 | Citizen Queen by Juliette Has a GunI find Citizen Queen to be one of the most revolting odors (not just perfumes) by which I’ve ever been assaulted. There’s something so torturously discordant about the way that the labdanum and leather interact that it feels like a long metallic knitting needle being shoved up my nose—making me delirious, dizzy, and nauseous. If there were an olfactory equivalent to fingernails on a chalkboard, this would be it. Now, please excuse me while I go puke. 10th November, 2011. |
| | Oltre by Laura TonattoOH…MY…GOD! Tonatto’s Oltre is the first and only frag of which I’m actually scared. Although it’s unmistakably of the aquatic variety and surely smells of the sea, it’s thoroughly REVOLTING! It smells like what I imagine a fishing barge smells like once its deck is flooded with a sloshing pool of POLLUTED OCEAN WATER brimming with SCHOOLS OF DEAD, DECAYING FISH. The scent is actually quite compelling but only in the same way that a horrible car accident on the side of the road is; you can’t help but look at the overwhelming carnage, or in the case of Oltre, smell it! The odor is so strong, in fact, that one whiff and the nauseating stench stays planted in your nostrils and your brain for the rest of the day. This is NOT a wearable fragrance. It should be smelled just once, nevertheless, if only for the sheer horrific experience of it. Know this, however: Oltre is utterly repugnant. This is one frag that if worn, may actually cause seasickness on dry land and a mutiny against you for inflicting it on others. 3rd June, 2011. |
 | Dzongkha by L'Artisan ParfumeurThe overall effect is a hospital or dental office smell. This is the cold/metallic/disinfectant facet of iris along with overtones of woods, smoke, soap, spices, leather, and flowers. [3 out of 5 stars] 15th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 18th May, 2011.) |
| | Drôle de Rose by L'Artisan ParfumeurThe overall effect is baby powder plus Nivea cream—i.e., almost identical to the fragrance of L’Occitane’s famous shea butter hand cream. [2 out of 5 stars] 14th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 18th May, 2011.) |
 | Voleur de Roses by L'Artisan ParfumeurThis is the lovechild of Aramis and Coco Mademoiselle. The overall effect is a dirtier, muskier, and less refined version of the two, with a healthy and persistent citrus note—I think bergamot. [3 out of 5 stars] 14th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 17th May, 2011.) |
| | Verte Violette by L'Artisan ParfumeurThe overall effect is wet cucumber peels on a wooden cutting board. [3 out of 5 stars] 14th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th May, 2011.) |
| | Vecchi Rossetti by Hilde Soliani ProfumiThe overall effect is aerosol hairspray (think Aqua Net), nail polish remover, and bug spray. 14th May, 2011. |
| | 17/17 Irisss by XerjoffAs an iris perfume connoisseur, I have sampled numerous iris perfumes. So far, the two standouts for me (albeit they are very different) have been Le Labo’s Iris 39 (“39”) and Serge Lutens’ Iris Silver Mist (“ISM”). At least for now, ISM has the edge on 39 for me. That means that before sampling Xerjoff’s Irisss (“Irisss”), ISM was my favorite (iris) perfume. Now that I have sampled Irisss, ISM is EASILY STILL MY FAVORITE! Although I find Irisss similar to ISM, it is more floral and powdery. Thus, the overall effect of Irisss is far, far less special and sophisticated than ISM, which is more crisp, cool, clean, and bracing. Still, if you like iris perfumes even a bit, particularly those that are more floral and powdery, then I recommend that you sample Irisss. As for me, given its astronomical price and that it is nowhere near as extraordinary as ISM, I will not be purchasing a full size of Irisss. 31st December, 2010. (Last Edited: 26th January, 2011.) |
| | Bleu de Chanel by ChanelI smelled Bleu last week at Macy's, and it's difficult to believe that this fragrance is from the same house that created the oh-so grand Allure Homme (the original, not the inferior clones that followed). Simply stated, Bleu is the continuation of Chanel's move away from the unique, sophisticated, and avant-garde to the common, juvenile, and commercial. Bleu is nothing new or innovative. It just imitates the litany of cheap-smelling, synthetic, teenage aquatics and alpha-male sporty odors that saturate today's so-called men's fragrance market. I suppose that most big company's, even those like Chanel that started as sources of class, creativity, and artistry, eventually make this move toward diluted mass-market appeal in order to serve their bottom lines. What a shame. In this case, the marketing and price are both inflated, making the fragrance itself fall short of the hype. 24th August, 2010. (Last Edited: 2nd October, 2010.) |
| | Bel Respiro by ChanelI don't get it--according to Chanel's description and people's reviews here and elsewhere, this is supposed to be a green floral that "evokes the feeling of standing in a fresh green field with a clear blue sky" (Chanel.com, 2009). I don't get ANYTHING like that--no florals, nothing green, no blue sky; I ONLY get a PUNCH to the throat with MUSK. This is a vulgar fragrance that, needless to say, fell profoundly below my expectations of Chanel, it's Les Exclusifs collection, and the name Bel Respiro--it should be renamed "Mal Respiro" (bad breath). 25th December, 2009. |
| | Mr. Hulot's Holiday by CB I Hate PerfumeAs an aficionado of watery fragrances, I was disappointed by MHH. It's certainly watery, but it's also intrusively citrusy, enough to get in the way of making this a true aquatic. Ultimately, this frag is just not that special, and I really don't care about it. It would probably work well as a home fragrance. 25th December, 2009. |
| | No. 22 by ChanelIn the opening, the ONLY thing I got from 22 was aldehyde, and I thought...is that it? The nice surpriser was that the middle and bottom gave way to an ever-so-slight bit of light and clean florals, although the overall effect remains predominantly powdery. Ultimately, however, this has all been done to death not only by Chanel but also by other fragrance houses (and by drugstore cosmetics makers, for that matter). This is not worthy of Chanel or its "Les Exclusifs" distinction. 25th December, 2009. |
| | Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoI finally did it—ordered a small sample of ISM (from The Perfumed Court). Oh how I am captivated by iris perfumes, and ISM is the most “irisy” of such perfumes that I have ever sampled. To my nose, it is evocative of the smell of makeup and pencil shavings (especially in the top), which I actually adore. Although the middle retains much of the characteristic of the top, it's slightly more muted, soapy, and powdery, which again, I quite like. The bottom maintains the qualities of the top and middle but in an even more rounded and smooth way. ISM is simply the touchstone of refinement, sophistication, and class. Ultimately, this is not only my favorite iris fragrance, but it is my favorite/signature/HG fragrance. 22nd December, 2009. (Last Edited: 29th January, 2011.) |
| | Rose 31 by Le LaboI don't get cumin, animalic, or dirty...not at all. On the contrary, to my nose, Rose 31 is very soapy clean (think high-end French soap). In fact, this soapy quality was my first and most prominent impression of the fragrance, and it's still the quality that stands out the most to me. Like other Le Labo frags, Rose 31 is masterfully composed in that it's exquisitely balance. The light clean quality of the rose has somehow been isolated and amplified while the heavy floral quality has been muted. The rose has then been surrounded with light woods and inoffensive spices that make it elegantly round, not sharp. In the drydown, it smells a lot like Creed's Erolfa, though I like Erolfa much more (it was my first Creed). Incidentally, like the other Le Labo frags I've sampled, Rose 31 could easily be worn by men and women alike. Gender lables in perfumery are archaic; in another 10 years, I believe such lables will be obsolete and extinct. 29th November, 2009. |
| | Virgin Island Water by CreedWhat a disappointment. I had read a great deal about this fragrance in anticipation of trying it. When I got the chance to do so at Neiman’s, I was both surprised and disappointed. Surprised because the fragrance is MUCH lighter than I had expected, which isn’t a bad thing. Actually, both the overall fragrance is light, and so is the coconut in it (corpa & toddy). I was disappointed, however, because the fragrance was not at all aquatic, airy, or tropical to me. Actually, it mostly reminded me of a musky, old-man aftershave smell. There is something inherently warm about it, probably because of its creaminess, but so what? If this is what the Virgin Islands smell like, count me out. 17th July, 2009. |
| | Bergamote 22 by Le LaboI really like bergamot, and I really, really like Le Labo, so I had high hopes for this frag. Alas, the bergamot in here is barely perceptible. The perfume is very well crafted, but it's also completely common. It's predominantly a citrusy green frag with aquatic and cuminy undertones. It's just not special or worth the price. 22nd June, 2009. |
| | Iris 39 by Le LaboThis is liquid-elegance and bottled-opulence. Its masterfully crafted beauty haunts me—it comes calling, clear in my mind’s nose, even when I’m not wearing a drop. It’s classy, youthfully sophisticated, glamorous, and gorgeous. Although it tends more toward the feminine (floral with an initial touch of that makeup smell that I adore so much in iris frags), I think a youngish guy could easily wear this because of it’s clean, soapy, and earthy quality. It’s also “perfumey” in that it’s like walking into the first-floor cosmetics and perfume department of Neiman Marcus and getting a light waft of the intermingling high-end perfumes. On me, it’s quite potent and long-lasting, and the iris note is not only present but also prominent throughout the entire accord. Additionally, I noticed that the composition includes civet, which is traditionally animal-derived. However, when I emailed the co-owner of the company, he personally emailed back and said that not only is he vegan, but so are all of the Le Labo perfumes (i.e., the civet is synthesized). That sealed the deal for me. If you have even a minuscule of interest in iris frags, you must at least sample Le Labo’s Iris 39. I find that I have a complimentary chemistry for it, but others may not, so try before you buy. 30th May, 2009. (Last Edited: 27th September, 2009.) |
| | Sel Marin by HeeleyThough the notes don't appear in the composition, to my nose, it unexpectedly and strangely starts with a blast of cilantro and lime. Then, it turns into an unremarkable aquatic not unlike the many others on the market. Bottom line: It's nothing special. 15th February, 2009. |
| | Black Sea by Martine MicallefTo my nose, it starts out smelling of burnt tire mixed with hairspray. Then, it turns into a rather common aquatic. Bottom line: Nothing special. 15th February, 2009. |
| | Coney Island by Bond No. 9It's silly, really. The only thing this smells like is an orange lollipop. That's it. Fun to smell, but it's not wearable as a perfume and certainly not worth the price. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | West Side by Bond No. 9I get floral, fruity, and a little drunky! Yes, I mean it smells a little like a person who is drunk. Very odd indeed. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Fire Island by Bond No. 9It smells like Coppertone plus shampoo. That's it. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Hamptons by Bond No. 9This is a less musky and refined version of Creed's Silver Mountain Water (SMW). The oddity, however, is that in addition to smelling a bit like SMW, Hamptons has undercurrents (pun intended) of tire/rubber and hairspray. Unlike the bottle design, this is not a star, but then again, none of the Bond fragrances are. Still, they're all interesting to smell even if many of them seem to mimic Creed frags. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Chelsea Flowers by Bond No. 9It's less floral than it is fruity, especially apples and melons. It's Bond's answer to Creed's Spring Flowers. Of course, Chelsea Flowers is no where near as refined and elegant as Spring Flowers. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Broadway Nite by Bond No. 9I was quite looking forward to all that this fragrance claims to capture. The effect, however, fell short of those claims and my expectation. To my nose, it smells mostly of candied flowers with a bit of nail polish and licorice tossed in--it completely missed the mark. 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Madison Soirée by Bond No. 9This is Broadway Nite inverted: It prominently smells of nail polish and licorice and has undertones of candied flowers and shampooed hair (yes, I don't mean shampoo itself but actual hair that's been shampooed). 8th February, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th March, 2009.) |
| | Wall Street by Bond No. 9If you mixed Creeds Erolfa (drier/saltier aquatic) and Millesime Imperial (fruitier/sweeter aquatic), you'd have Bond's Wall Street. Since I very much like both of the aforementioned Creed fragrances (especially Erolfa), it's no surprise that I very much like Wall Street. Nuff said. 27th January, 2009. |
| | Cardinal by HeeleyIt's lighter and fresher than I thought it would be. It's not particularly complex, but it's very nice. It smells just like the airy interior of a Catholic church. It's clean without being astringent and smooth without being syrupy. The effect is the nostalgic scent of a traditional church without the stale or heavy quality of actually being in one filled with a bunch of people. Ultimately, it develops into something that smells a lot like eucalyptus after a new rain. I think it would make a great cold-weather, outdoorsy, or formal occasion men's fragrance. 9th January, 2009. |
| | Figuier / Fig / Eau de Figuier by HeeleyI like fig, and I like the only two other Heeley frags I've sample, but I was disappointed with this one. The fig note is indeed in there in a clean and robust way, but there's a dirty-smelling/greasy note there that I just can't get passed. Ultimately, it develops into a musk, which I find quite unpleasant. 9th January, 2009. |
| | Eau d'Iris by HeeleyIt's a clean, light, fresh, and watery iris. Like most iris frags, it has a bit of the lipstick/makeup quality (which I like), but it's more airy and earthy than it is heavy or waxy. I actually wish it smelled more like lipstick. It's on the dry side, so it tends toward the antiseptic but not in a harsh way. If it were more musky and richer/rounded, I would say it even resembles Creed's Erolfa, which is one of my favs. 9th January, 2009. |
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