Thoughts on Sampling Technique a propos of L'Artisan Parfumeur

I'm interested in sampling technique and perfume reviewing. Whatever sloppy, inattentive nonsense we get up to on our own time is our own business (and heaven knows my first, second and even fifth parses of a perfume can be as sloppy and inattentive as the next huffer), but if we're trying to *inform* others, perhaps more details are helpful.

On some of those *other* perfume discussion boards I have seen "reviews" that seem to run along the lines "I ran through a perfume hall randomly spraying 15 things, I don't really remember where I sprayed X, but I know I did and I'm confidently going to say now that it's a piece of rubbish". Or "I smeared the tiny residue left in a dab sample vial that I stored with all my samples (including Zelda) for six months before getting to it and now all I can smell is amber and tuberose. I thought this was a garden fresh rose soliflore?!?"

I don't see much if any of that here, just one of the reasons I'm enjoying Parfumo. Still and all, I'm sure I could improve my reviews, which lie down the end of one with extensive experience of wearing perfumes I know very well, and probably come over more as poems of praise or lyrical love letters than anything particularly informative. Perhaps I'm more entertaining? Or just speaking my adoration...

I thought if I share some thoughts on sampling that I find useful, perhaps others might add their tips and I can learn what information and impressions others find useful.

Things that interest me: Did you dab or spray? How copiously? What is the manufacturer's presentation (tiny extrait dab bottle, big splash, jumbo spray-all...)? Where did you spray? On your body, fabric, hair? How much attention did you pay to the fragrance during its life and why? How often have you worn the fragrance? Have you smelled the fragrance on others? And for the vintage enthusiasts, can you estimate when it was manufactured? Where did you acquire the fragrance, how long have you had it? Can you compare it with other versions? How does it stack up compared with what is on the shelves now (if it is currently available)?

And then, did the fragrance retain its integrity throughout its life, or was it long lasting but became rapidly generic? How did it stack up with notes, publicity, hype, legend? What is your own and others estimation of the sillage? Have you had interesting comments or reactions on the fragrance? I'm not especially interested in simple compliments, but for instance yesterday someone noticed the iris without being able to ID my fragrance as Shalimar. Considering it made me perceive the fragrance differently and made me even more aware that my personal take on sillage is a small part of the whole story.

I find the individual differences between different people wearing the same scent also interesting. Although many reviewers find it animalic and challenging, lots of people want to snuggle me when I'm wearing Dzing! Especially women. But I suspect I perspire IsoE, I seem to floralise and prettify everything I wear

This leads me to my example house: I will share some impressions and sampling tips from a house I know well. Sadly I have seen people dismiss L'Artisan Parfeumeur as a house on the basis of a few scents dabbed from sample vials "disappearing" from their skin.

In my estimation, L'Artisans are (by and large) precise, considered, note perfect compositions that don't rely on razzle dazzle topnotes or big blasts of crowdpleasing ambrox to cut through in fragrance hall settings. I don't think it's possible to make them stronger or more radiant. Using the chemicals that would achieve such things you would risk the composition falling apart. My perception is that they have used the most beautiful accords to achieve an artistic purpose, and balanced the concentrations exquisitely. Ingredient evaporation arcs are what they are, and L'Artisans achieve without exception what so few houses do: a resolved and unique composition with integrity throughout.

I can't think of one that has a generic drydown (ie shortlived snazzy ingredients that depart early leaving a generic base of limonene and linalool or the more trendy ambrox).

Interestingly, they may be moving with the market in presenting different compositions as "Extreme" versions of a couple of fragrances like the Amber and Chasse aux Papillons. Perhaps also retaining Duchafour is part of the house listening to this market trend as he often employs those radiant and diffusive chemicals. The "extreme" fragrances just mentioned, and Duchafour's more generally do seem in keeping with the house style, however. Examples are Nuit de Tuberose, Dzongkha and Timbuktu - these are very radiant fragrances. The sillage of Dzongkha I have smelled coming from others is particularly beautiful.

My tips for L'Artisans are that they come in a big spray bottle and they need to be sprayed. I have also had great difficulty getting a bead on them in department store perfume halls due to the general olfactory clamour. Some of them last much better on fabric than skin.

If you do want to get to know them, spray them one at a time away from such smell clutter.

I love being liberal with these (I own or have owned Seville a L'Aube, Dzing!, Safran Troublant, Tea4Two, Mechant Loup, Chasse aux Papillons, Mimosa Pou Moi, Voleur de Roses, Drôle de Rose, Verte Violette, Passage d'Enfer) My usual M.O. is spraying my self all over before I dress, then spraying a scarf or jacket (something that's going to move the scent) before I go out (although it has to be something I'm prepared to wash if it's Drôle de Rose I'm spraying, it really hangs around!) I am also careful to go easy on Seville, Drôle, Mechant and Passage, they can definitely be overdone.