Your Favorite Things: The Most Coveted Fragrances
by Alison Blackman
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with string
These are a few of my favorite things
I’m not sure what Rodgers and Hammerstein were thinking of when they wrote those lyrics, but I know that If those “brown paper packages tied up with string ” contain coveted fragrance, they’re some of my favorite things, and probably yours, as well.
Finding the right fragrance for yourself, or for giving as a gift, is tricky. I can’t suggest every fragrance available, so I’m suggesting some that will appeal to different personalities (and budgets). I’m also including the noses (the people I consider “rocks stars) of the fragrance world as much as possible.
Which of these will be your most coveted fragrance? One of your favorite things?
“Boucheron Paris Eau de Parfum” by Interparfums is celebrated as a lovely and luxurious fragrance.It would take more room than we have to go into as much detail as we’d like about the “histoire” of the famed House of Boucheron that was born in 1858. Suffice to say that their jewels have graced royalty and celebrities such as Joséphine Baker, Grace Kelly, Gwen Stefani, Nicole Kidman, and Anne Hathaway, just to name a few.
But in 1998, noses Francis Deleamont and Jean-Pierre Bethouard created the signature Boucheron fragrance . Boucheron is by now, a floriental classic, stunning visually (and for the senses) and a showpiece with its distinctive bottle and shiny cabochon blue jewel and gold rimmed cap. The iconic bottle has been coveted not just by perfume fanatics, but collectors.
The feeling of this fragrance is full-out elegance, multi-faceted and sophisticated. A sexy, exotic floral with a and a base that lingers. The top notes are orange blossom, mandarin but it’s the middle notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang, and tuberose that add undeniable femininity. The base of amber and vanilla add sensuality but in the way of a lady–never gaudy or garish.
Boucheron Femme EDP 3.3oz $136.00 / 1.7oz $106.00 Available at Macy’s, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus
Vince Camuto is known for fashion. The fragrance bottles featuring the brand’s filigree cap, crest medallion, and colorful packaging are among the prettiest on the market(collectors take note). Bring a bit of Spring into the holidays with a fragrance from The Vince Camuto Women’s Fragrance Collection, inspired freshly picked garden flowers. Each of the four fragrances features a distinct element of the modern woman’s multifaceted personality.
If the full 3.4 oz. bottle ($85) is over your budget for any of these beautiful fragrances, or if you travel, I like rollerballs. I sampled Capri Vince Camuto Eau de Parfum Rollerball ($22 0.2 fl. oz. ,(nose is Richard Herpin). This lovely fragrance bathed in blue light second from left in our photo is a light fruity floral with peach blossom and violet flower, musk and vanilla. When it dries down a pleasing, fresh, feminine scent is evocative of the waters surrounding the Mediterranean island of Capri. If you can’t get to Capri, at least you can wear an evocative fragrance, or bring the memory back if you’ve been. How romantic! Buy Vince Camuto at online retailers and department stores like Macys
Celebutante Paris Hilton has had her ups and downs, but she’s been very successful when it comes to fragrance. Paris Hilton Gold Rush is her 20th one! You can tell immediately that the bottle evokes Hollywood red carpet glamor, but the press literature says it’s evocative of “old Hollywood glamor.”
Gold Rush is packaged in a holographic shiny gold carton, inside is an elegant and whimsical bottle with a shiny gold bustier top which turned around, is a heart., The flacon is a long evening gown shirt in clear glass. cute!
The fragrance is billed as “oriental, fruity .” I didn’t think it was that spicy, but surprisingly, I did note the significant bottom notes first: vanilla, praline, and cashmere woods. The top is made of Lemon Zest, Bergamot,and Juicy Nectarine but they’re just a bit player, and the floral heart of Velvet Orchid, Rose, and Violet is the ingenue, peeking through the curtain at the bottom notes. Upon drydown I’d call this a “gourmand lite” scent. It feels pretty and not too heavy. It’s a “come closer and sniff me” scent for a young at heart, evening scent. Gold Rush Eau de Parfum Spray (3.4 fl oz.) $60.00. Eau de Parfum Spray (1.0 fl oz.) $32.00 and we spied this gift set with tote bag ($60)at HSN (Perfumania has a gift set as well). Get Paris Hilton Gold Rush at retailers nationwide.
Lalique recently launched Les Compositions Parfumées Lalique, a new collection of five luxury perfumes based on metal alloys and precious metals: Bronze, Electrum, Zamak, Silver and Gold. Despite the gorgeous crystal objets d’art that are associated with Lalique, Rene Lalique began his career as a jeweler. Therefore, it’s fitting that this collection scents are an homage to a “blend of metals melting together, as the perfumery’s raw materials come together in beautiful and unique scents.”
If you want to know more about how each of these notes are related to the various the metals, visit the Les Compositions Parfumees Lalique Page at Neiman Marcus Which of these wins your heart?
Electrum (nose is Mylene Alran) ~ floral chypre; with bergamot, freesia, pear, rose, jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, amber, and musk. (a sophisticated fruited floral but the amber and must have staying power)
Zamak (nose is Dorothée Piot) ~ spicy woody oriental; with bergamot, tangerine, pink pepper, orange blossom, freesia, nutmeg, cedar, leather and vanilla. (strong and sumptuous, almost incense-y, easily unisex, exotic).
Bronze (nose is Richard Ibanez): Rose, Lily of the Valley, Violet, Tuberose, Orange Blossom, Musk, Amber, Vanilla (bright, floral, fresh and feminine)
Silver (nose is Sidonie Lancesseur) ~ chypre leather; with cardamom, lemon, thyme, galbanum, vetiver, leather, Patchouli and cistus. (a surprising scent that’s green, herbal and definitely easily unisex).,
Gold (nose is Sidonie Lancesseur) – true oriental with vanilla, bergamot, lemon, iris, jasmine, lily of the valley, benzoin, Patchouli and Vanilla). Significant and spicy, exotic!
Lalique Les Compositions Parfumées Bronze, Electrum, Zamak, Silver and Gold, are available now at Neiman Marcus, $250 each for 100 ml Eau de Parfum
I’m tempted to call Krigler the “King of Oud” as the brand has many different and unique choices in this olfactory category. But Krigler’s Oud for Highness 75 (part of the Royal Collection) is a sophisticated unisex oriental built around rare Oud, sensual woods, watery top notes and natural florals that isn’t too spicy, too heavy or too “in your face.” It’s more warm cashmere blanket than spangled jacket The actual notes are Oud, Amber, Honey, Saffron, Sandalwood, Patchouli. Strong at first, the scent smooths down and stays on your skin warming you with the soft spice for hours.
Australia seems to have a lot of all natural beauty products, and one that the advicesisters has reviewed in the past and liked is Jurlique. A classic feminine scent is that of roses. The Jurlique Essence of Rose Roll-on Fragrance Oil ($22 at Jurlique.com) is made with Jurlique’s very own organically grown Rosa Gallica. It is a 100% natural fragrance and it’s alcohol-free. The scent really is authentic tea rose with a hint of spice in it. That’s rare these days as many inexpensive rose oils just don’t smell like the real thing. Even better, it is strong and lasting. The rollerball is travel-friendly at 0.33 fl. oz. This is a lovely gift for a girl or woman of any age.
