And The Winner Is… – Guerlain Shalimar Giveaway Winner Announced

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Olfactoria

Thank you all for participating in this month’s giveaway. It was such fun reading all those ridiculously long perfume names. My personal favorite is “Ange ou Demon Le Secret Poesie d’un Parfum d’Hiver Givenchy for Women”, that name really shows commitment to the art of flankering.

But as usual I let fate and random.org decide.

The 5ml decant of Guerlain Shalimar Ode a la Vanille sur la route de Madagascar (phew!) goes to

Amandine Trois

Congratulations!

Please email me with your details within a week, otherwise I will do a re-draw!

Until next month!

Posted in Giveaway, Guerlain | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Heroine Of Summers Past – Review: Yosh Ginger Ciao

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Olfactoria

Yosh Han, Californian perfumer extraordinaire, says the name of this perfume, Ginger Ciao, is actually the name of the heroine of a novella she has written. Ginger Ciao, evocative of every overblown female lead somewhere between James Bond and Austin Powers, surely sounds like a femme fatale.

But what is her smell like?

Ginger Ciao was created by Yosh Han and includes notes of black coconut, night queen, tiger lily, neroli, ylang ylang, ginger and basil.

“Ginger Ciao is the bewitching heroine of a major modern novella; she’s charismatic, daring, and scintillating. Arabian sandalwood, ylang ylang, and black coconut offer the undeniable allure of faraway lands. While touches of Kenya lily, basil, and ginger hint that our charming heroine also has an audaciously intelligent alter ego. This fragrance has enough seductions to go around, but you’ll probably want to keep it all to yourself.”

– from the Yosh website

I wish I had had this sample in summer. (Many thanks to Undina for sending it!)

Made for warm summer nights, it exudes a tropical vibe that is at once relaxing and exciting. Lacking those balmy evenings, Ginger Ciao takes on the challenge of bewitching me despite chilly autumnal winds and the fragrant prospect of first snow in the air.

Opening with a lovely coconut note, that is far from sweet and cloying, Ginger Ciao then brings on the tropical flowers in abundance. Lily and ylang-ylang form a rich and dense heart, accented by the spicy heat of ginger and the cooling whiff of something green which has to be the basil. The drydown is dominated by a soft, smooth and sweet sandalwood with the coconutty lily hanging on for a long time. It is not a perfume of big surprises, it is clear and direct in what it is and I like that. (It actually reminds me of Undina in that respect.)

Ginger Ciao is unrelentingly, unapologetically feminine and drop-dead gorgeous.

Do you wish to have a few more days of sunshine before winter really grabs us? It’s either a plane ticket or Yosh Han’s sensual and seductive creation.

Your choice.

Image source: luckyscent.com, iluxurystyle.com
Posted in Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Fruity, Gourmand, Lily, Spicy, Woods, Ylang Ylang, Yosh | Tagged , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

Monday Question – Would You Like To Work In The Perfume Industry?

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Olfactoria

Is your dream to become a perfumer yourself?

Would you like to start your own brand?

Design bottles maybe?

Work in perfume retail? Open your own store?

Do you see yourself working in the industry in the future?

Or are you happy on the consumer side? Glad to watch from a distance?

My Answer:

I’m fine where I am. If I had money in a serious way, I might think about opening a niche perfume store a là Scent Bar in LA, or if I really aim over the top, then something like the Haute Parfumerie at Harrods in London, but those are only pipe dreams.

Writing about perfume from a healthy distance, into what – as occasional glimpses show me – is not such a happy industry (because such a thing does not exist), is fine for me.

I like to be my own boss and the freedom to do as I please and go where my nose and my fancy lead me. Being a part of the perfume industry would probably take a lot of the fun out of it for me.

How about you? What are your secret dreams and aspirations?

Posted in Monday Question | Tagged , , , , , | 67 Comments

A Smaller Empire – Review: Parfum d’Empire Cuir Ottoman

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Olfactoria

Leather – I have to say, I love it. That is fairly new for me and therefore I’m still somewhat  amazed at the fact. I had good experiences with the Parfum d’Empire line, so to try their leather scent was a must.

I look for feminine leathers, not too dry, not too harsh, combined with lush or sweet florals, no gasoline or rubber aspects, soft and worn in, that is how I like the note (My top favorite is Cuir de Lancome).

How does Cuir Ottoman fit into that profile?

Cuir Ottoman includes notes of jasmine, leather, iris, benzoin, balsams, resins and incense.

It starts with a fantastic-plastic-leather (pleather?) note, that initially put me off. But wearing it for a while, I realized that Cuir Ottoman begins to soften and becomes pliable, for lack of a better word, on your warm skin. Iris comes to the foreground, shrouding the leather in a powdery veil, rendering it less distinct and less harsh. A background of warm resins and incense adds to the smoky, gauzy, indistinct vibe of the leather-iris duet that dominates Cuir Ottoman throughout its long life span on my skin.

Instead of the great empire the name intends to evoke, in my mind’s eye, I see a leather couch. And not any leather couch, but the old Chesterfield in my Grandmother’s house. I used to hide under it, when I played hide and seek with the neighbor’s son.

I always chose this hiding place, despite the strong smell of old leather and copious amounts of dust, because for some reason my friend never thought to venture into that particular corner of the house – or maybe he didn’t dare – so he pretended not to find me for the longest time, until I finally got bored and came out on my own, with a smile of triumph on my face and cobwebs in my hair.

I hadn’t thought about this in years, but one whiff of Cuir Ottoman brought that time back in an instant.

Curiously enough, my friend, the neighbor’s son, has grown up to become a historian, he surely could tell me a lot about the Ottoman empire. But somehow I’m content with the little empire underneath the dilapidated leather couch it signifies for me.

Other Parfum d’Empire reviews on Olfactoria’s Travels.
Image source: luckyscent.com, antiquaireonline.com
Posted in Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Incense, Iris, Jasmine, Leather, Oriental, Parfum d'Empire, Resins | Tagged , , , , , | 45 Comments

Bottle Of The Month: October – And a Giveaway!

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Olfactoria

This month I want to share a bit of my newest Guerlain: Shalimar Ode a la Vanille sur la route de Madagascar, a gorgeous oriental that is short-listed for the title of longest perfume name of the year. 🙂

The winner will receive a 5ml decant of Ode a la Vanille.

To enter please leave a comment on this post telling me the longest perfume name you remember (I’m sure flankers have better chances is this game.) This should be fun!

Tweeting or sharing this post on Facebook gets you an additional entry. The giveaway is open worldwide until November 6, Midnight GMT, and the winner will be announced on the blog on November 7.

Please be aware that I cannot be responsible for the doings of the post office and can’t replace lost packages.

Good luck everyone!

Posted in Giveaway, Guerlain | Tagged , , , | 58 Comments

Calling In Sick – London Report Delayed

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Olfactoria

I’m sorry to say that the cold I brought home from London (Shall I say thank you Monsieur Persolaise, who I totally blame for this? 😉 ), is still taking its toll, I just can’t make my brain work in a sensible fashion for a longer period of time at the moment.

Therefore my account of my meeting with the venerable Mr. Roja Dove and my other London adventures will have to wait just a bit until I can do them justice.

Stay healthy, my friends!

Image source: via www.deusexmalcontent.com
Posted in Fragrance Reviews | Tagged | 25 Comments

Smell With Me – Olfactoria’s Travels Turns Two!

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Olfactoria

Two years ago to the day, I published my first post on this blog.

I cringe a bit when I look back over my early efforts, but I don’t change them, because they show the progress I’ve made over time. Progress in assessing perfumes and progress in writing about it.

770 posts, 24 000 comments, 595 000 visitors and two years later, I find myself slightly bewildered and wondering where the time has gone. I look at my children and see how it rushes by, they were babies just the other day and so was my blog.

Olfactoria’s Travels is starting the terrible twos now, I hope it won’t be as harrowing as what my sons put me through, but now and again these days, I feel a strain I was blissfully unaware of in the early days, when it was all eager exploration and passionate excitement.

But let’s look back at the past two years, which have been a great ride, here are some of my personal highlights.

My First Commenter: was none other than the lovely Katie Puckrik. My heart literally stopped for a few beats when I saw her comment. It was on a review of Serge Lutens Miel de Bois (Which I totally trashed, lol).

My First Reader: The first person to read my blog was Dr O., my long-suffering husband. I made him read my first post without telling him that I wrote it. He pronounced it okay, which brings us here. Had he said it was laughable, the blog would probably have died then and there.

My First Guest Poster: Tara, my dear friend from London, started reading and commenting on OT a good while ago and we quickly clicked. Several emails later, I asked her whether she wanted to write about one of her favorite perfumes for OT and that was surely one of my best decisions. She does exactly what I would do, but still has her distinct and wonderful voice. I’m very glad to share OT with her.

Here is what she has to say about her experience over the past two years:

By Tara: It is a testament to my immediate connection with Olfactoria’s Travels that I uncharacteristically left a comment on the very same happy day I stumbled across it via Google. It was great to find a perfume blog where I felt totally at home and admired the writing and opinions of the author so much. After I had been commenting for some time, Birgit kindly (and bravely!) asked me to write a review. The experience was an exciting creative challenge and gave me even greater respect for the way she manages to produce incredibly high quality, insightful posts on such a regular basis. Guest hosting the Monday Question has been particularly fun. Chatting with so many lovely people about my favourite subject is an absolute pleasure. Travelling with Olfactoria over the last two years has been life-enhancing for me in so many ways.

Since then Sandra, Lady Jane Grey and Alexandra have also contributed. Many thanks!

The First Post Ever: Frederic Malle En Passant was my first niche perfume purchase and also my first review. We are no longer best of friends, but I really enjoyed this first love while it lasted, then I moved on…

Top Post Of All Time: Illuminum White Gardenia Petals was the perfume the Duchess of Cambridge allegedly wore on her wedding day. Thousands of people want to know about it, even if or maybe because the fragrance is surrounded by some intrigue…

Post With The Least Hits: Apparently over-the top luxury is not what OT readers are after – Xerjoff Irisss, Homme, Elle and XXY has the least clicks of all individual posts over the last two years.

Most Controversial Post Of All Time: Lubin Black Jade – my nightmare. I truly thought my blogging days were over. Up to this point it has been all happiness and good smells, then all of a sudden a harsh wind blew in my face. Well, I guess one has to lose one’s innocence eventually. This is what I learned from the experience.

The Funniest Post:  Trust my husband with a toddler and an expensive vial of perfume and you are doomed. I learned that the hard way. The good thing is that I had enough leverage on him to make him write a post and buy me more perfume. There is a silver lining to everything… Alternative Uses of Perfume – The Husband Reports

Most Emotional Post: I had written the review of Mona di Orio Oiro months before her untimely and tragic death in December of 2011. For some reason I let it sit unpublished. It turned out to be eerily fitting in hindsight and I’m glad I could give voice to my feelings and those of many others when I finally published it in her memory. She will be with us forever.

My Personal Favorite: Aftelier Cepes&Tuberose is a perfume that touched a nerve with me. It was a revelation, not only for olfactory reasons and it perfectly showcases the almost magical abilities of Mandy Aftel.

Thanks to the contributors, fellow bloggers, commenters, readers, and my family for supporting me and sticking with me! You are the best!

Hugs, B x

Posted in Ramblings | Tagged , , | 100 Comments

Monday Question – Did You Ever Have A Signature Scent?

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Olfactoria

In your (long-gone) days of normal perfume behaviour, did you have a signature scent?

Was there one perfume you have been loyal to for years?

Which perfume was part of you for a significant amount of time?

If you never had a signature, why is that? Would you like to have one? Are you looking for one?

My Answer: 

I guess I had a kind of signature scent, or rather a series of monogamist relationships with perfume. I wore Prada, the original for many years, then Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and then Narciso Rodriguez For Her. At least those are the perfumes that I re-bought when they were gone (finishing an entire bottle of perfume, what a strange concept!).

Despite appearances (meaning my incessant testing and blogging), I am still very fascinated and enticed by the concept of a signature. I am drawn to the idea of having a scented identity. Something my beloved ones could identify me with, a perfume that represented me, that enhanced and underscored facets of me.

Apparently I have too many facets that need underscoring on different days.

I ask myself: Will the search ever end? Am I even on a search or is it a journey where the collecting of many, many perfumes is the focus? Am I looking for perfume or am I only enjoying the hunting and gathering part so much?

I’m sorry that I’m answering my MQ with more questions today, but sometimes questions only bring forth more of the same…

How about you?

Posted in Monday Question | Tagged , , | 133 Comments

My Kingdom For This Horse! – Review: Parfum d’Empire Equistrius

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Olfactoria

I wanted to re-post this review, since Equistrius made a major comeback in my perfume-wearing habits. Over the summer I completely neglected this gem in my collection, because it somehow did not work at all, but now that temperatures are down again, I’m once more reveling in its beauty and want to spread the word about this unusual iris. So here is my review, originally posted in May 2011.

I wish I had tried Equistrius sooner, but on the other hand, I would have missed many good irises then, because Equistrius would have stopped me in my tracks, I would have been declaring “I have found it!” and would have sat back, just huffing my wrist contentedly, an enigmatic smile of my satisfied face.

Which is what I am doing right now. And now and then, between deep breaths and beatific smiles, I write a sentence. This could be a very short review, à la “I love it. Go buy it.” or “Best iris in existence. Go buy it.”, but I am usually a bit more verbose than this and Equistrius deserves a proper accolade. But if you are in a hurry, this is all you need to know: Great iris, go buy it!

Equistrius was created by the founder of Parfum d’Empire, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato in 2007, notes include orris, violet, rice powder, chocolate, ambrette, sandalwood, vetiver and grey amber. Like the others in the line, Equistrius represents an empire, in this case the roman empire. Equistrius is allegedly the name of a horse belonging to the creator.

We already took a look at Ambre Russe, Osmanthus Inderdite,Wazamba, Yuzu Fou, Eau de Gloire, Aziyadé, Fougére Bengale and Azemour Les Orangers.

Equistrius can be described in brief as an iris amber, quick thinkers already know why I cannot but love this. In Equistrius the hefty dose of orris is combined with a little violet and gourmand notes of rice powder and chocolate, the whole things sits on a delightful base of ambergris, ambrette and sandalwood.

That sounds mighty sweet, even to me when I read this, but it is not sweet at all. Another iris gourmand comes to mind of course – Guerlain Iris Ganache – but there is no real comparison, Iris Ganache is about three thousand times sweeter and more “edible” than Equistrius. The rice and chocolate here work only to make the iris rounder and softer, to smooth out the rootiness. There is a curious spiciness to Equistrius that I cannot place, that keeps me guessing and that keeps the perfume interesting.

Apart from a little more violet at the start, and a little more orris in the heart, Equistrius is mostly linear and fades out, I am sorry to say, all too soon. I would be the happiest person in the world if I could say it lasts for 8 hours. It does not, but I get about two to three, then I re-apply (with gusto, I might add, so it is not so bad).

The drydown is simply stunning, a totally addictive blend of musk, amber and iris. It is deep, but not heavy, comforting, but still interesting, gorgeous, but sadly fleeting.

Now for the bottom line: Would I buy it? YES. Will I buy it? YES. Should you buy it? YES. If you love iris, if you love amber, this is perfection.

Al Pacino as Richard III in one of my favorite movies “Looking for Richard”

I would certainly give my Kingdom for this particular horse.

Image source: luckyscent.com, alpacinomovies.com
Posted in Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Iris, Parfum d'Empire | Tagged , , , , , , | 28 Comments

A Short Break From Daily Drudgery – Olfactoria Is Off To London!

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Olfactoria

I’m flying to my favorite city on earth today, the hopefully not too rainy London.

Of course I’m going there not just for fun and games, but to bring you a taste of London’s finest in perfumery.

I have an appointment to meet the great Roja Dove (hear squeals and sqeeks of equal measures excitement and anxiety), will take a look at the Jo Loves showroom, explore the big perfume halls of the department stores and try to cram in as many tiny perfume boutiques as I can find.

I will hopefully meet some of you at Les Senteurs on Friday.

I’ll be back next week to share all I have learned.

Posted in Ramblings, Travels | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments