How much is too much for a bottle of perfume?

Of course, it all depends on what that bottle contains. For me there is much more than a quantitative difference between a bottle of Serge Lutens Bois de Violette and Armani Prive La Femme Bleue, which cost about the same per ounce. Nevertheless, as I have been browsing through the new launches over the past year, time and again I felt considerable sticker shock. Tom Ford Santal Blush is $475 for 100ml, Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady is $300 for 100ml, Cartier IV L’Heure Fougueuse is $275 for 75ml, etc… While I completely understand why some price increases might be inevitable due to the rising costs of raw materials and other factors, the increasing price of perfume, especially in the niche sector, make me very apprehensive.

Photo: Indian bangles purchased in Edison, NJ–one of the most affordable delights at $1 for a set of 10. Photography by VeraKL

The latest fragrance from Hermès and its Hermessence collection is Santal Massoïa. The 10th addition to Hermessence will be launched in November in Hermès boutiques. It is created by the in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, who is responsible for all other Hermessence fragrances. As the Financial Times magazine notes, “here Ellena is transported to the Indonesian forests, to pungent odours emanating from exotic trees. Massoïa, a rare species whose bark smells of coconut, turns Santal Massoïa into something esoteric, mysterious, unknown.”

Adding on 10/28: The Wall Street Journal quotes Ellena in an article A French Perfumer’s Seductive Sense about his inspiration for the newest fragrance, “Fifteen years ago, I came across this marvelous massoia wood, not well known in perfumery and used in Indonesian cuisine. The odor is startling, unforgettable, mysterious, a sensual riot of exotic spices, fruit and milky coconut. It’s what I call a horizontal scent,” he says. “It’s round, supple, almost carnal, lascivious—in a word, feminine.”

Other recent sandalwood rich fragrances include Tom Ford Santal Blush, Le Labo Santal 33 and Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau.

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

Among the themes in today’s perfumery, violet and iris are becoming more and more common. Of course, creamy fruity and crisp green floral notes still dominate the fragrances we find at perfume counters, but if Balenciaga Paris, Shalimar Parfum Initial and Bottega Veneta are any indication, violet tinged florals are having their moment. The latest addition to this group is Tom Ford Violet Blonde. Launched in Tom Ford’s Signature Collection, where it shares company with White Patchouli, Black Orchid and Grey Vetiver, Violet Blonde is Ford’s attempt to make the cool violet-iris notes sensual.

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

Vodka, caviar, golden onion shaped church domes, horse pulled sleighs running into the snowy night… What other Russian stereotypes might Parfum d’Empire have missed in their description of Ambre Russe? Though I might gripe about the clichés, one thing is without any doubt—among the excellent modern ambers, Ambre Russe is one of the most opulent and luxurious. Its character is enveloping and rich, while the spicy and leathery accents give it a sensual, smoldering aura. At the same time, the dryness of incense makes Ambre Russe elegant and polished by dispelling the usual resinous heft of sweet amber.

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A muse but also writer in her own right, Louise Colet inspired Gustav Flaubert’s masterpiece, Madame Bovary (1856.)  She also left her mark through their beautiful exchange of letters. While the stormy eight-year love affair between Colet and Flaubert ended on a sour note, the letters they exchanged are among the most evocative and poignant of all romantic correspondence I have read. Flaubert noted about his writing that he always looked for just the right word. The letters he wrote to Colet are playful and serious, tender and teasing… Scent plays an important part in how Flaubert saw his beloved, and references to her perfume fill the pages. Below are a few excerpts, which focus on fragrance and perfumed references.

August 6: “I look at your slippers, your handkerchief, your hair, your portrait. I reread your letters and breathe their musky perfume.
August 9: I’ll take another look at your slippers again… I think I love them as much as I do you… I breathe their perfume, they smell of verbena–and of you in a way that makes my heart swell.

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