Ormonde Jayne

I just got my Ormonde Jayne sampler set in the mail myself. Did a quick test run of Ormonde Man (SO was with me when I opened the package and he was curious). I liked it on me - he was turned off by the dry-down so he wouldn't let me spray him with it.

Tigrushka: can't wait to hear your comments on the other scents. Especially since I know so little about this line other than that it's hightly regarded.

I hope to give my sampler pack a full testing after Ava Luxe week....

I will definately order the complete sample pack. Can't wait to try them all. I'm so in love with Ormonde Man that I can't see what could possibly go wrong with the others. They might not be for me, but I'm sure they will be pleasent scent experiences.

My favourites from Ormonde Jayne are Ta'if and Champaca. Both have unusual edible notes - saffron, dates & pink pepper in Ta'if, and tea and basmati rice in Champaca. Oromonde for woman is stunning too, I really like the concept of a fresty, peppery violet. But I guess this would be my third choice (I already have Ta'if and Champaca would be my next order from them).

Frangipani is pretty, but in a way it's "too pretty" for me. It's very fresh for a tropical scent, and reminds me a lily of the valley scent. The frangipani note in it is more like the absolute rather than the fresh flower though. The absolute is green and waxy, by the way.

Finally had a chance to seriously break into my sample set. Definitely NOT what I expected. Though Ormonde Jayne mentioned linden blossom, magnolia flower, and lime peel in her top notes, they combined to form Grapefruit on me.

I have a hate/hate relationship with grapefruit.

After 5 minutes, it develops into an interesting jasmine/tuberose floral in the heart and evolves to a beautiful indolic jasmine laced with cedar, amber and musk.

No hint of the vanilla on me. Nor is there any hint of that "green wetness" you pick up either. I'm jealous.

Definitely a more complex fragrance than the Ava Luxe Frangipani. And definitely NOT what I expected from a Frangipani fragrance (but then, my nose was "educated" with head shop oils, so that's not saying much ).

Tigruska - I will probably be joining you in the Ormonde Jayne experience. At least through Tuesday.

Should we start a separate thread?

Edit: Finally got the vanilla 2 hours in.... Found that I liked the silliage much better coming off of my chest rather than my wrist - don't find too many fragrances (on myself, at least) where the scent is so different between the body parts. So the next time I wear this, I am only wearing this on my chest rather than the other pulse points.

I love the idea of having an Ormonde Jayne week, but the rest of us a chance to prepare! I've been looking at fragrances for a while now hoping to place an order soon.:wave: If you can't wait for me I'll just have to go it alone.

Tolu and Ormonde Woman are my favourites. Ta'if, strangely, smells like glue to me - I don't get any of the rose or dates that most others detect! If I were going to add a third bottle, it would a choice between Orris Noir and Isfarkand.

oops, did not realize Tigrushka had already started a thread for Ormonde....here are my impressions of WOMAN.

Thanks to Kyra I spent a warm day wrapped in this fragrant beauty today... it really grows on you, and I would describe it somewhat as abstract, because its like this fine web of different soft smells that tease you, like a veil....one impression I had from the topnote was a passing whiff of buttery gingerbread, and when I look at the notes below (from basenotes) I bet it was the Cardamom I noticed. When I lived in Alaska, there was an Indian family that used to make me and my friends sweet hot milky tea with cardamom spice...mmmm....
Its presence in Ormonde is not like that, more of a whisper or a fine thread, but tantalizing and comforting nonetheless. Just look at those notes in the drydown...of course it is comforting and warm. I am so glad I met this beauty today! any other admirers out there?

# Cardamom, Coriander, Grass Oil,
Middle Notes
# Black Hemlock, Violet, Jasmine Absolute,
Base Notes
# Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cedar wood, Amber,

originally in another thread in response to rtamara41, but it fits better here


I am so glad it works for you. I have an inexplicable reaction to something in OJ Woman, (I think it’s the hemlock) and it partially wipes out my sense of smell. From what remains, I can tell that I would love it insanely if I could really smell it. Did you know that Ormonde Jayne has recently or will soon open a US shipping center.

I wore Ormonde Jayne Woman today and had an odd experience towards late afternoon ...
it had evolved into something very familiar and when I thought about it, it reminded me of Philosophy's Amazing Grace body wash and shampoo, the pearlescent pink gel that leaves such a nice fragrance in its wake.
It would probably create a lovely layering effect with Ormonde Woman.

I have a sample of Frangipani and it's one of my favorites. Rose and dates sound interesting, but not if they smell like glue! lol

I really must order the sample set too to make a decision in regards to Ormonde Jayne's beauties.

While I think I've tried a few over the years via sample, the only one I clearly remember is Tolu, which is very much like a refined woody oriental to me. It had a clear note in it as well, and I'm not sure what that was. I need to go back and sniff some more.

First I can say that I bought the whole sample set in March and they were just lovely to deal with. They have since upgraded the sample packaging from charming to drop dead gorgeous, raised the price a bit and simplified international ordering. The line as a whole is lovely and while I wouldn’t buy them all, I disliked none of them. The website gives good descriptions of each including full pyramids.

Cribbing from my testing notes, here are some impressions

CHAMPACA

first try 3/25/07- settles right away that Champaca note is not a problem- must be something else in the generic nag-champa incense that I can’t bear. This is very nice and has a furry feel, not sure if I feel strongly enough about it to buy it
\t6/25- nice notes but not assertive or lasting enough for me

FRANGIPANI ABSOLUTE
4/15 – This one says fresh, sweet and fruity very fast. So tropical it could come with a tiny umbrella, nice dash of lime. While I wouldn’t dare tell anyone else what to wear based on their age, the opening on this does clearly feel too young for me. It pretty quickly morphs into a languorous and heady white floral. My nemesis, the tuberose, has been somehow smacked into civility. It is splendid outdoors on a crisp sunny day and the base peeping through is beautiful. Not at all my usual style, but quite a ride and well worth another try before I make up my mind.

ISFARKAND pour homme
1st -tried on Fritz evening 3/23- yeah and looking at notes, what’s not to like!-in the running for a bottle
2nd and 3rd- always nice on Fritz

ORMONDE MAN
\tI’ll include my impressions but can’t fairly review this one-
tried a very small amount 4/5 and I think hemlock is at least part of the problem w OJ Woman, but I can still pretty much smell this- but a did notice something between pine and cedar do kind of a clean sweep on my sinuses
night 7/21- I can’t quite feel this knocking out my perception, but I can not really smell it properly either


ORMONDE WOMAN
I’m including these notes, but try it yourself! I think these reactions are entirely specific to me.
Will have to retry- tried it at bedtime 2/1/07 and it seemed more to remove all odors and leave an incredible clarity- with a very faint and lovely afterwhiff. Nose is sore and I am getting a cold , but this doesn’t make sense- will revisit

Retried 3/2/07- Damn, I know I would love this if I could smell it, but I’ve pretty substantially documented that the bulk of this perfume hits at least one of my specific anosmias. I can feel it hit my nose- kind of a slight searing but I find faint with my wrist to my nose while my daughter can smell it as strong from across the room. Odd, very odd

2x – I really want to love this and just can’t. There is something about this one that short circuits my nose. By the notes, I’m thinking it is the grass oil or the black hemlock, because I recognize and can smell everything else listed. Very odd in that daughter can id as very strong and I can barely smell it, while at the same time I can sense something missing and feel it lightly searing my nose



ORRIS NOIR
1x- night 3/25- very appealing but I can’t tag what this reminds me of. It is my early favorite of the line.
2x-5/27- wore to Folklife, persistent and deep, appealing and rather mysterious. It lasted all day and stood up to the Sequoia that I was testing on my husband.
3x-finished sample to go out dancing- shortlisted.

OSMANTHUS
1-night 4/1/07- very fresh and citrusy- didn’t notice the pimento or base, thought I smelled a bit of coffee and vanilla at one point- I either like davana or osmanthus, not sure which- might be a bit too clean and simple for me to really love
2-tested with TDC Osmanthus and Hermes O. Yunnan- like the Hermes best

SAMPAQUITA
6/6- I don’t think the grass oil is a problem but I’m not entirely sure. I find it opens very light, but I like the way the floral (jasmine?) comes out.The magnolia in this does not resemble L’Instant’s. Need to check again.

TA´IF
tried night of 4/27- lovely sweet rose, well balanced and framed. Need to retest with other roses.

TOLU
First tried night of 3/28- Very warm and cozy oriental, sweet in a very woody- resiny way. I get a bit of caramel and or chocolate.
Didn’t keep notes on the next two wears, but this one is short listed.

My favorite for certain is the Ormonde Man - it was very fresh, light, forest-y and surprisingly had this almost effervescent quality (that's not quite right, but the best way I can describe it.)

This past spring I went back and tried the other fragrances I had samples for in the line. While my initial impressions had been that these fragrances are of high quality and a very creative vision, trying them again I was kind of underwhelmed. Not so much that I think now that they are of poor quality or anything, but surprisingly, the ones I tried all dried down to a very similar ambry/vanilla/oppoponax-type base. The uniformity of them all started to make me a little bored. Not to mention that they reminded me of other fragrances I either own or have tried. It was kind of strange. Although it certainly helped me out checkbook-wise. For now I've decided against owning any. I'll try them again in the future though.

I have Champaca and Frangipane. Love them both, but can't wear them at the moment as pregnancy seems to amplify them amazingly. I love Tolu too and am looking forward to seeing how that works on me as the winter draws in.

Never really got on with Woman, didn't work with me at all.

I'm still working my way through the sample pack (been ADHD - very distractable lately...)

Some of my notes:

Orris Noir: This one starts as a pretty woody floral, then becomes citrusy-clean (the coriander seed and bergamot making an appearance here). One of the notes (or combination of notes) registers as anise, then the scent settles into aan incense, myrrh, lite patchouli and wood blend. Like the fact that this is light and spicy. I kept smelling my wrists for hours with this one.

Champaca: This starts out balsamic (probably the bamboo / pink pepper combination), develops a very quick "grapefruit" note in the dry down (a bitter citrus mustiness that I've always equated as "grapefruit"), then becomes floral/green with the champaca, freesia, and green tea. The pink pepper threads throughout this scent and it develops a lovely sweetness towards the end. I don't pick up the basmati rice note everyone talks about with this scent and I have a feeling that warmer weather will pick up the notes much better.

Tolu: Starts very resinous and balsamic (I think it's that combination of juniper, orange blossom and clary sage that creates this note). Then it becomes this pretty spicy rose. It gets woody towards the base before the frankinscence and amber appear. The base is this pretty frankinscence, amber and wood blend that lasts about 4+ hours. This is another fave. LOVE the evolution of this and how the notes move smoothly between the sections.

Osmanthus: Citrus and osmanthus gives way to jasmine and water lily. This is a really watery, clean floral that becomes laced with wood, musk and a lick of citrus at the base. Another scent that may be better in warmer weather.

Ta'if: The first spritz is strong pink pepper and saffron. Sharp and medicinal. A cumin note (not sure where this is from) briefly appears before mellowing into a green floral. I'm not picking up the "roses" on this one. More of the jasmine and freesia. As it dries down, the orange flower and amber appear laced with green (probably the broom note). This may be another one that will work in warmer weather than today (45 degrees F).

I've already commented on Frangipani and Ormonde Man in this thread. Still haven't tried Ormonde Woman or Isfarkand yet. Soon.....