How to Make Perfume Hobby Affordable and

More Fun
I sometimes receive comments from people who want to learn more about scents, but are afraid that
this hobby is too expensive for them. How could you try all of the fragrances you read about
without ending up broke? As with most interests, a perfume hobby can be as expensive or as budget
conscious as you want. When I was a student living on a meager stipend, spending even $20 on
something non-essential required major planning. Today, given my family responsibilities, I need
to think twice before every perfume purchase, so Im still very budget conscious.
But the truth is that the joy of discovering perfume is not in amassing dozens of bottles on your
dressing table; its in smelling and experiencing the pleasure of scents. For this you need not spend
a cent. If you are trying to manage your perfume hobby, let me share a few tips that have helped me
learn about scents, understand my perfume tastes and keep within budget.

1. Smell, Smell, Smell

Here is the reason I think that a perfume hobby is probably the most affordable activityto enjoy
scents, you dont need to buy anything. If you want to sample Chanel No 5, you simply walk into
the store and spray it on. Some stores will even give you free samples. Sephora and Nordstrom are
particularly renowned for their generous sample programs.
When you smell something for the first time, dont think about the scent in terms of like or dont
like, but instead focus on what it evokes for you. Sometimes smelling something thats not exactly
you will tell you more about your tastes than staying within your comfort zone. Plus, spraying a
perfume on a blotter is a low commitmentyou can always throw the blotter away if you dont like
the scent.

2. But Dont Rush Into Buying

This is perhaps the most important thing Ive learnedwhen starting your perfume wardrobe you
shouldnt rush into buying. Give yourself a chance to learn about your tastes, because a spontaneous
purchase today might turn into something you dont care about tomorrow. Our tastes change
dramatically the more we smell.
I know from personal experience that hearing someone wax poetic about the beauty of a particular
perfume makes it hard to resist placing an order. Instead, smell the perfume at one of your local
stores. If you see a reviewer talking about an expensive niche perfume, dont hesitate to ask them to
recommend something similar thats available at the local mall. Nothing is completely new in
perfumery. Yes, I might rave about Ann Grard Cuir de Nacre, but you can try Bottega Veneta Eau
de Parfum and Herms Kelly Calche (available at most department stores) to experience a similar
iris-leather interplay in action.
3. Hone Your Nose on Classics
I dont think that anybody needs to have perfume classics in their wardrobe or that you should even
like them. But as you dip your toe into the perfume hobby, smell the classics to learn about
perfumes that are considered great. The classics available today are often reformulated. Even so,
they were created at a time when perfume budgets were large, so even with the reformulations, the
quality is often impressive. Though Chanel has reformulated Chanel No 19, it remains a costly
formula, and I know of only a few perfumes on the market that cost as much as No 19 to produce.
Even if your local mall is depressing in terms of perfume offerings, I bet that it has Este Lauder,
Lancme, Chanel and Dior. Smell Este Lauder Youth Dew and even as you find it too thick and
heavy, notice how its drydown has a warm, chocolate-like sweetness. Or try Diors Eau Sauvage,
one of the best fresh citrus scents available today.
Dont feel obligated to love the classics. Revisit them from time to time to see if you find new
facets to enjoy, but if you dont end up in love with Guerlains Mitsouko, there are plenty of other
perfumes to discover. For instance, I dont much care for the grand dame Joy (Jean Patou), but if I
want to know what an excellent jasmine smells like, Joy is my top choice.

4. Smell Classics Before Diving Headlong into Niche

Niche perfumes, as opposed to the scents available at department stores, are fascinating. I still
remember how exciting it was to discover Annick Goutal, LArtisan, Serge Lutens and
Frdric Malle. Often, they are a refreshing change from the fruity-floral and gourmand patchouli
scents crowding the perfume counters. But in the past ten years, this category has exploded so much
that this label doesnt often promise anything unusual. The only certainty is the high price tag.
Another reason you should smell classics is that many pricey niche perfumes are really nothing but
dressed up classical ideas. Bond No 9 Scent of Peace = Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. Tom Ford
Private Blend Bois Rouge = Guerlain Habit Rouge. Amouage Gold = Madame Rochas. It doesnt
mean that you should prefer Habit Rouge to Bois Rouge, but smelling classics gives you a more
informed way of making your choices.

5. Smell Things Around You

If you are motivated to learn more about scents, smell aromatic things around youherbs, teas,
coffees, chocolate, olive oil, mangoes piled up at the grocery store. Many perfumers come from a
family of fragrance professionals, mostly because they are taught to use their nose at an early age.
You may not have an arsenal of essential oils and perfumery materials, but if you can just sniff
fruits or spices as you shop, you will not only hone your nose like a professional, you will end up
with better produce on your table.
Open your spice cabinet and sniff cinnamon, allspice or vanilla extract. You need not order an
expensive sample of Lorenzo Villoresi Piper Nigrum if you have black pepper in your
kitchen. Crush the peppercorns and smell the bright top notes. Notice how they smell citrusy and
cool. Then sniff them 10 minutes later to notice the woody-smoky nuances. The scent of spices is
as complex as that of any perfume, and most of your favorite fragrances probably use a spice or
two in their formulas.

6. Buy Samples Instead of Full Bottles

If you want to try a perfume or if youve discovered a scent that catches your attention, buy
samples. Stores like Luckyscent, Aedes, First-in-Fragrance, Suendhaft, The Posh Peasant, and
Surrender to Chance offer a variety of sample programs. For the price of a couple of movie tickets
you can have a selection of several perfumes to enjoy for days, if not weeks.

7. Swap for Samples

Find like-minded people on blogs and forums and swap for samples or split bottles. Its such a great
way to try new perfumes, expand your wardrobe, and, best of all, to meet other perfume lovers.
Forums like Basenotes and Makeupalley have swapping options. Ive received emails from a few of
you asking to have a swap option here at Bois de Jasmin, but while Im still mulling it over, you can
swap at NST and Perfume Posse.

8. No Spontaneous Purchases
This tip is tied to #2, but its worth repeating. Spontaneous purchases are the most dangerous ones if
you are on a budget; often you end up with a bottle of something thats nice, but not quite what you
wanted. My rule on buying a full bottle is simpleif after two months of wearing my sample on and
off, Im still excited by the scent, I buy a bottle. Otherwise, I keep on sampling. Sometimes I wait
even longer. Since I already have a bottle of Serge Lutens Borneo 1834, I gave myself a year to
decide if I really needed a bottle of Chanel Coromandel (a similar chocolate-patchouli idea). After a
year I was still just as in love with it, so now it sits proudly on my dresser.
Unless youre into collecting perfume, it makes no sense to buy too much. You cant wear all of
your fragrances often enough if your wardrobe is too large, and perfume doesnt last forever. On the
other hand, the more chances you give yourself to use your nose, the better your scent memory gets
and the more you will enjoy simple things around youa sweet whiff of bonfire smoke that signifies
the coming of autumn, the sour tang of maple buds in the spring, the yeasty warmth of bakery
exhaust in the middle of a busy city street. I think that such little discoveries are the best
consequences of being perfume obsessed.
Glossary & Basic Guide to Perfume Terms
Posted on
A lot of people rely on a perfumess list of notes to figure out if its something that theyd like or
even want to test out. But, sometimes, its not so easy. Some terms are less familiar or obvious than
rose or vanilla. For example, I highly doubt the average person has ever heard of opoponax,
let alone know what it is or smells like. As perfume houses increasingly seek the latest new thing,
and as synthetic compounds continue their sharp rise in use, perfume notes are getting much more
complicated to figure out at a quick glance.
Were not all experts and we all have to start somewhere. Im no exception to the need for some
refreshers or definitions from time to time, so I thought Id give a list of terms to help out. They will
be basic, nutshell explanations with a simple description of what the ingredient is supposed to smell
like. (I owe much gratitude to the experts at NST, Fragrantica and elsewhere whose explanations,
knowledge and definitions Ive learnt from and have quoted frequently below.) I will constantly
update the list or add to the descriptions, so it will be a work in progress in some ways.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

Malaysian Agarwood.
Agarwood. (Also referred to or known as Aoud or Oud.) Agarwood is an extremely ancient
element found in the East. No-one explains its heritage, characteristics and its current usage half as
well as the experts at CaFleureBon, so I will just link to their marvelous, brilliant analysis of
it here. To make a long story short, however, Fragrantica states that Agarwood is reputed to be the
most expensive wood in the world and that Oud is the pathological secretion of the aquillaria tree,
a rich, musty woody-nutty scent that is highly prized in the Middle East. In commercial perfumery
its safe to say all oud is a recreated synthetic note. Its scent ranges from freshly bracing or
crisply cool, to vegetal, and, in many cases, quite medicinal. Almost like bandages. (For more
information on what it smells like, you can read my post on Oud fragrances.)
Aldehydes. Aldehydes are essentially organic compounds. Chanel No. 5 became famous for having
the greatest percentage of aldehydes (fatty aldehydes to be specific), but almost all perfumes have it
to some degree or another. On me, the smell is something intensely soapy with floral and lemony
undertones. The varying definitions or explanations are either too simplistic or far too complicated
(and with too much chemistry), so Ill just rely on the best one Ive found which is from Bois de
Jasmin: Aldehydes are organic compounds present in many natural materials (eg. orange rind,
rose, cinnamon bark). Various aldehydes can also be synthesized artificially. There is hardly a
fragrance without some type of aldehyde in it; however, it is the vividness of aliphatic aldehydes (a
specific subgroup of the aldehydes family) that gives Chanel No 5, Lanvin Arpge, Yves Saint
Laurent Rive Gauche and other floral-aldehydic fragrances their characteristic impressionist
sparkle. Their scent ranges from metallic, starchy and citrusy to green, fatty and waxy (for instance,
aldehyde C-11 commonly found in rose and cilantro smells like metal and dirty hair to me, but in
tiny quantities it adds an impressive lift and freshness to fragrances.) []Chanel No 5 became
famous for its unprecedented overdose of several different aldehydes (a total of almost 1%.)
Common descriptions of aldehydes range from: a champagne-like, sparkly, fizzy odor that makes
the fragrance fly off the skin to a waxy, citrusy or rosy aroma, like snuffed-out candles but its
usually a bit more complicated than that. (See, Perfume Shrine, here.)

Ambergris
Ambergris. Essentially, sperm whale vomit. No, Im not joking. NST explains as

follows: Ambergris: a sperm whale secretion.

Sperm whales produce it to protect their stomachs from the beaks of the cuttlefish they swallow.
Ambergris was traditionally used as a fixative, but in modern perfumery, ambergris is usually of
synthetic origin (including the synthetic compounds ambrox, ambroxan (see), amberlyn).
Ambergris is described as having a sweet, woody odor. Today, the term ambergris is used nearly
interchangeably with amber. To replace natural ambergris, a synthetic compound was created
called Ambroxan.
Ambroxan. A synthetic compound created to replace Ambergris. (See above.)
Aoud. (See Oud below or read my post on Oud fragrances.)
Aromatic Fougre. (See also, Fougre.) Aromatic Fougre isnt an ingredient but a sub-set of the
Fougre category of perfumes. To quote Wikipedia, fougre is one of the main families into which
modern perfumes are classified. [] The class of fragrances have the basic accord with a top-note
of lavender and base-notes of oakmoss and coumarin. Aromatic fougre, a derivative of this class,
contains additional notes of herbs, spice and/or wood.

Artemisia Absinthium
Artemesia. (Also known as Wormwood.) Acording to NST, Artmesia refers to a category
of diverse family of plants, so named because at one time they were used to prepare worming
medicine. The latin name is artemisia, and in perfumery, wormwood and/or artemisia often refers
specifically to artemisia absinthium, one of the key ingredients of Absinthe. Artemesia is supposed
to smell pungent, extremely green, sharp and bitter. Some say it smells like tarragon concentrated to
the umpteenth degree. It is said to bring down the cloying nature of some notes, like civet, but it can
also be extremely pungent by itself. Basenote commentators say that it acts like a filter to diffuse
out some stronger, sweeter notes and to let you smell the more subtle ones, especially when it is
used in perfumes with an oakmoss, leather and/or patchouli base. It is a strong feature in many
classic scents, particularly chypre perfumes, and is one of the key characters in such scents as
Robert Piguets Bandit, YSLs Kouros for men, and Krizia Uomo.
Balsam. Balsam is the dark, oozing secretions from a tree that differs from resin mainly in terms
of its form and method of preparation. When something is referred to as being Balsam-like or
Balsamic, it means the scent has the aroma is like a resin which can range from sweet, amber-y and
vanilla-like, to vanilla, cinnamon, though usually of a slightly woody nature. Degrees of sweetness,
bitterness and/or smoke may vary depending on the type of tree that is used.
Bergamot. The smell of bergamot falls between orange and lemon, and is most closely associated
with Earl Grey tea. It can turn a little woody and some people can occasionally smell hints of
lavender lurking around.
Benzoin. When perfume notes list Benzoin, they really mean Benzoin resin. (See below)
Technically and scientifically, there is a difference, since Benzoin is an organic compound that is
not used in perfume. So, when you see Benzoin listed, they are really referring to a type of
residue from a tree.
Benzoin Resin. (See also Styrax.) Benzoin is a type of resin and, as such, evokes the scent of
amber. Depending on the type of resin, it can be both sweet and smoky, or just incense-y and
slightly woody. Types of Benzoin resins are, for example, Siam Resin or Sumatra Resin. Wikipedia
states the following: Benzoin resin or styrax resin is a balsamic resin obtained from the bark of
several species of trees in the genus Styrax. It is used in perfumes, some kinds of incense, as a
flavoring, and medicine. Bois de Jasmin explains further: Benzoin has a clear vanillic fragrance
(it contains vanillin, just like vanilla beans) as well as a hint of cinnamon. It is one of the most
versatile notes among other balsams, and it is used in most amber, vanilla and oriental accords. It
also can be found all over the fragrance wheel, from citrus colognes to woody blends. I especially
love its sweet vanillic note in Chanel Coromandel and Serge Lutens Vtiver Oriental, where paired
with incense, it creates a gilded, plush sensation.

The berries, buds and leaves of the Black Currant plant. Source: Perfumed Shrine.
Black Currant or Black Currant Buds. Also known as Cassis, black currant has a scent that is
tarter some of its sweeter fruit companions (like plum). Depending on what parts are used, it can
also come off as greener. The Perfume Shrine has a good explanation of the scent as well as the
occasional tendency for some people to smell sour, almost urine-like ammoniac notes: [c]ompared
to the artificial berry bases defined as cassis, the natural black currant bud absolute comes off as
greener and lighter with a characteristic touch of cat. Specifically the ammoniac feel of a felines
urinary tract, controversial though that may seem. Black currant absolute comes from the bud but
also from the distilled leaves of the plant and is extracted into a yellowish green to dark green
paste that projects as a spicy-fruity-woody note retaining a fresh, yet tangy nuance,
slightly phenolic. Black currant or its buds are featured in a number of extremely popular, famous
fragrances. A few examples are: Black Orchid by Tom Ford, Chamade and Champs Elysees by
Guerlain, Gucci Rush II by Gucci, Escape by Clavin Klein, First by Van Cleef &
Arpel, Beautiful by E.Lauder, In Love Again by YSL, Fan di Fendi by Fendi, and Rock &
Rose by Valentino. (Source: Fragrantica.)
Bulgarian Rose: Bulgarian roses belong to the damask rose category which usually have a heady,
richer, darker element to them than something like a tea rose or a Moroccan rose. (To my nose, at
least.)
Calone. According to NST, calone is an aroma chemical that adds a sea breeze or marine note
to perfume. It was first used in large quantities in Aramis New West (1988). Some of the many
perfumes that contain calone are: Davidoffs Cool Water, Diors Dune, Leau dIssey, Kenzo
Homme and Calvin Kleins Escape.
Cassis. The French term for black currant. (See above.)
Castoreum. Castoreum is the excretion from the anal sacs of beavers. Again, I am not joking. I

couldnt possibly attempt to describe or define this one on my own, so I will

simply quote large chunks of an article on it from Beauty.About.Com: Used by the animal during
scent marking and mating, this bitter, strong-smelling, orange-brown secretion is dried, ground and
put into alcohol to produce the aromatic castoreum resinoid used in perfumery. The undiluted

secretion from the beaver is said to have a perisistent, bitter

and penetrating odor. In its resinoid form, as a perfume ingredient, castoreum imparts an animalistic
note that approximates the scent of dried leather. For animal cruelty reasons, Im sure that the scent
used in modern perfumes is all synthetic. If the thought of beaver anal sacs has completely put you
off, you might be surprised at the list of extremely famous fragrance names which use Castoreum.
In womens perfumes: Chanel Cuir de Russie, Coty Emeraude, Lancome Magic Noire, Givenchy
III, Guerlain Shalimar, Jean Patou 1000, Guerlain Jicky, Frederic Malle Une Rose, Juliette has a
Gun Midnight Oud, Paloma Picasso Pure Parfum, and Robert Piguet Bandit. A selection of mens
fragrances starring castoreum include Profumo Castoreum, Le Labo Labdanum 18, Chanel
Antaeus, Amouage Epic Man, Caron Third Man, and Estee Lauder Aramis.
Chypre. Chypre is one of the main categories or families of perfumes. Chypre scents are usually
(but not always) considered to be womens fragrances. They begin with citrus top notes, have
labdanum as one of their middle notes, and conclude with oakmoss (in conjunction with other
ingredients) as their base. The oakmoss is key and a signature part of chypre perfumes, but the base
also often includes musk or some sort of animalic note. The NST website states it best and most
succinctly: Chypre: pronounced sheepra, French for Cyprus and first used by Franois Coty to
describe the aromas he found on the island of Cyprus. He created a woodsy, mossy, citrusy perfume
named Chypre (launched by Coty in 1917). Classic chypre fragrances generally had sparkling citrus
and floral notes over a dark, earthy base of oakmoss, patchouli, woods and labdanum. Modern
chypre fragrances usually use less (or no) oakmoss because of regulatory restrictions; sometimes
they use synthetic substitutes. Wikipedia adds, Chypre perfumes fall into numerous classes
according to their modifier notes, which include but are not limited to leather, florals, fruits, and
amber. Modern chypre perfumes have various connotations such as floral, fruity, green, woody-
aromatic, leathery, and animalic notes, but can easily be recognized by their warm and mossy-
woody fond which contrasts the fresh citrus top, and a certain bitterness in the dry-down. As
Wikipedia notes, the basic notes usually consist of: citrus (bergamot, neroli, lemon or orange);
oakmoss (woody and mossy); patchouli; and musk (sweet, powdery and animalic). The overall
composition is usually enhanced with a floral component through rose and jasmine oil. The
chypre family includes some of the most famous scents in the world, from such fruity chypres
as Femme by Rochas and Mitsouko by Guerlain, to leather chypres like Bandit by Robert Piguet,
floral chypres like Knowing by Este Lauder, and green chypres like Givenchy III.
Cistus. Cistus really refers to Labdanum. The small cistus shrub is native to the

Mediterranean and Middle East, and the distillation of its leaves

produces a dry resinous, faintly woody smell that is called labdanum in perfume. Essentially,
labdanum is another resin like amber, but it has more of a masculine toughness to ambers
sweetness. Labdanum can be dirty, animalic and almost reminiscent of sex at times, while other
compositions can bring out a more leather-like smell. It is also known
as Rockrose. One perfumer and research scientist described it as
follows on her blog, Perfume Project NW: Some people think it smells like goat. Others think it
smells like ambergris, or leather, or pine rosin, or musk. Yet others think it smells like strange,
rotten fruit. Some people think it must be the smell of heaven, and others think its the smell from
hell. Everyone seems to have a different reaction to rock rose, otherwise known as Cistus
ladaniferus (also spelled ladanifer).
Clary Sage. Clary sage is a herbaceous plant, and not the same sort of sage that you

use in cooking. According to a helpful discussion on Basenotes, the regular

sage that you use in cooking is called Dalmatian sage. A number of people find clary sage to be
sweeter, fresher and with a hint of peppermint, while Dalmatian sage is more bitter, biting and
aromatic. Clary sage is also said to have elements of lavender in its odor profile and, sometimes,
even of green tea. Fragrantica, however, describes the plant as having a bracing herbaceous scent
that smells like lavender with leathery and amber nuances, thus very popular from old times for
perfumed products.
Coumarin. (See also, Tonka Bean.) Wikipedia states that Coumarin is a fragrant plant substance,
found in many plants in the grass family and found in particularly high concentrations in the tonka
bean. It goes on to explain that: [t]he name comes from a French word, coumarou, for the tonka
bean. It has a sweet odor, readily recognised as the scent of new-mown hay, and has been used in
perfumes since 1882.
Elemi. Elemi is a type of tree from the Philippines that is closely related to those which give us
Frankincense and Myrrh. Surrender to Chance says: [w]hen the leaves sprout, it exudes a natural
resin that yields an oil and stops when the last leaf sprouts. Elemi resin is pale-yellow with honey-
like consistency and initially has a lemony aroma that later gives way to something that is variously
described as either a nutmeg-like scent or (more commonly) to something like pine needles. It is
sometimes called the poor mans Frankincense because it definitely has an incense component to
its aroma. The Perfume Shrine states: The overall scent of elemi can best be typified in perfume
lingo as terpenic, an aroma typified by fresh pine needles, clean, green with citrusy and coriander
undertones. Its therefore not unusual to see it featured in the context of pine compositions or in
masculine fragrances, as well as in incense blends. There appears to be a difference in aroma
between the oil which is more lemon-y and fresh and the resin which is more peppery and
smoky. The Perfume Shrine says: elemi resinoid on the other hand has the spicy peppery and
woody-grassy facets more pronounced making it pair perfectly with pepper, woods (patchouli and
vetiver especially), and sweet grass, while its constituent elemicin is shared with nutmeg.
Fougre. Fougre isnt an ingredient but a category of fragrance. Fragrantica states: Name of the
olfactive group fougere derives from French word fougere or fern. Coumarin can be found in
the center of compositions. Perfume-originator of this group is Fougere Royal by the house of
Houbigant, created by Paul Parquet in 1882. The perfumer extracted the synthetic component
coumarin and used it in perfumery for the first time. Coumarin can be found in nature in several
plants, such as Tonka beans, and it possesses intensive scent of freshly mown grass. Fougere
compositions include notes of lavender, geranium, moss and wood. This group primarily includes
perfumes for men.

Frangipani
Frangipani. Frangipani is also known as plumeria, a flower common to tropical climates like
Mexico or South America but also to such exotic islands as Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii. It has a very
heavy, heady, lushly ripe, extremely sweet scent similar to magnolia, gardenia and tuberose. It can
also bring to mind coconuts. Frangipani is often described as an indolic scent, meaning heady,
narcotic and, sometimes, over-ripe, sometimes to the point of decay. (See entry for Indolic.)

A white version of frankincense being burned.

Frankincense. (See also, Olbanum.) According to NST, frankincense is a gum resin from a tree
(genus Boswellia) found in Arabia and Eastern Africa. It is harvested by making an incision in the
bark; the milky juice leaks out and is left to harden over a period of months before it is collected. It
smells dark, and smoky, and was often used as incense in religious ceremonies. It has some
similarities to Myrrh but, to my nose, myrrh is softer and sweeter, not as sharp and dark. For a great
article on the two and their history, you can go to CaFleureBon and read their analysis here. In
general, however, the smell of frankincense encompasses a wide range: woody with pine and
sometimes lemon undertones; sweet and nutty; thick, sticky, very dark and heavy, like an old,
somewhat dusty church where a lot of incense was used; earthy, sharp, peppery and dusty; or some
combination of the above.

Galbanum
Galbanum. Galbanum is a gum resin from certain Persian plant species that resemble large fennel
or anise plants. The perfume site, I Smell Therefore I Am, has an excellent, extremely helpful
explanation of its scent: With its penetrating, pine-like top note and slightly bitter, woody base,
galbanum makes green pop, as if one of the green chypres had slapped you hard in the face with a
chunk of bundled stems. [] Part frankincense, part vetiver, its leafy terpenoid astringency
ventilates the pastures of Carvens Ma Griffe, Celliers Vent Vert, Ivoire de Balmain, Pheromone,
Devin, Chanel No. 19 and, most spectacularly, Estee Lauders Aliage, which is more gale force
than languid breeze. [] Galbanum is mercurial, effecting compositions in subtly different ways. It
smells modern, though, along with aldehyde, it was the previous generations equivalent to the
fruity accords which buoy contemporary florals to varying degrees and towards often vastly
different ends. The smell is intensely, viscerally green, smelling of grass and aromatic weeds and
herbs. It penetrates your consciousness and roots there, a vivid inhalation of the great Out There.
Guaiac Wood one of the hardest woods in the world.
Guaiac. Guaiac (or Guaiac Wood) is the heartwood of a Palo Santo (Bulnesia sarmienti) tree.
Fragrantica states: Odor Profile: Exotic wood note that has tar-like, phenolic facets, imparting
smoky, tarmac notes. A Basenotes commentator agrees, stating that Guaiac wood has a: rosy,
honeyed-sweet and slightly smoky and waxy-oily slightly rubbery aroma. It is used often in tobacco
scents. Another thinks it smells like pepper and burning leaves. In all cases, however, it differs in
scent from oud or agarwood.

Immortelle. Source: The Perfume Shrine.

Immortelle. Immortelle is known by a variety of names such as Everlasting Flower or
Helicrysum. It is sometimes even known as the Curry plant, though it has nothing to do with
curry or the spices in it. It is a sunny, yellow plant from the Meditteranean, particularly Corsica and
Italy. The Perfume Shrine describes its smell as follows: The odour of immortelle absolute is
difficult to describe, somewhat similar to sweet fenugreek and curcuma, spices used in Indian curry,
with a maple-like facet. Quite logical if you think that the essence contains alpha, beta and gamma
curcumene. In addition, it also has [r]ich scents of dry straw, dusty amber, coffee, burnt licorice,
syrupy and powdery, and spices (reminiscent of celery, fenugreek and curry[.] Like burnt sugar
and dry straw combined is a suitable effort at conveying immortelles nuanced profile, but the more
the oil warms up on the skin, the more it reveals human-like, supple nuances of honeyed notes,
waxy, intimate It pairs well in chypres and oriental fragrances, where it pairs with labdanum,
clove, citruses, chamomille, lavender and rose essences. The maple syrup comparison is repeated
by the Perfume Posse who adds that the analogy doesnt really do the smell justice, because its
more complex and peculiar than maple syrup would suggest. Here are some other common
descriptions: a strong straw-like, fruity smell; straw, honey and tea; as well as words like warm,
sweet, caramel, coumarin, fruit-honey, tonka. Osmoz.com says essence of immortelle gives chypre,
floral and amber compositions a particular charisma and characterizes the smell as red fruit,
syrupy, nut, honey-flavored, tobacco.

The organic Indole compound found in certain white flowers like jasmine or tuberose. And,
apparently, in pork liver too!
Indolic. (Or Indoles.) Indolic is a term that is usually used to describe certain heady, rich, lush,
almost creamily ripe scents. Its most commonly associated with certain white flowers like tuberose
and gardenia, though jasmine, lilac and honeysuckle are also create ver indolic scents. Bois de
Jasmin explains it as follows: Jasmine, lilac, honeysuckle, gardenia, and orange flower all have
diverse olfactory profiles, yet they share the presence of indole, which gives them a rich, narcotic
fragrance. Without this unique material, which in pure form looks like white diamond dust, it would
have been impossible to recreate the true scent of blooming flowers. A tiny amount of indole is all it
takes to infuse life into a composition of floral notes, to make an abstract, vague petally form to
appear as a lush, nectar suffused flower. Indole is often described as fecal and animalic, which is a
complete misrepresentation. In its pure form, indole smells like moth balls, possessing the same
heavy, sweet, tar-like pungency. In fact, it is so strong, suffocating and diffusive that smelling it
pure one is hard pressed to imagine that it could be a lovely floral note. Yet, indole changes
dramatically in dilutions. It suddenly displays its radiant, floral quality. The suffocating moth ball
effect disappears to give way to a completely different imagea handful of gardenia petals or a
branch of jasmine flowers. The opulent, narcotic effect of indole is employed whenever a perfumer
wants to create a floral effect or else to give a lift to a heavy, oriental composition.

ISO E Super. Source: Fragrantica

Iso E Super. Iso E Super is a synthetic chemical used to perfumers to boost the strength and
longevity of scents. Ive written a full post about the aromachemical, as well as the perfumes which
contain it, and the potential headache-inducing aspects to the note. You can find it here. Chanels in-
house perfumer, Jacques Polge, is one of those who loves to it, particularly to amp up florals. NST
states that its described by International Flavors & Fragrances as Smooth, woody, amber note
with a velvet like sensation. Superb floralizer. Used to impart fullness and subtle strength to
fragrances. (Source: NST) To my nose, however, it can often be extremely peppery, antiseptic and
medicinal in aroma with a strong underpinning of rubbing alcohol. Some people are completely
anosmic to the scent (meaning they cant detect it at all), while others get terrible headaches from it.
It is rarely listed as an official note in perfumes but more and more fragrances nowadays have it.
You can read my post for more information on it, along with a list of some of the perfumes that
include the note.
Labdanum. (Also known as Labdanum Ciste or Cistus.) Labdanum comes from the small cistus
shrub which is native to the Mediterranean and Middle East. The distillation of the cistus leaves
produces a dry resinous, faintly woody smell that is called labdanum in perfume. Essentially,
labdanum is another resin like amber, but it has more of a masculine toughness to ambers
sweetness. Labdanum can be dirty, animalic and almost reminiscent of sex at times,

while other compositions can bring out a more leather-like

smell. Labdanum is also sometimes referred to as Rockrose. One perfumer and scientist described
it as follows on her blog, Perfume Project NW: Some people think it smells like goat. Others think
it smells like ambergris, or leather, or pine rosin, or musk. Yet others think it smells like strange,
rotten fruit. Some people think it must be the smell of heaven, and others think its the smell from
hell. Everyone seems to have a different reaction to rock rose, otherwise known as Cistus
ladaniferus (also spelled ladanifer).
Moroccan Rose. Moroccan roses are a type of cabbage rose and, as such, have a sweet, honey-like
scent.
Myrrh
Myrrh. Like Frankincense, myrrh is a gum resin. It has a smoky but sweet element and, to my
nose, is not as sharp or as acrid as frankincense can (occasionally) be. For a great article on the two
and their history, you can go to CaFleureBon and read their analysis here. One type of myrrh used
in perfumes is Opoponax. (See below.) In general, however, the smell of myrrh encompasses a
wide range: resinous and sweet; medicinal and bitter; licorice or aniseed-like; incredibly soapy,
cool, and white; or sharp and dusty.

Oakmoss
Oakmoss. Oakmoss is derived from a lichen (evernia prunastri) that grows on Oak trees. The use
of real oakmoss is restricted (but not prohibited) due to regulations meant to avoid allergic
reactions. (Source: NST) One site explains the smell of this incredibly important ingredient as
follows: Oakmoss has a strong, earthy-mossy aroma. It imparts a wet forest floor scent that is very
true to nature, with dry, earthy, green, and bark-like qualities, and a leather-like undertone. Oakmoss
is highly valued as a fixative agent in perfumery, for its ability to anchor more volative fragrance
notes, and add a rich undertone and smoothness to all perfume types (oriental, floral, chypre, etc).
Oakmoss is not only highly regulated now in terms of quantity under the IFRA regulations, but its
amount may be lessened even further under additional and new regulations that are to take effect in
2013.
Olbanum otherwise known as Frankincense. (See above.) According to NST,
olbanum/frankincense is a gum resin from a tree (genus Boswellia) found in Arabia and Eastern
Africa. It is harvested by making an incision in the bark; the milky juice leaks out and is left to
harden over a period of months before it is collected. It shares some similarities with Myrrh.
Opoponax
Opoponax. A type of myrrh that NST states is also known as sweet myrrh and bisabol myrrh.
NST adds that Opoponax has a sweet, balsam-like, lavender-like fragrance when used as incense.
King Solomon supposedly regarded opoponax as one of the noblest of all incense gums. (Source:
NST)
Oriental Fougre. Oriental Fougre is not an ingredient but a classification or category of
perfume. Fougre is a type of aromatic perfume or cologne that has lavender, coumarin and/or
oakmoss. So, an Oriental Fougre is, essentially, a fragrance that has oriental notes mixed with
woody ones. (See, Fougre up above for more that category of perfume,)

Iris and the Orris root

Orris (or Orris root). Orris root is the root of the iris flower ,and is often used in perfume or
makeup as a fixative or base. It has a richly floral, heavy scent, often evocative of violets.
Oud. (Agarwood, Aoud, or even Oudh.) Oud comes from Agarwood which is an extremely ancient
element found in the East. No-one explains its heritage, characteristics and its current usage half as
well as the experts at CaFleureBon, so I will just link to their marvelous, brilliant analysis of
it here. To make a long story short, however, Fragrantica states that Agarwood is reputed to be the
most expensive wood in the world and that Oud is the pathological secretion of the aquillaria tree,
a rich, musty woody-nutty scent that is highly prized in the Middle East. In commercial perfumery
its safe to say all oud is a recreated synthetic note. (For information on what it smells like, you
can read my post on Oud fragrances.)
Patchouli. NST states that patchouli is a bushy shrub originally from Malaysia and India. []
Patchouli has a musty-sweet, spicy-earthy aroma; modern patchouli is often molecularly altered to
remove the musty components. (Source: NST)
Peru Balsam. From my reading of Fraganticas explanation, Peru balsam is a type of
 wood whose essence has a cinnamon and vanilla
smell. At the same time, it has a green olive base which exudes an earthier, as well as bitter, aroma.
It shares some similarities with Siam Resin. (See below.) Both smell like sweet vanilla but Peru
Balsam has a cinnamon aspect too, along with that earthy, bitter edge. In contrast, Siam Resin
which used to be burned as incense is more smoky and woody. Bois de Jasmin states, in
comparing Peru Balsam to Tolu Balsam: I find Peru balsam spicier and smokier. The smoky note
can be introduced by processing methods when the raw material is boiled in water over a wood-
burning fire. It is quite a dark, heavy material, and it is usually blended with other balsamic and
ambery notes as in Herms Elixir des Merveilles, Serge Lutens Amber Sultan, Lorenzo Villoresi
Incensi, Yves Saint Laurent Opium or Nicola Sacrebleu Intense. In short, Cinnamon Vanilla with
bitter green earth -vs- Sweet Vanilla with smoky, incense and wood. Tolu Balsam or Balsam of
Tolu is similar to the Peru Balsam.
Petitgrain. Petitgrain refers to oil distilled from leaves and twigs of a citrus tree, usually the bitter
orange tree. (Source: NST) Essentially, its the slightly bitter, woody part of the orange blossom
tree, and it adds a masculine touch to fragrances.
Plumeria. See Frangipani.
Resin. (See also, Balsam, Benzoin or Siam Resin). Resin is the dark, oozing secretions from a tree
that differs from balsam mainly in terms of its form and method of preparation.
Rockrose. (Also known as Labdanum, see above.) One perfumer and research scientist described
it as follows on her blog, Perfume Project NW: Some people think it smells like goat. Others think
it smells like ambergris, or leather, or pine rosin, or musk. Yet others think it smells like strange,
rotten fruit. Some people think it must be the smell of heaven, and others think its the smell from
hell. Everyone seems to have a different reaction to rock rose, otherwise known as Cistus
ladaniferus (also spelled ladanifer).
Siam Resin. Siam Resin is a type of dark, balsam-ic secretion from a particular type of tree in
Thailand, and is supposed to be more smoky and dark than other types of
 resins. It shares some similarities with
Balsam or Peru Balsam. Both smell like sweet vanilla but Peru Balsam has a cinnamon aspect too,
along with that earthy, bitter edge. In contrast, Siam Resin which used to be burned as incense
is more smoky and woody. In short, Cinnamon Vanilla with bitter green earth -vs- Sweet Vanilla
with smoky, incense and wood.

Red sandalwood or Indian Mysore sandalwood.

Australian sandalwood
Sandalwood: NST describes sandalwood as: an oil extracted from the heartwood of the Sandal
tree, originally found in India. One of the oldest known perfumery ingredients, the powdered wood
is also used to make incense. Indian sandalwood is now endangered, so many modern perfumes use
Australian sandalwood or synthetic substitutes. (Source: NST) The best type of sandalwood is
supposed to be red Indian sandalwood, also known as Mysore sandalwood. Australian sandalwood
is usually not as rich and sweet. The scent of Sandalwood can vary depending on the type used but
generally, it has a sweet, slightly cedar woodsy smell with sharp, sometimes acrid vanilla
undertones. It can sometimes take on a faintly medicinal note, but there is always an underlying
sweetness and vanilla element lurking at its heart.
Sillage. Sillage refers to how much a scent emanates. Can you smell the perfume only if youre
very close to someone, or can you smell it from across the room? If a perfume has very little sillage,
people say its close to the skin.
Soliflore. Soliflore refers to a fragrance which focuses on a single flower, or which tries to recreate
the aroma of a single flower. Soliflores may in fact have more than one floral note, however.
(Source: NST)

One type of Styrax tree which creates the resin used in Tubereuse Criminelle and in other
fragrances.
Styrax. Styrax is essentially yet another type of resin. Bois de Jasmin states as follows: It is a
beautiful dry, smoky, spicy note, with a distinctive leather and incense facet. It is the least sweet and
vanillic out of the balsams I have described here. A beautiful note of styrax can be noticed in the
drydown of Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque, Bois Oriental and Tubreuse Criminelle. It is generally a
supporting character, but smell Bond No.9 Broadway Nite, and the presence of leathery styrax is
unmistakable right from the top note, where it is given a nice lift by the violet and aldehydes. Also,
many leather accords like Chanel Cuir de Russie, Dior Fahrenheit, and Tom Ford Tuscan
Leather rely on the leathery darkness of styrax.
Tiar. A type of gardenia.
Tolu Balsam. (See also Peru Balsam.) Tolu Balsam is another type of resin that comes from an
injured tree. Bois de Jasmin states: Tolu also has a vanilla and cinnamon fragrance, but I notice a
strong smoky and sweet note. Tolu is reminiscent of almonds and leather, a seemingly darker note
than benzoin. Tolu balsam is the leading player in Ormonde Jayne Tolu as well as an important
supporting note in Cartier LHeure Defendue. A smoky, warm touch of tolu balsam in Donna
Karan Gold and Robert Piguet Fracas lends their florals a spicy, rich quality, which is further
augmented by other sensual, oriental notes.

Tonka Beans
Tonka Bean. According to Wikipedia, the tonka bean comes from a species of flowering tree in
the pea family that is native to Central America and northern South America. Its seeds are known
as tonka beans. They are black and wrinkled and have a smooth, brown interior. Their fragrance is
reminiscent of vanilla, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves.

Tuberose
Tuberose. A extremely heady white flower that, like Frangipani, is a very indolic (tending to a
lushly narcotic, sometimes over-ripe, full-blown smell). That potential to be indolic is why
extremely creamy, ripe tuberose scents can on some people bring to mind feces, mothballs or
a cats litter box. (See entry for Indolic.)
Vetiver. Vetiver (sometimes spelled as vetyver) is the essential oil from the root of a type of
grass, most commonly found in India. Chandler Burr, the New York Times perfume critic, explained
it for GQ as follows: [i]n the most basic sense, its a grass native to India that grows in bushes up
to 4x4. Its also related to lemon grass, as you can tell when you smell it. The stuffits the
grasss long, thin roots that they distillis infinitely more interesting though: deep, shadowed,
astringent, earthy like newly tilled soil, and balsam-woody. It can be warm like tobacco leaves, it
can have a crushed-green leaves freshness, or it can be cool like lemon verbena. Haiti produces
about 80% of the vetiver oil in the world, although sometimes youll be putting a bit of Indonesia or
Brazil on your arm as well (Haitis is more floral, Javas is smokier). [] Like wine, the scent of
vetiver oil improves as it ages: the best of it is made with roots that have been aged somewhere
between 18-24 months; the oil costs around $200/kg when it hits the market. American scent maker
IFF makes it three ways: with steam (resulting in vetiver essence, which is dryer and lighter),
solvent (which produces an absolute and is darker, with the scent of rich dirt), and a new technology
called Molecular Distillation that uses carbon dioxide to yield a scent thats extraordinary
strongly grapefruit, fresher, zestier.

Ylang-ylang.
Ylang-ylang. Ylang-Ylang comes from a bright, banana-yellow flower and has a rich, heady, sweet,
floral smell that is slightly fruity and custardy. One commentator called it the eccentric sister to
jasmine but its also often compared to such flowers as tuberose, frangipani, and tiar. Personally, I
think it has a richer, fruitier and, definitely, spicier scent than any of those flowers. As a side note,
the smell of ylang-ylang has long been considered to be both an aphrodisiac and soothing.
Perfume Review Les Nrides Imperial
Oppoponax: Evoking the Guerlain Classics
Posted on
Imagine a pool of molten amber, covered with the sheen of fresh citrus oil. Its like a thin film
covering the thick, unctuous depths below. At the very bottom of the pool is a thin layer of white.
Not sand, but powdered vanilla. That is the image evoked by Les Nrides

Imperial Oppoponax, a unisex fragrance that is all sweet myrrh,

amber, sandalwood and powdered vanilla.
Les Nrides is a French perfume house that initially started in the world of expensive, high-end
costume jewelry before branding out into perfume. Their fragrances represent their overall ethos of
the most basic, pure and simple ingredients but at the most luxurious level. They eschew expensive
or fancy bottling, preferring to opt for a minimalistic aesthetic, both to appearance and, to some
degree, the perfume itself.
Imperial Oppoponax embodies that aesthetic very well. It also embodies something else: vintage
Shalimar by Guerlain. Its incredibly similar, to the point that Im in a
 slight state of disbelief. (And joy.) Those who mourned the
loss of their beloved legend to the horrors of IFRA restrictions and reformulations should rejoice.
Because I could swear Im wearing Shalimar, particularly in its dry-down stage! Imperial Opoponax
(which has now been renamed simply Opoponax) is a mere eau de toilette, but it truly conjures up
the glories of Shalimar at its best both in the stronger parfum concentration and in its vintage
state, before Shalimar was destroyed in a haze of synthetics and IFRA-mandated changes. (IFRA
is the international perfume federation whose 2010 rules on the amount, type and concentration of
certain key ingredients has forever altered the nature of the perfume world for the worse.)
Imperial Oppoponax is classified as a Oriental Woody on Fragrantica and its notes are not
complicated:
citrus, opoponax (sweet myrrh), amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and benzoin (resin).
For point of comparison, Shalimar has a few more: citrus; lemon and bergamot, jasmine, may rose,
opoponax, Tonka bean, vanilla, iris, Peru balsam and gray amber. (And, yet, on me, Imperial
Oppoponax has a slightly similar citrus opening and an identical dry-down.)
Imperial Oppoponax opens with a sharp, almost masculine burst of citrus. There is a definite feeling
of classic mens colognes in its sharpness; impressions of Guerlains Habit Rouge cologne for
men float through my mind along with Guerlains Shalimar. Its definitely the opening of a very
intense citrus-y, woody, aromatic oriental. I put on some vintage Shalimar parfum on my other arm
and compared the scents. Shalimar is richer in its citrus start, more nuanced and complex, with
florals and greater warmth. Imperial Opoponax is much closer to Habit Rouge with its crisp, fresh,
faintly herbal twist on a citrus start.
Ten minutes into the opening, hints of the sweet myrrh and resins begin to tiptoe into the picture.
You can find more details on benzoin and sweet myrrh in my Glossary, but,
Benzoin
in a nutshell, benzoin is a type of resin that has a light, sweet, often powdery vanilla scent, while
sweet myrrh can range from slightly nutty and amberous, to faintly herbal and balsam-like.
According to NST, opoponax has a sweet,

Opoponax
balsam-like, lavender-like fragrance when used as incense. King Solomon supposedly regarded
opoponax as one of the noblest of all incense gums. Here, the balsam element to opoponax adds a
woody, almost smoky note to the perfume, while the lavender is an aromatic.
The two notes together, along with that citric start, solidify my impressions of old Habit Rouge. I
happen to adore Habit Rouge with a passion, so I cant stop sniffing my arm. Some find the opening
of Imperial Opoponax too masculine and too strongly evocative of an old time barber shop. To me,
Imperial Oppoponax is a happy trip down memory lane! Lemon and lime! Subtle lavender (but in a
good way) with traces of powdered vanilla! Wood that almost smells faintly cedar-ish! God, this is
lovely!
It may sound odd to think of balsam trees and lavender mixed with a very boozy, sweet, almost
nutty, ambery scent and vanilla powder, but it works. Like Habit Rouge, the sharp, almost
excessively zesty citric start is balanced by an immediate impression of greater depth and warmth.
There is a strong hint of smokiness and incense that are emerging, but the real star is a definitely
boozy amber with its undertones of powder.
The citric notes fade about 30 minutes in, leaving the rest of the perfume as one very well-blended
resin booze fest. There is real intensity to the sweet myrrh and benzoin, and its almost narcotically
heady. There is a faint sharpness or accridness to the smell, though I dont know if its from the
smoke which makes me think of a weak form of frankincense or if its the combination of the
ingredients together.
Imperial Oppoponax is a very well-blended perfume but it might easily be called linear. From
reading comments about Les Nrides style, I get the definite impression that they seek to
essentially bottle the essence of an ingredient in its most concentrated, pure form. Here, its
oppoponax and while there are other players on the stage, they are all supporting cast members to
support the star and to make it shine even more brightly. I also get the crazy feeling that Les
Nridess goal with Imperial Oppoponax was essentially to bottle the basenotes of the classics. Did
you ever smell something whose basenotes or dry-down was so enchanting that you thought to
yourself, why cant they just bottle THAT?! I would buy a full bottle of that!
Well, I think thats what Les Nrides tried to do here. If they didnt seek to do so intentionally, it is
the final result nonetheless. Imperial Oppoponax evokes the Guerlain classics extremely well but
what it really epitomises is the dry-down on Shalimar. It starts off as Habit Rouge, and then
develops into Shalimar. With every passing hour, as the Imperial Oppoponax opens further, softens
and unfurls its warm heart, it evokes the sweet myrrh, ambergris, tonka bean, and vanilla base notes
of Shalimar. The tonka bean and vanilla that form the Guerlinade or signature to almost all Guerlain
scents is evident here, even though the sweet vanilla and powder comes from benzoin instead. And
the peru balsam in Shalimar is paralleled by the balsam notes to the opoponax that both perfumes
share.

A cat who clearly shares my appreciation for fireplaces and cozy atmospheres.
The middle to final stages of Imperial Oppoponax are all cozy, snuggly and warm. I felt imperious,
slightly haughty and very Parisienne when I went out earlier this afternoon with Imperial
Oppoponax enveloping me. But tonight, once home, the warmth and coziness made me reach for
my flannel pajamas and a soft pashmina wrap, as I suddenly wished I lived someplace where a real
fireplace wouldnt be laughable. Its a scent of great femininity but also great softness; it makes you
want to cuddle and snuggle, even if its just with a soft blanket and your German shepherd.
Imperial Oppoponax has impressive sillage for the first two to three hours. If you spray too much,
you may smell the sweet myrrh almost at the back of your nose. It has definite forcefulness, this
perfume. And it does not go gently into that good night either, to quote the poet Dylan Thomas.
No, Imperial Oppoponax stays and stays even on me. It projected its scent solidly for the first
three hours but only became close to the skin about five hours in! However, I could still smell it on
my wrist for hours after that. All told, Imperial Oppoponax lasted just over 8 hours on me. Eight.
Me! Its positively shocking, especially when you consider that this is a mere eau de toilette!
Its also an incredibly affordable eau de toilette, if not a flat out steal. Imperial Oppoponax or
just plain Oppoponax as it is now called costs $70 for a large bottle (100 ml or 3.3/3.4 fl. oz.).
In contrast, a 1.7 oz bottle of Shalimar eau de toilette costs $73 at Sephora. And, if I may point out
once again, that would be for a reformulated version of Shalimar which smells nothing like the real,
original scent, and which is full of synthetics that smell artificial and sharp. If you ever loved the
middle to final notes of (original) Shalimar, then Imperial Oppoponax is a scent you may want to
strongly consider. Its almost a bargain in some ways. If, however, you never were all that fond of
the powdered vanilla Guerlinade base to begin with, or if you dont like a powdery accord to your
boozy resins, then Imperial Oppoponax may not be for you.
Personally, Im thrilled to finally have a way to smell both my beloved Habit Rouge and Shalimar,
all in original vintage form and all in one bottle. I consider Imperial Oppoponax to be some sort of
karmic finger in the face of the IFRA olfactory atrocities. Its almost as though Les Nrides said,
You think youre going to change the face of perfume history? Well, well see about that!
I dont know how they did it, but bravo!