perfume review

Jazmin Saraï is a new line of Canada-based indie perfumes that explores scent and sound. Music is the inspiration for the perfumes.One would think that music has inspired many perfumes since we do use musical terms to describe perfumes – notes and perfumers have their perfumer’s organ, but it seemed that perfume has strayed from that over time. Most popular launches focus on whatever they think will pass in a focus group and use “trendy” inspirations and buzzwords. Anyway, Otis & Me is inspired by Otis Redding’s Cigarettes and Coffee. As a person that has worn down numerous Otis Redding records and as a person that could define so many eras of my live with a R&B song, I had to try Otis & Me before I tried any of the others from the line. This is the one that caught my attention.

Otis & Me opens as a teaspoon of cardamom honey stirred in a cup of steaming Earl Grey tea. Throw a few dried rose petals into the brew. The heart is balsamic with chips of cedar and sandalwood. Otis & Me gets smokier and smokier as it dries down. It’s a woodsy incense with faint traces of bitter coffee bean. It fades into a sour (like buttermilk) sandalwood and soft, smooth woods.

I wanted Otis & Me, or a perfume inspired by the King of Soul, to be smooth, deep and emotional. And I think Jazmin Saraï did this with Otis & Me. It’s sultry and melancholic like Memphis soul. The bergamot-tea are the horns, woods are the rhythm and the smoky notes are the melody.

Notes listed include in black pepper, Italian bergamot, cardamom, Turkish rose, incense, gurjum and coffee grains. Launched 2014. PERFUMER – Dana El Masri

Give Otis & Me a try if you like spicy incense perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Olympic Orchids Cafe V, Smell Bent Disco Nap, By Kilian Back to Black, April Aromatics Calling All Angels and/or Serge Lutens Chergui. Otis & Me is unisex, leaning more towards masculine.

Jazmin Saraï puts the perfume Otis & Me in these genres: Soul, Rhythm and Blues.

Projection is below average. It wears closer to the skin. Longevity is average.

The 1 oz bottle retails for $70 at Jazmin Sarai. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Smoky incense, hot tea and spice. If you like the sounds of the note list and Otis Redding, then you’ll probably like this.

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Fragrantica - Ida’s review

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by Jazmin Sarai. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Otis Redding pic from loadedbare.com.

Original article: Jazmin Sarai Otis & Me EDP Perfume Review

I love the smell of bluebells but I’ve found that all bluebell perfumes are sharp, synthetic messes that can’t capture the beauty of these spring flowers (um-hum, Penhaligon’s Bluebell). When I was given a sample of Union Gothic Bluebell, I admit I wasn’t looking forward to trying it. It claimed to contain essences of hand-picked English bluebells and all of that. I wouldn’t say that Gothic Bluebell is a “realistic” bluebell, but I can say that I’m pleasantly surprised by this vintage-feeling perfume.

When I first tried Gothic Bluebell, I was immediately reminded of Caron. Could this be an homage to Narcisse Noir. It’s a “dark narcissus” – a honeyed, incense floral. It’s a very “classic perfumery” interpretation of spring florals – hyacinth, narcissus and bluebells. This does’t smell like a spring meadow, instead it smells like perfume… a grand and proper perfume. Underneath the “stewed” florals, there’s powdery church incense and a floral sweetness.

It really is a dark bluebell. Little spring florals dotting green abbey grounds on a cloudy spring day. It will bring to mind Brontë sisters’ literature.

Notes listed include hyacinth, narcissus, violet leaf, ivy, oak and bellflower. Launched 2013. PERFUMER – Anastasia Brozler

Give Gothic Bluebell a try if you like the idea of a vintage-modern floral. Or if you like perfumes like Caron Narcisse Noir, Caron Narcisse Blanc, Tom Ford Jonquille de Nuit, Guerlain Jardin de Bagatelle and/or CREED Love in White. If you like classics but what something less formal, give Gothic Bluebell a try.

Gothic Bluebell has nice sillage and longevity.

Union Gothic Bluebell is available as a pre-sell at Union Fragrances. In the U.S., you can find the line at Henri Bendel. Will retail for $185 for 3.4 oz.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Caron Narcisse Noir for a modern era. It’s great to something like this launched today, you know, sophisticated perfumes.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Emily Bronte pic from National Portrait Gallery.

Original article: Union Gothic Bluebell EDP Perfume

DSH Perfumes Guimauve de Soie is a special perfume. It’s a collaboration between one of my favorite perfumer’s Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and one of my favorite bloggers, Carrie Meredith of Eyeliner on a Cat. It’s the love child of an indie perfumer and perfume lover (by the way, more of these sort of collaborations need to be happening). Guimauve de Soie is a play on color, texture and scent. The name itself means “Silk Marshmallow”.

Guimauve de Soie opens as a toasted almond covered in lemon sugar served with a side of mimosa marshmallows. In the heart a generous handful of violets appear adding a sharp greenness to the “marshmallow cream”. The base is a soft, powdery, almondy heliotrope and cocoa powder.

I think of Guimauve de Soie as a violet flavored Turkish delight with nuts dipped in chocolate. This is how I would sum it up.

Notes listed include anise, bergamot, bitter almond, lemon, ozone, ambrette seed, Bulgarian rose otto, mimosa absolute, orris concrete, parma violet, violet leaf, wood violet, Australian sandalwood, civet, cocoa beans, green oakmoss, heliotrope, musk, tonka bean, and vanilla. Launched 2012.

Give Guimauve de Soie a try if you like gourmands. Or if you like perfumes like L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversée du Bosphore, Jul et Mad Stilettos on Lex, Serge Lutens Loukhoum, Lalique Satine and/or Boadicea the Victorious Intense.

Guimauve de Soie has average projection and above average longevity.

An 1 oz EDP retails for $110 at DSH Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION - A violet flavored Turkish delight with nuts dipped in chocolate. If you are looking for a loukoum perfume with a “twist”, give this a try.

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Another Perfume Blog

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*Sample provided by DSH Perfumes. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Product pic from DSH Perfumes. Aliza Gur pic from www.fanpix.net.

Original article: DSH Perfumes Guimauve de Soie EDP Perfume Review

Florascent Kokiku is a fruity gourmand in the Kyoto Collection. This entire line is new to me and I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and balance of Kokiku.

Kokiku is a delicate green tea floral. It’s a rather abstract, wearing as fresh and sheer fruity tea with a gourmand rose. The feel of Kokiku is Ellena-esque. It dries down to something that reminds me of the most delicate of white tea leaves.

My perfume tastes have been leaning towards the sheer and abstract lately, so Kokiku is perfect for me right now. It’s exactly what I want to wear in the summer. And I’m attracted to its delicateness. It’s something so perfect, so fragile. I like how I could just “smash” it. Wearing this is like the same thrill I get from wearing a white shirt without getting it all stained.

Notes listed include lychee, kumquat, white freesia, yellow rose and green tea. Launched 2013.

Or if you like perfumes like Korres White Tea Bergamot Freesia and the Hermès Hermèssence line. Because of the subtle projection, I’d recommend this one for “day” wear or for summer.

Kokiku is a light fragrance. Projection and longevity are below average. Longevity sucks.

The 1/2 oz bottle retails for 33€ at Florascent.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sheer, delicate lychee rose tea. It’s really simple but that’s why I like it. I’d love to try the others in this collection as well.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Florascent. Candice Bergen pic from Vogue.

Original article: Florascent Kokiku EDP Perfume Review

Maison Martin Margiela has launched a line of Replica perfumes inspired by various memories from beaches to carnivals. I have a feeling out of the Replica series, that Jazz Club will receive the most hype. It’s a powdery tobacco leather that leans to the sweeter side. It seems to have all these elements that people like.

Jazz Club reminds me too much of standing outside of an Abercrombie & Fitch covered in Johnson’s & Johnson’s baby powder. It’s powdery with a very sharp, synthetic sweet woods and pink pepper. There’s a sharpness cutting through the sweetness. Something about this sharpness bothers my nose. I’m not a perfumer and sure not an expert, but I think if they wanted to give the allusion of less sweetness, they should have cut back on the sweetness instead of adding notes that battle it. Jazz Club finally settles into this sweet, powdery amber with a musky tobacco (and sage). It’s booze and tobacco with warmth. In my opinion, Jazz Club gets much better about 30-45 minutes in. It becomes a soft, smoky and sweet amber and Papier d’Arménie. This dry-down is amazing. But, geez, I’m not a fan of that über generic opening.

My prediction is that Jazz Club will be the most popular from the line. I can see how it appeals to both novices and connoisseurs. Novices have probably never smelled anything like it before yet it’s not too “out there” – it has familiarity. Connoisseurs seem to like tobacco/whiskey scents and want to “collect” them all. I don’t consider Jazz Club to be a “bad” fragrance at all. For some reason, I don’t like the opening. It’s one of those rare perfumes that I would want to smell on someone else after they have worn it all day. If you love boozy fragrances or tobacco scents, this is one for you to try.

Notes listed include pink pepper, lemon, neroli, rum, clary sage, Java vetiver, tobacco, vanilla and styrax. Launched 2013.

Give Jazz Club a try if you like powdery tobacco fragrances. Or if you like perfumes like Naomi Goodsir Cuir Velours, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Costamor Tabacca, Serge Lutens Chergui, L’Artisan Parfumeur Dzing! and/or Capsule Parfums Jaunt. Jazz Club is being marketed as masculine but it’s unisex.

Projection and longevity are above average. This wears like an EDP and not an EDT.

The 3.4 oz retails for $125 at Sephora.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sweet boozy tobacco. When I want something like this, I’ll wear Chergui. Jazz Club may not be my go-to boozy tobacco and the opening irritates me, but I do think it’s one of the better offerings at Sephora. Think of it as “gateway niche”.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Sephora. Nat King Cole pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Maison Martin Margiela Replica Jazz Club EDT Perfume Review

I love fig fragrances. And over the years I’ve had this “try all the figs” mentality. And I’ve tried lots of figs. Nez a Nez Figues et Garçons isn’t your usual lactonic/coconut/creamy sort of fig. It’s a bitter, green fig.

Figues et Garçones opens a bitter, green fig with a hint of overripe “skunkiness” from fruits. It smells like a hot day at a farmer’s market – figs, pears, rhubarb. When the greens and effervescent fruits dry down, Figues et Garçons cleans itself up after a trip to the farmer’s market. It becomes astringent, clean and “soapy”. The heart is a sharp cedar with pears and green fig leaves. The dry-down is a light, warm musk and sandalwood. This brings to mind tree bark.

I actually like a lactonic, milky fig. This is what I prefer. I don’t wear bitter fig fragrances. Now I realize that many people hate fig perfumes because they associate the note with the coconut that I like. For those of you that like a bitter fig like Sonoma Scent Studio Fig Tree, you will most likely like Figues et Garçons. These green, bitter figs aren’t that prevalent in the perfume world.

Notes listed include fig tree leaves, petit grain, fig, kiwi, cedar, sandalwood and musk. PERFUMER – Karine Chevallier

Give Figues et Garçones a try if you like fig fragrances or sophisticated fruity fragrances. Try if you like Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio, Slumberhouse Pear & Olive, Sonoma Scent Studio Fig Tree and/or Hermès Un Jardin En Méditteranée. Figues et Garçones is unisex. Its crispness does well in heat.

I find that this scent has average projection and below average longevity. I get about 5 hours of wear.

The Nez à Nez site still has Figues et Garçones but I can’t find it at US retailers like Luckyscent (where the 3.4 oz bottles of other scents retail for $165). Posh Peasant has decants so you can technically try it before trying to order it from Europe.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Astringent green fig. This is all about the leaves, not the fruit. I don’t like my figs like this so I’ll be saving some money

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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Brenda Marshall pic from www.fanpix.net

Original article: Nez a Nez Figues et Garçones EDP Perfume Review

With Mother’s Day around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to review Shelley Kyle De Ma Mère. When I first sampled the line, I immediately fell for this one. I love a spring-like honeyed floral.

De Ma Mère is a gorgeous honeyed floral. It’s a cool, dewy mimosa with lime zest. The linden in this is sweet and honeyed, reminding me of linden tea. De Ma Mère is a sweet yet tart floral. It wears rather linear but I like what I smell so this doesn’t bother me. This is exactly what I want to wear in the summer.

I do not understand why this brand doesn’t get more love within the perfume community. People that love florals from brands like Annick Goutal or Jo Malone London (or people that like “romantic” scents) should be going nuts for these. They are very well-done, affordable soliflores.

Notes listed include linden blossom, amber, acacia and beeswax.

GIve De Ma Mére a try if you like honeyed florals. Or if you like perfumes like Aftelier Honey Blossom, L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons, Provence Santé Tilleul, Annick Goutal Le Mimosa and/or Guerlain Champs-Elysées.

Projection is average and longevity is below average. It wears more like an EDT on my skin.

The EDP comes in two sizes (1 and 2 oz) with prices ranging from $37-$72 at Shelley Kyle. Other products are also available in this scent.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A beautiful honeyed floral – tart and sweet. I’m such a sucker for honeyed florals.

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Now Smell This – It’s not a review but this perfume is mentioned in the comments as a great perfume for summer…and I agree.

*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Shelley Kyle. Lily Elsie image from www.fanpix.net.

Original article: Shelley Kyle De Ma Mere EDP Perfume Review

For some reason I’ve always had issues with beautiful perfumes. I’m drawn to perfumes with some ugliness to them – cumin, leather, filthy indoles. Over the past year, I’ve fully embraced beautiful perfumes – perfumes more beautiful than reality, perfumes that don’t seem to belong on earth. HEELEY Ophélia could be a perfume that fits into this category. Its fault is that it is so beautiful that it seems unworldly. It’s so perfect that it makes me nervous. ¹

Ophelia opens as a big, fresh floral. It’s a green floral that reminds me of lily of the valley with orange zest. Ophelia smells like spring. There’s a whisper of green lilac. With time I pick up on the jasmine. And more jasmine. Ophelia wears as a green jasmine on me for most the wear. The scent is fresh, slightly aquatic…it’s dewy but not “cool”. There’s a sweeter tuberose with coconut and a creamy ylang-ylang. The heart is a big white floral. The dry-down is a vanilla-lily with a sheer, delicate white musk.

Ophelia is a beautiful fragrance. However, it’s so beautiful that one could argue that it lacks any interest. It’s so perfect that I think people could accuse it of being dull! In fact, I’m on the fence about my feelings of Ophelia, but I’ve already admitted my difficult past with perfumes like this.

My biggest issue with Ophelia is that it reminds of the of those silly studies that are like “Scientists have determined the perfect female face” and it is some computer generated image of this face that is supposed to be so perfect but you look at it and you get the point that “ideally” it is supposed to be the most perfect face ever but all you see is a symmetrical computer generated face that sort of comes across as perfectly boring? HEELEY Ophelia is like that. It’s pretty and the fairest at the ball, but it lacks any obvious imperfections. And I realize that I like large noses and thick eyebrows; I get bored with sparkling clear eyes and cute cupid’s bows.

Notes listed include Italian orange, green flower stems, jasmine, ylang ylang, tuberose, moss, and white musk. Launch date 2009.

Try Ophelia if you like pretty white florals. Or if you like perfumes like Diptyque Olene, L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons, By Kilian Love & Tears, Donna Karan Gold, and/or Montale Jasmin Full. Ophelia is a very feminine fragrance. And as far as a white floral goes, Ophelia isn’t as cool and cruel. I think it’s easier to wear than Fracas or Malle Carnal Flower.

Projection and longevity are above average. This wears much longer than the brand’s extraits!

The 3.4 oz EDP retails for $180 at MiN NY.Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A fresh, innocent, and “perfect” white floral (like Shakespeare’s Ophelia but without any of the tragedy). I appreciate it but my feelings are still mixed. It’s so “physically” beautiful and ideally perfect that it makes me nervous (and sometimes bored).

¹Uncanny Valley explains this phenomenon. Sometimes stuff is so perfect that my first instinct is to run. And I notice I get that with perfumes, perfumes like Ophelia.

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*Sample provided by MiN NY. Product pic from Barney’s. Carole Lombard from goldenagedames.wordpress.com.

Original article: HEELEY Ophelia EDP Perfume Review

Joanne Bassett Vert is a perfume in the More Life Collection. Vert is a nice alternative for those that are looking for a natural fougère with a twist.

Vert opens with herbs and a sharp lavender. It’s a refreshing “green” fragrance with dazzling citrus. Vert gets sweeter with wear. It’s not like dessert-sweet but it’s a balsamic vanilla that is a pleasant contrast to the bitter green citrus. Vert wears as herbal sweet. The dry-down is a boozy tonka-vanilla with cocoa powder.

If you like classic masculines, you may be interested in Vert. It has that classic lavender and citrus “eau de cologne” opening and dries down to a “fougère” tonka bean. I also think it is a good, “unexpected” choice for warm weather.

Notes listed include sweet marjoram, French lavender, cypress, rose, green mandarin, vanilla, cistus, angelica root, black currant, balsam, pink grapefruit, cocoa, lemon verbena, and white cognac. PERFUMER – Joanne Bassett

Give Vert a try if you like bitter/sweet perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male, Phoenix Botanicals Lavender Noir, Banana Republic Wildblue Noir, Penhaligon’s Endymion and/or Caron Pour Un Homme de Caron. Vert is unisex but I think it leans more masculine. In comparison to the others I listed, Vert does smell more natural.

Projection and longevity are below average which is rather common for all-natural perfumes.

Vert comes in a few sizes and different bottles, including the art bottle featured above. The 1 oz EDP retails for $190 at Joanne Bassett Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Bitter herbs with sweetness. I think this would make a nice masculine scent for summer.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by JoAnne Bassett perfumes. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Joanne Bassett Perfumes. Harold Lloyd (without his glasses) relaxing with what looks like Frink the Frug from www.fanpix.net.

Original article: JoAnne Bassett Vert EDP Natural Perfume Review

My favorite smell in the world is that of the ocean. And I’m not talking perfumery’s usual take on the ocean which is just squeaky clean soap. I like the smell of the ocean. Salt air, brine, seaweed and oysters. This doesn’t mean that I want to walk around smelling like a fish market, but I do love a briney perfume, something not afraid to bring in some of the dirtiness from the ocean into its composition. The ocean represents both birth and decomposition. MIKMOI Aldwych is one of the few aquatic perfumes that does everything that I want with an “ocean” fragrance.

Aldwych is my sort of aquatic. Cool and green. It opens with a sharp, green bitterness and salt air. It’s an atmospheric and enveloping fragrance like a sea mist. The dry-down is patchouli with an herbal lavender except it doesn’t smell “heavy” or masculine like my description may lead you to believe. Aldwych somehow manages to have this ozonic, sheer base with some heft. It’s an aquatic patchouli. Fresh but not too fresh.

Aldwych is a perfume inspired by Oscar Wilde (and it has been my experience that Wilde makes a great perfume inspiration) but when I first tried Aldwych, I thought of Morrissey. I keep trying to quit Morrissey but I can’t. After years and years of listening to him, by DNA has been altered to forever be an angsty 13 year old girl. My favorite song in the world is “Everyday is like Sunday“. I always imagined myself living in a seaside town, silent and gray. And when I made it to Seattle, I felt like I achieved this – grayness, pebbled beaches and salt air. This may sound depressing, maybe it is, but this is what I wanted. And I drove across the country in a little hatchback filled with perfumes, records and a duffle bag filled with a few poorly put together outfits. And I listed to “Everyday is like Sunday” on this epic drive. When I sniffed Aldwych, it was the perfume to scent this song – cool, demure and gray. Instant love.

Notes listed include absinthe, carnation, lavender and aged patchouli. Launched 2013. PERFUMER – Michael Coyle

Give Aldwych a try if you like smart aquatics. Or if you like perfumes like HEELEY Sel Marin, Hermes Epice Marine, Demeter Sushi and/or Escentric Molecules Escentric 02. Aldwych is unisex.

Projection is above average, nice sillage or “atmosphere”. Longevity is average.

The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $90 at MIKMOI. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Briney, herbal patchouli by the sea. A full-size bottle is on my “to-buy” list. I love stuff like this.

*I featured this in my summer perfume picks of 2013.

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Te de Violetas - In English and Spanish

*Disclaimer – Sample provided by MIKMOI. I am not financially compensated for my review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from MIKMOI.

Original article: MIKMOI Aldwych EDP Perfume Review

I’ve been a long time fan of the aroma M perfume line.House of Cherry Bomb is a perfume house founded by two New York City-based perfumers, Maria McElroy of aroma M and Alexis Karl of Scent by Alexis. In February, I was able to visit the atelier in Dumbo (that’ll be a different post). At the time I was slightly overwhelmed (and infatuated) and only sniffed House of Cherry Bomb Cardamom Rose briefly because I knew with a name like “Cardamom Rose” that I would probably love it. I ended up buying something else but received a sample of this one.

When I got back to rainy Seattle and tried Cardamom Rose, I was surprised by Cardamom Rose. I expected something heavy and “dense” but this isn’t. It opens with neroli, tangerines and a subtle spicy warmth. If the opening were a color, it’d be the orange/rust shades found in a blood orange peel. It wears as a citrus-cardamom with pretty citrus blossom florals. The rose appears in the heat; yet, it isn’t “rosey”. The rose is sheer and only intensifies the citrus in the perfume. It dries down to a slightly “steamy” or humid neroli.

I think of Cardamom Rose as a rose or a citrus for those usually dislike rose or citrus. It’s a surprisingly versatile perfume. I could see it working in the dead of winter as a pick-me-up or in the sweltering heat of summer. Not many perfumes fit into this category.

Notes listed include spice, Moroccan flowers and smoke. Launched 2013. PERFUMERS – Maria McElroy and Alexis Karl

Give Cardamom Rose a try if you like spicy citrus. Or if you like perfumes like Diptyque L’Eau de Tarocco, Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine, Thirdman Eau Nomade and/or Tom Ford Private Blend Rive d’Ambre. Cardamom Rose is seasonless and unisex. I also want to add that this smells amazing layered of the aroma M Bath & Body Oil.

Projection and longevity are average, wearing like an EDP (I do not know the exact concentration of this perfume).

The 1.7 oz retails for $45 at the aroma M Atelier in Brooklyn. Here’s more info. I believe you can order directly from info@aromam.com – $45 plus shipping to your region.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Juicy neroli and spice. It’s a rose for those that dislike rose. And it’s a citrus for those that usually dislike citrus. Really versatile and affordable.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. My opinions are my own. Product pic from House of Cherry Bomb blog. Hiroko Matsumoto from Vogue.

Original article: House of Cherry Bomb Cardamom Rose EDP Perfume Review

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

Banana Republic Wildbloom Vert is a flanker to Wildbloom (which I haven’t tried but I’ve tried the other flankers). “Vert” is a fitting name for this flanker; it’s a crisp, green floral.

Wildbloom Vert opens with fruity aldehydes. It’s a crisp, clean perfume that is all about the aldehydes. And because of this, Wildbloom Vert comes across as sort of “retro” in a crisp, clean 90′s meets 70′s sort of way. The heart becomes Estee Lauder White Linen meets L’Eau d’Issey, crisp and ozonic florals with greens. The dry-down is sheer “seaside” woods and clean, “fresh” musks.

The fruits in this read more like fruity aldehydes instead of Jolly Rancher sour apple like in DKNY Be Delicious. It doesn’t smell “young” or juvenile. When I “analyze” designer perfumes, I don’t just pay attention to the “smell”. I like to see if the perfume works with the brand. I want it to be a fragrance extension of the brand. Wildblom Vert fits with Banana Republic. It goes with their aesthetic of white shorts and linen-blend boatneck tops for summer (and it works for a variety of age ranges). It goes with all of Banana Republic’s summer catalogs for as long as I can remember.

Notes listed include pear, violet leaves, pink lady apple, peach blossom, gardenia, magnolia, coconut wood, teakwood, sandalwood and musk. Launched 2012. PERFUMER – Ilias Ermenidis

Try Wildbloom Vert if you like clean, aldehydic perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, Malle Outrageous!, Ulrich Lang Lightscape, Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey and/or CK Eternity for Women. I perceive Wildbloom Vert as more feminine. And it is a good choice for warmer weather wear.

Projection is above average. It has sillage. Longevity is average.

The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $48 at Banana Republic stores.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Fruity aldehydes and crisp florals. Like white shorts and floral print button-ups, Wildbloom Vert isn’t to my aesthetic but it does fit the Banana Republic aesthetic (and that is what matters). I think it is a well-done fragrance and don’t just think of it as a some fruity-floral. It’s an aledhydic floral. And if you do like the Estee Lauder White Linen flankers or Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey flankers, you should try this the next time you’re at the mall.

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*Product provided by PR. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Mary Carlisle pic from www.fanpix.net.

Original article: Banana Republic Wildbloom Vert EDP Perfume Review

Pour le Monde is a line of natural fragrances created to make natural fragrances frankly, appear more glamorous. These aren’t oil or solid base and were meant to “rival” many of the things sold by designer houses. I’m not here to stir sh*t, I’m only repeating what the brand has on their site. And if you want to go there to read more about pregnancy safe perfume and how most naturals aren’t beautiful, then do it. But, I’m a perfume blogger and I’m here to talk about what this smells like. I happen to wear lots of things that this brand may consider “unsafe”. Anyway…let’s move on.

Together opens with bitter citrus and a hint of spicy anise. It reminds me of anise-lemon biscotti because I get a hint of almond-florals in this too (like heliotrope). The heart is a toasted almond floral that dries down to a sheer vanilla. There’s some patchouli at the base but it’s very sheer, if anything it adds a refreshing “coolness” to the vanilla bean.

Overall, Together is a very light and inoffensive fragrance. I could see it wearing very nicely in warm weather. It’s one of those few gourmands that actually smell good in heat. Do I think Pour le Monde achieved their goal of not smelling like a natural perfume? Yeah, I guess. It does smell like something Fresh or Lavanila could have launched. I mean, it isn’t a solid or an oil.

Notes listed include Argentine lemon, Italian bergamot, jasmine, violet, freesia, lilac, woods, Madagascar vanilla, balsam and Indonesian patchouli. Launched 2013.

Give Together a try if you like light citrus scents. Or if you like perfumes like Lavanila Fresh Vanilla Lemon, Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom, Fresh Sugar and/or Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae. Being a light fragrance, Together would be a good choice for “day” wear or summer wear.

Projection and longevity is below average. It wears more like an EDT.

10% of the sales of each of the perfumes in this line go to an organization. 10% of the sales of Together goes to the Cancer Support Community.

The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $95 at Pour le Monde.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sheer lemon anise biscotti. It’s not something that I would wear but that’s because I rarely wear citrus. I do appreciate that it leans gourmand but isn’t heavy.

However, this is not about this scent but the brand, I do think if they want to attract perfume lovers (people that wear naturals, synths and mixed media), they’re going to have to lay off of some of the claims, emphasizing more of what the perfumes smell like. I mean, their site “disses” synthetics because they are potentially irritating. But, IFRA has restricted many naturals, including lemon oil since it is phototoxic. I think saying “natural” and “smells good” should be enough for them to pique curiosity with the markets that will like them. But, that’s my unsolicited advice.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by Pour le Monde. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Pour le Monde. Joan Collins from www.fanpix.net

Original article: Pour le Monde Together EDP Natural Perfume Review

Ben Gorham, the very, very handsome founder of Byredo, has said this about the brand’s most recent perfume launch:

“The idea of marrying someone you don’t know was very interesting. There’s anxiety and excitement, and I described this person as a ‘flowerhead’, because the bride is completely covered in floral hair arrangements.”

It’s really sweet of him to be thinking of me, an unknown stranger, like that. I’m flattered, Ben, I really am, but I can’t. I’m already a married lady In all seriousness, Flowerhead is inspired by the florals used in Indian weddings and I also think it is the brand’s excuse to make something impressively beautiful.

Flowerhead is a bitter floral with green notes. It reminds me of marigold and jasmine. What makes Flowerhead stand out in a sea of high-quality florals is that bitterness and greenness. The heart is a white floral that isn’t creamy or overwhelming. Once again celery-like greens and rhubarb keep this from being “stuffy”. It smells like fresh white florals. Flowerhead dries down to a soft, ambery floral. This base is a great contrast to those bitter, white florals.

I see this sort of thing happen a lot with niche perfumes. You can tell that the perfumer or creative director has some sort of floral hang-up that they overcome with time. Eventually they’ll launch a gorgeous unapologetic floral (Serge Lutens, HEELEY, Malle have all done this). I think Byredo is now in awe of the natural beauty of florals (this and Inflorescence). As a person that felt strange wearing florals in the beginning but now loves them, I completely empathize. You realize after smelling and wearing many different compositions and even single notes, that there is really nothing more beautiful than what nature offers us with flowers. And it’s fine. It’s OK to smell like a flower. Sometimes we just want to smell unapologetically beautiful.

Now saying that, Flowerhead is very well done in that it is an enveloping floral that isn’t suffocating. But, still, you’re going to have to love wearing florals to love wearing Flowerhead.

Notes listed include angelica seed, cranberries, lemon, sambac jasmine, green notes, rose petals, tuberose, suede and ambergris. Launched 2014. PERFUMER – Jerome Epinette

Or if you like perfumes like Hermes Jour de Hermes, Arquiste Fleur y Canto, Diptyque Do Son, Fragrance Republic No. 2 and/or YOSH White Flowers. Being a floral, many people will perceive it as a feminine. And I rarely say this, but Flowerhead would make a great bridal fragrance.

Projection and longevity are above average.

Flowerhead comes in 2 sizes with prices ranging from $145-$220 at Luckyscent. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Bitter, green white floral. One of the better white florals that has been launched in the past 5 years.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Luckyscent. Nutan Behl pic from www.fanpix.net.

Original article: Byredo Flowerhead EDP Perfume Review

Kat Burki is a line that prides themselves for their “modern take on classics”. I’ve only tried one fragrance from the line, but I see this. When I tried Tubéreuse, I was reminded of a modern Piguet Fracas.

Tubéreuse is a soliflore opening with as a citrus white floral with peachy aldehydes. The heart is a peachy white floral – mostly gardenia and tuberose. It’s a warm, creamy white floral, instead of a “cool” one. Tubéreuse dries down to something that is softer than the heart with an addition of a sheer musk that reminds me of By Kilian Beyond Love.

Tubéreuse is a white floral, that’s for sure. But, it’s not as heavy as the other ones that it is related to and this is what makes it appear more modern. However, it’s still going to bring to mind glamour.

Notes listed include peach nectar, orange, green leaves, tuberose, gardenia, jasmine, amber, rosewood and musk. Launched 2013.

Or if you like perfumes like Penhaligon’s Ellenisia, Lili Bermuda Passion Flower, HEELEY Bubblegum Chic, Piguet Fracas, By Kilian Beyond Love and/or Michael Kors Michael Kors. Actually, this would be a great “up-grade” for those that wear Michael Kors. Being a white floral, many will associate it with the feminine.

Projection is average. Longevity is above average.

The 3.4 oz retails for $95 at Nordstrom.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Peachy white floral. It’s good but I don’t need another tuberose in my collection. If you are looking for a tuberose soliflore, this one is worth sampling.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Kat Burki. Marin Martin pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Kat Burki Tubéreuse EDP Perfume Review

As the weather has warmed up, its time to trade in our hot cereal for cold cereal. Lostmarch Lann-Ael is the “cold cereal” of gourmands. It’s filling but never heavy.

Lann-Ael opens as this sweet creamy Korean barley tea (bori cha). It’s barley and vanilla with a hint of fruits (that remind me of dried mango and freshly sliced apples). The heart really does remind me of grains and milk. Lann-Ael dries down to a vanilla cream. In my opinion, Lann-Ael is a special gourmand in that it is actually “refreshing” on a warm day!

Notes listed include buckwheat, cereals, milk, apple and vanilla. Launched 2007.

Or if you like perfumes like Archipelago Milk, Jo Malone Sweet Milk (RIP), Xerjoff Join the Club Shunkoin, L’Artisan Parfumeur Bois Farine and/or Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche.

This is an EDT so projection and longevity are below average (but I think this is average for an EDT). I get about 5 hours of wear from it on a warmer day. A lotion and shower gel are also available in this fragrance and maybe layering would help with longevity?

The 3.4 oz EDT retails for $85 at Beautyhabit. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Buckwheat and vanilla-scented milk. It’s one of those soft, milky, comforting fragrances. And it’s one of the few that could be called a “summer gourmand”.

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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from Beautyhabit. Leila Hymes pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Lostmarch Lann-Ael EDT Perfume Review

Linden blossoms can be filed under “Some of Victoria’s Favorite Smells”. I love the tartness and the sweetness of linden/lime blossom. Plus, it reminds me of some of my favorite places in the world. AND it’s one of those aromatics that has appeared in countless mythology and legends. I’m drawn to linden. I’m actually surprised by the few amount of perfumes that have embraced the beauty of linden.

April Aromatics Unter den Linden opens with a refreshing feeling of watercress, mint, and citrus in chilled mineral water. Beneath this there is a layer of linden blossoms; it’s faint – honeyed citrus in a breeze. The heart is tart citrus and indolic spring “tree” blossoms like lemony magnolia, the honeyed lime of linden and orange blossoms. And then it gently fades away…becoming a clean, powdery beeswax floral.

Under the lime tree
On the heather,
Where we had shared a place of rest,
Still you may find there,
Lovely together,
Flowers crushed and grass down-pressed.
Beside the forest in the vale,
Tándaradéi,
Sweetly sang the nightingale.

- Portion of the poem, “Unter den Linden” by Walther von der Vogelweide (translated by Raymond Oliver)

I feel Unter den Linden represents this poem – crushed petals and romantic love.

Notes listed include French linden blossom, magnolia, and citrus. PERFUMER – Tanja Boching

Give Unter den Linden a try if you like linden. Or if you like perfumes like Tauer Zeta, Annick Goutal Eau de Ciel, L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillon, Shelley Kyle De Ma Mere, Humiecki & Graef Clemency and/or D.S. & Durga Silent Grove. Unter den Linden is a good choice for warmer weather/climates.

Projection is average. Longevity is below average.

The 1 oz perfume retails for €169 at April Aromatics.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Crushed spring “tree” blossoms and a breeze. It’s a really pretty linden but I admit that the price deters me (about $230 for an ounce).

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. Product pic from April Aromatics. Vogelweide’s Unter der Linden from Wikipedia.

Original article: April Aromatics Unter den Linden EDP Perfume Review

Envoyage created two “beach scents” and I get the impression that they were designed for beach weddings or for those that wish they could have had a beach wedding! I have reveiwed Nectars des Îles which seemed to bring back special memories for a stranger. Vents Ardents continues the tropical theme but with less florals.

Vents Ardents opens as a spicy, boozy cocktail. It’s creamy and milky. I would call Vents Ardents a “tropical masculine”. The rum is spiced. The spices-vanilla-tonka-tobacco combo in this reminds me of L’Artisan Parfumeur Vanille Absolument. It’s like Vanille Absolument at an all-inclusive resort on the Caribbean. The dry-down is a balsamic vanilla and woods.

To me Vents Ardents is the tiki cocktail of perfumes. It isn’t “realistic” for a beach scent (is any perfume?), only an exaggeration. Tiki culture is fabricated but that’s why it’s fun. It’s fantasy. Vents Ardents is like this. It’s this creamy, boozy fragrance.

Notes listed include curaco, wild oranges, bay rum, tropical fruits, Venezuelan tonka bean, heliotrope, magnolia, French narcissus, amber, mahogany, tobacco, oak, driftwood, musky vanilla, and balsams. Launched in 2011. PERFUMER – Shelley Waddington

Give Vents Ardents a try if you are looking for a tiki-rum perfume. Or if you like perfumes like L’Artisan Parfumeur Vanille Absolument, Boyfriend EDP, Providence Perfume Co. Samarinda and/or Maison Martin Margiela Replica Jazz Club. I called this a “tropical masculine”. It’s unisex but less floral than others in this tropical genre.

Projection is average. Longevity is above average.

The 1 oz retails for $90 at Envoyage Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Creamy spiced rum tiki cocktail. Worth trying if you are looking for something tropical and sweet. Now I want a tiki cocktail…

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Martin Denny pic from www.bossjaguars.com.

Original article: Envoyage Vents Ardents EDP Perfume Review

Humiecki and Graef seem to take pride with their bizarre-o perfume inspirations. Multiple Rouge is “inspired by ecstatic joy on the cusp of sentimentality“. Whatever. This is futuristic fruit.

Jell-O mold fruit salad and some sweat. Cool, metallic pineapple suspended in raspberry/cranberry Jell-O. It’s more aluminum fruits from a distance and disco booty up close (overripe fruits). Being that it projects most people are just going to smell metal fruits. The dry-down is a fruity musk. FRUITS!

Now from a distance (AKA what people around you will smell), Multiple Rouge is a synthetic frozen fruit salad. It’s super fruity and weird. This is a classic case of great brand pairing and marketing. This absolutely works for Humiecki and Graef. I don’t think any other brand, mainstream or niche, could pull this off. If someone mainstream did it, people would call it cheap and synthetic. If any other niche brand did it, it wouldn’t fit their brand. It would be “too weird”. Or too fruity.

Notes listed include red berries, frozen orange, peach kernel, green pineapple, Vietnamese coriander, green violet and immortelle. Launched 2009.

Give Multiple Rouge a try if you like fruity perfumes. Or if you like perfumes Byredo Pulp, BLOOD Concept perfumes and/or Etat Libre D’Orange perfumes. I consider Multiple Rouge unisex.

Projection and longevity are above average. Humiecki & Graef label their perfumes as “Eaux de Toilettes Concentrees” but they’re actually parfums. This fragrance projects and lasts and lasts.

The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $220 at Babalu Miami.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Weird metallic fruits. Freaking weird metallic fruits. I like it but I can’t tell you why because I don’t know why.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Vintage 1960′s Pierre Cardin pic from www.pleasurephoto.wordpress.com.

Original article: Humiecki & Graef Multiple Rouge EDT Perfume Review

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu is a flanker to the original Bright Crystal. I honestly don’t remember the original Bright Crystal being this obnoxious. In fact, I remember sniffing it in store when it was launched and not thinking it was too bad. I don’t know if I was being really nice that day or maybe I was congested, but Bright Crystal Absolu absolutely grates my nerves.

Everything about Bright Crystal Absolu is neon. It opens with an obnoxious fruity musk. Day-glo yuzu and lucite berries. It’s sharp, screechy and if reality TV could be a perfume, it would be Versace Bright Crystal. You know the formula, you know how it is going to end. It’s formulaic. It starts out as sweet fruits and then goes to screechy, juvenile florals and then dries down to sugar. F*CKING KICK ABSOLU OFF THE SHOW ALREADY! But, it goes on. The producers want to keep this drama around for a few more episodes. Bright Crystal Absolu doesn’t go as sweet as my initial prediction. Oh, the drama! Instead it goes into HISSING PATCHOULI and SPRAY PAINT territory. And then it dries down to a metallic rose-musk, almost Montale-ish in that regard…but like a dimestore Montale.

Well, when I “review” designer scents, I always compare them to the designer brand. And Bright Crystal Absolu is just as obnoxious as the Versace fashion house, so it works in that regard. As a perfume, it does not work. Or at least for me. This genre of perfume needs to just go away already. But, like Versace’s gilded Greek keys smacked on every little trashy thing, this style will probably not go anywhere. This “trend” of perfume has been around for over 10 years and I don’t think it’s a trend anymore. I think it’s what people want. No offense to anyone, because I even sort of like the bottle so I shouldn’t be one to talk, but it seems like if you like the bottle, you probably expect for something “pink” and loud to be inside, right?

Notes listed include yuzu, pomegranate, ice accord, raspberry, lotus, peony, magnolia, Acajou wood (just mahogany ya’ll), amber and musk. Launched 2014 (in the U.S.). PERFUMER – Alberto Morillas

Give Bright Crystal Absolu a try if you like “pink” fragrances. Or if you like perfumes like Versace Bright Crystal, Dior Addict 2, Gucci Envy Me, Lancôme Miracle and/or Paris Hilton Just Me for Her. It’s feminine. And I hate to say it, but “young”.

Projection and longevity are average.

Bright Crystal Absolu comes in two sizes with prices ranging from $84-$110 at Sephora.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Another screechy pink fruity-floral. I get absolutely no joy from this one. I remember a time when Versace actually made good fragrances. Or maybe my memory is faulty.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Sephora. Versace Atelier SS 13 image from marieclaire.co.uk. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Versace Bright Crystal Absolu EDP Perfume Review