Estee Lauder White Linen

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White Linen is one of the most universally recognized fragrances. It was and still is everywhere though its popularity has waned a bit in recent years, White Linen is still one of the perfumes I associate instantly with clean, soap and aldehydes. White Linen

In Bottle: Big, bright and loud. White Linen wastes no time building up suspense. It comes roaring out of the gates smelling of soapy aldehydes right away. Just so you know what’s in store.

Applied: The aldehydes in White Linen is probably one of the first things anyone will smell in this fragrance as they are incredibly predominant. Those aldehydes coupled with a drowning rose note make this fragrance extremely recognizable to me. I can understand why someone wouldn’t like this. On the one hand, you’ve got soapy sparkly aldehydes. On the other, you have a dewy, slightly sticky red rose that are coming together like two fragrance forces on the battlefield. The aldehydes in White Linen do not get any meeker as the fragrance progresses. They stay up front as the scent turns into a rose so scrubbed and soaked in soapy water that it sparkles as it wilts in a bed of powder. During the middle this fragrance does a very strange thing in that it introduces the civet on me in a bed of otherwise clean. So in between smelling like sparkly soap, I get a waft of something just a bit off. It’s a bit distracting but highly amusing. White Linen is a powerful fragrance that will project like crazy. A lot of people also find her overbearing so if you are going to use this stuff, ease up on the trigger finger. Fresh until the last moments, this fragrance dries down like freshly wetted perfumed soap.

Extra: White Linen is probably one of those recognizable classics that people either love or hate. I tend to see the hate for this more often and I can see why people are repelled by it. If you want to see what the fuss is about but can’t quite figure out White Linen, its flanker, Pure White Linen is a softer, easier to wear, and more muted version.

Design: White linen is bottled in a bent frosted glass bottle with a metal cap. It’s a pretty iconic looking bottle with a fine design though the frosted glass always makes me think of Avon.

Fragrance Family: Adehydelic Floral

Notes: Aldehydes, citrus, peach, rose, jasmine, lilac, iris, lily-of-the-valley, ylang-ylang, cedar, honey, amber, civet, sandalwood, tonka.

Probably the only time I’ll smell distinct civet in a fragrance and it was hilarious the first time I detected it in White Linen. Here I am, enjoying a bed of aldehydes and rose then all of a sudden something smells a wee bit off. Like a tiny fart, the civet makes this fragrance worth a test just to experience a bit of civet’s power.

Reviewed in This Post: White Linen, ~1980, Eau de Parfum.

Estee Lauder Dazzling Silver

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Dazzling Silver is a lovely metal floral etched like a clean straight line that was released in 1998. It’s strong, not surprising, given Estée Lauder’s often vocal fragrances. It’s a synthetic, a very proud one at that as it makes no attempts at trying to convince you otherwise. Dazzling Silver

In Bottle: Perhaps it’s the loud and proud synthetic smell of this but Dazzling Silver immediately reminds me of Clinique Happy. Another very proud, very daring synthetic scent that’s more well-known than this. Dazzling Silver has a metallic element to its soft but powerful  florals.

Applied: The florals are the main stars of the show here and it’s really no surprise. Florals are pretty much all that’s in Dazzling Silver and not a whole lot else. If you’re looking for a smooth gourmand or smoky incense note you aren’t going to find it here. Dazzling Silver does floral well as the fragrance goes on like a competent synthetic floral and ages like a competent synthetic floral. Your initial application will have an element of that sweet metallic note. I don’t know if I’m making up the metallic note but something in this reminds me of that cold, coolness that metals tend to have. It gets a bit greener as it ages, it remains clean and the florals remain strong. The best thing about this stuff is its longevity. You’ll find this floating around you for a good long while smelling relatively like the pretty floral it is right into the dry down.

Extra: Estée Lauder is a New York based cosmetics company founded in 1946 by Joseph and Estée Lauder. You’ve probably seen their makeup somewhere before. And if you haven’t, you’ve likely seen a subsidiary of their brand around. A few favorites of makeup afficionados include MAC, Clinique and Smashbox.

Design: Dazzling Silver is held in a clear glass bottle with a frosted glass cap that’s reminiscent of White Linen’s design with its soft, frosted glass look. There’s no fanfare beyond the cap but the bottle’s design is pleasant to look at and easy to hold. The sprayer is just fantastic.

Fragrance Family: Clean Floral

Notes: Lily, wild lotus, Japanese mountain orchid, purple vanilla orchid, sunset orchid, passion flower, rose, magnolia, sandalwood.

I’m not much of a fan of Estée Lauder’s fragrances. They are lovely, I’m sure but the brand often has this feel of being more sophisticated than I am. Every year I get older, Estée Lauder’s scents seem to age as well and thus remain out of reach.

Reviewed in This Post: Dazzling Silver, 2004, Eau de Parfum.