perfume books: 38 posts

Denyse Beaulieu of Grain de Musc is on a North American tour promoting her book The Perfume Lover. If you’re in New York, you can meet her on March 22^nd from 4 to 8pm at Aedes de Venustas, a perfume boutique located at 9 Christopher St. With each book purchased, she will give away a 2ml spray sample of L’Artisan Séville à l’Aube, the star of her book.

Canadians can meet her in Toronto and Montreal.  For more details, please see Denyse’s post about her tour activities.

Fragrances of the World 2013 edition is going to be launched this month. “My first guide book in 1984 listed just 38 new fragrances,” says the fragrance expert Michael Edwards. “Our 2013 book is notably bigger and heavier than past editions. We tracked 1,330 new fragrances in 2012, up from 1,065 in 2011. Whilst the volume of launches shows no sign of slowing, we are seeing brands being more resourceful. Brands are capitalizing on formulae modifications – eaux de parfums, eau de toilettes, elixirs and the like – to enhance the success of a current fragrance, with perfume collections gaining ground in certain markets.”

The book is intended as a guide for retailers and it lists the fragrances sold today. In addition, it contains discontinued, iconic and limited edition fragrances. The listings are indexed by gender and brand for ease of reference. The new edition is illustrated by the Australian photographer and florist team Saskia Havekes and Gary Heery from Grandiflora. The book is available at www.fragrancesoftheworld.com. Via press release

I have my priorities straight: I selected my wedding perfume a few days after my engagement, while I bought my dress six days before the ceremony. I do not necessarily recommend following my example (discovering that something does not fit correctly a day before the big event is stressful!), but the choice of fragrance should not be an afterthought.

There is a reason why brides are the epitome of beauty and radiance—no makeup, dress or jewelry can compete with the radiance of someone happy and in love. A well chosen perfume that can make you feel beautiful and elegant is the most exquisite ornament. It also becomes a special scented memento reminding you of this happy day. My wedding was already a few years ago, but I only need to take a whiff of Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower to be reminded of the chaos and excitement of that day.

But how do you pick a perfect perfume? Do you wear something familiar or do you select a completely new fragrance? What role do scents play in your wedding ceremony? Some of these questions can best be answered by Alyssa Harad, who wrote a book about falling in love with perfume and becoming a bride at the same time. Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride  is a story about being seduced by scents and creating memories through aromas. Since perfumes played an important role in my and Alyssa’s weddings, we exchanged many letters on the subject.  Continue reading →

Âmes Sœurs (Scent of Soul Mates) is citrus-musk perfume oil created by Joya as a response to the novel The Book of Lost Fragrances by M. J. Rose. Author Rose wrote the book—a “novel of suspense” centered on reincarnation and a recipe for an ancient fictional perfume by the same name—while frequently burning Joya candles.

Joya is a Brooklyn-based “creative collective specializing in fragrance” designed by Frederick Bouchardy.  Joya Studios makes candles, perfumes, and decorative amulets. Âmes Sœurs created by perfumer Rayda Vega comes in a handy 10 ml roll-on, priced at $28.00.  It’s this latter that has been sitting in my bag for the last few weeks, making an appearance whenever I feel as if I might want a fragrant kick from this thoroughly enjoyable perfume oil.

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I love beautifully illustrated books from the publisher Assouline, so I am looking forward to their three volume series on Christian Dior.

“The pinnacle of French haute couture and savoir faire, the house of Dior is one of the world’s most celebrated luxury brands. Christian Dior envisioned a world of sophistication and elegance, a complete expression of the French tradition of high culture, artistry, and meticulous workmanship. With his fashions, Dior created idealized feminine shapes, seeking harmony and coherence in the lines of his designs. As a young man, Christian Dior had hoped to become an architect; his mother wanted him to be a diplomat: He was all that and more.

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