Perfume Review: Eau de Citron Noir by Hermès

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I have a weird little rule when it comes to reviewing fragrances: I don’t wear a fragrance until I’ve photographed it, after which I can spray on as much as I like in anticipation of the written part of my review. I’m not saying I don’t have a cheeky little spray before the shots are taken, but I definitely make sure that the bottle remains mostly full. Why is this, you may be wondering? Well, it simply looks better when the bottle is full, so it’s purely for aesthetic reasons. Anything for the perfect shot, right?

Well, in the case of Eau de Citron Noir, the latest addition to Hermès’ Cologne Collection, I broke my own rule. This happened casually and regularly and I found myself not only sneaking a spritz here and there, but also giving the scent numerous full wearings. Perhaps it’s just the good weather we’ve been having, or maybe there is something irresistible about it. Whatever the reason, you may notice in the photos that the bottle is not 100% full. I’m sure you’ll find it in your hearts to forgive me.

Eau de Citron Noir is Perfumer Christine Nagel’s second cologne for Hermès (the first being 2016’s Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate). They describe it as showcasing “The striking and explosive vitality of citrus fruits combined with the depth of subtle smoky and woody notes of black lime.” That all sounds rather tempting, doesn’t it? Not to mention the fact that that deep blue bottle is heave on Earth…

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Candy Crush: CHANCE BODY OILS by CHANEL

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I’m always crushing on something scented or other. My nose knows no limits. Candy Crush is where I showcase the beautifully scented things I’m crushing on right now so you can hopefully develop a crush too.

I should start this post by saying that, out of all of the CHANEL fragrances out there, CHANCE is the one that I have the least experience with, having only really sniffed it on others.  This also extends to the entire CHANCE family of flankers, which I’m sure I have encountered in the wild but am yet to really dedicate some time to.  So when these exciting body oils landed on my desk I must admit that I was most intrigued to try them, not only because I wanted to see how they worked as an ancillary product, but also as an introduction to a collection of fragrances I have had limited exposure to.

But before we get to how good these body oils are (which is very good – spoiler alert), let’s talk some context first.  CHANCE launched in 2002 and targeted a younger audience for the iconic Parisian brand.  CHANEL is famously known for its grand dames, the likes of Nº5, Nº19, COCO and even to some extent, CRISTALLE.  Sure, COCO MADEMOISELLE came one year before CHANCE, but COCO M has a much broader audience. In comparison, CHANCE is the young CHANEL placing emphasis on playfulness as well as the brand’s signature of femininity that doesn’t give a fuck. It works very well.

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Fume Chat Picks up a Jasmine Award!

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Yesterday The Fragrance Foundation announced the winners of the Jasmine Awards 2018 and I am so thrilled to tell you that Fume Chat, the fragrance podcast that I host with my good friend (and perfume genius, let’s face it) Nick Gilbert, picked up an award in the Innovation Category for Episode 18 – The War of the Roses ft. Josephine Fairley. We put a huge amount of work in to making Fume Chat so it’s so wonderful to receive such recognition in the form of our very first award.

This is now my fifth Jasmine Award – I simply cannot believe it! Writing, or in this case talking about perfume, is my passion and to be recognised by the industry body so many times is hugely mind-blowing. Thank you to Nick for being my scented partner in crime and for bringing wit & wisdom to Fume Chat – Fume Chat would not be Fume Chat without you! Thank you to Jo Fairley for being the perfect podcast guess on our winning episode, and for sharing your expert knowledge. Finally, thank you too my husband Nigel for the unbending support – for each encouraging word, cup of tea when I’m struggling with a deadline or writer’s block, and for being there every step of the way.

The 2018 Jasmine Award winners are:

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Perfume Review: ANGEL FRUITY FAIR by MUGLER

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Creating a flanker of an iconic fragrance is no easy task. There has to be balance between the familiar and the unfamiliar, with the resulting fragrance smelling similar enough to the original to bear its name, but also different enough to justify its own existence. Now, that problem is amplified when the iconic scent in question has already been flankered (not a word, but go with it) numerous times already. How does a brand bring something new when they’ve given a scent the flanker treatment dozens of times already? Well, in the case of most brands, the answer is ‘not very well’, but when it comes to MUGLER, flankers are where the brand really gets to have fun.

ANGEL is the MUGLER flagship and it has had many, many, many, many, many, many (do you see where I’m going with this?), many flankers. Its incredibly bold signature makes it perfect flanker material because one can always recognise it, whilst its gourmand facets are begging for thousands of fantastical culinary twists – also there’s lots of stuff going on in ANGEL so there are lots of paths to go down in terms of flankering. So yes, ANGEL lends itself well to flankers and proof can be found in its latest incarnation ANGEL FRUITY FAIR. This limited edition celebrates “gourmand indulgence” evoking a magical carnival filled to the brim with feelings of unabashed joy. Sign me up!

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Speed Sniff: Nubian Musk by Sana Jardin Paris

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Speed Sniffs is a way to bring you ‘to-the-point’ fragrance reviews that are quick and easy to digest. They are perfume reviews without the faff.

Sana Jardin is a new eco and ethically conscious fragrance house that aims to create luxurious niche fragrance that brings real change for the growers of the materials, specifically women. This is done through their Beyond Sustainability™ movement which, as Sana Jardin puts it, “is a movement to create tangible and measurable social change through commerce, not charity. It’s a movement to create female entrepreneurs who are agents of change in their community. It is built on traditional, sustainable practices and fair trade. Beyond Sustainability™ is preserving heritage skills while inspiring the next generation of artisans.”

It’s always good for fragrances houses to take a socially-conscious approach to their manufacturing and for this to be at the heart of a luxury niche brand is really encouraging. There are currently seven fragrances in the collection, one of which is the focus of today’s speed sniff! That scent is Nubian Musk and it’s described by Sana Jardin as follows; “A seductive scent recollection…a physical encounter, a chemical attraction, limbs entwined, souls lost to pure, carnal desire. Fragranced with the intoxicating, raw scent of skin, amplified in the heat of passion.” Sounds like it’s quite something, doesn’t it?!

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