 | Must de Cartier by CartierThis is one of the fragrances I used to spritz but couldn't afford back in the early 80's. Lord, I longed for this! 30 years later I can afford it, but read it's been turned to garbage. I took a chance anyway and ordered the extrait. It hasn't changed at all to my nose, maybe the EdT or EdP have, but this smells very, very much the same. Smells of oranges in opening, then I get a dose of civet, then the mellow vanillic, musky drydown which comes a tad too soon. This is very soft and understated and somehow 'cold' in nature. My tastes have changed somewhat, but I can see reaching for this when I want a comfort scent. Wears close with moderate lasting power. I can't see this offending anyone. Beautiful red leather case with sliding doors that open to reveal an architectural bottle of amber coloured extrait. Very well done. 20th January, 2012. |
| | First by Van Cleef & ArpelsThis has been around for a long time and now I know why. This is a full bodied, glamorous fragrance for the big girls. I don't usually ascribe to scents for day or night, but this makes me think of a big night out. Opens with orange to my nose then moves on to a HUGE floral bouquet of jasmine, rose, iris?. Lots of civet. Animalic drydown that never loses the floral bouquet. Is it just me or is this almost identical to Amouage Dia woman, another JCE creation. This is just unbelievably good, but you have to enjoy this type of full blown, aldehyde laden, technicolor beauty. I do and am thankful I've tried it. If it's been reformulated, it doesn't smell like anything that's been stripped down and modernized. Just beautiful. I also don't usually worry about application and suggest people who don't like it get out of my way, but this one is old school. One spritz is all it takes, it radiates for miles and hours. Think I have to get another bottle to hoard. This is of the EdP. 20th January, 2012. |
 | Velvet Gardenia by Tom FordI echo Sugaranda and Caltha's thoughts on this. If this is gardenia, it should be banned from perfumery. Yes I know all of this is, and should be, subjective, but this is vile. When I read that it had a mushroom note, which to me is earthy loamy and mellow with gardenia which to me is creamy, delicate and floral I thought "where do I get me some?" and promptly ordered a small(vile) vial from the sweet ladies at the Perfumed Court. When it arrived and I applied it, it has an intense incense that smells sharp and stale much like you would find in an old church that had wooden pews with old, old varnish. Acrid, stomach churning hideosity (yes I know it's not a word but so apt here). A sweetness that is much like my poor dog's ears when they get infected. Forgive the dreadful images here, but trust me when I say that they are mild compared with the fragrance itself. I have tried three Tom Ford fragrances and so far they have been jokes, especially for the price. I think he is a darling of the fashion industry and no one dares tell the emporer he's butt naked and his fragrances are none too pretty. Get Estee Lauder's Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia for a real beauty or Annick Goutal's Gardenia Passion for a truly buttery and gorgeous gardenia (yes I know it's built around tuberose, but many gardenia frags are. I also love, adore, and own (thanks to my beloved husband) the 6.8 oz Chanel Gardenia in the Exclusifs. When sprayed on clothes it develops over many hours and becomes more lovely by the minute, a real beauty. But run, don't walk, from this stomach churning monstrosity. A thousand thumbs down, down, down . . . . 31st December, 2011. |
| | Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estée LauderThis is so lovely. Very beautiful creamy gardenia and tuberose just as the name says. First sniff and I'm transported to my childhood thinking "this how all those ladies used to smell". Quite vintage in my mind. Not at all synthetic. Good sillage. I hate fragrances that I can't find an hour later, I mean really. . . But PCTG really delivers the goods. On me it is quite linear and beautiful all the way. A tiny hit of menthol at the get go then just beautiful creamy flower petals. Has no green, leaves or stems like Carnal Flower which I also love. Also too CF is very sweet, PCTG never treads that territory instead it is creamy, lush and refined. Drydown is equally beautiful and this lasts until the next day on skin. I feel compelled to note to all those horrified at the price that the bottle with the jewels on the cap is EXTRAIT and a full ounce at that. Chanel's Gardenia extrait is $175 for 5 mls. So all in all, not a bad price. The EdP is $85 for 1 oz and $145 for 2.5 ozs. Yes, it is not cheap, but by some niche standards it is very fairly priced. I have not yet tried the extrait. Pleeeeeeez EL, don't fiddle with the formula! 21st December, 2011. |
| | Diorama by Christian DiorBeautiful, just beautiful. Sharply floral opening of very indolic jasmine/tuberose overlaying ripe, ripe (not overripe) peaches. Cumin peaks shyly out from time to time. This is rich, bright but not sharp, intense but not heavy and not, I would think for anyone under 30, although I dislike age boundaries, it just seems appropriate in this instance. This is for the new version and I should mention that I got it during early summer and was rather underwhelmed and put it away. Today, late November, it's beauty is radiant and I believe is best left for cooler weather. A big thank you to Dior for trying to bring back some of their classics in spite of the (ridiculous) ingredient restrictions that are making it so difficult. Please try this if you can. 29th November, 2011. |
| | Gardénia by ChanelI love this. I have not been fortunate enough to smell an actual gardenia, but upon smelling this, that would have been my first guess. It smells totally natural and is, to me, a soliflore. The progression is very linear and I get good sillage and the lasting power is quite good on fabric at about 4 hours. I really, really like this one a lot and other than Cuir de Russie, is the only other Exclusif I want to get, having tried them all except Jersey. It's truly unique, delicate, gorgeous and has a curious vintage feel. Somewhat reminds me of Amouage Reflection woman, but if these two fragrance were gloves, Reflection would be the boxing glove of a heavy weight champion and Gardenia a lovely long silk elbow length glove with pearl buttons at the wrist to allow the perfect fit. Truly beautiful. 29th October, 2011. |
| | K de Krizia by KriziaAhhh, 1981 must have been a fabulous year for fragrance! I remember walking through the The Bay on my lunch hour, newly arrived in Calgary with student loans, a car loan, a moving loan and completely unable to buy my beloved K de Krizia or my absolute favorite Must de Cartier, so broke and so in love with these beauties that I had to settle for spraying them on as I passed wistfully by the fragrance counter. Both had lovely, rich, mellow animalic drydowns (in my memory). Now that I can afford them, I can't find K de Krizia and apparently Must has been butchered, but I may still spring for the pure parfum as I've read it's still most representative of the original. If you can find K de Krizia and you love a lovely chypre with a hint of the animal, do try it. 2nd July, 2011. |
| | L'Air de Nina Ricci by Nina RicciVery surprised by this. Now I have only tried it from a scent strip from a magazine, but find it irresistable. The florals are soft and creamy, and smell natural. I get no chemical in this demure beauty at all. It has lovely sillage, I smell it constantly but I don't think it would be in anyone else's face unless overapplied. The drydown keeps the floral bouquet soft and sexy and segues into what I perceive as musk, but I see from the notes above, it is Palisander and Patchouli. For those who dislike patchouli, I personally didn't smell it at all. I usually dislike delicate florals/musk as I often detect an unpleasant chemical twang, but not with this. A delightful discovery and I think I will add it to my bulging collection. I can't see this not appealing to every age group, but it might be more of a favorite for the younger crowd. Very nice indeed. 1st July, 2011. |
| | Ubar by AmouageIn answer to "Off Scenter" (great name, great reviews by the way) How often would I have occasion to wear Ubar? Hmmmm, only every day! I don't fall into the category of less is more, for me, more is MORE! And Ubar delivers. First sniff and I almost get teary eyed with nostalgia, it smells so much like a fragrance my mom wore. This is rich, rich, rich. Richer even than Gold in my opinion because it has a heavy, complex, almost gloomy heft and yet is simply magnificent. No holds were barred in this one and while Gold is akin to sweet, flowery angelic voices, Ubar is a gregorian chant to me. So far I haven't hit on a single note in this review, sorry, with this one I just can't break it down, I'll leave it to others. This is rich, complex, organic (as in I can detect nothing synthetic), aromatic, waxy, strong/soft and extremely long lasting. As in just reaching final drydown the next day. This is how fragrance used to be made. Thank God a few fine houses are still bringing us such magnificent creations. A thousand thumbs up! 26th April, 2011. |
| | 31 rue Cambon by ChanelBoozy is a good way to describe the fruits here, but they are round and smooth, not like a stale fruitcake, which some fruit laden scents turn on me. I should have known it would be love because this is full on chypre even tho it apparently lacks oakmoss. Heady, aldehyde laden opening with gorgeous fruits and florals. I'm getting a ton of iris and it's gooooooood! Fulsome and breadlike, honestly, my brain is spinning with how beautiful this is. I no longer have to kvetch and moan about how they don't make them like the old days, because apparently Chanel still does. Strong sillage and amazing lasting power. STUNNING! 7th April, 2011. (Last Edited: 28th April, 2011.) |
| | Sycomore (new) by ChanelDelicate, smokey, vetiver and demure florals. Really, can't pick out the individual notes on this one other than the vetiver, but it is glorious and has jumped to the top of my "must possess in largest size possible and as soon as possible" list. Very good sillage, delicately wafts for hours. Beautiful, refined, intriquing and deserving of its place as an exclusif. Highly, highly recommend. 7th April, 2011. |
| | Amazone (new) by HermèsJust got my tiny dabbing sample of this. Had I known how astonishingly beautful this creation was, I would have stockpiled a ton of it in all its strengths. I weep at the thought of this in pure perfume and that it has been dumped by Hermes in that strength as has the EdP. I love mostly all of Mr. Elena's creations in their spare ethereal beauty, but hope they won't paint their entire fragrance collection with the 'minimalist' brush. Now on to Amazone. Opens extremely briefly with a dark green vegetal smack, then moves smoothly onto the most gorgeous, lush, but bright florals (don't ask me what they are, they are blended seemlessly to my nose). Yes it is sweet, but in the most elegant and rich way. This must still have a good hit of oakmoss, because it always makes whatever else is in a fragrance, rich, deep and mellow in my skin. Womanly, beautiful, utterly haunting. How they could deem this unworthy of EdP and Parfum and bring Kelly Caleche to us in all three strengths absolutely gob smacks me and I'm not even British! If they wanted something lighter, why didn't they leave this one alone and just continue to release the lite version. And by the way, I like Kelly Caleche, I just don't think the EdP compares to the EdT and don't think it is a composition worthy of Parfum, but I haven't tried that strength. Time to stock up on Amazone . . . . again!!!! A thousand thumbs WAAAAY up! 3rd April, 2011. |
| | Kelly Calèche by HermèsReally love this. Opens very fresh, almost harsh - no problem. Leather is there from the getgo and actually becomes more prominent as time goes by, unlike CdR but it's silly to compare the two because they are very different ladies indeed. Some florals, can't pick out the individual notes, but the overall effect is classy, unaffected and elegant. I much prefer the EdT in this over the EdP which I can barely detect and has very little leather. As with all Hermes, performs best on cloth, has good sillage and I'm really looking forward to trying it in the warm weather, bet it really shines! May have to get a small decant of the parfum to try. Heart Hermes! 2nd April, 2011. |
| | Bleu de Chanel by ChanelWow, shocked at all the negativity on this one. I have noticed, quite a bit, that some fragrances miss the gender mark they are aimed at and I think this may have happened here. When I tried to get my dear and patient husband to wear this he wrinkled his nose "too perfumey" I know better than to argue further. This is a fabulous feminine. Granted it does open with a rather generic aftershave vibe, after about 45 minutes, it becomes a rich animalic skin scent that I am quickly falling in love with. I added a tiny dab of cumin oil and what I have now is very much like Eau d'Hermes kicked up a notch, altogether a wonderful thing indeed. Good sillage and great lasting power. As with all things Chanel, nothing cheap, metallic or synthetic here, just a lovely fragrance that may have been better marketed to the female fragrance market. I feel a purchase coming on. 25th March, 2011. (Last Edited: 28th March, 2011.) |
| | Eau d'Hermès by HermèsGorgeous, just gorgeous. For once I was smart and got a small decant from the lovely ladies at the Perfumed Court. It did not disappoint. I happen to be a cumin luvin' gal and this is the most refined but distinct rendering I have encountered (also love jubilation and femme). But this is altogether another animal as are most Hermes I have tried. Opens with a nostril searing lemon, then a lovely soft (SOFT) cinnamon which remains throughout. Then the cumin appears in all its glory, but the cinnamon overlays it and the two together create the most beautiful, come close and love me skin scent ever. Sadly staying power seems limited, but I have had much better luck with all the Hermes when I get the spray and use it on clothes, hope this one will perform similarly. Completely unique, utterly refined and heartbreakingly lovely. I'm awaiting two bottles because I fear Hermes has discontinued.UPDATE: received new bottle and am able to spray, much better sillage and longevity on clothes. A true masterpiece by a true genious, made before fragrances became a prelude to the giant Cinnabun you'd stuff in your face, making your way mindlessly through the local mall. I believe Roudnitska originally made this for women, which could explain all the male haters. I firmly believe that people should wear what they like regardless, but some fragrances render their true beauty more fully on one sex or the other. Ten thumbs WAAAAY UP!!! 23rd March, 2011. (Last Edited: 31st March, 2011.) |
| | Tabac Blond by CaronOkay, I give up totally on Caron. Going through a leather phase and thought I couldn't go wrong with this. So I got a large decant of the extrait, apparently the way to go? WRONG! (wrong, wrong, wrong). Amber treacle and nothing more. Ghastly, made my blood sugar spike it was so sweet and bland. Cuir de Russie you own my leather loving soul. Caron should get rid of that Fraysse? moron or pack it in. 23rd March, 2011. |
| | Pheromone by Marilyn MiglinI really feel that Pheromone doesn't get the credit it deserves. In this age of candy and cookie scents, it's a challenging fragrance for the mature woman. It starts out strongly green and somewhat herbaceous. I don't get a great deal of spice, more floral and animalic. Have not tried the EdT, but have the EdP and pure parfum. The EdP has huge sillage and takes a while to settle but once it does, it's quite simply beautiful and soft with good longevity. The pure parfum is much softer and more dense but strangely no longer lasting than the EdP. I think if this fragrance had the double C's on it, people would be tripping over themselves to fork out $200 +++ for an exclusive. I also think if someone were blindfolded and sniffed it, they would think they were smelling something fabulous, vintage and discontinued. I hope it never changes in any way or is discontinued. Marilyn deserves a lot of credit for continuing to make this great classic when so many others have been kicked to the curb. My preference is for the parfum. 27th February, 2011. |
| | Hermèssence Osmanthe Yunnan by HermèsI must have strange chemistry because Hiris goes on me like water then after about 15 minutes starts to sing and I'm still smelling it hours later (and it is stunning). The same is true for me with Osmanthe Yunan. I put it on several hours ago and I keep catching this beautiful, natural peachy fruity smell that is just delightful. Not a sillage monster I'll grant you, but for me this is the best "peach" note I've tried and not at all short lived. Luca Turin says body chemistry does not affect the performance of a fragrance but I have to disagree. Definitely worth trying if you love the smell of peach and are looking for something delicate and restrained with no hint of the 'chemical'. Love, love, loving Hermes and think Kelly Caleche, in EdT form, one of the best leathers out there. 28th January, 2011. |
| | 1000 by Jean PatouGod I love this! Won't try to break out the notes. Suffice it to say it's a massive chypre. Austere, grand, uncompromising and very womanly. Herbaceous and somewhat dry and bitter floral. Never boring, doesn't fade to some vanillic blandness (I'm sure that's not really a word!) The far drydown is animalic and civety. Very strong, but with civilized sillage, you won't knock people out, but you won't wonder if you remembered to put it on either. This is perfumery at its best and nothing else compares. Makes Chanel No. 5 look like a "wannabe". This review is for the EdP, which it looks like the morons at P&G have shelved as it's not listed on the Patou website and is getting very hard to find. I almost can't bear what has happened to the industry . . . 12nd January, 2011. |
| | Jubilation 25 by AmouageA rich, joyous jubilant scent that can't help but make you smile. Floral, spicy (but not too) and very feminine. Lasts a long, long time and the scent intensifies for several hours after application before it begins its beautiful drydown. Tarragon is prominent for a bit as is cumin, but this is mostly a seamless blend. Has a trashy cousin in Gucci Rush, but they really are quite different with the Rush being much more brash and harsh. Strongly recommend sampling J25. Next to Gold, their best yet. Must possess and have resigned myself to eating cat food in my senior years as my retirement fund has been looted for the perfume gods! Expensive. 11th August, 2010. |
| | Amouage Gold by AmouageNot good at picking out notes, but I'll try to describe as best I can. Opens LARGE with flowers, rich, heady, opulent, intoxicating. Settles down after about 20 minutes and then envelopes you in the most enchanting, feminine scent. Wearing Gold is like falling into a million silk pillows, just very comforting, inviting and beautiful. Some have written that it is a "special occasion" scent. I disagree. I think you can wear this any time you want to smell fabulous, even if it's just picking up the groceries. Why not? Used to give me headaches which was bad for me, now I find I can wear it, which will be bad for my pocketbook!! Lasts a long time even on skin. If you tend to like full blown, womanly, fragrances that scream quality, run don't walk to get this. Thank you Monsieur Robert! 11th August, 2010. |
| | Private Collection - Corps et Ames by Parfumerie GeneraleI adore this and am completely flumoxed (sp?) by the complete lack of passion it engenders in others. If it is supposed to be a masculine, perhaps that is why, because I find it a very sexy feminine of rose, leather, sandalwood. It has near perfect sillage and tremendous lasting power at 12 hr. +. Faintly sweet but dry at the same time. Smells very classy and come hither. Pure love and 100 ml worthy. I'm really liking the PG line and am currently test driving Querelle, Psychotrope and L'oiseau de nuit. The only complaint I have with the line so far, is that it has a tendency to overuse that nauseating caramel note which I don't think has any place in perfumery, let alone niche lines, but that's just me. . . . 29th January, 2010. |
| | Bandit by Robert PiguetI will wear Bandit forever. There is the newest formulation that carries accreditation on the side of the box confirming that it is the closest to the original version and it is amazing (EdP). Goes on sharp and rather vegetal with a floral mix, eventually morphs to a lovely, sexy, animalic (civet?) drydown that never fails to make my husband weak in the knees. I pity those who steer away from "strong" "perfumey" perfumes in favour of insipid chemical mishmash that is gender neutral. If someone doesn't like Bandit, they couldn't possibly like me. Step aside. By the way, the EdT has been discontinued due to multitudinous complaints about longevity. I had a sample of it and it was gorgeous as well, it seemed to be straight leather and then civet (my two faves), but gone in an hour. A previous reviewer listed a number on his inferior bottle of Bandit. The number on mine (the latest and most 'authentic' version is 77464). Everyone should at least try this masterpiece. 29th January, 2010. |
| | Beautiful by Estée LauderSniffed gingerly from the bottle and thought worthy of a small spritz. Hmmm, soft lovely rose. . . . huh, wait a minute. . . where's the rose?!!! Unfortunately (for me) this almost instantaneously morphs into a massive, beligerent Tuberose which elbows all the other lovely notes contained here, out of the way. I loathe tuberose, it's pretty much the only note that actually makes me physically ill, so obviously a no go for me. (Beautiful makes Fracas seem sheer). If you like tuberose, and many do, get a bottle because this baby projects to the space station and lasts longer than a bad divorce. Huge thumbs down for me, I can't even be objective about this one. 13rd November, 2009. |
| | Parfum Sacré by CaronWhat a disappointment! Based on the reviews I ordered a 100 ml bottle (online discount thank God!) Fully expected a complex, lush, rosey and womanly perfume. Instead I got an insipid mixture of cinnamon and some sort of floral (where's the rose?) Poor lasting power (1 1/2 hour thankfully) even worse sillage (mercifully). I suspect this was once "really something" before Caron's in house perfumer's ego detached from his brain and he reformulated it. Ick. Blech. Shame on you! Run, don't walk, away from this poor mutilated creation. Ten thumbs down! 10th October, 2009. (Last Edited: 6th September, 2011.) |
| | Diva by UngaroI love Estee Lauder's Knowing and also Paloma Picasso so when I read that Diva was the best of these three I thought Eureka! When I received my small bottle (I'm learning) and spritzed I though "Oh yeaaaahhh", but unfortunately all the fabulous rosey, oakmossy, jasminey mellowness turns sharp and rather blackberryish on me after about 15 minutes and doesn't matter whether I spray on clothes or skin. So sad. I find Knowing can have that rather harsh effect when first sprayed but then improves and just gets better and better and better. Paloma has the most kick (is it oakmoss that has me in its grasp?) but then develops a smokey edge that makes my throat sore, I have to settle for wistfully picking up the bottle to sniff it occasionally and of all of them, smelled this way Paloma is the best, but EL Knowing performs the best in actual usage so that is where my $'s will go. Reluctantly giving Diva a thumbs down for not delivering on its initial gorgeous vision. 24th September, 2009. |
| | Rochas Femme (new) by RochasRushed to buy this when I read that it was very, very similar to Amouage Jubilation 25 (perhaps one of the greatest fragrances ever). So sad, I read what Luca Turin said and thought, I'll make up my own mind thank you very much! I guess that's why HE gets the big bucks. This is a sad fragrance. Having been a great lover of vintage style fragrances I can clearly see where this was once an amazing, sexual fragrance for grownup vixens. Reformulation has left it stripped by accountants like some sad, once grand French courtesan who commiserated with the enemy (read spendthrift perfumers who spared no expense to create a masterpiece) bereft of her fine clothes and jewels left to stand shivering in the cold and suffer the scorn of the masses. Another great perfume that should have been allowed to die a dignified death and discontinued. On a brighter note, I do see some similarities with Montale's Orient Extreme should someone still wish to try something of this type. As for Amouage J25 it still stands alone and untouched as a true masterpiece $$$$$$$$. 24th September, 2009. |
| | Oud Queen Roses by MontaleI have read so many reviews of vintage perfumes that have been mangled at the hands of accountants with ice cubes in their veins. I have seldom, however, had the opportunity to sample them unaltered so can only sympathize with how sad it is to see great materpieces defaced. Oud Queen Roses, for me, falls into the category of masterpiece. It is a rich rose with intoxicating boozy undertones that possesses a sexy intensity that is unbelievable. It has amazing sillage and huge lasting power. It is nice to know that there are still such fragrances being made and I feel fortunate to be able to own it before (God forbid!) it gets reformulated. All the accountants out there stabbing beautiful perfumes throught their hearts with your pointy pencils should be boiled in a vat of Pine Sol! A thousand thumbs up for Queen Roses and Pierre Montale! 31st August, 2009. |
| | Amber & Spices by MontaleAs an addendum to my review, would like to say that I have also recently tried Boise Fruites which was nothing more than a thin, watery, diluted version of the lovely Fougere Marine. Zero lasting power, zero sillage, zero originality. What really worried me though, was I also ordered a new sample of Black Aoud to revisit. It too had no lasting power (I know, can you believe it of this sillage bomb?!) I'm really panicked that Montale is abandoning its standards of quality and has begun reformulating. What will I do without this touch stone of quality in the perfume industry? No more Aoud Queen Roses, one spritz to last days and days on clothes, bed linens, etc. Same of Aromatic Lime, Red Vetyver, Vetiver des Sables,. Ta'if Rose, Orient Extreme, God this is getting too depressing, Must stop now. Really hope I'm wrong . . . . 28th August, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th October, 2009.) |
| | Ciel by AmouageAnother winner from Amouage. This is a lovely, soft, rich floral, with very well done musk undertones, very understated and unmistakably classy. As I have said in earlier reviews, Amouage isn't out to reinvent perfume. What they do do, is take existing classifications and do them 1,000 times better. I can't pick out the notes in Ciel, but when I put it on I just kept thinking. . . "I've smelled this before, but never has it smelled this fabulous." This has quite good sillage and the longevity I think will be quite good as well. While I can't wear all the Amouage (Gold and Dia major headache inducers which sadly I love), I honestly can't imagine anyone smelling their scents and thinking they don't smell amazing, whether you can wear them or not. I give this ten thumbs up! 21st August, 2009. |
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