In Your Opinion: 314 posts

What perfume comes closest to your idea of a fragrance custom made for you?

If you have not found anything like that yet, you are welcome to describe what you are looking for, and perhaps someone else can help with your search.

It is fun to fantasize about something created just for you, a scent that contains all of your favorite elements and that immediately puts you in a good mood. On the other hand, whenever I put on Serge Lutens Bois de Violette or Guerlain Après l’Ondée, I feel that they are everything I want in a perfume–elegance, mystery, surprise. Of course, it does not prevent me from being curious about other fragrances out there. It is a neverending quest, after all!

Do you like to cook? What are your favorite flavors and do you happen to have a signature dish in your repertoire?

Let’s talk about food today! I have been enjoying the summer very much, especially for the abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, hence this topic. I do not remember when I first learned to cook. Since I come from a family of great cooks, I have always taken for granted that it must have happened naturally as I spent time with my grandmothers. My mother and aunt still talk of their grandmother’s cakes and pastries, while I treasure her handwritten recipe books more than any other possession. My paternal grandmother’s crepes with wild strawberries are among my strongest food memories, and I can recall their taste and texture even today, despite having tried them last more than 20 years ago. In other words, I love gastronomy just as much as I love perfumery, and I find that these two pursuits are quite complementary.  Even if during an average work week, I tend to cook simple meals, I enjoy more complicated projects on the weekends or whenever I have more time.

My favorite flavors are as much Eastern European as they are Mediterranean. I love dill, sour cream, tart lingonberries and wild mushrooms. Apricots, saffron, pistachios, pomegranates, thyme, and artichokes never fail to seduce me. I enjoy trying new things and experimenting with unusual flavor combinations. One never knows what might inspire the next quest!

Photography © Bois de Jasmin, cassata, a Sicilian ricotta and candied fruit cake.

When you travel, do you wear perfume and if so, what are your favorite scents for such an occasion? In general, what are your favorite strategies to make air travel more enjoyable?

While I generally avoid any strong blends whenever I know that I will be in close quarters with other people, I like wearing very light scents with an intimate aura. Given the hassle of today’s travel, they are like my little talismans, calming me down and uplifting my mood. Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan, Chanel 28 La Pausa, and Annick Goutal Néroli are my current choices. I also pack a small decant of pure orange blossom water in my carry-on to refresh myself on a long airplane journey. Nothing is more relaxing for me than the scent of orange blossom.

On this note, I shall be traveling for the next couple of weeks. There will be several scheduled articles and a giveaway on Bois de Jasmin during my absence, and I look forward to chatting with you again once I am back!

Image credit: Pénélope Jolicoeur.

I love making lists, from compilations of things to do to shopping notes. In this spirit, a few questions about your wish lists. Feel free to answer one or all of them.

1. What is on your fragrance wish list?
2. What is your favorite dessert?
3. Do you have any goals/wishes for this summer, things that you definitely want to accomplish?

Mine are:

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What perfumes do you find underrated? What fragrances do you think are not getting enough appreciation on blogs or among your friends?

My picks today would be Estée Lauder Private Collection (and all Lauder classics, for that matter) and Kenzo Jungle L’Éléphant, which are bold, distinctive and dramatic. Those who love the spicy, incense laden themes popular in niche perfumery would find Jungle striking with its rich accord of cardamom and woods.  As for Private Collection, it is an exquisite green chypre, which combines the vibrant hue of verdant notes with mossy darkness.