Sunday, November 29, 2015

My Favorite Lavender Fragrances, Part III of III

Fragrance ReviewsMy Favorite Lavender Fragrances, Part III of III

My Favorite Lavender Fragrances, Part III of III

11/28/15 07:58:20 

www.Atrbazan.ir          the perfume master in iran

Summary: Marlen completes his discussion of some of his favorite lavender fragrance discoveries along his journey from being lavender-averse to now being a true lavender-lover. Leave a comment below about your favorite lavender fragrances for your chance to receive a 5ml decant of Sonas from Fragrances of Ireland, shipped anywhere in the world, FREE!
Read PART I by clicking HERE & PART II by clicking HERE.


11. Scent by the Sea Cote d'Azur (read my review here) - Lavender, chamomile, champagne, vanilla.

Description & Notes: "When you take the train from Paris headed south, you slowly leave the cosmopolitan grace of the North behind and enter a different France. The sparkling sunlight of Le Sud (the South) seems to awaken a sensual, physical side of Gallic culture. Well-heeled sun worshipers, on arriving at the Cote d'Azur, shed their sophisticated black in favor of the coolest summer whites. A holiday by the sea means a leisurely cycle in the early mornings, sunbathing in the afternoon, and an evening of champagne cocktails and good conversation – all pursuits that celebrate the senses. This perfume invokes the hedonistic vibe of the French Riviera in high summer, with notes of lavendar, champagne, vanilla and a hint of coconut. Blended with jojoba and fractionated coconut oil, in a 1/8 oz glass screw top bottle."
Price: ~ $12 USD for a 1/8oz Perfume Oil HERE
The Bottom Line: From my intiail review: "At first I thought “chamomile”, and then I recognized the coconut. This worried me because I’ve only ever found one coconut-themed scent I’ve actually liked – Creed’s Virgin Island Water…but that was nicely balanced with a lime and rum accord. Then I decided that there must be a soft, powdery white musk note as well, and I’m a sucker for anything with white musk. Then I realized that what I was actually smelling was a lavender/vanilla pairing, an accord that usually works well for me and spells “relaxation” to my scent-obsessed brain. It was here that I began to find references to Caron – the lavender and vanilla Pour Un Homme de Caron and the similarly-themed Royal Bain, though Cote d’Azur has none of the fizzy violet topnotes." Longlasting, yet close to the skin, Cote d'Azur is rather straightforward and linear. Scent by the Sea offers great sample sets - you'll have fun exploring this little known line.
Try this if you like: White musk aromas; perfume oils; hints of coconut; or handmade, small-batch, artisan scents.


12. Guerlain Héritage - Lavender, Patchouli and Coriander

Description & Notes: "Created in 1992 by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Héritage celebrates the transmission of values from one generation to the next. With its secretive, discreet and refined scent, it illustrates nuanced masculinity. Inspired by yesterday's generations, Héritage is a fragrance dedicated to the men of tomorrow. It opens with aromatic freshness, succeeded by the subtlety of a warm spicy accord on a woody dry-down with shades of the orient. Inspired by Foucault's pendulum, the bottle and its spherical cap evoke through their architecture the passage of time and the solidity of tradition. Spicy Oriental. Refined, warm, authentic. The exuberant freshness of lemon and bergamot top notes meets an aromatic breeze of lavender. Then, the heart is enriched with fresh, spicy notes such as coriander and pink pepper. Finally, with the patchouli there emerges a rich, oriental woody dry-down. Héritage marked the first time that the term "Guerlinade" was used, designating the olfactory seal jealously guarded at Guerlain. Héritage is constructed around favourite raw materials, such as bergamot, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla. They can be found in all Guerlain creations, giving them a very identifiable and inimitable trail." Guerlain.com
Price: ~ $98 USD for a 100ml EDT spray (about half that price if purchasing a tester online).
The Bottom Line: Truly a reflection of Guerlain's heritage, and with direct references to Jicky and its male  follow-up, Mouchoir de Monsieur, Héritage is a dry fragrance without any of the sweetness one has come to expect from 21st century perfumery. Lavender takes center stage here while citrus graces the opening, and patchouli and tonka stand out in the basenotes. It was definitely a toss-up between Heritage and Mouchoir for this article - in Mouchoir, the middle notes are more floral and the composition was indeed a response to the iconic Jicky, a scent I reviewed in Part IIHERE. Sadly, Mouchoir duffered a disappointing reformulation in the early 2000's that resulted in a muted, quieter fragrance. Still, it is worth seeking out to sample and noting the similar accords in Héritage, Jicky and Mouchoir. Héritage in the EDT offers good longevity and sillage with standard development as noted above. I'm keen to sample the EDP as I thought I remember earlier bottles of this offering more prominent vanilla and wonder if I'll find it in the EDP concentration. Next time you're near a Guerlain counter, check out all three of these lavender-themed fragrances and experience the Guerlain legacy.
Try this if you like: Jicky, but want something more modern and less powdery; the Guerlinade accord.


13. Prada Luna Rossa Extreme - Lavender, Pepper & Labdanum


Description & Notes: "The latest Prada Luna Rossa Extreme fragrance embodies the spirit of the Luna Rossa sailing team. These are men faced with intense physical, mental and technical challenges. They share an unrivalled passion for innovation. Their focus is victory. The six distinctive notes within Prada Luna Rossa Extreme are all skillfully interwoven, evoking team spirit and equilibrium – key to the world of extreme sailing; within the fragrance, a spicy freshness fuses with a dark, sensual Amber heart to reveal a tenacious Lavender signature." Prada.com. And more specifically, from Fragrantica, "The fragrance features bergamot, black pepper, labdanum, juniper berries, lavender, amber and vanilla."
Price: ~ $88 USD for a 100ml EDT spray (half that price if purchasing a tester or online).
The Bottom Line: Surprise! Yup, a Prada scent: After spending a glorious Holy Week in Andalucía a few years ago, I became enamored with the aromas of incense used in Catholic services mingling with the incense sold by street vendors just outside the cathedrals. I've often searched for a fragrance offering this aroma and rarely find what I'm looking for. However, reviews by Fragranticans suggested that this peppered lavender with a strong vanilla & amber base might just be what I'd wanted. The key here is the balsamic punch of labdanum (aka cistus or rockrose) that grounds the brighter accords of the original Luna Rossa. This is one of my favorite lavender aromas in that overall Luna Rossa Extreme feels like a lavender incense, not nearly as sweet nor as ashen as Gris Clair and much mroe affordable (and available) than Encens et Lavande. The lavender-themed trio of Luna Rossa is quite interesting - the newest, Luna Rossa Sport, most closely resembles another lavender powerhouse - JPG's Le Male.
Try this if you like: The original Luna Rossa, peppery incense aromas, or L'Occitane's lavender-themed L'Occitan.

14. Parfums d'Orsay Arome 3 - Lavender, Bergamot and Oakmoss

Description & Notes: The official list of notes is tough to pin down. House of Fraser writes, "A truly aromatic opening swirl that enfolds you in a third skin Lavender-scented water adorned with spicy white flowers, giving way to Leather and Vanilla base notes. Arôme 3, a fragrance for men who embody natural seduction, delicacy and a love of simple, high-quality raw materials." Escentual.com offers the following notes, "Lavender, Bergamot, NeroliJasmine, Warm Spices, Myrrh, Vanilla, Amber, and Precious Woods." And D'Orsay itself writes, "Its notes : Bergamot, Lavander - Absolue Lavander - Tonka Bean, Precious Woods. A fresh, invigorating, hesperidia and rustic accord, underpinned by a slightly floral,spicy woody harmony, over tonka bean and precious woods." BeautyEncounter reports, "A modern fragrance both men and women that perfectly follows today's trends while keeping up with yesterday's tradition and quality.  Fresh, sparkling, and aromatic top notes over a lively lavender mingled by a touch of blackcurrant.  The mid notes are slightly floral and bloom into a warm harmony of spicy notes. The base gently combines rich woody notes and balsamic notes with light musk and amber touches."
Price: ~ $100 USD for a 100ml EDT spray (I found mine for $50 USD online).
The Bottom Line: I've long been a fan of most things D'Orsay: Le Dandy was my first love with its oddly compelling apple-cognac accord; I prefer Etiquette Bleue to L'Heure Bleue; and I once had a thing for Chevalier until I fell for more brazen leather aromas. Arome 3 wasn't something I initially warmed too as I had never really been a lavender fan until recently. Now that I have it, I'm in love with its old-fashioned hesperdic opening (lots of clean, unsweetened bergamot), mossy lavender midnotes, and the faintest touch of, could it be myrrh(?) in the gentle basenotes. Every time I wear Arome 3 I have a different experience and I'm finding that its little complexities are still unfolding. An interesting story, this one was intiially named Arome 3 Tradition and it is possible that when the company was bought in 2007, Arome 3 Tradition was shortened to simply Arome 3 and the composition may have shifted ever so slightly. I'm curious to learn your take on this one should you have sampled it, especially considering the myriad descriptions of its composition.
Try this if you like: Traditional lavender colognes, citric-herbal brews, a lighter and unsweetened take on lavender.

15. Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely - Lavender, fruit, orchid, white musk.

Description & Notes: "Lovely is the first fragrance by Sarah Jessica Parker (in partnership with Coty Inc.). Obsessed with style and fashion, Sarah always wanted to create a signature scent that would be very sexy and yet undeniably classy. She did not want her fragrance to be overpowering, but instantly recognizable, like infamous aromatic concoction she made for herself from 3 separate fragrances before she co-created Lovely. Lovely is a soft, powdery, discrete and very intimate fragrance, announced as 'silky white amber'. It possesses an elegance characteristic of classic fragrances. And yet the fragrance is quite modern and very charming. It opens with soft citruses (nectarine and bergamot) and woody (rosewood) notes, with a touch of lavender, which is very discrete and not at all sharp. The fragrance develops further with notes of apple martini, white daffodil and orchid. The base unites white amber, cedar, woody notes and white musk. According to Sarah's words, the perfume is appropriate for all generations: 'from 17 to 107'. The fragrance was created by Laurent Le Guernec and Clement Gavarry in 2005 with Sarah herself being the creative director, actively participating in the process from its start to finish." Fragrantica.com SarahJessicaParkerBeauty.com adds "Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely is a silky white amber fragrance. Feminine with a touch of fantasy. The fragrance is a flashback to the classics of fashion design, made modern with trademark twists on tradition. Top notes: mandarin, bergamot, rosewood, lavender and apple Martini. Heart notes: patchouli, paper whites and orchid. Base notes: cedar wood, white amber, and sultry musks and woods."
Price: ~ $25 USD for a 100ml spray (purchased online).
The Bottom Line: Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and newly relaunched, Lovely is one of my all-time favorite fragrances because it's just so gosh-darn easy to wear. I never would have picked out lavender as a main player back in the days when I first wore this but now that I've read so many reviews noting the lavender in Lovely, it's hard not to notice it. Whereas Narciso Rodriguez is a musky, ambery floral, Lovely skips the sweet amber (white amber is listed but the note is quite subtle) and subsitutes it with lavender and subdued patchouli, but again, I wouldn't have known there was patchouli here either had others not pointed it out. To me, Lovely is a touch of fruit (apple and nectarine), a touch of peony (I guess that's the orchid and dafodil) and a touch of lavender set against a skin musk. Check it out and see if it whets your lavender appetitie.
Try this if you like: Gentle scents with unisex, musky-floral accords; Narciso Rodriguez EDT.


Ok, so here are a few more notable lavender-themed fragrances that I've tried and want to include as honorable mention...see my other list in Part II's installment:
  • Woods of Windsor Lavender
  • Caswell Massey Lavender
  • Les Plus Belles Lavandes de Caron
  • Nicolai Maharadjah
  • Jo Malone Amber & Lavender
  • Gandini Gold Amber & Lavender
  • Yardley Lavender & Iris
  • Yardley Lavender 
  • Penhaligon's Lavandula
  • Roger& Gallet Lavande Royal
  • Roberto Cavalli Black
  • JPG Le Male
  • CJScents Serene, Dusk or Lavender-Incense

More fragrances on my "must-try list"...see my other list in Part II's installment:
  • Caldey Island Lavender
  • Chanel Jersey
  • Meshaz Natural Perfumes Lavender
  • Rania J's Lavande 44
  • Villoresi Wild Lavender
  • Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica
  • Clos d'Aguzon Lavande
  • Atkinsons English Lavender
  • Galimard Double Zéro
  • Odori Spigo
  • Jennifer Lopez My Glow

Leave a comment below about your favorite lavender fragrances for your chance to receive a 5ml decant of Sonas from Fragrances of Ireland (reviewed in Part 1 of this series), shipped anywhere in the world, FREE!

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