Phew! Victoria: Thank you so much! For instance, when opening my No 19 bottle, I couldnt save the wax seal. Thank you for your suggestion about applying the perfume with disposable pipettes, too. Perhaps I should open all the 3 bottles this week. I have always enjoyed reading them, and I have to say this is the perfect piece and the perfect time for me to have encounter it as I have just bought Guerlain Sous Le Vent and LHeure Bleue parfum. Next I looked for the baudruche, and there it was! One last comment on the best way to apply perfume from stoppered bottles. April 26, 2015 at 10:38am Reply, Victoria: Oh my goodness! Hope it turns out well. Very beautiful. March 6, 2014 at 3:10pm Reply, Victoria: Nearly doesnt count, as my mom says. March 6, 2014 at 3:35pm Reply. Bela: Thanks very much for your kind words, Andy. Theres a whole world of things happening out there that we have no idea about. March 5, 2014 at 12:17pm Reply, Victoria: I do too, and I enjoy this kind of attention to detail. Youre welcome, V. Any time. I like the austere, plain design of Chanel bottle as much as I enjoy the whimsy of Guerlain. p.s. I was overjoyed! June 24, 2015 at 2:09pm Reply, Wendy: I recently purchased my first ever bottle of extrait, Chanel Bois Des Iles. March 6, 2014 at 5:25pm Reply, Victoria: The extrait had so little sillage, I had to reapply it. I was concerned that this topic would be little interest, but Im very happy that its not the case. Im glad to say I havent had to look at Bluebell since. So on the bottle of Nahema that does not have a seal, what to you do with the string? At Chanel, there are 8 such artisans for the entire house, while Guerlain employs 7. I just rocked the stopper back and forth, like you said, and it came out quite easily. Id love to meet some of the women involved in the process! I havent worn my Chanel N19 extrait in a while. But occasionally, people want to know how you can open the bottle to preserve the intricate lacing. All I had put off trying to open it because I hated the thought of cutting the cord. March 5, 2014 at 1:47pm Reply, Victoria: Oh, I know what you mean! In the end, it doesnt matter much. I sort of used them interchangeably anyway. March 5, 2014 at 11:20am Reply, Victoria: Youve put it so nicely, Ashley. Then a silk or metal thread is used to keep the membrane in place, and a drop of wax is the final touch. I have some more info about the parafilm here: https://boisdejasmin.com/2013/06/making-fragrance-decants-and-samples-in-pictures.html, And then I would put it inside its own ziplock bag with a piece of absorbent paper towel inside. March 6, 2014 at 11:35am Reply, Bert K.: Some more baudruchage pictures here: http://www.notcot.com/archives/2007/09/sealing-chanel.php March 6, 2014 at 5:07am Reply, Victoria: Oh, terrific! Ill be in Frankfurt next week and hope to find some time to visit the Chanel boutique. Just rock the stopper back and forth delicately and pull it up and out, stretching the cord. Next time I will employ that technique! The membrane itself looks a bit messy around the stopper, so I remove it completely and keep it in the box. March 5, 2014 at 10:35am Reply, Victoria: Perhaps, they sealed some batches and not others? March 6, 2014 at 11:56am Reply. On these pages I explore the world of senses through art, literature, and history. September 9, 2015 at 9:23am Reply, Alexandra Star: Thank you so much Victoria. Do you also love Austen? , I loved reading this post. In the process I broke the black cord and wax seal and I wondered what the world is this plastic like film was that surrounded the neck of the bottle. March 7, 2014 at 12:01pm Reply, Roberta: Victoria, your article was so inspiring that on Friday I went to the Chanel shop and indulged in a bottle of Bois des Iles extrait. March 12, 2014 at 1:42pm Reply, Victoria: So glad that you liked it. The artistry involved in baudruchage reminds me of the Series 7 Kolinsky sable watercolor brushes made by Winsor Newton. Old fashioned craftmanship, still existing, how wonderful. My ISM bottle is four years old now and I cant remember how I opened it. I cherish my bottle of N19 even more! In the world of mass production and mass consumption, some human touch on things we enjoy really feels like luxury. I like the old fashion quality of baudruchage (thanks for allowing us to put a name on it! Really fascinating. Cant wait to hear what you think of 1932 parfum when you try it. March 5, 2014 at 1:37pm Reply, Lauren: How lovely! So refined. March 5, 2014 at 5:57pm Reply, Victoria: Learning about it was a discovery for me too. Can you please give me some tips on how to open this bottle? One of the reasons why it was left unused for many years was because I wasnt sure how to open it. However, I ruthlessly cut the cord and opened the bottle. Am I an incurable romantic? Start with two drops at the back of your neck, close to the hairline. It was a very different time and a much less litigious one too. This is the first time I have ever read what its exactly made up of and the whole process. March 5, 2014 at 5:02pm Reply, SallyM: Fascinating video I love the wax seal at the end just like how letters used to be sealed in the old days. March 5, 2014 at 5:57pm Reply, Marsha Smith: Thank you for this post Victoria. All luxury goods are created by a multitude of little people. March 6, 2014 at 12:10pm Reply, Snowyowl: This link was so interesting! Let me know how it goes! Prices and sale offers may vary by store location, including Dillards.com, and are subject to change. March 6, 2014 at 11:43am Reply, Leah: I have some short clips of the women at Guerlain dressing the bottles I will have to look for them and send them to you. Now I know exactly what it is. You simply push the cord off and take the stopper out. Just wanted to know what people do with it March 5, 2014 at 11:55am Reply, Victoria: Yes, I just let hang around the bottle, it keeps the tassel in place. It never crossed my mind that there are craftswomen wholly dedicated to sealing the bottles. Also, please take a look atphotos of baudruchage, barbichage and brossageat Guerlain viaOsmoz. Usually I dab with the stopper but I always worry about degradation from my own body oils and or accidentally knocking the small bottle of extrait de parfum over. I bet there are very few other such specialized careers. March 6, 2014 at 11:23am Reply, Austenfan: Well, I am improving. March 5, 2014 at 10:22am Reply, Zazie: I managed to mess up my first bottle of extriat ever (Shalimar), by breaking the beautiful chord in the wrong way I made silly efforts trying to get it back into place, but no luck cologne September 20, 2015 at 7:13am Reply, Victoria: Glad that you found it helpful, Alexandra. , Im not sure if Chanel uses Indian sandalwood or not. Im pretty sure it is repetitious and dull, and that is all those women* do all day. Lucky you to find such a treasure. I wore 1932 EDT a lot, but I didnt end up changing my mind. By the way, the mention of onion paper possibly being used for baudruchage makes me smile. Chanel, Guerlain, and Jean Patou* still employ it for the most precious item in their collectionsthe extrait de parfum. I felt totally helpless in front of my bottle of Guerlain LInstant extrait bought 2 years ago, I didnt open it being afraid not to ruin it. March 6, 2014 at 11:41am Reply. Disposable pipettes are so inexpensive on Ebay and its easier to dose the quantity of perfume. Appreciate the suggestions for opening the bottle. March 6, 2014 at 11:36am Reply, Aisha: I love the image of using a disposable pipette to apply a few drops. For instance, you have to cut the cord on the Mitsouko bottles, since it loops around the heart-shaped stopper. I love that aspect too. Fascinating. Not something one would expect out of Aromatics Elixir! is using baudruchage on their handmade crystal perfume bottles. One of these should make it budge. March 5, 2014 at 11:04am Reply, Victoria: Hmm, I dont remember how the thread on a LInstant bottle looks like, but since Guerlain has different designs and ties for different bottles, you might have to cut the cord. Then a silk or metal thread is used to keep the membrane in place, and a drop of wax is the final touch. EAU DE PARFUM TWIST AND SPRAY SET, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL PARFUM TWIST AND SPRAY, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL EAU DE PARFUM POUR HOMME REFILLABLE TRAVEL SPRAY REFILLS, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL EAU DE TOILETTE REFILLABLE TRAVEL SPRAY, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL 2-in-1 MOISTURIZER FOR FACE AND BEARD, Opens Dillard's Pinterest in a new window, Opens Dillard's Instagram in a new window, FAQ, Notices & Policies, Apply for a Dillard's Card, Registry - Wedding, Baby, and Gift, California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, Monday-Saturday: 7AM-10PM GMT-6. Thank you for sharing those stories on your website! I had a seal on my perfume bottle of coco mademoiselle. The anniversary edition is good though, and I really like it. September 28, 2014 at 11:03am Reply, Victoria: Thats a great tip! December 6, 2014 at 8:11am Reply, Karen Distelrath: I just received my FIRST ever in my life, bottle of No5 Chanel Parfum and was thrilled to find your write up. August 27, 2021 at 5:24am Reply, I agree to the terms outlined in the It makes me wistful to think the perfume has made it this long still intact. Etomidac: Firstly, thank you for this very lovely article. I found this nice video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jN29Ixsyrk, Victoria, do you seal your parfum bottles with Parafilm when theyre not in use? In case you havent yet heard enough bottle sealing French jargon, here are two more words for your vocabulary: barbichage (bearding the silk threads) and brossage (brushing the yarn into place), two related techniques for creating thedelicate tassels for Shalimaror the pink extravaganza for La Petite Robe Noire display bottles. September 4, 2015 at 3:44am Reply, Wendy: Thanks Victoria! Thebaudruche is flexible enough to manipulate easily, but you can also dampen it lightly to make it more pliable. March 6, 2014 at 11:39am Reply, Bela: The process of sealing bottles at Penhaligons, years ago, was a messy affair involving a potent and dangerous chemical product. But I might end up buying another backup bottle of La Pausa March 7, 2014 at 4:43am Reply, Victoria: I think so, because our Chanel boutique started carrying the collection. One rarely gets to use Chanel and beef intestine in the same sentence, but perfumery is often a mixture of seemingly incongruous concepts. June 3, 2014 at 6:41am Reply, Victoria: Im so glad that you found it helpful and that youve managed to open the bottle and preserve the seal. Today is actually my re-visiting of this great article. If a bottle sealed with a baudruche and intricate threading lands in my lap, I try to preserve the thread after breaking the seal. Sign up for emails and get updates aboutnew products and the latest trends! After wrapping a thick rubber band around the top for traction, I rocked the stopper a few times, and it came out easily, cord intact. Im delighted you found my story interesting. But if you have a large perfume wardrobe or simply would like to preserve your collectionfor as long as possible, apply fragrance by using a small disposable pipette. Mine came from Guerlain boutique. For two nights in a row I applied before bed and by morning theres absolutely nothing left. March 5, 2014 at 10:29am Reply, Sandra: What do you normally do with the string, throw it away it keep it around the bottle ? Lets say it feels more complete. March 5, 2014 at 1:24pm Reply, Cornelia Blimber: Yes, it is. March 5, 2014 at 10:21am Reply. I also wouldnt want to lose any perfume. Ive added the link to the main article, because it makes it so much easier to imagine how things are done. These days, Health and Safety wouldnt allow the dispensary to be run the way it was. But seriously, thats just a crazy price. Needless to say, if none of this works or you simply dont want to bother, just cut the thread and forget about it. March 6, 2014 at 12:03pm Reply, Victoria: Yay! Guerlain bottles can usually be opened without destroying the elaborate tassel. Warm thanks! March 5, 2014 at 6:36pm Reply. Definitely getting a bottle of Chanel Jersey Parfum soon. But its really beautiful, and in a world where it feels like everyones always in a big rush, its nice to know that people still take great care to create something, however small, that is so beautiful and delicate. It was all so neatly arranged, and they had most of the classics on display. With the stopper released half-way, gently pull the edges of the membrane over the neck of the bottle. March 5, 2014 at 4:07pm Reply, Penelope: Isnt the extrait beautiful ? So, if you do break the wax seal (it did happen to me before! Of course, many other brands use interesting packaging techniques, but as far as baudruchage goes, there arent so many. March 5, 2014 at 9:53am Reply. Bela: Oh, no! I wondered about Dior, but I wasnt sure. Today the baudruche is usually made of synthetic fibers, onion paper or other natural (non-animal) materials. It stayed close to the skin and didnt bloom that much. The best trick is to apply something ice cold to the stopper. With the stopper or fingers, I always end up spilling too much. March 5, 2014 at 12:36pm Reply, Victoria: Thank you very much, Sulin! March 12, 2014 at 5:23pm Reply. The lady at Chanel was so nice and gave me a complete tour of the perfumes, showing me even the pure ingredients. Its opened now but I was wondering if I should cut the black cord to free the stopper or not. At Serge Lutens boutique, I was told that his Santal de Mysore uses real Indian sandalwood, but I have no way to corroborate this. March 5, 2014 at 9:18am Reply, Victoria: Glad that you liked it! Luckily enough the only thing I threw away was the baudruchage. March 5, 2014 at 2:40pm Reply, Victoria: Please let me know how it goes. See, one simply has to have the right perspective on things. It feels so different from other perfumes. March 5, 2014 at 1:32pm Reply, Ashley Anstaett: I just love the idea of this. I am delighted to know these wonderful new terms! March 5, 2014 at 10:02pm Reply. March 6, 2014 at 11:24am Reply, Gil: I had no idea so much care goes into a fresh seal thank you for sharing! I also liked your pictures (and I have No 19 and Chamade extraits in my collection thank you for the pipette idea). How interesting! As long as its intact, thats all that matters. March 5, 2014 at 1:28pm Reply, Gentiana: Very interesting, informative and useful. The bottle of Nahema has a quadrilobe stopper, with the cord going around it. March 5, 2014 at 10:25am Reply. I wondered how bottles with stoppers and decorative elements were opened. March 5, 2014 at 2:47pm Reply, Victoria: I dont remember visiting Hermes, but I stopped by the Dior corner. Ann: I would like to practice and learn to do this. My bottle of extrait Nahma (bought in 2012) was sealed. Its incredible that only 7 or 8 people do the job for the whole house. Your article is perfect, succinct, and clearly informative. There is nothing more comforting than stealing a surreptitious whiff of your favorite scent throughout the day. When I tried to open my bottle of the AE 40th anniversary extrait I nearly spilled the entire contents. March 6, 2014 at 5:09pm Reply, Victoria: I tried it only once, and while I liked it, I didnt think that it had enough drama. Bela: Thank you, annemarie. Was there a fine membrane around the glass stopper of your Nahema? And yes, better open and enjoy the perfume. The other new bottle of extrait I own is Divines Divine. Or is there a better way to store them for a long time? Well before technology made vacuum-tight seals possible, craftspeople used a fine membrane from ox intestine, a baudruche. Guerlain has the most beautiful bottles and it feels so special to apply. My stopper simply doesnt want to come out and I dont want to cut the thread But I also love the fact that so much of the work in perfumery is done by hand. June 22, 2015 at 3:50pm Reply, Victoria: Im so delighted to hear this, Bonnie. CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL EAU DE PARFUM POUR HOMME SPRAY, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL EAU DE TOILETTE SPRAY, CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL 3.4 OZ. I save and buy mostly extraits now, mostly for the love of how it is applied, and the beauty which I feel as I adorn myself with these precious scents. I couldnt grab the link but just search Lalique on Neiman Marcuss website. Did you try 1932 already? March 6, 2014 at 5:03am Reply, Victoria: Thank you for letting me know! To make a mouthwatering berry, a perfumer not only needs materials that smell of roses and violets, but also of rot and decay. March 6, 2014 at 4:50pm Reply, rainboweyes: No, not yet And, to be honest, Im a bit sceptical about it. Surely they must work at various other aspects of production? I love new words! To see Chanels practice in action, please watch this great video(thank you, Anne! March 6, 2014 at 11:13am Reply, Ive been waiting for this article so long!!! Victoria: Its a really interesting technique, and I love how there are all of these specialized words. Sign up for texts and be the first to knowabout upcoming sales and great offers. March 5, 2014 at 10:23am Reply, Solanace: This kind of detail and delicate craftsmanship is so beautiful, it is comforting to see a bit of such traditions managing to survive. Enjoy your beautiful acquisitions, and I hope that you can open them easily! March 5, 2014 at 1:30pm Reply, Gentiana: I wanted to say cord (instead of thread). How did you manage to leave the no 19 sticker on the inner box intact? The remaining amount can be wiped on the wrists. And yes, those ladies are amazing! At Chanel, there are 8 such artisans for the entire house, while Guerlain employs 7. Thank you for sharing. , How does the anniversary extrait compares to the regular AE for you? They have now Tom Ford (the expensive line) and Armani Priv, and there were plans for a Guerlain boutique, but alas, maybe that will be too expensive. I came upon an unuopened bottle of Fougere Royale parfum from perhaps the 20s? Ill have to look up the Kolinsky brushes. Thank you for the audio files! March 6, 2014 at 4:55pm Reply. Thanks for sharing, Id never heard of any of these techniques. I kept the little seal. I would never have imagined that there are even specialized artisans for sealing bottles. Austenfan: I love it, I mostly just sniff the bottle every other day or so. March 5, 2014 at 12:23pm Reply. The perfume bottles look pretty, but filling them day after day is certainly not romantic. The importance and beauty of traditional craftsmenship is definitely something to be appreciated and maintained. March 5, 2014 at 1:36pm Reply, Sulin: I believe Diors Jadore extrait also uses baudruchage! This was a huge treat for me and I dont want to waste any precious little drop! March 12, 2014 at 1:44pm Reply, Victoria: Good luck! Please tell me what to do in case of travel, is it possible to safely travel with a perfume (I have Coco Mademoiselle Extrait) or it is a mission impossible? By the way, do you know if Chanel uses sandalwood from India in their extraits? March 5, 2014 at 1:30pm Reply, Caroline: Thanks for adding to our knowledge of perfume lore. Eric Brandon: Years later and I still remember this wonderful article! December 22, 2014 at 7:47pm Reply, Dina: Lalique, now in the perfume business, I use parafilm, yes. I ended up cutting the little part which connects the stopper to the bottle so that I can use the stopper freely. It means that when you hold abaudruche sealed bottle of, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jN29Ixsyrk, http://www.notcot.com/archives/2007/09/sealing-chanel.php, Chloe Roses de Chloe and Balenciaga Rosabotanica : Perfume Reviews, 7 Discoveries from 12 Years of Bois de Jasmin, Danilo Kis The Encyclopedia of the Dead, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQSOMLQ0jv8, Bobbi Brown Beach and Other Sun Fantasy Scents.