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Salty yet Sweet, Hot yet Cold

post #1 of 20
7/23/10 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 
Navegar is a fragrance that I have recently rediscovered. It has a salty cedar note against anise. Not much sweetness, but it pushes back against the salty aspect in a nice way.

Red Vetyver from Montale feels hot and cold almost simultaneously during the top of this fragrance. Pepper and Grapefruit hold each other at bay.

I am interested to hear recommendations you may have of other fragrances that give you a Salty yet sweet, or hot yet cold feeling during their evolution.


Thanks
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post #2 of 20
7/23/10 at 12:57pm
KenzoAir by Kenzo - salty vetiver and anise, perhaps too close to Navegar (?)
Elixir des Merveilles by Hermes - chocolate and orange with salty ambergris
Nicolai Pour Homme by Parfums de Nicolai - mint and galbanum and lavender and amber...this is the epitome of hold/cold and Ms. Nicolai does this particular texture very well IMO

I'm sure there's loads more, but those are the ones that pop in my mind.
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post #3 of 20
7/23/10 at 1:01pm
kenzo air and xeryus rouge comes to my mind first
oh and encre noire too. it's like a cold fire.
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post #4 of 20
7/23/10 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Creed - MI, and Erolfa maybe for salty/sweet.

Kenzo Air sounds like good. I have never tried it.
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post #5 of 20
7/23/10 at 1:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents View Post

Creed - MI, and Erolfa maybe for salty/sweet.

Kenzo Air sounds like good. I have never tried it.

I find it extremely surprising that the 'Vetiver Liaison' for Basenotes has not tried KenzoAir. Please try it, it's very distinctive and the wonky bottle is a bit fun to try and hold while you spray it.
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post #6 of 20
7/23/10 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

I find it extremely surprising that the 'Vetiver Liaison' for Basenotes has not tried KenzoAir. Please try it, it's very distinctive and the wonky bottle is a bit fun to try and hold while you spray it.

I am the fake vetiver liason remember? I accuse your Sycomore of smelling off. That is no vetiver liason. I will certainly try it soon. Sounds up my alley for sure.

Is Elixir des Merveilles unisex in your opinion Mike? You know my fragile psyche on this area. It sounds wonderful.
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post #7 of 20
7/23/10 at 1:53pm
salty and sweet is I think there whenever there is a quality and pronounced ambergris in the fragrance.
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post #8 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarıpatates View Post

salty and sweet is I think there whenever there is a quality and pronounced ambergris in the fragrance.

Yes. I think you make a great point with ambergris. Come to think of it, I remember Live Jazz's late drydown smelling of this tug of war.
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post #9 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:15pm
I get the "warm/cool" thing from Ocean Rain, Déclaration, Missoni, Citrus Paradisi, and Padme Lotus, and a "salty-yet-sweet" vibe from Eau d'Hermès, Globe, Idole de Lubin, and Vraie Blonde.
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post #10 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:36pm
Muscari Pour Homme - Salty/Sweet
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post #11 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents View Post

Is Elixir des Merveilles unisex in your opinion Mike? You know my fragile psyche on this area. It sounds wonderful.

Well it doesn't smell feminine, or more specifically when I smell it I don't think 'woman'. However it's very sweet. This one is easy to sample Jock...it's always at Sephora and dept. stores every time I go. The regular Eau des Merveilles will give you an idea about the salty ambergris that forms the base of Elixir des Merveilles, which is basically a gourmand take on the original - so if you don't see the Elixir sample the original one. The 'butchest' is the Parfum des Merveilles, but you'll never see a tester of that out on a counter to smell and it's very pricey..it's a bit more boozy and woody. All three are good. Then there's the newest flanker, Eau Claire des Merveilles...which I mention on another thread...but I think you get my drift.
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post #12 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:49pm
How about Lutens Gris Clair for the cold/warm type? I love the way it plays the cool lavender smokiness off the warm ambery tones.

This is a great topic! I love fragrances that employ skillful contrasts like the ones you describe. I can think of several on the more feminine side for sweet/salty: Gres Cabaret and Hermes Vanille Galante come immediately to mind.
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post #13 of 20
7/23/10 at 2:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

How about Lutens Gris Clair for the cold/warm type? I love the way it plays the cool lavender smokiness off the warm ambery tones.

This is a great topic! I love fragrances that employ skillful contrasts like the ones you describe. I can think of several on the more feminine side for sweet/salty: Gres Cabaret and Hermes Vanille Galante come immediately to mind.

Thanks guys and gals for the suggestions...I have some sampling to do!

Yes Gris Clair is so cool with lavender/incense, but warm with amber and tonka too. I definitely get your feeling on this one. Good call.
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post #14 of 20
7/23/10 at 3:07pm
for some reason, Kenzo doesnt come across as a vetiver scent. however, it's one of the best out there for what it represents.

hot/salty -
Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand
Floris Vetiver
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post #15 of 20
7/23/10 at 4:01pm
I get a couple of interesting dualities with one of my favorites, Reflection Man. To me, it smells cold and yet warm (a spicy peppery note is contrasted against a cold accord of rosemary (camphor), iris, and ylang ylang), wet and yet dry (this one is not simultaneous but changes over time, going from a wet texture early on to a dry texture in the drydown) along with a medicinal/refined contrast.

Another, somewhat similar fragrance (well, the notes and structure are somewhat similar - I find they smell quite distinct) is Fahrenheit 32, and that definitely has a sweet and salty thing going on. Vanillic sweetness coupled with a salty vetiver note.

However, given your taste in scents, I'm not so sure you'd really like either of these scents.
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post #16 of 20
7/24/10 at 3:02am
cold/hot Terre D´Hermes
salty/sweet Arpège pour Homme
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post #17 of 20
7/24/10 at 3:26am
Salty sweaty sweet makes me think of MKK straight away
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post #18 of 20
7/24/10 at 7:41am
Great suggestions, the Merveilles. Ocean Rain is acrid and wet, love it. And yes, saripatates you nailed it with the ambergris call.
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post #19 of 20
7/24/10 at 8:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Well it doesn't smell feminine, or more specifically when I smell it I don't think 'woman'. However it's very sweet. This one is easy to sample Jock...it's always at Sephora and dept. stores every time I go. The regular Eau des Merveilles will give you an idea about the salty ambergris that forms the base of Elixir des Merveilles, which is basically a gourmand take on the original - so if you don't see the Elixir sample the original one. The 'butchest' is the Parfum des Merveilles, but you'll never see a tester of that out on a counter to smell and it's very pricey..it's a bit more boozy and woody. All three are good. Then there's the newest flanker, Eau Claire des Merveilles...which I mention on another thread...but I think you get my drift.

Well the reason I have never tried them is because, I assumed they were more feminine and I just passed by them. You know me. I will make it a point to try them soon.

Salt in fragrance is just so alluring for me. It gives an instant human element to the composition like it came directly from your skin. And when there is a hint of sweetness it amplifies both aspects; hence that olfactory tug of war.
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post #20 of 20
7/24/10 at 9:36am
Gres Cabaret and TDC Sel de Vetiver immediately come to mind as salty/sweet.
Hot/cold actually makes me think of Rive Gauche pour Homme. Also vintage Halston Z-14 and of course Nicolai Pour Homme.
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