general perfume articles: 94 posts

I have a new article in the Financial Times Magazine’s fragrance column, Smouldering Scents of Seduction. The topic this month blends my favorite themes–perfume and classical Hollywood. In helping me understand what makes for the ultimate bombshell fragrance, I turn to Farran Smith Nehme and Laren Stover. Nehme, whom you might know as The Self-Styled Siren and film critic writing for the New York Post, has an impressive knowledge of classical cinema, while Stover wrote the best-selling The Bombshell Manual of Style. They are also perfume connoisseurs and great interview partners. It’s all tongue-in-cheek, of course, and I hope that you will enjoy our discoveries.

What is the hallmark of the ultimate bombshell perfume? I wonder this as I’m enraptured by the first glimpse of Ava Gardner in the 1946 film noir The Killers. She sits at the piano, wearing a black satin gown that elegantly drapes over her curvy figure. She gives Burt Lancaster one look and he is ready to follow her anywhere, even if it will lead to trouble. Such is the power of a bombshell. My typical day is more about routine than glamour, but perfume is my way to pretend otherwise. Please read the rest by clicking here.

What perfumes have bombshell potential for you?

Image: Ava Gardner in The Killers.

It’s cold, rainy and gloomy. What do you wear to brighten up your mood? Since January transitioned into April without much difference in weather, this question has been on my mind a lot. I have a whole arsenal of mood lifters, and perfume is one of my favorite ways to dream. In my article for ELLE, titled Perfume for a Rainy Day, I explore fragrances that bring a ray of sunshine. I also describe why you don’t need a separate seasonal wardrobe and how you can experience your fragrances in new ways at different times of the year.

“The calendar and the blossoming cherry tree near my apartment building suggest that spring is here, but the lingering presence of winter is still noticeable in the biting wind and dark clouds. As I wake up to yet another cold, foggy morning, all I want to do is huddle under the blankets until summer. Hibernation, unfortunately, is not an option for me, so when the incessant rain feels especially oppressive, I instinctively reach for perfumes that warm me up.” Please read the rest at ELLE.com.

What perfumes perk you up instantly?

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

My March topic for the Financial Times Magazine is about pampering. In Sultry Fragrances for a Scented Bath, I share some of my favorite scents. This winter, I’ve been indulging in baths perfumed with Estée Lauder Youth Dew and Roger & Gallet Cologne. When I don’t have time for a proper relaxing bath, I spritz a bit of cologne into the shower to enjoy a fresh burst of citrus. It gives me a stronger jolt than a cup of coffee!

I treat myself to perfumed baths whenever I feel tired or simply in need of some pampering. It’s an indispensable indulgence and one of the most satisfying scented pleasures. To feel as if I’m floating on rose petals, I turn to Red Roses Bath Oil by Jo Malone (£52 for 200ml). It leaves skin soft and redolent of lemony tea roses. L’Artisan Parfumeur’s La Chasse aux Papillons Dry Body Oil (£40 for 100ml) is perfumed with the sweetness of tuberose and linden blossom, and while it can be used instead of moisturising cream, in the bath it feels especially luscious. Please read the rest by clicking here.

What do you use whenever you crave some pampering?

Photography via FT.

Some years ago, during a period of intense dating activity, I haphazardly selected a first-date perfume that, to use common idiom, drove men wild, turned men on, made men mad with desire.  I was never one to deliberate over a perfume choice, other than to question whether the strength of something was appropriate for close quarters, so my choice of a date perfume was a random, last-minute one.

What was this magic brew?

I will have to string you along a bit longer, while I take an excursus into the topic of what perfume do men like (and what perfume do women like) and what is the sexiest fragrance.  I’m going to knock that last one flat and say that the sexiest fragrance is the one that makes you feel attractive and confident, fun and engaging.  It should work to enhance your personality, rather than to drag it down.

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I have a new article in the Financial Times Magazine’s fragrance column, The inspirational aromas of tea ­– in a bottle. This time, it is all about tea. While Andy has been tempting  us with his tea descriptions, I explored the tea notes in perfumes. I hope that you will enjoy my selection of tea scents.

Warm jasmine petals, green twigs, cedarwood shavings… I close my eyes and inhale again. The top notes are crisp and bright, reminiscent of fresh leaves, but underneath I notice a musky sweetness. This complex scent is so heady and rich that I imagine it in a perfume bottle, but instead it blossoms in my cup of jasmine pearls tea. Please read the rest by clicking here.

Do you have favorite tea fragrances or perfumes with tea notes?