Best Perfumes Of 2015 – Flankers, Musks & Lots Of Calories
Persolaise In a year that saw the release of a film about the evils of sugar, mainstream scent compositions seemed to keep getting sweeter and sweeter. Perhaps that’s not surprising: I…
Christmas Wishes 2015
The following is a list of the culinary delights I’m trying to make right now, at the same time: marzipan; cranberry sauce; turkey stock; a Yule log; vodka cheesecake; orange…
Persolaise Review: Métal Hurlant from Parfumerie Générale (Pierre Guillaume; 2015)
One man’s tiger is another man’s kitten, so it’s with some hesitation that I type the word ‘animalic’ today. In recent months, it’s been used in relation to a few…
Persolaise Review: Sotto La Luna Tuberose from Tauer Perfumes (Andy Tauer; 2015)
Wearing Andy Tauer‘s Tuberose – the latest addition to his Sotto La Luna range – made me wonder whether his success has, in part, stemmed from his ability to straddle…
Tauerville Advent 2015 Give-Away Winner
I can’t thank you enough for the comments all of you left on yesterday’s give-away post. Honestly, if ever I’m feeling down, I shall scroll through your generous, warm-hearted words…
Advent 2015 Give-Away – Win A Flash Perfume From Tauerville
We’re more than half-way through Advent, which means that those of us who haven’t yet ticked off all the names on our gift list had better get a move on.…
Left Pleasantly Unmoved
For the last few days I’ve been thinking about the d-word. Derivative. It’s an issue to consider in the analysis of any creative pursuit. But I’d say it’s particularly pressing…
Persolaise Review: Black Orchid eau de toilette from Tom Ford (2015)
I’ve always been suspicious of Black Orchid. Something about its strident assertiveness – its poking, prodding, finger-stabbing insistence – has made me feel that its facade conceals a quagmire of…
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – July to September 2015 [part 2]
Here’s part 2 of my latest round-up of Twitter mini reviews. Aqua Divina from Bulgari (Alberto Morillas; 2015)* Intriguing, weirdly nutty, earthy composition. Burnt, yet quiet. Grated, rather than powdery.…
The Complete Persolaise Christmas Gift Guide 2015
As my series of #PersolaiseXmas tweets is now over, I thought I’d put them all together using Storify so that you can peruse them at your leisure. Enjoy! Persolaise
Persolaise Review: Perfume – A Century Of Scents by Lizzie Ostrom (Hutchinson; 2015)
Perfume is more than a smell. That’s the premise of the wonderful new book by Lizzie Ostrom, the unashamed scent aficionado whose alter ego, Odette Toilette, has provided London with…
Could This Be The Best Perfume Gift EVER?
Here’s an idea. If someone says they’d like you to buy them a bottle of perfume for Christmas, then don’t. At least not straight away. Do something different. Tell them…
Death Of A Princess – Guerlain Discontinue Nahéma Parfum
In my stockpile of half-written articles and abandoned projects – otherwise known as my blog’s ‘drafts’ folder – one idea has been nagging at me for years, refusing to be…
The 2015 Persolaise Christmas Gift Guide
This year, I’m turning to social media for my annual thoughts on how best to indulge in the consumerist orgy that is Christmas. I’m posting individual recommendations on Twitter, marked…
A Clear View Of The Future – Bringing Perfume Back To Life In Grasse
Normally, the appearance of a stain on my jacket is a cause for mild panic. It leads to a frantic search for paper napkins. A hunt for water. Gravity-defying contortions…
“A Little Italian Girl From Brooklyn” – An Exclusive Interview With Estée Lauder’s Karyn Khoury [part 2]
Karyn Khoury exclusive interview by award-winning perfume critic Persolaise
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – July to September 2015 [part 1]
It’s that time again: another round-up of my Twitter mini-reviews, covering the period July to September 2015. Ultra Male from Jean-Paul Gaultier (Francis Kurkdjian; 2015)* An interesting, edible lavender, with…
Live Stream Of Frederic Malle, Carlos Benaïm Lecture
On Thursday 19th November, Harvard’s Graduate School Of Design will present a live stream of a lecture by Frederic Malle and Carlos Benaïm. According to the official blurb, the lecture…
“When I Fell In Love With The Company” – An Exclusive Interview With Estée Lauder’s Karyn Khoury [part 1]
Karyn Khoury interview exclusive, by award-winning perfume critic Persolaise, 2015
Persolaise Review: Ryder from Ex Idolo (2015)
Indie scent creations tend to be either reactionary monsters or paeans to the past (or both, come to think of it). Ryder, the latest from Matthew Zhuk‘s UK brand, Ex…