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

Even for someone like me who loves winter and snow, there comes a time when the oppressive, gray light of winter begins to feel draining. Therefore, L’Occitane Voyage en Méditerranée crossed my fragrance path at just the right moment, resonating with my desire for an escape and my yearning for the sun. It is a collection inspired by the olfactory landscape of the Mediterranean perfumed with the aromas of jasmine, iris, myrtle, and mimosa. While Voyage en Méditerranée focuses on the raw materials, by and large, the fragrances are not solinotes and have a nice complexity. L’Occitane has come a long way since 1976 when Olivier Baussan founded it with the distinct purpose of capturing the spirit of his native Provence. Now it is a large company, with a significant stake owned by Clarins. In fact, Voyage en Méditerranée fragrances were developed under the creative direction of Pierre Aulas, who was also responsible for Thierry Mugler Womanity.

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Oud, jasmine, oriental notes appearing even in the most unexpected places (like celebrity fragrances,), the revival of classical perfumery forms… While the fragrance market continues to confound and confuse with the flood of new launches, I find it interesting to observe trends forming and ideas trickling down from luxury perfumery into the mainstream. While it is difficult to predict the shape of the year based only on January, I have decided to include in my trend overview a few common themes I have noticed since the last quarter of 2010. I started jotting these notes down for myself about two years ago, and they help me to make sense of new launches as well as keep track of interesting developments. I generally try to include notes on fragrances already released, but whenever relevant, I also include mentions of new launches that fit the themes.

Crème Brûlée : Dark Side of Gourmand

There has been a general emphasis on the darker, oriental notes in the new launches over the past few months, and the edible accords have also received some scorching. The most provocative of the recent launches with a gourmand theme, Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau takes the idea of buttered toast and develops a herbal-woody composition around it.

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As I smell many niche collections these days, I get a distinct feeling that the luxury is being channeled mainly through the price and elaborate packaging. I do not wish to single out Cartier; the same thing can be said about by Kilian, Armani Privé, Clive Christian, Xerjoff, etc, etc, etc. This is also not to imply that the fragrances launched under these brands are poorly made; in fact, sometimes it is quite the opposite. However, as the price of luxury rises higher and higher, I begin to wonder whether the fragrances truly justify it. After all, I am not wearing a pretty bottle, nor do I care about the esteemed brand name. The only thing that remains is the scent. As for Cartier Les Heures de Parfum scents, I enjoyed the incense of L’Heure Mystérieuse and fell hard for the introspective aura of L’Heure Fougueuse and liked L’Heure Brilliante. Yet, as I mentioned previously, I wish for more complexity in these compositions and fuller stories being developed around these strong ideas. As I finish testing Les Heures de Parfum, I am left with the surprising discovery that in comparison to many niche lines, Serge Lutens fragrances can seem like bargains!

I decided to review L’Heure Folle, L’Heure Brilliante, L’Heure Promise, and L’Heure Diaphane together, because they capture a similar bright, joyful sensation to me, despite being quite different in terms of their olfactory profiles. As such, it is very interesting to observe how different olfactory effects can be used to achieve a similar mood. They also give a very interesting insight into Cartier in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent’s style and her strong signature.

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

While I have not been particularly taken by Les Heures de Parfum overall, my resolve melted when I tried IV L’Heure Fougueuse. Unlike with other fragrances from the collection, I did not have to go back and forth for days, trying to decide how I really felt and why they disappointed or pleased; the moment I applied L’Heure Fougueuse on my skin, I immediately fell under its spell. A few jasmine petals among the green tendrils, a hint of tobacco smoke, an illusion of warm, salty skin… What do they evoke? Perhaps, the scents of leather gloves, which still hold the perfume of its wearer, of a vintage purse, or of an old book with dried flowers between its pages. At any rate, when a perfume allows me to indulge in fantasies, it wins a place in my heart.

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Jo Malone is launching a limited edition collection inspired by the British tradition of four o’clock tea. The collection created by perfumer Christine Nagel consists of five fragrances: Assam and Grapefruit, Earl Grey and Cucumber, Fresh Mint Leaf, Sweet Lemon, and Sweet Milk. The fragrances are designed to be layered, so if you can have a choice of whether to have your tea with lemon or with milk. The Tea Fragrance Blends will be available from March 2011, starting with the UK (they are also available through the select duty-free stores.)

Assam and Grapefruit includes notes of grapefruit, violet, rhubarb, rose, cardamom, patchouli, musk, almond.

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