Q&A: Sparking the Perfume Conversation

In each review, either Turin or Sanchez offers a vivid description of the scent along with a 1 to 5 star rating (1 being awful and 5 being a masterpiece).

In addition to the reviews, Turin and Sanchez provide around 50 pages of introductory essays on subjects such as the history of perfume, how to choose a feminine fragrance, frequently asked questions about perfume, and how the industry has changed—for better and worse—over the years. The back content includes a brief glossary of materials and terms used throughout the reviews and top 10 lists in nine different fragrance categories (see Top 10 Lists). Not only is Perfumes an essential guide to shopping for fragrance, but it is also a unique reading experience. Perfumer & Flavorist magazine recently spoke with Turin and Sanchez to discuss their relationship with fragrance, the effect fragrance writing has had on the industry, and the state of the fragrance industry.

Questions asked:

  • What makes fragrance so special for you?
  • Can you each briefly describe your background in fragrance?
  • What was the motivation for creating Perfumes: The Guide? How long did it take you both to smell and evaluate all the fragrances included in this book?
  • How quickly do you know if you like or dislike a fragrance?
  • Have you ever had a major change of heart about a perfume?
  • Have you two ever had divergent opinions on a fragrance?
  • What fragrance houses and/or perfumers do you admire? Who is doing something interesting or unique in the industry?
  • What are some of your favorite fragrances from the book and why?
  • What do you think about the kind of fragrance writing (blogs, critics, online communities, etc.) being done today? What effect do you think it has?
  • Fragrance has suffered from an image problem over the last 10 to 15 years (at least), in part due to an overload of launches. Do you think some of the prestige will return?

Click to download the complete article.

More in Fine Fragrance