Wandering Wonderland

Perfumer Roxana Villa has created a trial version of a green fragrance with rose at the heart titled "Smell Me". She will be giving away five samples of the fragrance as part of this blogging collective celebrating Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". GAME: To be entered to win a sample of "Smell Me" please visit each participating blog and determine which character from the story each blogger has assumed. E-mail your guess to Roxana Villa. Five winners will be chosen to receive a sample of the first edition trial of the fragrance. Your clue (you might want to write it down): "quote the raven: 'teatime'" Illuminated Perfume Journal Memory & Desire Indie Perfumes Beth Schreibman Gehring

Grab Bag: Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine

By Tom This week is the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event, which means that I make my semi-annual trek to buy Kiehl's. While always telling myself that I'm not going to bother to try to get to the magic number N-M wants to to plunk down for a bag with samples, I always seem to get within $5 of the price and end up tossing a lip balm in to make the grade. Back when Clinton was president, the N-M freebie was pretty good; with large sized pots of gook and those legendary 25ML bottles of Goutal Hadrien. Now it's chock full of samples that they should be giving out for the asking. The fragrance samples were the headache-inducing Van Cleef and Arpels Oriens and Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine. Atelier Cologne has others at Neiman's (where it's a new exclusive line) like Bois Blonde and Oolong Infini, both very nice. Orange Sanguine was one of those openings that elicits a squeal of delight: if you walk into your local market, grab a satsuma and give it a twist you will basically have the first 15 minutes. I love that smell so it made me very happy. You might feel that it's too Tropicana literal. Even though it does add depth later with woods, geranium and jasmine I can't see popping $165 for this. Isn't Demeter Orange Juice $20?

Return of the White Floral Queen: Three Superlative Tuberose Perfumes

By Donna Readers of this blog know how much I love white floral fragrances, especially when they involve high quality tuberose and gardenia creations. I thought I had no need to search out any more tuberose scents once I discovered the fabulous Carnal Flower; game over, set and match, everybody go home. After all, what else can be done with tuberose that either Carnal Flower or Fracas can't outshine? Not so fast! I have found some more of them, each very different in character, which just goes to show that it's not just the ingredients, it's the perfumer's skill that can make even the most ubiquitous and popular fragrance notes sing in a unique way. Each one of these is a masterpiece in its own right and worthy of attention. A few months ago I bought a nice selection of niche perfume samples, among which were several By Kilian fragrances. I had never tried any of them, but the ones I selected were among the best of the line, as they were all composed by the wonderfully talented Calice Becker, and they included the superb tuberose-based Beyond Love (2007). The authors of Perfumes: The Guide had given it high marks so I was curious to find out if it really could be a serious contender in the crowded field of heavy white floral perfumes. The answer is a very definite yes. This fragrance is stunning and over-the-top sexy. No less than four different forms of tuberose are in this concoction; absolute, concrete, green tuberose and a tuberose “petal accord”, and the result is a close approximation of what the real flower smells like, intertwined with coconut and Egyptian jasmine to enhance this effect, and these all rest on a warm base of musk and ambergris. The overall effect lands it halfway between the candied luxury of Fracas and the jungly green Carnal Flower, and it's a magical place I want to visit over and over as I imagine it transforming me into some kind of irresistible sex symbol with just a little dab; it's that good. If my budget included the By Kilian line, a full bottle of this would be at the top of my list. In my opinion it is destined to become a modern classic, if there is any justice in the world. (For Marina’s take on this one, go here.) Something else caught my attention when I read Perfumes: The Guide, and it was something I had let pass me by when it was still in production. An online search resulted in the purchase of a mini bottle of the Eau de Toilette. Michelle by Balenciaga is one of those perfumes that got discontinued despite having a loyal fan base, and it makes you wonder what Balenciaga was thinking. Michelle was introduced to honor the memory of the late founder and was named for his favorite house model. It was released in 1980, around the time all the “big” Eighties perfumes were beginning to appear, and perhaps it was bad timing that resulted in its eventual demise. For some reason I had it confused with the soapy-fresh Maja by Myrurgia for a long time, and the black packaging was somewhat similar, so I never realized what was hiding behind the rather conservative-looking box design. It is a soft and inviting version of a tuberose scent, and it is not too strong for day wear if you don't overdo it. It too has coconut, and peach as well, but what really sets it apart is the use of spicy carnation, vanilla, benzoin and sandalwood. This makes it one of the most user-friendly perfumes of the white floral style, and its delicious warmth is about as addictive as anything I have ever smelled. When I put it on, it makes me sigh with delight, and I can't leave my own arm alone for more than a few minutes. Needless to say, I will be replacing the mini bottle with a bigger one when the time comes. The third fragrance is one I never thought I would get a chance to try, let alone own. I have always been a fan of the perfumes of Le Galion, having fallen hard for Sortilège many years ago. For a long time I thought that it and Snob were the only fragrances from that house, since I never heard about any others. Well, there were some more, though not that many, and among them were a number of well-regarded soliflores. Shortly after acquiring an old mini bottle of Jasmin, which is a first class and very indolic jasmine scent, I read about more of them on perfume historian Octavian Coifan's blog, 1000 Fragrances. He described his impressions of the house's famous signature perfumes and several of the Le Galion soliflores, including Jasmin, Lily of the Valley, La Rose and Tubéreuse (1937). Of course, I wanted to smell that last one very badly, but it would appear that most of the Le Galions were discontinued long before Sortilège finally succumbed. (That one's formula was acquired by the Irma Shorell Company and reproduced under the Long Lost Perfumes label; I have never tried it.) When a small vial of Tubéreuse in Parfum appeared on eBay one day, I could hardly believe it, and to my even greater astonishment, I was the only bidder. I tried not to get my hopes up too high, since it was a very old perfume, but when it arrived, it was still sealed and perfect, and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. It is indeed shockingly good, a heavily animalic tuberose laced with the same gorgeously filthy jasmine found in Jasmin, only more so since this was Parfum strength, and underscored with intensely rich hyacinth and dark, earthy narcissus of a quality I had not experienced since smelling pre-reformulation Narcisse Noir. It is dangerously, deeply, subversively sensual, yet possessed of a rare and refined beauty due to the use of the finest French essences; this perfume was created back when the flower field s of France still produced most of the materials used in fine perfumery and tight quality control was a way of life; it is the polar opposite of the chemical monstrosity of such so-called tuberose perfumes as Amarige. Le Galion Tubéreuse is a radiant example of what can be accomplished when the finest materials meet a gifted perfumer (in this case the great Paul Vacher). To me it combines the best aspects of Tubéreuse Criminelle and Carnal Flower yet retains its own special character. If you have ever smelled a fragrance that was so good that you can't imagine how it could be improved upon, this is such a one. If you love Tubéreuse Criminelle but would prefer not to endure the weird opening before it becomes truly beautiful, just be grateful that it exists at all, because this one is long departed. Sources: The By Kilian fragrances are available at Luckyscent and at finer perfume shops, as well as from the By Kilian Web site. Balenciaga Michelle occasionally surfaces at some online discounters (expect to be put on a waiting list) and specialty vintage perfume merchants and is regularly seen on eBay, both up for auction and in eBay stores to purchase with no bidding (expect to pay a premium price). Le Galion Tubéreuse: Log on to eBay (or other online auction site of your choice) and pray fervently to the perfume goddess for a miracle. Image credit: Actress Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”) at the 2008 Emmy Awards, photographer unknown, via comicvine.com

Eau no you didn't: L'Eau Serge Lutens

By Tom Remember the heady (literally) days when the release of a new Serge was at least by my awaited with a fervor unseen since the answer to "Who Shot J.R."? Days were counted, samples were begged; one heard rumors "opens with gasoline!" "The dirtiest musk in existence!" "Cat pee!!" Somehow over the last couple years I just haven't felt that way. Maybe because of, well Chypre Rouge. Or Rousse. Or Louve. Or the fact that there are other perfumers out there even in my area code that I'm finding as exciting if not more.. L'Eau Serge Lutens is at Barneys right now. It's a fresh blend of sage, mint and magnolia and smells very clean, like you just got a haircut and brand new clothes. People on the interwebs have been complaining that it smells too much like Gendarme or something, so in the interest of Science and enjoying a lovely Sunday before the dreaded workweek starts, I went to Fred Segal and Scentbar to test the theory. It isn't quite a carbon of anything; certainly Lutens would rather wear poly blend that go that route. Gendarme is sweeter, Sky is brassier, Escentric is woodier, etc. I do like this; not enough to pop $150 even for 100ML. But I'm not going to pile on with the howls over this. We've all been saying that Uncle Serge has needed to branch out. First he brought us the penultimate fruity-floral in Nuit de Cellophane. Now we have the Apollonian ideal of "clean and fresh". Moral? Watch what you wish for. $150 for 100ML, at Barneys now, soon to be at Aedes and Luckyscent. Image source, salons-shiseido.com.

Letter to Mr.B., Master Distiller: Aged Hindi Oud (32 years old)

Dear Mr. B., I just couldn’t wait for the weekend! This morning I transferred your oil to a glass bottle and I’ve spent the last couple of hours getting to know it. Mr. B.- I’m in heaven! I feel so fortunate to have experienced this sweet, soothing oil! I know we’re going to spend many tranquil and dreamy hours together. I’ve written down some things it reminds me of, though words don’t do it justice: -the scent of very worn deerskin that has become so soft you can pull it through a wedding ring -the scent of a gentle fire just as the first breath of smoke appears -the scent of moist plums stored in an old wooden crock, dusted with cinnamon and doused in port wine -the scent of moss baking in the afternoon sun -the scent of a cello’s belly that has been played for many years -the touch of my mother’s cool lips kissing my forehead when I’m sick -the smoothness of a dark wooden ball that has been lovingly palmed by generations of children -the smoldering darkness of crushed, midnight silk velvet -the crystalline depth of molten topaz and black diamonds -the lined and wizened face of “Crazy Thunder”, Oglala Lakota chief -the steadiness of a tombak -the delightful mystery of fireflies Mr. B.- Although I am unable to describe the smoothness, composure and allure of this scent in a way that captures its beauty, one thing I can say for sure: it is the scent of serenity. Thank you for sending it to me. With warm regards, Marian A recent distillation of Mr. B’s Hindi oud will soon be available from Enfleurage, New York City (888) 387-0300 www.enfleurage.com

Rica Suave: Costamor Tabacca & Sugarwood

By Tom Today is V-day. I don't care for V-day. It seems designed to make everyone crazy. There were people making handbrake turns on Beverly Blvd. to get to the couple selling ratty bouquets and sad balloon arrangements. Which made me think about the reception the men would get upon arrival. I mean, really, ladies and gents, if your sig other was at sixes and sevens or completely skint, wouldn't you prefer a nice backrub or a (even indigestible) breakfast in bed and impeccably cleaned kitchen or candle-lit bubble bath with soft music and a glass of wine or even just a heartfelt "I love you" than some sad handful of posies that look as if they were recently snatched from Forest Lawn? I swear, I need to write a self-help book for hetero males... Anyhoo, I had tickets to the Renoir exhibit at LACMA with my BFF Sue, after which I took her to ScentBar. She had so far been avoiding the place if only because she would want to purchase and the idea of telling the my godchild "sorry kid, I blew the college fund on the Lutens collection" could be a result. But I needed something to write about and needed to show her that she could ask for samples... Costamor is a house created in 2009 by Elizabeth Wright, a California native who is (according to Luckyscent) half Costa-Rican. I've never been there but have had friends who've been and kvelled over the beauty of the place. I can't comment on how well the scents describe the beauty of the area, but the scents are quite good in and of themselves. Sugarwood is sweet and woody with an overlay of jasmine and iris. I do actually know what sugar cane pulp smells like and the opening on this is a fairly accurate simulacrum. There's sweet vanilla and fig in there but it's nicely cut by citrus. If you want to have a vanilla that's not as boozy/blowzy as say Guerlain SDV (which I adore) then this could be right up your alley. Tabacca is on me at first all about the bright apple opening and a brief burst of freshness. The tobacco comes in later, sly but discernible as both cured and uncured. Believe it of not, Western Massachusetts is a place where when I was growing up tobacco was harvested and I remember the scent of it curing distinctly when riding my bike past the barns that ringed my college town hometown. That's not to say that i especially like this. It is for me too demure; it's like a deb who hurriedly applies a spritz of cologne and a stick of Adams Sour Apple gum to unsuccessfully mask a hurried Lucky Strike. I like my tobacco a bit more in-your-face: less demure and more Dietrich. These aren't me but they are compelling, well blended and suave little numbers and since these are only $75 for 50ML if you're in need of a demure tobacco or a self-effacing vanilla you would do well to check them out. At Luckyscent, I believe, exclusively.

The Joy of DIY: An Interview with Perfumista and DIYer Teresa Csorba

By Marla As some of you may know, I went from being a perfumista to a dedicated DIYer about two years ago, and have been avidly encouraging all budding perfumers to go forth and create lovely, peculiar, and amazing smells ever since. I’ve also been exchanging creations with a number of other DIYers, and have been particularly enchanted with the works of Teresa Csorba, an American perfume fanatic/nose who enjoys creating in a spirit similar to C. Brosius; in other words, she loves to make evocative perfume oils that conjure up particular places and times. I was fortunate enough to interview her recently and here is her story. Marla: When did you first know you were a perfumista? How did your family and friends respond? Which perfumes were your first loves? Teresa: My sister and I quit smoking together about 13 years ago and our reward for a week without smokes was to go to the local perfume oil shop and buy something. They offered custom mixes and we started mixing our own instead. About two years later, I had the yen to do more elaborate mixes and that shop had closed, so I started buying basic materials to mix at home. They were mostly mood-sachets rather than perfumes, at first. For example, I have one named after a rigged wooden ship (the Wawona) that contains birch tar, an equivalent of oakum (the hemp jammed between the deck planks to water seal it) and a turpentine note. Smells like a wooden ship! As for first loves in perfume, I think my most vivid memory was a school carnival with a coin toss where you could pick from a range of donated items as your prize. I spent a whole lot of money to win a little bottle of Chanel No. 5, and while I’ve never been able to wear that scent, the memory stays. I lusted after that itty bitty jewel bottle and didn’t stop till I’d won it (annoying a lot of people, no doubt.) Marla: At what point did a love of perfume turn into a desire to make things for yourself? What pushed you in that direction? Teresa: Mass-market scents seem to always be very similar to each other or very expensive. There's also a general “perfumeyness”, to make up a word, about them; they have no reference to the world around them except to smell nice on the skin. The same thing that drives Demeter and CB I Hate Perfume is what started me out on this expensive hobby. I want to make moods and atmospheres in scent (like paintings, which I'm not good at making); the aforementioned “Wawona” smells like walking the deck of a rigged ship; “Twilight” smells like an autumn night outdoors; “Adventurer's Club” smells like a gentleman's turn of the century club with tobacco, leather and wood. And I also have ended up making scents that just smell nice on the skin, too and making scents for family and friends, some of whom can’t wear store fragrances. I'm having fun. Marla: What are two of your favorite creations, what inspired them, and how did you go about making them? Teresa: I’ll pick two good winter scents to combat this snow we have right now. The first is “Sacred Smoke.” I’d been doing a lot of research and reading into ancient lore and very darkly moody and evocative history, and wanted a scent to go with that. Labdanum and rue are the main components, with a synthetic smoke element to give that dark feeling of burning herbs. Then I had to lighten it a bit, so nutmeg and cedar lift it. Yarrow gives it a green feeling and also happens to figure very largely in mystic herb lore, so that was a must-add. Overall, it came out very dark and herby. It’s one of my favorites for the changing times of the year. On the other side of meaningful, I did a series of three based on a favorite movie. Here comes the geek in me: the Russian book series and SciFi film “Night Watch”. I made fragrance pictorials of three of the main characters. My favorite is of Anton Gorodetsky. The character is a cynical, frustrated romantic caught between the light and dark of two worlds, but he also represents old Russia as it tries to deal with the new world order. So naturally, I ended up mixing nothing but stereotypical Russian notes, a couple of ambers, an aged leather, coriander for leaven and rum, because Gorodetsky drinks too much, and vodka isn’t a note I had on hand. It’s very masculine, but both my sister and I wear it. Marla: What are some ideas for where you are headed next? What inspires you currently? Teresa: I’m planning on putting up a website offering five of my scents and also bespoke scents for those who would like to try that for a reasonable charge. Many bespoke sites are so staggeringly expensive that only the very rich can have a personalized scent and I think that’s very sad. My next project will most likely involve something spring-like, so I may have to get a hold of some lilac essence. I’m currently leaning towards spring, probably because winter is so cold this year! Marla: Any funny stories about making your own perfumes you'd like to share? (Here’s my own: I'll never forget the time my youngest son answered the phone, and I heard him say, "No, Mom can't come to the phone right now, she's in her basement lab, sniffing stuff.") Teresa : I have nothing as funny as yours, but spilling a bottle of synthetic sandalwood was a sad moment. The whole room stank of it for weeks and while I used to be okay with sandalwood, now I can’t bear it. I only use it in small doses now, in the base. I hope Teresa will come out with her line soon, as I’ve tried her creations, and they are exactly as she says- evocative, poetic, and memorable. Cheers to all you creative noses out there!

Balmain Ambre Gris: At Long Last Love

By Donna When the house of Pierre Balmain released Ambre Gris in late 2008, it got a lot of press - and a lot of hype as well. After its recent missteps (Balmya, the disappointing Jolie Madame and Vent Vert reformulations, and La Môme for many) the house needed a big hit, and it got one with Ambre Gris, which was composed by the young Givaudan perfumer Guillaume Flavigny, who also did La Môme. It flew off the shelves at the full price of $135 for the large100 ml size, and when it went to the discounters surprisingly quickly; it soon was listed as “Out of Stock” on almost every online merchant's site. People made fun of the “disco ball” cap; I thought it was very Jazz Age and I loved it, especially in contrast to the smoky gray bottle. I smelled it once at my local shop, but I did not want to pay that much unless I was absolutely sure that I loved it. Then other scents intervened and I put the idea of buying it on the back burner. I figured I could always find it at a discounter if I decided I wanted it, since it had gone down market so suddenly. Well, a few weeks ago I went looking for it again and guess what? It was still out of stock at almost every store! Apparently the craze for it had not subsided. I tried bidding for a bottle or two on eBay and I was quickly humbled by how much other people were willing to pay, and the bottles were few and far between anyway. The only place it was (and still is) in stock was at Luckyscent, at full price. Lo and behold, a perfumista friend included a vial of it in a recent sample swap, so I finally had enough of it to test and figure out if I still wanted it. Ambre Gris was pleasant right off the bat, no waiting for the delicious warmth of pink pepper, cinnamon, myrrh and immortelle flower enriched with tuberose to expand and surround me, eventually drying down to the velvety ambergris base. I thought it was True Love for a few minutes, and then something odd happened about fifteen minutes after I applied it. This was supposed to be part of Balmain’s return to its roots of high-end perfumery, but I smelled something that seemed very synthetic, and not in a good way. It smelled like fake wood, the kind you find in “sporty” men's fragrances; synthetic woody-amber. Okay, the wood in this is supposed to be “smoky Gaiac wood” according to Luckyscent, and I did not detect even a trace of smoke. Was it a by-product of “white musk” that I was smelling? It did seem to have that sharp, overly clean aroma that is so prevalent today, and frankly I do not want that kind of clean in my perfume; I wanted nothing to interfere with the delicate beauty of the eponymous foundation note in this fragrance. Ambergris itself is said to have a rather smoky quality, and this was not it. Maybe my nose is just very sensitive to the aroma chemicals responsible for the modern idea of “fresh and clean” in perfumery. (I am old school in that regard; I want my freshness to come from things like real citrus essence and herbal extracts.) Or perhaps it was the cinnamon interacting with something else. In any case, I waited it out and it went away, and then the perfume began to change; it smoothed out and developed a certain silkiness once the cinnamon calmed down a bit. It eventually developed into a true comfort scent, and lasted all day; the second time I wore it, it was still going strong more than sixteen hours later, and I could still smell it when I woke up the next morning. In the deep drydown there is a slight salty tang like a touch of cool seawater, which is very pleasing in juxtaposition to the warmer notes. Ambre Gris is not a true gourmand scent by any means, nor is it overpowering. It is simply a nice fragrance in the Oriental style, not as sweet as many of them and possessing a great deal of refinement. It is not one of those heavy hitters that should be reserved for special evenings either, as it is subdued enough for day and is never loud. I found myself enjoying it very much after the fleeting discordant quality in the opening. This one really needs time to play out before you figure out if it's right for you. I will probably get a bottle one of these days, maybe in the smaller size, since it would be hard to use up100 ml of this stuff. I can see it becoming an all-occasion perfume for people who really like this style of fragrance especially if they live where winters are cold. I cannot imagine wearing it in summer, as it is like a cashmere shawl of a scent, clinging and warm and just what you need to wrap yourself in when there is a chill in the air. I would have loved to wear it earlier in the winter when my part of the country was in a deep freeze, but it's almost balmy and very damp here now and I have to be careful about deploying this kind of sweet, hazy perfume in close quarters. When it gets cool and brisk again, and it will before spring comes, I will wear Ambre Gris again and revel in its enveloping depth. I can't really say if it lives up to the hype it received when it was introduced, but I found it to be highly enjoyable and a cut above the mainstream of prestige perfumery. I hope that Balmain continues to redeem itself with future releases of this quality. Image credit: Balmain Ambre Gris bottle, Luckyscent.com

Chypre samples prize draw winner

..is Charlotte Vale. Please, send us your mailing info, using the contact me link on the right.

On the Lighter Side: Vero Kern onda, kiki and rubj Eau de Parfum

By Tom At PST both Colombina and I are huge fans of perfumers Vero Kern's fragrances. They're beautiful, rich, full-on fragrances yet they aren't in any way retro or trying-too-hard-to-be-cutting-edge. I had heard that she was working on EdP versions of these signature scents and when she offered to let me try them I jumped at the chance. In an email she wrote: The Eaux need a different structure by pointing out more the top notes and less on the base always by still respecting the original style of the Extraits. I've simplified the whole composition. I also replaced the heavy animal notes by the unique scent of PASSION FRUIT which I love very much and which gives the creations a certain erotic readiness. onda EdP is recognizably onda, just a little lighter and a little less challenging. For instance onda I don't think I'd wear to an office in full perfume strength, but the lighter concentration I would certainly; the passion fruit is a stroke of genius. It's not too fruity, it just cuts some of the smokiness. kiki EdP loses nothing in the translation. It's still a gorgeous lavender with the undertone of mango fruitiness now laid with the passionfruit instead of the musk, but still having that wonderful skin scent aspect. rubj EdP is based upon a scent I wrote of as innocent and shockingly sensual. The combination of the passionfruit and orange blossom conspires to be flat-out sexy with what I think is a bare whiff of cumin: just a touch. Is there "erotic readiness"? You betcha. rubj perfume is the version I'd wear to the office; the EdP is the version I'd wear out on a date- one where I planned to serve desert at home. Personally. Ms. Kern had asked me whether I thought that these were salable. Whether people would want to buy them. I can think of five bloggers and three female friends who could rock rubj off the top of my head and who would hardly upon receipt of the other to give one a withering look. In other words, I can give her a resounding "YES". Not available yet. Perhaps if you let her know that you want to see them in stores in the comments and give her an idea of size versus price points they will be at LuckyScent...