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 Eclat Eternel (Eternal Spark) is a sparkling, radiant white floral. It takes the genre of the white-floral bouquet, retains the opulence of this style of fragrance but makes everything feel more transparent, aquatic and light upon the unfolding of its initial head notes. A citrusy accord of grapefruit and bergamot is made to cut through the perfume to help create this effect. Bamboo-shoot nuances add hints of verdant crispness. In the background, one senses a bed of pillowy white musks, veering a bit ominously in the direction of functional perfumery. Translation: it feels like your white floral bouquet was left to sit on a softening laundry sheet saturated with molecules of hard-headed, stubborn cleanliness.
The promised luxuries of tuberose absolute and sambac jasmine absolute courtesy of Laboratoire Monique Rémy however kick in the heart bringing a new heft and richness to the composition...
Continue reading "Isabel Derroisné Eclat Eternel (2011) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
Sisley launched a new man's fragrance last year dedicated to the sky as the symbol of men's unreasonable artistic aspirations. The tag line for Eau d'Ikar, named after Icarus, is "A fragrance poised between sea and sky." The brand also muses that "It is about about both frailty and courage, about a man ready to start on the path of an adventure while being conscious of the fragility of all human ambitions." That man "is not afraid to look at the heavens"...
Continue reading "Sisley Eau d'Ikar (2011) {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}" »
 British makeup artist Mary Greenwell released her debut signature fragrance in October 2010, titled "Plum." With a simple name, a pleasant packaging, her aesthetic credentials in tow, and the mystique of niche perfumery on her side, her scent soon garnered positive buzz. Although it was not easy to come by. But this mere material obstacle fired up speculative desires and soon, a hum of delectation could be heard from threads to fora.
The perfume is billed as a "classic chypre with a twist" and was composed by perfumer François Robert over the course of two years, we are told...
Continue reading "Mary Greenwell Plum (2010) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
Orange and spices are one of the great traditional combinations of scents smelled during the Holidays in tea, pomander or cooking forms. If oranges are summery, they are also wintry (see L'Occitane Ruban d'Orange and Creed Orange Spice.) By mixing the juiciness of a summery fruit - with its natural solar accents - and the woody nuances of antique spices which usually help preserve the flesh and the memory of an orange pierced with cloves, you get a fragrance which is like a generous splash of outdoorsy sunshine in a wood-pannelled library lit by a roaring fire. Azemour Les Orangers by Parfum d'Empire is an hesperidic chypre perfume which does not feel out of place when worn on the other side of the Winter Solstice...
Continue reading "Parfum d'Empire Azemour les Orangers (2011) {New Fragrance} {Perfume Review}" »
 Batucada is the new opus by L'Artisan Parfumeur and is inspired by the passionate, effervescent rhythms of Brazil, hence its name which means "beat" and describes a style of Samba.
The house has a collection of fragrances which are perfumed versions of travel diaries (Bois Farine, Timbuktu, Dzongkha, Fleur de Liane...) This time, it is different as instead of sending off a perfumer to explore the flora and culture of an exotic locale (Jean-Claude Ellena, Bertrand Duchaufour), the creative process was made to include two long-distance perfumers, one living in Grasse, France - Karine Vinchon - and the other one in Sao Paulo, Brazil - Elizabeth Maier. This conversational exchange between perfumers across cultures and markets is not uncommon in the fragrance industry in the age of computers and the Internet. But here, it is highlighted to reveal L'Artisan Parfumeur's insistence on fact-checking and authenticity...
Continue reading "L'Artisan Parfumeur Batucada (2011): Aquatic Prune on an Orb from Day to Night {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
The new Glam Rose makes it possible for Les Parfums de Rosine to depart from their stated mission of dedicating themselves to solely creating rose perfumes while still remaining faithful to it. The composition is a rose-violet perfume which smells as much as possible of a violet perfume while still referencing the scent of a rose. The search of equilibrium between the two floral scents is intriguing and ultimately completely convincing to this nose (see Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens for a similar tightrope-walking effect.) The rose has become amethyst-colored and captures a very subtle interpretation of a violet fragrance. The name of the fragrance comes from a nickname that house founder Marie-Hélène Rogeon uses for the Variagata di Bologna she grows in her garden calling it "my rock' n' roll rose" due to its wild pairing of white cream with fuschia swirls. Beyond that, there are no hard-hitting sounds in the composition. It is on the contrary romantic. It is a very delicate, light yet memorable interpretation of a rose-violet composition...
Continue reading "Les Parfums de Rosine Glam Rose (2011): Ideal Violet {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic, urban, nervy, active, sporty and elegant chypre which is Aromatics Elixir, the brand decided to offer a limited luxury edition of the composition initially created by perfumer Bernard Chant, the author of that other reference chypre fragrance, Cabochard by Grès. His Aramis is also a masculine twist on the feminine Aromatics Elixir. It is perfumer Laurent Le Guernec who was asked to set to the task of renewing our sensations associated with the original. To that effect, he hints at the idea that he was guided by a very contemporary tension: the desire of greater quality allied with the taste for greater freshness. He said, “Aromatics Elixir is one of perfumery’s most dazzling compositions, ...It is referred to as a masterpiece because of the beauty of its formulation, the sumptuousness of its ingredients and its unforgettable sillage. “I wanted Aromatics Elixir Perfumer’s Reserve to attest to the genius of the original, while yielding a fresh perspective. I hope that in Aromatics Elixir Perfumer’s Reserve, the woman who is addicted to the original will find a new way of experiencing her beloved Aromatics Elixir, while women who thought the original too potent will find this modern homage alluring.”...
Continue reading "Clinique Aromatics Elixir Perfumer's Reserve (2011): Extract This Contradiction {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Fragrance}" »
 L'Heure Convoitée II (The Coveted Hour) is the newest and 9th addition to the collection Les Heures du Parfum by Cartier which assembles the freer compositions of the house by in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent. It is what Les Exclusifs are to Chanel, Hermessences to Hermès and La Collection Privée to Dior, only more selective still in terms of distribution and price. These collections are the special preserves of perfumers where one always expect to happen on rarer ideas and more personal introspections. The atmosphere of these selective libraries can be so choosy as to allow for the luxury of compositions that are more sketches than magisterial works.
This time, the inspiration is taken from the color red, like desire, and the atmosphere of a certain brand of light-hearted, playful French sensuality as built up in the song "Déshabillez-Moi" written by Robert Nyel, composed by Gaby Verlor, and interpreted by Juliette Gréco. Fetishistic notes have been used to suggest parts of the feminine body, but the composition turns out to be centered on carnation supported by two other main floral notes: red roses and iris....
Continue reading "Cartier Les Heures du Parfum L'Heure Convoitée (2011): Killer Carnation {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Fragrance}" »
L'Heure Convoitée II est la dernière oeuvre en date et la neuvième à paraître dans la collection très exclusive de Cartier, Les Heures du Parfum. Cette bibliothèque d'oeuvres choisies est destinée à regrouper les compositions plus libres de la parfumeuse-créatrice Mathilde Laurent qui se trouve être d'autre part le nez maison, chargée de créer tous les jus lancés sous le nom de la marque. Est-il besoin de le rappeler? Les Heures du Parfum sont à Cartier ce que Les Exclusifs sont à Chanel, Hermessences à Hermès et la Collection Privée à Dior. Ce sont là les prés carrés des parfumeurs où l'on s'attend plus qu'ailleurs à trouver des idées neuves et personnelles, les perles de la parfumerie contemporaine. Ces composition s'offrent même parfois le luxe d'être des esquisses plus que des oeuvres magistrales, car semble t-il, les idées priment et l'art est difficile. La composition, un fleuri oriental poudré, s'inspire, entre autres, de la couleur rouge désir et de l'atmosphère de sensualité mutine exprimée par Juliette Gréco chantant "Déshabillez-Moi", une chanson écrite par Robert Nyel and composée par Gaby Verlor. Des notes comme des allusions de fétichisme sexuel sont censées suggérer différentes parties du corps féminin. L'Heure Convoitée est un parfum d'oeillet accompagné de notes de roses rouges et d'iris....
Continue reading "Cartier Les Heures du Parfum L'Heure Convoitée (2011): Oeillet Oeillade {New Fragrance} {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
 Karleidoscope is the brain-child of Karl Lagerfeld whose composition was entrusted to perfumer Christophe Raynaud of Givaudan who has already created fragrances in the, let's face it, celebrity genre with Céline Dion, Antonio Banderas and Halle Berry. Karl Lagerfeld has slowly but surely evolved in the public's consciousness from fashion designer status to a celebrity one and is on his way to becoming a pop icon. Karleidoscope is an ode to the Kaiser's many facets although he is pretending that it is dedicated to his idea of a woman. Hence, the powdery violet idea. But the perfume is not what you would expect a classic powdery violet scent to smell like.The designer said that violet was elected because,
"For me, violet represents all the facets of a woman. It is the quintessential kaleidoscopic flower."....
Continue reading "Karl Lagerfeld Karleidoscope (2011): Diet Perfume for Light Living {Fragrance Review} {Celebrity Perfume}" »
As announced earlier, American household name Estée Lauder has decided to turn their exclusive attention to the Middle East markets by proposing an oud composition tailored to the tastes of the inhabitants of the region. While it has been noted several times on the blog in the past few years that the appearance and establishment of the olfactory note of oud within the palette of the perfumer is an East-to-West movement, it appears that for their latest atypical launch, Estée Lauder are also playing the acculturation card in the reverse order by introducing dewy and watery textures in a medium usually used to convey the deep vibrato of woods, the depth of animality and the smokiness of both mystical and erotic incense. Despite this crosscultural sectioning of aromas, Wood Mystique in the end pays homage, as promised, to the taste for riches and opulence of the Middle East. But there is a lesson to be learned here as well in the days of the modern-day sensory experience of the Western sillage: with this composition, we discover a type of sillage which is at once ostentatious and (nearly) private, in keeping, it seems, with predominant sartorial codes in the Middle Eastern cultures....
Continue reading "Estée Lauder Wood Mystique: Ostentatious & Hidden Luxury (2011) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
 Angel, with Bitter Cocoa Powder, is part of the new limited-edition The Taste of Fragrance - Le Goût du Parfum collection by Thierry Mugler, which is motivated by the desire to bring closer together the experiences of tasting and smelling. It is of course an in-house homage paid to the founding ancestor of Oriental gourmands, Angel, as it appeared in 1992. The brand has decided to tease the frontier between food, drink and perfume in a very consistent manner. They are one of the several so-called designer labels which have the mind-set and the creativity of, again, so-called niche labels. With them really the distinction crumbles, and if there remains something of it, it would be mainly in terms of distribution.Their turning to wine-making and cognac-making techniques to age Angel and Alien has been a revelation for many. Then they turned caviar into a note to be smelled with Womanity. In the past, they offered the olfactory illustrations of the novel and movie Perfume. Angel was also turned into four different florals.Their flankers are usually both faithful and creative.
Thierry Mugler see the new project as "a precursor of a gourmand haute-perfumery." They asked three perfumers, plus one team of perfumers, to create those gourmand variations which would enable people to rediscover their perfumes thanks to their "fantasized tastes." Chef Hélène Darroze has also contributed recipes for each of the fragrances. Angel Bitter Cocoa Powder was composed by perfumer Aurélien Guichard of Givaudan....
Continue reading "Angel The Taste of Fragrance, with Bitter Cocoa Powder (2011) {New Fragrance} {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
Diane is the latest fragrance release by fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg who is making a renewed attempt at fragrance development after "D" which launched in 2003. At the time, "D" was seen as a comeback perfume as well, after a long lapse from the beauty business. More recently in 2009 , "D" made the news as some New Yorkers had issues with the fragrance-branding strategy of the DVF store located in the Meatpacking district. In the past, DVF signed three other perfumes: Tatiana (1975), Volcan d'Amour (1981) and Forest Lily for Avon (1998). For "Diane", much advertising energy has been put into the endeavour as well as business savvy as is apparent from the manner in which the fragrance was conceived. There have been flash mobs in wrap dresses, branded taxi cabs and elegant parties taking place in several fashion capitals of the world. Her name, which has a 70s-80s connotation, like the Charlie-like tag line she uses for her new scent "Be the woman you want to be" is seen again on newspaper kiosques in Paris and on the perfume advert showing the arm and hand of an elegant woman craddling the bottle, which looks like the perfect golden charm match to the heavy gold chain bracelet she is wearing. Von Furstenberg has enlisted the help of Chantal Roos to nail it this time...
Continue reading "Diane Von Furstenberg Diane EDT & EDP: Be Versatile (2011) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
Bottega Veneta EDP is the debut perfume by the luxury Italian brand known for their trademark intrecciato style of leather weaving. This artisanal technique developed in their workshops was reportedly a source of inspiration for the very contruction of the fragrance itself, described as a leather floral chypre. More than leather, it suggests to my mind the idea of luxury as conveyed by leather. This displacement of meaning gives a much more immaterial leather composition than one might have expected at first. Here, the leather accord is mainly used to express refinement and to some extent, a seach for the absolute behind it. Leather, which is after all a beast skin, appears almost like a pretext, a passing embodiment of this spiritual quest. The perfumer who composed the fragrance, Michel Almairac of Robertet, seems to have wanted to dematerialize leather to the maximum possible effect of it, while still being able to recognize the material.The olfactive continuum goes from leather to skin, into peach skin, into angels' skin, and even becomes nearly preternaturally airy...
Continue reading "Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum: Ethereal Leather as a Sign of Luxury (2011) {Perfume Review & Musings}" »
 Violet Blonde is the latest opus by fashion designer and movie director Tom Ford displayed in his more mainstream collection recognizable at-a-glance thanks to the ribbed, flask-like flacons which distinguish themselves from the apothecary-style bottles of his more exclusive, high-end boutique offerings.
The name of the new fragrance is just great. It mixes glamor, beauty and creative perfumery references while calling attention in the advert to a femme fatale with strange tastes, personified by model Lara Stone. Like for Black Orchid, the story of the scent is at least visually speaking a revisit of the noir atmosphere of the sensual and sensational crime scenes of the golden age of Hollywood in the 1940s. As one can see, the Violet Blonde woman is lying in a bed of violets rather than standing up. For some reason that his psychotherapist can better help him sort out, Tom Ford seems to prefer to see static, almost corpse-like women lying on the ground in virtually all of his ads, from Opium to Black Orchid and Tom Ford for Men...
Continue reading "Tom Ford Violet Blonde (2011): The Return of the Violent Neo-Muscadin Perfume {Fragrance Review & Musings}" »
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