Boozy Fumes – Thierry Mugler Les Liqueurs de Parfums Perfume Review

I make no bones about the fact that Thierry Mugler is one of my all-time favourite perfume brands. Their signature perfumes – Angel, Alien, Womanity, Cologne and A*Men – all have a very special place in my collection and are so befitting of the style of perfume I love, they almost feel as if they were created for me – although I am entirely aware that they were not.

Once a year Mugler treats us all to a special collection of fragrances – four unique takes on their existing signature fragrances. The familiar accords of these perfumes are twisted and remixed to include an ‘enhancer’ that presents them in an entirely new light. Over the last few years the likes of Angel et al have been reshaped by leather and gourmet ingredients to name just a few.

This year’s collection – ‘Les Liqueurs de Parfums‘ – sees the famous Mugler fragrances imbued with equally well-known liqueurs and is a sidestep for the brand, having already released alcohol-inspired versions of Angel, Alien and A*Men in 2009. The difference with this collection, however is that the wooden casks each fragrance has been aged in were warmed up and toasted to add a brand new facet to these boozy ‘fumes.

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New Escentual Post: Olfactive Studio Review

One of the many great things about being Escentual‘s Fragrance Expert is that I get to try great brands that I wouldn’t necessarily come across in the wild. Olfactive Studio is one such line and I must say that I am very please to have sampled the five olfactory delights that they have on offer.

This week’s post, as you may have guessed, is a review of the photography-inspired fragrances by Olfactive Studio. They are a handsome bunch of subtle compositions – almost ‘sleeper hits’ if you will – that really should not be overlooked. Please click on the image above to head on over to Escentual to read my review, and don’t forget to leave a comment!

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Telling Stories – 4160 Tuesdays Urara’s Tokyo Cafe & Sunshine and Pancakes Perfume Review

When spending a significant portion of one’s time reviewing new launches from both mainstream and ‘niche’ (a word that seems to mean less and less nowadays) houses, it’s not too difficult to find oneself craving something entirely new – perfumes that, unlike many, quietly assert themselves as genuinely fresh and interesting. Is it too much to ask for a breath of fresh every now and then?

4160 Tuesdays is a brand that feels different and approaches things from an entirely new angle. With a touch of British eccentricity, each of the 4160 Tuesdays perfumes tells a story – a series of olfactory novellas if you will – and believe me when I say that these are stories well worth listening to.

Created by writer, perfumer and ex-Lush employee (where she worked as head writer for 14 years) Sarah McCartney, the 4160 Tuesdays’ ethos is simple: “If we live to until we’re 80, we have 4160 Tuesdays. That’s all. Let’s not waste them“. Let’s spend that time making and appreciating the most beautiful things we can.

Two of the most enjoyable stories told by 4160 Tuesdays are Urara’s Tokyo Cafe (a scent made for a charity event held at the aforementioned cafe) and Sunshine and Pancakes (“the ideal 1970s British holiday at the seaside”). So, if you’re all sitting comfortably I shall begin to tell you about two captivating stories…

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Hedonism or Over Indulgence? – Viktoria Minya Hedonist Perfume Review

When preparing a review of a fragrance I usually wear it on five or six separate occasions, whilst each time jotting my thoughts down in my perfume book. There is a method to my madness it seems and this process allows me to piece together the many intricacies (or lack thereof in some cases) that make up a perfume.

Most follow this trajectory, allowing me to form a strong opinion at the end of my trials. This however, is not the case for all perfumes that I sample and there is a small category of ‘undefinables’ that seem almost tricky to fathom out. These slippery fishes can either cause great interest or mass frustration, depending on how things pan out and perhaps one of the most severe cases of perfume miffed-ness comes from Viktoria Minya’s Hedonist.

Viktoria Minya is an “award winning Hungarian perfumer” and her first perfume ‘Hedonist’ is described as a “powerful and provocative perfume for a woman who dares to be true to her desires”. With a name like ‘Hedonist’ one expects an indulgent, sensory explosion – a feast of odours for one to dine on like a true glutton. But is this hedonist perhaps a tad too over indulgent?

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A Way of Life, Bottled – Eau d’Italie Acqua Decima Perfume Review

Eau d’Italie really have it made as a brand. I mean, creating fragrances inspired by their native Italy, specifically the phenomenally gorgeous coastal town of Positano (where they own and run the famous Le Sirenuse hotel), really gives them a lot of beauty to work with. Besides, the Italian way of life is incredibly attractive, one can’t help but want to own a part of that, even if it just an olfactory representation.

For their tenth perfume – ‘Acqua Decima’ (Tenth Water), Eau d’Italie have roped in the talents of perfumer Alberto Morillas (Mugler Cologne, Penhaligon’s Iris Prima and Salvador Dalí Parfum de Toilette) to create a perfume that celebrates “the spirit of Italy itself”. The result is a perfume that, as Eau d’Italie puts it; “reflects the sunniest feelings we have inside” but also perfectly captures a way of life in a bottle.

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New Escentual Post: Mark Buxton Perfumes

This week on the Escentual blog I take a look at the newly arrived Mark Buxton collection. Those of you who are familiar with Buxton’s work will now that he is a perfumer of great standing, having created fragrances for brands such as Comme des Garçons, Van Cleef & Arpels and Salvador Dali.

The five perfumes in his collection are intriguing to say the least, with some being quite un-Buxton-esque in their style. So, please click on the image above to head over to Escentual and read my take on Sexual Healing, Sleeping With Ghosts, Wood & Absinth, Devil in Disguise and Black Angel – oh and don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments box whilst you are there!

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A New Texture – Dries van Noten par Frédéric Malle Perfume Review

Dries Van Notes par Frederic Malle — Dries van Noten par Frédéric Malle

Dries van Noten is a belgian fashion designer described aptly by the New York Times as “one of fashion’s most cerebral designers”. Frédéric Malle is a fragrant curator who collects perfumers, allows them to take centre stage and gives them the creative freedom they need to shine.

Although both men come from different worlds they share a thirst for innovation and appreciation of beauty in all forms so it is no surprise that these two creative forces would collide. Their collaborative efforts have seen the birth of a truly new fragrance, one that positively shows that when done right there is nothing better than when perfume meets fashion.

The fragrance they have created with perfume Bruno Jovanovic is the first in Malle’s new line of fragrances; ‘by Frédéric Malle’. Intended as an “olfactory portrait of the world of Dries van Noten”, the fragrance captures the essence of erudite fashion in a high-art manner whilst feeling distinctly ready-to-wear.

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“I Rock Tom Ford” – Tom Ford Private Blend Atelier d’Orient Collection Review

There is a song on Jay-Z’s latest album entitled ‘Tom Ford’, and in said song Mr Z raps the line; “I don’t pop molly, I rock Tom Ford.” Well much like our good friend Jay-Z, I too am not one for recreational drug use and also have somewhat of a penchant for the offerings of American fashion designer Tom Ford – who knew we’d have so much in common?

Unfortunately that is where the common ground ends and unlike Jay-Z I do not have the adequate finances to rock any Tom Ford clothing (oh but how I wish I did), however my budget can certainly stretch to the designer’s olfactory offerings and like many others I have found there to be a number of sniff-worthy perfumes residing within the Tom Ford corner of the department store.

Mr Ford is relatively active on the olfactory front with two lines of perfume to choose from – the widely available and reasonably priced ‘Signature Collection’, which contains the likes of Black Orchid, Violet Blonde, Sahara Noir, Grey Vetiver and Noir; and the more exclusive and definitely pricier ‘Private Blends.’ Personally, I have found more love for the perfumes in the Signature Collection (much to the relief of my partner and bank balance), however the Private Blend certainly has more than its fair share of gems, which leads me nicely onto Tom Ford’s latest collection – ‘Atelier d’Orient.’

The Atelier d’Orient Collection is inspired by; “the sublime beauty, enigmatic sensuality and exquisite luxury of Asia” and each of the four fragrances within the collection are reported to contain; “ingredients that have treasured prestige in the Orient.” Speaking of the collection, Tom Ford states that each fragrance captures a distinct mood – “captivating romance, colonial elegance, luxurious exoticism and rich mysterious sensuality” – with each serving as a perfect representation of the bold Tom Ford aesthetic.

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New Escentual Post: Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume Review

This week on Escentual I review the brand new launch from Marc Jacobs – ‘Honey’. Like most Marc Jacob scents Honey is a competently produced and fancy-free fragrance that matches cutesy styling (those vinyl flower/bees) and a sunny, sweet scent that is as wearable as it is joyful.

Please click on the image above to visit the Escentual Blog and read my review. Feel free to leave a comment there and share your thoughts about Honey!

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Do You Believe in Fate? – Amouage Fate Woman and Fate Man Perfume Reviews

I didn’t envy Amouage the task of topping their masculine & feminine duo from last year. Both Interlude Woman and Man were triumphs of perfumery, taking chaotic notes and throwing them together to create two challenging, yet wearable (and not to forget bloody gorgeous) fragrances.

This year’s duo – Fate Woman and Fate Man – certainly have big shoes to fill and it appears that Creative Director Christopher Chong has pulled out all of the stops to create two fragrances that are bold enough to mark the “end of the first cycle of the Amouage narrative” and leave one excited for exactly what wonders the beginning of the next cycle may entail.

Fate Woman (created by perfumer Dorothée Piot) and Fate Man (created by Karine Vinchon) “explores the uncertainty of the future and the universal principal by which the order of things is inescapably prescribed” and in their own, very distinct ways illicit polarising responses. They, as with many Amouage perfumes, are for those that adore excess and do not shy away from bold statements.

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