Fragrances & Perfume
Perfume releases, reviews, niche and designer fragrances, samples, scent notes and collecting.
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Thursday scent of the day 10/15
Happy Almost-Friday! It’s also Global Handwashing Day and World Students’ Day. Birthdays: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche and Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse. What fragrance are you wearing? I’m in the possibly-more-sweet-than-savory Vetiver Tonka from Hermès. Reminder: on 10/16, wear a savory gourmand fragrance, if you have one… Read the rest of this article »
The Soul of French Perfume
The art of perfumery is ancient, intricate, and shrouded in mystery. The Osmothèque in Versailles, in partnership with the espace Richaud, lifts the veil on some of the secrets of this millennia-old craft, in which France has distinguished itself in particular. From November 4, 2026 to February 7, 2027, discover the exhibition The Soul of French Perfume: A Journey to the Heart of Elegance and Craft.
Profumum Dolce Artica ~ new fragrance
Italian niche line Profumum has launched Dolce Artica, a new fragrance exclusive to Swedish men’s grooming boutique Gents… Read the rest of this article »
Amouage Decision 42 & Overture 41 ~ new fragrances
Amouage has launched Decision 42 and Overture 41, two new fragrances in the Exceptional Extraits collection… Read the rest of this article »
Boldness and vision
Perfumers Alberto Morillas and Nathalie Lorson talk about Giorgio Armani I Will.
Wednesday scent of the day 10/14
It’s Wednesday and National Dessert Day. Birthdays: William Penn, Katherine Mansfield, E. E. Cummings, Hannah Arendt, Roger Moore and Ralph Lauren. What fragrance are you wearing? I’m in Hermès Myrrhe Églantine. Reminder: on 10/16, wear a savory gourmand fragrance, if you have one… Read the rest of this article »
A disco ball covered in spikes and perfumes everywhere you turn
Dim red lights, a disco ball covered in spikes and perfumes everywhere you turn. Sounds like the perfect setting for a night out, doesn’t it? That’s exactly how Jean Paul Gaultier envisioned its perfume club, which opened in early October at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris to celebrate the launch of its new women’s fragrance, La Favorite. As visitors discovered the perfume, they moved through spaces inspired by city streets, flower shops and patisseries, eventually arriving at JPG Club, a nightlife-inspired setting designed by Sophie Dries.
The daily lemming
From Jo Malone, a collector bottle of Nutmeg & Ginger for the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Awaken the senses with Jo Malone London Nutmeg & Ginger cologne, pairing lively ginger with warm nutmeg for a citrusy, spiced character with inviting depth. Sandalwood lends a smooth, comforting finish, creating a versatile aroma that can be worn alone or layered with another cologne or favorite bath and body products", 100 ml for $180 at Macy's.
Lorenzo Villoresi Vol D’Abaris ~ new fragrance
Italian niche brand Lorenzo Villoresi has launched Vol D’Abaris, the debut fragrance from Lorenzo Villoresi’s son, Alessandro Villoresi… Read the rest of this article »
Le Nectar
A spot for Chloé Le Nectar.
Tuesday scent of the day 10/13
It’s Tuesday and the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. Birthdays: Art Tatum, Lenny Bruce, Paul Simon. What fragrance are you wearing? I’m commando and very tired after a vaccine yesterday…I might put on something this afternoon. Reminder: on 10/16, wear a savory gourmand fragrance, if you have one… Read the rest of this article »
Less petrichor
Where rain falls more frequently, there will be less petrichor because the aromatic compounds won’t have enough time to accumulate. And heavy downpours—which are increasing as the planet warms—are too forceful to trap the tiny air bubbles required to launch the scent into the air. Instead the compounds are diluted, pushed underground or mixed in surface floodwaters. — Read more in How climate change is altering petrichor, the glorious smell after it rains at Scientific American.
Lazy 3-day weekend poll ~ open thread, mid-October 2026
PSA: the swapmeet is open for business through Tuesday! And our next reading poll will start on Saturday the 17th. Meanwhile, our same old open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you thought you’d wear all the time but you never reach for, whatever. Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer… Read the rest of this article »
The daily lemming
Yet another option for a Holiday candle: a 3-wick from Nest. "Artist Pierre Marie’s carousel of wonders spins a nostalgic tale of joy and motion as Holiday’s iconic blend of pomegranate, pine, and clove whirls through the air. The limited-edition 3-wick candle captures the magic of the season, a reminder that wonder always comes back around." Available in 2 designs, 600g for $102. There is also a diffuser, and Nest is currently running a 20% sale which drops the candle price to $81.60.
Une Nuit Nomade Shade of Blue ~ new fragrance
Luxury body care and Niche fragrance line Une Nuit Nomade has introduced Shade of Blue, a new fragrance. Read the rest of this article »
Friday scent of the day 10/3
It’s Friday and John Lennon’s birthday. What fragrance are you wearing? I’m in Burberry Brit Rhythm for Her. Reminder: Personal matters are still taking up much of my time. I am hoping to restart the community projects next week… Read the rest of this article »
When you walk into a bakery and smell fresh cookies
When you walk into a bakery and smell fresh cookies, the enticing smell draws you in. After you eat a handful of cookies, though, the same smell likely doesn't send you back for more. Researchers in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis sought to determine the biological mechanisms in the brain that controllably alters odor-evoked behavior by using an unlikely model—a locust. — Read more in What a locust can teach us about how neuromodulators alter odor processing at Phys.org.
A damp scent
All of this comes together to create a damp scent, with a freshness that leans more light aquatic than breezy marine. On first spritz, it opens bright, green, and watery; the dry down stays impressively fresh, though a touch of sweetness from the green banana note comes out more the longer you wear it. There is thankfully zero hint of “corpse” anywhere to be found. — Cosmopolitan on DS & Durga Resurrected Corpse Flower. Read more in D.S. & Durga Resurrected Corpse Flower Was Inspired by the Stinkiest Plant on Earth.
Byredo 00:00 ~ new fragrance
Niche line Byredo has launched 00:00, a new unisex fragrance. 00:00 is exclusive to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan… Read the rest of this article »
DS & Durga Resurrected Corpse Flower ~ new fragrance
Indie brand DS & Durga has launched Resurrected Corpse Flower, a new limited edition fragrance… Read the rest of this article »
Thursday scent of the day 10/8
Happy Almost-Friday and happy World Octopus Day! The swapmeet is still open for business! What fragrance are you wearing? I’m in Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Bakul Medjool. Reminder: Personal matters are still taking up much of my time. I am hoping to restart the community projects next week… Read the rest of this article »
One in five
But for about one in five of those who were once infected [by Covid] — an estimated 37 million people in the U.S. like Burger — that loss or change of smell lingers. There are ways to regain it through daily training, but it is tedious and takes a long time and it is tough for people to stick with it.
Our senses are portals to understanding
“Our senses are portals to understanding, not only to the universe but to ourselves, as well,” [Laure] Drogoul says. “We’re so ‘eye focused’ that maybe we’re not paying enough attention to the nose. It’s good to stop and smell the roses, right? Or the bread in this case.”
The daily lemming
Banana alert! From Loewe, the Banoffee candle: "The Banoffee scented candle has a medium–high-intensity. Once lit, it reveals a richer, flambéed banana-like character", with banana amber accord, toffee and caramelized banana, $290 (ouch!) for 280g at Loewe.
Givenchy Tokyo Mystery ~ new fragrance
Givenchy has launched Tokyo Mystery, a new fragrance in La Collection Particulière. Tokyo Mystery is exclusive to the Isetan Shinjuku store in Tokyo. (See also: Givenchy London Confidential…) Read the rest of this article »
Wednesday scent of the day 10/7
It’s Hump Day. Birthdays: Jacques Guerlain, Desmond Tutu, Yo-Yo Ma, plus happy 75th to John Mellencamp! RIP Eva Marie Saint. What fragrance are you wearing? As I did last year on this day, I’m wearing a drop of Après L’Ondée, for Jacques Guerlain. Reminder: Personal matters are still taking up much of my time… Read the rest of this article »
The simple answer is that a niche perfume comes from a company or brand that only makes fragrance
The best niche perfumes feel like hidden gems with their air of exclusivity and cool—like you stumbled upon them at a chic indie perfume store or picked up a bottle on your Euro summer vacation. But first, what exactly is a niche perfume, anyway?
Valentino Born in Roma Ruby ~ new fragrances
Valentino has launched Born in Roma Donna Ruby and Born in Roma Uomo Ruby, new limited edition flankers to 2019’s Donna Born in Roma and Uomo Born in Roma (which were flankers to 2015’s Valentino Donna and 2014’s Valentino Uomo)… Read the rest of this article »
Annick Goutal Vanille des Roches & Voile de Santal ~ new fragrances
Annick Goutal (yes, the Annick is back in the name under Interparfums) has launched two new fragrances, Vanille des Roches and Voile de Santal… Read the rest of this article »
Montblanc Paper Musk ~ new fragrance
Montblanc has introduced Paper Musc, a new addition to the Montblanc Collection… Read the rest of this article »
Maison Margiela Letter Never Sent ~ new fragrance
Maison Margiela has launched Letter Never Sent (Tokyo 1995), a new fragrance in the Replica series. The unisex fragrance is the brand’s first city exclusive… Read the rest of this article »
The scent of an endangered plant
“Being able to recreate the scent of an endangered plant would be a huge win for both the environment but also the brands,” said Alex Wiltschko, the founder of Osmo, a Google Brain spin-off that has raised $130m to develop artificial intelligence capable of predicting and recreating smells. [...] “Calling this conservation is greenwashing,” said Mandy Aftel, the pioneering natural perfumer, author and founder of the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents. “Making a synthetic version of an endangered plant’s smell doesn’t save the plant.”
Jo Loves Nutmeg & Incense ~ new fragrance
British niche line Jo Loves has launched With Nutmeg & Incense, a new limited edition fragrance… Read the rest of this article »
Mizensir Bright Wood ~ new fragrance
Mizensir, the fragrance line of perfumer Alberto Morillas, has launched Bright Wood, a new fragrance… Read the rest of this article »
LoveShackFancy Just a Girl ~ new perfume
NYC-based fashion and lifestyle brand LoveShackFancy has launched Just a Girl, a new gourmand fragrance for women… Read the rest of this article »
Forbidden :: Now Smell This
The spot for Juliette Has A Gun Purple Trouble.
The smell of chocolate
A tough leg day may have an unexpectedly simple boost: the smell of chocolate. According to a new study published in Frontiers in Physiology, exposure to chocolate aromas before and during resistance exercise helped participants complete more repetitions without making the workout feel more difficult.
Friday scent of the day 10/2
It’s the first Friday in October and the International Day of Non-Violence. (A couple PSAs: the swapmeet starts tomorrow. We don’t have a community project today, and we might not have one the next week either, but I am hoping to get them started up the week after that.)
An exquisite modernist cocktail lounge that serves perfume instead of alcohol
Stepping inside a Scent Bar is like patronizing an exquisite modernist cocktail lounge that serves perfume instead of alcohol. White walls, wood shelves, and exposed red brick add a minimalist industrial aesthetic. Bottles of every shape, color, and size, grouped by scent note, line the shelves within easy spritz reach.
Byredo Havana Tonka ~ new fragrance
Niche line Byredo has introduced Havana Tonka, a new addition to the Night Veils collection… Read the rest of this article »
You smell delicious and you look divine
Tom Hardy washes his bulldog, for Jo Malone London + WildWash Orange & Cedarwood Dog Shampoo.
Room 1015 Kokoa Bang ~ new fragrance
French niche line Room 1015 has launched Kokoa Bang, a new fragrance… Read the rest of this article »
The daily lemming
The first batch of Brach's Ode to Candy Corn sold out on September 22, but a second batch will be released tomorrow at 7 pm ET, if you care to try to get your hands on one. "Brach's Ode to Candy Corn blends notes of creamy vanilla, spun sugar and honey to capture the unmistakable experience of enjoying the tri-colored treat – a scent crafted by the brand that knows candy corn best", $22 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum, at CandyCornSeason.
Imaginary Authors Impassable Wilderness ~ new fragrance
Indie brand Imaginary Authors has launched Impassable Wilderness, a new fragrance in collaboration with the Wildwood movie, opening in October…. Read the rest of this article »
Wednesday scent of the day 9/30
It’s Hump Day and the last day of September. (A few PSAs: the swapmeet starts on Saturday. We are not going to do a damage poll in October, sorry, but if you like, report what you bought last quarter in this Friday’s scent of the day poll. Last, I am not sure if I will manage to post a scent of the day poll on Thursday…if I don’t, remember your rabbits and I’ll see you on Friday.) What fragrance are you wearing? I’m in Hermès Brin de Réglisse. Reminder: Personal matters are still taking up much of my time… Read the rest of this article »
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