Parfums de Nicolaï - Cologne Friction

Photo: Parfumista (c)

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Patrica de Nicolaïs Cologne Friction är en av husets fina cologner. Friction är mjukt gräsigt grön, krispigt bladdigt grön, den ligger någonstans mellan Sisleys riktigt gräsiga och tomatbladsliknande Eau de Campagne och Thierry Muglers gröna, solcremeslikande mysk Mugler Cologne. Cologne Friction är inte lika intensivt gräsig som Campagne och är inte fuktigt, myskig som Mugler Cologne utan som sagt ett välmodererat mellanting. Den är liksom torrt grön, utan att bli hö-ig, med en aningen av en lätt osöt tvålighet. Liksom de båda andra gröningerna är Cologne Friction unisex och till och med kinkiga herr Parfumista som aldrig skulle sätta på sig Mugler Cologne kan använda Friction i casualsammanhang någon gång då och då. För Cologne Friction är genuint casual, som gjord för en tur i skogen eller på sjön. Men den fungerar förstås också en dag när man vill ha något lätt och friskt på jobbet, exempelvis om man av en eller annan anledning känner sig ur form. Eftersom Cologne Friction är just en Cologne så är hållbarheten inte så bra men applicerar man en hyfsad dos finns ändå fragment kvar till kvällen.

Sammanfattningsvis en välgjord, balanserad och prisvärd cologne. Att rekommendera för den som inte är nöjd med reformuleringen av Eau de Campagne.

Patricia de Nicolai Cologne Friction is one of the fine wellcrafetd colognes of the house Parfums de Nicolaï. Friction is soft grassy green and crisp green leafy at the same time, it lies somewhere between Sisleys bold grassy and tomato leaf-like Eau de Campagne and Thierry Muglers green, suntan-like musk Mugler Cologne. Cologne Friction is not as intense as grassy Campagne and is not moist and musky as Mugler Cologne, instead it's a well modualted in between. It is dry and green, without being hay-like, with a light  slightly unsweet soapiness. Like the other two are greeniess, Cologne Friction unisex and even the fussy Mr. Parfumista who would never put on Mugler Cologne use Friction for casual once in a while. Beacause Cologne Friction is truly casual, perfect for a ride in the forest or a day at the sea. But of course it also works for the occasions when you want something light and fresh at work, for example, if for one reason or another, feeling out of shape. Of being a cologne the durability is quite good if applying a decent dose there is still clear, green, musky fragments left on skin in the evening.

In summary, Cologne Friction, as usually with the Nicolaï frags, is a well-made, balanced and affordable cologne. To recommend for those who are not satisfied with reformulation of Eau de Campagne.

Rating: 4

Noter: Gräs och annat grönt/ Grass and other greenery

Parfums de Nicolaï - L'Eau Chic

Picture: Pelargonium graveolens (Rose Geranium)

Photo: Laitche (cc), Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Patricia de Nicolaïs L'Eau Chic starts with a brisk, green blast of geranium. The fragance is fresh but not in the characteristic contemporary laudery or detergent way. This is natural, green, sharp freshness with some minty notes followed by herbal and light spicy notes with a light woody background, blond wood as birch, aspen and linden. Even if Patricia de Nicolaï was inspiered by the scent of her parents geraniumsoaps I don't get a particulary soapy feeling of L'Eau Chic, there just some soapiness in the basenotes that somehow feels a little dry. 

To my nose L'Eau Chic is a woody take on one of my favorite Nicolaïs Week End 

à Deauville 2011. As an owner of that Week-End I'm not convinced that I need even a small bottle of L'Eau Chic as especially in the middlenotes, I feel many similarities between the two fragrances, Week End beeing a bit more flowery-green and with a mossy feeling, where L'Eau Chic is more woody-herbal-green.

Even if categorized as an Eau L'Eau Chic is sharp, distinct and longlasting, it lasts during a whole day. It's the perfect, chic, casual daytime perfume (especielly for spring and summer) that is very pleasent to wear and it feels very refreshing almost germicidal. Just as Week End à Deauville this is a fragrance that is very special and stands out from the crowd.

Rating: 4

Notes: Geranium, lavendel, mint, chamomille, clove, spice, sandalwood, musk

An unstressed (?) perfumeweek

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

As I wrote in my previous post, the previous week I have, in order to calm down perfumewise and to appreciate what I already have, endovered to use from my regulary samples and bottles and not from the unsampled samples waiting for test. This was the scents of the “calming down parfumeweek”:

Monday: The beautiful iris classic Annick Goutal Heure Exquise. Elegant and classy, longevity is great in the Edp-version. H E is the warm contrast to the resembeling but instead cold iris of Chanel No 19 Edp. A classic iris is somhow calming and creates confidence to the wearer, a good choice for the workplace.

Tuesday: Almost too late to the celebration of HRH Queen Elisabeth II sixty years of the thorne. Monday evening I’ve read the perfumtip for each day of the festive days on the Scented Salamander. But the last festiveday was Tuesday and I choosed one of the proposed scents, namely CdG Avignon as the church was celebrating the Queen this day. On Tuesday I also tested Madonnas Truth or Dare on the go and as a tubylover I of course fell for it.

Wednesday: Creed Fantasia de Fleurs. Thank to Mr Parfumista I still have this in my possession. I was in the process to advertise it when Mr Parfumista stopped me as he think this is a beautiful floral. Definitly he’s right, this is an interesting iris-rose dominated boquet leaning on a deep, sort of almost salty animalic base, the typical Creedian ambregris-muskbase. I’m so glad Mr Parfumista sopped me selling this off.

Thursday: I was wearing the according to my opinion the top classic so far during the 2000^th centruary, Prada Infusion d’Iris Edp. My judgement as a great classic is based on that Prada Infusion d’Iris Edp is a well crafted fragrance with its own identity and a timeless character. It fits almost every everyday occasion during all seasons. The wide distrubition that make such a classy and versatile fragrance available to many people is great. When I wore the Prada today I recognized a slight airy, spicy accord that I’ve never thought of before. This addad a cosy, comfortable touch to the otherwise almost businesslike aura of the I d’I Edp.

Friday: Today I wore a true comfortscent for meduim warm summerdays and also, have I noticed, for rainy, foggy days in the middle of the autumn: Bulgari Rose Essentielle Edp. Not a complicated arty creation but a beautiful, spritzy very pink, sunny rose with some supporting, very light, fruity accords. This wearing I recognized that in the top and in the beginning of the middlenotes there is traces of Yvresse from YSL, the same elegant flowery-fruity sparkling expression. Than RE Edp ets mote pink rosy and mingles well with the white musky base.

Saturday: Oh no, gone astray from the peaceful perfumetrack of the weekdays and fell into a day of “testomania”. Big sale on the Annick Goutal site made me digging up my AG samples to test and compare, some on skin, some on paperstrips. On skin I was comparing Mandragore vs Mandragore Pourpré, on my daugther Petite Cherie was tested and compared with Le Mimosa on a paperstrip. Vanille Exquise was on another strip, it has a peppery note that makes the impression strangely enough close too the gardenia/tuberose/ozonic green Un Matin d’Orage. Also re-tested and finally re-evaluated Nuit Etoilée on another spot on the skin and finally surrendered: I need more of this (the mens version of the bottle is soooo beautiful). A stressful perfumeday, but on the other hand – perfume IS my hobby and sampling is fun.

Sunday: Can not avoid some samplig today either. Mr Parfumista is sampling the beautiful, light and bright tobaccoscent Pohadka from YS Uzac. Oddly, this one although reported as weak in longevity from different reviews and also splashed from the sample, it lasts quite ok on Mr Parfumistas usually scent-consuming skin. A lovely, fresh interpretation of the tobaccoleave. And me, just J sampling two frags today. On the left arm I have applied from my neglected bottle of Armani Code Edp for Woman. All this just because Code was rated only as 1 in The Guide and described as a candy floral. To my humble opinion Code is much better than that and a versatile summerfragrance. On the left arm: The comfortable, smooth, fruity Juste un Rêve Parfums de Nicolaï. No sticky or harsh notes, just a jummy, creamy peachy/apricoty texture on the slight green calchy base, recognizable from some other Nicolaïs for example Vanille Tonka.

Summary: In the weekdays I almost managed to stick to old workhorses expect on Tuseday when I tested a spritz of Madonnas Truth or Dare passing a perfumeshop. Then relaxing on the weekend, everything was unleashed, an anticipated behavior from the perfumaddict I undoubtedly am.

Scented thoughts – June 2012

Scented thoughts – June 2012

The summer weather this June has been very unstable with lots of rain and some (one or two) days as cold as + 4- 5 C during the day. Not so inspiring when it comes to using typical light summerfrags even if I appreciate big florals for the moment. And as always there is lot of scented thoughts as:

-         Gardenia seems to be the note de jour. Serge Lutens will launch a gardeniadominated perfume Voix de Noire inspired of Billie Holiday in the exclusive line. I’m already anticipating a blind buy in early autumn. Read more at Perfume Shrine .

-         From Andy Tauers blog , it  seems as he is started the work on a gardenia and I’m sure will be something special.

-         Seems as I have to dig out my Isabey Gardenia sample in the near future, I really appreciate its velvety, subdued, white floral elegance.

-         Thinking of gardenia and white flowers: The other day on the fly I tested Madonnas tuberose Truth or Dare, one spritz on skin and as I wore CdG Avignon that day it was a big contrast. My son commented when I picked him up from school that I was smelling pink and pink is exactly the colour I perceive when smelling ToD and a velvety texture. To me ToD is reminiscent of a medium powdery pink luxuary slik velvet.

-         Gardenia is of course also an important note in ToD, as in many tuberoseperfumes. ToD is, as mentiond many times in many blogs, not groundbreaking but it’s a well blended sweet tuby. The slight gourmand touch reminds me of something in Parfumerie Générales lovely Tubereuse Coture.

-         Indirectly Madonna with this release supports and educate in “good” perfumeculture. Launching a wellbalanced, classical blend with a modern twist, following in the steps of Piguets Fracas to a wide audience to a reasonable price is just great. As an almost collector of tubys, I will go for a 30 ml.

-         In the latest months I have sufferd from a sort of perfumerelated stress. I’ve have been in the state of constant hunting for new impressions, acquiring samples and some bottles too, constantly sniffing and evaluating. In the same time I have tried to going through my perfumewardrobe to find fumes to sell to avoid the collection to grow uncontrolled. This situation causes that I don’t live with and appreciate the frags that I already have.

-         To calm down I ‘ve decided, or to be more precise Mr Parfumista influenced me, to use and evaluate the stuff I alredy have to a much greater extent than I try and evaluate new samples.This year the circumstances have been in the total opposite.

-         This week I therefore have used some neglected, beauties, most of them more or less big florals. More about this in the next post.

Phaedon – Coton Egyptien

Coton Egyptien from the Pierre Guillaume associated line Phaedon is (probably) also created by Pierre. CE is, like Verveine Figuier reviewed earlier this week, compared to the fragrances in the general Parfumerie Générale-line, a lighter and “easier to wear” fragrance.

Coton Egyptien starts with a somehow soft blast of galbanum, often galbanum is strong, sharp and dominating, but not in CE. Soon a papery, vanillic note appears and mingles with the green during the well balanced dry down. The base is slight dry woody, grounded in a white musk.

In style CE reminds me of some Patricia de Nicolaï creations, especially her geraniumdominated L’Eau Chic. Coton Egyptien is the galbanumversion of L’Eau Chic but also infused with some of the papery, chalky vanillic note from Vanille Tonka.

Coton Egyptien is a soothing scent for the summer and with it’s similarities to the Nicolaïs of course also a more elegant and refined alternative to the mainstream acqua-citrus-musky freshness. There is a clean but absolutely not laudery feeling of CE. Perfect for casual and the office. Longevity is not so good, CE demands a heavy application.

Rating: 3+

Update July 2013: This summer I've come to really appreciate this fine, wearable, casual chic fragrance which unfortunately seems to be discontinued in the rebottled Phaedon-line.

Rating 2013: 4+

Notes: Galbanum, iris, jasmine, lily of the valley, lily, orange blossom, musk, cedar.

Thanks to PG for providing the sample to test.

Phaedon – Verveine Figuier

Picture: Eisenkraut, Verbena officinalis, 1796,

Fig. from book Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen,

Author: Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm)

Wikimedia Commons

Verveine Figuier is a Pierre Guillaume creation launched under the Phaedon label, a perfume joint-venture where Pierre is involved. Some fragrances are made by Pierre and some not, but as I have found Verveine Figuier is composed by PG himself.

VF starts with a light, green fignote that have some commonalities with the light, green figginess of PG:s Jardins de Kerylos. The fignote is balanced and gets a cirusy-green sparkling effect by the leafs of verbena. The green and citric notes are interacting in a quite linear formula, grounded in a light woody, white musky base.

VF:s formula seems simple and straight forward. The blend is very light to be a PG creation, it’s almost an Eau de Cologne, on my skin anyway. VF is a scent that should be splashed on to refresh during a hot summerday, and several applications will be necessary as it fades after 3-4 hours on my skin anyway. This verbena – fig styled almost colognelike blend is a good alternative to the classical citrusdominated colognes such as Guerlain Eau de Cologne Imperiale or the modern musky dominated such as Thierry Mugler Cologne. Other verbena fig styled fragrances tha comes to my mind testing VF is Hermès Un Jardin en Méditerranée and Heeley Verveine even if those,especially UJeM , is stronger and with a better longevity. Of the two the Heeley Verveine is most similar to Phaedon Verveine Figuier as it’s lighter and more citrus-green than the darker and denser almost ripe fig in UJeM. The musky, light woody part of VF has similarities with the great green, musky Eau de Lalique but EdL is more radiating and lasts for a whole day even in summer. Also PG:s new interpretation of Corps de Ames, the beautiful Corps et Ames Edt Apaisante features  verbena but the note is much more obvious in the CdA Edt than in Verveine Figuer.Maybe because the verbena note, just as the whole blend, is stronger in CdA Edt.

To summon up Verveine Figuer is the perfect stright forward, summery splash on, almost cologne for lazy days. Nice, dimmed and refreshing.

Rating: 3

Notes: Verbena leaves, fig leaves, fig wood, musk

Maria Candida Gentile – Barry Lyndon

Barry Lyndon is another beautiful fragrance in the complex and characterful Maria Candida Gentile spirit. But this time in a fragrance family that may not represent the typical dark and suggestive MCG style as Sideris and Cinabre beeing reviewed earlier this week.

Picture; Calluna Vulgaris (heather)

Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé, Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz,

 1885, Gera, Germany

Barry Lyndon is an aromatic-herbal-light leathery fragrance that perfectly suits the 18^th century irish adventurer, Barry Lyndon who has lend his name to this creation. I get images from a fox hunt an early autumn morning in the English countyside. The nature waking up, the chilly and crisp greenery, the smell from the leather in the saddles and and well-polished  ridingboots. Another image I get from Barry Lyndon is an Alpenwiese, a meadow in the alps a sunny day with it’s grass, heather and herbal plants.

To me Barry Lyndon starts with a dry and light almost dusty leathernote. Shortly it transfers to the pleasent “dust on a just ligthed bulb” note. Then the herbals gets more distinct I smell thyme and fresh minty notes but also an almost honeyed roundness, probably from the heather. As Barry Lyndon reaches the basenotes there is an almost suede-like note, combined accompanied with vanillic touches. There is also a fresh earty feeling present in the basenotes. A fragrance that comes to my mind when wearing Barry Lyndon is Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Eau de Camelia Chinois but that one is much less herbal.

Despite of beeing aromatic-herbal, Barry Lyndon is a full bodied fragrance, thick and complex in its contruction. It’s not thin, transparent and fleeting. As in the other MCG fragrances I have tried, much is going on during the whole dry down and Barry Lyndon doesn’t let it’s wearer rest. Unisex in style, leaning at bit to the masculine side. Proper for summer, this one will last also during the hot summerdays, and to the office.

Rating: 4

Notes: Aromatic herbs, artemisia, arnica, heather, leather, vetiver, vanilla

Later on I will certainly come back to review more from Maria Candida Gentile

as I highly appreciate this line.

Maria Candida Gentile - Cinabre

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Cinabre is a beautiful, smooth, soapy, spicy rosefragrance, created by Maria Candida Gentile. The rose is preseant from the begnning even if changing it’s performance. Cinabres opening rose is similar to the rosy rose aspects in Annick Goutals Rose Absolue. The typical almost rubbery note that is a sign of natural roseoil is present. But as AG:s RA is all about roses and greenery, the rose in cinabre of course is leaning on cinnabar and other spices. After a while the rose is flowing in an opulent, retro soapiness. From this stage of Cinabre I get the picture of Sophia Loren taking a bath, using a luxary, rosy soap. In this stage the rose has darkened and is probably in the very beginning of decaying. The spicy, soapy, rose is resting on a warm, soft, smooth, almost woody-powdery resiny base. In the middle- and basenotes Cinabre partly reminds me of the beautiful natural perfume Roses des Bois from AbdesSalaam Attar Profumo (La Via del Profumo) another high quality italian perfumehouse.

Cinabre is very feminine in style. It is multifacetted and there is new interesting twists during the whole dry down. It’s an interesting fragrance that involves the wearer. Even if dense and bold and with a good projection the scent doesn’t take over the space. To me Cinabre is officefriendly (but probably not to the average swedish perfumewearer) because to me, wearing parfume, is not just about smelling good. It’s also about to get different impressions and to enjoy art in the everyday, and to me Cinabre is definitly a piece of art.

Rating: 5

Notes: Pepper, ginger, rose, benzoin, opoponax, vanille (and I bet a lot of others)

Maria Candida Gentile – Sideris

Picture: Piazza del Campo, Siena,

Photo by Ricardo André Frantz (Tetraktys), (cc),

Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved

Sideris by Maria Candida Gentile transports me to a small, Italian town, uncertain what century. Sideris to me is an ongoing exhange between the heat outside on the town square and the coolness in the medival church at the center by the square. But in the cool church there is also an almost sweet warmth, from the myrrh and incense burned as from the wax candles lighted during the mass. There is also some obscure, almost decaying notes lurking in the background, maybe deriving from what’s hiding below the stone floor of the church.

Sideris is all about a warm and fullbodied almost sweet incense. It starts spicy and with sweetness from the myrrh. In this stage, strangely enough I get an impression that is partly similar to Jean Claude Ellenas tropical-night blend Flora Bella from Lalique, probably due to the sweet myrrh and the dark, velvety feeling. As the dry down proceeds, the incense gets more pronounced. The incense and the whole fragrance stays warm, thick and dense during its whole dry down.The color of Sideris to me is dark, velvety blue, as the sky with twinkling stars during a mediterrian night.

Sideris is to me eternal and represent a scent in style that I can image have been used during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Sideris also reminds me of the impressions of another eternal scent, Etros Messe de Minuit even if that one is much more flowery, light and transparent in style, it also have some of this both pleasant and unpleasent churchy notes described above.

Sideris warms up a grey and rainy day and as with all MCG I think of Sideris as officefriendly.Unisex in style. Great longevity, at least 24 hours and a distinct but not intruding sillage.

Rating: 5

Notes: Labdanum, saffran, myrrh, pepper, incense, rose, sandalwood, benzoin, woody notes

Maria Candida Gentile – General impressions of the line

Maria Candida Gentile is an Italian perfumer educated in Grasse. After returning to Italy she has started her own perfumehouse that wears her name, Maria Candida Gentile. I think Maria could be proud of lending her name to these beautiful fragrances: This is amazing stuff, significantly different from the usual niche offerings.A “niche-in-niche” line.

The Maria Candida Gentile fragrances are timless in character and they are transporting me to Italy, uncertain what century. The fragrances are what I will percived as very genuine and somehow “rough”, but harmonious, down to earth, they are combining the traditional Italian style*) in a sort of contemporary frame. The MCG line equivalent in french perfumery is the also down to earth, not so polished compared to the french style, Les Nereides even if MCG is more complex, denser and of a higher quality. MCG mixing the high quality ingredienses, the perfumes contains a high precentage of naturals, in a very interesting and suggestive way. These fragrances involve the wearers imagination from the very beginning to the the very end, more than 24 hours later.The MCG fragrances are not easy-going, cosy-comfort scents, they are like living creatures, demanding attention from its wearer. There is something going on the whole time (which on the other hand makes them difficult to review). But all this is exactly what I’m appreciating from a perfume, almost always anyway, sometimes of course I need something nice, polite and easy going.

In the coming entries (starts tomorrow)  I will try to summeraize the spirit of some of the gorgeous MCG:s.

*)In general I percive the italian perfumery as bolder, denser, more adventurous and free in mind and creation than the more contolled, perfected and elegant french perfumery. MCG is an excellent representative of the italian style taken to perfection. The MCG frags are no doubt rare and great artpieces of perfumery.

The MCG fragrances could be bought in 15 ml travelsprays for 25 EUR from her website http://www.mariacandidagentile.com/ . The perfumes are concentrated, a few spritzes goes a long way, this is great value for the money. The frags are also avaible in 100 ml from Aus Libe zum Duft.

Euphoria

Picture: Loreen (Lorine) Talhaoui, The new swedish Mega Star.

Photo: Annika Aschberg (c), Picture from the pressection of Loreens official website

Today I’m not referring to the famous CK fragrance Euphoria but to the common state of mind here in Sweden the day after the very talented Loreens Great Victory in the Eurovisioncontest 2012. Euphoria (the song) and the somehow calming appearance of Loreen, also mediated by the great choreography of the number, is really a Eurovision contribution beyond the ordinary. Many, many congratulations to Loreen and best wishes to a very talented artist of whom we will for sure see much more of in the future.

And here's the performance: Link

The Royal Baptism

Picture: The Crown Princess Couple and H.R.H. Princess Estelle with godmothers and godfathers

Photo: Bruno Ehrs, Copyright Kungahuset.se

(The handsome guy to  the left is H.R.H Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, chosen as the most beautiful male  royal person of all times by a major American magazine, don't remember which one)

As reported in February, our lovely Crownprincess couple, H.R.H Crownprincess Victoria and her amazing husband H.R.H Prince Daniel, became parents to a little princess, Estelle, the  future Queen of Sweden. Estelle was baptised on Tuesday this week in the Chapel of the Royal Castle in Stockholm. The little one also was knighted as knight of the Serafimerorder, the most prominent swedish order, gifted with a cute mini-ribbon in the serafimer light blue. One of Princess Estelles godparents is the stylish Crownprincess Mary of Denmark, a very good choice when it comes to instill the little princess into the world of good style, note Marys artful hatlike creation . I remember some years ago,when Crownprincess Mary, in connection with the baptism of her own daughter, Princess Isabel, was wearing an ensamble created by the lituanian designer Josef Statkus. Coincidentally the Josef Statkus Eau de Parfum is one of my favourite incense perfumes.

Picture: Crownprincess Mary of Denmark with her daugther Princess Isabel,

 wearing a Josef Statkus creation. Source press image, don't know the photographer.

The perfume that I worn during the baptismday? A perfume that not fitting a day like this at all, because this week I have been in a patchouli mood and the SOTD was something as simple as Les Nereides Patchouli Antique, a robust, slight herbal patchouli.

To finalize this royal frenzy I will end this post with a more relaxed picture of the Hereditary Princess Estelle and her parents.

Picture: The Swedish Crown Princesscouple with H.R.H Princess Estelle

Photo: Kate Gabor, Copyright: Kungahuset.se

Histoires de Parfums - Tubereuse 3 Animale update May 2012

Picture: strawflower, Helichrysum moeserianum.

Photo: Winfried Bruenken (Amrum) (cc) Wikimedia commons,

 some rights reserved.

Tubereuse 3 Animale is the third installment in the Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse triology, created by the HdP house founder the  ISIPCA-graduated Gérald Ghislain and Magali Senequier ( I think). The Tubereuse triology is a suite of different interpretations of tubereuse or more precise, perfumes with tubey as the common denominator but not necessarily tubereuse as the dominant note of the composition.

When I reviewed (in swedish) T 3 Animale almost two years ago I didn't like it at all. I thought it was an overdose of immortelle and too much tobacco and that the whole blend was unbalanced. But today, I
completely change my opinion, nowadays I just love this immortelle, hay, tobacco, slight honeyed tubereuse creation. Starts with a blond tobacconote, followed by a moderate dose of immortelle, not as heavy as in Annick Goutal Sables. As the notes mingles the tuberose quietly appears in to the blend. It's a tubey at the dark side of the spectrum, a tubey with the honeyed smell of the nectar, an interpretation that I have earlier experienced in Annick Goutals soliflore Tubéreuse (review in swedish) and in Mona di Orios Tubéreuse (also in swedish). The special tobacco-tubereuse mix I have earlier experienced in Liz Zorn (Sohivole) Tobacco & Tulle. As T 3 Animale reaches the basenotes there is something familiar with the blend. Mr Parfumista nails it when he states it has a similar vibe as Estee Lauders Spellbound but adapted to the 2010:s (even if created 2009 to be precise) as softer, more muted and without the bombastic sillage of Spellbound.  And as an old fan of Spellbound it is not surprising that I'm now also an admier of T 3 Animale.

Rating: 5

Notes: Neroli, kumquat, mandarine, bergamot, jasmine, tubereuse, plum, grass, hay, immortelle, tobacco, labdanum, wood

Histoires de Parfums - Tubereuse 2 Virginale

Picture: Prunus Avivum, Vogel-Kirsche im Früling

Photo: Benjamin Gimmel (BenHur), (cc) Wikimedia commons,

some rights reserved

Tubereuse 2 Virginale is the second installment in the Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse triology, created by the HdP house founder the  ISIPCA-graduated Gérald Ghislain and Magali Senequier ( I think). The Tubereuse triology is a suite of different interpretations of tubereuse or more precise, perfumes with tubey as the common denominator but not necessarily tubereuse as the dominant note of the composition.

T 2 Virginale is like it's name indicates a  bright, happy and cheerful white flowery scent with fruity accents. Virginale starts with a fresh, not at all sweet, cloying, cherry note. The note, accented with an almost peppery/insence note, is transparent in style. A hint of the smell of nailpolish whirls thoriug the scent after a while, but not at all in a unpleasent way. Soon thereafter there is also an accord that reminds me of a lip balm of my youth, don't remember it's name. It was american, the container was black with a white cap and the grease was in a pale pink nuance. Later in the middlenotes, bright and quite transparent white flowers intensifies the tubey is there but interwowen with the other white flowers in a boquet. In the background something sweet and almost gourmandy lurks, I almost recognize a tuned down version of the strawberry popcornnote of the original Christine Nagel 2005 composition of Miss Dior Cherie Edp. The basenotes of  T Virginale 2 are slight clean musky but in the right proportion, not the detergent clean musk but a nice white musk. There is also some patchouli in hte base, but in a gentler dose than in MDC Edp.

T 2 Virginale is a nice, inoffensive scent, perfect for officewear in spring and summer but also during the other seasons when longing for summer. Good, wellbalanced and very wearable.

Rating: 3

Notes: Cherry, mandarin, iris, tuberose, tiare flower, frangipani, blond wood, patchouli, vanilla, white musk

Histoires de Parfums - Tubereuse 1 Capricieuse update May 2012

Picture: A cacao tree with fruit pods in various stages of ripening.

Photo: Medicaster, (cc) Wikmedia commons, some rights reserved.

Tubereuse 1 Capricieuse is the first installment in the Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse triology, created by the HdP house founder the  ISIPCA-graduated Gérald Ghislain and Magali Senequier ( I think). The Tubereuse triology is a suite of different interpretations of tubereuse or more precise, perfumes with tubey as the common denominator but not necessarily tubereuse as the dominant note of the composition.

I have tested and reviewed (in swedish) T 1 Capricieuse almost two years ago. At that time I didn't caught its features and rated it as a slight more than good fragrance but it didn't really moved me at that time. Maybe I rushed through the sample too fast, because now I really like this interesting  iris-suede-coca-tubey blend. T 1 Capricieuse starts as a almost pure iris fragrance with the typical metallic, iris rooty note but without almost any nuances of carrot. The opening notes reminds me of Chanel No 19 Poudré and Heeley Iris de Nuit minus the carrot note. Then a note similar to Björnklister "Bear-glue", a white glue for paper that was common in my childhood, tunes in. Nostalgic-pleasant in some way. After a while the gluenote turns into a suede note dusted with coca powder and a muted tubereuse tunes in very discrete. As the blend dries down the flowery, coca, suede blend somehow intensifies in a beautiful, almost gourmand accord. This stage is very pleasant and the stayingpower is superior, it lasts until the next morning. I suspect that I applicated to little when I condemned the stayingpower two years ago. 

As a whole T 1 Capricieuse reminds me of the iris-suede Mythique by Parfums DelRae but the latter is more graceful, transparent and flowing than the more robust T 1  Capricieuse. Mythique is also an iris-suede without the tubeynote that makes T 1  Capricieuse warmer and with an almost mellow vibe.

T 1 Capricieuse is the perfect officeperfume, wearable year around except the hottest summerdays.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Saffron, bergamott, mandarine, iris, ylang-ylang, tubereuse, cacao, musk, suede

Parfumerie Generale - Corps et Ames Eau de Toilette Apaisante

Picture: "Springtime" or "Woman Reading" (Camille Monet)

Claude Monet 1872, oil on canvas, Wikimedia Commons

Handsome Pierre Guillaume is a constant threat to my creditcard, it's hardly that I dare to test a new creation from him. The new (or more precisely revived) Corps et Ames Eau de Toilette Apaisante is an excellent example of such a threat from PG: Floral chypre, built upon one of my top favourite PG:s the bold, flowery, light leathery almost minty geranium green chypre Corps et Ames Edp created in 2006. CeA Edt is a lightened up and  brighter interpretation of the loverly CeA theme. In topnotes vebena leafs are dominating giving CeA Edt an almost tea-like impression (but without the harsh qualities of the teanote), There is also citrusy, minty green aspects and as CeA Edt dries down, the rosiness of geranium and a clean wellblended patchouli enters the stage. The darker and denser leathery, imortelle notes of the original is left out in the Edt version that makes the whole blend sparkling as Champagne as the old Edp-version could be compared to a good Chablis. In the basenotes there is some light woody notes and a bright musk that gives this lovely composition a great longevity, it last more than 24h on my skin.

There is similarities in CeA Edt:s style and mediated sensation as in the great Papyrus de Ciane also from PG. Both CeA Edp, CeA Edt and PdC is PG:s elegant, casualstyle frags as opposed to the gourmands that are typical to the PG brand. CeA Edt is perfect for daytime wear and it’s also officefriendly. There is some retro-vibes in the blend that makes me associate to the great 70^th classic Eau de Rochas and also with the great green floral chypres of this era. With CeA Edt (and Edp) Pierre has proved there is still  possible to create a beautiful chypre or chypre-like creation despite of the IFRA restrictions.

The tweaking of the facets of an already introduced scent seems to be popular by now. When Pierre Guillaume highlights the lighter and brighter aspects of Corps et Ames, Daniela Andrier does the opposite when highlights the darker, smoother and denser aspects of Prada Infusion d’Iris Edp in the new Absolute version.

CeA Edt is particulary sutiable for spring and summer but would also be a nice reminder of the warmer months during the could season.

Rating: 5 (the same as CeA Edp)

Notes: Geranium leaves, verbena, jasmine, patchouli, sandalwood, musk

Thanks to Parfumerie Générale for providing the sample to test.

Histoires de Parfums - 1876 Mata Hari

Photo: Margaretha Geertruida "Grietje" Zelle, known as Mata Hari (1876-1917)

Unidentified photographer, public domain, Wikimedia commons

I have hard to belive that a famous femme fatale as the first world war suspected spy Mata Hari was smelling like a sweet, almost caramelized, rose on a base of cookies. But what do I know? The HdP fragrance 1876 Mata Hari is tribute to or just inspired of Mata (or both). 1876 Mata Hari is as almost all HdP:s created by the HdP founder, perfumer Gérald Ghislain in colloboration with perfumer Magali Senequie.

The pink sweet, rose is present from start to end in 1876. In the topnotes it has a slight transparent vibe and something that is similar to a green tea-note passing by. Then the blend sweetens in the cookie notes. I recoginze these kind of dry buttery notes from the backgroundnotes of perfumes such as Agent Provocateur aldehydic Maitresse and the jasmine/honeysuckle Burberry London for Woman. To me this note is similar to the smell when opening an enclosed cookie jar. There is also the smell of pink rose as in Parfums MDCI Rose de Siwa but the RdS rose is fresh and dewy compared to the gourmand rose in 1876 Mata Hari.  As a whole the Mata Hari blend also reminds me of Andy Tauers Une Rose Vermeille, maybe 1876 Mata Hari was one of the scents that has influented Andy when he created URV? But 1876 Mata Hari is paler and not as distinctint in character as URV and 1876 also lacks the jam and incense notes of URV. As Mata Hari reaches the basenotes the blend is almost creamy and fleeting, supported by a well balanced sandalwood. An gentle and calm earthy note also apperars  among the basenotes and makes the end of Marta Hari less sweet and more serious. Ironically just as the tragic story of her life.

1876 Mata Hari is a nice variation of the sweet-rose theme and it is as well as URV, Rose de Siwa and so on. Which fragrance to choose is of course up to the personal references when it coming to details. Personally I have hard to choose between URV and 1876 Mata Hari as both speeks to me in different ways despite the same theme: URV joyful and happy and 1876 Mata Hari dramatic and mysterious.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, mandarine, litchi, rose, iris, violet, carnation, caraway, cinnamon, vetiver, sandalwood, guaiac wood.

MDCI Parfums - Rose de Siwa

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose de Siwa is created in 2006 by Francis Kurkdjian for MDCI Parfums. Rose de Siwa is a classical rose fragrance in the light and bright genre. It's a medium pink colored rose underscored with a sweet fruitiness from the litchi. There is also hints of other flowers to smooth out the rose and the whole composition rests on a distinct musky base.

Even if Rose de Siwa clearly is a rosefragrance, the rose is not heavy or predominant at all. It's a well blended fragrance and the notes are floating in a seamless manner. Rose de Siwa is a fragrance in the elegant, classical style, composed of high quality ingredients and there are no traces of detergent, plastic or sharp notes. Rose de Siwa first of all reminds me of the original Paris of YSL, in it's original formulation from the eightis, they have the violets and the pink roses in common. Other clean, bright, pink roses in the same style as Rose de Siwa is Rose Pivone by Parfums de Nicolaï and Quel Amour by Annick Goutal. In both of them the peony is more pronounced than in Rose de Siwa and they are also less sweet and fresher than the latter.

Even if not groundbreaking, Rose de Siwa is an elegant and at the same time versatile daytime fragrance.
As YSL Paris was a favorite of mine in my youth, I also have a ceartian weakness for Rose de Siwa.

Rating: 4

Notes: Litchi, peony, hawthorn, rose, violet, cedar, vetiver, musk

Etat Libre D'Orange - Putain des Palaces

Picture: Au Salon de la rue des Moulins, oil on canvas

painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894.

Museum de Toulouse-Lautrec, Wikimedia commons.

The fragance with the controversial name Putain des Palaces was created by Nathalie Feisthauer for the avantagrde perfumehouse Etat Libre D'Orange in 2006. To me PdP is a fragrance that is not created to smell good or to be praised for it's masterful blending. This is one of those perfumes that are primarily created to make an artistic statement and on many wearers it of course also developes to smell good. It seems that PdP fits with my chemistry as the discerning Mr Parfumista comments "Today you also have a frag that smells good and that suits you" when sampling PdP.

The name Putain des Palaces is just right to this skanky, animalic, lipstick-putty, blend. In it's texture and partial in the lipsticknote PdP has similarities with Lipstick Rose from Frederic Malle. The similarities ends there as LR is innocent and pretty and PdP is the quite oppsite character. After applying PdP I can smell a noticeable note of cummin in the topnotes. According to the notelist there is no cummin but ginger, probably this note is the outcome of a handling of ginger that I have not perceived before. I like PdP in the topnotes, the sweaty "cummin" that for a short while mingles with a dirty, furry-animalic note that I recognize from Parfumerie Générales L'Ombre Fauve. As PdP dries down and settles in the middlenotes/beginning of the basenotes, there is a light leather or more like a suede note, a sultry violet-rose, still dirty and with hints of something that I perceive as a chalky note. The lipstick note is also there but the violet and rose dont feel clean and clear as in the luxary lipstick of Lipstick Rose. Despite some creaminess from the lipsticknote, there is a certain sharpness hiding at this stage, an at the same time round note that reminds me of a golden apple on the verge to be overripe. This note, which I belive is suede combined with flowers, I have earlier experienced in Etienne Aigners In Leather for Women and in Ava Luxes Film Noir. As the dry down get further and finally settles in the base, the violet and rose appears to brighten, get less skanky and a note similar to papyrus glimpse in the powdery musky base.

Putain de Palaces is a suggestive, haunting and alluring scent. It is not especially pleasant to wear, you have to be in mood to deal with the tragic reality this fragrance will display. In contrary to what one expects from the perfume of a Putain de Palaces, PdP is lingering close to the skin and has a medium sillage. The longevity is, as in the case with almost all ELDO fragrances I have tried, quite good and it is still there unfragmented late in the evening with traces the day after.

Rating: 5

Notes: Leather, mandarine, ginger, rose, violet, lily of the valley, amber

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle - Lipstick Rose

Picture: Viola Riviniana and Viola Canina

Nordens flora, picture painted between 1917and 1926 by

swedish botanist Carl Axel Magnus Lidman

Wikimedia commons

Lipstick Rose is created by perfumer Ralf Schwieger for Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle year 2000 and was released with a bunch of other fragrances in the earliest edition of the house.

To me Lipstick Rose smells very innocent, well behaved and girl next door-ish. Even so (of course the girl next door wears a little pink lipstick on special occasions) Lipstick Rose is a appropriate name of this violety, rosy, slight powdery and slight earthy blend. The top- and middlenotes definitely conveys the picture and smell of a lipstick of high quality. There is a creamy and slight powdery note, dominated by violets. The rose is the second player and disappears on my skin as the scent drys down to the basenotes. In the basenotes there is still a trace of the powdery violet but the notes of vetiver and musk anchor it in a slight earthy base. On my skin those notes blended together also create a tealike note.

The powdery note present during the whole dry down reminds me of a polished version of the gunpowdernote that I appreciate in Lorenzo Villoresis Teint de Neige. In it's earlier stages Lipstick Rose is somehow a well-behaved violet-version of the, in comparison, wild and eccentric TdN. But Lipstick Rose don't goes the whole hog as TdN, neither by the gunpowdernot or by the soapiness as the Lipstick Rose powder never passes in to the great soapiness of TdN. Other fragrances that have similarities with LR is Andy Tauers beautiful Une Rose Vermeille a jammy, fruity rose with hints of violets and with the texture of Etat Libre D'Oranges Putain de Palaces. Even as also it's name indicates, this scent with it's dirty animalic heft is the direct opposite to the girl next door-ish Lipstick Rose, but the style,violets and the rose are in common. 

Lipstic Rose is a well executed, almost linear fragrance that is easy to wear for many non-casual occasions in autumn, winter and spring. It's a tad too sweet and powdery to feel appropriate for summerwearing.

Rating: 3

Notes: Rose, violet, musk, vanilla, vetiver, amber

Reassessements May 2012

Yesterday a lovely, sunny May 1th, we made the first boat trip for this season ( this years boatlaunch was this weekend) together with some friends. Cruising around on the  water in the heart of Stockholm is something I really will recommend. But nevertheless no idleness when it comes to me and fragtesting, during the cruise I have reassessed two fragrances that havn't left my mind since I tested and reviewed them. Havn't left my mind is generally a good sign when it comes to fragrances and proved to be the case concerning both the re-tested fragrances. I smell quite different aspects than when I reviewed Elie Saab Le Parfum back in grey November and Opus VI in March. I have updated the reviews with my new findings.