Diptyque – Eau de Lierre

Diptyque – Eau de Lierre

Bruges, Belgium. Photo by Quintessence

Bruges, Belgium. Photo by Quintessence

“Green” is a term that gets thrown around quite a bit when it comes to discussions on perfumery. I am always amazed by the range of interpretations that this accord can have, and how uniquely it manifests in different fragrances. Green can run the gamut from fresh and invigorating to dense and mossy, and everything in between.

Diptyque’s Eau de Lierre is inspired by the scent of ivy and indeed, lierre is French for ivy. For me, this scent could easily be named “Eau de Dark Green”, as it truly conjures the deep verdancy of this evergreen climber. The fragrance was launched in 2006 by the innovative house of Diptyque and it is very much in keeping with their minimalist aesthetic. Eau de Lierre opens with a slightly spicy green note that is as true to nature as one can get without being outdoors. While some fragrances interpret dark green notes as herbal, Eau de Lierre has a distinctly vegetal character. Eau de Lierre is by no means a marine fragrance, and yet there is an overall impression of wetness. The opening feels somewhat dark and earthy, the equivalent of trudging through the garden during a light rain with a sturdy slicker and Wellies.

While the fragrance dries down to reveal a slightly woody, musky scent, the green impression prevails, making me think of the woody stems of an ivy plant that has overgrown its intended bed. The fragrance is devoid of any sweet notes, making it a good candidate for men as well as women. Eau de Lierre does not have an especially potent sillage, yet it manages to cling to the skin quite nicely. On the evening I was testing it, I still had traces of the scent on my arm the next morning. While perhaps not on par with the house’s L’Ombre dans L’Eau, creator Fabrice Pellegrin has nevertheless composed a unique and enjoyable composition which evokes the English countryside.

Bruges, Belgium. Photo by Quintessence

Bruges, Belgium. Photo by Quintessence

Green

Notes: Ivy, cyclamen, geranium, gray amber, rosewood, green pepper, musk and woody notes.

Chanel – No 19

Chanel – No 19

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We are all familiar with the expression “It’s not you, it’s me”, words that have been inextricably tied to the end of a love affair. In my case, these words came to signify not the end of an affair, but a delay in the commencement of what would become one of the greatest loves of my life.

The 1980s were the era of the signature scent. In contrast to the current over-saturation of the market, fragrance companies focused on promoting brand loyalty. And while women might be lured to explore a new release, temptation typically set in only after a beloved bottle was running low. Being a young woman at this time, just starting to purchase fragrances with my own money, the concept of a signature fragrance seemed practical to me.

After a consistent affair with Chanel No 5, in the then available Eau de Cologne version, I fell in love with the sharp brightness of Chanel Cristalle. Given my utter satisfaction with Cristalle, our affair was exclusive for several years. While Cristalle still holds a very special place in my heart and on my shelf, my only regret is that I was blinded to the beauty of a more silent suitor, who stood by in the wings, waiting to be noticed.

Oh, No 19. When I fell, I fell hard. My initial impression of No 19 was so intense it bordered on off-putting, which is surprising given that Cristalle has an equally sharp introduction. The opening notes are a bold blast of green galbanum and neroli, which seem almost metallic, a quality which is psychologically reinforced by the unique brushed silver top of the traditional flask. The opening is rounded out and very lightly sweetened by bergamot and neroli. The green sensation is enhanced by hyacinth, which makes an appearance in Cristalle as well. I find that the hyacinth note in the eau de toilette version is much sharper than in the eau de parfum and versions where it takes on a sweeter quality, a sensation which occurs similarly in Cristalle, but the similarities end there.

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The heart of No 19 references the smooth Chanel duo of rose and jasmine, however, they are rendered more tangy and fresh by the introduction of narcissus and lily of the valley. While the addition of ylang-ylang into this already floral heart could theoretically have pushed this into the territory of cloying fragrances, the dry, powdery sensation created by iris tempers the whole bouquet and reinforces the bright green opening.

The true magic and beauty of No 19 however lies within its base of musk, oakmoss, leather, sandalwood and cedar, which ground the entire heady creation. No 19 was marketed with the tagline “Audacious and assertive. Never conventional” and is often referred to as a “power” scent for a woman. While the opening and heart notes certainly lend themselves to this interpretation, the earthiness of the dry-down reveals a warmth which is surely the soul of this strong woman. Silent and slow to reveal itself, but present nevertheless. Despite the intended direction of the marketing, this is a comfort scent for me, one I often reach for after a difficult day. She is like a close friend, one which needs no words to understand the language of your heart.

No 19 was named in celebration of Coco Chanel’s birthday on August 19th. There is some controversy regarding the release, as it is often claimed that this was her signature scent, a theory which seems confusing given that it was released one year before her death and that Henri Robert, Chanel’s second nose in residence was credited with its creation. In her book “The Secret of Chanel No 5”, Tilar Mazzeo offers a wonderful interpretation.

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During 1945, and owing to conflicts over control of Les Parfums Chanel, Coco Chanel launched a separate line of perfumes sold exclusively in her boutiques under the name Mademoiselle Chanel.  One of the Mademoiselle Chanel fragrances became her personal favorite and as a result was set aside for her private use. According to Ms. Mazzeo’s research, after some reformulation by Henri Robert during his tenure at Chanel, this fragrance was later made available to the public as No 19. While we may never know the complete truth, I will relish the thought that Mademoiselle Chanel’s favorite scent is now one of my own.

Floral Chypre

Notes: Galbanum, Neroli, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose, Lily of the Valley, Iris, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Leather, Oakmoss and Musk.

Balenciaga – Florabotanica

Balenciaga – Florabotanica

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One of my main issues with modern perfumery is the manner in which fragrances are penned by a team of market “specialists”, only to be translated into a fragrance which often bears little or no relation to its official description.  Florabotanica, released by the house of Balenciaga (in collaboration with IFF) in late 2012, is one of the best recent examples of this phenomena. The fragrance’s tagline is below.

“Florabotanica evokes ambivalent bewitching beauty. Velvety and thorny, flirting with hemp and vetiver roots. The scent is flowery, developed on a rose note with a narcotic hemp twist. The wearer is beautiful but dangerous, like some rare botanical species.”

I will admit to having no idea what the foregoing means, or what the perfume was intended to smell like. How does one go about “flirting with hemp”? What does something dangerous smell like? Fear? I can only imagine the expressions on the faces of Olivier Polge and Jean-Christophe Herault, the noses behind this fragrance, when they were presented with the brief for Florabotanica.

While Messrs. Polge and Herault succeeded in making a nice-enough fragrance, Florabotanica is none of those things. The fragrance opens with a slightly spicy green note that quickly turns minty. Not quite a gum-smacking variety, more of a soft, pale mint that is closer to a mint herbal tea.  As the heart opens, the fragrance reveals itself to be more truly a floral, though the rose and carnation at the heart of Florabotanica are fairly one dimensional versions of these two powerhouse flowers. They almost smell like a cardboard pop-up of the advertisement with Kristen Stewart.

At the base of the fragrance is a melange of caladium leaves, amber and vetiver, which is where I expected the danger to lie, since my research revealed the caladium plant to be poisonous. Quite to the contrary,  these three notes in unison produced a slightly soapy, light chocolate effect on my skin, giving the creation a bit of softness and warmth. These notes nicely offset the flat, powdery florals, making for a pretty-enough fragrance, but nothing particularly “bewitching” or “thorny”.  Certainly not “dangerous”. While I like Florabotanica well enough, I might have had a greater appreciation of it were it not for the bizarre expectations set by the marketing line.  Probably the edgiest thing about the fragrance is the unique flacon it comes in, but for me, the design bore no relation to the scent either.

Floral

Notes: notes: Mint, rose, carnation, caladium leaf, vetiver and amber

Cartier – Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose

Cartier – Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose

 

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Twelve years after the launch of their best-selling Eau de Cartier, Cartier has released Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose, the latest flanker in the line that brought us Eau de Cartier Essence de Bois (2011) and Eau de Cartier Essence d’Orange (2010). The January 2013 release is sure to be extremely popular as the temperature rises, as it is a light and easy-to-wear fragrance. On the morning I went to obtain my sample, the SA at my local Sephora had sold 8 bottles within the first 20 minutes of opening.

Goutte de Rose is based on the general Eau de Cartier storyline, a light woodsy fragrance with a touch of amber. Goutte de Rose which translates as “drop of rose” is true to its name, adding a slight rose note to the original creation. The fragrance has a crisp green opening which feels similar to the house’s other creations but more mellow in scope. The rose quickly comes to the forefront, though it very light, as though one entered a room and smelled a bouquet of roses set on a mantelpiece from afar.

As the fragrance settles, the original Eau de Cartier makes its appearance as the fragrance takes on a woody character, warmed by amber and a light vanilla note. The rose seems to hover in and out of focus, but on my skin the wood and amber are predominant. Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose was created by the uber-talented Mathilde Laurent, in-house perfumer for Cartier since 2005. Goutte de Rose is a lovely, light fragrance that reflects the understated elegance of this house. I only wish Goutte de Rose had a little more heft. For a comparison of Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose against other current rose releases, be sure to check out the review by Bois de Jasmin.

Floral

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Mathilde Laurent

Notes: Rose, woods, amber and vanilla

 

Serge Lutens – Chypre Rouge

Serge Lutens – Chypre Rouge

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It is said that there is a fine line between madness and genius. Nowhere is this more apparent in the world of modern perfumery than in the creative duo of Serge Lutens and Christopher Sheldrake. Even the most classically beautiful of the fragrances in the Serge Lutens line have an underlying tension and subversity which make them fascinating at best and challenging at worst, but never, ever mundane.

Chypre Rouge was released by Serge Lutens in 2006 as part of his export line. I found this to be an interesting move, since the house generally releases those fragrances fit for U.S. (i.e. less sophisticated) consumption, and by many accounts, Chypre Rouge can be a challenging scent. Out of the bottle, Chypre Rouge smells thick: a plummy, jammy, spicy mash that feels more like something you would spread on toast than an actual perfume. The spices invoke all of the warmth and opulence of Lutens’s beloved Marrakech, and makes me feel completely transported. True to its name and hue, Chypre Rouge smells deeply red and calls to mind autumn leaves on the forest floor, damp and musky, with a hint of decay, sweet and pervasive like dense maple syrup.

On skin, however, the fragrance tells a different story. Similar to his Tubereuse Criminelle, Chypre Rouge’s opening belies a softer, more accessible fragrance underneath. As the intense oriental opening diminshes, the spices simmer down to a mere whisper, allowing a soft, sweet and slightly creamy woods to emerge with notes of honey and vanilla. It is in these deeper, twilight hours, that we experience the chypre aspect of the fragrance, as a light mossiness overtakes the dense immortelle-like scent, creating a sedcutive, silky veil. The sillage follows suit, wearing closer and closer to the skin as the hours pass, though as a Lutens creation, it is tenacious.

As I have found to be the case with other fragrances in the Lutens line, the aspect which I initially find most defiant in the fragrance ultimately becomes my favorite. Hours into the more demure drydown, I find myself missing the heady, viscous opening, leading me to carry around a sample vial whenever I wear it to recapture the initial assault. My sincere thanks to Messrs. Lutens and Sheldrake for creating provocative fragrances that push our limits, for it is through this olfactive adversity that we grow.

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Oriental Chypre

Notes: thyme, pine needles, honey, beeswax, jasmine, patchouli, vanilla, moss, amber, musk