Have any of my readers tried Illamasqua's first scent - Freak?

I just love Illamasqua. The esthetic, the ethics, the clever and well-done products. And when I heard they're launching a fragrance... Well, I can't wait to try it.

Have you? If so, what do you think? If not, are you curious?

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?

Soothing frazzled nerves and getting your sexy on with Escentual Alchemy's Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume.

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There are times where I, as a PWF (Person With Fibromyalgia), need some calming and soothing. I always joke that I need a drink, but alcohol actually causes more trouble than it's worth: it messes with my sleep and dehydrates me. Neither of those things is helpful to me - or most anyone. Not that I'm saying having a few drinks is bad - far from it. But when I'm feeling out-of-sorts or ill, it's not the healthy choice. 

What is?

I am surrounded by some lovely friends who are fierce advocates for aromatherapy. I know little about this amazing art, but I'm trying to be open to learning. It's not that I don't believe in it, rather that the fibro makes my memory so shaky that I can't remember which plants have which properties, which scents soothe which concerns. Recently I was hurting from a thrown-out back. Jasmine and rose were the primary suggestions my fabulous friends made, as apparently those scents are good for easing pain. I am kicking myself for not immediately remembering that I had the perfect thing handy...

Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume Pot

Indian Jasmine Grandiflorum, is a heavy floral scent, with fruity and floral tones. Turkish Rose, has a soft floral scent, with fruity, floral tones. Jasmine and Rose are the ultimate aphrodisiac, exotic and sensual, floral, sweet. The King and Queen of Flowers blended together into one luxurious solid perfume!

One of those friends I mentioned had actually scent me this lovely pot of healing smells awhile back. She made it herself. Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume, by Escentual Alchemy perfumer Amanda Feeley, is a straightforward blend of Indian Jasmine Grandiflorum and Turkish Rose (in a base of filtered beeswax, jojoba oil, and fractionated coconut oil).

Jasmine is thought to help promote sleep and rest. In what seems like a paradox, it also can ease depression, improve moods, give spirits "a lift", and add a little hubba hubba to your life (it's an aphrodisiac). Rose is known to be relaxing and soothing (remember how I sprayed that lovely rose hydrosol by En Voyage on my sheets and pillow?). It, too, relieves depression as well as helping to minimize stress and tension. Topically, it is apparently quite nice for soothing aching muscles*.

*It seems there are myriad ways to use these oils. I'm just scratching the surface, here!

So while I didn't have the right oils to apply topically to my aching back, I wonder if huffing this lovely solid perfume would have helped? My guess is yes, as today it seems to have calmed me (necessary with two kids with a fever-y headcold on top of their chickenpox) and somewhat soothed my pounding headache (from my own cold). Or maybe calming my spirit is what helped beat back the headache? Who cares which came first - it worked for me!

And here's some even better news: it smells amazing. At first, there's a blast of rose, but then it becomes and amazing blend of both flowers - soft, soothing, pretty. It's also kinda sexy, ya'll, so watch out! ;)

And even better? It's $15 for a pot. 

What are your thoughts on aromatherapy? What ways do you use it? Are there calming perfumes you reach for regularly? Envigorating scents? What are your thoughts on solid perfumes? 

Disclosure: a sample of this perfume was provided for consideration by the perfumer.
Please read my About Page for more information on my review policies.

Sniff sniff!

I thought you might enjoy this illustration from Love Roccoco! It's named "Eau d`♥".
Isn't Vanessa talented?   :)

L’Emblem Rouge eau de parfum and L'eau de Emblem Rouge floral water (perfume reviews)

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I have gone on record saying I do not care to smell like a rose.

And then, in the same post, I immediately proved myself wrong. Multiple times.

Why is it, then, that I'm always concerned when I'm handed a rose-based fragrance? Why do I often ignore the rose scents I own?

Perhaps I need to talk to a psychologist about these things.

Needless to say, I danced nervously around my samples of Shelley Waddington's newest scents for her line, En Voyage Perfumes.

Why?

I'm an idiot and a slow-learner, I suppose. Also, I was a little confused by the fact that one of the samples I was sent was "a hydrosol". I had no clue what that meant and what I one was supposed to do with a hydrosol. I clutched under the pressure. Regardless, it was eventually time to (wo)Man Up.

Diving in...

Spice of Life rose

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L'Emblem Rouge edp

This perfume is the first in En Voyage's new Rubicon Collection of 100% natural scents. Reading that, if you expect this to be a limpid and wan creature you are going to be disappointed.

L'Emblem Rouge starts right out of the gate with a kick. The opening slightly-dark swirl of fruits and spices is really lovely. Like an Autumn squall, the early burst is relatively shortlived, though. The fire is soothed by the gorgeous floral blend in the center, most of which is ylang-ylang and rose on my skin (likely, these are the only notes I'm savvy enough to pick out). The drydown is a lovely, honeyed sandalwood and vanilla. I wish this scent would last all day, strong, but it doesn't. It's just not that kind of perfume. However, you can smell the drydown hours later - very close and soft. It's really quite a treat.

If you enjoy a spicy facet to your Fall perfumes, this is one to consider trying.

The official notes list:
Top Notes:  Cassie, Mace, Cinnamon, Bitter Orange, Juicy Grapefruit, Green Pepper, Iranian galbanum, Violet, and Cistus 
Heart Notes:   Iranian Rose Otto, Ylang-Ylang, Heliotrope,  French Jasmine sambac, Violet, and Honey
Base Notes:  Guaiacwood, Sandalwood, Copaiba, Vetiver, Cedarwood Virginia, Tolu Balsam, Benzoin Siam,   Tonka, Vanilla and Ambergris. 

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L'eau de Emblem Rouge 

First things first: I had to suss out what a hydrosol is. Basically, L'eau de Emblem Rouge is a perfumed water created by Master Distiller Dabney Rose. It was created by distilling the perfume with additional rose petals. It can be used to freshen your perfume (!), which comes in handy. It can also be used to enhance moisturizers with a spritz on the skin before applying your cream. Spritz it as a lovely, light-scented cool-off spray and you won't be sorry. Or, spray it on your linens, lingerie, or hair for a soft, fresh boost.  


I was a little reticent to apply this to my face, mostly because my skin is irritated right now, and a little because I don't like a strong smell on my face - especially rose. I found that out ages ago when testing a rose-based skincare line. I did use it before body moisturizer and loved it - it also accented the rose-based scent I put on afterwards. Score!

I then tried this as a linen spray - directly on my bed and pillow. I'm in love with it. I was totally surprised, too, to find that my room smelled deliciously of lightly-spiced rose hours later. Impressive. But, it wasn't too strong on my pillow! Meaning, I could smell it and it was delightful, but it wasn't over-powering or distracting. Double-score! How did Dabney Rose and Shelley Waddington do it?

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Speaking of Shelley, today is her birthday! Happiest of days to you, my dear. I wish you many blessings and I can't wait to try more of your line. You've hooked me!

xoxo,
jen

Gettin' your fashion on with Pantone 18-3027, also known as Purple Orchid (a perfume review - Escentual Alchemy)

image: my own

Last Autumn, 13.87% of designers used this lovely pinked-purple in their designs during Fall Fashion Week in NY. ^source  Don't look at me like that! I don't keep track - but clearly someone does. Pantone has been tracking color trends for a long time (since 1963), and predicting them, too. They picked #18-3027 as one of The Colors for Fall '10.

So did Amanda Feeley, natural perfumer and owner of Escentual Alchemy. While considering the Pantone shades of Fall (fashion navel gazing?) she wondered what this perfect shade of purple would smell like.

What's a natural perfumer to do when musings like that take over? Clearly, "make a perfume!" is the answer. And so she did, and named it the same as the inspiration: Purple Orchid (it trips off the tongue more smoothly than 18-3027, after all).

Now, I didn't have a chance to try this perfume until this year, Fall '11. I'm one year behind, as are my fashion choices. Don't worry, though. Unlike last season's handbag (please be sure to read that with a air of disdain, as typed), this scent won't embarrass you.

Purple Orchid smelled, when first applied, familiar. I couldn't quite place the scent, but I wanted to describe it as an upscale lollipop. I'm not sure why, though. I mean it as no insult - it's a beautiful scent! The first notes, though, at least on my skin, were sweet and nuanced and almost candied.

I fully expected this scent to evaporate off of my skin quickly, but a few hours later it's still lightly wafting. Wait? I forgot to tell you what it smells like once you lick to the middle of the lollipop, didn't I? Lovely waves of lavender and rose, that's what. Still sweet but not candy-ish. It's still got levels of interest that belie the meager list of notes: rose, lavender, white cognac. I'm still not sure what cognac smells like, but there are soft woods hiding in the drydown behind the delicate floral veil.

I love it.

Now to see about updating that handbag...

Amanda sells her perfumes on Artfire under the name "Absinthe Dragonfly".

A sample of this fragrance was provided for consideration for review. 

Please read my About Page for more about my reviewing policies.

Cool Weather Cashmere! Donna Karan Black Cashmere & Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude (Perfume Reviews)

I love it when the weather changes in the Fall, and I know I'm not the only one. Today is a perfect example: the air is crisp, the leaves have just started to change the slightest little bit, and I can smell - somewhere far off - someone's fireplace burning. 

It's time to pull out my favorite jeans, lightweight sweaters, comfy long-sleeved tops and, of course, my boots. 

It's time to switch to my Autumn scents!

This time last year launched my little perfumista lifestyle. In fact, it did it with one of the scents I'm "reviewing" today! Yup - the lynchpin scent. The one that I followed down the rabbit hole. 

Designer Donna Karan created a scent that debuted in 1994: Cashmere Mist. She was inspired by the feel of cashmere against the skin --- who isn't? The notes for the scent are: lily of the valley, suede notes, bergamot, ylang ylang, jasmine Maroc, sandalwood, orris, amber, vanilla, cedarwood, patchouli, and musk. I can see the cashmere reference just from the note list! The suede, the soft but feminine flowers, the vanilla, sandalwood and musk... all are soft and cozy. 

I haven't smelled it. 

Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude

For whatever reason, Cashmere Mist's flanker, Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude, caught my eye last year.  Or caught my nose. Is that weird to say? Certainly it's more accurate. 

Anyway, I am probably responsible for emptying at least one tester at the local Nordstrom last Fall. I'd spray it (multiple times) every time I worked a freelance gig there. It was different from most of the scents I had tried, which weren't so soft and musky. I was obsessed. 

Money was tight so I just couldn't justify springing for my own bottle when I was supposed to be saving for Christmas gifts! But it went on my own request list and -Wahoo!- Santa came through. Well, actually my husband came through. Thanks, honey!

I had Googled Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude (CMLN) a ton during the Fall, as only the obsessed can do. Maybe I was trying to figure out why it had such a hold on me? I'm not sure. Regardless, through my search I ended up finding all of the perfume blogs, the 'fumey communities, and all my new perfumista friends. 

CMLN is obviously a flanker to the original. The notes included cyclamen, lily of the valley, orange blossom, Moroccan jasmine, jasmine sambac, ylang ylang, sandalwood, cistus labdanum, suede, amber, musk, benzoin, and tonka bean. 

Not being familiar with the original, I can't really speak to the difference between the two scents, but from what I've read CMLN is softer, closer to the skin. 

Indeed, it is what I'd consider a skin scent. It wears close, softly hugging the skin. I can understand the link to cashmere, indeed. The soft florals gently fade into an amber musk, and the scent lasts a good number of hours. I get a small amount of sillage (scent trail) from CMLN - enough to make me smile when I catch it. Copious spraying can build the scent to a degree, but it always stays light, subtle, and feminine. 

It is probably not a terribly unique scent. I imagine more savvy perfumistas can name other scents like it, but I don't care. I really enjoy it, mostly in Fall. By the time Spring rolled around, I was not really enjoying it anymore. And there was my first lesson in "seasonal scents". I had never given much though to the fact that some perfumes worked better in warm weather, others in cool. I grabbed my bottle of CMLN a few days ago and gave it a tentative spritz. I was certain I had just fallen out of love with it, but no - it really, really works in the cool air. I'm glad I have it!

Black Cashmere

During my plummet down the rabbit hole, I kept investigating lists of "must-try" fragrances. Most of them were seasonally-oriented, and it was late Fall-early Winter. Naturally, Donna Karan's Black Cashmere came up on a lot of lists.

Apparently, Donna Karan wanted to create with this perfume the feeling of luxurious, sexy black cashmere. The scent has notes of saffron, masala spices, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, pimento berries, broom flower, patchouli, rose, incense, wengue wood, bois de miel, and labdanum.  

The first time I smelled Black Cashmere, I was head over heels in mad, passionate lust! I had never, ever before smelled something so spicy (that wasn't food, that is). Had you asked me the day before if I wanted to smell like spices and incense, I would have laughed and said no. What a fool! 

Black Cashmere starts, on me, with a blast of incense. Frankincense, I suspect, but I'm no incense specialist. There are nose-tickling peppers, too, and a little bit of clove. Where CMLN snuggles, making me feel cozy, Black Cashmere invigorates and makes me feel sexy! I want to pull on said black cashmere and some killer heels and go to a martini bar. 

The snuggle factor does kick in later, though. Much later. Like, hours and hours later. The spices lower in volume like lights on a dimmer switch. A sweet woody amber begins to take control, softly and slowly. Black Cashmere is much more sensual and cozy at this point, but the mood is still a little spicy, so beware.  This is from front to back a kickin' up a little trouble kind of scent!

Cashmere

I have to briefly mention those amazing bottles! I love CMLN's pink-champagne shade and the gracefully undulating flacon. It speaks well for the scent inside. Black Cashmere, on the other hand, is a glossy black pebble. It lies flat on the table and fits nicely in the hand. I have no perfume bottles like it and it's really rather cool. 

Both of these scents from Donna Karan are cozy and snuggly. Both embody the concept of cashmere well, in my opinion. And both are perfect for this cooling weather - just as a cashmere sweater is the ideal topper in Autumn. Unfortunately for many of us (me!), good cashmere is a little unattainable. It's luxe in feel and in price. Unfortunately for us all, Black Cashmere and Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude are also a little unattainable. Both are no longer on the Donna Karan line-up, though you can still get both -- for now -- on eBay and from etailers. In fact, CMLN is still showing on the Nordstrom website. I may need a back-up bottle of both. They're that good.

What are your favorite Fall scents? Do you wear cozy musks? How about spicy ones? Do you think it's worth it for me to try the original Cashmere Mist?

Fragrance family tree: Kenzo Flower and Kenzo Flower Tag (perfume reviews)

Oh dear me, I do love some poppies. It's what makes me drawn to Flower, by Kenzo.  Not that it smells like poppies, mind you, because poppies don't smell like anything, really. Wait... I'm getting ahead of myself. This is going to be a little discussion of two sisters - closer in relation than the last sisters I talked about here. These sisters are both from the Kenzo family: Flower and her newest sibling, Flower Tag.

Flower the skunk, from Bambi.

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Flower

Let's start at the beginning, with Flower. It was created in 2000 by perfumer Alberto Morillas and is now considered the flagship scent for the line. The Flower flacons, designed by French sculptor Serge Mansau, are iconic in my opinion. I'm sure you've seen them, even if you haven't smelled the perfume? They are elegant, sleek, subdued, but somehow quite eye-catching. I intend to buy most of the scents from the Flower line and think they'll make a lovely vignette on a dresser, don't you?

Just as the bottle is gently curving, pretty, and chic, so is the perfume inside. Flower is powdery violet and soft rose, reminiscent of vintage powders. Other notes include wild hawthorn, cassie, opopanax, white musk, hedione, and cyclosal, all of which add to that clean, streamlined, yet uber-feminine aura.

Flower wears long and well, losing it's initial bright and green crispness quickly but hanging around as a powdery second skin for ages. It's not over-bearing, but definitely present. I believe sillage is minimal, but when I cross my own path I can smell it - and it's soft, soothing, and lovely.

From what I've read, Flower is meant to be a tie-in between rural, country life (wildflowers) and city life. I think the bottle and scent both do this incredibly well.

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If you think that sounds good...
Which brings us to flankers. Naturally, since Flower does well, Kenzo had to spin-off the original with slightly-tweaked versions. 

• Flower Essentielle, from 2008,  basically dials up the primary characteristics of Flower with notes of Damask rose, jasmine, vanilla, musk, black pepper, pink pepper and incense. 
• 2008 also brought Winter Flowers, which used the same principal as the original but using flora typically found in the cooler season. Notes for Winter Flowers include Bulgarian rose, Parma violet, mandarin, violet leaf, mimosa, camellia, hellebore rose, patchouli, absolute vanilla, and white musk. 
• There have been occasional other seasonal versions of Flower, too: Summer, Spring... where's Autumn?! 
• There was a Flower Oriental (with notes of flowers, incense, violets, bulgarian rose, pepper, and vanilla) from 2005 - it has a black poppy on the bottle and box and I need it!
• For the artists in the group, Flower Edition d`Artisteswhich, and correct me please if I'm wrong, was the same scent, just packaged and bottled differentlly: three painters (Pierre Mornet, Rebecca Dautreme, Lorenzo Mattotti) created special works for Kenzo . 

I may be missing some flankers. Clearly, Kenzo knows Flower was a good thing and wants to capitalize on it!

And now they have introduced...

Flower Tag
Brand new this Summer (2011), Flower Tag still has that lovely new car smell. Wait! No, it doesn't! But it is new. The urban-country juxtaposition is still in play, but more urban-leaning. Tag references the art of graffiti, whose artists "tag" walls with their work. 

Flower Tag is not identical to Flower (good, because what would be the point?!). It's - brace yourself - been made youth-friendly. Not for kids, mind you, but for that very special group of young adults who have plenty of expendable income. Luckily, this isn't PINK, but it is a fruity floral. I know that makes perfumistas reel, but hang on for a bit, ok?

Notes for Flower Tag are: mandarin, blackcurrant, rhubarb, jasmine, peony, lily of the valley, tea, vanilla and musk. It definitely starts with mandarin - a nice juicy blast. For awhile, that note predominates, which makes me happy. A sparkly and peppy mandarin is a lovely way to start the day. I never get much lily of the valley in this, but the tea adds a nice twist to the florals. As the scent ages on the skin, the tea gets stronger (at least on me) and almost hay-like, before settling down into a sweet and subtle musk.

As for that bottle I keep prattling on about, for this flanker it's red glass with graffiti-style tagging representing the iconic poppy and the word "flower" over and over and over. Pretty!

Vs.

Flower Tag is what I consider "a proper flanker". It's a tweaked version of the original, where the ties to the original are still apparent. So let's compare them, shall we? I have Flower on my right arm, Flower Tag on my left...

more Banksy. i'm addicted.

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Where Flower is soft and powdery, Flower Tag is brighter and sharper. Where Flower is classically floral, Flower Tag is... well, less so. It's not that peonies aren't classic, but they surely aren't on the same level as the delightfully retro violets and roses of the original. Where Flower wears forever, softly wafting, Flower Tag is not as tenacious and sits closer to the skin. However, both scents are fairly streamlined, both are chic, and both are wearable in most situations.

Both are well-done scents - clever, lively without being noisy. I suspect the "younger version" prose and "fruity-floral" descriptor will keep many a perfumista away, but I hope the tea note draws a few of them back. I think this is a pretty good perfume and I'm pleased to have it.

I will stop before saying "If you like Flower you'll like Flower Tag". I suspect if you enjoy fruity scents and you like Flower, you may like Flower Tag. I also think that if you enjoy the old-fashioned-modern twist of  Flower and luxuriate in its powderiness, you may not like Flower Tag, because that just-opened-a-vintage-compact smell is not here.

Tell me: do you like Flower? Have you tried any of the other flankers? How about Flower Tag? And have you ever eaten those candied Parma violets? 

PS: Wouldn't the Kenzo Amour and Kenzo Amour Indian Holi bottles look great on my dresser, too? :)

Warum has a horseshoe hanging from her neck and has already won a sample of this lovely scent. She suggested I redraw for the Pandora sample, and so I did. Congrats to our new winner, the lovely Muse in Wooden Shoes! Lady Muse, please email me at jen@beautyschoolblog.net so I can have Dawn mail you your sample.