Lily: 9 posts

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

Among the prestige releases (i.e. those that lie between niche and mass market), Donna Karan never fails to capture my attention with imaginative and elegant compositions. Even the fruity-floral idea of Be Delicious was rendered in such an unexpected manner that I cannot fail to admire it. What could have been a sweet and pretty apple is instead an intensely green violet leaf composition suggesting a vision of a crisp fruit. Although miles away from the sparkling vibrancy of Be Delicious and the seductive darkness of Black Cashmere, Gold nevertheless maintains a sleek urban image that marks the Donna Karan fashion line as well as the fragrance range. …

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

It is almost ironic that a fragrance described by its creators as “something Barbie might wear” turns out to be the most sophisticated release among the recent array of sweet and cute perfumes. The white floral bouquet of Juicy Couture fragrance is more along the lines of Christian Dior J’Adore and Marc Jacobs Blush, rather than Britney Spears Fantasy and Vera Wang Princess. While it does not attempt to break new ground in perfumery, Juicy Couture is an enjoyable scent. It is pretty without resorting to many clichés and girly without being puerile. …

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

Lys Mediterranee is a lily in the floral bouquet of Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums, which includes two lush roses (Lipstick Rose and Une Rose), indolic jasmine (Le Parfum de Thérèse), rain drenched lilac (En Passant), elegant iris (Iris Poudré), sensual tuberose (Carnal Flower) and powdery mimosa (Une Fleur de Cassie). Woven by its creator, Edouard Fléchier, from several different lilies, it shines like dew drops on a large white flower floating in a bowl of water. Its heady sweet aroma is underscored by the succulent verdancy and aquatic transparency, giving a sensation of a cold waxy petal and golden pollen that spills leaving a dusty trail.

The linear nature of Lys Méditerranée and its static crystalline beauty are liable to leave me cold. On the one hand, it makes me think of lily symbolizing purity and, on another, of its funereal associations. Lily as a dominant theme has an effect of a cold crispness, which I find lovely but distant, wishing for a soft velvety touch to balance out the chilliness. …

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

L’Artisan Parfumeur Passage d’Enfer’s interpretation of incense is like a gentle swirl of smoke rising from hot ashes. Created by Olivia Giacobetti in 1999, it is an incense fragrance marked by soft haziness that is strikingly noticeable in most of her creations. Unlike dark and mysterious Armani Privé Bois d’Encens—a fragrance truly in place before somber blackened images of Orthodox saints, Passage d’Enfer takes austere darkness out of frankincense and infuses it with fresh floral softness.

The composition has a panoramic quality, with the notes being layered one on top of another, instead of progressing sequentially. However, after a couple of hours, one notices a reverse movement as the fragrance begins to gain more transparency and to fade slowly. Myrrh with its note of medicinal anise is classically paired with sharp resinous frankincense. Transparent darkness of the accord is ornamented with the green balsamic notes, which amplify its soaring quality.

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