Buy Yourself Sex Appeal: Tobacco Rose by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

This scent makes me feel a bit narcissistic in the most ridiculous way possible. Simply put if I met a guy who smelled like me when I am wearing Tobacco Rose by Papillon Artisan Perfumes I would probably fall hard. Or maybe Tobacco Rose is my sexy dude alter-self.

Simply put: Tobacco Rose is seductive. It's sensuous because it is the perfect mix of ambergris, rose, and tobacco and on my skin it is delicious mix amplified by musk that has been spiced with an incredibly light dry cinnamon. The tobacco and rose play so well together each smoothing the other out and amplifying the sensual appeal those notes have. Top it off with the hazy warm skin goodness that only ambergris can bring to a scent and you have in my opinion bottled sex appeal.

You just want to bury your nose in this scent. It would be the perfect scent to catch waft of from the scarf of your long gone paramour that then sends you into an afternoon of romantic reminiscence about the impossibility of your relationship. But lets be frank these reminiscence would be mainly on the carnal side because that old flame was an excellent seducer.

Tobacco Rose is also a bit of a perfumer engineering feat for me because Perfumer Liz Moores has taken a rather dreaded note for me, oakmoss, and made it sexy and velvety on me. The woman has skill. 

Finally this scent must be tested on the skin to truly smell the notes and layers, it just does not show all its elements on a testing strip. And finally to the men wearing this, you have chosen well, you could probably seduce a lamppost while wearing this. 

Try Tobacco Rose if you like Andy Tauer's PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, Gucci"s L'Arte di Gucci, or Sonoma Scent Studio's Rose Musc.

first image is from www.luckyscent.com
second image from viewfromthemiddle.tumblr.com

The Children of PHI Une Rose de Kandahar: Rose Flash and Vanilla Flash by Tauerville Perfumes aka Andy Tauer

It should be at this point stated that Andy Tauer loves roses. He has created multiple scents dedicated to roses. And one of his great opus roses is the rather elusive PHI Une Rose de Kandahar. A gorgeous gourmand fougere rose. It is a rose that tackles apricots, tobaccos, cinnamon almond pastries, and musky herbal goodness. It is a big opulent scent worthy of praise. It is also on the elusive side of acquiring, the rose used in it is hard to obtain, Andy has always been up front about the fact the scent cannot be constant in his offerings.

I am going to make the argument that PHI Une Rose de Kandahar has been very inspiring for Andy Tauer and that technically it has inspired two flankers: Rose Flash and Vanilla Flash. I know flankers if bit of divisive term because it usually means "crap" but sometimes someone actually uses it properly and creates fragrances that have a clear pedigree to another fragrance but are definitely fragrances of their own.

The first is Rose Flash, perhaps one of the most gourmand roses out on the market. I will also say the price is beyond generous in what you are getting. In this case if you have smelled PHI you will remember that it starts with a gorgeous sweet mix of apricot, cinnamon almond pastry, and rose. This opening is so delicious and makes an excellent argument for roses and stone fruits supported by cinnamon pastry. With Rose Flash, Tauer amps the fruit and rose idea, which he has also played with in Une Rose Vermeille (that scent a combo of rose and raspberry), here we are treated to roses, peaches, berries, and spicy vanilla all with that touch of ambregris effusiveness. The connection to PHI in Rose Flash is the marriage of rose and stone fruit, here the aspect is more peachy than apricot, but still it is the lush jam of roses and peaches echoing the apricot rose jam beginning of PHI. The further proof of heritage is the eventual dry down of Rose Flash that echoes the tobacco and vanilla found in PHI.

Rose Flash ends on a bed of tobacco, vanilla, and ambergris and from that bed does Vanilla Flash jump. Vanilla Flash amps up the spicy decadent cinnamon pastry note found in PHI. If you love that moment where PHI is cinnamon almond pastry with hints of rosewater then Vanilla Flash is for you. The beginning is vanilla and cinnamon, it is big, but then quickly enters that delightful rose note, a clear echo of the rose in Rose Flash. Vanilla Flash eventually ends in blend of vanilla, spices, tobacco, and the ever present ambergris note. The connection to PHI smelled in the tobacco and ambergris blend.

At this point I am hoping for Almond Flash and Apricot Flash.  What I find interesting when doing a comparison of all three of these perfumes, is that word "Flash" is excellent in describing the Flash series of scents because they are flashier than PHI. PHI is a smoother more subdued scent, where as the Flash series of scents is about quickly announcing themselves and getting to the point. They are delightful in their pointed assertiveness, they are obviously the more boisterous children of the more melodious PHI. There is no doubt that PHI is the more sophisticated scent of the three and the more sensual with the addition of a prominent musk note, but for sheer playful delight the Flash series wins.

First Image: Andy Tauer

Lipstick and Loukhoum: Traversee du Bosphore by L'Artisan

Traversee du Bosphore by L'Artisan is an odd one. I like it but as many have pointed out the qualities it aspires to create, a marketplace in Istanbul, is not what the user actually gets.

So what are you actually getting with Traversee du Bosphore? Imagine an expensive suede handbag with an owner who frequently carelessly tosses expensive lipstick, tobacco, makeup powder, and fruity loukhoum into it. The purse is a mess inside but the mess smells good. The rosy chewy scent of expensive lipstick is supported by a powdery fruit note from loukhoum, and in the background with the lightest touch is suede and tobacco. It is a scent that hints at the gourmand but is not actually a gourmand scent, it is a fairly easy going scent, that uses divisive notes. Overall it is a balanced scent nothing is overpowering the other. It is a bit Chanel like in that the blending is the point; no one note is blaring above the others. It feels like a weird take on the lipstick rose genre scent. Instead of violets, loukhoum takes their place and instead of pure makeup powder to support the lipstick, it has been mixed with powdery tobacco and suede. It is basically the scent of lipstick at a bar.

Try if like Frederic Malle's Lipstick Rose, Etat Libre d'Orange's Putain des Palaces, or Vivienne Westwood's Anglomania.

image Slava Fokk

Pop Culture Fun: Kalinda Sharma

The Good Wife is one of my favorite shows to my shock. I admit 6 years ago when I heard the premise I rolled my eyes and thought that won't last and will probably be really really tawdry. Yet, it turned out to be incredibly smart, well written, and has 3 very well written female characters. Thankfully it is not your usual procedural and I think explores modern technology issues in a very smart way. Plus I love that casting is willing to use actors that are not usually seen as dramatic actors specifically Nathan Lane and really lets them try it out.

I really adore Kalinda Sharma of The Good Wife, although we shall act like the 4th season did not happen. Ugh. So much bad character development and writing for Kalinda but it appears the producers and writers have learned. What I adore is that she is played with subtly, they have allowed her character to retain her mystery, and yet we are given wonderful acting by Archie Panjabi that lets us see emotional conflicts that give us some idea of her previous life (we shall ignore season 4). I also really really adore that they casted this British actress to be such an utter bad-ass, because honestly I have to say I can't remember the last time I saw an actress of Indian heritage have the role of such a bad-ass on television.  My case in point is one of my all time favorite Kalinda scenes:

 Also props to The Good Wife for having a genuine bisexual woman on television.

So the question then becomes how do you scent Kalinda Sharma the ever mysterious sexy investigator? I actually came up with scent I think she would wear pretty easily: Back to Black By Killian. I was actually inspired by this choice bizarrely from a scene in season 1 that featured Alicia and her at a bar and Kalinda is drinking a Russian imperial stout (In my head it is Goose Island Bourbon County Stout) and while Back to Black and GIBCS have nothing in common scent wise, the idea of dark entrancing scent that had the qualities of liquor made me think of Kalinda. Back to Black is dark and entrancing with a raspberry liquor note used so perfectly to support the scent of honey and tobacco over a bed of ambregris. The scent is seduction but it is not girlish there this a subtly in the way it sits on the skin that doesn't make it immediately obvious.

A young man in Europe: Field Notes From Paris by Ineke

I actually think this scent is perfectly unisex but as I wore it I had the image of the person I wanted to gift this to. But first we must talk about the scent. I remember the first time I tried Field Notes From Paris and being very disappointed, it was at the height of my tobacco scent lust, and in the adcopy there was constant mention of tobacco. What I should have recognized was that this is an Ineke creation, her scents are never blatant, they are very smooth, reserved in their sillage, and very modern smelling. The notes are pure, the bells and whistles of classic perfumery put aside for modern clean lines but Ineke's scent do not smell like mass market. They are most definitely niche and have the quality of a water color painting, full of light and ease.

Field Notes From Paris opens with with a happy buzzing bergamot supported by honey and musk, what soon moves in is a wonderfully clean African orange flower and coriander accord that never really leaves the scent. These two notes end up dancing with the tonka bean, musk, patchouli, and cedar with hints of cherry tobacco gliding in. The happy accord always keeps the scent rather sprightly while the notes become more and more oriental it finally ends with freshly lacquered wood note that is nestled beside a vase of African orange flower and coriander.

In my head this is the perfect scent for a young man who wants something different, he has just graduated college, had a year abroad somewhere in Europe, and after smelling the current major offerings is rather annoyed. Yet, he doesn't want absurd niche, he wants a scent that is cordial, at ease, warm, very easy on the nose, but smells different. Field Notes From Paris is that scent it is easy but unique, you won't offend but you smell distinct, there is a real warmth to it that makes you feel like you are meeting an old friend.

image via 50 Watts

Heir to Guerlain's Vetiver: L'Artisan's Timbuktu

The first vetiver I ever enjoyed was Guerlain's Vetiver, I know, not really shocking, it's a classic masterpiece for vetiver fragrances for a reason. Fast forward a decade now and vetiver noted fragrances are everywhere, yet few catch me very much, and why would they when I have Guerlain Vetiver.

Well now enters L'Artisan's Timbuktu, honestly I bought this lovely little fragrance with a coupon and gift card from Sephora having never sniffed it, but it is really hard to pass up the 30 ml size bottle*. So I got it and I am happy that I did. It is an airy vetiver patchouli laden incense that makes me feel cool, collected, and natural. It's the feel of Timbuktu that makes me call it the heir to Guerlain's Vetiver, it is a classy serenity that I rarely encounter in fragrances, it is my scent for frantic work days. The use of vetiver in Timbuktu is prominent but it is also supported by a patchouli incense not and has a tang from green mangoes going through it, it attains the airy quality from the karo karounde note. Guerlain's Vetiver for me is vetiver supported by bergamot and tobacco, creating a rather earth floor quality I love.

Try if you like: Guerlain Vetiver, Montale White Aoud, Montale Musk to Musk, Atelier Cologne Trefle Pur.

*Seriously L'Artisan why can you not offer this size for everyone of your fragrances? Love it.
Image by Laetitia Devernay: The Conductor (Chronicle Books, 2011)

My new tobacco addiction (don't worry I'm not smoking)

When I was a kid my Dad smoked cigarettes; to this day the scent of cigarette smoke makes me nauseous. So imagine my surprise when I found out I have a rather growing love for the scent of tobacco. The love for it began with Fifi Chachnil (this still has one of the more delightful unique uses for tobacco out there), I then went on to try and smell it in Chergui (for some reason this smells mainly of sweet honey on me), followed by Fumerie Turque which has a wonderful smokiness going on a hint of tobacco and eventual dry down creamy leather on me. Finally what I consider almost a soliflore for tobacco, Hilde Soliani's Bell'Antonia, tobacco and coffee deliciously blended into something utterly nuzzle worthy. I then received a decant of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, which starts out with a pungent wet tobacco note laden with cloves and drys down to a delicious honey vanilla cream on me. Yet, it turns out my love for the scent of tobacco really didn't just begin last year, I like to think it might actually be something I have been growing with for a very long time. The beginner scent being Lolita Lempicka, yes thats right there is a tobacco note in there, so lovely and delicate in its use you might pass it by but it is there, then there was the scent that made me cross the gender aisles of perfumery, Guerlain's Vetiver, the tobacco pronounced beautifully in the dry down. Finally about three years ago my love for Must de Cartier which I swear has a tobacco note.

Another realization, I like my tobacco notes combined with sweeter things. My birthday is coming up and I have decided to kill two birds with one stone this year for my birthday fragrance, I want to find a good tobacco scent with vanilla. So I have gathered a list for things I wish to sample:

Back To Black by Killian

Doolciiisssimo by Hilde Soliani

Field Notes From Paris by Ineke

Havana Vanille by L'Artisan

Tobacco by Odori

Tobacco and Tulle by Soivohle

Tobacco Caramel by Fresh

Vanillaville by Soivohle

Vintage Tobacco Vanille by Voluspa

Should you know any other great tobacco vanilla scents please do tell.

image provided by http://www.red.lawrnc.k12.il.us/Schools/RHHS/Classes/Art/Slides/cow's%20skull.htm

image: Cow's Skull with Calico Roses by Georgia O'Keefe

The scent of intelligence

What makes a scent intelligent? As usual it really does rely on the nose of the one who is smelling. Still there are few fragrances that I own or have sniffed that scream intelligence too me. And also there is one note that if I smell in on a woman it always makes me think she might be intelligent: vetiver. And now a fun little scent list:

Balmain Ivoire- it's dry, unique, earthy, yet resplendently soapy that it screams high class. It is scent of beauty but beauty with sardonic intelligence with the raised tilt of a brow.

Guerlain Vetiver- Yes, it's in the men's section of the fragrance counter but trust me this has easily got to be one of the most wearable scents. It's clean but earthy with that zest from the citrus. The nutmeg and the tobacco give it a subtle unique dry down that is inviting but does not scream I am trying to seduce you but rather, I smell incredible and I bet you wonder what the hell it is? It is the scent I wear when I want a confident easy going quality.

Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon- What this ultimately dries down to on me is a powdery iris vetiver concoction both scents of intelligence yet when used correctly have cool deeply sensual quality. This is the Femme Fatale of intelligent fragrances, this is the "going out" scent of an intellligent woman.

Chanel Chance- I admit this one does not work on me. Yet, when I have smelled it on women it works it becomes a brite citrusy laden patchouli vetiver concoction, almost having an eau de cologne quality but with definite sillage. The ad campaign was flirty and girly but the scents dry down is anything but that.

Chanel Coco Madamoiselle- This may have one of the most wonderfully smooth openings but the patchouli dry down screams pure wit.

Vivienne Westwood's Anglomania

To put it simply Vivienne Westwood does not release scents that are easy on the nose, then again neither is the clothing that she designs. Up front Boudoir was unwearable for me, quite frankly it smelled like a woman's sex, and putting that on, well... Being female I really don't need too. Still I couldn't help but admire the audacity of her making a scent that very much had the scent of a woman's ladyparts running through it and all of its blatant glory. As for Libertine I can't say anything on it as I have never smelled it. But then Anglomania (and yes the name leaves much to be wanted) came out and I had the chance to try it and the chance to buy it at a ridiculously low price at TJ Maxx. It is a powdery rose, old fashioned, and by old fashioned I do not mean prim and proper, but the old fashioned scent of the 40's, 30's, and 20's which designed for women usually knock out modern men's fragrance in there sexual audacity and weight. For under the lovely powdery cardamom spiced rose is a hint of leather and a definite hint of skank and a nice bit of tobacco. The image that came to my mind was the incredible lush womanly dark Dita Von Teese who plays with bygone era glamour and sexual kink with a dash of theatrics and sense of humor. The scent is modern but the attitude behind Anglomania is nostalgic kink with humor.
Official Notes to Anglomania:
Top notes: Green Tea, Cardamom, Coriander
Middle notes: Rose otto, Nutmeg, Violet
Bottom notes: Vanilla, Amber, Leather

Recommended: To those that like Fifi Chachnil, wanted to love Habanita or like Habanita, and want something that has something a little classic and dirty.

Facts: Dita Von Teese does wear a classic fragrance-Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant, a scent created in the 1800's and first to not be a soliflore.