THE ETHEREAL SCENT

For many of you perfume has been a tantalising experience since childhood.The scent of your mother's Eau de Toilette,your father's Cologne,The smell of Spring/Summer in the air..Our olfactory sense is a powerful emotional tool. These are the storries I will tell and the reviews and interviews I will write about. It is the world of perfume.....

Mar 24, 2012

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

With the launch of his new Not a Perfume Romano Ricci has extended his talent and love of perfume into home scents. Namely... candles. His first range consists of 3 candles elegantly held in simple silver cups. The shining silver against the creamy white candle wax is minimalist and classy.

 There are 3 exceptional aromas'
Lucifer Marilyn Mary Jane.

 Lucifer is not what you think.
 This is not the ‘bad’ but the ‘good’.
 For Romano the smell of forest on a misty day, pine trees and the warmth of a cosy blanket sitting near the fire is what Lucifer is all about. To Romano Lucifer is from the ancient Latin term meaning ‘bringer of light’. (‘Lux’ – light and ‘fero’ – to bear). Romano has given us sinners a different view on this subject. ‘If there is a God there must be a devil’ To be warmed by the light of an open fire rather than burn in hell is a more comforting thought.

 Mary Jane is a sweet name don’t you think?
 Well this cheeky pseudonym is another term for ‘hash’. Romano has re created the scent of this illegal weed with the use of Oud wood and pine resin. Its objective is to release a feeling of euphoria and happiness...Is this really the’ bad’?

 Marilyn is a softly spoken glamorous scent of iris and violet.
 It induces images of porcelain powdered skin and sexy red lips coloured to perfection belonging to the sweet sensual smile of the world’s most desired star of the 1950’s.This scent embodies the unique beauty that Marilyn Monroe was and will always be.

 Whatever mood you want to create or be part of, Romano Ricci’s range of candles will inspire you.

Written by Lily








Available @Agence de Parfum, David Jones Melbourne.
                    Kleins Perfumery.Melbourne

Mar 17, 2012

LE LABO....VIVA LA REVOLUTION


We live surrounded by mass produced scents sold by companies with clever advertising campaigns which lead us to believe that perfumes are exclusive and one of a kind. This is not Le Labo.
How can one best describe the unique style and creativity of Le Labo? The words non conformists and revolutionists come to mind.

The founders, geniuses and creators of Le Labo, namely fabrice Penot & Eduard Roschi believe that perfumes should be of the highest quality, in the freshest state possible for the wearer to completely fall in love and be one with the scent. Then and only then can you call it unique and one of a kind. Each perfume sold is hand blended and prepared. This means that when you buy a Le Labo scent you have to wait till it is blended personally for you. The glass decanter is then dated and your name printed on the label. It becomes your exclusive personal choice of fragrance. No two will ever smell the same, a complete rarity in today’s mass production.

The Le Labo concept store opened in New York in 2006 is best described as a laboratory of scent. A place which has an open door policy to the public. A modern day science lab where you can learn about the process of perfume or just wander in awe to sample, see and be intrigued by the wonders of the age old art of perfume making. It is your choice if you decide to buy or just experience the domain of the perfumers.

Fabrice and Eduardo are visionaries in the art of perfumery. Having met and worked together years earlier they soon discovered they had the same aspirations, beliefs and ideas about life, perfume and scent .They instantly became friends. They are the driving force, the spirit and the inventors of Le Labo. In association with some of the best perfume’ noses’ in the industry Yann Vasnier, Francoise Caron, Maurice Rousel, Alberto Morillas, Daphne Bugey, Mark Buxton and Annick Mernardo, as their team ,they have created in total some of the purest, original fragrances to date.

The first range created were centred on a single scent mixed and fused with essential natural oils from Grasse, France the Mecca for perfumers, where the highest quality natural essences are grown and harvested.
To own a Le Labo scent is to own a piece of nature, there are no synthetics or chemicals in these prized fragrances. Each scent is named accordingly to how they have been created. This means by the main natural oil used and the number of ingredients meticulously blended in the composition.

Scents available in their New York store and now  at Mecca Cosmetics in Australia are classified into...
3 for men:
Bergamote 22                                               
Vetiver 46
Rose 31

3 for women’s:
Iris 39
Jasmine 17
Labdanum 18

5 unisex:
Neroli 36
Fleur D’Oranger 27
Patchouli 24
Oud 27
Ambrette 9 (this is a scent for infants and has no alcohol added)

The first reaction is shock and curiosity. A scent for infants? A rose scent for men? Labdanum for women?

The first to captivate you is Ambrette 9, created by Michel Almairac. Michel used Lambrette which is heady tropical sweet floral oil from the seeds of rose mallow or musk mallow softened to a baby powder aroma by amalgamating it with apple, pear and citrus. This gentle, pretty scent is not combined with alcohol as not to annoy baby’s delicate skin. No new mamma could possibly resist this ‘new born’ scent for her child. Close your eyes and reminisce about warm baby’s blankets and fresh linen.

The alchemic genius in Eduardo , Fabrice and their team, in this case Daphne Bugey  took the sweet, delicate feminine rose and with the magic of their craft united the majestic rose with caraway, cedar, guaiac wood, amber and musk and created a gothic dark rose worthy of any magician or illusionist. The masculine ‘Rose’ was born.

Labdanum, which is a rich warm spicy resin or oil commonly used in unisex or masculine scents, has been completely revised by Maurice Roucel. It has been sweetened by blending it with vanilla, Tonka bean, patchouli, civet and birch, therefore creating a dulcet, seductive feminine tone that no woman could resist. It will make you feel as if you are Marilyn Monroe in an Yves St Laurent power suit.

Eduardo & Fabrice have de- mystified the mysterious world of the olfactorists and alchemists by opening the doors to the science room and enabling you be part of a truly rare and new project. Genuinely one of kind pure fragrances for anyone that is tired of the mundane bulk produced supermarket scents.

Viva la revolution.



Written by Lily


Available @ Luckyscent America online






Mar 3, 2012

CHANEL NO 5 EAU PREMIERE


When Coco Chanel was asked by perfume designer Ernest Beaux which of his blends she would choose as her personal scent. Mademoiselle picked No.5.
Chanel wanted a fragrance that embodied her vision for of the modern, sophisticated women of her time. The perfume had to capture the scent of a woman.
The scent had to marry and blend together so that not any one of the notes could be distinguished.
For the first time Ernest Beaux used a synthetic known as aldehydes. This is a pure fresh aroma such as the smell of the ocean breeze or clean linen. The top notes are of fresh lemon, neroli bergamot and ylang ylang. He married this with the headiness of jasmine, rose lily of the valley and based it with the sensuousness of vetiver, patchouli, amber and vanilla. Hence, No. 5 was born.
Mademoiselle Chanel was a superstitious lady and NO.5 was launched on the 5th day in the 5th month in 1921.

The simplicity of the square bottle with the crystal cut square glass stopper adorned only with a black strand of fine rope around the neck was designed by Coco herself. Chanel’s motto was, and still is long after her passing ‘Less is more’. The classic simplicity and beauty of this alluring perfume has eclipsed time. From the moment of its launch to now Chanel No.5 stands on its own as the most feminine and alluring perfume of it era. Its popularity gained even more notoriety when in an interview in 1954 Marilyn Monroe said all she wore to bed was Chanel No.5. 

 Chanel No.5 has become the matriarch of all classical, sensual perfumes to date. So, you ask, ‘Why change the formula and create a new Chanel No.5’? Well like all Matriarchal royalty, in the new millennium it needed to hand her legacy to a new breed of young sophisticated ladies. Like all hierarchy it needed an heir,
one that will inject a new fresh approach to life. Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere is it.

Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere is lighter and fresher than the original. It has a prominent subtle air of sea breeze and fresh sheets about it. Whereas Chanel no.5 warms into a powdery sensual softness, Eau Premiere retains a little more fresh water at midnight scent. Both scents dry down into soft patchouli, vanilla and amber base but Eau Premiere retains a lighter airier note, and is still very recognizable as an alderhydic but with a lighter heart.
It has been lightened by the less reliance on the headiness of ylang ylang and jasmine. Eau premiere is still housed in a classic rectangular clear bottle with the unmistakable square stopper, but the perfume itself seems to shine through lighter and brighter. It has a youthfulness more aligned with today’s free spirited younger generation.

For the last 88 years Chanel No.5 has been queen, and will continue to be queen of all that is classic and glamorous. It is the most emulated and revered scents of our time, now Eau Premiere is ready continue this legacy.




Written by Lily






Available @ Myer Melbourne, 
                    David Jones Melbourne