What Olivia Giacobetti has done for fig on several occasions (Philosykos, Premiere Figuier), Anne Flipo (Verte Violette, Mimosa pour Moi, Fleur de Narcisse) has done to pineapple in Ananas Fizz. Premier Figuier and Ananas Fizz share quite a bit in common: the milkiness of coconut and the dryness of cedar, and the fuzzy, green top notes and overall impression. While Premier Figuier has green notes added to the green fig, Anans Fizz is a bubbly citrus that is more like a tangy citrus soda than the ripe juicy fruity. The citrus notes chosen are not the sweetest either – bergamot, bitter orange, grapefruit and lemon. There is a hint of cinnamon-like warmth on first spritz, and this warmth fades in and out, as does the actual “pineapple” note, which is more of a tangy and green pineapple, acidic slices of the under-ripe fruit rather than the dripping sweetness of the juicy nectar that follows once the pineapple has turned yellow-orange from the outside. Ananas Fizz settles into sweeter notes of coconut and the soft powderiness of cedar and sheer clean and barely-there musk which make the base, as the pineapple weaves in and out, alternated by lots of fizz. Overall, I’d say there is more fizz than ananas in Ananas Fizz.

Ananas Fizz makes a great summer scent as its presence, though refreshing, is quite subtle and non-obtrusive. The tangy pineapple and citrus are refreshing - both literally and mentally, as this scent does offer something new to the realm of light, summery citrus eaux.

Ananas Fizz is the second or third perfume by perfumer Anne Flipo which I think smells very Olivia-Giacobettian. The two talented parfumeuses must have gone to school together, or as they say “Great minds think alike”. It’s often that I get confused between the style of both, and quite a few of their perfumes share some similarities in concept as well as they manner in which they are carried out.

Pineapple as a note in mass marketed fragrances is only achieved artificially, by a simulated aroma, usually by using primarily either one of two molecules pineapple heptadienone, which is greener or the overripe type pineapple hydroxyhexanoate. Being an entirely simulated aroma, pineapple fragrances often smell utterly artificial, and presenting more of a symbol of the aroma rather than the true aroma of the fruit itself. Referring to other pineapple scents in the history of perfume, pineapple appeared first very sporadically in fruity chypres (i.e.: Revlon’s Intimate from 1955 which included pineapple as well as papaya and green tea – all notes that were very unusual at the time). However, pineapple didn’t make a real entry into the world of perfume until the very late 70’s (Charles of the Ritz – a floriental; and Lauren – a fruity-floral) and truly in the early 80’s where it was used in several perfumes. But it was not until the age of watery-marines and fruity-florals of the 90’s that simulated pineapple notes started being used more frequently. Pineapple seems to be used either in its more tart and “gree”, acidic character (i.e.: in scents such as Cool Water and Aaqua di Giò for women). In the later 90’s, when the fruity florals started to emerge, the tartness of pineapple added an extra oomph to otherwise very sweet concoctions such as Baby Doll (and similarly in Anna Sui’s Secret Wish from 2005). Later on, it’s the overripe sweetness of pineapple that we find in more and more pineapple-tinged scents during the early milenia (which were probably preceded by the sweetness of Sophia Grojsman’s Sun, Moon, Stars for Karl Lagerfeld) such as Vanilla Pineapple (Comptoir Sud Pacifique), Live (J Lo), and the like.

P.s. According to the Journal of Food and Science, the molecules that make up the aroma of pineapple areacetoxyacetone, dimethyl malonate, trans-tetrahydro-α,α,trimethyl-5-vinyl fur-furyl alcohol, methyl cis-(4?)-octenoate, γ-butyrolactone, methyl β-hydroxybutyrate, methyl and ethyl β-hydroxyhexanoate, methyl and ethyl β-acetoxyhexanoate, γ-octalactone, and δ-octalactone.

Image: Taken by moi near the Juicery of Sheinkin street in Tel Aviv. You can see in the picture a pineapple, wheatgrass and a little miniature orange tree in the background. All were on a top of a beetle car!

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince was never really a children’s book. Just because it is about a child does not make it for children. Regardless if the book is accompanied by colourful illustrations. I am sure my parents were not the only ones puzzled by the peculiar gap between their astonishment from the book and the complete non-comprehensive gazing they received from me and the too many questions for a bed time story as a response to this book.

And so, when a disnified collection of perfumes for children inspired by Le Petit Prince came out, accompanied by stuffed animals (sheep, of course), action figures, colouring books and other cutesy paraphernalia (this is clearly TOO MUCH!) appeared on the olfactory horizon, I was equally eager and terrified to try the line.

Eager? Well, one must admit, the packaging for Le Petit Prince Eau de Toilette is stunning. It is simple and true to the original illustrations in the book. One would expect a magical, yet somewhat cerebral concoction of baobab trees, star dust and desert winds and perhaps also a bit of motor oil. However, the perfumer for Le Petit Prince decided to go for the safest unisex cliché of a citrus perfume that gives no particular statement except for being an agreeable, pleasant smell that can please almost anyone. The chosen notes are mainly lemony, and for the most part this alcohol-free concoction smells like sugar-free lemonade. Very pleasant, but it gives nothing new to the imagination and being associated with a book of such importance, this is pure sacrilege. Let’s just be reminded that another book by the same author served as the inspiration to one of the greatest perfumes of all times, Vol de Nuit. This thought alone makes me shudder.

Le Petit Prince Eau de Toilette is alcohol free*. It is also free of any imaginative thought or creativity (except for that which went into the exquisite packaging). The official notes include citrus, tarragon, lemon verbena, cedarwood and oak. I smell mostly lemon and lemon verbena, which I love. But I can also find these without getting my plane grounded in the desert and insulting the olfactory intelligence of children (who, I am most certain, will be quite open to try some new notes that they are less familiar with).

Interested to learn more about the literary phenomenon? Visit the official site of the Le Petit Prince fragrance line. Visit there and you'll see what I mean about commercialism. However, if this what's going to get children to read the book (and perhaps understand it), than so be it. The only problem is that whatever understanding they might reach would be tainted with commercialism. But who cares? We live in the 21st Century now, and commercialism is all that matters.

* This is usually achieved by mixing the essences with hydrogenated castor oil first, and than mixing this with water; this particular castor oil is water coluble)

No, this is not about the perfume by Moschino (though this will come too). This is a new "column" (or listing) so to speak, dedicatedfor perfumes that are relatively affordable, yet have high quality or unique style that make them unique (in my opinion, anyways), including the links to their review here on SmellyBlog.

If you know of a fragrance that is unique yet dirt cheap, please contact me and tell me what you like about it. Only fragrances that can be found cheap also in a brick & mortar store would be included (not those which are only discounted online). You get my drift...The following are just a few favourites of mine:

4711

CocoVanilla (Alyssa Ashley)

Ode a l'Amour (Yves Rocher)

Monoi de Tahiti Body Spray or Body Oil (Yves Rocher)

Tabu

Musk Vanilla (Coty)

White Musk (The Body Shop)

Youth Dew Bath Oil