Entries Tagged 'Vetiver' ↓

Prada Infusion d’Iris

How many iris scents can one person own? Judging from Prada Infusion d’Iris, there is always room for one more, even if the bottle is gigantic.

I fell in love with this on the first spritz. My only complaint is that it is very light. Compared to the original Prada, it seems lighter yet, as Prada packs a wallop. I have not tried layering the two yet, but I bet they would work nicely together.

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

On me, I don’t smell the orange blossom, which is as well because it doesn’t agree with me. It begins with iris and mandarin, the iris lasting as it gradually comes down to the base notes and ending with a sigh (or a punch, depending on how many times I’ve layered it) of woods and iris. I’ve re-sprayed more than once in a day, which is unusual for me, liking it each time through the stages. Tonight, I think I will layer Prada into it just for kicks.

I don’t notice any sillage after the first few minutes, and when it is finally really settled down, I can catch a whiff only if I sniff where I sprayed. I can see how it is possible to go through the bottle far more quickly than I usually go through a bottle.

I tried it first in a hot, dry climate. I live in a hot, humid climate. The feel I get of it is not a spring fragrance, but one that gives me a hint of autumn in a climate that has no autumn. It is perfect for this beginning of fall period in which we have no true fall. I’m guessing different notes would pull out if it were spring…or the notes would linger differently because of the scent already present in the air.

This perfume does not mimic any current trends in perfumery. It does not follow any olfactory or descriptive stereotypes of what a woman should smell like, but rather expresses itself through its contrast between a great freshness and apparent lightness and a type of tender veil, sensual and strong, that envelops the body and the clothing of the woman who wears [it]. Daniela Andrier, the nose, who worked with Miuccia Prada over a two-year period.

It could as easily be worn by a man as a woman. The bottle is elegant and hefty, even masculine without it looking like it were made exclusively for a man. Really, I hardly think masculine or feminine applies to many fragrances anymore. They are crossing over nicely. If it smells great on you, wear it!

This fragrance has a feel of casual elegance to me. I should dress up a bit and take a tramp in the woods. I definitely would do it, if there were woods near me, as you know I love trees.

Have you tried this? How does it wear on you?

Karin

Daniela Andrier fragrances that have won Fifi awards: Lancome Attraction (European Fifi, 2003), Armani Prive Pierre de Lune (2006). See a very brief profile of Daniela Andrier on the Lancome website. Perfumes created by Daniela Andrier include:

Giorgio Armani Emporio Armani He (1997)
Giorgio Armani Prive Pierre de Lune (2004)
Gucci Eau de Parfum (2002)
Gucci Rush for men (with Antoine Maisondieu)
Guerlain Angelique Noire (2005)
Lancome Attraction (2003, with Christian Biecher)
La Perla Io La Perla (1995)
Prada Amber Pour Homme (2006)
Valentino Very Valentino (1998)
Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche (reformulation, 2003) [I will attribute this to the website I got it from when I figure out where it was. I had it in my files.]

Originally posted 2007-09-13 10:33:01.

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A Madame Rochas kind of day

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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Neil Morris Fragrances, Part 2 his bespoke fragrances

I could tell how much Neil loves creating perfumes by his gentle enthusiasm when he spoke with me. He is knowledgeable and enjoys sharing his gift with others. He speaks plainly but in layman’s terms, so that if you are just learning about perfumes you aren’t left feeling inadequate.

He told me he considers all his fragrances to be shared fragrances. They have no gender specificity. I liked his term, rather than the term unisex. Often I cannot wear unisex fragrances, because they smell too masculine, but his shared fragrances are just that: fragrances that can be shared with your significant other. You could buy it for him/her and appropriate it for yourself.

He said to me:

You are being played by the market if you think a fragrance is only for men (or women.) It is a market ploy to get heterosexual men to wear fragrances. Chanel # 5 will smell differently on a man than a woman. A woman might bring out the floral or the aldehydes. A man might bring out the spices.

Of course, he is right. I think a woman might have been more apt to wear a men’s fragrance in days past, than a man might have been to wear a woman’s. But that is changing as the market is becoming more educated. I still find here that SAs are surprised if I say I prefer the men’s version to the woman’s of a fragrance, but at least they are learning to know me, and perhaps to broaden their own ideas.

Neil went on to speak about his custom blend or bespoke fragrances. He said:

I take their happy memories and put them in a bottle for them. We talk for about an hour, before we begin to do anything else, to explore the scents that will make up their fragrance. I want their happy memories to be evoked every time they use the fragrance.

[Perfumery] is all about memories: either about an existing memory or creating a memory.

He had a couple coming to see him the next day who were having a fragrance made up for their wedding day. They were each going to wear the fragrance, then every time they wore it again, it would remind them of the happy memories their wedding day held for them.

I thought that was great! I would have loved to have done something like that, had it been available at the time.

I feel his charge is reasonable: if you visit him in person, he charges $375. If he needs to travel, then the price is adjusted by time and distance.

Meantime, some of us have heard the story behind the bespoke fragrance for Ida/Chaya (d’Ida). He surprised her with it, after having her test it, just as PDI. She was, as you can imagine, pleased and touched.

One thing I love about his fragrances is that they are so well blended that they move gently from top to bottom, they are not strident. And they are long lasting.

Here are the notes for d’Ida:

Top: Blackberry, Clove, Elemi, Aldehydes.
Middle: Geranium, Gardenia, Ylang Ylang.
Base: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Jatamansi, Myrrh, Civet, Black Agar, Russian Leather

My overall impression on me is fruity/spicy. And spicy is something I love to wear. The leather entwines through it so deeply that it melds as part of it while being balanced by all the other notes. Somehow it reminds me of all the good that is Ida: sweet and spicy, deep and spiritual.

Ida has shared her story at another blog.

Velvetsky gave her review at her blog.

Karin

Originally posted 2008-01-16 10:23:48.

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Review Vetyver Vanille by Le Jardin Retrouvé

FLACON_VETYVER_VANILLE_small

It’s no secret that I like vetiver, so I was very happy to receive a bottle of Vetyver Vanille from Le Jardin Retrouvé. This is a scent for which they have no samples.

I reviewed Eau de Vetyver by Le Jardin Retrouvé when I was guest blogging at ColognePerfumeFragrance.

Vetiver is frequently used as a base note in men’s and women’s fragrances

It is used more dominantly in men’s fragrances, and then, to me, it is more pungent than what is usually found in women’s fragrances.

Vetyver Vanille

Vetiver is dominant in this fragrance, but bourbon vanilla is added to it.

Comparing the notes to Eau de Vetyver

Vetyver Vanille Notes:
Top Notes bergamot, lemon
Mid Notes: warm, woody with a touch of tobacco
Base Notes: spicy and peppery, vetyver + bourbon vanilla

Eau de Vetyver Notes: bergamot, lemon, tobacco, vetiver

Comparing the two fragrances

For the past three days I have worn one fragrance on one wrist; the other on the other. In many ways they are similar, as you would expect. There are times when I catch a faint memory of vanilla in Vetyver Vanille, but this is not Vanille Vetyver. The vetiver is dominant, not the vanilla, and the vanilla is not sweet, it is more dry. So this is not a girlie vetiver, even though there is vanilla in it.

Of the two fragrances, after several hours there is more scent left in the Vetyver Vanille than in Eau de Vetyver. It is at this point that the vanilla is more noticeable, and also in the immediate beginning. My daughter can smell the vanilla in it more than I can.

Is this a scent that both sexes can wear?

Absolutely, it is suitable for a man or a woman, and could easily be a shared scent between lovers.

What is it like?

It is smooth from the beginning with no alcohol that needs to burn off to get to the fragrance underneath.

At it’s end point, it remains rich with a hint of vanilla, which would likely be more if I had applied more in the beginning. I dabbed both scents. I did not spritz. As such, it stays close to my skin, like a perfume.

Would it work to layer into other fragrances to add vetiver?

Yes, I think this would work beautifully. I prefer it to Guerlain’s Vetiver. You might have to be careful of the vanilla in it, when layering, if that would not work with the fragrance you were layering it with.

What I like about it:

I like that the vetiver is not harsh or sharp, but rich and smooth. I prefer it over Guerlain’s.

My take:

I give this fragrance a 3 out of 4. It is lovely. It is a tad sweeter than Eau de Vetyver. It’s a toss up for me which I prefer.

What do you think?

Have you tried any of his fragrances? (If not: Ask Them for Free Samples – Tout autour du Monde – All around the world.) If you have, do you have a favorite? Learn more about Le Jardin Retrouve house and Yuri Gutsatz.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Perfume Review: Divine L’Inspiratrice

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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Review Kilian Cruel Intentions Tempt Me

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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Review Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses

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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Review: Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanilla

OK, I admit, this fragrance has seduced me. Even in the store, I wasn’t sure if I should get it or not. Something in me generally rebels against the idea of vanilla, which can be too sweet, and almost like the fragrance of white cake. Can you just feel the smell of white cake as I typed it?

And doesn’t the idea of double vanilla almost make you gag? (When you pronounce it the French way, it sounds far more sultry.)

Choosing between this and another Guerlain, I would have picked the other, but I allowed two SAs to help me choose (on purpose.) And I’m not sorry I did. I’m generally not so wishy-washy on the spot, but my general malaise about vanillas would have overcome my judgment, and I would have leaned to the other fragrance, which will be another purchase for another day.

It’s as far from most vanilla fragrances as the east is from the west. It’s not in the same universe as Coty’s Dark Vanilla, for example, a fragrance I like to have around, but rarely wear, for it is a traditional vanilla, albeit darker.

This is a sophisticated, adult, sultry fragrance which is romantic and sexy and not at all too much to wear all day into the evening. I don’t seem to tire of it as I do other fragrances. It’s long lasting. I don’t have to layer it again, though I don’t mind doing it as I love the scent. This is a smokey vanilla. It’s all the benzoin, frankincense and spices. It’s not like Korres’ Vanilla Cinnamon which is far sweeter and just not in the same company.

Notes of: vanilla, benzoin, frankincense, spices, cedar, pink pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose and ylang-ylang.

I even had a good sized sample that I loved from a friend, but spritzing it from the bottle was a whole new experience.

How does it make me feel?
It is an empowering fragrance. Only wear it if you are prepared to roar, if need be.

Going into a corporate meeting where you need to be taken seriously? Wear it.

Meeting your lover or husband? Wear it.

Going to dinner? Wear it, it won’t conflict with your food.

Meeting friends? Wear it. You’ll stand apart.

You’re a man? Wear it. It will smell masculine on you.

Did I tell you that I love it?
What else can I add?
The fragrance is stunning. It may be in the $230 range now, since prices have gone up, but it is worth every penny. You can also look for it in decants.

How about you?
Do you have it? Do you love it and wear it?

Where to buy it?
Call (702-732-7008) or email Claire (GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com) at the Guerlain boutique in Las Vegas. He’s the man. He’ll take good care of you. And if he’s not there, the others will treat you right too. Even better, stop in when you are in Las Vegas. You’ll see I’m right.

Tell them I sent you!

Karin

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Review: Guerlain Tiaré Mimosa

I’m doing my best to review Tiaré Mimosa but have yet to be able to put any on my skin. The samples leaked out before they arrived.

It does smell good, however!

And again, it is from the Aqua Allegoria line so it is reasonably priced and perhaps less potent than gardenia sometimes can be. Tahitian gardenia is a bit less pungent than the ones from the garden that I love to have in bowls in my house.

It also smells less strongly of Tiare than the Avon one from last summer, Tahitian Holiday, which I also reviewed, and I do like.

notes of citrus, pink pepper, mimosa, tiare (Tahitian gardenia), vanilla, vetiver, and musks

I’m glad it has some vanilla in it, as well as the vetiver and musks — that moves it from a strictly tiare fragrance into another realm. And this is what I smell in the remnants of the sample. If that is the dry down, I know I would like it.

I thought I had some Cruel Gardenia around here to compare it to, but I do not. I know that as I stood in the store, a woman bought Cruel Gardenia on the spot. I had gone on a search for something else, so it flew under my radar at the time. I can compare it to Mayotte, which is a lovely creamy gardenia, the second generation from Mahora which did not have the rich, creaminess and was strident until it settled down.

In either case, this is an AA, so it is less rich and opulent, plus there is no creamy aspect.

What do you think?
Do you have this one? Do you have Cruel Gardenia or Mayotte?

Where you can buy it
Call or email Claire (702-732-7008) (GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com) at the Guerlain boutique in Las Vegas. There is no sales tax and no shipping charge for mailing in the US. (I think you’d pay tax if you lived in Nevada.) (I can’t speak for international shipping.)

Let me know if you try it, and tell Claire you heard it from me.

Karin

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A little perfume tale

This is almost a review.

Last week I was out and about. I had put on one squirt of edp about 5 hours earlier.

I couldn’t smell it at all.

The woman I had gone to see raved about my perfume, that she just loved it. She wanted to buy it for herself. I asked her if it was too strong?? because usually no one but me can smell my fragrances. I’m very careful because both a friend and a family member are sensitive.

No, it was perfect, she said.

After that, I went to the mall because I was a short distance away. While there, I made a circuit of the perfumes, as usual, and the SA smelled wonderful! When she walked in front of me, the most delicious fragrance wafted toward me. It was lovely, not too strong. I liked it!

I asked her what perfume she was wearing. She said they were no longer carrying it. She had just moved the stock to the back room. (Turns out, all the local stores are not going to carry it. It is discounted at Perfumania, which just opened in our mall.)

She was wearing the same thing I was wearing! No wonder my friend had thought I’d smelled good, if I smelled as good as she did! I thought that was so funny!

We were wearing…YSL Elle.

This is a very good price for it.

· Top Notes: Cedrat, peony, lychee.
· Middle Notes: Pink berries, freesia, jasmine.
· Bottom Notes: Patchouli, vetiver, ambrette.

Here’s a great ad for it:

Here’s one a little more racy for Elle Shocking, the edt:

My take The bottle is beautiful.
Some days I really like this on me; other days, I’m not sure. It might be the weather. Right now it is moderately hot here.

This is not a sweet rose, nor is it quite a dirty rose either. It is an interesting rose, kept from being too sweet by the patchouli. And the funny thing is, laughing at myself here, there isn’t any rose in it!

Maybe it’s the color of the juice. Or maybe it’s that it’s a grownup fragrance, not one that follows the sweet perfume trends.

This compliment makes me want to search out the flankers: Elle Summer and Elle Intense, if they can even be found. Those both have raspberry in them.

Found them:

The notes include ginger, tangerine, pink pepper, peony, freesia, raspberry, musk, patchouli and vetiver.

~~~~

The fragrance notes include raspberry, litschi, jasmine, iris, benzoin, patchouli and amber.

~~~~
What do you think?
Have you tried this one? Do you wear it? Have you worn or smelled the flankers? Can you enable me, or not?

Karin

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Burberry The Beat

I was pleasantly surprised by Burberry The Beat when I sampled it last night. It was, on me, basically what I had hoped all the other Burberry incarnations would be. It is called a sparkling woody floral scent.

In paper scent sampling they tag it with Where attitude meets energy. I dunno about that, but I could use some of both, so it’s not a bad moniker tag.

The notes are:

Ceylon tea, iris accord, and bluebell; also bergamot, cardamom, pink pepper, mandarin, white musk, vetiver and cedarwood.

What I find interesting on me is that it feels slightly vanilla-y, but it doesn’t move into the artificiality that the other Burberrys do on me. I don’t catch any tea in it. I always like iris, which might be what gives it a sparkle. Normally I’m not particularly into pink pepper, but I love vetiver and cedarwood, also mandarin and bergamot (see my earlier reviews on mandarin scents — I’m about to revisit wearing them with spring on the corner.)

It certainly is worth a spritz or two or three. I really spritzed myself once I was pretty sure it was going to be wearable for me. Even at full blast it wasn’t too much and didn’t head to artificiality. I think it has definite possibilities for spring and summer.

Try it if you are near a bottle. Speaking of the bottle, it is one of my favorites of their bottles. Something about it appeals to me. It’s not entirely masculine, but it is reminiscent of a flask, with rounded edges.

Karin

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Bond No 9 for Saks 5th Avenue

Bond No 9 has created its first non-specific NYC fragrances for Saks 5th Ave. Both are worthy creations — modern, elegant and large, said to

capture the fashion-forward essence of 21st century Saks, while at the same time expressing the eclectic downtown spirit of NoHo-based Bond No. 9.

DNA for women is a classic, large gardenia scent. If you love gardenia, you will love this fragrance. A little goes a long ways, because it is long-lasting. On me, the dominant note is gardenia. Anything else is hidden among the petals.

DNA For Her
Gardenia, sparkling jasmine, vetiver and vanilla.

I love the scent of gardenias, brought into the house. I float them in bowls.

This scent is true to real gardenia. So many perfumes are not.

DNA for men is an elegant aqua scent, with a classic masculine ambiance, through the notes that are generally thought to be part of men’s fragrances.

DNA For Him
Sicilian bergamot, cardamom, amber and cedarwood.

Of interest are these notes:

What makes this eau de parfum metro-modernity is the addition of notes that are new to luxury perfumes: a marine accord, fiery chilies, seductive incense and soothing guaiac wood from South America.

While it is said to be for both men and women, it leans more masculine to me. I would like to smell it on a man. It is perfectly wearable for a woman, once the top notes develop into the lower notes. But the top notes are decidedly masculine. If you are a woman who wears it, tell me how it develops for you.

If you are a bottle collector, the bottles are quite, quite lovely, dramatic black and white, echoed in the new SAKs shopping bags. The women’s is white with black; the men’s is black with white. They rank up right up there with the Chinatown bottle, which is red and white. You won’t be sorry to add either of these bottles to your collection, and if the man in your life wears it, it will be an added plus.

Karin

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E. Coudray Nohiba

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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Review: Covet, new fragrance by Sarah Jessica Parker

I managed to find Covet in my area today. I quite like it. I’ve had it on now for several hours, without renewal, except after the first five minutes. College Girl likes it on me too. She has yet to try it on herself.

The notes are: wet greens, geranium leaves, Sicilian lemon, lavender and chocolate; a heart of honeysuckle, magnolia and muguet, and a drydown of musk, vetiver, bois de cashmere, teakwood and amber.

The notes for Lovely, her first fragrance, are: Lavender, orchid and amber mingle with apple martini, paper whites and musk.

I don’t get much similarity between the two, even if lavender, musk and amber are in both.

I’ve heard mixed reviews on Covet. Some say it is light; some say it is long lasting. Some say the top notes are fleeting. Some say the chocolate comes out in it; some say they can’t smell the chocolate. Some like the color of the juice (light green); others don’t like the color. I thought the color was clever — as in, green with envy. And at my store, there was a rich-looking green faux leather box that came with it.

The SA wasn’t sure if it would sell as well as Lovely has, but she was looking for me to tell her the notes, since she wasn’t supplied with them. “It’s hard to sell something, if you can’t describe it,” she said. She felt it was a light fragrance.

I didn’t know what it would be, since it was described so differently.

Usually I’m not crazy about lavender, but this is wearable for me. The lavender remains on me to the drydown, balanced by the greens, which I like.

Not too long ago I was looking for a fragrance that would remind me of a green house or the scent you sometimes get walking into a floral shop where there are lots of cut greens. This fits the bill. This is wet greens, not a chypre green.

First I spritzed a card, as I usually do on first try, then when I thought it was wearable for me, I spritzed a tiny spritz on my wrist, after smelling it on the card. In five minutes, I determined that I likely liked it, so I spritzed my arms more heavily. (This can sometimes be a mistake!) I could smell it up close, but it wasn’t overwhelming my nose, so in that sense it is light. OTOH, it is several hours later and I can still smell it, so it is long lasting.

In the car with the a/c on full blast, I was treated to the sillage wafting off my arms back at me. Now, at the computer, I can still smell it.

The first stage is mostly wet greens. There is a tad of sweetness to it, which must be the chocolate, but the chocolate is not predominant on me at all. This sweetness is not floral, except as it is lavender, which isn’t noticeable until later in the fragrance. Hours later, I’m not getting any of the base notes particularly, only the greens. The florals are there, but mostly lavender and greens, or rather greens and lavender.

It is an intriguing fragrance, because it is different. I think it could be worn by a man. I think you could layer this with other things to bring out some of the other notes in either it or the other fragrance.

To me, this would be a good fragrance to wear if you wanted to feel confident. It is heady, but it is not likely to be something someone else objects to, because it feels as though it stays close to you. You wouldn’t find it wafting to the next cubicle, likely. But up close, you would be defining your space and enlarging it.

I picture myself walking into the glass enclosed cooler at a local florist where I have my pick of any of the different and exotic flowers she keeps on hand. In the past, I’ve wanted to ask her for a chair, so I could just enjoy the fragrance coming from the mixed cut greens. I can do it at my leisure now.

Karin

ps 4 hours later, at almost 7 pm…the lavender is pretty well gone; the greens are still visible; there is a little floral sweetness; I don’t smell any of the base notes.

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We have a winner!

Helg guessed that the two fragrances I was wearing were Chamade and Ma Griffe.

A little something will be winging its way to her for the correct guess!

Here are the notes for the two. I’ve highlighted the notes they share. It certainly surprised me, but on two different occasions they came down to being nearly identical on me, though they start out differently.

Chamade
Top Notes: Greens, galbanum, bergamot, hyacinth, aldehydes
Heart Notes: Rose, jasmine, lilac, clove
Base Notes: Vanilla, amber, benzoin, sandalwood, vetiver

Ma Griffe
Top Notes: Gardenia, greens, galbanum, aldehydes, clary sage
Heart Notes: Jasmine, rose, sandalwood, vetiver, orris, ylang-ylang
Base Notes: Styrax, oakmoss, cinnamon, musk, benzoin, labdanum

Karin

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