Basenotes.net - latest Columnists

Study Notes: Back to school

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:00:01 EST

In this new column Pia Long will be telling you about what it’s like to be a trainee perfumer with the maverick Constantines and an adult distance learner of perfumery.When I threw my maths book into a Finnish lake one summer camp, little did I suspect I’d willingly study the subject as an adult, decades later in another country. Chemistry and physics were never really a problem at school; in fact, I rather liked knowing how things worked. During my first trip to the zoo, I spent most of the time with my nappy-padded bottom up in the air, head deep in the plumbing and other interesting paraphernalia of the cages. Animals? What animals? How do they get the water in?

Time to get serious

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:35:01 EST

When the going gets tough in real life and especially when I am reminded of mortality, wearing fragrance may be thought to be trivial. Not for me. While it is definitely not the most important thing for me to focus on, the unavoidable reality of smell in itself it becomes more earnest, more serious and substantial along with everything else. At times like these, I am reminded of visceral, non-cerebral, bodily reality. I wish for the smell of reassuring natural things rather than that of ideas, echoes or shadows of nature. I crave the soft complexity that brings feelings of comfort and solidity rather than recognisable and impressive constructions of building bricks; all sharp edges, straight lines and uniform components. I avoid the superficial; trivial smells are for trivial times (or times so serious that triviality itself becomes a serious commodity, but fortunately I have not lived through war). With life in normal proportions, a perfume interacts with all aspects of life, fears, anxieties, stresses, the bad parts as well as the good.

Book Review: The Perfect Scent, a year inside the perfume industry in Paris and New York

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:0:01 EST

Part boardroom drama, part pop psychology, this is a book about perfume business meetings and the characters who attend them. With a strong journalistic style and an informed and opinionated perspective, Burr conjures a moist narrative from the desiccation of the money-go-round and manages to share a little knowledge along the way.

Britains Jermyn Gentlemen

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:01 EST

Sometimes the most interesting journeys are very short ones. A wander down Jermyn Street behind Piccadilly, London is no exception. Trumpers, Floris and Czech & Speake all have shop fronts there; much of the quintessential British perfume tradition is available in the space of a few yards.

Bay Rum

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:01 EST

Uncomplicated, traditional, masculine and long overdue for a comeback, the infusion of bay combined with rum and spicy clove has a clarity and directness which makes it the antithesis of most fragrances. Wearing it today, it reminds me of my Father, long gone. He never wore it but he did take me to the barber shop on Saturday afternoons...

Home Fragrancing: Lavender Fields Forever

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:01 EST

Marcy Goldman kicks off our brand new home fragrancing column with a look at lavender. Marcy takes a look at its history and usage as well as recommending some ways lavender can enhance your home.

The Stages of Public Acceptance of Natural Perfumery An Evolution Unfolds in the Manner of Top Middle and Base Notes in a Perfume

Thu, 29 May 2008 05:50:01 EST

Anya McCoy's Natural Perfume Notes: Anya McCoy takes us on a tour of the changing opinions of natural perfumery by critics and the public:In late Spring 2005 perfume bloggers wafted out across the Internet, writing in a giddy and groundbreaking manner about sampling and reviewing perfumes, discussing the ascent of niche houses and other lovely bits of minutiae, gossip and fun. I wandered into this fragrant party early on, discovering Now Smell This, Bois de Jasmin and many other blogs. Friendly as could be, the perfumistas welcomed the notion of natural perfumes as I posted about them, since the majority of them had never come across this form of perfumery either by name or sniff.

Ask Dr. Basenotes: Looking for my father's cologne

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:32:01 EST

After a very long break, Dr Basenotes returns to help Jaclyn with a search. Jaclyn asks: I am wondering if you can help me figure out what my dad used to wear in the 80's. I think it came in a green bottle and may have had a name similar to Aqua velvet. Anything information you have will be wonderful!!

The Beauty of Botanicals Made Liquid - The Passion of Natural Perfumers

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:01 EST

Like everyone who has progressed with passion, training and persistence to become a perfumer, the new wave of natural perfumers started with an intense love of scents. Many can trace their formative moment – the zing of recognition – when a scent transformed their life, and put them on the path of creation

Xtreme Scents - Ticket to elbow candy - part two

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:20:01 EST

Chris Peterson's Xtreme Scents takes a further look into whether there really is a fragrance that would turn any ladies head.

Xtreme Scents - July 2007 - Ticket to Elbow Candy

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:17:01 EST

In the seven years Basenotes has been running, one of the most common questions we get asked is variants on 'which fragrance will make girls want me'. Chris Peterson finds out if there is an answer to that age old question

Postcard from Paris - April 2007: Disappearing Act

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:00:01 EST

Our Paris columnist, Michael Connor investigates disappearing Annick Goutal's and tests out Le Labo in Colette.

Guest Columnist Jean-Pierre Houri: IFRA and the 40th amendment

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:01 EST

Last month we asked Tony Burfield of Cropwatch to comment on IFRA's 40th Amendement. Here we give IFRA's Director General, Jean-Pierre Houri the opportunity to explain the Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) methodology for fragrance ingredients introduced by the 40th amendment.

Guest Columnist Tony Burfield: Perfumers and the 40th IFRA Amendment.

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:00:01 EST

A Perfumer's Lot: You could be forgiven for thinking that perfumers are becoming a threatened species. Opportunities for working perfumers are disappearing as dinosaur eats dinosaur in the fragrance world, and small perfume companies fight to hold their places amongst a background of commercial takeovers and mergers. Something else is happening too. In living memory, distinguished perfumers once led fragrance companies, or were, at least, members of the company's board. Now, salespeople, marketeers and accountants invariably head up aroma companies, and these very same individuals also seem to populate perfumery societies and associations, leaving the perfumers relegated as the 'back-room boys' of the trade, with a pecking order status slightly under the regulatory affairs manager, or the perfume evaluator.

Postcard from Paris: January 2007 - Human Remains

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:01 EST

Niche labels are ten-a-penny. But niche labels with their own shops in one of Paris' hippest neighbourhoods.... well, that shows naked ambition. Columnist, Michael Connor takes a look at Etat Libre d'Orange

Ferme les Yeux, Ellen Barkin: Experiencing JAR Parfums

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:01 EST

Basenotes columnist, Marlen Harrison, 'experiences' the JAR boutique at Bergdorf Goodman.

Postcard from Paris: December 2006 - The Christmas Invasion

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:01 EST

Michael Connor reports on the latest from Paris: Bond no. 9 arrives at Sephora, Penhaligon's opens a Paris boutique, What's new at the Guerlain flagship, Body products from Frederic Malle and new at Printemps: Stephanie de Saint-Aignan

Postcard from Paris: November 2006

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 00:00:01 EST

All the latest news from Paris: Scent trio's from The Different Company and Mark Jacobs; The new scents at Sephora and a sniff of L'Artisan's Dzongkha

The Doctor is in!

Sun, 05 Nov 2006 00:00:01 EST

The good doctor has returned! After two years away, Dr Basenotes is back and awaiting your fragrance questions.

The Anti-Scentites

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:00:01 EST

At the end of May, a proposal was made in Ottawa that was by all means indecent. Sure, Canada has led the way towards progress these past few years by allowing folks to actually smoke a little marijuana during their gay weddings. But to actually propose a city-wide ban on fragrances and scented products? Well, that's just sad, really.