Category: A – F
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Synthetic Jungle for Frederic Malle (2021)
Synthetic Jungle has the benefit of soft spokenness, of confident and crisp laconicism, at times smelling as if it has invented a new shade of green through techniques of careful composition and arrangement.
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Fragments (July 2021): Frederic Malle, Chanel, L’Occitane, Robert Piguet, Heeley
Une Rose by Frederic Malle (2003) ★★★★★There is a moment in Une Rose where it is like a smudge – like rubbing an unctuous paste of rose between the thumb and forefinger. It is decadent and rich, a sumptuous stain of fatal red that swirls into vertiginous darkness. Une Rose…
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The Lion in the Room: Le Lion by Chanel (2020)
The elephant lion in the room: Le Lion’s connection to Shalimar. As long as Shalimar (Guerlain, 1925) exists, and continues to be produced, there will be components of Le Lion that feel superfluous. But if I take this strict line of thought and extend it to its conclusion, many perfumes…
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The Postmodern ‘Oriental’: Fate Woman by Amouage & 1969 by Histoires de Parfums
Preamble For months now, I have wanted to weigh in on the latent discussion regarding the use of the world <Oriental> and all of its progenitors. However, such a discussion must begin with an admission of guilt, for I have used these terms far too easily, without any recognition of…
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Oh, Binary! Gold Man by Amouage
Take this line by Susan Sontag as a starting point: “[w]hat is most beautiful in virile men is something feminine; what is most beautiful in feminine women is something masculine.” What does this mean, and why does it matter? I think there’s something of a Postmodern slick to this line,…
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Patterns of Thought (at First Sniff) – May 2020
Here I discuss three fragrances that I’ve worn during the month, letting my thoughts about them brew in the unconscious, and then emerge spontaneously. Therefore, the entirety of this post is written in one sitting: from conception to publication.
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Eau Lente by Diptyque (1986)
Photo by Diptyque. Eau Lente by Diptyque has what I’m confident in calling the Diptyque smell – in the way a Diptyque aroma like this smells secondary, as if it comes at you from a distance. Carried along by a gentle scented cloud, as if it always almost eludes you,…
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Spice Must Flow, 500 Years, and Experimentum Crucis by Etat Libre d’Orange
Prologue: Isolation in Two Senses On these two senses: there’s the self-imposed social-distancing I am practicing, as a member of this global community, and a sort of mental isolation. On the latter: a retreat into perfume – a real treat it is to be able to take the time to…
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Chris Rusak: Quasi Una Absurdia, Io, and 33
Quasi Una Absurdia (Rating: 4 / 5) Consider this gem. In the first instance, QUA could be construed as a well-executed homage-qua-synthesis of two greats: the plush blue quiet of Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue, and the rich intensity of Bal a Versailles. It’s as if Bal came along and told L’Heure…
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Carnal Flower for Frederic Malle: Fragrant Thoughts to Enter 2018
Since my last post in October I have had a fairly unadventurous time. I’ve worn much of the same fragrance. A bit of Jicky, lots of Vol de Nuit, a handful of summertime colognes … But, Carnal Flower is decidedly my new and most worn smell, and it’s delightful. I…
Olfactics 