Fragrance Reviews by Coconut

According to Osmoz, Aqua Allegoria - Mandarine Basilic consists of the following notes.
Topnotes: Green Tea, Ivy, Clementine, Blood Orange, Orange Blossom
Heartnotes: Mandarin Orange, Basil, Peony, Chamomile
Basenotes: Amber, Sandalwood
This is probably one of my citrus category favourite recently. I have put on 4-5 spritzes for the review. The opening is notably citrusy and juicy. The smell of orange is overwhelming, it concealed the green tea, ivy, orange blossom which is listed on the notes. The scent of orange lasted a considerable of time, at least 1.5-2 hours before it toned down into a softer citrus / floral scent. The dry down is soothing, which smells like a pale citrus water with a drop of amber wielded together.

I agree with kewart, it is definately a good fragrance for summer months.

I first came across 4711 when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Back in those days, the kids at my kindergarten were told to bring a handkerchief to school everday. I suppose it was being used to wipe our dirty hands and dripings. Anyway, my grandmother sprinkled 4711 or another local made floral water / cologne onto my handky to make it smell nicer. Ever since then I have developed an intimate relationship and feelings towards 4711. It is a fleeting scent and probably only last for 30 minutes on my skin. In recent months, I have been reintroduced to it again by a basenoter. She said 4711 is the best remedy when you have a hangover (for external use only). I swear by it and it does have a slight up-lifting effect.

I have tried Cologne Blanche more than ten times from a decant and I confirm that this is going to be my next acquisition. This is my favourite one from the trio. Cologne Blanche is not a spectacular dazzling scent to seduce the audience. I would think this has a subdue comforting quality (perhaps from the almond) which made me feel very comfortable and happy. It has a creamy musky note which made me drool and sleepy. I would definately wear this to bed and sprinkle on my pillow.

Datura Noir was my full bottle purchase from the Serge Lutens range. I fell for it as it is perfect concoction of tuberose, osmanthus, coconut, vanilla and musk. Perhaps I am just bias as I have this weakness for tuberose and coconut. It is the nicest tropical recipe which blends well with the Southeast Asia climate. Datura Noir have a relatively good staying power on me. It goes on heady but it quickly settled down and leaves a creamy sillage of a coconut pudding.

I finally found a perfect rose for myself. I am not a rose person but Aoud Damascus have changed my opinion of all the rose scents. It started off very sharp and medicinal like the others from the Montale's aoud line. I believe zztopp and foetidus have summed up all the good points about this. It is not as sweet and powdery like the YSL's Paris nor as heady like the Bulgari's. It is sensuous rose scent with an edge. I think this is going to become a staple in my drobe.

I tried L'Eau de Jatamansi on a perfect summer day. The sky was blue and clear and the temperature was 32 degrees celcius. The opening of the scent is a nice dainty bergamot which reminds me of the smell of pomelo or yuzi which is often used in Asian cooking. There are traces of ylang ylang on the drydown. The whole experience with L'Eau de Jatamansi good but like most of the L'Artisan's creations, it lacks the staying power and lasted for little less than 2 hours on my skin.

I tested Virgin Island Water at the department store and absolutely adored it. It is youthful and fun. It smells like sun and surf in a bottle. It is very different from the other Creed's scents where they usually have an ambergeris or stronger traditional favour. Other reviewers have summed up all the good points about this scent. IMHO, it smells like an expensive version of the J.Lo's Miami Glow which is versatile, unisex and perfect company for a vacation on the deck or at a resort. It has a very welcoming sillage and reasonable longevity on my skin. I think I am going to get a bottle soon.

I also like Frangipane the best out of the 4 releases Chantecaille made. It is a sumptuous tropical scent with a sugary vanilla base. There isn't many frangipani fragrances in the market but this is the one I fell in love with immediately after the first sniff. It is sweet and it is good enough to make me drool.

Tam Dao is smooth and very subdue. It reminds me of the scent from books which is stored in the library. Dry and not damp. It wears very close to my skin and very comforting. Tam Dao is not musky but it leaning towards a a briskly roasted piece of wood.

I just have to echo with serene111 on this. My aunt bought this for me when I was in my late teens. I fell hard for it and it was my signiture scent back in those days. It is refreshing and perfect for summertime. I have lots of memories attached to this. It has a superb longevity and excellent sillage.

Not as good as I have anticipated. It has lots of cinnamon to it and a tad too spicy. Definately a gourmandy scent, but not as good as Arabie, Chypre Rouge and Cedre where they are more complex and develop to a warm cuddly scent. I just can't bring myself to like it.

I bought this from Singapore. This is a very chypre, fresh and fruity scent. It doesn't smell cheap and there is a tropical feel to this. It has more substance than the fruity scent that is created howadays. I went to search further om the web, here is the composition:
Top Notes: Black currant bud, mango, passion fruit, peach, bergamot, lemon, mandarin, galbanum
Heart Notes: Gardenia, jasmine, tuberose, narcissus, rose, ylang-ylang, carnation, lily of the valley
Base Notes: Amber, oakmoss, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, civet

I must agree with the others that Fleur des Comores captured the vanilla very nicely with a lot of leafy green undertone. It is a very comfortable non abtrusive scent with great sweet sillage. It is not too gourmandy and perfect for the tropical weather!

I read that the composition of Fleur des Comores includes: Vanilla, jasmine, blackcurrant, green leaf.

It is a tad feminine, but I fell hard for that orange blossom so I bought it immediately after my first sniff. It reminds me of a softer Fleur's d Oranger OR even the Caron's Narcisse Noir. They are my favourite scents. I will pread the words and tell my female friends to get this.

That was a blind buy, this is not love at the first sniff for me but it just has not live up to my expectation. It doesn't smell like a "Baby Girl" to me. I was expecting to smell cotton candy and baby powder.

Lemons, cyclamen, orange, Egyptian geranium, a violet, heliotrope, lavender, ylang and cinnamon ceylon, and a white musk and cedar are supposed to be found on this. It has a very noticeable, almost sharp opening but it wears down to a softer, powdery tone rather quickly. Baby Girl reminds me of one of my old love which was the Mimosa Eau de Toilette by Calypso Christiane Celle. I guess if you enjoy Mimosa, there is a chance for you to like this too. They are both playful and shared the same soft musky base.

Brit Red strikes me as a sweet gourmandy spicy scent. I have red that there is Rhubarb, Mandarin, Jasmine, Gingerbread and Patchouli in the composition. I The opening of the scent smells like a raspberry baked pudding. The second layer is a bit blurry but it dries down to the smell of a nice spicy gingerbread man. I used to own a bottle of Brit Gold but gave it away. I think Brit Red stands out a lot more within the "Brits" collection. It seems a lot more playful and I think this is an oriental scent with a western gourmandy twist.

Gucci Eau de Parfum is simply irresistibly. It is a very feminine scent and sensual scent with the compositions of orris, heliotrope, orange blossom, vanilla, citrus, cumin, and thyme, patchouli and musk. (notes cited from The Scent Salamander site). It is intense, spicy and potent. Three spritzes will last you a full day without reapplication. The amber and the spices blended very well, and the cumin made it highly seductive. I love this perfume immensely and it is probably the only one that I like from the entire Gucci women’s range.

My sample of Blue Amber finally arrived! I put 2 droplets on my wrist and observe the changes. I notice the prominent amber note and a bit of incense smoke coming out from this scent. I have cross checked with other websites and no one has talked about the smokey note with Blue Amber. The scent gets smoother after an hour. It smells like dried vanilla pods ready to be stirred into your dough or creme brulee. I drool over this scent as it is extremely delicious and somewhat gourmandy. I think Blue Amber could be a cross over of the L'Occitane - Amber's perfume oil and Creed's Angelique Encens. I love Blue Amber, it serves like one big warm blanket when you are down and miserable.

I thought I got lucky to receive a sample of Creed Tabarome from a perfume spree the other day. I tried it yesterday and quoting from an online retailer, Creed Tabarome is an intriguing blend of tobacco, green tea, patchouli and ginger with a touch of vanilla. Dry, very long-lasting and extremely elegant. Frankly speaking, Creed Tabarome appeared to be a robust smell fumes from acetone (a common solvent in nail polish removers) with a mix of ashes to me. I felt headaches and nausea post application. I just have to wash it off and rest. I was advised by another basenoter who felt it could be the ginger which was played a huge part in making this scent fumey. I have decided to give this away. I am sorry to say it doesn't work for me.

Burberry London is prettiness in a bottle.

Burberry London is a composition of Tiare Flower, Clementine, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Peony, Musks, Indian Sandalwood and Patchouli. It opens up like a bouquet of well orchestrated white florals. It seems like a loud recipe but it was very pleasing to the nose once the alcohol from the beginning wears off. I could picture the scenery of Tahiti when I apply this. The scent of jasmine is intense but I must say that the rest of the flowers are weaved tightly and I could not make a distinction of them. It stays well on my skin for only 3 hours.

I must comment on the design of the bottle. It is very nice and thoughtful. A typical Burberry inspired tartan fabric wrapped around the bottle is a very unique creation.

The advertising and the branding is good about this scent but I am not sure if I would go for a full bottle of this as it is not all that intriguing and lacks a soul.

I like the scent, but I have hestation of the true smell of peach blossom in this bottle. It is very peachy, very fruity and fairly sweet. I couldn't detect the tuberose and my guess was it has been overtaken my the fruity topnotes. Chinatown boils down to a very soft fruity creamy vanilla scent. It has a superb sillage and staying power.

Frankly, I bought Chinatown because of the bottle. I was completely sucked into it when I was in the department store. During Chinese New Year, families would go to the flower market to buy flowers for decoration. Each type of plant brings different good fortune. Peach blossoms enhance romance, while tangerines with leaves intact help ensure long-lasting relationships and fruitful marriages. Isn't it adorable to have a bottle of peach blossom as my guardian angel sitting at home to safeguard my relationships.

Enough of the side-tracking... I will buy this again if my current 50ml bottle runs out.

CK One - Scene, this was a real bargain! It has the shadow of CK Be, which was one of my college scent back then. CK One Scene is VERY different from the entire CK One range. It stood out because it is smoother and more woodsy. It is not as sharp as the original and probably has been toned down by the faint smell of vanilla. This is like the child of the original CK One + CK Be. I also adore the graphics on bottle, it is so street chic.

I read a lot of comments about Pink Sugar before I approach a very nice basenoter for a swap. I wanted something that is toothache sweet and happy. Pink Sugar reminds me of the carnivals where families go to and the smell of caramalised apples cooking and cotton candy selling on the stalls. I 'd say go for it if you have a sweet tooth. It last for hours on my skin and I have heard a few compliments when I wore this. PS is not only for young girls, but also for the young at heart.

Rush didn't work for me. I bought it was it was launched and gave it to a friend after a few application. Rush appeared to be too sharp and has a very loud sillage and fantastic staying power. I could not detect the different layers of notes in this scent. It all appeared as one big massive bomb of berries and pungent air-freshener. This is definately an attention grabber. I know a few people who owns this and it smells nice on them but I would give it a pass.

This is also one of my favourites from the Poison range. It is the younger baby sister of the original and it appears to be much more floral and flirty than the others. It has a prominent galbanum note and a bit citrusy (not dry) note which radiates like the sunshine. Tendre Poison reminds me of a colleague who used to wear it when we worked together. I used to tell her that how gorgeous she smelled everyday. This is great for summer and probably one that I would travel with for any vacation as it just goes with everything.

Tubérose Indiana is one of my favorite amongst all the Creed's ceations. It is a well blended scent of tuberose, ambergris and amber. I didn't smell much tuberose out of this (at least it is not as prominent as it appeared to be in Fracas or Carnal Flowers). It is amazingly seductive with a hint of vanilla and appeared to be very warm and welcoming. It is a lovely scent for autumn and winter.

I received a sample from a dear friend a few weeks ago. I wore this on a special occassion and I had a truly wonderful experience with this. Angélique Encens is beautifully done and like a fine piece of jewelry by Harry Winston. It is heavenly and it is a scent made for the goddess. First sniff on my skin seemed like a strong trail of amber incense mixed with face powder. It has an excellent staying power and lasted for at least 8 hours on my skin. I love every bits and all stages of this scent. It doesn't smell sweet or cloying and very well balanced. I have tried to compare AE with NU by YSL and Black Cashmere (2 famous incense scent). I personally think AE is a lot more classy, smoother and not as spicy as the others that I have mentioned. It screams vintage! Definately worth saving for a bottle of this gem.

This was described as an floral woody scent. I found this quite soft and mesmerising. It is quite green and reminds me of Truth by CK, only No. 6 is much more mellow and tangy. The lychee note is very attractive and mouth-watering. I like this and I would recommend this for summer and casual days.

I like the whole Poison range except for Pure Poison Elixir. My mum used to wear the original Poison and I love that smell on her. It was seductive and very 80s. I prefer Hypnotic Poison for it is gourmandy, sweet and not particularly cloying. This is a sister scent to Dior Addict but IMHO Hypnotic is more girl next door kind of scent where Diro Addict has more of a seductress appeal.

I bought the Après Tout by Fragonard at a sale in Hong Kong. The reason for this purchase is a result of a lack of rose fragrances in my wardrobe.
Après Tout is one of the four fragrances of the Confidentiel line. It is a mild pink rose scent with a hint of raspberry. It is almost like a copy of Stella and it doesn’t project very well. The staying power is just so-so. The violet note is undetectable. Here is a the pyramid translated from French to English sourced from the osmoz site.
Top notes: Bergamot Sicily, Bulgarian Rose
Middle notes: Violet, Rose de Mai, Raspberry
Basenotes : Absolute, of Pink Crystal, Patchouli, Amber, Musk
I would’t say this is the best rose in the market.

A gorgeous scent and it has become one of those reliable perfume where I feel very comfortable when I wear it.

It is a very nice floral scent toned down with spices and incense. It is very oriental and I have received lots of compliments from my friends and strangers. It is a perfect scent if you enjoy tuberose.

The bottle is nice, but I must say that it has the worst spray mechanism. Mine is broken and everytime I spray, it leaks.

I was very disappointed. I thought it would be like one of the Guerlain classics but I was so wrong. I smell was pungent artifical violet which reminds me of my pencil eraser back in my primary school days. It has a very good staying power and I believed this is one of those spaceage scent which goes very well with a vinyl or rubber catsuit.

This has to be one of my all time favourites! I enjoy wearing it very much. It is a staple fragrance in my suitcase.

"Folavril" is French for "April Fool", It is my first fragrance from the Annick Goutal's range. It is light happy soapy fragrance that can be worn to work and during weekends on a summer day. Here are the notes from the Annick Goutal site. It is a composition of mango,jasmine, Boronia flower, and spicy tomato leaf. Folavril reminds me the naughtiness in myself.