Perfume Post: Our Human Sense of Smell Is Not That Bad!

I was taught that Homo sapiens has a lousy sense of smell compared to other mammals. Well. Not so.
Perfumistas take heart! (Thank you, Alert Gardener Jim!)

Humans have a good sense of smell    Peter Stern   5/12/17 

In comparison to that of other animals, the human sense of smell is widely considered to be weak and underdeveloped. This is, however, an unproven hypothesis. In a Review, McGann traces the origins of this false belief back to comparative 19th-century neuroanatomical studies by Broca. A modern look at the human olfactory bulb shows that it is rather large compared with those of rats and mice, which are presumed to possess a superior sense of smell. In fact, the number of olfactory bulb neurons across 24 mammalian species is comparatively similar, with humans in the middle of the pack, and our sense of smell is similar to that of other mammals.

Science, this issue p. 597

 

Head out to your local perfume shop, or botanical garden, and have a terrific sniffa without feeling like a lowly class of mammal! Here's to the olfactory arts....

 

 

Weekend Fun: Angel Muse Perfume Review

After almost a month of embroilment in serious environmental concerns here on my sand dune, I needed a completely frivolous moment in order to lighten up a little. In fact, my family and friends insisted on this. Fortunately, the House of Mugler came to the rescue with a sample of the new Angel flanker, Angel Muse, in the mail.

My longtime readers know that I have a deep sentimental attachment to Angel, even if I wear it only rarely. The backstory is here:

http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2011/03/perfume-that-always-makes-me-cry.html

So I always review the newest Angel somewhere in the Virtual World. Here is my take on Angel Muse:

I own the Taste of Fragrance Angel, which is Angel spiked with dark chocolate. I don't wear it often, but when I have a craving for it, it's a freakin' awesome sillage monster of epic proportions. I think of it as a friendly Kaiju.

That's my Angel, a Sillage Monster!

Angel Muse substitutes a gentle hazelnut milk chocolate for the dark chocolate, and as a result, Angel Muse is more of a wombat than a kaiju.

Common Wombat, Tasmania, Photo by JJ Harrison

Muse is absolutely Angel, but relatively soft and cuddly compared to the other flankers. Mugler has used the hazelnut cream note before, and it's lovely. I like Muse so much more than Angel Eau Sucree', which I thought was dull and perhaps even a little trashy. Muse has a sense of fun and twisted elegance. And House of Mugler's choice of Georgia May Jagger is inspired!

Annual Perfume Post: A Soft Waft Whilst Traveling

I've been traveling around the globe practically since I was born. And I still love to travel, whether by plane, train, or boat (not by car, though, ugh). I recently went on my very first cruise ever. I can't believe I waited so long.  I had a great time and I’m experiencing Cruise Withdrawal Syndrome even as I type (yes, that is a real thing, I did not make it up)….

Over the past ten years, more of my friends and acquaintances have come down with what I call, as a catch-all-phrase, Olfactory Intolerance. Some have become allergic; some have developed scary autoimmune diseases and strong odors can act as a trigger; some now have adult asthma. These problems pose real ethical dilemmas for perfumistas, and we’ve all struggled with them. During travel, crammed into tight spaces with other members of my species for long periods of time, I’ve been opting for solid perfumes, sometimes even making my own. They are very comforting to the wearer, yet barely perceptible 5cm from the body. 

My mainstays in the solid perfume category were/are Crazylibellule and the Poppies, and Pacifica. Tibetan Mountain Temple accompanies me on every journey. Crazylibellule, while they were still in business, went to the gym with me every day. I was so sad when the company folded in 2010, and I bought up a bunch of their remainder stock, which is now all gone. I also learned to make my own solid perfumes. Thanks to a generous (and fragrant) friend, I’ve rediscovered the Libellules in the form of Le Soft Perfume.

Last year, Isabelle Masson, the founder of Crazylibellule, returned with a new lineup of twist-up solids called Le Soft Perfume. The fragrant cylinders are housed in the same paper batons decorated with whimsical designs and colorful patterns. And happily, they cost around $25 (US). Hurray!

I’ve been test driving “Nemamiah”, which is a sprightly floral citrus gourmand. The notes are mandarin, orange, passionfruit, mango, apple, musk, and amber. It’s really not an ambrosia fruit salad, I swear!  It’s a genuinely soft waft of delicious fruit, gentle musk, and cozy amber. And cozy is what I want when I’m standing in a 2,000-person passport control line! What about you? What fragrance, if any, do you wear in a travelers’ queue or a crowd at the pool?

Fragrant Tinctures: A Bride's Perfume

As you may know from earlier this month, I've been tincturing like crazy:

Geranium and Rose Tinctures

A good friend is getting married in a month, and for a present, I made bespoke perfumes for bride and groom. The bride wanted something very soft and subtle, hinting of red roses, her favorite flower, and with a green edge rather than something sweet. So I created a perfume with the tinctures shown above, red rose petals, and scented geranium. I added tincture of Madagascar vanilla beans, a few other bits and bobs, some golden mica powder, and ta da! A Bride's Perfume is born....

The swirls of gold appear when the perfume is held in sunlight; you can't see it in a static photo (I might make a video at some point). I've been using such "swirls" in several colors for about 3 years now, and I've actually seen them in one commercial perfume (last year), so I think that's a good thing. Not every perfume needs to be transparent and clear. I left a few rose petals at the bottom of the bottle, cuz' that's romantic! I really enjoy making new things from my garden. What are your favorite things to make from your garden?

Fascinating Video on Vetiver

I have a number of vetivers in my collection, and I grow it, so I was pleased to see Aura Cacia (they sell essential oils and blends) has a mini-documentary on the growing and harvesting of vetiver on the island of Madagascar. Madagascar vetiver has a soft and warm, nutty profile, with some lovely dark chocolate undertones and a whiff of smoke. Really nice. Here's the link to the short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OISG1gzdthk
Disclosure:  I don't work for Aura Cacia and I received nothing from them for mentioning the video, too bad for me!

Vetiver Harvest

First (very small) Vetiver Harvest!

My little 8" bundle of vetiver plants from Alberto at Agriflora Tropicals is now about 4 feet tall and 6 months old! The poor plants were becoming quite rootbound, so I felt it was time to divvy then up, put some in the garden to grow freely, and the others in a bigger pot with fresh soil. I didn't want to kill any part of the plant in order to harvest the fragrant roots, and the roots are too young yet, anyway. Or so I thought.

But there were so many roots at the bottom of the pot that I had to trim them off while repotting, so I rinsed them and dried them. Young though they are, they smell fabulous! Real vetiver, hard to beat that in the summer heat. I'll be making a sachet out of these....