New Decanting Site: Surrender to Chance

Lisa Lawler and Patty White, two of the founding (now former) members of The Perfumed Court, have created a new sample/decant site: Surrender to Chance. The unique name came about on a recent trip to Morocco, where they realized their vision of the world of perfume was expanding beyond the scope of their previous venture. They believe perfume is fun and want people to surrender the way they think about perfume, to take a chance and try something completely different .

The new site will provide decants of niche/mainstream//indie/discontinued fragrances as well as educational sample packs by notes, historical significance, award winners, perfumers, and perfume houses. The new site will also focus on enhanced customer service, realtime inventory controls to track stock, streamlined shipping, and easier site navigation for the beginner as well as the experienced perfumista.  They have a collection of lesser-known perfumers from their extensive global perfume explorations and will continue to expand in that area.  These collections will be  available  in a variety of sampling options.

Both experienced perfumistas, Patty is also owner of Perfume Posse a daily and somewhat irreverent perfume review blog, now in its 7th year.

info via press release

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?