Category: Reviews

Fragrance reviews

Perfume Review – Frapin – Bonne Chauffe – Boozy Brilliance

Perfume Review - Frapin - Bonne Chauffe - Excellent Rendition of Cognac - 8/10. Notes: Top: Davana, pepper. Middle: Plum, bran absolute, oakwood. Base: Patchouli, cedar, vetiver, benzoin. I've never been drawn to boozy fragrances. I think it's because I find most of them too sharp, too syrupy, and often over-the-top. Many have a cloying … Continue reading Perfume Review – Frapin – Bonne Chauffe – Boozy Brilliance →

Perfume Review – Parle Moi De Parfum – Totally White – Fairytale Floral

My snowflake tree begins to bloom in late May. Although I'll never experience snow in my part of the world, its burgeoning blossoms herald in the cooler, comfortable days ahead. Interestingly, despite being called a snowflake tree, it thrives primarily in subtropical and tropical climates. This plant is in the same genus as the poinsettia, … Continue reading Perfume Review – Parle Moi De Parfum – Totally White – Fairytale Floral →

Book Review – Fragrance: From Plant To Perfume, The Botanical Origins Of Scent

Buying perfume for a perfume enthusiast is risky business. There are no safe bets; we're just too picky. Unless the recipient has directed you to purchase a specific perfume, I would not recommend proceeding with this. An unsuitable selection, such as Calvin Klein’s Escape for Men or Mugler’s Womanity, may result in grievous bodily harm … Continue reading Book Review – Fragrance: From Plant To Perfume, The Botanical Origins Of Scent →

Review – Guerlain – Iris Torréfié – Old World Glamour In A Modern Guerlain

Review - Guerlain - Iris Torréfié - My favourite from the  L’Art et la Matière - 8.5/10. This week, I’m in the mood for irises. It’s walking iris season in my garden, and to celebrate, I’ve been discussing a couple of new iris fragrances that have recently been released. If you’d like to revisit those … Continue reading Review – Guerlain – Iris Torréfié – Old World Glamour In A Modern Guerlain →

Review – Serge Lutens – Santal Majuscule – The Best Sandalwood From Serge?

Review - Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule - Festive Woods - 9/10. Serge Lutens has three perfumes dedicated to sandalwood. They are Santal Blanc, a featherlight skin scent that combines musk and iris, the curried spice of Santal de Mysore, and my favourite, Santal Majuscule. They're all sufficiently different from each other that you could … Continue reading Review – Serge Lutens – Santal Majuscule – The Best Sandalwood From Serge? →

Review – Hermès – Terre d’Hermès EDT – The Best From The Line

Review - Hermès - Terre d'Hermès - Modern Classic - 9/10. Where has the time gone? It seems only yesterday that Terre d'Hermès hit the market. Indeed, it was almost 20 years ago, in 2006, that one of Jean-Claude Ellena's finest launched onto the shelves. It's interesting to look back and see how different the … Continue reading Review – Hermès – Terre d’Hermès EDT – The Best From The Line →

Santa Maria Novella – I Giardini Medicei – Quercia

My forays into Santa Maria Novella's I Giardini Medicei collection have mainly been successful. So far, I've tried and enjoyed four fragrances from the collection. All four fragrances smell cheerful and happy, radiating a pleasant, sunny disposition. Even the iris (L'Iris) defies preconceived notions one might have of an iris fragrance. There's no sense of … Continue reading Santa Maria Novella – I Giardini Medicei – Quercia →

Review – Nicolaï – Riviera Verbena – A Trip To The Côte d’Azur

I love the smell of verbena/lemon verbena. I have some growing in the garden, and I love the herbal, lemony, zesty scent created by rubbing the plant between my fingers. There's nothing better at putting a pep in my step on a warm, humid afternoon in the middle of summer than this enlivening aroma.   … Continue reading Review – Nicolaï – Riviera Verbena – A Trip To The Côte d’Azur →