I was at the mall tonight getting some music software for my computer and I had to walk past Sephora --OK, I went in and wound up only buying a Hanae Mori deo stick. I felt pretty good about resisting the urge to spend. Unfortunately, right next to the Sephora was a L'Occitane store. I had to go in. The store was really inviting--I liked the cozy,warm environment of the store and they had a ton of products. The woman working there was really nice, and so I decided to check out their line of men's fragrances.
I'd smelled the Vetyver before. It's quality stuff. It reminds me a bit of Gucci Envy. I tried the new Eau des Baux. Really nice. I would have bought it, but it's just a little bit too dry and rough. It reminds me of Chanel Allure Homme with a driftwood dryness around the edges. Nice and warm, yet not quite enveloping. It would work better in a different season.
I tried 4 Voleurs, Cade (only in a splash), Eau de L'OCCITAN and maybe one other. I ended up buying a bottle of Eau du Badian.
Eau du Badian is a fresh, slightly citrus scent with a heart of anise. Anise is one of my favorite notes. Also in this scent is a note of blackcurrant which I noticed after a few tries. A woman was in the store looking for a shaving set for her hubby, so I used her for a guinea pig. She loved the Eau du Badian. She kept wanting to smell my arm.
OK, this scent seems kind of fleeting. Not really powerful, and it doesn't seem to have a ton of sillage. And even though I read the label and I know there are synthetics in the fragrance, it does smell very natural and herbal. I do wish there was a bit more presence to this fragrance, but I have the feeling that once I've worn it for a few more days, I'll be able to detect it a lot more (It always happens that new scents need a few wearings before they seem to have "substance" on my skin.) I am quite certain that in a few days, this scent will seem much stronger. Right now. my only complaint is that it seems a bit muddled-- I wish there was something in it a bit sharp and bracing, maybe a bit of lavender...
I really dig the old apothecary feel that these scents (and this one in particular) seem to have. They don't have that "cologne" vibe to them-- As I sit here and sniff this fragrance on my arm, I'm thinking of a much softer, washed out L'eau Bleue D'Issey. They aren't all that similar, but both have a dreamy herbal thing going on. Bleue is a powerhouse though, while this is a nice skin scent. And I'm also picking up a faint smokiness in Badian that gives it some character. As of right now, I wish this scent were stronger, though I know it's just because I always perceive all new scents as weak.
I picked up a bottle of the shower gel also and it's really invigorating. The L'Occitane stuff is packaged in old fashioned brown bottles. I saw an old picture and the bottles used to be clear. Also on a side note, the legend of this scent is something about a "traveling minstrel", a storyteller talking about plucking the "stars" (star anise) from the sky. Badian is an old name for anise, so that's what the name refers to. I wonder if the "badian crystals" in L'Instant refers to anise? Anyway, this L'Occitane stuff is a nice change from the usual. The $40 price tag was pretty decent as well. I think down the road I may get a bottle of Eau des Baux. L'Occitane doesn't get a lot of mention around here, but they have a good range of products.
I'd smelled the Vetyver before. It's quality stuff. It reminds me a bit of Gucci Envy. I tried the new Eau des Baux. Really nice. I would have bought it, but it's just a little bit too dry and rough. It reminds me of Chanel Allure Homme with a driftwood dryness around the edges. Nice and warm, yet not quite enveloping. It would work better in a different season.
I tried 4 Voleurs, Cade (only in a splash), Eau de L'OCCITAN and maybe one other. I ended up buying a bottle of Eau du Badian.
Eau du Badian is a fresh, slightly citrus scent with a heart of anise. Anise is one of my favorite notes. Also in this scent is a note of blackcurrant which I noticed after a few tries. A woman was in the store looking for a shaving set for her hubby, so I used her for a guinea pig. She loved the Eau du Badian. She kept wanting to smell my arm.
OK, this scent seems kind of fleeting. Not really powerful, and it doesn't seem to have a ton of sillage. And even though I read the label and I know there are synthetics in the fragrance, it does smell very natural and herbal. I do wish there was a bit more presence to this fragrance, but I have the feeling that once I've worn it for a few more days, I'll be able to detect it a lot more (It always happens that new scents need a few wearings before they seem to have "substance" on my skin.) I am quite certain that in a few days, this scent will seem much stronger. Right now. my only complaint is that it seems a bit muddled-- I wish there was something in it a bit sharp and bracing, maybe a bit of lavender...
I really dig the old apothecary feel that these scents (and this one in particular) seem to have. They don't have that "cologne" vibe to them-- As I sit here and sniff this fragrance on my arm, I'm thinking of a much softer, washed out L'eau Bleue D'Issey. They aren't all that similar, but both have a dreamy herbal thing going on. Bleue is a powerhouse though, while this is a nice skin scent. And I'm also picking up a faint smokiness in Badian that gives it some character. As of right now, I wish this scent were stronger, though I know it's just because I always perceive all new scents as weak.
I picked up a bottle of the shower gel also and it's really invigorating. The L'Occitane stuff is packaged in old fashioned brown bottles. I saw an old picture and the bottles used to be clear. Also on a side note, the legend of this scent is something about a "traveling minstrel", a storyteller talking about plucking the "stars" (star anise) from the sky. Badian is an old name for anise, so that's what the name refers to. I wonder if the "badian crystals" in L'Instant refers to anise? Anyway, this L'Occitane stuff is a nice change from the usual. The $40 price tag was pretty decent as well. I think down the road I may get a bottle of Eau des Baux. L'Occitane doesn't get a lot of mention around here, but they have a good range of products.
.
