Givenchy & Liv Tyler Make Rosy Sweet Music Together

Givenchy has released a new version of Very Irresistible for Spring 2012, Electric Rose, on counters this month. Kind of a tricky name, if you ask me, as the rose in this perfume is actually soft, gently fruity and sweet. The gorgeous and stunning Liv Tyler rocks the house in the new single and video she released along with Givenchy to accompany the perfume. But the perfume is more Arwen from Lord Of The Rings than tough rocker babe. Needless to say, I love it. 

Very Irresistible Electric Rose is fresh and airy, very easy to wear and smells like you've taken a bath in a forest stream full of rose petals. Really. The gentle berry and citrus notes keep the rose from being too powdery, and the dry down is sweetly sexy, with cedar and musk. This is a simple scent, not too complicated or strange, and easy to wear. Electric Rose will be a perfect warm weather perfume and will make you smell lovely, not "perfumed". People will want to know who smells so pretty, not who is responsible for their migraine or sneezing fit. I am actually so surprised, in a good way, as the ad copy for Very Irresistible Electric Rose had me expecting something loud and possibly nose-hair singeing. Not so....at all. This is a perfume for strong perfume haters, and would actually be perfect for a young girl. And not in a cupcake teeth curling sugary way. Just a fresh gentle good smelling way. I don't usually categorize scents, but something in this is bringing back memories of something I wore as a teenager. And I like it.Leave a comment on this post to be entered in a draw for a bottle of Givenchy Very Irresistible Electric Rose. Draw ends at 6pm on May 4th, 2012.

Givenchy Very Irresistible Electric Rose is exlusive to Macy's in the US, and at The Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora in Canada. Maybe Sephora in the US too, but I'm not sure.

The draw is closed- thanks to all who read commented and entered! The winner is Tamara J! My email is here.

Kiehl's Gardenia Perfume Oil is a Rare Beauty

No gardenias here...enjoy the hibiscus...

Its always a bummer when something we love is taken off the shelves. There are countless perfumes that have been discontinued and there is usually only one reason for this- sales. So I suppose the beautiful, soft and lush Kiehls Gardenia Oil was not a big seller for them. Pity, because to my nose it is one of the prettiest gardenia scents I have ever worn. It seems Kiehl's has decided to stick to their signature musk for their perfume- which is a beauty on it's own. I love Kiehl's Musk & wear it often.

Beautiful authentic gardenia perfumes are rare- it takes literally thousands of kilos of gardenias to extract just one kilo of gardenia absolute. There are lots of gardenia "types" and combos that usually feature tuberose as the star scent. But gardenia is more gentle than tuberose and to my nose, more intoxicating. I have a few that I love and wear- Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia, is one, and while it is stunning, it is mostly tuberose. Frederic Malle Carnal Flower is another stunner but I feel its more tuberose and green notes but definitely worth trying. Gorgeous. Tuberose tends to add a sweet yummy almost bubble gum note to perfumes- gardenia is more tart. Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia is a soft simple scent with some spices and tea notes with a touch of sweet gardenia that makes it quite pleasant and easy to wear. Another one of my bedtime perfumes.

Kiehls Gardenia was one I tried a few years ago and didn't buy. One of those I tried at the store, then didn't realize I loved it until I was home. By the time I decided to buy it, it was disappearing from the shelves. I finally got a little vial and well, of course I adore it. It is soft and sweet, but without the coconut beach notes that often makes gardenia perfumes too sweet. It has just enough green to be fresh and because it is an oil perfume, it wears very close to the skin. You have to snuggle in pretty closely to smell it...mmm. Although this gardenia is so lovely I wouldn't mind a little more volume - it must be lovely if I'm left wanting more. Gardenia is a feminine beautiful scent and you can't help but feel a little glam when you wear it. I imagine myself heading off to a candlelit dinner by the beach....with bare shoulders, my hair in sultry waves and a lush gardenia tucked behind one ear.

I was talking to my friend Tara last night- she lives in Florida and has these huge gardenia shrubs in her yard. When they are in bloom, she told me she fills every room in her house with vases of gardenia blossoms. Doesn't that sound sublime? I think I could move to Florida just for the flowers. Because I know she also has jasmine in her backyard. I haz jealous

No one wore a gardenia in their hair better than Billie....

So there are some simple gardenias out there to try. Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia for sure, Penhaligon's Gardenia is quite pretty, simple and elegant. Kai perfume is a tart green gardenia, and Floris Gardenia is simple soapy and feminine. I have not tried Isabey Gardenia but it sounds sublime and is on my hit list. For a cheap thrill? Believe or not, Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia. I read somewhere that her Gardenia scent was created as somewhat as an homage to her favourite perfume, Tuvache Jungle Gardenia - you must read this post about this most legendary of gardenia perfumes. I tried Elizabeth Taylor's Gardenia ages ago and kind of forget what it smells like but I plan to grab a bottle next time I see one. I tried Caswell Massey Gardenia and it was too thin and alcohol-y for me. Another one I want to try is Santa Maria Novella Gardenia- I love their perfumes and somehow think they would do gardenia well. So tell me- what are YOUR favourite gardenia scents? I'd love to hear more about my floral scent obsession du jour.

The Classic Beauty, Dior Diorella

The new "Les Créations de Monsieur Dior" collection

The house of Christian Dior has many beautiful perfumes that span generations. They are not all my taste- but how boring would the world be if we all liked the same perfumes, right? The iconic Diorissimo, is the worlds best known and prettiest, in my humble opinion, Lily of The Valley perfume. It was worn by many women over my lifetime and has only the sweetest memories attached. And who can forget the killer Dior Poison? Probably one of the most memorable perfumes to come out of the 80s, and how terrific is that name? For a perfume- fantastic! It can be nuclear strength if applied with abandon, but on my beautiful and elegant cousin Jean, who must just gently dab it, it smells other worldly and beautiful. 

Vintage Diorella: I fondly recall the Dior houndstooth plaid bottles on my mother's dresser...

One of my most favourite masculines has always been Dior Eau Sauvage- smells both rich and quiet and adds instant elegance and panache to the man wearing it. Simple and unadorned, yet decidedly identifiable, the world would be a better place if more men wore Eau Sauvage. Just sayin'... The dry beautiful green chypre Miss Dior, which my mother wore, will always smell like grown up ladies in lipstick, with pretty silk scarves and leather handbags. Even the sweet Miss Dior Cherie (recently re-named Miss Dior...oh how they confound and confuse us with this nonsense....) while not for me, is a lovely strawberry delight that smells snuggly and delicious on my 15 year old. I can't fault a perfume house for evolving and creating perfumes that will appeal to everyone. Snobbery in perfume is a bit tedious. We don't all start out wearing Shalimar at ten years old...and if you did, well, you might want to open your mind a little and realize there is, indeed, a perfume for everyone.

Rene Gruau did the iconic ads for Dior perfumes. How chic is this woman?

Dior recently re-released a collection of the classics under the name "Les Créations de Monsieur Dior" and even with restrictions on things like jasmine, sandalwood and oakmoss (and who knows what else) I think they have done a lovely job of recreating the originals we loved so much. Diorella was launched in 1972 and was a departure from the heavy florals and orientals that dominated women's perfumes in the previous decades. It is a soft floral chypre, with gentle fruity floral notes grounded by the subtle yet sexy mossy notes so well loved in 70s perfumery. Mmmmm. Love.

Rene Gruau's ad for the sexy-clean-in-a-French-way (dirty clean) Eau Sauvage

Diorella is based on a simple cologne with the lemon, lime and basil notes but Dior added florals to give it a feminine touch. The heart notes include gentle honeysuckle, jasmine, and rose which are tempered by a yummy peach note to keep them bubbly and light. Add the base of rich oak moss, a touch of smoky vetiver and some sexy patchouli and you have a cocktail of delight on the skin. It performs as an invigorating post shower eau de cologne for day, staying close to the skin with the citrus notes so cheering and uplifting. As the day cools into evening (or in cooler weather) the sultry base notes come forward and warm on the skin, making those around you wonder who smells so damn good. All the while, the sweet floral notes keep it decidedly feminine and temper the fruity effervescent top notes and the woody, mossy smoky green basenotes. Perfection. 

Topnotes are like the morning- crisp, clear & bright....

The pretty floral heart notes are warm like a sun filled field....

The mossy, smoky woody base notes warm beautifully on the skin like a cashmere wrap at night....

It does not smell anything like the average fruity floral on offer at perfume counters these days. At. All. It does not have the cloying synthetic musk note that every other perfume has these days, that makes them all smell the same and makes me want to run screaming from crowded elevators and movie theatres. One of my beloved perfumes is a discontinued Creed, Aubepine Acacia, and I do think the gorgeous Diorella can fill its shoes. And then some...

The Gorgeousness of Ivoire de Balmain

Most people describe Ivoire de Balmain as "soapy" or "clean". I suppose it is those things, but to simply describe it as that would be like calling Ottawa in January as "cold". Ivoire is, to me, a gorgeous meditation on warm, sexy skin. It was released in 1980, and is described as a Green Floral, but it is not an 80s bomb. It definitely has more the of 70s modern, clean & still very sexy vibe yet you can feel the 80s mega ingredient list making it's way in there. 

But it never goes where perfumes like Giorgio and Poison go, which is TOP VOLUME. Ivoire never put on her shoulder pads, and never teased her hair. She kept her slinky wide leg pants and silky blouses, and her centre parted soft and sexy hair. It does have the Kitchen Sink list of notes that can works beautifully. Here are some notes that I've assembled from various points the web:

Top notes: green accord, galbanum, bergamot, lemon, aldehydes

Heart notes: Lily of the valley, rose, hyacinth, jasmine, carnation, orris, orchid, geranium

Base notes: Cedar, musk, oakmoss, amber, raspberry, sandalwood

Eau de Toilette, gorgeous, & what I wear...

Vintage parfum, stunning if you can find it...

The galbanum top note is particularly interesting. The class Balmain scent, Vent Vert, in it's vintage formulation, is known for its uber doses of galbanum. Perhaps Ivoire was an ode to Balmain history? It is a somewhat "old fashioned" note in that you just don't see it in modern perfumery very much. Galbanum is a peculiar note, and smells, off the top, a bit bitter and acrid, then can go quite green, spicy, woody and balsam like. It can be reminiscent of pine, evergreen, parsely, sour green apples,  musk or simply just "intensely green". Hello, mama, sign me up. I often get a "skanky" accord from galbanum and to me that just reads as sexy. If Ivoire is soapy, it is only soap covering up warm, sexy skin, like skin right out of a post-rendevous bath, perhaps. 

Once the galbanum naughty notes dissipate, the warm florals start to come out. The extreme sweetness that could come from the florals are tempered by the citrus top notes and galbanum, so the florals come out sweet but somehow are perfectly balanced. Then...this is the best part. The woody mossy base is simply to die for. I'm not sure what the oak moss deal is with Ivoire - real? Old stock would mean real oak moss for sure. I've yet to smell an Ivoire I don't like so from where I stand the oak moss question is a mystery. Add some warm sweet amber and then, this is the kicker- sandalwood and raspberry. Fruits in the base add up to simply gorgeous in Ivoire. The woody dry down of Ivoire goes on for hours on my skin and is so rich, sexy and mysterious I can't get enough of it. I get compliments on it constantly but only from people who I greet with a hug or stand close to. It is not a loud projecting scent at all, but nor is it a quiet mouse of a scent. To my nose it is drop dead femininity in a bottle. If squeaky clean is white, then something not-quite-clean is ivory....

Ivoire is one of my Top 10 favourite perfumes of all time and always will be. Inexplicably it is still available for a song online, and I mean a big bottle for under $40. If anything I have written here appeals to you, get yourself some now.

Floris Snow Rose, A Beautiful Cool & Gentle Rose

I have been coming back around to rose scents lately. Interesting, rose is often associated in aromatherapy with "women's issues" and helping to balance moods. That's not to say men can't benefit from the calming and soothing benefits of the scent of rose, but I notice when there are fluctuations of the hormonal kind I often crave rose. In my powdery scent post, I mentioned my love for Talco Delicato. Floris Snow Rose offers a similar feel- gentle, powdery with a soft babyish musk. 

If you are familiar with Rochas Tocade, the iconic & beautiful rose vanilla perfume created by the wonderful Maurice Roucel, imagine Snow Rose as her sweet baby sister. If you aren't familiar with Tocade and love rose & vanilla, get some- stat! Snow Rose is clean and easy to wear with gentle notes of rose, jasmine, vanilla, musk and sandalwood. It is a calming scent and so aptly named. It has little hints of green freshness that shine through, like a little ray of sunshine in this cool powdery scent.

It is missing the violet note that is common in a lot of rose scents- I love violet but the rose-violet combo evokes lipstick and while lovely, not always what I want. Violet -rose scents like L'Artisan Parfumeur Drole de Rose and Frederic Malle's perfectly named Lipstick Rose come to mind. Rose and patchouli is also common- the "dark rose"- in perfumes like L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses and Stella McCartney Stella. These are gorgeous but again, not what my sensitive nose has been craving. Then there are bombshell roses like YSL Paris. I love that too and wore it for years but again, looking for soft roses here...Simple rose soliflores can be lovely but for some reason they can end up with a sour note I cannot abide.

Floris Snow Rose is simply pretty and lovely. I adore it, and have received compliments each time I wear it. It is a snuggly skin scent, and could easily work in warm or cool weather. This has earned a top rating in my collection. Sadly, it was a limited edition perfume for Floris. I found it at a discounter, so keep your eyes peeled. It pops up from time to time. There are also a few on eBay right now. Worth getting if you are a rose perfume lover.

Puredistance 1 Is A Rich Floral Beauty

As a lover of floral scents I knew I had to try the Puredistance house.  They may at first seem ridiculously exclusive and that they are taking themselves far too seriously. I mean, the Crystal Column alone is enough to make one shake their head and say WUT.  The perfume comes in an elegant glass tube, which I quite like, but there is a holder available- from their website, "Limited Edition Crystal Column 'Clear Crystal & Gold' (no perfume spray included)

A timelessly beautiful accessory designed to hold a Puredistance Perfume Spray, this jewel is made with great craftsmanship by Swarovski exclusively for Puredistance. The column is handmade and only obtainable in limited numbers. A serial number is engraved making each piece unique." This can be yours for $2,270 US. Don't worry though, you can get one without the gold for $1670 US. I'm saying this tongue in cheek, of course. Some people take their beautiful perfume very seriously, and having a precious vessel to protect their gorgeous product makes perfect sense. Luxury is luxury, and as the French proverb says, " It is impossible to overdo luxury". The presentation of this line is nothing short of gorgeous, and if elegant is what you are looking for, well, Puredistance is your line.

It all seems a bit much, yet I was quite hopeful based on the provenance of this Dutch company. The perfumer, Annie Buzantian, is responsible for such perfumes as Estee Lauder Pleasures and Sensuous, which are both lovely perfumes, Pleasures being an Estee Lauder Groundbreaker as far as genres go. She also created Ralph Lauren Pure Turquoise, which I really liked, one of the clean green & ever so slightly floral scents I love so much. Ms. Buzantian has an experienced, discerning nose and created the Puredistance line for herself, holding nothing back, sparing no expense and going for unabashed luxury.

But, no worries dear reader. Upon first sniff of Puredistance 1, I knew I was dealing with A Serious Perfume.  Vienna-based niche brand Puredistance launched their first perfume, Puredistance 1, in 2008, and it was billed as “the world’s most exclusive fragrance concept”. One of the world’s most exclusive fragrances, Puredistance 1 was created (initially as her own, Private Masterpiece) by renowned Master Perfumer Annie Buzantian in New York: understated elegance in its purest form.

 It is classified as an Oriental Floral and here are the ingredients as listed on the Puredistance website: Fresh Tangerine Blossom, Cassis, Neroli Bigarade, Magnolia, Rose Wardia, Jasmine, Natural Mimosa, Sweet Amber, Vetiver, White Musk. It is a true perfume extrait which is why it is only available in 17.5 vials. It is rich and concentrated and a teensy drop is all you need.

This is a rich perfume that calls for a light hand. There is a touch of oddness in the slightly ozonic notes but these notes serve to fill the perfume with an airy float-y feeling. The fruity top notes are chewy and delicious and slowly fade into the background while the rich creamy floral notes begin to glow. Again, this is Perfume, and if you are looking for something light and fluffy, then move on, Puredistance is for someone able to wear Perfume with a capital P. Again, the odd ozonic notes keep the floral and fruity notes from becoming unbearably sweet. Like a fresh breeze blown through a dense bouquet. The elegant dry down of green vetiver and amber is slow to appear and settles into the skin like a powder. The musk I smell is only in hints, and it is teeny hints of a slightly dirty musk, which only serves to add a grown up and sensual feeling to this scent. It lasts forever on me and only gets richer and prettier as time goes by.

Puredistance has been very well received by the perfume world of reviewers and one can read glowing reviews all over the internet by people who know this craft much better than I. I am speaking as a lover and wearer of perfume and I can see this scent becoming a special occasion staple for me. The presentation of the perfume vial is so gorgeous, with the vial resting in a leather satin lined box protecting the precious liquid gold, making this an idea special occasion gift. In my opinion this would make a stunning and perfect wedding scent/gift. Next, I have to try Puredistance Antonia. It sounds divine...

Puredistance perfumes and accessories are available on their website e-store