So... What Would You Like To Ask IFRA?

Ok, I've been teasing you about this for weeks, but the time has come to let the cat out of the bag and enlist your help. The person I'm soon going to interview for Basenotes is... the Director of the UK branch of IFRA (formerly the British Fragrance Association). 

Did that get your attention?

Good, I'm glad.

 

Review: Mitzah, Granville, Vetiver and New Look 1947 from Christian Dior (2010)

Dior's new perfume hall is about to open in the Oxford Street branch of Selfridge's, which means now's a good time for me to follow up my review of the exceptional Leather Oud with a mention of the other La Collection Privée releases I've tried.

Let Me Whisper In Your Ear + Orange Star Give-Away

It's been a while since I've written in any meaningful detail about my own perfume making. Paradoxically, this isn't because I haven't been doing any, but because I've actually been fortunate enough to enjoy some progress. Back when I was still learning to distinguish my tangerines from my tonka beans, I felt quite free to go into a fair bit of depth on this blog when describing my endeavours; I didn't think I had anything to lose. But as things have become more serious, I've found myself growing reticent.

More Teasers + A Link To Penhaligon's

Just a few bits and bobs of info for the weekend. First of all, I'm very pleased to announce that the editors of the new Penhaligon's blog have selected yours truly as their first guest writer. Click on this link to be taken to my quirky little Mother's Day piece. If you enjoy it, please consider leaving a comment beneath it.

Review: Taj Sunset from Escada (2011)

In my teenage years, I was an absolute sucker for idealistic sci-fi and detective stories. My favourites were always those in which the protagonist - whoever he or she happened to be - ended the tale with a bittersweet smile and a declaration that the "forces of good cannot exist without the forces of evil, for the universe is held in balance by the eternal battle between light and darkness. We need evil just as much as we need goodness, because without one, the other would be meaningless..." blah blah blah. You get the picture, right? Well, my adolescent days are long gone, but the pseudo-Buddhist philosophy is relevant to the subject of today's review.

NEWS - Voting Open For UK FiFi & Basenotes Awards

The shortlist for this year's FiFi UK Best Niche Perfume award has just been revealed on Basenotes and it features a few of my favourite releases of 2010.

Winter's Over

Lift your head high and take a deep breath, everybody: the first day of spring has arrived. Winter 2010/11 is officially history!

1st Anniversary Competition Winners

I know everyone always says this, but I can assure you that this time, it's absolutely true. Choosing my favourite entry in the 1st anniversary competition was no easy task. In fact, I found it so difficult that I had to enlist the help of the long-suffering Madame Persolaise.

Competition Reminder + A Moment's Reflection

I realise that at any given time, there are countless awful things happening around the world, but the planet does seem to be particularly unhappy at the moment. Whilst I have no intention of turning this blog into a venue for discussions of global events, I will just permit myself to say that, wherever you are, when you read these words, you might like to take a moment or two to reflect on all the things in your life for which you should be grateful.

Review: Dirty from Gorilla Perfumes (2004/2011)

Is mint becoming the new lemon? Perfumers are wary of using excessive quantities of the latter in their formulae because years of cultural conditioning have persuaded Western noses that its zingy brightness belongs not in fine fragrances but in cheap, grease-busting detergents. Now everyone's favourite toothpaste ingredient seems to be suffering a similar fate. Its very particular bracing coolness is rapidly becoming synonymous with bog-standard, cut-price shower gels, which may be why I find it increasingly difficult to enjoy Parfumerie Générale's Harmatan Noir and Cartier's Roadster... although Guerlain's Herba Fresca still manages to remain compelling, but I digress...

 

Sharpen Those Knives...

I hope your weekend's going well so far. I just wanted to remind you that you've got until Thursday night (UK time) to enter my special competition marking the first anniversary of this blog. The entries I've received so far have been absolutely superb. I already knew that my readers are a highly eloquent bunch, but I confess I wasn't expecting to be so moved by the sentiments you've expressed. I think I'm going to have to enlist the assistance of Madame Persolaise when the time comes to choose a winner; I'm not sure I'm up to making the decision on my own.

Persolaise 1st Anniversary Prize Draw

A year ago today, I plunged into this blog's inaugural entry with no preamble whatsoever. So I think it's right that I mark the first anniversary of Persolaise.com by going straight to the heart of today's post: a special, celebratory competition.

One More Day...

Tomorrow my little blog enters its difficult adolescent years. Don't forget to come back for its birthday and check out the special prize draw I've organised for you, which will feature not one, but two prizes!

I Need Your Help - What's Your Take On 'The Story'?

Permit me to pick your brains. I'm carrying out some research for an article that may appear on Basenotes, and I'd really appreciate your help.

Advance Warning: Special Prize Draw On Friday

I don't quite know where the last twelve months have gone, but this blog is just a few days away from being a year old! To mark its first anniversary, I'll be holding a special give-away, so please make sure you come back on Friday the 11th to find out more.

Review: Smart, Craft & Sharp from Andrea Maack (2010)

There are some people out there who think that Gus Van Sant's remake of Psycho is superior to Hitchcock's original. Even though they fully understand that the newer version is pretty much a shot-by-shot reconstruction, they insist it brings something better to the story. As someone who spent several years immersed in the world of film studies - and therefore knows that there are all sorts of clever ways of rationalising personal preferences - my response to that is: "Fair enough... but I'm sticking with Hitch."

 

Disqus Killed The Discussion

Okay, I've decided... and this time, I'm sticking to my decision:

I've disabled Disqus.