Coffee and rosewater
Violet candy and vanilla ice cream
Roasted potatoes and tonka bean
Pineapple and star anise
Strawberry and basil
Some of the beautiful combinations I experimented with last week. Do you have any favorite perfume or flavor pairings?
Scent Diary is a place to write your observations about the scents around you–and about scents in your environment. Whether you write down 1 recollection or 10 matters less than simply reminding yourself to smell. You can add as many comments as you wish. You can comment today or over the course of the week; this thread will always be open. Of course, do share what perfume you’re wearing or what particularly good scented products you’ve discovered.
While looking through my articles, I found this article that I wrote a few years ago but that still remains popular and often-read: A to Z Tips for Enjoyable, Affordable and Rewarding Perfume Hobby. If you have any tips to add, I’d love to hear them.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
16 Comments
Lucy Wilde: My current flavour pairing that has blown my friend and I away is cyprian lemon and almond with vanilla. January 31, 2025 at 9:26am
noseknows: That sounds very Guerlain! February 1, 2025 at 8:18pm
Emily: O! Have never tried coffee with rose water, might do that right this second.
In terms of scent, when I’m feeling powerless I like to layer Papillon’s Anubis on my wrist with Dusita’s Melodie de l’Amour on my neck. Pure sorceress. Like anointing yourself with bitumen, the remains of ancient mother goddess rites.
Might go do that right now, too. January 31, 2025 at 9:34am
la_ninon: Wow that duo sounds gorgeous. January 31, 2025 at 5:36pm
nozknoz: Pret a Manger used to have the most delicious cardamom and milk chocolate bars. I don’t know if they still have them in the UK, but they stopped carrying them in the DC area several years ago. No other brand seems to offer this flavor, either, which is frustrating because it’s obviously such a delicious combination, the bars were their most popular, and there is such a plethora of flavors available these days, most of which are not as good.
When I used to eat more and sweeter chocolate, I bought a bars that had a raspberry preserves filling and topped them with freshly ground black pepper.
A couple of days ago, I had masala lemonade at an Indian cafe. Not sure what all was in it, but there was definitely salt and black pepper, which had a wonderful perfume effect against the lemon.
Thanks for posting this topic, as I have been looking for new ways to flavor the extra milk I need to drink to conserve my aging bones! January 31, 2025 at 9:54am
Deanna Wisbey: Ginger? That’s what I add to my milk January 31, 2025 at 11:13am
noseknows: Thanks, I’ll give that a try! February 1, 2025 at 8:19pm
Deanna Wisbey: ……. And I meant freshly grated ginger left in a strainer, it gives the milk extra sweetness plus that ginger zap!
I peel the ginger pieces and freeze them then it’s quick to grate one in the morning. February 2, 2025 at 12:14pm
Deanna Wisbey: This is is not a pleasant pairing I have to say, though others may disagree……..
A bouquet of tuberose doused in gasoline
In Atlantide by Tiziana Terenzi January 31, 2025 at 11:16am
Aurora: A pairing I really like is lapsang souchong tea with a little almond milk with dark chocolate. January 31, 2025 at 12:54pm
Nicole: I like drinking lapsang souchong with a little dark brown sugar syrup and cream January 31, 2025 at 8:29pm
Alityke: I’m sure this is common but any melon, orange, green apple, mango or papaya with Tajin sprinkled on. More flavour but the sweet, sour, hot, salt somehow hits the back of my nose as I eat these healthy snacks. January 31, 2025 at 5:47pm
Nancy Chan: Soy sauce drizzled over pineapple! 🙂 February 1, 2025 at 9:24am
Hilde: The classic recipe for a shrimp cocktail is with grey shrimps from the North sea, tomato and cocktail sause.
I find the combination with grapefruit instead of tomatoes much better. February 3, 2025 at 3:34am
Klaas: Lavender and dark chocolate!
Coffee and Cardamom
Strawberries with lemon and mint
Sweet rice pudding with premium (bitter) olive oil
Orange slices with fleur de sel
Peanut butter with sambal
And the most classic of classics: black tea with lemon ❤️
Love this post!!! February 4, 2025 at 7:59am
Gabrielle: I love the pairing of roasted potatoes & tonka bean. Two of my favourite things ☺️ February 5, 2025 at 4:18am