Aftelier has launched Candide, a new natural perfume:
Candide is a bright, uplifting floral, expressing its theme of optimism through sublime jasmine and age-old frankincense. Recent research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry finds that the scent of jasmine is better than Valium at calming and soothing. The sunny color comes from the orange shades of jasmine, pink grapefruit, and blood orange essences. The smell of jasmine is uplifting and cheerful in a sexy way – the perfect blend of high and low, sweet and dirty. The pink grapefruit is juicy and sweet; the blood orange smells of mouth-watering orange mixed with raspberries. The name is an homage to the great novel from Voltaire, with its theme of optimism.
Aftelier Candide is available in 2 ml mini ($45) or 1/4 oz ($150, comes with 2 ml mini kit). (via press release)
Update: in response to some of the comments below, Mandy Aftel confirms that there is not a separate raspberry note in Candide.
Another update: see a review of Aftelier Candide.
42 Comments
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Better than Valium? That’s an excuse to try Kevin’s 10-spray method with A La Nuit if I ever heard one. ;D
Sounds nice, but raspberry is pretty much the kiss of death.
Ha! I was thinking the same thing! Valium? wow, that’s a pretty tall order for a bit of fragrance ….and 100% agreement on the raspberry….” kiss of death ” or “raspberry of death”? either way works for me…
I read the copy as if she was saying that the blood oranges had a bit of a raspberry component (as do some roses), not that raspberry was a note (the kiss of death for me also).
I read it the same way Rappleyea did. But who knows.
Being a fan of both jasmine and valium, I can tell you the former does not compare to the latter.
LOL! The only thing that compares to Valium is Ativan!
LOL!!
About a year ago, I started getting really stressed out at work, so I wore perfume with jasmine in it every day to try to relieve the stress. I don’t know if it actually helped at all, I ended up just getting a different job!
Hmmmm….better than valium? I’ll take valium over jasmine in the MRI anyday.
The 2ml mini is so reasonable priced! :-p
It is not a cheap line.
The scents sound lovely, but I’ve been hesitant to take the leap; it’s always, “2ml of this = 10 samples at Luckyscent…”
I love this scent! It is beautifully blended which is no surprise as Mandy is an exceptional perfumer. I don’t know if it is better than Valium, but it sure makes me happy.
BTW, there is no raspberry essential oil or absolute in it. There is no such thing as a raspberry natural oil, as far as I know. The blood orange essential oil used is known for its raspberry nuance. All the orange oils have different effects on a blend, and the blood orange adds a feeling of raspberries. It is not a glaring note as in a synthetic blend.
Actually, I don’t even like the smell of real raspberries so if I can smell even a nuance…. I do love to eat them, though.
That is pretty interesting though. I had no idea.
MMmmm…real fresh raspberries! Yum!
It is a pretty subtle raspberry nuance, but if you feel that strongly…’-)
Thanks!
This sounds so gorgeous. I might have to order at least 2mls. (gulp!)
I thought this was very funny because Voltaire’s Candide is actually a satire of (unreasonable) optimism. And jasmine being better than Valium? We’ve really gone over the top with advertising copy!
I thought the same thing the second I caught the name. I mean have they READ the work? The final message is that sometimes life is horrific (i.e. someone eats one of your buttocks to keep from starving), but you have to burgeon onward and not expect luxury and riches, instead finding quiet contentment through hard work and sacrifice.
Still sounds like a nice scent for summer perhaps.
110% agree with you. actually even reading the name of the perfume was enough for me to click through for the whole blog posting — then i read the copy and was like, “what, really?!” hahaha. i guess they’ve never read the novel… maybe there is a twist in the actual fragrance that would befit that great satire… although judging from the copy i’m going to say… no. maybe in the best of all possible worlds
I know the name is from the Voltaire novel, but the name Candide just makes me think of candida. (And yet it still sounds like a good fragrance to me– go figure.)
Lol. Whenever I hear the Tony Orlando and Dawn song, I think the same thing!
Even though I think it’s “Candia”. Either way, it still makes me think of the fungus!
I got excited for Robin for a minute because of the jasmine/incense combo. Not sure about the citrus aspects, though.
I do have a lotion I had custom blended somewhere that is jasmine paired with frankincense and myrrh (that is a funny word to type) and it is quite nice.
Ooh, Tama– that lotion sounds intriguing.
I can smell it right now!
Worth a try (for me) just for that!
Never tried any Afteliers, but I love the packaging!!!
As I was reading this article I started to get excited: jasmine and frankincense. Ok; so far, so good. More calming and soothing than Valium- DOUBT that. Then I saw to my dismay; grapefruit( don’t mind that), blood oranges and gads- raspberries? I started to stress so I’m off to calm and soothe myself w/ the latter.
Ha!
Again, natural pink grapefruit essential oil is no where near as screeching as synthetic grapefruit…not even close.
Yes, as I have smelt both and like I said, I don’t mind either. Blood oranges and raspberries are a different matter though. Even if it were possible to extract from the raspberry, I probably still wouldn’t care for it since I don’t like the taste.
Of the fruit that is!
Dolly2, is it just blood orange that annoys you or do you find all oranges disturbing? I cannot imagine not enjoying orange, as it is in many scents in one form or another. Just asking out of curiosity, not trying to be snarky. Peace.
No problem. It’s not all oranges, just blood and valencias. Die hard navel fan.
To me this sounds like an almost ideal combination. Jasmine, frankincense, and blood orange together? Cue “These are a few of my favorite things…”
But I have to say, I have bought Aftelier samples and I do not love them. It might be fair to say I actively hate them. (Though I really could only say that after I wear all of them. The fact that I’ve not been able to bring myself to do it so far doesn’t bode well, though.)
Having tried a few lines I don’t fall all over myself for naturals anyway, and there is something in the Aftelier line I really don’t care for. The materials are no doubt rare and exquisite, and the blends are clearly sophisticated. But I find myself wishing it was over whenever I try one on. They’re not scrubbers, mind you, they’re not UGLY; but they bring me no joy. And for some reason I do find the top notes actively unpleasant.
I’m still smiling about Tama’s response to my review of Gorilla perfumes (“Don’t really care for these; bought five”), but you can do that with Gorilla if you even find them interesting enough to try again at a future date. Aftelier is not so cheap as to be able to be bought just for curiosity.
So I am thinking of sampling this – but it’s going to have to be at some point when I have money for perfume burning a hole in my pocket. And since I just scored a couple of bottles of vintage Ubar, that won’t be for some time!
Hello Lemonprint!
Can I ask you a question about vintage Ubar? Does the bottle have eau de parfum or eau de toilette printed below UBAR?
There is a bottle on ebay (in Latvia) and it is the Pierre Dinand but clearly has “eau de parfum” on its face. Was the 1995 vintage edp or edt? Thanks Lemonprint or anyone who knows for your response!
Hi Bear, in case you’re still hoping for a reply (sorry, I am slow with this blog, it doesn’t automatically notify me of comments):
I bought from the same vendor so I’ll be able to tell you my opinion of the juice hopefully soon. The NST review here was that the original Ubar (in the slanty bottle) was an EDT, whereas the reformulation in the square bottle is an EDP. I don’t know what to think about that. I have a split of the original Ubar and it sure doesn’t smell like an EDT, and then we have that box that, you’re right, very clearly says EDP (and very clearly seems to be the old bottle.) The Amouage website doesn’t seem to list anything now that isn’t an EDP…
In my case I’m sufficiently interested to try it and see if it’s all that. I figure it’s either authentic or it’s not, whatever the concentration. Ubar vintage is the one perfume I promised myself I would buy if it ever came past my eyeballs at any level of affordability. Therefore I’m doing it!
It may be a week or more before I get my package, but I’m happy to report back if you want the results thereof.
Thank you!
Yes please post your impressions of the Latvian bottle vs. the new.
I wear the new edp and love the green lotv playing off the sandalwood and damascene rose. One of the best orientals money can buy.
As scet pointed out, the novel Candide is hardly an homage to optimism – rather the opposite. But jasmine is supposed to be very relaxing, and I do find it so. This sounds interesting, but not compelling for me right now. Maybe with my next Luckyscent order…
I’m into cheerful and uplifting. I’m with Divinemama on this. If she says it’s beautifully blended and uplifting, gotta give it a go. Maybe I can practice biofeedback on the Valium suggestion. So it’s fruity, fruity is cheerful. It also sounds interesting and not your usual fare.
Oh well.
Joy, Becca
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, Becca.
Whoever wrote that copy obviously didn’t read Candide, as a few people have already pointed out.
Seems they just randomly slapped a French novel title onto a bottle without thinking about what links the character or novel to the scent.
Not to be snobby about it or anything, but as a lit major and book lover, I find that slightly off-putting… Will it keep me from trying the scent? Absolutely