Perfume 101: 517 posts

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine and White Florals
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Essentials
Part 6: Orientals

Brief explanation: I will indicate the major floral notes (in bold font) with which a fragrance lover should be familiar. The underlined floral notes are related to the major note, and they can be explored after one becomes familiar with the latter.

Lily of the Valley (Muguet)

Put rose and jasmine in just the right combination together and you get lily of the valley. It is a beautiful note with a green, watery character underpinned by a surprising streak of dark indoles and tangy sweetness. Christian Dior Diorissimo is the gold standard of the lily of the valley genre, and according to its creator, perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, it “is a pure lily-of-the-valley scent that also has the odor of the woods in which it is found and the indefinable atmosphere of the springtime.” In contrast to both rose and jasmine florals that have a voluptuous character, lily of the valley is softer and less assertive.

Continue reading →

Although the increase in fragrance launches is obvious enough from a visit to any department store, considering the trend reveals the incredible surge in the number of perfumes marketed each year. What will 2012 be like? While many trade sources say that there are fewer launches, I do not expect that we will see a significant decrease next year.

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Essentials
Part 6: Orientals

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of floral variations. This need not be the case. Once you know what rose, jasmine, violet and lily of the valley smell like, you already know a fair bit and have a nice foundation to continue with your fragrance explorations. Almost everything else would stem from these notes.

In continuing my guide on building a perfume wardrobe, I will resume the discussion of floral fragrances, with the focus today being on jasmine. In marketing descriptions, jasmine, orange blossom, gardenia and tuberose are called white florals, which is a vague and confusing term. Rose, carnation and lilac can also be white. What unites the flowers in my group today is their jasmine character of apricot jam, banana peel and an inky touch of indole. The jasmine group also offers the most examples of prominent floral notes used in masculine perfumery.

Continue reading →

Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine and White Florals
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Essentials
Part 6: Orientals

As much as the idea of a signature fragrance seems alluring, I find that the world of fragrance is too diverse and fascinating to limit myself to only a single olfactory idea. I eat different foods everyday, I change the music selection on my iPod, I read new books in hopes of learning and experiencing something new. So I do not see any reason why someone who loves fragrance needs to wear only one perfume for years on end. A perfume wardrobe, which is the subject of this series, is my idea of enjoying fragrance—a collection of perfumes that contain a variety of scents that are appropriate for different occasions and moods.

Continue reading →

Does market success serve as the best measure of a great fragrance? Certainly, this is not usually the case. One only needs to browse through the top seller lists to see what kind of blandness is responsible for retail profits. In this spirit, I have decided to compile a selection of a dozen or so memorable market failures—unique perfumes that simply did not survive on the fragrance counters. In some cases, it was due to the overly daring compositions, in others the failure hinged on the poor marketing campaign. So, without further ado, here is my anti-best seller list (in alphabetical order)! I hope that it will entertain you as well as inspire some interesting, and in some cases, inexpensive discovery.

Continue reading →