Battling bad smells has been a millenia-long battle for humanity.
Fighting body odor specifically has been a battle against our very own
human make-up. With the exception of those carrying the gene ABCC11
(which makes for no armpit smell), common amongst the populations of the
Far East, the vast majority of us of European, African, Central Asian
and Native American descent have the sort of apocrine glands in the
armpit and groin which secrete a sort of sweaty liquid that when mixed
with surface bacteria develops body odor.[...]
The very interesting thing is not the invention of deodorant
(and anti-perspirant, which debuted in the early 20th century based on
aluminum chloride first marketed under the suggestive name Everdry) but the power of marketing. Women,
American women in particular, were especially targeted in typically
sexist campaigns which implied that their natural odor was repulsive to
heterosexual men, therefore they had to rely on a deodorant or
anti-perspirant in order to land the man of their dreams.
An advertisement from the Walter Thomson Archives, at the Duke University, proclaims in the very title "Within the Curve of a Woman's Arm. A frank discussion of a subject too often avoided."
Including lines asking "Would you be absolutely sure of your
daintiness?" and "Does excessive perspiration ruin your prettiest
dresses?"
The agressive campaigns by the Odorono Company, giving their
address as Ruth Miller, The Odorono Co., 719 Blair Avenue, Cincinnati,
Ohio, promised the "so simple, so easy, so sure" solution for that
"problem", imaginary or real.
You can find the entire article on Fragrantica on this link.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
A Vetiver Crisis Averted?
IFF and Unilever Launch Partnership to Improve the Lives of Vetiver Farming Communities in Haiti
Collaboration with Oxfam Great Britain, Heifer International and the Ford Foundation Delivers a Strategic Social Investment
LES CAYES, Haiti--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
International
Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and Unilever announced today a new
partnership with leading non-governmental organizations to enhance the
livelihoods of smallholder vetiver
farmers in Haiti. The partnership, Vetiver Together, aims to
sustainably improve food security, increase yields, and diversify
income, while working to support women’s empowerment and environmental
conservation.
Vetiver
oil is a common ingredient in many fragrances and an important crop for
Unilever, found in brands such as Axe and Impulse. Haiti produces some
of the best vetiver in
the world, and many farmers rely on cultivation of the root for their
entire source of income. But, due to economic pressures, farmers often
harvest the roots before they are fully mature, leading to low prices,
poor oil yields, deforestation and soil erosion.
The partnership will help farmers address these challenges as well as
provide training to community members - including in crop and livestock
production, soil conservation and nutrition - to help improve social
conditions and diversity of farm production and
food security.
The
project is a strategic social investment that recognizes that improving
smallholder and community livelihoods and strengthening the Haitian
vetiver supply chain are mutually
beneficial. It is supported by the Enhancing Livelihoods Fund – a
partnership between Unilever, Oxfam Great Britain, and the Ford
Foundation which backs innovative models to improve agricultural
practices and have a positive social impact, particularly for
women.
“IFF
relies on small farming communities for many natural products. These
farmers, their families, and communities are an important part of our
supply chain,” said Andreas Fibig,
Chairman and CEO of IFF. “Sustainability is a key enabler of our
Vision2020 business strategy, and this partnership is the embodiment of
one of our key sustainability strategies, Sensational People, in which
we engage our employees and stakeholders to make
a positive difference in the world.”
“Sustainability
is integral to how we do business at Unilever – we aim to enhance the
social and economic livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in
our supply chain,”
said Dhaval Buch, Chief Procurement Officer of Unilever. “Creating a
more resilient supply chain is essential to make real impact on the
ground. Partnerships, like Vetiver Together, are instrumental if we are
to achieve the level of systematic change that
is necessary across industries and supply chains.”
Heifer
International will implement the project and provide access to
livestock which delivers both an additional food source and diversified
income through products that can
be bartered and sold at market.
“Livestock
is a vehicle to support families and communities, provide highly
nutritious foods, empower women, and manage economic risk,” said Pierre
Ferrari, CEO of Heifer International.
“Coupling livestock with improvements in the quality of the vetiver
crop through optimized conservation practices makes Vetiver Together a
true example of the good that can happen when multi-stakeholder
partnerships are managed and executed with care.”
“The
Enhancing Livelihood Fund is particularly interested in supporting
Unilever suppliers develop new business models that improve conditions
for women, workers and smallholders
in an innovative way. We have learnt from previous work, suppliers play
a critical role.” said David Bright, Head of Economic Justice of Oxfam
GB. “This is why Oxfam together with Unilever and the Ford Foundation
set up the Fund to support Unilever suppliers.”
Information via
Friday, July 15, 2016
Serge Lutens A La Nuit: fragrance review and musings
Dedicated to the night and voluptuous, feminine women everywhere, A la Nuit by Serge Lutens is probably the most life-like rendition of night-blooming jasmine in all of perfumery. The narcotic, star-petalled flower hypnotizes all who come into contact with it on a warm summer's evening, when the air is filled with promise of romance and sensual abandon. Heady, sweet, laced with honeyed and resinous notes that weave their own web of seduction, A la Nuit employs several different varieties of jasmine: Moroccan, Egyptian and Indian. Surrendering yourself to its temptation is akin to reaching erotic zenith...
Jasmine is plentiful in southern Europe and northern Africa from where Lutens was inspired; lush, narcotic, dense with clotted cream at night-time, making the heart ache with its sweetness, fresh and bubble-gum worthy with green dewiness in the mornings. But while we, perfume lovers, like to mock and taunt each other about the fecal reminiscent particulars in it, specifically the combination of moth-balls indole and peachy-creamy lactones, plus many other wonderful and weird chemical additions that talk to our sensitive human hormones, hearing it being invoked by your beloved in an intimate setting can turn into unsettling quickly. How stimulating is the invocation of #2 in the bedroom? Not particularly for most, I'd wager. Let this be a lesson to test this glorious specimen of true jasmine first, before plunging headlong into it.
Created in 2000. Fragrance Family: Floral Oriental
Perfumer: Chris Sheldrake
Fragrance Notes A La Nuit by Serge Lutens: jasmine, grenadine, beeswax, musk and benzoin.
via |
Jasmine is plentiful in southern Europe and northern Africa from where Lutens was inspired; lush, narcotic, dense with clotted cream at night-time, making the heart ache with its sweetness, fresh and bubble-gum worthy with green dewiness in the mornings. But while we, perfume lovers, like to mock and taunt each other about the fecal reminiscent particulars in it, specifically the combination of moth-balls indole and peachy-creamy lactones, plus many other wonderful and weird chemical additions that talk to our sensitive human hormones, hearing it being invoked by your beloved in an intimate setting can turn into unsettling quickly. How stimulating is the invocation of #2 in the bedroom? Not particularly for most, I'd wager. Let this be a lesson to test this glorious specimen of true jasmine first, before plunging headlong into it.
Created in 2000. Fragrance Family: Floral Oriental
Perfumer: Chris Sheldrake
Fragrance Notes A La Nuit by Serge Lutens: jasmine, grenadine, beeswax, musk and benzoin.
Labels:
a la nuit,
beeswax,
benzoin,
chris sheldrake,
floral,
jasmine,
musk,
review,
serge lutens
Thursday, July 7, 2016
July Blog Sale
We're having a clearance in time for the holidays and there are full and almost full bottles of niche and luxurious perfumes for those lucky who will contact us first. (First come, first served)
Please email me using CONTACT, with BLOG SALE in the title of your email, to get the full list of things available and the information needed. Thanks for your attention!
Please email me using CONTACT, with BLOG SALE in the title of your email, to get the full list of things available and the information needed. Thanks for your attention!
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Berdoues Cologne Grand Cru Assam of India: fragrance review
If travel-inspired fragrances usually hint at the region via their name mainly, then Assam of India corresponds to...India, naturally. As one might surmise it's an evocation of black Assam tea, typical to India, in this case aromatized by a tantalizingly mouthwatering citrus top note that evokes the bergamot addition of Earl Grey tea. Being a firm devotee of this very aromatic blend, the lacing of the southern Europe citrus fruit a welcome addition to the peaty scent of classic black tea, Assam of India by Berdoues didn't have to fight an arduous fight to earn a place of pride on the vanity table.
The perfumer set out in search of these black Assam tea leaves grown at a very low altitude – sea level – that reveal an exceptional character that mirrors India. It is the result of the unique blend of citron from Menton, tea from India and sandalwood from Mysore. The citron from Menton is characterised by very fruitful branches that bear up to twice as many lemons as other varieties. Its half-acid, bitterless flavour gives its essence intense aromas.
Berdoues Assam of India is exactly the sort of thing to pick up on a hot and sweltering day, spraying from head to toe to revel in the tannic and citric notes that cut through the humidity like a scimitar. Beautiful, extremely cute bottle too!
The perfumer set out in search of these black Assam tea leaves grown at a very low altitude – sea level – that reveal an exceptional character that mirrors India. It is the result of the unique blend of citron from Menton, tea from India and sandalwood from Mysore. The citron from Menton is characterised by very fruitful branches that bear up to twice as many lemons as other varieties. Its half-acid, bitterless flavour gives its essence intense aromas.
Berdoues Assam of India is exactly the sort of thing to pick up on a hot and sweltering day, spraying from head to toe to revel in the tannic and citric notes that cut through the humidity like a scimitar. Beautiful, extremely cute bottle too!
Labels:
assam of india,
berdoues,
bergamot,
black tea,
citron,
citrus,
review,
sandalwood
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