Saturday, June 30, 2012

Eau "No!"


Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme

I tried this one today and what a disappointment.  To me, Chanel is one of best designer fragrance houses on the market.  I love their Egoiste, Pour Monsieur, No. 5 Pure Parfum, No. 5 Eau Premiere, Chanel No. 19, Antaeus and so on.  Looking at my photo below, you will see that at some point I did own Chanel Allure Homme Sport.  I bought it because it smells pleasant and also for nostalgic reasons.  I like bold and strong fragrances.  When the Eau Extreme version came out, I was eager to smell it.  Having the word "extreme" in it makes me even more excited.  So today, I sprayed it on my arm, it reminded me of the original version.  It definitely has the DNA of the original Allure Homme Sport.  Eau Extreme is spicier but less richer than the original.  It feels like a watered down version of Allure Homme Sport.  It projects less and lasts less than AHS.  To my surprise, there is nothing extreme about the new flanker.  This should have been called Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau L'eau or Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Premiere or Chanel Allure Homme Sport Light or Chanel Allure Homme Sportier - ha!.  For me, the original is still better than the new flanker.  

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The Birth...

The Beginning

Can you believe this?  This was the day when I was still normal.  Back then I didn't know what niche perfumes were.  I just purchase what smelled good to me. One day I was searching online and found out about certain websites that discusses about fragrances.  I subscribed to these websites and little did I know I was already hooked.  My collection started to grow while my wallet shrunk.  I learned a lot about different fragrance houses - I learned the notes, what I am smelling on a particular fragrance at a particular time. I made friends along the way which I am so thankful for.  This photo was taken about 3 years ago I believe. I will post more photos so you will see how the insanity progressed. =)

Facial Aesthetic Enhancer - No!

Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens

This is totally different from what everyone is familiar with the other fragrances of Serge Lutens.  This is iris at its best!  For some people, many don't like the iris note as they get a make up vibe from it. Fortunately, ISM is far from becoming a facial-aesthetic-enhancer, no make up or lipstick vibe at all.  It is a leathery, cold iris with earthiness in the background given off by the vetiver.  It also has that carroty vibe to it.  What a masterpiece!  Iris Silver Mist is a bit similar to Irisss by Xerjoff only the latter has a little touch of floral.

Under the Tuscan Leather...

Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford Private Blend

Leather based fragrances are one of my favorites.  And this my friend, to me is one of the most realistic leather smell in the fragrance world.  Opens up with a smoky leather with a raspberry note on top. Way to make an entrance!  It's rich, bold and very potent yet very elegant.  It does smell like an interior of a brand new luxury car.  Since when did the smell of a new car smelled bad? One of my top arsenal winter scent.

Too g'oud to be true...

Oud Shamash by The Different Company

Oud based fragrances apparently are storming the fragrance world lately.  A lot of companies seem to be doing a lot of rose+oud+saffron combo.  Luckily, this one takes a different turn.  This is probably one of the best oud based fragrances I have smelled.  It is fresh, crisp, exotic, unique, elegant, woody, bright, smoky, balmy, gorgeous, addicting. All these words conjure when smelling this intoxicating blend.  How do they put that in one bottle? I don't know!  Oud is the new black! Ha!

Fancy it up...

Coromandel by Chanel

One of my all time favorites and probably my favorite from the Les Exclusifs line of Chanel (they're all gorgeous actually).   Opens up with a blast of earthy patchouli anchored by benzoin and some cocoa.  As it develops on your skin, it becomes sweeter and plush.  This is my "go to" fragrance if I want to fancy things up - if I am going to do some important events like going to the grocery (joke!). Ha! Gentlemen of the world, don't let marketing stop you from sniffing or wearing this marvelous fragrance.  Even though this is marketed for women, I find it totally unisex.

"Dubai" or Not To Buy...

Kabul Aoud by Montale

Launched in Dubai as an exclusive from the house of Montale.  We all know that Montale is known for their redundant rose+oud combo.  However, this ones takes a different direction.   With notes of cedar, guaiac wood and oud, this opens up a little sweet actually.  The initial spray reminds me of the smell of honey with the oud in the background.  As it goes to the heart, the sweetness dissipates and the oud comes out more and more - it is the smoky type of oud.  And that's where it stays for the rest of its life which means you get to enjoy the oud note for a very long time.  I like it but it didn't really blow my socks off.  This seems to be pretty light but this it is one of those deceiving juices where you might think you sprayed very little but apparently everyone around you can smell it.

In the summer time...

My Summer Top Picks for 2012

Fougere Royale By Houbigant

Originally created by the perfumer, Paul Parquet in 1882 by the house of Houbigant, the first company that started this genre of "fern-like" fragrances, Fougere Royale is truly a great masculine.  It was recently re-introduced in the year 2010 with a new rendition from the head perfumer at Givaudan, Rodrigo Flores-RouxI have never smelled the original version, however, I can still say that the new version is still magnificent.  It opens up with a blast of bright and sparkling citrus. A couple of minutes in, it becomes dry, spicy and herbal and it stays there for quite a long time. Until it fades to a woody, ambery base.  Very classy and refined indeed! Suitable to wear all year round.

1861 by Xerjoff

I am not really a huge fan of citrus based scents.  However, 1861 is probably one of the best I have ever smelled.  Also, might be one of the most realistic citrus blend on the market.  On initial spray, this wakes you up with the splash of lemon. It's bright, it's fresh, very natural. Later on, the mint shows up giving it a crisp, cooling effect.  The mint here is not like the mint you usually taste in peppermint bubblegum.  It's more like fresh mint leaves.  Then there is a woody vibe in the background but very faint which I suspect is given off by the combination of musk and that cedar.  For a citrus based fragrance, this is quite long lasting and it projects well.  Well done Xerjoff!


Aqua Universalis Forte by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Aqua Universalis Forte opens up with a bright, crisp, sparkling-citrus That develops in to a woody-musk base.  It is an Eau de Parfum, however, the concentration of this perfume is 40% making it almost an Extrait! Sillage and longevity are great! It does give you that fresh, clean laundry vibe.  But hey? Who said clean sheets ever smelled bad?  Look no further! This is your answer! 


Virgin Island Water by Creed

This is probably one of the most popular summer scents on the market!  It is a summer holiday in a bottle!  One sniff takes you away to a tropical island of exotic sceneries.  If you are familiar with the alcoholic drink, Malibu Rum, this fragrance gives you that same coconut vibe.  It doesn't last that long, but hey, I don't mind reapplying mid-day!  A summer collection is not complete without this coconut-floral concoction!


Habit Rouge Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

First created in 1965 by one of the greatest perfume, Mr. Jean-Paul Guerlain.  The original concentration started with an eau de cologne.  That one focuses more on the citrus top notes.  The EDP version was later introcued in the year 2003.  This one opens up with  citrusy, again, sparkling top notes then goes to a leathery, sensual aroma.  And they have added that extra oud note in the base making the EDP drier, woody and more spicy.  Even though this was created in the yesteryear, it is still as relevant today.  One of the best masculines ever created.  However, I do feel that this is totally wearable to women.


Sel de Vetiver by The Different Company

Sel de Vetiver is a woody-aromatic fragrance created by Celine Ellena.  It is light and transparent in nature.  Literally lives up to its name, salt and vetiver.  It gives you that salty air blowing in the beach with that earthy vibe coming from the vetiver.


Geranium Pour Monsieur by Frederic Malle

This is probably one of the most interesting mint based fragrance.  Opens up with a blast of mint anchored by the musk.  As it settles in, the anise comes out and I do get a licorice vibe and it gets muskier as well.  It is very long lasting and it projects very well.


Apres L'ondee by Guerlain

Another great classic from a great fragrance house!  Iris, violets and heliotrope are the most dominating notes in this fragrance.  Even though this masterpiece was created in 1906, it doesn't feel dated at all.  Marketed for women but I think men can definitely pull this off.  It has that melancholy vibe to it. It's powdery, floral, fresh and elegant.  One of the greatest perfumes ever created.


Note: Please take note that these are based on what is available in my collection.