Posted by Robin
on
25 April 2013
La Collection de Grasse is a new quartet of fragrances from L’Occitane, all of them developed by the house’s newly announced in-house perfumer Karine Dubreuil. On Tuesday I reviewed Jasmin & Bergamote and Magnolia & Mûre; today, Vanille & Narcisse and Thé Vert & Bigarade.
Vanille & Narcisse
blackcurrant, bergamot, narcissus, gardenia, vanilla and tonka bean
Vanille & Narcisse is the floriental of the collection, and was probably the one I had the least interest in before I smelled the set, but I’d say it’s the best (and the most unusual) of the four, and the only one I would be tempted to buy — if these weren’t so expensive (see the end of last Tuesday’s review for a discussion of the price). The opening is bright, the dry down is a spicy, medium-weight creamy floral that earns the “sensual, enveloping skin scent” of Dubreuil’s description. I would never have noticed the gardenia were it not listed in the notes…
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Posted by Jessica
on
2 January 2011
I can’t believe it’s been nearly three years since I wrote a post about vanilla lotions, with suggestions for fragrance layering; but time has indeed flown, and the new year seems like as good a time as any to revisit some favorite themes. I still agree with my own recommendations from that earlier post, and now I can add another half-dozen ideas for products that feature vanilla, often mixed with other notes for results that may also appeal to the non-vanilla-lovers among us.
First, an option that’s traditional all around: Caswell-Massey Vanilla Orchid Hand & Body Lotion (above center), from the venerable toiletries company. Even though its name mentions the flower of the vanilla plant, this is a rich gourmand vanilla with a caramel note. If you’re really in the mood for some head-to-toe vanilla-bean sweetness, you could also try the matching shower gel, dusting powder, and Eau de Toilette. ($17, currently on sale for $12.75, at the Caswell-Massey website)
I have a weakness for certain high-end natural lines, and since I already loved certain skincare and haircare products from this company, it wasn’t surprising that I fell for John Masters Blood Orange and Vanilla Body Milk (above right). This light lotion is packed with antioxidant-rich oils, soothing botanicals like comfrey leaf, and extracts of vanilla, honeysuckle, blood orange oil, and grapefruit peel oil for fragrance. It smells like a Creamsicle…
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Posted by Robin
on
14 September 2010
Eau Duelle is Diptyque’s new unisex fragrance. The description — a fragrance that follows vanilla on its journey along the spice route — and the notes1 both sounded perfect. I’m fond of Diptyque, anyway: I love the vintage-look black and white packaging, and they happen to make two of my favorite reading-in-bed perfumes of all time: Philosykos and Tam Dao.
When I reviewed their last fragrance, Vetyverio, I noted that it started “out bright and fresh and energetic”, and that the dry down was “an exercise in subtlety”. The trajectory here is quite similar. Eau Duelle’s opening is vibrant: it smells just like a vanilla gin martini with a twist of citrus peel. Then the spices come on fast, with a lovely overload of cardamom, and shortly after that there is a nice whiff of black tea and a whoosh of incense.
Then it all sort of quiets down…
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Posted by Jessica
on
6 February 2010
You don’t have to be obsessive-compulsive to worry about germs these days. It’s cold season, it’s flu season, and worse yet, now we have to fear the H1N1 virus (“swine flu”) too. Accordingly, sales of antibacterial soaps and hand gels have risen dramatically in recent months. However, there are some problems with mass-market antibacterial products: the ones with triclosan pose possible health concerns, and the ones with too much alcohol leave your hands dry and cracked, and thus vulnerable to all kinds of irritation and infection.
For these reasons, not to mention the harsh window-cleaner smell of so many drugstore antibacterial products, I’ve long preferred alternatives like EO Hand Sanitizer. Lately, I’m even more pleased with the new Hand Purifier from Intelligent Nutrients. It’s a gel product (rather than a liquid that runs down your wrists and onto the front of your winter coat when you try to apply it on the go), and it feels like a lightweight hand lotion…
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Posted by Robin
on
8 September 2009
Vanilla & Anise is new from Jo Malone; it’s meant to “…evoke the moment that vanilla orchids bloom at day-break in Madagascar”, Madagascar being the world’s largest producer of vanilla.
Vanilla & Anise starts out bright and citrusy. It’s slightly sharp in the early stages, and very fresh. Patty at Perfume Posse found it melon-y aquatic, but I hardly noticed until I sprayed it on paper. On skin (my skin, anyway), the fresh notes pass by in a flash. It sweetens up quickly but it never gets more than slightly sweet, and the vanilla is balanced by a slightly bitter edge in the mostly transparent florals: it reminds me of wildflowers more than tropical florals (the notes: bergamot, neroli, wild fennel flower, star anise, oleander, tuberose, frangipani, purple vanilla orchid, clove, white amber, vetiver, vanilla bourbon absolute and tonka bean). The licorice notes are subtle, and the base is pale and woody, and just slightly earthy…
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