Mercedes-Benz will launch Mercedes-Benz VIP Club, a new collection of masculine fragrances showcasing the work of five perfumers from the fragrance & flavor company Firmenich…
Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Wood & Michael Kors for Men ~ fragrance reviews
Thierry Mugler launched A*Men Pure Wood1 last summer; it’s a limited edition that, according to my most-trusted Nordstrom perfume sales person, is selling fast. I was beginning to worry the A*Men “Pure” scents (among them A*Men Pure Energy, A*Men Pure Shot, A*Men Pure Havane, A*Men Pure Malt and A*Men Pure Coffee) were smelling too similar. A*Men Pure Wood stands apart from others in the “Pure” collection with its sweet/dense “oak” aroma, mingling with pungent cypress and woody vanilla and patchouli. Dare I say that my first impression of A*Men Pure Wood was: “Wow! It’s Chêne-sque!” …as in Serge Lutens; I want to try these perfumes side by side.
A*Men Pure Wood is a linear perfume, but it does not wear me out or bore me as the day progresses; in fact, I enjoy it more and more as time passes — it’s a comforting fragrance…
Tom Ford Private Blend Tuscan Leather & Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather ~ fragrance reviews
Last year I bought a new bag made of American buffalo hide to replace my ancient black calfskin bag that has traveled around the globe with me for ages (and is now retired and ‘resting’ in a cabinet). The moment I held the new bag I felt guilty, for buffaloes are one of my favorite animals. I get excited, and am emotionally moved, to be in the presence of these “beasts” that have always symbolized, for me, the part of the U.S. I love most, the West. Since getting my new bag, I’ve been in two car accidents (only my car was injured) and lost two jobs. Am I cursed? Are the buffalo spirits I’ve always admired pissed off, feeling betrayed — egged on by cows (“He never worries much about US!”) Anyway, I’ve not used the new bag at all; it sits pristine in my closet, encased in a soft wool sweater.
I like leather fragrances as I like amber and tobacco perfumes: I need only ONE specimen of each in my perfume collection.1 Likewise, I need only one leather bag (I like simplicity); testing these two leather perfumes has led me back to my bison bag, whose aroma is still present…
Michael Kors for Men ~ new fragrance
Michael Kors will launch Michael Kors for Men, a new fragrance not to be confused with the existing Michael for Men, which launched in 2001. Michael Kors for Men hopes to “balance urban sophistication and rugged style for the man on the go”…
Estee Lauder Modern Muse ~ perfume review
I was surprised to learn that the newly released Modern Muse was Estée Lauder’s “most comprehensive women’s scent statement since the 2003 launch of Beyond Paradise” — I would have thought 2008’s Sensuous was a pretty comprehensive scent statement?1 Regardless, it is true that the house does not release pillar fragrances at any great rate, and a new one is always welcome. Here’s the brand’s description of the Modern Muse woman:
A Modern Muse is strong and confident, enhanced by her own intrinsic femininity and individual style. She is the heroine of her own life, always following her own instinct. She is an independent spirit who possesses a natural magnetism that draws people in, inspires them with her smile, and speaks to them without saying a word. She is memorable, a force of creative energy, a true inspiration to others.2
The fragrance is also supposed to have an innovative “dual-impression” structure featuring a Sparkling Jasmine Accord and a Sleek Woods Accord,3 but as so often happens, the innovation was pretty much lost on me…