The First Rule of Perfume Club

...is that you MUST talk about Perfume Club!

This past year I got an idea for how I could share my love of perfumes with even more people. You see, it is no longer enough for me to wax poetic on this blog or write sporadic reviews on Fragrantica. I wanted my friends near and far to know the joy of perfume in a visceral way. I put out the feelers on social media and received a huge response. My friends wanted to be just as excited about fragrance as me!

I carefully selected each sample for each person, taking in mind their personality and uniqueness. The first batch I bought was very feminine, lots of roses and white summer flowers. A few weeks later I had half a dozen samples bubble wrapped and tucked into envelopes. The post office clerk eyed me warily as I confessed to shipping liquids but I brought him around with some quick-witted banter and a waft of Mon Jasmin Noir emanating from my person. I was amazed to hear the very next day that people's treats were already arriving. A couple months passed and I shipped another batch, full of woods and spices. For some people I selected fresh green herbal concoctions, mailing out those ones in the heat of summer. It was always fun to meet up with a friend and see their eyes light up when they told me their sample had arrived. And I always worried when I never heard from someone... had they even received it? I felt like a mom watching her children go off into the world.

Here is what people are saying about their Perfume Club goodies:

Amy: "I love my Perfume Club sample! I only hope it is not a million dollars a bottle because I am totally buying it. Perfume companies should pay you for hooking people up with the perfect smell. It is the scent I have been trying to find my whole life...warm, comforting and churchy. Feeling blessed." (Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan)

Molly: "My perfume sample arrived today. It truly smells like roses. I think you have a talent, seriously. It is perfect for me!" (Penhaligon's Elisabethan Rose)

Cecilia: "I got the perfume in the mail. Your description was absolutely spot on! Cozy, narcotic...like a sleeping potion. I want to smoke it." (Keiko Mecheri Datura Blanche)

Anna Lee: "How do you do it? First of all, this is French. I have an unhealthy obsession with all things French. Double points for that. Secondly, it's a true floral. Quadruple points for that. It's not sugary sweet, the way a lot of floral perfumes tend to be and make me want to barf. No, this is delicately sweet. Warm sweet. Like a golden sunset in the middle of summer. Please tell me where I can buy this because this is now my scent. Please say it's not $200. Ah, who cares....I will pay $200 to be a golden sunset in the middle of summer all year long. Thank you, this smell makes my heart happy." (Annick Goutal Le Chevefeuille) 

Mickie: "Yes yes I love it! Makes me feel grown up sexy. Like Mrs. Robinson sorta? But a tiny bit fun when I catch the scent. Such rich tones but not overpowering." (Must de Cartier)

Angela: "Everything you said is right. Callas, daffodils, whiteness, angel hugs. But when it gets mixed with Angela it smells like 60 year old woman. A classy, sassy one... but still. I love the smell of the vial and can't stop thinking about it. My skin just does weird things to it. Also, I love Perfume Club!" (Marilyn Miglin Destiny)

Aeron: "When I opened the package from you, Phish's "Sample In A Jar" was playing and I was all set to fully experience whatever fragrance was contained in that tiny bottle. Your description was right on but the name didn't seem to fit. It does now that I have spent a long time thinking about this bridge. (***She sent me a picture of Monet's painting The Lily Pond to help illustrate her metaphor***) Lately I've been thinking about the words girl and woman, ladies, gals, etc. and not really being comfortable with any of them. 'Woman' sounds so severe...maybe I'm still more comfortable with 'girl'? There isn't anything in between like the word 'guys' for men. This fragrance took me from a childhood like in your description to this bridge. Rose is a strong feminine scent and for me, although I don't like the smell, it is very meaningful. Maybe it's too powerful because as I wore it, I envisioned arriving on the other side of the bridge, crossing the gap from girl to woman. I felt pretty good so I got up and grabbed myself a beer! Then I crocheted with my cats because truth is, I'm a grandma, smellin all rosy up in here. Too far over the hill, I mean bridge. So the perfume wasn't one I'd wear but what a great experience! I tried it a few times to be sure. Thanks so much! Now to make myself comfortable somewhere on that bridge." (Diptyque L'Ombre dans L'Eau) 

Katherine: "I would like to note that 'Penhaligon's Bluebell' sounds like either the name of some kind of spell or a show cat. So you have basically summoned the spirit of [our late grandmother] and sent her to visit me. This smell is so nostalgia inducing. I'm not sure whether it smells like Grandma herself or something she kept in the house (bathroom soap?) but it smelled like her from the moment I opened the bottle, all through a long evening walk around town, and still going strong an hour later. I need Grandma's fresh baked blueberry muffins right now." (Penhaligon's Bluebell)

Shari: "I will have to do this again but...I wore my perfume! I put on the smallest bit ever but when I hugged my friend she said I smelled nice. It's super summery and warm but I noticed later on it seemed muskier. I don't know if I wore too little and it was fading or if it's just body chemistry but yay Perfume Club!" (Ginestet Botrytis)

Stevie: "I love how earthy and non artificial the peach is. I was nervous when applying to my pressure points that the smell wasn't strong enough but as the day went on, I kept catching whiffs and it was delightful. This scent is not overly sweet fruit, which is lovely. I generally prefer woods and spices but would love to add a bottle of this one to my collection." (Keiko Mecheri Peau de Peche)

Catrina: "In the vial: No haughty red rose here, these are pink and white roses swirled with exotic spices and sandalwood. I'm intrigued and accept the invitation, dabbing a bit on my wrist. Oh how I wish for the promised bergamot or cinnamon! Sandalwood wrapped in roses is intoxicating to be sure--my head is spinning--but the spicy notes have all but vanished, giving way to the florals. Of course, you had no way of knowing that my skin amps up rose to the extreme or that I cannot wear jasmine without getting a headache. Which takes me to the drydown...so much jasmine that my eyes water. The rose is now a nostalgic afterthought, a whisper. Verdict: I'm glad to have tried it but not for me. A beautiful, complex scent. It needs someone else's skin to do it justice." (Amouage Lyric)

Kate: "My first reaction was 'Wow, that's flowery! This could be bad.' My second reaction was a headache, so not off to a great start if I'm honest. I decided to try anyway. I put some behind my ears and on my wrist and sniffed. Actually not bad! No chemical smell, just pleasantly floral. It definitely had warm undertones but I'm afraid my sniffer isn't as good as yours...I never detected the cocoa specifically. My husband agreed that it was a big change from my usual musk scents but it was not a bad change... he liked it too! Our toddler noticed too...he sniffed me more than usual, particularly where I had placed perfume. I continued to test this out in the world. I was disappointed, as no one said anything about how good (or bad) I smelled. Next time I will ask people what they think. All in all, I consider this a success, as I have found a floral perfume that doesn't go to hell on my skin and the males in my life don't object to." (Keiko Mecheri Johana)

Emily: "I've delayed writing my thoughts until I had worn this several times to figure out how she and I play together. Of course when I read your description and reason for selecting it for me, I thought "Yes, she knows me well!" I was intrigued by your comparison of her as 'Chanel no 5 on steroids'. This opens as a lovely classic powdery floral accord, very rose and jasmine forward. Very classy and polished. I can absolutely see your description of 'silk stockings and ladies in towncars who live in high rises with doormen'. I never get much civet (sadly...I was hoping for a similarity to Schiaparelli's Shocking) The heart is very Chanel no 5 but lacks it's fizzy aldehydes. I find no 5 to be a louder perfume on my skin. But this one is a little more sneaky...the tiniest bit of seduction in her trail. I would wear this on a fancy dinner date with a long time lover. He can only smell it when he is very close to me, and while it is classy enough to stand up to the occasion, is intimate enough for the unspoken promise of... dessert." (Amouage Gold pour Femme) 


Definitely looking forward to sending out more perfume love in the future and hearing your feedback! Who else wants to be in Perfume Club?

The Jasmine in my Mind

Right now we are in the hottest part of the year. It's a time for lazy afternoons sipping iced tea on the porch, watching fireflies at dusk and not doing anything too taxing. I have previously written about rose scents and today I want to talk about big white summer florals. In particular, the intoxicating smells of jasmine, gardenia, orange blossom and honeysuckle.


JASMIN et CIGARETTE by Etat Libre d'Orange

My favorite jasmine. I have gone through about five samples of this. I really ought to just buy a bottle. I love this perfume, but I do believe the tobacco note is merely a hallucination. Maybe there is a dryness from the hay or the cedar, a very slight crisp paper smell. What I get is less cigarette and more jasmine, jasmine, jasmine. It's a lovely green, cool jasmine... not just the blossoms but the entire tree, leaves and branches and all. This feels aloof and intellectual to me. I like wearing it when I need to feel superior because there is something about it that says "I know what I'm doing. You just shut up, watch and learn."


ALIEN by Thierry Mugler

Two listed notes. Jasmine and amber. But when I tried to recreate it using jasmine and amber perfume oils, something was missing. Thierry Mugler is known for his oddball creations and I am certain he's added some kind of solar accord to Alien. My first impression was the color purple and the adjective "meaty". It's a somewhat dirty, salty jasmine with monster sillage. I think it takes a certain type of personality to pull this off. The person who wears Alien should have confidence, wisdom and life experience.


J'ADORE by Christian Dior

This is a very popular fragrance, although I personally did not care for it. It's quite strong and sweet. If you love fruity perfumes you will probably enjoy J'Adore and see it as your fancy dress up scent. J'adore is full of pear notes and intense hits of peach and tuberose are wrapped around a jasmine with the volume turned up to 11. It's a decent perfume for someone that isn't me.


FLORENCE by Tocca

I once lamented to my child that because I wore so many different fragrances, he would never have a scent association for his mom the way most people do. He replied "Actually, whatever you are wearing today smells like you!" I was wearing Tocca Florence, which is a dead ringer for Marc Jacobs. I purchased a bottle of Marc Jacobs when my son was a baby and wore it nearly every day. So I suppose for him, the "mom smell" is gardenia. I am okay with that because it is my favorite flower. Florence is a long lasting gardenia with green notes and decent sillage. I always get compliments when I wear it. A colleague remarked "Smells like my wedding bouquet".


MICHAEL by Michael Kors 

Gardenia for grown ass women. In reality, this is a tuberose perfume but I like to refer to tuberose as the poor man's gardenia. It's a nearly identical smell but a much cheaper extract to produce. This reminds me of cashmere sweaters, cars with leather interiors, women who get alimony. It's plush and creamy and reeks of luxury. A drop will do ya.


FRACAS by Robert Piguet

The perfume I reach for when I don't give a f*$k what anyone thinks and I'd rather punish those around me. This has enormous sillage, enough to fill the room. A tuberose/gardenia hand grenade, Fracas was first launched in 1948. This speaks of an era when women were not concerned with smelling "office appropriate". If overapplied this fragrance makes me slightly nauseous, but when I use the tiniest amount it is gorgeous. Fracas reminds me of an ornate diamond necklace... a dazzling statement maker but certainly not for every day. A real diva scent. If this were a person it would be opera singer Maria Callas.


LE PARFUM by Elie Saab

A divine orange blossom and jasmine. This sweet perfume generates so many compliments. It is so feminine it begs to be worn with a flowing chiffon dress and high heels. Breathing this essence slows down my heart rate and makes me feel at peace with the world. Orange blossom has a tendency to remind me of grapes and this is indolic enough to do that without turning syrupy. It dries down to a clean soapy cedar with a trace of honey. This is pure class in a bottle. I need it!


LE CHEVREFEUILLE by Annick Goutal

One of the best summer scents ever. This is a very realistic honeysuckle supported with citrus and green leaf notes. This one conjures up images of walking barefoot across a dew soaked lawn on an early summer morning when the air is still cool. But like a summer morning it disappears all too soon. If you want a fragrance to help you relive childhood this would be perfect. I credit Le Chevrefeuille for making me research honeysuckle and subsequently learning how to pull out the stems and eat that drop of sweet nectar contained within the blossom. Annick Goutal might be a pricey niche line of perfume but there is nothing pretentious about the scent of Le Chevrefeuille. If sunrise had a scent it would be this one.

The Air of Time (Infinity Mirror)

I spent the first 12 years of my life living on the east side of Milwaukee in a huge Victorian mansion. There were 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a formal dining room, 2 living rooms (or parlors, as the original owners would have referred to them), a dark scary basement, a real attic with high ceilings and a variety of other rooms.
In a house that big, it was easy to forget a child or two for hours. I would hide out on the landing of the attic stairs, or in the basement area my dad called his office (really just a private place to read nudie magazines and smoke). Sometimes I would climb the backyard fence and make my way onto the roof of the shed. It was hard to feel lonely in the private worlds I created. I could also turn closets into blanket filled caves. Who could be possibly sad in a cozy little cave?
 One of my favorite hideaways was the world inside my infinity mirror. In one of the bedrooms sat an antique dressing table, dark wood with three mirrored panels that could fold in on each other. My game was to sit on top of the table and fold the mirrors around myself. Reflections of mirrors on mirrors created the effect of a corridor full of identical versions of me that just went on and on forever. I used to imagine that if I just believed hard enough, the solid glass would dissolve and I could slip into this magic world forever. It would be a world without loneliness, a heavenly prism of light complete with the most perfect playmates I could ask for. One day, while I was curled up inside this alternate universe I'd created on the dresser, I accidentally knocked over two perfume bottles, hard enough to disturb their caps. I know now that it was a bottle of 4711 and a bottle of L'Air du Temps. The scents of carnation, lemon and neroli filled the room as the liquid seeped into the wooden dressing table. I was young enough that I wasn't worried about getting in trouble so I began to smear it with my fingers, inhaling the uplifting essences. Suddenly I was filled with a strange knowledge, much like Eve may have felt after eating the fruit. It was the best moment of my four year old life. To this day I have a visceral reaction to neroli. A whiff of this oil and I can see infinite tiny versions of myself, full of joy and curiosity. To me, neroli (orange blossom absolute) is the fragrance of innocence and imagination. I wear it when I need to transcend the mundane and be self-possessed. It makes time stand still for me.

A Rose By Many Other Names, part 2

Three years have passed since my last post on rose perfumes. Since then I've had the opportunity to try a ton more fragrances, so I thought it was time for another round of reviewing rose-centric scents. Rose has been a favorite note in perfumery for thousands of years. It can either be the frontman or the backup singer, depending on the mood a perfumer wishes to create. The following five stood out to me as noteworthy.


Bulgari Rose Essentielle


A great unique rose! Very modern and femme. I first smelled this in a Sephora and went about my business. But for months I kept thinking "Wish I could afford Rose Essentielle, that was sensual stuff". One sniff and months later I could still remember it. Then on my lucky day I happened upon a bottle at a secondhand perfume sale. There was only a bit left in the bottle but it was cheap as chips so I grabbed it. BLACKBERRY. That is what is making this so great. Juicy summer blackberries keep this rose garden youthful and sexy. There is a bit of violet and mimosa in there too making it smell expensive and all woman. LOVE. The bottle is a nice statement piece on any dresser. Bulgari is quickly becoming one of my most favorite houses.


Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose


This is the strongest and longest lasting rose perfume I have ever encountered! The bottle is ugly and the juice is a yellow-chartreuse, toxic waste color. The sillage on this is enormous. I used one small squirt at 7 a.m. and when I saw my boss at 5 p.m. she commented "Something smells like pretty roses." So, yeah...that's some strong perfume. This would also be a good linen spray or make stationary smell nice. You could spray this on anything and it would be rose scented for all eternity.


Eau d'Italie Paestum Rose

A beautiful incense rose, with pepper and myrrh creating a smooth spiciness underlining the rose. It's a wild rose growing through the cracks in the stone wall of an ancient temple on the Mediterranean coast. It smells sophisticated and I always receive compliments on it. Makes me want to try more from Eau d'Italie, if everything in the line is so well-blended and evocative.


Amouage Lyric

Another incense rose, but this time the incense tucks itself behind a curtain of sandalwood, cardamom, cinnamon and ylang ylang. This reminds me very much of my beloved Samsara, but rose has replaced the jasmine of Samsara. It has the same mellow spicy, lullabye feel. It's dramatic at the same time as it's sensual. I hesitate to recommend it to anyone because it's becoming another one of those "shhhhh! mine. all mine." type of perfumes.


Maison Francis Kurkdjian Lumiere Noire


This is divine, the kind of perfume that ends up spoiling you to the point where cheaper fragrances begin to smell, well...cheap. It's definitely a rose, but it's playing alongside a bed of daffodils amped up with patchouli. Underneath it all some heat is provided by caraway seed and chili pepper. Sniffing from the vial I thought it was going to be a sillage bomb that cleared the room but on my skin it behaved admirably, giving me wafts throughout the day but not surrounding me in a vapor cloud.



I will never tire of rose scents, they are classic. But which flower will I study in depth next? Because I just received a shipment of samples today and there is a lovely gardenia, a refreshing lilac and a bright jasmine. So many choices for which primrose path I should take.

How Will They Remember You?

The day we buried my grandmother I wore Calandre. It seemed soft and comforting, but also chic and somehow modern, despite being a perfume from the 1970s. As we stood around the family cemetery plot on that warm June morning, I would catch a bit of Calandre every now and then when there was a slight breeze. I felt like my grandma would have approved of this aldehydic rose softly circling her gathered mourners, as if the Holy Spirit itself had taken the form of a vintage musk and was overseeing the ceremony.


After the graveside service, my relatives gathered back at grandma's house. Dad found me and said "The girls are going to go through Grandma's wardrobe so you should go and take what you like". Upstairs I found my sister, my three cousins and my oldest cousin's two daughters in Grandma's room. We gathered around the bed in a solemn semicircle. Laid out on the very bed our matriarch had laid down in the night she passed in her sleep, were all kinds of purses, hats, belts, shoes. Grandma was a fashionable lady. No one wanted to be the first to grab. I don't remember who did it, but eventually someone reached out and touched a hat and we realized it was okay, this is what Grandma would have wanted for her things.


Within a few minutes, our somberness had turned into something resembling a slumber party as we tried on Grandma's entire closet. Sure, some of it was "old lady" elastic waist styles that she had acquired for comfort purposes as ticked past her 90th year, but much of it was things that had been kept in storage for years, accessories from the 1940s, 50s and 60s that proved Ruth had a good eye for classic lines, quality fabrics and timeless details. The room was filled with laughter and goodwill and I realized I had never before had a moment like this with my cousins. With the exception of my brother, my generation of the family is all girls. We are spread out geographically and major events are the only time we reunite, with years in between. The temporary nature of this moment, all the girls gathered together this way, was not lost on me. I wanted to remember it forever because I knew it would not happen again.


I noticed a few bottles of perfume on Grandma's dresser. There was the White Diamonds, lots of it. This is how I remember her smelling, larger than life powdery aldehydes and huge Easter lilies. But what caught my eye was something toward the back of the dresser.... a bottle of Samsara, nearly empty. Had my grandmother owned Samsara too? This is one of *my* fragrances. I wore it almost exclusively in 2002. It feels very me. Knowing that Grandma had also enjoyed Samsara made me feel connected to her. I lifted the cap and inhaled, watching my teenage cousin Quinn laugh at her reflection as she posed before the mirror in a white veiled hat. Grandma would have wanted me to have the Samsara, I thought.