Must de Cartier Pour Homme ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 27 January 2016 18 Comments

Must de Cartier Pour Homme

Why was the Must de Cartier men’s line so unsuccessful? Must de Cartier Pour Homme¹ was launched in 2000 and is already discontinued. Ditto with Must de Cartier Essence (2000), Must de Cartier Vert Anis (2001) and Must de Cartier Eau Genereuse (2003).

Must de Cartier Pour Homme is a sleek, appealing fragrance; it begins with a delicious-smelling and opaque anise-tangerine accord; the citrus is not icy, fresh or “clear,” but warm, cozy and generously spiced with anise, ginger and “olive leaf” (which may provide the momentary camphor-like aroma produced in Must de Cartier Pour Homme’s early mid-development). Coriander, which has a citrus character itself, floats in the background and is a perfect lead-in to Must de Cartier Pour Homme’s sweet tonka bean/vanilla base…

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Krizia Moods Uomo ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 2 September 2015 10 Comments

Portrait of the Artist's Wife with a Hat by August Macke

Last week I wrote about a newly released fragrance (Acqua di Parma Colonia Club) that fits (for me) into the “old man cologne” category. Today, I’m writing about another men’s perfume that’s been around the block — 1989’s Moods Uomo¹ by Krizia. But unlike Colonia Club, Moods Uomo still has legs. As Bruce Jenner transitioned into Caitlyn Jenner, so Moods Uomo can easily make the transition from a mature-dude perfume into a modern-dame fragrance; the dame can be 25, 35 or older, but she must have retro perfume tastes and wear men’s perfumes with aplomb, not doubt or fear. (I bet many young men wouldn’t like, let alone appreciate, Moods Uomo, unless they’re perfume fanatics who’ve sampled pre-IFRA offerings stretching way back in time.)

Moods Uomo opens with heavy-duty aldehydes, sour greens (there’s a wormwood-like note), and citrus peels. Moods’ opening notes keep percolating as others join in…

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A Celebrity’s Scent: Frida Kahlo & Dana Emir

Posted by Kevin on 1 July 2015 38 Comments

Frida

When I visited Mexico City for the first time, the place I wanted to see more than any other was Frida Kahlo’s house in Coyoacán — the Casa Azul. Since that trip, Casa Azul (Museo Frida Kahlo) has been spruced up, and hidden wonders within its walls discovered: many of Kahlo’s fantastic clothes and other personal belongings — hairbrushes, decorated (and bloodied) orthopedic corsets she used after her many spinal surgeries, Kahlo’s prosthetic leg, sunglasses, lipstick, nail polish (Revlon’s vibrant red “Orchids to You”)…and perfume.

Over the years, I’ve noticed friends sometimes keep empty perfume bottles for years. Often, the perfume was an overseas purchase and couldn’t be easily replaced. Sometimes, the fragrance was extinct or a particular bottle rekindled memories of a certain someone or some place that gave happiness. I was intrigued when I found out Kahlo kept an empty bottle of Dana Emir…

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Guerlain Vague Souvenir ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 28 January 2015 21 Comments

Guerlain Vague Souvenir + peach blossoms

My love of fragrance did not begin by smelling the contents of fancy bottles. I learned to love perfume in the garden. If you’ve read my reviews for any length of time, you may have noticed I often use botanical illustrations to “decorate” my posts; that’s because any perfume that gives me a realistic representation of a beloved natural scent has captured my attention and has a chance at capturing my heart, too.

I grew up in the countryside, and big parts of my childhood were spent outdoors: in flower beds, vegetable gardens, orchards, woods. The bounty of those places found their way into the kitchen, where another facet of my scent education took place (all those fruits, vegetables, spices, vanilla, chocolate, liquor!) To list my favorite fragrance notes would be a laughable exercise; I’ve been smelling everything that crossed my path my entire life…the list would be extensive. Still, the scent of stone fruits would be high on my list…

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Rochas Audace ~ fragrance review

Posted by Angela on 17 November 2014 27 Comments

Rochas Audace advert, 1970s

Last Friday I was leaving Powell’s when a street fashion photographer asked to take my photo. Now, I’m not a particularly fashionable dresser. That afternoon, I was wearing a variety of clashing plaids — a Pendleton skirt and a jacket from a Western wear store in Oklahoma among them, both culled from Goodwill — and a 1940s floral silk scarf. (I will point out that my boots were pretty great, though.) “Me?” I asked the photographer. “This?”

“I like the crazy mix,” she said. “It works.”

That’s how I feel about Rochas Audace. On paper, it reads like a strident jumble of notes. On skin, it works…

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Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Must de Cartier Pour Homme ~ fragrance review

Krizia Moods Uomo ~ fragrance review

A Celebrity’s Scent: Frida Kahlo & Dana Emir

Guerlain Vague Souvenir ~ fragrance review

Rochas Audace ~ fragrance review