The Perfume Bee

I seem to be on a roll with perfume oils. Today I have been enjoying the scent of a light and lovely perfume oil named, happily, Perfect Bliss. Perfumer Sarah Horowitz-Thran created this fragrance to reflect the mesmerizing scent of the floral arrangements at her November 2002 wedding.

This fragrance features:

• top notes of blood orange, mango, and papaya
• a middle accord of gardenia, rose, tuberose, and lily
• and base notes of vanilla, patchouli, cedar and musk

Wearing this fragrance is like going on a tropical mini-vacation. Just closing my eyes and sniffing, I could practically hear the sounds of the island birds chirping and the palm trees whispering in the breeze!

The top notes give off a quick fruity blast, followed by the sweet delicacy of the white flowers. The soft musk/woodsy accord gives it a solid depth. My only complaint is that this fragrance disappeared far too quickly. I was hopeful that being oil-based, rather than alcohol-based, it might linger for hours. This was not the case. I had to reapply several times throughout the day to keep it detectable on my skin. Having said that, this would be a good fragrance to wear on a hot summer day, or when you just want to be carried away on a dream of Tahitian flowers!

This perfume oil is available at fragrances and more. Cost: $40 for 1/8 oz roll-on.

photo source: fragrances and more

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I love fine fragraces and spritz them on with carefree abandon. However, in my heart-of-hearts, I prefer all natural ingredients whenever possible. Yes, I’m one of those “granola” mothers who steamed organic kale leaves and pureed them for my children’s dinners when they were babies. I am a big fan of organic products, and I consider the use of organic ingredients in fragrances to be a definite “plus.”

So I am happy to review a lovely perfume oil handcrafted of essential oils in a base of organic jojoba oil. Love No.1 is part of the Soul Collection (Love N.1, Heart N.2, Soul N.3) created by perfumer Andrea Kane.

It is comprised of Blood Orange, Tuberose, Pink Lotus, Turkish Rose, Cocoa Absolute, Cassia, Sandalwood, Patchouli, and Vanilla.

The fragrance opens with a strong patchouli/sandalwood accord. After a few minutes, the light tuberose and lotus notes come floating up to the surface. Finally, the rose and cocoa notes hit their stride, balanced with a touch of vanilla. This fragrance has an overall sweet, warm and woodsy character. The drydown lasted about two hours, which on my skin is considered a relatively long time.

The sleek bottle is made by Verreries Brosse, the makers of the iconic Chanel No. 5 flacon.

This fragrance is available online at theorganicbeautyexpert

Cost: Parfum Oil (1/4 oz. $110), Eau de Parfum spray (2 oz. $120); Body Oil (6.7 oz. $85); and Whipped Body Butter (8.5 oz. $65).

image source: theorganicbeautyexpert

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image source: Nordstrom

Singer Jon Bon Jovi and designer Kenneth Cole have teamed up to help fight homelessness. They have pledged that a portion of the proceeds from the sales of R.S.V.P., the new Kenneth Cole men’s fragrance manufactured by Coty Inc., will be donated to three charities that aim to combat homelessness. They include:

• Habitat for Humanity, which seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action;
• HELP USA, whose aim is to empower the homeless and others in need to become and remain self-reliant; and
• The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation, which exists to combat issues that force families and individuals into economic despair through the creation of programs and partnerships that break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.

R.S.V.P. is a woody/spicy fragrance consisting of (from osmoz.com):

• Top notes: Lavender, Grapefruit, Pepper, Wet Grass
• Middle notes: Iris, Orchid, Cedarwood
• Base notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vetiver, Soft Cashmere

R.S.V.P. is available at Nordstrom: Eau de Toilette 1.7 oz. ($45) and 3.4 oz ($59.50); After Shave Balm 3.4 oz ($45); After Shave Splash 3.4 oz ($45); and Deodorant 2.6 oz ($16).

Kudos, Jon and Kenneth!

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And now we come to the end of our Parisian perfume journey. I hope you’ve enjoyed this forray into the wonderful world of French fragrances as much as I have enjoyed writing about it!

I would love to hear about your favorite perfume destinations not included in this itinerary. Your suggestions and ideas will help me plan my next journey! And for those of you who want more practical “nuts-and-bolts” details about visiting parfumeries in Paris, I have good news!

I have written an article titled “The Perfumer-Lovers’ Guide to Paris” which will appear in Marlen Harrison’s restyled online magazine PerfumeCritic.com. I am delighted to be one of PerfumeCritic’s writers, and the new magazine-style format of PerfumeCritic.com is slated to debut this Thursday, Febuary 1st. Be sure to check it out!

UPDATE: “The Perfumer-Lovers’ Guide to Paris” is now available as an e-book for immediate download. For more information, please click here.

Also, while I will not be a regular writer at PerfumeCritic.com after all, I wish Marlen and each of the writers at Perfume Critic all the best!

Of course, I will continue to buzz merrily away at The Perfume Bee and look forward to keeping you apprised of all the latest in niche perfumery.

photo: 20th century perfume organ, Fragonard Museum, Paris

photo credit: Christine Pierce

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Yesterday’s online issue of wwd.com, often referred to as “the beauty bible” for beauty and fashion insiders, features an article about the increasing popularity of niche fragrances. Hip readers of The Perfume Bee (that means you!) already know that niche perfumery is “where it’s at!” It is nice to see this recognition in the mainstream fashion industry.

Included in the article is an interview with Sniffapalooza’s founder, Karen Dubin. She points out that when given the opportunity to smell niche fragrances, customers will notice the difference in sophistication between niche scents and more commercial scents. “People,” she adds, “are looking beyond department stores to find something really special.” You go, Karen!

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Le Printemps de la Beauté is a treasure trove of wonderful designer and niche perfumes. Located on the Boulevard Hausmann near the Opèa, this perfume department in one of Paris’ grand old department stores is a must-visit for perfume fanatics such as myself.

One of these niche brands is from the designer Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan. Her 2007 collection features seven unique eaux de toilette, each with its own story. She likens her yearly collection of perfumes to the annual collections of new dresses or jewelry made by designers.

Here they are:

• Amande Honorable (feminine) Floral/woodsy musk; linden blossom, sugared almond, and notes of clean linen and musk
• Berbériades (feminine) Spicy/Oriental; Citrus fruit top notes, jasmine, wood, oriental notes and spices
• Embruns d’Ambre (feminine) Floral aquatic; aquatic notes, solar notes, and ambergris

  (side note: while my French is passable, I often need help in fine-tuning translations of perfume ingredients. One of my teenaged sons, having worked his way through a few years of high school Spanish, introduced me to the freetranslation.com website. It is very helpful for simple words, but the translation of longer sentences can be confusing, if not downright hilarious. For instance, this is the translation I received for the ingredients in Embruns d’Ambre:

  A fragrance mixing the odor océane to the one of the gray amber that floats to the surface of the oceans. This is a low-fat, foamed amber…..!?!!

  Mmm, low-fat foamy amber… But I digress…

• Le Pot aux Roses (feminine) Floral rose-violet; green top notes, violet and rose middle notes on a white musk and powder base.
• Tobacco Mucho (masculine) Woody/aromatic; notes of frosted lemon; burned wood; and tobacco leaves.
• Un Thé au Sahara (feminine) Citrus/aromatic; mint; tea; spices; precious woods
• Voleur de Ciels (masculine) Woody/chypre; mint, jasmine, gasoline, leather

Of the seven, I chose Voleur de Ciels to purchase. I was in a bit of a hurry, which is never a good thing when buying fragrance. It was also very hot and crowded in the department store at the time of my selection. I was probably hungry, too. And the list of perfume notes was not readily available to me. Which is a roundabout way of admitting that I made a mistake…

When I first applied it, all I could smell were the mint and jasmine notes, which were quite nice. But the dry down awhile later left me surprised and a little stunned. When I finally discovered the notes, I had to laugh. Really, gasoline, on moi? It is described as smelling both of a man and a plane. And here’s the kicker: of all the fragrances I tested in Paris, this one has the longest staying power, hands-down. Truly, it lasts hours and hours, which is all the more devastating because fragrances typically last about 15 minutes on me.

In retrospect, I should have bought the Le Pot aux Roses. It was light and flowery with just the right amount of powder. These fragrances are available in Paris at Printemps de la Beauté. Cost: 60 euros for 30 ml eau de toilette; 80 euros for 50 ml. For more information, please go to the Printemps website.

UPDATE: The new Parisian perfume boutique, Evody, also carries Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan. The address is 63 rue Saint-André des Arts 75006 Paris. Telephone is: 01 55 42 06 54

source of perfume descriptions: French Osmoz

photo credit: Christine Pierce

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Nearing the end of my Parisian perfume journey, I came to one of the most well-known fashion addresses in the city: 24 rue faubourg-St. Honore, home of the Hermès flagship store. While it is better known for its luxury handbags and silk scarves, Hermès also has a rich history of creating beautiful perfumes. The fragrances are located on the ground floor right next to the scarves. I must say, the scarf department was wild! There were sales associates lined up along one side of the long counter, with seas of beautifully colored scarves on the counters in front of them. Lined up on the other side were droves of eager customers waiting to choose their silken treasures! It was very high energy and chaotic!

Next to that, the perfume department was like the calm in the eye of the hurricane! There was just one sales associate, and a great display of testers so one could, if one were so inclined, spritz happily to one’s heart’s content. Which is exactly what I did! The Hermès classics were all present and accounted for: the green floral Amazone; the floral woodsy Caleche; and the rich amber floral 24 Faubourg.

But the main focus of my attention was The Hermessence Collection.

The Hermessence Collection is Hermès’ contribution to niche perfumery and is available only in select Hermes boutiques. Launched in 2004, this line currently has six beautiful fragrances created by master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. They include:

• Rose Ikebana, a blend of rose petals and crisp rhubarb; peony; pink peppercorns, grapefruit, vanilla and honey;
• Ambre Narguilé, combining honey and amber with benzoin, labdanum, vanilla, caramel, sugar, tonka beans and sesame seeds;
• Poivre Samarcande, pepper softened with mellow wood and musk
• Vétiver Tonka, the strength of vetiver and the smoothness of hazelnut blended with neroli, bergamot, and tonka;
• Osmanthe Yunnan, a soft floral blend with tea, osmanthus flower; orange; freesia and apricot
• and the latest, Paprika Brasil, combining the essence of capsicum with the flames of brazil woods, spices and cloves.

These are available in 100 ml bottles ($175); the luxury version of 100 ml in a leather case ($420), and in Discovery Sets of 4 15-ml bottles for $120. The predetermined “variety” Discovery Set features the first four fragrances only: Rose Ikebana, Ambre Narguilé, Poivre Samarcande, and Vétiver Tonka. You may also purchase the Discovery Set with four bottles of the same fragrance of your choice.

My personal favorite in this collection is Osmanthe Yunnan. I am growing increasingly partial to the osmanthus flower and when blended with another of my favorites, freesia, it is a real delight. This fragrance also lasts an extremely long time on my skin, especially for an eau de toilette (well over 8 hours).

For more information, please see the Hermès website or telephone the NYC boutique: 212.751.3181.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

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“Bright,” “sparkling,” “crystalline,” and “gemlike” are just some of the words that come flooding to my mind when I think of the Caron boutique. Located on the stately Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement, this is a true jewel-box of a store. Walking into this parfumerie reminds me of entering the glittering Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, albeit on a much smaller scale! The company was founded in 1904 by perfumer Ernest Daltroff and has been creating luxury fragrances for the last century.

This picture shows Caron’s trademark crystal fountains. They are filled with the company’s beautiful haute perfumes. As you can see, they are lovely to behold.

My favorite perfume from the crystal flacons is Tubéreuse. This is Caron’s newest “fountain” creation, created by in-house perfumer Richard Fraysse in 2003. As its name suggests, it is a soliflore based on the beautiful tuberose flower. It has top notes of Indian tuberose; middle notes of jasmine, peach and apricot; and a warm vanilla base. It dries down to a very beautiful, elegant finish. There are 13 fountain fragrances, which may be purchased in Caron boutiques in Paris. Cost of Tubéreuse: 100 euro/50 ml eau de parfum.

For more information, visit the Caron website. There is also a Caron boutique in New York City, located on Madison Avenue between 61st and 62nd streets, telephone 212.319.4888.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

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We take a break from our Parisian perfume travelogue to share an announcement from Coach. This iconic leather goods manufacturer has created its first fragrance, Coach. Produced by a division of Estee Lauder Cos. in cooperation with Firmenich, this scent is slated to be launched in March and will be available exclusively in Coach’s 220 U.S. retail stores.

According to wwd.com,“the scent has top notes of tart green mandarin, guava, violet petals and water lily; a heart of genet flower, honey, orange flower, mimosa and jasmine, and a drydown of sandalwood, amber wood and vanilla.”

The collection will consist of a 1.7-oz. eau de parfum spray for $68, an 8-ml. purse spray, $42, and a 0.15-oz. solid perfume, $40.

photo image: Coach purse spray;
photo credit: Robert Mitra

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House of Guerlain, 68 Ave des Champs Elysées

Today I am going to describe my visit to La Maison Guerlain (The House of Guerlain). Going there is like making a pilgrimage to the Mother Ship of haute parfumerie. Located on the expansive Avenue des Champs-Élysées, this quintessentially Parisian boutique is just what one might picture when thinking of a French parfumerie. It is charming, genteel, and refined. Walking through the door is like stepping back in time, to the lovely Belle Époche era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Belle Époche period was a golden era of beauty, creativity, and peace in Europe. On the cultural scene, the arrival of the cancan, cabaret and the cinema livened things up. Meanwhile, the art world was swept away by the new styles of Impressionism and Art Nouveau.

Built in 1914, this boutique captures the essence of that time. The second floor, with its enormous plate glass windows looking out at the ever-changing street scene below, is a perfume-lover’s haven. There are dozens and dozens of beautiful perfume flacons displayed throughout the chamber with blotting papers at the ready for your testing pleasure. Two easy chairs in one corner were most appreciated as I felt somewhat overwhelmed after an hour of sampling. Yes, I nearly swooned with delight! The sales associates were friendly but non-intrusive and did not seem to mind my camera and notepad.

Perfume display, second floor

Bee bottles!

The classics are all here: Jicky, created in 1889 and considered by many to be the first “modern” perfume and the first unisex fragrance; Apres L’Ondee (After the Rain Shower), the lovely violet-scented, powdery floral created in 1906 by Jacques Guerlain; Mitsouko, created in 1919, with its earthy heart notes of oakmoss and peach; Shalimar, the ambery floral created in 1925 and still considered the flagship perfume of Guerlain; and Liu, a beautiful floral/aldehyde fragrance created in 1929.

Common to many of the Guerlain fragrances is a special vanilla and amber accord. This unique accord is often referred to as the Guerlinade and a perfume by the same name was launched by Guerlain in 1921. It is a very light, pretty floral that would be good for daytime wear.

A special section of the room is devoted to the four fragrances in Guerlain’s latest collection, “L’Art et la Matiere”. Each of these fragrances has been created around a rare, precious ingredient by a master perfumer.

The collection includes Rose Barbare (Barbaric Rose), a beautiful elegant honey, rose and chypre fragrance created by French-Armenian perfumer Francis Kurkdjian; Cuir Beluga (Beluga leather), created by Olivier Polge; Angélique Noire (Black Angelica), created by Daniele Andrier; and Bois d’Armenie (Armenian incense paper), created by Annick Menrdo.

It’s hard to tell in the picture below, but the tall bottle with the puff-atomizer is Angélique Noire, my personal favorite in this collection. It is a fresh, clean, sweet fragrance of angelica root, bergamot and vanilla. It dries down to a soft, slightly gourmand vanilla scent with good lasting power. It is available at the Guerlain flagship store (140 euros/ 75 ml) and at Bergdorf Goodman $195 for 2.5 fl. oz.

Guerlain treasures

Alert readers may have noticed I did not list this perfumery under “Better-Know-A-Niche Perfumery.” That is because the House of Guerlain is beyond niche. It is in a category unto itself and stands alone as one of the first haute perfume houses in the world. Très bien!

photo credits: Christine Pierce

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