Immediate Smile: Tokyo Spring Blossom by 4160 Tuesdays

A genuinely happy scent is rare thing for me, what is usually marketed as happy is usually an amalgam of overly sweet and canned fruit. The moment I smelled 4160 Tuesday's Tokyo Spring Blossom, my immediate thought was "This is a really happy little scent." The last scent that made me think "happy" is Bruno Fazzolari's Jimmy

The fruity herbal opening of Tokyo Spring Blossom is instantly joyous, it immediately evokes a happy spring greenery, sunshine, flowers, and a light delicate breeze.  I think meadows and parks. The use of rose geranium, violet, and raspberry leaf extract creates something happily green but also jubilantly pink. It feels rather like the joy a dog has when they get to roll around in perfectly soft bushes and their tail is wagging like crazy, luckily Tokyo Spring Blossom is the idea of that joy but nothing like the smell of when your furry companion is having the best time ever.

If Tokyo Spring Blossom starts out instant joy, it then becomes convivial happiness. The herbal beginning takes a backseat and the heart is mix of rose, raspberry, and violet all with airy green tea like note supporting it. I immediately see old friends meeting at outdoor cafe with trees blooming, they are drinking tea and gossiping. What is interesting is I smell a sesame like note at this point which I'm not sure where I am getting it but it ends up contributing to the scent having this weird wonderful nuttiness to it that reminds me just a tiny bit of Armani's Onde Extase. 

The dry down of Tokyo Spring Blossom is a melange of raspberry, violet, musk, and very airy strangely fresh balsamic notes. I continue to get the airy green tea quality of the scent, overall it ends up being a happily original dry down. This is my first 4160 Tuesdays scent and I am impressed, this is rather sunshine filled repudiation that fruity scents cannot be interesting or have depth.

Try if you like Bruno Fazzolari's Jimmy, Armani's Onde Extase, or Blocki's For Walks.

First image from basenotes.net
Second image 'Taiwan Cherry Tree' by Su-Li Hung
Third image Danilo Dungo

Lust and Lush, the Accord of Rose and Peach: A Review of Four Scents and A Tackling of Two Classics

There are four words that peaches and roses share in the vocabulary description regularly: full, lush, lust, and ripe. It makes utter sense, if you wanted to take two symbols from the fruit and flower kingdom that had equal status in arena of sensuality these two would be it. Maybe it is fate that together they are one of those perfect pairings, like rose and oud, or gardenia and coconut. Today's review will be long and consider it a long view* of the combination of peach and rose.

There are two legendary perfumes that reign in the court of peach and rose perfumes: the 1979 classic that first became legendary for being a disaster but has now become considered a masterpiece in the history of rose perfumes, Guerlain's Nahema. The other legend is modern baroque at it its finest and was released in 1990, Lancome's Tresor.

I am not a perfect expert on the formulations and vintages of Nahema. The concentration I have is the eau de parfum of the modern formulation. After looking at various posts from lovers of Nahema most have commended it still has its original skeleton especially in its current reformulation.

Nahema is most definitely a full grown adult perfume. The opening is the game of chairs, you are getting all of the notes, and as it settles notes they are getting eliminated for the winners. Your beginning is strange confusion pink powder puff roses contending with cold green spices and aldehydes. Held from afar you will smell lovely delicate rose held close and suddenly you will smell rooty hyacinth and clove, it's rather trippy. As it settles the peach note begins to ascend and the peach is smothered in enough spice that I am reminded of Mitsouko thankfully the rose starts entering the winner's circle at this point and I don't need to worry about Mitsouko. What then follows is the melding of peach and rose. I can't help but think of a baked peach crisp that has lashing of tart roses and a splash of cream, there are spices accenting it, but this isn't gourmand. The rose here is lushly pink and powdered with hints of tart and yet at moments you suddenly will get get green. What makes Nahema so interesting for me is the game play of pink and green, at moments I think I am getting a fruity pink rose with powder hinting at a lipstick rose combination but then suddenly there will be a strike of green, it is an amazing balancing act. Eventually the green recedes along with the spices, what then happens is the love song of peach and rose on a bed of vanilla. This is an exquisite balance in my time with rose scents I can tell you one thing: frequently the rose will be overwhelmed by the other notes, yet in Nahema the rose note remains til the end. The ending of Nahema is shockingly delicate and rather pure, the triad of rose, peach, and vanilla keep up their sonorous song till the end.

The next scent to enter the arena of the peach and rose combination is Lancome's Tresor. Tresor is Tresor, it is a scent that dominated the romantic arena once it entered the field. To my nose it is like a combination of Nahema and Yves Saint Laurent's Paris, the peach of Nahema meets the powdered uber-feminine violet rose of Paris. Further connecting its heritage to Paris is the sandalwood drydown of both Tresor and Paris. The current formulation of Tresor sadly does away with its peach scent very quickly and what I get is mainly a combination of violet accented rose with hints of lilac and sandalwood. The woody dry down for this is rather intense and it feels like Lancome has stripped the legend of its once voluptuous peach beginning.

As I researched Nahema I found a question that constantly reappeared in conversations "Is there anything like Nahema?" Well, there is no dupe but I can say there definitely two rose perfumes currently being made that are most definitely of the same lineage as Nahema and part of me suspects were inspired just a bit by Nahema.

If you love the fruity peach moment in Nahema then I am going to implore you too seek out A Wing & A Prayer's Summer Afternoon. Summer Afternoon starts with gorgeous minted geranium rose, it's cool and vibrant. As the scent settles a light clove note enters but before the clove** can become too much the sweetest lovely combination of peaches and roses enter. The peach in Summer Afternoon is just a bit candied but intertwined with the roses it creates something akin to a peach rose preserve. What I particularily like about Summer Afternoon is that Jane Cate anchors the sweet rose and peach with an effervescent fir and rosewood with just the tiniest hint of vanilla, the light evergreen bottom truly allows the peach and rose to be both fresh and sweet.

If you love the Mitsouko spiced peach moment in Nahema then I am going to suggest you seek out DSH Perfume's La Reine des Fleurs. The vanilla too much for you in Nahema? Ever wanted a Mitsouko that was accented by rose? Then La Reine des Fleurs is definitely worth your while. La Reine des Fleurs is darker take on the combination of peach and rose. Far more subdued, it is a scent firmly grounded to the earth with a more prominent notes oak moss and patchouli these two notes push forward the spiced peach note. It definitely leans into chypre territory.

*Yes, this is most definitely the history major in me coming out.
**I should be honest I love the scent of cloves but find that frequently on my skin in does weird things, if it seems repetitive that I mention the strength of the clove it's only because I have clove weird skin.

First image from fragrantica.com
Second image 'Salomé' by Paul Antoine de La Boulaye. (1849 – 1926)
Third image from www.lancome.at
Fourth Image 'White Rose in a Glass' by Piet Mondrian
Fifth image from fragrantica.com
Sixth image from Miho Hirano
Seventh image from www.dshperfumes.com
Eighth image Hellen Van Meene

Five Indie Roses Worth Your Attention

It's Spring and I haven't posted anything about Spring perfumes and I have decided to not do that particular list. Instead I decided to do something in the vein of my Five Indie Vanillas post. I know I started the year saying I was maybe done with so much roses, but who am I kidding, I love rose scents. On the other hand rose scents are easily the scents that frequently end up in the breaking the bank category of perfume. So like my Five Indie Vanillas post I decided I wanted to make some suggestions for roses that won't break the bank, are indie, and most of all smell really good. What I love about this particular list is the diversity of the rose scents. None of these smell like the other and they all work with a different concept of the rose.

1. Musk Warda N.3 by Abdul Karim Al Faransi
I don't think I gave Musk Warda N.3 a fair chance when I reviewed it the first time or maybe the weather wasn't quite right for it. This last week I wore it twice and found myself happily in the presence in what made me think this is a Middle Eastern take on the tea rose category of rose scents. For me wearing Musk Warda N.3 is like wearing tea rose scent with splashes of saffron and rose water.  Tea rose scents have the reputation of getting screechy at times Musk Warda N.3 turns into a creamy rosy musk on me with hints of saffron. I am reminded of rose water scented desserts at times, but please understand this is in no way a gourmand scent. Try if you like Sonoma Scent Studio's Velvet Rose or Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose. 

2. Cassis, Rose, & Sandalwood by Dame Perfumery
In some ways this scent makes me think of Cacherel's classic Noa, that creamy musk scent, I suppose it is the peony note. On the other hand Cassis, Rose, & Sandalwood is a far more fun scent. As much as there is a peony note in this perfume there is also a rather delightfully fruity rose going on. The addition of cassis gives a green zing to the scent. To my nose this is a perfectly pink perfume. It is fun, easygoing, and romantic. I wore this last year for a friends wedding weekend and it brings me happy memories every time I wear it. Try if you like Cacherel's Noa or Hermes's Jour d'Hermes. 

3. Brune Melancolia by Sabe Masson
A good dramatic spicy rose is always worth having in your collection, well at least it is for me. Brune Melancolia is just that, it has the freshness of roses with the hinting of greenery of from cassis but after that the story is mainly rose accented by pepper and plum. It is dusky and fresh. Try if you like Diptyque's L'Ombre Dans L'Eau or Serge Luten's La Fille de Berlin.

4. Summer Afternoon by A Wing & A Prayer Perfumes
This really should be far better known in the rose perfume loving community. Summer Afternoon is one of the most vintage-y rose perfumes I have smelled in a long time. It is akin to Guerlain's Mitsouko with the use of peach and clove, but where as Mitsouko never goes beyond the top notes on me Summer Afternoon turns into a joyous lush combination of rose, peach, and spices on me. The rose used in this is sweet and fruity yet not cloying or jammy, the combination of it with the peach and apricot notes makes it ambrosial but it is kept grounded with the addition of patchouli and clove. Try if you Like Guerlain's Mitsouko, DSH Perfume's La Reine des Fleurs, or Ann Gerard's Rose Cut. 

5. Rose Musc by Sonoma Scent Studio
For dusky sensuality I am going to recommend you get your hands on Rose Musc. Rose Musc is the perfect combination for me of deep rose with labdanum animalic musk. It blends into the wearer and creates that alluring indigo halo effect that I associate with really good musks. The rose here is soft and plush there is no green or spice notes, the combination of the scent is all about the rose and the musk. Try if you like Ava Luxe's Rasa or Lancome's Mille & Une Roses. 

image from Behance.net

Big Baroque Caramelized Rose Amber: Calligraphy Rose by Aramis

Once again I have Facebook Fragrance Friends to thank for drawing my attention to a scent that I would have never tried if not for them. If you like dewy fresh garden roses this scent is not for you. On the other hand if you love a good calorie rich rose and amber combination then this rose amber creation is for you and then some. There is no way of getting around it this scent is loud and meant for cold weather wear one too many spritzs and this scent is wearing you.

Calligraphy Rose is all about decadence. It has been a long time since I came across such a rich scent and I mean buttercream rich. It makes me think cold nights, everyone is wearing amber and rubies, gold leafed creme brulee, the plushest cashmere, furs, and velvet. This is essentially Russian fairy tale if it met Angela Carter's reworking.

Calligraphy Rose starts with a lush velvety rose, there is no greenery to this rose. No, this is the sweet velvety rose that has just a hint of lemon, but otherwise it is is pure velvet. It is a rose that blends very well with others, it is a velvety sort of rose that begs to be combined with musk and amber. It is the sort of rose that announces it presence for a bit and then plays the role of key supporter. It remains through out the scent but this scent is no rose soliflore.

What then enters the scent is the sonorous combination of amber and ambergris. The amber used in the scent is the intensely caloric amber found in Ambre Sultan and Ambre Russe. There is the slightest use of the herbal with a note of oregano in the scent which reminds me of Ambre Sultan but the animalic dense vanillic nature of the amber then reminds me of Ambre Russe and plushly sitting with them is the rose. The rose brings the vanillic lacing of the scent to the forefront. The ambergris of course brings its legendary warm musky diffusive quality to the whole scent. As the scent proceeds the amber becomes darker with labdanum becoming as I like to say a little bit more growl-y around the edges.

Aramis's Calligraphy Rose is the the sort of scent that is meant for making statements. If you want to go unnoticed or be unobtrusive this is not the scent for achieving that effect. On the other hand if you want to be the statement maker at the ball this will do it and then some.
   
Try if you like PHI Une Rose de Kandahar by Tauer Perfumes, Rose Flash by Tauerville, Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens, or Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire

First image from Profumo.dp.ua
Second image from Kate Baylay
Third image from Elie Saab

Snippet Reviews: Abdul Karim Al Faransi Maison de Parfum edition

Musk Warda N.3
If you are a fan of clean rose scents and clean musk scents then this scent is for you. Very much a dewy rose scent with leanings toward the tea rose category, but thankfully nothing overbearing. Definitely of the aldehydic musk variety. Try if you like Serge Luten's Clair de Musc or Sonoma Scent Studio's Velvet Rose.

Hind
Sample this immediately if you love Parfum d'Empire's Ambre Russe or Ava Luxe's now legendary long discontinued Madame X. This has the rich baroque spice and amber of Ambre Russe combined with the slinky animalic labdanum and leather of Madame X. The florals used remind me a bit of Caron's Narcisse Noir, a rather narcotic combination of grape-y orange blossom and jasmine with an herbal rose. Very animalic.

Musk Abiyad Optimum
Ever wanted to smell a white musk of high caliber ingredients, such as when a perfumer is using good quality ambrette? Then this scent is for you. I imagine this is originally what white musk smelled like before the note became overtaken by the laundry detergent note that has over the years taken over white musk. An intensely animalic anise opening that settles into a pure white musk note. If you consider yourself a true white musk aficionado then you need to try this.

Musk Al-Qurtabi
If you want a musk with an intense floral opening a la the grape florals as I like to call them, a combination of orange blossom and jasmine, then this musk is for you. Unfortunately this blend never really settled on me so I really couldn't tell you about the musk. My floral wonky skin didn't really allow me to enjoy this.

Habibati
If you love Jeffrey Dame's New Musk or Narciso by Narciso Rodriguez this scent is worth your time which tells you it is not for me. It has that unique musk on me that goes strangely screechy.

Image by Olaf Hajek

Office Friendly Spiced Rose: Marni by Marni

I have a feeling Marni by Marni did not do well in the US market which is a shame because it is quite good. Flankers of it keep coming out so I can assume it probably did well in the European market and somewhere else but here in the US not so much.

Marni is a scent that plays with heavy elements but it is done with a light touch, a light enough touch that it is easily office friendly. It is a spicy little rose with hints of incense and musk. It owes its pedigree of scent to niche, it comes from the line of uber-woods such as 10 Corso Como, Costes, or Commes des Garcons before the trend to sweeten woods really took over. The spicy use of cardamom and pepper is delightful, it has that fresh spice quality that you rarely smell outside of niche, but there it is. All these elements sound like they should be heavy but they really aren't, which makes sense considering the perfumer is Daniela (Roche) Andrier, the perfumer of Prada's Infusion line.

The rose in this is lightly used, it serves as a nice introduction to rose scents that do not veer into garden fresh territory, rose jam, or vintage inspired. Marni is all about spices, rose, and woods. This is an excellent example of a spicy fresh scent, it works perfectly well in the heat, and provides that sort of cooling effect that reminds me of dark cool wooded chambers that smell of long ago incense.

My one complaint about Marni is that the longevity leaves something to be desired.

Try if you like Jo Malone's Tudor Rose & Amber, 10 Corso Como, or Fresh's Cannabis Santal.

First image from escentual.com
Second image from www.zazzle.com

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

Sweet Roses: 1000 Roses by Andalou Naturals Body Lotion and Body Wash

What can I say with the humidity that suddenly struck the Bay Area the last week I did not want my usual after shower body oil. Instead I reached for the exquisitely scented Andalou Natural's 1000 Roses Body Lotion. I have been meaning to write about this gorgeously scented body care line for awhile because and I stand firmly by this, it is one of the best rose scented body products out there on the market in affordability and scent.

1000 Roses is on the sweeter side, which may be its one major caveat for some, on the other hand to me 1000 Roses is gorgeous take on a rose water scent. But imagine a rose water scent that hints at greenness, ripe sweet apricots, and just the tiniest bit of earthy violet to keep it a little bit grounded. I love it and in the humidity it wonderfully cooling and refreshing. At night it feels especially luxurious and feels a bit dreamy when getting ready for bed. The formula of the body lotion is wonderfully non-greasy and sinks into the skin quickly leaving you feeling moisturized and refreshed. The body wash is just as delightfully aromatic and moisturizing and makes the bathing experience far more lovely. Currently I am tempted to try and get my hands on the Body Cream of 1000 Roses but if I do I am saving that for winter. Either way if you are a rose lover I highly recommend the 1000 Roses body care line by Andalou Naturals. The line features a true rose scent that is far more luxurious than it has any right to be.

Try if you like LUSH's Rose Jam line and Diptyque's Rich Creme Riche.

First Image from andalou.com

Second Image: Irving Penn, 1971

Roses and Pomelo: Sud Magnolia by Atelier Cologne

Don't let the ad-copy fool Sud Magnolia is neither a southern scent nor a opulent magnolia scent on the other hand it is a very pretty fresh scent with a few tricks up its sleeve.

I'll say it now the best part of Sud Magnolia for me is the opening. It is a wonderful mix of the cool bubblegum note you can get from magnolia with orange and a vibrant note of saffron. The saffron is a fun addition that you don't usually see in fresh floral fragrances and after smelling it in Sud Magnolia I think someone needs to run with the idea. The saffron highlights the spicy coolness of the scent and keeps the orange in check.

As the saffron and orange retreat out comes a fresh rose, which is very peony-esque, and it is coupled with a gorgeous pomelo note. I happen to love the scent of pomelo finding it to be a combination of grapefruit, jasmine, and lime it is wonderfully heady, sweet, and tart all at the same time. The rose and pomelo combination create a cheery and fresh floral scent that cheerfully sticks around. Every once in awhile you catch a hint of cedar but the scent is mainly anchored by musk, the usual clean musk, but one of the trademarks of Atelier Cologne is they are able to keep the citrus around also.

Sud Magnolia has good longevity and should definitely appeal to fans of spritely fresh florals.

Try if you like Dame Perfumery's Cassis, Rose, and Sandalwood, Cacharel's Noa Fleur, Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine, Keiko Mecheri's Sanguine, or Kenzo' s Eau de Fleur de Magnolia.

first image from ateliercologne.com
Second image from fashionbombdaily.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

Do You Need A Rose? Consider Sonoma Scent Studio

I think it can be established by now that I love rose scents, but as we all know getting a good rose scent can require some sampling, and every rose lover wants a certain quality of rose accentuated. If you are looking for a new rose scent, then please consider Sonoma Scent Studio, and the three rose scents offered. The quality of scents are superb.

For the lovers of true rose, you know the kind, the one that is fresh, green, dewy, and reminds of rose gardens, consider Velvet Rose. Velvet Rose is a true rose and a lovely one. It is blatantly about rosiness and nothing else. The spice, zest, greenness, and dewiness of a rose at the height of its bloom are accentuated beautifully. The base is clean musk that is deepened with sandalwood, the rose is the shining star still, but wafts are akin to tea roses, and rosewater. If you want big glorious dewy rose then this is the scent for you.

Try Velvet Rose if you: Paris by Yves Saint Laurent, the 1000 Roses line by Andalou, and Bvlgari Pour Femme.

I don't think Rose Volupte could be more aptly named, for it truly is a voluptuous rose scent. Rose Volupte starts off with an enveloping scent of roses, powder, lemon, and plum the vintage inspiration of this scent is announced immediately. The rose then becomes mildly spiced and then the enveloping final stage of rose, ambregris, and oakmoss. And truly this is the enveloping, imagine rich fabrics, and concerts. Very romantic and dramatic.

Try Rose Volupte if you like L'Arte di Gucci, Chanel Bois des Iles, and the original Agent Provocateur.

The last rose offering by Sonoma Scent Studio is my favorite, Rose Musc. Rose Musc is a very thousand and one nights scent to me. Like all my favorite musk scents it evokes the color of a indigo sky at dusk. The rose is lush and perfectly balanced with smooth creamy musk that has a gorgeous depth of labdanum and the added luminous quality of ambregris. This a mystic scent to me.

Try Rose Musc if you like Ava Luxe's Rasa, Montale's Musk to Musk, or Lancome's Mille and Une Roses.

Image 'Follow the Roses' by Perla Maarek

Indie Perfume House Spotlight: Dame Perfumery

In a bizarre way I have a long history with Jeffrey Dame of Dame Perfumery in that my first perfume haunt in the heady days of the early aughts was at the message board Perfume of Life that he created. It was a great place to learn about perfume and at the time one of the few places to meet like minded fumeheads. Things change Mr. Dame went on to new projects, Perfume of Life is closed now, and the world of perfume lovers is far larger. In the years since it appears Jeffrey Dame has worked in many perfume projects but I feel that in 2014 he made the big transition, to what I suspect is a lifetime passion project, Dame Perfumery.

What I find really refreshing about Dame Perfumery is the enthusiasm, heart, and joviality behind it. It is very much in line with wonderful Andy Tauer of Tauer Perfumes and Tauerville, there is a respect for the perfume lovers that support them, and the appearance of joy in sharing their creations. I find this refreshing because while there are the great noses of the world that work for the big houses, the reality is that those of us who are perfume lovers will never interact with them and frankly they don't particularly want to interact with us. Dame Perfumery is of the new school though, that if you have people loving your creations, interact with them.

So what can you expect from Dame Perfumery perfumes? Well I haven't tried them all but I have tried four and I can tell you there is a definite common aesthetic in them. They are clearly modern perfumes but and here is the part that takes Dame out of the mundane there is real craft in them, a real value in note transition and transformation. These scents are about smelling good and enjoying yourself, if you are looking oddness look somewhere else but lets not think that means his scents are boring, they're not. They are tailored and as far as I am concerned tailoring is one of the great crafts of the world. To tailor is to know your ingredients and how they play with others. A finally tailored perfume knows how to cut the harsh edges and awkward angles but knows how to emphasize the best facets and facets should be interesting.

The first perfume that I had real experience with in the Dame Perfume collection is Black Flower Mexican Vanilla and it I am going to be honest it is one of the best recent vanilla releases. What Dame did with this perfume is frankly pretty daring when it seems like most vanillas released these days are either gut bombs or insipid cupcakes, he instead chose a middle vanilla, it's dry but not boozy, it keeps the sweet but the sugar won't kill your teeth. The opening is love letter to the iconic Shalimar in that it begins with animalic lemon tinged vanilla but then it takes a turn to the drier side the lemon is gone the musk backs down and out steps spicy dry cocoa dusted vanilla. At this point I am reminded of the lesser loved Guerlain vanilla, Cuir Beluga, a vanilla that wasn't about booze like Spiritueuse Double Vanille, but rather about skin and vanilla. Black Flower Mexican Vanilla is able to emphasize the beauty of musk and vanilla together, it is a common combination, but one that recently has been ignored and has been due for a reinvention. Dame Perfumery does a fine job in giving vanilla its sex appeal back with an actual reference to the muskiness of skin.

The next perfume I fell in love with is Cassis, Rose, and Sandalwood. So what are you getting with this scent? Well, for me this is a lovely take on two types of fragrances the berry musk category best identified with L'Artisan's Mure et Musc, Philosophy's Falling In Love, or Bath and Body Works Black Raspberry & Vanilla and my other favorite combo berried rose jam scents such as Tauer's Une Rose Vermeille, Keiko Mecheri's Attar de Roses, or the scent of LUSH's Rose Jam. Dame combines the two to make a lovely easy uber pretty perfume. The start is tart cassis, grapefruit, and green notes followed by a heart of velvety soft pink peony that is softened with musk and vanilla. The dry down rose jam with hints of vanilla and woods. The dry down is my favorite stage and thankfully stays around a long time, the longevity and strength of this perfume is excellent.

Next up is the spicy opulent brand new release Desert Rose. If you are a rose fan you owe it to yourself to try this scent. The opening is an intense rush of spicy pink carnation followed by a satiny smooth pink rose scent that retains the spice but blooms on the skin with musk, a hint of peach, and vanilla. It is lovely and sonorous and belongs in the category of queenly roses such as Neela Vermeire's Mohur and Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud.

Finally there is Herb Man, Dame Perfumery's first men's offering. I like to think of this as smoothed out herbal scent, on my skin I mainly get sage, lavender, and rosemary that are supported by sueded  iris and vetiver. This is a very polished scent that blends well with the individual wearer. I think a wearer of Infusion d'Homme would really enjoy this.

What I love about these scents is that they are complete scents, they do not feel unfinished. Finally I must say that the price point for these is excellent and because he is a perfume lover himself, Jeffrey Dame smartly sells the perfumes in smaller sizes.

Disclaimer: I received these scents in a giveaway done by Dame Perfumery.

All images from fragrantica.com

Best Cheap Thrill I've Smelled In Awhile: Rose Oud by Laurence Dumont

I'll be honest I'm not an oud fan, most of the time I find it to be a note not used kindly, or even with much understanding. I like oud scents that are not really actually about oud for an example Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud. So as things go Laurence Dumont's Rose Oud would not have been on my radar until I read a lovely review mentioning how rose forward it is and it reminded someone of Velvet Rose & Oud. So at the mention of Velvet Rose & Oud I had to try it.

Rose Oud by Laurence Dumont is not a dupe but it takes a lot of parts of other things to create something that smells far more expensive than it is. What I am first reminded of just for a moment of in the beginning is of L'Artisan's Safran Troublant's creamy saffron opening, it quickly leaves but it is a herald of the nice scent. What follows for me in the lemony jammy rose of LUSH's Rose Jam with a very light dollop of oud, this stage is long lasting and the most representative of the scent. The dry down is a fruited rose with hints of amber. Overall, Laurence Dumont is offering a really lovely entry into the world of jammy roses with touches of oud but without the ginormous price tag. Give it a try if you have ever wanted a rose oud combo that didn't take itself so seriously.

Try if you like: LUSH's Rose Jam, Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud, or Yves Rocher Rose Absolue.

image by Sofia Perina-Miller

Velvet Thorned Rose: L'Arte di Gucci

Somehow in my years of perfume swapping I got a decant of L'Arte di Gucci and since then I have hoarded it, so much so, that I forgot how beautiful it is. L'Arte di Gucci belongs in a special category for me, the category of a chypre that works for me.

L'Arte di Gucci begins with a sweet warm inky rose that is accented with notes of plum. Once again I am entranced by another night rose scent. This is very much a lady of the night scent, what it ends up reminding the most of though is dark plum raw satin, the silky rose is roughened with a hint of moss and leather.  It's funny that this scent is considered a big scent of the 80s because at this point after going through a decade of nuclear fruitchoulis this scent is rather mysterious and playing on a lower octave than the bombastic scents of now. As the dry down comes along notes of vetiver, coriander, musk, and a very light patchouli come through. Yet, this scent for me is never overbearing the rose smooths out the rough edges of chypres for me and the dark elegance remains.

In my head this scent is an Anjelica Huston woman, someone with these gorgeous prominent features, yet patrician qualities.

Try if you like: Agent Provocateur, Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud, Rochas Femme, Coriandre.

image from: http://www.moviemoviesite.com/Awards/us_academy_awards/58th.htm

Floating in a Dark Rose Heaven: Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud

I fluctuate between favorite notes, they guide me to perfumes, sometimes I will find something completely different to adore, but there are those notes that always grab our attention when mentioned in perfume. Mine are: ylang ylang almond, vanilla, tobacco, rose, orange blossom, osmanthus, loukhoum, raspberry/blackberry, fig, and cinnamon. Of late I have been on a rose quest, the type of rose quest that has been down the path of gourmand roses. I have always tended to like the juicy jammy rose scents, the ones that make you want to bite down onto rose petals. I had never fully gone down the road until last year when I purchased a LUSH Rose Jam Bubbleroon and suddenly all I wanted was gourmand roses.

One of the great finds of this never ending gourmand rose quest is Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud, it happened rather accidentally I was trying to smell Jo Malone's Rose Water & Vanilla but could not so randomly decided to try this and I was blown away when I suddenly smelled one of the most delicious jammy rose liquors on the scent strip. I was rather dumbstruck as I stood in the mall smelling the sort of rose scent I was looking for and in of all places at the Jo Malone booth. Jo Malone and I style wise had never met in the perfume catagory, always something was off when I tried one of her scents, although I had admired them on friends.

Velvet Rose & Oud is mainly about perfect dark jammy rose liquor the scent is then supported by a very mellow oud that thankfully is not medicinal. The praline acts to add sweetness but I can really not distinguish it in the scent, I think it more of as a gentle melder, depending on the day every once in awhile I will get a peak of the spiced clove. The quality it makes me think of like being surrounded in a forest with lush red roses and perfectly velvety night, it reminds me of those strange warm autumn nights when the leaves are changing, there is the smell of change in the air, and yet the chill has not arrived. It is seductive but there is no heavy animalic notes, it is easy to wear because it makes the wearer comfortable in its plush smoothness but elegant in the obvious quality of the rose.

Try if you like: Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses, LUSH Rose Jam, Caron Parfum Sacre, Parfums Generale Brulure de Roses, and Yves Rocher Rose Absolue.

images from: http://purplehandsss.tumblr.com/post/40261682536 and http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/77/4d/97/774d97f429f0bac273531e8acf612e2f.jpg

Nebras, old-fashioned in the best possible way.

So you hang around enough perfume boards and eventually you begin to hear about that cheapy perfume that is profoundly good. In this case that cheap wonder is Al-Rehab's Nebras. I first ran across it when randomly seeing comparisons of it as a dupe to the rather infamous Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood but then I started to read about the differences,  it was not nearly as "skanky" or overt as Boudoir, a bit cleaner. I was hooked by the possibility, I like Boudoir once it gets to the drydown unfortunately that is hours later after a long time of a rather disreputable middle that I can never quite get comfortable in. So I ordered it for a song, seriously your mouth will drop once you look up the price of it on Amazon.

So how does it compare to Boudoir, well they are definitely siblings, but Nebras is not a dupe of Boudoir. I can say that if you like Boudoir give this a try or if you wanted to like Boudoir but found it a bit jarring try this. So how is it?

Nebras starts off with a lovely bloom of sweet spiced aldehydes. The effect is pink and vibrant, very fuchsia like in my mind. Quickly the aldehydes give way to a floral bouquet of rose, lilac, honey, and narcissus all spiced with clove and nutmeg with a lovely base of powder. This is probably the sexiest stage because beneath that powder is a definite animalic musk that gives the scent the quality of warm powdered skin against skin. As the scent unfurls hints of incense come forth but the powdered honey spice remains eventually the drydown comes it is a bit cleaner, the musk more accentuated, and the powder stepping just slightly more to the background. The projection is excellent for an oil and so is the strength. I frankly cannot wait to try this scent in cooler weather, I found it to be a bit much in the dry heat of a California summer, but I have enjoyed wearing to bed at night, waking up to the remnants of it a lovely morning luxury.

Try if you like: Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, Robert Piguet Baghari, Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

The lovely image above is from Retronaut. Also how gorgeous and perfect is Sophia Loren in that image?

I swear I do this too often..a return?

Oh perfume blog land suddenly I want to return. Go figure, or maybe I should say this is all the roses fault, the fault being of LUSH's Rose Jam scent that has suddenly made me go down the rabbit hole of rose grails specifically jammy rose searches. The best find so far being Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud, which was a shocker for me. Jo Malone and I have never really met in the chemistry department (the orange blossom one becoming jasmine indolic on me, the pomegranate noir spiced patchouli, and the red rose one very green and stemmy) until a random spritz of VR&O and it was heavenly rose liquor. So lovely and exotic but very amiable in the just smells gorgeous department but then because perfume lovers are absurd you suddenly have that quest of wanting to smell all of those edible roses. Am I back? Probably for a time.

Comfort and Joy: Ombre Rose L'Original by Jean-Charles Brosseau

This is the idea of what a pink rose should smell like. Now if you are a rose lover you know that roses have many differing scents some smell edible, others are lemony, some are very spicy, the scent of roses vary a great deal.

What makes Ombre Rose by Jean-Charles Brosseau so interesting is for myself it is what a pink rose should smell like, it plays with the idea of color and it's coordination with scent.  Ombre Rose is not an intensily rosy scent, there is rose there, but it is not the dominant character, but there is no real dominant character to this scent rather it is a cast of notes that works wonderfully well with others to create in my mind what a pink rose smells like just based on color.

The opening is a ylang-ylang rosewood tinged powder that reminds me of the wonderful original scent of Nivea lotion, this is then followed by a powdery heart that has tinges of the delicious powder used in Keiko Mecheri's Loukhoum but much cleaner and less over the top. Finally it drys down to a warm musky powder with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, honey, and rose. Overall this scent is excellent for powder fans and floral lovers.

Image provided by J'adore Photography

The 80s called and they want their perfume back or Miss Dior Le Parfum and believe it or not that first part is not a put down.

I think we shall begin this review with what this perfume reminds me of and I just want to add I do love this film, Working Girl, trailer below.

Miss Dior Le Parfum is such a throwback to the big perfumes of the eighties it takes you a few moments to fully comprehend what is going on because your nose is in a bit of a shock. Let's just say that the relationship with the current Miss Dior fragrances is that it hints at strawberry in its fruit notes and that is about it. Now on to what Miss Dior is actually related to: Mauboussin's Mauboussin and the original Fendi fragrance. 

Miss Dior Le Parfum starts big with amber spiced fruits, there is a hint of strawberry but I would say it is mainly plum, think fruit compote made with dried fruits and cinnamon. This is where the relationship to Mauboussin can be smelled, that heady rich amber fruit opening is definitely a call back to that iconic scent. Then Miss Dior Le Parfum gets dry, powdery dry, while the spicy amber fruit remains it is suddenly  in the background, what comes forward is dry woods with a heavy lean towards cedar with the addition of rose that smooths out the rough edges. This is the stage that reminds me of the original Fendi, that big bombastic cedar incense of a scent that demanded reverence and tribute when you wore it. It is not nearly as bombastic as Fendi but the dry cedar is prominent with spices that says this is no shrinking violet of a scent. Eventually Miss Dior Le Parfum comes to a dry down that reminds me of amber and exquisite makeup powder with hints of rose and vanilla that has been sitting in a cedar chest. 

I know Sigourney's character wear's Shalimar in Working Girl but I think she would have worn Miss Dior Le Parfum had it been available at the time. Her character is an awful awful person, but dammit I love Sigourney, and she played the role so perfectly. 

So thank you Miss Dior Le Parfum for going down the road of big hair and big scent of the 80s and for not really cleaning it up on the way there. You are a rather unexpected delight. 

image provided by Fanpop