Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche
Posted by ritaglh on Mar 6, 2008
Launching on 10th March in London, I was given a sneak preview and sample of this. The packaging is architectural and luxurious and the accompanying brochure is a work of art on thick card, gloss white printing on white and solar bronze. To quote it is “driven by design” It is a fragrance dedicated to fragrance “connoisseurs and lovers of beautiful things”. The scent is described as a fresh oriental by Jacques Polge, chic and truly different.
I usually steer clear of headache inducing men’s brews, but this smells wonderful on me, of bergamot and woods sprinkled with a blossom, teaspoon tip of sugar and mandarin. 
I will be reluctantly sharing this sample with my hubby to try. I doubt I will be the only woman buying this for a loved one only to furtively spray this macho drop of sicillian orchard grove on themselves too.
Scent Systems-niche naturals
Posted by ritaglh on Feb 14, 2008
I do miss Hiram Green’s old shop near Carnaby Street. Local artists used to paint custom murals on his walls, that were ever so sparsely and selectively shelved with sumptuous scents. His shop introduced me to a new world of natural perfumes that I have never forgotten, and I still feel vaguely nostalgic about. I enjoyed many a meandering in the cupboard sized store as-well as fragrance discussions with him, so it was with pleasure that I discovered scent system’s own luxurious and entirely natural perfume collection.
These single note florals have their own shelves amidst treasure troves of jewellery in the former home of the first dairy in London, called French’s Dairy, found in the fashionable Bloomsbury quarter off Lambs Conduit Street. Inhaling natural perfumes is an entirely different pleasure from smelling most perfumes. Although I am partial to aldehydes and hedione in most commercial perfumes, I really do enjoy deeply inhaling natural perfume oils, and there really is a difference.
As I had been exploring violet perfumes recently, I first approached the wild violet scent. Coupled with some rose, this has gorgeous natural orris heart. Imagine the beauty of Iris Noble of Acqua di Parma, intensified and more sublime, a scent that compels you to sniff ever more deeply. The soul of the scent is immersed in sandalwood and plant musk. Despite no aldehydes, this fragrance sparkles a little like lemonade with violet syrup. There are musical notes of Indian flowers and champaca absolute, that Ormond Jayne officianados are sure to recognize. This is a powdery feminine fragrance but not saccharine sweet, more of a wooden canoe filled with fresh garlands and poesies floating on a lake.
Next, I approached the tuberose with caution. Many love tuberose, but it is usually a flower I stay away from. This has top teasers of citrus and coriander, middle notes of rose and heliotrope, tiare lily with Karo Karounde absolute, which I had never smelt before. The base notes are sumptuous with vanilla, honey and plant musk. My immediate response to this perfume is bulging black tassels, full bodied lilies and what the perfume Fracas could dream of smelling like if it contained more naturals. I also smell ripened fruit in a dimly lit lacy boudoir with lots of velvet cushions.
The Rose perfume was a revelation. I am very partial to rose fragrances and this one is not the scent of a single rose, but a veritable rose garden in a Moroccan courtyard, shaded by neroli, bitter orange and petitgrain. It is easy to tell that this bouquet contains roses from around the world, including Grasse, Morocco, India, and Turkey. These are spicy roses, deep velvety reds on a floor of vetivert and vanilla. The vetivert balances the sweetness and whispers the grass and stems are as beautiful as the petals. Rose growers will recognize this rose perfume, but tea rose scent admirers may not. Having a collection of rose oils from around the world, I would hazard a guess that there is less Rose de Mai and Turkish rose and more of the Moroccan and Indian notes. There is also the surprising addition of heather absolute, possibly a signature from its creator, George Dodd, who operates from a remote part of the Scottish highlands. By the way, I am going to attend a talk he is giving this evening on Perfume at the Dana centre in London…
One of the most interesting and unusual fragrances in the collection is the Oeillet or Carnation, although I did find some superficial similarities with Mona di Orio’s carnation. This is a spicy floral. Teasing with top notes of bergamot, clary sage and galbanum it is followed by actual Indian carnation absolute, the kind mentioned in the Kama Sutra. This also has basmati flower and cistus. The alto on the base has patchouli, vanilla and heliotrope as well as the plant musk. I smell spicy banana flambe, peppery and creamy cointreau. This has an earthy aroma and the closest to an oriental of the collection. However, this is the one I would be least likely to wear myself.
The final floral is the Jasmine. This contains the precious oil where one million flowers are needed to produce one kilo. My nose leads me to a Jaipur jasmine garden at night, while eating blood red oranges from a silver plate and walking barefoot in the dried grass. This is inviting with an icing of pineapple, vervein, heather (here it is talisman like again), cradled by bountiful blooms of jasmine, orange, broom, lavender and rose. Sweetened by vanilla, vetivert, plant musk and lovage. This scent reminded me of one of Mandy Aftels solid perfumes of Jasmine and orange, with the more fruity sparkle and herbacious depth to tone down the sweet cloyingness of real indolic jasmine. This is charming fragrance and an appetising introduction to naturals.
These perfumes are beautifully presented in cubed bottles and glass stoppers and the fragrances transform and sing on the skin. While intense initially due to the high absolute content, these may not have the staying power of chemical fixatives used in modern perfumery, but the scent does unfold and develop on our bodies. This is the kind of perfume that needs to be daubed with a stopper rather than sprayed on with an atomizer. For the sheer exploratory enjoyment or introduction to naturals I suggest purchasing the sample box available exclusively from the Scent Systems website for only £34. The 17ml bottles retail for £229 each. The floral fragrances are also currently available at W1 at the fabulous John Rocha shop on Dover Street. Green and Dodd also offer a bespoke perfume service, which I hope to write about another time.
Taoist Inspired Aromas
Posted by ritaglh on Feb 7, 2008
Cinq Monde has just opened their first spa shop in London, in fact the official spa opening is on 22 Feb between 12-8. I nipped in to receive a complimentary tin of Black Tea with rare spices, but more importantly to sniff out these new scents in London. In addition to Taoist, Balinese, Siam, Ayurvedic and even Brazilian treatments you can purchase their five perfumes created by Olivia Giacobetti and Jean-Pierre Bethouart. Each of the fragrances symbolically represent not 0nly Taoist elements, colour coding for energetic messages, but also five different spa rituals in five countries; Kyoto, Moroccan Atlas, Kingdom of Siam and Java.
If you would like to “surpass yourself” you could try the Kyoto Rose absolute with Ginger, associated with the Taoist element of wood. This smells of green tea and roses. (I did find similarities with a couple of Rose de Rosines scents). The ginger note is more noticeable than the rose note. On the scent strip this is associated with renewal. This scent colouring is pale green.
For a “desire to undertake” there is the red coloured Orange Blossoms of Morocco. This really does smell of orange twigs and blossoms and is described as Vitality and symbolically associated with the element of fire. I drink white tea as it is referred to in Morocco, made with orange blossom water and boiling water and this scent reminds me of my childhood orange blossom tree in the garden. According to their leaflet, this scent transmits “the desire to undertake and to make a commitment”
My favourite of the five is the sunny yellow Bergamot and Guaic Wood from the Siam range. This is gorgeous in a tropical island holiday kind of way. The key word is harmony and their perfume wheel indicates it is good for self confidence. The blurb is accompanied by a charming 18th century Thai poet, Sunthon Phu: “Gilded dusk, the sun poses its last rays on the Kingdom of Siam, reflection of an ancient time with amber colours.” This scent is supposed to meet an energy need for “comfort, equilibrium, stability and anchoring and is associated with the element of earth.
The light blue one, symbolizing inner peace and inspired by Java, is a weird scent of Eucalyptus and cinnamon. Having grown up surrounded by Eucalyptus trees in Australia, it is not a note I personally enjoy in fragrance but it does have an “energy message of reflection and decision making.” Although only a couple of notes are described in each of these fragrances there are rounding notes of other citrus and herbaceous dollops. The key word for this one is lightness and is associated with the element of metal.
Finally, the dark blue bottle holds the key to soothing away tensions. Most people who like vanilla scents will enjoy this one and it is paired with cardamom. I adore cardamom in coffee, tea and Scandinavian yeast buns. This scent is inspired by the gardens of Bangalore in India and the adjective is Inner Peace. I smell mainly pop corn and clotted cream but this is eminently wearable.
Their fragrances are accompanied by aromatic candles as well as bath and shower oils. This spa can be found on Marchmont street close to the revamped Brunswick Square.
I am not convinced that I will acquire all these virtues by wearing the colour tinged scents, but I am inspired by the marketing and cross references, as well as the contexts that these unusual scents can be found. You can try them here.
Spiritual Scent Sellers
Posted by ritaglh on Feb 5, 2008
Where can I find a scent seller like the one in a charming story by the Noble Literature Prize nominee and Korean poet, Ko Un. In his story of a pilgrims spiritual quest, called, “Little Pilgrim” there is a story about the protagonists meeting with the blue lotus perfume seller. The pilgrim Sudhana has been despairing at having learnt nothing at all on his spiritual quest, when a song drifts toward him, sung by the old perfume seller. Her lyrics are more than a market sellers chant or a PR media campaign offering empty promises. She is offering a perfume where after one breath, “your whole being will brim with joy” or anointed in that perfume, “you may enter a furnace unscorched”. Or another refrain that says that this fragrance will fill “the enemy army with thoughts of love” and a scent whereby all crimes are abolished and the smelling of which “provides a deep meditation”
As the pilgrim heard these words “a faint perfume filled the air” and his mind was “delivered from the melancholy… and once again overflowing with joy.
Who can tell me, have you found such a fragrance?
In the middle ages pilgrimages were a way to see the world, and seek God’s favour, receive blessing and healing amongst many other motives. Most places of pilgrimmage sold souvenirs of the pilgrims journey. In addition to pilgrim badges, people could purchase clay or metal ampullae (small holy water flasks) to carry back on the journey home. Here is a wonderful article on Pilgrimmage Art on PDF and here are some UK detector finds of Ampullae. The image I have added is of an ampullae available to see at the V&A museum in London. If you are interested in buying replicas try here. The name for this blog was inspired by these ancient ampullae and I draw parallels between my modern day search for the odor of sanctity, with the medieval tradition of buying bottles of holy water. Are we not all buying something much more ineffable than scented water? With names like opium, samsara, virtue, pleasure, joy etc are these not qualities closer to emotions, virtues and divine qualities?
On my recent trip to Paris I happened upon two organic perfumes promising “vitality” and “presence” and beneficial for L’Esprit. Traditionally, aromatherapy has extolled the physical and healing benefits of scents and oils, as does Unani Medicine and many religious traditions. There are even certain Afro Carribean Protestant Christians, according to W. Zane in his book Journey’s to the Spiritual Lands” where in a ritual called “Rising” the floor that a pilgrim has laid on is spiritually cleansed by washing it with perfume. In one extraordinary church the famous Florida Water is poured on the floor and then set fire to. The pilgrim is then made to walk through the fire. (Disclaimer: do not try this at home!) Apparently, the pilgrims spiritual journey becomes more intense and vivid after this ritual. Historical recipes for this water include ingredients such as bergamot, lavender, lemon, cinammon, ylang ylang, neroli, jasmine, musk and rosewater. Even the original bottle lable may refer to the Fountain of Youth said to have been located in Florida.
I wonder why am I surprised by a perfume marketing suggestion that by wearing their perfume, I will magically acquire virtues? (my own words) The fragrances are really rather interesting. Presence de Bach has notes of Clematis and Vervain, wild rose and honeysuckle on a base of oak, pine and and crab apple. It is reminds me of cologne and a herbacious and softer version of 4711. Vivacity, also manufactured by Fleur Essences et Harmonie, is sweeter and floral. It has Gorse, Centaury, Hornbeam, Chestnut, and Olive on a base of Larch and guess what: Mustard! The sales staff at Le Printemp asked me which one I preferred and I would have to say Vivacity.
Here is a poem by the famous poet Ummi Sinan and translated in a soon to be published book by the singer and musician Latif Bolat: (Try substituting the word perfume for the word rose in this poem and come close to a concept of a perfume paradise…)The Rose by Ummi Sinan
I dreamt I came to a magnificent city
whose palace was the rose, rose.
The crown and throne of the great sultan
his garden and chambers were the rose, rose.
Here they buy and sell but roses
and the roses are the scales they use;
the marketplace and bazaar are all roses, rose
is for the rose, rose.
Roja Dove - finding my signature fragrance
Posted by ritaglh on Feb 1, 2008
Anyone reading my blog might think I work for the Haute Perfumery, but I don’t blame you for thinking so. Yesterday, I discovered my signature scent cost an aspirational £1000 pounds! But if I could live on perfume alone, I would buy it. I had been looking forward to an exclusive fragrance consultation with one of Roja Dove’s personally trained specialists, ever since I received my glossy black exclusive invitation at the V&A. This is something every woman should try at least once in their life and at only £50 for a moment of luxury and discovery it is superb value for a lifelong investment.
I was invited to sit in the black lacquered den, surrounded by embroidered silk cushions and offered a drink. An attentive staff member invited me to add ice and lemon to my still water as I waited for Clement to return with three test strips, plucked from a lalique box with rippled glass inlay. I was introduced to the process and we commenced with a floral, chypre and oriental. All the test strips were sprayed secretly, so I couldn’t rely on what I already knew about fragrances houses or bottles. Hence, I came to the strips fresh, instructed only to have two at a time, one in each hand, only to alternate between the two at intervals. (Just like when alternating between a lollipop and a gherkin, as you lick the sugar after a gherkin, it tastes all the sweeter for it.) More than once I accidentally hit my nose with the scent strip, which of course is taboo for scent sampling, as a little of the fragrance remains stuck on your nostril.
To my surprise, I gravitated toward the orientals, which was Shalimar by Guerlain, so a whole new world of fragrance family was introduced to me that day. I have always inclined towards floral aldehydes, so this was like rediscovering perfume all over again for the first time. I was then asked what perfumes do I have at home, and of course, this took a while. I have an eclectic collection consisting of some classics like Ma Griffe, Balenciaga Le Dix, Diorissimo, Osmanthus by Different Company, Lady by Contessa di Casteliogne, Clean, L’ame Soer by Divine, Violet scents, pure rose oils, pure sandalwood, Agarwood/aloeswood and numerous middle eastern perfumes, including ones from Arabian Oud, Black Musks, Al Qurashi and obscure Islamic perfume shops around the UK, but I will save the rest for another time.
Left alone for a moment and tempted to peak, Clement went off to spray a further 12 scent strips, with only mysterious numbers or letters to identify them. Two by two I enjoyed most of them, but this game required eliminating one scent at each round. This was harder than it sounds but the consultant was resolute. I had to choose. I was given little poetic introductions, just whispers and hints of what was to come, but never influenced to like or dislike. One’s I had to discard included Guerlain Shalimar, Caron En Avion, Roja Dove’s own Enslaved, Mitsouko, Ombre Rose which I almost held on to till the end and some exlcusive scents whose names I cannot recall.
The ones I was ready to fight for to keep included a semi bespoke including No 7, and ambergris sonata, and No 4 was the closest I have ever come to smelling a fragrance reminiscent of burying my nose deeply into a glorious fresh bouquet of fragrant blooms. I could barely pry my nose away from this scent strip and only let go once I had smelt no. 6. Oh that number 6! My signature scent. This perfume smells of happiness, joy and excitement on a sunny spring day off, to enjoy art and countryside, loved ones and hope. It fizzes and sparkles and is transported on velvet couches of resin. Even my loving husband commented on how wonderful I smelt when I got home.
To smell this perfume is a rush and to use my daughter’s catch phrase, it rocked my world. It is suggestive of how the original Shalimar may have smelt with a large spritz of bergamot and one of the roundest “seamless” compositions as Clement described it. It comes in thick card casket, a black velvet bag with purple satin interior and in a traditional perfumers flask, containing 250 ml. So at £4 per ml, this is actually good value. This semi bespoke range is not on display and only available in limited editions of 50 per fragrance, when these exclusive scents are sold, then fini. There were many other fragrances I smelt that were simply glorious, but when you have smelt the best, will I ever be able to accept another scent as comprise ever again? Fortunately, perfume though is not like love, there are so many scents in the world to enjoy and I have only scratched and sniffed my way through a tiny portion. This is one of the pleasures in discovering fragrance, hoping to one day discover a scent of holiness that can transform you into a fragrant being just by inhaling.
Perfumed Chocolate
Posted by ritaglh on Feb 1, 2008
Kaori: “meaning perfume, scent and fragrance.” The language of scent has been borrowed to describe a plethora of taste or gustatory sensations. I am always trying to find ways to eat perfume as well as imbibe it. So discovering delicacies where the lines blur is always a pleasure. Whether it be describing cigars, teas, coffee, sugar, sweets, cheese, oils, vinegars, wine or in this case chocolate and fragrance we reach to same language.
The Japanese language has a beautiful vocabulary to describe the pleasures and aesthetics of scent and emotion, and how the expression of such art resonates within us. Galler, the Belgian Chocolate sell an exotic chocolate box called Kaori. Within the orange casket lie brushes of perfumed chocolate sticks to dip into aromatic inkpots and thus with “compose your own Kaori.” The three compositions are powders of orange and nibs, tea and poppy and a gold liquid of Kalamansi (a Japanese citrus). The brushes are filled with flavours of saffron, yuzu, cardamon, ginger, vanilla & coconut and lastly strawberry with balsamic.
If I could create my own chocolate brushes, I would add rose, violet, jasmine, pandan, kewra, musk, orange blossom, cinnamon, honey, frankincense, grapefruit, truffle, salt, pepper, chilli, galangal, ginger, tonka bean, sumac among others. For the dips I would choose perfumed gooey fondants, ganaches, caramel, honey, gold flakes and my imagination runs wild… But Galler has read my mind, they have also created Les Florales, ganaches scented with rose, jasmine, violets and orange. These can be found at Harrods in London.
If you are looking for a romantic chocolate box for Valentines Day, I can also recommend another favourite Chocolate house, La Maison Du Chocolat. They do subtley scented ganaches and also the occassional ganache making/tasting workshop. Their new “The Book of Love” box includes an actual book with 6 stories of Love and Chocolate, charming vignettes written by the French journalist Emmanuelle Gaume. The ganaches include rose petals, caramel, mint, chilli and passionfruit with liquorice.
For caramel she writes: “love would be the true reason of my existences, my search to conserve and always seek these pure and sublime moments.” I would love to quote more, but I suggest you read it yourself.
Finally, I can’t write about perfumed chocolate without mentioning my most favourite truffle I have ever tasted. Rococo’s Chocolatiers make fresh rose oil scented truffles with a crispy outer shell rolled in pure chocolate nibs. When I bite into the outer layer, the wonderful texture and bitternes of the nibs enrobe a soft sweet rose center that melts rapidly in the mouth. One of the most blissful chocolate perfume experiences. They also sell geranium, rose, violet, saffron, and jasmine amongst many other traditional perfume notes in their chocolate. They also have fabulous events during chocolate week in London, I attended a quaint chocolate and storytelling session last summer.
Please let me know of any other perfumed chocolate recommendations, thankyou.
Chloe- curious tickler
Posted by ritaglh on Jan 31, 2008
With a promise of a rose scent and gorgeous bottling, I really wanted to like Chloe Eau de Parfum. But why oh why did I smell insect repellant? I was shocked but bashfully asked for a sample, I had to give this another chance. The first curious sensation is of sticking a feather up my nose and giving it a twirl… My next response is to avoid getting powdered soap flakes in my nose. (As a child I used to grate soap and sprinkle it into the bath to fool my mother into thinking I had washed really well.) This is unlike any reaction I have had to a perfume before and if for nothing else it is a worthwhile experience, just for the uniqueness. But I can imagine people loving it or loathing it.
With a massive launch party in Paris back in October and its very own three muses, I was interested. Anja Rubik, a model described it as a “floral and unique”, The actress Clemence Poesy declares it “young, fresh and romantic” and finally the third muse, Chloe Sevigny thinks it is “almost edibe and beautiful”. Since last Sunday Londoners can sample this perfume at Harrods on pretty ballet slipper coloured ribbons. I checked with two different sales staff and they both described the scent as rose with lychee, honey and cedarwood base.
One of the two perfumers, Michel Almairac, commissioned by Coty to create this perfume created the beautiful Ambrette for Le Labo (available at Liberty). According to the publicity this fragrance is composed of rose, peony, lychee, freesia, magnolia, lily of the valley, amber and cederwood. Chandler Burr described it as being like fabric softener, but for a more positive take try reading the review at the Moodie Report .
The bottles are are very attractive though, with silver tops and ribbed ribbons, with miniature bottles as a gift with purchases. The marketing, packaging and promotion are all exemplary and I am sure this fragrance will find a devoted following. The black and white photos are reminiscent of 1970’s photos and the flesh toned accessories are chic, but not all of a perfumes success is dependent on the exterior and without inner beauty and attraction I will sadly be passing this one by.
Prices: 30ml £35, 50ml £45, 75ml £60
Nibbling Violets
Posted by ritaglh on Jan 30, 2008
Owing to a rare find of a vintage Devon violets bottle and a request for violet perfume, my attention has gravitated towards a violet theme this week. (The bottle on the right with a hand painted violet still smells great, with notes of absinth, actual violet leaf and sweet violet top notes.) For those who know me as obsessed with roses, it seems an act of betrayal to write about violets first, but I will brave the recriminations. I already had a collection of rose sweets from around the world, including the Japanese Kanebo rose bubble gum, rose water, boiled Gulab sweets from India, cachous from England, rose shaped drops from Italy, rose creams, fondants, syrups, confit, jam, crystallised petals, rose honey from Bulgaria, turkish delight, Iranian rose ice-cream, German rose elixir, rose sugar and Chinese rose tea, not to mention other rose oils and rose themed collection. (Yes, I will write about them another time..)
Violets have traditionally been the flowers that were exchanged on Valentines day and ebay still sells hundreds of vintage violet postcards. Here in the UK we can still buy parma violet sweet rolls. Charbonnel and Walker even supply rose and violet creams to the Queen. So, violets are not extinct yet, though definitely not as popular as at the turn of the century. The Liberties Store florist were selling bunches of violets just this week, though only lightly scented.
My first memory of violets involved a visit as a child to an old lady who had a dresser full of violet perfumes and purple Nick knacks. She taught eye exercises and promised that if I did them daily I would have good eyesight. I still perform them and when I do I recall the smell of violets and all things sweet and purple.
My journey for the perfume coincided with a search for all the edible violet sweets I could find in London. I found violet cremes from Fortnum and Masons, both smothered in milk or dark chocolate, Prestat, Bendicks and Rocco’s violet cremes and violet chocolate block, even little purple violet boiled sweets in a cube, thick violet syrup and crystallised violets, tins of violet sweets from Italy, French Flavigny violet cachous and even petite round tins of violet sweets from Harrods. I tasted violet tea at Laduree’s, who also do a charming violet room spray, bought violet perfumed turkish delight and licorice pastilles scented with violet too. I even found long purple lollipops.
There were also more violet themed perfumes than I thought there would be. My favourite would have to be Berdoues Violette de Toulouse, sweet but not cloying, a powdery iris with a soprano voice. Another charming fragrance is the Penhaligons Violetta range. Courtesy of a very enjoyable and informative “Fragrance Profiling Appointment” I had the opportunity to explore their fragrances in a salon upstairs with a cup of tea and chocolate. I bought the lush Violetta hand and body cream and the old fashioned violetta talcum powder.
My favourite men’s fragrance shop, Trumpers do a masculine Ajaccio Violets fragrance, shaving soap and shaving cream. Apparently, Italian men in particular love this fragrance. This is a citrusy violet with light woody undertones, eminently wearable. Previously I have smelt and enjoyed Borsari’s Violetta di Parma, though it was nowhere to be found this week. A sublime and very popular violet fragrance, coupled with rose is Lipstick Rose editions Malle, available from Les Senteurs. I can’t imagine any woman not liking this one. Yardly also do a presentable Violet perfume, though a little sweet and cheerful and have been making it for many years and at around £11 it is also affordable. Even Jo Malone has a violet scented item in her collection, the Parma Violets Tea Linen Spray. Thanks to a complimentary arm and hand massage while exploring their fragrance range, Sarah the facialist introduced me to the secret spray, which she admitted using copiously in her own bedroom and on her clothes. I just had to have it too, with its lemony tea and light floral scent, it was an impulse buy.
A new, fresher and greener take on the violet theme is Violette by fresh. This has top notes of Bergamot and mandarin and a woody base with Patchouli and Sandalwood. Laura Mercier has a relatively recent addition to her fragrance line called aptly Violetta and sweet like the others. The company from Grasse, L’Aromarine also make Violette Eau de Toilette, amongst other single note fragrances. I found the Caron Violette Precieuse a little heady though blowing with a breeze of violets. I also bought a Violet Bath and shower Creme from the Rose & Co Apothecary, which is only reminiscent of violets, but still delicate.
Believe it or not, the hardest fragrance to find were the Devon violets perfume, from here in the UK, whose vintage bottle started this violet excursion. Please let me know which store in London stocks this, as I could only find it online. I will end with a quote from my spiritual teacher who upon noticing I was not particularly pleased with something, urged me to go and smell some violet perfume to make me happy! I did, and it did..
Divine-mmm! Maybe..
Posted by ritaglh on Jan 24, 2008
This was a fortuitous find, the Paris Boutique of Parfums Divine and close to Fragonard’s Perfume Museum too. I first came across this range at Liberty in London last year and immediately hinted to my husband that he would love the scent of L’Ame Soer on me. He duly obliged and I am the proud owner of a large size, which is now regrettably half empty. (I save this one for sleep and my pillow testifies to this.) It is rare for me to find a perfume that I fall in love with at first whiff, especially considering I spend a lot of time on my quest for the odor of sanctity, dismissing almost all as unworthy suitors.
So I wonder why this scent is so glorious? According to the Divine Olfactory Book it is a “hymn to adore” and of “innate sensuality,” and “The most beautiful of encounters…” Well, yes I concur.. I do have a preference for floral aldehydes, including Chanel 5, Balenciaga’s Le Dix and Arpege of Lanvin and L’Ame Soer falls under this family. With a classic combination of rose, jasmine and ylang ylang, a base of ambergris and aldehydes to make them dance, this may explain the attraction. I wear some scents for prayer, some for happiness, some for confidence, some for freshness but this one I wear because I am a woman.
Walking into this shop was a pleasure indeed. With a fresh white interior, chic black and white chairs, paper flowers displays and a spectrum of flacons, books to peruse and a knowledgable assistant, I didn’t leave in a hurry. There are only six glorious fragrances, two of which seem to be for men, which left three more for me to explore. My next favourite would have to be L’Infante, a friendly floral with jasmine, ylang ylang but with the warmth of musks and a tonka bean and vanilla base. A little like a blend of dessert and an apertif.
Divine seems made for a lady, a floral chypre, tuberose, orange and rose de mai, with the support of sandalwood and musk. L’Inspiratrice is more of an oriental and their most recent creation. It has notes of patchouli, rose, topped by bergamot and some vetiver and more tonka and vanilla. I think some men could wear this too. Of the two men’s fragrances I prefer L’homme de Coer to L’Homme sage. It has some powdery iris and fresh herbs and berries on a base of woods, a very attractive scent for a man and for some women too.
The attendant Natalie, a perfume marketing expert shared that her five year old son likes and wears one of the men’s fragrances. But this perfume doesn’t need marketing. Yvon Mouchel, the brands creator works from Dinard in Brittany and his goal is to offer, “to each man and woman the olfactory world that he or she seeks.”
And buy, they do. They sell over 10,000 bottles a year in France and abroad. While I was in the shop, more than a couple of customers bought bottles immediately, although they only met the scents for the first time. I wish this shop was in London, but for those who are fortunate enough to go to Paris, this shop makes for a rewarding visit. Divine, 3 rue Scribe, 75009 Paris. www.divine.fr