Kilian's Love Don't Be Shy is a spongy, sweet confection of a fragrance. The inspiration is the marshmallow. Love Don't Be Shy is a bold sugary minx.
My first impression was that it was a great homage to Guerlain. There is a heavy Shalimar influence. Love Don't Be Shy might be sweet but there is an undercurrent of mystery. There is a metallic honeyed Neroli note with a fairly grand Sambac Jasmine. There are appearances from Rose and Iris. The dry down is a great buttery vanilla with a cloud of musk. The sillage and lasting power is strong in this Kilian.
The queen of all the gourmands is the legendary Thierry Mugler's Angel. It is chock full of sweetness. The gourmand notes are dark chocolate, caramel,coconut and cotton candy. I wore Angel throughout the 90's. It was an odd choice to pair with Doc Martens and vintage 1940's dresses. I loved its unique charm. I also loved that it was challenging to find in Ohio. I had to drive to Cleveland's Saks Fifth Avenue to purchase a bottle. Today you can find a bottle of Angel at your local Macys Department store and Wal-Mart. Angel has spawned many copies and tribute fragrances. It also inspires great love or hate among fragrance junkies. Angel will always have a special place in my heart. It was the fragrance that accompanied the best years of my life.
Donna Karan has a series of fragrances that are inspired by the apple. All worthy and accurate.
But the best apple fragrance is Molinard's Caramel Pain d'epice. It is all kinds of apple cider with a dollop of cinnamon. Gorgeous and perfect for the beginnings of fall.
Chocolate Fragrances:
Thierry Mugler Angel
Serendipitus
Bulgari Omnia (white chocolate)
Serge Lutens Borneo
Chanel Coromandel (white chocolate)
Fresh Cannabis Santal
Tom Ford Black Orchid
Ralph Lauren Notorious
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire #2
Vera Wang Princess
Sarah Jessica Parker Covet
Cartier Le Baiser Du Dragon
Avril Lavigne Black Star
Bond 9 Coney Island
L'Artisan Pigment Brulant
S-Perfume 100% Love: This is supposed to be a life changing gourmand. I have never smelled it!
Demeter Junior Mints
Demeter Chocolate Chip Cookie
Demeter Devils Food
Comme des Garcons Series 7 Sweet: Spicy Cocoa
Cotton Candy:
Aquolina Pink Sugar
Demeter Cotton Candy
Thierry Mugler Angel
Caramel:
Dior Miss Dior Cherie
Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy and Juicy Couture
Thierry Mugler Angel
Jessica Simpson Fancy
Hard Candy Hard Candy
Estee Lauder Pleasures Delight
Escada Escada Collection: A great sweet but dark fragrance!Love and cherish my bottle.
Lulu Guinness Fairytales
Marshmallow:
Kilian Love Don't Be Shy
Mariah Carey M
Coach Poppy
Guerlain Le Petite Robe Noire #2
Coffee:
Bond 9 New Haarlem
Jo Malone Black Vetyver Cafe
Comme des Garcons Series 7 Sweet: Wood Coffee
Apples:
Dolce & Gabbbana Light Blue
Molinard Caramel Pain d'epice
Donna Karan DKNY Be Delicious
Donna Karan DKNY Red Delicious
Donna Karan DKNY Fresh Blossom
Frederic Malle Outrageous
Katy Perry Purr
Clinique Happy
Anna Sui Dolly Girl
Let us know your favorite gourmand fragrances in the comments!
Reviewer: Annie
Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker
Photo Credit of Stay Puft Man: Wikipedia
Disclosure: All products mentioned in this review have been sniffed or purchased by the reviewer.
The sample vial of Kilian's Love Don't Be Shy was provided by Bergdorf Goodman
I still find it so hard to believe that you wore Angel! It's so not like your perfume style now.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite apple scent is a bargain I discovered at TJMaxx, the cute Nelly Apple Bottoms!
My favorite coffee scent is So New York by Bond No. 9, my first Bond and always dear to my heart.
Ha ha ha! Annie, you got me hooked on Angel in college, too. I remember the hook was the chocolate and the star-shaped bottle. Now that it is everywhere, it has lost its powers over me.
ReplyDeleteI adore Molinard Caramel pain d'epice thanks to you Annie! I wish we could come across some of it hmmm....maybe with a stash of Gobin Daude's to boot! I also really love Hermes Ambre narguile and Serge Lutens Five O'clock au gingembre. CDG Rhubarb, Jo Malone Blue agava and cacao and Guerlain SDV. Gourmand is a favorite scent category for me.
ReplyDeleteI love this category! I confess to loving Pink Sugar and I don't care what that says about me! I used to like CSP Amour de Cacao but I haven't tried it lately. Annie, thank you so much for this series. I have enjoyed it so much! Will these reviews stay available in the archives? I want to be able to keep going back through them!
ReplyDeleteI have to be in the mood for Gourmands, but when the mood strikes, nothing else will do!
ReplyDeleteSome faves:
TM Angel and A*Men (both on their own and layered)
SL Borneo 1834, Louve
CdG BurntSugar, SpicyCocoa, WoodCoffee
ELd'O Divin' Enfant, Encens et Bubblegum
PotL Luctor et Emergo
KM Loukhoum
L'Artisan Jour de Fête
Serendipity Serendipitous
Aquolina Pink Sugar
I just can't let this post go without a nod to my first (and cheapest) "foodie" fragrance: Love's Fresh Lemon. It made my mouth water! I miss it so.
ReplyDeleteA second nod goes out to Dior for their Grape Soda inspired Poison fragrance.
My favorite has got to be Lann-Ael by Lostmarch. It makes me think of pancakes and warm milk and fresh brioche with honey - all the things that are great about staying indoors when it's cold and dismal outside. Definitely a staple of mine in the Fall/Winter.
ReplyDelete...and I also confess to having a bottle of Pink Sugar hidden in my linen closet.
It seems as though I am a gourmande - all of the few fragrances I own were mentioned in this post! Vera Wang, Juicy Couture, Miss Dior Cherie... I have even considered buying some of the other fragrances when I have more disposable income! Thanks for the great post! :)
ReplyDeleteNot for everyone (it's a bit on the expensive side), the venerable House of Houbigant created a beautiful gourmand in Quelques Fleurs Royale, with black current and Acacia honey notes mingling with grapefruit, bergamot, florals, amber, woods and an incredibly soft musk (and that's on;ly the ingrediants they'll tell you about!)
ReplyDelete