2012 launches: 129 posts

I started my morning feeling very confused after reading Osmoz. First, I need to backtrack a bit. Miss Dior Chérie was originally created by perfumer Christine Nagel for Christian Dior in 2005 and it was a novel gourmand chypre with an interesting combination of popcorn notes and strawberries. The official description included green mandarin, green tangerine, strawberry leaves, pink jasmine, violet, caramel popcorn, strawberry sorbet, patchouli, and crystalline musk.

In 2011, Miss Dior Chérie was reworked by François Demachy, Dior’s in-house perfumer, and the new version is crisper and fruitier, less buttery and toasty. The official description lists cherry, pineapple, strawberry, mandarin, popcorn, jasmine, rose, violet, caramel, patchouli, amber, and musk.

Now, Miss Dior Chérie is renamed Miss Dior, while the “real” Miss Dior  (the one dating to 1947) is to be called Miss Dior Originale. Simple, no? I guess our Miss Dior will remain forever young.

The summer fragrance Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess is coming back this year for a limited time starting March. There will also be a new variation called Bronze Goddess Capri.

“Bronze Goddess Capri is a limited edition, Solar Oriental fragrance inspired by the seductive Isle of Capri. Sparkling and exotic, NEW Bronze Goddess Capri Fragrance flawlessly shines with alluring notes of Cassis and juicy Mandarin, while the luscious blend of Lemon Leaves glistens like an incandescent drop of liquid sunshine. The heart, a warm touch of radiant sensuality, reveals an intoxicating floral energy of sun-soaked Jasmine Sambac and sensual Muguet. Rich, elegant layers of gilded Peony envelop the skin like liquid gold. The sensuous heat intensifies in the dry down, surrounded by a surge of creamy Vanilla enhanced by fluid Amberwood and the exotic aroma of Patchouli and Musk.”

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Whenever I am given a bouquet of roses, I instinctively lean in to smell them. What a disappointment! Most roses are bred to be completely scentless, and the only fragrance that clings to them is that of green foliage and wrapping paper. Being deprived of perfumed roses, I have a sentimental fondness for tea rose scents that remind me of freshly cut flowers. My most recent contender for a pretty English rose is Diptyque Eau Rose, a composition so uncluttered and straightforward that it manages to succeed where many rich blends fail.

At first glance, Eau Rose does not appear to be exciting—it is a bright rose etude painted in pastel colors. What quickly becomes apparent is that it retains this effervescent, uplifting character throughout its development. The fragrance does not have any metallic sharpness that sometimes accompanies fresh rose notes, nor does Eau Rose veer into a powdery direction. It hums the same happy tune, but it sings well.

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

I admit it. I am a perfume Casanova. The moment I meet Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue, I immediately go through my roster of amber favorites. I have to make sure that we have not met before. The classical amber accord based around labdanum is an ever popular fragrance style. It is sweet and warm. It is redolent of vanilla, the perfume note equivalent of an easy tune. Add some incense or dark woods, and the amber becomes sexy and dark. The problem is that after a while this theme gets repetitive, unless a composition offers some new and original twist.

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Laura Biagiotti is relaunching its sumptuous oriental Venezia, which was originally introduced in 1992. The new version is reochestrated by Lucas Sieuzac and Michel Almairac, the original Venezia creator. The notes include ylang-ylang, blackcurrant buds, plum, jasmine, rose, osmanthus, sandalwood, vanilla, balsamic resins.

“Laura Biagiotti’s VENEZIA is a fragrance capable of evoking a world of poetry and imagination, it is devoted to the most magical of cities, a place to be admired and to fall in love with. The perfume has an oriental character and fragrances reminiscent of vanilla, its rich mingling of nuances is glamorously opulent and seductive.”

Venezia is available as Eau de Parfum (25ml/38.50EUR and 50ml/50EUR) as well as shower gel and body lotion. Via Venezia by Laura Biagiotti and press release.