Attempt at a Review

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Second Sunday Samples: Jo Malone Scented Mementos Collection

Jo Malone is a very special brand for me: over the years, I’ve tested over a hundred of their perfumes, more than any other single brand. And thanks to the combination of their accessibility (several stores nearby carry the line), pioneering small format (10-15 years ago, not that many brands had even 30 ml bottles), relative affordability and focus on my favorite perfume family, florals, Jo Malone is the best-represented brand in my collection.

My top 12 perfumes from the brand are French Lime Blossom, Sweet Milk, Mimosa & Cardamom, Orange Bitters, Blackberry & Bay, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily, English Pear & Freesia, Lotus Blossom & Water Lily, Pomegranate Noir, Wild Fig & Cassis, Black Vetyver Cafe, Wood Sage & Sea Salt.

And even though in the last five years, only a couple of new perfumes interested me enough to get a mini bottle, I continue to check all their new releases religiously.

My recent trip to the Jo Malone counter at Nordstrom has almost resulted in an impulsive purchase. I saw their Scented Mementos collection and wanted it before I even sprayed any on paper.

Jo Malone Scented Mementos Collection

“A limited-edition collection inspired by unique pieces filled with memories, found at the British antique market.”

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I’m not into antiques or trinkets. I don’t even like vintage perfumes. But every time in our travels we come across an antique store, in some childish hope I expect to find there something magical there… In all the years that I’ve been doing that, I bought just a couple of mini bottles. But since one of them was a perfect replica of Chamade extrait bottle, I keep searching.

I saw all of Jo Malone’s limited edition collections in the last 13 years, and I liked many of the perfumes as well as the colorful variations on the standard Jo Malone bottles. But these bottles from the Scented Mementos collection fit the theme spectacularly. Not only they are very different from anything previously released by the brand, but they are so eclectic and random that you can easily imagine them being picked up at a garage sale, flea market or provincial antique shop. In the photo above, they seem larger than they are in real life, and I was drawn to them.

I sprayed them all on paper strips… and liked three out of four, which paradoxically saved me from an impulse purchase right there on the spot. Even if it weren’t for my low-buy year, I couldn’t imagine buying three perfumes after a brief sniff, no matter how cute and cohesive I found the collection to be. So, I sprayed two perfumes on my wrist, borrowed my vSO’s wrist for the third, and continued shopping, periodically sniffing all three wrists to decide which one should come home with me. By the time I was ready to leave, I still couldn’t make up my mind and left without getting any of them.

At home, as we probably all do from time to time after sniffing something we liked, I started searching the web to see if maybe one of the stores had some promotion that would entice me to buy one of them… but then, even if could find any, which one? In the end, I was happy to see that the Jo Malone site had a discovery set for the collection (smart!) and bought it without hesitation.

Jo Malone Scented Mementos Collection Samples

Musk Memento (the rightmost on the photo) with a bottle that strongly reminds me of vintage Estee Lauder Pleasures perfume was the only one from this collection that I didn’t like. To my nose, it smells like a laundry detergent, and I wouldn’t have used it even as such since I prefer unscented ones. The positive aspect of this perfume is that it smells exactly as intended if judged by the brand’s description:

“A clean musk scent inspired by a ceramic soap dish. I’ve long loved the scent of a traditional soap bar […]. The nostalgia and comfort are captured in clean notes of soft musk and aldehyde, a sprinkle of English lavender and elegant cedarwood.” If I deciphered correctly from the recent interview in The Cheshire Magazine, the nose behind this perfume is Marie Salamagne. I liked just a couple of plethora of perfumes she authored, so I’m not surprised that Musk Memento left me unimpressed. Ironically, it is the most tenacious of all.

Ginger Beer created by (I think) Yann Vasnier is a spicy woody composition with a prominent citrus opening that quickly subsides, and after about 20 minutes all I get is a delightful slightly sweet skin scent. I can’t tell if it smells even reminiscent of the beverage it borrowed its name from (I’m not sure I’ve ever tried it), but I like how it smell. The Ginger Beer bottle doesn’t remind me of anything in particular, but it looks well-made and is pleasant to hold.

The last two perfumes, Emerald Thyme and Passiflora, were created by Anne Flipo. Emerald Thyme is a heavenly cologne for all 15 minutes of its development, and then it becomes a very pleasant skin scent. The juicy bright and slightly sweet lemon opening is mouthwatering (literally!). As it dries down, the sweetness goes away together with the lemon, and what is left is a masculine-leaning dry composition grounded by herbs. The Emerald Thyme’s bottle looks like many cologne bottles I saw before, but I can’t pinpoint any specific one.

Passiflora is the most feminine perfume in the collection. It’s warm and smooth from the first slightly spicy cardamom burst until the comforting ambery-vanilla skin scent in 30 minutes after the application. When I picture Passiflora’s bottle in my mind, I feel on the verge of recognition: I definitely saw another perfume in a similar bottle… but it slips away, and I cannot place it.

* * *

I love these bottles. I quite enjoy Ginger Beer, Emerald Thyme and Passiflora, and would gladly wear them. But at $3/ml, these perfumes just shouldn’t be that fleeting! I can live with reapplying perfumes after 2-3 hours, and my collection of Jo Malone perfumes is proof of that. But a skin scent 20-30 minutes into the development?! It feels like they are giving customers just enough time to make a purchase decision at a counter. That doesn’t feel right.

Despite that, if they had released a set of mini-bottles for this collection, I would have paid even more per ml just because I would love to have this bottles in my collection.

 

Images: my own

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Second Sunday Sample: Memo Paris Madurai

It has been a minute (well, to be precise, 1,310,643 minutes) since I did a post in this series last time.  I’m not traveling much, and combined with my “no/low-buy” policy, it is not a fruitful ground for getting suitable materials. But recently, thanks to IG, I gained access to some perfumes I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. So, I decided to revive the series.

About a month ago, I stumbled upon Memo’s IG post offering a free sample of Madurai, perfume I haven’t tried before. I didn’t really believe they would send anything, but I decided to try… And this week an envelope came with Memo printed on it. An envelope. I touched it and thought: Oh, no… Not a scented blotter or a perfume sachet…

I was pleasantly surprised. This sample is a clever one! You pull a paper tab, and then you can spray perfume from a tiny nozzle squeezing the packet.

Memo MaduraiBut enough about packaging (though, I am still impressed!). What about perfume? Madurai is a part of the Memo’s Fleurs Bohèmes collection. Created in 2022 by Gaël Montero, it has the following notes listed on the brand’s site: Turmeric Essence, Sambac Jasmine, Absolute Peach, Italian Bergamot Oil, Clary Sage Oil, Indian Tuberose Absolute, Egyptian Jasmine Absolute, Tagete Oil from Madagascar, Australian Sandalwood oil, Suede Accord.

Had I known the notes beforehand, I might have skipped requesting Madurai, as it contains two ingredients – peach and tuberose – that almost never work for me in perfumes. Jasmine is also tricky for me: while I do not mind it in a supporting role, as a main player it usually wears me out, even in the most iconic and masterful creations. But I didn’t check dental hygiene of the proverbial horse before signing for a sample or testing it. And it was the second pleasant surprise.

I liked Madurai from the first sniff. It starts as a sweet floral composition. But despite the promised peach, it is not your standard fruity floral we all love to hate: if you keep sniffing it very intentionally, you might conjure something reminiscent of a peach, but I do not perceive it edible in any way or form.

It is interesting that the perfumer chose to use two different kinds of jasmine. It almost makes me want to get these raw ingredients to compare. (I probably won’t.) Jasmine in Madurai is present and recognizable, but it is a lot less heady than in many jasmine-centric perfumes I’ve smelled. As to tuberose… If any of you tried this perfume, please tell me whether you recognize tuberose in it. I don’t, but this is a good thing since I strongly dislike this note in most perfumes I tried.

At some point in the development I distinguish sandalwood, and I can probably agree with the suede accord (though, do not expect it to be as present as in Bottega Veneta or even Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede). Turmeric? I don’t know… But I don’t care either way. These days it’s in everything, so why not in perfumes?

I don’t think Madurai is groundbreaking or extremely original, but somehow this particular combination of notes came together in a way that has me researching prices. I think Memo’s bottles are very attractive. But I can’t buy a 75 ml bottle after a single try, and even then, do I need or even have space for that bottle? Probably not. I was tempted by a travel spray from the brand, but in the interest of adhering to my low-buy resolution, I decided to go for a decant from ScentBird (no affiliation): even as a one-time purchase, their price is a lot more reasonable ($21.95 for 8 ml) than that from Memo ($70 for 10 ml), and with a subscription, you can save even more.

Speaking of reasonable prices. While Memo’s aren’t (but whose are these days?), they have an appealing and reasonable sampling program: you can choose a set of any 7 samples for $40, and they offer a $40 coupon off your future $150 purchase.

 

Image: my own

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The Scent of 2022?

At the end of the last year, I looked at the miserable list of new fragrances that I managed to try and realized that I couldn’t do even the Top 5 – let alone any more significant number of successes.

I think this made me susceptible to “undue influence”: when I got an email from Parfumes Quartana (I used to know that brand as Six Scents Parfums) describing how their new perfume, Ierofante, had been named in three “Top N” lists and offering a sample for $5 (including S&H), my “no-buy” resolution didn’t even raise its head, and the sample was on its way to me.

Before trying it for the first time, I haven’t read a single line about or note of Ierofante. And it was a shock: one just doesn’t expect a whiff of gasoline from their fine fragrance. But there it was.

The complete list of notes for Ierofante (as printed on the sample card; Fragrantica has a slightly different list) includes suede, gasoline accord, nutmeg, smoky leather, styrax pyrogene, golden amber, cashmeran and vetiver. The nose behind this perfume is Luca Maffei.

Even though I immediately knew I would not want to wear that as perfume and was questioning the decision to spend even $5 on this experiment, I decided to go through with the testing. I wanted to fully experience the fragrance that Steven Gavrielatos (Ca Fleure Bon), Lola (@lolascents) and Persolaise (eponymous blog) considered one of the best perfumes of 2022 (which, if to think about it, might not necessarily be a compliment or indicative of how good the perfume is).

As the gasoline accord was burning out, something strangely familiar started radiating through the remaining harsher smell. And suddenly, I realized what it reminded me of: if to substitute gasoline with burning rubber and instead of vetiver throw in the fire, so to speak, sandalwood, you would get… Bvlgari Black.

Bvlgari Black and Ierofante

Created by Annick Menardo in 1998, Black includes notes of smoky black tea (lapsang souchong), bergamot, rose, sandalwood, cedarwood, jasmine, leather, vanilla, amber, musk and oakmoss. It’s hard to believe, but I told my story From Zero to Forty (ml) in less than 15… years: Bvlgari Black almost ten years ago!

As you can see, Ierofante and Black do not have too many notes in common and are far from smelling identical. But that effect of a foreign-to-perfume industrial chemical start that mellows down to a softer ambery base makes them reminiscent of each other.

I like Black better: not only is its opening not as harsh as Ierofante’s, but it also is much smoother in development. Unfortunately, I can’t even recommend buying it instead if you haven’t tried it before: these days its price online is quite steep. Though, it’s still less than the price of Ierofante ($235/50 ml).

Bvlgari Black and Ierofante

One more perfume I tested with Black and Ierofante was Nappa Noire created for the Quartana’s parent company/predecessor, Six Scents Parfums, by Calice Becker. Nappa Noire also has something in common with Ierofante, but since this perfume is much less commonly known and is sold out on the brand’s site, I won’t spend more time on it (but if you want, read my story about it – Every White has its Noir).

I didn’t have a chance to try Ierofante in parallel with L’Artisan Parfumeur Tea for Two, created in 2000 by Olivia Giacobetti, because I didn’t think about it until now. Still, I suspect that with the notes like tea, star anise, bergamot, cinnamon, spices, ginger, gingerbread, tobacco, honey, leather and vanilla, it is bound to have at least some similar development phases. And it is still in production. (And for those few who weren’t around seven years ago, I want to share my story about this perfume – Tu-ti-tu-rum-tu-tu or Musical Perfume. I promise it’s not a review.)

Since I already own three perfumes that remind me of Ierofante, and I prefer them to this new offering, I will pass the remaining sample to someone else before it evaporates. But after spending more time trying, analyzing and comparing it to all my favorites, I feel much more positive about it. And I think that, strangely, it represents the year 2022 well.

Rusty and Bvlgari Black and Ierofante

Images: my own

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In the Search for the Perfect Yuzu, Take II or Yuzu Obsession

Among other entertaining aspects of YouTube beauty channels that I started watching in the last couple of years, I find it especially amusing when I hear, “I’m obsessed with XXX!” (Where X is a lipstick, blush or mascara.) from creators who professionally review makeup. I always think that with the sheer number of items in each category that they cover at least 3-4 times per week, I can’t imagine when they manage to repeat wearing the same product enough time to qualify for such an exorbitant reaction.

After such an introduction, I want to confess: I’m obsessed with yuzu.

It started with a friend introducing me to Yuzu Hot & Cold Tea, which I loved, and my search for a perfume that would smell like that marmalade (I told the story here). Demeter’s Yuzu Marmalade was a disappointment. So, of course, I kept looking. And what’s interesting, after testing a handful of samples (Yuzu by Acqua Di Parma, Tacit by Aesop, Oyedo by Diptyque, Tokyo by Gallivant, Smeraldo by Sylvaine Delacourte, Yuzu Rouge by Parfums 06130, Kazehikaru by Di Ser, Peche au Yuzu by Kyse and Note de Yuzu by Heeley), I did find my perfect Yuzu scent – Yuzu by J-Scent and a “runner up” – Jo Malone Yuja.

So, I have the perfect perfume that I enjoy wearing and a perfect yuzu marmalade (I found an online store where I could buy it for a reasonable price). Wouldn’t you think I would stop there?

I didn’t. I kept testing perfumes with this note.

Yuzu Samples

Portia sent me a sample of Yuzu Fou by Parfum d’Empire, created in 2008 by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato. I like the opening mint. It’s unusual. Orange and verbena. Lemon. I’m not sure I recognize yuzu, but it still is appealing and not banal. I wouldn’t describe it as “crazy,” but unusual. Cedarwood is slightly bitter and grounding. For my nose, it has something cumin-like, though notes don’t list it. I think Yuzu Fou is more masculine than I like my perfumes.

Speaking of masculine perfumes, when I was looking for yuzu fragrances, I read more than once that Issey Miyake l’eau d’issey Pour Homme was a good representation of this note in perfumery. So, finally, I decided to buy a sample. No, no and no. Not only is it too masculine (and doesn’t smell like my beloved yuzu products), but it also has something quite unpleasant in the background, which I cannot pinpoint but would not want to smell either on myself or on my vSO. I think it’s whatever makes this perfume “aquatic.” I’ll leave this 1994 Jacques Cavallier’s “classic perfume” to others who might appreciate it better.

Yuzu Soda by Strangers Parfumerie, created by Prin Lomros in 2021, sounded promising as an idea and because of the long list of notes: aldehydes, yuzu, bitter orange, camphor, basil, cream soda, musk, petitgrain, Nashi pear, mint, rosemary, pineapple, seaweed, iris root and vetiver. It starts sweeter, then dries down citrusy and maybe a little minty. It is OK but not that memorable and is not particularly yuzu-centric. My tiny STC sample is all I need; I won’t be looking for more.

I had high hopes for Zoologist’s Macaque Yuzu Edition. It was created by Mackenzie Reilly, with notes: yuzu, juniper berries, mandarin, hinoki wood, myrrh, labdanum, olibanum, sandalwood and oakmoss. It is pleasant and quite unique, but it is more woody than citrusy and rather masculine than unisex.

The perfume I liked the most out of the bunch I tested in this round was Eau de Yuzu by Nicolai Parfumeur Createur (did you know that they’ve changed the name? I didn’t realize it until recently). It’s mouthwatering citrus (literally!) – crisp, refreshing and … high-pitched in the opening, slightly woody and with just a hint of sweetness that increases in the drydown. I like it even though I don’t smell yuzu, at least in the form I recognize (since I haven’t smelled real fruit yet). I don’t think I’d wear Eau de Yuzu, but it is enjoyable and worth sampling if you like this type of perfume in general.

I wouldn’t have called it an obsession had my interest stopped at perfumes. But I liked the scent of my yuzu marmalade so much that wherever I saw yuzu as an ingredient in anything, I would immediately want that product.

It was innocent at first – a shower gel and a hand cream. The shower gel was neither here nor there: I’m still using it, but I’m not enamored of it, and once I’m done, I won’t replace it. The hand cream was a disaster, though! Forget yuzu! It doesn’t matter if it does or doesn’t smell like it. I find the whole aroma completely repulsive. The first night I applied it, I had to get up and wash it out. I wouldn’t have even mentioned these products by name, but I must warn you if you decide to try them. Both hand cream and shower gel are from the brand ShiKai (unless I’m mistaken, both were at least mentioned, if not recommended by Robin from the NST).

Yuzu Beauty Products

I was much more successful with the next yuzu-centric beauty product I bought – Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask from Saturday Skin. I love-love-love it! I mean, since my skin isn’t dry, I can’t say if it works or not, but I enjoy the subtle scent of this mask. And it has a slightly unusual texture: it feels as if it contains some citrus pulp or pieces of the rind. Most likely, it doesn’t. I read that it freaked out some people. But I enjoy using this Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask, and I’m on the second jar of it. The link is to the official site, but it is available at different retailers (run the search in your country). If you’re in the US, Amazon currently has a good Subscribe & Save price for it, and if you’re a member of Costco, the price is fantastic (but it’s sold in a set of 2). Even Rusty seems to like it.

 

 

I liked the Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask so much that I immediately jumped once the brand released Yuzu Vitamin C Bright Eye Cream (not shown in the photos because I bought it later). I don’t know what I expected. In retrospect, I realize that an eye cream cannot possibly smell yuzu or any citrus, for that matter. And it doesn’t. It doesn’t have any scent, which is probably a good thing nowadays. But I was disappointed. And its texture is denser than I like it to be in my eye creams. So, while I will go through the jar I bought, I will not be repurchasing it.

After that came the food items. Miracle Mile Yuzu Bitters – good in cocktails though not the most prominent yuzu note when used as directed. Ikinokura Yuzu Shio Salt – rather a novelty, but I like to use it when I cook salmon. Mariage Frères Yuzu Temple Tea – a lovely tea, but I’m not a huge fan of green teas.

Yuzu bitters, salt and tea

The most recent yuzu product I tried was Mighty Leaf Tea & Company Organic Chamomile Yuzu tea. I’m not sure whether I would be able to tell it apart from my regular Chamomile Citrus tea from the same brand, but it looks like I won’t have to think about it since the Yuzu one seems to be an experiment that didn’t pan out, and I don’t see it offered any longer.

Yuzu Tea

All-in-all, I don’t think that I’m done with yuzu. I still haven’t tried yuzu essential oil, vinegar or powder. And I might still find some body products that I like.

Do you have any interesting yuzu products to recommend?

Rusty and Yuzu Products

Images: my own

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Brand Appreciation: INEKE

Many years ago, I planned to run a series of posts to feature brands that I wanted to spotlight – not because they’ve released the newest popular perfume or got some award but just because. It didn’t materialize, and I published just one post. Now I decided to come back to that idea*. And today’s choice is a local to me (San Francisco-based) niche brand named after its owner and perfumer: INEKE.

I’m not sure why this brand doesn’t get more love. I’m talking not as much of “hardcore perfumistas” with hundreds of uber-expensive uber-niche perfumes in their collection (not that I wouldn’t expect Ineke perfumes to be found there) but rather about perfume enthusiasts who clear out TJ Max perfume shelves or shop “bargain basement” of online discounters. In my opinion, INEKE has all the markers of a great brand for both “civilians” and people who report in the NST’s quarterly polls more than 15 bottles purchases.

INEKE’s perfumes are pleasant and pleasing; maybe not revolutionary or daring, but at the same time they are head above fruity-floral mass-market concoctions or cookie-cutter creations from the plethora of recent “niche” brands.

INEKE’s packaging is superb: bottles, boxes and samples are all of the good quality and tastefully decorated.

INEKE’s prices are almost perfumista-free – $125 for 75 ml, which is quite reasonable if you like a scent.

INEKE has a flexible sampling program: one can get a set of 7 samples for $30 (which includes a $15 coupon for the future full-size bottle purchase) or buy individual samples for $5.

* * *

I wrote before about two of my favorite perfumes from this brand: four months after I wrote about Hothouse Flower, a bottle of it joined my collection. And five years later, I bought Idyllwild and published a story about it.

But somehow, I’ve never written about the first perfume from this brand that I’ve ever bought: Field Notes From Paris.

Ineke Field Notes From Paris

This perfume was launched in 2009. Notes include coriander seed, orange flower, bergamot, tobacco flower & leaf, patchouli, cedar, tonka bean, leather, beeswax and vanilla. Perfumer: Ineke Ruhland.

Though Field Notes From Paris is leaning a tad masculine, I enjoy its cologne-y freshness in the opening, but even more, I like the woody development. Reading “orange flower,” “tonka bean” and “vanilla,” one would expect more sweetness from this perfume. It does get sweeter 60 minutes into development, but for my nose, the sweetness comes from a tobacco leaf (not fully dried type) and not from those usual suspects. Field Notes From Paris has good longevity, especially on fabric: once I remember it surviving a washing machine on my blouse. But on my skin, it’s also quite good.

From the sample set that I bought first time (perfume names from A to G), I liked Fields Notes From Paris the most, and soon I found and bought a partial bottle from one of the FB groups. When my father, who usually wore Chanel, Jo Malone and Creed, asked me to recommend him something interesting and unusual, I figured out that he wouldn’t be going to stores to ask for and test perfumes, were I to suggest anything new. So, instead, I did what probably any of you would do: I made him a set of small decants from perfumes I thought he might be interested in and added a couple of Diptyque samples I happened to have. After Rusty approved my choices, I sent the package to my father.

Rusty and Samples for Father

Over time he went through all the decants that I prepared for him, and when I visited, he showed me two that he liked the most. One of them was Field Notes From Paris. So, for his birthday last week, I got him a bottle of this perfume. I hope he’ll enjoy wearing it.

 

Now I’m looking forward to their next letter – K.

 

Images: my own

* Disclaimer: it is not a sponsored post. Also, I’ve never received any promotional or free items from the brand (if not to count a hand-made sample I got at the event once, but it wasn’t as a blogger).
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Scent Semantics #3: LUSCIOUS

Today is the third episode of the collaboration of six bloggers: Portia (A Bottled Rose), Elena (The Plum Girl), Sheila (Alembicated Genie), Daisy (eau là là !), Old Herbaceous (Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities) and Undina (Undina’s Looking Glass).Scent Semantics Project Banner

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This month’s word is: LUSCIOUS

I read the word. I listened to my inner voice. Nope. Nothing. I don’t think I’ve ever used this word. So, not a single association, if not to count the name of the online perfume store – Luscious Cargo, but I’m not sure I’ve ever bought even samples from them. I decided to try a more straightforward approach: dictionary.

Definition of Luscious

Let’s see what can be applicable to perfumes: “highly pleasing to the […] smell, richly adorned; luxurious and sweet to excess.”

This is something to work with.

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Created by Alienor Massenet in 2018 for Floraïku, I Am Not A Flower fits well that description. According to the brand’s site, I Am Not A Flower includes main notes of Ginger oil, Amber oil and Sandalwood oil, as well as additional notes of Rose, Vanilla, Sandalwood Essence and Patchouli Essence. Several other sites, including all major perfume forums and Harrod’s, list also “white oud” and do not mention the additional notes. Either they all got a wrong list from the same source or the brand has changed the description, but I can’t smell agarwood. And since I usually do not like it in perfumes, I assume I would have noticed its presence.

I have previously complained about Floraiku’s minimalism when it comes to revealing notes, so I feel strange complaining now about having “extras,” but I cannot smell either rose or patchouli. Why would they mention or use rose in perfume with the chosen name is puzzling. Maybe they were afraid it wouldn’t smell as sweet?..

I Am Not A Flower is quite pleasing to the smell; its packaging is luxurious and richly adorned; it is sweet; and in the drydown one could probably add that “to excess” part.

Floraiku I Am Not A Flower

I always thought that Floraiku perfumes were overpriced for what they were, so I didn’t really plan on buying any when I stopped by the brand’s booth at the Harrod’s Salon de Parfums. I tried the only two perfumes from the line that I hadn’t tried before. I Am Not A Flower was one of them, and I liked it immediately. At that time, it was “Harrod’s exclusive,” so for a short period of time I considered purchasing it as perfume from that trip. But it was more than twice as expensive as the “regular” Floraiku perfumes, and I couldn’t justify that price.

I Am Not A Flower would have stayed just a pleasant memory of that trip if it weren’t for an unexpected find: one of the perfume sites had it listed, probably by mistake, for the same price other Floraiku perfumes were sold, and I got a significant discount on top of it. I couldn’t pass on that deal.

I Am Not A Flower is luscious woody amber perfume with almost caramelized ginger. It is sweet and rather feminine. And it stays long on my skin, though close to it.

What Floraiku does perfectly is packaging: it is beautifully made and very luxurious, as it should be with expensive perfumes. I know that some perfumistas questioned that massive cap, so I want to clarify that it doesn’t have to be used on the bottle: the set comes with a replacement regular cap, and the one that you see on the picture above becomes a holder for the included into the set 10 ml travel spray with its own cap (see the picture below).

Floraiku I Am Not A Flower

I Am Not A Flower is pleasing to all senses, I do not have anything else that smells similar, and I enjoy owning and wearing it. But it is not phenomenal, so I would have never paid full price for it. In general, I think that it makes sense only as a luxury item for consumers who habitually buy those for $600+ for yourself or as gifts. But as luxury items go, in my opinion, Floraiku perfumes are impeccable.

 

Images: my own

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Second Sunday Samples: Teo Cabanel Les Expressions Parfumées

Are you familiar with this house?

If you’ve been at this hobby for longer than 5-7 years, most likely, you’ve heard about at least one of their perfumes: Alahine. It is great. I mean, it was great. I haven’t tried the newest version, but according to the update in Kafka’s glorious review of this perfume, at some point around 2017 it had been poorly reformulated. I also suspect that it has been reformulated again since then, who knows for better or for worse, so probably most of the reviews you can find now online would describe some of the versions that you won’t get today anyway. Which means that you’ll have to try it yourself.

Teo Cabanel brand’s story is interesting. I won’t repeat what you might read on their site, if you are curious, I just wanted to mention that it seems like the brand keeps trying to find its “it” for the last 100+ years of intermittent history.

The chapter of their classical perfumes – Alahine, Early Roses, Julia, Oha, etc. – is over. As I mentioned, I’m not sure how well all of these survived the reformulations, but I’m glad they haven’t just discontinued all of them and started over. Instead, they pivoted.

This summer I saw Teo Cabanel’s campaign for their new perfumes and got curious. These newest perfumes were created not by the same in-house perfumer who authored the brand’s first 10 perfumes (Jean-François Latty). Patrice Revillard is the nose behind Ça Boum, Et Voilà, Je Ne Sais Quoi and Oh Là Là; Rendez Vous and Très French were done by Marie Schnirer. I haven’t tried any other perfumes from these two perfumers, so I had no expectations one way or the other.

Rusty and Teo Cabanel Samples

These perfumes clearly target the younger demography but not in the mainstream sense: none of these is fruity floral; none is too sweet. The bottles are simpler than those for their earlier perfumes, but they look nice and clean, at least on the picture. Prices are lower than for the original line. And the brand makes a point mentioning that they use good raw materials, but that they also use synthetics where it’s appropriate. I think most niche perfumes these days are made either in France on in the country native to the brand, so I’m not sure how much of a distinction it gives to Teo Cabanel that they proudly announce that they produce their perfumes in France. What does impress me is that they claim: “90% of our components are French and the remaining 10% are Italian.”

Ca Boum

Top notes: salty & iodized notes, Sand Lily; middle notes: rose absolute, jasmine absolute; base notes: green vanilla, immortelle

As much as I like lilies (flowers), this note in perfumes never works for me. And prominent jasmine is rarely my thing too. But if you are a fan of these two, Ca Boum might be right up your alley.

Et Voila

Top notes: neroli, aldehydes, clean accord; middle notes: white flowers, heliotrope, rose; base notes: white musk cocktail, sandalwood.

It smells too soapy on my skin, so I won’t consider wearing it. But I’m sure that Et Voila will have its following.

Rusty and Teo Cabanel Samples

Je Ne Sais Quoi

Top notes: puffed rice; middle notes: maté, violet leaf, matcha tea; base notes: guaiac wood, Tolu balm, vetiver Haiti, sandalwood.

I think this perfume is named aptly. It is very unusual. If you can survive the opening (or if it doesn’t bother you to start with), you might find Je Ne Sais Quoi interesting.

Oh Là Là

Top notes: hazelnut, saffron; middle notes: tobacco, iris; base notes: tonka bean, sandalwood, white musks.

I think that the notes sound a lot better than perfume smells. Believe it or not, I’m saying it not as criticism. I want to tame your expectations because I like Oh La La, and I know from experience that with lower expectations there’s a better chance to like what you test. It is not gourmand but has that slight dessert vibe in the opening. The iris is powdery, not earthy. And drydown is lactonic and somewhat creamy. I’m thinking about getting a small bottle of it.

Rusty and Teo Cabanel Samples

Très French

Top notes: crunchy pear, peony; middle notes: lily of the valley, Sambac jasmine, Crystal clear notes; base notes: sandalwood, benzoin, vetiver Haiti, white musks.

Lily of the valley, while being “very French,” for me is a deal breaker in this perfume: I really dislike it. And in this case, it’s not a question of lily of the valley being an artificial cheap ingredient (these are not expensive perfumes, and some of LotV’s perfumes are quite nice). I actually do not like the particular representation of lily of the valley in this perfume, and I cannot get past it. But you might.

Rendez Vous

Top notes: mimosa, violet leaf, almond; middle notes: violet, rose, jasmine, orange blossom; base notes: white musks, vanilla, tonka bean.

I thought I’d finish on a high note. I like Rendez Vous very much. I know, I’m not objective: I love mimosa. And I immensely enjoy this perfume in development: it’s very cozy, warm and sunny.

Even though I have many other mimosa perfumes in my collection, I think there is space there for one more. Conveniently, Teo Cabanel makes all perfumes from this line in nice 30 ml bottles.

Rusty and Teo Cabanel Samples

Currently, on the brand’s site you can get the complete set (16 1.5 ml samples) for 25 euro + S&H. And they offer that 25 euro as a voucher for future purchase of any full-size bottle. Shipping to the US isn’t too friendly (15 euro), but even with that ~$45 for 16 manufacturer samples including delivery isn’t that bad.

 

Images: my own

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Just Splendiris!

I loved the name long before I got a chance to try this perfume and before I found another favorite from the brand. I read a beautiful review Lucas (Chemist in the Bottle) wrote for Spenderis by Parfums Dusita and thought that I wanted to like it. Usually, it’s a recipe for disappointment. But not in this case.

Splendiris ticks almost all the boxes for me. It is beautiful: I don’t think that it’s a universal pleaser, but if it’s your cup of tea, you don’t have to work hard on liking it. It is original: I have many iris perfumes, but Splendiris doesn’t remind me of any of them. It has a presence: while not a “powerhouse,” it is not timid, and the scent is quite distinct and pronounced. My only complaint is that Splendiris is less tenacious than I’d like it to be. But I do not mind re-applying.

Rusty and Dusita Splenderis

I’m sure that most of my loyal readers have tried Splendiris by now (so, tell me – do you like it?), but for those few who might have missed it, I want to say that, in my opinion, unless you dislike iris perfumes in general or cut out perfume testing at the price level that is lower than Parfums Dusita’s offerings, this perfume is worth trying: you might still not like it, but as far as spending money on perfume testing hobby goes, Splendiris is a solid candidate (check out Lucas’s review linked to above if you want more details).

I bought a travel set earlier this year, and it arrived packaged beautifully and with wonderful attention to details. Both Rusty and I enjoyed the unboxing.

 

 

In general, I applaud the brand for their testing and purchasing options. If you’re not familiar with the brand, you can buy a set of their first 9 released perfumes + select one of the two newer perfumes (EUR 59 + EUR 9 for S&H to the US). Those are large (2.5 ml) manufacturer’s samples, and the set includes EUR 40 voucher to be used for the future purchase. It is possible to buy separate samples as well, but I suspect it’ll be too expensive to send them to anywhere but France. They also have all of their perfumes in travel sets (3 x 7.5 ml), 50 ml and 100 ml bottles. When you buy anything but just samples, you get a choice of three additional samples with your order. Orders above EUR 150 are always shipped free of charge, and I saw once or twice a promotion where travel sets were shipped free of charge. I don’t think they have a newsletter to subscribe to, but the brand is active on Instagram and Facebook, so if you were to follow it there, you’d catch the next promotion.

 

Images: my own

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L’Esprit Libre by Divine NEW 2021

Hi Crew, L’Esprit Libre is one of two new releases from Divine this year along with Divine Intense, which doesn’t appear to be for sale on their site yet. Both crafted by the incredibly prolific Yann Vasnier, 91 named fragrances on Fragrantica. The email dropped into my inbox announcing the new arrival, and before I was even able to think it was checked out and on its way to me. All thoughts of lockdown business collapse, lack of funds and any skerrick of rationale deserted me. It wasn’t even a late night event, suddenly I’d bought it and L’Homme Sage, which has been on my list for years. Excitingly, they arrived in the mail this week. I’ve been lovingly looking at the pristine corrugated boxes in cellophane but decided it was time to open L’Esprit Libre up to share how it smells. It’s so rare for me to feel this kind of excitement about a new release.

L’Esprit Libre by Divine

L'Esprit Libre DivineAccording to the Divine site:

A light breeze, green and mellow with bergamot and green mandarine, then suddenly when you’re least expecting it, a ray of peony and magnolia. At its heart, a blue twinkle of iris, talc and earth, with essence and butter of iris and a leisurely finale of musk and ambergris.

WOW! Remember in the early 2000s and the world went mad for sheer feeling, radiant fragrances that had amazing projection and longevity like Elie Saab and SJP Lovely? They were almost always done with a white floral at the heart. It was like the logical next step from those enormous 1990s sheer/huge aquatics like L’Eau d’Issey and Aqua di Gio. This L’Esprit Libre feels like it’s the next progression in the story.

The citrus opening is sheer, tart and intoxicating. It starts icy cool and by the time the heart has arrived has warmed considerably. The peony and magnolia are only very peripheral, amorphous nods during the opening but make a more definite appearance well into the heart, but what does shine is an unmentioned woods note blown on the breeze. I’m wondering if it’s part of the dry rooty iris that feels sliced open as you pulled it up with earth still attached. (Edit: Amusingly, in today’s wear I have it on the back of both my hands and they both smell quite different. Left is much soapier and more floral, right features dry woods.) I’m surprised that there isn’t a mentioned green herbal note or a woody one. Maybe it’s a basil and an angelique, generic sawdust. These are what my brain keeps telling me but I’m not convinced.

L’Esprit Libre smells like a completely new direction for the Divine Parfums crew. Through the heart I definitely get the idea of breeze, or sky, or even that joyful feeling of being outdoors in the sun on a cool, breezy day. This is no loud 1980s showstopper, but it is wonderfully noticeable; I’m wondering if the more I wear it the more I can notice it? Maybe the more nuance I pick up? There’s something quite space age about it.

The ambergris is not a fecal, salty, bilge water adventure. There’s no hark to Womanity. It’s a sea breeze, not on the shore but maybe on a restaurant verandah overlooking thew sea, just a little up the hill.

For such a sheer fragrance the longevity is excellent. Projection is amazing for over an hour before it softens considerably.

Does L’Esprit Libre sound like something you might like?
Portia xx

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Second Sunday Sample: Serge Lutens La Dompteuse Encagée

Let’s talk about the weather for a moment. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, what was the highest temperature in the area where you live this summer so far? (Please mention where you are – at least a country, city or area, if you feel comfortable doing so – for those who don’t know you.) How do you cope? And for my readers from Down Under, what was the coldest so far?

In the SF Bay Area where I live, we had a day or two really hot in June (I did a screenshot of the Weather app with 36C/97F on June 17), but other than that our weather was surprisingly nice all that time while I heard and read horror stories from all over the world.

But my vSO and I managed to choose the hottest days to visit a wine country this week. Given, we were limited by dates for which we planned that trip since we did it as a part of celebrating our anniversary, we had to book everything in advance, including the most important part – feeding Rusty in our absence. So, once it became clear it’ll be extremely hot in our destination spot, we discussed whether we should cancel but decided not to.

Two days that we spent in Sonoma wine country, it got to 37C/99F at the peak. Wine tasting in these circumstances was a tricky proposition. But since everything these days must be planned well in advance (and is mostly not refundable), we tried to make the best of the trip (I plan to do a separate post about it soon).

LaRue Winery

And since we were going to the almost tropical environment, I decided it was a great opportunity to test new Serge Lutens La Dompteuse Encagée, which after the initial test at home seemed like a perfect tropical scent.

Since I missed several years of Serge Lutens’ new releases, and after Barney’s demise there are no more B&M places around here where I’d be able to test the brand, recently I got some samples from the Surrender to Chance. I was going back and forth choosing perfumes and sizes (for most of my samples I go for 0.5 ml – 1 ml), and somehow I ended up with two 1 ml samples of La Dompteuse Encagee. I was surprised but then thought that since it’s a new 2021 release, I’d test and review one sample and pass onto somebody else the second one. Nope. Somebody won’t be getting it: for testing on the road, I decided to pour both into a spray vial.

Serge Lutens La Dompteuse Encagee

Serge Lutens’ ad copy is cryptic, as always, so I don’t want to spend time even trying to make any sense of it. When it comes to providing any specific information on the composition, they are also not being too generous. But I find it entertaining how being given just three notes – frangipani, Ylang Ylang and almond – most reviewers dance around them not daring to speculate on other notes. Too bad Kafka isn’t reviewing perfumes any longer: this is one of the cases where I’d be extremely curious to know what she smells here. Me? I’m sure that this perfume contains more ingredients than the mentioned three. But since I rarely recognize notes even when they are listed, I’ll do what I always do – impressions and comparisons.

As a rule, I don’t like the almond note in perfumery, so I’m very pleased that I do not smell it in La Dompteuse Encagee. When I applied it for the first time, not expecting to like or be interested, it immediately reminded me of something else – not an identical aroma but rather the mood… After searching my mental perfume library, I realized that it reminded me of Annick Goutal Songes. Interestingly, Songes’ notes include frangipani and Ylang Ylang as well (also jasmine, tiare and vanilla). I tried La Dompteuse Encagee and Songes side by side, and I think I was right: they don’t smell similar, but for me, they evoke the same summer vibe. I rarely think of perfumes in colors, but both these are yellow in my palette (even though they both are predominantly white flowers). Speaking of white flowers, both in Songes and La Dompteuse Encagee I imagine smelling tuberose (which isn’t listed in either) and jasmine (not given for the latter perfume’s pyramid).

La Dompteuse Encagee is one of the florals in the Serge Lutens’ line (so, no stewed fruits), but unlike most other florals that I like – De Profundis, Vitriol d’oeillet or Iris Silver Mist – La Dompteuse Encagee is not solemn and austere but very bright and radiant. I liked it much more than I expected. I don’t even mind the name, whatever Mr. Lutens meant (online consensus has it translated as a “Caged Tamer” with the noun being feminine). My only complaint is that in hot weather it is more fleeting than I’d like it to be. But I still want a bottle (if/when I can get at least 20% off): I need to give it proper wear in a real tropical environment. I still hope to get there eventually.

Butterfly

Images: my own