Chypre: 72 posts

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Full-bodied, voluptuous fragrances are as rare today as curvy models on a catwalk. I find it less and less frequent to experience what French perfumers call “gras,” or fat, denoting a certain unctuous richness that characterized fragrances of the past. Although this quality is not always welcome, the multitude of crisp and fresh new launches leaves me craving something with more substance. So once I smelled Annick Goutal Mon Parfum Chéri, par Camille, I felt like a dieter who has been allowed a slice of chocolate cake.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Not all celebrity scents are made equal, but then again, not all celebrities are either. I would be glad to back any Pedro Almodóvar’s actress, but Rossy de Palma, the striking and charismatic Spanish beauty, completely wins me over whether onscreen or with her perfume. Her eponymous Etat Libre d’Orange fragrance is as a perfect fit for her dramatic image as it is for me when I want my perfume to make a statement. For such a dark, smoldering rose as Rossy de Palma, making a statement is an easy task.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The spirit of Guerlain haunts many fragrance houses today, from L’Occitane to Cartier, and the refrains of Shalimar, Samsara and other great Guerlain classics show up in the most unexpected places. The house of Guerlain itself, however, seems to have taken another direction, leaving the decadent and plush to the exclusive L’Art et la Matière collection. The new widely distributed fragrance launches stake out the modern, trendy category exploring sheer orientals, luminous florals or crisp, musky chypres. This by itself is not a criticism, because Guerlain is a unique house in many respects. It is a prominent prestige fragrance brand with strong niche appeal which is trying to expand its audience. Moreover, breaking new ground and trying new genres is what fuses life into the fragrance houses and allows them to grow and build new loyalties. Idylle, which was launched in 2009, is the first feminine fragrance by Guerlain in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser and a much anticipated release.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Smelling Gucci Rush is like looking into a kaleidoscope: while the colors remain the same, the shapes and effects they produce change depending on the angle. From one perspective, Rush is a fruity chypre, with a nod to the baroque loveliness of Guerlain Mitsouko and Jean Patou Colony. From another, it is a thoroughly modern fragrance with its radiant accord of florals and transparent moss notes. When I finally think that I have it figured out, it presents yet another twist–a patchouli-jasmine note reminiscent of Diorama and Diorella. Yet, Rush is more than the sum of its parts and its distinctive character and strong signature make it one of the best fragrances created over the past decade.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Of all the fragrances attempting to convey the idea of darkness, Lancôme Magie Noire stands out as particularly successful. The layering of animalic notes, the opulent florals like ylang ylang and tuberose and a lush dose of moss results in a fragrance of such mysterious, dusky and brooding character that I cannot describe it in any way but haunting. It is not easy to like as a fragrance since it is simultaneously quite dark, animalic and intensely green. Despite its rich floral accord, it is not particularly feminine either, and in fact, I can see it as an interesting, unconventional masculine scent. I cannot help being fascinated by the way Magie Noire evolves and goes from challenging to spellbinding.

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