Fragrance Reviews by treazurekitten

This review is for RL version; I hope it is close to LL's. This is a very rich, classic/vintage smelling perfume. I did not know this was for women on smelling it at first. From the name, I thought it was a men's fragrance, but that would be better on a woman. Now I know why. This scent is mainly a leather scent for me. It is decorated with tobacco flower and other repressed florals may accompany it. But to me it is really a smooth buttery leather scent. Actually if it were leather, it would have to be a thin sheet of leather dyed black on one side with golden sueded split leather back. The blackness comes from a whisp of fennel or licorice amid the vegetal/spicy notes. It dries down quickly to slightly sweet animalic almost dairy/butter smell, a buttermilk note almost. I will seek out the Long Lost version, as all I have of the original is a smidge in an old sample vial.

Tart and herbal at the opening, which is now my favorite part of this scent. Menthol, lemon, sage notes create a tart/green pine quality. Accompanied by Iris, it is incense like, peppery and dry. Overall, this scent has a crisp white smokiness to it, ironically very clean. Exquisite, like the first smell of expensive leather. And the rose is hidden far under the other notes, it is just a whisper. Much later this lingers on your scarf or lapel as a piney wood and spice scent. I love this scent for a man or woman. I wear it and think of walking through gentle woods, it is incredibly centering.

I have been testing this all day side by side with JOY (on skin, paper etc). Both are extrait or pure perfume form.

These two Patou's are so heavy with the highest quality perfume oils, they saturate a paper test strip, keep it wet all day, watch out around light weight fabrics.

Amour Amour is circa 1925. Color on the sample I have is still bright clear gold.

The scent is very rare now but happily for all, it has been resurrected or has a very close twin in Patou's JOY. I had to try both side by side and sniff around awhile because at first they seem almost identical.

Amour Amour is a very sweet jasmine dominated fragrance, with the same banana jamm notes many know and love from JOY.

However, Amour is slightly brighter, lighter. If I guessed, I would think Amour might be more modern than Joy. There is a soapy quality in amour. more so than Joy, and sweet lemon notes weave amoung the jasmine, which is high pitched throughout wearing and on paper, at least, well into the next day.

Amour Amour seems like champagne Bumble Bees would drink. But not heady or icky in any way, very high quality, true to living scent, almost foody in its jamminess and generally divine.

Well, in case anyone else happens to find any vintage Amour Amour around, it is definitly a lovely sniff, and you'd want/need to have this as long as you didn't already have JOY (perfume only, not EDT/EDP).

please try the pure extrait or perfume before you cawst your final judgement of JOY. this is a sweet jasmine-rose flower bomb, the jasmine so fresh and the rose so sweet it is like banana & strawberry jam. The jasmine is the star of the show, appearing in top, heart and base notes. there is something else providing a creaminess but it is restained, nuanced behind the jasmine. but this is not headachy, fake jasmine that makes you gag (Titiana perfume, sorry to drop a name, just any jasmine like that). in fact I do not really like Jasmine as a single note but this is like the Serg Lutens perfume Lys, another scent with a starring note (Lily of the Valley) that can be horrible if it is not done well. Well, this is done so well, you have to love it. It is a masterpiece- perfect for your WEDDING!

Very unique, in texture and look, more like an oil than a perfume. But offers the development of a perfume. Notes of spice, animal musk, something vaguely yeasty and bread like. I also thought of candied fruits, nut meats. All combine to create something like a deeply spiced fruit cake, with savory/sweet mincemeat hints. All combine to create a very cozy, comfy and intimate scent. Almost too rare to consider, so it is a shame to grow attached. Perhaps one of the new perfermers out there will create a dube for us.

I went to this perfume looking for a "holy grail" carnation scent. However what I found was much more, and also somehow a little less. Poivre is spicy and sweet, calling to mind red hots at first, but it is seamlessly blended and progresses and morphs into other types of smell entirely on its strange journey. It remains warm throughout and clings to the skin, becoming an almost maternal smell, too familiar at first and then later, of course, it is a completely compelling and strangly pleasing smell of bandaide adhesive. So now I have scent I love, but it is completely different from what I thought I wanted. And when I wear it, it makes me forget completely about that silly carnation holy grail thing.

Chanel No 5. The colors are honey amber and shocking rasberry pink. The smells are a creamy, almost fizzy butterscotch and smashed rasberries (no sugar) and also leather. I did not come to an understanding with this scent until my fourth decade. When I was younger, it wasn't attractive to me. Still, it's a classic so just to innoculate myself, I would periodically apply a small bit and forget about it. This is how I came to understand or at least appreciate this perfume.

I've only recently tried Arpege. It is soft, with elegant rather than animalic musk. There is a leathery quality, I think the bergamot, coriander create this impression. The florals are quite restrained with violet, rose, maybe a hint of carnation. And it is mildly salty, like My Sin, also by Lanvin. Overall too restrained for me to feel passionate about it.

This smell is from the natural spray perfume mist, white horse enamel bottle. Opens with a minty lightly herbal lavender with heady jasmine tuberose combo. The jasmine tuberose is joined by lemony rose. Only later in the drydown do I smell orange along with mildly fatty, sweetish sandalwood. The lavender is present throughout, although by the end it has more softness like hay. A light floral with herb tea like notes.

This perfume has a nice strong golden orange color. It is a warm scent, not sweet, but soft and slightly oily/salty. It is musky, but clean musky, a little soapy. Stays close to the skin. Very natural, I think, like someone with good smelling skin. It's ok, but I like fragrances with more to them.

Loooove Sublime. On me, it is creamy, fizzy. A royal smelling incense provides the cream and an over-ripe yet green, sappy pineapple brings the fizz. I agree with the earlier reviewer who used the term "golden", it truely is a magical fragrance, I find it quite addictive.

As several men have commented here, Dunhill Editions is fantastic on women, too! I was immediately attracted to the aromatic herbal nature of this scent. It smells to me like a fine dry incense, with sappy green wood resins. The lemon sage and lavender give this incredible scent its edge. And it lingers all day, like a memory of a lover's kiss...

I have waited a long time to review SHALIMAR, probably because I love it so much it is hard to know how to express that love. The smell puts some people off at first, I know. It's that big blast of Bergamot at the beginning. Bergamot is a citrusy note can almost burn, just like the real lemon or lime fruit oil can do if any of it happens to get in your eye. Combined with soft, sweet and powdery notes such as Iris, rose and vanilla, it can be shocking. But you can learn to love this contrast immensely. I now relish that initial sharp, burning citrus blast. Luckily for me, in Shalimar, the delightful tangy citrus top notes do not fade. We can continue to smell them throughout the wearing experience. Yet it does soften, becoming more like a lemon custard. And the vanilla note here is famous for coming from a synthetic source. But that needn't scare you in the least, because as any amateur chemist knows, all compounds, even 100% "natural" ones, are full of chemicals. Many natural substances are noxious and toxic, despite being completely "organic". That's just my little soapbox, no one should put this scent down for having synthetic components when they ar eso well done as in this case. The vanilla here is wonderful, rich, ornate and with the iris, forms a cloud upon which our lemon-lime, rose sweetened custard pie floats. Who on earth couldn't love this?

I will only add here because I happen to have a full bottle of ECUSSON, the original 1947, by Jean D'ALBRET. This is a wonderful scent. It begins as a traditional cologne, citrusy, light and refreshing. However, under the freshness is an animal heart, soft with a powdery musk, faint candied orange, spice and muted leather notes as well. Overall rather a masculine scent but also reminds me very much of Lanvin's My Sin, although this is less flowery. Same salty softness that I get from My Sin, possibly because there are some sultry aldehydes here too. It is light, does not last forever, but is a real treat to try this one out.

This is for the EDT. Notes are lys (Lily), broom, wallflower, peony, amber, lichen. Opens with notes of wild desert/beachy scrub brush flowers. These flowers are both tough and tender to survive in harsh environments; so is their smell, as reflected in this scent, often opening somewhat sharp. But also, I smell a refined sandlewood note that is not listed as a note, melded with a lightly sweet amber- that is the true character of this scent. As well, somewhere near the top notes is peony. Overall, a very nicely done scent, good lasting power for an EDT, this is a not too sharp, bearly sweet, mostly woody oriental with just a little hint of peony which brings a touch of watery greeness that peeps out early on then fades. Great choice for day wear as long as you stick to EDT and do not overapply.

This is a dynamite winter or fall fragrance. A blast of warm fluffy sweetness, yet very dry. And it really has good sillage, lasting power. I read this is a rare perfume in that it contains absolutely no floral ingredients or notes. So, if you shy from flowery scents but want something that smells pretty and feminine, try this one. The cinnamon, wood, musk, patchouli and amber are married beautifully in this, as if they've melded seamlessly into a unique smell, with no one note standing out. I think of rocks baking in the desert sun when I wear this. Try one spray between your shoulder blades or on your abdomen- you will keep catching divine whiffs of tis all day long.

Straw Hat is a classic vintage cologne by Faberge. I do not know if/how the formula has changed but the version I know if a sweet, bright violet, more like what I imagine violet jam or jelly would be like than the often discussed candied violet note but it is sweet. Add to that a distinct hay note. This is the same hay note I detect in my panama straw hat, more dry, it is perhaps vaugly woody but not a green note. And in the dry down, which does go a bit powdery (in a good way) I smell traces of spice, cinnamon, I think. This is a very yummy scent with decent lasting power for a cologne. I would love to try the modern version, as my bottle was from the mid 60's.

The spice! The dry peach! The soft mossy woods... It's all just too, too much. Love, love, love this one. For me, this scent is very modern, a skin scent that is sweet but not cloying in the least. It is also somehow dark, in the there's "more to you than meets the eye" sort of way. But do not fear, you can wear this one to work, on the weekends with jeans and a snuggly sweater , or all dressed up. I am wearing this in the fall. I can't say how well it would behave then it is 92 degrees in the shade and humid to boot. Also this review is for the EDP, which has good lasting power as well- a must for me to rate a perfume more than 3 stars. The EDT is insipid on me. The peach in it is sharp, synthetic in a bug spray-ish way. And over-all it is way more "perfumey" but also fades quickly.

This is a nice light Iris perfume. On my skin, I thought it smelled of jelly beans, pepper and powder. It did not last too long but I keep thinking I should try it again.

I have a secret stash of the original Shocking. It came in the familiar bottle shaped like a woman's body but with a cut crystal stopper/dauber. This perfume is dark and oily. And the smell for me is to die for. The honey rose narcissus heart flows perfectly and seamlessly from the aldehyde tarragon top notes. And the clove civet and oakmoss base is perfection. This is a sexy skin scent, perfect, perfect, prefect- even better when worn in the sizzling heat so all the notes really cook off of the skin and into the air. It is expensive but you can sometimes find it on eBay.

I ordered L' Heure Bleue unsniffed because it was purported to contain many of my most favorite notes: anise, violet, rose, jasmine, heliotrope, vanilla, tonka, amber. I was certain I would love it and I do. This is a scent I positively crave and must always have in my collection. It is almost like a food craving when I want this, it is so sweet (heliotrope, rose, jasmine, vanilla) and also a bit bitter ( the anise, I think, and something like green or bitter almond), which makes it addictive. I think this scent has some magical properties as well. I notice that if I am craving a sweet food, I can apply this perfume and just revel in its yummieness, it totally satisfies to the point it takes away my sweet tooth! But I will say for those of you who tried it and didn't like it at first, revisit! It was a tiny bit shocking to me at first, a very powerful scent, indeed. But it did not take long to win me over. Do take care not to over-apply and use with caution in hot weather, as the amber in the base is very sweet and tenacious- it can be overwhelming.

Ginger Ciao is an oil. It develops on your skin and seems to meld with it, creating a soft veil of scent that lingers. At first it smells like honeysuckle- I believe this is a tiger lily note- it is softer than lily of the valley. I also smell a gentle watery gardenia. There is a gentle green note there too, like fresh hay, which keeps the whole thing balanced. Fresh, sweet and clean smelling- very nice. I do like this stuff very much but it stays so close to the skin, I would probably want to re-apply it all the time. I wish it wasn't so expensive.

This is my ultimate fall fragrance. I was looking for something with a honey note, and ordered quite a few samples from LuckyScent that featured honey. This one is the winner! Honey, but not girly sweet, this has rich golden honey, sexed up with warm notes of grapes turing into raisins in the sun, spices, cognac, oak and leather. And I love that this lasts on the skin most of the day and goes through several distinct stages, never boring and all parts are fantastic. I'd give it two thumbs up if I could.

Nina (original version) is a very well blended fresh green floral. Here are the official notes:

Top: Bergamot, mimosa, cassia tree buds, basil, orange blossom, marigold.
Mid: Jasmine, mimosa, rose, violet, ylang-ylang.
Base: Iris, sandalwood, vetiver, cassis.

I often find marigold intolerable in perfumes; it lends a distinct insect killer note to most fragrances. But in Nina, this note is actually one fo the only ones I can pick out and strangly enough it is my favorite part of the fragrance. It gives Nina a fresh, bright and slightly fizzy feeling- but the rest of the notes are so well blended that they are difficult to separate out. The over-all impression is of an elegant green floral. This is the kind of scent that is equally appropriate to wear for a summer wedding or a job interview. I agree with Inessa that in the EDT formula, it would be wonderful for office wear as well. I picture a refined but fashinable woman when I smell this, with expert grooming and impeccible manners. Definitly lady like but not in an old fashioned way.

This is a perfume I did not like at first sniff- it seemed like uber-strong baby powder, I mean, like baby powder on crack. I was disappointed because some of many of the notes, carnation, heliotrope and amber are some of my favorites. But I continued to come back and revisit this 'fume from time to time. I used the last of it up during the hottest part of the summer and once the top notes burned off, I didn't think it was half bad. Then I left the empty vial in a lacquer box by my bedside and I noticed everything in that box gradually took on a wonderful sweet and smoky cherry flavor. That's what hooked me. I became somewhat obsessed with this scent and ordered a full bottle soon after. Now, my intense love has somewhat quieted but I am still very pleased to own this. I use it to scent my dresser drawers and it seems especially well suited to this purpose. For some reason I find it to have a near nuclear half-life, which is something I adore in perfumes. I have no use for here one minute gone the next kinds of scents. The amber base in this is quite strong, and you must apply carefully or it can over-whelm. But when you crave a heavy powdery oriental, this is a great choice. I almost forgot to mention my favorite part of this perfume: at the opening there is a yellow pollen smell,and an almost crunchy, chalky powderiness that I find quite addicting.

Ombre Rose is my favorite everyday rose. I know some people consider it a special occasion perfume but for me it has much more versitility. I agree with CALCHIC, that it shares similarities with Guerlain Nahema. I will add only that on me the Ombre rose has an oily sheen quality to the scent, a rich and almost buttery rose. It is especially stunning in hot weather which brings that sexy oily quality out. Ironically, it is a comfort scent for me as well. Very affordable, too.

Chamade: I love this classic Guerlain perfume, it is one of my favorite scents ever. I own the eau de cologne, and it is surprisingly long lasting, so the very high quality ingredients are evident. Chamade opens with heady intense and spicey hyacinth. There is a sharp green note as well which I take to be the galbanum. The scent quickly softens and sweetens. There is a lovely black current bud or cassis note which blooms as the green fades; the ylang-ylang, vanilla and balsamic notes anchor the scent. Throughout the day, I continue to smell the most gorgeous spice, powder and soft hay notes- this perfume lasts and it creates a fair amount of sillage, especially when worn in hot weather. This scent is pepper-ish, soft and sunny, the smell lifts my heart.

I first received UME as a sample with another order. From the description and notes listed, it sounded a bit fussy to me, nothing I would have ordered unsniffed. My initial impression was that it smelled similar to my husband's shaving cream. It opens with a blast of lemon that is creamy/hot and balmy rather than sweet/tart. It is a savory lemongrass note. The plum note is there as well but it reminds me of salted dried plums instead of wet, fresh or overly sweet ones. At the heart of this scent is full bodied persimmon, which is sweet, slightly pulpy and slightly tangy but rounded out nicely with rich spices. Under all the exotic flavors is a wonderful wood base- Japanese cypress which is also called Hinoki, which smells similar to Juniper but softer. I love this perfume- some other reviewers seem to find it rather sweet and derivative. But to me, it is utterly unique and LuckyScent describes it rather well as to me it does indeed recall the orientalism of the Art Deco period. This is a perfect fall scent to wear with a big leather jacket, lace shirt, stove pipe jeans and high heel boots! A winner in my book.

This review is for the original EDP formula by Lanvin. At first I worried MY SIN might be too heavy, sharp or strong but I was pleasently surprised. It is a bit sharp at first, with aldehydes and also animal notes that are immediately evident. But as it dries down, a lovely warm, slightly sweet base is revealed. I mostly smell light powder, with sweet violet or candied orange and wood/leather. IMO it is similar to the dry-down of En Avion- and you do have that very similar refined and well behaving leather note here as well. It is the smell of tissue thin leather, buttery soft and well tanned, like that of a women's dress glove that has picked up the scent of her skin, with its perfume and powder. If you like vintage perfumes and have a chance to do so, I would definitly recommend you try this one.