Paprika Brasil joins the Hermessence collection of fragrances (Ambre Narguile, Osmanthe Yunnan, Poivre Samarcande, Rose Ikebana, Vetiver Tonka) at Hermès this month…
Hermes Elixir des Merveilles ~ fragrance review
Elixir des Merveilles is the latest release from Hermès, and the third in the Merveilles line, following Eau des Merveilles and Parfum des Merveilles. It was created by perfumer Jean Claude Ellena and has notes of chocolate-covered candied orange peel, caramel, vanilla biscuit (vanilla sugar, tonka bean), creamy milk, sandalwood, incense, resins, ambergris, Peru balsam and balsam of Siam, oak, patchouli and cedar.
I was rather taken aback when I saw the list of notes for Elixir des Merveilles. Folding Eau des Merveilles into a sugary dessert doesn’t strike me as an obvious choice, and the whole thing sounded so over-the-top foody, especially for Jean Claude Ellena.
The good news: it isn’t really over-the-top foody…
The Balenciaga Sisters: Rumba and Talisman fragrances
When summer turns to fall, I wait as long as I can to turn on the furnace. Usually the afternoons will warm up enough that I can wear a sweater in the morning and be fine. But finally the time comes when I dig out the fleece-lined slippers, pad my way to the thermostat, and hold my breath as my ancient furnace kicks in. Within a few minutes the living room fills with warm air and the smell of the first heater run of the year: dust and hot metal. Add a slice of toast with jam, imagine yourself in an ancient church, and presto! you have Balenciaga Rumba perfume.
Rumba is big and deep, and is a strange but compelling combination of a hot electric burner, fruit, and beeswax. Even as an Eau de Toilette, Rumba has maximum sillage. I’m tempted to say that it’s juicy, but its fruit — and there’s lots of it — quickly turns to something richer, like Madeira. Rumba’s flowers appear then disappear then gently reappear amidst the churchy wood, as if they’re blowing in from a night garden. I’ve read reviews of Rumba that compare it to a nightclub, and I imagine a Cuban bar with an outdoor seating area and a palm reader in the corner ready to tell you your fate while you sip your second El Floridita…
In the news: Jean Claude Ellena
Jean Claude Ellena, the house nose at Hermès, is in Sydney, Australia to help launch the Terre d'Hermes fragrance. And no, he doesn't wear it himself:
He does not splash on cologne, his armpits are a deodorant-free zone and he steers clear of perfumed soaps.
"It is to protect myself," he said. "When I smell odours around me I'm starting to say, well, this contains that and that, so I am starting to work, but I want to concentrate only on creating my own perfumes so I try to avoid smell."
Read the rest in The Australian (link no longer working, sorry!)
Creative Scentualization Love, Light & Peace, Hermes Paprika Brasil ~ new fragrances
Creative Scentualization has launched the “Comes From Within” trio of fragrances, including Love, Light and Peace:
Love is “designed to inspire that priceless love of self that makes one irresistible to others” and features clove, spicy carnation, rose, Tunisian amber, French vanilla…