The Candy Perfume Boy Wins a Jasmine Award!

Well, yesterday was an absolute of whirlwind of a day! After the joy of being shortlisted in the 2013 Jasmine Digital Award category for my Guide to Violet (in very esteemed company I must add) I am thrilled to announce that I was lucky enough to win the prize at yesterday’s ceremony held at BAFTA. I am of course, incredibly chuffed to have been bestowed with such an award and am very thankful to the Jasmine judges and the Fragrance Foundation for considering me – it truly is an honour.

I wasn’t the only one to pick up an award though and congratulations must go out to Liam Moore whose magazine ‘ODOU‘ received three nominations and was awarded the coveted Literary Award (Magazine) prize for Neil Chapman’s (he of The Black Narcissus) piece ‘Perfume Haters‘. A hearty well done, congratulations and hooray for both Neil, Liam and all of the other winners – a full list of which can be found at the Jasmine Awards website.

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Perfume Pic of the Week No.10: The Majesty of Minajesty

Due to being in the throws of the worst man flu since records began (OK, this may possibly be a slight exaggeration) I am bringing this week’s perfume pic to you a day late – apologies. Despite my serious ailment, yesterday Nigel and I made a worthy attempt at finding our wedding suits for the 985th time (again, a slight exaggeration) and in our frustration, and by ‘our’ I of course mean ‘my’, we ended up perusing the fragrance hall in Debenhams.

Of course there wasn’t much of note to sniff amongst the crowded shelves but one thing that did stand out as noteworthy was the new perfume by ‘Superbass’ diva and rapper Nicki Minaj. The perfume is called ‘Minajesty’ and when I say that it is worth seeking out I do so with the disclaimer that I am solely referring to the perfume’s crazy flacon and not the fragrance itself, which is, as one would expect, your generic fruity syrup/celebrity fragrance dreck.

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Waterlogged Cotton – Serge Lutens Laine de Verre Perfume Review

It’s a strange paradox that the king of non-mainstream perfumery’s most divisive fragrances are those that are the least unusual – the L’Eau series. This is evidenced by the fact that there was practically a public outcry when Lutens launched his first ‘eau’. Die hard perfume nuts were found weeping in the street, bell jars were burned and bottles upon bottles of Ambre Sultan were smashed in moments of despair.

OK, I accept that I may have dramatised the situation a bit there but the truth is that many were disheartened that Serge Lutens, the man behind so many of perfumery’s modern greats, was going against his own grain by releasing anti-perfumes that were evocative of cold water and clean linen as opposed to life’s darker and more dangerous aspects. But people need worry not, both perfumes in the collection so far (L’Eau and L’Eau Froide) have turned out to be pretty decent, acting as a welcome change from Lutens’ usual oeuvre and showing how clean fragrances really should be done.

The latest perfume to be added to the L’Eau collection is ‘Laine de Verre‘. Taking its name from everyone’s favourite mode of loft installation – fibreglass – this new L’Eau penned by perfumer Christopher Sheldrake is as unusual as it is fresh and relaxed. Serge Lutens, in his usually riddle-filled way, states that the perfume is inspired by “complementary opposites” [1], elaborating further that the conflict is himself and the masculine and feminine. With that in mind, it’ll be no surprise that Lain de Verre is a genderless, inhuman fragrance that piques interest.

“With Laine de Verre, it is the metal which, physically, takes shape within its fragrance…” [2]

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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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Solar Flare – Thierry Mugler Alien Eau Extraordinaire Perfume Review

My love of Thierry Mugler’s Alien, and all things Mugler in fact, is widely known. I just cannot help myself when it comes to the weird, wacky and über glamorous creations that come straight from Muglerville – they resonate deep within my soul, awaking the hidden Glamazon inside of me. So I do feel very excited when I hear that the brand is launching a brand new fragrance, especially if aforementioned scent it is to be a close cousin of my most beloved Alien.

Mugler’s latest launch is exactly that – Alien Eau Extraordinaire – a lighter take on the the brashness of Alien, that reportedly “accentuates incandescent freshness” and amps up the scent’s brighter citrus notes. Alien, whilst being a foghorn of a scent (a beautiful foghorn, of course), did display an impressively fresh citrus facet worthy of further exploration, so it is with great interest that I approached this entirely more luminous creation.

Created by perfumer Dominique Ropion who, along with Laurent Bruyere, was responsible for the original, Alien Eau Extraordinaire is a stand alone fragrance described by Mugler as being “charged with a positive energy” and “combining a blend of notes known for their uplifting, energising powers with the unique signature of Alien to convey a feeling of happiness and serenity for all women”. That all sounds rather promising, if you ask me!

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Perfume Pic of the Week No. 9: Guerlain’s Muguet 2014

Guerlain Muguet 2014 — Perfume Pic of the Week No. 9: Guerlain’s Muguet 2014

The first day in May is a special day in France, not only is it National Labour Day, but it is also customary on this day to present one’s loved ones with a sprig of lily of the valley (or ‘muguet’ as it is known by the French) in celebration of the beginning of spring. Guerlain, France’s premiere perfume house, are known for embracing tradition and in celebration of this very special day they launch a newly packed version of their limited edition Eau de Toillette ‘Muguet‘.

Last year’s offering was a beautiful papier-mâché interpretation of the famous quadrilobe bottle (which has housed iconic fragrances such as Jicky and Nahéma, to name just a few) and was a tough act to follow. This year’s Muguet (seen above) is entirely different and is housed within the brand’s iconic bee bottle, which is fitting seeing as Guerlain has been going all out for the 160th anniversary of this most special vessel.

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Looking Good and Smelling Fine – Black Tie Perfumes

Dapper — Looking Good and Smelling Fine [Image of Me at My Father’s Wedding via Peter Buncombe]

Awards Season is set to end this Sunday with the 86th Academy Awards (a.k.a. ‘The Oscars’) and the stars will be out in full force, donning their finest garb having spent hours preening their faces and coiffing their hair. Of course, us mere mortals will simply be watching the ceremony at home in our pyjamas, possibly scoffing on some popcorn in a nod to the wonders of the silver screen. Still, we can live vicariously through the glamour of the winners and losers, can’t we?

Thinking about the Oscars and the upcoming Jasmine Awards (for which I need to pick myself an outfit) led me to ponder over which perfumes are best suited to formal occasions. Most of the time I’m of the belief that one should wear whatever they heck they want when they want, but in situations where dress codes are enforced and one has to be smart, it can be beneficial to pick out a scent that is suitably dapper to match.

For this post I’ve put together some of my favourite ‘smart’ perfumes for black tie or formal occasions. They range from the smart casual to the well-tailored and the dramatic, and between them they serve as a mini-guide to picking that perfect scent for a special occasion. Most are unisex so are suitable regardless of whether you’re a guy or a girl and can be paired with a suit, tux or fancy dress to ensure that you’re looking good and smelling fine.

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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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Drink Me! – Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant Perfume Review

The World of Cédrat Enivrant

When I first started exploring the world of perfume I only really had time for scents that were loud, proud and downright fabulous. But now, as I get older and my approach to perfume is increasingly more seasoned, I find myself appreciating the art of subtlety and the application of a ‘dab hand’. Now that’s not to say that I no longer enjoy scents that are loud, attention-grabbing, weird and even confrontational, but it does mean that a perfume doesn’t have to possess these characteristics for me to sit up and pay attention. In short: as long as it smells good it’s on my radar!

One particular genre this shift in focus has allowed me to appreciate is cologne. When done right, colognes and citrus scents can be infinitely beautifully as well as having the added benefits of being refreshing, undemanding and thirst quenching. French perfume house Atelier Cologne is one brand that gets the idea of colognes spot on, having created the ‘Cologne Absolue’ – concentrated colognes that “celebrates the elegance of citruses” and possess the perfect trifecta of; longevity, freshness and intensity.

The latest addition to Atelier Cologne’s ‘Collection Originale’ is Cédrat Enivrant (‘Intoxicating Citrus’) – a cologne that takes inspiration from the French 75 cocktail and merges the world of perfume and mixology in a haze of mouthwatering citrus. Created by perfumer Ralf Schweiger (Frederic Malle’s Lipstick Rose and Etat Libre d’Orange’s Fils de Dieu and The Afternoon of a Faun) in a Cologne Absolue concentration of 15%, Cédrant Enivrant is described by the brand as being for lovers of “lemon and gin notes”. Count me in as one of those!

“As the sun set on the beach, they were all together again. Full of emotions, they could not stop talking. Had it really been so long? They shared many memories and another round of French 75s with laugher and tears in their eyes. No one wanted the night to end. As the sun rose, it was a sparkling moment of absolue friendship.”

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Perfume Pic of the Week No. 8: Thierry Mugler Alien Ad Campaign 2014

Regular readers of The Candy Perfume Boy will know that I am a fully-fledged, card-holding member of the Muglerati. Seriously, I’m a total Mugler fan boy and pretty much adore every fragrance the brand has ever done. Why do I love them so? Well it’s simple really, they are the most daring, fabulous and ‘high-fashion’ of perfume houses and they constantly push the envelope with their olfactory output, creating couture scents that are as unique as they are beautiful.

It’s difficult for me to pick my favourite Mugler perfume as my tastes switch between all of them on a regular basis, but the one I have the most affection for is Alien. This intergalactic jasmine is the fragrance I wore when I first met my soon-to-be husband (I love saying that – 75 days people!) and it is ingrained within my memory as an important perfume both sentimentally and artistically.

This year Thierry Mugler will be launching a new version of this terrestrial perfume – Alien Eau Extraordinaire (review to come soon) – and to coincide with this launch the brand has revitalised their advertising campaign with a new image and TV spot (directed by Floria Sigismondi). The new image can be seen above and displays Alien’s solar goddess bathed in a celestial glow and standing in a great hall like a statuesque monument to the sun.

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