Perfume Review: Bois D’Armenie by Guerlain
September 1st, 2006
In line with yesterday’s post on my ultimate fall scents, today’s review is Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain, the newest addition to their L’Art et la Matiere collection (the others being Rose Barbare, Angelique Noire, and Cuir Beluga). I don’t envision it becoming my ultimate fall scent but it’s certainly one I’d reach for frequently in cold weather, mostly for its comforting effect. It was inspired by Papier d’Armenie, burning paper that produces an insence-like scent used as an air-freshener. Before I received my sample of Bois d’Armenie, I ordered the actual paper from Beautyhabit to get acquainted with the nature of its smell. I’m very glad I did, not just for comparison purposes but for sheer curiosity to discover yet another way to scent my apartment.
Bois d’Armenie is not a dead ringer for Papier d’Armenie. It uses the scent of the paper as its base, with added touches. At first it smells exactly like the paper when you just light it, smoky and slightly earthy, with some patchouli sneaking in, and coriander adding a little spice. It’s not really incense in its typical form. It’s just a very light, earthy smoke. It dries down smooth and creamy like the paper in its unlit form. I almost prefer the paper this way - unlit. It’s said to be soaked in benzoin, a substance with a soft, slightly sweet, almond-like balsamic scent. Bois d’Armenie is just that upon drydown - very much a skin scent, slightly powdery and creamy at the same time, tenacious, with but a hint of smoke. Its lasting power and sillage are excellent, however. The notes for Bois d’Armenie are: “pink pepper, iris, rose, coriander, benzoin, Indonesian patchouli, incense, precious woods, musk and balsams“. If Papier d’Armenie is said to possess healing properties that even “drive away negative energies” and “depressive tendencies”, Bois d’Armenie produces a similar calming effect that’s unbelievably comforting and warming. Therefore, it’d be perfect for those chilly and gloomy days ahead.
Since Bois d’Armenie is only available at the Guerlain flagship store in Paris at this point, and if you’d rather not spend money buying unsniffed, I highly recommend buying the Papier d’Armenie from Beautyhabit. In addition, if you find the smell of burning incense too strong, this is a very nice alternative.
For other impressions, please read Victoria’s review and Marina’s review.
Image source: www.museesdegrasse.com
Entry Filed under: New Perfumes, Perfume Reviews
28 Comments Add your own
1. Tigs | September 1st, 2006 at 12:23 am
Sounds lovely in terms of notes, but it seems you and Marina disagree about sillage. I am worried I would get no projection on this - the words “skin scent” always strike fear into my heart. For the money I want it to be strong enough to be getting wiffs of it around me. Is this likely?
2. Judith | September 1st, 2006 at 5:25 am
I need to try this again. I did like it (what’s not to like?) but I found it too light for me to get very excited about. But I hear it’s one of those scents that grows on you. . . .
3. chaya ruchama | September 1st, 2006 at 5:34 am
What a wonderful side-by-side review, Inushka.
That’s a nicely scientific approach, so pleased.
I’m now grateful that it is not available to my Guerlain- greedy hands…
Even though it sounds fantastic, I’m sure it ain’t cheap-
and I I’m sure that a decant would be the most I could manage at this rate !
Thanks to the generosity of Victoria- bless her- I fell in love with Angelique Noire.
As I am a married woman, I haven’t acted on THAT love…just yet….
Sighs deeply.. what a perfume trollop I am…
Enjoy the long w/e, babe!
4. Elle | September 1st, 2006 at 6:27 am
This is a brilliant comfort scent for me. Very soft. It’s not in the style of my usual dark or intense favs, but it is perfect for invoking the mood of a quiet, rainy fall afternoon where I’m curled up w/ a book by the window. It definitely grew on me the more I sampled it.
5. Christina H. | September 1st, 2006 at 6:51 am
When I first tried this on my skin, I wasn’t overly impressed either but the more I wore this, the more I started to love it for all the reasons you mention.It will be a definite part of my fall/winter selections and really lasts on me too.Thank you for the wonderful review.
6. Marina | September 1st, 2006 at 8:26 am
Great review of a great scent. I so want a bottle of this one. *sigh*
7. annE | September 1st, 2006 at 9:22 am
Since there were no trips to Paris planned in my immediate future, I broke down and bought a decant of this, and I haven’t regretted it. Your review is spot-on, and I’ve also found this to be a very warm and comforting scent.
On me, however, the lasting power and sillage are less than excellent, but I need to go back and wear it a few more times before a final judgment. At the moment, I’m thinking that it’s a bit *too* like the paper - whispy, ethereal and apt to disappear. Ah well, as I said, back to more spritzing!
And thanks for the mention of where to buy the actual paper! I’ll have to pay BH a visit and hope it doesn’t end up costing me too much.
Enjoy the weekend!
8. March | September 1st, 2006 at 10:21 am
Well, it’s Guerlain, so obviously I have to try it.
But I haven’t fallen in love with any of the rest of the collection…. sigh. I do like a nice skin scent, though. But for me, that’s actually Plus Que Jamais…
9. Jenn | September 1st, 2006 at 10:29 am
I think I might have to go and get that paper sometime in the near future.
10. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Tigs, I really find it quite tenacious. It’s not “smell me 5 miles away” type of sillage. It’s getting whiffs of it around you all day sillage.
11. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Judith, do try it again!
12. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:13 am
Chaya, it’s the same price as the others, 140 euro for 75 ml, I believe. I imagine it’ll be available at Bergdorf Goodman at some point. But a decant is a great idea for now! You have a wonderful weekend, too!
13. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:13 am
Elle, yes, quiet, rainy fall afternoon is right on!
14. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:14 am
Christina, it is indeed perfect for fall!
15. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:15 am
Marina, we should learn to keep our PayPal balance untouched for a while in order to be able to afford all these expensive scents! Patience. Again.
16. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:16 am
Anne, it’s surprisingly tenacious on my skin! A couple dabs from my sample last for hours. I hope it decides to last on you longer! Enjoy the weekend, too!
17. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:17 am
March, you slay me, woman. PQJ as a skin scent?? I have no words.
18. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:17 am
Jenn, I highly recommend the paper!
19. Tigs | September 1st, 2006 at 11:51 am
Darn, I was hoping to be able to ignore this one. The notes sounded lovely but so *light*. But I love Kurkdjian’s CD Eau Noire, so I suspected I might be in trouble with this one. Of course, he also did Narciso Rodriguez for her with Christine Nagel (whose Histoire D’Eau Topaze I LOVE) and I couldn’t smell that one at all. Nothing. Like I’d become an anosmiac.
20. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 11:54 am
Tigs, Bois d’Armenie is not one to be ignored.
Narciso Rodriguez doesn’t even come close here.
21. Marina | September 1st, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Keeping PayPal balance untouched is a skill so far unknown to me. I wish I knew how to do it!
22. Ina | September 1st, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Marina, I suffer from the same ailment!
23. Aromascope » Best o&hellip | December 29th, 2006 at 2:05 am
[…] Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain - soft, balsamic smoke. I can never be without it. […]
24. Aromascope » Plus Q&hellip | January 12th, 2007 at 1:13 am
[…] Plus Que Jamais (Now, More Than Ever) was created by Jean-Paul Guerlain on the occasion of the reopening of La Maison Guerlain on 68 Champs-Elysees. Now, more than ever, Guerlain is my favorite perfume house. I’ve come to appreciate its classic jewels such as Mitsouko, Jicky, L’Heure Bleue… Their recent releases, Bois d’Armenie, Cuir Beluga, Metalys, have quickly become an integral part of my fragrance wardrobe. Then came Plus Que Jamais with its polished, voluptuous, regal beauty and left me all weak in the knees. Now, more than ever, I cannot escape its charms and neither am willing to. […]
25. Aromascope » Comfor&hellip | January 26th, 2007 at 1:11 am
[…] Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain […]
26. Aromascope » Iris G&hellip | June 22nd, 2007 at 12:21 am
[…] la Matiere collection, produced a jubilant reaction: being a huge fan of all the previous editions (Bois d’Armenie, Cuir Beluga, Angelique Noire, and Rose Barbare), I chose to close my eyes on the chocolate and […]
27. Aromascope » Perfum&hellip | August 21st, 2007 at 11:39 pm
[…] it reminded me of another scent. It didn’t take long to figure out which one - my beloved Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain. While Bois d’Armenie is all about smoky, spicy resins, Cashmere for Men is much […]
28. Natalie | April 3rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I purchased bois d’armenie on a recent trip to epcot! They sell it in the world showcase of France. I love this smell it is so multilayered that when you smell it, you know it something totally superior to anything else. The only way I can describe it is that it smells like the perfect ultimate parfume. All day I kept returning to”France” for another squirt (wine and to say hi to the incredibly georgous young men from France now in Disney’s employ). The end of the day I bought it needed no sales pitch. I interupted the girl before she could even begin. I will say, however, the scent seems to fade a bit, it is not as strong as some other pure purfumes, bit I knew that before I purchased, considering I had been spraying it at least 3 times that day, and I still needed to purchase.
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