Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of spending time with Henri de Pierrefeu of
Jovoy Paris and my good friend,
Ulrich Lang, of Anvers and Anvers 2. It was a day of education. Learning the intricacies of mixing scents to make a fragrance what it is.
Perfume is truly personal, just like
style. It's also emotional. A fragrance tells a story. And you control the story you want to tell. That's what makes perfume so unique, both to you, as the end user, and to the people around you who encounter the fragrance.
Perfume is comprised of layers. Starting with a foundation, layers and layers are added until it is just right.
Top notes, or head notes, dominate during the application of perfume on the skin. They give that first impression, and last a few minutes to a few hours.
Heart notes can be sensed after the top note dissipates and last anywhere from 2 to 10 hours.
Base notes, or bottom notes, represent the final phase of the perfume, after the evaporation of top and heart notes. They can last for days.
Interesting is the story of Jovoy Paris, a Parisian perfume house founded by Blanche Arvoy in 1923. Just recently, the vintage perfumes were revived by a sister, brother, and a cousin: François Henin, Henri de Pierrefeu, and Marie-Laure de Rodellec. The trio launched a series of 7 perfumes, Les Sept Parfums Capitaux. While they are humorously referred to as the seven deadly sins, the name also translates to the seven very important perfumes. They include:
Héspéridés comprised of lemon, bergamot, orange,
mandarin;
Poudré includes powdery notes by combining florals (iris, violet, ylang-ylang), vanilla (Tonka bean or vanilla), and musk;
Fougère is modern and sporty, on the masculine side;
Boisé is woodsy with roots and bark essences;
Marine is clean and fresh (think ocean);
Oriental includes fruity notes with the sensual sweetness of flowers, and the warmth of amber and vanilla;
Chypre is a floral with a light blend of amber, patchouli and vetiver. My favorite thing to do is mix two or three of the scents together to create my own unique perfume. My favorite: Fougère, Boisé and Oriental - in that order.
Ulrich Lang created two amazing fragrances for
men, Anvers and Anvers 2 (
though, Anvers 2 can definitely be classified as a shared fragrance), along with a
scented candle that is so delightful. For Anvers, the top notes include bergamot, lime and tangerine highlighted with sage, mint and basil. The heart notes are violet, jasmine, geranium leaves warmed with sesame and honey. And the base notes are of leather and moss interwoven with sheer ambers and precious woods and a hint of guava.
Anvers 2 is comprised of bergamot, lime, lemon, black pepper, rhubard and cypress as the top notes. The heart notes are bulgarian rose, jasmine, lily, mimosa, blond woods and vetiver. And the base notes include tonka bean, vanilla, amber, musk, olibanum and oak moss.
You can see how much love and labor goes into creating fragrance masterpieces. It made my head spin! I walked away with a true appreciation for the perfumers — and the respect and consideration that goes into designing something with the individual in mind ... you!
Jovoy and Anvers are exclusive to
Jeffre Scott Apothecary and
SURFACE here in Charlotte. However, you can find a location near you online. I encourage you to explore and have fun!
Completely and utterly intoxicating, Van Cleef & Arpels' Bois D'Iris Eau de Parfum is my favorite scent of the moment. Thanks to my sister, I have been introduced to a classic, yet enchanting, fragrance that leaves me breathless. Meant to replicate the scent of driftwood on the seashore, this blend is undoubtedly feminine and sexy. Seriously, I want to bathe in this stuff!
Inspired by the new Benefit fragrance, b spot, on November 13-15 2008, Benefit will be kicking off a nationwide b spot scavenger hunt in 
