Amouage Opus IV (Library Collection): new fragrance

This December, the House of Amouage is uniting the world against AIDS with the global release of Opus IV from its Library Collection. The latest inspiring creation was especially crafted to instill knowledge and empowerment in efforts to promote HIV / AIDS awareness by Creative Director Christopher Chong, who worked assiduously with renowned perfumers in Grasse.

“Our fragrances have always centered on delivering a distinct and compelling message, not just the creation of artistic and beautiful scents,” expressed Chong. “With the startling number of new HIV infection cases reported globally each year, education remains a powerful and paramount instrument to prevent the spread of HIV and grant universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. Opus IV is our contribution to raising awareness on this growing epidemic across all corners of the globe, which today is one of the world’s most pressing public health matters.”
Chong added that Amouage is exceptionally proud to donate fifty percent of the worldwide profits from Opus IV to the National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program (NAP) in Oman, an initiative supported by the Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund and United Nations Population Fund.

Opus IV opens with luminous and invigorating notes of Lemon, Mandarin and Grapefruit with a warm spicy mantle of Coriander Oil that awakens the senses. The heart is characterized by the sharp and exotic Elemi Oil, Cardamon and Cumin that pervades to a sweet blend of Rose Berries, Rose and vibrant Violet Leaves. This inventive fragrance finishes with woody and smoky undertones of Labdanum, Frankincense and Musk. The perfumer is Jacques Fior (of Etro fame) who has closely collaborated with Christopher Chong.
The Library Collection which now includes Opus I, II, III and IV, is a celebration of integrity, creativity and virtuosity. Inspired by the knowledge and experience drawn from the art of living, the Collection unfolds a contemporary face to Amouage while preserving the elegance and effortless classicism synonymous with the brand.

In the USA, Opus IV will be available at Bergdorf Goodman and MiN Crosby. In London, at the Amouage flagship at 14 Lowndes St, Harrods and Selfridges. Opus IV retails for US$325 3.4 oz

Neela Vermeire Creations Trayee: fragrance review

Incense has long been not only one of the badges of niche perfumery, but also one of my own personal hot buttons, so it sounds both logical and anticipatory that a fledging niche line would want to include a declination of the genre in their wares. But when said genre is harnessed by perfumers of the calibre of Bertrand Duchaufour and infused with the phantasmagoria which must be Neela Vermeire's  creativity  then the resulting fragrance feels the way a kanchipuram saree looks: intricate, ever changing effect when the journey of the light, beautiful. Trayee (pronounced try-ee) is much more than an incense blend, which is no mean feat, given that incense is a difficult material to work with in the first place. But its intricate treatment must endear it to aficionados.

via wikimedia commons

Trayee is part of the original trio of fragrances issued by Neela Vermeire Créations which also includes Mohur and Bombay Bling (the fourth instalment, Ashoka, is launching soon). These Indian inspired perfumes, like Chants of India, draw upon the tradition, history and cultural milieu of that vast Eastern sub-continent in which Neela herself has roots. With Trayee rooted in the Vedic tradition (and utilizing several of the materials mentioned in the holy texts) I was instantly brought back to my university freshman year, when World Civilization was on the agenda under a highly idiosyncratic professor, himself the embodiment of intertextuality & erudition. That was the time when I briefly entertained the idea of learning Sanskrit, though it soon transpired it'd be full time job. But such was the pull that the the Sutras and the Ramayana and their colorful, conflicted and spiritual world had exerted on me and some of my fellow students.

I'm saying all this to atone for coming extremely late to the buzz around Neela Vermeire's creations, having had compartmentalized the perfumes in the "one day" mental drawer. That day came when Neela and I reconnected via Twitter. I say "reconnected" because Neela was, like me, part of the old guard of Makeup Alley: she has a genuinely lovely personality that leaps off the page and a deep knowledge of the Paris perfume scene where she used to organize visiting trips for perfumephiles.
All this intro would read like an apologetic text on a personal blog placating her feelings, had the fragrances been duds; but they assuredly are NOT duds -far from it. Not only are they intellectually stimulating and multi-nuanced, they combine the rich tapestry of colors that is the Indian peninsula with a very Parisian sensibility. These are truly "transparent orientals", modern and wearable, and therefore it comes as no surprise that Neela commissioned Bertrand Duchaufour to compose them for her niche line.

Trayee is much more than a simple incense blend, fusing the mystical with the sensual and the cerebral, like a trimūrti framework for the divine. This is reflected via the "notes" chosen for Trayee which comprise a wide spectrum, from the bittersweet facets of myrrh & musty oud, to the tried & true Indian fusion of sandalwood and jasmine all the way through the stimulating piquancy of spicy, stimulating notes (rich in eugenol). There is a dusty, grassy, cannabis-herbal accord which is close to the muddy feel of Timbuktu for L'Artisan Parfumeur, also by Duchaufour; not surprisingly, the interplay of earthy spices, mysterious blossoms and murrh & vetiver are present in both. Trayee comes across as somehow muskier, leathery, with a more peppery tang and a fully executed resinous, balsamic arc that recalls the smokiness of Annick Goutal's Encens Flamboyant. Trayee feels like rivulets of sweetish white smoke rising from a polished ceramic basin unto the blue skies, its dissipation unto the air gradual and mind-altering.



Neela Vermeire Creations Trayee notes:
Blue ginger, elemi, cinnamon, ganja accord, blackcurrant absolute, basil, jasmine sambac, Egyptian jasmine, cardamom absolute, clove, saffron, Javanese and Haitian vetiver, incense, Mysore sandalwood oil, patchouli, myrrh, vanilla, cedar, amber notes, oud palao from Laos, oak moss.

Trayee is available as an Eau de Parfum 55ml (in refillable flacons), available at select stockists and on www.neelavermeire.com, where you can find a discovery set.

Disclosure: I was sent a sample by Neela. 

Hermes Elixir des Merveilles: Fragrance Review of the Magical elixir

Elixirs have long held a place in the collective unconsious as they denote the depths of erotic potions and amulets. The word elixir also alludes to the healing properties of such alloys and a portal to youth. Enter todays' scent, Elixir de Merveilles by Hermès, which is a modern spin on the alluring subtext of such a term.
Medieval blends included herbs and balms of various sources, once of which was melissa officinalis. Paracelsus called this herb "the elixir of life", and combined it with carbonate of potash in Primum Ens Melissae, a mysterious alloy.
It is also recorded that one of Louis XIV's physicians, named Lesebure, tried the brew on an elderly chicken, which within a few days lost its tattered plumage, grew fresh feathers and started to lay eggs again. He had earlier tried it, bearing dramatic results once more, on two old servants, but the experiment never was completed for reasons not mentioned (we can imagine the distaste of servants however!)
Another of Paracelsus's elixirs, the Primum Ens Sanquinis, involved human blood and Alcahest, a universal healer which is based on caustic lime, alcohol and carbonate of potash. Gerard proclaimed melissa "comforteth the hart and driveth away all sadnesse," and it was a favorite in medieval "elixirs of youth". The alchemist Paracelsus made a preparation called Primum ens melissae, and even in the 18th century, it was still thought to "renew youth."
As an aside an interesting portal page for anyone interested about elixirs is this one , while there are also some arabic recipes that sound very good.

To the detriment of many perfume companies, I am sure, Clinique first had the hindsight to copyright this alluring and desired name for its aromacologicalAromatics Elixir perfume, back in 1972; a move that proved a masterstoke, as the mysterious patchouli chypre has captivated audiences in its dramatic sillage and mystery making it an enduring bestseller.

Elixir des Merveilles by Hermès is the flanker fragance to the established Eau de Merveilles by the venerable house.
Not to be confused with Parfum des Merveilles which preceded it last year, this one adds a gourmand touch to the original composition which was created by perfumers Ralf Schwieger and Nathalie Feisthauer in 2004.

The original Eau de Merveilles, classified as an oriental woody, is an eau de toilette that has notes of bitter orange, Italian lemon, elemi, Indonesian pepper, pink pepper, ambergris accord, oak, cedar, vetiver, balsam of Peru and tears of Siam. Its citrusy start and spicy-salty character have contributed to its being labeled a classy unisex fragrance and a summer favourite for people who want to avoid florals or plain citrus colognes.
Parfum des Merveilles is a denser, more lasting presentation that came out in 2005, encased in the same smashing bottle on a tilt, done in metal, that adds notes of oak, patchouli, mosses, amber, balsam of Peru, davana, leaves and roots and an intriguing cognac note.

To add to our possible confusion over the bottles, a limited edition Constellation Eau de Merveilles done in light blue was issued at some point, which however included the same exact jus as the original.

In an effort to put a completely different spin on the original jus nez extraordinaire Jean Claude Ellena, resident perfumer in Hermès for quite a while now, has added the succulent orange peel and tonka bean notes which culminate in the most discreet chocolate effect. The combination of orange and chocolate has been a favourite of mine and was until now to be indulged in Fendi's now discontinued Theorema. Naturally, as soon as they saw this was a decent jus they simply had to pull it off the market. Wouldn't want to spoil us with something really good, I guess! Imagine, we could get accustomed to real taste! Oh, the unthinkable!
The Ellena school of perfumery is veering towards the salty and bitter, with a transparent gossamer-thin elegance that is unmistakable and trully classy. However the restraint for which minimalist Ellena is famous for manifests itself in this one, making for a brew that is mouthwatering yet never too sweet or childishly foody. He showcased his ability for accomplishing just that in another sweet yet transparent creation for Frederic Malle, the heliotropin-laced fluffy powdery cloud of Eau d'Hiver. He also put his hand in the creation of an inexpensive yet great vanilla perfume of all things (I know, it sounds impobable for him, but there you have it), Vanille Sublime by Lily Prune.

Candied orange brings to mind Mandarine Mandarin by Lutens or his La Myrrh, both from the exclusive Palais royal collection, but this formula has less of the deep sweetness and tartness of either. The first hit of the spray is quite sweet, yet it dissipates as soon as the alcohol content evaporates and the unfolding of the heart takes it into the gourmand woody territory. The base note of the original, which allegedly includes one of the last batches of real ambergris (as Hermès was quick to pick one of the rare batches of this wonderful material ) intermingles with its salty disposition into a garland of softly woody and powdery resinous notes, of which tonka bean is mostly discernible. It leaves a slightly powdery aura that is very seductive and the whole remains subtle and alluring, never intruding.
"For me, ambergris is a magical material," Givaudan's perfumer Ralf Schwieger explained to Woman's Wear Daily back in 2004 when the original Eau de Merveilles launched, adding that it reminds him of the biblical tale of Jonah and the whale, when the prophet was swallowed alive, to be miraculously released after some days.
"Ambergris has so many facets -- ambery, woody, dark, a salty-sweet concoction with [notes of] ink and tobacco. My idea was to re-create it in my way," he went on. In Elixir des Merveilles, the great attributes of ambergris are laced with complimentary notes that have the weird effect that a serving of chocolate M&Ms eaten with a hadnful of salty pop-corn would. Or caramel biscotti dipped into Hershey's chocolate syrup with its unmistakable salty aftertaste. Savoury and delicious, although it sounds unlikely at first. By now you must be thinking that I am a weird eater with some twisted tastes, but I assure you that food (and perfume) experimentation never hurt anyone. This is a likeable perfume and very fit for winter.

The official notes include: Orange Peel, , caramel, biscuit accord (vanilla, tonka bean, milk), sandalwood, incense, resins: Peru balsam and balsam of Siam, oak, patchouli, cedar and ambergris.
Available from major department stores.

Elixir des merveilles comes in an Eau de Parfum bottle of 50ml/1.7ozand 100ml/3.4oz coloured deep orange, a colour close to that which is inextricably tied in our minds with the trademark Hermès boxes and paper bags.

Top pic comes from the official site of Hermès, other two from Osmoz.

Autumn's Small Indulgences

Sometimes in order to feel pampered and special one needs a little indulgence to make us feel like we deserve a little something for ourselves. In the spirit of divulging some of my finds to inspire you I am listing some of the things that make me tick this autumn.

My biggest weakness is books: books of all sorts should line the walls of a vast old-British-style library decked in leathers and mahogany, like those shown in Merchant Ivory films ~it is my idea of heaven. It wouldn't hurt if this vision is accompanied by the nose-tingling smell of old parchment and pipe tobacco and the eerily minimalist, full of hidden emotion Richard-Robbins-penned soundtrack of "Remains of the Day". Sometimes I am told by my entourage that I have masculine tastes in those things, but I laugh it off: why not?
The poetry of Reiner Maria Rilke is always a propos, but autumn introspection adds its own varnish of the untangible and the futile. I am picking up this tome. On my bedstand is the just finished novel "Their Most Serene Majesties" (1961) by modern Greek writer Angelos Vlahos, a can't-put-down palimpsest of Byzantium intrigue and political back-stabbing during the era of Comnène/Comnenid Dynasty rulers (12th century AD). I am definitely re-reading this soon!
One of the books that escapes this somber and more serious mood is "Oliver Finds His Way", a children's book written by Phyllis Root and beautifully illustrated by Christopher Denise. It's "only autumn" is the phrase that should resonate with all those who like the little bear lost in the woods find themselves trapped in everyday problems. Read an informative review here. Half the pleasure is of course leafing the books while slowly sipping my latest addiction: Lapacho Orange tea ~an infusion of Lapacho tree bark peppered with orange, ginger, hibiscus and rose with a bittersweet aftertaste.

The autumnal melancholy of October will no doubt find me rewatching one of my favourite Henry James' novel adaptations on the silver screen: the intensely moving, yet exquisitely restrained Wings of the Dove from 1997 starring Elena Bonham Carter and Linus Roache. The Venetian canals seem to come alive in all their melancholy as a tangled web of love, trust and loyalty come into the wistful finale.

Fragrantly-speaking, I am putting on the front all the warmer scents in my collection with much rejoice, altough the default rainy weather scent remains Mitsouko, always. But several other little things take my mind off more complex compositions.
Blissoma by Irie Star includes aromatherapy soy candles as a more ecological alternative to paraffin and I am overjoyed to see the option in a sanely-priced range. Two of those candles are eminently suitable for autumn and its two predominent moods and I am lighting them in succession in my living-room as we speak: the festive one that rolls as soon as Halloween and all the other celebrations come around; and the pensive, introspective one that comes with mist and cloudy skies that keep us indoors cuddled up with a good book.
Celebrate includes notes of wild orange, clove, bay, sweet orange, and myrrh and the smell is uplifting, sweet, quite spicy and vibrant with the piquancy of pomanders and sweet resins melting in the fireplace. Peace on the other hand includes notes of cool frankincense, lavender, peppery elemi, palmarosa, and murmuring vetiver and delivers the serenity of mind that induces a state of meditation: sometimes when one gets home after a tiring day there's simply nothing better than having a bubble bath with some candles around and sipping a good Pinot Noir. Blissome also featuresthree Winter scents in perfume oils that promise to take us further away into cold weather. They do sound like fun!


I knew Pacifica Fragrances from a friend who had generously gifted me with their Nerola body butter, which layered perfectly with my summery fragrances. But I was gratified to see that Pacifica has now come up with a collection of autumn Solid Fragrances to take in your purse or on travels when liquids are just too messy, too airport-inspection troublesome. The perfect solution! The little tins are adorable and small enough so as not to get bored with the scent, while the boxes are graphically excellent and bearing a witty quote.
My top choice of the ones I tried is Madagascar Spice, centered around one of my favourite notes: Spicy clove, predominately produced in Madagascar, is the overwhelming note in this scent. Sweet orange and just a small touch of black pepper sit atop, making a perfect combination that recalls a pomander or traditional Middle East delicasies. Not surprising: Once a coveted aphrodisiac clove began its perfumery career in early Arab perfumes. The tree is thought to have originated in the Moluccas of Indonesia where it grew till the Dutch conquest of the East Indies in wild proliferation. The Dutch however uprooted a majority of wild clove trees in order to monopolize the production of cloves but in an act of divine retribution seeds were later stolen from the Dutch-controlled groves and planted in the regions of Zanzibar and Madagascar. I am keeping the yummy solid in my purse for touch-ups and layering over my spicy, warm fragrances.
Spanish Amber is also scrumptious and completely in tune for autumn, when the crunch of leaves underfoot beckons you to compliment your cashmere sweaters with an equally tactile fragrance. A warming blend with resinous amber notes at its heart, rosy geranium and woody sandalwood in the middle, while citrusy bergamot and elemi provide the vivid start. It's an amber blend that also comes as a soap, the smell of which reminds me of Ambre Sultan; the perfect alternative for people who can't do the former in perfume form. There is currently a 20% off offer on the Tibetan Mountain Temple line. Vetiver and Indonesian patchouli are blended with complimentary notes of violet, wood, roots, and soil, as well as the surprising tang of fgrapefruit in the top and the effect of cool and warm is intriguing: it's a little strange and unusual incense for my sensibilities, although I realise that its bouquet would be in tune to the Buddhists among us.

My nails will see a good lacquering of darker colours. I like this Chanel nail varnish: Fantastique. A berry that seems to have a light of its own, very pretty and unmatronly.
Good ole' Mavala of Switzerland iwith their excellent quality nail polishes will be handy too. My summer staple of bright, pop-red Los Angeles for my tootsies will give way to the brownish-berry of New Delhi and the elegant light greyish mauve-y hue of Via Venetto on my fingertips (bear in mind the colours are more vibrant in real life than on the screen). The great thing about Mavala is they come in very small cute bottles so they never have the time to dry up and one coat is more than enough for opaque and lustruous colour that lasts for days.
And my lips will get the Guerlain treatment with a nude that actually looks good and not "dead" because of its rosey undertones: Envie de Beige (#540) from their vast Kiss Kiss lipstick collection, looks darker and more matte in the tube but goes on creamy and semi-opaque. The perfect accompaniment to smokey-grey and plum eyes!

Forest pic by Tani Shepitkoat photoforum.ru Manuscript "The Last Judgement", folio 51v, Gospel Book, c. 1050-75 via www.oud.edu.Pics of Blissoma and Pacifica items through their websites, of Guerlain lipstick courtesy of LuciaFi/Flickr, of Chanel Fantastique via handbag.com.

Fragrance review: Avicenna by Annette Neuffer

Annette Neuffer is a multi-talented lady you have not come across associated with fragrance yet. But you sure will. Not only is she an accomplished jazz musician with a quintet after her own name, performing all around the world, she has also stepped into the perilous world of perfumery using all natural essences to render her wild imaginings palpable and tangible for us.
Her generosity in sending me her labour of love was astounding and I am honoured to have been at the receiving end. To tell you the truth, I begin all those samplings with no expectations at all (since I don’t want to be prejudiced one way or another), but usually they prove very pleasant and sometimes even gripping to my surprise.

Annette’s most accomplished foray into the art of composing perfume so far is Avicenna, a sumptuous oriental of a deep ambery golden colour like a monastic liqueur. A complex and dark mix of several expensive rose essences of various origin (Bulgarian, Turkish, Russian, Moroccan), jasmine, broom, pepper, honey, sandalwood, amber, vanilla and musks.
The name alone enticed me as soon as I heard about it: Avicenna or more accurately Abu Ali al-Husain ibn Abdallah ibn Sina (born in Isfahan, the legendary city in 980AD), was the famous researcher, scientist and philosopher of Islam who was responsible for cracking the secret of rose distillation in the 10th century. Islam is a culture stepped deep into the cult of the rose. For them rose is the essence of beauty, holiness and spirituality. It appears in many facets of everyday life and plays an important part in religious ceremonies. The thick plush petals that resemble velvet hold a fascination for the denizens of the anhydrous regions of the Middle East and its heavy narcotic feel lulls the mind into a reverie.
Annette Neuffer was inspired by these historical details and strove to create something with an ancient feel to it, something that would lend some small magical touch in our everyday preparation to face the perilous world out there, a fragrant talisman for our protection.

The spicy cascade Avicenna opens with takes you by the throat and forces you to pay attention as caustic pepper singes and swirls around floral essences, perhaps a tad too stringently. Ginger and cardamom are also apprarent, while cinnamon does not make a too noticeable appearence, certainly not what you're accustomed to from its ubiquitous use in pot-pourri. The garland of rose unfolds on the skin majestically, like a thousand petals crushed underfoot in a medieval palace in Tehran. Myriads of nuances of rose take on mellow hues lent by smooth saffron and the bracken and honey feel of broom as the progression of the maturing of the precious and quite potent essence is continuing. It is very apparent that those sensations have their feet firmly in the sensual world of the material world of Nature rather than the white-coat lab of an urban conglomerate technician. There is no sharp note or that high pitched aluminium and glass feel of modern perfumes that one can smell at a department store. It’s cobbled alleys and dirt instead.
The underlying mustiness has reminded me of the famous Caron accord that is so evident in most of the venerable firm’s offerings. Their Poivre, Parfum Sacre and Rose parfums all contribute elements that can be traced later on in Avicenna.
As I inhale deeply I am transported to Top Kapi, the Constantinople palace where draperies of heavy damask hide Byzantine secrets and languorous kohl-eyed sultanas take a break from their more carnal occupations to revel in the romanticized florancy of rose and the piercing sweetness of natural jasmine in the lazy hours of a never ending afternoon.
Aromatic resins such as erotic labdanum and mellow benzoin anchor the composition with restraint so that it never becomes too sweet, as one might fear judging by the notes; although they do lend tremendous fixation and staying power to it. The final phase recalls the deep and dull colour of large amber beads threaded together in a komboloi (playing beads), one ticking the other incessantly, as time elapses lazily until all aromas on skin very, very slowly exit with a sigh.

The official notes are as follows:

Head

Black Pepper, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Ginger, Macis, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tunisian Neroli

Heart
Saffron Absolute, Tunisian Orange Blossom absolute, Turkish and Bulgarian Rose Otto and absolute, Moroccan Rose Absolute, Russian Rose Absolute, Jasminum Grandiflorum Egypt, Acacia Farnesiana, Indian Tuberose, Broom Absolute

Base
Beeswax Absolute Supιrieur, Oppoponax, Elemi, Labdanum, Benzoin, Vanilla Absolute, Mysore Sandalwood, Copaiva Balsam, Hibiscus Abelmoschus


Annette Neuffer might not be as experienced as some other established perfumers, but her passion and interest in the world of natural essences is at least engaging and worth exploring for yourself.
I highly recommend you visit her Perfume Page here, where you can get info, request samples and possibly order.
You can also contact her directly at: info@naturparfum.net



Pic is of Blue Mosque in Constantinople/Istanbul courtesy of pbase.com

Bunch of Perfume News & Fragrance Releases

“J’Adore is a huge inspiration on a lot of different home-care products such as air fresheners and cleaners”. Dior for home? Think again.
Before she cleans a client’s home, Liz Phillips finds out how they prefer their kitchen and bathroom to smell. The real-estator-mom-turned-entrepreneur founded Golden Touch Professional Services and taps into the increasingly relevant scent-sensitive market for cleaning one's home. Household products producing companies aren't far behind: Procter and Gamble has a new line of Dawn dish soap called Dawn Destination. The scents include Mediterranean Lavender, New Zealand Springs and Thai Dragon Fruit. Clorox has a line of Green Works products that includes a “Water Lily” scent. The S.C. Johnson Co. has added Multi-Surface Glade Magic Meadow to their line of Windex products. It boasts the scent of “fresh greens, morning dew and white jasmine.” Unlike more perfumey antecedents, these new compounds don’t simply mask other less desirable smells. 

Deborah Betz, a senior fragrance-development manager at International Flavors & Fragrances, says the country’s Hispanic population has a significant influence on the market.[...] “Clorox has a line that’s marketed in Latin America called Poett,” Betz says. “What they decided to do is relaunch it in the United States as Fraganza. It’s selling very, very well.” Hispanics tend to use stronger fragrances in their homes, Betz says. Fabuloso, an all-purpose cleaner marketed in Latin America by Colgate-Palmolive, is being used by more non-Hispanic consumers in the United States. Scents include Lavender, Passion of Fruits and Ocean Paradise. “Fresh marine notes are very hot,” Betz says. “Very fruity scents are very hot, too: berries, apples, melon.” When it comes to cleaning products, some upscale perfumes can also set the tone, like above-mentioned J'Adore.[source] There may soon come a day when your Dior might remind someone of their clean countertop...

 On the other hand online niche perfume distributor Luckyscent celebrates its decennial anniversary and for that occasion they issued the Decennial Collection, a line of four new in-house scents. "Our 10-year anniversary made us look back at the road we've traveled to see how far we have come. To honor our special occasion, we desired something both celebratory and meaningful. That something turned out to be The Decennial Collection, a set of four fragrances created in collaboration with perfumers Andy Tauer and Jérome Epinette. Decennial is a reflection of who we are and, because it has such a strong influence on us, where we live: Los Angeles, a city of incredible diversity with a undeniably unique personality. This quartet is an abstract reflection of our journey, a tip of our collective hat to who we are, how we got here, and where we hope to go.
The fragrances include Nuit Épicée (almond, cumin, rhubarb, cistus, violet, blond woods, black amber, praline), Santal Sacré (ginger, elemi, incense, white musks, papyrus, Australian sandalwood), Bois Bourbon (saffron, cinnamon bark, lavender, heliotrope, black rose, cedarwood, beach birch, oak moss), all by Jérome Epinette and last but not least Lys du Desert (bergamot, rose, green lily, dry cistrose, iris root, ambergris, dry cedar) by Andy Tauer.

And irreverent niche brand Le Labo introduces all their perfumes in oil form this Novemeber. "Dear hippie hiding under your skin - unleash yourself: your fragrance now comes as a perfume oil ! Le Labo's full range of creations is available in botanical safflower oil presented in a 1 ounce perfume eyedropper, to be carried anywhere and to be used everywhere: from your pulse points, your mane, your neck, your cleavage to your beard... That sounded weird, I just pictured a bearded bombshell..." (30ml/0.9fl.oz for 90 euros)

Crazy Libellule and the Poppies Tamara Charleston, Hommage a Gabrielle, Rose a Saigon: fragrance reviews and giveaway!

Crazy Libellule and the Poppies are the purveyors of cute solid sticks playfully nicknamed crazy stick and le parfum caresse, because they're meant to touch your skin. Their newest offering is an homage to fabulous ladies of the Roaring 20s, a line of solids called Les Garçonnes (after the novel La Garçonne which ignited the "flapper" vogue).

Although I would not venture to call them "proper perfume", they do present a fun and cute way of carrying around a scented little something in your handbag without the risk of spilling or staining and are airplane-friendly, making them perfect for holidays. In fact I have the sneaking suspicion that that last bit was the genius idea Isabelle Masson-Mandonnaud, co-founder of Sephora along with Dominique Mandonnaud, came up with when restrictions of liquids on board became effective! She cites her inspiration as a day of sadness from which she wanted to escape, recover "a grain of innocence and a few grams of craziness" . Hence the crazy flying lepidopter which sneaked its way into the brand name. Whatever the thought-process behind the line was, the truth is it's whimsical and super affordable, two traits that are always fun to come across.

Composed by perfumer Olivia Jan, the new line is comprised of compositions with distant and not-so-distant allusions to 20s personalities and heroines from Gabrielle Chanel and Josephine Baker to Louise Brooks and Tamara Lempicka through imaginary, unknown women.

It wouldn't be inaccurate to claim that Hommage à Gabrielle, dedicated to Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel, stands as the modern culmination of an idea which the Mademoiselle herself introduced: When asked by a young woman where to put on fragrance, she had responded wherever she wanted to be kissed. Crazylibellule has this as an idée fixe contained in their slogan "My caress-like perfume, everywhere I want to be kissed". If there wasn't a Chanel alluding composition so far it was a grave omission, now remedied in the tomboyish concept commemorating the androgynous fashions of Coco herself. Naturally an homage does not mean you're face to face with a Chanel-like creation, yet I can't but marvel at the ingenuity of the concept: There is the delicate white floral element of many of Mademoiselle's fragrances, a subtly bituminous note (Russian leather) to allude to Cuir de Russie, and a pleasing peppery incense backdrop which is a wink to the base of No.22. Someone was jotting down references very attentively! The whole is a warm floral which dries down like a woody.

Tamara Charleston is an interesting mix, inspired by the cubist-like treatment of several of Tamara de Lempicka's paintings. The juxtaposition of sweet (peach, jasmine, cut hay) and bitter notes (absinthe) grabbed me and it proved my favourite of those I tested. The peach is vibrant but well tempered through the other notes. The lisylang ingredient is Robertet firm's speciality which seems to bring a clean, airy nuance to the rest of the exotic blossoms, while imparting what I perceive as a lactonic tonality blending seamlessly with the milky peach and the soupçon of violet. The whole evokes the hedonic scent of cut grass in its wondrously both sweet and snapped-leaves green aroma.

Rose à Saïgon has a charming fiction behind it: "Her name was Rose and she dreamed of other worlds, of the effervescence of the roaring 20s. The moist air of Indochine, a crackly melody on the gramophone, and the spellbinding odor of dreams on her skin. The composition is an innocent fruity rose, more Jane March in L'Amant than Catherine Deneuve in Indochine, garlanded with classical Far Eastern leaves and grasses (patchouli, vetiver) and was the best lasting of the lot on me.


Notes for Hommage à Gabrielle: jasmine, peony, ozonic flower, cedar, incense, leather, vanilla and elemi.
Notes for Rose à Saïgon: mango, rose, jasmine, gaiac wood, ylang ylang, passion fruit, vetiver and patchouli.
Notes for Tamara Charleston: with peach, mandarin, fresh cut hay, absinthe, jasmine, lisylang (a Robertet molecule), gardenia and amber.
You can read a full report on the notes of the rest (Chère Louise, Pompon Gardenia, Jeanne Voyage, Joséphine Jonquille) on this article.

The new Crazy Libellule and the Poppies Les Garçonnes line of fragrances are available in 5 gr perfume solids based on petrolatum and paraffin in "lipstick" carbon tubes for $18 each. They are all alcohol-& parabens-free and they do not contain any colouring agents. They're not oily at all, but they stay very close to the skin, not projecting. Check out the brand on the official Crazy Libelllule and the Poppies site .Available at Beautyhabit and B-glowing in the US.

I have three "crazy sticks" to give away to our readers: Tells us which 20s heroine you would love to see inspiring a fragrance and why in the comments and I will choose three winners!

In the interests of full disclosure, I got the sticks as part of a promotion.
Painting "Where there's smoke there's fire" by Russell Patterson via Wikimedia commons. Painting by Tamara Lempicka via Femmefemme femme

Divine L'Homme Infini: fragrance review

"A gentleman is simply a patient wolf."
~Lana Turner

William Thackeray, who knew a thing or two about snobs, wrote in Vanity Fair: "Which of us can point out many [gentlemen] in his circle – men whose aims are generous, whose truth is constant, and not only constant in its kind, but elevated in its degree; whose want of meanness makes them simple; who can look the world squarely in the face with an equal manly sympathy for the great and the small?"

L'Homme Infini deeply appeals to my own ideal of nobility, in the sense of an ideal human being; not lineage, but the couth ways, effortless elegance and received wisdom that should go with it. From its suave green-citrusy vetiver core with sweet, cozy, nutty undertones, to its piquant smoky pepperiness, the fragrance reads like an paean to masculinity; reassuring and dependable, a shoulder to lean on in hardship and a handsome cheek to caress when things go awry and a wistful tear is forming.

Caspar David Friedrich. Abbey in the Oak Forest, 1810

Yvon Mouchel, founder of Parfums Divine, has employed one of the young mavericks emerging in this medium, Yann Vasnier (a Givaudan perfumer working among others for Arquiste, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Comme des Garcons and Parfums DelRae). Vasnier has a history of creating outstanding men’s scents for Divine (L'homme de Coeur, from 2002, for one), and L’homme infini, his latest creation for the line, a nutty-smoky vetiver woody scent, manages to entice and deliver both in terms of intellectual artistic integrity and of pleasing the senses. With L’Homme Infini, Divine expresses the idea that man has an infinite horizon of life before him.

No claims to seismic originality, but high praise for the deft of execution for this one.

On skin (male as well as female) L'Homme Infini wears very much like a beloved piece of clothing you want to wear to tatters, the gorgeous patina of effervescent skies, tall silvery trees, their branches like peaks of gothic churches reaching for the skies, for the divine, geosmin and human warmth trailing on fabric; craggy stones and flint, coarsely grated spices and the spraying droplets bursting out of orange rind, and woods, woods, woods...echoing in the distance.
The promise of mysteries yet to be discovered, the adventure only now beginning.

Divine L’homme Infini notes: Coriander leaf and grain, elemi, black pepper, oak, cedar, agar wood, vetiver, amber, benzoin

Available from November 2012 at the e-boutique, all Divine boutiques in France and at Luckyscent, Liberty UK, The Perfume Shoppe, Oswald Parfumerie and AusLiebeDuft. Check the brand's website for more information: http://www.divine.fr

In the interests of disclosure I was sent sample vials by the company