Persolaise Review: Blessings eau de parfum from Belinda Brown (2011)
I think my brain’s vocab centre has had a slight melt-down. I need a synonym for ‘fuzzy’, but none of the ones I’ve come up with so far capture the…
Melon Feta… And Other Cultural Matters
If you’ve come here hoping to find out who my next guest blogger is, I’m sorry to say that, this week, you’re going to have to put up with me.…
Lily Of The Valley Winner + IFRA Interview + Silly Searches
I hope your weekend’s treating you well so far. As I type these words, the trees outside my window are being manhandled by the wind and the clouds are threatening…
Review: Week-end À Deauville from Nicolaï (2011)
Generally speaking, there are two types of perfume labelled with the word ‘leather’: those which take their inspiration from the stench of a tannery and those which aim to evoke…
Guest Post: A Brief Exploration Of The Sense Of Smell by Ronny Geller
What was the first smell of significance you remember? And the first perfume you loved? When Persolaise asked whether I might be interested in doing a guest post on his…
A Brief Pause + Link To Basenotes Dior Article
François Demachy; photo by Dior A brief, utilitarian post today. I just thought I’d come up for air to let you know that the Invasion Of The Day Job is…
Sample Give-Away + Review Showcase: Angela Flanders
96 Columbia Road must surely be London’s best kept fragrance secret. A cosy shop decorated with Venetian masks, Rajasthani puppets and antique European furniture, it’s one of only two places…
Guest Post: Burning Desire – Candles From Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle by Olfactoria
Who doesn’t love Frederic Malle’s perfumes? Anyone? Well, I certainly do, so when he introduced a home scent line in 2009, I paid attention. But somehow, I never got around…
Reviews: Lumiere, Cepes & Tuberose, Honey Blossom & Parfum De Maroc from Aftelier + Thoughts On Natural Perfumes
I wonder if I would’ve detected an unfamiliar quality in Mandy Aftel’s perfumes if I’d first smelt them without knowing that they contain no synthetics. I’d like to think that…
Guest Post: How To Smell Natural Perfume by Mandy Aftel
Learning how to smell a natural perfume is like learning to speak another language: the common vocabulary will not suffice. Words don’t cover the same territory and in fact, the…
Guests On Persolaise + IFRA Interview + Review: Carillon Pour Un Ange from Tauer Perfumes (2010)
Okay, the countdown’s over: the Invasion Of The Day Job has well and truly begun. For the next 8 to 10 weeks, free time is going to be almost non-existent,…
Perfume? What Perfume? I Just Came For The Party + Opus V Winner
What’s the ideal setting for trying a new perfume? How about this: a darkened room; loud music thumping in the background; twenty or so people engaged in animated conversations; plates…
Reviews: Cologne Du Parfumeur from Guerlain (2010), Un Jardin Sur Le Toit from Hermès (2011) & Aqua Universalis Forte from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2011)
I may be a fan of Absolue Pour Le Soir, but Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s other releases never tempt me to reach for my credit card, so I was wary of…
Dior’s New Maison De Parfums At Selfridges + FiFi USA Public Vote
For several personal reasons, I’ve got huge affection for Dior. Ever since I was about 7 years old, many of the firm’s perfumes have become synonymous with significant people and…
Sample Give-Away & Review: Opus V from Amouage (2011)
Some orris perfumes accentuate the material’s austere, chilly demeanour, whereas others are clearly an exercise in taking its characteristic feature – the parched, poetic, woody bleakness – and placing it…
Zeta Winner + Smelling Oud For The First Time
Boozy fruit = Boozy Simnel I could do with a Bloggers’ Retreat. I’ve got so many things I’d like to tell you about, but the clock keeps ticking and the…
Review: Coeur De Vétiver Sacré from L’Artisan Parfumeur (2010) + Guerlain Bottles + Kurkdjian’s Advice
Vetivert oil is such a multi-faceted material that people in some countries wear it as a complete fragrance all by itself. It’s capable of appearing both woody and green, earthy…
Orange Star Wins At The FiFis + It’s Official: Persolaise Is Sexy
I’m sure you all know this by now, but please, just indulge me, because I’m going to get a real kick out of typing the following words: Tauer Perfumes’ Orange…
MDCI Winner + IFRA Interview + Meeting Monsieur Le Male
I’m just taking a few moments out of what’s proving to be an enjoyably eventful week to send a couple of updates and reminders your way. First of all, meeting…
Sample Give-Away + Review: Zeta – A Linden Blossom Theme from Tauer Perfumes (2011)
Although I haven’t got the world’s greenest thumbs, I’ve somehow managed not to kill all the trees in our garden, two of which produce an annual crop of rich, dark…