review | The Scented Hound

October 20, 2014
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

Diana Vreeland Simply Divine

WHAT I SMELL: Simply Divine opens with a sweet, soft, bubble gum tuberose….but just for a quick minute. The tuberose then becomes more musky and rather salty and earthy which surprised me, but in a nice way. For around 10 minutes the fragrance is rather subdued, with a jasmine lurking below. There’s not a lot of development that occurs after that point, but the little that does occur ends up making the fragrance sweeter. After around 30 minutes in comes the sandalwood which makes the fragrance seem off and soured. However, after another 15 minutes that disappears and your left with a musky tuberose. I put my wrist up to my husbands nose and he said unsolicited, “there’s nothing special about that one is there?” To be honest, it pales in comparison to my favorite white tuberose floral launched this year, Byredo’s Flowerhead. Simply Divine is simply OK.

From Fragrantica:

Clement Gavarry composes a unique blend dedicated to floral notes of tuberose as the central notes of the composition which include fresh crushed leaves and nutmeg accords. The fragrance highlights its floral heart with Tunisian orange blossom absolute and Egyptian jasmine absolute. Floral shades are deepened with Indian sandalwood and softened with Italian orris root, cashmere wood, tonka and sensual musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: meh.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SIMPLY DIVINE: pleasant, sweet, wearing

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIMPLY DIVINE: Scents Memory

BOTTOM LINE: I’m not going to get into the whole “the Diana Vreeland fragrance line is a travesty, sullying her great name” issue. As far as I’m concerned a perfume is either good or bad depending on if the wearer likes it or not. I certainly don’t believe this line of fragrances will degrade anything she accomplished in her life. As for Simply Divine, I may not really like the perfume, but I have to tell you the bottles are killer and they make me really want to like the perfume. I guess I’ll have to check out the others in the line; there has to be one that stands out as a winner to me!

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Clement Gavarry
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $185 for 50ml Eau de Parfum

October 16, 2014
by The Scented Hound 18 Comments

New Release: Gardenia by Robert Piguet

WHAT I SMELL: Gardenia opens with a mix of heady florals with thick and rich rather brown sugared ylang-ylang. This is everything I love in a floral, so deep and rich that when you draw the scent in, it coats the back of your throat. The florals are low to the ground and feel weighted as if the flowers crushed under your feet. An earthy raw dirt component adds a realness that makes the perfume even more inviting. After around 15 minutes there are peaks of a lighter flower that start to come through as if they are able to make their way through the crushed dirt. The florals are lighter, but no less intoxicating as they’re mixed with a delicious and exuberant vanilla. The fragrance seems to experience a rebirth with this 2nd wave of florals which bursts out with golden energy. But Gardenia manages to contain itself as the burst levels to more of a golden warm haze. The fragrance is now feminine, seductive and alluring. It calls you in and you can’t let go of its beauty. After an hour, there’s a slight woody greenish quality that makes it way in making it less feminine, but more unisex. In the end, you’re left with a subtle warm gardenia fragrance that is creamy, comforting, classic and incredibly peaceful in its beauty.

From Robert Piguet Parfums:

Soft, flowery Ylang Ylang embraces the sweet and bold fleur de lis for a bold, sparkling beginning. The sensuous white gardenia scintillates the heart as it grows richer and more complex with black leather, Madagascar Vanilla, and cashmeran warming to a sultry base.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The perfect gay wedding fragrance; floral and handsome without being too feminine.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE GARDENIA: embracing, divine, magnificent

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GARDENIA: AustralianPerfumeJunkies, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE: I don’t really get any gardenia from the perfume until the fragrance begins to work its way into the drydown. But throughout the fragrance’s development, the florals are intoxicating, beautiful and just the right cup of tea for this lover of white floral fragrances. Gardenia softens to a whisper and some might want it to project a bit more, but to me, it radiates perfectly as a glowing floral forcefield.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Aurelien Guichard
Classification: Feminine to Unisex
Expense: $175 for 100ml Eau de Parfum

October 6, 2014
by The Scented Hound 5 Comments

The Architects Club by Arquiste

WHAT I SMELL: The Architects Club opens with a bright juniper and a soured lemon, like the fizz of a gin and tonic. It’s snappy and sparking, like a lively conversation between friends. Soon enough a woodiness develops, but the wood is sleek and it’s lightened with air making it feel rather like a balsa wood airplane. After some more time, the vanilla sweetened guaiac wood takes center stage. However, the fragrance never becomes heavy and throughout The Architects Club’s development, it maintains its bubbly personality. The fragrance doesn’t change much past this point, but retains this air of just the right amount of a “devil-may-care” attitude.

From the Arquiste website:

Cocktail time, March 1930, London.

A group of architects gather for cocktails at Mayfair’s smartest Art Deco smoking room. As they settle in the warm interior of dark woods, leather and velvet, London’s bright young things burst in, frosted martinis in hand, surrounded by a cloud of laughter, white smoke and fine vanilla.

Notes include: Juniper berry oil, Angelica root, Lemon peel oil, Bitter Orange, Pepperwood, Guaiac wood, Oakwood, Vanilla Absolute and Amber.

Cocktails Anyone?

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Arquiste’s official descriptor above fits the fragrance perfectly.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE THE ARCHITECTS CLUB: sophisticated, bubbly, snappy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE ARCHITECTS CLUB: CaFleureBon, irideScents, Chemist in the Bottle

BOTTOM LINE: What I like about this fragrance is that it feels like it doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s light, airy, sophisticated and quite handsome and it could be worn with a tuxedo just as well as a comfortable pair of jeans.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Amber
Nose: Yann Vasnier
Classification: Leans masculine, but can easily fit a woman.
Expense: $190 for 100ml Eau de Parfum