Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Vitriol d'oeillet
HelenVanPattersonPatton 9/21/2011 6:17:00 PM
Writing the first review of a scent makes me nervous, and this one particularly so because it is a Serge that was highly anticipated prior to its release. Like a few others, I was a little disappointed. We expected Scarlett O'Hara and we got Melanie Hamilton. The opening is spicy enough, with something slightly cool and almost bewitching. Almost. But that's the sassiest part of the scent, and there's no real power to it. No oomph. Just a little bit of carnation and clove, nutmeg, a couple of other nice little notes, which develop into something creamy about half an hour later. I'm assuming this has something to do with the ylangylang note. Anyway, when this second phase occurs, I can't help but think of a Liz Zorn fragrance (Soivohle) I have called Nightjar. There's a similarity to the middle and final phase of these two perfumes. A cold cream kind of middle which transitions into something with leather. I really like both, but the difference is that with Nightjar I wasn't expecting something totally different that what I actually experienced. A few wears from now I may come back and change my Vitriol d'oeillet rating to a 4. If it were described differently by its creator, I might have given it a 4. If it were by another company, I might have given it a 4. But after all the anticipation and several wears I think this angry carnation is really just a little irritated.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Patchouli Patch
HelenVanPattersonPatton 9/1/2011 10:21:00 PM
Yum. Delicious. Two words that ran through my head after the first half hour of wearing this scent. Before that I was less than impressed. This is a smooth, sweet, warm patchouli and sandalwood fragrance that is not going out on a limb, but is totally wearable and very pleasing. It makes me think of Juliette Has a Gun scents, only Patchouli Patch focuses completely on...patchouli (JHAG has numerous other notes working with patchouli, like strawberry, rose, etc). But like JHAG, it has depth. It has personality. It doesn't have the funk of some patchoulis, so if you're looking for funky, this probably will not satisfy. I love the fact that it isn't headshop patchouli, as I don't tend to enjoy wearing those. Beautiful.
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Fragrances -I Profumi di Firenze - Talco Delicato
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/25/2011 8:55:00 PM
This one didn't immediately cause a stir. The first few times I tried Talco Delicato I liked it but wasn't in love. As time passed and I went from a sample to a decant to another decant I somehow came to really appreciate it. I can see the comparisons to baby oil, but it reminds me a bit of Laura Tonatto Plaisir. There's just the underlying something that makes it a snuggly, soft, sensual skin scent. Delicate yet womanly. Lasts several hours on me. I love it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -I Profumi di Firenze - Tabacco
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/25/2011 8:41:00 PM
I agree with dreamstorm's review from 2005. Tabacco begins with smoky tobacco and dries down within moments to a warm tobacco leaf and slightly smoky sandalwood. It stays pretty close to the skin and would be a great daytime choice for a smoky tobacco scent lover who is afraid to wear Fumerie Turque before 5pm. It might not blow me away like a few other smoky fragrances, but it holds its own. What it lacks in depth it makes up for in its ability to please. I'd give it a 5 but it doesn't have the tenacity of the other i Profumi di Firenze in my wardrobe. A safe tobacco.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Voleur de Roses
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/21/2011 5:50:00 PM
Wet, earthy, sexy, dirtyish rose. Marketed as unisex, but one of the few florals I would find extremely sexy on the right man while not wanting to also wear it myself. It's very deep because of the rose-plum-patchouli combination, and to be honest, that combination isn't me. I love all three notes, and I am a huge fan of rose-patch scents (Juliette Has a Gun...) but the plummy note in this one makes it a bit overpowering on me. In addition, bergamot never lightens up a fragrance on my skin, and this is no exception. Therefore Voleur de Roses is all heaviness on me, but this scent is one I can totally see working on the right man (or woman). We were just meant to be acquaintances.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - L Ete en Douce
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/21/2011 5:17:00 PM
I remember receiving a sample of this when it was first released under "Extrait de Songes" and I was immediately smitten. I knew I'd go through bottles, plural. I adore L'ete en Douce (Soft/Sweet Summer Day? Anyone?) and keep a bottle handy, as it it refined and genteel; perfect for any given relaxing day filled with sunshine, clean cotton dresses hanging on the line, cool breezes on a porch swing and Southern Comfort. I am all in when a fragrance lists hay as a note, and I'm also a fan of linden. This one has both, which are the two stand out notes. I sometimes find both orange blossom and musk a bit much for my liking, but they are well balanced here, and the mint is very subtle. I wear L'ete en Douce on occasion in the winter, but truly enjoy spritzing with abandon on lazy summer days. As my favorite Jour de Fête has been discontinued, I imagine I'll reach for this one more often in the future. It's gorgeous and refined but still fun and sparkly. Notes: mint, rose, orange blossom, linden, hay, woods, and white musk
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Fou d Absinthe
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/21/2011 4:02:00 PM
I like this but have to admit it is one of my least favorites from L'Artisan. I enjoy the beginning due to the anise, but I prefer MCMC Maui for my anise scent. After the initial top notes dry down, I find Fou d'Absinthe to be too masculine for my liking. That said, I really can't say I would love and adore this on a man. It's a bit boring in its dry down, which is quite rare for L'Artisan (one of my favorite lines). I have to agree it smells a little like a man's deodorant and a little less like absinthe. For my own absinthe needs I will stick with my bottle of Douce Amere, which is delicious and gets me compliments.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Drole de Rose
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/21/2011 3:00:00 PM
Though there have been many, many wonderful rose releases over the past few years--most of which have gained love from this once non-rose gal (Lyric, Mille et Une, Ta'if, Coup de Foudre, the JHAG line, and so on and so forth)--if I were pressed I would claim this as my favorite rose. Yes, it is comparable to Lipstick Rose but each has its own unique quality, and they are quite different when compared wrist to wrist. DdR has more depth and is less witty, I suppose. Typically when any line goes up against a Frederic Malle or a Serge Lutens in the same note category I tend to choose either of those two. However, the consistent beauty and depth of Drôle de Rose along with its perfectly poised, thoroughly modern classic feel have made it my ultimate favorite. It isn't one I reach for everyday, but when it works it really works. One of the reasons I am a Giacobetti fan. Notes: rose, aniseed, orange blossom, white iris, violet, almond, honey, rose powder, leather
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Apres l'Ondee
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/21/2011 2:39:00 PM
Oh how I wish I could own this in its parfum form, as it is absolutely divine yet not a scent I wish to spritz over and over with abandon; unless perhaps I'm home alone for the day and/or night. The combination of notes in Apres l'Ondee (some of my favorite notes) make it pensive, melancholic. Because of this, it needs--I need--the pure perfume. I want wafts of aniseed, hawthorn, violet, heliotrope, and iris to softly embrace me, calmly and gently; to handle me with kid gloves. Spritzing throughout the day shakes me up with renewed nostalgia and restrained moodiness. I want old movies, Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen. I want solace. This is a perfume I wear for or on a specific "occasion," or at least, as I noted, a day to myself. It's bottled sadness and I love it.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - 31 Rue Cambon
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/17/2011 6:13:00 PM
This is lovely and I find it a little similar to #5 Sensual Elixir. There are women for whom this is or will be a holy grail. I've had one decant since it was released and have thought of how lovely it is every time I wear it. The thing is, it isn't a scent that has automatically entered my mind to wear for any specific occasion. It's more like I've been looking through my minis, decants, pure parfums and happened to see this one. I rarely remember what it smells like when it's mentioned on the fragrance board aside from knowing it's a Chanel. For those who are lost without their now d/c Chanel Sensual Elixir (I have a FB of that one so I'm good) this might heal your pain.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Bel Respiro
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/17/2011 6:05:00 PM
I've had the same decant since this was released. I have decants of all its brothers and sisters as well, so somehow Bel Respiro was lost in the shuffle. Until recently. Wow. "Deep breath" is a great name, as I realize I look like a fool by sniffing at my wrist over and over, deeper and deeper, wearing this scent. I adore No 19 and have it in the parfum form. I will own Bel Respiro in full bottle edp within the next few days. It's gorgeous.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - MCMC - Phoenix
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/15/2011 4:42:00 PM
"Phoenix is all fireworks and sparks and a rush of crazy dancing. Intense and spicy notes of yuzu citrus, French sweet basil and magnolia grow into the burning intensity of ancient templewood and gunpowder." ~ Anne McClain It's been quite awhile since I last tried a yuzu scent; I believe it was one of the few from Keiko Mecheri that worked for me. I've worn Phoenix several times now via dabber and I imagine spritzing would be heaven. It's gorgeous and would be great for everyday wear if you only want one scent and don't want to smell like everyone else. The combination of yuzu, basil and magnolia is so pretty and clean. Magnolia usually takes on that soapy quality on my skin; here it only softens the other refreshing notes. The base notes eventually appear but the dry down still maintains a freshness and the original top notes never exactly fade. A very pleasing scent that doesn't bore, even if it is somewhat linear. MCMC packaging has also changed and I'm loving it. Notes: cherry blossom, peach, Tunisian neroli, powdery vanilla
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - MCMC - Love
HelenVanPattersonPatton 8/15/2011 4:33:00 PM
"Phoenix is about a girl I know. With fair skin and light blond hair, she is like a mythical firebird. The scent is delicate on top with cherry blossom, peach, and Tunisian neroli, fading to a powdery vanilla." ~ Anne McClain I think Anne McClain is wonderfully talented. Her scents are all very pretty and stand on their own as individual niche scents. Delicate is the perfect word for this one. It's like an Annick Goutal done very, very right (AG doesn't work on my skin at all, with a couple of exceptions). The beginning is fresh and the notes are all detectable. Cherry blossom and peaches with neroli (I don't know the difference between Tunisian neroli and others, but it totally works). This lasts for quite awhile on my skin and is extremely enjoyable, especially considering I'm not one for cherry blossom and rarely wear peach. The powdery vanilla dry down has a heliotropic-ness to it; I find this in common with other MCMC powder dry downs. Fresh, feminine, gorgeous. MCMC packaging has changed as well. I prefer the new packaging. Well done!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -I Profumi di Firenze - Mora Selvatica
HelenVanPattersonPatton 7/3/2011 9:59:00 AM
Mora Selvatica is wild blackberry, wild strawberry, citrus and white musk. While some are going to immediately yawn at this, I quite like it! Yes, there are many, many, maaany berry-and-musk combos out there. The reason I love this one so much is because I've finally found a fragrance with strawberry as a listed note and I can actually smell the strawberry (my favorite fruit since childhood)! I love JHAG Miss Charming, and the strawberry is detectable in that one as well; but on me the patchouli dominates and sometimes I just want...strawberry. The citrus and musk are very subtle, which is also something my chemistry tends to have trouble with; I'm very particular about musks. Don't get me wrong, this isn't going to blow anyone away on the fragrance board. Still, it's fun, summery, playful; it's well-blended and doesn't have a plastic undertone like some of the other 'summery' fruit and musk scents. This would be a perfect starter scent for a young perfumista-in-the-making.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -I Profumi di Firenze - Tulipano Nero
HelenVanPattersonPatton 6/30/2011 4:25:00 PM
Tulipano Nero is deep, spicy, a little powdery and smoky. There's something about it that reminds me of Feminite du Bois, Dolce Vita, Yosh Omniscent and maybe even FM Vetiver Extraordinaire. It's a rather dark fragrance, almost like a very sophisticated and smooth BPAL. Each listed note makes an appearance at some point, and this scent mixes and mingles its way into your nasal passage and mind throughout its entirety. I know carnation isn't a listed note, but carnation lovers would probably enjoy Tulipano Nero. I would also recommend it to anyone looking for a masculine scent for women. This isn't exactly masculine, but it certainly isn't for the sweet little skirts and headband crowd. If you are a fan of the above fragrances and/or spicy, smoky florals you should try this one. It's the fragrant equivalent to The Last Seduction...kind of vampy, kind of ballsy, but also sensual and dark. Lasting power is great, just as with the other i Profumi di Firenze fragrances. Notes: Rose, lily of the valley and ylang ylang, bitter orange, mandarin, bergamot, vanilla orchid, myrrh and vetiver. Description (Beautyhabit): A deeply rich, spicy, almost smoky floral, inspired by the mythic Black Tulip flower that appears jet black at the moment between night and dawn. This bewitching perfume raptures and romances with floral heart notes of Rose, Lily of the Valley and Ylang Ylang blended beautifully with Bitter Orange, Mandarin and Bergamot on a seductive base of Vanilla Orchid, Myrrh and Vetiver.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No