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 We explained previously how we think in terms of cultural-shopping categories when it comes to reviewing personal fragrances. We still need to explain fully why (article forthcoming), but here is a practical example, as applied to a diagonal vision of rose perfumes as they smell today in the beginning of 2012 (reformulations must be evaluated regularly).
Haute Parfumerie
Creed Fleurs de Bulgarie The natural beauty of roses blooms in this composition dedicated to showcasing high-quality materials. The house of Creed will tell you that each batch of their fragrances is a like a vintage, so there is not telling whether you will get exactly the one I smelled. But let's say that it can be ravishing at its peak. Frédéric Malle Une Rose This is a composition which thinks that more is better. It rests on an overdose of rose and it screams quality. A spectacular, lavish Hollywoodian rose - save for the old-world European feel - filmed in cinemascope to suit its breathless epic style. The house is so conscious it is dangerously dosed - their fragrance with the highest concentration of oils - that they request of their customers to be careful when applying it.They could make a pure extract of it and I would still wear it. Guerlain Rose Barbare One of the most satisfying rose compositions to be had. It is beautiful, with a balanced, classical, round feel thanks to the honeyed chypre structure, without being unimaginative. A touch of Indian spice - fenugreek -, and other things, make sure there is enough hidden complexity. An old-school feel with a more light-hearted mind and more modern style. Niche, Authorial, Art-et-Essai Perfumes A Lab on Fire Rose Rebelle This composition succeeds in conveying an anticonformist streak, projecting the image of a rock'n roll rose perfume by just playing with a few fragrance notes - they only admit to rose and cocoa - and a minimalist lab bottle which won't help you read it as being counter-cultural. Yet it does smell like something like a short riff on an electric guitar made of roses. It's not caressing, it's a bit brusque. You do remember its swimming-upstream quality...
Continue reading "Best Rose Fragrances for Valentine's Day: The 2012 Edition {Perfume Reviews & List}" »
Life is incomplete, interrupted, shortened. I found in my archives this unfinished review of Chamarré, at the time I did the interview with Mona di Orio (1969-2011) in July 2009. I cannot locate the fragrance so I'm leaving it at that. It's not a full review, although there is a sense of (false) closure brought to it. A momentary conclusion. Re-reading it, I wished I could smell it again as it seems to recall some of the atmosphere of Mon Parfum Chéri by Annick Goutal (2011): iris, plum, and deep velvet. Parfums Mona di Orio have said that they are planning to reintroduce the fragrances from the original line, one by one....
Continue reading "Mona di Orio Chamarré (2009): Perfume Review in Memoriam" »
The fragrance opens on a delicate yet sensual leather accord suffused with neroli conjuring up the warmth, glow, and smell of rum thanks to the surabsolue of vanilla. The leather impression is most closely resembling that of Dzing! by L'Artisan Parfumeur, only more toned down. Here the leather is gently textural, as if you were smelling the tanned animal skin from the belly underneath. A mid-toned amber subtly envelops the scent. Discreet animalic accents act as a sprinkling of spices...
Continue reading "Prada No.11 Cuir Styrax (2011): Refinement, in the Words of Prada {Fragrance Review}" »
The new Shine Get It Guide from Yahoo! asked us to collaborate on their Insiders' posts. This week's topic is Celebrity Fragrances and here's the list we came up with to complement their own selection which is based on the most popular queries appearing in Yahoo search engine. We already reviewed two of those in the past: Jennifer Aniston and Beyoncé Heat. For this article, I picked three perfumes from the recent crop of celebrity perfumes that I think people will enjoy wearing and three that I'm particularly looking forward to checking out. Heidi Klum Shine Supermodel Heidi Klum, whose father worked in the beauty and fragrance industry in Germany, must have kept some great connections because her debut perfume is super professionally made. Co-created by perfumers Jean Guichard, son Aurélien Guichard and Olivier Pescheux of Givandan, this is an all-woman perfume which wafts on and on to surprise you with its different facets throughout the day. I would recommend it both for married women and single women. It's sexy, joyful, with a warm personality and offers an enduring charm. Notes: mandarin, OrPur, pear williams, pink peppercorn, mimosa abs, muguet, sunflower, vanilla, tonka bean and Cosmone musk....
Continue reading "Six New Celebrity Fragrances to Try Out this Fall 2011 {Perfume List - Short Reviews - Celebrity Scents} " »
 White Musk Libertine is the newest iteration of White Musk (1981) inspired by the desire to revive interest in the olfactory signature of the bestseller of The Body Shop.
With notes of Turkish delight, Sharry baby orchid, frangipani, and cream Chantilly, the eau de parfum is a very well blended gourmand and creamy musk scent with a warm and sexy skin effect. People will probably be pleasantly surprised by its good level of sophistication. It is a semi-complex perfume in keeping with the spirit of a musk oil which would have become more ornate overtime as it succeeded and begot descendants who needed to keep up their new social standing in order to spend their money on something less essential. Perfumer Vincent Schäller of Firmenich upped the dosage of musk to 65% instead of the 55% in the original and added sweet floral and desserty notes to ensure it would be on the addictive side...
Continue reading "The Body Shop White Musk Libertine (2011) {Perfume (Short) Review}" »
(Untitled) L'Eau is the new, upcoming flanker to (Untitled), the debut unisex signature perfume of Maison Martin Margiela which was released in 2010. The fragrance was very well received then and noticed for its originality. L'Eau, presented as a lighter version of the original, is much more than that, a reinterpretation of the perfume, which while respecting the unmistakable signature accord of Untitled also brings something new, even unexpected to it. Perfumer Daniela Andrier commented upon the new version saying, "For us, it was an obvious choice. (Untitled) L'eau proceeded naturally from (Untitled), the first house perfume. I concentrated on refreshing coolness, allowing nothing to detract from its intensity. I simply took the existing fragrance and drenched it in green and citrus notes, making it even more invigorating, light and airy, while adding an element of mystery."...
Continue reading "Maison Martin Margiela (Untitled) L'Eau (2011): Paradoxical Cologne {Fragrance Review}" »
As a patented musk fiend*, I am always interested in trying out a new straight-up musk blend. Some drink whiskey as a habit, I like to think that my recurring scent addiction leans in the direction of a shot of musk. In the case of the Musk or Musc Eau de Parfum by natural brand Aubrey Organics founded under the name Aubrey's Nature Labs in 1967 by Aubrey Hampton (1934-2011), who was also a beauty author and a playwright, it becomes even more interesting to test that proposition as the musky effect is entirely derived from other sources than real or synthetic musk. The composition is based on the use of natural musky nuances found in vegetal materials and the result is worth considering, if like me, a simple but well-made musk oil can become your Joy de Patou du jour...
Continue reading "Aubrey Organics Musk - Musc: Musk in its Vegetal State {Fragrance Review} {Green Products}" »
 People who are attracted to old-school perfumes and even beyond them, to antiquated, pre-modern concoctions making you think Marie-Antoinette might have worn them, ought not to neglect to make a stop at a Lush store. After you ignore the mounds of zany soaps you will notice the perfume shelves where opaque bottles, purse sprays and cream sticks are all wearing the same black uniform but with different name tags on them. What escape from the bottles are by contrast unusual olfactory atmospheres smelling of burnt flower fields under the summer sun, hay-stacks buzzing with animal life, aged antique perfume bottles with remnants of thick 18th century compositions. The fragrances created by the house feel in a way like antique curios -- their aesthetics seem to be from another age. Part of this effect must lie in the use of a wealth of natural ingredients which makes them smell like exhaling, wilted flower bushes in the heat of May, reminding me by association of the historically reconstructed M.A. Le Sillage de la Reine.
One perfume which caught my attention recently in particular (with Orange Blossom) is The Smell of Freedom. As it turns out the composition, signed by perfumer Simon Constantine based on an idea by father Mark Constantine, is inspired by the weaving of three biographies meeting in a bottle, three persons having each inspired a different scent which were then combined, a building method favored by the noses which is exemplified also by the Inhale and Exhale components in Breath of God....
Continue reading "Lush The Smell of Freedom (2010): Inspired by Three Survivors {Fragrance Review}" »
Yves Rocher launched a new limited-edition Eau de Toilette for summer 2011 called Jardin des Nymphes (Garden of the Nymphs.) It is housed in the same kind of bottle as that of Eau de Toilette Naturelle which resembles a pebble. Little information is put forth regarding the notes, but we are told in the ad copy that it is a perfume "full of contrasts which envelops you with its floral and aquatic notes. Waves of aromas make your summer vibrate / feel vibrant (my translation)..."...
Continue reading "Yves Rocher Jardin des Nymphes (2011) {New Fragrance - Limited Edition} {Perfume Review}" »
A quality I particularly appreciate about Parfums de Nicolaï fragrances is their capacity to exude a vieille-France character in a sea of modern, up-to-date perfumes. If you want to get away from the sinking feeling that too many releases have decided to borrow something pink from Christine Nagel's and Francis Kurkdjian's Musc for Her by Narciso Rodriguez, head for one of the several de Nicolaï boutiques in Paris, London or more conveniently, on the Internet. How does perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï do it? This independent woman perfumer holds on tenaciously to some olfactory atmospheres that are the trademark seals of perfumed Frenchness. In her scents, you can expect to find complex, somewhat dark ambiances and that indispensable touch of musty oakmoss that signals that you are in real-woman territory, the one that does want to draw a clear-cut line with pretty, nubile fragrances. Her penultimate recent release, Kiss Me Tender, is the epitome of the Parisian woman who has gone through the harsh realities of WWII and survived to affirm her style. I should perhaps start chronologically with Kiss Me Tender which struck me most clearly with this welcome aloofness to trends, but here I am today with the latest iteration of Weekend à Deauville. And it's also the first of May or Muguet Day...
Continue reading "Parfums de Nicolaï Weekend à Deauville (2011) Moody Muguet {Fragrance Review}" »
 Excite Body Spray is the latest fragrance launched by Axe with the tag line "Even the nicest girls sin when tempted." According to the overall theme of the brand, Axe should be your number one perfume of seduction. This time, as seen in their new commercial below, Excite is so irresistible, angels fall from the sky attracted by its scent then shatter their haloes to pieces in front of a man wearing Excite.
"New Axe Excite is an alluring, woody fragrance that hooks girls on the first encounter. Developed by world renowned fragrance experts, Axe Excite combines a seductive blend of coconut, hazelnut and caramel scents that evolve into a sexy, lingering aroma."...
Continue reading "Axe Excite (2011): Angels Fall, Break their Haloes & Here's Why {Fragrance Review}" »
 Mark, the younger label owned by Avon have attracted my attention with the concept of a white vetiver as well as the promised accord of "ultra-femme tuberose" with "smoky vetiver" They say that the perfume is "A blend of unexpected contrasts. A dark, smoky vetiver vibe merges with intimate notes of ultra-femme white tuberose for the mark. girl who loves to embrace what’s different and daring." Unfortunately even a sympathetic soul as I am to mass-market perfume which can give us near-perfect perfumes like Cardin Choc is not amused by this recent concoction. This is, alas, mass-market fragrance at its blandest and worst...
Continue reading "Mark White Vetiver by Avon (2011) {Fragrance Review}" »
Paris Hilton is launching this spring 2011 her first collection consisting of a trio of perfumes united by an overarching theme: the jet-set life between Tokyo, Paris and South Beach. The tag line of the Passport Collection is "Come travel with me!." So far the celebrity has stuck to a more classic formula of single releases centering around her image. For the first time too, Paris takes the jump and appears as a cartoon on the packaging after having gone in the direction of costuming as a siren or Marilyn Monroe. She has not dressed like a Geisha this time, but as a toon wears pupil-enhancing contact lenses which are popular beauty items in Japan to create a doll-like look resting on dilated pupils and enormous eyes.There is also visibly an attempt to add a hip cuteness factor to her label by getting inspiration from Japanese animes and toy-inspired fragrance franchises like Harajuku Lovers. The Passport Collection scents are not necessarily targeting markets in Asia but are certainly tapping into the vogue for oh-so-cute Nippon pop culture...
Continue reading "Paris Hilton Passport Tokyo, South Beach, Paris (2011) {Perfume Reviews} {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Scent}" »
You know it's the 8th of March or International Women's Day today. In honor of this date, I decided to turn to the myth of Eve hiding behind the ensemble cast of Desperate Housewives to see what kind of perfume they might have inspired. Perfumer Richard Herpin of Firmenich created the scent in 2006 together with Coty, Inc. The company saw it at the time as a conceptually innovative celebrity fragrance because it did not correspond to just one personality but to a whole TV show. Efforts were made to include representative perfume notes of the characters "spicy black pepper for Gabrielle, apples for Bree the baker, romantic jasmine for Susan, sexy sandalwood for Edie and wisteria for their street" (Cosmopolitan, Sept 1, 2006. ) What Forbidden Fruit is officially is a fruity-floriental. The inner workings of the fragrance composition reveal more than that, that it is also study on impressions of femininity, sensuality and more to the point and more originally, on lust...
Continue reading "Desperate Housewives Forbidden Fruit (2006): Eve is Now a Sultry Baker {Fragrance Review} {Celebrity Perfume}" »
Daisy Eau So Fresh is the new twist on Daisy by Marc Jacobs, which launched in 2007. Described as a 'vibrant, charming, whimsical' twist on their 'classic', one has to realize after smelling the fragrance that the brand is not saying much anything really about the fragrance and remaining safely vague. "Fresh" is a keyword in the name of the scent and might lead you to think, too logically perhaps, that it is a fresher version of Daisy. Well, apparently, that would be too obvious an interpretation, because it isn't. What they say: "A whimsical interpretation of the original Daisy fragrance, this scent is more fruity, more bubbly, more fun! Open the bottle and you'll be transported to a field of sunshine that bursts with the flirty scent of flowers and the cheerful sweetness of fruits. Its light, woody base infuses a subtle but sharp glimmer of musk for an unexpected twist of radiance." The advertising campaign was indeed shot in Southern Spain. The bottle, signed by designer Wilhelm Liden, does look more like that of an Eau de Cologne. But turning to the juice itself is like discovering a scent that talks past all the advertising and marketing discourse to do its own thing. Notes: red grapefruit, natural raspberry, green leaves and pear; the heart has violet, wild rose, apple blossom, lychee and jasmine. Base notes rest on musks, warm plum and cedar wood. The perfume opens on a tart, fruity note followed by an interesting-smelling accord which evokes something like an overripe meringue, with woody overtones. It is as if the meringue knew how to behave like a fruit, yet retained its nature as an egg-based meringue, if you can see what I mean. It is a bit odd, in a good way. The sensation points to the abstract nature of the perfumery accord detected, which is not really translatable into a spontaneous, everyday language pointing towards real-world objects. Going back to the list of notes, I am able to now decompose the feeling and think that it is the association of violet with pear, with some plum in the background, which creates this slightly incongruous sensation...
Continue reading "Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh (2011): Daisy Eau So Warm, But Not So Hot {Fragrance Review}" »
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We explained previously how we think in terms of cultural-shopping categories when it comes to reviewing personal fragrances. We still need to explain fully why (article forthcoming), but here is a practical example, as applied to a diagonal vision of rose perfumes as they smell today in the beginning of 2012 (reformulations must be evaluated regularly).
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