By Kilian Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Kevin on 27 June 2012 36 Comments

By Kilian recently launched its Asian Tales perfume collection; the debut fragrances, Bamboo Harmony and Water Calligraphy, were developed by perfumer Calice Becker, who used iconic symbols of Asian art and culture as inspiration — bamboo/tea and calligraphy/water lily (why not lotus, Ms Becker?) I was looking forward to this new collection and hoping it was truly an ‘Asian-infused’ line and not a line geared toward Asian consumers (who, we are told by marketers, prefer modern, super-light, non-perfume perfumes).

Water Calligraphy

(grapefruit, reseda blossom, water lily, jasmine, magnolia, cardamom, vetiver)

Water Calligraphy begins with sweet citrus and mignonette (fleeting, alas); within seconds of application, a water lily-jasmine-magnolia accord appears (accent on sheer, sugary jasmine). In the quickly arriving heart of the fragrance, Water Calligraphy piles on the aquatics and it reminds me of Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey (all those fresh, watery floral notes). Water Calligraphy is all about clear, clean aquatic notes mixing with white florals…

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Histoires de Parfums Petroleum ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 20 June 2012 47 Comments

gas pump

Admission: I was a clandestine gasoline sniffer. As a child, whenever I filled the gas tank of the lawn mower or outboard motor, I’d save, and sniff, the cotton rags I’d use to mop up the gas can; those gasoline-drenched rags smelled heavenly to me. Enter: Histoires de Parfums Pétroleum (by perfumer Gerald Ghislain). In the Pétroleum PR materials, reference is made to “Black Gold”…and I’m not sure if that’s describing oud or petroleum (both would qualify for that title, I guess, and both aromas are present in Pétroleum).

Pétroleum includes fragrance notes of oud, bergamot, orange, aldehydes, rose, amber, civet absolute, leather, patchouli and white musk; the fragrance opens with strong aldehydes tinged with orange and smooth, almost powdery, leather. As this rather “lush” opening subsides, I detect the “petrol” aspect of the fragrance…

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Calvin Klein CK One Summer 2012, Dolce & Gabbana The One Sport & Light Blue Living Stromboli ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Kevin on 13 June 2012 25 Comments

Calvin Klein CK One Summer 2012, Dolce & Gabbana The One Sport and Light Blue Living Stromboli fragrance bottles

I don’t mind being thought of as the “niche man” at Now Smell This but that doesn’t mean I avoid (or dismiss) mainstream releases. I own and wear mainstream scents (imagine!) Right now, among my 50 or so “summer” perfumes in rotation, fifteen are mainstream. So, it’s time to tackle some of the recent department store launches — two limited editions and another (unnecessary) “sport” fragrance.

Calvin Klein CK One Summer 2012

Calvin Klein CK One Summer 2012 aims for “surfer chic” and “a splash of refreshment… at the beach.” CK One Summer’s fragrance notes include cucumber, mint, lime, bergamot, green apple, rosemary, aquatics, rum, sandalwood, driftwood, ‘sea moss’ and ‘water’ lotus (as opposed to ‘land’ lotus or ‘tree’ lotus? Who writes this stuff?)

CK One Summer begins with sweet, minty cucumber…

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Bois 1920 Oltremare ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 6 June 2012 16 Comments

Bois 1920 Oltremare

Italian niche perfumery Bois 1920 makes several perfumes I enjoy (Vetiver Ambrato, Sandalo e Thé, Sutra Ylang), but the company isn’t known for outré or highly original fragrances. Bois 1920 makes well-formulated, high-quality, good-smelling scents. Recently, Bois 1920 launched a limited edition marine fragrance for men: Oltremare (so limited they didn’t even bother to update their website with any info on the fragrance); Oltremare was made to conjure “the sea breeze,” “the smell of waves” and “the winter sea.”

Usually I don’t pay much attention to aquatic-fragrance launches, but curiosity (how will Bois 1920 tackle an aquatic cologne?) and the recommendations of people I trust made me want to try it. A Now Smell This reader kindly sent me a sample of Oltremare from Santa Barbara, California…an appropriately oceanic locale…

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Father’s Day 2012 ~ scented gift ideas, part 2

Posted by Kevin on 30 May 2012 11 Comments

Day number two of my Father’s Day gift ideas post focuses on fatherly types personified by the likes of Ward Cleaver, Rick Steves, and J.I. Rodale.

Traditionalist

Fathers who still insist on safety razors and shave creams might appreciate the Edwin Jagger Shaving Cream Gift Set ($55) at Luckyscent; the boxed set contains the Edwin Jagger DE89L chrome-lined razor, a 75 ml tube of Edwin Jagger natural shaving cream, two sample sizes of shave creams, and five Derby Safety Razor Blades. Choose between Aloe Vera or Sandalwood shave cream formulas. Another good shave cream at Luckyscent is Crema da Barba Almond Shaving Cream ($10/150g).

Carbon 2 Cobalt black coffee soap is not “prissy” ($8/5 oz bar) and the Gents Shave Kit is also “macho;” it includes a 4.5 oz shaving soap (in a glass tumbler) made with Rhassoul clay and Sierra Nevada Stout Beer, a 5 oz spiced rum body soap, a 1 oz bay rum aftershave, and a pure badger hair shaving brush…

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