Posted by Robin
on
22 May 2006
James Heeley is a British designer living in Paris. He is best known for his vases, but also creates furniture and other home accessories; you can see some of his work on his website. His range includes 5 fragrances in Eau de Parfum. Eau de Figuier is easily my favorite of the 5, and includes notes of fig, fig leaves, white cedar and lime.
Eau de Figuier is a relatively simple rendition of fig. It doesn't push the boundaries of modern perfumery, and it isn't going to challenge your assumptions about what can be done with a fig fragrance or anything like that — it's just a really nice fig…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
9 February 2006
Fico di Amalfi is the latest release from Acqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo line. The fragrance features notes of tangerine, bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, cedar, fig nectar, pink pepper, jasmine, fig wood, musk and cedar.
Fico di Amalfi starts with dry, very tart citrus. The fig comes on as the citrus settles, but it is subtle, considerably more so than in my all time favorite of favorites (in the fig category, that is), Diptyque Philosykos. As in Philosykos, the fig is dry and woody, and does not have a particularly foody feel. Fico di Amalfi is a bit less green, and has a nice kick of pink pepper over the woody base…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
3 June 2005
Eau des Garrigues is another fragrance from the Naturals line at Fragonard (see yesterday's Cerisier en Fleurs). It was released in 1997, and features notes of fig tree, bergamot, neroli, magnolia, honeysuckle, freesia, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and oakmoss.
Eau des Garrigues starts with fig and citrus. The fig is strong in the top notes, but the sweetness is minimal at most: it does smell more like fig leaves than the fruit…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
13 February 2005
As a finale to the fig-fest of the last couple of days, here are some brief impressions of other fig perfumes I've tried. A few of these I like very much, but none come close to the perfection of Diptyque's Philosykos (the subject of yesterday's rave).
Body Time Green Fig Oil: VERY green, and VERY figgy. Almost too much of a good thing for me, but it is a great layering scent. Very reasonably priced.
Carthusia Io Capri: A fig & tea scent, but the fig is very subdued, and it is very soapy on the dry down. Not my favorite…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
12 February 2005
As a followup to yesterday’s post about fig fragrances, I’d like to blather on about Diptyque Philosykos, one of my favorite perfumes and certainly a contender for inclusion in my personal desert island Top 10. Created by Olivia Giacobetti and released in 1996, Philosykos is fig with green notes and a woody-earthy base. It smells like the whole fig grove, including the trees and the warm earth, and while the fig note itself is sweet and creamy, the sweetness is tempered by other notes and is never overwhelming.
Philosykos was included in one of the first sample orders I made after becoming seriously interested in perfume, and I pretty much hated it at first sniff…
Read the rest of this article »
