Perfume Audiobook By Jean-Claude Ellena cover art

Perfume

The Alchemy of Scent

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Perfume

By: Jean-Claude Ellena
Narrated by: David de Vries
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To women the whole world over, perfume means glamour, and in the world of perfume, Jean-Claude Ellena is a superstar. In this one-of-a-kind book, the master himself takes you through the doors of his laboratory and explains the process of creating precious fragrances, revealing the key methods and recipes involved in this mysterious alchemy.

Perfume is a cutthroat, secretive multibillion-dollar industry, and Ellena provides an insider's tour, guiding us from initial inspiration through the mixing of essences and synthetic elements, to the deluxe packaging and marketing in elegant boutiques worldwide, and even the increasingly complicated safety standards that are set in motion for each bottle of perfume that is manufactured. He explains how the sense of smell works, using a palette of fragrant materials, and how he personally chooses and composes a perfume. He also reveals his unique way of creating a fragrance by playing with our olfactory memories in order to make the perfume seductive and desired by men and women the world over. Perfume illuminates the world of scent and manufactured desire by a perfumer who has had clients the likes of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, and Hermés.

©2011 Jean-Claude Ellena. (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Beauty, Grooming & Style Biological Sciences Chemistry Economics Personal Development Science Business
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This book is a great overview of the perfume industry on a global scale from a French perspective. The book overviews aspects of perfumery from the art, materials, and business sides. The writing feels thick so you may need to listen twice to the audio book but it is good information. The narration is really good, the narrator's fluidity in switching between English and French is really great. Over all, this book is a good choice for someone just looking at perfume, wanting to know more about the industry, etc. I think it would be helpful to see the printed book too because there seems to be charts and lists that are voiced throughout. So if you find this book to be of value than you may want to get a printed copy too for reference. The information in the book can be dry at times so having it read maybe better for you than reading, but only you will know that. I'd recommend this book to any one interested in perfume making and the industry.

great overview of an industry

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I was hoping for information on specific perfumes. Instead it was a long boring recitation of lists, rules, regulations.
Don’t waste your time or money.

BORING

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The author has accomplished something I never expected. His love for perfume will make me question ever using it again.

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