Perfume General
November 25th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Several things have put IFRA in my mind the last few days: a blog post I saw recently reviewing the room spray Massoia by Geodesis, an article in Perfumer & Flavorist online magazine, and the new low-atranol oakmoss now available. I’ll touch on all three briefly.
Here’s a link to the article “Special Report: IFRA Workshop—Allergy [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Some misc IFRA info and comment on room sprays
November 14th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I’ve found it very interesting to see the variation in how people perceive a scent, and part of the reason for the variation seems to be that for any given note or ingredient people have different sensitivities and tolerances to it. What is often called “skin chemistry” also plays a role, but even if [...]
Continue reading → Our own scent truth
November 10th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Just wanted to check in today. We had a glorious pink sunrise this morning! The light cloud cover sometimes makes the sky glow pink as the sun rises. We look out over a valley where the fog often rolls in overnight, but the fog breaks up sometime in the morning and if [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → This and That…
November 2nd, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Sometimes people assume that they don’t like something in the perfume base if they dislike a fragrance; that may be a likely possibility with oil perfumes since the oil base can often contain solvents that may have off odors to a subset of people, but it’s less likely with alcohol perfumes. The base of [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Back to Bases
October 31st, 2008 — , Perfume General from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Everyone has been posting about favorite scents for fall, so I thought I’d list a few of mine. For non SSS scents, I love Rosine Poussiere de Rose, Armani Bois d’Encens, SL Fumerie Turque and La Myrrhe, Chanel 22, Chanel Coco (though even better in winter), Del Rae Bois d’Paradis, Guerlain Nahema, and newly [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Favorite Fall Scents and Happy Halloween!
October 30th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I had a chance to test the latest rounds of Gardenia Musk and Reves, though I’m looking forward to trying the samples of Amouage Lyric that arrived in the mail yesterday (need to make time tomorrow!).
I’ve been looking at ways to extend the heliotrope note in Reves because heliotropin lasts well through the heart but fades [...]
Continue reading → Scent testing
October 6th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
There’s a new natural gardenia product on the market that is an enfleurage of Gardenia fragrans, but it’s currently selling for $50 for 2 ml. It is made in Colombia and sold at http://www.enfleurage.com. I think we’ll see more progress in this area with other natural gardenia essences coming on the market (most you see [...]
Continue reading → Natural Gardenia
September 20th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Winter Woods should be on the site for purchase the week of the 22, and the description is up on the site now. Gardenia Musk will be along shortly thereafter. Reves will be a little longer.
I tried Ineke Evening Edged In Gold yesterday. The prominent cedar with fruit base reminds me [...]
Continue reading → Scent update
August 28th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Last week I tried Magie Noire for the first time (it’s great!), and yesterday I tried another dark and dirty rose, Gucci’s sadly discontinued L’Arte di Gucci. It’s quite something, a very rich dark rose with fruity topnotes on an earthy base with patchouli, vetiver, leather, moss, woods, and musk. It has some spice from [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Dark, rich, dirty rose
August 27th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I need to be out for this afternoon so that’s going to put me just a bit behind, but I should still have the current orders mailed out by Friday. If you’re ordering today it will probably go out Monday.
We’re having a hot spell again with temps over 100 each day. We always have one [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Running a tad behind…
August 24th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Someone suggested I do a blog post to explain from the perfumer’s point of view how the decision is made whether to create a perfume in oil or alcohol form. I thought it was a great idea because I receive questions about this issue quite frequently. Why does a perfumer pick one base or the [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → How do perfumer’s choose between alcohol or oil format?
August 17th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I haven’t had a chance to work on the new scents the last few days and really want to get back to them. In addition to Gardenia Musk and Reves, I have a new woodsy scent in the works. Can’t wait to make more progress this week.
I did get to experience a quick trial wearing of Lancome’s [...]
Continue reading → This and that…
August 15th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Today’s new issue of Sniffapalooza Magazine contains an interview that I did with writer Kathy Patterson. Kathy also reviewed Vintage Rose and Champagne de Bois. You need to scroll down the page a little ways to find the article, but you may want to check out some of the other pieces in this issue too:
http://www.sniffapaloozamagazine.com/
[...]
Continue reading → Interview and reviews on today’s Sniffapalooza Magazine
August 8th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
It’s been a really busy week. Ambre Noir is on the site now and should be great for fall. I’ll keep working on Gardenia Musk and Lieu de Reves as I can. I tried some interesting new ingredients and that’s always exciting. Received shipment of a kilo yesterday that had leaked some, but it only lost about [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Checking in again…
August 1st, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Today Now Smell This featured an article about five recent rose releases and included Vintage Rose in the reviews:
http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/8/1/3818369.html
I was really happy to see Vintage included there! Miller et Bertaux Shanti and Red Flower Guaiac sound fun to try too.
You’ve probably heard about the two new Serge Lutens scents from all the press about them. Serge Noire sounds most [...]
Continue reading → Some fragrant news of the day
July 31st, 2008 — , Gardening, Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
We’re enjoying some bouquets of very fragrant carnations and stock grown from seed; the carnations are especially nice, with more spicy scent than most varieties. They’re an heirloom type called “Enfant de Nice” from Renee’s seeds (I just added a link to Renee’s website in the garden link section of the blog). Her larkspur called [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → As July ends…
July 23rd, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I’m trying Andy Tauer’s new Vetiver Dance this afternoon and am enjoying it; the lily of the valley comes out prominently on me the first few hours and makes this a very different vetiver scent than any other I’ve tried, much more floral but still unisex. I like the green notes in here too, and [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → A new vetiver to love, and more scent work
July 21st, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Ambre Noir is getting closer. I put the frankincense and myrrh back in, removed one cedary component, enhanced the sandalwood, and added a touch of castoreum. It’s dark and rich but has the touch of incense back. I need to live with it for a bit and make sure I’m happy with it, [...]
Continue reading → Quick Update
July 17th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to try a sample of Onda from a very generous person, and it got me thinking about some of the leathery skanky notes I like in very small amounts: castoreum and the para cresyls. Onda is very bold and probably the most animalic scent I’ve ever tried, including [...]
Continue reading → The Skanky Notes
July 11th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I’ve been working on some product photos in Photoshop to remove the backgrounds; it’s a challenge to get the edges smooth and is going slower than I’d hoped. I’ve not done much blending this week so hope to do that this weekend.
I did get to try a sample of Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel today and enjoyed it. [...]
Continue reading → Checking in briefly…
July 7th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
It’s been over 100 F three days in a row, and today’s peak was 106 F on my outdoor porch thermometer. We always have a few of these heat waves each summer.
I worked a bit on Lieu de Reves yesterday and Gardenia Musk today. I spent several months working on each of these last winter but didn’t finish. I’ll give [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Gardenia in the heat
July 2nd, 2008 — , Perfume General from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
Today’s post is an interview with scent scientist Dr. Avery Gilbert, whose new book What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life is now available at Amazon. I haven’t received my copy yet, but in the meantime I read some of his research papers and found them very interesting. He has researched [...]
Continue reading → Interview with Dr. Avery Gilbert, author of “What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life”
June 29th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I thought this was an interesting blurb in Perfumer and Flavorist about how natural ingredients are being tweaked to de-color them or remove allergens or change the scent profile in some way (such as removing the dirtiest part of patchouli). Jean Claude Ellena has discussed doing this to design custom natural components in his perfumes; [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Custom tweaks of nature
June 28th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
The smokiness in the air was a little better today, though we didn’t have blue sky yet. We had a bit of a breeze that may have helped reduce the thickness of the smoke, and maybe the fires are getting more under control and that’s contributing to the improvement too.
I worked on orders and gave a quick try to the [...]
Online Stores Continue reading → Checking In…
June 23rd, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients, Sonoma Scent Studio Updates from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I’ll send out two identical traveling musk packages Tuesday the 24th. The first two people can sniff, report back their results via email to info@sonomascentstudio.com or to my personal email (given in the package), and then send on to the next two people. We have the first six or so in line already.
Here are the questions [...]
Continue reading → Sending Out Traveling Musk Packages
June 10th, 2008 — , Perfume General from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
The 54th annual meeting of the American Society of Perfumers on June 2 included a discussion between seven panelists about the future of fine fragrance. Questions included the following:
“How public should perfumers be? How technical can fragrance companies be in their marketing? Can and should consumers be introduced to the molecules and other nuts and bolts of [...]
Continue reading → Perfume in the news
June 5th, 2008 — , Perfume General from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
What is it about some perfumes that make them life-long loves whereas others you may enjoy for the duration of a bottle or decant but not repurchase? I’ve loved Chanel 22 since college and will probably always love it. I remember the sales assistant at the time trying to interest me in No. 5 also, but [...]
Online Stores Related Websites - Scent impressions on a hot day L'Artisan Part 1 This week when I headed to a major city a few hours away, I thought I'd check out the perfumes at Neiman Marcus, because I knew they had L'Artisan and also Serge Lutens. The last time I was in a NM closer to home, they had neither. I planned to......
Continue reading → Long-term Favorites
May 30th, 2008 — , Perfume General, Perfume Making & Ingredients from Laurie @ Perfume in Progress
I’m still catching up on orders and have the contest winner packages to ship, so no time for working on scents right now.
I saw the new Escentric Molecules 02 scents are based on ambroxan, and although I love that aroma chem I find it hard to imagine a scent made with it as a main ingredient. Ambroxan has a [...]
Continue reading → Just a quick note on ambroxan