"Perfume, The Art & Craft of Fragrance" by Karen Gilbert: book review & free copy giveaway

Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker Karen Gilbert demystifies the secretive world of perfumery in a new book, Perfume, The Art & Craft of Fragrance, that inspires readers to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
[I am hosting a drawing of one free copy for a lucky reader, so if you're interested read on.]

The market is becoming a bit saturated with books on perfume written in English lately (a far cry from 10 years ago) thanks to the revelation of perfume lovers online, which convinced the publishing houses that there is viable market interest, so finding a worthwhile, helpful one is a task that merits tackling. Gilbert's effort is nuanced, structured, honest and factual, and offers insights that go beyond the pretty pictures of coffee table books, long winded "stories" with little concrete info or just reviews with "notes" mentioned.

Karen Gilbert

Perfume, the Art & Craft of Fragrance is roughly divided into two major parts: one explains the basics of fragrance history, appreciation, psychology and understanding of perfumes, the other guides you steadily yet gently into experimenting with your own blends in inimitable Karen Gilbert style (I'm a fan of her other book too, Natural Beauty, which proposes several easy and useful recipes for homemade skincare). The chapters are divided as follows:

Introduction
1.The Psychology of Smell
2.A History of Perfumery and Fragrance Icons
3.Fragrance Classification
4.Natural and Synthetics Fragrance Materials
5.Creative Perfumery Techniques
6.Creating Perfume Sprays, Oils and Solids
7.Creating Bath & Body Products
8.Creating Home Fragrances
Resources
Index
Acknowledgments

Obviously the History section is a condensed version of what most aficionados might already know, briefly (no archaeological data included) going from the institution of Grasse as perfume capital to the introduction of synthetics in the 19th century and thereafter delineating the major periods of 20th century perfumery with a handful of mould-breaking fragrances mentioned. So is the Psychology chapter, which is running the basics and suggesting that one needs to experiment to find their own voice in this world. But the rest of the chapters are quite detailed indeed, with emphasis on how to distinguish materials, recognize them and use them effectively.

The book overall is aimed at both the complete novice who is eager to learn and the more experienced aficionado who wants to fine-tune some perceptions, build their knowledge and see how they can set into experimenting themselves. In short it manages to score two birds in one stone. If I were overcritical I might venture the thought that the complete novice would still find a couple of mentions troublesome to grasp. For instance in the pivotal chapter 3 (Fragrance Classification) there is a sub-chapter called Learning to Describe Fragrance which is mighty interesting, but in the Build Your Olfactory Vocabulary list there are such terms as "amine", "butyric", "phenolic", "ozonic" or "aromatic" which are not explained anywhere in the book, leaving the novice a bit perplexed. (Karen does explain later on the terms animalic and indolic well). Obviously a short tome can't encompass everything, so it's good homework at the very least. But Karen's approach overall is to be commended.

via karengilbert.co.uk

Gilbert guides the reader with an aim to inform and to resolve popular misunderstandings, not to flatter their ego or position herself a certain way (she doesn't need to, she has tenured at IFF and runs her own perfumery courses in the UK), which makes the book really useful, something that cannot be said for other books on the subject. Without touting my own horn too much and gaining confidence by the fact that Karen Gilbert herself is a fan of Perfume Shrine (she actually mentions it in the Resources page as recommended reading), I'd say that if you have been enjoying reading this site, you are bound to enjoy her book as well; it offers references and is easy to get what you're looking for without wading through tons of unrelated text.

There are many small gems in the tome, such as the differentiation of aromatherapy and aroma-chology,  info on more than one fragrance classification systems (in fact in the Orientals fragrance family chapter I found myself smiling in recognition while reading the differences between the "ambreine" and "mellis" oriental perfume accord), the Jean Carles method for training your nose, lots of synthetics mentioned by actual name, guidelines in which materials work best in home blends and which carrier makes for a better product in the recipes (this also makes a helpful hint when actually choosing bath & body and home fragrance products online as in checking the ingredients list) as well as where to get supplies. There is also the priceless recognition of the perfume online community in her use of the term "fruichouli". To offer an anecdote, it's perfume lover Mbanderson61 who coined it, I believe over at the chatty Perfume Posse, and if she had a dime for each time this term is mentioned online by us she'd be crazily rich now, but I digress.

I haven't found the time to test most of the actual formulae yet, apart from a couple of perfume oils and solids (because I happened to have suitable ingredients at hand) which turned out very good. I'm holding out for when the holidays come around.

Perfume, the Art and Craft of Fragrance would also make a lovely, decently priced Christmas gift for anyone with a passing interest in scent. The little tome is hardback, beautifully shot by photographer Jo Henderson and has nice, heavy, matte-glossed pages that just feel good to the hand. It's compact and small enough to be carried in a purse and read on the subway or during your lunch break, though you'll want to keep in your study for reference. It is available on Amazon for just 10.92$.
Bottom line: Recommended.

Gilbert, Karen, "Perfume, the Art and Craft of Fragrance", 2013 October,
CICO books, London New York.
Hardback
ISBN 978-1-78249-044-9

Retail Price 9.99GBP/16.95$US

There is a draw for one FREE copy of the book for a lucky UK-address reader. Please state in the comments whether you're interested.
Draw is open till Sunday midnight and winner to be announced on Monday.

Dior Dedicates an Exhibition to Miss Dior perfume

Christian Dior's first perfume created in 1947, Miss Dior becomes for the first time the subject of a dedicated exhibition that highlights the heritage of the venerable house. From November 13 to 25 at the Curve Gallery at the Grand Palais in Paris, the exhibition "The Spirit of Dior Miss Dior", reveals the creations of five female artists designed around the fragrance. Each work is thus based on a symbol of Miss Dior, such as the bow, the rose or the perfume's muse, actress Natalie Portman. Mythical signed Dior dresses, but also contemporary works of Raf Simons will punctuate the visit.

It is here important to note that Dior is sequencing the story in such a way as to present a somewhat different perfume composition (the formerly "Miss Dior Cherie" now changed into simply "Miss Dior") as the heir of the original creation from 1947 (sold now as "Miss Dior Originale" for dedicated fans). The curating of an artistic exhibition in such a way tries to mingle history and marketing in a way that highlights the heritage of the house as its prime selling vantage point. In a way this is what the revamped Dior site is trying to accomplish as well.

Beyond the story of the perfume, nevertheless, the exhibition at the Grand Palais sketches a portrait of Christian Dior the man, revealing the artistic influences of the designer who began his career as an art dealer in Paris. The loft space then includes works by Salvador Dali and Man Ray. The history of the House of Dior is also traced through original documents, manuscripts and rare photos. The objects are grouped, each time accompanied by an iconic Dior couture gown. Those with an eye for fashion history won't be disappointed.

"The Spirit of Dior, Miss Dior" is free for the public.
From November 13 to 25 at the Curve Gallery at the Grand Palais in Paris, 11am to 8pm.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: 
Miss Dior (Originale) fragrance review, 
Chronology and Comparison of Fragrance Editions of Miss Dior, 
Christian Dior news & reviews.  

Optical Scentsibilities: The Imaginative Vintage Perfume Presentation

The enrobing of a perfume in a glass mantle is analogous to the draping of fabric around a beautifully formed body. The outer presentation should complement the interior magnificence. It was just a few years ago that only the lower end of the fragrance market had flamboyant and over-gilded bottles to balance the cheap impression left by the low price asked and the less luxurious smelling experience. The chic stuff circulated in architectural bottles with relatively sparse lines, like with Chanel. But then niche perfumery boomed aiming at a more discerning customer.

Captivating not only the aficionado, who dreams in perfume and can have their beloved elixir dispensed even in a milk carton for all it's worth, but also the loaded purchaser, who views perfume as a precious fashion accessory that completes their luxurious lifestyle or as a gift to be given with the desire to please the eye as much as the nose. Ergo fancier bottle styles have become desirable and coveted again, ranging from the extravagant, like the crystal creations by Agonist or the Swarovski crystal containing Hedonist by Viktoria Minya, to the artistically hand-made such as the Martine Micallef bottles or the glamor of the 1001 Nights of Amouage. But back in time, the imagination of the fragrance bottle designers run into patterns which remind us more of Limoges and Lladro porcelain figures (or in the case of drugstore items of Barbie playthings) than of perfume bottles.
Everyone recalls the model dummy for Schiaparelli's Shocking, reprised by Jean Paul Gaultier in the 1990s. But I have unearthed a few more vintage examples on Ebay to share with you on a rainy day. Here they are.

                   

                 Vintage Novelty Windmill for "Devon Violets" Perfume by Delavelle

                         

                        Vintage Novelty Harp "Heavenscent" Perfume by Nikki de Paris.

             "The Perfume for Heavenly Times" as tagged on the box, depicting a taking aim cupid.

               Vintage Spray Perfume "Malibu Musk" Bottle Palm Tree 1980s

Do you know of any fanciful shaped vintage perfume bottles you'd like to add? Feel free to share in the comments.

(Re)Watch "Perfume: Story of a Murderer" Accompanied by the Film's Scent Track; or Odorama in the Service of Movie Appreciation

The Tom Tykwer directed 2006 film "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (based itself on the cult 1985 novel Das Parfum by Patrick Suskind) will be accompanied by a newly created “scent track” for screenings in Los Angeles Nov. 6 and 7.

via kino.de

According to The Hollywood Reporter: "The screenings, which are free and open to the public, are being organized by the Institute of Art and Olfaction, an L.A.-based nonprofit that promotes the understanding of fragrance and facilitates its use in art. l.a. Eyeworks will host the screenings at its Beverly Boulevard store and, along with with L.A. perfume boutique Scent Bar, will host private pre-show parties. International Flavors and Fragrance, which stores the recipes, whipped up new batches for the occasion. The scents will be distributed to the audience manually, on card-stock strips."

via kino.de

Readers with a long memory will recall that perfumer Christophe Laudamiel (the mastermind behind DreamAir and scented opera), who has been a fan of the book like myself ever since its first publication back in the 1980s, had created a series of scents inspired by key scenes in the story: Baby, Sea, Aura, Paris 1838, Nuit Napolitaine, or Orgy are as immediately evocative as they are fascinating in their contradictory and derisive nature. At the time of the film's issue in 2006 Thierry Mugler under the aegis of Clarins Group had launched a special coffret with mini bottles containing these "accords" and scents retailing at the super collectible price of 800$.

Laudamiel and his partner Christoph Hornetz approached production company Constantin Films, which, along with Thierry Mugler's fragrance team, loved the idea and so a few select screenings of the 2006 film were accompanied by sniffs of the collection available at the theater lobby. But the upcoming L.A. screenings will be the first in which the scents will be experienced at the moments for which they were intended; the audience will be guided to pass the strip under their nose as soon as the accompanying scene comes on screen.

Sounds like an unmissable opportunity to render a 4th dimension to the cinematic experience: smell.

via kino.de

Les Parfums de Rosine Majalis: new fragrance

Les Parfums de Rosine is launching a new perfume, Majalis. The inspiration comes from the Rosa Majalis, a rose variant native in the Asian mountains. This flower develops an amazing cinnamon scent, which is the reason it's called the "love rose" due to its soft and captivating aura. Les Parfums de Rosine also call it the Cinnamon Rose.

The new perfume, Les Parfums de Rosine Majalis, is inspired by this unique rose to render a soft oriental with spicy complementary notes of pink pepper and nutmeg on a woody background. Bulgarian rose absolute contributes a bright and heady heart note.

The presentation of the bottle is rich and refined as usual: The Rosine bottle wears an amber cap and a silky cinnamon-hued pompon for this scent, tied with a fuchsia pink detail, while the folding box continues the theme of lozenges, but treated in bright metallic fuchsia details on a bronzed card in a cinnamon colour to reflect the mood of the Majalis perfume.