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Yosh Sottile, Ginger Ciao & Omnistar ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Jessica on 17 September 2020 9 Comments

The early-2020 closing of the Barneys New York flagship store on Madison Avenue was a sad moment for me. I've been shopping there for fragrance and makeup for longer than I care to admit, and I have happy memories of meeting the creators of various cosmetics and perfume brands during "personal appearance" events on the beauty floor. One of those creators was Yosh Han, whose line of perfume oils was carried by Barneys and was popular amongst Makeup Alley perfumistas in the early 2000s. I remember chatting briefly with Yosh and telling her how much I liked Winter Rose, among other scents in her collection.

I always kept an eye (and a nose) on Yosh's work and even ran into her from time to time during her recurring New York visits. I worried a little when her perfume oils started vanishing from various online retailers a year or two ago, and then I was relieved to learn that a rebranding had been in progress. Yosh's new "Eau Fraîche" collection re-introduces most of her earlier fragrances in new "sophisticated and refined" compositions developed by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, although they still carry their original concepts and their chakra-associated qualities.

Since my longtime favorite from Yosh was Sottile (Italian for "subtle"), the reinterpreted Sottile was the first vial I opened in my sample set. Whereas the original Sottile was a simple nosegay of tea rose and lily of the valley, the new Sottile also includes hyacinth, neroli, citrus, jasmine, narcissus, gardenia, rose, musk, Peru balsam and vetiver. As a "vibrational fragrance," Sottile "resonates with the 6th chakra, clairvoyance — clear vision — especially self-reflection and ability to see others as they are."

Sottile is the most retro-feeling perfume of the bunch, an aldehydic spring bouquet that calls to mind some of my favorite fragrances from the 80s, or even classics like Guerlain Jardin de Bagatelle or Caron Fleurs de Rocaille. The rose is still there, but it's enmeshed with the pollen and powder of the various other flowers, plus a sharp stemmy green note that appears in the heart and then fades away to leave a softer dry down with a hint of fruitiness. This is a perfume-y perfume, no doubt, and a very pretty one. Will it clarify my perceptions of myself and others? We shall see. 

I also have fond memories of Ginger Ciao, a tropical gourmand fragrance inspired by a "bewitching" character in a (possibly imaginary?) novella. Ginger Ciao is now described as a scent that "evokes the allure of faraway lands, sparkling youth, and a sun-kissed glow" and "resonates with the second chakra — sexual and creative energy." I remember Ginger Ciao most for its intense ginger heart and its notes of milky coconut and rubbery-sweet ylang ylang. Now it features "tropical florals, jungle woods, coconut, juicy fruits and exotic spices," and I'm primarily noticing a buttery tiaré floral note, some sunny neroli, and a vanillic musk base more than ginger or coconut. It's glamorous in a fun, beach-y way. If you ever tried and loved Guerlain Terracotta, you should give Ginger Ciao a sniff.

The one new addition to the collection is Omnistar, which has been swapped in for the now-departed Omniscent. Omnistar is recommended for anyone who is "drawn to glamorous femme fatales and dashing bon vivants," while it "transcends the physical, takes you into the future, and radiates a golden aura" and encourages "abundance." Its notes include sheer amber, galactic musk and etheric minerals. Sounds outer-spacey! On my skin, however, Omnistar began with a fruity intro of bergamot and fig before turning into more of an abstract citrus-musk that feels radiant and very contemporary. I'm not usually someone who gravitates to futuristic "non-perfume" perfumes, but Omnistar really fit my mood on a few recent days when I needed to cut through the noise and clutter in my head and focus on tasks at hand.

Yosh's revamped collection is rounded out by new versions of White Flowers and U4eahh!, with the latter now re-named Angeleno, as well as Sombre Negra and König. As resistant as I can be to change, I'm really enjoying these "elevated" iterations of Yosh's original creations. My own tastes have shifted over the past decade or more, and (as Yosh herself reminded me during a recent online aura reading — yes, she offers these!), this year of unavoidable change and loss is a good time to form new habits in our daily lives, even small ones. For me, that includes fragrance. I'll miss the stores and scents I no longer have, but I'll also try to stay open to new olfactory experiences.

Yosh Sottile, Ginger Ciao and Omnistar are available as 50 ml Eau Fraîche (15% concentration) for $95 at Yosh's website and Olfactif.

Possibly of interest

Top 10 Summer Fragrances 2014
Yosh Konig ~ new fragrance
Yosh + Anthropologie California Aromascapes ~ new fragrances

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: ginger, lily of the valley, rodrigo flores roux, rose, yosh

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9 Comments

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  1. Calypso says:
    17 September 2020 at 4:11 pm

    Thank you for these reviews! I really love Ginger Ciao and still have my little bottle of Omniscent (the oil version). So these new versions are of great interest to me.

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    • Lisa D says:
      17 September 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Calypso, were you the person I was going to send my Ginger Ciao to? I recall having a brief exchange with somebody about it, but have forgotten who that was.

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    • Jessica says:
      18 September 2020 at 9:41 am

      Hope you’ll get a chance to try them! Omniscent was phased out, and Omnistar is very different…I’m surprised how much I like it, since it’s not “my” typical thing!

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  2. Coumarin says:
    18 September 2020 at 12:15 am

    I was truly just thinking about Yosh last week. The oils didn’t move me much but I love an indie line on principle. I would try these again though.

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    • Jessica says:
      18 September 2020 at 9:40 am

      There are discovery sets available! I always liked several of the oils and I’m intrigued by these new, “fancier” (Yosh’s word!) reinterpretations. They’re definitely more complex and they wear differently, of course, due to being alcohol-based.

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  3. nozknoz says:
    18 September 2020 at 12:29 am

    Sottile is one of my favorite rose perfumes. There’s nothing else like it –although, curiously, when I put it on tonight to enjoy your review, I thought it reminded me very slightly of Guerlain Nahema. After a week of sampling modern fragrances, the lovely natural rose of Yosh was just what I needed.

    I’ve been having tremendous nostalgia for department stores past, so I appreciated your bittersweet thoughts on the loss of Barneys and the treasures we used to find in stores like that.

    I’m glad Yosh is sprouting new life and will try to sniff the new Sottile when I get a chance. I’ll also try to take her wonderful advice re pandemic times.

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    • Jessica says:
      18 September 2020 at 9:44 am

      I’ve been wallowing a bit in department store grief…so many memories of time spent with family and friends at Takashimaya, Bendel, Barneys, Lord & Taylor…

      And yes, exactly — sometimes I need to switch scent-sniffing “gears,” too. It keeps us fresh!

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  4. DuftHochZwei says:
    18 September 2020 at 12:47 am

    As a huge, huge fan of König I’m looking forward to try the updated version in this Eau Fraîche line.

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    • Jessica says:
      18 September 2020 at 9:41 am

      Oh great! I wasn’t too familiar with the “old” König but the new one smells good to me!

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