Lessons from a tempestuous romance with Coromandel

Though lots of people say we live in a post-modern era, common sense ideas about what’s “merely in our heads” versus what’s “actually out there” in the world haven’t really changed much. We know, of course, that when we’re in love, our “rose colored glasses” make the “external” world shimmer with magic. And we know […]

QUICK SNIFF: Weird? According to whom?

I’m curious: What perfumes do you wear that other people think are weird? Are there any that even you think are weird but love anyway? Are there any you love BECAUSE they are such weirdos? What makes something “weird” anyway? For me, Bulgari Black still feels unpleasantly weird, no matter how hard I try to […]

Skanky perfumes in the Age of Febreze

To those who are disgusted by so-called “dirty,” “skanky,” or “animalic” perfumes — and many mainstream folks may never actually have smelled one — it can be utterly baffling that anyone would find them appealing. And this may be more than a trivial difference about individuals’ attraction to particular notes, of the “I like lavender […]

QUICK SNIFF: The perfume of no perfume at all

I’m curious: Are there times when any perfume feels to you like too much? I’m wondering especially about days when, for the sake of simplicity or just to take a break, you choose to go without. Do you have commitments to simplicity or minimalism that ever conflict with your love of perfume? Do you ever […]

Perfume clones: The ethics of fragrance copycats

We know better than to copy the work of others, don’t we? We learn early not just to avoid sidelong glances at a classmate’s quiz, but to avoid even thinking of sneaking a peek. In many societies, though certainly not all, the premium placed on so-called “individual originality” — be it in the arena of […]

QUICK SNIFF: Memories that make perfume magical

I’m curious: Are there perfumes that you suspect are not especially well crafted but that carry memories for you that make you love them anyway? How much do you think you’re impacted by factors like the context in which you first sniffed a perfume when it comes to how you end up feeling about it? […]

When perfume becomes a doorway into mindfulness

You know someone, don’t you, who can be counted on to go “blech!” when they try to eat anything new to them. Whether it’s kohlrabi or Brazil nuts or hummus, the “ick!” is out of their mouth almost before the food has gone in. It’s the sort of reaction we might expect from children, but […]