Bourbon French Parfums was founded in 1843 by French perfumeur August Doussan. Monsieur Doussan was soon a favorite of the powerful Creole families, and the company has been thriving for 160 years. His gift was in blending the classic perfumes of France with the varieties of local scents he found in Louisiana. Gardenia, magnolia, vetiver, lemon verbena, vanilla, and other New World fragrances were added to his palette. Today, all of the shop's products are still hand-blended, in small batches, by its own perfumeurs.
This is the girliest place you could possibly imagine. On display are little hand-painted fans (great souveniers -- I get a new one every trip), antique perfume bottles, and row after row of an immense variety of scents. The shop moved from its Jackson Square location a couple of years ago, and now is directly across Royal Street from its arch-rival, Hove Perfumes. The new location is smaller, but the same magic is contained within.
These perfumes are simpler and purer than the department store variety. The single-flower scents are fresh and cool, perfect for a steamy New Orleans afternoon. The more complex blends (my favorite -- Voodoo Love) are a delight. The choices are overwhelming, but there are several options for buying small quantities of a variety of scents. Both men's and women's scents are available.
Bourbon French also offers private consultations and blending of custom perfumes. The consultation takes about an hour, and the formula you create with the perfumeur is kept on file so you can order more whenever you want. There are several options for buying a small amount of the new scent, or you can go all-out and get the "perfume wardrobe" for a couple of hundred dollars. One of my friends had this done, and was very pleased.
Bourbon French Parfums