Byredo: Sundazed - I like this fragrance, but it doesn't drift far enough from the norm, especially at Byredo pricing, to justify a full bottle purchase. The notes include lemon, mandarin, neroli and jasmine. Cotton candy, of all things, is listed as a note, and it does make its presence felt in the sweet base … Continue reading First Impressions – Byredo, Mugler, Chanel, Givenchy, Gucci, Juliette has a gun →

In April 2019, Louis Vuitton released 3 new cologne style fragrances on to the market. The nose behind all 3 is Louis Vuitton's in-house perfumer Jacques Cavallier. The three new perfumes are designed to invoke the Californian lifestyle, from the beach to the desert. The fragrances are presented in bright flacons and boxes designed by … Continue reading First Impressions: Louis Vuitton Cologne Collection →

Galiivant Perfumes from Gallivant website. Get your passports ready, pack your bags and come fly with me as I take you through the 7 scents from the London based Indie house, Gallivant. The founder and creator of Gallivant is Nick Steward, who has worked with perfumers from Paris and Venice to create this unisex set … Continue reading First Impressions – Gallivant →

Banana is not a common feature in many fragrances. I think I've only tried two fragrances that include banana in their note pyramid. The first I tried was Quasar by Jesus Del Pozo, released in the mid-90s, a watery green banana fragrance that had good longevity but is sadly very hard to find these days. … Continue reading I’ve Gone Bananas – Bana Banana →

Hermes Un Jardin Sur La Lagune Christine Nagel has one of the toughest gigs in the business. Succeeding Jean-Claude Ellena as in-house perfumer at Hermes is akin to taking over lead vocals from Mick Jagger at the Rolling Stones. However, other than Eau de Citron Noir, which followed the blue trend much too closely and … Continue reading First Impressions – Hermes Un Jardin Sur La Lagune →

Penhaligons - The Impudent Cousin Matthew: It seems the Impudent Cousin Matthew may have learned some manners. This fragrance opens bright and fresh with mandarin and petitgrain. There is nothing brazen, cheeky or audacious going on here. The citrus notes stayed throughout and became interwoven with an interesting patchouli dry down. Perhaps, because of the … Continue reading First Impressions 10/4/19 →

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Intense: Darker, less sweet iteration of Black Opium. The emphasis is on coffee, vanilla and liquorice. Longevity was excellent at well over 10 hours. This should be worn in cold weather as it could get cloying in the heat. It's worth a try for lovers of Black Opium. I still … Continue reading First Impressions 28/03/19 →