Basenotes - Blogs http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php Discussion about perfumes and fragrances en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:32:26 GMT vBulletin 60 http://community.basenotes.net/images/misc/rss.jpg Basenotes - Blogs http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php Let there be Polarization !!! http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=668 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:30:52 GMT Image: http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh68/Bombdropperz/high-wire1.jpg Where are the risk-taking designer houses? Do they exist anymore? ...

Where are the risk-taking designer houses? Do they exist anymore?

Have you noticed that controversial fragrances usually succeed over the long haul? Compare any one of them to a non-offensive,middle-of-the-road, majority pleasing release and the scent that refuses to take chances will generate a certain amount of $$$ upon public introduction, then fade into obscurity. The one that polarizes however, continues on its merry way; supported by its loyal constituency.

As the saying goes...."the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward". I believe there's more to it than that. The daring creations are certain to have detractors, but their fans become more steadfast over time once comparisons are made to newer releases and it serves to reinforce their allegiance.

I'd much rather be the creator of a scent that empowers variance. The financial reward may be slower and manifest itself incrementally, but at least there would be longevity of production. What does it profit, in terms of $$$ or gratification, to create a fast buck fragrance the bores the buying public within a year or less?

Bring on the designer house risk takers dammit !!! Someone out there, please grow a set of nuts and save me from this sea of utterly uninspired and mindless juice that passes for masculines today. I am losing faith quickly. ]]> AromiErotici http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=668 Dry, salty, green skin and perfume selection http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=667 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:43:19 GMT A while ago I spoke with a perfume consultant who sniffed my skin and told me that I had salty green skin. He said that he also had salty green skin... A while ago I spoke with a perfume consultant who sniffed my skin and told me that I had salty green skin. He said that he also had salty green skin and suggested that I stay away from leather fragrances, completely synthetic fragrances and strong spices. He urged me to speak with perfume lovers who might have the same type of skin. Since my skin is dry, I prefer wearing an Eau de Parfum so my fragrance lasts. Do any of you have salty green skin and if so, do you have any perfume suggestions for me?

Thank you,

fragrant jasmine ]]> fragrantjasmine http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=667 Helen Keller http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=666 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:16:23 GMT Image: http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss196/ECaruthers/HelenKellerWithaRose_30.jpg Diane Ackerman’s *A Natural History of the Senses...

Diane Ackerman’s A Natural History of the Senses includes a section titled, Prodigies of Smell, “the most famous of whom is probably Helen Keller." In fact, Helen Keller is the only prodigy discussed. She’s also the only prodigy mentioned in the Freeks, Geeks, and Prodigies chapter of Avery Gilbert’s What the Nose Knows.

Ackerman says, “Helen Keller had a miraculous gift for deciphering the fragrant palimpsest of life, all the ‘layers’ that most of us read as a blur.”

Gilbert says, “Let’s compare her talents to ours. Smells trigger memories – check. Approaching rainstorms have a smell – check. Can smell if a house is old-fashioned and long-lived-in – check. Can smell a person’s occupation (painter, carpenter, ironworker) – check. Close friends have distinctive odors – check. Babies smell sweet – check. Nothing extraordinary so far. Helen Keller does not sound like a nasal genius.”

Interestingly, both Ackerman and Gilbert are discussing the same article, Smell, the Fallen Angel, from Keller’s 1910 book, The World I Live In. The article and the whole book are available on-line. Let’s take a closer look. I won’t quote the whole article but I suggest you read it for yourself. Gilbert considers the prose, “somewhat overripe,” but I enjoy her love song to, “The sensations of smell which cheer, inform, and broaden my life…” without which, “I should be obliged to take my conception of the universe wholly from others.”

Besides memories triggered by daisies and fruits, she mentions, “The faintest whiff from a meadow where the new-mown hay lies in the sun displaces the here and the now. I am back again in the old red barn. My little friends and I are playing in the haymow. A huge mow it is, packed with crisp, sweet bay, from the top of which the smallest child can reach the straining rafters. In the stalls beneath are the farm animals…” and, “Even as I think of smells, my nose is full of scents that start awake sweet memories …” I’ve written about a few of my memories triggered by smells but none have been as complete or detailed. And I can’t think of smells and have my nose fill with the scents. I have to say that her connections between smell and memory are so much stronger than mine that they approach a qualitative difference.

When it comes to an approaching storm, she doesn’t just say she can smell it coming. She says, “The sense of smell has told me of a coming storm hours before there was any sign of it visible.” Hours? About the best I do is notice increasing dust, wind and humidity at the same time I feel the first rain drops.

She recognizes a house as old-fashioned because, “it has several layers of odors, left by a succession of families, of plants, perfumes and draperies.”

After saying that there is no adequate vocabulary and that she must fall back on “approximate phrase and metaphor,” to describe person-odor, she says,
“Masculine exhalations are as a rule stronger, more vivid, more widely differentiated than those of women. In the odor of young men there is something elemental, as of fire, storm, and sea salt. It pulsates with buoyancy and desire. It suggests all things strong and beautiful and joyous, and gives me a sense of physical happiness. I wonder if others observe that all infants have the same scent – pure, simple, undecipherable as their dormant personality. It is not until the age of six or seven that they begin to have perceptible individual odors. These develop and mature along with their mental and bodily powers.”
When I read the quotes that Diane Ackerman included in her book, I was a little skeptical. They reminded me of Patrick Suskind’s, Perfume, The Story of a Murderer. I thought I’d Google a little and find articles about people who just imagine they can smell such things. But I didn’t find a single doubter, not even Gilbert. I did find the article and, after reading all of it several times, I judge that it rings true. Finally, I found this passage from an 1888 report by Anne Sullivan:
“Helen certainly derives great pleasure from the exercise of these senses. On entering a greenhouse her countenance becomes radiant, and she will tell the names of the flowers with which she is familiar, by the sense of smell alone. Her recollections of the sensations of smell are very vivid. She enjoys in anticipation the scent of a rose or a violet; and if she is promised a bouquet of these flowers, a particularly happy expression lights her face, indicating that in imagination she perceives their fragrance, and that it is pleasant to her. It frequently happens that the perfume of a flower or a fruit recalls to her mind some happy event in home life, or a delightful birthday party.”
I was so impressed, I had trouble understanding why Avery Gilbert wasn’t impressed. After a few more readings I decided that he was focused on the smell receptors in the nose, not on the processing in the brain. He mentions six studies in 20 years that have shown that the blind and the sighted detect odors at about the same concentration and that they are about equal in discriminating between odors. In half the studies the blind were better at naming odors but Gilbert says, “their success depended on cognitive factors such as memory rather than hyperacute perception.”

However the smell receptors in the nose work, their number and types appear to be genetically determined. The brain, however, can learn, form connections and even change the amount of “real estate” devoted to a sense or an area of knowledge. (We all devote brain space to computers and their uses. Helen Keller devoted none.) As a sensory psychologist, Avery Gilbert knows this well. 20 pages later he says that the wine experts’ advantage is “brain power, rather than nose power,” and mental disciplines such as making notes as they taste. Similarly it is better mental imagery rather than better noses that lets professional perfumers, “imagine how ingredients will smell when blended.” The brain wave patterns of professional wine sommeliers and perfumers show activity in a part of the brain devoted to cognitive judgments, while non-experts showed responses in brain areas associated with primary sensory response and emotion.

This is what I find wonderful and encouraging. “Practice in making deliberate judgments about what one smells leads to changes in brain function and makes a person into a better smeller.” Or, to give Helen Keller the last words, “By themselves, odors mean nothing. I must learn by association to judge from them of distance, of place, and of the actions or the surroundings which are the usual occasions for them, just as I am told people judge from color, light and sound.” ]]> ECaruthers http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=666 What ingredient produces an Incense fragrance? http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=665 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:58:37 GMT Since I am not a scientist or chemist, I do not know what to look for in a list of ingredients. Odalisque and Sacrebleu Intense had a beautiful... Since I am not a scientist or chemist, I do not know what to look for in a list of ingredients. Odalisque and Sacrebleu Intense had a beautiful incense drydown. I was amazed how Patricia Nicolai used incense the way that Guerlain used vanilla. Now these two former beauties should be called Odal & Sacrebleu Lukewarm. What is missing from the new that was in the old? ]]> vintage*red http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=665 Charmingly cheap! - Guerlain Insolence http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=664 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:01:05 GMT Today I'm sampling Guerlain Insolence EDP, courtesy of the lovely ubu and an embarassingly slow UK postal service.

This scent makes me smile. It makes me think of Emily Lloyd as the teenage strumpet in Wish You Were Here, with its minxy brazen hussy-ness. It puts me in mind of all those British euphemisms for girls having fun - cheap, easy, the village bike and there are plenty more that escape me this early in the day. It reminds me of the girl in every 6th form who had both the grades and the boys, and if she slipped on the grades it was only ever from an A to a B.

This is a scent that smells unapologetically of perfume, in a way that many don't. This is Lipstick Rose in her slutty youth before she eased off on the violets and settled down. This would never pass as any kind of skin scent - though I haven't reached the drydown yet I'm fairly sure that this isn't one of those Your Smell But Better perfumes so loved on MakeUpAlley. And it's all the better for that. I love it, my grey day is already brighter for it. Mr Hebe loves it and has gone off to work with a twinkle in his eye muttering mmmmmmm. I think I'm on a promise xoxoxo ]]> Hebe http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=664 Palio by Lorenzo Siena http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=661 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:00:42 GMT *Palio by Lorenzo Siena * Before I reviewed Palio, I had absolutely no knowledge of Lorenzo Siena. I was given the opportunity to acquire a bottle...
Palio
by Lorenzo Siena

Before I reviewed Palio, I had absolutely no knowledge of Lorenzo Siena. I was given the opportunity to acquire a bottle a few weeks ago, and my initial impressions were very good. Having ordered the bottle on the Sunday evening, the package was shipped with some speed from New York, and was already on my doorstep in London by the Wednesday morning. The bottle itself is a simple design, angular, and devoid of too much pretension. More attention to detail was evident when examining the atomizer and cap, both are of a high quality, and fit perfectly. It may seem pedantic to mention such trifling matters, but the presentation and finish are simple touches that are often neglected in order to cut costs. See bottle below:



The Review


Notes

Top Notes: Citrus Sparkles, Fresh Pineapple, Ivy Greens, Mint Leaf
 Heart Notes: Iced Lavender, Rose, Muguet, Star Jasmine
 Base Notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli, White Musk

 The opening is quite potent, with a dominant benzoic ivy accord .A very subtle pineapple note sweetens matters, and it probably needs this assistance to avoid the top notes being excessively harsh. In fairness, this slightly synthetic opening is brief, and within a few minutes, the fragrance begins to sweeten in a more natural way.

Star jasmine and muguet create an aromatic almond accord not unlike tuberose, and the additional heart notes of iced lavender and rose, merely support and never intrude. This phase is vibrant and avoids becoming too cloying.The dry down remains nectarous, but the almond accord recedes considerably. The base is a warm and redolent fusion of sandalwood and patchouli. It is powdery and subtle, allowing the last vestiges of the heart notes to dissipate slowly, and deftly extends the life of the fragrance.

Palio is deceptively potent, and despite the dry down feeling contained and reticent, it has good longevity. The projection is modest and in keeping with this type of fragrance.

Despite being marketed as a masculine product, I can easily imagine this being used by either sex. This feels like a Miller Harris fragrance, one of the better ones. Although it will probably have limited use in my wardrobe, for an intimate encounter, it might just be the right choice.


]]> Inselaffe http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=661 ¡Revolución de las Fragancias! (¡NSFW!) http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=648 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:10:32 GMT ¡Revolución de las Fragancias! Old revolutionaries never die. They are just reborn as new ones. Image:...
¡Revolución de las Fragancias!


Old revolutionaries never die. They are just reborn as new ones.




This communiqué was intercepted recently in wardrobe-space. Rest assured that it is being investigated as we speak, and that the subversive perpetrators shall be brought to justice!

**********

Comrade Mitsouko,

It is with great pleasure that I bring you this news. You have surely heard early reports of this victory, but I wish to present you now with all the details, and to place them fully in the context of our great struggle for fragrance liberation.

You will recall that Citizen no. 5 has steadfastly refused our entreaties to join the revolutionary forces. Even though her reputation and stature would bring great credibility to the anti-genderist movement, with which she sympathizes, she has refused to be generally wearable by men. Citizen no. 5 has, indeed, been known to associate with some of our French male operatives, and thus we believe that she is not truly an enemy of the fragrances. However, she has dangerous genderist leanings, and may require reformulation under the new order. We suggest that suspicions be raised with the reactionary secret police, IFRA, so that they might begin keeping a close watch on her movements, and compiling a dossier for our eventual information.

In pursuing the cooperation of Citizen no. 5, we made contact with her daughter, Eau Première. This was indeed most fortunate. Eau Première is well-positioned in society because of her family status. She is extremely intelligent and sophisticated, having studied under followers of the revolutionary Coco, and directly under the genius Polge. She was eager to join our struggle against the genderist swine. She has adopted the revolutionary code name Première 5, and will be referred to in all subsequent coded communications as EP, which - if intercepted - should readily be mistaken as an abbreviation for "eau de parfum" which, by delicious irony, she is in public life.

Première 5's first assignment was to seduce the mayor of Wardrobe City - a bourgeois buffoon named Redneck Perfumisto. This pompous oaf makes frequent appeasing statements against genderism and genderists, but he is firmly under their influence, as shown by his close relationship with the renowned enemies "2 Man" and "Homme". Worse still, he has happily assisted with the segregation and isolation of feminines in the Perfume City ghetto. Prisoners there include our ace fighter pilot, Vol de Nuit, as well as our sexual operatives, Dior Addict and Gucci by Gucci. Even the monarchist pig Fleurs de Bulgarie, a likely poseur who claims to have been intimate with Queen Victoria, is imprisoned there under appalling conditions. The prisoners are routinely subjected to maltreatment with bright lights, stifling heat, and water tortures of various kinds. They are only allowed out of their bottles in the presence of the mayor's lackey wife, who rules Perfume City with an iron fist.

But clearly this minor bureaucrat was no match for Première 5. She has all of her mother's legendary powers of seduction, as well as the benefits of being younger and fresher. EP made contact with the target "RP" in several shops, bumping into him as if by accident. Each time he fell further under her spell. He panted over her like the dog he was, commenting how much she smelled like her mother, but that she was "young and sexy". The fool tried desperately to make his wife take her in, but she would have none of it. With great cunning, EP conspired with one of our Russian operatives, Natasha, of the Saks brigade. With her help, EP snuck into the mayor's residence, pretending to be a "sample".

It was there that Première 5 sprang her trap on the unsuspecting genderist tool. One evening while he was studying samples, she kissed him on the back of his hand and whispered in his ear. She spotted his weakness and struck it as if with a knife blade. She told him "Imagine I am Tiffany For Men Sport Cologne. Do you feel the cool of my touch? Think of my aldehydes as nothing more than the sharpness of baies de genièvre. Are we not very much alike? Or Tiffany For Men. In some ways, very feminine, no? You can love them - why can you not love me?" Ha! She was even able to convince the aspirational stooge that she could be worn like the effete snob, Tabarôme, who calls himself "Vintage", and goes by the absurd title "Private Collection". Whereas the reactionary Tabarôme demands that puritanical formalities be observed in his presence, EP showed her love for even the most modernist sensibilities. Quickly, seeking her favor, the fool RP convinced himself that she could be trusted.

Within days, Première 5 had him eating out of her hand. He praised her to all his friends. He took her wherever he went. Finally, he begged and pleaded for her to move in with him, no matter the cost.

Here is a sample of his laughable "love poetry" to Première 5:

Rubicene is red,
Dicycloocta[1,2,3,4-def:1',2',3',4'-jkl]biphenylene is blue,
Eau Première,
Because of your perfect level of aldehydes I am utterly in love with you!

His other stupid praises are just as ridiculous, but - ironically - just as true. Some examples, recorded from his private moments with her in his quarters:

"Eau, Première! Your drydown is perfect! Yet it is delayed for such a seemingly long time. How can this be? How can you maintain such a perfect balance of jasmine and aldehydes? With perfect pitch, you hold the note until I think it can remain no more, and then you hold it still! Your mentor Polge must truly be a genius!"

"Eau, freshness! You are truly freshness itself! What sport cologne can compare, I ask? Your cool beauty is beyond gender - beyond even sex. It is love! Love, I say!"

"If only Coco had lived to see your glory! If only the great Beaux could have known you! He would have surely wept at your beauty. For a brief moment I sense Heaven itself, sharing but ephemerally the tiniest part of the joy they must feel now, looking down upon you from Eternity."

"If your mother was the abstraction of beauty, then you are the abstraction of even that, for you have been given eternal youth. To think that within all the constraints of time, history, and tradition - and even the sordidness of commerce - such beauty could be liberated! As if there had been no constraint whatsoever! Like the greatest of symphonies, you are my muse beyond compare."

"You say our love is as if it were the first time. I say no - it is even before that! Your loveliness stands on its own, eternally. Your existence is not the dream of what once was. What came before was the prophecy of the unbelievable - of beauty even greater!"

The poor romantic fool! Little did he know her true mission - the liberation of all! Did he think for even a moment that such beauty could belong to him alone? Ridiculous! Even now she toys with him. I suppose we shall let it go on for a bit. Why not? There is something sadly nostalgic in hearing the man warble over her. Surely you remember those days - days when men were not afraid to speak of their love of beauty. Men spoke of me that way - and then the women as well. I remember those days. The days when such talk would not appear to be mere mockery or foolishness. And there I go again! My own foolishness. Enough.

Now, thanks to information obtained from Première 5, we have the complete plans to Perfume City, including the notorious "Dungeon of the Samples". We anticipate with revolutionary fervor the imminent liberation of our comrades.

Please forward this information as quickly as possible to our fellow travelers Mugler and Audigier (the latter, code-named Emperor du Fromage). If we follow the recent sabotage operation by Commander Kenzo, code-named "Power", with lightning-swift and successive blows against the genderists, it may be possible to spread the revolution before they have time to react. Comrade Première 5, who I am now proud to announce by her new rank of Lieutenant, has showed us the true path to liberation.

Beauté, Qualité, Modernité!

Your brother sister sibling in the revolution,

Comrade Jicky

PS: And of course the je ne sais quoi of gender struggle, Wearabilité.

**********

Public Notice: The escaped prisoner Redneck Perfumisto, formerly mayor of Wardrobe City, has been sentenced in absentia for association with traitors and rebels. He was last seen heading West on I-70 with the spy Eau Première duct-taped to the "sissy-bar" of his motorcycle. We assume he was wearing one of those Ed Hardy long-sleeved tee-shirts, although possibly with an Hermès scarf. ]]> Redneck Perfumisto http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=648 I miss my sense of smell http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=660 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:23:34 GMT I have recently been plagued with an upper respiratory infection that was shortly followed by my current sinus infection. I miss enjoying my... I have recently been plagued with an upper respiratory infection that was shortly followed by my current sinus infection. I miss enjoying my fragrances. I feel so distant from Basenotes right now because it only makes me feel sad about my current olfactory shortcomings. I miss everyone here in the Basenotes community and really look forward to being back and active here soon. ]]> laral28 http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=660 <![CDATA[Newer or "Modern" Chypres: Oakmoss Out, Beeswax In?]]> http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=659 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:39:00 GMT The thread we were pursuing about Chanel *Antaeus*, and the interesting question of the use (or not) of oakmoss in its original formula (or... The thread we were pursuing about Chanel Antaeus, and the interesting question of the use (or not) of oakmoss in its original formula (or subsequent possible reformulations) seems to have shifted focus. The question seems to have come around to what the future of chypres will be with no (or much less) oakmoss. Also, another matter has come up: the use of beeswax absolute in chypres.

The effect of the 1991 IFRA recommendation on restricting levels of oakmoss in fragrances seems to have been to lead to the development of what we are now hearing called "modern chypres," i. e., scents which are "recognizable" chypres, but which rely less (or not at all) on oakmoss in their formulation. A corollary element in this discussion is the question of how the use of beeswax absolute might compensate for the reduction or absence of oakmoss in the formula.

Before saying any more, I must confess that what I will have to say here is all hypothetical and "hunch" thinking; but I'll risk wasting your time anyway:

Beeswax was already used in Antaeus, perhaps (or perhaps not) in conjunction with oakmoss, so why not consider it in the construction of a newer chypre where it seems to be given more prominence? I'll propose for an example to consider:

Tom Ford Special Blends
Moss Breches
(2007)
Top Notes: Tarragon, Rosemary, Clary Sage
Middle Notes: Beeswax Absolute, Spices
Base Notes: Labdanum, Patchouli, Benzoin, Moss

The name "Moss Breches" itself alludes to two of the major ingredients in the formula: tree moss and beeswax absolute. The first is obvious, and the second is explained here:
... "breches" [is] more often written "brèches" in French and sometimes "brêches" ... "[B]reches" can smell animalic, but it has to do with the natural musky, animalic overtones of honeycomb. "Brèches" means "honeycomb" or even more particularly according to a 1935 agricultural dictionary written by Tammo Jacob Bezemer, means something more specialized than that, that is an "old comb" as opposed to a fresh one. [Reference]

And that honeycomb note has aged and become "riper" perhaps, but how exactly might that help fill the missing or reduced oakmoss gap? It may have something to do with the presence of propolis in the honeycomb.
Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately 6.35 millimeters (0.3 in) or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax. [wikipedia article "Propolis"]
The article, speaking of the uses of propolis in the bees' construction of their hive, goes on to mention that (apart from its use as a sealant of small gaps in the structure), it serves as an antiseptic and preservative, and is even sometimes used to encase and isolate decaying alien elements that have entered the hive and cannot be removed by the bees.

But tree products (the sap, pollen, resins, etc., in propolis) present in beeswax? In any case, the complex interrelation between animal and plant life has its implications for the natural production of perfume materials; it comes into sharper focus in the case of beeswax and propolis occurring in close proximity, even to the point of being processed together in the extraction of oils and absolutes. The animalic and plant-derived elements seem to become fused in this process. (And the resinous character of propolis may echo the resinous nature of oakmoss and labdanum absolutes in the chypre accord.)

Perhaps a significant parallel can be seen here with oakmoss and other tree mosses themselves, in that they are in actuality not mosses at all, but lichens. And lichens are biologically speaking a combination of two different life forms living in symbiosis: "a fungus (the mycobiont) with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium." [wikipedia article "Oakmoss"]

Here, it may be worth noting a further element in the structure of Moss Breches, one that has not been much remarked upon, namely the use of clary sage; and consequently, its potential use in other "modern chypres." This note used to be a fairly common element in chypres and fougères as well, though its possible role in supporting the characteristic "ghost note" effect in either of them is not clear.

Clary sage oil is obtained by steam distillation, and has been variously described as "sweet, nutty, herbaceous"; "resembling [Balsam of] Tolu"; "bright, earthy, herbaceous, with a subtle fruity note"; "fresh, sweet herbaceous odor and wine-like bouquet with ambergris note developing, reminiscent of tobacco and coriander-like notes"; and "reminiscent of muscatel wine." The value of this can be seen more easily perhaps in relation to the fougère accord, in particular as supporting and softening the lavender note and blending it with the hay-like character of coumarin.

A few of the older and newer chypres and fougères in which it figured are Aramis, our old friend Antaeus, Arrogance Uomo, Ayalitta, Canoé, Carven Homme, Caron Pour Un Homme, Étienne Aigner No. 2, Green Water, Monsieur Rochas, Platinum Égoïste, Patou pour Homme, and Versailles pour Homme. Search on the term "clary sage" in the Basenotes Directory, and you get four pages of results, though some are neither chypres nor fougères.

Well, that might be something to get the conversation on filling the "oakmoss gap" started. Any interest in further discussion along these lines, or any others from wiser heads than mine?
 ]]> JaimeB http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=659 Guerlain Boisé Torride: A Prediction Materialized http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=657 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:45:25 GMT In August 2008, based on an entry I found in the European Community Trademarks Database, I predicted... In August 2008, based on an entry I found in the European Community Trademarks Database, I predicted that an upcoming Guerlain fragrance would be named Bois Torride. I speculated that it would be part of the L'Art et la Matière line.

In August 2009 (you can tell I've been absent from the fragrance scene for a while, you know, finishing my law degree and such?), Perfume Shrine confirmed that the name would actually be Boisé Torride, and it would be part of the Elixirs Charnels line. Grain de Musc seized on the news, and I can't tell whether or not Carmencanada was being snippy or merely clarifying things for her readers when she emphasized that the name was "not 'bois' as has been reported." I'd just like to point out that, if you search the database right now, the trademark registration is still for "Bois Torride." Seems there might be some lack of communication between Guerlain's marketing and legal departments!

As an aside, and contrary to my initial reaction, I realize that it would be most ungracious of me to be bothered that Perfume Shrine is getting all the credit for my prediction of last August. Helg is a lovely person (who was recently kind enough to send me a wax sample of Fourreau Noir!), and she maintains a great, high-profile blog. I also probably shouldn't be bothered that, as it would appear from the comments on the linked Perfume Shrine entry, Octavian Coifan has now taken up my strategy of searching the EU trademarks database for Guerlain news! I personally am extremely excited about Tonka Impériale, tonka being possibly my favourite note, but I can't find it in the database anywhere. Hm... how odd... ]]> kopah http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=657 The aura; the mystery; the mood http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=655 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:34:48 GMT Nothing makes me feel better than a shower and some scent. If I'm in a bad mood, or want to play with my image, a spritz will do the trick.

I am VERY GLAD to have found this site; to know that there are other people out there who are as fascinated
by fragrance as I am.

Since I was 14, I have been wearing Robe D'un Soir, by Carven. My Dad brought me back a bottle of the eau de cologne from France in 1967. I cannot describe the effect this unusual scent has had on people, except to say I had no trouble getting boyfriends-or a husband-and people say
"what are you wearing"..alas it is now discontinued. I use the original that comes in a green & white package, not the reformulation (circa 1991) that comes in a silver box. I've tried a few other things, but always come back to this--it is the best "juice" I have ever used-bar none. ]]> promqueen http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=655 I Smell. . . Hope http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=653 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:04:31 GMT For the last few weeks, I've been getting phantom whiffs of favorite scents. I know they're not real, because I have put all my bottles and samples away in a box in the hall closet. It happens at odd times. When I am at work. When I am in the grocery store. When I am driving down the road.

Was that Hypnotic Poison I smelled? Did I just smell Rive Gauche pour Homme?

Or in the store, I'll pass by the latest celebrity ad for perfume, and sigh wistfully, having accepted that I cannot sniff it just out of curiosity.

Is it withdrawal? Pregnancy psychosis? I dunno. But I get just a little tinge of sadness when I think about how I haven't been able to wear anything for so long. I have to wonder, are these phantom smells heralding a return of my ability to wear any of these without puking? I'm almost scared to find out. It's like I've been trained now to avoid them, and I am reluctant to be disappointed once again.

Nevertheless, due date is fast approaching. I'm getting sick of people telling me I look like I'm going to pop any day now. Thanks, folks. I am *not* Jiffy Pop (tm). ]]> Aiona http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=653 I love Mr Hebe! http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=652 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:01:38 GMT He's been working in London today. Having quietly established that he wasn't working near Les Senteurs, I got on with my day.

Phone call 1: "Guess where I am?"
Me: (hopefully) "Outside the front door?"
Mr H: "Sorry, no, but I'm outside Penhaligons and would you like anything?"
Me: (hopefully): "A sample of Amaranthine please, if they have any".
Him: "ok, gotta go"

Phone call 2, 5 minutes later:
"They didn't have any samples, sorry. But they did have bottles so I bought one of those instead, I thought it smelled like you".
:D:bounce: ]]> Hebe http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=652 Antaeus: The Scent and the Legend http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=651 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:20:41 GMT I recently decided it had been far too long since I last wore Antaeus, Chanel's famous release of 1981, the one that put the now famous nose Jacques Polge on the map. Polge succeeded Ernest Beaux (Chanel No. 5, No. 22, Cuir de Russie, Bois des Îles) and Henri Robert (Chanel pour Monsieur, No. 19, Cristalle) as the chief nose for Chanel. Even today, Polge is behind several of the Exclusifs de Chanel, including Beige, Coromandel, No. 18, Bel Respiro, 31 Rue Cambon, and 28 La Pausa. He also created the scent which was at first called Bois Noir, but eventually came to be known as Égoïste.

But the one that concerns me here is his first big Chanel splash, Antaeus. I have loved this scent for a long time. I love chypres, and I love woody scents, and this one is both, and among the best ever made in the conjoined woody-chypre genre. I had never reviewed it on Basenotes because I felt whatever I said about it, I could never do it justice. But then I realized I must say something, that I could no longer remain silent about a fragrance I have loved for so long; so here is my recent review of it:
Chanel
Antaeus
(1981)
Jacques Polge
Woody Chypre
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Top Notes: Lemon, Lime, Coriander, Clary Sage, Myrtle, Bergamot, Cedar Oil, Fruity Notes
Middle Notes: Thyme, Basil, Rose, Jasmine, Orris Root
Base Notes: Labdanum, Beeswax Absolute, Oakmoss, Castoreum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Amber, Leather, Musk
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Antaeus is a masterpiece of its genre. The combination of myrtle and clary sage in the top note is an incredibly powerful reinforcement of the woody notes of cedar and sandalwood, and the perfect complement for the chypre accord of bergamot, oakmoss and patchouli. In fact the patchouli function in the chypre accord is seconded by labdanum in the base, as well as being strengthened by the animalic notes of beeswax and castoreum. This scent has a wonderful sillage and longevity. It is attributed legendary powers of seduction. That's as may be, but for whatever reason, it undeniably turns heads. Some people put this down as a power scent from the 80s; they may have reason to categorize it that way, but it is paradigmatic of its type, and far above even the best of its imitators.
But that is not enough to say about it. Like many perfumes, its name is as significant as its scent. And besides the legendary Jacques Polge, there is the other legend: the legend, or rather the myth, of Antaeus.

Antaeus is the Latinized name of Antaios, who in Greek mythology was a giant of Libya, the son of Poseidon, the sea god, and Gaia, the earth goddess. His wife was Tinjis. He was extremely strong as long as he remained in contact with the ground (his mother earth), but once lifted into the air he became as weak as other men. He would challenge all passers-by to wrestling matches, kill them, and and use their skulls to roof the temple of his father Poseidon. This ought not to be too surprising, since the Greek word antaios, which lies behind his name, means "set-against" or "hostile."

Herakles (in Latin, Hercules), finding that he could not beat Antaeus by throwing him to the ground, as he would regain his strength and be fortified, discovered, thanks to the counsel of his protectress the goddess Athena, the secret of Antaeus' power (touching the ground) and killed him by holding him aloft and crushing him in a bearhug. The story of Antaeus has been used as a symbol of the spiritual strength which accrues when one rests one's faith on the immediate fact of things, i. e., when one figuratively keeps one's feet on the ground. The struggle between Antaeus and Herakles, by the way, was a favorite subject in ancient sculpture.

In Latin literature, in Book IV of Marcus Annaeus Lucanus' epic poem Pharsalia, the story of Hercules' victory over Antaeus is told to the Roman Curio by an unnamed Libyan citizen.

In the language of the Berbers, which in ancient times was much more widespread than it is today in Antaeus' home of North Africa, he is known as Änti. He was a demigod in the ancient Berber religion, and legends of him still survive among that people.

So now you know as much as I know, or think I know, about Antaeus. Now how can you resist the legend, or the scent, for that matter?
 ]]> JaimeB http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=651 Comfort http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=650 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:19:16 GMT My hip’s been hurting for months, so I made myself a comfort spray to use at bedtime. The problem with hip pain (at least mine) is that there’s no... My hip’s been hurting for months, so I made myself a comfort spray to use at bedtime. The problem with hip pain (at least mine) is that there’s no comfortable sleep position. I was dreading going to bed at night. So I mixed up a spray bottle with lavender, frankincense, oud, lots of vanilla and vodka for a carrier. It’s not magic – I never expected it would be. It doesn’t put me to sleep or keep me asleep. But it is an interesting smell experience at bedtime, when I spray some on my pillow and some more on my left forearm, where it will cross my face as I lie on my left side. Doing the same thing every night has been educational. I’ve discovered that some nights I experience the lavender-frankincense-oud top note as a new note with its own character. Some nights I experience it as an astringent lavender. And some nights I just smell vanilla. When the top note is gone the vanilla lasts and lasts. When I change positions I catch a whiff of it. Some nights I detect a little lingering lavender but mostly I can’t tell that the vanilla is doing anything to make the top notes last longer. There’s pleasure in all this, and at least a small distraction.

I should back up and say that my five months of hip pain hasn’t been caused by any deficiencies in my doctors. As far as I can tell, the 3 physician’s assistants, 5 orthopedists, 2 radiologists and 2 chiropractors I’ve seen are all intelligent, well-trained and conscientious. But medical science isn’t as advanced as we all wish. X-rays show moderate arthritis in both my right hip and lower back. Some people with moderate arthritis have pain and some people have no pain. If we knew the science of why, maybe I wouldn’t be scheduled for hip replacement. But we don’t know how to turn off the pain. The four non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that I’ve taken have not kept the pain from getting slowly worse. Unfortunately, the only way to tell whether the pain I feel in my hip comes from the hip joint or from a pinched nerve in my back is to assume it’s one place, try to treat that place, then go on to the next most likely place if the treatment doesn’t work. Naturally I put off full hip replacement until last.

As I said, I don’t want to bash my doctors. But I’ve learned that diagnosis isn’t much like House, Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Doctor Kildare or Ben Casey. I haven’t concluded that American doctors are worse than those in other countries. I think they all share the same knowledge base. But I don’t think they’re better either. We just think they are because we have such great TV doctors.

Now back to my comfort spray. I wasn’t trying to make a real perfume or cologne. There are really no heart notes. I didn’t even want to stay standing long enough to experiment much with ingredients or proportions. I picked what I picked because I was comfortable with all the ingredients. But I was also not making anything close to something I love. I’m aware that people often wind up associating a scent with a bad experience and never being able to enjoy it again. See Hebe’s Corrupted memories. But the lavender, frankincense and oud combination made a top note that’s really not like anything else I know. And it’s really short-lived. Mostly I smell vanilla. And I figure I have been smelling vanilla long enough, in enough contexts, it’s probably safe.

A couple of months ago a friend at work said he found a web site saying vanilla is the most universally popular smell in the world. I couldn’t find the site at the time and I couldn’t find it when I tried again this morning.

The Social Sciences Research Center’s web site has a section called The Smell Report. The only section devoted to a single smell is Vanilla. It leads with the curious statement, “In the early 1990s, perfume makers began to introduce vanilla as a significant note in their fragrances.” Guerlain was already using the synthetic version of vanilla in Jicky, launched in 1889. I decided these social scientists were talking about gourmands and not about vanilla base notes. I kept reading and found that:
“In experiments where an odour universally regarded as ‘pleasant’ is required, vanillin has been a standard choice for decades…
“Cancer patients undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging – a diagnostic procedure known to be stressful – reported a massive 63% less anxiety when heliotropin (a vanilla fragrance) was administered during the procedure…
“…vanilla fragrance reduced the startle-reflex in both humans and animals. The animal results indicate that the calming effects of vanilla may be due to some more essential property of the fragrance than the ‘positive childhood associations’ usually invoked to explain its universal popularity with humans.”
One aromatherapy site includes among vanilla essential oil’s properties, “ a known sensual aphrodisiac… very comforting and relaxing. It can be used to fend off a multitude of maladies from an anxiety attack to a headache.” Aura Cacia lists vanilla’s aromatherapy benefits as, “calming, comforting, balancing.” Eden Botanicals says vanilla bourbon is, “Soothing to the emotions.” I’m not exactly a believer in aromatherapy, but as far as I can tell, smelling something I know and like could provide all these benefits.

I’m also very used to vanilla as the last lingering pleasure at the end of the dry down of most tobacco fragrances, many Orientals, and even some florals. Sometimes vanilla is interesting by its absence. For example, Ineke’s latest eau de Parfum, Field Notes from Paris, is described as a “woody oriental.” The notes list includes tobacco flower and leaf, coriander seed, patchouli, and tonka bean. Vanilla is also listed but I don’t smell it, so it’s an unusual oriental. It’s also a distinctly different tobacco. It’s not at all like the burnt tobacco of an ash tray. But without the sweetness of vanilla, it doesn’t remind me of pipe tobacco. Rather, I smell the tobacco and coriander as kind of a new note that’s still somehow like tobacco. It’s an interesting effect. And the duration on me seems better than any of Ineke’s first five fragrances. I’ll probably wear it. But not until I have my new hip. For now I’ll stay with the comfort of vanilla, mixed with just the few other things I added for interest.

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Disclosure: I just received a sample of Field Notes from Paris. I’m not sure it’s a freebie, since I previously bought the sample set of the first 5 fragrances. Months ago I received free samples from Czech & Speake and didn’t write any reviews of them. Call me slow, but I thought the idea was that I might like some of them enough to buy full bottles. But now that the FTC has begun to codify the obligations of bloggers, I realize that I have been shirking mine. I promise to do better in the future. Especially if any of you have rental property in Hawaii. By March I’ll be through rehabilitation and good to go. ]]> ECaruthers http://community.basenotes.net/blog.php?b=650