Basenotes - Reviews by elfkincatcher

United Kingdom

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Imperial Leather by Cussons

Imperial leather owes its origins to the Russian court back in the 18th century when a Count Orloff commissioned Bayleys of bond Street to create a perfume which wa originally called Eau de cologne Imperiale Russe. Bayleys was eventually bought out by Cussons in 1921 but Imperial Russe was nor ressurrected until 1938 when the original perfume was used to create soap and other toiletries by Chairman Alex Cussons - it was originally Russian Leather then eventually ....Imperial Leather.

Imperial leather is a distinctive perfume and I am very privileged to have a tiny phial of the perfume which probably dates from the 1940's ....I never saw it on sale in here in England. It was inexpensive. The perfume bares scant resemblence to the soap at first but as it warms up the leather comes through but with a touch of Oriental spiciness that the soap lacks. Not a unisex perfume at all ....unlike the soap! It is quite a sensuous little number without cloying sickly florals or invigorating citruses. In many ways it is a little like Opium without that heady cinnamon ...more subtle. A very beautiful little perfume and quite unexpectedly expensive smelling fragrance.
On me - the longer I wear it the slightly sweeter it becomes but without losing that sense of the exotic or its sophistication...definitely no rough edges. Definitely one perfume to try and find! Wish I had more than the few ccs that are in the tiny little bottle as I'd love to wear it!!! I have no idea if they ever made a cologne or toilette water.

I can see why it was a favourite of the Russian royal family ....pity it was never marketed in recent years as a prestige perfume although you may remember the soap adverts back in the 70's with the family bathing in their private jet....the telephone call to the pilot when asked where they wanted to go .....'Bermuda looks nice'!

28th January, 2009.

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Quelques Fleurs L'Original by Houbigant

Too often this is called simply 'QUELQUES FLEURS' and is retailed as such but it isn't! This perfume 'QUELQUES FLEURS L'ORIGINAL' bears little resemblence to Quelques Fleurs which was created a couple of years after L'Original. Both are by Houbigant but whilst L'original has been resurrected (reformulated?) and is available retail, Quelques Fleurs is only available in the 'vintage' market! L'original is quite a heady floral perfume but there is something not quite right about it - whether this is the reformulation I don't know as I have never smelled the REAL L'Original. It improves greatly after a few minutes so if testing it WAIT and don't rub it!!! BUT believe me it doesn't even come close to Quelques Fleurs! That is just scentsational! It is like falling asleep in a flower garden on a hot summers day - a died and gone to heaven fragrance - youthful but not young - it is a perfume that any woman can wear at any time of the day. L'Original just doesn't have the same qualities. They stopped making Quelques Fleurs back in the 70's I think - or at least they retailed it in UK only in Harrods in an attempt to raise its profile to where it originally was - I think they made it for the USA market for a little longer. My mother introduced me to it in the late 60's - it had been one of her favourites. I have both Quelques Fleurs and Quelques Fleurs L'Original - I have given it the thumbs up as L'Original is lovely ....BUT...........

8th July, 2008.

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