Basenotes - Reviews by ChildOfTheMoon

Sweden

Showing 1 to 8 of 8.

Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood

Young, sweet and unfinished. For a darker, grown-up version of a leather scent, I recommend Cantate by Yves Rocher, (unfortunately discontinued, but easily found on ebay).

28th October, 2008.

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Karma by Lush

Karma reminds me of an Indian shop- with scented candles, colorful teacups, essential oils, canvas bags with beautiful prints, cozy ramie sweaters and other lovely things. I go to that shop sometimes just to absorb the soft scent of sandalwood soap and candles, touch unique fabrics and get lost in all the colours. If that ambiance could be translated into a fragrance, I'm sure it would smell something very similar to Karma.

Spicy orange oil is definitely the heart and soul of this fragrance, with warm, earthy patchouli in the drydown. Lavender gives it a mild herbal boost, and I'm pretty sure the pine oil is responsible for the touch of greenness. Sometimes I smell the sweet acacia and other essential oils, other times I don't. Maybe it depends on the weather or my nose. I love wearing Karma in autumn and winter. It makes me feel extra cozy and warm in my coat. I like catching a whiff of the spicy orangey scent in icy-cold air. It's silly- but I feel embraced by a golden/orange aura when I wear it.

Karma is a potent fragrance but not as strong as say... Youth Dew or Aromatics Elixir. (which I both like, btw) You need a spritz or two, not more than that. There's nothing generic about this scent, it's not watered-down into some middle-of-the-road fragrance that will appeal to everyone. So be prepared to love it... or hate it. It's definitely unique and sticks out. To me it's a keeper and a modern classic.

The bottle is simple- but cute. The price is a bit steep, but considering the amount of natural essential oils I think it's worth it. Will repurchase.

Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Lavendin Oil (Lavandula hybrida), Pine Oil (Pinus), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Elemi Oil (Canarium commune), Cassie Absolute (Acacia farnesiana), *Cinnamal, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Suitable for vegans.

PS I have the solid version of Karma, which is the exact same scent, and very lovely, but I prefer using the original just because I can spray it on my clothes.

17th October, 2008.

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Chymara by Body Shop

Chymara is such a transformer of a fragrance, so I wanted to wait before writing a definite review. Well it's been a year and I still love wearing it. This is probably my only "light" fragrance (in the jungle of EL Knowing, Youth Dew, Aromatics Elixir and other heavy/spicy ones I adore. So it's only "light" comparing to these.).

This is the most beautiful musk with an opening burst of fresh mandarin peel. The scent develops into a juicy cocktail of purple berries and muted silky rose. This is such an unusual celebration of wet garden. That’s what Chymara reminds me of: a dewy morning in an overgrown garden of some dream retreat, where wild flowers, blackberry and raspberry bushes, rare roses and lilies grow side by side.

There's no sugar here, no overbearing vanilla sweetness. The scent is ripe and luscious with slightly green undertones. In the base notes hides dark praline with stimulating cedarwood. This gives nice depth and complexity to the scent. Again, it's all well settled under a veil of dewy musk. This fragrance evokes summer haze, soft rainy mornings and dreamy ambience.

Luckily Chymara can be worn every day without worries. It's sensual, but not the least overbearing. It's inoffensive, pleasant and I get many compliments when I wear it. The price is ridiculously right and the bottle is pretty in pink glass, with a dash of purple.

All in all, this is an impressive creation worth looking into.

17th June, 2008.

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Ginger by Gorilla Perfume

Ginger by Lush is the ultimate fragrance for the retro siren in you. In my opinion not even the description on their own site does it justice. Maybe this is why it was discontinued, because people expected it to smell like gingerbread or fruit, but Ginger is nothing like that. This is a sensual fragrance made to unleash your inner Bardot, Cardinale or other favourite retro beauty.

The scent kicks off with aromatic ginger root (forget about ginger cookies- this is not it) and then morphs into a smoldering pale rose wrapped in a seductive smoke. Ginger is so French/dirty pink/boudoir…. There’s nothing innocent about it, except maybe for the bottle which could use a makeover. This is a beautiful creation and such an addictive fragrance that deserves a big comeback in a pretty, old-fashioned bottle with pump. (think their own Coctail or Love).

If you're not lucky enough to find/win Ginger on ebay, you can always join the race for discontinued products on lush.co.uk. ("retro Lush"). If enough people show interest, Lush is going to make Ginger for all the retro souls out there who order it.... If they dont bring it back, I’m going to get seriously depressed. *le sigh*

PS. Ginger is 100% vegan, and contains a good amount of pure essential oils.

17th June, 2008.

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Narciso Rodriguez for Her by Narciso Rodriguez

I got a sample of NR edt recently and I have to say it doesn’t really live up to my expectations, its price or the extraordinary beautiful bottle. I expected something muskier, more potent and interesting. But in reality, this is a very delicate fragrance that reminds me of floral deodorants, except that NR edt lasts longer.

The opening notes are mildly smoky, and there’s some greenness to it, possibly vetiver. This fragrance makes me think of spring and breezy, sunny days. It isn’t something I’d call sensual or sexy, like some other reviewers have, but I find it quite pretty and inoffensive. We all have our definition of sensuality, so if yours is like mine, on the dark side (Youth Dew, Knowing, Japanese Musk, Lush Ginger) you probably won’t be that impressed by NR edt. Orange blossom is the star in this scent, and except for the longevity NR isn’t much different from considerably cheaper Orange Blossom by Yves Rocher. I can’t detect other more prominent notes in this. There’s some warmth in the drydown, but not enough for me to find this full-bottle worthy.

For people who don’t like strong fragrances, try this one- it’s a soft and fresh floral. NR is of the prettier of its kind, but simply not for me.

17th June, 2008.

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Eau Dynamisante by Clarins

Eau Dynamisante intrigued me for a long time, but I wasn’t sure if I could pull it of. Like with all unique fragrances this one is bound to have many haters and lovers. To me personally, this scent evokes classy, independent women like Greta Garbo. I can't help but love it for that.

Eau Dynamisante is all about natural, raw elements. It is not "perfumy", but it is without doubt elegant and expensive-smelling. On a right woman this can be mysterious, stunning and sexy. Unlike many vanilla-based "romantic" fragrances, this one is not aiming to sugar-coat your femininity and colour it pink. Instead it brings out what you have in there, your true nature, rawness and sensuality. But it does so in a subtle way. There's no in-your-face attitude in this. Creator of this fragrance certainly knew that the woman is meant to wear the fragrance, and it is not meant to wear her. I can't think of a perfume that expresses this idea better than eau Dynamisante.

Opening burst of notes is somewhat sharp and alcoholic. I can see why some reviewers compared it to men's cologne. But those who are patient will hopefully discover the beauty of this unique fragrance.

Right after the first burst, the magnificent citrus notes emerge. But this is by no means typical citrus fragrance. There's no fruit in eau D; so don't think lemon, think lemon grass. Middle notes are reminiscing of healing herbs and roots and they linger on, staying close to skin. This part of the scent is very uplifting, yet so comforting. Fans of Aromatics Elixir might find eau Dynamisante interesting as a lighter alternative for a spicy herbal.

The dry down is the most surprising (and addictive). This is when the scent turns earthy, spicy and slightly dirty. It could appeal to those who like Obsession or Youth Dew.

Eau Dynamisante stays close to your skin throughout all its stages, and will not offend anyone in the room, but it will intrigue those close to you.

The bottle is beautiful, but simple. It reminds me of cherry soap in both its shape and the beautiful deep red colour.

17th June, 2008.

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Aromatics Elixir by Clinique

Aromatics Elixir is a heavy fragrance, so you're not supposed to bathe in it. A drop of this golden potion will be just enough, or spray it in the air and walk through the mist. Best time to do this is right after shower, before you put your clothes on. This is a very concentrated fragrance, unique in its purity. But if you know your limits, and of course if you like dark, woody/spicy/herbal notes, you're going to become addicted to it. If you in spite of all warnings overdo it, you’re guaranteed a headache…

I'd compare this fragrance to a deep, dark forest after rain... Imagine an ancient forest, in a misty morning, after a night of heavy rain, sun rays barely filtering through the leaves… Intense scents of nature from the trees, wild flowers and earth blending, absorbed in the dew...Late, dreamy summer surrendering to a warm, hazy autumn...Aromatics Elixir takes me to that wonderful place every time I wear it.

To me, this is a special occasion scent, not something I'd wear every day. Aromatics Elixir is a bold fragrance, made for a unique and confident woman who is a dreamer at heart. Thank you Clinique for this classic!

17th June, 2008.

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Agent Provocateur by Agent Provocateur

This is a shameless copy of Knowing by Estee Lauder. I can't believe no one mentioned it so far?! But definitely softer and unlike Knowing - powdery. Knowing is darker, richer and more potent, hence it lasts longer. To my nose Agent Provocateur is distinctly a rose chypre. I like the opening notes of coriander and middle notes of rose and jasmine.

The dry down is less impressive because much of the spicy scent disappears into a not-so-unique sweet powder. Knowing is much more impressive that way, hanging on to its richness to the very end.

But even so, try comparing these two fragrances and you'll be amazed at how much they have in common. Ignoring that (to me very important) fact, this is quite nice on its own. Even lovely.

But no matter how hard I try I cannot see it for its marketing as a sexy, dangerous scent. It's retro at best. I don't smell sex, or an idea of sex. But that's just fine by me. Who can trust the advertisements anyway? You'll probably enjoy this if you like spicy roses, regardless of your libido.

But if you're a bit twisted like me, and disappointed because there's no patchouli dirt in this and you wished the spice lasted longer, then my advice to you is to give Knowing a try. In that case, abandon this pink copy immediately and let us never speak of it again.

25th April, 2008. (Last Edited: 27th June, 2008.)

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