Posted by Robin
on
2 July 2009

Yves Rocher will launch So Elixir, a new perfume for women, in September. The company hopes So Elixir will “raise its glamour quotient”.
So Elixir was developed by perfumers Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier; the notes for the woody floral…
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Posted by Robin
on
29 June 2009

Next month, Bvlgari launches Blv Eau de Parfum II, a new fragrance for women fronted by model Laetitia Casta (see image after the jump) and “inspired by a modern vision of the colour blue”.
Blv Eau de Parfum II was developed by perfumer Jacques Cavallier, and the notes feature violet, star anise, licorice, mandarin, iris absolute, patchouli, vetiver, benzoin, ambergris, cistus flower and musk…
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Posted by Kevin
on
23 October 2008

New fragrances are released each day…and I’ll never be able to keep up with the perfumed deluge. I have an uncomplicated method of deciding what I’ll review: I review fragrances I love; I review fragrances I despise (these scents are much more fun to write about than “average” and “ho-hum” scents); I review “hot” fragrances that are expected to attract lots of attention and sell well; and finally, I sometimes review what Robin here at Now Smell This tells me to review — “sometimes” because Robin is in no way, shape or form a Simon(e) Legree-type person! The fragrances I’m reviewing today merge in the Robin-“hot” nexus. I’m not going to torture myself (and use three weeks of my NST space) to review these scents separately; today, and in the future, I’ll kill three birds with one stone in a “trio” review.
Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme
Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme is described by Gucci as “a modern chypre” and it contains bergamot, cypress, violet, tobacco, jasmine, patchouli, amber and elemi. Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme starts with that tired-and-true combo of bergamot and cypress, then there’s a sharp shot of violet (leaf?) and some resinous-citrus-y elemi. Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme ends with crystalline musk and amber and if you strain your nostrils you’ll detect some tobacco. This “modern” chypre is pretty dull to my nose…
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Posted by Robin
on
17 September 2008
Yves Rocher has launched Tendre Jasmin, the latest in the Secrets d'Essences collection (see Voile d'Ambre, Rose Absolue, Iris Noir), under the tag line “innocently sexy by nature”.
Tendre Jasmin was developed by perfumer Jacques Cavallier, and the notes include jasmine, mandarin, citron, orange blossom and mimosa…
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Posted by Robin
on
29 July 2008

Magnifique is the latest fragrance for women from Lancôme, and it launches this month under the tag line “You are unique; you are Magnifique”. The celebrity spokesperson is Anne Hathaway; the perfumers are Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier; the spicy woody scent is intended as “an olfactive interpretation of red”.
I will start by admitting that I'm not a huge fan of the Lancôme fragrance line. Offhand, I can't think of a single scent in their current range that I've any interest in wearing other than the lovely Mille et Une Roses, and I'm not even sure that is still being sold. Hypnôse, their last major launch for women, did not appeal to me at all. The name Magnifique — am I the only one who thinks of mascara or a hair care product when I hear Magnifique? And who finds “You are unique; you are Magnifique” downright cheesy?
Still, anything that continues the current “woods for women” trend is welcome…
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