New Escentual Post: The Candy Perfume Boy’s Summer Scent Edit

http://www.escentual.com/blog/2014/05/07/summer-scent-edit/ — The Candy Perfume Boy’s Summer Scent Edit

It may not look like summer outside but the perfume industry is certainly preparing for a long hot season of scented sunshine. When summer rolls around one takes the opportunity to dust the cobwebs off of those lighter, brighter and more citrus-centric fragrances that will cut through the unrelenting heat and will smell thoroughly alive under the gaze of the hot summer sun.

In preparation for summer my Escentual column this week takes a tour of some great summer fragrances. It covers some of my go-to summer scents (my ‘summer staples’, if you will) such as Mugler Cologne as well as some brand new perfumes launched for summer 2014. Click here to head on over to Escentual and read my ‘Summer Scent Edit’ and don’t forget to let me know what your summer staples are!

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New Escentual Post: Lanvin Arpège Perfume Review

Arpège by Lanvin — This Week’s Escentual Post is a Review of Lanvin’s Arpège (André Fraysse; 1927)

When one amasses a decent collection of perfumes it is inevitable that hidden gems will get forgotten amongst the plentiful array of bottles. This is most certainly the case with me and my incredibly disorganised system of filing perfumes (in two boxes and numerous drawers around the house) means that I will often find myself discovering long-lost loves whilst in the midst of a decent rummaging session. Lanvin’s wonderful Arpège was one of these unfairly neglected perfumes.

I rediscovered my bottle of Arpège this week and couldn’t get it off my brain. Out of all of the aldehydic florals (Nº5 and Nº22 etc) it is easily my favourite but it simply doesn’t get talked about enough, despite the fact that it radiates with cuddly, maternal warmth. Inspired by my rediscovery, this week’s Escentual column focuses on this most timeless of perfumes that seems to have aged rather well. If you’d like to read my review please click here to head on over to the Escentual Blog. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts about the perfume, whilst you’re there!

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New Escentual Post: Givenchy Gentlemen Only Intense Perfume Review

As far as masculine fragrances go, few are more iconic than Givenchy’s Gentleman. It’s a perfume evocative of hairy chests, gold watches and sharp suits, created in a very ’70s style. Gentleman is nothing short of a classic and Givenchy have been keen to capitalise on the ‘Gentleman’ name with flankers, specifically with last year’s Gentlemen Only and now this year’s Gentleman Only Intense.

For my Escentual column this week, I’ve taken a look at the new Gentlemen Only Intense, a slightly richer take on the fresh aromatic signature of the fragrance launched last year. You can read my review by clicking here and there’s also a competition too, in which you can enter to win the Intense 100ml Eau de Toilette Spray, the Gentlemen Only 100ml Eau de Toilette and the matching Deodorant Spray.

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New Escentual Post: Cartier La Panthère Perfume Review

New from Cartier - 'La Panthère' — New from Cartier – ‘La Panthère’

It would be fair to say that I’m not a massive fan of Cartier’s perfumes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike them by any means but none of the ones that I have tried have blown me away or sent me reaching for my wallet. Enter Cartier’s latest feminine fragrance ‘La Panthère‘ – a perfume that has been created as a feline and feral take on gardenia that pays homage to the brand’s mascot.

Whilst La Panthère is a bit too modern and clean to be classified as an animalic in a way that would be pleasing to perfume lovers, I must admit that I really enjoy its more abstract take on the gardenia flower and it calls to mind the bright sunlight of fragrances such as Elie Saab Le Parfum and Amyris Femme. To read my full review of Cartier’s latest scent, please click here to head on over to Escentual.com.

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New Escentual Post: The Party Fragrance Collection

One of the many great things about writing for Escentual is that I get to try fragrances that I wouldn’t normally come across in the wild. Without sounding as if I’m plugging a little bit too much, they do have a great selection of brands ranging from the staples such as Guerlain and DIOR to the more subversive houses of Amouage, Etat Libre d’Orange and CB I Hate Perfume.

One particular brand that Escentual have introduced me to is The Party Fragrances. Currently there are six fragrances in the line, with each taking a classic accord and switching them up with something contemporary. Their debut fragrance, ‘The Party in Manhattan’ is especially noteworthy, mixing together the fruity chypre accord of Mitsouko with the intense floral tones of Patou’s Joy to make for a raucous and glamorous fragrance in the grand old style.

For my Escentual column this week I have taken a good sniff of all of The Party’s Fragrances and have reviewed them for your pleasure. So, if you’re feeling as if you’re in a mischievous mood or you fancy exploring this hidden gem of a fragrance house please click here to take a quick gander over to Escentual.com to read my review. Don’t forget to let me know what you think of the fragrances too, if you’ve tried them!

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New Escentual Post: O is for Olfactory Oddities…

My A-Z of Perfume for Escentual.com is steaming along very nicely and we have arrived at the letter ‘O’ already. ‘O’ can stand for many things in perfume – ‘Old Spice’, ‘Olfactive Studio’, ‘Orange Blossom’ and errr…. ‘One Direction’ – to name just a few. But I wanted to focus on something a little different for my fragrant guide to the letter ‘O’ and chose to explore the wondrous world of Olfactory Oddities.

Perfume is first and foremost a functional product created to make a person smell good. But it’s also an art and a science too. So for this week’s Escentual column I’ve taken a look at some of my favourite arty scents that push the envelope of olfaction to new and exciting heights. These avant-garde smells range from the sublime (the inky, metallic flowers of Comme des Garçons 2) to the ridiculous (the salty fig-shortbread of Mugler’s Womanity) via the downright insane (Sécrétions Magnifiques – need I say more?).

So, if you’re in the mood for broadening your olfactory horizons with something mad, bad and sometimes dangerous then click here to read about my favourite Olfactory Oddities. Don’t forget to leave a comment telling me about your favourite fragrant weirdos whilst you are there!

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New Escentual Post: Mother’s Day Fragrance Gift Guide

If you haven’t forgotten, this Sunday in the fair land of the United Kingdom it will be Mother’s Day and all across the country mums will be deservedly spoiled for being all-round awesome people, and deservedly so. If you have forgotten then shame on you, but never fear I have a post that may be helpful in assisting you to pick up the perfect gift for that truly special lady in your life.

In last week’s Escentual column I took a look at some of my best fragrant picks for Mother’s Day. The perfumes I have selected range from the fun and fruity to the opulent and oriental, via a quick detour at some classy chypres and one or two floral fancies. So if you’re in the market for a delightful scent for that equally lovely mother of yours then all you need to do is click here.

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New Escentual Post: Valentino Uomo Perfume Review and Giveaway

Uomo - The New Masculine Fragrance from Valentino — Uomo – The New Masculine Fragrance from Valentino

When a designer house launches a new masculine fragrance I tend to find myself preparing for disappointment. This isn’t always the case (after all, there are lots of fab designer masculines out there), but in a vast number of situations it would be fair to say that the perfumes aren’t really thinking outside the box enough to be considered as worthwhile, especially when compared to their female counterparts.

Sometimes however, a new masculine will come along that does impress and ‘Uomo’, the latest launch from Valentino, is one such fragrance. Taking one or two cues from Dior Homme, Uomo is an effortlessly stylish fragrance that is as soft as it is handsome. For my Escentual column this week I’ve taken a closer look at this new scent from Valentino and in addition to my review, Escentual will be giving away 6 bottles! To read my review and to enter the competition (please refer to the Escentual T&Cs as listed in the piece) please click here.

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New Escentual Post: Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Collection Review & Giveaway

The Little Black Dress Edit - Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Extrait and Couture Perfume Review — The Little Black Dress Edit – Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Extrait and Couture Perfume Review

Guerlain’s La Petite Robe Noire is easily the best mainstream feminine to have been released over the last couple of years and it has deservedly been a runaway success for the house. This ode to the little black dress is just so much darn fun that one can’t help but fall for it’s delicious, whimsical charm and it properly schools the competition on how a decent fruity floral should be done.

In celebration of the launch of Guerlain’s new chypre-esque La Petite Robe Noire Couture I have dedicated this week’s Escentual column to a review of each the LBDs in Guerlain’s wardrobe, including; La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Extrait and the brand new Couture perfume. Each of the fragrances in the collection are glamorous, fun and blooming delicious. Click here to read my review of the La Petite Robe Noire Collection. Oh and there’s an amazing competition too…

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New Escentual Post: N is for Nose…

Thanks to people like Frederic Malle, perfumers are becoming much prominent figures within the industry. We now celebrate the creative and technical minds behind the perfumes we smell, putting their names on the bottles and turning some of them into God-like rockstars of the business (I’m looking at you Bertrand).

For my Escentual column this week I am continuing my Escentual A-Z of Fragrance with ‘N is for Nose’ – a look at some of my favourite perfumers. In this piece I talk about some of their most noteworthy work, ranging from the masterfully symphonic compositions of Dominique Ropion to the edgy work of Yann Vasnier. Click here to head on over to Escentual and read the piece. Oh, and don’t forget to tell me about your favourite perfumers whilst you’re there!

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