The process of the Perfume Portrait is hugely enjoyable. If, like me, you're not keen on beauty treatments because of their fleeting nature, then the Perfume Portrait is the perfect antidote. You will find out about smells and fragrances that naturally please your palate and your perfume 'prescription' may be a fragrance that you wear forever.
To begin with Linda Pilkington and I chatted generally about perfumes that I like and don't like; what I usually wear and what aromas appeal to me. This is interesting as it made me identify my favourite smells, which are generally flowers and foliage. My nose can rarely be tempted away from greens and florals, although I'm appreciating a wider variety of scents these days.
Then Linda has a sort of magic drawer, which has oils representing many of the individual notes included in Ormonde Jayne fragrances. Linda told me not to try to identify these individually. As she held each oil to my nose I gave a visceral reaction to whether I liked it or not. I wish that after the process I had made a note of the specific oils. But largely they are classic fragrance ingredients that you would expect, such as cedar, pink pepper, jasmine, vanilla etc.
During the Portrait, Linda talked about reactions she had had from others to various oils. Some scents appeal to a large proportion of people, whereas some are hugely unpopular. Apparently the oakmoss note is one that is almost universally disliked. It's an intensely musty smell — like an old cupboard that has got damp and never dried out.
What was most fascinating was Linda's huge knowledge of the perfume industry at large. We talked about Ormonde Jayne's recent entry into Harrods and the impact it has had on her business. We talked about other perfume companies and their profile on the blogsphere and elsewhere. Linda also has some great insights on some of the key personalities in perfume, largely confirming the picture that I've built up through reading interviews and comments on the internet.
At the end of the process Linda recommended Champaca and Ormonde Woman for me. Trying one on each arm Ormonde Woman was my favourite. The Ormonde Jayne website gives the notes as cardamom, coriander, grass oil, black hemlock, violet and jasmine on a base of vetiver, cedarwood, amber and sandalwood.
Overall it was a hugely enjoyable experience. Not least because Linda Pilkington is lovely. I would highly recommend it.