Worthy of mention: Denyse had a pre-sniff of the new Vanille Galante by Hermès, the one which excludes synthetic vanillin but includes ylang ylang, and is enthusiastic about it: "With Vanille Galante, Ellena has managed a double tour de force: not only has he washed away vanilla’s triteness by signing it, its clichéd yumminess, but he has also managed to stretch out the headiness and heaviness of sweet, exotic materials into an almost impalpable substance" You can read the rest here.
The characteristic leather-clad bottle of the Hermessences looks mighty elegant in white, does it not? To be exclusively available through Hermès boutiques.
Recapping the year only in perfume terms just doesn't cut it: There are tons of things that are connected to the Good Life which have brightened the year past. So in an effort to credit the small and bigger things that have done so, a group of bloggers are showcasing them. Thanks to Grayburn for organizing this project and kindly inviting me to join! What does it take for something to make it to my favorite things 2008 list? It has to be something I have derived actual pleasure out of, plus results; it must be luxurious without necessarily being in the stratospheric price echelons; and it should provide that ne plus ultra that makes it indispensable. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite things for 2008.
Favorite Primer Clarins Lisse Minute/ Instant Smooth perfecting touch
Do you consider your face a fresco? Then why are you applying what is essentially paint directly onto the mortar (your pores)? This small jar of volatile silicones and wax helps make all small textural imperfections (pores, lines, roughness) vanish in such a miraculous way as Keyser Söze did in The Usual Suspects. Making the imperceptible yet annoying disappear is impossible in forensics, archaeology and the coroner's bed, but not in cosmetology any more thanks to Clarins. Pricy but worth it!
Favorite blusherand beyond Nars the Multiple in Malibu
Not new, but I have come late to the cult of this, thanks to my introduction to it by Dain. Basically sunset in a stick, meant to be lightly dabbed on cheekbones (but also eyelids and/or lips), it imparts the loveliest glow without seeming garish (it's not as dark as it shows in the tube) and should look lovely on those with light or medium complexions (I fear it won't show up enough on dark skins, that's why)
This is so good, so well tolerated and perportedly so effective (I will know in about 10 years' time I guess) that it's a perennial favorite of mine for at least 8 months of the year every year (strong sunlight is a no-no so I give it a rest during summer ~no matter how much I lather sunscreen on, some of it slips and I am taking no chances). Containing retinaldehyde (a precursor of Retin-A, more effective than retinol, better tolerated than actual Retin-A) it transforms to retinoic acid in the skin providing an investement for the future. Consider it Skin Insurance.
Favorite Moisturiser Vichy Aqua Thermal UV SPF15
The new product that finally managed to salvage me on the humid days in the metropolis when I didn't have the heart to put my moisturiser on (instant sweat on the forehead!) or my much needed sunscreen (the requirement for safekeeping the future). Luckily this combines both in a satiny gel-cream that absorbs quickly, leaves a smooth texture and has a high PPD of 18 (basically this means that it does perform a good work of shielding the skin from the ageing UVA rays contrary to sunscreens with a high SPF factor but not much UVA protection). Available through chemist's.
Favorite Portable Obsession Tie between Roxana Illuminated perfume in Sierra Gold (complex resinous goodness)and Pacifica Madagascar Spice (the clove smell of the holidays's melomakarona). These are so easy to use and so yummy that they have converted me to smearing my wrists with what I thought was simply goey stuff; it's so much more.
Favorite Lip Balm Parfumeria Gal Madrid in Grosella (Red Currant) and Violette
These cute looking Art Nouveau tins hide a wonderfully aromatic balm in various shades. Grosella is especially becoming in the colder months and Violette smells delicious. Available through Beautyhabit.
Favorite Sandals Amedeo Canfora Sandals in Danielle Turquoise. When you're traipsing your way through the hot cobblestones of Capri (What am I saying? Even through Monastiraki square!), these elegant, foot-friendly sandals are a constant reminder that your well-cared-for feet are, per Leonardo da Vinci's words, "a wonder of mechanics". They make me wish for the return of summer!
Favorite Art Site None other than Art Daily. A little dose makes for plenty of ideas and much enjoyement.
Favorite Sinful Indulgence Orange and Thyme pralines by Pierre Marcolini. A look through their catalogue is sin itself. (available also in 6 Lancer Square Kensington, London W8 4EH and Park Avenue, 85 10022 New York. Pretend you never read this).
Favorite Healthful Indulgence Drinking the earthy, almost tannic tasting Pu-erh tea which is said to lower cholesterol in the process as well. (Can it wash down the Marcolini pralines, I wonder?) Available through tsai.gr.
Favorite Nail Polish Essie in 491 Sweet Tart
This nail polish is everything autumn and winter fashions were about: mauve-ish, metallic and elegant. It has been adorning my fingernails for most of autumn and into winter and goes well from university lecturing to theatre-and-a-drink night out. The finish is excellent, it lasts well, it compliments my light, yet neutral skintone and the price is right.
Favorite Literary Parody If you are an avid reader (like myself) and might also want something practical around (unlike myself) Sartre's Sink by Marl Crick might do the trick of two birds with one stone. Imitating the literary style of famous writers to actually compose a Do-it-Yourself guide that includes from wallpapering to unblocking a sink, Crick will have you laughing out recognising The Old Man and the Sea, The Black Cat or The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (to give out but a few). He's written a cooking guide called Kafka's Soup as well, tackling the authors who escaped; word has it the recipes work too! (on my to-read-list)
Favorite Tobacco fix For someone who doesn't smoke, but appreciates the complexity of a good Partagas Reserva nevertheless, finding something with a rich, satisfying tobacco smell is a futile mission. The perfect combination came this year in Kings & Queens Tsar Peter shower gel followed by a spritz of Bell'Antonio by Italian designer Hilde Soliani (available at New London Pharmacy). Two minutes later and I am sporting a fedora shading my eyes in an imaginary Kafka-esque walk through Mala Strana.
Favorite Threatical Performance No contest; the Quebequois Cirque Éloize in their latest, Rain: Childhood innocence and fantasy combined in a Fellini and Comedia-dell'Arte-like show full of wonderful music that takes the form of a memoir of author/director Danielle Fins Pasca's childhood recollections. The catharctic finale has the entire troupe reverting to their childhood, one by one, participating in a rain-soaked game of football. It was hard to get back to reality as I exited the theatre and to tick off the last remaining drops of "rain" clinging like a vague souvenir off the lapel...
From the effulgent Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna as seen in the warm light of noon to the incadescent Scrovegni Chapel frescoes by Giotto in Padua during the cool silence of a winter afternoon, Italian art is infused with the resplendent light of the South which never fails to draw a beatific expression out of me. That golden light has been captured in a fragrance called Cimabue by independent niche perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. Cenni di Pepo (Giovanni) Cimabue (c. 1240 — c. 1302) was the artist to bridge the opulence of Byzantium with the insight, knowledge and brilliance of the Renaissance and counted Giotto among his students. Cimabue, the fragrance, is characterised by Dawn as "my Saffron note étude" but it provides a porthole into her greater agilité in various techniques. It's no coincidence that Dawn began her career as a painter progressing to work at Boston's famed ESSENSE Perfumery and imbuing her perfumes with fine art principles (texture, color, line, light, shape, and expression) in her own line, Parfums des Beaux Arts, LLC.
Cimabue (pronounced chim-a-boo-way, according to Dawn) had first come to my attention through a perfume enthusiast and online friend who sent me a sample some time ago. I recall I was favourably impressed and left it at that. But now that the Saffron Series has caught up with me, what better time to revisit and explore the intricasies that weave throughout its composition? Cimabue materialized out of love: the love of a perfumer to her clients. When a lover of Safran Troublant sent a request to Dawn to make something comparable, Dawn set out to create Cimabue. Yet Cimabue is not a rip off Safran Troublant, but rather a spicier, richer, enigmatic interpretation that spans the spectrum from honeyed floral to bittersweet spicy to luscious oriental much like the colours of those frescoes take on different shades depending on the light cast.
Cimabue begins on complex citrus , immediately flanked by unctuous saffron with the feel of aromatized olive oil for a creamy, starchy Carnaroli risotto. Although there are flowers' essences in the composition, none emerges prominently, instead undulating into layers that are folded in the spice mix. The smell of clove, cardamom and nutmeg slither when Cimabue takes on the skin, then the sandalwood, vanilla and sweet powder combine in a classic milky gourmand drydown that accounts for a very warm and pleasantly sweet ambience with average lasting power. Cimabue should please spice lovers as well as gourmand lovers and will bring a little warmth in the depths of winter.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Cimabue notes: Top: Bergamot, bitter orange, cardamom, clementine, Italian neroli, lemon, nutmeg Middle: carnation absolute, cinnamon bark, clove bud, Egyptian Rose geranium, Grandiflorum jasmine, honey beeswax, Moroccan rose absolute, Mysore sandalwood, Saffron absolute, Tuberose absolute Bottom: Ciste absolute, East Indian sandalwood, labdanum, oppopanax, Siam benzoin, Tahitian vanilla, Tamil Nadu sandalwood, vanilla absolute.
Cimabue is part of the more upscale collection Parfums des Beaux Arts (limited editions) and is available in various sizes: 0 .25 oz Eau de Parfum travel spray will set you back $27 while a limited edition flacon of extrait de parfum runs for $135 while a body butter and a foaming creame compliment the experience. Samples and sampler packs are also available on the DSH website.
Painting of Madonna enthroned with the child, St Francis, St.Domenico and two Angels by Cimabue displayed in Galleria Uffici Florence courtesy of Christus Rex
Of all the spice notes, saffron with its bittersweet flavor is the one most opulently and oneirically represented in compositions that are highlighting its antithetical facets: sweet and leathery, acrid and rich. The impact is based on its inherent strong contrasts and juxtapositions, yet the aroma itself possesses a polished delicacy that distinguishs it amidst the concucopia of other gourmand or spicy scents. Here are some of the fragrances best highlighting saffron and its golden glory.
Safran Troublant by L'Artisan Parfumeur
In India it is customary to aromatize rice pudding with saffron stamens soaked in the milk used to make it. This composition by Olivia Giacobetti goes for the warm, pleasantly sweet facet of saffron imbued with the softness of vanilla and milky sandalwood. The simple and cozy aromatic mélange is brought to the boil by the addition of a slightly cumin-like note (although none is listed), raisin and rosewater. The Indian feast is closing with a decadent, sensuous dessert (with ambery undertones, slightly powdery accents) that doesn't stick around for long yet makes you appreciate the fact that here is where Kama (the art of love) was born.
Agent Provocateur by Agent ProvocateurWhen this fragrance first launched in 2000 in its ostrich-egg-sized pink bottle, little did one expect that the scent within would be atavitistic to the lineage of impressionable floral chypres of yore. The big Moroccan rose in its heart, much like in classic Jean Couturier's Coriandre from the 1970s, is complimented by a paper-y woody note of amber and vetiver combined with warm musks, but it is the saffron along with the upbeat coriander that bring a rather animalic and weirdly "dirty" quality to the fragrance making it the olfactory equivalent of an aged Hollywood star the morning after she has had a rampant night in bed with a nostalgizing fan half her years.
Al Nabha by Haramain
If Thaif rose mixed with Dehnal Oudh is your dream come true, then you will be well catered for with this exotic, musty mix of both these ancient aromas of the East recommended for men. Dehnal Oudh supposedly aids motivation and meditation as it brings communication with the transcendent and invokes a sense of strength and peace; but I find that it is the saffron accent that touches the earth with its juxtaposition of earthy delights to the spiritual ones of oudh. I feel that it is the perfect companion to studious winter solitude.
(if you want to find a dehnal oudh distributor in the West, try this link)
Black Tie by Washington Tremlett
The bold saffron note is brought into culmination through the combination with other spices and herbs (cardamom, sage and galbanum). The rose-geranium heart is effortlesly elegant, backed up by a woody vetiver-rich undercurrent that likens it to the husky-voiced Czech & Speake's No.88; yet the former's aura is quiter, more refined and the spice accents make it intriguing enough to render it unique in the current masculine selection; and very fitting to be worn by women as well!
Cuir de Lancome (re-issue)
The at once dense and soft aroma of quality suede is complimented admirably by the inherently leathery aspects of saffron, yet the whole is immersed in the translucence that precious labradorite possesses thanks to hesperidic touches of sweet mandarin and elegantly acrid bergamot. Perfumers Calice Becker and Pauline Zanoni have managed to make a reformulation that defies the disdain usually reserved for the former in that it succeeds to smell enticing and worthy of acquisition even if you are a fan of the vintage version.
Evening Edged in Gold by Ineke
Independent perfumer Ineke Ruhland has been creating a line of fragrances that follow the alphabet, as we mentioned while starting the ABCs with After my Own Heart. Evening Edged in Gold is the fifth in the series and although it has been praised for its rendering of exotic sweet and narcotic blossoms ~like Angel's Trumpet and suede-apricoty osmanthus~ via a stop at a perverse candy-story out of Alice in Wonderland, it is perhaps the bittersweet tang of saffron that holds it from becoming intoxicating to the point of no return, reminding me of the Maldon sea salt chocolate from the Paul A. Young chocolaterie in London.
Idole de Lubin
A pirate idea of boozy rum in a walnut-shell deep within a big leather sac, like a hidden treasure in the depths of some uncharted sea. Olivia Giacobetti had a streak of uncharacteristic epiphany: density in the playground of Safran Troublant, her other saffron scent. More masculine, less vanillic and cozy, Idole has sparkling facets of sweet spirits along with the lusciously dark, dry leathery and animalic background. If I truly loved amber fragrances some more, this could have been my companion on the snowy mountaintops of Kaimaktsalan while sipping saffron-infused black tea.
Opôné by Diptyque
Although I have never personally managed to wear this successfully and my decant has been relegated to the swap list, I find that the saffron and rose accord is potently showcased here for those who do not have access to the spice itself for educational purposes. Pot-pouri like, with rich damascones and damascenones ingredients, and rather dusty, Opôné was named after an ancient trade center in Somalia on the east coast of Africa, but this is a travel I would personally rather take on another medium.
Comme des Garçons 2 Man by Comme des Garçons
Composed by Marc Buxton in 2004 for Rei Kawakubo's brand of avant-garde tailoring, the fragrance has such radiance and clarity that the warm, smoky ambience never becomes the low-life den it could have been and even the incense does not veer it into the mystical; instead it remains suave and polished. The cumin, wood and vetiver elements compliment saffron in a masculine clarion to battle for the urbanized battlefield rather than muddy Bannockburn and I personally find that the modern warrior who would wear this one would definitely manage to steal a gaze of contemplation and interest from me.
Ta'if by Ormonde Jayne
Dates and pink pepper combine with golden saffron to evoke a stop on the way on the Silk Route with the slight green tinge of dampness of fallen leaves in a desert oasis. The unusual note of broom reminds me of the comparable treatment in Dior's forgotten marine-oriental Dune. More spicy than fruity, but with a clearly detectable honey rose heart that blooms lusciously in the warm air of a summery evening, Ta'if is one of the Ormonde Jayne fragrances that although I don't often wear I admire a lot and prefer to the rather lesser Orris Noir which also includes saffron.
"The notion arose during the late 1970s, in several minds at once. Why not amass in one place, for safekeeping and delectation, all the perfumes ever created? A wonderful idea, and in time the renowned nez Jean Kerléo brought the collective dream to fruition. The Osmothèque, the only institution of its kind in the world, was inaugurated in 1990. Nowhere else can a perfume lover inhale thousands of fragrances created today, yesterday and even in distant history, including a Royal Perfume of the Roman era and the medieval Eau de la Reine de Hongrie.The experts at this unlikely conservatory, situated on a side street in the city of Versailles, have even reconstituted, from a formula discovered by chance in a drawer, the eau de cologne produced on Saint Helena for the exiled Napoleon. Hundreds of perfumes once thought to have evaporated into the mists of time have been revived at the Osmothèque. Dabbed onto paper strips called mouillettes, the fragrances transport visitors to the woodland glades of their origin, or the era of their first appearances on the perfume scene: heady Blue Narcissus by Mury (1920), nostalgic Christmas Night* by Caron (1922), Chanel's sensual Russian Leather ** (1924), Millot's opulent Crêpe de Chine (1925), to mention only a few".
Read more about the fragrance vault, L'Osmothèque, in Scents and Sensibility (surely not the most inspired title/pun?) in the article by Franck Ferrand in France Today (hence the pic).
*Nuit de Noel **Cuir de Russie
The Osmothèque, which is primarily a resource and teaching institution for perfume professionals, is open to the public by reservation only, for two-and-a-half-hour sessions given (in French only) by perfumers. Sessions are held on Wednesday afternoons and some Saturdays, and include discussions, videos and slide shows covering the history of perfume and the profession of the "nose", a presentation of the raw ingredients used in perfumery, and the opportunity to sniff mouillettes of many of the perfumes in the collection. 36 rue du Parc de Clagny, Versailles, 01.39.55.46.99. €15. Find out more
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Worthy of mention: Denyse had a pre-sniff of the new Vanille Galante by Hermès, the one which excludes synthetic vanillin but includes ylang ylang, and is enthusiastic about it: "With Vanille Galante, Ellena has managed a double tour de force: not only has he washed away vanilla’s triteness by signing it, its clichéd yumminess, but he has also managed to stretch out the headiness and heaviness of sweet, exotic materials into an almost impalpable substance" You can read the rest here. 
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