Perfume lovers around the world may know Steven Lindquist for his excellent blog The Scented Hound. Writing both lyrically and with transparency, Steven has been delighting us since 2012 with his famous “Bone Rating” and straightforward at-a-glance guides that accompany every review. Steven kindly took the time to answer our nosy questions from his home in the USA.
What question do you get asked most often?
“I’m looking for a perfume for my (fill in the blank), what do you recommend?” I really struggle with this because perfume is such a personal choice and I never want anyone to be unhappy with their purchase based on my recommendation. However, when they are thrilled with the perfume, it makes me incredibly happy.
What’s your first scent memory?
My mother started selling Avon when I was around 5 years old. I still have the memories of all of the scents related to the perfumes, lipsticks, cosmetics and even the smell of the bags that were used to fulfill the orders. I was fascinated by it all and I truly was “mother’s little helper” in getting her orders ready for delivery.
What was the first fragrance you bought?
I’m not sure which was my first, but the two colognes that I purchased when I was a teenager were Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur and Givenchy Gentlemen. And I can still picture the store where I bought them, Lancer, a US 1970’s mall store that was supposed to look like a British Tudor house. Back then I thought it was all so very sophisticated and with the help of my designer fragrances, so was I.
How did you discover us?
Michel reached out to me in 2016. I was thrilled that he was bringing back the house and his father’s creations. I love classic perfumery and vintage perfumes, so this exciting news was heaven to my ears and to my nose. I’m thrilled that years later this endeavor is going stronger than ever.
What does fragrance mean to you?
There was a time when fragrance to me was like chasing a magical unicorn. I was always looking for the new and exciting…I guess the thrill of the hunt. Over the years, fragrance has morphed into an extension of who I am. Unlike changing an outfit, fragrance is much more personal and has to be appropriate for the occasion, but also for my state of mind. I wear perfume for myself and not others. I can’t imagine a world without perfume.
What do you think the fragrance industry needs in the future?
2020 has been a difficult year for us all and it appears that it will be continuing for some time to come. For the immediate future, I believe that consumers will be looking for comfort scents and joyful scents. We all need something to lift our spirits and bring us hope. And if we can do that with a small bottle of perfume, then I think that we’re doing just a little something to make the world a better place.
Further reading
Discover Steven’s blog The Scented Hound here and don’t forget to dip in and see the beautiful reviews he wrote about Le Jardin Retrouvé.
