Odiferess takes a holiday, some thoughts on choosing your sunshine perfumes.

When I get overexcited I clap my hands in sea lion fashion. A lot of clapping and maniacal grinning has been occurring during the last few days as I make lists and stuff my rucksack for a trip to the charming island of Paxos in the Ionian Sea.

Sadly this means there’ll be a short break from the perfume waffle.. but fear not as I’ll be making lots of notes for Greek island inspired smelly words on my return. My beloved moleskine journal is packed already.

In the meantime though, my thoughts are cast to the art of choosing perfume for the holiday.  How do you pick one (or 6 obviously)?

Firstly, my blood is akin to crack cocaine for the hungry mosquitoes. No kidding, no matter who I holiday with, I always endure a ravaging by the vile things. As my travel partner sleeps sweetly in a comfortable cocoon of lump free skin, I remain awake, tortured by the high pitched sound of my imminent attack. So my primary concern is choosing something that covers the acrid smell of jungle strength bug repellent.

For evening: I will mask the smell of Jungle Formula with Robert Piguet’s marvellous oriental – Visa. This stuff has the sillage and longevity of an 80s power scent that might put my fellow diners off their souvlaki and stuffed peppers. I’ll be careful though and use a maximum of 2 sprays (honest).

For travelling: Paxos does not have an airport. It’s one of those places where after you’ve survived the dubious pleasure of the flight, queued for baggage and waited in the transfer coach for an hour for a confused couple inebriated on aeroplane plastic wine to find it, you are then deposited at the docks to sit on your rucksack to shield your bum from the 44 degree tarmac, awaiting the Hydrafoil which will give you motion sickness. It’s worth it though. I’ll be taking a big decant from my bottle of Guerlain’s – Eau de Cologne Imperiale to spray over my chest and face every 15 minutes, using it’s copious notes of lime and bergamot to revive myself. No doubt I’ll be fully revived as I sit with a large gin and tonic staring at the milky way in an inky sky later on!

For atmosphere: Paxos is covered in pine trees, one my most frequently desired notes in perfumery. With the August heat, I imagine the island will shimmer with the scent of it’s delightful sap. Just in case it needs a little boosting, I shall pack Serge Lutens – Fille en Aiguilles (clever name, it translates as ‘girl on needles’ which could imply either walking on high heels or on a bed of pine needles). This mega pine bomb has a spicy/fruity/smoky base that turns it from vociferous toilet cleaner into number 3 on my unblogged list of greatest perfumes ever created.

To scent the room: I’ve made some travel candles in mini Tiptree jam jars (pinched from my mum’s house last weekend, she buys lovely breakfast tat when she has guests staying over). I’ve used plentiful quantities of the essential oils of cedar, rosewood and clary sage mixed with a teeny drop of patchouli. They smell magnificent and bring a little sensuality to the blank foil of a basic hotel room.

Because it’s hot: I’ll take an overly subtle ‘skin scent’ to see if my baking skin amps up the projection. Probably, my sample vial of Hermessence Brin de Reglisse. I do so love it but it’s a wimp.

Because he’ll raid mine: I’ll pinch Andy’s glorious Lavender - Caron Pour un Homme when I grow short of my own stash of fume. 

Upon my return, you can look forward to Part 3 of 'The Scent of British Spirit' series, this time featuring two truly independent perfumers. Prepare for some seriously quirky fumes in the English eccentric manner!

Review – Robert Piguet, Calypso and Parfum D’ Empire, Eau Suave. The rose, creative interpretations.

I have a troublesome relationship with the rose in perfumery. Whilst in nature, scented roses have moved me to the point of becoming tearful, as a dominant note in a little bottle it just doesn’t seem to translate. It’s as if this exquisite fragrance is unable to be captured artificially, it’s just too beautiful.

However, two fragrances have succeeded in creating the perfect ‘Odiferess friendly’ rose. The first of which affected me so greatly that I bought within days of my first sniff (a rarity, I dither about purchases for months). It is Robert Piguet’s Calypso.

Calypso spans genres, at first impressions, it’s a haughty Chypre with it’s nose held superiorly high in the air. Were it possible for it wear a hairstyle, it would wrap it’s brunette tresses in a fearsomely tight bun. The word ‘Calypso’ seems inappropriate, I doubt this initially haughty creation would dance anything other than a formal waltz. The patchouli note is unusually dry and masculine, perhaps because there isn’t a trace of vanilla or other such commercially popular sweetening agent to accompany it. As it journeys on, a softer, increasingly feminine oriental fragrance appears, as the amber warms up the composition and gives the perfume a ‘heart’ or perhaps even a pleasantly sizable bosom. Slightly powdery aspects of orris and a whiff of leather impart a voluptuous creamy base reminiscent of Guerlain’s historical creations. This haughty madam does indeed possess some sensuality, she’s letting her hair down.

So how does the rose work in this composition? In partnership with another flower – geranium. The notes share equal billing at the top of this creation, a phenomenally effective collaboration. The geranium’s slightly sour, pungent, peppery and green facets bring a ‘natural’ feel to the rose, in essence an ‘inside the greenhouse’ effect where we can smell the sap, the leaves and the earthy soil aspects of a flower. With this in mind, I feel that it could easily be worn by a man without the fear of him being overtly feminised by flowers.

The second of my rosy delights comes from Parfum D’ Empire, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato’s extraordinary line of scents that brim full of eccentricity and quirk, yet are still delightfully wearable. It’s name is Eau Sauve.

Eau Suave is atmospherically opposite to Calypso. Whereas Calypso is opulent and deep, Eau Sauve is effervescent and airy, earthed only by a hefty wodge of bitter oakmoss. Those of you that have smelt Comme De Garcons Sherbet Rhubarb, will be familiar with the concept of fizzy sourness, which is exactly what you get with Eau Suave. Notes of dominant pepper, saffron and coriander impart the somewhat startling fizzy nose effect, which when combined with a sharp and sour hit of (very under ripe!) red berries produces a smell of almost combustible vivacity. I’m guessing that aldehydes must feature quite prominently in order to lift the bubbles skywards.

Eau Suave’s rose makes itself felt as the ‘grown up’ in the composition. It appears in a similar way to Calypso’s haughty rose. In effect, it anchors the uncontrollable (childlike?) fizz with an adult’s stern presence. Indeed it’s presence is felt all the way through changing little over the course of a wearing – the stability against the instability.

The rose traditionally symbolizes romance yet there is nothing romantic about Eau Sauve. It wears with the sensation of a high quality Eau de Cologne (except that it has much greater sillage and longevity). It would be ideal as a refreshing spritz in humid heat, ultimately a ‘waker-upper’ in comparison to Calypso’s late night sensuality.

I usually complete a review with a list of fragrances that share similarities with those featured. However, these are highly original creations. Perhaps they will soon influence others?

To smell: For those outside of London, Parfum D' Empire sell reasonably priced samples on their website, with so many excellent fumes in this range it's worth going for the full collection. Robert Piguet is more easily available in the usual high end stores, who often have samples to give away.

Original photo, Sarah Waite