Every perfumista I know has, at one time or another, wanted their “own perfume” or has “osmagined” the perfect perfume. I was lucky enough to receive such a perfume (inspired by my suggestions and blended flawlessly by the perfumer Adam Gottschalk of Lord’s Jester) this past March, as a birthday gift. My bespoke perfume was named after one of my favorite stories in Greek mythology, Persephone.
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The 1st annual Artisan Fragrance Salon was held in San Francisco July 8, 2012. In addition to the exhibits, camaraderie and events, “People’s Choice” awards were given in ten categories. There are Gold, Silver and Bronze finalists.
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July 30, 2012
Ben Gorham, the Founder and Creative Director of Byredo Parfums, envisioned his newest addition to the line as a true tribute to the Middle East, a part of the world he has visited frequently. I have never traveled to that part of the world, and might not in my lifetime, but if wearing Bullion takes me there, it’s a very fragrant place to visit.
Read More...I had high hopes for Seville a l’Aube when the first news of it came down the wire, with its notes of orange flowers, beeswax and incense.
Read More...French niche line Etat Libre d’Orange will launch two new fragrances in October,2012: Dangerous Complicity, developed by perfumer Violaine Collas and the Afternoon of the Faun composed by Ralf Schwieger.
Read More...We’re nearly always talking shop and we almost always meet at Samovar because we are both tea snobs. And chocolate or wine is usually also involved. And most of all, the emotional support is very rewarding. We can talk in shorthand
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July 28, 2012
I was intrigued enough to spend some time tracking down more of each of these two fragrances Black and White, which were released in 2011. While I was doing that I was also able to get samples of the two newest fragrances from Undergreen, Pink and Gold. These four fragrances promise a virtual color wheel of quality to come.
Read More...Film maker Aaron Peasley’s new documentary/ video on Christopher Brosius of CB I Hate Perfume.
Read More...Vanilla is comforting in its safety and for many fragrance wearers that comfort is paramount. It is why when our best niche perfumers take out the vanilla and think to use it as the focal point for one of their creations these vanilla fragrances become explorations into the possibilities of turning the pedestrian into something […]
Read More...As I was sniffing Nuit Etoilee, I came to think about fragrance names. How they belong in different groups to attract different audiences, how the name has to keep what it promises, and sometimes even live up to the expectations that it invariably sets. So has van Gogh’s painting got anything to do with how Goutal’s Nuit Etoilee smells?
Read More...On the heels of the 1st Annual Artisan Fragrance Salon on July 8th in San Francisco, TasteTV is now planning a 1st Annual Los Angeles Artisan Fragrance Salon on September 23rd.
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July 26, 2012
As Caron’s N’Aimez Que Moi unfolds the roses lose their machine oil edge that came after the initial sweetness I see a different story unfolding. The woman is not clutching a bouquet of forget-me-nots or putting her life on hold. She is opening the door to the great Unknown.
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July 25, 2012
In Santal Majuscule the cocoa is that dusty powdery smell of fine desiccated sweet. It dusts the heart of sandalwood in Santal Majuscule and then the typical Oriental beats of a Serge Lutens perfume arrive on the back of a Turkish rose. This is just a perfectly balanced sandalwood perfume.
Read More...Hot off the heels of the Nouveau Collection, Robert Piguet introduces three new fragrances inspired by the lush beauty of the Pacific.
Read More...To celebrate the opening of its first Le Labo boutique in Paris, Vanille 44 (created by Alberto Morillas) …the scent of Paris and is now available
Read More...The Creative Director, Christopher Chong, clearly wants the fragrances which carry the Amouage name to be something special and something the most advanced perfumista can enjoy. The latest releases from Amouage, Interlude Man and Interlude Woman, are these special kinds of perfumes I am describing
Read More...Australia has spawned many superb perfume Houses; a couple of years before the last millennium turned, two very visionary individuals (Dianna Burmas & Deon St. Mor) began MOR in a small shop in Melbourne. Their love of travel, art, fashion and food eventually resulted in their release of lines of aromatherapy products and fine fragrances. Their process of blending old time ingredients with modern technologies has promoted what they call “an awakening of the senses with an innovative twist” in the creation of each new product line.
Read More...Indie perfumer Liz Zorn introduces two new fragrances to her Studio Collection including the line’s first soliflore…
Read More...While inhaling juniper essential oil at a sweat lodge I was transported out of my current surroundings and dropped into a very fragrant forest of conifers. Among the tall evergreens I felt grounded, renewed and deeply connected with the earth.
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July 23, 2012
When I went to the San Francisco Artisan Fragrance Salon, one of the vendors that interested me was a brand new line launching that very day called Cognoscenti. The Scent Artist, as her business card title proclaims, is painter, architect, and designer Dannielle Sergent, who was encouraged to explore her unique, intuitive take on perfume creation.
Read More...I’ve witnessed many emerging indie niche American brands. Natural botanical perfumery continues to grow. Customers are better educated. There is an openness to explore different approaches to perfumery -Persephenie Lea
Read More...I am coming to appreciate how much harder it is for a perfumer to have depth and contour when only using a very few notes, The Exclusive Collection is an example of what the skill of a Maitre Parfumeur, like Maria candida Gentile, can do with just a few notes.
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July 21, 2012
House of Matriarch was launched on Christi’s 36th birthday (November 28, 2009). All of her perfumes are in custom painted bottles. Each bottle is lacquered with a hue or tint that harmonizes with the energy of the scent
Read More...Perfume appreciation however, requires more than just the casual spritz. Selecting a fragrance can be as sophisticated as evaluating a wine, if approached in a knowledgeable manner. Contrary to the concept of the “signature scent”, our noses prefer variety.
Read More...In the last seven years, Tom Ford Beauty has steadily evolved from FiFi-winning fragrances to a major global luxury brand, with estimated retail sales of $200 million worldwide. Five new fragrances launch for Fall.
Read More...The Cire Trudon candle most associated with Marie Antoinette is Trianon, named for her beloved pastoral gardens that were created when she renovated Petit Trianon on the grounds of Versailles
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July 19, 2012
I like a perfumer who brings raw materials to the table…. literally. Ineke Ruhland is this kind of perfumer. Names of synthetic and natural raw materials roll off her tongue in the most self-assured, yet generous way. Ineke shared her two newest fragrances Sweet William for Anthropologie and Hothouse Flower with me.
Read More...Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a clove-scented, fringed flower that is bicolored in white/pink/red tones. It recently received attention when Kate Middleton included it in her bridal bouquet, presumably for both the lovely scent and the name
Read More...The First Annual Artisan Fragrance Salon took place in an art gallery/event space in a great downtown location, Gallery 4N5 on Mission Street. Each perfumer had an alcove to display their wares, and there was a wine bar and clear area with sofa seating for relaxing and presentations.
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July 18, 2012
When our best niche perfumers take out the vanilla and think to use it as the focal point for one of their creations these vanilla fragrances become explorations into the possibilities of turning the pedestrian into something less so. Martine Micallef is one of these perfumers and her new set of four releases, for her Parfums M. Micallef label, called the Art Collection Vanille is the proof.
Read More...Paradise is closely tied to the smell of sweet, rich, mouth-watering floral and fruit scents that fill the air. In the Virgin Islands, white frangipani hangs from the cliffs, the delicate white blooms obvious in a sea of verdant green
Read More...If one thing can be said for JACOMO Paris, it’s that they have kept with the times. Last year’s release of the “It’s Me” pair continued this trend with bottles shaped like iPhones that contained modern youth-friendly interpretations of classic perfume structures.
Read More...Atelier Cologne will be launching two new Cologne Absolues created by Master Perfumer Jerome Epinette in October 2012. As in Vanille Insensee and Ambre Nue by Ralf Schwieger, the Company explores raw materials typically not associated with classic colognes- Rose and Vetiver.
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July 16, 2012
The newest perfume from L’Artisan Parfumeur, Seville a l’Aube, was created by master perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour based on the description of a particularly sensual night spent in Seville by blogger and author Denyse Beaulieu. I will be reviewing the perfume for its own sake and on its own merits.
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July 15, 2012
America, rich with its pioneering history, has fostered a wealth of independent perfumers working in a variety of mediums. This new land embraces all the various forms of expression, including individuals as myself who work exclusively with a palette derived from nature.
Read More...Perfume 500 courses when a perfumer has created a fragrance which can be admired on a superficial level but if one takes the effort to delve into it there is much more to see than just the surface. There are a handful of perfume houses which seem to aspire to making perfume of this kind and Amouage is one of them.
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July 13, 2012
Such was the case with Memo Shams which was released in the second half of 2011. If I had received this stunning fragrance while the calendar still read 2011 this would’ve been a contender for perfume of the year for me and certainly would have been on my top 25 for the year.
Read More...Alyssa, like many of us, discovered the world of perfume online, through reading blogs, websites and forums. She found a way to study natural aromas and perfumery, as well as expanding her knowledge of synthetic and mixed-media fragrances.
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July 12, 2012
“Let them Eat Cake /Qu’ils mangent de la brioche,” is commonly misattributed to Marie Antoinette, supposedly when she was told that the peasants of France had no bread to eat. But in the spirit of the infamous phrase, if there was no light for the lower classes she would then have proclaimed “Let them light Cire Trudon Candles”
Read More...This Rose develops at the pace of a time lapse loop; it is as revealing and mesmerizing as those loops often are.
Read More...After receiving the press materials for the new Penhaligon’s Peoneve I saw that Olivier Cresp was the nose who has been on quite a roll recently. This run of excellent perfumes began with last summer’s Penhaligon’s release Juniper Sling which was a refreshing hit for me. With that in mind I was hoping M. Cresp had another summer surprise for me with Peoneve.
Read More...I really feel like people want something unique and made by an artist (not in a lab). American Indie Perfumers are at the forefront of creating incredibly unique, powerful and beautiful blends that are made by their own hands
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July 10, 2012
House of Matriarch was launched on Christi Meshell’s 36th birthday (November 28, 2009). All of her perfumes are in custom painted bottles. Brilliantly blending actual essences and capturing subtle energies, these scents show that one can stay true to core beliefs, respect Nature, myth and history while bringing them to life through perfumery.
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July 9, 2012
Senior Editor Tama Blough’s report from San Francisco for the SF SNiff and the 1st Annual Artisan Fragrance Salon.
Read More...It is Winter 1952. Serge Lutens … a young school boy, fills his notebooks with drawings of flowers, fire, dragons … decorating the capital letters in bright colors of purple, blue, gold.
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July 8, 2012
Tropical flowers & fruits bring to mind soft breezes and rich fragrances. 12 fragrant draw includes Montale, Ormonde Jayne, Huitieme Art, Sarah Horowitz Parfums, En Voyage Perfumes, , L’Artisan Parfumeur, BellyFlowers, Pacific Perfumes, Honoré des Prés, Jo Anne Bassett, One Seed & Providence Perfume Co.
Read More...Ever feel like you’re the last one to arrive at the party? Recently I have been feeling that way about the Kerosene fragrance line created by John Pegg. The latest Kerosene Santalum Slivers is finally the one which gets me to join the rest of you at the Kerosene party. Sorry I was late but I finally made it.
Read More...Brent Leonesio, the force behind Smell Bent and a CaFleureBon Perfumer of the Year 2011, has a whimsical and fun-loving approach to his craft
Read More...I have some classic old friends in the eau de cologne category but there have been some modern new versions which have also made their way into my refrigerator this summer. Chief among these are the Eaux de Cologne from Thirdman. I reviewed their first release Eau Monumentale last November and earlier this year they released two more versions Eau Profonde and Eau Moderne.
Read More...Fragrance and art… Spilled perfume includes Xerjoff, Atelier Cologne, Bond No. 9, Parfums M.Micallef, Guerlain, Spadaro Fragrances, Anya’s Garden, Ayala Moriel Parfums, Kelly & Jones and Opus Oils.
Read More...Alyssa Harad is a charming, witty woman I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with on one of her recent trips to San Francisco. While I was reading her new book, Coming to My Senses, I could hear her voice in my head clearly, and it was like spending time with a dear friend.
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July 4, 2012
As our world begins to turn everything into digital bits and bytes we begin to leave the unique scents of the things being digitally replaced behind. In the new fragrance by Geza Schoen, Paper Passion, he captures the smell of new ink on paper.
Read More...According to PR Newswire, HBO and HSN will be launching a new collection of fragrance, body products, nail polish, a lipstick and candles on August 9, 2012
Read More...THE ART COLLECTION VANILLE by M.Micallef explores different facets of a summer vanilla perfume through four olfactive fragrance groups: leather, oriental, floral and aquatic.
Read More...The colors of our country’s flag are red (for courage), white (for purity) and blue (for valor). I am paying American perfumes a special honor this year by selecting one scent named for each color on the flag and one pair dedicated especially to our country.
Read More...It is the quality of intention behind our work that brings us together. We are not obsessed by the bottom line; our work is a passion, which happens to be a business.This is about fun, about human encounters, adventure, entrepreneurship, sharing, contributing….
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July 2, 2012
Perfumer Andy Tauer, a CaFleureBon pick for Perfumer of the Decade, is one of my personal favorite perfumers. Recently, he embarked on a journey of collaboration with filmmaker Brian Pera to create perfumes based on characters in Brian’s film project, A Woman’s Picture. I received 7 ml bottles of Tableau de Parfums scents; Loretta, and Dark Passage, a limited-edition scent created especially for this project.
Read More...Adam Eastwood and Franco Wright, proprietors of Scent Bar in Los Angeles (and also own Luckyscent.com) collaborate with Target.
Read More...For Parfums DelRae, I am interested in a very classical, disciplined approach and strive to create perfumes with this type of integrity and structure. Perfume speaks so much to the need for beauty in our lives.
Read More...Paris gets under your skin; it’s the city of lights, the city of love and the city of fragrance…Contributor Jasia Julia Nielson’s adventures in perfume paradise with friends in fragrance Ines, Suzanne and Mark.
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