Letter from The Editor: So How Are We Doing?

 

 

 

When you are at a party one of the first  topics of discussion is “So, what do you do”?

When I worked at Playboy (BTW the new series is so not what happened) mouths would drop and  male eyes would wander.

 

Fast forward 2010, and "what do you do"?

“I am a marketing consultant (eyes roll; everyone thinks you’re out of a job). I felt compelled to add “and I started a perfume blog." “Oh that’s cool, I have a blog too on…..(some subjects you don’t want to know  about …trust me).

 

Jaws don’t drop anymore, but there is something inherently interesting about fragrance.  Most men and women wear perfume  and cologne to feel good about themselves and as a secret weapon of seduction. When I was single, I would have two sets of business cards; one set  for social occasions that were scented with my perfume. When the man I met at a bar or club (between marriages) would say, "Oh I‘ll call you", guess whose card  would be pulled out of the stack?  

 

I will always remember this line from the colorful and charismatic former mayor of New York (1977-1989), Ed Koch used to ask  "How am I doing … so in the spirit of Mayor Koch, I ask the question, “How are we doing?

 According to our statistician, Managing Editor Mark Behnke, CaFleureBon is between number 5th and 7th perfume blog in the world (according to who is tracking),its only been a year and half from our first post. We often discuss between ourselves how this happened, there are hundreds of perfume blogs and sites and we would love to enjoy a twelve year run. As Ida s pondered the question she said "I have no idea,but it is a hornet's nest to ask."

 

So how are we doing?

 

We would like for you to write a comment on what you like, dislike (tastefully please) , want more of or want less of ,Feel free to comment as you see fit, but from our mail bag the most popular (and unpopular )  topics WE WANT YOUR COMMENTS ON:

 I love/ hate  the free perfume draws (yes one, former reader wrote me the only reason why people read our blog is because "you hand out cheap perfume (the day after the draw was for Mona di Orio “Oud”

  

Since Mark and Neil are chemists, Ida a singer and perfumer,Tama an artist, Emmanuelle has the scoop on France and Sergey travels the world we try to cover ALOT.  TELL US: Are the reviews informative/ your reviews are not interesting.

 

 I love/hate your coverage of natural perfumery

 

 Love the interviews with the Rock Stars and future Rockstars of perfumery/ who cares I just buy the jus

You spend too much time/ not enough time on fragrances I never heard of.

Like Playboy, I only look at the art/ Enough already, just write

You tackle sensitive subjects like AIDS, depression, politics / Why, too personal? 

You don’t bash any fragrance; we want more bread and circuses.

 You are among the first to break new fragrances; who cares?

I have a life/I have no life  outside of perfume so I enjoy reference to world topics, dance, music, cooking, reading, and gardening.

 

I care about/ I don’t care about the creative process behind a fragrance.

You aren’t the puppet of a particular perfumer/you write too much about a particular perfumer.

 

Profiles in American perfumery are great/ Why Americans? (oh I am just dying to answer that one).

 I love /dislike the different writer’s voices; the writers  are so different that they don't share any Brand DNA

It is important/ It is NOT important to post every day.

 

 I want more beauty  and fashion;who are you kidding you are a perfume blog

Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief. 

 

  

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24 comments

  • Feliciag says:

    Well, I have to say I love Cafleuerebon and I have never been one to hide that! But since you asked.
    Here are the reasons why in no certain order that I feel the way I do: reading the blog daily takes me away for a moment. I’m transported through the art and words. I like that I have come to know your writing styles and backgrounds… likes and dislikes. I have never met you but if I do I will give you alla hug:) I love that you host draws and that you actually send the promised items and FAST too. Which is important while itis fresh on everyone’s mind. It is helpful to read about fragrance as if to prepare your nose. The pictures and the words are there for the foundation of the experience. Your interpretations through words and pictures is so intertwined with scent as well as gifts upon readers who have anticipated a whiff of the words from the review. Its generous and kind in fact I could not and would not have had the extra money to buy the items that I have ever won. I simply would have gone wihout the experience all together. Im quite sure there are hacks out there in the blogosphere who keep the gifts that they should delight the readers with. Defeating the purpose of course. I tell everyone about CafleureBon, and even if they dont know anything about scent they seem fascinated that I have learned so much.
    Coming to know niche perfumers on a first name basis is very special beyond special. That has happened to me in many cases with Shelley and Mark for instance.
    I think readers take away what they want too. If its negative, then this is not the place for them anyway. Cafleurebon is about things beautiful, curious and promising. Not a place for greedy, selfish, gossiping and just plain negative types. It makes me sad to have read that there were ever any complaints. Seriously, that ridiculous. I hope nothing changes and that you keep growing at a healthy and sustainable pace. Lets not your blog a thon or when you did a draw to help people find relief from stress.
    Anyone can have a “blog” but not any old group can make a place out of it where you provide just a few minutes for people to have some indulgence, culture and maybe learn a few things! Happy New Year to all celebrating And my many humble thanks for all that you have done for me and your readers even the ungrateful ones:))))) xoxoxo

  • taffynfontana says:

    Cafleurebon introduced me to the world of the perfume blog and I just love you guys for it. I have always loved perfumes and more since I discovered this great community. I love all the different points of view that you all provide. The artwork is always on point. The reviews are informing and the draws are addicting. Please keep up all the hardwork. 🙂

  • Michael Singels says:

    I would have to say you are doing amazing things at CaFleureBon. I love the diversity of the blog. Coverage of mainstream, niche, natural, and the occasional cosmetics-related help me keep a finger on the pulse of perfumery. The behind the bottles and profiles in american perfumery are a treat, letting us see a scent and the creative processes closer and getting to know the wonderful people behing the scents we read about and hopefully get to try! The draws are definitely a fun bonus, letting people try things they might not otherwise be introduced to and hopefully are enjoyable for the generous folks offering the draw and providing them some feedback and ideas. I am a big fan of natural perfumery, so I would say keep that up! I would even say more on naturals, but I know there has to be a balance there. The different voices of each of the contributors are unique and enjoyable. I appreciate the professionalism and unbiased views, as well as staying out of the politics that come up from time to time.

    I think you have struck a really incredible balance on the blog, which has kept me coming back for more. Great job guys and gals!

  • Neil says:

    Since I’m actually more of a reader than a contributor, and was reading here long before I contributed, I’ll let that side of me comment.

    I have always enjoyed the visuals that blend very harmoniously with the reviews – they keep it fresh and interesting. I really love the interviews – those are so good that I almost don’t want to jinx them by saying so, so I’m actually knocking on the wooden table while I say this.

    I like the variability of the posts in terms of style – that’s important to me. I love Mark’s nose – I’m already tuned to that from our days together on Basenotes, so I get a lot of smells straight off the page from him. And I really respect his anaysis of scents. But I’m also enjoying the other noses – Ida, Tama, Sergey, Emmanuelle – some of whom I’m already familiar with from other places in the fragrance world, but now getting to experience them all here.

    Importantly, I enjoy the audience and the comments. There are people I know here and many new friends. I love that the people are very sharp and witty and fascinating – yet friendly and welcoming. And while I enjoy the crowds on some of the other major fragrance blogs, one of the cool things here is that people tend to make more of the long and deep comments like the posts above. On some of the other blogs I would LIKE to hear more – the people are friendly and witty, but they sometimes just keep it too light and I want more. The occasional multi-paragraph spew is nice, and even 3-4 sentences tends to give me more of what I want.

    Overall – doing nicely, I’d say!

    And oh yes – one last thing. I like that Michelyn keeps it from having too much testosterone. Just sayin’. I get enough of that over on Basenotes. I like that she keeps it kind of beauty / sexy / artsy / fun. It’s in a sweet spot – no pun intended. 😉

  • Zazie says:

    Hi!
    I appreciate the work and effort that all you editors put in the çafleurebon project.
    What I like about your blog is that you cover many different fragrance houses and – I don’t feel ashamed for admitting it -I appreciate the chance to win a bottle I care for, or a sample of a fragrance that tickles my fantasies (that is why I don’t participate in all the draws). Even though the only time I won, I never received the bottle.

    Since you ask, I’ll tell you what I like less.
    You are difficul to read.
    Why? Your posts have too many pictures and are not clearly organized – even if the images are all carefully chosen and relevant to the article, and often very beautiful – the text gets diluted, the posts feel too long. Pictures, with all their colors are visually immediate – they scream while the text whispers. I think there is a right balance, in order to keep the volume right and the message clear. Think of the difference in the window display of an elegant shop in via montenapoleone, and a cheap “brick-à-brack” close to the market place. One window is over crowded with things, some of which not particularly interesting – while the other puts forward just one/two carefully chosed beauties.

    That’s my, very subjective opinion – and, as I say, I like your blog, otherwise I wouldn’t be commenting!!!
    So thank you for all your effort and keep up your good work!

    p.s.
    oh, and yes, çafleurebon seems sometimes always too kind with its perfumes…

  • Ines says:

    I think you’re doing great and if you have many draws, all the better. There is always room for more perfume in my wardrobe (I just wish I’d win some). 😉
    Kidding aside, one thing I think that made your blog so high is many different topics and several contributors – it’s difficult when you write solely for your own blog (I should know as I have a hard time writing 3 times a week).
    And the most important thing to me, no perfume politics and a carefree tone – perfume is supposed to be fun and enjoyment.

  • Michelyn Camen says:

    Zazie, Thank you for your comments.. First, we are going to get your bottle even if I must send a message the owner of the company. We usually write to contact us if you do not receive your fragrance within a month. Thank you for emailing me privately that italy postal system isn’t that reliable. Regarding the art, I appreciate your feedback; sometimes less is more and I am multisensorial.Sometimes finding the art takes longer than writing the article! We try to use visuals especial for newbies who may not have your level of sophistication. Striking the perfect balance is definitely the goal.

    We never trash a fragrance, although we do offer less than glowing reviews. What smells good on one person is a scrubber on another. We test hundreds of perfumes, chances are if we don’t like it, we simply won’t write about it . I once asked one of my favorite perfumers, Bertrand Duchaufour what makes a great fragrance? He answered “one you love”. That is why we have 8 writers! Thanks again
    Ines, thanks for commenting, ESP about perfume without politics, its important to me fact find in a journalistic manner and we try to stay clear of pettiness PS that you won a 75 ml of SL Vitreol!!! all our draws are random.org, so keep commenting

  • perfaddict says:

    I wanted to contribute exactly what Zazie has already said. This blog is difficult to read. Personally, i get distracted from the topic of an article by the frequent interruptions of text by pictures. Otherwise, Cafleurebon is a wonderful blog and you guys have all my respect and good wishes.

  • brigitte says:

    CaFleurebon is doing an outstanding job! I have been introduced to so many wonderful perfumers (Ineke, Laurie Erickson, Jessica Buchanan), whose perfumes now solely comprise my Autumn wardrobe, thanks to your series on American perfumers! What I love is the focus on indie lines as I am always on the lookout for indie/niche/natural lines for myself and my two young daughters (I have been boycotting the mainstream perfume industry 🙂 ). The visuals are gorgeous, another plus! I don’t mind the draws, either! (However, I also never received the prize I won in a draw). I also like the fact that the writers respond back to the commenters. The dialogues are great to read! And I appreciate your support of struggling perfumers- because of you I purchased Reglisse Noire and have been anointing myself with it religiously and may acutally have found my signature scent! I really do not have anything negative to say. Your blog is the only one I read on a daily basis. Keep up the good work!

  • Kathryn says:

    What I like most about this blog is its generosity of spirit, manifested in many different ways. There are a myriad of distinct and independent voices here. It’s clear that sometimes you agree and sometimes you don’t, but there’s never any acrimony or any prodding to follow a party line. You also cover a very wide range of perfumes. I personally like some genres better than others, but I’m always glad to know what else is out there.

    I also like knowing who made the perfumes and why they made the aesthetic choices they did. Michelyn is a particularly gifted interviewer, getting beneath the surface and often drawing out surprising insights, always without letting her own point of view get in the way. I appreciate that you include the reader in the process of questioning and understanding. The generous draws are wonderful in themselves, but I’ve noticed that they always include questions that really make you think.

    I for one love the visual counterpoint of the illustrations in this blog. For me they add a fluid thread of emotion that is more difficult for me to access with just printed words, although Ida’s heartfelt writing can often take me to areas of feeling I hardly knew were there. But I also appreciate the abstract, intellectual and logical and Mark’s writing is certainly all that.

    I don’t know of any other blog that does all these things. So how are you doing? I think you’re doing great.

  • Isa says:

    I usually love all the articles, but Profiles in American Perfumery are the ones I enjoy the most 🙂 I love to read about perfumer’s lives and learning about their creations.

    So, congratulations! 🙂

    I love the draws too, because they give the chance to try many different perfumes, and some of them are impossible to find outside some countries, so it’s very exciting!

    I would love to read more about materials, single notes, history of perfume around the world. I admit I prefer that kind of articles, while the ones about fashion aren’t so interesting to me.

    I enjoy the pictures a lot too. Maybe Zazie is right and there are too many of them sometimes, but you all do a great job with visuals.

  • Asali says:

    Really, I can only repeat the praises from the love letters from above.
    Here are mine:
    I love the everyday posting, that you can count on something new to look forward to every day, perfume wise.
    I love that there are many different voices, but still a very unison feeling to all of CFB’s writers and posts.
    I love the positivity in the reviews and towards all perfumers, and the warm welcome to everybody who joins in the community, new or seasoned perfumista:-)
    I love the arts, it underlines the writing, especially the reviews beautifully. And for the interviews, the way you often get private photos is very nice too. I think it’s a different set up to other blogs, and I like it, how it is, with an extended picture side.
    I love the draws of course, but would love the write ups without them them too. It always strikes me as particularly generous the way you want to share what you sniff.
    I LOVE the interviews, they are so special, often with little personal details that you’d get nowhere else. I feel they all have a very vibrant tone, and you almost feel as if you where there. I often re-read the interviews, and find new things in them.
    That’s it from me for now. Thank you for Ca Fleure Bon 🙂

  • Maureen says:

    I am a newbie to this perfumania, although I am by no means very new. I like the art and pictures you use to illustrate a fragrance. I have learned about many perfumers I had never heard of before and I like the American perfumers series….nice to know about the home town team. I think you site is interesting and different form others, and I like the draws…just wish I could win!

  • Cynthia says:

    I think your number of readers speaks for itself! I originally became a daily reader when I saw how many draws there were. But very quickly I was coming back because I enjoyed my read.
    I disagree with those saying there are too many pictures. As an art lover, that is my favorite thing about your blog! And the pictures definitely give me a feel for the perfume. It is obvious to me how long it must take to find all this art to illustrate an article! This just shows you can’t please everyone, but please don’t change this aspect of your blog too much….this is what makes it unique to me!
    I enjoy the reviews most, and it doesn’t bother me that there are not negative ones. I can go to other blogs for that, if I want. I have also enjoyed the perfumer’s series. Some of my favorite articles are the natural perfumer’s series, when everyone made entries. And I also like compilation type articles, for example, “this is what I’m loving to wear this summer.”
    You are doing a marvelous job. Thank you!

  • Patty says:

    Overall, I enjoy your blog and read it almost every day. Love the perfume draws!

    My favorite parts are the perfume reviews. Although I fully appreciate your not wanting to trash a perfume, not all perfumes are masterpieces. I wouldn’t mind reading from time to time about a perfume you tested and did not like. I don’t think any of your reviewers have it in them to be petty. You are all knowledgeable and discerning, and could give thoughtful criticism.

    I ditto everything that Zazie said about the graphics-heavy, and sometimes convoluted posts. They can become overwhelming to read.

  • Lisa A says:

    I love Cafleurebon and have been reading for quite some time. I usually only comment on the draws because I’m a perfume fanatic and love trying new perfumes, but I’m an avid reader and subscriber. My favorite posts are those pertaining to the creative process behind a fragrance. I love learning more about the perfumer and the inspiration behind their creations, especially the indie perfumers. I also like the coverage on naturals but would love to see more articles about very small scale perfumers that work with chems. I also agree with Zazie – the posts are sometimes overwhelming. I scan posts by nature (as most people do), so writing them so that they’re scannable might help, and maybe just a tad less photos. 🙂 Still, you guys are one of my daily reads. Keep up the great work!

  • Francesca says:

    Of course I’m going to start right out and say I love the way you raise awareness for indie perfumers. Its important for me as a Perfumer and important for the growth of this industry/Art. I really like the way you tackle outside issues or rather weave them into the blogs, yes AIDS and Politics, wow the way it rouses some people is great! I’d like to see more of where raw materials come from and the odd profile on a person doing that, a Global take on it but it may not be interesting enough for your readership.The variety of writers is great, I like the fact you don’t trash a perfume but analyze it to the point we can easily understand that it will or wont be for our taste. My pet bug is when waiters say ‘ Order this dish, its my favourite, I love it’ and you have no idea about their taste in food! Grrrr! Love the graphics, often surprising and quirky! Finally I like the substance in your writing, there’s depth and intellect there-You’re on my daily read CaFleureBon and Congratulations on your success in such a short time!

  • Asali says:

    a PS to my comment: As I already wrote, I love the picture side of CFB, and I don’t think that it makes the posts too long or too loud as some people find. Surely long, if also interesting (which they are) is a good thing:-) I sometimes discover new art as well as new perfumes, what’s not to love about that?

  • Elise P says:

    Michelyn and all – I love what you are doing! It’s great that you have a unique aesthetic and are true to that feel. I also appreciate your support of indie perfumers. I check in as often as I can and usually learn something or just have a great read.

  • harper says:

    ok, finally have a a bit of time to respond to this.

    i want to say that i love this blog more than any others — it is a wonderful mix of information, wit, light-heartedness, SPECTACULAR art-work that truly *evokes* the feel of the scents described (i love this aspect above all others) — and, yes, the draws are a draw too 🙂

    the blog, in short, is a wonderful — dare i say perfect? — package.

    do not change a thing.

  • JoAnne Bassett says:

    I love CaFleureBon for the interesting reviews that are paired with photos…it is like opening a photography book and reading poetry that corresponds to the photo…It is magical…Do not stop doing the matching of photos to descriptions of fragrances.

    I am grateful that you support the Natural Perfumers and Indie Perfumers with your reviews…and interviews. We all appreciate your support.

    Always a great read…keep up the good work…

  • Lisa says:

    The thoughtfully-selected art is what distinguishes CaFleureBon from other fragrance blogs. I like it.

    There are some reviews I scroll past (lengthy imagined dialogues), but that is because I prefer a straightforward focused review of a fragrance to a metaphorical description of a journey, but that is my taste, and surely not that of all others, There’s room for all of our preferences here. I like that.

  • Anya says:

    I apologize for being so late to post here, but as soon as I remembered, I jumped back in here. I remember when CFB debuted, and my eyes lit up first, because of the stunningly beautiful, provocative visuals. We’re all visual creatures, after all, and first appearances do count. Then, the content, oh, the content, the poetry, literary references, deep, deep knowledge of the perfume industry – CFB was like no other perfume blog. I’ve been reading perfume blogs since they started, so I know the history of them.

    Since then, I have learned what strong, loyal supporters the CFB team is, and it is so gratifying to see the support, across the board, of all artisan perfumers. In particular, and admitting my bias, I humbly thank you for the visibility and coverage you’ve given to the Natural Perfumers Guild.

    There is no substitute for Ca Fleure Bon, absolutely none. It’s a daily read and often a re-read. You SO deserved the Fifi nomination, and your non-political stance should be rewarded, also. A beacon of light in the perfume blog world.

  • kathleen says:

    I enjoy Ca Fleure Bon. The reviews are varied, informative, and fun to read. The fragrances that are discussed are from niche to mainstream to unattainable, which means all tastes are catered to. The draws are a treat, which I like better when I win, then when I don’t. The people who do the reviews have varied tastes, lifetstyles and backgrounds, and the different writing styles keep the blog fresh.

    Keep writing and reviewing, and I’ll keep coming back to read.