Welcome to International Women’s Month! Scents of Self will be celebrating with tributes to the female pioneers of perfumery all month long, culminating with a workshop on Saturday, March 26. Next up: Annick Ménardo!
Like many perfumers, almost no information is available about Ménardo online. The one and only interview I was able to find was with China Daily. But with the help of Google Translate, I’ve pieced together everything I can. Ménardo was born in Cannes, year unknown. She majored in chemistry and attended top perfumery school ISIPCA. Ménardo works for the fragrance firm Firmenich, where she’s been for the past 25 years. (Just checked, and this information is literally identical to her Wikipedia page. You’re killing me, China Daily!)
Ménardo does tell China Daily that she considers Bulgari Black her “most satisfying work”. But my favorite Ménardo creation will always be the cherry-anise pastry that is Lolita Lempicka. I wore it to my sorority initiation, and to every Pi Phi initiation I got to attend. Now I associate its cheerful, sugary sparkle with the bright and capable women I joined.
SCENTS OF SELF 
I will always love Lolita Lempicka. It was my favorite every-day perfume during one of the best years of my life. Nice to know we share happy memories connected with it!
Lolita Lempicka fan club, assemble! What did you think of LL Sweet? I wanted to love it for the bottle, but I straight-up loathed the cherry syrup vibe.
I still haven’t tried it… now that Sephora doesn’t carry LL anymore, I don’t know where to go! 😦
The bangs are cute!