The following perfume reviews were originally posted on Bois de Jasmin, a leading resource for scent and scent education created by Victoria Frolova, fragrance writer and journalist.
Serge Lutens: Daim Blond
Love at first sniff – calm, lovely and more a mood than a scent, and isn’t that the goal of a good perfume? A subtle bouquet of apricot, heliotrope and musk, the hidden star in Daim Blond is leather, pale and buttery – I imagine grey leather kidskin driving gloves of impeccable cut and quality, and that association alone unleashes several others…driving a country road at twilight, as the evening bites with a crisp dampness. The gardens speeding past smell faintly of iris. I’m cloaked in Daim and the vintage leather aroma of my mid-century Jag. A fragrance which conjures new memories.
Sonoma Scent Studio: To Dream
A bouquet of heliotrope, rose and violet grounded by woods, the opening of To Dream smells much like the Lancome Trésor I loved as a teenager...yet To Dream is decidedly adult. Floral powder and fizzing stone fruit blossom into dry, parched woods, melding with the brackish smell of river grass. I imagine California perfumer Laurie Erickson taking inspiration from the native oaks and redwoods of wine country, and the local delta mud. The longer the scent wears, however, the more singular becomes the impression of the latter, which is unfortunate given the fragrance’s tenacity.
Hermes Jour d’Hermes
Radiant, luminous powder. Jour D’Hermes is a citrusy floral both spirited and subdued, with a noticeable sillage, but why not share this sunshine? In my personal cloud of Jour, I do feel as though I’m basking in the glow of the sun, even in the dark days of winter. This scent is all light and effervescence, with a champagne-like tartness that reminds me of Comme des Garçons’ Rhubarb, an upper for any occasion. Cheery and lighthearted, yet not young.
M. Micallef Le Parfum Denis Durand Couture
Inky citrus, smoke, pepper, leather. At its center, M. Micallef Le Parfum is pure rose, but a gothic rose, high contrast, both peppery and brambly, one that broods and sulks, yet wears close to the skin with exceptional smoothness. Reminiscent of Anne Demeulemeester’s oeuvre of black tailoring, Helmut Lang revival haircuts – and for that reason, may not be entirely suited to your every day. Yet it is memorable.
Aftelier Cacao
Whiffed straight from the vial, Cacao is a boozy mélange of orange and spiced chocolate, and positively decadent. On skin, Aftelier’s take on a familiar theme evolves into another dimension, pure sensuality, comfort, and wonder, yet underpinned by a rusticness reminiscent of stone ground chocolate. While the cacao note is familiar, at no point is Aftelier’s version hackneyed; its rough-hewn succulence keeps it fresh and off-kilter. The joyride only lasts so long, though, before the confection devolves into a heady mess of jasmine flowers. But this is no problem, really – procure yourself an unlimited supply of the stuff, reapply into oblivion, and let the adventure unfold anew.