Fragrance Belles-Lettres Magazine

Fragrance Belles-Lettres: The Magazine is an online fragrance magazine established in 2009 dedicated to niche perfumes which includes natural/organic perfumes. This magazine is created to explore vintage and modern with a journalistic approach and an aristocratic flair. This magazine consist of perfume reviews, articles and exclusive interviews conducted with industry leaders, perfumers and authors. Fragrance Belles-Lettres: The Magazine is published through NOBLESSE LUXE PUBLISHING LLC.

A Midsummer Night's Dream: It's all about the fairies

Posted by Unknown 12 June, 2011 0 comments

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It’s all about the fairies

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is the most fantasy filled play that is compelling and holds the imagination.

This play has so many characters that enrich our lives in one way or another. It leaves each of us beholding to the moral of the story, however when I think of A Midsummer Night’s Dream…I think of fairies.

Those menacing tiny creatures flutter all about trying to "cease the moment" and ease into our conscious with their overwhelming spirit.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream- A Scent Event created and hosted by Amanda Feeley of Esscentual Alchemy will delight all of our senses with special scents created by the most astute natural perfumers worldwide.

I will delight in the fairies swirling all around me as I analyze each drop of potions to my nose. It will be a fantasy that I long for with great gratification.

While browsing the internet several days ago, I came upon “fairy enriched” items such as perfume bottles that seem to twinkle with curiosity. A Midsummer Night’s Dream inspired candle and a painting filled with the spirit of William Shakespeare’s play that lives on for generations to read.

Note: A Midsummer Night's Dream-A Scent Event is an online event for participating perfumers and bloggers. The natural perfumers created the scent inspired them and the bloggers comment on the scent on each of their individual blogs.

See Esscentual Alchemy for more information.
esscentualalchemy.wordpress.com

PHOTO CREDITS: fairy perfume bottles (treasuredfinds.com), candle (yankeecandle.com), A Midsummer Night's Dream photo (cache2.allposetersimages.com)

F.H. Thank goodness for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the play because without it there would be no fairies and no Scent Event by Amanda Feeley to engage perfumers and bloggers with “oodles of fun”.

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Jardin du Poete & Paestum Rose by Eau de Italie perfumes

Posted by Unknown 10 June, 2011 1 comments

HOME SWEET HOME

Eau de Italie Perfumes

Summer in Italy

Marina Sersale & Sebstian Alvarez Murena

Eau de Italie is a niche perfume line established by the Sersale family, the owners of a Postiano, a 5-star hotel in Southern Italy.

The Sersale Family increased their empire by establishing Eau de Italie perfumery in 2004 that became an overnight success with exclusive fragrances and body care products.

These fragrances are only created by the greatest perfumers/"nose" and only the finest ingredients are used to bring out the best aroma in each scent.

Eau de Italie fragrance collection, now a total of eight is created to represent Italy in all its splendor.

Jardin du Poete Eau de Toilette Spray was recently launched at ESXENCE-The Scent of Excellence in Milan. This poetic fragrance gives homage to the city of Sicily with vibrant scents of citrus and herbs reminiscent of the bygone era.

Sicily used to be a Greek colony and with this in mind, it was ruled by poets who were sacred to Apollo. Jardin du Poete for men and women gives a warmth of knowledge with woody notes that maintain its presence with highlights of ancient wisdom.

Betrand Duchafour and Cotto Rutoli are the creators who took their wealth of knowledge in bringing the beauty of Italy then and now within our reach.

Top Notes: grapefruit, bitter orange, basil

Middle Notes: immortal, angelica, pepper

Base Notes: vetiver, musk, cypress

In honor of National Rose month, I am fortunate to write about one of my favorite rose fragrances.

Paestum Rose Eau de Toilette is the second fragrance added to the Eau de Italie collection. I simply love the scent of rose, especially when it is re-created with variations of notes not yet composed.

Paestum Rose is a contemporary scent that leans toward the origins of Italian perfume making. It has a whimsical flair for men and women that is woody and undeniably gorgeous.

I love floral-chypre fragrances! It simply elevates me to another level that gives me confidence and completion.

Paestum Rose definitely gives me that pleasure and it includes the making of ancient Italian artistry that makes it historical in its own way.

Betrand Duchaufour is the composer who gives his brilliant touch and aromatic attitude of Italy’s most memorable time in perfumery.

Top Notes: davana, black and pink pepper, coriander grains

Middle Notes: Turkish rose, incense, osmanthus

Base Notes: myrrh, opoponax, papyrus, wenghe’

PURCHASE: eauditalie.com luckyscent.com lafcony.com

Note: Review based on samples

F.H.

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9/clouds Parfum by J05EPH K

Posted by Unknown 05 June, 2011 0 comments

Designer + Modern Art

= 9/clouds Parfum by J05EPH K

9/clouds Parfum, the fragrance and packaging represents Modern Art and architecture wrapped into one like a skyscraper is to Chicago.

Brad Kalavitinos is the owner of J05EPH K, who resides in the Midwest, just outside of Chicago. 9/clouds is for men and women who appreciate fine champagne and a stroll through a gallery featuring Impressionists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gaugin and George Seurat, who led the Modern Art era.

9/clouds are a unique gourmand high quality parfum created in small quantities known as “editions”. These formulations mature for 60 days and each of those editions yields between 20 and 30 bottles.

Portrait of Brad Kalavitinos

J05EPH K does not compromise on the traditional ART OF PERFUMERY from centuries ago but J05EPH K does use a “MICRO BATCH” fragrance that adds a twenty first century connotation to this fragrance.

Mr. Kalavitinos refers to himself a “fragrance architect” who skillfully created J05EPH K to represent a company that creates state of the art fragrances for women and men who are seeking a strong brand with a cutting edge image.

9/clouds is the FIRST EDITION of Spring/Summer 2011 and features notes that will delight the senses.

TOP NOTES: Apricot, cream, cocoa

MIDDLE NOTES: Amber, iris, dry woods

BASE NOTES: Jasmine rose

9/clouds are truly built on fine skills, planning, execution and movement that rise to the occasion of the Modern Art scene.

PURCHASE: JO5EPHK.COM

CONTACT: Jo5eph.kperfume@gmail.com

PHOTO CREDIT: painting, photos of clouds by Elizabeth Blaylock, architectural drawing (istockphoto.com), portrait of Brad Kalavitinos by Brad Kalavitinos (j05ephk.com), photo of the "the bean" Millenium Park in Chicago, IL USA

F.H.

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VENTS ARDENTS & NECTARS des lles by En Voyage Perfumes

Posted by Unknown 03 June, 2011 11 comments

VENTS ARDENTS & NECTARS des lles

Destination: Paradise

I remember my first reaction to Vents Ardents and Nectars des IIes Eau de Parfums. All I can remember saying is wow, wow, wow…Oh My Gosh!

These two heavenly scents are as close to perfection as you can get. It leaves you hopelessly in love with land, sea and all that nature has to offer.

Vents Ardents and Nectars des Iles by En Voyage Perfumes are two masterfully designed fragrances by Shelley Waddington and her partner, Juan Manual Perez. Ms Waddington and Mr. Perez takes those dreams you have of the South Seas and the Caribbean and compose the costly fragrance notes that truly represent exotic islands filled with lush flowers.

Painting "FLOWER STUDIES" by Da Vinci

Countless hours must have been spent at lush getaways to capture the essence of beautiful faraway places but if not, Ms. Waddington and Mr. Perez are a natural like Leonardo Da Vinci is to painting.

Vents Ardents

Vents Ardents and Nectars des Iles are NEW fragrances added to the Odyssey Collection. Vents Ardents Eau de Parfum opens up with tropical fruits with a touch of Bay Rum. It warmly eases into bliss of island eruptions but its kind and gentle with base notes of seductive and mysterious amber. Vents Ardents is smooth with delightful hints of vanilla and musk for those evening rides along glimmering shores. As soon as I read the description of Vents Ardents, I thought about one of my favorite movies, “Mutiny on the Bounty” starring Marlon Brandon.

Vents Ardents to me represents the beautiful and gentle women in Tahiti during the “real mutiny” that occurred aboard the British Royal Navy ship, HMS Bounty in 1789.

A ship load of hard rugged men reached an island rich in natural resources into the arms of beautiful women according to the movie.. It was this movie that made me fall in love with Tahiti and Vents Ardents is waiting on shore for you. It is a fragrance to be enjoyed by men and it will make you leave all your cares behind.

Vents Ardents Eau de Parfum

Top Notes: Curacao, wild oranges, Bay Rum, tropical fruits

Middle Notes: Venezuelen Tonka Beans, heliotrope, magnolia, French Narcissus

Base Notes: Amber, mahogany, tobacco, oak, driftwood, musky vanilla balsams

The journey continues to a mysterious land filled with sweet scents of white floral. A land of plenty with tiare flowers, gardenias and jasmine as far as the eye can see.

The story behind Nectars des IIes Eau de Parfum is a fragrance that reminds me of the movie, “Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women” in 1979.

The white floral in Nectars des IIes represent the beautiful women on the mysterious island movie. It captures the beauty that leaves you spellbound.

Nectars des IIes is a sweet and juicy scent that is composed by Juan Manual Perez who is from the Caribbean. It has the zest of citron, wild oranges and mandarin to quench your thirst after a long day on the mysterious island.

Nectars des IIes is also masculine enough with trails of amber, sandalwood and white musks that leads to footprints in the sand to the man of your of your dreams!

Nectars des IIes

Top Notes: Wild oranges, mandarin, green citron, osmanthus nectar

Middle Notes: Gardenia, tiare petal accord, frangipani absolutes, ylang ylang, jasmine auricalatum

Base Notes: Sandalwood absolute, Tahitian vanilla, amber, white musks

PURCHASE: envoyageperfumes.com

PHOTO CREDITS: Painting: Flower Studies by Leonardo Da Vinci,

Drawing of “Mutiny in 1789” by Robert Dodd (National Maritime Museum), Drawing of girl with flower in hair available at ioffer.com/si/exotic

*******************DRAW*******************

Due to the generosity of Shelley Waddington, owner of EN VOYAGE PERFUMES, a draw of one roll-on of Vents Ardents EDP (15 ml) and one roll-on of Nectars des Iles EDP (15 ml) will be given out to two lucky winners!

Please write a comment in the COMMENT BOX to this question. IF YOU WON A BOTTLE OF VENTS ARDENTS OR NECTARS DES IIES what faraway place would you wear it?

Good Luck to you and Bon Voyage!

F.H.

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RELISSE NOIRE EAU DE TOILETTE-NATIONAL MACAROON DAY

Posted by Unknown 31 May, 2011 3 comments

NATIONAL MACAROON DAY

REGLISSE NOIRE: A Chic & Sexy Gourmand

Today (May 31st) marks National Macaroon Day in the United States and what a treat it is!

I simply love the light, baked confection described as either small cakes or meringue-like cookies.

The macaroon “le macaron” in French (pronounced mah-kah-rone) is a sweet little cookie type that comes in multiple colors with a plush marshmallow/meringue filling and then it is protected with another cookie at the bottom.

It is sweet but not overly sweet and when it is baked to perfection each incredible ingredient melts in your mouth when cooked at the proper temperature.

This reminds me of another delicacy in the form of a gourmand eau de toilette.

REGLISSE NOIRE Eau de Toilette is a tempting tasteful aroma that uses the finest organic notes in a gourmand fragrance.

It is a sophisticated chic eau de toilette made with the essence of the French macaroons that came to France in 1533 with the pastry chefs of Queen Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henry II.

REGLISSE NOIRE features…Top Notes: White pepper, ozone, mint, shiso leaf

Heart Notes: Star anise, ginger, licorice, cocoa

Base Notes: Patchouli, cedar wood, vanilla, vetiver, and musk

Ms. Buchanan is not just satisfied with the scent but REGLISSE NOIRE has to be presented in a beautiful bottle.

The REGLISSE bottle is refillable and has a sleek and sexy vintage bulb atomizer that gravitates to the bygone era.

I like going into a French pastry shop and when I order multi-color macaroons to go, my experience is like an operetta.

First, there is a beautiful ornate box layered with wax paper. The colorful macaroons are placed gently in the box side by side like a rainbow. The lid is put on very carefully and then the pastel color ribbon is placed over the entire box and slowly the ribbon is tied and then you have “presentation”.

Jessica September Buchanan

Ms. Buchanan grew up in Canada and then moved to Grasse, France to study perfumery at the prestigious Grasse Institute of Perfumery. So, Ms. Buchanan has been trained at one of the finest schools and she took her studies very seriously and by wearing REGLISSE NOIRE, you are getting the gift of “presentation”. It is the beautiful scent given in a vintage designed bottle that is the signature design of 1000FLOWERS. Its presentation, is the French way.

REGLISSE NOIRE is lovely presentation of black licorice.

It stays at the center of the heart and all the other notes are swept with a husky note of patchouli and musk for stability that makes a great scent for men, too.

So celebrate today with a French macaroon and the fragrance of REGLISSE NOIRE. Remember, it is the presentation that counts!

To celebrate National Macaroon Day, I spoke to Jessica September Buchanan about REGLISSE NOIRE. Ms. Buchanan expressed her joy in creating it.

THE INTERVIEW

Hi Jessica and thank you for spending time with me today.

You’re very welcome- it’s my pleasure!

First, Jessica when did it become a reality that you would own a perfume company and launch your very first fragrance line?

I have been developing my company since the mid 90’s, so being an entrepreneur was always a priority for me. I began by selling pure essential oils under my own label in 1996, and then slowly developed a collection of natural cosmetics that were aromatherapy based. Eventually this passion was to become focused in the direction of natural perfumery. After my time spent studying in France, I decided to devote myself entirely to a life path of refining my skills in the perfumed art.

Who are your mentor(s) in the perfume industry? The person(s) who inspired you and guided your career?

I have had many mentors along the way. While in France, not only did we have great teachers in our school, but I completed 2 internships (in Mane et Fils and Robertet), in large perfume houses in the Grasse region. During these sejours, I met and was taught by various perfumers, evaluators, chemists, and marketing specialists. I have also been greatly inspired by some of the masters of the perfumed art- those living and those who have passed on. I am very inspired by the teachings and philosophies of Edmond Roudnitska, by the creation style of Jean Claude Ellena (Hermes), and by the classic teachings of Jean Carles. My latest inspiration, a perfumer whom I admire greatly and who I actually pray to for guidance now and then, is Earnest Beaux, the perfumer who created, amongst many other fragrances- Chanel 5. That era, the 20’s and 30’s of perfumery is a fascinating time and the fragrances that were created then are, in my opinion, exquisite.

Jessica how did you come up with the idea of REGLISSE NOIRE EAU DE TOILETTE? Did it start with the fragrance notes?

I began with one raw material actually- Helional. I was fascinated with this material, by its modernity and transparence. I wanted to explore the idea of balancing opposites, of old and new, natural and ‘high-tech’, masculine and feminine. Mostly, I wanted to find a way to explore the place of connection where opposites meet. So to counter-balance Helional, the concept I chose was black licorice, and Liquorice Allsorts in particular. These old-fashioned candies also have personal meaning to me and are associated with my childhood. I decided to write a scent story that explored a merging of past memory with the present, and of familiar with new discovery, of technology and mysticism.

You describe REGLISSE NOIRE as “A CHIC SEXY GOURMAND”. Is this due to the Black Licorice?

Reglisse Noire holds notes of cocoa, spices and vanilla in addition to the black licorice- so as much as it can be considered a gourmand fragrance- it is not sugary nor a singular literal licorice scent. The perfume is an interpretation of licorice, while remaining sophisticated and elegant. There is a sexiness and sensuality as well, since the perfume is a warm and close ‘skin scent’, rich in wood and musks- one has to lean in close to fully appreciate it.

What does 1000 FLOWERS represent?

1000 Flowers represents the idea of limitlessness in flowers. It is associated with the Eastern concept of the thousand petalled lotus that can symbolize higher consciousness and freedom from illusion. The most beautiful perfumes on the planet are created by flowers- and flowers have been held in the highest esteem as expressions of love and celebration since the dawn of time. My company name pays homage to all that beauty.

Jessica, the packaging is simply beautiful! What is it about the packaging of the bygone era that inspires you to replicate it?

That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you. I worked for a long time to find a packaging solution that would be a thing of beauty to be kept, rather than just being thrown away like most packaging in the world. I have a small collection of old cigar boxes and I suddenly realized that this was exactly the idea I wanted to capture for my fragrance packaging. I also saw many examples of beautiful traditional fragrance and cosmetic containers in the perfume museums in Grasse. I spent most of the summer of 2010 working on the designs and prototypes of these boxes. Most people don’t realize that I do all the work by hand to bring each piece from raw cedarwood to the finished product.

Lastly, Jessica what is the message of REGLISSE NOIRE? What impression should it have on your customers?

Reglisse Noire is about fun. I wanted to play a bit and draw attention away from all the seriousness in the world. We are all far too serious and we could all do with a bit of ‘lightening up’! At the same time I have deep respect for classic perfumery, so I didn’t want to create some light confectionary cavity-inducing perfume. Therefore Reglisse is an elegant and well-constructed fragrance created with the best quality raw materials (organic cedarwood and wild French fennel for example). It’s possible to explore irreverence and play with finesse and sensuality !

PURCHASE: 1000flowers.ca indiescents.com

CONTACT: nectar@1000flowers.ca

PHOTO CREDIT: Picture of Macaroon Museum (dyingforchocolate.com)

*********************DRAW******************
Due to the generosity of Jessica September Buchanan & the 1000FLOWERS staff, there will be a draw for two samples of REGLISSE NOIRE EAU DE TOILETTE.

ONE sample will be given to each person. To enter the DRAW, please write a comment at the end of the review on this site and indicate that you want to be entered in the DRAW.

Thank you so much for participating!!

F.H.

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NATURAL PERFUMERS BLOGGING

Posted by Unknown 28 May, 2011 1 comments

The Natural Perfumers Guild:

Goes bubbly over blogging

On June 1st, 21 talented and courageous natural perfumers are set to blog on the fifth anniversary of the Natural Perfumers Guild.

Anya McCoy, President of the Natural Perfumers Guild describes this blogging frenzy to be an upbeat, fun and an intimate event for perfumers to get to know each other a little better.

The theme for opening day, according to Ms. McCoy “is fun and the logo is bubbly like a fizzy diffusive top note!

INFORMATION: naturalperfumers.com anyasgarden.com

F.H.

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MEDIA PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

Posted by Unknown 23 May, 2011 0 comments

ANNOUNCEMENT

Fragrance Belles-Lettres: The Magazine is the OFFICIAL English Language Media Partner for the SMELL FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE dell’Olfatto 2011 (International Smell Festival) in Bologna, Italy.

SMELL FESTIVAL takes place every year in Bologna during the last week of May. This event is for the general public and it is about the Sense of Smell and the Art of Perfumery.

For more info go to smellfestival.it and fragrancebelleslettres.blogspot.com

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Fragrance Belles-Lettres Est 2009 CHICAGO

The word "belles lettres" is a French phrase meaning "beautiful or "fine writing. Since this is a term to describe a category of writing, this will pertain to my passion about fragrances. I will review niche,natural, artisan and designer perfumes from all over the world. I write with passion but will use my journalistic skills that I obtained in college. Not only will I feature fragrances but I will feature new books on fragrances/perfumes, fragrance events and interview authors and perfumers.

I hope you take this journey with me and begin your own passion for the ART OF PERFUMERY!

Fragrance Belles-Lettres Magazine is a division of Noblesse Luxe Publication.

Felicia M. Hazzard
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief