I’m delighted to share that I will be participating in Hay Festival Wales 2023. The program is now live at hayfestival.org/wales.

Friday 2 June 2023, 5.30pm
Event 298 Victoria Belim and Kevin Jared Hosein in conversation with Rosie Goldsmith
I recently read Hosein’s novel Hungry Ghosts and it moved and impressed me, so I look forward to our conversation.

I will also participate in Passa Porta Festival in Brussels on March 26th, when Oksana Zabuzhko and I will meet for a conversation. If you are in Brussels, I hope to meet you there. For my other book news, please take a look at The Rooster House book page.

In other news, I made the cover of The Bookseller magazine last month. I spoke with Caroline Sanderson about The Rooster House, Ukraine and yearning for home. Our interview is included in the issue.

“A Wild Swans for Ukraine is how I’ve come to think of The Rooster House: A Ukrainian Family Memoir by Victoria Belim. An enthralling richly-layered story told across four generations, it’s a major 2023 title for Virago, was one of the most talked-about books at London Book Fair 2022 and is set to be published in 16 languages. It powerfully illuminates the context of the current conflict in Ukraine but goes beyond it too in reflecting on culture and art, geography and language and how they influence the complexities of who we are.” Victoria Belim in conversation about her memoir, a history of her family’s past and a celebration of Ukrainian identity

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Whenever I browse the list of perfume best sellers, regardless of the geographic market, I’m always struck by the enduring presence of classics. Chanel No 5 rarely gives up its position in the top five, while perfumes like Guerlain Shalimar, Clinique Aromatics Elixir, and Aramis keep their place in the top twenty. What can explain the lasting appeal of these icons, especially today when every season brings more and more new creations?

For the author of Perfume: A Century of Scents, Lizzie Ostrom, the answer lies partly in this avalanche of new launches.  “Classic scents are lodestars. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by new launches, it’s often just easier to go for the ones you recognize, like ignoring fashion fads and saving up for a Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking instead,” she says. Perfumes like Chanel No 19 or Lancôme Magie Noire convey different moods and experiences, but they also have a reputation. (Incidentally, neither No 19 nor Magie Noire is a top seller for their brands, but their following is fiercely loyal.)

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Last night I spoke with my cousin and my friends in Ukraine to find out how they have been handling these past few days. My friend Nadia is an embroidery master and teacher, and despite the power blackouts, she continues working. She showed me a beautiful rushnyk, an embroidered hand towel, that she finished, and explained that she selected the design of a tree of life to feel more hopeful. “Embroidery is my meditation practice,” Nadia says.

I have an update about our Ukrainian fundraiser. We now have more than 20 prizes, including vintage Coty Chypre and a brand-new bottle of Chanel Bois des Iles extrait de parfum. All of your contributions make a difference, so Thought Group Chile and I are immensely grateful. Here is a message from Cristian Wittig, the director of Thought Group Chile:

“With your contribution we will be able to continue developing the architectural proposals that have been required of us by the authorities of the Cities of Irpin and Chernihiv, for the reconstruction of their destroyed spaces and buildings. Your help will also allow us to continue with the development of our proposals for the 5 architectural projects commissioned for the City of Chernihiv, of which we have already begun to develop our proposal for the New House of Culture in Ivanivka. Your financial support and trust placed in the work of our team, encourages us, motivates us and inspires us to continue working for the wonderful Ukrainian people.

Soon we will have available our official website where you can find all the information regarding our work process for the destroyed cities in Ukraine. In the meantime, I invite you to check our Instagram account @thought4ukraine.”

Scent Diary is a place to write your observations about the scents around you. Whether you write down 1 recollection or 10 matters less than simply reminding yourself to smell. You can add as many comments as you wish. You can comment today or over the course of the week; this thread will always be open. Of course, do share what perfume you’re wearing or what particularly good scented products you’ve discovered.

While looking through my articles, I found this article that I wrote a few years ago but that still remains popular and often-read: A to Z Tips for Enjoyable, Affordable and Rewarding Perfume Hobby. If you have any tips to add, I’d love to hear them.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

In the grand scheme of skincare, facial mist didn’t seem to me like a relevant item, particularly since I associated it with plain water spritzers. This would change after my sojourn in Japan. While I was in Tokyo studying the kodo incense ceremony, I had plenty of time to explore Japan’s vibrant beauty scene. This is how I discovered that my facial mist ideas were rather out of date.

Forget water in a canister! Modern mists address many skincare needs, from radiance to hydration. It may sound like a tall order, but it reflects a particular approach Japanese women take towards skincare—layering. The idea is to start with the lightest product in terms of texture and then build up the layers to the moisturizing cream, before ending with sunscreen. In this routine, mist can be used as a first step, a boost throughout the day or for setting makeup after touchups.

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Our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread is open this week. You can use this space to find perfume recommendations, to share your discoveries and favorite scents, and to ask any questions about scents, aromas and flavors. Or you can just tell us what perfume you are wearing!

I’ve delighted and touched by the response to my Ukrainian fundraiser, and I wanted to mention that we now have more than 10 prizes, including vintage Coty Chypre, Penhaligon’s Ostara, perfumes by Hermès, Chanel, Neela Vermeire and other exceptional brands. All of your contributions make a difference, so Thought Group Chile and I are immensely grateful.

How does it work: 1. Please post your requests or questions as comments here. You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions. 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. And please let us know what you end up sampling. 2. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer. Your responses are really valuable for navigating the big and sometimes confusing world of perfume, so let’s help each other!

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

Photography by Bois de Jasmin