Day 2 of the Elements Showcase will find me starting my day in the Caron barber chair, with Garrett, as I get a straight razor shave. There is a panel sponsored by W Magazine on The Influences Behind the Purchase of Fragrance. I'll also be concentrating on the other floor of exhibitors which include Neela Vermeire, Martine Micallef, Joya, Arquiste, and many more. Keep checking back as I'll be updating until I have to catch my bus home.

10:00AM My shave has been delayed until after the W Magazine panel but I've spent some time ogling the new Histoires de Parfums Scent of Departure Collection. As you can see each has an airport code to go with it. I tried a couple MIA (Miami) for my hometown is a blood orange composition and IST (Istanbul) which I expected to be spicy is instead rose-based. I'm actually looking forward to my fragrant trip to the airport courtesy of Gerald Ghislain.

10:30AM Usually when someone asks me "What'sYour Sign?" I run away. At the Strange Invisible Perfumes booth I'm glad I stayed. I tried all five of the all-natural botanical fragrances by Alexandra Balahoutis. While Scorpio isn't out yet I think I'm going to have to become a temporary Aries for the spicy kick the astrological ram possesses. Plus Strange Invisible Perfumes now has body and bath products. I've got a little box to try in my new state of the art shower back home. Can't wait to combine the body products with the fragrances.

1:00 PM: Been a very busy couple of hours for yours truly. The W Magazine panel on What Makes Fragrance Sell was outstanding. Jane Larkworthy of W expertly moderated by asking great questions of the panel. One very interesting thought courtesy of MJ Rose author of The Book of Lost Fragrances is that while the internet has made information readily available has it at the same time reduced the mystique of fragrance by making it too available? I'm not sure what I think about that but it is an interesting thesis to think upon.

I then got my delayed straight blade shave courtesy of Caron and Garret of Martial Vivot Barbier. I am smooth as a baby's butt and smelling of Caron Pour Un Homme, does it get any better? I don't think so!

The rest of my time was spent with Martine Micallef and Geoffrey Nejman of M. Micallef. Their latest is as visually striking as it is olfactorally striking. Ylang in Gold has real bits of gold in the juice. The close-up above gives you a good idea but nothing will replace seeing it live. The bottle and the juice will arrive in the US late spring but those of you in Europe you can get it now.

2:30PM I was finally able to get co-founder of the Elements Showcase Frederick Bouchardy to talk about his perfume line Joya. The past year has seen a number of well-thought out collaborations between Joya and a number of different artists. The latest one is a fragrance to go with author MJ Rose's mystery novel The Book of Lost Fragrances. There is an oil that will accompany the early buyers of the book. The truly special version of that oil, not supplied with the purchase of a book, is pictured above. Frederick worked with a number of special artisans to create this very limited edition ceramic pot holding the solid perfume. My picture does not do it justice but if the book is as good as this piece of art it will be a bestseller for sure.

4:15PM Well it is time to catch that magic bus back to DC. Time for one last bit of news. I spent some time with Carlos Huber of Arquiste. He told me he is working on a seventh fragrance with Rodrigo Flores-Roux and that the line will expand at its own pace. One special bit of news is there is going to be an Arquiste designed candle coming sooner rather than later. Details are still being finalized but it should be quite special when it arrives.

That's it from the Elements Showcase as this third edition has grown exponentially over the last two. This is rapidly becoming the equivalent to the European fragrance expos and I couldn't be happier to see this level of success.

–Mark Behnke, Managing Editor