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The move...

Due to technical reasons, this blog has moved. You can now find Perfume Shrine on Blogger.
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http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/

Hope I will catch you there to continue our journey into fragrantland.

Miracle Forever: the latest from Lancôme

What is it that makes us pick up a bottle and anoint ourselves with its jus tentatively in the first place? The inviting colour, the presentation, the name, the brand imbued in history, the luring advertising? For me and Miracle Forever it was surely the beautiful colour of the bottle. Cradled in a simple architectural glass vessel of intense rosy-tinged purple Lancôme’s latest offspring will surely catch the eye. Justifiably so.

Lancôme is no stranger to perfumery. In fact its founder Armand Petijean, a Frenchman who had been François Coty’s student, started his company in 1935. While vacationing in the French countryside, Armand Petitjean happened upon a castle ruin that intrigued him- Le château de Lancôme. Inspired by the delicate, fragrant roses which grew among the weathered stones he went on to choose the rose as the symbol of his new ... (more)

Fragrant news: soon it might be Eau de Kate and Gwen

Coty Inc., that firm of an illustrious past and a perilous present, has signed a new deal for a fragrance licencing deal with the naughty super-model Kate Moss of innovative fashion sense and snow-sniffing affinities and another one with singer Gwen Stefani.
What is not-so-affectionately known among perfume-loving circles as a celebrity scent, that is.
Coty has under its belt fragrances either in the lower or the upper division (through the network of Lancaster cosmetics) that bear famous names and is in fact the leader in that specific market segment. Names of such famous people as Céline Dion (Céline Dion , Céline Dion Notes, Fever and Belong), Jennifer Lopez (Glow, Miami Glow, Glow in the dark, Still, Live), Sarah Jessica Parker (Lovely, Lovely liquid satin), Kimora Lee Simmons (Baby Phat), David ... (more)

A fragrant tour of Paris

Paris has a mythical status in the consiousness of every perfume afficionado and a stroll along the boulevards visiting the perfume boutiques could be an adventure of exploration in itself. For those who haven't planned a Christmas trip there, the best alternative I have come up with is this spectacular Flash presentation offered by Osmoz and Nicolas Olczyc. Click the link to begin the journey into the heart of Paris.

You can browse the boutiques of Colette, Comme des Garçons, Annick Goutal, Jean Patou, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, Fredéric Malle, ... (more)

You're the touch of wind, that surprises my body

For reasons of symmetry with my previous post, and antithesis as well (taking into account the above song talks about a never-ending internal winter that the singer cannot put up with anymore), I have decided to present you a list of male perfumes that could be used throughout winter; so as to "be a touch of wind, that surprises the body".

The song above can be listened to by clicking on the window. (courtesy of mpanikos on Youtube). It is sung by Greek songwriter Alkinoons Ioannidis from a record composed by Nikos Zoudiaris and is called "I cannot". The title of today's post is actually a line from the lyrics. ... (more)

Years go by and I'm here still waiting, withering where some snowman was

Today is cold and gloomy. And despite all odds, I feel elated, "a little warm in my heart when I think of winter". The meteorologists have predicted the first snow around the area I live in. Although I know I probably won't see any, as I'd have to drive quite a bit to escape the smog that prevents snow to fall, just the thought of the silent, white blanket craddling our hopes and yearnings is enough to make me dream.
Winter has always been a favourite time for me for reasons beyond logic. It's an instinctive preference, formed at a very early age. As my mother, firm in her belief that children should brace the cold so as to become sturdy (and I did), took me for a stroll as a toddler ... (more)

News for 2007, just before the end of the year

As the year draws to an end, it is time to ponder a little on how many new perfumes have launched and are set to launch next year. About 650 every year is the average for the past couple of years per studies, a staggering number that shocks me for the sheer inability to be tested, appreciated and fully understood before something new comes along yet again. It is no wonder that very few survive in the 5-year margin that is the point of great success in the perfume world now. It is also no wonder lots of those do get launched as an ephemeral thing in the first place. It seems we are stuck in an era that idolises novelty value (market-wise) and we are manipulated like sheep to the cult of the new.
Do I condone that, since I often report on new items? Not entirely, no. But it is better to make an informed decision on what exactly to sample, so that one ... (more)

Fragrant news: Secret touch

A liquid onctuous parfum gel, following in the footsteps of the very successful Chanel #5 Sensual Elixir or the rather new Velvet Sheer Aromatics Elixir by Clinique, L'instant Secret Touch by Guerlain hopes to cater to a market of women on the go, busy but also refined, who like to use this as a final embelishment before a rendez-vous. L'instant was perfumer's Maurice Roucel's previous effort at Guerlain, before Insolence (the latter sparking even greater controversy than his first foray into the iconic house). ... (more)

8th December

Angelical demons or how something so dark can smell as sweet?

One might wonder what a picture of the Austrian actor Helmut Berger has to do with the legendary perfume commissioned by Marlene Dietrich to the house of Creed, Angélique Encens. And yet there is an unmistakable connection.

As is often the case with Perfume Shrine, obsessions take on many forms, one of which is cinematic. Helmut Berger, né Helmut Steinberger in Salzburg, Austria in 1944 was director Luchino Visconti’s preferred actor and also partner for the length of Viconti’s last 12 years of life.
In the latter’s magnum opus “The Damned” (also featuring a very young Charlotte Rambling, another one of Perfume Shrine's fixations; the film is originally named “La Caduta degli dei”, meaning Fall of the Gods, and has influenced both “Cabaret” and ... (more)

Magical elixir

Elixirs have long held a place in the collective unconsious as they denote the depths of erotic potions and amulets. The word elixir also alludes to the healing properties of such alloys and a portal to youth. Enter todays' scent, Elixir de Merveilles by Hermès, which is a modern spin on the alluring subtext of such a term.
Medieval blends included herbs and balms of various sources, once of which was melissa officinalis. Paracelsus called this herb "the elixir of life", and combined it with carbonate of potash in Primum Ens Melissae, a mysterious alloy.
It is also recorded that one of Louis XIV's physicians, named Lesebure, tried the brew on an elderly chicken, which within a few days lost its tattered plumage, grew fresh feathers and started to lay eggs again. ... (more)

December is Natural Perfume Month

The fact that yesterday I reviewed the resinous spicy festive season perfume that is Fκte d'Hiver by natural perfumer Ayala Moriel was totally concidental in relation to the news I received just a few hours before. (time zones can do that to you!) The choice to review it had to do with the aroma alone, as it conjured up December to me perfectly.
Imagine then my amazement that the Artisan Natural Perfumers' Guild has has named December Natural Perfume Month in recognition of the growing interest in natural fragrances. ... (more)

Winter is here, let's celebrate!

The official start of winter in the calendar always brings a rush of joy and anxiousness as well in my psyche. The stress of the looming holidays in the end of December is enough to send my heart in palpitations wondering if I will have the time to meet my deadlines, to buy gifts for everyone, to prepare the home for the festivities and everything. In this context I need something soothing and reminiscent of the better aspect of December: nights by a log-fire, walks in the cool air, sipping mulled wine and lighting incense sticks and spice-laced candles. To that effect Fête d'Hiver by Ayala Moriel perfumes comes to the rescue.

As Ayala herself describes this at her site, Fête d'Hiver, which means Winter Festival, "is a heart-warming mélange of incense, amber and resins, along with tropical white flowers, warmed up by spices. ... (more)

Fragrant news: report from the scented front

Today I have amassed some noteworthy news for you. It seems that the world of perfume is constantly moving, especially now with the holidays looming up and it's hard to catch up, so a little shifting and selecting is needed.

Mypa, a mass market brand, has offered a different twist to calendars this year. Besides their Maquillage calendar (which has a set of 24 cosmetics & accessories), they have issued a Perfume calendar in a Marylin-look box. The appeal of a new calendar coming January is indeed strong and what better idea than one that features perfume miniatures signed Laurent Dormel? The total will be 24 minis and it sounds lovely for sure. The price isn't bad either: 19.95 euros in selected department stores (source: Osmoz) What better way to start the New Year with a smile? ... (more)

Christmas Lists: my thoughts

The other day I came across an article on what to include in a perfume shopping Christmas list in the UK edition of Style supplement for The Times. I never want to plunge in rushed decisions and on top of that I have a penchant for introspection and some would say procastrination (those people would be right!). Christmas shopping, even if you do not celebrate the holiday per se, is a consumerism trait of our overindulged society and surely a quantitative measure of the market's dynamic. It's no accident that the majority of launches of mostly anything commercial happen in the autumn hoping to capitalize on the Christmas shoppers, neither the beginning of the holidays shopping sprees being increasingly put further back the calendar into November is any more haphazard. In a world where businesses depend on those holidays shoppers to up their revenue it's to be expected. ... (more)

Fragrant news and reviews: new scents by The Different Company

"A Contemporary Vision for New Luxury" is the credo of of this young company with master french perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena at the helm. Without restraints regarding materials and artistic vision or briefs for a specific target audience, the company has produced such iconoclastic and unsurpassed in their uniqueness perfumes as Sel de Vetiver, Rose Poivrée, Bois d'Iris, Divine Bergamote, Osmanthus or Jasmine de Nuit. The cosmopolitan vibe of the audience towards whom those offerings are geared is testament to their artistic vision.
And now three new offerings that promise the world and then some. The new lineup called ‘Explorations sensorielles’ (=sensory explorations) is inspired by the original trio of fragrances composed by Jean Claude himself.
The line, visualised and mastered by his daughter Céline, alludes to a series of scents ... (more)

A re-orchestration

Reformulation seems to be the new name du jour for perfume companies. They sometimes miss terribly (Dioressence) while sometimes they invent something amazing (Femme). Baghari by Piguet seems to stand at the middle, being neither atrocious or disloyal to the original, nor the innovative masterpiece that could be the be all and end all. Taking that into account however it stands as a perfectly lovely little aldehydic floral that is sure to be enjoyed by lots of people. Not what one expects from the house of Piguet, who has churned out such controversial fumes as ... (more)

Beautiful bottles in time for Christmas

Just in time for Christmas, perfume companies have issued or re-issued beautiful bottles for their precious fragrances to entice us to buy perfume for ourselves and others. The packaging of perfume does play a part in our choosing a particular fragrance and although I for one would go for my holy grail even if it were packaged in a milk carton, I have to admit that pretty bottles and evocative design does make me daydream. Sometimes the bottle proves to better than the scent, which seems like a disappointment but at least you are left with a beautiful bottle on your dresser, which is better than being left with a bad one (and aren't there lots of those?) That's some sort of consolation for the visual part at least.
Some of the bottles that have caught my eye recently are the following. I amassed them here for your delectation.

First comes the limited ... (more)

Maquillage: the sweet scent of makeup

It’s always so gratifying to get samples from less known perfumers who put their heart into their perfume instead of marketing analysis and assorted research and development findings. Such is the case with Maquillage, the very likeable scent by amateur perfumer Armando Martinez. Over the few months I have been writing my blog, people have been asking me to review perfumes for their reading enjoyment, reviews that maybe they wouldn't see in any other perfume blog in some cases as the perfumes were not known and the sources were obscure and did not list notes. It has been my joy and pride to do so for them. This however is not such a case. In fact I was the one who asked tentatively if I could sample this perfume when I heard about it and Armando obligingly sent a sample along. ... (more)

Black Orchid: new baroque?

Intriguing as the "article" at the very back of the latest catalog of the luxury store of Neimans is, it entices the reader with a little story that is supposedly recounting the writer's experience with Tom Ford's Black Orchid. After having put this on, the author's husband glances up sharply at her as she enters the room. She smells "like another woman, but in a good way", he proclaims. She quips "goodness has nothing to do with it". We read her inward monologue questioning what woman would dare wear something with vanilla, incense and tonka in the daytime. As though the notes in Black Orchid are suppossed to be trully forbidden, behind wraps, stricly for special occassions only. The story reads like a documented real-life experience which is lovely and misleading at the same time. ... (more)

Film noir: a perfume to be wary of

What perfume does a film noir heroine wear? More importantly: what perfume does a film noir cinephile wear? If the twists of plot found in a good noir are you cup of tea (or, in this case, coffee), then Film Noir by Ayala Moriel perfumes might be your hot ticket to a ride of pleasure for the evening. And many more evenings to come, if you are lucky and smart. But let's concentrate on your smarts, pal.

Ayala Moriel is dedicated to the art of natural perfumery, a niche that is witnessing a renaissance lately. Perfume Designer Ayala Moriel creates handcrafted perfumes from 100% precious botanical essences. On her site, she describes Film Noir thus: "This perfume is as dark as a Film Noir plot; as dark as a dim-lit alley in Chinatown and musty as the sewer in The Third Man where the ambivalent heroes and heroines find their ... (more)

Perfume advertising 5: the hilarious side! (multimedia clips)

If serious advertising were not enough, sometimes marketing teams play up on our conceptions about perfume in parody-style, satirizing our wishes for perfume to make us powerful, mysterious, indomitable and just plain old attractive and irresistible to the object of our interest. If only things were that easy. And yet, how many times have the same questions have been asked: what to wear to get attention? What would make the opposite sex melt? What would make us look younger and thinner and 5 inches taller with a mane like a supermodel’s and legs that go for miles? Personally if a perfume were that powerful, I’d just as likely prefer it to vacuum my house and do a good hard rubbing at all those difficult corners, thank you very much. That would greatly put me in a sexy mood, all right.
But it’s fun to contemplate what people would put themselves in denial ... (more)

Perfume advertising 4: discrepancies? (multimedia clips)

Exploring the avenues of perfume advertising, especially in commercials to be viewed on TV, one shapes a particular assumption of how something would smell, coaxed by the imagery and setting of the commercial. Often there is some discrepancy witnessed between what is expected and the actual olfactory experience. Especially so when there are famous faces or egeries involved fronting the perfume.

On a nostalgic trip down memory line, Soir de Paris in a very old commercial, from 1958 to be exact, shows us the rapport between jus and image that existed initially. Soir de Paris by Bourjois is known as Evening in Paris in Anglophone cultures and the olfactory profile is a very refined aldehydic floral that has a touch of the Parisian melancholy and sense of glamour. In its vintage form it stood as a very elegant and lovely representation of everything that joyful Paris evoked in the imagination of countless American women, especially after having seen the classic film "An ... (more)

Perfume advertising 3: gender play (multimedia clips)

The issue of what differentiates female from male idiosyncrasies in general is complicated enough. In perfume terms the composition of different formulas for the two sexes (roughly floral and oriental for the ladies, woody and citrus for the gentlemen) is a fairly recent phenomenon, dating from the dawn of modern perfumery in the end of the 19th century. Up till then, there was pretty much lots of leeway for men to delve in floral waters of the Victorian era or even the rich civet and musk laden compositions of the 18th century decadence. The issue of how male and female attributes translate in the iconography of perfume though is worth investigating for its many surprising facets.

Here today I decided to delve in some perfume commercials that redefine the role of gender as we know it. ... (more)

Perfume advertising 2: the boundaries of fantasy (multimedia clips)

In my previous entry I got the ball rolling and discussed the merits and progression of Chanel #5 commercials in an effort to elucidate what fantasy can do for advertising purposes when done stylishly. Perfume advertising’s power lies in its ability to make us dream, to yield in escapism bringing into play an array of male and female types from mythologies which meld standard notions of what man and woman stand for. Those types address the natural and essential aspiration of consumers to partake of a desired personality. This takes either one of two possible ways: to be different, that is ... (more)

Perfume advertising: multimedia technology to our benefit

The issue of perfume advertisements arises from time to time, with mixed results. Usually it has to do with the shock value of something or the sheer ingenuity of advertisers who come up with catchy phrases and images to embed an idea in our minds for ever. Although print ads have their merits and I will devote entries on them in the future, I think it has been already done so I have been trying to expand into the multimedia world of TV and theater commercials. In the interest of accomplishing that I have compiled a great annex of commercials on my main info site, Perfume Shrine, and it will appear soon on-line (patience!). ... (more)

The wonders of amber

Amber is a fit subject to tackle in the colder weather. There are many misunderstandings about amber and hopefully we will dispel some of them here. Amber is a difficult term to describe in perfumery, simply because it has so many meanings. Amber has additionally become a generic term, resulting in us being able to find all types of oils sold as amber oil, when in fact they have no relation to the aroma of amber.

Essentially, there is no such thing as an amber essential oil. Essential oils are oils from plants in their purest form, distilled or otherwise extracted from a single plant species. Fragrant amber is a combination of several different botanical sources (or in ambergris’s case a product of animal origin, more on which later). There is no one plant from which amber comes from, although some claim it comes from a special tree growing in the Himalayas. Fir tree resin, in its regular, non-fossilised form is in fact used in perfumery and offers a rather sweet , warm and deep , ... (more)

Un Lys: surrendering to fate

Lily is an unabashedly feminine blossom; lush, plush, deeply odorous, decadent, inducing a state of surrender.
The shape alone entices you to lean in your nose and inhale deeply closing your eyes.
It would be better to open them, however. Because past the loaded stamens of burgundy red, there is the waxy sight and smooth touch of the petals that is redolent of a woman’s skin.

Isabelle Adjani has such a skin, in the best possible sense. Alabaster or mother of pearl doesn’t begin to describe it. Flawless, pale and surrounded by the darkest frieze of ebony hair, she is a living Poe literary heroine. The romantic ideal exalted.
It is of gorgeous Isabelle that I think upon smelling Un Lys (=a lily) by Serge Lutens of Palais Royal Shiseido in Paris. ... (more)

Happy Halloween

Many wishes to those who celebrate it! Be sure to wear something yummy and spicy!

Pic originally uploaded by clevercrow.

Fragrant news: from the spawn of Ricci, a new line

Romano Ricci, the grandson of the creator of the legendary Nina Ricci brand, and responsible for the candy-praline of the new Nina 2006 in the apple-shaped bottle is launching his own fragrance brand, Juliette Has a Gun Parfums; a name that brings to mind an Aerosmith song. The new line, inspired by Shakespeare's tragic heroine, will launch initially in Parisian high-end concept store "Colette" in December and the first two fragrances will be Lady Vengeance and Miss Charming. French perfumer Francis Kurkdjian of Narciso and Rose barbare fame (among many other creations) has been very busy behind those two rose-centered scents while designer Sylvie de France drew the bottles (opting for black for Lady Vengeance naturally and white for Miss Charming - cute concept to colour coordinate). ... (more)

The One? Or another one?

I really don’t know if U2, the band, is involved in the olfactory business at all and I doubt they would be (they seem like “serious people”, for Pete’s sake, and I say that almost straight-faced).
Their lyrics for their song "One" however seem very a propos to our subject today, Dolce & Gabbana’s The One.

“Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you,
now you got someone to blame?”

No, no, I don’t blame anyone. It’s all good anyway.

Dolce & Gabbana have just come out with The One. A floral-oriental that they told us aimed to appeal to  a “real diva, an object of desire, like the woman represented by Brazilian ... (more)

Time for a momentary pause

Tomorrow, the 28th, is a national holiday, related to WWII. Time to pause and think how lucky we are to live in relative peace and indulgence, perfume being such a big part of the latter.

Pic is a map by Jan Jannson in 1650 courtesy of eikastikon.gr

Mandarins and dragons

The newest fragrance created by perfumer Christopher Sheldrake for Les Palais Royal de Shiseido and Serge Lutens,Mandarine Mandarin, has its place in the line-up of usual suspects for things weirdly appealing. A tradition that Lutens is keeping with religious zeal injecting a little je ne sais quoi in his compositions that keeps everyone guessing if this is an inside joke of a man of humble beginnings playing a nasty one on the bourgeois who flock in Palais Royal or the jarring string note of a genius quartet that is knowingly swayed by fervent feeling and not impeccable technique.
From the alarming menthol opening of Tubereuse Criminelle to the strangely pleasant unwashed intimates of Muscs Koublaο Khδn, making a stop at the rough bitterness of dark chocolate and patchouli of Borneo 1834, his ... (more)

Oakmoss and chypre: you've come a long way baby!

Oakmoss has got to be the most controversial ingredient in perfume in recent history. For years used for its mossy, sensual quality and an integral constituent of chypre compositions married to a citrusy top note, traditionally bergamot, it has gone under the strict scrutiny of European regulations and IFRA -the regulatory body for scent materials. And it became the controversial issue in relation to the alleged reformulation of classic Guerlain perfumes, resulting in brouhaha of gigantic proportions. Let's try to sort the mess out a bit.

Basically oakmoss is a type of light green to green black lichen, a fungus growing on trees found in many mountainous temperate forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of France, Portugal, ... (more)

Perfume Shrine Blog Index: links to content

It has been kindly brought to my attention that up till now navigating my blog has been a bit difficult. To make things easier I have compiled an Index Page which you can access by clicking here.

The link above will be reguraly updated and will be always shown somewhere on the Home page so it will be visible at all times. If there is any trouble accessing any part of  the info, please let me know. Thanks!

Givenchy: time for classics again?

According to industry rumours, Parfums Givenchy are scheduling the relaunch of many of their classic fragrances in limited editions to celebrate the house's 50th anniversary in 2007. Ultra elegant  Hubert de Givenchy is no longer head of the house to rejoice, but I bet this would be good news all the same. In the last decade due to dubious launches, especially since the company was acquired by the LVMH Group, parfums ... (more)

Fragrant news: Billet doux and F! for men by Fragonard

Fragonard, french house in Grasse, the capital of fragrance in Provence, is issuing Billet Doux, a new women's fragrance to celebrate their 80th anniversary in the perfume business. Billet Doux -which means "love letter" in english- revisits a classic Fragonard perfume which was discontinued, so this is a re-creation actually.
The scent is "a homage to the most stunningly scented blossoms of the French Riviera" while the beautiful flacon "is nestled inside a luxurious, golden envelope"(according to Osmoz). The bottle is indeed all curves and golden opulence, a nod to old-fashioned retro style. ... (more)

Sleeper in the valley

L’artisan’s new Fleur de Narcisse brought to my mind something I had read a long time ago. Joan Julliet Buck, editor of French Vogue, was for years addicted to wearing a narcissus poeticus absolute. She used to wear one drop on each wrist, it being so concentrated that it was all she ever needed. “Two in the bath were enough to send silver running down the walls; it ... (more)

Fragrant news: even more to come....

Other new releases have us left if not in such rapt attention, at least with an eye for a pleasant surprise at least. 

Lalique Encre Noire (black ink) is the fourth masculine fragrance by the venerable crystal house and looks to be very woody. The nose behind it is Nathalie Lorson of Firmenich and the composition will pair 2 varieties of a rich undergrowth that surely is every construction engineer’s dream and nightmare, vetiver. The Bourbon vetiver variety with its warm, velvety , leathery ambience is married to Haitian vetiver which is more mysterious and smokier to the point of dirty. Sounds promising…
The same company is also releasing a new limited edition of crystal bottle for their eponymous original scent, as is customary in recent years. Collectors take note.

Miller & Bertaux  have created Bois de Gaïac et Poire, a composition of gaiacwood and pear. ... (more)