EDT | The Scented Hound

August 16, 2013
by The Scented Hound 20 Comments

L’Ombre dans l’Eau by Diptyque

WHAT I SMELL: L’Ombre dans l’Eau opens sweet, light and pretty with black current and an emergent rose. It has a bit of a waxy finish like that of a scented candle. After a minute or so, a green emerges, its leafy and round. After around 5 minutes, the fragrance starts to really blossom and at this stage I feel like I have a small bouquet of flowers in hand which are a little wild and a little fruity. The composition doesn’t really change from the rose and the green, but it seems to grow and expand off of my skin. After about 15 minutes L’Ombre dans l’Eau starts to become sweeter… so much so that it borders on obnoxious. For an eau de toilette this has some turbo projection and power. Uggghhh, this just keeps expanding and growing and I feel there is no turning back.

From Fragrantica: L’Ombre Dans L’Eau (“Shadow in the water”) is a female fragrance from 1983, based on the unusual and beautiful harmony of black currant leaf and Bulgarian rose, which blend perfectly together.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Artificially pretty and over the top like a child beauty pageant contestant.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE L’OMBRE DANS L’EAU: toxic, overbearing, nauseating

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT L’OMBRE DANS L’EAU: Perfume-Smellin’ Things, Bois de Jasmin, peredepierre

BOTTOM LINE: L’Ombre dans l’Eau is a total scrubber to me that others seem to like. I don’t get it. To me, L’Ombre dans l’Eau smells so artificial as if its made from a chemistry set. Adding that artificiality to a whopping projection makes my head feel like I’m being struck with a rose sledgehammer! I see this better suited for a home fragrance than a personal fragrance, but even as a scented candle, this would make me want to leave the room. I’m not really familiar with the Diptyque line, but this does not make me want to explore any more.

Bone Rating: 1 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $88 for 50ml EdT from the Diptyque website

August 9, 2013
by The Scented Hound 21 Comments

Derby by Guerlain

About a year ago I smelled Derby at Bergdorf Goodman on paper and really liked it. However, Derby comes in this very unattractive wood bottle and that bothered me. Then I found out that it had previously come in the iconic bee bottle, but that had been discontinued in favor of the current bland boxy bottle. So of course I had to obsess about how to get my hands on a bee bottle. After searching around, including calling multiple Guerlain stores and reps, I came to the conclusion that I was not going to find my Derby bee bottle. So I finally gave up and moved on to my next perfume obsession.

Last month when I was in Chicago, I stopped by the Michigan Avenue Saks store where I asked the sales associate if they had any samples of Derby. Of course, I was given the “are you really asking me this” look and was told no. After wooing her with some charm, she managed to go to find a small decant bottle and she provided me with a 5ml decant of Derby which was more than I had expected. Note to sales associates: you’re not dispensing gold, just perfume.

WHAT I SMELL: Derby opens with bergamot and wonderful oakmoss (no wait, that’s carnation intended to mimic oakmoss) with a twist of lemon. It’s slightly sparkling and a bit powdery and dry. After a few minutes, Derby becomes a little more spicy… but it’s still fresh and clean. After that, Derby stays clean, but some wood is added to the spice. Supposedly there is leather there, but I have no idea where it is and figured that the cow must have run out of the door. I wish I could add more, but that’s really where Derby left me. It’s pleasant and pretty subdued and I found it to be a safe scent for men who don’t want to smell “out there.”

Derby Notes from Fragrantica:

Top notes are bergamot and orange; middle notes are spices, carnation and exotic woods; base notes are leather, birch, patchouli and woody notes

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Perfect for jeans, a white shirt and a blazer…easy, breezy casual, but looking great.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE DERBY: safe, neat, easy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DERBY: A Perfume Review, Scentrist.com

BOTTOM LINE: To me this smells a lot like my vintage Givenchy III, except with a slightly more masculine tinge. I would like to smell the vintage Derby because I have heard that it’s a bit beefier and contains actual oakmoss. The carnation mimics the oakmoss well, but it’s not the same as the real thing. Do I want a full bottle of Derby? No. Wait…if someone has a bee bottle that they want to get rid of, I would gladly take it!!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody
Classification: Masculine
Expense: $245 for 100ml EdT

July 28, 2013
by The Scented Hound 31 Comments

Noontide Petals by Tauer Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL: Noontide Petals opens with seriously bright aldehydes and almost Pixy Stix like candied sweetened bergamot. Finally, that bright opening which feels to me like temporary blindness when the sun is caught in your car’s rear view mirror, gives way to a creamy florals with ylang-ylang in the forefront. After about 10 minutes or so, the various notes start to blend seamlessly with a warm sandalwood which deepens the fragrance into an all-encompassing well. Added to the warm blend is a slight powder which give this an old-fashioned and classic feel. In the end, Noontide Petals resides in this nice, even, warm and slightly powdered patchouli deliciousness.

From the Tauer Perfumes website:

Head Notes: A glittering opening: Bergamot, sparkling aldehydes softened by Bourbon geranium.

Heart Notes: A seductive chord of bright petals: Finest rose, ylang, tuberose, jasmine.

Body Notes: A supple and sensuous gleam: Patchouli, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, iris, with a hint of styrax and vetiver.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: 1962

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE NOONTIDE PETALS: nostalgic, warm, classic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NOONTIDE PETALS: I Scent You a Day, Chemist in a Bottle, I Smell Therefore I Am

BOTTOM LINE: I was worried that I would never find an Andy Tauer fragrance that I liked. What I have sampled thus far has been challenging at best. Noontide Petals breaks that mold and I could seriously see myself with a full bottle in the future. Thanks Andy!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Aldehyde
Nose: Andy Tauer
Classification: Unisex – but leans feminine
Expense: $120 for 50ml EdT