Pyramid Building – 4… Conclusion?
Persolaise To round off my brief examination of the question of top, heart and base notes, I’m tempted to break copyright rules. You see, on page 481 of An Introduction To…
Review: Opus III from The Library Collection by Amouage (2010)
If there’s one characteristic that Amouage‘s first three Library Collection scents have in common, it is a gauzy sheerness. Opus I conjures an image of florals preserved in a delicate…
I Owe Andy An Apology
For the last few days, a mysterious smell has been bugging me in my study. Most of the time, it’s been totally undetectable, but every now and then, as I’ve…
Penhaligon's In Cambridge
Putting London aside for a moment, perfume shopping in Britain can be a disheartening experience: sales assistants are often clueless and the stock itself uninspiring. However, there are a few…
Give People Credit
Here’s a conversation between a couple overheard in Boots the other day: She: What about this one? He: Umm… don’t know… too sweet, maybe? She: Yeah, you’re probably right. And…
Blood And Other Bodily Fluids? You Smell Wonderful, Dahling!
The other day, the unthinkable happened. I was at a perfume shop, chatting with a sales assistant who at one point asked me to smell the wrist of her male…
Review: Carillon Pour Un Ange by Tauer Perfumes (2010)
A few weeks ago, Madame Persolaise and I were on an escalator, descending into London’s Tube network. She was wearing vintage Diorissimo; I’d dabbed my wrists with a few drops…
The Perfume Scene In Britain
I realise I’m running the risk of turning this blog into a daily whine, but I’m afraid I still feel like letting off a bit of steam about the scarcity…
Sub-Zero Please
Following on from yesterday’s post, I would just like to say that an Arctic blast across Old Father Time’s beard would be very welcome right now. Did we really gain…
Where Did I Leave My TARDIS?
Here’s at least one thing for which I was grateful this weekend: I got to spend an hour on formulating. And as I cleaned my pipettes with alcohol, I was…
Review: The One Gentleman by Dolce & Gabbana (2010)
I confess this one had me fooled for a while. The initial impression it made was undeniably positive; in fact, the sweep of citrus, woods and irones had me making…
Baccarat At Harrods
Please click here to be redirected to my Basenotes article about the final event at Harrods’ Perfume Diaries: a presentation by Baccarat. Have a wonderful weekend, Persolaise.
Reviews: The Smell Of Freedom & Orange Blossom by Gorilla Perfumes (2010)
It’s always helpful to be reminded that snobbery has no place in perfume appreciation. A branch of Lush – with its cheerfully dressed-down aesthetics – may not be the first…
Sartorial Draw Winner + Mini Reviews, including J'Adore L'Or by Christian Dior (2010)
I spent a couple of hours wandering around shops the other day, trying to find some excitement in the glittery Christmas parcels that the major brands are desperate to thrust…
A Failure To Communicate
“Absolutely typical” are two words that have been on my mind since Friday. I was looking forward to a few days off work, I’d set aside some time for perfume…
Review: Kalimantan by Chantecaille (2010)
Do we really need another ambery oriental? The answer’s probably No, but maintaining a negative stance is problematic when you’re faced with as elegant an example of the genre as…
There Is No Fern In Fougère
My fingers stink of linalool and jasmine absolute, so I probably shouldn’t be touching the keyboard, but I’ve decided to take a few moments out from formulating to remind you…
Pyramid Building – 3
The deconstruction of the olfactory pyramid continues. Thanks very much to everyone who sent me emails in response to the previous post on the subject. It’s reassuring to know that…
Sample Giveaway + Review: Sartorial by Penhaligon’s (2010)
Any artist who manages to breathe new life into an old form deserves praise, but if you’re not especially fond of the form itself, you might find it difficult to…
Watch Out For The Comedy Moustache
I can’t quite believe it myself, but I actually managed to find a few minutes yesterday to play around with some ideas and formulations, mainly with the aim of getting…