Douce Amere by Serge Lutens: A Predetermined Fate Met

Douce Amère has always been among my favourite Serge Lutens fragrances. It was with a surprised excalamation that I had learned that it would be relegated from the export oblong bottles to the exclusive circuit in Parisian bell jar bottles. I had announced the info I had leaned 2 years ago. It took that long for my info to cross over into tangible reality. But it did in the end. Obviously there was a huge stock of export bottles of Douce Amère that needed to be cleared first. Those of you who had stocked up, you can feel all smug now.

If you have been questioning the accuracy of these "rumours" I had provided some photo evidence of what was about to be done ~again that was about 2 years ago. For now, only 2 out of 4 have materialised. But the photo of the bell jar bottles in all those scents discussed had came from an official source...

Alec Lawless: 1960-2012

An accident in late March cut off the life thread of Alec Lawless, fun personality, communication wizard, scented naturals teacher and mad professor Boris's alter ego.

Alec Lawless was formerly married to Julia Lawless, renowned aromatherapist and author of The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils and he ran an essential oil company called ‘Acqua Oleum’ which supplied companies all over Europe. He's the author of the perfume book Being Led by the Nose, reviewed on these pages, which serves as the perfect compendium on natural materials and blending.
His colourful personality and unique contribution will be missed.

FiFi Semi-Finalists for 2012

The Fragrance Foundation has announced the finalists for the awards they bestow each year to the most successful perfumes in the market. In about a forthnight, during the Fifi Finalists Breakfast, the list will be shortened to include only 5 in each category and on May 21st the final picking of winners will take place. For the moment, these are the semi-finalists.

Women’s Luxe (over 250 doors sales points)

Beyonce Pulse
Bottega Veneta
Elie Saab Le Parfum
Fendi Fan di Fendi
Gucci Guilty Intense
Justin Bieber Someday
Prada Candy
Taylor Swift Wonderstruck
Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Toilette
Tom Ford Violet Blonde

Men’s Luxe (over 250 sales points)

Giorgio Armani Code Sport
Gucci Guilty Pour Homme
Guess Seductive Homme
Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit
John Varvatos Star U.S.A
Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Collection
Original Penguin
Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling
Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Havane
Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme Libre

Women’s Specialty Luxe / Nouveau Niche (sold in between 26 to 250 doors)

Bond No. 9 Madison Square Park
By Kilian Sweet Redemption
Chanel Jersey
Christian Dior Addict to Life
Dolce & Gabbana The Velvet Collection
Giorgio Armani Armani Privé La Femme Bleue
Givenchy Dahlia Noir
Maison Martin Margiela Untitled
Oscar de la Renta Live In Love
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge

Men’s Specialty Luxe / Nouveau Niche (sold in between 26 to 250 doors)

Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol
Bond No. 9 New York Amber
Bond No. 9 New York Oud
By Kilian Incense Oud
By Kilian Sweet Redemption
Caron Yuzu
Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain
Hugo Boss Boss The Collection
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge
Yves Saint Laurent Cologne Gingembre

This year’s Hall of Fame inductee will be Coco Chanel.
More award categories at the Fragrance Foundation blog.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Has Them Hooked from the Nose

“I carry McCormick’s Pure Vanilla — the baking kind — and dab it on my neck,” Jennifer Love Hewitt, the popular American actress and producer, tells Us Weekly. “Men are attracted to the scent! One time, I put it on and four different guys were like, ‘You smell amazing!’”

"Vanilla is the bronzer of the fragrance world. In large doses, it's overwhelming, but when used to subtler effect, it can be wonderfully sexy. [...] a great deal of what we associate with vanilla scent, in terms of perfume, is just an approximation, created in a lab, which is then usually wrapped around some other note (fruit, chocolate, musk) for a sickly, cavity-inducing effect. " writes Allure.

Vanilla cooking extract is really vanillin, not the richer, more treackly product of the vanilla pod (which is an orchid), but it has the intensely soft, cuddly scent of childhood. Could it be that the subliminal message is a child-like quality is most desirable? Or is it that triggering a happy time for most people is a feel good, win-win situation?

Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau: fragrance review

Guerlain gives us a vacant eye zombie. Like Natalia Vodianova's baby blues look empty and not quite there in sepia pictures, lacking the density , the pathos, the slicing through paper that darker eyes carry, yet those vacant blues carry their own strange allure, Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau is a very pretty thing posing in a company that it probably shouldn't be among. Taken individually, it is a soft, enveloping, delicate scent of fairies. Taken as a member in the Shalimar company, it's too baby-ish to be taken seriously.

The commercially successful experiment of Shalimar Parfum Initial (2011), an introductory Shalimar for those consumers who knew the brand through their cosmetics &  skincare or for the young clientele that always associated the classic Shalimar with older generations and longed for a version to claim their own (see also Shalimar Eau Legere/Shalimar Light and Eau de Shalimar for previous efforts into this arena), gave us hope. For 2012 Guerlain, as we had early on announced, was bent on launching a flanker to the modernised Shalimar Parfum Initial version (a flanker to a flanker, if you like) this spring, called Shalimar Initial L'Eau.  Now,  this is exactly why I usually tend to dislike the concept of flankers: it's so easy to lose track or confuse things, ending up discussing a completely different thing than your fellow partner in the discussion.

Shalimar Initial L'Eau is both a lighter and drier new formula on the previous experiment, not just a different concentration or a new bottle edition (Shalimar in general knows more limited editions than it can possibly count). The bottle is the exact same style as Shalimar Parfum Initial, only in a lighter hue with a baby pink ribbon on the neck (instead of a greyish blue one) bearing the familiar G medaillon. The similarity leads me to believe that they do intend to keep this version in the line as just a different concentration of the Parfum Initial, not only a one-time-thing limited edition. Especially if it proves a good seller.


Perfumer Thierry Wasser was put on record saying he chose a specific grade of bergamot from a Guerlain communelle (i.e. a special reserve that Guerlain keeps for each of their famous ingredients) which is a tad greener and zestier than usual. What is most distinguishable however, smelling the finished fragrance, is a premium grade neroli which gives a subtle, refreshing tonality, lightening the formula considerably and further making it fluffy and airy. If Shalimar Parfum Initial is a watercolour, this is a rinse. 
Despite the mentioned notes of "greenery" in the official press release, such as lily of the valley, freesia and hyacinth, the vividness of the bright citrus notes with a lightly sweet aspect is what stays with you.
The new spin doesn't really boost the green freshness (like that in Miss Dior Chérie L'Eau) but focuses on the neroli essence and a tart grapefruit top note to counterpoint the traditional carnality of the original base of Shalimar (built on opoponax resin, all powdery splendour, Peru balsam and benzoin with their rich, treackly aspect and quinolines with their leathery, sharp, disturbing bite).
Instead the leathery note in Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau has been further toned down than it was in the Initial (annihilated you could argue) substituted by an admittedly delicious crème brûlée note. Overall we're witnesses to the deliberate culling of the balsamic aspect that makes Shalimar so famous and recognisable.  This leaves us with a spectre; a fascinating apparition amidst the shadows, blink and you'll miss its ethereal form, but is it related to Shalimar of old? No, it's not.


What I find most surprising for a Shalimar version is the relative lack of tenacity and sufficient projection: three generous spritzes on my arm (catching my trench-coat sleeve too)  have lasted just 4 hours and no one but myself was aware of the fact that I was wearing perfume. For an eau de toilette concentration it's not totally unusual, but for Guerlain and for a flanker in that iconic oriental stable it is most peculiar. 


Notes for Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau:
Top: bergamot, grapefruit, neroli
Heart: iris absolute, jasmine grandiflora, rose absolute
Base: tonka bean, vanilla. 


Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau is presented in Eau de Toilette concentration in 40ml (for 37GBP), 60ml (46GBP) and 100ml (64GBP) bottles. 

Flankers/derivative versions of Shalimar by Guerlain (with linked reviews & comparison with original):

Shalimar Eau Legere/Shalimar Light

Eau de Shalimar

Shalimar Ode a la Vanille

Shalimar Parfum Initial

Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau

Limited editions of Shalimar (without change in the perfume formula itself):

Eau de Shalimar Flower

Shalimar Charms edition & Eau de Shalimar Charms edition

Shalimar Fourreau du Soir

Shalimar extrait de parfum in Bacarrat quadrilobe flacon 2011 edition