Headlines - Charenton Macerations

21 Mar

Christopher Street Named 2014 Art and Olfaction Awards Finalist

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
art & olfaction, award, blog, Charenton Macerations, christopher street, Fragrance, press
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Charenton Macerations is excited to announce that Christopher Street has been named as a Finalist in the Independent Category for the 2014 Art and Olfaction Awards. Competing alongside some of the top independent brands...

30 Jan

Headlines, Macerations

Happy Anniversary – Christopher Street Turns One

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
anniversary, blog, Charenton Macerations, christopher street, Fragrance
1 comment

I can hardly believe it, but Christopher Street is already celebrating its first anniversary. Drawing from inspiration found during adventures in New York City's West Village (and a wealth of historic documentation), the fragrance aimed...

24 Jan

Headlines, In The News, Macerations

Christopher Street Makes Six Best Perfume 2013 Lists

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
Best Perfume 2013, blog, Charenton Macerations, christopher street, Fragrance, press
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What an honor to end this first year at Charenton Macerations by having Christopher Street recognized on six Best Perfume 2013 lists. And what a first year it has been... What started out as a...

10 Oct

Headlines, Macerations

The Rules of Olfaction

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, Education, Fragrance, Process
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Olfaction really involves two things: application and experience. We place scent on our bodies AND we seek it out in the world. In today's audiovisual-centric world, the full beauty of our olfactory senses can...

21 Aug

Gender, Headlines, Macerations

Stop Unisex-ing Me

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, Fragrance, gender, history, unisex
1 comment

I am not a fan of the word "unisex." In the world of fragrance, "unisex" is used to describe scents deemed acceptable for either men or women. A quick notation that supposedly says its...

13 Aug

Gender, Headlines, Macerations

You Smell Like a Girl

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, christopher street, Fragrance, gender
3 comments

Thoughts on Gender and Fragrance Charenton Macerations was founded on the principle of challenging the tired gender clichés that have taken over the fragrance industry. The driving concept behind Charenton Macerations was (and still is)...

17 Apr

Gender, Headlines, Macerations

Real Men Wear Flowers

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, Flowers, Fragrance, gender, history
1 comment

Pop Culture today teaches us that men who wear flowers (or floral fragrances) are somehow betraying their "masculinity." With the exception of boutonnières worn for formal occasions, we are constantly told by mainstream media...

29 Mar

From The Underground, Gender, Headlines, In The News, Macerations

Christopher Street: Ralf Schwieger and Douglas Bender

May 18, 2025
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, christopher street, Fragrance, Inspiration, press
2 comments

I first met my Christopher Street fragrance co-conspirator, perfumer Ralf Schwieger, back in 2008. I had been working as an independent fragrance consultant for about a year, and was contacted by Mane USA to...

22 Feb

Headlines, Macerations

Olfactive Creationism

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Charenton Macerations, history, Olfactive Creationism
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Olfactive Creationism - The idea that the art of perfumery begins with the creation of synthetic materials (i.e Coumarin, Vanillin), denying any prior scent history. According to strict interpretations of Biblical texts, Intelligent Design teaches...

18 Feb

Gender, Headlines, Macerations

Olfactive Liberation

January 12, 2018
Posted by Douglas Bender
blog, Fragrance, gender, history
1 comment

It is only by enlarging the scope of one's tastes and one's fantasies, by sacrificing everything to pleasure, that that unfortunate individual called man, thrown despite himself into this sad world, can succeed in...