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Les Parfums de Rosine Majalis ~ perfume review

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Les Parfums de Rosine Majalis

I had to raise an eyebrow at the most recent issue of Allure magazine, which featured an article discussing “the return of the rose” in contemporary fragrance. I didn’t realize the rose had gone anywhere, since I’ve been wearing rose-inspired perfumes most of my adult life. Furthermore, Les Parfums de Rosine has been offering rose-centered fragrances since the company was revived in 1991, so they would seem to have been ahead of this trend (?); when I first began exploring niche perfumery a decade ago, I found many scents to love in the Rosine collection. (I would have liked to include more of them in my list of 25 must-try rose fragrances, believe me; I was just trying to keep things balanced!)

Majalis is the latest launch from Les Parfums de Rosine, a “seductive and sophisticated” floriental…

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Parfums M Micallef Ylang in Gold ~ fragrance review

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Parfums M Micallef Ylang in Gold, bottle detail

Last week I interviewed Josh Meyer of Imaginary Authors for a local magazine. I brought some perfume samples, including Parfums M Micallef Ylang in Gold, and when Meyer smelled it, he said, “It’s so smooth. That’s their style.”

At home, I dabbed some on, and I couldn’t agree more. Ylang in Gold is as smooth as silk charmeuse. It’s whipped into a soft, creamy blend that reminds me of custard. Like custard, Ylang in Gold transforms and unites its materials into a mellifluous whole. Also like custard, Ylang in Gold is sweet. Really sweet.

Ylang in Gold, a floral oriental, was created by house perfumer Jean-Claude Astier…

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Four quick reviews: Bobbi Brown Bed, Ed Hardy Skulls & Roses, Nicole by Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson Vintage Bloom

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In my continuing (hopeless!) effort to catch up on the 2012 releases before 2013, some very quick reviews: Bobbi Brown Bed, Ed Hardy Skulls & Roses, Nicole by Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson Vintage Bloom. Do feel free to add your own quick reviews of recent(ish) releases in the comments!

Bobbi Brown Bed

Bobbi Brown Bed perfume oil

Bobbi Brown Bed is a web-only limited edition, and it’s basically just a mixture of neroli, orange flower and jasmine in a cute (but small!) glass bottle. If you like all three notes and are after something simple, it might appeal — I found it very pleasant, with a bright but calming aspect that does, in fact, work well for bedtime. It’s also balanced enough, with perhaps a tilt towards the neroli, that it would work for either gender. Do bear in mind that it’s an oil, so it stays relatively close to the skin. If you want something similar but heavier on the jasmine (and with more oomph in general), try Rodin Olio Lusso Perfume…

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Amouage Beloved ~ fragrance review

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Bergdorf GoodmanHelen Lee Worthing for US Vogue December 1919

The latest release from luxury fragrance house Amouage is Beloved, a tribute to the “elegance and complexity of the modern woman” (in general) and the classic sophistication of women who shop at Bergdorf Goodman in New York (in particular). Beloved was developed for Amouage by perfumer Bernard Ellena and includes top notes of jasmine, purple rose, lavender, clary sage, clove bud, chamomile, and cardamom; heart notes of ylang-ylang, violet, everlasting [immortelle], cistus, benzoin, olibanum, and patchouli; and base notes of cedarwood, sandalwood, castoreum, civet, leather, musk, vanilla, maltol, and amber.

Although I always enjoy shopping for fragrance and cosmetics at Bergdorf Goodman, I’m probably not the quintessential “Bergdorf woman,” however you may picture her. On the other hand, I do have a longstanding personal and sentimental connection to the place: my great-grandfather and great-aunt both worked at Bergdorf Goodman, as a tailor and couture seamstress, respectively. My love for spending time in New York department stores is apparently a product of nature as well as nurture. Can I, as a not-so-glamorous customer at Bergdorf and a mostly-modern woman, enjoy Beloved? I certainly can…

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Amouage Library Collection Opus III ~ perfume review

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Earlier this year, Amouage released its Library Collection, a trio of fragrances designed as a “poetic homage to the art of living.” Opus III is a floral oriental developed by perfumer Karine Vinchon; according to Amouage, this fragrance “was inspired by the art and science of the creative process, from the darkest moments of frustration, to the brightness of enlightenment and discovery.” It includes top notes of mimosa, broom, carnation, nutmeg, and thyme; a heart of violet, jasmine, ylang-ylang, and orange blossom; and base notes of ambrette, musk, papyrus, cedarwood, sandalwood, guaiac wood, benzoin, and vanilla.

Opus III opens with a distinctive note of broom flowers. If you’ve ever tried Santa Maria Novella Ginestra, a broom soliflore, you’ll recognize this scent, something like cut hay and long grass warmed by the sun. If Opus III were visible as color, the dominant shades of its opening and its heart would be the bright, almost sharp yellow of broom blossoms and the buttery shade of mimosa flowers…

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