tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83716021982549074992024-03-15T10:33:03.392+00:00iridescentsPostcards from olfactory journeysAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-41425791514957853802016-11-07T16:15:00.000+00:002016-11-07T16:15:33.239+00:00The Patchouli Pigment<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have neglected the blog for a long time... and I don' even know why. Yes, there are other things on my mind, and may be I just needed a break, but more importantly, I didn't find the inspiration to write. After a while this inspiration hurdle becomes higher and higher and somewhat impossible to overcome. A bit like having missed going to the gym for months and finding it harder and harder to overcome the guilty laziness. I'm therefore quite relieved to have discovered something exciting that sparked that all important interest again. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">And true to the blog, but with a reversed direction, it's all about colour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Patchouli</b> is one of my favourite perfume ingredients. The hippy association doesn't bother me in the slightest, and is anyway not really justified. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The unassuming bushy plant is not as precious as, let's say, jasmine or roses, but equally potent. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rich, deep, earthy, fresh, herbal, mossy, damp, smoky, rank, green, soft, balmy, medicinal, dirty, woody, glowy. The attributes for patchouli span over a wide range. Like so many natural ingredients, the actual quality of the scent varies, depending on batch, origin, cultivation and age. So how to describe all this in just one single colour, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigment" target="_blank">pigment</a>? I don't even try. Or, I normally wouldn't, and approach the note via a perfume composition, making it easier to be specific. In one fragrance the patchouli is a mossy green, or a woody brown, and in the next one it pops up as a minty nile green. As I said, I normally wouldn't...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But then, suddenly, a new colour appears in my watercolour palette, and I realise: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have found the Patchouli Pigment! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iy89cWnWABu47RMD1bimzDbLra00orB5dyEHWlx25Dl_iwBwoQAAcmTWOHSVhFWKixXOHFQpM2TY46f6SDkxsFXGHZYqEEhNoNk00N4Qp0L8a0xHzHu4Hp7ukE01ZstQD1Z6DNPKbl8/s1600/Patchouli+PY129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iy89cWnWABu47RMD1bimzDbLra00orB5dyEHWlx25Dl_iwBwoQAAcmTWOHSVhFWKixXOHFQpM2TY46f6SDkxsFXGHZYqEEhNoNk00N4Qp0L8a0xHzHu4Hp7ukE01ZstQD1Z6DNPKbl8/s640/Patchouli+PY129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Colour swatch of Daniel Smith "Rich Green Gold" watercolour on paper</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Pigment </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">PY 129</b><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">. Even its name points towards the patchouly (the PY actually stands for Pigment Yellow). According to the </span><a href="http://www.artiscreation.com/yellow.html#key" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">Art Pigment Database</a><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> it's a copper derived, metallic complex. A rich deep greenish gold, equally dark and bright, it blends wonderfully with either earthy and bright tones. In this case the pigment comes in a tube of Daniel Smith watercolours, an American fine art paints brand, and my newest art supply obsession. Just squeezing the paint out of the tube is a delight. Like most watercolour paints, it's transparent, allowing for a multiple of layers. If applied thinly in a wet wash, it is beautifully translucent gold while thicker application produces a very muddy, yellowish green. For me it's a perfect visual representation of patchouli's qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While writing this blog I'm wearing the truest patchouli in my collection: <b>Les Nereides, Patchouli Antiques</b>. A retro style perfume, in which the patchouli has centre stage and is rendered in a balmy, and ever so slightly dirty way. I thought about creating a separate image for it, but decided against. Let the patchouli note and colour speak for itself this time. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-85359050179921778002016-07-05T12:39:00.003+01:002016-07-05T12:39:52.439+01:00Chypre 21 by Heeley<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is better than opening a brand new bottle of perfume? Opening a brand new bottle of perfume that you have won in a competition! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks to the excellent online magazine </span><a href="http://www.scentury.com/">http://www.scentury.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and their generosity, I am the proud owner of Heeley's Chypre 21, a chypre for the modern (ish) times we live in. Heeley is a favourite brand in this Franco German household and many of his creations have been tried, tested and shared. There is an effortless elegance to the scents, a perfect combination of British and French perfumery. Understated and yet...complicated enough to be intriguing, and ever so slightly coquettish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chypre 21 is no different. Sparkling, golden, shimmering, soft, powdery, woody, spicy with a hint of bitterness, and <b>bright bright bright</b>. I was fully prepared to share it with Mael, but he declared it too feminine for him. So much for the daring Frenchman! As for me: I will wear it happily whenever I need a bit of backbone support. It's one of those scents that make you sit straighter and give you a red carpet walk.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Chypre 21 by James Heeley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please read the excellent review on the candyperfumeboy's blog here:</span></div>
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https://thecandyperfumeboy.com/2016/02/08/21st-century-toy-heeley-chypre-21-perfume-review/</div>
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Brexit negotiations in Brussels (both sides)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-40871763607017836542016-04-12T14:30:00.001+01:002016-04-12T14:30:39.403+01:00Blomma Cult <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perfumers often have interesting biographies and it's not uncommon for them to arrive at their profession after long careers in other fields, be it science or art, architecture, music, or fashion. Former experiences in other creative corners of the world are incorporated into new brands and fragrance creations and make for a fascinating fusion of ideas. <span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> Dr. Mike is a good example of this (relatively) new indie movement. A former pharmacist/musician, he founded his perfume brand Room 1015 in an </span>attempt to "unite his two passions into one fashion." Inspired by music and with a decidedly rock and roll aesthetic, the house has 4 scents on offer so far. When you order the sample pack you get a little promo vinyl, something I certainly haven't seen for a while, and the website is quite a feast on the eyes as well. I really like the design of the brand - it's fresh, modern, a bit grungy, colourful and different. The focus is on creating a multi sensual experience, incorporating smell, sound, video, photography and colour. No wonder I am intrigued.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXBcw5MmyVDd4UAaQ6AgO6h1nqFZXOsWM9Hzk0vGJnws9CPs5rjCNKSvbNBxraBY-hVSTc72sltFS9zwP4obREW4ygM0K-F_sDmLUEBQOhhGFbg0QuHBY9tqoD6eZb-vuilyQV_1Bu2k/s1600/IMG_1375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXBcw5MmyVDd4UAaQ6AgO6h1nqFZXOsWM9Hzk0vGJnws9CPs5rjCNKSvbNBxraBY-hVSTc72sltFS9zwP4obREW4ygM0K-F_sDmLUEBQOhhGFbg0QuHBY9tqoD6eZb-vuilyQV_1Bu2k/s400/IMG_1375.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPej6URxUfYFRE-s0QuIbg5BIy2OxZaQAYbBnsPLSL3dLCMvIF7Z7L6GAD5u4a8PxFB1Qz8gPpLM0P2axACEDroM6TBEE-_wlxcD1VABRWIDoN1Y1I0t7WrXl40gdwVu_wwnZzb0Lm4XI/s1600/IMG_1377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPej6URxUfYFRE-s0QuIbg5BIy2OxZaQAYbBnsPLSL3dLCMvIF7Z7L6GAD5u4a8PxFB1Qz8gPpLM0P2axACEDroM6TBEE-_wlxcD1VABRWIDoN1Y1I0t7WrXl40gdwVu_wwnZzb0Lm4XI/s200/IMG_1377.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Power Ballad, Electric Wood, Atramental and Blomma Cult. After a good trying session I really liked Electric Wood and Atramental, really disliked Power Ballad, and loved Blomma Cult. I'm undoubtedly showing my age here by falling for a scent that was inspired by the 60's and 70's, rather then one that seems to be based on whatever young people regard as music these days .... </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation for Blomma Cult, by Room 1015</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">As you can see, the image is not quite as abstract as usual, but for Room 1015 I wanted to base my visuals on photographs rather than digital illustrations. A bunch of tulip petals served me just right. For the perfume's 60's vibe I opted for a few solarisation filters to bring out the pinks, purples and creamy/peachy tones I wanted to feature in the image. </span></div>
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Blomma Cult is a wonderfully soft violet patchouli mix, creamy and fresh and sensual. Patchouli is of course an obvious choice for a flower power perfume, but here the note is used with balance and only hints at the hippy shops of good old times. What I enjoyed most about Blomma Cult was how it rendered the violet in a modern way without losing its delicacy. It's a sweet affair, especially at the beginning, but there is a lot of light to counter any heaviness, and in the end the patchouli dances with a vanilla musk until the party is over. </div>
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Peace. </div>
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Blissfully awaiting another Age of Aquarius</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-75796730328901624672016-03-23T15:11:00.000+00:002016-03-23T15:11:12.879+00:00Puredistance, the sketchbook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's not often that I focus on an entire collection for my coloured reviews. The last time I did, the range - <a href="http://iridescentrics.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Oriza%20LeGrand">Oriza LeGrand</a>- was nicely "ueberschaubar" as we say in German. So many perfume houses launch new bottles at frightening speed these days, making it difficult to keep track, and impossible to find the brand's fragrant identity. 4, 5, 6 - these are good numbers for a small niche brand, at least in my view.</div>
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Another reason for my reluctance to do combined posts is that the designer pedant in me doesn't feel comfortable with creating a blog post with 4 or 5 images without a common theme or feel to them. That would just look higgledy-piggledy. Thankfully some brands do believe in less is more, and when I received a lovely and generous sample set from Puredistance last Christmas I knew I wanted to find a way to cover the entire range in one post. </div>
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There are currently 6 fragrances in the range, all in high pure perfume concentration, a luxurious indulgence with the price point to match. Created by different perfumers, they nonetheless share a radiant elegance. I'm not attempting to write in depth reviews for all of the scents, but to give a sketchbook-like impression. Stepping away from my usual digital approach and playing around with watercolours seemed like the right way to achieve that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkg4VL9YKcW6pZXyFAqQMqgBRYhKKatyqmFG98_8avXwdrLaINmYEsmw-EdTvzRORsxAQate93Qrux53CEEtCRYtuixHdiqRj8VMPYo4HiLvtOzLyEbDy380M4nPxiVDDgCuTLM2cQGc/s1600/thumb_IMG_1329_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkg4VL9YKcW6pZXyFAqQMqgBRYhKKatyqmFG98_8avXwdrLaINmYEsmw-EdTvzRORsxAQate93Qrux53CEEtCRYtuixHdiqRj8VMPYo4HiLvtOzLyEbDy380M4nPxiVDDgCuTLM2cQGc/s400/thumb_IMG_1329_1024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once I was satisfied that I had found the right colours for each perfume I used the cropping tool of the past - 2 L-shaped pieces of cardboard- to find the best possible details before finalising the images with the help of various digital filters. </div>
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My impressions of the perfumes in order of their release dates:</div>
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<b>I</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puredistance I</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;">A green and fresh floral with a backbone. There is lot going on here: citrus, mimosa, rose, magnolia, but blended to abstraction. An idealised bouquet, created to enhance whoever is wearing it. A very elegant, slightly aloof scent, that's never overpowering but strong in attitude. It's advertised as for women, but I think its a great floral for a man. The right type of men. </span></span>As for myself : yes, I would happily wear it, although it's a bit out of my comfort zone</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hmm...this is spicy, warm and edible. Opens classically with a splash of citrus, but a hint of spice and touch of rose are coming along already. Cinnamon, coriander and cumin (not too sweaty, no fear) give way to patchouli and turn into a warm worn out leather. Unsurprisingly, I like this a lot. For a spicy oriental leather it also stays remarkably cool. I wouldn't say understated - it's pretty rich - but its opulence comes without a hint of bling and is not overpowering or cloying. Lovely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Antonia</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw3VnLpf7O9ISVdcWYKtrfq3yKzyrLndLXVVnnUSAK-u9-knrwtMrSncCvPXHSFdoWWMpv8Vsusnb_FWSXq2OfDhS2vZ-ZQlXwxDkieE3CyFSt5pl95-QSvGsOY5cG6OaZ9u1sUFDycs/s1600/Antonia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw3VnLpf7O9ISVdcWYKtrfq3yKzyrLndLXVVnnUSAK-u9-knrwtMrSncCvPXHSFdoWWMpv8Vsusnb_FWSXq2OfDhS2vZ-ZQlXwxDkieE3CyFSt5pl95-QSvGsOY5cG6OaZ9u1sUFDycs/s640/Antonia.jpg" width="638" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A lot of green. This, in combination with white flowers and rose, makes it a very difficult experience for me. I don't mind indolic scents, but need them to be on the warm, animalic side. Combined here with a metallic freshness from the greens it gives me an immediate headache. Sorry, Antonia, you are not made for me and I can't do you any justice, so let's move on to...</span></div>
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<b>Opardu</b></div>
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Powder floral with a punch. Now that I can understand better. Lilac or hyacinth paired with white flowers. While the jasmine and tuberose are not exactly dirty here (far from it), it's nonetheless a sensual fragrance, if you give it the time to get there. Opardu has undeniably a strong old fashioned vibe in a No sex before marriage sort of way and while I admire the quality of the perfume, I'm not loving it. I'm ultimately not prim and proper enough to wear it and would feel like a fraud if I did. </div>
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<b>Black</b></div>
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I had covered Black in more depth <a href="http://iridescentrics.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/puredistance-black-and-other-colours_5.html">here</a>, but of course it will also play it's part in these colour sketches. An astonishing number of perfumes are called Black, or Black this-and-that, and more often then not they contain not even a whiff of darkness. Black by Puredistance definitely deserves its name, and like I described in my original post, the black serves as a layer of mystery to hide what's really underneath and within. I detect sour cherries and booze with a hint of bitter chocolate. A whiskey based cocktail of very adult fruitiness- indulgent and intoxicating. Love it.</div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">I remember when I got a sample of this about a year ago and thought:"Oh, no, a white. That's going to be either an ultra clean musk thing, or a tuberose bomb." Fortunately it is neither. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">What it is instead should still be, in theory, totally not up my street, and yet... it is. It seems I have found a clean rose floral that I can enjoy, certainly helped by accompanying notes of tonka bean, orris and sandalwood. Very radiant and sparkling, super feminine, white, red, gold and purple. If it was an outfit, it would be a casual silk blouse in creamy white over a pair of white Marlene Dietrich trousers. A timeless classic, whether you're barefoot, in trainers, or sporting your 10 inch stilettos. Beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">So these were my sketch like impressions of the perfumes Puredistance currently has in its range. All the scents - even my dislike Antonia - are very sophisticated and of high end quality. Not necessarily pushing the boat out in terms of innovation, but if you make things that well, you can afford not to care much for the new and the trendy. My personal favourites are Black and M, with White on a surprise 3rd rank. The idea to use watercolour to illustrate the fragrances was initially based on my wish to create sketch-like first impressions, but the longer I worked on this post the more I realised that the art of watercolour and Puredistance's approach to perfumery have a few things in common: </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-26688108464586748342016-02-25T13:43:00.001+00:002016-02-25T16:56:06.561+00:00Liquid wood - Odin New York's Lacha<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I started working on this blog, I initially thought about creating very simple and plain visuals. Just a few colour blocks or stripes in a Pantone colour swatch sort of way, filtering everything down to one or two colours per scent. I liked the simplicity and felt that there was conceptual strength in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">keeping</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> everything clear and uncluttered. The very first blog posts still show images that had been designed with that idea in mind. </span></span>But a very strong concept can have the down side of being restricting (for the creator) and ultra boring (for the reader). Limiting myself to a couple of coloured squares to describe complex olfactory creations just didn't work in the long(er) run. Yes, this blog is about colour and perfume, and I always start working with a palette, but creating the visual means thinking about shapes, composition, light and depth, structure, and, of course: texture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am glad that I gave up on all that probably very German desire for conceptual purity, because from time to me I discover a scent that just screams AMAZING TEXTURE, and how frustrating would it be not to use that as a base for the design. Let's have a look at Odin New York's 2015 creation Lacha:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd71uL-kLE3p6NrLErksXJyu-vz9zMLA2G4YP9E4wGQ51fIFEsnQhsW9o6tpupFXlAviNjuwB_t4E892su6i2L3QUE_5_zlEaWwcvGjl8PV1SrBmh1aENW7JIDWkqe91Lzs0I0GkWT90/s1600/Lacha+soft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd71uL-kLE3p6NrLErksXJyu-vz9zMLA2G4YP9E4wGQ51fIFEsnQhsW9o6tpupFXlAviNjuwB_t4E892su6i2L3QUE_5_zlEaWwcvGjl8PV1SrBmh1aENW7JIDWkqe91Lzs0I0GkWT90/s640/Lacha+soft.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odin 12 Lacha</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wood notes always add some solidity to a scent, a wonderful illusion of substance, either polished or raw. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In this fragrance though, the wood is anything but solid. This wood is actually liquid. When I first smelled it I had two immediate associations: wood grain and the soft ripples of silk draped languidly over it. No surprise then that I tried to merge them into my visualisation. Lacha also carries a lot of spices, namely saffron, nutmeg and pepper and on different wearings their prominence varied quite a lot, but the mix always seemed very well balanced. According to the note list it has a strong suede leather base, but for me silk and wood describe it much better. A well rounded, softly spicy perfume that nonetheless packs a bit of a punch and comforts with a twist and a wonderful example of interesting texture in a scent. </span><br />
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Fallen in love with a clarinet player? Here's the scent for you.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-63186446731318479072015-12-01T13:19:00.003+00:002015-12-01T18:07:15.471+00:00Burn, Barbershop. Burn.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perfume names are - at best - a subtle suggestion of what the scent inside has to offer, but in general the name is just another marketing tool. It is therefore really refreshing to find a perfume house that labels its bottles in a <b>does exactly what it says on the tin</b> manner with a humourous twist. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meet </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Burning Barbershop</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> by D.S. & Durga:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp39cSLUvRw5gpENjohmvuYpD8zWd4XdpM3qtL9A0EaLBacVlt1v2HD4OCooF6wiFDnN4iHzKZq1b6ndh07aD3UubABlQZ6AQUuc5fQ_W8P3W4JjR8C0xqHvZ2VRBn2Dhhbu2BnulRjs0/s1600/Burning+Barbershop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbdkoYDKBZGhh5tmx6K_vb16qSPVJbECjgyYPVAEw0nh-mMISSNz8b2vwLwfr305VpOh4q5ZhwyMnfI7tHakcH87gLKxcvWtivleIemPwQ4htXYpNLNbelUXpdKOWt_VyzH7ulATZd7c/s1600/Burning+Barbershop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbdkoYDKBZGhh5tmx6K_vb16qSPVJbECjgyYPVAEw0nh-mMISSNz8b2vwLwfr305VpOh4q5ZhwyMnfI7tHakcH87gLKxcvWtivleIemPwQ4htXYpNLNbelUXpdKOWt_VyzH7ulATZd7c/s640/Burning+Barbershop2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Burning Barbershop by D.S. & Durga</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you ever wondered how it would smell if you set fire to the old school barbershop around the corner, now </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">have the answer. BB is a </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">spearmint shaving cream brûlée</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> that has been torched too long. And that is a good thing. A very good thing. Modern, unique, urban, old fashioned, clever. Verging on the masculine side, but getting softer after a few hours. Given notes are spearmint, lime, spruce and lavender followed by rose, vanilla, burnt oil and hay. Brilliant. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>How and where to wear:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This separates the men from the boys, and that goes for all genders, make sure you have the confidence to pull it off.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-73860050194025030052015-11-30T15:12:00.000+00:002015-11-30T15:15:38.506+00:00Perfume and Colour<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last week I was invited to host an evening of Perfume and Colour for the Perfume Lovers London meet up group and the lovely <b>Tara</b> has written a guest blogpost at <b>Undina's Looking Glass</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have to say, that after a moment of panic a few minutes before the event, I enjoyed myself and loved talking about colour, art and perfumes, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. You can read about it here:</span></div>
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<a href="http://undina.com/2015/11/30/perfume-and-colour-perfume-lovers-london-november-26th-2015/">http://undina.com/2015/11/30/perfume-and-colour-perfume-lovers-london-november-26th-2015/</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and see a few more photos of the evening here:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.meetup.com/Perfume-Lovers-London/photos/26578030/">http://www.meetup.com/Perfume-Lovers-London/photos/26578030/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88Kcxg-nuY3T3zsJlmboPQX89n-ZiGHONl4PaXmboTxUhuhhnDeVdFfvaDvD-VgxS4J0jJDPi4Ey9T92zVJla5p_mcPtLtv5z-OyydSFMarIn1yhl3VhgisDjPxWJwd1oP6X3QMOvuBY/s1600/IMG_0898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88Kcxg-nuY3T3zsJlmboPQX89n-ZiGHONl4PaXmboTxUhuhhnDeVdFfvaDvD-VgxS4J0jJDPi4Ey9T92zVJla5p_mcPtLtv5z-OyydSFMarIn1yhl3VhgisDjPxWJwd1oP6X3QMOvuBY/s320/IMG_0898.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-72859347501195397902015-11-17T16:27:00.003+00:002015-11-17T16:27:52.443+00:00Frau Tonis aus Berlin <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The things we buy on holidays!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over the years I have collected a few weird and questionable items whilst being brainwashed by sun, beautiful beaches, vibrant colours looking good on other people and drinks that tasted really great at the time. I did read somewhere that after about 7 days of holiday your brain sort of goes into relax-mode and even the simplest task, like doing the maths and convert the currency correctly, can become too much of an effort. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am not overly guilty of buying anything really daft...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmywTlVPpBpdhF0uPwyGgnndPe6OMFAcbRkSFkip6-ZPgThMG3NQG9uOkPd_jkwTert-yz4E1Uo0vDGqB8j_9ZJOrVCI-yDl6uMqLcIwUlFhOLa6rdfT_b4YiUJEhOVsHBim4zsNx8GjE/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmywTlVPpBpdhF0uPwyGgnndPe6OMFAcbRkSFkip6-ZPgThMG3NQG9uOkPd_jkwTert-yz4E1Uo0vDGqB8j_9ZJOrVCI-yDl6uMqLcIwUlFhOLa6rdfT_b4YiUJEhOVsHBim4zsNx8GjE/s200/IMG_0893.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Oh, look! A hand knitted Minion in pink!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can I have it?!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">... but of course the perfume and beauty aisles and shops in far away places are difficult to resist. We are just back from a trip to Japan where I bought a few skin care products that I have still to figure out what they're for. As convenient it is to be able to buy (almost) everything online, nothing beats browsing around and finding something beautiful to take home. And if it's a bit tacky and touristy - so what? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Which brings me to:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAEa_tLt0kNTfNskb7rmwmEyDr1S5SNkw-WiRmfrBfaOYnXIzkYumQbWcEjK_cT5nc5m9v_mhkLinTKfaI0XJIPvUxDycULRAax4MXcLfsqK0Awed5pRKhFC2DgM5twTZd221GolcYqI/s1600/Frau+Tonis+Violet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAEa_tLt0kNTfNskb7rmwmEyDr1S5SNkw-WiRmfrBfaOYnXIzkYumQbWcEjK_cT5nc5m9v_mhkLinTKfaI0XJIPvUxDycULRAax4MXcLfsqK0Awed5pRKhFC2DgM5twTZd221GolcYqI/s640/Frau+Tonis+Violet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual for Frau Tonis Violet</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Frau Tonis perfumes. Based in a shop conveniently close to the famous Checkpoint Charlie, it is mentioned in about any guide book that prises itself on being up to date with the local lifestyle. The range is pretty impressive, may be too impressive actually, and they offer mini sets with a bit of local folklore. There's an Eau de Berlin, a Linden based perfume and... the one that I ended up buying: a Violet that claims in a very wishy washy way to be Marlene Dietrich's favourite scent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it tourist tacky? Yes, it is a bit, but that doesn't prevent me from wearing it from time. It's a very sweet powdery violet with a lot of raspberry and a kick of a bit spice/pepper on a base of hairspray. It's not the world most refined scent, and very likely entirely synthetic, but it smells nice. Juicy pink, light purple and grey. Bright, but not without a hint of elegance. The violet feels, despite the sweetness, rather modern and urban. Uncomplicated, pretty, doesn't cost an arm an a leg. What's not to like? I bought it because I really wanted to bring back a bit of Berliner Luft with me, and I don't regret this souvenir purchase at all. I could have done much worse and end up with a Berlin bear in drag.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>How and where to wear:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Channel your inner Barbie</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-41447961330610376952015-09-01T14:14:00.001+01:002015-10-19T10:36:03.372+01:00Love Exposure<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's difficult to judge a perfume that's based on a movie you haven't seen. It's also difficult to ignore that backstory if the movie is labelled "<b>notorious</b>". A four hour tour de farce of religion, lust, teenage angst and pop culture isn't exactly Cinderella and while my knowledge just stems from a few youtube trailers, it's probably fair to say that a perfume based on that comes with a few expectations. <b>Mark Buxton</b> isn't the Disney type of perfumers either, so that only adds to it.</div>
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So when I did start smelling Love Exposure, I was slightly surprised. What a delicate Magnolia! Light, a bit bitter-creamy, and very, very wet. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1BjMmi8bLE5a2i3fvXstDHIRhyphenhyphen3YXYHGQfMQixGeSLQ6_QxPF2e_AkA5gy3LI2p6FCO74kQGK9UHUJ9jWK35NTwr11sLQ3LpaTi6vL7DHbgiUM_Qcn1zXGOegg_hrze4pZF6Nf3uv44/s1600/Love+exposure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1BjMmi8bLE5a2i3fvXstDHIRhyphenhyphen3YXYHGQfMQixGeSLQ6_QxPF2e_AkA5gy3LI2p6FCO74kQGK9UHUJ9jWK35NTwr11sLQ3LpaTi6vL7DHbgiUM_Qcn1zXGOegg_hrze4pZF6Nf3uv44/s640/Love+exposure.jpg" width="582" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Love Exposure by Mark Buxton</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am pretty sure that without knowing anything about the film, my perception and the visual for the scent would be somewhat different - brighter, lighter and more innocent- but it's impossible to revert myself back to not-knowing. Yes, there is certainly an edge to the fragrance, it has an urban feel and there is this spicy incense and amber base, but how much of that impression really comes from the scent...? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having said that, I really, really like it. To the extend that I would consider a bottle. (All the fragrances in Mark Buxton's new cinema inspired <b>La Folie a Plusiers</b> range </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">come in 12ml quantities) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am also very intrigued to watch the movie now, and will go and hunt for it on amazon. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had great pleasure creating the image, and wanted to capture the delicacy, wetness and urban style of the perfume in colours that evoke the wet petals of magnolia trees in dirty rain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rainy Sunday afternoon, watching the teardrops on the window</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-84809821260001483932015-08-12T11:54:00.000+01:002015-08-12T11:54:31.453+01:00Salome <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few months back I declared <a href="http://iridescentrics.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/absolue-pour-le-soir.html">Absolue Pour le Soir</a> the kinkiest scent around. It still might be the kinkiest, but it's not the sexiest anymore. Not since the creation of Salome by Papillon Perfumes. This is the ultimate olfactory celebration of female sexuality. Mysterious, dangerous, bloody, sweaty and voluptuous. Daring. Addictive. Wonderful.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV_ciJHCl_bhGw8PEJ2pnu6u1xkI2seqCtanQl_jYqI-j8vMFNsidYWtWtCMM9SDUCSOmWvCU6xnMpR9avoJj6mWQM8SWvK2rj-q6uLwjailTkA2-cZbqjG2hXinwkrHEwfNPspRcl9g/s1600/Salome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV_ciJHCl_bhGw8PEJ2pnu6u1xkI2seqCtanQl_jYqI-j8vMFNsidYWtWtCMM9SDUCSOmWvCU6xnMpR9avoJj6mWQM8SWvK2rj-q6uLwjailTkA2-cZbqjG2hXinwkrHEwfNPspRcl9g/s640/Salome.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-72050658107516889702015-07-24T09:55:00.001+01:002015-07-24T09:55:31.467+01:00Geste<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A lovely gesture. That's exactly what it is. A pillow of violets on a bed of pine. Intimate and soft, but intriguing. Very modern in feel and gender free. Really beautifully done. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmNdiroqnehgU_pL6EoM3-MeX2_3Z-mZwzuoY2CuPGg-fzwSKxnACmAVgEhf7TbDG6EmTiCeb6KCM_DDgsQILpcnADbNQFTq8F9cr_e-RvJ1xlJndOantfgyAwiEczzMveTRpdq0yEIk/s1600/Geste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmNdiroqnehgU_pL6EoM3-MeX2_3Z-mZwzuoY2CuPGg-fzwSKxnACmAVgEhf7TbDG6EmTiCeb6KCM_DDgsQILpcnADbNQFTq8F9cr_e-RvJ1xlJndOantfgyAwiEczzMveTRpdq0yEIk/s640/Geste.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Geste, by Humiecki & Graef</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The perfect first date scent for an introvert</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-58079369682847953792015-06-20T15:56:00.000+01:002015-08-09T09:50:57.259+01:00A comparison of colours - Shalimar, Musc Ravageur and Meharees<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have recently discovered that I do have a desert island perfume, one that I could probably wear forever if I had to make that choice. And despite the fact that this revelation is a relatively recent one I don't think it's going to be short-lived. A bit like finding the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. OK, not that life changing, I admit, but exciting and quite a surprise. The perfume in question is <b>Musc Ravageur</b>, by Edition Fredric Malle, and I hope that I never fall out of love with it. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bought on the spot after sniffing it for the first time, it gives me everything I want in perfume. It makes me feel all comforted and warm, illuminates me, gives me a posture and makes me smile. It's luxury, filth and self confidence in a bottle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It been said, that when Maurice Roucel created it he wanted to pay homage to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Guerlain's grand old dame </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Shalimar</b>, and I can absolutely see that. Musc plays on the same themes without ever trying to copy. Needless to say that I love Shalimar as well and the idea to compare those two visually was very tempting. But there is another fragrance out there that will make an excellent comparison companion - L'Erbolario's <b>Meharees</b>. At a fraction of the price of Musc Ravageur, this offering from the Italian natural beauty company is considered as an extraordinary dupe. But is it really? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I will try to compare these three by using my visual imagination. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let's start with the predominant colours. For me these are warm, golden yellow, rose, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">orange and earthy ochre. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D8nhQLvewe5ZyJCmRFqdVn-UEdkVlm5AHtgK6esESQQWPWaOmXK3J3MiJWAjlW5OGCpV3JtmD2KqIvHY_qrTKhMSbsIi-7PrJhpHo_E7pMgYZaumDcRAPAKqy4NOK0Vkt8MrmB9TkoQ/s1600/Shamilar+and+Co+Colours.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D8nhQLvewe5ZyJCmRFqdVn-UEdkVlm5AHtgK6esESQQWPWaOmXK3J3MiJWAjlW5OGCpV3JtmD2KqIvHY_qrTKhMSbsIi-7PrJhpHo_E7pMgYZaumDcRAPAKqy4NOK0Vkt8MrmB9TkoQ/s320/Shamilar+and+Co+Colours.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another aspect that all three fragrances share is their softness. Don't get me wrong, they are powerful perfumes and make the statements they want to make, but they do so without too many sharp angles and coarse textures. To make it easier to compare them I chose a similar way of 'painting' for all three, with lots of layering and over lapping gradients.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f539Ks7kvAvRrSugam1mm091-iLnhX05HMMYm_8zPz_2N1NZqCSwGDrHbQ5lvwvrpIUUTaW9EBwh7CvNok2IE9vJk3WE31nfHiK54HHwTKfVI00ZnvS1QggvzmvZt3Z0hWLklv014gc/s1600/Comparism+New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f539Ks7kvAvRrSugam1mm091-iLnhX05HMMYm_8zPz_2N1NZqCSwGDrHbQ5lvwvrpIUUTaW9EBwh7CvNok2IE9vJk3WE31nfHiK54HHwTKfVI00ZnvS1QggvzmvZt3Z0hWLklv014gc/s640/Comparism+New.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They seem pretty similar so close together, don't they? But even in the scaled down versions you can see that the openings and dry downs are decidedly different. Shalimar is the only one which bursts in citruses, and it also has a stronger floral heart. Musc Ravageur is edgier, dirtier than the other two, here represented by the ochre at the top and bottom of the image. and Meharees is the most linear of the three. Let's look at them in detail:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdBOd3hpg3T4JI6fD8TWVis3myw_C6cX0p9wNpLIXkR15f7YG2y3slYa2-gFe1LIJmq2SubzzNfELGMXX9SZ9YvyhQoqZHsEO1FMyFZb26f_iNPHExhy4vQE5KDFFYNxyZPbunf32Qpw/s1600/Shalimar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdBOd3hpg3T4JI6fD8TWVis3myw_C6cX0p9wNpLIXkR15f7YG2y3slYa2-gFe1LIJmq2SubzzNfELGMXX9SZ9YvyhQoqZHsEO1FMyFZb26f_iNPHExhy4vQE5KDFFYNxyZPbunf32Qpw/s640/Shalimar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Shalimar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The initial citrus already sets the tone. Fresh, but never clean, Shalimar from then on makes one of those long journeys we often associate with old school perfumes. It goes and flows from yellow to orange to amber to pink to purple to brown. A powdery floral heart is kept from being overly pretty by strong bodied animalic side kicks and in the last stages it develops the wonderful Guerlinade mix of vanilla, resins and incense. Shalimar is a beautiful lady and I couldn't care less about her age. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngIif_okn74xGH7vOps1gBrz48xA6hmjkedEX3naq-LlJ5ho5TBMxzVzLXAF038o2SZfW5In3JGKODiUQ0EJAUj4TEE10acjnLHCLC_nGKHWEIlG8bEZloCl4RgWfQRjE45s4c2o_Qlw/s1600/Musc+Ravageur+new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngIif_okn74xGH7vOps1gBrz48xA6hmjkedEX3naq-LlJ5ho5TBMxzVzLXAF038o2SZfW5In3JGKODiUQ0EJAUj4TEE10acjnLHCLC_nGKHWEIlG8bEZloCl4RgWfQRjE45s4c2o_Qlw/s640/Musc+Ravageur+new.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Musc Ravageur</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Musc Ravager doesn't really bother with much of a top note. It is, basically from the start, a dirty little number. The animalic aspect is stronger than in Shalimar, and there is a slight edge to it. Instead of florals it has a handful of spice, but how they toned down by musk is similar to the effect Guerlain used on Shalimar's floral notes. It is dirtier and obviously a modern creation. Urban, if you like. To illustrate that I have used a few sharp lines and 'furry' brush strokes. I've already mentioned that I love it and I find it has just the right level of silage. Won't get unnoticed, but doesn't harm the sensitive types. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUY2Bs9MTZHQpegWbBJsLcPDOilEn1RXIzkmxpPGUWuAezQiFo6gInOVaxOm3jIZInMtIbf43oz1Ejvf-IQgIjmEFqpiyM6yok3x-JtJEMRXfVW-ZSF3SqqRSEHkE42Ohccb9rp1DYXY/s1600/Meharees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUY2Bs9MTZHQpegWbBJsLcPDOilEn1RXIzkmxpPGUWuAezQiFo6gInOVaxOm3jIZInMtIbf43oz1Ejvf-IQgIjmEFqpiyM6yok3x-JtJEMRXfVW-ZSF3SqqRSEHkE42Ohccb9rp1DYXY/s640/Meharees.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Meharees</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now Meharees did really surprise me. It is, to a certain degree, a perfect dupe of Musc </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ravageur. The opening is softer and much sweeter, but after half an hour it stays were it is and it stays there long. I find Meharees a bit grating in the end. It simply doesn't do much. What is does is nice enough, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't excite me. Some reviewers find it more palatable than MR, and that is certainly the case, but it is a bit flat. If you're looking for a sweet and spicy amber that doesn't break the bank it's an excellent choice. It has far less in common with Shalimar and it wouldn't have occurred to me to put the two together in one post, but Musc Ravageur adds as the missing link here. All three are lovely orientals, I just happen to love the dirtiest of the trio. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope you did enjoy this little comparison post, it was an interesting experiment for me, not least because I created the images with a new application. Anyone who needs or likes to use Photoshop and Illustrator but is frustrated by Adobe's subscription only policy, have a look at </span><a href="https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Affinity Design and Affinity Photo</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (currently in beta). I am well impressed by them. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-66065583104799856092015-05-13T12:41:00.000+01:002015-05-13T12:46:44.804+01:00Angelique<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tomorrow is the night of the Fragrance Foundation Awards, and what better opportunity to post about one of this years' finalists: Angelique, by <b>Papillon Artisan Perfumes</b>. Liz Moores is not only a great perfumer, but also a really wonderful woman and I'll keep all my fingers crossed for her tomorrow. Given that she managed to get all her three creations in the final round, it would be a small miracle not to see her on the stage. <b>Go, Liz!</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wuZUfcjYP6HdedgAFkfjSUT6wPNfdV7Lt58hQjNKgr1nxZ6ZdALT3yO5ShC3P5MGqVDVQG017ba88O9LE_jBhPT2Quf5vVwZih918QagvDojo63rHoyDtVsDaTFPD-Wt1EW-FixfSzI/s1600/Angelique7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wuZUfcjYP6HdedgAFkfjSUT6wPNfdV7Lt58hQjNKgr1nxZ6ZdALT3yO5ShC3P5MGqVDVQG017ba88O9LE_jBhPT2Quf5vVwZih918QagvDojo63rHoyDtVsDaTFPD-Wt1EW-FixfSzI/s640/Angelique7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation for Angelique, by Papillon Artisan Perfumes</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Angelique is a sparkling, melancholic and luxurious </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">iris</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. It is both elegant and modern, timeless would be the best description. What I enjoy most is the really sheer beginning, where everything is in place but waiting to play its part. It never overpowers, and more importantly, never overpowders neither, as it can happen with irises sometimes. Incredibly feminine, this is a satiny glowing ripple on slightly powdered skin. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Absolutely beautiful and a must have if you love your iris. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Iris and early evenings belong together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A cocktail dress and a cocktail glass will do nicely</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-12189532845130956132015-05-04T17:53:00.000+01:002015-05-04T22:39:33.535+01:00Perfume shopping in Frankfurt<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Off to somewhere nice?" asked the ueber cheerful sales assistant behind the Boots counter at London City airport. "Frankfurt", I replied, marginally less cheerful because 7 o' clock in the morning is not my time. "Ah..., OK" he muttered with a traceable slight of pity in his voice. "Hope you have a nice day anyway." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This brief encounter sums up my hometown's image problem quite nicely. Considered nothing more </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">than a necessary business trip location, it doesn't have Berlin's cool or Hamburg's elegance, isn't conveniently close to Italy like Munich, and its only claim to fame is the European Central bank and questionable sausages. *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But of course, I have to differ. Frankfurt is, despite its skyline, a very human sized and pleasant to live in city. Much smaller than most visitors anticipate, it has a village feel with added skyscrapers. It boasts tradition in an ironic way, knowing full well about its lack of picture perfect. A bad image can be a very liberating thing, and Frankfurt has made the most of it during the decades I lived in it or nearby. When homesickness strikes, it's the local cider pubs (Apfelweinkneipen) and the easy going summer evenings on the greens near the riverbank that I miss the most. So, if for some reason you find yourself in Frankfurt and you don't know what to do with all the museums, the best opera house and the largest botanical garden in the country, the bars, the theatres, the timber framed cuteness of Bornheim and the grandeur of the Westend, the splendid cathedral and all the tragic history of a 1200 year old German city there is always: <b>Perfume</b>!</span><br />
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<b>Parfuemerie Albrecht </b>was founded in 1732 as a 'drugstore', selling all kinds of ointments and tinctures to the people of Frankfurt. It's now in the good hands of the <b>Albrecht</b> family and has three stores dotted around the inner city. One in the elegant Goethestrasse, one just across the road in the "Fressgass" (this one also has a beauty institute) and the latest one in the 'MyZeil' shopping gallery. The latter is the biggest and more modern in feel and decor, paying tribute to the rather different customer base. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In all the shops you will find an impressive range of niche perfumes plus skincare and make up from brands like Chanel and Co. This mixture of niche and high end main stream is relatively unique in the perfume world, and can sometimes lead to customer confusion as to why they do have Chanel lipsticks but not the perfumes. I met David Albrecht in his Goethestrasse shop and he very kindly took his time to chat about perfume and perfume shopping in Frankfurt. He explained that his parents believed in niche perfumes from its very beginnings and took the risk to change their stock accordingly. Over the last <b>20 years</b> the perfumery grew and with it its customer base. Frankfurt might be small, but it's the financial hub of Europe and with it comes an international clientele that isn't all that different from shoppers in London or Dubai. Tourists also make up a high percent of perfume shoppers. Herr Albrecht couldn't give the exact number of brands they have on offer, but it is pretty impressive, especially in the MyZeil shop, where space really isn't an issue. If you're coming from the UK you will be happy to find Ramon Monegal, Profumum Roma, Santa Maria Novella and German brands like F.J.Schwarzlose and Nasengold. There is also F.Malle, Byredo, Etat libre, Dyptique, Amouage, Etro, Lubin, SoOud, Lutens, Ormonde Jayne, Creed, Caron, MMK, CdG, Knize, Patou, Isabey, Lalique, Friedemonin, Clive Christian, Kilian etc etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On top of that, the Parfumerie has created a Frankfurt inspired range of scents which I sampled only briefly and will keep for my next home visit. The Albrechts also organise smell inspired events throughout the year, a lecture and discussion about how pregnancy can change your sense of smell and perception of perfumes sounds particularly interesting, although I'm nowhere near pregnant myself. </span><br />
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You can always sense when you meet someone who is genuinely passionate about perfume and not just selling it, and David Albrecht (his favourite scent is Philosykos) and his family certainly fall firmly within the first group. In terms of preference, I like the myZeil shop because you can wander around forever and sniff here and there (you will be asked if you need assistance, but it's not a problem at all if you prefer to be left alone). The Goethestrasse in contrast is more intimate and cosy, but wherever you go - the sales staff is charming and knowledgeable. All shops are just a few minutes walk apart and there are plenty of cafes and eateries along the way. So, if you happen to have urgent business in my hometown, take a stroll and have a sniff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.parfuemerie-albrecht.de/" target="_blank"><b>www.parfuemerie-albrecht.de</b></a></span></div>
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* I can get incredibly agitated about proper Frankfurters, which I assume most of my readers never ever tasted. It is sad that the city lost the fight for a PDO against American fast food chains. Whatever they sell you in those hot dogs: It's not the real thing! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-31159948174856537702015-04-03T16:14:00.002+01:002015-04-03T16:14:33.838+01:00A Shropshire Lad with added scents<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I have mentioned in my post about the Gorilla perfume exhibition, I have a "thing" about interdisciplinary co-operations. The creative impact of two or more different concepts/ideas/fields of expertise coming together can be incredibly inspiring. In a way it's what I do with this blog, but that is still a very solitary affair. (apart from your comments, of course) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So when my friend and neighbour <b><a href="http://www.acompletelossforwords.com/" target="_blank">Jeni Toksvig</a></b> asked me to take part in a theatrical production I was both massively thrilled and silently scared. Jeni is a musical writer, director, lecturer, fasciliator of wonderful things. A world that I know next to nothing about. In true creative passion Jeni often sees connection where others don't, and she wanted me to bring "smell" to her latest theatrical adventure: AE.Housman's poem collection <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Shropshire_Lad" target="_blank"><b>"A Shropshire Lad"</b></a> put in a song and dance structure by <b><a href="http://www.niallashdown.com/" target="_blank">Niall Ashdown</a>.</b> The poems, first published in 1896 "struck a chord with readers most pointedly as the events of World War One became known. It is said that many a soldier in the trenches carried a copy of Housman's poetry with them as they waited.*</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />The concept of the dramatisation is to allow and encourage audience participation and community <b>involvement</b>, both in setting up the stage and during the play. Factual information about the war combined with personal stories about emotional experiences of loss, farewell and home are going to be shared throughout the event. As I am usually terrified when I get asked to participate on any stage I wasn't sure how much this open structure aspect of the show would work for me, but I could see that a community involvement could add another dimension once the show will go on tour. My job was supposed to be that of a <b>responder</b>, someone who comes and observes the workshop and adds something from their own field of creativity. Jeni gave me total freedom how to respond, it only had to relate to smell in some way. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The journey of the Shropshire Lad begins in an ideal English countryside in spring, with country fair and love and dance and carries on to the bitter farewells, all the way to the terror of the trenches and the loss of the lives of young men. My idea was to capture the smell of those events and the <b>emotions</b> involved in little bottles. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am of course not a professional perfumer, and I have no intention of becoming one, so after reading the script for the Shropshire Lad I got working on the idea of translating key elements of the story and my general associations with WWI into smell with all the things I had at hand.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some were easier than others. The seasons, for example, could be found in many perfume creations. I chose Lolita Lempicka for 'Spring', Une Rose by Frederic Malle for 'Summer', Patchouli 24 for 'Autumn' and Serge Lutens L'Orpheline for 'Winter'. I found a 'Hero' in Parfumerie Generale's L'Eau Guerriere and 'Bodily Fluids' in +MA by the aptly named Blood Concept. 'Melancholy' was the lovely Angelique by Papillon Perfumes, and 'Healing' was provided by Thyme Sacre by Parfumes de Saintete. But apart from proper perfumes I looked for other, less complex sources of scent that would work for the narrative. 'Wounded' was TCP, 'Courage' a good glug of Whisky. I wanted to have a 'Hell' and had bought some sulphur powder for that, but should have known that it doesn't actually smell all that much. Anyway, it was fun. A few essential oils also came into play and Mael's Whisky aroma testing box proved very resourceful with notes like 'Decay', 'Cut Grass', 'Earthy' and 'Smoky'. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the rehearsal I had decided on presenting the scents in small medicine bottles and only offer to spray on blotters and people's skin if they wanted. The smell of 'Decay' for example isn't something you want to linger. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was slightly nervous as to how my little display would be perceived, but I needn't have worried. Everyone tucked in and opened bottles happily, sniffing, recoiling, smiling, all chatting to each other and being very engaged. Smell does that to people. Comparable to music in that it opens some channels in a very spontaneous and unfiltered way. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I then had the opportunity to listen to the songs and see the acting for the first time and it really moved me. Even in that rather uninspiring hall the power of the <b>music</b> and the play was incredible. Niall has found melodies that are simple and evocative in the best possible way. (He is also responsible for some strong ear worms I keep getting). And actors are a funny crowd. You can see who is an actor right away; there is a presence and awareness that is electrifying, and being so close to see them working their <b>magic</b> was pretty awesome. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whenever new people came into the room, audience/family and friends, we encouraged them to try some smells and again the <b>ice breaking</b> qualities of scent were interesting to watch. It would be amazing to have an element of smell for the actual tour of the production. I'm sure it will help the audiences to engage with the story in a playful way. I am absolutely thrilled by the experience and can't wait to do it again. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And while searching for the image of the book cover, I found that A Shropshire Lad is also the name of a <b>beautiful rose</b>. What a lovely and fragrant coincidence. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">*quote from Niall Ashdown's website</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-67603933113969287852015-03-31T15:42:00.000+01:002015-03-31T20:18:06.993+01:00Liquid Night<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love it when a fragrance house offers the choice of small bottles. My last purchase was a 10 ml travel spray of Musc Ravageur, bought on the spot after wearing it for only a few minutes. I dismiss the pea counters (German for nit pickers) who keep on telling me that the price per ml is such a bad bargain. I'm not buying a sack of potatoes to feed an army here, I just want to own a piece of something beautiful, and if it's a small piece, so be it. If I love it enough to empty the travel sized one I'm very probably going to buy a bigger amount as a result, and I wish more companies would see the benefit of '<b>small is beautiful</b>'. Another one that does</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, albeit with a very limited distribution, is US based A Lab on Fire, which also adopted a similar editorial style concept to FM. (But who doesn't, these days?)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Liquid Night wasn't an instant love; I had come to the achingly hip Paris department store </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Colette to try A Lab on Fire's "What we do in Paris is secret", but that was sadly out of stock. I liked LN though, and 20 something Euros for a <b>15 ml bottle</b> was a good enough offer to buy it. I thought. And then it sat on the shelf for months, unloved and collecting dust. I still liked it, in theory, but never got round to wear it. And then suddenly a few weeks ago, I just didn't know what to try...and gave it a go.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liquid Night, my visualisation</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Surprise, surprise: this time I love it. It immediately grabs me with an effortlessly chic aesthetic that is totally wearable but unique enough not to be boring. A creamy <b>saffron</b> note binds dry hinoki woods to aromatics and abstract floral accords and everything dries down to a subtle vanilla. Despite the name, it's actually a rather clear cut fragrance, not sharp, but not floating either. When I created its image I started with very fluid and organic shapes, but after hours working on it and not getting it right I realised what it needed was a very simple geometric structure to emphasise on the <b>contemporary elegance</b>. I took inspiration from neon lights glistening and sparkling on wet asphalt. My colours are very muted, but in principal it's a cold green/warm pink perfume. I find it incredibly suited for this in-between-two-seasons-weather we're having, where spring is on the cards and a few daffs are out, but the wind is still icy and biting enough to wear a big comfy scarf. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some reviews complain about the <b>synthetic</b> nature of Liquid Night. I personally couldn't care less. As long as they don't charge me Roja Dove prices for a bottle of ISOE super, I can live with a bit of chemical wizardry in my fragrances. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not so much a how or where, but with what this time.... my newest fashion find and love is German brand <a href="http://london.oska.com/" target="_blank">Oska</a> and Liquid Night is a perfect match. A bit of a Japanese influence, urban and edgy, but incredibly comfortable<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-weight: bold;">.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-53495726729056151802015-03-09T15:14:00.000+00:002015-03-09T15:21:07.346+00:00La Danza delle Libellule<div>
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La Danza delle Libellule by nobile 1942. Bonkers. And very, very sweet. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-52686689433190131782015-02-26T16:50:00.003+00:002015-02-26T22:07:11.718+00:00Maai by bogue, pregnant with meaning<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hadn't planned to write about Maai. Highly praised, this recreation of a classical chypre by Italian artisan house bogue appeared in many of the Best of 2014 reviews I had read. From the descriptions and the notes it looked like a winner, and I was fairly disappointed that it didn't work for me. But as I rarely write negative reviews, I simply made a few remarks to perfume friends and moved on to sampling something else. And then a few days ago, while dusting the bookshelf in the bedroom my eyes fell on the <b>Anselm Kiefer</b> catalogue of last year's grandious exhibition at the Royal Academy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I then remembered that I had initially intended to use one of his paintings as a starting point for a review about <b>Chypre Palatin</b> by MDCI perfumes. These days I have the memory of a small sized rodent/goldfish/fly so that post never happened, but then a train of associations started and it lead me back to <b>Maai.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">But first, let me be a bit tedious and express my thought about Anselm Kiefer: Considered as one of the most important living artists, his ouevre is steeped deeply in German culture/history. His use of Nazi iconography and his, let's say, tendency for the bombast makes him a difficult choice. There are references to the war, mythicism, blood and soil, Wagner, death and decay, and a dark forest or a bleak field are never far away. Many of his paintings have taglines and scribbled notes on them, leaving you under no doubt that here is an artist who has something to say! <b>Bedeutungsschwanger</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> - we call that in German - pregnant with meaning.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">I realise that it seems that I'm not exactly selling him here, but I do actually adore his work. His canvasses are gigantic in size, and often oddly decorative in a graphic/reduced palette sort of way. I feel a resonance and strong sense of connection when I see them in real life. I also feel incredibly German, and I'm unsure what to make of that. The exhibition at London's Royal Academy was eerily beautiful and evocative. But would I want to live with one of his works? Never mind the questions of affordability, practicality and insurance - the answer is: No. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">His art radiates a heaviness and intensity that I would find troubling and irritating around my personal space.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I would very much prefer to be surrounded by the works of other, less <b>angst ridden</b> Germans, Gerhard Richter and especially Sigmar Polke spring to mind. The latter was given a massive retrospective at Tate Modern at the same time than the Kiefer was on. Polke made fun of the world and himself ( yes, Germans do have a sense of humour...) via his art and although he didn't shy away from difficult subjects, he handled them in a way I find much more palatable.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So all this to tell you why I didn't like a perfume? Well, sort of. When I tried Maai again I knew it would make an even better match for Kiefer's forests and fields. Composed like a back to front version of Chypre Palatin, this one offers no comfort. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The forest it evokes is not a place I'd like to be any time soon. It might lure me in with all this cold freshness but I'm aware that there is something hidden. A troll, using this particular aftershave to cover his scent before he has me for breakfast. The <b>oakmoss/musc</b> phase lasts forever on my skin and when the perfume eventually develops into something a bit more floral and soft I am almost exhausted. This is intense, <b>retro</b> and BIG perfumery. And like Kiefer's paintings, I very much admire the way it's done. My skin feels just too small to wear it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">For more perfume focused reviews of Maai I point you towards:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.cafleurebon.com/new-perfume-review-bogue-profumo-maai-by-antonio-gardoni-sexy-beast-chypre-fragrance-draw/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.cafleurebon.com/<wbr></wbr>new-perfume-review-bogue-<wbr></wbr>profumo-maai-by-antonio-<wbr></wbr>gardoni-sexy-beast-chypre-<wbr></wbr></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.cafleurebon.com/new-perfume-review-bogue-profumo-maai-by-antonio-gardoni-sexy-beast-chypre-fragrance-draw/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">fragrance-draw/</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/turning-japanese-and-fithy-anomaly.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bonkersaboutperfume.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/<wbr></wbr>turning-japanese-and-fithy-<wbr></wbr></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/turning-japanese-and-fithy-anomaly.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">anomaly.html</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://yeoldecivetcat.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/bogue-profumo.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://yeoldecivetcat.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/bogue-<wbr></wbr></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://yeoldecivetcat.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/bogue-profumo.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">profumo.html</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">And if you want to read up on Anslem Kiefer I recommend this article from the Guardian:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/sep/12/anselm-kiefer-royal-academy-retrospective-german-painter-sculptor" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/<wbr></wbr>artanddesign/2014/sep/12/<wbr></wbr>anselm-kiefer-royal-academy-<wbr></wbr>retrospective-german-painter-<wbr></wbr>sculptor</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Images in order of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> appearance: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f1f1f1; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Aschenblume, 2004 </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f1f1f1; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Böhmen liegt am Meer, 1995</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Parsifal III, 1973</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f1f1f1; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Winterland, 2010</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-90950336270424976522015-02-12T18:04:00.000+00:002015-02-12T18:04:07.847+00:00Ragu<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you google the words "Ragu recipe" and read everything that comes up at least 4 pages in, you will find yourself puzzled and probably slightly frustrated. While for many of us a ragu, or Italian meat sauce, is the ultimate <b>comfort</b> food, the steps leading to this simple pleasure are slippery, because EVERYONE has an opinion and they all differ. What type of meat, wine, or no wine, red or white, stock or no stock, milk???, passata or puree, how much celery, and how many bloody hours does it need to simmer? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People swear that theirs is the one and only, handed down from a long line of ancestors since the beginning of the Italian Renaissance, found in barely legible recipe books hidden away from Barbaric hordes during the siege of Rome.... you get the gist. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then there are the modern preachers of innovative cooking, like Heston Blumenthal and his molecular disciples. They ask you to use sous-vides here, and dried ice over there, to pulverise your meat and to explode your toms, just for the fun of it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Needless to say that in this household we have our own, ultimate version. Developed over a few years, tweaked to perfection. Our perfection, that is. Because the beauty of a ragu is that it makes you feel at home, save and at ease with the world. Whatever is needed to achieve your personal meat sauce heaven is allowed. (Having said that, the idea of putting milk in it is of course just plain weird!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Interestingly, not many perfumes actively seek out to smell of savoury dishes. All the gourmand scents I know cater to the sweet toothed amongst us and there is a fair amount of fragrant love for alcoholic beverages, but a scent that smells of cooking is a rare thing, indeed. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It therefore takes some guts to call your creation "Italian meat sauce" and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ragu by <b>Gabriella Chieffo,</b> certainly is an unusual scent, not just for the name.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnwj4nZrpuosga6YvzmeXlDpWlOUB5uKLrPI5FPrJn8ymupiiuQ54a_GOwCbbp41T_p-xvzgQRb40eInnue86tWoP9peoOOPqOTRZmkQ3WBkReU3IzcWi9os0wucNmv7AmmjTwQd2hKE/s1600/Ragu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnwj4nZrpuosga6YvzmeXlDpWlOUB5uKLrPI5FPrJn8ymupiiuQ54a_GOwCbbp41T_p-xvzgQRb40eInnue86tWoP9peoOOPqOTRZmkQ3WBkReU3IzcWi9os0wucNmv7AmmjTwQd2hKE/s1600/Ragu.jpg" height="640" width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Ragu, by Gabriella Chieffo</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ragu opens with a burst of orange and pink pepper. And quite some burst it is. Fresh, tingly and aromatic. And then the perfume seductively asks you if you want some more <b>pepper</b> with it, grinding the mill before you even had a chance to answer. Now it's the black variety - strong, direct, and not taking any prisoners. At this stage the fragrance feels dry, sharp and even a bit grainy, be aware that if you don't like pepper you will not enjoy this ride. After an hour or so on my skin, other <b>spices</b> come to play, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">mainly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nutmeg and cloves, and their deeper, sweeter aromas give the perfume now a gentler and more feminine touch. It mellows, presenting itself in a different texture now, far creamier, and rounder. I cannot really detect any tomato notes in the perfume, but there is a fleshier, juicier aspect to this stage of the scent and it more and more feels like a good ragu sauce has just come together. The final phase of the perfume involves leather and woody notes and a slowly simmering solidity takes over the earlier bursts and bubbles. In terms of colour it wasn't easy to pin down, Ragu delights more in its textural aspects, but I've decided to stay with mostly red and <b>earthy</b> hues to emphasise the warmth the fragrance offered me. Nice. Very nice, and more than a bit more-ish. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the privacy and comfort of your own space.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-22883414472698691702015-02-04T10:52:00.000+00:002015-02-12T18:10:00.629+00:00An old couple on holiday: Pomegranate Noir and me<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am just back from 2 weeks in Thailand and the cold weather is really biting. Post holidays blues - here we come... But I won't bother you with Cry me a river tears about feeling the lack of light, warmth and sand, don't worry. Instead, I'm trying to concentrate on the good things about being back in London, and those are: the cats, good friends, and perfume. Not that I didn't bring decants and samples to keep me entertained, far from it, but wearing perfume when it's hot and humid didn't come very high on my daily routine list. While we stayed in the northern city of Chiang Mai with temperatures in the high 20's, pleasant enough and even cooler in the evenings, I did manage to apply perfume and even a bit make up, but over the course of 2 weeks and a location change to the island of Koh Phangan, standards did slip very quickly. When you shower 3 or 4 times a day perfume really isn't all that practical, and in the evening strong DEED overpowered any other scents.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But there is a scent that I have worn on and off during all our trips to Thailand so far and a bottle of it will never be amiss in the suitcase: <b>Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir</b>. First sniffed and bought before boarding a plane to Bangkok at Heathrow airport, then worn in Chiang Mai (yes, we like the city a bit and go there almost every year) it has become my go to perfume for Thailand. There isn't anything in it that justifies that. No lemongrass, lime, hot tarmac, sticky rice, ylang ylang, fish sauce, sea salt, coconut, orchid, ginger or chili notes. PN has <b>spice</b> and <b>freshness</b>, but they're firmly rooted in the Northern hemisphere. Objectively, that is. For me, it's the fragrance of Thailand simply by association and conditioning and a spritz can transport me back there in an instant. I have never bothered to read up the notes for it, and now I couldn't possibly tell you what it smells of, which is, I suppose, a bit weird on a blog about perfume. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As for the colours: They have to be taken from a holiday snap, of course. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIgZjTbXyKamjFn5AEyK8oz5NS_5toDpSFvjozT5B7VitME10JyXMJkxRLr36GKO6_j8wSsqEO1uSYWa1jWKncHxRQAUIXobKmKbSDTN6NaC9FIUJ4d6B9Cxw2O-pEPo8C071CBQZpRU/s1600/PomegranateNoir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIgZjTbXyKamjFn5AEyK8oz5NS_5toDpSFvjozT5B7VitME10JyXMJkxRLr36GKO6_j8wSsqEO1uSYWa1jWKncHxRQAUIXobKmKbSDTN6NaC9FIUJ4d6B9Cxw2O-pEPo8C071CBQZpRU/s1600/PomegranateNoir.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai squid boats representing Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-73591543997717894762015-01-10T12:12:00.000+00:002015-01-10T12:12:47.042+00:00Seven Veils by Byredo<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Byredo, the Swedish perfume house was one of the first niche brands I encountered and sampled in full, thanks to the generosity of the Byredo staff at Liberty. I already wrote about M/Mink, which is one of the most daring scents I've ever smelled. Today's candidate is a much more wearable choice. <b>Seven Veils</b>. It bursts open with an <b>abundance</b> of colour and spice - a marvellous ouverture - and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">then </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">leaves me alone with a rosy heart that's neither here nor there, and falls exhausted onto the cushions as a creamy vanilla. The sillage is stronger and darker than the smell on skin, a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> dance of seven veils, indeed. But you won't lose you head over this. A floriental that pretends to be far more dangerous than it actually is. Pretty though...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8tezAkyyB_B7L1qF3d0_2IiFD6SCq_94Flw_vz4b6oTACjnE0jQ1rK2QL34MDOBEfNYUnYEmnzAuj9joJQbMMpMKfA2QMNlnMMsnJM9nsFgFyF3nPlvcnaADTAhVnlJfTorl17qXZHU/s1600/7veils+Kopie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8tezAkyyB_B7L1qF3d0_2IiFD6SCq_94Flw_vz4b6oTACjnE0jQ1rK2QL34MDOBEfNYUnYEmnzAuj9joJQbMMpMKfA2QMNlnMMsnJM9nsFgFyF3nPlvcnaADTAhVnlJfTorl17qXZHU/s1600/7veils+Kopie.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seven Veils by Byredo, the picture</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">How and where to wear:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Belly dance class in North London</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-15444469314063282432015-01-05T17:54:00.001+00:002015-01-05T21:24:59.667+00:00Puredistance Black, and other colours<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> First things first: Happy New Year. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't posted anything for a while, a fact for which I can partly blame an over indulgence in all things Christmas and Kuscheligkeit. But my absence from perfume and the blog was also for another, rather different and unpleasant reason. After trying out a new scent I had developed a severe skin rash. Both arms and hands were covered in itchy little bumps. My skin is always super sensitive in winter, but this was something new and unexpected. And also worrying. Not wanting to risk a full blown perfume allergy, I decided not to try any new fragrances for a while, sprayed any old favourites only sparingly on scarves and clothes, and kept the cortisone creme nearby. I'm glad that it went away and everything seems to be fine now, but I will probably be a bit weary about new perfumes and use less delicate areas of my skin for testing. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The last scent I did test (not the one which gave me the rash) and wanted to write about was <b>Puredistance Black</b>, of which I had won a sample from the lovely Vanessa of <a href="http://www.bonkeraboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">bonkers about perfume</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Puredistance, a Dutch fragrance house, had released the scent in 2013 with some rather unusual marketing. "Do not try to pick out notes and dissect, just emerge and enjoy." Not their exact words, but in essence that was what they wanted us to do. Needless to say, it annoyed a few people. Nobody likes to be told how to enjoy a perfume, me included, but for two reasons this didn't bother me all that much. 1.) It was a gift, 2.) Sometimes I like to create an image for a perfume but can't find an interesting angle for writing about it. Black is one of those perfumes. The idea for the <b>image</b> was there right from the beginning, but I failed when I tried to put it into words. And since it's the New Year, and all things New are allowed: I have decided that image only post are fine from now on. You might see quite a few of those in the future. I also want to introduce something like the Colour of the Day, which might not actually be linked to any perfume but just an image to illustrate my mood and thoughts. This is, after all, a blog about perfume<b> AND </b>colour. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today this colour happens to be Black:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTciJ0J4d5cpm3M5KpLBz3xd9EdF2rnzsfrKINmRi1o3A9Sc5q0P1s7IdQsotlcKXwRhARV57DdAUhxBjr6Hi4WdHPu6IKBur6khG_CmsIikchNF_jJSzESC2LMgHrwyaqKAc5Xh-9U0/s1600/PuredistanceBlack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTciJ0J4d5cpm3M5KpLBz3xd9EdF2rnzsfrKINmRi1o3A9Sc5q0P1s7IdQsotlcKXwRhARV57DdAUhxBjr6Hi4WdHPu6IKBur6khG_CmsIikchNF_jJSzESC2LMgHrwyaqKAc5Xh-9U0/s1600/PuredistanceBlack.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Black by Puredistance</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The inspiration for the image came from something I learned in primary school many, many years ago: Use waxy crayons and randomly fill your entire page. Then paint a thick layer of black ink top top. Once the ink has dried, use a sharp, pointy tool to draw and scratch away the black layer. The lines will make the underlaying colours appear. Good fun. This simply technique feels like a suitable way to visualise this perfume, which is a bit mysterious, warm and deep. It stays very close to skin and lasts forever. When I scratched at the layer of Black I got sour cherry and whiskey, with a hint of chocolate. (Cheating now, I know...) What you will get might be, no, will be totally different. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>How and where to wear</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Skin scents don't get much deeper than this, surprise those who will get close enough to smell you.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-71334776944988064042014-11-05T16:58:00.001+00:002014-11-05T16:58:40.109+00:00Felanilla, languid and luxurious<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Adding a new perfume bottle to your collection is always exciting, but sometimes there is a level of anxiety involved. Will I still like it? What if it smells suddenly different from the sample (has happended!) Was it really worth the money? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My Full Bottle wish list is usually quite short and also short lived; scents appear on it for a few weeks or months and then get chucked out and replaced by something else. Apart from the odd "bargain" buy, I can wait pretty long before I make a commitment. Last week, the list had Hasu no Hana (longest ever contender, on there for a year, which is no surprise, given the price tag), Atkinson's Odd Fellow and/or Fashion Decree and Parfumerie Generale's Felanilla on it. Thanks to London's <b>Bloom</b> perfumery and their lovely little Halloween game, <b>Felanilla</b> is off the list and on my shelf now. A 28% discount is not to be sniffed at. But as I said at the beginning, receiving a new bottle can be a bit stressful. It has been a few months since I last smelled it. Will I still love it?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uhJfQ-ir_av1o_GyIJdiP2Ht15VSiDVUdDs0a1wsv_nZCQpjn4GBd-k7aji8FuikbQME_iMyQwvk-hYMwcpQDNegqcCBxg28yDzaTniwGB6wpblHXoWgEkn3E_R9l9zTq0NiGWLMgxg/s1600/Felanilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uhJfQ-ir_av1o_GyIJdiP2Ht15VSiDVUdDs0a1wsv_nZCQpjn4GBd-k7aji8FuikbQME_iMyQwvk-hYMwcpQDNegqcCBxg28yDzaTniwGB6wpblHXoWgEkn3E_R9l9zTq0NiGWLMgxg/s1600/Felanilla.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Felanilla</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thankfully, I do, although it does smell ever so slightly different from how I remembered it. The animalic aspect is not as pronounced as I had previously thought. Not that it ever was a civet feast, but it had an element of strokeable furryness that I can't find for now. It's still there, I'm sure, I just have to wait. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What is unmissable in this creation is a wonderfully softened <b>wood</b> base over which a purple <b>iris</b> and a powdery <b>vanilla</b> hover in a gentle embrace. All the warmth comes from the spicy saffron and the wood (banana, according to the note list). Both the iris and the vanilla feel cool and, at least for the first few hours, "refreshing" on top of it. The iris is the first to exit the party, leaving all the fun to a gloriously dry vanilla that makes me want to bite, not lick my wrists. Because despite me not really spotting the animal, it is most definitely hiding there somewhere. Felanilla is a proper grown up vanilla, not one for the kids. Its uncomplicated and simple structure gives it a natural, <b>barefoot luxury</b> feel that I often associate with easy going tropical holidays. <b>Languid</b>, subtle but deeply erotic.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>How and where to wear:</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A daybed on a veranda overlooking the jungle. A knackered old fan is doing its best to cool down the hot and humid air. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-17337991128124279332014-10-26T15:12:00.000+00:002014-10-28T13:32:27.386+00:00Absolue Pour le Soir<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sometimes you don't need many words to describe a perfume. <b>The kinkiest scent</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> around is probably all you need to know about Absolue Pour le Soir by Francis Kurkdijan. Amazing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_Xm_70tavJ8hVJ1H54te19N1ca0u7ZpcmxBqEuP8eNXJm3Ut4WNDudYVuhRgh-FgllYrRSGWUoN-MHedV0E8b6wRohtpGpTArW3t8TCkJzv7Fer3yZ1EDH-I8LOqmumwnm6n-Gbw-wY/s1600/Absolu+pour+le+soir.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_Xm_70tavJ8hVJ1H54te19N1ca0u7ZpcmxBqEuP8eNXJm3Ut4WNDudYVuhRgh-FgllYrRSGWUoN-MHedV0E8b6wRohtpGpTArW3t8TCkJzv7Fer3yZ1EDH-I8LOqmumwnm6n-Gbw-wY/s1600/Absolu+pour+le+soir.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visual interpretation of Absolue Pour le Soir</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>How and where to wear:</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You will be under no doubt once you've tried it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371602198254907499.post-56082174950344240422014-10-15T13:57:00.003+01:002014-10-15T13:57:53.858+01:00Elegant hippy: Patchouli 24 by Le Labo<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once a hippy, always a hippy? I do have pictures of me wearing purple, hand died dungarees, a Palestine scarf and about 2 dozen badges showing all my caring for the world's problems. I used to burn a lot of <b>incense</b>, drank gallons of <b>vanilla</b> flavoured tea and liked <b>patchouli</b>. Still do. These days my patchouli just has to be a bit more sophisticated. And Le Labo's creation certainly delivers on the sophistication front. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM7DoJyyYfTL3HUNlJ9UVtwngyPtWI8pClKDMxHG6cgmwX7xfBcLFA-IohFDjMy0LUomWWgRgSF0vOMbJNuLWajybUvJz14r9R9Ls5n2lO5OLZwqGJO8XeKG0-MXjhONU9Y0qIPxtTsk/s1600/Patchouli+24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM7DoJyyYfTL3HUNlJ9UVtwngyPtWI8pClKDMxHG6cgmwX7xfBcLFA-IohFDjMy0LUomWWgRgSF0vOMbJNuLWajybUvJz14r9R9Ls5n2lO5OLZwqGJO8XeKG0-MXjhONU9Y0qIPxtTsk/s1600/Patchouli+24.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visualisation of Patchouli 24 by Le Labo</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I mostly get from this fragrance is a smokiness that manages to be both wet and dry, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">stays away from the churches AND the BBQs, and is harsh and soft in pretty equal measures. My friend Nick described it once as sexy bacon, and while I agree that there is an edible element to this, for me it's not bacon. I hate the smell of fried bacon! This perfume far more evokes the image of <b>smoked chestnuts</b>. And because there is a strong leather element coming through it feels like holding a bag of hot chestnuts in a leather gloved hand. Not that the perfume actually smells of chestnuts. That's confusing, I know, sorry for free associations running wild. Patchouli 24 pops up on my skin with a surprisingly herbal patchouli note. A very short Bang! From then on the note stays very silently in the back. Leather, resin and burned woods take over. Wet leaves in autumn fires is another image that comes to mind, and right now, with autumn finally in full swing, is a great time to wear this perfume. It has earthiness and elegance in perfect balance, and that is what <b>autumn</b> very much means to me. A time for long walks in the countryside but also the best season for indulging in fashion. I have worn P24 during a 4 hour walk in a damp forest in Kent and it did work splendidly on slightly sweaty skin. The perfume finally settles in a vanilla, which is a tiny bit too sweet for the entire composition, I find. For once, I had wished for the woods to continue. It has remarkable staying power, over 10 hours on me, which doesn't happen all that often. This will probably smell quite different, but nonetheless most delicious on a man. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Guy Fawkes night, here we come!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.S. I had my finger on the purchase button for a 15ml bottle of this from the Le Labo website. £37.50 isn't cheap for such a small amount, but at least they do offer bottles under a 100ml..... But, dear LeLabo people, do you think it's clever to add the VAT sneakily at the very end, when all the form filling and credit card numbering is done? It's not</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967920797621584017noreply@blogger.com5