chypre floral | The Scented Hound

January 19, 2015
by The Scented Hound 15 Comments

Vintage Chanel No. 19 Parfum

WHAT I SMELL: Chanel No. 19 opens with a brilliant rush of green, with hints of civet. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, vibrant while topped with sparkling powder. Soon enough a woodiness blends into a mossy dryness as the perfume pulsates off the skin. This is refined sexuality in a bottle with radiant but muted florals on top of a vetiver and oakmoss base and what seems to be a bit of dusty leather. As pretty as Chanel No. 19 is I do find that there’s a darkness that lurks at the base of the perfume that provides a serious and in-charge aura of control. As beautiful as this is, Chanel No. 19 is to me, a refined feminine butch perfume.

From the Chanel website:

Gabrielle Chanel’s signature scent, named for her August 19th birthdate. A rich blend of floral and green notes, followed by May Rose and Iris from Florence. The finale: a hint of Chypre with a subtle, woody Vetiver note. In parfum form, the most powerful, long-lasting concentration of fragrance.

Top notes: galbanum, neroli, bergamot
Heart notes: jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris
Base notes: vetiver, sandalwood, leather, musk

Jackie Onassis & Lee Radziwelll circa 1970

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The antithesis of the late 60s early 70s hippie.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE CHANEL NO. 19: dusty, sophisticated, intoxicating

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CHANEL NO. 19: Perfume Shrine, Bois de Jasmin, Yesterday’s Perfume

BOTTOM LINE: Sometimes conveying a perfume in words is next to impossible. Chanel No. 19 is one of those perfumes for me as it defies my interpretation. I will say however that the picture of Jackie and Lee is perfect for this perfume as I can see both of them lounging in their NY apartments talking, smoking and cocktailing it up wearing this timeless classic.

Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral Chypre
Nose: Henri Robert
Classification: Feminine – but easily worn by a man.
Expense: Varies. Review based on vintage the parfum extrait version.

January 12, 2015
by The Scented Hound 69 Comments

Caron N’Aimez Que Moi Review and/or How to Break a New Year’s Resolution in Under a Week and 3rd Year Anniversary Draw

Well, it was bound to happen; the fact that I was going to break one of my resolutions for the new year. What I didn’t know that it was going to happen so quickly. On my January 5, post “Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015” I posted the following resolution: Only buy it if I ABSOLUTELY love it. Probably like many of you, I am known to peruse the online offerings of eBay looking at the various fragrant goodies that are listed…and hoping for that incredible deal. Well, a post caught my eye advertising a travel spray of Caron’s Aimez-Moi for $49. If you have ever seen these little jewels of a travel spray, they are 20ml in size and are designed to hold the Caron urned parfum extraits. Typically what these coffrets sell for is a bit over $200 which is a pretty good deal for 20ml of Caron extrait. However, I questioned this posting, but immediately thought that the seller (who said it was from an estate sale) didn’t realize that what he was selling was not Aimez-Moi, but instead was N’Aimez Que Moi (by name alone this could be an easy mistake). Aimez Moi is an oriental floral and is primarily found as an Eau de Toilette and it doesn’t come in parfum concentration which means is doesn’t come from an urn. But N’Aimez Que Moi, a rose based chypre floral does. So I took a chance and purchased the bottle for $49 and upon first sniff, I knew I had made the right deduction!

The lovely little jewel of a Caron travel spray!

WHAT I SMELL: N’Aimez Que Moi (“love no one but me”) opens with this big enveloping and sharp metallic rose. Like Caron’s Or et Noir, the metallic edge is biting and you wonder how this could ever turn into anything pleasant. But after a few minutes the metallic edge is met with a puff of powdered dust, which helps to soften that harsh opening. The rose, tinged with violet and lilac is voluminous and rather stiff and proper. True to when it was created, it feels like a perfume from 1916. Lying underneath the rose is a woody vetiver that is met with a light amber. Even though the perfume is big, there’s something rather tender and heartfelt about it. After 20 minutes or so, a creamy sandalwood comes in, bringing passion into the perfume, but a passion without lustfulness. And further on, the oakmoss pulls some of the creaminess out of the perfume and renders a satined finish to the composition. Most Caron parfum extraits require patience for them to achieve their “state of grace.” N’Aimez Que Moi is no exception and when it does settle down after around the hour mark, this creamy, powdery and radiant rose becomes a restrained heaven on earth.

N’Aimez Que Moi Notes: lilac, rose, violet, iris, vetiver, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, musk, oakmoss

From the Caron website:

The First World War was raging, young women yearned for their loved ones who had gone to the Front.

N’Aimez Que Moi was given by young soldiers to their sweethearts before they left. It was a pledge of faithfulness, so they could renew their love vows every day until their men returned.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The creative and beautiful women’s hats from the early 20th Century.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE N’AIMEZ QUE MOI : proper, creamy, nostalgic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT N’AIMEZ QUE MOI : CaFleureBon, The Black Narcissus, Bois de Jasmin

BOTTOM LINE: The Caron signature Mousse de Saxe is prominent in N’Aimez Que Moi which is a good thing. As most of you know by now, I love my Caron and this is close to love but is more of a like. But to find this gem for such a steal doesn’t make me feel one ounce of guilt in breaking my perfume New Year’s resolution. Maybe this great buy is just a sign of the fantastic things that are going to occur over the new year!

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Chypre Floral
Nose: Ernest Daltroff
Classification: Feminine

It’s hard to believe that I have been at this blogging/review adventure for 3 years now. What started as a fun way to make sense of a fascination of fragrance has turned out to be an amazing experience. I’ve met some fantastic people, explored some incredible perfumes and opened up doors that I didn’t know existed. It’s’ been fun. And since this is an anniversary post and since we have to have presents at an anniversary party, I am giving away a 50ml bottle of Lady Caron Eau de Parfum. In other words, it’s an all Caron post! Unfortunately, because of shipping issues, I can’t include anyone who doesn’t have a US address. To enter, all you have to do is post a comment on what your favorite Caron perfume is or what your favorite rose perfume is and why. How simple is that? The draw will close on Thursday, January 15 at 6pm EST and the winner will be picked via random.org and will be posted on Friday, January 16th so keep your eyes peeled for the announcement. Good luck to all!

August 4, 2014
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

Estee Lauder Private Collection Jasmine White Moss

WHAT I SMELL: Jasmine White Moss opens with a zesty bergamot and tangy juicy mandarin with flecks of berry. Pure yumminess. The mandarin really stands out making it rather luscious and gourmand. It is so pretty and happy that I feel like Snoopy when he’s doing his happy dance. After a few minutes that zesty opening starts to break for a more serious, but equally pretty floral cacophony. The mandarin seems to retreat, then come full force again, as if it’s taking turns with the white florals like a Tilt o Whirl ride weaving in and out. After around 15 minutes, a slight soapiness makes an appearance taking the fragrance into a more traditional white floral territory. Thankfully those white florals don’t get out of hand by going over the top. Instead, a sweet patchouli joins in to make the florals lighter and more radiant only to then lead to White Moss Mist which adds a sheer dryness over the entire floral composition along with this everlasting brightened green.

From the Estee Lauder website:

Radiant greenness and white floral richness in a passionate yet elegant blend of modern and classic ingredients…the shared creation of both Aerin and Estée Lauder.

The fragrance, the third in Aerin Lauder’s Private Collection, is an intensely lush green floral chypre scent. An opulent white bouquet surrounded by delicate moss, rich woods and fifteen natural fragrance Absolutes.

Jasmin White Moss Notes:

Top Notes: Mandarin, Black Currant Bud Absolute, Galbanum Absolute, Bergamot Absolute, Jasmine Sambac Absolute, Ylang Ylang Absolute, Violet, Organge Flower Absolute, Orris, Patchoui Heart Absolute, Vetiver Absolute, White Moss Mist

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I am having a hard time moving past my first visualization of a dancing Snoopy, so I can resist using it. However, it should be noted that Jasmine White Moss is incredibly feminine, mature and beautiful…but it’s Snoopy and he must dance because Jasmine White Moss makes me happy.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE JASMINE WHITE MOSS: rich, vibrant, sparkling (OK, so it’s from the website, but they did such a good job of providing three perfect adjectives!)

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT JASMINE WHITE MOSS: I Smell Therefore I Am, The Scented Salamander, Perfume-Smellin Things

BOTTOM LINE: This is what I wish my mother would have been wearing when I was younger. I would have followed her around and have done anything that she told me to do. Jasmine White Moss is sophisticated without being stuffy and it radiates confidence and a positive energy. Loveliness all around!

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Chypre Floral
Nose: Jean-Marc Chaillan
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $90 for 1 oz. EdP