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

Marc Jacobs Bang was without doubt one of my favorite fragrances from 2010.  Its elegant, polished structure belies a bold character, and in fact this juxtaposition makes Bang very appealing. It has a great opening accord that fits well with its name—the composition explodes into a vibrant, brilliant, peppery sparkle. Experiencing this piquant woody-spicy prelude is not unlike biting through the fiery, pleasantly burning pepper crust on steak au poivre, and the effect is just as mouthwatering.

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

Although roses interpreted in the warm oriental style have been a popular theme as of late (Armani Privé Rose d’Arabie, Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady, etc.,) I keep returning to By Kilian Rose Oud. Opulent and complex, it remains one of my favorite fragrances inspired by the Middle East perfumery tradition. Its beauty comes not just from the particularly fine raw materials—although the lavish use of beautiful rose essences certainly lends it a sumptuous aura — it is the cleverly played contrast between the accords that makes Rose Oud special. The initial flourish of crimson rose petals belies the classical woody structure of the composition. Rose Oud beckons with its appealing softness of petals, but let it seep into your skin, and you will discover that it is dark, sensual and full of mystery.

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Happy 2011! I hope that this year will brings lots of happiness, health and fortune to all. For our perspective, I hope that we will have many new interesting perfumes to smell and will enjoy another interesting year of memorable discoveries.

What did you do for New Year’s Eve? Do you have any specific New Year’s Eve celebration traditions that you follow? 
And more importantly, with what fragrance did you greet 2011?

While our friends braved the crowds to see the ball drop in Times Square, we stayed at home and had dinner near the fireplace. We watched Peter Sellers’ The Party, while making tortellini and a gingerbread trifle.  While we had to wait till the next year for our dinner to be finished, we had lots of champagne to tide us over.  Lately, these kinds of laid-back, simple celebrations are my favorites. I wore my new black and pink dress and L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversée du Bosphore. I selected it both for its vibrant blend of roses and violets on a plush base of smoky woods and amber and for its name. There is something very alluring about crossings of all types. Let our crossing into the new year be a special and memorable one!

Photography © Bois de Jasmin, VeraKL

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

Serge Lutens L’Eau baffled me. A friend urged me to read the marketing information, saying it somehow helped him to understand L’Eau. “..these ruptures are at a given moment absolutely necessary if I don’t want to collapse, fall — if you will — in a cliché of myself and finish dying of boredom…” (WWD, 2/19/2010) Basically, if I want Serge Lutens to continue his dark mysterious tales, I need to put up with something different from time to time. Fair enough! Many of the previous Serge Lutens lite offerings have actually been quite interesting—the wholesome sparkle of Fleurs de Citronnier, the delicate opalescence of Gris Clair, the luminosity of the modern white musks in Clair de Musc. The main issue I have with L’Eau is not that it is a clean floral, but that it is not particularly interesting or original as a fragrance in this genre.

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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 creativity of the marketing campaign for Yves Saint Laurent Belle d’Opium dramatically contrasts with the banality of the fragrance. If it had even a touch of the originality and mystery possessed by the visuals, in which actress Mélanie Thierry interprets the dance of Salomé, Belle d’Opium would have been much more interesting. Instead, the fresh fruity accord underpinned by the patchouli-cotton candy notes suggests nothing more than a softer amber-oriental take on Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.

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