perfume review

Last year, I was going through a big peach moment. Never before had I cared for the note, but suddenly I wanted everything peach. I bought peach shower gels, lotions, candles and even perfumes. Somehow in this peach phase, I totally forgot about MDCI Perfumes Pèchè Cardinal which was a real shame because it was exactly what I wanted.

Peche Cardinal is a lactonic peach. The opening peach schnapps and toasted coconut. This is accented by juicy, ripe purple berries and crushed fig leaves. It’s not listed, but I’m also reminded of plum preserves. There’s a lot of tuberose in Peche Cardinal. You know how so many tuberose perfumes can be cool, mentholated and give you the cold shoulder? Well, that’s not what is in there. The tuberose in Peche Cardinal is thick, creamy custard with warmth from tropical sunshine. The heart pairs the tuberose and syrup-y peaches with a creamy ylang-ylang and Madonna lily. The dry-down is also warm with a creamy sandalwood, toasted coconut and a “warm skin” musk.

What I love about Peche Cardinal is that it is trashy…but fancy. So, I think of it like designers that are basically made tacky into something expensive (think Versace or Roberto Cavallli). This perfume could easily be a mess but it all works together. Another thing I like about it – it seems mature but it’s also youthful. I sort of think of it like the party-loving, tiki-cocktail-drinking great-great-granddaughter of Piguet Fracas.

Notes listed include artemisia, peach, coconut, blackberry, black currant, tuberose, plum, lily, cedar, sandalwood and musk. Launched in 2008. PERFUMER – Amandine Marie

Give Peche Cardinal a try if you like the thought of a fruity, tropical tuberose perfume of you want a peach-centric fruity-floral. Or perfumes like Piguet Fracas, Versace Blonde, Dusita Melodie de L’Amour, April Aromatics Tempted Muse and/or Kat Burki Tubereause.

Projection is average to above average. Longevity is average.

So, the MDCI line is known for it’s over-the-top packaging that looks like it would be in one of the many bathrooms in Tony Montana’s mansion. The bust bottle pictured above is more expensive. They also offer one sans bust that is cheaper (just has a cold cap with a tassel). Both bottles are 2 oz. The bottle with the bust is $375. The one sans bust is $250. These are available at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Milky tuberose and peaches. Basically what I love about this perfume is that it is fun but substantial.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Essenza Nobile. Janis Paige pic from worthpoint.com.

Original article: MCDI Peche Cardinal Perfume Review

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

When I first say Viktor & Rolf Bonbon in a Duty Free store, I thought the bottle was some sort of deformed butterfly. (It was an overnight flight, OK). Well, it’s a glass bow and quintessential “pink juice”.

Bonbon smells like a lot of other things, especially things by Victoria’s Secret or celebrity perfumes from a decade ago. It opens with mandarin oranges in syrup with a side of cotton candy. Give it a few more minutes and it makes me think of one of the most terrifying edible visuals I could – imagine peaches in syrup poured out of the can into a pastel-colored parfait glass and then top it with a can of La Lechera (dulce de leche). If this vision appeals to you, then keep reading this review and maybe go out and find yourself a sample of Bonbon. It goes through a stage of abstract florals drenched in caramel and then topped with brown sugar. I get some weird phantom fruity thing in the heart. It’s like strawberry jam! The dry-down is like a caramelized amber with vanilla bourbon. There’s the faintest traces of woods but they almost come across more like a vanilla bean pod because of the sweetness of this fragrance. After wearing this a few more times, it’s almost like Bonbon could have easily been a flanker to the brand’s Flowerbomb, like a sweeter version of it without all of the patchouli.

It’s not that I think Bonbon is bad. I like sweet fragrances occasionally. But, I like stuff like Prada Candy (caramel iris) or my guilty-pleasure Aquolina Pink Sugar. I’m also not above wearing celeb fragrances. I guess with Bonbon, I just feel disappointed because to me it doesn’t really stand out from literally the hundreds of gourmand-fruity-florals launched in the past decade. I also find the bottle a lot less exciting in person too.

Notes listed include mandarin, orange, peach, orange blossom, jasmine, cedar, guaiacwood, sandalwood, caramel and amber. Launched in 2014. PERFUMERS – Cecile Matton and Serge Majoullier

Give Bonbon a try if you like gourmands or florals that lean heavily gourmand. Or perfumes like Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy, Britney Spears Curious in Control (seriously, that is a real perfume name), Victoria’s Secret Sexy Little Things Tease and Noir Tease, Jessica Simpson Fancy, Vera Wang Princess, YSL Mon Paris and the list goes on and on.

Projection and longevity are average.

Bonbon comes in a few sizes with the 1.7 oz bottle retailing for $98 at Sephora.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Caramel cotton candy and flowers. It’s not something for me, but neither was Flowerbomb.

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The Scented Salamander

Bois de Jasmin

*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Parfumo. Ann Savage pic from fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Viktor & Rolf Bonbon Perfume Review

There was a discussion on Twitter, which I now can’t find, where people shared their experience with disappointing foods. To my surprise, Turkish Delight kept being mentioned. Many Americans and Brits shared that they were so excited to sink their teeth into a Turksh Delight after its hype in “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” but were left with disappointment. Since this was such a subjective conversation, I just lurked but I absolutely do not agree. First of all, I firmly stand by what I’ve said in another perfume review before, marshmallows are the most disappointing dessert. Secondly, I realized they were eating sad, stale lokum and judging an entire dessert on sad, stale, store bought treats. Eat a freshly made rose or mastic flavored lokum in Istanbul and tell me it’s disappointing! You can’t. It’s packed with flavor and textures. It’s truly a treat. And apparently I’m not the only person to think this. There are plenty of indie and niche perfumes inspired by Turkish delight. My issue with all of the ones I’ve tried (Serge Lutens, Ava Luxe, Keiko Mecheri) is that they were so sweet. They down-played the florals, the fruits and the resins. It was just like, well, a marshmallow!

To my surprise, I’ve found a Turkish delight perfume in an unexpected place. Amouage Blossom Love is a perfume inspired by cherry blossoms. But, I think of it more as a lokum perfume. It’s a sweet, powdery floral that weaves in and out of the gourmand genre.

Amouage Blossom opens with a bright but chewy bergamot (which reminds me of bergamot lokum). It’s then maraschino cherry syrup and heady florals. So, yes, it’s like heliotrope. It also has a prominent amaretto accord that is nutty and bittersweet. The cherry, the syrup and the nuts makes me think of Turkish delights/lokum even more than before.The rose is like rosewater. As it wears, it becomes more of a heady floral, like jasmine, but it’s covered in vanilla sugar. In the background there’s a sweet, coumarin-ish pipe tobacco. Basically Amouage Blossom is a chewy, gooey jelly bean-ish cube of flavor covered in sugar.

Notes listed include bergamot, heliotrope, amaretto, ylang-ylang, rose, cherry blossom, amber, tonka bean, vanilla and suede. Launched in 2017.

Give Amouage Blossom a try if you like powdery, sweet florals. Or perfumes like Initio Addictive Vibration, Xerjoff Al-Khat, L’Artisan Traversee du Bosphore, Serge Lutens Rahat Loukoum, Serge Lutens Louve and/or Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum.

Projection and longevity are above average.

The 3.4 oz retails for $360 at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Powdery, cherry-almond floral. I know it’s technically a cherry blossom inspired perfume but I get Turkish Delight from it! I like it but, ouch, that price!

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from the brand. Debra Paget pic from fanpix.net

Original article: Amouage Blossom Love Perfume Review

Ormonde Jayne Tsarina is supposed to be the brand’s “opulent” fragrance, the brand itself describes it as a “powerhouse” with imagery of brocade, furs and jewels. I found this interesting because I’d never use the word “powerhouse” to describe a Ormonde Jayne perfume despite many of my descriptions/review of Ormonde Jayne perfumes that come across as “powerhouse”. White Gold, a jasmine soliflore, smells like jewels and wealth. Ta’if, an oriental rose, is a perfume that never ceases to gain me a few compliments. The fragrances all have projection and longevity but in the most polite British way possible. All of the perfumes have depth but also light. It’s sort of Geza’s signature. Anyway, Tsarina is no different. It is one of those where my description is going to make it sound like something thicker and heavier than it is. But, imagine what I’m describing sniffed without gravity. It’s a “weightless amber”.

Tsarina has an opening that is balsamic and citrus-y which reminds me of Coca-Cola. It is fizzy and tickles my nose. *insert sound of opening an aluminum soda can here*. Underneath is a heavy-dose of powdery iris and suede handbag. There’s an unusual “ozonic Band-Aid” thing going on in Tsarina. On me, it wears like a slightly medicinal oud, balsamic resins and warm spices (like cinnamon). Out of the entire Ormonde Jayne line, I think Tsarina is the weirdest. In fact, here is a tweet where I accurately described how Tsarina smells like on me:

Yet, it’s a completely nice fragrance and when I wear it people tell me that I smell good. All that weirdness gets lost in translation. I think to a lot of people, it comes across as a radiant amber holding a bouquet of iris and jasmine. It dries down to a sweet vanilla-amber that is like butterscotch. It’s powdery and warm. It’s one of those “my skin but better” sort of bases.

Notes listed include mandarin, bergamot, coriander, cassis, hedione, freesia, jasmine sambac, iris, suede, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla bean, labdanum and musk. Launched in 2012. PERFUMER – Geza Schoen

Give Tsarina a try if you like the idea of a radiant amber. Or if you like perfumes like Jacomo Art Collection #02, L’Artisan L’Eau d’Ambre, Xerjoff Shunkoin, Reminiscence Ambre, Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial and/or the oriental perfumes from Ormonde Jayne.

Projection and longevity are above average but in the politest way possible.

Tsarina comes in a few sizes. A 4 oz. bottle retails for $375 at Osswald and Saks.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Butterscotch amber and radiant florals. It’s a lot of things but it works. Overall, it’s a really elegant and enjoyable fragrance.

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*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Saks. Anne St. Marie circa 1955 pic from pleasurephoto.wordpress.com. Saks contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Ormonde Jayne Tsarina Perfume Review

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

I tried to jump right in and review Carolina Herrera Good Girl, but I realize I have a few things to say that aren’t directly related to how the perfume smells. The first being that as I have already ranted in a By Kilian perfume review years ago, but I truly hate these old-fashioned notions of “good” or “bad” girls and all of the patriarchal baggage around it. So, I hate the name of this perfume with a passion. Secondly, the polarizing bottle seems really off brand for Carolina Herrera. Personally, I don’t like the bottle because perfume coming out of a shoe doesn’t appeal to me. However, I totally understand how it could (keep in mind, I’m not a shoe person in general) because it is different and iconic. I think it’s odd to see such a fetish-y, “patent leather” heel associated with Carolina Herrera instead of a brand for example, like Louboutin or Jimmy Choo since they are both known for being “sexy” shoe designers. Carolina Herrera is a fashion house known for elegant, “traditionally pretty” dresses and dressing the likes of society ladies, socialites and First Ladies. I just don’t associate a teetering dagger of a stiletto with the brand at all. I guess what I’m trying to say in this long-winded opening paragraph/rant is that it was difficult for me to find the motivation to try a fragrance that I felt like was some overly-hyped perfume that was a product of mismatched licensing. But, after seeing it everywhere, I finally gave in and here we go…

The opening of Good Girl is sweet white floral with plums. And then it just keeps wearing as heady white florals with some sort of toasted brown sugar. On me, it’s mostly a syrupy tuberose; the sort of thing that I have sniffed in a lot of designer perfumes before. It’s neither indolic or airy…it’s just dense and sweet. It wears rather linear until it eventually dries down to a powdery amber with cocoa powder and a lot of vanilla.

The Good Girl fragrance doesn’t offend me but it doesn’t impress me either. A lot of brands from Avon to YSL have had or do something like this. A lot of designer/mainstream perfumes present white florals in this formula which is basically: clean white florals + sugar = something with mass appeal. Anyway, it’s a perfectly fine perfume but not something memorable like the original Carolina Herrera, a breathtaking jasmine and tuberose that actually fit with the brand’s timeless beauty aesthetics. But, what I did I expect in a post-212 Sexy world?! It really feels like the fashion house and the perfumes are separate entities.

Notes listed include jasmine sambac, tuberose, tonka bean and cocoa. Launched in 2016. PERFUMER – Louise Turner

Give Good Girl a try if you like sweet, syrupy white florals. Or perfumes like YSL Manifesto, Avon Prima Noir, Estee Lauder Modern Muse Nuit, Cacharel Amor Amor, Britney Spears Circus Fantasy and/or Moschino Glamour.

Projection and longevity are above average. It really projects. So much so, that even my spouse, who has dealt with my perfume habit since the very beginning had to comment on how “strong” whatever I sprayed was (this).

Good Girl comes in a few sizes with the 1.7 oz retailing for $94 at Sephora and Nordstrom.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sweet, syrupy tuberose. I love white florals but not in this style. And I’m OK with that because I was probably never going to buy this anyway, even if it were a tuberose that I liked.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Macy’s. Ann Miller pic from fanpix.net. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!

Original article: Carolina Herrera Good Girl Perfume Review

Thameen¹ is a British niche perfume house that makes perfumes that are inspired by iconic jewels and jewelry. I don’t know much about the jewels worn by royalty, but I do like the idea of comparing gemstones to perfumes. In a way, you can think of perfume like a piece of jewelry, an accessory. It’s a way to add some sparkle and some glamour to your look.

Thameen is a new-to-me brand even though they’ve been around for a few years. Being British, they haven’t had much presence in the U.S. until recently. There are a lot of them (seems like that’s the rules for niche brands). I sniffed a few (very quickly) and was able to get samples of three that seemed the most “me”. So here we go:

Rivière

Notes listed include black pepper, Saffron, cinnamon, lemon blossom, clary sage, Turkish rose, carnation, patchouli, amber, oud, cypriol and leather. Launched in 2016.

So, this one is inspired by a diamond necklace owned by Queen Mary that sold at auction for £1 million. Riviere is a bitter, spicy oriental fragrance. It’s basically the “modern niche oud”. It opens with a blast of warm, dry spices; there’s a lot of cinnamon. The heart is like if a carnation corsage could be made out of leather. It eventually dries down to a woodsy amber. It doesn’t really make me think of diamonds as much as it does velvet. There’s a smooth, soft and velvet-y quality to this perfume.

Give Riviere a try if you like warm, amber-y ouds. Or perfumes like Davidoff Agar Blend, Armani Privé Oud Royal, Bois 1920 Oro, Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Desert Oud, Art de Parfum Sensual Oud and/or Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. I’d say how this one varies the most from these is that this one has cinnamon-spice.

Final EauPINION – Velvet-y amber-oud.

Nooralain Taif

Notes listed include pink pepper, coriander, black pepper, roses, agarwood, amber and cashmere wood. Launched in 2013.

Nooralain Taif has this name because it’s inspired by the Noor-ul-Ain, a tiara created with one of the world’s largest pink diamonds for the 1958 Iranian royal wedding – I’ve honestly never had tiara envy until I’ve seen this one! This is a dry and bitter rose. It opens with pink pepper and dry soil. As it wears, the spices (mostly peppercorns) become stronger and spicier. The dry earth accord starts to resemble a barnyard-like oud. The rose is bittersweet. However, it really starts to bloom on the skin. It’s a bitter, fresh rose accented by a grapefruit/citrus quality that makes me think of marmalade. This brightness is a lovely contrast to the oud and earth of an otherwise “noir” composition.

Unlike Riviere, the oud in this is more fungal and earthy. It’s more oud-y while the oud in Riviere is more of modern perfumery’s adaptation of oud. Anyway, Nooralain Taif smells really expensive to me. Which is good, because the world’s largest pink diamonds are definitely out of my price range.

Give Nooralain Taif a try if you like rose-ouds. Or perfumes like CREED Royal Oud, Boadicea the Victorious Languid, Caron Secret Oud or Providence Perfume Co. Rose Bohème.

Final EauPINION – A “noir” rose-oud. My favorite out of the three I tried, but remember, I’m a rose person.

The Cora

Notes listed include Bulgarian rose, jasmine, wisteria, magnolia, carnation, nutmeg, lily of the valley, benzoin, patchouli, white musk and amber. Launched in 2017.

The Cora is inspired by The Cora Sun Drop, which is a huge yellow diamond. I was drawn to this fragrance because I’m always searching for a really good wisteria, which oddly enough isn’t that common. The opening of The Cora is a mix of like spiced florals and honeyed tea. What I like about The Cora is that it has a bittersweetness, as many real flowers do. As it wears, it becomes more of a honeyed wisteria. This honeyed wisteria meets a corsage of carnation. Together it wears like heady, springtime lilacs and clove/carnation. The dry-down is a floral white musk with a sort of clean, soapy rose. Honestly, I expected more from the dry-down but it’s also hard for me to know what sort of direction I expected it to go into.

Give The Cora a try if you are looking for a good wisteria perfume. Or perfumes like Maison Martin Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning, Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, Cartier Carat, Montale So Flowers and/or DSH Perfumes Ma Plus Belle Histoire d’Amour. I will say that even if the dry-down was disappointing, I still think it’s a good wisteria or even the sort of “spring” floral one can wear in cooler weather.

Final EauPINION – Wisteria and carnations. Other reviews are calling this a white floral because of the jasmine. Maybe it’s the power of suggestion, but I really do get wisteria/lilac from this more than I do jasmine (because of the honey?)

Projection and longevity was average for all of these. The brand also has hair perfumes. I tried one and was surprised by how it lingered. I’d get a whiff later and think “What smells good? Oh, it’s just my dirty hair”.

1.7 oz bottles of Thameen perfume retail for $210 at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.

¹In my head, I always read this in my very Southern mother’s voice where it her trying to say the word for the vitamin “thiamine”.

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*Samples obtained by me. Product pics are from Fragrantica. Farah Pahlavi wearing the Noor-ul-Ain.

Original article: Thameen Perfume Reviews

Colorado-based indie perfume brand DSH Perfumes launched a collection of perfumes this year inspired by “Forbidden Fruits”. Les Fruits Défendus are all fragrances wrapped up in culture, mythology and symbolism associated with fruits.

Bakul Medjool

Notes listed include date, cardamom, bitter orange, bitter almond, rose, jasmine, frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, vanilla and sandalwood.

This one is delicious. I also think this one highlights a lot of what I like about Dawn’s style. It smells just like a dried date. It’s boozy and “chewy”. The heart of this fragrance is like incense, dried fruits and dried rose petals. It dries down to a smoky, resinous frankincense and myrrh.

Projection is average. Longevity is above average. If you like perfumes from DSH like Cimabue, you really should try Bakul Medjool. If you want a festive frankincense and myrrh scent for the upcoming holiday season, then you must try this.

Final EauPINION – Dried dates and incense. It’s sooo good.

Eau Cerise

Notes listed include black cherry, catalpa, sea buckthorn, licorice, violet leaf, rose, cassie, galbanum, ambrette, cedar, oakmoss and patchouli.

Why is a good cherry perfume so hard to find?! I feel like I’ve spent a long time trying to find a perfume that smells like a Manhattan and not like Lip Smackers.

Anyway, Eau Cerise openings with black cherry juice. It’s tart, fruity and in my opinion, it’s perfect. As it wears, it retains the juicy, berry fruitiness. There’s an addition of a tangy cassis and violet liqueur. It’s boozy, fruity and tart. It eventually wears as cherries, violets and iris. And then it just sort of vanishes…and that doesn’t make it me mad because it gave me that cherry fix I’ve been wanting.

In conclusion, I’m obsessed with Eau Cerise. If I could drink it, I would. If I could bathe in it, I would.

Final EauPINION – Fruity, tart cherry. Try it if you want a straight-forward cherry scent that also smells posh.

Figue Interdite

Notes listed include greens, apricot, peach, bergamot, davana, linden, mimosa, neroli, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, fir, ambrette, oakmoss, vetiver, sandalwood, orris and galbanum.

If you read EauMG, you already know that I love figs and basically have every figgy fragrance ever made. So, when I saw that DSH Perfumes has a new fig, I couldn’t wait to try it. But, I’m going to be real here – I’m disappointed. This isn’t really a fig. Now if you don’t like figs, then you are probably happy about this. But, as a fig lover, it hurts.

Anyway, Figue Interdite opens with a bitter lemon and grassy greens. Even from the beginning there is a dominant cedar note. As it wears, the fragrance becomes creamier and lactonic with peaches and coconut. I then get some green vetiver and then POOF, the fragrance is gone.

I like this perfume when I think of it as something else, i.e. a peach tree. It smells like cedar, greens and stone fruits. I guess I get the fig in it, but barely. It’s a greener, grassier fig but with creamy peaches.

Final EauPINION – Peach tree. My least favorite from the trio but I admit this one has some tough competition with those other two.

Each of these are botanical/natural perfumes. Eau Cerise and Figue Interdite both have below average projection and longevity (with Eau Cerise lasting longer on me). Bakul Medjool has below average projection and above average longevity.

All of these are available in different formats. Prices vary by perfume. For example, the 1 oz EDP of Bakul Medjool ($118), Eau Cerise ($125) and Figue Interdite ($110) at DSH Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.

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*Disclaimer – Samples provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Cranach Adam and Eve, 1526, painting from Wikipedia. Osias Beert still-life 1604 also from Wikipedia. The Valentino dress is from “Heavenly Bodies” that was at Cloisters this past summer. That pic is mine.

Original article: DSH Perfumes Les Fruits Defendus Vol. 1 Natural Perfume Reviews

I like many perfumes from aroma M, like the va-va-voom amber of Geisha Noire and the the green-licorice of Geisha Green. But, I have to say that Vanilla Hinoki may be my new favorite this indie brand. Vanilla Hinoki is inspired by Japanese baths. It’s fresh, clean and relaxing without being the sort of typical fragrance we’d expect when such adjectives were used to describe them.

When I first tried Vanilla Hinoki, I was so surprised by its steamy opening. It really does come across like a warm bath. The opening is sweet, spiced citrus. It sort of reminds me of ginger candies. As it wears, it turns into lemonade. Now, let’s talk about the baths. The fragrance starts to wear like a steamy bath of lemon wedges and lavender buds. It’s herbal, fresh and surprisingly “warm”. Underneath there’s a slight woodsy smokiness. The dry-down is juniper/evergreens with a faint trail of incense. The vanilla is more noticeable at this stage. But, it is balsamic and almost comes across like incense (like a resin).

What I love about Vanilla Hinoki is that it is a perfume to appease the “haters”. If you think you don’t like vanilla, try this. If you think don’t like citrus, try this. If you think you don’t like perfumes that are described as “fresh and clean”, well, then try this too.

Notes listed include bergamot, hinoki, lavender, leather, patchouli, amyris and cedar. Launched in 2016. PERFUMER – Maria McElroy

Give Vanilla Hinoki a try if you like fresh, oriental-style perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Guerlain Shalimar Cologne/Eau de Shalimar, CREED Sublime Vanille, Alexandria Fragrances Splendid Vanille and/or Pour le Monde Together.

Projection is below average and longevity is average. It wears closely to the skin in both the oil and EDP format. Now let me talk about the formats since I’ve worn both. Both are very similar. However, I prefer the EDP. In the EDP, it reminds me more of a sheer, herbal classic such as Guerlain Shalimar. The lavender and lemon are more pronounced, as is an unusual camphoric note (the hinoki). The perfume oil is also very nice but the lemon is more candied and the vanilla is more prominent (but so is the patchouli!). I actually take back what I said earlier. I like them both. However, I prefer the EDP and its herbal freshness in warmer weather and the oil with its balsamic quality in the cooler weather.

The 1.7 oz EDP retails for $95. The perfume oil retails for $60. Both are available at Luckyscent. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Steamy lemon bath. It very much reminds me of a hot spring/onsen. It’s fresh, steamy and clean but not “soapy”. But, it’s also a vanilla that isn’t sweet or like tobacco. In summary, it’s just a really good fragrance.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Luckyscent. Dona Drake pic (which is perfect for this review BTW) is from fanpix.net.

Original article: aroma M Vanilla Hinoki Perfume Review

Atelier des Ors Aube Rubis is one of those perfumes that I think I know but then I wear it a few different times over a span of a few different seasons and then I realize I never really knew it. There are times that I think of it like an iris gourmand (usually in warmer weather). Sometimes I think of it as a very opulent fruitichouli (again, in warmer weather). And then I wear it on cooler days and it’s suede and woods. Or it’s a dry patchouli-iris. Anyway, I love wearing a perfume that can do more wardrobe changes than Cher.

The opening of Aube Rubis reminds me of plums and suede. The more I sniff, the more I notice a boozy blackcurrant and rapberry jam. And there’s a gilded grapefruit. Yes, this is fruity but I wouldn’t compare to so many other fruity openings. This one, even from the beginning, has a noticeable earthiness and mineral quality from patchouli and a grassy vetiver. The heart is a rooty iris that somehow reminds me of carrot shavings and roasted hazelnuts¹. There’s also candied violets but their delicateness is overshadowed by the iris and an earthy patchouli. Then again, if I wear it in warmer weather, this iris/violet reminds me of a tube of lipstick in the bottom of a leather handbag. The dry-down is patchouli, a “modern” oud and suede.

The first few times I wore Aube Rubis, I thought of it as a gourmand iris, the sort of thing that Lancôme Le Vie Est Belle wishes it were. Other times I get that same “gourmand iris” but almost like its a flanker of itself. I may pick up on more fruits, more of the woods or more of the leather. It’s always an iris-patchouli but it doesn’t want to be known just for that.

Notes listed include bergamot, grapefruit, blackcurrant, sage, violet, iris, patchouli, vetiver and praline. Launched in 2015. PERFUMER – Marie Salamagne

Give Aube Rubis a try if you like iris or “grown-up” gourmands/fruitichouli or patchouli perfumes. Or perfumes like Dior Homme (vintage-ish), Mugler Angel Muse, Valentino Uomo Intense, Bottega Veneta, Guerlain Myrrhe et Delires and/or Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille.

Projection is average and longevity is above average.

The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $275 at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Iris gourmand. Or is it a fancy fruitichouli? Or is it gilded woods? I don’t know. What’s in a label anyway? All I know is that I like it.

¹NOTE – It’s pralines according to the note list. And I’m assuming it’s the European variety and not the pecan candies of my youth.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Harrods. Gloria Grahame pic from telegraph.co.uk.

Original article: Atelier des Ors Aube Rubis Perfume Review

Les Parfums de Rosine partnered with LeSnob¹, a French-based accessories house, to create a trio of perfumes:

Le Snob No. 1 Gothic Rose

Notes of elemi, incense, mandarin orange, neroli, myrtle, artemesia, caoutchouc, cinnamon, rose, plum, wallflower, Atlas cedar, vanilla, amber, musk, myrrh and leather. Launched in 2016.

Gothic Rose opens as green herbs with citrus-hued incense resins. So many incense perfumes are balsamic – they smell sticky and resinous. Le Snob No. 1 presents incense in a different way. It smells fresh, almost like the balsam used for incense while it’s being harvested from mountainous forests. The heart adds an interesting component to the herbs and resins. It’s a mix of spiced plums and thorny roses. There’s also an unexpected subversive quality from something that smells like vinyl, or maybe even latex? It definitely makes me think of shiny black (and fetish-y) patent leather or liquid latex catsuits. It’s such a weird rose in that one minute it smells like velvety rose petals and lemongrass but then when I concentrate on it, it smells like rubber and rose petals. Le Snob No. 1 dries down to a powdery white musk and leather. In a way, it makes me think of an updated, more modern Piguet Bandit.

I don’t know what people expect from a “gothic rose”. This isn’t exactly a “dark rose” because it does come across as fresh, green because of those opening notes. But, to me it smells gothic…gothic in the way of fetish nights at a some industrial club with a strict enforcement of dress code at the door. It smells like perfume, latex/vinyl and the baby powder you need to get yourself into that latex/vinyl.

I’d say to try this one if you like “fresh” incense or darker roses. Or perfumes like Strange Invisible Perfumes Black Rosette, Knize 10, Blood Concept O, Editions de Parfums Rosam and/or Montale Dark Purple. Out of this collection, Le Snob No. 1 is the most “unisex” meaning that it contains both traditionally masculine and feminine elements.

Final EauPINION – Green herbs, green incense, latex and thorny roses. A true delight.

Le Snob No. II Vintage Rose

Notes of violet leaves, rhubarb, bergamot, jasmine, rose, iris, vetiver, moss and clearwood. Launched in 2017.

I saw the name and really just thought it was marketing; however, Le Snob No. II actually smells like it is vintage inspired. It opens with aldehydes and sharp, crushed greens (that were popular in a lot of 70’s scents). As it wears, it’s like a tart rhubarb rose with green violet stems and a faint fresh raspberry accord. As the name promises, there is rose. This rose is peach-hued. It’s a rose that leans green with an astringency from unripe peaches. Eventually the fragrance becomes a powdery iris-rose with moss. At this stage, it smells like traces of face powder and a chypre perfume on a coat collar.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this one. I think it fits with the entire theme of this collection/collab, a collection inspired by the logo-heavy trends of the 70’s. I wear this and I feel like I should be wearing a tan trench coat, Fendi logo scarf, huge sunglasses with a brand’s logo plastered on the side and carrying a Gucci bag. It’s a fresh, clean and preppy fragrance (in the best way possible).

Give Le Snob No. II a try if you like vintage green florals. Or perfumes like Van Cleef & Arpels First, Burberry Weekend for Her, Estee Lauder Aliage and/or Biehl Parfumskuntstwerke al01.

Final EauPINION – 70’s rose. I love everything about it, even the glossy beige bottle.

Le Snob III – Red Rose

Notes of raspberry, green mandarin, beetroot, rose, iris flower, ambrette, ambroxan, musk and vetiver. Launched in 2017.

As the note list would suggest, Le Snob III is a fruity rose. It opens with a sparkle from raspberry and lychee. Paired with citrus, and I suspect some aldehydes, this reminds me of a champagne cocktail. The florals are delicate and tart. It’s mostly raspberry-scented rose petals and candied violets. It is a floral served with a sugar cube. In the background, there is an accord that hints to a golden-hued honey. The dry-down is white musk and powdered sugar. This dry-down reminds me of powder pink angora sweaters.

This is one to try if you like fruity roses like Caron Délire de Roses, Viktoria Minya Hedonist Rose, Parfums de Marly Delina or Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie Rose des Neiges.

Final EauPINION – Sparkling raspberry rose. I know I don’t need another thing like this in my collection, but I love things like this. Plus, the bottle is a glossy lipstick red.

If you read EauMG or if you want to take a quick glance at what I’ve reviewed on this site, you can tell I have reviewed quite a few Parfums de Rosine. I haven’t tried the entire brand, but I feel like I have tried enough to have a thoughtful opinion of them. Out of everything I have tried from the house, this trio includes all of my favorites. Each of these highlights the different aspects of what I like about the brand and how they utilize rose in their scents. If you feel overwhelmed by what the brand has to offer, I recommend starting with this trio. There’s a weird rose, a vintage rose and a pretty rose.

3.4 oz bottles of these retail for $195 each at Beautyhabit. Samples are also available for purchase.

¹ There is no relation to Le Galion Snob, a perfume from the 30’s. This collection is a collaboration with a luxury brand that playfully embraces “logomania” of so many designers by basically just being like “Hey, you want to spend money to advertise for brands? Well, you’re a snob”.

*Disclaimer – Samples provided by the brand for review. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pics from Beautyhabit. YSL 1979 pic from fanpix.net.

Original article: Parfums de Rosine Le Snob Perfume Collection Reviews

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

I’ve been reviewing perfumes on this blog for 10+ years now. A lot of things have changed – from my own life to even just the perfume industry. Anyway, there are a few posts that I’m surprised that I haven’t done yet, even over this past decade. One of those is that I’ve never reviewed the original Mugler Angel perfume, an icon that I have so much respect for that I find it difficult to convey in words.

When Angel Muse launched, it was instant love for me. I ended up buying a full-size bottle (a rare occurrence for me these days). I have utmost respect for Angel but I never wear it. This doesn’t mean that I dislike Angel or what it smells like on me. I think it is a brilliant perfume. It is just so iconic and something I associate with someone else in my life, that I feel I can’t wear it that often. Angel Muse is a softer, gentler version that has learned from one of the best/most iconic perfumes of the 1990’s. It’s one that I can wear comfortably.

Angel Muse opens with honey and citrus with a pink peppercorn. To me, it’s absolutely delicious. The honey is so golden and warm, a little musky. But, before I’d classify it as a gourmand, here comes the cloud of patchouli. This patchouli is the DNA of Mugler Angel and I’m happy to see it in this flanker. The heart of this perfume is like a hazelnut dacquoise. It’s nutty, creamy with a buttery shortbread base. It’s sweet but the patchouli adds an earthiness. I also get a fruity pavlova accord from Angel Muse. I think this is meringue with maybe the pink pepper coming across as fruity berries. It eventually dries down to a dry, nutty vetiver that comes across like hazelnuts. Of course, there is patchouli but it’s not as much as what is in the original. This patchouli adds a cool, mentholated quality to the otherwise warm and golden composition.

Overall, Angel Muse is a gourmand fruitichouli that covers some of Angel’s “signatures” but adds its own unique twist. Instead of berries in the opening, there’s sulfuric citrus. Instead of drying down to cotton candy and patchouli, we get something like toasted hazelnuts (which is really the vetiver!) and patchouli. I feared when this was launched that it was going to be an off-brand parasitic perfume surviving off the name of its predecessor. So many flankers are like this. But, Angel Muse isn’t. It’s a gorgeous tribute to an iconic perfume but is different enough to be a real stand-out.

Notes listed include grapefruit, pink peppercorn, hazelnut cream, vetiver and patchouli. Launched in 2016. PERFUMER – Quentin Bisch

Give Angel Muse a try if you like gourmands or sweet-patchoulis. Or perfumes like the original Mugler Angel, Guerlain Mon Guerlain, Bond No. 9 Nuits de Noho, M. Micallef Mon Parfum, Harvey Prince Eau de Creme and/or Calvin Klein Euphoria.

Projection and longevity are average. I definitely notice it later in the day but it doesn’t wear as “big” as Angel.

Angel Muse comes in a few sizes with the 1.7 oz retailing for $95 at Sephora and Nordstrom. I have noticed that it shows up on discounters like Perfume.com sometimes.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dacquoise and pavlova added to Angel. A stunner. It’s one of my favorite designer releases in the past five years.

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*Bottle purchased by me. Product pic from the brand. Gemma Ward pic from sparklesandpretending.tumblr.com. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Thierry Mugler Angel Muse Perfume Review

ROSE WEEK 2019 – A Saffron Rose

It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 5 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.

Viktor and Rolf Magic Dancing Roses is a fruity rose. Initially, I get a large swig of cherry-scented brandy. The opening is spiced with a leather-y undertone BUT it’s still airy, light and fruity. (and BOOZY because of that cherry). This is like a saffron rose shimmering in gossamer. The saffron and spice in this vaguely reminds me of things like Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540. The rose is like a rosewater with a sweet, fruity lychee. It dries down to a boozy brandy with a chewy, slightly-savory saffron. There’s also a generous amount of spiced amber. I initially had thought of Dancing Roses as a fruity rose but later realized it’s a full-blown spicy rose.

Here’s my story with the Viktor and Rolf Magic Collection. I sniffed them at a Sephora and loved this one. I threw something up in my Instagram Stories about it. I went home and later realized that this collection is their luxury line! I honestly thought this was a cheaper collection from Viktor & Rolf for layering…not their “luxe” line. ₁ Saying that, I like the perfume. If I had it, I’d probably wear it a lot. BUT the good news is they offer a travel size with a sprayer (I’m so sick of roll-ons).

Notes listed include pink pepper, litchi, rose, saffron and cherry brandy. Launched in 2017. PERFUMER – Sonia Constant

Give Dancing Roses a try if you like the idea of a fruity rose with some extra “body”. Or perfumes like Montale Candy Rose, Eric Buterbaugh FLORALS Sultry Rose, L’Artisan Safran Troublant or Ormonde Jayne Ta’if. By the way, I much prefer Dancing Roses over Tom Ford Lost Cherry, another cherry-centric perfume launched recently. Dancing Roses is less literal/sweet and holds my attention longer because of the rose paired with that savory saffron.

Projection and longevity are average.

The 2.5 oz bottle retails for $145 at Sephora. A travel spray is also available.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Fruity (cherry) rose with a huge dose of saffron. What I appreciate about this perfume is that these notes can come across as heavy but there is a transparency that makes this perfume seem “effortless”. However, it’s not so sheer that it disappears. It’s just a really pretty saffron-rose.

₁ I am confused because it’s like the brand has dropped the price. I remember it being close to $200 when I looked online after I first tried it and Saks has it for $190 but Sephora has it for under $150??? Anyway, I’m really tempted by a travel size.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Carole Lombard mattsko.wordpress.com. Post contains an affiliate link.

Original article: Viktor & Rolf Magic Dancing Roses Perfume Review

ROSE WEEK 2019 – A Coffee Rose

It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 5 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.

Pekji is an indie brand of perfumes based in Istanbul that is now available in the U.S. I should probably start out this review with a disclaimer that the perfumer was a friend of mine before he launched his brand. It’s not uncommon that such a relatively small niche would bring people together and they’d become friends, right? I am throwing this out there because I try to be aware of my own biases in every aspect of my life. However, I want you all to know that if I didn’t like something, Ömer would be the first to know and I wouldn’t sugarcoat it. I want my friends to all experience success and happiness but I also don’t want them to fail. So, you better believe I’m going to be honest. But, here’s the deal, I haven’t had any conflicts because I genuinely love the line. In fact, I first tried Ruh in a “blind sniffing session” last year without knowing it was made by my friend. I was obsessed and wanted to know who made it. Even I was shocked when I found out because it was just so dang good…

The opening of Ruh is a fruity jasmine. It’s like overripe stone fruits and heady white florals. This plum-jasmine opening reminds me of something like Indult Isvaraya, one of my favorite jasmine-centric perfumes. As Ruh wears, it becomes a spiced rose with Turkish coffee. The rose in this is velvety, deep and soft. It’s not like I just smell it, but I can feel it. The green cardamom is absolutely stunning (and if you are one that loves that note as much as I do, you should try this). The saffron comes across almost like apricot fruit leather but also like a leather-leather (think like a black moto jacket). A velvety rose with a balsamic amber and India ink dominate the heart. The dry-down of Ruh is like an amber in a sauna. It’s warm and steamy with a hint of salty, warm skin. The rose, that stayed dedicated to the perfume throughout its wear, is jammy in comparison to what it was before. It’s a lovely addition to the salty-amber/ambergris.

When a perfume claims to have coffee, I usually avoid it. I have no desire to smell like coffee grounds. As I’ve said before in my review of Tom Ford Cafe Rose, a real rose oil, before it’s diluted to what we usually experience in perfumery, has pungent notes of roasted coffee. It makes sense to pair a rose with coffee. In the case of Ruh, it goes beyond sense. The interaction of the white florals, coffee, rose and cardamom makes for a rose perfume that goes beyond the cliches. It’s a full-bodied rose where the additional notes don’t come across as fillers but instead, like a composition. As I’ve mentioned before, I was friends with Ömer before he launched the brand. We would joke about “bullshit roses”, the sort of roses that existed in every luxury collection but offered us nothing new. Ruh is not a bullshit rose. It’s a thoughtful rose, just like a perfume should be.

Notes listed include saffron, rose, cardamom, jasmine, coffee, oud, musk, amber and woods. Launched in 2015. PERFUMER – Ömer Ipekçi

Give Ruh a try if you like spiced or leathery roses. Or perfumes like Indult Isvaraya, Tom Ford Cafe Rose, Aftelier Rose Anonyme and/or Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin.

Projection and longevity are average.

The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $140 at Luckyscent and Pekji Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase. The brand also offers a discovery set.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Turkish coffee and roses. This is one of the few rose-centric perfumes that I would recommend to both those that are rose obsessed (like me) and those that loathe rose.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from the brand. Kate Moss pic from doitinparis.com.

Original article: Pekji Ruh Perfume Review

ROSE WEEK 2019 – A Gourmand Rose

It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 5 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.

Turin and Sanchez brought attention to the Maison Lancome line in their “Perfumes: The Guide 2018“. In my opinion, until then, this line-up was a real sleeper for most Perfume People. Why? I think because we’re all fatigued by “luxe” lines by designers. They come out with a dozen or more perfumes at once and charge us three times what we are used to seeing from that brand. There are some of these collections that I avoid, mainly because they don’t seem to warrant the price, especially in a world where there are so many better niche or indie options. But, there are others that I genuinely adore, such as Chanel, Dior and the Maison Lancome line.

Parfait de Roses is one of those gourmand, sweet roses that mutes the rose with spoonfuls of sweetness. To me it’s really “French” but not from the technical aspects of the composition (i.e. it doesn’t smell like classically “French perfume”). Instead, it’s like that idealized “French” that you only see from francophiles or even by people that have never been to France. It’s not like the France that the French are necessarily proud of or relate to but they’ll happily export it. Parfait de Roses is a pink, frou-frou scent that brings to mind pastel pink macarons, silk ballet slippers and imagery of the Eiffel Tower.

Parfait de Roses opens as a jammy, sweet rose that is almost like a rose custard. It reminds me of candied rose petals. It’s like rose petals glimmering in sugar crystals placed on top of a creamy, rich vanilla crème pâtissière. There’s a side of red berries but they vanish rather quickly. It’s not a note listed, but in the heart, I pick up on iris that is starchy and reminiscent of unbaked dough. The rest of the perfume is like a “doughy” rose with a creamy, rich tonka bean which provides an underlying balsamic sweetness. The dry-down is a creamy vanilla (and even more tonka). It’s like this perfume starts as silk and dries down to cashmere.

I’m not the hugest fan of gourmands, but if they’re paired with rose, I can’t help myself. Parfait De Rôses satisfies all my “can a perfume spike your blood sugar?” cravings. In fact, I’d say this is my favorite gourmand rose, or possibly even my favorite gourmand.

Notes listed include pink pepper, rose, ciste labdanum, tolu balsam and vanilla. Launched in 2017. PERFUMER – Nathalie Lorson

Give Parfait de Roses a try if you like sweet, gourmand roses. Or perfumes like LUSH Rose Jam, Armani Si, Tauer Rose Flash, Lalique Amethyst, Mancera Roses Vanille and/or The House of Oud Grape Pearls. Also, if you like the sweet “exclusive collection” Guerlains, you should really try Parfait de Roses.

Projection is average and longevity is above average.

The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $198 at Nordstrom. What I love about this collection is that they also offer travel sizes (with a spray!) that retail for $34.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Powdery, creamy gourmand-custard rose. It’s sweet and almost sickly romantic, but I love it.

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Original article: Lancome Parfait de Roses Perfume Review

ROSE WEEK 2019 – A Leathery Rose

It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 5 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.

Every Rose Week, I try to focus on one or two rose-centric perfumes that I think people that usually don’t love roses will stand. I am basically trying to get ya’ll to join my decadent and enlightening Cult of Rose. If you don’t think you like rose, let me introduce you to Thameen Nassak.

I’ve been blogging and talking about perfume for a long time but I don’t think I’ve ever used “brilliant leather” to describe a perfume until now. Nassak’s opening is like some sort of golden leather. It opens with a luminous citrus and a brand new black leather jacket. As it wears, it’s new leather and fruity pipe tobacco. The rose is green and bitter. If there wasn’t enough leather for you, let’s add some more. The saffron adds a double-dose of leatheriness without weighing the perfume down. So far I’ve failed to tell you about one of the best parts of Nassak: there’s a skanky musk in this with a hint of civet. It’s animalic but I don’t find it overly animalic. This musk amplifies the bitter sweetness of the rose and it perfectly compliments the leather. Nassak eventually dries down to a smoky, leathery oud.

I’ve been describing Nassak as something like a regal rose in a tiara at a biker bar. It’s elegant but it’s also rugged/”raw”.

Notes listed include orange, plum, leather, rose, saffron, patchouli, oud, amber, sandalwood, gaiacwood, musk and vanilla. Launched in 2014.

Give Nassak a try if you like leather-rose perfumes or leathery oriental scents. Or perfumes like Memo French Leather Rose, Montale Black Aoud, Knize 10, Tiziana Terenzi Gold Rose Oudh and/or Dior Cuir Cannage.

Projection and longevity are above average. The musk really makes it stick around. Saying that, I never find it cloying.

The 1.7 oz retails for $210 at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Leather rose. A regal rose in a biker bar! If you think you’re too cool for roses, oh, try this and welcome to the Cult of Rose!

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Disclaimer – Full-size product provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic is mine (it’s engraved!). Helena Christensen pic circa 1991 by Peter Lindbergh from www.sometimesnothingisarealcoolhand.com

Original article: Thameen Nassak Perfume Review

ROSE WEEK 2019 – The Cedar Rose

It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 5 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.

I’m always surprised when I hear or read reviews that Le Labo Rose 31 isn’t a rose. Because to me, it’s very much a rose! This brand is so popular that I smell at least three people on mass transit wearing a Le Labo product daily. If I smell something noticeably rose in public, then it is most likely the delicate sillage of Le Labo Rose 31. I feel like over the years I have developed some sort of Marvel-like superpower where I recognize it 200 yards away.

Rose 31 opens as a green, dewy cottage rose but you can tell immediately this won’t be the usual rosey-cheeked rose soliflore. Underneath there is a sweaty cumin that is trying to be masked by a hefty dose of laundry musk. Does the laundry musk mask it? It really just depends on your skin chemistry if it will or not. For the most part, Rose 31 is a tea rose with cedar. Really when I think of cedar and rose, all I can think about is this Le Labo…which has spawned many copycats since its launch over a decade ago. The dry-down of Rose 31 is my least favorite part. It’s dry, bitter woods. It’s one of those ambiguous “dry woods” that dominates so much of modern perfumery. But, I can’t really fault this perfume for that because, as I’ve mentioned, it’s had a lot of influence on other perfumes and brands. It’s possible I’m tired of this base just because Le Labo popularized these sort of bases.

I always feel like I should love Rose 31 more than I do. It’s nice, but I have so many other rose soliflores collecting dust that I can’t justify $200 of more rose soliflores. And the rose soliflores that I own just work better on my skin. However, I have been tempted by the body products even though I have heard they aren’t that good. Anyone tried them and have thoughts?

AND another final thought on this perfume since Rose Week is wrapping up and I probably won’t talk about Rose 31 again: My dogs love this perfume. I can not wear it without them going nuts. This actually makes me not want to wear it. The only other perfume that gets a response like this from them is CB I Hate Perfume CBMusk and some cheap unlabeled rose oil that I bought in a store in Turkey that also sold dried eggplants too.

Notes listed include rose, cumin, vetiver, cedar, musk, guaiacwood, olibanum, labdanum and oud. Launched in 2006. PERFUMER – Daphne Bugey

Give Rose 31 a try if you like woodsy roses. Or perfumes like Penhaligon’s Much Ado About the Duke, Bois 1920 Rose e The, L’Artisan 9 Arcana Rose, Etat Libre d’Orange Rossy de Palma and/or Pirouette Rose Musk.

Projection and longevity are average. However, this is one of those that I don’t notice but then someone later comments on it. So, it must last longer than I think it does.

Rose 31 comes in a few sizes with the 1.7 oz retailing for $184 at Nordstrom.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Woody rose. I like it but I don’t love it. I get to smell it enough in a day anyway without having to invest in a bottle

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Nordstrom. Cathee Dahmen in Brooklyn circa 1969 by Claude Guillaumin in NYC. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Le Labo Rose 31 Perfume Review

Another Week of Roses! Rose Cheapies: 2019

Winter has left me feeling exceptionally “blah” this year so I’m basically trying to do anything that I think will remind that my feelings and this cold season are temporary. As a distraction, I did something I tell all of ya’ll not to do. I blind-bought perfumes. But, let me explain! I bought rose-centric perfumes from a discount site, all of them selling for under $25. That seems like less of a gamble, right? This week I will see if the blind-sniffing odds were stacked against me or not…

When I blind-bought cheap roses, Guerlain Rosa Pop was the only one that well, wasn’t a blind-buy. I had sniffed this a couple of times at Duty Free shops and always liked it. I knew it was boring but it’s a fun fruity-floral rose. When you’re jet-lagged and grumpy AND still like a scent, that’s a good sign, right? When I decided to do this series, I thought that I may as well buy at least one that I know that I like!

Rosa Pop is perfume with energy. It opens with a Spritz Veneziano, like prosecco with rhubarb and lemon. This “pop” quickly fizzles and what is left is something rather cosmetic. Basically, Rosa Pop reminds me of the brand’s iconic makeup, Meteorites. It’s a powdery violet kissed by raspberries. But, the difference between this scent and their makeup (and their perfume inspired by the makeup), is that this one has more rose. For most of the wear, Rosa Pop is a transparent, powdery rose-violet. There isn’t much of a dry-down. It’s just like the rest of the fragrance but with more white musk.

Overall, it’s a very Guerlain scent that is without the brand’s signature Guerlainaide. It’s like the “functional” aspect of Guerlain since it is more like what their powder smells like than their perfumes.

Notes listed include peony, rose, lemon and red berries. Launched in 2016.

Give Rosa Pop a try if you like perfumes like Bvlgari Rose Essentielle, Berdoes Les Contes Bucoliques Clair de Rose (what a mouthful), Marc Jacobs Violet (discontinued), L’Artisan Drole de Rose and/or L’Occitane Arlesienne. Try it if you like powdery, cosmetic roses.

Like all of the other Guerlain Aqua Allegoria perfumes, this one has below average projection and longevity. It wears like an eau de cologne (it’s an EDT). If you wanna be bougie af, you can buy this bottle to use as a linen spray. It definitely lingers on fabric longer than it does on skin.

The 3.3 oz bottle can be found at discounters like Perfume.com of FragranceX.com for under $30. It can also be found at airports!

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A fruity-rose meets a powder puff. It’s not the most innovative perfume but I enjoy wearing it. I predict I will get a lot of mileage from this bottle once the weather warms up.

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Original article: Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Rosa Pop Perfume Review

Another week of Roses! Rose Cheapies – 2019

I really didn’t know what to expect from this Oscar de la Renta. It’s in a pink version of the Esprit d’Oscar bottle. Esprit d’Oscar was an amazing perfume, like a modern Guerlain L’Heure Bleue. This has nothing do with roses, but if you see that perfume for cheap, grab it while you still can. Anyway, my love for Esprit d’Oscar is what influenced me to buy Rose.

Oscar Rose is rose soliflore. There’s really not much to it…and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It opens as a slightly screechy, but sheer green-leaning rose. It’s one of those dewy roses that frankly reminds me of something that retails for a lot more, Jo Malone London Red Roses. As it wears, there’s a more peony added to the literal roses. It starts to smell like a “pink rose”. The dry-down is a rose shoved through one of those photo editing filters that makes everything look like it is a watercolor painting. Rose is paired with laundry-like musk that very much reminds me of the base of Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely. I know I keep comparing Oscar Rose to other perfumes, but let’s be real here, this sort of rose is what perfumery loves to flirt with, there are many like it. After wearing this a couple of times, it reminds me of a dewier Stella McCartney Stella (which just so happens to be one of my favorite department store roses). I can’t stop with the comparisons and I apologize!

I paid less than $16 for a large bottle of this. I’m surprised by how much I like it. It is not amazing or a “must have”. But, for the money, I’m more than pleased. Most people will think of it like a watered down The Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose (review of that one later this week). It’s one of those pretty “English garden” roses with a musky base that helps it linger. It’s a rose for someone that wants to smell like literal roses, even if “literal roses” means “how perfumery interprets a rose”. Anyway, if you really love smelling like roses, you may want to try this one.

Notes listed include pear, freesia, lily-of-the-valley, rose , peony, white woods, white amber and musk. Launched in 2016.

Give Oscar de la Renta a try if you like crisp rose soliflores. Or perfumes like Jo Malone London Red Roses, Stella McCartney Stella, Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, Juliette Has a Gun Miss Charming and/or Aerin Lauder Rosse de Grasse.

Projection and longevity are average.

A 3.4 oz bottle can be found at discounters like Perfume.com and FragranceX.com for under $20. I also hear that these show up at places like TJ Max. (I bought mine from Perfume.com). There’s an Orange Blossom in the line that I’m really tempted by too at this price.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dewy rose soliflore and musk.Not bad at all for the money. At this price, it would even make for a luxurious room or linen spray.

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Fragrantica – Member reviews

*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Billie Holiday by by Carl Van Vachten, 1949, from Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!

Original article: Oscar de la Renta Rose Perfume Review

Another week of Roses! Rose Cheapies – 2019 R

I don’t even know where one would buy Salvador Dali perfumes in the U.S. other than online discounters. So, as far as the “quality” of them, are they sold at department stores in Europe? Drugstores? Specialty stores? Anyway, all I know is that I can get them for cheap online and I’m content with that.

Dali Sun & Roses may be a play on the band Gun & Roses. I haven’t done my research (obviously); I’ve just bought perfumes that were cheap and I thought were rose-y. This is a pink surrealist slab that may or may not smell like roses…

The opening of Sun & Roses is really fruity. It smells like apple-scented shampoo. And then it smells like drugstore conditioner. It’s a non-descript fruity-floral that has been composed to please and all that is left is nothing. It’s void of any personality. It just smells clean, “fresh” and light. I keep waiting and waiting for the roses. I keep waiting and waiting for the sun. Neither show up. Both ran off together and ditched me, the third wheel. The only company I now have are a couple of strangers at this venue that are willing to talk to me, green apple and lily-of-the-valley. They’re fine. They’re nice, even. But, they were not who I was planning to hang out with this evening. I find their conversation more like small talk and I’m bored. I knew I should have stayed home…

This is a painfully boring perfume but not a terrible one. It actually reminds me of another perfume that I find painfully boring – Marc Jacobs Daisy. Like Marc Jacobs Daisy, Sun & Roses isn’t “bad”. It’s just so functional. The sad thing is that I’ll probably wear this when it’s super hot and sweaty outside and when I just want to smell like I am squeaky clean and my hair is not a greasy mess, instead it is clean and bouncy like a Pantene commercial.

I forgot to tell you about the dry-down. I tried to stick around for it, but there wasn’t much there. It was just something like the heart but with a little more “white woods” or whatever they call them in perfume-speak. I was bored. I had to leave and I used “I have to get home and walk my dogs” as an excuse.

Notes listed include pink grapefruit, bergamot, apple, roses, violet, lily-of-the-valley, white musk, sandalwood, cedar and vanilla. Launched in 2013. PERFUMER – Dorothee Piot

Give Sun and Roses a try if you like smelling like shampoo and/or you probably hate perfume. Or perfumes like Marc Jacobs Daisy, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for Her, Anna Sui Romantina, Chanel Chance Eau Tendre, Zara Applejuice, Chloe See by Chloe Eau Fraiche and/or every Marc Jacobs Daisy flanker, like Eau So Fresh (lol at that name).

The 3.4 oz bottle is available at discounters for under $20. I bought mine from Perfume.com for less than $15.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Generic apple fruity-floral that smells like shampoo. Well, you win some and you lose some when you blind-buy. I lost here with my giant pink slab.

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*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Mid-50’s Helene Curtis shampoo ad only seems appropriate because of shampoo and the ad is surrealist. It’s from vintage-ads.livejournal.com. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Salvador Dali Sun & Roses Perfume Review

Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose Perfume Review

Another week of Roses! Rose Cheapies – 2019

Some would say that Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose is the reference rose soliflore and I wouldn’t argue with them. Tea Rose is rose. Now as you have heard me say every Rose Week, there is more than one way to interpret a rose in perfumery. But, Tea Rose is one of those that doesn’t want us to waste our time getting lost in translation. It’s just a big ‘ole rose.

Tea Rose smells like a florist’s fridge. When you first spray it, it’s like opening a refrigerator of red roses. It’s cool, red rose petals. There’s a hint of something like sliced apples and some lemon zest. As the perfume wears, the green-leaning rose goes into full bloom, exposing every little hidden crevice of its petals. However, there is more to Tea Rose than just rose. There’s a heady lily-of-the-valley sprouting up from clumps of melting winter ice. The heart is cool, green roses with heady, mentholated white florals. The rosewood is noticeable, which comes across as wood freshly polished with lemon-scented furniture polish. And this is what it dries down to – roses, rosewood and musk. It’s basically the same theme but it is less cool/green in the dry-down.

Is it a good thing that I don’t associate Tea Rose with anyone? When you have a perfume that has lasted this long (launched in the 70’s) and has been rather popular, there’s always a risk of it being defined by someone and not by the perfume. The only reason I bring this up is because I can’t talk about this perfume without someone sharing a memory of why they love/hate it. I have heard stories of oppressive Sunday school teachers, mean girls on the high school track team, loving matriarchs that I wish I had the opportunity to know, goth girls at NYC clubs that take the fetish night dress-code regulations very seriously, a babysitter that stole the family’s lawnmower…Tea Rose comes with stories! I encourage you, if you have one you’d like to share, please share your memories of Tea Rose because I love hearing about them. Sadly, I won’t have any to share.

Actually, I take that back. My only memory is that a wife of a very popular County music star of the 80’s/90’s wore it to dinner parties and all I remember from Tea Rose is what it tasted like. They both had huge hair so I just assumed that was what their lacquer-like, spray adhesive hairspray must have smelled like. I was much older than I would like to admit before I realized that hairspray does not smell like that…

Kristen McMenamy with rose print from 1993

Notes listed include bergamot, rose, lily, tuberose, sandalwood, amber, cedar and Brazilian rosewood. Launched in 1977.

Give Tea Rose a try if you love an “old-fashioned” rose. Or if you like perfumes like Jo Malone Red Roses, Oscar de la Renta Rose, Serge Lutens Sa Majeste la Rose, CREED Fleur de The Rose Bulgare and/or Penhaligon’s Elisabethan Rose.

Tea Rose’s strength (or it’s fault) is that projection and longevity are above average. It’s potent stuff. It calls itself an EDT! Anyway, this is one of the few perfumes that I wish came in a roller-ball applicator so it wouldn’t throw so much. Most of the time it’s “too much” for me.

Tea Rose can be found for a steal. The giant 4 oz bottle is on discount sites like Perfume.com for under $20.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Tea rose. Duh. I really like it because it’s a rose on ‘roids, but also it’s something I will have to be in the mood for because even if it is minimalist, it can come across as rather “busy”.

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*Product is being borrowed from a friend. Product pic from Amazon. Kristen McMenamy in Gentleman (one of my all time favorite editorials) by Arthur Elgort for Vogue Italia 1993. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Original article: Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose Perfume Review