Archive for February, 2007
Would you like to participate in writing about fragrance on Aromascope? I’m looking for contributing writers. If you’re passionate about perfume and feel like sharing your fragrant thoughts/experiences with the world, I’d like to hear from you. At this point I’m open to writing in any format and/or time frame which means it doesn’t necessarily have to be perfume reviews, and you’re not required to be a permanent contributing writer. In other words, I’d like to bring a bit more variety to the blog. Please contact me via aromascope at gmail dot com.
Image source: corbis.com
February 28th, 2007
Amongst the numerous niche perfume lines that have appeared in the past year or so, Parfumerie Generale undoubtedly stands out as the most innovative and classy. Innovative not only for their choice of unusual perfume notes but also for extraordinary, well-balanced compositions. Classy for renouncing pretentiousness and flamboyance while sticking to their own polished style. While I do not have equal appreciation for all Parfumerie Generale scents, I respect Pierre Guillaume’s approach, commitment, and taste. The news of every new Parfumerie Generale scent always brings me immense excitement, and I’m rarely disappointed. Psychotrope, originally created for the Moscow store Aromateka, is my most recent perfume love.
“A jasmine and leather floral, a strange floral drug, a jasmine with leather petals elaborates a sombre, pervasive fragrance”. I could stop right here as the official description says it all. Impossible as it might sound, it smells just like a flower with leather petals. In my perception, the flower isn’t jasmine, however. I envision the tranquil, polished beauty of a water lily. Psychotrope is a cold leather scent. On my skin, the leather is most prominent in top notes, yielding to green floral notes in the heart. The entire composition is permeated with an almost chilly, aquatic accord that I find extremely appealing, despite my usual dislike of such themes. Psychotrope is simply mesmerizing – it draws you in just close enough to admire but never possess.
Psychotrope features the notes of cyclamen, violet, jasmine, lilac wood, black leather, musk. It’s now available via Parfumerie Generale online boutique under the reference of Private Creation No 617 for 50 ml and No 633 for 100 ml.
Image source: johnstevenson-gallery.com
February 27th, 2007
Le Labo, the hip, New York based fragrance line, has come up with what they seem to think a brilliant idea of exclusivity: creating city-specific perfumes, namely, they’re only available for purchase in that city and require your physical presence. The first one, Tubereuse 40, was crafted for New York where it can be purchased at Barney’s or Le Labo boutique. The next one in line is Aldehyde 44 to honor the city of Dallas and its newly reopened Barney’s. What’s behind this incongruous idea is beyond me. Do they want us to travel to these cities to help the economy? Do they want us to simply suffer over not being able to even place a phone or online order? Or is it simply a random, whimsical concept? I’m afraid I don’t have the answers. What I do have the answer to, though, is the question whether the perfumes are good – yes, they are. Moreover, the city-specific ones leave a much better impression on me than their regular range. Such is the case with Aldehyde 44 – it is the best Le Labo scent so far. End of rant, for the scent’s sake alone (for now).
As the name suggests, the scent is built around aldehydes, perfume ingredients most commonly known for their presence in such Chanel fragrances as No 5 and No 22. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the top notes of Aldehyde 44 are very similar to Chanel No 22. However, while Chanel No 22 maintains the fizzy, aldehydic theme throughout its entire development, Aldehyde 44 transforms into a luscious, rich floral. It is a bit challenging to discern the flowers here but my nose detects indolic jasmine, hay-like narcissus, and just a touch of tuberose. The scent is sweet-powdery and lush-creamy at the same time. It doesn’t seem to develop much but I’m perfectly happy with what I get. On my skin, that is, for I simply cannot own a bottle, and travelling to Dallas isn’t in my immediate plans. Shame indeed, for a scent this elegant and excellently balanced to be thus confined.
Aldehyde 44 features the notes of aldehydes, tuberose absolute, narcissus absolute, jasmin sambac, musk, woods.
Image source: lelabofragrances.com
February 26th, 2007
In my world, stunning women must wear a stunning scent. Below are the most stunning women of Oscars 2007. In my (imaginary) world, I was hired as a fragrance consultant to help them find a matching scent.
My absolute favorite – Gwyneth Paltrow! Wearing Nahema by Guerlain.
The ever elegant Reese Witherspoon – Violette Precieuse by Caron (older version).
Helen Mirren in a most exquisite gown – Diorissimo by Christian Dior.
Who were your favorites?
Image source: oscar.com
February 26th, 2007
Maharanih is the newest fragrance in the Parfums de Nicolai line. Patricia Nicolai is the grand-daughter of Pierre Guerlain and has received extensive training in perfumery, even from Jean-Paul Guerlain himself. I highly admire her creations, my favorite being Balkis (velvety, peppery raspberry), Maharadjah (spicy lavender), Vanille Tonka (candied incense). The scents are marked by not only unique combinations of notes but also by certain exoticism, the search for the undiscovered. Maharanih seems to follow that tradition – it carries a distinct Nicolai mark exploring aromatic and spicy notes.
Maharanih is a radiant scent. Bitter orange soaked in geranium is what you get upon first sniff – aromatic and pungent. The heart is permeated with lavender and a touch of cinnamon, very much echoing Maharadjah. The drydown is softened by smooth amber and barely there sandalwood. I very much enjoy the fragrance but it’s another case of conceptual appeal. I cannot help but think Maharanih would make an excellent home scent. On skin, it lacks a certain something, that quality which makes perfume wearable. Perhaps, it’s also the fact I find it too similar to Maharadjah which I prefer much more.
Maharanih is available at Luckyscent.
Image source: luckyscent.com
February 22nd, 2007
Several months ago, Marina from Perfume-Smellin’ Things and myself did a joint post on Hottest Guys and Hottest Chicks in perfume ads. That was a fun project! Today I take a more serious stance – I’ve selected some of my most favorite perfume ads for your viewing pleasure.
Arpege by Lanvin
Cabaret by Gres
Dioressence by Christian Dior
Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior
Jicky by Guerlain
Magie Noire by Lancome
Chant d’Aromes by Guerlain
Images from parfumdepub.net
February 21st, 2007
I’m happy to announce Juozas Statkevicius fragrance is not that unattainable for us U.S. folk any more. You can purchase it at Beautyhabit. Woohoo!
February 20th, 2007
Who wouldn’t want to go on a tropical beach vacation right now? Ah, what a lovely thought. I’ve always thought I wasn’t born in the right country – my body is just incapable of dealing with frigid winters. Yes, I’ve adapted and managed, with more emphasis on “managed”. That’s pretty much the state I’m in these days. We got an unexpected temperature jump this week, I shed my down coat and went skipping through the streets of Chicago. Chanel boutique was my destination, actually, but I also made an extra stop at Neiman Marcus where I kindly begged for a sample of Virgin Island Water by Creed. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Creed. I’ve tried most of their fragrances, my favorites being Angelique Encens, Vanisia, and maybe Fantasia de Fleurs, on a rare occasion. Virgin Island Water is their newest one, a very timely release I must say – it filled me with a sudden urge to hop on a plane to the Carribean.
Virgin Island Water features the notes of bergamot, Jamaican lime, Sicilian mandarin, Indian jasmine, coconut, ylang-ylang, ginger, musk. Now, I’ve never been to the Carribean (or any tropical place, for that matter) but that’s exactly where I ended up in my imagination upon sniffing the scent. It starts out with a bright and cheerful burst of lime and bergamot that immediately conjures up images of sweltering sun and bright beaches. Almost immediately there’s a thin layer of milky coconut with ylang-ylang undertones that to me translates into hot sand, warm skin, and sumptuous tropical drinks. Jasmine is more prominent in the heart notes, giving the scent a slight floral feel. The drydown is my favorite part so far – it’s soft and musky, with a nice little touch of ginger. In spite of being a tropical scent, it doesn’t have a distinct suntan lotion feel. It’s definitely more complex than most beach scents I’ve tried. Virgin Islands… I want to go there! NOW!
Virgin Island Water is available at Neiman Marcus.
Image source: neimanmarcus.com
February 20th, 2007
The wonderful Parfums MDCI have now acquired names! Here they are:
FK #1 – Promesse de L’Aube which approximately translates into “Promise of Dawn”.
FK #2 – Rose de Siwa. Siwa is an oasis in the Egyptian desert that has personal memories for Claude Marchal, the founder of MDCI.
FK #3 – Enlevement au Serail which more or less means “Abduction at the Harem”.
SB #1 – Invasion Barbare. The name came most unexpectedly, from a movie called “Les Invasions Barbares”.
PB #1 – Ambre Topkapi which is another reference to the riches of the Orient, evoking the treasures of the famous Topkapi palace in Istanbul
February 20th, 2007
Bill Blass Spring 2007 Ready To Wear collection has made quite a favorable impression on me. If I had to use one word to charecterize it, I’d say Elegance. I’ve always valued elegance and have often bemoaned its absence in today’s fashion trends as well as what I see women wear. Elegance to me is tasteful simplicity. It doesn’t require posh fabrics, fancy hairdos or diamonds. It’s just that – simple and effective, tastefully. Bill Blass fragrance is all about elegance. It caught me by surprise as, to be honest, I was expecting to smell yet another fruity floral (I know, I know, I complain about them enough). Its restrained beauty is very much in line with the Bill Blass spring collection – effortless, graceful, and polished.
Bill Blass renders elegance in a seemingly simple interplay of galbanum, hyacinth, and lily of the valley. Apart from the initial sparkle of neroli, the scent is quite linear and a touch aldehydic. It’s the resurrection of the 70s or their modern interpretation, bringing to mind such scents as Fidji by Guy Laroche, Ivoire by Balmain, Silences by Jacomo. It is the scent of sheer, glossy fabrics and pastel colors. Bill Blass is a perfect scent to welcome spring – its luminous character makes you think happy thoughts. I don’t see myself wearing it yet, simply because I have not developed a strong enough taste for galbanum and hyacinth based scents. I do recommend trying it, however. It might be an instant love for you.
Bill Blass features the notes of neroli, galbanum, green mandarin, white hyacinth, lily of the valley, tuberose, jasmine. It can be purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue.
To illustrate the perfect outfit for Bill Blass, here’s one from their Spring collection:
February 19th, 2007
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