Savvy Thinker » Vetiver

Comparing incense and patchouli and woods

Karin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:58:08 +0000

I promised I'd get to my incense/patchouli fragrances and that's what I've been doing the past few days.

I always recommend trying a fragrance more than once before buying it. And I also recommend comparing it to things that remind you of it that you are either considering buying or already own. That way you know if it is FBW or more or less a duplication, or if in comparison, you either really like it or you really don't. I learned this through trial and error. Sometimes the right combination of scents if you are doing a mini sniffa makes a fragrance smell better than it really does. Ditto for the weather or hormones or whatever. I find if I can't trust a fragrance to smell pretty much the same always, it makes it iffy for me to use it. Because while mostly I might like it, there are days when it can be a scrubber, so it's not one I'd reach for as often as ones that are always beloved.

I compared Le Baiser Du Dragon By Cartier with Lâ€™air du dÃ©sert marocain by Tauer with NEW BLACK ORCHID by TOM FORD .

Notes for Le Baiser Du Dragon, introduced in 2004, a woody oriental:
Amaretto, Neroli Blossom, Gardenia, Cedarwood, Iris, Bulgarian Rose, Vetiver, Patchouli, Amber, Benzoin

Notes for Lâ€™air du dÃ©sert marocain: The elegant head note is based on typical spicy scents of the Maghreb; coriander and cumin, joined with petitgrain. The warm heart note surprises with the fragrance of rock rose and a hint of jasmine. The body note is full of warm woods such as cedar wood, vetiver brilliantly joined with a fine amber background. Tauer Perfumes

Notes for Black Orchid: top notes of Black Truffle, Ylang, fresh Bergamot, Black Currant.
middle notes of dark florals and rich fruit accords, deepened with Lotus Wood.
base notes of Patchouli, Incense and Vetiver, Vanilla Tears, Balsam and Sandalwood.

The first day I compared BdD with DM. I bought BdD when I was on an Alaskan cruise. I probably tried it 25 times before buying it, because it was so different for me. I also wanted to know that those around me liked it. Re-spritzing does not make it too heavy. At the same time I wondered if it was the combination of the sea air and the cold that made it so delightful.

I found that sometimes I can smell it, and other times, I can't smell it as well, but because it is so heady until it dries down a bit, I always go easy on it. Plus, it has good sillage, so others can still smell it. I wear it on days when I want a kick as& fragrance. More recently, it didn't hit me really well, so I set it aside until this trial between fragrances. The two blended together in a nice way in wafting, but if I wanted to smell either separately, I just smelled one arm or the other. I like to do that anyway. It's more interesting. DM is much sweeter, but also drier, as you'd expect with a fragrance that has the word 'desert' in its name.

My husband's first comment to me that day: you smell good! (And I did.) I will likely do some layering with these two, as I prefer DM, but not to waste the BdD.

Yesterday I compared DM to Black Orchid. I've wanted to like Black Orchid. It has many notes that I like in other fragrances. But every time I had tried it, it went odd on me. (Tom Ford, ever crude, has said he put the scent of a man's crotch in it, and perhaps he did. That funky note is either nearly absent or totally present depending on one's chemistry.) Nordstrom's is newly carrying it, and they had samples, which NM did not have when they first debuted it. This is one that I would not buy without making sure, sure, sure. I thought, good! now I can really try it.

I have to say the first time I really liked it was when comparing it to DM. In comparison, Black Orchid (BO to some, pun intended) smells sweeter than it does if I'm not comparing it. I quite liked it. But when I asked my dh which he preferred, he picked DM. So, there you have it. The Black Orchid bottle is elegant. I think I'll get it anyway and wear it with DM.

I have BdD and Black Orchid on this morning. I asked a friend which she preferred. On first sniff, she liked them both. On second sniff she liked BdD better. On third sniff, now that's it's dried down, she said Black Orchid smells better than it did, but she still prefers BdD.

Looks like I'll have to get a bottle of DM. My decant is not going to be enough. It will be a nice treat for me. I do love the fragrance.

The SAs at Nordstrom's were really talking about Black Orchid. I agree, in many ways it is a lovely fragrance, especially if it is wearable for you. It would smell great on a man, likely all the time. On me, I'd have to be careful, but that bottle is calling to me.

Do you wear any of these? Which is your favorite? Is one calling to you, but you haven't decided?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-04-25 09:29:34.

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A little perfume tale

Karin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:15:37 +0000

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

Originally posted 2009-04-04 13:46:29.

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Talkin’ about Jolie Madame and Cabochard

Karin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 08:42:08 +0000

I loved this description:

Jolie Madame is a very intelligent woman who is 100% conscious of her femininity and knows how to charm. She owns 50 lipsticks and always wears stockings. She's got great legs and will cross them to distract you.

Cabochard is female and happens to be irresistable, but never looks in the mirror because she's busy reading physics. Her hair's glossy because she was born that way. When she looks up from her book, your heart nearly stops, her eyes are so beautiful. She doesn't wear makeup. It wouldn't occur to her.

Fulltiltredhead at POL, with permission

Jolie Madame 1953 Chypre-Floral
Top Notes: Gardenia, artemisia, bergamot, coriander, neroli
Heart Notes: Jasmine, tuberose, rose, jonquil, orris
Base Notes: Patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, musk, castoreum, leather, civet

Cabochard by Gres for Women 3 Piece Set Includes: 1.69 oz Eau de Toilette Spray + 0.10 oz Eau de Parfum Miniature + 1.69 oz Perfumed Body Lotion has been one of my favorites for years. (I chose this set to highlight for you vs. the spray alone because I love the perfume. I've sampled the lotion, and it is great too, and often enough to wear alone for the fragrance.) However, I do love and wear makeup. ;p

My comments are on the vintage for both.

I think Jolie Madame by Pierre Balmain for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray is more wearable by more people. It is easier to wear, starts off easier and ends up easier.

Cabochard is a lovely fragrance and one I've worn a lot at various times. I think I'm lucky to be able to wear it. Not everyone can.

Cabochard 1953 citrus, leather, and tobacco; a refined, woody, arid fragrance.
Top Notes¦Citrus with spice accents
Middle Notes¦Jasmine, rose, orris, geranium, Ylang-Ylang
Base Notes¦Amber, Castoreum, Moss, Musk, Patchouli

”Cabochard” is French for “charmingly persistent”, or “stubborn” perfect for the individualist…
I recently read that it takes 6400 jasmine flowers and 240 roses to create one ounce of Cabochard…

It starts off with a bang...and ends up, on me, delightfully softened, a sweet floralish note comes out (and I don't usually wear any white florals well) and sits, not demurely, with the leather in harmony.

It's a kick-a&^ fragrance, one to wear if you want to make a mark on the world that day. And go really light with it, unless it hits the soften point fast. It might overwhelm you otherwise.

It's not at all like Knowing, but it has that hugeness to it.

Jolie Madame is a little sweeter from the get-go. I've only just begun to wear it. It's interesting to me that they both were created in 1953. I wear the parfum of Cabochard.

How about you?
Do you wear either of these?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-01-05 14:24:20.

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L’air du desert marocain by Tauer Perfumes

Karin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:58:28 +0000

I've heard a lot of good things about Andy Tauer fragrances, originating in Switzerland, and I was excited to finally be able to try several of them thanks to a friend at POL. I will add my reviews as I try each of them. I have added links to both his blog and his website at my link section.

Perfumes are pictures, painted with scents. Tauer Perfumes

I think for my first foray into Tauer Perfumes, L'air du desert marocain was a perfect choice. It is said to be a unisex fragrance, but it is not like any other unisex that I have tried. Tauer Perfumes says it is for 'him or her.' They do not call it unisex.

In general most unisex fragrances on me smell too masculine. It might be that most unisex fragrances are really neither masculine nor feminine which is why I do not like them on me. They have a certain nondesript quality to them, on me, as if one set of notes cancels out the other.

On the other hand, there are men's versions of fragrances that I prefer on me (and maybe I just prefer them on anyone) over the women's (Guerlain's L'instant for men is one of them.) Many fragrances can be enjoyed equally by men or women if the categories of men's or women's are forgotten and one only goes by the scent and how it smells on oneself. I know several men who wear women's fragrances as part of their fragrance wardrobe.

So I was intrigued to see how I would feel about this one. I find it a winner for either a man or a woman, but I would not classify it as unisex.

The scent of desire. Inspired by the fragrant world of the Maghreb desert. Powerful, sensual and pure. Tauer Perfumes

I find this scent to be wonderfully evocative. For me, it does paint a picture with fragrance. It is very paradoxical -- it is both warm and dry; both sweet and non-sweet; incensy and clear; a sensual scent and an intellectual one... I am transported as I wear it.

And the wonderful thing about it is that no note cancels out any other. Each note stands distinct, yet blends with the others in a dance of joy.

I have never been to the Maghreb desert, but if it smells anything like this, I am ready to go. In one sense that is similar to Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil which evokes the area around the Nile.

I was careful my first try to take only the tiniest spritz, because I didn't know what to expect. Not to fear, it is delicious. The dry down is sweet, but not too sweet, full of spicy incense and woods. And the journey from the beginning to the dry down is a lovely bit of travel. The opening is distinct from the drydown. It is not a fragrance that would bore one with sameness in all three stages. A little goes a long ways, and it lasted on me very well. Twelve hours later, it was still strong on my wrists.

For those who fear a cumin note, it is not negative at all.

The elegant head note is based on typical spicy scents of the Maghreb; coriander and cumin, joined with petitgrain. The warm heart note surprises with the fragrance of rock rose and a hint of jasmine. The body note is full of warm woods such as cedar wood, vetiver brilliantly joined with a fine amber background. Tauer Perfumes

Today I tried a bit more, and it is every bit as good. I think of this more as a skin scent, as I don't know if I would want to apply for sillage. Let those who come close to me partake of the pleasure.

It is very sensual, but soothing. I think it is full bottle worthy. It goes for $65 for 1.7 oz at Luckyscent in the US. It is also available in NY.

Have you tried it? do you own it?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-02-17 14:14:56.

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Bond No 9 for Saks 5th Avenue

Karin — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:02:56 +0000

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

Originally posted 2007-10-29 07:47:22.

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Neil Morris Fragrances, Part 2 his bespoke fragrances

Karin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:54:50 +0000

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 Kilian Cruel Intentions Tempt Me

Karin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:12:31 +0000

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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Review: Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanilla

Karin — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:08:53 +0000

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

Originally posted 2009-04-25 14:23:54.

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Review Bond No 9 Washington Square

Karin — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:52:02 +0000

I have not had the opportunity to sample Washington Square from the juice, but there was an insert in the SAKs catalog. I was really pleasantly surprised!

The bottle is very attractive, their first featuring people. The softness of the colors remind me of pointillism, though that is not how it is designed. I find myself wanting to walk into the scene, for it looks like you could walk right under the arch.

The notes include:

Purple Rose with Tarragon (love this scent and spice), vetiver, and leather accord. SAKs insert.

or, in more detail:

top notes: Italian bergamot, geranium and tarragon;
middle notes: purple rose and honey;
base notes: vintage amber, a leather accord, vetiver and musk.

It is described as

an assertively dissident scent that never forgets to be beautiful; it has a female-male crossover appeal, whose balance is on the female side.

I don't catch any dissidence in the sample (which is a kind of powder) nor do I find the leather very strong. I catch the rose, but it is tempered with the other notes. I tend to like a dirty rose, not a sweet one, and this fragrance appeals to me because it is not your grandmother's rose fragrance. It certainly doesn't smell like rose water. It is a bit like YSL's Elle, but different enough, softer in some respects, that if you like Elle, you could have this in your repertoire too.

Have you had a chance to smell this IRL yet?
I will have to wait until I am shopping out of town, because none of the department stores near me carry Bond No 9. But I'm not too far from a SAKs, so it is on my list of things to do.

How about you? Do you want to try this one? Do you love it? Have you bought it? Will you buy it?
It is priced as all the other Bond No 9's: 3.4 oz edp $230; 1.7 oz $170; .7 fl oz. $95.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Washington Square by Bond No. 9 Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 oz

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Burberry The Beat

Karin — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:41:13 +0000

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

Originally posted 2008-03-27 12:15:26.

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