Perfume 101: 517 posts

Please see Part I of Romantic Notes.

The Ukrainian winters of my childhood were frigid enough to require a heavy fur coat. I still remember the warm scent of fur and its contrast with the crisp mineral winter air. Although I no longer wear fur, the memories are strong enough to make this aroma special. For me, the notes evoking the warmth of fur in fragrance tend to fall into the amber category: the rich resinous ambers like the amber gold standard Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, the spicy sweet ambers like Armani Privé Ambre Soie , the baroque ambers like Guerlain Attrape-Coeur / Guet-Apens or Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé. While the ambery notes of Hermès Eau des Merveilles are of a salty ambergris variety, wearing this fragrance, especially in the parfum concentration, is not unlike being wrapped in a fur stole.

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What fragrance should I wear/buy for Valentine’s Day? This question remains one of the top reader queries I get around this time of the year (although nothing beats the good old “what turns wo(men) on?”) The fact is that there is no perfect fragrance that would suit all moods and all personality types. At the same time, some notes have distinct romantic connotations because of their sensual quality. Rose is the first one that comes to mind; however, since this topic has been covered extensively by me and others in the past (for instance, please see my article “From White to Red, From Chaste to Seductive: Many Faces of Rose”), I decided to look for a fresh approach. I chose seven notes which are undeniable sensual and aphrodisiac and which provide an endless source of fascination. Of course, while the list below strongly reflects my own preferences, I am eager to hear your thoughts.

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William Shakespeare wrote, “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.” Although delicate and ethereal may be the first associations one makes with spring, this season of the year is also a time of great upheaval. Before the first leaves appear on the tender branches and before the first gossamer thin white petal unfolds, the snow and ice have to melt. Nature’s awakening from the slumber of winter can be almost violent and unpredictable, contrasting sharply with the crystalline and radiant beauty of the late spring. Similarly, the musky aromas of wet earth, the metallic pitch of melting ice and the pungency of last year’s decaying leaves revealed by the vanishing snow can be contrasted with the brilliant verdancy of first grasses, the sunny warmth of narcissuses and the luminous freshness of spring air. The duality of spring and her scents is fascinating and alluring, and it is difficult to resist their call.

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After presenting a feature on the classics (please see Part I and Part II), I left the subject with a promise to return with a list of fragrances of more recent vintage. In other words, modern classics. Given the increasing rate of releases and decreasing market life of fragrances, any perfume that remains on best-selling lists for more than 3 years seems to automatically receive the title of a classic. When creating my list, I decided to limit myself to fragrances created since 1990. The following fragrances are not necessarily best-sellers (there are indeed a few resounding market failures among them such as Yves Saint Laurent M7), but I am compelled to highlight them nevertheless for their creativity and innovative accords. In some cases, I chose to include them simply because they are beautiful. Admittedly, this list is by no means exhaustive. …

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“What fragrance drives men/women crazy?” This is one of the most frequent email inquiries I receive. Given that fragrance preferences are very subjective and personal, a search for a single magic potion that will work on everyone for every event is meaningless. In fact, I would go further to say that it is pointless to search for a perfume to seduce your lover. Perfume is an extension and reflection of your personality; it should be worn to seduce oneself. Everything else will follow. “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you,” said Coco Chanel whose Chanel No 5 is still a best-seller almost a century later. The same philosophy applies to fragrance. The most seductive perfume is the one that smells great on you.

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