Fragrances -Etat Libre D'Orange - The Afternoon of a Faun
WentworthRoth 1/20/2013 4:53:00 AM
Notes: bergamot, pepper, cinnamon, incense, immortelle, orris root, myrrh, leather and benzoin. Opens with a strong tobacco note, which is in fact an accord of immortelle and incense or leather. Bergamot, orris and myrrh modify the dense and rich accord into something light and gauzy. I see a strong soapy accord layered over immortelle and warm spices. The strawflower is relegated to being a supporting note anchoring the fragrance with its woody/hay-like vibe. What I see reminds me very much of YS Uzac's Pohadka. The two fragrances share leather, similar green and fresh notes, as well as immortelle and resins. A fairly tame fragrance, once again at odds with the hyper-sexual promo material.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Mona di Orio - Les Nombres d’Or Oud
WentworthRoth 12/9/2012 11:34:00 AM
Notes: petit grain, mandarin orange, elemi; osmanthus, patchouli, cypriol oil, cedar, amber, agarwood and musk. This fragrance opens with aoud, osmanthus and amber creating a gingerbread accord enhanced&modified by a definitely non-gourmand animalic facet. The resulting scent is rich and smooth, enveloping me like the softest fur. Although it is good, it reminds me too much of Bois des Iles mixed with Jicky's civet.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Cire Trudon - Empire
WentworthRoth 8/11/2012 2:32:00 AM
Notes: lavender, marjoram, bay laurel, thyme, rosemary, sage, pine, hay. According to the product description this candle is supposed to evoke: Pine, sage and hay are vibrating in the air of this Napoleonian camp with hints of cade and maquis. The joyful and indulging warmth of thyme, marjoram and rosemary ring like a fife. A moment of peace right after a battle between dog and wolf. An imperial tent exhaling the perfect scent crowned by the strength of laurel. In realty I do not see any aromatic Mediterranean vegetation, but rather the smell of old clothes stuffed in a cramped, wooden wardrobe in a musty attic. I see old clothes, old people wearing said old clothes and an attic full of junk just waiting to be cleared out. I do not know how it is possible that such a wonderful-sounding fragrance pyramid can smell so bad, but it does. The presentation of the candle is equally bad: first of all the green glass is totally asymmetrical, the golden logo is a cheap plastified sticker which has been tipped crookedly to boot. Furthermore, the cardboard lid protecting the wax of the candle was full of yellow stains, something must have leached from the wax. Thankfully the scent is very weak/the candle has almost no throw and the smell does not linger once the candle has been put out. I strongly advise anyone not to buy CT candles unsniffed and unseen as to not make my same mistake.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Unlisted Brand - Cire Trudon Odalisque candle
WentworthRoth 8/8/2012 3:14:00 PM
My first Cire Trudon candle turned out to be quite a disappointment packaging-wise: the glass is not symmetrical, the label on the glass is crooked and the paper covering the candle is dirty. Considering their high price tag, this is unacceptable.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Cire Trudon L'Admirable
WentworthRoth 8/8/2012 3:13:00 PM
My first Cire Trudon candle turned out to be quite a disappointment packaging-wise: the glass is not symmetrical, the label on the glass is crooked and the paper covering the candle is dirty. Considering their high price tag, this is unacceptable.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Memo - Lalibela
WentworthRoth 7/15/2012 12:51:00 PM
Notes: peony, coconut, orchid, rose; patchouli, vanilla, jasmine, labdanum; tobacco leaf, precious woods and incense. Opens with a cornucopia of exotic flowers laid over a bed of vanilla and coconut. The result is a gourmandesque floral bouquet worthy of Guerlain. A base of patchouli, labdanum and tobacco somewhat bridle the exuberance of the flowers and add an interesting resinous-herbal counterbalance to mix. The heart of this scent is a potent jasmine and vanilla accord, feminine to the max and creamy like a 1,000-calories dessert. Still, the fragrance is never too sweet nor too loud, thanks to the skillful use of herbaceous and resinous/smoky notes. Unfortunately the scent not only progresses very fast, but jettisons most of its steam within the first half hour. The more the gorgeous floral notes vanish, the more pedestrian the remaining blend seems. The scent dries down to fragrant tobacco leaves sweetened by a generous dash of resinous vanilla.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Memo - Jannat
WentworthRoth 7/15/2012 12:49:00 PM
Notes: bergamot, lemon, petitgrain, mandarin, orange, frangipani, neroli, sage, deer's tongue, tonka bean and musk. Opens with a very watery citrus accord despite all the notes from this family listed in the pyramid. What I mainly see are sage and deer tongue, two fragrant herbs sweetened by frangipani and tonka bean. This is a vanillic herbal fragrance with citrusy and floral touches. The more I smell it, the more it reminds me of l'Artisan's Trefles a Quatre Fleurs candle. The dry down can be described as very sweet hay and petit grain. Although undoubtedly a nice fragrance, it is nevertheless neither remarkable nor memorable.
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Fragrances -Etat Libre D'Orange - Fat Electrician
WentworthRoth 7/7/2012 1:34:00 PM
Notes; vetiver, vanilla bean, myrrh, and opoponax. Opens with a perfect vetiver rendition: (sappy) fresh but also (peppery) dry, vegetal and also metallic. Going against tradition the vetiver is not blended with citrus fruit, but with vanilla instead. This delicate note tames the wild grass and infuses it with a smooth- and sweetness I simply find wonderful. Myrrh and opoponax anchor the top notes and enhance the smooth, pearlescent aspects of the fragrance. This makes me think of olive leafs… they too are smooth and have silver-shiny under side. Despite all this talk about warm and sweet nuances, the scent never loses its (fresh) grassy and (spicy) woodsy character. As the scent develops the notes begin to peel away one by one and when it reaches the dry down all I see is an lovely woodsy-smoky shadow. The linearity and smoothness of this fragrance may not appeal to anyone, but it does not detract from the fact this is a very good vetiver offering.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Etro - Messe De Minuit
WentworthRoth 1/15/2012 4:15:00 AM
Notes: woodsy notes, galbanum, bergamot, mandarin orange, myrhh, cinnamon, patchouli, vanilla, amber, musk and honey. This fragrance opens with the a bright citrus composite wrapped in delicate incense fumes. A pine accord is added to create the olfactory image of a Christmas tree standing in the middle a church adorned to celebrate Christmas mass. As the orange note fades, the resinous notes take centre stage. The fragrance is built around the pairing of resins and woodsy-earthy notes, but unlike Montale’s Full Incense it does not smell outdoorsy (because of the addition of vanilla, honey and musk), nor is it completely church-like. Although the scent has got a strong opening, it becomes softer and sheerer as it progresses. This Etro is quite nice, but not as great as Heeley’s Cardinal, though better than the before-mentioned Full Incense. Lasts six hours on my skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -CB I Hate Perfume - Fire From Heaven
WentworthRoth 1/15/2012 4:07:00 AM
Notes: frankincense, myrrh, opopanax, cedar, sandalwood, styrax and labdanum. This fragrance opens with incense and pine (cedar in disguise). It is very soft and sheer and somehow flatlines after 45 minutes. All I see is a sheer salty, woodsy remnant of the opening accord. Much to my surprise the fragrance returns from the netherworld smelling like Huitieme Art's Myrrhiad. Myrrh and sandalwood recreate its sweet tea with milk accord. Lasts slightly more than four hours on my skin.
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Fragrances -Chanel - 28 La Pausa
WentworthRoth 1/15/2012 3:54:00 AM
Notes: iris, woods, green notes and powdery notes. This fragrance opens with dry, powdery iris. There are no dewey, green nuances like you find in Hiris and there are no overly earthy, rooty nuances like you find in Iris Silver Mist. The iris is cool and dry and shimmers like an expensive silk couture fabric. Underneath the main note I see two other things: a delicate woodsy base to anchor the composition and a pale, sappy floral (hyacinth-like) that adds sweetness and freshness. This is undoubtedly a very elegant and sophisticated scent, but it is sheer to a fault. Its ephemerality is no advantage either, after one hour the spell is gone.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - De Profundis
WentworthRoth 1/15/2012 3:47:00 AM
Notes: chrysanthemum flower, violets, green and earthy notes. This fragrance opens with a green, yet slightly spicy flower accord. It is fresh, almost wet, but oddly enough also warm and dry at the same time. I do not detect any sweetness in this scent, nor any flower in particular. It is an abstract bouquet that evokes Springtime, tender green leaves, tiny flower buds. A white woodsy note - like a sliver of driftwood - is the base for the sheer floral accord. Diaphanous and ephemeral are the best adjectives to describe this latest exclusive Lutens, but elegant and otherworldly graceful come to my mind as well. To me this is Bel Resprio's grandmother who wears gauzy-white silk gowns with lace applique and fondly talks about her presentation at the Royal Court and the many summers spent at Torquay. Lasts six hours on my skin.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Montale - Wild Pears
WentworthRoth 1/14/2012 1:29:00 AM
Notes: bergamot, pear; clove, lily-of-the-valley; musk, sandalwood and vanilla. This fragrance opens with the scent of ripe pear: fresh and juicy at first, warm and sweet later on. As the various notes bloom on my skin, it becomes clear the pear aroma is a composite and not a single note. I see a floral core accord with a fruity modifying-note woven around the white flowers. The scent is light and not overly sweet, with a pronounced wake. Despite its many positive traits I cannot shake the impression of this being a functional fragrance (created for a shampoo e.g.), instead of a fine fragrance. Nevertheless, I’d recommend this scent for spring and early summer. Lasts six hours on my skin.
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Fragrances -Montale - Attar
WentworthRoth 1/14/2012 1:26:00 AM
Notes: rose, agarwood and sandalwood. This fragrance opens with a rich, spiced rose accord on a base of smoky woods. The flower vanishes quickly, leaving behind a sheer floral veil which masks some of the sharpness of the main woods. The scent appears to be soft and well-blended from a distance; whereas it is pungent and rather unpleasant up-close. Wood is definitely the key ingredient, but the scent’s focus shifts between rose and sandalwood throughout its development. Although this is a pretty fragrance, I think it will appeal more to Arab than European tastes. In my opinion the rose is too strong and the woods too spicy for what our noses are used to. Lasts 8 hours on my skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Montale - Chocolate Greedy
WentworthRoth 1/14/2012 1:23:00 AM
Notes: coffee, cacao, tonka bean, bitter orange, vanilla and dried fruits. This fragrance opens with a delicious gourmand accord. Notes of milk chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, vanilla and sugared cream create the mouth-watering olfactory illusion of praline. As the notes bloom on my skin, the hazelnuts supersede the chocolate and the praline aroma transforms into the Christmassy smell of sugar-coated roasted almonds. The ousted milk chocolate note returns during the last stage of the scent’s development, making for nutty, vaguely chocolaty dry-down. Although the scent is quite strong at first, it becomes progressively quieter, staying close to the skin. Lasts eight hours on my skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No