by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
As I delve into my ever-growing library, a few things strike me as odd, eccentric, probably apocryphal, but fascinating nonetheless. One is the theory that hair color influences, or should influence, women’s perfume choices and suggest which fragrances work best....
by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
Most of us assume that perfumes mask b.o. Anyone who has been trapped in a taxi, breathing in the aromas of the air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror and those of sweat and cologne, may appreciate that eaux de cologne, unlike perfumes, are, in fact, designed...
by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
Black Iris is making progress, but new problems keep coming up. Should the perfume replicate the smell of orris, the authentic aroma of iris root, or peoples’ fantasy of it? I fear few people recognize the smell of orris and my hard work and extravagance may be for...
by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
In the 1970s, when it was still manageable for someone with a minuscule income to drink the world’s greatest wines, I was invited into a group of professional wine connoisseurs who met every week to drink rare and otherworldly vintages. At the time (and presumably...
by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
At the end of day two, Mandy gave us our final assignment. We were to take two—only two—ingredients to explore together and use them as the basis for a new perfume. I went home (I’m staying at my brother’s, right up the hill) and as I stared at the sunset behind the...
by Jim Peterson | Jun 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
Once she demonstrated this approach, she set us loose. She’s incredibly generous with her ingredients as I realized while measuring out drops of red champaka absolute into my mixture. The assignment was to construct a fragrance. We were allowed up to three different...
