Quick reviews of two new vanilla fragrances: Provanilla from Providence Perfume Co and Vanilla Flash from Tauerville.
Providence Perfume Co Provanilla
Indie line Providence Perfume Co calls their new Provanilla a "lavish celebration of true vanilla", and it features "five different varieties of vanilla from Madagascar to Mexico". Also in the mix: rose, balsams, myrrh, coconut pulp and a "clean aquatic accord". The clean aquatic accord would usually scare me, but since Providence Perfume is a natural brand, there's no need to worry about calone. The opening is bright and watery, and yes, even a bit cantaloupe-ish, but the accord is not assertive enough to overwhelm, rather, it serves to soften the gourmand aspects of the vanilla and coconut, and melds perfectly with the soft rose in the heart. Farther along, it mostly disappears, and Provanilla gets slightly warmer and spicier, but it stays in the mid-weight range — this is not the sort of vanilla that you'll have to put away when summer arrives.
Provanilla is a delicious fragrance, just foody enough to satisfy lovers of vanilla gourmands, but not so dessert-like that anyone couldn't enjoy it. Very nicely done, and to my nose, could be easily worn by either sex.
Providence Perfume Co Provanilla is available in 7.5 ($35) or 30 ($125) ml splash Eau de Parfum. The lasting power is very good. For buying information, see the listing for Providence Perfume Co under Perfume Houses.
Tauerville Vanilla Flash
Vanilla Flash is the second entry in Andy Tauer's new Tauerville line. The distribution for Tauerville is slightly different from that of Tauer Perfumes, but it looks like that won't matter for most consumers: in the US, at least, all the regular Tauer retailers seem to be carrying the range.
I believe Andy Tauer said that Vanilla Flash was the sort of vanilla he'd like to wear himself, and it's quite different from Provanilla. First of all, it's not even slightly foody. It's also warmer and drier, and while it likewise has rose (and plenty of spice), what you'll note most are the darker elements: patchouli (clean) and tobacco. It's slightly earthy, slightly boozy, and slightly musky early on; later, it's more of all of that plus a little thread of smoke. I had not thought Provanilla was creamy, but after smelling it next to Vanilla Flash, I decided yes, it was creamy, and Vanilla Flash is decidedly not. Vanilla Flash is also heavier than Provanilla, although it's hard to tell how much because I'm rolling the one and spraying the other. Vanilla Flash, at any rate, does not smell like something you'd spray with abandon on a hot day.
I hesitate to call Vanilla Flash masculine because a woman could easily wear it, but it's farther along on the woman-to-man scale than Provanilla, and women who find tobacco difficult to wear may not want to buy Vanilla Flash unsniffed (if it helps, the fragrance it is getting the most comparisons to is Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille). But do give it a try.
Tauerville Vanilla Flash is available in 10 ml rollerball ($32) or 30 ml spray ($63) Eau de Parfum. For buying information, see the listing for Tauerville under Perfume Houses.
Do comment if you've tried either fragrance, or if you have a vanilla you'd like to recommend to your fellow readers.
Does Provanilla have the earthy note that is prominent in many of Providence’s perfumes (at least in the several ones that I sampled)?
Hmmm…I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve noticed a common earthy note to all the PPC perfumes. Hope someone else will chime in.
Can’t really comment on the Provanilla question, but the Vanilla Flash plays strange games with me.
When I spritz on extremities like forearm/wrist, I get a much softer, more “vanilla-ish” scent but if I spritz on trunk/chest, I get a much drier spicier less sweet result. Never experienced this before…
And I can’t really comment on what’s going on with your body variations
Did you like Vanilla Flash though?
Yes, I do like it. I find it a medative scent. Very calming-sort of the fragrance equivalent of chanting “Om…” to the distant sound of a gong.
Interesting, thanks!
I wonder if it has something to do with distance – Kevin noted yesterday that the Masque Milano he was reviewing smelled different up close? Or perhaps your chest is warmer than your wrists and the top notes are burning off faster, or there is greater diffusion, or it gets on your clothes when you spray on your chest, and fabric holds the fragrance differently.
I’ve experienced the distance phenomenon with other perfumes.
Yes, I read his review and noted that. This is the first time I have noticed this with a fragrance. What other scents have you experienced this “phenomenon”? Would be interesting to see if they share a note or two in common…
Perhaps due to the difference in temperature between your body core and your extremities?
Thanks for the review. I had considered getting rollerball of the Vanilla Flash unsniffed since it was so reasonably priced. But after your review, maybe not. I like sweet vanillas and don’t really like patchouli, so sounds like this is not for me (unsniffed at least!).
Taking a guess that most people who ordered Rose Flash unsniffed were pleased, and that many people who ordered Vanilla Flash unsniffed were at least surprised. But also bet it will have many fans. Vanilla is popular but hard to find one that isn’t cake…
Me too, appreciate hearing this because I was so tempted by an Andy vanilla, but tobacco’s probably not what I’m looking for. Whew. That was a close call
Well I hope I won’t discourage anyone from trying it!
I have both of these fragrances. However, Provanilla doesn’t work for me as well as Vanilla Flash. I like the boozy, earthy and musky elements in Vanilla Flash whereas there is something in Provanilla that seems harsh and “off” on my skin. Also, I’m loving the cute little Tauerville bottles.
Good to know! Is that the melon/aquatic part or something else?
I have the Vanilla Flash rollerball. Robin, I agree with everything you said in your review!
This is definitely not a gourmand, sweet vanilla. I find it to be a dense, earthy, vanilla-bean scent. The patchouli note is clean, the rose a whisper, and the tobacco is dominant on me. I don’t find it to be a smoked tobacco note, but rather something you would encounter in a high-quality pipe tobacco shop. It reminds me of the scent that remains in my grandfather’s humidor circa 1940 or so. I agree that it may skew masculine, as to me it’s reminiscent of what I perceive as a gentleman’s club. Pipe tobacco, mahogany paneling in the library and bookshelves, the lingering odor of women who have passed through or linger.
I was wondering if it would be “less gentleman’s club” if the rose were amped up? Might be interesting to layer with Rose Flash.
I’ve layered them and it’s a great combo. I actually prefer it over PHI.
Yay, thank you so much!!
You’re welcome!
Thanks Holly and Robin. Now I know I need Vanilla Flash. I’m a woman who loves tobacco (and patch) and this sounds like heaven to me. Especially layered with Rose Flash (which I loved so much I bought the rollerball and the bottle).
I pretty much agree with what’s been said (though I don’t find it actively masculine), but want to add that when it comes to the notes (spices, rose, patchouli, tobacco), Vanilla Flash has a resemblance to PHI. I haven’t tried Tobacco Vanille so I can’t speak to that similarity, but I think that your relationship with PHI is also a good metric for anticipating potential compatibility with Vanilla Flash.
I was wondering if Vanilla Flash had the same woody amber base notes as PHI. That was the part of PHI that I could have done without.
If it helps at all, I actually think they smell more similar at the beginning than later in the scents’ progressions. But I’m probably less sensitive to any similarity because I’ve never had an issue with Tauer’s basenotes, though something in the topnotes sometimes irritates my nose/throat.
I’ve heard others say that and there is some relationship but to me, resemblance is maybe too strong? I do think Phi is easier to wear.
Maybe “resemblance” has some negative connotations when it comes to originality. I like and own both PHI and VF, so I certainly don’t mean to make it sound like they’re not distinct from one another!
Oh, I meant more as a caution to potential buyers — of course you could love neither or both, but also think many people who love Phi will not love VF, or will find VG significantly more masculine than Phi. In other words, if you adore Phi, I still wouldn’t order VF unsniffed unless you also generally adore tobacco.
I own and love both PHI and Vanilla Flash, but I agree that I would not order Vanilla Flash unsniffed just because you love PHI, as there is a lot more spice and tobacco in VF, despite their similarities.
The little 30ml Flash bottles are super cute though! I am going to try layering my Rose and Vanilla Flash this weekend, great idea.
I love tobacco, so the Tauer one is sounding pretty good to me.
Worth a shot!
Do I really need another Vaniila? Yes, of course but I haven’t yet triggered a buy. I’m waiting for a deal. I’ve only heard good things about Vanilla Flash and I am easily persuaded
I felt a little guilty getting Vanilla Flash right after Tihota (yum, still swooning over it!), but VF is SO different that it’s pretty easy to justify adding it to the collection. Not to encourage a purchase or anything…
Ha, I feel your wallet moving even as I type…
Vanilla Flash sounds amazing! I’m not a fan of sweet vanillas, but I’m intrigued by the concept of a dry one, and I do love tobacco and my passion for patchouli is bordeline embarrassing (I used to put a drop or two of patch EO on my hairbrush as a teenager to scent my hair… Not sure how appreciated this was among my peers). Since it’s reasonably priced I might just get a small bottle unsniffed as a treat. Not like it gets hot enough where I live to arrange perfume according to season, anyway!
Sounds like it might be perfect for you — do try!