Perfume Review: Jasmin & Bergamote (L'Occitane Collection De Grasse)

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium (up to AU$100. Category: White Floral. L'Occitane is an independent brand.

I have a strong love-hate relationship with the Collection De Grasse scents from L'Occitane....love because the scents are absolutely gorgeous, and show mastery of perfumery by the creators. I'll come to the not-so-loved part later.

The entire lineup has the nose of Karine Dubreuil behind it. She has a few other scents of note, but the most prominent would probably be YSL's Vice Versa to her credit before this collection.

Jasmine & Bergamote was one of the first 4 scents launched in this collection (there's a fair few more now)...If the name wasn't enough of a giveaway, the packaging has enough white and yellow to give away the perfume's profile.

As the name would imply, the 2 dominant notes are Bergamot and Jasmine. It starts with a splash of citrus, the bergamot supported by what seems to be to be a more sour citrus...bergamot is a bitter citrus to me, so the sour citrus could be valencia orange probably...or maybe mandarin, as it isn't sweet like navel or valencia oranges.

And then...jasmine. That's that. Maybe a little powdery, oily wood at the very bottom, but jasmine is by far the most dominant note.

Now back to the love-hate I was talking about...the "hate" part of the relationship is because even though the perfumers at L'Occitane are good at creating these scents, the chemists at the company don't seem to be able to deliver when it comes to making the scents last. And this is the biggest issue with the scent...it just falls off a cliff, barely managing to make it to 3 hours on my wrist, and that is without facing any harsh soaps.

It isn't the only white floral to be like this, but even among white florals, it has weaker lasting power than the likes of J'Adore (Dior), or Jasmin Noir and Mon Jasmin Noir (both from Bvlgari). Note that I'm not penalising it for lack of projection here; white florals don't normally project far away from the wearer. The difference is, compared to its peers in white florals, Jasmin & Bergamote doesn't last as long either.

Ratings:
3.5/5...Subtle, neutral, unobtrusive, versatile. Decently priced, but lasting power could be better.

Prices:
RRP: AU$85 for 75ml (only size sold)

UVP: 75ml $1.13/ml
Click for more information on UVP

Stockists: L'Occitane stores, L'Occitane website, L'Occitane concession counters inside major department stores (not all).

Perfume Review: Christian Dior J'Adore (Eau De Parfum)

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium-High (up to AU$180). Category: White Floral. Christian Dior is a subsidiary brand of LVMH.

This is not a review for J'Adore L'Or, J'Adore L'Absolu, J'Adore Voile De Parfum or J'Adore Eau De Toilette. Review based on wrist and card samples.

Disclosure: No affiliation with any brand or store. Bottle in pictures purchased at retail price.

J'Adore belongs to the family of scents that inevitably get thrown into the comparison and get thought about when their categories are spoken of. Much like Opium (YSL) is to orientals, Chanel No.5 is to aldehydic scents, J'Adore is to white florals. This is one of the gold-standard scents for white florals (Chanel Gardenia being the other one in my opinion).

J'Adore was first launched in 1999 (The EdP version). Since then, Dior/LVMH have released enough flankers to make J'Adore a designer house in itself (there's no less than five variations of this perfume after deletion of a few). The nose behind the scent is Calice Becker, her other notable works being Tommy Girl (Tommy Hilfiger), Lola (Marc Jacobs), DKNY Energy, and Beyond Paradise (Estee Lauder).

You could be forgiven for thinking for the first few minutes after spraying on this scent that it is a single-note jasmine soliflore (soliflores are fragrances based on only one major note). However, there's no mistaking this one for something like Essence Jasmine (Donna Karan) or Jasmin Rouge (Tom Ford). This is a white floral multi-note scent, and has a very proper 3-layer profile.

The top is pear and magnolia to my nose, pear in particular is very easy to pick. But right from the start, hints of jasmine are evident. The middle notes are where its reputation comes from: almost entirely white flowers. Jasmine (easily picked) and tuberose (I got to know what that is after YSL Manifesto) are the dominant notes, and go all the way down to the end of the scent. Dior say it has rose and freesia, but the jasmine tends to hide them. Not that it's a bad thing at all.

The base is slightly musky, but at its heart and soul, this scent is about jasmine, and the base still smells like a jasmine scent.

This is a subdued, elegant and very versatile scent. It's almost stereotypically feminine, and is one of the quintessential scents if you like white flowers, especially jasmine. It is not loud enough to distract others, and at least in my perception, doesn't have much of an intimate vibe. It might be a very "mature" scent if you compare it to Dior Addict or the younger ones from the Poison family, but nowhere even close to the likes of Opium EDP. It is a proper all-weather, all-occasion scent.

It doesn't project very far, as is quite expected from white florals (most wont go too far away from you), but it does last a fair while. Longevity on my wrist clocked in at about 5-8 hours, which is quite good. Generally, white florals are not as potent as red florals or spices, so I think it does well.

The bottle is gorgeous; I think the shape is a bit odd-looking though (it is based on the ancient Greek "amphora" vessels). The tall cap with a crystalline acetate top does look very pretty on a dresser. The squat glass bottle is weighted significantly towards its bottom to keep it stable.

It is a pricey perfume, and to top it, Dior generally dont participate in the seasonal discounting for perfumes. Some chemists do sell it at 20% or so less than Myer/DJs, but make sure you get it from a chain of good repute though.

Ratings:
3.9/5...Soft, versatile, long-lasting. Unobtrusive, but might be a bit too "mature" for some.

Prices:

RRP: AU$120/ AU$180 for 50ml / 100ml

UVP: 50ml $2.4/ml, 100ml $1.8/ml

Click for more information on UVP

This is a pricey scent. Shop around but make sure you buy from a reputed retailer. Expect to pay at least AU$150 for the 100ml at the minimum.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, some pharmacies and chemists. 

Perfume Review: Flowerbomb (EDP) by Viktor and Rolf

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): High (up to AU$200+). Category: Sweet Floral. Viktor & Rolf is a brand of L'Oreal.

This is not a review for Flowerbomb Extreme (purple bottle), or Flowerbomb Rose Explosion. Review based on wrist and card samples.

Disclosure: No compensation or endorsement involved. Review based on wrist samples from department stores. I have no affiliation with any brand/store/label whatsoever.

100ml Retail bottle. 

Viktor & Rolf is perhaps not as well known among fashion houses as the Italians and French would be (V&R is Dutch). However, I am well familiar with some of their perfumes (Antidote and Spicebomb are both very good perfumes for men). While I havent had an opportunity to try the very new "Bonbon" as yet, Flowerbomb is a staple name for many females...and for good reason.

Flowerbomb is one of the key milestones for Oliver Polge (son of the the Chanel head perfumer Jacques Polge), and in this scent he partnered with the very talented Carlos Benaim and Domitille Berthier. Both Polge and Benaim are very talented perfumers with impressive portfolios, and here they haven't disappointed.

Flowerbomb is predominantly true to its name; it is a floral scent, but quite a sweet one. It has a varied and wide note profile, but it stays fairly pyramidal and doesn't have a huge deal of complexity to it. The "bomb" word in the name would imply something intensely floral, but here the name relates to its longevity and projection more than anything.

The top of the perfume is a sweetish citrus, very much like bergamot orange. Patchouli is faintly evident at the top too. Shortly afterwards, it becomes a sweet, intensely floral scent. Rose and Freesia are easy to pick up, and so is jasmine. There's also orchid, but being a relatively mild flower, it doesnt really power above the rest of the notes. Patchouli starts getting intense around the middle, and the base is a strong patchouli note with flowers still prominent. The patchouli isn't very cold like Elle (YSL) or Midnight Poison (Dior), probably toned and moderated with musk.

This isn't a very intimate scent, because of its potency and projection. That said, it is pleasant, and if you go easy on the trigger, it is not a bad choice for a night out. The EDT version is a fair bit softer but also smells quite different. I haven't really tried it much, so can't comment on it beyond the fact it's just softer.

Longevity is not an issue with this one. Two independent wrist samples from different bottles on different days both lasted over 9-11 hours. Another forearm sample lasted about 13 hours, so it's safe enough to say you'll get good longevity from this.

The bottle is shaped like an item usually associated with military ordnance (hence the b-word in the name), made of precision-cut glass. It's not as prominent as Elle (YSL)'s bottle would be, but it would look good on a dresser nonetheless.

Flowerbomb is priced high no matter where I looked. It is quite pricey (up to $3.3/ml, and the 100ml bottle is over AU$200), and discounts are not very easily found (although the independent chemists are a bit more flexible).

Ratings:
3.8/5...Potent, flowery, sweet, long-lasting, but pricey.

Prices:

RRP: 30ml AU$99, 50ml AU$159, 100ml AU$205

UVP: 30ml $3.3/ml, 50ml $3.18/ml, 100ml $2.05/ml

Click for more information on UVP

Pricey as it is, get the 100ml bottle if you can stretch to it. The smaller bottles are not good value at full price.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, some pharmacies and chemists.

Perfume Review: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (Eau De Parfum)

This review is for the Eau De Parfum spray, not the dab-on Parfum version (Extrait De Parfum).

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): High ($200+). Category: Floral/Chypre.

Launched in 2001, Codo Mademoiselle is today one of the top-selling fragrances in the world (and the best-selling in the USA according to the very knowledgeable and very lovely Victoria Frolova from the Bois De Jasmin blog). This is another of Jacques Polge's scents, and a definite home run.

The first thing I'll get out of the way before I go into details of notes: this is not a proper flanker to the much older Coco from 1984, and it doesn't bear much resemblance to the much newer Coco Noir either.

The top of this scent is quite fruity to me. Orange is very discernible, and because of the number of fragrances using bergamot, I can pick up the now-familiar bergamot undertones quite easily. However, what I really like about the top notes of this scent is the inclusion of orange blossom. The orange blossom really calms down the sharpness of the orange fruit, and the bergamot gives it a nice rounded softness to go along. Overall, it's a lovely top with discernible orange notes. It's not a very warm top though; it has a slight coolness to it.

In a good scent, the top should end after the mids take over, and this one is no exception (fortunately). The middle has rose as its focal point, coupled with the soft, white scent of jasmine and the slight powderiness of ylang-ylang. There is some element of sweetness in the middle which neither rose nor jasmine carry in their own right. However, the sweetness-carrying mimose is incredibly hard to discern individually here, because the rose is quite strong, and the jasmine is also quite potent to prevent the rose from drowning it. The middle, as it settles, starts showing patchouli quite strongly, and there's creaminess that is very trade-mark vanilla.

The base of this scent is very complex. It's one of the most varied compositions I've come across, and the fine balance of bottom notes is what makes this scent so good. There's very easily discerned vanilla and tonka bean (the creaminess is hard to leave unnoticed), musk, and the damp woody/mossy feeling tell-tale of vetiver's presence. There's a little touch of warmth as well, which I think is amber. The orange blossom, with creamy vanilla and slightly sharp patochuli is a real master-stroke.

Taming patchouli is a difficult task; Midnight Poison (Dior) smacks you in the face with patchouli at the top even though it's supposed to be a middle note. In this scent, the patchouli is smothered just enough that it wont overpower other notes, but prevents any one note from running away with the flag. So what could have been a complete cacophony in unskilled hands is a very complex, well-composed dry-down that really rounds out an excellent fragrance.

Longevity of this scent is absolutely marathon. Samples on my hands/wrist lasted well past 12 hours on the forearm, and about 8-odd hours on the back of the hand, withstanding several hand-washes. On clothing this scent will outlast a whole day with ease. Projection is variable but doesn't fall too low on most people. I found it projects to a few feet away from the wearer, although a friend who tried it said it projected about arms' length away from her. It also has a peculiar tendency to be more perceptible to others than the wearer (perhaps the strength makes the wearers' nose go anosmic towards it quite quickly).

The bottle is the iconic Chanel flacon (same as No. 5) with soft shoulders, bevelled corners and the convex inwards bulge at the bottom. The cap resembes the cabouchon stoppers seen in the dab-on parfum bottles with its bevelled edges, but is made of frosted transluscent plastic. The fluid is coral in colour, and won't stain clothing unless sprayed from close range instead of being misted. Unfortunately, price is something that prevents this scent from reaching its potential in the scorecard.

This scent is hard to categorise. It is sensual and elegant, yet it is quite imposing if used with that intention. It is not cloying or sharp, and spending extended time periods with someone wearing this scent is unlikely to fatigue you. It is a versatile scent, but the potency of the EdP may make it a less than ideal choice for boardrooms. It can serve as an outgoing scent, a social one or an intimate one depending on how much is applied, and where. My recommendation: Absolute, unqualified.

Ratings:
4.5/5...Soft yet powerful, imposing yet sensual, classy, fresh and very elegant. Impressive longevity, well-balanced projection. Price could be more palatable though. Applied in the right balance, and in the right place, this one is hard to go wrong with.

(Balance of notes 5, Projection 4, Longevity 5, Value 3, rounded and adjusted to overall 4.5)

Prices:

RRP: AU$116 / AU$159 / AU$234 / AU$350 for 35ml / 50ml / 100ml / 200ml

UVP: 35ml $3.31/ml 50ml $3.18/ml, 100ml $2.34/ml, 200ml $1.75/ml

Click for more information on UVP

Chanel don't allow discounting. The maximum discount I've seen at some independent retailers is about 9%. Australian prices for Chanel are quite high; however, my exchange-adjusted price comparisons with UK and Europe yield a decent score for value. USA-based retailers sell the US-made version of the scent, which is a fair bit cheaper than the French-made version sold elsewhere.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, some pharmacies. Chanel Beauty/Fragrance boutiques would be my go-to for Chanel products. However, my personal experience with Chanel at Myer Melbourne and David Jones Melbourne CBD has been good as well.

Perfume Review: Lancôme Magnifique (Eau De Parfum)

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium-High ($150+). Category: Spicy/Woody Floral. Lancôme is a brand of L'Oreal.

Review based on wrist and card samples from retail bottles, and 5ml limited-distribution vials, all own acquisitions. Magnifique (the perfume) should not be confused with Genifique, which is a skincare product from the same brand.

Magnifique (Lancôme) was an accidental discovery for me, and a very good example of the adage that the best things are sometimes discovered by accident...the striking red box caught my eye during the closing down sale of PerfumeConnection in late 2011. The presence of this fragrance in the market was rather short-lived though; the last I saw of it was in the later part of 2012. It has since been replaced in the Lancôme lineup by La Ve Est Belle.

Magnifique was a creation of Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier, a duo with some very notable scents to their credit (both individually and collaboratively) such as Elle (YSL) (which I have reviewed), Bvlgari Aqva, L'Eau De Issey, Midnight Poison, Stella, Armani Diamonds and a fair few more. Elle came out in 2007, and Magnifique followed shortly afterwards in 2008. While Elle is more youth-oriented, Magnifique went the way of a more mature yet fairly loud fragrance.

The 75ml (2.5oz) bottle

Magnifique, at very first spritz shows up warmth and spice. Saffron and caraway are the most prominent accords, but rose accompanies them and matches them for strength shortly after first contact with skin.  A little further down the track, there's the lightly spiced woody feeling from sandalwood, and the smoky herbal note of vetiver. The dry-down has a slightly dry, powdery but florally enhanced woodiness to it, and it will constantly remind you that this is meant to be a fragrance where flowers hold things together. While the spice and wood play roundabouts, the rose is essentially the focal point for this scent. It transitions from saffron/caraway plus rose to sandalwood, vetiver and rose as it settles down.

There is a small patch of time in the middle when the spices are transitioning to woods where the rose really gets prominent. At that stage, jasmine is also noticeable, but being a white flower, it is inherently soft, and in this fragrance will be discernible, but to a keener nose. The rose is much stronger and in combination with the wood and spice, and can veil the jasmine quite easily. Though not a solifore by any means, this is a fairly linear (but not flat) scent.

An easily picked aspect of this scent is its relative linearity. It doesn't have 3 well-defined stages of transition, instead following a 2-tone profile which changes moderately over its life. The classification I would give this scent is a warm, woody/spicy floral. This is a flowery fragrance, but not floral per se. And it's warm and spicy, but not oriental. It had a relatively niche position among the hordes of floral and spicy ones out there, one of the few to combine flower, wood and spice all in one pleasant concoction without being a pure example of any of them. It has element of flower, spice and wood in varying combinations over its life, but no drastic changes...the scent retains is nature from start to finish.

Longevity for this fragrance is good enough for me to use it as a benchmark. The first time I sprayed some on my wrist, it survived a tad more than 10 hours before I couldn't perceive it. Let alone surviving hand-washes, it survived an outright shower. It doesn't project very far away though; about a few feet for the first couple of hours, and then it stays within arms' length range for another few before spending the last couple of hours as a skin scent. I found that showering or washing hands changed it into a skin scent quicker, but it took its time in completely dissipating. This one is a resilient scent.

This is an elegant, romantic scent, and even though very potent, it is quite sensual. It will make its presence felt, but it's not over-powering or cloying, and has the comforting warmth of the spice with the rose that gives it a very elegant feel. The potency is handled well enough that it tones down over time, so spending time close to someone wearing the scent is unlikely to make you feel overpowered. It's a strong scent, but not in-your-face strong.

The bottle is sleek, but vivid. While not as standout as Elle's bottle (which in my personal opinion is the prettiest bottle in mainstream scents along with the Manifesto L'Elixir (YSL) and Angel (Thierry Mugler) flacons), it is still quite a looker.

Unfortunately, this scent is now discontinued in Australia (and pretty much all around the world). Lancôme have indicated that La Vie Est Belle and the upcoming Tresor L'Absolu will be their flagship duo. La Vie Est Belle in itself is a very nice fragrance, with marathon longevity and a projection that follows a very nice profile, but it remains a distinctly different scent. Magnifique used to cost AU$178 for the 75ml bottle. However, the lasting power and projection justified the cost somewhat, considering how some scents priced not much lower would struggle to last half as long.

Alternatives: There's no analogue of Magnifique that smells appreciably close to it. Rose D'Arabie (Armani Privé 1001 Nights Collection) is a spicy floral, with strong notes of rose but coupled with Oud. Flowerbomb Rose Explosion (Viktor & Rolf) is also a rose-based scent, but is very oriental and warm; while it does have saffron, amber and oud make it much warmer than Magnifique.

Ratings:
4.1/5...Somewhat unique in its combination of notes; exceptional longevity, excellent balance of projection over its life. This scent, true to its name, was Magnifique.

Prices:

AU$178 for 75ml ($2.37/ml)

Information on other sizes is no longer available; 

Click for more information on UVP

It was a pricey scent, but I feel little inclination to comment further on the pricing considering this scent has been off the market for a few months now. It is out of stock all over Australia, and Lancôme have indicated the discontinuation is total and permanent.

Stockists: Discontinued

Perfume Review: Guerlain L'Instant De Guerlain (Eau De Parfum)

Review based on wrist and card samples from tester bottles.

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium-High ($180+). 
Type: Fruity/Floral/Musky/Creamy. Guerlain is a subsidiary brand of LVMH.

Guerlain has a very long history, having produced some timeless gems of the fragrance world. L'Instant De Guerlain (2003) is a relatively young one in the lineup compared to its stable-mates, and coming from the house that has masterpieces like Shalimar, Chamade, Habit Rouge, Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue, it has a lot to live up to.

I was a bit apprehensive coming across a relatively recent Guerlain without the name of Jean-Paul Guerlain or Thierry Wasser behind it. Maurice Roucel isn't a name on too many scents but he has managed to pull off a stunner, and show that sensuality doesnt have to be stereotypical, but can be achieved with a finely balanced combination of otherwise ubiquitous notes.

The top opens with a fruity accord; there is some citrusy sourness, but the very characteristic sweetness of apple mellows it down. Vanilla and honey are immediately noticeable as undertones. The top is fruity, but the vanilla and honey, even though not very prominent at this stage, drop a hint or two that this fragrance might have a sensual, soft nature. Some musk is also noticeable if you go looking for it.

The 80ml (2.7oz) bottle

The middle is very discernibly floral, with magnolia being the most noticeable flower. The vanilla/honey combo start to strengthen at this stage, and the projection of the scent scales back. The real master-stroke is the number of notes together in perfect sync. At second whiff, I got very prominent, realistic jasmine and and then iris to go along with the magnolia, and a third sniff made me sense magnolia and ylang-ylang. There's also a slight powderiness to the scent , most likely the ylang-ylang.

The base is where this scent gets very sensual, very chic, and even more complex. The florals don't retain much presence except for the iris, and the vanilla/honey duo is joined by very sublime and natural musk, and the warmth of amber and benzoin. They're balanced well enough not to overpower each other, and are discernible individually. There is enough overlap between the notes to make this appear a fairly linear scent.

The lasting power on my skin was impressive; samples on the wrist and back of the hand lasted about 8 hours, and survived a good three handwashes(!). The scent doesn't radiate far beyond arms' length for much of its life. That said, this is a very concentrated scent, and overdosing can become too heady and cloying. The bottle is understated but chic; there's plenty of glass, and it's tinged a slight purple. The fluid is orange, but very subtly coloured and is unlikely to stain clothing unless sprayed from too close.

This is a thoroughly feminine scent, and a very sensual one. Its vibe is smooth, gentle, sweet, warm and mysterious. It lasts a long time, has a complex but well-balanced note profile, and doesn't radiate too far away from the wearer. There's a lot of elegance, and an aura of formality in this perfume. For the same reason, I'm not inclined to recommend this as a daytime scent. My recommendation: Absolute and unqualified. This is also fairly safe as a blind buy, but look elsewhere if you want to be noticed across the room. 

There's no particularly close analogue of L'Instant De Guerlain, although Manifesto (YSL) has a similarly creamy undertone all through, and a fruity top followed by a floral middle. However, it is quite distinct in itself, and doesn't mimic L'Instant for its overall profile. 

Ratings:
4.2/5...Mystery, femininity, sensuality in a bottle

Prices:

RRP: AU$116/ AU$150 / AU$185 for 30ml / 50ml / 80ml

UVP: 30ml $3.86/ml, 50ml $3/ml, 80ml $2.31/ml

Click for more information on UVP

As the UVPs show, the 30ml bottle is very pricey for the volume of liquid in it. The 50ml and 80ml dont differ by much, so my recommendation is hands down the 80ml bottle.

Stockists: Guerlain counters at Myer and David Jones. Myer started including Guerlain in sales this year due to change of wholesaler/distributor for Australia (Cosmax taking over from LVMH).

Perfume Review: YvesSaintLaurent Elle (EdP and EdT double-review)

A 90ml (3oz) bottle of Elle.
Special thanks 
to MyBeautySpot
for image.

Review based on wrist and card samples from tester bottles.

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium-High ($140+ for EDT, $160+ for EDP). Type: Floral/Fruity/Spicy. YSL Beauty is a brand of L'Oreal.

Elle (2007) (French for "She") is the brainchild of Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier, who have an impressive portfolio of scents to their credit, both individually and collaboratively. Between them, they're responsible for fragrances like Magnifique (Lancome), the near-legendary Bvlgari Aqva (Bvlgari), L'Eau De Issey (Issey Miyake), and a fair few more. Obviously, my expectations were high approaching Elle.

(Special thanks to MyBeautySpot for permission to photograph the bottle on their premises, and providing a number of samples on card and wrist. Also, thanks to YSL at David Jones)

Elle (the EdP) opens with a burst of fresh fruit, which is quite mellow and not synthetic or very sweet. Right off the bat, the coldness of patchouli is evident, although the top is a nicely done medley of just a hint of citrus, and a white floral to go along with the lychee. Even though YSL says it's got peony, it's not very discernible. The most prominent notes at the top are Lychee and patchouli. Both the lychee and patchouli feel quite natural, and dont have the synthetic hippie-shop or candy-floss feel.

The middle is where it gets interesting. The patchouli gets a bit toned down, the pink pepper really shines here, and a mixture of florals starts becoming more obvious. There's hints of jasmine, the sweetness of rose, and the green, slightly peppery freesia which accentuates the pink pepper. The middle retains patchouli's cold undertone.

The base also retains patchouli, but gets somewhat musky. However this is not pure musk like what Parisienne L'Essentiel carries (the perfume pyramid says ambrette). The key feature of the base is vetiver though. The slightly smoky, musty and slightly damp woody feeling of a good vetiver note is quite a nice touch here. The base also gets a bit of dry wood in it. But I would reiterate...in between the dance that vetiver and ambrette do while holding hands around the wood, patchouli is still a definitive note.

The EdP and EdT are broadly similar, but they're not exact analogues of each other. The EdT has much less patchouli, the dominant notes being pink pepper and freesia instead. The top doesn't have much lychee either; it's a white floral (peony) with a hint of citrus. The middle gets easily discernible jasmine, and the bottom has noticeable muskiness and vetiver in it. The key difference to me between the two is the lessening of the patchouli, removal of the lychee, and more prominence for freesia and pink pepper.

Elle is not meant to be, and does not feel like an intimate scent. It doesn't have a suggestive vibe, and the ads made no effort to that effect either. The fluid is not vividly coloured, but excessive doses can get overwhelming because of the substantial amounts of patchouli, and the pepper and vetiver, which can get slightly cloying if over-done.

The EdP (90ml/3oz bottle)

Longevity and Projection/Sillage are both very good for the respective concentrations. Wrist samples of the EdP lasted about 7 hours on my hands, and the projection is well beyond arm's length. This is a strong scent, and will be quite noticeable when worn. The EdT took about 4-odd hours to wear off to a point where it was a skin scent, and projects to about arms' length.

The design of the bottle follows the very feminine, youthful design language, being  tall, vividly coloured and ornately decorated with a large golden plate with the YSL logo cut out.Visually, this fragrance has one of the prettiest bottles I've seen in a long time. 

My Recommendation? It's a very elegant, rather young fragrance, but at the same time it is sharp, loud and noticeable, especially the EdP. I recommend it whole-heartedly, but not as a blind buy. It is another scent I think should be given a proper test on skin before making the decision to buy. This is a versatile, all-weather, all-day scent, but not everyone will be able to pull this one off. 

The EdT (50ml/1.7oz bottle)

Ratings:

3.8/5 (EdP); Strong, fresh, long-lasting, versatile, but pricey, and not everyone can pull this one off. Gorgeous bottle design.
3.5/5 (EdT); Mild, versatile, and unobtrusive, but over-priced for the lasting power. Gorgeous bottle design.

Similarities:
Midnight Poison (Dior), Zen (Shiseido)

Prices:

EDT: AU$105 / AU$140 for 50ml / 90ml

EDP: AU$125 / AU$165 for 50ml / 90ml

Unitised Volumetric Price (UVP) (Click for more information):

EDT: 50ml $2.1/ml, 90ml $1.56/ml

EDP: 50ml $2.5/ml, 90ml $1.83/ml

Stockists: David Jones (official YSL stockist). Myer no longer seem to carry it, and availability is hit-and-miss at other outlets, especially for the 90ml bottles.

Perfume Review: YvesSaintLaurent Opium

A 90ml EdP bottle of Opium

(Note: This is not a review for Belle D'Opium or Opium Vapeurs De Parfum, and neither does this review consider Opium for Men)

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium-High ($150+ for EDT, $180+ for EDP). Type: Spicy/Oriental. YSL Beauty is a brand of L'Oreal.

I have something going for the house of YSL. Yes, it's one of L'Oreal's darling child brands with all the tinkering around that the corporate giant is famous for, but it remains responsible for some very nice fragrances. YSL does now have the habit of releasing enough flankers for scents that do well that Parisienne could be a house in itself, and L'Homme could be diagnosed with uncontrolled flankeritis (although this is by no means unique to them). But overall this house remains among my favourites. 

Let's have a look at one of their flagship fragrances, the very aptly (and controversially in its early days) named Opium. The formula appears to have undergone a change or two since its launch in 1977, and the bottle design has changed a fair bit since launch, but the fragrance retains its warm, oriental soul.

At first spritz, it opens with significant warmth, and has a faintly bergamot-dominated, citrusy top with just a hint of florals quietly making their way in. The notes pyramid lists both bergamot and orange, although I personally feel it's much more of a spice-infused, warm top with a hint of bergamot and some flowers. Amber and incense make their presence felt, but don't show their full intensity yet.

The middle starts to get much more ambery, with the warmth of the amber soon joined by incense, and that is the framework for the entire scent around which all the other notes congregate. There is a slight but distinct jasmine undertone as well around the middle, coupled with what's probably carnation, because the jasmine doesn't stay solo for much. The amber gets even stronger towards the base, and the two flowers give way to a very slight hint of patchouli. 

Even though listed in the notes pyramid, I don't get a very pronounced vanilla element in this scent. The vanilla does come through as a balancing element of sorts, making it a smooth transition from one note to the next. However, this is not by any means a creamy fragrance like Manifesto (YSL).

Current Bottles EDT on left, EDP on right; 

As far as the concentration goes, the EdT and EdP smell much the same, except the EdP projecting further and lasting longer. A sample of the EdP on my wrist lasted about nine hours (impressive), while the EDT lasted about five hours (very good for an EdT in my opinion). I personally love this scent, but this one is a polarising fragrance. Few people will say they are indifferent to it...the ones who like it will love it, those who don't like it will stay well clear.

Opium does have a vibe of moderate intimacy, but it's not as suggestive or seductive as the ads might imply. It may evoke feelings of some intimacy up close, but this isn't a Chanel Allure or Lauder Sensuous. This isn't intended to be a skin scent either like Floral Romantique (Guerlain Elixir Charnel), and will make its point without the wearer needing to be proximate with people. Overall, a versatile scent that can do well in a variety of settings, but at its best at night-time, particularly in colder weather.

My recommendation? I don't recommend this as a blind buy. This is a very nice scent, but it's not a particularly "safe" or mainstream one. Its potency and loudness may be unsettling for some. Try it on the skin, and smell it over a few hours, as this fragrance transforms a fair bit over its life. The top is the loudest part, and while the middle and base are still loud, the perfume does get a tad bit subdued after a couple of hours. Even in that state, it is noticeable from a distance.

From an Australian context, this is a pricey perfume, and can be difficult to locate at substantial discounts.

Ratings: 3.9/5...Powerful, warm, elegant, beautiful, but at the same time a polarising scent that not everyone will be able to pull off, and not incredibly versatile either. Pricey to add to the mix.

Disclosure: Review based on both wrist and card samples. No affiliation or compensation was involved.

Prices:

EDT: AU$120 / AU$160 / AU$170 for 50ml / 90ml / 125ml

EDP: AU$135 / AU$185 for 50ml / 90ml

Unitised Volumetric Price (UVP) (Click for more information):

EDT: 50ml $2.4/ml, 90ml $1.78/ml, 125ml $1.36/ml

EDP: 50ml $2.7/ml, 90ml $2.06/ml

Stockists: Myer, David Jones (both official), some outlets of MyChemist and its sister stores (Chemist Warehouse, MyBeautySpot) may also stock it.