Magnolia de Verano by The Exotic Island Perfumer

I got the opportunity to try a sample of Magnolio de Verano, by The Exotic Island Perfumer, recently. This is a reworked version of the previously released 2012 scent. 

A fresh lemony sparkle opens this perfume beautifully. It's a gorgeous blend of Italian lemon, citron, and bergamot. 

The scent quickly settles into what must be a pretty magnolia. Yes, I live in Virginia and don't know exactly what magnolia smells like. Eventually this folds into a creaminess that I can't get enough of. According to the perfumer, Juan Perez, this is likely the jasmine he's included, alongside the magnolia running along this whole scent, and it's lovely. 

All of this beauty culminates in more creamy goodness: a beautiful sandalwood meets cedar meets Haitian Vetiver.

New to this version: according to Juan Perez, this time it's "more about the flower and less about the tree." The citrus top notes are now a better quality, the magnolia flower runs throughout the length of the scent, as previously mentioned, and the woods "are more relaxed." 

Magnolia de Verano wears thickly for several hours with a softly wafting creamy base lasting far longer. It's, for me, full bottle worthy. Yet another slam dunk for this underrated perfumer. Look for it on Etsy soon! (ExoticIslandAromas)

Radiant skin from Aftelier and Aroma M

Do you hate your skin? If so, scurry along. I'll wait. Bye.

Ok, now that the riff raff is gone, the rest of us can discuss keeping our skin its radiant best.

Enter: Aftelier and Aroma M.

But wait, Jen! Those are PERFUME companies. Have you gone mental?! 

I have, but that's irrelevant. And rude that you brought it up, frankly. 

Yes, those are perfume companies, but focus, people. I know what I'm talking about. I'm a professional. No, really: I am. I'm a professional makeup artist. 

And my main artist philosophy is "if you have terrible skin, your makeup will look awful."

You heard me. No makeup artist can fix bad skin on set. Only Photoshop can do that.

So...

Meet skincare oils. Yes: OILS.

Stop making me repeat myself. Geesh.

Your skin has oils anyway, so if you add the right oils into your routine, your skin will thank you by glowing in that way it hasn't since you were a child. 

Radiance, not shine. 

Oils were the original skincare. Put away the chemicals and get back to basics, ya'll. Here's how...

camellia

CLEANSING:

Aroma M, by the lovely Maria McElroy, has you covered, with the Cleansing Oil addition to her breathtaking Camellia Oil collection. It's rich in antioxidants and super nourishing, but rinses off and leaves just a hint of dewiness. 

Use this to whisk off makeup easily, as it deftly dissolves even stubborn pigments and nasty bacteria, so you don't have to obsess about all the yuck on there and you can believe your skin has always been as clean as the day you were born. It leaves your skin simply soft, impeccable, and looking radiant, like you've scrubbed it with angels wings. It also stays nice and hydrated for hours, soft as a baby's tushie.

Or once a week let it sink into the skin during a 3-4 minute massage (face/neck/décolletage). Thank me later. 

Ingredients:  beneficial fatty acids like Organic Camellia Seed Oil, Organic Rice Bran Oil, Organic Golden Jojoba Oil, Organic Vitamin E, Organic Essential Oils of Neroli, Yuzu, Rosemary and Frankincense. It smells heavenly.

Suitable for all skintypes. Really. Even you boys.

See also: Camellia Body/Bath Oil*; Camellia Perfume*; Camellia Hair Oil*; Camellia Face Oil* all available at Aroma M.

Geisha approved.

*This Blog Really Stinks owned and approved

jasmine

MOISTURIZING:

Aftelier, by goddess Mandy Aftel, creates skincare divinity: Organic Face Elixirs. Today's offering is her newest, Jasmine. 

Here's the thing. I love to hydrate with oils. Especially Mandy's. 

Organic Jasmine Face Elixir is SO good it's like inhaling the Garden of Eden and all of the goodness and sin that comes with it. Only, this time the gods and goddess approve, and so does your skin. And there's no snake or apple.

Wait. This is getting confusing.

Just put a few drops of this elixir (oil) on your fingertips and press it into your skin after cleansing, then let it soak in. You'll swear unicorns blessed you with their magic. You'll radiate glowy youth and vigor without a hint of oiliness. Scout's honor. 

And it smells slightly spicy and jamine-y (literary license says I can make up that word). If you put this on at night, you'll fall asleep to lovely dreams and awaken looking like a model*. I also wear it during the day, but you may not want to if you wear face makeup - it may be a tad too hydrating. 

Ingredients: jasmine sambac, harvested in India, in a base of organic oils - rice bran, sweet almond, apricot kernel, camellia, grapeseed, squalene, and rose hip seed. Some oily skins or combo skins in the oily areas may find this a bit too rich - so try a sample first. 

See also: Organic Honeysuckle Face Elixir**; Organic Rose Face Elixir; Ancient Resins Body and Hair Elixir**; Chocolate & Saffron Body and Hair Elixir; Patchouli Spice Body and Hair Elixir; Pear, Fir, and Coffee Body and Hair Elixir. 

All available at Aftelier. 

*This may not be a real thing. But your skin will be lovely, I promise. 

**This Blog Really Stinks owned and approved

Disclosure: samples provided by the perfumers/manufacturers, with thanks.

Dolcelisir Acqua di Profumo by L'Erbolario

Nice little cheapie I got to sample thanks to a friend.

It's like a Frapin (think liquor!) and one of those Spadero's, Doux Amour I think it was, had a baby. 

A boozy, gourmand, floral, pretty thing. Almost too sweet for me, but only almost.

It projects decently, not screaming out, but not holding too tightly, either. The longevity is like a marathoner - it goes and goes. The drydown, arguably the best part, lasts hours.

The orange note at the top: perfection.

The drydown is sexy/snuggly.

Worth the money if you have an olfactory sweet tooth.

Top notes include bergamot, orange, caramel and rum. Heart is composed of jasmine, rose, immortal, lily of the valley, cinnamon, sugar cane and cocoa powder. Base features patchouli, vanilla, benzoin, tonka, amber and musk.

Neela Vermeire's Mohur will blow you away! (perfume review)

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For those of you do not know about Neela Vermeire's perfumes, you're in for a treat. Neela is fragrance fan who, in 2012, launched her own house. She contracted none other than Bertrand Duchaufour (seems to be a smart trend among new houses!) to bring to life her idea: Discover Your India. Together, they urge you to sample from India's past through to its future, in the French perfume style. Sample the Vedic period in Trayee, experience the Mogul-British Raj through Mohur, and finally land in Modern India with Bombay Bling. All three scents have been well-received by perfumistas and Noses in the Know alike. Today, we're going to discuss Mohur!

One of the incredibly intelligent things the Neela Vermeire Creations line does (aside from having beautifully-made scents) is offer not only a sample collection, but also a "discovery set" which includes 10ml of each scent (only $118.55). Genius.

[via]

The name refers to the most valuable gold coin in India’s history, the last of which was minted in 1918. A way, perhaps, of underlining the value given to perfumery during the Mogul era, an art so highly considered that the most powerful empress of the Mughal dynasty, Noor Jahan, devoted herself to perfecting it. 

Though Mohur is built on the classic Eastern accord of rose and oud, with its powdery orris accords it also manages to conjure the opulence of classic French fragrances. It is also, despite the richness of its floral accords, a unisex scent, with leather effects alluding to high tea after a polo match in the British Raj, and perhaps a whiff of fine-milled English soap. 

But the real surprise in Mohur is the subtle “Indian pastry” accord tucked in the petals of its rose garden, with notes of carrot, almond, cardamom and ambrette, lending a tender touch to this majestic composition. If Patou had been Indian, this would have been Joy...   - Luckyscent

Mohur Notes

Cardamom, coriander, ambrette, carrot, black pepper, elemi, Turkish rose oil, jasmine, orris, hawthorn, almond milk accord, leather, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, oudh Palao from Laos, benzoin, vanilla, tonka bean

[via]

Here's a lovely bit on the inspiration of this scent, written by Victoria of Bois de Jasmin, and since I couldn't explain it better, I won't:

"Mohur takes its name from a gold coin minted during the Mogul era in Indian history. It is influenced by the story of the empress Nur Jahan, who not-so-secretly became the power behind the throne of her opium-addicted second husband.  After her husband’s death, Nur Jahan took up the art of perfumery while under what amounted to a house arrest.  Although the perfumes Nur Jahan created are lost to history, the story is not and it is this that Neela Vermeire has taken as inspiration."

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Mohur kicks off (most of the time) with a swirl of dry, rooty spice. Specifically, I get carrot and pepper and coriander and orris. It's invigorating. 

Shortly, and it doesn't take long, the spicy winds settle down and in that respite blooms a beautiful french perfume full of the sweetest, dewiest rose note I've smelled in awhile. That rose is layered over jasmine and - believe it or not - almond milk. This creates the occasional impression of one of my favorite desserts of all time, carrot halwa or "Gajar ka halwa", a cardamom + carrot + almond + milk mixture that I can never say "no" to. 

Periodically, the winds kick back up and Mohur's roses become a garden with the whole rose bush - roots and all. 

Slowly, as the rose blows in and out, the grassiness and spices are gone and a base of oud (oh-so-softly) and vanilla-tinged leather is built underneath my feet. Rose petals settle slowly onto the ground, fluttering gently as the fall.

Mohur doesn't sit still often. The roses are ever present, but their dance partners change like the wind. I get different Mohurs depending on the day and on the way I apply (dab vs. spray). This does not at all discourage me from wearing it. Quite the opposite, in fact. It makes me drawn to Mohur to see which personality the winds will bring me today!

This is one of the few scents that I constantly wish to respray while I wear it, but I don't! I want to follow it through and see it to the end. But I don't! I want those rosy heart notes to start swirling around me. But I don't! I want this blissful and gorgeous, base to go on and on and on. But I don't! Let's relive that first few spicy moments by spritzing it again. Oh dear, I want it all, all the time.

[via]

Let me call your attention back to the Luckyscent description of Mohur:

"If Patou had been Indian,
this would have been Joy."

I think not only is this quotation right on the nose, but it's also very descriptive and apt of this whole line. Neela Vermeire Creations, through the eyes and noses of Neela and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, is the perfect marriage of classic French perfumery and traditional Indian perfumery. This, I think, would make Noor Jahan very, very happy.

Tell me: Now that I've talked about all three of NVC's perfumes,
which one is YOUR India?
Or which one intrigues you the most, if you haven't tried them yet?

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Buy Mohur and the other 

Neela Vermeire Creations through

 the NVC website, Luckyscent, 

and through the retailers listed here.

Wow. That bottle... 

BTW, wouldn't you love to wear this amazing bindi?

[via]

Neela Vermeire's Trayee - A whirling dervish of beauty. (perfume review)

Irreverently edited picture of  Sadhu source

For those of you do not know about Neela Vermeire's perfumes, you're in for a treat. Neela is fragrance fan who, in 2012, launched her own house. She contracted none other than Bertrand Duchaufour (seems to be a smart trend among new houses!) to bring to life her idea: Discover Your India. Together, they urge you to sample from India's past through to its future, in the French perfume style. Sample the Vedic period in Trayee, experience the Mogul-British Raj through Mohur, and finally land in Modern India with Bombay Bling. All three scents have been well-received by perfumistas and Noses in the Know alike. Today, we're going to discuss Trayee!

One of the incredibly intelligent things the Neela Vermeire Creations line does (aside from having beautifully-made scents) is offer not only a sample collection, but also a "discovery set" which includes 10ml of each scent (only $118.55). Genius.

[via]

Trayee

The name (pronounced “try-ee”) means “triad”, an allusion to the sacred origin of the first three Vedas, the most ancient sacred texts in India. The notes are drawn from the ingredients used in religious rituals and ayurvedic medicine during the Vedic era. Rich in incense, myrrh and oud, the fragrance is a poignant blend of smoke, spices and resins that harks back to the very origins of perfumery – a burnt offering to the gods and an aid to meditation.
Bertrand Duchaufour has always excelled at bringing transparency to dark resinous notes, and he surpasses himself in the smoky blend: Trayee is amazingly faceted, with green (basil, cardamom, cassis), floral (jasmine), spicy (ginger, cinnamon, clove), leather (saffron, oud), smoky (vetiver, sandalwood) and balsamic (myrrh, vanilla) effects, dominated by the quintessentially Indian fragrances of sandalwood and jasmine. The perfumer has even added an arrestingly realistic ganja accord, a memory of the sadus he ran across during his trips in India.
Trayee’s smoky tendrils may not have consciousness-altering effects, but we suspect that the gorgeous natural materials in the formula might be aromatherapeutic. Beauty heals.  - Luckscent

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Trayee Notes
Blue ginger, elemi, cinnamon, ganja accord, blackcurrant absolute, basil, jasmine sambac, Egyptian jasmine, cardamom absolute, clove, saffron, Javanese and Haitian vetiver, incense, Mysore sandalwood oil, patchouli, myrrh, vanilla, cedar, amber notes, oud palao from Laos, oak moss.

Special Note: Trayee was nominated for the prestigious Fifi Award! 

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Trayee opens with a strong elemi scent to me. It's a lemon-piney resinous scent that is bright and sparkly - imagine lemongrass furniture polish, but pretty. Elemi is related to frankincense and myrrh. It's not a scent I am used to, and so perhaps that's why it stands out so much, maybe your results are different. The scent of elemi is considered to be balancing, and I think I find that to be true with the opening of Trayee. It's very calming.

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Slowly, the blackcurrant (cassis) peeks out, alongside some green cardamom. And there's a dash of spice and a basil leaf or two. Where did those come from? Maybe my nose simply adjusted to the elemi and they've been there all along?

Like blinking through smoke, or perhaps waking from a dream, one slowly becomes aware of soft, lush floral jasmine, but it's so hard to focus! Is it really there?

If you sniff closely, you get one thing, if you pull back and pay attention to the scent you'll notice that things are different. The heavier aspects (woods, resins, spices, fruits) seem to be weighted to the skin, while the smokier facets lift off and swirl around the wearer. It is here that you'll pick up not only the incense but, if you're lucky, that "ganja accord" which does flash in and out from time to time - and it's spectacular.

The sweetness of vetiver, vanilla, cedar, and oud now push forward a bit, grabbing the scent and pulling it down into a sweeter darkness, which eventually fleshes out and becomes a woody but sweet serenity, laced with smoke. This is definitely a scent that inspires relaxation and comfort. I haven't yet meditated while wearing it, but I suspect it would be perfect.

Trayee twists in the air, like the smoke she's based on (clearly she's a "she" as she's so beautifully volatile - though please men, try her! She's made for men and women!). She's mysterious, like her sibling Mohur, and rather like a multi-faceted gemstone shows various flashes of light, darkness, and color depending on how you hold her. Each time you pick these two scents up and wear them, you will surely get a different experience. Trayee is sometimes spicier on me. Every now an again she's all about the jasmine. Some days she wants to be a bit oud-ier, going nearly straight from the elemi into the oud with hardly a backwards glance at her own heart. Other times she is truly a full-fledged journey through all of these notes. Just like finding my center and staying focused while meditating, Trayee is hard to pin down to just one thing.

I'll be honest with you: all three of the scents in the Neela Vermeire Creations line were challenging to get to know. This one was my first favorite, and yet it was still quite tricky for me. In the end, like many things challenging, this challenge ultimately makes these scents all the more special. If you, like me, find these hard to understand, please persevere! I promise you, in the end you will fall in love with them.

Buy Trayee and the other 

Neela Vermeire Creations through

 the NVC website, Luckyscent, 

and through the retailers listed here.

Did you see that bottle?! 

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samples were a gift

Nectars des Îles: a fabulous trip to the islands!

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I've gotta tell you: I'm ready for some downtime.

Doesn't that beach look amazing?! And the hammocks. I could sure as hell use some time in those!

The weather has turned here - in fact, we never got much "Winter" here anyway. But more than warm air and sand and surf, I'm craving quiet. Peaceful, blissful silence. If the loudest thing I could hear was the crashing of waves, I'd be quite pleased.

My fibromyalgia has been interfering with my sleep majorly, and I'm painful all of the time. And with two kids, I don't get a lot of quiet.

What's a girl to do? Well, apparently selling your kids for plane tickets is illegal, so I just spray a lovely tropical perfume. Copiously.

My drug of choice is Nectars des Îles from Envoyage Perfumes.

The eagle has nothing to do with the scent - I just photographed the bottle on a book. 

Nectars des Îles was created by Juan Perez, who is a friend of mine, in collaboration with Shelley Waddington of En Voyage Perfumes. Juan makes decadent soaps and candles in Puerto Rico; you can check them out at Exotic Island Products. Shelley makes gorgeous perfumes in Carmel-by-the-Sea (California) which is not only her home but her inspiration as well. You can check her scents out at En Voyage Perfumes.

Juan's creation, Nectars des Îles, was released through En Voyage Perfumes along with Shelley's creation, Vents Ardents. They are both stand-alone scents but were designed to also work well layered (worn at the same time)! Both were well-received in Perfume Land last year. 

Today, I'm talking about Nectars des Îles only, though. Not because Vents Ardents isn't good (it is!) but because the one that really "takes me there" is Nectars des Îles. I'll happily discuss Vent Ardents in another post.

Nectars des Îles originates from the Caribbean and is homage to the delicious nectars and sultry flowers of the islands. It recreates a bouquet of lush island flowers with bold creamy gardenia and tiare petals at the center of the bouquet, accented with multi colored frangipani flowers.

I don't really have to say anything after you read that little blurb above, do I? This perfume is gorgeous. Gardenia. Tiare. Frangipani. Gorgeous tropical flowers, perfectly blended into a sensual perfume that's a delight to apply - and reapply.

But that's not the whole story, that blurb up there. The scent opens bright and tinged with green. It speaks of beauty and pulses with life. No, really. As soon as you catch the first whiff, you know this perfume is vital, beautiful, and very, very well-made.

Soon, the tropical flowers swirl around you. In addition to the florals named above (tiare, gardenia, frangipani), jasmine and ylang ylang are present. I'm delighted to report that all of these divas are so beautifully placed that they do not overwhelm the wearer. Wearing Nectars des Îles I feel like a lei of gorgeous white flowers has been draped around my neck - but this is the most lovely (and most likely expensive) lei ever made. There is not a moment that can be considered cloying or indolic. Nothing smells "too-too". These are tropical flowers presented in their most perfect state.

Eventually, Nectars des Îles softens thanks to some delicious sandalwood, soft and warm, and vanilla, soft and sweet.

Honestly, the scent is fairly linear. There are brighter, juicier parts at the top and a warming and softening at the base, but throughout the development are those luscious flowers. There is also something just the slightest bit spicy from top through to the bottom. I suppose it must be one of the flowers, but whatever it is it adds the most perfect nuance that just elevates this scent from "great" to "really, really special".

[via]

Top: Wild Oranges, Mandarin, Green Citron, Osmanthus Nectar.

Heart: Fresh Gardenia and Tiare petal accord, Absolutes of two frangipani species, Ylang Ylang and Jasmine auriculatum.

Base: Sandalwood Absolute from Vanuatu, Tahitian Vanilla, Amber and Fine White Musks.

I am delighted to whisper this little secret in your ear: Juan Perez is working on some more perfumes! I can't wait to smell them. And at some point I'll be reviewing some of his soaps for a group blogging project. Stay tuned!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go spray some more vacation on myself and pretend that there's not a sink full of dirty dishes calling my name...

Central Park West by Bond No. 9 - Green. Grass green.

Central Park West. 
Home of the first car-inflicted killing in the US in 1899*.
Home of "Spook Central" and headquarters for The Ghost Busters.
Home of The Dakota, Yoko and John's home and the scene of his tragic murder - and where she still lives.
Home of The Majestic, which in turn was home of the heads of Genevese crime family (that's "mafia" to you).
Home of Julliard.
Home of the Hayden Planetarium
Home of the New York Historical Society.
Home of the American Museum of Natural History.
Home of the High School of the Performing Arts (FAME! I'm gonna live forever!)
Home of Tavern on the Green (which is literally in the park).
Home of Regis and Kelly.
Home of the home of Jerry Seinfeld. Of Bono. Of Steve Martin. Of Diane Keaton. Of Diana Ross. Of Bruce Willis. Of Demi or Ashton - not sure who got that one. Of Madonna. Of DeNiro. Of The Donald. Of Blue Ivy and her parents. Of anyone who is anyone.
Inspiration for one of Bond's newest scents.**

*It was a taxi that got him. NY taxis drivers aren't markedly improved since...

**It's coming out on March 15th.

For the longest time, my favorite color was kelly green. Probably because I'm Irish. Kind of Irish. I mean, in my heart I'm 100% Irish (you can tell by my brogue) but genetics points out some other picky little branches on my family tree that may take that percentage down a bit. A lot of a bit. But whatever. I'm Irish. I like kelly green.

As you can see, bright green takes a big part in the (super cute!***) packaging of Bond No. 9's Central Park West. So does houndstooth, which is meant to represent the upscale and classic vibe of the Central Park West area. FYI, the purple is there because it's "modern".

***
OK. I admit it...
I like this ginormous purple houndstooth + acid green + eye-searing pink combo.
But this bottle comes with a huge pink flower (cute) that can be removed
 and used as a pink-beaded bracelet or brooch or some such thing (not cute).
 Kind of like the bracelet/flower that was on Madison Square Park.
I thought the idea of wearing that was ugly, too.
I know these perfumes are pricey, but
they don't need to double as jewelry.
Leave the bloom on the bottle,
I beg of you.

Anyway, back to the green. If you don't care for "green" perfumes, you may want to take a little walk and come back for the next review. This perfume is Green. Like the park. Like the grass in the park. 

Grass. As in the grass you walk across on your way to the Sheep Meadow (also on the west side of the park). Also perhaps as in the "grass" that might be getting smoked by folks chillin' in the park? Ahem. Let's hold on to that one for a minute, mkay?

Here's what Bond No. 9 has to say about the scent:

Narcissus. AKA "daffodil". [via]

Top Notes: Narcissus - the flower that signals spring; Ylang Ylang with a hint of sultry tang; Black Pepper that pops.

Heart Notes: Velvety white Gardenia—an Old School beauty, as classic as the park across the street; Jasmine—Gardenia’s slightly insolent yet trusted sidekick; Citrus-like Linden—a Central Park native so plucky it jumped the fence to be part of Gardenia’s crew; Orris—the third member of Gardenia’s entourage, adding a honeyed note, like vibrant violet.  

Base Notes: Calming Vetiver, to sooth your senses after that heady gardenia bouquet; Musk—because every great scent needs a hint of street-wise funk; White Oak—Musk’s zesty-clean alter ego—and another crossover from Central Park; Treemoss—as seductive as the thicket of trees surrounding Belvedere Castle at night.

PS: Fans of Laurent Le Guernec please note, his was the nose who created this scent. 

When I spritz on Central Park West, I smell the narcissus and pepper. It's an immediate statement. It's Spring! Time to wake up! After a bit, I get a little ylang ylang, but to be honest I don't know that I'd be able to pick that out without a) the notes list and b) the fact that elsewhere on my person I am wearing an ylang-prominent blend created by a friend of mine. Certainly there is a distinct floralcy. You know this one is going to be about Green and about Flowers.

John and Yoko
in front of The Dakota.
[via]

After a bit, the initial burn of Central Park West settles a bit. Did I mention the burn? I think it's the pepper and the intense narcissus. Anyway, after that dies down, I can perceive a bouquet of fresh Spring flowers. If this were any other New York neighborhood, I'd assume said bouquet was from a little corner grocery. But they don't have those in this neighborhood - at least, not right on The Park. Instead, I imagine this bouquet is not a bouquet at all. I imagine it is really a huge, fresh flower arrangement sitting on a gigantic mahogany sideboard in the grand foyer of one of the neighborhood's co-ops. (This is one of my favorite places to walk in NY, and I'm certain I am not alone. You must take a stroll along at least part of it if you visit the city!).

I smell gardenia (soft, not sharp, but definitely there). I smell jasmine (slightly indolic, but not so much as to scare the indole-phobes). Linden gives a sharp and bright edge, orris cools things down. The heart of this scent persists for hours. It's fairly steady in that stage. Unwavering. Like those big huge buildings? Like the huge, old trees in The Park? I dunno. That's totally reaching. I should write PR copy.

The scent, on me at least, basically just fades away. It gets softer and more diffuse and then it's gone. I can't pick out too much from the list of base notes, to be honest, besides the vetiver. 

[via]

Anyway, back to the grass. I swear I smell a little marijuana accord going on. An olfactory illusion - on purpose? In my own nose and mind? It's perhaps the result of this scent + my own particular skin chemistry. I wore some at work and asked a few people - no one else picked it up. But whenever I smell the opening 15 minutes of this scent, it's there. Fresh, sweet, green grass - both kinds. 

Is it just me? If anyone else picks this up when they get their hands on Central Park West, let me know! I'm not usually prone to imagining pot in my perfumes, so I'm really curious here. 

Confession time: I do enjoy quite a few of Bond's scents - but not all of them. And I have a rocky history with some of their "greens". And this from someone who really likes green perfumes a lot! This Bond green scent, however, I really do enjoy. 

I may have to hunt down some. And the Body Silk. If you haven't tried Bond's scents in luscious cream form, you're missing out. They're seriously as intense as the perfumes! And I think I would absolutely love this in candle form, Springing up the house!

So... who wants a little grass this Spring?

On barns, horses, hay, and rabbits: IV L’Heure Fougueuse (Cartier)

Today, my strangest perfume. One that I have attempted to "review" for ages, with little success. Much of that is due to the incredible reviews already shared in the fumosphere. The rest lies in my indecision about this scent.

In 2010, Cartier released IV L’Heure Fougueuse, part of their Les Heures de Parfum series. This scent, whose nose is the very talented Mathilde Laurent, is meant to represent "The Ardent Hour" or "The Impetuous Hour".

Notes: Magnolia, Bergamot, Horse Mane note, Vetiver, Yerba Mate, Musk notes, Lavender, Coumarin. Oakmoss.








There are many stories about a girl and her horse. This is an olfactory tale about the same. It opens with the strong impression of dried tea which eventually folds onto itself and turns to fresh, green hay. And then the most incredible thing happens, but blink and you might miss it! From afar, L’Heure Fougueuse still smells of hay and barns and fields, but if you nuzzle your skin the way a horse nuzzles for a carrot treat, you'll get the distinct impression of horse. It's a musky equine scent that rides close to your skin - almost leathery, certainly animalic, but soft as the hair on a horse's nose. This facet, called "horse mane accord" by the perfumer, is subtle and fleeting (at least on me), but so incredibly integral to the scent that it seems to take over most descriptions of this perfume.

Moments later, the scent unfolds again and becomes a story of Summer days. It's Magnolia, light wafts of jasmine, breaths of hay... It's green and it's golden and it's light and it's expansive. It's clouds blowing gently over a field.

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L’Heure Fougueuse is a scent that's designed to connect with your subconscious. I'm convinced of it. I haven't met anyone who has tried it and has not come away with memories of some kind...

For me, those memories are of trail rides with friends, sneaking grass and carrots to horses through the bars of fences, and of stuffing rabbit cages with fresh hay and alfalfa. I smell farms and barns. I smell my beloved bunnies, now long gone over the Rainbow Bridge.

Unfortunately, I also smell a lot of mate (that tea-like note), which gives me a headache and makes me a bit woozy. Hence my love-hate relationship with the scent. I've worked off of a sample vial for ages, as on me a little goes a long way. I may spring for a small decant at some point, but have no need to budget the $250 for a bottle, since I can only wear this on rare occasions. But I wish I could wear it daily. It's quite beautiful, aside from the mate. And who can't appreciate an arrow shot straight to their childhood?

Other beautiful reviews of L’Heure Fougueuse:

• Suzanne at Eiderdown Press
• Denyse of Grain de Musc
• Victoria of Bois des Jasmin
• Krista at Scent of the Day
• Birgit at Olfactoria's Travels
• Patty at Perfume Posse

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Elie Saab Le Parfum (A perfume review)

Do you remember that dress? I think it's one of my favorite red carpet gowns to-date. Halle Berry is so fabulously gorgeous and so perfectly suited to the brilliant femininity of Elie Saab's gowns. 

I've long been a admirerer of Saab's, so when I heard a perfume was going to carry his name, I was interested. When I heard that it was designed by perfumer Francis Kurkdijian* well, it became a must-try. 

Here's the spiel:
“Composed as an ode to light, ELIE SAAB Le Parfum celebrates the splendor and the brilliance of radiant femininity with a floral solar woody theme. The permanent exchange between flowers and wood is what gives the fragrance such captivating resonance.”

And here are the notes:
Orange blossom, jasmine (Grandiflorum and Sambac), rose honey, cedar, patchouli.

And here are my thoughts:
I think I like it. I can see the relationship between this scent and light, and I can see how it suits the Elie Saab esthetic. It's bright, it's feminine, it's pretty. In fact, it's womanly. Just like Saab's gowns. It brings out some lovely floral facets that really say "woman" but grounds them in the modern fashion with some fairly strong woods.

It's not terribly ground-breaking - I'm sure plenty of smarter and more experienced perfumistas can line up a list of scents this one references. I don't know that creating Le Parfum stretched any of Kurdijian's olfactory or brain muscles. Then again, I'm not sure the brief asked for that. However, it seems to be a solidly-made perfume that will likely find a lot of fans.

I enjoy the initial blast (and it is a blast!) of orange blossom. There are other white florals in there, too, I believe. Definitely jasmine. Quite a bit of jasmine! And I suspect there's some gardenia maybe some tuberose. This is one of those "don't spray it right before you walk into the office" scents. You'll be the cause of a new no-scent policy, for sure.

Give it a little while -10 minutes or so?- and the orange blossom and jasmine party starts to die down a bit. The scent is still floral, but more at a more socially acceptable volume. That "rose honey" accord kicks in giving this a warmer, more friendly feel while still retaining maximum femininity. That said, I don't see why a man couldn't carry this off. 


Throughout, sillage is present - maybe even overtly so. Le Parfum wears well, too, still wafting five or six hours after application - at least on my skin.

Some people report a strong patchouli taking over at this point, and I 100% smell the patch, but for me the one being pushy is the cedar. He's not my favorite, and this is the note that caused me to waffle for quite a long time on my review of Le Parfum. In warmer weather, the cedar pushes this perfume into a shrill place that I don't enjoy. In cooler air, it is less sharp and pointy.


It's this feminine floral vs. woody counterpoint that I just can't quite decide on. I enjoy tension in my perfumes - linear and straightforward is too easy. But I can't help but wonder if this technique has been overplayed here. I find the first half of Le Parfum's development so overtly feminine and round that it's almost difficult for me to swallow the edges of the drydown.

In the end, I'm still not sure how I feel about Elie Saab Le Parfum. I think I like it. That clearly means I don't love it. If I did, I'd be clamoring for a bottle, and I'm decidedly not doing that. I will wear my samples, though, and maybe even fork over for a decant.


*Here are just a few of Kurkdijian's best-selling and/or highly thought-of works: Green Tea (Elizabeth Arden); Le Male (Gaultier); Lady Vengeance, Miss Charming (both by Juliette Has a Gun); Narciso Rodriguez for her, Narcisco Rodriguez for Him; and his own well-received line.
Have you tried Le Parfum? Do you like it? Love it? How do you feel about cedar? Would you wear an Elie Saab gown?