Serge Lutens - Daim Blond (perfume review)

I haven't tried many leathers but became obsessed with the idea of finding a good one, which led me to my desire to try Daim Blond (among other things).  According to Aedes, Daim Blond was "Inspired by suede so fine, so soft, so barely perceptible to the touch, like skin on skin, an aura and sensation that intertwine to become one and the same."   Ooh, this sounds mysterious and sexy and warm and cozy...

Wait a second, where's the soft nude suede?? On me, Serge Lutens' Daim Blond opens up strongly with medicinal pencil shavings - camphor, band-aids, rubber, wood. It's cool but dry. Although it's not markedly strong, it feels rough.

photo from acevola.blogspot.com

I know some people enjoy a good medicinal note, but honestly to me, it just smells like hospitals, which isn't particularly pleasant. I can imagine situations where a medicinal touch could enhance other stronger, more prominent notes, but that is just not the case in Daim Blond.

As far as I can tell, there are no other notes.  After a few minutes even the pencil shavings fade away, leaving just camphor and rubber band-aids.  Sadly they're not even awesome band-aids like these:

found on www.geekalerts.com

or

available at mcphee.com

Hehe, okay, I lied. There eventually are other notes. About 30 minutes in, it becomes evident that the 'medicinal' note I was smelling was probably somehow the iris and not the ubiquitous 'oud'. The medicinal aspect softens, and the iris becomes far more powdery and recognizably iris-y. This is definitely a marked improvement over the opening, but maybe not the best fit for me as I'm still on the fence about how I feel about iris. (So far the only iris perfume I've really liked is Atelier's Silver Iris.) And as powdery as it is, the perfume starts to feel kind of sharp and harsh to my nose about an hour in.

From this point on, the iris gets softer (while retaining it's bit of sharpness) and there's just a touch of musk, but that's about it. It really loses strength at the 2 hour mark, and feels just like a light veil of powder. The late drydown is pleasant enough I guess.

One thing Daim Blond *does* have going for it is the lack of cumin.  :)

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My rating of Daim Blond: 2 

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

   Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

In short, there is basically nothing about Daim Blond that is my cup of tea.

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Daim Blond as described by the Aedes website:

Family: Spice/Leather

Top Notes: Iris

Middle Notes: Apricot, Cardamom, Hawthorne

Base Notes: Heliotrope, Musk

Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake

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Have you tried Daim Blond? What are some of your favorite suede and leather scents?

A Lab on Fire - What We Do in Paris is Secret (perfume review) + a kitty story.

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! Mine was a little rough for a couple of kitty-related reasons, but the biggest one was related to Puff (the other I'll save for another post someday). 

Puff, my purely indoor kitty, stealthily escaped the house (unbeknownst to us) on one of our 2 trips out, and remained missing for at least 5 or 6 hours, if not more. In fact, we only realized he was gone because we bought a new cat condo and he didn't come out when we were rounding the kitties up to show them. After searching the house up and down for an hour or two we conceded to the idea that he must have gotten out. We searched the yard, drove around the neighborhood, posted signs, and visited the neighbors with no luck. All the while I watched the snow fall. I fretted, wondering how I was going to see a white cat in the snow, and worried about the falling temperatures - yesterday's low was supposed to be 5 and the wind has been howling all winter. (To be fair, Puff is built like an arctic kitty - covered in fur with tufted paws, so I was thankful for that.) Then I watched it get dark, wondering how I would see Puff in the dark. Every 20 minutes or so I went around to all of our doors and stepped out, calling out for Puff and shaking a treat bag, hoping he would come out. Finally, on my rounds around 7:30pm, I heard the faintest sound and I wasn't sure if it was a kitty or the children playing in the snow around the neighborhood but repeated callings revealed the tiniest of muffled meows, and I searched around the back deck where I found Puff huddled between storage baskets and the house siding. He wasn't there earlier, so I guess perhaps he had heard me calling and found his way back. Fortunately, he was found - a little dirty and hungry but safe and in my arms. So, today's review is dedicated to my sweet sweet Puff! 

I've been wanting to try A Lab on Fire's What We Do in Paris is Secret since early in my perfuming days (which admittedly was only a five or so months ago). I think I was mostly drawn to it by the name. I've never been to Paris, and even if I had, I doubt I would be privy to the exclusive or secretive happenings that I imagine when I hear this name. I had no idea what to expect, but I honestly didn't expect a sweet gourmand. I also didn't expect to be trying SO MANY gourmands. I guess that's what I get for not looking at the notes!

When I first applied What We Do in Paris is Secret, I was struck by how familiar it smells. Soooooo very familiar! It reminds me of something that was popular and prevalent back when I was in junior or senior high school or so, but unfortunately I can't place it.  CK in2u? Hugo Boss? Hugo Boss Deep Red?  Whatever Jean Paul Gaultier I had?  GAH it's so frustrating! If anyone can enlighten me, I'd be ever so appreciative...

The very beginning of What We Do in Paris is Secret feels really plush but light, like a large dollop of thick whipped cream or vanilla mousse. Or a Puff.

fluffy Puff - a sweet gourmand kitty if there ever was one!
p.s. he has lost weight since I transitioned the kitties to a raw diet, so he's actually quite svelte now.

It's voluminous, it's honeyed, and it has the presence of a whole table of desserts. And then, for a few brief moments the thick gourmand recedes like an ocean wave, unveiling a light and delicate almond that is so singular and crystalline and pure it feels like a ray of sunshine bursting through the clouds. Then the gourmand cloud returns, bringing with it a tinge of sharpness. For some reason, this sharpness makes What We Do in Paris is Secret feel a bit masculine to me. (It's also what makes it smell so darn familiar...)

The drydown is a deep vanilla with a touch of salt, a speck of sharpness and a tinge of rubber. It reminds me a bit of the drydown of Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument. It's warm and inviting, and I could see What We Do in Paris is Secret being another winter time winner.

Although I didn't love this one the first time I wore it, it has grown on me a bit with repeated wearings. It's a sweet gourmand that I can actually handle (a stark contrast to Or du Serail, for instance). I especially love the almond note - it reminds me a lot of L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil, which also smells lovely. 

Overall, What We Do in Paris is Secret is a pleasantly rich gourmand, but for me it skews a bit too masculine and is still a touch sweet for my tastes. Perhaps its the honey. Maybe I'm just not a big fan of honey as a note... Nonetheless, if you're a fan of honey and vanilla and sweet gourmands, this could be a home run for you!

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Clint's 3: vanilla, cream, light

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My rating of What We Do in Paris is Secret: 3 

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

   Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation    

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What We Do in Paris is Secret as described by the A Lab on Fire website:

Family: Gourmand, Oriental

Top Notes: bergamot, honey, lychee

Middle Notes: turkish rose essence, vanilla, heliotrope

Base Notes: tonka bean, tolu, sandalwood, ambergris

Perfumer: Dominique Ropion

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Have you tried What We Do in Paris is Secret?  Do you have a favorite A Lab on Fire scent, or a favorite gourmand?

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.