You’ll like this if you like: Citrus, lime, white musk, Pert shampoo.

Pros: Excellent longevity for a citrus-themed scent; easy application; simple but memorable scent.

Cons: The opening 3 minutes are a little full-bodied, so give the highly concentrated oil a little time to settle on the skin; may remind some folks a little too much of shampoo.

Notes:  “A refreshing, clean citrus… think tangy lemon-lime… softened by an exotic floral and an airy, sheer musk… fresh like a warm sea breeze!” SharonBoltonScents.com

Reminds me of: This one definitely reminds me of a shampoo I used to use when I was younger (a time gone by, a time when I actually had hair). I think the shampoo I’m thinking of is Pert – it was a creamy green liquid in a green bottle…Or maybe it was Prell? I’ll have to head over to a CVS and sniff’em out; can’t actually think of another fragrance that it smells like; lots of lime and white musk here.

Designer’s Description: “A refreshing, clean citrus… think tangy lemon-lime… softened by an exotic floral and an airy, sheer musk… fresh like a warm sea breeze!” SharonBoltonScents.com

Number of times tested: 8 times

Number of sprays applied for this review: 4 dabs from a roll-on sent to me by the perfumer.

Fragrance Strength: Perfume Oil

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) The oil begins with a powerful blast of citrus, as noted in the designer’s description above, a fizzy lemon-lime aroma. This quickly softens as a creamy white floral note opens. This note is quite tame and in no way shouts “I’m a flower, love me, smell me” but offers a slightly smoother vibe than the tangy opening. Paired with a very soft white musk note (not at all powdery), the floral quickly melts into the background. There is also something very green and dewy glimmering throughout the otherwise minimalistic composition.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Lasts a good 6 to 8 hours on me…and then some.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) When I wear it to class, those sitting nearest to me have complimented me on how good I smell – enough said? Let me add that though it does last on the skin, it softens and settles and doesn’t carry the same punch that it does in its opening stages.

Where Can I Buy It? $42 US for 1/8 oz roll-on. SharonBoltonScents.com

Note About the Packaging: Simple glass cylinder roll-on housed in a green printed paper box with white ribbon. Simple and stylish.

The Bottom Line: I’m the first to admit that I don’t do very well with scented oils. Believe me, I’ve tried hundreds of them and rarely do I find something that so captivates me. Sharon Bolton’s Truth has grabbed me, hooked me, and now I’m a kept man, a slave to the Truth. Is it the quality of the oil? The packaging and concept? The simple aroma? The truth is that the scent is oddly nostalgic to me. It has that “I’ve smelled this somewhere before” feel. In most cases, that would kind of disappoint me. But here, and I am being completely biased, it just makes the scent that much more comforting.

I really had no idea what to expect when California perfumer Sharon Bolton sent me her fragrances to test. The other three – Luv, Dream and Soul – are all pleasant, but in no way got to me like Truth did. Dream is my second favorite and the most easily masculine with its warm oriental tones. The overall feel of Truth is a soapy green citrus. It’s sweet, a little warm, a little tangy (like drinking a limeade), and only slightly floral, though that may be because my skin tends to downplay florals and amp up musks. It could have a little more depth, say some added woods in the basenotes, a grassier green feeling, but that would take away from Truth’s straightforward playfulness.

I originally published this review in late 2006 when the scent first launched and here we are almost six years later and Truth is STILL a staple in my collection…a go-to green aroma that easily satisfies my craving for dewy, leafy and sweet! Yes, the roll-on perfume looks small, but I’ve been using this one with abandon and barely seem to have made a dent in my bottle…a fact that also speaks to the longevity & sillage of Truth – a little goes a long way! The pricepoint is also reasonable, though a little higher than most designer oils which seem to be 1/4 oz sizes as opposed to Truth’s 1/8 oz. While some designer scents have nearly doubled in price (ahem, Penhaligon’s and L’Artisan!), Truth has remained the same!

It’s an amazing thing when one has no expectations and suddenly, a surprise is lurking just around the scented corner. This spring I’ve kept Truth in my backpack at all times, hoping that at some point during one of my 12 hour days I’ll suddenly realize that whatever I had applied in the morning has disappeared and it’s time for some Sharon Bolton. It’s the Truth!

From SharonBoltonScents.com: “Sharon Bolton Scents gives back to the community through a number of causes close to their heart. The Muscular Dystrophy Association, Susan G. Komen, The Teddy Bear Foundation and the American Diabetes Association to name a few.“

As the northern hemsiphere steps into spring, what green aromas have you been craving?

You’ll like this if you like: Warm, oriental fragrances; vanilla, woods, tobacco, patchouli, incense.

Notes: Bergamot, lavender, lemon, cognac, lime, mandarin, cardamom, sage, juniper berry, thyme, black pepper, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, musk. BASENOTES.NET

Price: As low as $28 US for a 4.2 oz EDT spray via Google Shopping (and perhaps even less at discount shops like TJ/TK Maxx).

The Bottom Line: Ahhh, Escada pour Homme, how do I love thy 90′s oriental composition? Let me count the ways… I’ll start with that cognac note – as far as I can tell, this was one of the first fragrances to specifically use this note, and it employs it beautifully. What does cognac smell like? It has a honeyed liquor aroma, akin to whiskey or pipe tobacco, though not nearly as sweet. Next let me add that there’s not a fruity, marine, or ozonic note present here. This scent is all about autumn for me: It’s November in Central Park or March in Buenos Aires, Merino wool sweater and a pair of jeans, Ferragamo loafers and warm winter coat. It’s ambers and rusts, golds and deep reds, chocolate brown and dark green. At a time when fresher scents were all the rage (think Platinum Egoiste, Polo Sport, and Escape), a few designers were still exploring the update of the 80′s herbal/oriental. Similar to Escada pour Homme are scents like Hermes Rocabar, Ungaro III, and Shiseido’s Basala. Today’s comparisons might include scents like John Varvatos, Tom Ford for Men, some of the Angel for Men flankers, etc.

(NEW!) You’ll like this if you like: Vanilla, leather, pepper, tobacco, incense, amber, woods.

Pros: Remarkably complex; a refreshingly unique take on the typical amber aroma; doesn’t possess that “natural perfumery” vibe typical of so many naturals; excellent longevity and development.

Cons: As this is a natural, handmade perfume, the price is a bit higher than what many may be used to; at the moment there is only the choice of a 10ml or 60ml product (would be nice to have something in between).

Notes: “Hiba Wood, Mimosa, Davana, Frankincense, Marigold, Vintage Broom, Sandalwood, Dragon’s Blood, Ambreine, Tobacco” Matriarch.biz

Reminds me of: Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Precieux

Designer’s Description: “Liquid gold; intense, yet subtle. More than one hundred different aromatics comprise this silky scent including rare essences of ambreine and dragon’s blood.  Fresh mimosa and davana top notes awaken your fifth sense to the luxurious unfolding of this ultra-natural unisex fragrance. After the initial floral impression, the reverse drydown begins…..it takes about six hours to fully develop, growing mysteriously stronger with time. Vintage broom sweetens the blend to just-shy of gourmand, without adding any of the typical “powder” notes found in synthetic ambers. Three varieties of frankincense and four kinds of patchouli add layers of penetrating spiciness, while precious woods maintain the balance of the overall scent from start to finish.  Our house made tinctures of Hawaiian vanilla, resin incenses, tobacco and peppercorns give this newest Matriarch scent a unique signature which is sure to become a favorite of amber lovers the world over!” Matriarch.biz

Number of times tested: 4 times from a bottle sent to me by House of Matriarch, Vintage 2012.

Number of sprays applied for this review: 2 sprays from the bottle pictured above (and that’s really all one needs!).

Fragrance Strength: Eau de Parfum/Parfum

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) Ambre Vie is a rarity among amber fragrances in that it takes the wearer on quite a journey. Not content to produce the typical vanillic amber aroma, Meshell has composed a multilayered, peppery amber with hints of wood and tobacco. As the fragrance settles, it moves from powdery floral to smoky gourmand.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Lasts a good 6 to 8 hours on me…and then some.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) At a time when I am having difficulty smelling…well, anything, due to sinus problems, I was delighted to discover that I could fully perceive Ambre Vie.

Where Can I Buy It? $88 US for 10ml roll-on; $250 US for 2oz spray. Matriarch.biz

Note About the Packaging: The Eau de Parfum is housed in a bronze and gold-flecked rectangular glass bottle with gold and black label and gold atomizer.

The Bottom Line: I first encountered Christi Meshell’s artistry when invited to participate in the Brave New Scents project in autumn, 2011. You can find my review of her creation for that project, Carmine, by clicking here. It was immediately obvious that as a natural perfumer, Meshell had a unique aesthetic incomparable to many of her peers. Likewise, smelling Carmine was a shock because for the first time I had experienced an all-natural perfume that smelled nothing like the natural perfumes I had previously experienced. In other words, gone was the murky, potpourri vibe that I had often discovered and, honestly, disliked. I enjoyed the creation so much that I quickly finished a 5 ml bottle:

“I’ve worn it to bed, after the sauna, to the classroom…in fact, I keep it in my briefcase! This admission of use is likely the biggest compliment I can bestow considering how rarely I purchase let alone use natural perfumes.”

Meshell no doubt appreciated my review and we continued our correspondence when she approached me about a name for her latest creation, “a to-live-for Amber…my slowest unfolding, longest lasting scent and dare I say the full dry down takes about six hours. Just when you think it’s arrived at it’s finish, it changes again. A ‘living amber’ it is!”

Upon receipt of the fragrance, held up due to folks in Finnish customs likely wanting to keep the bottle for themselves, I was blown away. It is so incredibly rare these days to find a scent that can be deemed impressive or surprising AND utterly wearable. L’Artisan used to be my go-to fragrance line for surprise (witness the golden days of the company with releases like Dzing!, Passage d’Enfer, Bois de Farine). Recently, Creed has had some successful shockers (Love in White, Virgin Island Water, etc). Moreover, some of the microperfumeries like Ava Luxe, Opus Oils, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Scent by the Sea and L’Aromatica have caught my attention while more mainstream perfumery has routinely left me cold.

Any perfume lover will automatically recognize the aroma of amber. As ubiquitous as soliflore aromas like vanilla or rose or violet, amber is quite commonplace as far as fragrances go – a dash of vanilla or heliotropin, perhaps some tonka, benzoin or French labdanum, maybe some woody accords or musk, and voila, we have an amber aroma. I’ve owned ambers from numerous companies over the years always coming back to Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier’s Ambre Precieux as the gold standard by which I measure all others. Sure, L’Artisan has an amber as did L’Occitane, Lauder, Demeter, GAP, Jo Malone, Montale, Bath and Body Works, etc and so I have felt a bit inundated by amber scents…and am usually left feeling underwhelmed. I’ve likely owned 20-30 amber fragrances in various forms (samples, decants, full bottles) over the last 20 years and not surprisingly only own two at this point – Estee Lauder Amber Ylang Ylang (review forthcoming) and MPG Ambre precieux (just check out the sterling reviews). My usual complaint is that 1) they all tend to smell the same and 2) there’s nothing very compelling or unique about them.

So it is with extreme pleasure that I introduce Ambre Vie, a handmade fragrance made by the standards of modern natural perfumery, that enters my collection as the third of only three amber scents I really have any interest in wearing. Meshell describes her approach to aroma as…

ULTRA NATURAL, and when we say “natural”, we mean it!  It’s a word that is used very loosely these days, and many perfumes claim to be natural, but depending on how you define “natural”, that can mean a lot of things.  As members of the Natural Perfumers Guild, we are united with other Natural Perfumers around the world, collaborating to establish guidelines for the industry.  By following Guild standards (the strictest standards in the perfume business regarding natural ingredients) we can guarantee a 100% natural productready to ignite your passion for bona fide fine fragrances….Why Natural Perfumes?  Why bother with added expense of natural aromatics when chemicals are seemingly superior in staying power and variety?  There are so many reasons.  First, natural perfumes have a much more intricate fragrance than synthetics.  The complexity of Mother Nature can never be duplicated in a lab.  Chemists have been trying to no avail for decades. Read more.

Again, although a natural perfume, Ambre Vie doesn’t really seem like a natural.

The fragrance opens with a blast of sweet, powdery, almost fruity mimosa and glimpses of warm tobacco. The typical amber aroma is present in the background as is an almost edible vanilla. There is a surprising freshness (perhaps davana?) to Ambre Vie at this stage that seems contrary to what an amber aroma typically smells like. A hint of leather and pepper accompany this freshness until the disparate facets merge and the scent begins to blossom into a powdery floral set against resins, woods and frankincense. A united blend of multiple notes, Ambre Vie manages to keep a singular character throughout the wearing while its development is truly magical. While amber as a stone or raw material (hardened tree sap) offers a honey-hued tone, it also usually offers specks of black, gold and yellow. Similarly, Ambre Vie sparkles with additional notes of broom, marigold, sandalwood, etc.

When I brought out my bottle at the dinner table earlier this week, my two companions asked to sample the fragrance and were immediately impressed with the aroma. This is often a great litmus test to explore the universality of a perfume: I know that I have a somewhat experienced nose, but will others react to a scent as I do? In fact, one friend loved it so much that I had to promise to make her a sample from my bottle…and to think, she’s a die hard white floral fan who wears Miss Dior L’Eau, the original Romeo Gigli and Clinique Simply!

A few final aspects of Meshell’s creations worth mentioning: 1) All products are labeled with the vintage year as Meshell believes that like a fine wine or whiskey, her natural perfumes will only improve with age; 2) Aside from her website, Matriarch.biz, the fragrances are only available at one boutique in the entire world (David Lawrence); 3) Meshell offers samples of all fragrances to help you consider whether a scent is decidedly “you”; and 4) Meshell makes some of the most exquisite all-natural incense…a little secret that only a few loyal customers and ThePerfumeCritic readers know about. I recommend her “Idyll” and “Ballade”.

Would you like to own ambre vie?

Tell us about your love for all things amber for your chance to win a 10ml deluxe roll-on, an $88 US value.

The giveaway is open for 5 days from the date of this review’s original posting.

You’ll like this if you like: White musk; soft, powdery fragrances; fragrances that smell clean or like soap/fabric softener aromas.

Pros: Excellent longevity; unisex; full ancillary line of bath, body and home products; the best rendition of this type of aroma I’ve yet found; check out the company’s Green Promise.

Cons: By no means a groundbreaking scent, this one will undoubtedly smell familiar to you (in a good way); the flowery packaging might put some guys off.

Notes: Bergamot, White Lily, White Musk, Freesia, Lotus, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood. TerriMicheleFragrances.com

Reminds me of: Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s Musc Alize; Gendarme; Bonnie Bell Skin Musk; Dove soap.

Designer’s Description: “The signature scent of Terri Michele Fragrances, Shenandoah is fresh, clean, and aquatic, with classic appeal and superb staying power. An inviting combination of floral notes, the fragrance is at once soft, subtle, and alluring. The singular, utterly feminine scent is said by some to be purity and light captured in a bottle. Artisanal in concept, Shenandoah is custom-blended and worn by company founder Michele Kaplan.” TerriMicheleFragrances.com

Number of times tested: 10 times from a bottle sent to me by Terri Michele Fragrances.

Number of sprays applied for this review: 2 sprays from the bottle pictured below (and that’s really all one needs!).

Fragrance Strength: Eau de Parfum

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) There really isn’t any development with Shenandoah. As the name so aptly evokes, this is truly a caress of summer mountain air, singular and simple in its delivery.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Lasts a good 6 to 8 hours on me…and then some. At times it seemed to disappear altogether, only to re-surface in full bloom moments later.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) One friend, upon my getting into her car, asked me if I had just showered. Another hugged me goodbye one summer afternoon and announced that I smelled like Dove soap. This one doesn’t overwhelm me, but doesn’t totally fade away from being noticable either, even after 6 to 8 hours.

Where Can I Buy It? $68 US for 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray; $30 US for 8.8ml roll-on Perfume Oil TerriMicheleFragrances.com

Note About the Packaging: The Eau de Parfum is housed in a simple rectangular glass bottle with transparent label and matching turquoise & black paper box. The image on the label is of tigerlilies and on newer bottles, the flowers are colored yellow. The Perfume Oil is housed in a typical glass roll-on with similar label.

The Bottom Line: The moment I found Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s Cristalle de Musc (the old name and the old formula), I knew there and then I was a white musk fan. Now Comtpoir has re-named their scent to Musc Alize and there is something that just seems different about it, not nearly as incredible as my old bottle of Cristalle. That being said, I was terribly disheartened to realize that one of my favorite aromas had been changed and no longer called out to be worn as it once had.

Enter Terri Weitzman, with an aptly named fragrance line whose title began with the word “Fresh”. I know, I rolled my eyes at that as well. But the surprising thing was that Terri’s little magic potion, Breathe, immediately grabbed me! This was what I had wanted so many white musk aromas to smell like. This is what I had hoped so many scents claiming to smell like freshly washed linens or cotton would smell like (and lordy lordy oh how they DON’T!). This is what I had hoped every scent from Clean would smell like. Breathe was exactly what I had been waiting for (insert smiley face). And then it disappeared (insert sad face). Thank goodness, Terri herself reached out to me back in the days of the first PerfumeCritic site and told me all about her new line co-created with business partner Michele Kaplan. The signature scent? Breathe…repackaged and renamed Shenandoah. Having lived in the Blue Ridge mountains on the borders of North Carolina and Virginia, and having driven through the Shenandoah mountains and valleys on numerous vacations, the scent evokes happy memories of warm, summer, mountain air after rainstorms…patches of fog rolling in and orange and yellow tigerlilies growing alongside…just about everything!

What does it smell like? It truly does smell soapy, but without the overly-fruity or detergent-ish overtones. I’m happy to report that although this Eau de Parfum does offer the aesthetic of a fragrance oil, there is definitely none of that odd cardboard-like drydown that so many oils seem to have. I haven’t tried the Perfume Oil version of Shenandoah yet; I’m saving it for some European travel later this year. And though I mentioned Skin Musk, Breathe stays away from vanilla, heliotrope, almond, and animalic territory altogether. It does seem to fit into the same category as Gendarme, but without the citrusy opening, though just as unisex.

Views: 2182

You’ll like this if you like: Iris, vanilla, orientals; sweeter gourmand fragrances or unusual note pairings.

Notes: Red Pepper, Green Pepper, Cardamom, Coriander, Star Anise, Iris, Heliotrope, Acacia, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tonka bean, Sweet Sultan, Musk.

Price: 3.4 oz EDT Spray: Retail price – $75; Discount price – From $35 US via Perfume Station at Amazon.com

The Bottom Line: About 4 years ago I tried the men’s version of Messages, a warm, herbal brew of vetiver, sage, and patchouli. I’m not sure why, but I never thought to consider the women’s version. Fast forward to 2007, and I found myself exploring the fragrances of Mariella Burani, a highly under-rated and little known Italian designer (here in the states, at least). As I was re-reading info about Messages for Men, I decided to check out the women’s scent. WHOA! Take a look at those notes! Pepper! Star Anise! IRIS! Patchouli! This stuff reads as if it was made especially for me. Having recently become enchanted by the green pepper in L’Artisan’s Piment Brulant (green pepper and chocolate), I figured “How could this be bad?” I love Burani’s Eau Rosee and the original and sadly discontinued Mariella (does anyone know where I can find this?), so I figured I would give it a shot. When it arrived, it was love at first spray.

Here’s my take on why this scent was never popular – it’s a tad bit masculine, but is housed in a decidedly feminine bottle. Now, I’m the first to avoid gender associations at any cost, but it’s true, the bottle gives the impression of a white floral, when this is actually a unisex, oriental gourmand. Messages for women seems to be a scent with a severe identity issue! On my skin the dewy sweetness of the green pepper melds with the white, powdery (and no, there’s not an aldehyde in site, thank goodness) notes of iris, heliotrope, star anise, and vanilla. The entire composition rests on a very tame base of musk and sandalwood (I don’t get the patchouli at all here). This reminds me quite a lot of L’Artisan’s Piment, but with more depth, lasting power, and the magic of iris and vanilla. The inclusion of sweet sultan even adds a hint of cocoa.

Pros: With one of the best bottles of 2005, MyQueen is far less controversial than 2003′s Kingdom; an easy-to-wear, straightforward oriental blend with all of my favorite notes; comforting and sweet with an incense-like drydown.

Cons: Those of us who remember Kingdom might be surprised to find this a tamer creation; though I love the overall effect of the composition, something seems to be missing here; I’m not thrilled when having to say the name.

Notes: “Sweet Almond, Violet, Orange Blossom Absolute, Heliotrope, White Musk, Cedar, Patchouli, Iris, Vanilla.” Nordstrom.com

Perfumer(s): Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo

Reminds me of: Art of Perfumery #5; Joop Le Bain; YSL Cinema; Strenesse; Kenzo Amour

Designer’s Description: “Enchanting, extraordinary, unexpected… MyQueen, the new fragrance for women by Alexander McQueen. The combination of parma violet, orange blossom, patchouli and vanilla leads one down a road of imagination—to the heart of all women and the secrets that lie within. Precious and surprising, the faceted bottle plays with the light and reflections as a magical keepsake, a modern talisman. Be the first to discover your inner queen with MyQueen.” Nordstrom.com (I’m sorry, but “Be the first to discover your inner queen”??? Are they serious?)

Number of times tested: 5 times within the last week from a tester bottle I purchased.

Number of sprays applied for this review: 6 to entire body.

Fragrance Strength: Eau de Parfum

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) MyQueen opens with an immediate vanillic blast that is soon tempered by the patchouli and iris notes. The scent seems quite expansive, but rather than really undergo any major changes, MyQueen kind of folds in on itself and becomes simpler. This is where the scent reminds me of my favorite vanilla incense from Auroshika of India. Some people have mentioned detecting a licorice note, but I don’t really get that, just lots of almond, heliotropin and vanilla, with only the merest hint of violet and orange blossom.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) 4-5 hours but the scent seems to quiet after about an hour.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) Just right…a vanilla that won’t leave you smelling like a vanillaroma tree.

Packaging: Created by Baccarat designer Thomas Bastide with Alexander McQueen (Osmoz.com), the stunning 5-sided, faceted, purple glass looks like a vintage perfume bottle. Beware that atomizer that looks like a cap but is actually the sprayer! Housed in a white rectangular paper box imprinted with images of the bottle.

Where Can I Buy It? From $35 US at online retailers for a 100ml tester, Eau de Parfum Spray.

The Bottom Line: Being a huge fan of all of the notes listed in MyQueen’s composition, this one is easy for me to love. Sadly, the scent is definitely not quite as daring nor as interesting as I had hoped, especially after McQueen’s first scent, the oddly compelling Kingdom. Of course, a fragrance doesn’t really have to be interesting in order for it to be addictive, and addictive it is. The only problem is that I’m not sure if that’s because the fragrance and I really do “click” or if I just have to keep applying it to get a better handle as to what this actually smells like (as mentioned above, the fragrance seems to get quiet pretty quickly…or perhaps that’s just my nose habituating). Hence the comment that MyQueen smells unfinished. However, the drydown is the best part of the scent with the patchouli and cedar taking the edge off the sweetness and adding an almost masculine facet to an otherwise sweet scent. I just wish there was something more here, something as strange and thought-provoking as Kingdom’s sweaty cumin and cold greens accord. Then again, maybe I’d better be careful what I wish for. Now that we have a Kingdom and a Queen to rule it, could there be a Prince or a King in our future?

Views: 3992

I love jasmine and orange blossom. The two aromas are by far my favorite floral notes and lucky for me, they show up constantly in men’s fragrances these days. The more experience I have with other flowers, such as tuberose, the more curious I become as to how they too are used in men’s fragrances. For example, I am really enjoying my Lacoste L 12.12 White with its sueded tuberose accord, and though I personally don’t wear them, I appreciate the starring role tuberose plays in Floris Elite for Men and Richard James Saville Row.

But it’s official, after weeks of winter searching, the only fragances “for men” that I can find that list gardenia as a note are Herrera’s 212 Men and some of its flankers (which I’ve always disliked thanks to the heavy pepper notes), 1974′s Halston Z-14 (and the traditional 70′s vibe is so strong here that the gardenia is completely indetectable), and Neil Morris’s Gardenia for Men (which I haven’t tried yet). Many other flowers – rose, violet, magnolia and ylang, for example – all seem to be much more commonly used, especially combined with heartier basenotes such as woods, leather and spices. Why is this? Could it be that gardenia is such an iconic “female aroma” that perfumers avoid the connotations of southern belles, grandmas and Coco Chanel?

Whatever the reason, I’m miffed. I’ve really never had experience with gardenias until fairly recently, due to the bushes I encountered up and down the street where I lived in north Osaka and my closest friend Becky’s obsession with them (she gets at least one gardenia fragrance from me each year). But being constantly on the lookout for natural-smelling gardenia fragrances and dedicating myself to fragrance writing has me longing for a creamy white petal aroma that pairs the blossom with those aforementioned hearty basenotes.

Some of the most memorable fragrances that I’ve discovered which feature prominent gardenia notes, and there are thousands, are Estee Lauder’s Private Collection Tuberose and Gardenia (Becky’s favorite), Yves Rocher Pur Desir de Gardenia (incredibly inexpensive and equally realistic) and Chanel Gardenia to name but a few. I’m currently staying in Orlando at Becky’s home and decided to experiment with some of the scents I’ve gifted over the years. When going through her collection I chuckled at the opposite-ends-of-the-spectrum names and aesthethics of two particular fragrances – Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia and DSH Nouveau Gardenia – and decided this might be a good place to start.

Before continuing, a small caveat: What exactly makes a fragrance “for guys” as opposed to “for gals”? I have ALWAYS championed the wear-whatever-you-like philosophy when it comes to scent and have a hard time attributing gender to aroma due to the culturally and temporally sensitive nature of perfume trends around the world and throughout the ages. Can we not agree that gender is indeed socially constructed and mediated? In this post, I am exploring the marked lack of gardenia in current “men’s perfumery” and as such I’m experimenting with wearing a note that due to being raised in North America during the end of the 20th century has typically been absent from my own repertoire of aromas.

Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia

Notes/Description: “A captivating blend, the classic florals gardenia and tuberose are combined with cardamom, sandalwood and myrrh to create a rich seduction of the senses.” JoMalone.com

I’ve played with this scent for years now, enchanted by the idea of pairing gardenia with myrrh. I *almost* didn’t give this one away upon receiving a bottle to test (from Jo Malone’s parent company, Estee Lauder), wondering if this is something I could both wear and enjoy. Due to my friend’s dedication to gardenia, however, Vintage Gardenia and I parted ways.

Right off the bat, there is something slightly dark about this, as if I had previously sprayed Annick Goutal Sables on my wrist and then hours later sprayed on a gardenia scent. As the scent develops, the darker notes warm on my skin and I can definitely detect the myrrh. The gardenia and tuberose pairing are prominent enough so that VG definitely fells like a floral, but those white, creamy facets are downplayed by the woods and spices. My olfactory image is of a cloudy sunset, white and grey billows illuminated by a setting sun. The florals are the hidden light and the other notes are the glowing clouds.

I do feel the waxiness of the florals at the fringes of the scent as it develops, sometimes catching glimpses of actual gardenias but more often I’m reminded of tuberose than gardenia. I don’t find this to be all that typically “pretty” and am still not sure if I would want to wear this often. In terms of this being a gardenia for guys, I certainly don’t see why this couldn’t easily be carried off by the male gender. Becky herself has graciously gifted the bottle back to me suggesting that its inherent smokiness might be a bit too masculine for her. Jo Malone has always avoided stamping gender labels such as “for women” on her fragrances and likewise has encouraged layering of her various scents. I imagine this one would work well with a number of the other offerings, perhaps allowing the fragrance a bit more depth yet remaining a gardenia aroma.

Scentsibility blog writes, “Any gardenia in this scent lurks well below the woodsy spice on me…. This might be an excellent cologne on a man. I’m not really into the male/female scent split, but on a man’s skin this might come across as more natural than it does on mine. I’m in no rush to go beyond the sample at the moment.”

Where can I buy it? $55 US for 1 oz Cologne spray at JoMalone.com

DSH Nouveau Gardenia

Notes/Description: “Bergamot, Mimosa, Gardenia, Musk, Sandalwood” Fragrantica.com

Purchased for my friend, Becky, I initially loved this…mostly because of its bright, crisp attitude. But since giving it as a gift, I haven’t come back to it and so this is my first time to fully experience it since 2006. Bright, citrusy, with a clean musk vibe and an odd, rubbery, indolic undertone that appears at first spray but then quickly fades, Nouveau Gardenia’s bergamot kicks things off with a watery, fresh citrus while the mimosa offers a slightly heliotropic, powdery fruitiness. About 30-45 minutes into the wearing, the fragrance begins to relax and a true-to-life gardenia aroma emerges that, putting it plainly, makes me feel happy. I don’t actually detect the sandalwood at first and wonder if it wasn’t used as a tincture to scent the alcohol that was later used to create the complete fragrance. As this is a natural, I knew to give the product some time to develop and it wasn’t until 2 hours into the development that I finally experienced the sandalwood and gasped, “Oh my gosh…there it is!!”

Femininethings.org writes, “What a strange experience of Gardenia. It’s almost Palmolivey in the first few seconds, then becomes this dry musky scent with a citrus like orange pith rather than orange flower. It’s not all that sweet and might make an excellent masculine gardenia (what a strange treat!) if you could find a man you could pin down long enough to spray it on him. I really do need to find a guy who is willing to let me randomly apply scents to them. Perhaps when my friend Andrew comes back to town… 4 of 5 nods.“

I should also note that Nouveau Gardenia is considered to be a natural perfume. Perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz explains, “I have always been very connected to natural aromatics in my perfume designs. Beyond my experience as an aromatherapist, I feel that the intrinsic value, depth and richness of natural / botanical materials makes all of the difference in my designs. As botanical perfumery grows, I have dedicated myself to creating some 100% natural (botanical or cruelty free animal ingredient) perfumes as well as many perfumes that are 85% or higher concentration of naturals. I include these 85% and above natural concentration perfumes as a part of my Natural category as these notes predominate and they are far and away more natural than most perfumes in the commercial market place.”

Where can I buy it? $70 US for 1 oz Eau de Parfum spray at HamptonCt.com (note: the DSH website no longer offers this one for sale and as such, it may have been discontinued in favor of Dawn’s other gardenia fragrance, Pink Gardenia)

The Bottom Line: While JM Vintage Gardenia is recongnizable as a gardenia aroma, the overall effect is a bit flat and lacks the sweet, dewy, creamy vibe that I typically get from fresh-picked blossoms. DSH Nouveau Gardenia, on the other hand, does indeed offer a truer floral but also offers a number of different characters and stages (mimosa is a major player here, afterall) including a few uncomfortable moments where gardenia’s indoles shine through with the musk notes. I should also explain that I have a tendency to dislike and dismiss natural perfumes, but would never have guessed that Nouveau Gardenia was indeed natural.

It’s a little funny how I started this post by suggesting that I hoped for a gardenia that was anchored by meatier basenotes but actually favored the lighter, slightly powdery Nouveau Gardenia. While I enjoyed Vintage Gardenia, and many online reviews suggest that I am not alone in my admiration, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s creativity and artistry once again win me over and so Nouveau Gardenia will accompany me on today’s trip to Disney.

Are these gardenia fragrances that men could wear? Easily, if these men in question are open to knowingly wearing florals. Now I need to get my hands on a sample of Neil Morris’ Gardenia for Men to see what a male perfumer’s take on flowers might be!

What are your thoughts about men wearing gardenia?

Pros: Incredible longevity; love the guava note here, bringing a freshness often missing to an otherwise traditional theme.

Cons: A throwback to 80′s fragrances (basil, leather, moss) that some might find “already done”; the green herbal notes of basil and sage are slightly sharp.

Notes: “Bergamot, lime, tangerine, sage, mint, basil, violet, jasmine, geranium leaves, sesame, honey, leather, moss, sheer ambers, precious woods, hint of guava.” LuckyScent.com

Reminds me of: YSL Rive Gauche Homme (the warm soapy basenotes); Aramis New West Skinscent for Men; Molinard Homme III (the floral/herbal topnotes); MPG Jardin du Nil (mint and geranium).

Designer’s Description: “Streamlined, minimalist, modern. An outstanding new fragrance for men that fuses classic elements with unexpected touches. Fresh citrus with basil and mint. Classic florals with sesame and leather. Woods and amber with a hint of guava. Subtle, innovative and warm.” LuckyScent.com

Number of times tested: 10+ from a bottle I purchased.

Number of sprays applied for this review: 5

Fragrance Strength: Eau de Toilette (though it seems concentrated and strong enough to be an Eau de Parfum)

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) We often use the concept of “olfactory pyramid” to describe a scent’s composition with basenotes at the broadest part of the pyramid. Anvers kind of turns this concept on its head as the top-/midnotes of citrus, violet, jasmine, basil, and sage standout strongest and longest on my skin while the basenotes form a kind of warm, soapy (is it the moss and leather?) backdrop. Interesting that the guava is listed as a basenote, as it seems to meld with the geranium and citrus to form a major part of Anvers’ character. A complex fragrance of many facets, this is one that I’d be curious to smell on a variety of wearers to see how skin chemistry brings out different aspects of the aroma during the fragrance’s development.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Sprayed it on around 7pm and the scent was still lingering at 8am the next morning.

Sillage: (A little / Average / A Lot) Just right, and based on compliments, the sillage seems to last.

Where Can I Buy It? $110 US, 100ml Eau de Toilette spray; $3 US, 1/32 oz sample vial, LuckyScent.com.

a

Hermes – Un Jardin sur le Toit

From Hermes: “A secret garden, hidden in the heart of the city, in Paris. A fruity, vegetal, floral eau de toilette appreciated by both women and men.” Un Jardin sure le Toit

Composition
Apple, pear, rose, green grass, basil, magnolia and compost notes.

Marlen’s Response: The first Jardin (Mediterranee) was “meh”, reminding me of numerous other figleaf aromas. The second Jardin (Nil) enchanted me slightly more but ultimately got swapped or sold because it just wasn’t love (although I’d happily welcome this into my collection again). The third Jardin (Mousson) recalls everything from Calvin Klein Truth for Men to L’Artisan Fleur de Liane with its melon and ginger notes and I just can’t get enough of it. And the fourth? Well sur le Toit recalls Diptyque’s L’Ombre dans l’Eau and Clarins’ Eau de Jardins thanks to the watery rose note, and as I already have both of those, there’s not enough originality on this roof to compell me to do much more than enjoy this sample and be happy I had the experience.

Pros: A delightful freshness AND fruitiness without smelling too sweet; the greenness of the aroma sets it apart (just a bit) from similarly-themed scents; I love the basenotes most of all here and wish I could get to the drydown sooner.

Cons: Due to the overall rose tone, I don’t think as many men would wear this as women; for the price, I’ll stick with the sparkling and more citrusy Clarins Jardins.

a

Parfum de Rosine – Twill Rose

From First-in-Fragrance.com: “Twill Rose is soft and delicately flattering. On a green, almost epic top-note, tangerine and bergamot lend freshness and subtle nuances of neroli counterbalance. Pink peppercorn in combination with galbanum underlines the fragrance which is redolent of the scent of hand-crushed rose petals. The heart note is a magical combination of violets and Bulgarian roses. Bulgarian rose essence was chosen for Twill Rose due to its certain metallic note which perfectly fits a masculine fragrance. The herbaceous green note of violet subtly accentuates the rose facets. A few grains of cumin upset this fine balance and add vibrancy. The elegance of this fragrance is enhanced by a woody base in which the beguiling sensuality of sandalwood is accentuated by ambergris and patchouly.” Parfum de Rosine – Twill Rose

Composition
Head: Galbanum, Tangerine, Pink Pepper, Neroli, green notes
Heart: Rose, Violet
Base: Woods, Patchouly, Ambergris

Marlen’s response: One of the least interesting, though also one of the more unisex and perhaps the easiest to wear of the Rosine line. Completely reminds me of a slightly more complex and citrusy L’Artisan Voleur de Rose. The topnotes give this one a bit of a green edge (galbanum, green notes – go figure). The violet, thank goodness, doesn’t dominate, and the drydown is surprisingly subtle considering those basenotes. Very pleasant as it relaxes and there’s a vein of warm, woodsy tones echoing throughout. Dare I say it, it reminds me ever so slightly of Creed Love in Black – perhaps an eau fraiche version?

Pros: Though obviously a rose scent, this one has a sparkle and a composition that doesn’t necessarily privilege the rose as the dominant note. I’d like to give this one a full wearing…

Cons: I would have liked richer basenotes, but then it may have become a little too similar to Homme de Rosine (the one Rosine that I own and absolutely love).

Afterthought: Hooray! Lasted and lasted and never fell apart. Just a beautiful fragrance from start to finish, and completely bottleworthy. What seemed “uninteresting” at the start turned out to be “pleasantly straightforward”. Almost like a summer version of Homme de Rosine….need to test them side by side for greater comparison. My new favorite rose aroma along with Rose Praline.

a

Menard – L’Eau de Ryokuei

From First-in-Fragrance.com: “The image of fragrance is inspired by a Japanese-style painting of Toshio TABUCHI, who expresses Japanese spirit and Mother Nature in his works. With the concept of Japanese aesthetic, it depicts a maple leaf calmly landed on the surface of water. Delicate line matches the scent and invites you to the world of serene silence. Delicate green, serene aqua, light floral such as Osmanthus (traditional plant found in Japanese gardens) with a touch of fruity note. Unique harmony of fresh notes creates a pure, transparent scent that is recommendable for both men and women.” Menard: L’Eau de Ryoukei

Composition:
Head: Osmanthus, fruity note
Heart: Violet, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Jasmine
Base: Sandalwood, Musk, Ambergris

Marlen’s response: A sweet, fruity (peach) aroma that reminds me of the original Chloe from the 70′s – had a Chloe Light existed, this might be it. The only note I can really detect other than the fruit is the osmanthus (kinmokusei). Visually, Ryokuei feels like an 18th century chair padded in coral colored velvet rather than a Japanese garden pond. Overall, less green than I had hoped considering the description, and a little too sweet for me (though not as sweet as say Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s vanilla fragrances). After about 45 minutes, the scent does begin to morph and relax. I prefer Ormonde Jayne’s lighthearted, clear take on Osmanthus.

Pros: As the scent dries, it becomes clearer and almost watery, recalling scents like Nikos Sculpture Women, Burberry for Women (in the cream box) or L’Eau par Kenzo for her.

Cons: Very pretty, but nothing really screams “have to have” about this one. Might be a little too peachy to be unisex for some.

a

Pros: An un-floral floral, Camille immediately surprised me with its straightforward simplicity and beauty. I love the buttery, earthy tones of the iris set against the sweeter osmanthus petals.

Cons: Although it is an all-natural perfume bearing its own merits, Camille lacks the vibrant punch of more mainstream fragrances while the cost is higher as well.

Notes: “Osmanthus, Iris Root from Italy, Mimosa, Tuberose, and others.” JoAnneBassett.com

Reminds me of: Hmmm, this really doesn’t smell like anything else I’ve yet encountered – utterly unique.

Designer’s Description: “Camille is a very proud woman and being French she is very seductive. It is a part of her charm. Let her perform her magic on you. Ooh la la!” JoAnneBassett.com

Number of times tested: 4 times within the last month from a sample sent to me by the perfumer.

Number of sprays applied for this review: A couple of dabs to the back of my hand.

Fragrance Strength: Perfume

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) Camille begins with a cool, doughy breeze of iris root and then quickly reveals it’s more floral heart of osmanthus, mimosa and tuberose. As mentioned above, the scent is surprising because even though the ingredients suggest “pretty”, Camille is far more grounded and earthy than the notes would lead one to believe. There’s an antique quality about the composition as it develops, at times I think I smell smoked tea, other times old wicker chairs and pepper.

Longevity: (Short/ Average / Long-lasting) Camille lasts about 90 minutes on my skin before disappearing. Twice I thought I detected a little sillage rising a couple of hours after application.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) Quiet…

Where Can I Buy It? $20 US for a sample set of all 4 fragrances from the French collection; $40 US, Travel size Eau de Parfum; $125 US for a 1oz Eau de Parfum in French bottle; $145 US, 1/4 oz Parfum from JoAnneBassett.com

The Bottom Line: As I’m admittedly a natural perfumery novice, only now beginning to realize that comparing natural perfumes to mainstream synthetic perfumes is like comparing apples and elephants, I’ve tried to look at fragrances like Camille from a slightly different angle. That being said, it’s still hard to consider shelling out the bucks for a few drops of a quiet scent when for half the price I could have a year’s worth of a super-sillage scent by…Hermes. So, why exactly is this Camille fragrance so bewitching and what has perfumer JoAnne Bassett accomplished? First let me tell you a little story about a very special tree that grows just blocks from a train station in a place I used to call home.

Walking from the Higashiyodogawa-ku Hankyu train station in Osaka, Japan to my small flat just minutes away, I used to pass this small patch of undeveloped land/raized lot (a complete miracle in suburban Osaka). In the middle of this fenced patch stood a huge, glorious, old tree that every late autumn blossomed with firey orange petals. At first, I was unsure of what I was smelling or where exactly it was coming from. Was there a laundromat nearby (I kept thinking how similar this mystery scent was to my favorite laundry detergent)? Could it be the smell of incense wafting from one of those small shrines typically found on Japanese street corners? The aroma that caught my attention was sweet, unlike anything else I had ever smelled, and incredibly intoxicating.

One day while walking through a park I came across the smell again; this time I was able to conclude that it was from the blossoms of a bush that looked suspiciously similar to that majestic old tree. I picked off a couple of flowers, mashed them between my fingers and then rubbed the pulp into my skin. Heaven. The next time I passed my tree, I simply stood in front of it, letting the breeze carry its perfume to me and wondering what the heck this flower was.

Enter Joanne Bassett’s Camille, the first perfume I’ve tested that smells nearly identical to kinmokusei, or Japanese osmanthus, the name of those firey, orange, miniature blossoms. By using another favorite ingredient of mine, iris root, JoAnne has tempered the sweetness of the blossoms with a cool dryness, as I wrote before, almost buttery…actually, almost leathery. As a natural perfumer friend of mine has pointed out, natural, pure ingredients smell differently from their laboratory-tweaked synthetic counterparts. Though I love Ormonde Jayne and The Different Company’s Osmanthus fragrances, they really don’t recall the aroma of the natural blossom in my opinion. JoAnne’s Camille, however, does.

The fault I find with Camille is that after this scent gets going, it quickly slows down and fades. It almost feels unfinished and I would have loved some woods in the base to prop up the scent and help its longevity. Not being a perfumer myself, I’m not sure if this would have been effective due to the nature of the ingredients. But nevertheless, I was left wanting more.

Though named and described as a feminine fragrance, I find Camille to be somewhat masculine and wonder if the perfumer wouldn’t consider re-visiting this scent to create a masculine counterpart, keeping the osmanthus and iris focal point but perhaps strengthening them with some darker basenotes. Who might Camille’s male equivalent be? How about Kane…as in Citizen?

To conclude, Camille is a surprising creation from a little-known perfumer that deserves to be sniffed! If you’re an osmanthus or iris lover, go on over to JoAnne’s site and order yourself a sample! Leave all of your expectations behind and I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Any “off the beaten path” iris or osmanthus scents that you know of? Leave a comment below!