Literary Notes: Anais Biguine's 'Junky' Perfume

A rather unique perfume offering today; from Jardins D'Écrivains comes 'Junky', a scent for both men and women, created by Anais Biguine and inspired by the novel of the same name by Beat Generation writer William Burroughs.  It's described as "unashamedly different" and I have to agree that I haven't sniffed anything remotely like it on the high street.  So much so, that I wasn't sure I liked it on the first inhale.  It was just a bit odd.  (I felt the same way when I first heard some of Burroughs' spoken word recordings.)  I took the plunge and squirted it on my skin, where somehow, after a minute or so, the odd first scent mellows into something heady and addictive.

The Scent of a French Spring: Diptyque's Lavender Perfume

I adore Parisienne brand Diptyque, known for their candles and perfumes.  If you're a fan of classic flower fragrances like me, then you'll be pleased to know that Diptyque has added to its Les Eaux Florales range - which already included my all-time favourite, rose - with the release of Eau de Lavande and Geranium Odorata.

I was kindly sent a sample of Eau de Lavande (my nearest John Lewis is woefully understocked where Diptyque is concerned and nowhere else local stocks it!) and I can tell you now, without being swayed by the pretty packaging of a full-size bottle, that this is the best lavender fragrance I have ever tried.

French Perfume Pick Me Ups - Olfactive Studio

What are you using to help banish the winter blues?  I use fragrance as a pick-me-up sometimes, whether it's through a lovely rose scented face cream, a fruity perfume, or even a couple of drops of essential oil in a burner.  I also find photos can be a visual pick-me-up, and try and keep interesting postcards and images pinned around my desk.

But what about perfume, and photography, together?  That is indeed the latest concept brought to us by The Olfactive Studio, a collaboration between perfumers and photographers, or as it's more suggestively described on the website, an 'encounter'...