Best Perfumes Of 2013
Persolaise Don’t look now, folks, but I think we’ve made it to the end of another December. Rose-tinted nostalgia goggles aside, it’s probably fair to say that 2013 has been as…
Christmas Wishes 2013
I can’t believe a year has gone by past since I last wished all of you a Merry Christmas. It’s a cliche, but I honestly don’t know where the time’s…
Persolaise Review: Oumma from 777 (Stéphane Humbert-Lucas; 2013)
If you’re going to do something that’s been done before, you’d better do it well. And if the thing you’re going to do is artistically suspect and quite possibly mercenary,…
Keeping It Moody – Karl Bradl And Bertrand Duchaufour At London’s Aedes De Venustas Launch
image: Aedes De Venustas Mood boards, rare irises and the conservativeness of the French market all came up when I met Karl Bradl and Bertrand Duchaufour in London recently to…
Twenty Blotters For… Neela Vermeire
Pick a blotter… read the question… give a short, snappy answer! Although her eponymous brand has been around for a relatively brief time, Neela Vermeire has already managed to convince…
Persolaise Review: Monsieur from Huitième Art (Pierre Guillaume; 2013)
Monsieur makes me angry. Sure, it displays the high levels of technical competence that we’ve now come to expect from Pierre Guillaume – it’s diffusive, long-lasting and generally cohesive –…
“This Is The Moment To Do It” – Madalina Stoica On The Fairy Tale Beginnings Of Jul Et Mad
The story behind the creation of Jul Et Mad has ‘PR gold’ written all over it in letters so shiny, it’s difficult to stop the cynic in you from questioning…
Home Scents For Christmas 2013 – From Diptyque’s Mechanical Air To Kurkdjian’s Supernatural Jasmine
You can keep your boughs of holly and your clove-encrusted oranges. If there’s one thing that’s enjoyable about the yuletide season, it’s the opportunity to scent your home with olfactory…
The Osmothèque Reviews: Fougère Royale from Houbigant (Paul Parquet; 1882/1884?)
*** For background information on my Osmothèque Reviews, please click here *** Oh, what a monster we’ve created! Mention the word ‘fougère’ nowadays to a knowledgeable perfume lover, and you’re…
Tauer Advent 2013 – Explorer Set Winner
Thanks very much indeed to all of you who entered yesterday’s Tauer Perfumes draw. I enjoyed reading all your entries. Sadly, there can be only one winner, and on this…
Persolaise’s Osmothèque Reviews + Andy Tauer’s Advent Give-Away
*** To skip to the Tauer Perfumes Advent Draw, please scroll to the bottom of this post. *** I’ve decided that we need to build a nuclear bunker around the…
Persolaise Gets Angry In ParfumPlus
I’m pleased to announce that the latest issue of Dubai-based ParfumPlus magazine features a piece by yours truly. Some of you may recognise the article: it was first published here…
Persolaise Review: Épice Marine from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2013)
If only all press packs were as helpful as the one for Épice Marine. Amongst the various bits and pieces of info provided by Hermès for this latest addition to…
From Mick To Madonna – The Winner Of The Etat Libre D’Orange Competition
A big Thank you to everyone who entered last week’s Etat Libre D’Orange competition. From your submissions, it looks as though you had tremendous fun trying to match the various…
Christmas 2013 Perfume Gift Recommendations – Little Black Dresses, Smoky Vanillas… And A Good Read
Please don’t mention sprouts or cranberries. I haven’t even done my cards yet! And as for presents… well, I expect there’ll be a fair amount of mad dashing around in…
The Smell Of Half A Century – Doctor Who Discovers Perfume On The Programme’s 50th Anniversary
Image: Grant Osborne Geek Alert: this could be the nerdiest piece I’ve ever written! Doctor Who, the world’s longest-running sci-fi TV series, is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary… which…
Win A Bottle Of Perfume From Etat Libre D’Orange
A little while ago, I was fortunate enough to interview Etienne De Swardt, the founder of Etat Libre D’Orange, at his brand’s flagship store in Paris. The full text of…
Persolaise Review: Phi – Une Rose De Kandahar from Tauer Perfumes (Andy Tauer; 2013)
I wonder if Andy Tauer has ever smelt the original Fougère Royale. I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Paul Parquet‘s masterpiece quite recently at the Osmothèque in…
“Nahema Is A Weapon Of Mass Destruction” – Guerlain’s Thierry Wasser Pops Into London Again
Thierry Wasser was on fine form during a recent visit to London. When one of the writers in attendance suggested that Boots is the British equivalent of Sephora, he begged…
Persolaise Review: Égoïste from Chanel (Jacques Polge; 1990) + No 5 Jumps In The Bath
As Égoïste has now been allowed to take its rightful place at all UK Chanel counters (until very recently, it was available only at the brand’s own boutiques) the time…