Bois de Jasmin

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 6 : Orientals

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Wardrobe Essentials

My Perfume Wardrobe is back from its winter break with a new installment on oriental fragrances. This perfume genre is so called because it is the Western fantasy of the East. Oriental perfumes evoked the same mysterious and sensual world that French artists such as Eugène Delacroix and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres captured in their paintings of lounging odalisques, tiger hunts and harem scenes. French perfumers translated such exotic, if stereotypical, visions through rich notes of vanilla, amber, patchouli, sandalwood and musk. Oriental ideas have been explored in many 19th century fragrances, but Guerlain Jicky is widely considered to be the first modern fragrance with an oriental twist. Then perfume visionary François Coty made a splash with his innovative  L’Origan (1905), Ambre Antique (1910) and Émeraude (1921). These fragrances paved the way to the dazzling array of orientals available today. 

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 5 : Essentials

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends

The idea of a perfume wardrobe vis-à-vis a signature fragrance runs counter to many concepts held dear by perfume marketers as it does not engender brand loyalty. This is perhaps the main reason why magazines are full of suggestions on what perfumes to buy, but never on how to create a varied and interesting collection of scents. Some may argue that there are no steadfast rules as to what fragrances one must have and that sartorial categories do not apply to scents. If one feels like wearing Dior Poison (a ball gown equivalent) to work and Demeter Gin & Tonic (T-shirt and jeans) to a cocktail party, why on earth not? This may be true, but when one is just starting to enjoy fragrances and building a collection, it helps to keep a few guidelines in mind. One can always break them later!

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 4 : Floral Blends

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 5: Essentials

The honeyed warmth of red roses, the apricot jam richness of jasmine, the raspberry bonbon sweetness of violet… The palette of floral effects is diverse, and some of the most remarkable compositions weave several floral notes to create a novel, dramatic effect. If you want a sensation of catching a whiff of a spring breeze or of being showered by rose petals, floral bouquets will satisfy these fantasies. When searching for just the right fragrant outfit, it is possible to classify floral blends in terms of their character: lush floral bouquets, abstract “silk slip” florals, refreshing green florals or coquettish and fun fruity florals. Of course, there are numerous variations on these themes and a dizzying variety of interpretations, but in navigating the floral sea, it helps to start with these basic categories.

Floral Bouquets

If you are after opulence, a classical floral bouquet is a good choice. Words like sumptuous and rich perfectly describe Jean Patou Joy, given its high-calorie blend of jasmine, rose and ylang-ylang. Somewhat more understated and austere is Chanel No 22, where rose, iris and jasmine are accented with resinous incense. Of a more modern vintage, but possessing all of the necessary trappings of a grand parfum is Bulgari Bvlgari Pour Femme. It is a rich blend of rose, peony, tuberose and violet, with a sandalwood-musk backdrop. Annick Goutal Grand Amour, on the other hand, makes the green watery hyacinth seductive thanks to a lavish dose of amber.

Holiday Shopping : Gifts for All Senses, Perfume and More Part 2

Holiday Shopping : Gifts for All Senses, Perfume and More Part 1

More Books

In the previous installment, I focused on perfume and scent themed books, while today I would like to offer a few suggestions on flavors. A book like The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg might be equally fascinating for cooks and fragrance lovers. It outlines different combinations of flavors, pointing out what foods go well together. Another great book from the same team is What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers. The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook by Niki Segnit is similar in premise to The Flavor Bible, but it goes further by classifying different flavors and explaining why some combinations work.

Holiday Shopping : Gifts for All Senses, Perfume and More Part 1

Holiday Shopping : Gifts for All Senses, Perfume and More Part 2

My very first perfume gift was an abject failure. I must have been 10 at the time, and in anticipation of my great grandfather’s birthday I walked into the cosmetics shop and asked for a bottle of their best perfume. Considering that the sales associate had only one type of fragrance on the shelf, it was not a difficult choice for her. It was a glass bottle filled with green liquid labeled “Shipr” (Chypre in Russian.) My great grandfather graciously accepted my gift, but my great grandmother said that this is the type of perfume that alcoholics drink when they do not have enough money for vodka. Needless to say, my great grandfather never wore it and I developed an apprehension about chypres which only my perfumery training erased completely.

These days I am still careful about giving perfume as gifts, but I love the idea of a present that can stimulate the senses. Holiday presents give me an opportunity to indulge in shopping, but they also inspire me to create my own gifts, which are appreciated by my friends and family.