March 2012: 27 posts

Do you have a discontinued fragrance that you long to see back on the perfume counter, and failing that, to replace with something similar? I receive many emails about long lost favorites, and most of the time I respond to them with my personal suggestions. However, I’ve decided that it might be better to post such requests here on Bois de Jasmin, so that readers can include their own recommendations. So, going forward, if you are searching for a discontinued fragrance and need help, you’re welcome to email me (editor at boisdejasmin dot com), and we will do our best to help.

After receiving several emails about Narciso Rodriguez for Her Musc Oil, I’ve decided to look into it. The oil form of Musc for Her was a limited edition that focused on the creamy musk facet of the original Eau de Toilette. The citrus, sharp amber, and woody notes were sheared out, with the elegant, luscious musk brought center stage. Musc for Her Oil smelled deliciously of warm skin and apricot flesh, with a hint of honey. Musc for Her collection, which also included Musc for Her EDT and Musc for Him EDT (black bottle) was launched in 2003. In 2009, Narciso Rodriguez added Musc for Her Intense Eau de Parfum and Musc for Him Eau de Parfum (iridescent violet bottle). Then in 2010, Essence Eau de Musc (silver bottle) appeared on the counters. These days we also have a limited edition called Essence Musc Intense Eau de Parfum. That is exactly why I dislike flankers—figuring out how they are related makes me feel like I’m solving some cognitive reasoning game.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

She wears her pink bow with panache. She is in a perpetually cheerful mood. She is pretty and bubbly. That’s Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina for you, a new fragrance that has all the attributes of a best seller — easy, fruity and radiant. Picking up the bottle, you already know that it is going to be a trendy and lighthearted fragrance. The perfume is aimed at the younger market, and for the target audience it hits the spot.

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I always look forward to the results of the Basenotes Reader Awards. They inspire me to try fragrances I wouldn’t have thought of seeking out.  So, I’m off to smell Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Havane.

Best New Fragrance for Women

Bottega Veneta [Coty]

Best New Fragrance for Men

Royal Oud : Creed

Best Fragrance Flanker 2011

A*Men Pure Havane : Thierry Mugler [Groupe Clarins]

Classic (Women’s)

Opium : Yves Saint Laurent

Classic (Men’s)

Terre d’Hermes : Hermes

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Sometimes it seems to me that every floral note needs to be “modern,” because (fill in the blank with your favorite blossom) is “a fusty, old-fashioned flower suitable only for maiden aunts and grandmothers.”  When you get your fusty flower back, it feels like something that has gone through several wash cycles and emerged squeaky clean and limpid.  As I read the aforementioned quote by Stella McCartney about her desire to modernize lily of the valley for her new signature fragrance L.I.L.Y., I wondered what the outcome would be.  My qualm with most modern lily of the valley fragrances is that they smell of laundry products—lily of the valley aroma-materials are popular in functional perfumery—not that they are old-fashioned.

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As a graduate student I always loved the serendipity associated with research–when a random reference leads to an Aladdin’s cave of fascinating information. It’s been years since I left the halls of academia, but I’m still a student (read, a geek!) at heart. So when I spotted a mention of E.J. Parry’s Encyclopedia of Perfumery in Nigel Groom’s The New Perfume Handbook, I made it a point to check it out. My reward was a recipe for Armenian paper, which I would like to share with you and to add to Bois de Jasmin’s collection of antique perfume recipes. Armenian paper is a home scent created in the 19th century by entrepreneur Auguste Ponsot and pharmacist Henri Riviere and sold as a natural air sanitizer. With its exotic and mysterious cachet Armenia was a perfect marketing spin for the incense based on benzoin, a resin redolent of sweet vanilla and spices.

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