The Lost Art of Fragrance Writing — and the Rise of Smoky Blue Jasmine

Fragrance texts were – some still are – works of art, reflecting the time, the effort and the quality of ingredients involved. Such texts were timeless and could be used for years on end. In come young fragrances, created for the Instagram generation. How can you capture, however fleetingly, their attention?

1.        Appeal to their narcissistic side: be the best, be unique. Actually, the fragrance is the result of a focus group, which is hardly unique, but at least it’s reassuring.

2.        Challenge them with something silly: Break all chains and push all limits: dare to wear a smoky blue jasmine. Wearing fragrance is hardly something extremely daring, but try to make it sound that way nevertheless. What is smoky blue jasmine, you ask? There is no such thing, true, but the juice, mostly synthetic anyway, has the ambition of imagining a jasmine flower on the wet pavement, in a cloud of rain dew and blueberry vape – or something equally ludicrous. So go ahead and make the affirmation. Nobody will understand what you mean, but if it sounds cool, you’ll get away with it.

3.        Now for the fragrance pyramid. Do not bother with a long list of notes, especially if all you have is a list of chemical compounds. Say we have a floral woody concoction that is supposed to start citrusy-sweet, continue with white flowers dominated by the iconic – do not forget iconic - smoky blue jasmine and end in a cloud of woods and tonka bean. Just write:

-            Candied lemon peel – smoky blue jasmine – woody tonka medley

If even this sounds too intellectual, just gush:

-            Fresh (citrus peel) – Flowery (blue jasmine) – Woody (log)

All images may have the aesthetic of traffic signs- after all, if people can drive, they can certainly wear fragrance.

So that’s it, now we have a fantastic Smoky Blue Jasmine for all those unique queens of the new fragrance aesthetics. Available in 50 ml EdT, 100 ml EdT and 100 ml body lotion. First 100 sets come with an aromatherapy blue jasmine brooch. Would you wear it?