Perfume News

[Hanne]

Tom Ford Italian Cypress - the Private Blend collection

from nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com:

Tom Ford has launched Italian Cypress, the latest addition to the Private Blend collection:

A distinctive fragrance that blends tradition and innovation.
Notes of vibrant Citrus, verdant Basil and Mint meld with radiant woods and resins before the refined Cypress heart ignites to reveal an earthy warmth.
An aromatic botanic-rich fusion designed for the contemporary fragrance connoisseur.

Tom Ford Italian Cypress can be found now at Neiman Marcus, in 50 ($180) or 250 ($450) ml Eau de Parfum.

Other recent additions to the Tom Ford Private Blend collection: Champaca Absolute.

 

[Hanne]

Hermes Vanille Galante

by Robin from nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com:

It has been a very long time since I actually swooned over the first sniff of any perfume, but the latest from the Hermessence collection at Hermès, Vanille Galante, was a rare case of love-at-first-sniff. Happily for me, so far it appears to be a lasting relationship — just as well, since I bought it unsniffed.

I will start by mentioning that Vanille Galante is likely to be a disappointment to vanilla freaks (there have already been a few disgruntled customers on the fragrance boards). The early scents in the Hermessence series (Ambre Narguile, Rose Ikebana, Vetiver Tonka, Poivre Samarcande, Osmanthe Yunnan) were mostly "about" the material they were named after. Paprika Brasil and Brin de Reglisse were less directly so, and Vanille Galante, while presumably a reflection of some sorts on vanilla, isn't a vanilla perfume at all in the usual sense. It may not please men, either, insofar as it's arguably the most feminine in the Hermessence collection. And one final warning, this one for aquatic-phobes: I do not know if it contains calone, but it sure smells like it to me.

Like the others in the collection, Vanille Galante was created by Hermès house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, and if I had to sum up what it smells like in a few words, I'd say lilies floating in salty water. The opening is dewy and bright and fresh, and even more airy and transparent than Jean-Claude Ellena's usual airy and transparent. It is fruity — both melon and banana in the early stages — and liberally sugared. It's spicy-peppery early on, and lightly green. As it dries down, the lilies fade slightly into a more blended, indistinct floral, still very sheer and salt-water-y; farther on, there are hints of pale, very dry woods, lightly charred.

It sounds just like something I'd hate — melon and banana! — but it's simply gorgeous. Regular readers know I have complained about the recent resurgence of the aquatic trend (and that I did not like Ellena's most recent aquatic entry, Hermès Un Jardin après la Mousson), but if all aquatic florals could all be made to dance on the skin like this one does, I would make my peace with aquatic notes.

The first time I wore Vanille Galante, I thought it had faded entirely after an hour, but it has a way of reappearing long after I thought it was gone. Now I would say that the lasting power is good, but that it has a tendency to induce olfactory fatigue (in me, anyway, at times) rather quickly.
Hermès Vanille Galante features notes of ylang ylang, green notes, spices, lily, salicylates, sandalwood and vanilla.

It is available in 100 ml Eau de Toilette, or in a discovery set of four 15 ml bottles

 

[vogue28]

The Lady at the Dior counter, said there will be a new Perfume launch next month

 

[Crying Diamonds]

^^ I'd love to smell that Hermes. I adore their perfume.

Can you get sent a sample?

 

[Hanne]

^no idea..

by Robin from nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com:

Stella McCartney Stella Sheer 2009

Stella McCartney has launched the 2009 version of Stella Sheer (shown above left), the yearly limited edition summer flanker to 2003's Stella fragrance:

Sheer Summer by Stella McCartney is a new version of the original Stella fragrance that lets soft summer shadows reflect the delicacy of fresh rose petals. The elegant bottle design mirrors the sophisticated, light-hearted spirit of the scent.
​

The notes include lemon, green apple, rose and amber.

 

[Hanne]

by Robin from nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com:

Kenzo Eaux de Fleurs collection

The Eaux de Fleurs collection is the latest from Kenzo. They are starting off this year with a trio, Eau de Fleur de Thé (tea flower), Eau de Fleur de Soie (silk flower) and Eau de Fleur de Magnolia (you can figure that one out), and they're planning to add a new flower to the series every year. Like the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria collection, these are meant as a "return to nature", and they're advertised as "subtle" waters based on flowers picked from Japanese trees.

Eau De Fleur de Thé is meant as a tribute to "the tea flower". It was developed by perfumer Aurelien Guichard, and is described as "a floral infusion with green tea and musky notes". It's a slightly smokier (although only briefly; I wouldn't call it a smoky scent in general), more-tea-less-citrus variation on Bvlgari's Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert. The base is clean musk, the floral notes are sheer and indistinct, and I'd call it a unisex. It's very wearable, and while I wouldn't call it wildly unusual, it would be perfect for anyone looking for a reasonably priced summer-y green tea scent with decent lasting power (for a light tea fragrance, mind you) and without too much sweetness. It was my favorite of the three at first, but over subsequent wears the Magnolia (see below) has won out.

Eau De Fleur de Soie was developed by perfumer Jean Jacques. It is both literally and figuratively the pink one of the bunch, and so regular readers can already guess that it was my least favorite. It smells like a sheer fruity floral, rather berry-ish but not at all too sweet, with perhaps a touch of rhubarb or some other tart fruit. I don't know what the silk flower smells like, but this didn't smell any more distinctive than your average sheer pink fruity floral: just less sweet. It's perfectly wearable as is, but I found it greatly improved by a light layer of the Eau De Fleur de Thé sprayed on top.

Eau De Fleur de Magnolia is described as "a luminous floral with citrus notes", and it was developed by perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. It has a brisk citrus-y opening and a golden aura that matches the color of the juice. Like the others, it's more transparent than not, but it has a lovely creamy, almost-smoky warmth to the dry down — it would be perfect on a cool spring evening. I'm not sure if it is going to please someone looking for that perfect magnolia soliflore, but it's easily the most unusual of this trio.
The packaging on these is lovely — the pictures really don't do them justice. The labels and the slightly-wavy bottles are simple but attractive, and if you don't rip them to shreds before you figure it out, as I did, the outer boxes fold out from the side to show floral images on the inside. Very nicely done.

I wonder if the Eau De Fleur de Soie is similar to Max Mara Silk flower perfume... I liked that one.. but it's lacked a bit of oomph..