Category Archive: Floral

Gone, But Not Forgotten Series Part 8: Hot in Pink – Shocking by Schiaparelli

Vintage Shocking Ad
Shocking de Schiaparelli

The Gone, But Not Forgotten series focuses the spotlight on those fragrances that, despite being absolutely wonderful, have suffered at the hands of the unfortunate inevitability, and my biggest bug-bear of the industry that is discontinuation. They may be gone, but this series aims to ensure that these gems certainly aren’t forgotten.

When I first had the idea for the series there was one perfume in the back of my mind that would be the ultimate addition, the holy grail of rare, discontinued perfumes that would be nigh on impossible to obtain. That perfume was Shocking by Schiaparelli. Luckily for me I have been able to get my greedy little hands on a 7.5ml bottle of pre-1970s Shocking Parfum, and I am pleased to say that I am as wowed by it as I thought I would be.

Shocking was created by Jean Carles in 1937 and was named after the shade of hot pink that Elsa Schiaparelli created for her collections. Schiaparelli was known for actively embracing the surrealist movement (her famous shoe hat is all the proof you need) and a lot of her creations took inspiration from Dadaism so it stands to reason that her most famous fragrance is bold, beautiful and unconventional.

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Watermelons, Italian Skies and a Real Modern Chypre – Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa Perfume Review

Italian Alps
Amorosa – Inspired by the mountains and clear turquoise skies of Italy

What exactly is the point of watermelon? It has always seemed to me to be the the most pointless of fruits because it smells and tastes of practically nothing. I’d go as far as saying that it is the worst fruit, along with grapefruit, which is also horrid due to its mouth-screwingly bitter taste. It is my impassioned hatred for watermelon that made Amorosa, the latest fragrance from Ruth Mastenbroek, such a surprise.

Ruth Mastenbroek is a British perfumer, and former President of the British Society of Perfumers, who has created perfumes for a number of niche lines, including Jo Malone, before deciding to go it alone and start her own brand. So far her line consists of two fragrances; RM Eau de Parfum and Amorosa.  Ruth’s philosophy is “to create fragrances that are unique, luxurious and distinctive” [1], and if Amorosa is anything to go by, that is exactly what she does.

Amorosa is inspired by Italy, “its mountains, its clear turquoise skies” [2] and is described as “the seductive scent of a woman in love with life.” [3] It is a fascinating modern chypre that is a unique take on the genre. Not only does it showcase a beautiful watermelon note it does so in an interesting and new way. In an industry where “new” can be an alien concept, this is something absolutely worth celebrating.

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Hip, Hip, Hooray! – Grossmith Diamond Jubilee Bouquet Perfume Review

Stamp
Well done Liz! Have a special stamp to celebrate…

Over the last few days us Brits have been putting up our union jack bunting, dusting off our royal memorabilia and picking up our flags, ready to be waved enthusiastically. All of this is in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne, which is no mean feat as Liz is only the second UK monarch to have reached the 60 year mark in British history.

Whether you are a Royalist, Republican, British, non-British or just generally not fussed about the Monarchy you cannot deny that the Jubilee is worth celebrating and many British brands are joining in on the celebrations by either releasing jubilee themed limited editions, or even rebranding/redressing their products in jubilee livery (my favourite being Ma’amite) to honour such an important occasion.

Venerable British perfume house Grossmith are just one of the many perfume houses releasing celebratory jubilee fragrances (others include; Floris, Roja Dove and Bond No. 9) and it’s not the first time they have done so, having created Victorian Bouquet for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1896. Now it’s Liz’s turn!

Grossmith’s Diamond Jubilee Bouquet, a limited edition of 500 pieces, is described as “a subtle combination of flowers from Her Majesty’s Kingdom”, a “floral tapestry [that] embodies understated sophistication and warmth” [1] and for each bottle sold a donation will be made to The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. You may celebrate with a conscience!

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The Cheap and Chic Icon – The Body Shop White Musk Perfume Oil Perfume Review

Christian Dior Fall 2010
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.

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Beguile Me With Your Wondrous Fumes – Amouage Opus III Perfume Review

Dandelion
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…

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Legends of the Silk Road – Amouage Epic Woman & Epic Man Perfume Reviews

Epic
“Legends of the Silk Road”

I have said it a number of times before, but things that are true must be said more than once; I am taking my sweet time working my way through Amouage’s back catalogue of scents and most importantly I am enjoying the journey immensely. What strikes me most about the Amouage line is the impressive degree of cohesion demonstrated amongst such an eclectic mix of fragrance styles, each of which is woven together by the silver thread of omani frankincense.

Speaking of journeys, none are more impressive than the ancient journeys of the Silk Road, the subject of which is the inspiration behind Amouage’s 2009 feminine and masculine duo. Creative Director Christopher Chong worked alongside perfumers Cecile Zarokian, Daniel Maurel, Angeline Leporini (for Woman) and Randa Hammami (for Man) to create two perfumes that represent the sheer scale and importance of these cross-continental journeys that no longer exist.

Epic is the moniker given to this type of journey and is bestowed upon both fragrances. Inspired by the legend of travels along the world’s spice and trade routes, and hued in imperial jadeite the name Epic could not be more perfect, and whilst it may lead you to believe that these fragrances are cinematic in their size, one should not be fooled, unlike other Amouage perfumes Epic Woman and Man are essays in soft elegance.

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Return From Purgatory – The Body Shop White Musk for Men Perfume Review

White Musk for Men
Plain and simple – not normally The Candy Perfume Boy’s bag…

The purgatory drawer is a lonely place, it’s where my unloved and abandoned perfume bottles go to live out the rest of their days before they inevitably pass on to the other world (eBay) and leave me forever. Very occasionally I will delve into this land of limbo in a vain attempt to rekindle long lost love, and if a bottle is particularly lucky I will have a “what the heck is this doing in here” moment and it will be fully restored, in its former glory, on my perfume shelf.

One such moment occurred very recently, in which i re-stumbled upon my bottle of The Body Shop’s White Musk for Men, a scent that I haven’t worn, or even thought about for at least two years. It was with new found curiosity that I pulled out the neglected purple bottle, spritzed cautiously and inhaled with unexpected joy – “oooh this stuff is good”! It wasn’t long before apologies had been made (mine), forgiveness offered (his) and a place on the prized perfume shelf was offered.

It’s only fair that I was forgiven, I’ve always been a big fan of The Body Shop after all. Their bath, body and fragrance products are well made, well fragranced and generally well priced – what’s not to love? White Musk for Men is no exception, it’s a well constructed, nice smelling masculine that comes in at under £20, a rarity in today’s over-diluted and overpriced industry.

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Do You Dare? – Madonna Truth or Dare Perfume Review

Truth or Dare
Madonna – The Candy Perfume Girl

This post should come with a disclaimer – I am a Madonna fan, or as I put it ‘a royal subject of her Madgesty’. I just can’t help myself – I love her music, I admire her immensely for doing everything a man can do but better (and for getting away with it), for doing a lot with average talent, heck even this blog is named after one of her songs, so yes it is fair to say that I kinda like the Queen of Pop. I am also a HUGE fan of white florals, which may lead you to think that I was destined to adore Madonna’s first perfume ‘Truth or Dare’, I mean after all how could I not be biased when one of my favourite icons releases a perfume that fits very nicely into one of my favourite genres?

The truth is that the release of Truth or Dare was quite nerve-wracking for me. First things first, there have been many rumours about a Madonna perfume over the years and it would be fair to say that she should have done it a long time ago, back when she was more of a leader and less of a follower. Secondly, aside from a few glorious exceptions (Rossy de Palma, Tilda Swinton and Sarah Jessica Parker etc.) celebrity perfumes tend to be naff, thoughtless concoctions created as a quick cash cow for whoever feels the need to put their name to one. But as news of Truth or Dare startled to trickle into the blogosphere my fears were put to rest and I was particularly encouraged by the fact that her perfume would be a Fracas inspired white floral – a genre that she is known to love.

Truth or Dare, Madonna’s first and long-awaited foray into the perfume market is created in conduction with Coty, it is also part of her new lifestyle/fashion brand of the same name and was developed by perfumer Stephen Nilsen (Donna Karan Gold, Hillary Duff With Love). With Truth or Dare Madonna was looking to create something personal that was an expression of herself and her love for perfume, but could also be accessible to others, she wanted “something classical and timeless and yet modern” [1]. It is aimed at women between the ages 25-45, with the main focus being on the 35-45 bracket, a fact that I find baffling seeing as Madonna is currently 53 (at the time of writing). Anyhoo, on to the fragrance…

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My Beautiful Beloved – Amouage Beloved Perfume Review

Girl with Flowers

“There’s just something about the glamour and luxury of wearing great big flowers that takes away the grey humdrum of everyday life.”

I’m always keen to see what Amouage is up to, they are a brand with incredible cohesion, yet each release is new, surprising and exciting. Amouage’s creative director Christopher Chong has gone a long way to give the brand an international aesthetic, drawing inspiration from Puccini, Swan Lake and the Silk Road (to name but a few) to create perfumes that transcend culture and location.

This year has been a good year for Amouage releases, March saw the release of the latest edition to the Library Collection with the orgasmically good amber Opus VI, and now, preceding the launch of Amouage’s annual masculine and feminine duo later this year, the house has launched a new feminine perfume exclusive to a small number of high-end department stores. A perfume that has been bestowed with the named ‘Beloved’.

Beloved is an unusual launch for Amouage because it stands alone without a masculine counterpart and it joins Ubar as one of the only fragrances in the line to do so. It has been created to represent the modern woman so it stands to reason that it doesn’t need a man to shine. Amouage says that “Beloved engages the elegance and complexity of the modern woman: strong, empowered, animated, in control.” [1] and to me it feels like a contemporary modern floral with a classic edge.

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Candy Perfume Girl – Guerlain Insolence Eau de Toilette Perfume Review

Insolence

“This extreme freedom, indifference to commentary, spontaneity and even her excesses make her magnificent. She is who she is; she is irresistibly set against prejudice and convention and is unafraid to be unreasonable. Her motto: whoever loves me will follow!”  [1]

One thing that I absolutely pride myself upon is that when it comes to perfume the subject of gender means absolutely nothing to me. I’m as happy rocking YSL’s ‘so masculine it’ll put hairs on your chest’ M7 as I am splashing on Robert Piguet’s oestrogen-fuelled Fracas. But there is one perfume so feminine that even I, yes I with the pink stripy blog think twice about before spraying on. That perfume is Guerlain’s Insolence.

I’m not saying that I don’t wear it, that would be silly and against everything I have ever said about perfume and gender, but I do really have to be in the mood for it and there have been times when I’ve felt just a little self-conscious/Candy Perfume Girl-ish whilst wearing it. Insolence is unapologetic in its femininity, and why should it apologise? Insolence is a girl that knows what she wants and most importantly she knows how to have a good time.

Insolence, which was created by the great Maurice Roucel no less, was released in 2006 and is a fruity floral with a difference – it actually smells good. Roucel presented Insolence as an essay on Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue, taking the classic anisic gourmand iris and giving it a modern twist. The result is an intelligent, yet ridiculously ditzy (how’s that for an oxymoron?) perfume that smells current whilst giving a firm nod to Guerlain’s esteemed heritage.

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