Perfume Advertising Champions: Guerlain again...through the years

"Perfume mocks the passage of time..."

This beautiful historically-centered perfume ad by Guerlain appeared on Ebay. Though it certainly doesn't encompass all Guerlain classics it certainly does some of their most famous up to 1970: Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Shalimar, Chant d'Aromes, Chamade... A joy to look at and a fashion & advertising history lesson for those with a sharp eye.

The winner of the draw...

...for the Iris Nobile special edition is OttoKernFan. Congratulations! Please email me using Contact with your shipping data (and Nobile in the title of mail) so I can have this out to you in the mail soon.

Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!

Free Perfume Giveaway: Win a Bottle of the Special Edition of Iris Nobile

Iris Nobile by the Italian brand Acqua di Parma (makers of the famous Colonia and the Colonia Assoluta) is celebrating with a special edition, Iris Nobile Edizione Speciale 2013. I have long favorited this graceful floral eau de parfum with notes of white flowers, chypre accords and iris, going through my bottle with gusto, feeling like the pinnacle of elegance. So the new anniversary edition is good news for those of you who haven't tried it yet: the purple box is lovely to look at. Perfume Shrine is happy to be able to offer one Iris Nobile 2013 edition bottle to its readers, full, new and pristine (see below), for your delectation. Cool, isn't it?
Just take a look at this video clip on how the special edition bottles are created by Acqua di Parma.

Notes for Iris Nobile include ylang ylang, Florentine iris, patchouli, vanilla, oakmoss.

To enter the draw, please post a comment below saying what is your favorite iris fragrance and why you enjoy it (or if you don't like iris scents, why is that, you suppose?).
Draw is open internationally until Sunday 20th October midnight, winner will be announced sometime on Monday. Good luck!

Maximizing Your Fragrance's Use: Perfume Application Tips from Jean Claude Ellena & Francis Kurkdjian

The way of applying fragrance for maximum appreciation and enjoyment is a fine art. If you're a beginner, you might want to consult Perfume Shrine's full article on how and where to apply perfume more effectively to make it last longer and enjoy it more. Today I want to share with you a few professional tips I have come across during my readings from top perfumers Jean Claude Ellena and Francis Kurkdjian, first appearing in French Vogue.
I'm sharing this advice with you here, translated by me from the French, for your delectation and should you wish to add or comment on any of them via your personal experience, you're very welcome to do so.

via thrift store girl

On traveling:

When traveling, bring a box of incense paper (Papier d'Armenie) in your luggage to perfume your clothes. And at night in your hotel room, spray some Eau de Cologne on your pillow. A smell that relaxes and comforts. " (Francis Kurkdjian)

On leaving a fragrant trail:

"To leave behind a sensual trail that lasts all day, nothing better than dabbing perfume directly with your fingers leaving the spray aside. You lose a bit of material that way, but the skin is impregnated better." (Jean Claude Ellena)

On entertaining:

"In the summer, for lunches and dinners with friends, scent the guest towels with rose water mixed with a little lemon juice to give a prolonged fresh feeling throughout the meal." (Francis Kurkdjian)

On where best to apply perfume on the body:

"Above all, never wear perfume at the wrist as jewelry and watches alter the scent. The ideal is to spray the crook of the elbow or on the neck: the fragrance then diffuses to its maximum potential". (Jean Claude Ellena)

The Nose Knows: Inside IFF with FRÉDÉRIC MALLE

Malle, head of Editions de Parfums, one of the first few companies to position themselves as "niche", invites us to the midtown headquarters of IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) to learn about the science and art of perfumery. The IFF is part fragrance think tank, part Willy Wonka-esque factory. Many (if not most) of the world's leading fine fragrances have been imagined and created within its walls —and very few cameras are allowed inside. How could one refuse such an offer? So courtesy of Barneys who were allowed into the abode, I am happy to share this video with you.

In the clip, you see a visit to the laboratories at IFF and you meet Frédéric's esteemed collaborator perfumer Bruno Jovanovic, who worked with Malle and Dries Van Noten on their recently released fragrance, to get the full story on how a Frédéric Malle fragrance comes to be. F.Malle fragrances can be shopped at Barneys as well as the dedicated Editions de Parfums F.Malle site.