Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactives 05 Shanghai: new fragrance

Guerlain already boasts 4 fragrances in the boutique collection "Une ville, un parfum": the original three, Paris, Moscou, New York and 2011's entry London 04. This year sees a new launch in the city fragrances line, inspired by the vast Chinese culture (and with an eye on its untapped market, no doubt).

The new perfume, 5th in the Guerlain series "Les Voyages Olfactives" (Olfactory Journeys), is dedicated to Shanghai, a Chinese metropolis which was also the background on which the venerable Vetiver pour Elle sprang from (hence its duty-free original distribution).

Guerlain Shanghai is composed by in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser and is noted for its freshness and delicacy which are the hallmarks of the collection.

Guerlain Shanghai is a woody floral scent comprising fragrant notes of anise, orange blossom, almond, cardamom, ylang-ylang, jasmine, iris, mimosa, cedarwood, patchouli, vanilla and sandalwood.

The bottle is designed by the legendary designer Serge Mansau depicting Shanghai's famous Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower.
The new Guerlain fragrance will be available in 100 ml in Eau de Parfum concentration.

Guerlain Shanghai is a woody floral scent comprising fragrant notes of anise, orange blossom, almond, cardamom, ylang-ylang, jasmine, iris, mimosa, cedarwood, patchouli, vanilla and sandalwood. The bottle is designed by the legendary designer Serge Mansau depicting Shanghai's famous Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower. The new Guerlain will be available in 75 ml in Eau de Parfum concentration.

 info via mrguerlain with many thanks for his dedication

"Mascara frames the eyes but perfume will always leave a long lasting impression"

Thus says Jill Hill, MD of Aspects Beauty Company in Harvey Nichols.Little wonder that in times of economic uncertainty, women won't compromise on this one beauty treat. "People trade to smaller sizes, look for promotions or retreat to safe classics," affirms Jill. "In Harvey Nichols Dublin the DSquared2 fragrances are very popular due to their fresh, woody elements and Trussardi's signature scents Uomo and Donna are selling well." Of course perfume tastes evolve and as women gain self-confidence they tend to go for what they want in a more assured way. Which can get reactions from those not sharing her tastes...

 According to Tanya Sweeney, author of the article in the Herald.ie (with the rather confusing sub-header) from which the quotes come from, "women aren't the only ones to either love or loathe the way you smell. In fact, one male friend has even used the word 'dealbreaker' while referring to the fragrance choice of a potential girlfriend. The Smell & Taste Treatment & Research Foundation in Chicago has researched men's reactions to perfume ... and the results are startling. Natural, 'clean' fragrances like Christian Dior's J'Adore * were a favourite; woody fragrances were also popular, while florals (like roses) didn't rate too highly.[...] Notes Jill: "In a woman, men prefer floral orientals, femininity and allure."

And the author continues: "Vanilla notes in perfume are particularly attractive to men as it subconsciously reminds men of breast milk. [ed.note: And you thought men have progressed beyond the Freudian!]  "This is well known," says Jill. Vanilla is a sweet scent which occurs naturally. It is such a comforting smell that Johnson's Baby Powder has it, which of course has a childhood nostalgia for many people."
Likewise, citrusy perfumes may be too young and overpowering for many men. "The fact that there are very few successful overtly citrus fragrances perhaps tells a story," suggests Jill. "Fruity or gourmand fragrances seem to appeal to women, rather than to men. Some authors ascribe this to the fact that in ancient times women were the gatherers and the smell of berries and fruit was associated with their tribal function, rather than their personal function as mates." [there you go, there's an anthropological explanation for everything!]

*whether you find J'Adore "clean" or "natural" is purely subjective; I find it neither particularly.

It all makes for interesting discussion, eh? What do YOU think? 


Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Perfumes that Attract Men and Smells which Turn Women On

Perfume Term Definition: Aromatic & Herbaceous

Among perfume terms which are used to describe fragrances some are more confusing than others: what defines a dry scent, what is a balsamic smell and, come to think of it, is aromatic what immediately leaps to mind? One might be inclined to think the descriptor denotes something "having an aroma" or something to do with scent in general, as in "aromatherapy". Yet, in perfumery jargon the term "aromatic" means something more precisely defined.

lavender field in Luberon, South of France

 Strictly speaking, the chemical definition relates aromatic to materials rich in benzene, a conjugated cyclic carbon compound found in organic matter (also known as arene). Penhaligon's Douro is an example, if you need to put a smell to a name. Aromatic in layman speak refers to smells that have a rustic scent, with a certain freshness, often in relation to herbal notes; some sources correlate it even to some balsams and resins. "Aren't balsams and resins generally sweetish, though?", you ask.
You see, the term 'aromatic' was originally assigned before the physical mechanism determining aromaticity was discovered, and was derived from the fact that many of the benzene hydrocarbon compounds have a sweet scent in themselves. It's safe to say that in perfumery parlance aromatic has gradually gained a specific nuance, that of agrestic, green-herbal and with a camphorous hint, like that in pure lavender essence. The character is vivid, assertive, lively and fresh, one of mental clarity, invigoration and awareness; associations prominently exploited by functional perfumery (i.e. the industry catering for scented functional products instead of fine fragrances for oneself).
In fine fragrance this lively, refreshing ambience is wonderfully caught in Baime by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier. Aromatic notes are therefore not bitter like oakmoss, but not typically syrupy sweet either! Smell the petrol-like opening of Guerlain's Jicky, rich in lavender buttressed by fresh bergamot and you're there (the fragrance soon acquires warmer, naughtier characteristics nevertheless which go beyond the aromatic).

 The herbaceous term -in differentiation of "woody" as in botany- is more of a descriptor than a proper classification: it encompasses such frequent perfumery materials as chamomile, lavender, rosemary, thyme, mint, spearmint, sage, clary sage and even celery, as well as marjoram, oregano and basil. Obviously the materials themselves derive from a herbal plant source, so the term isn't as confusing.
Most people familiar with dabbling in food-making like me, especially ethnic cuisines, know them from their kitchen cabinet. Whenever I cook with these herbs (and it is often, accounted by my Mediterranean origins) I find myself engrossed and enraptured by this humble and humbling splendor of nature; these small stems and leaves are so rich in nuance, so colorful in painting a verdant countryside basking under a benevolent sun, so childlike and at the same time old-wise that I can't but feel overwhelmed by the majestic force of the natural world all over again, like when I was but a mere toddler.

These herbaceous materials couple very well with citruses and spices, lending themselves to both unisex and masculine perfumery, without nevertheless eschewing feminine fragrances ~though the "pure" specimens are rare there, such as Granville by Dior's more upscale private line La Collection Couturier Parfumeur or Donna Karan's Essence Lavender.

Lavender, a par excellence aromatic substance, is a very common ingredient in perfumery, thanks to its linalool freshness and its pleasant association with the outdoors and cleanliness; it's no accident that lavender forms one of the three pillars of the "fougère"/fern family (term explained here). It's therefore natural that ferny smells should be coupled with lavender and other aromatic materials: the two have overlapping facets. This is why you will often see the term "aromatic fougère" brandished in masculine fragrances: this sub-classification within the fougère group indicates a heavier use of refreshing herbal notes in the formula providing a sense of chillness, of immediate freshness, especially since most herbal, aromatic notes are effervescent, i.e. "top notes" in terms of the scent's evaporation arc. Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche pour Homme is a perfect example of the genre .

The aromatic descriptor can feature as a supporting player to other stories: In Clinique's Wrappings for instance the aromatic top beautifully highlights the juniper wood of the base. Herbaceous accents can put a classic, cologne-like, aromatic character to a composition, due to association with the traditional Eau de Cologne which fuses herbal notes with hesperidia to render a sharp, tonic scent. The 4711 brand has even created modern variations on the theme in recent years: 4711 Acqua Colonia Lavender & Thyme, 4711 Acqua Colonia Juniper Berry & Marjoram, 4711 Acqua Colonia Melissa & Verbena.
They can also contrast beautifully with a resinous note, like in Encens et Lavande by Serge Lutens where the herbaceous brightness of lavender provides the light in the dusk of the incense. Eau de Jatamansi by L'Artisan Parfumeur is a more straight-forward specimen, where the resinous spikenard gains freshness through the reinforcement of herbaceous accents. The herbaceous facet of rose oxides is played to great effect in Calandre by Paco Rabanne, where the freshness of the composition is thus enhanced effectively.

 For all it's worth, perhaps showcased by the meaning of context above, not all herbs provide purely herbaceous/aromatic notes in perfumery: for example oregano, tarragon (to a lesser degree), basil and marjoram can be described as quasi-spicy, thanks to their rich ratio in piquant molecules which tingle the nostrils, much like the exotic dried spices in the kitchen cabinet do, albeit with a slightly different nuance. Even sage has a slightly peppery flavor. Conversely, although Chinese star anise is routinely considered a spice, its high ratio in anethole (the molecule also present in anise and dill) gives it a herbaceous edge.
Pronouncing a judgment on a fragrance that relies heavily upon those elements one might be technically describing a "herbaceous", but the perceived effect could be spicy. Manifesto by Isabella Rosellini for instance relies on the tingling note of basil, a material rich in eugenol (much like cloves), which immediately translates as "spicy" to one's mind. Pronouncing Manifesto therefore as a spicy scent isn't far from the truth, no matter the source of the effect lies in the garden rather than the Indian market. As in everything when attempting to communicate thoughts, it's important to distinguish whether one speaks from a scholarly or a purely personal perception point of view.

pics via nicenfunny.com and aromablog.ru

Etat Libre d'Orange The Afternoon of a Faun & Dangerous Complicity: new fragrances

Etat Libre d'Orange have stunned us with Jasmin et Cigarette and Like This. They have surprised us pleasantly with Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes and Archives 69. They have had our jaw dropped on the floor with Secretions Magnifiques in a most memorable way. And now, set for release for October 2012, the French niche brand is issuing something that has me reminiscing of the days when I was practicing for piano solos at the Conservatoire, listening from the adjoining rooms all the other musicians practicing as well; namely a fragrance inspired by a most famous musical piece, L'apres midi d'un faune by Claude Debussy set into a ballet infamously by Nijinsky.
And to follow, there's yet another fragrance launched in autumn 2012 stepped in the myth of original sin...

The symphonic poem by Debussy derives its theme of the wanderings of a mythological creature, a faun, symbol of the wild forest life, from another source too: the erotically charged poem by Stéphane Mallarmé, The Afternoon of a Faun (1876).

 "The pomegranates burst and murmur with bees; 
And our blood, aflame for her who will take it, 
Flows for all the eternal swarm of desire. 
At the hour when this wood's dyed with gold and with ashes. 
A festival glows in the leafage extinguished: 
Etna! 'tis amid you, visited by Venus 
On your lava fields placing her candid feet, 
When a sad stillness thunders wherein the flame dies." [excerpt]

The new Etat Libre d'Orange fragrance romantically named The Afternoon of a Faun is composed by perfumer is Ralf Schwieger (of Lipstick Rose fame) and will include notes of bergamot, pepper, cinnamon, incense, immortelle (everlasting flower), orris, myrrh, leather, benzoin. Sounds like the erotic dream of the amorous faun is passed on into the olfactory domain now...



 Etat Libre d'Orange also issues another fragrance, Dangerous Complicity, inspired by Adam and Eve and their loaded story in the garden of Eden; a charged olfactory composition that will create talk thanks to its ingredients if nothing else. Perfume Violaine Collas combined Rum Jungle Essence by Mane, ginger JE, coconut JE, bay essence, calamus essence, osmanthus absolute, Egyptian jasmine absolute, ylang ylang essence, lorenox (an aromatic woody-leathery base developed by Mane), patchouli essence, a leather accord, sandalwood, and Cashmeran.

music: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, L'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, directed by Charles Édouard Dutoit.

The winner of the draw...

...for the Lutens purse sprayer is Katrina. Congratulations and please send me your shipping data in an email using the Contact so I can have this in the mail for you shortly.

Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!

By Kilian Good Girl Gone Bad, Forbidden Games, In the City of Sin: new fragrances

After the Eastern-inspired Asian Tales fragrances released very recently by Kilian, a new triad with naughty-evocative names is the next project of the Hennessy heir, stepping into the Garden of Good and Evil.
As you can read below there is a bit of seducer/sinner hyperbole in the ad copy, which might -just might- create expectations beyond the realistic or adversely open up the gates of ridicule among the snarkier perfume aficionados...but that remains to be seen. (They also have a Prohibited in Colors clutch bags collection right now exclusively at Harvey Nichols Pacific Place Level 1 Kilian counter)

What do you think of the following descriptors? Tickling or Ticking? The notes sound very tempting at any rate!

 "Good Girl Gone Bad is a composition of fruits and flowers, a perfume as bewitching as bursts of laughter, a barrier moved beyond, a forgotten prohibition. The fragrance opens on the fresh sweetness of a floral nectar. The ephemeral innocence of the petals of Jasmine Sambac connects with the tender, apricot-kissed tonalities of Osmanthus. The resulting voluptuousness is barely suggested but insidiously addictive, completed by the honeyed facets of the Rose of May. The heart gives way to the troubling and fascinating character of Indian Tuberose. Its round milky notes give off a floral opulence, saturated by toxic Narcissus. This combination brings an unexpected green tension, a unique narcotic depth. A sillage of Amber Vegetal passionately envelops all this floral beauty in a warm and sensual veil, irresistibly feminine. Over it all, the White Cedar confers a dense and powerful woodsiness, like a final vibration.

 Forbidden Games embraces the temptation that leads to wild abandon. The dark addictive nectar of fruits mesmerizes, teasing and seducing the senses. Forbidden Games opens on a potpourri of fruits—Apple, Peach, Plum— spiced by Cinnamon bark of Laos. Then the perfume advances into a lush, exuberant floral heart—Bulgarian Rose Orpur, Geranium Bourbon, and Midnight Jasmine— before disappearing slowly into a sweet confection of Madagascar Vanilla, Laotian Honey, and the spellbinding resinous oil of Opopanax.

  In the City of Sin is a place of extreme temptation where every street corner offers the possibility of impromptu encounters and seductions. In the City of Sin embodies the temptation that leads to carnal desire. This fragrance is a rich composition of Fruits and Spices, Flowers and Woods, in which the essence of fruits liquefies and melts onto the heady woods. As an opening, we meet an explosion of Bergamot of Calabria, Pink Peppercorns and Cardamom from Guatemala. The perfume then evolves into a heart of Apricots and caramelized Plums held in check by the Turkish Rose Absolute. A light haze of Indonesian Incense entrances and then lends a profound depth, further sustained by Atlas and Virginia Cedar woods and rich Indonesian Patchouli."


Let me hereby reveal other names for By Kilian fragrances soon to be implementing the line: Dangerously in Love, Light my Fire, and Kisses don't Lie [ed.n: oh yes, they do!]

descriptions via press release

Tom Ford Le Jardin Noir collection~Cafe Rose, Jonquille de Nuit, Lys Fume and Ombre de Hyacinth: new fragrances

The new fragrances introduced in the populous Tom Ford Private Line are united under the concept of 'dark' flowers in the new collection Jardin Noir with purple-tinged labels on uniform black bottles. The Jardin Noir collection by Tom Ford includes Café Rose (Coffee Rose, a floral based on rose), Jonquille de Nuit (Night Jonquil, a "yellow floral" based on narcissus), Lys Fumé (Smoky Lily, a spicy animalic with lily) and Ombre de Hyacinth [sic] (Hyacinth's Shadow, an earthy floral featuring green hyacinth), according to WWD.

The new fragrances in the Tom Ford Le Jardin Noir Private Line will be available in 50ml Eau de Parfum concentration, aimed at both sexes, wherever the private line is stocked.

Please consult this link to see which of the Tom Ford Private Blend fragrances are kept in production and which are discontinued to make room for the new ones.

Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule: fragrance review & draw

The majestic scent of sandalwood stands as the benevolent Hitopadeśa tales of the Far East, a fan of fantasy woven in didactic morals for princes, much like the precious real fans carved out of the prized wood for cooling off in the intense heat of the Indian peninsula; rich, milky-smelling, with a hint of incense and fresh greenery at times, still retaining their scented glamour as decades go by. The intimate, elegant aura of woody fragrances finds its apogee in sandalwood; perfumes plush and collapsingly soft but with the promise of intelligence. Santal Majuscule by Serge Lutens just comes to reinforce this notion as introduced on these pages a while ago, being the perfect sandalwood starter fragrance for those seeking such a thing, but also a welcome Lutensian offering to make me fall again headfirst into his Alice in Wonderland private cosmos I found myself tangled in ever since he issued the sumptuous La Myrrhe. Lutens however remains Lutens: the orient is ever present, but it is the occident which defines his torturing demons. His new Santal Majuscule is an assured step in his Camino de Perfección, modeled after St.Teresa of Ávila whose Latin motto seals the fate of the fragrance: is it the throes of passion or the throes of divine ecstasy that mark the lines of her face? Where does one end and the other begin? Her devotion of silence is symbolic of the enigmatic nature of the Lutensian opus itself.

 "Pride must be celebrated. Thus the boy, clad in armor and perched on his horse, along with a terrible princess in full mourning dress, pictured himself arriving at the Coronation Mass to the sound of thundering hooves, just at the moment of the transubstantiation, that very moment when the priest holds the host up to the cross, to the one agonizing on it."

"As you know, there are a wide variety of sandalwoods. Mysore is one that has been subjected for some time to a hidden trafficking. I had used it in the mid 90s, during the creation of Santal de Mysore. Santal Blanc is another thing. Regarding Santal Majuscule, this is an Australian sandalwood, high quality, but with this release, I 'sensationalized' it so much that in the end, it is impossible to tell if it comes from India, Australia or elsewhere. What interests me is what I can do with it. Moreover, using sandalwood for itself alone would be a little 'Sandalwood of misery'...."               Serge Lutens quote from  interview bestowed to Elena Vosnaki

It's not hard to see why sandalwood ~despite having another two in the line already (Santal Blanc recently being moved into the Paris exclusives line to couple with the resident Santal de Mysore)~ was picked yet again as the foundation on which Lutens built his church, to paraphrase another religious reference. Sandalwood is the natural product par excellence, nature's agony and ecstasy: a scent so fine, so rich and yet with a fresh top note, so creamy sweet and so enduring, that it has inspired generations of men and women to harvest its precious, sacred trunk in order to imbue products for personal, religious and public use with its fine aroma. Although as explained in my Raw Material Sandalwood article the Mysore variety is rationed for fear of depletion (hence the wealth of synthetic sandalwood substitutes enumerated), the polished silkiness of the Indian variant could be mimicked creatively only by the choicest wizards of perfumery. And who more excellent than the mercurial figure of Serge Lutens to offer us a vista into the orientalia of a "nouveau sandalwood"?

The maestro revealed to me in an interview (replete with his childhood reminiscences of classroom ennui) that Santal Majuscule is technically based on the Australian sandalwood variety (which smells different), but I can attest the perfume ends up smelling like an radiant attar procured somewhere close to King Víkrama's lion-throne, creamy and luminous in its rose-distillate facets, sprinkled with promise of cocoa and soft spices (cinnamon), silky sheen with a hint of orange blossom honey and sweet incense in the background. After all, Lutens managed to inject a delicious effect of sandalwood in his savory gourmand fragrance Jeux de Peau, where the impression is again built on fantasy.
 For Santal Majuscule, perfumer Chris Sheldrake and Lutens weaved the familiar web of woody tonalities which they have composed a thesis and a meta-thesis on, ever since Feminite du Bois (the latter alongside Pierre Bourdon). But whereas their other woody compositions can veer dark and rather brooding (see the patchouli & cocoa fantasy of Borneo) and we know from Iris Silver Mist and Tubereuse Criminelle the master has a taste for the morose and the morbid, here the treatment is smiling; petal-soft, sweetish (but never much) and with an elegance and refined allure that defies preconceived notions. The rose is perceptible, but not "dated", The apricoty tinge gives just the right fruity, almost edible tenderness, an ally to the liqueur-like essence of Damask rose and the creaminess of the woods. But the fragrance is far from his Rahat Loukhoum gourmand quality you can give yourself cavities with, making it pliable enough for people who don't like double helpings of anything.

The composition of Santal Majuscule also defies ~especially upon drying down on the skin~ the familiar, been-there-done-that rose attar model of the Middle East: that traditional "A Thousand and One Nights" melange of rose and sandalwood, as recognizable as Aladdin's cave in the desert. The longer the fragrance stays on skin (and it stays on very long) the more it gains a skin-scent aura of musk and honey, animalic yet elegant, with an addictive character, unisex and inviting; like living, breathing, caressed human skin this close to the throes of (divine?) ecstasy.  As Serge says: "Obey what you smell, feel, love. Do not obey what you're told, and do not believe it too much!"[from same interview to the author]
Given all this, I just can't wait for Une Voix Noire, his next installment in the canon.

Compared to the other two sandalwood fragrances in the Serge Lutens line of perfumes, Santal Majuscule is less sweet than Santal Blanc, less daring and austere than Santal de Mysore. Contrasted with that other golden standard of sandalwood perfumes, Tam Dao by Diptyque, I find myself ensnared by the Lutens, mainly because where Tam Dao used to be true and rich, it now boasts a pronounced pencil-shavings cedarwood note which limits its prior rich versatility.

Santal Majuscule is available in Eau de Parfum "haute concentration" (i.e. the slightly pricer than normal black label line of high concentration) at Les Salons du Palais Royal in Paris and online. Starting September 1st 2012 the new "export" fragrance will be sold worldwide.

A generous decant sprayer of the latest Lutens perfume is available for one lucky reader! Please let me know in the comments what you like or not about Lutens and sandalwood perfumes in general. Draw is open till Friday 27th midnight internationally. Draw is now closed, thanks everyone for participating.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Serge Lutens perfume reviews & news, Sandalwood in Perfumery, Woody Fragrances


pic of statue via thecoincidentaldandy.blogspot.com

Interview with Trudi Loren and Tarek Atrissi for Aramis Calligraphy

"I think there are very few fragrances that are still on the market after 50 years that are classics. The Aramis brand itself is still in the top 20 in many countries around the world and in fact is number one in several. A classic fragrance is one which has sophistication, a signature and is identifiable with quality raw materials." Thus proclaims (quite rightly) Trudi Loren, vice-president of corporate fragrance development worldwide for Aramis, who says Calligraphy by Aramis contains rose and jasmine absolutes alongside a lot of natural notes; petrulli, cardamom and myrrh.

Estée Lauder launches Calligraphy with a special proviso: created specifically for the Arab region and designed for women and men, its aim is to commemorate the founding of its iconic fragrance house Aramis almost 50 years ago.

 The graphically heavy bottle is the artwork of graphic designer Tarek Atrissi, who says "Calligraphy in Latin is one word but in Arabic it's two, and that became the whole concept to play with; mixing the two words and mixing the contrasts of the project. For example, because as it's a genderless scent the design had to appeal to men and women so the two words are very contrasting in style. One is more geometric script and the other is more organic, traditional, artistic script. Also mixed in there is the idea of tradition meeting the contemporary."

 Quotes and whole interview on The National.

Coca-Cola Notes in Perfumes: The Tingling, Sweet, Spicy Side of Fun

Whenever you hear "Have a Coke," you hear the voice of America. Passport to refreshment. Happy moment of hospitality. Coke means Coca-Cola. (1945) Refreshment the whole world prefers. The cold, crisp taste of Coke.(1958) The favorite drink for ladies when thirsty, weary, and despondent. Good all the way down. Flows from every fountain. Sold in bottles. (1905)
~From Coke advertising slogans

Coca Cola and the cola-type soft drinks similar in flavor (Pepsi being the other giant, utilizing a slightly different recipe) create their own little scent universe. Sometimes, the association with the flavor is so very strong that perfume lovers seem to "catch" a cola note in their perfumes!

In fact Donna Karan advertises its DKNY Delicious Candy Apples Ripe Rasberry limited edition as having a base redolent of coca-cola notes! Grabazzi by Gendarme is another one. But there are other fragrances, which their makers wouldn't think of promoting as reminiscing the popular soft drink: Lauder's Youth Dew and the flanker Youth Dew Amber Nude most definately conjure the aftertaste of a delicious can of Coca Cola. Is it any accident they're more American than the statue of Liberty? America loves Coca Cola and I can well see why!
The French are not immune either: Spray a spritz of classic YSL Opium spicy oriental perfume (in the Eau de toilette concentration especially) and you distinctly find among the spicy bouquet the familiar cinnamon-orange goodness of Coke. Parfumeur niche release Mon Numero 10 has a drydown redolent of the famous soda. Dior's Dolce Vita hints at it, having this sweet, thick-ish undercurrent to differentiate it from Feminite du Bois (Shiseido) from whence it sprang, Athena-like from the leg of Zeus—or perfumer Pierre Bourdon's in this case.  Musc Ravageur by Maurice Roucel for niche brand Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle also boasts the spicy, dry and tonic vibrancy of coca cola before segueing into something softer, more paw-massaged and sexily alluring.

Perfumer Jean Claude Ellena uses just four essences to render the definitive scent of Coca Cola in his conjurer tricks for reporters: Vanillin, plus natural essences of cinnamon, orange and lime. Et voila, Coca-Cola!!

The secret lies in the actual formula of the drink, not the perfumes themselves. In reality, the popular soft drink is comprised of much more "perfume notes" than we thought of. Apart from carbonated water, sugars, caffeine, caramel and phosphoric acid, it boasts the following natural flavorings: lime, lemon, orange, coriander (which has a lightly orangey scent), neroli (coming from the steam distillation of orange blossoms), cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Too many to remember? The basic flavor in Coca Cola and competing cola drinks comes mainly from vanilla and cinnamon, though Pepsi-cola boasts more lime than most (and therefore the question of whether one prefers Coke or Pepsi attains an important level of aesthetic preferences in fragrance consulting tests).

Naturally all of the above are long-time notes in perfumes, especially in Oriental blends and the classic hesperidic-spicy-sweet compositions. The association therefore with certain perfumes is totally logical. In fact, the recent discovery of a Coca Cola notebook from the late 1970s with the handwritten list of ingredients has prompted queries as to how the company needs to come out with a Coca-Cola fragrance. It's a well-known flavor in Lip Smackers lip balms, after all....

A few other scents that have cola aspects to them:
Idole de Lubin where the cola note pairs with rum.
Escada Magnetism for Men: Has the sweeter, thicker smell of a vanilla coke with added cherry, pepper, saffron and musk notes.
Dinner by Bobo is another one, as is Nanadebarry Classic Pink. Penhaligon's Malabah has the piquant opening of a fizzy cola. L'Aromarine made an Eau de Toilette and parfum which were redolent of the scent of Coke.

Have you experienced other fragrances where the scent of Coke (or cola in general) is perceived?
Let us know in the comments.  


pic of coke and youthdew via Fragrantica, design and retro ad pics via Google

Serge Lutens Interview: Regarding Santal Majuscule, the latest perfume

"Why, for what possible reason, still unknown to him, did he raise his eyes every day to stare at the skylight? What was it that attracted his eye to a trembling branch outside? How, through this image in the window pane, did his double take shape and come to life? Why did Mr. Vantienen have to bark out, “Lutens!” and yank him from his reverie?

―Lutens! Stand up!

The Moon could do nothing for him now.

―Why, oh why, all the capital letters, for no reason at all, at the start of, and I quote: Gold, Wolf, Fire, Tower, Flower...and so on!

He was commenting on a piece of writing yesterday, where the pupil, here and there according to his fancy, had added large capital letters, like an illuminated manuscript from the Middle Ages. Silence filled the room. Mr. Vantienen insisted:

―I asked you a question. Now, answer me!
―…

The boy counted the dots...

It is through experience that we—all of us—understand that mirrors reflect a reversed image. What we don’t always understand is that images can shape what we see in the mirror."

click to enlarge

This is just part of the interview that the maestro Serge Lutens has given me concerning his latest fragrant release, Santal Majuscule. In it he explains how the materials do not necessarily denote the character of the fragrance, how the composition finally took flight, his childhood memories and his associating of literature and the fine art of perfuming one's self. Please follow this link to Fragrantica to read the whole thing. 

Lady Gaga In the Nude for "Fame": Perfume Ad

Strategically placed little men cover just the most racy tidbits on Lady Gaga's naked body on her perfume ad for her first celebrity scent, Fame.

 The photo was taken by famed photographer Steven Klein. Gaga wrote on her Twitter "I won't lie I'm a bit nervous. It's been a while since I've shared some work with you. But I'm so proud of Steven I, we really did not sleep!" The scent, which contains notes of incense, honey and apricot nectar, will hit stores in August.

I like it! A fun and more titillating version of Gulliver's Travels famous imagery of Lilliput.  

Perfume Term: Linear Scents ~Deceptive Simplicity

One of the most common criticisms of a boring, unexciting fragrance among people who actually enjoy perfumes in general is that it is "linear", a scent that starts smelling one way and continues smelling that way till you can't smell it any longer. This description approximates to many people's minds a transliteration of the visual "dead line" on a hospital heart monitor; no highs or lows, just a uniform trajectory to nothingness... But is it always such a bad thing?
Occasionally you love a specific phase of your perfume (increasingly this is the top layer upon spraying, since contemporary fragrances try to capture the short-term, antagonism-driven attention span of the mall buying consumer). Don't you sometimes wish it would last throughout the entire duration of the scent's lifetime on your skin? Why are linear scents so scorned?

Perhaps because historically the first ~and most successful commercially speaking~ linear scents were of American origin (composed by European noses, such as Sophia Grojsman, Josephine Catapano or Ernest Shiftan, in US-labs for US companies catering to an international market). This is a kind of reverse snobbism on the part of perfume aficionados who favor French-ness over apple-pie & Coke homely runs. I hypothesize this is to blame for the en masse disregard of linear scents as a sign of crudeness, non sophistication, of "easy cuts". Classic French perfumes (for instance Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez) usually follow the classic pyramidal structure of a fragrance which starts one way, progresses another to end on a quite different route than anticipated.

But having a dependable scent effect from start to finish is not to be dismissed so lightly; sometimes one needs to rely on a constant, as "what you smell is what you get"; the equivalent of the jeans & T-shirt girl with no makeup on, who men know will look exactly the same the morning after as when you bedded her. This applies just as much as other times we're seduced by the evolutionary arc of a complex perfume (the scents I call "morphers"), one which changes moods and messages as the hours go by; the romantic equivalent of a mr.Grey, if you will.
Constant olfactory emission of a specific impression is also an important -and technically necessary- aspect for other scented products besides fine fragrance; imagine if your air freshener, your depilatory or your hair dye had an undulating scent profile that would smell like one thing on minute #1 and another thing on minute #12. With these products stability of olfactory effect is crucial. This is where linear scents come in!

The basic principle
The nuts & bolts of linear scents creation generally relies on composing using similar volatility materials: i.e. either all high volatility ones (which results in a very fleeting effect, comparable to old, traditional cologne, that is not usual in modern perfumery) or all low volatility ones (resulting in a very dense, thick effect; this is often the case with resinous and balsamic formulae). The idea of volatility as a compass into composition comes from perfumer Jean Carles who in "A Method of Creation in Perfumery" put volatility of materials as the key quality on how to evaluate an aromatic material. Hence his introduction of the "fragrance pyramid" as a tool into educating the public into how perfume composition works in the classic manner, thus popularly diving the notes (a "note" is the characteristic odor of a single material) into "top notes", "heart notes" and "base notes".  As we have already showcased, the fragrance pyramid, much as it is touted as the be all and end all of perfume construction in pop culture filling beauty mags & generic online sites for the uninitiated, is not the only way of composing a fragrance.

The diverse character and origin of linear scents
Linear scents don't necessarily comprise solely eaux de Cologne or thick, primeval orientals, as mentioned above, depending on volatility of materials alone. For instance APOM Pour Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian has a tenacity and scope beyond a classic Eau de Cologne, but the effect is the same from start to finish: a clear orange blossom freshness put on speakers. White Linen  by Lauder is another; the projection of soapy, waxy aldehydes is piercingly sweet, retaining the character throughout the duration of the scent's life on skin or cloth, even though the fragrance consists of several elements that are interwoven masterly. Eternity by Calvin Klein is another one, as is Alien by Thierry Mugler or Montaigne by Caron.  Some fragrances created by true perfumery masters such as Jean Claude Ellena are technically linear: Poivre Samarkande, Ambre Narguilé, Vetiver Tonka and Rose Ikebana, all Hermessences exclusive boutique scents and haute in both concept & marketing project linearly. So does the stellar Terre d'Hermes. More esoteric fragrances, boutique-circuit or niche, also exploit this technique: The delicious Tonka Impériale by Guerlain is another linear perfume, as is Philosykos by Diptyque. Even older fragrances composed with none of the modern linear aesthetic end up smelling almost the same from start to finish: Bandit by Robert Piguet, thanks to the utilization of "bases" by its perfumer Germaine Cellier, ends up on a rather uniform trajectory from the stupendous beginning to the impressive end.
Perhaps an important differentiation would be not to confuse "linear" with "flat"; linear scents can project volumetrically instead of multi-dimensionally, but they possess the technical skill to retain interest by their abstract main accord that elevates them from mere "imitation" of a smell into an arresting sensory assault.

The technical twist
By focusing on the evaporation process rather than the odor character, it becomes possible to create a fragrance that can essentially maintain a uniform composition as it evaporates. Where it becomes really interesting is that the evaporative weight losses of these aroma materials are proportional to their vapor pressures (the vapor pressure calculated by Raoult's law which states that the vapor pressure of true solutions is dependent on the proportion of each component in the blend). Therefore it is easier to achieve linearity if the materials used have similar vapor pressure. Of course this means that some odor types are more suitable for this exercise, thus rendering linearity often a compromise on olfactory quality for technical performance. You see, sometimes the complaints of fragonerds are not entirely out of place!

But how can the vapor pressure of materials be manipulated into behaving as desired? Simple, though not as easy as one might think: by changing the solvents. Carrageenan and chlorophyllin gel bases were previously used in scented products where linearity was crucial (such as home fragrances), creating a sort of gelatinous non evaporating surface upon application decreasing the fragrance release with time, though the addition of nonionic surfactants was necessary for the aromatics to become soluble in the gelatinous base itself. This is also one of the reasons why all natural perfumes are so rarely constructed linearly: the restrictions in use of materials and solvents makes for a tougher process into linearity; the raw materials themselves are full of nuance and they are often crystalline or viscous presenting solubility issues.

A variation on the linear scent is the "prism"/prismatic fragrance, whereupon you smell a humongous consistent effect all right, but when you squint this or that way, throughout the long duration, you seem to pick up some random note coming to the fore or regressing, then repeating again and again; a sort of "lather, rinse, repeat" to infinity. A good example of this sort of meticulously engineered effect is Chanel's Allure Eau de Toilette (and not the thicker and less nuanced Eau de Parfum) where the evolution of fragrance notes defies any classical pyramidal structure scheme. There are six facets shimmering and overlapping with no one note predominating.

In short, the engineering of a perfume is sometimes much more technically and intelligently labored than appears at first sniff. Linear scents are never "simple", so to speak. Preferring a perfume that takes you into a wave of highs peaks & low valleys of differing "notes" is not in itself the mark of connoisseurship that it is touted to be. Let's give the best of the linear scents out there their due and let's respect their stubbornness of character for what it is, rather than merely lack of merit or of complexity.

Which are your own favorite linear scents? 


pics via yoshagraphics.com, basenotes.net (posted by hedonist222)

Marian Bendeth of Sixth Scents: new website

"Perfume is like cocktails without the hangover, like chocolate without the calories, like an affair without tears, like a vacation from which you never have to come back." Thus introduces the fascination with perfume Marian Bendeth, Global Fragrance Expert of Sixth Scents; the path which has brought many of us down the rabbit hole, either recently or from childhood onwards.

Marian is an extremely versatile and erudite expert in the fragrance industry who has created a unique service of fragrance consulting based on myriad of subtle nuances. She's also a prolific writer on the power of fragrance with many awards under her belt.
Her new, revamped website features many of the aspects of what makes her service great right down to even the links to her work here on Perfume Shrine (A Game of Synaesthesia and Questions and Answers with Marian Bendeth, Global Scent Expert.)

You can find Bendeth's new site page on this link.

pic of Marian Bendeth "sniffing" things alongside perfumer Jean Claude Ellena via the Sniffapalooza Magazine

L'Artisan Parfumeur La Collection de Grasse: new products (inc. scented gloves!)

L’Artisan Parfumeur looks to the roots of perfumery for its new collection: La Collection de Grasse (The Grasse Collection). In recent years, exotic travels have fed the creativity of L’Artisan Parfumeur and its perfumers, now the French perfume house returns to the mythical home of fragrance. The collection will debut this October with two stunning candles - L’Automne (autumn/fall) and L’Hiver (winter). In parallel, L’Artisan Parfumeur will launch a truly luxurious and surprising new product: scented leather gloves, perfumed with its iconic Mûre et Musc Extrême fragrance.

L’Artisan Parfumeur was inspired by Grasse, spiritual home of perfumery, and most specifically by the Grasse “arrière-pays,” or back-country, where mountains and Mediterranean meet. With the passing of the seasons, this fragrant landscape is alive with colours, and fleeting emotions. This new collection is also L’Artisan Parfumeur’s celebration of French artisanal heritage.

L’Automne and L’Hiver candles:
These two L’Artisan Parfumeur candles transport you to the Grasse back-country, creating a warm and cosy atmosphere for your home, redolent of the seasons. For the Grasse Collection, L’Artisan Parfumeur imagined a new handmade vessel to house the candle, and sought out other artisans, ceramic masters from the other side of the world, based in the Chaozhou region of China.
Available in two sizes 200gr (for over 60 hours burning time) for 55GBP and 1.5 kg (for over 100 hours) for 220GBP.
Spring 2013 will see the release of two more candles: Le Printemps and L'Ete. 

L’Automne A stroll through the wild landscape surrounding Grasse, where leaves and nuts fall onto the humid earth.
This candle recreates this special muffled atmosphere, where leaves on the ground soften the sound of footsteps. The air is getting fresher, and more humid, the light is getting paler, comforting as the wind picks up. At first, we detect a lavender note, which carries us into the countryside, then chestnut, caramel and blackcurrant notes. Finally, a cedar and lichen accord brings to a close this promenade in the Grasse back-country.

L’Hiver A gathering around the fireplace, surrounded by the comforting scents of smoky woods and pine needles.This candle is highly-evocative. Imagine being by a burning fireplace, safely tucked-up inside, when all outside is cold and dark. At L’Artisan Parfumeur, the winter season is often a time for reunions with those you love, moments filled with emotion. So, the ingredients were chosen with great care: clary sage, married with notes of pine and fir tree from around Grasse, to create this welcoming wintry scene.

click to enlarge

The Scented Gloves

The scenting process
The process of ‘scenting’ the leather was developed after extensive research by L’Artisan Parfumeur. The leather (the ‘raw skin’) is soaked for four hours in a very specific mixture of nourishing oils and the specially-developed Mûre et Musc Extrême concentrate. This process softens and scents the leather. The leather is then removed from the mixture and placed in a special drying-room, to be left to dry overnight. The mixture of oils and the Mûre et Musc Extrême concentrate results in the leather of the gloves being elegantly perfumed for around three years. The gloves can also be re-scented using the Eau de Parfum Mûre et Musc Extrême, without staining the leather.

The House of Causse. The savoir-faire of the glove-maker
The history of the House of Causse is closely entwined the glove-making workshops of Millau, in the South of France. The expertise of these workshops has ensured that Millau has become the glove-making capital of France. Causse is officially celebrated as an “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (a company seen as part of France’s cultural patrimony). Causse gloves are still designed and made locally, by hand, with the same love and attention to detail. Far from being anachronistic, this painstaking artisanal work has found new meaning with L’Artisan Parfumeur and relevance to contemporary perfumery.
The beautifully soft black leather gloves, available in fours sizes (XS, S, M, L) fit your hand perfectly. The kid leather, of French provenance, is of outstanding quality, perfectly supple and soft to the touch, offering great comfort, as well as that certain French elegance. When you remove the glove, your skin is delicately scented, impregnated with your favourite fragrance. The Mûre et Musc Extrême scented gloves, lined with natural silk arouse the senses of both touch and smell.
Only 100 pairs are produced, available from October 2012 in selected L'Artisan boutiques for 320GBP. This year, with L’Artisan Parfumeur, Mûre et Musc Extrême will fit you like a glove!

To discover the ‘making-of’ candles video, please click on this link:

http://youtu.be/wXHJSk144FI

In the same vein, please click through the below link to discover the ‘making-of’ video of the scented leather gloves

http://youtu.be/_iHRnPn9RMo

  info via press release

Parfums Lingerie: Scents as Delicate & Alluring as Feminine Underpinnings

An angel lay on the mattress and spoke of history and death
With perfume on her lingerie and whiskey on her breath 
~"Resurrection" by Ray Wylie Hubbard


Though not a technical term in perfumery jargon, contrary to for instance "animalic scents" or "soapy scents", there really isn't there a more to the point reference to what certain fragrances evoke: the delicate lace of a sexy ivory basque worn with silken garters, the smoothness of pink satin tap pants with matching camisole on spaghetti straps,  retro merry widows in black, or chiffon baby dolls puffing under heaving bosoms...the whole accessorized with pearls and marabou-trimmed slippers with a heel!

Kirsten Dunst seriously glam-ed up!

"Parfums lingerie", a self-coined term, therefore denotes in my mind a category of fragrances that exude romanticism, with a wink of eroticism, drawing as they do from the rich pool of traditional feminine accouterments (including cosmetics) and at the same time a sense of insouciance and nonchalance like the very vest pin-ups images has taught us to expect. Fun as the lingerie is to wear and fantasize, alone or with the company of a loved one, these perfumes are even more fun to don! You don't have to eschew your feminist ideas one iota, as perfume is such an insubstantial entity with no visual cues to not get attached to excessive baggage, and you can wear them in public without blushing a single bit. But the wondrous, stimulating effect of knowing you're wearing a "parfum lingerie" underneath it all very much resembles the tangible frisson of wearing exquisite underwear under your prim clothes.

You can of course turn to established lingerie brands offering their own fragrant interpretations: Agent Provocateur has the killer sexy Agent Provocateur chypre fragrance which is naughtier than whatever I had in mind (but really fabulous too!) Chantal Thomass, Fifi Chachnil or Sonia Rykiel who know a thing or two about intimate apparel all have their own perfumes out in the market (Love many of them personally, especially Rykiel's Woman, Not for Men and Fifi by Chachnil). Or we have Josie Natori suggesting her Natori Eau de Parfum, a most agreeable floriental with an ambery, soft-spoken background of powder and wood. But there's no need to pigeon-hole. Let's be creative, shall we?

Classifying "parfums lingerie" we come across several common traits in their technical make-up. These are usually fragrances with demure and elegant floral notes of a retro vibe, such as violet and rose, a romantic combination that also brings to mind cosmetics. But in parfums lingerie the effect isn't waxy or sticky (such as in F.Malle's Lipstick Rose for instance, the reference for lipstick scents) but rather airy, like a chiffon camisole that doesn't stick to the body, with an added soupçon of defiance and more emphasis on the violet and the ionones than on the rose. 
Rice-powder is a retro reference that can't but bring to mind glamour images of yore when actresses and opera divas were shown in front of their over-lit mirrors applying face and décolleté powder with fat, goose down puffs in pastel colors, dressed in silky robes. The fragrances that exude this powdery heaven are more delicate than the typical "powdery perfume" with orris notes combined with a little white floral (such as jasmine), a hint of vanilla and sometimes an actual rice whiff.


 Last but not least, whisper soft musks carefully poised between "clean musk" and "dirty musk" (none of the piercing laundry detergent type, nor the Lutens Musks Koublai Khan skank); sometimes with a heavier leaning into one or the other direction yet never overdoing it. These musks can employ the added softness of white flowers, tactile woods and a little billowy vanilla. These scents can play the seductive game of acting like virtual lingerie...even when you're wearing none!


Here is my selection of "parfums lingerie". I love wearing some of them when the mood strikes. All the while imagining myself a more alluring subject than I am...

Violet-laced Scent Underpinnings
Love, Chloé by Chloé
Drôle de Rose by L'Artisan Parfumeur
Météorites by Guerlain
Flower by Kenzo
Balenciaga Paris L'Essence by Balenciaga
Violet Blonde by Tom Ford
Violette Precieuse by Caron

Musky Charmeuses
Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker
Noa by Cacharel
Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens
Bois et Musc by Serge Lutens
Narciso for Her Eau de toilette by Narciso Rodriguez

Rice & Powdery Chiffon Scents
Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan
Kenzoki Rice Steam Sensual by Kenzo
Sophistique by Mark
Sake and Rice by Fresh

Which are your own favorite "lingerie fragrances"? Let me know in the comments.


pics via Pinterest.com/hercourt originally uploaded from freshpair.com, suicideblonde.tumblr.com, photoshootbloger.blogspot.com.au

bottle pics via girlwiththecuriousnose.blogspot.com & shoppingheavendotnet.blogspot.com

The Smell of Clean Comes from What? What your Floor Cleaner isn't Telling

"Estée Lauder Cos.' fragrance Calyx has influenced many complex cleaning scents, as has Dior's J'adore, she says. Ralph Lauren's Polo Blue is another big force. "You get this marine smell of fresh air, with a touch of lavender and woodiness," Ms. Betz says. "Those notes are very desirable in cleaners."[...] "Naming cleaning-product fragrances can be as nuanced as concocting them. Consumers tend to love hints of banana in their cleaning products. "But if you put it on the label, it doesn't work," says Steve Nicoll, an IFF senior perfumer. "Papaya is the same way. It's so unexpected that they can't accept it, yet the smell they like." Lavender works in reverse: "People like the idea of lavender but don't tend to like the real thing," says Ms. Betz. Most of the lavender-scented products are actually lavender "fantasies," an industry term for a hint of a scent that is combined with others. Lavender is usually combined with fruit, floral, woody or vanilla notes, she says."

Just two of the most interesting (amidst an article with lots of interesting info appearing in the Wall Street Journal by Ellen Byron) on how functional perfumery -i.e. fragrance created to aromatize functional products, such as laundry detergent, cleaning fluid, window pane sprays etc.- really works.
The preponderance for "fresh" and "clean" takes on many guises apparently, with not only labels just hinting of the truth inside, but also the sector being inspired by such -unlikely at first glance- things such as fashion trends, colors du jour, even food! (Behold the evidence of cookie-scented detergent on the left!)

A serious point is made on how the "trickling down effect", that is to say the trajectory effect from fine fragrance (i.e.perfumes) into functional perfumery is increasingly shortening, making the transition quicker and quicker all the while. So when your favorite fragrance starts smelling pedestrian, or you find yourself pining after a specific cleaning product like a homing pigeon, you know why. After all, niche perfume brand Tocca was there before!

There's also ample proof in the info by the industry professionals cited in the WSJ article that it all relies, much like with fine fragrance, on fantasy...As if we ever doubted it.

BTW: Another interesting article by the same author tackles the issue of overuse of detergent by American housewives. 

 pics via purex.com and globalgiants.com