The Perfume Bee

Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido is home to the exceptional creations of Serge Lutens, master perfumer for this boutique since 1990. M. Lutens is wonderfully skilled in making harmonious, mysterious fragrances blended with rare and unusual essences. His fondness for Marrakech, where he has lived for many years, is evidenced in many of his warm, sultry, woodsy and spicy fragrances.

To learn more about M. Lutens, I recommend this terrific interview by Astrid Vitols in Osmoz. There is also a great website devoted to all things Serge Lutens here (although quite a bit has not been translated from French into English).

This distinct line of niche perfumes is showcased in the beautiful, hushed boutique located in the historic Garden of the Palais-Royal in Paris’ first arrondissement. There is an almost reverential air in the main salon where the fragrances are on display. Each corner of the high-ceilinged room has a beautiful glass case displaying the line of fragrances. Each bottle of fragrance is paired with a previously-dipped scent strip which has dried down to its final notes. It is a visual delight just looking at the classic bell jars of eau de parfum, some availaible only in this boutique. (Fortunately, they may also be ordered online from the salons-shiseido website; cost is 100 euros for 75 ml eau de parfum).

Some of my favorites include:

• Ambre Sultan:: a classic amber oriental fragrance with oregano, laurel, myrtle, amber, labdanum, benzoin, resins, angelica root, patchouli, sandalwood, styrax and tolu balsam
• Bois et Fruits: a woodsy floral with apricot, red plum, peach and figs on a cedar base
• A La Nuit: a sweet floral with jasmine, clove, benzoin, white honey and musk
• Tubéreuse Criminelle: a rich tuberose floral with orange blossom, clove, musk, nutmeg, jasmine, tuberose, vanilla, styrax, and hyacinth greens

What I found most interesting about Tubéreuse Criminelle was how harsh the top notes were. When I first smelled it, I was hit with a gasoline/asphalt odor that nearly took my breath away! The sales associate must have seen the look of dismay cross my face as I snifffed it expectantly on the back of my hand. “Give it time,” she said. So I walked outsided into the courtyard and strolled around in the cool winter air. A short while later, I sniffed it again. She was right! It had changed dramatically and was now a deep, rich tuberose scent that I just loved. I still do! The color of this eau de parfum is also unexpected. Most tuberose fragrances I am familiar with are a pale yellow hue. Not so with this one. It is a dark ambery brown, like an expensive cognac.

Tubéreuse Criminelle reminded me of two important lessons when trying new fragrances: 1) give yourself plenty of time for the dry-down; and 2) don’t judge a fragrance by its color.

This line is available at aedes, $92-$120 for 1.69 ounces. It is also available at The Perfume House and in Australia at mecca.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

Share This

On my second day in Paris, I went to what turned out to be one of my favorite niche perfumeries in the city: The Different Company. This perfumery was created at the beginning of this century with the goal of creating luxurious fragrances with rare and precious ingredients and keen attention to detail and craftsmanship.

Located on a quiet side street in the 2nd arrondissement, this boutique has a very clean, zen-like feel to it. The minimalist approach is reflected in the clean lines of the bottles made of carefully blown glass and topped with hefty bronze caps.

The press relations associate, Julie, was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable about the line. I was able to test the different fragrances at my own pace, and Julie answered my many questions with great patience and charm.

The Different Company collection currently has nine beautiful fragrances:

• Bois d’Iris: Iris, vetiver, cedarwood, narcissus, geranium, musk
• Osmanthus: Chinese osmanthus, leaf green, bergamot, orange, tangerine, rose, rose bay, castoreum, hay, and musk
• Rose Poivrée: Damascus Rose, centifolia rose, rose bay, pepper, coriander, vetiver, civet
• Bergamote: Bergamot (70%), ginger, orange blossoms, leaf green, rhubarb and musk
• Jasmin de Nuit: Egyptian jasmine, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, black currant, sandalwood, musk, and amber
• Sel de Vétiver: cardamom, grapefruit, geranium, Haitian vetiver, Indonesian patchouli, ylang ylang and iris
• Charmes et Feuilles: marjoram, peppermint, sage, wild thyme, jasmine sambac, grapefruit, clementine and patchouli
• Sens et Bois: Chinese cedar wood, white violet, black pepper, elemi resin, ginger, patchouli, vervain, bergamot and incense
• Ailleurs et Fleurs: neroli, petigrain, tuberose, hazelnut- and elder-flowers, mandarin, star anise, Bigarade orange, soft musk and plum

Choosing a favorite is difficult because they are each delightful and full of unique character. So I will choose two: Jasmin de Nuit and Ailleurs et Fleurs. Both of these gorgeous florals were created by Céline Ellena. Jasmin de Nuit is made with a particularly high concentration of Egyptian jasmine blended with warm cinnamon, cardamom and star anise on a bed of golden amber. It has a delicious dry-down and very good staying power. I am a big fan of jasmine in any form, and this fragrance is one of my favorite jasmine blends.

Ailleurs et Fleurs combines the delicate white flowers, neroli and tuberose, with petigrain oil and elder blossoms on a soft, musky base. This is a sheer, yet elegant transparent floral with unexpected depth. It calls to mind summer afternoon garden parties with white organza dresses and pearls.

These fragrances are available directly from The Different Company website. They are also available at luckyscent and lusciouscargo, $130-$150 for 90 ml eau de toilette.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

Share This

Our journey continues across the Seine into the 3rd arrondissement, along the edge of the happenin’ Marais district. At the corner of Rue Pastourelle and Rue des Archives is the new parfumerie, Etat Libre d’Orange. Founded by Etienne de Swardt in 2006, this parfumerie allows its perfumers (Nathalie Feisthauer, Antoine Lie and Antoine Masondieu) free reign in their creative expression.

This is reflected in the provocative names of the fragrances:

• sécrétions magnifique (magnificent secretions): iris, cocoa, sandalwood, opoponax
• vraie blonde (real blonde): aldehydes, Champagne, rose, white pepper, myrrh, patchouli, suede…
• je suis un homme (I am a man): bergamot, orange bigarade, lemon, myrtle, cinnamon, clove, cognac accord, leather, patchouli, animal notes…
• encens et bubblegum (incense and bubblegum): peach, raspberry, vanilla, lily of the valley, orange blossom musk, incense…
• jasmin et cigarette (jasmine and cigarette): jasmine absolute, tobacco, hay, apricot, tonka bean, turmeric, cedar, amber, musk…
• putain des palaces (hotel slut): Rose absolute, violet, leather, lily of the valley, tangerine, ginger, rice powder, amber, animal notes…
• eloge du traitre (praise of a traitor): pine, laurel, mugwort, clove, geranium, jasmine, patchouli, leather, musk…
• rien (nothing): incense, rose, leather, iris, rock rose, oakmoss, styrax pyrogene, patchouli, amber, cumin, black pepper, aldehydes…
• nombril immense (large belly button): patchouli, balsam of Peru, vetiver, black pepper, sweet myrrh, bergamot, carrot seed, ambrette seed…
• antihéros (anti-hero): lavender, musk, wood
• divin’enfant (Divine Child): orange blossom, rose, amber, musk, leather and tobacco…

The sales associate and I had a very merry time with the translations! We sat across from each other at her desk as she carefully sprayed each fragrance onto a blotting strip for me to smell, one at a time. I would smell each one with care, try to guess some of the notes, and then ask the name. I think everything sounds beautiful when spoken in French, but sometimes the translations can be a bit jarring! For instance, one of my favorite scents, Putain des Palaces, a soft, powdery rosy floral, sounds like beauty incarnate when its name is spoken in French. When she translated it for me as, “Hotel Slut,” I nearly fell off my chair laughing! Probably not the response she was expecting, but the incongruence between the beautiful scent/melodious French name and the English equivalent caught me off guard.

I also really like Vraie Blonde, a bubbly aldehyde that feels very youthful. The newest fragrance has not yet been launched, but I was able to smell a sample. It is named Vierges et Toreros (Virgins and Bullfighters) and is a light tuberose/incense scent on a woodsy, musky base. For more information on this line, please see the Etat Libre d’Orange website.

Newsflash: Victoria mentions on her Bois de Jasmin website that the line is going to be availabe at Henri Bendel’s in NYC in the winter of 2007.

Next stop: The Different Company

photo credits: Christine Pierce

Share This

My fourth stop of the morning was the darling L’Artisan Parfumeur, just around the corner and down the street at 24 Boulevard Raspail, 75007 (01 42 22 23 32). This cheerful boutique, founded by Jean Laporte in 1976, features a wide range of unique eaux de toilette, home fragrances and fragrant objects. I fell in love with the limited edition Fleur de Narcisse 2006 Eau de Parfum. Last year was a bumper crop for the Narcissus flower, and this exquisite fragrance is the sweet essence of elegance in a bottle.

I also enjoyed the trio of eaux de toilettes, Les Epices de la Passion, translated as Love Potions. These three fragrances are inspired by ancient recipes for bewitching magic spells!

Safran Troublant (Saffron Spell) is the sweetest of the three. It combines saffron and vanilla with red rose and sandalwood into a lovely golden elixir.

Poivre Piquant (Fiery Pepper) is the the spiciest scent, combining strong notes of white pepper with the slight bitterness of licorice and velvety softness of honey and milk.

Piment Brûlant (Hot Pimento) is my favorite in the set. It is warm and spicy like red pepper, softened with a bit of chocolate, all blended with a touch of vanilla, poppy and cloves.

This trio of three 15-ml sprays is packaged in a beautiful red satin cylindrical case in a black gift box for $75 which can be ordered on the L’Artisan Parfumeur website.

Also interesting is the special 5-piece collection eaux de toilette Sautes d’Humeur (Mood Set). These five fragrances, “Lazy mood”, “Angry mood”, “Jealous mood”, “Joyful mood”, and “Spiritual mood” are a means of expressing or changing your mood in a very elemental way! I will be describing these in a later post, after I have time to feel their effects!

Finally, I also stopped by the L’Artisan Parfumeur flagship store near the Louvre.

This boutique offers a 3-hour perfume-making workshop in the upstairs studio. Cost is 95 euros. The class is offered sporadically, so do check in advance if you are interested in taking it. I was told by the sales associate that on a clear day the cozy atelier has a spectacular view of the Eiffel tower. Sadly, it was hidden by clouds on my visit!

Thus ends my first morning in Paris! Stay tuned for a description of my intriguing afternoon visit to the hip new parfumerie, Etat Libre d’Orange.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

Share This

My third Parisian parfumerie was Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, located a couple blocks from Maître Parfumeur et Gantier at 37 rue de Grenelle, 75007.

Frederic Malle shook up the perfume world a few years ago when he offered nine world-class perfumers the freedom to create the luxurious perfumes of their choice. The resulting fragrances are of the highest quality and are a true delight for the senses. This boutique is very sleek and modern, with six floor-to-ceiling glass tubes in which customers may test various scents.

It’s hard to tell from this photo, but basically the cylinder swings open at waist level, and you stick your head into the tube and breathe in the fragrance, in this case, En Passant. It is a terrific way to smell the pure fragrance with no olfactory distractions.

My favorite fragrances in this line are Carnal Flower, a rich, elegant tuberose-based floral created by Dominique Ropion; En passant, Olivia Giacobetti’s ethereal white lilac fragrance with watery notes, orange tree leaves, cucumber and wheat; and Iris Poudre, a sophisticated floral of iris, jasmine and rose warmed on a vanilla and sandalwood base. It was created by Pierre Bourdon.

The sales associate at this boutique told me it took 700 trials before deciding upon the final recipe for Carnal Flower. She said 15 trials/day would be presented for testing over a great length of time. I must say, it was well worth the wait!

Their website has an intriguing chart under the “choose your own perfume” tab indicating where each frederic malle fragrance is located on a scent grid. There is a “fresh/transparent”…”warm/rich” continuum intersected by a “sweet/soft”…”dry/streamlined” continuum. This visual display makes it very easy to begin choosing a fragrance. I wish all perfumeries would adopt this technique!

These 15 exceptional fragrances can be purchased in the U.S. at Barneys New York (in New York City, L.A., Boston and Dallas) and online at: barneys new york.
Cost: Carnal Flower 100 ml $250; En Passant 50 ml $105; Iris Poudre 100 ml $180. Also available is the test kit of 14-10 ml samples and descriptive booklet, for 240 euros on the Frederic Malle website.

photos credit: Christine Pierce

Share This

The second stop on my Parisian perfume tour was Maître Parfumeur et Gantier (MPG), located conveniently next to Parfums de Nicolai at 84 Rue de Grenelle, 75007. This classical parfumerie was founded in 1989 by perfumer Jean-François Laporte. Since 1997, Jean-Paul Millet Lage has headed the company.

Based on the High French Perfumery concept of the 17th century, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier literally translates as “Master Perfumer and Glovemaker.” This is in reference to the historical link between glove-making and perfumery created by the fashion for perfumed gloves in France during the 1600s. (For a terrific description of the connection between glove-making, perfumery, and Grasse, please see Grasse’s Museum website).

MPG is a parfumerie using very rare and fine ingredients to create luxurious perfumes. It has a variety of women’s fragrances, men’s fragrances, and home fragrances. The women’s collection consists of four lines: The Divine Flowers; The Light Symphonies; The Mystery Accords; and The Invitation of the Journey.

After sampling several eaux de toilette at MPG, my favorite fragrance was Freezia d’Or (“Gold Freesia”), in the Mystery Accords line. It contains freesia, tuberose, neroli, jasmine, ylang ylang, iris and sandalwood. It is an absolutely delicious, freesia-y scent lightened by the refreshing lift of neroli. I had every intention of buying a small bottle, but it was not to be.

“Why not?” you may be tempted to ask. Well, since this stop was very early in my Parisian fragrance journey, and I did not want to be overloaded with shopping bags, I blithely assumed (wrongly, as it turns out), that I would be able to pick up a bottle of Freezia d’Or at the department store near my hotel. “Au Printemps” is one of the grand old department stores in the 9th arrondissement. It contains an extensive collection of hard-to-find perfumes, including Maître Parfumeur et Gantier. However, it is only a partial line. It does not carry “Freezia d’Or.” Word to the wise….

Fortunately, “Freezia d’Or” is available online at aedes and beautycafe (cost: $105/3.3 ounces ).

The sales associate at MPG, Catherine, was very charming and helpful. She asserted that if one is wearing a fragrance that is suitable to one’s chemistry, that one should not be able to smell the scent on oneself after application. In other words, if you can smell your perfume after you put it on (given a dry-down period, I assume), it might not be right for you. Others, she continued, should be able to smell it, however, and be pleased by it. What are your thoughts on this?

If you’d like to see my previous review of MPG Eau de Camelia Chinois, please visit here.

Next stop: Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

photo credit: Christine Pierce

Share This

My first morning in Paris, I made a beeline to the Left Bank. Armed with a map and a list of four parfumeries I wanted to visit before lunch, I hopped off the Metro at Rue-du-Bac, walked briskly to 30 Rue de Grenelle, 75007, and prepared to enter the store. It was not yet open. Drat! As I was quickly to discover, most stores in Paris open at 10:30 or 11:00 am. They are often closed for lunch as well. So, I took a quick walk around the block, watching my breath form clouds in the cold morning air, and circled around for another attempt. Bingo! The parfumerie was open!

This parfumerie is very petite but also very charming. I remembered it from a prior visit in 1998, and it looked remarkably the same. On that visit, I had purchased “Juste Un Reve” eau de toilette (an elegant jasmine and rose floral) and “Mimosaique” eau de parfum (yellow mimosa and green leaves - with iris root, jasmine and anise). Both were still available on this visit.

This time I tried four different fragrances, and ultimately selected a 30 ml bottle of “Rose-Pivoine” (Rose-Peony) eau de toilette. This is a very wearable, light floral fragrance consisting of top notes of bergamot and tangerine; middle notes of rose and peony; and base notes of amber and oak moss. Rose-Pivoine is the perfect fragrance to wear when you want something that is not over-powering but rather more of a background presence to your day. It can be purchased at beautyhabit. Cost: $40 for 30 ml edt. Parfum de Nicolai fragrances can also be found at Luckyscent.

Parfums de Nicolai was created by perfumeur Patricia de Nicolai and her husband, Jean-Louis, in 1989. As the grand-daughter of Pierre Guerlain, Patricia grew up immersed in the world of perfumery. She studied chemistry and attended the ISIPCA perfume school in Versailles. In 1988, Patricia was the first woman to receive the prestigious prize of the best international perfumer from the French Society of Perfumers.

Since 2005, Patricia has been using her creativity and her excellent knowledge of natural essential oils to create custom blends for individual clients. She compares custom-blended perfume to “haute couture” in the fashion world. For more information, please see the Parfums de Nicolai website.

Next: a visit to Maître Parfumeur et Gantier.

photo credits: Christine Pierce

Share This

Hooray! My luggage arrived today, with all of the perfume bottles intact and fully accounted for. I am thrilled to have these pretty bottles of liquid gold lined up on my counter. Starting tomorrow, I will begin discussing the various perfume houses I visited, as well as the different fragrances I brought back to the States.

For now, jet lag is casting it’s ugly shadow, so I will quickly follow-up my last post with a description of Fragonard “Capucine” eau de toilette. In contrast to yesterday’s light, citrusy “Eau du Bonheur,” “Capucine” is a warm, oriental fragrance consisting of green tea and bergamot top notes; middle notes of rose and jasmine; and base notes of musk, winter woods and vanilla. While it’s not one of my favorites, I can see how it would be a cozy choice to wear on a cold winter’s day. It can be purchased online at Fragonard, $32/100 ml edt refillable spray, or $48/200 ml.

Share This

Day 4 with neither my luggage…nor my perfume samples…..

As I was dolefully unpacking my meager carry-on bag which represented the sole remainder of my European luggage, I chanced upon five TSA-approved foil-wrapped eaux de toilette samples from Fragonard Parfumeur which had made their way into one of the bag’s many hidden pockets. Joy! All was not lost! I tore open the first packet, Eau du Bonheur, and sniffed happily away. My mood noticeably brightened as I took in the cheerful essences of bergamot, orange blossom, mate leaf, sandalwood and cedar. These single-use towelettes are a wonderful way to try a new fragrance, and are perfect for travel.

I obtained these samples at the beautiful Fragonard Perfume Museum (Musee Du Parfum) in Paris. Located in a 19th-century town house near the Opera Garnier, this museum has displays depicting 3000 years of perfume history. It is a short, self-guided tour with some very interesting pieces. Here is a Perfume Organ:

This is a Perfume Coffret from the 19th century:

Tomorrow while awaiting my luggage, I will try my second Fragonard eau de toilette-towelette, “Capucine.” Stay tuned!

top image: Fragonard Perfume Museum, Paris; photo credit: Christine Pierce

Share This