You have to let it linger

What makes a scent alluring? It’s the complexity that’s hard to pin down to one note, that resonates through time and space, and that leaves you wanting more. The sense of smell, above all, has the power to bring back memories whether good or bad, and that is why I can never wear a perfume that I wore in my past, and why it’s important for men to have their own individual scent.

Chanel’s Allure Homme Edition Blanche is the house’s latest in luxury perfumery. Its minimalist bottle design speaks to the notion that extravagance need not be ostentatious. The gold and white theme, according to the perfume’s literature, is about alchemy and the contrast between hot and cold.

The scent itself is four-faceted and the ingredients, if you can believe their jet-setting names, are sourced from the four corners: The fresh facet combines Sicilian lemon and Calabrian bergamot, giving it its zesty tang; the oriental facet uses Tonka bean from Brazil and white musk, warming up the fresh facet with Haitian vetiver and vanilla from Madagascar. The woody facet contains cedar, and the spicy facet is made of white and pink pepper.  

A lot goes into a scent, and if you’ve seen the film Perfume, you’ll know just how powerful and intoxicating the right notes can be. So use sparingly.    — ANC