In April, Guerlain will unveil the new lipstick collection Rouge Automatique, inspired by the classical heritage. 25 shades of the new lipstick are named after the perfumes from Guerlain archives.

Availability/Pricing: The new Spring shades of Rouge Automatique are available in April 2011 for $35 at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and at Bergdorf Goodman.

See color swatches below (click on the photo to make it larger)

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

The newest splash trio from Marc Jacobs caught my attention for its interpretation of the classical cologne genre as inspired by fruity summer cocktails. Of course, light and fresh launches flood the summer market, yet it is always interesting to see how modern fresh and sheer ideas can give a new twist to a conventional theme. In the past, I have enjoyed Violet (2006,) Ivy (2006,) and Gardenia (2008) for their clean, transparent renditions with unusual twists, and while there was nothing particularly complex about these splashes, they had a cheerful, uplifting quality. Yet, as I was testing Curacao, Ginger and Cranberry, I found myself disappointed, because their fruity interpretations do not deviate from the norm. This kind of fresh, citrusy fruity-floral abounds in every area of the fragrance market today, and with some effort, one can even find something similar and less expensive in the Bath & Body Works range. While I understand that Marc Jacobs Splashes are not meant to be perfume art, I still long for at least a suggestion of originality. Moreover, while $68 is not an excessive price tag for a prestige brand, given the quality of these fragrances, I still find them overpriced.

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What are your top 5 all time favorite perfumes? The kind that you would take on a desert island with you or the ones that you would be happy to wear for years to come?

I know, I know, I am being very cruel by limiting the choice to only 5. As I was trying to answer this question for myself, I found that it was not an easy one. However, the moment I thought about 5 fragrances that would keep my interest for a long time without me getting bored with them, I immediately thought of these choices:

Chanel Cuir de Russie
Guerlain Après l’Ondée
Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower
Caron Tabac Blond
Christian Dior Diorella

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

When you think of Robert Piguet, Fracas is the first fragrance that comes to mind. This lush, narcotic, aggressive tuberose is certainly polarizing, but it is memorable and unique. When I heard that the new fragrance Douglas Hannant de Robert Piguet is going to be a modern white floral take, I imagined a composition that would be pink organza to Fracas’s dark purple velvet. At the same time, I always get suspicious whenever a fragrance is described as modern, clean and fresh as well as possessing “good taste, true luxury, … and timeless beauty.” In a sense, my expectations of Douglas Hannant were fulfilled—it is a fresh modern floral, nicely made, but without anything particularly dramatic or memorable about it.

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Series 1 :: Series 2 :: Series 3 :: Series 4 :: Series 5 :: Series 6 :: Series 7 :: Series 8 :: Series 9 :: Series 10

The next 10 fragrances in my 100 Great Perfumes Series encompass the launches from the 1950-60s, the decades of relative prosperity on the one hand, and of great geopolitical shifts on the other. The fragrance fashion of the time leaned towards warm, sultry blends, against which perfumer Edmond Roudnitska started to rebel by creating radiant, sheer compositions. The woody-leathery chypres became more common in both the feminine and the masculine markets, setting a trend for an austere elegance. Those were the decades that set some of the strongest trends for the future, many of which persist even today.

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