Blue Lotus: The Flower of Buddha + “My Sweet Lord” Temple Draw

May 19, 2011May 21, 2011

Lotus was the flower of Buddah. The blue water lily, Nymphaea caerulea, which is called the Blue Lotus but is truly not related to white or pink lotuses, has been recognized from ancient times as not only a gorgeous scent, but a flower that has powers of altering the wearer in the kindest and most soporific of ways, much in the manner of Oud. I have some rare and precious Blue Lotus absolute that I snatched up at $600/ounce, since it rarely appears on the market.

Chasing the Dream: The Perfume Collector As The Orchid Thief

February 6, 2011February 15, 2012

In every area of human endeavor there lurks the possibility of going over the top, at what point does drive & passion for perfume become obsessive ? What would any of us do? Would we literally “kill for that” as we so often say in jest? Orchid hunters have, and still do

Forever Amber Fragrances: A Love Story + “Heart of Gold” Draw

February 3, 2011February 4, 2011

Well made amber fragrances always have one thing in common; beneath the surface there is a shining heart of gold. Royal Ambar from Shahrzad Palace Perfumes is Annelie’s own Egyptian treasure. Enter our draw for four Ambers incl Annelie’s precious Royal Ambar.

Is There a Little Black Dress in Your Fragrance Wardrobe? Iconic Fashion and Fragrances That Are Never Out of Style

October 25, 2010February 14, 2011

“Scheherezade is easy; a little black dress is difficult.” ~Coco Chanel. The special qualities of the beloved LBD: classic cut, flattering to the figure of the woman who wears it, versatility (ability to dress it up / dress it down), and delivers confidence to the wearer. The LBD of fragrance would be measured on much the same way: classic scent, flattering to the skin of the woman who wears it, versatility, and delivers confidence to the wearer.

The Human Nose Can Get Used to Anything: “Being There”

October 2, 2010October 3, 2010

The human nose can get used to anything. And not only get used to it, but develop a strange affection for it, too. To paraphrase Kahlil Gibran, “Who can leave a place where he has felt sorrow… without regret”? Olfaction, that most emotional and nostalgic of senses, can leave impressions upon us which take on a certain preciousness in the fullness of time