Guerlain
APRES L'ONDEE
(Just want to mention that am not sure of the age of my sample as it was a gift from a fellow perfume worshiper. Judging by the color and the scent, it is probably not vintage.)
In the first moments that I smelled Après l'Ondée for the very first time, two words immediately jumped to mind: delicate and serene. I envisioned feeling the silky, sheer, purple iris petals between my fingertips, taking deep breaths of clean air, my shoulders enrobed in warm sunshine.
Here's what I love and what is so unique about Après l'Ondée. Its notes not only evolve from the traditional French top-heart-base, but the scent also changes from one spot on my skin to another. It's as though I sprayed two different perfumes on my skin immediately next to one another. In one place I smell damp violets, but as I slide just an inch or two along my arm, I pick up sweet mimosa and a pop of cassis, which creates a vibrant green effect. Another few centimeters reveals the scent of rich and starchy orris root. The result is an olfactory impressionist landscape of a spring garden in the French countryside. On my arm sits a watercolor painting with swirls of purple and violet; hues of blue; a layer of green; brownish-gray round shapes strewn along the bottom. In my mind's eye I am Monet.
Painting: Monet's Irises at St. Remy
It's rare that I liken a perfume to a symphony, but the complexity and even feelings evoked by this perfume indicate that it was created by a master who is the olfactory equivalent of Beethoven. Après l'Ondée is a carefully orchestrated piece of art. The complexity, layering and harmonization of every single note is nothing short of genius.
Since violet is IMHO the biggest note in this fragrance, I want to focus on it a little bit. While the cassis does provide a green staccato (uh-oh! I'm breaking out the musical terms), the violet note itself hugs the line between a cool, wet, natural violet and sweet violette pastilles. I really like the fact that the violets are neither here nor there but strike a perfect balance in the middle, the likes of which I have never experienced in any other violet perfume.
Après l'Ondée is a classic that is still relevant today. And while perhaps marketed to women, in today's gender-bending society I can easily see it as a modern men's fragrance. We no longer have to adhere to the rules of "women wear violets and roses and men wear lavender and fougères." I can picture it on a man wearing a black suit as well as on a man who is enjoying Sunday brunch with family.
I am not a self-professed "violet lover" by any means. I am very particular about my violet perfumes. But if there were ever a violet perfume to own, Après l'Ondée would be it! (Jun 2016)
(Just want to mention that am not sure of the age of my sample as it was a gift from a fellow perfume worshiper. Judging by the color and the scent, it is probably not vintage.)
In the first moments that I smelled Après l'Ondée for the very first time, two words immediately jumped to mind: delicate and serene. I envisioned feeling the silky, sheer, purple iris petals between my fingertips, taking deep breaths of clean air, my shoulders enrobed in warm sunshine.
Here's what I love and what is so unique about Après l'Ondée. Its notes not only evolve from the traditional French top-heart-base, but the scent also changes from one spot on my skin to another. It's as though I sprayed two different perfumes on my skin immediately next to one another. In one place I smell damp violets, but as I slide just an inch or two along my arm, I pick up sweet mimosa and a pop of cassis, which creates a vibrant green effect. Another few centimeters reveals the scent of rich and starchy orris root. The result is an olfactory impressionist landscape of a spring garden in the French countryside. On my arm sits a watercolor painting with swirls of purple and violet; hues of blue; a layer of green; brownish-gray round shapes strewn along the bottom. In my mind's eye I am Monet.
Painting: Monet's Irises at St. Remy
It's rare that I liken a perfume to a symphony, but the complexity and even feelings evoked by this perfume indicate that it was created by a master who is the olfactory equivalent of Beethoven. Après l'Ondée is a carefully orchestrated piece of art. The complexity, layering and harmonization of every single note is nothing short of genius.
Since violet is IMHO the biggest note in this fragrance, I want to focus on it a little bit. While the cassis does provide a green staccato (uh-oh! I'm breaking out the musical terms), the violet note itself hugs the line between a cool, wet, natural violet and sweet violette pastilles. I really like the fact that the violets are neither here nor there but strike a perfect balance in the middle, the likes of which I have never experienced in any other violet perfume.
Après l'Ondée is a classic that is still relevant today. And while perhaps marketed to women, in today's gender-bending society I can easily see it as a modern men's fragrance. We no longer have to adhere to the rules of "women wear violets and roses and men wear lavender and fougères." I can picture it on a man wearing a black suit as well as on a man who is enjoying Sunday brunch with family.
I am not a self-professed "violet lover" by any means. I am very particular about my violet perfumes. But if there were ever a violet perfume to own, Après l'Ondée would be it! (Jun 2016)
BOIS D'ARMENIE
I bought this blindly. Tried and tried to love it, but I just can't. It is so soft, so linear, it's sweet but that's about all that's going on with it. Yes it smells like benzoin and iris...but it honestly smells like a very basic, stripped-down version of Shalimar Initial. I also own Shalimar Initial and think it's the better, stronger, more interesting perfume.
I bought this blindly. Tried and tried to love it, but I just can't. It is so soft, so linear, it's sweet but that's about all that's going on with it. Yes it smells like benzoin and iris...but it honestly smells like a very basic, stripped-down version of Shalimar Initial. I also own Shalimar Initial and think it's the better, stronger, more interesting perfume.
BOISE TORRIDE
OH. MY. FREAKING. WORD.
This is one of the most phenomenal perfumes I have ever beheld in my entire freaking life. This is the perfume I always smell on other women and wonder what on earth they are wearing that smells so amazing. I don't mean that literally of course, that they are all wearing the same perfume, since I don't know what they are wearing, but the scent just somehow smells like THAT perfume. The one that got away. The one I've always been looking for. My Holy Grail.
The crazy thing is that I can't put my finger on the particular note that "makes" this perfume. It smells like a brand-new plastic or pleather cosmetics bag that contains makeup as well as a sample of a fruity-floral perfume. It smells like a scented plastic doll's hair, like some Strawberry Shortcake dolls from the 80's. Then there is crystallized honey and some kind of fake blueberry. Some amber too? It seems like a woody chypre at first, but then it sweetens as it dries, becoming fairly gourmand. I opened my daughter's strawberry cereal bar as I wore the perfume, and the scent of her bar wasn't too far off from the scent of this perfume. But a chypre mixed with a strawberry cereal bar? HOW is this working?
The heart contains this incredible sweet, white, creamy flower. I was thinking jasmine, but it is not easy to decipher. Words almost can't describe how much I love it mixed with all the plastic going on in here. Like Hawaiian Barbie.
I don't know what it is. Love? Lust? But it is instantly my signature.
It is ultra-feminine, so chic, so sexy, so girly, so elusive, so unforgettable, so ME!!
Realize: This is *my* Holy Grail, probably not anyone else's, so take my review and successful blind purchase with a lump of salt. I'm clearly enamored to death by this stuff, and I enjoy sharing my personal thoughts, but please do not go out and buy this based on my 1000% hyped-up, super positive experience that completely slants my review in favor of this perfume, giving it absolutely no objectivity whatsoever.
(Side note: This is not discontinued as of today)
OH. MY. FREAKING. WORD.
This is one of the most phenomenal perfumes I have ever beheld in my entire freaking life. This is the perfume I always smell on other women and wonder what on earth they are wearing that smells so amazing. I don't mean that literally of course, that they are all wearing the same perfume, since I don't know what they are wearing, but the scent just somehow smells like THAT perfume. The one that got away. The one I've always been looking for. My Holy Grail.
The crazy thing is that I can't put my finger on the particular note that "makes" this perfume. It smells like a brand-new plastic or pleather cosmetics bag that contains makeup as well as a sample of a fruity-floral perfume. It smells like a scented plastic doll's hair, like some Strawberry Shortcake dolls from the 80's. Then there is crystallized honey and some kind of fake blueberry. Some amber too? It seems like a woody chypre at first, but then it sweetens as it dries, becoming fairly gourmand. I opened my daughter's strawberry cereal bar as I wore the perfume, and the scent of her bar wasn't too far off from the scent of this perfume. But a chypre mixed with a strawberry cereal bar? HOW is this working?
The heart contains this incredible sweet, white, creamy flower. I was thinking jasmine, but it is not easy to decipher. Words almost can't describe how much I love it mixed with all the plastic going on in here. Like Hawaiian Barbie.
I don't know what it is. Love? Lust? But it is instantly my signature.
It is ultra-feminine, so chic, so sexy, so girly, so elusive, so unforgettable, so ME!!
Realize: This is *my* Holy Grail, probably not anyone else's, so take my review and successful blind purchase with a lump of salt. I'm clearly enamored to death by this stuff, and I enjoy sharing my personal thoughts, but please do not go out and buy this based on my 1000% hyped-up, super positive experience that completely slants my review in favor of this perfume, giving it absolutely no objectivity whatsoever.
(Side note: This is not discontinued as of today)
CUIR BELUGA
I've been sitting on this decant for years. Why hadn't I tried it before? Perhaps fear of liking it and "needing" a bottle because it ain't cheap! Now that I gave it a shot, I find it very lovely, intoxicating for some time, but not as many fireworks as I'd fully expected from a perfume of this price point and also from a Guerlain containing suede--one of my very favorite notes in all of perfumery.
The phases were distinct. Top notes smelled like a really nice Play-Doey, powdery amber. It was ok, but my L'Artisan Eau de l'Ambre Extreme does the same thing for less than half the price. The heart of the perfume is what spoke to me. It was a nice, lengthy phase of a subtle suede accord married with an absolutely gorgeous vanilla and just a wee bit of powder. I can't quite put my finger on what makes the vanilla so exceptional; I want to say that it's a milkiness I have never smelled before--and Heaven knows I've smelled probably too many vanilla perfumes in my lifetime. So at first I was thinking, "Ya! Totally! I'd spend $260 for this. Mmmm--yaaaa!" It was getting good, and I was expecting this crescendo, but what I got was a diminuendo. The drydown fell flat. A little linear. A little boring [frown of disappointment]. It no longer smelled like a $260 perfume, but became a woody vanilla that I have smelled many times before. The exceptional vanilla was replaced by a common woody vanilla. Still smells great, but not $260 great. If Cuir Beluga were $125 less, it would make more sense to me. I will just enjoy every drop of my large decant.
I've been sitting on this decant for years. Why hadn't I tried it before? Perhaps fear of liking it and "needing" a bottle because it ain't cheap! Now that I gave it a shot, I find it very lovely, intoxicating for some time, but not as many fireworks as I'd fully expected from a perfume of this price point and also from a Guerlain containing suede--one of my very favorite notes in all of perfumery.
The phases were distinct. Top notes smelled like a really nice Play-Doey, powdery amber. It was ok, but my L'Artisan Eau de l'Ambre Extreme does the same thing for less than half the price. The heart of the perfume is what spoke to me. It was a nice, lengthy phase of a subtle suede accord married with an absolutely gorgeous vanilla and just a wee bit of powder. I can't quite put my finger on what makes the vanilla so exceptional; I want to say that it's a milkiness I have never smelled before--and Heaven knows I've smelled probably too many vanilla perfumes in my lifetime. So at first I was thinking, "Ya! Totally! I'd spend $260 for this. Mmmm--yaaaa!" It was getting good, and I was expecting this crescendo, but what I got was a diminuendo. The drydown fell flat. A little linear. A little boring [frown of disappointment]. It no longer smelled like a $260 perfume, but became a woody vanilla that I have smelled many times before. The exceptional vanilla was replaced by a common woody vanilla. Still smells great, but not $260 great. If Cuir Beluga were $125 less, it would make more sense to me. I will just enjoy every drop of my large decant.
ENCENS MYTHIQUE D'ORIENT
Finally getting around to writing a review of this beauty. Thank you to my perfume pal for sending me a very generous 10 ml decant--I am a very lucky girl!
Usually I love those balsamic, oriental ambers. This is anything but. I have lived right on the Pacific coast most of my life (literally the ocean is across the street and I can see it from my window), and this perfume reminds me of the salty air on a summer afternoon. The ambergris sparkles and shimmers the way the ocean water glistens off of a dancing whale's back. I have had the pleasure of going whale watching on a small boat and have been totally surrounded by dancing whales. At times I think the ambergris in this perfume is so good that I imagine it smells just like a whale's breath, when it exhales and sprays a fine mist of salt water. How magical!
The perfume does not seem to match the pyramid. I think the translucent ambergris is the highlight of the perfume, and there may be a lot of synthetic notes surrounding it, giving it an ethereal feel. When I first spray, it smells vaguely floral and pleasantly sweet. As it developed the ambergris became dominant to the point of seemingly eradicating every other note. It is salty and just slightly barnyard-fecal but very easy to olfactorilly embrace.
Because the initial scent is so sheer, it seemed that sillage would not be great. I simply maintain patience and resist the urge to sniff my wrists up close. The scent of ambergris floats up to my nose all day long, easily 12 hours, so my body heat really amps it up. I also receive compliments when I wear it, so I know people around me can smell it--and it's nice!
Thank you again to my pal for this sweet, twinkling sea treasure! (Feb. 2015)
Finally getting around to writing a review of this beauty. Thank you to my perfume pal for sending me a very generous 10 ml decant--I am a very lucky girl!
Usually I love those balsamic, oriental ambers. This is anything but. I have lived right on the Pacific coast most of my life (literally the ocean is across the street and I can see it from my window), and this perfume reminds me of the salty air on a summer afternoon. The ambergris sparkles and shimmers the way the ocean water glistens off of a dancing whale's back. I have had the pleasure of going whale watching on a small boat and have been totally surrounded by dancing whales. At times I think the ambergris in this perfume is so good that I imagine it smells just like a whale's breath, when it exhales and sprays a fine mist of salt water. How magical!
The perfume does not seem to match the pyramid. I think the translucent ambergris is the highlight of the perfume, and there may be a lot of synthetic notes surrounding it, giving it an ethereal feel. When I first spray, it smells vaguely floral and pleasantly sweet. As it developed the ambergris became dominant to the point of seemingly eradicating every other note. It is salty and just slightly barnyard-fecal but very easy to olfactorilly embrace.
Because the initial scent is so sheer, it seemed that sillage would not be great. I simply maintain patience and resist the urge to sniff my wrists up close. The scent of ambergris floats up to my nose all day long, easily 12 hours, so my body heat really amps it up. I also receive compliments when I wear it, so I know people around me can smell it--and it's nice!
Thank you again to my pal for this sweet, twinkling sea treasure! (Feb. 2015)
GOURMAND COQUIN
The top notes smell so clearly of rich, dark chocolate. Soon I think I smell cinnamon and marshmallow. But there is an underlying scent of fine incense throughout the perfumes development, which is the part I am gaga over. I clearly smell exotic rose with a touch of smokiness, like a roasted marshmallow. I've never been to Marrakech, but I would imagine it to smell a lot like this.
The top notes smell so clearly of rich, dark chocolate. Soon I think I smell cinnamon and marshmallow. But there is an underlying scent of fine incense throughout the perfumes development, which is the part I am gaga over. I clearly smell exotic rose with a touch of smokiness, like a roasted marshmallow. I've never been to Marrakech, but I would imagine it to smell a lot like this.
IRIS GANACHE
Iris Ganache surprises me in a couple of ways. First, it smells of powdery violet--way more than iris. I am hard-pressed to smell any iris, in all honesty. The second thing is that it smells very animalic, so much like suede, one of my favorite notes. So that was a nice surprise! And I can't necessarily say that it's white chocolate in there because it pretty much just smells like vanilla. Luckily it does not overpower the whole perfume and instead provides an edge of sweetness. While not my favorite, I think it's lovely!
(Updated to add--I take it back. I do smell white chocolate, specifically)
These special Guerlains remind me of high-end versions of their more attainable lineup. Iris Ganache is like a finer version of Insolence.
Iris Ganache surprises me in a couple of ways. First, it smells of powdery violet--way more than iris. I am hard-pressed to smell any iris, in all honesty. The second thing is that it smells very animalic, so much like suede, one of my favorite notes. So that was a nice surprise! And I can't necessarily say that it's white chocolate in there because it pretty much just smells like vanilla. Luckily it does not overpower the whole perfume and instead provides an edge of sweetness. While not my favorite, I think it's lovely!
(Updated to add--I take it back. I do smell white chocolate, specifically)
These special Guerlains remind me of high-end versions of their more attainable lineup. Iris Ganache is like a finer version of Insolence.
L'INSTANT
I know a lot of people say this smells like honey. It's sweet, yes, but I don't actually smell any honey. I get mostly vanilla, musk, flowers, and orris, which gives it an extremely powdery profile. This perfume is very classy, but too similar to many other classic powdery scents like Chanel No5, Boucheron, Shalimar. I would not buy this for myself, but if it were gifted to me I'd be very excited. (Sept. 2011)
I know a lot of people say this smells like honey. It's sweet, yes, but I don't actually smell any honey. I get mostly vanilla, musk, flowers, and orris, which gives it an extremely powdery profile. This perfume is very classy, but too similar to many other classic powdery scents like Chanel No5, Boucheron, Shalimar. I would not buy this for myself, but if it were gifted to me I'd be very excited. (Sept. 2011)
L'INSTANT MAGIQUE
I was immediately enamored with the scent. The almonds and vanilla are intense from beginning to end, making it the first perfume to rival the yumminess of Hypnotic Poison in the almond/vanilla department. All of the powdery iris gives it a bit of a marshmallow scent.
I can easily see the relation to the original L'Instant. They are both very powdery and have a sweet base. Magique is more gourmand, while L'Instant is better for floral lovers. I like them both, but I think Magique captivates me more. Lasting strength and projection are of the monster variety.
Guerlain perfumes frequently disagree with my chemistry, but I will be wearing Magique for many years to come. (Jan. 2012)
I was immediately enamored with the scent. The almonds and vanilla are intense from beginning to end, making it the first perfume to rival the yumminess of Hypnotic Poison in the almond/vanilla department. All of the powdery iris gives it a bit of a marshmallow scent.
I can easily see the relation to the original L'Instant. They are both very powdery and have a sweet base. Magique is more gourmand, while L'Instant is better for floral lovers. I like them both, but I think Magique captivates me more. Lasting strength and projection are of the monster variety.
Guerlain perfumes frequently disagree with my chemistry, but I will be wearing Magique for many years to come. (Jan. 2012)
MITSOUKO
Coco Chanel said, "Women are not flowers. Why should they want to smell like flowers?" Fair enough. But should women smell like dusty library books and sour peaches?
Mitsouko is like the bastard child of Tresor and Opium EDT. The first spritz of heavy spices smothered in an unforgiving blanket of oakmoss made me gag. So many people say this is a "green" perfume; it most certainly is not! I never expected something so harsh to come out of that beautiful bottle. After 10-15 minutes, the spices chilled out a bit and I finally detected the peach that everyone talks about, but much to my dismay, it's a sour peach.
Mitsouko really is a master at mutation--one minute old and dusty, the next minute bergamot and unripe peach, the next minute lilacs...but at no point can I honestly say I like it. (Jan. 2012)
Coco Chanel said, "Women are not flowers. Why should they want to smell like flowers?" Fair enough. But should women smell like dusty library books and sour peaches?
Mitsouko is like the bastard child of Tresor and Opium EDT. The first spritz of heavy spices smothered in an unforgiving blanket of oakmoss made me gag. So many people say this is a "green" perfume; it most certainly is not! I never expected something so harsh to come out of that beautiful bottle. After 10-15 minutes, the spices chilled out a bit and I finally detected the peach that everyone talks about, but much to my dismay, it's a sour peach.
Mitsouko really is a master at mutation--one minute old and dusty, the next minute bergamot and unripe peach, the next minute lilacs...but at no point can I honestly say I like it. (Jan. 2012)
MON EXCLUSIF
Guerlain seems really into making sweet gourmands these days, but they do them so well! This is a toothache in a bottle. I like it though! Going on my own impressions, at first it reminds me very much of Louve by Serge Lutens because it has that wonderful fruity note in it that smells so much like cherry. This perfume started out smelling like a syrupy-sweet cherry ICEE. I seriously could not smell anything else for the longest time. Eventually I suppose I could smell praline and some vanilla. I know there are supposed to be salty notes and a "solar note" (whatever in the world that means!), but I did not smell anything like that. No butter or saltiness. This stuff is purely sweet. After a couple of hours, I could smell an ethereal note of white flowers weaving in and out. It gave the perfume a bit more dimension and is what made this a "Love" for me, rather than a strong "Like". Not a cheap gourmand in a world full of gourmands, but I'm sold!
Guerlain seems really into making sweet gourmands these days, but they do them so well! This is a toothache in a bottle. I like it though! Going on my own impressions, at first it reminds me very much of Louve by Serge Lutens because it has that wonderful fruity note in it that smells so much like cherry. This perfume started out smelling like a syrupy-sweet cherry ICEE. I seriously could not smell anything else for the longest time. Eventually I suppose I could smell praline and some vanilla. I know there are supposed to be salty notes and a "solar note" (whatever in the world that means!), but I did not smell anything like that. No butter or saltiness. This stuff is purely sweet. After a couple of hours, I could smell an ethereal note of white flowers weaving in and out. It gave the perfume a bit more dimension and is what made this a "Love" for me, rather than a strong "Like". Not a cheap gourmand in a world full of gourmands, but I'm sold!
SANTAL ROYAL
It is no doubt gorgeous, a real sillage monster. One drop spread all around has atomic sillage and longevity! Use with caution!
But santal? I haven't smelled any. Oud, yes! Lots and lots of oud! I can't figure out why they would combine such an overpowering note as oud with one so soft as sandalwood and then call it "Santal."
It's very much in the Arabian style of rose-oud combo, perhaps the nicest one I have ever had the opportunity to get my hands on, so I suppose if you are looking for the ultimate, most luxurious perfume of that kind, you should sample this for certain.
I have a 1 ml sample from a generous pal, and that will be all I need for the next decade, it is so unbelievably strong. Think Opium EDP from the year it was released! This stuff is truly poison--wicked, black, magical poison.
It is no doubt gorgeous, a real sillage monster. One drop spread all around has atomic sillage and longevity! Use with caution!
But santal? I haven't smelled any. Oud, yes! Lots and lots of oud! I can't figure out why they would combine such an overpowering note as oud with one so soft as sandalwood and then call it "Santal."
It's very much in the Arabian style of rose-oud combo, perhaps the nicest one I have ever had the opportunity to get my hands on, so I suppose if you are looking for the ultimate, most luxurious perfume of that kind, you should sample this for certain.
I have a 1 ml sample from a generous pal, and that will be all I need for the next decade, it is so unbelievably strong. Think Opium EDP from the year it was released! This stuff is truly poison--wicked, black, magical poison.
SHALIMAR
Reviewing the Parfum.
While I adore Shalimar, it took a while for me to really get to know her. She is a little bit like the bitchy girl at the party--seems very unfriendly until you talk with her and discover how warm she really is. The opening is always a bit revolting. It's loaded with lemon and a touch of orange. At the same time it's so sharply animalic that it makes me queasy every time I put it on. I feel the same way about the EDP.
However, as it mellows out on my skin it becomes something else. It's unbelievably exotic, maybe even erotic. It's a deliciously creamy vanilla & citrus perfume that has been smoked like a sausage in a smokehouse. The scent of leather is the softest black leather you could ever imagine.
The parfum is a lot more intimate than the EDP. It lasts a long time, but sillage is not as big as the EDP, so it's better for when someone is nibbling your ear instead of for a big event.
It's so easy to see why Shalimar has been a hit for like 100 years. It's timeless--an utter masterpiece! *Muah!* BRAVISSIMO!!!
(Comparison with EDP: If it helps anyone I will add that I find the Parfum to be more powdery with more citrus than the newest EDP, and in all honesty, I find the vanilla in the EDP is more prominent) (Dec. 2012)
Reviewing the Parfum.
While I adore Shalimar, it took a while for me to really get to know her. She is a little bit like the bitchy girl at the party--seems very unfriendly until you talk with her and discover how warm she really is. The opening is always a bit revolting. It's loaded with lemon and a touch of orange. At the same time it's so sharply animalic that it makes me queasy every time I put it on. I feel the same way about the EDP.
However, as it mellows out on my skin it becomes something else. It's unbelievably exotic, maybe even erotic. It's a deliciously creamy vanilla & citrus perfume that has been smoked like a sausage in a smokehouse. The scent of leather is the softest black leather you could ever imagine.
The parfum is a lot more intimate than the EDP. It lasts a long time, but sillage is not as big as the EDP, so it's better for when someone is nibbling your ear instead of for a big event.
It's so easy to see why Shalimar has been a hit for like 100 years. It's timeless--an utter masterpiece! *Muah!* BRAVISSIMO!!!
(Comparison with EDP: If it helps anyone I will add that I find the Parfum to be more powdery with more citrus than the newest EDP, and in all honesty, I find the vanilla in the EDP is more prominent) (Dec. 2012)
SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL
What's NOT to say about this perfume? Initial has it all! It's powdery, earthy, gourmand, vanilla, musky, fruity, highly sophisticated. I guess the only thing I don't smell is flowers. That's ok, I still love this perfume madly. I can't wear the classic Shalimar. At times I think Initial is nothing like Shalimar, but then I catch a whiff of Shalimar's essence as I go about my day. The only thing "wrong" with this fragrance is that I wish it was stronger. It's nowhere near the potency of its namesake. I don't know what I'm complaining about though, since I can smell it on myself for hours if I spray a lot, but I want MORE MORE MORE!!! Can you blame me? This stuff's delicious!
But I guess the strength of it is just right so that you won't be walking down the street with a bullhorn obnoxiously shouting, "I'm wearing Shalimar Initial!" It leaves just enough to keep others guessing, to remain mysterious, to remain intimate. (Mar. 2012)
What's NOT to say about this perfume? Initial has it all! It's powdery, earthy, gourmand, vanilla, musky, fruity, highly sophisticated. I guess the only thing I don't smell is flowers. That's ok, I still love this perfume madly. I can't wear the classic Shalimar. At times I think Initial is nothing like Shalimar, but then I catch a whiff of Shalimar's essence as I go about my day. The only thing "wrong" with this fragrance is that I wish it was stronger. It's nowhere near the potency of its namesake. I don't know what I'm complaining about though, since I can smell it on myself for hours if I spray a lot, but I want MORE MORE MORE!!! Can you blame me? This stuff's delicious!
But I guess the strength of it is just right so that you won't be walking down the street with a bullhorn obnoxiously shouting, "I'm wearing Shalimar Initial!" It leaves just enough to keep others guessing, to remain mysterious, to remain intimate. (Mar. 2012)
TERRACOTTA
The white flowers in Terracotta are blissfully intoxicating. They seem like they are from such a faraway place that I will probably never go there. Like ancient Greece. If sunshine could become a syrup and drip down onto earth and into a bottle, that would be Terracotta. It's an intense white floral, but it isn't sharp or cloying. The scent is on another level of velvety, buttery and luxurious.
With soft coconut and milky vanilla blended in, your scent trail will leave an impression of tanning oil, mythical flowers, and golden sunlight pouring down on scalding hot rocks. Bring sandals and a hat!
While I will certainly revel in wearing this in the warmer months, I have always enjoyed wearing tropical/beachy perfumes in winter too, and Terracotta will be the first on my list when I need to mentally escape from dreary days.
Sillage and longevity are great. Projects better than a skin scent and lasts for several hours before a touch-up is needed. (Apr 2016)
The white flowers in Terracotta are blissfully intoxicating. They seem like they are from such a faraway place that I will probably never go there. Like ancient Greece. If sunshine could become a syrup and drip down onto earth and into a bottle, that would be Terracotta. It's an intense white floral, but it isn't sharp or cloying. The scent is on another level of velvety, buttery and luxurious.
With soft coconut and milky vanilla blended in, your scent trail will leave an impression of tanning oil, mythical flowers, and golden sunlight pouring down on scalding hot rocks. Bring sandals and a hat!
While I will certainly revel in wearing this in the warmer months, I have always enjoyed wearing tropical/beachy perfumes in winter too, and Terracotta will be the first on my list when I need to mentally escape from dreary days.
Sillage and longevity are great. Projects better than a skin scent and lasts for several hours before a touch-up is needed. (Apr 2016)
TONKA IMPERIALE
This is an absolute stunner of a tobacco perfume. Immediately you get this sweet, damp tobacco with autumn spices, crisp, red apple peel, and hints of herbs or evergreen so subtle that I thought it was my imagination until I saw the notes and notice it contains both. A little like Costamor Tabacca, but so, so, so much better (as it should be for the multiplicity of price).
In the mid-phase is where the almond really starts to bloom. Mixed with sticky tonka, I start thinking "Hypnotic Poison Tobacco Absolue Intense" or something equally goofy.
I love how this perfume does not go the Tobacco Vanille direction of dark and brooding and instead has more of a transparent, light-hearted feel to it.
Tonka Imperiale is so wonderful, I want to go on about it, but there really is no need. It's straight-forward, well-executed, and has possibly replaced Odori Tabacco as my favorite tobacco.
Oh, I can add one more thing--sillage is very good. Three sprays on one of my wrists with the old-fashioned, fine mist atomizer and I think my nose hairs have burnt off.
This is an absolute stunner of a tobacco perfume. Immediately you get this sweet, damp tobacco with autumn spices, crisp, red apple peel, and hints of herbs or evergreen so subtle that I thought it was my imagination until I saw the notes and notice it contains both. A little like Costamor Tabacca, but so, so, so much better (as it should be for the multiplicity of price).
In the mid-phase is where the almond really starts to bloom. Mixed with sticky tonka, I start thinking "Hypnotic Poison Tobacco Absolue Intense" or something equally goofy.
I love how this perfume does not go the Tobacco Vanille direction of dark and brooding and instead has more of a transparent, light-hearted feel to it.
Tonka Imperiale is so wonderful, I want to go on about it, but there really is no need. It's straight-forward, well-executed, and has possibly replaced Odori Tabacco as my favorite tobacco.
Oh, I can add one more thing--sillage is very good. Three sprays on one of my wrists with the old-fashioned, fine mist atomizer and I think my nose hairs have burnt off.
VOL DE NUIT
Vol de Nuit--what a lovely, classic fragrance. Right off the bat, my skin smells of vanilla, soft woods, a surprisingly sweet orange, and delicate spice. As the liquid settles on my skin and melds with my chemistry, I really get the wonderful galbanum, more woods, spicy carnation, and some bright florals (though I can't necessarily pinpoint what kind).
I am a novice when it comes to Vol de Nuit, but upon my first round of sampling it reminds me very much of Mitsouko if you replace the peach with vanilla. They share the spice, resins, and greenness.
I love that show Downton Abbey, and Vol de Nuit seems just like the kind of thing that Lady Mary would wear. For those who don't watch the show, she is a quintessential English Lady. She is very classy and holds firmly to tradition, but she is also quite attractive and stylish and will sometimes quietly break the rules and reveal her true self, rather than the facade she normally hides behind. While all the other English Ladies of the 30's may have stuck to their rose and lily perfumes, Lady Mary would pull off Vol de Nuit nicely.
Vol de Nuit is indeed classic in the sense that it is certainly French perfumerie at its best, however, I see it as being totally Boho Chic. Stepping outside the box a little bit, going out to a club; a little drinking, a little dancing....Great, whimsical perfume for loosening up and living a little. (May 2015)
Vol de Nuit--what a lovely, classic fragrance. Right off the bat, my skin smells of vanilla, soft woods, a surprisingly sweet orange, and delicate spice. As the liquid settles on my skin and melds with my chemistry, I really get the wonderful galbanum, more woods, spicy carnation, and some bright florals (though I can't necessarily pinpoint what kind).
I am a novice when it comes to Vol de Nuit, but upon my first round of sampling it reminds me very much of Mitsouko if you replace the peach with vanilla. They share the spice, resins, and greenness.
I love that show Downton Abbey, and Vol de Nuit seems just like the kind of thing that Lady Mary would wear. For those who don't watch the show, she is a quintessential English Lady. She is very classy and holds firmly to tradition, but she is also quite attractive and stylish and will sometimes quietly break the rules and reveal her true self, rather than the facade she normally hides behind. While all the other English Ladies of the 30's may have stuck to their rose and lily perfumes, Lady Mary would pull off Vol de Nuit nicely.
Vol de Nuit is indeed classic in the sense that it is certainly French perfumerie at its best, however, I see it as being totally Boho Chic. Stepping outside the box a little bit, going out to a club; a little drinking, a little dancing....Great, whimsical perfume for loosening up and living a little. (May 2015)
WINTER DELICE (AQUA ALLEGORIA)
What a beauty this perfume is! The evergreens (I smell more fir than pine) and sugar really pop. It reminds me of when a maple tree is tapped and this sweet water comes out, which you can drink, and which is later cooked down into maple syrup. This makes me want to go out and drink a bunch of that water, it tastes like sugar water.
So this does conjure winter in a way, because of the evergreens, but it's not a spicy and heavy oriental. It has an outdoor feeling of walking through fresh air and snowy woods rather than sitting indoors by a fire drinking mulled cider.
After wearing for a couple of hours, it becomes more resins and vanilla. I adore it every moment that it's on my skin. (Jan. 2014)
What a beauty this perfume is! The evergreens (I smell more fir than pine) and sugar really pop. It reminds me of when a maple tree is tapped and this sweet water comes out, which you can drink, and which is later cooked down into maple syrup. This makes me want to go out and drink a bunch of that water, it tastes like sugar water.
So this does conjure winter in a way, because of the evergreens, but it's not a spicy and heavy oriental. It has an outdoor feeling of walking through fresh air and snowy woods rather than sitting indoors by a fire drinking mulled cider.
After wearing for a couple of hours, it becomes more resins and vanilla. I adore it every moment that it's on my skin. (Jan. 2014)
