Comments on: The Guide: Discussion http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/ Perfume Reviews from Around the World, as long as the Credit Card Holds out. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:55:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: salaam http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-98198 salaam Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:43:59 +0000 http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-98198 Quote: "About Turin’s writings helping or harming a perfume house: in 2005 he did like a natural perfume by Profumo. Wrote about it in his blog. Profumo is a friend of mine and has told me that despite two subsequent lovely writeups by Luca, one in Duftnotes, and several perfumes in The Guide, it has not resulted in one sale that can be attributed back to the review." There are mechanisms in marketing and communication tantamount to a full-fledged mystic. I feel that I have to intervene in order to make it more clear what can be the impact of a good review of Luca Turin on a small perfumer's business like mine. I have had several experiences with classical medias, the typical example is the one I had with an article in Italy in a fashion monthly, Velvet, that was published in one million copies, many of which were available for weeks in hairdresser saloons and medical waiting rooms. The article described a course of Natural perfumery and how we realized, together with a journalist, the "Velvet perfume". There were 3 pages about this, with my full address and telephone number. I received only one phone call asking me if the Velvet perfume was on sale, and zero email. When Luca Turin wrote his first positive review on his blog, I said to my small daughters “I have had my perfumer’s laurea” (laurea is the scholarship degree before university”). He has been the first one to write about my perfumes as worthy of talking about. When he wrote his second review on NZ Folio, it was a step further towards recognition, and I was awaiting for an avalanche of requests for my scents and for personalized fragrances. I was expecting a lot of fuss about this article because I perceived it as a small bomb, it was the official recognition that natural perfumes could compete with commercial fragrances even with the standards of aesthetics of this very commercial perfumery. Nothing of this happened, but blogs started to write about my work and fragrances, and I was in some way admitted in the perfumistas community. When “The guide” was published, I made ready a bunch of the “Grezzo perfume” although I did not expect any significant change in the sales. In fact I did not sell any more than usual the reviewed perfumes, except a few samples, but what I instead really hoped for happened very shortly after, a perfume house called me to produce a juice for them. I understood that I was now starting to be considered also in the industry ambient. By the end, counting the facts, I have to say that the reviews of Luca Turin had a lot of positive effect on my self esteem as a perfumer and have a huge short term potential of commercial growth for me, if only I could transform myself into a business shark. I also must say that no one like Luca Turin, and now Tania Sanchez, gave such a positive and concrete help to Anyas work in the NP league for the recognition of natural perfumery, still by counting the facts. AbdesSalaam Atar Profumo.it Quote: “About Turin’s writings helping or harming a perfume house: in 2005 he did like a natural perfume by Profumo. Wrote about it in his blog. Profumo is a friend of mine and has told me that despite two subsequent lovely writeups by Luca, one in Duftnotes, and several perfumes in The Guide, it has not resulted in one sale that can be attributed back to the review.”

There are mechanisms in marketing and communication tantamount to a full-fledged mystic.
I feel that I have to intervene in order to make it more clear what can be the impact of a good review of Luca Turin on a small perfumer’s business like mine.
I have had several experiences with classical medias, the typical example is the one I had with an article in Italy in a fashion monthly, Velvet, that was published in one million copies, many of which were available for weeks in hairdresser saloons and medical waiting rooms.
The article described a course of Natural perfumery and how we realized, together with a journalist, the “Velvet perfume”.
There were 3 pages about this, with my full address and telephone number.
I received only one phone call asking me if the Velvet perfume was on sale, and zero email.

When Luca Turin wrote his first positive review on his blog, I said to my small daughters “I have had my perfumer’s laurea” (laurea is the scholarship degree before university”).
He has been the first one to write about my perfumes as worthy of talking about.
When he wrote his second review on NZ Folio, it was a step further towards recognition, and I was awaiting for an avalanche of requests for my scents and for personalized fragrances.
I was expecting a lot of fuss about this article because I perceived it as a small bomb, it was the official recognition that natural perfumes could compete with commercial fragrances even with the standards of aesthetics of this very commercial perfumery.
Nothing of this happened, but blogs started to write about my work and fragrances, and I was in some way admitted in the perfumistas community.

When “The guide” was published, I made ready a bunch of the “Grezzo perfume” although I did not expect any significant change in the sales. In fact I did not sell any more than usual the reviewed perfumes, except a few samples, but what I instead really hoped for happened very shortly after, a perfume house called me to produce a juice for them.
I understood that I was now starting to be considered also in the industry ambient.

By the end, counting the facts, I have to say that the reviews of Luca Turin had a lot of positive effect on my self esteem as a perfumer and have a huge short term potential of commercial growth for me, if only I could transform myself into a business shark.
I also must say that no one like Luca Turin, and now Tania Sanchez, gave such a positive and concrete help to Anyas work in the NP league for the recognition of natural perfumery, still by counting the facts.
AbdesSalaam Atar
Profumo.it

]]> By: salaam http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-98196 salaam Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:40:13 +0000 http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-98196 Quote: "About Turin’s writings helping or harming a perfume house: in 2005 he did like a natural perfume by Profumo. Wrote about it in his blog. Profumo is a friend of mine and has told me that despite two subsequent lovely writeups by Luca, one in Duftnotes, and several perfumes in The Guide, it has not resulted in one sale that can be attributed back to the review." There are mechanisms in marketing and communication tantamount to a full-fledged mystic. I feel that I have to intervene in order to make it more clear what can be the impact of a good review of Luca Turin on a small perfumer's business like mine. I have had several experiences with classical medias, the typical example is the one I had with an article in Italy in a fashion monthly, Velvet, that was published in one million copies, many of which were available for weeks in hairdresser saloons and medical waiting rooms. The article described a course of Natural perfumery and how we realized, together with a journalist, the "Velvet perfume". There were 3 pages about this, with my full address and telephone number. I received only one phone call asking me if the Velvet perfume was on sale, and zero email. When Luca Turin wrote his first positive review on his blog, I said to my small daughters “I have had my perfumer’s laurea” (laurea is the scholarship degree before university”). He has been the first one to write about my perfumes as worthy of talking about. When he wrote his second review on NZ Folio, it was a step further towards recognition, and I was awaiting for an avalanche of requests for my scents and for personalized fragrances. I was expecting a lot of fuss about this article because I perceived it as a small bomb, it was the official recognition that natural perfumes could compete with commercial fragrances even with the standards of aesthetics of this very commercial perfumery. Nothing of this happened, but blogs started to write about my work and fragrances, and I was in some way admitted in the perfumistas community. When “The guide” was published, I made ready a bunch of the “Grezzo perfume” although I did not expect any significant change in the sales. In fact I did not sell any more than usual the reviewed perfumes, except a few samples, but what I instead really hoped for happened very shortly after, a perfume house called me to produce a juice for them. I understood that I was now starting to be considered also in the industry ambient. By the end, counting the facts, I have to say that the reviews of Luca Turin had a lot of positive effect on my self esteem and have a huge short term potential of commercial growth for me, if only I could transform myself into a business shark. I also must say that no one like Luca Turin, and now Tania Sanchez, gave such a positive and concrete help to Anyas work in the NP league for the recognition of natural perfumery, still by counting the facts. AbdesSalaam Atar Profumo.it Quote: “About Turin’s writings helping or harming a perfume house: in 2005 he did like a natural perfume by Profumo. Wrote about it in his blog. Profumo is a friend of mine and has told me that despite two subsequent lovely writeups by Luca, one in Duftnotes, and several perfumes in The Guide, it has not resulted in one sale that can be attributed back to the review.”

There are mechanisms in marketing and communication tantamount to a full-fledged mystic.
I feel that I have to intervene in order to make it more clear what can be the impact of a good review of Luca Turin on a small perfumer’s business like mine.
I have had several experiences with classical medias, the typical example is the one I had with an article in Italy in a fashion monthly, Velvet, that was published in one million copies, many of which were available for weeks in hairdresser saloons and medical waiting rooms.
The article described a course of Natural perfumery and how we realized, together with a journalist, the “Velvet perfume”.
There were 3 pages about this, with my full address and telephone number.
I received only one phone call asking me if the Velvet perfume was on sale, and zero email.

When Luca Turin wrote his first positive review on his blog, I said to my small daughters “I have had my perfumer’s laurea” (laurea is the scholarship degree before university”).
He has been the first one to write about my perfumes as worthy of talking about.
When he wrote his second review on NZ Folio, it was a step further towards recognition, and I was awaiting for an avalanche of requests for my scents and for personalized fragrances.
I was expecting a lot of fuss about this article because I perceived it as a small bomb, it was the official recognition that natural perfumes could compete with commercial fragrances even with the standards of aesthetics of this very commercial perfumery.
Nothing of this happened, but blogs started to write about my work and fragrances, and I was in some way admitted in the perfumistas community.

When “The guide” was published, I made ready a bunch of the “Grezzo perfume” although I did not expect any significant change in the sales. In fact I did not sell any more than usual the reviewed perfumes, except a few samples, but what I instead really hoped for happened very shortly after, a perfume house called me to produce a juice for them.
I understood that I was now starting to be considered also in the industry ambient.

By the end, counting the facts, I have to say that the reviews of Luca Turin had a lot of positive effect on my self esteem and have a huge short term potential of commercial growth for me, if only I could transform myself into a business shark.
I also must say that no one like Luca Turin, and now Tania Sanchez, gave such a positive and concrete help to Anyas work in the NP league for the recognition of natural perfumery, still by counting the facts.
AbdesSalaam Atar
Profumo.it

]]> By: Jamie http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-97343 Jamie Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:47:10 +0000 http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-97343 My favorites have always been the eau de whatevers. I like subtle understated fragrance to wear but love fragrance on everyone and have hardly ever had a bad fragrance encounter. I found the book entertaining, educational and to a certain degree, poetic. I pretty much know nothing about what is good perfume, only know what I like. I thought it was so much fun to read about perfumes I own only to find out that they are considered "perfect" or "damaged goods". It wouldn't stop me from wearing any of them just because Luca and Tanya's stars say so. It sounds like most of you commenting know quite a bit about perfumes and their inventors/houses. I found a mini bottle of cool water at a thrift store for .50 and although it is suppose to be for guys I think it is really very fresh and lovely. My favorite all time fragrance was Aqua Ingelsa by erbe Midani and if any of you know where I can find it I would love to hear from you. It wouldn't be one that would probably have ever made it into the book because it was just a lavender eau de toilette, nothing special except to me. My favorites have always been the eau de whatevers. I like subtle understated fragrance to wear but love fragrance on everyone and have hardly ever had a bad fragrance encounter. I found the book entertaining, educational and to a certain degree, poetic. I pretty much know nothing about what is good perfume, only know what I like. I thought it was so much fun to read about perfumes I own only to find out that they are considered “perfect” or “damaged goods”. It wouldn’t stop me from wearing any of them just because Luca and Tanya’s stars say so. It sounds like most of you commenting know quite a bit about perfumes and their inventors/houses. I found a mini bottle of cool water at a thrift store for .50 and although it is suppose to be for guys I think it is really very fresh and lovely. My favorite all time fragrance was Aqua Ingelsa by erbe Midani and if any of you know where I can find it I would love to hear from you. It wouldn’t be one that would probably have ever made it into the book because it was just a lavender eau de toilette, nothing special except to me.

]]> By: delfina http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-85672 delfina Sun, 04 May 2008 08:29:44 +0000 http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-85672 I spent many hours in the last few days reading randomly the reviews in the guide and I really am surprised about all the resentment Turin and Sanchez are getting, on the boards and, partially, here too, even if in a much more civilized way. I find the book really enjoyable at the very least and what strikes me is that passion for perfume comes out really clearly through their writing. Of course the first thing I've done is to look for validation, but hey, it's part of the game (anyway the first part I think) and, to a certain extent, a game we all were looking for, even those who have made bitter (in my opinion way too bitter sometimes) comments about the autors' choices and preferences and the question of subjectivity. I think diplomacy is not the main quality that is to be expected from the two guys, and imho this is somewhat what makes the guide something to read and not just to consult every now and then. Even readers who aren't familiar with them and don't have a clue who they are before buying the book, I think are given a sort of key by the bluntness of the authors' opinions and language and should be able to take the reviews with a grain of salt. A "calmer" attitude would have been, in my view, more confusing and more difficult to weigh in relation to one's personal taste. As for the succinctness of the one-liners several of you have commented (when I read the first comments I still hadn't received my copy) I was expecting more of them, judging from many reactions. Most reviews I find long enough or, even when concise, well thought. That said, I wish there will be a second edition where some of the missing lines are reviewed and some more indexes (per house at least, that in my opinion is the biggest fault of the guide) are added. I spent many hours in the last few days reading randomly the reviews in the guide and I really am surprised about all the resentment Turin and Sanchez are getting, on the boards and, partially, here too, even if in a much more civilized way.
I find the book really enjoyable at the very least and what strikes me is that passion for perfume comes out really clearly through their writing.
Of course the first thing I’ve done is to look for validation, but hey, it’s part of the game (anyway the first part I think) and, to a certain extent, a game we all were looking for, even those who have made bitter (in my opinion way too bitter sometimes) comments about the autors’ choices and preferences and the question of subjectivity.
I think diplomacy is not the main quality that is to be expected from the two guys, and imho this is somewhat what makes the guide something to read and not just to consult every now and then. Even readers who aren’t familiar with them and don’t have a clue who they are before buying the book, I think are given a sort of key by the bluntness of the authors’ opinions and language and should be able to take the reviews with a grain of salt. A “calmer” attitude would have been, in my view, more confusing and more difficult to weigh in relation to one’s personal taste.
As for the succinctness of the one-liners several of you have commented (when I read the first comments I still hadn’t received my copy) I was expecting more of them, judging from many reactions. Most reviews I find long enough or, even when concise, well thought.
That said, I wish there will be a second edition where some of the missing lines are reviewed and some more indexes (per house at least, that in my opinion is the biggest fault of the guide) are added.

]]> By: March http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-85558 March Fri, 02 May 2008 18:44:15 +0000 http://perfumeposse.com/2008/04/27/the-guide-discussion/#comment-85558 V, I do find it a hugely interesting topic. And of course I am at the mercy of experts, because I don't have a leg to stand on in terms of personal scientific knowledge. But as I already stated, I have the same anecdotal experience. In a group of people trying the same fragrance, it smells different on different people, and in ways the group can articulate and *agree* on (sweeter on her, more leathery on him, etc.) You stated all sorts of reasons on your post why this makes sense, and thank you. V, I do find it a hugely interesting topic. And of course I am at the mercy of experts, because I don’t have a leg to stand on in terms of personal scientific knowledge. But as I already stated, I have the same anecdotal experience. In a group of people trying the same fragrance, it smells different on different people, and in ways the group can articulate and *agree* on (sweeter on her, more leathery on him, etc.) You stated all sorts of reasons on your post why this makes sense, and thank you.

]]>