Ormonde Jayne is launch a new bath soap scented with its popular Osmanthus fragrance. According to the press release, “the soaps are impeccably crafted and hard milled which gives them their fine consistency and lather, ensuring their shape is kept till the end. The uplifting scent of Osmanthus is infused into the soaps to give you a perfect spring day whatever the weather.”
Jasmine, lilac, honeysuckle, gardenia, and orange flower all have diverse olfactory profiles, yet they share the presence of indole, which gives them a rich, narcotic fragrance. Without this unique material, which in pure form looks like white diamond dust, it would have been impossible to recreate the true scent of blooming flowers. A tiny amount of indole is all it takes to infuse life into a composition of floral notes, to make an abstract, vague petally form to appear as a lush, nectar suffused flower.
Indole is often described as “fecal and animalic,” which is a complete misrepresentation. In its pure form, indole smells like moth balls, possessing the same heavy, sweet, tar-like pungency. In fact, it is so strong, suffocating and diffusive that smelling it pure one is hard pressed to imagine that it could be a lovely floral note. Yet, indole changes dramatically in dilutions. It suddenly displays its radiant, floral quality. The suffocating moth ball effect disappears to give way to a completely different image–a handful of gardenia petals or a branch of jasmine flowers. The opulent, narcotic effect of indole is employed whenever a perfumer wants to create a floral effect or else to give a lift to a heavy, oriental composition.
Judith Leiber is introducing a new fragrance called Judith Leiber Night, a rich oriental composition structured around a warm amber accord.
“An intriguing mélange of bergamot, black cinnamon, luxurious night blooming jasmine and peony is deepened by addictive Oriental notes of caramelized amber, the spice of lilies, patchouli and creamy woods. A kiss of slow burning incense gives the fragrance its one of a kind signature that makes it so unique.
Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
The scent of linden trees in bloom is an indication for me that spring is at its full peak. It comes at a time when one is starting to get used to the consecutive days of sun and mild warmth, to the grass turning greener every day and to the cherry blossoms wilting and disappearing. The sidewalk cafes are reopening their outdoor patios, and even the dyed in the wool New Yorkers shed their black uniforms in favor of something more colorful. And then one day you walk through the shady, green alleys and here it comes—the smell of spring at its most languorous and most temperate, the scent of linden blossoms. It is like a wave of warm honey and white jasmine petals, and its effect is simply magical. Every year I long for spring to experience this fragrance, and I am just as devoted to discovering it in perfume. Two years ago, MAC Naked Honey captured my attention for its beautiful evocation of linden, but this year I found something else to replace that lovely, but limited edition– Aftelier Honey Blossom.
Do you ever wear fragrances marketed towards the opposite gender?
Gender in perfumery is a socially and culturally defined topic, and we can be free to ignore it. Yet, as I recently discovered as I was working on a project inspired by Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir and wearing the original almost daily to study it, the idea for a woman walking around smelling of a virile, macho fougère can be deeply disturbing to others. On the other hand, I have received plenty of compliments on Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, Dior Homme and Terre d’Hermès.
For an additional interesting reading on the topic of fragrance gender boundaries, I encourage you to take a look at the interview with sociologist Marcello Aspria, author of Perfume and Gender Identity: Shifting Olfactory Definitions of Masculinity and Femininity in the Twentieth Century project.
Recording of a seminar.
Luca and Victoria speak for 1.5h on topics included, but not limited to: vintage perfumes, our favorite fragrances, trends we hate, industry gossip. No one will be spared. All will be entertained. Funds will be used to support charity projects in Ukraine.
Recording of our session on the future of perfumery.
Price: €50
Class location: Brussels
Date: contact for availability
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person
Students of all levels of interest in perfumery will find much to learn in this series of lectures. The lecture is designed to sharpen your sense smell and improve your enjoyment and appreciation of scents. You will learn professional smelling techniques and receive personalized tips. You will learn how to smell complex aromas and about the main criteria of a well-made fragrance–and how to look for them.
Online and in-person classes are available.
