Fragrances -Hermes - Eau D'Orange Verte
DunandaFalls 12/2/2004 2:49:00 PM
I smell very little papaya and mango in Eau D’Orange Verte and more of a fresh floral tone made up of mainly of neroli and jasmine, mixed with citrus notes that smell like a bitter, unripened green orange. It also contains a mild spiciness that smells like rosemary to me. The moss note is very strong throughout, which already gives you an idea of what I think of this one (I hate strong moss notes). After all the raves I’ve heard over the past few years about Eau D’Orange Verte, I was extremely let down when I finally obtained my own bottle. After the green orange tones down a little, it becomes a much to simple, soapy blend of citrus, neroli and moss. It gets a little fruitier and slightly sweeter when the amber develops as it dries down, but the dry down doesn’t even smell that great to me. The sweet fruity side clashes with the bitter mossy side and it ends up smelling like the garbage bin behind a farmer’s market. I was just expecting so much more out of it. Something about this one smells old fashioned to me as well. It must be all the moss in it. Eau D’Orange Verte is far from the “perfect bitter orange fragrance” as many have touted it as over the years. It’s more like a trash can full of rotting fruit and plants. Not good.
- Notes: peppermint, lemon, sweet orange, mandarin, rose, neroli, jasmine, papaya, mango, patchouli, amber, musk and oakmoss.
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Fragrances -Rochas - Eau de Rochas pour Homme
DunandaFalls 12/2/2004 2:29:00 PM
Eau de Rochas pour Homme is a classy sparkling hesperide fragrance that begins with a zesty lime note and an alluring light spiciness that smells sublime. It also has a very pleasant, bitter green accord that I love. Light cedarwood and bright vetiver in the base give it a wonderful, fresh and outdoorsy dry down. The woody dry down remains very arid and light which complements the other notes perfectly. In most fragrances with a cedarwood accord, either the cedarwood takes over the fragrance entirely or it never really shows up at all. Eau de Rochas stands by itself as having a perfectly blended cedarwood note that doesn’t add too much nor take away from any of the other notes. Eau de Rochas wears very transparent but has fairly good lasting power. It is a slightly unisex fragrance but leans to the masculine side. Though those over the age of 30 may enjoy wearing this one to the office, for me it goes great with a suit and makes me feel very gentlemanly when wearing it. Sometimes I wear it during the hotter months, as it is a calm, breezy, summery scent that never fails to relax me.
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Fragrance -Clive Christian - X Men
DunandaFalls 12/2/2004 1:22:00 PM
X by Clive Christian begins as a very nice, well-balanced fragrance that utilizes all of its notes in the most dreamy way. Cardamom, bergamot, pink pepper, bay cinnamon, Virginia cedar and tonka bean; all of these notes are strong and play their own part in the X olfactory experience. It begins very warm with hot spices, a mild creamy sweet tonka bean note and cedarwood. While it is nice, I find doesn’t warrant such a hefty price tag. It begins to smell like an unimaginative, generic fragrance after only a couple of minutes. What smells like patchouli to me emerges as it dries down. After about a half hour, X changes into a completely different fragrance that I don't much care for. The sweet notes fade away to almost nothing, leaving behind only patchouli and an unpleasant heavy woods note. But even if they bottled and sold the wonderful top and middle notes, it still wouldn’t be worth the arm and leg that a Clive Christian fetches.
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Fragrance -Clive Christian - 1872 for Men
DunandaFalls 12/2/2004 1:04:00 PM
Clive Christian 1872 mixes top notes of tangy and slightly bitter mandarin with a very fruity white peach note. Pepper and clary sage gives it a rich and mildly spicy, full-bodied aroma, while moss, wood, patchouli and incense gives it a dark but classic base. The moss note is very light and doesn’t get in the way of the other notes, which I like. It is a unique modern twist on classic sophistication. It reminds me of what you'd get if you mixed an old fashioned citrus scent with a modern fruity fragrance. Very rich, well balanced, long lasting and luxurious; 1872 is a masterpiece!
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Fragrances -Parfums De Nicolai - Carre D'As
DunandaFalls 12/2/2004 3:39:00 AM
Parfums de Nicolai Carre D'As is a classic, sophisticated and aromatic citrus and leather scent. It reminds me a little of the no-name brand fougere fragrance that a middle-of-the-road suit shop would sell, only better. The leather and spice notes are very soft, while sweet notes and light tobacco linger modestly in the background. Carre D’As is a swirl of usually heady notes but this one is so well blended it has an unobtrusive quality that I love and rarely find in a aromatic fougere. I find it both classy enough for a formal evening out and subtle enough for casual wear. It is unlike any other fern fragrance made, as the fern note in Carre D’As is hushed to a point that it’s barely detectable, which I find to be nice because fern fragrances are usually much too sharp with their fern note. The lime bark gives it a saw-dusty, dry woods dry down that blends sublimely with its supporting notes. Carre D’As is a pleasure to wear. Top Notes: Spanish Lemon, Lime Bark, Leather Middle Notes: Thyme, Nutmeg, Pepper Base Notes: Chinese Ginger, Tobacco, Frankincense, Musk
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Acqua di Biella No. 1
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 10:54:00 PM
The opening of No. 1 is a flash in the pan -- lively, sparkling and amazing -- but the classic citrus top notes fade so quickly it's like they were never really there at all. It leaves behind a flat, generic neroli and rosemary fragrance that smells a lot like Guerlain's Eau du Coq. No. 1 is described as alpine essences meets Mediterranean florals, but in fact it smells very simple, clean, fresh and soapy. The white musk emerges as it dries down adding a slight warmth to the clean, freshness, but it still isn't any better than Eau du Coq. Try it instead and save yourself beaucoup bucks. Top Notes: Bergamot, Lavender, Rosemary, Mint Middle Notes: Petitgrain, Neroli, Jasmine Base Notes: White Musk
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Acqua di Biella Baraja
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 9:11:00 PM
I once read that Acqua di Biella Baraja was exactly like Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien. I have to disagree, but they do share a mutual accord, honeyed citrus. First-in-fragrance.com lists the notes as follows: the top notes are bitter orange, bergamot and pineapple while the middle notes are peach, red currants and honey with a base of sandalwood, amber, patchouli, vanilla and chocolate. They left a few notes off of this list and the funny thing is, these three particular notes make up a large portion of Baraja. The culprits are ginger, cumin and cedarwood. I used to not care much for sharp ginger fragrances but with my new love for Creed Tabarome, lately they have been growing on me. Speaking of which, Baraja reminds me a little bit of a headier, sweeter and hotter version of Creed Tabarome. But as a ginger fragrance goes, Baraja is still much different than the rest. The citrus top notes are fresh but fade fast. The fruit, honey, vanilla and amber make it very sweet and fruity, which wonderfully enhances the hot spices and cedarwood notes. While the note of chocolate note may intrigue you, forget about it. The chocolate is so light it almost doesn't exist. The dry down retains its ambery sweetness and is also heavy on patchouli, patchouli, and more patchouli, which is also very nice. Overall, Baraja is a beautiful, well made and complex unisex fragrance and a perfect fragrance for men and women during the cold winter months.
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Fragrances -Czech & Speake - No. 88
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 8:11:00 PM
Czech & Speake No. 88 is a very distinctive and classy fragrance, but it is surely not very modern. No. 88 begins very as a clean, fresh, soapy, dark, wet, earthy, woody floral with strong notes of geranium, rose, vetiver, moss and wood. As it dries down it becomes very musty and dank with a part that smells like an old basement. Another part of the dry down I don't care for is its much too sharp mossy note. A story goes along with this one. My grandfather fell in love with Brut in the 60’s when he started dating again after a divorce. He is now 81 and Brut is his signature scent to this day. To me, No. 88 brings to mind his walk-in closet with the lingering scent of his old favorite Brut hanging in the air along with the scent of musty, old clothes and worn leather shoes. No. 88 shares many notes with Brut and if you don't not smell the similarities, you must be in denial. Bottom line is that No. 88 begins as a somewhat pleasant fragrance but is VERY old fashioned with a dry down that is much too dank, musty and mossy for my tastes. If you would like a fragrance with a classic, dark, floral and wood feel, try the less musty and much better Cacharel Pour L'Homme instead. I was stunned to read that a woman would wear this one. Though floral, No. 88 is still entirely masculine. Top Notes: Bergamot Middle Notes: Geranium, Rose Otto, Cassie, Frangipani Base Notes: Sandalwood, Vetiver, Oakmoss
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini Winter
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 2:52:00 AM
Madini Winter is a mix of bergamot, mint, sage, fruit, ginger, musk and wood with an amber base. It reminds me a lot of Perry Ellis America meets Creed Green Valley, and much like both of them (especially America), I find it to be a little to cloying and sour. Though it bothers me, it does have rich notes and a classy, sophisticated feel to it that some may enjoy. Winter smells so familiar, just like a fragrance I swapped away long ago...it may have been Quartz pour Homme. Winter is what I imagine Creed Green Irish Tweed smells like when it has gone bad. Men who like sour fragrances (strangely enough there are some out there) may enjoy this one with a suit, but I’ll pass on this one.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini Olive Flowers
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 2:38:00 AM
Madini Olive Flowers is a lovely, rich oriental fragrance strong of amber, citrus, musk and resinous notes of frankincense and opoponax. Wow! Madini describes it as their answer to Shalimar and it is very reminiscent of an old Guerlain fragrance. From what I remember of Shalimar, it is similar, BUT Olive Flowers lasts longer and is much deeper, richer and well blended than Shalimar. If you love old school Guerlain women's fragrances like Vol de Nuit, Mitsouko and Shalimar, you will love Olive Flowers. The citrus is bright and cheery, the spices are very light, it's a little smoky and it's oh so sweet and musky without being cloying. It also has a light, woody, and slightly piney balsamic dry down that blends beautifully with the musk. Olive Flowers is a little more versatile and less extreme than some of the other Madini's I've tried. I find Olive Flowers and some classic orientals like those from Guerlain I mentioned above, work well as unisex fragrances, but some men may not agree with me, so try before you buy. Olive Flowers is great stuff!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini Musk Pierre
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 1:38:00 AM
Madini Musk Pierre is amazing! I have never smelled pure resin and musk notes blended together so simply and wonderfully. They work so well together! Musk Pierre is sweet and smoky, with resinous amber, clean musk and a soft precious wood note lingering in the background. I would describe it as a bright, brisk, clean, soft sweetness. This is probably the best pure musk fragrance I've tried, better than both Santa Maria Novella’s and Lorenzo Villoresi’s Musk, which are both masterpieces in themselves. I am speechless over Musk Pierre. It is hard to describe its feel. It is extremely unisex, with a musk note that is soft enough for a baby to wear, shrouded in a thick, resinous, smokiness that makes it very wearable by anyone. Musk Pierre is a must try.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini Bouquet
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 1:30:00 AM
Madini Bouquet is a mess. It smells like pine tar, road tar and cigarette tar all rolled into one. Here are the accords I smell: a strong menthol Vicks VapoRub note, a true pine tar note, fingernail polish remover, furniture varnish, campfire smoke, sage and an amber backdrop. It smells so synthetic that is puts all Comme des Garcons fragrances to shame! Bouquet is the most rubber-like fragrance I have yet encountered. I strongly dislike this one. Wear this one if you want to smell like a tire fire. I’m not kidding. One thing’s for sure, it sure is unique and daring, though I don't know who would actually wear it. It is also much too heady for its own good and overwhelms the wearer with a cloying cloud of filth.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini Ambargris
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 1:20:00 AM
Madini Ambargris is a lovely blend of amber, deep smoky wood, incense and musk. Oh heavenly sweet smokiness! This is the most beautiful, rich fragrance and seems to have just enough of each and every component. It is extremely well crafted and perfectly blended. The smoky wood has a slightly piney, dry, balsamic feel as it dries down. Ambargris is sweet, resinous, smoky, woody, ambery, dense and oh so sexy. I love it, but be careful with this one. Though considered to be unisex, I find it to be highly masculine, though you may enjoy it if you enjoy dense, smoky woods. Log onto madini.com and sample this one first. Madini oils are very thick and potent with a lot of sillage. With Madini, a little goes a long way and they last all day.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - Selection Verte
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 1:00:00 AM
Time for a Selection Verte review that actually makes sense, I hope ;) Creed Selection Verte is a little mentioned masterpiece of classic citrus freshness. With lovely citrus notes of lime, lemon, mandarin and bergamot, a strong fresh mint note, bright herbs and a woody vetiver base – Selection Verte is a fragrance that screams classic sophistication and versatility. It compares to the likes of old world classics from fragrance houses like Penhaligon’s and Crown Perfumery. The cool mint note is what really makes this one stand out from the rest. All of its notes just harmonize perfectly. I love it!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - Bois du Portugal
DunandaFalls 12/1/2004 12:50:00 AM
Creed Bois du Portugal smells like the rich man’s version of Old Spice. It shares many notes with the classic after-shave, but Bois de Portugal’s notes are much richer and refined. It has a lavender and spice heart that blends together to smell very much like carnations to me. The warm cinnamon note is very nice. As it dries down, the cedarwood, sandalwood, vetiver and ambergris take over making it pleasantly warm with a soft, exotic woodiness. Bois du Portugal is an extremely complex and well-made fragrance and a pleasure to wear on a dressy night out. It’s one of the best formal masculine fragrances for the 35+ crowd that I've come to know.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No