HS3

Well, technically I’ve been back for a couple weeks. However, things have been hectic lately so I haven’t had a chance to post until now. I’ve got a pile of great photos of the Xerjoff Casamorati line that I’ll post in the next couple days – just finishing up going through them and touching them up. Here’s a teaser of Bouquet Ideal, a gorgeous, creamy rose scent. More photos soon!

I decided to give this one a test this morning as I was heading out the door and put a single shot of it on the back of my hand to enjoy throughout the morning. At first sniff from the bottle (really nice bottles – photos of the set coming soon!) and initial application, it is a nice light summery floral citrus that didn’t really seem to hold any surprises. It has an uplifting white floral opening (listed notes are lotus flower, magnolia, jasmine, olive blooms) with a hint of bergamot and a spike of tart citrus… the description on the Xerjoff site really is spot on. It’s really quite pleasant, but didn’t come across as earth shattering or new.

However, this scent has huge evolution. On my drive to work, it has already begun progressing through a variety of notes and new players were emerging. I was getting what seemed like a chili pepper note and the olive blooms were really coming out as the other initial florals fell back. A few hours into it, that chili pepper note begins to fall back and you’re left with a very fresh osmanthus and citrus. I’m not sure if the Olive Blooms listed in the notes is of the osmanthus variety, but I’m definitely perceiving it that way. I also smell orange blossoms, similar to how they’re treated in By Kilian’s Prelude to Love. It’s extra “clean” smelling – most likely attributable to the choice in musk aroma-chemicals in the base. If smelled up close, you’ll be able to detect just the slightest of creamy undertones that is quite nice and helps to bring it together.Very nice.

Overall, it’s probably my least favorite of the Casamorati series, but I really like the other three. It’s certainly well made and something to put on your sample list if you love bright citrus floral scents that aren’t too feminine… I think it could easily be worn by a man. Actually, the longer it sits on my skin, the more I like it. I’ll definitely give this one a full wear soon.

Check out Sorcery of Scent for Dimitri’s thought on it from a while back.

UPDATE A WHILE LATER – I’m really warming up to this one. After a while on my skin, I’m really liking it.

Comme des Garcons has some really quirky packaging. From the plastic dummy bottles in the Guerrilla series to the unfolding metallic box in the LUXE series, their packaging (though not the most luxurious, is definitely some of the most original. Comme des Garcons EDP, released in 1994, is no exception. It comes in a simple white card stock box with plain black printing on it. Open the box and the bottle is presented in something you might expect to save meat in the freezer with. The “as-seen-on-TV” style pouch seems to cover all the bottles of the same shape from CdG that I’ve tried. I’m still not completely sold on the bottle shape – though it serves its purpose quite well, it has a hard time sitting next to others in a collection. It ends up just being plunked there in the front.

As for the scent, it can certainly hold its own. This 1994 EDP is a melange of spices, loaded with clove and hot cinnamon. It advertises itself to work like a medicine and behave like a drug – though I don’t find the opening quite as medicinal as some, it is undoubtedly intense and slightly medicinal, perhaps due to the camphorous notes that you’ll find in the top. I find a good bit of rose throughout, but it’s never overly floral – merely a supporting note. It settles nicely into a smoother cedar and sandalwood-rich scent with the black pepper present through most of the day. Longevity on me is superb, which is not a surprise with its nearly 20% concentration. Sillage is above average for me on this one – I wore it yesterday and felt at times that I was leaving a trail a bit more tenacious than I usually like to. 12 hours into it, the GF (wife in a month – woo!) had her interest piqued and pressed her face into my neck to exclaim how good it smelled.

From what I gather, this scent was reformulated and the new version is now made in Spain. Some reviews point to the reformulated version as being lighter and less intense, but I’ve only tried this version (French made version), so I can’t compare. There don’t seem to be many good pictures of it online, but the ones that I have seen of the newer one (on Luckyscent and Dover Street Market sites) look considerably lighter in color. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily always point to a noticeable shift in ingredients.

These are beautiful scents in beautiful bottles. This Modoc is the silk bag presentation (I believe it also can come in a presentation box as well). The bag is surprisingly plush and well made – It’s extremely thick and padded with gorgeous cords to cinch up the top. The boxes have hand written edition numbers and are sealed with a sticker for each scent.  Here is a series of photos, both indoors and out to give you an idea of what you’ll be getting with a purchase of one of the wonderful Shooting Stars scents. (I wore Modoc yesterday for the second time; it truly is a magnificent scent!) Be warned – this is a long post

The first time I had a chance to try Guerlain’s Les Voyages Olfactifs was at EPCOT last year. It was the first time we’d been to a Guerlain boutique and it was fascinating to have a big table full of all the Paris and boutique exclusives. All three from Les Voyages Olfactifs are Guerlain through and through, with the signature Guerlainade and touch of powdery sweetness in the top. They come in enormous 8.3 oz bottles, with screw cap and additional atomizer. I would personally prefer these bottles to have a better integrated atomizer since I keep them with the atomizer on and the great, brushed screw cap off.

Paris – New York is supposed to smell like Manhattan at Christmas time. I’ve never been to Manhattan, but if it smells like this, it must be a marvelous place. It opens with a slightly perfumey, candied note that lingers in the air with a hint of tart mandarin and bergamot. As it dries and throughout the day, you’ll catch wisps of vanilla, cardamom, cedar, and hints of orange blossom. It lasts a full day and then some, and projects in just the right way. It lets its presence be know, but does not announce it loudly. The dry down is gorgeous – a light floral over cedar and vanilla with hints of cinnamon.