Over the next month, Harrods is holding the Perfume Diaries Exhibition, which is a showcase of the past, present and future of the perfume industry. Basenotes had the chance to attend a preview last week, hosted by the exhibition’s curator, Roja Dove. Unsurprisingly, given Dove’s background at Guerlain, the exhibition features many bottles from Guerlain’s long history. But there many historical exhibits from other historic houses such Chanel, Lubin, Floris, Grossmith’s and Penhaligon’s.

As you walk round, some of the fragrances are available to smell. Sadly for those of you wishing to try long discontinued classics will be out of luck: most, if not all of

Attachment 7167We have plenty of exhibitions for our eyes, restaurants for our tastebuds, and music for our ears, but our sense of smell has been rather neglected by cultural offerings, until now. Following its pilot in February, covered then by Basenotes, Scratch+Sniff, “Purveyors of Olfactory Adventures”, are introducing a new kind of event which places scent and the nose at its heart.

Hosted by fragrance enthusiast Odette Toilette, Scratch+Sniff

Attachment 6414First Prize – The overall winner will have a bespoke perfume created for them by Alec Lawless of Essentially Me.

The winner of the Perfume Review Competition will travel with a friend to Essentially Me’s HQ in the Cotswolds to spend the day learning about natural perfume. The winner will also enjoy a one-to-one consultation to create a bespoke perfume tailored to their personal aromatic preferences.

Essentially Me’s sophisticated perfumes are very different from mainstream brands, as they are made with the highest quality natural

Attachment 7172Chanel have released a new bathing range to compliment Coco Mademoiselle. The collection features a range of products with an elegant, simple design to pamper the body in three fragrant steps.

The range includes a Foaming Shower Gel, a delicately perfumed gel that transforms into a feather-light foam; a scented Moisturising Body Lotion that leaves skin moisturized, and subtly tinted; and a Velvet Body Oil in a spray bottle.

To celebrate Harrods Perfume Diaries, the store have dedicated one side of the store’s window displays to historic and contemporary fragrances. Apologies for the reflections!

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Attachment 7086Harrods is presenting first significant perfume exhibition of recent times, The Perfume Diaries. A celebration of the fragrance industry, The Perfume Diaries chronicles the fascinating story of perfume from ancient times right through to modern day and beyond. Harrods reveal the amazing heritage behind fragrances on the market today, demonstrating the evolution of the world?s favourite scents.

The Exhibition is housed within a stylish contemporary exhibition space on the Fourth Floor of Harrods, The Perfume Diaries is a comprehensive view of the most significant and influential scents to

Attachment 7027Crabtree and Evelyn have announced their new single note fragrance, Iris. Iris rhizome (also known as Orris root) forms the essence of the fragrance, and top notes of Italian bergamot and cassis have been added to the base of sandalwood, patchouli, cedarwood and creamy musk.

The fragrance is presented in a luxurious dense square bottle, with petal shaped edges. The glass is etched with a single Iris flower. Iris Eau de Toillette is priced at £24 for 100ml

Iris is accompanied by a collection of body and home products:
Bath and Shower Gel,

I did attend my first Sniffapalooza earlier this year and wrote about the overall experience. Now that I have had a month or so to live with the samples I acquired and the sneak previews I was given it is time to collect them all for your sniffing pleasure.

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Atelier Cologne: Trefle Pur, Orange Sanguine, Oolang Infini, Bois Blonds, and Grand Neroli

Attachment 6939Available now is Bleu de Chanel – a new masculine fragrance. The name is taken from an earlier Chanel fragrance from the thirties but the similarities end there. The scent was composed by Chanel master perfumer, Jacques Polge and contains top notes of pink pepper, citrus accord, vetiver; heart notes of grapefruit, dry cedar

Attachment 6932Oscar de la Renta fragrances will now be distributed in the UK by Kenneth Green Associates, with immediate effect. His first fragrance, Oscar, was created in 1977 and was inspired by the gardens of Santo Domingo, where he spent his early years. His other ranges include <a href="http://www.basenotes.net/ID10212581.html"