40 Days and 40 Nights of Fragrance Notes: Carnation

Simply Divine
By Jessica M

Sometimes I feel sorry for the carnation. It’s often considered a commonplace flower, even a cheap one, and it doesn’t get much respect. It was the flower that we never wanted to see in the corsages that boys gave us at school dances, and it’s a flower that we really don’t send to friends or relatives on special occasions.


That’s a shame, because the carnation wasn’t always treated so shabbily. The Greek name for its botanical genus is “dianthus,” often translated as “divine flower.” The species that we usually associate with the carnation is Dianthus caryophyllus, although this genus also includes “pinks” and “Sweet Williams.” Shakespeare wrote in The Winter’s Tale, “Of trembling winter, the fairest flowers o' the season are our carnations.” I agree with him, and not just during the winter; I love wearing carnation fragrances all year long.

Carnation is a very identifiable note in fragrance, but it’s also a note with different shades to its personality. Sometimes it’s soft and powdery; sometimes it’s just a bit creamy, with a honeyed edge; and it can also be quite peppery and even spicy, like cloves. (In fact, I’ve heard that perfumers often imitate this flower’s scent with a skillful blend of clove and ylang-ylang or vanilla notes, since carnation absolute is so costly.) Carnation combines beautifully with rose, and it sits nicely on a base of woody notes.

I’m still not sure why this “divine flower” has a reputation for being tawdry; I even love the way it looks, with its fringed petals and its range of reds, pinks, and white. If you’re looking for a floral fragrance note that’s spicy-sweet, not too dainty and not too heady, a carnation perfume might be worth your time.

Here are a few carnation-inspired fragrances to try...

Carnation soliflores:
Lorenzo Villoresi Garofano
Santa Maria Novella Garofano
Comme des Garçons Series 2 Red: Carnation
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Oeillets Rouges
Ava-Luxe Oeillet (new; haven’t tried it yet!)

Carnations with other notes:
Caron Bellodgia
Fragonard Billet Doux
Carthusia Fiori di Capri
Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps
Possets Perfume Silver Carnations

Discontinued, but not forgotten:
Floris Malmaison
L’Artisan Parfumeur Oeillet Sauvage

Disclosure: The perfumes mentioned in this post were purchased (or sampled in stores) by the reviewer.
Reviewer: Jessica M
Photo Credits: Decorative soap label, c. 1900, via Getty Images. Red Carnation Flowers by Takuya Uroki, via Corbis.
Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker

Quick NYC Review: L'Artisan Parfumeur

"It was a ten day trip on a small island named Bahia Honda. This island belongs to Jean Pigozzi, a fan of L'Artisan Parfumeur. He requested I make a perfume about the rainy season in Bahia Honda. The purpose of the journey was to catch the ambiance and atmosphere of the island under the rain; plants, trees and flowers. So, I spent ten days over there, in the rain." (Bertrand Duchaufour in Barneys catalog)

I tested this at Henri Bendels. I like how the Artisan boutique is slightly hidden and how it is generally unmanned. You are left alone and allowed to play. This scent was quite lovely on a paper swatch. Mr Duchaufour managed to capture a tropical rain quite brilliantly. This is what I imagine the rain forest to smell like.

I tested it on the skin and that was a mistake.

The watery note quickly turned to a melon/cucumber note. It was twisted and lost all of its tropical greatness. My skin is not meant for anything ozonic or watery. This opening note lasted far too long and needed to be scrubbed off.
I am not destined to smell like a rainy Bahia Hinda breeze.

It is at Barneys and Bendels and retails for $135.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 18th, L'Artisan Parfumeur

Griffe: When Annie and Patti asked me to review L’Artisan I had to say yes.
L’Artisan was my introduction to niche fragrances and the first two I tried, 7+ years ago, are still my favorites, tied for the #1 spot in my collection and my heart. They are, drum roll: La Chasse and Mure et Musc. At the time I was misguided, and looking for a signature scent. I have grown out of that. I have not grown out of my love for L’Artisan.
L’Artisan fragrances are, for the most part, whispers of scent. Often people complain of their lasting power. I find that they last all day, but they are not strong fragrances. If you want to fill up a room, this is not the line for you, move along . If you like refined, subtle (for the most part), sometimes off beat fragrances, this is the line for you.

As I said before, my favorites are La Chasse and Mure et Musc. La Chasse is a white floral blend. It is summer in a bottle. I swear I hear birds chirping when I spray it. It is feminine, and bright, and utterly adorable. There is a little sharp, peppery, clean bite to it that keeps it from being too precious. It is what I call an "I love being a girl" scent. You can not be mean or unhappy and wear La Chasse.
Mure et Musc is a clean, not overly sweet blackberry and musc blend. It starts out a bit on the masculine side. A little soapy, a little citrusy, like a classic mens cologne. This phase does not last long and the sweet/tart blackberry and soft musk come out. This is my go to, fall back, always right fragrance.

There are many others that are worthy. Give them a try. Passage d’Enfer, The Pour Un Ete, Safran Troublant, Tea for Two, Voleur de Roses, the list goes on. In fact, though not all L’Artisans are full bottle worthy to me, there is not one that I have not liked. If you want people to think "mmm, she smells good", not "her perfume smells good" L’Artisan might be just what you are looking for.
As a side note, my first L’Artisan sample, and almost all of my L’Artisans after were purchased through http://beautycafe.com/
Do pay them a visit.

Tussah: Fig seems to be one of those scents that people either love or hate. Fortunately, I am a fig-lover, and L’Artisan’s Premier Figuier is one of my favorites.


It starts with a substantial show of fig…green fig leaves, and fruit. But, it also has a seductive milky quality that contrasts well with the fruit. Woody, base notes balance and complete the fragrance experience.

Basenotes lists this fragrance as being released in 1994, but it still has an innovative, uniqueness that stands the test of time. It is truly a great fragrance that certainly can be considered suitable for all.

L’Artisan lists Premier Figuier as a blend of: fig tree leaves, fresh fig, almond milk, and sandalwood.
Family: woody, green, fruity.

Annieytown:

I think I need a cup of tea, the world keeps burnin, Oh what a day, what a day what a day" (Erykah Badu's "On and On")

From the L'Artisan website: It begins with the curling, rising steam of Lapsung-Souchong tea. All the notes are orchestrated around the smoke and wooded scents to create a more fiery and warmer sensation. The sweet, fresh, spicy facets reveal the delicious delights of honey.
Both voluptuous and spicy, it is a marvellous tea for your skin!

Tea for Two is a rich, smoky black tea scent with dashes of cinnamon, ginger, green anise, honey and vanilla. This is a very difficult fragrance to wear. The heavy smoke note generally scares most people from attempting to wear it. The first time I sniffed it I was not a fan. I recognized that it was special and continued to test it every few months.

Eventually it worked for me and we have been smitten with each other ever since.

L'Artisan is not my favorite perfume house but some of their fragrances have made their way into my heart.

I adore Safran Troublant and Bois Farine.

Which L'Artisan fragrances do you adore? Post your answers in the comments.

http://www.luckyscent.com/
http://www.artisan-parfumeur.com/fr/index.html

Photos: Luckyscent and Berthe Morisot's La Chasse auex Papillons from personal.kent.edu and http://sunsite.auc.dk/cgfa/morisot/morisot6.jpg

Disclosure: The products were purchased by the reviewers.

L'Artisan in NYC

The day I fought falling in love with Fleur d'Oranger!

From L'Artisan:
A delicate, invigorating fragrance that whisks you away to the fragrant orange groves of Nabeul.
From Me:
A slice of heaven

From L'Artisan:
Limited edition.
From Me:
I want it more.

From L'Artisan: Features the 2004 harvest of orange blossom from Nabeul in Tunisia.
From Me: You can not get me with fancy harvests in far away lands...or can you?

From L'Artisan: Delicately blends orange bigarade, petitgrain, neroli, honey, and orange blossom.
From Me: Damn you L'Artisan!

It is lovely and almost worth the $250 price tag.
I wish I had never sniffed it!
pics: annieytown