Annick Goutal Songes Has Me Dreaming of Jasmine

Annick Goutal Songes is a deeply sexy and lush jasmine perfume. For over-the-top, stiletto heels & red lipstick sexy, Annick Goutal Passion is really the queen, but Songes is the queen of sultry summer perfumes that are bursting with white florals and hot skin. I'd say sweaty skin, but that's not quite poetic enough for an Annick Goutal perfume. I prefer the more floral eau de toilette to the more vanillic eau de parfum. Songes is like a steamy hot summer day, the kind that makes you want to move slowly, and perhaps not at all. The word that comes to mind is "languid". 

...the sweet life, indeed

Songes starts out by coming on to you in the most shameless way. She is not hiding her ripe & succulent jasmine, ylang and frangipani, but instead sheds everything and just lies back on a bed overflowing with intoxicating white flowers. Slowly the warm cushy scent of gentle vanilla wafts up from the lush bed of flowers, adding a sweet and edible aspect that makes you want to bury your nose in this scent. Songes was allegedly inspired by a walk through an exotic garden on the island of Mauritius at night fall. As the air cools, the heat from the gardens rise and the tantalizing scent of tropical flowers surround you like a spell. You will need to find a slowly swaying hammock in a cool shady forrest, and lie down, while you float away on a jasmine-y cloud of flowers.

Night blooming jasmine; cestrum nocturnum

What makes Annick Goutal Songes sexy is that it comes on strong then pulls back a little. The heady and seductive scent that draws you in slowly subsides and becomes part of your skin, meaning if anyone wants to smell it, they will have to get close. And because the air is sweltering, getting closer will only make things, well, hotter. Best place to wear it? As Chanel would say, wear perfume where you want to be kissed.

Lierac Sensorielle: Body Oil For The Senses

Lierac is a French beauty line created in 1975 by a French dermatologist, Dr Leon Cariel, and is designed to help with aesthetic skincare issues.. I'd read about their products  and had been keen to try them, but the one product I was dying to try was unavailable until recently. Thank the beauty gods for bestowing Lierac Sensorielle Sensory Oil with 3 Flowers upon Canada. I first read about this on Best Things In Beauty, and, knowing that CharlestonGirl loves all things delicate and white floral as much as I do, I had. To. Have. It. Well, now it is mine!

I feel like Jane of The Jungle...grrrr

Lierac Sensorielle is a multi use oil, perfect for skin and hair. Their website says you can use it on your face but I think that would only be useful for the driest of skin. This oil is based on four precious botanical oils: argan, hazelnut, sweet almond, and grape seed. All of these are amazing for skincare and have amazing conditioning and moisturizing properties. It feels light yet rich on the skin, and sinks right in, leaving the softest and silkiest skin behind. Used after a good exfoliating session in the shower you will have glowing skin that smells like an intoxicating yet delicate blend of jasmine, camellia, gardenia. Simply gorgeous, it makes me think of that famously heady jungle gardenia scent that has been tamed. 

I also love to apply Sensorielle at bedtime - I swear the soothing aroma of a southern garden encourages sweet dreams. I don't know if it is officially a "dry oil" but it does absorb beautifully, with no greasy feeling left behind on the skin. I also love to take a few drops and rub them into the ends of my hair to smooth, add shine and the soft scent of those hypnotic 3 flowers. 

Cleopatra loved her milky baths...

One thing I haven't done yet is add it to bathwater. Lierac's website says that when added to bath water, Sensorielle transforms into a softening and protective milk. I can only imagine how delicious a Sensorielle scented bath experience would be. That is next on my list. If you are a lover of skin oils, like Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse for example, I strongly suggest you search out the Lierac Sensorielle Sensory Oil with 3 Flowers. You won't regret it.

UPDATE: I have since used the Lierac Sensorielle Oil in my bath. It turned my bath water into a milky delight that smelled like flowers, just as lovely as I expected.

Lierac is available at pharmacies, with the 3.4 oz bottle retailing at $34 in the US - click here to find a retailer. The Canadian Lierac site does not seem to come up- I got mine at Rexall Pharma-Plus for $44 for a 3.4 oz bottle. As with many products, it's a better value to purchase this in the US.

My Skin And Hair Are Soft & Smell Like Flowers

My favourite season is upon us. The sun is shining, the air is shimmering in the humidity, and we have no choice but to slow down and enjoy it. And, what could be easier than dressing for summer? A fresh mani-pedi, hair pulled up, lots of sunscreen and soft skin...all you need is a simple sundress, a few dabs of your favourite perfume and you are ready to go. Ok, maybe a little more than that...

So I will share one of my most treasured skincare secrets...I've mentioned it in passing here before but it is so lovely and luxurious I just had to share it again. So you've done everything you need to do, right? Exfoliated to get rid of dry, ashy skin- check. Used a simple & gentle soap ( Dove! ) or a moisturizing shower gel ( L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Shower Cream! ) - check. Applied your daily moisturizer? Make sure your feet are sandal ready ( do I really need to remind you again? ) & your hands have clean, bare nails or a fresh mani. No chips please! Have you had your summer trim & deep conditioning treatment? Because that is a good thing to do before spending time in the sun & humidity, not to mention swimming. 

Now that you have done these things, you need to do one more thing before slipping into that lovely sundress. Get some Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi Use Dry Oil and get it now. There is almost nothing that cannot be made better with a bit of this miraculous multi-tasking nectar. It really is multi use- I use it on my skin and my hair, and it's so effective and incredible it *almost* makes me a better person. It is like pure silk on your skin, and being comprised of 98.1% natural ingredients, there no overly greasy feeling left behind. Your skin drinks it up. And, when applied sparingly to wet hair, it smooths & softens. Now. Can we talk about how it smells please? Nuxe doesn't discuss the scent on their website but here is what I think. Jasmine, orange blossom and honey- otherwise known as heaven.

So. Get some. You're welcome.

Nuxe is available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale in Canada. US shopping information is available here. And, how beautiful is this 20th Anniversary edition bottle?

Describing L'Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Perfume is like Chasing Butterflies

One of my most favourite gentle floral perfumes for warmer days is L'Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons (Chasing Butterflies). It was launched in 1999, and is to me, a perfect representation of the perfume house of L'Artisan Parfumeur. Sheer, delicate and elegant, La Chasse is a summer day in a garden of tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine and lime blossom. It's tuberose for those who find Fracas just  Too Much and who find Jo Malone Orange Blossom just Too Little. The floral notes are beautifully balanced and never ever ever offend. It is delicate and gauzy, just like a butterfly, and if I close my eyes and sniff, I am in a garden on a hot sunny day. Maybe I love La Chasse because it reminds me of my most favourite kind of weather in the whole world? I swear I can even see blue skies when I wear it. There is the tiniest hint of soap in the dry down but nowhere near the soapy levels in, say, Prada Infusion Fleur d'Oranger, which I love, but in a OMG Soap! kind of way. There is no weird musk dry down and when La Chasse goes away it gently flutters away making you wish it would hang around a little longer. That is the one complaint most have with this perfume- that it is too fleeting. I don't have a problem with that, as I simply apply more. I'd rather miss a perfume than wish I could get. It. Off. Now.

It is one of L'Artisan's best sellers, and when I wear it I see why. I want to cover myself in it. I like that it simply smells pretty. It doesn't try to impress with weird trendy notes (oud- I am looking at you) or blow away the competition with killer sillage that fills the room. It just makes you smell pretty. When I wear this, I always get asked what perfume am I wearing. But, only by people who get close enough to smell it.  Which is the way it should be, in my opinion. I know it is unpopular in most perfume circles but honestly. If we all wore monster perfumes we would all be competing for air space and no one could enjoy anything. Don't wear perfume like yours is the only one that matters. Even strong perfumes can be judiciously applied. Share the air. Please.

This is a scent I'd love in my hair. Oscar Blandi has a jasmine shampoo but it is nowhere as pretty as La Chasse. For some reason the thought of a sitting in a butterfly garden, with a breeze blowing through my hair, wafting gentle, transparent and "sparkling" flower notes around me is just so romantic... I would like to go to there please. So today I will spritz some La Chasse aux Papillons, and walk in the sunshine. I am feeling pretty blessed these days. 

Diptyque Voile Satin Is A Luxe & Delicious Body Oil

Diptyque is a gorgeous French perfume house. I have worn some of their perfumes in the past but for some reason I don't have one in my collection presently. Hmmm....must rectify that. Anyways, I recently decided to get some Diptyque Voile Satin (translates to "satin veil"- isn't that lovely?) Body Oil as I kept reading how it was chock full of jasmine and ylang and other lovely floral notes that I love. So on my recent trip to Noor in Toronto (have you been? If not get there ASAP) I wash happy to see Nahla and Fred had it in stock. At first sniff after getting it home, I found it strong for some reason and was afraid I wouldn't wear it. Not sure why, as subsequent sniffs and applications basically have left me swooning. The base of avocado and urucum oil are amazingly rich and emollient, and Voile Satin has that wonderful "dry oil"texture. It is fine textured and melts into the skin, leaving a lovely satin appearance and absolutely beautiful lingering fragrance behind. 

Dewy jasmine... 

Ylang ylang blossom

Saffron

I do smell the delightful and gentle blend of jasmine and ylang but it is the saffron that really adds a something special to that floral confection.  Saffron is a spice with a dusty floral peppery scent, but in perfume I'd say it is more floral than spicy. There is a slight mouth watering character to saffron as well, and it really plays off the jasmine and ylang beautifully, tempering the sweetness with what feels like a creamy gentle amber. I don't think I would use it head to toe as a moisturizer as it does have enough scent to work as a soft perfume. I like to use it strategically...a little on my legs, on my arms and perhaps my decolletage. It gives a gorgeous glow to skin and will be perfect in warmer weather when we ditch the stockings and want our legs to look, well, gorgeous. If I apply it at bedtime, as I am wont to do, I can still smell gentle wafts in the morning. Did I mention it is a hair oil as well? So before I style my towel dried hair, I spritz the palms of my hands with just a bit of oil and pass it through the ends of my hair. It softens and smooths, and the scent is divine. A gentle oil scent I can use head to toe? Yes please. Verdict? LOVE.

Diptyque Voile Satin is around $60 for a 100ml bottle, and is available where Diptyque Body Products are sold, from their website and from Luckyscent.

Thann Jasmine Blossom For Soft Sweet Skin

Continuing in my beloved jasmine theme, I just have to share my latest love & obsession with you beauties. Thann Skincare, which I written about before here, has recently added a Jasmine Blossom Collection to their stellar skincare lineup. I can say honestly, that the scent in their Jasmine Blossom lotion is probably the most beautiful jasmine scent I have encountered. It is absolutely sublime and I am getting the shower cream asap as I can only imagine how gorgeous my master suite will smell after steaming it up with the perfumed deliciousness of the Thann jasmine. 

Thann has managed to find the sweetest, softest, non-idolic jasmine scent out there and add it to a rich & emollient lotion. The jasmine reminds me of the sweet green jasmine scent that I smell in fine quality jasmine tea. With the Thann Jasmine Blossom, you can smell amazing and have soft moisturized skin all at once. I am using it as a rich hand lotion and on the trouble areas like knees and elbows and they are markedly softer and smoother since I started. The lotion is full wonderful magical goodness provided by organic evening primrose oil, shea butter, rice bran oil and organic olive oil. Their signature rice extract softens skin and protects it from antioxidants. 

If you love jasmine and soft skin, get this. I guarantee you will love it. The website is offering a 20% discount if you purchase the lotion and shower cream together, which I highly recommend. They are not inexpensive products, as Thann uses only the finest quality ingredients in their products. And trust me, the minute you feel and smell this, you will become a believer.

Floris Night Scented Jasmine

As you know, I am a lover of jasmine perfumes. I was lucky enough to stumble up a Floris perfume windfall at Winners recently (like a Canadian TJMaxx) and one of my fave finds is Floris Night Scented Jasmine. Floris is an English perfumer that has been around for many years- it was actually founded in 1730 and you can read about the history here. It is a classic perfumery with perfumes often worn and loved by, of course, the Royal Family. I also got one that Princess Diana loved, stay tuned for that  review. 

Floris Perfumes are simple & lovely perfume compositions, nothing groundbreaking or spectacular, but always elegant and easy to wear. I don't always need to have my mind blown by my perfume and sometimes I just want to smell good. I am always careful about not wearing loud or overly strong perfumes, as I really feel perfume is a personal passion and only those who get up close and personal (and passionate? maybe...) can share my perfume. Ok maybe a little projection is ok but lets just say if we're in an elevator together, you won't suffocate. More likely than not, you'll ask me what I am wearing. The bottles are simple and elegant, like the scents, and look lovely sitting on the dresser. 

Night blooming jasmine, aka Queen of The Night, aka Cesstrum Nocturnum

Night Scented Jasmine starts out clean and fresh with green violet leaves. This note if often used in men's colognes and is sweet but not cloying. The green leafy note is almost soapy and a favourite of mine. A touch of blackcurrant adds a soft subtle juicy note that nicely balances the heart of white flowers and makes sure the white flowers aren't overpowering. The heart is busting with flowers like gardenia, iris, jasmine, lily, mimosa, narcissus, rose, ylang ylang but they never overwhelm. There really is a feeling of walking through a lush garden of flowers at night, really quite dewy and fresh. The soft woodsy base of amber, musk, sandalwood and vetiver really ground the sweet floral notes nicely. Easy to wear, and I smell great. Sometimes, that's all I want.

Beautiful Jasmines

Jasmine field in China

Jasmine is my favourite note in perfume and I am constantly searching for a simple, green jasmine that smells sweet and true. Jasmine scents (and other white florals such as orange blossom, gardenia, honeysuckle and lilac) can be tricky as they often contain indolic compounds- hard to explain although Bois de Jasmin does a superb job here- that need to be finely balanced in the dilution of the perfume. Indoles have a narcotic quality that can knock you over if they are too strong. There is also an odd, well, animalic quality to jasmine, a compound that shares a few molecules with horse sweat. I prefer a more gentle sparkling white floral. I know some people who wear animalic type scents beautifully; as I fully believe how we wear perfume is so individual. Our own body chemistry, skin type as well as personal preference of course, dictates what smells good on us. The many years I worked in the perfume industry did teach me a few things about what smells good on what people so I can often suggest or guess perfect perfumes for you if you tell me one or two of your favorites. But, I digress. Jasmine is what we are talking about today.

As time goes on I find myself liking simpler, gentler scents that I wore in the past. Oh, the 80s- remember Giorgio anyone? I would never have thought I would enjoy wearing soliflore scents (soliflores are fragrances replicating the scent of a single flower) as I really enjoy the development of a perfume. The top notes can sparkle and shine, then slowly warm to a lovely gently blooming heart note, and then later, a warm base note develops on my skin. I enjoy the journey a complex perfume takes me on. But lately, I find many contemporary scents are a mish mash of notes, all jammed together in a big crock pot with little or no evolution from top to base. I’m at the perfume counter, feeling overwhelmed by synthetic notes in various levels from tester to tester that after awhile, all smell the same. So lately I’ve taken to wearing simpler scents that I can layer myself, which I find much more satisfying. I can keep it simple if I like, then mix it up when I need something more interesting and complex.

Today I will suggest some of my favorite jasmine scents:

Keiko Mecheri Jasmine

Keiko Mecheri Jasmine: This is simple pretty jasmine. Slightly green and dewy, this one really feels like you are sticking your nose into a lush jasmine bush. It is a delicate scent with a touch of musk in the dry down. A hint of petit grain keep it from being sweeter, although I like sweet, this one is lovely and summery. Very nice and if you are a jasmine lover you should seek this out.

Creed Jasmal

Creed Jasmal: Jasmine and only jasmine. Very clear and green but in the end a little more than I want. Not sweet enough perhaps and too strong, even though it is a soliflore.  It has a watery quality to it that is difficult to describe. This one gets a lot of love though, so it is worth a try. A classic elegant and understated perfume, it was created for Natalie Wood in 1959. I love a perfume with provenance!

By Killian Love and Tears (Surrender)

By Kilian Love & Tears (Surrender): Ok this is not a gentle soliflore, this is JASMINE and lots of it. It is heady and lush, and the word “narcotic” applies here. Love & Tears is a sultry jasmine, and a heartbreaker too. There are other floral notes in here but they are beautifully blended. The odd addition of cypress in this one adds a tenacious green aspect that makes it “chewy” which is one of my favourite qualities in a perfume. That feeling of almost wanting to eat it. Yes, I am a crazy pefumista.

L'Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons

L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons: This one is not a soliflore at all, but it is quite gentle and deliciate and jasmine is the scent that rises above the others in this. Sparkling is another word I would use for this delightful perfume. I adore it and it has been a summer staple for me for years. It is like walking through a garden of jasmine on a hot summer day. There is a “honeyed” aspect to the flowers in this one and you can almost see the butterflies flying by when you wear it. If you have not tried this and you like white florals, please give it a try. [Note: there is an Extreme aka Eau de Parfum version of this which is lovely, but different for sure. There is a pink pepper note that, while pretty, is strong in this version, making it a whole other scent than the original]

Old style bottle

Chantecaille Le Jasmin:  An odd but pretty jasmine, this is one that challenges me a bit in the top note, which is weird and difficult to pinpoint. I think it may be the mimosa they use but I can’t be sure. I have a love/hate thing going on with the top as I tend to love a perfume that makes me think and puzzle a bit. It dries down to a simple pretty jasmine with a very clean musk base. Its lovely and wearable and very summery. I can see wearing Le Jasmin at a summer garden party with a pretty dress. Noting that this is an older bottle style. They have redone their perfume collection which is a pity.  Also a pity are the new perfume bottles they introduced. The old style bottles were elegant & simple with a heavy glass high quality feel. The new ones are a bit tacky and just don't have the same appeal.

The Different Company Jasmin de Nuit

The Different Company Jasmin de Nuit: This one is really beautiful. I wonder why I haven't got another bottle of this. Its sweet and gentle with a subtle dark aspect - the "Nuit" part. Some soft whispery spices on the top (cardamom and cinnamon) with some black currant added into the heart add a sweet almost edible feel to this beauty. Its a sexy jasmine I suppose, but not in a diva way at all. Love it.

Nuxe Huile Progidieuse

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse: This is not a perfume nor does it seem to be officially jasmine scented but that matters not. It is simply gorgeous. I do get a gentle jasmine scent, similar to the jasmine that grows in my friend’s back yard in Florida. I adore this and this is the jasmine perfume I have always wanted. My only wish would be for it to be a) an actual perfume and b) stronger, but then it might not be as lovely as it is. It makes skin feel and look sublime, especially bare legs in the summer, and manages to be an oil that isn’t oily- a magical “dry oil”. But the scent is the winner here. Soft, gentle, with a hint of indole & green, this is my dream jasmine.

Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint: Previously reviewed by me here

Love's Soft Jasmine

Love’s Soft Jasmine: Ok this is just for fun, but does anyone remember this one? I recently found an older bottle on ebay and was surprised at how pretty it was. It was as I remembered it, and it was funny how that scent took me back in time. It is a bit of a rubbery jasmine, which doesn’t necessarily mean fake, as there is a rubber aspect to white florals. It has the pretty powdery Love’s Baby Soft base and is about as inoffensive as you can get. It has a little more alcohol that I like in my perfumes so I spray my sheets and lightbulbs with this one. Soft, innocent and summery.

I have a few more soft jasmines I need to try. Annick Goutal Le Jasmin, the new Guerlain Acqua Allegoria Jasminora and Diptyque Olene and Child, both of which I tried years ago, when I didn't know how much I love jasmine so they are worth a re-sniff. What are your faves? I'd love recommendations.

Keiko Mecheri Tuberose & Iles de Lointaines- White Floral Beauty

Keiko Mecheri is a niche perfumer working out of California. She has a large catalogue of scents and is best known for her gourmand beauty Loukhoum, based on the sweet Turkish desert of rose, almond and dates. I am not a gourmand lover so while I appreciate the beauty of this scent, it is never one that appealed to me, but there is a massive cult following for her Loukhoum series. If you love that kind of scent, then you must try them as they probably are among the best of the genre.

She recently launched two white floral scents which are more my speed. I read about them on Ca Fleur Bon and was lucky enough to receive one of each, Tuberose (tuberose and jasmine) and Iles de Lointaines (jasmine, gardenia and amber). As a lover of feminine floral scents I was quite excited to try these. They. Are. Gorgeous. They are quite different from each other, so it is possible you might need both but that said, I can see each one appealing to different noses who want something special out of their white florals.

The tuberose is an unusual and beautiful flower in perfume. I have been scared of tuberose as a perfume after repeated attempts to wear and at least tolerate Fracas, the Grande Dame of Tuberose Perfumes. I cannot wear it, I cannot bear it, and somehow doubt I ever will. It makes my eyes water and I can almost feel an asthma attack come on yet the beauty of tuberose makes me wish I could wear it. I love and adore Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia and that is my benchmark for a ladylike, feminine and drop dead gorgeous white floral- the kind of perfume a Hitchcock Blonde would wear... but still leave men trembling in her wake like a Bardot bombshell. Humour me.

Enter Keiko Mecheri Tuberose. This is a modern stunning take on tuberose using jasmine to shape shift into a New Flower. It is clean straightforward and unusual as it opens with a mentholated camphor blast that would seem to be the last thing you’d expect or even want in a floral. Think again, because this is incredible. A revelation. It elevates the tuberose scent to something otherworldly, like a space flower from a tropical planet. I call it an Extreme Green Note and it really is the best way to make such a serious flower “bloom” in a perfume. It does veer into soap territory but such a gorgeous unexpected way that soapy seems like the wrong word. Flowing waterfall ice cold clean green bursting flowers in the rainforest is my stream of consciousness description for Tuberose. If you love this flower, you simply must try this scent. I LOVE it and think I would most enjoy wearing this in hot weather. I look forward to leaving a trail of swooning admirers behind me…

Iles de Lointaines gives us jasmine and gardenia tempered with the soft powdery sweetness of amber. Of the two, this one might be the more wearable and easy scent, especially if you are just getting into white florals. The jasmine and gardenia are lowercase here, gentle and soft, like a warm and humid tropical evening. The amber sweetens and softens the flowers and somehow I get wafts of a monoi like scent. There is not coconut per say, but the illusion of a sweet chewy tropical vibe that feels like coconut. Keiko Mecheri knows sweet and she can amp it up to tooth curling levels or keep it a gentle as she has with Iles de Lointaines. It’s almost like the amber is a soft powdered dusting on the jasmine and gardenia to make sure they don’t try to be sharp or indolic. There is still a hint of green here too, but its not nuclear green like Tuberose and is more like you are holding the flowers with the stems and leaves covered in dew still attached. Lovers of (discontinued) Guerlain Plus Que Jamais and Parfums MDCI Promess de l’Aube may enjoy this one – sweet creamy jasmine that makes you want to lean in to get the full effect. In French, Lointaines was a princess used in medieval stories, a “Distant Princess” and the term is often used to describe an unattainable love interest- one that princes would fall in love with, sight unseen, upon just hearing her description. I’m not sure if Ms Mecheri intended to use the word in this manner but I love the romance of that concept…

Sarah Bernhardt as Princesse Lointaine

Keiko Mecheri perfumes are available on her website, from Luckyscent and in Canada, from The Perfume Shoppe. I don’t see Tuberose and Iles de Lointaines on The Perfume Shoppe website yet, but I am sure they will be available there soon.

The Beauty of Cartier Panthere Parfum

I recently found a bottle of this online- I suppose it is vintage as it is in a bottle style not available for quite awhile. I know this seller and he stocks an incredible array of vintage and hard to find scents. I remember when this oriental floral was launched, in 1986, because at the time I was obsessed with the Cartier Panthere watch. Which I wear pretty much everyday- Cartier jewellery becomes part of you, just like the perfume.

Of all the versions the parfum is my favourite. It has the strongest concentration of that magic 80s perfume ingredient that amps up the all the notes. Some kind of musk or maybe ambergris- whatever it is it gives the perfume a deep earthy richness that a white floral on its own could never attain. Add to those notes some smoky incense and a whisper civet to elevate this to a dangerously sexy perfume. The notes are a veritable laundry list of ingredients, but it is the middle floral notes that are to die for elegant and gorgeous- jasmine, gardenia, tuberose, freesia, orris, narcissus and ylang ylang. Seriously? Wow.

This is a madame going out to the opera kind of perfume and I feel like I should have red glossy fingernails and lips when I wear it. It starts out with a bang then just melts into the skin. The parfum or extrait is ideal as you only need a few dabs to last all night.  This is the perfect way to wear those 80s scents as opposed to spraying the air all around you and creating a cloud of fragrance that can frighten horses. Panthere parfum warms up beautifully on the skin, and the sillage stays close to the body, and invites you in to smell more. The tonka and vanilla add a sweetness that is practically mouth watering.

Yes, Panthere is a visceral perfume experience. If you like a real grown up perfume not for the shy, then I recommend you track some down. I imagine there has been reformulation since the 80s as most of the ingredients in this perfume have been regulated or banned. I think the vintage eau de perfume would also be lovely, but since I stumbled upon this beauty I chose parfum. I got the 15ml ligne de voyage bottle, which is a small but heavy glass bottle that feels like cut crystal. Even the act of taking off the cap and dabbing behind my ear feels uber feminine. Just beautiful.

Sandalwood Dreams

The title of this post refers to the common note in Chanel Bois des Iles and Guerlain Samsara. They share a creamy, dreamy and delectable sandalwood note that is front and centre in both– they give me a feeling of calm inner peace, as one might expect from sandalwood incense in a temple. I think the 80s French ad for Samsara says it all. Simply gorgeous.

Chanel Bois des Iles was first released by the designer in 1926 and is now included in their Exclusif Collection of Rue Cambon fragrances. It is only available at Chanel Boutiques, and only in the spectacular 200ml bottle in an eau de toilette concentration or in the parfum version in a 30ml bottle. According to Bois de Jasmin, the perfumer Ernest Beaux was inspired to create Bois des Iles by an opera by Tchaikovsky, The Queen Of Spades, based on a short story by Aleksandr Pushkin- a heartbreaking romantic tragedy of love and obsession. Heavy stuff, no? I love a perfume with a story and this perfume is so beautiful, I can close my eyes and feel my heart break when I wear it. Really.  Bois des Iles is centered around one of the most beautiful sandalwood notes I have ever sniffed. Sandalwood is an endangered species so this extract has become rare and incredibly expensive and Bois des Iles manages to take the sandalwood and make it dreamy and transparent, like a dream you keep trying to remember.

Chanel has an incredible feature in some of it’s boutiques- a table where you can sit down and smell each of the raw materials used in their perfumes in it’s raw form. My dear friend Dane took me to this perfume mecca…..OMG this was a religious experience for me and when they gave us the sandalwood to sniff we wanted to grab it and bolt. But I digress. Chanel’s website lists the notes of Bois des Iles as “an accord of Sandalwood and Ylang-Ylang spirals in a base of Tonka Bean and Bourbon Vanilla, with heady, enchanting notes of Sicilian Mandarin and Calabrian Bergamot.” There is also the aldehydic tingle that you find in Chanel No5 which you smell immediately after applying. Fizzy and breezy, it brings out the florals right off the top- but not overly sweet. More like a Champagne fiz- I love it. Chanel No5 is gorgeous but somehow didn’t suit me. Bois des Iles makes me think that someone extracted the sandalwood out of No5 and served it up on aldehydes, ylang ylang with the tonka and vanilla adding that creamy sensation to the sandalwood. Ahhhh,  perfection. The sandalwood manages to be dry but not austere, as I find it can be in some masculine scents. That said, a man could easily pull off wearing Bois des Iles as to my mind it is exactly what Coco Chanel embodies- a perfume that is as easy for a man to wear as it is easy for a woman to wear pants.  This is no girly fluffy cotton candy perfume, but it manages to mingle with warm skin so perfectly that it does become smolderingly sexy.

This is one of the perfumes I wear when I can’t choose one from my wardrobe. It is always perfect,  and wears close to the body so I don’t leave clouds of sillage behind me when I leave a room. It is timeless, even my 14 year old will inhale deeply and ask me which perfume I am wearing because I smell sooo good. If it gets me an extra hug, well that is a bonus.

So now to the bombastic sandalwood, Guerlain Samsara. There are two stories about the origin of this perfume which was released in 1985. The "official" story from Guerlain tells us that Jean-Paul Guerlain sought inspiration in China and Tibet to create Samsara, “Samsara is a Sanskrit word that has its roots in Hinduism. It signifies the cycle of birth and rebirth, the perpetual voyage from one existence to the next, the wheel of life that keeps on turning. Samsara is an invitation to serenity and harmony, with oneself and with the world. It is a voyage between East and West, Orient and Occident, an homage to the woman who is ever in search of serenity.” How fitting that sandalwood would figure in this scent- again images of temples, incense, prayer and meditation come to mind when one gets a whiff of sandalwood. The second less interesting story is that it was 1985, an era of power scents and Samsara was created to get in on this action. Opium, Obsession and Chanel Coco were hot selling heavy orientals in a big 80s way, and Guerlain did a perfect job creating a contender with Samsara. It packs a one-two punch and is denser in feel than Bois des Iles.

Back to bombastic. The notes from Guerlain speak of  “a spellbinding predominance of jasmine. Rose, narcissus and ylang-ylang embellish the fragrance, the better to unite it with the radiant and generous warmth of sandalwood. Lastly, iris, Tonka bean and vanilla render this remarkable fragrance sublime”. I totally agree. There is the classic Guerlain base, commonly known as “Guerlinade” that most (not all) of the classic Guerlains have in common. This is a composition of several perfume notes but notably jasmine, iris, tonka and vanilla. I could drink this it is so divine- it makes you want to lean in and devour the wearer. So, take the Guerlinade, amp up the jasmine to almost obscene levels, then add a combination of pure and synthetic sandalwood at top volume and somehow the sandalwood grounds the jasmine and the jasmine lightens the sandalwood. A perfect and magical combination.

As with many perfumes today, there are different vintages of Samsara, the earlier ones containing more pure sandalwood. There is parfum (purest concentration of perfume), eau de parfum (more alchohol and not as concentrated than parfum) and eau de toilette (most common and less concentrated than eau de parfum and parfum) available in the Samsara line. I have the “vintage” (pre 1990) parfum and eau de toilette as I find the eau de parfum to be the 80s killer BIG PERFUME, but your mileage may vary. They are all powerful in that 80s sense but it’s all in the application. I lightly mist the eau de toilette with divine results. A few dabs of the parfum are intoxicating, the jasmine mingling with the sandalwood in a magical dance that teases forth from the skin. I often dab some on at bedtime (I never get into bed without perfume) and in the morning I can still smell it on my wrists.

Whereas the Bois des Iles is perfect anytime, anywhere, I tend to reserve Samsara for cooler weather. Bois des Iles has a transparency that allows it to adapt from season to season, whereas Samsara's density makes it work so well in fall and winter. I look forward to wearing both this fall- they both smell wonderful wafting up from a pashmina or sweater. What are your favourite fall sweater scents?