Parfums de Nicolai - Sacrebleu (perfume review)

I feel like I have been completely MIA - it's been a long couple of weeks! The extended and nuclear family has battled several colds and yucky stomach bugs, and somewhere in there I turned 32.  Yep, the big 3-2. :) And though I had fully intended to put several perfumed items on my birthday list, I just never got around to it - and to be honest - there weren't many fragrances that I *really* felt I needed to have. (Still thinking about getting a decant of Gold Leather, though). I guess I'm rather picky, which is delightful for my wallet but disappointing at the same time. 

But finally we're all feeling a bit better and I've resumed the search for some perfume loves. I'm turning attention back to my pile of samples that remained neglected while the family was under the weather. Yay!

I suppose it's not super helpful to review fragrances that are discontinued - but unfortunately I only have a sample of the discontinued Sacrebleu, and none of Sacrebleu Intense which is still currently available. I am curious how they differ.

On me, Sacrebleu opens up with a thick, syrupy sweet orange with an undercurrent of spice and maybe even a touch of anise. Alongside the sweet fruity melange, there is a thick and sweet almondy vanilla aura which gives it a slightly gourmand quality.  On me, however, there is an artificiality to the rich sweetness that lends it a little bit of a rubbery plastic vibe a few minutes into the opening. Overall, Sacrebleu feels plush and enveloping, and in my mind, distinctly golden orange in hue. Wearing it feels as if you're curled up in this chair on a chilly day.

photo from Horchow

After 10 minutes or so, the white floral heart sneaks out, but honestly the components are so well blended that its hard to separate them or sense when they're really beginning or ending. The florals are sweet and buttery, which is a very natural continuation of the sweetness of the opening, though at this point the sweetness isn't as thick or syrupy. The cinnamon lays low in the composition, but partners with the carnation to give the scent a spicy kick.

The early dry down features a slightly sweet and slightly musky amber. Honestly, I'm not that big of a fan of this kind of amber (it's growing on me a little bit), so it's not really my thing. However, an hour or so later into the wear, the amber is accompanied by darker notes of incense, and I really enjoy this part of the dry down. The incense counterbalances the sweetness of the amber and together, the scent is extremely pleasant and comforting.

For me, the opening is a bit too sweet and heavy, which detracts from my enjoyment. I'm starting to realize that gourmandy sweetness is something I'm pretty sensitive to, and often experience headaches or nausea from it. Sacrebleu was shy of being nauseating or headache inducing, but still a bit much for me. I suspect that for others it would be a lovely, comfy, enveloping oriental vanilla. The mid to late stages of Sacrebleu are really lovely, especially (I'd think) if you're a fan of amber. Although this one isn't FB worthy for me, Sacrebleu strikes me as a lovely, well-done perfume that I could envision many enjoying.

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Clint's 3: spicy, bubble gum, cinnamon

Sometimes I am so impressed by Clint's nose!  A review of Sacrebleu on Perfume Posse also noted a 'juicy fruit' note - so Clint is in good company!

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My rating of Sacrebleu: 3.25 

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  - X -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

      Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent          Great         Olfactory Elation      

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Sacrebleu as formally described by the Parfums de Nicolai website:

Family: Oriental Vanilla

Top Notes:  mandarin, red fruits

Middle Notes: carnation, tuberose, jasmine, cinnamon oil

Base Notes: frankincense, patchouli, sandalwood, peru balsam, tonka absolute

Perfumer: Patricia de Nicolai

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Have you tried Sacrebleu, or its remaining successor Sacrebleu Intense? How do they differ? Do you like them?

Montale - Aoud Velvet (perfume review)

Taking a break from the search for a Serge, I start my birthday week with a review of Montale's Aoud Velvet. This is my first experience with a Montale, and I only came across this sample because it was included in January's Olfactif set.

The opening of Aoud Velvet is tingly sharp, tart and sweet, like a mixture of deep cranberry and camphor. After a moment the sharpness recedes a bit, but the perfume maintains an energetic spicy kick. To me, the tartness and spiciness of the opening give Aoud Velvet a slightly fruity, jammy feeling. In that respect, Aoud Velvet it reminds me a bit of plum in Gold Leather (though I should really test them side by side to see if their scents are as comparable as their auras).

But be not deceived as the superstars of Aoud Velvet are not fruits but flowers. Ylang-ylang, tiare and orange blossom, according to the notes. Together, they're bright, creamy, sweet and lush. Anyone could expect that they would smell good together, and naturally they do. But in this case, it's really the oud that adds an entirely new dimension of beauty to these flowers. The spiciness of the oud cuts through their sweetness and turns an otherwise tropical floral into a dark, sensual and intoxicating perfume. 

When I take care to sniff my wrist closely, I can pick out the band-aidy oud note. Though my previous experience with oud wasn't the finest (I surmised at that point that I might hate oud, actually) - I can say with assurance that this oud *isn't* overwhelming within the context of the perfume. The medicinal sharpness of the oud acts as mediator between the sweet, tropical florals and the dry woody and vanilla base, and the whole concoction has a rich, balsamic feel without being too heavy. In the early stages, Aoud Velvet caresses the body like a cool, purple silk rather than a velvet.

photo stolen from a highly interesting (and inappropriate) post on unclerooney.com

For the most part, Aoud Velvet doesn't change a lot over the course of the wear.  However, between one and two hours in, the flowers lose some of their sweetness, and the oud loses a bit of its tartness. The wood notes and vanilla become slightly more prominent and Aoud Velvet becomes creamier - more reminiscent of the 'velvet' in the name.

I found that I really liked Aoud Velvet - there's just something about that spicy floral that keeps me coming back for more. For me, this is probably decant/FB worthy. If you're a lover of oud, and you want the oud to be a strong and prominent note, I think you may be disappointed with Aoud Velvet - but if you like florals with a spicy twist, you might really like it!

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Clint's 3: Sharp, Floral, Spicy

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My rating of Montale Aoud Velvet: 4

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

   Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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Aoud Velvet as described by fragrantica:

Top Notes: Ylang-ylang, Orange Blossom, Tiare

Middle Notes: Oud (agarwood)

Base Notes: Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Mysore Sandalwood

Family: Floral / Woody (my choices)


Perfumer: Pierre Montale

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Have you tried Aoud Velvet? Do you have any favorite Montale scents, or favorite oud-focused fragrances?

Serge Lutens - Un Bois Vanille (perfume review)

I'm continuing my quest to find some Serge Lutens that work for me. I have several samples in the queue - Chergui, Daim Blond, La Fille de Berlin, De Profundis - but today we focus on Un Bois Vanille.

Un Bois Vanille is interesting in that its a collection of dichotomies. It opens up with the intense sugary sweetness of cotton candy, but rather than being light and airy, it possesses a rich creamy character akin to melting ice cream. But within the depths of the sweet, dark vanilla creme lurks a sharpness I associate with grosir tas import murah sandalwood. The bold, desserty sweetness is grounded ever so slightly by this sharpness, and there's a mild bitterness thats reminiscent of raw cocoa - in a vanilla perfume.

There's also a really faint undercurrent of black licorice, which feels a bit chewy. But it's really faint. Personally I hate anise and black licorice and it doesn't bother me at all in Un Bois Vanille. It's tempered well by the (minimally perceptible but) rich coconut milk. Clint also hates black licorice, and he didn't notice it at all.

Un Bois Vanille is definitely gourmandy, but I don't get sugar cookies or booze or cupcakes or frosting. Un Bois Vanille is basically the perfume version of creme brulee - it's warm, it's dense, it's crusted caramelized sugar over heavy, thick, custardy creams. Yeah, it's vanilla, but the vanilla is almost the backstory. 

Up close and personal with creme brulee.

Un Bois Vanille is probably the most pleasant Serge Lutens I've tried so far, and I can see why many people love it. Unfortunately for me, it triggers a particularly strong scent association that I just can't get past. I may be the only person in the world that feels this way, but for me the grosir tas batam sweet vanilla + sharp wood combination smells strikingly similar to the air freshener (cleaner??) used in many public restrooms. I mean, it's nearly identical in scent and in character. Un Bois Vanille is sweet, thick and heavy, just like that air freshener (which is understandably necessary to mask certain odors!).

Fortunately, the sweetness and heft of Un Bois Vanille backs down around the 2-3 hour mark, ridding it of the bathroom air freshener association. With the sweetness turned down, the vanilla actually takes on more of an extract feel than a dessert feel, and the drydown becomes slightly velvety and powdery on my skin. The drydown is definitely my favorite part of Un Bois Vanille.

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Clint's 3: Creamy, Chocolate, Pleasant

Clint really liked this one. He tends to like the vanillas, it seems.

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My rating of Un Bois Vanille: 3

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

    Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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Un Bois Vanille as described by the Aedes website:

Family: Oriental/Gourmand

Top Notes:  Vanilla, Sandalwood

Middle Notes: Licorice

Base Notes: Coconut milk

Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake

lucky scent actually lists a longer set of notes: Black vanilla absolute, licorice, sandalwood, coconut milk, beeswax, caramelized benzoin, bitter almond, Gaiac wood, tonka bean

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Have you tried Un Bois Vanille? Is it one of your favorite vanillas?

Naomi Goodsir - Or du Sérail (perfume review)

When you're new to perfume and you don't know what you like and dislike, its easy to fall into the trap of wanting everything you read about. Especially when it seems like everyone and their mom adores it. It's so so easy to do.

Such was the case with Or du Sérail. I was taken by its evocative reviews and intriguing notes and descriptors - golden tobacco, velvet-like, charmingly sensuous... (to be fair, I'm obsessed with the idea that I'd love a tobacco perfume, though I'm not sure if that is really true). It really sounded exotic and amazing.

Alas, you live and you learn. Hopefully. (I have learned, for instance, that I really can't do sweet gourmands.)

Or du Sérail is, in one word, overwhelming. It's a rich, syrupy concoction that's heavy and sickeningly sweet. It's as dense as Christmas fruitcake, with the sting of the rum that it's soaked in. 

In my opinion Or du Sérail defines the term 'cloying.' The first hour or two also possess a knife-life sharpness that clings to my nostrils and burns them. I can feel Or du Sérail in my throat and it even makes my eyes water. Unfortunately it is also very headache inducing. In all honesty, I can barely even sniff my wrist during the first hour.

But even without sniffing my wrist, I feel suffocated by the opening of this scent. I'm drowning in a red river of assorted molten lollipops - cherry, apple, cranberry, strawberry. It's thick, hot and sticky. I finally reach the river's edge only to fall captive to an almost coconutty vanilla quicksand, sinking ever deeper...

Imagine this is red molten lollipops instead of chocolate!

A little over an hour into the wear the strength of Or du Sérail dies down and I'm able to sniff my wrist with relative safety and comfort. It's still terribly sweet, but there's so much going on that the only thing I can really pick out is the amber.

The sugar tones down and the next couple hours of the drydown are tolerable, though *still* a bit too sweet for me. At this point, around 3-4 hours, Or du Sérail is far less fruity but far more decadent. The fragrance is centered around a heavy tobacco note over honeyed vanilla, chocolate and amber. 

At 6-ish hours into the wear, the sweetness of Or du Sérail becomes softer still. The vanilla phases out and the character of the fragrance is dominated by the wood notes, which lay gently under scattered tobacco leaves. At this point Or du Sérail is almost a skin scent. It is dry, lightly sweet, only mildly perceptible, and I finally find it quite pleasant.

For me, obviously, Or du Sérail is too much. (Dabbed on, at that.) While I do enjoy the very end of the drydown, the tongue-curling sweetness of the opening and the rich decadence of the middle make Or du Sérail a bit of an olfactory challenge. But I am somewhat scent sensitive, so this clearly wasn't a good pick for me. Nonetheless, you may want to give Or du Sérail a try if you like bold, fruity, boozy gourmands or tobacco scents.

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Clint's 3: Fruity, Bitter, Sharp

Sums it up nicely.

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My rating of Or du Serail: 1.5 

1  - - X -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

      Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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Or du Serail as described by the Peony Melbourne website:

Family: Dry Woods/Rich

Top Notes: Cistus, Apple and red fruits, Mango, Rum, Sweet Orange, Davana, Sage
Middle Notes: Beeswax, Coco, Geranium, Ylang-ylang, Turkish Tobacco, Amber
Base Notes: Labdanum, Oak Tree, Cedarwood, Musk, Vanilla, Maté

Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour

For some other (more positive) takes on Or du Sérail, check out the following great reviews: Kafkaesque, AustralianPerfumeJunkies, NST, CaFleureBon 

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What do you think of Or du Sérail? Do you have a favorite Duchaufour fragrance?

*sample purchased by me

CB I Hate Perfume - 406, Do Not Ask Me Why (perfume review)

Do Not Ask Me Why, #406 in the Metamorphosis series (hereafter referred to as 406) is meant to evoke the perfumer Christopher Brosius' idea of 0pium smoke, inspired by the writings of poet Charles Baudelaire. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've never smelled the smoke of opium, so I cannot attest to the realism of this scent. What I can say, however, is that I am truly curious now about the deliriously narcotic smell of opium smoke...

Speaking figuratively, 406 feels a bit hazy, dry and white - I would liken it to the muted light grey sky of a cold midwinter day. 

Photo of Baltimore city, taken in February 2010.

Speaking more literally, the opening of 406 is a light and pretty floral (indeterminate florals to me) - it's delicately sweet, wispy and airy, and smells like it is grounded by just the tiniest touch of tea. It feels surprisingly dry for a floral and in that way it's a good emulation of smoke. At this point it feels like a floral version of Atelier Cologne's Oolang Infini.

About 20 minutes into the wear, 406 starts to feel noticeably fuller and heavier, and the scent grows stronger on my skin. On top of the florals a strangely clean but thick smoke facet emerges, intertwined with the gentlest tobacco note. It smells of incense, the plumes of smoke rising up off of my wrist.

But really to be perfectly honest, at this point 406 smells unmistakably like Pond's Cold Cream on my skin. It's a pleasant smell that evokes distant memories of my mother and her nightly face ritual, which I would watch as a young child. 406 stays like this on my skin for several hours, probably 5 or 6.

Beyond 6 or 7 hours into the wear, the very last lingering note of 406 is the subtle tobacco - the delicate sweetness of freshly packed cigarettes. I love this smell and only wish that it was stronger throughout the rest of the wear.

Perhaps because of the association with Cold Cream, 406 never feels particularly warm to me, though for all intents and purposes it really *should*.  It's a lightly smoky, floral incense with the cushy thickness of a scarf you would wrap yourself in. In this way, it's a perfect winter scent.

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Clint's 3: Sharp, Chalk, Light

I think the initial florals were what registered as sharp to Clint - the opening was so singularly floral I can understand where he's coming from.  Chalk was also really interesting, I think Clint was honing in on the texture/dryness of chalk more than the actual smell, but I could be wrong.

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My rating of Do Not Ask Me Why: 3.5

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  - X -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

   Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent          Great         Olfactory Elation    

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Do Not Ask Me Why as described by the CB I Hate Perfume website:

"An interpretation of the smell of opium smoke. heady and hypnotic with a distinctive floral note wafting seductively over a deep dry slightly spicy smoke."

Notes: None are listed, though Surrender to Chance lists: vanilla, smoke, floral

Perfumer: Christopher Brosius

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Have you tried Do Not Ask Me Why? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Do you have a favorite CB I Hate Perfume scent?

*sample purchased by me.

Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule & Fleurs d'Oranger (perfume review)

Santal Majuscule

The opening seconds of Santal Majuscule on my skin is an exceptionally lovely, lightly floral scent. But after just a few seconds, it morphs into a combination of bitterness and burnt butter. A mild element of creaminess sneaks in, moderating the bitterness and Santal Majuscule almost sweetens up to a creme brulee, but then the sharp wood note takes over.

In a short time, the wood note loses the creaminess and begins to feel drier. About 10 minutes in I get something slightly medicinal, and I'm not really sure what it is. This fades slightly, but Santal Majuscule never really progresses beyond this for me.  It stays slightly medicinal, dry and woody, and has a dark brown aura.

On my skin, Santal Majuscule feel a bit raw and unfinished, where I would hope for a slightly rounder and creamier feel. I'm really confused by the notes, because I get no rose or chocolate. It must be a chemistry thing.

Family: Wood

Top Notes: Rose

Middle Notes: Tonka bean, Rosewood

Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cocoa

Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake

* * * * * * * * *

Fleurs d'Oranger

Upon first application, Fleurs d'Oranger presents as a soft and slightly powdery orange blossom. To me, the opening feels like a delicate cloud - beautifully feminine and lovely. Within a couple of minutes, the scent becomes a little spicy and peppery which is pleasantly reminiscent of the spicy and sweet orange blossom of L'Artisan Parfumeur's Seville a l'Aube. 

Unfortunately, just after the pepper the familiar tang of cumin makes it's entrance. To be fair, this is no Bigarade Concentree. On the whole, the cumin isn't *terribly* strong but it does register as body odor on my skin, and regrettably it detracts from the whole experience for me. 

My son Walden, clearly confused and upset that cumin is used in perfumery...

After 15 minutes or so, Fleurs d'Oranger introduces a combination of creamy white florals. They lend a plushness to the scent and their weight works well to balance the sweetness of the orange blossom and the spice of the cumin. 

Fleurs d'Oranger doesn't strike me as a particularly complex scent, with few evolutions before the drydown. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant, easy to wear, happy perfume. I think I'd like it a lot if it didn't possess the pervasive undercurrent of BO from the cumin. 

Of note, I've read that older versions of Fleurs d'Oranger contain more cumin than the more recent formulations.  I received my sample in a swap, so I'm not sure if the sample I tested from was of the older or newer variety.

Family: Floral

Top Notes: Orange Blossom, Neroli

Middle Notes: Tuberose, Jasmine

Base Notes: Hibiscus, Cumin, Musk

Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake

* * * * * * * * *

My rating of Santal Majuscule and Fleurs d'Oranger: 2 

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

   Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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So far I have only tried a few Serge Lutens fragrances, but none have really dazzled me. I'm not sure if it's a body chemistry thing, my unsophisticated perfume tastes or if I'm just not trying the right ones. 

What are your thoughts on Santal Majuscule and/or Fleurs d'Oranger? And, if you're a Serge Lutens fan, what are some of your favorites? I'd love some recommendations for others to try!

Frederick Malle - Bigarade Concentree (perfume review)

When I first opened my small vial of Frederick Malle's Bigarade Concentree, I was greeted with just the most pleasant of citrus smells and I got excited. It's the middle of a dreary winter, and maybe a good citrus was just what I needed. I put it on, and in my eager anticipation, I did so a bit more heavily handed than usual.

This was a *big mistake*. 

photo found on pinterest, source unknown

Less than one minute in, the lovely citrus that wafted from the vial turned into a vile and ugly rotting lemon, sharp and acrid, collapsing into it's own pit of mold. But even worse than that (is that even possible??), was the loud, forceful stench of body odor (surely due to the phantom CUMIN never listed in the notes). The only thing 'concentree' about Bigarade Concentree was the BO! And this isn't even the possibly attractive smell of a man who'd "been chopping wood in the forest" or "working out" or any other sweat-inducing but possibly attractive activity... This is the BO of a grossly hungover guy that binge drank vodka, gorged himself on foods drenched in oil and hadn't showered in several days. In short, it is horrifyingly nauseating - at least on my skin. Your mileage may vary.

That being said, I know it's not just me. After trying Bigarade Concentree and commenting about it on NST, I googled it a bit. I saw people likening it to a NYC taxi driver that had just eaten an orange, and other less than savory comparisons. 

This is easily, easily the worst scent I've tried on skin. I'd rather smell like deli pickles than this.

So, if cumin has it's nasty way with you, beware. You've been warned! 

If cumin doesn't morph into nasty BO on you, this may be a very pleasant citrus scent. 

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Clint's 3:  I actually (and unfortunately) tried this scent twice and Clint wasn't home either time. I was unwilling to apply it a 3rd time in order to get Clint's opinion.

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My rating of Bigarade Concentree: 1

(1)  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

       Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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Bigarade Concentree as described by the Aedes website:

Family: Citrus

Top Notes: Orange

Middle Notes: Rose

Base Notes: Cedarwood, Hay

Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena

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Have you tried Bigarade Concentree? Did you have a better experience than me?

*sample obtained by me.