Saturday, June 25, 2011

Visionaire 60 - Religion (and perfume)/Religião (e perfume)

In 2008 I published an article about books which including fragrances in their projects. One of them was issue 42 of Visionaire called Scent (click HERE to read). In that issue IFF teamed up with visual artists to create 21 fragrances. Althought very expensive to be bought just for the fun of it, it was quite an interesting project. 18 issues later, Visionaire teams up with Givenchy's Riccardo Tisch to publish Religion 

Em 2008 eu publiquei um artigo sobre livros que incluiam fragrâncias em seus projetos. Um deles era o número 42 da revista Visionaire chamada Scent. Nesta edição 21 fragrâncias desenvolvidas pela IFF foram apresentadas, e acompanhadas por fotos para acrescentar um estímulo visual. pesar de custar muito caro, o livro não deixa de ser um conceito interessante a ser explorado. 18 edições se passaram e o número 60 apresenta uma parceria com Riccardo Tisch da Givanchy. O assunto é Religião.

I have already published already articles mentioning religion and perfumes (click HERE, HERE ). I see a common ground not only in the history of perfumery itself, as perfume was a way to be closer to the Gods in the Ancient Egypt, but as forms of expressing our own selves. Once you tell someone which religion you belong, or even if you don't belong to any of them and believe only in Science - that says a lot about your background and upbringing. Some are more just more mystical than others.
Religion is a compilation of 228 beautiful photographs wrapped in a leather cover and comes with a Religion Fragrance created by Givaudan's perfumer Yann Vasnier.


Eu já publiquei artigos sobre fragrâncias e religião. Existe, além da própria história da perfumaria, que no início era usada como meio de se conectar com os deuses (no antigo Egito), mas como formas de se expressar.
Religion é uma compilação de 228 fotos maravilhosas, preservadas numa capa de couro, acrescentada de uma fragrância criada pelo perfumista da Givaudan, o Sr. Yann Vasnier.




About the fragrance - I haven't tried yet but it is obvious that they used olibanum, myrrh, incense and all these raw materials that we have already seen in perfumes inspired by religions. I guess history will always demand them.

If you have already tried the fragrance, let us know something about it!

Sobre a fragrância - eu ainda não tive o privilégio de testá-la mas tenho certeza que deve ser composta por olíbano, mirra, incenso, e todos essas matérias primas que já são apresentadas em perfumes inspirados em religiões. Acho que a história sempre falará mais alto que a criatividade...

Se você já provou a fragrância, venha dividir com a gente sua experiência!

Friday, June 24, 2011

White Patchouli EDP by Tom Ford

To M.M. - who claims he temporarily lost the Mojo... and to Plitzko.

 WHITE PATCHOULI EDP BY TOM FORD

Brand: Tom Ford Fragrances
Origin: USA
Launch: 2008
Olfactive family: floral-woody
Olfactive Notes: bergamot, white peonies, coriander, night jasmine, rose absolute, patchouli, blonde woods, incense and ambrette seeds.
Description by the brand: "The exotic depth of patchouli Orpur - with the smell of crushed patchouli leafs - a Grand Cru".
Description by + Q Perfume Blog: SENSUAL, PROVOCATIVE, CHIC, VERSATILE
Silage: Great/Fixation: Great
Rate: ★★★★
Find Tom Ford fragrances at Essenza Nobile.
(By clicking on the name TOM FORD).


Tom Ford is not a new face in the fragrance business and White Patchouli is not a recent launch. The thing is...I had this sample for a long time, and due to the fact that I have readers all over the world, sometimes I need to make articles about summer fragrances, for the ones above the Equator, and list winter fragrances for the ones below it. This year I decided to make my life simpler, so I was trying to find a fragrance that could be suitable for both seasons at the same time. BINGO! White Patchouli is so versatile that it will shine at any season.
I have been also thinking about this fragrance a lot because every time I look to my back yard, I see the leafs of my Ginkgo tree, and I think of Della Chuang. I realized that I never asked her if the White Patchouli bottle - her flacon design -  had the same pattern of her beloved Ginkgo leafs and their parallel veins...


Photo credit: + Q Perfume Blog

White Patchouli EDT has a a weird start.  Let's say it is not the Flower by Kenzo kind of top notes (that are simply beautiful). It is a whiff of Windex and coriander soapy notes. A fresh-clean shinny touch, that in the world of haute parfumerie, they call "sparkling" or "alluring". 
WINDEX and coriander that's what it is! 
Peonies sank in my skin so deeply that I could not find them at all at this point. It also contains a disturbing waxy smell that I have no idea where it comes from.
Anyways, at this very moment my thoughts are: White Patchouli is like a booty call - casual, sexual without compromising. Kinda like: Dial White Patchouli 800, and get 100% chance of getting laid... or your money back.  
Don't get me wrong here. White Patchouli is not about being cheap. On the contrary. It is  stylish chic, but it is a booty call in a sense of leading 100% to the bed. It is provocative, it is sensual, it is carnal and, it is very very TOM FORD.
The windex notes are soon to be gone and you can start to appreciate the perfume. Slightly flowery, slightly woody, slightly everything...
Probably Tom Ford made this fragrance for himself. It contains a bit of "I wear my shirt opened to show my hairy chest, but I am elegant and cool".


All that said -  a must have for the ones who wishes to get lucky with the ladies :-)
But be smart to spray at least 15-20 minutes before leaving the house.




Tom Ford chose the ebony soul queen Erykah Badu to advertise his White Patchouli fragrance for one particular reason - her velvety voice is as sensual as his fragrance! The black and white advertising campaign was shot by Merc Alas and Marcus Piggott.
The fragrance bottle was designed by lovely Della Chuang.


To listen to Erikah's amazing voice:

Blog celebrations



The Flower Bomb cake for V&R


Next month this blog will be celebrating its third year anniversary, so probably I am going to publish articles about my most beloved interests. As to raw materials, I have already published about AMBER and IRIS - my favorites. Now there is one more raw material that must have all my attention...

I will probably write articles (or fragrance reviews) revealing the fragrances that I love the most (I ever did that before - I kept the secret to myself till today).




Since the very beginning of this blog I have been writing about the close relationship between taste & smell (or aroma and scents). My very 6th article, published in 2008 was about fragrances with olfactive notes of rum, vodka, whisky, sake, martini, champagne, etc...
Most commonly found in cocktails/or food prepared with beverages(click HERE for the article - in Portuguese). In that article they left the glasses to fill perfume bottles. From that article till today, I try to write about the co-relation between perfumery and gastronomy. 
This is for one very simple reason - I love to cook. I always did. People say I cook very well, and once I tell them that it is because I cook with my nose, they tend to give me a funny look. But that is the very truth. What can I say? I smell, than I taste. I am usually 90% of the time in the right track. Since I plunged into perfumery  very deeply, today I look for a combination of ingredients that seems to me to work just perfectly in perfumery, than I apply to my cooking experiences. 
This year I finally took the time to re-organize my TAGs and open one special tag for this subject - under the name Scents and Aromas (Aromas e Sabores  - in Portuguese). This is one of the projects that were for a long time in my list, that I have finally finished... 


So basically...this is what is going on with me...

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Brazil - The South American Way in Perfumery

CARMEM MIRANDA

Brazil was very popular during the 40-50's thanks to Carmem Miranda and Walt Disney.
Carmem arrived in the USA with her band in 1939. By 1946 she was Hollywood's highest paid entertainer. With her turban and tutti-frutti hats she was fun, but projected a rather false image of Brazil and Brazilian culture (that was how Americans wished to see Brazil, not what we were at that time), but still, she owns the credit for putting us in the map.
Walt Disney animated films are (to me) always a result of a trend, therefore they are always successful. Saludo Amigos was launched in 1942 by Disney Studios. A fun musical trip to South America. For this film Disney created a character called José Carioca - a green parrot that had the carioca way (A Brazilian born in Rio de Janeiro) - at that time, José Carioca became more famous than Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse!
This film release was a part of the ongoing "Good Neighborhood Policy", but also a result of a trend - the world was in love with Brazil.
We exported Samba, Bossa and soccer.

PELÉ

Pelé, our most famous soccer player, was so famous that once a research showed that Pelé was more famous than Jesus Christ! So famous that even Andy Warhol reproduced him on cavas.
During the years Brazil became a place where international criminals would find safe shelter, and many films ended with them running away to Brazil. 
Brazil also began to export prostitutes and transvestites, mostly to Europe. We became famous for sex tourism and sexual exploitation of children.
In no time, besides during Carnival, we were completely forgotten by the world.
During the 80's we were so out of the map, that even Reagan thought the capital of Brazil was Buenos Aires. (you might think he did not do his homework before landing, but to us Brazilians, was a very good example of how small and unimportant we were at that time).

ADRIANA LIMA

But it all changed when Brazil started to export our Super Top Models. Girls like Gisele Bündchen, Adriana Lima, Isabela Fontana and many others seduced the world with their professionalism and sensual beauty. They were everywhere. From Milan, New York to Paris, designers wanted the Brazilian girls. Those girls were walking around wearing typical Brazilian products like Arezzo/Havaianas/Melissa shoes, Rosa Chá bikinis, Miele dresses, etc... In a blink of an eye Brazilian brands became icons of fashion, and we began to export fashion like crazy. Everyone wanted to wear what Gisele was wearing. We also exported the Ronaldos, Kaká and other amazing soccer players to Europe. The Amazon and the beautiful beaches of the north of Brazil became the hip place to relax for international celebrities.
We were back in the map.
That is exactly why you saw RIO, another successful Brazil inspired animated movie.
Brazilians are seen internationally as one of the most happy people of the planet due to the fact that we make the biggest party of the world once a year (Carnival), and the biggest rock n' Roll concerts of the planet (Rock in Rio). 
Most recently we are the world's last resource for water and oil...Well, whatever...


What interested me the most is the fact that one of the hippest trends in perfumery for 2011/2012 is Brazil - the explanation: the incoming World Cup and the Olympic games in Brazil. 
According to Bell Flavors, the Brazilian nut fragrance is the hottest trend. Now isn't that the most stupid thing you have ever heard??? I mean, we have 1.7 billion acres of rain forest with plants, herbs and other sources for perfumery raw materials, and all Bell could think of is sports events? The rain forest is one of the richest biome, if not THE richest biodiversity of the planet, with the largest collection of plants of the world (we have so far 40,000  plants classified)! 
Not to mention Brazil itself - we have 26 states, and each of them with a different culture and different people - it is also a huge human biodiversity. That is one of the reason why it is very hard to determine what Brazilian Perfumery means - what is it? We can't determine.
Today Brazil is a source of creativity - this is how Brazilians should be described - as one of the most creative people of the world. Today we export design, fashion, architectural projects, advertising, art...
Brazil is not about samba and caipirinha anymore or The Brazilian Wax. Brazil is about DIVERSITY. Brazil is about creating the logo for Google! Brazil is about being the next Design Superpower according to IDSA (Industrial Design Society of America). 


So when it comes to perfumery, why it takes one Li Edelkoort to say that the Amazon is cool, or an IDSA to say that we are the future, for people to start to look at us?
I mean, isn't it obvious? We are the number 03 of the world in the beauty business, loosing only for the USA and Japan. Hello!


Anyways... I am just bringing some of the part Brazilian inspired fragrances that have been launched in the past...let's see what we have...


Brazil dream - the Latin lover - needless to say - false concept.


Davidoff's Adventure Amazonia - it all started there with adventure - of course it would be one - if you really could cross the amazon in a motorcycle...


Paprika Brazil by Hermès -  expected by NST - who doesn't have a clue about Brazil, to be something Amazonian - another foreign misconcept of Brazil - we are not just about the jungle Robin... Hermès capture the very essence of some of the Brazilian typical dishes - a very unusual thing, and very clever choice that should receive at least 5 stars for really understanding what Brazil is about. Funny thing is....I have never seen it here...it never came to Brazil...


Pina colada? Of course...and the capital of Brazil is...Madrid, of course!
To pair with the Cuba Copacabana maybe?


Frau Tonis Nº88 Bahia  an spicy earthy fragrance...maybe the vanilla and cinnamon - but this is also not what Bahia is all about. Lavender, red peppers, dendê oil, coconut milk are the real olfactive note that translates Bahia.


Bahiana by MPG brings notes of Brazilian orange, caipirinha and coco... not a Made in Bahia kind of fragrance...but ok, the coco could be it...as Bahia was the source for cocoa for a long time.


So that is it friends, Brazil is not about samba and cheap sex, we are trend setters, get used to it!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Most beautiful Perfume Bottles



Those are some of the most beautiful perfume bottles launched in the last past years...
And the "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"  perfume bottles launched in the past years.


  

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Green Gardens, Perfume Trends, Culinary Treats - PART II

Photo credit: Un Coeur en Provence


As we continue to enjoy a relaxing moment in the garden...

Cologne Royale EDC by Dior - very fresh, very citrusy, it will bring hummingbirds to your life, looking for neroli nectars!
Notes for this fragrance are: Sicilian lemon, Bergamot and neroli of Calabria, mint and gentle notes.

In the past: it does have an Escale aux de Marquises (also Dior) aura. Twin sisters I must add...




L 12.12 Vert EDP by Lacoste - Simple, playful, zen...all these words described by the brand can be relocated to a relaxing day in the garden with people you enjoy. A deliciously fruity sweet opening with a green aura.
This fragrance presents notes of: bergamot, melon, verbena, lavender, fig, birch, bamboo wood, aqueous and woody notes.


Not so long ago: Gucci launched Gucci Sport, a clean, greeny fruity fragrance for sportive men, with notes of mandarin, grapefruit, cypress, cardamom, juniper berries, fig, patchouli, vetiver and ambrette seeds.




Daisy Eau so Fresh EDP by Marc Jacobs - the newest Marc Jacobs launch has the very essence of a spring garden. Pastel hued daisies are beautifully displayed over the pink flacon. Very delicate, very girlie. It is fun, it is playful, and focus on well being. Not to mention the amazing advertising in a very flowery wild landscape.
This flowery fragrance brings notes of grapefruit, raspberry, violet blossom, rose, apple blossom, jasmine, lychee, atlas cedar and white musk.




Flora by Gucci Eau Fraîche EDT - this 2011 Flora franchise is in the green trend, more subtle, more green and more fresh. Watery and kumquat notes were added.
Notes for this fragrance are: bergamot, kumquat, citrus, peony, osmanthus, rose, green notes, watery notes, sandalwood and patchouli.




In the past: Flora by Gucci is the fragrance with the most fantastic flower blooming in the history of perfume adverting!


To incorporate this garden trend to your meals, I suggest the following:




A delicious fruity-green salad with fresh aragulas, figs, olive oil and goat cheese - see recipe HERE
I usually make my own version with an olive oil + balsamic vinegar dressing. If you like your salad with a more incorporated flavor - you can add a few bites of blue cheese.


Or a less sweet option -  a Greek style zucchini, mint and black olive oils salad - click HERE for the recipe.




An asparagus risotto - a green-crunchy risotto, with an earthy touch of mushrooms and delicious cheeses. Click HERE for the recipe. I love to add rosemary to my risotto.




You can make bruschetta  and focaccia with herbs and green...Jamie Oliver has some recipes to share - click HERE


A delicious and aromatic pasta al pesto - click HERE for the recipe. Use in this case a very good cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano, and always toast your pine nuts before adding to the pesto. 




Be adventurous in the kitchen, take more time to prepare something chic, such as stuffed, fried or au gratin  zucchini flowers! Click HERE and HERE for the recipes.






Bring a bit of the French gardens of the Provence by making your own Herbes de Provence mix. The typical recipe is a combination of the following dried herbs: savory, fennel, thyme, basil, rosemary, bay leafs, chervil, tarragon, marjoram and mint.




Make a delicious gren lemonade with lime, basil and mint leafs - blend all and serve with ice. I always blend it with a large quantity of ice so it becomes a ice lemon crush - children love it when it is very hot!


Use these recipes as an excuse to invite people to have lunch with you - outside in your garden. If you don't have one...it is time to move my friend!

Green Gardens, Perfume Trends, Culinary Treats - PART I

Photo credit: un coeur en Provence

Dutch trend forecaster Li Edelkoort, one of the most influential person in fashion, has already presented the trends for 2011/2012. In her presentation Li predicted a series of trends for fashion, art, design, architecture and beauty. Some of her trends were literally developed by perfume brands, such as Hermés. Li predicted (In the Landscape Interiors) "The green roofs - it is to become an icon of our time"/"rocks are everywhere in our environment and culture"/"camping colors will prevail and green will be very important"/"grass is going to be used inside as well as outside - grass will be very important".
+ Q Perfume Blog translated this trend to fragrances as "bring the garden into your home" kind of fragrances. Green, aromatic, fresh, herb-y, aquatic, delicate, flowery fragrances have been launched by many brands, after all, when Lady L predicts, it is a sure thing!


Photo credit: un coeur en Provence

So, take off your sandals and let's enter to these magical green gardens. Lets sit under a tree, or lie and relax in a woven network hammock. Let's plant new aromatic herbs to use in our culinary treats. Let's invite friends for a picnic, or for a roof garden party! Let's smell the flowers, savor the crunchiness and freshness of vegetables, the aromatic scent of the herbs...and the amazing "garden-like" fragrances!


Un Jardin Sur le Toit EDT By Hermès - as mentioned before,  Hermès perfumery staff must have sited on the front row, and listened very well to Li Edelkoort's lecture. They literally planted a garden on the top of a roof in Paris, and Jean Claude Ellena, the in-house perfumer of the Maison, wanted to recreate the fresh flowery joy of apple and pear trees. A secret vegetal garden that was presented on a roof, and given to you in a bottle.
One more perfume to be added to the "Le Jardins" collection, including olfactive notes of: apple, pear, grass, peppery note, magnolia, rose, green herbs, damp earth, oakmoss.

The Past: Kenzo has already brought beautiful Lika Minamot and poppy flowers to the top of buildings in his 2010 Flower Fragrance advertising:


Trèfle Pure by Atelier Cologne Cologne Absolue 18% - freshly cut grass, combined with dewy earth and violet flowers. A luminous fragrance that capture the moment that the grass smells fresher - after the rain.
Notes of this fragrance are: Bitter orange, cardamom, basilic, clove absolute, violets leafs, Tunisian neroli, patchouli, moss and musk.


The past: Margiela's first fragrance Untitled EDP by Margiela/Ninfeo Mio EDT by Annick Goutal/Un Jardin aprés la Mousson by Hermès



L'Eau Par Kenzo Wild Edition EDT pour Homme by Kenzo - Kenzo brought the freshness of water casts and blue pebbles - straight from Li's trend book. His garden has pounds and water fountains. It is aquatic, overflowing with life.
Notes of this fragrance are: citron, coriander, ginger, mint, sage, cardamom seeds, atlas cedar and white musks.

The past: Serge Luten's L'Eau/Voyage d'Hermès/DKNY Pure. Many fragrances from 2010 had water as a theme or inspiration - very easy to find!
As per pebbles...Kenzo had already used Karim Rashid's colorful pebbles in Ryoko. Also Lolita Lempicka in her fragrance L ... you can say that Comme de Garçons have a pebble like flacons too.




TO BE CONTINUED...

Monday, June 13, 2011

Vive La Gourmandise! Gourmet Perfumes!

In 1992 Thierry Mugler launched Angel, the iconic perfume that was created to evoke the tenderness of the momories of a childhood. The notes were sweet as a childhood memory must be. Caramels, chocolate, vanilla, honey, coumarine, associated with dewberries, red berries, bergamot, helional, hedione and patchouli opened a new olfactive family in perfumery - the oriental gourmets. The success can only be explained by the fact that we all have a sweet teeth and an uncontrolable urge now and than...
Truth is, we don´t need a fragrance to bring back our child memories, all it takes is to open a family album and take a look at the pictures, but Angel brought a warm sensation to fragrances that was broad and new. Mature ladies felt young wearing Angel. It had a emotional "botox" effect on them, and teenagers related to the fragrance as they relate to straberry scented gloss.
Since the early ages men used the nose as a tool for survival as  they smelled things to check for safety. Also looking into the history of perfumery, we acknowledge that the first colognes were composed by oils extracted from oranges, lemons, bergamots, citrons, aromatic herbs, and spices that were also found in the kitchen or in the perfumer's backyard. It is a fact that flavor (taste) and aroma (smells) are always complementing each other.
As gourmet fragrances became a must have in every woman's wardrobe, the fragrance houses began to produce more and more raw material to satisfy our "taste buds", such as pop corn, cotton candy, caramelized apples, marzipans, marmalades, etc...


This year Serge Lutens presents JEUX DE PEAU EDP, a daring gourmet note of toasts and butter. If you are surprised, I am not. As my new facebook friend and blogger, La gardenia nello ochiello, reminded me the other day that French cuisine is about 3 things: butter, butter and butter. We laughed about it, but in fact, Lutens gave French people what they love the most - buttery notes - an olfactive gourmandise that does not increase cholesterol levels!
Notes of this perfume are: roasted bread, licorice, immortelle, spices, apricot, sandalwood, amber, woody notes, incense, osmanthus.
A rich creamy buttery mouth watering fragrance that evokes brunches, French boulangeries and warm skin. 
You will find this fragrance at Essenza Nobile by clicking on the name of the fragrance above displayed.


Shalimar is a classic perfume launched in 1925 and it is a success until today. This timeless fragrance became a reference to oriental fragrances. By being the first fragrance composed by vanillin ethyl, the artificial molecule that smells like vanilla, I chose to add here also as a gourmet fragrance. Benzoin, Peru Balsam and opoponax reinforced the vanilla scent of the fragrance. There is a modern version of this perfume, Shalimar Parfum Initial, with the same spirit of the original, with vanilla, rose, iris, tonak beans, but fresher, with notes of bergamot (Less syrupy than the original).
Notes of this fragrance are: bergamot, mandarine, cedar, lemon, patchouli, jasmine, rose, orris, vanilla, benzoin, Peru Balsam and leather.
You will find this sensual gourmet fragrance at Guerlain.com


A sweet pinkish macaroon-y fragrance with raspberry, grapefruit, pear and plum, combined with delicate flower blooms and the candy like smell of violets. Very youthful, to the public who enjoys the strawberry scent and taste of lip gloss and The Gossip Girls (and the same preppy public of Chanel's Chance Eau Tendre).
Notes of this fragrance are: Grapefruit, raspberry, pear, plum, violets, apple bloom, jasmine, lychee (?), atlas cedar, clean white musk.
A promised happy pill. The same happiness you get by having Laudurée Macarrons!
You can fin this fragrance at your local perfume shop or MARC JACOBS.


It is so sweet that it is almost unbearable, and yet a very successful gourmet fragrance.
Lemons, limes, apple caramels, vanilla
Caramelized temptation, sticky fruity perfume. for very young ladies or more mature suffering from a nasty PMS. It is the sister of Angel - they both walked hand-in-hand to the nearest amusement park.
It contains a milky base that is quite strange.
Notes for this fragrance: Calabrese lemon, lime, red toffee apple, vanilla infusion, moonflower, peony petal, apple tree wood, cotton musk.
You will find this perfume at Nina Ricci website or the nearest perfume shop.


Paris Premières Roses by YSL is a spring version of the original Paris, launched this year. A rosy syrupy perfume. Another modernization of a classic, for ladies with an urge to sin in the kitchen.
Notes for this fragrance are: Peonies, Little Dog rose, freesia, orange flowers, muguet, musk, sandalwood.
This is a limited YSL spring Edition, so check YSL website for availability.

It is endorsed now by the newest America's sweetheart and oscar winner, Miss Nathalie Portman. The fragrance is classic, sweet, fruity, sensual, gourmet and pink. For anyone who loves caramelized popcorn, this is definitely the treat!
The notes for this fragrance are: Mandarin, strawberry leafs, violet, jasmine, caramel popcorn, wild strawberry sorbet, musk and patchouli.
If Natalie has a Frenchie sensual look by being naked and wearing a ribbon, maybe this is what Dior is promising - another gourmet, girlie, pretty fragrance... I think I liked the advertising with the balloons better...
Find this fragrance at your nearest perfume store or at DIOR's website.


I do like gourmet fragrances, but I think they have to be very sophisticated, or else it is just one more get-cavity-perfume.


My ideal gourmet fragrance are mostly fruity chypres, like Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel.
I also enjoy A*Men Pure Coffee by Thierry Mugler - with coffee, chocolate and plum notes. Also Bond Nº9 So New York with Mirabelle, expresso and chocolate notes.
Iris Ganache by Guerlain - the most beautiful combination of notes of iris and gourmet notes chocolate and vanilla.
Tarty fragrances such as Poopoopidoo by Ego Facto and Scale aux Marquise by Dior,  or almond-y fragrances such as Scale a Portofino by Dior.


What is your favorite sweet treat? 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Blogger technical problems - again...

I did not desable the comments in my blog - blogger did and somehow I am not succeeding to able them again....sorry ...I hope it is temporary!

Eu não desativei a ferramenta comentários do blog, o blogger desabilitou e eu não estou conseguindo trazer de volta...desculpa...espero que seja temporário!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Do's & Dont's, the Myths, the Misunderstandings in Perfumery

I have seen many articles giving tips on how to apply/store/buy perfumes, or with FAQ responses. Some where very useful...some just missed the point. This month Brazilian Elle magazine published an special issue about perfumes, and the answers of perfumery FAQs were supposedly answered by "experts in perfumery". In some of the answers I found surprising wrong explanations. I decided to make something similar here for my readers.

Can I apply perfume on my hair?
HELL NO!!! You spend so much money in treatments to make your hair beautiful, shinny and soft, why to ruin all your effort in seconds??? Perfumes contain alcohol, that not only will dry your hair, but it can also damage the color. Besides, if they are not to be applied on clothes and furniture because they can stain them...use your common sense and try to picture what they will do to your hair, specially if colored.

So what is the best way to apply my perfume?
The classic way dear. Apply small amounts on you wrists and behind both ears. Some ladies like to apply on the chest (cleavage) or behind the knees, when wearing a sexy dress.

But I heard that rubbing fragrance applied on the wrists can ruin it!
False. Rubbing will only heat the skin and maybe the top notes will evaporate faster. But that is all that can happen. Touching both wrists will do no harm, believe me!

What about spraying on the air and entering the cloud to get a homogeneous spread of the fragrance?
Ok, here I have two answers for you:
1.If you mind your finances, don't even consider doing this! Besides, it might fall on the hair, clothes, eyes, furniture, jewelry, etc... 
2.If you want to have the Cleopatra or Diva style, than it is up to you to live a lie that you are been gloriously perfumed by a cloud of fragrance. It is up to you really. In my opinion it is a waste of good perfume. 

My fragrance smells different (or better) on my friend, sister, mom...why????
This is partially true. The fragrance is always the same, if fresh. Your friend smells different than you, not the fragrance she is wearing! That happens due to many factors: She uses different beauty & cosmetic products than you, such as scented hair products, deodorants, body lotions, soaps, scented make- up and so on... besides, her genes (heritage and health conditions) are different than yours. The combination of these factors produce different results on both of you ladies.
Than there is the emotional factor: 
If your perception of your fragrance on your friend was  not in the same day you tried on yourself, you are using your memory, not a technical tool to measure how similar or different you and her smell.
The industry sells this idea that every woman smells different wearing X perfume, to sell more. With the uniqueness idea on your mind, you will probably not mind that 1000s of other women are in fact smelling just like you are! So maybe you are just influenced by this mislead concept.

And most of all: the neighbor's grass is always greener, right? Why don't you mind your own fragrance? Focus on how YOU are smelling.

Can I wear a masculine fragrance being a woman? Can I wear a feminine fragrance being a man?
I can give you 2 answers:
Some masculine fragrances have a large dose of flowers and can produce a beautiful effect on women. Some feminine fragrances are not that girlie, so yes it can be shared with the masculine public. But a typical masculine fragrance was designed for men, and vice versa. It all depends on the message/image you want to pass/reflect...I don't want to pride...

Why the fragrance I loved in the past (mentioning the brand and perfume) smells different (weaker, bad fixation) today ? 
That could happen for some reasons:
How old were you when you used that fragrance? It matters because our sense of smell reduces as we age. So maybe your perception of the fragrance is different, not the fragrance itself.
Many fragrances had to be reformulated to adapt to new health regulations, so probably the original you mentioned contained raw materials that are forbidden today.
Maybe the brand had to adapt to a new budget, substituting some of the most expensive raw materials for cheaper ones. It happens. Sorry to break it to you!

Can I apply perfume wearing jewelry?
Always apply your fragrance before dressing and putting all your accessories.


What do I do if I put too much perfume?
Well, pray you won't meet an allergic freak!
I saw some people advising to take a good shower. Really?

Why sometimes I don't find the notes mentioned in a review of a fragrance? Sometimes I find notes that were not mentioned too!
There is a funny thing about smells. Sometimes we haven't noticed them until someone mentions it. That is because you were focusing into something else that was more (or less) appealing to you. Your perception of the fragrance is filtered by your life experience, your background, your interests. 
One example: I had lunch with 2 friends and we were commenting on a new shopping mall. The mall is always the same, but the comments were so different:
Friend A (works near the new mall) I loved the mall - it has  2 salons, a great movie theater and the food court is so silent!
Friend B (snobby and very social) I hated that mall. So empty...I will probably never meet someone I know because the shops are kinda cheap.
Me - very practical being - I loved that I have one more mall near my home, and that not a lot of people have discovered it yet. I can drive, park, buy and leave in 1/2 an hour!
So as you can see, one focused on the quality of the people shopping and the shops available; the other is more concerned about the quality of the environment offered so she can have lunch in quiet place, and I, the distance and time I will spend shopping there.

There's also the knowledge factor - once you know the raw materials used in the fragrance (not just the ones mentioned by brand), you will notice them more easily. 

What is your opinion of decants and splits?
There are two aspects of this matter:
If you are a true passionate, you will certainly agree that a perfume is a product  containing the fragrance, presented in its bottle, stored in its package. So to me, perfume is the whole deal. I wish to have all three! 
Now, some fragrances are too expensive to be bought without a previous try. Sometimes you can get samples, sometimes you don't. In this case, splits and decants are a good way of sampling before buying the whole bottle.
The other matter is how sterile your split and decant is? The contact of human skin, light and particles in the air may alter the fragrance, so you are not really buying a "pure" "sterile" perfume. As you know, even hand bottled perfumes are stored and processed in clean environments. Can you control, or even check where these decants and splits are being separated? Do you know if it is not done inside someone's bathroom? If you can answer these questions, go for it.
So the answer is: I do have splits and decants, as well as official and non official samples. But I rather have the original fragrance, in the original bottle and package.

Where to store my fragrances?
Certainly not in your bathroom! 
It is best to store them in a cool, dry, dark, clean place such as your wardrobe or a cabinet. Even better if you keep them inside their packages. (see? One more reason to have the original one!)

But some of them became kinda dark and some have an altered smell! What happened?
Probably it is because you kept them in your bathroom, exposed to light and vapor of the hot showers you take! The brown-ish color is due to light absorption.

For Brazil only: Are "contratipos" illegal or fake fragrances?
NO! The Brazilian law describes a fake product when it is a copy of a fragrance, sold as if it was the original, leading consumers to error. That is 100% illegal. 
Imported fragrances - If the fragrance has the ADIPEC seal, it has a guarantee that you are buying a legal original fragrance. For more information click HERE (in portuguese).

The seal

"Contratipos" are fragrances inspired by the original, sold with another name and different design concept, therefore it can't be considered illegal by the law. Specially because fragrance to are not subjected by patents. The thing is, vendors do say "this is just like Carolina Herreira, just like Gabriela Sabatini, but cheaper!"  So basically "contratipos" are bought by people who cannot afford the original one.  But they know what they are buying.

Are gourmet fragrances edible ones?
Now this is a question I am not willing to answer!!! This is so typical...you haven't been reading my blog, have you???

Hope I helped! If you have any other question...let me know!












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