Hiris is one of my favorite hot weather fragrances. Introduced in 1999, I only heard about it a couple of years ago. It is considered a semi-oriental, suitable for a man or a woman. It is iris with an H for Hermes.

Top Notes: Orange blossom, rose, coriander seed
Heart Notes: White iris, black iris, cedarwood
Base Notes: Vanilla, ambrette seed, almond wood

There’s been a lot of iris hitting the market in later years, but Hiris stands the test of time. It is both sophisticated and modern. The scent of iris comes not from the flower, which as I remember has very little scent, but from the root or rhizome. Some iris is as cold as ice (notably Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens — which I cannot wear.)

Prada’s Infusion d’Iris brought out in 2007 was similar to Hiris, but it lacked any punch. It got tiresome after a while, because it was very light, with not much movement. I found myself overwhelmed (underwhelmed?) by its sameness.

Top Notes: mandarin, orange blossom,
Heart notes: iris
Base notes: galbanum, incense, benzoin, cedar, lentisc and vetiver.

By contrast, Hiris is greener and more earthy. Maybe it’s the vanilla that I like, though I don’t particularly smell it. Maybe it’s the woods in it, in contrast to Prada’s. Whatever — I know I like it better.

For a while I swore off Iris, thinking I had grown tired of it and could no longer wear it, but I find I’m enjoying Hiris again. And my kids think I smell good.

It’s a refreshing fragrance, good for this sticky heat we are having. It brings the temps down, if that is possible. Somehow it reminds me of the time I walked along a park in Innsbruck. The park was filled with tulips and smelled earthy and green, along with the scent coming off the water.

Just what I need for a super hot summer day.

Have you ever worn Hiris? do you love it too?
I know a man could wear this well, but it is not so unisex that it leans sharply masculine. I couldn’t wear it if it did. Do you prefer Prada’s? or not?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-06-14 16:06:43.

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Once in a while a really beautiful new perfume comes on the scene. Guerlain Tonka Impériale is one of them. It is destined to be a classic. Part of the L’Art et la Matière collection, it is one of the best in that line.

It’s rare for a perfume to hit all the right notes, be neither too sweet nor too dry, to be perfection on all levels. Tonka Impériale is the best of the best. It is poetry and art in a third dimension.

Do I sound too complimentary? Try it, and you will agree.

Notes: rosemary, almond, tobacco, honey, facets of hay and balsamic, tonka bean, of course vanilla, and the famous Guerlain Guerlinade, including rose. Maybe some orange blossom. Described as having almost a gingerbread quality, but I don’t catch that.

Thierry Wasser is the genius behind this fragrance, and I have to admit that I cannot wear his Iris Ganache. It is much too sweet and heavy on me. It never softens, but just keeps going. But here, in Tonka Impériale, he has removed the elements that gave me trouble.

Let’s talk about some of the notes:
Almond — this weaves its way through the fragrance, along with vanilla. I happen to love almond in a fragrance.
Honey — this is a gentle form of honey, not that acrid honey that is in some that is unwearable to me.
Rosemary and hay — I can’t smell it, but I’m guessing it gives it balance and takes away the sweet gourmand and brings it into herbs and essences.
Tonka bean — one of my favorite notes, a sort of vanilla-y scent, but not as sweet; some feel it adds a chocolate sense, but I feel it is the gourmand sense coming through.
Tobacco — yummy, even for those of us who do not smoke.

How does it compare to L’Instant Magic?
It has the almond note, but more vanilla and is headier. Think of Magic as a fragrance for the office, and Tonka Impériale as sex in a bottle, but not so earthy that you couldn’t wear it in the daytime to work or play.

How does it compare to YSL Cinema?
YSL Cinema is all almond, and it is less sweet. Tonka Impériale has the addition of vanilla, and while it is sweet, it isn’t sweet-sweet like Pink Sugar, for example.

How does it compare to Spiritueuse Double Vanille?

Spiritueuse notes: vanilla, benzoin, frankincense, spices, cedar, pink pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose and ylang-ylang. A little boozy and smokey.

Tonka Impériale is a little less sweet and a little lighter on the vanilla.

How does it compare to Kilian Back to Black?

B2B notes: bergamot, nutmeg, saffron, cardamom, coriander, raspberry, blue chamomile, honey, olibanum, cedar, oak, tobacco accord, patchouli, vanilla, almond and labdanum.

If you love B2B, you will love Tonka Impériale, which is heady on the tobacco, but less heavy than B2B. You could designate one for day and one for night — then switch and wear them just the opposite. They are enough different that I would want both.

How does it compare to Parfum de Nicolai Vanille Tonka?
Vanille Tonka is a floral spicy amber — even though amber is not listed in the notes. It is more spicy than Tonka Impériale and not quite as sweet, but just as luscious.

Vanille Tonka Top notes : Aromatic and citrus : basil, lemon and mandarin oils
Heart : Floral : carnation, orange blossom absolute, pepper oil, cinnamon oil
Bottom notes : Frankincense : frankincense and vanilla absolutes, tonka bean.

Have you tried Tonka Impériale?
Do you love it as much as I do?

How do I buy it? $235 for 2.5 oz.
Contact Claire at the Guerlain store in the Las Vegas Palazzo. Call 702-732-7008 or email GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com . He will take good care of you and get it right out to you.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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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.

Which road will you take?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-15 16:26:56.

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What a pretty bottle:

11:00 Book Girl likes this one. Her first words:

Oh, I like this one! This smells like a night time rendevous! Going to a club… It’s definitely for someone in their 20’s. Young and spunky. I like it!

She says it’s more elegant than skanky, and she didn’t even know the name yet.

Avon had Little Black Dress first, but it wasn’t this version, and it wasn’t with a French name. La Petite Robe Noire, Little Black Dress, AKA Little-Black-Dress-gone-clubbing, is considered a fruity gourmand, right up the alley of the 20-somethings. And it decidedly not noir noir, it is more fuchsia noir.

Notes include Sicilian lemon, licorice, almond, rose, smoky tea, musk and vanilla.

Yesterday I picked up more of the floral. Today I’m picking up more of a somewhat subdued Angel. It is Angel’s youngest sister. Sweet and sassy. LVMH uses the word audacious.

Almost cherry or very cherry, it must be the almond thing going on, but it does not smell like the original Jergen’s. And then there might even be a touch of Lolita Lempicka — it’s got to be the licorice.

I want that bottle. Or, at least I want to see that bottle.

Octavian has a nice write up at his blog, a play on French words, and a great picture of the window on Rue de la Paix.

I keep hearing this lyric in my head:

Someone left the cake out in the rain.

12:40 Today, it is not moving past this first stage very quickly, but then I gave myself a double hit. The top notes are predominant, but make no mistake, it will move. I will update as the day goes on.

3:00 pretty well gone, just smelled lighter
5:00 gone; but still apparent on Book Girl
5:47 I replenished with a drop on each wrist — smells less like Angel when used in small doses
7:06 much more of a fruity floral when worn this way

Update December 2009 I got a great compliment while wearing my sample. I still have not bought this in full size, but considering the compliment, I ought to!

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-17 11:40:46.

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Madame Rochas was introduced in 1960. It used to be one of my favorites for spring and summer. It’s a floral aldehyde, but it has more zing than Chanel No. 5. The vintage fragrance was potent, but not over-powering. The modern version is different than the vintage — no wonder that whenever on whatever rare occasions I found it and spritzed it, it wasn’t me.

Original:
Top Notes: Hyacinth, neroli, aldehydes, greens, lemon
Heart Notes: Bulgarian rose, jasmine, iris, lily of the valley, violet, orris, narcissus, tuberose
Base Notes: Amber, cedarwood, sandalwood, moss, vetiver, musk, tonka bean

Well, I didn’t think it was me for a long time. I gave it a couple of decades long break. It had been one of the bottles I had felt I’d had to use up before I could buy another one. Doing that, I always really tired of it. Ha! if I hadn’t done that, I’d have my own vintage bottle, and it would still be in good scent condition.

Sometime in the last year I found vintage spray parfum on ebay, minus the decorative outer case/bottle. Never having worn the perfume, only the edt (I think) version which was as strong as edp, I thought I’d spring for it, if it were inexpensive enough, which it turned out to be. It certainly smelled fine, but again it wasn’t me. I hated to use it up as room spray! So, I decided to wait…and try again.

Today with spring in the offing, loads of wind and plenty of sun, it just felt like a Mme Rochas kind of day. Plus it conjures up plenty of happy memories and moments. No sense whatsoever wearing anything with bad vibes, LOL!

Yep, I was right. Given the right atmosphere, it is just as beautiful, rich and full-bodied as it ever was, complete with lovely woods.

How to describe it….similar to Chamade in some respects, but brighter. Heavy on rose and jasmine but blended into the woods and iris so it has a green aspect to it. There is more moss in the base than there is musk, which is a good thing for me. I picture myself walking through the woods towards a companion seeing bits of bright green spring grass and moss, with sunlight dappling through the trees, after a rain or with dew or mist on the ground. Each of those things bring me joy; having them together is a bonus.

It is long lasting and makes you happy. What more could you want! I’m glad it worked today.

Do you wear it? have you ever worn it? Why, oh why, do they tweak with perfection!

Karin

Originally posted 2007-04-16 11:54:13.

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Rose The One
I was able to try Rose The One in person tonight, and I have to say it is a nice addition to the original The One.

What are the notes?
Rose The One

notes: blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, mandarin, lily of the valley, rose, litchi, peony, Madonna lily, ambrette seed, sandalwood, musk and vanilla.

The One

top: bergamot, mandarin, lychee and peach,
mid: Madonna lily, muguet and jasmine,
base: of plum, vetiver, vanilla, amber and musk.

How do they compare?
The main difference for me is the addition of pink grapefruit in Rose The One. That comes across strongly in the beginning, perhaps even stronger than the rose. But citrus notes burn off fast from the top notes, leaving a gentler, softer version of The One.

Both fragrances begin with almost a fizz, but the fizz is stronger in Rose The One, as you would expect, because of the tart aspect of the grapefruit.

Does it resemble the original The One?
Unlike some flankers that have no resemblance to the original fragrance except for the name, Rose The One stays true to the original concept, while making it more wearable with the addition of the rose and pink grapefruit and softening it.

My Take:
I found over time that The One was a fragrance so distinctive that I tired of it. I couldn’t layer up over it to get another fragrance later in the day, which I like to do.

I like citrus in a fragrance. And I have trouble wearing roses. But Rose The One is one I can wear. I’m really happy that it has a lighter feel to it than The One. I prefer it.

Have you tried it?
Do you wear either of them? Which do you prefer?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Revisiting the Divine fragrances to enjoy them again. I received this early on, but when I received 3 Divine samples in a large haul recently from a generous POLer, it spurred me to re-try this one.

My first love is L’Inspiratrice. Second in order of my likes, but so close as to be identical is L’ame soeur (the soul mate.)

L’Ame soeur, the most beautiful of encounters, epitomises a harmony beyond time, an eternal marriage of noble flowers and aldehydes.

Essence of jasmin, otto bulgar rose and ylang from the Comoro Islands combine with ambergris to celebrate the natural elegance and innate sensuality of L’Ame soeur.

What does it remind me of?

It reminds me of Chanel # 5.

At first whiff, I recognized a familiarity, but it was enough different that it took me a few minutes to catch it.

How does it compare to Chanel # 5?
#5 is brash in comparison to L’Ame soeur which is gentle and harmonious.
#5 is brighter, even in the elixir.

If you like Chanel # 5, you likely would like L’Ame soeur, or if you wish you could wear Chanel #5, you would likely enjoy wearing L’Ame soeur. They are sister fragrances, not identical, but close.

Which do I prefer?

I prefer L’Ame soeur to #5. L’Ame soeurstarts and ends on me with a beauty I don’t find in # 5 on me.

My take
I quite like it. While I like Chanel #5, I never reach for it. It is too aldehydic and bright, even brassy on me. It never softens. I like that this is similar to #5, but much kinder and softer.

Do you wear this fragrance?
Do you wear any Divine fragrance? Do you prefer this to Chanel # 5 or vice versa — or have you never tried it?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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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?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Continuing through the haul of samples passed to me by a POLer.

Fresh Cannabis Rose can be found as an edp $75 for 3.4 oz. It is also available in bath gel and body cream.

Notes: Bulgarian Rose, Pomegranate Flower, Bergamot, Cannabis Accord, Sheer Jasmine, Dark Chocolate, White Musk, Patchouli, Oolong Tea.

What an intoxicating blend! Sensual for either a man or a woman, this rose fragrance is not your typical rose.

What’s the rose like?
The rose is there, yes, but it is under the rest of the notes, not on top of them. And the rose is not sharp and pungent as some roses are on me. It is just bordering on that.

How about the tea?
I like to drink oolong tea. In a fragrance, I have to be more careful because teas in fragrance on me can take on a bitterness that is not appealing. This tea cuts the rose, and it is more like drinking a cuppa while enjoying the fragrance.

Dark chocolate
It has to be good for you, right? This is not a gourmand fragrance. The chocolate is not predominate. But it might give you the idea of a dark chocolate croissant, when done as it can be done in Europe.

What about the cannabis accord?
I like it. How about you?

My take
If you like rose, you would like this. And it is enough interesting that it will not dupe anything else that you have.

How about you?
Have you tried this? Do you like it? Do you wear it?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Continuing to work thru the samples given to me by a generous POLer:

AMAZE edt by People of the Labyrinths is available at Lucky Scent $170 for 90ml or $4 for .7 ml.

Notes: Henna, Saffron, Taif Rose, Orange Blossom, Wardia Rose, Agarwood, Sandalwood, Musk, Civet.

The notes
What the heck does henna smell like? Once upon a time I used henna in my hair, but I don’t remember that it had a particular scent at all, at least not compared to other hair dyes.

Taif Rose
I love Ormande Jayne’s Ta’if, but this is just pulling rose on me.

Ta’if Notes
Top: Pink pepper, saffron and dates
Heart: Rose oil, freesia, orange flower absolute and jasmine
Base: Broom amd amber

My take
I expected this to be far stronger than it is based on my experience with Luctor et Emergo, which I love for it’s complexity and sensuality.

The rose in Amaze is dominant on me, and that is not a good thing, as rose and I do not agree. Ditto for orange blossom, but I’m not getting much of that, just rose. ROSE ROSE ROSE

What kind of rose?
Do you remember the smell of rose water? This is not that sweet rose scent. This is more pungent and sharp. Lucky Scent says it softens, but it doesn’t on me. LS says one of their staff who swore to never wear a rose wears this well.

So you can see there are mixed views. If it softens on you, it might be great, or if it went into a sweeter rose. This is the rose I do not like in a fragrance, it is not the sweet rose of a rose in your garden.

However, and this is a big however for me, the longer it is on, the more wearable it becomes. But it doesn’t do it fast enough for me, and considering how many great fragrances there are, why wear one that you dislike the opening notes? It makes no sense to me. Wear one you like from the beginning, unless the dry down is absolutely fantastically sensational.

What do you think?
Do you wear this one? Do you generally wear rose? Do you like Ta’if? How do you think it compares? Do you agree with me or not?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Today I decided to begin the day with Guerlain L’Instant Magic. This is a very nice, soft fragrance, but long lasting. I can still smell it hours later, though I could layer up, if I wanted to.

Magic was a limited edition perfume from 2007 by perfumer Randa Hammami who also worked as an assistant to the perfumer of the original L’Instant.

It is considered a woody floral musk. This is a range I can wear.

Sylvaine Delacourte issued the following statement at the time:

This new Instant has no filiation with the original L’Instant in its genesis except for a sensation of freshness that cuts across the composition. The first one is a floriental while L’Instant Magic expresses a different type of sensuality thanks to the white musks and the woods. I have nicknamed it the Muscinade in a playful reference to the Guerlinade because both have this typical Guerlain ADN, which means an audacious overdose of certain raw materials, very beautiful natural ingredients that confer a signature and a sillage that are immediately recognizable.

Notes include:

bergamot, rose, freesia, white musk, cedar, sandalwood, with almond accord.

While some feel they can sense or smell a link or reminiscence to the original L’Instant, I thankfully cannot, at least as it opens and progresses. I like L’Instant in theory, but cannot wear it. It is much too sweet and strong.

I wear L’Instant for men which has some chocolate in it, but not the chocolate from Iris Ganache.

Perhaps Magic is the way it smells on others who love L’Instant, with the addition of almond.

I like almond fragrances. I also have YSL Cinema, which is drier and more almondy on me. Magic is a bit sweeter with more floral aura.

The good thing is that you can sometimes find Magic discounted now, if you move fast enough, because once perfumistas get the news, they empty the shelves.

There is some wonderment over just how the discounters get Magic, because it isn’t supposed to be discounted. Did it fall off the back end of a truck? Is it available discounted because the distributors resell the product returned to them from department stores that no longer carry it?

I don’t know. Maybe both; maybe neither; maybe something else altogether.

And you can get it (not discounted) from Guerlain at the Palazzo from Claire. That’s the way to go if you want it now, and it’s your only source. Call (702) 732-7008 or email GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com.

For a light fragrance, it has surprising lasting power. It is still there, deeper than at the beginning, the almond and woods taking over with a hint, the teeniest ever of the original L’Instant in the far, far background.

Do you wear L’Instant Magic? or any other almond fragrance?

What fragrance are you wearing today? will you switch this evening?

Karin

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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.

Karin

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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

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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?

Karin

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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.

I was wearing Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue .

Year Introduced: 2001
Scent Type: Floral – Fruity

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.

Do you wear it? Do you get compliments?

Karin

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