What female scents are even deadlier on the male? - Page 7

Here's a slightly revisited version of my review of

Prada Prada (Amber)

If there is anymore eloquent an expression of the pseudo-futuristic, elegant, etiolated 'exotic' fragrances of today than Prada Amber, I have yet to come across it.

This highly engineered, over designed and too thought out exercise in perfume politics achieves exactly what it feels it must, and precisely no more.

Truly it is an unhappy utopia of a perfume.

It is a swift, clean scent-generating machine that gathers in the consumers' cash by offering up a series of populist-formulaic chords: amber and patchouli, a slight Levantine baseline: vanilla, benzoin , something unnoticeably anonymously floral.

Everything in fact that is 'bound to please the crowd'.

For all its symmetry and design-led precision it is ultimately an act of conceptual cynicism cooked up by big corporate interests.

It is the military industrial complex of decorative smells.

I prefer perfume created by artists to the essence of engineers, economists and silent egos.

*************

Man, woman?

It wouldn’t matter if a machine wore this, it would be equally as soulless.



This is the concise version. The full length review, with rather fetching pictures is on The Perfumed Dandy...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/...nsored-letter/

Exactly what I thought Diamondflame so I went ad checked and apparently it is present in quite a few the most famous probably being

Hermes Jardin au Nil
and L'Eau d'Issey - original female version and numerous flankers.

Just goes to show!

Yet, I've never heard it mentioned in any fragrance reviews or commentaries ever.

- - - Updated - - -

It's Wednesday morning here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 20th of March, I will be wearing...

Diptyque Do Son

What will I wear Thursday 21st March?

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

By Kilian Beyond Love

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau

Vivienne Westwood Boudoir

Or the newcomer...

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Rodriguez For Her

Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

Thank you for your kind words CompassRose - I'm glad you're enjoying the reviews as there are quite a lot more on the way!!

- - - Updated - - -


I do like oud - and note that it is a note that is not nearly as present in female perfumery as it is male.

I'm very interested in the comparison between these two and am know more eager than ever to try out Midnight Oud - so will log that one down as another recommendation for the long list!!

- - - Updated - - -


Donna Karan Gold has in fact won the poll and the review will be on its way soon - it's just under development at the moment, but thank you for the suggestion and do keep them coming!

- - - Updated - - -

Oh I do remember those perfume bars and with great fondness.

I really feel that Body Shop were well ahead of the times (or perhaps harking back to another time) with that concept - how I wish they would bring them back, or even possibly introduce and oils mixing set, that would be enormous fun...!

- - - Updated - - -

This one was quite a wonderful experience...

Jolie Madame by Balmain

Jolie Madame, even in the latest toilette, stands as a salutary reminder of a previous kind of perfume.

It is a more careworn and perhaps caring sort of scent, one which seeks not to portray a perfected idea of the world but rather to suggest memories and make associations that are more real and realistically rough edged and imperfect.

It all starts with a phalanx of surprisingly savoury sweet violets.

The reason for this unsyrupy tone is quickly revealed as a slightly decayed structure of oakmoss, vetiver and animal smells, principally leather.

As the initially plush floral note fades, but never disappears, this leather truly comes to the fore and shows itself to be of an older, battered jacket type, aromatically weathered with coriander, petitgrain and not too much tobacco smoke.

Like an actual leather jacket, once one is accustomed to the scent it can tend to be subsumed into notions of the person who’s wearing it and when they have worn it.

In this sense Jolie Madame is a memory scent, a doorway into different pasts and places according to the whim of those who wear it and those who smell it.

Unlike so many contemporary perfumes, this sympathetically reformulated 1950s classic, does not close us in to a simple reading, but allows a little free thinking.

If only more fragrances today were as keen on freedom.

*************

One has the sense that this could be quite as Jolie for a Monsieur as a Madame.


As always, this is the concise version of the review (or this thread would be even more enormous than it is!) the longer story reflection is over on The Perfumed Dandy, just click blow to be transported there...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/20/falling-in-love-again-jolie-madame-by-balmain-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

- - - Updated - - -


Oh I do remember those perfume bars and with great fondness.

I really feel that Body Shop were well ahead of the times (or perhaps harking back to another time) with that concept - how I wish they would bring them back, or even possibly introduce and oils mixing set, that would be enormous fun...!

- - - Updated - - -

It's Thursday morning here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 21st of March, I will be wearing...

By Kilian Beyond Love

What will I wear Friday 22nd March?

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau

Vivienne Westwood Boudoir

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Rodriguez For Her

Or the newcomer...

Lalique Perles De Lalique

Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

If you haven't caught it yet, there's a review of the wonderful

Pierre Balmain Jolie Madame

on the database in concise form and in full on The Perfumed Dandy, just click on the link below...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/20/falling-in-love-again-jolie-madame-by-balmain-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

Thanks so much for this info Cello.

I'm quite fascinated to what this might smell like and may well need to ask Purple Rose if she can send a sample over to London.

- - - Updated - - -

A review that may surprise a few about that most divisive of fragrances

Givenchy Amarige

Amarige is an explosion in a flower shop.

It is an over the top floral cocktail in which the bartender perfumer has thrown everything in the shaker, whirled it around his head with gay abandon and has apparently no idea and less care as to what will come out later.

The result is as lethal as a Long Island Ice Tea, as silly and Sex on the Beach and as downright camp as a Pina Colada.

And yet, for all that, Amarige is an adorable floral avalanche of an aroma.

This is scent as sung by Dolly Parton “P.E.R.F.U.M.E.”.

Indeed Ms Parton is the perfect metaphor for this heaving bosom of a perfume.

Like her it is seemingly sewn together out of the off colour off cuts of a thousand other stars, but in reality it is a skilful, clever, utterly unforgettable confection that has and will stand the test of time.

And as for notes? It has more than Dolly’s 2,500 tune-strong song book.

Is there a big flower that isn’t bountifully represented here?

Yes, everyone will point to the tuberose, but on closer examination there is gardenia, mimosa, ylang ylang, orchid and rose just as a start.

Then like every cocktail there are the mixers.

Here juice is very much to the fore, with the plum of the opening pairing off with violet to produce an accord that almost reads as juniper. Peach and cassis are just behind delivering a distinct overflowing fruitiness that threatens to but cannot succeed in overthrowing the flowers from their throne.

Oh and then there is the silage, let’s just say the volume’s turned up loud on this one.

Of course, people hate Amarige, sometimes one feels one ought to hate Amarige, so intense is the loathing set aside for it.

It is the kind of scent that folks are asked not to wear at work for fear of offending colleagues.

I feel colleagues should just realise it’s all a bit of self effacing fun.

The problem I can’t help feeling, the real reason why this fragrance gets such offensively bad reviews is that it’s simply not fashionable.

Once last time I’ll let Dolly do the talking for the scent:

“I'm not trying to be fashionable. Never was

*************

So, the big money question, can a man wear Amarige?

Probably. In the kind of bars where they played big-haired country music and knock back brightly coloured cocktails.



Believe it or not this is the concise review!!

If you are up to the full version you can find it over on The Perfumed Dandy, just click below...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/21/too-much-is-never-enough-amarige-by-givenchy-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

- - - Updated - - -

It's Friday lunchtime here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 22nd of March, I will be wearing...

Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau

What will I wear Saturday 23rd March?

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Vivienne Westwood Boudoir

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Rodriguez For Her

Lalique Perles De Lalique

Or the newcomer...

Parfums de Nicolaï Maharadjah


Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

If you haven't caught it yet, there's a review of the intriguingly over the top

Givenchy Amarige

aove in concise form and in full on The Perfumed Dandy, just click on the link below...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/21/too-much-is-never-enough-amarige-by-givenchy-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

All I'll say on l'Ombre is that with this and Do Son I find myself having a growing affection for Diptyque's perfumes...

- - - Updated - - -

Many of you will have seen this before, but for those who haven't a review of a personal and unexpected favourite...

Estée Lauder Cinnabar

Cinnabar is the common ore of mercury.

Beautiful and toxic.

Perhaps this is why at Estee Lauder counters they keep this object of a certain striking beauty hidden from sight.

For there seems no logical reason to conceal this warm, generous and welcoming pseudo-oriental scent.

Yes it is a version of China about as real as the model factories and swarms of smiling children Pat Nixon met in 1973, but this perfume knows that it is half way to being propaganda and for that reason never takes itself too seriously.

A bright and cheery, flag waving entrance of citrus leads swiftly to an “hallway of the people” with a determinedly spicy architecture. Here, structural elements of near sanitary cloves and almost strident cinnamon ensure that other softer elements do not sag.

Thus, when incense and vanilla and florals and bezoin come wafting through their route is defined and directed and a brisk and clear order to the whole assembly is maintained, as though some benign school ma'am were keeping a watchful eye over the proceedings.

Perhaps this is where it all went wrong for Cinnabar: where other perfumes of this genre let it all, and then more, far much too much more, hang out, it kept its nerve and retained its composure.

At the time that might have felt a little too tight lipped, severe even.

Looking back it seems, just like Cinnabar itself: an act of unwaivering poise and impeccable judgement.

*************

Is this a role suitable for a man?

Things have moved on and today there are such things as diplomats’ husbands I believe...


As always this is the concise version. For the full technicolor experience, with some rather fetch shots take a peek at The Perfumed Dandy.

The link as ever below...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/23/the-vermilion-room-cinnabar-by-estee-lauder-the-perfumed-dandys-classic-collection/

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry all, more posting errors!

Yesterday I work Narcisco Rodriquez for her for reference...


It's Tuesday lunchtime here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 26th of March, I will be wearing...

Vivienne Westwood Boudoir

What will I wear Wednesday 27th March?

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Lalique Perles De Lalique

Parfums de Nicolaï Maharadjah

Jacomo Silences

Guerlain Nahema

Or another rather exciting newcomer...

Lancome Cuir de Lancome (La Collection Fragrances)


Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

Plus you get an additional vote over at The Perfumed Dandy.

Where an old review of

Dior Midnight Poison

Has found a new lease of life....

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/26/the-tea-party-midnight-poison-by-dior-the-perfumed-dandys-classic-collection/

- - - Updated - - -

A review that has been in the pipeline for quite some time, but feels very appropriate suddenly...

Estée Lauder Aliage

Estee Lauder’s Aliage is a determined and admirable attempt to bottle sporting summertime and make it available all year round.

As orderly and well managed as Centre Court on finals day, this is a fragrance marshalled with ex-military precision.

The opening is a brisk moss lawn made brilliant by warm sunshine. There are hints of citrus and a slightly malted fruitiness that tries but never succeeds in deposing tart as the chief mood.

This green persists throughout the heart and is without doubt the main accord, a definite resinous pine becomes apparent and then yields somewhat to vetiver.

There is a distant spiciness and a definite element of powder, but these seem medicinal, belonging far more to the locker room than the beauty parlour.

The dry down is more a three set match than five and seems to end quite decisively in a tie break that takes one almost by surprise.

All in all Aliage is a miraculously summoned up ray of sharp sunshine available on any day.

In the midst of foul weather we should all be truly grateful that such things exist.

*************

This is without doubt a game suitable for mixed doubles.

Notice

Aliage has recently regained its missing ‘l’ and once again become ‘Alliage’. Sadly in so doing it seems to have lost a deal of its vigour and derring-do.

Catch the old magic where and while you can.



As always this is the concise (ish) version, the full review is at the other end of the link below over at The Perfumed Dandy...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/27/match-point-aliage-by-estee-lauder-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

Thank you teardrop - it was drooping rather.

Have no fear though, things are going strong. From strength to strength in fact over on the blog.

Might I promise you Samsara for next week by way of thanks?

- - - Updated - - -

It's Thursday morning here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 28th of March, Maundy Thursday, I will be wearing...

Lalique Perles De Lalique

What will I wear Tuesday 2nd April? (see below for details)

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Parfums de Nicolaï Maharadjah

Guerlain Nahema

Lancome Cuir de Lancome (La Collection Fragrances)

Givenchy Ysatis

Or yet another rather exciting newcomer...

Norell Norell


Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

As it is Easter here, I shall be taking a break from the constant testing for a few days - though some very special reviews will be appearing...

In compensation, a special Easter vote giveaway...

5 votes each to be dispensed as you wish between now and the close of polling at 0600 hours on Tuesday morning.

Lavish all five on a favourite or split them as you will... the choice is yours!

Plus you get an additional 5 votes over at The Perfumed Dandy.

I know, my generosity (and perhaps foolishness for I will have to do the maths afterwards) are unbounded.

In the meantime there is a new-seasonally inclined review of

Thierry Mugler Angel

Up and running and can be found in concise form below and in full by clicking on the link!

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/28/easter-eggs-anyone-angel-by-thierry-mugler-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

If you're in a part of the world where this time of year is celebrated...

Have a very Happy Holiday!

- - - Updated - - -

A pretty substantial and highly seasonal re-take on my views on...

Thierry Mugler Angel

Angel is the quintessence, the apogee, the very apotheosis of a certain kind of smell.

It is the Everest of candy store scents. The ultimate of confisserie patisserie perfumes.

That it is expert is beyond doubt, but whether it is art is moot.

Opening with an array of boiled-sweet notes: melon, coconut, mandarin, blackcurrant, red berries and a touch of Turkish-delight rose, there is a moment, a demi moment when all seems as though it could turn out fruity.

Then massive waves of vanilla, honey and mainly chocolate and caramel break, washing away most everything else in their crashing wake.

At this stage it is customary to bow down before the genius of the insertion of a brusque storm defence of patchouli and to dwell on the animalic undertow.

To my mind both are invariably over stated: false pseudo intellectual alibis for fragrance aficionados a little ashamed of their gargantuan and no doubt carried sweet tooths.

This is ultimately an unabashed sugar festival that flirts half heartedly with darkness, but is ultimately no more than dark chocolate and salted caramel.

It is commonplace to state this scent is some sort of olfactory miracle. If this is true then sadly angels are both everywhere and decidedly average these days.

*************

Are the customers at this store exclusively female?

No not all. And nor are the patrons of Amen’s coffee store across the way just male.


As always this is the concise review, for the full works click on the link below and pay The Perfumed Dandy a visit!

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/03/28/easter-eggs-anyone-angel-by-thierry-mugler-the-perfumed-dandys-scented-letter/

It's Tuesday morning here in London. The lines are closed and voting is over.

Today, the 28th of March, following a massive holiday ballot, I will be wearing...

Guerlain Nahema

What will I wear Wednesday 3rd April?

Choose from the following 10:

Gucci Gucci by Gucci

Estée Lauder Very Estee

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights

Amouage Interlude Woman

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J.

Parfums de Nicolaï Maharadjah

Lancome Cuir de Lancome (La Collection Fragrances)

Givenchy Ysatis

Norell Norell

Or the newcomer...

Lolita Lempicka Lolita Lempicka


Remember all previous votes count towards a fragrance's running total and every participant gets a new vote every day!

You also get an additional vote if you visit The Perfumed Dandy

While your there why not check out a double review of

Chanel Les Exclusifs de Chanel 1932

Just click on the link below to be transported...

http://theperfumeddandy.com/2013/04/...review-part-i/

Have a great smelling day!!