Posts filed under 'Today’s Perfume'
When I first became interested in perfumes, I was mostly taken by how they smelled superficially categorizing them into good smells and bad smells. I applied the same approach to perfume houses: Serge Lutens - good, Guerlain - bad, Frederic Malle - good, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier - bad. Many a houses were erroneously dismissed while my nose was in the process of maturing. Now that I’ve reached olfactory adolescence, I’m beginning to make amends for all the harm I’ve caused them. One of the houses subjected to my ill-treatment is Annick Goutal. I’ve rediscovered and fallen in love with so many of Annick Goutal creations lately that I feel like I deserve to deprive myself of all the dark chocolate in the world for at least a few weeks (the horrors!) But, I won’t go into such drastic measures. Instead, I’ll just sing praises to my new found gems.
Today’s praise goes to Heure Exquise. I wish I were a poet for I cannot find words to give it justice in prose. This is sophistication personified (or perfumefied?) Turkish rose, orris, Mysore sandalwood. A floral aldehyde with a delicate, powdery, chiffon-like, earthy aroma. So gorgeous it leaves me speechless. Rose and orris blend has already been wonderfully rendered in such scents as Hermes Hiris, Molinard Habanita, Chanel No 19, Piguet Bandit. Heure Exquise surpasses them all. It does bear resemblance to Chanel No 19. However, Chanel No 19 is a more complex floral blend accentuated by vetiver - solid and opaque in character. Heure Exquise is sheer and fragile. I must add these impressions are of eau de parfum. I haven’t had a chance to smell it in eau de toilette yet. Exquisite Hour is how it translates from French evoking “a rose garden when night slowly sets in. A very special moment called the exquisite hour…” (Osmoz.com)
Heure Exquise can be purchased at Nordstrom, Perfume Country, Fragrancenet as well as directly from the Annick Goutal online shop.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
July 18th, 2006
Today I’m wearing New Haarlem by Bond No 9, my favorite coffee perfume. There’s a fire drill at work today, and even though I’ve been thoroughly assured it’s really not a big deal, I’m rather antsy. I mean, this is a Chicago highrise, people (plus, I’m supposed to wear a dorky hat). On top of everything, there’s a major thunderstorm approaching. So, I picked New Haarlem for today’s scent because it has everything I need at the moment - bergamot (to rejuvenate), cedarwood (to balance) , coffee (to invigorate), vanilla (to cheer up) , patchouli (to calm), and lavender (to pacify). Life is good.
Image source: www.bondno9fragrances.com
June 28th, 2006
Today I’m wearing a cult perfume called Luctor et Emergo, created by a hip Dutch fashion house The People of the Labyrinths. It was supposedly nominated as a cult fragrance by Style.com So I asked myself, what does that mean? According to Answers.com, the definition of cult can be either: 1. “A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader”; 2. “Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing”, or 3. “An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest”. I don’t know about you but I much prefer the third definition, although, in reality, I probably fall somewhere in between the second and the third.
According to the People of the Labyrinths web site, “The search for the right combination took three years. The result is a blending together of different scents into one daring, unmistakeably personal bouquet of fresh grasses, various white flowers, vanilla and precious woods without losing the characteristics of each component.” Rather vague, I’d say. My nose detects soft incense on the woodsy base of vanilla with just a hint of almond and cherry. On popular online fragrance communities, the scent has been fondly labeled as POTL (People of the Labyrinths abbreviated) and extensively compared to the smell of play-doh. Play-doh wasn’t my childhood friend, so I can’t relate to this association. It does, however, have a somewhat foody smell which to my nose is more along the lines of marzipan or cherry cough syrup (which I guess isn’t foody but it depends on how you look at it). You either love it or hate it (both with a passion). There’s no in-between. I happen to love it because, you know, I belong to that exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, artistic interest.
Luctor et Emergo comes in parfum, eau de toilette, and body cream (heavenly!) and can be purchased from Beautyhabit, Luckyscent, Lusciouscargo or directly from the POTL online shop.
Image source: www.the.people.of.the.labyrinths.nl
June 27th, 2006
Today I’m wearing Bois Farine by L’Artisan Parfumeur. It’s created by Jean Claude Ellena (who I’d most certainly marry were we both single), one of my favorite perfumers. To view his other creations, check the Noses page on Now Smell This. Here’s the background information on the scent, from the L’Artisan web site, “Created by Jean-Claude Ellena, perfume composer of great talent and international fame, Bois Farine (Wood Flour) is the product of his encounter with a magic tree in the Reunion Islands. Here, in a forest known as the coloured wood forest, surrounded by evocatively named trees , red wood, yellow wood, iron wood and milk wood, he unexpectedly discovered the fragrant white tree - a rare and nowadays protected species, reputed to have magical powers. This tree is specific to Reunion Island and its red flower smells like flour. Bois Farine is a single and unique fragrance, a magical union between witch wood and flower powder … As rich and fresh as flour rain.” I love that description - flour rain. Something you wouldn’t want to happen if it was wheat flour, in real life or in perfume. However, this is woodsy flour - a whole bunch of wood crushed to powder, mixed with the magical flower of Ruizia Cordata, fennel seed, and white iris. The effect is a milky, woodsy balm. Slightly powdery, slightly creamy. Bois Farine has been compared to both peanut butter and the famous chocolate-hazelnut spread Nutella (in my case). I adore it and could never be without it.
Bois Farine can be purchased at Beauty Cafe, Aedes, Barney’s New York as well as directly from the L’Artisan online shop.
Image source: www.lartisanparfumeur.com
June 26th, 2006
Today I’m wearing Roma by Laura Biagiotti. Roma falls under the category of largely underrated perfumes. Well, I must quickly add that the category applies to myself only since I imagine it was quite popular back in 1988 when it came out but I was merely a fifth-grader then. So, why underrated? Simply because it’s been sitting in my drawer for about two years now, and I’ve only worn it twice, today being the second time. Now that I think of it, maybe I should make Friday as an official Underrated Perfume day (what do you think, guys?) Back to Roma. It features the notes of pink grapefruit, bergamot, black currant, mint, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, musk, patchouli, oakmoss, and civet. There’s no way my nose detects all of them but it certainly picks up on grapefruit-bergamot-jasmine combo on the sandalwood-amber-oakmoss base. The effect is quite peppery, even leeather-like, slightly spicy, with warm undertones. I have the eau de toilette (with excellent staying power), and now I can’t help but wonder if this was ever made in parfum. If you love scents like Fifi Chachnil, Calvin Klein Obsession, and Must de Cartier, you must give this a try!
Roma can be found at Imagination Perfumery, Parfum1, Scentiments as well as other online discount perfume sites.
Image source: www.imaginationperfumery.com
June 23rd, 2006
Today I’m wearing Silences by Jacomo. Victoria’s review of Silences on her blog, Bois de Jasmin, inspired me to track down this mysterious bottle and try the juice myself (which I promptly accomplished on ebay). I must say I haven’t been very lucky with most fragrances created in 1970s (with the exception of Magie Noire and that only in parfum). So I was slightly dreading the arrival of Silences picturing myself being smothered by a loud chypre. The bottle arrived yesterday. I ripped the cellophane open, briefly appreciated its sleek design, and anxiously sprayed some on my hand. Lo and behold, the earth, er, floor, shook beneath me as I was overcome by its stunning gorgeousness (I know this is probably redundant use of “stunning” but I swear that’s how I felt). First of all, a chypre. From the 70s. That I love. Secondly, it doesn’t smother me. Thirdly, I can wear it now, in this hot and humid weather. Beautiful! Enthralling! Glamorous!
Silences features the notes of galbanum, bergamot, orange blossom, lemon, orris, rose, lily of the valley, hyacinth, sandalwood, cedarwood, oakmoss, musk. It’s like a sprakly, lustrous version of Chanel 19, without that green earthiness.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
June 22nd, 2006
Today I’m wearing Cuir Beluga by Guerlain. Cuir Beluga is one of the recent additions created by perfumer Olivier Polge. Marina at Perfume-Smellin’ Things has already done an excellent review here, and, while she and I usually love the same perfumes, Cuir Beluga is an exception. Contrary to her, I happen to adore it. It features the notes of mandarine, aldehydes, immortelle, leather, heliotrope, amber, and vanilla. To my nose, this is not a predominantly leather scent. There’s no sharpness and austerity typically associated with leather. I get more suede softened by vanilla and amber. It also possesses a slightly bitter quality, a combination of immortelle and mandarine, I presume. Immortelle is known for its strong straw-like, fruity smell, with a honey and tea undertone, and I definitely detect a tea note. Cuir Beluga isn’t particularly aldehydic. Overall, it’s simultaneously honey-like soft and straw-like bitter, and I feel inexplicably drawn to it. It’s not by any means a comforting scent. It’s enigmatic and mysterious, with somewhat cold, detached beauty.
Cuir Beluga can be purchased directly from the Guerlain shop in Paris (phone orders - 33 145 62 52 57) or at Bergdorf Goodman in New York (212-872-2734).
Image source: www.osmoz.com
June 21st, 2006
Today’s scent is Donna Karan Wenge applied over Donna Karan Labdanum lotion and a few dabs of Labdanum perfume. I adore this combo so much I wanted to make sure it lasts. As stated earlier, Labdanum is my favorite summer incense, and Wenge is now my favorite summer woods. It complements Labdanum perfectly by softening its slightly rough edges and adding woody sweetness. The overall effect is reminiscent of Donna Karan Black Cashmere minus all the heavy spices (clove, nutmeg, pimento, patchouli). It smells so good I could bathe in this stuff!
Image source: www.neimanmarcus.com
June 20th, 2006
Today I’m wearing Jasmin 17 by Le Labo, a new non-conformist New York fragrance boutique. Before I begin, please be sure to check out the interview with the shop’s founders on Cait’s blog - Legerdenez. The components of Jasmin 17 are: jasmine, Litsea Cubeba, neroli, orange flower, Palma rose, bigarade, amber, musk, sandalwood, and vanilla. I’m not usually a lover of jasmine and prefer it well-hidden in the midst of woods and amber. This, however, is another story. This jasmine, in spite of coming across as predominantly jasmine, is a remarkably soft, gorgeous, sensual blend. It starts out as a jasmine soliflore, similar to Blush by Marc Jacobs, and evolves into a hesperidic (my nose detects mostly orange flower and bigarade) jasmine on a soft amber/vanilla base and just a hint of sandalwood. The scent stays close to skin and doesn’t seem to have much sillage but it’s so beautiful that I don’t mind sniffing my wrists repeatedly.
Other Le Labo creations include: Bergamote 22, Rose 31, Vetiver 46, Neroli 36, Fleur D’Oranger 27, Patchouli 24, Iris 39, Labdanum 18, and Ambrette 9. If you’re not sure which scents are for you, I highly recommend ordering a Discovery Pack. For $45 (plus shipping and handling) you get 3 different scents of your choice in sleek 5 ml glass sprays with not only the name of the scent printed on the label but also your name - the feature I find particularly appealing. For more information, please call 212-219-2230 or visit the Le Labo web site.
Image source: www.beautynewsnyc.com
June 15th, 2006
Today I’m wearing Bois D’Argent cologne. The cologne is part of the trio (Cologne Blanche and Eau Noire being the other two) created by Hedi Slimane, a fashion designer for Christian Dior. It features the notes of iris, incense, myrrh, honey, and leather - exactly the kind of notes I adore in perfume. On my skin, this takes on a dusty, hazy quality. Incense and myrrh are not jarring, honey is not syrupy, and leather is not abrasive. It’s a subdued composition, with notes blended together harmoniously. When I wear it, I feel calm, peaceful, and poised.
Bois D’Argent can be purchased from Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Eluxury.
Image source: www.eluxury.com
June 14th, 2006
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