Bethany manages the perfume counter at my local Saks Fifth Avenue. She’s helpful and looks like a 1940s film star, but best of all she genuinely seems to like perfume. Instead of spritzing a fragrance on paper and saying the words we hear so often in department stores (“It’s beautiful, we all love it, why don’t you treat yourself?”) she’s as likely to hand me a sample and shrug and say, “Tell me what you think.” So when she was excited about the new Natori Eau de Parfum, I had to try it.
The curtain on perfume marketing lifted for me for a moment when Bethany talked about her introduction to Natori. She said before a perfume launches, perfume marketing staff sometimes fly in from Seattle or San Francisco, take the cosmetics sales associates to lunch or bring in food, and make their pitch. In the case of Natori, besides being treated to lunch, the Saks sales associates watched a DVD in which Josie Natori talked about how she grew up in the Philippines with perfume around her, and how her grandmother scented handkerchiefs to put in her purse. She said that perfume nourished her more than food. (Bethany noted that Natori was on the slender side.)
In 1984, Natori released a fragrance, also called Natori. The latest version of Natori, created by perfumer Caroline Sabas, was based on the original version. Natori’s press release says that it has notes of “sparkling aldehydes, rose, plum, ylang-ylang, purple peony, night-blooming jasmine, patchouli, amber and satin musk accord”.
Natori is a mature woman’s fragrance. It opens with a perfume-y burst of aldehydes floating over jasmine and amber. Natori’s 1980s roots are discernable in the gentle balsamic chewiness that underlies its floral heart. At first that had me worried. But Natori doesn’t snowball into an avalanche of patchouli, spice, and balsam as did so many Yves Saint Laurent Opium clones. Instead, Natori makes use of the trick every good driver knows: the smoothest stop comes from easing up on the brakes just before the car reaches a standstill. In this case, rather than crash into amber, spices, and balsam, the fragrance melts into a light musk. Neither Natori’s fruit nor its patchouli stands out. If I had to transform Natori into a person, it would be Marisa Berenson.
Natori doesn’t seem particularly original to me, but I can’t think of another perfume released in the past few years that smells like it. No pink pepper, no tropical fruit, and no bug-spray-like woody musk infest this fragrance. Instead, Natori smells like something from the 1970s discovered on the back shelf of a perfume shop. It is unapologetically, classically aldehydic, like Rochas Madame Rochas, but its warm floral oriental body suggests a later era.
Natori’s bottle is marvelous to look at and to hold. It is an almost-black purple glass, heavy in the hand, and shaped like something Harry Potter might store potions in. On the side of the bottle the glass thins and clears over a dime-sized hole so that you can see the juice inside. Its cap is metal and feels smooth and weighty like a river rock.
Natori Eau de Parfum has moderately strong sillage and good lasting power. Today, twelve hours after one spray, I can still smell it on my arm. I find Natori too assertively feminine to wear to the office, but you might not. I have a feeling I’ll be reaching for this one a lot come fall. Natori will be released August 16th as a Saks exclusive. A 100 ml bottle of the Eau de Parfum is $115, and a 50 ml bottle is $85.
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How refreshing to read about a new perfume that seems completely, elegantly adult and doesn’t require me to win the lottery to buy it.
It really is a departure from everything else I’ve been smelling lately. I don’t know if it will be a huge smash, but I bet it sells steadily.
Embarrassing true confessions time: I loved the Natori fragrances for Avon years ago. I kept hoping they would come back in one form or another. This doesn’t sound like either of them, but still sounds enticing.
BTW, the bottle totally looks like something off a Rorschach test to me. Which also makes it that much more appealing to me.
The bottle is fabulous! It feels so good–heavy and cold.
I never did smell the Avon Natoris. I wonder if they’re similar at all to this one.
I’ll have to go test it and tell you what the verdict is. Not that I should be anywhere near the perfume counter at Saks…
Oh, and where is this Bethany when I need her?? I am pretty much on a first-name basis with Molly now, who is a lovely person, but seems to know less than I do about perfume. (Which is saying something.)
I’ve gone during the week. Maybe that makes a difference.
I too wore the Avon Natori in the mid 90′s! I loved it and got sooo many compliments! Can’t wait to run out and smell this!!!!
What was the Avon Natori like?
i loved the avon natori, too. i wore it almost exclusively through college. what i learned recently by accident that avon had launched a scent called “be… tempting” that was almost spot-on for the original avon natori fragrance – but of course, it was discontinued by the time i came to try it. there are several items on ebay, though…..
i had tried another natori fragrance some time ago but the scent was nothing like the avon one.
bummer.
It’s such a drag when a fragrance you like is discontinued. I hope you’re able to snag a few bottles somewhere.
I was just saying to my husband yesterday, how much I prefer ‘old school’ fragrances, so this really peaked my interest. The bottle is a cool semi-quatrefoil which seems to be a trendy design element at the moment. I look forward to sampling this.
It definitely smells old school, but with a taste of the ’80s tossed in, in my opinion. I’d love to hear what you think of it.
It’s funny, in spite of seeing the notes listed, when I look at the bottle, I think it’s going to be aldehydic Poison (which would be intriguing). I guess it’s the purple!
No discernable fruit in this one!
If it’s a Saks exclusive – it’ll be awhile for me unfortunately.
I think they have it for three months, then it’s out on the market.
they told me 6 months on the phone this morning…but I have no idea if the SA knows what she’s talking about.
I love that you were talking perfume with your husband.
I try that with my partner and I get the “isn’t that cute that you think I care?” looks.
Yeah, my guy is probably thinking the same thing, but he indulges me. He’s such a sweetheart.
And that should have been ‘piqued’ my interest. Oy.
I do that all the time. I think some of us hear when we write rather than see when we write.
I really wish I liked humans enough to work in retail, so that I could introduce new perfumes to people. Alas, I think after selling my 30th bottle of Pink Sugar in one day, I’d probably go nuts and start trying to open a vein with a few slashes of a paper smelling strip.
I know! I used to work in a vintage clothing store, and sometimes I’d be tempted to yell “Get out of here! You don’t deserve that dress!” to the customers.
“I really wish I liked humans enough to work in retail” — as a fellow misanthrope, I love that line! Although perhaps we could work at some snooty boutique where they WANT their SAs to be haughty and disdainful…
Oh yeah. If they’re looking for attitude, they need look no further.
Abercrombie and Fitch, wasn’t it? That wanted snoot.
I have to admit I’ve never actually been in one, but I thought they were aimed at 15-year olds. Well, I guess a snooty teen is the worst of all.
I love that bottle — it looks like a little Venus de Willendorf.
That’s true! It’s modern and ancient at the same time.
Judging from its picture, the bottle looks like the cloud shapes so often used in the borders of Chinese embroidery. Of course, I haven’t seen the real thing yet.
I wonder if that was intentional! If so, it would be pretty cool.
Not only do they get lunch/snacks, but usually a free bottle as well. And once a year is the infamous Round Robin, where SA’s sit for 8 hours in a conference room and all the marketing execs come in and present their new launches. That’s when you walk away with multiple shopping and gift bags full of perfume swag.
Sweet! Maybe that makes up for some of the hassle that comes with being an SA.
Back to topic: it sounds lovely!
It’s not for everyone, but I bet some people will love it.
This bottle looks like it was made to sit next to the Shiseido (not now-under-SL) Feminite du Bois. I wonder if this is one of those one-in-a-million aldehydics that I would like.
That’s true! They’re both so shapely.
I’m not sure you’d like it. But I have a huge sample, so you can try it next time we meet up.
I read an interesting snippet about Natori in W that made me think she was a little like Sarah Jessica Parker — market savvy, but also a true perfumista. Glad to hear the juice bears that out.
I am almost always up for unapologetic anything.
I wish I could have seen the DVD myself. And I cheer you on 100% in your unapologetic ways!
Loved your driving analogy! Of course, for this particular reckless girl behind the wheel, great fragrance for me is all ABOUT crashing into amber, spices, and balsam!!! The idea that this one “melts into a light musk” has me relegating this to the scrap heap — and yet you say such nice things about it. I must test-drive this one myself.
I, too, love the driving analogy. Very clever.
Thank you!
It’s worth a try, in any case. Who knows? Maybe one person’s gentle stop is another’s jarring halt.
I always think that the mark of a truly good driver is the ability to shift gears without tossing one’s passengers all over the car. Perhaps there is a fragrance analogy you can derive from that.
Definitely! The secret to a smooth ride with a manual transmission is to listen for that sweet spot when you could almost shift without engaging the clutch–the spot where the gears overlap. Building a fragrance that can do that is real artistry.
I really don’t like to drive that much, despite all this theorizing about it.
Jemi,
I love your Venus de Willendorf comparison, so true!
I was thinking FdB right off the bat, but VdW is a wonderful reference
Everyone here is so smart!
that Art History degree needs to come on handy every now and then!
or come in handy whatever the case may be
Yes, it does!
I’m with Robin R above on preferring the train wreck/car crash scents over the gentle easing of the brakes, but you do make this seem enticing, as always!
That bottle bugs me, however… It’s the little clear circles — they seem either too small for the bold heft of the overall shape, or perhaps placed too low. I like the idea of a little window to see the juice, but I don’t think it works here, aesthetically speaking.
I can see what you mean, but I like how the circle–the almost negative space–balances with the hefty cap.
Oh I like the circles – it gives it a more Asian flair.
I can definitely see that.
COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC. Do any of you know anything about the “free perfume samples” being offered by ULTA this week? If you buy a bag of theres, the samples come free. Denise
Don’t know a thing about it, sorry.
angela,
do you know anything about the horrendous “scent” Quelques Fleurs L’Original by Houbigant? I was sent a catalog from Neiman Marcus with a tear-out with this “fragrance” imprinted on it. It smelled up my entire living room with the rancid odor or lilies. have you any knowledge of this “scent”? Thank you.
Quelques Fleurs is a really old floral perfume, and I think Quelques Fleurs L’Original is the reformulation of it that is on the market now. With a little googling you could probably figure it all out. It sounds like it doesn’t agree with you, though!
thank you A. Tell me: among the newest scents, what are you into? I was really lovin’ Elle by YSL, only to find out at the perfume counter at NOrdstrom, it was being discontinued! There was one by Nicole Miller many years ago; I think the same thing happened there too. I’d love to hear about your impresssions of some new stuff that you love. Thank you again. (I’m new to this site. can you tell ? lol)
I’m such a hound for old perfume, that I don’t know how much help I can be! I always like smelling things from L’Artisan, Goutal, and Serge, though–and lots more. I’ve really been enjoying a sample of Une Rose Chypree by Andy Tauer, too.
It’s actually a bag full of samples that you get free with any fragrance purchase. I didn’t get a good look at the samples, but it seemed like a good deal. If you were already planning to buy a fragrance there, that is. (I’ve finally learned how to talk myself down whenever I see a “good deal.” It’s only a good deal if it’s something you wanted anyway. In days of yore, I would have bought any old thing they had to get the bag of samples. And then would have gotten it home to find they were either things I already had or didn’t want. No more!)
They don’t say what the samples are, but they look pretty department store, mid-range to me. It would have to be stuff that Ulta carries in the first place, I’m sure, so I don’t know how great it would be.
I spent 20 minutes looking for something that was around $30 that I wanted from Ulta to get the samples before I reminded myself of my new mantra – Buy nothing that you don’t love and save your money for the stuff that you do love.
My point exactly.
Such an excellent mantra.
You guys are the BEST! I knew you would know the scoop about deals like this . Thanks for the info. Denise
NST readers are the best. Really.
My understanding of the Ulta promo is – online only, while supplies last, with a $30 or more fragrance purchase you get a tote filled w/fragrance samples. [Now, what the size of the tote is and how many samples is anyone's guess.]
I looked at it when it landed in my email box, and if you look carefully at the image, you’ll see that the tote is roughly 3x the size of the carded samples – probably big enough to hold a lunch or a small book. And it looks like one of the samples was Vera Wang’s Rock Princess. I passed – but I don’t normally shop at Ulta anyway.
Ulta has a lot of great things, but in a really-extensive-drugstore sort of way. Great deals on hair products, but yes, pretty run of the mill perfume supply.
This sounds worth tracking down, and I love the bottle. Of course, when I saw aldehydes, I thought there was a good chance you’d like it!
It’s definitely worth a try, I think, if for no other reason than it’s bucking the trends.
really diggin the bottle and the juice sounds like a must sniff
thanks for the review, A!
You’re welcome! The bottle is pretty alluring, true.
eager to sample this one, thanks for the review, Angela.
Be sure and let me know what you think of it.
I love the bottle and it sounds intriguing – I’m always a sucker for the 80s (still have a bottle of Obsession) and I have a new appreciation for aldehydes, so I’ll have to check this out the next time I head to the Galleria. Between want to buy the Cristalle Eau Verte and sniff both this and Mercier, it sounds like I might have enough reasons to make the trip soon.
I still need to try the new Cristalle and the Mercier, too.
That bottle is amazing and I cannot wait to try this. It sounds refreshingly different than everything else out, and from the typical cozy-gourmands for fall. And did I mention that the bottle is amazing??
I know what you mean. I don’t usually lust after bottles, but this one is especially nice. This one and the one for Essence.
Hi Angela. You had me at “mature woman’s fragrance”, but then you had to add in the bit about the burst of aldehydes and the absence of pink pepper. And sniff I must.
So here I sit, in a hotel in in Boston, a block away from Saks, wondering whether they have a tester yet…. Because the 16th is just so far away when you say the phrases “unapologetically, classically aldehydic” and “warm floral oriental body” in one sentence.
You should definitely ask if they have a tester! My Saks had already had the training, and with some begging I was able to try it. Really, go in and ask.
M and I went over after lunch today. Not only did they have a tester, they had stock and samples for us to take! I got a rather nice rose, ylang, and plummy opening, over very soft musk. A delicate floral note which may be peony, too. Not much of an aldehydic blast to my nose, but still quite nice. It reminded me a lot of Ubar, with those jammy rose notes, but without the big dose of civet.
Interesting! It sounds like it is more spicy and aldehydic on me. I hope you got a sample to take home.
I’m seeing a few more “adult” women fragrances and I have hope. I’m deeply, deeply exhausted by fruity floral, overly-sweet, tween, giggly fragrances. I’m ready for a full-bodied, adult woman, aldehyde that stands up for itself. I’m right at the front door on the 16th.
I wish you were close by, because I’d run over my Natori for you to smell. Still, the 16th is not that far off. Let me know what you think!
I’m right there with you!
Fascinating…some of those notes have really eased into popularity; peony and plum. I love the bitter-sweet tartness of plum notes, they add an “after the rain” kind of reflective “dampness” to a scent…like walking through a forest on a gray, drizzly day, when everything is glowing—painted in “technicolor”—from the overcast.
Peony is usually problematic for me – it’s the one note listed that doesn’t appeal to me. But it does say ‘purple peony’ which may indicate more depth than usual, so I have hope.
Now I’m trying to think if I’ve seen an actual purple peony. Maybe a tree peony. A nicely scented peony is lovely, though, in a vase.
I think I’ve only ever seen white and pastel colored peonies [that's why I'm thinking 'purple peony' may be artisitc license and indicitive of a darker peony scent?]. I do love the smell of a real peony, but as a perfume note – it doesn’t wear well on me.
Make that ‘indicative’ please. sheesh.
I know just what you mean about purple peony. If I get bored this morning at the office, maybe I’ll come up with a list of my own accords. “Tuxedo cat”, for a fancy civet note, for instance. Or maybe “golden waffle”. Now, that would be a scent.
Oh good lord! now look what you’ve done!!! I just called Saks in NY and they have this in stock and I ordered a bottle!!!! So anyone who is as spineless as me: call Saks (866*478*7586 ext 2162) ask for Cathy and she will set you up.
Hey, I’m not going broke alone here! I’m taking some of you all with me!
Bad, bad [but smells divine] Daisy.
Oh no! I hope you like it! Those unsniffed purchases are dangerous (at least they have been for me, sadly).
Angela – so funny. Of course they do that sort of thing all the time now – wasn’t a recent one ‘dew drops’ for some sort of watery accord I suppose.
And of course – there is the infamous ‘black orchid’ [and not just Tom Ford. It's supposedly an ingredient in the {perfectly awful imo} CK Euphoria.] Yeah, right.
I’m sure the plum is in their to tart up some of the other, potentially heavy, notes, but it’s so well blended that I couldn’t pick it out.
Wow, this sounds gorgeous. I’m a sucker for anything even remotely oriental. I wish the nearest like Saks/Neiman/Norsdtrom/Bloomies weren’t all 30 minutes away from me. I mean, I’ll make the drive, but not all the time.
As a plus, this fragrance launches on Madonna’s B’Day, and I love her, so I’ll take that as a sign that I should smell this one, lol.
Madonna’s birthday! Hey, that is a lucky sign.
Hi. This bottle looks like the bottle of Marc de la Morandiere “Bleu de Chine”.
Gosh, it does have a similar feel! Must be the Asian influence.
This sounds fantastic. I love me some aldehyde (No. 5, L’ame Soeur, etc.) and while I’ve only got a Macy’s nearby, I’m sure samples will arrive when it hits the market. The plum note looks nice, too, with regard to adding some depth. I love Paris and Obsession, so don’t mind a frag that’s got a lot of oomph. I am positively addicted to L’Arte di Gucci, *nudge nudge Daisy* and it’s just pure womanly sexiness in a bottle. I’ve even had people stop me when I walk past to know what I’m wearing. I think that’s mainly because it isn’t a light fruity floral, and doesn’t hesitate to prod passers by with its alluring sillage.
This, too, seems as if it will fall into a similar vein. Yay for that.
So late to the party…..I’ve missed out on the blog these last few days…..This one does sound really really really good and I’m so going to have to track it down.
Then I saw my name…….so glad that you are enjoying L’arte di Gucci….I’m going to paste the credit/blame for that one squarely on Mals86….she waxed poetic about it…so I got some (didn’t work for me) but I passed a sample to you…success!
Isn’t just wonderful the way some little sample that finds it’s way into the house almost accidentally, can take your nostils by storm? I have found most of my favorites that way —usually things I would never have thought to order samples of for myself, little surprise goodies tucked innocently into a padded envelope…
Isn’t that fabulous? I love discovering scents that way.
Yep, I’ll take the blame/credit for L’arte di Gucci! Gorgeous stuff. And so not my usual style, but it is amazing. Thank goodness I now have a lifetime-supply (well, one hope) of the edp.
It’s more balsamic and amber-y to me than Arte di Gucci, but it does have a similar flair. I hope you let me know what you think when you try it!
Hello All~
Thought it was about time to post and say hi. I am anticipating a new Autumn fragrance that will knock my socks off, and this sounds beautiful. Can’t wait til I can get to a store to sniff.
I have been an avid ‘member’ of NST for probably a year now, and thank you guys for feeding my perfume addiction.
Welcome! Autumn is such a great time to search for fragrance–I love the heavier, more complex scents fall seems tailor made for.
I agree! It is hands down my fav time of the year to go fragrance shopping! I drive my hubby a little nuts with my ‘that’s a warmer fragrance, that’s a cooler fragrance’ comments…lol. He really needs to get up on the perfume lingo.
I’m very late to this party too, though I did notice the post last week. Just haven’t been commenting a lot lately.
This definitely sounds interesting, except that I’m pretty much convinced that aldehydes aren’t my thing. At least it’s nice to know that I’ll soon be able to cadge a sample from my friend Daisy. LOL.
Funny, since I first saw a photo of that bottle, I assumed that that little “hole” was actually a hole that went clear through the bottle, not just a little disc of clear glass in the side. Funny optical illusion. It is a lovely bottle though. I love dark or opaque glass.
It’s a good scent to try, just because it is so unlike other things being released these days. And yet, it’s not quite a 1980s- or 1970s-style scent, either, although it has elements of both, in my opinion. But it definitely, definitely packs some aldehydes.
This is a beautiful fragrance, it was love at first sniff for me and yes it does last nicely on the skin, use sparingly
I bet you will love it even more as fall settles in. Enjoy it!
I think you are right, this is an absolutely gorgeous full bodied sexy fragrance. Of course when i read “plum” i had to try it. Glad i did.
Ohh. I saw the video of Josie Natori talking about her grandmother and fragrances and she seems soooo nice. She’s someone I’d love to hang out with for a day. She seems like a very sweet lady. This fragrance sounds interesting, but when I think of aldehydes I think of the worst fragrance! Chanel No. 5! I would like to give this a try, though. Did you buy the big bottle, Angela?
Natori doesn’t smell like No. 5, but to me it does have the same ladylike, tingle-in-the-nose feel from the aldehydes. Still, it’s worth a try if you’re passing a tester on the counter.
I’ve heard the video is really fun! I’ve talked to someone since who had dinner once with her in New York, and she sounds very gracious.
Angela, I got a sample of this and it’s gorgeous! I agree that it’s not what I’d call original or ground breaking, but it is what a good fragrance should be. It smells fantastic and made me think of that perfect outfit that fits one just right when I dabbed some on.
I didn’t see the larger size option on the Saks site (maybe they were temporarily sold out), but did nmotice there’s also a body cream in the line. As intensely tempted to buy it as I am, and that’s really, really tempted, I’m going to try my best to hold out until the holiday season in the hopes that a gift set with the cream might be available.
This is going to be really difficult, however, considering this was love at first sniff. It is sexy to me, but not in an overt grab you by the libido sort of way. It’s sexy the way silk lingerie or a romantic candlelit dinner’s sexy. Unabashedly feminine and pretty, and just flirty enough to pull off almost anywhere. On me, the notes are really well blended, and I think if worn lightly, it could easily be an office fragrance. If I were working with someone who smelled this great, I’d likely find any excuse to hover within the sillage.
At least until I gave in and asked what they were wearing.
I could see myself going through a bottle quite quickly. Here’s hoping a gift set with the 3.4 ounce size isn’t too far off.
I can’t wait to own this one, but my perfume budget’s tied up until Nov. at this point since Oct’s Havana Vanille month. 
I’m so glad you found a fragrance you love! You’re so smart to hold out for a possible holiday combo package to get the body cream. One thing I’ve noticed is that Natori is a little different sprayed than when dabbed. The aldehydes come out more in the sprayed version, for one thing. Just what I’ve noticed.
October is Hanvana Vanille month for me, too!
I’m so glad you found a fragrance you love! You’re so smart to hold out for a possible holiday combo package to get the body cream. One thing I’ve noticed is that Natori is a little different sprayed than when dabbed. The aldehydes come out more in the sprayed version, for one thing. Just what I’ve noticed.
October is Havana Vanille month for me, too!
Just tried Natori today (thanks, Miss Kitty V!) – it is extremely pretty. Aldehydic florientals rule! This is the kind of thing that you wear when you just want to feel attractive and comfortable, an automatic go-to scent when you don’t have time to figure out what kind of a day you’re going to have. For example, I love Jolie Madame, but it takes a certain kind of weather, a certain mood, to work on me. I could wear this on any cool day.
Gosh, I don’t need another soft oriental, what with my til-doomsday stock of vtg Emeraude and Shalimar Light… but I want this.
Oh, and I meant to say that Natori reminded me a little bit of Black Orchid Voile de Fleur – the same sort of smooth, deep florals. VdF was more “sexy” and less “pretty,” IMO.
I’m a fan of aldehydic florientals, too! I think aldehydic fragrances are poised for a comeback. Enjoy it!
Wouldn’t that be nice?