Gucci Flora edp and Island Night edt are siblings; they aren’t twins. They begin differently and end differently, but at the midpoint they are very much the same on me.
And when I first spritz Island Night, I wonder what made me buy it at the store. It’s a whopper. And, in general, I have to be very, very careful with orange blossom in fragrances. It usually goes sharp on me.
The Road Not Taken
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Crabree and Evelyn sells Island Night. It comes in a beautiful midnight blue flask, with some heft to it. It is a pleasure to hold. It also comes in an evening compact with enhancer, body wash and lotion, a scented candle, and a fragrance diffuser for the home.
Notes: purple and white orchids, night blooming jasmine, orange blossom nectar, green island palms, woods, musk
I chose the edt over the compact as there was more scent to it. After spraying the edt, I could hardly smell the compact. The compact might be an easier way to wear it. I haven’t tried either the candle or the diffuser, though the diffuser especially looks lovely.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
Why the two fragrances would be reminiscent of each other, at least at mid-point is a mystery to me:
Gucci Flora notes: citrus, peony, rose, osmanthus, sandalwood and patchouli
Perhaps it is the orange blossom-citrus thing going on.
Island Night starts off with a bang. It is heady and heavy. You are in a garden with a lover, heavy-eyed, under a deep sky with stars low enough to touch.
Gucci Flora begins at a similar place, only it is twilight. The winds have blown through the garden for a bit, and your lover has not yet arrived. It is easier to wear from the get-go.
At the mid-point, there is not a lot of difference. Gucci Flora might be a tad sweeter.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost 1920
And then, at the end, both fragrances circle back around again. Island Night has the same nuance at the end, as at the beginning but softened, not nearly as strong. Funny that it is gone in the middle. Gucci Flora stays the same through the end. Truly lovely.
And what about several hours later? I can still smell Gucci Flora, though I have to bring my arm up. I could still smell it faintly before I got out of bed from the night before. Whereas, Island Night is gone. No trace. But it sure packs a wallop in the beginning.
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I must have been sleeping whenever this fragrance was discussed, because I only happened upon mention of it the other day when I was surfing for decants and samples. It seems to be one that is either liked or not — there’s no happy medium.
And it’s important to know that there is nothing remotely like Vol de Nuit in this fragrance except for borrowing the name.
What I’ve noticed over time is that if you can wear Mitsouko or Vol de Nuit — and like them — then you might not like L’Heure Bleu or vice versa. That might be a way you could determine if you would like this or not, short of ordering a small sample.
I like Vol De Nuit a lot, and often layer it up as the notes soften during the day, starting with Chant d’Aromes, passing through Chamade or Mitsouko or both, and ending with Vol de Nuit at night, so I thought I’d like to give this a shot.
LHB is definitely not one of my faves, but I wear it occasionally.
I received my sample in today’s mail and immediately sniffed and put some on my wrist.
The notes are peach, rose, jasmine, amber, iris, woods, vanilla.
And while these notes are common to a lot of Guerlain fragrances, they are put together in a different way in this one. I don’t get any peach at all — it isn’t a bit like Femme by Rochas, for example. And it isn’t a chypre at all.
On me, it starts out aldehydic with lots of powdery overtures. As that softens, it moves into a more animalic phase which has been described as smelling of sweat (which I do not get) or marine (salty, I’m guessing — I do get a bit of salt in it). Underneath it all is iris, almost as sweet as in Iris Ganache, without the chocolate that puts it into the too sweet category for me. It reminds me of the iris in Prada Infusion d’Iris. In the drydown I get amber and woods, but no vanilla. It’s there, but so minute as not to be particularly discernible.
So, there you have it. I will try it in a heavier dose a bit later today to see how that develops and compare it to Guet-Apens/Attrape-Coeur, which I have a bit of. It has also been compared to 31 Rue Cambon by Chanel, which I have never smelled. If you have that one, you might try comparing and let me know.
Vol de Nuit Evasion has been available in airport stores. You can also find it at ThePerfumedCourt.
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Diptyque’s Olene is available from Lucky Scent $88 for 50 ml or $3 for .7 ml. It’s reasonably priced for its size.
Notes: wisteria, jasmine, narcissus, honeysuckle
Olene is a very interesting fragrance. I can’t remember when I’ve smelled a white floral that is so different. And fiercely strong! But not sharp. There is a sparkle to it that runs like a ribbon through it.
The opening
The opening is strongly green on me, as if I were standing in the cooler of my local florist shop, heady with these fragrances. I pick up a tad of the flowers, but mostly green. At this point I get some wisteria.
Some people say it is all jasmine, and very indolic at that. Others say it is strongly honeysuckle for them.
So it will depend on your chemistry.
The middle
As it settles down, the almost fizzy nature of the beginning tapers off. The green is still there under it all, but the flowers are coming to the front. Now it is more honeysuckle.
The end point
The end point is a softer mix of both greens and florals, still heavily green.
White flowers and me
Generally we don’t mix. I find white florals tend to get very sharp and harsh on me. I worried about this when I applied it, but it stays true. It must be the greens.
My take:
You’ll love it or hate it. It is one of Diptyque’s best sellers. It is huge, so if you are looking for quiet, this won’t be it. Even at it’s end point, it is dramatic. Then it is gone.
When to wear it
I don’t know that I would wear this in the heat of a muggy summer. It would be a nice complement to spring — and possibly even winter to bring the flowers inside.
Be careful how much you use, unless it softens quickly on you.
Is this one you wear? Have you tried it? Do you do well with white florals?
Try a sample first, since it is so different. It’s been described as one that might give you a headache if you are inclined that way.
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If you are like me, you have accumulated a number of sample vials, sprays and decants that languish like old friends. I felt it was time to dip (or dig) into them again.
But first I’m going to go through the samples sent to me along with an order from a very generous fellow perfumista.
Tobacco Scents
First, maybe you need to know I have never smoked. I don’t particularly like the smell of cigarettes, lingering or fresh, but I have always loved the scent of my uncle’s cherry pipe tobacco. A friend tells me that Shalimar never smelled as good on her as when she was smoking — the mix of Shalimar and smoke was divine.
Jasmine et Cigarette by Etat Libre D’Orange
This is a tobacco scent I could love. I dabbed, not sprayed.
Notes: A ‘smoky’ jasmine with tobacco, hay, turmeric, apricot, cedar, amber and musk
The folded note within the packaging mentions
smoky black and white ambiance…hazy atmosphere.
My take:
This is a lovely jasmine, sweetened with the faint hint of apricot, made less sweet-floral by the tobacco, hay, cedar, amber and musk. I don’t catch any amber but it contributes to the ambiance.
I don’t get any stale smoke smell which is sometimes apparent in other tobacco scents, rather this is an elegant woman (or man) walking into a room with more than a hint of tobacco and woods surrounding.
To me, the jasmine adds clarity. I don’t get the feeling of such tobacco haze that one can’t see to the other side of the room — I’ve been in rooms like that!
Is the tobacco in the room s/he is entering or is it on her/his clothes from the place s/he has been or who s/he has been with?
That is the mystery of the wisps of smoke running through the fragrance. A bit of 1930’s magic. I quite like it in small quantities. I don’t know about spritzing it.
I happen to have an apricot fragrance that I love, and it might be interesting to layer that over this in a while, to bring out more of the apricot. I think I will try that as it continues to soften. (Unfortunately when I tried it, it was an apricot chocolate fragrance, and the chocolate took over.)
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Boisé Torride is a powerhouse of a fragrance. In some ways it reminds me of Paloma or of Estee Lauder’s Knowing. It starts off with a bang and hours later ends up with a sigh or a whisper.
You have to like patchouli and cedar to love this fragrance. That is where it starts on its journey.
I do.
And this combo takes it a little bit from the sweet patchouli into a more incensy version. The overall effect is not like some of Neil Morris’ fragrances, which I also love, but unique to the vision that Guerlain was reaching for.
It also is not like the sweetness of Gucci by Gucci with the added fruits.
It is called an androgynous fragrance, designed for a woman but to me surely suitable for a man, part of Les Elixirs Charnels series, which also includes Chypre Fatale, Gourmand Coquin, and Oriental Brûlant.
It is translated
smoldering wood, a new opus for femininity
though I think torrid or scorching would be easy translations also. Perhaps it begins as scorching and ends up smoldering. Some like it hot!
Guerlain loves women and has always celebrated their sensuality. A new expression of sensuality now completes this collection of Elixirs Charnels.
To me, there are three distinct stops on this voyage. The first is the initial flare. I used a couple of drops on my wrist and arm, passed to the other wrist and arm. Frankly, I can’t imagine this one sprayed 10 times in the beginning, as at least two people I know do with some of their fragrances. You might knock someone out with the sillage.
I could see extending the 10 squirts throughout the day to refresh it back to the flare stage.
OTOH, an extremely heavy hit of this fragrance, depending on your chemistry, might soften just as nicely to a richer sigh of an ending. You’ll have to try it both ways and get back to me. You would certainly have some serious sillage, at least for that moment. And some would have to be on your legs. After all, fragrance rises.
A couple of hours later, the fragrance hits a midpoint. Patchouli is still evident, it is wafting through the trees. I catch it when I turn or move my hands quickly. It surprises me. It is softer and gentler, but still has presence.
The last stage is about 7-8 hours in, when the fragrance has settled into a sigh.
I like the presence of all three. I like that the fragrance moves and isn’t linear, though in some sense it is linear, because patchouli and cedar, less so, are evident throughout.
Now something completely silly to me and totally unnecessary is the excessive verbiage of the ad copy’s stream of consciousness of the imagined wearer. I could do without that. I’d rather have my own imagination, thank you very much, laughing here. I mean, get real! It sounds like drivel. (And this is true for the other elixirs as well.)
…I still can’t decide…Too obvious. I have to seduce him in a different way. Take him down paths still unknown to him…Why didn’t I see it sooner?…masculine outfit…nothing under the jacket… contrast…ambiguity do the talking. Androgynous? Perhaps. Terribly sexy? But of course…[2 more paragraphs similar except for telling the notes] He will…become intoxicated by my skin and my essence, strangely androgynous yet irresistibly attractive.
Are they trying to reach a young, unseasoned woman, who presumably might not be able to make up her mind? Or the mature, knows-her-mind-and-how-to-get-it woman who would be more apt to choose this fragrance. After all, it is a fragrance for grownups. It certainly is not a fruity, sweet concoction.
How many of us think this way? I sincerely hope not many.
Perhaps it reads and sounds better in French. Everything sounds better in French!
If I were a man, Boisé Torride would lose me right there, without even giving it a try. And this would be a mistake, because this would be a delectable fragrance on a man, maybe even more so than on me. Or, it could be one of those shared fragrances between two lovers, where it develops differently on each one, to be individual, yet complementary, the way life should be.
Top Notes: bergamot and tangerine with pink pepper
Heart: jasmine and orange blossom with white musk, underneath is a mallow note, not sweet like Mariah’s M
Base: cedar and patchoui
Have you tried it?
If you like
If you like any of the patchouli fragrances I’ve mentioned, you would likely like this one.
To me, there is a little bit of second-cousin-twice-removed to the fragrance Narciso Rodriquez for women.
It has some similarities, but ends up in a different place. Maybe it’s the woods and orange blossom.
It’s a good one for your repertoire. Remember you have to be a grown up. And that isn’t a bad thing.
Where to get it:
Guerlain @ Palazzo in Las Vegas. Call (702) 732-7008 or email: GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com. Ask for Claire. Be sure to tell him that you heard it from me.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
don’t steal my posts, you know who you are!
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I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to sample and review Mon Précieux Nectar. It’s no secret that Guerlain is probably my favorite perfume house, though I have others represented in what I wear, as you know if you’ve been reading my blog.
Mon Précieux Nectar, is for the true perfumista, the true collector. It retails for (are you ready!) $9,000 for a 1 liter extrait in an Imperial Fountain, a gorgeous hand-made crystal fountain. This picture hardly does it justice.
It is paired with a silver-plated refillable atomizer, all offered in a black leather presentation box.
For the woman who relishes being unique and strives to set the trends instead of following them, Guerlain has created an extremely limited fragrance offering appropriately titled Mon Précieux Nectar. Only sixty-two women in the world will be privileged to wear this scent, all but ensuring the wearers will never cross paths.
Yes, I truly am unique, and I do tend to set trends rather than follow them…ahem…this is true!
Randa Hammami is the nose who worked with Sylvaine Delacourte on this one. Hammami also collaborated with Delacourt for Guerlain’s Cruel Gardénia and L’Instant Magic, as well as the two limited edition fragrant oils inspired by Delacourte’s trip to the Middle-East.
Here’s a little info: Mon Précieux Nectar is a floral gourmand with notes:
Top: petitgrain and bitter almond,
Heart: jasmine and orange blossom
Base: sensual woods, incense, vanilla and white musk.
My take:
I find myself saying to myself, “What is it that smells so wonderful?” And then I realize it is me — this fragrance that I am wearing. It is just enough different than anything I own that it intrigues and surprises me in equal measure. It reminds me of L’Instant Magic, which should come as no surprise, since it revisits the almond-musk of that fragrance. But it is richer and fuller, not powdery. It is altogether more luxurious, as well it should be. It is certainly a way to cushion oneself from the world’s negative vibes.
I applied it with an atomizer, so there is some sillage. Even so, it lays close to my skin.
I think it smells heavenly. My 23 yo daughter just said it smells delectable. Did I mention that I love it? If you would like to give me this for my upcoming birthday, I would be very appreciative.
Why did I hesitate to try this one, outside of price?
I expected I would be unable to wear it well, because of the white floral in it, but I underestimated the power of almond, which I love. The almond is paired with orange blossom, reminiscent of Middle-Eastern pastries, but the over-all effect is not the sweet gourmand of Iris Ganache which I found unwearable for me. And it isn’t the sharp floral of Jardin de Bagatelle or Champs Elysees.
No, this is a completely lush rendition of floral with just enough sweetness, incense, and Guerlinade accord to balance the various elements, bringing it into a totally modern fragrance with classic inspiration. I’m sure these aspects are what make one think of vintage L’Heure Bleue which is reported to be Ms. Delacourte’s favorite fragrance, though almond notes are reported to be her favorite note. Perhaps MPN is her favorite fragrance now!
How and when should you wear it?
This is a fragrance, that if you are lucky enough to own it, you should drench yourself in day or night. I don’t think you could overdo it.
Then, if someone admires it on you, as they assuredly will, tell them with a twinkle in your eye what it is. If you are feeling especially open that day, you might offer them a spritz — after all, you have plenty more where that came from.
OTOH, if you are not feeling friendly, mention the price, with a dismissive, airy wave of your hand. (Eat your heart out…that will teach them not to be nice to you.)
But by all means enjoy it! After all, you are worth it!
I recommend calling or emailing Claire at the Guerlain boutique at the Palazzo in Las Vegas for all your Guerlain needs, including Mon Précieux Nectar. Be sure to say you heard it from me. (702) 732-7008 or GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com
Did I mention that I love it? and I have a birthday coming up?
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Love…don’t be shy…was the fragrance I thought I preferred when I smelled it on each of my two previous trips to Vegas (the only access I have to Kilian fragrances.) It didn’t surprise me that I loved it again.
I generally give fragrance several tries before I commit, because I find that sometimes they are scrubbers on me, when I had thought they were not.
Love…don’t be shy is another play on words. If you wish to find or experience love, you have to put yourself out there. Don’t be shy. Risk a little. (Maybe that would be a good name for one of his fragrances.) Or, express your love, don’t hold back. To have love, you must give love.
Here’s the description from the insert booklet:
L’Oeuvre Noire [in English, Black Masterpiece], a collection of 10 fragrances composed with the most expensive and rarest essential oils. A deca aroma that revolves around three themes: Love and its prohibitions. The artificial paradises. The temptations.
And here’s a quote from that same insert:
Perfume should be the essential in the excessive. Kilian Hennessy
I think I’d love to sit down and chat with him. …essential in the excessive — isn’t that an interesting way to describe one of the pleasures of life!
And here’s another quote I like of his:
Perfume is a messenger that opens a thousand doors in the memory. Kilian Hennessy
I think we can both create and recreate memories with perfume. All I have to do is smell a certain fragrance to feel once again that someone I knew is near, though she is no longer living. She created an aura with fragrance. I prefer my aura to be lighter, but nonetheless there. She wore hers too heavily. I don’t think that is possible with these. They have a cap on how strong they are.
Created by perfumer Calice Becker, here are the notes:
Top notes: Marshmallow, Neroli
Heart notes: Sambac Jasmine with Rose and Iris
Base notes: vanilla and musk.
This is not a dreckly sweet marshmallow concoction, but rather mature and intoxicating. Again, a bit boozy, definitely intoxicating. The vanilla is not sweet. It’s not like Shalimar; no, this is darker.
I was off-put by Iris after Guerlain’s Iris Ganache. I might have steered away from this one after that one. But this is what I hoped IG would be, even though descriptions didn’t necessarily match my idea.
Again, on me, this is a deeply resinous fragrance. It is no Mariah Carey, and it certainly is not Pink Sugar. It’s a night time fragrance suitable for day time. It insinuates rather than shouting. It isn’t shy, but it doesn’t hit you over the head — those are fragrance types I prefer not to wear. I believe it would layer well with any other Kilian fragrance. It is very smooth, but it also ruffles. This is a fragrance for a woman who knows her mind.
Do you wear it? Have you tried it?
You can see an overview of all his fragrances here.
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Boise Torride is coming October 15, 2009, unless the launch date changes as has happened with some. And Boise Torride is how the Guerlain paperwork spells it.
According to the paperwork, courtesy of Claire at the Palazzo Las Vegas location, here’s the scoop.
Words associated with this fragrance are:
woody, rebellious, provocative, triumphant, bold and beautiful
Sounds good already!
And the notes:
top: bergamot, tangerine, pink berries
middle: marshmallow harmony, orange blossom, jasmine
base: patchouli, white musk, cedar
Marsh mellow makes me think of Mariah Carey’s fragrance. Nothing wrong with marshmallow there.
It sounds like a good mix between old and new. Time will tell!
What do you think?
Does this sound like one you will try? I’ve never really met a Guerlain that wasn’t better than others with similar notes. The trick for me will be the orange blossom, as that is something that I usually have difficulties with. I look forward to trying this one just the same.
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Have you ever tried a Honeycrisp apple? I had never heard of them until visiting a friend in Michigan. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better apple.
They can be ordered online during their season, but I haven’t done it yet. And once I knew to look for them, I found them for short periods of time locally.
I used to eat Delicious apples, but they are a little soft to me now. I switched to Gala apples, when I tried them, which I now love. I had a hard time not buying a Gala in Michigan, but since the orchards are close to my friend’s house, I knew whatever I tried would be good.
Around here, good apples are scarce. By the time they get to us, they are bruised under the skin. It is citrus that is unbelievably good here because we are close to the groves. You have never had really good orange or grapefruit until you get them from the grove.
It’s no surprise that I enjoy notes of both citrus — especially sweet orange — and applies in perfumes, though I don’t consider myself one who likes artificial fruity perfumes. I don’t wear orange blossom well, though I like to smell it in the air around the groves.
Light Blue by Dolce and Gabbana, introduced in 2001, is a lovely, long lasting fragrance, and one I was complimented on recently. It is considered to be floral-fruity. It has the crisp sweetness of a real apple, coupled with woods and amber. I think it is calling to me today, though I’m not sure I will wear it.
top notes: Sicilian citron, bluebell, and granny smith
heart notes: jasmine sambac, bamboo, white rose
bottom: cedar wood, musk, amber
Others that have apple notes include: Pure White Linen (by Estee Lauder); Nirmala by Molinard (one version of this smells similar to Angel); Roberto Cavalli and Oro by Roberto Cavalli. Donna Karan has several apple fragrances, none of which I wear well. Burberry, Burberrys, and Old Burberry London have green apple in them — and vanilla.
Do you wear any of these?
Are you a fan of apples in your fragrances?
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I love to get perfume compliments but they are rare. For the most part, I wear perfume to please myself.
I am very careful in large groups or going to dinner or around people who can’t handle some fragrances. My husband can’t smell many perfumes so unless I put my arm under his nose directly, he usually is unaware. Another family member is quite sensitive, so it is rare that I wear any perfume around him. And a friend can’t handle any scents. She has to be extremely careful with shampoos or body soaps. For the most part she doesn’t even know I wear fragrance because by the time I’m around her, it’s been a while since I spritzed.
My younger children always say I smell good. But I’m talking about a genuine, grown up compliment. Those are worth waiting for.
Not too long ago I stopped in at place of business, then went back later for a second visit. The woman helping me asked me what I was wearing earlier, as everyone loved it and wanted to know what it was.
Interestingly enough, the last time I had worn this fragrance before, it bothered me because it just doesn’t quit, though I loved it, when I first bought it. So, I’ve not chosen to wear it for a while. I have to be in the mood to wear it all day or be very care to use very little. The day I didn’t enjoy wearing it, some note in it got stronger, instead of blending, and as I like to layer up, I got tired of it during the day, it never softened.
But yesterday it was so soft I couldn’t smell it without effort, so it surprised me that others could. After the second visit, I respritzed just because. That’s when my daughter wanted some.
top: Sicilian citron, bluebell, and granny smith
heart: jasmine sambac, bamboo, white rose
bottom: cedar wood, musk, amber
It really is a lovely fragrance. My 9 year old wanted some for herself, and then asked for it again after her shower. I think I might make her up a small spray of her own. I don’t know what was going on with it (or me) the day I didn’t like the way it wore me.
Maybe it needs to be summer and hot, hot, hot for it to wear well.
I wore it again yesterday after getting off to too sweet a start with Just Cavalli Her. It’s interesting that it shares some notes — but not the vanilla — and JC has lily of the valley in it. No wonder it blended so well.
I think I will wear it again today. I like the way the apple stays true in it, unlike other apple scents that go sharp and pungent on me. It is bright and happy, yet not artificial. It has enough other notes in it that keep it from being too sweetish. And it is a little bit tart, like me. Plus it held my interest all day yesterday, which is saying a lot — not to mention that it rescued me from all that vanilla in JC.
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Just Cavalli Her by Roberto Cavalli was introduced in 2004 for Women. It is considered an oriental floral.
When I wear it, I don’t get too much from it except for sweet vanilla — and the vanilla lasts through the entire fragrance. Getting stronger, if that is possible, which of course it is, because it is one of the base notes, which means it shows up at or through the end.
Top: Sicilian Bergamot, Ceylon Cinnamon, Bamboo Leaves,
Heart: Wild Lily Of The Valley, Apricot Tree Flower, Sambac Jasmine,
Base:Golden Amber, Madagascar Vanilla, Lebanese White Cedarwood, Powdery Musk
It is one of the nicer vanillas out there, but I have to be in the mood for it because it is vanilla.
This is not the sultry vanilla of Shalimar, and it isn’t a particularly gourmand vanilla, like white cake.
On the whole, it is sweet. I prefer it not so close to my face. I should have spritzed my leg, not my arm.
As soon as I could, I switched to another fragrance — to Light Blue — to get away from the sweetness. I needed a little tart to go with it.
Is this a fragrance that you wear?
When do you wear it? I think it would have served me better on a fall night, not a summer morning. I was engulfed in a vanilla dream. I don’t think I’m quite that sweet!
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Last week I was out and about. I had put on one squirt of edp about 5 hours earlier.
I couldn’t smell it at all.
The woman I had gone to see raved about my perfume, that she just loved it. She wanted to buy it for herself. I asked her if it was too strong?? because usually no one but me can smell my fragrances. I’m very careful because both a friend and a family member are sensitive.
No, it was perfect, she said.
After that, I went to the mall because I was a short distance away. While there, I made a circuit of the perfumes, as usual, and the SA smelled wonderful! When she walked in front of me, the most delicious fragrance wafted toward me. It was lovely, not too strong. I liked it!
I asked her what perfume she was wearing. She said they were no longer carrying it. She had just moved the stock to the back room. (Turns out, all the local stores are not going to carry it. It is discounted at Perfumania, which just opened in our mall.)
She was wearing the same thing I was wearing! No wonder my friend had thought I’d smelled good, if I smelled as good as she did! I thought that was so funny!
Here’s one a little more racy for Elle Shocking, the edt:
My take The bottle is beautiful.
Some days I really like this on me; other days, I’m not sure. It might be the weather. Right now it is moderately hot here.
This is not a sweet rose, nor is it quite a dirty rose either. It is an interesting rose, kept from being too sweet by the patchouli. And the funny thing is, laughing at myself here, there isn’t any rose in it!
Maybe it’s the color of the juice. Or maybe it’s that it’s a grownup fragrance, not one that follows the sweet perfume trends.
This compliment makes me want to search out the flankers: Elle Summer and Elle Intense, if they can even be found. Those both have raspberry in them.
Found them:
The notes include ginger, tangerine, pink pepper, peony, freesia, raspberry, musk, patchouli and vetiver.
~~~~
The fragrance notes include raspberry, litschi, jasmine, iris, benzoin, patchouli and amber.
~~~~ What do you think?
Have you tried this one? Do you wear it? Have you worn or smelled the flankers? Can you enable me, or not?
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This week when I headed to a major city a few hours away, I thought I’d check out the perfumes at Neiman Marcus, because I knew they had L’Artisan and also Serge Lutens. The last time I was in a NM closer to home, they had neither.
I planned to treat myself, but ended up not choosing anything, because my idea of what I thought I wanted was different from what my sense of smell was telling me. I’ll check them out again, before I decide, and by then, a decant might be enough until I really know that what I want is FBW. The SA was helpful to me without being pushy. She was happy to let me spray cards and give some thought to the selections.
I sampled the following L’Artisan’s: Timbuktu, Passage d’enfer, La Chasse Aux Papillion, and Fou d’Absinthe. They didn’t have Dzing ! or Dzongkha or Poivre Piquant or Ananas Fizz (I love this one and might have bought more) or Navegar in a tester, unless they were in another location.
My favorite of the ones I tested was Fou d’Absinthe, which smelled lush and spicy. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t expect this would be my favorite. I have never had Absinthe, so I don’t know how well it compares. I only know it was spicy and delicious, without being heavy or overbearing. It was a delightful surprise.
Fou d’Absinthe
Notes: absinthe, angelica, blackcurrant buds, star anise, four-spices, patchouli, pine needles, labdanum, fir balsam
Perfumer: Olivia Giacobetti
Passage d’enfer is a fragrance well beloved by many, but I can’t smell it on me –or on the card — or it is so light that it operates below my radar. To my knowledge, so far, it is the only fragrance I’ve ever smelled that I can’t smell. I had hoped that in larger quantities, I might be able to smell it. OTOH, if I would have had to use so much in order to smell it that it would have knocked out anyone around me who could smell it, it would not have been good! It is said to be incensy and hypnotic, but you couldn’t prove it by me. Can you smell this one? Do you wear it? What category of fragrance do you usually wear?
Passage d’Enfer
Notes : white lily, frankincense, aloe, white musk
I was already familiar with Timbuktu, and I like it because it is spicy which I love, but it is similar to others I have, so I would prefer something different; I just wasn’t sure what. I was willing to spritz it again to see if it called my name.
La Chasse aux Papillion is one that is loved by many people, so I wanted to sample it. I have to be careful, because it is mostly white flowers, but it is different enough that I think I can get away with it. I was, however, afraid to try it on my skin because of how this category reacts on me. I might try it on skin the next time, but I likely would buy something spicy.
I was surprised they didn’t have Ananas Fizz, simply because it is a lovely summer time fragrance. I’ve reviewed it before. Perhaps they had it to sell, but not to sample. It is subtle and elegant, not fruity or too sweet.
Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Bitter orange, Rum, Victoria Pineapple, Lychee Sap, Cocoa Milk and Vanilla.
Next I moved to the Serge Lutens counter. That will be my next post.
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I promised yesterday that I would compare these two.
I came across a site where you can compare fragrances. If you like one, what else might you like (or vice versa.) You can see it here.
When I went there, while waiting for my sample of VdNE to arrive, I was surprised to find they listed VdNE like this:
VOL DE NUIT EVASION 2007 (ATTRAPE-COEUR)
I had a bit of AC, so I wondered if I had simply bought the same thing with a new name. But checking further, the answer was no, these are two different fragrances.
However, when I wear them, comparing them, as I did yesterday afternoon and again today, there isn’t enough difference in the two of them on me to warrant having both, unless I wanted one for daytime and one for evening.
The notes for VdNE are [Fragrance Family - oriental woody] : peach, rose, jasmine, amber, iris, woods, vanilla.
The notes for AC/GA are [Fragrance Family - Floral, Amber, Musk]:
Top: a burst of spell binding green notes
Heart: generous, floral/fruity notes (rose, jasmine, peach and tuberose)
Base: leather, powdery and dry wood notes (Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk)
It’s only fair to say that those who love AC/GA do not, for the most part, like VdNE. I am testing vials; I am not spraying, so there is very little sillage and I have to smell up close to smell either one.
I asked all 3 of my girls to smell both fragrances on me several times. Without exception, if they smelled AC/GA (or VdNE) first, they could not smell the other one. (I had no problem.)
AC/GA is much richer and deeper. College Girl said it smelled more musky. I don’t notice that at all particularly. I notice the leather and amber in it, especially the amber. The leather is completely wearable. It is not musty. It certainly smells very good. VdNE is lighter and more powdery, though both have some powder essence to them.
I asked CG again just now which she preferred on me. I have not reapplied since this morning.
She smelled VdNE first, then AC/GA. She said she preferred VdNE, “the deeper one.” I said, “No, the other is deeper.” She said, “Then VdNE has lasted longer.” I think it is again, because she smelled the one first. To me, AC/GA is the deeper, fuller, more exotic one, and has lasted longer. But I like them both. Earlier in the day, my younger girls picked VdNE because it was “lighter.”
There you have it. It appears to be a toss up, on me. I would think a man would prefer to wear AC/GA. But hey, give both a try! As I said, I like them both, and I would love to drench myself in spray to get a feeling for when they have heavier sillage.
AC costs EUR 130 for 125 ml. VdNE (edt) is EUR 46 for 50 ml.
Where to buy it?
Call (702-732-7008) or email Claire (GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com) at the Guerlain boutique in Las Vegas. And if he’s not there, the others will treat you right too. Even better, stop in when you are in Las Vegas. You’ll see I’m right.
Tell them I sent you!
Karin
Addendum: the plot thickens! Evidently, according to French Guerlain sources, VdNE is the edt version of AC/GA edp version. Why on earth would they not keep the same name, AC/GA! No wonder they smell so similar, but one is lighter.
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The beauty store in the Houston airport has two Lancome perfumes not available in the US unless they make their way to discounters — Benghal and Cyclades. They are from the Collection Voyage (travel collection.)
I loved the bottle for Cyclades and given any amount of liking of this fragrance, I would likely have popped just for the bottle.
Alas, on me both smelled very artificial and quite plasticy, getting worse to the dry down. Neither one had much personality. While Benghal is described as being inspired by the gardens of Indian palaces, a soft floral, lightly spicy with fruity accents, it hardly spoke to me at all.
Cyclades had more sillage. Which wasn’t particularly good on me. Here are the notes:
a musky floral
top notes: neroli and bergamot essence
heart: oleander and jasmine
base: white musk and vanilla hyperabsolute
In all honesty, I don’t wear any of Lancome’s fragrances. Magie Noir is perhaps the best on me. Perhaps if you are a Lancome fragrance aficionado, they will do well on you.
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