Category Archive: Escentual

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

Due to a very exciting house move I am taking my Christmas hiatus a little earlier than planned this year, so without any further ado, I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderfully fragrant new year. I’d also like to thank you for your continued support and readership over the last 12 months. I will be back on 30 December 2015 with The Candies 2015, my annual round up of the best, and worst fragrances of the year. In the mean time, I shall leave you with my latest column for Escentual: a gorgeous ode to the lovely smells of Christmas days. Click here to read ‘Scenting Christmas’ Enjoy!

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New Escentual Post: Exploring Parfums Houbigant

Parfums Houbigant
Parfums Houbigant

Parfums Houbigant may not be as iconic a fragrance house as Guerlain, Caron or L’Artisan Parfumeur, but they have certainly earned their place as one of the greats in the annals of fragrance history. Their fragrances, even the ones from the late 1800s and early 1900s are incredibly innovative, sporting never before used materials at the time or presenting accords that were entirely unique. For my Escentual post I’ve taken a look at the history of the house in addition to reviewing their current line of fragrances. Click here to check it out.

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New Escentual Post: Gifts for Perfume Lovers

Gifts for Perfume Lovers
Gifts for Perfume Lovers

Escentual have put together some rather splendid gift guides in preparation for Christmas, categorising each one as a particular personality type, such as ‘the suited sophisticate’ and ‘the fashionista’. I wanted to get in on the gift guide action, so I have put together a series of delightful gifts for the perfume lovers in your life. They range from the budget to the blow-out, and cater for newbies and obsessives alike. Click here to head on over to Escentual to check out the gift guide for perfumistas.

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New Escentual Post: DIOR J’adore Touche de Parfum

J'adore Touche de Parfum
J’adore Touche de Parfum

I’m not sure why, but as the festive season approaches I often find myself yearning for fragrances from the house of Dior. Perhaps its the glittery glamour of scents such as Pure Poison and J’adore, or the unconventional warmth of Hypnotic Poison that get me dreaming of Dior, or maybe it’s just that I usually scour stores for a gift set bargain. Whatever the reason, I find myself drawn to Dior and this Christmas la maison has something particularly special to offer: J’adore Touche de Parfum.

Created as a new interpretation of Dior’s flagship fragrance (is it their flagship, or Miss Dior? I can’t keep up), Touche de Parfum is an oil based composition that can be worn under J’adore or all on its lonesome. Personally, I think it is the best version of J’adore to date and I have been literally bathing myself in its golden, glamorous tones over the last week. Also worth noting is the clever bottle, which draws up and delivers a drop of oil all with one simple twist of the stopper. Click here to head on over to Escentual to check out my review.

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New Escentual Post: Icons of Guerlain

Icons of Guerlain
Icons of Guerlain

I think most perfume lovers have a soft spot for the house of Guerlain. Their fragrances have an undeniably coquettish spirit and often, a wonderfully delicious sensibility as well. Guerlain makes fragrances with humour that smell good enough to eat, but with just enough abstraction to prevent them from being literal gourmands. The history of the house is rich and varied, spanning almost 200 years and boasting a lineage of fragrances that range from the animalic wonder of Jicky to the playful glacier fruit of the unapologetic La Petite Robe Noire.

For my Escentual column this week I have put together a piece that looks at Guerlain’s fragrance icons – 12 fragrances that demonstrate just how important, classic and innovative the legendary Parisian house is. It was difficult not to include absolute every fragrance in Guerlain’s back catalogue, I tell you, but I think the 12 included are some of the absolute best that the house has to offer. Click here to head over to Escentual to read the piece and do leave a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts on which Guerlain fragrances are iconic to you.

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New Escentual Post: Amouage Sunshine Man

Let the Sun Shine...
Let the Sun Shine…

Summer may be but a distant memory now, but that doesn’t mean that we should forget about it entirely! With the mercury heading downwards and the knitwear usage on the up, it’s a good time to be a little bit nostalgic about summer or, if that’s not the case for you, it’s at least a perfect opportunity to rock something warm and delightful. Amouage’s tremendously delightful lavender, Sunshine Man is just the scent and it’s certainly got my olfactory senses running in overdrive. Check out my review on Escentual.com here.

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New Escentual Posts: Scents for Dark Nights & Les Absolus d’Annick Goutal

Scents for Dark Nights
Scents for Dark Nights

Today I am sharing with you my two most recent posts for Escentual.com. This week’s post is a celebration of the clocks going back (wasn’t that extra hour in bed very much needed, people?!) in the form of musings on scents to wear on those dark nights. I love wintry weather, even more so when there’s a good scent to accompany the chilly air. In this post you’ll find scents to wear by the fire, in bed, out in the open and for trick or treating.

Last week I took a look at the new exclusive collection from Annick Goutal: ‘Les Absolus d’Annick Goutal’. These three fragrances take inspiration from the orient and each are centred on a famous material, specifically; amber, oud and vanilla. They’re a mixed bunch, if I’m honest, but each has elements of interest that would make them a worthwhile sniff. Check out my review here.

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New Escentual Posts: Calvin Klein Eternity Now & Armani Eau de Cédre

New Escentual Reviews: CK Eternity Now & Armani Eau de Cédre
New Escentual Reviews: CK Eternity Now & Armani Eau de Cédre

The mainstream wheel of the fragrance industry is forever a turning, it seems. For my last two Escentual columns I’ve focused on some scents that I would categorise as nicely done, without being groundbreaking (which, not every single fragrances has to be). Firstly we have the new Eternity Now duo from Calvin Klein, which consists of a sticky tropical fougére with industrial undertones for him, and a peach bubble bath for her. Check out my review of the duo here. Secondly, there is the new Eau de Cédre from Armani, a soft and supple citrus-woodsy thing that is inspired by a velvet jacket. Click here for my review.

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Escentual Post Round-Up

Click here to read my review of Floriental by Comme des Garçons
Click here to read my review of Floriental by Comme des Garçons

I’ve been busy on my Escentual column reviewing a number of big new launches. In this post (above and below the hump) you’ll find a round up of reviews including; Comme Des Garçons’ Floriental, the Acqua di Parma Ingredients Collection (Colonia Ambra, Colonia Oud & Colonia Leather), Dior’s Sauvage, Valentino’s Donna, Van Clef & Arpels’ Ambre Imperial and Narciso Rodriguez’s for Her L’Absolu. Enjoy.

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New Escentual Post: Alaïa Paris by Azzedine Alaïa

Alaïa Paris by Azzedine Alaïa
Alaïa Paris by Azzedine Alaïa

It’s not a new thing for a fashion designer to launch an eponymous fragrance, or any fragrance for that matter. In fact, at this point, the idea is decidedly old hat. But the worlds of fashion and perfume are so inextricably linked that it still makes perfect sense for such a thing as the ‘designer fragrance’ to exist. After all, we simply cannot deny that perfume is the ultimate fashion accessory. Can you imagine leaving the house without any? Sacré bleu! It doesn’t bare thinking about!

Tunisian-born designer Azzedine Alaïa has waited a long time to launch his debut (and semi-eponymous) perfume, ‘Alaïa Paris‘ (penned by the talented Marie Salamagne, no less), and having spent some time with the fragrance this week I would say that it has been worth the wait. With Alaïa Paris, the aesthetic of the designer is perfectly in tune with the olfactory composition, making for a scent that, whilst not boasting any particularly bold statements, is unique and interesting enough to represent the style of such a venerable designer. Click here to head on over to Escentual to read my full review. Don’t forget to comment with your thoughts if you have tried Alaïa Paris.

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