The perfumed year 2012

Photo:Mr Parfumista (c)

Here we are again, another year has just accelerated away and unfortunately I think of 2012 as a year with much horror and fear in the world. But in the little world, the 2012 in Perfumeland, I think 2012 was a good year with many good releases and new findings when it comes to perfumes that suits me anyway. 2012 to me was above all two great perfumehouses:

* I became familiar with the great, high-quality perfumeline of Ramón Monegal, the spanish answer to Patricia de Nicolaï. Patricia a descendant to the Guerlains and Ramón a descendant to the Guerlains of Spain, the house of Myrurgia, both perfumers genuinely educated in the art & craft of perfumery and both starting their own perfume houses, free to create after their own ideas & noses. The Ramón Monegal line contains almost all variations of perfumery, and all with a personal twist. This line is a complete perfumewardrobe :-) and I'm really looking forward to additional creations during the coming years, I'm missing testing a new RM every second week :-). Luckily I have two more from the line internationally realeased 2012 to review that I have saved for 2013: Agar Musk and Cherry Musk. I'm also thrilled to test the special 2012 Christmas/New Years blend, a perfume that captures the essences of Ramón Monegals beautiful hometown Barcelona.

* I also finally get the beautiful perfumes of Puredistance and the launch of 2012, the classical styled Opardu was also my best fragrance of the year. The Puredistance is a sort of a perfumebrandbuildingconcept by the perfumeinterested, brandbuildingprofessional Jan Ewoud Vos. The house uses hired, well-known perfumers, Annie Buzantain for the female perfumes, I, Antonia and Opardu and Roja Dove for the masculine one, M. The concept seems to be very successful as the emotions conveyed are intimate, familiar, timeless understated elegance of high quality as if Puredistance already is classic house. The feeling of brandbuilding never occurs as in the case of the total contrast to Puredistance, the tiresome, so obvious brandbuildingconcept Byredo, oriented to anxious thirty-something urbanites.

As for the new perfumeyear 2013 I hope that the new EU legislation/self regulation of the industry (per 1/7) will not hit as hard as one can read from different initiated source; ie that many of the classics will not be recognizable anymore and that many fragrancehouses have to redo a great part of their fragranceportfolios. Therefore Dior with its critizised renaming of  the Miss Dior Cherie to the classical Miss Dior name probably has been in the forefront, they save the name and fill it with a content that will be compliant even after the new regulations becomes effective.

The spirit of Puredistance...

Just wan't to share the Christmas Greetings from one of my top favourite houses, Puredistance. I think this personal and informative "Christmas Card" perfectly catches the intimite aura of the Puredistance fragrances.

Unfortunately I have not managed to transform the pictures into a proper size so one have to use a magnifier to read :-)  Anyway, the Christmas Card tells about the 2012 launching of the brand in some more exclusive perfumestores, the introduction of the Chinese market and the launch of the new perfume Opardu. News for 2013 are that 2 ml spraysamples (already in E-shop it seems as) and a 60 ml bottle will be introduced  (until now 17,5 and 100 ml avaible in bottlesizes)

Picture: Puredistance (c), all rights reserved

Puredistance - I

Picture: Puredistance I, elegant, white soft flowers.
Puredistance (c), all rights reserved.

The first feminine fragrance, properly named I, from Puredistance, is like a summery of the spirit of the fragrances of the house. Puredistance, with long time experienced perfumer Annie Buzantian as housenose (for the femine offerings anymay), is creating timeless elegant, chic and versatile fragrances which in the same time also feels contemprary. I is said to has first beeing created by the perfumer as a personal fragrance for herself and that it remains as one of her own favourites.

I opends up with watery, almost ozonic, mostly white blossom notes. Mr Parfumista says he is getting the olfactory image of a softer, smoother and much more elegant L’Eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake. Probably this is airy, and elegant fresh as the sea aura that surrounds the tamed and polite white blossoms that creates this impression.

As the development of I continues the blend gets light, fluffy, creamy and smells almost as a really exclusive sunscreen. The creamy white and also yellow flowers are fleeting soft and seemless within each other in the Annie Buzantian typical smooth and delicate way in handling flowers. In this stage Puredistance I reminds me of an elegant and smooth variation of Flora Bella from Lalique. Flora Bella also has this warm, almost tropical flowery quality with the clear air from the sea as a refreshing element. But I is rounder, gentler and much more elegant than the flamboyant Flora Bella. In the basenotes I gets less creamy even if some remians and the flowers appears somehow more distinctive, supported by a well balanced white musk combined with the fresh eartyness of vetiver and a hint of ambery depth. Overall there is something in the aura, texture and radiance of I that reminds me of a flowery counterpart to the beautiful airy, sealike, woody Bois Naufragé by Parfumerie Générale. I feels like the image of a beach on a tropical island with almost snowwhite sand on a sunny day with a totally clear, blue sky. Or the image of an elegant lady dressed in white.

I is a very feminine fragrance that adds pleasure and luxury to everyday. In the same time it is easy to wear and adds comfort and security to the wearer without beeing aggressive as a one of the “powerperfumes”. I have to admit hat it has taken some time for me to “get” I, 1,5 years to be exact (review in swedish from spring 2011 here). Not pleasing directly is often a sign of a complicated quality fragrance with many facets and the following indivdual interpretations of the scent. Even if, or probably because, I is not grundbreaking in style it’s a contemporary classic (despite the slight aquatic vibes that could be associated with the 1990s) that could easily qualify as a signature fragrance for a wearer that perfers a limited numbers of perfumes in her wardrobe. I is suitable for office, receptions but also an example of the perfect bridal perfume. A very versatile fragrance!

As all Puredistance fragrances, I is a perfume extrait and as such offer a discrete but definitly detectable sillage. A discreete trail is, under the right conditions, appearing after the wearer of I has left the room and when smelling this, one wonders from where this beautiful scent comes. The longevity is very good, about 24 h.

Rating: 5

Notes: Tangerine blossom, cassis, neroli bigarade, watery nuances,  

magnolia, rose, jasmine, parmenthia, mimosa, amber, vetiver, white musk.

Parfums MDCI - Chypre Palatin

Picture: The bias cut look of Madeleine Vionnet
from the 1930s evokes the spirit
and texture of Chypre Palatin



Chypre Palatin is a beautiful fragrance with a strong retro vibe from the french nichehouse Parfums MDCI. Chypre Palatin is created by the, to said the least, very active perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Chypre Palatin is presented as a masculine fragrance by the perfumehouse but when it comes to my nose, it’s unisex leaning a bit to the feminine side.

Chypre Palatin starts powdery dry, with that almost gunpowdery note that is present in Les Nombres d’Or Ambre by Mona di Orio. A multiple grades stronger interpretation of the gunpowdernote is the classical beginning of Teint de Neige by Lorenzo Villoresi. As the dry down continues, some soft, very wellblended flowery notes (particular from bulbous plants) shows up, supported by smooth tonka and different resins that creates a warm and delightful oriental-chypre (more oriental than chypre) fragrance in the style of Dior Dioressence, but smoother and without the rosy effect of Dioressence. But beneath all the wellbalanced pleasure of Chypre Palatin there is a slight, animalic note (probably the costus) lurking that gives this beautiful fragrance an interesting contrast. Also a sublime, dark, plummy, note is present in the later stages of the dry down.Chypre Palatin to me evokes the image of a fragrance from the 1930s worn by an elegant lady also wearing a bias cut dress by Madeleine Vionnet, but Chypre Palatin is interpreted in a contemporary style ie in a smoother and officefriendly shape. The oakmoss is invisable compared to the fragrances of the former era but probably there in the small IFRA restriced dose that is allowed today.

Chypre Palatin is a fragrance in the ongoing trend of retro inspired, elegant, powdery, fragrances that seems to be en vogue at the moment. Other representatives, even if featuring different notes besides the powdery notes, are Puredistance Opardu (lilac), Huiteme Art Poudre de Riz (tobbacco and tropical flowers) and Parfums de Nicolaï Musc Intense (powdery rose).

Chypre Palatin is a pleasant, versatile, elegant and very wearable fragance that could be worn in daytime for office or formal events year around except during warm summerdays. The sillage is very close and the longevity is almost a day. My only objection to this classy blend is that I which it was a bit more radiant, now it is almost a bit weak on my (dry) skin. As a fragrance of high quality, it’s still there, unfragmented at the end of the day. Maybe this is not  an issue for wearers with moistier skin.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lavender, labdanum, hyacinth, galbanum, sage, clementine, aldehydes, iris, jasmine, gardenia, rose, plum, styrax, benzoin, tolu balsam, vanilla, castoreum, leather, costus, oakmoss, immortelle

PS: Parfums MDCI has an affordable sampleset sold from the website that could be highly recommended. For EUR 90 (within Europe) 5x12 ml of their fragrances will be sent by the mail.

Parfums de Nicolaï – Musc Intense

Picture: Portrait of Madame de Pompdour (1721-1764)
Francois Boucher, 1756

Musc Intense is a sensual flowery, high quality white musk created by the great parfumer Patricia de Nicolaï for her own house, Parfumes de Nicolaï in 2012.

First of all I want to calm those readers down that don’t like the white musk performed in many of the reacent years mainstream offerings. Musc Intense is nothing of that characteristic almost wet slight chemichal note that could be too much in some offerings but that I like in many, if handled with care. Instead Musc Intense is all about a dry, powdery, luxary musk that integrating the flowers and other ingredients in a subtle manner.

Musc Intense starts with a pleasant, very dry almost gun powdery accord. It’s not the distinct wet gunpowder as in Lorenzo Villoresis Teint de Neige neither the less harsh but anyway close opening accord of the beautiful Temps d’Hiver by Antonio Visconti. But Musc Intense has similarities with both this fragrance openings but is lighter and smoother, just like an elegant loose powder on a powder puff. There is a lighter version of the typical gunpowderaccord of the two former ones,  which I think (just speculating I’m no chemist) consists of rose, carnation and maybe the musc or some other ingredient that could show powdery facetts. As Musc Intense reaches its heart, the powdery, subdued, flowery notes slightly reminds me of the beautiful powdery violet of Opardu by Puredistance. Some subdued liquery notes deepening the accord in a finetuned manner.At last, Musc Intense is anchored in a dry, powdery, not especially sweet musk and there is a deep but at the same time light, pink rosenote that emerges on my skin.

Musc Intense is a subtle and elegant fragrance, well blended of high quality ingredients as we are used to when it comes to creations of Patricia de Nicolaï. The only weakness is that it seems like my skin just eats Musc Intense and the scent therefore is faint to me, even if described as sensual and subtle it’s a bit too subtle to me. The longevity is for about a day and the sillage is very close.

To me Musc Intense is a scent as was it created exclusive for Madame de Pompadour.It’s the essence of the rococoera, delicate fabrics, pastels, powder and musk. Musk Intense is a fragrance for those who likes some of the fragrances mentioned above but also my own favorite musk Les Nombres d’Or Musc by Mona di Orio, also a slight flowery musk but more distinct and less powdery. Also Les Nombres d’Or Ambre by Mona di Orio has a similar drieness and some of the gunpowder of the opening.  If you like Les Nereides Musc Samarkand and Annick Goutal Musc Nomade you probably also will like Musc Intense.

Rating: 4

Notes: Liquer, different types of roses and white musks, carnation, violet, jasmine

Parfumistans Blogg turns six years

Picture:Hip, Hip, hurra!
Oil on canvas, Peder Severin Kröyer, 1886
The colony of painters who worked in Skagen, Denmark, have gathered in a garden for a celebration.

Today six years ago this blog was born but under a slight different name Parfumistans Dagbok, The Diary of the Parfumista, it was in Swedish and at that time hosted on the blogservice of one of the Swedish newspapers. After almost a year the diary became Parfumistans Blogg on the website of the leading Swedish fashionemagazine Damernas Värld. But perfume is not that big in Sweden (or maybe beauty editors think it’s not that big because there is definitly a growing interest out there) and after 2,5 years the perfumeblog was cleaned out in favour of conventional beautyblogs and I was continued here on Blogger. What has started as a hobbyproject during marternity leave is today still a hobbyproject occupying most of my spare time when free from the duites of work. Of course I could continue my sampling without reviewing but as I also like to write and had to take notes when sampling anyway, way not do the extra and write for the blog rewarded with an increasing numbers of readers from all over the world. Thank you all! So I will continue to sample and learn (the more I get into perfume, the more I  discover the little I know about this botanical-chemistry-artform) blogging about my passion: Perfume.

Speaking of learning: SOTD celebrating the Parfumistans Blogg anniversary is the pleasant, wellcrafted, classy Puredistance I ,a fragrance that I finally has learned to understand and now truly appreciate.

Lanvin – Eclat d’Arpege

Picture: Ein Korb mit Flieder,
signiert und datiert Carl Massmann 1896, Öl auf Leinwand,
Wikimedia commons

Eclat d’Arpege created by Karine Dubreuill 2002 for Lanvin, has nothing but the name and the decoration of the bottle in common with the dangerous original (but of course reformulated) Arpége from 1927.

Eclat d’Arpege starts with some light green notes with some citrusy elements, but above all; lilac. The lilac which is not artifcial and cheap as sometimes happens with this note, it’s just like the colour of the fresh light purple lilac. There is a slight metallic vibe, but not the aldehydic type as in for example Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, it’s a more of a metallic facet of the flower. The lilac is’nt powdery as in Puredistances beautiful Opardu, the lilac note is quite clear and crips. It has more in common with another beautiful clear and bright lilac fragrance After my Own Heart by Ineke Rüland.

As Eclat d’Arpege dries down, mellower, fruity notes mixed with some warm flowers and a light tealike note appears. This accord somehow rounding off the metallic edge but the blend still stays flowery cool like a chilly day in the early spring. In the base Eclat d’Arpege is almost all about woody musk, but there is also a faint note of resin, probably the amber listed among the ingredients.  

Eclat d’Arpege is the perfect fragrance for spring, it’s overall chilly, flowery, woody, musky structure perfectly captures that season. One of the better balanced and not overly sweet fruity florals that is relatively easily aviable. It has also survived for ten years on the market, which is a sign for a certain quality. Eclat d’Arpege is somehow ageless in character, it’s a fruity-floral also for grown up’s, not obviously directed to the younger crowd. I don’t get the comparisons with Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue as that one is sharper, woodier, less flowery and with a green applenote, according to my nose. Eclat d’Arperge is smoother, more feminine and elegant in style. Eclat d’Arpege is a very wearable fragrance, especially for spring and summer but also for year around for days that demands something uncomplicated, nice smelling and office friendly. Sillage is medium and longevity not as good, less than 12h.

Rating: 3

Notes: Peony, peach blossom, tea, lilac, petit grain, osmanthus, wisteria, cedarwood, musk, amber

My nose is out of order....

Photo: Parfumista (c)

Having a tough cold since Thursday, couldn't smell a note during the whole Friday with Mona di Orio Vétyver which all in a sudden became my SOTD . Thankfully I now seem to recover, could recognize whiffs now and than of the SOYD Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte and most of (I think) the powerful Amouage Lyric Woman of today. It seems as I finally got Lyric, maybe it need to be filtrated thorough a stuffy nose to give me the right impression.

Anyway, let's got to the point with this entry: The cold has compleatly messed up my disiplinated test-and-review schedule. Often I try to have a link between the scents reviewed  the same week. Some common denominator or theme, for examples fragrances from the same house and even better resembling frags from the same house, or frags with the same dominating note or style or frags that somehow causes the same perception, or seasonal frags, or frags or the same perfumer and so one. Last week the common link was elegant, new launches with a retro flair the new ie Ivoire and Opardu. As the cold broke out there where one review of each of three different themes for the coming weeks compleated and as it's impossible to catch up there will be a mixed theme next week. Hopefully there is possible to return to the "theme concept" the week after the coming week.

Puredistance - Opardu

Photo: Opardu by Puredistance, all rights reserved (c)

It's hard to find the right words to describe Opardu, the new creation (will be released in November 2012) by masterperfumer Annie Buzantian for the Austrian/Netherlands nichehouse Puredistance founded by Jan Ewoud Vos. Even if Opardu is classical in it's texture and gives a familiar impression, it's hard to find obvious perfume references. Opardu is one of it's own kind. Opardu is said to be inspired of the vibrant nightlife of Paris in the 1920s. It is classical but not at all dated in style, and it express the feeling of the nostalgic looking back of years gone by.

Opardu starts with soft green floral notes, emphasizing floral. The greenery is more of the violet leaf type, not the rougher (but in a surprisingly gentle way) galbanum that is present in my favourite of this classy line so far, Antonia. Already from the start I percieve the same level of elegance as is present in Antoina, but Antonia is more of a pronounced daytime elegance where Opardu is the contrasting, mysterious and graceful night bird.

The flowery notes confuses me, a note similar to violet is present and something that reminds me of hints of orris but without the famous carrotnote.The mysterious flower is lilac and Opardu in color and texture is just as a bale of exclusive lilac silk velvet. Good lilac scents is not very common, After My Own Heart by Ineke is a well crafted example from the genre but AMOH is fresher and more outdoor in style.

Opardu also presents a pleasent almost slight creamy powdery accord that has some similarities with a subdued lipsticknote. The powder probably emerges from the heliotrophe but I also think aldehydes is included as Opardu (despite differences in flowery notes and scent) has some of the texture and expression of Esprit d'Oscar by Oscar de la Renta but Opardu is more polite and polished in style.

In the basenotes the lilac accompanied by an pleasant slight almondy heliotrophe, supported by a light handed white musk together with a beautiful soft cedarwood that blended with the heliotrophe smells close to sandalwood. Opardu ends as a soft, woody, lilac.

Opardu is an example of a wellcrafted, quality fragrance that unfold it's secrets in different very well blended layers, just as a budding flower.It's a relaxing fragrance that gives a calming almost sad/biitersweet pleasure during the whole drydown. Regarding the vibrant 1920s inspiration of Opardu, my impression is it's a perfume created for the sofisticated nightlife, visiting the Opera and dining at an elegant restaurant instead of dancing wild on a jazz-club. Personally I feel a connction between Opardu and the decade before, the early 1910s and the fashion of Paul Poiret with it's peacock feathers, muted velvet silk, sweeping, comfortable silk dresses with sophisticated oriental patterns, something I think is intermediated by the Puredistance advertesing picture above, just as the original below.

Picture: Poiret model 1914

No known restrictions on publication, Wikimedia commons

Opardu is avaible in perfumeconcentration and therefore it wear close to the skin. The stayingpower is good, Opardu lasts good for a day. To compare, Antonia (also pure perfume) is more radiant and has a 24h+ stayingpower. Opardu is also suitable to wear in daytime and I can image it will be particularly appealing duirng the chilly but bright, early winter-spring days.

I think fans of (among themselves as different scents) Chanel No 5 Parfume, Amouage Gold (in swedish) and Dia, but also Histoire d'Parfums Blanc Violette, and Guerlain L'Heure Bleue will appreciate the beautiful Opardu. And of course; every true admirer of a wellcrafted perfume.

Rating: 5

Notes: Tubereuse, gardenia, rose, lilac, carnation, jasmine, heliotrope, cedarwood, musk

Balmain - Ivoire (new)

Picture: Place Vendome, a picture of  the spirit of Ivoire.

Photo by Dimitris Distigues  (CC) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

The 1980 classic Ivoire de Balmain is re-launched 2012 (this week in Sweden) in a new and very successful interpretation/formulation created by Michel Alamirac and Jacques Flori.

The new interpretation of Ivorie starts much smoother and gentler than the older galbanum-tinged formula with elegant fruity-flowery notes. The pleasant fruitiness has an accompning role inr the middlenotes where elegant flowery interpretations of are mingeled with the traditional galbanum of old Ivoire in a considerably lighter dose. An interesting twist is the addition of some slight peppery notes. It sounds hazardly for such an elgant blend as Ivoire but the pepperiness is so skillfully handled, it's acting in the background as an uplifting note that gives sparkle to Ivoire and I don't percieve the spritzy-sharpness that are present in many peppery creations.  The soapiness of the old Ivoire is tuned down a bit in the earlier stages of the new, this is not strange at all as the galbanum isn't preseant in the early stage. As Ivoire continues to dry down the similarities, among them the lovely sopainess, with the older formula are even more obvious, despite the fact that the soapiness is of a smoother and gentler kind. It intermediates the feeling of wearing a soft, white cashmerejumper, the same feeling as I precieved with the wonderful lilyinterpreation Cartier Baiser Volé. In the elegant base which mediates a vintage sense of mossiness, the new Ivoire has much in common with the old version, to me it's like the more Ivoire dries down, the closer to the old Ivoire it appears. The expression of both the fragrances is the same and I can recognise the same structure and scent but the new Ivoire has a smoother, gentler and fruitier aura as the older is greener, sharper, rougher and more edgy.

The new Ivoire also preserves the same very french elegance as the older version. Ivoire still reminds me of an elegant french lady in a well-cutted, less-is-more, ivory silkdress, dining at a likewise elegant restaurant a bit cool summer evening at a place like Place Vendome. Ivoire creates the same feeling of elegance as Puredistances Antonia even if Antonia is edgier and closer to the original Ivoire whit its charactersitic note of galbanum. The casual-chic daytime alternative to Ivoire, a scent with resembling notes but interpreted in outdoor style is one of my all time favorites Hermès Amazone.

Both versions of Ivoire is definitly worth owning for the lovers of the old Ivoire, they are great complements to each other, where the newer "contemporary" version is a bit easier to wear and I also think it appeals to a wider group of perfumebuyers than the orignal. Besides the fragrances mentioned above I also think that people that enjoys Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens will like Ivoire, both the new and old version, fans of Chanel No 19 Poudre I think will appreciate the new Ivoire.

The longevity of Ivoire is very good, it lasts over a whole day to late in the evening.

Rating: 5

Notes: mandarin, violet, orange, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, black pepper, galbanum, vanilla, vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli

Happy Easter!

Photo: Parfumista (c)

Suffering from a really bad cold, I've hardly been able to work the the past two days but somehow managed to get to the office. I'm now (as also my nose) going to rest during the Easter weekend to get well until next week's obligations.

According to tradition, I usually publish an Easter fragrance post but since my sense of smell is completely vanished  I find no inspiraton. OK not completely vanished as I sometimes smells fragments of the comforting Thierry Mugler Cologne which is my SOTD.

If I didn't had the cold I would have like to wear Le Temps pour d'une Fete by Patricia de Nicolaï, it's crispy green galbanum with springlike hyacinths perfectly fits the Easter holiday as also Antonia by Puredistance which is a more polished take on the theme. First by Van Cleef & Arpels would also be a good choice in this category.

Which you a happy and well smelling Easter!

Puredistance - Antonia update January 2012

Picture: Antonia Minor (as Juno Ludovisi),

Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome 

Photo: user;shakko

When I first reviewd and tested Antonia last spring, I found it to sharp and smelling of luxury detergent see reviews in english and swedish. Relieved I wrote it off in company with the entire Puredistancecollection, M as a re-bottled Hermès Bel Ami and 1 as a luxury  Flora Bella by Lalique.

But this, to swedish conditions, warm and green winter I have longed for glowing, deep and intense florals. Suddenly my sample of Antonia was demanding for attention and I retested it, applicated a slightly larger dose than before. Wow, now I get it. It's so beautiful with its green notes of galbanum and flowers among them the ylang-ylang that adds a sofisticated sweetness. I wonder if the juice somehow has mellowed and has been blended during the storage because by now the smell of luxury detergent is not as apparent as in spring 2011. Antonia is also smoother than I percived it earlier. Maybe it also has to do with my own theory that the luxury detergent smell, that is present in several highend-/nicheperfumes, is the replacement of the typical soapy smell in the aldehydeperfumes of the late seventies- and early eighties such as First. To me Antonia is a contemporary successor to the elegant fragrances as First and it's peers, bright, glowing, with a flowing and well crafted texture. But is it also a successor of Pierre Balmains Vent Vert with it's intense, crispy, bitter, green note of galbanum. I can image that the original Vent Vert smelled something like this.

It's a pleasure to spend a day with the elegant but in the same time relaxed Antonia. But the day my sample vial runs out, will on the other hand, be tough to my poor wallet.

Rating: Antonia has made a rapid career, increasing it's rating from 3+ in April 2011 to 5 in January 2012.

Notes: Ylang-ylang, jasmine, rose, orris, geranium, ivy, vanilla, vetiver

Osorterat om parfym så här i elfte timmen av 2011...

Bild: Mysko stenformation från sommaren 2011.

Snart är vi där igen! Foto Herr Parfumista (c)

Så var det då nyårsafton igen och jag får inte ihop något stort, intelligent och sammanfattande inlägg över parfymåret som gått. Här kommer istället aktuella parfymtankar och liknande, kanske speglar det i sitt osorterade skick ända parfymåret 2011.

* Är den tvättmedelsnot av typen dyrt, lyxtvättmedel som vi numera känner i kreationer från nichehus som Maison Francis Kurkdjian, APOM pour Femme respektive APOM pour Homme, L'Eau Serge Lutens och Puredistance Antonia, ersättaren för den härligt tvåliga not som fanns i det sena sjuttio- och det tidiga åttitalets häftiga aldehydparfymer. Fast denna megasoapiness anses idag tydligen som daterad. Får bara vara en bråkdel som i Pradas Infusion de Fleur d'Oranger som ändå blir utskälld. Detta medans tvättmedelsnoten ändå slinker igenom, dock under en del kritik, men då mer utifrån att den tillhör "mainstream" än noten som sådan.

* Viktig info till alla Dior Homme älskare som vill hamstra originalversionen. Klipp ur kommentar från Pojkfröken som precis som vanligt har örnkoll på läget:

"Åh, Dior Homme! Jämförde originalet med reformuleringen nyligen och skillnaden är påtaglig, den mer klara irisnoten är inte där längre :(( men den är fortfarande bra, nevertheless. Versionerna skiljer sig åt gm att originalet har kromat "rör" och nyutgåvan har ett svart."

Alltså håll koll på rören!

* Appropå Dior, parfymhuset som personifierar varumärkesvanvård. Det sägs att man reformulerar om det mesta för närvarande, som jag nämnt i ett tidigare inlägg (våras/tidig sommar) om att man "tar hem" dofterna från de stora doftföretagen som äger själva formulan. När man sedan ska blanda själv måste man ändra ganska märkbart i kompositionen så att det inte kan klassas som ett plagiat av den formula som doftföretaget äger.

* Det är alltså med tanke på ovan inte särskilt konstigt att mötas av den trista nyheten att en av mina vinterfavoriter Dior Addict tydligen bara är en skugga av sitt forna jag, en flytande vålnad. Har själv inte doftat på reformuleringen men gjorde det med Dune vilket inte var någon trevlig upplevelse. Det positiva är att jag plötsligt sitter på en vintage Addict med en flaska från 2007.

* När det gäller alla Best of 2011 listor som precis publicerats så är de ganska lika i temat. Klart är i alla fall att jag måste sniffa på Bottega Veneta för den finns med på nästan varenda lista. Frågan är om den klår MPG:s Cuir Fetiche, det verkar som om färre har sniffat på den.

* Så till doften för aftonen, det blir fullt klart en hyllning till Mona. Antingen en skvätt av Oud eller Nuit Noire som jag hade nyårsafton för två år sedan. NN passar nyårsaftnar tycker jag. Tubereuse är också en runner up i det vårvinterliknande vädret.

* På tal om svenskars favoritämne vädret: Jag tycker att den varma vintern är très bien! Jag känner för att använda nästan alla delar av parfymgarderoben, undantag de allra lättast blommiga som typ Diorissimo men jag får säkert snart en dragning även till denna typ av doft. Det har ju börjat ljusna, i alla fall i teorin. De senaste två vargavintrarna har det blivt ett ganska ensidigt användande av orientaler och gourmander, dessa trevliga doftfamiljer får alltså tuff konkurrens den här vintersäsongen. Oj, nu känner jag plötsligt för en doft som jag förknippar med tidig vår: Donna Karan Gold.

* Nyårslöften, är så trött på detta, för de fallerar redan i slutet av januari varje år och slår snarare över åt andra hållet. De brukar vara: Nästan köpstopp på flaskor, prova de prover jag har mer och vara restriktiv med nya provanskaffningar. I år struntar jag i detta och kommer därmed säkert att lyckas bättre men parfym är ju mitt stora intresse so what the heck.....

* Har som sista projekt 2011 börjat twittra.Visserligen ännu ett tidskonsumerande moment i en vardag fylld av tidsbrist. Men det är ett bra format att sända iväg en och annan parfymerad tanke och väldigt lämpad för att få en överblick av mina SOTD:s (Scent Of To¨Day). Dessutom att sätt att träna på att bli mer kortfattad, har en tendens att bli långrandig när jag är inne i mitt favoritämne. Nu har jag just varit mer än lovligt långrandig och:

Jag önskar alla Parfymälskare (och eventuella andra som råkat hamna här) ett Gott Nytt 2012!

Puredistance - sammanfattning

Foto: Parfumista (c)

For an (swe)english version of this post, just scroll down to the previous one.

Den aktive parfymbloggsläsaren har säkert läst alla entusiastiska hyllningar av Puredistances dofter. Ärligt talat så har jag svårt att hänga med i hypen. Det är så att jag börjar misstänka att olika parfymbloggare (beroende på bloggstorlek) fått sig/tiggt till sig rejält tilltagna provset från det nyetablerade huset vars mål verkar vara att slå sig in i lyxnischen. Och visst är det eleganta mer eller mindre klassiska dofter av hög kvalitet, men de adderar inget nytt, det är teman på klassiker eller andra dofter som redan finns.I och för sig ska inte Puredistance ensamt ställas i skamvrån för detta, en stor del av, i alla fall designerdoftsmarknaden, är just efterapningar av andra dofter. Men det är just det att Puredistance verkar vilja marknadsföra sig som ett unikt lyxigt nichehus som gör mig extra kritisk och granskande.

Med sina mer eller mindre lyxiga förpackningar (man kan själv välja förpackning vilket är sympatiskt) och en marknadsföring som inriktar sig på klass och elegans känns Puredistances dofter som riktade till den växande gruppen " Nouveau Riche", delsegment kvinnor och män 35 + som ängsligt vill känna sig säkra på att de är "rätt". För en Puredistancedoft är alltid "rätt": Välbalanserad, av god kvalitet och modulerad men inte så spännande, en doft som absolut inte kan stöta sig med någon. Jag blev rejält besviken på 1, hade väntat mig betydligt mer efter vad jag har läst om doften. Retade upp mig på att M, även om den luktar bra, känns som en nästan rakt av parfymimitation av Hermès fina Bel Ami. Som tur är för Puredistance så tycker jag rätt bra om Antonia trots tvättmedelsnoten. Så kommande releaser från huset kan trots allt vara värda att testa.

För review av 1 och Antonia: Se reviewer 21/4 respektive 23/4.
För review av M: Se http://parfumistansblogg.blogspot.com/2011/03/puredistance-m.html

Sammanfattningsvis så tycker jag bäst om M följd av Antonia. De båda distanserar 1 ganska rejält.

Puredistance - Summary

Puredistance certainly is stylish, more or less classic perfumes of high quality. But they add nothing new, they are themes on the classics or other scents that's are already in the market. Puredistance alone should not be critisized for this, a large part of, especially the designer fragrance market, is just copycats of other scents. But it's just that the Puredistance seems to want to promote itself as a unique luxury nichehouse that makes me extra critical.

With its more or less luxury falcons (you can choose from at least two variations of bottles for each fragrance which is appealing) and a promotion that focuses on class and elegance Puredistances fragrances seems to be targeted at the growing group of "nouveau riche". Sub-segment men and women 35 + who anxiously want to feel confident that they are "right". And a Puredistance fragrance is always "right": Well balanced, good quality and modulated but not so exciting. A perfume that can not possibly offend anyone. I was really disappointed in 1, had expected much more from what I've read about the fragrance. Annoying that  M, even if it smells interesting, feels like an almost straight knock off (in perfume strength) of old classy Hermès Bel Ami. Luckily for Puredistance I think pretty good about Antonia despite the detergent note. So future releases from the house may nevertheless be worth testing.

In conclusion, I like M most, before Antonia with 1 pretty far behind.

Rating:

M: 4 
1: 3
Antonia:  3+

Puredistance - Antonia

Bild: Hotel Sacher Wien,

foto: Gryffindor, some rights reserved (cc), Wikimedia Commons

For an (swe)english version of this review, just scroll down to the previous post.

Så till det sista av mina Puredistanceprover, Antonia, precis som 1 skapad av Annie Buzantian. Efter att ha testat M (på herr Parfumista) och 1 på mig själv och blivit besviken,säkert på grund av de höga förväntningar som skapats genom alla entusiastiska reviewer på diverse bloggar och forum, så väntade jag mig inte så mycket av Antonia. Men den visade sig i alla fall vara mer än de (i sammanhanget) lågt ställda förväntningarna. De allra första intrycken är lite skarpt och grönt. Men sedan känner jag en mjuk, fin och mer rundad version av Balmains Vent Vert, inte den senaste versionen utan den innan dvs Calice Beckers från 1990. Efter Vent Vert-fasen inträder ett lite krispigt stadium med gula lökväxter som påskliljor och tulpaner. Även om inga sådan noter nämns i doftpyramiden så är det intrycket som förmedlas. När det gäller den angivna irisnoten så finns inget av det morotsaktiga som ingrediensen oftast ger, själv skulle jag ha tippat på att det är själva blomman som ingår i Antonia. Antonia påminner här en del om Annick Goutals Heure Exquise, fast jag upplever HE som något mörkare och tätare. Det gröna i Antonia fortsätter ända ner i basnoterna och på vägen finns också stråk av vita blommor. Det finns tyvärr, när doften nått basnoterna eller kanske börjar det redan någonstans i mellanregistret, en dissonant not som påminner om ett, som tur är, dyrt lyx-tvättmedel. Det är det enda negativa som jag har att säga om Antonia. Tyvärr ökar irritationen ju mer Antonia tonar ned. Det ska trots allt vara en hyperexklusiv doft och en sådan förknippar man inte med tvättmedel, även om herr Parfumistas spontana kommenter var att "det luktar tvättmedel men ett exklusivt sådant".

Antonia är för mig en ljusgrön doft med accenter av ljust gult. En glad påsk och vårdoft med substans. Håller mer än hela dagen utan att fragmenteras på huden och har en lagom projektion. Välbalanserad där noterna flyter i varandra, med god kvalitet i ingredienserna. Elegant och bärbar dagtid, perfekt för eftermiddagsthe på Hotel Sacher. För att uppnå liknande effekt men UTAN tvättmedelsnot och till en lägre investeringskostnad, prova just AG:s Heure Exquise EDP. Till Antonias försvar ska sägas att den kräsnäsade herr Parfumista tycker att Antonia är bättre än HE.

Betyg: 3 + (hade det inte varit för tvättmedelsnoten hade det blivit 4)

Noter: Ylang-ylang, jasmin, ros, irisrot, geranium, murgröna, vanilj, vetiver.

Puredistance - Antonia (english version)

So for the last of my Puredistance samples, Antonia. Antonia is just as 1 created by Annie Buzantian. After testing M (on Mr. Parfumista) and 1 on myself  I was a bit disappointed, probably because of the high expectations created by all the enthusiastic reviews on various blogs and forums. Therefore I didn't expected much by Antonia. But it turned out to exceed my low expectations. The very first impressions are a bit sharp and green. But then I feel a soft, delicate and more rounded version of Balmain Vent Vert, not the latest version but the prior, ie Calice Becker 1990. After the Vent Vert-phase a crunchy stage occurs with the yellow bulbs as daffodils and tulips. Although no such notes are mentioned in the fragrance pyramid, it's the impression conveyed. In the case of the given iris note, there are nothing of the carrot-like smell that most often is associated with this ingrediens. I guess that it is the irisflower and not the root which is part of Antonia. Antonia recalls to some extent Annick Goutal Heure Exquise, though I feel that H E is slightly darker and denser. The green of Antonia continues down to the basenotes and on the way there are also streaks of white flowers. Unfortunately, when the smell reached the basenotes, or perhaps it starts already somewhere in the middlenotes, a dissonant note occurs, reminiscent of one, luckily, expensive luxury detergent. This is the only negative that I have to say about Antonia. Unfortunately, the irritation of this note increase, the more Antonia dry down. Antonia is a hyper-exclusive fragrance and I don't think parfumeweares like that their expensive fragrance reminds of detergent, even a luxary one. Mr. Parfumistas spontaneous comment also was "it smells like detergent but an exclusive one".

For me Antonia is a light green scent with accents of bright yellow. A happy Easter and springperfume with substance. Does more than the whole day without fragmenting on the skin and has a moderate projection. Well balanced with notes flowing into each other, with highquality ingredients. Stylish and wearable daytime, perfect for teatime at the Hotel Sacher. To achieve a similar effect but WITHOUT the note of detergent and at a lower investment cost, try AG Heure Exquise EDP. To Antonias defense should be mentioned that the picky Mr Parfumista think Antonia is better than H E.

Rating: 3 + (had it not been for the detergent-note it had been 4)

Notes: Ylang-ylang, jasmine, rose, orris, geranium, ivy, vanilla, vetiver.