Van Cleef & Arpels
BOIS D'IRIS
I don't smell any iris, but there is plenty of vanilla and pencil shavings! Kind of amazes me. The wood here smells literally like pencil shavings with the little bit of lead on the edges. Reminds me of being a little girl in school, getting up from my desk to sharpen my pencil. While the perfume is not bad, it's not something I would want to wear. (May 2014)
I don't smell any iris, but there is plenty of vanilla and pencil shavings! Kind of amazes me. The wood here smells literally like pencil shavings with the little bit of lead on the edges. Reminds me of being a little girl in school, getting up from my desk to sharpen my pencil. While the perfume is not bad, it's not something I would want to wear. (May 2014)
FEERIE
I like this fruity perfume. For some reason this is something I would prefer to wear during the colder Holiday months. It smells like an interesting mix of fruity bubblegum, jelly beans, candied violets, and berry bushes found deep in the forest. I think the bottle is really pretty and matches the perfume--fun and sweet. (Nov 2014)
I like this fruity perfume. For some reason this is something I would prefer to wear during the colder Holiday months. It smells like an interesting mix of fruity bubblegum, jelly beans, candied violets, and berry bushes found deep in the forest. I think the bottle is really pretty and matches the perfume--fun and sweet. (Nov 2014)
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
This perfume is everything I hoped it would be--the perfect blend of vanilla, musk, and leather. I adore it, and I do not find leather easy to wear. Kind of like oud, I have to wear leather in "palatable" amounts. This definitely smells like the softest black leather gloves. The vanilla is tempting. The price for a bottle of this juice is ridiculous--you will not find a niche this good for this price, so nab a bottle while you can!! This is a classic, and with all the reformulations going on, they are bound to ruin this one soon enough.
(Edit: I guess they discontinued it rather than ruin it. That is double reason to buy now!) (Oct 2014)
This perfume is everything I hoped it would be--the perfect blend of vanilla, musk, and leather. I adore it, and I do not find leather easy to wear. Kind of like oud, I have to wear leather in "palatable" amounts. This definitely smells like the softest black leather gloves. The vanilla is tempting. The price for a bottle of this juice is ridiculous--you will not find a niche this good for this price, so nab a bottle while you can!! This is a classic, and with all the reformulations going on, they are bound to ruin this one soon enough.
(Edit: I guess they discontinued it rather than ruin it. That is double reason to buy now!) (Oct 2014)
ORCHIDEE VANILLE
A beautiful vanilla, no doubt. Not super gourmand despite the notes, as it contains a nice balance of florals and powder.
I could imagine this being an appropriate vanilla for any occasion, but I don't really think that others who smell it on me would be able to differentiate it from a host of other, much less expensive, vanilla perfumes.
Rather than creamy and dense, the vanilla itself is more of a fluffy marshmallow type of vanilla. I prefer my vanillas to be the non-foodie type, and this fits the bill (as I said, the other notes make it inedible on the whole). It smells consistently complex on my skin, with lovely chocolate, almond, a strong orange note, and musk; but it does stay very close to the skin.
Havana Vanille by L'Artisan is still my favorite vanilla to date. While I do think highly of Orchidee Vanille and think it's lovelier than any other vanilla I have sampled for some time, I'm not sure it's remarkable enough to purchase. (Mar 2014)
A beautiful vanilla, no doubt. Not super gourmand despite the notes, as it contains a nice balance of florals and powder.
I could imagine this being an appropriate vanilla for any occasion, but I don't really think that others who smell it on me would be able to differentiate it from a host of other, much less expensive, vanilla perfumes.
Rather than creamy and dense, the vanilla itself is more of a fluffy marshmallow type of vanilla. I prefer my vanillas to be the non-foodie type, and this fits the bill (as I said, the other notes make it inedible on the whole). It smells consistently complex on my skin, with lovely chocolate, almond, a strong orange note, and musk; but it does stay very close to the skin.
Havana Vanille by L'Artisan is still my favorite vanilla to date. While I do think highly of Orchidee Vanille and think it's lovelier than any other vanilla I have sampled for some time, I'm not sure it's remarkable enough to purchase. (Mar 2014)
PRECIOUS OUD
I used to own Black Orchid, and while I am a Tom Ford devotee, I had to get rid of it. I think it's practically a modern masterpiece, but something about it didn't jive quite right with me. The patch was too heavy. The tuber note made the scent interesting, but there was too much of it. THIS is Black Orchid redone in perfect balance, harmony, and perfection!
Precious Oud is so classy that it makes Black Orchid seem trashy in comparison. I never thought that of Black Orchid as trashy until I smelled this, as there was nothing to compare. Although this smells classy, I can't get the image of a high class call girl out of my head, the kind of woman you would never know is really an escort because she makes five times the money you make. Black Orchid seems like a common prostitute now.
There is something light and clean (and addictive) floating above all of the richer notes, and I can't figure out what it is. I also note abstract candied white florals and a smooth river of amber chocolateyness.
I was looking to purchase Orchidee Vanille, and while that was really pretty, this is immediately full bottle worthy. It's stunning--and very, very sexy. I seriously think that any woman wearing this will instantly become more beautiful to those within range of her scent. (May 2014)
I used to own Black Orchid, and while I am a Tom Ford devotee, I had to get rid of it. I think it's practically a modern masterpiece, but something about it didn't jive quite right with me. The patch was too heavy. The tuber note made the scent interesting, but there was too much of it. THIS is Black Orchid redone in perfect balance, harmony, and perfection!
Precious Oud is so classy that it makes Black Orchid seem trashy in comparison. I never thought that of Black Orchid as trashy until I smelled this, as there was nothing to compare. Although this smells classy, I can't get the image of a high class call girl out of my head, the kind of woman you would never know is really an escort because she makes five times the money you make. Black Orchid seems like a common prostitute now.
There is something light and clean (and addictive) floating above all of the richer notes, and I can't figure out what it is. I also note abstract candied white florals and a smooth river of amber chocolateyness.
I was looking to purchase Orchidee Vanille, and while that was really pretty, this is immediately full bottle worthy. It's stunning--and very, very sexy. I seriously think that any woman wearing this will instantly become more beautiful to those within range of her scent. (May 2014)
ROSE VELOURS
Rose Velours floats into "jammy rose" territory, see-sawing from fresh red rose to rose bon-bon. No spice at all, so I find it nothing like Fille de Berlin. It's a lovely rose, to be sure, but the accompanying violet note irks me. Powdery violet and me typically don't get along. This was surprisingly soapy at the onset. Sillage leaves much to be desired. Contrary to others, I enjoy the drydown the most. The benzoin adds to the yumminess, and the shy, powdery violets retreat to some hole in the forest floor, where they belong. Would I pay $100 for this? Probably. Would I pay $275? I am see-sawing. (Oct 2014)
Rose Velours floats into "jammy rose" territory, see-sawing from fresh red rose to rose bon-bon. No spice at all, so I find it nothing like Fille de Berlin. It's a lovely rose, to be sure, but the accompanying violet note irks me. Powdery violet and me typically don't get along. This was surprisingly soapy at the onset. Sillage leaves much to be desired. Contrary to others, I enjoy the drydown the most. The benzoin adds to the yumminess, and the shy, powdery violets retreat to some hole in the forest floor, where they belong. Would I pay $100 for this? Probably. Would I pay $275? I am see-sawing. (Oct 2014)