Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
Browsing by author: Kevin

Guerlain Vetiver Extreme ~ fragrance review

Posted by on 28 Comments

Guerlain Vetiver Extreme cologne

I’ve been a fan of Guerlain Vetiver for years; recently, I came across (and bought) a stash of unopened Vetiver from the 1980s and I was surprised at the difference between the current Vetiver fragrance and the cologne as it smelled 20 years ago. The earlier version of Vetiver, which I do remember wearing, is darker, plusher, a tad smoky and it’s more interesting (to my nose) than today’s version. However, the older Vetiver in Eau de Toilette strength disappears within an hour on my skin (just as it did “back when”) while today’s lighter-smelling Vetiver lasts all day. When I heard Guerlain was making an “extreme” version of classic Vetiver, I was hoping it would be reminiscent of the 1980s version, but with better lasting power…

Read the rest of this article »

Annick Goutal Les Orientalistes (Ambre Fetiche, Myrrhe Ardente and Encens Flamboyant) ~ fragrance review

Posted by on 53 Comments

Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche, Myrrhe Ardente and Encens Flamboyant perfumes

Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal were inspired by beauty rituals of the harem to create Annick Goutal Les Orientalistes — a trio of scents (Ambre Fétiche, Myrrhe Ardente and Encens Flamboyant) released at the end of 2007. I think it’s time to enact a moratorium on evoking the past in perfume advertising and promotion, since most ad executives and copywriters apparently skipped history classes. Perhaps the young women of the harem enjoyed their beauty rituals; I sincerely hope, in some small way, the costly items in their toiletry cases and incense boxes made up for the fact they had (most likely) been kidnapped, enslaved and separated from their families forever. Oh yes, there were also those pesky eunuchs and the sultan’s controlling mother to contend with, not to mention stress-inducing rivalries between concubines that sometimes led to murder — or banishment from the harem (which usually resulted in a life of poverty).

I’m wiping all thoughts of “the harem” from my mind and enjoying Les Orientalistes as fragrances that pay homage to the art of perfumery in the Middle East…

Read the rest of this article »

Dsquared2 He Wood ~ fragrance review

Posted by on 56 Comments

DSquared2 He Wood cologne

As I shopped for perfumes in Italy this past autumn, I searched for Dsquared2 He Wood; the fact that He Wood wouldn’t be available in the U.S. till the spring of 2008 made The Search intense — I wanted to smell He Wood before it arrived in the States. On the last day of my trip, I found a bottle of He Wood in a Venetian perfume shop and asked the shop owner if she had any samples of the fragrance. “No.” she said. I asked if there was a tester bottle. Flippantly, she explained: “It’s a new scent, Sir, so, no, no tester has been opened yet! It’s new!” Her “logic” was lost on me, and I left Venice and returned to the U.S. not knowing if He Wood was good, bad or boring.

In December, I discovered that He Wood is available in Canada, so off I went to finally sniff it…

Read the rest of this article »

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa ~ fragrance review

Posted by on 16 Comments

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa is not a stronger, longer-lasting version of Acqua di Parma Colonia; Colonia Intensa is a brand-new fragrance. Colonia Intensa’s opening reminds me of Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, its mid-development recalls Annick Goutal Eau du Sud and its finish resembles Monsieur Balmain’s base notes. With such great precursors (and delicious-smelling ingredients), I found Colonia Intensa hard to resist…

Read the rest of this article »

Acqua di Parma Colonia ~ fragrance review

Posted by on 17 Comments

Acqua di Parma Colonia

Over 90 years old, Acqua di Parma’s Colonia (no doubt tweaked over the decades) still smells ‘modern’ and its packaging designs are both decorous (black-and-white labels with simple lettering and the royal coat of arms of Parma, Italy) and lively (easy-to-spot, bright golden-yellow boxes and wrappings). These days, Acqua di Parma touts its rich and famous clientele — royalty, film stars and ‘aristocrats’ of the business world — but such name-dropping is unexpected from a company that once prided itself on its elegance and discretion. (LVMH bought the Acqua di Parma company in 2003.)

Acqua di Parma Colonia contains Sicilian citrus, lavender, rosemary, verbena, Bulgarian rose, sandalwood, vetiver, cedar and ylang-ylang; it starts off sharp with pungent citrus and verbena…

Read the rest of this article »

Back to Top

Home
Archives
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Books

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z