La Chase Aux Papillons (L'Artisan)

As part of my Christmas list, I requested samples from Aedes and L'Artisan Parfumeur. Among the list was La Chase Aux Papillons, which I am quick sampling this morning...First thoughts: It's very light and seems very familiar. Within a few moments, I realized that the Marc Jacobs (black cap) perfume is very similar to this... though this might be slightly less sweet and sharp. La Chase smells less like a perfume and more like a floral scent, which is a big compliment. This would be more likely to elicit the comment "You smell good" rather than "What perfume are you wearing?"Sillage is light, and it's pretty and innocent smelling in the top notes. Very nice. Since I already have Marc Jacobs from my pre-niche perfume days, I'm not sure that I need this too, but I am very glad to have the sample....

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Casmir Chopard - Quick Review

In a recent swap with an MUA'er, I received a sample of Chopard Casmir, which I've been thinking might be a good wintertime comfort perfume. I'm wearing just a dab this morning, but I really like it, particularly after the first 15 minutes. The top notes are similar to the late 1980s perfumes, though it was launched in 1990; there's something synthetic and "perfumy" about the top notes, which thankfully fades pretty quick.Fragrantica classifies it as a "vanilla oriental", but I would classify it as a woody, vanilla, smoky scent. From the list of perfume notes (which vary according to which source you use), you would expect something far more fruity. So I'd say: ignore the notes in this case. The main discernable notes are:vanilla (slightly sweet but not foody)sandalwoodamberincense or smokea...

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Sarah Jessica Parker: New Perfume in 2010

Word around the perfume blogosphere is that Sarah Jessica Parker is launching a new perfume sometime in 2010. I was a huge fan of Lovely before I became a perfumista. I went through two bottles in three years, loved the rollerball, and felt enveloped in warmth and beauty whenever I put it on. When Covet debuted, I was actually counting down the days until I could smell it in my local Macys and remember my disappointment when I sprayed it on. I've always felt that I didn't give that perfume enough wear time to really grab my attention, but somehow, it just wasn't what I hoped for.There's also a less expensive line by SJP (also produced by Coty, I believe) called the "Sarah Jessica Parker Perfume Collection" which features three perfumes: Endless, Dawn and Twilight. Apparently, the new perfume...

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Vintage Perfume Commercial

On MUA, someone posted a link to this vintage perfume commercial that is just perfect. It completely resonates with me, as an advertiser, a perfume lover, a working woman, and a person who is continually in awe of those women who manage to do everything, while still having coiffed hair and perfect lipsti...

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Ellie Nuit Parfum Review

Let me start by saying that I would NOT pay $180 for 1/2 an ounce (15ml) of this perfume. However, since it's a parfum concentration, the sample would last you quite some time, and I'd recommend Ellie Nuit to anyone seeking a sweet, dense fig fragrance on a bed of wood.Having obtained a sample of this just a few days ago (and not having very high hopes for it), I put a tiny bit on before my morning run. It was cold outside, and the scent is warm and comforting. Gourmand and slightly sweet, but not overly so, and not candied at all. I would definitely put this in the fig family, and say that it is a distant, denser cousin to Un Jardin en Mediterranee by Hermes. It is more "perfumery" than UJeM, and sweeter and more feminine as well. I liked it quite a bit, though I won't be running for the...

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Serge Lutens: An introduction

I have just recently climbed aboard the bandwagon of Serge Lutens followers. I first tried Serge Lutens in my first batch of samples from Aedes, and this was a mistake. I tried A La Nuit which was far too sweet on me. Since then, I've discovered that Serge Lutens has a very high ratio of misses to hits, because his fragrances are risky. In fact, they may be more "smells" and "scents" than traditional perfumes. Since then, I have tried a few others, and am now planning on writing to his boutique in France for the famous wax samples, so that I can try more (his samples, even on Ebay, are notoriously expensive). I like Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre the best of his line thus far. Though listed as a unisex fragrance, it's very masculine to my nose, particularly in the deep drydown...

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Niche Sample Reviews: Rose Opulente by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier

Rose Opulente is a pure and simple rose solifore scent. There seems to be no other notes--- just a classic rose. It reminds me in some ways of the rose perfume that I used to wear in my teens from Victoria's Secret, except slightly less sweet. I've tried several other fragrances by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, which were all more complex. Not my favorite.Image from FourSeasons, where you can buy this and other Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier fragranc...

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Lys Carmin by Van Cleef & Arpels - Perfume Reivew

I was lucky enough to score a sample pack of the new Van Cleef and Arpels Collection Extraordinaire which was released in September, and I split the samples to send to a friend yesterday. In doing so, a tiny bit of the Lys Carmin got on my fingers, and I realized that though I've had the sample set for about a month, I hadn't actually tested this one yet.The marketing materials say that Lys Carmin is a blend of Lily, Pink Peppercorn, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla and Sandalwood. In the top notes, I was struck by a slightly soapy quality. In the first minutes, I thought of flowers and a really expensive shampoo. Since there was so little on my fingers, I didn't get the opportuntity to really test it out. I decided to wear it today.So, I reapplied to skin this morning. This is a slightly soapy,...

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Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Perfume Review

What a disappointment!As a big fan of Yves Saint Laurent's earlier fruity floral In Love Again, I had big hopes for the new Parisienne perfume launch. I read earlier reviews that noted that it was mostly cranberry, rose and sandalwood with a vinyl accord -- and the vinyl perfume note sounded interesting and innovative, so I had high hopes.I liked the bottle, though I didn't love it. Pink and crystalline, it's feminine and elegant-- far more refined than most of their perfume bottles (I don't really care for the In Love Again, Opium, or Elle bottles; Paris is okay but does not seem practical to me).So what does it smell like? I mostly smell cranberry on a base of soft white musk. It's a tart cranberry, less sweet than you'd find in an Escada scent. More red/burgandy than pink. Since I...

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Dior Escale a Portofino Review

Wow - I can't believe that I waited until the end of summer to try out last year's new release from Dior: Escale a Portofino.I know. This is not a new release. I'm quite late to the party on this one in two regards: first, it debuted over a year ago and had to be one of the best perfume releases in 2008, and secondly: it's a summer scent! And it's September! But I can't help it. I live in Florida, and I am new to the hobby. Thankfully, it's almost always summer here, so I can enjoy this citrus scent even though it's already fall in the rest of the country.Escale a Portofino launched in limited release in 2008, so it's new to me. This year's release in the same triology (Escale a Pondichery) seems equally limited edition, since it wasn't in Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstroms...

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Hermes Rose Ikebana (Perfume Review) - compared to YSL In Love Again

Hermes Rose Ikebana was instantly one of my favorite perfumes. I still recall when I first tried it: it was a sunny Sunday in the spring, and I was standing in my bathroom when I first sprayed it on my arm. In the first 10 seconds, it was incredibly strong, with three main notes punching out and struggling forward as if they were each racing to monopolize the scent. I immediately smelled the sharpness of grapefruit, the warmth of rose petals (sans the powder you find in fragrances by designers other than Jean Claude Ellena), and the damp tug of black tea to tie the two together. And then, perhaps the most critical addition, the rhubarb is there. It was not a singular, detectable note in that first sniff—because truly, how many among us can recognize the scent of rhubarb? In the beginning,...

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Hermes Pamplemousse Rose: More than just another rose & grapefruit perfume

It's September now, and I am trying Hermes Pamplemousse Rose again after several months of it laying forgotten (but organized) in my large perfume sample stash. I received a spray sample of it as a birthday gift from my mother, and I liked it enough when I tried it initially, but it paled in comparison to Rose Ikebana (which had inspired me to seek out the other rose and grapefruit fragrances created by Jean Claude Ellena).But now, after several months of letting it sit idle, I am sampling it once again. Why? Because Pamplemousse Rose just hit the discounters, just 4 mere months after it's initial launch, and I wanted to see how that could happen. Plus, there's an additional 20% off sale through Labor Day, meaning that I could score a 3.4oz bottle for just $50. That's roughly half what it...

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Kelly Caleche by Hermes: EDT vs EDP Perfume Review

I consider Kelly Caleche to be a fantastic perfume—one that all perfume lovers must try. I tried the edt first, which was the only version available when I read about it in "The Guide" by Luca Turin. I purchased the Kelly Caleche edt from The Perfumed Court in a lovely spray 1.5ml decant (which is almost empty now, what a shame). I don’t know if I would have had the same impression from the standard, dab-style 1ml sample vial; I think that this is a fragrance that needs to be sprayed. I loved it immediately, and had been thrilled by the ad pictures, which you'll see below. The magazine ads for Kelly Caleche show a woman (who I imagine to...

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Jean Claude Ellena: Perfume Creations, Interviews, Info from the Nose of Hermes

Jean Claude Ellena is one of my favorite perfumers. After reading Chandler Burr's book A Perfect Scent, which followed Jean Claude Ellena's creation of Un Jardin sur le Nil for Hermes, I have sampled most of his creations and am compiling information about his perfume creations and launches, interviews, photos, and other information. I'll begin by listing all of the perfumes of his which I have smelled, and add reviews as I can. Image of Jean Claude Ellena taken from WSJ article on him (very good!) listed below. Be sure to check it out!Perfumes Created by Jean Claude Ellena:* Van Cleef & Arpels First* Hermes Jardin sur le Nil* Hermes Jardin en Mediteranee* Hermes Jardin Apres Mousson* Cartier Declaration* Hermes Kelly Caleche* Hermessence series:* Hermessence Rose Ikebana* Hermessence...

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Hermes Perfume Reviews

The iconic Hermes brand is known for far more than just designer niche perfumes, but it is the fragrances that made me an Hermes follower. Jean Claude Ellena is now the in-house perfumer for Hermes and has developed a long line of popular unisex and feminine fragrances for the house, including the infamous Jardin line. I consider the Hermes line to be one of the most innovative and luxurious perfume brands on the market today, and it was this brand which really hooked me into the hobby.Hermes Perfume Reviews:Hermes - Eau d'Hermes (brief mention)Hermes - Eau de Pamplemousse RoseHermes - Iris UkiyoeHermes - Kelly Caleche EdP vs EdTHermes - Rose...

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Perfume Commercials and Ads: Christian Dior - J'Adore

Oh, the infamous marketer and his manipulation of our pocketbooks. The critique of perfume ads and commercials deserves a much longer post, but I wanted to share a thought about how ads have affected me and my perfume purchases.I admit these days that I spend a great deal of time reading blogs and the reviews of fellow perfume lovers--- but I hardly ever actually watch any of the perfume commercials or look through ads. After all: I don't watch cable, I don't subscribe to Lucky or Vogue or any of the glossy mags with full page perfume ads. I'm mostly protected from that sort of advertising. But every once in a while, I'll watch one of the ads on one of the perfume blogs or check out which celebrity is lending her face to which company. For the most part, I avoid the blogs that focus on...

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Skanky Perfumes: Scents for the Sexy, Dirty Man

It's often said that Americans like their perfumes "clean and fruity" and that the French like to smell dirty. While I am completely American in my love of twice-daily showers, deodorant and antiperspirant, I have discovered that a fragrance that is well designed and which has a tough of skank, if worn on clean skin, is a wonderful beckoning thing-- like a big white sign with red lettering that says "Come Hither". While I sometimes like it on others, I myself prefer to smell clean. Parfums de Nicolai's fragrance Eau d'Ete is one of my favorite clean, skin scents.But, on the right occassion, something else is called for. In those moments, I look to the famous French perfumers for help; after all, they have decades of inspiration to pull from. It is said that Napoleon wrote to Josephine saying,...

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Image: A Better Way to Review a Perfume

There are times when showing someone an image can be a more effective way of communicating to them someone else experience of a perfume, than using words. There have been images posted on other blogs and tied to perfumes by the reviewer, and the image is so compelling that I have to rush out and try the fragrance. In fact, one of the reasons I chose a multi-media approach to perfume reviews (this perfume blog) was because I wanted to be able to post images and explain which perfumes they call to mind, and use multi-media to show someone what a perfume is like. After all, you can't scratch and sniff the computer screen. Earlier today, I was looking at images online and saw one (a still from the movie "Mostly Martha"). This particular image is truly fitting of what it is like to experience...

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How I fell in love with Niche Perfumes

Patricia Nicolai and Jean Claude Ellena are my two favorite perfumers, and I am obsessed by the perfumes they have created. I got into niche perfumes when I read Chandler Burr's groundbreaking nonfiction book titled "Th Perfect Scent" which follows the creation of two niche frags (one for Coty and one for Hermes). The first, Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker, had been one of my favorite perfumes for several years. At that point, I was solidly grounded in mass market frags, and I considered Lovely to the best one out there. Burr described how she developed it, and explained the deep and dark and rare perfumes that inspired it. My interest was peaked as he described niche fragrances. He then followed JCE as he developed a far more upscale, niche unisex fragrance called "Un Jardin Sur Le Nil".Burr...

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New Blog on Perfumes

Today, after many months of research, I am starting a new blog that will focus on niche perfumes and my obsession with th...

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