Archive for July, 2007
Yet another joint Aromascope and Perfume-Smellin’ Things project! 5 Random Bests – we plan to do this on a somewhat regular basis. Considering how often our tastes fluctuate, the lists will always be fresh! Please let us know what other Best categories you’d like to see featured. Today’s picks:
5 Best Retro Scents
L’Arte de Gucci – a timeless femme fatale for those moody days.
Youth Dew Amber Nude by Tom Ford Estee Lauder – a “don’t mess with me I can stab you with my high heels” type of scent.
Rose de Nuit by Serge Lutens – an oustanding modern take on a classic rose chypre.
Fleur de Narcisse by L’Artisan Parfumeur – a glamorous, romantic liquid jewel.
Le Parfum de Therese by Frederic Malle – a modern day classic in the style of Eau Sauvage and Miss Dior.
5 Best Men’s Scents for Women
Bvlgari Black – quintessential, minimalistic, urban charm.
Egoiste by Chanel – just because a woman can.
Clive Christian X For Men – a more intense Black Cashmere, a total slayer.
Le Dandy by D’Orsay – tobacco and whisky? Unisex.
Knize 10 – an extremely elegant, refined, timeless leather.
5 Best Women’s Scents for Men
Mitsouko by Guerlain – no comment.
Bois des Iles by Chanel – just because a man can.
Prada – just because the women’s version is far superior to the men’s.
Fifi Chachnil – forget pink lacy lingerie, think: sultry, spicy amber.
Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez – will make anybody weak in the knees.
5 Best Scents To Take on Vacation
Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle – for those romantic dinners and strolls along the river.
Black Oud by Montale – for all-around, feel good times.
Champaca by Ormonde Jayne – for a tropical getaway on a low budget.
Pierre de Lune by Armani Prive – for scurrying the city shopping.
L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris – for touring ancient castles and such.
5 Best Wedding Scents
Chanel 22 – for a classic, tailored outfit.
La Chasse Aux Papillons by L’Artisan Parfumeur – for a lacy, girly wedding (with butterflies).
Iris Poudre by Frederic Malle – for an elegant, ornamented dress.
L’Ame Soeur by Divine – for an airy, effervescent dress.
Attrape Coeur by Guerlain – for a luxurious, Ferrari type of occasion.
Image source: courtesy of Miss Colombina, corbis.com
July 12th, 2007
That’s how I choose to look at it – yes, I’m 31 today. Sigh. But it’s just a number, right? Besides, numbers can mean anything. For instance, 31 perfumes. That’s a lot! So here’s a list of my favorite 31 perfumes (in no particular order, although, a Guerlain girl at heart, I’ll list those first):
- Metallica/Matalys by Guerlain
- Guet-Apens/Attrape Coeur by Guerlain
- Apres l’Ondee by Guerlain
- Voilette de Madame by Guerlain
- Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain
- Iris Ganache by Guerlain
- Cuir Beluga by Guerlain
- Rose Barbare by Guerlain
- Plus Que Jamais by Guerlain
- Vol de Nuit by Guerlain
- Diorama by Christian Dior
- Eau Noire by Christian Dior
- Bois d’Argent by Christian Dior
- Drole de Rose by L’Artisan Parfumeur
- Fleur de Narcisse by L’Artisan Parfumeur
- Iris Poudre by Frederic Malle
- Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle
- Muscs Koublai Khan by Serge Lutens
- Rose de Nuit by Serge Lutens
- Tubereuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens
- La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens
- L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris
- Rose en Noir by Miller Harris
- Black Oud by Montale
- Oud Roses Petals by Montale
- Oud Damascus by Montale
- Chanel 22
- Chanel Coromandel
- Chanel Coco parfum
- Orris Noir by Ormonde Jayne
- Feminite du Bois parfum by Shiseido
Image source: me holding a balloon in the kindergarten 28 years ago.
July 11th, 2007
Today Marina from Perfume-Smellin’ Things and myself are presenting to you yet another joint project: the diva perfumes. I won’t go into much detail as to what that implies (Marina has already done an excellent job!) except for saying a diva perfume to me is potent, compelling, demanding, and somewhat rebellious. I’ve come up with ten of such scents but, needless to say, there are more. Now imagine these perfume divas at a party, all in the same room. The party is thrown by a very influential man (let’s say, Chanel Egoiste). Their attendance is an essential career move as well as an invaluable opportunity to network. Here’s what I see:
Jean Paul Gaultier Classique busts in (literally) with her curvy shape, giving everybody kisses and leaving bright red lipstick stains (she never goes by Classique alone to make sure everybody knows she’s Jean Paul Gaultier’s). Poison immediately shoots venomous glares at Classique while stomping the floor with her super high heels and blinding everybody with her shimmering purple halter dress of rather indecent length. Meanwhile, in the midst of such steaminess, Madame Fracas and Lady Joy repose in the corner, both in utter shock over such impudent, non-ladylike behavior. They’ve lived, they’ve loved and been loved, they’ve endured, and they’ve seen it all but this? Quelle horreur! Nevertheless, they’re smiling perpetually, exuding the most pleasant, friendly demeanor, while, in reality, there’s an argument going on between them. The nature of the argument consists of who’s the headiest. It looks like they’ll never agree – which is only to be expected as both possess enough headiness to out-heady them all. Shalimar floats through the room gracefully performing an occasional belly dance on demand. She feels quite out of place in this room void of Heavy Orientals. Paloma Picasso and Cabochard seem to have formed quite a companionship sipping wine and smoking endlessly. Both sturdy feminists, they also seem to be engaged in a heated discussion, completely disregarding everybody else. Patou 1000 is the best dressed of the night, no doubt, wearing a luxurious white silk dress, a string of pearls, and a sparkling golden bracelet. She’s composed and placid, keeping occasional company to her cousin Lady Joy (only to be ignored by her). Black Orchid and Donna Karan Gold pass the time at the bar utterly inebriated. They’re here only to put in an appearance. Black Orchid’s outfit is rather striking – a wild mix of “80s meet 60s”. She indulges in exuberance, clearly. Donna Karan Gold has a bit more class, although still revealing a bit too much, showing off her bulky golden jewelry. Overall, it’s quite an impressive gathering. However, there’s a certain forced, stifling air that’s undeniably quite irritating for the ones present (although they try hard to hide it). You can witness regular glances at the clock and certain uneasiness. Well, these are Divas, after all. They each need their own, unshared audience and praise.
What other perfumes do you consider Divas, and what would they do at a party like this?
Image source: courtesy Ms. Colombina
July 10th, 2007
By Donna Hathaway
Lately I have been pining after perfumes that are no longer made, or are exclusive to some boutique across an ocean, or are otherwise unobtainable. I thought I would take time off from my longings to appreciate something that is freely available without having to jump through any flaming hoops on eBay or learn a new language just so I can order it.
It is time think about real summer perfumes, the ones you put on when the days slow down and the ceiling fans whir and you can’t even stand to look at the fall fashions that start hitting the stores right about now because they have wool in them. There are two basic ways to go, as I see it – wear light, fresh, ethereal, green fragrances to cut through the heat and humidity, or just wallow in it with big white florals and indolic blends that give off their own brand of heat as the temperature rises. I do a little of both, but the latter does not work in an office setting most of the time. (If you try it, use a light hand and choose wisely.)
In the former category I have some favorites, of course. My current standby for summer is Ines de la Fressange, a lovely composition featuring mandarin, neroli, bergamot, white rose, lily-of-the-valley, peony and vetiver, among other things. It is steadfast in the heat and never turns sticky. Then there is my bargain-basement discovery of Le Couvent des Minimes Orange Blossom from Bath & Body Works. It seems to have disappeared from their web site at the moment. I hope it is still around, because it is just delicious, and unbeatable for the money – I have the body cream, the EDT, and the shower gel. The clean soapiness of the orange flowers is warmed by a hint of vanilla, but it never fails in the warm weather. Max Mara is a delightful concoction with an unusual cool, fresh birch sap note that I find irresistible.
Moving on to the more sophisticated summer scents, Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion is great in any season, but it just loves summer, and it blooms on my skin like nothing else. Serge Lutens Un Lys, about which I have written before, needs no introduction except to say that its chilly perfection comes into its own it hot weather, revealing a warmer heart than you ever thought possible. Then there is Jean Patou Colony, that oddest of birds, a pineapple chypre, and pure sensuality when the mercury rises. Of course there are such classic white florals as Fracas and Joy that are best kept for romantic situations in the summer. I define a “romantic situation” as: anytime I feel daring enough to wear one of them when the temperature is over 80° F.
The one I really want to talk about, however, is another Serge Lutens – the delirium-inducing hothouse flower called Datura Noir, released in 2001. I only heard of it less than two years ago, and when I went looking for the Lutens line I discovered that my local boutique had just started carrying the SL Export line. (This was back in the day when Un Lys was part of that. Sigh.) I went to the store and tried every single one, and every one was a revelation – I had not been so stunned and amazed by an entire fragrance collection since the original and dear-departed Jean LaPorte line. Now, Datura Noir was already on my list of things to try, but I had no idea I would be so utterly captivated. If anyone had told me that I would fall in love with a perfume that had a distinct powdery note in it, I would have scoffed at the idea. I am not a powdery sort of girl at all. Yet here it was – and I was enthralled.
With one whiff of this essence, I was whisked back to my early years and the lake where we spent our summers trying to escape the punishing heat and humidity of New England. There were three beaches on “our” lake. The one we visited most often was the free public beach, which was okay but the water was deep and cold and the shore was rocky. (In northern New England the lakes don’t really warm up all that much in summer.) Another beach was also free but it was where all the boats launched, so we had to watch out for speeding outboards all the time, and it smelled of marine fuel.
Beach number three was by far our favorite, but there was a catch – in order to gain access to it you had to pay to get into the drive-in movie that was playing. We did see many a movie there, but we always tried to get there early so we could swim first. Sometimes we missed part of the show because we did not want to leave the water, which was like a warm bath on very hot nights. The footing was soft and sandy, and the water was shallow so it was never cold like the rest of the lake My memories of that beach are bound up with the drive-in experience as well – the excitement of the previews, the chill of the night air after the last movie ended (those were the days of double features!), the thunderstorms flickering in the distance, the foil-wrapped hot dogs, and drinking Tahitian Treat soda, which was like carbonated Hawaiian punch. The water smelled different too – it was sweet and a little swampy, filled with little spidery waterweeds, but never dank, just a bit on the tropical side. It was this aroma that caught me by surprise when I smelled Datura Noir. It was the smell of a hot summer night and the relief of water on sunburned skin, of a body-temperature lake and feeling like you’re getting away with something. (It could have been called “Nightswimming” after the R.E.M. song.) It is a scent of memory and of transgression, of barely understood longings and sexual awakenings, of feeling like something is about to happen but you’re just not sure what, you just want it to happen, and soon.
The stated notes, which are very likely not complete due to the aura of mystery surrounding the Lutens line, are as follows: Datura flower, mandarin peel, apricot, lemon flower, tuberose, osmanthus, bitter almond, coconut, heliotrope, myrrh, vanilla, tonka bean, and musk. It sounds like it could be a bit sticky-sweet by reading that, but no – its sweetness is damp and muted, hushed by the powder and the bitter almond, and there is absolutely nothing gourmand about it despite the presence of apricot and coconut. On me that does not come out too much, but the Datura and heliotrope (hence the powder) do. I adore all of these notes in other perfumes and by themselves as well, but the Datura is what makes it a standout. This night-blooming and poisonous beauty lends coolness to the composition that both keeps a lid on the sweetness and adds a hint of danger. I can imagine that I am some overwrought Tennessee Williams femme fatale when I put this on. It’s a white-flower fragrance that no one will mistake for ladylike, and its fans like that just fine.
(If you want a Datura fragrance that is just a little more proper, try Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier’s Secrete Datura. She is Blanche Du Bois to Datura Noir’s Maggie the Cat.)
Image sources: neimanmarcus.com, “Swamp Thing” poster by Eric Powell, cover art to Swamp Thing comic book #23.
July 9th, 2007
I don’t know what has possessed me in the heat of summer to even think of Angel but I have, and today’s post is about venerable Angel substitutes. Why venerable? Because in this day and age we live amongst numerous Angel clones, and most of them in my humble (but educated) opinion are rather pathetic. No matter how you feel about Angel, it is undoubtedly a modern day classic, and as is the case with classic perfumes, they’re bound to be replicated. Personally, I see no wrong in replicas as long as they have a certain twist of their own, are able to make a statement, and have a general healthy olfactory self-esteem. Below is the list of such smell-alikes of Angel. I’d also like to add I call them “Angel substitutes” for a reason – they can be easily liked and worn if Angel is just too much for you or if you like only certain aspects of it.
Jailia by Profumi di Pantelleria
Probably my favorite Angel substitute, this Italian-made scent features the notes of bitter orange, bergamot, pineapple, peach, red fruits, honey, patchouli, vanilla, chocolate, ambergris. You get the same chocolate/caramel/patchouli blend but with added honeyed fruity depth (which in this case is a positive thing). Smooth and polished.
Ciel, Mon Jardin! by Le Prince Jardinier
A playful take on Angel, with notes of bergamot, rhubarb, melon, rose, jasmine, hyacinth, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, caramel, vanilla. The emphasis here is on the green, freshly picked rhubarb that’s made into a luscious dessert on your skin. I’d call this the best summer version of Angel. Very gourmand but extremely wearable.
Nuits de Noho by Bond No 9
Nuits de Noho is a sophisticated, glamorous take on Angel. Built around the notes of musk, vanilla, bergamot, rosewood, jasmine, and patchouli, it’s unbelievably urban and chic. The scent is pleasantly free of Angel’s caramel, gourmand theme, with emphasis on floral notes underlined by soft patchouli. Guaranteed to warrant compliments.
Nirmala by Molinard
Created in 1955, Nirmala can easily be called Angel’s Grandma. Based on mango, passion fruit, grapefruit, mandarine, jasmine, tonka bean, sandalwood, vanilla, and cedarwood, this sensual blend showcases tropical fruits on the creamy, woody base. Not a hint of patchouli, hence a great Angel substitute if patchouli is what bothers you.
Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens
If Nirmala is Angel’s Grandma, then Borneo (although created only a couple of years ago) could easily take Angel’s Grandpa’s place, the kind that loves his patch like tobacco, drinks his bourbon like there’s no tomorrow, and occasionally treats himself to coffee liquor filled dark chocolates. A smoky, hay-like, dry version of Angel. Patchouli, camphor, cistus, cardamom, galbanum, cocoa.
The above fragrances are available at Luckyscent, Beautyhabit, Saks Fifth Avenue, Aedes, and Salons Shiseido in Paris.
Image source: luckyscent.com, beautyhabit.com, salons-shiseido.com, saksfifthavenue.com, parfumdepub.net
July 8th, 2007
Today is my only day off this week, and I’m quietly contemplating on my recent perfume discoveries or, rather, rediscoveries. Fickleness when it comes to perfume is an absolutely normal state of mind (and nose) – I fall in and out of love all the time. So it’s always quite thrilling to develop new obsessions over scents you’ve known all along, especially if you used to dislike them (ooh, that really spices things up!) My current rediscoveries are fragrances I quite liked from the beginning but more in a detached kind of way. Two of them deserve a paragraph each at least, and the rest – honorable mention for the time being, with plans for future reviews:
Fleur de Narcisse by L’Artisan Parfumeur – been wearing this daily at work and wondering how on earth did I allow this beauty to be so far from my skin for this long! Never again. I love, love, love daffodil, and I can safely say there’s no other perfume under the sun that conveys its scent as beautifully as Fleur de Narcisse does. What makes it even more appealing to me is the added leather and hay notes which tend to smell a bit off when first applied on skin but subside as the scent develops, giving way to the stunning narcissus. I see a bottle in my future.
Clive Christian X For Women – a complete opposite to the airiness of Fleur de Narcisse, this scent is all about opulence and presence. It’s the kind of fragrance that will speak louder than your demeanor or attire, hence I’d only wear it to accompany a very simple, classic look (like a black dress). A rich, almost brooding blend of pulpy peach, green ivy, tangy mandarin, and piquant patchouli that gets better the longer it stays on your skin (and it does stay!) The fact it’s one of the most expensive perfumes in the world and all the claims regarding luxury, exclusiveness, and the like hardly matter to me. I love it for its scent alone.
Honorable mention goes to:
Pretty much the entire Montale oud line. Yes, I know, the perfume blogosphere has been on a Montale kick lately, and I do plan to make my contribution to the excitement at some point soon (most likely, when it subsides a little – to make some waves again). I adore Black Oud and Oud Roses Petals. Both have no rivals.
Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has A Gun which has already been reviewed here. I’ve now tried its counterpart, Miss Charming, a much more innocent, blushing kind of rose. If I think of enough to say, there will be a review soon. For me to have to say enough, a rose based perfume has to have a lot more going on than simply depicting the flower.
I think that’s about it. Have you had any discoveries or rediscoveries lately? Please share.
Image source: barneys.com, nordstrom.com
July 4th, 2007
By Tove Solander
This smell-alikes post is a little different since I don’t own one of the fragrances and hence can’t do a side by side skin test as usual. Thanks to Chayaruchama, I have a decant of Chanel Coromandel, and upon trying it I was surprised to find the top notes smell just like a soft drink in the vein of Sprite or 7-Up! I hadn’t expected something sweet and sparkling and charmingly childish like that from an exclusive oriental. The rest of the scent is all dry patchouli and, yeah, it works. I get what people are saying about Chanel: they manage to make even a patchouli scent sheer and never heavy like most orientals. Even the sweet top note has the watery and transparent quality of a soft drink and is not rich and syrupy at all. In the drydown, another kind of sweetness appears, a more traditional ambery/vanillic sweetness, and on the whole the scent is a bit on the sweet side for me. I do however love the dry, earthy, evocatively musty patchouli note.
A while after I first tried Coromandel, I finally found a working tester of Prada. All I can say is it’s a perfectly decent replacement. And released before Coromandel, too, which doesn’t reflect too well upon Chanel. Prada has the same combination of dry patchouli and Sprite-like top notes. Perhaps the soft drink in Prada has lost more of its bubbles – it’s more like the soft, synthetic sweetness of apple and pear flavouring that made me not like D’Orsay Le Dandy. Here the fruitiness is more subdued and balanced by the patchouli, however, while in the pale Le Dandy there were nothing there to balance it. I’m amazed something so patchouli-heavy and dry can survive among the fruity-florals, and that alone makes Prada a greater achievement than Coromandel. Sure, Prada might not smell quite as expensive. The patchouli is not as exquisite, and I get more vaguely fruity sweetness than I’d like, especially in the almost gourmandy drydown. But I still think Prada is a better value if patchouli with soft drinks is what you’re going for.
Image source: thestar.com.my, nordstrom.com
July 3rd, 2007
I just can’t get enough of Kate Winslet in these new Lancome Tresor ads! I just wish I loved the scent as much, although I’m now moved to revisit it, especially the original, pre-reformulated version.
July 1st, 2007
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