26 March 2008
Heaven Scent
Goddess Guide to Perfume
First things first: what family of fragrance are you into? Let me guess…
Choose Narciso Rodriguez’s Musc for Her in Oil, Shiseido’s Feminite du Bois; or spray a little Bois d’Encens from the Armani Prive collection if Orientals are your thing: musks, smoky leathers and incence with scents of rich wood, grass, amber, tobacco and other pungent aroma bringing back memories of members-only clubs and nostalgia. (Goddess icons: Kwan Yin, Marlene Dietrich)
Chypre (not to be confused with Citrus; more about it below) are the smells of fresh-cut grass (a favourite of Heston Blumenthal, one of the sexiest and brainiest nose among chefs), green mosses and vetiver-extracted from the roots of a grass in India. Ormonde Woman by Jane Pilkington at Ormonde Jane-a heaven on fragrance earth, is the perfume to go for. (Goddess icon: Annick Goutal)
Next is Fougere (French for ‘fern’) family with scents of herbs, lavender and citrus fruits; great for spring/summer. Racine by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, or Sisley’s Eau de Champagne, perhaps? (Goddess icon: any country girl who loves the meadows, hills and the countryside).
Or is it Florals? No, no..not all of them are sickly sweet and girlish, you know. Take Edouard Flechier’s Lys Mediterranee, for instance, recommended by Christian Louboutin, or Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion-a world-class nose working for Frederic Malle, the grandson of Serge Heftler, the creator of many iconic Dior fragrances. (Goddess icon: Charlotte Gainsbourg)
Could it be Citrus then? Say ‘yes’, if you like lemon bergamot, sweet orange with neroli, or the way Bahiana, the fruit-selling girls of Rio de Janeiro, smell. Now smell this: Hermes Eau d’Orange Vert, or Luxe by Mona di Orio at Les Senteurs. (Goddess icon: Jane Birkin)
Finally, Ozonic are for those of you who like the scents of sea water and fresh air. For a change from the usually dreadful Davidoff-oh-so-cool-sea versions, try one with a hint of rose in the saltiness: Ecume de Rose de Rosine. (Goddess icon: Aphrodite)
Always take your time, test the perfume on a damp skin (NEVER rub the wrists) and ask for a little sample to live with it for a while before purchasing the whole bottle.
And you, guys? Wanna impress a Goddess? Get your noses into Isfarkand by Ormonde Jayne, Serge Lutens’ Ambre Sultan, or Impact by Creed.
Choose Narciso Rodriguez’s Musc for Her in Oil, Shiseido’s Feminite du Bois; or spray a little Bois d’Encens from the Armani Prive collection if Orientals are your thing: musks, smoky leathers and incence with scents of rich wood, grass, amber, tobacco and other pungent aroma bringing back memories of members-only clubs and nostalgia. (Goddess icons: Kwan Yin, Marlene Dietrich)
Chypre (not to be confused with Citrus; more about it below) are the smells of fresh-cut grass (a favourite of Heston Blumenthal, one of the sexiest and brainiest nose among chefs), green mosses and vetiver-extracted from the roots of a grass in India. Ormonde Woman by Jane Pilkington at Ormonde Jane-a heaven on fragrance earth, is the perfume to go for. (Goddess icon: Annick Goutal)
Next is Fougere (French for ‘fern’) family with scents of herbs, lavender and citrus fruits; great for spring/summer. Racine by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, or Sisley’s Eau de Champagne, perhaps? (Goddess icon: any country girl who loves the meadows, hills and the countryside).
Or is it Florals? No, no..not all of them are sickly sweet and girlish, you know. Take Edouard Flechier’s Lys Mediterranee, for instance, recommended by Christian Louboutin, or Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion-a world-class nose working for Frederic Malle, the grandson of Serge Heftler, the creator of many iconic Dior fragrances. (Goddess icon: Charlotte Gainsbourg)
Could it be Citrus then? Say ‘yes’, if you like lemon bergamot, sweet orange with neroli, or the way Bahiana, the fruit-selling girls of Rio de Janeiro, smell. Now smell this: Hermes Eau d’Orange Vert, or Luxe by Mona di Orio at Les Senteurs. (Goddess icon: Jane Birkin)
Finally, Ozonic are for those of you who like the scents of sea water and fresh air. For a change from the usually dreadful Davidoff-oh-so-cool-sea versions, try one with a hint of rose in the saltiness: Ecume de Rose de Rosine. (Goddess icon: Aphrodite)
Always take your time, test the perfume on a damp skin (NEVER rub the wrists) and ask for a little sample to live with it for a while before purchasing the whole bottle.
And you, guys? Wanna impress a Goddess? Get your noses into Isfarkand by Ormonde Jayne, Serge Lutens’ Ambre Sultan, or Impact by Creed.
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