Needle In A Haystack: Madame Koko By Yosh
It’s Neede In A Haystack time! Today Marina from Perfume-Smellin’ Things and myself are writing about samples we blindly picked from our sample boxes. I must say every time I’m about to put my hand into the sample box, I get excited like a little kid in an amusement park at one of those stands where you get to throw a ball in hopes of winning a prize (is there a word for it?). Thing is, most of the time I end up with a sample I’m not that thrilled about, much like I was never lucky at winning anything at those stands (what a rip-off for kids!) OK, perhaps I should clarify: I’m only not too thrilled about obscure samples, although I do welcome the challenge. By the way, the image to the left is, once again, Marina’s concoction. We’re getting more and more scantily clad, and I’m starting to worry. But back to the challenge at hand! Today’s pick is Madame Koko by Yosh.
When Madame Koko came out (about 2 years ago, I believe), it was only available at Luckyscent and SFJazz. It was created by one of my favorite perfumers, Yosh Han, specifically for a jazz festival. I believe the scent has been discontinued as I wasn’t able to find it on either sites. Madame Koko is a perfume oil, with excellent staying power and decent development on skin. It features the notes of gardenia, Casablanca lily, Turkish rose, pink pepper, coconut, coriander, green cognac, and chocolate. One of the reasons I love Yosh Han’s creations is their complexity which is not very common for perfume oils. Madame Koko, while extremely appealing, seems to be a bit more straightforward - it’s a blend of dewy gardenia and lily on my skin. I’d even say it’s a green, almost soapy floral - the dewiness is present all the way evoking images of not just flowers alone but also stems and leaves. For better or worse, my nose detects no coconut, coriander or chocolate, with perhaps some traces of mild spiciness in the very drydown (which also creates a dirty undertone). In my book, Madame Koko stands next to my other favorite Monyette Paris (which could be a distant cousin minus the Nag Champa) and another Yosh creation, Stargazer. While I quite like the scent, I don’t bemoan its disappearance too much for my sample will last me a long time.
Please be sure to check Marina’s catch of the day.
Image source: courtesy Mrs. Colombina, barneys.com
12 comments May 3rd, 2007