Parfums Montale is doing a promotion on select perfumes. Starting July till December, they’ll select a monthly perfume that will be discounted at 30%. For the month of July, it’s Dew Musk.
To find out more about the line, please check their web store.
4 comments July 10th, 2006
Mazzolari is a perfume line that just recently came to the U.S., and not much is known about it. According to Luckyscent, it was founded as a barber shop in Italy in 1888 by Augusto Mazzolari who later on created aftershaves and colognes for his male clients. His son, Ferdinando, developed the line even further by adding women’s scents. Today it’s one of Italy’s most prestigious perfumeries. I’ve already reviewed one of their best sellers, Alessandro, and now another one has caught my attention, with the signature name Mazzolari.
Mazzolari features the notes of sandalwood, vetiver, spices, citrus, and green notes. I don’t know this for a fact but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of their very first creations as it has that distinct aftershave quality. Pine isn’t mentioned as one of the notes, yet that’s what my nose detects right away. The pine note dissipates quickly, and I’m left with dry, green vetiver. There’s something similar to Parfums de Nicolai New York but it’s more opulent and green. The composition takes a bitter quality as it dries down, and I’m getting thyme and possibly pepper. I’d be curious to know what green notes are in this. Whatever it is, it’s quite pleasant and sort of evergreen in effect. Overall, the scent retains this aftershave quality, and I don’t find it particularly earth-shattering but certainly nice and wearable, especially on those days when the mood strikes you to wear scents you don’t typically wear (unless, of course, this type of scents is your favorite). If you’re a lover of dry, herbal, vetiver-based scents, you should give this a try.
Mazzolari is available at Luckyscent and Aus Liebe Zum Duft.
Image source: www.luckyscent.com
10 comments July 9th, 2006
The winner of yesterday’s drawing of samples of M7 and Asja is… Judith! Congrats! They’ll be promptly dispatched to you by the first available pigeon. Have a good weekend, everyone!
2 comments July 8th, 2006
So I decided to continue with my Underrated Friday idea but then it occurred to me, that “underrated” is sort of a relative concept, especially when it comes to perfume. What’s underrated to you could be someone’s lifelong fragrance or something they used to wear a lot. When I chose Fendi Asja for today’s installment, I immediately thought of the year it was created - 1992. Where was I then? Edited: I wasn’t in my second year of college as I wrote previously (sick head is to blame). I was in high school cramming English and eyeing boys. So, in 1992 I heard nothing of Asja or Fendi perfumes, for that matter. I’ve only just recently discovered it. Was it underrated then? You tell me. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that in my selection of underrated perfumes I’ll be mostly guided by what’s not worn much now, to my knowledge. A hidden gem, a forgotten treasure - something that could be a total winner for many.
Asja features the notes of bergamot, peach, apricot, raspberry, lily of the valley, orris, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, benzoin, styrax, sandalwood. But be not deceived: this is not your typical fruity-floral. There’s nothing juicy or sparkly about it. It starts out very soft and velvety, like peach/apricot pulp. There’s just a hint of lily of the valley to balance the sweetness of fruits. The best part of Asja is the middle and base notes that are accentuated by cinnamon and honey. It reminds me of Aqaba by Miriam Mirani minus that clovey spiciness. Don’t get me wrong, it is a spicy oriental but the spiciness is tamed by honey, so it doesn’t come across as rich and heavy. If you’re a lover of Opium, the original Fendi, Coco, Magie Noire, you should give this a try.
Asja can be purchased at a great discount at Imagination Perfumery, Parfumsraffy, and other discount sites.
I’m going to be a shameless copycat and do a weekly sample giveaway. Every Friday, I’ll give away samples of the fragrances that I posted about during that week (unless I only have a sample myself). So, for this week’s giveaway, you’ll get samples of M7 and Asja. Please mention in your comment if you’d like to be included in the drawing.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
29 comments July 6th, 2006
No post today. Aromascope is under quarantine. The sniffer is functional but the head is cracking. But if you’re on the fence about a scent or two, I’m still available for enabling. Later!
18 comments July 6th, 2006
“The legendary French fashion house’s seventh fragrance for men, M7 is the expression of a new vision of masculine sensuality. This fresh, woody and sensual scent is the first men’s fragrance by Tom Ford for Yves Saint-Laurent. Instantly recognizable, M7’s sensual and provocative ad campaign, showing a naked man in black and white, embodies a new vision of the YSL man’s sensuality as seen by Tom Ford.” (Osmoz.com) I’ve decided to start my review of M7 by Yves Saint Laurent with this paragraph mainly for two reasons. The first one being, it clarifies the meaning of M7 (oh the brainstorming one could do on this one!), and, secondly, I got intrigued by “a naked man in black and white” that embodies “a new vision of man’s sensuality” (the visual depiction of which has been slightly modified to observe the laws of decency). What exactly does this new vision of man’s sensuality smell like? No, it’s not what you’re thinking. I’m talking about the cologne here.
M7 was created by Alberto Morillas and is said to have the notes of Italian bergamot, Sicilian mandarin, rosemary, agarwood, Haitian vetiver, amber, musk. To be honest, I don’t even know how to describe it. Clearly, the notes are pretty common, and no doubt you can create an olfactory image of the scent. However, I guarantee it’s not going to be what you imagine. The top notes of bergamot and mandarin aren’t tart and citrusy. The rosemary is not your typical rosemary. The agarwood (aka oud) doesn’t convey that characteristic medicinal note. The vetiver isn’t earthy and green. Basically, it’s a soft, powdery-woody scent, with a slight carrot seed accord, a hint of hay, and the sweetness of tobacco (that’s what my nose comes up with). I’ve seen it compared to the smell of an apothecary but then again, there’s nothing medicinal about it - an apothecary that sells herbal remedies would be more fitting. It’s bewitching and alluring (conjuring up the image of a witch’s brew), and, in spite of its claim to express masculine sensuality, it’s not that masculine in character but the sensuality is definitely present.
M7 can be purchased at Imagination Perfumery, Scented Monkey as well as other online discount perfume sites.
Image source: www.parfumdepub.net
15 comments July 5th, 2006
Jalaine now has an online store where you can order her perfume oils directly. It’s also offering a sample program - 9 fragrances for $18. Please be sure to check it out!
10 comments July 3rd, 2006
Fire Island is the newest offering by Bond No 9, a perfume house that creates scents dedicated to New York neighborhoods. Quoting the marketing flyer, it features the notes of: “CARDAMOM gone wild, electrically charged OZONE, normally sparkling NEROLI in a languid frame of mind, WHITE MUSK, misbehaving as usual, SKIN MUSK - musk that really knows no limits, TUBEROSE that can’t get enough of the musk… so it steams up and stays steamed up, PATCHOULI in its own prancing little sexy, non-stop pout.”
Upon first sniff, it’s a burst of musk, neroli, and ozone. The ozone is definitely “electrically charged” - the kind that makes your throat tickle. It’s like a burst of fresh air by the ocean water, except there’s also lots and lots of musk (misbehaving indeed!) to the point where it gets almost unbearably soapy. The whole mix gets softened by cardamom but it’s not very prominent. When the ozone finally subsides (after good 20 minutes or so), tuberose kicks in, making the scent take a 180 degree turn. The effect isn’t so fresh and marine any more. The scent is said to resemble the smell of “premium Euro-sunscreen”. I’m not sure exactly what Euro sunscreen smells like (when I lived at home, I didn’t used to believe in sunscreen) or how it’s any different from the typical American brands but I clearly smell it but only in very top notes. The drydown is more musky floral. The tuberose isn’t creamy or buttery. Patchouli is said to be one of the base notes but I somehow can’t find it. Overall, it’s a nice musky skin scent which does indeed fulfil its promise to “approximate smell of skin in the sun” and bring out “the sensual stirrings of a body in heat”.
The official release date for Fire Island was July 1, so it can be purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beautycafe, Beauty & Scents.
16 comments July 2nd, 2006
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