Last Minute Shopping – Sephora

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Last Minute Shopping – Sephora

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Hopefully all my readers are safely tucked away, either at home celebrating with loved ones or out enjoying themselves at holiday festivities. For those last minute shoppers, or even for those who carefully plan every gift only to receive an unexpected present from a kind neighbor or co-worker, Sephora is a great choice for an impulse gift. Their stores have tend to have a nice selection of fragrances, as well as numerous non-fragrance items like cosmetics and specialty creams and shampoos.

A friend of mine in France and I were recently comparing notes on Sephora. While the one in my local mall is decent size, one of the Paris Sephora stores measures 2,500 square meters! For the rest of us, that’s equal to 26,910 square feet!!! While I would have no problem picking out a nice gift at my local store, I think I would get lost in the Paris store in the fragrance section alone! But then perhaps that is LVMH’s strategy (yes, they own Sephora as well).

Please check out the photos below for a store by store comparison. I will let you – my discerning reader – determine which is which! Happy Holidays!

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Store #2

 

Diptyque – L’Eau

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Diptyque – L’Eau

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There are many fragrances, beloved though they may be, which are clearly the product of the olfactory fashions of their time. Whether it be an over-abundance of aldehydes, oakmoss or civet, like tiny wrinkles gathering at the corners of a woman’s face, they serve as tell-tale signs of age. I am repeatedly amazed then by the timelessness of certain fragrances and of certain houses, which continue to enchant as the years go by.

While Diptyque came on to the fragrance scene in the 1960s, one would be hard-pressed to tie them to a specific era. Their simple flacons with spare black and white lettering are at once indisputably modern, and yet suggest a bit of Roman antiquity in their designs. No single fragrance in the Diptyque line-up better exemplifies this quality more so than L’Eau, the house’s first personal fragrance which was launched in 1968.

Somewhat ironically named, L’Eau is a somewhat polarizing rendition of pot-pourri, with its rich notes of clove and cinnamon. If you are not a fan of these notes, stop right here, for while they temper over the life of the fragrance, they never dissipate completely. Indeed, the opening is reminiscent of the spice and sizzle of red hots, the tiny heart-shaped candies so popular on Valentine’s Day as an emblem of romantic love. As the fragrance unfurls and warms like branches over a fire, the initial spicy burst mellows into a clove-tinged rose, warmed by the richness of woods. A hint of soapiness gives the fragrance a retro appeal.

L’Eau is without a doubt a cold-weather scent, in part for the associations which the rich notes bring to mind, but also because it can be somewhat cloying in warmer weather. In some respects L’Eau clearly seems like a child of the Sixties, where social boundaries were being broken and wearing pot-pourri would seem très anti-establishment. Every time I catch its lovely spicy scent rising up however I have strong visions of a distant past; of winter hoods trapping the scent of mulled wine and homemade holiday gifts, as the bearer traveled through the cold to personally deliver holiday cheer.

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If one can call what feels like a 500-year old fragrance recipe “retro”, then it is this timeless quality that makes L’Eau so appealing. And similar to other fragrances which contain notes with strong seasonal associations such as this and this, once these notes are seen in a new context, the result is unforgettable. Wearing it today feels supremely modern, much in the way that the pop-art of the mid-1950s still retains a modern edge.

Notes: Cinnamon, Clove, Geranium, Sandalwood, Rose

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Celebrating the Magnificent Bee Bottle

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Image courtesy of Bragmayer and Guerlain

 

For the past 160 years, Guerlain’s Bee Bottle has epitomized luxury and distinction in the world of perfumery. The Bee has served as a long-standing symbol of royalty, but since the day its image was emblazoned upon a bottle of Eau de Cologne Impériale offered to Empress Eugénie, then-wife of Napoleon, it has become nearly synonymous with the venerable House of Guerlain.

It is fitting then that in commemoration of its 160-year anniversary, it is the Bee Bottle itself which will be receiving the royal treatment. Following are links to a short video produced by Guerlain here, as well as a post describing the many new faces of the Bee here. The designs are so special, it is impossible to pick a favorite.

Readers will note that new Bee Bottle collection was not included in my list of favorite holiday gifts posted here earlier this week. While they are certain to be high on anyone’s list after a glimpse, they come with a price tag which is truly fit for royalty!

 

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Fragrant Gift Ideas

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Fragrant Gift Ideas

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We are in the midst of the holiday season! Stores everywhere have decorated themselves, hoping to tempt shoppers into finding the perfect gift within. Below are some of my top picks for the season.

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Yves Saint Laurent Nu is back! Originally launched in 2001, this gorgeous, dusky oriental was sadly discontinued. Nu is one of my favorite incense fragrances and has been in heavy rotation this winter season. Rumored to be a flop in part due to faulty packaging (a metallic, violet-grey hockey puck of a dispenser which sadly leaked) Nu has received an elegant makeover. Let’s hope that the beauty and originality of the Jacques Cavallier creation is still intact. Nu can be purchased directly from the YSl site here.

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Chanel No 5 Intense Bath Oil – this luxurious bath oil scented with one of the most beloved fragrances of all times is deeply nourishing for the skin and feels positively sinful. Add it to the bath or apply directly to the skin for a rich veil of scent. A little goes a long way and since the bath oil comes in a large 8.4 ounce flacon, it could last you for many holidays to come. The last time I checked it was sold out on the Chanel website but was available at my local Nordstrom.

 

 

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Scented candles always make a thoughtful holiday gift, especially if you are uncertain about the recipient’s favorite fragrance (or in the case of many of my readers, she already has too many fragrances!). I have already waxed poetic here on the candles made by Carrière Frères Industrie and this season they have a new Cinnamon candle available here, the perfect scent for creating a warm holiday ambience at home.

Another favorite candle for the home comes from Restoration Hardware. The French Oak scent immediately transports me to the sitting room of a glorious chateau in the Loire Valley, while Belgian Linen has all the elegance and solemnity of a Gothic cathedral at vespers.

 

 

 

Marni by Marni has been one of my favorite releases of the year. A subtle mix of rose and incense, it is a perfect go-to fragrance for all occasions. Marni is joyful enough for holiday mornings spent with friends and family and soft-spoken enough for the office once the reality of the new year beckons. At least you will smell divine once you are back at work! Marni is available at most major department stores.

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Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice

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Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice

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While I had read positive reviews of Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice, it was not a fragrance I held out great hope for. Much less had I expected to become borderline-obsessed with it. The description for this (now discontinued) Eau de Toilette from the inconstant Aqua Allegoria series sounded too much like a gimmick. The fragrance is built around a series of wood accords, including fir and pine, meant to invoke the scents associated with the holiday season. Guerlain then added to this forest fantasy the wintry spice of clove and sweetened it with vanilla and a sugary note. In my mind, I had already conjured images of candle shops at the mall during the holiday season, with teenage salespeople pushing red and green pillars of wax, inlaid with pine cone pieces, while being bombarded with loud holiday music and frantic Christmas shoppers. Needless to say, this did not seem to me like a recipe for anything other than a bad seasonal fragrance.

In my rush to form an impression, I had failed to consider that there might yet be some steam in the venerable Guerlain engine capable of producing something provocative, which is exactly what they did. That being said, Winter Delice is a bit of an odd fragrance. Upon first application, I was hit with a musky, slightly musty sensation that was soon lightened by a fruity accord reminiscent of winter berries on a cold morning. The fragrance warmed to a strong impression of woods very much like those scents we associate with the holidays. For the first few minutes, I struggled against years of cultural associations and the sensation that I could not possibly wear this fragrance on my body unless I planned on dressing as a sugar plum fairy.

And yet, what I had not expected was the drydown: a lovely mix of incense and resin, softened by the powdery sweetness of oppoponax. The fragrance is somewhat strange no doubt, and definitely evokes thoughts of wintery nights before the fireplace. But true to its name, Winter Delice is also delicious, and I found I could not stop smelling myself to catch the warmth of the incense against woods.

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As with several of the other Aqua Allegoria fragrances, Winter Delice was discontinued, although one can sometimes find overpriced minis for sale. Unfortunately for my wallet, I fell in love with this odd, lovely fragrance and have gone through a decant provided by a generous friend rather quickly. Looks like an overpriced mini is in my future.

 

Woody Floral Musk

Notes: Fir; Pine, Resin, Oppoponax, Vanilla, Sugar.

 

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Serge Lutens – Fille en Aiguilles

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Serge Lutens – Fille en Aiguilles

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Vincent Van Gogh

 

It seems unbelievable that December is upon us. Winter calls to mind snowy evenings by the fire with a mug of warm spiced tea, after a brisk walk though a pine forest, where the cold night air traps a scent and suspends it in its icy fingers. And while it may not be even remotely cold where I live, the humidity has diminished, and the thermometer has been gracious enough to dip to the point where my favorite winter scents can make their debut.

Serge Lutens is the master of intellectual perfumes, ones which weave an olfactory story. Fille en Aiguilles is no exception, and yet it creates more a sense of atmosphere than a story alone. But how to create a fragrance based on the notes of pine, incense, candied fruit and spices without creating a cliché?

Released in 2009, Fille en Aiguilles is true to the Lutens/Sheldrake formula of combining disparate notes that cannot possibly belong together in any cogent manner, and turning up their more difficult aspects beyond the point of discomfort until they positively soar. Fille en Aiguilles starts out with a candied fruit note reminiscent of wintry holidays that will feel familiar to Lutens fans. It is rendered here with more subtlety than Arabie or Chypre Rouge, as though the intent were to envelop the wearer in a blanket of comfort rather than provoke or shock.

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The fruit quickly fades to a forest full of pine and fir notes, warmed with wintry spices, which carry on the opening theme of candied fruit. Pine is a note I never imagined loving in a fragrance, as it could so easily become unimaginative, but here it is rendered with such elegance and creativity, it is difficult not to fall under its spell.

Then Fille en Aiguilles, which roughly translates to “girl in stilettos”, shows us her Lutensian edge with a bit of the camphorous halo many of us have come to love, though rendered with far more delicacy than in his explosive Tubereuse Criminelle. Detractors fear not, the effect is subtle and further subdued by beautiful frankincense. The combined effect is stunning, enveloping the wearer in a soft, smoky haze, much like a tender embrace on a cold winter’s night.

Notes: Pine Needles, Vetiver, Sugary Sap, Laurel, Fir Balsam, Frankincense, Candied Fruit, Spice.

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Guerlain – Bouquet de Faunes

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Guerlain – Bouquet de Faunes

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Few fragrances are shrouded in as much mystery as Guerlain’s Bouquet de Faunes. The fragrance, which debuted in 1922, and its singular flacon designed by René Lalique in 1925 (reportedly his first and last for the house due to a clash of egos) is rarer than rare, appearing once in a blue moon in various auction houses, for a sum many times its weight in gold. And yet, miracles do happen (in my case, meeting and befriending a lifelong Guerlain collector), and I was beyond fortunate to secure a bottle for myself.

 

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The little bits of information that I was able to gather about the fragrance over the years could not have possibly prepared me for my first encounter.  The bottle, which was historically available in a few different variations, one with waves (as depicted in the advertisement), then later without, and even rendered in a subtle amethyst in its rarest form, is spectacular. The flacon features a face on each of its shoulders, alternating the visage of a faun with that of a woman, in what appears to be a reference to the face above the entrance at the 68 Champs. The smoky glass just slightly veils the parfum within, the darkest, densest fragrance I have ever laid eyes on, adding to its mystique.

 

The first time I held the bottle in my hands, I was tempted to stop right there: for what could possibly surpass the beauty of this vessel?  I need not have worried. The meticulous nature and creative genius of Jacques Guerlain are immediately noticeable. Knowing that the fragrance was originally created to perfume furs and given the animalic potency of the other fur perfumes and leathers I have tested, I expected to be overpowered by its aroma.

 

Overpowered yes, but by its beauty rather than its strength. While the fragrance undoubtedly possesses a distinct animalic nature, it is rendered in the softest, velvety tones. Much like a perfect symphony is more than the sum of its parts, Bouquet de Faunes creates an overall impression more so than any other vintage Guerlain I have tested to date. Rather than being merely a collection of notes which result in a pleasant smell, Bouquet creates a mood, and imparts a feeling of comfort and well-being. In fact, its warmth reminds me more of a gentle deer faun sleeping peacefully on the rich forest floor, than of the playful, mischievous Pan.

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DECORATION FOR AFTERNOON OF A FAUN – LEON NIKOLAJEWITSCH BAKST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amethyst Bouquet de Faunes, Courtesy of Bragmayer Collection

Amethyst Bouquet de Faunes, Courtesy of Bragmayer Collection

Bouquet is linear to some extent, with no obvious blast of top-notes. It settles fairly quickly on the skin, revealing a beautiful melange of subtle floral notes and light animalic accords. While Bouquet reveals soft hints of jasmine, civet and the slight oiliness of castoreum (with perhaps a hint of patchouli), the main impression is that of warm, shadowy cloves, which are portrayed here with a softness not unlike the cloves in Caron’s Bellodgia. While Bouquet smells like no other fragrance I have ever encountered, it does share some similarities with other Guerlains. From Jicky, it inherited the silky, slightly icy quality, which is tempered here by the plush velvet richness of Shalimar. Its soft powder is rivaled only by L’Heure Bleue, but here we see it rendered in low, muted whispers.

 

Bouquet is without question one of Guerlain’s greatest masterpieces, a tribute to its creator Jacques Guerlain. While I wish beyond hope that this beauty would be more accessible (I even considered not reviewing it due to its rarity), I fear what the result would be given the severe restrictions on perfume materials and the current state of Guerlain fragrances. I fear I will have to content myself with taking surreptitious whiffs of the fragrance and dreaming of its jasmine sister.

 

Notes: Floral Notes, Animalic Notes, Clove

Bouquet and Jasmine Bouquet, Courtesy of the Bragmayer Collection

Bouquet and Jasmine Bouquet, Courtesy of the Bragmayer Collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thank You

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Thank You

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Just a quick post today to express my gratitude to my readers and friends. The exploration of fragrances is something best shared, and there are many of you who have taught me much. Your support and encouragement means so much to me and I am deeply grateful. I will be back tomorrow with a post about a fragrance I am supremely fortunate to have encountered, so please check back. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Guerlain – La Petite Robe Noire

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Guerlain – La Petite Robe Noire

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Long have I put off reviewing this fragrance. In part, because I strive to give a fragrance ample time to reveal its charms, because we are all familiar with those loves that creep up on us unexpectedly. Not so with La Petite Robe Noire, released by Guerlain in 2009, at the hands of resident parfumeur Thierry Wasser. In all honesty, this fragrance never stood a chance. The name, a reference to the ubiquitous little black dress which is a must have in any woman’s wardrobe, felt like coercion: if you have only one perfume, it must be this one. The little black dress will make you instantly chic, instantly irresistible to every man in sight. You and every other woman on the planet.

Second, and a far worse offense, was the bottle. The beloved, inverted-heart Guerlain flacon, home to the hauntingly beautiful L’Heure Bleue and ground-breaking Mitsouko was “enhanced” with a cartoon drawing of a little black dress, presumably to lend a modern flair to the bottle. The fragrance was then marketed with a bizarre black caricature of a disjointed stick woman. The result was cartoonish and immature. My reaction the first time I beheld it was akin to seeing graffiti on the Louvre: it felt like the defacement of a monument. Finally, it felt like La Petite Robe Noire was intentionally everywhere. Gone was the magic of Guerlain: the sense of sophistication and genteel exclusivity.

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I pushed these thoughts out of my mind and tried to form an unbiased impression of the scent. The opening reveals a dense, syrupy sweetness of synthetic black cherry, which has been described by many as reminiscent of Cherry Coke. Not being a fan of many fruity florals, the opening was difficult to endure, though subtle hints of anise waved a fan of promise. In what seemed like the ultimate irony, La Petite Robe Noir smells hot pink not black. As the sweetness subsided, a slight hint of smoky black tea signals the first turn for the interesting the fragrance takes.

The drydown, a dusky sweetened patchouli, left me somewhat confused.  It seemed to bear no relation to the uber-girly opening and in fact seemed quite masculine in its execution. I preferred it to the opening, as it possessed a certain relative subtlety, but it seemed out of place in the composition. I also found it oddly similar to Bois d’Armenie, as though Guerlain had run out of ideas. No Guerlinade in sight, or perhaps worse still, this odd woody patchouli is the new Guerlinade.

All in all, La Petite Robe Noire seems like a poor knock-off of Coco Mademoiselle with a touch of Lolita Lempicka (and about a pound of sugar) for good measure. My intense love of Guerlain scents, with a few exceptions, has diminished a notch with each release after Samsara. Unless the house gets some new ideas soon (hint: bring back Mathilde Laurent), I fear that this may be the end, with a full stop.

Fruity Floral

Notes: Black Cherry, Black Rose, Patchouli, Smoked Tea

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Reminder

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Reminder

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Just a quick reminder to all to set your clocks, watches and sundials for the Guerlain mini-tour scheduled for today at 5:30PM Paris time. The link can be accessed here or directly from the Guerlain site.