Perfumes Quotes

“The fragrance of white tea is the feeling of existing in the mists that float over waters; the scent of peony is the scent of the absence of negativity: a lack of confusion, doubt, and darkness; to smell a rose is to teach your soul to skip; a nut and a wood together is a walk over fallen Autumn leaves; the touch of jasmine is a night's dream under the nomad's moon.”
― C. JoyBell C.

“Moving from one room to the next I inhaled in passing that incense of an old library which is worth all the perfumes of the world.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars

“French women choose a scent when they’re girls and use it until they’re grandmothers. It becomes their trademark.
'Ah,' he murmurs in the dark theater, 'Giselle is here tonight!'
But I think that a woman usually outgrows a fragrance every decade or so.”
― Joan Crawford, My Way of Life

“You're going to stink, but you can choose your stink.”
― Therese Oneill, Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners

“Through perfume, I smell your soul"
Marian Bendeth
Global Fragrance Expert
Sixth Scents”
― Marian Bendeth Global Fragrance Expert, Sixth Scents

“Oh, is that what I smell?” Mrs. McHenry said with a shudder. (For the record, our school smells just fine, unless of course your smelling ability has been irreparably damaged by a lifetime of sniffing perfume samples.)”
― Ally Carter, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

“The intoxication of fragrances casts its magic spell on me.”
― Avijeet Das

“Humiecki and Graef asked Laudamiel to create a perfume that captures the state of ‘how men cry’—eruptive and sensual. Pictures from Slavic culture, as well as how they deal with melancholia and happiness served as inspiration [sic]. The result is a perfume that combines raw eruption, sensual strength, melancholic warmth and deep mysticism.”
― Luca Turin, Perfumes: The Guide

“Perhaps a tuberose, she thought. Very pervasive, but not headachy. Her fingers lingered for a moment over her bottle of Fracas. She adored the classic punchy floral, but it was one of her mother's favorites, so not conducive to a good night's sleep either. Not after that phone call earlier.
Maybe something woody? The black tea, leather and tobacco in Atelier Cologne's Oolang Infini would be deep enough to drown out Digger's pungent expulsion, yet subtle enough to sleep on. But no, the guaiac wood in it reminded her too much of old-fashioned coal-tar soap, which was David's smell.”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“Danielle wore a simple bias-cut gown of the palest blush silk- one of her own designs- with white roses and jasmine braided into her thick auburn hair swept up from the nape of her neck, onto which she'd applied a new perfume she'd blended with a corresponding harmony just for the wedding. She carried the flowers of Bellerose: mimosa, rose, jasmine, violet, and orange blossom, twined into a voluptuous bouquet that spilled from her hand.
Jon stood before her, his velvety brown eyes sparkling with flecks of gold. She drank in the delicious, virile smell of him, loving how the scent of his skin melded with the perfume she had blended for him for this day- blood orange and orange blossom, patchouli and sandalwood, cinnamon and clove. She had devised a salty note, too, and added the sea's airy freshness.”
― Jan Moran, Scent of Triumph

“Taking in the scents of very high-end colognes and perfumes, a whiff of Joy, a trace of Shalini, equally exquisite whiskeys and wines, a mossy Islay, Lagavulin perhaps, first-growth Bordeaux, Latour definitely, a distant hint of Cohiba, Grace headed towards the bar. A melange of fascinating and captivating foods, spiced Kobe beef bao buns and Georgia shrimp and grits souffle and warm Coca-Cola chocolate cake, wafted from a variety of restaurants and open spaces to where Grace stood at the entrance, a cozy intimate living room-like space populated by a very well-dressed, well-heeled, and decidedly young crowd, to which Grace looked as though she belonged.”
― Jeffrey Stepakoff, The Orchard

“She reached first for one labeled The Glory of Gardenia and quickly set it down after a brief sniff. The flowery scent was fiercely overwhelming. She continued down the row, trying several more: one scented with orange blossoms and juniper, one laced with lavender, one that contained an interesting blend of rose and mint, and one that was crisp with the scent of lemon and some exotic spice.”
― Amy Sandas, The Untouchable Earl

“The beauty of the face and the body attracts only the eyes, but the beauty of the character and the talk perfumes, heart, mind, and soul. That's the essential point of one's life.”
― Ehsan Sehgal

“The smells I associate with yoga are contradictory. Freshly showered bodies and sweat. Sandalwood from a scented candle mixed with hot feet on rubber mats.
Head-clearing pure air, ozonic freshness- and deep oriental mystery. Stillness and invigorating renewal. Feminine grace and masculine strength. Anima and animus.

My scents of yoga are:

Madagascan Jasmine by Grandiflora
Lime Basil and Mandarin Cologne by Jo Malone London
Exhale by B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful
Pour Monsieur by Chanel
Oud by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
New West for Her by Aramis
Black Lapsang by Bodhidharma
Santal by Diptyque (my favorite candle for the yoga studio)”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“So the smells I associate with the Elders are freshly cut garden flower arrangements- roses, lilac and endless sweet peas and the fougère hints of random greenery lavishly added to the vases, in the Constance Spry style.
Also, modest shop-bought flowers, particularly daffodils, tulips and freesias, which are such an economical way to brighten a room for that thrifty generation.

My scents for the elders are:
Lavender by Yardley
Blue Grass by Elizabeth Arden
Rose in Wonderland by Atkinsons
Femme by Rochas
Ostara by Penhaligon's
Tweed by Lenthéric (A mention of this elicited a big response at the event; it seemed all the women had worn it at some time and had happy associations with it. I do wish they would re-release it in the original tweed-fabric effect box.)

The men in this age group are the last of the true British gentlemen, so especially for them:

Old Spice
St Johns Bay Rum by St Johns Fragrance Company
Royal Mayfair by Creed”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“As for the smells I associate with her, I was a bit of a swot too, so I love all the stationery aromas: the woody/metallic aroma of pencil shavings, the flat winey smell of ink, the sticky sweetness of a leaking biro and- my favorite- the almost talcum-powder softness of a new exercise book.
For her veggie diet there is the powerful grassiness of leafy vegetables, the caramel of sweet potatoes, carrots and beetroots roasting, and the sulfurous note of brassicas. The nutty starchiness of brown rice and other whole grains. The green tang of fresh herbs, warm ginger. The bite of garlic and the spiciness of coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric and chili. White flowers for her youthful freshness and lemon for her mental sharpness.

So my scents for a daughter are:

Gold Heart v. 4 by Map of the Heart
Botanical Essence No. 20 Rose by Liz Earle (it has a carrot seed note in it)
Wild Green by Bronley
White Musk by The Body Shop
Neroli by Annick Goutal
Cristalle by Chanel”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“As a counterpoint to all the staleness, there were the salty, biting North Sea breezes, the slightly fishy sweetness of cold damp sand and the sharp grass that grows in it. In summer the manicured grass of quad lawns and night-time bonfires on the beach.
A kiss in the dunes from a dashing young chap with beer and ciggies on his breath, and a faint whiff of horse on his shirt.

My scents for university days are:

Anaïs Anaïs by Cacharel
Lily of the Valley by Yardley
Obsession by Calvin Klein
Sel Marin by Heeley
Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne by Jo Malone London
Bas de Soieby Serge Lutens
Cuir de Russie by Chanel
Peau de Bête by Liquides Imaginaires”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“So, putting aside the yucky ones, the positive smells of a dog for me are the next-day cold-stew smell of his meaty food, and the aroma of a roasted chicken right out of the oven, which will have him running to the kitchen like a rocket. The dry seed and hay hum of a pet shop, and the sickly rotting meat of his treats.
Grassy fresh air and mud on long winter walks. The rubbery tang of the toys he likes to brutalize. The worn-in leather of his collar and lead. The sweet, musty smell of his velvety ears, which I love to stroke, and yes, I admit it, I kiss them.


My scents for a dog are (a bit of a challenge in all honesty, but it's fun to stretch yourself sometimes!):

Barbour For Him by Barbour
Grass by The Library of Fragrance
Dirt by The Library of Fragrance
Cuir de Russie by Chanel
Piper Leather by Illuminum
Mûre et Musc by L'Artisan Parfumeur”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“My smells of a son are gummy sweeties, Play-Doh, Pritt Stick, poster paint and wax crayons. Earthy mud on polyester football kit. The sweet antiseptic of sticking plasters. Fruity bubble gum and the minty tang of chong- as he and his friends called chewing gum. Bicycle chain oil and rubber inner tubes. The chemical overload of Lynx sprayed profusely over sweat, hair gel and toxic trainers. Fried onions and meat on the breath. Tomato ketchup.


My scents for a son are:

I am Juicy Couture by Juicy Couture
Black by Bvlgari
L'Air de Rien by Miller Harris
Serge Noire by Serge Lutens
Rocker Femme by Britney Spears
Dirty by Lush
Africa by Lynx”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“My Easter smells are the cinnamon and mixed spices in the hot cross buns, and the rosemary and mint sauce with the roast lamb. The grassy tang of rhubarb and real muddy wet grass from the egg rolling. And of course, lots and lots of milk chocolate.


My scents for Easter are:

Angel by Thierry Mugler
Anima Dulcis by Arquiste
Musc Maori by Parfumerie Générale
Blue North by Agonist
Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone London
La Tulipe by Byredo”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“My scents for change are (and there's a lot of them, because there's a lot going on for me at the moment!):

Pour Homme by Yamamoto
On the Road by Timothy Han
Santal Blanc by Serge Lutens
Oud Wood by Tom Ford
Dear Polly by Vilhelm
La Flâneuse by Lucien Lechêne
PM by the Great Eastern Fragrance Company
Je t'aime Jane by Bella Freud
No. 9 Benjoin by Prada
Shalimar by Guerlain
Original by Eight & Bob”
― Maggie Alderson, The Scent of You

“Nutmeg." Claudia grabbed the bottle and screwed the cap back on. The story was still filtering through me when a new scent exploded forth.
"Orris root," Claudia said, tapping the new bottle on the table. "Am I going too fast for you?"
"No," I lied.
"Good."
Linden blossom. Tonka bean. Benzoin. The smells came at me, little glass missiles fired across the table in rapid succession.
"The point is speed and precision," Claudia said. She pushed a stack of papers toward me, the pages divided into rows and columns. "Put each scent in a category. Fresh, floral, woody, spicy, animal, marine, fruity. You need to recognize them instantly, without thinking."
The bottles started again, and the world turned into charts and rows, filled with an onslaught of strange names. Litsea cubeba. Frangipani. Neroli. Tagette. Orange broke into pieces, became pettigrain, bergamot, tangerine, mandarin, bitter, sweet, and blood. Pepper was black, green, or pink. Mint was winter, spear, or pepper.”
― Erica Bauermeister, The Scent Keeper

“All my memories still smell of you.”
― Avijeet Das

“Perfumes and memories share a common essence; both linger long after they are experience”
― Shahid Hussain Raja

“Scent speaks in every language. It is made of flesh and personal impressions. It is tied up with the need to feel alive, a need everyone senses from an early age. The need to live is also a need for perfumes and scents. Inescapably. They are the depositories of our deepest secrets, whether we like it or not.

--- Master Perfumer Dominique Ropion, creator of such iconic fragrances as Givenchy Amarige, Mugler Alien, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle, and Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady and Carnal Flower”
― Francesca Serritella, Full Bloom

“Se voglio riuscire, se voglio avere una possibilità di differenziarmi dagli altri, ogni profumo dovrà raggiungere la coscienza di chi lo indossa. E senza la sua parte mistica, senza l'energia naturale delle essenze non riuscirei a creare un profumo speciale, ma solo uno buono. E poi non posso competere con i grandi marchi, se non con delle motivazioni assoluta-mente convincenti. Certo, i prodotti chimici sono molto più economici, e hanno potenzialità infinite, ma mancano completamente di mistero.”
― Cristina Caboni, Il sentiero dei profumi

“The bottles are the classic Yixiang design, created by Hua Zhengyi in the early 1900's, a low, wide bottle reminiscent of old incense censers. The designs etched on the side all feature peonies, but subtle changes in the way the flower is depicted indicate which fragrance family the scent falls into: floral, ambery, woody, leather, chypre, or fougère. When I was younger I wanted to simplify it to amber, floral, woody, and fresh, the more modern standard scent families, but Mom refused.”
― L.C. Chu, The Library of Flowers

“It’s jasmine, an intoxicating single-note floral. I wave the blotter and sniff again, the memory coming to me not in bits and pieces but fully formed. When I was sixteen, my mother told me to re-create the jasmine she grew in the small garden behind the house in all its different moods. Jasmine in the rain. In the sun. Playing up the indoles for the pungent smell of mothballs, and then its green notes. I’d done dozens of jasmines, refining and learning each time. The one my mother had chosen for my birthday was a light and sweet interpretation, something suitable for a girl.
Luling22 makes me gasp out loud. It’s a rich, spicy bomb, not typical of my mother, who prefers soft fragrances designed to stay close to the skin and respect the olfactory space of those around the wearer. This is the opposite, an amber overdose with notes of opopanax, civet, and vanilla. It’s said when Giorgio Beverly Hills was released, it was so overpowering restaurants posted signs asking people to tone it down. Luling22 could give that, Angel, and Poison a run for their money. It’s the 1980’s in all its lavish excess, and it pulls a surprised laugh out of me. If it were a relationship, it would be the love-bombing of a narcissist.
The more of them I smell, the more I’m convinced my mother is trying to tell me something— but don’t know what. There’s a tea scent with a breath of buttery pastry that reminds me of Sunday mornings, a leather that smells like a supple old handbag, and a powdery rose I recall from one of Waipo’s old cosmetic compacts.
I sit with Luling28 for a while, as it’s a feat of technical brilliance that brings me an unusual feeling of envy. I knew Mom was good, but this good? She’s combined the ozone of an approaching storm in the top notes with the petrichor of the rain-soaked earth, giving the entire story of a summer shower, with an epilogue of fresh leaves trembling with rain. I don’t know how she made the green linger, when its volatility means it should be one of the first notes to disappear.”
― L.C. Chu, The Library of Flowers

“I decide on the smell of night in the garden at my parents’ house. I put in black water and wet sand and rocks, then cover it with the butterscotch of a ponderosa pine. I consider adding an echo of Rafe’s cologne, that smoky light tobacco that’s nothing like a cigarette and instead is everything sexy. I find myself reaching for a pristine and chilly iris. Mom’s scent.
She’s writing away on one of the formula sheets. A discarded pair of gloves and a capped vial sit in front of her.
“How are you doing?” I ask.
In reply, she holds out the vial. I exchange it for my own and we dip in our blotters. It takes me a moment to absorb what my mother has done. It’s almost identical to my own, minus the iris. Instead— I close my eyes. Yes. She’s incorporated the Turkish rose note from the scent I wore in high school, a deconstructed version of a high-end perfume that I didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on, and over it, a breath of citrus. Waipo’s lemon.”
― L.C. Chu, The Library of Flowers

“Gourmand: Fragrance category featuring sweet and delicious edible scents such as vanilla, caramel, and chocolate.

Indole: Chemical compound found in redolent white flowers such as jasmine, with an animalic quality.

Marine: Often created with synthetics, they evoke fresh scents such as sea breezes and the ocean.”
― L.C. Chu, The Library of Flowers