#Oudh Infini

[pocketvenuslux]

Since I've been doing some throwback lingerie reviews, here's a review of Ex Idolo's Thirty Three, a typical Western-style oud that was released in 2013, right at the peak of the rose-oud craze in niche fragrance. It was the first fragrance released by this UK house, helmed by a self-taught Canadian, Matthew Zhuk.

Thirty Three was one of the first rose-ouds I tried. Even though I kind of imprinted on it in this way, I eventually came to find it to be a largely unremarkable take on the rose-oud trend. At the time, there were so many rose-forward fragrances shaded in with a defanged oud darkness absent any suggestion of the barnyard, of the ripe blue cheese, the creamy skank and more difficult notes that came with more challenging ouds like Dusita's discontinued Oudh Infini. To Thirty Three's credit, it did have a curious and unusual, almost piercing note in its opening and it definitely lacked the scratchy, raspy texture that was so common in many of the cheaper ouds being released at the time. Overall, I found it to be on par with the smooth, velvety and imminently wearable Kilian ouds, although Thirty Three was more affordable - now much more so given that a Kilian oud currently retails for $565/50 ml.

Recently, I saw Thirty Three on sale at Etiket and a pang of nostalgia came over me. 2013 was a different time for niche perfume, a brief window in perfume history when unusual scents and creativity were returning to the market and becoming more readily available, but multinational conglomerates had not yet gobbled up the landscape. It was also a moment when erudite perfume criticism could be easily found on personal blogs and vlogging influencers were still years away.

Alas, that time is over, but now I have Thirty Three to remind me of those heady, exciting years. What does that time smell like to me?

Thirty Three opens with a giant whoosh of plush, jammy roses and tangy mandarin. The latter becomes more astringent and candied until it is sharpened into a high pitched wood polish that, if you read the fragrance copy, is what I think is meant to be "Damascus steel." There is also a hint of that familiar, slightly plasticky smoky darkness that is coded "oud." Thirty Three is described as using "a significant amount of wild-harvested Chinese oud oil" including a "vintage oud" aged 33 years. Honestly, if this is the case, I'm not smelling it. Given that Thirty Three continues to be widely distributed over a decade and two bottle re-designs later, I would imagine suppliers for Thirty Three's ouds as well as the formula have changed over the years while the back story remains the same.

Up close, the scent feels a little discordant. There's velvety rose petals, the bracing varnish, sweet patchouli and "oud". Yet from afar, say twelve inches away, it all somehow works, particularly as the scent develops and softens up.

Overall, a scent very much of its time and sort of a personal collector's item for me. I don't see myself wearing this regularly but I'm glad to own this one for the memories alone.

[angelitam]

Parfums Dusita

Maison de Parfum rencontrée dans la Newsletter de la Fragrance Foundation. Parfums Dusita Pissara Umavijani, créatrice de Dusita Pissara Umavijani est née en Thaïlande. Elle a créé sa marque de parfums à Paris où elle vit. Elle est passionnée de parfumerie vintage qu’elle collectionne, éprise de voyages, de nature et de poésie. Elle adore créer des parfums rares. Pour elle, les parfums vintage…

[corcedo]

the second someone tells kazimir his scent makes it obvious he’s non - human is the moment he goes back to his perfume phase. but he wears those dark, ominous perfumes that start with a strong initial scent and the after scent is milder but makes it even more ominous. as though the devil is approaching you in a handsome form ready to strike you a deal.

[fruitchouli]

how on earth would you describe oud? I'm at a loss. "smoky earthy" doesn't really cut it I think.

i’m not very experienced with oud, but with the synthetic ouds i’ve smelled like the montale type oud i find it dark almost medicinal, industrial. harsh but in more of a smooth than a rough way. lacking any sweetness. to my western nose i find that smell kind of scary like a musty dusty old decrepit warehouse like tetsuo the iron man vibes. but the ones i’ve smelled trying to simulate real oud like dusita oudh infini it smells animalic like the livestock at the county fair

[odoroussavourssweet]

The Signs as Perfumes, Agrippa Edition

The medieval occultist Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa has a correspondence table of scents for the zodiac signs, which we can translate into perfumes:

Aries: Myrrh

Most famously encapsulated in Serge Lutens’ La Myrrhe, which turns the spicy incense into a sparkling aldehydic scent.

Taurus: Pepperwort

Pepperwort is a type of cress in the mustard family; closest approximation I’ve found is Bogue Noun, which is an herbal/smoky fragrance that’s supposed to contain a mustard seed note.

Gemini: Mastic

Parfum d’Empire’s Corsica Furiosa is the mastic scent par excellence; sweet-green mastic and dry-green tomato leaf.

Cancer: Camphor

Bond No. 9 Chinatown is the camphor-lover’s delight, here mixed with a fruity plum note, spicy incense, and earthy patchouli.

Leo: Frankincense

Diptyque L’Eau Trois is almost pure frankincense with some piney elements, and it’s an incredible fragrant-wood smell.

Libra: Galbanum

Chanel No. 19 will always be the galbanum queen.

Scorpio: Opoponax

Diptyque Eau Lente. Richly resinous and spice-cabinet dry.

Sagittarius: Oudh

Parfums Dusita Oudh Infini. It’s skanky as hell, but beautiful.

Capricorn: Benzoin

Francois Kurkdjan Grand Soir. It’s just amber. that’s it. amber amber amber. 

Aquarius: Euphorbium

Best approximation I can think of is cactus; Proenza Schouler Arizona has a cactus note and a solar note and actually smells like a desert, somehow.

Pisces: Styrax

Hermes Bel Ami is a styrax-heavy leather, which brings out the slightly odd, dark sweetness of the resin.

[thebeautycove]

DUSITA PARFUMS • MÉLODIE DE L'AMOUR • Extrait de Parfum •

Un canto d'amore, un'ode alla passione, alla gioia, alla bellezza, alla libertà, alla purezza di un animo nobile. Pissara Umavijani, creatrice di Dusita Paris, fonde nelle sue creazioni, entusiasmo e gentilezza, piacere e passione, positività ed energia vitale, in un moto perpetuo che conduce al perseguimento della felicità. Cresciuta in Thailandia in un ambiente saturo d'arte e poesia (il padre Montri Umavijani è stato uno dei più grandi poeti thailandesi contemporanei ndr) sin dalla giovane età ha coltivato la passione per la creazione di fragranze, maturando il desiderio di fondare la propria Maison de Parfum. Nel 2011 si trasferisce a Parigi con le sue creazioni e un sogno da realizzare. Dopo alcune collaborazioni con aziende essenziere a Grasse, lancia la sua prima collezione di fragranze esclusive con il marchio Parfums Dusita Paris. La Maison de Haute Parfumerie Dusita stava muovendo i primi passi. Ad oggi sono cinque le fragranze presenti in collezione: Issara, Oudh Infini, Mélodie de l'Amour, La Douceur de Siam e Le Sillage Blanc. Mélodie de l'Amour, ha un suono così melodioso nel nome, evoca una bellezza piena e raggiante, la poesia di un amore puro e totalizzante che Pissara esprime appieno nella sontuosa armonia delle note floreali che caratterizzano il jus. Una raffinata sequenza di meravigliose fioriture, splendida la gardenia appena recisa, poetica e maestosa, dal tenace sentore cremoso lievemente piccante, sublime la tuberosa che flirta con i fiori selvatici e cede la sua essenza voluttuosa e carnale alla delicata trasparenza del miele. Nel cuore il trionfo di un bouquet immenso, più di 100 varietà di fiori bianchi (tra cui ginestra, mughetto, gelsomino etc) racchiusi in un appassionante unico accordo, accostato al sentore succoso, allettante della pesca. Traspare radiosa l'armonia finale, la delicatezza dell'olio di cedro e l'energia vivida dei muschi offrono un riparo gentile ai fiori, ne esaltano la soave bellezza propagando senza sosta la loro amorevole vellutata scia. I fiori dell'Amore hanno finalmente il loro profumo. La fragranza è presentata nel formato Extrait de Parfum 50ml. Disponibile in profumerie selezionate e sul sito Parfums Dusita     ©thebeautycove

[pocketvenuslux]

I've a quartet of reviews from a couple niche houses, Jorum Studio and Eris Parfums.

Eris Parfums

Eris was launched in 2016 by vintage perfume lover Barbara Herman who decided to work exclusively with Antoine Lie, whose has done a fair bit of work for Etat Libre d'Orange and Puredistance.

Ma Bete is a lovely vintage throwback, a dramatic, aldehydic floral with a growling animalic base. The opening is very reminiscent of Bogue's MAAI, all sparkling neroli up top with the suggestion of something primal below although instead of MAAI's diva rose, you have a more sultry jasmine. Like MAAI, it's not for the faint of heart but it's certainly not as filthy as some reviews make it out to be.

Belle de Jour immediately felt like a softer version of Secretions Magnifiques except the "blood" and "saliva" of Secretions here is described as "seaweed". All of these are fantasy notes of course. What you get with Belle is a soft floral with a salival/salty edge and a hit of spice. Linden flowers are not in the notes pyramid but the white florals paired with an aquatic accord does bring you there. It's not very approachable, a little strange and mysterious but not in a cliched, dark romantic way.

Jorum Studio

Jorum was founded in Scotland in 2019 led by Scottish perfumer Euan McCall.

Phloem's note pyramid might sound like it's a mediocre fruity floral reaching to be something better. In fact, I wouldn't place it in that category at all. It is a very unusual and creative floral composition that walks up to the edge of wearable. There's hints of green, of earth and dirt from the sesame mixed up with light flowers and the tang of berries. There's no cumin in the pyramid but there is a subtle cumin vibe going on. It's weird and the notes sound like they shouldn't work together but they really begin to meld together in the dry down.

Nectary is a sweet rose paired with berries and tart peaches. It's dense but not unpleasantly so. It's not as unusual as Phloem but it's still quite unique. A dark hit of oud and animalic notes begins to emerge in the dry down. If Dusita's now discontinued Oudh Infini was way too much for you, but you were kind of into it, give Nectary a try.

[pocketvenuslux]

Sensual perfumes for sterile times

Now that we should all be socially distancing, I’ve been keeping my spirits up by wearing fragrances I cannot wear to the office, to the theatre, to dinner, nowhere in public really, without risking offending someone. As I write this, I’m enjoying the many layers and rich depths of vintage Opium, an oriental par excellence. Ah! It’s so hard to stop sniffing my wrist and just type this post!

Salome by Papillon Perfumery

I know I’ve already included this in my highest femme list, but it is also true that I so rarely have the chance to wear this out. Salome’s reputation for being utterly filthy is well deserved. The perfume radiates a shimmering heat, its lush florals unfurling and releasing their scent mingling with cumin and spice and grounded by hyraceum and castoreum. It can be challenging to pull off and is best paired with silk and sable furs.

Epic Woman by Amouage

I could probably populate this list entirely with Amouage. The powerhouse delivers knockout fragrances where a single spritz will last hours. I had a difficult time debating which one to include. My favourites, Jubilation 25, a honourable descendant of Rochas’ Femme or the chilly gaze of Myths Woman? What about the powder bomb of Fate Woman? Or the intense, rich burn of Interlude Man? The fiery peppery woods of Journey Man? I settled on Epic Woman because it is so peculiar. All of the aforementioned fragrances may be very strong, but Epic Woman, with its sour opening with a tinge of dill pickle, is not a crowd pleaser. It’s just as opulent and complex as many of the older Amouages, but this sourness makes Epic Woman difficult, unexpected, and full of character which is just the kind of thing one appreciates most alone.

Absolue Pour le Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

APLS is an outlier from this house. This pissy, unctuous honey fragrance infused with florals and dusted with spices is one of the ultimate amber orientals on the market.  It doesn’t smell like you sprayed yourself with this fragrance so much as you smeared it on. It’s stunningly beautiful, absolutely offensive, and I love it!

Oudh Infini by Dusita

Oudh Infini walks a razor’s edge between the sheer beauty of a velvety red rose and a soft pile of dung at the zoo. Laotian oud lends a creaminess that softens its nose searing intensity. Expertly balanced and not for the faint of heart. Possibly my favourite rose oud.

Cuir de Russie by Chanel

This one is definitely easier to pull off in polite company, but with its chic, hard edged aldehydes, I find Cuir de Russie can still be challenging to wear out because it screams “perfume!” It’s also very horsey, and conjures in my mind the heat of a horse and its sweat underneath a saddle.

[odoroussavourssweet]

Perfumes as MBTI Personalities

We all love categories around here, right? It’s silly but let’s go with the premise.

ENTJ

You are The Boss. You eat losers for breakfast. Always Be Closing.  You need to smell slick, but also dark and potent. You need Tom Ford Tuscan Leather or Chanel Cuir de Russie.

ENTP

You are full of Ideas. You are kind of an asshole. You think fast on your feet. You always Know A Guy who can solve the problem. You have the gift of the gab.  You are a cross between Mordo Nahum and Zaphod Beeblebrox.  You smell good. But weird. But good. Meaning you smell of patchouli. Nicolai Parfumeur Createur Patchouli Intense is a good bet.

ENFJ

You’re a natural, authentically charismatic leader. You have a lot of heart.  You inspire people to follow you. You might be running a cult. You are Ambre Sultan. Or possibly Tocade.

ENFP

You are the shiniest, sparkliest, wild-at-heart-est, goofiest hippie there ever was. You need a fragrance that is FUN. but full of intense MEANING. You want a Big Damn Eighties Chypre like Paloma Picasso -- it has no chill, it’s got animalics for days and beautiful honey-dripping hyacinth, and it utterly commits to the journey.  (Some modern indie perfumers like Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and Liz Moore also hang out in this earthy/warm/glowing zone.)

ESTJ

You are a pillar of the community. You are VERY uptight. You are maybe a cop.  You believe in duty and honor. Formality makes you feel comfortable. You are from the Habit Rouge or Chanel No. 5 school of perfumery: warm, fancy, trad.

ESTP

Danger is your middle name. You’re fearless and decisive and you like to flout authority. If you’re not a fighter pilot, you should at least get to smell like one. Get a good leather perfume. Aramis if you’re a guy, Azuree if you’re a girl, secretly they’re practically the same fragrance.

ESFJ

You are basically a PTA Mom. Or a church lady. You run things. You help people. You maybe get in their face a little too much? But it’s only because you CARE. You are Chanel Bois Des Iles.

ESFP

You are a diva. If you’re not wearing tuberose what are you even doing here. Fracas is your friend. Oh, okay, you’re not a floral person? Fine. Oudh Infini. 

INTJ

You’re a smart control freak; therefore Chanel No. 19 or Chanel Pour Monsieur. See, I made things efficient.

INTP

You’re smart too, but weird smart. Obsessed-with-a-special-interest smart.  Scruffy smart. You’re more like Estee Lauder Aliage or Juniper Ridge Big Sur.

INFJ

You are tired of being so right about everything. You know how people work, you care about them, you spend all your time looking after them, but they are so stupid sometimes.  You want some god damn peace and quiet. Like the curmudgeonly, wise zen master you are at heart. You like Ormonde Woman and Ormonde Man.

INFP

You are a dreamer who’s disappointed with this monstrous world. You are either soft and gentle and faintly pre-Raphaelite...or you are very, very edgy.  Guerlain Apres l’Ondee or CDG Black, nothing in between.

ISTJ

You are ultra-conscientious and organized. You Get Things Done, and you do them the right way. You smell extremely clean. If you also smell good, you wear Dior Eau Sauvage or Hermes Caleche.

ISTP

You’re a lumberjack, and you’re ok. No, seriously, the whole “craftsman”/”maker” archetype is awesome. You make shit happen. You don’t think about it too hard but you are very good at what you do. Wearing Olympic Orchids Woodcut might be a bit too literal, but it’s too good to pass up. Or try a boozy leather scent like Atelier Cologne Gold Leather.

ISFJ

You are nice. Quietly helpful. Thoughtful. You put in the work to help people, and when you’re on your own you’d rather be gardening or fixing up the house or baking bread or something. You need a nice spring floral; Penhaligon Ostara fits the bill, or Geoffrey Beene’s Grey Flannel for the masculine equivalent.

ISFP

You’re a rambler, a gambler, and a sweet-talkin’ ladies man; you love your lovin’...but not like you love your freedom, huh? Yeah let’s go for Tauer Perfumes Lonestar Memories and Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land. You need space to do your own wild thing.

[odoroussavourssweet]

Perfumery Roses Are Not The Same

 Why do roses in perfumes smell so different? Maybe because they are different species.

Rosa x damascena, also known as the Damask rose, is a hybrid between Rosa gallica, the wild rose depicted in the heraldic symbol of Lancaster, common in central Europe through Turkey and the Caucasus; and Rosa moschata, the white musk rose.

When you see “Bulgarian”, “Turkish”, or “Taif” rose mentioned in a perfume, that’s usually Rosa damascena.  So is the rose used for making rosewater or rose jam.

Rosa damascena tends to be rather “fruity”, “jammy”, “winy” or “red” in its scent.  Damascones are the chemicals responsible for the “ruby-red” rose effect you get in perfumes like Knowing or Salome or Rose of No Man’s Land. (The latter two both specify Turkish rose.)

Rosa x centifolia, the “Rose de Mai” or “cabbage rose”, is a complex hybrid with a clear, sweet scent, often referred to as having “honey” or “green” tonalities. Roses from France, Morocco, or Egypt are usually centifolia.

In my experience, Moroccan rose often doesn’t smell “rosy” in the conventional sense; it’s sharp and airy, golden or white or champagne in tonality.  The sharp golden rose in Oudh Infini is rose de mai; the very similar golden rose in Muscs Koublai Khan is Moroccan rose.

Pelargonium graveolens is, of course, not a rose but the rose geranium, which is often used as a substitute or addition to rose oil in perfumes; it’s full of geraniol, which is a delicate, “green”, fresh, garden rose type of scent. I think this is common in the more citrusy-green, pastel-pink, English-cottage-garden type of rose fragrances. The very fresh and green Une Rose lists pelargonium and geranium as well as rose in its notes.

[odoroussavourssweet]

Amouage Lyric Woman

Notes: Bergamot, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, rose, angelica, jasmine, ylang-ylang, geranium, iris, oakmoss, musk, sandalwood, tonka bean, incense

I’ve been longing, lately, for a sharp and unsweet, sandalwood-dominant, tan or golden perfume -- something that recreates the imperious sandalwood note in Dusita’s Oudh Infini without the over-the-top stinky oud.  By the notes, Lyric Woman sounded like it might have been it, but it isn’t.  It’s warm and borderline-sweet -- not cloying at all, but still too affectionate for my taste.

The opening is a mix of spices, but warm, ruddy cinnamon predominates for me, blending smoothly with the rose. 

Over the next hour, I get a lot of a “custardy” warmth that I attribute to ylang-ylang and maybe vanilla or tonka. For a brief moment, the ylang-ylang sings all on its own, and seems bright yellow and almost dirty, like an overripe tropical fruit.  I get a few whiffs of animalic musk that makes me think the perfume might go in a more “fun” (for me), dark-and-bitter direction, but nope; the steady-state drydown is all warm yellow custard with maybe a fine gold thread of sandalwood magic zing running through it.  

Impressive, all-day longevity; the drydown stays spicy-sweet, heavy on the cinnamon and tonka.

This is what ad copy would call a “feminine” and “sensual” perfume, done subtly and tastefully.  Apparently a lot of people want to smell like that. I mostly don’t. 

Most of my cravings are for bitter leather, tangy sandalwood, foresty oakmoss and vetiver, laser-green galbanum, ethereal white florals, sparkling citrus, antiseptic synthetic molecules...pretty much anything that might read to others as “aggressive” or “bitchy” or “ice queen” just smells good to me.  Bandit is my comfort scent; it’s like wearing a leather jacket as armor.  Warmer, friendlier, “feminine/sensual” smells are Not Me.  But I can appreciate what Lyric Woman is trying to do.  It never crosses the line into gooeyness; it’s just a warm spicy hug.

[pocketvenuslux]

Unusual rose perfumes for Valentine’s Day

Every time Valentine’s Day rolls around it’s roses roses roses in perfumery. There’s nothing wrong with the dozen-long-stem-roses fragrances like Jo Malone’s Red Roses or Diptyque’s LE releases. But for those with more adventurous tastes, I’ve compiled some rose perfumes that are a little less pretty and a little more goth.

Eau de Protection (Rossy de Palma) by Etat Libre d’Orange is not an attractive rose. In fact, its spicy-sour opening is overbearing to the point of being ugly. Dries down to a dark, syrupy rose mingling with earthy patchouli. I love how it unfurls in its own time, daring you to approach. Retails for €90/50ml and  €135/100ml.

La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens is a rich and sombre rose. Its rose is lifted with spicy black pepper and a hint of candied violets and filled out with the warmth of animalistic musk. It’s not at all difficult to wear and carries the musk discretely. Retails for €120/50ml and €180/100ml.

Thirty Three by Ex Idolo is not your typical rose-oud which introduces a high-pitched "Damascus steel” note set against velvety rose petals and the dark depth of oud. The opening has a jarring, clanging quality, but it is worth waiting it out for the dry down which maintains a little of its initial metallic edge like a threat. Retails for £90/30ml and £120/50ml.

Oudh Infini by Dusita is my favourite rose-oud, but it is not an easy wear. The oud here is creamy, pungent, and animalistic. It goes beyond barnyard straight to the zoo. This note is brilliantly offset by an equally powerful Rose de Mai. Walks a razor thin line between beauty and disgust straight through to the dry down. Exhilarating! Retails for €395/50ml.

Finally, to close on an unexpected note, Mohur by Neela Vermeire is neither pretty nor goth, but a beautiful rose scent with the barest dusting of spice and a soft base that I can only describe as the milk of human kindness. Retails for  €205/60 ml.

[odoroussavourssweet]

Lutens Quick Takes 2

Smelled in the store, not on my skin; YMMV

Vetiver Oriental

Notes: herbal green juices, iris, woods, vetiver, guaiac wood, chocolate, musk, amber, sandalwood, labdanum

This is Evil Vetiver. Ominous Vetiver.  Scary Grand Vizier vetiver.  It’s acidic, tangy, medicinal at first, with an orangey bite from the dark chocolate and a “malevolent” undertone that probably comes from the guaiac.  It dries greener, with the familiar “dusty forest-floor” smell of vetiver, but it’s still menacing. I honestly don’t want evil in my vetiver -- I prefer it grassy and fresh like Guerlain Vetiver.  I respect the originality of the fragrance but it would be such a bummer to wear.

Santal Majuscule

Notes: sandalwood, rose, cacao

There’s a really weird and distinctive note in the opening that is apparently cacao. It’s not like chocolate. My best guess on sniffing was “licorice”, which I knew wasn’t quite right, but it’s vaguely bittersweet/herbal-liqueur-like in that way. It’s weird-good in the same way as the root-beer-y wintergreen-clove note in Tubereuse Criminelle -- I get the feeling that Lutens, like me, is a fan of weird herbal tinctures and apothecary smells.  

It dries down to a sharp, tangy, pointy sandalwood note that I like a lot. Apparently the sandalwood connoisseurs are disappointed because, of course, there’s no Mysore sandalwood in this (since it’s badly endangered.)  I’m not expert enough to notice the difference here.  I really like the classic combination of sandalwood and rose, which was also hiding behind the oud-stank in Oudh Infini.  The rose in those rose-sandal compositions never pops out or smells distinctively “rosy” to me -- it’s just this nicely sharp-sneezy unified scent chord that reads as dignified and noble to me.

Dent de Lait

Notes: milk, metallic notes, incense, heliotrope, almond

I’m probably missing the point of this fragrance from Lutens’ perspective (it’s one of his creepy Freudian age-regression/incest things) but it smells like cleaning products. It’s very chemical. Hard pass.

L’Orpheline

Notes: patchouli, aldehydes, woods, incense, musk

The copy on this perfume is deeply affecting -- it represents Lutens’ abandoned inner little girl.  (Would a Serge Lutens born fifty years later have been trans?)  

At any rate, I found L’Orpheline subtly beautiful. It opens with a clear, cold breath of aldehydes, along with a dark forest smell that I think is the patchouli. It’s like a Victorian greenhouse covered with dry vines or the shady, brambly, overgrown gardens of a manor in winter.  

Le Participe Passe

Notes: artemisia, bergamot, pepper, fruity notes, balsam, resins, caramel, cumin, leather, immortelle, patchouli

This is chewy. Primarily caramel and a bitter, woody flavor that reminds me of the way I used to chew on dried bamboo when I was a kid.  It might be the cumin.  The effect is so vivid that it almost seems like it’s in your mouth -- I taste it more than I smell it. It’s yet another way to take sweet notes of resin in a dark-and-potent direction, here with browned/burnt/maple-syrup aspects and bitterness.

Bapteme du Feu

Notes: orange, gingerbread, woody notes, castoreum, osmanthus, gunpowder

This is smoky and fruity and fun. Like a bonfire with fireworks. 

Fleurs d’Oranger

Notes: orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose, citrus, caraway, nutmeg, rose, hibiscus

This is a standard type of composition that’s easy to find and I didn’t notice much to distinguish it from other orange blossoms. It opens candy-sweet, super sweet, but also breathy and fresh. For some reason, I always think of swimming pools when I smell orange blossom, and this has plenty of that pool-like, summer-breeze quality.

La Religieuse

Notes: Jasmine, musk, incense, civet

This is faint, floral, hard-to-place.  I found it forgettable.

Clair de Musc

Notes: musk, violet, neroli, bergamot

The opening is like bug spray! This is a good thing, in my book; I love the scent of DEET.  But it goes sweet/spicy in the drydown, which is less interesting.

Five O’Clock au Gingembre

Notes: tea, bergamot, ginger, cinnamon, wood, cacao, honey, amber, patchouli, pepper

This is haunting. It’s a very powerful sense-memory of cold, dark winter afternoons in my Chicago childhood, when I’d come home from school and listen to Barbra Streisand on the stereo while my mother fixed me a snack and a cup of tea.  I got no individual notes, just nostalgia.

Nuit de Cellophane

Notes: Jasmine, osmanthus, lily, mandarin, green notes, etc.

Wow, this is plastic and hairspray!  It’s the plasticky or waxy aspect of white flowers, with a little green calyx around the edges. A bit tacky.

[odoroussavourssweet]

Oudh Infini by Parfums Dusita

Notes: oudh, rose, orange blossom; benzoin, sandalwood; vanilla, musk, civet

Oudh Infini is an animalic (aka stinky) traditional take on oudh.

The barnyard/stinky-cheese smell is indeed present, for me, but not overpowering, and actually deeply satisfying.  (I’ll never know why people call it a “sexy” smell, though. Sure, it’s a base, animal pleasure -- but more like the pleasure of eating blue cheese or, sorry to say, having a luxurious BM.  It says “god this feels good but it’s just for me and it’s kinda gross.”)  It’s a complex sensory experience, it’s interesting, and there’s a sort of umami richness that’s satisfying too.  But on the other hand...it does smell remarkably like a goat in a barn.

Apart from the oudh stank, mostly Oudh Infini smells of a big, billowing, sneezy-sharp, golden note that I think might be the sandalwood.  (Could also be rose but it's nothing like a garden rose.)  It’s grandly feminine and a little old-fashioned, but opinionated and not sweet. I can imagine it on a bejeweled, imperious older lady.

[pocketvenuslux]

Unexpected fragrances for fall

Awhile back, Claire Vukcevic wrote a wonderful article about  unexpected summer fragrances titled, "Summer Fragrances for People Who Hate Summer & Also Summer Fragrances". Inspired by that post, I thought I'd write a similar article for autumn, the season of pumpkin spice. While I adore my smoky incenses, leathers, and tobaccos, I thought this September, I might challenge myself to consider olfactory experiences that do not play into autumnal cliches.

Warm and romantic greens: Green tends to be a colour we associate with spring freshness or wintery forests, but an uncharacteristically cosy green wears well in the fall. One of my favourite fragrances is Fat Electrician (Etat Libre d'Orange), a smoky vetiver paired with bitter myrrh and a dollop of vanilla cream stirred in. For a nostalgic green chypre, Vert de Fleur (Tom Ford) pairs galbanum with airy florals and musk. And while it's not a green fragrance, Vanille (Mona di Orio) is a creamy unsweetened vanilla with a delightfully unexpected verdant opening.

Spicy florals: Spicy gourmands and leathers are par for the course in autumn, but a spicy floral gives a nice twist on the theme. Thankfully, we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to a spicy rose. My personal favourites include the musky La Fille de Berlin (Serge Lutens) and the dramatic, ugly voluptuousness of Eau de Protection (Etat Libre d'Orange). One fragrance I found surprizingly refreshing for this overheated summer, yet is still suitable for the fall is Music for a While (Frédéric Malle), one of the house’s better recent releases, juxtaposing a medicinal lavender against a sweet and toothsome pineapple and tying it all together with a rich patchouli base. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Twilly (Herm��s), which recently garnered a coveted five star review from Luca Turin, a playful scent which pairs warm ginger and creamy tuberose.  

Territorial musks: In the summer, spritzing a heavy musk would be too suffocating. But as the weather cools, animalistic musks are appropriately warm, like a layer of cashmere. One of my favourite skankbombs is Absolue Pour Le Soir (Maison Francis Kurkdjian), a powerful scent with a spice infused, pissy honey that is rich enough to be embalmed in. Another infamously filthy scent is Salome (Papillon Perfumes) which I’ve reviewed here earlier. Perhaps even more challenging is Oudh Infini (Dusita), a rose-oud unlike any other, with a creamy, pungent Laotian oud with more than a suggestion of a dung pile at the zoo. It would be disgusting were it not skillfully offset by an opulent rose. For a darker, greener take on musk, there is Opus VII (Amouage) which pairs spices, earthy galbanum and fenugreek with rank animalistic notes to stunning effect.

Suede and fur: We often talk about fragrance in terms of notes, but less often in terms of texture. Fragrances with soft, velvety and heavier textures pair perfectly with the crisp autumn air. Daim Blonde (Serge Lutens) is a supple, feminine suede with a hint of apricots. New Sibet (Slumberhouse) is a dirty iris with a fascinating textural play between damp fur and creamy musk. Finally, the spicy cassie flower and musk of Une Fleur de Cassie (Frédéric Malle) give the impression of a glam vintage fur duster from the 70s.

A spot of tea: Rather than the transparent classics like Bvlgari’s Thé Vert, teas for cooler weather can be more robust. The boldest tea scent I know is Vi et Armis (Beaufort London) which features an aggressively smoky, spicy, peaty black brew. Admittedly, it smells awful at first, but if you have the patience to muscle through the first thirty minutes or so, you will be rewarded by a rich complexity. A far more well behaved smoky tea would be the gourmand Tea for Two (L’Artisan Parfumeur) which has a lapsang souchong accord and a touch of sweetness. For a lighter wear that still reads as spicy, Lothair (Penhaligon's) offers a fragrant and spiced chai that is somewhat abstract.

Soil and resin: Richness in a fragrance can be sought when we return to notes from the earth. Consider for example, Coven (Andrea Maack), which imparts the sensation of plunging one’s hands into rich, damp soil on a cool day. I love how its earthy edge lingers right into the dry down. Pale Grey Mountain, Small Black Lake (D.S. & Durga) is another atmospheric outdoorsy fragrance, although it is more abstract. Still, it manages to evoke herbs and moisture without resorting to the dreaded calone note. For a drier fragrance, the unique Myrrh Casati (Mona di Orio) dries down more to a resin than incense smoke and offers a sharp tension particular to Somalian myrrh.

Seasonal curatives: We cannot talk about medicinal fragrances without referencing the Original Comme des Garçons (Comme des Garçons) fragrance that was released with the tagline, "works like a medicine, behaves like a drug." While I love its potent mix of warming spices and resinous woods throughout the year, I feel it works best in the cooler months for me. A lighter scent, featuring a medicinal ingredient is Dirty Ginger (Heretic Perfumes) which lives up to its namesake with a simple, transparent composition of the earthy rhizome. For a mentholated note, Lonestar Memories (Tauer) offers a unique interpretation of the smoky campfire that's cool and balsamic.

Unusual orientals: The traditional oriental plays very nicely with the season but there are a few curious orientals compositions deserving of mention. One of my personal favourites is Noir Epices (Frédéric Malle) which strips the oriental of warm ambers and musks, leaving behind a dry and severe skeleton of spice and florals. Seven Veils (Byredo) is another oddball, a sweet and carroty iris that gives the impression of creamy root beer. Finally, for something truly different, there's the polarizing Breath of God (LUSH), which mixes a panoply of notes. Rather than your typical rich and smoky fragrance, it mixes up a deep, tarry cade with powerful hespiridic notes, fruity florals and woods.

[polusladkayan]

Топ самых ужасных ароматов имени меня. Мои парфюмерные кошмары. Здравствуйте.  Вдохновившись видео Анны Литвиновой о ее парфюмерных кошмарах, где она ругала любимые ароматы других парфюмерных любителей, я тоже решила снять свой анти-топ  ароматов, которые я не переношу. Мне также хочется предупредить, что это мое личное восприятие, и, возможно, я упомяну в своём видео чей-то любимый аромат или даже чьё-то ароматное я. Надеюсь, никто не обидится,  и более того,  вы напишите мне о своих ароматных ужасах и ненавистных парфюмах. Желаю всем приятного просмотра! Инфобокс: 01:09  - Oudh Infini Parfums Dusita https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Parfums-Dusita/Oudh-Infini-36487.html 02:46 - Memoir Woman Amouage https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Amouage/Memoir-Woman-10146.html 04:04 - Reflection Woman Amouage https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Amouage/Reflection-Woman-919.html 04:51 - Poison Christian Dior https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Christian-Dior/Poison-218.html 06:33 - Dolce&Gabbana Pour Femme https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Dolce-Gabbana/Dolce-Gabbana-Pour-Femme-15335.html 09:27 - Intense Cafe Montale https://www.fragrantica.ru/perfume/Montale/Intense-Cafe-18021.html По вопросам сотрудничества o_natashka@mail.ru, а также в любых социальных сетях Блог на Аромо.ру - https://aromo.ru/users/25069/blogs/ Группа в вк https://vk.com/club140200587 Парфюмерный instagram https://www.instagram.com/nate_obett_parfum/?hl=ru Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/o.natashka Если захотите помочь мне в развитии канала, буду бескрайне благодарна https://qiwi.me/youtube_nateobett #парфюм #аромат #нишеваяпарфюмерия #парфманьяк #парфюмерия #духи парфюм, аромат, нишевая парфюмерия, парфманьяк, российская парфюмерия, парфюмерия, пирамида аромата, селективная парфюмерия, бьютиблогер, духи, селектив, парфюмерный блогер, парфюмерный критик, летуаль, лэтуаль, Dusita, Amouage, Dior, Dolce Gabbana, Montale, парфюмерные кошмары