My Perfume Life

I'm delighted to be back online!

2011-03-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

We moved house on 31st January - and I've been offline since then. It's so refreshing to FINALLY be back online. Dear blogging friends and loyal readers - thank you so much for sticking with me.

At the same time as moving house my nose seemed to go offline too. But happily it's now back in full working order. I can't wait to start trying some new perfumes. I've recently been promised samples of a couple of things, so I'm hoping those will arrive in the next few days.

In the meantime - What did I miss?

Fortnum and Mason's Perfume Section

2011-01-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

Several people have mentioned how extensive the fragrance section is at Fortnum and Mason. On Saturday I finally had the chance to visit, and they do stock a lot of niche lines. that are hard to come by elsewhere. It almost rivals the Liberty perfume room if you ask me.

Niche brands in Fortnum and Mason include Grossmith, Annick Goutal and Clive Christian. A large section of the third floor displays are room fragrances from lots of different companies. Definitely well worth a visit.

It's hard to find any information on the Fortnum's website about their perfume section. There's an old link to a Micallef event here, where you can see this cute photo that only hints at the treats there:

And here's a glimpse of the Caron display:

Whilst in Mayfair, I quickly popped into Ormonde Jayne, where they were kind enough to give me a sample of Tiare. I'm toying with the idea of buying a full bottle. I'll see how I feel about it after I've finished this sample.

Melvita Gardenia Ylang Ylang - Fight the Winter Blues

2011-01-16T12:56:00.000-08:00

The lovely Shelley from Notes from the Ledge was kind enough to swap some perfumes with me recently. I've just received two brand new perfumes Jacomo Silences and Violette Precieuse by Caron.

From a very brief first-sniff, Silences is reminding me of Annick Goutal's Grand Amour.

I've read that Silences is very green. In fact what attracted me to it was that quite a few descriptions compared it with Chanel No. 19. I'm pretty familiar with No. 19 as it's a scent that I grew up smelling. But Silences is actually quite different. It's more of a sweetened green. Imagine, if you can, slightly caramelised lily stems that have been snapped and crushed. Fresh, but with an extra edge.

I also have to mention my current anti-winter favourite. It's Melvita's Gardenia - Ylang Ylang.

It's a new scent, from the Melvita range, which prides itself on its natural ingredients. If you want a perfume that's going to remind you of a tropical island, this is it. It reminds me of coconut, which is a first for any perfume. Absolutely gorgeous.

British Vogue February 2011 - Perfume Ads

2011-01-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Not one. Not one single perfume ad in the February issue of Vogue.

However, there is an editorial on 'understated scents'. Featured perfumes include the new Hermessence Iris Ukiyoe and a range of five new perfumes from Roger Vivier. The article also notes that Michael Boadi (creator of Boadicea the Victorious) had developed Illuminum, "a range of 16 fragrances, each created from only eight ingredients".

There's also a fabulous picture of some fragrances, which I can't resist including. The bottles pictured are of Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum; Tom Ford Private Blend White Suede Eau de Parfum and Prada Infusion d'Iris Eau de Toilette.

Some Family Photos - Children and Food

2011-01-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of my two smallest having tea today. Not to say I'm a bad cook, but look what they're doing with the food.

And here they are having a cream tea in Cornwall six weeks ago. Cake is a different story.

They're one an a half and totally adorable (if I say so myself).

Comme des Garcons Series 3: Incense Avignon

2011-01-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

During the We Three Kings joint blogging project I read so much great stuff about Avignon that I gave my husband a bottle of this deep, rich Comme des Garcons incense fragrance for Christmas. Smelling it over the last week has made me very happy. There's a beauty and grace to churches, even for non-believers like me, that's awe-inspiring. Is it the memory of vaulted ceilings and coloured sunlight pouring through stained glass windows that gives Avignon perfume its ethereal charm? Or is it something innately graceful about in frankincense/incense that makes Avignon so appealing? Either way it's a proud and slightly flamboyant perfume that I'm loving.

The first spray of Avignon has an incredibly dark inky quality. It initially reminds me of Serge Lutens's Daim Blond. That's not to say that these two fragrances smell the same, but there's a similarity in the richness and dark depth. Avignon is also quite woody. I'm not usually a fan of woody fragrances, but this is old piano woody rather than pine forest woody.

In a review from 2006, Robin from NowSmellThis describes Avignon as "what I think of as the industry standard" for incense fragrances. Praise indeed. Over at Scent of the Day Krista Janicki asks "Does heaven smell of frankincense?" If you like the smell of church incense. Or if you've every walked into a cathedral and been overwhelmed by the beauty of the architecture, then you should definitely try Avignon.

We Three Kings - Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

2010-12-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

This whole joint blogging process has made me really nervous. Usually my posts are for me alone and anybody else who cares to read them. As it's only me that's culpable I don't feel that I've let anybody down, or made an obvious blunder with my very patchy perfume knowledge. Knowing that this post is contributing to the We Three Kings joint blogging project has rather prevented me from putting metaphorical pen to paper. What shall I say and how shall I say it? I caught myself seriously contemplating the idea of writing a whole post in rhyme. Enough is enough. I'm just going to pile in and apologise in advance for any mistakes or omissions.

First of all, Gold, brought by Caspar of the Three Wise Men or Three Kings. Gold had me slightly foxed as a theme. I couldn't think of anything other than Gold by Donna Karan. I wish I could say that I love this Donna Karan number, but really, I'm not crazy about it. It's pure lily, and to my nose, pretty much unadulterated. It's fresh and green and wholesome, but not something that I could fall in love with. In my book it's an 'interview scent'. You're not going to offend anybody wearing this, but it would be a great leap to feel passionate about it.

I toyed with some other perfumes linked to gold. Gucci Guilty springs to mind, largely because of the packaging, but also because I mistakenly think of it as 'Gilt-y'. However, my children unceremoniously wrote off Guilty, saying that it smelt like custard. I know what they mean, although perhaps that's not the exact description that would have come to my mind. I will persist in my quest for another gold related scent over the next few days, to find out if there's something more befitting of Caspar.

Onto frankincense, brought by Melchior. I found selecting a good frankincense fragrance much more enjoyable. Frankincense is churchy and religious in a good way to this devout non-believer. It's more tricky to single out an individual frankincense fragrance, as there are more than a handful of beauties.

My local SpaceNK store has recently started stocking some of the Comme des Garcons fragrances. I've been nipping in regularly to test and retest Comme des Garcons Series 3: Frankincense Ouarzazate. Firstly, the name, for anybody who's visited Ouarzazate in Morocco, is incredibly evocative. Ouarzazate is a remote desert town, surrounded on every side by sandy wilderness. The local film studios also happen to be the location for a whole load of block busters. It's intriguing to drive to somewhere so remote and for it be still strangely familiar from a whole host of major films, including Indiana Jones, Prince of Persia, Gladiator, The Mummy and a stack of others that you can see here.

My husband and I were on holiday in Morocco years ago where we'd hired this most ridiculous new car. It was so factory-fresh that we practically had to strip off the packaging before getting in. We may as well have been wearing signs saying, Mug us, we're new here. Heading out of Marrakech in the direction of Ouarzazate, we got hopelessly lost. In a moment of blind panic, my husband wound down the window at a roundabout and shouted "Qu'est que ce Ouarzazate?" (What is Ouarzazate?) to the bemusement of the driver in the car next to us. A bit like driving round Piccadilly Circus and shouting out, Wherefore Brighton? Classic holiday-maker idiocy.

With all that in mind I wanted to love a perfume that brought back such happy holiday memories. Initially I thought I did, and was all set to write a shiny, happy review of Ouarzazate. Lucky Scent's description is "a crossroads of perfectly blended, spiced incense of the Middle Eastern variety" with which I can agree to an extent. It is spicy and exotic and complex. Everything you hope for from an incense fragrance. And yet, and yet...

So, yesterday I rummaged to the bottom of my sample collection and came across an untested sample of Heeley's Cardinal. And blimey that's good stuff. In a review from 2006, Robin at Now Smell This compares Cardinal to Comme des Garcons Avignon, which he labels 'industry standard', so perhaps I've been sniffing the wrong Comme des Garcons all along. Like several other excellent Heeley scents that I've sampled, Cardinal is not subtle. As a rule this brand tends to be more of a smack in the face rather than a whisper in your ear. For me, this is no bad thing, particularly when it dries down relatively quickly to something more subtle and equally enjoyable.

The Heeley website gives the following official notes: baie rose, black pepper, aldehyde, labdanum ciste, frankincense, vetiver, gray amber, patchouli. Whilst I can't smell all of those notes, I think it's the frankincense and patchouli mix that gives the ethereal frankincense an intriguing earthy tone. It's a bit of a perfume ying and yang, which I'm really enjoying.

And finally Myrrh, brought by Balthazar. Hmm. Honestly speaking, I wasn't aware of myrrh being in any perfumes. But I was so wrong, it's in an awful lot. Myrrh, like frankincense is a dried resin. Roja Dove, in The Essence of Perfume says of myrrh, "..it has the slightest hint of warm, soft liquorice. ..myrrh rates as one of the best fixatives available to the perfumer". So it's a useful element of perfume as well as having a charming smell.

Grand Amour by Annick Goutal was to be my selection for Balthazar- bringer of myrrh. As far as I'm concerned Annick Goutal can do no wrong. So many of her perfumes, as I've written several times before, are absolutely gorgeous. They particularly appeal to me because so many of them are floral, with little hint of much else. And ultimately I'm the biggest floral fan. A lot of other fragrances really pass me by.

This is the list of notes that Annick Goutal's website use to describe Grand Amour: "Floral, green, soft amber, White lily, hyacinth, honeysuckle, hint of Turkish rose, jasmin, base notes of amber, vanilla and myrrh, musky note". Which all in all creates a pretty, pretty perfume.

But we're talking about the Three Kings here. Does Grand Amour really give any perfumer lover an idea of what myrrh really smells like? I'm sceptical. Something much more atmospheric is needed, and I think I've recently found it in Caron's Parfum Sacre. A small sample of Parfum Sacre has languished in my sample collection since I bought the Make Up Alley's Top 25 perfumes from The Scented Court about a year ago. I can't even remember if I properly tested this fragrance at the time. If I did, then I was too dumb to realise that Parfum Sacre is an absolute classic. It definitely includes myrrh, and almost reminds me of frankincense and it is 'churchy' as the name suggests. It's wintry, aromatic and spicy. I'm gutted that I've just finished my sample, having taken so long to properly discover it.

So that's it, We Three Kings. I'm delighted to be part of this joint blogging project. Please check out the websites of all the other bloggers involved:

All I Am - A Redhead

Bonkers About Perfume

Chicken Freak's Obsession

EauMG

Notes from Josephine

Parfumieren

The Perfume Chronicles

Scent of the Day

Redolent of Spices

Dancing Elves

2010-12-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

Some festive fun - my family as a troop of dancing elves. There are a couple of short ads at the beginning.

Announcing We Three Kings - A Joint Blogging Project

2010-12-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted to be amongst a group of bloggers working on a joint blogging project this Christmas season. We Three Kings is going to be a review of three perfumes; one for gold, one for frankincense and one for myrrh. All the reviews will be coming up next week.

Please check out the blogs of the other fragrant members of the We Three Kings project too:

All I Am - A Redhead

Bonkers About Perfume

Chicken Freak's Obsession

EauMG

Notes from Josephine

Parfumieren

The Perfume Chronicles

Scent of the Day

Redolent of Spices

10 Top Tips for Increasing Visitors to Your Blog

2010-12-13T13:17:00.000-08:00

For what it's worth - here are my top 10 tips for developing your blog and increasing visitor numbers. I get between 300 and 400 visitors each day, which, after a year is ok, not brilliant. If you've got any additional tips, then please add a comment.

1. Know where you're starting from and where you want to be. To do this you need a visitor monitor. I use Statcounter, which I first read about at LibertyLondonGirl more than a year ago. I also have Google Analytics monitoring my site. They both present information in slightly different ways, so worth uploading a couple of different gadgets for this mighty task.

2. Tweet. Sometimes I feel very brave and tweet a lot. Then I have days when I feel like a shrinking violet and can't tweet at all. However you're feeling, Twitter is a great resource, and is there to be used.

3. Submit your RSS feed to Google. No, I don't understand what it means either. Just Google the phrase and follow the steps. I've got London MakeUp Girl to thank for this tip. Take the time to do it (now).

4. Everybody says it. I'm just repeating it. Get involved in your community. Comment on other people's blogs. Consider writing responses to posts you've read elsewhere. Link to other bloggers. Update your 'blogroll' so it reflects which sites you're actually reading rather than what you think you should be reading.

5. Develop a weekly running order. This isn't something that I do myself (yet) but I think I might put one in place. For instance, I love the Lazy Friday Poll at Now Smell This. This is a tip that I saw in a Design Sponge video recently (which I can't find now otherwise I would link to it).

6. Don't over-estimate the success of other sites. Although it's only a rough guide, Alexa can give you a general idea of how any website is doing. I search my own blog on Alexa, which currently ranks at about 2.7 million (I know) then compare it with other sites. Sometimes Alexa can yield some surprising results.

7. Use a book like "Search Engine Optimization An Hour a Day" to understand how to make your blog appealing to bots. Even if you implement just one element of the advice, it's going to pay off.

8. Consider the title of your blog. If your name includes a highly searched word, then it's really going to help. For instance Peter (from Peter's Paris) mentioned to me that anybody searching for "Paris" in any context would eventually stumble across his blog. This, clearly, isn't the only reason for the success of this intriguing photoblog, but it has certainly helped. I've just checked on Alexa and the ranking for Peter's Paris is 643,250, which for a personal blog is phenomenal.

9. Be controversial. Last month Brian at I Smell Therefore I Am wrote this entertaining and somewhat controversial post. There are 57 comments, and counting. Some people agreed (me), some people got upset, but whatever Brian's intentions, it sure got a lot of readers. And that, after all, is what it's all about.

10. Include photos. I love photos, and as a result of blogging I take a lot more of them, which has been really positive for me personally. I now have a lot more photos of my children.

I would love to hear what you've done to increase visitor numbers to your blog. Please do leave a comment.

Dear Grazia magazine, about your recent article....

2010-12-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Grazia magazine,

Your recent perfume article (6th December) is incredibly confusing for perfume wearers and lovers alike. You've divided perfumes into two varieties 'more' and 'less'. In the 'more' group:

Tom Ford Private Blend

Chanel Exclusifs

Dior J'Adore L'Or

Chanel No 5

Guerlain Shalimar

Mary Greenwell Plum

Chloe Love

Michael Kors Very Hollywood

Diptyque Eau Duelle

In the 'less' group:

Illuminum

Chloe floral trio

Marc Jacobs Splash range

Dior Diorama

Lalique Fleur de Cristal

Philosphy Eternal Grace

Nasomatto Nuda

In the complicated world of perfume choice, your article has, I feel, made the picture more confusing rather than less. Perfumes, as we all know, don't fall into neat groups. They need to be tried and tested and worn and experimented with.

What's more, the article glosses over the interesting stories behind many of the perfumes mentioned. It feels like a missed opportunity to properly educate your perfume-wearing readers. For instance, Plum by Mary Greenwell. I want to know why a make-up artist has decided to develop a fragrance, rather than developing a make-up range. You mention Tom Ford Private Blend and Chanel Les Exclusifs - but what are they? Surely some of your readers would like to know more.

Your readers are much more informed than you realize. We don't want an article listing all the latest releases to keep your advertisers happy. We want to hear from perfumers about the latest trends and be given credible advice from a beauty editor whose opinion we can actually trust.

Best wishes,

Jess at MyPerfumeLife.com

Rumba by Balenciaga - Perfume Review

2010-12-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

Balenciaga Rumba is my most recent perfume discovery. Having read nothing about this fragrance I did a blind swap. And, as it turns out, Rumba is pretty fabulous in a truly unfashionable, 1980s, big perfume way.

I looked to other, wiser perfume bloggers for their thoughts. Bois de Jasmin writes (in a review from 2005) "Rumba is miles away from minimalist. It is vibrant and exuberant, expanding into waves of warmth interspersed by beguiling darkness." A comment on Fragrantica goes on, "Rumba gives you the big rich debutante's bouquet, honey and fruits on the table and patchouli and leather in the night air." Angela from NST, had this to say in 2006, "Rumba is big and deep, and is a strange but compelling combination of a hot electric burner, fruit, and beeswax". And Patty at Perfume Posse writes "Rumba sounds deeply, desperately not my sort of thing", and goes on to say how much she likes it.

Rumba isn't a muted edgy 2010 fragrance. Released in 1988, it was created by Jean-Claude Ellena and Ron Winnegrad and has a very old-school feel about it. It's a giant step step away from the usual kind of perfume that I would buy or like. But the soft beeswax and honey elements make it gentle and wearable without being overtly sweet.

Rumba is definitely going to be a regular feature in my perfume wardrobe this winter. Of course I'll be wearing it in a retro, tongue in cheek kind of way.

Christmas Present Wishlist - Perfume Sample Set from Etat Libre D'Orange

2010-11-30T05:51:00.000-08:00

When I wrote about Perfume Sample Sets last week, I knew that there would be some genius ones that I would forget to mention. A few days ago I was reminded on Twitter that there is an excellent Etat Libre D'Orange sample gift set. It's called the Coffret Prestige and consists of 16 x 10ml miniature bottles.

At the Lucky Scent website the price is $150. It's also available from the Etat Libre D'Orange website for €120.

I like Etat Libre D'Orange because it's quirky and tongue in cheek. The perfumes don't necessarily get the best reviews ever, but it's a fun brand with some entertaining ideas and concepts.

New Store on Sloane Square - Ormonde Jayne

2010-11-29T04:58:00.000-08:00

There's a brand new Ormonde Jayne store on Sloane Square. Infinitely more accessible (for me) than the Royal Arcade, so I'm looking forward to visiting very soon.

The Ormonde Jayne Discovery Set featured in my recent blog post about sample sets for Christmas gifts. Worth considering.

Link Love and Festive Decoration Ideas

2010-11-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

Link Love

I always have that *gaah* feeling when I read about other bloggers' perfume finds. Having wrestled with the green-eyed monster, LondonMakeUpGirl's review of Roxana Illuminated perfume is definitely worth a read.

In Vienna there is a showroom dedicated to one lonely perfume. I can hardly believe it. Read about it at Olfactoria'sTravels.

An intervew with one of the co-founders of the brilliant Atelier Cologne at CaFleureBon.

EauMG has a Christmas gift list for your favourite goth.

GetLippie recommends a some luscious scented candles in her Christmas picks.

Did I mention that I love Christmas decorations?

This felt ball Christmas decoration looks wonderfully festive. If I get round to making one I'll post a photo.

Forget traditional Christmas cake. This is THE cake that I'm going to be making with my children during the holidays.

Some beautiful suggestions for Christmas gift wrapping from StyleMePretty.

Gorgeous pom-pom wrapping ideas from BugsandFishes.

Christmas Present Wishlist - Perfume Sample Sets

2010-11-23T06:03:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt about it, perfume sample sets make a lovely Christmas present. Here's my pick of the bunch, ranging from quite economical to absolutely lavish.

The Bond No 9 Bon-Bon Box is covetable for its multi-coloured sweetie-paper packaging alone. This set of 18 different 6ml samples will set you back an enormous $260. This isn't actually bad value at only $2.40 per ml, but it's a hefty investment.

The Ormonde Jayne Discovery Set includes 12 samples of 2ml each, for a bargainous £42, which is £1.75 per ml. As a fan of Ormonde Jayne, this is a great set to own.

For devotees of Penhaligon's you could try the economical Scent Library for £15. It includes 10 samples of both male and female Penhaligon's fragrances. The samples are probably 2ml sizes, which gives a price of £1.33 per ml.

Make your own selection of Tauer perfumes to create a unique Discovery Set at $31.30. This is pretty pricey at more than $4 per ml, but as Tauer creates some truly distinctive fragrances, this might well be worth the investment.

At the luxury end of the market, the Clive Christian Traveller Sample Set includes 3 fragrance samples in 10ml sizes bottles. For the total price of $310, that's just under $1 per ml, which is less than half the price of the Bond No 9 samples. You just need to make sure that this gift recipient likes at least one of these Clive Christian scents.

At Hermes you can select 4 perfumes to create a bespoke coffret of 15mls samples from a total of seven Hermessence fragrances. At €100 this works out at pretty good value for €1.66 per ml. And finally, the Parfumerie Generale collection of 20 perfumes for €430. The sample size is 15ml so this works out at excellent value: €0.69 per ml.

Happy shopping.

New Lalique Book Signing at London's Lalique Boutique

2010-11-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

The Art Of Rene Lalique is a new book by Christie Mayer Lefkowith.

It illustrates the journey of Rene Lalique from his time as a jeweler until he was commissioned by Francois Coty to design their beautiful perfume flacons. As a result, Rene Lalique revolutionised the perfume industry. His designs elevated the presentation of perfume and powder boxes to the level of an exquisite art form.

On Tuesday November 30th 2010, Christie Mayer Lefkowith will be making a personal appearance at the Lalique Boutique, 47 Conduit Street, W1 for book signing.

Recent Perfume Haul - Latest Exchanges

2010-11-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

Stacks of new perfumes have been dropping through my letter box over the last couple of weeks. Thanks to everybody who has already traded with me. If you're interested in making any perfume exchange, you can see my list here.

Noix de Tubereuse is a perfume that I've liked for a while. Sadly, my husband isn't a fan. So I will be wearing this one secretly when he's at work.

Passion is unlike any other Annick Goutal that I've previously tried. This is how the Annick Goutal website describes it:

Passion is the first fragrance that Annick Goutal composed for herself. By recapturing the base of the scent Folavril, she added with her artistic talent all the heady white flowers that she loved so much.
Passion is a tailor-made fragrance, which looks like her, the one of a passionate woman, in love with life...

Passion was launched in 1983 and includes notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang, tomato leaves, tuberose, patchoulie, oakmoss and vanilla. This all ads up to something that I should love, but at the moment it's reminding me of shaving foam.

I've longed for some perfume from The Etat Libre D'Orange range, and finally I have one, Divin'Enfant. The ELDO website says:

..after the gentle top notes of orange blossom and marshmallow, breaks the unexpected accord of coffee, leather and cold tobacco...

I didn't expect to like this one, but it's so far it's been a lot of fun and easy to wear.

Then, out of the blue Miller Harris sent me some of their delicious Figue Amere. This is a fig fragrance with real personality.

Today I received the delightful Cuir de Lancome.

Traditionally I haven't been a fan of leather fragrances, but on first sniff, Cuir de Lancome is beautiful. I can see this one making a reglular appearance in my perfume wardrobe.

As if all that isn't enough, I've also been sent a sample of Serge Lutens L'Eau, which I've only tried briefly once before. I'm looking forward to wearing this one.

And, three samples from Apothia Los Angeles: Pearl, If and Velvet Rope. I haven't even had a chance to try these yet.

Christmas Present Wishlist - Five Sexy Perfumes

2010-11-14T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here's my roundup of sexy fragrances to buy your loved one this Christmas.

Houbigant Paris - Quelques Fleurs L'Original. It's said that this is Dita Von Teese's perfume of choice, so there's no questioning its sexy credentials.

What's more, the bottle and packaging are truly lovely. This re-release of a previously well-established fragrance would be a stylish gift for even the most difficult to please.

A sexy fragrance list wouldn't be complete without mentioning at least one Chanel fragrance. For me it's Coco by Chanel. A year ago, when I started my perfume odyssey, I would almost certainly not have liked this. But having tried a lot of perfumes in the meantime, I've now come round to the magical qualities of Coco. The smell defies description. For me there's a butteriness to it that is smooth and luxurious.

The golden lid and chunky design of the bottle add to the feeling of quality for Coco.

The scent of the tuberose flower can be incredibly sexy. For the best of the best when it comes to tuberose fragrances, try Ormonde Jayne's Tiare. I don't (yet) own a bottle of this one, so here's a shot from Ormonde Jayne's website.

I find it impossible to stay away from tuberose when thinking about sexy fragrances. One that needs including on this sexy fragrance list is Miller Harris's Noix de Tubereuse. I've just made some delightful perfume trades with Carol from Waft and am now the happy owner of a bottle of this one.

I wasn't quite sure about Noix de Tubereuse when I first tried it back in April. It's a creamy blend of almonds and tuberose - well that's how it appears to me. The Miller Harris description doesn't feature almonds at all, but I'm not budging.

My final choice in this selection is Chinatown by Bond No. 9. For various reasons Bond No. 9 fragrances come in for a lot of criticism online. I rarely mention their perfumes. But Chinatown is one that I tried over a year ago, and I still really enjoy wearing. It's glamorous and sophisticated, despite the garish pink bottle. Do try it.

Christmas Present Wishlist - Six Fabulous Fig Fragrances

2010-11-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

In the run up to Christmas, I'm going to be putting together some perfume present ideas. I'm kicking off today with everybody's favourite fresh note: fig.

A good fig fragrance will not only remind you of the ripe fruit, it will also hint at earthiness and the wet leaves of a fig grove. Here are six great fig frags to choose from.

Number one on the list has to be Diptyque's Philosykos. Every woman (and man) needs a bottle of Philosykos as a reminder of the verdant days of spring and summer. Philosykos is mild and eminently wearable. If that's not enough, it also comes in this gorgeous packaging in solid form for only £28.

If the man in your life isn't overly keen on wearing any kind of fragrance, then Heeley's Figuier may be the one to win him over. The no-nonsense bottle and packaging, combine beautifully with the uncomplicated fragrance of Figuier.

Figue Amere was my antidote to reading Robert Harris's scorched earth novel, The Road, earlier this year. The Miller Harris brand is perfect for 'natural' fragrance lovers, and Figue Amere is no exception.

You've seen the ads, now try the scent. Womanity by Thierry Mugler is by no means the most subtle of perfumes. Buy this if you want to score a big hit with the teenager in your life. They'll wonder how you got to be so cool.

For home fragrance fans, a scented candle is a welcome treat. The only fragranced candles that I buy are fig based. Figuier by Diptyque is potent and fabulous. It comes in white and green versions.

And last, but by no means least, my personal favourite Annick Goutal's Ninfeo Mio. Look at that bottle. What's not to love?

10 Recent Perfume Articles - Link Love

2010-11-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

A selection of links to this week's best articles about perfume.

The Independent reviews Bond No 9's latest release: Washington Square.

TrendLand revews Six Scents Series #3.

AnOther Magazine launches its perfume collaboration with Le Labo.

i-D magazine reviews Byredo's latest launch: M/Mink.

Grazia magazine takes a sneak peak at the new Issey Miyake fragrance: L'Eau D'Issey Florale.

The Daily Mail discusses Kate Walsh's new fragrance: Boyfriend.

Tamara Mellon unveils first Jimmy Choo fragrance.

Kate Moss visits Coty factory in Spain to see her new fragrance being manufactured.

Katy Perry launches her new fragrance, Purr, in a catsuit.

An article from February that provides a fascinating introduction to the Green Goddesses of perfume production: Mandy Aftel, Alexandra Balahoutis, Anya McCoy, Jane Hendler, Ayala Sender, JoAnne Bassett, Roxana Villa and Yael Alkalay.

MyPerfumeLife is One Year Old Today

2010-11-04T01:28:00.000-07:00

MyPerfumeLife is one year old today. Yippee!

I love writing this blog and trying out so many new perfumes. More than that, I've loved meeting all the new people that writing this blog has brought me into contact with. Thanks to everybody who reads, to everybody who comments and to all of you of who have been so supportive over the last year.

If I get organised, I'll do a Friday give-away tomorrow, to celebrate the first birthday of MyPerfumeLife. In the meantime thank you so much for your support.

Here's a rare glimpse of the whole family eating fish and chip on St Ives beach in Cornwall last week.

British Vogue December 2010 - Perfume Ads

2010-11-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

As you'd expect from the Christmas edition, this month's Vogue is a bumper issue for perfume ads. The inside cover is devoted to a new fragrance, Estee Lauder Sensuous Noir.

Acqua di Gioia, with their over-photo-shopped model.

Charlize Theron is just a wisp of a person for Dior J'Adore.

Scarlett Johansson, looking bored for Dolce & Gabbana's The One. Why would they choose such a lively and vivacious actress and put her into such a corpse-like pose?

Guerlain's one page advert for their new fragrance Idylle.

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf includes a sample. I'd forgotten how tooth-rottingly sweet this one is.

Tom Ford's double page spread for Black Orchid. This is probably the most memorable perfume campaignof the last few years.

Justin Timberlake for Givenchy Play. There's still something about that hat. Is it Dick Van Dyke?

Voyage d'Hermes. Refreshing to see something that steps away from the usual imagery.

Narciso Rodriguez For Her featuring the heavenly Carmen Kass.

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique X. The packaging and advertising for the JPG fragrance range have always put me off. But Classique X is acutally a fresh citrus. Who knew?

L'Eau d'Issey is keeing it surreal with its lily, tulip, bark still life.

Gorgeous photograph of the impossibly gorgeous Lara Stone for Prada's Infusion D'Iris. Feminine Things has some interesting things to say about this image.

Van Cleef & Arpels. Is their nuclear dawn image really doing the job?

Balenciaga Paris. Charlotte Gainsbourg is beautiful, but it's the bottle that sells this one.

Jennifer Aniston is perfecting her sad, lost-puppy look. Oh puhlease.

Chloe Love is still rocking the 1980s power dressing and big hair look.

Sisley's Eau du Soir. I love this brand. Don't say anything bad about Sisley, I'm a fan.

Juicy Couture's Peace and Love. This rather lovely campaign reminds me of The Face's iconic Summer of Love photos of Kate Moss.

Agent Provocateur. Bums and boobs all round.

Favourites for the month. Lara Stone for being downright beautiful. And Juicy Couture for projecting the Summer of Love whimsy.

Would you like to swap any perfumes? 30 Perfumes to Exchange

2010-10-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

After nearly a year of MyPerfumeLife I've amassed a stack of perfumes. Sadly, I can't hang on to each and every bottle, as much as I would love to. So here, in no particular order, are some bottles of perfume that I would love to swap. Most of them are 95% full. Some of them are in their original box, but not all of them. And some of them are fabulous, but not all of them.

I'd be happy to swap with other fragrances; scented candles and fragrant products of any nature. You don't have to have a full bottle. I'm not interested in a like-for-like swap. I just feel sorry for these unloved bottles sitting on a shelf. They need to be loved and used by somebody who will appreciate them more. The only tricky issue might be posting between the US and the UK, but where there's a will there's a way.

~~Jo Malone - English Pear & Freesia Cologne 100ml~~

~~Miller Harris - Fleurs de Sel EdP 100ml~~

~~Heeley - Sel Marin EdP 100ml~~

~~Boucheron - Jaipur Homme EdP 100ml~~

Fergie - Outspoken (Avon) 50ml

Houbigant - Quelques Fleurs EdP 100ml

Annick Goutal - Rose Absolue Eau Parfumee 100ml

Michael Kors EdT 50ml

Diesel - Fuel for Life EdP 50ml

Sanctuary - Green Tea & Jasmine 50ml

Lacoste - Challenge EdT (pour Homme) 75ml

Lacoste - Touch of Pink EdT 50ml

Lacoste - Love of Pink EdT 50ml

Diesel - Only the Brave EdT (pour Homme) 35ml

Marc Jacobs - Apple (Splash from the Patisserie range) EdT 300ml

Benefit - Sofia EdT 30ml

Benefit - Laugh with me Lee Lee EdT 30ml

Benefit - My place or yours Gina EdT 30ml

Sanctuary - Pomegranate & Cassis 50ml

D&G - 18 La Lune EdT 100ml

Jean-Charles Brosseau - Fleurs D'Ombre Ombre Bleue EdT 100ml

Salvador Dali - Little Kiss Me EdT 50ml

Ralph Lauren Big Pony 2 EdT 75ml

Ralph Lauren Big Pony 4 EdT 75ml

Ralph Lauren Big Pony 3 EdT 75ml

~~Officinia Profumo Santa Maria Novella - Ottone EdC 50ml~~

~~Officinia Profumo Santa Maria Novella - Porcellana EdC 50ml~~

Ermenegildo - Zegna Colonia EdT 75ml

Nicole Miller EdP 50ml

~~Natori EdP 50ml~~

Please do send me any swapping proposals, as I'd love to send these perfumes to a new home.

Ruth Mastenbroek

2010-10-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Some perfumes just grab you. Not sure if it's the name or how you hear about them. Anyhoo, I read about Ruth Mastenbroek EdP quite some time ago and have been desperate to try it ever since. In the press release she says,

Very simply, my life's work is fragrance. I am a 'nose' - a perfumer, a former President of the British Society of Perfumers.

Interesting? I think so too. I've never heard of this lady, but even in the first line I'm thinking this perfume is going to be great. She goes on...

For the past 25 years I have worked with oils and essences, flowers and spices, creating fragrance for some well known brands like Jo Malone, Jigsaw and Kenneth Turner.

Hmm, 'fragrance' and 'Jigsaw'. Now there's a thought. Fragrance and Kenneth who?

Well, to cut a long story short, I've tried it and I'm not a fan. In part it's the marketing that's put me off. But, I am looking forward to the next perfume from Ruth Mastenbroek.

Sunny Fruit Grove vs Indoor Smoke - No Contest

2010-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

The problem with Autumn and Winter is that I want everything to smell like..

..and..

But, in fact everything smells like.... well, I don't know. The problem with wintry scents is that they're not related to fruit and sunshine. Instead they're very indoorsy. For instance...

..and..

Not just indoorsy, but smoky indoors. Eww.

Think I'm going to be hopping straight to some spring blossoms sometime soon.

Coral Reef and Aircraft at Tate Britain

2010-10-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

We went to Tate Britain a week or so ago. The Turner Prize display was sadly disappointing. But there were a couple of terrific exhibits. Firstly, there are some aircraft as works of art. This one seems perched precariously upside down...

.. and there is another one suspended by it's tail end from the ceiling. Breathtaking.

There is also an installation entitled Coral Reef. It's a labyrinth of rooms. Simultaneously claustrophobic and compelling. Definitely worth the visit.

Loving Liberty

2010-10-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

I always look forward to finding out which perfumes Liberty is featuring in its seasonal catalogue. Liberty is probably my favourite store for perfume shopping. Uniquely in London, nobody in the perfume section bothers you, which means you can have a proper look around. It's the perfect place to spend a late shopping evening.

Fracas, created by the perfumer Germaine Cellier, is one of those secrets that is highly rated by those in-the-know. Launched in 1948, Fracas does now seem a bit old-fashioned. Most modern perfumes focus around one or two key notes whereas Fracas is a true medley including tuberose and a classic 'white flower accord'. It can be a bit too much. Definitely worth trying if you're a fan of white flowers, but try before you buy.

Contrasting with this old-school classic, Eau Duelle has just been launched by Diptyque. This was the description that Diptyque had in their window last month.

I've heard Eau Duelle described as a 'chilly vanilla', which is pretty accurate. The solid perfume is a bargain at £28, and with covetable packaging it's sure to be on my Christmas list.

One of my absolute favourites, Ninefo Mio by Annick Goutal is included in the next selection:

Whilst I can't heap enough praise on Ninfeo Mio, I was underwhelmed by Ulrich Lang's Nightscape. It's very woody, and a bit flat. Serge Lutens, the grand master of woody fragrances, also features in this selection. Cuir Mauresque is, according to Basenotes, a 'rich, smoky leather'. Good for this time of year perhaps. And finally, Rose en Noir from Miller Harris, which has been created by Miller Harris exclusively for Liberty. The reviews on Make Up Alley are extremely positive if you're searching for a femme fatale vibe.

Very Vetiver

2010-10-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Vetiver is one of those fragrances that I'm never quite sure if I like or not. It can easily be overpowering, or too strong. But I'm coming round to the idea that, with a light touch and in a well put together perfume, vetiver can be pretty enticing. A recent Stylist magazine article suggests some key vetiver fragrances.

Vetyverio is by Diptyque, who manage to make the most avant garde perfume combinations wearable. As you would expect Vetyverio is gentle and complex enough to smell exotic and sophisticated.

Vetiver Dance by Andy Tauer. I haven't tried this one, but Andy Tauer is a genius for exotic, ethereal fragrances.This should be pretty good.

Vetyver by Chantecaille. By chance I came across the Chantecaille perfume range in SpaceNK a couple of days ago. I hadn't heard of or seen Chantecaille perfumes before this week, so I'm looking forward to sampling them.

Wonderwood by Comme des Garcons. The only place that I can reasonably travel to to test Comme des Garcons fragrances is Bluebird on the Kings Road. I will be making the trip in the near future to try Wonderwood, even though the name sort of puts me off.

InStyle Magazine's Autumn Winter 2010 Scent Selection

2010-10-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

InStyle magazine selects their top scents for Autum and Winter. They include the new Thierry Mugler fragrance Womanity, Paco Rabanne's Lady Million, Chloe's Love and Estee Lauder's Sensuous.

A curious combination of some extremely different scents.

Personal Perfume Consultation - Sort Of

2010-10-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking of trying a new perfume and don't know where to start, then I would love to help by making some suggestions.

Simply write a comment with three key facts and I will suggest a perfume for you to try. The three key facts are:-

Your favourite food

Your favourite season

Your favourite film

I'm looking forward to hearing from you...

Vogue Editorial Photo November 2010

2010-10-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

This Vogue photo is so good, I had to reproduce it here. The perfume bottles included are Sisley Eau du Soir, Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, Caron Nuit de Noel, Dior Eau Sauvage, Boss Orange Sunset and Jean Patou Joy. I wish I could creat images like this. Gorgeous.

British Vogue November 2010 - Perfume Ads

2010-10-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

So, a little bit late, as I seem to have had the latest copy of Vogue for a few weeks. Here are the perfume ads that feature.

Firstly, Miss Dior Cherie. Still doing her cutesy pink thing. I love this advertising, although it is a bit on the cheesey side.

Diane Kruger features in a one page ad for Calvin Klein Beauty. And there's a sample of the perfume. I'm still not loving Beauty yet.

Justin Timberlake, in his jaunty hat, promoting Givenchy's Play. I read a quote from Timberlake saying something about how Play 'reinvents' perfume. Hmm. Just do the pictures Justin.

A one page advert for Guerlian Idylle. Something about the choice of colours suggest a Christmas build-up.

Next it's Narciso Rodriguez For Her. I love this purist picture of Carmen Kass.

Issey Miyake's L'Eau D'Issey. Not sure what the image is: a lily, a white tulip and a piece of bark? Criptic? Or just economising?

The Jennifer Aniston fragrance, which was initially called Lolavie, but is now just Jennifer Aniston, The Debut Fragrance.

Love by Chloe. According to the Huffington Post, the faux pas in the ad is that Raquel Zimmerman is accidentally wearing a YSL belt. The devil's in the detail.

Peace Love by Juicy Couture.

Dreams Unlimited, the New Fragrance from The Body Shop.

Ralph Laurence Romance, the perfume that Tania Sanches labels 'reprehensibly dull', in Perfumes The A-Z Guide.

And this month the back cover belongs to Flowerbomb.

It's a bumper crop this month and quite a few new adverts that I haven't seen in Vogue before.

Womanity by Thierry Mugler

2010-10-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Is Womanity being pitched as a fragrance that women can buy for themselves? A great trick for doubling sales. The name, after all, implies independence, even exclusion, from men. The tribal-themed packaging and advertising are quirky and appealing in an angry-young-woman kind of way.

Mix the Thierry Mugler marketing juggernaut with some key perfume trends from the last few years, and voila - a formula for a big-bucks winner. Woody base notes have been popularised by the luxury house of Serge Lutens. Salty notes are a rising trend and a perfect counterpoint to the oh-so-sweet concoction of Angel, Mugler's first huge hit. And fig perfumes typify the current trend for back-to-nature beauty products.

Womanity is sadly a formulaic approach to perfume production. Blend some key trends, pour cash into the marketing campaign and pull out a cash bonanza. Will it work? Well, maybe for now. But the perfume world is changing. And I think it's going to have to do better than this.

Scratch+Sniff Perfume Evening

2010-10-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to go to the Scratch+Sniff event in London at the end of last month. But here are some photos from the organisers. It looks like a lot of fun, so I'm going to try to make the next one.

It's always intriguing to find out if other people respond to perfumes in the same way that you do. So, perhaps surprisingly, there's always a lot to talk about at an event like this. That really comes across in these pictures.

Cupcake Birthday Party

2010-10-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of cakes this weekend. For my daughter's birthday she made cupcakes with some of her friends.

Then there was more cake at tea time.

I'm still recovering from the overload of cake. But the weekend has been great fun.

Autumnal Wedding with Heavenly Cupcakes

2010-10-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to a gorgeous wedding in Brixton. The decorations were orange and yellow - perfect for an Autumnal October celebration.

And the cakes were home-made by one of the family. Possibly the best cupcakes I've ever tasted.

The Essence of Perfume by Roja Dove

2010-10-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

My husband recently gave me Roja Dove's sumptuous book, The Essence of Perfume. Having recently seen Roja give a guided tour of the Perfume Diaries at Harrods, I've been desperate to hear more from him. This book is the next best thing.

The Essence of Perfume is an enticing blend of history and anecdote. By describing the cultural mood of the time, Roja brings the perfume industry to life. He sets the scene for key perfume launches and clearly explains the reasons behind their success. Whether it's the aviation craze that inspired the name for Guerlain's Vol de Nuit or the creation of Charlie for the Cosmopolitan generation, it's clear how and why some pivotal perfumes filled a gap in the market and sparked new trends. Along with this, Roja includes intriguing details about the personal lives of the perfumers and the relationships, and often rivalries, that drove them.

The book is also a visual feast, brimming over with photos of beautiful perfume bottles and incredible packaging. Highly recommended.

Coco by Chanel

2010-10-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Another new perfume...

Well, it was my birthday at the weekend. Thanks to my lovely sister-in-law, Vicks, for giving me such a sumptuous classic. Coco is not to be beaten. It's sexy without being heady or in-your-face. There's an amazing buttery quality to it, which creates a uniquely rich scent.

When I started writing about perfume nearly a year ago, I didn't like Coco. Or perhaps I hadn't ever tried it. But having tested a perfume a day for the past eleven months, my nose has changed. I've had the chance to wear and revisit many different fragrances. Coco has depth and layers but avoids being overwhelming or taking over. Unlike many other scents, Coco truly stands the test of time.

If you haven't tried Coco recently - I would encourage you to revisit it - a classic fragrance.

Ninfeo Mio by Annick Goutal

2010-10-05T03:02:00.000-07:00

My ever-generous husband has given me a bottle of Annick Goutal's fresh and wild Ninfeo Mio. I smelt this briefly only once before and fell in love with it. I'm wearing it now and it's a lush outdoors fragrance evocative of wet grass on dewy morning walks.

Ninfeo Mio is theoretically a fig fragrance, based on the smells from an Italian garden. It's THE freshest perfume I know. Perfect for lovers of the outdoors. Even though it's not advertised as a unisex fragrance, this is definitely a bottle that my husband is going to be sharing.

October Pumpkins

2010-10-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

October is without doubt my favourite month. Not least because I love pumpkins and their bright Autumnal colour. At the weekend we went to choose, probably the first of several, pumpkins for this year.

There was a whole field of exotic orange pumpkins to choose from.

The children loved having the choice from a whole field. And I can't wait to get carving some spooky halloween pumpkins.

5 Clean Smelling Perfumes

2010-09-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

Smelling clean can be revitalising. Here are five wearable scents that will keep you smelling pure as the driven snow all day long.

1. Jo Malone - Iris & White Musk

This perfume sample has been lurking unloved in my cupboard for quite some time. Yesterday evening I retried it, and initially it smelt a bit masculine. But then I got into bed and thought, 'Wow these sheets smell so fresh and lovely'. Of course it wasn't the sheets, it was this gorgeous and clean smelling fragrance.

2. Chloe - Love

There is a current trend in perfumes for fruitiness. Love is very fruity and creates a day-long just-out-of-the-shower aura. Wear this and you'll smell scrubbed clean. And it's incredibly long-lasting.

3. Narciso Rodriguez - For Her

About a year ago a friend recommended this to me. She said that smelling For Her is like smelling clean laundered sheets. That had me intrigued. And For Her does smell daisy fresh. But you only need a tiny smidge as it's relatively strong.

4. Dior - Escale a Portofino

If you like smelling lemon fresh, then Escale a Portofino is a classically mild eau de cologne with a citrus edge. And if you need more proof of its whiter than white credentials, then here's little Miss Perfume Life holding the Escale a Portofino that I bought last year.

5. Miller Harris - Citron Citron
Citron Citron is also inspired by the lemon fruit, but is rich and creamy. It reminds me of lemon curd as all the harshness has been taken away and blended with something much richer and smoother. Citron Citron is also available in a hand wash, but the perfume itself is delightful.

I'd love to know what perfumes make you smell clean and scrubbed.

Five Unmissable Perfume Boutiques in London

2010-09-27T05:50:00.000-07:00

1. Avery

Avery is the latest addition to London perfume boutiques. It's pretty central and stocks some high-end niche perfumes that you'll struggle to find many other places.

The Avery window display is currently full of Carthusia perfumes.

2. Les Senteurs

Based on Elizabeth Street in Belgravia, Les Senteurs stocks Byredo and Parfumerie Generale amongst others.

It was closed when I stopped by yesterday. I was pining after one tantalising whiff of the Serge Lutens or Frederic Malle that I can see so neatly lined up.

3. Diptyque
Diptyque has some cute little London stores. This one is on Brook Street, currently promoting their great-sounding 'chilly vanilla' Eau Duelle:

Or you could venture to the far end of Marylebone High Street for a teeny tiny Diptyque store.

4. Penhaligon's

Penhaligon's stores never lack atmosphere. This oldy-worldy Penhaligon's emporium is also on Brook street in the West End.

5. Annick Goutal

Finally, one of my absolute favourites: Annick Goutal on Bruton Street. This photo was taken earlier this year, and, happily feature my current favourite AG scent - Ninfeo Mio.

Happy shopping.

Melvita Lavande Sauvage and Cologne

2010-09-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

The French range, Melvita, is due to open a boutique in London later in the year. Melvita is an organic French skincare and fragrance line that shuns the bad stuff.

From Melvita's fragrances, the Cologne is a classic, traditional cologne of the 4711 variety. For a fresh, fairly neutral, slightly citrus smell, this is gorgeous.

For something more masculine Lavande Sauvage is an authentic lavender fragrance.

It's reassuring to know that you can still buy classic fragrances without some of the nasties that are in more mainstream products.

My Awesome Foursome - Latest Photo

2010-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mr Perfume Life keeps taking my camera to work with him, so no photos of perfume right now. Instead a gratuitous photo of my children that I took last week.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Lip Protectant Stick

2010-09-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine always has gorgeous looking lips. Her secret is Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Lip Protectant Stick. I've just bought one for myself in Blush. I'm really happy with it, particularly as I usually find lipstick really difficult to shop for.

This is how it looks on. It's a sheer lip tint. It's rich and creamy and feels like a balm. And, most importantly it has a lovely smell.

It's available in other colours, Blush is probably the most transparent of the range.

New Perfume Launches for September and October 2010

2010-09-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique EDT Collectors Edition

...the famous bust designed by Jean Paul Gaultier is removing her corset to don a metallic veil. In an ultra-suggestive transparency effect, shimmering reflections fade little by little, playing on light more sensually than ever...

The JPG collectors edition will be available from 1st October at £66 for 100ml.

La Prairie Life Threads Gems - Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald

... each of these exquisitely conceived scents is a complex bouquet of sensual stimuli that evoke a passionate response.
SAPPHIRE - a floral woody amber... the essence of romance
RUBY - a floral oriental... the essence of passion
EMERALD - a floral oriental... the essence of enchantment

The Prairie Life Threads Gems will be available from 4th October at £72 for 50ml.

L’Extrait Classique X Limited Edition

... bright top notes tinged with citrus, mandarin oranges and bergamot. After love at first sight, the passion is revealed delicately, though a bouquet of orange blossoms and their virginal softness, and troubling peony. The sensual pleasures appear on a sexy bed of vanilla and powdery iris...

X Limited Edition will be available in Harrods from the 4th October 2010. It costs £52 for 20ml.

Etro Via Verri Limited Edition EDP

The femininity of the rose is trailed by the warm opulence of jasmine. Amber and musk bring warmth, with the lively freshness of bergamot and floral notes of precious iris. Then the sharp spicy notes of white pepper and cardamom create more woody and oriental accords.

Etro Via Verri LE will be at Selfridges from 4th October and nationwide from 18th October. The price is £89 for 100ml.

Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Noir Absolu

... a feminine and enveloping fragrance. It opens with a floral accord of lotus and osmanthus which becomes more intense with a middle note of lily and jasmine, to finally blend with long lasting wood and warm, sensual amber.

L'Eau d'Issey Noir Absolu is available nationwide from October at £59 for 50ml.

Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque Limited Edition EDP

This opulent fragrance start with the animalistic sensation of leather mixed with cinnamon and flowers. The woody note of cedar and aloe wood adds strength to the fragrance and creates the backbone of the scent, the lingering base is full of oriental Amber and Musk.

Cuir Mauresque is available exclusively from Liberty from 4th October, nationwide from
18th October at £76 for 50ml.

Blessings by Belinda Brown

2010-09-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

Belinda Brown has just released Blessings, a new fragrance created by Roja Dove:

Belinda’s love of exotic scents came from her mother’s pot of Stella Pomade, a body cream fragranced with heady Jasmine and Vanilla. These beautiful memories embedded on her psyche and have grown into a passion for fragrance.

Blessings includes top notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin. The heart notes are Jasmine de Grasse and Rose De Mai. And the base notes are Cedar, Sandalwood, Tonka and Vanilla.

Belinda Brown Blessings

Blessings is available exclusively at Roja Dove's Haute Parfumerie in Harrods. The price is £675 for 100ml of Parfum.

Love by Chloe

2010-09-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

In Luca Turin's book, Perfumes, the A-Z Guide he describes women who wore Estee Lauder's 1995 perfume Pleasures:

They just wanted to smell clean, and not just transiently but all day, broadcasting the spotlessness of their intentions.

For a 2010 version of smelling truly clean and 'spotless', then Love would be a great choice.

Love also follows a recent trend for 'fruity' perfumes. Fruity was the word that my daughter used to describe Love, and it's absolutely right. If you like perfumes like Clarins Eau des Jardins or Giorgio Armani's Acqua Di Gioia, then Love is queuing up for you to try it.

Jane Packer Fragrances

2010-09-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

A set of Jane Packer samples arrived recently for me to try. There are five different perfumes:

Iris, Jasmine and Sandalwood

Green Orchid, Vetiver and Lemon Grass

Red roses, Black Violet and Cyclamen

Fig, Sandalwood and Amber

Gardenia, Cedarwood and Patchouli

According to the press release:

Jane Packer believes that just as we would buy a new outfit or adorn ourselves with a precious accessory, we choose a special fragrance to complete our wardrobe. She also believes that women want their fragrance to reflect their personality.
Jane Packer had dreamed of creating her own fragrance for a long time and as a child, being fascinated by flowers, she would try and produce her own fragrances from the petals collected from her garden. Similarly Jane Packer has spent many hours finding the right blends for all of the five fragrances in her new Fragrance Collection, from the initial inception, to the ultimate fruition, Jane Packer has been instrumental in its development every step of the way.

The Jane Packer fragrance collection will be available at her flagship store on New Cavendish Street from 1st October 2010.

Intimately Beckham - The Commercial

2010-09-13T04:41:00.000-07:00

Intimately Yours: The commercial for the new Victoria and David Beckham fragrance. This is what Barbara Ellen had to say about it in yesterday's Observer:

The Beckhams are together in a lift. As the doors close, they indulge in "Je t'aime"-style snogging, as we all do in lifts. (It's the law!) Finally, the doors open and they leave, him smirking and wiping his mouth. Has he quickly scoffed a pastie?

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Roja Dove's Diaghilev - Quick Review

2010-09-10T04:02:00.000-07:00

When I heard Roja Dove giving a guided tour of Harrod's Perfume Diaries, I'm fairly sure that he was wearing his recent Diaghilev fragrance.

Chypre fragrances have that sexy, almost sweaty edge, that can be very sensual. But you've got to be in the right frame of mind. Diaghilev isn't one to wear with your power suit at work, or even on a first date. This is one to be worn in an alpine lodge after a day's skiing, whilst sitting around the open fire sipping whisky on the rocks.

British Vogue October 2010 - Perfume Ads

2010-09-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

Keira Knightley, as the face of Coco Mademoiselle, makes a regular appearance in the front pages of Vogue. This month's issue is no exception.

Gucci's latest perfume launch is Guilty. Evan Rachel Wood is nothing if not sexy.

The new Calvin Klein perfume, Beauty, is being fronted by the actress Diane Kruger. A scent for the 'older lady' perhaps?

Black Orchid seems an appropriate fragrance for the Autumn Winter season. It's dark and sultry. Anna Maria Jagodzinska is the model for this campaign and is completely captivating.

Van Cleef & Arpels have a bottle-inspired one page advert for their newest perfume, Oriens.

There has been a lot of comment about the Marc Jacobs ad for Bang. The perfume bottle covering his groin is kind of unsubtle though.

For me Viktor & Rolf's ad for Flowerbomb misses being either cutesy or sexy. But, not being 14 years old, I guess I'm not in their target demographic.

And there's a two page spread about Harrods Perfume Diaries.

Miss Dior Cherie is all about whimsy. Cutesy pink and purple colour scheme, stylish oversized bottle, French inspired beret and bike. It's the Miss Dior Cherie formula with Maryna Linchuk in the starring role, and I'm guessing it's working.

The Perfume Diaries at Harrods

2010-09-07T06:11:00.000-07:00

Like many people, I find the prospect of a room of exhibits with notes and written explanations a tad on the dry side. However, I was lucky enough to be part of a group given a guided tour of the The Perfume Diaries by Roja Dove. Roja is one of those intriguing people that you can't help but be fascinated by. His enthusiasm for the exhibition was infectious. As well as a huge amount of history, Roja added a healthy dollop of anecdote, hearsay and, let's be honest, gossip to a painstakingly well researched exhibition.

The exhibition tells the tale of perfume, focusing initially on 1800 to 1900 and then decade by decade up to the modern day. I can't even begin to recount the detailed level of information. But if you're interested in perfume, the perfume industry, and perfume packaging, then The Perfume Diaries is not to be missed.

Harrods' exhibition The Perfume Diaries runs until 2nd October.

Roja Dove Comments on IFRA Prohibited Ingredients

2010-09-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Roja Dove talks about fragrance regulations and limitations on the Radio 4 programme You and Yours.

Fast forward to about 27 minutes into the show to hear Roja Dove and Linda Pilkington, amongst others, discussing the impact of the International Fragrance Association regulations.

Harrods Perfume Diaries - Jade Jagger for Guerlain

2010-08-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

Harrods is hosting The Perfume Diaries from now until 2nd October 2010. First in the series, of some great looking events, is the launch of Guerlain's new Shalimar bottle on Wednesday 8th September.

The beautiful Jade Jagger has designed Shalimar's new bottle and will be appearing at Harrods for the launch.

I'm hoping to attend as (yippee) the children will be back at school by then.

2010-08-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the Martin Scorsese ad for Bleu by Chanel. Chanel never set a foot wrong with their perfumes; I'm looking forward to trying this one.

Chandler Burr Selects the Scents that Surprise

2010-08-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Chandler Burr's latest perfume selection highlights fragrances that 'surprise'.

1. Eau Claire des Merveilles by Hermes

The original Eau des Merveilles was created by perfumer Ralf Schwieger, the genius behind the more recent Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne. Looking forward to trying this flanker by Jean-Claude Ellena.

2. Womanity by Thierry Mugler

A huge amount of hype surrounds Womanity. This brand's ability to create, and bullishly market, successful fragrances is phenomenal. I like Thierry Mugler's Alien and hope to find something to like in Womanity.

3. Essence by Narciso Rodriguez

If the surprise for this one is that there's nothing to smell, then I agree.

4. Bliss by Bliss

Where there's a successful spa there's a line of semi-thought-through products. I'm willing to give this a try.

5. Infusion D'Iris by Prada

Hello! Didn't Chandler Burr recommend this one in his New York Times scent selection in April? Running out of ideas Mr B?

6. Beauty by Calvin Klein

Still struggling to win back the success this brand experienced in the 90s, Calvin Klein can't seem to stop with the new launch merry-go-round.

Was Chandler Burr still half asleep on the beach when he put together this selection? Yawn. See if Chandler Burr's full commentary on his scent selection manages to win you over.

Alec Lawless - The Victorian Pharmacy

2010-08-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Great clip from The Victorian Pharmacy. Alec Lawless talks about the principles of perfumery as they were implemented by the Victorians. The first perfume section starts around the 42 minute mark, and the second section begins at 50 minutes.

This clip has also reminded me why there is so little on TV about perfume. You just want to smell it! Talking about perfume is no good unless you are able to share the experience too.

Miller Harris Article from Yesterday's Evening Standard

2010-08-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Miller Harris's empire goes from strength to strength. Read yesterday's Evening Standard article about Miller Harris and how Michelle Obama's gift from Samantha Cameron has boosted business.

Here is a recent article in the Daily Mail about how to smell like a summer garden.

Roja Dove speaks about Oud, 'the ultimate world of luxury', to the Guardian.

British Vogue September 2010 Scents of Time

2010-08-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

In the September issue, British Vogue announces that Harrods is holding a fragrance exhibition, The Perfume Diaries, "charting the history of perfume and displaying rare bottles". I'm hoping to take a look myself.

Vogue also lists "Five noteworthy new scents created by women":

Ruth Mastenbroek

Like This Tilda Swinton by Etat Libre d'Orange

Chantecaille Petales

Guerlain Angelique Noir

Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia

I've been in Spain for a couple of weeks, hence the lack of posts. Now I'm back and trying to just keep up with having all the children at home during the school holidays. Needless to say - posts will be irregular.

New Fragrances - Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection

2010-07-21T04:38:00.000-07:00

The Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection is a brand new range of four fragrances for men.

This is the description for each fragrance:

Big Pony #1 The Sporty Fragrance. Citrus Aromatic. "This refreshing tonic matches up lime and grapefruit". Grapefruit is a fabulous fresh element in any perfume. Here's MyPerfumeLife's list of top grapefruit fragrances.

Big Pony #2 The Seductive Fragrance. Oriental Fougere. "A sexy mix that hooks up dark chocolate and musk for undeniable attraction."

Big Pony #3 The Adventurous Fragrance. Fougere Woody. "A thrilling scent of mint and ginger root..." For Ginger lovers, try Jo Malone's Nutmeg and Ginger.

Big Pony #4 The Stylish Fragrance. Woody Fruity. "An energising boost that layers mandarin and kyarawood..." Mandarin and Oranges are great in many fragrances. Here are a few to try: Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine, Orange Star by Andy Tauer and Tangerine Vert by Miller Harris.

The Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection will be available across the UK from August 2010 and costs £35 for 75ml. With the help of MrPerfumeLife, I will be posting reviews shortly.

Perfume and Fragrance in Literature

2010-07-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Below is an extract from the novel, The Master Butcher's Singing Club, which may not immediately appear to be directly related to perfume. However, it conveys the rituals involved in bathing habits and bathrooms, in which perfume plays a very large part.

Some books manage to convey smell, taste and as well as atmospheres and moods perfectly. Louise Erdrich's The Master Butchers Singing Club is one of those books. Here's an extract about the bathroom in the Waldvogels' house, set in America in the 1920s:

"...Over the tub, there hung an array of cleaning implements: a brush with a handle of polished apple wood to scrub the back, a smaller and brisker brush for the fingers, a large pumice stone for callused feet, and a tiny, hair-soft, blue handled brush for the face. There was also a stash of soaps, from the harshest lye soap to the French-milled lilac ovals that Eva used. These soaps were kept in a square cedar box with a slatted floor to drain away excess water, so the soaps would last. Next to the tub on another wooden shelf, behind curtains made of ticking material, towels were stacked - the cloth worn thin, but bleached to a sunny whiteness. The entire room was painted a pleasant yellow, and as its wide glass block window faced southeast, it caught the morning light. It was a comfortable and generous sort of room that would lead a person to think that the Waldvogels were wealthy. They were not. It was Eva's doing. She had a knack for saving money and making a good effect out of nothing. "

This paragraph describing the bathroom is intensely evocative. A private bathroom is a highly personal place, so it's intriguing to have such a clear picture of somebody else's bathroom, even if it's fictional. The sense of detail in phrases like, "a slatted floor to drain away water, so the soaps would last", emphasises the importance of ritual and repetition in bathroom habits.

The juxtaposition of meagreness and luxury creates a vivid scene. For instance, 'the towels were stacked...' implies luxury. It suggests an almost hotel-like heap of fluffy white towels. But immediately afterwards the author writes, '...the cloth worn thin - but bleached to a sunny whiteness'.

The suggestion that the fictional character, Eva, "can create a good effect out of nothing" is surely every domestic goddess's dream. Don't we all want to create a home environment that looks 'wealthy' purely through the careful cultivation of the right details?

Although the fragrances in the bathroom aren't described in this brief extract, there are constant references to cooking, tastes and smells thoughout The Master Butcher's Singing Club. So much of life is unspoken and undiscussed. Sadly, perfume and smells very much fall into this unmentioned category. However, our senses of touch, feeling and smell have such a huge impact on our appreciation of life, that's it's verging on tragic that we don't pay more attention to them.

Kiehl's Essence Oils & Summer Scent Selections

2010-07-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

Kiehl's Essence Oils are currently only £10, so an affordable option for a refreshing smell to take away on holiday with you. The roller ball applicator is convenient, so you don't risk a leaking bottle of perfume in your suitcase. This morning I tried two - grapefruit and pear - both light, summer smells. Kiehl's Essence Oils range also includes musk and vanilla.

Check out MyPerfumeLife's selection if you're still looking for the perfect Eau de Cologne. Vogue magazine's Summer Scent collection and their Modern Vintage list both have some great ideas for the summer months. And if you're chasing the elusive aroma of the sea breeze, then Chandler Burr's Ocean Currents from the New York Times features some true summer classics.

Good smells to help me sell our home

2010-07-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

We're trying to sell our place at the moment - hence the reduced number of posts. This is my secret arsenal of good smells to help lure in potential buyers.

I'm burning a vanilla candle in the sitting room.

I've bought my favourite flowers, peonies, to look good and smell good:

Tea tree is great for making bathrooms feel really clean. I've splashed it round the basins liberally.

And (perhaps rather oddly) I love the smell of bleach. It reminds me of swimming pools. So this has gone in all the obvious places.

What else should I do? Coffee in the grinder? Bread in the oven? Too corny? I've read that I should put cinnamon sticks in the waste disposal unit. But we don't have one. I've also read that you can heat a saucepan of juice with slices of apple, lemon, cinnamon and oranges in it.

And it smells terrific. Not sure if it's going to pervade the whole flat - but at the very least it's making the kitchen smell great. I used a tin of pears in juice, one sliced apple, lime wedges and half a cinnamon stick.

I would love to hear your home-selling aroma suggestions.

Reglisse Noire by 1000Flowers

2010-07-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Reglisse Noire by perfumer Jessica Buchanan at 1000Flowers arrived in the post today. It's an intriguing perfume, not least because of the credentials of the perfumer.

Jessica Buchanan grew up on the seashores and in the wilderness of western Canada. Following a childhood obsession with wild plants, she began the study of essential oils in 1991. After formal training and certification in the field of clinical aromatherapy, Jessica began to explore the art of natural perfumery.

After 4 years of work in her own lab, she moved to France to study at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery (Alumni 2007). Here she found a depth of understanding of the perfumed art that was highly refining.

Following her education, she interned in two of the traditional perfume houses of the region (Robertet and Mane) which facilitated an enlightening inside view of the industry.

The city of Grasse and its history can be enchanting and Jessica found herself absorbed into its culture. She continues to spend most of her time there, exploring a creative fusion of her natural roots with the training she received in modern perfumery.

Reglisse Noir (meaning licorice) is made up of notes including white pepper, ozone, mint, shiso leaf (pictured), star anise, ginger, licorice, cocoa, patchouli, vanilla, vetiver and musk.

I'm looking forward to trying this perfume and will review it soon.

Fleur du Matin by Miller Harris

2010-07-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

Fleur du Matin by Miller Harris is a perfume that I have reviewed before - and my conclusion then was that it was very citrusy. Smelling Fleur du Matin again - I've revised my opinion. It's a beautiful fragrance that conjures up unopened morning buds. If I had to guess the flower, I would say a peony bud, although peonies aren't mentioned in the description.

Fleur du Matin is gorgeous. It falls into a family of similar perfumes, all of which I would highly recommend. Fleur du Matin is probably most similar to Eau de Parfum Floral by Issey Miyake, a blend of rose and peony. For a similar floral, with a more abstract, sparkling quality, then Narciso Rodriguez for Her is a fabulous fragrance. And I can't go without mentioning Stella McCartney's Nude, which is the archetypal modern rose. All of these floral inspired perfumes share a clarity and purity that unites them.

The Science of Scent at the Royal Institution 22nd July 2010

2010-07-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

The Science of Scent event was cancelled back in April, and will now be taking place later this month, on the 22nd July at 7pm. Below is the description of the lecture from the Royal Institution. Maybe see you there!

Where do the sparkling, creative ideas for new perfumes come from? How are they translated into scent without compromising the creative purity of the idea? This lecture – the third in the series – covers one of the most abstract perfumery subjects: the creative origin of new perfumes. Find out what is going on inside the perfumer’s mind, how it is nurtured to deliver those scented moments of true brilliance, and how the ideas are developed into tomorrow’s perfume classics. Tickets £8.

Quelques Fleurs L'Original Eau de Parfum - Houbigant Paris

2010-07-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing that I like in perfume packaging, it's a beautiful bottle. Quelques Fleurs L'Original comes in a stylish frosted glass bottle. So, if first impressions count, this perfume makes a great one.

Quelques Fleurs starts off as a heady floral mix. Jasmine and tuberose are the flowers that really stand out, and in the first few minutes this fragrance is on the strong side. But I was pleasantly surprised once it had settled on my skin. I was left with a long-lasting white flower fragrance, which is buttery, soft and pleasing.

Quelques Fleurs is one of those perfumes that has been around forever. It was originally launched in 1912. I came across it recently because it was feature in Vogue magazine's summer scent selection last month.

If you like sexy floral fragrances you could also try L'Artisan Parfumeur's La Chasse aux Papillons which is a delicate white flower accord. Or for a sexy, evening jasmine, then Bvlgari's Jasmin Noir might be a good choice.

If you need any final confirmation that this is a sexy fragrance, and if twitter is to be trusted, Quelques Fleurs L'Original is the fragrance of the uber-sexy Dita Von Teese.

Luca Turin's Five Star Perfumes

2010-07-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

This list holds endless fascination for me as it features so many perfumes that are still unfamiliar. It comes from Perfumes the A-Z Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, which is definitey worth a read. I come back to this perfume list regularly to give myself some ideas of what to try next.

31 Rue Cambon by Chanel

100% Love by S-Perfume

1740 by Histoires de Parfums

L'Air du Desert Marocain by Andy Tauer

Amouage Gold by Amouage (Guy Robert)

Angel by Thierry Mugler

Apres L'Ondee by Guerlain
Aromatics Elixir by Clinique (Bernard Chant)
Azuree by Estee Lauder (Bernard Chant)

Azzaro pour Homme by Azzaro (Gerard Anthony)

Badgley Mischka by Badgley Mischka
Bandit by Robert Piguet (Germaine Cellier)

Beyond Paradise by Estee Lauder (Calice Becker)

Beyond Paradise Men by Estee Lauder (Calice Becker)

Black by Bvlgari (Annick Menardo)

Bois des Iles by Chanel (Ernest Beaux)

Boise de Violette by Serge Lutens (Pierre Bourdon and Chris Sheldrake)

Boucheron by Boucheron (Jean-Pierre Bethouart)

Breath of God by B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful

Calandre by Paco Rabanne

Calyx by Prescriptives (Sophia Grojsman)

Ca Sent Beau by Kenzo (Francoise Caron)

Chamade by Guerlain

Chinatown by Bond No. 9 (Aurelien Guichard)

Cool Water by Davidoff (Pierre Bourdon)

Cristalle by Chanel

Cuir de Russie by Chanel

Derby by Guerlain

Diorella by Dior (Roudnitska)

Dior Homme by Dior (Olivier Polge)

Dune by Dior

Dzing! by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Eau de Guerlain by Guerlain

Eau Savage by Dior (Roudnitska)

Enlevement au Serail by Parfums MDCI

Envy by Gucci (Maurice Roucel)

Le Feu D'Issey by Issey Miyake

Fracas by Robert Piguet (Germaine Cellier)

Givenchy III by Givenchy

Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene

Habit Rouge by Guerlain

L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain

Homage by Amouage

Insense by Givenchy

Insolence eau de parfum by Guerlain (Maurice Roucel)

Invasion Barbare by Parfums MDCI (Stephanie Bakouche)

Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens (Maurice Roucel)

Jicky by Guerlain

Joy parfum by Jean Patou (Henri Almeras)

Knize Ten by Knize (Francois Coty and Vincent Roubert)

Knowing by Estee Lauder

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

Lavender by Caldey Island (Hugo Collumbien)

Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempica (Annick Menardo)

Loulou by Cacharel (Jean Guichard)

Missoni by Missoni (Maurice Roucel)

Mitsouko by Guerlain (Jacques Guerlain)

MoslBuddJewChristHinDao by Elternhaus (Marc Buxton)

La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens (Christopher Sheldrake)

Nahema by Guerlain

New York by Parfums de Nicolai (Patricia de Nicolai)
No. 5 eau de toilette by Chanel
No. 5 parfum by Chanel
Odalisque by Parfums de Nicolai (Patricia de Nicolai)

Opium by YSL

Or Black by Pascal Morabito

Ormonde Man by Ormonde Jayne (Linda Pilkington)
Ormonde Woman by Ormonde Jayne (Linda Pilkington)
Osmanthe Yunnan by Hermes (Jean-Claude Ellena)

Oud Cuir D'Arabie by Montale

Patchouli 24 by Le Labo (Annick Menardo)

Pleasures by Estee Lauder
Poison by Dior

Pour Monsieur by Chanel

Pour un Homme by Caron

Private Collection by Estee Lauder

Promesse de l'Aube by Parfums MDCI (Francis Kurkdjian)

Rive Gauche by YSL (Jacques Polge)

Rush by Gucci
Sarrasins by Serge Lutens

Scent by Theo Fennell (Christophe Laudamiel)

Secretions Magnifiques, by Etat Libre d'Orange
S-eX by S-Perfume (Christophe Laudamiel)

Shalimar by Guerlain

Sycomore by Chanel

Le Temps d'une Fete by Parfums de Nicolai (Patricia de Nicolai)

Timbuktu by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Tocade by Rochas (Maurice Roucel)

Tommy Girl by Tommy Hilfiger
Le Troisieme Homme by Caron

Ubar by Amouage

Vanilia by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Vol de Nuit by Guerlain
White Linen by Estee Lauder
Yatagan by Caron
Yohji Homme by Yohji Yamamoto

Jardins de Carthage by Cinq Mondes

2010-06-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

Jardins de Carthage by Cinq Mondes is a perfect fragrance for summer.

The box calls this "Rituel Aromatique" which put me off using Jardins de Carthage for quite a while. The instructions suggest, "Delicately spray the care mist of your choice on your body, hair or on your pillow". But ultimately this is a light fresh fragrance that you can use like any other perfume.

Jardins de Carthage is a light and sexy summer fragrance. Notes, including oud, nutmeg, rose abolute, cedar wood, jasmine, pink pepper, bergamot, vetiver, patchouli, rose bud and musks.Cinq Mondes is paraben free - so you can spritz with abandon.

Perfume Shopping - Latest Offers

2010-06-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

If you're hunting around for some perfume shopping ideas, here are some of the latest offers.

Beauty Habit

Beauty Habit are offering free standard shipping within the US until 2nd July when you spend over $50. You need to quote the code BHCUTIE.

Fragrance Direct

Fragrance Direct are offering up to 40% off some of their summer fragrances.

Smell Bent

Smell Bent are have a new sample pack of five of their travel sprays for $25.

And here they are

2010-06-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

The latest family photo

Coco Chanel & My Current Lust List

2010-06-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Debenhams Chanel counter was blissfully unmanned this morning, so I took the opportunity to let loose with the tester bottle of Coco Eau de Toilette. You have to sieze these moments when they come along.

I wrote about Coco Chanel a while ago. (You can read it here). But I think that Coco definitely smelt better on me in April than it does in June. Coco is too heavy for June. It might work well in the evening, but for a full on hot day like today it feels too much.

So, here is my top ten lust list - perfumes that I would love to own, but haven't got around to buying quite yet.

1. Ninfeo Mio by Annick Goutal - allegedly based on an Italian garden, but for me evokes the quintessential English summer garden.

2. Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne - the sweet smell of orange juice, quickly followed by a full-on leafy orange grove. A landscape in bottle.

3. Citron Citron by Miller Harris - This is by no means my favourite Miller Harris fragrance, but for summer it's suitably fresh. Most citrus fragrance are all top note and vanish rapidly. But Citron Citron has depth and is lovely for a hot day.

4. Tiare by Ormonde Jayne - White flowers are high on my list of lovely fragrance ingredients. If you don't feel like forking out on OJ's Tiare, then an economical alternative is Pacifica's Tahitian Gardenia, which I have in the body butter. I could use this every day of the year.

5. Fleur Nocturne by Isabey - I tend to avoid perfumes at eye watering prices. But Fleur Nocturne is delicate and artfully blends a bouquet of fragile flowers.

6. Eternal Return by CB I Hate Perfume - probably still top of my lust list in many ways. A blend of the salty sea and verdant evergreens. If Orange Sanguine paints the orange grove picture, then Eternal Return is the seaside dream.

7. Eau du Sud by Annick Goutal - the second from Annick Goutal on my list. But if you like sunshine fragrances, like Eau Dynamisante, Eau du Sud is unmissable.

What about scents I haven't tried - you ask? Well, I just have to include a few on my list.

8. Orange Star by Andy Tauer is reviewed by Persolaise here. It sounds interesting, and I want to try it for myself.

9. Tilda Swinton by Etat Libre d'Orange. Apparently Tilda Swinton mentions 'peat after highland rain' in the description. I'm already in love. Read this great review by the British Beauty Blogger.

10. Eau des Merveilles by Hermes. This is a bit of a wild card. Robin at NST gave it a very good review in 2006. I've picked it because the perfumer, Ralf Schwieger, recently created Orange Sanguine. Orange Sanguine has bowled me over, so I'm curious to try more by the same perfumer.

So there it is, my current list. MyPerfumeLife would love to hear about the fragrances that you're pining after too.

Chanel Nº 5 and the Audrey Tatou TV Commercial

2010-06-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

It would be wrong to write a perfume blog without mentioning Chanel Nº 5. This beautiful, beautiful TV commercial, featuring the gorgeous Audrey Tatou says so much on its own.

What's left to say about Chanel Nº 5 that hasn't already been said so many times before? The perfume's official notes are (famously) aldehydes, bergamot, lemon and neroli. Middle notes are jasmine, rose, lily of the valley and orris. And the base notes are vetiver, sandal, vanilla and amber.

The perfumer, Ernest Beaux, allegedly presented this as the fifth sample to Coco Chanel amongs a range of perfumes. The name stuck, and it was launched on the fifth day of the fifth month in 1921.

At the risk of being contrary, this isn't a perfume that I feel passionate about. I enjoy the buttery, almost almondy middle notes when the 'old lady's handbag' opening has faded. It's difficult to have a fresh appreciation of a smell that's so familiar and has been worn by so many people. But Chanel Nº 5 is king of king amongst perfumes. And long may that last.

Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani

2010-06-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak of the advert for Acqua di Gioia, the latest fragrance from Giorgio Armani.

If you like Acqua di Gioia, then MyPerfumeLife's other recommendations are Clarins Eau des Jardins or J'Adore by Dior.

Michael Kors Perfume

2010-06-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

The original Michael Kors perfume is my guilty pleasure. It's a lusty tuberose fragrance and no messing. You don't need much as it's potent stuff, but it's truly wonderful.

A bottle of Michael Kors perfume has been standing lonely and neglected in my bathroom cabinet since the end of last year. I rarely have the chance to wear it as I sample new fragrances most days. But today I needed some familiarity and comfort. Michael Kors perfume fits the bill perfectly.

The original Michael Kors perfume was released in 2000 and developed by perfumer Laurent Le Guernec. It's no surprise that Le Guernec is the creator of a whole host of successful fragrances including Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely, Marc Jacob's Splash Rain and a whole raft for the Bond No. 9 range including Chelsea Flowers and Andy Warhol Montauk.

The description for Michael Kors perfume includes notes of freesia, incense, tuberose, creamy flowers, soft woods and musks. There's no doubt that this is a 'big' perfume. Regular MyPerfumeLife readers will know that I'm not generally a fan of the strong stuff. But the sexiness and subtlety of tuberose combined with the other floral elements and incense are fiercely compelling.

The most recent release from Michael Kors is 'Very Hollywood', which shares the basic structure of with the original Michael Kors perfume, but opens with a full on bubblegum note. It will be interesting to see if Very Hollywood is as successful as the original Michael Kors perfume.

For a similarly powerful, but somewhat different tuberose, try Houbigant's Quelques Fleurs L'Original. It's a sexy fragrance too.

Ta'if

2010-06-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ta'if by Ormonde Jayne was launched five years ago. To celebrate its fifth year a new oversized Ta'if bottle has been unveiled in Harrods.

Ta'if is a rose fragrance, named after the Saudi Arabian town famed for its rose plantations. Rose is mixed with pink pepper, saffron, dates, orange flower absolute and jasmine on a base of amber to create a true oriental floral.

Linda Pilkington comments that the new Ta'if oversized flacon was inspired by the giant bottle used by Dior and Chanel for J'Adore and Chance.

Eau Dynamisante

2010-06-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

Eau Dynamisante is THE affordable summer treat.

It's fresh, herby and the archetypal 'sunshine fragrance'. A large 100ml of Eau Dynamisante costs a meagre £27.

Eau Dynamisante reminds me of sitting in a Mediterranean garden on a hot summer's day with the sun beating down on the aromatic herbs and bushes. The notes include lemon, ginseng, thyme, orange, caraway, rosemary and patchouli.

Clarins have recently launched Eau des Jardins in their fragrance range, which may also be worth a try. But my money is on Eau Dynamisante every time.

Estee Lauder

2010-06-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Estee Lauder fragrances are recommended to me time and time again. So far I haven't been able to find one that I get on with. Most recently I tried Sensuous. But it's a bit on the sweet side for me.

OsMoz lists the notes as ghost lily, magnolia, jasmine, ylang ylang, sandalwood, pepper, mandarin pulp, honey, molten woods and amber. Perhaps it's the amber base, perhaps it's the sweetness of the honey. It comes highly recommended and the review over at Now Smell This is excellent.

Azuree is an Estee Lauder perfume that I'm keen to try. It's included in Luca Turin's select list of 'five star' fragrances, which already sets it apart from the crowd. Apparently Selfridges and Harrods are the exclusive stockists in London, so I will make a special journey to try it. Its reputation is as a 'sunshine' fragrance. Any perfume that brings the summer to you has to be a good thing. The note include orange blossom, Tahitian flower, gardenia, coconut, vetiver, myrrh and sandalwood. Sounds delightful.

Bronze Goddess has had a lot of coverage lately and for a summer fragrance it's certainly charming. But it's a real beach scent and not something I could envisage wearing the whole year round.

Jasmine White Moss is a recent 80s revival for Estee Lauder in the Private Collection. The name of the fragrance sounds like it's going to be light and transparent. But Jasmine White Moss is, typically for Estee Lauder, a big fragrance. I tried it recently and I didn't love it.

Four other Estee Lauder fragrances that make it onto Luca Turin's 'five star' list. Pleasures, White Linen, Beyond Paradise and Knowing.

Pleasures was released in 1995, and is the fore-runner to current popular scents like Marc Jacobs Daisy. It's all about smelling clean.

Knowing is a rose chypre, released in 1988. By all accounts it's 'big' perfume. The reviews at Basenotes are almost universally positive.

White Linen, a floral fragrance, released in 1978, was created by none other than the empress of perfume, Sophia Grojsman.

Grojsman is the creator of perfume successes incuding YSL Paris, Lancome Tresor, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds and Calvin Klein Eternity, to name a few.

Finally, Beyond Paradise is a floral fragrance that Luca Turin can't say enough good things about. It's impossible to find a quote that fully sums up his enthusiasm.

So, back to the Estee Lauder counter I go. One of these has got to smell good on me...

First Perfume

2010-06-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a first perfume for a daughter, niece or godchild, then Harajuku Lovers are tailor-made for young girls. And not all of them are overly sweet scents, so worth a look.

For older girls, Annick Goutal's bottles are hard to beat for their pure romanticism. Petite Cherie was created by Annick Goutal for her daughter Camille. What could be more appropriate?

4711 was the first perfume that I ever remember owning. I had a tiny little bottle with the unique green and gold label. The bottles are ornate and almost as memorable as the scent itself. The smell is of a classic cologne, and definitely worth trying if you want a classic fragrance.

My daughter was given a Chance Eau Tendre sample back in April. As she's six years old, there's every possibility that she'll remember this as her first perfume. It's got pretty pink packaging, is rather sweet and girly, so actually it would be quite appropriate.

If you're looking for a perfume with mother and daughter relationship, then Arpege could be a good one to try. Jeanne Lanvin, so the legend goes, was inspired by her daughter practising scales on the piano so she called the perfume, Arpege, meaning ‘arpeggio'.

Or, perhaps most obviously of all, you could give your daughter small bottle of the fragrance that you use. Guaranteed they will love it - all little girls want to be just like their Mum.

James Heeley

2010-06-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

James Heeley fragrances seem to be designed for a man's man. They're not frilly or whimsical. They're strong, simple and clearly named. It's refreshing for a fragrance brand to be so, well, manly.

Figuier - Possibly the longest lasting fig fragrance that I've tried. I put it on in the morning and could still smell it late into the afternoon. When perfumes have such long staying power it suggests that they are largely synthetic. But that aside, it's a well-orchestrated fig fragrance. It's more potent than other fig scents, like Diptyque's Philosykos, which is softer, with more subtle layering. But all in all I enjoyed James Heeley's Figuier and will definitely wear it again.

Sel Marin - It was Chandler Burr's recommendation for Sel Marin in the New York Times a few weeks ago that prompted me to try James Heeley fragrances. Burr suggests that Sel Marin is a great fragrance for this summer. It's decidedly masculine, with notes including Lemon, Bergamot, Sea Salt, Algue, Vetiver, Birch and Cedar. I wore Sel Marin for the first time today, and need a few more days to really get to grips with it.

Esprit du Tigre - There are a lot of write-ups about this fragrance. Allegedly tiger balm was the inspiration for Esprit du Tigre. So far I haven't been able to bring myself to try it. Tiger balm is a potent smell, that's really difficult to shake off once it's on your skin. But perhaps Esprit du Tigre is not going to be quite as I imagine. The note are winter green, campher, cardamom, clove, black pepper, cinnamon and vetiver. Sounds lovely.

The other fragrances in James Heeley's range include Cardinal, based around the key notes of incense - frankincense and labdanum ciste. Cedre Blanc, is a cedar based fragrance, softened by notes of cardamom and cumin. Cuir Pleine Fleur is a leather fragrance. Leather is a note that just doesn't agree with me - it makes me want to gasp for breath. Iris de Nuit is depicted as "the seductive and delicate scent of Iris amidst Tuscan cyprus trees". The vivid description makes me keen to sample it. Menthe Fraiche is fairly self explanatory. There doesn't seem to be a description of Ophelia on the James Heeley website. According to OsMoz, the notes are orange, green stem, jasmine, ylang ylang and tuberose. And finally Verveine's note are bergamot, lemon verbena, blackcurrant, jasmin and white musc. Makes it sound incredibly fresh.

The fragrances in the James Heeley range seem decidedly alpha male - lots of leather, mint, violets, cedar and woods in general. The packaging and design are unfussy with clean lines and no-nonsense names. I like the character of the brand and the couple of scents that I've tried so far have been solid.

Haute Parfumerie • Lady Million Launch • JLo's Love and Glamour

2010-06-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Friday Link Love

Fabulous description of the Haute Parfumerie at Harrods by Sorcery of Scent.

Jennifer Lopez's latest fragrance launch, Love and Glamour, at Make Her Up.

Paco Rabanne's 'Lady Million' launch.

The other side of the world, it's winter, not summer scents that are topical.

And finally, the Scent Critic raves about the original eau de cologne, 4711.

Fifi Awards

2010-06-11T03:05:00.000-07:00

The US Fifi Awards winners were announced yesterday. I didn't manage to sample all of the nominees in time for the final results, but here they are:

Hall of Fame - Michael Kors

Male Celebrity of the Year -Usher

Fragrance Hall of Fame - CK One

Women’s Luxe -  Lola Marc Jacobs 

Men’s Luxe - Tom Ford Grey Vetiver  

Unique Boutique - Tom Ford Private Blend White Suede

Women’s Nouveau Niche -Bond No. 9 Astor Place

Men's Nouveau Niche - Bond No. 9 Brooklyn

Women's Popular Appeal - Halle by Halle Berry

Men's Popular Appeal - Seduction in Black by Antonio Banderas

Women's Private Label - Love Rocks by Victoria's Secret

Men's Private Label - Patrick Dempsey 2

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage - Elle.com Blog - Enduring Fragrance

The complete list of Fifi Awards winners is on the Fifi Awards page.

Alien Perfume

2010-06-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

A girl sitting next to me recently was wearing Alien perfume by Thierry Mugler. It was an incredibly good smell, with one, almost chemical, note standing out. Possibly one of those smells that's truly enjoyable on other people, but half an hour is about enough for me.

It was Thierry Mugler's earlier fragrance, Angel from 1992, that initially made him a household name. In particular, confident, outgoing people, who want to stand out seem to identify with Mugler's fragrances. This is born out by a comment from Janey Holliday, one of my guest bloggers, back in March,

"Of all the girls I know, who wear Angel, they have all been quite like me: outgoing, passionate, ambitious, confident, positive, happy.."

My guess is that Alien perfume also appeals to confident people, who like to stand out from the crowd. The name, the distinctive and unusual aroma, the packaging - the whole image creates a talking point. A girl (or boy) who wears Alien perfume enjoys being noticed.

In Katie Puckrick's review of Alien she says that it's the most requested review she's ever had. And the genius perfumers behind this scented sensation? Dominique Ropion and Laurent Bruyere. Dominic Ropion is famous for creating fragrances including Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower and Geranium pour Monsieur, and most recently Acqua di Gioia.

According to OsMoz, the notes for Alien perfume are Sambac Jasmine, Cashmeran, Solar Not and White Amber. So what other fragrances is Alien perfume similar to? Its potency and individuality remind me of Dior's Dune. Dune has similar staying power and clarity and shares the amber base.

Yosh Fragrances

2010-06-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

The niche perfume house, Yosh, has six fragrances, all with intriguing names. You can read more details about the perfumer Yosh Han at the Eau de Yosh website.

For a bit of fun rather than listing the notes I'm going to provide a pictorial list for each Yosh fragrance. It's a reminder of what perfume is all about, and how skillful a perfumer has to be to bring all these ingredients together in harmony.

Stargazer 7.71
Omniscent 0.96

Poucher's

2010-06-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

Poucher's is THE guide book for anybody interested in getting started making their own fragrances. Poucher's is a big investment at £181, but apparently well worth it.

I would love to hear feedback from anybody who has used Poucher's to get started in their perfume career.

Eau de Colognes

2010-06-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

Eau de Colognes are less concentrated fragrances, which makes them perfect for the summer months. All of these eau de colognes are suitable for both men and women. So buy a generous bottle and splash it on liberally all summer long.

Firstly, my latest find, Eau des Minimes. Unusually for eau de colognes, tonka is included in the list of notes. And it's the hint of tonka that gives Eau des Minimes its unique edge. Definitely worth a try.

One that I've written about before is Fleur de Vigne by Caudalie. This is still one of my favourite eau de colognes - beautifully fresh with a mild vine blossom hint.

Dior's Escale a Portofino is an incredibly elegant eau de cologne. If citrus fragrances help you to feel alive in the mornings, then this could be the perfect eau de cologne for you.

Verging on being more of a perfume than an eau de cologne, Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne is beautiful for hot weather. The smell of citrus fruit layered onto mild woody notes will transport you to an orange grove.

This morning I received a sample of Heeley's Oranges and Lemons Say the Bells of St Clements. I'm trying it for the first time today and think it's going to be pretty good.

Last, but not least, Diptyque's Eau de Neroli is a gorgeous, light fragrance. Neroli is a classic blossom note that is ideal for summertime. No list of summer eau de colognes would be complete without a neroli fragrance.

Let me know what eau de colognes you're enjoying this summer.

Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne

2010-06-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

Have you every walked past a window, thinking that it was a mirror? You're expecting to see your reflection, but you see something entirely different. It takes a second or two for your mind to marry up your expectation and what's actually in front of your eyes.

I had a similar experince when I first tested Orange Sanguine. I poured a few drops onto my wrist. The initial hit of orange juice was so powerful and evocative that I expected the liquid to be orange and pithy. It took me a second or two to remember that I wasn't pouring orange juice onto my skin.

You probably don't want to smell like Sunny D. However the initial smell fades very quickly to something altogether more sophisticated. It's leafy and green and lets me dream that I'm sitting in an orange grove.

I don't drink orange juice, or any juice for that matter. It makes me feel too unwell. I rarely eat oranges as it's too much of a faff. In fact, I really don't have much affection for oranges at all. There seems something deeply toxic about them. The colour's too bright. The fruit is much too sharp and acidic.

When I first heard about Orange Sanguine, I didn't think it was going to be for me. However, the smell is intense and voluptuous. Whereas lemons are fresh, zesty and enlivening, oranges are the more complicated elder sister. Orange Sanguine combines the smell of the fruit and the juice and the leafy orange tree.

I've only got a teeny tiny sample size of Orange Sanguine, but I'm tempted to invest in a full size bottle. It will allow me to dream of sitting in an orange grove in southern Spain this summer.

The perfumer for Orange Sanguine is Ralf Schwieger. He also created Frederic Malle's Lipstick Rose and Hermes Eau des Merveilles. They both sound very different to Orange Sanguine, but this perfumer may be one to watch.

Prize Draw Winner - The Result

2010-06-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everybody for entering the prize draw. In my usual low tech method, all the names went into a hat (okay, a mixing bowl).

And the name that my daughter pulled out was:

Thanks to everybody for entering and all the great suggestions.

Bellatrix - would you like to email me with your address? You can email me at reachjessicajones@hotmail.com And I'll send you the lovely bottle of Ormonde Woman in the next couple of days.

English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone

2010-06-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been on a date with somebody who ticks all the boxes, but you just don't fancy? He's good-looking, with a great dress-sense, got lots to talk about, but somehow he just doesn't have that certain something? That's slightly how I feel about English Pear & Freesia. I want to love it. It's flowery and fruity, and beautifully composed. But on a personal level, it just doesn't grab me.

The perfumer, Christine Nagel, is the creator behind perfumes for Dolce & Gabbana, Thierry Mugler and Cartier, to name but a few. Most notably for me, she worked with Francis Kurkdjian on Narciso Rodriguez For Her, a major success. The drydown of English Pear and Freesia has some shades of Narciso Rodriguez For Her, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly.

English Pear & Freesia is destined to be a runaway success. It's a beautiful fragrance, and I look forward to seeing how well it does. It's the FIRST fragrance that complete strangers have complimented me on. Oh why can't I love you English Pear? I feel deficient for not loving this fragrance. It's like when all your friends and your Mum love your boyfriend, but you'd rather be on your own reading a good book.

Other Jo Malone fragrances featured on MyPerfumeLife incude Nutmeg and Ginger and the Jo Malone Cologne Intense perfume series.

Perfume Give-Away - Ormonde Woman by Ormonde Jayne

2010-06-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Dear readers - I am giving away a shiny new 50ml bottle of Ormonde Jayne's Ormonde Woman to one lucky winner. To be entered into the draw, please leave a comment in the comment box. One winner will be chosen at random at 1pm BST on Friday 4th June 2010.

I'm trying to improve my blog, so your comment has to be how I could improve MyPerfumeLife. More photos? More about a specific perfume or a specific type of perfume? More give-aways? Details of where to buy and prices? Links to online perfume shops? Any and all suggestions are welcome. And you can enter more than once if you have more than one suggestion.

To be in the running for this lovely bottle of Ormonde Woman simply leave your comment in the comment box. The winner will be chosen at random (either picked out of a hat or by a random number generator – TBC) and the competition closes at 1pm BST on Friday 4th June 2010.

Best of luck!

Avery - London's Newest Perfume Boutique

2010-06-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

London's newest perfume boutique is Avery Fine Perfumery, 27 Avery Row, Mayfair, London W1K 4AY

"Avery utilises cutting edge, interactive technology to capture the imagination and stimulate the senses. The windows are two large aviaries, each housing ‘perched’ fragrance bottles. Customers passing close to the windows will automatically cause the perfume bottles to emit a ‘virtual’ spritz of scent and even the most modest of movements will cause the mist to swirl and create a virtual imprint of the customer’s silhouette. The interior features an interactive birdsong soundscape with three distinct areas from tropical to woodland and animatronic flowers that will blossom with the stirring of the air! On screen, a feather is blown by a virtual breeze, perpetually airbourne to represent the delicacy and esoteric nature of scent. Perfumes are presented on a beautiful rococo dressing table with shapely birds feet, where clients may ‘preen’ and make their selection. A lush, hanging garden complete with mini-fountain of weeping rabbits and surreal artwork dominates the rear, serving to relax and calm customers whilst reinforcing the message that fragrance and art are intertwined – twinned expressions of emotional fantasy."

Check out other London perfume boutiques featured on MyPerfumeLife: Le Labo in Marylebone, Ormonde Jayne in the Royal Arcade, and the Aesop boutique on Mount Street in Mayfair.

Vogue Magazine's Modern Vintage

2010-06-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

There's a selection of perfumes in the July Vogue called Modern Vintage. I've ranked the the Vogue selection, from my favourite to least favourite.

Diptyque Vetyverio - When I first heard that Diptyque's newest fragrance was based on vetiver, I decided to give it a miss. But I was wrong - this is a very pretty fragrance, the vetiver is beautifully balanced by rose and grapefruit.

Annick Goutal Petite Cherie - First introduced in 1998, Petite Cherie was created by Annick Goutal for her daughter. It's a fruity floral with notes of peach, pear and rose. Petite Cherie has a reputation for being a little girl fragrance.

Acqua Di Parma Iris Nobile - This perfume from 2004 was created by Francis Kurkdjian and Francoise Caron, two heavyweights in the world of perfume, so you'd expect something exceptional. Surprisingly, it's incredibly mild. Perhaps too mild if you want more bang for your perfume buck.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Flora Nymphea - I'm a convert to Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, which smells so much like grapefruit it's incredible. Thierry Wasser is the Guerlain in-house perfumer, responsible for this new creation, which is a mild perfume inspired by a spring garden.

Jo Wood Organics Langa - Langa means sunshine in Swahili. This is the description of Langa from the Jo Wood website; "Fresh top notes of oranges and Sicilian lemon on a floral heart of neroli. Nesting on a cedarwood and vanilla base." Neroli is such a winner, that it makes almost any fragrance a winner. I've got high hopes for Langa.

Prada Infusion de Tubereuse - Tuberose is one of my favourite floral notes. I haven't hit it off with anything from Prada yet, so I'm looking forward to trying this one.

Houbigant Paris Quelques Fleurs - This is one of those perfumes that has been around for about 100 years, but those in the know claim that it has changed beyond all recognition in that time. I haven't tried it, but will be tracking some down.

Eaudemoiselle de Givenchy - This is an inoffensive powdery rose fragrance. There are better rose fragrances, so this definitely wouldn't be on my 'to-buy' list.

Elemis Eau de Parfum - I've sniffed this only once and sadly remember it only for being unmemorable.

Untitled by Martin Margiela - Unlike most of the others in this selection, Untitled has a very woody heart. It's much too resinous for me, and I think quite masculine too.

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre - My daughter was given a sample of this when I was at the Chanel counter a while ago. It's a sweet variation on Chance. I like Chance and its fresh, straightforward tones, but the sweetness in the Eau Tendre only detracts from the original fragrance.

Ralph Lauren Love - according to the Ralph Lauren website, " Love is an extravagant floral oriental fragrance blended of warm golden amber, creamy sandalwood, orris root butter and its signature: the Bulgarian rose, the iconic symbol of love." This sounds like a sweet, cheap-smelling perfume to me. Thumbs down.

And MyPerfumeLife's 'modern vintage' recommendation would be my perennial favourite Clinique's Aromatics Elixir.

Summer Scent

2010-05-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

Seven fragrances appear in Vogue's July Summer Scent selection, and here's what they are.

1.Biscotti by Marc Jacobs, part of the Marc Jacobs Splash Patisserie range.

2. Sheer Stella by Stella McCartney

3. J'Adore by Dior

4. Summer Romance by Ralph Lauren

5. Acqua Dio Gioia by Giorgio Armani

6. A Scent Floral by Issey Miyake

7. Jennifer Aniston's new fragrance (available from Harrods)

I'm looking forward to trying the Jennifer Aniston fragrance, there's been a huge amount of hype about it. A Scent EdP Florale is a favourite of mine, a beautiful soft floral fragrance. I haven't tried J'Adore for a few months, but it's a beauty, as you'd expect from Dior. Acqua di Gioia (Gioia means joy by the way) is a fresh fragrance, but it's got a fruity top note that I'm not keen on.