Scents for a Sultry Summer

The weather has been acting crazy all over the planet for some years now and the temperatures soar and plummet at the drop of a hat. To analyze global warming and the heat wave patterns would be beyond the scope of an online magazine devoted to the sense of smell, yet its effects have a significant impact on our choosing our personal fragrance when the weather is no more conductive to perfume-wearing than it is to sporting a mink coat and lighting up the fireplace. So what’s to wear when the going gets tough?

There are two schools of thought on this: The first one suggests choosing only the crispest, lightest fragrances, usually based around citrus and fruity notes, which should (supposedly) create a feeling of upbeat euphoria and cleanness amidst the dog days of summer. The other one has a much more laiser faire, nonchalant attitude about it: If you’re anathematizing change, why embrace it in what is such a personal aspect as your own scent? Acolytes of this school of thought carry on with their preferred signature scent/scents regardless of the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales. For all the rest who don’t fall into either group, here are some recommendations for surviving the sultriness of mid-summer.

Scents of crispy audaciousness

• Eau de Gentiane Blanche by Hermès: Currently Eaux seem to be everywhere from Dior s Escale a Pondichéry, Miss Dior Chérie L’Eau and J'adore L Eau Cologne Florale to Cristalle Eau Verte and the instigator of it all Eau de Cologne by Chanel. Still Hermès and Jean Claude Ellena, much like Sinatra (or Sid Vicious, take your pick!) "did it their (own) way" and the magnificently androgynous and distinctive result is taking another direction: a mineral effect of dry white dust and rock as far as the eye can see at dawn before the sun rises.

• Musk Nomade by Annick Goutal: There is a delicate insolence in the vegetable-like musk of this fragrance. Much like No. 18 by Chanel Les Exclusifs, it possesses that quality of appearing prismatic: different from different angles and multi-billowed when in fact it is deceptively simple. Isabelle Doyen worked her magic into producing something that is etched precariously between machine-washed clean and human.

• Cristalle by Chanel: Why go for a typical citrus when you can go one better and opt for a zingy chypre? This enduring classic by Henri Robert has something to recommend it; most people seem to like its cutting through the heat like a saber and it’s got enough pedigree and unisex character in the Eau de Toilette to suit both sexes.

• Eau d'Hermès by Hermès: Not only an eau (classic summer fit), but with citrus and lightly sweaty leather accouterments, this quirky little thing is unknown enough to garner an inquiring sniff around and has the pedigree of perfumer Edmond Roudnitska composing it sometime in the early 1950s. Considering everyone looked as if they were extras in a movie back then, elegance is guaranteed. For men and women.

Scents of deceptive orientalism

• Shalimar Light or Eau de Shalimar by Guerlain: Someone someplace had to invent it; a lemon cupcakes accord over what is essentially the bronziest fragrance in all perfumery, right out of the 1001 Nights. Foregoing the heavy elements, yet still retaining the lovely citrusvanilla-opoponax accord of the original, this modern odalisque can fit into summer wearing like those harem sandals you were planning to wear with your linens trousers. Another version you can try is Shalimar Parfum Initial; light enough to withstand the heat.

• Organza Fleur d’Oranger 2008 Harvest by Givenchy: The popular Organza scent is getting an injection of precious essences that conspire into having you adorn yourself with a big hibiscus behind the ear. Sensual, lush but not heavy, this is an interpretation of a floriental on jasmine, honeysuckle and orange blossom that will have you hankering for more warm days ahead!

• Fille en Aiguilles by Serge Lutens: Caramelized pine needles peek through the Bakelite-beads curtains at some warm place in the eternal south. The newest luminous oriental woody of perfumer Christopher Sheldrake is suited to both men and women and should prove that Lutens creations can be worn in the warmer months as well.

Scents of floral quirkiness 

• Lys Mediterannée by Frederic Malle: Salty seaspraying air lands on big, fat lilies just out of the tiny rural church and you are transported to the Riviera. Perhaps the freshest interpretation of lily on the market without losing character. The effect is akin to strolling along the Saint-Tropez haunts that Brigitte Bardot made famous.

• Tubéreuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens: Inhaling on a Kool-mentholated cigarette seems like the cooling sensation that greets you upon smelling this most unique take on tuberose. After the emanations settle, you’re left with the most polished, silky and quiet tuberose on the market, a smell that is truly panseasonal and could be worn by both sexes.

• Manoumalia by Les Nez: A small wonder by Caledonia perfumer Sandrine Videault, this offering of the independent Swiss brand Les Nez, Pafums d’Auteurs has all the gusto of an olfactory voyage to the South Pacific. Forget touristy Elvis Hawaiian shirts and go native in a composition redolent of earthy grassiness of vetiver under the effluvium of ylang-ylang and tiare that will have everyone in your wake demanding what your fragrance is.

So when faced with the dilemma what can withstand the heat next time, just remember that besides your sarong and sandals you have more options than you thought possible!


post based on a previous article of mine appearing on Sniffapalooza Magazine

photos/stills from film Noz wi wodzie (Knife in the Water) by Roman Polanski (1962) with Leon Niemczyk and Zygmunt Malanowicz, Plein Soleil (1960) with Alain Delon as Thomas Ripley, Evil under the Sun (1982) based on Agatha Christie's novel with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg, Jane Birkin etc.

Helene Rochas: 1927-2011

"It's the end of a myth, of an era," a Rochas spokesperson said of her death. "She was the muse of one of the great couturiers, the last to remain alive from that era."

The wife and muse of Marcel Rochas, the one for which Femme by Rochas was created and who championed the Madame Rochas fragrance herself, passed away on August 6th at the age of 84.

Photo: Madame Helene Rochas in costume at the Rothschild's "Proust Ball".

Parfums Weil Zibeline: fragrance review & Weil house history

Parfums Weil is the most characteristic example of "parfums fourrure" (fur perfumes), being the perfumery offshoot of Parisien furrier, Les Fourrures Weil (Weil Furs), established in 1927. And Zibeline alongside Weil's Antilope are among their proudest creations.

The history of the House of Weil

Furriers since 1912, well before they became purveyors of fine fragrance, the venture of the founder Alfred -and his brothers Marcel and Jacques- into perfume resulted from the direct request of a client for a fragrance suitable to fur wearing. Weil obligingly capitulated to the request and produced scents that would guarantee not to harm the fur itself, yet mask the unwelcome musty tonality that fur coats can accumulate after a while. The names are quite literal: Zibeline (sable), Ermine (hermine), Chinchila, Une Fleur pour Fourrure (A Flower for Furs)...

The very first of those, Zibeline, was an expansive floral aldehydic veering into chypre tonalities, conveived as an evocation of the oak forests and steppes of imperial Russia and appropriately named after the animal there captured: Zibeline, the highest quality in furs for its legendary silky touch, its scarcity value and light weight. 

Zibeline belonged to the original fragrant trio line-up that launched the business of Perfumes Weil. Introduced in 1928, Zibeline was comissioned by Marcel Weil and composed by Claude Fraysse assisted by his perfumer daughter, Jacqueline. (The Fraysse clan is famous for working in perfumery: His two sons, André and Hybert were to work with Lanvin and Synarome respectively and the son of André, Richard, is today head perfumer at parfums Caron).

Scent, Versions & Vintages of Weil Zibeline perfume

Zibeline was released in Eau de Toilette in 1930 but the formulations came and went with subtle differences and their history is quite interesting. First there was Zibeline, then the company issued Secret de Venus bath and body oils product line which incorporated Zibeline among their other fragrances (a line most popular in the US) while later they reverted to plain Zibeline again. The Eau versions of Secret de Venus Zibeline are lighter, with less density while the bath/body oil form approximates the spicy-musky tonalities of the Zibeline extrait de parfum, with the latter being more animalistic.

The older versions of parfum were indeed buttery and very skanky, deliciously civet-laden with the fruit and floral elements more of an afterthought and around the 1950s the batches gained an incredible spicy touch to exalt that quality. It's interesting to note that as per Joan Juliet Buck, former editor of French VOGUE, men often wore Zibeline in the 1950s!

Later versions of Zibeline from the 70s and 80s attained a more powdery orange blossom honeyness, backed up by fruit coupled with the kiss of tonka bean and sandalwood, only hinting at the muskiness that was so prevalent in previous incarnations, thus resulting in a nostalgic memento of a bygone epoch that seems tamer than it had actually been. Zibeline is old school in the best possible sense and a parfum fourrure you will be proud to wear even if your vegan proclivities wouldn't allow you so much as think of touching a real sable coat.

The aftermath for Weil

Marcel Weil's death in 1933 did not stop expanding their perfumery endeavours; they added several other perfumes: Bambou, Cassandra and Noir. The Weil family was forced out of France by Hitler, so they re-established themselves in New York from where one of the first perfumes released was Zibeline with the quite different in character chypré Antilope being issued in 1945, upon return to Paris in 1946 when they also introduced Padisha. Sadly the multiple changing of hands resulted in the languishing of the firm by the 1980s and although the brand Weil has been in ownership of Interparfums (Aroli Aromes Ligeriens) since 2002 Parfums Weil is largely unsung and long due for a resurgence.

Notes for Weil Zibeline:
Top: aldehydes, coriander, tarragon, bergamot and lemon;
middle: orris, gardenia, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley and rose;
base: honey, sandalwood, tonka bean, amber, musk, civet and vetiver.

Love Fragrance from Lush: Limited Edition for One Month Only

Thought you knew everything about the ache of limited editions? Now Lush is challenging us with a one-month only fragrance called Love, out starting August 15th. Acording to the press release: "The exclusive LOVE fragrance by the Gorilla Perfumers at LUSH is launching in all stores NATIONWIDE on Monday 15th August for one month only!

LOVE (£30.00 for 30ml, £14.00 for 10ml, £7.00 for 12g solid)...

The new Lush Love fragrance "smells of fresh bitten apples and zesty lemongrass evoking the exhilarating feeling of a bright new romance. As the scent warms to the skin and develops throughout the day the spicey notes of cinnamon, ylang ylang and jasmine bring a long lasting sensuality to the perfume, evoking feelings of a deeper romance whilst still hinting at flirty excitement with refreshing lemon notes."

Apparently, Lush Co-Founder and Product Inventor Mark Constantine OBE, was inspired by watching his sons falling in and out of love. The fragrance is supposed to “[be] for flirts really, but being a flirt is not something everyone wants to be known for. On the other hand, flirting is so much fun. I have tried to make a perfume that will flirt for you while you pretend indifference. Love is an instantly bright and bubbly fragrance with a vivacious green apple fruit scent and sweet citrus innocence. As the initial burst fades, it's replaced with a sugary sweet apple pie note while maintaining a sharp lift.” The founders recommend the new Love fragrance to those who liked their Fizzbanger bath ballistic.

Main notes for Lush Love Fragrance: Lemon, lemongrass, bergamot, apple, cinnamon, cassia, jasmine, rose

For shop details and mail order contact 01202 668 545 or order online at www.lush.co.uk or www.gorillaperfume.com

Chanel No.19 Poudre: fragrance review

~by guest writer AlbertCAN

Of all the people in the world I would have never guessed that I would be one of the first to write a full review about Chanel No. 19 Poudré, one of the two latest introductions from the fabled house. In fact even if the spirit of Coco Chanel told me this morning I would not have believed it, for all signs pointed to an uneventful day.

Yet life has a way of stringing the impossible, isn’t it? I had to take a photo with my personal belongings otherwise nobody, including myself, would have thought of it.

August 4th was my day off, the unorthodox result of my manager’s scheduling so I could work Monday to Saturday. This Thursday was meant to be routine—errands in the morning, fitness workout in the afternoon, early retirement by night in preparation of the early shift tomorrow.

Except I found out in the evening that I had to cast my ballot an important provincial tax referendum by tonight else I would have missed the opportunity altogether, with the nearest voting station at a local mall about 15 minute drive from my house. Nothing chic has been discovered in that toy plaza since the arrival of Givenchy Amarige d’Amour, as I uttered to myself when I pulled out of my driveway.

The voting station was everything I loath, being a stone throw away from Walmart and the Hello Kitty concession stand, right next to the mall’s washroom. By the time I drop off my vote, after being asked to triple seal my ballot with three distinct envelopes I was just ready to leave. But then I remembered that one of my fragrances was about to run out, and not wanting to waste too much of my time I marshalled myself to The Hudson’s Bay Company, our historic—albeit slightly paunchy and tired by now—national department store monument. Move along, I said to myself, just get on with it.

The fragrance section of the HBC on a Thursday evening was nothing to behold: Sales staff three people strong, all manning multiple stations and sounding a bit inexperienced when interacting with other clients. With my look of death they left me alone after 10 seconds.

That’s when I bumped into a big display stand of Chanel No. 19 Poudré.

I did a double take and quickly scanned the store’s Chanel inventory. Not a bottle of No. 19 in sight, and only the display of the new edition available: 2 bottles of 100mL Chanel No. 19 Poudré eau de parfum. The most seasoned Chanel reps, even account managers, couldn’t tell me weeks ago when their supplies of Chanel No. 19 Poudré would come to the Vancouver flagship store. Now I was face to face with two bottles in the local mall, with associates not even knowing a thing about it. (“I think it’s a limited edition*,” the poor lady said as she carefully surveyed the shelves, “Two is all we have.” *editor's note: Chanel No. 19 Poudré is inteded as a regular diffusion to the original line and not as a limited edition)

I quickly grabbed the tester and gave it a test run. Now, having read all the information from Perfume Shrine (here and here) I knew what to expect: Beautiful orris absolute, soft and buttery sheer. Much more delicate than the original, and with the icy zing of galbanum now in tender check. I’ll take one, as I quickly pulled out my credit card. I walked out of the store a happy man. The story, however, had just begun.

While my initial impression of the scent stays true on the blotter--for up to three days I find-- on the skin is a slightly different story. About 10 minutes after the initial testing the orris absolute, so prominently featured in Chanel’s Les Exclusifs line (most notably 28 La Pausa and No. 18) started to soft focus: the delicate floral initially pinning in the background started came to fore, and on my way home one thing was becoming very clear—the orris absolute gave way to a suede musk, bolstered by a synthetic iris, which was what I got for the rest of the three hours. It’s still going softly but surely, actually.

Now I would be inclined to say that the musk element feels like a natural progression from Chance Eau Tendre, but to be honest the woody-musk drydown is very much a thoughtful rendition of the original No. 19 elements, most notably the pronounced woods within the eau de toilette version without the oakmoss presence. In fact that’s the ironic arch about the structure of the new fragrance: I had the eau de toilette of the original and the new one side by side on each arm and they are essentially the same breed. The biggest difference among the two would be the green and the floral facets—in No. 19 Poudré the rose and jasmine absolutes are decidedly not present, and neither was galbanum taking a cut in the new version. What makes the original so interesting (and so difficult to sink into at first try) is that hit-your-face-like-ice-blade freshness only the finest galbanum from Iran could do (anything less would conjure a hint of garlic from the inferior grade). The new version, in short, feels almost like a summery of the old in a more updated language, albeit a bit hollowed out in the centre to usher in an iris-musk sillage.

Thus am I disappointed? Far from it: I know this is going to surely reach a new generation and an entirely novel set of audience, most notably the American and the Asian audiances. In fact the entire artistic creation is right on the money, from the bottle to the juice. Even the image, albeit a bit on the forgettable side, is well integrated into the target image.

The original No. 19, to begin, is truly one of the priciest formula in the original Chanel archive, with the finished compound costing around 1800 Euros (the exactly figure from Chandler Burr’s A Perfect Scent eludes me at the moment). Yet it continues to be a tough sell in the States with its cashmere opening and independent development. When looking at the formula, most notably the original eau de toilette, one notices the genius of Henri Robert by pairing the warmth with the cold, the sunny cis-3-hexanol salicylate and hedione with the severity of iris, the crisp neroli with the sensual woody chypre. Carefully beaded verdant crystals on top of premium silver penne velvet, breath-taking but not for everyone. So if the new edition could help breaking people into the masterpiece, well, why not? Yes and no.

I don’t question the Chanel perfumers’ desire to stay true to the spirit of Coco Chanel, and I don’t question the quality of iris at the beginning of the fragrance (I have several commercial orris blends in stock, and after smelling them along side the latest Chanel it was pretty obvious that some synthetics, most notably the tea-like alpha-isomethyl ionone, is paired with the orris absolute). Yet I wish the sillage could be a bit more varied and nuanced, a bit more imagination on top of modernizing the tradition: Wouldn't it breath-taking to dazzle us, Monsieur Jacques Polge, by pairing galbanum with a beautiful green element not available at Coco Chanel's time, such as the Michelia alba leaves extract? (Come to think of it: Why not? Wouldn't the high priestess of innovation appove when it's brilliantly done? ) And the white floral facet: well, pretty—I can feel the lily of the valley hovering in the background with the use of hydroxycitronnellal—but all this makes me yearn for the original so much more. So we have anther version of No. 19 that’s not for everyone, this time in a different context.

On the other hand the new No. 19 is quite versatile, not only accommodating for different events but also as a layering base for the original parfum in order to amplify the iris in an interesting way. And as I have alluded to earlier in this article, the verdant fragrance can potentially be used as a masculine for some dandies. In fact I look forward to pairing this with a few drops of my 15mL parfum (which works surprisingly well as a masculine, by the way). By the same token, on the other hand, best to test the fragrance before purchasing a full bottle, as unlike the traditional No. 19 line what's on the blotter may or may not be what you get on your skin, as the case to me.

Chanel No. 19 Poudré is a green floral and was developed by Chanel house perfumer Jacques Polge: The notes of Chanel No. 19 Poudré include neroli, galbanum, jasmine, iris, white musk, vetiver and tonka bean. I sampled the 100mL Eau de Parfum tester, both on paper and on skin. I purchased a bottle, although I haven’t opened it yet. It’s out in the market, although at the moment availability varies depending on geographical regions.

photo of bottle in box, copyright by AlbertCAN