Saturday, May 31, 2008

Notes I like and Notes I dislike

Here is a list of notes I like and dislike. There are of course exceptions. At the end I've created a Wish List in the hope that a master perfumer will see my plea and create a stunning perfume focusing on a few notes that I think aren't currently done very well in fragrances.

LIKE: (in no particular order)

Neroli ~ aka orange blossom, Carnation, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Ginger, Yuzu & most citrus, Osmanthus (Asian flowering shrub, Keiko Mecheri & Ormande Jayne make nice Osmanthus perfumes), Almond, Vanilla, Pepper, Rose (particularly the way Les Parfums de Rosine treats rose), Mimosa, Sandalwood, Linden (Tilleul in French, Lime Blossom to the Brits), Verbena, Coffee, Fig, Leather, Incense / Spices, Bergamot, Patchouli, Vetiver, Smoke / Firewood, Tea, Geranium, Tomato plant

DISLIKE: (in no particular order)
Aldehyde, Iris, Jasmine, Gardenia (though there are some fragrances that do gardenia and jasmine very well, I don't go in search of perfumes that focus on jasmine & gardenia), Powder, Lotus / Waterlily, Melon, Lily of the Valley, Lavender (like Lavendar as home spray but not perfume), Frankincense, Violet (Brian is working on this), Marine / Ozonic scents, Syrupy sweet fruity florals (but there are a few exceptions of course).

Wish List
I think the following smells are gorgeous and unfortunately I've never come across a perfume that focuses on these scents and does them well. Let me know if I'm unaware of something!

- Lilac (the smell of spring in New England - slightly damp, cool, lilacs, daffodils, fresh grass, but not too sweet)
- Apple blossom
- Chrysanthemums: crisp fall foliage, apples, cool air & firewood
- The beach: sand, seashells, salt water, salty air, sun kissed skin
- Linden + Verbena Scent
- Peony
- Cilantro/Coriander, a soft, gentle, green herbal scent
- The smell of the Southwest (USA as in New Mexico); dry desert, juniper, mesquite logs, dust and leather
- The smell of snow, fresh fallen snow, with smoke from the chimney

1 comment:

Solander said...

Don't you like En Passant then, for lilac? Ineke's After my own heart combines lilac and (a vaguely salty hint of) the beach.
I'm also looking desperately for a true peony scent! Peony is so lovely, but all scents I've tried have been too sharp and smelled more like generic rose fragrance, alas!