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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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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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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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

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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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Flora Gucci is a wonderful new fragrance, consisting of

notes of citrus, peony, rose, osmanthus, sandalwood and patchouli

To me, it is a sort of cross between The One and Elle.

It is softer than The One, and a little less patchouli than Elle. But the patchouli in it, I’m sure, cuts the sweetness of the other floral accents, as does the citrus.

On me, the notes that are predominate are rose and citrus. The citrus puts it squarely in the younger group of consumers that Gucci is hoping to entice. It also makes it wearable for me, as I have trouble with roses being scrubbers.

Frida Giannini, Gucci’s creative director, says that

Flora is lighter, the floral scent of course evokes a younger consumer, and she has a hedonistic, daring side. I don’t want to say that Flora is the daughter of Gucci by Gucci but maybe the younger sister.

Flora is probably a second cousin twice removed from Gucci by Gucci, which is far more straight up sweet patchouli.

I even get a subtle memory of Bulgari Femme.

Meantime, in the midst of cold weather, wearing this fragrance, it feels as if a cool breeze is bringing the scents of spring. The fragrance is perfectly balanced. It stays true all day, though it is nice to refresh it. It doesn’t have a lot of movement. Rather, the notes appear together in soft brightness, just as a spring day.

Have you tried it? Do you like it?

Karin

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Dark Earth is one of my favorite fragrances of Neil’s. It is the note I was looking for when I was looking for, yes, an earthy fragrance, similar to what you get after a rain in your garden. A little green, mostly earth.

I actually purchased one from another house, but it is more strident and bright, more like the notes in the cooler of your florist. I wear it only occasionally. By contrast, Dark Earth is the fragrance I was seeking for when I first dreamed of wanting to smell it. It has the ability to transport you to a place and time.

It is subtle, but long lasting. The notes twine around each other, coming full circle more than once. You sense movement in the fragrance; it isn’t static. Every time you take a deep whiff, you can capture a subtle difference, the development of the idea…or the progress of your walk.

The notes are:

Myrhh, patchouli, sandalwood, musk, earth, frankincense, and green forest note.

He told me he used golden musk, which he said is

lush, gorgeous, resinous, deep and tenacious. It holds to the skin very well, acting as a fixative to the other notes.

He created the earth note —

like a damp-walk-in-the-forest note, like the spring is here (or a deep summer day) after everything has melted, almost like loam.

The green forest note is very specific

like the smell of a broken leaf.

I’d say he captured it very well, as I smelled all of this before he told me the notes. Again, sweet patchouli runs through it, which adds to both the darkness and the earthiness of it all.

I do not smell the musk. I have trouble with some musks turning on me, but not with what he is using for his fragrances.

Remember all of his fragrances are true perfumes, not edp or edt. They are $150 for 2 oz for these particular ones.

Karin

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E. Coudray Nohiba is one of the most interesting fragrances I own. I bought it a year or so ago, unsniffed, on the strength of recommendations at POL, judging from the sounds of it, knowing I love spices and Oriental fragrances, though I wear Opium only infrequently (I preferred Yves Rocher’s Ispahan, which is now discontinued.) Galbanum features in several fragrances I love also, though I don’t think I would know galbanum if I smelled it alone.

The Magic Oriental Created in 1922… Spices, Galbanum, Incense, Laudanum, Geranium, Rose Musk, Amber, Vetyver, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Elsewhere I found this description of it:

This one was formerly known as Tulip Noir. It has notes of jasmin, indian marigolds, clove, ginger, amber and vanilla.

Whatever the mix of notes, it is delightful. I can find it now in bath products but not the edt. Hopefully, more will surface.

In the meantime, something about this reminds me of L’Origan (1905.) Maybe it is the basic time frame of the fragrances, more sophisticated and formal vs. casual and fruity. But I’ve never worn L’Origan and love Nohiba.

top notes: mandarin, coriander, pepper and peach on a bergamot theme

mid notes: spicy floral clove and carnation with orchid, ylang-ylang, rose jasmine and orris

base notes: woody including sandalwood, cedarwood and labdanum

I must be in an autumn mood, even though the temps are still high here, in the 90’s. I woke thinking to wear Nohiba today, though I haven’t worn it in months. I think I like the marigolds in it.

Nohiba evokes autumn for me, the autumn of my childhood with colored leaves and a bit of smoke hanging in the air, before burning the leaves was forbidden — the crisp air blending scents of damp earth, wet trees and damp leaves, as well as dry leaves hidden in the piles.

I sure raked a lot of leaves in my times! The wind would come along and scatter them as soon as they were in piles, or we would jump in them with great energy.

I have a friend in Michigan who has sent me autumn leaves over the years. (The trick is to layer wax paper between them before mailing.) I put them in a large brandy sniffer bowl which I put away after the season. Each year I replace the old ones with new ones, but even a year later, they smell (and look) the same if I lean toward the bowl for a whiff. I am transported to a different time and place.

Nohiba is a way to carry those scents (and a different time) with me. Additionally it evokes for me the alleys and souks of the Casbah. I’ve never visited, but hope to one day.

It’s not possible to be bored wearing this scent. It has movement and verve.

Do you wear it?

Karin

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