Oppsummering: En sjokkerende bra, 97.5% Naturlig (Botaniske / Natural Animal Essenser), unisex parfyme fra legendariske salver Dawn Spencer Hurwitz som klarer å produsere en krydret lær effekt ulikt noe annet jeg noensinne har luktet før. Vinn en deluxe prøve ved å forlate en kommentar.
Pros: Til tross for en kompleks liste over notater, the overall composition is an easy to wear, gender-neutral chypre that avoids the muddy feeling so often encountered in natural perfumes; has an unusual retro vibe without feeling like Grandpa’s aftershave.
Cons: Limited availability and a steep price tag thanks to the quality of the materials chosen by Dawn; don’t let the female moniker distract you, herrer – Pandora is butcher than most recent men’s mainstream releases.
Merknader: “Top notes: Aldehyde/Aldehydic, Bergamott, Cassis Bud, Davana, Green Peppercorn, Ozone, Pink Peppercorn, Ruby Red Fruits (botanical accord), Spice Notes, Violet Leaf Absolute. Midt-notater: Cabreuva Wood, Centifolia Rose Absolute, Green Tea Absolute, Juhi Jasmine Absolute, Linden Blossom Absolute, Orris Root, Yerba Mate Absolute. Base notes: Ambergris Tincture, Australian Sandalwood, Cyperus, Fossilized Amber, Green Oakmoss, Mousse de Saxe no.1 (botanical accord), Muhuhu, Patchouli co2, Tonka Bean Absolute, Vanilla Absolute, Vetiver co2.” DSHPerfumes.com
Minner meg om: I can’t think of a single, recent fragrance that even comes close to Pandora.
Designer beskrivelse: "Det, “Beautiful Evil”, is a quote from the story of Pandora as told by the Greek, Hesiod. She is the all gifted, all giving one, a singular woman and synonymous with Eve in many respects. It is she who opens humankind to the knowledge of good and evil and ultimately breaks the utopian ideal. With Pandora, mankind has plagues but also knowledge and maturity. She opens the door to truth and hope. What began as an all-botanical design for a project changed direction with the addition of a subtle synthetic influence. It made all of the difference. This is also a perfume that also utilizes some new and exotic botanical materials…in Pandora, the ancient meets the 21 century." DSHPerfumes.com
Antall ganger testet: Twice from a sample sent to me by DSH.
Antall spray søkt om denne gjennomgangen: To på baksiden av hånden.
Fragrance Strength: EDP
Utvikling: (Lineær / Gjennomsnittlig / Complex): Although I can’t really pinpoint individual notes, both times I tested Pandora I felt as if it became both woodier and sweeter as it developed; though the fragrance keeps a similar chypre character throughout the wearing, various facets of the composition sparkle as the scent develops; most interesting is the crystalline, watery airiness that seems to float above the darker basenotes.
Longevity: (Kort / Gjennomsnittlig / Langvarig): Om 3-4 timer.
Wake: (A Little / Gjennomsnittlig / A Lot): After two sprays to one hand, I was surprised by how the scent seemed to keep me company throughout two hours of morning chores.
Hvor kan jeg kjøpe det? Fra $4 US to $220 US depending on size and concentration at DSHPerfumes.com.
Merk Om Packaging: Dawn offers an array of options including an “Antique Presentation Perfume Extract” glass bottle, pictured at right.
The Bottom Line: Som vanlig, I’ll start by admitting my bias for mainstream synthetics and my general disdain for naturals. If any perfumer today causes me to question this bias, it is Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. As masterful with naturals as she is with synthetics and oils, the woman is a hands down American genius of perfumery producing such an incredible range of aromas that everyone could surely find something to fall in love with. I have and wear many of her scents but for some reason I do believe this to be my very first DSH review. Some of my favorites include: L’Eau d’Iris (watery iris that manages to be neither too sweet nor too doughy), Tuberose (the only tuberose scent I can actually wear), Celadon (a divine green aroma), Formula X (akin to a skin musk and a staple in my collection), Cafe Noir (rivals Ava Luxe’s own coffee scent), Parfum de Luxe (another retro classic), and Le Roi Soleil (a neroli fragrance inspired by Louis XIV) to name but a few.
With Pandora, I avoided all information about the scent so that I could blindly dive into the experience without any preconceived expectations. What I found first brought me to question if indeed Pandora was a natural (or nearly-natural). Next I wondered for what gender it was intended, if intended for a specific gender at all. Endelig, I couldn’t decide just what exactly I was smelling. Why did it smell both fresh and sparkling yet at the same time mossy and woody and even more shockingly, læraktig? I kept waiting for harsh “essential oil” tones and the typical muddiness that often defines naturals but to no avail. “What IS this?” I wondered as I immediately decided that quite simply, I liked it!
When I finally saw the list of notes, I sighed deeply – so many things I stay away from: vetiver, peppercorn, aldehyder, oakmoss, violet leaf and rose are generally kiss-of-death notes for me. Had I seen these, I likely would have entered the sniffing with a somewhat negative perspective. I tillegg, the name immediately conjured images of 1940′s and 50′s classics, the likes of which have been reproduced by the Irma Shorell/Long Lost Perfumes company and despite my many open-minded attempts, I just can’t manage to enjoy wearing. Endelig, the naturals aspect had me hesitant depsite my recent success with the Brave New Scents natural perfumes project written about her og her.
Pandora could easily have been a mid-80′s men’s scent, somewhere between Oscar pour Lui by de la Renta (spicy woods) and Drakkar Noir (modern fougere). Imidlertid, Pandora also recalls Bandit by Piguet (leather chypre), Jolie Madame by Balmain (violet chypre) and Sikkim by Lancome (spicy chypre). That’s not to say that Pandora actually smells like any of these. As I noted, one of the supreme joys of Pandora is how unlike anything else on today’s market it actually is. But like a few of her contemporaries, namely Mona di Orio and Linda Pilkington, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz manages at times to create fragrances that at once feel both modern and antique; there’s a familiarity accompanied by a surprising newness in many of these perfumers’ creations. Enda viktigere, that the synthetic ingredients should be only 2.5% of aldehydes and ozone notes, giving the overall aroma an unexpected lift, is even more cause to celebrate Dawn’s abilities.
If Pandora were a color, I’d say it was an inky, deep green chartreuse. Perfect for cooler weather, the fragrance mostly smells of mossy woods with almost no hint of florals or gourmand notes…safely letting it rest in unisex territory. In that respect, and as a chypre, it couldn’t be further from today’s sweet, foody and fruity trends. If Pandora is any indication of where Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is heading in terms of her current fragrant curiosities, perhaps she has indeed opened a Pandora’s box of possibilities?
What’s your favorite DSH aroma?
Leave a comment below for your chance to win a deluxe EDP sample of Pandora from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz.
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Flott omtale. I was impressed with her Mata Hari perfume. There is a million of notes inside that perfume
and perfectly blended.
Marlen, I am speechless. To have such high praise for one’s work is a dream come true… and with my first ‘official’ review at the perfume critic. I can’t tell you how honored I am at this moment. Takk! <3
Both Sands and Liv had reviewed fragrances for the old “PerfumeCritic” but I realized after all of the beautiful samples you had shared over the years that I hadn’t ever reviewed any of them! what a heel am I? long overdue! and brava on a magnificent perfume!
I adore Cimabue.
Marlen… agreed on all counts of course, you put into words what I KNEW, and SMELLED but couldn’t articulate
Question: Did you know right away how good it was, or did it sneek up on you?
The first time I tried it I knew I had discovered something quite special!
Utmerket gjennomgang,
would love to smell it
Utmerket gjennomgang! I love that you tested the fragrance prior to reading the notes. I always try to do this myself to avoid any unfair biases against a scent prior to experiencing it. Would love to try this! Congrats Dawn!
Your ‘tag’ words for this fragrance: Chypre, DSH, Leather, Vintage, oakmoss – are all words that make me sit up & take notice. I am a big fan and supporter of Dawn’s work and a few of my favorites include Minuit, Vert pour Madame and Jitterbug. Her new creation, Pandora, has been getting excellent reviews (which makes me so happy) and I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for your very accurate review of the work of Dawn Spencer Herwitz. She is definitely high on my list of perfumers in the arts. Thanks also for the draw.
I have only tried Bodhi Sativa, and it is wonderful! I have heard so many good things about Pandora. I tend to stick with 100% Naturals, but I think I might have to break out of that habit just to try this one!
Nice review! I was blown away by this one – I love Dawn’s work in general, but this one will definitely cause some cash to part ways with my wallet. I had a hard time describing it – it is so masterfully blended that is just becomes it’s own life force.
I have yet to try a DSH perfume. I have heard so many wonderful things about Pandora and am even more interested since reading your review!
Lovely review. I tend to feel the same about all-natural scents; they frequently seem muddy to me and don’t last very long. I like a judicious admixture of naturals for “life” and synthetics for longevity, seems like.
I am a card-carrying DSH fangirl. I love Rose Vert (which has a large percentage of naturals), Oeillets Rouges (ditto), og 1000 Lilies (ditto), and am completely smitten with her now-discontinued reproduction of Coty Chypre. Stunning stuff. My next purchase will probably be the almond/hay/summer-meadow of La Fete Nouvelle, unless it’s Pandora.
I did manage to win a sample of Pandora on another blog giveaway, so please don’t enter me in this draw. I am anxiously awaiting the vial’s appearance.
Wow, what a review. Now I definitely want to smell this! I’ve long been intrigued by Dawn’s fragrances, but haven’t had the chance to get my hands on one. The Oude Arabique sounds especially wonderful! As well as many of the florals.
Marlen, you have me dying to try Pandora. I’m a sucker for a good chypre. I have tried DSH fragrances before; I even purchased Menthe Moderne and Quinacridone Violet. But this one rings all of my bells!
So far, the Jitterbug masculine is my favorite of DSH … and I own about 8 or so, have sampled twice that many … Pandora and Cimabue are on my list for sampling next.
Mata Hari, Verte Pour Madame and Cimabue are some of my favorites from DSH and with the cooler weather approaching Lautrec will get a work out
Would love to be entered in the Pandora Draw. Happy sniffing.
If PANDORA is ANYTHING like Mata Hari (bloody gorgeous) I simply must try her. Dawn has a gift for taking persons from fiction, myth and history and breathing a new perfumed life into them…and resulting in something (as Marlen noted) that MAY have things that happen to BE in other fragrances; yet smells COMPLETELY new and uniquely original!!
Pandora (all gifted) var (supposedly) the first woman in Greek mythology. She was meant as a gift AND a curse to mankind from Zeus *king of the Gods* after Prometheus stole fire from the sun and gave it to mankind! She was meant to be soft, and sweet (gifted with grace, beauty, poise, etc) og (ostensibly) make man’s life easier…she did the exact opposite and driven by an insatiable curiosity opened the box the Gods gave her (yet forbid her to open) and released all manner of ills that plague mankind to this day (suffering, woe, old age, disease, etc…).
The very essay in contrasts that WAS Pandora, will (I imagine) translate seamlessly to Dawn’s perfume creation (som alltid!) with so many wonderfully blended notes. I have noticed that (unlike many other perfumers) that the more she adds the LESS muddied or confusing her perfumes are. I have also noticed that the more “exclusive” or limited a scent from DSH is the more magnificent. I have smelled more than 25 of her creations to date and each successive one always make me say “WOW!”.
Pandora…I cannot wait to experience you. All of your beauty and all of your darkness. If I do not “win” here have NO FEAR I will get you as soon as humanly possible! *sighs*
Marlen: THANKS once again for your kindness, your insights and for just being you!
EXCELLENT REVIEW, my friend!!
I have not heard one bad comment about DSH Pandora…except people saying they needed a bigger bottle! I would love to try this!
This was a helpful review. I can’t wait to try this. It will be my first DSH.
Wow what a complete and compelling review.
To top it all off, she’s a lovely person. So excited for talented folks, who are also great people, to get their work properly recognized. (And I wouldn’t mind a sample of this! I love unique, unisex fragrances.
Flott omtale–I want to try this scent…immediately!
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No surprise at the wonderful review – would love the chance to smell this one! Over the years i’ve tried several of dawn’s scents and she has crafted one just for me! What a treat! I’ve yet to find the one I fall in love with, but eager to keep searching……send me a sample!!