How to Best Preserve your Perfume (Professional Tips by Perfumer Guy Robert)

"When someone offers you a perfume, may you be lucky enough to receive a true parfum (instead of an eau) in a beautiful, large bottle. Chances are you will fall in love with it, and that you will want to replace it at some point. A valuable advice, in that case, is to purchase the smaller size. Depending on your perfume habits, a "half ounce" or "one ounce" will suffice. Larger volumes will obviously take many more months to finish; but while a well-made perfume can stand the test of time, age doesn't give it any interesting qualities either.

via lusciouslife pin

Once you have opened the bottle, a light oxidation process takes place inside. If you forget to close the bottle after you have used the perfume, this will only speed up the process. The fresh, fleeting top notes of the fragrance will tend to "calm down" a bit; it's true that this will not completely ruin the fragrance, but it will change the initial impression you get from your perfume.

When the natural ingredients are derived from such noble raw materials as jasmine, orange blossom, jonquil, and rose, the color will become slightly browner. Depending on the composition of the perfume, it can develop into a brownish-red within a few years. If it has a green tint, that green may become darker. This is normal, and it does not necessarily mean that the fragrance is deteriorated.

However, when you purchase a new bottle of the same perfume, you may get the impression that they sold you a lighter, more fleeting fragrance. This phenomenon causes many customers to take their new bottle back to the store, claiming it is not the same; hence, manufacturers are asked on a regular basis to analyze and check recently purchased bottles in their laboratories.

The aging process is increased when you add light and heat. Don't keep your perfume on the bathroom shelve, which is often located near a radiator: your interior decorator may say it looks fabulous, but it's really the wrong place for perfumes. If, on top of that, you expose the bottle to direct sunlight, you have done all you can to kill the fragrance. Remember that the sun is a perfume's greatest enemy."

The above fragrance advice "how to" comes from a free translation of legendary perfumer's Guy Robert's "Le Sens du Parfum" French book (out of print now) courtesy of SoCalWoman/MUA. Robert is responsible for lots of fragrance classics, such as Madame Rochas, Dior Dioressence, Equipage,Caleche and Doblis by Hermes, Amouage Gold etc.

 If you're new to perfume and want more practical "how to" guides on fragrances, please refer to our "HOW TO GUIDES" articles on the right hand column (scroll) of the Home Page. If you want the most popular questions answered, please refer to the relevant frequent questions on perfumes link. If you want to submit a new question which may appear on the blog and get answered by me to the best of my ability, please email me using Contact.

Fragrance Layering: A Layman’s Guide on How to Layer Perfumes

So you’ve decided to layer, the art that involves applying more than one fragrance at the same time. You have amassed your scents, put all your samples in order. Now what?

~by guest writer AlbertCAN

Fragrance layering sounds impossibly chic, but often harder than a trifle dab of this and that. Part of the delicate problem lies knowing the basics of your fragrances, somehow understanding how to rev the aromatic engines in harmony. Thus in layman’s terms I am here to put together a concise, easy to follow guide on the fundamentals of perfume layering.

via scent compass

Before the layering can take place I want to show you a few simple application rules. Some of you might know this already but I prefer covering all grounds. Still, for those of you new to the game: less if always more. Discretion and common sense always is the key to success in fragrance layering: to start always choose to play with two. More only if you are confident.
Even perfumer Jean Claude Ellena advocates some wild combinations of scents (Angel and L'Eau d'Issey together?)

Pic Source: jillmckeever.blogspot.com via For Strange on Pinterest

1. Layering doesn’t have to be merely pairing equal-concentration scents, meaning that parfum A can blend beautifully with, say, eau de cologne B. In fact that’s often how I layer. This is also taking into the accounts that historically houses (such as Guerlain and Chanel) have separate formulations for parfum, eau de parfum and eau de toilette even within the same line. (Personal example: Chanel No. 19 parfum & 4711 Eau de Cologne)

2. Ancillary products, such as deodorants, body lotions or body creams are absolutely fair game layering with regular fragrances. Still, often they are designed to amplify and to hold onto the fragrance molecules a little longer, so please take that into consideration when layering. Nothing worse, say, a tuberose body cream with an extremely diffusive spicy 80s fragrance! (Personal examples: Terre d'Hermès deodarant & Creed Green Irish Tweed eau de toilette; Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche deodarant & Terre d'Hermès eau de toilette)

3. Layering doesn’t mean applying everything on the skin. Try misting your undergarments with fragrance X and apply fragrance Y on your skin. (Personal example: misting Hermès Hiris on a garment & wearing Guerlain Mitsouko parfum to boost the iris effect)

4. Layering does not mean applying everything at the same time. Sometimes heavier fragrances such as the orientals or the chypres have lovely drydowns to pair with a different fragrance. (Example: extending a few drops of Guerlain Shalimar parfum with Guerlain Jicky eau de toilette)

5. Layer with purpose. Most of us in the know layer because we see an improvement in the combination, not because we want to wear something nobody else has. (If I do it for vanity reasons penning this article would be self-defeating.)

I shall further illustrate the last rule: I enjoy wearing eau de colognes but the sillage and the longevity of each, by themselves, tend to leave me wanting more. So my staple combination is actually 4711 Eau de Cologne x Chanel Eau de Cologne x Tom Ford Neroli Protofino, spraying 4711 on the garments (not directly on fabrics), body mist with Chanel, and then a discreet spray of the Tom Ford on my forearms as punctuations. Those three would last me a good 10 hours.

via www.ninfeobeauty.com

Which brings me to the central theme of fragrance layering: the preferred method is to involve citrus-based or simply light-handed fragrances, as they are flexible enough to meld with the bolder fragrances—and always heaviest first and the lightest last. As I have mentioned with all-citrus fragrances one can layer 3 fragrances effortlessly, but if a heavy oriental, classic aldehyde floral or a chypre I would first try with two fragrances. I would also recommend:

• finding a common theme with the fragrances—such pairing a soliflore with an oriental (Guerlain L’Heure Bleue parfum & Chanel 28 La Pausa comes to mind).
• extend the nuance within the lighter fragrance—for instance I would describe layering Piguet Bandit with Osmanthe Yunnan as “the S/M tricks occasionally enjoyed by sexually frigid suburban housewives when their marriages are on the rocks”!
• (only if you know what you are doing) pair with another fragrance a very similar structural analogue: for instance the aforementioned Shalimar/Jicky combination. I also love smelling Givenchy Ysatis with Estee Lauder Knowing—but only with a deft hand on a very chic person who knows what on earth they are doing. Not for the faint hearted!

Now one caveat: marine/aquatic fragrances are case by case only, since though they are generally light in nature Calone (the watermelon-smelling "fresh" molecule) can be extremely dominant and unpredictable. I have never, for since, tried layering L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme even though I have worn it since 18!

So there, now you are ready to play. How to test? The safest say is to spray the choices on test strips first—weeding out all the bad choices before applying gingerly on you. And just like entertaining: never prepare something for the first time right before a major event—stick with a tried and true layering combination in this case! Good luck!

For inspirations here are some further ideas:
Combos published in French Elle (21 July 2003)
Les Tuileries Bizarre Layering Challenge of the Day

PS. My all-time favourite layering combinations:

Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere & Hermès Un Jardin après la Mousson
4711 Eau de Cologne & Chanel Eau de Cologne & Tom Ford Neroli Protofino (and if I am feel like pulling all the stops maybe an accent of Guerlain Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat)
Guerlain Shalimar parfum & Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte
Terre d’Hermès deodorant & Creed Green Irish Tweed
Robert Piguet Bandit & Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan

Currently I’m experimenting mint (Prada Luna Rossa, Cartier Roadster, Guerlain Homme) with iris soliflores (Hiris, 28 La Pausa)!

Pic Source: Uploaded by user via Vicio on Pinterest

And a few of Elena's perfume layering suggestions:

Le Baiser du Dragon parfum + Narciso Musk for Her oil = the most delicious baby powder scent

Lancôme Trésor + Bvlgari Black = sweet, peachy rubber

Youth Dew body cream + Old Spice = delicious spicy carnation

Pacifica Spanish Amber solid + drop of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan = mellow skin-like amber

Thierry Mugler Angel (preferably a fav product in bath & body range) + Serge Lutens Clair de Musc = a more floral & lighter Angel

Shiseido Feminite du Bois + rose hydrosol = lighens the oriental and emphasizes the smoother notes

Jo Malone Red Roses + Jo Malone 154 = woody, dark, earthy roses

The Body Shop Citrella + The Body Shop Amorito = Pink Sugar on the cheap

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan + Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental (both in tiny dabs) = gorgeousness!

YSL Opium + orange blossom soliflores = summery Opium

Dior Dioressence + Eau de Merveilles (Hermès) to reinforce the ambergris scent

Stay tuned for follow-up post, with perfume layering suggestions by perfume Francis Kurkdjian and by Serge Lutens!

We also welcome your own Layering Suggestions & Tips or Questions in the comments!

Frequent Questions: How to Make your Fragrance Last Longer

Many of us don’t fully realize how fragrance creates a lasting first impression, which is difficult to shake; perfume invades a space with each breath and speaks for us in ways no words can express. But many are those worrying about their carefully chosen fragrance not actually withstanding the time lapse it takes from putting it on and actually arriving and meeting those they mean to impress with it. So we turned to international fragrance expert Arnaud Marolleau for suggestions and I supplemented with a few tried & tested tips of my own so as to provide a brief but useful guide into how to make your perfume last longer.

Choose an intense olfactory family to begin with. Olfactory families denote a general classification that gives the character of a fragrance, as in how it translates to others: citrus or floral or woody for instance are three different categories, respectively characterised by the preponderance of citrus fruit essences, scents evoking flowers or aromata deriving from big trees such as cedar, sandalwood etc. Of course they do not only include the above mentioned ingredients, but that's the predominant impression. There are more esoteric fragrance families, such as chypre and fougere for which you will need to consult our Chypre fragrance accord guide or Fougère fragrance accord guide, if you're unfamiliar with those.

According to Marolleau, the purpose of having an intense effect out of your perfume is best served by chypres, woodies or oriental scents. Chypre is a family of perfumes that are characterized by a citrus top note (traditionally bergamot), a floral middle and a mossy-musk base comprised by labdanum and oakmoss in classic perfumes or recently a base of vetiver and patchouli in "nouveau chypres" (these involve perfume releases in the last 10 years or less). “Chypre fragrance has more than 60 percent comprised of base notes; it is a very enveloping, sensual and sophisticated fragrance, while woody is very good for business.”
You can find fragrance reviews of chypre, woody scents  and oriental perfumes on the corresponding links.

Choose a more concentrated form of your favorite fragrance. There are several fragrance concentrations (ratio of aromatic essences in alcohol and water), such as Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum and Extrait de Parfum (If you don't know which is which, click on the link). If in doubt opt for the higher concentration vs. the weaker one; such as Eau de Parfum over Eau de Toilette or pure parfum over Eau de Parfum. Usually this technique provides a better anchoring, the more concentrated version being richer in base notes which have a low volatility rate Just beware that some fragrances (for instance some Chanels, Narciso Rodriguez for Her or Dior J'Adore many perfume editions) can be slightly different in formula -and thus in their aesthetic effect- among their different concentrations; sample smartly before you invest!

Outsmart the weather, especially humidity. Cold weather tends to hold some notes, especially lush florals and balsams into check. This is why often some tropical fragrances smell all wrong in the wintertime or in northern climates. But heat and humidity can also alter the evolution of a perfume: heat volatilises essences quicker and as to humidity, “humidity is the vampire of fragrance,” said Marolleau. Humidity also makes you sweat more, which in itself alters the intended scent of any given perfume.
In order for the scent to last, you must wear it in as dry an environmen as possible. This means that if you're working in an air-conditioned office or use the air-condition in your car, you will perceive your scent for longer. Of course this isn't always practical! The best thing to do is to have a little bottle in your handbag and renew your fragrance accordingly, taking in mind the surroundings you're going to be in so as not to overdo it.

Improve your skin condition to make fragrance hold. If your skin is dry, the fragrance will never last as long as you want it to. Why? There is nothing for the scent to stick onto making the fragrance evaporate quicker. The easiest suggestion is to wear body lotion all the time to keep skin moisturized. It doesn't need to be scented in a matching scent as your perfume, though that is a romantic and indulgent idea (called "layering a scent") Unscented moisturizer will mean you can use it with whichever fragrance you plan to wear. You can also make your own: Put a little lotion in the palm of your hand and then spray or pour a tiny bit of your fragrance in that little "pool". Rub your palms together to mix and apply on your skin. Yummy!
I also recommend putting a bit of jojoba oil on still damp skin after your bath/shower, especially on places where you will wear fragrance later on. Jojoba is very simpatico to most skins, even oily ones, and is so close to skin sebum that it doesn't alter the scent profile of your perfume or your own body scent.
Also please consult some of the perfume application tricks in our How to Best Apply your Fragrance guide. Several of them help fragrances radiate better and last longer.


 Ref: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net
Mad Men, Christina Hendricks as Joan Halloway in front of the mirror with her perfumes tray

Frequent Questions: How to Determine How Much Perfume is Left in my Opaque Bottle?

You all know the pain...Your otherwise beautiful opaque perfume bottle, often in inky shades of black or purple which spell danger or just in a material inpenetrable by the light (such as opaline, Cloisonné metal or china or reverse painted from inside glass, such as in Chinese snuff bottles), is refusing to let you gauge how much of the beautiful fragrance you so enjoy is left in it.


Consider some examples for a minute: Classics, like the architectural and oblong flacons in black glass for all the reissued Robert Piguet fragrances (Fracas, Bandit, Visa, Cravache, Baghari). The art-deco vintage bottle of Nuit de Noel by Caron with its beautiful 1920s "head band". The black boule of the original Arpège by Lanvin. The delicate, calligraphy-flowers-embossed original bottle of Shiseido's Zen. The cinnabar/orange-red of Opium parfum with its tassel.
Maybe modern or niche ones ones, such as Jasmin Noir by Bulgari. The square black of appropriately named Encre Noire by Lalique. The painted from inside glass bottles of Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her in the Eau de Toilette and the completely opaque black of Musk for Her. The elegant and hefty Natori Eau de parfum (all right, this one has a "window" in the centre which helps a bit till you're halfway through the juice) or the "opus noir" black ones By Kilian.
Several art-deco retro ones by parfums Ybry, Myon or Gabilla. The opaque gold Cardinal by Molinard with its nude bodies in relief.
Even things like Laroche's Drakkar Noir! And if you're extra lucky to own them, the black polygon of Nombre Noir by Shiseido and the flacon tabatière from 1927 for Liù by Guerlain.

Or it could be any perfume receptable which is intended for you to fill with the scent of your choice, such as ones made by Renaud, Lalique, and other reputable firms. The matter is always the same: how to see when is the time to replenish your perfume? Or just how much fragrance is there in your bottle you intend to sell as filled or to swap? No, tapping to see where the bottle is hollow pr not won't help much. Here are some easy tips to help you.


Method 1: Let the light shine bright!

By now, you probably know that light is the archenemy of perfume and you store yours away from it in a dark cupboard. Good, except for one occasion: When you want to see just how much juice is left in your beautiful bottle. Make an exception and bring out your flacon in the sun on a bright day.
1. Hold the bottle high against the rays of the sun. Even the most resistant bottles provide some clue as to the "line" where the full ends and the empty space begins.
2. If you're short of a handy window sill and the bright sun of the Med, repeat the experiment with a very bright lightbulb (60W or above). Hold the bottle carefully against it. Chances are you will be able to discern adequately.


Method 2: Sinking, sinking...

If the light method above fails, water might come to the rescue. How, you ask? Simple. According to basic physics, immersing any object in water will produce a substitution of the volume of water with the volume of the object (The principle by which throwing a whale in a swimming pool will more than sprinkle spectators three rows of seats away). How do we put this into practice with perfume bottles? First of all, don't try this with anything vintage with a paper label: it will be soaked by the water and the paper will crack when drying. But for modern bottles or bottles that can withstand this, it's unbeatable.

1. Take a receptable that can hold your bottle in question. Preferably use one that is big enough to hold it, but is also shaped in a way that the bottle cannot capsize (i.e. it follows the contours, usually that means an oblong vase or a jug or something along those lines.)
2. Fill it with water.
3. Now slowly immerse your bottle in it and slowly let it go. The power of hydraulics will have your bottle float to the line where it's still full.
4. Mark that line with a small adhesive label which you have at the ready or an indelible felt pen. 5. Get your bottle out of the water, let it stand and see where your marking points: 50% full, 2/3 full or less? You should have a pretty good idea.

These are more or less more accurate methods than just judging by weight, both because one can be fooled by the weight of the flacon itself (especially if it came into your hands in a non full state to begin with) or by the appreciation of liquid itself (the swooshing sound indicates there is liquid inside but it rarely gives a clue as to how much).

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: How to Open Stuck Perfume Bottles

pics via assorted perfume fora, flickr.com/photos/eivinds and 123rf.com

Online Perfume Sales: What can I Do to Protect Myself from Fakes and Scams?

The online world, auction or fixed price store, isn't as angelically created as we would have dreamt it. In short, scammers and consters are out there and are just waiting to pounce on innocent perfume lovers' hard earned cash and curiosity to try elusive (or not so elusive) things. When at sea, what do you do to avoid drowning? Learning to swim is counted among the basics and applying some common sense. That last part is the hardest, escaping even the most seasoned buyers', but the swimming techniques are a bit easier to master. In this Perfume Shrine guide we will help you along online shopping with practical advice which you can reference along the way.

When looking for an online perfume store you'll want to consider a few factors before hitting the button of the purchase or entering you card details (remember, once you've paid, things get considerably more complicated to remedy). Some of the points to ask yourself:
• Does the company offer a wide selection of perfume and cologne? This isn't always a conclusive rule of thumb, but it means that if there is some dissatisfaction you might have an easier time subsituting your purchase with something else.
• Does the company charge a reasonable fee for sending you your purchase? Furthermore, does the shipping sound logical or exorbitant? Sometimes a bargain is not a bargain when the shipping talies up into more than the retail price.
• What is their Return Policy? What if you're not satisfied with your purchase once it arrives? Can you return it for a full refund? Is there an actual brick-and-mortar address listed and a phone number, besides an email, to call and request assistance? For international folks, it's always a good idea to check that there is someone to help along in your own language (or at least in decent enough English) as well.
It's also good policy to get familiar with what you're looking for before you start: Check the Internet for images of the perfume you want, check it out in an actual store if you can, read online reviews and seek info such as those posted on Perfume Shrine regarding frequent questions on perfume matters.

For starters, you can check the site of Top Consumer Reviews for Perfume. Fulfilling the above criteria (and with no affiliation) we have heard good things about: Scented Monkey, Fragrance Emporium, Fragrance Net, Beauty Encounter, Scentiments, FragranceX and Strawberrynet.com. Not so good scores are posted about The Perfume Spot and Perfume Land, in terms of difficulty of searching and slow delivery or lapses in stock inventory. (These are all easily Google-able companies).
There is a special notepad on Makeup Alley, compiled with the input of independent consumers to reference good (and bad) experiences with online stores. Regularly updated. Check it out on this link.

Extreme caution is to be applied when dealing with 1stPerfume.com and its sister site Overstockperfume.com (both located in New York), according to the testimonies of many perfume enthusiasts posting online on fora. The service is lacking and refunding is spoty to say the least. Plus often rare fragrances appear as being in stock, while in truth they are not, but you're only notified after you have gone through the purchase! By then it's an ongoing struggle to get them to refund you, as people who have showed up in person report.
Please note that Parfum1.com is a seperate business than the above questionable ones and does not have any shady politics behinds their sales. Their international shipping however is a bit steep lately. Sites which are reliable and storing rare fragrances, although at not so economical prices, include nellbutler.com.

Niche fragrance selling sites are in their vast majority very reliable for obvious reasons: Aedes, Luckyscent, Ausliebezumduft, the PerfumeShoppe, Les Senteurs, Senteurs d'Ailleurs are all great (they're also eminently Googleable).

Regarding online decanters most are there out of their sheer passion for the subject and are selling genuine stuff with very good service. The prices can vary, so a little careful tallying up is in order, but this field includes (funnily enough, since they're "amateurs" compared to the bigger stores) some of the most reliable shopping you can do online: They appeal to aficionados and aficionados know quite a bit about the aficion...
Top-drawer choices include The Perfumed Court, The Posh Peasant, Reirien.com, Flacon Ambaric, Eiderdownpress.com. It would be most logical to use these to get hold of something you can't get anywhere else or some vintage you have been curious about but don't want to risk investing in a big or bogus bottle in an online auction.
The Wikidot Scentsplits site is a seperate case: it's not a business, contrary to all of the above. Rather a community of members who also belong on several perfume boards (including Makeupalley, Basenotes and Perfume of Life -which in themselves include some Shop /Swap function for their members) and who "split" their fragrances into smaller portions which they sell to interested parties in order to subsidize part of their perfume purchases. The process thus relies on an honour system, as it's conducted through private emails with no feedback or token system taken into account. However, most members are very reliable and they provide their boards' username where they participate as swapping or selling partners so as to convince of their good intentions and proper conduct. Proceed with common sense and you won't have any problems. It's also good advice to get them to also provide a regular email address for further discussion, apart from their username for communication just on the boards.

Counterfeit perfumes is a common phenomenon, in the streets as well as online (do your research beforehand), and although the majority of reliable perfume stores check their wares and are guaranteeing authenticity beyond approach, once in a blue moon the worst can happen to the very best, inadvertedly. (Some stockists act as intermediaries and don't open the packages they receive from their distributors of course before selling to you, so they can't know. If you stumble on such an occurence, notify the seller immediately; they would most probably refund you immediately and check with their distributor, thus stopping the line there.)

Ebay is a completely different proposition than etailers.
1.On the one hand you have mainstream perfumes which can (and often) are counterfeit . It's estimated one in ten perfumes sold as genuine is actually fake! Most usually these involve best-selling fragrances rather than less popular ones (makes sense!). Since these are cheaply made in someone's tub in China and packaged in look-alike premanufactured packaging, the limited editions, gift sets and obscure flankers of well-known perfumes are highly improbable to be faked; it doesn't make sense to devote that much energy on the faker's part. Best-sellers is where's at it.
Most niche perfumes are relatively safe too for the same reason, although you might want to be wary on bottles which are splash-on or have screw-off tops to refill: they might be "cut" with perfumer's alochol by uncrupulous sellers (This might be why the newer Lutens bell jars come sealed with plastic around the neck!). "Testers" often come under suspicion from beginners, but on the contrary they are invariably a very safe purchase at an advantageous price: They are simply sold by the company to stores in order to have them on the counter for customers to sample and so are usually non boxed/non-capped or come in plain packaging. They absolutely contain the EXACT same juice as the regular product. If you're not especially keen on the full packaging, they're a great choice.
Most common wares faked include Chanels (Allure -especially the 35ml atomiser-, Chanel No.5, Chance and Coco Mademoiselle) as well as Diors (Hypnotic Poison, J'Adore and Miss Dior Cherie), Cool Water, Aqua di Gio for men, Light Blue, CK Euphoria, DK Be Delicious and other assorted best-sellers; and -funnily enough- Creeds, either belonging to the grey market or being outright fakes. Especially Green Irish Tweed, due to its popularity. Basenotes community members vouch for Creeddirect on Ebay though, saying the product is genuine (NB: we're not affiliated).
Thankfully there are people who have composed Ebay Guides to steer you away from the counterfeits: Here is a general guide on fake designer perfumes, a guide on how to spot fake Chanel Coco Mademoiselle with photos, another one on fake Chanel No.5, another on spotting fake Dior, specifically Hypnotic Poison. And here's a list of the most often counterfeited designers and brands.

Avoid auctions or Buy it Now formats which have stock photos in which the seller refuses to send more info or more pics on the actual bottle they're selling, when asked.
Look for the details: The shrink wrap should fit cleanly around the box, the cellophane be clear and unwrinkled and the glue applied carefully and evenly. The packaging should include the fragrance’s name, the company that made it, and a list of ingredients. Alarm bells should go off if there are spelling or punctuation errors, duplication of words, or grammar errors. Arabic or Japanese writing however is totally legit: it's genuine product for the Asian markets, the Middle East and Japan being huge buyers of western perfumes.
The actual juice of a fake might be stale-smelling, sour or lasting only a nanosecond compared with the genuine stuff. It's best to compare with store-bought when in doubt and out of sanity, then toss. Asian markets such as China and Hong Kong often don't even attempt to hide it (just Google "counterfeit Chanel") and New York or Michigan locations also sometimes are sources of fakes, so beware! And you don't need me to tell you not to buy prestige perfume off a street stall, do you?

2.On the other hand, Ebay is often for many the first port of call for vintage fragrance sleuthing. This has its inherent dangers: Vintage fragrances (especially very rare ones) just can't possible be compared to anything to ascertain their authenticity or good upkeep. Even if you have a sample from an online decanter, ask yourself (and them): Where did they source it in the first place? In cases where there no doubles to compare in the whole wide world (see Iris Gris by Fath for instance), no one can know, not even an expert! Besides, not two bottles of the same vintage have been kept the same way, thus resulting in slight differences. You see the complications!
Not to mention that there are a few unscrupulous guys who buy empty vintages and refill with either modern juice at a huge mark-up or who knows what else, relying on perfume lovers' enthusiasm and desire for a rare possession/investment. One of them has become infamous through an expose on Perfume Posse in spring 2007. He has since changed account usernames, so there's no use to name names. Suffice to say, his location is invariably Pennsylvania or North Carolina, the auctions are worded emphatically including the original date of the fragrance's composition (but no info on when the specific bottle was approximately made thus misleading) and the colour of the juice inside is invariably a deep reddish-maroon (if you notice it once, you will forever notice it in all his auctions!). He takes care to have not completely full bottles, allowing for "natural age evaporation" and -coincidentally- most of his bottles are splashes (some with elaborately faked labels). He also seems to have an endless supply of specific rare things, especially Carons (Farnesiana and Tabac Blond extraits are his specialty, as well as older classic Guerlains in a pleiad of incarnations and coveted Cuir de Russie, No.22, Bois des Iles and super rare No.46 Chanel extraits in collectable bottles). His feedback is 100%, reportedly through either terrorisation of buyers or via buying off accounts with an already stellar feedback and continuing the scam like a bee hoping from flower to flower. Of course he's not the only one, but the rest are not as elaborate, thank God.
If you have already been scammed, do your duty, ask for a refund, report it if there is serious trouble from seller. Be vocal, there is no legal background that doesn't allow honest feedback on consumer reviewer pages and the con artists rely on bullying to have people silenced. You can also file for Internet fraud.

It's worthwhile to mention that not all "weird" bottles are the product of an internet scam nevertheless. Some are just innocent mistakes through ignorance or very limited editions with no glamorous launch. On this article we have highlighted some odd occurences which are clearly not intentional scamming. But in general, if it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is! Ask questions on the perfume fora or on this blog and you will receive good advice from people who have collected perfume for a long time and can steer you in the right direction.
In the end, it's all proportional and if some of the pleasure for you is the adrenaline rush, you might want to risk it just a bit. Juice aging and different concentrations (EDT vs. EDP vs.EDC vs.extrait) may also produce different results, so don’t jump to conclusions immediately! And don't get paranoid if you only paid 17$ for the item and it turns out to be bogus. Chalk it up to a good leason learned and move on!

pics via harper's bazaar, becomegorgeous.com and ebay

Re-organising

It has been brought to my attention that navigating into the overflowing archives of Perfume Shrine has started to become difficult. Difficult in the sense that, even though there is a Individualised Google Search function on the right hand column (and it intends to stay put), if one merely wanted to search for specific themes, one couldn't get to them without having to wade lots of posts which marginally reference the search word used. One of the downsides of keeping a very active site for a number of years...The Quick Index on the right only highlights some of the subjects touched, although it has proven popular.

Anyway, for your convenience I will embark on a re-organising of the content very soon (as soon as my hectic schedule allows), and in the meantime I have made all the Labels/Tags (and they are plenty) in a single list on the right-hand column of the blog's front page (under the What's your Scent Profile quizz pic) for your ease. I'm going to further fine-tune them in the following days too.

So, for instance if you click on ART, you get a glimpse of essays and discussion on the art of perfumery, actual artwork in reference to perfume advertising, but also illustrations of famous artist Rene Gruau for Dior and Roudnitska's polemic on gaining recognision for perfumers as artists. If you want to find reviews and news about DISCONTINUED fragrances, you can do so just clicking the link. That way you can also search by perfume (dominant) note, by fragrance family or by perfumer. Kinda neat, huh?

As always I welcome your suggestions on how to make the site even more useful and handy for you, whether here or by email on perfumeshrine@yahoo.com
Thanks!

Photo from the film Les Enfants du Paradis.

Frequent Questions: How to Open a Stuck Perfume Bottle?

You've seen it happen and cursed under your breath: Your favourite bottle of fragrance on your dresser, or the precious vintage perfume you bought from a collector or unearthed from granny's attic, is hopelessly stuck; its stopper or the sprayer doesn't seem to work; nothing, rien, nada... No amount of pulling, tagging, cursing, or praying has yielded any results yet and you're desperate to pry open and have a go at the fragrant insides. First of all, don't despair, it has happened to us all...
Usually the culprit is just dried-up perfume that needs to be either mechanically or chemically removed/dissolved in order for the cap to resume its original function, i.e. keeping the contents air-tight and not playing with your nerves-strings. Secondly, here is a handy guide into opening stuck bottles of fragrances and extraits, techniques depending on the type of flacon and age of fragrance.

• If the bottle is a modern splash bottle with cap/stopper

First of all try using a rubber band twisted a few times around the stopper might do the trick: it gives you better grip, so you can magnify your strength's effect.
If it doesn't budge try running the bottle's neck and stopper under some hot water: the difference in temperature will create convulsion and have the cap loosen. You can also try this with salty hot water, it's even better. Then taking a kitchen towel and twisting a bit you should be done. Try again and again if it doesn't work the first time around.
If unsuccessful, another version would be to take the bottle in the fridge and let it sit for a little while (around a quarter of an hour should be enough). Again the difference in temptrature would do its trick. Last but not least the more sophisticated version involves microwaves: Take a paper towel, wet it, put it in a microwave oven for a few seconds, wrap it around the neck of the bottle in question, hold it there a few seconds with another towel over it, then twist gently. It does not affact the bottle or scent at all.

• If the bottle is a vintage, old splash bottle with stopper

You wouldn't want to get a precious vintage bottle under the tap because you risk wetting and smudging the label, which is part of the vintage perfume's value. Neither would you want to refrigerate it, because the glass due to old age can become brittle and break or snap.
Instead get pure-grade alcohol (90 proof and upwards) at the chemist's ~usually these are stored alongside 70% isopropyl. Take a very small piece of cotton wool, 'string it out' a bit and saturate it with alcohol. Place it around the stopper above the neck and squeeze a few drops out so that they seep down around the stopper, then pack the cotton round it. Wait a few minutes to sit, allowing the alcohol to dissolve any hardened residue and then carefully try to twist the stopper.

• If the bottle is a modern/vintage Spray bottle

Sprayers sometimes get stuck. It's a fact of life: Anything mechanical is prone to the occasional glitch. That does not mean that once it's stuck it's stuck forever! I have had sprayers which I thought were stuck for all eternity to magically revive themselves without any external intervention later on. This was attributed to good Karma, divine providence, changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure disloging the mechanism and other crucial factors beyond our control. What is within our control is the following:

First of all you need to ascertain whether it is a refillable sprayer or not (Not immediately obvious in some bottles). If the former, then it's a piece of cake unscrewing the whole mechanism of the sprayer and simply using the fragrance as a splash version or decanting it into another atomiser.

I deduce the problem is in the latter category where the spraying mechanism is securely screwed on the glass bottle forming a uniform entity. In that case, you need to first remove the small cap that is on the pumping mechanism: you will see a small "rod" inside protruding from the mechanism. Sometimes gently pushing this down a few times with your finger will yield results. If it starts to leak on your fingers eventually, it means it's unclogged and you can put the little metallic cap on and spray again, mission accomplished! Sometimes however you won't be able to resume the sheer phhhhhssst of the original sprayer and it will be reduced to a small stream of juice. Consider yourself lucky anyway, you're still able to use your fragrance.

Other times you will need to additionally saturate the little protrusion with alcohol or a little oil and then alcohol, so as to dislog the remnants of aged juice that have clogged the mechanism in the first place. And other times still, none of these methods will work and you will need to actually remove the whole sprayer: Cut the metal very carefully at the bottom side with a sturdy pair of scissors for garage work first and then using a pair of pliers gently elevate the sprayer while holding the bottle with the other hand (You want to be very careful not to drop the bottle or spill the contents and also to avoid having the pliers and mechanism bounce back at your face). This method renders the original bottle useless of course, but I assume if you're intent on opening it you're mainly interested in using the scent, right? You can decant the contents into a new atomiser and use it as such. Don't forget to put a label on it so you know which scent and batch it was.

Best of luck with your bottle adventures!

Pic of Parisienne bottle via katemossfashion.com Pic of "Le Secret de Dieux," a Baccarat perfume bottle for Yardley, circa 1913 via scentss Perfume bottles egg presentation from the Barcelona perfume museum via nogoodforme

Frequent Questions: How to Choose Fragrance for a Gift

With the holidays looming up, choosing gifts for those loved ones and friends can be a really difficult task. And so often the thoughts of those of us enamored with fragrances turns to this thorny path: "How should I choose a fragrance gift for my loved ones so that it suits them and they're pleased with it?" Let's see in this little shopping guide how we can make this a little easier and practical.

Fist of all, I have to observe that fragrance gifting seems to be a procedure that is more or less loaded depending on culture and upbringing: Certain cultures apply highly individualistic attributes and sexualised messages to perfumes in general (designating perfume as an intimate gift or one which is an innuendo to more personal associations). To them, sometimes fragrance gifting from outside the tightest circle of family and/or lovers is suggestive in a manner too close for comfort. Others ~notably Southern Mediterranean people~, inspired by the wide use of Eaux de Cologne as a refreshing pick-me up with no attraction connotations whatsoever, indulge in fragrance gifting with less self-consiousness and it is indeed among the very traditional gestures, even among business associates! Additionally, highly urbanised terrains and younger ages allow for a bottle of fragrance to be seen more like a fashion accesory than a luxury "treasure" to be savoured on special occassions. Therefore, bear those factors in mind when considering to whom you're offering a gift of perfume or how you feel about this yourself (although I am assuming if you have made it here and thus far, you're not antithetical to the idea of presenting someone with a festively wrapped bottle of perfume!)

The first rule of successful fragrance gifting should be that you choose something that is according to the recipient's tastes and needs. Similar to how you wouldn't gift a socialite with a pair of galoches (where would she wear them to?), you don't want to overwhelm a young neophyte with something terribly complicated and meaningful that would feel out of place, yet without resorting to something that is a condescending cliché either. Going through very broad generalisations, it seems that younger women are rather averse to perfumey, face-powdery or floral fragrances as a rule (with the exception of tropical tiare and gardenia fragrances, it seems), prefering more culinary notes of vanilla, almond, tea and the like, or more abstract compositions that smell "out of the shower"/"clean" (those are usually combinations of various musks with synthetic florals or aldehydes). Younger men seem to be wanting to "blend in" (standing out takes either consious effort or the maturing of age), so a quick look through Sephora's best-seller list might provide some pointers to the general direction if not specific scents ~because you wouldn't want to buy what everyone else is buying! Never mind that several fragrances smell so similar to each other anyway.

So how do you go about it? A little investigation into what the recipient is actually enjoying right now is highly recommended. This can come through casual chit-chat (and if you paid attention all along in the past you should be able to at least pinpoint some favorite smells which might serve as a little steering help), through direct asking of what they're currently wearing or through observation of what they do have in their homes on the dresser or the bathroom shelf. If the latter is more silently conductive, pay attention that some bottles might have pride of place simply due to their decorative value, their prestige or simply because they were gifts by beloved people, yet they remain mostly unused (you don't want to repeat that mistake, do you?). Try to determine which of those fragrances get some actual use. If you can, do a comparative test with testers at the store, so you can pinpoint if you have actually smelled them wearing them. Who knows, you might find some little gems for yourself too, in the process!

If your direct question provides a direct answer à la "I am wearing Chanel No.5", there is the pressing tempetation to capitulate and buy just that. Try to resist acting upon it in the literal sense of buying another bottle of that fragrance. Replenishing a diminished stash might devalue the fragrance experience somewhat by unconsiously comparing it to refilling the fridge with milk. It doesn't make for the mingle of joyful surprise and guaranteed satisfaction that a successful gift entails. One lovely idea of bypassing this obstacle might be to buy some of the ancillary products in the same line of the fragrance: Often women -and men- are reluctant to buy those themselves, as they see them as an indulgence that is harder to justify, especially in times of financial recession (those body lotions, fragrant shower gels and shaving foams are more expensive than the more generic products for the same use). This solves two problems: it makes for a gift that can't go wrong smell-wise and it offers a little element of surprise combined!

Another idea, a little more elaborate but not too difficult, might be to search for something along the same lines as the scent of established "like": Belonging to the same olfactory family, encompassing similar "notes", or generally being a comparable style. To get help in this more sophisticated task, you can get help at the counter, but perhaps more effectively you can research a bit yourself online. Fragrantica and Osmoz are databases which describe the olfactory families (citrus, floral, oriental, woody, aldehydic, chypre, fougère) and classify many popular fragrances in them, so you have a little steering help. If, in the meantime, you're unsure what those chypres or aldehydes you're stumbling upon are and how they smell our articles on Perfume Shrine might be of help. (just click on the links and scroll!)
Michael Edwards of the Fragrance Foundation comes to the rescure too. His incredible database Fragrances of the World for feminine and masculine fragrances respectively, allows you to search for the fragrance you want to compare by its initial (how much simpler can you get!) and then shows you similar fragrances to it. It contains mainstream brands, classic fragrances, niche perfumes, as well as drugstore ones and discontinued scents which might have been otherwise obscure to decode. Very handy! Basenotes is another huge database of fragrances which lists fragrance "notes": you can search the desired fragrance of choice and compare and contrast notes of others; or better yet run them through their system by typing the ones you're interested in, in the appropriate box, separated by a comma (say: tobacco, hay, leather) ~five seconds later they will present you with several choices to choose from, masculine or feminine, whatever you prefer. For instance, these are the choices I got by randomly typing orange blossom, rose, tuberose, amber: A Demi-mot by Galimard, Trussardi Action Donna, Darling II by Fabergé, Magical Romance by Anna Sui, New York Nights by Girard, Razala by Ayala Moriel and Spellbound by Estée Lauder. You can do the same thing on the Fragrantica site as well.

Sometimes, among perfume afficionados, there is the seemingly practical advice of buying a sampler pack from Sephora to let the recipient of your gift choose what they like themselves, accompanied by a gift certificate to go on and buy that fragrance later on. Although this seems like a wonderful solution to the above dilemmas on shopping for fragrance for someone else, the recipient unless a hardcore perfumista/perfumisto is left with no goody bag to unwrap. A disappointing feeling, despite your better intentions... To avoid that, yet guarantee a successful purchase, you can buy whatever you have narrowed it down to and then ask the sales associate at the shop to include a sample vial of said fragrance inside the gift packaging, so that the giftee can sample the fragrance at the leisure of their home without ruining the packaging (this is especially important for the European market that does not accept returns of opened products, unless clearly defective). If you can, include a couple of samples of fragrances available in the same store, so that if the first is not as successful, maybe it will give them ideas and the return will be easy and enjoyable. It's generally a good idea to ask if returns are acceptable anyway and the specific terms of those returns -a simple return receipt, the time-frame in which it can be done etc.- and let the recipient know about them (they wouldn't ask you themselves out of politeness). This is especially important for men who often feel intimidated in department stores and boutiques and would rather let that pretty flacon gather dust than venture into that sea of unknown. If you suspect this is the case and it's someone close, offer to do it for them or accompany them and do some sniffing together. This is also a lovely bonding experience for couples (and eye-opening too, I might add).

Whatever you do remember another rule of thumb: Most people have not even heard of niche brands and no matter how much you want to introduce them to the delectable joys of Serge Lutens, Frédéric Malle or the newest wonder of Comme des Garcons for H&M, their products might smell weird to them and the brand recognisability will be nil (I realize that if you're reading Perfume Shrine you're probably beyond that, wearing what you like and perhaps even embracing the lure of the "being in the know" factor, but the average person is still swayed by what they perceive as "prestige" ~brands such as Chanel, Lancôme, Hermès, Guerlain, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent et al have still a lot of covetability cachet in them).

Last but not least, some of the most popular and generally well-liked fragrances across the boards you're less likely to get wrong with (but there's no 100% guarantee!) include the following:
For women: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, Prada Infusion d'Iris, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, Stella McCartney Stella, Burberry Brit, Christian Dior Hypnotic Poison, Philosophy Amazing Grace.
For men: Guerlain Vetiver, Gendarme by Gendarme, Armani Mania for men, Thierry Mugler Cologne, Gucci pour Homme, Gucci Envy pour homme, Prada Infusion d'Homme, Rochas Man, Paco Rabanne XS, Dior Eau Sauvage, Cerruti 1881, Terre d'Hermès.

Good luck shopping and remember, it's the thought that counts!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Christmas 08 Gift Ideas part 1

Pics from top via Flickr by 99elledge, DonnaGreyson and *an_drea.

6 Tips on How To Sample as Many Fragrances as Possible

Getting to try out lots and diverse fragrances can be a daunting task, not least because there is the difficulty of keeping up with all the new releases and of getting actual samples to try out at home.
So here are some tips to help you out!

1.Map out your destination: do you want to go mass market testing or upscale boutique? It makes all the difference in the world in the proceedings, as you will see. I would suggest you make a list of coveted fragrances for each itinerary and then follow my suggestions for each.
And above all: forgo perfume and anything scented on that day. You want to have as much "virgin" skin on exposure as possible.

2.If you choose to go the department store/Sephora way. There is a specific code of conduct for this, so pay attention.
We all know that one of the major obstacles in unobtrused testing is sales assistants and their sometimes predatory jump-up on you with their "can I help you?". To avoid that without having to say 10 times "I'm merely browsing" there are several techniques. One of which is to dress as unconspicuously as possible: too expensive and fashion-forward and you look like someone who needs someone on his beck and call; too shabby and you look like a possible shoplifter. You want to mix with your surroundings, be a little bit anonymous.
Avoiding eye contact also works great. Take a little basket at hand if you're at Sephora -or anywhere they offer those- and browse the fragrance aisles unobtrused, spritzing to your heart's content, swifting to another bottle if you see a sales assistant coming your way: no one will bother to stop you. Should they do and you're in a good mood, you can assume your girliest look and say pleadingly: "Can I play just a little bit? It's such fun!"

3.If you want to actually get samples from a department store for testing at home. First of all, preferably go when you actually do need to make even a tiny purchase (say, a nail polish). Then when you do ask for the item, you can also interject questions about the fragrances you need samples of. They do have them if it's something new no matter what they might say and they are intended for your use, so be a little persistent, although always polite. Ask questions and be prepared to hear the wrong answers. You're not there to outwit them, you're there with a mission. Make them like you. Questioning shows that you have an actual interest in the scent and you are a potential customer, not just a sample hoarder, so the sales assistant will be more receptive. If they do not have sample vials to give (it can happen once in a while), you can bring your own and ask for a fill-up from the tester. Sephora in particular offers this as a standard practice, so don't be afraid to at least suggest it.
If your interest is on something older, it's probably hidden under the counter and you have to ask for the tester. Be brave and do it, they will produce it for you.


4.If you choose to go the niche boutique/upscale store with exclusives. A completely different approach is needed here. Dress as eclectically or classically expensive as you can, without going overboard of course. Drop the tacky fake items at all costs and look tidy: a tidy exterior has been scientifically proven to inject the idea that the person is organised and knows what he/she wants.
If you have actually shopped in the same shop before, it is a good idea to carry a little shopping bag of the store (with your sunglasses or your scarf inside): it lets them know instantly you're a customer and they will be extra friendly! If not but you have a small shopping bag from a comparable store, carry that instead: they will perceive the competition and strive to get the sale themselves.
Let them approach you and then state your purpose clearly. "I came to sample the new Chanel fragrances" or "I have read that the new Amouage has just come in!" They will be glad to show you.
When the difficult time of actually requesting a physical sample vial comes, you can always pretend you already have a perfume on and would prefer to sample at the leisure of your home. If they seem a little obstinate, claiming they have no sample vials, you can produce your own from your (expensive) purse and politely ask them to fill up from the tester. If they cannot do that, you can at least ask for blotters to spritz and sniff at home: you can have your own blotters and little envelopes to put them in seperately in your purse. They might look at you funny at this point, pay no attention.
If they decline, have the good manners to smile and thank them anyway. These people just work in a luxury shop, they don't own the things, plus they're on their feet all day. Don't envy them!

5.Befriend a competent sales assistant at your favourite store. It can't be stressed enough. She is worth her weight in gold! She will tell you about all the lasest news (those that she knows, at least), when items arrive and if there is a waiting list she will phone you when it's still getting started, so you do have a chance to get your item in time. Not to mention she will fill your handbag with samples following any actual purchase you make at the store!

6.If you're generally bored/daunted/sick of the whole shopping experience and want to do everything from home/desk.

a) You can swap for them on any perfume board for afficionados, such as Makeup Alley, or Basenotes. There is a technique involved here too: first amass some samples you think people will want to trade you for, then browse for those you wish for and get into the fine details. Preferably choose established swappers with good feedback and always make clear what each one's end of the deal is before sending. Swapping is a matter of trust and supposed to be fun. If you feel weird during the proceedings, better let it pass.

b) You can order niche samples from several fragrance sites directly, such as Aedes de Venustas, Luscious Cargo, Luckyscent and First in Fragrance. They make the bulk of their revenue out of samples anyway, I suspect (if their bestseller lists are any testament to that!).
Unsniffed purchases of whole bottles is strongly discouraged. You can be stuck with something you hate and no one wants! Don't be swayed by the ad copy just because it's not a magazine you're reading it in. It's still ad copy!
I would also personally advise against purchasing things that come only in nanodrops for exorbitant prices. Time and again has proven that those are ultimately disappointing and they soon crop up in people's swap lists anyway, so you can save the bucks and go route a (see right above).

c) You can email/write to perfume companies directly and ask for their sampling programme. Sometimes they have wonderful sample packs that will delight you. Its' worth it! Ormonde Jayne, Nobile 1942, Vero Profumo, Etat Libre d'orange (with their set of 17 miniatures) and others are such companies.
Some even have free giveaways such as Tauer Perfumes who frequently does so through his blog, which is the ultimate in a joyous experience.
Artisanal perfumers generally are very willing to send samples of their work for a nominal fee: try Abdes Salaam profumo.it, Anya's Garden, Aftelier, Sonoma Scent Studio, Ayala Moriel, Michael Storer, Liz Zorn/Soivohoe fragrances.
Also major companies have cottoned up to the power of the Internet and began to harness it by launching seperate pages for their new scents, often hosting sample giveaways and contests with prizes. Googling a new perfume name along with the sample/giveaway/contest tag will make those pop up. Example: here. I simply entered "Chloe new perfume sample" on Google!

d) You can also buy from respected sellers online, such as The Perfumed Court, The Posh Peasant and Fishbone fragrances. They have a great selection, but as prices are a little expensive, you might want to keep this for things you can't lay your hands any other way. You're guaranteed good service.

e) Last but not least, every time you make an online purchase at any site that carries fragrance, no matter what the purchase is, you can write at the comment form that you would appreciate fragrance samples with your order. They will oblige and send a little something, most of the time.


Pic courtesy of theage.au