Deneuve Dupe? Le Labo Belle Du Soir

Le Labo for Anthropologie
By Patti F

Ms. Blogdorf and I love to make a quick stop in the Anthropologie store in Cleveland, on our way to visit the
gang for a day of shopping, lunching, shopping, sniffing new perfumes, trying on shoes, and chatting over coffee. We browse Anthropologie in search of any new fragrances, checking sale racks, and loving the decorator section of the store with its pretty dishes and lovely linens. A few months ago, on our little stop in the store, we discovered the brown bottles of Le Labo For Anthropologie perfumes. There were no blotter sticks or test strips in sight. We went to the register area to ask, but we were only given a little strip of cash register paper. Back to the display we went.

We sprayed all of the perfumes onto pieces of that register tape. I smelled mostly paper, but I knew immediately that these were all such lovely, thoughtful perfumes, well-blended, and made in the tradition of classic perfumery. They don't smell like any of the Le Labo that I have tried. We fell in love with them, and Ms. Blogdorf wisely caved on two of them right then and there. I was not so smart. I loved two of them but did not cave. I neglected to try them on my wrists. I should have, because then I would not have had to wait to make the most amazing discovery of all my perfume-loving years.

A week or so later, I was corresponding with a fragrance pal, and she told me she had ordered the Belle Du Soir from the Anthro website but she did not care much for it. I offered to buy it from her and we made our transaction and her bottle arrived quickly at my door. I sprayed on Belle. It was a remarkable moment of instant recognition! Belle Du Soir is DENEUVE! My most beloved perfume of all time, in this little brown bottle! I could not wait to find out
if indeed it was true. I sent a few samples to some other pals to see if they agreed, and they did. I wanted to know for sure, so I wrote to the Le Labo perfumers by contacting them on their website.

As I was waiting to hear from Le Labo, I bought another bottle of Belle from the Anthropologie website. Nobody at the actual store in Cleveland could tell us if these were going to be permanent offerings by Anthro, or if they would be gone when they sold out. At least now I had a backup. I wore it constantly for two solid weeks. Every time I put on Belle Du Soir, I was more and more convinced that the Le Labo perfumers had known the original Deneuve and had set out to recreate it.

When I finally heard from Le Labo, Monsieur Fabrice did not confirm or deny my suspicions, but they did appreciate my note, or so they said. They were happy to hear from a perfume lover who appreciates their fragrances. End of note.

The Anthropologie website shows "historically-inspired scents" in their description of Le Labo For Anthropologie. Here is a clip from their website description:
five historically inspired scents that pay tribute to the era of perfumery when artisans crafted small batches using the highest quality natural ingredients.

So, now that we know these are historically inspired, I told Ms. Blogdorf that we have to report to the BlogdorfGoodman readers about this remarkable discovery! Annie has written about Bouquet Blanc, the best lilac fragrance she and I have ever smelled. Lilac isn't even listed in the fragrance notes on the Anthropologie website. Chant De Bois is a gorgeous classic chypre in the tradition of the old revered Guerlains. It is a must-try for any oakmoss lovers. All of the Le Labo For Anthropologie are beautiful and worthy of trying in person if you're in an Anthropologie store. Do it soon and back up your loves with an extra bottle. And please, if you detect any similarity to other scents, please let us know.

Belle Du Soir and the other Le Labo For Anthropologie perfumes are EDP's in a two ounce bottle for about $62. Solid perfumes in cute little metal containers are also available for $28.

Photo Credit: Patti F
Review by Patti F

40 Days & 40 Nights of Fragrance Notes: Clove

A Little Spice is Nice
By Melanie Parker
Day 2

Clove buds look like a regal little crown on a perch, and it is one of my favorite spicy, natural fragrances. Every time I smell pomanders made from oranges or lemons studded with cloves around the holidays, it makes me feel warm and happy.

The clove, or clou de girofle in French, can be strong. Clove notes in a fragrance are pungent, so clove is a scent best paired with other spices and citrus notes. I’d say its best friends are orange, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This scent is warm and stimulating, and it is thought to be an aphrodisiac.

Clove essential oil is used for medicinal purposes as an antiseptic and anesthetic and you will frequently find it in toothpastes and other astringent products, so you don’t want to be heavy handed with a clove fragrance or you might end up smelling like aftershave. When clove is used in a fragrance correctly, for example, Donna Karan Black Cashmere, it is sensual and revitalizing.
To me, the faint smell of clove is delightful in the Fall and winter. It evokes memories of my grandmother’s house. She was fond of clove gum, which was a little less sweet and sugary than the Big Red cinnamon gum that I liked. But most of all the smell reminds me of family dinners at her house. It was my job to stud the ham with clove buds after she scored the top of the meat in a diamond pattern with a carving knife on Sunday mornings before we went to church when I was visiting. I’d sniff the buds, and occasionally, I’d even pop one in my mouth and chew on it while preparing the ham. It tasted woody, like I imagine tree bark would taste, so I lean toward describing some heavy clove scents as “woody” even though it is actually a spice. That’s just because it triggers a “bark” memory for me. The mind plays tricks on the nose like that.
Clove cigarettes were outlawed in the USA in 2009, but some smokers opted for clove cigarettes for the spicy scent and taste. As such, some scents like Ava Luxe’s Kretek are popular because they are reminiscent of the clove cigarettes without the stale stench of the smoke.

Aveda has a Clove shampoo and conditioner. In addition to the great scent, they deposit brown hair color.

Cloves are harvested from trees. The clove tree is an evergreen with bright green leaves. Clove has been cultivated as a spice for more than 2000 years. The clove tree grows to 30 feet tall, but it is the tiny buds that hold the value. The flower buds are at first of a pale color and turn a bright red when they are ready for harvest. As such, you may see “red clove” as a note to indicate the essential oil was extracted from a ready bud.
Until recent times, cloves were a rare spice. In the 17th and 18th centuries, cloves were literally worth their weight in gold in Britain due to the high price of importing them.

Some clove scents worth trying are:

Washington Tremlett Clove Absolute
Artemisia Perfumes Lavender and Clove
Ava Luxe’s Queen Bess
Chanel Coco
Comme des Garcons Carnation
Estee Lauder Cinnabar
Estee Lauder Sensuous
Kenzo Jungle L’Elephant
Serge Lutens Féminité du Bois
Yves Saint Laurent Opium

Men’s:
Thierry Mugler Ice*Men
Calvin Klein Obsession
Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove
http://www.makeupalley.com/
Kathy Padecky : http://www.ipsbmassagetherapy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Essential-Oil-Clove.pdf

Image: Elizabeth Blackwell, “The Clove, Carophyllus aromaticus.” Plate 338 from volume 2 of Blackwell’s A Curious Herbal, Containing Five Hundred Cuts, of the Most Useful Plants, Which Are Now Used in the Practice of Physic: . . . To Which Is Added a Short Description of Ye Plants; and Their Common Uses in Physic (London, 1739). [Rare Books Division]

Review: Melanie Parker
Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker
Disclosure: All items featured in this review were purchased or sniffed by the reviewer

I Got The Spring Fever Blues

I feel so lazy, can't do a thing
My mind is hazy just like a smoke ring
I think of nothing but lying in the hay
I got the spring fever blues

The sun is shining right in my room
I feel like I was the man in the moon
I'm riding high on the clouds way above us
I got the spring fever blues

I wish that spring were back again
To satisfy my lazy yen
I miss those days of dreaming
If birds were nestlin' in the trees
And leaves were swayin' with the breeze
My heart would keep on beaming, who-o-oh

I hope the south wind blows past my door
And leaves me someone whom I can adore
I think of nothing but love and romance
I've got the spring fever blues, I mean
I've got the spring fever blues

Credit: I Got The Spring Fever by Ella Fitzgerald
Photo: Bond 9 PR (The new bottle for Madsion Square Park)
Review forthcoming from Cavewoman!

Because Of You by Jordin Sparks

Fragrance Review by MUA's Cavewoman

A few days ago, I was having a phone conversation with one of my pals, and we were talking about some new perfume launches. She's a fragrance lover, and we often shop together with a few of our other friends who also love fragrances. We sniff around the counters of lovely department stores and fragrance and cosmetic boutiques, waving blotter strips in front of our noses, chatting up notes, and admiring pretty bottles. My pal and I were talking about a new fragrance she had recently tried. We had a little chuckle together in this conversation when we both realized we were thinking "Hmm, it's under $100, that's not too bad."

I couldn't help but think that somewhere along the line, as a fragrance aficionada, that I had set the three-digit price tag as "not too bad." I wasn't even thinking in terms of how large the bottle was, or what the concentration was, but that number just seemed to be some sort of a mark in my mind.As we ended our conversation, I was a bit troubled. I love fragrance. It's one of my biggest passions. I've shared here on BlogdorfGoodman many times about how my Mother started me on my love of pretty perfumes. I'm fortunate to have a large collection of fragrances, and I choose a different one to wear every day. I read perfume blogs and perfume books. I belong to a fragrance chat board and I read it daily, learning about new scents, reading posts about how older fragrances are greatly appreciated and loved, and many posts about the price of this or that bottle. If someone starts a chat about a new Guerlain, there will surely be plenty of buzz. The same goes with the latest "celebrity" scent, and I've noticed that this category of scents is often regarded with skepticism, or even disdain. "Another celebrity fruity floral" or "why did that person launch a fragrance?" are some of the things I have read. Is a fragrance more worthy of praise if it has a chic or venerable name or house behind it? Should a "celebrity" scent be dismissed without even being tried, simply because it has a celebrity name on it? Are expensive scents really better, or finer in quality, than those with a smaller price tag?

I'd like to present to you one of those "celebrity" scents. Jordin Sparks, a beautiful young singer and the winner of American Idol Season 6, launched her perfume, named "Because Of You" in October 2010. You may not even know who she is, if you're not an Idol fan. I watched that season and was thrilled that she won. She is barely in her 20s now, but she has two albums of her music, a short run on Broadway in "In The Heights," and her charitable work for Ghana, Haiti, Save The Music, and childrens' hospitals is quite an impressive list. When I read that Sparks was launching her scent, at Dots stores nationwide, I stopped in at the local Dots store to take a sniff. Within two minutes of spraying the tester on my wrist, I plunked down a ten-dollar bill on the counter. Yes, dear reader, my 2.5oz Because Of You Eau De Parfum Spray was $9.50. I did not buy it because it was so inexpensive. I bought it because it is beautiful.

The notes listed for Because Of You, from her website jordinsparksbeauty, are clementine, white imperial currant, orange blossom, nectarine, sharry baby orchid, coral charm peony, sheer musks, vanilla bean. The lush florals are balanced and the vanilla is present right from the start. The fruits dissipate softly, bringing on the depth of the floral blend. Sharry baby orchid, according to a google or two, gives a hint of a chocolate note. I'm not smelling chocolate, but I sense some beautiful woods blending with the vanilla and flowers, and I get the impression of a well-designed, sophisticated woody oriental. I detect something resinous, ambery, myserious, an unexpected maturity.

Dots is definitely a store for teens. There is not one thing in that store that I could wear without appearing to have raided my granddaughters' closets. Ms. Sparks is barely out of her own teenage years. And yet, I'm not picturing one of my teenage granddaughters to be comfortable in this fragrance. Or maybe I would be the one who would be uncomfortable if one of them were to wear it. It's a grown-up fragrance, it lingers on the skin, evolving and developing into a sensual, warm base that just somehow would seem wrong on a very young girl. I don't know how it's selling. I think I need to grab another one before it's gone.

I'd like to hear your thoughts, dear Blogdorf reader and perfume lover. Are you an equal-opportunity fragrance lover? Do you turn with disgust when you see yet another celebrity scent, or perhaps worse yet, a celebrity scent flanker or flanker-of-a-flanker? Do you wear or love a celebrity scent? Does price give you a before-I-even-sniff-it impression of quality? Would you admit to buying, loving, and wearing a ten-dollar teen-store fragrance?

I'm heading over to spend the day with my Mom. I'll bet she's wearing Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, one of the first celebrity scents. It's perfect on her (thank you, Sophia Grojsman!) and I'll be wearing Because Of You. I'll be back to read what you have to say!

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.
Reviewer and Credit: Cavewoman

Agent Provocateur L'Agent Review

Agent Provocateur L'Agent Fragrance
Review by MUA's Cavewoman

Lately, I've been doing lots of emailing back and forth with my friend Angie. We're constantly talking fashion and style,
we're glued to shows like Project Runway (we love Tim! We don't love Nina!) and What Not To Wear (we both love Stacy and Clinton!) and anything fashion related, especially the monthly magazines. We're both in transition right now
in our personal styles. We ponder about what really looks best on us, what suits our lives and our body types and
our age, and we both keep style books, scrapbook albums with clippings of things we love. We discuss purging our closets and then we actually do it.
It's a work in progress.
She's minimalist, she loves structure and shapes and angles, art deco jewelry, and strong powerful solid colors. I like flowy
dresses, feminine jewelry, soft fabrics, a defined waist, and blue nail polish.
Neither one of us is a femme fatale. We never were. We don't want to be. I've never even tried on an Herve Leger dress.
I have to ask Angie if she has one. I bet she's never tried one on, either. Too sexy for us.
There, I said the word. Sexy.

But in fragrances, give me some hot heady florals and rich, deep woodsy notes, and I'm captivated. They seem very "me"
and most of the scents I own are just like this. Roses as rich as they come, sensuous woods and deep incensey notes,
these are my scent preferences. They do not correspond very well to my fashion style, but they just feel right somehow.
I want to smell like a woman, not a teenage boy. Unisex is not a word in my style vocabulary.

I once visited an unabashedly sexy lingerie store in SoHo, NYC. The store is called Agent Provocateur. My shopping companion that day shall remain anonymous. Unless she decides to disclose her identity. This beautiful pink and black boudoir is full of the most exquisite lingerie I've ever seen. I felt like an alien on another planet. This store makes no apologies for its purpose. It's all about seduction.
And they do it perfectly. Lovely young women in red lipstick, pink shirtdress "uniforms" and stiletto heels shuttle you into the heavily-draperied fitting rooms, and before you know it, you're being laced into a black jeweled bustier. Men sit patiently on the tufted banquettes and wait
for their ladies to choose their pretty things. And there are fragrances. Agent Provocateur has its own brand of
fragrances, and as I was waiting for my shopping companion to have her purchases wrapped, I started sniffing the tester bottles
at the desk. The scents of Agent Provocateur fulfill everything you experience in this store. They're sultry, exciting,
womanly, self-assured, and sexy. I'm now the proud owner of all of them. I love the way wearing these scents makes me feel.
All of them are unusual, well-blended, and exude that sense of quality that is unmistakeable. These are fine scents from a fine company.

When I heard that Agent Provocateur was launching a new scent this month, I couldn't wait to try it. I wear all three of the other AP scents
and after reading the list of notes on the Agent website, I asked Angie to stop in at the SoHo store and take a sniff for me.
Her verdict: spicy! I sent her some money the very next day. Within three days, the bottle was at my doorstep.

L'Agent by Agent Provocateur is a lush, dark, mysterious rose-based scent with jasmine and tuberose, woods and amber, incense and musk.
It has the slight powdery quality of the rest of the Agent perfumes, but with more depth and a big attitude. You won't find any
whimsical fruits or lighthearted greenery in this one. L'Agent gets right down to business with the first spray, the first whiff.
L'Agent offers the entire Agent Provocateur philosophy and experience in its pink-fade-to-black teardrop bottle, and has succeeded once again
in capturing in scent the attitude of the company. They know who their customer is. She is a woman, not a girl. She is confident, worldly, smart, and
comfortable in her own skin. She isn't afraid to be totally feminine. She embraces her sexuality and yes, she likes pretty things!

Come to think of it, I might just be that woman.

Credit: Review and photo by Cavewoman
Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer

Some habits are hard to break

PSA: Code for 25% off at Beautyhabit starts today, July 13th 2010. The code is OPRAH.

I want to personally give thanks to the divine O for enabling me to purchase new bottles Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradis and Parfums de Nicolai Sacrebleu.

My credit card will be smoking by the end of the August.
Visit http://www.beautyhabit.com/ and cave in the name of Oprah. I have no clue when the sale ends so....do not lollygag.

This picture is from a tumblr devoted to the Cephalopod.

Tournament Of Roses

Bond 9's Harrods Rose
Review by Cavewoman

If you had asked me early in my perfume loving years if I were a rose-scent lover, I would have said no, and I would have said it emphatically! I have always been a big white floral lover, the bigger the better. My first impressions of rose scents were formed when my neighbor lady soaked herself in Ombre Rose and its scent-twin, Lutece. She was a lovely lady and a good neighbor, but when she wore these perfumes, I could barely be around her. Silly me, I thought all rose scents smelled like these two perfumes. I didn't like them at all, to put it mildly, and therefore declared to myself that I hated all rose fragrances.

A few years later, on a trip to New York City with my sister, we were in Bloomingdales for a Mary McFadden event (I have to say this because she was so cool!) and as we walked through the fragrance department, a very chic and sophisticated sales associate offered to spritz me with a new scent from Yves Saint Laurent, and the name of that scent was Paris. She handed me a silk rose petal that she had sprayed with the fragrance. I carried the petal around with me during our time in Bloomingdales, and before we left the store, I purchased a bottle. All thoughts of the offensive Ombre Rose were gone. This is what rose fragrances are supposed to smell like. I have used up six bottles of Paris, and several of the Springtime and special edition versions as well. A rose-scent-lover was born that day! And it was me!

Since that revelation-revolution of rose, I have sought out and loved many rose-based perfumes. I've shared samples and raves with a few other rose lovers, especially Jessica, who is the first person I think of when I try something new in the rose category. We both love Bond No. 9 West Side! Recently the Cleveland Gang assembled for some fragrance counter perusing and wrist-testing, and I discovered (and bought, in record time I might add) the beautiful Bond No. 9 Saks-En-Rose, and it brings a smile to my face when I remember one of the gang following me around the store remarking over and over again that this was indeed a perfect scent on me. I'm glad I caved on the large size bottle. I've been wearing it so often that I am worried about the level in the bottle!

And so, when I read on the Bond No. 9 website that Bond was launching another rose scent, I could not wait to try it! When my sample arrived, the box was opened and the juice was on my wrist within a New York minute. And I was instantly in love.

Harrod's Rose begins and ends with the rose. There is no crispy breezy top note of the stuff you always wish would dissipate quickly so you can get to the heart of the scent. This fragrance gets down to business immediately, sweet and delicious, womanly and big. The sweetness comes from the white narcissus enhanced with tuberose. White roses are the main focus of the scent, powerful and proud. This is the big white floral, rose-dominated, that I have come to love over the years. In the base, musk is listed as one of the notes although I don't detect it at all. Ambrette seed and cashmere woods are the other base notes. The wood notes are the perfect compliment to the florals. They appear quickly and hold up the rose as if presenting the prize bloom to the wearer.

The bottle design is an adaptation of the Harrod's Bond bottles, originally designed by my friend Shawn, this time in the softest pink with gold lettering. I love the shape of the Bond bottles, the way they feel in the hand, and did you know that the bottles are made in Italy? Just a little tidbit there for you!

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Bond No. 9. I have purchased many Bond fragrances over the years. I like to think I'm their biggest fan. I am beyond thrilled to give Harrod's Rose this rave review. Harrod's Rose is a drop-dead, devastatingly feminine scent, self-assured and voluptuous.

As I turn 60 today, I've been thinking of how I would mark a birthday that ends in a zero. Starting the day with a big cup of coffee, chatting online with friends, talking to Mom on the phone, watching some fun television shows, and ending the day with TurboKick class, that is just how I want to spend the day. I'll be wearing Harrod's Rose all the while. I'll always associate this fragrance with this milestone birthday. A big day deserves a big perfume!

Editor's Note: Happy Birthday to my dear friend and frequent contributor to Blogdorf, Patti aka Cavewoman. Have a wonderful Bday!

Disclosure: A sample vial was provided by Bond 9

The Impertinent Curiosity

Diptyque is debuting a new EDT this month called Vetyverio. Of course, my simple mind converts it to "Lothario".
The press release states that is neither masculine or feminine. Based on the listed notes it looks like it will lean toward the boys. Vetiver and clove sounds like an intoxicating scent combination.

The core of the fragrance is vetiver from Indonesia and the Caribbean. Additional notes include an organic ylang ylang from Madagascar, Turkish rose, and peppery geranium from Egypt. Hints of Italian mandarin orange, Florida grapefruit, Sicilian lemon, and bergamot keep the EDT fresh and fruity, rather than citric.

A few spices (carrot seeds, nutmeg and clove) combined with the dryness of cedar adds structure to the final product.

They really got me with the clove.

It is will be available in mid-May with my favorite perfume retailer http://www.luckyscent.com/
and at www.diptyqueparis.com.

The Days of Bond and Roses

Review for Bond 9's Saks-En-Rose
by Cavewoman

Yesterday I was walking in the mall with my gang. We had started the day with lunch, meeting at our regular table, greeting each other with hugs. The girls commented on how lovely I smelled. And continued to admire my fragrance all through the rest of the day. One of them even said "you get great sillage with that scent!" - she said it at least twice. I'll back up a week and tell you about it.

We were shopping in Cleveland last Sunday. It had been ages since Ms. Blogdorf and I had been able to spend the day with the gang, and we were eager to see the girls and hit the stores. With no real agenda for the day, we set out to hunt, gather, sniff, and test. We're really good at browsing. We stopped at Saks to check out what was new and noteworthy and were lingering over the Chanel counter, and I turned around to say hello to Barb, the lady at the Bond counter. We chatted a bit over how adorable the new High Line bottle was (first time I actually saw it in person, it's just beautiful) and then I spotted something else. It was familiar and yet odd. It was the Saks Fifth Avenue For Her bottle, but with a pink subway token in the center instead of the usual black-and-white token. I asked Barb what this was, and she said "oh, it's the new Saks but in a rose version." Rose. The magic word, for me anyway. I love rose scents. I sprayed, I fell in love, I caved.

I was not even aware that Bond was releasing a new Saks scent, and Barb told me that this was to be a Mothers' Day promotion but the fragrance would be a permanent part of the Bond collection. I was so captivated by the fragrance that I didn't even remember the list of notes she had told me as I was spraying. For the rest of the day, my gang commented on how lovely the fragrance was on me, and I smiled as I carried around my little Saks bag, precious box tucked safely inside. I had truly stumbled on a winner. I can't even remember the last time I fell so instantly and completely in love with a fragrance. And aren't roses the ultimate flower of love?

Bond has done a few rose-based scents in the past, and they are all part of my collection. Bryant Park is a breezy, youthful rose, and I wear it mostly in the warm-weather months. West Side is a sophisticated, womanly rose with depth and maturity. Broadway Nite is a devastatingly feminine rose-violet fragrance that is as exciting and dramatic as a rose scent can be. Saks-En-Rose is modern and complex. There is a hint of green, some subtle spice, a heart of the rose, and a woodsy base. Notes of dry dates and mace combine to give the top an exotic but restrained sweet-spice and keep the green from becoming too prominent. In the heart, the combination of tuberose and rose is unusual and perfectly balanced. And in the base, soft sandalwood, my most favorite of all wood notes, and my favorite wood to combine with rose. I think they're perfect together. The amber is barely there, just for a bit of richness, and on me I don't get much of the musk at all.

The perfumer for Saks-En-Rose, Laurent Le Guernec, has created some of my other favorite fragrances, many Bonds (including the gorgeous, spicy Harrods) and the fabulous MAC Air Of Style. He likes the nutmeg. So do I.

So now it is day 8 of owning this beautiful fragrance. I have not worn anything else since the day I bought it. It has (GASP!) replaced Chinatown as my all-time favorite Bond scent. I never thought I would say that! A huge thanks to Laurice for this new fragrance!

Disclosure: This perfume was purchased by the reviewer

Nanette by Nanette Lepore: A Review

Nanette by Nanette Lepore is an affordable dupe of Parfums DelRae's Bois de Paradis.

Nanette is a pink peppered rose with a big bushel of almost ripe blackberries. It settles into a powdery neroli note. In mid-drydown you pass glimpses of rose petals, violets and muguet.

Bois de Paradis is an intoxicating mixture of shimmery french roses, dangerously ripe blackberries and figs. Fig is a very comforting perfume note. It smells like hay or dry grass with a creamy coconut center.
The sillage cloud is great. Bois de Paradis just wafts and orbits all around you. It is a "siren call"perfume. It beckons admirers and compliments. It is truly deserving to be called a great classic fragrance.

Nanette might not have the allure and magic of Bois De Paradis. There is something that is stopping it from achieving similiar greatness. It could be the lighter touches of floral notes. It could be that the blackberries are of a different grade of quality. I am might be a kook...but the blackberries do not seem to be as dark and twisted as Bois de Paradis. In the end it could be the glaring omission of the fig. The drydown for both fragrances is a heavenly mix of spices, incense, and ambery woods.

I have gone through 2 bottles of Bois de Paradis. I am patiently waiting for a beautyhabit sale.
I caved on a roller ball bottle of the Nanette fragrance at Sephora.
http://www.sephora.com/
The 1oz bottle retails for $48.
The 2.5 oz bottle retails for $68.
The roller bottle retails for $18.50

Bois de Paradis is located at Luckyscent. It retails for $135.
http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/detail.asp?itemid=37901

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer in Sephora.
Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Little Miss Sunshine

Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Toilette


Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest. (quote from Christian Dior)

The winter of 2010 has grated on my nerves. I have been smothered by snow, dodging falling icicles that look like spears, and tossed around by arctic winds. I can not remember what the sun looks or feels like. I saw a chipmunk building an igloo. Seriously. The little guy has built an elaborate tunnel system in our backyard.

Now the snow is slowly turning to gray slush and the weather service predicts balmy 40 degree temperatures. Fellow Ohioans will wear shorts and leave the Northface parkas at home. I am wearing spring fragrances.

I have fallen for the charms of Miss Dior Eau de Toilette. The fragrance begins with a sparkling orange blossom and is quickly replaced by a very clear, strong diva-like jasmine note. This jasmine is the lead actress in this drydown. She refuses to let go of the spotlight and makes all the other notes supporting actors. Appearances are made by freesia, rose and a very quiet violet. I thought I detected some coconut. There was something milky, sweet and tropical in the mix. I went to the Sephora website and was startled to see Popcorn and Caramel as listed notes. I did not detect salt or anything achingly sweet. The drydown ends with a pretty spectacular patch note.

Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Toilette is sold exclusively at Sephora.
It retails for $62.00 for the 1.7 oz bottle and $82.00 for the 3.4 oz bottle.
Visit http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P253209&categoryId=C10472 for more details.

To get you in the mood for Spring and all things pretty:

This is the original commercial for Miss Dior Cherie by Sofia Coppola.

And a fun making of video from Elle!

Disclosure: A deluxe minature was sent to me by Dior Beauty.
Credit: Blogdorf Goodman and Youtube

Hermèssence Vanille Galante

My fragrance of the day is Hermes Vanille Galante. Hardcore fragrance lovers name this scent among the best vanilla notes captured in a bottle. It is a quiet mix of a unsweetened vanilla, a significant dash of salt, a bouquet of non-morbid lilies and a slew of herb greens. There is an aquatic, resplendent background vibe. It is nothing annoying or jarring. The sillage is whispery and ethereal . I am smitten.

This fragrance is sold at Hermes boutiques. It retails for $235 a bottle. There is also a travel set for $145. The pictured bottle is originally from a travel set.

The picture is from my new Nikon camera. Does it not look photoshopped?
I swear on my Lancome Erika F shadow....this is a unaltered photo.
No tinkering.
Just good light and a better zoom feature.

Disclaimer: This product was a holiday/vacation gift from a dear friend.
Thanks L!

Perfume Pangs

“Wait! Come here.” She marched me to a Histoire de Parfums display that looked like a row of overturned martini glasses, picked one up and inhaled it like the next fix in her continuing ether jag. She sighed, handing the glass to me.
“You haven’t seen him yet, but you know this man.”

I did a nose-drag. It was emotion-seizing: the complex, expensive scent of a civilized man. A well-shaved European — wet pine, fire, cold Sauternes. I could almost taste the clean leather and tweed. It hit with a resonant pang, right below the belt into unfair, instant, knuckle-biting yearning.

We looked at each other in a mutual reverie.

“Unngh.” I moaned.
“Right?”
The fragrance — aromatique hespéridé — was created by the ridiculously handsome Gérald Ghislain, in honor of Jules Verne. The Hesperides were Greek nymphs of the evening, charged with protecting Hera’s orchard of immortality-granting golden apples of joy.

Damn. I think we all need to go smell this!

---Quote from Cintra Wilson's The Critical Shopper NYTimes via Fashion is Spinach

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/fashion/03CRITIC.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=cintra&st=cse

http://www.histoiresdeparfums.com/1-6296-NEW-INDEX.php

Perfume Compact

These compacts are from Forever 21.

They retail for $1.80.

I am going to hazard a guess that Guerlain is not aware of this compact.

The Forbidden Fruit

Tempted by The Fig: Lisa Hoffman's Tuscan Fig

The Lisa Hoffman 'Variations' Fragrance Collection is a fragrance concept that takes one note and creates a series of scents based on the time of day. The morning version is usually a subtle take on the scent. It is light and refreshing. The daytime version is richer and the sillage is more potent. The evening version is more sensual with a "close to the skin" sillage. The bedtime/night version is softer and geared toward a powdery drydown. The Variations collection are 4 oils contained in glass roller-ball vials in a buttery leather pouch.

The scents range from orchid to neroli. I am smitten with her Japanese Agarwood series. These fragrances are well crafted and so damn lovely.

Tuscan Fig is a fragrance based on the fig fruit. The fig note smells herbaceous, slightly woody and mossy. In this series the fig is accompanied by French jasmine, honeysuckle, osmanthus, Madagascar vanilla bean, Madagascar gardenia, Tahitian tiare flower, amber and woods.

The morning version is a honeyed fig with a wafting appearance from a low wattage jasmine.
The day version is warmer and sweeter with honeysuckle. It is also the fragrance with the strongest fig note. The fig is not dry like l'eau de Figue by Mathias Paris. It is more juicy and less mossy. The drydown is a vanilla pudding cloud with wafts of osmanthus.
Tuscan Evening is a mixture of tropical flowers scenting the night air with a drydown of figs and woods.
My favorite of the Tuscan series is the night version. It is heavy on the osmanthus with just a peppering of fig, tiare flower and vanilla. It is so comforting and lovely. Like a scent lullaby.

The set retails for $95 and is available at Bergdorf Goodman and http://www.lisahoffmanskincare.com/

Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by Lisa Hoffman

Smells like Big Pimpin

"Oh, Jay-Z, my new best friend...He was so charming and delightful, and he smelled so good...And it's that kind of thing where you hug a guy, and the scent is sort of buried in them. When we went to the second location, I could still smell him on me. It was like, 'Oh, this is wonderful." (Quote from Oprah)

Anyone know what fragrance Mr Carter wears? Spill in the comments.

Source: http://www.theboombox.com/2009/08/10/say-what-oprah-calls-jay-z-her-new-best-friend-more/

Bendelirious

Cavewoman, Can you handle this?
Koneko, Can you handle this?
Beauty Addict, Can you handle this?
I don't think they can handle this.

Patti alerted me to a fragrance created for Henri Bendels courtesy of the naughty minds at Etat Libre d’Orange. Bendelirious was the brainchild of perfumer Antoine Lie of Givaudan. The inspiration was the "quintessential Bendels gal". The notes are iris absolu with a champagne base topped off with a cherry lollipop. It sounds fizzy with a thick sweetness. Worthy of a cocktail umbrella! It retails for $72 and can only be found at Bendels.
http://www.henribendel.com/

Magnifique By Lancome

I have been eagerly awaiting this fragrance since it was first whispered that saffron would be the main ingredient. I am a huge fan of L'Artisan's Safran Troublant. Saffron smells hay-like with a little bit of honey thrown in. I have always had a weakness for it.

Lancome's saffron has no honey but it is sweetened with florals. The first floral is a huge jammy rose. When someone describes a rose as being "jammy", it generally means it is sugary sweet like a jelly. The is the Bulgarian rose note.
The second rose note is Mai de Grasse rose absolute. I can not really describe it well except to say that it smells high quality. Very similar to the roses used in 2000 et une Rose. Lancome has thrown in some sambac jasmine to add lightness to the whole fragrance. Jasmine always gives such a fresh feminine spin to everything.

The most unique touch to this fragrance is the Nagarmotha note. The perfumers discovered this note in India. It is a papyrus with the roots extracted. It is not paper-like, rooty or biblical at all. It is leathery and spicy. The perfumers consider this to be the main thread of the fragrance.

The drydown is a mix of cinnamon, Australian sandalwood and vetiver. This is a drydown that is not fast or quick. It is seamlessly blended to just sneak up on you. The vetiver is the most strong and the true ending note.

Magnifique was created by two perfumers, Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier. Mr Cresp is responsible for Kenzo's Amour and Indian Holi. Mr Cavallier created Alexander McQueen's Kingdom, Calvin Klein's Truth and Stella, Stella McCartney.

Lancome Magnifique is available at your local Lancome counter. The 1.7oz bottle is $65 and the 2.5 oz bottle is $85.

Credits: Lancome, Wikipedia
Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by Lancome.

BB: Do you silently judge people based on how they smell?

TS: Everyone I know has, at some point, said, “Holy crap! The perfume on that person was unbelievably vile.” Many women friends have come back from a date or something and said, “You would not believe how much Brut this guy sprayed on.”

LT: But If you were George Clooney, Brut would be just fine.

TS: If you were George Clooney, rancid butter would be just fine.

interview from Blackbookmag.com with Luca Turin and Tbone

http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/the-sweet-smell-of-success/2658

Part X: Polge, Sheldrake and Helleu...Oh My!


The tour of the Chanel fragrance laboratory was a highlight of my Paris trip. I never dreamed that I would ever be given this opportunity. To actually meet Jacques Polge or shake the hand of Christopher Sheldrake was beyond a thrill.
At dinner the night before the tour, I compared Polge to Paul McCartney and Mr Sheldrake to Mick Jagger. For perfumistas these men are legendary rock stars. Polge is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend with Sheldrake being the new bad boy of perfumery.
As a team...they will be unstoppable.

The bloggers were broken up into two groups for the tour. My group consisted of Seth & Aimee from Cool Hunting, Kay from The Clothing Project, Betsy from Fashion is Spinach and Adrian from Fashion Verbatium.
Jacques Polge and Christopher Sheldrake took us on an olfactory tour.
They showed us a can filled with vetiver, a bowl filled with the most incredible smelling patchouli leaves and a root from an Iris plant. This specific root is aged for three years and then crushed and ground for distillation. Polge stated that is the most costly ingredient in Chanel perfumes. While he was speaking my eye spied lab bottles of Tonka Feves, Tolu, Poivre Essence, Fir, Baise Rose and Violette on the shelves. Polge then generously offered to let us smell anything in the lab. I immediately asked to smell their Iris. There is nothing more heavenly than that pure note.
Sheldrake opened lab bottles of their jasmine. We actually got to smell side by side Jasmine from the Chanel Grasse plantations to Jasmine harvested from Egypt.

Seth from Cool Hunting then requested to smell "the worst ingredient in the lab".
This request was a pure delight to Polge and Sheldrake. Polge wanted us to sniff a note that smelled like rotten eggs. The nameless assistant in the back of the lab began saying "No" a hundred times with a violent shake of her head. Sheldrake then thought of a note that was being stored in their fridges. This note was a musk extrait from a beaver.
Sheldrake dipped testers in the bottle and quickly passed them around.
Adrian at Fashion Verbatium proclaimed that beaver essence smelled like olives.
It was a compelling and interesting smell.
It was slightly earthy and green.

Jacques Polge was studying literature when he stumbled across an offer to become "a nose" for a company in Grasse. He spent two years in the United States learning the craft and eventually worked for Roure-Betrand-Dupont. Mr Dupont had "a long standing vocation to create fragrances for coutiers".

He joined the Chanel family in 1978 following the footsteps of the legendary Ernest Beaux(creator of Chanel 5) and Henri Robert(creator of Chanel 19). Polge's mission was to ensure that the original scents were being reproduced to the letter and that the materials being used were of the highest quality.

Polge created Coco in 1984. He was inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel's apartment on the Rue Cambon. He was inspired by her decorative choices and work. The apartment with it's baroque and eastern feel gave him the idea of the Coco fragrance.
After the launch of Coco,many successful fragrances launches followed such as Allure and Chance. Coco Mademoiselle was created in 2001 and contains the notes of Rose de Mal, Patchouli, Vanilleine, Iris Absolute, Jasmine and Vetyverfract. Polge wanted a fragrance that was "distinctive but did not wear out it's welcome with the wearer". Mademoiselle has a gentle sillage that wafts around the wearer. I always receive lovely compliments when I wear it.

My personal favorite fragrances from Chanel are in the Les Exclusifs line. These scents were inspired by places in Chanel's life from her apartment(31 Rue Cambon), country home(28 La Pausa) to her favorite coromandel screens(Coromandel). Polge was given free reign when it came to the creation of these scents. He is most proud of this body of work. He enjoyed being able to create fragrances based on materials seldom used like Amberette Seed. This ingredient plays an important role in the No 18 fragrance. The Exclusifs line is currently available at Bergdorf Goodman and select Chanel boutiques.

Chanel fragrances are exquisite in many ways besides their exceptional ingredients.
At Chanel, the fragrance is treated like a "luxury, small scaled product".
They have their own harvests, plantations and laboratory. The bottles have hand made touches. The Chanel creative team and staff have been long standing employees within the company. People do not leave for greener pastures. This company is the pasture with the greenest blades of grass. Many of the employees I spoke with had been with the company for decades and proud to call Chanel home. New employees had that special glow that comes from having a job you admire and love.
Can you imagine waking up and actually looking forward to a day in the office? Chanel staff can.
They get to work in a beautiful smelling office and drink coffee out of Chanel mugs.
Adrian(Fashion Verbatium) and I practically squealed when we spotted them on Chanel desks.
I bet my Maxwell House would taste 1000 times better out of that mug!

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman and Chanel.
Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel.