New Releases: Recap
October 11th, 2006
Hilary Duff With Love - mangosteen fruit, exotic spice blend, chai latte, mangosteen blossoms, cocobolo wood, amber milk, amber musk, balsam, incense. Quite a notable addition to the new releases, especially celebrity fragrances. What makes it stand apart is simply the fact it will actually stay in your memory as opposed to sniff and forget (SAF - a new abbreviation to our perfume jargon!) It’s excellently blended, and I particularly enjoy its milky-sweet, slightly bitter woody-ambery accord that’s somewhat reminiscent of woody flour/powder of Bois Farine by L’Artisan Parfumeur.
Paul Smith Story - grapefruit, bergamot, ivy, vetiver, jasmine, green rose, musk, amber, cedar. Marina did an excellent review of Story, and all I can add is the nerdy-looking fella on the perfume ad must be reading his books in some futuristic, open air library. There’s absolutely no way this smells like books, old or new. Instead, it’s a rather linear, airy vetiver-citrus blend that actually reminds me of Cologne by Thierry Mugler.
Jo Malone Napa Leather - napa leather, sandalwood, vetiver, amber, hints of rosemary, cardamom, black pepper. Speaking of libraries, this cologne is supposed to evoke images of an old study and “old-world elegance”. Excuse me, who left all the windows open, and why does it smell like ocean? Sigh. This could have been really, really good had they not ruined it by adding way too much aquaticism (another jargon word - abuse of aquatic/marine notes).
CB I Hate Perfume Musk - not sure on the notes here but if it was up to me, it’d be blue cheese, acetone, and smoke. Stinky (really stinky), and animalic all right. Besides, the scent has been received with a fair bit of controversy on perfume blogs - you either love it or hate it, there’s no in-between. Part of me just really wants to stay in the neutral territory (I haven’t tried layering it with anything else yet which works out great, I hear), and part of me loathes it with a passion. It does, however, sort of calm down on your skin to the point of actually being tolerable and borderline appealing in a weird kind of way.
Lorenzo Villoresi Alamut - osmanthus, rose, jasmin, rosewood, narcissus, tuberose, ylang ylang, orange blossom, labdanum, amber, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, leather. A rather dense spicy oriental, along the lines of Guerlain’s Samsara or Hermes Rouge, with a prominent jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood accord. Luxurious and warm like a cashmere shawl. I quite like it and would gladly own a bottle if I had some dollars to spare.
Have you sniffed anything new lately? Please share!
Entry Filed under: New Perfumes, Perfume Reviews
11 Comments Add your own
1. Elle | October 12th, 2006 at 6:50 am
SAF and Aquaticism - brilliant! I can’t believe SAF hasn’t been invented before. I’ll be using it a lot. And that’s tragic that aquaticism occurred w/ a leather scent. Ugh.
And, as you know, I’m definitely in the CB Musk lovers camp. It’s an ideal kakapasna scent.
2. greeneyes | October 12th, 2006 at 7:28 am
Oh, that’s too bad about Napa Leather. Those notes sound yummy. I just got a sample of Alamut, and in the bottle…oh my! Can’t wait to try it. And I must admit…I was afraid to say so, but I tried the Hillary Duff, and was pleasantly surprised, especially with the dry-down. I quite liked it.
3. Marina | October 12th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Very angry about the Napa scent. Ocean? Why? Why? Why?
4. Sara | October 12th, 2006 at 10:06 am
love the new acronyms–can’t wait to trot them out! I am really enjoying the new Bond–a dry woodsy rose–will probably purchase–and my most recent purchase was spurred by your blog! Magie Noire parfum. it is gorgeous!
5. Ina | October 12th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
Elle, ah yes, kakapasna!
6. Ina | October 12th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Greeneyes, we seem to have similar tastes.
7. Ina | October 12th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Marina, I know. Hello, people? It’s LEATHER. Leave it be.
8. Ina | October 12th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
Sara, I’m very curious to try the new Bond!
9. Flora | October 14th, 2006 at 2:41 am
I must try the Hilary Duff - I can’t believe I said that, but it sounds great! Gotta love the mangosteen!
I tried two “big” releases recently. The first was Guerlain Insolence - GAG! Overpoweringly, sickeningly sweet and cloying, I could not get past the first sniff. I had to get out of its range, it was so off-putting. Fortunately I did not actually put it on my skin, so I was able to escape.
The other one was much better - Donna Karan Gold. Very nice opening, rich and warm, but it seemed to thin out & not last well on me, which surprised me considering how others have said it has good lasting power. I would get a decant of this but to me it’s not FBW.
10. Ina | October 16th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
Flora, Insolence was OK on me, I loved the lipstick-like drydown. DK Gold is supposed to be awesome in parfum which I’m dying to try.
11. Barbara Cola | November 1st, 2006 at 8:36 am
I enjoy Bulgari Black, warm,cozy,and not too sweet!Looking for an incense scent that lasts.
Sincerely,
sapphire
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