True Religion for Men, Billy Jealousy Illicit and Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Malt ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Kevin on 27 May 2009 40 Comments

True Religion for Men

It’s a lot harder to find a good-fitting pair of jeans than it is a ‘good-fitting’ cologne. My house is full of jeans that no longer make the cut (except for gardening duty) — jeans that are too: short, faded, loose, “deconstructed” or embellished for my own good (and the good of innocent onlookers). It’s hard to find a slim-tailored pair of dark blue jeans that have not been abraded, faded/bleached, embroidered, ripped or whiskered. True Religion Brand Jeans are not ‘me’, but what about the new True Religion for Men cologne?

As usual, the company description of True Religion for Men is confusing and unintentionally amusing…

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Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte ~ fragrance review

Posted by Robin on 8 May 2009 91 Comments

cristalle-2 Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte perfume

The smart thing to do after I received a sample of Chanel’s new Cristalle Eau Verte would have been to have worn it for a few days on its own, and that was my plan. I haven’t got that much will power apparently: within 5 minutes of spraying it on, I’d put the original 1974 Cristalle Eau de Toilette on my other hand, and pretty soon I’d put a dab of the 1993 Cristalle Eau de Parfum farther up my arm, and was busy comparing the three.

The new Cristalle Eau Verte, by Chanel perfumer Jacques Polge, promised to retain the “original honeysuckle accord” of Cristalle and to add magnolia (other notes: lemon, bergamot, neroli, jasmine, and abstract white flowers). There wasn’t any reason to think it would have much to do with the earlier versions, and of course it doesn’t. I don’t know the sales figures for the 1974 Cristalle (a long-time favorite of mine) vs. the 1993 Eau de Parfum, but I would guess the Eau de Parfum is the bigger seller of the two, and that the original Eau de Toilette is no longer viable in the regulatory sense anyway, what with oakmoss and citrus being limited.¹

Considered on its own merits, Chanel Eau Verte is quite nice…

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Annick Goutal Des Lys ~ fragrance review

Posted by Angela on 13 April 2009 89 Comments

Natural Curls Annick Goutal Des Lys fragrance

Last night in a fit of optimism, I packed my winter sweaters and heavy wool skirts into plastic tubs and hauled them to the basement. Out came the cotton dresses and print blouses. Naturally, this morning was chilly, and I see rain splashing into the birdbath outside my window as I write. It’s the cold edge of spring. I want a perfume that is an antidote to the amber, leather, tobacco, and vanilla I’ve been wearing for months. I want something that hints at warm days to come and smells like the air outside: crisp, floral, and green. This is when I reach for Annick Goutal Des Lys Eau de Toilette.

A lily’s fragrance is potent. This has advantages and disadvantages. The pure, thick scent of just one stem of Stargazer lilies on the mantel will steamroll over the odor of dank carpets or an overfull litter box. Within a minute of coming into a room, guests will say, “It smells good in here.” At the same time, lilies can overtake a space, giving it the feel of funeral parlor and fighting with the smell of dinner in the other room. After an hour, guests may well ask for aspirin…

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Lazy Tuesday poll ~ St Patrick’s Day edition

Posted by Robin on 17 March 2009 206 Comments

green

A few years back I did a list of green fragrances in honor of St Patrick's Day. Today, let's do a mash-up of green fragrances + an open thread: name a green fragrance you like, then go ahead and talk about whatever else you want to talk about (ask a question, tell us what perfume you're wearing, the last scent you bought, whatever). Then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer.

I'm wearing Annick Goutal's very green Mandragore…

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Byredo Green ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 26 February 2009 61 Comments

Green

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I’m surrounded all year by the colors, and scents, of greenery — evergreen trees and shrubs, green lawns (even in January). But there are cold-winter greens (often dark colored, dull, and chilled into scentlessness by frigid temperatures), and then there are spring and early-summer new-growth greens — vivid, dewy fresh and fragrant with zingy juices. Call me sappy — give me springtime and summery greens and lots of them.

I’m a big fan of ‘green’ perfumes: I like sharp and punchy pure-green fragrances (full of leafy, stem-y, grassy notes). I like citrus-y green colognes too; even high-pitched floral-green scents appeal to me. And if a green perfume turns ‘soft’ or ‘wilts’ in the dry-down due to a touch of musk, that’s usually OK — as long as the green notes linger a good while, even in a spectral fashion.

Byredo Green, developed by perfumer Jerôme Epinette, contains sage, petitgrain, jasmine, rose, violet, honeysuckle, vanilla, sweet almond and musk…

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True Religion for Men, Billy Jealousy Illicit and Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Malt ~ fragrance reviews