The Perfume Bee

Timing is not typically something associated with the wearing of perfume. But according to scent expert Luca Turin, timing is everything. For instance, if you are trying to make a favorable early impression, it is important to wear a perfume with good sillage. Sillage is a French term refering to the wake of scent left in the room after you leave. He gives the example of Givenchy’s Amarige d’Amour which is all radiance, a strident tuberose-lavender accord that sings the perfumery equivalent of trumpet calls at a tournament.

Good heart notes are required if you want your scent to be most noticeable after a couple of hours. Rather than giving specific examples, Turin suggests personal experimentation. He explains that it is best to start with perfumes that have been around for a few decades: they seldom survive by accident.

And for the big finish, choose a scent with an excellent dry-down. Examples include classics such as Chanel Nol 5, Patou’s Joy, Piguet’s Bandit, and Guerlain’s Shalimar. Modern masterpieces include Bulgari Black and Bond No. 9’s Chinatown.

For more, please see the Times article.

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The Osmotheque is a vast fragrance conservatory in Versailles, France, that collects, catalogues and recreates perfumes of the past. It contains over 1700 fragrances, many reproduced from the original formulas.

Susan Stone, a contributing reporter/producer for NPR’s All Things Considered, recently went to the Osmotheque and uncovered some interesting facts. For instance, Paul Poiret, a fashion designer whose perfumes preceded Coco Chanel’s No. 5, created a very sweet scent in 1914. He named it Le Fruit Defendu, or Forbidden Fruit. Unfortunately, his timing couldn’t have been worse. This perfume was reviled by the population because it was launched during the Great War. It was perceived as a scented slap in the face against the bloody backdrop of the the war. Today, it smells not unlike many sweet scents on the market and would probably be a huge hit. For more, please go to NPR.

The Osmotheque is open to the public (although appointments are required). There are weekly lectures about the history of perfumery and the techniques involved. Visitors can see slide presentations and films about perfumery, learn more about the raw materials used, and even try some samples. For further information, please see this article in Osmoz.

image: npr.org

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Today’s installment in our “Better Know a Niche Perfumery” series features Pilar and Lucy.

Luscious cargo tells us that Pilar and Lucy is a cult name among fragrance mavens and home of some of the most exquisite new scents this side of Hollywood, this enchanting line is the brainchild of Victoria and Gretchen, ballerina and poet respectively, who tapped into their past lives to create a perfectly mesmerizing line of perfumes and lotions. With a tip of the hat and an affectionate nod to the Hollywood of yesteryear, these scents are adored by twirly girls everywhere—and counts Carmen Electra and Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mena Suvari among its grateful devotees…

This line features three scents which evoke old Hollywood glam and youthful exuberance.

The first eau de parfum, I: the exact friction of stars, is a warm, vanilla-based scent with a hint of coconut.

The second, II: to twirl all girly, is a warm, floral gardenia scent.

And finally we have III: tiptoeing through chambers of the moon. This rich, complex floral is my favorite of the three. It combines heady tuberose on a deep amber base. Very pretty and elegant!

Each fragrance also comes in a long-lasting perfume oil version as well as lotion.

Robin at Now Smell This says, “I love Pilar & Lucy’s glam bottles and cutesy perfume names, but I have to admit to feeling some trepidation about their latest, Tiptoeing Through Chambers of the Moon…” rest of review…

Lucy and Pilar is available at luckyscent, home 101, Luscious cargo and blush beauty bar.

image: luckyscent

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Something we have not yet talked about in this blog is the idea of “a niche within a niche.” This refers to any particular subset within a special category. For instance, today we are talking about a niche fragrance dedicated to people who love horses.

“Nuzzle” is a new fragrance designed for horse lovers and equine enthusiasts. It contains fruity plum, black currant, juicy orange, and lime.

Available in a 50 ml Spray Eau de Parfum for $36.00, Nuzzle comes nested in a pink and black box adorned with a “good luck” crystal horseshoe charm. Nuzzle can be purchased at shopnuzzle.com and fine tack shops and boutiques popular with horse enthusiasts.

Portions of Nuzzle proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Horses, a non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of horses.

Nuzzle Products are not tested on animals.

There are many other niche-within-a-niche fragrances which we will discuss in future blogs. Do you have any suggestions?

image source: shopnuzzle.com

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Sometimes you just want to have a fragrance that is uniquely your own. One way to do this is by spritzing on a couple different perfumes together to make your own fragrant statement.

Another way is to have a scent custom-blended just for you. Custom-blended fragrances have typically been prohibitively expensive, with price-points starting at $40,000. Fortunately, there are now more affordable options. For example, the British company, Create-Your-Own-Fragrance, charges £30, or approximately $60, for a 50ml eau de parfum atomizer.

The fun process of designing your scent can all be done on-line at Createyourownfragrance.net. You will be led through a series of questions aimed at understanding you better. Questions include naming your favorite food, favorite time of day, interests, favorite perfume, least favorite perfume, and others designed to give a snapshot into your preferences and character. The short quiz alone is very entertaining!

Once you’ve answered the questions, paid you money, and received your personal blend, if you don’t just love it, you may return it for a “full, no quibble refund.”

image source: Createyourownfragrance.net

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