Christian Dior Fall 2010 – Chic and Iconic but not Cheap…

Picture this: You’re tasked with buying a 30ml bottle of perfume. It has to be something that  smells good, isn’t tacky or some horrible celebuscent, and could be classed as a classic due to its unfailing longevity and popularity. Oh and you cannot spend more than £11! That’s doable right?

You may be thinking that you have been set an impossible task, and you would not be blamed for thinking so, after all there are good cheapies on the market but £11 is VERY cheap. But I am very happy to say that you do not have to blow the big bucks to find a decent bottle of perfume, all you need to do is head down to The Body Shop and pick up a bottle of White Musk Perfume Oil.

White Musk is The Body Shop’s flagship fragrance and was released way back in 1981. The Body Shop describe White Musk as “iconic” [1] and I have to agree, it’s one of those fragrances that everybody knows. It is instantly recognisable and has stood the test of time where other, lesser scents have fallen by the wayside. White Musk may sing a simple little ditty but it is its pleasant simplicity that has secured its well-earned status as a perfume icon.

White Musk Perfume Oil

The Notes

Top: Lily, Ylang-Ylang, Galbanum and Basil
Heart: Jasmine, Rose, Peach and Iris
Base: White Musk, Vanilla, Amber, Moss and Woodsy Notes [1]

How Does it Smell?

I said above that White Musk sings a simple ditty, and this is completely true for its Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette incarnations, but not so much for the Perfume Oil. I hadn’t really paid that much attention to the Perfume Oil up until very recently, mainly because I’m not overly keen on oils (I like big, diffusive sillage) but also because I am very familiar with White Musk so I don’t spend too much time thinking about it. It just so happens that I picked up a bottle of the Perfume Oil in my local Body Shop a couple of weeks ago for the first time, and I was blown away by how marvellously complex and beautiful it is.

White Musk Perfume Oil starts incredibly earthy and rich. It has this wonderful dark, mushroom-y quality to it that makes me think of the warm, damp floor of an ancient forest. What’s clever about it is that it manages to do ‘earthy’ and dank without being dense, this  is possibly due to the mixture of sweet flowers (lily, ylang, jasmine and rose) that lighten things up slightly, as if just a tiny beam of sunlight is peeking through the trees.

Iris plays a strong part throughout the Perfume Oil’s lifespan and whilst it may not be of the super-high quality and artistry of many iris fragrances it is put to good use by ramping up those rooty, earthy notes and taming the animalics. Speaking of animalic notes, it would be fair to say that White Musk (in all concentrations) is not a beastly musk, and I don’t think it is trying to be. There is a faint whiff of something dirty, but it is more damp and stale smelling than anything attributed to an animal.

The Perfume Oil, as expected, is relatively linear – what you put on at the beginning is pretty much what you are left with after a good number of hours, and I do mean a good number of hours, the longevity is excellent and it lasted through 24 hours and a shower on my skin. But as it melds in with the skin (it is one of those “your skin, but better” scents) more of the warm, amber-y and vanilla tones come through, making for a rather cosy finale to a surprisingly complex fragrance.

Did I mention that it’s only £11?

Availability

White Musk Perfume Oil is available 30ml size for £11. An Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and range of matching body products are also available.

Join the Discussion!

What are your favourite cheapie scents? - Please leave your answers in the comments box below!

Disclaimer

Image 1 fashionrollcall.com. Image 2 mimifroufrou.com. [1] thebodyshop.co.uk. [2] osmoz.com.

The Candy Perfume Boy Scents The Royal Family for Escentual.com

I am very chuffed to have been asked to write a guest-post for Escentual.com (a wonderful fragrance and beauty e-tailer*), in which I have the colossal task of scenting the British Royal Family. This has been one of my absolute favourite pieces to write and I had a blast putting it together so I do hope you will enjoy it. Please do head on over to Escentual to give it a read.

Disclaimer

Image via escentual.com. *not affiliated.

The Rapture of Dandelions in Spring

There are so many niche perfume houses out there it’s a struggle for your friendly neighbourhood perfume blogger to keep up. There are niche lines within designer houses, niche lines within niche houses, private collections and exclusives – the mind boggles.

To cope I have to tell myself that I simply cannot sniff everything and there are niche lines that I will ignore completely, purely because my brain cannot handle adding them to the pile of things I need to try stacked somewhere at the back of my mind, behind all the stuff I don’t use anymore; like algebra, the steps to the Macarena and the ability to resist cake.

One niche house that will always receive my attention however is Amouage. I still haven’t managed to try everything in the Amouage stable (I’m taking my time and enjoying it thank you very much) but what I have tried, whether to my tastes or not has been interesting, high quality and worthy of the praise it receives.

The Library Collection is Amouage’s capsule collection of unique fragrance “works”. The collection is described as being “a poetic homage to the art of living” [1] and it offers a break from the house’s tradition of grandiose, opulent fragrances. After falling truly, madly and deeply for the mind-blowing amber of Opus VI I couldn’t wait to poke my nose through the rest of the collection, and on a recent shopping trip that is exactly what I did. It was on that shopping trip that I discovered Opus III…

The Library Collection

The Notes

Top: Mimosa, Broom, Carnation, Nutmeg and Thyme
Heart: Violet, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Orange Blossom
Base: Ambrette, Musk, Papyrus, Cedar, Guaicwood, Benzoin, Vanilla and Frankincense

How Does it Smell? 

Opus III is inspired by “the art and science of the creative process, from the darkest moments of frustration, to the brightness of enlightenment and discovery” [2] and was created by Karine Vinchon under the direction Amouage’s Creative Director Christopher Chong. To me, Opus III is a modern take on Guerlain classics such as Après L’Ondée and L’Heure Bleue but with the Amouage touch.

The opening of Opus III is entirely reminiscent of flower filled meadows in the spring. It opens with sweet mimosa and broom flowers and gives the impression of sun-kissed fields of flowers, grass and hay. It’s impossible not to take a big sigh as you inhale its fumes, your thoughts buzzing about your head like the bees who flicker amongst the spring flowers, each one saying the same thing; “this thing is just so darn pretty!”

As it develops Opus III becomes less sweet and a beautiful, pale iris makes its way into the foreground. Where most iris notes are pure grey, this one is ever so slightly purple as if it can’t quite make up its mind about what colour to be. The real interest with the iris lies with its supporting acts; violet and and ylang ylang, the former of which adds an atmospheric quality whilst the ylang ylang gives Opus III a marvellous tropical warmth and some lovely banana-like nuances.

Opus III is reminiscent of both Après L’Ondée and L’Heure Bleue as mentioned above but it is also a much better interpretation of this style than other modern orchestrations such as Oscar de la Renta’s Esprit d’Oscar et al because it isn’t afraid to be soft and understated, a trait that is practically unheard of in an Amouage. Whilst it may be take cues from the classics it does manage to carve out its own unique identity, especially as it moves into the base notes.

The base is where Opus III heads into familiar Amouage territory, it is still soft but is much warmer and contains plush, creamy notes of sandalwood, vanilla and frankincense. There’s a touch of spice, but the main focus is on the warmth of the remaining florals and the richer notes, almost as if Opus III transitions from bright spring morning to glorious, twilight-filled evening.

Availability

Opus III is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum for £200.

Disclaimer

Image 1 quimalcantara.com. Image 2 edle-essenzen.de. Notes via basenotes.net. [1] amouage.com. [2] nstperfume.com.

Roger & Gallet L’Homme & L’Homme Sport – “Intense Freshness”

Sampling masculine fragrances can be a royal pain in the bum because for the most part they are dreadful calone-fuelled citrus things that feel thin, bland and made for the lowest common denominator. Of course that’s not to say they are all bad, far from it, there is a whole heap of good masculine scents on the market, it just seems that in terms of new launches, the good ones are becoming harder to find.

Luckily for us boys there are some good, not mind-blowing, but good masculine fragrances on the market that don’t break the bank. Two such fragrances are Roger & Gallet’s duo of masculines ‘L’Homme’ and ‘L’Homme Sport’. Between these two masculines Roger & Gallet have catered for both the stylish older man (L’Homme) and the easygoing younger man (L’Homme Sport) at an affordable price.

L’Homme was introduced in 1979 and is described by Roger & Gallet as “an Eau de Toilette…with an authentic, distinctive chypre character” whilst its 2009 counterpart “plays a second oflactive score and reveals another contemporary facet”. Two fragrances, worlds apart, and both representing the duality of the modern man.

L’Homme

The Notes

Top: Lemon and Spearmint
Heart: Ylang Ylang and Spices
Base: Vetyver, Patchouli and Amber

How Does it Smell?

If you didn’t know that L’Homme, Roger & Gallet’s staple masculine, was released in 1979 you would the moment that you smelled it. L’Homme is a big, ballsy and über-masculine woody chypre in the true 70/80s style. I can’t smell it and not think of a hairy chested man schlapping it on his cheeks in front of the bathroom mirror.

This style of fragrance could not be further away from my tastes if it tried but I do have to admit that L’Homme is very nicely done, and whilst I may not wear it myself I wouldn’t mind smelling it on the right man. It reminds me of the style of fragrance my father wore when we were kids, I distinctly remember splashing on his Giorgio Armani/Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme thinking I was as cool as he was. I wasn’t.

L’Homme starts with a big blast of citrus, mint and spices. It is rich and aromatic without being overpowering or acrid, the balance is spot on. With time it progresses to a base of woods (namely cedar), a big ole stinker of a patchouli note and amber. I find it to be perhaps a little bit on the dry side, occasionally shifting towards harsh, but the amber brings in a softness before things go too far.

I find L’Homme to be a relatively linear fragrance, the development is short but it lasts a long time and the finished product is a nicely-done masculine chypre There are of course many fragrances that ‘do’ this style of fragrance better than L’Homme, Aramis for one springs to mind, but for £33.50 this one definitely is an attractive option.

L’Homme Sport

The Notes

Top: Grapefruit and Tea
Heart: Pink Peppercorn and Cardamom
Base: Vetyver, Cedar and Amber

How Does it Smell?

There is no stronger deterrent for a die-hard fumeophile than the word ‘Sport’ in a fragrance name. The majority of these athletic masculines (and they do tend to be exclusively for the male market) are nothing more than dreadful synthetic-smelling citrus mutants that remind one of the smell of Lynx-drenched school changing rooms.

Now, my experiences of P.E (or Gym Class to my American friends) were less than enjoyable and I would like it if my fragrance didn’t remind me of those torturous times thank you very much. Luckily for me, in the case of L’Homme Sport we have a decent, albeit rather ephemeral ‘sport’ fragrance for once.

L’Homme Sport opens with juicy, mouthwatering grapefruit and a touch of green tea. The opening is quite subdued and rather than being effervescent or sparkling, as grapefruit can tend to be, it is soft and sweet. There is also a touch of mint lurking somewhere in the background which gives L’Homme Sport a slight similarity to Guerlain Homme, however the latter is definitely much more interesting and higher quality than the former.

This rather pleasant sport fragrance, which shouldn’t be called as such because it is better than that, settles on a very easy-to-love suede-like amber. It feels a million miles away from the hairy-chested spice bomb that is L’Homme and represents the quieter, more modern side of the Roger & Gallet man.

L’Homme Sport is so very different from L’Homme. There is something relaxing and simple about it, it’s unfussy, unpretentious and easy-going. It may not be a masterpiece, in fact it’s nothing of the sort – it’s too quiet for a start and I can’t see it holding interest for a long period of time, but you could do a heck of a lot worse with your gym-bag fragrance.

Availability

L’Homme and L’Homme Sport are both available in 100ml Eau de Toilette for £33.50. A series of toiletries, including; Shaving Foam, After Shave Balm, Shaving Cream, Shower Gel and Hair Fixative gel are also available.

Disclaimer

PR sample. All quotes and notes via press releases. Image 1 via helpmystyle.ie Images 2 & 3 via altwoodpharmacy.com

Last week’s Saturday Poll focused on the love-it-or-hate-it note of Tuberose. You were posed the question “Tuberose – Yay or Nay?” and you were forthcoming in your answers. Much to my surprise, given the polarising nature of tuberose, a staggering 75% voted a resounding yay for tuberose. This isn’t the result I expected but I am very pleased to see that my favourite note is more popular than I had first though.

On to this week’s poll…

The Poll

This week’s poll focuses on the age old debate of natural vs synthetic. Do you like all-natural ingredients in your perfume, or just synthetics? Do you believe that a mixture of both is important or do you not care at all?

What do you think? I want to know! Register your vote and let me know your thoughts in the comments box below!

My Vote

I’m a firm believer in a mixture of both natural and synthetic ingredients in perfumery and I think both play an important part in giving perfumers the ability to make realistic and artistic perfumes, that are either true to nature or not, but are also stable and long lasting.

Tweet Tweet

We interrupt our usual programming for a brief post that may involve a small degree of shameless self promotion. Both Persolaise (@persolaise) and I (@Candyperfumeb0y) are approaching the 1,000 follower mark on Twitter and when we do hit the landmark 1K we thought we would have a little fun and host a giveaway.

The very generous people at Penhaligon’s (holla) have kindly agreed to support our Twitter campaign and have donated a 50ml of last year’s super awesome and super-gin-like Juniper Sling. If you would like a chance to win the aforementioned bottle of gin-inspired scent then, and this is where the shameless self promotion comes in, you just need to start spreading the word and persuade as many people to follow us as possible.

Once we both hit 1,000 follower we will publish more details on how the giveaway will be run. Happy Tweeting folks!

Summer in Swinging London Town

There are a few big and exciting events happening in London this summer; in June we have the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and in July we will be hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, not that we’ve made much of a song and dance about it or anything…

Anyway, these events are very exciting, but there is one other event that I would like to bring to your attention, one that is a little bit more low-key but is 10,000 times more exciting than anything Queen/sports related.

On Thursday 26 July I will be hosting a Summer Special at The New Cavendish Club for Perfume Lovers London. During the evening I will be taking you through a selection of summer scents from the light and ephemeral to the hot and steamy. I am overjoyed to have been asked to host and I hope that you’ll be able to attend.

Details below the jump…

“Time to cast off winter clothes, expose pale limbs, introduce a bit of colour to your wardrobe, eat under the stars and bask in summer nights…

So, what will you be wearing to make the temperature rise?

Our very own Candy Perfume Boy (AKA Thomas Dunckley) will breeze you through a series of summer delights. Sultry or cooling, sexy or sheer – everything you need to know about smelling good this summer will be revealed. Weather permitting, Perfume Lovers London will be holding a summer party after the event on the roof terrace at The New Cavendish Club.” [1]

To read more info about the event and to book a place please head over to the Perfume Lovers London Meetup Page. Please note that places are limited.

Disclaimer

Image 1 uconnlondon.org.uk

[1] Perfume Lovers London

Floating Gold by Christopher Kemp – A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris

Posts are going to be on the light side this week because there seems to be a lot going on here at Candy Perfume Towers, mainly in the form of two exams (boooo) and two exciting writing projects that I must finish by the end of the week. The good thing is that if I am busy then I am (on the whole) keeping myself out of trouble, however the downside is that I can’t update the blog with the usual reviews and stuff as much as usual.

During my brief hiatus I shall leave you with my latest book review for Basenotes, a review of Christopher Kemp’s ambergris tome ‘Floating Gold’, which you can read here. I’m a little late posting a link to this, so if on the off chance that you haven’t seen it already please do head over for a look, Floating Gold is a very interesting book indeed!

A Gaggle of Perfume Bloggers: Birgit & Tara of Olfactoria’s Travels, Vanessa of Bonkers About Perfume and me, The Candy Perfume Boy.

The Perfume Lovers London events organised by Lila Das Gupta as part of Olfactory Events are a fabulous opportunity to learn about perfume, to talk to and meet with like minded perfumeophiles and discover a plethora of new, exciting perfumes. It’s safe to say that every event is a joy to attend so the news that one of my favourite bloggers, Birgit of Olfactoria’s Travels, was going to be holding her very own event was very exciting indeed!

I’m sure that I’m preaching to the choir here, but Olfactoria’s Travels has become a go-to blog for many perfume lovers and it’s teeming with beautifully written reviews, informed discussion and passion from Birgit and Tara, who have both changed the face of the perfume blogosphere.

For her event, Birgit promised to take us on a journey through the world of amber, a sensible subject choice seeing as she has rightfully earned the title of “Queen of Amber” through her love for the genre. Now, I’ve made it no secret that amber isn’t my favourite genre of perfumes, but that’s not to say that I don’t like it either, I simply haven’t had the right amount of exposure to it, but now thanks to Birgit and Perfume Lovers London I feels as if I am well-versed on the subject!

The Candy Perfume Boy (complete with funny eye squint) and Olfactoria

The evening kicked off with an introduction from Lila, who emphasised just how popular Olfactoria’s Travels has become in such a short period of time (18 months), a fact which is a testament to the quality of the blog. Birgit followed up with background on herself, her career (a psychotherapist by trade – “as is customary in Vienna”) and how she fell down the perfumed rabbit hole.

In the beginning Birgit (hereafter referred to as B) was content with her bottle of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, that was until she stumbled across Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle in a department store, and it was then that she found the perfume that started it all, the catalyst that birthed the travels of Olfactoria. That perfume was Olivia Giacobetti’s En Passant, and this beautiful, fresh, green lilac was the perfume that kick-started B’s love for perfume – “it was new because it captured nature”.

Real Amber of the Fossilised Tree-Sap Variety

After trying the perfume that started it all we were treated to an overview of amber, what it is (the basic accord being labdanum, benzoin and vanilla) and what it isn’t (ambergris or fossilised tree resin – although it is inspired by the latter.

We even got to smell the three raw materials that make up the accord in isolation; labdanum – spicy, woody and sticky smelling; benzoin – fuzzy, soft caramel; and vanilla – sweet, salty, spicy and smooth. I always enjoy smelling perfume ingredients, it’s an invaluable exercise aquatinting yourself with the individual puzzle pieces that make up the smells we are so familiar with, and I wish I could just douse myself in pure benzoin – that stuff is delicious.

After our overview it was time to meet the ambers…

L’Artisan Parfumeur L’Eau d’Ambre

The Starter Ambers

L’Artisan Parfumeur – L’Eau d’Ambre
Etro – Amber
Agent Provocateur – Strip
Christian Dior La Collection Privée – Ambre Nuit

B’s first foray into amber was with “the amber for people who don’t like amber” also known as L’Eau d’Ambre by L’Artisan Parfumeur. L’Eau d’Ambre is an amber that emphasises the accord’s spicier facets and it showcases a wonderful dusting of cinnamon that makes it easy to love. Another thing acting in its favour is the fact that it is the perfume that L’Artisan Parfumeur uses to scent their awesome amber balls – who wouldn’t want to smell like those?

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan

Heavy Hitters

Serge Lutens – Ambre Sultan
Annick Goutal – Ambre Fétiche
Parfum d’Empire – Ambre Russe

At this point B started to take us into full-blown amber territory. We moved on from the namby-pamby starter ambers on to the proper amber perfumes, the most amber-y and famous of which was Serge Lutens’ Ambre Sultan. B explained that she has a “back and forth” relationship with Serge Lutens, regularly falling in and out of love with his perfumes, but Ambre Sultan is the “exception to the evil cycle” and it’s easy to see why, it is a beautifully furry amber with a large dose of herbal notes and a strange, anisic quality.

We also tried Ambre Fétiche by Annick Goutal, a house that I don’t have a great track record with, but I think AF could go a long way to change that, it’s a strong amber with an unusual nutty character that is a little unsettling but definitely interesting. One member of the group described it as smelling “like going to a male temple”.

Tom Ford Amber Absolute

American Male Superheroes

Tom Ford Private Blend – Amber Absolute
Armani Privé – Ambre d’Orient
Histoires de Parfums – Ambre 114

These ambers, as described by B, are the “square jawed, good men, but not necessarily intelligent” members of the posse. Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute very much seemed like an amber-by-numbers, like Mr. Ford himself it was impeccably turned out and tried its hardest to push all the right buttons. B said that Amber Absolute smelled much better on skin than paper, so a few of us (myself included) offered our arms up as human tester strips, and it’s true, it is much better on skin.

The second amber of the superhero-bunch was Armani Privé’s Ambre d’Orient, which turned out to be a relatively sweet amber in comparison to the Tom Ford, and despite a light liquorice vibe it sat very nicely in this category of handsome, wholesome ambers.

Mona di Orio Ambre

Powdery Ambers

Coudray – Amber et Vanille
Mona di Orio – Ambre

Mona di Orio’s Ambre doesn’t follow her usual “takes no prisoners” vibe, a vibe that can easily be applied to her Cuir if you ask me, but that’s beside the point. This one is very powdery, soft and feminine. I would liken it to baby powder for grown-ups because it feels like a fleshed and spiced up version of Mona di Orio’s other powdery scent Musc, a perfume that B insisted that we all try. *

Christian Dior Mitzah

Dead Center Ambers

Christian Dior La Collection Privée – Mitzah
Maître Parfumeur et Gantier – Ambre Précieux

The Dead Centre Ambers represented the middle ground of the amber world and none are more dead centre than Dior’s Mitzah. Mitzah, which was named after Christian Dior’s muse Mitzah Bricard, “represents the geographical centre – not to sweet, not to smoky, not to spicy, not to loud and not to quiet”. For me Mitzah was the surprise of the night, firstly because in my brain I had thought it was one the florals in La Collection Privée, and secondly because it really is very well balanced. Mitzah certainly was intriguing and I assured that it was my sample-of-choice to take home.

Amouage Opus VI

Summer Amber

Amouage - Opus VI

B described the final amber (on the evening and in her review), Amouage’s latest addition to their Library Collection as the “Star Trek Amber” because of its “holographic” quality. This description is very interesting because Opus VI is VERY different from the heavy, spice-laden ambers that made up most of B’s entourage and I don’t think it can be more perfectly summed up than being “see-through, weightless but still perfectly formed”

Estée Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude

80s Vintage Ambers

Calvin Klein – Obsession
Estée Lauder – Youth Dew Amber Nude

Armani Privé Ambre Soie

Amber and Friends

Caron – Pour un Homme
Armani Privé – Ambre Soie
Shiloh – X

The two final ‘bonus categories’ were left for us to explore at the very end of the event and contained vintage ambers of perfumes associated with the genre but not quite within it. The highlight of these categories was the vintage scents and It was good fun to try vintage Obsession, I do like my 80s powerhouses after all!

An evening with Olfactoria “Queen of Amber” was a fabulous induction into the world of amber. Just like the Perfume Lovers London Evening of Leather, I walked away with a new-found appreciation of a perfume genre that I hadn’t really paid a huge amount of attention to before, as well as having discovered some very interesting perfumes that require further investigation.

It was also incredibly lovely to finally meet Birgit, who is just as wonderful and engaging as I imagined her to be, she did a fabulous job with the evening and successfully managed to impart a good deal of her perfume knowledge on those who attended. She really knows her stuff and it was clear throughout that perfume really is her passion, and amber is her poison! Here’s hoping that we’ll have the opportunity to join Olfactoria on her travels again some time in the future.

For other accounts of the evening please head over to Olfactoria’s Travels to read Tara’s fabulous write up and to Bonkers About Perfume to read Vanessa’s also-fabulous write up.

Disclaimer

Image 1 & 2 my own, Image 3 theendofhistoryshop.blogspot.com, Image 4 spitfiregirl.com, Image 5 butik-paris.com, Image 6 polyvore.com, Image 7 vanitypolygon.com, Image 8 lenoma.ru, Image 9 mparis.ru, Image 10 fashionls.com, Image 11 selfridges.com

* updated  21 May – misread my notes.

On the last Saturday Poll, which was a whole two weeks ago if you can cast your mind back that far, we discussed the subject of perfume gender bending. This is a subject that I am quite passionate, and almost militant about so it was great to see so many people weighing in with their thoughts. A stonking 83% of you voted in favour for gender bending and generally wearing whatever you like and all I can say to that is “hear, hear!”

Anyway, enough of that! Let’s move on to this week’s poll…

The Poll

As you may have noticed, I am somewhat of a lover of tuberose. OK, that’s an understatement, I’m a tuberose freak. No wait, I’m a tuberose addict – I can’t get enough. Whilst I adore the note I’m fully aware that others aren’t so keen, in fact it would be fair to say that tuberose is a polarising note – some love it and others hate it. What do you think? I want to know! Register your vote and let me know your thoughts in the comments box below!

My Vote

I think I have made my stance on the subject of tuberose pretty clear, but perhaps this will clear up any grey areas…