For the holiday season, Yves Saint Laurent is releasing limited edition bottles of its three fragrances, Cinéma, Opium et Opium pour Homme.

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

Cinq Mondes is a line of spa products inspired by traditional beauty treatments. Eau Égyptienne was created by Olivia Giacobetti in 2005. The light fragrance is intended as a mist that can also be used on hair.

Olivia Giacobetti’s fragrances have a remarkable translucence paired with complexity, and this fragrance certainly bears Giacobetti’s fingerprint. The serene and quiet composition undulates slowly, as the top notes of verdant mint and silky geranium meld into the incense smoke swirling gently. Resinous and balsamic notes are blended to create a perfectly smooth arrangement. It is reminiscent of the layers of multicolored silks that allow a glimpse of certain hues, while presenting a unified and unusual whole. Under the sheer veil of luxurious incense and spices, the patterns formed of flowers begin to emerge. While the florals are not very distinct, other than a hint of tea rose laced with myrrh and a few scattered white blossoms touched by ginger, they lend an opulent softness that is a perfect counterpoint to the wooded notes.

The drydown is a subtle smokiness of incense ashes falling over a fragrant lotus blossom. Unlike Iunx waters, Eau Égyptienne is much longer lasting. In fact, its tenacity is what I hoped Iunx waters would be—it remains perceptible, yet stays close to the skin. It is a fragrance to wear for yourself and a few lucky ones who are close enough (or allowed to lean in enough) to notice its ashes over flower petals character.

Notes include lotus flower, rose, mint, lentiscus (which is an evergreen tree), incense, myrrh, papyrus, jasmine, juniper, geranium and cumin. Blue water lily like the one depicted above was an essential part of the ancient Egyptian culture. More information on this topic can be found here, as well as a list of other fragrances containing lotus and water lily.

Available at Beautyhabit.

Diptyque is releasing a new fragrance in the Eau de Toilette concentration called Do Son. Referring to the resort on the coast of Vietnam, southeast of Hai Phong City, the fragrance is composed around tuberose. It will soon be available from Beautyhabit.

A new range of fragrances is now available at the Beautyhabit.  Nadia Nassif’s fragrances are inspired by Morocco and are constructed around a dominant note, such as sandalwood, rose, jasmine, patchouli.   Ten fragrances available at the moment are created in France.  The line includes: Santal, Rose, Vanille, Patchouli, Ambre, Musc, Mimosa, Jasmin, Gardenia and Fleur d’Oranger. 

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

One of the three colognes released by Christian Dior in 2004 under the guidance of Hedi Slimane, Cologne Blanche was composed by Francis Kurkdjian. All three fragrances are well-composed, with the attention to detail that cannot be left unnoticed, from the high-quality ingredients to the understated luxury of the packaging. If the name cologne leads one to expect thin and bland citrus concoctions, Cologne trio will definitely be a wonderful surprise. The colognes are quite varied, from bitter herbs and caramel undertones of Eau Noire to chilly elegance of Bois D’Argent. Cologne Blanche is an epitome of refinement, with its marriage of indulgence and comfort set against a ravishing delicacy of almond base enriched by the softest of musks.

The bergamot and orange are the radiant ornaments, delicately intertwined with the herbal whisper of green herbs. It is as if a branch of rosemary got caught in the fruit basket, its piney scent adding a rejuvenating element. The sensual touch of musk is an interesting element, considering the essentially “straight out of the shower clean” aura of the composition. However, there is something ethereal and alluring about the fragrance that makes me want to lean in and inhale the scent emanating from the skin.

The elegant drydown is reminiscent of the bittersweet peach stone, which alternates between milky green almond and lusciously sweet nut. A mere hint of confectioner’s sugar scented with vanilla foils the understated musk of the base. If I am to imagine a fragrance Napoleon would like on Joséphine (a woman of whom he said in his letters, “I must see her and press her to my heart. I love her to the point of madness, and I cannot continue to be separated from her. If she no longer loved me, I would have nothing left to do on earth”), Cologne Blanche would be it, fitting Napoleon’s fastidious cleanliness as well as Josephine’s predilections for exotic musks.

Cologne Blanche, like the other two colognes, Bois d’Argent and Eau Noire, is available in 4.2oz, 8.4oz, and 16.9oz bottles, and can be found at Neiman Marcus and Dior boutiques.

Painting: Pierre-Paul Prud’hon. Portrait of Empress Joséphine. 1805. Oil on canvas, Louvre. Abcgallery.com