Thanks to a friend at POL, I finally have a bit of Borneo to sample.
I’ve been waiting a long time to catch a whiff of this one. Frankly, I wasn’t really eager because of how it has sometimes been presented: camphor and patchouli. Two highly possible negatives.
Camphor wouldn’t interest me, but patchouli is a favorite, provided it is the right presentation of it. Patchouli has many different manifestations, some of which are just too dark and bitter or 70’s for me to wear. But the patchouli in Borneo is my favorite kind — it’s heady on the sweetness, similar to that found in Prada By Prada For Women..
Wow! My sample is not a spray, but this is a love from the first blast. Loads of sweet patchouli…even when daubed on. There’s something sensual about applying a fragrance in drops, made doubly so, when the fragrance is sensual to begin with.
It reminds me a bit of Yves Rocher’s Cocoon, which is a much less expensive version. But whereas Borneo is deliciously smooth and holds close to my skin, Cocoon is brass and wild and stronger through all the layers of notes, including the chocolate. Another way I’d describe it would be that Cocoon feels a bit artificial, whereas Borneo has no feeling of artifice in it. For me, I find Borneo far more wearable — darn! (I expected it.)
Well, never say I don’t have expensive tastes. I generally like the best.
And because I liked it from simply smelling it, I wasn’t afraid to really give it a real try the first time I wore it. I was pretty sure it was not going to be a scrubber on me.
Both of them are sweet and hot and dry. Borneo settles quickly into more sweetness and a uniform nature. DM settles into sweet and dry and sensual, while still holding distinct notes that blend but are not lost in each other. Of the two, I can smell DM more strongly, but not so strong I would tire of it over the day. I think I’d have to reapply Borneo to keep pace. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Well, I will have to drag out my Prada again to compare that also a bit later in the day. If you are lucky enough to find a sample or a decant, definitely try Borneo, if you like sweet patchouli.
Borneo 1834, part of the non-export collection, is available only in Les Salons du Palais Royal in Paris, where it retails for 100 Euros for 75ml.
Karin
The notes of Borneo include Indonesian patchouli, white flowers, cardamom, camphor, cistus, galbanum, cannabis resin, cocoa accord.
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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’m laughing at myself today. Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do!
I have so many fragrances that sometimes it is hard to choose, and if it’s been a while since I’ve worn something, I need a scent nudge to remember how it smells on me or how it makes me feel or how it enhances my mood. But I don’t want to pick the wrong scent for the day, because if it doesn’t match what I hoped for, I’d be better off going scentless.
Yesterday I wore Guerlain 68 for a while, but it wasn’t doing it for me. It didn’t have enough going for it or for me. I’m looking for a deeper fragrance to match the weather, I guess.
I’ve been thinking of Coromandel for a couple of days, but first I was drawn today to Moscow. Then I thought, why not wear both at the same time, not one later, you might like it!
So I have Moscow on my left arm and Coromandel on my right. I smell good!
And to top it off, I’m burning a scent tart Autumn Fruit by Yankee Candle. That’s yummy too. Interesting that they all go together.
The stars have aligned!
Moscow Notes: Musk, fruit, wood…vanilla, bergamot, red currants, absinthe, lemon, plum
Coromandel Notes~ “named for the Chinese lacquered screens Gabrielle Chanel collected, is a spirited oriental with amber and dry notes”. Orange peel, frankincense, patchouli, chocolate, vanilla.
Coromandel is much more in your face. It overpowers Moscow on the first spritz, but as it settles down, the two are equals.
Moscow has a little more fruit (plummy) but this is not a teeny-bop fruit, oh no! This is grown up.
And Coromandel has that patchouli-chocolate thang going for it. I’m a sucker for both, unless the chocolate is fake smelling or the patchouli is too dry. This is just perfect.
Often if I layer a fragrance, I just spritz one on top of the other, but this I believe I would do exactly the same again. Each is more interesting with the other, but I would not want them blended. I like the distinctness of them both, and I get to enjoy two fragrances, not one.
If you like plum
Another plum is Rochas Femme, but I don’t wear it as well.
Notes for Femme
Top Notes: Peach, plum, bergamot, lemon, rosewood
Heart Notes: Ylang-ylang, jasmine, May rose, clove, orris
Base Notes: Musk, amber, oakmoss, vanilla, patchouli, benzoin, leather
You might also like
Ghost (deep night) (pretty bottle too, it looks like the moon.)
top: hibiscus, rose petals and ambrette grains.
mid: Jasmine, spicy sandalwood and warm frankincense tones
base: vanilla, musk, ambergris and apricots
Notes: Rose, apricot, peach, vanilla, musk
So, asking a friend which she prefers, she likes them both, but Moscow might have the edge. But I love what Coromandel is bringing to it, having the edginess of the patchouli-chocolate along with it. I actually like them both together better than I’ve liked either one of them alone.
Do you wear either of these?
Do you have a favorite chocolate? patchouli? plum or fruit?
And I’m listening to Christmas music on my iPod — jazz at the moment. I hope you are having a great day!
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Ah, sweet Prada. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
When do I wear it?
Frankly, I haven’t worn it in a while, but the stars aligned this morning.
When it first came out, it was one of my absolute favorites. I reached for it first.
It had everything going for it.
It was strong, but not too strong. It had sweet patchouli — more than most fragrances had had for long time. It went through various stages, and it was just different from the rest on my shelf. Amber is there, but toned down, and definitely wearable.
Prada Notes: Italian Bergamot Oil, Orange Oil, Bitter Orange Oil, Mandarin Flower, Mimosa India, Rose Absolute ABS, Schinus Molle ABS LMR, Peru Balsam, Patchouli Oil LMR, Raspberry Flower, Labdanum Resinoide LMR, Tonka Bean , Musk, Sandalwood Oil. Amber fragrance with 4 dimensions.
Sweet Patchouli
If you follow my blog, you know I love patchouli, but not the dry, sour kind of headshop patchouli left over from the 60’s. I’m talkin’ about sweet patchouli.
I wanna wear patchouli into the 2010’s. I don’t want to go back, no matter how nostalgic the era of the 60’s is. The negatives of the era are right up front for me too. Perhaps what I want is to go back to the future.
And absolutely a man can wear this.
Even if there is a man’s version.
Do you wear Prada?
Which is your favorite Prada fragrance? Do you wear them all, just depending on the day or your mood or the weather? I found Prada Infusion d’Iris got monotonous on me. But Prada (original) zings. I may give Prada (Amber) a try. I’m going to spritz some more. I’m ready for overkill, because I know this one doesn’t.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
I wrote about Borneo and Cocoon earlier, if you go here.
I wrote more about Sweet Patchouli here.
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It took me a long time to decide on this one — and I had bought it. I thought I was going to end up swapping it away.
The first few times, it really didn’t strike me — or maybe the weather was off, who knows. My 12 year old liked it every time I spritzed it — and I didn’t spritz near my face.
But in the last day or so, it is smelling really good. It reminds me of a lighter version of PRADA .
It just goes to show you, don’t swap away too soon.
The notes are:
· Top Notes: Pear, guava accord, chamomile.
· Heart Notes: Lily of the valley, Tiare flower, orange blossom.
· Base Notes: Patchouli, musk
For the record, I used to like lily of the valley fragrances and would wear them in the spring. I have never done too well with orange blossom, though I love sweet orange. And I generally love anything with sweet pachouli. Musk can be iffy on me, but usually it is the only-musk that I can’t wear. When musk is an ingredient, but not the whole, I do fine.
Today, it is smelling like sweet patchouli with some interest thrown in. I’ve re-spritzed a couple of times already today, knowing that I don’t have to be careful with it today.
The bottle is interesting also, with tiny handcuffs. The ad campaign is just silly, as far as my kids are concerned.
Try it, you might like it. My favorite SA at Nordstrom’s said she loved the dry-down. That made me seriously try it again. I think it is one that does better as you use more of it vs. tiny amounts.
There is a new edt version, but I haven’t tried it yet, or seen it in my local stores. The notes are supposedly the same, so I don’t know if they tweaked any of them to be stronger or lighter in this version than in the edp. The edp isn’t too strong, so I’d likely go with it again.
Let me know what you think. Have you tried either? Do you like it/them? Do you own either?
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It’s hard to pick a favorite Divine fragrance, but L’inspiratrice, her newest fragrance at the time I first tried it, is mine. I received another sample of this from a generous POLer, so it spurred me to re-try all the Divine fragrances.
L ‘ i n s p i r a t r i c e (the inspirer)
Notes: patchouli and the rose; ylang from the Comoros and bergamot from Calabria, peony and white musk, vetiver blended with vanilla and tonka bean.
What about the notes?
As you know, if you’ve been reading my blog, I like patchouli, and I have to be very careful with rose and musk. I love vetiver, bergamot, vanilla, and tonka bean. So, this fragrance seemed a good bet for me, if I could wear the rose.
How to describe this
…it is not like other patchouli and rose fragrances you might have tried.
What is the rose like?
It is not a dirty rose as some rose and patchouli fragrances are.
No, this is the rose in the midst of the garden with dew on its petals. But the addition of the other notes brings a sort of gourmand touch, without it being sweet. It is interesting and spell binding. It starts out with a bit of a punch, then quickly settles down to lovely time out of time moments.
Indeed, the house asks:
Will L ‘ i n s p i r a t r i c e cast a spell on you too ?
Yes it did. Tres cordialement. I even like the red bottle.
How about you?
Do you wear this one? or any other Divine fragrance? Do you have a fave?
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Back to testing the samples I received from a POLer. For the past couple of days I’ve compared Patchouli by M. Micallef $200 for 100 ml or $4 for .7 ml at Lucky Scent on my right wrist to Ambra Nera on my left. That review will follow.
This is one of the nicest Patchoulis around. Whoa, I really like it. It is sweet, not dry, patchouli. My overall impression is sweet patchouli and tolu. If you have smelled Ormande Jayne’s Tolu you can have a pretty good idea of what this one smells like.
Ormande Jayne Tolu
Top: Juniper berry, orange blossom and clary sage
Heart: Orchid, Moroccan rose and muguet
Base: Tolu, tonka bean, golden frankincense and amber
I’m sure all that earthy, woody undertone, touched with violet (which some people say they get in the beginning, but I really don’t smell that) serves to enrich the patchouli.
Have you tried this one?
Some people say it is their favorite.
What I particularly like is that it doesn’t smell artificial. It is comforting and easy to wear. Plus a very little goes a long way. I used literally one drop and it is enveloping. It is much stronger than Ambra Nera.
I had Book Girl smell them both, and she liked them both. I had her smell the Ambra Nera first so she would be able to smell it.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
don’t take my whole posts
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Say what you will about Christopher Brosius and his spot on renditions of common, every day scents such as Dirt or Sex on the Beach for Demeter, the fragrance line he founded then left, when he hits a fragrance right, he hits it out of the ball park.
His CB I Hate Perfume comes in two formulations: Absolute and Water Perfume.
What is water perfume?
I have never been happy with specially denatured alcohol as a base for fragrance; it evaporates quickly, dries the skin & hair and is highly flammable. Oil & water are what the skin naturally needs to hold fragrance the longest – I use those as the bases for all my perfumes instead. From an esthetic view, alcohol always interferes with the true nature of the scent and you need to wait for it to “burn off” before you can truly appreciate perfume. Without alcohol, my scents are presented immediately exactly as I designed them. Christopher Brosius
Certainly it is a form of magic to be able to enjoy a fragrance immediately without waiting for the burn off. Such is his Patchouli Empire.
CB Patchouli Empire $75 for 100 ml or for 15 ml of Absolute. Both at Lucky Scent which carries 16 of his fragrances.
Notes: A natural blend of five patchoulis, with warm, rare woods and the faintest hint of Indian Black Pepper.
What makes it so good?
Depending upon its age, variety and origin, patchouli can run the gamut of strengths and intensities, and the finest is subtle, rich and warm but always subtle and ever-changing. Christopher has blended five different patchoulis, both sweet and dark, with vibrant and rich woods and a twist of Indian black pepper to create a drop-dead gorgeous patchouli scent worthy of building an empire around. Lucky Scent
My take:
This is rich and woody. I smell the Patchouli if I get up close and personal, otherwise what I first smell are the woods and black pepper. I do not know which formula I am testing, as it is not written on the sample. But it is lush, yet soft and gentle. It is neither sweet nor dry. It is evocative and lovely. It is me, only better. A walk in the woods hardly does it justice. It is transporting.
How does it manage to do all this and remain muted? It is magic. This is not your 70s patchouli. You won’t find yourself in a prior time. This is patchouli for the moment.
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Patchouli Antique by Les Néréides $65 for 100 ml or $3 for .7 ml at Lucky Scent which carries 7 Les Nereides fragrances, including body lotion for this scent.
Notes: Indonesian Patchouli, Vanilla, Musk
This is a semi-dry Patchouli. By that, I mean it isn’t as dry as some, and it seems to soften into a sweeter patchouli as it dries down, which is likely the vanilla. But it is strong and intense at the first blast.
In general I like the Les Néréides fragrances that I have tried. They settle down nicely, and this is no exception. But I prefer a Patchouli that is wearable on me from the beginning, and as you know if you’ve been reading my blog, I prefer sweet Patchouli over dry.
While there is vanilla in this, it doesn’t make its appearance until about a half hour into the wearing. It is at that point that I begin to enjoy it.
Suitable for a man or a women, do you wear it?
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
don’t take whole posts; be sure to give credit.
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Bois D’Orage (AKA French Lover — which may be sweeter and a little tobacco-y) (or Thunder Wood — Malle flier) [or better yet: Thunderstorm Warning -- that's the sense I get out of it!] [$190 for 100 ml or $5.99 up for a sample at The Perfume Court] is a heady men’s fragrance. It is very crisp and dry.
Pierre Bourdon is the nose for this one. I have loved and worn two of his other fragrances: Dior’s Dolce Vita and Malle’s Iris Poudre.
Notes: Patchouli, incense, tree moss, ceder, Angelica, galbanum and pimento.
I almost put this in my dry Patchouli category, because it is Patchouli that blasts out at me. It is much, much, much too strong and dry for me, even with the tiniest squirt, when I first spritzed it from my sample.
Of course I would have known to go easier, if I’d paid attention that it is a men’s fragrance, even though I wear some. I expected it to be sweeter. It is definitely not sweet.
But now, hours later, it is a rich, sophisticated “skin enhancer” as the sample flier states. I doubt anyone can smell it except for me unless they get close, which is how I like my fragrances.
It is a terrific men’s scent. I’m more circumspect when recommending it for a woman — if you can get past the initial blast or if that first blast is different on you than on me it would work. The Non-Blonde can wear this one.
From the flyer again:
…a dramatic, almost Wagnerian composition that expresses the contained sophistication of the smart man.
Nathan Branch loves this one. He has beautiful pictures at his blog. He is the quintessential man for whom this was designed.
This is how SMT feels about this fragrance– if only it had smelled that way on me! I like to think of angel’s singing when a fragrance really works. I’m going to remember this quote:
And molecular attraction happens. They can say whatever they want about skin chemistry not existing. When a perfume really works on somebody’s skin …well, you just know it. You know it, your companion knows it, the sales assistant knows it… Barney’s goes quiet for just a second to honor the solemnity of the moment. Perfume Smellin’ Things
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Sweet Patchouli is almost a comfort fragrance for me, when it is soft and not in-your-face, lacking that strident note that is in some dry patchoulis. It is warm and sensual, but not abrasive.
Here are two mini reviews from the gift of samples I received from a generous POLer. You can find samples of both at Lucky Scent. I am sampling one on my left wrist and one on my right wrist.
Mazzolari and Profumum’s patchoulis are so similar on me that there would be no need to have both unless you are really and truly a patchouli wearer. Take your pick.
Mazzolari was founded in 1888 in a barber shop in Italy. Lucky Scent carries 11 of their fragrances. If they are as good as this one, I’d like to try more of them.
Profumum fragrances come from Rome and were started in 1996, though the family has been involved in fragrance and soaps since the grandparents. Lucky Scent carries 21 Profumum fragrances.
Mazzolari Patchouly/Patchouli $175 for 100 ml or $4 for .7 ml sample
Mazzolari’s Patchouli is smooth and sweet with enough earthiness to appeal to any patchouli lover. It is even a bit spicy. This one is softer than Profumum’s, and my 12 yo daughter preferred this one on me. The other notes serve to smooth out the patchouli; they are never really evident per se. It is glorious sweet patchouli at its best.
Notes: Indonesian patchouli, spices, hints of amber, honey
Profumum Patchouly $240 100 ml or $4 for .7 m
This one starts out a little stronger and ends stronger. That is the difference between the two. The sandalwood and incense make their appearance in the smokiness that stays with this one.
No one ever accused me of not having expensive tastes! This is the one that I would likely buy given the opportunity.
But honestly, they are so similar; the difference is that Mazzolari’s is softer. I could live with Mazzolari’s quite nicely.
Notes: Patchouli, amber, sandalwood, incense
So, there you have it!
Have you tried either of these?
What do you think? Do you prefer one over the other?
My Caveat
Evidently there are a lot of perfumistas who can afford this price point of fragrances.
And yes, there is a difference between the patchouli oils you can buy for a dime a dozen and these expensive ones. I wish they offered smaller sizes for less money.
OTOH, once you get the feel of the heft of a 100 ml bottle, it’s hard to go back to a 50 ml.
Have I mentioned that I love patchouli when it is done right — that is, when it is sweet for my sensibilities.
How about you?
Do you like patchouli? Do you prefer it sweet or dry?
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Going through the samples sent to me along with a purchase made from a very generous fellow perfumista, beginning with Patchouly Indonesiano by Farmacia SS. Annunziata dal 1561.
If you are looking for a dry patchouli, this is a good place to start.
Notes: Head, heart and soul: Indonesian patchouli
More about Patchouli
It’s almost a truism that you have to like patchouli in order to like patchouli. But not all patchoulis are created equal — some are sweet and some are more dry. Both are heady, pun intended.
It also helps if you came of age during the 60’s or 70’s, when patchouli was rampant. It was sort of a sign of passage that one was not part of the status quo, for good or ill. It was possible to be quite rebellious without saying a word. And others would recognize your feelings by your scent.
What is the patchouli like in this fragrance?
It is not sweet; it is more dry.
Which patchouli do I prefer?
On the whole, I tend to like the sweeter patchouli.
Who can wear this fragrance?
I generally associate the drier patchouli with a man, so I think a man could wear this well. But if you prefer the drier patchouli, this is lovely, even for a woman.
My take:
It softened nicely, staying dry. A little goes a long ways. Take it easy until you know how much your chemistry can handle.
You might find that patchouli oil works as well for you and is less money.
Have you tried this one?
Which kind of patchouli do you prefer?
Review: Kilian Back to Black: Aphrodisiac 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...
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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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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!
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.
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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.
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
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