Frederic Malle is in the midst of a collaborating with renowned shoe designer, Pierre Hardy. They recently debuted their limited edition Travel Spray Cases. They come in a variety of colors and echo Hardy’s elegant style.

“Designed to hold any 10ml spray vial in the Editions de Parfums Collection, these pocket-size perfume atomizers are perfect for carrying your favorite Editions de Parfums fragrance along wherever you go. Available in a series of colors, a total of 500 of the individually hand sprayed cases will be sold within the US exclusively at the Frederic Malle NY Boutique, Barney’s New York and Beverly Hills for $285 beginning in April.” via press release

More information on Frederic Malle’s collection can be found through his official Facebook page.

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

I consider myself a fairly open minded perfume lover, ready to experience a new fragrance without any preconceived notions. At the very least, I keep my biases in check. I reason that a perfumista’s equivalent of an omnivore is someone who disregards the minutia and goes straight for the juice. So when Avon Infinite Moment for Her crossed my path, I managed to get past the blandness of the moniker. Even the ad that seems to be taken from the cover of a “bodice ripper” novel did not faze me. These days my courageous testing often leaves me smelling like a candy factory on fire, but Intimate Moment for Her rewarded me with a creamy floral wrapped in vanilla and soft woods. While not offering anything original, it is nevertheless a sophisticated, easy to wear choice.

Continue reading →

As the smoke of joss sticks paints fragrant curlicues in the air, I feel that I am participating in some ancient ritual. I love smoky scents in general and my favorite incense perfumes range from tender like Chanel No 22 to austere like Comme des Garçons Avignon. But the process of lighting incense, watching it smolder and then vanish into scented smoke and ashes is what I enjoy the most. The word “joss” came down to us via Portuguese from the Latin deus, god, and whenever I burn incense—even if only to enjoy its perfume, rather than to please a deity—it feels like a spiritual offering.

Continue reading →

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

Bronze Goddess is a summer limited edition fragrance, which Estée Lauder brings back every year with a flanker. This year’s variation is Bronze Goddess Capri, a “solar Oriental fragrance inspired by the seductive Isle of Capri.” Neither Capri nor summer flankers (the perfume equivalent of movie sequels) tempt me much, but the original Bronze Goddess is such a brilliant composition of creamy coconut and dry amber that every year I anticipate its sister fragrance as well.

Continue reading →

Jo Malone the London Blooms Collection is now available in stores (Nordstrom, Saks 5th Avenue, select Neiman Marcus locations). The collection includes three fragrances: Iris and Lady Moore, Peony and Moss, and White Lilac and Rhubarb. The perfumes were created by Christine Nagel and are inspired by the English gardens.

Peony and Moss: “Contrasting the dainty and the dirty. The gossamer lightness of delicate peonies grounded in earthy green.” It contains notes of green sap, blackcurrant, jasmine, peony, rose, ivy, moss.

White Lilac and Rhubarb: “A daring juxtaposition. Tart-vibrant rhubarb cuts through the soft lilac, rose and sun-loving heliotrope. ” It is comprised of violet leaves, rhubarb, white lilac, rose, amber, musk, heliotrope.

Continue reading →