Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Li Edelkoort - Especial +Q Perfume Blog

Em comemoração do aniversário de Marie Claire, a revista trouxe para o Brasil Li Edelkoort, (nomeada pela revista Times como uma das mulheres mais influentes da moda e a pesquisadora de tendências mais competente da atualidade) para um evento VIP que se chamou Inspiracões. Lá estavam presentes todas as estrelas da moda e da mídia brasileira.
Li apresentou as tendências para o verão de 2011 e +Q Perfume Blog também esteve lá a convite, para conferir as novidades que estarão nas passarelas da moda.
Esta é a primeira parte de um artigo longo, no qual faremos juntos um brainstorming para aplicar as tendências na perfumaria. Divirtam -se e fiquem encantados com esta pessoa incrível que é Li Edelkoort.
Parte I - Onde estamos e onde queremos chegar?

Estamos entrando no final da primeira década do novo milênio. Uma década que foi marcada pelo medo.

Já a própria chegada do novo século foi temerosa. Invasões de hackers, vírus de computadores, ataques terroristas...as previsões eram inúmeras.

Em 11 de setembro de 2001, o ataque terrorista promovido pelo Al-Qaeda contra os Estados Unidos instalou definitivamente o terror na humanidade. Associados aos cataclismas ambientais dos últimos tempos e a crise financeira global atual, trouxeram uma sensação de instabilidade e insegurança geral para a sociedade.

Vivemos na época da globalização, da conexão e do prazer imediato. Gastamos mais que podíamos e estragamos o meio ambiente a ponto de mudar o clima terrestre.

Tememos até o que comemos. Os alimentos matam!

A indústria da moda e a indústria cinematográfica tornaram as modelos e as atrizes em seres anoréxicos e inférteis, e nós seguimos esta moda, nos tornando incapazes de gerar vida.

Como conseqüência deste medo instalado nas camadas mais internas do nosso subconsciente, o ser humano passou a temer o imaginável: sua própria extinção. E para garantir a continuação da espécie, entramos na era das redes sociais, com Orkut, facebook, hi5 entre outros, na era da exposição da intimidade na internet, do amor virtual, do twitter. O ser humano para garantir a espécie, inconscientemente procurou estreitar os laços de amizade e chamar atenção para si, numa tentativa de garantir a procriação.

Os padrões de beleza mudaram. Saímos do clareamento dos dentes, das rinoplastias e outras cirurgias relâmpagos, para as reduções de estômago, botox e reconstruções totais. Precisamos chegar a perfeição da forma ao ponto de atingir um ideal de beleza irreal.

Mas será que podemos continuar vivendo com medo?

Segundo Li Edelkoort , o ser humano entrará na próxima década procurando o bem estar, a estabilidade emocional, a paz interior e a segurança.

No seu novo livro “Well Being”, ela tem como mandamento a palavra ‘Enjoy’, que em inglês significa aproveite. E para que o ser humano possa começar a aproveitar a vida, ele irá buscar o elemento que traz esta harmonia e conforto na natureza.

Desde os primeiros momentos de vida, o homem está protegido no útero materno, envolvido em liquido numa temperatura agradável. O próprio ser humano é constituído de uma boa quantidade de água. O planeta em que habitamos tem grandes extensões de água. Ou seja, um dos elemento mais importante para garantir a nossa espécie, é liquido e se chama água.

Baseando-se neste elemento fundamental, Li Edelkoort aponta as tendências que influenciarão a moda, a arquitetura e o mercado da beleza.

E como esta busca pelo bem estar influenciará a perfumaria internacional?

Aguardem a segunda parte do artigo em breve!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

+Q Perfume asked amazing minds!


+ Q Perfume has been asking around perfumers & experts what they consider to be an excellent perfume. Here are some of the answers:


Olivier Durbano site - click here


Olivier Durbano – Olivier Durbano Perfumes – Sincere, gentle and devoted to make women look beautiful:
What I consider to be an excellent perfume: A very personal and essential "skin", like an emotional story, a pure dream, a movie between soul, or mind and body...Something also with memory, in the past and at the moment... and why not to the future. Something that elevates your being, in order to transform life into something better and more beautiful.
Veroprofumo - for the site, click here
Vero Kern – Veroprofumo – A lady with traditional values and contemporary taste!
My own inclination always brought me back to the traditional French perfumery. I wanted 
at any price call my creations in this direction. What I want in a fragrance, it's complexity, 
originality and persistence heady. Besides the technical know-how, this requires imagination, 
intuition and some uninhibited artistic freedom in the accentuation of the notes and the 
choice of components
Pro fvmvm Roma - for the site, click here
Felice Durante – Pro fvmvm Roma - a charming, warm, bright Italian prince:
An excellent perfume is an explosion of feelings, emotions, desires, atmospheres…making us fall into an unique moment of well-being.
Della Chuang - for her blog, click here
Della Chuang – Designer/ now also Writer - Kyoteau Parfum - One of the most creative & cool minds nowadays:
Perfume should be memorable not intrusive;
Perfume should be meaningful not pretentious;
Perfume should smell art not money;
Perfume should evoke emotion with color and shape;
Perfume should be created with love, and a lot of loves.
Palio Fragrances - for the site, click here
Laurence Siena Perfumer – A man who is passionate about his art:
My favorite perfume is based on oils that are subtle and soft. Easy blending of lavender and white musk are wonderful combinations. Base notes of amber or patchouli also work well for me. I enjoy fragrances that have what I refer to as "memory recall."
They can transport you to another "time or place".
Spajá - for the site, click here
Giovanna Kupfer – a woman with a vision, beauty, brains and kindness in one single flacon/owner of Spajá (NYC):
An excellent perfume is the one who speaks to you. In my case I have been wearing Opium by YSL and Private Collection by Estee Lauder for many many years. They are a part of me, of my personality already. I can’t live without them.
Art et Parfum - for the site, click here
Michel Roudnitska – Perfume composer for Art et Parfum - A man who has perfume creation in his genes!:
The art of fragrance composition could be compared to an architectural creation.
What are the main qualities we are expecting from a house?
It has to be "beautiful", "good" (comfortable) to live and "well" built.
We can transpose these 3 criteria in the perfumery field: if a perfume is just beautiful, but with no more pleasure wearing it after a while, and without lasting power because it is not well built, the success will be compromised.
It's quite hard to fulfill these 3 conditions because they are often irreconcilable but when this miracle happens, we get what we call a "great" fragrance, which is for me the expression of excellence!
Tauer Perfumes - for the site, click here
Andy Tauer – Tauer Parfums – He is one of the nicest perfumers in the niche market. A real gentleman with a gifted nose, and a lot of sensibility:
In my words, an excellent perfume is surprising us because it is new and original, it is beautiful because it is well structured, it is changing like a twinkling diamond, because it is composed to perfection with high end raw materials, it is telling us a story because its creator was inspired and the perfume has become a part of the artist.
Leave your own statement here!!! + Q Perfume Blog wants to know what you think!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Green peppers, Chocolate, Mariachis and Bandeiras/Pimentas verdes, Chocolate, mariachis e Bandeiras


Piment Brûlant - L'Artisan Parfumeur
When I was in Rome last winter, I had the opportunity to have a very nice fragrant experience at the Olfattorio Bar a Parfums. There, I tried many brands that we don't get to smell in Brazil, because niche perfumery is at the stone age here.
One intriguing and rather strange perfume was Piment Brûlant, from the spicy collection of L'Artisan Parfumeur, created by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufur in 2002.
According to the brand, the notes composing this perfume are: hot peppers, clove, cocoa, tonka, vanilla. According to other sites, poppy, cloves, mexican chillies, chocolate, vanilla, musk, ambar.
And it was inspired by an Aztec love/energy potion called Xocolatl (chocolate in the Aztecan language meaning cacao drink) created more than 3000 years ago, with anatto (a seed with peppery nutmeg taste), vanilla beans, chillies and crushed roasted cacao seeds and honey.(you have a beautiful explanation in movie Chocolat, adapted from the book by Joanne Harris).
No inverno passado eu viajei para a Itália e tive a oportunidade de passar por uma experiência olfativa muito especial, na Olfattorio Bar a Parfums. Lá, eu experimentei várias marcas que eu nós não temos aqui no Brasil e que geralmente só ouvimos falar em revistas. Pois é, o Brasil ainda caminha muito devagar em relação aos outros países quando falamos em perfumaria de nicho.
Um dos perfumes mais curiosos e mais intrigantes que pude testar foi Piment Brulânt, la coleção especiada da marca L'Artisan Parfumeur, criada por Bertrand Duchafur em 2002.
De acordo com a marca, as notas que compõe o perfume são: pimentas fortes, cravo, cacau, fava tonka e vanilla. Mas de acordo com outros sites que pesquisei, o perfume contém ainda, notas de papoula, chilli mexicano, âmbar e musk.
A inspiracão para criação foi uma bebida azteca milenar chamada Xocolatl, que um azteca significava bebida de cacau, e era preparada com sementes de cacau torradas e moídas, favas de baunilha, pimenta vermelha, anato (um tipo de tempêro com gosto de noz moscada, ligeramente apimentada) e mel para adoçar. (vocês podem ver uma linda explicação naquele filme Chocolat, adaptação para o cinema do livro de Joanne Harris).
The first whiff on the skin had a fast time traveling effect. Destination: Mexico. Jalapenõs, tomatillos, salsa verde...
A primeira borrifada do perfume na pele fez um efeito "viagem no tempo e no espaço". Destino: México. Japenõs, tomatillos, salsa verde...

Jalapenõ is a warm burning chilli pepper (Caspcicum). It is rather acid - picante and here, green. Very close to our Brazilian green pepper from Bahia called Malagueta.
Jalapenõ é uma pimenta do tipo Caspcicum, que é bem forte e ácida, lembrando a nossa pimenta malagueta da Bahia.
So I thought of mariachis playing with their huge sombreros. Their nice costumes...corky, isn't it?
But I had very little time to embrace the concept of a Mexican fragrance. The picante malagueta/jalapenõ touch fades away quickly, which I frankly thought it was an intelligent move of Mr. Bertrand. Sorta like "you understood the concept, let's move on..."
The cloves and poppies exploded on my skin in such a bombastic way, that I was a little bit overwhelmed. But it was cold, so I felt a cocooning effect, nice. Like sitting in front of the fire, heating the body, warming the soul. And this flowery touch, combined with the warm notes of cacao, tonka felt good. Kinky good.
There are also some animal notes there, turning the perfume deeper, sexier.
Então lá estava eu pensando em mariachis tocando uma música mexicana folclórica com aqueles sombreros gigantes. Meio brega não? Bom, ese devaneio durou segundos, pois o toque picante do japenõ/malagueta evapora rapidamente. O que na verdade considerei uma decisão inteligente do Sr. Bertrand. Tipo "vocês já entenderam onde queremos chegar, vamos passar adiante".
As notas de papoulas e cravo literalmente explodiram na minha pele, fiquei até um pouco tonta. mas como estava mutíssimo frio, a pele esquentou e eu me senti abraçada, com aquela sensacão de estar envolvida por um edredon quentinho, na frente da lareira, esquentando o corpo e a alma. A combinação dessas notas com as notas de cacau e fava tonka me fizeram sentir muito bem, uma sensação bem safada! Algumas notas animais estão presentes, embora escondidinhas, transformando a fragrância em um perfume sensual, mais sexy.

And there, in Via de Ripetta - Italy, I finally realized what this perfume was all about!
Forget the romantic-marketing "love potion of the Aztecs" description found in all the sites and blogs reviewing this fragrance.

This perfume is a genius olfactive translation of Antonio Bandeiras in the movie El Mariachi - or Desperado in English!!!
Hot, spicy, sexy - oh yeah!!! Brown-ish skin, tanned by the sun - a touch of chocolate is also there. Animalistic, he kills, kiss, plays the guitar and kills again.
The flowery touch is the lady - A voluptuous, gorgeous senõrita called Carolina, played by Salma Hayek. And yes, they are burning in flames of passion!
E foi ali, na Via di Ripetta - Itália que finalmente eu entendi qual era o babado deste perfume! Esqueçam toda esta descricão marqueteira de pocão do amor dos Aztecas que encontramos nos catálogos, sites e blogs. Nada disso!!!
Este perfume tem a capacidade mais engenhosa de traduzir olfativamente um personagem do cinema. É Antonio Bandeiras no filme El Mariachi, ou Desperado em inglês.
Quente, especiado, sexy - oh yeah! Queimado de sol com uma corzinha de chocolate, achamos as notas de cacau. Notas animais, ora essa! Ele mata, beija, toca violão e mata de novo - comportamento primitivo, animal. E o toque floral? Ah! O toque floral vem da mocinha, uma verdadeira senõrita chamada Carolina, interpretada pela maravilhosamente sensual Salma Hayek. E sim amigos leitores, a paixão explode em corpos ardentes!
So here it is, my dearest readers: Piment Brulânt, for the first time in a review played by Bandeiras and Salma Hyek.
Então queridos leitores, Piment Brulânt, pela primeira vez avaliado e tocado por Antonio Bandeiras e Salma Hyek!
Ai ai ai !!!!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Federal Trade Commission USA and Blogs

Dear readers,
I got information from Marlen (Perfumecritic.com) about the new FTC ruling, concerning disclosure of information about the fact that a blog received samples, payments or any benefit to review the products. + Q Perfume blog wants to thank Marlen for bringing the subject up, and sharing with this author.
Although + Q Perfume Blog is based in Sao Paulo - Brazil, I feel that it is important to be transparent about the work presented in here, since my second biggest public is American.
I have the following rules concerning what I publish:
1. I never give negative reviews or hardly confront the opinions of others.
Because I do not waste time with things I deslike.
Because I have a positive posture about life.
Because I respect for other people´s creations.
Because loving or hating a fragrance is rather subjective.
I highlight what I feel it is good (at least for me and my taste) and from there my readers can form their own personal opinions.
2. I am constantly receiving samples from companies (THANK YOU!!!), and I am also asking for samples from the companies that are not voluntarely contacting me. That does not mean I feel obliged to write about them or endorse them. Without theses "gifts" I would not be able to write so much. Who can afford the money and the time to buy more than 200 new perfumes a year?
3. Most of the brands or PR companies sharing informations, press releases and samples with the blog are listed in the end. Sometimes I forget to update it, but since the begining I felt it was important to show them how thankful I am for sharing with me what they believe is good. If I forgot to mention you, please send me an e-mail.
4. None of my reviews, articles or comments has render me any form of financial income. Unfortunately I may say. I would love to have the possibility to have extra cash to invest in more perfume purchases, therefore more reviews. And as a corporate lawyer, I desagree with the fact that financial benefits narrows the freedom of speech and compromises the neutrality, integrity or criticism. You can always tell the brand you will only review the products you enjoyed, if you enjoyed any.
When brands are giving away samples in department stores or malls, they are just giving the public the opportunity to smell the fragrance. That doesn't mean people have to buy it right? Here, the same rule is applied. Do send your samples. You increase the probability of having them reviewed. It is not a promise. It is not a commitment. It is a probability/possibility.
5. Nobody ever asked me to be interviewed, I choose and invite them as I please. But you are more than welcomed to kindly request!
I do send the final draft of my interviews for writen approuval. It is an oportunity to the guests of the blog to be in the spotlight and advertise their work, I gain from having the oportunity to learn with them, and my readers, to read the interviews, everybody is happy!
Anyways, + Q Perfume Blog has the opinions, statements and taste of the woman behind the blog. Like it or not, it is not a democratic space. It belongs to the author. The association of ideas, images or sounds are the result of my background, my experiences and my own self. If you dislike it, send me an e-mail or post a comment.
And yes, it is for the moment a space for free adverting for the companies.
Concerning + Q Perfume Trends & Blends Blog, also mine:
It is a project created to bring updated short releases, fragrance news, latest perfume launches, trends in the industry, fragrance fun and more perfume related issues. So, if you want me to publish your brand, please help with the information!
Send me to simone@maisqueperfume.com all I need to know about your brand.
Fragrant regards,
+ Q Perfume Blog
For FTC click here

Monday, October 5, 2009

3 perfumes, 3 beauties

Musk Rose
Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker
Narciso Rodriguez for Her
Idylle by Guerlain
Controversial subject. There has been some noise about the fact that some people think they are copies, or at least very similar. Lack of imagination? Following the successful track of one another? These questions does not interest me at all.
In fact is that there is a resemblance in the 3 perfumes: They are 3 delightful fragrances!
I have Lovely and Narciso and to tell the truth, I might have been captured emotionally, by the similarity, but once I started to wear one or the other, I realized that on my skin, they are not that similar.
Today I tried Idylle in a fragrance store and I loved it!
Let's check the olfactive notes provided by all 3 brands:

Lovely by SJP: Nectarine, bergamot, lavender, Patchouli, white narcissus, orchid, White papers, amber, cedar, woods, white musks.
Lovely is a celeb perfume with a real involvement of the actress Sarah Jessica Parker. It has a crispy bubbling opening that is youthful without being too young. It is a charming perfume. It is as chic as a pearl necklace, champagne and white orchids.
The green apple note is very uplifting. Florals are more intense on my skin rather than round notes of amber and musk. Although the brand does not mention peonies and roses in the pyramid, there are certainly there!
Narciso Rodriguez for Her: Rose, peach pulp, gentle amber, patchouli, sandalwood, musk.
This perfume has a great warm, elegant and feminine touch on my skin. It is velvety, classic and extremely strong. Rose and musk are very intense. It feels like Lovely got more mature.
Idylle by Guerlain: Bulgarian Rose, Raspberry Note, Litchi Note, freesia, rose, peony, lilac, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, white musk, patchouli.
Idylle has an astonishing, surprising and amazing opening. A piquant feeling (not sparkling or bubbling) of litchi and raspberry. A greener touch that I enjoyed much better than the 2 other fragrances mentioned above. Not youthful or mature, just glamorous! In my skin the rose and the peonies are less vibrant than the jasmine, freesia and the lily. More points added. The musk note blended well with patchouli and I am happy about it. Less creamy than Narciso, less "jumpy" as Lovely.
The flacons - no doubt that Guerlain's is gorgeous! Narciso is interesting...and Lovely... if it wasn't for Chandler Burr ( giving the back stage info), I would say it is common, does not bring any attention to it (pretty cheap).
If this is worth the Guerlain name...I am not an expert on Guerlain's fragrances. Never reviewed them before.
Debates apart. I am not taking sides, but even resemblance can smell different in different skins and different noses. I loved Idylle because I feel more fluidity. It also reminds me something from my childhood that I have no idea what it is but it feels good (Eventually I will find out and tell you).

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