Victoria: 2669 posts

Shimmering silk saris, henna curlicues, rose scented Indian sweets… I was ready to experience it all as I sprayed Etro Rajasthan on my wrist. Inspired by a state in the western part of India, this perfume from the Italian fashion house, promised to take me away from my routine to someplace faraway and exciting.

It takes me a few moments to realize that Rajasthan doesn’t transport me further than the local beauty counter. It smells uncannily like a rose and violet scented lipstick, but admittedly, it’s a pleasant scent. Its rich composition is based on rose and amber with a jammy accent of violets and gardenia. The rose is creamy and warm, while the marshmallow sweetness of orange blossom gives it a gourmand finish. As the perfume unfolds on your skin, it becomes soft and powdery, with fluffy vanilla rounding out all edges. It has a big presence, noticeable sillage, and a retro chic character.

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How do you organize your perfume collection? How do you store your fragrance samples and decants?

Last week my reader Ariadne asked how I keep my samples organized. I would love to tell her that I have a state-of-the-art system in place for tracking my samples, but the truth is that my method is more chaotic than systematic, and I just rely on my memory to recall where on earth I stuffed that sample of Britney Spears Curious or Francis Kurkdjian Amyris. Since my memory is far from infallible, it means that I often spend a fair bit of time digging through piles of samples or boxes of decants.

Now that I’ve presented you with the worst possible organization system–I dare anyone to top it, I would love to hear how you organize (or would like to organize) your samples. Ariadne and I need your inspiration and help!

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

Burberry is launching a new fragrance, Burberry Body Tender, which is a variation on the original Burberry Body. “Burberry Body Tender combines the relaxed, playful attitude of the Burberry girl with the energy of the brand’s London hometown.”  It includes notes of lemon, apple, absinthe, rose, jasmine, sandalwood, amber, Cashmeran (musk with strong woody-ambery nuances), and musk.

Scent opens with a fresh surge of lemon, crisp apple and green absinthe as top notes. Delicate blend of dewy English rose, white jasmine and sandalwood at the heart of the scent. Soft base of cashmeran, amber and musk gives understated warmth and femininity.

The advertising campaign features British actress and Burberry model Cara Delevingne. The Eau de Toilette is available in 85, 60, and 35ml bottles. Available at select department stores and at burberry.com. Via press release

Perfume shops, chocolate stores, lingerie boutiques, pâtisseries… When I’m in Paris, I can’t resist any of them, especially since the fine-tuned French sense of design extends as much to the products as to the window displays. But I will tell you honestly that if I had to pick my favorite shopping ground, it would be a pharmacy. It’s a treasure trove of finds for anyone who loves scented products and skincare, or simply enjoys searching for affordable and interesting brands.

Of course, pharmacies are not a Parisian phenomenon. If you travel in Europe, you will quickly notice stores with a neon green cross. Within two blocks of my apartment building in Brussels there are about 5 or 6 pharmacies. It’s more than a store where you get your medicine. It’s the place where you go to complain about your illnesses, the weather and the lack of government (although in my observation, Belgians don’t complain much about the latter; in fact, they can go for months without electing one). You can also buy skin and hair care products, perfume, soaps, vitamins, and an array of bizarre slimming supplements advertised by close ups of perfectly tanned behinds.

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This year two formidable classics celebrate their sixtieth anniversaries. Robert Piguet Fracas (1948) will turn 65, while Estée Lauder Youth Dew (1953) will mark its 60th year. These remarkable fragrances elicit strong emotions and inspire us even today. Youth Dew set the trend for rich orientals, while no tuberose perfume can be spared a comparison with Fracas.

These perfumes are also notable because they were created by two of the first female perfumers: Germaine Cellier and Josephine Catapano, respectively.  The perfume industry of the 1940s and 50s was a boy’s club. In 1947, Donald William Dresden wrote in his article, The Twenty “Noses” of France, “Only a few people have the supersense of smell necessary to become a Nose—for reasons known only to Noses themselves, no woman has ever had it…” Dresden, reporting for the New York Times, simply reiterated what he heard around Grasse, France, the main perfumery hub of those days.

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