) had it not been for her highly placed connections and Churchill's pardon. And it makes one feel that it doesn't have to do with glamour at all but with inner need that resonates with the subconsious. A very apt concept for a very imaginative commercial.

Pic by afternoonrain/flickr

Lucky draw for Daisy mini: the winner!

As promised I did put names in a hat for the lucky draw I had announced on my Daisy by Marc Jacobs review and the winner is none other than Divina. I bet this would fit nicely with her miniature collection.
Please mail me with an address so I can send this out to you!

Aromatics Elixir by Clinique: fragrance review

If you have ever wandered in a dark, damp forest you know the smell of dead leaves trampled underfoot and grasses soaked with bog water. But do you know what trolls smell like? Do you know what the enchanted forest vibrates of? You feel it in the air, you know it in your flesh, the waters speak of it in hushed murmurs...
Elixir. Aromatics Elixir.

The old scent by lab-coated cosmetic giant has nothing clinical about it. Except perhaps for its potency which is phenomenal, accounting for it being immediately recognisable and perceived within a 10-mile radius. It is the one singular scent, a very characteristic chypre, I always compliment on its wearers yet find stifling when I wear it myself. Maybe this is why it introduced the infamous "spray and walk into the mist" technique. It had to! But then "walk into the mist" is so evocative a phrase anyway.

Composed in 1971 by master perfumer Bernard Chant, the same man who created the headstrong Cabochard, a personal favourite for all the right reasons, it bears the powerful signature of intense patchouli and moss in the arms of sandalwood and vetiver. With a base like that it brings to mind the german forests of the brothers Grimm and the scandinavian mythology. The sudden entrance into an apocryphal cave where creation must have begun, in the guts of the earth, fans out powdery notes of coumarin and rose and the bitter taste of good soap. Humble chamomille is mocking you as you bend to pick up some to only come face to face to poisoined mushrooms.

With its dramatic, sad and intense tonality, it reminds me of Aase's Death by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, from "Peer Gynt" (Suite No. 1, Op. 46)
Click to listen to it.


(Uploaded by skszyp on youtube)

This is no laughing matter! No fairies or elves lurk in the dark corners, no Shakespearian lightness, no redemption for the frail of heart. It takes bravado and cojones to wear it and to be prepared to burn in its embrace. Into the embrace of the Dragon, where all things meet their opposites. The future and the past; desire and regret; knowledge and oblivion; and love....oh yes...
Excalibur came as a most welcome shocker to my novice eyes back in 1981, when it introduced me to what later became an obsession and almost a thesis. With its ingenious choice of thespian extraordinaire Nicol Williamson, its ravishing villainess in Helen Mirren alongside other wonderful choices following the masterful baguette of John Boorman it filled my mind with the beautiful, magical imagery of the emerald isle where it was shot and with the gruesome realism of medieval battle coupled with the romanticism of Morte d'Arthur.


Click for a quick taste.

(uploaded by kipesquire on youtube)

Recently there has been a Velvet Sheer version of Aromatics Elixir out (a seemingly oily gel that does contain alcohol nevertheless per Clinique, in a beautiful clear splash bottle with a clear glass top). Lighter, younger, much more wearable, playing up on a more subtle approach of more chamomille and a less animalic base, minus the civet and deep moss.
So if you have qualms, maybe now is the time to step into the enchanted forest and reap the aromatheuraputic benefits it has been purported to have on the psyche since its creation all that time ago. The body products are also an excellent choice as their scent really lingers.
However the old version in parfum is still something to hold in awe, even if you do not like it.

Like Merlin says: "A dream to some, a nightmare to others". Couldn't be more aptly said for Aromatics Elixir.