WHAT I SMELL: Orange Star goes on sharp. It’s orange, but not a juicy kind of succulent orange, but more of an orange that was dunked in floor cleaner or some other kind of petroleum product. I can’t say that it’s sweet, nor can I say that it’s sour. It’s just very artificial. Some of the sharpness disappears in the dry down but then the patchouli comes out. I never was a fan of patchouli oil, but have found that in the right compositions it can really be lovely. In this case, it’s very “hippy” patchouli. This is a strong scent with a mind of its own. I see this as a scent that would be favored by girls aged 15 to 20.
Orange Star Notes: clementine, red mandarine, lemongrass essential oil, orange flower, violet flower, ambergris, vanilla, patchouli, ambreine
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: For some odd reason this to me smells like 1970. There is a real artificiality about Orange Star. And for those of who can remember 1970, our environment was made up of Naugahyde couches, mounds of Tupperware and just a ton of things made out of plastic. It was not an era for natural products. Orange Star reminds of old beauty parlors and old grocery stores where clerks actually rung up items that had price stickers on them. I have to say that I have not experienced a scent that sends me back to another time like this one does. Now, I have good memories from childhood and those images cited above aren’t bad things, but they’re not something that I want to smell like. Not in the least.
The Brady Bunch House
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ORANGE STAR: artificial, manufactured, thick
Last week I received six samples that I haven’t had a chance to start reviewing until today. Of course, that didn’t stop me from stealing a quick sniff of each fragrance when I first got the package. The one scent that really stuck a nerve upon first sniff was Chypre Palatin by Parfums MDCI. So when I reached into the package today… that was my first choice.
Chypre Palatin’s first offered up a rush of citrus and cedar and then quickly a warm amberish lavender and what seemed to be eucalyptus (but I’m not seeing eucalyptus in the notes?? hmmm). The fragrance goes on very warm without being heavy and it’s very comforting. In a little while the scent then moves to an even warmer almost floral setting. It’s very peaceful and serene. The kind of scent where you want to close your eyes and breath in its aromatherapeutic qualities.
As Chypre Palatin continues it’s drydown it moves into a very familiar what I would call barbershop phase. It’s traditional and old world and masculine at this point. But stop, don’t let me confuse you by thinking this fragrance is old-fashioned and masculine. It’s not. The opening and the dry down make it much more universal and modern. In the end, Chypre Palatin quiets down to a nice oak moss and vanilla scent with just a touch of powder. However, depending on what you’re doing, those middle warm aromatic notes will still come to surface as the day wears on.
Longevity is average as is the sillage. Chypre Palatin is a lovely surprise that feels old and new world at the same time and I think would be perfect for men and women alike.
As I have issues with deciphering the notes from a fragrance with complicated compositions; just note that all the ingredients below make for a perfect fragrance!
The result is incredibly complex and rich, a velvet-like fragrance, a sort of gold-embroidered, fur-lined brocade, somptuous and wild…
The surprise comes from the discovery that “Chypre Palatin” is utterly masculine, but could also be one of the most sensuous, voluptuous feminine fragrance !
I am officially declaring my love for the Parfum d’Empire fragrances. It started with my receipt of the complete line of the Parfum d’Empire sample collection a while back. If you haven’t checked this out yet, they offer their full line at an incredibly reasonable cost on their website. If it wasn’t for having those samples here, I would not be making this declaration today. For those of you in the business, please note that offering samples at a low cost will entice perfume lovers like myself to buy your samples – which then will lead to full bottle purchases!
OK, let me first start by saying that summer has officially come to Washington DC. For the last 3 days, it has been up in the 90s and incredibly humid. And since it hasn’t been this warm since last summer, my body still has not acclimated to the weather. Luckily I had my new summer fragrance purchase, Iskanderwhich I used generously for a couple of days. A fresh shower + a spritz of Iskander = perfection..almost like the perfect ice-cube for your perfect summer cocktail.
As I completed my yard work and decided to get some work done cleaning up my office, I started going through my mess of samples and thought that Parfum d’ Empire’s Azemour les Orangers sounded like a nice summer companion to Iskander. I was right, another great summer fit.
The bottom line is this; Marc-Antoine Corticchiato has created some of the most luxurious and wearable scents that I have found. There’s something for everybody and what I have noticed is that his fragrances will take me out of my comfort zones in what I like. I’m not a fan of leather scents, but I love Cuir Ottoman. I would have never guessed that I would like a scent like Fougere Bengale and its curried spiciness. And then I fell in love with Eau Suave, a fragrance meant for women. So far I have either liked or loved all of the Parfum d’ Empire scents. I have to tell you, when the next Parfum d’Empire fragrance launches, I’ll be one of the first to grab up a sample. Now, on to my new loves:
Azemour les Orangers
Azemour les Orangers’ opening is like peeling a sweet and juicy orange. One that when you peel it back the zesty spray of the juice flies up in the air and hits you in the face. It’s what you crave on a hot summer day when basking out in the sun all day. But wait, as refreshing as the opening is, Azemour les Orangers then twists and turns with hints of coriander and a luscious oaky moss. This is a beautiful summer scent that doesn’t just bask in its freshness. It’s like a garden. You walk down a path to discover the various fruits, flowers, herbs and other delights along the way. If there was only one wish that I could make for this scent is that the longevity and sillage were a little bit better. In any case, I don’t mind spritzing myself with this lovely fragrance throughout the day. This is a scent for both sexes and it wears this role well. Azemour les Orangers is going on my wishlist (the way my wishlists go, that means I’ll be owning a bottle soon :))
Sometimes in the world of fragrance, the words masculine and feminine are just that…words. Eau Suave is marketed to women. I don’t care. I love it. I crave it. This all started when I was thinking about all of the samples that I have that are meant for women. What should I do with them? Give them away? Trade them? Then one night I thought, hell, why don’t I just spritz some on before I go to bed. A lovely feminine fragrance would be just fine for bedtime. Eau Suave was the first feminine scent that I tried this new practice with. And I fell, and fell hard. Eau Sauve is a lovely warm and intoxicating rose chypre scent. It’s never too sweet and never too rosy. In fact, I think floral, not roses when I put this on. This fragrance has just enough coriander and musk to help avoid a heavy and sweet floral composition. A subtle spiciness and warmth, combined with the floral and berry ingredients make this a very personal and enveloping fragrance. Every time I lift my wrist to my nose, I always find a new surprise. Made for a woman…but I like it too. So much so that it’s on my wishlist and we know what that means!
Eau Suave Notes:
pepper, coriander, saffron, Rose de Malmaison, apricot, raspberry, peach, vanilla and musk
WHAT I SMELL: Orange Star goes on sharp. It’s orange, but not a juicy kind of succulent orange, but more of an orange that was dunked in floor cleaner or some other kind of petroleum product. I can’t say that it’s sweet, nor can I say that it’s sour. It’s just very artificial. Some of the sharpness disappears in the dry down but then the patchouli comes out. I never was a fan of patchouli oil, but have found that in the right compositions it can really be lovely. In this case, it’s very “hippy” patchouli. This is a strong scent with a mind of its own. I see this as a scent that would be favored by girls aged 15 to 20.
The Scented Hound 