August 20, 2009

In this issue of we feature "Scents for a Sultry Summer"
By Elena Vosnaki, we introduce the new Creed Acqua Fiorentina, Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York, Bond No. 9 Perfume, the new Bond No. 9 Harrods for Him and Her as well as the Harrods Swarovski Limited Edition.  We feature the new Estée Lauder Private Collection JASMINE WHITE MOSS, the new Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile, new fragrance from designer JOSIE NATORI, Giorgio Armani IDOLE d’Armani fragrance review by Emmanuelle Pagès, Jovoy Custom Perfume Experience at PXA By Diane Artzberger, Profumi del Forte Review By Diane Artzberger and new fragrance QUEEN by Queen Latifah.   We are pleased to present an Interview with Perfumer Lissa Liggett of LISSA LIGGETT Perfumes, Hanae Mori Parfums support of "Pink Initiatives" this Fall, the 8th scent of “L’Oeuvre Noire” Back To Black By Kilian, new Fragrance from Parfums DelRae Mythique and a link to view my new column in Beauty Fashion Magazine called "San Francisco Beat".  We will be gearing up for Fall soon and will feature many upcoming reviews and interviews.

Next Issue: Interview with Marian Bendeth; Global Fragrance Expert and owner of Sixth Scents,
London Sniffapalooza by Divina from Fragrance Bouquet and we welcome new writer;
Cristiane Gonçalves of Perfume Da Rosa Negra from Brazil as well as new reviews.


I wished to share this with our readers...

I would like to announce that I am the new Regional Columnist for
Beauty Fashion Magazine for the San Francisco area.

My new column is called  "San Francisco Beat" and covers major beauty and fragrance events in San Francisco.

This is the July issue of Beauty Fashion Magazine 2009, the international industry and beauty magazine that also features major department stores, all of the latest in beauty products, celebrity, mass and niche fragrances and much, much more. 

You can view the new column here (3 pages)
that shows the "San Francisco Beat"

featuring Gump’s Baroque Pearl, Kilian Hennessy at Sak's Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s Yves Saint Laurent & Benefit, and Nars at Nordstrom's.

- Raphaella Barkley 

Special thank you to Adelaide Farah at Beauty Fashion!
Bond No. 9 Perfume

The Empire State meets the Gulf States, with an Arabian Nights’journey to NoHo.


Since 2003, Bond No. 9 has advanced the art of perfumery with a riveting collection of New York neighborhood scents—from Wall Street to Chelsea Flowers to New Haarlem.  But our latest fragrance, debuting in time for the holidays, takes a new direction, conjuring up a contemporary New York version of the ancient Eastern oud. 

What makes Bond No. 9 Perfume unique in our scent repertory?  For one thing, it is a study in contrasts, a mingling of East and West, Dubai and New York, ancient and modern, that captures the emerging international mood of 21st century New York.  For another thing, it is so seductive, so frankly erotic, that we went all the way with this one, rendering it not as one of our customary 20 percent eaux de parfum, but as a 30 percent concentration, thereby moving it into a category that’s rare today:  pure perfume. 
The Scent of Bond No. 9 Perfume

The world has many ouds, but here is an oud that could only come out of the fabled melting pot that is New York.  Bond No. 9 Perfume contains four superbly harmonious East/West ingredients—the fewest of any Bond No. 9 fragrance (but no more were needed).  Representing the Eastern world is earthy, sultry oud.  Playing up against it is the rose, that epitome of refined sweetness, treasured in both the Middle East and the New World.  Tonka beans from South America add to the heat with its caramel-almond flavor, while musk, from the Asian musk deer, further underscores oud’s carnal nature. 

Representing the preciousness of its ingredients, the Bond No. 9 Perfume bottle is rendered in non-stop gold, laser-etched with an overall patterning of our signature token.  Hold the bottle up to the light, and you will see through both sides and the crystal-clear perfume itself to an undulating undersea vision that captures the magic of this potion. 

Reviews coming soon!

IDOLE d’Armani by Giorgio Armani
New fragrance Review

By Emmanuelle Pagès

I first read about Idole d’Armani while getting update on upcoming fragrances’ launches online.  Reading the short olfactive description gave me already the feeling Idole is a multi-facetted composition, which truly promises to underline both femininity and seduction. Then I became the opportunity to present Idole to the German beauty press and so the chance to smell and enjoy it before it comes out here on the market.
IDOLE d’Armani is a tribute to femininity, so Giorgio Armani: “I always had a conception of ideal femininity – an irresistible combination of grace, beauty and independence. IDOLE d’ARMANI is my homage to this perfect femininity and to all the women.”  The creation of the fragrance took almost 5 years, and Giorgio Armani was actively involved in the olfactive process.

The Idole radiates an appealing sensuality and natural grace, being both exceptional and bewitching, attracting both men and women attention.
Idole brings both Italian and Oriental notes together, which also reflects Giorgio Armani own olfactive preferences. The feminine Italian elegance encounters the sensuality and persuasiveness of the Orient.

The fragrance starts sparkling fresh and fruity combining bitter orange, clementine, davana, pear and ginger.  The insertion of davana is the head is quite original and new: an aromatic herb from India with a warm sweet fruity-resinous scent.  Also the quality of the Sicilian bitter orange procures a feeling of high-quality and is longer perceptible.  The perfection, the image of the true idol emerges from the combination of rose Loukhoum and saffron, and so some will ask themselves: is Idole a fascinating floral spicy or an irresistible spicy floral fragrance? The answer will be individual, different from skin to skin.  The purity and elegance of a soft and powdery rose – somehow reminding one of the Moroccan musk rose is surrounded by the light enticing sweetness of a Loukhoum, an  oriental sweets based on nuts (mostly almond) sugar and honey which -  flavored with rose water - was one of the favorite of the harem’s concubines.

Saffron the flower connecting orient and occident:  we know it since edge but nobody really knows where it comes from, because saffron does not grow wild. The most precious parts of the plant are its stigmas, when dried they become this spicy floral slightly leathery scent. The plant blooms once a year in autumn for about 2 weeks. In order to get one kilo of these, you will need 80.000 to 150.000 blossoms, grown up on 1000 square meters acreage; the harvesting is made by hand and managed to harvest between 60 and 80 grams per day.  Therefore is saffron one of the most expensive spice (between 2000 and 8000 Euros per kg). The saffron note in Idole is pure and noble and softly melts with the skin. Further heart notes are jasmine combined with a touch of leather and honey, who playfully give new olfactive facets to the central note of the rose Loukhoum. Orientals woods smelt with Patchouli, vetiver and styrax; an exceptional woody smoky combination, which gives to the fragrance a different sensual fond. Vetiver roots of the tropical tree exude a warm earthy balmy woody scent, and have been mostly reserved to interfere in masculine fragrances, and shortly find its way to enter feminine scent, and we should not forget  that Vetiver as a men scent already pleased women so much, that they started to wear it also.

Styrax from the storax tree also known as liquid amber was the fragrance of the divinity during the Egyptian antique. It mirrors the myths and legend of Herodote; let’s revive the magic of the ancient worlds and give women wearing it a queenly feeling of being desirable, irresistible and mysterious. Its scent is floral sweet balmy and diffuses a seductive and sensual atmosphere.

Idole d’Armani is definitively a fragrance with personality and charisma bringing out while wearing it a feeling of elegance, femininity and seduction, which will differ from skin to skin and so underline one’s personality without being main stream.  - EMMANUALE

www.perfume-consulting.com   Armani website


Jovoy Custom Perfume Experience at PXA

By Diane Artzberger

I had the pleasure in June of attending the PXA perfume expo in NYC.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but knew if perfume was involved, I’d enjoy. There were many exhibitors but by the time I arrived many had left their booths. I did manage to get some great sneak peeks into what’s coming later this year and new lines.

The big highlight was getting a custom scent made by Francois Henin of Jovoy Paris . There were 4 of us who sat around a table as he consulted with us, patiently, on what notes we did or did not like. Keep in mind we were his last group of the day. He had done 40  before us and was leaving in a few hours to the airport for home in France.

In very neat old-fashioned rubber stopped bottles, we sniffed from among about 30 notes ranging the whole spectrum. He then noted on paper, what each of us preferred or disliked. Then we answered some general questions like whether we liked stronger scents etc.

After careful examination of his notes he then began to construct a scent for us from the extraits he had to the side and alcohol. He even has a very small scale that he weighs the bottle on after each addition, to get just the proper balance.

Mine proved a bit complex as I liked almost all top and mid notes. The only bottom note we could really say I liked was a moss that had pine/citrus edge to it.

He began by using Iris root butter note. I like Iris, so this was good. The straight Iris was lovely.
Then he said we needed some “powder” besides the Iris. I am not a powder fan, but put my trust in
the pro.  He added a little vanilla. It worked. I am pretty sure there was another note added before the
mossy one but I wasn’t writing this down. I was busy taking it in and taking pictures.

After Francois has created your perfume, he has equipment there that crimps the top piece onto the
bottle, inserts the atomizer and voila, it’s finished.

Now, the whole scent ended up beautifully but what went into it is not at all what I would have picked.
So in the end I got something utterly unique and not like anything else I own. Not to mention a gorgeous
scent.  There is true talent to create something that wonderful in such a short period of time. The man knows
his fragrance. We were instructed to let them sit for 3 weeks to let oils really meld.

So the final smell is a bit stronger than in the beginning with more moss. It’s Iris, moss, vanilla.
Green, but floral. Like I said, unique.


Jovoy Perfume website


Diane Artzberger has been a fragrance person for most of her life, traced back to those solid
Avon perfume pendants for kids (of which she still has one) and Loves Lemon, never Baby Soft.
She still loves citrus fragrance but has moved on from Loves, and clearly remembers that Christmas
morning she found a sample of a high end French fragrance in her stocking, and was elated, surprised,
and asked for the full bottle the next Christmas.  So, really, this is all her parents fault.  Diane discovered
a love for writing when she returned to college after some years absence, took a journalism class,
and went on to win a collegiate journalism prize. She has also written columns for her local newspaper,
and writes the beauty blog The Beauty Alchemist.



Profumi del Forte Review
By Diane Artzberger

Profumi del Forte is a niche fragrance house based in Italy. The perfumes are inspired by the history of the Italian town Forte dei Marmi . Forte dei Marmi was used in the 19th century as a place for the holiday retreats of the Italian nobility of the time.  Near Tuscany, the area is still a frequent haunt of the Italian cognoscenti  as well as artists and international visitors.

The perfumes are all  EDP formulas and the three (out of five) that I have tested, could all be considered unisex. They definitely have that Italian feel – fresh herbs, citrus, woods, the fragrant air of the Mediterranean. These are all nicely blended and take a long time getting to the drydown. The top and middle notes hang in there and are part of the drydown. Sillage is medium and longevity is medium- long as well.

Forte +Forte is the citrus blend and my favorite. Completely refreshing with an opening zing of lemon. Bergamot wanders in with petigrain and Sicilian orange. It is a warm citrus scent. Iris and jasmine are listed as mid notes but I detect very little.  There is a hint of jasmine as well as slight bits of the woods in the drydown, which include Oak moss, patchouli, Tonka bean and white musk.  Overall it is simply a lovely, well-done woodsy citrus.

Marconi 3 is more masculine. This one is woods and spice. Lots of Coriander, cinnamon. In the middle we get the geranium and a bit of iris. I don’t detect any of the rose note listed.  As it dries down, it gets warmer with a good dose of vanilla (in the form of vanilla sticks) then patchouli and the iris still in there. Not sweet but has a bit of powder.

Roma Imperiale - The name of a prestigious spot in Forte dei Marmi, this has a light citrus beginning courtesy of bergamot, mandarin and neroli. There are also notes of rose wood, orchid, jasmine, tuberose absolute, iris butter, Turkish rose, and seringa. The drydown is vanilla, amber, and sandalwood among others. This is considered as a very female scent, but I think it will work well on anyone. The end result is warm, smooth, very rich, and a little sweet. This is probably the most complex of the three I tested.

The bottles here are hand assembled. The stopper is made from marble from the Apuan Alps and the glass hand engraved.

Profumi Forte is not easy to find.  The line is available at Takashimaya in NYC ( in store and online ), at First in Fragrance in Germany and at the 2 Gus Mayer department stores in the southern US ( Nashville, TN, and Birmingham , AL)

Price is $ 195.00 for 100ML

QUEEN by Queen Latifah
New Fragrance

The first fragrance from Queen Latifah, the charismatic and curvaceous award-winning rapper, actress and singer will debut Fall 2009, in the US, with an international roll-out shortly thereafter.  According to Queen Latifah, “Beauty really does start on the inside. It's like a state of mind, a state of love if you will. So I see fragrance as just a natural expression of this state of love: scent expresses a woman’s confidence and sensuality, it’s how she embraces her body, her mind and her strength.”

“Queen Latifah exudes a radiant confidence and inimitable style,” Neil Katz, Chairman and CEO of Parlux Fragrances, Inc. observes. “Individuals of all ages connect with her compelling charisma and her compassion.  Every woman is a Queen in Latifah’s world. With that sense of empowerment in mind, this first fragrance, Queen, naturally, expresses not simply beauty and sensuality but inner strength and an exuberant sense of confidence.”

The glimmer of warmth illuminates the opening notes of QUEEN by Queen Latifah.  A sparkling, sumptuous golden accord, reminiscent of aged Tequila, shines the light on citrus notes of Italian Bergamot and Mediterranean Mandarin.  Sultry, sensual, remarkably rare Baie Rose harmonizes with Jasmine Noir, while Cognac, authoritative and intriguing, meets aromatic Moroccan Coriander as the heart of the fragrance comes to life. The base notes create a powerful, mysterious accord for this deep, rich Oriental fragrance: Indonesian Patchouli and precious Sandalwood enhance the soft allure of Vanilla and Tonka Absolute.  The fragrance finishes with a graceful sojourn, made memorable with passionate Egyptian Incense and sexy Musk. Ruby red, delicately faceted and edged with gold borders, the bold, sexy square bottle is as dynamic as Queen Latifah herself.  A dimensional heart emerges on the façade, reinforcing Queen’s message of beauty from within.

Bond No. 9
Andy Warhol Success
is a Job in New York

“Think rich, look poor.”   - Andy Warhol

At last …Bond No. 9 is dropping all pretenses and selling MONEY! (Sort of.)
Introducing our latest eau de parfum, Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York,
with a $cent as $eductively $weet as a dollar $ign.

Perfumes have always trafficked in the elusive and the taboo.  And since nothing could be more elusive than money, particularly in our current economic downturn, we’ve made cash the inspiration and focus for the latest in the Bond No. 9 series of collectible Andy Warhol eaux de parfum.  Appearing on both sides of the bottle is an image of one of Warhol’s iconic subjects, the almighty dollar sign created by Warhol in 1981, while inside is a fittingly rich and beckoning scent we’ve named Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York .  Prophetically, Warhol’s first assignment in the ‘50s as an illustrator was for a Glamour magazine article entitled “Success is a Job in New York.”  The title was later used for a book about Warhol’s early career. Through hard work and leveraging his immense talent as a draftsman, Andy Warhol would become one of the most successful commercial artists in New York City thus laying the foundation to become one of the most important fine artists of the 20th century. Wearing it will bring untold wealth.

So here is the world’s first money-oriented perfume.  Success breaks the rules of romantic perfume subjects, but it suits the Warholian consumer sensibility.  Throughout his career, Warhol was fascinated with the connections between art and money.  In the ‘60s, he painted Pop Art canvases with grids of banknotes, and he stuffed dollar bills into soup cans.  Then in the early ‘80s, just as Reaganomics and Dynasty got under way and paintings became consumer items, he isolated the image of the dollar sign—sinuous yet with that ominous slash down the center—in a series of silk-screened “portraits.” 

The Warhol image we chose for the Success bottle is not your typical banker’s dollar sign.  Instead, this one has an in-your-face, trembling quality, dripping with paint and with seemingly tentative border outlines revealed—as if uncovering the connection between art and money.  The colors we selected from the Warhol series of Dollar Signs in 1981, tongue-in-cheek neons (in fashion this fall), are unorthodox too:  coral for the front of the bottle, bright blue for the back.

Just like money, the scent is genderless—a warm and spicy gourmand.  And just like money, it lures and intoxicates all who give it a sniff.  Its spicy-citrussy top- notes—coriander, cardamom, mandarin, bergamot—lead into a throbbing heart of jasmine, tuberose, rose, plum and pimento (of all things) that eventually segues into an oriental base of vanilla, patchouli, and amber.    

Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York will be available after October 1, 2009 at all four Bond No. 9 stores in New York and at select branches of Saks Fifth Avenue.

Suggested Retail Price:  $220 for 100ml; $145 for 50ml

Look for our upcoming reviews of Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York and interview with Laurice Rahme  in our September/October issues.

Bond No. 9 
Harrods for Him and Her

Harrods, the celebrated London emporium, and Bond No. 9, Lower Manhattan purveyor of New York-centric perfumes, jointly announce what well may be the first British-American fragrance venture in history: Harrods for Him eau de parfum, along with its partner scent, Harrods for Her.

Notes:

Harrods for Her—Neroli petals, mandarin, wild chamomile, tuberose, clary sage, nutmeg, amber, leather, sandalwood, vetiver

Harrods for Him—Rhubarb leaf, star anise, chamomile, lavandin, pimentos berries, violet leaf, birchwood, musk,sandalwood

Harrods For Her and Harrods For Him


Scents for a Sultry Summer

By Elena Vosnaki

The weather has been acting crazy all over the planet for some years now and the temperatures soar and plummet at the drop of a hat. To analyze global warming would be beyond the scope of an online magazine devoted to the sense of smell, yet its effects have a significant impact on our choosing our personal fragrance when the weather is no more conductive to perfume-wearing than it is to sporting a mink coat and lighting up the fireplace. So what’s to wear when the going gets tough?

There are two schools of thought on this: The first one suggests choosing
only the crispest, lightest fragrances, usually based around citrus and fruity
notes, which should (supposedly) create a feeling of upbeat euphoria and
cleanness amidst the dog days of summer. The other one has a much more
laiser faire, nonchalant attitude about it: If you’re anathematizing change, why embrace it in what is such a personal aspect as your own scent? Acolytes of this school of thought carry on with their preferred signature  scent/scents regardless of the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales.

For all the rest who don’t fall into either group, here are some recommendations for surviving the sultriness of mid-summer.

Scents of crispy audaciousness

Eau de Gentiane Blanche by Hermès:  Currently Eaux seem to be everywhere from Dior's Escale a Pondichéry, Miss Dior Chérie L’Eau and J'adore L'Eau Cologne Florale to Cristalle Eau Verte and the instigator of it all Eau de Cologne by Chanel. Still Hermès and Jean Claude Ellena, much like Sinatra (or Sid Vicious, take your pick) "did it their (own) way" and the magnificently androgynous and distinctive result is taking another direction: a mineral effect of dry white dust and rock as far as the eye can see at dawn before the sun rises.

Musk Nomade by Annick Goutal: There is a delicate insolence in the vegetable-like musk of this fragrance. Much like No.18 by Chanel Les Exclusifs, it possesses that quality of appearing prismatic: different from different angles and multi-billowed when in fact it is deceptively simple. Isabelle Doyen worked her magic into producing something that is etched precariously between machine-washed clean and human.

Cristalle by Chanel: Why go for a typical citrus when you can go one better and opt for a zingy chypre? This enduring classic by Henri Robert has something to recommend it; most people seem to like its cutting through the heat like a saber and it’s got enough pedigree and unisex character in the Eau de Toilette to suit both sexes.

Scents of deceptive orientalism

Shalimar Light or Eau de Shalimar by Guerlain: Someone someplace had to invent it; a lemon cupcakes accord over what is essentially the bronziest fragrance in all perfumery, right out of the 1001 Nights. Foregoing the heavy elements, yet still retaining the lovely citrus-vanilla-opoponax accord of the original, this modern odalisque can fit into summer wearing like those harem sandals you were planning to wear with your linens trousers.

Organza Fleur d’Oranger 2008 Harvest by Givenchy: The popular Organza scent is getting an injection of precious essences that conspire into having you adorn yourself with a big hibiscus behind the ear. Sensual, lush but not heavy, this is an interpretation of a floriental on jasmine, honeysuckle and orange blossom that will have you hankering for more warm days ahead!

Fille en Aiguilles by Serge Lutens: Caramelized pine needles peek through the Bakelite-beads curtains at some warm place in the eternal south. The newest luminous oriental woody of perfumer Christopher Sheldrake is suited to both men and women and should prove that Lutens creations can be worn in the warmer months as well.
Magazine Interview with
Perfumer Lissa Liggett
Lissa Liggett Perfumes


Lissa Ligget, Perfumer, grew up in the 60’s among the flora and fauna of Santa Barbara and Montecito, CA. Lissa’s senses were constantly focused by the natural beauty around her. Her landmark fragrance, aptly entitled Montecito, is a melange of delicate floral notes including Gardenia, Orange Blossom, Tuberose, Jasmine and Italian Blood Orange, anchored by a few precious drops of beach gathered Ambergris from Morocco. This magical Perfume was inspired by the springtime blooms in the lush and exotic gardens of Montecito where she spent time as a child.

A long time staple on the shelves of some of Santa Barbara’s most exclusive Boutiques, including Lily, Angel, Wendy Foster Downtown & Upstairs at Pierre LaFond. Lissa hand formulates in small batches to insure the highest quality. She uses certified Organic Grape Alcohol or Jojoba oil as the base for all of her Perfume formulas. She has formulated a line of rich, perfumed lotions as well. Precious absolutes, resins, essential oils and attars are globally sourced and animal musks are never used.

Lissa’s own photographs of Santa Barbara flowers are used as the labels for her ever
expanding collection of Perfumes.
CREED INTRODUCES
ACQUA FIORENTINA FOR WOMEN

New Fragrance is "Renaissance Expressed in Fragrance"

Olivier CREED, sixth generation
master perfumer, with his son, Erwin,
offers a fragrance of lasting artistry
and permanent value: CREED Acqua
Fiorentina for women, debuting
exclusively at Neiman Marcus,
Bergdorf Goodman and their
websites in September (1 ounce, $130). 

Lion of his family’s thriving 249-year
firm, yet always a worker among his
workers, Olivier CREED sought the
right inspiration for the uncommon year
2009.  His mind turned to 15th century
Florence in Italy, where artists and
innovators lit a bright new flame of
beauty and culture, sparking a
Renaissance of art always growing
in value, even today.

CREED Acqua Fiorentina is hand
made with flowers and fruits from the
orchards and gardens around Florence.
Greengage plum is the masterpiece
top note.  Renaissance roses, pink
carnations, vivid bergamot and
Calabrian lemon are the master’s
choice for the thriving heart. 
Warm base notes of Virginia
cedar and Indian sandalwood are the
sculpted wood frame for this work of art. 

Acqua Fiorentina is visually pink like gently stained glass or sun on the Arno River at morning.
It is also pink for health.  A portion of proceeds from U.S. sales of the fragrance during October will support the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. 

The bottle’s accents recall Renaissance style.  Silver flowers etched on the bottle’s sides evoke the beauty and prosperity of Florence -- and wisely spent Florentine wealth, which created a legacy of art that endures today.   CREED (www.creedcollection.com) is the world’s only privately held luxury fragrance dynasty.  Founded in 1760 and passed from father to son since then, CREED has served more than 10 royal houses, heads of state, leading artists, business leaders and renowned athletes
for 249 years.  CREED is based in Paris.



Erwin CREED, 28, the seventh generation of the
Paris-based CREED fragrance company
Six Premier bottles of CREED Acqua Fiorentina were delivered to the office of the First Lady, Michelle Obama and to  Queen Rania of Jordan and President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, by request of Olivier CREED.
(Left) WASHINGTONIAN Magazine
Lissa, how did you come to get involved in the fragrance business and what led you to be a perfumer?

Well, I started my perfuming at a very young age with out really knowing it I guess. I was about 5 yrs old the first time I swiped a bottle of my dad's vodka and crammed it full of lavender flowers and rose petals and hid it under my bed for the Summer. I proudly doused myself with my "flower potion" the first day of kindergarten in the Fall. My father was soon called to come pick me up because as the teacher put it "she smells peculiarly of vodka." I was hooked and have been making potions ever since. I began to actually sell my Perfumes when my twins were born. I found that my creative juices began to flow and it was with the encouragement of my wonderful husband that I began to follow my dream of being a full time Perfumer. I began collecting tiny bottles of precious oils and absolutes and resins from all over the world and would lay in bed at night running the possible combinations thru my head. If I have smelled something once, I can actually smell it in my head just thinking of it but with the amazing technology of the internet I was able to discover things I'd never smelled or even thought of. For example one day I was in a Starbucks and saw a picture of a Coffee Blossom which reminded me of a Jasmine Blossom so I began imagining that they would smell similarly somehow. I tracked down some Coffee Blossom Absolute and when it finally arrived I was amazed and delighted to find that indeed it did seem to be a "cousin" to Jasmine! I added it to a formula I was working on and it was wonderful. I have a few well guarded drops of that particular formula left (I didn't write down the potion recipe which is my worst habit) which I keep in a tiny vintage bottle.

Tell us about your fragrances

I start every fragrance with Organic Grape Alcohol and add to it only the finest absolutes and essential oils to produce what I hope are very unique and pure products. I have  been experimenting lately with a mixture of absolutes, essential oils and tiny amounts of fragrance oils for those clients who want a particular floral maybe not readily available in absolutes, like Gardenia for instance which would be almost impossible to create in this client's 2 oz bottles. Without adding some fragrance oil, the cost would be prohibitive. I've been very happy with the results, and when using them very sparingly and only occasionally, I'm learning to stretch a bit as a formulator.

What led you to create your very first fragrance titled Montecito?

Although Montecito wasn't my first fragrance it remains one of my favorites. I was raised in Santa Barbara and spent many Spring days in the Montecito gardens of my childhood friend, where the breeze would ocassionally waft the  heady scent of the nearby Roses, Osmanthus, Orange Blossoms, Narcissus and Jasmine , all intermingled on a cloud of sea air. I almost swooned the first time it happened and although I have traveled many places since, have never experienced that perfect blend of scents anywhere else. I lived in Manhattan in my twenties and loved the city but literally dreamed that special scent in my sleep. I realized one day that it may be possible to recreate a version and bottle it so that wherever I traveled I could bring the smell of Montecito with me and that is how Montecito EDP was born. 

Tell us about the latest fragrance you created, Milieu, what was the inspiration for that?

Well I had a great Aunt who was so dreamy and elegant. She wore Fracas which she first discovered in 1948 and brought back with her from France where she had been traveling with Anias Nin. Her beautiful carriage house in Brentwood, CA smelled of Fracas and silk tapestries and the Orange Blossoms from her trees and the beautiful Burlwood pipe she occasionally smoked and I was in heaven every time I walked into that house. I grew up wanting to have a scent of my own that would transport me to the France of my childhood imagination where I lived among silk tapestries and lipsticked models and pipe smoking artists like my Aunt. I can honestly say that Milieu is my all time favorite scent and I made it in an old congnac bottle which was the first thing I grabbed when we were recently evacuated in the Santa Barbara wildfires that swept thru our Mission Canyon neighborhood.



What was your favorite fragrance growing up?

Fracas! Hands down. The original one in the crystal bottle that my Aunt wore. Once they changed it I was disenchanted.  What is the most amazing fragrance you have ever smelled? I don't know but I smelled it on a woman in Manhattan at the opening night of the Opera at Lincoln Center 1990. She walked by and a cloud of it enveloped me. I was head over heels crazy! I only saw a long mink coat and glossy black hair in an upswept twist as she disappeared into the intermission crowd. I looked for her the entire intermission to find out what she was wearing but didn't see her again. It smelled of Gardenias and cinnamon something else I can't put my finger on, and I've never smelled it since.

Which fragrance do you wish you had created?

Wow, so many wonderful fragrances to have to choose from! I can't really decide... maybe Chanel #5 since it's such a staple on the dressing tables of the elegant women I know. 

What fragrance had an influence on you growing up?

As I mentioned before Fracas. It was the first time I smelled something in a bottle which made me feel a deep stirring of emotion even at the tender age of 3 or 4 which is he first time I opened my Aunt's tiny bottle of it.

Anything special you are working on now?

I'm in the beginning stages of a signature perfume for the fabulous
Taylor Dayne and also working on a new line called Urban Geisha for Miriam Slater.
She's an amazing Artist married to the famous painter Harry Carmean.
She's designed a series of Urban Geisha paintings which will be the labels 
and inspirations for the series of perfumes. Hopefully out in the Fall. 

Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you or
your fragrance that we have not discussed? Well really, I'm just so grateful to
be able to be creating on a daily basis and to have anyone at all besides me,
interested in what I'm doing is really flattering and suprising. I'm grateful everyday
for the chance to get to do this for a living.

And thank you Raphaella for bring us all together and let us know about all the
fantastic Perfumers out there and for turning us on to new scents and trends
and creating such an outstanding venue for us to participate in. oxox Lissaliggett 

Where are your fragrances and samples available at?
www.lissaliggett.com
Pierre Lafond 516 Sany Ysidro Rd. Montecito 93108
Wendy Foster 833 State Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101
Lily 1131 Coast Village Rd. Montecito Rd. 93108 



THE QUEEN by Queen Latifah COLLECTION: The bold, sexy fragrance collection includes: Eau de Parfum Spray - 3.4 oz. $59 - Eau de Parfum Spray - 1.7 oz. $49 - Body Lotion - 6.0 oz. $35- Body Butter - 5.0 oz. $40   Queen Latifah's work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award , Grammy Award, five additional Grammy nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Awards an Emmy Award nomination and an Academy Award nomination (for Chicago). Named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People in May 2008, she strives to empower women and instill knowledge and confidence with every opportunity. Transcending the “urban” label, Latifah has a passionate following that crosses race, age and gender boundaries. The top Renaissance woman in the entertainment industry, she has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a first for a hip hop artist now turned award-winning actress and singer.


Fragrant News...

David Beckham stopped by Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills yesterday to purchase new CREED
Acqua Fiorentina for his wife, Victoria.

Mr. Beckham also purchased CREED Tabarome, Original Santal and Silver Mountain Water for himself.

Emmanuelle Pagès is a French woman currently living in Germany. A fragrance consultant, she has been employed with Beiersdorf AG in Hamburg, Germany as Category Manager Fragrance, Development of the olfactive strategy, briefing and selection of fragrances for new launches and relaunches. She is in charge of Establishment of internal consumer fragrance testing procedures and determines fragrance market trends.  She was the Assistant Fragrance Development Manager at Firmenich GmbH and Education includes the Firmenich Olfactive Training Fine Fragrances and basic raw material training. Emmanuelle Pagès speaks French and German.  Please excuse our dear Emmanuelle's English!  She can be reached at ep@perfume-consulting.com

Diane Artzberger has been a fragrance person for most of her life, traced back to those solid Avon perfume pendants for kids (of which she still has one) and Loves Lemon, never Baby Soft.  She still loves citrus fragrance but has moved on from Loves, and clearly remembers that Christmas morning she found a sample of a high end French fragrance in her stocking, and was elated, surprised, and asked for the full bottle the next Christmas.  So, really, this is all her parents fault.  Diane discovered a love for writing when she returned to college after some years absence, took a journalism class, and went on to win a collegiate journalism prize. She has also written columns for her local newspaper, and writes the beauty blog The Beauty Alchemist.
Kasia Smutniak, Idoled d ’Armani  model

Scents of floral quirkiness

Lys Mediterannée by Frederic Malle: Salty sea-spraying air lands on big, fat lilies just out of the tiny rural church and you are transported to the Riviera. Perhaps the freshest interpretation of lily on the market without losing character. The effect is akin to strolling along the Saint-Tropez haunts that Brigitte Bardot made famous.

Tubéreuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens: Inhaling on a Kool-mentholated cigarette seems like the cooling sensation that greets you upon smelling this most unique take on tuberose. After the emanations settle, you’re left with the most polished, silky and quiet tuberose on the market, a smell that is truly panseasonal and could be worn by both sexes.

Manoumalia by Les Nez: A small wonder by Caledonia perfumer Sandrine Videault, this offering of the
independent Swiss brand Les Nez, Pafums d’Auteurs has all the gusto of an olfactory voyage to the South Pacific.
Forget touristy Elvis Hawaiian shirts and go native in a composition redolent of earthy grassiness of vetiver under
the effluvium of ylang-ylang and tiare that will have everyone in your wake demanding what your fragrance is.


So when faced with the dilemma what can withstand the heat next time, just remember that besides your
sarong and sandals you have more options than you thought possible!



About the Author: Elena Vosnaki is a multi-lingual historian and Bronze Age archaeologist from Greece who has been collecting fragrances since she can remember and writing about them in various publications around the world. After getting her degree in Musical studies the realization that perfumery is an art-form as well dawned on her and more formal studying of the fiber of that art form began, continuing to this day.  To that end she created www.perfumeshrine.com, a site dedicated to the finer pleasures in life. Elena Vosnaki and Sniffapalooza Magazine placed in the "Top Five" Fragrance Foundation Fifi Awards for Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 Blog. You can view Elena Vosnaki's article here.

Pic Credits are as follows:
Heatwave (ktul.com), Eau de Gentiane Blanche (usa.hermes.com), Fille en Aiguilles (Lesechos.fr), Fleur de Lys (Wikimedia Commons)

Extra images of fragrance bottles supplied by Editor.

Bond No. 9 Harrods Swarovski Limited Edition

The latest Bond No. 9-for-Harrods perfume combines ancient tradition, modern panache, and unapologetic, out-and-out sensuality. Everything OUD is New Again

Notes: Black pepper, cumin, amber, myrrh, oud, vetiver

100ml — $625.00

Bond No. 9 Special Edition Harrods


Estée Lauder Private Collection
JASMINE WHITE MOSS
New Fragrance

Working with the same passion and clarity of vision as her grandmother, Aerin experimented note by note, accord by accord, with several Jasmine essences and an exclusive White Moss accord developed for her alone. The result, after over a year and a half of work, was a complex, elegant chic fragrance that layers textures for a tone on tone effect. Combining luminous freshness and youthfulness balanced by a sense of luxurious elegance, Private Collection Jasmine White Moss is a tribute to past and present and a first in the history of fragrance and for Estée Lauder.
 
The shared creation of Aerin and Estée, Private Collection Jasmine White Moss is a passionate yet elegant blend of modern and classic ingredients. An intensely lush green floral chypre fragrance, Private Collection Jasmine White Moss is comprised of an opulent white bouquet surrounded by delicate moss, rich woods and 15 100 percent pure natural fragrance Absolutes, many of them provided by IFF’s raw material company, Laboratoires Monique Remy (LMR), located in the south of France. The fresh sparkling top notes include Mandarin, and Absolutes of Black Currant Bud (crisp and fruity, a new quality captured for the very first time with a new extraction technique), Galbanum and Bergamot. The elegantly complex middle notes include Jasmine Sambac Absolute selected by Aerin and subtly blended with the Ylang Ylang and Jasmin India Absolutes Estée herself had chosen, plus Violet, Orange Flower Absolute and Orris. Warm modern base notes include Absolutes of Patchouli Heart, Vetiver and White Moss Mist (an Estée Lauder exclusive). The cap is embellished with natural semi-precious gems including White Jade, dark and light Lapis, Sodalite, Black Agate, Mother of Pearl and Blue Lace Agate stones.

Private Collection Jasmine White Moss is the third fragrance introduced by Aerin, joining Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia and Amber Ylang Ylang.

Private Collection Jasmine White Moss will be available at www.esteelauder.com and specialty doors Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman beginning July 2009. The collection includes:

Parfum Spray, 1oz. $325.00, Eau de Parfum Spray, 1oz. $80.00, Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5oz. $135.00, Body Creme, 6.7oz. $75.00, Perfume Solid Pendant (limited edition) $195.00


Sniffapalooza Magazine Reviews coming soon!
The vision of two Lauder women, separated by a generation, merged into one intoxicatingly fresh new fragrance. For decades, an unfinished formula for an extraordinary fragrance begun by Mrs. Estée Lauder remained locked in the archives at the famous fragrance house, International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF). Estée conceived Formula #546AQ, as it was known, as a new way to convey sparkling freshness balanced with sophisticated elegance and a distinctive signature. However, it was left unfinished in her lifetime and was gradually forgotten for many years.  She fell in love with its unexpectedly lively, modern spirit and decided to complete the fragrance, using today’s advanced technology and the finest natural ingredients direct from France. 
THE NEW FRAGRANCE FROM DESIGNER JOSIE NATORI

The graceful, sensual allure of the East and the modern elegance of the West discover an exquisite balance in the effortlessly sophisticated new fragrance for women, NATORI from Josie Natori. The new fragrance from this visionary designer known for her skill at
transforming  simple elements of daily life into sensual, luxurious experiences, will be available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue starting August 2009. Distributed and marketed by Parlux Fragrances, Inc. the fragrance will be the centerpiece of a luxurious lifestyle collection.

Spirited and luminous, this utterly feminine fragrance is a rich weave of brilliant, exotic florals imbued with a hint of mystery. As Josie Natori explains, “For me, this fragrance is a journey like no other: the essence evolves from the body to the soul of a woman. A sophisticated woman’s life flows between fantasy and reality yet her fragrance balances her heart – becoming the essence of happiness, wholeness and freedom.”

A sparkling floral oriental, the NATORI fragrance opens with an effervescent bouquet of fresh rose petals enriched by deep, dark plum notes. The heart is an exotic and alluring hybrid of ylang ylang, purple peony and night blooming jasmine. Slipping languidly over pulse points, black patchouli, amber and a hint of satin musk complete this mysterious and tantalizing fragrance. The NATORI fragrance bottle is a deep purple flacon inspired by the Lotus blossom – specifically the sensual silhouette of slowly unfolding petals. Made of shimmering violet-black glass there is a small clear window on the bottle façade to provide a glimpse into the golden heart of the fragrance.

Embodying divine beauty and pure love, the Lotus Flower (water lily) is imbued with great symbolism throughout Asia. Chinese poets have compared the unfolding leaves to the body of a beautiful woman emerging from her bath.  The delicate, feminine form is a symbol of a folded heart opening to light and freedom. The sensuously shaped bottle is easy to handle: its tactile nature extends through every detail including the cap which is conceived to mimic a stone worn smooth by the river. Purple, traditionally royal, expresses its own dichotomies: balance and harmony, strength and vulnerability. The color was also chosen for its own yin / yang of cool blue and fire red.

PERFUMER is Caroline Sabas of Givaudan and notes are  Sparkling Aldehydes, Rose Petals, Dark Plum, Ylang-Ylang, Purple Peony, Night Blooming Jasmine, Black Patchouli, Mysterious Amber, Satin Musk Accord
                                                     
There will be a Saks Exclusive program timed to coincide with the Natori debut at Saks Fifth Avenue. Fifth Avenue Club members and Saks First participants will be invited to receive a deluxe ¼ ounce Eau de Parfum miniature in Limited Edition packaging.
The fragrance collection includes a 3.4 oz  Eau de Parfum Spray  ($110.00) and a 1.7 oz  Eau de Parfum Spray  ($80.00)  Silk – evoking the sensuality of NATORI – is a key ingredient in the balanced, harmonious bath and body products that move the NATORI lifestyle collection beyond traditional expectations:      

Available starting August 2009 exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue 53 doors throughout the US.
Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile
New Fragrance

A gorgeous new fragrance by Acqua di Parma called Magnolia Nobile heads its way to us very soon. Acqua di Parma has inimitable style, unparalleled elegance and the understated exclusivity of a truly Italian tradition.  The enduring emblem of this luxurious brand is the royal blazon, symbolic of timeless sophistication and synonymous with illustrious heritage.  Inspired and enriched by this tradition of excellence, Acqua di Parma has created a collection of exquisite fragrances dedicated to the elegant and refined woman.   Acqua di Parma’s Le Nobili range.

The Le Nobili range finds its inspiration in the secluded and exclusive gardens of some of the most prestigious Italian villas.  Each garden is a cultivation of beauty; a sublime blend of art, nature and culture, where the delicate aroma of flowers accent the warm breeze and complements the arresting beauty of the Italian landscape.  The calm serenity and beauty of these exquisitely designed gardens has been interpreted by Acqua di Parma by means of its most noble and emblematic flowers.  A different and unique variety is used each time, selected for its unmatched charm, for its rare, fragrant essence and for its exceptional quality.

The Le Nobili collection opened with Iris Nobile, an enveloping and unmistakable eau de parfum, an “homage” to the exclusive Iris flower.  And now Magnolia Nobile; majestic, brilliant and vibrant, the unforgettable expression of natural and understated elegance. Acqua di Parma’s Le Nobili range.  A unique and exclusive universe.

Magnolia Nobile.  The creamy white petals are extraordinarily velvety. An exquisite flower, sensuous, yet delicate. Then there is the fragrance. Precious, refined and extremely alluring.  A  rare and precious fragrance, it was created with the purest essences, Magnolia Nobile is an eau de parfum that reveals the most noble and elegant aspects of the magnolia. A fragrance that bursts with the crystalline tones of bergamot, lemon and citron, blending with the intensity of a rich bouquet of flowers, the absolute protagonist of which is the vibrant magnolia, a rare essence that can only be extracted with time and dedication. The heart evolves in the intoxicating and refined notes of rose, jasmine and tuberose, which lie on a rich and elegant base of sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver and vanilla. A unique and enveloping harmony and an unforgettable, captivating fragrance.

Magnolia Nobile will be pre-launching exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman & Neiman Marcus stores during the month of August, and in September will be available at Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora.com and select Nordstrom stores.  The range will consist of: 3.4 oz/100ml EDP Spray:  $165, 1.7oz/50ml EDP Spray: $105, 5.25oz/150gr Sublime Body Cream: $75   (3% concentrated fragrance)


Review of Magnolia Nobile coming soon!
New Fragrance: Parfums DelRae Mythique

Mythique is Parfums DelRae latest creation and is a delicate and evocative tribute to a mysterious and legendary beauty, Diane de Poitiers (1499 – 1566), the eternally youthful mistress of Henri II of France – who was in his turn the father-in-law of our own Mary Queen of Scots. Dressed always in black and white, the crescent moon her symbol, Diane was a woman of learning, compassion, glamour and guile.  Diane, an experienced horse rider, who stood out among other ladies with her attitudes, taste and beauty, received a gift from the King, a beautiful castle on the coast of the Loire river, chateau Chenonceaux.

It was in its gardens that DelRae found flowers which surround the main flower of the composition - iris from Florence, from which the best oil is made. Mythique was designed by Perfumer Yann Vasnier and captures the fragrance with a scent based around one of the most costly perfume ingredients, Florentine orris, which not only gives great softness and tenacity to the fragrance but which disperses a haunting fragrance of its own. Blended with oils from plants which now grow in the garden of Diane’s lovely chateau at Chenonceaux on the Loire: peony, ivy, jasmine & bergamot.

The composition opens with mandarin, bergamot and ivy. A heart hides peony, Sambac jasmine and iris. A base is composed of sandalwood, Indonesian patchouli and herbal musk (ambrette).

Mythique will be avaiable in September.  Visit the new website here at http://www.parfumsdelrae.com/

Sniffapalooza Interview with DelRae Roth

HANAE MORI PARFUMS
SUPPORTS FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER
WITH “PINK” INITIATIVES THIS FALL


Hanae Mori Parfums joins the fight against breast cancer with a number of new initiatives this fall.

Dazzling new pink Hanae Mori Parfums gift boxes and satin scarves will appear
at Nordstrom’s in October and thereafter wherever Hanae Mori Parfums are
sold, including select Neiman Marcus stores, select Saks Fifth Avenue stores,
Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s,  Sephora and select Dillard’s stores. 

The butterfly-themed boxes and scarves were designed by Ms. Dianna Quinteros,
24, a senior at the State of New York at Stony Brook who won the Hanae Mori
National Art Contest among college art students coast to coast.

The pink satin scarves will be worn by all Hanae Mori sales associates in
Nordstrom's in October and thereafter by our associates wherever Hanae Mori
is sold (Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Macy's) to raise breast
cancer awareness.  to indicate breast cancer awareness.  The scarves will
also be offered to customers free with a purchase of $75 or more.  The vibrantly
pink gift boxes will be offered free with a purchase of $75 or more (when a
purchase is more than one item).  A portion of proceeds from U.S. sales of classic Hanae Mori Butterfly fragrance in October will benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. www.stopbreastcancer.org, a leading anti-breast cancer organization highly ranked by third-party monitoring groups that assess the efficiency of charities.


Back To Black
Launch of the 8th scent of “L’Oeuvre Noire”
By Kilian
New Fragrance for Men & Women

Embracing the theme of the "Artificial Paradises", Back to Black: Aphrodisiac,
the 8th fragrance of  L’Oeuvre Noire, has been created to be an olfactive aphrodisiac, using the narcotic lure of tobacco. After Prelude to Love: invitation, which explored the olfactive emotions of a first encounter through a citrus composition, Back to Black: Aphrodisiac marks the return to a more audacious family composed with influences from the past, yet reinterpreted with a modern touch in a very personal way.

Back to black: aphrodisiac is an olfactive composition built on notes that range from honey to fruity, to woody and ambery, combined to reconstitute a “tobacco” accord.

The freshness of the Bergamot contrasted by the heat of the spices – Nutmeg, Cardamom and Coriander – creates an elegant yet unusual opening. A touch of fruit – Raspberry – and a hint of aromatic note – Blue Chamomile – accentuate the originality of the top.

The heart is composed with the Honey from Laos, the Oliban from Somalia and with rich and sensual woods – Cedar from the Atlas and Vetyver from Haiti. A few notes of Oakmoss and Patchouli coat this woody marquetry.

This “Tobacco” composition is further intensified by powerful ambery notes – Cistus labdanum from Spain – reinforced with a soft accord of powdery vanilla – Vanilla from Bourbon islands and bitter Almond – which provide the power and tenacity to the perfume.   www.bykilian.com


Sniffapalooza Magazine is an online fragrance magazine celebrating the art of fragrance offering fragrance reviews, articles, press releases, interviews and events.
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