ARMANI/PRIVE Haute Couture Fragrances

PIVOINE SUZHOU: Delightful Purified Peony

Chypre Floral
Cecile Matton and Julie Masse

My favourite from this line-up. A delicate yummy sweet peony. Joy and femininity in a bottle. If you like Bright Crystal by Versace or Peony & Blush Suede by Jo Malone, you will love Pivoine Suzhou. It is peony in its purest form – gorgeous, romantic, and bridal. They are all summer-spring EDTs, so you have to bear in mind that the staying power reflects that. I layered Pivoine Suzhou with The Yulong from the same line and it worked just fine.

ROSE MILANO: Tenacious and Courageous Citrus Rose

Chypre Floral
Daphne Bugey and Marie Salamagne

Rose Milano is a modern chypre. It is also a bridal romantic floral but with a kick. This scent has balls. I imagine a young and beautiful bride yet there is something edgy about her. She smokes a cigarette in her wedding dress and her ceremony is not exactly typical. It gives me slightly decadent vibes yet still elegant and chick. I like it. If you are looking for a cheaper version, try Comme une Evidence by Yves Rocher.

GARDENIA ANTIGUA: Deluxe Sultry Relax

Floral Woody Musk
Dora Baghriche

The rare flower of gardenia can be a bit too opulent for my taste; therefore, many gardenia dominant fragrances are not for me. Gardenia Antigua is a lavish white floral but there is a tropical twist from ylang-ylang and ambergris. The musk is also quite prominent and the scent can be interpreted as one of Narciso’s fragrances. With these aspects in the mix, I tolerate gardenia; and overall, enjoy the complexity of the composition very much.

JASMIN KUSAMONO: Once Upon a Time in the Dewy Spring Morning

Floral Aquatic
Dominique Ropion

This is an easy-breezy jasmine and lily-of-the-valley scent. It even reminds me of a garden of lilacs in full bloom. Pure soft white floral. Traditional with a modern touch. In the same vein as Miu Miu the original. Genderless. If you are a courageous man, you can wear Jasmin Kusamono with no worries too.

THE YULONG: A Premium Sachet of Tea with Herbs

Aromatic Green
Julie Masse

The Yulong is arguably the deepest and darkest out of the five. There are cardamom and petitgrain, and clouds of green and black tea. I get primarily strong black tea but still very well blended. You already know I am not a fan of tea in fragrances but in some exceptional cases, I can handle it. This is the case. Tea in its most refined form. It kicks off with some spices and settles with vetiver and ambrette. It is not the best out of the pack based on my preferences but the most unisex and calming.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt: Your skin but better

Wood Sage & Sea Salt by Jo Malone
Aromatic
Christine Nagel

Jo Malone does cologne concentrated scents with a very natural simplistic character. Wood Sage & Sea Salt is indeed a great example of that.

The cologne smells like a breeze by the sea in a colder climate. I picture a seaside somewhere in the northeast of the US or the North East of England. It has a naturalistic vibe filled with salt, minerals, sand and stone. It is dreamy perfection. I do not recognise much salt but get this musky mellow quality with a hint of sweetness.

It is neither a typical aromatic nor marine aroma. That is how special this is. It feels like your skin but enhanced with the touches of countryside, sea and air. Wood Sage & Sea Salt is a totally inoffensive all-year-round fragrance with no gender. I would even say that it is suitable for people who do not like perfumes at all. The lasting power is decent but bear in mind it is a cologne, and its wearing capacity is naturally weaker than one of an EDT. Definitely full bottle worthy.

Ocean di Gioia: Breezy Flowers with Ultra-Fine Fruits

Ocean di Gioia by Giorgio Armani
Floral Fruity
Marypierre Julien and Sonia Constant

Ocean di Gioia is a very likeable summery citrus freshie. It goes hand in hand with the original Acqua di Gioia from 2010. They are both nice inoffensive scents, nothing groundbreaking though.

I wore Ocean di Gioia to a horse show jumping competition on an extremely hot day and I must report I did not feel the scent even though I reapplied three times. It did not break the heat; I was longing for something sharper and more refreshing like Florabotanica or L’Eau Serge Lutens.

Ocean di Gioia is a pleasant Floral Fruity for the office and indoor close-up encounters. However outside, where you need to reply on a scent during a long day, you need something with greater potency. If you look at Ocean di Gioia as lighthearted and open-minded, it can work pretty well.

Cloud: A Lavish Rounded Compliment Getter

Cloud by Ariana Grande
Floral Fruity Gourmand
Clement Gavarry

I have tried Baccarat Rouge 540 a year ago and I loved it. Then I thought I have smelled the original, I do not need to try any dupes. Nonetheless, we know how it goes in the fragrance community, we are trying new scents anyway, we just cannot help it.

So there we go, I went out and sniffed Burberry Her – nothing like Baccarat, Burberry Her Intense – nothing like Baccarat, Instant Crush by Mancera – scratchy and terrible. In the end, I gave up and gave Cloud a go. The despicable ever-present perfume by Ariana Grande. I am so not buying it. Of course, here I am with a sample, anxious to find out I am loving it. Okay, okay, Baccarat Rouge is more refined, airier, more unisex … but Cloud is so damn close.

The notes are different yet all in all, Cloud is a powerful dupe of BR 540. Fluffier, creamier and sweeter but still close enough. I hate to admit it but I enjoy Cloud on me. It leans feminine and wears beautifully. It is an easier scent for the wearer than BR 540 if it makes any sense. And price-wise, common. So if you are a stylish girly girl on a budget, buy Cloud with no hesitation. As a lad, you may be better off with the original masterpiece.

Good Girl: Work Hard, Play Harder

Good Girl by Carolina Herrera
Amber Floral
Louise Turner

I was avoiding Good Girl for quite some time. Although I adored the bottle idea, I have heard other reviewers saying that Good Girl is a mishmash of everything. In the end, I jumped on the train and tried the original Good Girl for myself, and I am pleasantly surprised. There is a reason why this scent is so popular among the masses.

It is sweet, likeable and sexy. I was expecting something deeper and darker based on the bottle, the scent is however sort of fresh from my point of view. Right away, it reminds me of two other perfumes and these are Nuit Pour Femme by Hugo Boss and Little Balck Dress by Avon. You can notice that we stay in this less expensive to medium-priced category and so is Good Girl. Although it smells good, do not expect amazing quality and lasting. It is what it is and I like it for that.

It can serve as a clubbing fragrance if you are a student or are not going anywhere too fancy. At the same time, Good Girl will make a solid companion for a fall and winter daytime. Yes, it is fresh enough to be rocked during the day as well as carnal enough at night.

Bright Crystal Absolu: Synthetic and Sweet

Bright Crystal Absolu by Versace
Floral Fruity
Alberto Morillas

I like the airy cold floral quality of the original Bright Crystal. It is not among my absolutely top favourite fragrances but I see why it is so a super popular easy-reach perfume for spring and summer for younger women. Therefore, I wanted to try the absolu version to see how it changed and developed.

Some reviewers say, it is just the same but more potent version of Bright Crystal; however, it is further away from the truth, in my opinion. The aquatic character is gone and so is its airiness, lightness and joy. The scent is more profound due to jammy raspberry and mahagony wood. It is also more sensual, and sweeter thanks to the fruity aspects of the aroma.

You perhaps wear Bright Crystal during the day and top it up with Absolu during the night. Bright Crystal is a bright freshie I can get away with in my mid-thirties; nevertheless, I would not put Absolu on at night. I would be looking for something more unique, mysterious, and sophisticated. Bright Crystal Absolu does not bring the unknown. It is a very well-expected sticky and sweet floral-fruity.

Bohemian Orange Blossom Atelier Cologne

Bohemian Orange Blossom by Atelier Cologne
Floral

We already know that Atelier Cologne does very well with citrus scents. I have tried 12 AT colognes; and so far, Orange Sanguine has been my favourite. It has a citrusy opening, yet there is much more to it. The newest release Bohemian Orange Blossom is meant to be a simple scent based on the three notes listed: orange, neroli, and orange blossom.

Neroli can get harsh and bitter, particularly in men’s colognes; and unfortunately, this is the case. Bohemian Orange Blossom is not a male cologne, it is a unisex gun for sure but the harshness and bitterness are there. The orange blossom which is usually sweet and opulent does not save it. Some people enjoy that bitter aspect of fragrances. You must be one of them to crave Bohemian Orange Blossom.

It is not a bad cologne, I can easily see myself reaching for this; however, there is nothing left for your imagination. Everything is clearly laid on the table. It can be a good or a bad thing depending on if you are a minimalist or a maximalist. The price tag for AC is high but it pays off. The staying power is fantastic, I would say 8+ hours and you get to sniff yourself every now and then. At the end of that day, it comes down to whether you like realistic oranges and neroli or not. Full stop!

Nerolia Vetiver: Summer in the Scenic Countryside

Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Vetiver by Guerlain
Woody Floral Musk
Delphine Jelk and Thierry Wasser

Nerolia Vetiver is a new release from the Aqua Allegoria Guerlain line which is so typical for its fresh quality. Like the others, Nerolia Vetiver is a very pleasant scent. It has a refreshing zesty opening; but later, it dries down quite sweet due to a fig note. It is a shampoo-like easy-to-wear fragrance for summer.

Nerolia Vetiver is composed of 90% to 95% ingredients of natural origin. The alcohol used is sourced from suppliers committed to sustainable agriculture. And not only that, it is extremely hard to dislike. It is earthy and aromatic yet sweet and fruity.

This is your South of France, South of Italy type of scent. Bring elegant summer dresses, sun hat and designer shades, spritz on Nerolia Vetiver and off you go to a brunch with your girls or your significant other. That is the vibe I am getting when smelling this ideal picnic scent.

Cheirosa ’39: An Effortless Coconutty Gourmand

Cheirosa ’39 by Sol de Janeiro

Sol de Janeiro with its Cheirosa made me step outside my comfort zone while making me feel more than comfortable. Cheirosa means yummy delicious edible you name it.

Cheirosas body mists are also widely loved by people who initially do not like gourmands. My love for gourmands has been growing every day; and surprisingly, I have also progressed with my hate for coconut. Coconut has been growing on me too and I find more and more coconutty scents bearable, even loveable. Cheirosa 39 is a sweet gourmand with straight-up coconut.

There are also vanilla and praline but coconut is what stands out to my nose. And guess what! I am loving it. The body mist sinks into my skin, and the touch is smooth and comfortable. It definitely has summer holiday vibes, but it is perhaps good to refresh your memory of those happy times and put on Cheirosa ’39 to brighten your otherwise grey rainy day too.

Nectar: Sweeter, Deeper and Fruitier Flowerbomb

Flowerbomb Nectar by Viktor & Rolf
Amber Floral

Flowerbomb Nectar is a flanker of the super-popular Flowerbomb from 2005. It brings an interesting opening to the world of perfume. It comes with gunpowder which simulates gunfire and firecrackers. There is a metallic feel to it which leads us back to the original DNA which was so detectable and admired by the masses.

Nectar, of course, has a sweet fruity twist which is represented by osmanthus and orange blossom. Later, the aroma turns to a cozy combination of warm vanilla, tonka and benzoin which are so lovely on the skin. I personally love Flowerbomb. It is an outstanding sweet floral perfume with tea and an excellent staying and projection. It has a lot in common with Nectar, though Nectar is sweeter, fruitier, richer and sexier.

I think it is fantastic. So, perhaps, when you run out of the well-known stable in your collection, it is time to try Nectar or the new Ruby Orchid for a change.