Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Maison Martin Margiela - Untitled EDP
elaborate 12/3/2011 5:29:00 PM
Smells very much like Hermèssence Paprika Brasil (2006). :::scratches head::: Good choice if you are trying to save a few bobs.
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Fragrances -Parfums De Nicolai - Maharadjah
elaborate 11/2/2011 6:10:00 PM
Jicky Reloaded. Absolutely wonderful!
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Fragrances -Lorenzo Villoresi - Piper Nigrum
elaborate 10/1/2011 4:41:00 PM
I love Chai. Love smelling it love drinking it... But I don't fancy wearing it. Well... not yet, I have got a sample and have only worn it once but I guess I'm pretty sure that I don't want to smell like a cup of stewed spice infused tea. Piper Nigrum is sprayable Chai. If that is what you want, it's perfect as I haven't yet smelt any other perfume that smells so much like Chai. Typical cup of Chai is made with tea, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, ginger, black pepper and of course tea and milk. Cheers! :-)
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Histoires de Parfums - Blanc Violette
elaborate 9/18/2011 1:12:00 PM
The heavy dose of violet, a little oil from time to time, reminds me of Lipstick Rose but it is kind sitting at the boundaries. Right bang in the middle is a heavy dose of indescript florals which smells like it has turned. At the drydown there are some sandalwood, musk etc., just like what it says in the perfume notes. Which are quite nice. For the first hour or so it is like a caricature of a teenage perfume you bought and used a little as a teenager. Then one day 10-15 years down the line you are clearing out the junks and you found this bottle which you have used about 10%. You spritzed it on to your skin, take a sniff. You think it's OK, first impression is fine, the florals can be likeable, but there is something not quite right and you know for sure you won't wear it again and that only the inexperience of youth got your teenage self to buy something that smells wonderful in the first 10 secs. You pack that bottle up along with old toys your kiddies no longer play to be dropped at a charity shop later today. The sandalwood/vanille basenotes redeem this perfume somewhat but I can get a more direct hit of this sandalwood elsewhere so why take this (expensive) detour?
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Fragrances -Amouage - Gold
elaborate 9/15/2011 7:24:00 AM
To be completed... (have written it but need to revise before posting) Women: Tester insert says: "This powerful floral fragrance is made for the most special, luxurious, evening occassion, rich in sophistication and splendour." Men: Tester insert says: "This rich floral fragrance is made for the most special evening ocassion - rich in splendour and sophistication."
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - De Profundis
elaborate 9/10/2011 10:00:00 PM
Decanted into sprayer and spritzed... (First spritz was a tiny one on arm and it was a quiet floral with bits of fruit punch. Second time I spritzed it right on my shirt and it gets real loud! Following is what I experienced during my 2nd spritz.) Burial followed by party on the family burial ground, which is a valley with burial sites marked by trees. The person who died was rich, crazily popular, wanted people to celebrate, have a good time and please absolutely no crying. Weather is fine - wind gently blowing, sunny with a tad of cloud, a coolish late-summer-almost-autumn afternoon. Burial is done and now everyone moves across to an enclosed area in the valley, one that is heavily decorated with walls of flowers, flower walls that are a metre deep like a medieval castle. Innumerable types of flowers are used to construct the walls but there seems to be some chrysanthemums and carnations. Fruit punch is served, no alcohol. Wafts of chrysanthemums drift over to your nose, reminds you of the muted sweet notes of a strongly brewed but unsweetened chrysanthemum tea. You rub your tongue against the top of your mouth wondering if the smell of chrysanthemums might have came from the fruit punch you drunk. Everybody is dancing to the fun swift music personally picked by the dead. You are having a great time. It's no doubt that this is going to be THE party to remember for years and years if not decades. As you dance and dance it gets more and more crowded... so crowded that you are pushed right against the flower walls several times, but strangely despite the large number of guests this floral enclosure does not get heated up. Some of the people brushed against you but somehow their bodies give out no heat, you suddently start to wonder why there are so many more guests than there were at the burial. Are they hmmmm....???
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Fragrances -Amouage - Reflection
elaborate 9/7/2011 9:48:00 PM
I'd been sampling all the non attar offerings except for the newly issued Honour. This is the last pair of men/women scents to be tested. After this and Silver then I'm done. Tester insert says: "Reflection EDP for Woman opens with a lush green freshness reminiscent of morning dew in the springtime. Reflection EDP for Woman is a perfume that expresses the inner self." To me this is fresh floral doused with aquatic / cucumbery notes. Not unpleasant but so so so boring. Tester insert says: "Reflection for Men has fresh, spicy and slightly aromatic top notes, embodying the spirit of refinement. The textured florals in the heart notes capture the seductive power of a man's inner strength. The iconic notes of patchouli and vetyver in the base, blended with sensual woods, reflect his true elegance and underline the fragrance's timeless appeal. Reflection Man is compelling, distinctive and unmistably masculine." Reflction Man is a bit nicer, no aquatic notes and at the beginning smells like Dolce & Gabanna Pour Femme (red cap) with a bit of gingery notes, then morphs into Penhaligon's Artemisia.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie - Scandal
elaborate 9/6/2011 6:37:00 PM
It is pretty much a carbon copy of Jardins de Bagatelle with hint of spices added to the basenotes. Not unexpected given that RJ used to work for Guerlain. The beginning also reminds me of Ellenisia by Penhaligon's, which is easier to wear and prettier imho. Update 2012/8/15: The price at the time of my review is just unjustifiable. It has since increased and even less so now. Price of Jardins de Bagatelle is one third of Scandal. Get one of those instead.
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Fragrances -Amouage - Ubar
elaborate 9/5/2011 9:28:00 AM
Tester insert says: "Echoes of Bergamot and Lily of the Valley complement the majestic damascene rose with the eternal presence of sandalwood." Opens up with rose - dried rose petals locked in a cupboard for too long, taken up the smell of the cupboard. Then a blast of tangerine / orange, a bit of zest but the orange juice is warm and spiked with cloves and cinnamon. You might think - mulled wine? But no, not quite there yet. In the background you can see a bottle of drown Chanel No. 5 (there's a bundle of basenotes often used in Amouage scents that reminds people of No. 5) doused in the aforementioned orange juice, now after being left on the stove on low heat for several hours is a bit dried up and getting stickier and stickier. Drydown a few hours later is like Agent Provocateur - rose and saffron - twice, thrice times as big. Really strong scent. Not a fan. Find it confused and non coherent. Would have been 2.5 if they allowed me. Leaning more towards 2.
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Fragrances -Amouage - Dia for women
elaborate 9/5/2011 7:01:00 AM
Tester insert says: "Epitomising confidence and radiance, this is a day wear fragrance that is vibrant and sophisticated - a perfect complement to Amouage Gold." I like Amouage Gold quite a bit, esp the Men's one. The Goldies have a bit of twists and turns, a bit of chypre undertones make them chic while the wonderful basenotes take you to a destination that is warm and snuggy. Dia Women is a big comforting blanket wrapped around you from boot. It would be wonderful to wear this in winter, all wrapped up and while it's all windy and wet a whiff of lovely warm smell oozes from your clothes, from your scarf, from your skin. It reminds you that there is an end to Winter, but while it is still going on it's tolerable or almost enjoyable as long as you have sprayed on Dia. It's totally linear but who wants to get out of this lovely big blanket while you are happily snoozing? Earlier commentators compare it to Chanel No. 5 and Caleche... while I can see some similarity Dia is much more linear than either. The scent that it is nearest in smell and feel is (one of the recent ones I have tested, can't recall more distant past) is Lorenzo Villoresi's Teint de Neige. As for the individual notes... I can't tell them apart, I am too busy imagining the big warm blanket as it's just so enjoyable! "Luxury day wear, a fragrance that is both sophisticated and vibrant, a perfect copmlement to Amouage Gold." The Men Dia is v forgettable... it's nice and macho and that's all I can remember about it. 5 for Women, 2 for Men
6 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Amouage - Ciel
elaborate 9/5/2011 6:42:00 AM
Tester insert says: "This fragrance bursts alive with rich floral scents. The silver frankincense and sensual woods leave an inner sense of serenity reflecting the warmth of the sun." To me it is a dewy rose floral. The support of gardenia, cyclamen, violet leaves has made it freer than ever. It's beautiful but just like the other Amouage - it's somethng I have seen before. The packaging suggestive of a blue sky, sea side, warmth of the sun... but to me this is more like a stroll in a damp spring garden or a summer garden after a light shower. If you like Diorissimo, Baby Doll you will find this very likeable. Tester insert says: "This fragrance contains frankincense and rich woods, reflecting the intensity of the glorious sky." Ciel Man is aquatic fougere in the style of Creed's most popular men frags. I don't know how to describe it except that it isn't very pleasant... while Creed's ones are nice this isn't so nice. Smells slightly medicinal. Ciel Women 4, Ciel Men 1
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Fragrances -Amouage - Memoir Woman Eau de Parfum
elaborate 9/1/2011 5:26:00 PM
Sprayed both the Men and Women on a few hours before going to bed. Women to me is very syrupy boiled sweet (hard candy) like. There may be some leather in there - it's amongst its notes - but I can hardly smell it. The boiled sweet smells like things I'd eaten when I was little, maybe a combo of oranges and berries and some passion fruits? To me it reminds me of Cuir Venenum 03 by Parfumerie Generale which also reminds lots of people of candies and sweets and also have leather. As usual it is very long lasting, around a day later I can still smell it on my wrist... the dry down is a bit of musk, a bit of vanilla, and a bit of plum overtones. The Men's one is a lot of dry austere woods. Vetiver... a lot of it... dryer than Sycomore. Not smoky though. Lovely Absinth, Wormwood, Basil... etc. The dry down next day is very boring nondescript men frag. Because the fragrance is so dense and each stage lasts so long, I think how it smells the day after doesn't really matter. If I have the money I will go get a bottle of this. 3 stars for Woman, 4 stars for Men
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Amouage - Epic edp
elaborate 8/30/2011 7:50:00 PM
Tester insert says: "The eternal legend of the ancient Silk Road from China to Arabia. This spicy floral oriental fragrance is infused with notes of cumin, pink bay, cinnamon layered with tea, geranium, jasmine and rounded with orris, frankincense, patchouli and sandalwood." The first impression is that it reminds me of Ormonde Jayne Tolu. OJ Tolu is wonderful stuff, this one is like Tolu with amplifiers on. Interestingly I find this rosier than Lyric which I tested the. Evening before. Earlier commentator seems to suggest Lyric is rosier, hmm... Next morning (around 10 hours later) however, the "Tolu" is gone. OJ Tolu does this interesting thing on my skin... it pretty much disappear straightaway and then around 6 to 8 hours later it comes back out of my pores like as if I smell like that originally. Lyric after 10 hours is a mild slightly greenish rose with a tinge of remaining spice. It's on my skin and I have to stick my nose on the spot to smell it. Tester insert says: "Evoking memories of the ancient Silk Road journey fom China to Arabia this woody oriental fragrance is inspired by the poetic splendour of cumin, saffron, cardamon infused with myrrh, geranium and the richeness of oud, musk, leather, patchouli, cedarwood, frankincense." The men's one is pretty OK but doesn't capture my attention. Around 10 hours later what remains is a slightly soapy, again the same Chanel No. 5 basenotes that I love in Amouage Gold Men. Although originally I think when my Tolu runs out I might get a bottle of this but having experienced the drydown I still think Tolu is nicer. :-) 4 stars for women, 2 stars for men. Tester sprays came from a sampling kit, a roak from a lovely muaer.
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Fragrance -Amouage - Jubilation XXV by Amouage
elaborate 8/29/2011 4:33:00 PM
Tester insert 1 says: "At its heart are elegant notse of rose, orchid and smoky gaiac wood. Notes of musk, myrrh, cedarwood, ambergris, patchouli and immortelle resonte in the depth of the fragrance expressing his long to travel, to find the ethereal unknown." Tester insert 2 says: "Jubilation XXV is created for the enigmatic man carrying the essence of his philosophy and sophistication across all eras and cultures." I am not a man. I am not enigmatic at all. And I'm no Time Lord so I'm not too concerned if my philosophy and sophistication works across all eras. So I guess this is not for me? Oh well who cares. I love this as I love spicy woods. Spice wise it is the ones you would find in Ambre Sultan. It reminds me of Ambre Sultan and Bel Ami by Hermes. As is the case Amouage fragrances are beautifully done but they have all be done before or may be combos of fragrances that are already well loved. If I have hardly any fragrances then I think I will invest in several of their bottles... but having travel so far down the line in fragrance hoarding I find it hard to justify buying a bottle of Jubilation XXV.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Amouage - Lyric Woman
elaborate 8/29/2011 4:27:00 PM
Tester insert says: "Beyond the transient beauty and purity of Lyric lingers a poignant song without a beginning and an end. Inspired by the rose, Lyric is a floral oriental fragrance suspended in time with a mythical melody." What I experienced is that there are a lot of spices but they aren't in your face pungent ones like you'd find in Ambre Sultan. They are soft, pleasing and smoothed over with vanilla. I can't smell the rose in there although this scent is supposed to be about rose!! The next morning (around 10 hours later) it can still be found on my arm. As I move about I can smell a little bit of powdery musky base which is what I find so enticing about Chanel No. 5 Parfum. I think the drydown is beautiful, but the top and middle notes are still lingering and while they are OK I am not falling for them. Tester insert 1 says: "Evoking memories of the ancent Silk Road journey from China to Arabia this woody oriental fragrance is inspired by the poetic splendour of cumin, saffron, cardamon infused with myrrh, geranium and the richness of oud, musk, leather, patchouli, cedarwood, frankincense." Tester insert 2 says: "This spicy oriental fragrance is a ddication to the rose infused with angelica. Created for the confident gentlemen who dares to desire." For Amouage fragrances I tend to prefer the Men over the Women and this is one of them. Lyric Men is a juicy green foresty scent... a bit like Ormonde Jayne (OJ) Woman or OJ Man... nearer to OJ Woman than OJ Man as it doesn't have the smidgen of oud like basenote in OJ Man. Or maybe the 2008 version of Etro Via Verri (2nd edition, the one after the rose one). Would love to wear it if a bottle comes free but I already have the two OJs and the Via Verri so won't be purchasing. If I run out of the OJs then I may get a bottle of this, as even though Via Verri can be gotten at favourable prices it isn't as smooth as Lyric Men. The next morning Lyric Men stays pretty much the same. Still evidently here, almost the first thing I smelt when I got out of bed, which is typical for all Amouage fragrances I have tested as they are so concentrated. 3 stars for Women, 4 stars for Men
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