Grasse is world-famous for its fragrant flowers, which have been cultivated for centuries to supply the perfume houses, because the region’s climate and soil nurture iconic blooms like jasmine, May rose, orange blossom and tuberose. Still harvested with great care, these flowers are prized for their complex scents. Jasmine adds sensual warmth, May rose brings soft elegance, and orange blossom offers luminous freshness. Together they form the heart of many classic fragrances. Among these flowers, tuberose stands out for its creamy, intoxicating depth, and the latest perfume to capture this is T-HÉRITAGE from Galimard.
Everybody loves a good mystery, even if we don’t always end up solving it. Whether it’s a TV crime drama or a classic piece of fiction, attempting to follow the clues and unmask the villain is the perfect way to idle away a couple of hours. Now, pairing perfume with literature is nothing new, and many fragrances have been inspired by the characters and settings from famous books, but marking a celebration with one is even more fun. So, it’s time to litteraly mix the undisputed Queen of Crime with the actual hands of time as we discover the ravishingly intriguing Double Mystery from Franck Muller.
One of the facts about perfumery is that everybody has very definite opinions on certain ingredients. This can often be because of a questionable fragrance in our youth, that possibly featured a particular flower, or even the memories that it may conjure up. It’s this idea of jumping to conclusions without smelling that can occasionally see us miss out on some wonderful perfumes. One of the most “judged” ingredients has to be jasmine. This potent flower has been used for centuries but not always with a delicate hand. One man that did know how to tame it was Yuri Gutsatz, and Jasmin Majorelle is a testament to his skill.
Summer is the perfect time to revisit the classic cologne, and by this I mean a fragrance that is structured in the traditional way rather than merely exhibiting a “freshness” and “effervescence” that has become associated with the style. Many companies offer scents which are described as “cologne” but have little to do with this wonderfully simple form of perfumery, but one brand still proudly specialising in these uplifting scents is Cadentia. A favourite in France, but fairly unknown outside of its native country, the company has just launched their Eau de Cologne - La Véritable range and the results are beautiful.
When Marina Barcenilla won Best New Independent Fragrance for India in the 2016 Fragrance Foundation Awards it set in motion a complete rebranding of her company, gained her industry recognition, and also a loyal following of perfume fans that were fascinated by her approach to scent. The Perfume Garden, which she had launched in 2011, was renamed Marina Barcenilla Parfums and at the time she said, “while the name has changed the ethos remains the same, to create the finest fragrances using what nature has to offer.” Two years on I think it’s time to revisit India and see exactly why it became an award winner.
When a company chooses to release a new fragrance it usually goes through various hoops before it hits the shelves. From evaluation to IFRA compliance checks, most of these happen behind closed doors with the first glimpse being reserved for focus groups. Le Jardin Retrouvé have chosen a different approach for the launch of their latest fragrance and have invited perfume fans to vote for their favourite out of four options via their #PerfumeRevivalProject. Using original formulas discovered in Yuri Gutsatz’s archive, Le Jardin Retrouvé’s offerings run the gamut from solar floral to oriental, but which one did I choose?
“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?
I don't think that anyone could have truly predicted the phenomenal success of Lancôme's La Vie Est Belle back in 2012, and as we start 2016 few would have thought that a sixth version would be about to launch (excluding special editions). The key to the range's success was surely that each successive release was based on the original but pulled a different aspect of the fragrance to the fore, so the customer already had a familiarity with each new addition. The latest version, La Vie Est Belle Florale, launches in the UK on 21st February so let's take a journey through the whole series before seeing what to expect from the new one.
Liz Moores founded Papillon Perfumery in 2011, and this self trained perfumer has created quite a stir with a collection of four fragrances which combine strength, lust, femininity, masculinity and euphoria. So, with a mischievous glint in her eye, what would she make of "Stephan's Six"?
It's been fourteen months since the Library of Fragrance launched in the UK, and in that time it's had to fight hard to secure a portion of an ever expanding perfume market. Already very well known in America, after one year of trading have they succeeded in converting the British audience? Their uniqueness has actually turned out to be one of their biggest challenges but, with people now becoming more perfume-savvy, this is about to change. So, it's time to take another look at the company that creates the fragrances of everyday life, and even gives you the opportunity to blend your own "erotic" scent.
A fragrance for the modern woman who wanted it all; a career, a husband, and to still look sexy as she read her children a bed-time story. My personal experience of the latter is that you're usually exhausted and covered in baked beans! Created by Charles of the Ritz in 1978, Enjoli promised an "eight hour perfume for the twenty-four hour woman". Boasting the female ability to "bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never, never, never let you forget you're a man", the Enjoli woman allowed her husband to think he was in charge, although really she was. So, thirty seven years later, has the perfume stood up to changing tastes?
In 1981 Sophia Loren declined an offer to play the iconic role of Alexis Colby in "Dynasty", and so the part famously went to Joan Collins. However, the same year did see the release of the perfume SOPHIA by Coty. Described as “the fragrance of living and loving”, Sophia Loren told women to “wear it with a passion”. With an Italian sexuality that she was famous for, that message was clear. Thirty-five years later she would return to the world of fragrance in Dolce & Gabbana's Rosa Excelsa campaign, but for now, after a cold shower, I gently caressed the bottle to see whether the original passion could be rekindled!
The chypre fragrance was to the seventies what the Floral Oriental would be to the eighties, and there were lots to choose from. With a complete contrast to the emerging "youth" scents, that were full of bouncy freshness, and even the gloriously "simple" Penhaligon's florals, which were actually far from simple, the chypre provided a scent full of maturity and elegance. The most famous chypre of the Seventies was surely Charlie by Revlon, although it was marketed as an Aldehydic Floral, but Yardley wanted a piece of the action. Their release was the powerful CHIQUE, and this oakmoss overdose is still in production.
The 1980s were a difficult decade for Revlon, especially as they were approaching the ten year anniversary of Charlie with no new masterpiece in sight. Enter Scoundrel with the slogan "Seize the moment". Launched in 1980, the first three years of its life went largely unnoticed, but then the reigning "bitch" of prime time television swept in and changed its future forever, well at least until 1986.
When Galimard were approached by "L’Association Action Nationale des élus pour la Route Napoléon" to create a perfume to celebrate the bicentenary of the passage of the Emperor from Golfe-Juan to Grenoble, Chantal Roux, Galimard’s co-owner, began by researching the man himself. Interestingly she found that Napoleon possessed an excellent sense of smell. He loved the scent of rose, orange water and violet, and as he was from Corsica had also grown up with the aroma of the scrubland. Any research on Napoleon will always reveal his love of the ladies, so Chantal thought it important to bring feminine notes into the fragrance in a way that meant it could be enjoyed by both men and women. On the 20th February 2015 Napoléon was launched at Galimard’s factory in Grasse.
So, a perfume inspired by a man who adored Eau de Colognes. Can it work?
One of the facts about perfumery is that everybody has very definite opinions on certain ingredients. This can often be because of a questionable fragrance in our youth, that possibly featured a particular flower, or even the memories that it may conjure up. It’s this idea of jumping to conclusions without smelling that can occasionally see us miss out on some wonderful perfumes. One of the most “judged” ingredients has to be jasmine. This potent flower has been used for centuries but not always with a delicate hand. One man that did know how to tame it was Yuri Gutsatz, and Jasmin Majorelle is a testament to his skill.
