 | Haiku by AvonCitrus and jasmine 7th July, 2010. |
 | Y by Yves Saint Laurent(Sampling vintage edt) I find this to be a very lovely green chypre with a fruity sweet streak throughout that makes it approachable and easy to wear. It doesn't get too stuffy with the mossy notes. An old-time chypre that's quite casual and versatile, which is a rare thing, imo. Also, one of those curious fragrances that has good sillage, but seems to disappear when nose goes to skin. 4th July, 2010. |
 | Jolie Madame by Pierre Balmain(Vintage edt) LOVE the blast of neroli in the opening! DON'T love the sweet violet that arrives later. I really dislike violet in fragrances (and those violet candies-- nasty!), so I must with regret report that this one gets a thumbs down from me despite all the yummy leather and green notes that I'd otherwise find heavenly. 4th July, 2010. |
| | Cashmere Musk by Ava LuxeI used to say, "I can't wear musk. It doesn't smell right on me. It's too heavy and suffocating...," etc. This is a wonderful, well-blended, clean musk. The fragrance is softly floral (I typically don't like delicate florals) and a little bit soapy (don't like soapy or powdery) and musky (see above), and I really like it! This scent is as "animalic" as a white fluffy kitten with blue eyes playing in a knitting basket on a southern veranda in the springtime. 4th August, 2009. |
| | Louve by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoA gourmand scent that I mostly like (and that's saying a lot). Almonds, cherries, vanilla. Starts off spicy and liquor-y, indeed like cherry cough syrup. This is not a bad thing to me-- I like this cherry cough syrup. A bit powdery, but not too much. The boozy spiciness fades in the drydown, leaving cherries and powder that is more comforting than cloying. I'd wear this at Christmas time. 30th June, 2009. |
| | Secret Obsession by Calvin KleinThis is very, very weak on my skin. I've worn it several times and I find it difficult to review because I've now pumped six sprays on my forearm and elbow, and I can barely pick up a thing. Faint sandalwood, spice, amber, and maybe some fruit. A fairly dry scent overall. It does have some projection, oddly enough. I've encountered weird scents before that you can catch whiff of in the air around you, but when you put nose to skin they seem to run and hide. I do get a little similarity to Feminite du Bois, but FdB is much boozier and fruiter (like plum wine with spices), and much more potent. Too bad I have to pass on this one because I love the bottle. 17th June, 2009. |
| | Kohdo Wood Collection: Dark Amber & Ginger Lily by Jo MaloneI love it. This is a beautiful treatment of lily-- not honey-sweetened, not ripe and lush, but elevated to something bright, weightless and almost pungent by spicy ginger. I don't find amber to be much in evidence until well into the drydown, but it is quite exotic, especially when the incense comes forward. Yet, I wouldn't call this scent "dark." The incense isn't brooding, the lily not funereal. This to me is a beautful summer fragrance; serene and uplifting. It reminds me of visiting a Japanese garden on a warm afternoon, sitting in an azumaya shaded by surrounding cypress trees, watching the koi investigate brightly hued fallen leaves from Japanese maples floating on the surface of a sun-dappled pond. 14th June, 2009. |
| | Une Zeste de Rose by Les Parfums de RosineA citrusy rose. Fresh, sheer, and youthful. Some reviewers mention tea, which may be what smooths out anything overly pungent from the zesty lemon and orange, and gives the rose a damp, dew-dappled quality. Definitely an excellent rose-based fragrance for a young person (you won't smell like grandma's soap!), but enjoyable as well for the more mature person who shies away from fruity florals. 14th June, 2009. |
| | Silk / Peau de Soie by Ava LuxeParfum extrait: Spicy, creamy, and woody. Very elegant. Dry, with little floral quality, and the extrait is not at all sweet. I find this unisex. It makes me think of a raw silk blouse in a luminous ivory color. In fact, this is much like the smell of raw silk (which I find distinct)-- warm, dry, and nubby yet buttery soft. 9th June, 2009. (Last Edited: 25th July, 2009.) |
| | Cedar by L'OccitaneThis is just plain boring next to the likes of L'Occitane's Eau des Baux. They got it right the first time. That said, it's not a bad scent, so I'll go neutral. 31st May, 2009. |
| | 24, Faubourg by HermèsA lightly soapy, somewhat fussy, full-bodied chypre. The florals are very big (with a good dollop of aldehydes, I bet), and the orange blossom gets a little sour on me. I'm a fan of chypres and wanted to like this more, but it has that feeling of being too mature and stolid for my taste. 10th March, 2009. |
| | Black Amber by Black Gardenia - Michele BergmanWell-named. This is a resinous, rich amber scent. It does have a dark, mysterious quality. The vanilla blends in a silky smooth creaminess, and a hint of patchouli adds just the right subtle touch of dark, peppery earthiness. Lasts a very long time. 7th March, 2009. |
| | Eau de Lune by Laura MercierI'm pretty sure the world didn't need another fruity-floral, but this one is nicely done. It's uplifting, well-balanced, not too sweet (more floral than fruity), and perfectly inoffensive. These days, it's easy to turn one's nose up at yet another common fruity-floral. However, in this case, it's easy to turn my nose toward this one. 2nd March, 2009. |
| | Kadota by Michael StorerI like how it smells like the entire fig tree-- the leaves, the sap, even the dirt where the over-ripe ones hit the ground before I get to them. It pushes sweetness just a little too far for me (I'm so particular about sweet), but this does lend a mouth-watering effect to the fragrance that reminds me of plucking a fig right off the tree and stuffing it in my mouth. Fig lovers should be very happy. 15th February, 2009. |
| | Gold by Donna KaranVery true lily scent; like wearing a big bouquet of stargazers. I get the watery cucumber that some have mentioned mid-way thru the drydown, but later it snaps back to being a fully bloomed lily scent. In the end, these lush lilies aren't my thing, even in cool weather, but for those who do dig lily, it's a very good one. 26th January, 2009. |
| | Lys Méditerranée by Editions de Parfums Frederic MalleLeans more toward sweet lily of the valley than true, heady lily on my skin. A very nice, clear, ringing muguet floral dappled with honey that for me suits cool, sunny days. Lovely, but not quite me (I like but don't love lily) and just a little too sweet (I'm twitchy about sweet). Since I realize sweetness is mostly a personal preference and find it otherwise quite pretty, I'm going thumbs up. 26th January, 2009. |
| | Jean Paul Gaultier Classique by Jean Paul GaultierAnise, vanilla, and musk dominate this sweet oriental. It reminds me of Lolita Lempicka, which is also a 'meh' for me, but a little more interesting. Classique has even more sweet vanilla going on. Pass. 21st January, 2009. |
| | Ambre Oliban by Parfums BerdouesAmber and incense with a prominent, intriguing cola (anise?) note. The incense is not at all sharp, grey, or cold. It is very nicely warmed and softened by the noticable amber. I find this beautiful and long lasting. 15th January, 2009. (Last Edited: 17th August, 2009.) |
| | Terre d'Iris by Miller HarrisI'm very surprised this is considered a women's fragrance. I would've thought unisex at the very least. It leans too far masculine for my taste. The pungent herbal notes are bitter on my skin and I don't care for the strong powdery freshness. 15th January, 2009. |
| | John Varvatos Woman by John VarvatosVery sweet fruit-- mandarin, apricot, mango. Florals come from jasmine and rose. Described as a chypre, which I don't get at all (I think "new-chypres" are more about marketing than true perfumery). No oakmoss; instead the tonka bean comes thru in the base with its creamy, nutty vibe, and the result leaves me feeling like I'm wearing a fruit-blend pina colada. 15th January, 2009. |
| | Loukhoum by Keiko MecheriStarts as a spicy, dry almond; woody and floral. There is a touch of powder. After a while the heliotrope (cherry vanilla) emerges more strongly and spicy/sweet. This is similar to the cherry cough syrup note in Louve, but it interestingly appears in the drydown rather than at the beginning like Louve. I prefer this to Louve. 15th January, 2009. |
| | Kelly Calèche by HermèsThis reminds me of the damp, sparkling floral notes of Gucci Envy rendered more sheer and set atop leather. The leather really comes forward on me, and while many comment on this as a summer fragrance (which Envy is to me), I think the leather makes it a winning scent for winter as well. In cooler months, I tend to wear deep, resinous, rich scents. But that can get monotonous, and this feels stunning on those bright, crisp, cloudless days when you can feel the sun on your face, yet still need a heavy jacket. It's an unusual combination at first (buttery leather and airy florals), but I quickly came to love it. 7th January, 2009. |
| | White Jasmine & Mint by Jo MaloneAnother impressive achievement from Jo Malone. I typically dislike mint, and find jasmine troublesome, but here there is just enough mint to take the indolic, dirty edge off the jasmine. The mint does get a bit much mid-way through, but overall the result is beautifully balanced, shining and uplifting. 5th January, 2009. |
| | Ange ou Démon by GivenchyI was attracted by the name of this fragrance and was also disappointed. Imagine the Angel is a vapid fruity floral who supposes herself to be pure and lovely. She decides to get her wicked up by getting in some (Boucheron) Trouble, as bold an oriental as winking at a bartender. This is not a bad scent if I think of it as a youthful oriental. But it's not to my taste and I can see how many others don't care for it either. 31st December, 2008. |
| | Une Histoire de Chypre by Aedes de VenustasAfter trying this several times, my impression remains a disappointed "meh." It's not just that the fragrance is lightweight and sits close, but parts of it feel missing on me. The bergamot and florals I noticed in the beginning quickly become thin, the patchouli is nice and interesting but also weak, and the whole thing is sadly unimpressive. 30th December, 2008. (Last Edited: 17th June, 2009.) |
| | Iris Nobile by Acqua di ParmaI enjoy this soft, floral-fresh fragrance. It gets a little candy-sweet in the midnotes, but dries down into a lovely scent. The freshness is more fresh like cotton than fresh like citrus. I would wear this on warm but not hot days during the spring and summer. 30th December, 2008. |
| | Parfum Sacré by CaronPoor Quarry! Maybe this is one of those scents that must be sprayed rather than dabbed to get the most out of it. 30th December, 2008. |
| | Silver Cristal Femme by AmouageGorgeous! Fantastic! Amazing! Holy Grail?! I understand now that this can exist. So many favorites seem now in the distance. This is a "leave now doubt" seductive chypre. It is breathtakingly feminine. Not the kind of aggressive, more unisex chypre that conveys "arm's length" distance, or detachment. And I'm wrong-- it is aggressive. Aggressively sexy *and* refined. It goes both ways, in all directions, and doesn't look when crossing the street because it stops traffic. 30th December, 2008. |
| | Fleurs de Nuit by Badgley MischkaThis white floral smells both opulent and refined. Its sophistication suggests evening, but I think it would be perfect for a daytime wedding or a Sunday matinee at the theater. It wears like the fragrant equivalent to diamond stud earrings. I have trouble with many white florals, but this is satin smooth. It has a magnolia, bergamot, peach, jasmine thing going on similar to J'adore, and it is similarly lightweight, but J'adore works easily for almost any occasion (from business to baseball to Beethoven) whereas FdN is clearly a dressy scent. I think it's meant to be applied lavishly. There is also orange blossom; jasmine AND orange blossom are usually an unpleasant one-two punch on me, but they are tempered very nicely here. I think the amber is what lends it that close to the skin headiness and pulls everything together in a creamy, dreamy way to make it all work. I'm thinking it's full bottle worthy if only because it is almost something I normally can't wear, and I'm delighted that I can. And, okay, it's full bottle worthy because the bottle is gorgeous! 22nd December, 2008. |
| | Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent by Estée LauderThis is EXACTLY what I smelled like Back in the Day after a long afternoon at the beach. Salt in my hair, dusty sand between my toes, several absorbed layers of Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil with a little sweat, and the day-long drydown of Jardins de Bagatelle (a big, beautiful white floral that represents the best of the 1980s power frags). It's an incredibe accomplishment. 22nd December, 2008. |
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