Lempi
Lempi's Perfume Art Blog
2 years ago - 08/29/2023
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Three Favourite Noses, Part 3: Max Perttula

Three Favourite Noses, Part 3: Max Perttula

Last but most certainly not least in my favourite noses blog post series: the national olfactory hero of my home country, Max Perttula, the mastermind of Max Joacim Cosmetics!

Philadelphus Sensual (photo © Lempi)

Finland is not the most perfume friendly country in the world. In fact, according to a study even one third of Finns identify themselves as fragrance sensitive, and also another study has shown that the average European spends three times as much money on perfumes as Finns. In Finland there are even whole cities that profile themselves as fragrance free. Those cities have banned using all fragrances in most public offices, theatres, concert halls etc. and their public employees aren't allowed to use anything fragranced. According to my own experience, perfumes aren't culturally accepted in most parts of Finland, even wearing a scented roll-on deodorant or a shirt that's washed with scented detergent might be perceived as "overspraying a fragrance", and perfume shaming is sometimes daily. So no wonder why we have only one professional perfumer in the whole country.

"Please come without fragrance, thank you!" A poster of the fragrance free city of Kouvola. You could also translate this as "all tourists are welcome, except fragheads"...

This all explains why Max Perttula's fragrances aren't widely known even in his home country. Major Finnish perfume stores sell mostly only well known mainstream designer perfumes, Perttula's fragrances are sold online at Max Joacim Cosmetics website and in some small salons. Perttula is still probably more known of his career as a singer than as a perfumer. On the other hand I think it's super cool that we have a singing perfumer! He is a true artist and I adore his style.

Everything that Max Perttula does could be described with these adjectives: uncompromised, genuine, artistic, rebellious, unique. His style, his music, his fragrances. I truly admire him for that.

+358 Prestigiste No. 2 (photo © Lempi)
Finlandeol (photo © Lempi)
Philadelphus Sensual (photo © Lempi)

The way how Perttula captures the authentic essence of Finnish nature in his creations is something exceptional. Bigger companies like Scent of Finland or Nakuna Helsinki sell their so called Finnish fragrances mainly for tourists but I personally haven't managed to perceive anything particularly Finnish in the offerings of those companies. In my honest opinion, they are just ordinary overpriced fragrances made by foreign perfumers who haven't probably even visited Finland. Pleasant wearable creations but the actual smells have nothing to do with Finland. Perttula's fragrances instead are affordable but nothing fashionable or crowd-pleasing, though all Finns can recognize the familiar natural smells that he has managed to recreate so skillfully. Those smells might be even perceived as polarizing but definitely unique.

Koitere (photo © Lempi)

Finlandeol is probably the most Finnish fragrance that I own. I wrote in my Parfumo statement: "The authentic smell of a bath broom made of birch branches in the humid air of a lakeside sauna. The true essence of Finland at its best."

Finlandeol (photos © Lempi)

Koitere is the truest possible description of Finnish forests in an olfactory form. My Parfumo statement says: "A misty autumn morning on the lakeshore surrounded by a dense Nordic coniferous forest. Photorealistic damp moss, ripe berries, mushrooms."

Koitere (photo © Lempi)

Aqua 358 Thunderball is the smell of Finnish thunderstorm. I wrote in my review that it's "super unique and rare like a ball lightning. Ionized, electric, ozonic, cool, clean, rainy."

Aqua 358 Thunderball (photos © Lempi)

Philadelphus Sensual is an extraordinary but classy floral fragrance. According to my Parfumo statement: "Heady bird cherry & mock-orange flowers, later revealing olfactory surprises: fruity facets, whiffs of hay fields... Elegant and addictive!"

Philadelphus Sensual (photos © Lempi)

From my collection of Max Joacim fragrances +358 Prestigiste No. 2 is the easiest one to wear and probably least polarizing. It's the one that I would recommend for people who are looking for a pleasant everyday fragrance with some interesting twists. I love it how Perttula's creations aren't linear and have a great "dramatic arc" on skin - real art! In his more floral fragrances like +358 Prestigiste No. 2 I find it especially beautiful. It's something that not too many modern perfumes have anymore.

+358 Prestigiste No. 2 (photos © Lempi)

Is anyone else at Parfumo familiar with Max Perttula's perfumes? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

My mom's cat Pörrö wants to be the official model of Philadelphus Sensual... 😸 (Photo © Lempi)
+358 Prestigiste No. 2 (photo © Lempi)
12 Comments
Akira1005Akira1005 3 months ago
1
Hi, @Lempi.Finland is certainly recognized as a superior country in Japan in terms of happiness, so I can't say it's similar. But I didn't know that Finland, like Japan, has a strict society regarding perfume!
In my country, there is a term called "smell harassment," and the mainstream idea is that body odor and perfume are considered harassment.It's interesting that there are perfumes for tourists. For local people, they don't really embody their culture. "Frankly, they're just ordinary, expensive fragrances made by foreign perfumers who have never visited Finland." YES, I understand this very well. In fact, even if a product has a Japanese name, it often has nothing to do with Japan. A typical example is Mitsuko. Perhaps Max Perttula's fragrances would become popular in Japan if they were sold as Finnish scents.
LempiLempi 3 months ago
1
@Akira1005 Yeah I can totally understand that, one of the things I love most in my home country is definitely our public services and low corruption levels. I think many Finns don't even know to appreciate it because they don't fully understand how bad the situation is in most countries. That's all so interesting to know about Japan, I love learning new things about other cultures! I can indeed see a few similarities in our cultures. And yes that would be so funny to market Finnish perfumes as "fragrances from a country that hates fragrances" 🤣🙌 That's absolutely hilarious! 😂👍
Akira1005Akira1005 3 months ago
1
The smelterrorist, fortunately I haven't heard of mine yet, but it's only a matter of time. lol I actually know a woman who reported her boss for smelt harassment against a man at work who didn't bathe. LOL, Japan is actually potentially strict about body odor, since it is standard to bathe every day, but they are also strict about perfume (which people don't talk about). But perfume is a more beautiful scent than body odor, though. lol
Yeah, the explosive scent of oud is irrelevant to Japan, but for some reason it's used a lot in Japanese...it falls under the "for tourists" category.
I think it will probably sell well. If you market Finland as a country that doesn't like perfume, I think it will go viral with sympathy. I hope the agencies realize this soon."A gift from Finland, a country that hates perfume." It's a common catchphrase, but I'm sure Japanese people will be interested in it.
Akira1005Akira1005 3 months ago
1
@Lempi Actually I deleted a lot of my post because it was too long. LOL
Finland's advanced society has always made me envious and I was fed up with the gap between our country and Finland. When I hear people say that this is how we do things in Finland, I'm disappointed by the difference. Finland is great, Japan is ugly....
I see. To be honest, I think the main reason why there are so many Japanese tourists is because they position Finland as an ideal country and want to learn about its happy life. Or to take a nice sauna or see the Northern Lights.
OMG. In Japan, we tend to suppress our anger, but people who express anger are easily ridiculed as “childish and emotional” even if they are right. Our culture sometimes goes too far and brings misfortune upon itself.
LempiLempi 3 months ago
1
That is so interesting about Japan that your culture with perfumes is exactly same as ours! I have heard the term "smell harassment" here also, actually even more radically "smell terrorists", you would think those people would be people who are farting, haven't showered or are smoking but no, they mean people who wear fragrances 😂So in that sense it's different that body odour is accepted here. In fact I have heard insults of my perfume several times from people who have very strong BO or they hadn't brushed their teeth lol. I have also heard that before that unfortunately most perfumes that have Japanese names are pure Orientalism and have nothing to do with Japan, that's a shame. It would be amazing to smell a real Japanese fragrance, and as well would be amazing if Japanese people would love Max Perttula's fragrances! 😍🙏
LempiLempi 3 months ago
1
That is so interesting to know, dear @Akira1005! Oh yeah, I have definitely heard that before that Finland is especially known to be the happiest country in the world in the UN report several years in a row. I have just been thinking if the word "happiness" gives a little bit wrong impression of Finnish culture, because happiness in the report means low corruption levels, high quality of life, healthcare, clean water etc. However, happiness as an emotion isn't part of our culture at all, in fact our nature is quite melancholic and we love melancholic music, art etc. Also showing emotions publicly isn't culturally accepted either. Actually I have been bullied at school for being too happy and smiling too much because other kids thought it was inappropriate to show so much emotion. So it's actually funny what the real "happiness" in Finland means, we might be happy inside but we don't show it outside 😂 I will continue my reply in a second message because I'm out of characters lol 😝
MitchcraftMitchcraft 1 year ago
1
@Lempi The lightning one i definitely want to try sweetie, you know how i have used lighting in some photos and music for you, so would love to know how the smells is perceived. Enjoyed reading this and seeing Pörrö too 🥰🤗
LempiLempi 1 year ago
Thank you baby, couldn't be happier to hear you enjoyed the article and Pörrö sends her purrs also 😽😽 Oh yes I'm sure you will enjoy Aqua 358 Thunderball, I'm quite sure you've never smelled anything like it before! 🥰👍
KathrynA66KathrynA66 2 years ago
1
I always enjoy your blogs and photos. What a cute kitty!!
LempiLempi 2 years ago
Super glad to hear this, I truly appreciate your support darling, thanks from the bottom of my heart!! 🙏😍🥰🤗 And Pörrö says meoooowwww and thank U so much 😽😽😽
Azahar81Azahar81 2 years ago
2
Precious article and therefore a beautiful tribute to Max Perttula😍 I loved. It is always a pleasure to read you dear❤️❤️🥰
LempiLempi 2 years ago
2
Oh wow, my humblest thanks again for your beautiful words of praise, I appreciate your feedback so much, my sweet friend!! 🙏😍🤗✨💖

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