Today’s subject is Jess, who is looking for a sultry, cozy fragrance for evening. She’d like it to be warm, dark, interesting and mysterious, and if at all possible, to have good lasting power. She isn’t willing to go over $100.
Here are a few details about Jess:
She’s in her mid-20s and is a painter with a “fiction-writing streak”.
Jess says she goes about her day with her head in the clouds, but is an odd sort — and potentially snarky — when yanked out of dreamland.
She gravitates toward bold, unique things.
So far, Jess has had more luck with single notes than with perfumes. She likes rose (nocturnal rather than fresh, and preferably with wine, spices, musks), almond, “yellow cake”, violet, patchouli, incense and sandalwood. She sometimes likes gardenia.
Jess wears Sanrio Momoberry during the day. She also likes Hanae Mori Butterfly in small doses (a little too berry-sweet), and she once loved a decant of something supposedly by Boucheron (very warm and resiny) but she doesn’t know what it was.
Jess doesn’t like lavender, lime, yuzu, strawberry or cloves prominently in the blend. She’s tired of fruity florals, and wants to “venture into darker, warmer territory”. The whole Tom Ford perfume line was a big no, as was Aquolina Pink Sugar (she was disgusted by the burnt, too-sweet drydown), Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue (a little artificial-smelling), Calvin Klein Opium (too strong & sharp), and the Chanel line (“not me”).
What say you?
Note: image is Post Box: Old post box in San Gimignano (Italy) [cropped] by Luca Zappa at flickr; some rights reserved.
87 Comments
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1/ Christian Dior’s Dune, an oriental floral, launched in 1991, created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac and its top note includes bergamot, mandarin, palisander, aldehyde, peony and broom followed by heart note composed of jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, lily, wallflower, lichen. Base notes are vanilla, patchouli, benzoin, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, and musk. Its innovative bottle with rounded edges is designed by Veronique Monod. Dune also won a 1993 Fifi award.
2/ Estee Lauder’s Sensuous, nose Annie Buzantian; lily, magnolia and jasmine petals in the top, mid of wood and amber, base of sandalwood, black pepper, juicy mandarin pulp and honey.
3/ Estee Lauder’s Tuberose Gardenia: In the top notes are neroli, lilac, and rosewood; mid is gardenia and tuberose, orange flower, jasmine and white lily and the base is composed of carnation and vanilla bourbon. Yum.
Have fun!
I’ll second Dune — I used to wear that for many years in the 90s — it is great and easy to wear.
I’ll 3rd Dune……I’m wearing it today…..
Tuberose Gardenia sounds absolutely fabulous, as does Dune (not sure I’m familiar with a wallflower note!). I’m iffy on the black pepper in Sensuous, but as long as it’s not overly harsh, I believe it’s worth a sniff! Thanks so much for these suggestions.
i say making a perfume at home is better. what kind is best? i say vanilla. everybody like vanilla. it is timeless. vanilla has a soft, sophisticated, classy smell. i learned how to make my own by following the instructions from this site. very easy to follow.
http://organic-oil.blogspot.com/2009/06/organic-vanilla-perfume-and-fragrance.html
I wonder how you’d feel about a naughty rose like JHaG Citizen Queen? Or a rose with a smooth wine like FM Une Rose?
Naughty rose? Wine? Say no more! I’m all over it. These are going on my “must try” list for sure.
I was just writing Estee Lauder Tuberose Gardenia when sacre bleu beat me to it! Do try, Jess! I was also thinking Givenchy’s Ysatis (notes of mandarin, oakmoss, rose, iris, vanilla, clove, and amber.)
Oh, I still have a soft spot for Ysatis. . . .
Oh, I love Ysatis! I’m so sad that it’s not what it used to be, but I still love it. I wore that in high school and my first year of college. Memories…sigh…
The clove scares me a little bit, but I’ll definitely get my hands on a decant somehow.
Err – of Ysatis, that is!
Ooh, the Tauers are just over your budget, and far be it from me to tempt others into poverty, but his Incense Rosé might be right up your alley — dark, dusky, impossibly sultry rose and incense. You might want to try his L’air du Desert Marocain as well, which is bone-dry but nevertheless warm and snuggly. Samples and decants are affordable, thank goodness…
I’ll second L’Air…it is gorgeous! Just makes my head swoon, and is definitely good for someone who likes to daydream
Oh my goodness. I have been lusting after Tauer perfumes for ages, but could never find them. If they truly are that exquisite, I may have to start saving up…
I am only a developing rose fan but from what you describe a good fit may be:
1. Christian Dior Midnight Poison – gorgeous rose & patchouly and Poison – ish goodness – top recommendation
2. Voleur de Roses – again rose and patchouli but a lot drier. You may spray this over something woody and ambery, or over Mure et Musc, to sweeten it up a bit.
I was thinking Voleur des Roses myself — gorgeous!!
I prefer it to Frederic Malle’s Une Rose, which is comparison is sharper, more acidic (the wine note).
I just accidently wound up layering l’Artisan Parfumeur’s Timbuktu with Paestum Rose (such a gorgeous dry tobacco rose!), and it is AMAZING! Not overwhelming, warm, but still dry.
I just bought “Rosewood” from Banana Republic for my sisters 25th birthday. It lasts a long time, its easy to come by, and my sister loves it. Its definitely not light or fruity-floral in my opinion. I think i bought it off of fragrancenet.com for approx. $35 (50 ml). Use coupon code ‘basenotes’ for an extra 15% off.
I second the recommendations of Dior Midnight Poison (a rose with a wonderful dark berry-patchouli drydown) and Voleur de Roses (dirty rose). Another that I sniffed recently that immediately came to mind is the new L’Occitane Rose Nuit de Mai. It’s wonderful, dark, winey, and just a bit spicy, and definitely worth a sniff. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Good luck!
Hmm…I would have included Chanel Coco (not Mademoiselle), but see that is out. Here are thoughts:
1. Lancome, Magie Noir. Dark, nocturnal rose, animalic enough for mystery, price point on target.
2. Rosine, Poussiere de Rose. There is enough darkness and depth to carry this into night, but could be a “scent of interest” for daytime, too. Also falls into price range if purchased from online discounter.
2nd that on the Magie Noir… the opening is a little harsh, but I love the middle and dry down.
3rd vote for Magie Noire
Also, I saw Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur (1.7 oz) at Marshall’s / TJ Maxx for $30 – check your local store and see if they’ve got it, too.
I’d second the Tauer Incense Rosé, and another darkish rose with some incense that might be worth a try is Eau d’Italie’s Paestum Rose.
I’ve been kicking myself over this – a friend of mine had Paestum Rose, and I let her move away without stealing a sniff or two. :’(
Buy Paestum Rose unsmelled — it is that good! (it is my current favourite).
I second the Magie Noire; also JHaG Citizen Queen (which I think of as Naughty Rose in Fishnet Stockings). Poussiere de Rose is also lovely – that one I think of as Feminite’ du Bois with rose.
Gres Cabaret is another deep woody rose with patchouli and musk, and is available fairly cheaply at discounters – about $35 for 100 ml. I have scent-eating skin, but it lasted about 5-6 hours on me. Ignore the garish bottle; it’s way better than the ugly packaging and low price point would indicate.
Etro Shaal Nur might be another woody-rosy-incense scent to try, although it might not last long enough for Jess, and I don’t know that it’s mysterious enough for evening. beautyencounter.com has testers for $70 and new 100ml bottles for $105.
I’ll third Magie Noir, and second, for the below rec of Parfum Sacre.
I think Caron Parfum Sacre smells like your rose with wine and spices. It’s definitely cozy for evening; I put it on the other night when I was feeling tired, and my husband loved it, so I guess it could be called sultry too! I think it especially works in cooler weather. For warmer weather, I also recommend Dior’s Dune.
Oops…my symbols must have dropped the whole thing…I basically said “nodding my head at the Parfum Sacre recommendation”…
I love love love Parfum Sacre – I find it both comforting and sexy, but didn’t think of it in terms of “mysterious, bold, unique, dark, and warm.” It is very warm (I’ve put my bottle away for the summer), but I don’t find it at all edgy, despite the peppery notes.
If you like really dark, more single accord fragrances, I will recommend with spades almost the entire Sonoma Scent Studio line. Some in particular: Ambre Noir, which is a very dark, rich amber with smokey undertones. Also the Vintage Rose which is an excellent dark rose with incense and spices – gorgeous! One of my fav’s is Rose Musc which is a rich rose and to die for labdanum combo that just lasts and lasts (it’s one of my HG’s). As well as the Tabac Aurea – a dark rich pipe tobacco, woods, and amber. Also from SSS is the Ences Tranquille – a rich woody, smokey incense fragrance, and Winter Woods a woody, smokey, sweet fragrance….Basically, you can’t go wrong testing some of her line if you want high quality, well priced, rich dark fragrances. ….
One more: Donna Karan Signature which is a very rich, beautiful, floral oriental suede fragrance like nothing else out there. It is very sexy and interesting.
Agree enthusiastically with everything said here — I am just revelling in my first set of samples from SSS, and they are all wonderful! I would only add that the Tabac Aurea created more of a deep and mellow, golden atmosphere for me than, strictly speaking, a ‘tobacco-y’ one — (which was a good thing as far as I was concerned). The roses were stunning — all of them.
I’m so glad to hear you’ve discovered SSS!! It is such a beautiful line. I have many of them, and I know there will be more that I want! I do also get that golden dry down in Tabac Aurea – it is one of the most wonderful well blended fragrances – truly a gem! I can’t wait for the cold weather this fall to begin wearing it in earnest.
Chiming in with Tabac Aurea happiness…
Thirding or fourthing the SSS line! Tabac Aurea is great, I really like the Vintage Rose, and also like the Violet Woods (which surprised me), and Fireside.
Hopping on the SSS train. I haven’t tried Tabac Aurea (I just know I will love it, though!), but for Jess I particularly agree with the Rose Musc recommendation. Just gorgeous, distinctive, and reasonably priced. L’Artisan’s Voleur de Roses is another great possibility, and can be had for just under $100.
Hi H- glad to hear about more love for Rose Musc — just gorgeous!! It is miserably cold up here today so I decided to wear RM on my neck…and some Tabac Aurea on my wrists. YUM!!
From Sonoma Scent also — Wood Violet. (I was mostly getting warm woods, not violet). Very nice!
Wow. WOW! I took a look at the SSS line and I am absolutely floored. Thank you so much for mentioning these – my wallet is hurting for it, but I’m sure I’ll thank you when they arrive! They all sound like an absolute DREAM.
ELdO, Encens et Bubblegum, which is a lovely woody-rose with some edge and about 70 dollars for 50 ml. I will second Gres Cabaret, which can be had for a song and Aveda Yatra which is an all-natural rose-sandalwood.
In keeping with the under $100 budget, how about Magical Moon by Hanae Mori? It has none of the berry sweetness of Butterfly, and has a dark, creamy nature spiked with incense (I wonder why it gets no love on NST ?- I love it on summer nights and wear it frquently in cooler months). And although you said Chanel was out, I agree with trying Coco and Allure Sensuelle.
Ooh, I had avoided the other Hanae Mori scents for fear they’d be too similar. I love berries, but not over-ripe ones, which is what I got out of Butterfly. Looks like Magical Moon is another to try when I get to a store next!
Posted this in the wrong spot, sorry.
I’ll 4th Magie Noire by Lancome.
Also, I saw Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur (1.7 oz) at Marshall’s / TJ Maxx for $30 – check your local store and see if they’ve got it, too.
Sorry, I forgot that TF was a no-go for you.
Oh, and have you tried Agent Provocateur?
Agent Provocateur is an interesting, well blended fragrance. It is especially cool if you can get into that saffron note, which makes it unique in the dark rose category, and similar in tone to some of the Montale’s which are a lot more expensive!!
I did try it once, years ago. I was in my early teens and turned up my nose at anything that wasn’t sugary sweet. I’ve got to hunt some down and try it now that I’m out of that wretched phase…
You HAVE to try Ormonde Woman from Ormonde Jayne!!!! I think it will be perfect – your description of what kind of scent u r looking for could describe OJ Woman! Sultry, warm, dark, mysterious, intense, bold, unique – it’s all of those things! And lasting power is good in EdP, although it is a little better in extrait (but that would be beyond your desired budget.) You might also like OJ’s ‘Tolu’ and ‘Orris Noir’. They are quite dark, evening scents too. Robin’s reviews of them on this site are pretty spot-on.
Also – I second Andy tauer’s Incense scents. They’re beautiful.
A good rose/wine combo is Frederic Malle Une Rose.
When I saw a reference to a dark rose in the description, I was going to suggest Amouage’s Lyric Woman–not an everyday rose for sure. Perhaps it’s at least worth sampling? It’s a lush, mature rose with allusions of wine and the exotic.
I also like the suggestions for Magie Noir that many others made.
Another suggestion I have is Prada Prada (the 2004 version). I don’t get a lot of roses, but it is certainly bold, and I appreciate the smooth patchouli and resins combination. (Perhaps it would be wise to give this one a real try in the winter.)
Hmm, Boucheron…not my brand, but perhaps Trouble? It is warm to me.
Oh- I like the Prada – I wear that a lot in the wintertime.
I was thinking Cartier So Pretty. I know some categorize it as a fruity floral, but I really don’t smell anything overtly fruity in it. I think of it as a nice abstract rose. As for the price, I hope it hasn’t gone up. Last time I bought it (admittedly years ago) it was in the $65 range. Ok, and they may have also reformulated it–it didn’t smell QUITE as (ha, ha) pretty as I remember it when I last sniffed it as Saks. But it’s worth a try.
Oh, and thanks to those who mentioned the Tom Ford Black Voile de Fleur at Marshalls!! I know what I’m doing after work! (Please PLEASE let them have it at the one here!)
I love So Pretty! You can still find it at some shops online. And I agree it is only fruity so much as there is that very very dry blackberry note. It is mostly roses on a classic base.
I saw the TF at my Marshall’s too, just last Friday — run!
They didn’t have it! I’ll have to try and seek out other Marshall’s in the area. The one I went to was sort of ghetto.
They didn’t have anything, really.
Hi Jess, Magie Noir is a or should I say WAS a fantastic perfume – my all time fave for sure. However, please be warned that it has been completely re-formuated and is not the same at all. To say I was hugely disappointed is an understatement. You may like the new version if you have never tried the original, however.
I know you want something dark and mysterious but if you like roses so you may want to give Stella a sniff if you come across it in the store you frequent. I think of it as more of a soft and cozy scent rather than dark and intriguing but you just may like it and the price is right. Best of luck!
I myself now wlll be checking out SSS – thanks for the tips!
Hi Fuddy Duddy – I like Stella a lot too – it is a good standby in that dark rose category and works well for day b/c it doesn’t have a lot of sillage. I have the Stella Rose Absolute as well, and it reminds me very much of the much more $$$ Bond Bryant Park.
I did adore Stella, but could never get the stuff to last on me. I would spray it in my clothes, on my bedsheets, in my hair, on my purse… I actually used up the whole bottle, which is a rarity for me. But since I used it more because it didn’t have much staying power with me, I never went out to get another bottle.
With all these votes for Magie Noir, I’ve just snagged a little bottle unsniffed, so I’m crossing my fingers. Sounds amazing. :]
I would agree with the Magie Noir and Dune recs. Both are wonderful!
Okay, I missed everything because I had so many errands to run today!
BUT—it looks like no one has mentioned ANDY TAUER’S NEWEST AND MOST AMAZING SCENT: UNE ROSE CHYPREE !!!
It is definitely something you need to try Jess. I think you can get samples from Luckyscent now and they’ll be shipping bottles on July 1st…..or try theperfumeshoppe.com I know Naz is getting some in too….and depending on the day’s exchange rate the price might be better.
You can…in fact, LS just had (still has?) free samples of it (I ordered one with some other samples).
Over budget, but a decant would do…POTL’s Luctor et Emergo. It’s warm, cozy, incensy, very unusual with woods, vanilla, almond/cherry and grass… I wasn’t going to post because it’s out of budget, but it just seems to fit the bill so perfectly, I had to suggest it anyway.
I hate it when the “good stuff” is over budget!! But then there is always scentsplits to help with that. Plus, getting 5 or 10ml of something gives you plenty of time to decide if you need an FB.
PotL LetE is super stuff! I love the play-doh-i-ness of it!
“sultry, cozy . . .dark, interesting and mysterious” says Molinard Habanita to me. It can be had for fairly cheap online.
I was going to recommend Habanita, too!
I had been pondering whether or not to buy a bottle unsniffed, but I was worried the tobacco was more smoky/harsh than sweet/smooth. After looking at a few reviews, color me intrigued. This is definitely on my to-sniff list. Thank you!
In dark, unusual roses I have to agree with Voleur de Rose (fan-tas-tic earthy dark rose, and I’m not exactly a rose lover), Agent Provocateur (bold, unusual rose with a slight bitter edge) and Parfum Sacré (soapy-cuddly rose). And how about Czech&Speake Dark Rose? I find it has that luxurious, wine-velvety quality which I find very appealing, although it’s not exactly “dark”.
I’ll be the dissenting voice on Tauer’s Incense Rosé, though: I found it quite harsh in its use of incense. Not my thing, although I love-love-love L’Air du Désert.
Then a last idea: if she likes cuddly, resiny frags, how about something with opoponax? Ava Luxe Opoponax Intense, Ava Luxe Vamp, Les Nereides Opoponax Impérial, maybe even Carthusia Ligea La Sirena. Opoponax for me is an übercomforting scent, like a woolly winter sweater. Maybe it will work for her, too.
Hey, I get the same cozy from Opoponax. Olfacta turned me on to the L’Aromarine Opoponax extrait…it’s straight up, but very snarf-ly. (As in, you can put your nose up against your skin and happily indulge in noisy snuffing…not as in the “you made me laugh so hard my beverage came out of my nose.” I need a new word, I guess…working on coining one….)
Snarfling?
lol…maybe “snurfle”?
Yes, I totally agree. Diptyque Eau Lente is another great opoponax scent ($88 for 50 ml retail price).
This is my first ever comment here, but reading this made me think instantly of Alexander McQueen’s Kingdom. I’m not sure if you can still buy it in the US, however. I love the dark spicy rose and the “dirty” sandalwood/vanilla drydown. The cumin adds spiciness and is responsible for the love/hate responses that this one seems to generate. Very definitely “bold and unique”, and also gorgeous when it works.
Has anyone mentioned DK Black Cashmere? One of my fave darks.
What about L’Heure Bleue? In the edp or parfum it is rich, dark, a little smoky, with flowers and almondy heliotrope and vanilla. I think it’s wonderful for evening and definitely has the mysterious, dreamy quality Jess mentions.
Ooh! I love the “warm, dark, bold, mysterious” area. Amouage Lyric for Women would indeed be great, but it’s over the $100 limit. I like the Juliet Has a Gun Citizen Queen suggestion, but feel the aldehydes take it away from “cozy”. A mellower, cozier version of that one is Etat Libre d’Orange Putain des Palaces (violets, rose, creamy leather – and as a bonus, you get to tell people you’re wearing “Hotel Slut”!). Also, how about JHG Lady Vengeance (caramel rose & patchouli), Dior Hypnotic Poison (almonds & dark vanillic woods) and Lolita Lempicka Fleur de Corail (salty tropical flowers & woody Nag Champa)? And I know Jess said “no Chanel”, but for your rose/vanilla/spices/sandalwood dollar, you can’t do better than Chanel Égoïste. Just give it a mercy date.
“Hotel Slut”? I’m so there.
I’ll add my vote for Frederic Malle Une Rose and L’Artisan Voleur de Roses. The scent that came to mind to me was B Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful’s “B Scent”, a warm, delicious and warm combination of rose, fennel and musk. The whole line is reasonably priced and you can get a cute set of 10 samples (“The Full Monty”) to try it out. The Breath of God is a wonderful adventure into darker territory too!
Just adding a vote for the shimmering, rich Midnight Violet by Ava Luxe. The price is right and it’s a unique “take” on violets. Jess, both Sonoma Scent Studio and Ava Luxe are easy to order from their websites.
Ah, and here I am looking all over Amazon and Ebay. Thanks so much.
Also adding Donna Karak Chaos (re-issue) and Wenge — both under $100 retail, I believe.
Donna Karan, oops!
Hi Jess,
I support whoever said Rose Paestum by Eau d’Italie-rose and patchouli. It’s fantastic! Also the original Omnia is dark and mysterious (to me at least). Feminite du Bois came to mind also as I read about you. Other suggestions are Iris Taizo by Parfumerie Generale and Michael Williamson Incense.
This is a bit out of left side, but how about Estee Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude? To me it had the balsamic qualities of OJ Tolu (much more expensive), and a warm amber base. It can be had for a song on eBay because it’s discontinued.
Alright! Thanks to everyone who’s offered suggestions so far. I’m taking down the names of everything mentioned here (everything I haven’t gone and snagged already, that is) and will be venturing out to perfume counters this weekend to test, if all goes well. If I do take a bottle home, you can bet I’ll come back and rave about it!
For spicy, sultry roses, how about Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, or Les Parfums de Rosines Rose Kashmirie? Also agree with Dune, and would have said Magie Noire in the 80′s when I wore it, but I cannot get along with the reformulated version, sadly.
Apart from my earlier suggestions of Voleur des Roses and Paestum Rose, I’d suggest a different direction for you, since you say you like incense and sandalwood, and want something “warm, dark and mysterious”: LesNez’s Let Me Play the Lion. It starts out bone dry, the scent of longing, culminating in a lovely gorgeous warmth.
Alright Jess here is my recommendation for you. “Anthropologie” the store sells this amazing day/night perfume called, Moulinette Soeurs Eau de parfum in Arabelle. Its only $68.00 . The is perfume is Modern and yet very romantic. Check it out, you’ll will really like it:)