Tag: dance

Fragrances for festivals – scents that stand out in a crowd!

With Glastonbury music festival about to kick off, and all manner of other festivals about to shimmy into the summer season, we are celebrating scents that lend themselves to the sounds you’ll be listening to…

 

But first: have you ever considered how perfectly linked music and perfume really are?

Well, we refer to a fragrance being ‘composed’, with fragrant ‘notes’ and ‘accords’, all of which were arranged on a perfumer’s ‘organ’. The scent is measured for how it ‘performs’, by how well those notes ‘harmonise’, and of course many fragrances (classic and modern) have melodious inspirations. But at The Perfume Society, we feel festival season in the U.K. is THE perfect time to harmonise your own experiences of hearing the music, and wearing a perfume that perfectly matches the mood (and can even enhance the vibe).

So, why are music and fragrance so inextricably linked, beyond the words we use to describe them? It might partly be down to the physical way we smell, how an odour molecule makes its way into our olfactory receptors. Yet this is something on which, astonishingly, scientists are yet to agree. The majority opinion seems to be that odour molecules have distinct shapes, and that some of these fit easily into corresponding olfactory receptacles (like a child’s shape-matching puzzle).

 

 

But there is another, still-controversial theory: that scent molecules, like sounds, vibrate. This theory has been put forward by biophysicist and scent author Luca Turin, and certainly finds favour with many. In an article she wrote for The Telegraph, Christine Nagel, resident perfumer for Hermès, explained it thus, namely that  ‘…odour depends on the ways the molecule can vibrate, determined by the exact arrangement of atoms and bonds inside the molecule. Differently structured molecules will “sound” different the way different musical instruments do, making them smell different from each other.’

For Francis Kurkdjian, the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male and several Elie Saab bestsellers, in-house perfumer at Dior, as well as his own celebrated Maison Francis Kurkdjian line of fine fragrances, ‘…music and perfume are very much related because they use a common medium – the air. You hear music when the vibration of the sound in the air hits your ears, the same way that perfume needs the movement of air to come to your nose.’

Fragrance YouTube broadcaster Dariush (aka Persolaise) says that listening to music and wearing a fragrance that somehow evokes it is  a match made in heaven, saying that ‘In our gorgeous-smelling community of scenthusiasts, we know all about living through our senses,’ and explaining: ‘a favourite pursuit of mine, every now and then, is to choose one of my favourite albums, fire up my sound system and select a perfume whose notes will somehow enhance the musical notes emerging from the speakers.’

 

 

 

Dariush continues, ‘Sometimes I wear it on myself. Sometimes I fill the room with it. Sometimes I burn it in candle form. That’s not terribly important. The point is to give some thought to the sounds and consider what form they’d take if they were turned into a perfume.’ Reflecting on this act of listening while wearing, he concludes that ‘Making the effort ACTIVELY to listen to a whole piece of music is just as rich and memorable an experience as plunging into the complexity of a perfume. But what’s even more powerful is when you combine the two.’

We couldn’t agree more, and here’s our roundup of some fragrances we recommend wearing to festivals this summer (or simply enjoying while boogying in your back garden, if festivals aren’t really your thing!)

 

 

 

 

 

Noyz x Damon Baker Monochrome

Crafted with photographic prodigy Damon Baker – this is a festival-worthy scent that plays with light and shadow. Opening with the sparkle of citrus and an energising hit of earthy coffee, it’s an instant mood-lifter for sun-drenched afternoons. Meanwhile, the smooth blend of patchouli and addictive dry down keeps things intriguing as the night truly comes alive.

Currently £105 for 50ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

 

Marc Jacobs Perfect Elixir

With a playful burst of purple rhubarb and sunny orange blossom, this scent is a festival in a bottle. Warm amber woods and creamy vanilla bean wrap you in a joyful hug, perfectly matching the colourful, self-expressive spirit of a British summer festival, this is a true ode to individuality and celebration.

£72 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

 

 

 

Elie Saab L’Homme

Bergamot and pink pepper sparkle at first spritz, while smoky vetiver and warm cedarwood bring a touch of mystery and sophistication. It’s the scent for the festival-goer who moves between stages and tents with quiet, magnetic confidence. It’s one of those fragrances that’s as enigmatic as it is inviting.

£62.50 for 50ml eau de parfum johnlewis.com

 

 

 

 

 

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Cherry Baby

This flirty, cherry-rich fragrance is a playful nod to festival fun – think sweet cherry, dark chocolate, and peony wrapped up in ultra cute packaging. It’s vibrant, youthful, and just the thing for making new friends under the festival marquee – and it lasts really well on even dance-warmed skin.

£39.99 for 75ml eau de parfum thefragranceshop.co.uk

 

 

 

Guess Iconic Man

A bold, spicy opening of Sichuan pepper and mandarin sets the tone for adventure, while aromatic sage and earthy vetiver keep things grounded and intriguing. It’s the scent for the festival trailblazer who loves to stand out, but doesn’t want to try too hard – effortlessly cool and utterly beguiling, leaving a trail of allure wherever they party.

£67 for 100ml eau de toilette guess.eu

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Strictly Scents: Part Two (matching fragrances to all the dances)

Strictly season is hotting up, and we’re scenting all the major dances with fragrances we feel best compliment their unique characters. Don’t forget to read Part One for all the background context of these features, but briefly put, music and fragrance have myriad connections. What’s more, we love mixing cultural references, as it adds to our understanding of scent as an emotive medium!

So, simply decide which dance best sum up your personality, or would match your mood today, and then seek out the perfume we’ve picked to accompany it…

 

 

 

American Smooth – BDK Vanille Leather

The magic of seeing couples glide over the dance floor in this so-sophisticated number never gets old, and we know you’ll be won over by the rich smoothness of the glorious vanilla in this scent, too. But if you avoid gourmands, fear not! Get set to banish all thoughts of it being sickly: this has great depth but glides on skin like a silky caress. Rich, yes, but so, SO chic. Shot through with Indian tuberose, Egyptian jasmine and orange flower, there’s a fizzing sense of excitement from pink peppercorns and a swoony violet to infuse the trail, along with that creamy, dreamy vanilla.

£195 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

Viennese Waltz – Chopard Imperiale Iris Malika

A classic dance style often depicted in romantic films, the sweepingly graceful moves are reflected in this regally arrayed fragrance. Enrobed in purple, the majesty of this Chopard scent is apparent even before the first spritz. Echoing both the colour of the iris flower and the robes associated with royalty, this fit-for-a-Queen fragrance billows wild berries and warm spices borne aloft on a feather-light, powdery cloud of that exceptional orris concrete, garlanded either side by jasmine and ylang ylang. Further spices infuse opulently silky balms and woodiness in the base. One to fall madly in love with, for sure.

£90 for 100ml eau de parfum fenwick.co.uk

 

 

 

Salsa – Jean Paul Gaultier Divine

Overtly feminine in style, this is a blur of boobs, hips and feet sashaying with intent (and filled with happiness!) You’d not be able to do it in the actual corset, but you can definitely feel the vibe wearing this fragrance. Gilded breast cones? Of COURSE it’s a JPG – referencing one of his iconic fashion pieces in fragrant form, it’s sparkly, yet has a satisfying gourmand hit. Envisage sun-warmed skin, now add opulent wafts of white flowers, and a scented surprise where the addictive sweet creaminess of whipped meringue is suddenly shot through with a lip-smacking hint of the salty sea. Breezy yet buxom, it’s an invitation to be the very best, fragrantly fabulous version of yourself.

£66 for 30ml eau de parfum jeanpaulgaultier.com

 

 

 

Argentine Tango – Floris Tuberose in Silk

Surely the most passionate dance of all, this drama-filled spectacle needs a scent that can balance the sheer sexiness with restraint. Teetering betwixt the hip-swivelling sensuality of tuberose and the softness of a rose’s velvet blush, this surprising dive into untamed eroticism is held at bay by the cashmere fluffiness of musk, a warm hug of amber and a dusting of iris. Calmed by these, the orange blossom and jasmine join the white flowers in a more controlled dance than if left to cavort, while camphor’s on hand with the smelling salts for the final dip.

From £30 for 50ml eau de parfum florislondon.com

 

 

Charleston – Vyrao Sun Rae

Need an instant shot of energy? You will with this breathlessly entertaining dance, and wearing this gloriously uplifting scent – infused with ‘a supercharged Herkimer diamond crystal for clarity and to boost energy levels’ – the brilliant Lyn Harris has created her own magic from a ZING! POP! FIZZ! of citrus explosions that feel like you’re being beamed above the clouds with every spritz. Turn on the scented spotlight for a sizzle of turmeric and black pepper, adding ruffled layers of welcome warmth, while bergamot, lemon, and aqueous ginger sparkle like bottled sunshine throughout.

£135 for eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

Couple’s Choices: (a category introduced in 2018 – celebs and their professional dancer partners have a choice of performing either a contemporary dance, a street/commercial dance or theatre and jazz. We’ve chosen a scent for each..)

 

 

Couple’s Choice Contemporary – Bruno Cucinelli Pour Homme

A poetically lyrical style of dance that often incorporates balletic moves and lifts, this dance truly expresses the emotion of the music. The fragrance for this match is just as expressive, while masterfully understated. Paying tribute to the Italian design house’s home of Solomeo with every sophisticated, spice-infused spritz, Olivier Cresp evokes rolling Umbrian hills, an aromatic landscape brought to life via cypress, juniper, clary sage and Nigerian ginger flecked with flinty black pepper. Known for his masterful textures and superb fabrics, Cucinelli’s aesthetic and his homeland are so brilliantly nuanced within the blend: a sense of overlapping complexity that simultaneously feels effortless.

£160 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

Couple’s Choice Street – Art de Parfum Sabotage

Often introducing a retro dance style to appropriately nostalgic tunes, this dance always puts smiles on the audience’s faces. Similarly, this scent joyously revels in revery, harking back to the 90s as its perfumed point of reference. We’re imagining it worn while dancing to MC Hammer’s ‘U Can’t Touch This’ for extra fun. And this really is fun to wear. It has us pining for the optimism and carefree attitude of that era, which is cleverly evoked here with a boozy Negroni accord, a breeze of spearmint, tuberose naughtily swirled with wormwood, earthy patchouli and a mossy dry-down. It’s ‘da bomb’ (as we liked to say, back then).

£125 for 50ml extrait artdeparfum.com

 

 

Couple’s Choice Jazz – Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club

The vibrant allure of an illicit after-party in a wood-panelled club is evoked here via a fizz of pink pepper, the brightness of neroli and lemon slinking to the rum-infused fun of the rich heart. There’s a shadowy coolness of vetiver oil from Java, a sense of refinement from the tobacco, and a sensually resinous vanilla base; but it’s the kind of night that will linger long in your memory, and your secret smiles…

£115 for 100ml eau de toilette maisonmargiela.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Strictly Come Spritzing – fragrances for every dance!

Fragrance and music have long been linked, but in this matching series we’re partnering perfumes with Strictly dances, too! Which ones will you most be drawn to, and which would match the mood of this new season’s celebrity couples’ characters…?

The Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Quickstep, Rumba, Tango, Jive, Foxtrot, Paso Doble and Samba were the first dance forms showcased when the programme began in (can you believe it?) 2004. Later, in series 3, the American Smooth and Viennese Waltz were included for the first time, followed by the Salsa and Argentine Tango, which were added as part of the lineup for Series 4, and the Charleston in series 7.

To fully explore the perfumes I’ve paired with each dance, and truly celebrate the high-stepping kick-off of the new Strictly season, I thought it best to split these scent suggestions into two parts; beginning with the original dances and moving onto the later additions as the competition really heats up.

Now, get on your dancing shoes, pop on a pair of leg warmers, limber up, and get ready for the scented spotlight…

 

 

Waltz – 4160 Tuesdays Dancing With Strangers

First introduced in the 18th Century, this dance shocked polite society for how close couples’ bodies were pressed. Cult Fragrances author Tessa Williams partnered closely with Sarah McCartney with this twirling-ly provocative perfume. We’re treated to a deliciously fragrant waltz that’s partly formal-feeling, with lipstick-y rose, violet and white florals; part exuberant energy, shot through with solar jasmine and joyous honeysuckle.


From £40 for 15ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

Cha-Cha-Cha – Edeniste Rose Délice

A lively, playfully flirtatious dance, this needs a similarly light-hearted fragrance to match its mood. Vibrant, colourful, and yes, flirtatious, here Bulgarian rose essence brings glorious radiance, refreshed by a sun-kissed splash of sparkling mandarin from Italy. French May rose absolute from Grasse – the rarest and most precious – adds sensuality. Notes of red berries, naturally present in some varieties of roses, tinge the vivid bouquet with extra playfulness. A velvety drydown of vanilla and musk sashay the scent to skin-like sensuality.

£60 for 30ml eau de parfum In our shop 

 

 

 

Quickstep – EAU.MG Rockin Rose

Fast, powerful, but still full of fun, this dance requires a perfume that can keep up! Rockin Rose really sets the pace with an uplift of mouthwatering juicy pear and melon, immediately followed by a soaring floral heart of narcotic muguet (lily of the valley) and a rose that runs to greet you with an exuberant smile. Even rose naysayers will fall madly for it! Finally, as it warms the scent fades out with a trail of ultra comforting musk and silkily grounding sandalwood for a breath of serenity after all that energy.

Try a sample as part of The Garden of Delights Discovery Box £23 / £19 for VIPs

 

 

Rumba – Dunhill Icon Elite

Considered the most saucily romantic of all Latin ballroom dances, here’s a scent that equally appeals to bohemian spirits. This tobacco-laden fragrance speaks of long liquid lunches in smoky bars padded with faded leather and panelled in dark wood. Musky Cuban cascarilla oil is pierced by the piquancy of pimento berries and a cool shot of pine needles with herbaceously aromatic sage. The gently smouldering base of patchouli gets comfortable with a boozy cherry-like sweetness of the toasty tonka beans. Hip-swivelling-ly good!

Currently £43.95 for for 100ml eau de parfum sephora.co.uk

 


Tango – Tom Ford Ébène Fumé

Famous for its trademark sharply accented, staccato moves, this dance is passionate for sure, but it celebrates a love of life, not only romance. Palo Santo infuses this woody-amber incarnation ‘an almost spiritual sensuality that uplifts your mood.’ It smoulders meaningfully alongside dry cade essence, resinous cistus absolute, carnal roses, guaiac and thorny, ebony woods. The trick it carries off? This would be equally at home on the dance floor at a party or in bedroom, afterwards.

£220 for 50ml eau de parfum tomford.co.uk

 

 

Jive – Ruth Mastenbroek Dagian

Upbeat, lightning-quick and seriously social, this one needs a scent that projects a sparkling freshness yet lasts the whole night long! Dagian is inspired by ‘…the feeling of optimism that breaks at dawn, the exhilarating hope of a fresh start. As the sun rises, a breeze of lime and mint shimmers over notes of orange blossom and rum.’ Energetically fizzing from first spritz, this is one to reach for when you need an immediate WHOOSH! of energy that doesn’t fade (as most citrus-centric fragrances can). Perfect for any weather, too. A must-sniff.

Try a sample in the Ruth Mastenbroek Discovery Set for £27.50

 

 

 

Foxtrot – Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood Extrait

Known for its iconic ruse and fall motion, there’s a smoothness to this dance which requires something equally silky as a scent – but a fragrance that appears as seemingly effortless. Well. Does anyone do utterly wearable oudhs for Western sensibilities better than Francis Kurkdjian? Probably not. Here he offers us a masterful paring-down from the original Oud Silk Mood, with an eau de parfum. Can silk get any smoother? Somehow this manages to be airy yet still voluptuous, the Laotian wood woven through with Bulgarian roses, Italian bergamot, Indian papyrus and Moroccan blue chamomile, with a hit of hedoine. Simply heavenly.

£320 for 70ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

 

Paso Doble – Floral Street Black Lotus

Theatrically dramatic, full of angular shapes and fabulously intricate flamenco-style footwork, it’s the fastest of the Latin ballroom dances. For this scent, imagine a deep red rose dressed in a black leather jacket. A classic note but so Intoxicating, spirited, bohemian and alive – this is a fragrance that feels complex and multi-faceted, the sweet honeyed scent of centifolia rose adds depth to lighter, spicy nuances via a sizzle of red peppercorn and warmly tingling saffron. ‘Once smelled forever adored’ they say, and we think you’ll totally agree! Go on, succumb…

Try a generous 10ml travel spray eau de parfum as part of the Scintillating Scents Discovery Box £33 / £29 for VIPs

 

Samba – Granado Pharmácias Boemia

A Brazilian dance with its roots firmly in Africa, this is an expressive style where dancers must move hips, feet and arms to the beat – where music seems to course through the entire body. Obviously this beloved Brazilian brand had to be our choice, and we’re plumping for this scent, which they explain the origins of: ‘The atmosphere of Lapa at the beginning of the 20th century was the starting point for this intense creation. Ambrée, striking and extremely elegant, Boemia represents all the sensuality and daring of the most bohemian neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. With 92% of ingredients of natural origin, the perfume has a light fresh spicy air over warm and sensual notes, enveloped by an atmosphere of mystery and sophistication.’

£110 for 75ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com (Also available at their new Ham Yard and Regent Street stores)

Until next time: keeeeeeep spritzing…!

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale