Perfumery Restrictions: More on IFRA 45th Amendement

The industry standard, Perfumer and Flavorist Magazine, did a post concerning the latest restrictions on perfumery ingredients, as determined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) in its 45th Amendement (You can read about past restrictions and ramifications clicking the label IFRA or Restrictions). We had breached the subject with saying it is not as severe as past version, but we're reverting with specifics.

The latest installment features seven changes. Of the announcement, IFRA president Jean-Pierre Houri said, “We have seen quite large Amendments in the past due to the change-over to our new Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) approach. This change-over process is now nearly complete and therefore we have a smaller Amendment.”

Newly Restricted (QRA) materials include:

*Dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde (mixed isomers); CAS# 68737-61-1, 68039-49-6, 68039-48-5, 27939-60-2, 67801-65-4, 36635-35-5, 68084-52-6, 35145-02-9
*alpha-Methyl-1,3-benzodioxole-5-propionaldehyde (MMDHCA); CAS# 1205-17-0
*3-Phenylbutanal; CAS# 16251-77-7

Revised Restricted (QRA) materials include Verbena absolute (Lippia citriodora Kunth.), the culprit being its eye and skin sensitisation properties.

Revised Specifications include:2,2-Dimethyl-3-(3-tolyl)propan-1-ol (otherwise known as Majantol, which was used previously up to 20%, specifically for lily of the valley notes and in fruity-floral compositions especially for functional products), Musk Ketone which is prohibited, as well as Quinoline ~chemically speaking C9H7N~ due to its risk of skin sensitisation (The quinoline family mainly produces leather notes in fine fragrance such as in Shalimar or Bandit, but not Cuir de Russie which relies on birch tar -previously restricted)

Jennifer Aniston Goes Topless for her Fragrance & Britney issues Radiance

Jennifer Aniston went topless for the promotion of her new scent Lola Vie (basically LOL @ vie, which means "life" in French, as we had pointed out when first announcing the news on the scent). The campaign was shot at Cabo San Lucas in Mexico which happens to be Jennifer's favourite spot. The New York Daily News mentions: "In a series of sexy black-and-white shots to promote her new scent, Lolavie, the 41-year-old actress looks stunning as she poses topless, covering her chest with just her arms while wearing nothing but a white skirt hung low on her hips." The international campaign starts on Wednesday at Harrods department store in London where she will meet and greet customers and sign bottles for them.
Personally I don't think the campaign looks half bad. It's suggestive but not vulgar. What do you think?

EDIT TO ADD: A reader informs me that despite aspirations, the name was dropped in favour of simply "Jennifer Aniston" due to concerns over the already existing Lola by Marc Jacobs.

Britney Spears on the other hand isn't known for her non vulgarized image. In fact I'd bet there are good bucks to be made in actually condoning a vulgarized image, for some reason! Anyway, the troubled Pop princess has a lucrative business in the perfume segment nevertheless with 8 fragrances under her belt and counting...The 9th one, Radiance is set to launch this coming September 2010 and is purported to be a ‘stylish’ perfume. Encased in a faux rhinestone encrusted bottle, the girly design is blue and pink. Radiance by Britney Spears will smell like a bunch of ‘wild berries and soft, dewy petals’ which will include tuberose, jasmine, orange flower and iris. According to reports the new scent Radiance is set to be released in September. Prices? It will retail for $63 for 50 mL; $78 for 100 mL. Where? At Ebay, Sears and Pharmaprix/Shopper’s Crug Mart. Possibly the new fragrance will tie with a new album set to be released this year according to inside gossip. We'll see.
In the TV commercial, Spears sneaks out of a theatre to avoid a waiting crowd of photographers and fans. She then visits a fortune-teller, who asks the singer if she wants her to tell her about her future. “No thanks, I choose my own destiny,” replies Spears. (we will update when the clip becomes available)

The Givaudan iPerfumer Application: Cutting-Edge or Demystifying?

Technology would get to perfume; it was only a matter of time! Studies had suggested that "particularly among young people, there is no propensity to buy perfume, but on the contrary, they are enthusiastic about technology" (according to Maurizio Volpi). So in order to boost perfume sales, what better than to engage them through technology? This after all is the method employed by several companies of other products as well: entice with something irrelevant so as to stir into the wanted direction. We "consume" loads of digital media every day (blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) so is this the new direction, especially for luxury brands to communicate their message? And is this message a frank one? Vivien Westwood had said during a speech at Unesco: "We can lie to one person once, two persons twice.... but never to everyone everytime".

According to the press release by Givaudan who introduced the iPerfumer application (for iPhone) in mid-June, shortly after beauty giant Estée Lauder announced its Ascent iPhone application to facilitate in-store perfume shopping: "Givaudan, the industry-leading perfumery house has created a unique tool to help individuals select their perfect fragrance. Now available for free download from the Apple App Store, iPerfumer offers individuals tailored advice on which perfumes to try, removing the confusion that often surrounds choosing perfume. Revolutionary in its approach, iPerfumer is a personal fragrance consultant in your pocket. It provides fragrance recommendations to help make informed choices, either for yourself, or when buying gifts for others". The technique is a rather standard one, pioneered by Michael Edwards who also has his own "recommendations" method on his Fragrances of the World site and has Sephora utilize his system (by fragrance sub-families and common notes).
On iPerfumer, after identifying yourself by sex, age and country, you're asked to take note of the six olfactory families proposed (Citrus / Chypre / Floral / Fougere / Oriental / Woody) ~famous examples for each provided to make it easy for novices. Then you can enter some of the perfumes which you like. And after processing those results, the application recommends several fragrances for you personally.
But is the new iPerfumer application as plain sailing as all that? We decided to investigate.


Michel Gutsatz, a brand strategy expert at The Scriptorium Company and the head of Le Jardin Retrouve, takes a critical look at the iPerfumer application by Givaudan at LuxurySociety.com. His doubts corner three drawbacks which also seem crucial to me: no motivation to try out the recommended fragrances (no info, no story, nothing), lack of ergonomy in acessing previous part of the profile created, "sterile" treatment of perfumery (the application doesn't create any of the inherent magic of perfume).
The matter of Augmented Reality (a hot topic that garnered a lot of momentum after the success of James Cameron's Avatar) surfaces when talking about how the iPhone rates compared to other methods. iPhone applications are entertaining, but the technology within the iPhone (and soon the iPad) is not yet able to unlock the true potential of Augmented Reality to the same extent that different media (a web-cam enabled shop display, a home computer or laptop) can. In the luxury industry (and perfumes do belong there for better or worse) where gimmicks are usually not taken very seriously will the iPhone and its applications find the fertile ground they need to catch the eye of the consumer and would they need to make the leap from "techie geek" to "lifestyle" to do so?

My additional qualm is that the results garnered on the iPerfumer often bear little relation to what a seasoned perfume enthusiast would expect out of the submitted information to begin with. But bearing in mind how in order to get recommendations in the first place, you're asked to "rate" (enough) fragrances according to preference, I would think that the ulterior purpose of the application is to provide Givaudan with an extraordinary cheap market research tool via which to monitor the scented tastes of iPhone users worldwide! And it does look like it's going to be updated at intervals, with a version 2.0 to roll around when there is need for yet more monitoring and see how tastes have evolved.

What do you think?

The winner of the draw...

...for a full bottle of pure parfum by DSH Musk Eau Natural is Dionne! Congratulations!!

Please email me with a shipping address so I can forward to the perfumer to get your prize in the mail for you soon.

Thanks everyone for playing along and till the next one.

I'm reminding you that there are still three members who haven't contacted me for the Aftelier giveaway (or you can email Mandy at Aftelier directly): Lilacskin, Arch.memory and Lavanya. Please do so, the prizes care waiting to get mailed to you!

I will be announcing the winners of the full Tauer bottles giveaway in a short while.

And there will be a full review of a much anticipated non-yet launched perfume later on. ;-)

10 Unusual Summer Fragrance Choices

Wrapped-up as we so often are in the aphorisms about what we should or shouldn't be wearing ~ according to fashion trends, occasion, the weather or merely how sleepy we have rolled out of bed (you get my point)~ we often forget that perfume primarily has to do with sheer enjoyment! Yes, fitting the surroundings is all fine & dandy and probably earns us brownie points, but what about surprising our entourage (nay, surprising ourselves!) with unexpected choices that don't become stinkbombs either in the summer heat? While discussing this issue with my pal The Non Blonde we came up with memories about summers past, when no one really was wearing citrus dependables like Eau d'Hadrien and when the beauty of Chanel's Sycomore (or Guerlain's Vetiver pour Elle alternatively) hadn't been invented yet.





Here are some of my personal choices, which I have been enjoying on really hot ~and less than that~ summer days & nights. [Links direct you to full on reviews].

• Lightweight Ambers

I'm a child all over again: There is something nuzzling and welcome about ambers which seem to bloom when there is warmth around. No wonder they were first composed in the Middle East. For me, the non sweet, diaphanous ones which often leave a trail of frankincense remind me of the Aegean...the hot beach, the white church, the wreaths of flowers inside...

*Estee Lauder Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang

Tropical, lush ylang ylang and slightly medicinal, non sweet amber sing a duet: the feeling of lying down on sugar-span sand, sun high above baking skin. And worries? Like a blister in the sun...they burst!

*I Profumi di Firenze Ambra del Nepal

Not Nepalese, really; I wore this on the island of Santorini, sketching the ruins at Akrotiri, diving at Palaia Kameni and seeing the sun set an agonisingly slow death at Oia. Something about the volcanic earth, all black and scorched, mixed well with this incensy amber with its cool finish. Making me fall in love with life all over again.

*Marc Jacobs Splash Winter Amber

Misnomer of the century: There's nothing wintery about this amber. Much like L'Eau d'Hiver is actually the peachy fuzz of a cloud in a springtime Monet sky, this light, powdery, easy amber is fluff and cotton coolness itself. A distant friend, who has since silenced herself, introduced me to it and I think its splash form is ~for once in perfumery~ perfectly apt: You want to bathe it in and its fleeting nature allows you to, come summer or winter. So very easy that you'd never need think about it.

• Fangly, Cool Chypres

What is it about cerebral chypres that appeals in the heat? Is it that I do hail from the Mediterranean where they naturally flourished? Probably. I just know they make me shiver with pleasure.

*Jacomo Silences

I first discovered the emerald green scalpel of Silences one summer when I was studying Italian "without toil" in order to accomodate university needs: required reading involved a certain Italian doctor who didn't have the good grace to get his research translated in any other language. One long-winded morning in the library ended into perfume discussion with the librarian assistant who was wearing...Silences. No pun whatsoever, I swear!

*Piguet Bandit

Bandit has long been my "sexy summer scent" when I'm all sweaty. In fact I cherish being sweaty when I'm wearing it, which is as rare a reaction for me as snowing in the middle of August is for weather forecasts in southern Europe. Why, you ask? Because the heat seems to bring out the very best elements in that state of undeliberate disarray, which might be indicative of its mischievous, promiscuous proclivities in the first place; after all Germaine Cellier did undress models off the runway off their underwear for "study" while composing.

*Shiseido Zen (original)

Zen has the bitter, cool taste that you expect brainy, tech-geek types to appreciate: Calatrava architecture, smoked aubergines and Pernod. It doesn't smell of any of these things, of course, but I happened to discover the vintage edition (there are at least three versions, see this) one summer when all these were combined in a whirwind in my life. The summer Olympics had come to Athens and though nothing was zen-like, Zen gave me some grounding and sang froid.

*Guerlain Derby

My wild card and an ace in the sleeve at that. Consider this the classiest choice among them all and save the best for last. Is it fair that it's intended for men? I should think adventurous women who were never tomboys would not only "get away with it", but would highlight its luxurious character even more. Basically Guerlain took the formulaic leather structure and span it on its head, adding the cool bitterness of artemisia and a minty note which make this one the chypre equivalent of the ice-cubes I melt on my chest on summer mornings when I can't bring myself to get dressed. I particularly enjoy the bracing, strident top! Wonderful in vintage form (1985), still amazing in the current Les Parisiennes edition and that's hopeful.

• Spicy Orientals

Not your typical "summery" category for sure. Yet sometimes they sing magically, with all the bright peak of crystal on a Fellini-esque ship of fools like our lives occasionaly become.

*Yves Saint Laurent Opium Fleur de Shangai

Opium summer editions have all been really good, which is almost a sacrilegious thought now that the real deal has been butchered irrevocably. This one is my favourite of the bunch, worn during romantic evening walks at the seashore, its orchid powderiness a welcome lightening -but not diluting- of the density of the original when it's been 38C all day.

*Krizia Teatro alla Scala

It's so easy to dismiss a spicy oriental, and a dressy one at that, on the power of its prowess. Well, fear not, the aldehydes and clove combo in this one gives the clean feeling of iron passing clean linen and the pepper spice would scare microbes on a petri-dish away. Big nights out, you're covered!

*L'Artisan Poivre Piquant

If Parfum Sacré had a little sister, permeated with eroticism, soft and pliable, this would be she. Drier, more reflective and without the emphatic rosiness, Poivre Piquant weaves in a cooling trail of incense into its peppercorns goodness to cut through the heat like tiny diamonds cut through crystal.



Don't forget to check out Gaia's atypical choices & memories at The Non Blonde.

For a more familiar, summer-friendly fragrance wardrobe for every occasion, please check last year's entry on this link.

Clips from the films The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (2005) by Sanaa Hamri, Le Mépris/Contempt (1963) by Jean-Luc Godard and E la Nave Va (And the Ship Sails On, 1973) by Federico Fellini.
Photo Swallow Dive (SPAARNESTAD PHOTO by Het Leven) via the Nationaal Archief

Mystery of Musk: Dionysus by Lord's Jester review

The name Dionysus, coming from the classical god of wine but also of sacred ecstasis/έκστασις (i.e.divine madness), is indicative of the mood set: restlessness, abandon, raw energy. Then again the fragrances by Lord's Jester ~composed by all-naturals perfumer Adam Gottschalk~ do often bear ancient names (Ares, Zephyr, Demeter, Hera, Phoebe, Selena etc). Does it have to do with a Grecophile German-roots past? Is it a homage to an august culture that was so in tune with its natural surroundings yet managed to harness them through reason, as natural perfumers would hope to do with natural ingredients? Dionysus is indeed wild, untamed, very potent, with a rich trail like a strong moschato wine. The formula seems short, focused on the raw potency of a few select ingredients rather than delicate accords of numerous essences.

Perhaps there is a wine note in the opening, or the effect which I associate with it, the tannic facets in cognac essence, which I know natural perfumers use. The Bacchic, orgiastic ambience is rendered through a lush floral with an oily, narcotic backdrop (possibly narcissus) and the powerful inclusion of African stone, more commonly known as hyraceum. Possibly repulsively sourced, as it is reconstituted via the excrement of a small African animal, but providing a strong pheromonic and territory-marking aroma that would have animals go wild nevertheless.
Still, the overall composition is not what I would call musky or floral musk, not in the manner that real deer musk smells (rather urinous) or in the mould that the fragrance industry has accustomed us to musk (warm, powdery, nuzzling), diverging from my own preconceptions. It's pheromone-rich, growling at several feet away, but of a different kind than human, bringing out the Cat People. Or a modern day Maenad.

Please visit the rest of the participating blogs and fora on the Mystery of Musk project following the links provided.

Dionysus and a Maenad. Apulian R.F. by the Bendis Painter 360 BCE. VUW Classics Museum via Cornell University Library

Krizia Teatro alla Scala: fragrance review

Revisiting a spicy oriental amidst the heat and turpor of the big metropolis when it's 38C outside is not exactly conductive to proper thinking. All that density might go to one's head and have bystanders get murderous thoughts! And yet, Teatro alla Scala, a forgotten masterpiece by Krizia, doesn't produce any of those effects. All right, it's not citrusy, it's not a clean musk, it's not even a tropical floral. It's an effing spicy oriental! But you know what, sometimes that's what the doctor ordered. The spice is so jolting that it manages to create the impression of cleaness, if you can believe it!

A similar effect was first explored in Caron's Poivre and Yves Saint Laurent's now changed Opium. Some spices in collaboration with aldehydes create a hot-cold effect (non mentholated, it's a different vibe), reminiscent of the feel you get after the passage of a hot iron over clean cotton or linen. The scent also brings to mind the vibrancy of Coco by Chanel (the original oriental from the mid-1980s, specifically the vintage Eau de Parfum) minus the leathery facets. It stands to reason, Teatro came out in 1986, two years after Coco. Another kinship could be argued to be with the original Fendi, but I personally always found that one to be denser and more masculine and definitely only suitable for the coldest nights of winter. I don't know who the perfumer is and couldn't find it in my guides, but it feels like a Jacques Polge extension of his Coco mods. The Krizia outfit is rather underappreciated in perfume circles, although they produce fabulous things (even sparkling and dry wines!), another fragrance worth noting the cool, mossy and all around lovely K by Krizia, more of which on a later day.

Suffice to say Teatro alla Scala is discontinued (Murphy's Law, all the good ones eventually seem to head that way; or else they're mutilated through multiple Joan-Rivers-worth facelifts...). I sourced mine through a swap. The ratio of phenylpropanoid eugenol (a gigantic clove-peppery note) is just the sort of thing that would have the current IFRA-police erupt in hives and have it ostracized to outer space. Then again fate and time saw to that before they did. In a way, I'm thankful: It means each Art Deco style bottle surfacing would be the good stuff; it saves us the trouble of going through endless deliberations on bottle styles changes, packaging design and searching all surfaces of bottle and box for tiny printed or etched codes denoting different batches. Even at the heights of its popularity it wasn't distributed in France, which makes me think there are some great things in perfumery that even the French fail to appreciate. Even if it evokes the paradisal nights spent at the famous Milanese theater. Does anyone still wear it and appreciate this scent? I'd be interested to find out.

The opening of Teatro alla Scala cuts through a wall of bricks with its symphonic spicy note of clove and pepper while the flowers emerge slowly, with assuredness and without any distraction from the majestic track troden. Many orientals cede into plush amber notes that engulf you in tentacles of sweetness and powderiness, which comforting though it might be on ocassion, sometimes reminds of big bosom-heavy aunts hugging too enthusiastically which unfortunately can put the "sexy" out of the window once the thought crosses your mind. This one is certainly not gaunty, the way some cerebral chypres or medicinal orientals can be ~more brains than heart~ but instead has a fine, sculpted feminine figure, the incense and moss at the base restraining the honeyed, sweeter notes, the naughty, "dirty" civet bringing out the carnation at the heart underscored by a soupçon of cool rose. Yet it never vulgarises itself through too much cleavage or low tricks, it's always classy. Almost begs for an encore after the performance.
Its perfect, sultry proportions slink through simple, bold evening dresses for a big night out. Yes, even if it's a hot night, as long as you know how to use only one spray over your navel...

Notes for Krizia Teatro alla Scala:
Top: aldehydes, coriander, fruity notes and bergamot
Heart: carnation, tuberose, orris root, jasmine, beeswax, ylang-ylang, rose and geranium.
Base: patchouli, musk, benzoin, civet, oakmoss, vetiver and incense.

Photograph of Anna Magnani via iiclegrado.esteri.it

Guerlain Shalimar Ode a la Vanille: new fragrance

Shalimar with vanilla exalted...the upcoming fragrance by maison Guerlain is taking the beloved gustatory note into new heights, after several games with it (Spirituese Double Vanille, Cuir Beluga, Ylang & Vanille etc) in other fragrances. Lovers of the classic will take note, while new converts will find a new spin on the old. Hopefully, not too patisserie-like...

The iconic Shalimar (and Guerlain in general) has always relied on vanilla, but this time they're capitalising on two precious varietal essences which will infuse the upcoming Ode à la Vanille (Ode to Vanilla) in a new bottle designed by Jade Jagger. The new fragrance is a limited edition to be released later this year.
A unique composition of 2 types of vanilla, it includes vanilla tincture from Mayotte (teinture de vanille) and Absolute de vanille from Madagascar. Created by in house perfumer Thierry Wasser.
50ml/1.7 Fl.Oz for $110.00

As reported on Basenotes by Primrose

A.Tauer Carillon pour un Ange: fragrance review

The newest fragrance by Andy Tauer, Carillon pour un Ange, takes its inspiration from a material that is often described as angelic, lily of the valley. Hence the working name during the creation process was Gabriel. Actually, truth be told, lily of the valley (or muguet as the French call it) is not exactly chastity material as a recent study revealed. Still, the piercingly sweet, very clear and green aroma creates the impression of puerile innocence, of tender cheeks and pouty small mouths.
A carillon on the other hand is a musical instrument composed of at least 23 cup-shaped bells played from a baton keyboard using fists and feet, its sound chiming with piercing clarity, much like the aroma of lily of the valley pierces the air with its declaration of spring's final assertion. So carillon pour un ange, a carillon for an angel... The seraphic allusion is certainly not lost, the fragrance is quite lovely.

The greeness in Carillon pour un Ange is delightfully tinted with the darker, oilier hint of hyacinth as was the case in a former Tauer scent, Hyacinth and a Mechanic. Even though the latter was an experimental batch, serving an SOS purpose on its bottle-message across the world (more details here), it featured at least two of the elements which infiltrated themselves in Carillon: the green hyacinth and the leathery note. In Carillon the leather is very subdued. Instead one almost loses the lily of the valley field for the hesperides grove at some point. Tauer has fetish materials which he uses over and over to great effect: I seem to feel his mandarin peel materialise again and again; it's such a great lifting note that it makes for immediately inviting openings, often coupled with rose as in Une Rose Chyprée, or Incense Rosé. (click for reviews of both)

The challenge with lily of the valley is twofold: One the one hand, it's so easy to lapse into the "salle de bains" hygienic note or the Aisle of Glade (as March puts it), due to its ubiquitness in functional products via several synthetic replications (natural extraction is not cost-effective or yielding enough). Andy Tauer is using a combination of IFF's Lyral and Lilial for his own creation, bypassing the problem of sharpness by the injection of a sweet note reminiscent of violets and lilacs (pink jasmine might be actually creating the lilac impression, the two share a bubble-gummy nectarous headiness).
One the other hand, there is the sacred Diorissimo, an über alles classic if there ever was one; impossible to surpass and one would be wise to not even try. Then again, now that Diorissimo is not recognizing itself in the mirror all too clearly these days due to multiple surgical interventions, one might reconsider. Still, the cleverness lies not in trying to create a limp-wristed or sharp rendition of lily of the valley, nor a pastoral gouache, but to boldly propose a third path: that which marries the white bell with other flowers and which contrasts it with elements to which it is naturally emerging from: the decaying leaves being eaten up by fungi, the woods where it grows, the green tapiserrie on which it sprouts its minuscule bell-shaped blossoms. Thus the base of Carillon pour un Ange takes on woody and skin-soft nuances, mossy, non dirty really (it would be paradoxical, after all), with the shades of love, death and rebirth winking to a theatre full of children watching mesmerised a play of magical marionettes.

Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner says "For me there exists only one music -good music"...and "I compose what is close to my heart". Substitute music with perfumery and you've got Tauer to a T.



Notes for Andy Tauer Carillon pour un Ange: Top: rose, ylang ylang, lilac
Heart: lily of the valley, jasmine, leather
Base: ambergris, moss, woods.

Carillon pour un Ange is available as Eau de Parfum Riche (which lasts very well) in small hand-poured 15ml bottles directly from Tauer Perfumes or on Luckyscent. Samples are available here. We're hosting a giveaway for two full bottles, comment to enter.

Painting Sleep lost in Dreams by James C.Christensen via morgenthruston
In the interests of full disclosure I sampled the perfume through the generosity of the perfumer himself; his is well documented.

The new Tauer "Carillon pour un Ange": Bottles Giveaway!

It's our pleasure to announce Tauer Perfumes is giving away two bottles of his latest fragrance, Carillon pour un ange! So leave a comment below and two winners will be randomly picked to receive their full bottle prizes!

Carillon pour un Ange was formerly known during development phase as Gabriel (fittingly, eh?) Andy is inviting you all (in celebration of his five years blogging and the unveiling of his new site, check it out!) on e-book charity project, "a panopticon on lily of the valley". The topic is: “A MOMENT WITH LILY OF THE VALLEY". You can write a poem, draw a picture, or write us a story.” Anything, really, as long as it's not copyrighted or previously appearing online or in print. You can either email it to them or mail it to them (instructions on this link). A selection of the submissions will be published in an e-book, with the proceeds donated to charities chosen by a vote on his blog. As Andy says: “I see an environmental, a human development and a charity devoted to push forward peace as the selection for the vote.”

As to the new fragrance? Tauer envisioned it as “a green choir of flowers; smelling lily of the valley is always a joy for me [ed.note: his mother wore Diorissimo]. I love the idea that you cannot buy a natural concentrate of lily of the valley, that the flowers resist to any large scale concentration of their fragrant soul.” It's an interesting note to be sure, in more ways than you had imagined as we had pointed out (naughty article is linked!) For a comprehensive article on Lily of the Valley as used in perfumery please refer to this link.

Andy constructed a base that bypasses some of the latest IFRA problems "rich in ambergris, then there is a bit of vetiverol (woody, vetiver like note without the dirty earthiness), some oakmoss fitting with EU regulators, a hint of a sandalwood note to fix things, and a fine styrax line that again fixes things, adds a hint of leather, sets an accent…“ The fragrance comes in those cute 15ml bottles he used for Une Rose Chyprée as well, as Eau de Parfum Riche (everyone knows you always get your bang for the buck with Tauer perfumes!). This is intended as a prelaunch until spring 2011 according to the perfumer, when upon the bottle just might change (I suppose this means if the fragrance is loved a lot, a bigger presentation might ensue).

Carillon pour un Ange contains notes of rose, ylang, lilac, lily of the valley, jasmine, leather, ambergris, moss, and woods.
I will follow up with a review shortly, but here's your chance to win one of the two bottles of the newest Carillon pour un Ange! Don't be shy!

Mystery of Musk: Graines de Paradis by Sharini review

Graines de Paradis is the alternative name of spice called "maniguette", a close relation to cardamom pods with a more peppery scent (hence the vernacular Pepper of Guinea), coming from a small perennial plant out of Africa. But in Graines de Paradis by Sharini Parfums Naturels, the paradisal spice is all its own and not due to any Amomum melegueta. Not that it would have hurt: The Arabian inclusion of the spice in rich dishes featuring flower petals in the traditional cuisine is not miles off the lush, taste-buds titillating floral musk that Sharini produced.

Sharini Parfums Naturels is a very small company based in Aniane, near Montpellier, headed by Nicolas Jennings, a perfumer who is also contributing to the harvesting and producing of some of the essences used in his all-natural perfume. Not only are they natural (a growing niche which has been knowing a true renaissance) but they're also bio-certified (Eco-cert), according to the website, where little bottles topped with wooden caps with a rough top-side hint at the somewhat rough experience of getting to know organic perfumes (I'm sorely tempted by Iris Véritable and Jasmin Céleste, too, I can tell you). Sharini was part of the German organic exhibition in Vivaness as well, while their workshop is open for the public from the spring equinox (March) till the autumn one (September) at Atelier des Sens, 8, Rue Font de Portal, St Guilhem le Desert 34150. It does look like a mighty fine cave of precious wines...

Sharini's submission for the Mystery of Musk project was amongst the first samples to arrive at my door for evaluation. Kudos for being so professional Nicholas! A lesson for all. And a nice experience it has been wearing the perfume for a few days.
Graines de Paradis (Paradisal seeds) is woven around the musky scents of angelica and ambrette seed, seeping in and out of the composition at regular intervals, while tiaré, neroli, jasmine and the unusual, bracken-like broom lend their own rich aromata. The flower essences yielded their spirit by the -now almost obsolete but utterly charming- method of enfleurage which captures the dying breaths of them as they wither in layers and layers of animal fat (in this case it was vegetal fat, please note), the process repeated for 20 to 25 times by the industrious Nicholas and Crystel (who harvested the broom themselves). The thick precious pomade resulting is then treated with solvents to release the aromatic droplets, gathered one by one; one can almost feel the anticipation, the drops of sweat on the brow dropping with an audible "plong" while waiting for the other, sweet drops to fill the glass vials...
Not only flowers, but other more succulent ingredients enter the formula of Graines de Paradis as well: wild cherries, Rooibos red tea and vanilla enter in the form of tincture. Tincture in perfume speak is an "infusion" of the materials which are seeped in alcohol until a light-smelling but sufficiently aromatized liquid is produced. This is the method that natural perfumers use to "fix" their alcohol via "heavy", animalic ingredients such as ambergris or other good fixatives (like blond tobacco or vanilla if the formulae are thus inclined). A bit like creating an aromatized grappa liquor by adding rind of kumquats! (Do try it!) Nicholas Jennings is using corn grain alcohol. There is a hint of musty bitterness too in the composition, which could be produced by the agarwood inclusion, which tempers the florals and the sweeter notes well.

The overall feeling of Graines de Paradis is rich, sweetly floral (very good quality flower essences) with the gourmand quality of almond paste in the background and intensely lasting on both blotter and skin, thanks to the tenaciousness of the base notes (patchouli, vanilla, ambrette seed).

The best thing of all? Only 25 bottles were produced, making it an almost bespoke scent for the very, very few. There was a draw for a bottle at Grain de Musc.

Please visit the rest of the participating blogs and fora on the Mystery of Musk project following the links provided.

The winners of the draw....

...for the Aftelier giveaway are: Lilacskin, Mimi Gardenia, Lavanya & arch.memory.
Congratulations, you get to pick your scented prize!
Please email me using the contact on the Profile or About page with your shipping address and your preferred prize, so I can notify Mandy to have your prizes in the mail for you soon.
Thanks for the participation everyone and till the next one!