Bergamotto e Benzoino

In these weeks I’m wearing a selection of Francesca Bianchi ’s perfumes.  I must admit I like them all, and all for the same reason: the absolutely unique contrast between rich and opulent formulas, and a gentle, never overwhelming radiance . Francesca likes rich textures; her scents are complex, multi-faceted, and enriched with precious raw materials offering an incomparable three-dimensionality.  They have a presence.  They breathe, like living animals .  Yet, all this richness, all this exuberant and sensual vitality, doesn’t scream. If these same -identical- scents had been composed in the 80s, their roar would have dried anyone meters away.  Instead, Francesca manages to make them emerge from the skin overlapping nuance after nuance with rare subtlety ; chiseling the sensations to gently reach the nose, layering wave after wave. The result is like slowly resurfacing from a dream. They remind me of Leonardo’s Madonnas: never a sharp outline, or a pop light. Their heavenly grace e

Thanks to its lightweight alloy and silent motor, this latest-generation cyborg is designed to move as gracefully as a geisha .  The metal shell is covered in ultrasophisticated latex, with a snowy-blushy complexion and a velvety, fresh texture. The nose perceives a delicate fragrance, intimate, and clean, as if the skin had recently been rubbed with a white flower soap bar . The illusion of a young Japanese beauty dressed in a floral kimono is simply perfect. While she smiles, bending her soft neck, no one could ever guess the metal disclosed within. The trick, as old as the world, is that she must have no clue about it. She must imagine herself alive. Yet, somehow, the doubt appears.  The image she sees in the mirror would be perfect if it didn’t smell like that.  Her eyes look deeper... maybe it was just a reflection? A ghost, more than a smell.  Yet, it keeps appearing and disappearing: ethereal, elusive...  A musky note, slightly vinylic . That single note, lingering amid all the

Grazie alla lega leggerissima e al motore silenzioso, questo cyborg di ultima generazione è progettato per muoversi con la grazia di una geisha.  La scocca di metallo è ricoperta da un velo di lattice ultrasofisticato, dall'incarnato candido e lievemente rosato, che al tatto risulta vellutato e fresco. L'olfatto percepisce una fragranza delicata, intima, pulita, come se la pelle fosse stata recentemente strofinata con una saponetta ai fiori bianchi. L'illusione di una giovane giapponese abbigliata con un kimono fiorito è semplicemente perfetta. Mentre lei sorride e il suo collo vellutato si piega, nessuno riuscirebbe mai indovinare il metallo nascosto lì sotto. Il trucco, vecchio come il mondo, prevede che nemmeno lei stessa, ne sia al corrente.  Perchè funzioni, lei deve immaginarsi viva. Eppure, in qualche momento, ecco apparire il dubbio.  L'immagine che lei vede allo specchio sarebbe perfetta, se non avesse quell'odore.  Gli occhi indagano più a fondo. Forse è s

I love that everything Houbigant creates shows consistency . First of all, consistency with the special history -three hundred years long- of this brand. Then, consistency with the personality and style of the people behind it, and with their personal vision of perfume: a vision that speaks of a sophisticated, serene, balanced, smiling kind of elegance. In a word: a happy one. Although Houbigant was born as a perfumer for the Royals at the time of Marie Antoinette, the perfumes it offers are not intended to affirm any idea of richness or beauty, nor to be noticed among others. They do not shout their presence all around. Perhaps, their success lies in the fact that they aim for happiness.  The happiness of those who create them, and the happiness of those wearing them. Happiness, in perfumery, is a rare quality. At Esxence I met their new Pivoine Souveraine  by Celine Ellena, a hymn to spring, at the center of which shines a floral accord as fresh, beautiful, and bright as a diamond

Amo il fatto che tutto quello che esce da Houbigant mostri coerenza . Innanzitutto con la storia speciale -lunga oltre trecento anni- di questo marchio.  Poi, coerenza con la personalità e lo stile delle persone che ci sono dietro, e con la loro visione del profumo: una visione che parla di eleganza sofisticata, serena, equilibrata, sorridente. In una parola: felice. Sì, perché sebbene Houbigant nasca come profumiere della famiglia Reale ai tempi di Maria Antonietta, i profumi che offre non intendono affermare un'idea di ricchezza o di avvenenza, nè farti notare in mezzo agli altri. Non gridano la loro presenza tutt'attorno. Forse, il loro successo risiede nel fatto che, da sempre, mirino alla felicità . Felicità di chi li crea, e felicità di chi li indossa.  Ad Esxence ho incontrato la loro nuova Pivoine Souveraine  creata da Celine Ellena, un inno alla primavera, al cui centro brilla un bellissimo accordo floreale fresco, bello e sfacettato come un diamante, e le quattro usci

Gli anni '70 furono un periodo eccezionale dal punto di vista creativo ed artistico: la musica, la letteratura, il design, la profumeria... Eppure, furono anche impegnativi, con la guerra fredda, il Vietnam, il terrorismo e mille altre rivoluzioni di ordine politico e sociale. Ci voleva un'esorbitante quantitavo di Eros , per bilanciare tutto quel Tanathos, e la generazione che aveva vent'anni allora, ce la mise tutta per dare una chance alla pace, per mettere fiori dentro i cannoni, e per fare l'amore più che poteva.  Come sottofondo olfattivo a tutta questa esplosione vitale c'era il patchouli , con la sua nota calda, avvolgente, radicante, sfacciatamente sensuale. La nuova uscita di Uermì, 70's Mood mi è piaciuto per molte ragioni, tra le quale spicca la totale coerenza col nome che porta : un omaggio a quel concentrato di colori accesi, spirito ribelle e creatività esuberante che ha caratterizzato l'atmosfera di quel decennio. Non è un omaggio ai profum

From a creative point of view, the 70s was an exceptional decade : music, literature, design, and perfumery... of course, it was also challenging, with the cold war, Vietnam, terrorism, and another thousand or so political and social revolutions taking place all together.  It took an exorbitant amount of Eros to counterbalance all this Tanathos, and that generation did everything they could to give peace a chance, put flowers in their cannons, and make love as much as possible.  The olfactory background of this vital explosion was patchouli , with its warm, enveloping, rooting, brazenly sensual woody note. Among the reasons to love Uermì's new release named “70’s Mood”, there is the perfect consistency of the name it bears : a tribute to that concentration of bright colors, rebellious spirit, and enlivening creativity that characterized the atmosphere of that decade.  It is definitely NOT a tribute to the perfumes of those years -otherwise, it would have never worked in today'

In recent days I was in Vallebona (Imperia), at La Vecchia Distilleria (the Old Distillery), a family business that produces outstanding essences of neroli and petitgrain, as well as sought-after "bitter orange blossom water" (Acqua di Fior d'Arancio amaro) with which several Chefs prepare gastronomic delicacies of the highest level. I was there because I had some helichrysum to distill and Pietro Guglielmi, the young owner had offered me hospitality. It was a really fantastic morning: in addition to the pleasure of spending some time with Pietro chatting about topics we both are passionate about, seeing the distiller come into operation was very exciting. What happens when water and fire begin to dance inside it, is something truly magical, no word can truly describe it.  I can only say that the result of this dance is Essence. And this is enough for me to get goosebumps. In my case, it was nine milliliters of precious, fragrant, incredible essence of Helichrysum italicu