Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia- Autumn Is Ecumen In

September 9, 2010

Ripe pears and apples and the warm baked desserts they star in are staples of my New England fall. When I had read Christine Nagel’s intention was to create a pear accord that encompassed not only the scents of the skin but also the pulpy juiciness under that skin I was enchanted. The main note she was choosing to pair with it has become one of the notes 2010 will become known for, freesia. Freesia has been adding a fresh green quality to new fragrances, all over, this year and the thought of that in contrast to a fully ripened pear accord sounded delightful. Happily Christine Nagel did not leave me hanging on the tree. Instead she has harvested a fruity floral that focuses on the whole quality of the central fruit accord and in conjunction with a duo of old and new floral accords creates a fruity floral fragrance of quality.

Illuminated Perfumes: Truth in Advertising, Peace and Gracing The Dawn

September 8, 2010

Roxana Villa talks the talk and walks the walk.
And I love her for this- among many, many other reasons.
She launches herself whole-heartedly into each endeavor with a full heart and a willing spirit.
Her perfumery is no exception.
She is a perfectionist, romantic visionary for whom botanical is best.
Two of Roxana’s newer compositions are Peace and Gracing the Dawn; she was kind enough to send them last week.

Chantecaille Vetyver and Petales- The Other Fragrances

September 2, 2010

Sylvie Chantecaille has released some nice fragrances for her Chantecaille fragrance line. Frangipane and Jasmine were my favorites of the first five fragrances released under the Chantecaille label. Jasmine was the last release back in 2003 and the fragrances had not recently been widely available. That has all changed as Chantecaille has returned with three new fragrances. Senior Editor Ida Meister, Patty of Perfume Posse and I agree the best of these three is Kalimantan. The other two fragrances Vetyver and Petales are worthy of some attention, too.

The Lavender Way-Lavender Is A Many Splendored Thing

August 30, 2010January 26, 2011

Would you…could you…leave a nice stable IT career and a sensible life in London England to…follow a dream of becoming an organic lavender farmer on the Greek Mediterranean island of Crete? That is exactly what Gill Leonard and Derek Pearce did in 2002. They now own and run an organic boutique lavender and olive farm they call “The Lavender Way” producing their own distilled lavender essential oils, beautiful lavender wands, sachets, gel, spritzers, tea, lavender pillows and the odd luxury gift.

G. Nejman Emir-Sheikh It Up

August 29, 2010

I can certainly sympathize with those of you who are experiencing oud fatigue. The last twelve months has seen this most Middle Eastern of notes used ubiquitously in seemingly every other new fragrance that comes out. I do have to say that I have been impressed with the versatility of oud when used by different perfumers as it has progressed form the rose oud combination through many different iterations. With Emir we come full circle back to a rose oud centered fragrance although the source of the rose is the “green rose” of geranium and that slightly tweaks the formula.

L’Artisan Parfumeur Coeur de Vetiver Sacre: “It’s My Drug Mama!”

August 27, 2010August 27, 2010

“Oh, Mama ! I could wear this and never tire of it…it’s my drug!” quoth he.
Out of the mouths of babes.
Only, my babe will soon be 20.

But the newest L’Artisan Parfumeur Coeur de Vetiver Sacre creation simply blew him away.
What’s in this potion that makes young existentialist types get the vapors ?