John Varvatos Artisan

**petritheturtle** · 30th April 2009, 02:16 AM

What do you guy thinks of it? Personally i really like the opening explosion of different citrus. It smells like it would taste delicious, but light, if you know what I mean. I also tried the new YSL and it had a nice vibe to it but didnt strike me as an immediate buy . I'm seriously debating getting Artisan for the summer, the question is what size of bottle... Any thoughts on the scent?
Also, how long does it usually take before a new scent has a deal? Like in discount perfume shops downtown?

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th April 2009, 05:50 AM

I like it, and bought the 50 mL bottle. If you REALLY like it, I would go for the 100 mL. It's a bit light, and takes a few sprays. I like the green heart notes in combination with the fresh opening notes. This is my favorite of the JV scents, and the only one I have bought. I do agree that it would be a nice summer scent. I have not seen JV in my local discounters. You may be waiting a while to see it in a brick-and-mortar discounter.

I think I like Guerlain Homme better for a fresh, green scent, but for people who don't like Homme, this may still be a winner.

**Tedster** · 30th April 2009, 05:55 AM

I like the first 10 minutes of Artisan, but it does something funky on my skin afterward and I can't stand it from that point on.

**Uppercut** · 30th April 2009, 06:15 AM

I think the opening Artisan is about as fresh and intoxicating an opening as I have ever smelled. It's right up there with Penhaligon's Castile's opening, or the seductive carpet ride of Jaipur Homme.

The drydown goes to a smooth neroli/orange powder on my skin. I love it, but there is not alot of projection from what i've seen. But then again, i've only worn it in public a couple of tinmes. I imagine that will change with the weather warming up.

The SA at Sephora the other day told me Artisan was her favorite opening of any frag she'd smellled in her years on the job.

**petritheturtle** · 30th April 2009, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto

I like it, and bought the 50 mL bottle. If you REALLY like it, I would go for the 100 mL. It's a bit light, and takes a few sprays. I like the green heart notes in combination with the fresh opening notes. This is my favorite of the JV scents, and the only one I have bought. I do agree that it would be a nice summer scent. I have not seen JV in my local discounters. You may be waiting a while to see it in a brick-and-mortar discounter.

I think I like Guerlain Homme better for a fresh, green scent, but for people who don't like Homme, this may still be a winner.

Right on. What do you mean by the term brick-and-mortar? Never heard that one. And here I was thinking i was versed in colloquial phrases.

**Uppercut** · 30th April 2009, 06:44 AM

Brick and mortar means an actual physical store, as opposed to an e-store.

**nortelnetwork** · 30th April 2009, 06:54 AM

i had to buy a bottle..its awesome!

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th April 2009, 07:52 AM

The perfumer is Rodrigo Flores-Roux - looks like he did all the Varvatos scents, as well as a few other big ones. Check out the pyramid here. I am definitely getting the freshness and herbaceous notes from the citrus, thyme and marjoram. There is an interesting article on the fragrance in WWD, here. Search on the term belambre to find it. Belambre is a semi-synthetic woody amber derived from camphor. Serenolide - another mentioned note - is a synthetic musk with fruity aspects, mentioned in The Perfect Scent (chemical name is 2-(1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy)-2-methylpropyl cyclopropanecarboxylate). I find it interesting that they're actually mentioning these components in the pyramid. I'm going to try to get a handle on this particular musk. Burr and Ellena discuss the use of this and other synthetic musks to generate a "clean" odor in laundry detergents. I'm pretty sure this was the "soapy" note that I got out of Artisan.

**petruccijc** · 30th April 2009, 08:37 AM

I don't dislike many fragrances. But I found Artisan to be revolting and disgusting. I could not wait to scrub it off.

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th April 2009, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by petruccijc

I don't dislike many fragrances. But I found Artisan to be revolting and disgusting. I could not wait to scrub it off.

A real scrubber!

That's interesting. Which aspect (or aspects of it) turned you off, Joe? My initial reaction wasn't as good as the second or third times I smelled it. That's when the green note started working for me. I'm wondering if it was one note, or the entire composition.

**petruccijc** · 30th April 2009, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto

A real scrubber!

That's interesting. Which aspect (or aspects of it) turned you off, Joe? My initial reaction wasn't as good as the second or third times I smelled it. That's when the green note started working for me. I'm wondering if it was one note, or the entire composition.

The top notes were the worst - reminded me of a cheap orange drink like Tang or Orangeade. The drydown made it somewhat a little more tolerable, but not anything I really liked or wanted to purchase.

**nortelnetwork** · 30th April 2009, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by petruccijc

I don't dislike many fragrances. But I found Artisan to be revolting and disgusting. I could not wait to scrub it off.

I Drenched myself in it...good stuff...

**petruccijc** · 30th April 2009, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by nortelnetwork

I Drenched myself in it...good stuff...

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th April 2009, 01:16 PM

LMAO

My wife loves the stuff on me. Perhaps it's the creamy smoothness of polychlorinated biphenyls!

**grizzlesnort** · 30th April 2009, 04:39 PM

FM Bigarade for the French--nice and skanky OJ.
JV Artisan for the hygienic Americans--watered down Orange Julius or Dreamsicle, but thin. I have found the JVs 'nice' but in the end rather anemic.

**SirSlarty** · 30th April 2009, 04:49 PM

I blind bought this because a number of people wanted me to make them samples. I got the shipment in this morning before I went to work. I decided against immediately putting it on as I'm a bit apprehensive about it.

**petritheturtle** · 30th April 2009, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by SirSlarty

I blind bought this because a number of people wanted me to make them samples. I got the shipment in this morning before I went to work. I decided against immediately putting it on as I'm a bit apprehensive about it.

Cool. Tell me what you think about it when you do try it.

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 1st May 2009, 05:55 AM

I paid more attention to the citrus notes today. Not the best I've ever smelled, but still nice. I remain quite happy with my purchase.

**xmen** · 1st May 2009, 06:24 AM

Thanks for the large picture of Artisan. The bottle looks very unusual. I think I will get the bottle of 'harzadous chemicals' regardless whether it is a scrubber or not. lol