Jovan White Musk

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Jovan White Musk is like the quintessential fragrance for those who just enjoy smelling clean.

White Musk

White Musk

In Bottle: Musky in that clean and crisp way that only synthetic white musk can provide. This can smell like anything from freshly washed skin, to soap, to detergent. It just smells good and pure.

Applied: White Musk is largely a one trick pony. It has a good trick though. The cleanliness that White Musk provides can be attributed to various things by different people. I like to compare White Musk to a soft floral soap that’s been run through a lot of focus groups. Others have likened it to laundry detergent, lotion, powder, and any number of other smells that generally project the idea of clean. And there’s nothing more I can say about White Musk aside from the fact that if you want to smell soft, fresh, a little flowery and clean then this is the stuff to go with. Make sure you test it out before you buy it though because while white musk can work on most people, some have reported it to smell chemical or even plasticy. The best way to avoid a regretful purchase is to test first.

Extra: Interestingly enough, most consumers believe musk–all musks smell awful or–“musky”. In actuality, white musks tend to be the pinnacles of clean smelling.

Design: The bottle looks like it was designed for function rather than form. It looks a bit outdated, but it’s serviceable and not garish even if it’s somewhat plain.

Fragrance Family: Clean Floral

Notes: Honeysuckle, jasmine, ylang-ylang, amber, musk.

Probably one of the best things about White Musk is the fact that it’s incredibly easy to find and very affordable for what you get. It’s an excellent fragrance that won’t burn a hole through your wallet.

Reviewed in This Post: White Musk, 2012, Eau de Parfum.

Chanel Allure Sensuelle

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Allure Sensuelle is the flanker to Chanel’s Allure fragrance. My love for Chanel Allure has faded a bit since I wrote about it last. While I still wear it, the fragrance doesn’t have the same amount of “punch” it once did.

Allure Sensuelle

Allure Sensuelle

In Bottle: Dusty and woodsy with a floral note and a bit of vanilla.

Applied: Dusty fruits and vanilla with a hint of wood upon application with a tart and very quick sting of citrus. The fruity midstage is slow to develop but it eventually rolls in making the fragrance smell like creamy fruit slathered onto a plank of wood from the woody notes in the base wafting up. I’m not sure that I like that combination. It doesn’t read to my nose as something I particularly like or want to keep smelling. The strangeness of the mix is repelling me as opposed to drawing me in, but I will admit the fragrance’s warm creamy oriental side can keep me around.  I’m not too fond of Allure Sensuelle though she smells just lovely and when I compare it to the original Allure, I think I gain a bit of an appreciation for it.

Extra: Allure Sensuelle was introduced in 2006. If you want to get some of this stuff, Chanel sells it in body lotion, EDP, and Parfum iterations.

Design: Allure Sensuelle looks largely like Allure except with a richer, deeper color scheme. Otherwise the parfum version comes in a very beautiful flacon that I wouldn’t mind displaying as it looks like a classic Chanel bottle.

Fragrance Family: Woodsy Oriental

Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, pink pepper, jasmine, rose, iris, fruit, vetiver, French vanilla, amber, patchouli, frankincense.

Sorry, Allure Sensuelle, you don’t really work for me. Though it is a nicely composed fragrance with a rather interesting approach to woodsy orientals with its fruity and creamy introduction.

Reviewed in This Post: Allure Sensuelle, 2007, Eau de Parfum.

Diesel Loverdose

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In between throwing out perfume bottles shaped like fists of varying thematic absurdities and milk bottles, Diesel comes out with Loverdose, an unfortunately named perfume for women in a somewhat tasteful flacon.

Loverdose

Loverdose

In Bottle: Wow, the anise is out in this one. It’s just about all I can smell at first until I realize the sweetness is masking some inane florals. Not really encouraging, sadly.

Applied: First thing I smell is anise and anise is just about all I can get out of Loverdose until it decides that it’s good and ready to let me in on something else. But what Loverdose does to its anise is unfortunate. If well blended, anise can lend a sophisticated sweetness to a fragrance. I associate anise with comfort and sometimes exoticism. In Loverdose, anise is like a sledgehammer and my nose is in its way. The midstage is marked with a sweet floral that reminds me too much of the failed perfume experiment I conducted when I was a child by mixing two of my mother’s fragrances together along with a few sprays of floral air freshener. The dry down isn’t much better, as the wood, amber and vanilla do nothing to temper the sweetness that’s been with this fragrance since first spray. Overall, Loverdose is a bit of a mess.

Extra: Loverdose was released in 2011 by Diesel. You might know Deisel from their popular denims.

Design: I wouldn’t say Loverdose is at the top of the design game here. But compared to the other designs from Diesel’s other fragrances, this one is a few cuts above the rest. It is not shaped like a fist. It is not shaped like a milk bottle. And it does not remind me that I have to spray for termites soon (I don’t know, I’m just strange). So what if it’s a big purple heart and I’ve made it well known what I thought of those? Loverdose is at least more aesthetically pleasing even if it is still somewhat ridiculous. It has a nice weight to it, it’s easy to hold and spray, and it’s made of good enough material. Good on ya, Diesel.

Fragrance Family: Oriental

Notes: Mandarin, star anise, licorice, jasmine, gardenia], amber, vanilla, woods.

I guess I have to touch on the name of this stuff. I thought it was clever for about a minute, then had to groan because the name of this stuff just hits too close to pun territory. Sorry, Diesel, this one doesn’t appeal to me.

Reviewed in This Post: Loverdose, 2011, Eau de Parfum.

Thierry Mugler Innocent

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While Thierry Mugler’s Angel didn’t hit it off with me, I was going to give Angel’s cousin, Innocent a try. I heard this stuff was lighter, easier to take, and lacked the patchouli that may have caused Angel to go foul on me.

Innocent

Innocent

In Bottle: Fruits and almond with a very smooth and very sweet personality.

Applied: Initial flare of sweet citrus. It’s a little reminiscent of juice on the initial application to me. Like a tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade with a bit of orange added for more citrus flavor. The fragrance heads into its middle stages with a lovely almond note that plays nice with the sweet berry midstage and–I might be crazy–what smells like apricot. As things go, there’s a bit of caramel-like fragrance that seems to want to join the fray here and there. The dry down is also pleasant with a warm amber and clean nutty aroma.

Extra:  Innocent was released in 1998 and has been compared to Angel numerous times. I definitely see the connection there. Except, unlike Angel, Innocent is much easier to take. It’s all the pillowy softness and sweetness with none of the bite. So if you wanted to like Angel but thought she came on too strong with her patchouli note, then give Innocent a sniff.

Design: Bottled very nicely in a tall cylindrical shape, Innocent is one of the less oddly shaped designs from Thierry Mugler’s fragrance line. It looks slick, it looks less clunky that many of the other designs while still maintaining a unique and captivating look.

Fragrance Family: Fruity Gourmand

Notes: Bergamot, orange, blackcurrant, red berries, almond, praline, amber, white musk.

I was one of those people who just couldn’t like Angel as a fragrance. And I’m probably able to slot myself into some category of people who didn’t like Angel but like this. Innocent is basically a milder, easier-going version of Angel with a couple of tweaks, but the same base personality.

Reviewed in This Post: Innocent, 2008, Eau de Parfum.

Parfumerie Generale Cedre Sandaraque

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Cedre Sandaraque is, unfortunately for me, the only fragrance I currently have access to from Parfumerie Generale. But judging by how lush Cedre Sandaraque is, I’m going to have to get some more.

Cedre Sandaraque

Cedre Sandaraque

In Bottle: Warm and dusty with a bit of sweetness to it.

Applied: Warm honeyed amber fragrance a touch of sweetness and a delicate tinge of cedar. There’s also a slight tartiness that helps enhance the sweetness of the warm honey-like scent. This is sweet without the obnoxious presence of candy. It’s sophisticated sweet that knows exactly when to stop. It’s an enticing fragrance that draws you in just enough to hook you, not an overwhelming fragrance that gives you what you want and a little too much of it. There’s something about the opening of Cedre Sandaraque that really appeals to me. Maybe because I liken it to the anticipation of satisfaction. It’s like it keeps me there in that giddy stage. It’s really very delightful. As the fragrance ages, a bit more of the cedar comes into the picture adding a dusty woodsy side to the warm honey in the opening. The fragrance dries into an elegant dry and warm woodsy scent. Be careful and go easy on the trigger for Cedre Sandaraque it’s potent and very long lasting.

Extra: Parfumerie Generale is a relatively young company. It was launched in 2002 by perfumer, Pierre Guillaume.

Design: Most of Parfumerie Generale’s bottles are the same. They’re a functional shape, made of good glass and materials with the company’s logo and the fragrance affixed in a circle on the body of the bottle. There’s not a whole lot to say about this except that it has a likable classic rectangle perfume bottle design with a functional form.

Fragrance Family: Oriental

Notes: Amber, praline, cedar, vetiver, resin.

It seemed like it had been a long while since I smelled a really good oriental fragrance. Cedre Sandaraque’s beauty and warmth make me wonder why I ever take breaks from the orientals at all.

Reviewed in This Post: Cedre Sandaraque,  2011, Eau de Parfum.

Yves Saint Laurent Kouros

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Every time someone asks for a strong, long-lasting fragrance marketed toward men someone else is bound to suggest Kouros.

Kouros

Kouros

In Bottle: Holy cow, it’s strong. Yeah, I’d say it lives up to its reputation. Bergamot, I think is what I’m smelling with a lot of aldehydes and some drowning florals.

Applied: All right, I understand why a lot of people hate this fragrance. They were kidding when they said it was strong. If you were thinking of getting this because you wanted a strong (with italics and everything) fragrance then Kouros will make you happy. Well, it’ll make you happen if you happen to enjoy powerful animalic fougeres. Kouros starts off with a big hit of bergamot that’s bolstered with a ton of aldehydes and a spicy herbal treatment that adds to the masculinity of the fragrance. You’re going to see a lot of hyperbolic language in this post because this stuff is strong. Period. It’s a bit screechy at first, and if you’re not used to strong fragrances, you will get a headache or your nose will be overwhelmed. Let Kouros rest on your skin for a while and it’ll develop into a deeper more animal fragrance that introduces another round of spices and a bit of incense. This is complex defined with its classical personality paired with an 80s Powerhouse underbelly. The dry down never seems to come with this stuff as it’s just so strong and so dominant that I can only say by the time I had to shower it off, it still smelled finely of smoke, musks, spice, florals and confidence.

Extra: Kouros was released in 1981. Named after a Greecian statue that typically depicts a youth in a standing pose.

Design: Not the most interesting bottle to look at, but I do notice the relative simplicity of men’s fragrance packaging compared to women’s fragrances. Kouros is a fine design though. It’s simple but functional, would not look out of place on a man’s wardrobe or wherever he chooses to use his cologne. It’s nice to hold, easy to use, and has an excellent sprayer.

Fragrance Family: Fougere

Notes: Aldehydes, artemisia, coriander, clary sage, bergamot, carnation, patchouli, cinnamon, orris root, jasmine, vetiver, geranium, honey, leather, tonka bean, amber, musk, civet, oakmoss, vanilla.

Despite being so strong Kouros hits a nice and reasonable ground with me so that I don’t find it repulsive and strong. It’s a good fragrance, it’s very strong, and it’s considered close to the classics. If you can handle it’s strength then you’ll be very happy with it.

Reviewed in This Post: Kouros,  ~2000, Eau de Parfum.

Escada Magnetism for Women

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Magnetism by Escada is an easy to like and easy to wear sweet floral oriental with a stroke of pure fun.

Magnetism

Magnetism

In Bottle: Sweet vanilla blended with a fun fruity and juicy opening coated with flowers.

Applied: Sweet and green rather crisp and juicy up top with a distinct fruitiness that blends well with the fragrance. The scent delves into this floral mish-mash that comes out smelling distinctly flowery but keeps a rein on its strength. There is a sweetness throughout this fragrance that doesn’t take away from the fragrance’s purpose. In the end, it is a sweet sandalwood with an earthy vibe and a strong sweet vanilla finish.

Extra: Magnetism for Women was introduced in 2003. It’s a fairly decent fragrance though it’s not in any way groundbreaking. It does smell good and does the Escada brand some fine justice.

Design: Not too wild about the design of the bottle but then Escada’s bottle designs have always seemed a bit off to me. Magnetism is a hot pink curved glass bottle. It’s vaguely unpleasant and looks a bit too suggestive for me to take it seriously.

Fragrance Family: Sweet Floral Oriental

Notes: Pineapple, black currant, melon, berries, cassia, litchi, magnolia, orris, green leaves, freesia, basil, jasmine, caraway, heliotrope, lily of the valley, rose, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk, benzoin, caramel, vetiver, vanilla.

So in the end, Magnetism isn’t attracting me, but it is doing a good job of trying. If you want a nice, wearable floral oriental with a dollop of sweet then this might be good. As a bonus, Magnetism can be purchased from several discounters for a rather fair price.

Reviewed in This Post: Magnetism for Women,  2010, Eau de Parfum.

Karl Lagerfield Sun Moon Stars

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I saw the bottle, said, ‘No way!’ and decided it had to be tried. I don’t actually have a bottle or held a bottle of this but I do have a somewhat aged sampler vial.

Sun Moon Stars

Sun Moon Stars

In Bottle: Strong fruitiness up top. That’s pretty much all I get.

Applied: Very strong and sweet fruits up top in this fragrance. It’s the candy version of fruit and it’s a bit nauseating. I read some of the reviews on this one before I tried it and many people report a synthetic quality to the fragrance. I almost want to explain that particular problem on the over eager fruit opening. The sweetness does settle down in the mid-stage where the soft florals roll in with a spicy carnation making a pretty big impression to me. The  fragrance ends on a very nicely done vanilla with sandalwood. Normally I’d loathe the standard sandalwood vanilla mixture but the fragrance does it so well that I can’t fault it for taking a trope and doing it justice.

Extra: Sun Moon Stars was released in 1994 as a fabulous floral oriental. The Karl Lagerfield brand is primarily focused on fashion and headed by the iconic man of the same name. Presently the brand is owned by the parent company, Tommy Hilfiger.

Design: I saw the bottle and immediately thought of the Britney Spears Fantasy line. The shapes are so familiar that I couldn’t help but seek this one out. The bottle reportedly contains designs of a sun, a star and a moon as per its name. While I still think the shape is unappealing the blue glass used in the design is quite nice. At the very least, the design is much better put together than anything in the Fantasy line. It’s quite a bit more elegant, actually.

Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral Oriental

Notes: Bergamot, pineapple, orange blossom, lotus, rice, peach, heliotrope, freesia, jasmine, orange blossom, daffodil, lily of the valley, orchid, carnation, iris, sandalwood, cedar, amber, musk, vanilla.

Apparently there was a reformulation of this fragrance at some point. I’m not sure which version of the fragrance I have, but judging from the general disappointment in the reformulation, perhaps I have the old formula.

Reviewed in This Post: Sun Moon Stars,  ~1998 Eau de Toilette.

Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge

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Still on the look out for a good Jasmine that exceeds Thierry Mugler’s Alien. I still think that one’s a fabulous jasmine, though it is a bit of a one note fragrance. So in search of a bit more complexity, I looked up Tom Ford’s Jasmin Rouge.

Jasmin Rouge

Jasmin Rouge

In Bottle: Strong jasmine with a bit of buttery leather and a shade of very nice spice and wood.

Applied: Jasmin Rouge is a very strong fragrance. Its initial spray is marked with a powerful but beautiful jasmine note that overtakes the space around you. This is the kind of fragrance that announces its presence so be careful when you go to test it or use it for the first time. As the scent ages, I get a bit more of the spices in this fragrance, the peppery kick being most noticeable to me as the leather amps up with its buttery, soft texture that takes the jasmine and leather dominance all the way to the end where I get a few wafts of woodsiness and spices but it is mostly jasmine and leather I’m getting from this. I almost want to describe Jasmin Rouge as a jasmine and fluffy leather fragrance. It smells like it should be floating in the sky, projecting its glory all over everything within a 100ft radius.

Extra: Jasmin Rouge was released along with two other fragrances to the Tom Ford Signature Collection in 2011. So this baby is still new and if you wanted a hand at a leather jasmine then this might just be your stuff.

Design: The bottle screams Tom Ford design. Some fragrance houses just have a look and feel to their bottle designs that makes their products very recognizable. Chanel has it, Hermes has it, and Tom Ford definitely has it. Jasmin Rouge’s bottle is a pleasing shape and weight in an appropriate red color. It has a very nice sprayer that distributes a great even spray.

Fragrance Family: Oriental Floral

Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, white pepper, sambac jasmine, broom, neroli, ylang-ylang, clary sage, vanilla, labdanum, leather, wood, amber.

I’m pretty picky when it comes to how jasmine is treated in a fragrance. I know practically every modern women’s perfume has jasmine present in one form or another which only makes me pickier about its usage in a less mainstream interpretation. Thing is, I like Jasmin Rouge just fine. I just don’t know if I love it enough to replace Alien.

Reviewed in This Post: Jasmin Rouge, 2011, Eau de Parfum.

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck

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So Taylor Swift’s name enters the world of celebrity fragrances. Did she do any better than the multitudes of celebrity fragrances that came before hers? Nope.

Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck

In Bottle: Sweet berries with a heavy sweet note that’s reminiscent of vanilla layered over a thin and sparse coating of flowers.

Applied: Smells like berry hard candy mixed with vanilla. Not particularly interesting and not particularly new or fascinating. I think I’ve officially burnt myself out on fruity florals now because Wonderstruck is actually striking me the wrong way. Again, it doesn’t smell bad. It’s just boring. Anyway the vanilla berry fragrance takes on a bit of juiciness from the peach or the apple or whatever the heck fruit smoothie concoction rolls in after the opening. This makes the thing smell like Hidden Fantasy by Britney Spears tripped and fell into a vat of Viva la Juicy. The midstage is marked with a hint of florals rising up like a horrible ocean of sweetness and girliness. The fragrance reminds me of any number of female celebrity perfumes and its identity really blends in with the rest of its competition. The dry down isn’t any more remarkable either, a dose of vanilla, a hint of warm amber, a bit of sandalwood and white musk to give the fragrance that clean, sweet, girly ending.

Extra: Wonderstruck was released this year to a happy audience of Taylor Swift fans who will be equally  happy to note that the perfume smells good if you’re into fruity floral fragrances. Heck, if you liked the Britney Spears Fantasy line then you’ll probably enjoy this. Or even if you just like Taylor Swift and want to collect things with her name on it. As a fragrance though, it’s not accomplished or unique. So serious fragrance lovers would get better wear out of a more competent fruity floral.

Design: It’s a bit cheesy but I have to admit that it isn’t poorly designed. There’s something Renaissance about it. Maybe it’s the carvings on the cap that remind me of the intricate stonework that would be present in a lovingly built church. Aside from the cap, I find the charms kind of garish and random and the bottle functional and unobtrusive at best. It’s not a bad design overall.

Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral

Notes: Blackberry, raspberry, peach, apple blossom, freesia, tea, hibiscus, honeysuckle, vanilla, musk, amber, sandalwood.

Saw a “teaser” on YouTube for this perfume where Taylor was wearing one of her trademark fancy dresses and looking ethereal as she wandered around while title text faded in to introduce the fragrance. I’m not sure how to feel about the whole thing except mildly perplexed. Why does a perfume need a teaser? Is Taylor doing something else that I’m missing? I don’t know anything about music and suspect that I’m tone deaf so why am I musing about any of this? I may never know the answers to these barely valid questions, but I do know that I loved Taylor’s dress.

Reviewed in This Post: Wonderstruck, 2011, Eau de Parfum.