It's so nice to dab perfume from a sample tube, lift my arm to my nose, and experience something that doesn't smell like it came out of a focus group. No accords of "mermaid's breath" or "sensual torpor" or "frisky plastic wrap." No predictable purple fruit plus jasmine plus patchouli, and no foul interpretation of white flowers that ends up smelling like fruity hairspray. Téo Cabanel Alahine smells of good ingredients and classic perfumery. As simple as that sounds, it's refreshing.
Téo Cabanel — named after its founder, Théodore Cabanel — began in Algeria in 1893. In 1908, he moved to Paris and began making perfume in earnest, amassing over 150 formulae. The Duchess of Windsor was a fan and on stationery from luxury hotels she ordered refills. Cabanel's only child, a daughter, ran the company when Théodore died and continued making his perfumes until her death at age 92. She didn't have children, so she bequeathed the perfume company to her goddaughter.
In 2003, her goddaughter's daughter, Caroline Ilacqua, took over Téo Cabanel. Ilacqua, only 22, had been working in advertising in Ireland, but something about Téo Cabanel intrigued her. She traveled to Grasse to learn more about perfumery and met perfumer Jean-François Latty, the nose behind Givenchy III and Yves Saint Laurent Jazz. Latty was retired, but hearing of Ilacqua's desire to rejuvenate the house with a focus on quality, he agreed to become Téo Cabanel's house perfumer.
Téo Cabanel's website lists Alahine's notes as bergamot, ylang ylang, jasmine, Bulgarian rose, orange tree, pepper plant, Morroccan rose, iris, cistus, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla, sandalwood, and musk. The website also states Téo Cabanel's perfumes contain "100% pure and natural ingredients" which raised my eyebrows when I saw musk in Alahine's line up. In an interview with Sniffapalooza magazine, Ilacqua clarified that Téo Cabanel's fragrances contain between 85% and 95% natural ingredients, and its amber and musk are synthetic.
The website describes Alahine as "an alluring soft amber," but I'd say whether or not you like Alahine will depend on how you feel about ylang ylang. To me, Alahine is an oriental treatment of ylang ylang. Alahine takes the flower's cold cream-like scent and spins it with amber, sandalwood, and vanilla. The result is a ylang ylang crème brûlée lightened with rose and dusted with powder. It's warm, thick, sweet, and feminine — comforting without being maternal. Its sillage is moderate, and its lasting power is excellent.
Alahine isn't edgy or surprising, but in some ways that's an asset. Think of it as the camel coat fashion magazines are touting as a major trend for this fall. People have been wearing camel coats for a good long time, and they've always been appropriate and sometimes even stylish, even if they're only sporadically fashionable. Alahine is like that. You're always correct (and warm) in Alahine.
On the other hand, camel coats don't suit everyone. (Really, if you think about it most people look terrible in camel.) Not everyone can pull off a classical powdery floral-amber fragrance, either. My guess is the woman who loves both Frédéric Malle Iris Poudre and Parfum d'Empire Ambre Russe could wear Alahine well and not have it read as a distraction. But whether or not you sport camel coats or Alahine well, it's just nice to see a company that seems focused on quality and classical structure. Plus, Téo Cabanel gets bonus points for not releasing something new every three months.
Téo Cabanel Alahine is sold as an Eau de Parfum (50 and 100 ml) and in Concrète de Parfum (2 x 2g solid) and Parfum Extrait (15 ml.) For information on where to buy Téo Cabanel products, see Téo Cabanel under Perfume Houses.
I love Alahine! Sweet and warm and spicy.
I’m glad you like it! It’s a good one for cool weather.
Lovely review as always, Angela. ‘Mermaid’s breath’ and ‘sensual torpor’ made me laugh out loud! I am only really just discovering niche houses and, despite bank account damage, am so glad to have done so as it is quite dispiriting to see how ‘copycat’ so many department store fragrances are. I suppose it only makes sense when we have a culture that professes to applaud individuality but seems to truly only do so when you are ‘individual’ in one of several accepted ways. Also, no one wants to have to work/wait for anything- it seems all about instant gratification. Fruitchouli over waiting for the lovely drydown of Aromatics Elixir, for example.
Anyway, slight rant over, Alahone has been on my to try list for a while and has nowoved to the top!
Darn Safari, going all invisible on me… I mean Alahine of course!
Maybe Alahone could be the name of the masculine version!
Maybe Alahim?
I know what you mean. Perfume fashion right this minute isn’t very appealing to me.
Great review, Angela. Unfortunately, Alahine just didn’t work at all on me and I swapped away my decant to a loving home. Even though it wasn’t something I could wear, the quality of the perfume is indisputable and easy to admire merely for that alone. But there was something in it (and CSP’s original The I also recently acquired) that I couldn’t get past and I’m usually one for heady florals, amber and spices.
Maybe I haven’t reached that particular level of perfumistahood yet. 😉
I didn’t get a lot of spice from Alahine, really, but plenty of ylang and amber, that’s for sure. So if you want spice, you’ll probably find something you’ll like better elsewhere.
I liked Alahine and will happily wear the rest of my decant, but I doubt I’ll splash out for a bottle. I do admire the company, though, and look forward to trying some of their other fragrances.
No, the Alahine was easier on the spice than the CSP, but there was something in both that I just couldn’t wear, much to my disappointment.
But it is very smooth, rich and smells “well-made”, which I admired. And the amber note was very nicely done and would work beautifully in the winter for someone with the right chemistry.
I am definitely curious to try more from the line, though, as they seem like a really great company who truly care about the quality and uniqueness of their perfumes.
I agree. I have a sample of Oha, but I want to try the others, too.
Adding to my list of sample decants to order. . . no, I don’t look good in camel but I do love Iris Poudre.
Alahine doesn’t smell like Iris Poudre, but it sort of has the same feel, you know what I mean? Let me know what you think of it if you do try it!
Wonderful review, Angela, and it makes me want to try this one again. I loved it until about mid-way through and then the musk became overpowering on me. And I don’t love musk. It makes sense though if they’re using such a high percentage of naturals as they will disappear more quickly than synthetic aroma-chemicals, leaving me with the dreaded musk much sooner.
It sounds like I was lucky in not getting so much musk!
My skin seems to amp most musks to an alarming degree!
I’m a patch amper myself, so I sympathize!
Alahine is worthy to stand along-side the great classic floral orientals. I find it closely related to Bal a Versailles, but not as “dirty.” Probably a bit too much powder and patouli for me, though – but I still think it’s beautiful. Thanks for this review!
It certainly does feel like a classic French fragrance, and I really appreciate that. I agree with you, though, that it isn’t particularly “dirty”.
Hi Angela,
I just so love learning more about perfume, and like the others, loved your review! But a question: what exactly is “dirty” vis a vis a perfume? Its base, muskiness? And, specifically how does that relate to Bal a Versailles? I’m really curious as that was my mom’s perfume, and so I love it for sentimental reasons, but I can’t wear it myself, but can’t explain why. Maybe you can shed some light on “dirtiness” I love musky, deep, rich earth tones, though. Bal a Versailles always struck me as very flowery, but I’m just now getting a vocabulary to work with. Thanks for this chance to read others’ views and gain their knowledge.
Oh, and specifically, I wanted to thank you for the perfume advice–JUST TODAY, I rec’d my bubble wrapped envelope of samples, my first ever, and I have on me one I believe you recommended: Amouage’s Homage Attar. I’m loving it. I got about 10 others that I will lovingly work through. What FUN! So I know that exact feeling you describe in the first few sentences of your review. Such good timing. This is clearly a good quality perfume. Again, thanks! M
M, what a good question! “Dirty” to me usually means a fragrance has animalic qualities, which could be a dirty musk (like MKK), or a heavily indolic jasmine, or a cumin-like smell (like in Al-Oudh or even Jubilation 25), or a sort of “horsey” smell (like in l’air de Rien.) In Bal, I get the horsiness. It also smells floral, of course, and sweet like those Sweetheart candies sold at Valentine’s Day.
For me, “dirty” can also imply the inclusion of certain natural body “odors” that can be either a turn-on (or off). I think Marina made a very good reference to this type of “dirtiness” in her review of BaV in PerfumeSmellinThings.
Correction: I meant “reference to” – not “inclusion of”….
So interesting. As I grew up on a ranch, surrounded by horses, one of my favorite scents is the combo of “horse” plus “mashed apples” the smell of my first pony eating an apple, the two scents mixing and bringing back great memories of childhood. In fact, I was just thinking, if I could somehow get the smell of a horse, a tiny bit of apple and some sandalwood and Russian Olive blossom, I’d be happy! I’m reading a great book on the history of perfume–so much to learn! Thanks for the clarification. M
Operafan – I could dope slap myself – of course it smells similar to BaV!!! I never realized. I saw your comment this morning and brushed passed it. The evening I’m testing a sample of vintage BaV edc from a lovely NSTer to compare to my own bottle of BaV edt…. and NOW I smell the resemlance immediately. No wonder I took to Alahine so much – those spicy jasmine accords. the deep incensey amber base… though you are right – not as funky as BaV. Wow.
Wow, you guys and Brian at ISTIA all get a BaV reference… and although I too love Bal, I don’t geddit. Just. Don’t. Get. It. To me, Bal is a big ol’ bunch of overripe flowers over some incense and candle wax and dirty musk – like I say, I really dig Bal, but I’m just not seeing the relationship to Alahine. He tried to explain it to me, too, and I’m clueless.
Either I’m perceiving Bal differently, or Alahine differently, than most people do. (Where’s an alarmed-face emoticon when you need one?)
Well, now I know who my scent twins are, lol. I just got it- honestly I think it is that almost fermented jasmine and dry spices – there is a lot in the BaV pot though, so there is plenty for a different nose to read differently, esp. if you are sensitive to the civet or other goodies that make BaV so wonderfully weird. I don’t smell any musk at all in Alahine, which could be why I think they smell similar – musks really chagne a fragrance for sure. But now to pull something from way out in left field: the first time I smelled Alahine it reminded me very much of the long discontinued Priscilla Presely “Moments” which is a deep oriental chypre-ish white flowers fragrance with a thick bergamot opening. All that sunny bergamot, dense florals, and dry drydown…. Maybe Alahine is just some mysterious shape shifting oriental – everyone looks into the mirror and sees something different peaking out.
Priscilla Presley Moments! I am totally going to keep my eye out for that one.
Mals, I’m with you–I don’t get a lot of Bal in Alahine, either. I don’t smell much in the way of spice or incense or funk. But I’m beginning to believe Alahine is a real shapeshifter!
Oh no, Ann! Don’t do that! You never know when that connection gets made. It took me years before I could pick out the rose in Chamade, and I’ve been sniffing for it for Y-E-A-R-S!
Mals – I read Brian’s review and saw the reference to BaV! His was the first review I ever read that made the same connection as I did, so helped reinforce my own impressions. These are definitely 2 different scents, yet I cannot help but notice all the characteristics that connect the two.
Alahine is fantastic – I really enjoyed your review. It is so interesting how different people smell the same fragrance – for me it is all intensely “sunny” bergamot and warm sensual amber. And it doesn’t change much over time. But I love it b/c it makes me feel like I’ve been standing in the sun on a cold day. Next time I put some on, I’m going to go looking for that Y-Y!
It sounds like Alahine really does change depending on who it’s on–Rapp says she gets a lot of musk, which I don’t, and to me the ylang plays a starring role. That’s the beauty of a complex perfume, though.
I don’t get any musk in it, but that’s no surprise to me. I think also that I smell a nice juicy jasmine that adds to the feeling of “sunshine” I get. When I think of amber-yy pairings, the EL PC Amber Ylang Ylang comes to mind. But it is such a different fragrance from Alahine. Alahine has a lot more life to it.
Okay, you’ve both convinced me to re-try! Just in case I didn’t already have enough perfume…. 😉
Same here! I need to get out the sample I’ve not yet tried. I don’t like Iris Poudre and camel hair coats make me look like a walking corpse, but I’m still curious…
Nice! Sunshine is a perfume is always good!
I agree Alahine has more going on, more personality, than the EL.
OOOH! Alahine review!
You know I love the stuff. I had not expected to like it at all, but when I ordered a sample of Oha from The Posh Peasant, Abigail (who’s a big Alahine fan) included a sample. For the first 15 minutes, I was suffering – I tend not to do so well with aromatics like lavender and citruses – and then there I sat with my nose glued to my wrist. And kept going back to the sample, for “just one more time.”
I do get quite a bit of spice in it, and I found the florals very balanced among rose, jasmine, and ylang. But really, for me, it’s all about the amber. Amberamberamberamber yum… no musk. There’s a hint of balsam, like a dark thread, down in the bottom, and while balsams too are difficult for me, the tiny amount in Alahine works to keep it from being too sweet. And I don’t smell the iris, but there’s a satiny feeling to the scent that I think must be the iris – without it, Alahine would be all fuzzy mohair, and it’s not. I find it very joyful.
(Oh, and I actually do look good in camel, being a Spring coloring-type person. It’s a relief to not be pushed into wearing black and gray – which don’t flatter everyone, either. I do own a LBD, but I always manage to add a scarf near my face so I don’t appear to be the walking deceased.)
Forgot to say that I think a man could wear this, if he was subtle with the application. My husband put on a tiny spritz of it once, and he smelled wonderful. It was less sweet and floral on him – lots of bergamot and pink pepper, all aromatic, and more of a sandalwood-amber blend than it is on me.
I have scent eating skin, but this thing lasts for hours on me. It’s one of the few that do, so it’s good that I love it so much.
To me it reads as traditionally feminine, but I can completely imagine a man wearing really well, too.
I found it lasted for a good, long time, too!
It sounds like you really love Alahine!
I’m surprised at how different people are experiencing it. I definitely get plenty of ylang ylang and some rose and little jasmine and little to no spice. But, as I said before, that’s what makes perfume so interesting!
Alahine is my HG of all HGs and I would never wear a camel coat (!!) It is not camel coat caliber to me at all (which sounds dowdy).
The notes list ylang-ylang but I never get that vibe from it, which is great because I don’t much like y-y. It is so weird the way fragrances register utterly different from one person to the next.
Alahine is an ambery oriental extraordinaire to me, and I barely get the florals (rose, jasmine) but I do get some spiffy aldehydic spices.
I love it to pieces.
Ambre Russe, huh? Well, I like it Ambre Russe but it’s wayyyy over the top in comparison with Alahine, but I do understand the amber comparison. And Iris Poudre is far more understated than Alahine. I would say a person who likes Alahine would also enjoy scents like Chanel Coco, Guerlain Shalimar, Vol de Nuit, Coromandel and MPG Ambre Precieux… and maybe FM Noir Epices.
Nice to see Alahine getting a little love (though I admit to feeling protective and not wanting too many to know about my HG! 😉
Those are some terrific perfumes you compare Alahine with!
Check out the new camel coats by Chloé and Celine before you say dowdy (although I do know what you mean!).
Angela,
OK, I will grudgingly check out the new camel coats from chloe and celine ;-0
Jared,
Alahine seems to be a scent that registers fairly different on each person. Those other frags I listed above are probably *less* floral than Alahine, but I suggested those as comparison because Alahine seems a modern classic oriental to me, with emphasis on the oriental.
My #2 HG is 1000 by JP. And while Alahine and 1000 aren’t similar, I’m offering it up as an example of another perfume a person who adores Alahine would like… 🙂
Ha! I really like 1000 too!
Wow, I love all of those that you listed. I was a bit worried this would fall into that overtly feminine category, but those are some of my favorites. I’ve wanted to try this for a while since it seems to get a lot of love in the blogs. It’s still on my list!
I do find it feminine (maybe it’s the powder?), but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t smell terrific on a guy….
Perfume Sniffer – you mention a whole bunch of my most favorite orientals, esp. Coco, in your impressive list there. And I agree about Iris Poudre – I think IP is beautiful, but it reads very cool and reserved to me. Alahine is very exuberant! I like how you put it: spiffy aldehydic spices.
That’s so funny – Alahine is probably in my Top 10, but I *hate* Coco and Coromandel, and find Shalimar difficult except in certain rare weather conditions! I liked Noir Epices, though…
Really, Alahine is not much like anything else I wear. The amber in it seems related to the amber in Attrape-Coeur and in 31 Rue Cambon, both of which I like very much, but the scent taken as a whole is unlike anything else, in my opinion.
I don’t think Alahine smells anything like Coco or Coromandel, but it certainly has a similar structure / progression to them. The only reference to Shalimar I get is that lightly burnt incense amber type thing. In that capacity, I actually think that Alahine resembles AT L’Air dd Marocain – the incense/amber in that is equally dry and prominent.
Hi Angela. What a great review and history lesson about the house — I had no idea it was such a historic line.
I’ll have to pull out my sample of Alahine later, but I remember it being really beautiful. I’m on a bit of an amber jag/quest lately (Hi, Ann! 😉 ), and though I don’t remember the ylang in Alahine, the first thing that popped to mind is that this may be like a more luxurious, refined take on the concept of the EL Amber Ylang. I re-tested the EL Friday, and while I’ve always liked it, there is a suspicious “Play-Doh” note in there that just slightly doesn’t agree with me.
However, the reason I was retesting EL AYY was because I had been on a mission testing the Laura Mercier Ambre Passion Elixir at Nordstrom. The Velvet EDP tester was broken, but Ann and I are both biting our nails trying to avoid buying it. It was a really nice smooth amber … in the vein of the beautiful smooth qualities of Minuit Enchanté.
So yes, thanks for feeding my amber obsession today! I need to go digging and maybe satisfy myself with a small decant of Ambre Narguilé for awhile… and my last remaining drops of Minuit Enchanté and AYY and a couple of other decants that should get some love before I go chasing after others!
And really, they should take that “100% pure and natural ingredients” bit off their website, don’t you think?
Unless one subscribes to the truth in statements such as “100% PURE dihydropentamethyl indanone.”
Maybe they should take out the “and natural” part, then! But yes, I agree. It cuts down their credibility.
I have got to get down to Nordstrom right away and try the new Mercier!
I think it’s crucial to have at least one good amber in your collection. Some days are simply amber days, and that’s all there is to it.
Angela – please do and then test them both – the elixir and the “velvet” edp – and report back. Joe and I are both on the fence. I’m always dying for the perfect amber comfort scent. And as Joe notes above, I have plenty of ambery fragrances in my collection, including a large decant of Alahine, and lots of other ambery orientals. But I have a feeling that I very gentle warm ambery breeze might knock me off the fence – I wish I could just go sniff it in person myself!
I’ll go down there tomorrow at lunch! Now I’m really intrigued and MUST SMELL.
Ann, I went to Nordstrom and tested both the LM ambers, and I’m liking what I smell! After just an hour or so on my first wearing of them, it feels like the elixir is a little spicier and smokier than the EdP, which is a pretty straight, skin-like, non-salty amber. I got samples of both, so I plan to wear them over the next few days and see what I really think….
Angela,
I love the way you write! You’ve made me want go find some of this to try. Interesting how you mentioned it changes on different people to a great degree. I wonder what my skin will do to it. Wonderful things I hope. I do hope I like it as well.
If you do try it, let me know what you think!
I think you nailed this one. I’m partial to Ylang and I like this a lot…but I have not fallen utterly in love with it. The quality is there. I just yearn for a bit of a twist or something slightly darker. This one would never be so impolite! Why can’t someone bequeath a perfumerie to me? That’d be grand.
It sounds like we feel the same way about it. I like it, I respect it, I would wear it if I had a bottle for sure, and it makes me want to try everything else in the line. Although I know Alahine is perfect for some people, it isn’t quite FBW for me. Maybe I just have too much perfume right now!
Camel looks awful on me ( I have camel coloured hair so it is just too much on me), but I love the sound of Alahine. I own and love EL Amber Ylang Ylang and wonder if Alahine shares any of the qualities of Amaranthine which I also find warm and cozy?
Oh yeah, I know the monochromatic look you’re talking about of Too Much the Same Color.
Alahine isn’t anything like Amaranthine, really. It isn’t fruity, for one thing, and its creaminess is more a caramelized creaminess than a milky creaminess. It’s definitely worth trying, though.
sunsetsong – I’ll kind of agree with Angela here. Amaranthine is really it’s own unique animal. The only other fragrance I’ve ever smelled that comes close to Amaranthing is the Patou Sira des Indes, but only on account of the creamy ylang/ banana accord. Amaranthine is so milky and rich – just gorgeous stuff. But Alahine is golden and translucent and shimmery and warm and sexy and earthy. Totally different, but also super gorgeous.
I LOVE Alahine! It is a spicy ambery floral on me, so warm and elegant at the same time. This one is right up there with SL El Attarine in Holy Grail territory.
Hm. Maybe I should get that sample of El Attarine out and give it a go.
Mals, I love El A, but just a warning that it veers into “curried fruits” category. Beautiful and honeyed, but if you’re familiar with SL Arabie, it’s a lighter and smoother version of that, in many ways. I was just wearing it last night, coincidentally. It’s still one of those annoying Paris Exclusives.
Sorry, I mis-read you as writing “get a sample” instead of saying “get that sample OUT”… in that case, yes, get it out! 😀
Yep, I meant “get the El A sample OUT” (of the crowded box where I keep untested ones) and wear it. It’s still a bit too warm yet, though – mid-80s, and I wouldn’t even wear Alahine right now, except maybe a squidge on my inner elbow before bed, because night temps are in the 50s.
I haven’t tested my Sarrasins sample yet either.
C, I’m so glad you found Alahine!
Angela, you really sold this one to me. I never thought that it was an interesting story behind Teo Cabanel, and this made me want to try their scents. I’m a man, but i love Ambre Russe, and ylang-ylang has a quite exotic aroma that’s warm and somehow uplifiting to me. I think i have to try this one now lol
Let me know what you think if you do try it! There’s a little powder to Alahine, which sets it apart from the boozier Ambre Russe for sure, but I think it would be good on a man.
Hi Angela, I’m so glad that you reviewed darling Alahine.
I have more than a soft spot for her, she is the most perfect amber to me, I do own a bottle that’s pretty to look at and hold.
I really want to try the parfum.
I love her from the bergamot and lavender beginning, to the soft whirls of flowers down to the creamy mixture of spices. It is a comfort scent but one I associate with ‘ladies who lunch.’ because she makes me feel grown -up and although I don’t find her boring at all, she is something I can count on to always make me feel good and smell delicious.
Thank you for a lovely review. She’ll grow on you yet, you watch! 😉
Your description is bewitching! I’ve had lots of things grow on me, for sure, and this one just might.
Tamara, thanks for prompting this lovely review and reminding me to pull out my sample so that I can give it a chance to grow on me, too (I haven’t made up my mind about ylang-ylang yet). It does seem ladylike in the best possible sense of the word. Of course, I’ll always associate Alahine with your lovely ecstatic fairy gravatar, as well!
NozKoz, your so sweet!
Plenty of us here adore Alahine and I hope you join the club!
She is perfect for the winter’s chill, I promise you.
I have a card with my gravator on it so that’s how I came about searching for that picture.
I wish I had it as a painting.
It defiantly represents how perfume makes me feel. 🙂
It DOES perfectly capture the delight of a wonderful perfume!
Lovely bit of history . I love perfume houses with history . Great review. 🙂
I like history, too. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
That may have been one of the reasons that drew me to Guerlain! The SA I used to work with at the NYC Saks used to tell me little stories about their perfumes.
I love that.
Angela, I wonder if TC will ever recreate some of their earlier 150 plus formulas! (I’ll take what the Duchess of Windsor wore, thank you!)
Wouldn’t that be nice? In the Sniffapalooza article, they mentioned Julia and Yasmina as being her favorites.
Julia is really lovely as well – tart fruits and light florals. Reminded me a little bit of J’Adore, but with natural florals instead of the overly synthetic ones that smack me in the face, and the fruits are a bit more tart than J’Adore’s plum. It’s what I think of as a “young,” light-hearted fragrance.
I’ll look for a sample of it. It sounds charming!
Very interesting! The original 1999 J’Adore, or the current one? I’d love to find a replacement for the lost original…and would like to sample Julia in any case.
I don’t know the diff, Noz – I do have two samples of J’Adore L’Absolu, which I like very much and enjoy wearing, but I didn’t smell J’Adore when it was first released. The current version smells extremely synthetic to me. Julia has that lovely combination of florals and un-syrupy fruits.
First, I am a big fan of amber. My friends told me that a niche perfume store in Taiwan (a bit like Luckyscent.com with a real store) has introduced Teo Cabanel last month, suggesting that I should try out Alahine. I did, and sure enough, I like it. The amberish ylang-ylang is brilliant.
However, I was attracted to Oha, big time. I found the bitter, creamy, and grassy note it encompassed is really beautiful and intriguing. Although the last touch of white musk stumped me a little. I still love Oha.
Thank God I finally found a great article discussing Teo Cabanel. Thank you Angela!
P,S, Well, actually I linked to this article because the search engine has listed my blog from the search result of “Teo Cabanel.” I was like, “What? I have never written anything about ‘Teo Cabanel’, not even referencing the name!” lol
Crazy search engines! Who knows how they work?
I like Oha, too. It reminds me a lot of Parure.
The drydown of Alahine smells like cumin or garam masala on me which can be a bit earthy and/or unladylike, so I am wary of using it anywhere but at home. Does anyone else perceive this note? Or is that just what amber smells like sometimes?
I’ll have to get out my sample of Alahine (if I can find it, darned sample boxes) and see if it turns a little cumin on me, too. I tend to like that slight “dirty” smell, though–it’s what I cherish in Jubilation 25, for example. To me, amber usually reads sweet and shimmery, sort of like the mix of the ocean and melted brown sugar.