Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Extrait de Songes
smellslikeleaves 4/23/2005 12:04:00 AM
This is L'Artisan's new limited edition summer fragrance; the tester is available at Barney's and they are currently taking preorders. The bottle is smooth and rounded, kinda like a mini Absolut Vodka bottle, and has a color gradient from blue to pink. The SA's at Barney's did their best to talk up the fragrance to me, mentioning Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and dew-covered grasses during summer nights. On my skin: at first I do get a bit of mint and lime blossoms and powdery laundry detergent. But very quickly the mint & florals disappear, and I'm left with white musk. That's it. In fact, it reminds me very much of The Body Shop's White Musk. While many complain about the lasting power of L'artisan's, this one is still going strong after 7 hours. It's a pretty musk, but not worth $110 a pop. Comes with a little purse spray as well. The official notes according to L'artisan are--> Top: mint, rose essence. Heart: orange blossom, linden, green hay. Base: wick (like in a woven basquet), white woods, white musk. EDITED: It's currently available in the L'artisan boutique in SoHo, NYC. Some members on the Fragrance board mentioned Lazy Mood, so I asked the boutique owner if they were the same. She said they were very similar, and sprayed them both on strips for me to compare. They are both smell like freshly laundered cotton sheets, but Extrait de Songes is sweeter, probably due to the floral top notes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bond No.9 - Nouveau Bowery
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 11:04:00 PM
This is a really nice lime & basil fragrance...in fact, I like it better than Jo Malone's. It's soft and herbal with a jolt of lime. Lasting power is average for me at about 6 hours. I'd consider this fragrance unisex, and would happily wear it to work, or when I want something energizing and uplifting. One of the best from Bond No. 9 in my opinion. Official description: Nouveau Bowery, fragrances of lime, basil and thyme. Wild lily, and violet wood and soothing base notes of patchouli, oakmoss, and vetivyer.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bond No.9 - Eau de Noho
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 10:39:00 PM
This started out beautifully, and I hoped that I would have my first success with a Bond No. 9 floral fragrance (except for Chinatown, which was mostly spicy on me). Wonderful lime blossom, violet, and juicy mandarin notes danced before my nose. But then...it dried down to the typical musky Bond accord, which is medicinal and a bit sour on me. This is nothing like L'artisan Verte Violette, which is lovely on me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Pilar & Lucy - the exact friction of stars
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 8:54:00 PM
I came close to loving this. The opening notes are like a confectionary fantasy--orange, coconut, buttercream. I wanted to gnaw at my wrist because it smelled so delectable. Unfortunately, there was a weird plastic note in the drydown which marred the fragrance for me. I'll enjoy my sample and perhaps will seek a decant, but I won't be purchasing a bottle. Lasting power was very good, over 6 hours on me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Diptyque - Opone
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 7:39:00 PM
On the fragrance board I wrote a poll asking which scents corresponded to particular fashion styles, and for "Punk," jayce suggested Opone. My curiosity was piqued. A punk rose fragrance? Finally I got to try it today, and yes, it does strike me as just the right thing to wear with a leather jacket and safety pins. (Although it's sophisticated to work just as well with a Chanel suit.) Deep, dark, peppery, musty rose. There was something verging on body odor in the middle (perhaps that was the cumin phase?) which wasn't so pleasant, but the top notes and the incense drydown were lovely. Still undecided about whether I NEED it...this will be one I'll need to try again a few times before deciding how I really feel.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Diptyque - Philosykos
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 7:27:00 PM
What a disappointment. The top notes were divine--warm, dry, milky, nutty, beachy fig which nearly made me swoon with delight. But then it dried down after an hour into an insipid, pale coconut scent with very little fig remaining. I was all set to buy a bottle during the first few minutes, only to be let down big time. Ah well...more money saved.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Les Parfums de Rosine - Une Folie de Roses
smellslikeleaves 4/21/2005 7:15:00 PM
When I hung out with some other MUA-ers a few weeks ago, their opinion of Une Folie de Roses was decidedly lackluster. So I lost my curiosity about this fragrance, and didn't even bother to try it for awhile. On a whim I recently spritzed it on, and was pleasantly surprised. With the name ("folie" = lunacy or madness), I expected something bright, silly, wacky, but this fragrance is none of those things. Une Folie de Roses makes me think of a deeper, darker Ecume de Rose. It's a spicy, mossy, ambery rose-chypre. It's not a cheerful, well-tended rose in someone's garden. This is a rose hidden in the depths of a dark, mossy forest. It's mysterious, sophisticated, and almost sinister. A witch's rose. It's not quite for me, but I very much enjoyed experiencing this unusual Rosine. Lasting power is over 6 hours on me.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Chamade
smellslikeleaves 4/20/2005 10:37:00 PM
Since I'm not a fan of hyacinth, I didn't bother trying Chamade for a long time. During an MUA gathering, however, I ran into another MUA-er who purchased the parfum of this at Bergdorf's, and described how wonderful it was. So when I had the next opportunity, I sprayed the EDT on my arm. Surprise! It's wonderful. It reminds me a lot of Nahema, but it's softer and more generally wearable. (While I love Nahema, I can only envision wearing it for very particular occasions--such as, oh, a fancy ball. Or a seduction.) Chamade begins with bright green hyacinth and galbanum notes with prominent rose, then dries down to the classic warm, vanillic Guerlain accord with a touch of sweet blackberry, jasmine, and ylang ylang. A classic Guerlain which is surprisingly cheerful, girly, and deeply romantic. The EDT is gorgeous, and lasts a very long time on me. In this case it's more than sufficient (although I will try the parfum as well). Official description: Fifth-generation perfumer Jean-Paul Guerlain formulated this modern classic for the contemporary woman, the bewitching woman of strength, confidence, and liberation. Chamade features green top notes, a spicy floral heart, and a semi-Oriental base of soft woods. Chamade was partly inspired by Françoise Sagan's novel of the same name. Chamade has dual meaning in French: "the drumbeat of surrender" and "the wild beating of the heart." And according to our dictionary, chamade is a trumpet or drum signal sounded for retreat or parley, discussion, or truce. EDITED: I tried the parfum at Bergdorf. Although the EDT is quite strong, it also has a sharp, green edge which is absent in the softer, smoother parfum. The extrait is very fresh, youthful, and elegant...perfect for a woman who is quite passionate beneath her refined exterior. The bottle is stunning--a heart shot through with an arrow. Roja Dove told me that Jean-Paul created Chamade to pay homage to his grandfather's Vol de Nuit, making it lighter and more modern by brightening the notes (with ylang ylang and blackberry) while lessening the powder. He had me sniff both fragrances in succession, and indeed, they are related renditions of a beloved song.
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Eau de Ciel 
smellslikeleaves 4/20/2005 1:12:00 AM
I wrote a nice review of this (if I do say so myself) a few days ago, but it vanished when MUA crashed. So here we go again. After staying away from Goutals (except for my beloved Ce Soir) in fear of their supposedly rapid turning, I regained interest in the line when I heard that Camille Goutal was having tea with several MUA'ers. (I was unable to attend, unfortunately). I went to Saks to try two of the highest rated scents in p'ville, this one and Eau de Camille. I haven't fallen this strongly in love with a fragrance since KM Damascena. This is the melancholy, quiet, contemplative yin to Damascena's sparkling, sunny, girly yang. With the hay and beeswax topnotes which others have mentioned, I'm reminded of the French farm house where I spent several weeks as a teenager, and the wonderful scent and non-scent memories from that experience. The rose, violet, iris, and woods are very soft, airy, gentle. Eau de Ciel is akin to jumping into enormous puddles and taking deep breaths of rainy air and drenched flowers. Like another favorite of mine, Guerlain Apres L'Ondee, this fragrance captures the scent after a summer rainstorm ("water from the sky"). Though anyone can wear this, I think that it's particularly well-suited for a woman in her early 20's (i.e. myself), who still dreams of her childhood and disappearing innocence. Despite its slight melancholy, my steps lighten as this wafts around me. It's an angel's wings in a bottle. I ordered a big bottle almost immediately, and have lost none of my passion for it so far. The lasting power is also fine on me, at least 6 hours (although it stays close to the skin). Official AG description: Annick Goutal created Eau du Ciel as a "hymn to balmy summer days recalling the special delights of childhood." Combining notes of Brazilian rosewood, iris and violet, this fragrance is reminiscent of childhood innocence and freedom.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - N'Aimez Que Moi
smellslikeleaves 4/19/2005 12:28:00 AM
This is definitely retro. I can certainly imagine women in the 1940's wearing this when their men returned from war. It started off with roses and a bit of sour citrus bugspray, but then the violets kicked in, and the composition became extremely powdery. I dislike powdery retro fragrances (see: FM Lipstick Rose, L'artisan Drole de Rose, and all their ilk), so I didn't care for this one either. It does however transport me to a bygone era, and can stimulate my imagination. I wouldn't wear it personally though, any more than I would wear a crumbling old Victorian dress.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - Tabac Blond
smellslikeleaves 4/19/2005 12:14:00 AM
This is an incredibly dramatic, diva fragrance. I know, I know, I keep using the word "diva" to describe Caron perfumes, but...it fits! It starts off very heavy on smoke and leather, and I thought, "Stunning but SO not me." At this point I pictured a woman who is in her late 30's/early 40's, who has crimson lips and impeccably coiffed hair, who wears a mink coat and has enormous diamonds dripping from her earlobes. She is incredibly sophisticated, and has been hardened by life experience, but yet still retains a bit of mystery and vulnerability. She's sensual but self-protective. Of course, she smokes, and she wears her fragrance heavy, so that her presence cannot be ignored. Over the course of several hours, however, it dries down to a soft, sweet, and incredibly sophisticated combination of carnation, vanilla, and amber. This is when she takes off her mink coat to reveal a gorgeous cream satin dress that hugs her figure. She has a drink or two, and starts to soften, to open up, to share a bit of her life with you. Yet she is still quite self-possessed, and never loses her cool. This is Tabac Blond to me.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Alice
smellslikeleaves 4/18/2005 2:20:00 AM
This was just OK on me...then again I'm not a big fan of carnation fragrances. It starts off like a baby "O" -- spicy and honey-like, but then a very powdery rose & carnation become prominent. The powdery rose & honey remind me a bit of FM Lipstick Rose & L'artisan Drole de Rose, which is a breed of fragrance that does not agree with me at all. This is very soft and feminine, and I can see why other like it. It's just not right for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Fae
smellslikeleaves 4/18/2005 2:15:00 AM
My favorite from BPAL so far. An utterly darling fragrance which mingles juicy sweet peaches and oakmoss. Like I had hoped, this reminds me of the wonderful drydown of Guerlain Mitsouko, but sweeter and less spicy. It's not headshoppy, rotten fruit-ish, or heavy, like some BPAL's are. It's light, dainty, girly, woodsy, and full of giggles--just like a fairy scent should be. Kudos to BPAL for this one, and I plan to go from imp to bottle shortly.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Cote Bastide - Peche de Vigne
smellslikeleaves 4/13/2005 1:10:00 AM
A delightful, juicy, true-to-life peach fragrance. It's cheerful, sunny, sweet, but not cloying. A must for peach-lovers such as myself, although I had to take off a lipstick for the poor lasting power (only an hour). I know this is an eau de cologne, but...why? I would love for Cote Bastide to make a "Peche de Vigne Extreme" (in the footsteps of L'artisan).
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Parfums De Nicolai - Maharadjah
smellslikeleaves 4/13/2005 1:05:00 AM
This was unbearably heavy on curry and other spices at first, but then dried down to a medicinal clove-and-cinnamon fragrance. I totally get why people are reminded of Tiger Balm. Neither phase is to my liking (although the drydown is not as offensive as the top notes), but I must admit that I'm not a big fan of this genre of fragrances anyway. For adventurous ladies only.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No