Chanel: Coco Noir

Hold up- what?! Coco...Noir? Two words that are music to my ears!
I cant believe my luck, Chanel are attempting to answer one of my secret prayers with the new release of Coco Noir and I'm chomping at the bit to get my mitts on this one!

The newest additional to Chanel's line of stellar and legendary fragrances was inspired by Jacques Polge's visions of exploring Venice at night. The sexy new creation is steeped in baroque history and is described as mysterious, adventurous, and dark. Poised between Coco and Coco Mademoiselle, the fragrance will feature top notes of grapefruit, bergamot, orange. The heart composed of sensual notes of  jasmine, rose, geranium and patchouli are rounded at the base with tonka bean, white musk, incense, vanilla and sandalwood.

An elegant black glass bottle completes the aesthetic of Coco Noir, keeping the familiar square shaped glass flacon that just exudes class and luxury.


Coco Noir will be available from Farmers on September 2nd, 2012. Prices to come when more details are available.

Venice at Night

Lady Gaga: Fame

Lady Gaga is due to release her first fragrance "Fame" in August 2012 for the US market and tentatively, October 2012 at Farmers for New Zealand. Just in time for Halloween and we cant wait!

The fragrance is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated perfumes on the celebuscent scene and has some pretty clever twists to it.

"Innovative technology allows this first ever black Eau de Parfum to turn invisible once airborne. This black-to-clear patent-pending fluid technology is a fantastic innovation that will be unveiled simultaneously with Lady Gaga Fame".

As to the scent itself, it sounds like a honeyed, fruity floral with a twist of dark herbaceous-ness.

"Lady Gaga Fame is based on push-pull technology, a unique aromatic structure that makes the ingredients interact to accentuate various aspects of each note simultaneously -- unlike the traditional fragrance pyramid -- and allows the scent to achieve a genuine metamorphosis. It’s unique because it’s not pyramidal with a top, middle and bottom note,” he said. “It has a trampoline structure — notes are rising at different rates that are quite random. Some accords will come out if you rub it, other accords will come out later. It has random propulsion and doesn’t have a classic linear drydown. We call it push-pull, and it will smell different on different people. There is a different volatility for different notes, and they’re of differing strengths. They work together harmoniously, but then they undergo metamorphosis on the skin, so you’re constantly surprised".

The fragrance is composed of three accords: dark, sensual, and light. The dark accord, which was inspired by the poisonous plant Belladonna that belongs to the Solanaceae family, evolves into an opulent and sensual accord of honey, saffron and apricot nectar. And finally, the light accord, composed of a rich floral scent of crushed Tiger Orchid and Jasmine Sambac, depicts timeless beauty, completing this fragrance composed of floral and fruity elements."

Fame is an Eau de Parfum which will be available in 3 sizes: 100ml (dubbed "The Ultimate Masterpiece"), 50ml, 30ml and a 10ml rollerball. Prices range from $79-$19 (USD).

Prices in NZD to be confirmed closer to the projected October release at Farmers.

The Many Faces of Miss Dior Cherie- The EDP's

Due to Dior's insane method of naming and reformulating fragrances, there is much confusion surrounding the many versions of Miss Dior Cherie. To help you find your way through the wilderness of Miss Dior's, here is a quick guide to finding the fragrance you want.

1. Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum 2005

This is the original Miss Dior Cherie EDP, the most coveted among the Cherie's that has those delectable caramel popcorn and strawberry notes. All you need to remember when searching for this bottle, is that the name is engraved in silver on the front of the bottle.

2. Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum 2007 Reformulation

This is the 2nd version and is slightly reformulated. You can tell this bottle apart from the first one by the paper label on the front of the bottle which has replaced the silver engraving, and of course the slight change in scent.

3. Miss Dior Eau de Parfum 2011

As you may have noticed, they changed the name! Miss Dior Cherie is now known as Miss Dior. Not only the name has changed - the formulation has changed too.

4. Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum 2011 Couture Edition

This was a special edition that is the same as the new Miss Dior, but has the identifying cosmetic characteristic of having a fabric bow instead of silver.

Guerlain: La Petite Robe Noire

Very exciting news for Guerlain fans- I have received word from the lovely Kay at Kirkcaldies, that La Petite Robe Noire is coming to little old NZ! At this stage the release is looking like it could be in time for the 2012 Christmas season.

For now, lets take a look at whats in that cute little bottle...

Launched in 2009 and created by Thierry Wasser, La Petite Robe Noire translates as "Little Black Dress" and  is a flirty, fanciful fragrance with notes of cherry, patchouli, berries, almond, smoked black tea, tonka, licorice and vanilla. Presented in the same shaped bottle as the legendary L'Heure Bleue and Mitsouko, it features a whimsical sketch of a little black dress on a graduating purple-to-pink hue front.

More details to come later...

Truth or Dare by Madonna Review

Truth or Dare pays homage to Madonna's mother, and is an obvious reference to the heavy hitting tuberose-laden Fracas by Robert Piguet, the fragrance her mother wore. It incorporates another favourite scent- gardenia. Madonna wanted to recreate the memory of how her mother smelled to her, and with the help of perfumer Stephen Nilsen, she's done a good job of translating this olfactive memory into a modern day fragrance. It plays up the religious influence of her name and Catholic upbringing, with a bottle designed to resemble a flacon of Holy Water and the resinous aspects of church incense.

Truth
Like an opening night performance, she starts off with a blast- in this case tuberose and white florals that are bold and emblazoned, but not suffocating. The tuberose misses the mark to create the well rounded buttery quality that replicates Fracas, feeling somewhat thin and engineered. While 'thin' usually signals 'cheap', like almost anything Madonna touches, it has managed to translate into shiny and new. Much like taking scraps of raggy lace and rubber typewriter bands and turning them into fashion statements and tools of empowerment. You don't feel cheated, but you're aware that we are indeed living in a material world and money inevitably has the last say when it comes to accessibility. Madonna even admitted this is what kept her from arriving earlier in the fragrance realm, emphasizing that there were issues around creating something that was quality enough to bear her name, yet affordable in the mass market that she could stand behind.
The gardenia appears green and waxy, spread a bit too thin to be lush- but there's so much going on, that you're still entertained. Like the entertainer, she may be a bit thin on vocal ability, but she sure knows  how to put on a hell of a show and make it work. Orange Blossom lends its fullness, and spicy lily nips at your nose unexpectedly, imparting a kick of peppery heat to keep the florals from becoming too heady. It reins in the tuberose and tries to tame the indolic jasmine that seems to take center stage- much like the 10yr old Madonna wearing a swimsuit and neon paint, go-go dancing at a school recital under a black light. Parents were horrified, and anyone who doesn't know what real jasmine is will be too. Indolic jasmine can smell like mothballs and in this fragrance, it acts as a conductor, sending vapours out in exhausted, forceful pants like the last vocals of Love Don't Live Here Anymore. This is where the fragrance seems to linger most, in a stage of suspended animation while the crowd screams for more, then hushes in anticipation of the spoken message.

Madonna Snr / Madonna

Dare
Without darkness there can be no light, and Truth or Dare creates a tangible example.
Resinous amber and benzoin lurk beneath the florals, giving it a dusty, (easily interpreted as powdery) vintage and austere feel to it. If you let your imagination go, you can almost feel the heavy, hard uncomfortable pews in church, designed to keep you upright and reminded that Christ endured and so must you. Yet, like a well-delivered sermon, its heavy and weightless all at once, sunken and concealed beneath the florals giving a dimension of depth, yet buoyant to keep them uplifted towards the light. The two opposites of light and dark, fluid and unmoving, create an intriguing duality that validates the seemingly corny name, rendering it wholly apt.

Skin musks and vanilla absolute buffer the zone between the two, never becoming individually obvious, instead interacting as necessary shepherds throughout the transitioning of the two extremes. The vanilla sweetens up the composition from top to bottom, making the white floral's appear juicy and succulent.

As the fragrance dries down, the benzoin and amber become more prominent and linger like the last wisps of smoke from a censer, somewhat textured and scratchy.
Sillage and longevity are reasonable. Despite being loud at first unleashing, it smooths out within minutes and unless you douse yourself in it, it should be easy enough to wear without offending.

Truth or Dare is a well crafted fragrance that isn't dumbed down for the masses. In fact, many of the masses can be heard with their protests of "old lady smell" which translates into "mature". It has the facets of a classic with a fresh and modern interpretation that should enjoy a long shelf life, providing an alternative to the sugar laden nose candy offered up by other celebs. Madonna can take a bow for a job well done, she has managed to convey the sentiment for which she strove and balanced it perfectly with her strong, persuasive, brashy-to-classy style.

Truth or Dare will be available exclusively at Farmers from May 28.

30/50ml/75ml Eau de Parfum, 200ml Body Lotion, 200ml Shower Gel

Bye Bye Gucci....

You may or may not have heard, but the latest victims to fall on the discontinued pile are from the house of Gucci.

Gucci's Creative Director, Frida Giannini has a new vision for the brand, which does not include some of our favourite Gucci scents.

On the chopping block are:

Gucci Eau de Parfum
Gucci Eau de Parfum II
Gucci Envy
Gucci Envy Me
Gucci Envy Me 2
Gucci Pour Homme
Gucci Pour Homme II
Gucci Rush
Gucci Rush 2


Now, to be fair, some of the bottles are outdated and definitely do not fit the new glamour of Gucci and Rush has to be one of the ugliest, cheap-looking bottles out there- but one would have hoped they would be simply be re bottled and re branded.

We cant be too sure when the axe will fall, some of these fragrances are still on our shelves. But its probably wise to start stockpiling your favourites now and not wait until they've gone before you start to panic and pay inflated prices on Ebay.

The Scent of Madonna...

Update 23/03/2012: Farmers has confirmed they will have the exclusive launch for this fragrance in NZ around May 28!

Well, she does it ...again- this May.

Madonna is finally joining the cult of celebrity fragrances and in collaboration with perfume giant Coty and perfumer Stephen Nilson, her debut fragrance, Truth or Dare will be released globally in May of 2012.

The fragrance is presented in what appears to be an opaque, milky coloured glass flacon, reminiscent of a flask of holy water, marked only with a logo comprising of the letter M and a cross above it. The scent itself is said to be a white floral with notes of  gardenia, tuberose, neroli, jasmine and lily, with a contrasting dark side of benzoin, vanilla, caramelized amber and musk.

Madonna took inspiration from her mother's perfume:

“I have always been obsessed by fragrance and for years wanted to create something personal that was an expression of me, but that other people could relate to as well. Something classical and timeless and yet modern. My oldest memory of my mother is her perfume. I carry it with me everywhere. She always smelled like gardenias and tuberose, an intoxicating mixture [that was] feminine and mysterious. I wanted to re-create this scent, but with something fresh and new about it as well. Something honest and yet daring—hence the name Truth or Dare” said Madonna to WWD.

The name Truth or Dare is a reprised title, from a documentary style movie released in 1991 that chronicles Madonna's sellout Blond Ambition tour. (The alternate title "In Bed With Madonna" was used in some non-US countries.) It is also the name of Madonna's new lifestyle brand that will include lingerie, footwear, fashion accessories and of course, fragrance.
Madonna and her daughter Lourdes already have an established fashion line called Material Girl, however the Truth or Dare enterprise will be targeted at the more mature 25-50 age group.

Truth or Dare  Eau de Parfum will be available in 30, 50 and 75mls and exclusive to Macy's from mid-March, 2012. We can expect to see it in New Zealand around May 28th.

A first look at the print advertising for the Truth or Dare fragrance. The global release date has been brought forward to April 2012.

Spray Wars- The Celebrities Fight Back

Its been a while since I've hit the pavement and had myself a sniffathon- but this week, I managed to muster the energy and touch base at all my favourite stores. Unfortunately, there really wasn't much out there, much less one that grabbed me instantly- but what was shocking, was the amount of celebscents everywhere and not only that- there are still more to come!

My little birdy at Farmers told me, that August and beyond will bring some new releases in time for Spring- however the lineup is looking rather celeb-heavy:

-Rihanna: Reb'l Fleur
-Justin Beiber: Someday
-Sean John: Empress
-Jennifer Aniston: The Debut Fragrance
-Taylor Swift: Wonderstruck

It is also confirmed that we will also be getting the debut Jimmy Choo fragrance and Prada's teen-focused "Candy".

Lollipop Splash- Mariah Carey

 

Three cute, new Mariah Carey fragrances are due for release by Elizabeth Arden, which are flankers to Mariah Carey's romantically themed Lollipop Bling line.

The new collection- "Lollipop Splash- The Remixes" will each be affectionately named after three of Mariah's songs and presented in the familiar 30ml butterfly bottles.
 
The trio of gourmand fruity florals are:

Vision of Love:  Purple Jasmine and French Macarons
Inseparable: Raspberry, Mango, Pear, Jasmine and Orange Blossom
Never Forget You: Gourmet Jelly Beans and Golden Peony

Lollipop Splash- The Remixes will be released sometime during July of 2011 for the U.S. market. There is no confirmed date for the New Zealand release, but we can expect to see them in early Spring.

I Fancy You: Jessica Simpson [New Release]

Jessica Simpson fans will be pleased to hear that Parlux will be releasing a new flanker to Jessica's Fancy line in July 2011 for the U.S. market.

In keeping with the Fancy theme, Jessica's fourth fragrance "I Fancy You" is said to be a light floral fragrance with notes of Fuji apple, tuberose and sandalwood.

Not exactly a lot to go on, but I am anticipating it will be a fresh  fragrance which will be perfect for Spring down under.
I cant say the name is very catchy or inspiring, but I am looking forward to trying this one out. Her fragrances seem to be well crafted and of good quality in terms of staying power, fullness, and price.

This is the only peek we have at the fragrance for now- it looks like they might be going for fairytale-esque theme on this one.

What do you think?

I Fancy You is an EDP which will be available in 50 and 100mls. It will not be sold in retail stores in New Zealand, but easily acquired from most online stores and Ebay.

Update 17 June 2011: 

New press material has been released for the debut of I Fancy You, featuring an ethereal, fresh faced Simpson swathed in white light. The theme suggests fresh and clean, and the early buzzings from those who have tried it lean towards a clean and airy fruity floral. The bottle is silver toned and adorned with butterflies and hearts.

Clearly not jaded despite her many mishaps in her unfruitful relationships, love still plays a big part in the inspiration for Jessica who told Seventeen Magazine: “This floral scent is romantic and feminine and conjures up the feelings of a first love that makes you realize that love can last forever,”

Purr by Katy Perry

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance purchase of Purr before it hit the shelves on May 2nd, and from the moment I sprayed it- I knew it was going to be a huge hit in NZ. Apart from the gorgeous bottle, (which by the way, you NEED in your collection) it was clear that this obligatory fruity-floral was not going to disappoint the target market of teens and 20-somethings.

Little did I realise, it was going to be a hit for grown-up girls too.

Usually I am wound up with excitement when I am afforded an advance purchase, but for this one- I was not. And believe it or not, I'm a Katy fan! In fact, I must hold the world record for listening to the Teenage Dream album over and over- even my Miss 14 asked me to stop playing it. The phrase "I'm 'a get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans" embarrassingly, became part of my vocabulary.But as it stands, I was officially bored and unimpressed with Purr at first whiff, and I was disappointed that Katy had said she created something unique, and had failed to deliver.

Now dont get me wrong, the bottle had me drooling and I petted that thing like it were a real pet, after all, its just so gosh-darn cute. But the juice simply failed to register a pulse. At first sniff, it was all about the fresh n fruity. Freesia, apple, aquatic greens, fruity sweetness tinged with coconut, jasmine and a typical vanilla musk finish. To its credit, the sweetness was not as sugary as I anticipated, but the whole thing came off as very Victoria's Secret body spritz-ish or a sub-creation of the Harajuku-Lovers collection. Its interesting to note that Katy was inspired by Gwen Stefani and had nothing but complimentary things to say of Gwen's Harajuku line. She also touched on how she felt there was still room in the market for her fragrance and that she was involved in every stage of creating Purr, and even sketched the design of the bottle herself, right down to the crystal eyes and the charm around the neck. She stressed that she didn't want anything overpowering and was a former wearer of the Victoria's Secret spritzes, and these influences are definitely present in her creation.
At this point I had concluded it was a nice scent, a good balance of freshness with fruit and flowers, but nothing to get the heart racing and it would probably only be worn if I needed a spritz after sweating up a storm vacuuming the house.

Flash forward to a few days later and my daughter and I were gearing up for the ultimate Katy experience- to see her in concert. I chose to wear Fleurs D'Oranger and she wore Purr. I had heard that part of the show's sensory experience was to have the scent of cotton candy fill the auditorium. (By the way, it smelled more like vanilla Play-Doh than cotton candy.) It did cross my mind that they might pump Purr through the vents, and to be honest I was dreading the thought of being trapped in a cloud of it. However, on the ride to the venue, I was suddenly struck by my daughters sillage. Wow!

This stuff was almost unrecognizable as the same perfume I myself had tried and dismissed. While it still retained the fresh florals and fruit, it had morphed into buttery, sweet and smooth once paired with the skin of a 14yr old. In fact this stuff should be illegal to sell to anyone under 18- if I was drawn in to sniff at my kids neck and had to stop myself from biting her, imagine what its going to do to a 14yr old boy! *cue parental panic* I couldn't believe this fruity little fresh scent actually had some claws to it. Who would have thought? Granted, its claws are not going to shred curtains, but it has enough of a hook to hang on and draw you closer to that purring mass of buttery, sweet softness. After trying it again on myself, I managed to coax out that enticing drydown and experience it on my own skin. Its funny how being a bystander can present undiscovered facets of a fragrance you wouldn't necessarily recognise on yourself.

Purr is a coy but playful scent and while its not terribly unique or inspiring, it does have a shape-shifter quality with the ability to enchant even the most cynical of critics and soften the edges of any criticism.

The Katy Perry Aftermath

Katy Perry has certainly captured little NZ with her debut scent, in fact I have never seen a fragrance fly off the shelves since Britney Spears' Fantasy hit our shores. Purr is incredibly popular right now, and its not just the target demographic that is loving it, grown up girls are enjoying it too. Its rare you have a fragrance like this, that appeals to a broader age group.

For me, its a case of curiosity killed the cat- but satisfaction brought it back.
 

Katy Perry- Let us Purr...

 

Good news girls- Katy Perry "Purr" is due to be released in NZ on Monday, May 2nd at Farmers! Which is fabulous timing as the purry one herself, will soon be in little old Aotearoa for the NZ leg of her California Dreams Tour.

No word yet if she will be personally launching her fragrance with a store event, its highly unlikely as we would have heard about it by now. But let us purr at that gorgeous bottle and whet our appetites with a little teaser...

Predictably, Purr will be a flirty fruity floral, aimed at the tween market and according to www.katyperrybeauty.co.uk, will feature notes of:
 
".....juicy sweet peach nectar freshened with dewy green bamboo and crunchy forbidden apple leading us down to a floral garden of white jasmine blossom, hot pink freesia and Bulgarian roses. All of this is then enveloped in exotic indulgent tones of vanilla orchid, warm white amber, creamy sandalwood and nuzzling skin musks".


The bottle was inspired by Katy's fetish for all things cat-cute and I have to say, its a stunner! If the juice doesnt appeal, the bottle surely will.

Purr Eau de Parfum will be available at Farmers from May 2nd, with the 50ml reasonably priced at $90 and 100ml at $118. Read my full review here.

Habanita by Molinard

Habanita was created in 1921 as a fragrance to scent cigarettes. Apparently, it was a bottle of perfume containing a glass rod for applying the fragrance to the cigarette. Obviously this was before cigarettes were known to be cancer-causing sticks of death and before anyone questioned the safety of sucking perfume chemicals directly into your body. By 1924, Habanita was exalted to perfume status and marketed as a fragrance for women and 90 years on, its still a classy broad.

Habanita was the most fortunate discovery 2010 for me. I had heard a lot about this iconic fragrance, but I have to admit, I was litte worried about the notes. Im not partial to chypres and the combination of green and leather is not all that appealing to me. But the reviews on this had me salivating and wanting to try that baby powder+vanilla+tobacco+sweet spices combination for myself.

Quite simply- Habanita is a bombshell. She's strong, sensual, dark and very much self assured. She starts off enticing you with her sweet side, then ensares you with her conniving dark side. Theres something glamourous and sexy about this smouldering concoction that brings to mind an elegant femme fatale, smoking a cigarette in a long holder, dressed in a black flapper dress with fishnet stocking and fur coat. She's the kinda gal that every man in the room would walk on hot coals for, just to light her cigarette. I cant help but aiken Habanita to one of my favourite fictional characters- Velma Kelly (the Catherine Zeta-Jones version), they both seem to perfectly made for each other. Realistically but equally, its probably something the legendary "Brooksie" would have worn.

The powdery, vanilla-tinged spiciness, reminiscent of sweet pipe tobacco, is what grabs my attention first. In fact it pretty much jumped out at me from the moment I opened the box.
A slightly sugared amalgamation of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg with a dusting of what smells like vanilla-tinged baby powder. It definitely has a vintage feel to it but somehow it manages to stay out of the "old lady" territory. Its always a good sign when a fragrance is tenacious enough to penetrate your nostrils before you even take it out of the box- it signals that you are going to get your money's worth.  Smelling deeper, a suede-like leather makes its entrance. Smooth and buttery, it reminds me of those leather satchel-type handbags from the 70's. Embossed with designs on the front lapel and the silver t-shaped clasp that you twisted to fasten it. Galbanum and vetiver- green, earthy and smoky make an appearance but they are very well placed in this fragrance and reign in the sweetness without sucking the moisture out of it.
I love the combination of the earthy, smoky green and leather with the powder and spices, they simply absorb each other like a thirsty sponge to become one.

The sillage and longevity are incredible for an EDT. Its enough to bowl you over and the longer it wears, the more divine it becomes. Warm, spicy, smoky and sweet- the perfect combination for Autumn or Winter.
The bottle itself desrves a special mention- an art-deco inspired Lalique bottle, heavy black glass with what looks like some kind of egyptian depiction at first glance, but which are actually water nymphs. The only gripe I have with the bottle however, is that it tends to leak from the base of the gold sprayer. This is one you will not be able to carry in your handbag and will have to store upright at all times. The lid is also a bit tacky, with that gorgeous heavy black glass bottle, they have given it a cheap plastic lid that has been painted gold. Because of the leaking from the base of the sprayer, my plastic lid has been eaten at by the fragrance and looks nasty. However, these flaws aside, its one of the most gorgeous perfume bottles I have come across.

If you can appreciate Tabu, Habanita will be sure to please. The two are not unlike, however Habanita is much more complex with the contrasting addition of green and leather notes. There is also a persisting similarity to Tom Ford's Black Orchid, sharing the same dark gourmand theme and incredible sillage. It's almost as if Tom took his inspiration from Habanita, and gave her a chauvinistic makeover- removing the leather and and replacing it with flowers- toning down the powder and rolling her in the dirt.

Habanita can easily be found on Ebay or online E-Tailers at very affordable prices. This makes it an absolute bargain. My 100ml EDT set me back $64 NZD and that included shipping.

Perfume Dreams- Eau de Toilet?

Last night I had a ridiculous dream. I was in a department store among a large display of fragrance and body products. For some reason, the perfume ancillary to this dream collection was perched high atop a tower of boxes of lotions and shower gels. I couldnt reach it and I kept thinking to myself "Why would they place it so high out of reach?" The male Sales Assistant was in the toilet and it was frustrating to know he was taking a dump while I was needing his assitance.
It didnt stop me from jumping up and trying to snatch this fragrance from its lofty perch.
In my impatience, I managed to get it down by toppling a couple of boxes underneath it, then catching the bottle as it tumbled down. When I had it in my hands, I realised it was a bottle of Niki de Saint Phalle, however the bottle was shaped liked the Tabu cello although it was still cobalt blue.
(Yesterday I received a bottle of Niki in the mail, so was probably riffing off that.) Applying it, I dont remember much of the smell, but I remembering thinking that it was so much nicer than when I first tried it, and that it was an amazing clean scent and I could understand how my friend said it was her favourite. (I actually do have a friend who holds Niki de Saint Phalle as her favourite perfume ever.)
But the strange thing was, it smelled like my beloved Nuit de Cellophane with a bubblegum sweetness.

Just as I was browsing the rest of the display, the SA came out of the toilet and started bugging me, watching, hovering, and generally being a silent nuinsance in my peripheral vision.
Everytime I picked something up, I felt had to explain to him why I was picking it up and what I thought of the item. I was feeling insecure that he thought I was being a pesky customer and wasnt serious about perfume.
So I pick up this hideous glass ornament, it was like a large glass pebble but inside it was full of water and had some tiny pebbles and some fake coral to look like the bottom of the sea. I told him that this would go so well with my L de Lolita as they share the same theme and aesthetic.

And thats it. 

Maybe there is some divine prophecy that is not apparent to me. Or I could just be crazy.

Calanques by L'Occitane

I have to confess, when I first when I saw this fragrance, I didn't have high hopes for it. I was expecting something along the lines of Davidoff's Cool Water, or some other unisex, aquatic  fragrance, rampant amongst the perfume counters from November through February every year.

I cant say I was completely captivated by it at first sniff, because it was pretty much what I thought it would be; ozonic, cold, unisex, and aquatic. But for some reason, I kept thinking about it, trying to recreate it in my scent memory. Whilst it was a predictable summer fragrance, there was something about that that set it apart from the other ozone/aquatics I compared it to. What was it exactly? I had to find out, so went back to L'occitane for a sniff.... and ended up buying it on the spot.

Calanques is the french word for inlet, and L'Occitane has given us the uncanny ability to be transported to the south of France with just one sniff. The inspiration for the fragrance came from the the Mediterannean Sea inlets, the vegetation and the ensconcing white limestone cliffs. Forget beach umbrellas, coconuts, tropical fruit, bikinis and crowded beaches- this is an intimate journey to a hideaway Mediterranean beach, Population: You.

From the first spray, one experiences a salty ocean spray. Its so authentic, its as if you have just emerged from a dip in the ocean, with the scent of the briny waters clinging to your cold, goose-bumped skin. Theres no musk here, nor suntan lotion. Just pure, salt water, tinged with the balsamic scent of pine needles and sticky cypress trees. The choice of using these two trees in combination with salt water is utter genius- THIS is what the beach smells like.

Tolaga Bay Wharf- New Zealand

It brings to life the memories of me as a kid, tip-toeing through a carpet of pine needles to get to the public toilets on the beach at Tolaga Bay- clutching at the gnarled and knotted pine tree trunks to keep my balance as I shivered beneath a raggy towel. These trees were gigantic, they creaked like an old, sagging house, the sheer size of them casting an ominous shadow-canopy that eerily contrasted with the sun-drenched shore only meters away. A green note of samphire (also known as sea-asparagus) lends a cucumber-esque vegetal freshness that is predictable, but it works well amongst the salt and trees. Citrus notes of amalfi lemon coupled with the salty water notes add a brightness to evoke sparkling waters so real, you can almost hear the lazy splishes of the water lapping at the shore.

There really are no stand out notes in this composition, its a flawless blend of such simple, yet deeply evocative ingredients of nature. Lasting power is pretty darn good for an EDT, lasting a good 5-6 hours.

Calanques is what I would call an organic scent rather than a perfume. Its perfectly unisex without being overtly masculine or feminine. After all, the beach has no gender, so why should a olfactory reconstruction have one too? What I really love about this fragrance is the uncanny ability to be transported back in time, to recapture memories of days at the beach on the East Coast. I've never been to a beach where you smell coconuts and fruit, yet this is what has been dished up to us every summer for years- so its somewhat liberating to finally be given the real deal without the airbrushing and soft focus lens.

For me, nothing evokes summer more than Calanques and its authentic briny scent.

Calanques EDT is a Limited Edition fragrance available from L'Occitane and retails at $66 NZD for 50mls.

Joy by Jean Patou

Joy was once billed as the worlds most costliest fragrance back in the 30's, after the stockmarket crash of 1929. Created in 1929 a mere 30mls of parfum contains no less than 10,000 jasmine flowers and over 300 roses. Rumour has it that it hasnt been reformulated since its inception, which in this day and age with the IFRA going crazy banning this and that from our beloved perfumes, is almost hard to believe.

I have been intrigued by Joy for a few years now, but for some reason or another, just never got around to trying it. Finally with some spare cash and a hard-to-resist sale at Strawberrynet, I took the plunge. I had a fair idea of what to expect, given the polarising reviews out there on this scent, but still held my breath in anticipation of what I would experience, smelling one of the world most renown fragrances.

Joy starts off with a harsh, almost chemical blast of seemingly relentless aldehydes, jasmine, rose and civet. Its hard to argue that Joy is a rose or jasmine scent, as they are of equal proportions, with lily and ylang added- two indolic smelling flowers which blend in perfectly with the jasmine. Starting with the aldehydes, they are cold and metallic, reminiscent of the aldehydes in Fidji by Guy Laroche, lending a soapy aspect to the scent and are quite dominant. Green notes are thrown in for good measure. The jasmine and rose appear en masse, within milliseconds. The jasmine is heady, slightly overripe and bordering on decay. The rose is heavy and concentrated, which strangely always conjures up the smell of dried raisins for me, much like the rose in Annick Goutal's Quel Amour EDP. Combined with the aldehydes, the jasmine and rose are ensconced in a cold, soapy, metallic cloud, which some could find rather overwhelming and chemical, or "old lady-ish".
There is a persisting sharpness from the civet, almost ammonia-like, but I find its staved off by the counteracting metallic coldness of the aldehydes. The civet is shrill, and is the deciding factor for a lot of people, as to whether they can wear this fragrance or not. Many  find the civet hard to tolerate in this scent, equating it to cat urine (ammonia) or having a fecal "poopy" smell. I can see where that association comes from, but for me, although I smell it, it doesnt deter me. In fact I think it works fabulously in this fragrance as its amps up the flower power. It brings the decaying jasmine flowers back to life, pumping them full of vigor and indolic scent. It also works well with the soapy aldehydes, they seem to balance each other out. The aldehydes are heavy, thick and smothering, but the civet lifts them up to become airy and powdery as the scent dries down.

Given the strength of this fragrance, I find it dries down rather quickly, the aldehydes releasing their metallic grip and giving way to a softer, powdery embrace. The civet tones down to a purring musk, leaving you with a gentler, powdery floral, with a slightly mothball smelling jasmine peeping through. Lasting power is average on me, after 3-4 hours it gets hard to smell on the skin.

Joy is not an easy fragrance to wear, and the polarising reviews give you fair warning that its a love-it-or-hate-it scent. I find that it helps if you can smell Joy as a whole and not as parts of the sum. Sometimes it can take a bit of practice to learn to smell in two minds- the sum and the parts but it can make all the difference when understanding a fragrance, and appreciating it, to in turn, enjoy wearing it.

For me, its not an everyday scent, and not one which I will wear often. Its a rather aggressive floral and not for the faint-hearted. But you have to remember, our grandmothers and mothers wore this, so bearing this in mind, perhaps we have become too complacent with the watered down department store offerings, and the relentless stream of fruity florals, if we find something our grandmothers wore "aggressive".
Although I wont wear it often, I know there will be days when I am jaded by the fruity floral world and need a dose of "Joy" to slap me in the face bring me back to life.  

Joy comes in and Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Parfum concentration. It is no longer sold in stores, however you may find it in store at perfume discount outlets around NZ. Your best bet is an online perfume store.

Note: According to Tania Sanchez (Perfumes, The Guide) Joy in the Eau de Parfum concentration is the old "Eau de Joy" forumulation. This is a different formulation from the parfum version. Apparently, the parfum version is spicier and more animalic.

Ambre de Cabochard by Gres

Firstly, in case your interest in this fragrance is based on your love for the original Cabochard-  I will warn you now, this scent bears no resemblance to the classic chypre from which is borrows its name.
Ambre de Cabochard is what I would call a gourmand oriental, with warm hues of christmas spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg) woven into sticky-sweet citrus (mandarin) and blue fruits (blueberries, blackcurrant), smouldering on a base of sweetened amber with vanilla and powdery musk.

At first, it bears a faint resemblance to Fendi's Theorema with the citrus and christmas spices, and a tiny whimper of the woods which are so thin, they almost appear as pencil shavings. But of course, the amber is at the centre of this fragrance and as an amber lover, it doesnt disappoint. But then, it doesnt wow me either. It did hook me from first sniff, but it didn't bowl me over with rapture. The amber is present- glowing and warm throughout the sweet spices. Interestingly, Cabochard translates as "stubborn" or "obstinate", so basically the name of this scent loosely translates as stubborn amber, but I dont get the obstinate vibe from this fragrance, least of all from the amber. Its in the room and theres no escaping it, but it simply doesnt have a stubborn bone in its body.  I attribute this complacency to its thinned out composition. It lacks punch and decisiveness, and its a little on the cheap side (tacky plastic lid), but scrubs up well with good conversation, and still gets through the door at the Millionaires Club because it comes from a good family. I cant help but but feel if it were less thinned, and were allowed to eat and not be on such a strict diet, it could easily pass for niche. Its has a subtle richness that has been cruelly restrained, to become a  linear scent from start to finish. What you smell in the bottle is what you get on the skin, and what you get on the skin stays the same until it disappears. Lasting power is good, 5-6 hours easily.

While it doesnt get a raving review, its definitely worth mentioning. Its an extremely easy to wear, grown up fragrance that will become a comforting Autumn and Winter staple for me, like a mug of mulled wine on a cold evening- warm, spicy and comforting to the soul. 

Ambre de Cabochard comes as an EDT and is easily found at online discounters with a very affordable price tag. Currently on Strawberrynet at $32 NZD for 50mls.

Violet Eyes- The Non-Violet Perfume.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor, one of the worlds most famous women and the matriarch of celebrity perfumes has added a new jewel to her perfumed crown.
Violet Eyes, packaged in a gorgeous violet adorned box, surprisingly doesnt contain any violet. The name is instead inspired by her stunning attribute- her incredible violet tinged eyes.

The fragrance contains notes of White Peach, Jasmine, Purple Rose, Peony, Cedar and Amber and comes packaged in a gorgeous frosted violet bottle, in the same style bottle as White Diamonds.  
The perfumer behind Violet Eyes is also the same perfumer who designed her legendary (and still #1 selling celebrity perfume) White Diamonds.

Violet Eyes comes only in 50ml Eau de Parfum and retails at Farmers for $110.00.
It is a Limited Edition, so get your mitts on it quick, before it goes.

Lollipop Bling- Cash Registers Ring!

Unless you have been living in a cave, you will no doubt have seen Mariah's Lollipop Bling range promoted around town, courtesy of Elizabeth Arden. A pubescent-eqsue Mariah graces giant posters in windows and all over Farmers stores, her music is piped through the PA system and there are girls dressed up like Harajuku dolls trotting around, handing out sprayed cards.

The playful, candy-love range was inspired by Mariah's husband, Nick Cannons marriage proposal. From lollipopbling.com: "The inspiration for Lollipop Bling was Nick’s marriage proposal to me. He first surprised me with a ring-pop — romantic, fun and young-at-heart — like me!" 

The range from Elizabeth Arden features 3 new fragrances:

Honey An irresistible floral citrus fragrance combined with a touch of Honey and Pineapple, creating a bright and sunny fragrance.  
Top Notes: Passion Fruit, Pineapple Juice, Lemon Drops
Mid Notes: Amazon Lily, Fresh Ginger, White Freesia
Base Notes: Frosted Musks, Linden Flowers, Honey 

 

Ribbon A mouthwatering floral fruity fragrance inspired by the flavor of the Blue Raspberry Ring Pop combined with a beautiful floral bouquet.
Top Notes: Raspberries, Honeydew, Cucumber Pulp
Mid Notes: Hydrangea, Blue Lotus, Jasmine Dew
Base Notes: Liquid Musks, White Woods, Sugar Crystals



 
Mine Again A floriental fruity combination of Chocolate Raspberry with a touch of Magnolia that creates an addictive fragrance.  
Top Notes: Red Currants, Blood Orange, Heliotrope
Mid Notes: Raspberry Chocolate, Cotton Candy, Magnolia
Base Notes: Creamy Musk, Tonka Beans, Vanilla.


Each fragrance is available separately in the 30ml size only and is packaged in cute butterfly bottles at $77 NZD each. Available from Farmers and selected Elizabeth Arden counters.

Womanity - Homage or Pun?

Thierry Mugler's Womanity rolled out in NZ stores this week, but has received little fanfare.
The only eyecatcher that signals that Womanity has arrived, is an oversize pink paper bag with metal chain handles sitting forlornly in the counter display among a few boxes of perfume and lotion to keep it company.
If you weren't looking for it, you might just miss it.

Womanity is Thierry Mugler's homage to the sisterhood of women, and to indulge his fascination of what he describes as the "diverse and cultural blending of women".
Taken from the website: "The most important is what women learn from each other. Thats the Womanity connection. Its the transmission, the complicity, the secret involvement."

Mugler wanted this fragrance to capture "the countless faces of womanhood" and chose an unpredictable blending of sweet and savoury notes, such as green, milky fig and a molecular extraction of caviar. Whether you take this literally or figuratively decides whether this is indeed an homage or pun.

Womanity is available in 50ml and 80ml EDP in high end Farmers stores and boutiques. The 80ml will set you back between $189-193NZD. It is also available as a Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Spray Deodorant.

You can check out my full review here.