Neela Vermeire Créations - Pichola

Picture: Panorama of Udaipur's Jag Mandir Island
 at Lake Pichola, Rajasthan, India
Photo: Sballal (cc) some rights reserved,
Wikimedia commons

Pichola is the latest release of the Parisbased perfumehouse Neela Vermeire Créations which has released some beautiful deep, multifacetted cntemporary orental styled perfumes in the later years. Pichola, as also the earlier perfumes from Neela, is created by masterperfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Pichola is inspired by Lake Pichola which is situated in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Pichola starts sunny, lush, juicy, lemony fruity with hints of spices. It's as I imagine it would be resting in a palace garden on the shore of Lake Pichola, sipping a refreshing, cardamon flavoured tea on a sunny day, occasionally cooled with gusts of wind from the lake. The fruity notes and the cardamon is recognized from another of the Neelas  Bombay Bling. Soon the great white flowers tubereuse and orangeflowers joins the blend mixed with a velvet, smooth magnolia who amps up the lemony impression. The magnolia is very well balanced, it has no sharp edges or chemical hints as in for example the higher octave, cologneinspired Editions Parfums Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia. The middlenotes forms a classical floral accord dominated by the tubereuse and orangeblossom which smells wonderful and very natural as also the supporting jasmine, ylang-ylang and rose. The floral accord is watery-airy, reminding of the smell and texure of the air just above the surface of the lake. Pichola is not at all dense or cloying and the light spices perfectly contrasts the heavy flowers. In the basenotes smooth woods appears, one of the wooden notes is driftwood which probably creates some of the airy and watery impression. 


Picture: The spirit of Pichola
Photo: PR Neela Vermeire Créations (c)

When enjoying Pichola classics as the soapy, tubereuse-spicy Balenciaga Michelle comes to my mind. Michelle is aldehydic, soapier and with just a hint of  fruity notes. Also a modern, highend, less cloying and garish Versace Blonde comes forward. In the basenotes I come to think of Dior Poison also a spicy, fruity and much darker tubereuse. Overall Pichola is not "picco", it's grand but not in the bomastic way as the 1980s floral orientals, It's a wellmade contemporary interpretation of this cathegory, with juicy and lush fruits paired with the right, light dose of spicecs, replaceing some of the almost cloying, heady flowery "old school" accords of the old ones.

Pichola is the perfect summer fragrance to those who likes some "body" in their warm weather frags. Of course also great for winter when loning for the sun. Could be worn in any occasions, except for sport. Longevity for a day with traces on skin the morning after, sillage medium.

Picture: The beautiful bottle of Pichola
Photo: PR Neela Vermeire Créations (c)

Of the Neela Vermeire Créations released so far, I think Pichola is the easiest to like for a wider audience. Therefore I predict it will be the bestseller of the line :-)
Those who likes fragrances such as Ramon Monegal Moonblom and Robert Piguet Mademoiselle Piguet will probably like the more complex Pichola too.

Rating: 5

Notes: Cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, juniper, magnolia, neroli oil, clementine, bergamot, orange blossom absolute, rose absolute, tuberose absolute, sambac jasmine, ylang-ylang, benzoin absolute, sandalwood , driftwood, Haiti vetiver

Ramon Monegal - Moonbloom

Picture: Moonflower before opening for the nightblooming
Photo: The Moonlight garden circle com (c)

Moonbloom  is created by spansh perfumer Ramon Monegal. Moonbloom is another Ramon Monegal exclusive for Bloomingdales in Dubai, see also Dubai Next To Me  for Bloomingdales in Dubai.

Moonbloom starts starts with sweet, creamy, white flowers where tuberose supported by orangeblossom dominates in a delicate mix,I don't know if there is any moonbloom within as I don't know how it's smelling. The opeing reminds me slightly of the old gem Versace Blonde, but more bright, clean and innocent. Moonbloom is quite linear in its construction and when Moonbloom has settled, it smells of sweet, honeyed white flowers inteacting with an light ambery smooth woody base during rest of its lifespan. The ambery, flowery aura of the fragrance, reminds me of the similar, but more classic in style, impression of Maison Nicolas de Barry Madame de Pompadour. Some darker passages are swirling up to the surface in the second part of the dry down, this passages remins me of the special almost inky rose, spieces, sandalwoody combination in Vero Profumos beautiful Rozy Edp. Another fragrance that comes to my mind is Robert Piguet Mademoiselle Piguet but without the pleasant slight decaying greenery accord of the latter

To summon up Moonbloom, it's not an original fragrance as there are many in the same thick, almost tropical white flower style.The archetype for this style is to me a fragrance as Annick Goutal Songes even if there of course where other before that one in this group. On the other hand Moonbloom is very beautiful  and very pleasant to wear, smells wonderful. Even the picky Mr Parfumista commented in a very postive way on Moonbloom, and thats not happen very often when I'm testing new fragrances.

Moonbloom is an easy to wear fragrance, perfect for most occasions and is the type of fragrance which blooms and unfolds as best a very warm summerday. Longevity is for a day when tested under spring conditions ca 10+ C, silage is medium.

Rating: 5

Notes: Havn't found any notepyramid but I guess tubereuse, orangeblossom, rose, sandalwood, amber, vanilla. musk  are involved

Boucheron - Place Vendôme

Picture: Place Vendôme
Photo: PR Boucheron (c)

Place Vendôme is created to capture the spirit of the venerable jewellery house Boucheron, situated at the epicentrum of luxury. Place Vendôme is created as a collaboration between perfumers Olivier Cresp and Nathalie Lorson.

Place Vendôme starts sparkling, citric with traces of fruit and light, white flowers. The initial accord reminds me of a rounded and fruity version of Dior Escale à Pondichéry, without the teanote. As PV dries down the blended flowery impression intensifies and is somehow wrapped in gentle, not too sweet, notes. The flowery notes are light as a veil in texture and impression. The sweetness discrete, the honeynote involved is not of the animalic kind as in Serge Lutens Miel de Bois, this is a stripped down version, with just some elements of the honey extracted. The base is light and woody, with a sweet resin quality and the honeyed florals are still pleasant, deeper in expression as in the middlenotes. On my skin, the base is blooming 12h+ after application, I woke up in the middle of the night wondering "What is smelling so good"? The basenotes is the best part of PV for me.

The impression and expression of Place Vendôme is sort of a mainstream Grossmith Floral Veil. Nondescript light, ariy flowers are fleeting in and out in the accords, just as a fleeting light silk veil. Place Vendôme is also a bit "mainstream" rugged in texture compared to Floral Veil but on the other hand, the fragrances are in different priceranges. Another fragrance that comes to my mind when wearing Place Vendôme is Versace Vanitas, even if Vanitas is cold, a bit watery and crispy in texture, where PV is on the verge to creamy.

Picture: The stylish bottle of Place Vendôme
Photo: PR Boucheron (c)

Place Vendôme is a modern interpreation of the classical Boucheron floral-oriental theme. It's fleeting (as many contemporary fragrances after all the IFRA regulations have been effective) and lighter compared to classic Boucherons but elements of the elegant, a bit sweet, classic Boucheron base could be found also in PV. PV is feminine, elegant and suitable both for office and dressed up occasions. It is utterly well behaved, almost annoying in its perfection and it is hard to catch and analyze. Even if PV has no distinct characteristics it's pleasant and easy to wear. The longevity is very good, traces are left after almost 24h. Altogether a fragrance which fits most women, smells nice, is comforting and doesn't offend anybody.

Rating: 4

Notes: Pink pepper, rose, orangeblossom, mandarine, jasmine, honey, peony, praline, benzoin, cedarwood

By Kilian - Good Girl Gone Bad

Picture: Lü Ji, Birds in Osmanthus and Chrysanthemum,
13th century, Palace Museum, Beijing

Testing the next installment of the In the garden of Good and Evil subline of By Kilian, Good Girl Gone Bad. This almost natural smelling fruity-floral frag is created by Alberto Morillas. The spirit of the fragrance is described as "A woman who is game for anything in the world of love, of desire, of naughtiness"

Starts with fruity-flowery notes, osmanthus  contrubutes with the fruity-floral notes but there is also something similar to a mellow, yellow melon in the opening. Soon a tame tubereuse, some white flowers off-setted by a crisp but smooth narcissusnote appears. A very light creamy touch also appears in the middlenotes. There also some very light traces of cardamom (I think). Cardamom seems to be a it-note by now, Histoires de Parfums cardamomtrio Veni, Vidi, Vici is another example of this trend. The fruity-floral blend continues in the same style, supported by a conventional ambery-woody base.

To me there is nothing "Gone Bad" or naughty with this nice & fresh, totally officefriendly fragrance that could be worn in any season. There is more body to it than the initial perfume of the subline, In the City of Sin, but despite this, I percieve Good Girl Gone Bad as thin and uninteresting (I wonder if this depends on compliance with the new EU-regulations/IFRA selfregulations), but smelling nice. To me also GGGB just as ItCoS doesn't lend any remaining impression. On the other hand, Mr Parfumista think GGGB smells very good, "clean and wellblended not as the strange old-ladys scents you're insist to wear".To summon it all up: A nice smelling, easy to wear perfume that couldn't offend anybody. Taking the pricerange of By Kilian into account (if not buying the refills), I rather go for something mainstream, for example the Versace Vanitas Edt or Vanitas Edp if I wan't something in this uplifting, easy to wear style. The two latter also have a fuller body and are not fleeting.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Jasmine, osmanthus, may rose, tuberose, narcissus, amber, cedar

Versace - Vanitas Edp

Picture: Woman in a yellow dress, oil by Max Kurzweil,1899
Wikimedia commons

Vanitas Edp just as the Vanitas Edt version reviewd earlier this week, is created by Dora Baghriche-Arnaud for Italian fashionhouse Versace.

Rationelly I should of course have reviewed Versace Vanitas Edp first as it was created 2011 the year before the launching of the Edt. But my rational was the weather: The first week in October when the testing took place, is up here in the North, a period with alternating relatively warm and contrasting chilly days. The more sparkling and lighter, when it comes to the mixing of the ingredients, Vanitas Edt was tested during a relatively warm day and the Vanitas Edp on a slight chilly day.

Vanitas Edp has not, as mentioned above, the uplifting, sparkling effects as the Edt possesses. Vanitas Edp is dimmed compared to the Edt, it’s mellower and the florals, which are yellow also in the Edp, are dense and velvety in texture compared to the almost chiffonlike texture of the Edt. The freesia is one of the leading characters in the Edp but not as dominating as in the Edt. In the later dry down I feel a familiar note that is not menitioned in the notelist but I almost sure it is there. It’s the dark end dense orangeblossom note that is even more apparent in Mona di Orios Jabu. Vanitas Edp, especially in it’s later stages, has a hint of the dark melancholy that is present as a hint in the overall joyful Jabu. Vanitas Edp plays with the same concept a comfortable and pleasant fragrance with a trace of seriousness. I think admiers of the fragrances mentioned in the review of Vanitas Edt will also like the Edp but also these who likes more compact, unobtrusive, velvetlike in texture, elegant florals as for example Boucheron pour Femme. Even if they don’t smell close, the conveys a common style.

Vanitas Edp is a fragrance for the days when you just want’s to be taken care of. It wraps around you as a smooth pashmina, as a true comfort for troublesome days. The sillage is less then the sillage of the Edt, which of course is no surprise as Edt-concentrations is constructed to perform a higher radiance. Longevity is about 12 hours, not quite as long as for the Vanitas Edt.

Even if the both Vanitas versions tested are very good and mirrors two faces of the same theme, I slightly prefers the Edt-version and therefore the Edp has a somewhat lower rating.

Rating: 4

Notes: Lime, freesia, tiareflower, tonkabeen, cedarwood

Versace - Vanitas Edt

Picture: Idleness, John William Godward , 1900,
Wikimedia commons

Some days I just want to wear a fragarnce that just smells incredible good and that not distracts with strange twists that urges for a constant analyze. Such a fragrance is Versace Vanitas Edt, created by Dora Baghriche-Arnaud, a fresher interpretation of the Edp which was launched last year.

Vanitas Edt starts with a blast of sparkling yellow and white flowers grounded on an mellow, tropical, almosfruity accord that is not overly sweet and accentuating the flowers and gives them a depth. In the earlier stages of Vanitas Edt there is a bit of, but not fully developed, watery-flowery accord in the lotus flower style, like in Water Calligraphy by ByKilian and Gala de Dia by Loewe. As the fragrance dries down the watery texture gradually softens but doesn’t disappear completely. Also in the base the flowers is the most distinguished notes even if grounded on woody and teanotes according to the notelist.

Vanitas Edt is a sophisticated floral fragance with notes that feels almost fruity in the background. It’s a grown up floral, far away from the sweet, pink, young-girlish style.There is also no shrillness as in some Versace creations, neither it reflects the sometimes almost vulguar noveau riche style of the Versace couture. The almost fruity light sweetness, I think it’s the freesia that dominates the blend, smells almost natural, like mango and papaya, and there is no chemical vibes that could be prominent in some fragrances in this style.

Vanitas Edt is suitable for those who enjoy Amouage Honour Woman, Ormonde Jayne Tiare, Dior Pure Poison and First by Van Cleef & Arpels even if the latter is a grand, soapy 70s aldehydic, the lustre and elegance in apparance is similar.

Vanitas Edt is elegant but also relaxing and comfortable, perfect for daytime wear year around and it really blooms in humid weather which was the curicumstances when I tested it. I also think it would be a terrific fragrance to wear during lazy summerdays and warm summerevenings. Longevity is very good, at least 12h and the sillage is medium.

Rate: 4

Notes: Freesia, rose, osmanthus, tiareflower, cedarwood, black tea

Unsorted perfume thoughts February 2012

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Unsorted thoughts in my perfumeoriented mind:

- What a relief that January is over. I had promised myself only testing/using samples and I always keep promises :-) I have so longed for using my bottles that have waiting for me. Now I'm free to wear them even if testing from samples will be the main activity in February as well. And as today I'm still sampling... Maybe 2012 will be the year draining the samples...
- I think the lesson above is very enlighting: It  it makes me really appreciate my collection. But on the other hand; sampling also raises new temptations and thats one of the trills in testing perfume.
- The other day I passed through the perfumesection at the local department store and in passing sprayed the latest Versace Yellow Diamond: Citrusy-fruity-chemichal hell, I immadiately had to find a paperbin to throw the horrible scent strip away. I liked the first one Crystal Noir quite well, is neutral to Bright Crystal. How could this disaster happen?
-Two - three weeks ago, winter has finally caught us up in this nordic outpost. Strangly enough I don't yearn for my oriental lieblings. Instead I'm mostly stucked in heavy florals and Vero Kerns Kiki Edp which is just beautiful.
- Looking into my tweets there are much MPG testing the latest month. This house is a growing liking to me. Even if I have appreciated some of it's fragrances for many years I now have started to appreciate the different themes of the house. Earlier I was much more simplistic.
- A few days ago I've re-tested By Kilians clean and realistic jasmine Love and Tears, Surrender. It's just as beautiful as when i tried it last spring/summer. If not better as it lasts very well, without falling apart, more than twelve hours in the cold weather (- 10 C).  Love it!
- Yesterday I was wearing Teo Cabanels Alahine, a sweet, almost licqouary floral oriental that developes excellent in the cold (-15 C) snowy, weather. Maybe I turn into the orientals at last.

Thierry Mugler - Alien

Ursprungligen publicerat på min dåvarande blogg Parfumistans Blogg på Damernas Världs hemsida i maj 2008. 

Thierry Muglers Alien från 2005 är en genomsyntetisk jasmindoft på en orientaliskt träig bas. Dominique Ropion, de vita blommornas mästare, och Laurent Bruyère skapade denna härligt syntetiska doft. Den ger verkligen intryck av att komma från något annat, kallare ställe. Jag kommer verkligen att tänka på flygande tefat och silverglänsande rymdkostymer, Aliens med purpurfärgade ögon. Den är cool, grön och den vanligtvis varma jasminen har man lyckats ge en kall känsla. Träigheten ger en viss underliggande värme åt doften.   

Alien inleds direkt med bland annat apelsinblommor, i mellanregistret finns sambac jasmin och tränoter och i basen noter av vit mysk. En komposition av variationer på syntetiska noter.

Jag tycker mycket om Alien och dess övervägande kalla känsla. Jag tycker också om den modernt syntetiska känsla som finns över doften. Här känns inget äkta men ändå är doften så bra. Alien är en mycket bra representant för den senaste teknologiska utvecklingen inom parfymindustrin. Ny teknik gör att oändligt många doftvarianter kan framställas numera. Doftrevolutionen har bara börjat.  En annan doft som är en bra representant för detta är Versaces Crystal Noir.

Alien är en perfekt doft för jobbet men fungerar även kvällstid. Den är också bärbar året runt. Den har en mycket bra hållbarhet och känns fortfarande långt in på kvällen.

Betyg: 4

Kommentar vintern 2010: Alien är en mycket bra representant för den moderna, genomsyntetiska doften. Den är sin egen och sticker ut, precis som Angel drygt tio år tidigare. Redan en klassiker. Crystal Noir tolkar gardenian på ett liknande syntetiskt sätt som Alien tolkar jasminen. 

Leve Mainstream! - 4

Nina (Nina Ricci): Detta röda, fullmogna äpple på ambrerande och lätt karamelliserande träig bas är, är en fullträff på mig. Blandningen uppnår en effekt eller doftillusion som påminner om tuberose (!) på mig, även om den inte doftar tuberose. 
Gucci by Gucci Edp: Faller tyvärr inte ut helt bra på min hud men det är en mycket fin doft i genren fruktig, modern chypre. Vad jag har läst så är den också känslig och kräver rätt hudkemi. Mörk, lite fruktigt tuggummiaktig med päron, guava och patchoulli.
Black Crystal (Versace): Denna genomkemiska mentholiga cocosdominerade men samtidigt mörka doft är egentligen inget för officiella sammanhang. Om man som bärare vill göra ett propert intryck i alla fall. Men den är rolig, mysig och ganska trashig. Dissad i The Guide (1:a) men jag tycker om den.
Rush (Gucci): Denna mycket speciella fruktiga, moderna chypre är en föregångare i just den genren. Enligt flera parfymskribenter luktar den nästen exakt som en svindyr doft från ett nischmärke (Clive Christian) som kom flera år senare än Rush. Har själv inte provat men jag tror dem. Här finns alltså chansen att för en rimlig peng dofta av något banbrytande. Till skillnad från Black Crystal är förstås Rush högt skattad i The Guide: Högsta betyg, 5.

Bortglömd Blonde(in)

Häromdagen kände jag den starka Blonde från Versace från en passerande kvinna. Den kändes mer urvattnad än jag minns. Men dofter faller ju olika ut på olika personer och i olika situationer.
Har alltid gillat Blonde och tyckte tills för nyligen att Crystal Noir var ett sämre försök till efterträdare i samma genre. Nu tycker jag tvärtom att CN är mycket bättre.

Dagens doft - Crystal Noir

Versaces Crystal Noir från 2004 har jag beskrivit tidigare, 18/11 närmare bestämt. Det är en doft som en del parfymsnobbar rynkar på näsan åt men som de samtidigt erkänner att de inte kan låta bli att tycka om. Varför dessa nässnörpningar? Jo, det är en rakt igenom kemisk doft, gjord enligt senaste teknik. Inga naturliga ingredienser här inte. CN är en modern vitblommig oriental (gardenia, tuberose) som sägs ha ozoniska toppnoter. Rätt tunga luftnoter i så fall. Det finns en tropisk men torr fruktighet i doften: cocosnöt och något som påminner om fikon. Allt vilar på en mysk och ambrabas som inte känns som den traditionella. Även om mysk och ambra vanligen är syntetiska så luktar de här på ett annorlunda sätt. Nytänkande helt enkelt!
CN passar väldigt bra på mig och jag tycker bra om den, det brukar liksom hänga ihop. Doften är tydlig och tar viss plats i rummet. Den sitter också till dagen därpå trots Edt-version. Skulle kunna bli något av en signaturdoft om jag hade en liten doftgarderob. Mannen tycker att det är det bästa jag har haft på mig på ett bra tag. Blev först t o m anklagad för att ha tagit av hans Salvatore Ferragamo,en doft som för övrigt har myckt fikon i sig.
CN passar alla årstider utom när det är som varmast på sommarn. Råkade använda den en sådan dag i somras och då blev den för överväldigande.

Tur med Victor and Rolf och Dagens doft

Hade tur med Victor&Rolf plaggen! Klänningarna passade bra men kappan var för liten och heller inte rätt skuren för mig. Två av tre rätt är mer än godkänt. Den röda sidenklänningen blir perfekt på julaftonen, det tänker säkert fler än jag. Den kommer vara Sveriges vanligaste julaftonsklänning 2006.
Dagens doft
"Den där passar du jättebra i" sa mannen om dagens doft."Släng dina tantdofter och använd bara de som passar så där bra". "K-märk iallafall alla tantdofter (K som i kärring) så att det finns en varning". Vi har lite olika inställning till kriterierna för doftanvändning något jag kommer återkomma till i inlägg längre fram. Doften som fått tummen upp är Versaces Crystal Noir, en vit-blommig parfym på orientalisk botten. Den har ingredienser som gardenia uppbackad av tuberos, ambra och mysk. Den är mao tung och söt, jag känner också en ton av cocos, den lukt som kommer precis när man öppnar en cocosnöt. Den smälter fint in i min hud och hållbarheten är enorm för att vara en Edt, doften är tydlig även dagen därpå. Crystal Noir påminner mycket om Diors Tendre Poison men TP saknar cocosinslaget och är mer åttiotals-vit-blommig. Därför valde jag  CN då jag har flera i den typiska vita-blom-kategorin sedan tidigare. Jag tror att Crystal Noir ska agera ersättare till den fina, betydligt torrare tuberosdoften Blonde från Versace. Skandal att man slutat tillverka den.