Elle Magazine recently published my article “How To Be Unforgettable” at Elle.com. In this piece, I explore what makes a fragrance memorable and why some perfumes receive more compliments than others. I hope that you will enjoy it.

Perfumer Sophia Grojsman was returning home one evening when she noticed a man following her. As she quickened her step and clutched her handbag, the man shouted, “Wait, wait, I don’t mean any harm, I just want to know the name of your perfume. It’s amazing!” The fragrance was Calvin Klein Eternity, which Grojsman was designing at the time. Once launched, Eternity rapidly climbed to the top of the charts, and today, this explosive floral is still among the best sellers. Grojsman’s anecdote is an extreme example of a perfume compliment, but the poignant reactions that scents can provoke made me wonder—what is the ultimate head-turning perfume? To read the rest, please continue to Elle.com.

Do you ever compliment others on fragrance? If so, what perfumes have received compliments from you?

Painting: Cassatt, Mary, A Corner of the Loge (In the Box), 1879. via Wiki-images, some rights reserved.

Last year, when writing my overview of the best fragrance launches of 2011, I would never have guessed that one year later I would be living across the ocean and speaking more French than English in my day-to-day interactions. And yet, here I am typing away as the Belgian rain splashes against my window. It’s been a roller coaster ride, with some exhilarating highs and dispiriting downs. I try not to dwell on things that are still challenging for me, and instead I try to keep my mind open to new discoveries.  My Belgian journal describes some of the highlights from this year.

As for perfume highlights, 2012 brought a number of great discoveries. For my best-of-the-year list, I chose fragrances based not only on technical excellence, but also on whether they gave me a rush of pleasure. I really think that this “butterflies in the stomach” sensation is the only important criterion for selecting a perfume.

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Hermès has released a special edition of 24 Faubourg inspired by one of their famous silk scarves. This year’s patter is the Quadrige scarf. It was first created in 1973 by Pierre Péon, and it features “the heads of four horses and their harnesses which fit together like pieces in a puzzle to create a stylized, Hermès version of the quadriga, a two wheeled-chariot which appears on the Parthenon frieze.”

Eau de toilette 24, Faubourg, Quadrige limited edition, 100ml, €123. Available at Hermès boutiques.

Via hermes.com

Happy Holidays! I’m going to take a Christmas break and will return on Thursday.  Meanwhile, our bi-weekly “Recommend Me a Perfume” is here today.  You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions.

How does it work: Please post your requests or questions as comments here. To receive recommendations that are better tailored to your tastes, you can include details on what you like and don’t like, your signature perfumes, and your budget. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer.

To make this thread easier to read, when you reply to someone, please click on the blue“reply” link under their comment.

Contest: everyone who answers a fragrance recommendation request will be entered into the draw for 2 sets of three samples of your choice (should be available at Luckyscent). The winners are Leah and Jillie.

The recommendations you give help us navigate the fragrance counter easier, so thank you to everyone who participates.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

Tonka beans look like dusty, wrinkled pods, but they smell like smoky cherries, sugared almonds and sun warmed hay. Many fragrance raw materials have heady aromas that are as complex as those of a finished perfume, but few rival tonka bean for its luscious seduction. Gourmand doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s decadent, sultry, and addictive.

The best way to experience the complexity of tonka bean is not just to smell it, but to eat it. Tonka bean is the flavor of the moment in Europe, where I’ve encountered it in cakes, ice cream, chocolates, and even savory dishes. The sweetness of tonka lends itself perfectly to desserts, especially anything that contains almonds, vanilla, or cherries. These ingredients explore natural affinities, and you can’t go wrong by adding a pinch of tonka to cherry compotes, almond cakes or vanilla custard. The best way to imbue as much tonka flavor as possible into a dessert is to grate it finely and either infuse it in warm liquid, or as I do in the recipe for Viennese Vanilla Crescents (Vanillekipferln), cream it with butter.

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