Friday, June 30, 2006

Hermessence by the SkyTrain

This June, Vancouver has finally joined other self-respected cities that offer their local aristocracy a Hermes boutique, in which the gem of it all is, of course, is the Hermessences – Jean-Claude Ellena’s luxury line exclusive only to those select few Hermes boutiques. Like all self-respected luxury stores, this one opens late and closes early, so it took me a while to get there and make it beyond the enourmous leather bag at the window, - even though it opened about a month ago… Another thing that perhaps kept me away from the store is the strange feeling of being a trespasser into a strange and forbidden close-circle club when entering this store. The salespeople are all frozen in their ironed suits and are very quiet and inapproachable. This is a very strange and foreign feeling in a city with such an easy-going, laid back and casual manners. Luckily, in my second visit I dared asking if they had samples, and left the store with two generous bright-orange paper cases, each filled with two Hermessences. I now have samples of all but Rose Ikebana, which did not leave a good impression on me when sniffed from the blotter card – and so I have decided to try this again later (when and if I have the guts to trespass the luxury domain again LOL).

In a short article published recently in the Georgia Straight, Jean-Claude Ellena’s genius was defined not as his ability to create elusive perfumes, but rather – his so to speak rare ability to recognize and discern hundreds of different single notes. This just shows us how little most people still know about the sense of smell and particularly about perfumery. To say what the Georgia Straight reporter has said is just like saying “Picasso was a great painter not just because he was so innovative and original, but mostly because he knew how to recognize colours and discern blue from red and magenta from yellow” (I think most of us who are blessed with eyesight learned to recognize colors in kindergarten, yet there is only one Picasso); or, say “Mozart was the greatest composer of all times, but forget about his amazing melodies and surprising harmonies; what’s really amazing is that he had a perfect pitch!”. You get the idea. While perfect pitch is a great asset to a musician, it does not necessarily make a person a musician. In fact there are a lot of people who have perfect pitch yet never composed even one bar of music in their life; on the other hand – there are many of great musicians that do not have perfect pitch.

Now, back to the Hermessences line – which looks gorgeous, by the way, standing solidly next to each other looking the same except for the different hues in the crystal bottles, and enrobed with matching coloured leather cases. The line is said to be inspired by the tactile texture of textiles – velvet, silk, wool, cashmere and gauze. Although they all have a unique tactile appearance (both physically and as an olfactory metaphor) – I am not sure I will necessarily associate them with these specific fabrics.

Vetiver Tonka, my most favourite so far, is simple and interesting at once. It is one of the best Vetiver scents I tried, equally revealing the sweetness and freshness of this magnificent root. The opening reveals the green freshness of Vetiver, as it is accentuated by citrus notes – a very common maneuver in Vetiver scents, but one should not dismiss it because of that. As it dries down, it reveals the sweet earthiness of Vetiver as it is accompanied by the rich cigar-flavoured tones of tonka bean. What I love about Vetiver Tonka is its rich simplicity. It does not have that many notes or facets, does not go through any significant transformation (once the initial fresh citrusy opening subsides, it is Vetiver and Tonka all the way), yet it stays interesting all the way. Both Vetiver and tonka are very complex notes, and there is something quite magnificent about two notes so different from each other working together so well. It lasted for a very long time as well, despite the fact that this is just an Eau de Toilette.

Notes: Neroli, Bergamot, Vetiver, Roasted Hazelnuts, Dried Fruit, Cereals, Tonka Bean

Poivre Samarcande, the second most intriguing scent from this line in my opinion, marries spices with wood and musk, and the result is interesting and different – yet very classy and with a subtly bold, masculine presence. Szechuan black pepper and dry chilli pepper are not as pungent as you may expect, and lead quite naturally to the more conforming notes of cedar and musk. It all dries down to a subtle skin scent, just barely peppery, woody, slightly mossy - and musky enough to be smelled only by those who are not anosmiac to musk…

Notes: Black pepper, Chilli pepper, Oak, Cedar, Musk, Chinese Moss

Ambre Narguile is I believe one of the most popular of the line, which is not surprising. It is sweet and satisfying, yet without being cloying. If I had to pick an amber scent from all the rich, oriental ambers out there – this would be one of the candidates for sure. Amber is such a round, sweet and almost fatty note that it can be almost tiresome to be around it on its own. I remember when I was in an amber phase about five years ago, and I couldn’t get enough of amber. Well, it seems that I did get enough of it after all, it is a note that builds up and can saturate your system... It can affect the mind almost like a sedative or narcotic drug, and makes everything feel sensually slow and romantically mysterious. But as I said – I am out of this ambery phase of mine, and the only amber I really love smelling on a constant basis and don’t tire of is pure labdanum – or any amber that is based on plenty of labdanum and has some dryness to it. Ambre Narguile has some dryness to it which I find very appealing – it has almost leathery undertones, reminiscent of pipe tobacco. But still, I can’t imagine myself wearing it very often as my amber addiction was cured long ago.

Notes: Labdanum, Musk, Benzoin, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Caramel, Roasted Sesame Seeds, Rum, Coumarine, White Orchid

Osmanthe Yunnan is quite citrusy, and being the lightest and freshest of all the Hermessences – it is the most approachable, and probably another one of the most popular scents in this line. I have searched high and low for the osmanthus note in this one, and was happy to finally find it after stripping away the many sheer veils of citrus and tea, and it was subtly floral, with just a hint of apricot and with a barely-there creaminess. It is a subtle, well done scent – but whatever amount of osmanthus there is in Osmanthe Yunnan – it is very under-satisfying.

This is not to say that I dislike Osmanthe Yunnan, however, I do find it disappointing. It’s quite surprising how a floral with such a definite character (osmanthus absolute is one of the richest and most compelling floral absolutes I ever smelled – apricoty, leathery and absolutely divine) can easily be buried in other notes – especially when they are all so fleeting, light and transparent in nature. What I get from Osmanthe Yunnan is a reminiscence of other wonderfully refreshing, citrusy-watery creation by Ellena – namely Bvlgari Eau Parfumee Au The Vert, and Un Jardin sur le Nil.

Notes: Yunan Tea, Orange, Freesia, Osmanthus, Apricot, Leather.

Rose Ikebana is the only scent that I haven’t tried on my skin yet – I thought it would be too fruity and green on me.

The official notes are: rose tea, infusion of petals, peony, magnolia, pink peppercorn, zest of grapefruit, rhubarb and vanilla honey.

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It's 100% Love!


lOve iS, originally uploaded by Mirage a.k.a ĈħoCõħŏľíç.

The most unusual perfumes are ones that have a strongly familiar scent. The sneaky, abstract nature of the human brain often mystifies the identity or the cause for the familiarity of a scent. Yet. it cannot conceal the fact that when it does that, when a new scent has a matching vibration to a significant scent from a different point in space in time – a person might suddenly move to different realm.

True, this does not happen with a flash of blue lightening a-la Quantum Leap. Rather, it happens gradually and gently, like melting through a gauze screen. First – my nose started sniffing ahead of my body, than my heart and lungs were filled with joy, my skin felt a familiar, pleasant shiver, and finally - my eyes became blurry and I sensed that I am no longer in the room (or wherever I was at the moment, it didn’t matter anymore): I suddenly found myself sitting on the mountain above my house in my home village, in a warm, sunny winter day under a bright azure skies, and surrounded by blood-red arbutus trees, striving oaks, velvety sages, Dam Hamacabbim (droplet-of-blood-shaped-blossoms of Helichrysum Sanguineum), and rockroses in full bloom.

That is what happened to me when I spritzed on some 100% Love, expecting chocolate and roses floating on water – and discovered none other than my favourite note of all times. No, it’s not rose. It’s Rockrose. Better known as Labdanum. Labdanum is simply the richest, roundest, most interesting note there is. A perfumer should not be biased, and should love all notes equally. And I do practice this when I design and create my perfumes. But I am also a woman who has her own personal preferences. It’s been well known to me for quite some time, that if I will ever need to pick only one note to wear for the rest of my life, I will choose without a moment of hesitation to grow old with Labdanum. It is many things at once, and I love it’s complexity, richness and depth: resinous, ambery, incensey, earthy, sweet, leathery, dark, sultry and reminiscent of dry blood, and despite the fact that it does NOT come from the pretty, wild-rose-like flowers, which by the way possess very little scent - but rather from the resin that covers the branches, leaves and twigs, boiled in water and than distilled into an absolute.

After a blind date with this unusual beauty (thank you, Victoria!), which was extended into three days now, I am quite in love with…100% Love.
It opens with roses and a backdrop of caramely chocolate – dark but sweet. But very quickly you will realize that neither rose nor chocolate are the real heroes of love here. The labdanum pervades the composition for hours, and since it is such a complex scent, it is perfect that way. After about 6 hours, a lovely, subtle musk note crawls out of its satin bed, with a comfortable sexy yawn, and invites you to join in. If you stay long enough Vetiver may join in as well – a very quiet, dry Vetiver, woody and almost unnoticeable.

If you expected this to be a bouquet of roses (or rather - a bottle of YSL Paris or Bvlgari pour Femme or Tresor) accompanied with a heart-shaped box of fine chocolates, you may be disappointed. This is quite an unusual Sophia Grojsman composition – though it is Grojsman in the sense that it is simple and pared down to the essential elements – while maintaining a bold, sensual and unusual statement. Despite the minimalism in notes, this is a very rich, down to earth, and I believe full of natural essences. The rose smells like rose absolute and rose otto (as opposed to a synthetic rose compound, or, if you will, damanscones). The chocolate smells like the pure cocoa absolute. And I think I already talked enough about the labdanum. The musk at the end is the only synthetic smelling note, and it makes for an interesting underlining accent for the rest of the notes. It’s a perfume – not a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates. To me, this is Sophia Grojsman at her best.

Top notes: Rose Otto
Heart notes: Rose Absolute, Cocoa absolute, Labdanum

Base notes: Labdanum, Musk, Vetiver

p.s. 100% Love is available directly from S-Perfumes via The Shaping Room.


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Thursday, June 29, 2006

SmellyBlog Joins Coutorture!


Troubled Teen, originally uploaded by CherryVega.

SmellyBlog has now joined 10 other fabulous perfume blogs (and many others) to collaborate with Coutorture - a web-community that brings together the best of fashion content from blogs and media around the world, all in one site.

SmellyBlog will still receive all the comments made on Coutorture, but if you want to see the full size images – they are here waiting for you!

p.s. I thought the above image was particularly appropriate because I like it, but also because the young lady seems to be pracatically tortured by couture ;)

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Recipe: Lavender Ice Cream


Lavender, originally uploaded by kathyv.
All the lavender talk reminded me that lavender can be used in cooking and baking. It is particularly wonderful in desserts, where its herbal aroma balances out the sweetness.
In the lavender ice cream recipe, the lavender buds lend a warm, almost spicy aroma to the ice cream, almost like a pumpkin pie (because they need to be cooked with the sugar in order to release their aroma, the aroma changes a bit). The cream, milk and vanilla accentuate lavender’s sweet qualities. I think spices like allspice, nutmeg, cloves and even cinnamon would be a good addition to this recipe, and also would be interested in trying to turn it into a Crème Brulee.
I would be curious to try a similar recipe, only flavoured with essential oils of lavender and lemon. I will keep you informed about my experiments with that.

Lavender Ice Cream
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs. Lavender Buds, Fresh or Dry
½ Cup Water
1 ½ Cups Milk
3 Large Egg Yolks
2 cup Whipping Cream
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Cook the sugar, water and lavender in a medium sauce-pan over a medium-low heat, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Strain the lavender flowers, and cool down a bit (for 3-5 minutes).
3. Add the egg yolks, and whisk well.
4. Add the milk, and continue to cook while stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to cover the spoon (about 10 minutes).
5. Cool down, add the vanilla and the whipping cream, and refrigerate over night (or at least for 6 hours).
6. Whip the mixture until it becomes very frothy (beating the air into the mixture will ensure that the ice cream will be light in texture, and will also help the freezing process).
7. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

For more delicious lavender recipes and ideas, visit this site.

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Gift from Eie Flud


Lavender Moon, originally uploaded by ObedientMuse.

Lavender is beautiful. As simple as that. It’s simple, complex, clean, warm, floral, herbal, musky, enchanting, pure, bright, powdery, sensual, anything you can think of except for boring. In fact it’s one of the most versatile notes on the perfumer’s palette.

I had just received in the mail a fragrant surprise - a lovely gift from Heather of Eie Flud (I was fortunate enough to win her Mother’s Day contest as part of the Benevolent Blogging project we both participated in, along with may other talented and community-conscious bloggers).

Lavender Shea Body Balm
This rich, buttery and nourishing body balm is a real treat of a scent - and also a treatment for the skin with its luxurious texture. I’d use it whenever my skin needs intense moisture and protection. But really I would use it whenever I want to smell its heavenly lavender all around me. Unlike many other lavender scented body products that I smelled before – Eie Flud’s lavender balm has a substantial scent. It really reminds me of my own powdery-vanillic soliflore, just in a solid and moisturizing form... I just love this pure lavender, with all its complexity and richness, and that simple rejuvenating, centering effect.

Lavender Sachet
This came in the prettiest white muslin drawstring-bag, just like you would expect any self-respectable English lady to have in her wardrobe in order to keep all linens and clothes fresh. If you think you already know everything about lavender and don’t need it in your life, just try one of those sachets of fine English lavender in your closet for a couple of hours. Than open the closet, and if you don’t notice something different right than and there - inhale deeply into one of the garments, and you will be pleasantly surprised…

In the package was also a charity soap for Unique, with oak leaves and lemon balm, and a lovely embroidered pure-white handkerchief.

Thank you, Heather!

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In The Name of Lavender


Diamonds and Pearls, originally uploaded by Irina / Riri.

After receiving the lovely gift from Heather of Eie Flud, and especially after seeing it being arrogantly insulted on another blog, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to announce my everlasting love for lavender in all of its shape and forms:

Lavender is timeless. Lavender is cool. Lavender is romantic and velvety and smooth. Lavender is equally reviving and soothing. Lavender is also THE BEST S(M)ELLER remedy there is, and should be always kept it on hand: Lavender soothes, calms, centres the mind and the soul and also helps in many physical ailments and uncomfortable conditions: It smells good while being one of the best aromatherapeutic remedies for depression, headache, migraine, insomnia, fatigue, nervous tension, stress and shock conditions. It is one of the few essential oils that can be worn neat on the skin (use it, for example, on your temples to treat headache). And this is just to name a few of the things lavender can help us with (not to mention its ability to help in many skin conditions, muscle pain relief, as well as digestive and respiratory problems).

The scent of lavender is, as I said, simple and complex at once. It is simple enough to have an immediate effect of relief, like finding a quiet, calm and clean place at the end of a hectic day. But it is also complex enough to be interesting and appealing as a scent and has been utilized in perfumes as it is one of the most versatile oils and blends literally with everything. It is soft and powdery and floral, it is deeply sweet and aromatic and coumarin or hay-like, it is woody and clean and even slightly musky.
Wait, did I mention yet it’s traditional role in Celtic Love Potions? Blend it with rose, iris, violet, vanilla and sandalwood and you will get the softest, most alluring love concoction, Victorian style.

Lavender is an essential component in one of the most important Fragrance Families – Fougere (where it is strategicallyl juxtaposed with the sexy and earthy complexity of oakmoss to create an incredibly interesting accord that is bold and masculine).

Just imagine the world without Jicky, Lovely, Yerbamate, Blue Grass, Pour Un Homme, Aqua di Parma, and many more refreshing colognes and aromatic, sexy men’s Fougeres. We will not have these without lavender. I, for one, would not have been able to create quite a few of my scents without lavender:
Lovender, Espionage, L’Herbe Rouge, Altruism and many others.

So if you think you need to have lavender filtered through a high-end niche French perfumery house, just try to rub a few lavender buds between your fingers, and inhale deeply the sweet, floral, herbal, coumarinic-vanillic, mossy and musky aroma released on your skin - and tell me if there is a finest lavender scent out there…

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Fantasy Formulas

These fantastic perfume formulas of perfumes that never existed and never could exist, are sketches reflecting own fertile imagination, the inspirations to some of my perfumes, and a conceptual outlines or briefs of what my perfumes are meant to be...

Here are the links to a few of my Fantasy Formulas that I have decided to make public:

L'ÉCUME DES JOURS
TAMYA

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Paloma's Corner: Vintage Perfume Reviews

A couple of years ago Paloma (aka Frances-Anne Ade), a fine lady from the Perfume Addicts forum, sent me a gift of a lifetime: about 30 or so samples of rare vintage perfumes. To her this corner is dedicated, and I am hoping to be able to live up to the challenge of decoding the mysteries of these antique beauties.

The following are the links to the reviews of these rare treasures:

Coty's Chypre (Vintage)
Balalaika (LeLong)
Shocking (Schiaparelli)
Coty's l'Origan (Vintage)
Caline (Patou)
Chantilly (Vintage)
Femme (Vintage parfum)
Kiku (Faberge)
Le Dix (Bellanciaga)
Intimate (Vintage)

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Children's Corner

The following are links to blog entries and short articles about educating children to enjoy and appreciate scent. Here you will find activities, recipes and stories related to children and the sense of smell.

Coming up soon:

Spice Books
Perfume Sampling with Lilttle Duckling
Children's Book Review: "David Smells"
Floral Waters

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Trapeze + Scandinavian Jazz = Dzing!


In a peculiar point in time and space, two unrelated events occur side by side, and together create a surreal phenomenon of encapsulated beauty, frozen in time and memory yet living in another, yet unknown dimension.

I was only a witness. But even witnesses have an impact on dimensions unknown to them, even more so when they are revealed to them without adequate warning.

Surrounded by Scandinavian Jazz, ocean, snow-capped mountains and giant cruise ships, a trapeze dancer suddenly enters the ring... She is secondary to the stage, but she steals the show. Before you know it, she is there, performing. Stripped of any context besides what is there, no glitzy costumes or fire-rings to escape through. But the scent of the circus is there, even if just in the memory of the silent observer who is caught right there and than, between tangible reality and dimension whose existence is proven by no one.

Gradually, I recognize the scent which emanates from her distant body, caught in mid-air, dancing between red brick walls, melted-tar-dripping roof, and the steaming hot asphalt. And this scent is none other than the Dzing!

Top notes: Cade (Smokey note), Rose, Orris, Jasmine
Heart notes: Styrax, Cinnamon
Base notes: Black tea, Benzoin, Peru balsam, Castoreum, Birch Tar (Leather notes)

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Formulas, Recipes & Concoctions

Fragrance & DIY Beauty Recipes:

Powdery Incense Recipe - Inspired by Apres l'Ondee
-With orris powder, lavender, anise and sandalwood

Chocolate & Licorice Lip Balm
- Tamya's favourite, made with real chocolate!

Black Truffle & Cassis Body Products
- Ayala's secret recipes for an enchanting massage & bath oil and relaxing bath salts - incorporating the carnal notes of black truffles paired with fruity cassis and tarragon absolute. A real treat for your Body & Nose!

Anti-Cold & Flu Synergy

Aromatic Aphrodisiac Formulae:
Ginger & Frankincense Sensual Aphrodisiac Massage Oil
Gin & Tonic Bath & Massage OilOlibanum Sensual Massage Oil
Red Roses Bath & Massage Oil


SEASONAL RECIPE GUIDE

Spring
Za'atar
The traditional Middle Eastern condiment - soaked in olive oil, it's used for dipping bread and to garnish yogurt cheese. Better than butter!

Rose Rhubarb Crumble
Floral twist on a summer classic!

Fresh Rhubarb Compote
Rhubarb and beyond. For the adventurous foodie - refreshing and delicious.

Hibiscus Rhubarb Iced Tea
Another refreshing use for raw rhubarb.

Rhubarb Blossom Compote
Rhubarb's rosy hues accompanied by orange flower water for a refreshing compote to serve alone or with Pannacotta

Coconut Almond Pannacotta
Vegan. Easy. Fragrant. Fabulous.

Fougère Fiddleheads 
Fiddleheads in lavender-infused butter

Wild Asparagus
Elderflower Cordial & Infusion
Spring Forest Risotto
Asparagus Mimosa Tea Sandwiches

The Allure of Charoset
Three recipes for this essential Passover dish: Ashkenazi, Yemeni and Italian versions. All delicious!

Wild Chicory

Coming soon: Dandelion & Caramelized Onion Confit


Summer
Harissa
Rosewater and coconut semolina cakes

Stuffed Grapevine Leaves
Flavoured with Spearmint, Allspice and Dill

Lavender Ice Cream
An interesting use for lavender buds, other than lavender sachets

Tea Sandwiches
How to make Carrot Ginger, Minted Radishes and Cucumber-Watercress tea sandwiches.

Basboosa
Yet another classic spin on Middle Eastern honey-soaked semoline cakes. Drenched in rosewater, of course.

Savta Fausta's Original Italian Vanilla Ice Cream
Requires no churning or an ice cream machine; just an old fashioned icebox (aka freezer), and the freshest, simplest ingredients.

Apricot Almond Cake
Seasonal summer indulgence. I can never get enough of this simple to make and yummy to eat dessert!

Apricot Jasmine Tea Cake
Variation on the above.

Raw Coconut Macarons

Blueberry & Cornmeal Upside Down Cake  

Polenta with Basil, Tomatoes & Balsamic Reduction

Three Inspiring Salad for Summer (2012):
Watermelon & Heirloom Tomatoes Salad
Faux Papaya Salad
Mexican Inspired Cabbage Salad

Pandan & Coconut Gelato
Lemon Verbena Cupcakes


Cocktails, Infusions & Iced Teas:
Moroccan Iced Tea
Iced tea with fresh spearmint sprigs
Midnight Violet Cocktail
Bleeding Hearts Cocktail
Sexiest Ever Gin & Tonic
Lemon Verbena Infusion
Rosewater Lemonade

Elderflower Cordial


Fall
Honey Cake
My grandmother's famous recipe for the sweet & spicy cake for Rosh Hashanah.

Fig and Walnut Pesto
perfect for tea sandwiches and appetizers for special occasions, and also to put on pasta (butternut squash ravioli comes to mind...). Aromatic and elegant flavour combination with fresh tarragon herb.

Babaghanoush with Black Cardamom & Pomegranate
Roasted eggplant dip with sesame paste, pomegranate molasses and smoky black cardamom

Spiced Italian Plum Torte
Robust-flavour torte, gluten-free with fresh Italian (blue) prune-plums and unusual spices.

Black Beauty Chocolate Truffle
Dark chocolate infused with Lapsang Suchong tea and smoky Black Cardamom. To die for.

Saffron Rice with Cardamom & Almonds
My favourite special occasion rice. Goes with pretty much any Middle Eastern, Persian or East Indian dish (such as casseroles, curries, dals, etc.)

Saffron Scones

Rose Petal Sugar

Stuffed Vegetables (Thanksgiving Feast!)

Pearfection (Poached Pear)

Pear & Almond Frangipane Tart

3 Fall Salads:
Pomegranate & Kale
Asian Pear & Fennel
Fig & Feta

4 Fall Fruit Pastries:
Fresh Black Fig Tarts
Coronation Grape & Blue Cheese Muffins
Plum & Hazelnut Coffee Cake Muffins
Spiced Pear Bundt Cake 

Autumn Fruit Open Sandwiches

Winter
Latkes- Two recipes of the famous Eastern European Jewish potato-pancakes: one for the traditional latkes, and the other is a twist on the classic, using yams and spiced with nutmeg.
Red Hot Chocolate
A sexy spicy chocolate beverage

Guilt-Marnier Chocolate Truffles
Orange Blossom & Grand-Marnier Flavoured Chocolate Truffles, inspired by my perfume "Guilt".

Chai Recipe No.1

Chai Recipe No. 2
Tu BiShvat Fruit Salad
Orange flower water makes this festive fruit salad exotically fragrant.

Ginger-Tangerine Icebox Cookies
Incorporating candied ginger, freshly ground ginger, dried ground ginger and ginger CO2 and a touch of tangerine zest to compliment all this ginger pizzazz!.

3 Fresh Cilantro Recipes
Fresh Cilantro Salad
Harira soup
Zehug

Rosewater Buttercream Cookies
Ras El Hanout
Tropical Snowballs
Eggnog Creme Brûlée
Banana Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe

Indulgent Brunch Menue:
Cinnamon Waffles
Eggs Benedict with Yoghurt Hollandaise

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Decoding Obscure Notes - A Series About the Building Blocks of Natural Perfumery

Part I: Vegetale Musks

Part II: Iris, Skin and Powder

Part III: Amber


Part IV: Violets - Purple or Green?

Part V: Chypre
The Mood of Chypre
The Magic of Chypre
What do Chypres Smell Like?
The Origins of Chypre
Members of the Chypre Family
The Dawn of Pink Chypres

Part VI: Leather


Part VII: Vetiver - Earthy? Woody? Green?

Part VIII: Tobacco
A. Tobacco Flower
B. Tobacco - Origins, History, Medicine & Curing
C. Perfuming Tobacco and Tobacco in Fragrance

Part IX: Agarwood
A. Precious Parasites
B. Religious Uses and Cultural Significance of Agarwood

C. Oud in Arabia & Perfumery
D. Jin-Koh in Japan
E. Medicinal Uses of Agarwood
Part X: Peculiar Mint (aka Patchouli)

Part XI: Sandalwood

Part XII: Mineral & Marine Notes

Part XIII: Tea & Perfume
Tea and Perfume: Time is of Essence
Tea and Perfume, Part II: Tea Notes
Flowering Teas
Herbal Tea Notes
Floral Tea Notes

Part XV: Lavender (vs. Lavandin)
Lavender Haze
Lavender Harvest 
Lavender Lineage 
Lavender Chemistry 
Lavender Summary 

Part XVI: Cedar
Arborvitae
Study in Cedar 

Part XVII: Lotus vs Waterlily
Lotus: A Thousand Petals of Transformation


Not Quite Obscure Building Blocks:
Flower of Flowers: Ylang Ylang
Pondering Citrus
Bitter Orange vs. Bergamot
the Bitter Orange Tree: Most Resourceful
Champaca Flower vs. Nag Champa Incense
Divine Flowers (Dianthus)  
Lavender Haze
Licorice Notes
Lily of the Valley
Lilac Structure
Lime vs. Linden Blossom
Madonna Lily
Magnolia 
Narcissus
Narcissus Absolute
Robinia pseudoacacia, aka False Acacia aka Black Locust
Rose (Unfolding the Hundred Petals of )
Osmanthus vs. Tea Olive
Sweet Peas
Tuberose (Intoxicating Flowers: Tuberose Demystified)

Coming soon:
Honeysuckle
Heliotrope
Gardenia
Wisteria
Peony


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Lists

2010
Scents The Sing "Spring!"
Comforting Scents for Uncomfortable Times

2009
Ultimate Summer Wardrobe
Forbidden Perfumes fro Passover
Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking...
Greens for Patrick

2008
Autumn Lists
Top 25 Contemporary Perfumes
Summer Essential
Spring Essentials - Part Two: Spring Greens
Spring Essentials - Part One: Florals
Cozy Florals

2007
Fall Into Fragrance
Scents to Take You from Spring into Summer

2006
My very favourite smelly things this winter...
2006 Bestsellers
Self-Defining Lists
Summer Scents

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SmellyBlog's Perfume Houses Listings

4711
 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser

A
 

Aerin Perfumes (Aerin Lauder)
Ikat Jasmine 

Aftelier 
Cognac
Parfum de Maroc
Orchid 
Palimpsest
Shiso  
Secret Garden 
Tango


Agent Provocateur 
Agent Provocateur

Alexander McQueen

Kingdom

Anna Zworkyina Perfumes

Apple Orchid
Black Gardenia
Fallen Leaves
Secret Dreams
White Silk
Without Words


Annick Goutal 
Eau d'Hadrien
Eau du Ciel
Songes
Grand Amour
 

Anné Pliska 
Anné Pliska

Anya's Garden
Fairchild
Pan


Arabian Perfumery
 
Al Mesk Abyad 
Al Mesk Aswad
 

Armani
Bois d'Encense

Artemisia Natural Perfumes
Eros
Drifting Sparks
Ondine
Rayon Vert 

Saveur de l'Abricot 
Yuzu Citrus

Arquiste
Anima Dulcis

Aveda
Key Element Fire No. 2 
Key Element Fire No. 3
 
Azzaro

Azzaro

B 
Balmain
IvoireVent Vert

Bond No. 9 
Chinatown 
Fire Island

Bourbon French 

Dark Gift
 

Bruno Fazzolari Editions
Au Delà 
Five
Jimmy
Lampblack  Monserrat

Bvlgari
Bvlgari Black 

Eau Parfumee Au The Blanc 
Eau Parfumee Au The Rouge 
Eau Parfumee Au The Vert

C
Cacharel

Anaïs Anaïs

Calvin Klein 
Obsession
 

Caron
Bellodgia

Eau de Reglisse
En Avion

Farnesiana 
Fleurs de Rocaille (Vintage)
Le 3me Homme
N’Aimez que Moi 
Narcisse Noir
Nocturnes  
Nuit de Noel
Parfum Sacré
Pois de Senteur

Pour Un Homme
Tabac Blond

Carven
Ma Griffe 

Vetiver

Chanel

28 La Pausa
31, Rue Cambon
Bois des Îles 
Cuir de RussieLes Exclusifs
Égoïste 

Misia
No. 5
No. 19 
Sycomore

Coming up soon:
No. 22
Allure
Allure Sensuelle
Gardenia
Crystalle
Pour Homme
Coco


Clinique 
Aromatics Elixir
 

Coeur d'Esprit
Chez Moi

Commes de Garcons
Kyoto
 

Comptoir Sud Pacifique 
Amour de Cacao
Tiaré

Vanille Pineapple 
Vanille Banane
Coming soon:
Aloha Tiare
Vanille Coco
Vanille Abricot
The

Coty
 

Chypre (Vintage)

Creed 

Spring Flower 
Tabarome - vintage & new - coming up soon!

D
Dior

Diorella
Diorissimo
Eau Sauvage
Miss Dior


Coming soon:
Diorella
Pure Poison
Dune


Dana 

English Leather
Tabu
Chantilly (Vintage)
 

Diptyque 
l'Ombre Dans l'Eau 
Ofresia
Oyédo 
Philosykos
Tam Dao

Volutes 

Dragonfly Aromatics 
Mystic Lilac

F
F. Millot

Crêpe de Chine

E
Estee Lauder 

Azuree Body Oil 
Private Collection
Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia
Youth Dew

Edition de Parfums - Frederic Malle 
En Passant 
Le Parfum de Thérèse 
Lipstick Rose
Lys Méditerranée 
Musc Ravageur 
Une Fleur de Cassie 
Vetiver Extraordinaire

F
Fendi
Asja


Fresh 

Sugar
 

G
Gobin-Daudé
Biche dans l'Absinthe
Sève Exquise
 

Goya
Black Rose (Vintage)

Grés
Cabochard

Guerlain 
Apres l'Ondee
Attrappe Couer - Guet Apens

Bois d'Armenie
Chamada
Chant d'Aromes
Cruel Gardenia
Figue-Iris
Jicky
l'Heure Bleue
l'Instant
Mitsouko
Petit Guerlain
Philtre d'Amour
Samsara

Shalimar
Shalimar (Revisited)
Sous le Vent
Terracotta Eau Sous le Vent

VetiverVol de Nuit


Gwen Stephanie
Harajuku Lovers
 

H
Hanae Mori
Hanae Mori Butterly

Hermes
Ambre Narguile

Brin de Réglisse 
Cuir d'Ange
Eau d'Hermes
Eau de Gentiane Blance
Eau de Mandarine Ambrée  
Eau de Narcisse Bleue
Eau d'Orange Verte
Eau de Pamplemousse Rose
Equipage
Hiris
Hermessences
Kelly Caleche

Osmanthe Yunnan
Poivre Samarkand
Rose Ikebana
Santal Massoia
Terre d'Hermes
Un Jardin Après la Mousson
Vanille Galante
Vetiver Tonka
 

Histoires de Parfum
Georges Sand

Hove Parfumeur 
Spanish Moss
 
I

Ineke
After My Own Heart 
Balmy Days and Sundays
Evenings Edged in Gold 
Field Notes from Paris
Gilded Lily
Hothouse Flower

Idlywild
Poet's Jasmine
Sweet William

Issey Miyake
l'Eau d'Issey
 

J
Jazmin Sarai 

Short reviews of all fragrances 

Jean Desprez
Bal à Versailles

Jennifer Lopez 
Deseo
 

Jean Couturier
Coriandre

Jo Malone
Amber & Lavender Cologne 
Black Vetyver Café 
Blue Agava & Cacao
Dark Amber & Ginger Lily
Grapefruit CologneLotus Blossom & Water Lily 
Orange Blossom Cologne 
Sweet Lime & Cedar
Vintage Gardenia
Wood Sage & Sea Salt 


K
Keiko Mecheri
 
Jasmine 
Osmanthus
 

Kenzo
KenzoAmour
KenzoAmour Le Parfum
FlowerbyKenzo

Kiehl's
Fig Leaf & Sage


L
Lanvin 

Arpège
 

l'Artisan Parfumeur
Ananas Fizz
Bois FarineDzing!
Mimosa pour Moi
Tea for Two

Premier Figuier

Premier Figuier Extrême

Le Labo
Vetiver 46


Les Parfums de Rosine 
Poussiere de Rose
Rose Praline

LesNez
l'Antimatiere
Let me Play the Lion

Manoumalia
The Unicorn Spell
Turtle Vetiver

Le Petit Prince
Le Petit Prince
 

Lisa Hoffman Variations
Japanese Agarwood
Madagascar Orchid
 

Liz Zorn 
Blood Orange & Vetiver
Ezra's Poem
Purple Love Smoke 

Waterflower
 

Lorenzo Villoresi
Vetiver 

Yerbamate
Coming up soon:
Piper Negrum
Incensi
Patchouli


Lolita Lempika

L
Lolita Lempika Au Masculine
Si Lolita
 

Luciene LeLong
Balalakia (Vintage) - Coming up soon!

M
Madini

Jasmine 

Mäurer & Wirtz 
Tabac Original

Miller Harris 
Cuir d'Orange
Noix de Tuberéuse
Coming up soon:
Feuilles de Tabac
Citron Citron
Figue Amere

Miriam Mirani 

Aqaba

Molinard

HabanitaMimosa Concrete

N
Narciso Rodriguez
 

Narciso
Narciso Rodriguez for her 
Narciso Rodriguez for him

Neil Morris 
Burnt Amber
 

Nina Ricci
Perfume reviews coming soon:
l'Air du Temps
Decci Della

O
Osmonde Jayne 

Frangipanni AbsoluteOsmanthus
Champaca

Ta'if 
Sampaquita
Ormonde

One Seed Company

Courage

P
Pacifica

California Stard Jasmine

Parfumerie Generale
Drama Nuii
Un Crime Exotique
 

Patou 
1000 
JoySira des Indes

Parfums de Nicolai
Mimosaique
 

Prince
3121

Persephenie 
Arboreal
Bedouin
 

Procter & Gamble
Old Spice

Purusa
Petalum  
Q
 

R
Ralph Lauren
 
Notorious 
Polo
Pure Turquoise

Rebel & Mercury
Cerise en Cocoa
Osmanthus Red

Revlon
Intimate (Vintage)

Rich Hippie
Wild Thing 


Robet Piguet 
Fracas
 

Rochas
Byzance

Femme
Tocade

SS-Perfumes

100% Love

Sarah Jessica Parker 
Covet (misc. scattered impressions)
Lovely Liquid Satin

The Lovely Collection (Brief)
 

Scent Systems 
OeilletRose
 

Serge Lutens 
Arabie
Fille en Aiguilles 
Fleurs d'Oranger 
La Nuit
Muscs Kublai Khan
Rose Berlin  
Vetiver Oriental
Vitriol d'Oeillet

Shiseido
Coming up soon:
Murasaki (Vintage)
Feminite du Bois

Sonoma Scent Studio

Champagne de Bois
Cocoa Sandalwood
Forest Walk

Spiced Citrus Vetiver  
 

Strange Invisible Perfumes
Black Rosette
Lyric Rain
Magazine Street
Musc Botanique 

Persica 
Prima Ballerina
Urban Lily
T
Tann Rokka
 

Kisu
 

The Different Company 
Jasmin de Nuit
Osmanthus
Sel de Vetiver
 

Thierry Mugler
Coming up soon:
Angel
A*MEN
Cologne
Violet Angel

Tom Ford Private Blends
Champaca Absolute 

Jasmine Rouge
Velvet Gardenia

U

V
 
W
X

Y
Yohji Yamamoto
 
Yohji
 

YOSH
Omniscent 0.96
Sombre Negra

Yves Saint Laurent 
Fleur de Shanghai
Kouros
M7
Opium
Paris
Rive Gauche
Y
Yvresse

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