Fragrance Review: My Top Three Fragrances

So I have decided to do a little blog about my top three favorite fragrances of all time. These are fragrances that I just absolutely adore and would probably cut myself if they ever discontinued. Okay I'm exaggerating. I would probably hang myself instead...

Jokes aside..these are three fragrances that are perfect (in my opinion). Collectively, the three represent categories: 1. My go to scent (the one out of the three I would call my signature...and neither of the three, by the way, is Sweet Redemption by Kilian, which is my signature scent).  2. The fragrance I wear when I am tired of the scent that reflects category 1 but is beautiful and an everlasting attestation to why I love the art of smell.   3.  The fragrance I wear when I want to be different...unique...and mysterious...while still maintaining flawlessness in design.

And without further adieu...I present to you, my top three fragrances:


1. The Signature:   New Haarlem by Bond No. 9
Bond No. 9 truly outdid itself with this one. Composed by Maurice Roucel, NH is a sweet oriental brew revolving around coffee, sweetened with vanilla and tonka, made fresh by bergamot and lavendar, and grounded by woods and patchouli. This is a heavenly concoction. Those who like to wear fragrances for themselves will enjoy this because it is a heavenly smell. It smells delicious...like a dessert. I do have a full review on this so I won't get into details, but the drydown is just glorious. The fragrance projects well, but starts to project even stronger as it dries down, which in my opinion, is perfection since the drydown is my favorite part (smells like a sweet, french vanilla cafe, with very faint coffee, but creamy and honeyed patchouli and tonka bean melange). I love it because it is airy, versatile, and long lasting. The sillage is gorgeous and is complimented nearly everytime I wear it (which is very often). I still wear this in the heat, with one or two light sprays, and catching whiffs of NH is heaven for my olfactory sins.

2.  The Signature Replacement:  Terre D'Hermes Pure Parfum by Hermes
Composed by in-house Hermes perfumer and all time great nose, Jean-Claude Ellena, Terre D'Hermes Pure Parfum takes the original EDT version one step up the ladder and a rocket ship even further. The earthiness of the original is stronger in this, but so is sweetness, and the ruggedness. The EDT mellows out in the citrus department over time, where as the EDP, the citrus becomes stronger as the hours pass. This is personification in a bottle...the sweetness represents a gentleman...the type to pull your chair out, hold your door, and tell you how ravishing you look even though all this is taking place pre-shower, pre-makeup, but immediately post-waking. The ruggedness reflects side B of this unassuming man who will handle business when need be. This is a man who will stop on his way to Graceland to take off his shirt and fix all four of a young lady's tires, to expect only a bottle of water in payment...but instead finds himself engaged in some guilt-free passion in the back of that newly grounded vehicle. He is not afraid to get dirty....if need be.


3. The Unique Scent: Ambre Narguile 
Yes it smells like apple...but not apple pie..nope. More like Apple Cider. But a very light, delicious, transparent and smokey apple cider...yet very intriguing. This is the fragrance I spray on when I want to wear something different, daring, and not reminiscent of your average "cologne." I wear this when I want to feel mysterious. I wear this when I go out, wearing a black v-neck, black jeans, black boots, and my hair pushed back. I also wear this when I want to feel comforted and cozy despite the chaos and debauchery around me in NYC. This is a fragrance that truly captures the smell of flavored shisha tobacco but done in a very sweet and tolerable fashion to eventually intoxicate any nose that should fall under its spell. This is a magical scent and very unisex. The dry down is a gorgeous olfactory trip that can reminds me of a bakery where the dominant aroma is that of an apple cinnamon tart (I barely get tobacco in the dry down). Truly unique, mystical, and has an enigmatic personality for any man who wears this. I think women who wear this are bewitching yet inviting, and seductive nonetheless.



So there you have it. My top three fragrance that I cannot live without. These are fragrances I will always come back to.  Even my signature, Sweet Redemption by Kilian, as much as I love this scent, I feel as if I do not have such a pious relationship with it as much as I do with the above mentioned.

Fragrance Review: Terre D'Hermes (EDT) Review

via [Painting Here]
 

Refreshing. Uplifting. Rugged. Free Spirited. Energizing. The descriptive list goes on reaching the very depths this very land we live on does. From that sparkling blast of citrus to the trembling, ground shattering earthiness that overwhelms the initial zest, this fragrance does what niche fragrances are known to do: Evolve and intrigue.  Let me rephrase..Terre D'Hermes does exactly what M. Ellena is known to do with his fragrances: Evolve and Intrigue. Ellena is known for his transparent style - literally "see through" fragrances. Give my man a dirty old window and he'll shoot pellets of art right through it in a pattern that's apparent...but when looking through the holes, an entirely new world unfolds right there in front of you. 

Opening: Again, a display of citrus laden fireworks composed of oranges and grapefruit....now when fireworks come to an end in the sky, they leave a nice sparkly trail of ...well...sparks - as the light diminishes. The pink pepper in Terre D'Hermes is just that...the sparkle that lights up this zesty display! Such an energizing beginning! Think opening a bottle of orangeade bubbly on New Years Eve with grapefruit scented sparklers going off all around...that's TdH.

Mid-Dry Down:  Like tectonic plates during earthquakes, the entire fragrance begins to shift. The initial rattling of an opening is followed by an aftermath of pure ruggedness. From the Middle to Dry Down...the citrus blend mellows out...the pepper begins to soften....the cedar and vetiver combination ground this fragrance like roots..while a light cloud formed by the wet dirt and dry sand falls slowly onto this  barren yet refreshing land.

Projection/Sillage/Longevity: This stuff projects very well! I remember spraying one shot to my neck...4 hours later I walked into a Starbucks...soon as I approached the clerk the first thing she says is "ooh you smell damn good!' It definitely projects throughout it's entire evolution. It lasts 12+ hours on my clothing and about 9 hours on skin. Very impressive quality.

Versatility: Extremely versatile! Perfect for all occasions and all seasons. One of the most versatile fragrances I have encountered! It does an amazing job of maintaining an earthy warmth during the cold...during the heat, the citruses act as an energizing blend!

Compliments: Too many to count.

Overall: 8.5/10.  This is a marvelous creation. Jean Claude Ellena done did it with this one yo. His style is evident, yet he takes it to another level...he has managed to mix a note so simple (citrus) with a base that is literally natural - Earth! I mean, who thinks of this shit? If you answer "many"..then fine..but who actually gets it done? Look at JCE's other creations...the man uses Heliotrope and Honey to mimic another one of Mother Nature's children..WINTER in L'eau D'Hiver for EDP Frederic Malle. I mean though a hommage to Apres L'Ondee (which is gorgeous by the way, I was able to sample this stuff at MiN and wow the striking resemblance to L'eau D'Hiver)...JCE is a man who speaks complex words with simple hand gestures and miracles occur. TdH is no exception to the rule. Cop a sample of this shit ASAP.