Playing Catch-Up: Autumn/Winter 2012 (part 2) – from Balmain to Liz Earle
Persolaise As promised last week, here’s the second phase of my move to tick a few names off my ‘Should Review’ list. Apart from oud, if there was one trend that…
perfume review
Playing Catch-Up: Autumn/Winter 2012 (part 1) – from Lauder to Piguet
Maintaining a regular blogging schedule isn’t always easy when you’re meeting the demands of a full-time job, pursuing other writing interests and trying to have some sort of personal life.…
Persolaise Review: Lys Du Desert from Decennial + Coeur En Mai from MDCI + J’Adore L’Absolu from Christian Dior (2012)
It’s not often that a perfume brand celebrates the arrival of a reformulation, but that’s exactly what’s happened with MDCI. 2009’s Coeur En Mai recently fell foul of IFRA guidelines,…
Persolaise Review: Ambre Doré from Maître Parfumeur Et Gantier (2012) + La Petite Robe Noire extrait from Guerlain (2012) + Miss Dior Le Parfum from Dior (2012) + Cloon Keen Atelier (2011)
In the same way that theatre producers use Macbeth to get bums on seats, perfume houses tend to use vanilla-based scents as their cash cows. And more often than not,…
Persolaise Review: Poudre De Riz from Huitième Art + Djhenné from Parfumerie Générale + Orangers En Fleurs from Houbigant + Vanitas edt from Versace (2012)
In a field where most products fall under the ‘pleasant but forgettable’ category, anything that’s even remotely challenging or perplexing deserves to be welcomed with open arms. Enter: Pierre Guillaume‘s…
Persolaise Review: Hommage À L’Homme from Lalique (2011) + Volutes from Diptyque (2012)… And Some More Thoughts On A*Men Pure Leather
Please click here to be taken to my Glass Magazine reviews of Diptyque’s Volutes, Lalique’s 2011 masculine, Hommage À L’Homme and Mugler’s new A*Men Pure Leather. If you’ve got a…
Persolaise Review: Florabotanica from Balenciaga + Fetish Pour Homme from Roja Parfums + Pétale Noir from Agent Provocateur (2012)
This week, I give you three interesting twists on familiar themes. First up is Florabotanica, the latest from Balenciaga. Basically, it’s yet another rose, but thanks to the skill of…
Persolaise Review: Noir from Tom Ford + Blackberry & Bay from Jo Malone + Loretta from Tableau De Parfums (2012)
Loretta has a secret, but she hides it in plain sight. The first time she digs her claws into your neck, you experience a moment of fear, but you quickly…
Persolaise Review: Arquiste (2011) + Jovoy (2011) + Terry De Gunzburg (2012)
Of all the new niche brands that have popped up recently, three keep returning to my thoughts as they seem to represent the broad categories into which emerging perfume houses…
Persolaise Review: The Afternoon Of A Faun + Dangerous Complicity from Etat Libre D'Orange (2012)
Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the presence of greatness. But first we need to get something less exciting out of the way. Dangerous Complicity – one of two new…
Persolaise Review: Fragrances Of Leather (Angel, Alien & Womanity) + A*Men Pure Leather from Thierry Mugler + Printemps from Laggridore (2012)
I wonder if the clever folk at Parfums Mugler are being economical with the truth. They’ve claimed that in order to create their latest quartet of limited editions, all they’ve…
A List For Falling Leaves – Scents For Autumn
It’s joint-list-making time again. On this occasion, it’s Barney‘s turn to choose our theme and he’s drawn inspiration from that touch of dampness in the air… the plunging temperatures… the…
Persolaise Review: Coco Noir from Chanel and Grand Bal from Christian Dior (2012)
Whilst watching Joe Wright’s over-egged version of Anna Karenina, I wondered if the impeccably groomed counts and countesses waltzing across the screen could possibly have worn François Demachy‘s new Grand…
Persolaise Review: Déclaration D’Un Soir + Eau De Cartier Essence De Bois from Cartier + Colonia Intensa Oud from Acqua Di Parma (2012)
Perfume review: Cartier Declaration D'Un Soir & Eau De Cartier Essence De Bois, Acqua Di Parma Colonia Intensa Oud
Persolaise Review: SE1 + N6 + W1X + EC2 from Bex London (2012)
I don’t envy anyone trying to start a niche perfume brand today. In an environment where over 1000 fragrances are released every year, standing out from the crowd is virtually…
Persolaise Review: Eau Sauvage parfum + Addict Eau Sensuelle from Christian Dior (2012) + Premiere from Gucci (2012) + Eau Dynamisante from Clarins (1987/2012)
Most of Dior’s recent alterations to their main fragrance range (fiddling around with the names of the various Miss Diors, tinkering with the Addicts etc) have been baffling, to say…
When Does A Negative Become A Positive?
Every now and then, the question of the value of negative reviews raises its head, which is why a recent article by the restaurant critic Jay Rayner grabbed my attention.…
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…
Persolaise Review: La Petite Robe Noire + Déserts D’Orient from Guerlain (2012)
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire perfume review by award-winning critic, Persolaise (2012, Thierry Wasser, fragrance)