fragrances

Harry Slatkin, founder and creative force behind Slatkin & Co. and one of the country's top fragrance experts, believe you shouldn't rush into buying a fragrance when shopping.

"Take a step back before deciding what fragrance to wear," he says.

Indeed, what a fragrance smells like on one person may smell completely different on someone else.

"So just because you like the way something smells when it is in the bottle doesn't mean that is what it is going to smell like when it is on you," says Slatkin. "Let your nose direct you."

Luxist Awards Expert Panelist Harry Slatkin is best known for the home fragrances he has created. Slatkin is founder of Slatkin & Co., the premier home fragrance brand celebrated for its scent experience and design (now a division of Bath & Body Works). He oversees product development for all the home fragrance brands under Bath & Body Works, the country's largest bath and body retailer with over 1,650 stores.

In this video, Slatkin explains how to give home fragrances
as gifts.

"They are great because they last for so long," he says. "Plus, it is a gift that people can enjoy instantly."

Slatkin says he may bring a fragrant candle, long with a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates, but the candle will last longer than either of the other alternatives. "A box of chocolates might last a week, but a fragrant candle will last a lot longer."

Slatkin explains how he goes about selecting the scents of the candles he gives to friends.

"I always try to think of the personality of the person, but I also make it seasonal," says Slatkin. "If it is holiday time, I will give a scent that is more wintery, with tree-like scents. If it is spring time, I will select more floral scents like jasmine. If it is summer I will give cleaner scents."

Paris Hilton has quite the perfume empire. The indomitable heiress is releasing her tenth scent this month. Tease was inspired by another showy blonde, Marilyn Monroe. The box features a black and white image of Paris posed as a blonde bombshell. The pictures were shot in Los Angeles by Tony Duran. "I am all about being alluring, but with a wink, and a fun, fresh take on all that is enticingly feminine about a woman today," says Hilton in a press release.

Tease is a good name for this scent, it's not a sugar slam like many of her other scents. Sure, the fruity sweetness is there but it comes on soft in a powdery whisper. The scent starts with fruity notes of fresh Fuji apple, sunny sea mist accord, white peach nectar and Sparkling Bergamot. The heart is full of white florals: frangipani petals, night-blooming jasmine and creamy tuberose. Even the base is soft, winding up with golden amber, blonde woods and warm sand accord. It would be hard to dislike this one, Hilton has called the scent sweet and flirty and it is but like a flirt it disappears before you have time to really consider it, leaving behind just a fluffy warm memory.

The scent was created for Parlux by Steve DeMercado who has spent 20 years in the perfume business.

I've had my sniff, want yours? I'm giving away my 3.4 ounce review bottle which retails for $55.
* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before July 23, 2010 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive one 3.4 ounce Paris Hilton Tease eau de parfum valued at $55.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete giveaway rules here.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

The bestselling memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" is now a movie starring Julia Roberts which will open August 13 (movie trailer after the jump). In advance of the movie Fresh is releasing a trio of fragrances branded with the three themes. "Eat" captures the scents of Italy and is food focused with notes of Italian lemon, basil and bergamot, plum, caramel, meringue and vanilla. Pray goes for the spiritual with notes of incense, rose,patchouli, amber and musk. Love which showcases the writer's time in Indonesia includes notes of jasmine, sandalwood and mango blossom. The outer packaging using a similar design to the book cover. The perfumes will retail for $32 for a 1-oz. eau de parfum spray and trio of candles will be also available for $45. They will debut next month.

Hermès may best be known for its leathergoods and fashion, but it is also a powerhouse in the fragrance world. Its newest scent, Voyage d'Hermès, is a nominee for a Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Award for Best Fragrance.

Voyage d'Hermès was created by its exclusive perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, who joined Hermès in 2004. Ellena's hope was to develop a perfume that would take people to another place---a scent that would represent the most beautiful of all journeys. His desire was that people would smell the perfume and not say "It reminds me..." but "It's calling to me."

Ellena created a fragrance that is both familiar and surprising as well as masculine and feminine. Voyage d'Hermès is a unisex fragrance that is woody, fresh and musky.

A loophole in a 37-year-old federal law allows makers of perfumes, colognes, and body sprays to conceal the chemicals that comprise the fragrances---and some of those unidentified odor creators may be harmful to public health, according to two advocacy groups.

Laboratory analysis was performed on 17 best-selling fragrance products, with tests revealing that the products together contained 38 chemicals not listed on product labels, reported AOL News today.

At the top of the list was American Eagle Seventy Seven with 24 secret chemicals. Chanel's Coco had 18 and Britney Spears Curious and Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio have 17, according to AOL News. View the list of offenders at AOL News.

"Every product we tested contains a mixture of secret chemical compounds not listed on the labels," Jane Houlihan, senior vice president for research for Environmental Working Group, told AOL News.

Worrisome for advocacy groups is that several of the undisclosed chemicals, including diethyl phthalate and musk ketone, contain hazardous properties or have a propensity to accumulate in human tissues.

Fragrances are not the only products that may contain undisclosed chemicals that can be hazardous. Many shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, and laundry detergents, contain ingredients that are not disclosed on packaging.

The Fragrance Materials Association of the United States (FMA) disagrees with the study's findings. "There is nothing 'secret' about the ingredients being used in fragrances," according to a statement issued by the FMA. The fragrance industry has published a listing of more than 3,000 fragrance ingredients that are currently being used in all forms of consumer products. This list can be found online.

"Scare mongering through the use of 'suggested' or 'potential' associations between fragrance materials and various toxicities is deplorable, particularly when present in a document that purports to be scientific,' said Cathy Cook, the association's spokesperson in a statement. The FMA further faulted the study because it was "self-published and not peer-reviewed."

Is there a fragrance, old or new, that you believe is superior to all others? Do you know of a skincare line geared toward men that is extraordinary? Is there a skin cream product that you can't live without? What is the best cosmetics line around? What is the best body care line? If you can recommend what you believe are the best beauty products and lines, we want to hear from you!

The Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Beauty will be awarded based on your nominations and voting. We're currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:

Best Fragrance
Best Men's Skincare Line
Best Skin Cream
Best Cosmetics Line
Best Body Care Line

One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until May 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on June 1, 2010.

Tired of the same old scent? Interested in wearing a fragrance that has been personalized and created just for you?

Customized scents are a growing trend in the fragrance industry. While it is a cottage industry that has been around for a long time, more companies than perhaps ever before are now offering custom-ordered, personalized fragrances, including Scent Design, Esens, Neil Morris Fragrances and Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle.

So how do you navigate the process of finding your own personalized fragrance? To find out these answers, Luxist consulted with Frédéric Malle, world renowned artisan perfumer and founder of Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, a Paris-based fragrance company.

Malle advises clients first to be prepared to dig deep into their imagination. Indeed, an artisan perfumer will ask you many questions to find out about your personality and desires.

Editions de Parfums handles each of its clients with extreme care. They take time and careful precision to ask the right questions of each client so that they can match them with a fragrance that will suit all of their needs.

Edition de Parfums is able to match the perfect fragrance for each client by having them first complete an in-depth questionnaire personally created by Malle. The questionnaire gives potential consumers the ease to tap into their imagination as they answer each question. The first question it asks clients to answer is "Do you have any particular desire at the moment?" Other questions include, "Why do you wear perfume?" (To seduce, refresh, add a final touch, etc.); "Is the perfume for yourself, or another or for all others?"; and "Which perfumes have most marked you?". The questionnaire inquires about the style of clothing a client will wear (formal attire, evening dress, city wear, sport, country, etc.) with the perfume and about his or her favorite clothing brands. Edition de Parfums also considers the weather and climate of where the client lives. The questionnaire can be filled out in Edition de Parfums stores or conveniently on line.

"Filling out the questionnaire on line is very similar to the experience that you would have when you walk in the store," says Malle. "It's almost better. Sometimes people want to fantasize about themselves and introduce themselves in the best way. For example when we ask 'what designers you wear?' on our website there are more people who wear Prada then Zara. People either answer the questions honestly or they may give an idealized version of themselves. It's fine to introduce yourself on the website in a slightly improved way other than reality because it gives us the style that you like best, not whether you can afford the style you like best."

"If you tell me that you want to buy a fragrance because you do a lot of running and after going to the gym and you need to feel refreshed before going into the office I won't point you towards the same fragrance as someone who tells me 'listen.... I just changed boyfriends and we go out every night and I want to be as attractive as possible after 9:00 pm...' It's a different deal," Malle adds.

The art of perfume is a science and artisan perfumers are experienced chemists who understand the complexities of chemical compounds. For a perfumer to create one single fragrance it can take upwards to one year to develop and perfect. This is not an easy or simple process. Before seeking out a fragrance that is specific to your needs, first find a perfume publisher with accreditation and experience (such as Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle). An experienced perfumer will compile information to "match your personality" with a fragrance that will be selected especially for you.

Malle, for example, has been a "perfume publisher" for more than 23 years. He was born into the world of perfume and is the grandson of Serge Heftler, founder of Dior Perfumes. In 1986 he joined the prestigious perfume laboratories of Roure Bertrand Dupont. There, he formed the foundation to cultivate his craft and befriended some of the world's most renowned noses thereby setting the stage for his future role as a creator of Edition de Parfums. Malle approached the best perfumers in the business who agreed to put their names one what eventually became some of their finest creations. Edition de Parfums was conceived in 2000.

Malle explained the inner workings of his company. "We have 18 different fragrances, all of which are very different from one another," he says. "There are so many options that could fit different personalities. This company works on two levels. One level we have the best fragrance creators who come up with very specific works of art. The second is at our stores or on our website where we do "match-making". We try to match the right person to the right fragrances within the collection."

The likelihood of walking into an accredited and experienced perfumery to make an inquiry about creating a personalized fragrance is close to zero. The process of creating a fragrance is so intricate and time consuming that most genuine perfumers do not offer this service. Edition de Parfums is one of the few perfumeries that takes the time to consult with each and every client to provide them with a fragrance that is customized to fit every facet of their individuality.

"It takes a year to get a fragrance right," says Malle. "So I don't see how it is possible for a sales person in any store could make a good fragrance in ten minutes. It is just impossible. It is a very long and tedious process and anyone that says otherwise would be lying."

Edition de Parfums fragrances can be purchased online or at one of its boutiques around the world. Fragrances range in price (depending on the scent) from 80 EUR ($108) to 130 EUR ($175) for a 50 ml perfume spray and 115 EUR ($155) to 200 EUR ($269) for a 100 ml spray. Soaps, shower gels and body lotions are also available for purchase. Edition de Parfums boutiques are located in Paris and New York.

You can create your own unique signature scent by layering scents, according to Luxist Awards Expert Panelist Harry Slatkin, who is regarded as one of the country's leading fragrance experts.

"Don't be afraid to mix," says the fragrance expert who is the founder and creative force behind Slatkin & Co., the premier home fragrance brand celebrated for its scent experience and design (now a division of Bath & Body Works). "But of course your nose knows what will work and what won't."

For a truly unique scent, consider layering two or more fragrances. The trick is to blend notes that complement each other. Jasmine, vanilla, rose and citrus work well with most scents, while stronger notes such as patchouli and vetiver don't mix as well. A tea scent---or a perfume that has tea in it---might layer well with a rose, gardenia or a lavender scent. Slatkin recommends using a classic fragrance as a base, such as Chanel No. 5, and adding something on top. "Be daring and take it in a different direction," he says, "and you'll end up with something that's truly unique and memorable."

Remember, there may be scents in the shampoo, conditioner, cream and lotions that you use, which can change the scent of a perfume you may wear.

"If you like it, then it works," says Slatkin. "But if you walk in a room and you see people's eyes welling up with tears, then you know it isn't working for anyone else but you. If that is the case, then maybe it is something you shouldn't wear it again. Remember, it is not just about yourself, it is about everybody. You want to please people as much as yourself with scent."

Fragrances will last a long time--if they are properly stored, says Harry Slatkin, fragrance expert.

"Fragrances will last a long time if they are protected," says Slatkin, founder of Slatkin & Co., the premier home fragrance brand that is now a division of Bath & Body Works (see video below).

Keep your fragrances, including perfume, eau de parfum, cologne and eau de toilette away from heat. Most importantly, protect them from direct light, especially sunlight. "Light affects the chemical makeup of a fragrance and will change its color which affects the dynamics of how it combines," he adds.

Likewise, Slatkin says fragrances should not be stored in a refrigerator, as the humidity can also change the chemical makeup for the worse. It is best to keep the fragrances in their original containers, if possible, and with the tops tightly closed to avoid exposure to air. If given a choice, opt for bottles with spray dispensers as opposed to ones with open tops or roller balls. Spray dispensers better protect the fragrance from exposure to dirt, dust and air, and have a longer shelf life, too.

Don't be too quick to throw away bottles of perfume that you think may be too old to use, as long as they have been stored properly over the years. "I have smelled scents that are 15 years old, some in bottles that hadn't ever been open," says Slatkin, who is a member of the Luxist Awards' Panel of Experts. "They hold pretty well, and don't change character too much."

Perfume is more concentrated, more complex and less fragile than fragrances (such as eau de toilette, cologne and eau de parfum) that contain less oils and are more diluted. As a result, perfumes tend to last much longer.

Next month DKNY will debut its newest addition to the best-selling DKNY family of his and her fragrances. The limited edition Delicious Candy Apples Collection comprises three new fragrances that pair the sweetness of candy with a ripe, juicy apple. The fragrances will be available in Sephora, department stores, and perfumeries nationwide, as well as at DKNY.com, for $55 each.

Juicy Berry opens with black currant, blackberry, pear, and lychee notes, blends into a heart of rose petals and apple blossom, and finishes with sandalwood and sugary blond woods.

Ripe Raspberry opens with raspberry, apple, and lime notes, a heart of peonies and lily, and a drydown of cola accord.

Sweet Caramel opens with candy apple, pear, and marshmallow notes, which blend into a heart of jasmine, muguet and violet leaves and a drydown of caramel and vanilla.

Delicious is right! A representative for DKNY was kind enough to send me the trio so I can try them out. Luxist likes to share the love, so one reader will win one bottle of DKNY Delicious Candy Apples Sweet Caramel by following the contest rules below:

* Leave a confirmed comment telling us why you wear fragrance.
* The comment must be left and confirmed by January 29, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a DKNY Delicious Candy Apples in Sweet Caramel, valued at $55.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

Want more DKNY? Get connected on Twitter at twitter.com/dkny. And take a look at this exclusive animated video, created just for the Candy Apples Collection launch.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified on or before Monday, February 1. Thanks for participating!

Next month DKNY will debut its newest addition to the best-selling DKNY family of his and her fragrances. The limited edition Delicious Candy Apples Collection comprises three new fragrances that pair the sweetness of candy with a ripe, juicy apple. The fragrances will be available in Sephora, department stores, and perfumeries nationwide, as well as at DKNY.com, for $55 each.

Juicy Berry opens with black currant, blackberry, pear, and lychee notes, blends into a heart of rose petals and apple blossom, and finishes with sandalwood and sugary blond woods.

Ripe Raspberry opens with raspberry, apple, and lime notes, a heart of peonies and lily, and a drydown of cola accord.

Sweet Caramel opens with candy apple, pear, and marshmallow notes, which blend into a heart of jasmine, muguet and violet leaves and a drydown of caramel and vanilla.

Delicious is right! A representative for DKNY was kind enough to send me the trio so I can try them out. Luxist likes to share the love, so one reader will win one bottle of DKNY Delicious Candy Apples Ripe Raspberry by following the contest rules below:

* Leave a confirmed comment telling us why you wear fragrance.
* The comment must be left and confirmed by January 29, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a DKNY Delicious Candy Apples in Ripe Raspberry, valued at $55.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

Watch Luxist for one more chance to win. We're also giving away a bottle of Sweet Caramel.

Want more DKNY? Get connected on Twitter at twitter.com/dkny. And take a look at this exclusive animated video, created just for the Candy Apples Collection launch.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified on or before Monday, February 1. Thanks for participating!

Next month DKNY will debut its newest addition to the best-selling DKNY family of his and her fragrances. The limited edition Delicious Candy Apples Collection comprises three new fragrances that pair the sweetness of candy with a ripe, juicy apple. The fragrances will be available in Sephora, department stores, and perfumeries nationwide, as well as at DKNY.com, for $55 each.

Juicy Berry opens with black currant, blackberry, pear, and lychee notes, blends into a heart of rose petals and apple blossom, and finishes with sandalwood and sugary blond woods.

Ripe Raspberry opens with raspberry, apple, and lime notes, a heart of peonies and lily, and a drydown of cola accord.

Sweet Caramel opens with candy apple, pear, and marshmallow notes, which blend into a heart of jasmine, muguet and violet leaves and a drydown of caramel and vanilla.

Delicious is right! A representative for DKNY was kind enough to send me the trio so I can try them out. Luxist likes to share the love, so one reader will win one bottle of DKNY Delicious Candy Apples Juicy Berry by following the contest rules below:

* Leave a confirmed comment telling us why you wear fragrance.
* The comment must be left and confirmed by January 29, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a DKNY Delicious Candy Apples in Juicy Berry, valued at $55.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

Watch Luxist for two more chances to win. We're also giving away a bottle of Ripe Raspberry and a bottle of Sweet Caramel.

Want more DKNY? Get connected on Twitter at twitter.com/dkny. And take a look at this exclusive animated video, created just for the Candy Apples Collection launch.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified on or before Monday, February 1. Thanks for participating!

Cartier is the latest brand to have created a second line of more exclusive scents grouped around a central theme (others include Chanel's Les Exclusifs and Tom Ford's Private Blends). Cartier's series is titled Les Heures du Parfum and the first five fragrances in the line of 13 were released last month at Saks Fifth Avenue. The scents were created by Mathilde Laurent, Cartier's in-house perfumer, who was given free reign to create distinctive olfactory experiences meant to evoke moods and settings. They are not being released in chronological order. Each bottle features the Roman numeral of the hour it represents.

I: L' Heure Promise--The Promising Hour has delicate notes of petitgrain, iris and sandalwood.
VI: L' Heure Brillante--The Shining Hour has sharp citrusy-herbal notes of lemon and gin.
X: L' Heure Folle-- The Crazy Hour is vibrantly fruity with notes of blackcurrant and blueberry.
XII: 'L'Heure Mystérieuse--The Mysterious Hour intoxicates with touches of jasmine and patchouli.
XIII: 'La Treizième Heure-- The Thirteenth Hour seduces with notes of narcissus, leather and maté.

Each one sells for $250 for 2.5 ounces. Two more will be released each following year.

The Byronic figure shown at right is Kilian Hennessy, a former marketing executive at L'Oréal and heir to the Hennessy cognac family, who has created a new luxurious line of six eau de parfums known as L'Oeuvre Noire, the Black Masterpiece, by Kilian. The fragrances are done in black lacquer wood boxes line in black satin. The bottles include a black metal pottle cap and subltle engravings on the side. The six scents grouped in three pairs Love and Beyond Love, Liasons Dangereuses and Cruel Intentions, A Taste of Heaven and Straight to Heaven. Love is soft with notes of neroli, Sambac jasmine, rose and iris. Beyond Love is tuberose with animal notes. Liasons Dangereuses includes notes of Egyptian geranium and cinnamon. Cruel Intentions includes bergamot, rose, vetiver and styrax. A Taste of Heaven is inspired by Absinthe and includes orange blossom, amber, and patchouli. Straight to Heaven has a rum scent deepened with nutmeg, Brazilian rosewood and cedar. The scents with their exotic ingredients sound a bit like Tom Ford's most recent offerings. The refillable bottle sells for $225. There is also a refillable fountain that resembles a cognac barrel that sells for $2500.

[via International Herald Tribune]