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WTD, Episode 2.3: Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves Rocher

Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves RocherRose Absolu – created in 2007 by Christine Nagel, notes include Damascene rose, cinnamon, patchouli and tonka bean. This one is tricky: two out of three times I tried it I couldn’t smell a rose note. Not a good one, not a bad one – none at all. And it’s really disconcerting when it comes from a perfume with this specific name. Once, when tried against another perfume, I think I smelled something close to the rose scent… But it could be a “transferred” effect – the same way as some people’s eyes can “pick up” a color from a piece of clothing. Other than that, Rose Absolu smells nice on the skin and wears very close to it.

Yesterday I read in the Fragrance Friends group on Facebook somebody’s comment that Rose Absolu reminds her Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille. Even though I immediately felt somehow offended by that suggestion (I don’t know why since I’m not even familiar with that person) I still decided to give it a try. What can I say? With Une Rose Vermeille on one wrist and Rose Absolu on another I think I could smell some rose in Rose Absolu. In addition to the rose both perfumes use tonka bean. That’s it. Beyond those two facts I cannot smell any similarities. Maybe if I were to take a shower and then re-apply only Rose Absolu … But I’m still doubtful.
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WTD, Episode 2.2: Iris Noir, Tendre Jasmin and Naturelle by Yves Rocher

Yves Rocher has caught me with that Secrets d’Essences collection just by the fact of releasing it in similar mini bottles. I had to have them. I bought all five. I do not have too much of a story for most of them so I decided to group them either inside the collection or with other scents.

Iris Noir, Tendre Jasmine and Naturelle

Iris Noir – created in 2007 by Olivier Pescheux and Nathalie Gracia-Cetto, notes include bergamot, coriander, ambrette seed, iris root, patchouli and tonka bean. On my skin it starts sweet (rather gourmand than flower) but then quickly subsides to the generic floral scent. It is pleasant; it smells fine and I can even talk myself into thinking it has some interesting trace scent on my skin several hours into wearing. I just cannot think of any reason to wear it. I tried it from a mini bottle (splash) so maybe it works better sprayed as a body mist but for me it is not interesting enough to look for the ways to make the purchase worthwhile even with YR’s prices and constantly available discounts.

Tendre Jasmin – created in 2008 by Jacques Cavallier, notes include jasmine (jasmine and more jasmine – top, heart and base notes), lemon, mandarin, orange blossom and mimosa. For my nose it starts more green than citrusy and then warms up and blooms. I think it’s a nice perfume but on my skin it’s a little too sweet. Will I wear it? Well… I might. I do not plan on throwing away that cute mini bottle – that’s for sure, but I have no other plans for the perfume.

Naturelle – created in 2008 by Michel Girard, notes include green apple, jasmine, peach blossom, cedar, amber and musk. In addition to these notes mentioned on Yves Rocher site, basenotes lists also lemon, bergamon and marigold – maybe, can’t say it one way or another. Apple is definitely there and it’s not of an annoying type. The scent is very fresh, bright and summery. Drydown is also pleasant enough on the skin. Wearable, uncomplicated, inexpensive. I tested it from a splash mini bottle. And I think it’s the size it’ll stay in – I do not need much more of this perfume.

For real review read Angela’s review for Iris Noir at NST.

I haven’t found a real review I liked for Tendre Jasmine or Naturelle so, as always, feel free to post a link to the relevant posting.

Image: my own

See all episodes:

Weeklong Test Drives, Season 2: Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.1: Venice by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.3: Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.4: In the Search of the Perfect Lilac
WTD, Episode 2.5: Voile d’Ambre and Vanille Noire by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.6: Nature by Yves Rocher

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WTD, Episode 2.1: Venice by Yves Rocher

Twenty year ago, in a pre-ubiquitous Internet era, the only information available for fragrances was what an SA could tell you (in the country where I lived back then – not much) or what you could smell with your own nose (with the experience I had at the time – again, not much). Looking back I realize I was very susceptible to the power of suggestion. I also think that an importance of how a bottle looks in my decision-making process stems out of those earlier years. I’m not talking about the desire to have a real bottle, I’m talking about the fact that sometimes I do not want to even try a perfume if I dislike a bottle design or an ad campaign.

My beautician Polina, a woman who was ten-twelve years older than I was and had a great influence on me, was on a mission to make me to expand my perfume horizons and distract me from the idea of having a signature scent that I entertained in those days. I was very resistant (I had the best perfume in the world, why would I need another one?!) but she was persistent.

I should probably clarify our relationships with her. Those of you who had seen Steel Magnolias can picture better the atmosphere Polina had created at her place. She worked with clients at her apartment, in the downtown of a big industrial city, but it felt as if we were in Truvy’s Beauty Parlor. Even though we, her clients, were paying for haircuts, coloring, manicures and many other services, we were coming there not only for that but to spend time, discuss news and fashion trends, exchange some gossips or recipes and check out the latest eye shadow or lipstick color. She always knew what hair cut each of us should get, what color goes better with our complexions and which shoes style should be worn this season. On many occasions we followed her advices even against our wishes and judgments. Was she always right? Of course not. But we were young and she was very opinionated and compelling. I outgrew her at some point of my life and then moved really far away but I’m still thankful for many things she taught me (she was the one who pushed me into the perfumes exploration direction) and for some things that I learned because of her (standing my ground when it’s easier to compromise or keep silent).

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Weeklong Test Drives, Season 2: Yves Rocher

For the second “season” of my one brand weeklong test drive (for the explanation of the idea of these test drives see Weeklong Test Drives, Season 1: Annick Goutal ) I chose Yves Rocher, the brand from France that focuses on botanical beauty products.

Yves RocherThe U.S. consumers know Yves Rocher as a catalog/website order brand but in Europe there are real YR stores and in one of them 20 years ago I bought my first perfume from this brand.

After I moved to the U.S., I was getting their new perfumes on and off, not thinking much of them: they were cheap (price-wise), not too complex, added to the line and then removed unpredictably. Recently I learned that there were some well-known noses behind at least some of Yves Rocher’s perfumes: Olivier Pescheux, Christine Nagel, Michel Girard, Jacques Cavallier. It hasn’t changed what I think about those perfumes but it was a curious fact. It’s not the most glamorous or thought after brand but I had a really good time with some of their perfumes; so I want to share  those perfumed reflections.

For my WTD I will be “not-a-review”-ing some newer, some older and some discontinued perfumes.

Image: my own

See all episodes:
WTD, Episode 2.1: Venice by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.2: Iris Noir, Tendre Jasmin and Naturelle by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.3: Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.4: In the Search of the Perfect Lilac
WTD, Episode 2.5: Voile d’Ambre and Vanille Noire by Yves Rocher
WTD, Episode 2.6: Nature by Yves Rocher

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Catch of the Day: By Kilian, Diptyque, Ineke and others…

Kilian Hennessy

Kilian Hennessy at SF Saks, 5/7/11

No-no, I didn’t catch Kilian Hennessy (the creator of Kilian Parfums) though I met him last Saturday at Saks Fifth Avenue during the join basenotes-NST San Francisco Spring Sniff event.

It was a private group presentation in the overcrowded by us small room on the second floor of Saks. We were strange visitors for that place but the service was very courteous (which I cannot say about the Hermes boutique we visited earlier that day where one of the SAs almost shoved us aside saying that she needed to make a sale!). Those of us who came earlier got chairs the rest had to stand (most didn’t mind). Champaign was served and then, after a short announcement by the very beautiful Marketing Director of the brand (I’m not sure I remembered her title correctly), there he was – Kilian himself.
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Mind Games: My First Decant – Jeux de Peau

When I first read on NST the description of the upcoming release of Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau, the idea of this perfume was very appealing and romantic: bread, childhood, memories… But even though buying bread was one of my chores when I was little, the memories that surfaced weren’t related to that. What I remembered was how my friends and I would buy bread, still warm, from drivers of delivery trucks. I have no idea if they had any authority to do so (I would think not) but the bread that we ate with dirty hands after running and playing outside for several hours was one of the tastiest treats. And a huge part of the attraction was that bread’s smell. That was what I remembered when I read about Jeux de Peau. I wasn’t compelled to run for testing it immediately but I put it on my “to try” list.

I’ve read many positive reviews of the perfume (see links to some of them below) but then I came across a review that… Ok, not only I cannot find it any more but I do not remember what exactly it said. I do remember a picture of waffles with either honey or some syrup on them (*if you recognize that vague description, please share the link!). The image was so vivid, it contradicted memories I conjured and it was a little off-putting.

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New Year Resolutions: April

Wore one of my favorites at least a couple of times a week – check.

I’ve decided to change which fragrances I count towards the notes and brands statistics: I will exclude those that I tried for the first time not to skew the picture of the notes/seasons correlation.

Quick April stats:

Top notes in April* Different perfumes worn/tested: 60 (1 less than in the previous month)
* Favorite perfumes worn: 14 (-7)
* Perfumes I tried for the first time: 26 (-1)
* Perfume house I wore most often: Jo Malone (I wore it on 5 different occasions)
* Perfume house I tested the most: Annick Goutal (for the first weeklong test drive )
* Most popular notes: top – (not counting bergamot) rose and pink pepper; middle – rose and jasmine; base – musk, vanilla and sandalwood.

Image: my own

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Four Wonders of Hermès

For many years perfumes from the Hermès house were completely out of the sphere of my interest. I tried some of them on several occasions but didn’t find them attractive. Then one day I smelled Rocabar and it became my favorite men perfume for years. I never wore it myself but I loved it on my vSO. Because of that affection for Rocabar I decided to give Hermès another chance (not that it was begging for it). Unexpectedly I discovered that I grew fond of Un Jardin sur le Nil. If I were to name my favorite perfumes (and I still plan to do it in the nearest feature) Un Jardins sur le Nil would not probably make it into my Top N list. But my bottle has less than a quarter left in it and as it gets warmer I catch myself thinking about it more and more often.

Over the years I approached both Un Jardin en Méditerranée and Un Jardin apres la Mousson again and again and consistently didn’t like them. I do not know why I kept trying: with most other fragrances I give up after a very limited number of attempts, but with these two I was insistent. A month ago I sprayed Un Jardin en Méditerranée on a blotter and liked it. I’m still building up the courage to test it on skin: I do not have that perfume’s sample at home but every time I come by it in a store I’m either wearing something else or have other plans that do not involve having access to hot water and soap (in case the experiment doesn’t go well). But I will get to it eventually. Un Jardin apres la Mousson still leaves me absolutely cold.

Garden on the rooftopThe newest Jean-Claude Ellena’s creation for the Gardens series started for me as an idea: I read an article on the upcoming release and liked the mental picture I formed in response to that news. I should admit that Paris wasn’t in that picture. For some reason garden on the rooftop in my mind is strongly associated with New York. An apple note in Un Jardin sur le Toit’s description made this association even stronger (an apple – Big Apple – NY) but at the same time it made me wary of how this note would be crafted into the perfume (Big Apple – Be Delicious – Ugh!).

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WTD, Episode 1.7: Songes by Annick Goutal

TiareSonges – created in 2005, notes include Frangipani, Tiare flower, Sambac jasmine absolute, ylang-ylang absolute, olibanum, French vanilla absolute, sandalwood, amber. Opening flower notes in this perfume do not appeal to me: they aren’t unpleasant but rather are not pleasant. But then from the moment when a jasmine starts blooming and until vanilla-sandalwood base completely melts into my wrist it’s a pleasant skin scent.

Sillage: very light (2 out of 5); tenacity: poor (2 hours).

Read review at I Smell Therefore I Am .

If you do not know but are curious how to pronounce some of those (absolutely unpronounceable, in my opinion) names in French, check it at the Frag Name of the Day Archives.

After reading Olfactoria’s Travels’ review of Ambre Fétiche and especially Dee’s comment in the discussion “It’s the mink coat in a closet full of sundresses” I’m determined to try it. Also I want to re-try Mandragore Pourpre (see review at eyeliner on a cat ) and Ninfeo Mio, which I previously tried, didn’t like and disposed of the sample… just to find it interesting again when tried (on a blotter) in the store.

Any other suggestions? Am I missing anything really worth trying from this line?

Image: my own

See all episodes:

Weeklong Test Drives, Season 1: Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.1: Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.2: Grand Amor by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.3: Le Mimosa by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.4: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.5: Neroli by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.6: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal

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WTD, Episode 1.6: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal

Annick Goutal Petite CheriePetite Cherie – created in 1998, notes include pear, peach, musky rose, fresh cut grass, vanilla. I tried Petite Cherie soon after it was released and immediately liked it. After I went through my sample and realized that I still liked the perfume and wanted more, I bought a small bottle of EDT online. It was a mistake: on my skin most Annick Goutal’s EdTs stay for maybe 30 minutes (not that I have a much better results with EdPs but still). After that first bottle I bought another one (that time an EdP version), and then – another one… Petite Cherie is one of my all time favorites. It smells very pleasant on my skin. It’s not a perfume I would wear to a party or any other occasion where I want to make an entrance but it is beautiful, fresh and at the same time elegant enough not to be out of place on a tropical vacation or in a busy boardroom. For years I liked the perfume and didn’t know it had a pear note in it – I do not smell it. I know now that it’s there, but I still cannot smell it. I do not smell peach as well, which is maybe not bad if to think of how much I do not like Annick Goutal’s take on a peach in Le Mimosa.

To address perfume’s fleetingness I recently bought a matching body cream. It doesn’t help much. But now I enjoy both – the cream and the perfume.

Sillage: medium (3 out of 5); tenacity: poor (2 hours).

Image: my own

See all episodes:

Weeklong Test Drives, Season 1: Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.1: Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.2: Grand Amor by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.3: Le Mimosa by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.4: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.5: Neroli by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.7: Songes by Annick Goutal