Perceptions of Sweetness: Is it Only in Your Sugar-Bowl?

It seems like sweetness is indeed de riguer in modern perfumery, the sine qua non of commercial success as endless sales of La vie Est Belle, Flowerbomb and Prada Candy, say. I dare you to find something as bitter as—say—Piguet's Bandit eau de parfum or Chanel No.19 eau de toilette in the production of the last 15 years.

via

Even forms of perfume which do not lend themselves to the culinary, such as the powdery softness of contemporary "lipstick smelling perfumes" built on "makeup-like" accords (enter Lipstick Rose, Chloe Love, Flower by Kenzo with their abundance of ionones) or the soapy aldehydic glow of the lathered soapy fragrances, such as Narciso Rodriguez Essence, exhibit a sweet tooth. Which serves as the springboard of another thought.

What if sweet notes were always popular, merely set in a different context?

This is the core of my article on Fragrantica, Perceptions of Sweetness: Facets & Surprises, where I investigate the many nuances of "sweet" in fragrances, both vintages such as Chanel No.5 or No.22 and modern ones such as the ones named above. I also pose a question as to what you perceive as sweet and whether it has anything to do with flavor preferences or hard-wiring in the brain. 

You're welcome to comment either there or here. 

Related reading on Perfume Shrine:

Perceptions of Freshness

Gourmand Fragrances for Beginners and Beyond

Americans Complaining of Perfume Overload: Cultural Divide or Other?

It seems like I get almost every single one of the mails complaining of perfume overload from people living on US soil. The matter had been discussed in a previous post, Americans vs French, the Culture Wars, but here are some more thoughts stemming from past discourse with interested parties.

via

1. The frivolity of perfume seems ingrained in a sort of WASP mentality, the glorification of soap & water of religious significance through the "cleanliness next to godliness" axiom. Interestingly, although the phrase is similarly coined in other languages to extol the value of cleaning up, the connection is not made with the divine but rather with other values, such as social status (In Greek it's "cleanliness is half nobility" ). To further the syllogism one might say that eschewing the god-preferred clean smell of soap & water, covering it up with perfume "reeks" of suspicious motives, of emulating women of low reputation who used perfume in order to either hide the smell of other men on them or to seduce men through perfume. In a certain milieu, the use of perfume might be considered thus immoral.

2. The cubicle farm culture is most prevalent in the US rather than in other countries (although I'm not going by any solid statistic, just what I see on first "reading") which might explain why there are so many people who have complaints. It's not entirely their fault (or their co-workers'), you know, the environment induces discomfort, conflict and ennui! Someone has to be blamed and perfume is so easy. Especially so since smells invade our space and trigger emotional responses.

3. The following might not be relevant nowadays in all cases, but I distinctly recall a perfumer mentioning that American perfumes are made with a higher concentration within the established eau de toilette, eau de parfum concentrations so as to satisfy the taste to have your perfume announcing you, a form of "olfactory shoulder pads". It's also a historical fact that some of the most potent, powerful fragrances first met with success in the US, such as Narcisse Noir by Caron, due to this preference for stronger fragrances. (And we all recall Calvin Klein's Obsession and Giorgio Beverly Hills, don't we). So it' wasn't always like that. Additionally several of the modern "clean" scents of American name are so harsh that they do pierce sinuses.

 So in view of the above is it any wonder that lots of Americans are complaining? I don't think it's entirely their fault.
What's YOUR take?

The Latest Developments on IFRA and EU Perfume Regulations: Inside Job or Not?

"The idea that IFRA is an inside job to kill the natural raw material side of the fragrance industry may seem like an attractive conspiracy theory at first, but upon even cursory examination, this idea falls apart.
Natural fragrance materials represent a sizeable chunk of the fragrance and flavour industry’s profits (and this includes the main IFRA members). Creating new aroma chemicals is extremely costly, a big risk, and burdened with its own regulatory pressures. Never mind the all too real possibility that an aroma chemical you have brought to market gets restricted or even banned by IFRA in the future if it is found to be problematic by their standards.
If IFRA were an inside job, this sort of thing would never happen."

via

The low down on the European Union and IFRA regulations on fragrance and potential allergens as of this very minute is on Basenotes, as written by the knowledgable Pia Long. Please take a look if you haven't by now.

I have personally preached (forgive the emphatic word, I do consider myself an educator and an eternal student first and foremost) the complexities of the matter and the simplistic context of "just follow the money". It's more than that. You can find some of my old articles when the furore online first started under the Restrictions tab.

But perfume is considered such a frivolity by so many people that the greater issues that the industry itself experiences seldom get the limelight. It's high time that we sat down, ignored getting our panties in a wad for once and gave it some balanced attention.

Death is Yellow and Smells of Vanilla (La Mort Est Jaune Citron et Sent la Vanille)

-Death is yellow and smells of vanilla.
-Are you sure of it?
-I'd bet money on it.

The above quote is from Patrice Leconte's film Le mari de la coiffeuse (The Hairdresser's Husband*, 1990). Jean Rochefort in fine comedic (and dramatic) form.

I found the quote interesting both in the sense of an unexpected joke and in the sense of expressing a certain zen acceptance on the matter of death. The film is infused in the pleasure of the senses (and of erotic love) anyway and there are several glimpses of the beautifying hair products and perfumes, in retro style bottles, on the shelves of a traditional French hairdressing salon.


*please disregard the faulty description as an "Italian movie"

Best Wedding Fragrances: For the Bride and the Groom with a Side Dish of Bridesmaids & Guests

Weddings are a loaded affair for most folks, usually requiring months of preparation in advance. The weight of the dress, the feel and fit of the satin shoes, the jewelry and the heirlooms (not to mention the hair accessories), the sugared almonds, the reception tableware and menu and the invitations, the groom's suit and of course the choice of fragrant flowers for the bouquet... Summer wedding can be even more demanding, when you monitor in the heat and the humidity and the locales which often embrace the great outdoors.

via

Weddings can also be a breezy eloping decision, but in that case you wouldn't be consulting an online guide to the best fragrances for the occasion anyway. So this post addresses the first demographic.
Does a specially chosen fragrance for the bride and groom create potent memories? You bet.
Do peripheral players in the ceremony play a role with their scent of choice? Of course they do. Imagine if your mother gassed the room with a heavy hitter that distracted from the proceedings. Or if your best man chose to wear something ultra challenging and while leaning over to give the rings emitted the ...shall we say "surgical ambience" of Secretions Magnifiques, for instance? (That'd be a cruel prank to carry out).

I have compiled a top wedding perfumes for brides and bridesmaids (or guests) on this slideshow and another one on best wedding colognes for the groom (and possibly the best man, just make sure they don't "clash") on that slideshow.

via

Enjoy and may your new life together be paved with happiness!

Christopher Lee: 1922-2015

The defining voice of British horror and the towering stature are no more.
Here Christopher Lee is reading one of the best tales by an American dreamer...

A small piece of everyone's heart in childhood just died.

And in the following clip, one of my personal favorites, also American born and in great comical shape, pays a tribute to the handsome Sir Christopher.

At The Moment

Oddly enough June hasn't yet scorched us like I expected, which is a good thing. Dipping my body in the sea for prolonged stretches of time is of course a remedy of the first magnitude, a true baptism.
So far so good, nevertheless, so I am sharing with you some of my latest discoveries and treats. And please feel free to share yours too, in the comments below the post!

via

Wearing

Remember how we used to knot the edge of our baggy T-shirts back in the 80s to imitate our pop idols? It seems like there's a ready made solution out there to have the look without the fuss. This Asos slouchy top with twisty front gave me a good jolt of recollection and made me smile. It also goes with everything.

via Asos.com

I also wear a straw fedora for days spent in the sun or when out and about in the city. (Don't look at me that way. We have to wear sunglasses in the wintertime as well, in Athens.)
This one by David Young, found on Nordstorm, is perfect.



Reading

Nabokov's Speak Memory, a stylized autobiography. It's not only the language that is marvelous, it's the merging of cultures in a complex childhood which leaps off the page.


Beautifying

Latest discovery has been that elusive perfect sunscreen (at least for now, don't know about next year): photo-stable, very high protection (SPF60), mostly mineral filters to reduce inflammation, waterproof to withstand sweat, light tint to avoid the Casper look, smooth texture, no irritating or pore-blocking ingredients. It's Filteray Face SPF 60 Tinted Cream by Coverderm in shade Light Beige.

On my nails and toenails I'm sporting this gorgeous fuchsia-pink nail polish, shade Watermelon (#31456) from Oriflame's seasonal The One collection.


Listening

I have occupied myself with covers these days.
Trifono (aka, "3 voices" in Greek) hereby sing, almost completely a capella, a classic Greek song by Mikis Theodorakis in a quite memorable way.

And I still think that AHA's (remember them?) rendition of the golden standard of the Everly Brothers is very very good indeed.

Perfuming

I've been wearing a hell of a lot my Antaeus (Chanel) and Gomma (Etro) lately. The onset of heat usually means I bring out these leathers and the fang-like acid green chypres. Bandit eau de parfum by Piguet is the logical bridge between the two and that gets a lot of mileage as well.

via 

Eating and Drinking

Addicted to cornichons (what the British call gherkins I believe) which I put into everything, notably potato salad and salmon sandwiches. (Love the spice-blend brine!).
I'm also drinking iced cider for a spike of fruity freshness and enjoy the sunny togetherness too!

What are you enjoying at the moment? 
Please share in the comments!

Hair Fragrance: Beauty Hacks for Hair Worthy of Baudelaire's Intoxication

Have you ever read Charles Baudelaire's poem La Chevelure (Hair)? It's chockfull of imagery of scented tresses which evoke the breadths and the widths of the earth in their sensuous emanations. Hair fragrance, inherent, can be lovely. Hair fragrance, added, can turn up the notch just so.

Although we perfume lovers often love to give a playful spritz or dab on our temple and nape, concern for the pernicious (apparently?) effect of certain ingredients, mostly alcohol, to the health of the hair itself has evolved into a plethora of hair mists on the market which caress our tresses like a luxurious caviar skincare cream would to our complexion. In that context, I just published an article on Fragrance.about.com with photos and info on the best hair fragrance mists which you can use on your hair without any concern for its well-being. You can find it on this link.

And Perfume Shrine being the more personal venue it is, just for the heck of it, please find below the original poem by Baudelaire, translated in English by PoemHunter.com

Yvon LeMarlec via GoYouToKNow Tumblr

O fleece, that down the neck waves to the nape!
O curls! O perfume nonchalant and rare!
O ecstasy! To fill this alcove shape
With memories that in these tresses sleep,
I would shake them like penions in the air!

Languorous Asia, burning Africa,
And a far world, defunct almost, absent,
Within your aromatic forest stay!
As other souls on music drift away,
Mine, O my love! still floats upon your scent.

I shall go there where, full of sap, both tree
And man swoon in the heat of the southern climates;
Strong tresses be the swell that carries me!
I dream upon your sea of amber
Of dazzling sails, of oarsmen, masts, and flames:

A sun-drenched and reverberating port,
Where I imbibe colour and sound and scent;
Where vessels, gliding through the gold and moiré,
Open their vast arms as they leave the shore
To clasp the pure and shimmering firmament.

I'll plunge my head, enamored of its pleasure,
In this black ocean where the other hides;
My subtle spirit then will know a measure
Of fertile idleness and fragrant leisure,
Lulled by the infinite rhythm of its tides!

Pavilion, of autumn-shadowed tresses spun,
You give me back the azure from afar;
And where the twisted locks are fringed with down
Lurk mingled odors I grow drunk upon
Of oil of coconut, of musk, and tar.

A long time! always! my hand in your hair
Will sow the stars of sapphire, pearl, ruby,
That you be never deaf to my desire,
My oasis and my gourd whence I aspire
To drink deep of the wine of memory.
Charles Baudelaire

Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie & Quand Vient L'Ete: fragrance reviews, notes & bottles history

Approaching Guerlain fragrances has me strained on the brink, like the tailor with his home-made parachute when he was about to jump from the Eiffel tower more than a century ago. Contrary to this proto-pioneer of aviation the apprehension comes not from the chill of the unknown but rather from the gloom of having one’s lust non-quenched. Like that supreme stylist Vladimir Nabokov said, “the look of lust is always gloomy; lust is never quite sure—even when the velvety victim is locked up in one’s dungeon—that some rival or influential god may still not abolish one’s prepared triumph.” Thankfully there are instances where neither rival nor influential god can take away from what one has carefully designed, even when it’s relatively of a recent vintage yet sure in the footing of tradition; and who better than Guerlain to be in that position? The two seasonally named, yet of panseasonal capabilities perfumes, "When the Rain Comes" and "When Summer Comes," prove to be amongst those “vintage” (and I use the term very loosely) Guerlains for whom lust is fully justified.

Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie via 

Find out on this Fragrantica link why that is. plus how these two meta-vintages smell and how they implicate other famous and less famous Guerlain perfumes, such as L'Heure Bleue, Apres L'Ondee, Terracotta and No.25, before being both contained in the limited edition Les Saisons coffret.

Fragrance notes for Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie include bergamot, rosemary, neroli, heliotrope, violet, jasmine, amber, gourmand praline notes, patchouli and musk.
The bottle was designed by Serge Mansau

the 1910 original formula (loosely inspiring the latter) Quand Vient L'Ete by Guerlain, in Baccarat quadrilobe bottle (circulating to this day) Pic originally from Ebay via 

a later re-issue of Quand Vient l'Ete in the retro bottles, originally on Ebay via  

Fragrance Notes for Guerlain Quand Vint L'Ete (2007 formula) include:

Top notes are mint, lemon and rose; middle notes are lily, jasmine and ylang-ylang; base notes are carnation, iris and vanilla.

Marilyn Monroe's Favorite Perfumes for her (would be) 89th Birthday Today

via Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives

Today would have been Marilyn Monroe's 89th birthday, had she been alive and kicking and demystifying her perennial legend. Famous for her sweet-sexy glamour puss image and her Monroeisms, the not-quite--dumb-blonde, though she often played one on screen, had her beauty routine down pat; from Erno Laszlo skincare and Elizabeth Arden eyeliner pencils in black and brown to her Glorene of Hollywood falsies, pages upon pages are written on it.

Naturally we decided to dedicate ourselves to her perfumes. We've skimmed the surface before, but this is more in depth.

Here is the full slideshow with rarely seen pictures of Marilyn on Fragrance.About.com. Enjoy!

The winner of the draw...

...for the Acqua di Parma Radiant Face Cream (part of Italian Resort Collection skincare) is KatarinaVeet. Congratulations and please email me using Contact, mentioning AcP DRAW in the title of the mail and your shipping data, so I have this shipped to you soon.

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