Thursday 27 April 2017

4160Tuesdays' DANGLY DO-DAH

It’s always interesting to find new ways of using fragrance but people still seem to make a very definite divide between perfume and home scents. Perfumes are seen as a daily necessity whilst home scents are regarded as fairly functional. I’m sure that most people have had a Jo Malone candle at some point or a White Company Room Diffuser but was it exactly the scent that you expected? So often the fragrance that we really want doesn’t exist in a home product, but 4160Tuesdays have come to the rescue. With the help of their Dangly Do-Dah, yes you read that right, you can now have any scent that you desire.

Monday 24 April 2017

WAFT'S Bespoke Fragrance Creation

The job of any good perfume consultant is to find the customer their perfect scent, but they're choosing from a selection of fragrances that have been made to fit into very specific trends. Even historic perfumes still have a particular style that was chosen by the perfumer in order to make it a commercial success. So, your "perfect" scent might not be as perfect as you actually want it to be. A new company has come up with a novel, and very entertaining, way to create your very own "bespoke" fragrance without even having to leave your home. Not convinced? Come with me and let me show you WAFT.

Thursday 20 April 2017

Guerlain's Limon Verde

It happens every year but it never gets any easier. I’m talking about the annual discontinuation of one of Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria range. Since the series first appeared in 1999 the collection has seen many fragrances come and go, but it is still a surprise when the final cut is made. Sometimes the choice is made based on sales figures, sometimes due to trend, but occasionally the decision leaves everyone surprised. In 2014 Guerlain introduced Limon Verde to the Aqua Allegoria range but it leaves the collection this year to make way for Bergamote Calabria. So, what is the history of this caipirinha explosion?

Monday 17 April 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - SUSIE WILLIS


Susie Willis is no stranger to success. She sold her first company, Plum Baby, in 2010 for £10m but she still had a desire to further investigate the natural ingredient market. So, in 2016 she launched the skincare range Romilly Wilde and their first fragrance, Idle, was listed in two categories in the 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards. With nominations for Best New Fragrance In Limited Distribution and Best New Independent Fragrance, I wanted to find out Susie's own perfume memories during "Stephan's Six".

Thursday 13 April 2017

L'AVENTURIER by Fragonard

I don't think that any visit to the Côte d'Azur is complete without a trip to Grasse, the spiritual home of perfumery, and to one of the three factories that are based there. Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard are referred to as "tourist" perfumers but their output really deserves to be looked at a little more closely by perfume fans. Last year, as part of their ninetieth birthday celebrations, Fragonard released a new male fragrance called L'Aventurier which features vetiver. The company has played with this ingredient before but could this new release appease fans that are still mourning the loss of their original Vetyver?

Monday 10 April 2017

STAR MAGNOLIA - Jo Malone's Spring Blossom

It’s blossom time again for Jo Malone London! A now regular tradition for the company, the limited edition Spring/Summer floral immediately follows their Brit Collection every year. This time it’s the turn of Star Magnolia, which promises to be “flirtatious, pristine and gleaming”. The company has once again turned to Anne Flipo of IFF to create this “tantalising” bloom in the hope that it will mirror the success of last year’s Nashi Blossom by Fabrice Pellegrin. Having already created their 2016 Herb Garden collection, as well as Basil & Neroli, Anne understands the style but how would she fare with this Shanghai floral?

Thursday 6 April 2017

The Inspiration for ORIENTAL BRÛLANT

It is strange that at a time when many “niche” perfume companies are experimenting with animalic fragrances one of France’s most respected, Guerlain, chose to discontinue one of theirs. Oriental Brûlant was part of the Elixir Charnel range and arrived on the scene in 2008. It made no excuses for its overtly provocative nature and labdanum lovers were in their element with large doses of this highly sexual ingredient. Designed around women’s actual and desired sexual styles, the Elixir Charnel range was a difficult one to market but, out of the original three, where did the inspiration for Oriental Brûlant actually come from?

Monday 3 April 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - EMMANUELLE MOEGLIN


Emmanuelle Moeglin trained at ISIPCA in Versailles from 2006-2008 before going on to found The Experimental Perfume Club in London. Alongside holding regular classes in perfumery for novices right through to experienced perfumers she now also has her own consultation and creation business. With a career that includes PUIG, L’Oreal and Symrise, what would we learn about Emmanuelle during “Stephan’s Six”?