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 more details as I get closer to the end and am ready to send out some testers. I’ve had quite a few inquiries about Reves so I want to finish that one before fall.
One of the traveling musk packages will be on its way to the third person on Wed. The other has already stalled so if you’re in line for that one I may need to switch you over to the one that’s making progress. Will do my best.
On the gardenia theme, I tried a squirt of Tom Ford’s Velvet Gardenia today. People seem to love or hate this scent, either finding it the most accurate gardenia they’ve ever smelled or saying it’s a scrubber that smells harsh. I’m afraid it was too harsh to my nose. I think some people may be more sensitive to and/or just averse to some of the stronger floral chems in this. I didn’t need to scrub it off but won’t need to retry it as it just isn’t right for me. We’re all unique though and I’m sure it works for many people.
Back to my gardenia project, which is a softer, creamier version with gardenia, jasmine, soft creamy woods, and musk…
4 comments
Hello,
I am working around Gardenia too for a perfume project about Billie Holiday. I use only naturals and you ?
Hi Merline, good to meet you! I use a mix of naturals and synthetics, but I use a larger amount of naturals than many syth perfumers and I sure do appreciate those who work in naturals only. What’s the theme story on your gardenia? Sounds interesting! 🙂
Hi Laurie,
I enjoy to read your blog full of interesting idea and interviews for us perfumers.
I’am not a dogmatic natural perfumer lol. I choose to work only with naturals, that’s my personal way. I have admiration all perfumes when they are inspired and well construct. The 2 perfumers that I admire the most are Jean Carles and Edmond Roudnitska, creator of this marvels : Le Parfum de Therese and Diorissimo. My bible are : Methode de creation en parfumerie by Jean Carles, Essence and Alchemy by Mandy Aftel and Arctander’s book.
Since 6 months, I have correspondance courses with a perfumer creator in Canada. For a french like me it is a real challenge.
In France, natural perfumer sounds like ET’s lol. It is a real struggle everyday, to find my working material. The mainly purchase I made are in the US ie. ambrette seed absolute that can not be found here. These days, I try to find sample bottles … and so on.
I come at the end of my courses and I do submit my evaluation project that I would dedicate to Billie Holliday so I play around gardenia.
I’ll tell you more later, his name is Lady in Satin.
Excuse me for my awful english lol
Hi Merline,
Your English is great! Wish I could do as well in French, lol. I’m always amazed at how well my overseas contacts and customers write in English.
Parfum de Therese and Diorissimo are wonderful! Have you seen this fabulous interview with Edmond Roudnitska’s son, Michel Roudnitska, on the Bois de Jasmine blog? I bet you’d enjoy it!
http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/_/2005/10/interview_with_.html
It’s interesting to note he says it took him 2 years and about 300 trials to do Bois de Paradis (another one of my faveorites). Comments like that from truly great perfumers are somehow comforting when you’re doing your 50th trial on a blend and wondering when you’ll feel it is done.
Seemd like there should be some good sources for you in France, but finding ones that will ship small quantities may be harder. I’ll post back here if I find out anything for you.
Good luck on your gardenia! Lady in Satin is a pretty name. I’d love to hear about it when it is done.