SQUIB: a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech; b : a short news item. (Merriam-Webster)
This Travel Squib smells great. Just sniff your screen.
Penhaligon’s has been selling perfumes for women and scents for men since 1870. The company now has boutique shops along London’s high end streets and major shopping areas. Men and women from around the world venture to these little shops to choose their personal scents from a variety of options that’ll cost you around $100 per bottle.
The designers behind Penhaligon’s scents create products for average businessmen looking for a light, sophisticated aroma to Maharajas. One of the company’s most recent creations – Vaara – now fills the air at said Maharaja’s summer palace.
If any visitor to Penhaligon’s is unsure of what scent they’d like to buy — or, if they’ve never worn a personal cologne before — he or she can sign on for the perfume maker’s selection process. I tried out the experience at Penhaligon’s Regent Street location.
The customer joins one of Penhaligon’s sales staff at a table covered with blank, white paper sticks. Each strip holds one of Penhaligon’s scents, but none are marked in any way. The idea is to avoid selecting a product because a psychological effect served up by its color or name.
One by one, the customer sniffs and makes a decision. The pool of potential perfumes is narrowed down step by step until one remains. Only then is the name of that final, selected product. I came out of the 20 minute tryout with Juniper Sling – a light, crisp and masculine cologne with hints of London Dry Gin. It was a natural pick when you consider I also cover liquor and spirits. I now smell like an excellent cocktail.
I’ve witnessed women go through the process, and it’s essentially the same idea. Of course, in the world of fragrances, men seem to have less to work with, often limited to leather, spice, wood, musk and maybe tobacco. Fortunately, Penhaligon’s deliberately keeps their products light, allowing them to take on a more unisex aura.
The sampling process is a brilliant way to introduce any individual who isn’t a fragrance expert to a product they can really bond to as an individual. As for me, I learned the value of a daily, regular scent as a personal signature. I’ll keep my Juniper Sling nearby as I move on from my London visit.
