The lush complexity of tuberose is bewitching: the intense sensuality of its aroma; the surprising layering of green, mineral and creamy notes; the contrast between wet petally and ripe fruit facets. Although perplexing and challenging, this flower off…
A few years ago, I attended a dance performance that was a mixed bill of classical and modern. After the audience was treated to two long modern pieces, in which dancing was somehow secondary to scenery, it let out a collective sign of pleasure and rel…
Before I write about Boxeuses, I would like to discuss Bas de Soie, a fragrance which joins the ranks of the Serge Lutens export collection. “Silk stocking,” as its name translates from French, Bas de Soie certainly conveys a rustling, shimmering s…
This post first appeared in October 2009, but I would like to remind you of this refreshing, fuschia tinted drink, which is perfect on these hot summer days. I have also been making it lately with Thai basil, which produces a lovely peach colored liqui…
Fragrances that can truly go from morning to night are quite rare, especially if one would like a sheer, understated sillage. Either one is wrapped in a thick scent veil all day long, or else there is hardly anything left by the end of the workday. Jo …
The aroma that set the imagination of Middle Eastern poets and Sufi mystics aflame is a fascinating product of the process that via slow deterioration brings immortality. Oud is a resin released by Aquilaria tree species in order to protect themselves …
Until I started working in the fragrance industry, I automatically assumed that the terms “niche, expensive, Paris-exclusive” guarantee quality, originality and elegance, while the big designer brands and mass market would offer exactly the opposite. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Some niche brands do indeed spend a lot of effort on fragrance, as do some large popular brands, while others spend less money on scent than do detergent companies. And believe me, it is quite little for fine fragrance. In this light, it is liberating to forget about labels and simply look for interesting discoveries in venues other than high-end boutiques. My most recent discovery of this sort is Bath & Body Works Velvet Tuberose. Bath & Body Works has an overwhelmingly large collection of fragrances, and while not everything deserves attention (Sun-Ripened Raspberry is a…
Any perfume aficionado with a taste for details and history knows about the story of Chanel No 5 and can describe the meaning of chypre. Some of us comb libraries for old perfume books and auction sites for forgotten vintage gems. We collect raw materials and analyze their nuances. When we start talking about accords, sillage, drydown and composition to “regular” people, their eyes glaze over. If you have a mischievous streak to your personality, take this talk to the perfume counter at your local department store. You will be rewarded with a look of total incomprehension. Therefore, when I came across a fragrance quiz that has been devised by British perfume writer Nigel Groom in July 1996 for Mastermind, I thought that I would share it with you. Nigel Groom thought that these are the things a perfume lover…
Whether fashion or fragrance, Thierry Mugler is among the most avant-garde designers, capable of creating unique and memorable experiences. Consider this one fact—while most new launches wilt as soon as they hit the counter, Angel has maintained a strong following and a top position in the market for more than a decade. Even the numerous Angel clones could not undermine its allure. Of course, such success is extremely difficult to replicate, as Alien proved quite patently. Womanity is the newest release from Mugler, a pink potion that tries “to encompass energy, tenderness, and sophistication at the same time.” The composition of Womanity is based on the contrast between the sweet fig flesh and the salty caviar, which the house describes as the new savory gourmand concept. The crisp, effervescent opening of the composition leads straight into this accord. If the…
A couple of weeks ago, I finally took a break from travel, work, email, and everything else that could distract me from the most elusive of goals—rest and enjoyment of our languorous summer days. I stayed at home, breaking my previous traditions of vacations far away from home. Instead, I cooked leisurely meals, went for long runs along the nearby river, took my tea and books on the patio, which was overtaken by mint and jasmine thanks to the tropical weather we have experienced. It finally felt like summer, and I vowed that even in my busy, hectic, always on the run (well, who is not in NYC?) routine, I will make time for these small pleasures. Above all, I enjoyed rediscovering some fragrances that I have not been wearing for ages. In general, my picks for the summer fall…
While any Russian will find an ironic reference in my title to the Soviet era film “Seventeen Moments of Spring,” for me it has less to do with Russian spies improbably masquerading as German officers than with a sense of nostalgia I feel around this time. As I watch cherry blossoms wilt in the puddles, I already miss their delicate pink haze. As I feel the sun burning my skin, I crave the chill of snow. As spring unfolds with all its holidays, I miss people who cannot celebrate them with me. Therefore, my scent palette this spring reflects my yearnings and moods with particular poignancy. Exhilaration No holidays strike a deeper chord in me than Easter and Nowruz. Although they come from different traditions, their message of rejuvenation, hope and freedom is exhilarating. How magical is the smell of…
I’ve been craving spring for weeks now. The snow blanketing the landscape after yet another false promise of spring arriving at one point started to seem unbearable. I was desperate for the cool, green scent of new buds, the feeling of mild breeze on my bare legs, the splash of color amidst New York greyness…. These past few days have been wonderful: sunny, warm, caressing. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the spring is here at last. To celebrate the coming of spring and to be inspired by it, I would like to hold a prize draw. You can participate by sharing in the comments whatever tends to put you into a spring mood : wearing particular fragrances, experiencing other scents, reading certain books, watching movies, listening to movies, cooking, etc. In other words, tell me about anything that…
With all the new launch samples piling up on my desk, I instead find myself reflecting upon my old favorites. I have always admired the work of Isabelle Doyen for Annick Goutal, whose contributions range from the startling simpilicity and power of Eau du Fier, to the ethereal beauty of Eau de Ciel, and to the baroque richness of Songes. Un Matin d’Orage feels like yet another page in the Annick Goutal album, a rendition of gardenia that blends the starkness of photorealism with the mystery of abstract art. Given the difficulties in capturing the capricious beauty of gardenia in liquid form, it is not surprising that there are only a few successful renditions on the market: my favorites being, the gauzy gardenia of Marc Jacobs Perfume and the dark Velvet Gardenia by Tom Ford. For a gardenia lover, Un…
My new year has started with an Indian adventure, in which the romance of a wedding was punctuated by the typical stress of wedding planning and last minute arrangements. There were aspects that I never expected in my romantic vision: air travel mishaps, packs of wild dogs, naughty milk stealing monkeys. The tailors who insisted on leaving extra fabric were not always helpful — “but you cannot stay this thin after marriage, you will gain weight, how will you wear it then!” And the Indian concept of time as an infinitely stretchable resource required considerable patience. Yet, amidst all the unpredictable and sometimes amusing scenarios, everything turned out be to be even more splendid than we had anticipated.This was mostly due to our friends and family who actively participated in every part of the ritual and made our wedding special…
Dear Readers, Happy Holidays! I hope that 2010 will bring you lots of happiness, love and health. The next time we will meet here will be at the end of January upon my return from the month long India trip. Your answers to the Wedding Perfume Poll gave me lots of ideas. I promise to share the story of my wedding perfume on the pages of Bois de Jasmin. Meanwhile, I am finishing my packing and getting ready for the upcoming adventure. Once again, Happy Holidays and thank you for your constant support and interest in my articles! Photography © Bois de Jasmin. Peacock mosaic from The Kariye Camii in Istanbul.
The draw is closed and the winner is Laura! Thank you very much to everyone who participated. We received a range of very interesting responses, and they are going to be very helpful for my friend’s school project. For someone who loves fragrance, it is always interesting to find out why others wear perfume. My annual giveaway this year ties in with a study on the generation Y fragrance usage for an FIT consumer behavior class, and I am excited to hear your thoughts. Likewise, the prize for this giveaway is very special–tailored to your likes, exclusive (you will not find it in stores) and quite unique. Your answers will be submitted anonymously and your personal information shall not be shared in any way, shape or form. Giveaway Questions: How do you choose your fragrances and how many do you…
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…. Created by the talented Firmenich perfumer Daphné Bugey, whose work for Le Labo has delighted me in the past, a Scent is a green floral, anchored by a transparent chypre base. The overall impression is of transparent verdancy, green citrus peel and sheer jasmine notes. The wet green floral accord is set against the base of white musk and limpid moss. The whole thing is…
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…. Created by the talented Firmenich perfumer Daphné Bugey, whose work for Le Labo has delighted me in the past, a Scent is a green floral, anchored by a transparent chypre base. The overall impression is of transparent verdancy, green citrus peel and sheer jasmine notes. The wet green floral accord is set against the base of white musk and limpid moss. The whole thing is…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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. Subscribe via RSS Get Email Updates Follow me on Twitter