Memoire Liquide

I love perfume. I love the concept of a "signature scent" -- but hate the idea of using a scent millions of other women wear every day.

I just recently discovered Memoire Liquide, a "bespoke perfumery" where one can create a personal recipe for a truly original and unique perfume. Of course, I discover this after I have moved far, far away from Santa Monica, but I am hoping to have my scent created next month on my visit home.

Many people (including the company) refer to Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past" and to his famous passage about the cookie and tea, and the power scent and taste have to stir some of our deepest, most hidden emotions and memories. I thought I'd include part of the passage here for the curious:

Undoubtedly what is thus palpitating in the depths of my being must be the image, the visual memory which, being linked to that taste, is trying to follow it into my conscious mind. But its struggles are too far off, too confused and chaotic; scarcely can I perceive the neutral glow into which the elusive whirling medley of stirred-up colours is fused, and I cannot distinguish its form, cannot invite it, as the one possible interpreter, to translate for me the evidence of its contemporary, its inseparable paramour, the taste, cannot ask it to inform me what special circumstance is in question, from what period in my past life.

(full excerpt here )

What are some scents that awaken memories for you?

There is a certain smell of almost dried mildew...like in books or something, that always reminds me of the Amazon. Everything there smells like that. Certain things with a very light patchouli get -close- to the smell....but not quite.

Miss Neecerie said:

There is a certain smell of almost dried mildew...like in books or something, that always reminds me of the Amazon. Everything there smells like that. Certain things with a very light patchouli get -close- to the smell....but not quite.

Click to expand...

I think I can imagine the smell...one library I used to work at would get a certain kind of mold in the books regularly from the sea fog and they had a very peculiar smell, especially some of the older ones. I think I have a 1960s suit that has the same smell, and it's a battle to keep the rest of my closet from smelling mildewy.

Not that I would want it in perfume!

The other things for me are all of specific places....but are usually beauty products.

Like this Lemon Thyme bath foaming gel I used in england. I have some now (god bless Boots and their deal with Target!), and it always takes me back to the flat I lived in when I used it.

Fels Naptha soap. The smell of Home.

I always wanted to try one of those custom perfumes, but Im afraid that the scent that would work best for me, would be a smell I dont like.

LD

actually, there's a perfume made by Chanel that Oma wore my whole childhood. Anytime I smell it I think of being in one of her fluffy hugs. The scent is hard to find (even for her, and she's lookign to buy it!) but every once and I while I pass an elderly woman who wears the perfume.