Savvy Thinker » Sandalwood http://savvythinker.com thinking about life, playing with makeup Wed, 23 May 2012 15:58:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Review: Gucci Flora http://savvythinker.com/flora-gucci-by-gucci/ http://savvythinker.com/flora-gucci-by-gucci/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:46:11 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=1397
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    Flora Gucci is a wonderful new fragrance, consisting of

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

    When it first came out, it was exclusive to a particular store, but now it can be found more locally.

    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
    www.savvythinker.com





    Originally posted 2009-03-02 21:13:26.

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/flora-gucci-by-gucci/feed/ 2     Review Anya’s Garden MoonDance and StarFlower http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-moondance-and-starflower/ http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-moondance-and-starflower/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:57:46 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=6755
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    Continuing my exploration of Anya's Garden scents -- today I'm wearing MoonDance and StarFlower, one on my right wrist and one on my left. These two are especially loved by other bloggers. And they are both delightful. Through the day I've added a drop at a time on each wrist to refresh and keep them heady until I could write it all up.

    MoonDance named Best Perfume -- Bittergrace blog
    StarFlower named one of Best of Niche Perfumes -- Perfume Shrine blog
    MoonDance and StarFlower - Favorite Perfume Releases -- The Non Blonde blog

    MoonDance
    Fragrance Family: Floral-Woody
    This is woodsy and green from the beginning. It settles into a nice resinous woodsiness. It is not sweet. I could see this on a man, quite easily. And I like woodsiness for myself too. There's a bit of mint and a bit of apple for just a fleeting moment, if you pay attention.

    Top notes: American Violet Flower Isolate, Indian Water Mint
    Middle notes: French Process Tuberose, Chinese Jasmine Sambac, French Rose de Mai, American Apple-scented Chamomile
    Base notes: African Opoponax absolute, Carolina Ambergris, Haitian Sandalwood, Sustainable White Sandalwood, South African Hyrax

    The flowers in this are so well blended that they permeate the woods; they do not overwhelm the woods.

    Purchase for
    3.5 ml parfum extrait $75
    15 ml edp $125
    Sample $11

    StarFlower
    Fragrance Family: Floral-Gourmand
    This is large on the cherry and almond -- and small on the tuberose, which seems hard to believe! Usually tuberose will drown out most anything else that is with it.

    Top notes: bitter almond, cherry, lemon
    Middle notes: tropical flowers with a rich dose of tuberose, savory and sweet seeds
    Base notes: chocolate, vanilla and some animalic playfulness (cruelty-free), even some maple and nutmeg...

    If you like Delices, you will love this. When it settles in for its last moments, the cherry is still there, along with a floral bouquet. I smell chocolate only in the very beginning, and I don't smell the vanilla, but they likely balance things out. This is like sipping cherry coke (the cherry syrupy kind you used to be able to get in soda fountains) in a garden. I love the almond in it, as I love almond fragrances.

    It reminds me of Serge Lutens' RAHÄT LOUKOUM, but it's not nearly as sweet, which is a good thing and makes it more wearable, for me at least, for more occasions. Ava Luxe and Keiko Mecheri also both have Loukoum fragrances. I like Serge Lutens better than KM's. I've not smelled Ava Luxe's, though I've tried several of her others.

    Purchase for
    3.5 ml parfum extrait $60
    15 ml edp $100
    Sample $8

    Do you wear either of these? Is one of these your favorite? Do you have another favorite of Anya's? It's hard to pick between them, but for me, I think, at least for tonight, I'd choose the cherry in StarFlower. On another occasion, I might well go for the green-woodsiness of MoonDance.

    Karin
    www.savvythinker.com

    See also: Anya's Garden-Temple and RiverCali and my review of Fairchild and Pan and my review of Kaffir.




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    Originally posted 2010-05-15 21:38:21.

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-moondance-and-starflower/feed/ 0     Review: Comparing India Hicks Island Night with Gucci Flora http://savvythinker.com/review-comparing-india-hicks-island-night-with-gucci-flora/ http://savvythinker.com/review-comparing-india-hicks-island-night-with-gucci-flora/#comments Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:34:43 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=1898
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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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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-comparing-india-hicks-island-night-with-gucci-flora/feed/ 0     Review: Anya’s Garden Temple and River Cali http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-temple-and-river-cali/ http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-temple-and-river-cali/#comments Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:32:45 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=6714
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    Anya's Garden is an all natural perfumery, led by Anya McCoy of Miami Shores, FL. She is well respected in her field and knows more about natural perfumery than I would even know to ask. And she teaches classes -- and also offers personal consults and bespoke fragrance.

    To my knowledge, except for a couple of forays into what might be other naturals, this is my first exposure to natural perfumes with sophistication. And what beautiful perfumes they are!

    Anya sent me a packet of samples so I could wrap myself around her scents and get a feel for them.

    To do them justice, over the next few days I will review two at a time, so their essences don't get lost.

    Everyday for the last week or so, I've worn two different fragrances of hers, one on each wrist, for at least part of the day. I've worn them, I'm sure, in different combinations, but today's treats are Temple and River Cali.

    These are a far cry from the synthetic, sometimes plasticky, scents of many modern perfumes. Granted, many modern perfumes are delightful, but they are still somehow different in nature from these exotic scents of Anya's. If you have only ever tried department store brands, you might want to treat yourself to a couple of her samples. You will be immediately embraced in a difference.

    Temple
    Fragrance Family: Citrus-Incense-Spiced Wood

    The rays of hope focus empower and the steady verdant earth beneath the feet gives faith that the path may be sturdy and firm. Find strength in yourself, be your own Temple. Relax, center yourself and find peace. Anya's Garden

    Top notes: distilled orange juice, borneol crystals
    Heart Notes: aglaia flower, cassia, Ayurvedic herbs and spices
    Base Notes: sustainable Laotian and Vietnamese Oud agarwood, earth tincture

    Temple is a rich, exotic, woodsy fragrance, with citrus. If you've been reading my blog, you know I love fragrances with sweet orange, patchouli, and oud. This oud is rich and resiny. Lovely that it is from sustainable wood, and isn't denuding a forest somewhere.

    In addition to wearing this fragrance on your skin, you can put a drop in a bowl of hot water to scent your room. Perfumeshrine reports that this is lovely. I, however, love it on my skin, and I will just move room to room! Well, perhaps, I will try this drop in hot water later.

    3.5 ml parfum extrait is $75.
    Temple sample $11

    RiverCali
    Fragrance Family: Floral-Citrus-Gourmand
    If you like rose in a fragrance, this is the one for you! It begins with a lovely green, lime burst, underlaid with rose. It dries down to a warm rose. There's a bit of salt in there somewhere too, like drinking a margarita, salted glass, in a rose garden. When the drink is gone, you are still in the garden.

    Anya says that it takes you to a lush desert oasis -- it must be that salt.

    It is even better when applied a second time during the day. It jumps the beginning green again, and dries down more complexly. I have not tried applying it heavily the first time, but rather a large drop, then later another large drop. Remember I have samples, not full sizes!

    Top notes: African pink peppercorn
    Middle notes: Turkish rose otto, lemon, lime and orange leaves
    Base notes: Vanuatu sustainable sandalwood, creamy rich African vanilla, sexy musk seed

    3.5 ml parfum extrait $60
    15 ml edp $125
    sample $7

    Have you tried any of Anya's fragrances? Have you tried these? Do you have a favorite?
    For me, between these two, my favorite is Temple. It is mood-altering for me, being very centered and calming.

    You can find more about natural perfumery at Anya's yahoogroup or at Natural Perfumers Guild.

    See my review of Fairchild and Pan here.

    See my review of MoonDance and StarFlower here.

    And see my review of Kaffir here.

    Karin
    www.savvythinker.com




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    Originally posted 2010-05-13 18:25:27.

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-anyas-garden-temple-and-river-cali/feed/ 0     Review: D&G Comparing Rose The One with The One http://savvythinker.com/review-dg-comparing-rose-the-one-with-the-on/ http://savvythinker.com/review-dg-comparing-rose-the-one-with-the-on/#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 05:09:33 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=5403
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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

    Originally posted 2009-10-26 19:26:44.

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-dg-comparing-rose-the-one-with-the-on/feed/ 0     Review Kilian Cruel Intentions Tempt Me http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-cruel-intentions-tempt-me/ http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-cruel-intentions-tempt-me/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:12:31 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=3971
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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

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

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-cruel-intentions-tempt-me/feed/ 0     Neil Morris fragrances, part 4 Dark Earth http://savvythinker.com/neil-morris-fragrances-part-4-dark-earth/ http://savvythinker.com/neil-morris-fragrances-part-4-dark-earth/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:58:22 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/2008/01/23/neil-morris-fragrances-part-4-dark-earth/
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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

    Originally posted 2008-01-23 13:19:11.

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/neil-morris-fragrances-part-4-dark-earth/feed/ 0     Review Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-liaisons-dangereuses/ http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-liaisons-dangereuses/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:49:23 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=3956
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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

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

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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-kilian-liaisons-dangereuses/feed/ 4     Review: Avon Mark Rio Bikini and Rio Rhythms http://savvythinker.com/review-avon-mark-rio-bikini-and-rio-rhythms/ http://savvythinker.com/review-avon-mark-rio-bikini-and-rio-rhythms/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 14:42:16 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=6909
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    • ]]>

    Rio Rhythms and Rio Bikini are the latest in Avon's (Mark) travel evocative, instant vacation, fragrances, this time evoking Rio. Because I have liked the other ones in this series, I felt I might like these, or at least one of them, and I was not disappointed.

    I tried them from samples attached to a postcard. I will be order a bottle, maybe two. The price of $18 for 1.7 oz certainly makes them affordable. I am not a fragrance snob. My fragrances are all over the board. Just because something is expensive doesn't make it automatically better.

    Rio Bikini
    This one is my favorite of the two. Though Rio Rhythms is a close second. It is luscious, but not overpowering. Not too sweet or sticky feeling. Just right.

    All the fun and playfulness of Rio, captured with a blend of
    Notes: pitaya fruit, kiwi, coconut milk and exotic flowers, beachy notes and sandalwood...
    a warm, sunny feeling.

    It is bright and sunny, a little bit like some of the Estee Lauder's sun tanny ones that everyone seems to like so well (Bronze Goddess and others brought out yearly for a bit) (that I can't wear well) with the addition of the fruit and floral notes.

    In case you wondered what Pitaya fruit, sometimes called Dragon Fruit, is, as I did, here is a link to wikipedia that has a picture and other info.

    Rio Rhythms
    On me, this is pure vanilla, albeit a nice one, until the last hurrah, in which the wood and amber comes out. I get nothing but vanilla the rest of the time. Well, maybe a hint more, when I try it the second time today. I think this was envisioned as the evening scent. As I smell it today, I get a hint of the daytime Rio Bikini underneath it all, but just a hint.

    Rio's intense energy and unmistakable sensuality inspired this vibrant floral blend, a combination of
    Notes: jasmine petals, coconut water, peony, gardenia and lilac, vanilla, warm wood and amber...
    alluring warmth.

    My take:
    I expect I will buy both, and I might layer them up, going from Rio Bikini to Rio Rhythms. They both smell true to me; neither has that artificial note to it that I dislike. They are fun and summery and just right to evoke a memory or to create one.

    Have you tried either of these?
    Get thee to thy Avon rep and order!

    Karin
    www.savvythinker.com



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    ]]>     http://savvythinker.com/review-avon-mark-rio-bikini-and-rio-rhythms/feed/ 0     SOTD Review Guerlain L’Instant Magic http://savvythinker.com/sotd-review-guerlain-linstant-magic/ http://savvythinker.com/sotd-review-guerlain-linstant-magic/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:42:24 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=4035
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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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