The perfume diet

[Espi]

My.. am I ever behind! Had to write a newsletter so was insanely busy over the weekend.
Still wore another one each day.

First one I've tested 2 times before, Dec 21, Jan 26 and now April 12 : Guerlain Chamade. Said to be one of the 10 best florals.


Still very nice.. but a flower-only and above all overly aldehydic scent starts to bore me! Any fun new reviews?

Chamade, how deeply did I not know you. I thought it was going to be about hot, hot summer glowing warm red and the pulsing heartbeat of utter defeat - a scent one could warm to in the middle of winter.

It took a while when at last I realised how cool and aloof the fragrance is, with its icy aldehydes, hyacinth and hints of sandlewood and musk that exude a subtle kind of sweet sadness. The sweet sadness of a beautiful woman who takes care with her appearance, wearing a perfectly tailored yet simple and stylish shift and elegant shoes in the heat, her hair and makeup just so, despite the utter tragedy of a life not fully realised. No leaping around with timbrels, dreadlocks and indian skirts for her, she is a mistress of iron self control, of living two lives - the sedate, mundane, dutiful reality and the hidden tempest of imagination. The restrained kind of elegance is so what the suburban 1960s was really like for me away from the popular mass media and it speaks volumes to me now.

Chamade is alluring, smouldering yet cool and always sensuously beautiful - like an extra-marital affair without the bother of having to have one. Wear it when you feel like putting on a great appearance, in spite of the drumming insensibility of it all.

Next one.. a 1950s release said to be among the best quiet & 'bang for the buck' fragrances: Caldey Island Lavender.


The only notes listed are lavender & musk.

Comes off as a 100% lavender scent. Not very impressed.. but then again, lavender was never a true favourite of mine.
It's not even listed in the Fragrantica database.. found it in Basenotes.
A rare review

I just recently sampled Caldey Island Lavender, and I agree that it is one of the best lavenders I've ever tried. The real accomplishment here is that the perfumer managed to iron out all of the rough edges of the lavender, while still retaining its bracing rawness and purity. It has the rawness and earthiness of French lavender, but also has the softness and delicacy of English lavender. That is no mean feat.

Like all the best lavender fragrances, this is for lovers of real lavender scents, not those that hide the lavender under piles of other notes. Of course, longevity isn't too good, but I don't care. This would be a pleasure to reapply during the day.

I'm not likely to buy this because I already found my favorite lavender in Agua Lavanda, but Caldey Island Lavender is an outstanding alternative for any lavender fan. Bravo!

[Espi]

Now onto something waaaay more interesting: a 1944 release : Bandit by Robert Piguet.
The article on Fragrantica is interesting: http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Band...iguet-699.html

Apparently it was worn by very independent women. It is or WAS a LOUD perfume and supposedly one of the best leather/chypre and feminine for men fragrances.
In its time it was a scent bomb for the old Bond girls, Emma Peele.. strong & independent women wore it. The current edp version is weak sauce by comparison. I had to re-apply it several times and while there was a faint smell of it lingering for very long, you had to almost put your nose onto the skin to smell it at all.

Bandit is the most daring in the whole line of perfumes like Caron Tabac Blond and Chanel Cuir de Russie, perfumes for an emancipated woman on the turn of the last century; for a woman who dares to smoke in the public. Bandit was made for the avantgarde Robert Piguet's collection, inspired by romantic sea voyages and pirates. Bandit is a classic "chypre" with dark animal notes and aggressive leather accord. In 1999, after 25 years, production of Bandit started again. Eau de toilette has the greatest sharpness. In the perfume version, leather and smoke notes are followed by clear notes of white flowers and vetiver. Bandit was launched in 1944. The nose behind this fragrance is Germaine Cellier.

chypre floral: animalic - woody - leather - earthy - green
top: Aldehydes Orange Artemisia Gardenia Galbanum Neroli Ylang-Ylang Bergamot
heart: Carnation Violet Root Jasmine Rose
base: Leather Amber Patchouli Musk Coconut Civet Oakmoss Vetiver Myrrh
votes
Leather71
Aldehydes47
Galbanum42
Oakmoss42
Civet39
Vetiver23
Gardenia23
Bergamot21
Patchouli20
Artemisia18
Neroli16
Myrrh15
Jasmine14
Carnation13
Ylang-Ylang13
Rose12
Coconut11
Violet Root9
Amber6
Musk6
Orange5

One review reflects how strong this one used to be

I just smelled this for the first time and only one thing came to mind: Deja vu.

Bandit is HUGE. Massive. It's big, brash, take-no-prisoners bold and a total throwback to everything that you would expect from an outspoken woman's power bomb. Smelling this was like a trip back into the 80's when something like this -- it smells so familiar to something else I simply knew but couldn't identify -- was the norm of fragrance, except this was even more than just the norm.

It pronounces that the wearer has entered the room and now owns it in no uncertain terms. The leather/civet/amber/musk combination at the base is surreal. It's a truly great fragrance, though on many it will seem anachronistic and too powerful and without subtlety. It's strong, but the subtle message beneath is animalic and signals enticement -- that it draws others in is the subtlety.

But it's certainly not for everyone and something you need to spend a day wearing to understand the reaction from yourself and others.

I got NOTHING of that experience and while I'm sniffing a bit too much (too much dairy does that to me) , I've not lost sense of smell at all!

This has to be one of the most androgynous fragrances ever made. On me, the leather note is a little hard at first but soon enough the not-too-sweet powdery carnation dry down balances everything out. Funny enough, everyone around me thinks I am wearing a very masculine fragrance. One of my neighbours used to wear Bandit some 30 years ago. She smelled absolutely wonderful. Surprisingly, when she wore it, Bandit became spicy, ambery, animal and unmistakenly feminine. It had this mischievous touch without being too in-your-face and I am sure this is exactly what the perfumer intended.

This is more like how I experienced it..nice, but not very strong and the leather notes, while still there, disappear gradually.

Not as it once was, somewhat tamed, but still a classic leather. Considering when it was launched (1944) it was far ahead of its time I think. Hugely influential. I see its presence in every other leather around, from Aramis to Aromatics and beyond. A wonderful fragrance which I wear with pleasure and joy (although I NEVER layer!!)

Aromatics lovers.. are you paying attention ?

[Espi]

Forgot that I'd tested another one from a tester bottle in a perfume shop . a 2005 release Thierry Mugler Alien! Had already tried it on paper but now sprayed it too.. hmmmm niiiiice! Perfect for STRONG jasmine lovers. New I'd like it since I also like Angel. This one is a more 'straight' but full-force perfume in the weirdest bottle ever.

Alien spreads mysterious aura, and it claims the right to that already by its name. Thirteen years after the huge success of Angel, Thierry Mugler has decided to challenge the perfumery world once again.

Alien is a magic elixir captured in a bottle in the shape of a strange object, reminiscent of philosophers’ stone or some warlock object of a deep and mysterious purple color. Its woman has to be a bit of a witch.

The creators of Aline based the composition on three main lines: warm white amber in the base, woodsy notes in the heart, and sunny Indian jasmine in the top.

Alien was launched in 2005. Alien was created by Dominique Ropion and Laurent Bruyere.

oriental woody: white floral - woody - amber - animalic - floral
top: jasmine
heart: woodsy notes
base: amber
votes
Jasmine605
Woodsy Notes318
Amber297

As simple as it looks, I am loving it.. probably because amber is another favorite and wood isn't bad either.

Shortened the following review of a fan

Oh boy, where do I start off on this review? Everything about this fragrance is amazing! A simple, yet complex fragrance. Mugler took an old school approach with this release. Alien could have very well been released in the 1980′s, alike Dior Poison, Alien has this super strong elegant 80′s vibe to it, and would have been very successful back in the day. When I first seen the campaign add for it, I knew I was going to like it… But, I did not know that I would love it. I researched Alien, and said to myself, “how good can a fragrance be that has only three notes?” After testing this gem I was shocked, I say better, & like what they say about makeup, less is more, & this is the case when it comes to this scent! I remember the first time I tested this fragrance, several months ago… My first impression, “never tested anything like it”. It’s nice to have a brand that is willing to release something like this. Alien is a fragrance that makes me appreciate the world of fragrance. After testing this, I had a crisis… for the whole month after, I kept telling myself, why did I not have this fragrance? It was in front of my face the whole time.

The Scent- I already got carried away with this fragrance, Just trying to describe it. Nothing much to explain here, it has a beautiful elegant Jasmine as a top note, very woodsy middle note, which gives it the masculine 80′s vibe, & again a popular note in the 80′s Jasmine + the woods… A big yes! It Just gives you that feeling like you took a time machine back to revisit the past. Finally on-top of the Amber as the base. To be honest, I have never smelled Amber, I have no idea what Amber is… So Just maybe this is why I am so intrigued by the scent? Probably not, because Alien is a very strong distinct scent, & like all of the Powerhouse 80′s fragrances, I love them all. People that have smelled Alien know when someone in the room is wearing it. This scent comes off as a very molasses, gourmand candy to me. Not sweet, Just indulging and heavy… Maybe a dark heavy cheesecake. Possibly a dessert? I think so, but I can not pinpoint which one, & having said that, it keeps my curiosity going… While a few say this puts off a burnt plastic scent, I however do not get any burnt or plastic scent when smelling this… I will have to say, from the community of fragrance experts, & doing research based upon their personal reviews. Alien is definitely a compliment getter, actually it is one in a few handfuls that gets the most compliments, if you start scaling all the other fragrances that are out there. People ask what this is and they expect you to say Chanel or something, and then when you tell them Thierry Mugler, they say “the one that did Angel for women?, I really like that fragrance” and Just the name Alien leaves these people with a puzzled face. “WHAT? ALIEN?” While others would say this is mainstream, not very many people are wearing it… (atleast not where I live) So yes, I would consider this a very unique fragrance, not only that I would say this is a one of a kind in this day & age… For keeping fragrance what it was meant to be. No other word to describe this scent other than GLAMOROUS!

Longevity- You get 12 plus hours, I put this on about 12 hours ago and it is still kicking full force, same power to it as when I first sprayed it. If you are worried about longevity then this is the one for you… I am sure this will be like Angel, stays on clothes until I wash them & won’t go away until I bathe. Little goes a long way with Alien!

Silage & Projection- This is a silage monster, so be careful how many sprays you put on… or else you will be leaving trails that will leave a room scented for a while after you exit. The projection is also very good, you will definitely be noticed when wearing this.

This short one is hilarious

Knock knock.

Who's there?

JASMINE OMG JASMINE DESTROYING YOUR VILLAGE RUN PANIC WTFBBQ

Sorry. I can only mix metaphors to account for Alien. Its topnotes (approx 2 hours) are like shrieking microphone feedback. The drydown (the remaining 2-3 days) is like snorting artificial sweetener

Hah.. err, then I'd better not wear it.. don't want to be associated with bad taste!

The sales lady was really nice when we got to talk about perfume and how there are so few samples nowadays (houses rarely make glass vials anymore, this shop used to make their own in the past!) and I got a big surprise.. w/o buying anything from a flanker of Bvlgari Jasmin Noir : Mon Jasmin Noir L'Eau Exquise. It smells surprisingly like Green Tea mixed with jasmine.

[Espi]

Another exciting one: a 1933 release , Guerlain's Vol de Nuit, supposedly best oriental & big ticket.. it was sure one of the most expensive if not THE most expensive samples.. 18 USD for a mere 1/2 ml!
That must have to do something with feeling both dignified, dreamy and comfortable when wearing it! Couldn't really make out a single scent.



woody: powdery - woody - floral - green - citrus - balmy
top: Orange Orange Blossom Galbanum Mandarin Orange Bergamot Narcissus Lemon
heart: Aldehydes iris Narcissus Vanilla - green notes
base: Spices Sandalwood Musk Orris Root Oakmoss
votes
Galbanum56
iris44
Narcissus41
Aldehydes39
Vanilla38
Orris Root38
Sandalwood31
Oakmoss30
Spices28
Orange Blossom19
Musk17
Bergamot16
Orange13
Mandarin Orange10
Lemon9

Vol de Nuit or ‘night-flying’ was created in 1933. It was named after Antoine Saint Exupery's second novel 'Night Flight', a fragrant story of love and romance of the first years of aviation. The dark amber colored bottle has a relief of a moving aircraft propeller. The composition is based on balance between the woodsy and cold notes, as nothing else could more staunchly impress the depth of the dark skies and feeling of ascending. The top notes are bergamot, galbanum and petit grain; the heart reveals jasmine, daffodil and spices; the base combines earthy woods, iris, vanilla, amber and woodsy notes. Vol de Nuit was created by Jacques Guerlain.

a short review reflecting my feelings

Elusive, cold-warm and dreamy.

Galbanum, vanilla and aldehydes on milky iris base.
Icy stars shining on midnight sky, observed lying in a warm, white bed. Poetic and mild, childlike and astonishing. Guerlainesque signature and age are recognizable, perfectly blended into this lovely illusion.

Sillage - poor, the magic lasts too short (EDT), still it's precious.
Prefect for dreaming, a "goodnight fragrance".

Another longer review reflecting the re-formulation

Larimar
Austria Austria

Show all reviews

rating




Vol de Nuit is a monument in perfumery and there is a 'mystery' around this creation. In fact, it is not an 'easy' fragrance and one reason may well be that I perceive it both as chypré style and 'powdery oriental' (as jdt put it in this review) at the same time. This interplay and phases of different emphasis really is something I needed time to interpret for myself. I also think Vol de Nuit is a fragrance that is very prone to 'distraction' if there is still another fragrance faintly lingering on your skin. I have found the subtle interplay and transmission of chypre and oriental can be disturbed and Vol de Nuit sort of falls apart in nothing. What you want to experience when wearing the extrait (which is IMHO the only way to experience Vol de Nuit due to longevity and the perfumes' subtle facets) is exactly what sean-dt described in his beautiful review, when he states that a 'unbelievably' delicate aura seems to appear out of nowhere just when the perfume seems to fade.'
Experiencing this is truly the magic of Vol de Nuit! It will always have a very very special place in my heart. It, both, comforts me and complements me by creating an aura of mystery and allure. At least, that's what I like to think...

ADDITIONAL comparison vintage vs. current extrait (June 2011):
The overall mood I think is more dramatic in the vintage, whereas the new is simply beautiful, if that makes sense. I also think the vintage jus demands your emotional involvement, whereas the new is again breathtakingly beautiful AND contemplative. The vintage has a spiciness that reminds me of the Parfum de Toilette of L’Heure Bleue. It is very French, very Guerlain and vintage (although mine here is only 10 years old, but that ensures the floral notes are well preserved as some claim Vol de Nuit does not age well.) smelling. I think that the vintage extrait of Vol de Nuit is even more the quintessential Guerlain to me than L’Heure Bleue. The new jus has a more pronounced floral heart (I like to think it is the jonquil absolute as core accord) with its edges rounded off with the help of the Guerlain vanilla and benzoin (?), which I absolutely adore. It is less spicy, less complex or is it complicated ?, less powdery and more fragile (I have found that it can sort of collapse into nothing on you when distracted by your skin chemistry – e.g. faint remainders of former fragrance) than the vintage. It also does not produce as much sillage as the vintage and is more 'unisex' to my perception making it clearly an amber-emphasized fragrance, in particular in the drydown.
In the end, I think the new Vol de Nuit is a sort of "modernization" and I like it at least as much as the vintage. It is the best reformulation I can think of, but I could see the loss others might feel compared to the vintage, too.

[Espi]

Next one up was an oldie, having sampled it twice already and .. older again, a 1930 release: Patou Joy
It reminds me a bit of Rive Gauche.. do I smell too many aldehydes or not.. for now liking it very much again.. lots of jasmine!

"Do not care for this scent. I get strong white flowers and soap. Not my cup of tea".
Or so I thought!
Some days later I gave this another try. Low and behold, I am seriously loving this deep,clean, comforting scent. Yes, it does feel like Dove soap with some lift and projection and a bit more complexity...but it's seriously addictive to me suddenly. I'm happy to report this is a joy to wear.

shorter yet

If Lush Lust is your favourite night time perfume, Joy would be it's daytime equivilant

Since I'm not American, I can't tell how Lush Lust smells, but if you know, now you know how.. but I do think it may be like a bar of Lux soap .. a soap everyone used to have in the 60s/70s!

Joy opens on my skin as a powerful generic white floral (what I might identify as gardenia, based on a lifetime of smelling candles and body lotions called 'gardenia'), a strong, indolic jasmine, and a subtle rose that gets comes forward over time.

I don't tend to like white florals, so Joy had the cards stacked against it from the start. I will say that I don't dislike Joy as much as I have disliked other classic white florals (Amariage, L'Heure Bleue) but...well...I don't like it.

The civet? or something takes on an element of bug spray about 15 minutes in, but this does not provide any relief from the monster gardenia/jasmine combo. It smells to me hopelessly, unsalvageably dated (other scents smell dated to me and yet are still interesting - this, for me, is not even that, despite trying to appreciate it on a number of occasions, under different conditions).

It is curious in that it smells extremely powerful when I smell it up close, but stays so close to the skin that I can barely tell it is on my arm if it is a couple of feet away.

[Espi]

And finally nothing new today..
Rêve Indien by Fragonard. Not as old as it seems but since it smells very similar to Shalimar, which has its 3rd turn tomorrow, am testing it next to another.
Still nice but oh so strong!


Only one new review

Maybe it's a bit similar to Shalimar. But i don't notice the esperidates notes at the top. I smell smokey notes ( maybe patchouli). The fragrance is very elegant , sensual and it lasts a long for an edt. The base notes are lovely: amber + vanilla. Very Well done

Also another (old) one from Basenotes confirming the strong smell..

From the notes listed here you may think that this fragrance is quite simple but you would be wrong, i'm sure that are many undercover notes because this composition smells so complex.

The most interesting thing that i have noticed about this scent, so far, is that it actually gets stronger or rather deeper as time passes peeking about 7 hrs after it is first applied; then it gradually subsides.

I definitely have to spend some more time with this fragrance maybe then it will reveal itself to me but so far i'm loving what i'm smelling.

[Espi]

yesterday's perfume was the grand old lady : one of the oldest still in production Jicky, first released in 1889
It's oriental woody: fresh spicy - woody - herbal - citrus - balmy
top:Rosemary Mandarin Orange Bergamot Lemon
heart: Tonka Bean Lavender Orris Root Basil Jasmine
base: Spices Leather Sandalwood Amber Benzoin Vanilla Brazilian Rosewood
votes
Lavender86
Vanilla61
Rosemary44
Bergamot35
Tonka Bean34
Benzoin31
Leather31
Lemon25
Mandarin Orange22
Brazilian Rosewood19
Amber19
Orris Root18
Spices17
Sandalwood16
Basil14
Jasmine12

Jicky was created in 1889. It is a classical fragrance and, despite the age, it is timeless and still very modern. According to the legend, the perfume was named after a girl Aime Guerlain was in love with when he was a student in England. It is more likely, though, that this perfume is named after his uncle Jacques Guerlain’s nick – Jicky. This was one of the first perfumes created with addition of synthetic materials (the first was Fougere Royale Houbigant, 1882). The top notes contain lavender and citrus (bergamot, lemon and mandarin), which perfectly match the cold, metallic orris and rose shaded by vetiver. The cold top and middle notes are an elegant counterbalance to the warm base created of patchouli, vanilla, amber and musk. As Guerlain has always paid a lot of attention to design of flacons, this bottle is also attractive and original: it is designed in a shape of 19th century medicine bottle with champagne cork shaped stopper.

After the disappointment of smelling ooooold Mitsouko I was bracing for a disappointment, but no.. smells surprisingly good & modern. It's a unisex frag to boot.
My vial did say 'vintage' but I don't know how vintage it is.. there have been several re-formulations over time.

LOL'd at the latest description as this is NOT what I got but it's wicked funny (apparently wicked is typically VT-speak )

All I smell is rotten vegetables. It overwhelms the whole scent for me. Must clash with my chemistry.

Balancing at its best.
When I need a cosy fragrance close to me, I go for this one. Very changing and complex, confidential. I wear it for myself very selfishly. The EDP is a better choice for the staying power. This frag is a good introduction to JP Guerlain's work, wearable but still a lot of character, a bit old-fashioned at the beginning with this beautiful lavender. Check the Guerlinade. It's classified women but was originally designed for men. Be aware !

Lasting : good

Opening is strongly of Anise. Citrus, Lemon, Rosemary are only at the very beginning. Coming off a bit Green.
THEN I was surprised, it's quite brilliant, it's very complex and well blended. It progressively gets sweeter and sweeter yet as it dries, turning almost into a Licorice Stevia Leaf vibe. STRONG overdose of Tonka(Vanilla-Cinnamon), Benzoin(Resinous Vanilla), and Vanilla..... So.... Shalimar is supposedly Jicky + MORE Vanilla? wow.
I can dig it.

Next one up (loooooong) : confirms my thinking.. thumbs down for Mitsouko.. thumbs UP for Jicky!

Ah, Jicky. When one considers all the hundreds of thousands of perfumes that have come and gone, and how their creators labored over them, it's hard to fathom that nobody with a nose that counts in the industry would ever dare to contest the fact that Jicky remains, to this day, a singular study. To properly process the cultural and historical references inherent in this composition, one must have at least a vague understanding of the context that gave birth to it: The World's Fair of 1889, the very one that brought us the Eiffel Tower, the year "The Industrial Age" became an undeniable reality to Western Civilization. Previously, there had been much discussion about industrialism, was it a passing fancy? The 1889 World's Fair in Paris brought the world its final answer: It was The Future. The Eiffel Tower shocked everyone-- viewed as an unnecessary monstrosity by all and sundry--Electricity was feared--photography questioned, The Machine, reviled.
All of this came crashing down on Western culture, bringing with it an intense debate....and, amid this tumult, in the "Pavillon Guerlain," a monument to the uncontested, unquestioned, universally accepted and unchallenged superiority of French Perfumery, Jicky is unveiled. As shocking as electricity, as awesome as the Eiffel Tower, as disquieting as "the Machine." To get an idea of just how shocking Jicky was in the year of its advent, one would best be advised to first smell a drugstore bottle of Parma Violets, then maybe a box of Roger & Gallet's "Rose The" soaps: These two scents offer a very good illustration of what had previously been considered "de bon ton" in the category of fragrance. Sweet, snappy, clean, transparent soliflores, or dark rooty spice notes, like bay rhum, were the sole players on the stage upon which Jicky landed in 1889.
As it is with all Great Things, most people were outraged. It has been told to me by a very elderly woman I knew many years ago in paris who was there and actually remembered the "Scandale," that the main comment being murmured was: "Ca sent les pieds." (It smells like feet) For those who had more refined senses, the word "Pornographique" was applied. As with all pornography, women were insulted--but men were intrigued. To this day the discussion continues: No other perfume has ever evoked such strong feelings, and none ever will. No perfume today would be conceived with such balance, effortlessly teetering on the brink of the beautiful and the foul, thus delivering in the olfactive a very real illustration of the true meaning of "Je ne sais quoi," that which eludes everyone: Like a forbidden lover, or lethal narcotic that damns you--that drags you through the mire--but to whom you run....run: Insatiably lusting after that which you know is your downfall. The secret to Jicky is the very secret of seduction itself: To delight, and to disgust, simultaneously--seamlessly--to attract, and to repulse: Should you? Shouldn't you? The people at Guerlain, and all of the industry know: Though there is much talk about "Mitsouko" being the finest fragrant composition the world has ever witnessed, it is a well kept secret that, were the truth made public, Jicky would bare that banner;
Except it won't be known: For such is Jicky. Eternally secret--The Love, the Obsession, forever lurking in the shadows, all the more suave for their shade. Very possibly the finest perfume ever created......Very obviously, distinctly not for everyone.

A bit puzzled about this one on Basenotes, don't get any of the vomit /faeces smell or as another person wrote, civet..

I have tried Jicky a couple of times after reading that it was a good unisex scent.
Both times I was shocked at the faeces/vomit opening which strangely and thankfully completely disappears after half an hour or so. I like what comes after, though I can't really place any of the notes in the pyramid apart from a rather classy vanilla which keeps improving. good longevity on my skin, and reasonable projection. I guess I am not really qualiified to review it properly but I will give it a neutral so far.

12nd January, 2012.

Read more on Basenotes and Fragrantica

[Espi]

Testing one house at the time. Since my latest acquisition happens to be the oldest house, which hasn't arrived yet, reversed order and go from newest to oldest instead. Which means that there will be 15 samples of Andy Tauer being tested consecutively. Sampling chronologically is a breeze, his first 12 fragrances were given numbers as well!
The samples came as 3 separate discovery sets which are lovely arranged and apart from descriptive cards also has 2 test cards to spray on first.

You can select 5 samples at will.. just got nearly every single one.

First one I'd sampled already .. 01 Le Maroc pour Elle , a 2005 release



it was the first scrubber sofar. It illustrates why dip sticks are so much better than spray nozzles which tend to overdose.. Andy Tauer's perfumes are extremely concentrated. His very first one was waaaaaay too much and made me learn the word 'headshop' which mostly means 'hippy scent' = heavy patchouli or hashish/marihuana smell or 'joss sticks/incense' smell.
While I had to scrub it off the first time when I innocently sprayed it on, yesterday I superduper carefully sprayed it on a tissue first which was then carefully dabbed onto the wrist.

Le Maroc Pour Elle is the first fragrance by Andy Tauer.
The oriental woody composition is heavy and passionate, composed of citrus aromatic top notes (mandarin and lavender), Moroccan rose and jasmine in the heart, and Atlas cedar and balm notes in the base. 01 Le Maroc Pour Elle was launched in 2005.

woody - white floral - citrus - patchouli - floral
top: citrus (mandarine),lavender
heart : Moroconna rose, jasmine
base: Atlas cedar, oriental woods

votes
Moroccan Jasmine12
Patchouli7
Moroccan Cedar6
Rose Oil4
Bitter Orange3
Blood Mandarin3
Sandalwood1

A few of the reviews on Fragrantica: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/T...Elle-4574.html

Andy Tauer is a perfumer who wholeheartedly enjoys creating perfumes and is interested in learning more about the people who enjoy them. As such, he would be interested to know that Maroc pour elle is just barely on the feminine side of unisex. I must admit, though, it took me the entire day to realize what exactly made it feminine in the first place.

The fragrance opens with a sweet burst that immediately reminded me of crushed Sweetart candies - slightly fruity, floral, and just barely powdery - attiributed to the particular lavender, rose, and citrus notes. The opening quickly gave way to a very unique jasmine and rose accord that was balanced by a sweet sandalwood and smelled like the soap aisle at the Indian grocer, where I usually spend some time taking in the smells when I visit. It was slightly off-putting but at the same time it was irresistable and I haven't stopped smelling my wrists all day. It wasn't until the drydown, however, that I realized why it was "pour elle." Nevermind the slightly sweet floral head and heart, the base has a pleasantly strong tonka/vanilla note braced by a touch of patchouli and cedar that is not sickly sweet but rather like the bright, warming rays of the sun on a cool day. While I don't find Maroc pour elle particularly feminine at all, I recognize that Andy could have let the perfume go the way of something stronger like his flagship l'Air du Desert Morocain. Instead he let the fragrance wind down to something gentle, like a boat easing into a slip at the harbor.

Tauer fragrances don't appeal to everyone. In fact, at first I didn't think I liked them either. There is something about his "accords" that are odd but this peculiarity is what makes his fragrances stand out. His signature is as obvious and unique as his passion for perfumes is genuine. I recommend this and the rest of his fragrances for everyone - at least once!

A few others from BN where I got the expression from http://www.basenotes.net/fragrancere...rance/26125573

Le Maroc was not at all what I expected. Before I tried it and Reverie au jardin, I thought Tauer's signature was dryness and transparency, but those two scents are polar opposites to his other creations: dense and muddy and and musty-sweet, in the style of "natural perfumery", which I personally can't stand. I'm flummoxed to see Le Maroc compared to L'air du desert marocain or called "dry". To me, it's anything but dry - it's creamy, powdery, musty, dense and sweet.... Actually, I have one word for it: headshop. It smells exactly like that stale, musty-sweet mixed incense smell clinging to everything. Now, I love the dry, crisp, fresh, woody/spicy incense note in fine perfumes (such as Tauer's own lovely incense fragrances!), but that is something quite different from the smell of actual, unlit incense, which I don't particularly like. Le Maroc smells exactly like real, cheap hippie incense, not incense perfume. It doesn't even smell floral to me - floral incense, yes, but not fresh flowers. If I was to pick out one floral note I would say it was a creamy, warm, sweet, heavy jasmine - the rose is nowhere in sight, at least not any kind of rose I recognize from nature or perfumery. (Not that I mind, I'm not a fan of rose.) With my nose glued to my wrist, I sometimes get a whiff of something resembling sticking my nose in an actual flower, but it's like its buried under that headshop sillage. The scent is strong too - one tiny spray from the vial and I can smell it on the air all day long! It doesn't change much either, though perhaps the hint of real flower is replaced by an aldehydic powderiness by the end of the day. Not a favourite at all, but not downright unpleasant (like Reverie au jardin) so it gets a neutral thumb for me. At least I can see how someone might like this fragrance. Someone who wears a lot of tie-dye and smokes a lot of pot.

I've been working my way through a selection of Andy Tauer's samples & loving most of them, on the whole it's been difficult to decide which one(s) to put on the wish-list - when I can afford it (or them), but Maroc Pour Elle was very easy to classify - a definite NO. On the whole I like my perfumes on the rich side, and I love incense, but this one is heavy and reeks waaay too much of head-shops for me - and OMG is it persistent

Persistent indeed.. keep all samples and bottles in the bedroom and the scented card just makes the entire room smell after it.. even 1 day later!

[Espi]

On to the 2nd one which was in my first discovery set and the best loved by most .
Tested it before on April 3 and liked it, but would prefer to smell it on a guy.. it's not *me*.

02 L`Air du Desert Marocain

L`Air du Desert Marocain was made as a lighter version of Andy's previous Le Maroc Pour Elle. One of the most popular in the line. The fragrance is composed of spicy oriental notes, inspired by Saharan desert in the moonlight, a Moroccan night.
The top is combined of coriander, cumin with a hint of petitgrain. The heart features rock rose and jasmine. The base includes cedar, vetiver and ambergris. 02 L`Air du Desert Marocain was launched in 2005. The nose behind this fragrance is Andy Tauer.

oriental spicy: amber- woody - herbal - warm spicy - green - animalic


For a further description and reviews, see April 4.



Because it is so popular, there were 2 new reviews interesting enough to repost:

When I was much younger (say about five to seven years old) I went to a predominantly Armenian/Eastern European-American elementary school. Los Angeles would eventually bestow the district where my elementary school was located with the name ‘Little Armenia’. One of the strongest, most redolent memories I have of those years was the smell of the beautiful mothers who came to pick up my school chums. Their clothes, their hair, their jewelry, their makeup and, mostly, their fragrances were bold and over-the-top beautiful. I thought then, as I still believe now, these women were the ultimate epitome of womanhood and beauty. My parents eventually decided the big city was no place to raise a child; children needed routine, a backyard, and a dwelling that allowed dogs and cats. I loved growing up in the suburbs but the sense of glamor was lost in the move. None of the suburban moms showed up dressed to the nines, smelling of sweet spices and exotic flowers; that got traded in for drugstore classics as Charlie and White Shoulders. These safe fragrance choices were a microcosm of the overall lack of daring, bombastic personality in suburban living.

By no means am I criticizing life in the suburbs; I still live in the outskirts of Los Angeles. However, sometimes the city girl in me wants to break out like the protagonist in (the original Kevin Bacon version of) Footloose. Sometimes I want to shake things up without making a single move. Andy Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain completely enables me to do this. It’s a stand out fragrance that is guaranteed to turn heads. The sillage might as well be a flying carpet, taking others out of their droll routine and on an olfactory adventure with the wearer. This is the beauty that was only definable by the Armenian/Eastern European mothers of my past. There is an indefinable spiciness that cannot be singled out or easily detected but it is certainly there. This is probably a first where I cannot break down the note I detect or the phases of the scent—I am a love-struck woman.

It is infinitely sexier than any expensive lingerie and I can imagine a refined man of the world pulling this off with the same sex appeal as any woman. I know any words I try to use or any hyperbole I try to include won’t even begin to define the exotic sexiness of this fragrance. This is a fragrance that can only be understood by wearing it.

This fragrance by Tauer is ok. Did not make a great first impression on me. I honestly can't say the concept of this fragrance is very unique. It smells very "common" in fact. Yes, it's spicy, incense-y, a little smoky.. but it does not take me on a magical journey to the heart of Morocco. It's just an incense heavy, gruff type of scent, with some spices. Reminds me of vintage Bijan in a way. It is VERY linear. This composition does not evolve at all. It is also very difficult to distinguish notes here. From the jump, it's just a wallop of spice and incense. A young man should not even dare of THINKING to wear this. This is an older gentlemans juice.. PERIOD. 50+!!! An F for versatiliy and wearability. I will say that this stuff has massive longevity, and can withstand the coldest weather.. but I could not imagine smelling this very heavy scent all day. One 'walk-trough' spray MAX. Good presentation.. and Tauer is a cool dude.. so I give a neutral. Good luck...

[shimmeringpearl]

I recently discovered the Burberry line, it was so hard to decide that I realized I needed to buy all of them (except Sport).