A Scent by Issey Miyake : Perfume Review

Only the travails of copyrighting a fragrance name can explain why Issey Miyake chose a nondescript a Scent by Issey Miyake to identify its most recent launch. Or perhaps the reason is really the “poetry of minimalism” mentioned in the press release. At any rate, a Scent by Issey Miyake disappointed me. Purportedly inspired by the smell of Japanese mountains, a Scent most strongly reminded me of Chanel Cristalle, albeit in its most attenuated form….

Top Favorite Fall Fragrances : Perfume Article

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, given the melancholic connotations in the early dusks and fallen leaves. It is a time when I fully give in to nostalgia, imagining the cherry trees in the garden of my childhood turning russet, the first frost on the shaggy bushes of chrysanthemums near the wooden gate, and the plaintive cry of cranes crossing the overcast sky above the terracotta roof of our house. Thinking of these familiar images, I reach out for a compilation of Turgenev and gaze out of my window at the rows of slender maple trees dropping their crimson leaves into the puddles.

This year is different in that I found myself with precious little time for nostalgic contemplations. I have started perfumery school full-time, which means that now I spend all of my day smelling which makes for a different routine at work. I am preparing for my winter wedding in India, planning things like accommodations for my friends and the colors of my wedding outfits, since white is not traditional. Still, I notice that my fragrance choices for autumn fall into the nostalgic realm: classical ambers, animalic chypres, spicy orientals and dark roses. However, since the choices themselves depend on my mood and the weather, I decided to organize my list in this manner: a set of fragrances for each autumnal mood.

Inspiration in Perfumery

Fascinating glimpse into the creative process in perfumery (quoting famous perfumers such as Henri Robert, Andre Fraysse, Ernest Beaux and Edmond Roudnitska) excerpted from The Complete Technology Book on Herbal Perfumes & Cosmetics By H. Panda, p. 53-54.

"Different perfumers react to different stimuli. Thus Henri Robert interviewed some years ago, mentioned that he always kept an odour-diary throughout his worldwide travels. On returning to his laboratory, with the aid of these notes, he would attempt to recreate in memory the various olfactive impressions that he had received: 'something suggested, for example, on a May morning on the Riviera or in the heat of a tropical afternoon, the impression arising from a market scene, a visit to the grand magazines or a concert.' He might then decide to translate this or that olfactive reminiscence into a formula. ... The place which he considered the most unfailingly stimulating source of odour-impressions was Paris, or to be more precise, a very small section of the Faubourg St. Honore. Here he was able to find the strongest impression of artistry, beauty and that subtle feeling of elegance so necessary to achievement in the sphere of fine perfumery.

Opal Basil and Lemon Sherbet : Flavor and Fragrance

Few things remind me more of summer than basil. Its interplay of bitter peppery notes and sweet licorice-anise is made vivid by the dark, tangy verdancy, a perfect counterpoint. In perfumery, it is a classical herbal note, used in both masculine and feminine fragrances for its cooling aromatic effect. Paired with citrus, it makes for a scintillating sensation. Thus, Hermes in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena relies on the green note of basil to wrap its grapefruit accords in fragrances like Hermessence Rose Ikebana and Eau de Pamplemousse Rose. In fact, the combination of basil and lemon is a perfect one to appropriate for gastronomical explorations, whether one wishes to compose a simple salsa or a fish marinade. Furthermore, I would like to suggest another idea--a chilled drink that traces its roots to the Middle Eastern sherbet tradition. It is an essence of summer in a glass.

Blog Updates and New Subscription Options

With the new features being available from typepad, I spent the last couple of weeks doing some much needed updates and clean ups. Also, I am offering a few new subscription options for you to follow the updates on Bois de Jasmin. The most novel one for me is the Twitter, which turned out to be a lot fun. Besides giving updates about new articles on Bois de Jasmin, I share about my studies in perfumery and daily scent discoveries. 

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Hermes Cologne Trio : Fragrance Review

The refreshing crispness of classical cologne with its brilliant citrus-woods accord and the uncluttered simplicity of its composition can belie a mesmerizing richness. One only needs to experience Guerlain Eau de Cologne Imperiale or Annick Goutal Eau d’Hadrien to understand how alluring a cologne can be on a hot summer day. Or, for that matter, on a freezing winter morning when reminders of spring are so welcome. At the same time, even more interesting are modern interpretations seeking abstraction where classical tradition relied on nature. For this reason, Hermes Cologne Trio was an anticipated launch for me, including as it did the classical Eau d'Orange Verte as well as modern renditions such as Eau de Pamplemousse Rose and Eau de Gentiane Blanche.

Perfume Prize Draw and Wedding Fragrance Question

Perfume Prize Draw: One 50ml bottle of Estee Lauder Sensuous from my collection (completely full, save for a 5ml sample that was decanted out of it) and a 5ml sample of Serge Lutens fragrance of your choice.

How to Enter Prize Draw: leave a comment explaining what fragrance you wore for your wedding and why you selected it. Or you can simply offer any musings you like on the subject of wedding scents, whether you are married or not.  Each entry will be assigned a number, and a winner will be selected via a random number generator software. The comments section will be closed on at midnight on Sunday Monday. Prize Draw is closed. Thank you to all from the bottom of my heart for sharing your wonderful stories and musings!

The lucky winner is Eric! Eric, please email me. 

The reason I selected a wedding fragrance question is admittedly self-serving, as I am preparing for my own wedding in the winter of 2010. Therefore, I am very curious as to the fragrances other brides selected, why those particular scents were chosen, etc. I also promise to share my own thoughts on wedding fragrances in a longer article, once I narrow down my list a bit!

Image from Weddingbee.