Fragrance Reviews by Tovah

This fragrance is fascinating. On me, it smells like the Atlantic; cool, slightly gray, peppery, earthy, and smoky. On my husband it smells like the Pacific; warm, salty, green, and brisk with hints of citrus. I much prefer it on my husband, (I love it on him). The cardamom in this fragrance is especially complimentary to the grapefruit, patchouli, geranium, iris, ylang ylang, and vetiver notes. Sel de Vetiver calls to mind L'Artisan Navegar, although I don't think they share many notes. They do share a warm-skin freshness that's somehow sultry, yet light. Sel de Vetiver has become one of my favorite vetivers - and I adore vetiver.

This is very fresh, and cool, with mood-lifting ozone notes. It's almost perfect, but a sticky watermelon-like note (rhubarb?) spoils it a bit for me. This note seems strong on hot days, so I think this is going to be a cool weather fragrance for me. It really is transporting, and very Atlantic (as opposed to Pacific). Antonia's Flowers lists the notes as bergamot, cassis buds, rhubarb, orange, and lotus. This is very nice, and I will continue to enjoy it, but it doesn't come close to being as special as the unusual, hauntingly-beautiful Tiempe Passate.

For years I've been searching for a white ginger fragrance that really captures the fragrance of Hawaiian white ginger. Some fragrances had hints of its sweet and sultry scent, but 'Ume IS that scent. 'Ume is a subtle, mysterious floral with airy qualities in the topnotes, and an earthy, sensual oak moss base. Lasting power is very good, and it seems to rejuvenate itself on my skin over the course of the day. It's hard to keep my nose away from my wrists, because 'Ume makes me giddy. Those who love the indescribable beauty of the fragrances of Hawaii must try Saffron James, and 'Ume is a white ginger dream-come-true. Notes are ginger absolute, water lily, gardenia, yuzu, and mousse de chêne.

Only Michel Roudnitska could have created such a sensual, evocative fragrance and make it wear like a skin scent! Shiloh is warm and multifaceted like Amoureuse (by Roudnitska), woodsy like the dreamy Bois de Paradis (also by Roudnitska), with a lovely spiciness like the vivid Noir Epices (Roudnitska). It's a refined and gentle fragrance, that smells like dusk in autumn. Shiloh isn't dramatic or bold, and I think it may be one of those scents that simply has to "work with one's chemistry", but it does work with mine, and I love it.

I despise the name of this house, and the name of this fragrance. How can a tag-line like "Hostilities in progress" seem like a good marketing idea? We've all wanted to rewrite Shakespeare. And turning Juliet into a Tarantino La Femme Nikita is humorous, but this perfume is not. It's got the chutzpah of Cabaret, and the mesmerizing mystique of Voleur de Roses. From the viewpoint of a fragrance lover aiming to share excellent perfumes with other fragrance lovers, I endorse this because it's so gorgeous! One sniff, and WOW! Add the "wow" to multifaceted development and originality...and...hooked. I feel like I've found the rose scent I'd concoct myself if I had the talent and the skill.

moureuse is incredible. It is radiant upon application, and it's sultry, and extremely sensual as it develops. If you are a fan of Annick Goutal Heure Exquise or Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, you must try Amoureuse, which I think is a sort-of "sister scent" to these two. Amoureuse is a powerful, slightly sweet, very, very sexy fragrance, but it smells "expensive", elegant, and sublime. Lasting power is fabulous. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my all-time favorite fragrances!

Fresh, delicate, and very pretty. On me this is quite minty at first, and it remains minty for awhile. Luckily for me, this is not a chewing-gum, sweet mint. It's herbal and earthy. When the jasmine appears, it is striking; slightly rosy and very clear. The jasmine/rose notes are nothing like those in the old-fashioned type fragrances Honeysuckle & Jasmine and Red Roses. It's a clear jasmine, almost dry, without sweetness. The scent base reminds me of chamomile tea. Overall this fragrance is relaxing, laid-back, soft. One of the finest for hot weather.

I LOVE Blue Agava and Cacao. I like it best on its own, and it is nice for layering. Blue Agava and Cacao is a vibrant, energetic green fragrance that is sophisticated and sultry. The topnotes are citrus-floral and sweet. The sweetness calls to mind the Blue Agave Nectar I've tried in Baja California. Blue Agave (aka Tequila Agave) is a succulent (not a cactus) that's related to lily. Its "nectar" is extremely sweet, and tastes something like honey. My range of tequila expertise begins and ends with Jose Cuervo, which, to me, tastes like oily asphalt, so I can't personally say I get a tequila note in Blue Agava and Cacao. However, I can say I sense Blue Agave Nectar. If the incredibly beautiful, delicate cacao flower could have a scent, Blue Agava and Cacao would suit it perfectly. Blue Agava and Cacao is slightly sweet, with the acerbic, coffee-like note of cacao seeds. It's spicy, too, like Aztec cacao (sweetened with Blue Agave Nectar.) Its base is of green woods and musk, enhanced with cinnamon and dry vanilla. I've never smelled anything that comes close to this scent; it is unique and bewitching. Lasting power is excellent.

Armani Code is a sweet, slightly gingery, slightly powdery, orange blossom fragrance. The topnotes are honeyed orange blossom and seringa, which I like a lot, but after about an hour this smells strikingly like Kiss My Face Pear Soap. I don't particularly like to wear pear fragrances, so this won't be something I must have (even though it's orange blossom). I'd love this if my chemistry would let it work. I'll have to try it again in a different season.

How I've missed trying new elegant, unique fragrances that were created to be fashionable accessories; to enhance beauty, and set a mood. So many new fragrances have smelled like air freshener, antiperspirant, and/or soap, for so long, that I'd feared the launch of my concept of "elegant perfume" was something of fond memory. I read about Jasmin Noir on blogs, and all the notes sounded intriguing, except licorice. I hate licorice enough that its scent can completely ruin a perfectly nice fragrance for me. I can't smell any straightforward licorice in Jasmin Noir, so I'm relieved. When I first sprayed Jasmin Noir, I was skeptical. It smelled SO good, but I knew I had to give it just a little time to disappoint me. I assumed it would become linear, or chemical-like, or headache inducing, or plasticy, or hairspray-ish, or fruity, or just plain boring. My surprise, many hours later, was filled with happiness. Jasmin Noir is not only gorgeous, it's brilliantly multi-faceted, moody, striking, enchanting, and long-lasting. Rather than blasting individual notes, Jasmin Noir creates a spicy, woody atmosphere of its own. It smells luxurious, and blatantly sensual. It openly and confidently whispers Seduction: the kind involving Veuve Clicquot, Bulgari jewelry, and La Perla Black Label. When I read reviews, I like to see what other fragrances either smell like, or bring to mind, the fragrance being reviewed. Jasmin Noir is quite distinctive on me, but I'd categorize it as having a mood (not scent) similar to Allure, Boucheron, Samsara, Amouage Gold, Nuits de NoHo...perfumes created for glamor and intrigue.

Cocoon is a comfort fragrance for me, but it's assertive, too. It smells very woody, earthy, and natural, and the dry vanilla is tempting, but not sugary. Vanilla-patchouli blends generally work beautifully with my chemistry, so Cocoon, with it's touch of cocoa, is a definite winner. It's not complex: just cocoa, vanilla, and patchouli, but it has depth, and a gorgeous dryness that makes it unique in the gourmand category. It is similar to Serge Lutens Borneo 1834, but it also reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle edt. The base of Coco Mademoiselle, smells somewhat similar in the drydown. Cocoon seems to be marketed as a women's fragrance, but it's perfect for men as well. The lasting power is incredible, but don't overspray this: the sillage rivals legends.

I like it. A lot. Pleasures Delight isn't as foody on me as it seems to be on others. It's sweet, pretty, and very light. If you're looking for sugar-candy sweet, you may love Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum, or Pilar and Lucy The Exact Friction of Stars. Pleasures Delight has This is one of the few scents my husband has ever commented on, and he said, "You smell good." He usually thinks vanilla-based scents smell like "cookies" or "candy", but he said Pleasures Delight is "pretty". (This means he smells some flowers. Most of the fragrances he likes on me -sadly, very few- are florals.) I don't smell original Pleasure in Pleasures Delights, nor do I smell the kind of strawberry from Miss Dior Cherie. It's along the lines of Hanae Mori Butterfly, but the patchouli dry-down saves it from being as cloying and dessert-like. I used up a whole bottle of this when it first came out, didn't wear it for about a year, and found myself missing it. I repurchased it, and I like it even better than I did originally! It's a fun, easy, happy fragrance that's great for wearing on my adventures with my kids.

The Chrysler Imperial Rose, the only rose breed I've heard of that's named for an automobile (now vintage), was "launched" with the auto, and, so far, has long outlasted it. Better cars have come our way, but the Chrysler Imperial Rose is one of the finest tea roses grown in international gardens. It is an absolutely gorgeous hybrid tea rose with huge, vivid, rose-red flowers and a dewy, rich, classic tea rose perfume. Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose smells like a bouquet of Chrysler Imperial blooms, cut early on a warm morning, and placed in a crystal vase. Its lasting power is incredible, (as is the amount of fragrance, esp. for the price!), and a full spritz of it can scent an entire room for hours. For lovers of the heady smell of fresh roses, this fragrance should not be missed. If you could take the aroma of Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare and multiply its concentration by ten, you'd have something surprisingly similar to Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose.

Pure White Linen is a very, very light scent that briefly calls to mind the classic White Linen, and then disappears. My skin simply cannot hold onto this stuff, which is faint to begin with. It's fresh and pretty. I don't smell any citrus or sweetness. With all the notes listed I thought it may be complex, but to me it's pure "air notes". It's been very hot here, so maybe this will be better in cooler weather.

Toluene is a chemical solvent produced catalytically from crude oil to make high octane gasoline. It can dissolve many substances, such as paint, glue, and rubber. It smells like benzene, whose odor is commonly associated with paint thinners. Toluene was first isolated from Tolu Balsam, which is a natural resin with a complex, warm aroma. The Strange Invisible Perfumes website describes Moon Garden as "luxuriant tuberose, jasmine, and pikake, bejeweled with African resins". After one whiff of Moon Garden, I guessed that the "resins" of the scent description must be Tolu Balsam, because my first thought was, "This smells like gasoline and paint thinner." I had my son sniff it, and he said, "It smells like minty ammonia." My husband said, "I can see why they named it after a garden on the moon..." The title actually refers to night-blooming gardens, redolent with the blossoms of Night Blooming Jasmine, tuberose, pikake, and other white flowers that take advantage of night pollinators. I adore these blossoms, so I was excited about trying Moon Garden. I hoped that, like the infamous but beloved Tuberose Criminelle, or the camphory Carnal Flower, the harsh, jarring topnotes would evolve into an enchanting perfume. Unfortunately, Moon Garden refuses to be what I'd hoped for. Rather than the mystique and romance of a moonlit garden, Moon Garden evokes the time I struggled with a gas pump, and lost. I'd been soaked to the skin, and I couldn't get rid of the acrid odor for days. On a happy note, Moon Garden is one less fragrance for which I have to pay $135.00 for a 1.7 oz. edp. I would love to smell this on a person for whom it works, because I think it can be a fascinating, gorgeous work, if one can make it bloom.

When I was a kid I got a tiny vial of "Orange Blossom Souvenir Perfume" while on vacation in Florida. The 1/8 oz. bottle came in a cute little wooden orange fruit, and the cap of the bottle served as the stem. At the time, I believed it truly elicited the smell of the blossoms I'd smelled in Florida. I loved this souvenir perfume, and I remember it as having the pure smell of Florida orange blossoms, (in contrast with my perception of California orange blossoms, which only Jo Malone has captured perfectly in fragrance form). On my skin Fair Verona is a scent illustration of orange blossom that immediately evokes my concept of Florida orange blossom. Fair Verona quickly develops into a scent reminiscent of neroli essential oil, which makes me recall that little wooden orange. (There's nothing technical about this comparison, it's purely my olfactory response stimulated by my imagination - there may not be a drop of neroli in this, for all I know). On me, Fair Verona overall, is a soft, smooth neroli (bitter orange tree oil) scent. There's a hint of minty green upon application, but it fades quite quickly and develops into a fragrance that jolted into my memory the little wooden orange I had more than 30 years ago. Fair Verona has a fresh, sparkly opening that morphs into a deeper, oilier scent. Like Tropical Vial, one of the top notes reminds me of Un Jardin Sure le Nil, but this note is fleeting. Fair Verona's notes are listed (on siperfumes.com) as citrus essences from Italy, cardamom, green myrtle, Egyptian jasmine, Sicilian lemon, and bergamot. Fair Verona is a lovely fragrance, and I enjoy it throughly for as long as I can smell it. After about 20 minutes I have to sniff my skin, just to get the faintest whiff of powdery orange oil. It leaves a hint of scent on my skin that gets rejuvenated if I got outside in the heat, and it doesn't wash off easily in the pool or with sweat, but I wish it had a teeny bit of sillage. If this fragrance was as unique, unusual, and compelling as, say Magazine Street, I would spend $135.00 for an edp, and treasure it, but this won't be a purchase for me. If you love orange blossom/citrus/neroli, or you're enamored with Romeo and Juliet, you must try Fair Verona. As with all the ingenious Strange Invisible Perfumes, imagination and personal chemistry are the keys to unlocking their secrets.

Magazine Street is the kind of fragrance that makes me remember why I fell so in love with perfumes in the first place. It's an olfactory incarnation of how life really smells, if you're lucky. I haven't yet been able to visit New Orleans after Katrina's devastation. New Orleans was one of the most fascinating, and definitely the most haunting, preternatural city I've ever visited. I could almost see the ghosts of Lestat, and Ignacious Reilly, and Blanche Dubois in the gardens, and the cemeteries, and wandering the balconied streets. Magazine Street, in its current paradigm, is an enchanting shopping area filled with antiques, artisan jewelry, excellent cafes, and comforting spas. Magazine Street was not completely destroyed by Katrina, so in the aftermath of the hurricane, "the show went on", allowing the city to have at least a little bit of economic recovery, and a lot of inspiration. Its shops have become a model for sustenance and positive community relations through their vital examples of "staying local" with all provisional and recreational purchases. Through vigorous work and immutable hope, Magazine Street is helping to soothe New Orleans. Magazine Street, the mesmerizing perfume, is a striking tribute to the spirit of the eponymous neighborhood. On a poetic level, it's the scent of air on a hot, sweet Southern evening, right after a vigorous rainstorm. You smell the flowers, dampness, greens, mustiness, and even the ghosts, filled with pain and joy. I get a hint of the French Quarter the - beignets at Cafe Du Monde, from a deep vanilla note. On a literal level, Magazine Street perfume is a magnolia-vanilla version of Frederic Malle Carnal Flower. It begins with a camphor quality that I find irresistible, and its layers reveal magnolia, vanilla, vetiver, and musk, as lush, and assertive redolence. I think this fragrance is what mainstream marketing would call "unisex", because it smells more like a traditional "men's" cologne rather than a "feminine" perfume. This is an evening scent for me, mostly because I prefer dark vanillas when its dark outside, but it can be worn comfortably day and night. It's sensuous, beautiful, and singular, and all true fragrance lovers will probably at least appreciate it, if they don't fall head over heels in love with it, which is more likely.

I've been hearing about, and reading about Strange Invisible Perfumes for years. If I had heard more positive things, I'd have rushed immediately to the boutique and tried every scent. However, the majority of opinion on these fragrances has been so negative, I've actually been afraid to try them. I love the website, and the fragrance descriptions are fascinating. Yes, they're a bit melodramatic, but they're lyrical, and rich with atmosphere; which is what I want from perfumes. I've been disappointed with hundred of fragrances that sound preternaturally astounding, but wind up being air fresheners to cover cat litter box odor. Recently I've gotten so extremely sick of sniffing new fragrances that cause absolutely no emotional response, and so tired of smelling Dream Angels Heavenly EVERYWHERE, that I wanted to try new scents even if their aromas were so awful they knocked me unconscious. I'm excited and thrilled to report that Strange Invisible Perfumes appear to be the kind of fragrances I've been yearning to explore, and not in the "knocked unconscious" way! Those of us who are "scent addicts" understand that our link to everything we remember in life comes with a scent association. Our remembered scents evoke an atmosphere, rather than a rendering of perfectly pleasant smells. Alexandra Balahoutis, the perfumer of SIP, clearly feels this way as well. These perfumes aren't manufactured for people who want to smell as fresh and clean and balanced as their antiperspirant. These are perfumes for those of us who FEEL, live, and remember our lives through fragrance. As for Tropical Vial...Tropical Vial creates a vivid, unique atmosphere that makes me think of a cave I explored on the Big Island of Hawaii. The individual notes don't really matter...this fragrance smells like that place on that island. If I sniff hard and try to pick out notes, I get something that, for a second or two, makes me think of Un Jardin Sur le Nil. The scent then reminds me of jasmine and green teas flavored with fresh citrus rind. It's uplifting, and mesmerizing. Unfortunately this fragrance is very weak on my skin. There really isn't any sillage, which would be all right if it lasted longer. But after about two hours, I can't even smell this when vigorously sniffing my wrists. I'm going to see if this works better depending upon my body temperature, because I have a feeling it's going to bloom in extreme heat. I definitely recommend trying Tropical Vial if you like the mystery of the tropics!

I like it a lot. I wore it on my wedding day, (it was brand new back then, so no one was sick of it yet). Happy is energetic, sparkling, fresh, and pleasant. Often I find myself complimenting others on their fragrance, which I find out is Happy. It smells quite different on others. My skin brings out the wood notes, but I smell the citrus notes on lots of other wearers. As long as it's not overapplied, Happy is perfect for any environment.

KenzoAmour is a delicate, sweet, gentle fragrance. It is tender, and serene, and feels like that incomparable first love. It smells like cool white tea with floating plumeria blossoms and vanilla pods, set upon a bamboo table, with powdery incense burning, as the sun sets. It's sensual, calm, and evokes a sanctuary, with the timeless emotion of a lover's embrace.

Beyond Paradise Blue is to an island beach what Paris Las Vegas is to Paris, France. Like Paris Las Vegas, it's a completely contrived rendition of programmed preconceived expectations, with very little to do with reality. BPB is much too choreographed to connote a real beach to me. That's not to say I don't like it. In a Disneyland-Make-the-Fantasy-Reality kind of way, Beyond Paris Blue is a lot of fun. To me it's a vacation at a resort (Mirage in Las Vegas, maybe, or Mandalay Bay?); reading a hard cover novel by the chlorinated pool, surrounded by perfectly maintained landscaping, having drinks served. For some reason, the smell actually does remind me of pool water, even though it doesn't smell like chlorine. PBP is not an overtly feminine scent, and its floral notes are heady rather than sweet. (Must be the "Eden's Mist Water Flowers" ??). The orange flower note brings to mind the Coppertone of my childhood, (or maybe that's the "Sun Kissed Skin"? LOL!), which may be why I'm reminded of s swimming pool. PBP is rather like a combination of Bobbi Brown Beach and Michael Kors Island. I cannot smell any of the individual notes the Estee Lauder website lists for this fragrance. It's not a scent with many facets. What you get at the beginning, you get at the end. Also, it's not very long-lasting. If it lasted longer I'd have given it 4 lippies, because it does smell attractive. The bottle is lovely - it just glows among my other bottles. I'll enjoy wearing this on very hot days, maybe when I'm gardening or doing errands, but I don't love it enough that I'll repurchase it. I probably won't even use up the whole bottle, and soon it will become a clean-smelling air freshener.

Sensuous is multi-facted and multi-dimensional. Unless you've worn it for a full day, several times, you may have missed an aspect of this intricate fragrance. If applied heavily, Sensuous is jarring in its spiciness; its subtle black pepper note escalates to a scalding smog. If applied judiciously, Sensuous continuously changes over hours of wear; sometimes wafting a sugary note, sometimes exuding hints of lily, and sometimes projecting gentle, balsamy woods. In recent years, I found vanilla-less, dry-warm-wood fragrances only in niche lines. If you love the incense/spice/woods fragrances that have been popular in boutiques, Sensuous might turn out to be a very reasonably priced, gratifying addition to your wardrobe.

Love's True Bluish Light is a sensual, vivid amber-vanilla that gets compliments every time I wear it. It's one of those irresistible scents that makes you feel warm, and sexy, and soft. I love to spritz it on my bedsheets.

Broadway Nite is an extremely potent diva of a fragrance on me, with heavy-duty aldehydes and pungent florals. Although there are times when these notes are enjoyable, and even fun, in Broadway Nite they miss the mark with my chemistry. Broadway Nite has 1980s sillage + 1920s aldehydes. Elegant and classy, yes. Intimate and subtle, no.

It's quite similar to Light Blue, minus the cedar, and Eclat d'Arpege, minus the apple, but the lily note makes it distinctive. This is an extremely lovely, uplifting fragrance that exudes joy. Lovely bottle, too!

When I see the name, all I can think of is Leather Fish Eggs...so it's no wonder it took me so long to try this. Actually, trying it wasn't even my idea. A friend gave me a generous decant after I sniffed from her bottle and nearly fainted. This fragrance is absolutely stunning! The prominent notes for me are amber, aldehydes, vanilla, and what I think of as a "cashmere" accord. Cuir Beluga has a vintage feel, calling to mind classic, womanly aldehyde scents like No. 5, Shalimar, Emeraude, Arpège, Bois des Iles, etc. Cuir Beluga is a soft, gentle, airy scent even though it's so warm. I don't smell a bit of leather in this, and the most prominent note on me is "burnt sugar", not unlike the burnt sugar note I get from Flowerbomb. Cuir Beluga is romantic, gentle, and almost snuggly. I sniff myself and swoon.

What a boring, trite name. I love the eponymous Vera Wang fragrance. I think Princess smells adorable for a young lady. Even though neither Sheer Veil nor Truly Pink work for me, I appreciate their lovely, elegant femininity. I was excited to try Bouquet, and my first impression, on a scent strip, was positive. So, I sprayed some on my skin, and waited to see what the scent would do. After a few minutes, it smelled like crisp, tart, cool green apple. That's it. Maybe it was the day, maybe it was a bad tester bottle, maybe I'm going nuts, but Bouquet smelled like a pungent green apple cologne. I'm going to test it again, and update my review. After reading the list of notes, unless "dew drops" smell like green apple, I'm sure I missed something!

Midnight Poison, on me, bears a striking resemblance to DKNY Delicious Night, if I layered Delicious Night with Mentholatum. I like Delicious Night on its own better. This Poison has none of the striking originality and creative genius of the original Poison, or the unusual cedar seductive sweetness of Hypnotic Poison. The bottle is beautiful, but the scent disappoints me. No intrigue or attraction for me from this Poison, even after several tests, (but at least it's not as awful on me as Pure Poison, which makes me appreciate my memories of Primo).

Pretty in a predictable, polite way. Very ladylike and subtle. I love the first Marc Jacobs (gardenia & white ginger), but Daisy is not for me. Daisy is a nice daytime fragrance that can be worn with ease in any workplace. It's fresh, clean, and flowery, but it's not distinctive to me. It's very "safe" for young ladies, and women who enjoy discreet, unlikely-to-cause-reaction fragrances. If you like Amazing Grace (I love it) you may want to give Daisy a try! I'm not sure I'll recognize Daisy when I smell it again, even though its sales statistics indicate it's everywhere. The lasting power is okay, but not great, and the bottle is adorable.

That ugly, unsuitable bottle put me off for way too long...but recently, while desperately trying to find a fragrance that seemed remotely interesting, I tried this at Kohl's (of all places). I fell for it immediately...it may even be love. Rush is confident, elegant, sensual, and, best of all, distinctive. Many fragrances smell so similar that I get bored with them. I love fragrance beyond reason, so I truly appreciate a fragrance that intrigues me. Gucci Rush is great with my chemistry, and, based on compliments it receives, it seems to be attractive to people of all ages. It's truly radiant. I cannot imagine why it comes in the plastic, bright red, tacky bottle that gives me '80s nightmares. If it were up to me, I'd put it in an Opium-style bottle, and make the liquid amber colored. Rush makes me think of a desert night, illuminated by a bright moon, redolent of hot, dry air and lush white flowers. Purplebird7 hit the nail on the head with her analysis of the base-notes. And it's the same for me; whatever unpronounceable chemical concoction it is that rounds out Rush, it really works with my chemistry! This fragrance is exciting, and uplifting.

Way back in the 1970s my mother got free purse-spray bottles of Lauder fragrances when she purchased her Estée Lauder makeup. She'd give these bottles to me. As a child, I was already fragrance-crazed, so being gifted with a Real Woman's Perfume was thrilling. Over the years I'd been given cast-off EL minis of Youth Dew, Private Collection, Azurée, Estée Super Cologne, and Cinnabar,etc. I loved having the little bottles, but it never occurred to me to wear any of these fragrances. I believed they were obviously for Older Sophisticated Women. I was 12 when White Linen was launched. I remember watching my mother test it by spritzing the purse-spray she'd gotten with her makeup. She crinkled her nose, and claimed it would give her a headache. I recall that when she smelled White Linen on me, she was astonished at how pretty it was. "You wear perfume well," she said. I agreed happily. I was thrilled with White Linen. I thought it smelled like lilac and crisp green leaves. None of the familiar woman's fragrances had smelled so natural, and summery. I treasured my White Linen because it made me feel vivacious, and quietly elegant. As a scent, it was like wearing a white eyelet blouse, and fresh flowers in my hair. I think White Linen was the groundbreaking forerunner of many popular clean-floral fragrances, but it doesn't smell outdated to me. The aldehydes in the top-notes give it a timeless refinement, and add sparkle to the unique blend of flowers, and the dewy-yet-airy feel that makes White Linen a classic. If you like YSL Paris, Calèche, Clinique Wrappings, Calandre, and/or Nocturnes de Caron, you should not miss giving White Linen a test run.

If you liked Miami Glow, Dianoche Ocean is definitely worth a try for you. Dianoche Ocean is a bright, fruity, flowery mix that smells like a summer vacation on a tropical beach. The attractive bottle is really two bottles that snap into each other like Legos. The top bottle is the "night" fragrance, and the bottom bottle is the "day" fragrance. The "day" fragrance is candy-sweet, with lots of sugary vanilla and pineapple. It's a little too heady and cloying if over-sprayed. However, the "night" fragrance is deeper with dry coconut, and rich with amber and light patchouli. When layered with the "day" fragrance, the "night" version tempers the whole blend into a very wearable, extremely long-lasting, classic "beachy" fragrance. It's a feel-good scent that's full of fun, and highly unlikely to attract the attentions of the Fragrance Sensitives. It's sold at Kohls, reasonably priced, and in a very pretty bottle. The ridiculous sounding notes listed on the Kohls website are: "Day"- mojito accord, bitter orange, "watery splashes" (??), orange flower, jasmine sambac, tiare, sandalwood. "Night" - bergamot, bitter orange, "dewy greens", vanilla orchid, jasmine sambac, gardenia, "beach flower" (?), "unique merinque accord" (?), coconut water, amber, patchouli.

This is a very rich and sensual amber-vanilla-incense perfume. At first it smells so much like Shalimar parfum, I'm not sure I could tell the difference between Olive Flowers and Shalimar on my skin. After it sinks into my skin, however, Olive Flowers develops in a very different way from Shalimar, and it eventually becomes enchanting, with no need of comparison. Olive Flowers starts out lemony and sweet, and hints at seduction. As it dries down the warm, slightly powdery amber notes get deeper, and enhance the haunting incense notes, adding drama and unabashed sexiness. The price is incredible. I'd expect to pay much, much more for such a beautiful, high quality perfume.

I fell for this within the first 1/2 second of a sniff. It's a jewel of a perfume in an amazingly attractive bottle. When I fall for a fragrance I often read blogs and such for reviews, and the reviews I've read so far about West Side are fascinating. West Side seems to bring out a lyrical spirit and a poetic aura in its reviewers.

Aside from feeling kinship to the artistic air of the analyses, one review made me giggle a bit. The reviewer feels that West Side smells like the "child" of Tocade and Organza Indecence. The reason for my smile was that the thought was so similar to my own reaction: West Side seems like of "child" of Tocade and John Paul Gaultier Classique. I think West Side will bring many, many new fans to the Bond No. 9 line.

Alma de Alma is the epitome of how I imagine the alluring fragrances of antiquity. It's the consummate fragrance of seduction: deep amber, dry vanilla, skin musk, and resins. It's sensual, exotic, and evocative of a middle eastern desert. This perfume oil is very beautiful.

Kinmokusei, like all of Moriel's fragrances that I have tried, is outstanding, and unique. I own Kinmokusei, and I enjoy it very much. Moriel describes Kinmokusei as an "osmanthus soliflore", but this comes across on me with a complexity that is extremely rare for a soliflore. Konmokusei is a citrusy green tea fragrance which has a strange, alluring tobacco-like drydown. It begins in a zesty and summery way, but the drydown has a darkness that adds melancholy and quiescence. The deep base notes cause this fragrance to split from bright and light into a heavy, resiny scent. When I am in a contemplative mood, this fragrance works perfectly. It's fascinating.

If this was a body spray or lotions at Bath & Body Works, I'd probably buy it. There is no way I'd pay $110.0 for an ounce of this stuff, though. Virgin Island Water is so much like Ananas Fizz on my skin, that I've actually confused them. Virgin Island Water is heavy on the coconut, though, while Ananas Fizz highlights pineapple. Virgin Island Water has fabulous lasting power. It's a refreshing, sugary, coconut-citrus, rum cocktail of a fragrance. This is nice for men and women, especially in hot, humid weather. If I didn't already have a huge bottle of Ananas Fizz I might be tempted by Virgin Island Water, but I doubt I'll be purchasing this scent.

Maybe the problem is that I don't get ANY gardenia, and I wanted gardenia. The "cruel" thing about this gardenia, it its absence. It's as though the base of the scent shows up, but the heart never appears. Cruel Gardenia reminds me of vintage face powder, Coty Airspun, maybe? I smell aldehydes, powder, musk, and aluminum. I don't know how to classify this fragrance in my mind...it's not a floral...it's not a chypre...and it's not sweet...It's subtle, and musky, and talcum-y, and metallic. If it's supposed to give the "impression" of gardenia, rather than the scent of it, it misses the mark by a mile for me. With a dramatic name like Cruel Gardenia I thought this fragrance might be, at the very least, interesting. For me, it's, well...boring.

Alluring, sexy, and magically tropical. If you love HEADY gardenia and tuberose with dry, woody coconut, you will love this. It's a fabulous, head-turning, hyperconfident floral with outstanding lasting power and striking sillage. The bottle is fabulous, too.

WHEN will this return? I am so excited to purchase a full bottle! This is utterly gorgeous. It's warm, elegant, feminine, sensual, and it doesn't develop the mothball accord on my skin that inevitably emerges from Chanel No. 5 edt. Instead, the basenotes radiate a dry vanilla that works beautifully with the lush topnotes, and balances the aldehydic notes. Eau Première smells the way I've always dreamed Chanel No. 5 would smell on my skin. It melts into it, and becomes something magical, and irresistible.

Chanel No. 5 may be the classic fragrance of fashion, but Shalimar is the quintessential fragrance of LOVE. Shalimar is probably the finest vanilla-based perfume of all time. I've never met anyone who doesn't find it to be dreamy and alluring; whether it conjures up Roaring 20s haute couture, 1950s glamour, or 21st century independence, it's one of the greatest perfumes ever concocted. Elegant, sensual, and unforgettable, Shalimar is the fragrance by which I rate any other romantic scent I wear. I like this best in parfum, but it's lovely in all concentrations. This is a scent of mystery and warmth. I've loved it for as long as I can remember, and it's an olfactory treasure. It's one of the finest, most beautiful, and deeply complex fragrances ever made.

An iconic classic, which has become the supreme tuberose fragrance, by which all other tuberose fragrances are compared. It's confident, lush, and daring; a heady pungent tuberose with a strange woody-mossy drydown. It seems like a happy scent when first sprayed, with bright citrus, and orange blossom notes. This is deceptive, though, because Fracas quickly becomes a bolder, dark fragrance, that can be downright disturbing. It's like the DeChirico painting, Melancholy and Mystery of a Street, where the carefree girl is unaware of the dark shadow that is about to cover her. Don't expect Fracas to be pleasing to others at work, and when wearing it, don't expect to be stopped in the street and complimented for how clean and fresh you smell. It's not going to happen. But do expect Fracas to add drama to your life, and make your moments wearing it, into adventures. Everything is intensified within the bizarre and hypnotic atmosphere created by Fracas!

I bought this at TJ Maxx for around $12.00, and that price suits it. It's an extremely light floral that smells very pink and clean. To me, it's actually hard to smell unless I spray a lot of it. It's pretty and very "Avon-ish" in a mass-market, never offend anyone kind of way. If it had a little more "oomph" in the basenotes, it would be a very nice fragrance, but, on my skin, it smells like it's missing something. The marketing for this scent calls it "beachy" but I don't get this at all. More like "Miss Marple's Garden." A certain element of Matthew Williamson reminds me a lot of The Pink Room (which I adore). They do share many similar notes, but MW has none of Pink Room's drama or presence. If you want a pretty clean scent to wear to the office, Matthew Williamson is one you'll want to try.

I have edp, edt, lotion, and leg shine. I love this fragrance. It smells of tropical tuberose, and it creates a feminine, joyful atmosphere. I don't think it's heavy, nor do I think it has much sillage. Actually, I wish it was a bit stronger; it fades somewhat quickly and I have to refresh it during the day. The incense notes are very, very faint on me, as well. I don't mind, because this is a beautiful, elegant, and radiant take on tuberose, and this fragrance suits my chemistry perfectly. It's a very "me" fragrance, that I'm sure has a permanent part in my fragrance wardrobe. The bottles are gorgeous, too.

Tuberose-Gardenia is one of those fragrances where I say, "This is beautiful. But it hates me." I got a decant of this, and the day it arrived my 17 year old goddaughter was visiting. I've turned her into a Perfumista, so she couldn't wait to try my newest prospect. We applied the Tuberose-Gardenia in the same places on our arms, at the same time. On her, the scent started out very green, became a full, rich gardenia, and disappeared within the hour. On me, the scent smelled like the freeway air in August, with a touch of carnation. (I hate carnation). It lasted all of two hours on me; an unpleasant two hours, because it gave me a headache. I love tuberose, and gardenia, and I wear as many fragrances with these notes as my chemistry will tolerate (not all at once), but something about my skin brings out the piquant smell of asphalt from gardenia and tuberose essences. So this one's not for me. It's too bad, because this is reasonably priced and in a very pretty bottle.

L'été en douce is shockingly, perfectly beautiful. If I could make the perfume of my happiest summer memories, it would smell like this. L'été 's most striking note is linden, which crowns a blend of heady orange blossoms and freshly cut green grass. I know it's melodramatic, but this fragrance makes me hear birds singing and bees buzzing in still, warm summer air. L'été en douce is quite similar to my beloved D'Humeur Réveuse (Lazy Mood from the Sautes d'Humeur coffret). Also, it has the unique linden note of the beautiful D'Orsay Tilleul, with elements of limpid air and lush land. The lasting power is fabulous. Its scent becomes a part of my chemistry and radiates for hours and hours. This tenacity is surprising in a scent that comes across as soft and relaxed. L'ete en douce is one of Olivia Giacobetti's masterpiece fragrances; it does justice to the beautiful smells in nature.

My testing of this was with the body lotion, not the edp. Sometimes scents in different forms react in different ways on my skin; so this review could be inaccurate for the edp. Anyway, I like this smell, but it's not something I would wear. I don't mind smelling it on others, but it gets overwhelmingly sweet on me. And it smells so...clean...definitely has that infamous "dryer sheet" accord to me. I was hoping it would have a mysterious air, or something that connotes "night" to me, but it smells like a berry fruit smoothie to my nose. Berry fruit smoothie + Tide Laundry detergent. The drydown is sugary, and light patchouli, and is, by far, my favorite part of the fragrance. At the beginning, it's the kind of fragrance smell I've noticed when chaperoning my son's junior high dances; not what I've smelled in NYC clubs. But when it dries down, it's good enough that I would consider purchasing it. I really like this after it develops into a creamy, seductive, but still very sweet scent. It's interesting because, where I'd expect to smell vanilla, there is patchouli, and possibly amber; giving this a similarity to Flowerbomb. Delicious Night's color is gorgeous and the bottle, like all the "Delicious" bottles, is adorable. If you like juicy-fruity, sweet scents, you may enjoy this very much, and you should give it a try!

A sparkling, lush floral bouquet that leaves a lovely sillage of stephanotis jasmine. Great for daytime and evening and a husband-pleaser! Feminine, and all-around beautiful.

Whew! The notes and description of Sands of Aqaba made me imagine it as a very different scent. I was expecting a dry, vetiver-green, floriental (probably because the name called to mind "Dior Dune"). I wanted it to solve the mysteries hidden in the deserts of the Holy Land. Instead, Sands of Aqaba is a heavy, strong, powdery floral that, oddly, reminds me of that old drugstore favorite, Jontue. I don't mean this as a put-down; every once in awhile I used to wear Jontue in high school, (it was a gift), and I have very happy memories of it. I haven't smelled it in over 20 years, though, so don't think Sands of Aqaba smells like Jontue, based on my shaky memory. Every once in awhile a hint of Sands reminds me of Chanel No. 19 (the original masterpiece), as well. (If it happened more often, I'd probably have to purchase this.) Sands of Aqaba is a beautifully crafted perfume of obvious high quality and the finest ingredients. I was hoping it would be more exotic, and, frankly, sexier. Heavier on incense. This is a very formal fragrance, that I cannot associate with any romance, let alone an ancient secret romance. I think I dislike Sands on myself because I'm not a fan of iris, (now I'm dodging bullets!). Some notes of Sands are Florentine Iris, Vetiver, and Tuberose. I was hoping for lots of Tuberose, noticeable Vetiver, and a mere hint of Iris. Alas, that's just not how this works on my skin. Even though I won't be pining for Sands of Aqaba, I recognize that it's a very fine fragrance.

The seemingly endless assembly line of fragrance flankers, poised to sell because of a previously successful name, made me apprehensive about trying Aqaba Spring. I was afraid it would be some nasty "light:", "fresh", "summer", "purple", "pure", "white", or who-knows-what version of Aqaba. It is, indeed, a version of Aqaba, but it's brilliant! Anyone who knows Aqaba would recognize it in this heady, spicy blend. The addition of bright, flowery notes makes this a Spring fragrance...at first. As it dries down, it's sultry Aqaba, maybe a little less potent. I prefer the drama of Aqaba, but this is a thoroughly beautiful, enjoyable, fine perfume.

Upon first sniff I thought, "Wow, this is too MATURE for me." Then I cackled a bit and reminded myself that I'm 42 years old. So I dabbed on a drop from my sample. And then I dabbed it again. Before long I was wearing it again, and again. Wearing Aqaba, for me, is a fantasy of playing the part of The Queen of Sheba with all the excess of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Vivien Leigh as Blanche Du Bois, Lauren Bacall as Vivian Sternwood. Opulence, mystique, intelligence. The key player in a dangerous game. Mirani's website lists Aqaba's notes as Eqyptian jasmine, Bulgarian rose, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, damask rose, frankincense, peach, tea leaves, white cedarwood, and oak moss. As it blends into my skin the basenotes are almost chocolatey; lush and tempting. Aqaba is deeply beautiful, and incomparably elegant. It gives off the air of having been created especially for someone very powerful, and exceptional. This has dramatic sillage, and outstanding lasting-power. If you are a fan of Biagiotti's Venezia, Chanel Coco, MPG George Sand, EL Cinnabar, and/or deep, incense fragrances, you will probably want to swim in Aqaba.

Exquisite, elegant, and strikingly gorgeous. This fragrance definitely satisfies my romantic hopes for the Aqaba line. Midnight Sun is the sexiest out of all the Aqabas, and it's also sensual, and mysterious. I definitely associate this fragrance with Mirani's themes as the olfactory evocations of the ancient secret love of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The first blast of Midnight Sun reminds me (oddly) of Passover wine, which may not be something one would want to smell like. However, it connotes festivity, and appreciation of life, for me. This initial blast of booze doesn't last more than a few seconds, and then the fragrance becomes its unique, seductive self. Midnight Sun has sandalwood like the classic Bois des Iles (parfum) sandalwood, which stays throughout all stages of wear, and enhances all the other notes. A spicy gardenia blends beautifully with a deep, dark rose, and bright, heady orange blossom. The tuberose haunts in unison with the sandalwood, making this unusual perfume irresistible. A beautiful creation. Like all the Aqabas, the packaging is exquisite: a woven cane box containing a tinted glass, jeweled bottle; a collector's delight.

Juicy and summery, yet deep. The topnotes, unmistakably, are sweet peach nectar, and fleshy, syrupy apricot. Pink pepper (rose de mai) adds a very subtle kick, that doesn't come through for very long. The heart of the fragrance is a calm, very "blue" smelling jasmine, not unlike Ralph Lauren Blue. Please don't think I'm suggesting Blu smells like RL Blue; it's just that its jasmine is watery, and cool. Jewels of Blu is far more complex than RL Blue, and instead of being a soft floral, it's sultry and exotic. Vanilla and patchouli are blended so perfectly, and are integrated so exquisitely into the other notes, that they remain secretive. If patchouli isn't to your liking, you will never know it's in Jewels of Blu; it's used to support the other notes, not to take the stage. A sensual musk rounds out Jewels of Blu, ensuring that it cannot be a cheerful fruity floral. This is an intriguing perfume that's bound to get many comments and compliments. Like all the Aqabas, the packaging is exquisite: a woven cane box containing a tinted glass, jeweled bottle.

A beautiful, clear, pure gardenia that doesn't get sharp, and lasts a long time. If you love creamy, not peppery gardenia, you should try Gardenia Musk. Kai is one of my favorite fragrances. Gardenia Musk doesn't smell like Kai, but it satisfies my need (caused by Kai) for more tropical gardenia in my fragrance wardrobe. Gardenia Musk is a very lovely, well-blended, fresh floral. It's refreshing and uplifting.

Completely wonderful smelling, fun fragrance. My 13 year old son compliments it (and Be Delicious). Red Delicious is a definite pick-me-up that can be worn day and/or night. It smells airy and juicy, yet classy, and the bottle is adorable. I don't find this scent to be "sexy" or even particularly sensual. The overall smell is what I can describe only as "sparkling" and this must come from the champagne note. The apple note is definitely red apple, like a McIntosh; sweet and juicy. The drydown is dry vanilla bean and soft amber - warm and inviting. This is a fruity fragrance for cozy winter holidays and it makes me think of hot cider and fresh cool air.

I've gone through several bottles of Falling in Love, and I will continue to repurchace it. I feel feminine, pretty, and cuddly when I wear this sweet, light fragrance. It's been my younger son's favorite fragrance for years (he's now 8), and he still asks me to wear it all the time "for him." Falling in Love is a burnt-sugar-blackberry-vanilla-musk that somehow manages to be fresh and lovely in the summertime and warm and cozy in the winter. I can't stop smelling my own wrists when I wear this! I also love the body wash, especially before bed. Falling in Love is a comfort scent in a soft, natural, pretty way. It's a great, easy daytime scent, but it's wonderful sprayed on bedsheets, too

A fun fragrance that comes in a precious little apple-shaped bottle with a chain of silver leaf charms (1.0 oz. bottle). It looks adorable with my other bottles. This is a creamy, slightly syrupy sweet fragrance that is the kind of thing I wear when I take my kids to Disneyland. It's pure sugary fun and brightness. If you're looking for something seductive, don't look here. Nina is for those times you want to smell sweet and bright, and natural. It's clean and cuddly and feminine, but not little-girlish. Nina starts out with a citrus burst, but the toffee apple notes (mostly toffee, the apple is weak on me) emerge very quickly, and stay put. Nina is by no means unique, but it's enjoyable, and if, like me, you're crazy for bottles, this is worth the asking price on discount fragrance sites. I've read some reviews that say this calls to mind the original Poison, and, as far as a note in the drydown goes, for some fleeting moments, I agree. There is definitely a note, or a feeling I get that calls Poison to mind. Nina, however, has none of the darkness or cloying oddness of Poison, and the impression doesn't last long. But there's some sort of juicy note in there that brings back a very old memory..The lasting power of Nina is very good, and the fragrance stays close enough to the skin that no one in the workplace will be reporting their perfume allergies to HR because of you.

The sample I tried is called Un Parfum d'Ailleurs & Fleurs, which gives a completely different meaning to what the fragrance is supposed to evoke (flowers, rather than leaves). I can't find a fragrance with the name listed by Basenotes, so I think the name is a typo. Un Parfum d'Ailleurs & Fleurs is a very pretty, watery fresh floral, but it's pedestrian. I was expecting a dewy, haunting floral that might last awhile, but it's weak on me. This fragrance has a beautiful rendition of orange blossom, but the tuberose and other florals never quite emerge. The drydown is a gentle musk; the kind that's perfect for crowded elevators and allergy-sensitive co-workers. I'd love this if it had more "oomph" but it smells like it's trying to be careful not to offend anyone. In my opinion, tuberose fragrances should never do this. This is a pretty fragrance, but it doesn't beg me to buy it, and the bottle is boring.

For years, I've been reading negative reviews about Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune's "b.o." and "cat urine" notes. Well, I've found a fragrance that evokes such odors for me. Smiley, of all things! I found this revolting; like cheap, obnoxious aftershave. I try to be open-minded about fragrances, but this one just repulsed me. (Please don't be offended if you love this. It just hates my particular chemistry, unfortunately.) On me, Smiley's blend of notes is cacaphonous and utterly annoying. I'll try it again in six months...maybe I've having a negative hormonal reaction or something. Sadly, I can't smell any orange, chocolate, praline or Curaçao. I get bergamot and patchouli, and something incensey. These notes sound good, but they're not good on me. In fact, Smiley smells okay when I sniff the sample. The positive thing (for anyone else) about this scent is that it's as strong as pure patchoulli oil on a hot humid day. I could not wash the stuff off.

To me, Voile d'Ambre smells classically beautiful, sensual, and elegant. It's a very "womanly" fragrance, like Chanel No. 5, Obsession, or Must de Cartier. If you like warm, ambery, seductive fragrances, do try this one. It's of very high quality, and its lasting power is excellent. It reminds me a lot of Estee Lauder Intuition, but Intuition gets a "maple sugar" note sometimes on my skin, and I don't like it. Voile d'Ambre just stays warm, ambery, and smooth; it smells like amber-colored silk would smell, if it had a fragrance. Yes, in the past Yves Rocher has had some downright "cheap" products, but this is not one of them. Even though the price is reasonable, there's no mistaking the quality and craftsmanship in this sexy and lovely fragrance.

*Updated review* Light Blue is an energetic, positive, lovely fragrance that manages to be uplifting, fresh, and sexy at the same time. It works well in hot weather, but it's a perfect pick-me-up on a cold gloomy day. Oddly, it starts out with heavy cedar notes on my skin and seems to get more apply and citrusy as the day goes on. When I wear it, I continually get whiffs of something that smells fantastic, and then I smile, because I realize it's me! Love it!

Artemisia is absolutely exquisite in a delicate, ethereal, very feminine way. It smells like a Victorian garden, filled with pink and white and yellow flowers, and white wicker furniture, on a soft, warm day. It's very summery, light, and sweet. I wish it were a bit stronger and had better lasting power, but it's so pretty it's worth applying a lot. Notes are nectarine, jasmine tea, lily, green foliage, vanilla, woods, and amber. The tea-vanilla-amber drydown is especially wonderful.

If you love Chanel Gardenia, you're sure to love Ellenisia, (at least, if your chemistry is anything like mine). Ellenisia is a lovely, feminine gardenia-jasmine-dry vanilla concotion that smells like a warm summer breeze in a garden filled with white flowers. There's a tiny hint of white rose as the fragrance develops, but the drydown is similar to the white floral opening, with stronger dry vanilla. Ellenisia is somehow "happier" than the Gardenia, regardless of their similarities. Chanel Gardenia's garden has a ghost, but Ellenisia's garden lacks all haunting, despite its otherworldly name.

Wearing this is like crawling into the branches of a big fat fully blooming gardenia bush and getting intoxicated by the beautiful fragrance that's surrounding you. I have 3 kinds of gardenia in my yard, and YR Gardenia manages to smell like those pure gardenia flowers. I can honestly mistake it for the scent of gardenia in the air in my garden! Terrific stuff!

Coco Mademoiselle has been a favorite of mine for years. I used to wear only edp, but lately I've switched to edt, and I prefer it. This is, to me, the best bourbon vanilla based perfume I've ever worn. It's so rich, and enticing. I think Coco Mademoiselle is seductive, sweet, and very classy. It always gives me a boost of confidence and it collects compliments everywhere I go. Coco Mademoiselle smells very different on individual wearers, and I've noticed that it has different "moods" in cool weather and hot weather. The spices come out in cool weather, while the burnt-sugarlike bourbon vanilla just radiates from my skin in heat. I love this, and it, along with many Chanels, will always be part of my fragrance collection.

Guerlain Insolence is the scent-embodiment of Hamlet's beautiful but doomed lover, Ophelia; doe-eyed, filled with passion, overcome by madness. Gertrude adorns Ophelia's grave with violets, saying, "Sweets to the sweet"; a simple phrase that, combined with the symbolism of the violets, manages to evoke both love and tragedy. Insolence is a watery, very sweet violet fragrance, with notes of tart raspberry, pink and red roses, very blue iris, and a balsamy drydown. In 2007 I wouldn't expect or want Guerlain to release a L'Heure Bleue or Après l'Ondée, but, dare I say it: Insolence calls both to my mind. There is a romantic, melancholic beauty to Insolence. It's not apparent in the light, fresh topnotes, but give Insolence an hour, and you'll find yourself with an intricate, deeply emotional fragrance. The name and the marketing seem so "off" that I wonder if Guerlain came up with the concept and the "face" before Roucel actually presented this unusual, unique creation. I find the marketing for this fragrance almost hilarious: "The irreverent scent of youth, daring, and freedom..."?? Velvet Rope may fit this description, but the nearly fragile Insolence simply does not. Insolence is more "Mélancolie dans le printemps," or "Féminité aigre-douce". This fragrance is an extremely feminine, graceful scent; delicate, and almost ethereal. If I'd smelled Insolence, and then been told that Hilary Swank was going to be the "face" for this scent, I'd have laughed and thought it was a joke. Nothing against Swank, but her persona is just not the embodiment of this haunting, crystalline perfume. Diana Vishneva as Giselle would have been perfect for the Insolence I know and adore. (I'm no marketer, obviously. I'm just thrilled that I gave this fragrance a chance, because I would have missed out on something truly beautiful if I'd overlooked Insolence based upon its advertising. Plus, it is a Guerlain, after all!) My husband says he loves Insolence on me, which makes it extra special. The color of the jus, and the pretty bottle suit this fragrance well. Insolence is absolutely lovely.

Sultry, hauntingly beautiful, perfect redition of the air of a dry desert wind! I love, love, love this evocative, sensual fragrance. It's beautiful: dry, spicy, warm, elegant, and extremely long-lasting. It reminds me a little of POTL Luctor et Emergo sans cherry liqueur...because it has that outstanding "dryness" that must be terriby hard to capture. I am a lover of the desert, so smelling like desert air never fails to transport my senses to a place of happy moods and energy.

Rich, sensual, confident...gorgeous! I love it better than original Allure - and that's saying a lot. This is one of the most perfect cool weather perfumes, ever. It's a sexy, slightly spicy vanilla-patchouli that has that special Chanel sweetness. It's so warm and inviting, and as it develops on my skin, the fragrance becomes more sultry.It's just bewitching. This collects compliments constantly. The lotion is fabulous as well

A clear, spicy rose; reminiscent of Frederic Malle Une Rose. Cinnamon topnotes are delightful, and the overall rose is pure, and very natural. This isn't a sweet rose scent, nor is it powdery. It's rich and elegant, and quite distinctive. Some perfumes just smell expenisve, whether they are or not, and Rose Absolue smells expensive. It's obviously of high quality, and masterful blending. It's alluring, and the lasting power is excellent. Don't let the "rose" scare you away if you're normally not a rose fan - this is not a violet-rose, or a powdery-rose, or a rosewater rose...it's along the lines of Gres Cabaret, or a spicy Stella...sensual, and striking.

Oh how I wish this one was around when I got married. It would be a perfect wedding day scent. Eclat d'aprege is the ultimate feminine, bright, refreshing, uplifting perfume. To me, it blows Vera Wang right out of the water. Notes of lemon leaves and lilac blend beautifully into florals of wisteria and orange blossom. A very slight cedar drydown rounds it off perfectly. It's gorgeous. The lilac- colored liquid and the beautiful rendering of mother-and-daughter on the bottle make it perfect for bottle collectors as well as those who love the juice inside. This fragrance can be purchased relatively inexpensively on discount sites, so it's more than worth every penny. If you enjoy scents like Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace and D & G Light Blue, you will certainly love Eclat d'arpege.

A gorgeous, elegant gardenia...Even if you hate gardenia (which I don't), there's a chance you'll like Marc Jacobs - it's so rich and smooth. There's no peppery note here for me; the gardenia is mellowed by a fresh clear honeysuckle, and light, yet sultry ginger. This blend is tempered beautifully and never becomes a harsh, loud floral. It's feminine, warm, and very sexy. I think this is one of the finest fragrances of the 2000s, and I feel it's a classic in its own time.

Délices frustrates me! I'm a bottle collector, and I want that bottle. But I haven't been able to rationalize purchasing a fragrance that bluntly refuses to be cohesive with my chemistry. (At least, in its current price range...when it gets cheaper...I'll probably cave). Aside from my attraction to the bottle, the fragrance itself is very weird for me. Upon initial spray it smells terribly familiar, but I can't call to mind what it's reminding me of. Then I get a blast of Baie Rose (pink pepper), afterwhich I get a tonka-ambery feel, and then a cherry drydown that smells similar to Grenadine...but at no time does it all blend together on my skin. The Grenadine note is odd for me, because my chemistry usually highlights deeper notes, especially tonka, therefore the cherry note winds up smelling artificial; overtly synthetic. The lasting power of Délices is mediocre, too. I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy right now, so my hormones are wreaking havoc with my scent chemsitry. I plan to try Délices in about six months, just to see if I still perceive its notes as cacaphonous. I want to like this fragrance because that bottle is really lovely.

Cashmere Mist, for me, is one of the most outstanding fragrances that has emerged in the last 15 years. It's immediately recognizable, but always impelling. I bought my first bottle when it was released in NY (1994?) and it was unheard of here in CA. When I wore it, it seemed like everyone I encountered was mesmerized by it. Cashmere Mist sales distribution caught on quickly, and, although the fragrance became ubiquitous, its ability to personalize kept it from becoming cliché. Cashmere Mist doesn't smell like a "fresh" or "airy" fragrance on me. And, fortunately, it's never once brought to mind baby wipes, (I must buy the wrong brand of wipes!). Upon first spray, Cashmere Mist has airy qualities, but it quickly becomes an ethereal woody scent, with gentle sandalwood and suede notes. It smells mysterious, and balmy. This fragrance is absolutely beautiful, and its exquisite bottle is the perfect compliment for its luxuriousness. For me, this is not a fragrance that suits working out at a gym, or grocery shopping, or other mundane activities. I wear it when I need touches of beauty and elegance to boost my confidence and calm my spirits with lovliness.

Gold is a beautiful fragrance; very much along the lines of Marc Jacobs, with lily instead of gardenia. It stirs my imagination into thinking its a penthouse-in-Manhattan-then-weekend-in-the-Hamptons kind of scent. I'm wearing Gold right now, and as it develops, I'm smelling less lily, and more of a smooth, somewhat spicy "gold" smell that's warm and sensual. The bright lily notes are great for morning rush, and the spicier, golden tones are perfect for evening...and the morning after. The bottle is gorgeous - truly a perfume-bottle-work-of-art. To me, this fragrance comes across as a well-done, feminine, sultry fragrance. It smells "high quality" and it's very classy. I love that it's a lily-woody-musk, because that's refreshingly unique and so creative. This fragrance is suitable for a work environment, but it makes me envision it in an office with a panoramic view, solid cherry furniture, and Italian leather chairs. The Gold-wearer sits behind a large desk in this office, the view of the city at her back. At dinner-time, the Gold wearer has a table reserved for her in an exclusive restaurant that most people don't know exists. In the evening she goes home to a scented bath that has been drawn for her, and a bed that has been turned down. The mood of this fragrance is that of a highly independent, very successful woman who shows no vulnerability, but can be quite sexy when and if she chooses to. Gold brings to mind Glenn Close's character, Patty Hewes, on the TV drama, Damages, or Linda Fairstein's dynamic DA, Alexandra Cooper. Gold embodies the kind of woman that NEVER loses any game she plays, and when (not if) she wins, she has record-breaking scores.

Exactly as the name implies, this is a very light musk that's clean, and fresh, and it's great for those days when you can't decide what fragrance to wear. It's also a lovely bedtime scent.

Stunning! This is one of the best chypres I've ever worn. Silk truly smells like silk feels; smooth and elegant. A gorgeous spicy accord, a sort of secret surprise, develops as the fragrance dries down. This is a perfume for a strong, confidant woman.

Appropriately named, Vamp is a luxurious, elegant, complex fragrance that's irresistibly beguiling. Notes: Oriental spices, Amber, Sandalwood, Labdanum, Vanilla, and Cashmere Musk. If you're a fan of Coco, Bois des Iles, Opium, and sexy Orientals in general, be sure to give this gorgeous scent a try!

This is a great, refreshing citrus fragrance that has great lasting power and smells irresistible!

Gorgeous! Sweet Amber Wood is a rich, resiny amber fragrance that projects sensuality and elegance. Notes are sandalwood, patchouli, spices, and benzoin. It smells expensive, and it's beautiful!

Opoponax is a nice fragrance, but I was hoping for something with a striking resiny accord. This is a very, very sweet Oriental with a light woodsy base. I get hints of a subtle spice, kind of peppery, as the fragrance dries down. I enjoy this fragrance, especially in cool weather, but I prefer Ava Luxe Opoponax Intense when I crave opoponax.

Citrine is a soft gourmand with vanilla, cream, and citrus. It reminds me of 50/50 bars, but, instead of the sugary synthetic orange smell, the topnotes come across as a tangy citrus blend. Citrine is lovely and alluring all by itself, but it's also great for layering with musks and ambers. Another nice thing about this warming perfume is that it would never be confused with candy or body-spray fragrances. It's tempting, and sweet, and works well as a daytime scent.

This is a beautiful, unique, oceany fragrance. The notes aren't uncommon, but this fragrance is one of the most outstanding marine-type perfumes I've ever smelled. It's perfect for inspiring an excited, adventurous mood. It doesn't smell like a sweet cocktail, and it doesn't smell like ocean water... somehow it manages to smell like both, yet it's alluring and womanly. Overall, a wonderful fragrance for celebrating life!

Mmmm...dreamy. Perfect Veil is an alluring, sweet musk perfume that smells serene, and provocative. I've seen it compared to Sage Pearl, but it's distinctly different on my skin. Pearl and Veil are both considered to be "skin" scents, and Pearl is sweeter, and delicately feminine, while Perfect Veil is muskier, with a deeper essence. It makes me think of a sweeter, lighter Narciso Rodriguez For Her. Perfect Veil is a warm, yet mysterious, fragrant temptress...who doesn't intend merely to tempt. It's long-lasting, and it stays close to the skin, making it very personalized, and perfect to wear in crowds. A wardrobe staple for perfume Shangri-La.

I've heard this compared to Après L'Ondée, and I definitely understand the comparison. Lullaby is a dreamy, light, violet-heliotrope fragrance framed by powdery dry vanilla. I don't smell the topnotes on this one, at all, which is a compliment to the balance of this composition. It's rare for me to find a fragrance with heliotrope that continues to smell like heliotrope if it's not a soliflore. Lullaby is the outstanding exception: it's definitely a heliotrope gem - heliotrope is the violin soloist and the rest of the blend is the orchestra, in perfect harmony. Lovers of Après L'Ondée must try this.

Rich, gorgeous, sensual. It's somewhere between Obsession and Shalimar...but better. This is truly an unforgettable fragrance. It makes me feel special; elegant, rare.

Sage is a rich, fresh, leafy fragrance that smells like the stunning smell of blooms that suddenly permeates the air with the first rush of Spring. The sage note is distinct, but it's sweetened and mellowed by the sweet pea. The base of musks and tonka is the perfect enhancement to the intensity of the floral-herby greens. I've read that this is Sage's best-selling fragrance, and, although it doesn't top my love of Pearl, I had to own it.

Sahara is a beautiful, sensual ambery fragrance with a warm, slightly powdery feel. There's a hint of spice on my skin, too, and a gorgeous resiny note that just melts me. Sahara reminds me a lot of both Dune and Addict. It's almost as though each of those contains Sahara in their ingredients. I prefer this to Dune, or Addict, or even Shalimar. This is a unisex scent in the way that Musc Ravageur is unisex, and it smells just as complex and irresistible.

In a nutshell, Sage Amber is the silkiest, richest, sexiest amber I've ever smelled. Absolute luxury.