Showing posts with label Eau de Cologne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eau de Cologne. Show all posts

Monday, 15 September 2025

CHYPRE EAU DE COLOGNE by Jean d'Aigle

A bottle of Chypre Eau de Cologne from Jean d'Aigle
The traditional bottle of cologne used to be a staple in every household, but it fell out of favour in certain countries when the eau de toilettes and eau de parfums overtook it in popularity. There was the obvious comparison of strength and longevity, the cologne being more fleeting than its rivals, but in the new push for “quiet fragrances” the humble cologne is fighting back. France never abandoned this celebrated splash, and it's one of its oldest companies that is trumpeting the return. Jean d’Aigle has a history stretching back to 1945, and its Chypre Eau de Cologne is ideal for autumn as it celebrates its 80th birthday.

Monday, 19 August 2024

JAMES by Atkinsons

A bottle of the perfume James by Atkinsons
With the warmer weather starting to subside in favour of more autumnal temperatures, it’s a good time to begin thinking about the fashion for changing your fragrance to suit the season. If I’m honest, I’ve always been a bit smorgasbord when it comes to perfume, and wear my favourites throughout the year regardless of weather. However, one fragrance that really comes into its own as we exit summer is James by Atkinsons. This celebratory scent perfectly straddles the troublesome seasonal divide, because it actually suits every season, but it’s woody and earthy undertones really shine through as an autumnal must-have.

Monday, 9 January 2023

MUSC IMPÉRIAL EAU DE COLOGNE by Terres Dorees

Terres Dorees Musc Imperial Eau de Cologne perfume bottle
Christmas and New Year are the undisputed holidays of excess, and that’s why January is the perfect time to put the brakes on and take a moment to appreciate the simpler things in life. Most tables will have been groaning with food and the base of the Christmas Tree will have been hidden behind gifts but, with a new year of demands on our bank balances, you can still slash the price tags and walk away with a fantastic new fragrance. Uplifting and effervescent perfumes are always a guaranteed winner, so let’s take a trip to France and discover Musc Impérial Eau de Cologne from Terres Dorees.

Monday, 25 January 2021

GENOA BAY EAU DE COLOGNE by Wild Coast Perfumery

The dream of launching your own perfume brand is one that many fragrance fans consider at some point, although few continue beyond that initial thought. The time that needs to be invested, not to mention the financial backing, can make it unattractive in the long term. However, if you do have the courage to take it further then you unlock a world of creativity. This is exactly what Laurie Arbuthnot did when she founded Wild Coast Perfumery in 2017. Located on Vancouver Island, her inspiration comes from the incredible surroundings, and it’s these that have resulted in the equally spectacular Genoa Bay Eau de Cologne.

Thursday, 23 July 2020

CUIR DE RUSSIE by Farina Gegenüber

You’ll often hear it levelled against the big perfume companies, and sometimes even the niche houses, that they’re constantly imitating somebody else’s successful style. Deliberately copying a fragrance is a different matter altogether, but what I’m talking about is taking a popular trend and putting your own spin on it. If you think about the many fern-like perfumes that came after Fougere Royale, or even the amber-heavy orientals that were hot on the heels of Shalimar, you can see how being inspired by the latest hit is nothing new. It was the same story in 1925 when Farina Gegenüber launched their fabulous Cuir de Russie.

Thursday, 28 May 2020

VIOLETTE EAU DE COLOGNE by Galimard

It’s easy to forget the more traditional forms of fragrance when we’re constantly bombarded with the latest and the loudest ground-breaking perfumes. You read about “new” ingredients, different ways of wearing scent, but sometimes a return to a simpler time is actually what’s needed. We’ve become so accustomed to the “volume” of a perfume that to wear something subtle can be a terrifying thought, but it’s worth the risk. A scent that delicately sits closely to the skin, and that almost becomes a part of you, is a wonderful experience, and that is exactly what you get from Violette Eau de Cologne by Galimard.

Monday, 9 September 2019

EAU DE MENTON by Prestige de Menton

One of the joys of summer is a welcome return to the glorious eau de cologne style of scent. The effervescent and bright explosion of citrus and aromatics is wonderfully cooling and incredibly uplifting. This category of fragrance has seen a remarkable resurgence in recent years, accompanied by some ridiculous price tags, but there are still some classic companies that have never stopped producing their celebration of sunshine. One such brand is Presitge de Menton and, after two years of sympathetic updating, their new Eau de Menton collection retains the original Provençal charm but adds a touch of Parisian chic.

Monday, 15 October 2018

"GOLDEN STILL" EAU DE COLOGNE by Grossmith

In these times of meticulously engineered fragrances I sometimes find myself hankering after a simpler era when scents could happily just be described as “nice” and “lovely” without the need for “complex” and “challenging”. The golden years of colognes siting comfortably next to perfumes, and both having their place on the dressing table, have now gone. However, a little detective work can uncover some of these forgotten gems, and this was exactly what happened when I stumbled across a bottle of Grossmith ‘Golden Still’ Eau de Cologne. Long since discontinued, I wondered just how well it had stood the test of time.

Thursday, 9 August 2018

EAU DE COLOGNE - Apply With Abandon

The word “cologne” has become a little misunderstood in recent years with the term being used to describe anything from strength to gender. As companies played fast and loose with this classic style of fragrance, customers no longer realised just how wonderful this bottle of freshness could be. In an attempt to unscramble the confusion I asked four perfumers to give their opinion on the style, and also to reveal their favourites. Marina Barcenilla, Pia Long, Sarah McCartney and Andy Tauer have all gathered a loyal following with their mix of creativity and knowledge, so could they help us to revisit the classic cologne?

Monday, 4 July 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - LAWRENCE ROULLIER-WHITE


East Dulwich is home to the famous perfume store Roullier White. Now in it’s eleventh year, it’s the passion of Lawrence Roullier-White, but it’s far more than just fragrance. A better description would be Lifestyle Emporium with everything to keep your home running smoothly, but we’ll just concentrate on the perfume side. A regular stop-off point for scent hunters, what would Lawrence reveal about his own fragrant memories during “Stephan’s Six”?

Thursday, 2 June 2016

Does HABANITA Still Have Her Bite?

“Le parfum le plus tenace du monde” was a huge statement to make about any fragrance, but the one that was being described definitely deserved the accolade. Outside of its home town it translates as “the longest lasting perfume in the world”, and it is interesting to note that this “tenacious” fragrance actually came about by accident. I’m talking about Habanita by Molinard, and in her ninety-fifth year it’s time we looked back on this sensual grand dame. How did she become such a phenomenon, what does it share with Chanel No.5, and are the rumours of a discontinuation really true?