Archive for February, 2007
Cashmere for Men is a mate to Cashmere for Women, created for an Italian luxury cashmere designer Cristiano Fissore. The scents are meant to represent cashmere, and I must say they accomplish that wonderfully. While the feminine version contrasts aldehydic floral notes with resinous woods, thereby representing cashmere as texture, Cashmere for Men seems to focus more on the feeling one gets when wearing cashmere. I simply cannot stop raving about these gems – such unique, well-blended compositions with the distinct touch of a master (but who is it? I so wish to know).
Cashmere for Men did quite an interesting trick on my skin: upon first application, apart from producing an instant “wow”, 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 more sheer, with more emphasis on soft woods, and hints of patchouli and vetiver. What I love about it is its honeyed woody accord – luxurious and comfortable at the same time, a true olfactory equivalent of cashmere.
Cashmere for Men features the notes of bergamot, rose bay, elemi, ginger, cedar, cashmere wood, guaiac wood, teak wood, vetiver, patchouli, amber, white musk. Despite its claim, the scent can very easily be worn by women.
Cashmere for Men is available at Luckyscent and Aus Liebe Zum Duft.
Image source: luckyscent.com
February 18th, 2007
Dianthus is the newest addition to the Etro fragrance line. I love Etro fashion, with a particular weakness for their paisley scarves. Alas, I can’t say the same for their fragrances. With the exception of Messe de Minuit and perhaps Shaal Nur, I find most of them a little on the insipid side. The news of Dianthus gave me some hope as it’s a carnation based scent, and I simply adore carnation in perfume. Carnation works best in floral oriental compositions such as my favorite Metalys by Guerlain, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, Poivre by Caron. When done as a soliflore, it is much less appealing, with the exception of Oeillet Sauvage by L’Artisan Parfumeur. I mistakenly assumed Dianthus would be fall into the latter category but a simple carnation scent it is not.
Dianthus opens up with a gentle blend of carnation and rose that’s almost immediately spiced up by red pepper giving the composition a fiery feel. Red pepper seems to be the second leading note. Its interplay with carnation is accentuated by dusty cedar in the drydown. What I like about Dianthus is its dual nature: it’s bright and moderately dark simultaneously. The scent is well-blended and has a certain appeal. Sadly, I find it a little flat, with not much development or sillage. However, it is a nice scent, and a must try for carnation lovers. Dianthus features the notes of carnation, rose, red pepper, orange, cedarwood, musk.
Dianthus can be purchased at Aedes.
Image source: cosmoty.de
February 16th, 2007
This week has turned out to be a little on the busy side. I’m still swooning over the new Chanels and haven’t really felt like smelling/wearing anything else. I did, however, put on some Drole de Rose by L’Artisan Parfumeur yesterday, and it was just so beautiful it made me wonder why I don’t wear it more. The inspiration for the scent came from the perfumer’s memory of mother kissing good-night before going out – the smell of her lipstick and face powder lingering in the air. That is exactly what it smells like to me, especially in the drydown – rose lipstick. I’m yet to find any leather there (it is said to be one of the base notes). On another perfume note, Mr. Aromascope has been having a very busy week as well. Yesterday morning he kissed me good-bye before leaving for work, and I caught a familiar whiff of my favorite scent. “I’m wearing Idole because I feel like a savage today,” was what followed. For those who don’t know, Idole de Lubin is an amazing exotic-spicy scent. A savage because he’s been working on a very important project and got very little sleep the night before. Needless to say, that made me laugh. It also made me happy I have him officially recruited in my perfume army. His other favorites from my collection are Bvlgari Black, Kolnish Juchten, Zagorsk by Comme des Garcons, Chene by Serge Lutens, Aomassai by Parfumerie Generale. If you have any fun stories of similar nature about how your perfume obsession affects people in your life, please share! Good day to all!
February 14th, 2007
No, this is not a review of In Love Again by Yves Saint Laurent. This is my somewhat reluctant attempt to acknowledge that today is Valentine’s Day. I have nothing against the holiday other than I don’t celebrate it for it has no meaning to me personally. Nevertheless, I’d like to take this opportunity to confess, once again, my love for perfume and also you, my readers. My heartfelt thanks to you for reading Aromascope, for your input (I do value your comments, even if my responses are not always timely), and for sharing your passion for perfume with me. So, today, I’m in love again – with you and perfume!
Image source: parfumdepub.net
February 14th, 2007
February 12, 2007 was an important day in the life of many self-respecting perfume fanatics – the new Les Exclusifs de Chanel were finally released! A fellow perfume lover that I know through Makeupalley was actually the first person in the whole United States to purchase the scents, and I made history being the first person to be utterly glued to the display at my local Chanel boutique, and, secondly, whip out my own empty sample vials begging the sales person to let me make a few sprays to take with me (she openly admitted to have never seen such a thing). The experience was ecstatic. I fretted earlier about not wanting to be disappointed, and I’m relieved to say I’m not. All the six scents are indeed exceptional and very much in the spirit of Chanel, and while I don’t love them all equally, I’m truly impressed by each one. Below is a brief overview of what my nose could obtain from these meager samples.
Rue Cambon 31 – probably the most sophisticated of Les Exclusifs, a gorgeous blend of iris, rose, jasmine, and sandalwood, slightly reminiscent of Bois des Iles minus the woodiness. I love the composition but it seems to have a rather faint heart, as if it doesn’t quite open up. It also has a certain melancholy to it, certain aloofness, and I predict it’ll take some time for me to truly “get” it.
No 18 – according to Polge, there’s never been anything like it which I instantly agreed with until I detected a similar accord to that in L’Artisan Timbuktu (perhaps it’s the green mango note). No 18 is centered around ambrette seed, a rare ingredient, that seems to possess a slightly sour, pickle-juice-like aroma. Therefore, it’s an odd scent but appealing nonetheless. A bit musty, a bit spicy, and definitely unique.
Bel Respiro – a very pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to fall for this one as much as I did. It smells of fresh cut grass, summer days, warm air, and leisure. I detect galbanum and perhaps hyacinth. Very aptly described as “stemmy” by Polge, it’s light and airy but exceptionally blended. I envision myself wearing this a lot in summer.
Coromandel – ah, instant mad love which wasn’t a surprise as the notes promised to have such an effect. Coromandel is done using the popular nowadays gourmand amber and patchouli theme. No wonder it instantly reminded me of the Prada perfume, except Coromandel is far superior in both composition and character. Its heart is very ambery and spicy, with patchouli adding but a wet earth undertone that never dominates. Truly mesmerizing! It’s bound to be very popular.
Eau de Cologne – a very nice cologne, with lots of zesty lemon that takes a slightly sweet turn reminiscent of fresh lemon candy. Nothing more to say as it didn’t quite move me.
28 La Pausa – all about iris. Sparkling, slightly sweet, moderately powdery iris. Think Hermes Hiris with added fruity notes, maybe? The drydown is lovely but the scent seems a bit too faint, it needs more presence. However, further testing is necessary.
All the scents are in the eau de toilette concentration. They come in huge 6.8 fl. oz (200 ml) spray bottles, with a fancy magnetic top. The lasting power depends on the scent (Coromandel is definitely the strongest). As a side note, the reissues – Gardenia, Cuir de Russie, No 22, Bois des Iles – seem to have been tweaked, especially Cuir de Russie which was another pleasant surprise as I actually got leather! I highly recommend testing all these fragrances – Chanel doesn’t disappoint!
Les Exclusifs are available at Chanel boutiques exclusively.
February 12th, 2007
In times when new perfumes abound, and more and more innovative niche lines come into existence, one would not expect the next big thing to come from a cashmere designer. One would be very much mistaken, however, as that is precisely where it comes from in this case – the new Cashmere for Women by an Italian luxury cashmere designer Cristiano Fissore. An obsure name for some, perhaps (it was for me), but one that deserves extra recognition for not only producing the highest quality cashmere but also for its completely unconventional approach to fragrance. Perhaps I’ve become a little jaded after seeing so much, shall we say, monotony and predictability in perfume these days but I certainly didn’t expect to fall madly in love with this scent. Yet, that’s where I find myself today – truly, madly, deeply.
Cashmere strikes me as unconventional in that it’s not a typical scent to represent cashmere – soft, floral-powdery, cuddly, warm, inoffensive. Ironically, it still manages to convey that impression. Cashmere is a scent of contrasts – a green, floral aldehydic heart and resinous, musky base. Upon first spritz it smells like a laundry detergent which can be offputting but, trust me, it’s worth it. The next stage is what my nose detects as apricots and pine, roughly speaking – the green floral heart underlined by soft incense and myrrh. Hence the contrast: as soft as cashmere can be, it’s still wool, and it does itch. Likewise, the scent is both soft and coarse, and that’s what I love about it. It’s so well-balanced and unique that I cannot wait to own a bottle.
Cashmere features the notes of bergamot, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, cedarwood, incense, myrrh, amber, vanilla, white musk.
I’d very much like to know who the perfumer is. If anybody has this information, please share! Cashmere for Women is currently available at Aus Liebe Zum Duft. I hear it might also become available at Luckyscent in the near future.
Image source: Cristiano Fissore press release
February 11th, 2007
Etat Libre d’Orange (“The Free State of Orange”) is a new French perfume line, “a land of olfactory liberality, free from every taboo, where insubordination and olfactory eroticism reign supreme”. From the moment I heard about it I’ve had very mixed emotions – from the initial scoffing at such pretentiousness to being merely amused by such silliness. Whichever it might be, it’s an original concept, albeit annoying, but what matters in the end is the fragrance (even if it has to have a kinky name). Etat Libre d’Orange fragrances are free-spirited and self-sufficient, so to speak, not begging to be liked, yet possessing a certain power of both appeal and disgust. Out of the eleven scents I’ve tried (there’re two more added recently), I must say only a few are wearable, and only a couple are full-bottle-worthy.
Secretions Magnifiques (Magnificent Secretions) – iodine accord, iris, milk, cocoa, sandalwood, opoponax. A truly disturbing perfume. I wouldn’t even call it perfume, actually. The smell of blood, body fluids, raw flesh, and whatever’s left in your imagination.
Vraie Blonde (Real Blonde) – aldehydes, champagne, rose, peach, white pepper, myrrh, patchouli, suede. A fizzy salty drink. I’d like to say it smells like champagne but instead it’s more along the lines of pickle juice. Borderline wearable. It does indeed conjure up “excess of luxury, the flashiness of casinos, women in sheath dresses and Marilyn naked under a mink coat”.
Je Suis Un Homme (I Am A Man) – bergamot, bitter orange, lemon, laurel, cinammon, clove, cognac, leather, patchouli. This cognac-like scent “suits men who assert themselves… and women who assume their masculine side, ready to launch the offensive without being scared of reversing roles”. With such excellent notes, it doesn’t seem assertive enough and is a little jarring.
Encens et Bubblegum (Incense and Bubblegum) – peach, strawberry, vanilla, lily of the valley, orange blossom, musk, incense. Just as the name suggests, the fragrance is quite absurd. “For all the Madonnas in the world”, the scent is said to combine the sacred and the mischievous – she “chews bubble gum at a church”. Alas, there’s too much mischievous (i.e., peach and strawberry) and not enough of sacred to make it appealing (assuming it’s even possible!).
Putain des Palaces (Hotel Slut) – rose, violet, leather, lily of the valley, mandarin, ginger, rice powder, amber. My favorite of the line, it’s a voluptuous, dark, powdery rose and violet blend, accentuated by soft leather. It has presence, it has sillage, it’s one of a kind.
Jasmin et Cigarette (Jasmine and Cigarette) – jasmine, tobacco, hay, apricot, tonka beans, turmeric, cedar, amber, musk. Inspired by images of Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich “smoking a cigarette in a smoky black and white ambiance”, the scent is more about jasmine than cigarettes. The tobacco and hay add a hazy touch. A very wearable jasmine and my second favorite.
Eloge du Traite (Praise of a Traitor) – pine, bay leaf, mugwort, cumin, geranium, jasmine, patchouli, leather, musk. “A tribute to all the Judas of this world” – hmm, can this be appealing? It is not. Heavy on pine and patchouli, the scent seems harsh and unbalanced.
Rien (Nothing) – incense, rose, leather, iris, labdanum, oakmoss, styrax, patchouli, amber, cumin, black pepper, aldehydes. A “modern Dorian Gray”, it vacillates between the ugly and the appealing. It’s a rather dense but smooth mix of leather and resins. I’ve gone back and forth on this one and still not sure.
Nombril Immense (Belly Button) – patchouli, Peru balsam, vetiver, black pepper, opoponax, bergamot, carrot seeds, ambrette. “An invitation to introspection”, the scent is centered around precious patchouli. The crisp vetiver and arid black pepper add a masculine touch. Overall, an interesting take on patchouli, albeit not outstanding.
Antiheros (Anti Hero) – lavender, musk, woods. This lavender scent “fights very ordinary battles”. It’s pretty much all it is – fresh, invigorating lavender.
Divin’Enfant (Child Divine) – orange blossom, rose, amber, musk, leather, tobacco. The scent contrasts innocent top notes of sweet, vanillic orange blossom with temper tantrums of the bottom notes – coffee, leather, and tobacco. It’s an odd mix and doesn’t really work well together.
Etat Libre d’Orange scents are available at Henri Bendel’s in New York.
Image source: www.etatlibredorange.com
February 8th, 2007
The germs that have seized my nose do not want to surrender. I did one initial testing of the Etat Libre d’Orange fragrances but more is needed for my final review (which I was hoping to post today but it will probably happen tomorrow). One amusing thing I observed: I can barely smell perfumes but I sure could pick up on the rotten egg smell coming from the neighboring apartment (which I assume was pot?) Anyways, for some more randomness, Style.com has Fall 2007 Ready To Wear collection up. My relationship to fashion is more of an insightful observer than an actual follower, explained by the fact that in my teen years I wanted to be a fashion designer and drew outfits endlessly. Here’re a few shots of my Fall 2007 RTW favorites so far. I’m not assigning perfumes this time but if you so desire, please do so!
Alexander Herchcovitch
Marc Jacobs
Max Azria
Nicole Miller
Images from style.com
February 6th, 2007
Marina did a great post yesterday on “scent cemetery”, i.e., scents she no longer loves. To piggy-back on her idea (since my nose’s still malfunctioning), I’ve come up with a list of scents I used to hate/dislike and now adore. Here’re a few:
- Muscs Koublai Khan by Serge Lutens
- Miss Dior by Christian Dior
- Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
What are yours?
February 6th, 2007
There’s yet another fascinating article in The Australian dedicated to the house of Chanel, its resident perfumer Jacques Polge, its deputy perfumer Christopher Sheldrake (also the nose behind most Serge Lutens creations), and the new Les Exclusifs. “The creators at Chanel have complete freedom, whether it’s Karl Lagerfeld in fashion or Jacques Polge in the fragrance world, Sheldrake says. “The creation leads the business, not marketing, so there is never the likelihood that we are going to come up with a compromise”. I don’t know about you but I’ll most likely rip out my hair if Les Exclusifs disappoint.
P.S. It looks like I’ve come down with a head cold, and my nose is barely functioning. When all is clear again, reviews of the Etat Libre d’Orange fragrances will follow.
February 5th, 2007
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