Posts Tagged ‘Patchouli’

A*Men Pure Malt: Thierry Mugler’s Toast To Scotch Whisky

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

A*Men Pure Malt is the most recent interpretation of Thierry Mugler’s A*Men. Pure Malt was inspired by the Scottish peaty whisky which is redolent of sensual woody accents thus creating an exciting malt experience, gourmand style. Aged in oak barrel, this limited edition variant of A*Men is a cocktail of luxury spirits with a distinct boozy note that balances the food-y notes of the fragrance.

Pure Malt smells a lot like A*Men Pure Coffee (2008) sans the coffee, of course. It is rather a paled version of A*Men but the gourmand character is still noticeably pronounced. The top notes are suggestive of booze then transitions into toffee-malt sweetness. The dry down evokes warmth with just a slight dose of patchouli and bits of vanilla musk. Pure Malt is less intense in terms of potency. The creaminess brought forth by the woodsy and malt whisky undertone is pleasant without being too cloyingly sweet. The sillage is quite average as compared with the earlier flankers. Since Pure Malt is a tamed version of A*Men, longevity is not at par with the original. The boozy-caramel aroma cascades nicely in the beginning then gradually peters out in the dry down. The toasty gourmand accords hold longer in the dry down making the fragrance just as refined and elegant the first time you smell it.

Some perfume pundits have this notion that flankers are nothing but a ho-hum iteration of the parent- they simply lack creativity. Fragrance houses try to more creative with the notes to either strengthen the formulation or tone it down a bit to make it more softer. Pure Malt is a well-executed fragrance and that is what makes it different from other flankers. Fragrance aged in oak barrel? That’s how creative Thierry Mugler is and that is just his fragrance portfolio. His cosmic haute couture is another story.

On the whole, the boozy notes in A*Men Pure Malt make it very manly. Would Thierry Mugler venture in incorporating booze accords in the women’s fragrances like Angel? That will be an interesting olfactive-experience to look forward to.

A*Men Pure Malt is available in 100ml eau de toilette. More Thierry Mugler perfumes and colognes at discount perfume retailer, scentiments.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

A Review Of Guerlain L’Art et la Matiere - Angelique Noire, Cuir Beluga, Rose Barbare

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

Guerlain’s L’Art et la Matiere introduced a trio of fragrances in 2005 featuring three perfumers who were invited to design their own fragrances for Guerlain. These fragrances were created just in time for the opening of the newly refurbished Guerlain flagship store in Paris. According to the fragrance house, “This act of true creation is a hymn to precious and rare raw materials, and differs by its originality.”

Angelique Noire was created by Daniela Andrier. The fragrance notes are composed of angelica seeds, pink berries, pear, jasmine, sambac, caraway, vanilla, angelica roots and cedar. The opening is slightly bittersweet with notable green undertones, perhaps, it’s the angelica accords in action. The scent develops into something sweet; trails of fruits and vanilla linger while the green notes are vaguely present. Angelique Noire maintains a subtle presence in the dry down. This fragrance is expertly blended.

Rose Barbare, as the name implies, centers on one of Guerlain’s favorite ingredients, the rose. The nose behind this fragrance is Francis Kurkdjian. This perfume is described as “an opposition to stereotypes, in a way that would be unexpected, untamable and contemporary… vibrant, floral heady”; hence, the name Rose Barbare which literally translates to Bar barian Rose. The notes are aldehydes, rose essence, rose absolu, fenygreek, peach honey, patchouli and notes of undergrowth. The fragrance description doesn’t really sit well with the impressive olfactory statement at first whiff. The rose component is airy and smoky; it is pronounced but not heady or obtrusive. This fragrance is just right in all aspects. If you’re on the fence with rose-inspired fragrances in the past, Guerlain’s version of the modern day rose will dazzle you with its versatility.

Cuir Beluga was designed by Olivier Polge and the main accord of this fragrance centers on leather, another Guerlain favorite raw material. With this fragrance, Guerlain wants to evoke luxury and femininity without the animalistic notes of leather. Cuir Beluga has a unique vintage character; amber, vanilla and aldehydes are the most pronounced notes. The leather factor is quite soft and the base is somehow reminiscent of Shalimar’s.

Guerlain also launched new fragrances in the L’art et la Matiere collection. The latest additions to the series are Cruel Gardenia, Iris Ganache and Bois d’Armenie.

Learn more about Guerlain’s exclusive fragrances at discount perfume online store, scentiments.com.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Notable Pink Scents You Ought To Try

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Pink-colored scents are stylish, upbeat and young. Every pink scent I encounter is a lush floral bouquet embellished with fruits or musk accords. The mingling of notes creates a dramatic flair to achieve a distinct character way above its peers. That’s the kind of image fragrance houses want to project to the perfume loving public.

Pink fragrances also embodies the contemporary art in the world of perfumery. Mainstream scents, more often than not, are light and ephemeral and not to mention, pink!

There are a lot pink-colored scents in retail nowadays. But what is it about the pink-colored juices that every designer fragrance house comes up with its own collection of pink scents?

Let’s go over some of the popular pink scents in the perfumery:

Thierry Mugler Garden of Stars – Pivoine Angel
This fragrance is peony meets patchouli and vanilla. The melange of florals featuring peony, rose and lily of the valley sets the stage for the aromatic gourmand Angel is known for. It’s slightly sweet, spicy and sprinkled with green accords. Pivoine Angel is part of Angel’s Garden of Stars’ flanker. This lovely pink juice was concocted by Olivier Cresp in 2005.

Femme Hugo Boss
Femme is a well-executed floral-musk fragrance. It’s one of the safest feminine scents around because it veers away from the heady floral category. Femme may smell familiar (reviews say that it smells like other floral fragrances) but in the dry down, it softens into a beautiful elegant floral that blends well with the warm musk.

Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb
Flowerbomb is flower power in a very unusual grenade-shaped bottle. The first fragrance by Dutch designers Viktor&Rolf, Flowerbomb is a decadent floral scent where the sweetness is cut by the edgy notes of patchouli. Designed as a floriental fragrance, this feminine scent tops the charts in the women’s perfumes category.  

Lacoste Dream of Pink
Dream of Pink is targetted for young women. It’s fresh, sweet and very trendy. Touch of Pink and Love of Pink are part of Lacoste’s “Pink” scents. This perfume is charged with berries, iced tea, rose, lotus flower and sandalwood. Introduced in 2008, Lacoste Dream of Pink is just right for daytime.

Calvin Klein Euphoria
Euphoria is mysterious, dark and exquisite. The contrast of fruits and florals exude an alluring fragrance most fitting to a sophisticated woman. Some perfumistas say that Euphoria is so Angel-ish (Thierry Mugler). It could be the sweet-smoky accords giving off that distinct chartacter.

There are more pink-colored scents in the perfumery and some have become classics already. And with every year that comes, more and more perfumes are created and added to the already thousands of fragrances in the perfumery. The choices are infinite and sometimes or most of the time rather, they smell the same. It’s not surprising to confuse one designer perfume from its competition.

If you fancy pink fragrances, there’s more of them at discount perfume retailer, scentiments.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Fashionable Fragrances from Prada

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Prada is one of the most highly regarded designer labels in the fashion industry. The brand is known for its minimalist designs using exquisite fabrics. Her style is to reinvent the traditional into something more fashionable. And she does this by focusing on the details. Envisage nylons with mink trimmings and trench coats accented with silk faille. The same creativity and intricate designs are carried on to the fragrance line. Prada’s perfume line is a collection of bold scents inspired by oriental spices, musky woods, succulent fruits and luminous florals. Prada introduced its first line of fragrances in 2003. The perfumes were distributed by Prada boutiques and selected department stores only. It was in 2004 that the Prada perfume collection made its debut in larger markets.

Prada Eau de Parfum was the first perfume that debuted in 2004. This fragrance has an oriental base with a classic appeal of the past and the sophisticated beauty of the future. It’s composed of four essential oils: Indian sandalwood, Indonesian patchouli, French labdanum resin, and Siam benzoin. Hints of mandarin, patchouli and vanilla complete this lovely fragrance. Prada Eau de parfum is a crisp and well-blended floral. It has a distinct pleasant aroma, deep and vibrant, like a warm embrance of feminine sweetness.

Prada Intense, like the name suggests, is a concentrated version of the original. An eau de parfum fragrance is already intense as it is so expect Prada Intense as bolder, warmer and a lot sexier.

Prada Infusion d’Iris is revelry of soft florals and Sicilian mandarin. The name Infusion d’Iris was derived from the six-month long traditional process of producing iris extract that involves soaking the iris to extract its notes. This fragrance is a quiet elegance of versatility. It’s fresh enough for summer but deep enough for the cooler days as well.

Prada Amber for Men is created with a rich base of amber mingled with three other accords: cologne, leather and fougere. Miuccia Prada personally designed this fragrance. She wanted a masculine fragrance that was gentle and devoid of aggressiveness. The result was a luxurious fragrance, masterfully crafted, emanating a refreshing soapiness, light and powdery. This is a complex yet consistent fragrance. I think artistic is more apt.

Prada Tendre is a compelling blend of spice, citrus and fruit accords. This fragrance reveals a delicate, tender, floral and slightly woody ambiance. It’s a great spring or early fall fragrance. With its unpretentious and distinctly feminine scent, Prada Tendre has become a favorite among young ladies.

Prada embodies elagance. It typifies an individual’s penchant for quality and luxury. While all good things in life come with a price tag, one should not scrimp on non-essentials when it’s available online via discount perfume sellers. Life is still good.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »