Welcome to the weekly Perfume Chat Room, perfumistas! I envision this chat room as a weekly drop-in spot online, where readers may ask questions, suggest fragrances, tell others their SOTD, comment on new releases or old favorites, and respond to each other. The perennial theme is fragrance, but we can interpret that broadly. This is meant to be a kind space, so please try not to give or take offense, and let’s all agree to disagree when opinions differ. In fragrance as in life, your mileage may vary! YMMV.
Today is Friday, August 9, and we are still glued to the Paris Olympics! I haven’t felt this engaged with the Olympics in a long time. However, the latest in fragrance news has nothing to do with the Olympics. It seems that Dolce & Gabbana have launched a new fragrance — for dogs: Dolce & Gabbana Launches a Dog Perfume. Veterinarians Turn Up Their Noses. The vets’ concern is that smell plays a much larger role in the lives of dogs than it does for humans, because their sense of smell is much more powerful and they use scent to navigate the world as well as social relationships.
I do understand the temptation. Our beloved old dog Lucy can get stinky. She hates baths, so they are a rare event and we use waterless dog shampoo on her instead. But even so, she smells, well, like a dog. Would we rather she smelled like, say, “the woody, creamy undertones of sandalwood”? Well, sure, but not at the expense of her comfort and wellbeing.
I was very interested in the veterinarians’ responses. They noted that some scents can be helpful to dogs, like the use of lavender for calming. Generally, though, they’re not fans of the concept of dog perfume.
However, just as a fun imaginative exercise, what existing scents might you associate with a pet (yours or someone else’s)? I have to go with Papillon Perfumes’ gorgeous Bengale Rouge, just because perfumer Liz Moores created it with inspiration from her own Bengal cat Mimi. I don’t need Lucy to smell like sandalwood if I can apply Bengale Rouge myself and smell of sandalwood, rose, honey, vanilla, and myrrh! It’s a gorgeous fragrance, and I recommend trying it if you haven’t had the chance.
Liz describes it so beautifully that I’ll just share her own words:
“The muse for this perfume is my Bengal cat, Mimi. I have always been captivated by the beauty of her fur and her natural perfume. I didn’t want to create a literal fragrance, rather a re-imagining of the notes that lay upon her leopard coat. It was important that this perfume brought the comfort and warmth that so many of us receive from our pets, as well as do justice to Mimi’s natural elegance and grace. I moved away from dramatic, feral notes and focused upon a domesticated cosiness that would embrace the wearer with the same snugness and pleasure that I feel when I am with her. I wanted to include some of the exotic facets of the Bengal cats’ origins; unique, elegant and striking, I hoped to capture the majesty and mystery of these beautiful creatures in a sumptuous and soft perfume.”
Bengal cats; image from vetstreet.co
What fragrances do you associate with a pet, or really any animal?
Yeah… much as I like the idea of a dog perfume, I am convinced the vets’ perspective is right. I bought Oh My Dog! for the novelty and have only worn it myself a few times. Did you also see that Auntie Anne’s is releasing a new eau de pretzel?!
I’m not a fan of perfuming Mr Jarvis Cockapoo. I always remind his groomer not to perfume him but this week DH took him & he came home reeking of “Baby Powder”. Thankfully,to our noses, it’s gone quickly. Not to his, yesterday he chose his favoured fragrance, Eau de Pigeon 💩!
Starts with saddle soap & neatsfoot oil with a tiny bit of violet. It’s the smell of a tack room without the smell of numnahs. It was so comforting yet brought back the little girl who cried when her pony was going back to her breeder as a brood mare. It then moves into a meadow full of wild flowers. The smell of summer, not particularly green & this moves into late summer hay drying in the field & healthy horse breath. It ends with a touch of soft & velvety horse nose.
Sounds odd but Liz is so talented, Epona only has flashes of this photorealism it’s held together by an abstract meadow floral throughout
It does sound glorious! Hmm, I’m not often interested in leather scents but when you combine them with lovely florals, my ears perk up. Or should I say my nose?
I don’t like the idea of perfumes for cats and dogs – unless it’s something that they would actually enjoy. In addition to Bengale Rouge, the second perfume that I associated with Rusty was Chanel Beige because he used to like it on me.
I’m not into scents for cats or dogs or any four footed friends. My dogs always disliked my perfumes. They would sneeze and run from the room when I was spraying so I definitely wouldn’t try to spray a fragrance on them when I knew they wouldn’t like it. My only critter friend now is a gorgeous banana spider who has a grand web on my sliding glass patio doors. I don’t think he would like perfume either. : -)
Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities 
Yeah… much as I like the idea of a dog perfume, I am convinced the vets’ perspective is right. I bought Oh My Dog! for the novelty and have only worn it myself a few times. Did you also see that Auntie Anne’s is releasing a new eau de pretzel?!
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I did not! Must go check it out!
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I’m not a fan of perfuming Mr Jarvis Cockapoo. I always remind his groomer not to perfume him but this week DH took him & he came home reeking of “Baby Powder”. Thankfully,to our noses, it’s gone quickly. Not to his, yesterday he chose his favoured fragrance, Eau de Pigeon 💩!
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Ahhh…. Forgot to say Papillon’s latest release, Epona, is glorious!
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Good to know! What’s it like, other than glorious?
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Starts with saddle soap & neatsfoot oil with a tiny bit of violet. It’s the smell of a tack room without the smell of numnahs. It was so comforting yet brought back the little girl who cried when her pony was going back to her breeder as a brood mare. It then moves into a meadow full of wild flowers. The smell of summer, not particularly green & this moves into late summer hay drying in the field & healthy horse breath. It ends with a touch of soft & velvety horse nose.
Sounds odd but Liz is so talented, Epona only has flashes of this photorealism it’s held together by an abstract meadow floral throughout
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It does sound glorious! Hmm, I’m not often interested in leather scents but when you combine them with lovely florals, my ears perk up. Or should I say my nose?
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When we first took the dogs to a groomer after we moved here they came home stinking to high heaven of some cheap sweet perfume. It was awful.
The Olympics have been excellent this time. Last night we were up till after 2am watching the Rhythmic Gymnastics. So good.
Portia x
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I don’t like the idea of perfumes for cats and dogs – unless it’s something that they would actually enjoy.
In addition to Bengale Rouge, the second perfume that I associated with Rusty was Chanel Beige because he used to like it on me.
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I also wanted to mention that Lucy is very cute.
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Thanks! She’s a sweetie.
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Rusty had excellent taste!
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It isn’t really a leather scent. There is a touch in the saddle soap accord & the velvet suede of a pony’s nose but it’s so delicate.
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I’m not into scents for cats or dogs or any four footed friends. My dogs always disliked my perfumes. They would sneeze and run from the room when I was spraying so I definitely wouldn’t try to spray a fragrance on them when I knew they wouldn’t like it. My only critter friend now is a gorgeous banana spider who has a grand web on my sliding glass patio doors. I don’t think he would like perfume either. : -)
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I agree! Lucy doesn’t mind my scents, at least they don’t seem to bother her (no sneezing or running), but I wouldn’t spray any on her either.
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