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

In one year of war, Ukraine has experienced widespread destruction. Many of its cities and villages have been so savagely bombarded by Russia that the familiar landmarks of these places are gone. People lost their homes and their familiar places. Many people also lost their lives during the carnage. For the past few months I’ve been collaborating with Thought Group Chile, a group of architects working to rebuild Ukraine. Cristián Wittig is the director of the group and he is working tirelessly to rebuild Ukrainian cities, particularly Irpin and Chernihiv, the places that suffered the most severe devastation.

Based in Chile, Cristián and his group traveled in Ukraine and are familiar with its realities and its needs. The learnings from his project in Ukraine are vital for other places affected by war or natural disasters. Talking to Cristián, I’ve been appreciating even more how important is the design of public spaces in order to create a feeling of community. Also, how essential it is to choose materials carefully. Part of the reason the destruction has been so severe in Ukraine is the ubiquity of light, unstable constructions on poor foundations.

To help Thought Group Chile, I turn to you and offer this fundraiser. I propose donating to Thought Group Chile, any amount you wish, and in return, you will be entered into a contest for the original-formulation Chanel 28, La Pausa, 200ml/6.8oz. I absolutely love this perfume and I find the original formula to be exceptional, but I’m delighted to contribute this precious item from my collection towards a good cause. The bottle is almost full, as you can see in the photo, and it comes in its original box. I can ship anywhere in the world.

There will also be other prizes including vintage Coty Chypre (please check after the break.)

If you have a bottle of perfume that you would like to contribute for this fundraiser, please contact me. Please let me know the size, condition and where in the world you would be willing to mail it to the eventual winners.

How the contest works: donate any amount you want to donating to Thought Group Chile, email me (boisdejasmin at yahoo dot com) the donation receipt, and you will receive a confirmation from me that you’re entered into the contest.

How the winners will be selected? Randomly.

The contest will run till March 20th. Thank you for participating!

Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section.

Link for PayPal donation account:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZPFSW5UPN42LC

QR Code for donating

Extra 30+ prizes

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