The scent makes the woman

I love perfumes. They add definition, drama and passion to my character. Like any other woman I have different perfumes for different occassions. What sets me apart from what I dare to say the rest of the population is my obsession for rare, exclusive perfumes. In my book it’s a travesty to buy any D&G, Versace or Estee Lauder perfume (with the esception of a few….I will come to those later). It is hence that several well meant perfumes (or fragrances to be precise although I hate the word) from an equally well meaning husband get handed down to my daughter. In this way she’s come into posession for everything from Hermes to Narcisse Rodriguez.

Last night I worked on composing an email to a perfume ally of mine, describing my own favourites. This provides ample opportunity to share some of my perfume esoterica with you…

“I am not one for commercial fragrances. Now and then Reinout buys me those but they often gets handed down to my daughter. Having said that one perfume that did struck me as a rather potent floral from one of the “standard” perfume houses is Estee Lauders Tuberose Gardenia. I love Tuberose (classic in Fracas and Versaces carbon copy Blonde). I also like Gucci Eau de Perfume as well as Balmain’s Amber Gris ( a very soft scent, almost velvety scent, but I doubt it uses real amber gris as it’s very hard to get) and Lancome’s classic oriental Magie Noir.

For the rest they are all obscure, from equally obscure as well as old houses.

Piguet: Fracas & Bandit (bandit being one of the strangest perfumes I ever worn. I only wear it if I have to give a presentation to add drama to my persona). Fracas, do I need to say more? Forever associated with the misty streets of Milano and a crush on my then colleague.

Maitre Perfumer et Gantier (originally what perfume makers were, making perfumes as well as gloves). They are one of the few new houses I know that apply the really old techniques. Currently I have two florals of them: Jardin Blanc and Tuberose (is said to use real amber gris). All very powdery and “dark” for being florals.

Caron: My favourite house. Narcisse Noir being one my all time favourites. Deep, haunting…I always gets the association of orange blossom (or oranges at least), but it’s probably the overpowering narcisse extract. Bellodgia is more upbeat….St Tropez, Cannes, but harbours a more deep sultry scent in it’s dry down. Tabac Blond another favourite, based on suede and tabacco.

Another strange scent is Schiaparelli’s Shocking. It smells of insence mixed with sun drenched skin. Very animalistic.

Serge Lutens is another “new” perfume house, making very distinct, french perfumes. I love Daim Blond, and recently bought Fille en Eiguilles for Reinout. All perfumes are in fact unisex (not in the CK one sense of the word)  but based on musk, sandal, vetiver.

Guerlain: Mitsouko (see belle de jour) and L’heure blue (the name says it all!)

Lastly, Comme des Garcons no 2 is great for both men and women, another woody, earthy perfume.”

Lastly, for those who missed the beautiful article on dark side scents, read this previous blog post: www.fracasnoir.com/scents-of-desire/

A few treassured perfumes