Tag: men

Perfume your papa! A fragrant feast of ideas for Father's Day…

We’re banishing all dated ideas of fuddy-duddy fathers’ here at The Perfume Society, with a carefully curated selection of scents to present to your dear ol’ dad. From the vibrantly refreshing to the downright delicious – we absolutely guarantee one of these scents will garner you more ‘perfect offspring’ points than a basic pair of socks… plus, read on for how to WIN a whole swag bag of scented goodies for your dad, courtesy of Kenneth Cole!
Ormonde Man just exudes exoticism, including notes of black hemlock , vetiver, cardamom and juniper berries resting on a resinously musky base. Infused with a touch of oud oil, it’s definitely one for creative chaps with their minds on higher things. A mystical miasma that’s full of charm – if your dad’s an armchair philosopher, let him waft through the library on a wave of sophisticated ambience.

Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Man, £110 for 50ml eau de parfum
Buy it at ormondejayne.com
Nuit de Issey Bleu Astral offers a whole new meaning to ‘night light’ with a fragrance that shoots for the stars.  Lime and coriander shimmer celestially in the top notes as soft leather meets the aromatic sweet woodiness of gentian. With a darkly glimmering base of warm amber and cool vetiver, it’s a whole galaxy of other-worldliness, bottled. We think dads who appreciate something that’s classically inspired but with a classy, contemporary twist will be reaching for this and thanking you for aeons.

Issey Miyake Nuit de Issey Bleu Astral, £43 for 75ml eau de toilette
Buy it at johnlewis.com
M03 is composed entirely of one ingredient – an aroma-chemical named vetiveryle acetate – that somehow conveys every single facet of the vetiver root. Sparkling sunshine swoops to newly mown lawns and welcome shade. Digging deeper we get earthiness, lush undergrowth fresh from a monsoon and a final soft balminess that feels like a long, cold glass of gin and tonic after a long day. Why not try this alongside its scent ‘twin’, E03, in our fantastic Men’s Edit box of carefully curated scents (and two grooming goodies – one of them full-size!) so he’s really spoilt for choice…?

Escentric Molecules M03, £72 for 100ml eau de parfum
Buy it at libertylondon.com

The Black Rose (yes – roses for men are definitely a thing. Get with-it, grandpa!) is a stunning evocation of the mountains of Saudi Arabia. Composed by perfumer Pierre Constantin Gueros, think shimmering mirages in steamy air scented with oppulent Taif roses and sprinkled with pink pepper. Warmly ambrée in the base, it’s a trail of vanilla, musk and patchouli-infused amber, for a journey he’ll definitely want to follow.

Trussardi The Black Rose, £77.50 for 100ml eau de parfum
Buy it at harrods.com
Silver Mountain Water is a soothingly composed cool breeze of a scent, hand-picked by our fragrant friend, The Rare Tea Lady, who described it as having ‘…a milky sweetness on the skin – so it needs something elegant, smokey and masculine behind it. There’s actually a smoke note in Mountain Silver Water, but to bring it out I’d suggest a Keemun tea.’ So how about paring it with a pot of that delicious Rare Tea Company Keemun brew for a gift that really keeps on giving?

Creed Silver Mountain Water, £108 for 75ml eau de parfum  Buy it at selfridges.com

Musc Impèrial is directly inspired by the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona and the suites “impériales” in which Atelier Cologne founders Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel stayed, coupled with the vibrancy of the Catalan capital. Effervescently intriguing, it pairs herbaceously smoky clary sage with bergamot and a warm waft of musk for a father who likes to travel in the most elegant way.

Atelier Cologne Musc Impèrial, £110 for 100ml eau de parfum
Buy it at Atelier Cologne
Black Bold is inspired by the characteristic ‘boldness of New York life,’ featuring a chilly blast of cedar leaves and nutmeg with a complex background breeze of lotus flowers and a hint of incense being burned in a loft appartment. Smoothly balanced woodiness harmonises violet leaves and misty ambergris on a softly sueded base – for the metropolitan man-about-town who’s at home wherever he leaves his hat…


Kenneth Cole Black Bold £40 for 50ml eau de parfum
Buy it at houseoffraser.co.uk
Written by Suzy Nightingale

Eating garlic makes men smell more attractive to women [apparently…]

Although it may sound completely counterintuitive, results of a 2015 study by University of Stirling and Prague’s Charles University revealed that women who sniffed the heady scent of male body odour perceived it to be ‘significantly more attractive and less intense,’ when the men had eaten garlic.
82 women were asked to smell odour samples from 42 men, collected on pads worn in their armpits, and judge them for ‘pleasantness, attractiveness, masculinity and intensity.’
[Permit us to wonder, with eyebrows firmly raised, if the same study has been repeated with the gals eating garlic.]
Researchers concluded the results possibly showed that as ‘…the health benefits of garlic consumption include antioxidant, immunostimulant, cardiovascular, bactericidal and anti-cancer effects, it is plausible that human odour preferences have been shaped by sexual selection.’

So that’s vampires bang out of luck, then.
Previous research has shown that many animals’ noses are honed to select mates in the best physical condition, and therefore human noses might well be similarly evolutionary primed to seek out partners with the most promising whiffs. Something to think about the next time your special someone reaches for that extra slice of garlic bread.
Those of you wishing to learn more about the fascinating science of taste and smell can get the juices flowing by reading our latest issue of The Scented Letter Magazine. Full to bursting with the latest news, exclusive interviews and award-winning fragrance journalism – we think you’ll find this is our most delicious issue yet…
Written by Suzy Nightingale

Love to Smell review our Scent of a Man Discovery Box – so full they had to sniff it twice!

We already loved Love to Smell – the YouTube channel set up by fragrance experts and friends Pia Long and Nick Gilbert to make perfume reviews both fun and informative. But when they had to split their latest review – all about our Scent of a Man Discovery Box – into two parts because there’s so bloomin’ much in the box, we fell in love all over again…
You can watch the video yourselves, below, but we thought it worth a recap of some of the amazing things in store if you haven’t already explored. Firstly, let’s just accept that size sometimes matters and the Scent of a Man Discovery Box is a whopper, featuring 13 fragrances in all, plus luxurious grooming additions (worth £40.25 alone!). We think you might have to agree, it’s just the best gift for a male scent-lover, ever…
scentofamanshopwidgetaw2
So what’s in the box? *Deep breath* It’s quite a list…
• Penhaligon’s No 33 eau de Cologne, 1.5ml eau de Cologne
• Lalique Encre Noir à L’Extrême, 1.8ml eau de parfum
• Paul Smith Essential, 1.2ml eau de toilette
• Carven L’Eau Intense, 1.2ml eau de toilette
• Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme, 0.8ml eau de toilette
• Eight & Bob Original, 1.5ml eau de parfum
• Illuminum Piper Leather, 2ml eau de parfum
• Miller Harris Vetiver Insolent, 2ml eau de parfum
• Prada Luna Rossa Eau Sport, 1.5ml eau de toilette
• Yardley 1770, 1ml eau de toilette
• Beaufort London Coeur de Noir, 2ml eau de parfum
• Gruhme for Him, 5ml eau de toilette
• Montblanc Legend Spirit, 1.2ml eau de toilette
• Elemis Ice Cool Foaming Shave Gel, 100ml
• Penhaligon’s No 33 Beard Scrub, 5ml
• Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream for Men, 15ml
Phew. You can see why they couldn’t fit it all into one episode!
screen-shot-2016-10-03-at-14-12-50
Pia makes a really good point at the start of the video, saying if you’re a woman who happens to prefer fresh or less obviously ‘feminine’ fragrances, then you should also get the box for yourself. We happily wear several of the ‘male’ orientated scents in the box, but called it ‘Scent of a Man’ because this was the first ever perfume box curated for the chaps. In a world where everything can now be seen as ‘shared’ or ‘unisex’ we kind of wanted to point out this was created with them in mind (but nothing to stop us gals from helping ourselves, too!)
So if your appetite has been whetted you can watch part one of the video review below, and then pop here to buy the box – only £15 for VIP Subscribers or £19 otherwise.
Or, if you have the box already, why not join Nick and Pia in a sniffalong as you watch the video?

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Ferrari fragrances, any time, any place…?

Possibly developed with players who yearn to be sprayers in mind, there’s no mistaking the sleek design and colouring that simply screams Ferrari – but this is no mere phone cover, it carries a secret integral compartment housing 25ml of scent to spray on the go…

While traditionally female orientated fragrances have all manner of accoutrements to play with when toting their scents; the men generally haven’t been catered for as generously. A selection of men’s travel sizes are now available – a trend we expect to see grow exponentially, as fragrance lovers of the world expect to be able to carry several with them wherever they go; but also for those of us who prefer trying a smaller size before committing to a full bottle.

Step forward Ferrari, combining technology and brand worship by offering the ability to ‘…refresh your scent every time you pick up the phone!’ Though we might urge caution if you happen to receive a lot of phone calls… Designed especially for the iPhone 6 and 6s, the phone case is available in classic Ferrari Red and Black, for both colour and fragrance choices.

152bf6c3798424d5738dd4153aeb27f7
Ferrari say: ‘These modern, elegant and intensely masculine scents are the perfect companions for innovation and performance – hallmarks of the brand for nearly a century. Ferrari Black is an aromatic fougere that features a fruity, citrus top note, a spicy floral heart and a warm, woody base. Ferrari Red is a wody citrus scent with a top note of bergamot and spearmint, a refreshing floral heart and a base of sandalwood and cedar.’

Those worried about the phone heating up their scent can rest easy, for the case has been designed not only to protect phones from impacts, but also to ensure the airtight seal prevents accidental spillages and keeps it safe from the phone’s battery.

While we await apps that can deliver a multitude of olfactory offerings at the touch of your fingertips – and scientists are, indeed, beavering away at such technologies – this might be a way of bridging the gap (or just saying sorry I couldn’t buy you a Ferrari?) for those who absolutely must be fragrant at all times…

Ferrari Black and Red fragrance iPhone cases with 25ml eau de toilette & 25ml refill, £30
Buy them at Boots

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Shakespeare’s in a lather with Heyland & Whittle’s commemorative Soap Book

Fans wishing to mark the #Shakespeare400 anniversary of the Bard’s death, may wish to make like Coriolanus and ‘Bid them wash their faces / And keep their teeth clean’ by presenting a loved-one with Heyland & Whittle‘s ‘To Beard or not to Beard’ gift-boxed commemorative Shakespeare Soap.

Shakespeare Soap Book SMALLDelightfully packaged in a book-like gift box, instead of merely including a leaflet describing the soap, Heyland & Whittle have allowed the muses to inspire them and written their own little homage – a playlet called ‘The Two Gentlemen of Castile’ – containing puns, quotations and clever quips for the discerning customer to persuse as they lather up, whether to shave or not to shave…

With natural moisturising properties and a vibrant citrus fragrance including essential oils, herbs and spices, whether they choose to shave or just wash and go, it makes a great gift for would-be whiskery thesps and bearded bibliophiles alike.

R887-3
The Commemorative Shakespeare Soap Book £12.00
Buy it at Heyland & Whittle

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Mr Burberry – new fragrance by Francis Kurkdjian lifts the fog with steamy film directed by Steve McQueen

The Burberry raincoat is an iconic British fashion piece that’s stood the test of time – and with good reason in our intemperate climate prone to ‘April showers’ the whole year ‘round. The scent of rain (termed petrichor, fact fans) has been done before, but for the brand new Mr Burberry launch the so-called ‘enfant terrible’ of perfumery and in-house nose for the brand, Francis Kurkdjian, has captured another weather element…

‘It’s fog,’ he explains of the scent he created in conjunction with Burberry Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Bailey; ‘a London fog in which nothing is defined, everything is blurred, and you can see only the shapes of things. It’s unexpected, an energy that embraces the skin of the man who wears it.’

mr-burberry-campaign-040416-01
We refuse to trot out the threadbare phrase of ‘modern classic’ but with a gasp of grapefruit tempered by soapy clean cardamom and herbaceous tarragon, the opening certainly smacks of traditional style gentlemen’s Colognes, before plunging into a smokier heart of birch leaf, nutmeg and cedar with a final fling of vetiver, sandalwood and guaiac wood.

With one of the greatest living perfumers on board to bottle perhaps one of the best-known luxury clothing brands in the world, it was only fitting for the director of the ad campaign to be something special, too. And so Burberry rolled out the red carpet to welcome Oscar-winning director of 21 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen, for his advert directorial debut.

Click the video below to see for yourself why this fragrant film starring actor and musician Josh Whitehouse and model and actress Amber Anderson is getting viewers a little hot-under-the-collar…

Portraying the fragrance and embodying the brand itself in his short film shot in London (some of the steamier scenes in a suite we recognised from another fragrance launch we’d attended at the Cafe Royal), McQueen states, ‘I wanted to convey the idea of two people who are passionately in love… It’s that moment in a relationship where all you are thinking about is each other, and all you want is to be with each other.’ We were so happy to see some truly tender moments in the film – sadly not something often witnessed in men’s fragrance adverts when it’s all about thrusting adrenaline-fuelled adventures – so bravo to Burberry and Steve McQueen for that, too.

MrBurberry-fragranceMr Burberry launches later this month, from £48 for 50ml eau de toilette
Available at Burberry concessions and Burberry.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Bentley feel the force of ‘luxury infused with adrenalin’ for Infinite Rush

Even non petrol-heads get rather excited at the mention of Bentley, it seems – a brand long synonymous with style, and who have recently added a range of fragrant offerings to their luxurious repertoire. Dedicated to those incredibly daring types who push themselves to the limits, are captivated by extreme situations and are always looking for a ‘rush’, it’s the next level of a fragrant adventure in this line of Intense scent experiences…

In describing the man the fragrance has been created for, Bentley Say: ‘In keeping with the high performance of Bentley motorcars, Infinite Rush has been created for the adventurer. Calm and confident, he is regularly exploring new horizons, captivated by extreme scenarios like driving a 4×4 in the open desert. Always intent on getting the most out of life, going further, seeking out dizzying new heights… While staying focused, relaxed and ready for the next challenge. His motto is cultivating curiosity, surprising himself and never choosing the easy option. The Infinite Rush fragrance has been created in his image: striving for the very best and exceeding expectations, with the contrast of a breath-taking, spicy freshness and a warm, woody base heralding the strong sensuality of this hero of modern times.’

Clearly a go-getting daredevil, this gentleman, his life sounds utterly exhausting! So maybe invest in a little me-time, instead, with a spritz-able sense of adventure they have captured in the bottle… The opening is wonderfully spicy yet fresh and really sets the mood for the ‘rush’ ahead – vetiver adds that always welcome earthiness to the dry cedar, the heart of elemi being the standout note for us – an exotic and complex note that’s head and shoulders above yet another citrus-y scent for gents, we’re very glad to say! The dry down is suitably refined, we could see this being popular with any age, and indeed why limit it to the male sex alone

We know many ladies who enjoy wearing ‘mens’ scents and this is enticingly up-beat if you fancy a fragrant change.

Top notes: Pink berries, rosemary, mandarin
Heart notes: vetiver, cedar, elemi
Base notes: moss, amber wood, musk

Bentley Infinite Rush £43 for 60ml eau de toilette
Exclusively at Harrods

Written by Suzy Nightingale