general perfume articles: 94 posts

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.

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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.

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Recently as I was reading Self-Styled Siren’s fantastic post about Ten Movies Siren Should Love But Does Not, I got to thinking about fragrances that by all accounts should be among my favorites yet fail to move me. These are not the acrylic florals, the vulgar lollipops or the boring copycats. Most of the fragrances on my list are nicely done and distinctive enough to be memorable. For different reasons, they just do not appeal to me.

Serge Lutens Rahat Loukoum

I will not exaggerate if I say that Rahat Loukoum is my least favorite out of the entire collection. I would rather wear L’Eau than this blend of musk, heliotropine and vanilla. A high quality composition that smells like a cheap Duane Reade candle.

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Part 1: Layering Fragrances : Perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena’s and French Elle Suggestions

Last winter French Elle has published an installment on layering perfumes, giving helpful tips and providing eleven different suggestions. I indicate with an asterisk (*) the combinations I particularly liked. The translation from French is my own.

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My article on Germaine Cellier, a perfumer I admire for her genius, confidence and ability to succeed despite all odds against her, appears today in Financial Times Magazine. In Renegade Perfumer, I talk about Cellier and one of her most famous creations, Robert Piguet Fracas.