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perfumes which have 'pretentious' notes listed

post #1 of 33
7/27/12 at 5:00am
Thread Starter 
i've been 'provoked' to start this thread after reading the notes of the brand new releases from by killian:

good girl gone bad - floral nectar??, jasmine sambac, osmanthus, rose of may??, indian tuberose, narcissus, amber vegetal??, white cedar.
forbiden games - apple, peach, plum, cinnamon bark of laos, bulgarian rose orpur??, geranium bourbon, midnight jasmine (lol, have they harvested the jasmine at midnight?), madagascar vanilla, laotian honey (can they prove the honey is from laos, same for cinnamon i guess), oil of opopanax???? (oooooh, they're using the original spelling, oh my!).
in the city of sin - bergamot of calabria, pink peppercorns and guatemalan cardamom, apricot, caramelized plum, turkish rose absolute, indonesian incense, atlas and virginia cedarwoods, indonesian patchouli.

can you bring your suggestions to this thread, which other perfumes that you know of have an extensive list of pretentious notes that make your eyes roll up?
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post #2 of 33
7/27/12 at 12:46pm
Not to be the guy that spoils a thread but doesn't the majority of art in all forms qualify as pretentious on some level?

That said, it's probably the notes to CDG's Odeur 71

dust on a hot lightbulb, bamboo, metal, electricity and lettuce juice…
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post #3 of 33
7/28/12 at 6:14am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TioGP9mWahA
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post #4 of 33
7/28/12 at 12:17pm
I'm actually not bothered by pretentious note list as long as the fragrance delivers what it promises...In this context, there's nothing like O'Driù's stuff...

Amyris Balsamifera, Citrus Reticolata, Vanilla Planifolia, Citrus Aurantinum, Nicotiana Tabacum, Matricaria Chamomilla, Cangara Odorata, Laurus Nobilis, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm actually not bothered by pretentious note list as long as the fragrance delivers what it promises...In this context, there's nothing like O'Driù's stuff...

Amyris Balsamifera, Citrus Reticolata, Vanilla Planifolia, Citrus Aurantinum, Nicotiana Tabacum, Matricaria Chamomilla, Cangara Odorata, Laurus Nobilis, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum.
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post #5 of 33
7/30/12 at 2:44am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Not to be the guy that spoils a thread but doesn't the majority of art in all forms qualify as pretentious on some level?

That said, it's probably the notes to CDG's Odeur 71

dust on a hot lightbulb, bamboo, metal, electricity and lettuce juice…

i found the above notes more on the weird side rather than the pretentious side.
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post #6 of 33
7/30/12 at 8:30pm
I'm not an expert on the composition of perfumes at all but am under the impression that many of the extracts and oils that used to be used in the production of a perfume have been replaced with synthetic chemicals. Since the "flower" is really a "chemical" they can pretty much call it whatever they want to since they won't actually list the chemical names as the notes. So for example "chemical a" could be called "musk" in one perfume and "white musk" in another perfume and "night musk" in another perfume, etc.... When you smell a wine it does not have the associated scents in the wine; it is how you describe the wine. As perfumes become more and more a synthetic concoction, I think the manufactures and designers are taking liberties with listing the notes in hopes that the buyer will find the product more "original" (especially since there seem to be so many "smell alikes" out there now).
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post #7 of 33
7/31/12 at 12:09am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vmarshmellow View Post

I'm not an expert on the composition of perfumes at all but am under the impression that many of the extracts and oils that used to be used in the production of a perfume have been replaced with synthetic chemicals. Since the "flower" is really a "chemical" they can pretty much call it whatever they want to since they won't actually list the chemical names as the notes. So for example "chemical a" could be called "musk" in one perfume and "white musk" in another perfume and "night musk" in another perfume, etc.... When you smell a wine it does not have the associated scents in the wine; it is how you describe the wine. As perfumes become more and more a synthetic concoction, I think the manufactures and designers are taking liberties with listing the notes in hopes that the buyer will find the product more "original" (especially since there seem to be so many "smell alikes" out there now).

that's a very interesting point of view! thank you.

now, i've just read (and sorry if i'm being cynical) that this year is the year of 'primordial' perfumes (i can't stop laughing on the inside):
"This year, the theme is Primordial Scents:
EARTH, AIR, FIRE, WATER, SPIRIT, METAL" - only water and fire have been realized so far.

the article it's too long, too self important, and takes itself too seriously so feel free to read by clicking the links below (i've drifted off after about... oooh, 2sec)

http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Prim...umes-3423.html

http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Prim...umes-3422.html
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post #8 of 33
7/31/12 at 8:32am
Mexx have released a new men's scent with the note of 'fried green tomatoes ' ...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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post #9 of 33
7/31/12 at 9:32am
I get a little annoyed when I see any notes preceded by adjectives such as "precious", "luxurious", "mysterious", "rare", and so on.

But I guess that sounds better than "the same cheap aromachemicals from company X that everyone else uses."
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post #10 of 33
7/31/12 at 5:19pm
'Yu' - Perfect Sense Mane

Supposedly it contains Asian mandarin that blooms every God-knows-how-many years, accords of genet - a rare animal which can only be found in blah blah blah and so on and so forth
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post #11 of 33
8/1/12 at 6:04am
I would have said Killian also
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post #12 of 33
8/1/12 at 6:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noggs View Post

...But I guess that sounds better than "the same cheap aromachemicals from company X that everyone else uses."

Lol!


I've always thought listing "vodka" as a note was rather pretentious, since good vodka is supposed to be completely odorless and tasteless, making it the perfect neutral cocktail mixer. Actually, one might argue that you can smell it, and indeed, it does have a "scent" but what you smell is simply alcohol, which provides a chemesthetic reaction rather than an olfactory one. My point is, if the smell of alcohol is allowed to be listed as a note, then any perfume, edp, edt or cologne that contains it can potentially list "vodka" as a topnote ...but I suppose it would be even more pretentious to list it as "Vodka Martini, extra-dry ...no olives."
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post #13 of 33
8/1/12 at 11:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangeline View Post

Lol!


I've always thought listing "vodka" as a note was rather pretentious, since good vodka is supposed to be completely odorless and tasteless, making it the perfect neutral cocktail mixer. Actually, one might argue that you can smell it, and indeed, it does has a "scent" but what you smell is simply alcohol, which provides a chemesthetic reaction rather than an olfactory one. My point is, if the smell of alcohol is allowed to be listed as a note, then any perfume, edp, edt or cologne that contains it can potentially list "vodka" as a topnote ...but I suppose it would be even more pretentious to list it as "Vodka Martini, extra-dry ...no olives."


I think the thing about a vodka note is that it over-exaggerates the note rather than being so literal - it is more impressionistic (as with most unusual notes) - take Ambre Russe's top not of Vodka - it doesn't smell like perfumers alcohol - instead it has that grainy, salty and slightly vegetal sharp scent of vodka.
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post #14 of 33
8/1/12 at 11:33am
Evangeline:

you seem to be in synch with Luca Turin. In one review, disparaging the light, evanescent style of certain Hermessences, he joked that they would soon come out with a scent called Vodka Novosibirsk.

Incidentally, regarding vodka, I read a recent article on the New Yorker about old russian food. It was saying that centuries back, vodka was actually dark and intensely flavored, like whiskey. Only recently, as production was centralized, it became the clear tasteless spirit we now use.

cacio
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post #15 of 33
8/1/12 at 3:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by forfreddie View Post

I think the thing about a vodka note is that it over-exaggerates the note rather than being so literal - it is more impressionistic (as with most unusual notes) - take Ambre Russe's top not of Vodka - it doesn't smell like perfumers alcohol - instead it has that grainy, salty and slightly vegetal sharp scent of vodka.

Well, I understand that the swanky impression of vodka is what the marketing team was going for, but again, since any grainy, salty or vegetal flavors, i.e., impurities, should be removed in the distillation and filtering process, if you can actually smell it, maybe this particular "note" would be better described as "hootch" or "rotgut." I'm joking - I see your point, but I still highly doubt that anyone would have detected any alleged vodka note without first seeing it in a pyramid. Btw, I do actually get a sort of booziness from Ambre Russe, just not anything I'd be willing to assert is vodka. Vodka basically smells like alcohol, nothing more.


Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Evangeline:

you seem to be in synch with Luca Turin. In one review, disparaging the light, evanescent style of certain Hermessences, he joked that they would soon come out with a scent called Vodka Novosibirsk.

I remember that! Yeah, I suppose Dr. Turin and I do agree on a few things...once in a while.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Incidentally, regarding vodka, I read a recent article on the New Yorker about old russian food. It was saying that centuries back, vodka was actually dark and intensely flavored, like whiskey. Only recently, as production was centralized, it became the clear tasteless spirit we now use.

I read that article too, and I actually thought of it when I wrote my original post about vodka. I think that herb-infused "bread wine" would make a much more interesting, and far less pretentious, note than modern vodka.
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post #16 of 33
8/1/12 at 4:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by danny1967 View Post

i've been 'provoked' to start this thread after reading the notes of the brand new releases from by killian:

good girl gone bad - floral nectar??, jasmine sambac, osmanthus, rose of may??, indian tuberose, narcissus, amber vegetal??, white cedar.
forbiden games - apple, peach, plum, cinnamon bark of laos, bulgarian rose orpur??, geranium bourbon, midnight jasmine (lol, have they harvested the jasmine at midnight?), madagascar vanilla, laotian honey (can they prove the honey is from laos, same for cinnamon i guess), oil of opopanax???? (oooooh, they're using the original spelling, oh my!).
in the city of sin - bergamot of calabria, pink peppercorns and guatemalan cardamom, apricot, caramelized plum, turkish rose absolute, indonesian incense, atlas and virginia cedarwoods, indonesian patchouli.

To be honest, most of these notes sound like a kitchen smashed into a garden lol
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post #17 of 33
8/1/12 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by danny1967 View Post

that's a very interesting point of view! thank you.

now, i've just read (and sorry if i'm being cynical) that this year is the year of 'primordial' perfumes (i can't stop laughing on the inside):
"This year, the theme is Primordial Scents:
EARTH, AIR, FIRE, WATER, SPIRIT, METAL" - only water and fire have been realized so far.

the article it's too long, too self important, and takes itself too seriously so feel free to read by clicking the links below (i've drifted off after about... oooh, 2sec)

http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Prim...umes-3423.html

http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Prim...umes-3422.html

Thank you for the links. I had missed those articles. In the water article they mention calone, " Calone (a molecule with a fresh sea breeze profile)". This is a good example. I bet this chemical has been described with many different adjectives such as sea breeze, aquatic notes, ocean, water, etc..... or could in the future be described with even more interesting names like Baltic Sea, Adriatic Sea, Atlantis, ..... but it's really just Calone. Which will never be listed as a note. I think the current trend is to describe the chemical components of a perfume with fancier names.
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post #18 of 33
8/1/12 at 5:11pm
As much as I like the CDG Stephen Jones, I think the "meteorite" and "magma" notes are very silly. Come on.
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post #19 of 33
8/1/12 at 11:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

As much as I like the CDG Stephen Jones, I think the "meteorite" and "magma" notes are very silly. Come on.

oh god primrose, 'meteorite and magma'?? (eyes rolling). how did they manage to extract/synthesize the particular note of 'meteorite'?? this take the artistic licence a step too far (one giant step from earth to moon)
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post #20 of 33
8/2/12 at 2:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by danny1967 View Post

oh god primrose, 'meteorite and magma'?? (eyes rolling). How did they manage to extract/synthesize the particular note of 'meteorite'?? This take the artistic licence a step too far (one giant step from earth to moon)

lol
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post #21 of 33
8/2/12 at 11:13am
Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "
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post #22 of 33
8/2/12 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

I hope the poor Iris, after she had moved freely enough, get pissed and slap them all in their faces....
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post #23 of 33
8/2/12 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

Oh dear god.
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post #24 of 33
8/2/12 at 2:40pm
hey danny, most of the things you call out aren't pretentious at all imo.

- "rose of may" = aka rose de mai is Rosa centifolia, a Dutch hybrid rose species, bright rose commonly used in perfumery
- "bulgarian rose orpur" = givaudan natural extract from bulgarian rose
- "midnight jasmine" = aka Arabian jasmine, a middle-Eastern and Asian flowering vine (could be a synthetic accord, no different than claiming a lily of the valley or hyacinth accord)
- "laotian honey" = probably genuinely made/extracted in Laos. surely cheaper than French honey...
- "oil of opopanax" = just what it says

i think people are too quick to call things pretentious as a defense when subconsciously recognizing they fall outside one's purview or knowledge base. "floral nectar" "vegetal amber" and "caramelized plum" could be considered pretentious, but one could easily argue they're just trying to name accurately some accords they came up with.
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post #25 of 33
8/2/12 at 2:43pm
Yeh I don't find those Kilian ones all that bad.
The new Fame celebuscent is pushing the boundaries of prentious junk
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post #26 of 33
8/3/12 at 2:32am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyBars View Post

hey danny, most of the things you call out aren't pretentious at all imo.

- "rose of may" = aka rose de mai is Rosa centifolia, a Dutch hybrid rose species, bright rose commonly used in perfumery
- "bulgarian rose orpur" = givaudan natural extract from bulgarian rose
- "midnight jasmine" = aka Arabian jasmine, a middle-Eastern and Asian flowering vine (could be a synthetic accord, no different than claiming a lily of the valley or hyacinth accord)
- "laotian honey" = probably genuinely made/extracted in Laos. surely cheaper than French honey...
- "oil of opopanax" = just what it says

i think people are too quick to call things pretentious as a defense when subconsciously recognizing they fall outside one's purview or knowledge base. "floral nectar" "vegetal amber" and "caramelized plum" could be considered pretentious, but one could easily argue they're just trying to name accurately some accords they came up with.

thank you for the lesson, info assimilated. i will stick from now on to the truly pretentious notes.
fyi, for me, the above discussed notes are pretentious, but as you said, that's because my 'in-depth' knowledge is at best amateurish and definitely superficial when compared to others. i guess a quick googling of the aforementioned pretentious notes would've clearly explained everything and then there would've been no reason for such a thread (its main intention was to be taken lightly and in a humorous way).
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post #27 of 33
8/3/12 at 4:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

Glasses down people we have a winner. The only thing that died at the feet of this figure was my lunch.
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post #28 of 33
8/3/12 at 8:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

That's jaw droppingly awful ! *LOL*
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post #29 of 33
8/3/12 at 8:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

Oh lordy lordy Lordy!
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post #30 of 33
8/3/12 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

Nothing, for me, tops the ad copy of Nez a Nez:

"The flower escapes to pierce through a world of sensations. The spices are fused to the incandescent petals. It's a rose who believes to be a chrysalis. Her magma courageously dies at the feet of a figure, depraved by such elegance. This floral incandescence is not Narcissus. He would be too enthralled by his own undulating reflections. The rose is the ally of the butterfly hunter and goldsmith. The calyx releases, until the end, an impertinent nectar, almost an offering. It is meticulous in the act and heroic in the memory. Its reminiscence will burn the tongue. "

-or-

"The iris grows from a cocoa soil. The flower has a word to say. The chocolate emperor accompanies her as a shadow. He is her Pigmalion[sic]. Delicacy woos strength. A mixture of powders, a flower on the tip of a cannon. It is a white flag on the shoulders of a prestigious army. The actors of this perfume admire one another. Iris moves freely and her roots enjoy the fresh soil. No need to force the harmony, the wisdom is exquisite. "

This sounds like the Edward Bulwer-Lytton school of perfume marketing copy with a dash of Hemingway! LOL!

On the other hand, I think I once read "dewdrops" in a list of notes.
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post #31 of 33
8/3/12 at 10:34pm
Tomato leaves always intrigued me.
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post #32 of 33
8/4/12 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by danny1967 View Post

thank you for the lesson, info assimilated. i will stick from now on to the truly pretentious notes.
fyi, for me, the above discussed notes are pretentious, but as you said, that's because my 'in-depth' knowledge is at best amateurish and definitely superficial when compared to others. i guess a quick googling of the aforementioned pretentious notes would've clearly explained everything and then there would've been no reason for such a thread (its main intention was to be taken lightly and in a humorous way).

no prob, all good! i think it's a reasonable discussion in relation to "sunlight" and "baby breath" accords...
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post #33 of 33
8/6/12 at 3:13am
My favorite will always be Creed's royal pineapple. It's fancier than regular pineapple and you can't have any because you're not royalty!
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