Lizzie Ostrom, also known as Odette Toilette, is the author of the phenomenal book Perfume, a Century of Scents. In this book, she gives a witty overview of the top 100 perfumes that marked the 20th century through colorful descriptions, historical and cultural reviews, as well as personal impressions and associations related to the mentioned perfumes. The theme of the perfume in books is often dealt with in a austere, often dry and rigid way, and Lizzie, who, just as she once said about herself “that in her previous life was probably a comedian,” describes perfumes in the book with sublime humor that keeps the readers’ attention from first to the last page. My reviews of the mentioned perfumes are in blue link color.
TOP 10 perfumes from 1900 – 1909. year
- Houbigant – Le parfum Ideal
- Piver – Le Trefle Incarnat
- Sears – Climax
- Guerlain – Mouchoir de Monsieur
- Coty – L’Origan
- Grossmith – Shem-el-Nessim
- Guerlain – Apres l’Ondee
- Piver – Pompeia
- California Perfume Company – American Ideal
- Piver – Peau d’Espagne
TOP 10 perfumes from 1910 – 1919. year
- Floris – Special no 127
- Caron – Narcisse Noir
- Atkinson – Poinsettia
- Paul Poiret – Nuit de Chine
- Bronley – Ess Viotto
- Yardley – English Lavender
- Brocard & co. – Le Bouquet Prefere de L’Imperatrice
- Parfume de Rosine – Le Fruit Defendu
- Coty – Chypre
- Guerlain – Mitsouko
TOP 10 perfumes from 1920 – 1929. year
- Molinard – Habanita
- Chanel – No 5
- Caron – Nuit de Noel
- Caron – Bain de Champagne
- D’Orsay – Le Dandy
- Isabey – Gardenia
- Jean Patou – Amour Amour, Que Sais-Je? Adieu Sagesse
- Ahmed Soliman – Tutankhamon Pharaoh Scent
- Jean Patou – Huile de Chaldee
- Weil – Zibeline
TOP 10 perfumes from 1930 – 1939. year
- Mennen – Skin Bracer
- Lanvin – Scandal
- Guerlain – Vol de Nuit
- Lentheric – Tweed
- Elizabeth Arden – Blue Grass
- Caron – Fleurs de Rocaille
- Schiaparelli – Shocking
- Shulton – Old Spice
- Jean Patou – Colony
- Caron – Alpona
TOP 10 perfumes from 1940 – 1949. year
- Houbigant – Chantilly
- Priess – Dri-Perfume
- Rochas – Femme
- Evyan – White Shoulders
- Angelique – Black Satin
- Claude Marsan – Oh!
- West Indies Bay Company – St Johns Bay Rum
- Carven – Ma Griffe
- Nina Ricci – L’Air du Temps
- Robert Piguet – Fracas
TOP 10 perfumes from 1950 – 1959. year
- Prince Matchabelli – Wind Song
- Balmain – Jolie Madam
- Estee Lauder – Youth Dew
- Helena Rubinstein – Noa Noa
- Grossmith – White Fire
- Massimo Vidal – Pino Silvestre
- Christian Dior – Diorissimo
- Max Factor – Hypnotique
- Maurer & Wirtz – Tabac Original
- Guerlain – Vetiver
TOP 10 perfumes from 1960 – 1969. year
- Jean Desprez – Bal a Versailles
- Faberge – Brut
- Shiseido – Zen
- Avon – Pretty Peach
- Yardley – Oh! De London
- Christian Dior – Eau Sauvage
- Estee Lauder – Aramis
- Pfizer – Hai Karate
- Unbranded – Patchouli Oil
- Paco Rabanne – Calandre
TOP 10 perfumes from 1970 – 1979. year
- Yves Saint Laurent – Rive Gauche
- Clinique – Aromatics Elixir
- Chanel – No 19
- Jovan – Musk Oil
- Christian Dior – Diorella
- Revlon – Charlie
- Faberge – Babe
- Yves Saint Laurent – Opium
- Lancome – Magie Noire
- Cacharel – Anais Anais
TOP 10 perfumes from 1980 – 1989. year
- Yves Saint Laurent – Kouros
- Giorgio Beverly Hills – Giorgio Beverly Hills
- The Body Shop – White Musk
- Guy Laroche – Drakkar Noir
- Gloria Vanderbilt – Vanderbilt
- Salvador Dali – Salvador Dali for Women
- Christian Dior – Poison
- Calvin Klein – Obsession
- Cacharel – LouLou
- Davidoff – Cool Water
TOP 10 perfumes from 1990 – 1999. year
- Joop! – Homme
- Thierry Mugler – Angel
- Issey Miyake – L’Eau d’Issey and L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme
- Elizabeth Arden – Sunflowers
- Unilever – Impulse O2
- Calvin Klein – CK One
- Lynx/Axe – Lynx Africa
- Tommy Hilfiger – Tommy Girl
- ‘’Genuine Gucci’’
- Demeter – Dirt
NEW PERFUME GUIDE BY LUCA TURIN 2018 IS OUT!
Top 10 list of best perfumes that came out since the first book can be found HERE.
CHECK OUT MORE TOP LISTS BY LUCA TURIN
Top list of best perfumes rated with five stars by Luca Turin can be found HERE.
Top list of best perfumes rated with four stars by Luca Turin can be found HERE.
Top list of best perfumes rated with three stars by Luca Turin can be found HERE.
Top list of worst perfumes rated with two stars by Luca Turin can be found HERE
MORE TOP LISTS BY FAMOUS PERFUME CRITICS
Top 10 list of best perfumes by Chandler Burr can be found HERE.
DO YOU KNOW WHICH PERFUMES CELEBRITIES ACTUALLY WEAR?
Favorite fragrances of celebrities : Complete list can be found HERE. Find out what perfumes celebrities actually like to wear!
And if you want to find out what Creed perfumes celebrities like to wear check the best of HERE.
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DO YOU AGREE WITH THE LIST? WHAT PERFUME WOULD YOU ADD TO THE LIST OR MAYBE REMOVE? LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW! KIND REGARDS, IGOR
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE LIST? WHAT PERFUME WOULD YOU ADD TO THE LIST OR MAYBE REMOVE? LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW! KIND REGARDS, IGOR