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Browsing by tag: vetiver

Parfums DelRae Panache ~ fragrance review

Posted by Robin on 19 November 2010 66 Comments

Cyrano de Bergerac

Just as everyone’s clothing wardrobe benefits from a few low-key, comfortable items to pull on without thinking, perfume wardrobes need the same.

It is present, yet close to the skin — me, but better. I almost feel it rather than smell it.

But if you want a perfume to rest lightly around you, like a second skin…you could do a lot worse.

Those lines were pulled from Angela’s review of Mythique, by Parfums DelRae. Now let’s say that all sounds awfully good to you, but Mythique wasn’t exactly the second skin you were after (as was the case with me: I thought Mythique was lovely, but it did not move me). You’ve got your second chance with Panache, the brand’s latest release. It’s named for a line from Edmond Rostand’s play, Cyrano de Bergerac:

One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch, I bear away despite you … My panache.

Panache is meant to be a unisex fragrance “centered around” vetiver. I don’t think your average vetiver fiend will find it passes muster as a vetiver scent, and by the same token, if you hate vetiver you needn’t necessarily cross Panache off your list…

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L’Artisan Parfumeur Coeur de Vetiver Sacre ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 29 September 2010 69 Comments

L’Artisan Parfumeur describes Coeur de Vétiver Sacré as an “offering to the gods” and a “mystical journey from East to West”; the fragrance was created by perfumer Karine Vinchon, whose aim was to deconstruct vetiver into what she considers its main characteristics: sparkle (bergamot, orange, black tea); spice (pepper, ginger, coriander, saffron) and smoke (incense, birch).* When I first smelled Coeur de Vétiver Sacré, I felt it would have been better named Coeur de Gingembre Sacré because a rich candied ginger note is prominent. In fact, naming this perfume “vetiver” is like listing “vanilla ice cream” on a dessert menu when you plan on serving a banana split. There’s certainly vetiver in Coeur de Vétiver Sacré, but it’s not the dominant ingredient. I’m not complaining; the world doesn’t need another straight-up/vetiver-dominant perfume anyway.

Coeur de Vétiver Sacré uses vetiver as a vehicle for other perfume adornments. The list of notes sounds fabulous, complex, intriguing, but Coeur de Vétiver Sacré smells simple and linear…

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Diptyque Vetyverio ~ fragrance review

Posted by Robin on 18 May 2010 83 Comments

Diptyque Vetyverio

Vetyverio is the latest fragrance release from French niche line Diptyque. They reportedly “had a fun time blurring the lines by blending perfumery’s archetypal raw materials, namely masculine vetiver and feminine flower bouquets”. In other words, it’s a unisex, although Diptyque, like many fragrance companies, prefers not to use that particular word, stating simply that it is neither masculine nor feminine.

Vetyverio starts out bright and fresh and energetic, with peppery citrus and leafy green notes (the notes: mandarin, grapefruit, lemon, bergamot, ylang ylang, Turkish rose, geranium, vetiver, carrot seeds, nutmeg, apricot, clove, cedar and musk). After that, it’s an exercise in subtlety: everything, from the florals to the vetiver to the spices, speaks in muted tones…

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Our friend vetiver

Posted by Robin on 19 April 2010 19 Comments

Researchers at Michigan Technological University are on to a simple, low cost solution to the complicated problem of keeping antibiotics out of water supplies. In a study of vetiver grass grown in antibiotic-laden water, they found that 95.5% of the drugs were removed from the water and taken into the plant tissue.

— From “Perfume Grass” Could Solve Problem of Antibiotics in Water Supply at Clean Technica.

Prada Infusion de Vetiver ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 2 April 2010 80 Comments

rain on grass

My vetiver cup runneth over. You’d laugh if I told you how many vetiver fragrances I own. It’s rare for me to come across a vetiver perfume I hate, but after disliking Prada’s take on another perfume note I love, orange blossom (Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger), I wondered if its interpretation of vetiver would also be a disappointment.

Infusion de Vétiver is a limited edition Eau de Toilette developed by perfumer Daniela Andrier. Apart from vetiver, the listed fragrance notes include tarragon, pepper and purple ginger. The first time I smelled Infusion de Vétiver was on paper, and it smelled like watery, slightly peppery vetiver: plain. When I wore the fragrance, I detected other notes but the composition remained aqueous and simple.

On my skin, Infusion de Vétiver starts with the scents of powerful, acidic “citrus” (just a second or two) followed by fresh tarragon….

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