Silk / Peau De Soie by Ava Luxe

Parfum 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.

Cloying, annoying sweetish woody oriental. Ugh!

Woody with spice and cream. The cedarwood is very prominent, but somehow toned down by whatever else they put in here. It's elegant wood, dressed up, as Caitha says, and with a high polish. I'd expect silk to be more soft and flowing, but this is an excellent fragrance nonetheless, especially if you are fond of woody spice that is still somehow feminine. A strange but noteable accomplishment.

Stunning! This is one of the best chypres I've ever worn. Silk truly smells like silk feels; smooth and elegant. A gorgeous spicy accord, a sort of secret surprise, develops as the fragrance dries down. This is a perfume for a strong, confidant woman.

Distinctly woody, yet it's a sweet, perfumey wood, so perfumey I can almost taste the perfume in the back of my throat for a while after application. Apart from wood, I get a hint of spice, a hint of clean white musk, a hint of AvaLuxe's signature sweet, smooth coconutty/musky base. Somehow the overall impression of the sillage reminds me of Earl Grey tea with milk - the citrusy/spicy topnotes of the wood standing in for bergamot, a certain dry, leathery feel like black tea, and that smooth creaminess for milk. I'm a huge fan of wood so I enjoy it, but I must say it feels rather "perfumey" - a little aloof, dressed up, feminine to the teeth in high heels and a crisp blouse, something like that...

I love Feminite du Bois yet I actually like Silk a bit better. FdB has a little "pencil shavings" in the opening few minutes, Silk does not. Silk is also a bit spicier, a little less fruity. Very lovely and perfect for an Alpine winter in front of a fire!