Persolaise's Sexy Perfumes Revealed

Following the publication of my recent Grazia article on the latest crop of 'sexy' perfumes, I received several emails from non-UK-based readers who were disappointed that they couldn't get their hands on a copy of the magazine in their own countries. So, now that a few weeks have passed since the piece appeared, I'm able to reveal which scents made the final cut.

In brief, the idea was to recommend new (or fairly new) feminine compositions which might feasibly fall under the 'sexy' banner. The exercise proved more interesting than I thought it would, as it re-emphasised that transparency remains the primary mode of modern scent aesthetics. Even when reaching for somewhat predictable sensuous materials (ie woods, spices, white florals) most of the perfumes below stop themselves from conveying an excessively retro vibe because of a sheer, illuminated quality they share. Is this a sign that we're finally moving away from sticky fruitchoulis? We can but hope.

Here comes the list...

Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter: April to June 2016 [part 2]

Here's the second part of my latest round-up of mini-reviews:

Eau Parfumée Au Thé Noir from Bulgari (Jacques Cavallier; 2015)**

Excellent attempt to create oud cologne. The agar-rose-leather heart is recognisable, but never weighty.

Omnia Paraiba from Bulgari (Alberto Morillas; 2015)*

Milky spices beneath a well-rendered mango note. Very 'palm trees by the pool', not unlike Nicolaï Eau Corail.

McQueen from Alexander McQueen (2016)** 

Innocuous, unremarkable white floral, leaning towards fresh jasmine notes. Oh Kingdom, we could really do with you now.

Eau De Sens from Diptyque (Olivier Pescheux; 2016)*

Promising orange blossom note - linked with shampoo cedar - loses conviction and dissolves into salty nothingness.

Colonia Sandalo from Acqua Di Parma (2016)*

A fresh, sweet leather-patchouli, somewhere between YSL Rive Gauche Pour Homme and Tom Ford Tuscan Leather.

Persolaise Review: Scent Of A Dream from Charlotte Tilbury (Francois Robert; 2016)

The soundbites
If Scent Of A Dream were a song, it would be Le Freak by Chic.
If it were a colour, it would be pale yellow.
If it were a hairstyle, it would be Farrah Fawcett's Charlie's Angels look.

The review
I try not to attach too much importance to the somewhat flexible 'facts' presented in most press releases. But the marketing material for make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury's debut fragrance - Scent Of A Dream - was impossible to ignore. Apparently, her perfume "can ATTRACT others and also change the energy frequency of the people and environment around you." It has "the power to attract your magical future." It can help you "CREATE YOUR OWN DESTINY through its psycho-active, fleurotic frequency." You can use it to "create an EMOTIONAL PATHWAY with someone else's energy centres." And as if that weren't enough to make you rush out and buy every single bottle within a 20-mile radius, it also "acts as a portal that attracts LOVE, LIGHT, POWER, POSITIVITY AND SEX to the wearer." Phew! Does anyone else need a cigarette? Oh, and in case you're wondering, those capitals aren't mine; they're taken straight from the press pack.

What Was I Wearing? - Persolaise On We Wear Perfume

image: We Wear Perfume

A few weeks ago, the lovely people behind We Wear Perfume asked if I'd mind getting in the 'interviewee' seat for a change. The results of our encounter have now been posted online. If you'd like to find out why perfume is important to me and, of course, which particular scent I was wearing on the day, click here to read the piece. Oh, and while you're at it, do take the time to read some of the other interviews.

Persolaise