i needed to read this today so im sharing it to all of you!!
Do you have any reading recs about perfumes?
I haven’t read most of these yet— but here’s my current perfume reading list. Enjoy! I might update this with more as I move along.
ARTICLES
‘Smell, Memory’ by Rachel Syme
‘The Ugly History of Beautiful Things: Perfume’ by Katy Kelleher
‘In 1902, Audiences Turned Up Their Noses at the First Perfume Concert’ by Allison Meier
‘Kazimir Malevich’s Little-Known Perfume Bottle’ by Jillian Steinhauer
‘Getting a Whiff of Perfume’s Illusions’ by Sonya Vatomsky
‘LAYERS: Pushing Through the Arts to Perfume’ by Dannielle Sergent
‘Scenting Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroines: Cleopatra and Lady Macbeth’ by Lauryn Beer
‘Some Thoughts on Scent Criticism’ by Miguel Matos
‘Scent and Healing: The Transformative Power of Perfume’ by Ida Meister
‘Here’s Why Perfume Description Are Never About Smell’ by Elyse Hauser
‘Heaven Scent’ by Danielle del Sol
‘Ann Haviland, Forgotten Mastermind of the Signature Scent’ by Jessica Murphy
‘Perfume, Power, and God’ by Arabelle Sicardi
‘How to Pick a Perfume When You Can’t Smell’ by Alaina Leary
‘People Are Buying This Perfume Because They Think It’s From Killing Eve’ by Rebecca Jennings
‘Meet Chandler Burr, the World’s Foremost Fragrance Expert’ by Chavie Lieber
‘Making Perfume From the Rain’ by Cynthia Barnett
‘Can Perfume Sabotage a Budding Romance?’ by Jesse Frost
‘The Scent of True Love’ by Cari Romm
‘Perfume: An Ethereal Corset Trapping Everyone in the Same Unnatural Shape’ by Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
The New York Times archives on Perfume
FICTION
The Song of Solomon from The Bible
Das Parfaum by Patrick Süskind
NONFICTION
Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume by Mandy Aftel
Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent by Mandy Aftel
Throughsmoke by Jehanne Dubrow
The Emperor of Scent: A True Story of Perfume and Obsession by Chandler Burr
The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York by Chandler Burr
Dior: The Perfumes by Chandler Burr
Folio Columns 2003-2014 by Luca Turin
Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin
The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and the Science of Smell by Luca Turin
The Perfume Lover: A Personal History of Scent by Denyse Beaulieu
The Diary of a Nose: A Year in the Life of a Parfumeur by Jean-Claude Ellena
A Scented Palace: The Secret History of Marie Antoinette’s Perfumer by Elisabeth de Feydeau
Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride by Alyssa Harad
Perfume: The Alchemy of Scent by Jean-Claude Ellena
Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris by Christopher Kemp
The Foul and the Fragrant: Odor and the French Social Imagination by Alain Corbin
A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman
Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel by Edwin T. Morris
Cult Perfumes: The World’s Most Exclusive Perfumeries by Tessa Williams
The Ephemeral History of Perfume: Scent and Sense in Early Modern England by Holly Dugan
Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin: A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present by Richard Stamelman
The Aroma of Righteousness: Scent and Seduction in Rabbinic Life and Literature by Deborah Green
Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the Olfactory Imagination by Susan Ashbrook Harvey
Scent: The Mysterious and Essential Powers of Smell by Annick Le Guérer
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Aroma by by Constance Classen
Flowers and Fruit by Colette
Learning new skills that will make it easier to accomplish your goals >
YOU DO NOT HEAL BY UNDERSTANDING YOUR TRAUMA
You heal by feeling safe enough to stop repeating it
Not reverting to your old coping mechanisms anymore is how you break the cycle
You want to understand because understanding gives the illusion of control
When we go through pain our mind kicks into overdrive trying to make sense of it. It’s the mind’s way of saying If I can figure this out, I can prevent it from happening again
Sometimes there isn’t a logical answer that will make the pain go away because it had nothing to do with you. And trying to intellectualize everything can become a way to avoid feeling the things that actually needs to move through the body
We try understanding because it’s less scary than sitting in the unknown. Stop trying to solve everything like a puzzle and instead start soothing the part of us that feels afraid, abandoned, unworthy etc
You don’t need another explanation
You need a hug
A deep breath
A new boundary
Or someone who looks at you and tells you that it wasn’t your fault
Because it wasn’t 🤍
Clever angel: beauty of knowledge🦢
Sometimes we might catch ourselves feeling ignorant or insecure about our surroundings when others try to know us better🪷 That’s why I think everybody should increase theirs horizons!
“Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse.”🪼
Create a reading challenge list that includes:
• A biography of someone you admire
• A book about a country or culture you're curious about
• A piece of classic literature
• A modern science or technology book
• A self-improvement or psychology book
Each month, pick a new skill or topic you want to explore. For instance:
• Sign up for a beginner's course in a language you've always wanted to learn, like Spanish or Japanese.
• Explore a creative writing workshop to enhance your expressive abilities.
• Dive into a web development course to understand the basics of coding.
Incorporate brain-boosting foods into your diet, such as:
• Snacking on walnuts or blueberries during your study or reading time.
• Adding fatty fish like salmon to your meals twice a week.
• Drinking matcha instead of coffee for a gentler caffeine boost and antioxidant benefits.
Besides daily reflections, include:
• Weekly goals and achievements
• Interesting facts or knowledge you learned that week
• Quotes from books or articles that inspired you
• Personal insights or ideas sparked by your new learnings
To integrate mindfulness into your routine, try:
• Kicking off your mornings with a brief, 10-minute meditation centered on breathing, to refresh your mind and sharpen focus.
• Embarking on brief, mindful strolls, fully absorbing the sensations and sights around you, to rejuvenate your mind and spark creativity.
I would really appreciate if you reblog and like this post🪷 Thank you🪼 stay safe
There is a difference between being with someone because you want to get married and have kids & being with someone you want to marry & give children to
One is driven by a desire to fulfill personal goals, while the other is rooted in a deep connection & a desire to build a life together
If you’re ready to get married, date someone who wants to be a husband/wife and a father/mother, not a someone that just wants a spouse and a baby
If it is meant for you, you won't need to force it. If it is not meant for you, forcing it won't work.