Pure Oud is the first in Kilian's Arabian Nights series. And if you like oud, you likely will like this.

Again, I had the good fortune of sniffing the entire Killian line, including Pure Oud, at SAKs in Las Vegas. Sergio Gonzalez is the expert on the line, and he will be happy to help you. Phone 702-967-1266. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me.

How to describe Oud if you are unfamiliar with the note -- oud is well loved in the east but may be less well known in the west. Its mystique is such that agarwood is in short supply in many places, for oud perfume oil is made from the fragrant resin found in Aquilaria or Agarwood trees.

Oud is thought to be the Biblical aloe, as well as both an aphrodisiac and an aid to spiritual meditation. No wonder it is loved and treasured!

The only note in this fragrance, according to Sergio, is Oud, hence the name Pure Oud. And this Oud comes from Dubai, which is supposed to produce the best Oud.

But others smell leather, saffron, and tobacco notes in it. I catch nuances of these notes also.

It is both woody and resinous and dry. It is not particularly sweet. Certainly suitable for either a man or a woman, it will likely be a best seller, despite the fact that it is more expensive than the rest of Kilian's line -- over $300 -- because it is Oud.

Contrast this to Tom Ford's Oud Wood, which is also lovely but entirely different. Ford's is sweeter and stronger in a different way.

notes for Oud Wood: rosewood, cardamom, Chinese pepper, oud, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, vanilla and amber

If the two weren't so expensive, I might have both. As it is, I will have to decide which calls to me more. Pure Oud is both sharper and more velvety than Oud Wood.

Have you smelled them both?
Do you own either? What do you think?

Coming up: Other Kilian fragrances including the September release of Back to Black aphrodisiac, delicious as it is!
You can see an overview of all Kilian fragrances here.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-10 21:53:02.

• Tempo Ford Hybrid Cars & Trucks
• Wood Hatchets & Axes Knives & Tools Camping & Hiking
• Wood Tree Stands Accessories Hunting
• Aerostar Ford Hybrid Cars & Trucks
• Aspire Ford Hybrid Cars & Trucks

Cruel Intentions is a fragrance I've found surprisingly to my taste. Well, maybe not surprising, but it wasn't my first choice. I find I love it. And perhaps it should have been my first choice!

Again, *Sergio Gonzalez is the expert on the line at SAKs in Las Vegas, and he will be happy to help you. Phone 702-967-1266. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me. He will take good care of you!

Kilian says:

A fragrance inspired by the warm, enfolding balsamic notes of Oud, a legendary wood said to be « worth more than its weight in gold ». Perfumer : Sidonie Lancesseur

I've heard it said that it gets stronger on some, but on me it just stays softly resinous. I love the scent as it softens, and I love the bit that is on my clothes. I spray my wrist and arm, then transfer to the other arm and wrist. And I spritz my neck.

The notes are:

Fresh notes: Bergamot calabria oil, orange blossom oil,
Floral notes: violet accord, centifolia rose absolute,
Woody notes: agarwood (here is the oud again), Indian papyrus oil, gaiacwood oil, Haiti vetiver oil, sandalwood,
Animalic notes: styrax absolute, castoreum absolute, vanilla absolute, musk.

This is not a sweet vanilla; it is more of a dry vetiver. It is so precisely blended that I cannot really separate the notes. Occasionally I get a glimpse of violets in the woods. Mostly it is a very wearable animalic fragrance. It is soft enough to be worn day or night by both men or women.

Sergio considers it the most complex of Kilian's fragrances. I don't know about that, but it is quite, quite lovely. My over all impression includes a leathery dry down, though leather is not listed as one of the notes.

This is a fragrance that has a double meaning in the name: likely if someone is being tempted, there are cruel intentions in that temptation.

But I don't find this fragrance cruel or cutting. It gets under your skin and becomes an ambiance. The sweetness that is there is not sugary, but resinous. It's even a little bit boozy, as I find his other fragrances. I find this particularly interesting, as Kilian is heir to the Hennessey cognac family.

Have you tried it? Do you love it? I bought this in the travel set.

It may be that I end up liking it as well as or more than Love, don't be shy.

You can see an overview of all his fragrances here.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-11 23:46:00.

• Orange Pineapple BBQ Sauces Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Leather Medicine (Weighted) Balls Fitness Equipment Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
• Orange Windsocks & Devas Garden Decor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Leather Backpacks Camping & Hiking
• Orange Gloves Hunting

Lavender is a note that is real iffy on me. Sometimes I like it; sometimes not. Sometimes it feels feminine; other times it is just too masculine.

How about you? Do you like and wear lavender?

Lavender supposedly has soothing properties and promotes restfulness and good sleep. I suppose that is true if you like lavender. But for me, it either is or it isn't. There are times when lavender does seem like a good addition for bedtime to aid in sleep, but if the lavender has a negative value to me, then it is more wake-inducing than sleep-inducing.

There are a number of fragrances built around lavender, and lavender is a note in a lot of men's fragrances. I don't even particularly like it in men's fragrances, if it is a lavender note I don't like. Perhaps it is a function of what synthetics are used to mimic lavender or whether it is natural lavender or not, if that even exists. Perhaps real lavender is too fleeting or subject to change. Or it may entirely be a function of where the lavender originates. There are huge fields planted in various places, used in the perfume industry.

One of the blogs I enjoy is French Word a Day. She has shown pictures a couple of times of an aunt making a woven sachet out of lavender. Perhaps she will leave a message here and give me a direct link to it. That's the kind of hand craft that is interesting to learn to do. It looks lovely when finished.

Here are some lavender fragrances that I do like. I'll add others as time goes on or as I have time.

Kilian A Taste of Heaven absinthe verte

Inspired by Absinthe, bittersweet nectar of poets.

This is a men's fragrance, but easily worn by a woman. From The Artificial Paradises for men, the lavender in A Taste of Heaven absinthe verte is lush and sweet; it isn't pungent or artificial. When it softens over hours, the lavender is barely visible under the whole of it. It doesn't become the whole of it.

A little incensy; a little boozy; a lot sexy.

Notes:
Fresh Note: Bergamot Calabria Oil
Floral Notes: Geranium Bourbon Oil, Orange Flower absolute, rose Turkish absolute, green absinthe oil, lavender bareme oil, lavandin abrialis oil, lavandin green absolute oil, lavandin green concrete
Amber Notes: Patchouli Indonesian oil, oakmoss extract, costus oil @ 1%, ambrarome absolute, vanilla beans absolute, tonka beans hyper essence.

Perfumer : Calice Becker

My first impression is Vanilla and Lavender, but much, much smoother and richer than BBW. No comparison. At it's final stages, there is a spiciness to it.

I haven't bought this, but it is a possibility if I find I can wear this lavender as well as I'm wearing it today.

Contact Sergio at SAKs in Las Vegas. He's the Kilian expert there and will take good care of you. (702) 733-8300. Sergio told me where the lavender is from that makes it so special, but I regret to say I have forgotten what he said. I will have to re-ask him and then add it to this post at a later time. If you talk to him and find out, leave a comment!

I just got off the phone with him. Here's what his info says:

The best lavender is from the north of France, and that is where Kilian gets his.

Added late at night: after respritzing the one time, I got busy and didn't layer up to something else or respritz. Now, hours and hours later, I smell no lavender, just an intriquing sort of incensy sweetness. Have you tried this one?

You can see an overview of all Kilian fragrances here.

Tova by Tova
If you've ever watched Tova on TV, you know how persuasive she can be. She is a lovely woman, married to Ernest Borgnine. This is her first of several fragrances. To hear her tell it, people follow her and whoever else is wearing it, whenever and wherever they are wearing it, to find out what it is.

By day, the alluring Tova Signature scent envelops you in an unforgettable blend of bergamot, jasmine, and lavender.

By evening, Tova Nights(R) fragrance enchants with its aromatic combination of lilies, lilacs, subtle spice, and a hint of musk.

I like it, but it isn't me. I'm sure if I loved, loved, loved it, and wore it sufficiently, people would stop me too. It is an intriguing scent, different than anything else on the market.

Lavender Vanilla Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy SLEEP
Just as it says, lavender vanilla. At one time they had it in many formulas: lotion, pillow spray, oil, shower gel. I'm not sure what is available now, or if you can only find it during their big sales.

This is sweet and comforting, whereas Kilian's is lush and sexy.

I don't find it makes any difference in my sleep one way or the other. It is disconcerting to smell it on my pillow. I'd rather smell my own fragrance.

Arbonne Unwind Unwind Rejuvenating Body Mist
I have no idea if there is lavender in this. But I'm reviewing it with lavender because of its relaxation properties. I took it on my trip in case the world got to be too much with me, LOL! I did spritz it a bit in the car. I threatened to spritz my kids if they got too out of hand, but I never had to do it. It comes in a mist, a massaging oil, a shower gel, a lotion...

Notes: Chamomile and ylang ylang
The calming, botanically-based all over mist designed to hydrate the skin while imparting aromatherapeutic benefits of the Unwind essential oil blend. Recommended for all skin types. 4 fl. oz./118 mL ( 4 fl. oz./118 mL ) Price: $16.00

If BBW Lavender Vanilla is a sledge hammer, Unwind is a whisper. There is hardly any scent to it at all.

Does it work? Dunno. But I got there and back all right -- and I wondered before we started. 8 days driving/riding with a full car is a lot! What do you think, did it help?

What's your favorite scent with lavender? Do you like and wear lavender or not?
Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-23 12:25:25.

• Bath & Body Store
• Silver Certificates Large Size Notes Paper Money: US Coins & Paper Money
• Samples & Travel Sizes Bath & Body Store
• Lower Body Weights & Dumbbells Strength Training Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
• Body Kits Smart Hybrid Cars & Trucks

Liaisons Dangereuses typical me is from The Temptations line of Kilian fragrances. I had the good fortune of sniffing the entire Killian line, including Pure Oud, at SAKs in Las Vegas. Sergio Gonzalez is the expert on the line, and he will be happy to help you. Phone 702-967-1266. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me.

I haven’t quite figured out how the typical me fits in with Liaisons Dangereuses.

I was asked if I had ever been in the store when Kilian was there. Unfortunately no, but I would have loved to have met him.

Here's what Kilian says is the inspiration for this fragrance:

A fragrance inspired by Damascus Plum, a delicate fruit with a smooth note whose scent evokes an oriental lovers' nest.

Here are the notes:

Coconut flesh, prune absolute, plum, blackcurrant buds absolute, crystallized peach, cinnamon bark oil, ambrette seeds absolute, rose Damascus, geranium bourbon, Australian sandalwood oil, oakmoss extract, vetiver java oil, clear woods, vanilla extract, white musks.

According to Sergio, if I understood him correctly, this is the number one Kilian seller in the world. It is a delicious fruity chypre.

What I smell most as it starts out is peach, followed closely by rose and plum with the geranium. I can't say that I smell the other notes particularly, but I think they keep the fragrance complex and interesting, not fruity.

Some say it is plum over oakmoss; others that it is geranium over cinnamon; or that it has a minty fruit accord...I have a feeling it becomes on you whatever is your best scent. That's refreshing, isn't it!

In a way, it reminds me of a modern Femme, with the peach note dominant. But whereas Femme can be decadent in an old-fashioned way, this is modern decadence -- or temptation, as you will.

Does this remind me of some of the paintings depicting concubines in luxury, with fresh peaches on offer? Perhaps. Perhaps it is an assignation in a peach grove.

This is not the Kilian that I bought, but it might be the next one. I will wear it all day and see if it calls to me as it is this morning.

Suitable for men or women, the gorgeous black bottle is presented beautifully: a black lacquer box with a key lock and tassle. $225.

The bottle is refillable either in the store or by purchasing a double size refill that you can use at home.

There is also a travel set with four 1/4 oz vials. That spray bottle is gorgeous too, but looks more feminine to me. I had a hard time deciding. You could easily refill these from your larger bottle -- or even put another fragrance in if you so desired.

Kilian feels that your perfume is your shield throughout the day -- what nice imagery! -- thus his bottles have an ornate shield on them.

I don't know about you, but I can use a shield!

Have you tried this?
Is this the one you bought?

I will add more reviews on other days. Here's an overview of all his fragrances.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-09 11:58:48.

• Rose Bowl Commemorative Coins: US Coins & Paper Money
• Plum Seedlings Vegetables & Fruits Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Bottle Gourd Seeds & Bulbs Vegetables & Fruits Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Rose Publications & Software Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Wine Bottle Lanterns, Strings Outdoor Lighting Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living

By Kilian just launched Kilian Collection ($140) which is a set of smaller vials of all of By Kilian's unisex scents --

* Prelude to Love, Invitation
* Love, Don't Be Shy
* Beyond Love, Prohibited
* Liaisons Dangereuses, Typical Me
*Cruel Intentions, Tempt Me
* A Taste of Heaven, Absinthe Verte
* Straight to Heaven, White Cristal
* Back to Black, Aphrodisiac

If you love the Killian fragrances like I do, but hoped to have more of the scents without going broke for several full size bottles, this is your chance. The vials look to me, without actually have seen them yet, like the size that fits the travel set.

These are heady fragrances and a little goes a long ways, so these should last you a while, unless you find yourself wearing one more than the others, in which case that is the one you will buy full size (then refill your little bottle for travel or portability.)

This is what we've been asking for and what I was told was going to happen. I'm glad it did!

You can order from Sergio Gonzalez at SAKs in Las Vegas 702-967-1266. He will be happy to help you. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me.

Do you wear any of his fragrances?
Do you have a fave? Mine is probably Back to Black.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

• Collection Bars, Rounds Silver Bullion Coins & Paper Money
• Samples & Travel Sizes Bath & Body Store
• Savasa Travel Mats Yoga & Pilates Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
• Electric Hard Case Ibanez Right-Handed Acoustic Guitar Acoustic Musical Instruments
• Ann Estelle Collection Tonner By Brand, Company, Character Dolls Dolls & Bears

2009 was a good year. Any time one's health is good, and that of one's family and friends, it is a good year. Then throw in a few good times, a lotta good perfumes, some good books and movies, and it becomes a very good year indeed.

It's always nice to put some thought into those things we love.

Best Perfumery Trends in 2009:
It has to be oud, which is everywhere, suddenly for us in the west, but always a presence in the east. I am not located in a place easy for access to many of these, so I'm personally limited in knowledge to the ones I've sampled.

Kilian Pure Oud

First, perfumes.
As for perfumes, remember I'm in the back of beyond as far as easily sniffing some of the lines, so if you have a favorite or are a favorite, if I have samples, I'll be glad to add my voice.

Best expensive niche:
Andy Tauer Une Rose Chyprée: A wearable rose, with vintage aspects, not quite dirty.
Anything by Ormonde Jayne or Andy Tauer or Ayala Moriel or Neil Morris or...

Best less expensive niche
Anything by Sonoma Scent.

Best in fragrances more easily found, some niche:
Kilian Back to Black
Kilian Pure Oud
Guerlain exclusives, take your pick. I like a number of them, including Moscow, Double Vanilla, 68, Chypre Fatale, La Petite Robe Noire...then there's also Mon Precieux Nectar...I buy from Guerlain @ Palazzo in Las Vegas, ask for Claire. Call (702) 732-7008 or email: GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com. Be sure to tell him that you heard it from me. (I saw them recently on a trip more locally, but the sales agent blew the sale with me. That'll teach her, LOL!)

Serge Lutens, take your pick.
Prada, the original, and L'eau Ambree.
Chanel exclusives -- I like Coromandel.

Best surprising fragrances
Le Jardin Retrouvé should be more fully known. I was glad to get a chance to review them.

Best inexpensive fragrances
Make Me Smooth
Bathed and Infused

Skin care that really works:
These are not new for 2009, but they still are going strong, and more importantly, work.

Best Moderate to expensive
Arbonne products RE9 or FC5; RE9 for the body is terrific.
Estee Lauder New Perfectionist CP+
La Prairie Cellular Anti-wrinkle Firming Serum; Cellular Hydrating is good too.

Best inexpensive skincare
Avon Ultimate Gold or Anew Alternative Intensive Age Treatment

Best cosmetic trends 2009
Minerals, everywhere. Some much better than others in texture and look.

Best color products, Not Mineral
High end
Chanel

Less expensive
Arbonne
Aromaleigh
Maybelline
NYX

Best lip gloss
MAC dazzlers comes in first
Beaute
Arbonne
Chanel

Best mineral niche
Aromaleigh or Fyrinnae

Best new product
Kindle 2 International -- would be made better if it incorporated the ease of reading library ebooks, if our library had any. Please send us a free wireless download to add this in order to be competitive with Sony's ereader. (Elena, you will really enjoy yours! Congrats on receiving it as a gift this Christmas.)

The best things in life are still free
You can find a gazillion free ebooks to read on your Kindle or other ebook reader before you even consider buying any ebooks.

Don't forget to take time to view sunrises or sunsets or enjoy seeing bodies of water, free to all if we but take the time.

Internet friendships that become RL friendships. This is an amazing time we live in, when we can be instantly connected to friends around the world. You know who you are! I regularly keep in touch with friends in Europe and China, as well as at home from coast to coast. Not to mention checking in on blogs and yahoogroups I love that originate anywhere.

The qualities of hope, inspiration, gratitude, happiness, safety...

Don't forget prayer...

What are your favorites?

I'm sure I left something out...
If I think of anything amazing, I will add it as the day goes on...

Have a good one!

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Check out the other particpants:

http://mossyloomings.blogspot.com

http://1000fragrances.blogspot.com/

http://ayalasmellyblog.blogspot.com/

http://bittergracenotes.blogspot.com/

http://qwendy.typepad.com/shoescakeperfume/

http://www.eiderdownpress.com/Perfume_Journal.html

http://www.scenthive.com

http://olfactarama.blogspot.com/

http://journal.illuminatedperfume.com/

http://arosebeyondthethames.blogspot.com/

http://thenonblonde.blogspot.com/

http://underthecupola.blogspot.com/

and http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/

http://sonomascent.wordpress.com/

http://alliam-aredhead.blogspot.com/

http://scelfleah.blogspot.com/

http://ismellthereforeiam.blogspot.com

• New Year Holidays Postcards Collectibles
• Tylers Friends Tyler Wentworth Collection Tonner By Brand, Company, Character Dolls Dolls & Bears
• Aromaleigh Mineral Makeup Store
• Tutti, Todd & Chris Friends & Family Barbie Vintage (Pre-1973) Dolls Dolls & Bears
• Inexpensive Pedometers Monitors & Pedometers Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness

If you'd like to have a handy reference to all of Kilian [Hennessy] fragrances, here's an overview. As you can see, the focus of his Black Masterpiece line is what I call variations on Love, Kilian style. In addition his new Arabian Night series will ultimately have 5 scents.

L’Oeuvre Noire Black Masterpiece $225 for 1.7 oz; bottles may be refilled for $115 in the store, or a double size may be purchased to refill at home; also available in a travel set which also has refills.
For women:
Prelude to Love - an invitation to love
Love - don’t be shy
Beyond Love - prohibited

For men:
A Taste of Heaven - absinthe verte
Straight to Heaven - white cristal

For men or women:
Cruel Intentions - tempt me
Liaisons Dangereuses - typical me

Arabian Nights $395/1.7 oz bottle [ouch!] Save your pennies!
Kilian approved the formulas for this line, when he was sure they smelled correctly to people he knew from the Middle East.

They like scents that are more animalistic and Oriental, scents closer to their culture. Kilian

Pure Oud $395 per 1.7 oz. bottle [Ouch!] Pictures here and in Nathan Branch's blog.
Back to Black -- I shared my sample with a friend who is Arab-American, and immediately she said it smelled like something an Arabian woman would wear. I said she was exactly right. And it's something both she and I like.

Do you have any of Kilian's fragrances?
I have reviewed nearly all of them now, and will continue with others.

I highly recommend Sergio Gonzalez at SAKs in Las Vegas. He really knows this line, will treat you right, and genuinely loves this line. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me. Call him or email him. (702) 733-8300 or Sergio_Gonzalez2@S5A.com

Karin

• Givenchy Women Discount Fragrances Store
• Gucci Women Discount Fragrances Store
• Love Hina Japanese, Anime Animation Art, Characters Collectibles
• Wine Bottle Lanterns, Strings Outdoor Lighting Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• I Love Lucy Hollywood Barbie & Friends Barbie Dolls Barbie Contemporary (1973-Now) Dolls Dolls & Bears

Back to Black: Aphrodisiac, Kilian's 9th fragrance and the second in his Arabian Nights series. It will debut in September. I was lucky enough (pun intended since I was in Las Vegas) to try this fragrance during my recent trips to Las Vegas.

I can't wait until I can get a bottle of my own. September 1st is just around the corner.
Edit: October, the travel sets have come in, and that's the format I bought it in. Sergio expects travel refills to be in by December.

The fragrance notes are:

bergamot, nutmeg, saffron, cardamom, coriander, raspberry, blue chamomile, honey, olibanum, cedar, oak, tobacco accord, patchouli, vanilla, almond and labdanum.

I have a fuller list, by category, of the notes, but I need to find where it disappeared after I got home. When I put my hands on it, or call Sergio again, I will update this post -- that will teach me not to review a perfume right away!

Updated! I found it!

Fresh Note: Bergamot
Aromatic note: Blue Chamomile
Spice Notes: Cardamon, coriander, saffron
Tobacco Notes: honey, cedarwood, vanilla almond
Amber Notes: Vetyver, Cistus, Patchouli, oakmoss

Every time I use my sample, it is delicious. I put it on my wrists last night (dabbed, not spritzed, as my sample is not a spray.) It smells just as good 10-12 hours later.

Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black, might be an inspiration. I truly hope she gets her act together. She is not a role model for me, but I love her voice. OTOH, Back to Black is a clever name for another black masterpiece. And the name aphrodisiac gives us a sense of another layer in the story of Love, Kilian style.

What message does it send?
Aphrodisiac alludes to the sensual nature of this fragrance, and of the hope that it represents and enhances our own sense of sensuality, either as we perceive ourselves or as others perceive us. This is a classical, lush, and rich sensuality; it is not skanky, no, no, no. We won't go to rehab over this scent.

Perhaps the message it sends is: I feel rich, not I feel pretty.

I am elegant and lovely/handsome (rich, like fine wine, not money). I know who I am, and I want you to know it too. I'm not in your face, but you can't miss me. I am everything I ever hoped I would be and more. Can you feel it too? I am confident, but not ridiculous. What you see is what you get, but still there is mystery to unfold and develop.

Cary Grant...

Tobacco Notes
I happen to like tobacco notes, for they remind me of the smell of my uncle's pipe, and thus conjure up a sense of familial love and older times, when loved ones were still on the scene, and we had family get-togethers for birthdays and holidays.

How does it compare to Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille?
This tobacco is a gentler version of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanillle, which is just what it says: tobacco and vanilla.

Considered a smooth oriental, and it certainly is smooth, Tobacco Vanille's notes are:

top:tobacco leaf and aromatic spice notes.
heart:tonka bean, tobacco flower, vanilla and cocoa
base: a dry fruit accord, enriched with sweet wood sap.

B2B is less sweet and more complex. There are times when I'm not as enamored with Tobacco Vanille as I am at other times, but so far, Back to Black is satisfying every time I wear it.

Who can wear B2B?
B2B is suitable for either men or women. I don't see it as unisex, because I generally cannot wear unisex, whereas I can wear some men's fragrances. Unisex is generally neither here nor there, evidently, for me or else it is too masculine.

Have you had a chance to try it yet?
If you get a chance, pun intended again, do yourself a favor and at least sample this fragrance. Let me know what you think. I think you'll love it.

Sergio told me I was very lucky to be there the day they received only one bottle, and that I would be the first anywhere to try it outside of the SAs. I doubt I was the first, but I might have been one of the first -- and especially in this store. Contact Sergio, the expert on Kilian at SAKs in Las Vegas, Sergio_Gonzalez2@S5A.com or 702-967-1266, for all your Kilian needs. Be sure to tell him that you heard about him from me.

You can see an overview of Kilian fragrances here.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

• United States Notes Small Size Notes Paper Money: US Coins & Paper Money
• Falcon Ford Hybrid Vehicles
• Model T Ford Hybrid Vehicles
• Black Refrigerators & Freezers Major Appliances
• Ranger Ford Hybrid Vehicles

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.

Karin

• Vanilla Orchids Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Hawaii, North Africa Small Size Notes Paper Money: US Coins & Paper Money
• Hawaii, North Africa Small Size Notes Paper Money: US Coins & Paper Money
• Hatpins Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles
• Vanity Accessories Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles

Killian travel sprays are $135, complete with 4 vials of fragrance, plus a black carved-design atomizer that is gorgeous. Refills for 4 vials of fragrance are $70.

The top is magnetic so it closes strongly. The top spins to the proper alignment and closes with a resounding click. It feels and looks rich. It was well designed.

A magnetic object, literally. A monolith engraved with the Achilles' shield, signature of "L'Oeuvre noire" collection.

Meantime, the vials are easy to refill from a larger bottle of the same fragrance or refilling with another Kilian fragrance if you so desire (and if you enjoy layering, because likely the first scent would still be evident.)

I suggested to Sergio* that it would be lovely if Kilian would make a set with 4 different fragrances vs. one set of four of the same fragrance. He said they had suggested it, and Kilian was at least thinking of it. The only drawback I can see is that the atomizer pump would hold some residue of other fragrances. If they are all Kilian, it wouldn't make a difference to me.

I might buy one complete set in one fragrance, but refills in another fragrance, for example, to give me more bang for my buck.

Do you have the travel set?
SAKs was out of my first two choices, so I tried a third, and I'm very happy with it. I bought Cruel Intentions, Tempt Me. I love using it. I think the atomizer is quite feminine; I don't know if a man would enjoy using it or not. Comments?

Again, *Sergio Gonzalez is the expert on the line at SAKs in Las Vegas, and he will be happy to help you. Phone 702-967-1266. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me. He will take good care of you!

You can see an overview of all his fragrances here.

Karin

• Pre-1930 Compacts Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles
• Hatpins Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles
• Trinket Boxes Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles
• Marcy Magnetic Resistance Recumbent Exercise Bikes Cardiovascular Equipment Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
• Vanity Accessories Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Collectibles