Persolaise Review: Thirty Three from Ex Idolo (perfumer unknown; 2013)
Persolaise This was one I approached with dread. “It’s an oud,” I was told. ‘Just kill me now,’ I thought to myself. “It’s exceptionally good,” they said. ‘Please, make it quick,’…
oud
Persolaise Review: Oud Noir from Versace (perfumer unknown; 2013)
In the seemingly endless torrent of ‘oud’ scents pumped out by the mainstream, every now and then, something vaguely interesting raises its head above the water. Versace‘s Oud Noir is…
Buttons, Dots And A Whole Load Of Gatsby Dresses – London’s FiFi Awards Ceremony
My FiFi evening began with a wardrobe malfunction. Just as Madame Persolaise and I were about to step onto the red carpet at the entrance to London’s Brewery, I felt…
Persolaise Review: Oud Mood from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (Francis Kurkdjian; 2013)
I guess it’s not surprising that Francis Kurkdjian decided (or was persuaded?) to release more agar wood perfumes. His Oud was easily one of the best scents of 2012 and…
Persolaise Shortlisted Twice For 2012 Jasmine Awards
Drum roll, please: the shortlists for this year’s Jasmine Awards have just been announced. In the ‘Digital’ category, not one, but three examples of my work have been singled out…
Best Perfumes Of 2012
What a year it’s been. Madonna and Gaga clashed in a celebrity scent battle. A little black dress went viral on YouTube. Brad Pitt spouted nonsense about journeys in an…
Persolaise Review: Mukhalat Malaki from Swiss Arabian + Perfume Calligraphy from Aramis + Encounter from Calvin Klein (2012)
It’s always round about this time of year (can’t think why) that I tend to be asked what makes so-called Arabic-style perfumes smell so… Arabic. If I were a chemist…
Persolaise Review: Notes + Bois Noir + Casbah + Mademoiselle + Oud from Robert Piguet (2012)
Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics Ltd – the company that currently owns the licence for Robert Piguet Parfums – was always going to face a tricky, ‘turning the corner’ moment at…
Penhaligon’s Twitter Give-Away + Persolaise Review: Oud Ispahan from Christian Dior (2012) + Wood Mystique from Estée Lauder (2011)
It wasn’t too long ago that I was lamenting the inexorable rise in the number of oud-based releases. Although many people are willing to concede that some of these fragrances…
Persolaise Review: Oud from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2012) + Give-away Reminder
THIS POST WAS SHORTLISTED IN THE ‘DIGITAL’ CATEGORY OF THE 2012 JASMINE AWARDS When I announced the news that Francis Kurkdjian’s next perfume would be an oud, the responses I…
Amouage Home Scents
It’s not often that I publish a review of home scents on Persolaise.com – keeping up with ‘skin fragrance’ releases is hard enough – but every now and then, it’s…
Review: The Disappointments (2011)
Here’s something that doesn’t happen very often: I don’t have a perfume I’d like to review this week. To be more precise, I’ve got plenty which I could review, but…
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,…
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…
I Need To Report My Bathroom To IFRA
Those of you who follow me on Twitter may be aware that the bathroom at Maison Persolaise is now a disaster area. Well, that’s probably a slight exaggeration: the workmen…
Review: Leather Oud from Christian Dior and Absolue Pour Le Soir from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2010)
Dior Leather Oud (Francois Demachy) and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue Pour Le Soir (Francis Kurkdjian) reviews by award-winning perfume critic Persolaise (2010)
Review Showcase: SoOud (2010)
How many perfumes should you include in the launch of a brand new fragrance range? Well, Stéphane Humbert-Lucas and the people at Intertrade Europe seem to think that the answer’s…
Still In India…
All this talk of Arctic winds makes me feel like sticking to the Indian theme I started yesterday. Visiting the perfume shops on Muhammed Ali Road is probably similar to…
SoOud London Launch + Giveaway Reminder
Please click here to be redirected to my Basenotes article about the launch of a brand new range of perfume in London… and here for a chance to win a…