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Updates to Perfumes: The Guide

Posted by Robin on 30 August 2008 57 Comments

Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez have released the first of a projected series of quarterly updates to Perfumes: The Guide, and are offering the first issue as a free download:

Each newsletter reviews about 100 perfumes. The first free issue includes some fragrances missing in the original guide, as well as new brands. Future issues will discuss favorite discontinued perfumes and give our point of view on perfume history, culture, and developments.

You can find it here. My absolute favorite line after a very quick skim-through this morning, from the review of Guerlain's recent Cruel Gardenia:

Would be perfect if the spray button said "sucker" each time you press it.

Filed Under: perfume books
Tagged With: luca turin, perfumes the guide, tania sanchez

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57 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 9:50 am

    Awesome! Thanks so much, I love these guys. I've been wondering when they would put out a new one and this is so much better.

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  2. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 10:37 am

    I'm dancing. Thank you.

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  3. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 10:46 am

    I'm thrilled too…much better than waiting every year or so for a new edition.

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  4. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 10:48 am

    Thank TS & LT, I did nothing :-)

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  5. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 11:18 am

    I scanned through it… I agree on what they said about E. Lauder Sensuous.. It just disappeared on my skin.

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  6. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 11:48 am

    as usual the first in fragrance news. Thank you!
    I posted a link to basenotes men's fragrance discussion so you'll get a bit more traffic than usual. I hope you don't mind. Thanks again.

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  7. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 12:12 pm

    Oh goody! I'm going to start a notebook, so these can be on the shelf next to my Guide. Thanks for the info!

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  8. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:01 pm

    As always, I agree with some of the reviews, not with others. But all of them were fun to read :-)

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  9. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:02 pm

    You're kind but doubt I was first — they sent the news around yesterday and I'm sure somebody posted it right away.

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  10. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:03 pm

    Good idea!

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  11. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:25 pm

    OK, so I'm 12, I know, but that picture on the left side of their page made me giggle. All I could think was “Smell my finger!” It's just a really unfortunate image, IMHO.

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  12. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:26 pm

    And that's what I get for not hitting Preview. I meant the right side, not the left. D'oh!

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  13. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 1:52 pm

    That is totally what is actually happening in that picture! [cue Beavis laugh] If you guys could hear half of the fart jokes told at the offices of the GUIDE…

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  14. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 3:50 pm

    oh this is exciting! since i haven't read the book so far (i know, shame on me), i'm thrilled to get bits of the duos bits and pieces of wisdom, thanks for the link

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  15. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 4:15 pm

    now, i've swiftly browsed through the list, oh boy, some funny reading :D i mean i'm no expert perfumista, there's loads to sniff, but Jlo deseo 3 stars? insolence 5 stars? there's no accounting for taste, i guess.

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  16. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 4:59 pm

    Unfortunately for me, more Guide = less money. Just bought a bottle of Cabaret unsniffed for a bargain because I could not resist…

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  17. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 5:07 pm

    It's nice to have more reviews, but god, I wish they would stop using the word “hissy”.

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  18. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 5:08 pm

    I wouldn't argue with the Deseo, necessarily. If it were me, I'd probably do half stars because I'm so indecisive, & would probably give Deseo 2.5 or something. I do think it's probably the best celeb scent so far this year.

    I haven't smelled the new version of Insolence yet, but want to! I liked but didn't adore the original EdT.

    Anyway, half the fun of this or any guide is arguing with it :-)

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  19. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 5:09 pm

    So far, haven't bought anything because of the book, but if Armani Rose Alexandrie were cheaper, I'd be very tempted after reading their review!

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  20. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 5:13 pm

    Didn't notice that so many times, but so far have only skimmed. Even then I have too many verbal tics to complain about anyone else's! I just love reading Cephalogenic, but you know sometimes I just literally cringe and say “oops”, knowing I've committed whichever crime a gajillion times.

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  21. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 5:50 pm

    And 'screechy'… they've got to stop saying 'screechy'!

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  22. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Good to see the Guerlain tinted glasses slide off a bit in this newsletter!

    Ouch @ Serge Noire .. I agree that the Lutens can just get too loud and noisy, and predictable in their sweet n spice market schlick..

    Heeley seems like the next great niche house !

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  23. Anonymous says:
    30 August 2008 at 11:02 pm

    Heely is rather good, I think. I have tried 3, and 2 I thought were worth further exploration. I liked Figieur and Cardinal. I did not like Sel Marin (could be because I don't care for aquatics).

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  24. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 2:13 am

    I haven't read the book either….

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  25. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 3:44 am

    I love the update and think its a great idea, though I assume future updates will be by subscription (which I will no doubt take out)… my fave review in the update is of Nasomatto's Duro: “this is a masculine, intended to celebrate the exuberant, unwarranted fondness Italians have for their weenies.”

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  26. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 8:56 am

    i am so happy LT gave 4 stars for Un Jardin Apre la Mousson (which I have been trying to justify to buy a full bottle at full price for a month). He disapproved a lot of Ellena's work before but not this time!! great! I enjoyed The Guide though I found their taste for perfume were so different from mine.

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  27. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 9:47 am

    Ah, I like 'screechy' because I know exactly what they mean.

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  28. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 9:48 am

    They like Heeley better than I do, although I did like Cardinal & Esprit du Tigre (sp?).

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  29. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 9:49 am

    Yes, they do say future issues will be by subscription but I don't know the price.

    And that one cracked me up too!

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  30. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 9:50 am

    LOL — he disapproves of all of JCE's work that I adore, and loves the one I don't like. Figures! But if you love it, do get some :-)

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  31. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 3:47 pm

    I like screechy, too – hard to find another word for scents that make you wince.

    I don't know whether to love or hate this development since it will only add to my list! Of course I have downloaded the thing already and signed up for emails…

    I treated myself to a lazy Sunday swathed in Joy. Ah, a ratty housedress and a fine perfume!

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  32. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 3:58 pm

    i hope i can! i am on a tight budget recently (no, tight budget is my life long default mode!) so do i want to smell good but starving?? haha.. i have to think about it… :P

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  33. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 4:48 pm

    exactly, i love arguing about fragrances, as with all pieces of art or results of creative work (and i consider perfume creative work and art), it's the subjective that is arousing interest, and for the most part of perfume works, they're all (little) pieces of art (somhetimes kitsch, sometimes made just for the sake of profit, sometimes true masterp ieces) keeping perfumistas awake :)

    ok, i'll give deseo another try ;)

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  34. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 4:55 pm

    Thank you, darling. What a sweet treat!

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  35. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 5:40 pm

    I think that's perfect louche living!:-) I wore Hermes Poive Samarcande to clean the garage!LOL!

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  36. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:05 pm

    Great marketing concept on the part of the publisher. I'm assuming only this FIRST addendum newsletter is free?

    I haven't even read “The Guide” yet…. and now 100 new reviews each quarter! Ack!! If I start down that road and continue reading NST, I might as well give up all other interests completely…. (wink).

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  37. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:10 pm

    Hey, mind you, I don't think Deseo is a masterpiece…just better than most celeb scents!

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  38. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:11 pm

    Tama & Mamabear: I'm in L'Artisan Liane & cleaning the hermit crab cage, LOL…

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  39. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:13 pm

    If it helps (not suggesting you starve, mind you!) imaginationperfumery does have the 50 ml for $55, that's the best price I've seen so far. Beautyencounter has it for a bit more.

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  40. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Hey you! Glad you enjoyed it :-)

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  41. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Yes, only the first is free. Which seems fair enough to me, it must be a lot of work. And, it's very much like the book — if you like the first issue, you need the book!

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  42. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 7:31 pm

    OK, here I go. Newsletter downloaded? Check. Book ordered immediately? Check. Lemming nerve bundle activated? Check.

    Now can someone tell me where I can get my hands on some SL El Attarine?????

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  43. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Not sure if this is mentioned elsewhere… Did everyone see the INDEX !!!!

    Yes!! This was left out of the book, and was definitely missed. As I just posted on MUA, it's quite lengthy if you print it, so play with the formattting first.

    It's on the “Corrections” page and is in EXCEL.

    RE: Fall 08 “Newsletter” …

    I see 4 stars for Aveda Yatra (I have a bottle of this, and find it underwhelming, I'd rank it a 2…)

    And only 3 stars for L'Artisan Tea for Two? I was wondering why this was missing from The Guide. It's 4 stars in my book ;)

    Still, despite my differing tastes…. having your new reviews to read _made_ my weekend! Thanks Tania & Luca.

    GGS

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  44. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2008 at 9:30 pm

    I'm thinking we really know how to live… lol!

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  45. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 4:53 am

    thanks a lot! i'll go and check! i hope they ship to hong kong!

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  46. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 5:14 am

    What a hoot the updates are – the pair of them are on absolutely cracking form! At last, someone else who has tried Jasper Conran Woman – they give it four stars. I am on a bit of a mission to spread the word about that one as I too find it so uplifting. Also pleased to see the four star ratings for Mousson and Escale a Portofino, and to see that he nearly gave his bottle of DelRae Amoureuse away. I gave my sample away to Farah! Also, I am experiencing “post purchase cognitive dissonance” with L'Ete en Douce for just the reasons he cites (“laundry-soap-on-steroids”). I swear it did't smell like that in the shop!

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  47. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 8:12 am

    They really are a hoot :-)

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  48. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 8:13 am

    LOL — ah, for that you're on your own. But I'm sure you can get a sample at The Perfumed Court.

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  49. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 8:14 am

    I think it's the same index that was posted on Perfume of Life some time ago — a reader did all that, if I remember correctly. Very impressive!

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  50. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 10:17 am

    I already have… I am fragrant but unfit!

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  51. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 10:19 am

    Oops, I got separated from Joe's comment higher up about giving up other interests!

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  52. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2008 at 4:09 pm

    Not quite yet, but I suspect they're working on it… (the thing is, Lutens is WAY too spendy for me anyway, but it does sound worthy of a sample).

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  53. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2008 at 2:12 am

    I have not read The Guide yet, so I was highly amused by the style of their reviews. And I thought I was snarky! Of course I disagree with a LOT of their ratings (they hate Nasomatto Narcotic Venus?!) I have to admit that I admire their great breadth of knowledge, and the two-word summing up descriptions are sometimes hilarious, such as calling Ambre de Cabochard “chemical fruitcake.” They certainly don't pull any punches, which has to infuriate the mkaers of the perfumes they diss – which is as it should be! Perfume has been more or less immune to industry criticism for far too long.

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  54. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2008 at 9:42 am

    They seem to infuriate some readers too, but I love their style and the book has received great reviews. Agree, the 2 word “fragrance families” are perfect.

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  55. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2008 at 10:50 am

    Yes, I agree that screechy does give a good feel for what they mean with certain fragrances…

    but I was replying to a comment that talked about how they use several words over & over. And screechy is definitely one that they over-use, along with hissy, dreck, & 'sad iris'. Just wish as writers they'd mix it up a little more, maybe consult the thesaurus… that's all.

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  56. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2008 at 6:45 pm

    The bits of the newsletter I skimmed weren't quite infuriating, but I noticed they seem to HATE the Aqua Allegorias (allegoriae?). Oh well, even when they hate something they're incredibly fun to read!

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  57. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2008 at 7:39 pm

    Yes, they do seem to hate them!! Ah well. The only review in the book that made me stamp my feet was Hiris (which they call 'Orrible) and truth be told, even that one made me laugh.

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