Perfume Palate: A Matter of Taste [Anne-Marie Guarnieri]

I have been following Allure Magazine's Senior Editor Anne-Marie Guarnieri on Twitter for quite some time now (her handle is @AMG_onthego, and you should follow her). And like a few of the other Allure staffers that I've known, she has a happy-wackiness about her that only comes as a result of abject obsession. The CDC (the Cosmetics Dope Committee) has reported that this particular strain of wackiness only exists within the walls of the Allure offices, as it's been proven that it cannot survive in any other environment. Impervious to treatment, it has been rapidly spreading in a contained setting for years-- but what does that really mean? It means that Anne-Marie loves her job, and it shows. She has an eye (and a nose, as you'll see) for amazingness, and she seems to come from a place of MORE, PLEASE. More knowledge, more products, bigger and better solutions and transformations. More pretty, please. And that is definitely something I can relate to.

First of all, please state your name and occupation:

Anne-Marie Guarnieri, Senior Editor, Allure Magazine.

What is your favorite perfume at the moment?

Agonist's Vanilla Marble. I smelled it for the first time at Elements last month. There's something about this vanilla that's different from others I've come across. It's creamier, smoother, richer, somehow. I love it.

What is your favorite fragrance house or brand of perfume?

Oh man, this is an impossible question.Especially since I discover new brands and perfumers all the time. And my favorite things change seasonally. Too hard!

How often do you wear perfume, and under what circumstances do you wear it?

Every day. I like to layer. I rarely, rarely don't wear it. 

Is it important to you to know who the perfumer or creator is behind the perfumes you wear?

Important, no, but I'm a curious person so I always try to find out. I'll give anything from anyone at any price point equal time.

Do you follow the work of certain perfumers, and if so, who?

Yes! Here's just a sampling of who I check up on regularly: Francis Kurkdjian, Keiko Mecheri, Christopher Sheldrake, Ben Gorham, Calice Becker, Olivier Polge, Isabelle Doyen, Frederick Bouchardy, David Moltz, Gerald Ghislain and Jean-Claude Ellena. 

Think of an iconic perfume bottle design from the past. What is it?

Is Jean-Paul Gaultier's busty bottle old enough yet to be considered iconic? [Ed: I say absolutely]

How many times a day do you estimate that you think about perfume?

It depends: if I'm working on a story or researching a story, I think of it all day long. But sometimes, just in the morning when deciding what to wear, which isn't always a quick process, given how large my collection is.

Think of the last time you complimented someone on the fragrance they were wearing. Did you ask them what it was, and if so, did they tell you?

Yes. It was Nicole Richie, and she was wearing her new signature perfume, Nicole.

In just three words, describe your ideal fragrance:

Resinous, sweet, weird. 
Incidentally, I've challenged David Moltz of DS & Durga to make me a perfume that smells like breakfast foods, specifically: scrambled eggs, buttered toast, pancakes and syrup. He's still trying. I know he'll get it eventually. 

[photo courtesy of AMG, who holds all rights]