After today's subject, Chelsea, the waiting list for the Monday Mail is down to just two people — if you've ever thought you might be a good candidate for the Monday Mail, now is a very good time to get on the list!
Chelsea is looking for a new everyday scent. She has worn Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash for years, so she has her "casual weekend scent" covered — now she wants to find something a bit more grown up and dressy. She'd like it to be unusual so she doesn't smell like everyone else, and she'd rather not pay more than $100-150. Here is what we know about Chelsea:
She's in her late 20s. Her personal style tends to be colorful and slightly preppy with retro, feminine touches.
She wears lipstick more often than lip gloss and, even when she's dressed down, she tries to look polished and to attend to the details.
Chelsea likes more androgynous fragrances to balance out the girliness of her wardrobe.
Some of her favorite "real life" smells are rain, the beach, burning leaves, paper, wool, and that "new purse" leather smell.
Chelsea loves iris, and really likes leather, violet and citrus. She also likes vetiver, but as a bit player — she's not crazy about vetiver-heavy scents. In general, she prefers cooler, more androgynous scents.
Chelsea is not a huge fan of gardenia and jasmine or other "white florals", and she hates the gourmand fragrances that are often geared towards her age group. She also avoids amber scents because her mom wears them, and she's not a big fan of patchouli.
Here are some of the fragrances Chelsea owns or has tried:
Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash: She loves it but it doesn't "dress up" very well; it's definitely a casual, weekend scent. She likes that it smells like spicy plants and isn't too girly.
Hermès Pamplemousse Rose: This was a gift; she enjoys it but might not have bought it for herself.
Christian Dior Miss Dior: This was an untested impulse buy. It's probably the version that was once called Miss Dior Cherie". She hates the opening, but likes the dry down. She wouldn't have bought it if she had tested it first.
Prada Infusion d'Iris: Strong "like", and she has almost bought it many times.
Hermes Kelly Caleche: She'd prefer less fruit and more iris and leather.
Balenciaga Paris: She likes the opening, but the dry down is too sweet and powdery.
Bottega Veneta: Way too sweet at first and it disappears in about an hour.
Le Labo Iris 39: This one is right on paper, but it's too heavy on the patchouli and too far past androgynous and into masculine.
The Different Company Bois d'Iris: She would buy it if it lasted more than 45 minutes.
Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d'Iris: She likes the iris, but it's too woody.
What say you?
Note: image is Buzon-de-correos [cropped, doubled] by alicedice at flickr; some rights reserved.
If she likes leather and iris, I think she should try Chanel’s “Cuir de Russie”…gorgeous scent.
I second Chanel’s Cuir de Russie. It’s one of the very few Chanel fragrances that I like.
I love Chanel’s “Bois des IIles” as well…but it is not a leather/Iris scent 😉
I thought of Chanel Cuir de Russie first as well, but then thought maybe Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur with its violet-suede combination might be right. L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversee du Bosphore comes to mind, also, based more on her style self-characterization than the notes she mentions.
Second the Traversée du Bosphore! Gorgeous scent.
Third! Also, “Burning Leaves” by CB I Hate Perfume. Pretty inexpensive in either form, oil or water perfume.
Cuir Ottoman from Parfum d’Empire : iris and leather rolled into one, fits the price range, androgynous. Very classy, sensual and powerful without being sweet or cloying. There’s a possibility to order samples from their website (go to ‘fragrances’, then ‘samples’ at the top right).
+1 Cuir Ottoman
Cuir de Lancome
Parfumerie Generale Private Collection Cuir d’Iris-the best iris/leather that I’ve had
Dior Homme-I prefer the one with the silver tube.
Second PG’s Cuir D’Iris. Also try their Iris Oriental.
Seconding Dior Homme!!!
Also, Pd’E Equistrius 🙂
Chanel 19
Delrae Mythique
Frederic Malle Iris Poudre (out of the budget, but a decant could be had!)
And just to throw a zinger out there, the hyacinth note might be one you’d enjoy…Penhaligon’s Bluebell or Chamade come to mind..
And SL Bas de Soie for hyacinths and iris!
How about Chanel No. 19, either the original or the No. 19 Poudre flanker from last year?
Fourthing No.19 – try the new Poudre, it’s my wedding day scent (4 days away!). If you find the original a bit sharp, this is a lovely soft green iris scent. Not heaps of leather to my nose.
I think you should just bite the bullet and purchase the Prada Infusion d’Iris if you love it so much. The other girls suggestions are also great. 🙂
Oh how exciting! Best wishes on your special day . . . You certainly chose a lovely scent for the occasion!
Thirding No. 19 and Cuir de Lancome.
I second Parfumerie Generale Cuir d’Iris and would also recommend trying one Pierre Guillaume did for Laboratorio Olfattivo called Daimiris—similar but a little less sweet.
Dzongkha would also be worth a try if you haven’t smelled it—iris, leather, incense, and a little vetiver.
Mythique was my first thought so I’m going to second that.
Cuir de Russie is, of course, the ultimate iris & leather combo and it’s plenty grown up and dressy. 28 La Pausa for is pure iris. Gorgeous but many people find it fleeting.
Heely Iris de Nuit is a light, green, unisex iris.
Forgot about Balmain Jolie Madame for violets & leather and Miss Balmain for that leather purse smell.
Oh and AG Heure Exquise if No 19 proves a little much.
Heure Exquise is beautiful, and it is, I think, easier to wear than No. 19. (My preference is for 19, but that’s my Invisible Armor scent anyway.)
Seconding Jolie Madame for leather and violets! Especially if you can find a slightly older bottle.
Paco Rabanne Metal is a nice alternative to Chanel No. 19, a little more unusual.
Tom Ford Violet Blond is mostly an iris scent to my nose — might be worth trying.
Thirding Jolie Madame. You can find it at the discounters.
Seconding 28 La Pausa – a gorgeous iris done in the classic Chanel style. Unfortunately it’s not as long lasting as some of the other Les Exclusifs – did they produce it in EDP/Parfum form?
I cast my vote for 28 La Pausa, my favorite iris (I also love and own Infusion d’Iris and TDC Bois d’Iris). It’s a cool iris with a touch of vetiver, and might be what you’re looking for. However, if you’ve got issues with the longevity of Bois d’Iris, you might have it with 28 LP as well.
Another iris to try that’s lovey, albeit a bit sweeter, is Parfum d’Empire’s Equistrius. Lovely stuff.
Other possibilities that have already been listed:
Dior Homme (with the silver tuve, pre-reformulation)
Cuir de Lancome
Cuir Ottoman
Cuir de Russie (horrible on me, but fantastic on others)
Second the Equistrius and Dior Homme.
First thought, Balenciaga L’Essence. Vetyver, violets, very androgynous, if not slightly masculine. I’m a guy and I’m on the verge to buying it myself…
I’d suggest also L’Eau d’Hiver Frederic Malle: it has a sort of almond note, but it’s definitely not in the gourmand territory.
Apres l’ondee? Timeless and very unisex.
Chelsea might want to try also Gucci II for men (not sure I got the name right… the squared bottle with light blue juice!).
That’s definitely gucci II you mentioned. I’ve been sniffing it lately after a bigger break. Too bad I had no chance to smell gucci homme (gucci I?) as it was still available in perfume shops. I see quite many bottles on polish ebay, but I’m afraid to get it without knowing the scent.
seconding balenciaga l’escense, it is more unisex than the original. I too love apres l’ondee but was worried it might be too feminine for chelsea.
Then how about Burning Leaves by CB I Hate Perfume? Chelsea should like it as she stated she likes the natural smell of burning leaves. Someone already wrote that, but I also think Dior Homme might work for her. Or maybe Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial would be her trump card…
I second Shalimar Parfum Initial. It has iris and leather and is not difficult to wear, but not overly casual.
Thirding! It’s really a nice fragrance 🙂
Perfumes for Chelsea to try:
Chanel Cuir de Russie
Chanel No. 19
Balenciaga Paris L’Essence
I would recommend Les Nez A Unicorn Spell, one of the most beautiful nontraditional violets around. It is definitely cool, and worth a try!
My first ideas were Hermes Un Jardin en Mediterranee and Eau des Merveilles. I also second the Guerlain Apres l’Ondee suggestion.
Seconding Eau des Merveilles; when I read Chelsea’s list of favorite real life smells, it was the first thing that came to mind.
Chanel 31 rue Cambon? Loads of iris, sophisticated chypre, feminine without being Girly.
second rue cambon! heaven!
31 Rue Cambon is my favourite Les Exclusifs, aside Bel Respiro & Coromandel 😉
This one might be a stretch, but I really think that Parfum d’Empire Azemour Les Orangers is worth a try. Chelsea mentions that she likes citrus and I think it’s the type of scent she really might enjoy – it’s not too feminine or masculine. If she likes chypres it could be perfect. I bought the big bottle and it’s definitely become one of my absolute favorites.
Heeley has some great unisex scents. For iris – what about Heeley Iris de Nuit? Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur has notes of violet, mimosa, birch, soft leather notes and vetiver. Heeley Sel Marin is also great! Another iris – Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris (this one’s a bit on the expensive side, though)
I was also going to recommend Heeley Cuir Pleine, but Karin beat me to it!
http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/detail.asp?itemid=31507
Oh, yes – I second, or third, Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur. Leather and violets. Perfect. This is the one I bought for my husband, but I love to wear it too.
I, too, love Heeley (esp Cuir Pleine Fleur)
I agree whole-heartedly on Chanel Cuir de Russie and PdE Cuir Ottoman. Would also recommend Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette and Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit. Vol de Nuit has a beautiful citrusy opening with bergamot and petitgrain with an iris, jonquil heart. I find it very unisex.
I am a leather and iris and violet fan, too! Citizen Queen by Juliette has a Gun is currently my all time HG favorite. It has notes of Leather, Bulgarian Rose, Iris, Amber, Immortal flowers, and Labdanum and the packaging is great. I love the bullets (perfume oil version) for touchups. This is girly and tough at the same time, and I find that the lasting power is really good.
Chanel also has a great line-up: Cuir de Russie on me has a wonderful leather opening and then a clean musky drydown. Lovely. Bois de Iles is on my FB list for Iris. I’m using up the last of my decant and it’s lovely. I love the cool iris…perpahs I should try layering with Cuir de Russie! Chanel #19 Green, irisy, powdery classic. The perfume (online at chanel.com) was my xmas present to me and it’s soft and wonderful. #19 Poudre reminds me a lot of Prada Infusion d’Iris, so maybe you’ll like this more than Id’I.
Other leather favorites: Traversee du borosphore borders on gourmond to me but isn’t sugary sweet. Has a lovely drydown and lasts a long time on me. Bandit screams leather and then slaps you. It’s an aquired taste and took me a while to “get” it, but I do enjoy it. Try at your own risk. I’ve heard the Lancome Cuir has more leather than Bottega Veneta and it’s on my try list. I like Bottega Veneta and also wish it had more leather in it. BV is my SOTD today!
For Iris, give Heeley Iris de nuit a try. It’s a lovely somber iris and the cedar in it keeps it from going too sweet. Definately unisex. I also like Iris Pallida with it’s peppery opening. I have the 2007 version and this is my “classy lady” perfume when I want to feel grown up but not “old lady”
For violet, try Tom Ford Violet Blonde. I tend to think violets smell like feet and this one, well, doesn’t. It’s well done violet that’s not sugary sweet. I think the dry down is particularly sexy. Robin posted a great review here on NST: https://nstperfume.com/2011/09/22/tom-ford-violet-blonde-perfume-review/
Have fun!
Seconding Chanel #19 Poudre, Serge Lutens Bas de Soie, Traversee du Bosphore. It’s more of a fall fragrance, but Donna Karan Black Cashmere is an incense-y fragrance that has a burning leaves/wood type appeal.
Another sound off for Cuir de Lancome. Also Parfum Generale Cuir Venenum and CdG Stephen Jones. Happy hunting!
hi Chelsea, interesting taste! your description of what you are looking for evokes 1.Cartier IV L’Heure Fougueuse and 2. L’Artisan Timbuktu for me though both do not match your notes directly.
For iris you must try Chanel 28, La Pausa it is not necessarily androgynes but somehow cool and soothing and another great iris is Dior Homme
for leather have you smelled Bandit by Piguet?
Dzongkha, perhaps?
What about Hermes Hiris? Or for something fresh, akin to the MJ cucumber, Atelier Cologne Bois Blonde.
I’d like to suggest Knize and Knize Two. Knize Two is a violet/leather with no sweetness. These are both priced very well and you can order samples from Lucky Scent.
How about Annick Goutal Mandragore Pourpre? Cool, androgynous, unusual yet somehow still proper and polished.
This was what came to mind when I read Chelsea’s description.
Happy hunting.
Hi Chelsea!
I’m also a major fan of leather and iris and often tend toward “androgynous” scents. For the record, I LOVE the above mentioned: Chanel no. 19, Chanel Cuir de Russie and Lancome Cuir de Lancome. I do have some additional suggestions:
1) Bvlgari Black –This is a cool unisex leather, very pleasant and easy to wear.
2) Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche -This is another Jean Claude Ellena composition from the same series as the Pamplemousse Rose that you already like. This one is dry and green and a bit woody/root-like. Definately a cool scent, very unique and natural smelling. Classified as a unisex cologne.
3) Annick Goutal Les Nuits d’Hadrien -This starts out citrusy, has a prominant herbal/basil note and develops into a warm cuminy skin-scent . The line packages this same fragrance in separate bottles as either a men’s or women’s scent.
4) Niki de Saint Phalle -This is certainly green, classy and unusual smelling. I find it is mysterious and feminine in an empowering way, if that makes sense. It seems complex and well balanced to me and is a good one for dressy occasions.
Best of luck! Enjoy!
Heeley: Iris de Nuit and Cuir Pleine Fleur. And the Sel Marin for the beach vibe!
For a cool, androgynous vetiver…….try Sel de Vetyver from The Different Company or Timbuktu from L’Artisan. Timbuktu is very sheer and airy, not heavy, and vetiver is mixed with sandalwood, incense, a bit of light fruity and floral notes to temper the masculine edge. It’s a great unisex scent.
Sorry to be late but how about Parfum DelRae’s Mythique?
This is from Angela’s review which is 100% spot on!
“Mythique has notes of mandarin, Italian bergamot, ivy, peony, jasmine concrete Sambac, Florentine orris butter, sandalwood, Indonesian patchouli, and ambrette musk. On skin it smells like buttery iris and fresh, green suede with a breath of salt. The fragrance is delicate, skin-like, and elegant. Its texture is fine and velvety, like the surface of an apricot.”
Good luck and happy sniffing!
My three favorite Les Exckusives too!
k should be l – and I meant for it to go under Paisley Flower’s comment about 31 Rue Cambon, Bel Respiro & Coromandel – they all three make one feel “priveleged” to be smelling so nice.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions! You’ve given me a long list of things to test and sniff that I never would have uncovered or considered myself!
Didn’t see it mentioned so I’ll put my hat in the ring and suggest Tabac Blonde.
hey, I tried the new Infusion d’Iris Absolue yesterday and it is great!
maybe this fuller version is what you are looking for, I prefer it to the other executions of Infusion d’Iris