Liaisons Dangereuses by Kilian typical me

"... the Parisian orgy is a source of pleasure... Bodies slick with sweat, hot with the odours of sexual favours bestowed and received during the night. In line with the 18th-century libertine tradition, these [two] fragrances symbolize transgression, the pleasures of the flesh and defiance of prohibitions and conventions."

With that description if the juice is half-way decent, I am sold! In this case, the juice is more than half-way decent. When I met Kilian Henessy of by Kilian perfumes I was charmed by his looks and impressed by his humility. This former marketing executive of L'Oreal is an heir to the Henessy cognac family and a delightful Frenchman at that. (One sentence pronounced with a heavy French accent and I am intrigued beyond belief and a little hot and bothered.)

I was more than happy to sample these new, mysterious offerings in gorgeous black bottles at Bergdorf Goodman the morning of October 20th. And I found one to take home with me.

Liaisons Dangereuses is an interesting mingling of notes, one for fragrance aficionados since it is not obviously appealing. Rather, this fragrance offers mystery and elicits statements such as "What is that fantastic smell?" I have seen descriptions vary, from one in this month's Allure magazine describing it as plum over oakmoss to this web page that suggests geranium over cinnamon. From what I recall when I tested it, I was moved by heavy fruitiness over just a touch of woods. As I wear this at home (which is usually a more accurate impression), the fragrance begins smelling just slightly of mint to my nose. The mint is mixed with fruit, like a refreshing and uplifting herbal tea. After a full five minutes of the minty-fruity accord, the fragrance dries and it becomes much deeper and slightly animalic, something I would expect from a fragrance meant to evoke the libertine 18th-Century. Plum over oakmoss is not a bad description at all. And yet this fragrance is so much more than that. The geranium slowly enters the olfactory symphony during the heart stage of this fragrance and it dominates the delicately spicy, sweet cinnamon making it almost undetectable. Finally, earthy sandalwood and sensual musk round out the base, amping up the sex appeal to full tilt.

Freedom of sexual expression exemplifies libertine 18th-Century Europe. "If it feels good, do it" sparked a movement that bucked all laws, religions, morals and constraints. Simply no regard for social norms or "good" behavior counter-balanced the religious movements that had previously dominated politics and social behavior. Although libertines could not achieve anything politically due to their radical nature, they certainly brought forth some delicious entertainment. I applaud any fragrance designed to highlight this period of history, the age of one of my favorite painters Caravaggio, the intriguing poet Giambattista Marino and the Casanova, Giovanni Giacomo.

The most impressive facet of the entire By Kilian collection is its packaging. As Mr. Henessy expressed, your personal fragrance is your weapon as you go throughout the day. Thus, each bottle contains an ornate shield design. The gorgeous black bottle fits snugly inside a satin lined black lacquer box which can be locked with a small key that dangles from black tassel. Just superb.

By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses and the entire L'Oeuvre Noire collection are available at Bergdorf Goodman. The refillable bottle sells for $225.

Image courtesy of luxist.com and Casanova courtesy of britannica.com

Lea St. Barth Extreme

One of my favorite facets of cooler weather is the luxury of lounging at home, nestling into a comfortable spot in front of the fire wearing cozy, soft clothes and a sweet, comforting fragrance. Lea St. Barth Extreme satisfies this desire perfectly. With colder weather and the holidays upon us, I thought it deserved some recognition.

A richer and more intense version of Lea, Lea Extreme is simply the original formulation of Lea. By comparison, the reformulated Lea resembles an eau de toilette while Lea Extreme resembles a parfum. Ironically, they are both eau de toilettes of identical notes. Yet Lea Extreme interprets those notes in a more exaggerated fashion. They are? Vanilla, almond and musk.

Lea Extreme begins with a heavy dose of sweet almond and vanilla. I feel as if I am making almond cookies as I inhale this rich fragrance. As I add the extracts and flour, the sweet smell of dough wafts from my mixing bowl. When this fragrance dries and softens, I detect a faint amount of espresso or chocolate, both of which make me and my nose very happy. Finally, the fragrance lands on a soft musk base with incredible lasting power on my skin - nearly a full day.

This fragrance's lack of complexity and unembellished coziness has rendered it very popular. To wear Lea Extreme with an elaborately planned ensemble seems very wrong. However, when donning slippers, wrapping a fleece blanket around the shoulders and looking forward to a few hours of relaxation, Lea St. Barth Extreme is the perfect companion.

Lea St. Barth Extreme is available at luckyscent.com. A 100mL bottle retails for $95. There is a limited number of bottles available.

Images courtesy of gartexmasonrysupply.com and luckyscent.com.

Perfume Tip #4: Layering

I have thought about writing a piece on layering for quite some time and yet it has always eluded me in its complexity. After discovering a most glorious combination this week, I must talk about it now. But first, a little background. There are two factions of perfumistas. Those in favor of layering and those who think it's a shame to the art and a terrible distortion of a perfectly good scent. This perfumista has discovered the joys of layering and found that it has made her perfume collection vastly more interesting! While some may think it's a marketing gimmick to encourage you to buy more, once your perfect combination is discovered those thoughts will fade away quickly.

The house of Jo Malone has done a remarkable job describing the art of layering. Anyone reluctant about this subject should head to their nearest Jo Malone counter and ask to experiment with scents that layer well. In addition, Bond No. 9 encourages it, as does Creed, Memoir Liquide and probably many more of which I am not aware.

Once you start experimenting, scents you had previously dismissed as unwearable for you suddenly become possibilities when softened or enriched by another fragrance. One such example, and the most glorious combination I have tried is L'Aromarine Vanille layered with Jo Malone Pomegranite Noir. My tiny decant of JM Pom. Noir had sat at the bottom of my decant basket and become quite lonely for months. I simply thought it was too dark for me. The Vanille brings it to life, gives it a delicate sweetness and compliments it perfectly for a sweet and spicy holiday scent to remember! Another intriguing combination for the holidays is Ava Luxe Milk over Ava Luxe Madeline. This one is along the same lines as the previous, but a tad bit softer and less spicy. Nonetheless, it is the peeerrrrfect Christmas fragrance, reminding me of all the reasons I love the holiday, mostly the rich fragrances associated with it.

For more ideas, I offer a few scent families that layer well:

• Vanilla with citrus



• Musk with florals



• Gourmand with florals



• Spices with sweet fragrances

Ultimately, you could utilize every one of your fragrances, even the ones you think you abhor, by layering them. I encourage you to give it a try and I would love to hear the combinations that work well. Starting by layering a complex fragrance with a single note fragrance is recommended. One note of caution, make sure you are near a sink when you start to experiment. You may need to scrub a few before you find the magic combination that encourages you to say, "Aha!"

What are your thoughts on layering? Are there any combinations that you love?

Update 11/30/07: New layering discovery! Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur under Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose is a divine combination of girly, frilly and seductive vixen and it makes MR much more tolerable to me.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Iris Pallida 2007

I wanted to smell like a lady yesterday - like a refined, classy woman who takes no prisoners and yet charms most people she encounters. I needed to rise above minor irritants and feel as if I was floating like a leaf on the river of life. I desired to feel good about myself and others. And I longed to keep a little secret as I strode through my day - the secret that I was wearing an exclusive scent made by one of the most prestiged houses on the planet. The scent I chose? Iris Pallida.

I had the pleasure of first trying this scent as I was standing next to Francois Duquesne, President of L'Artisan Parfumeur, and his wife. They are the most lovely people and I did not feel pressured at all to enjoy the scent. But oh, how I did! The melodic opening of Iris Pallida accompanied me on the rough cab ride back to my hotel as I departed New York City. That was my first experience with this fragrance and although it was a stressful moment, that is not what I conjure with this scent at all. Rather I feel it transported me safely through the streets of New York. Now you see why I chose it yesterday.

This unique iris fragrance is rather unlike any other iris I have tested. It is very woodsy and quite dry, not in the least bit sweet. The lack of sweetness became apparent after I tested it alongside the lovely, sweet Serge Lutens Bois de Violette. With Iris Pallida, the notes melt into one another to create a simultaneously soft, gently powdery, and quite woodsy fragrance. The sparkling opening of lily of the valley, violet leaves and orange blossom are wonderful to sniff immediately after spritzing. As the scent dries and remains on the skin, it becomes remarkably darker and richer. Gaïac wood specifically stands out, as does ambrette seed, reminding me of the lovely Chanel No. 18. This iris absolute is smooth and powdery, unlike other bitter or metallic iris scents. Iris Pallida wears beautifully, with a soft and tender base. Its transportive qualities render it, oddly enough, a comfort scent which is undoubtedly due to its symmetry and lack of rough edges. I have come to expect perfection from L'Artisan and I am not in the least disappointed in this one. From top to bottom it stands out from the rest.

The cost does prohibit purchasing. I was fortunate enough to be part of a bottle split and spent a very reasonable amount on my coveted 10mL spray. Nonetheless, I do love the fragrance enough to save my pennies for a full bottle. Hopefully by then it will still be available!

L'Artisan Parfumeur Iris Pallida is available at L'Artisan boutiques and luckyscent.com. It retails for $295 for 100mL.

Images courtesy of fragrantica.com and luckyscent.com.

Perfume for the Occasion: In Times Of Stress

We all have those weeks or days when we feel like we are on a treadmill and cannot get off. Little down time, lots of pressure to perform, a plethora of noise and traffic, demands from children or family and perhaps a bit of conflict thrown into the mix make for very stressful days when a hot bubble bath or a massage seem like the only solution. Even so, making time for the latter can prove challenging. I have been craving a massage for the last week but it has slipped off my priority list every day. Sleep supercedes it! Wouldn't it be grand if we could add a few scents to our collection that would immediately transport us to a different place, erase stress or anxiety and generally make life more bearable? Our thoughts exactly. When Divina of Fragrance Bouquet suggested this topic in the middle of stressful weeks for both of us, I grabbed onto it like an infant clasps an unknown finger. Research has proven that stress reduction can extend your life. Reason enough for me to add a few scents to my collection that will calm and soothe!

Before I describe my top scents for times of stress, I will define what makes these scents stress relievers. Typically, gourmand scents heavy on vanilla comfort and soothe with their warm sweetness, so I have chosen a few in this category. In addition, lavender has long been touted as stress relieving so my list would not be complete without a stellar lavender scent. Every perfumista should have at least one scent to call her own comfort scent, one that may not be obviously comforting but to her is akin to an instant hug. So, one choice is my personal favorite. Additionally, citrus scents have incredible uplifting qualities! With a myriad of citrus scents available, I added my personal favorites that lighten the spirit and in so doing soothe the soul. Finally, no stress relieving list would be complete without a scent reminiscent of the spa. My final choices are meant to evoke the comforting scent of a relaxing day at the spa filled with pampering and rest. Without further ado, here is my list:

Etro Heliotrope- From my review which is linked to the left, this scent reminds me of my grandmother's ambrosial kitchen. With its creative blend of orange blossom and vanilla meant to evoke the scent of sunflowers, this scent is not only comforting to me but also to many others.

Lea St. Barth - Beautiful, comforting vanilla fragrance with a touch of almond and cream. A warm and cozy scent that is a favorite of many Hollywood celebrities and this non-Hollywood girl.

Ava Luxe Milk - When I cannot sleep, I heat up some milk to calm down my mind and lull myself to slumberland. This fragrance is the closest thing to a warm glass of milk I could find. It doesn't sour or overwhelm with sweetness. It simply embraces with light, sweet comfort.

Andy Tauer Reverie Au Jardin - Prior to Andy Tauer's creation, which was described by a few as a fresh take on lavender, I abhored the idea of a lavender fragrance. With the abundance of lavender scented toiletries, drawer liners, pillow mists and such on the market, why would I want to remind myself or anyone else of the gazillion-jillion lavender potboilers? Well my friends, there is lavender to make a buck and then ... there is this ... stunning fragrance. At first sniff, my impression was a very beautiful, soft floral and herbal fragrance. What a difference natural ingredients make! This fragrance is perfect for any stressful occasion and just gorgeous for any day.

Chanel Bois Des Iles- My personal comfort scent. The top of ylang-ylang and heart that smells faintly of gingerbread with almond is my idyllic soothing fragrance.

Annick Goutal Les Nuits d'Hadrien - A wonderful citrus scent that appropriately reminds me of a day at the spa. With cypress, spices and citrus, it uplifts and calms the mind.

i Profumi di Firenze Limone di Sicilia - A happy and uplifting scent, this fragrance pays homage to the incredible lemons of Sicily. Wear it for an easy smile and a more positive attitude.

Borghese Profumo di Montecatini Natural Spa Perfume - Meant to evoke the scents and emotions of a day at the spa, this indulgent scent combines warm florals with woods, botanicals and stimulating minerals, including an intriguing elemi oil accord. A scented body spray to be applied with abandon, this fragrance also provides excellent hydration to the skin.

Clarins Eau Tranquility - Another light fragrance to evoke images of spa days. Any fragrance that is strong would not be spa-worthy! Eau Tranquility is delicately scented with basil, iris, cedar and benzoin and has wonderful calming and relaxing qualities.

While all of these fragrances can calm and/or lift your mood, the healthcare worker in me must emphasize the damaging effects stress can have on your health. During stressful periods, take time to stretch and relax, even if it is only for five minutes. I love having a hot cup of Aveda Comfort Tea at the end of a stressful day while playing some calming music. Making time for exercise can also decrease your stress dramatically. Put it all together and you will have a happier, healthier outlook. Enjoy!

My Unintentional Absence

Hello dear readers! I apologize for my absence which I suddenly realized this morning has been almost an entire week. Recuperating from New York, celebrating my 1st Wedding Anniversary and having back-to-back arduous work days has left me feeling completely disconnected from all of you and my perfume and sample collection. Please bear with me as I attempt to reconnect! I will be back shortly with a review of one of my many samples from New York.

Have a wonderful day!

Fall Ball Part II

As if Saturday were not plentiful enough in sights, sounds and smells, Sunday offered an abundant array as well. I only wish I had been able to enjoy the entire day, but catching a flight home cut my day short. However, the highlights I experienced were the following:

Bond No. 9

This was by far my favorite shopping experience of the trip. The artistic store, the helpful sales associates and their willingness to cater to my needs was tough to beat. I felt as if I could spend hours there without concern for over-stepping my welcome. I also discovered some incredible scent combinations, with the help of my perfumista friends and the sales associates. I had no idea blending these fragrances could be so swoon-worthy!

• New scent discoveries include Saks For Her, Fashion Avenue, New York Fling, Chelsea Flowers (which I had previously dismissed), and the new deeply rich and resinous Andy Warhol Silver Factory. The newest Andy Warhol fragrance was presented by the delightful Laurice Rahm, founder of Bond No. 9.


• New scent combination of fragrances I already love: Scent of Peace over Chinatown (!!!)


• Another incredible combination worth investigating: Saks for Him over Saks for Her. Yes, I meant that.


• My infatuation with West Side has only been augmented by the availability of a positively luxurious body cream which perfectly softens the skin and makes the scent last!


• This store was extremely generous with their gift package. They understand the needs and desires of their clientele and it was obvious they prepared for us! I could not be happier and I anticipate reviewing many more of these chic fragrances.

Le Labo

My experience here was marginal at best simply because it was so crowded when I arrived. I had no guidance regarding their fragrances and I felt overwhelmed. However, despite this I did discover a wonderful fragrance, Tubereuse 40. I am intrigued and I would love to learn more about these fragrances, just not when I am competing with 30 other perfumistas.

Lafco

Santa Maria Novella, Lorenzo Villoresi and Eau d'Italie were all offered at this beautiful, fragrant store. The space and location in the heart of SoHo make this store truly inspiring. Unfortunately I was not able to find a fragrance I truly loved here, but I did sample some nice scents, including the powdery soft Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige, the herbal Lorenzo Villoresi Spezie and the fruity Santa Maria Novella Melograno.

Lunch at Country Cafe

• Sitting with my wonderful friends Linda and Rob and enjoying the gorgeous New York sunshine on a beautiful fall day.


• Hearing from Debra Courtright at Floris of London (which I need to explore further!), Francois Duquesne at L'Artisan and Raphaella, editor of Sniffapalooza Magazine. Raphaella is positively one of the kindest and most sincere people I know! And I adore the CD of songs of scent that I won in the raffle.


• I am interested in L'Artisan Perfumeur's new home fragrance gadget, Chez Moi, after listening to Mr. Duquesne and his beautiful wife describe its ability to safely and fully fragrance the home.

L'Artisan Perfumeur

My last and most appropriate stop was at L'Artisan across from Country Cafe to experience the new 2007 Orange Blossom and 2007 Iris Palladia. I enjoyed them both and found the Orange Blossom especially beautiful and sweeter than the previous edition. I also tested various other fragrances and spoke with Mr. Duquesne, his wife and the helpful Michelle. They are lovely people and I only wish I could shop at this store more often and stop by the other store to see Colombina!

There you have it my fragrance friends. What an incredible weekend it was! If only I could go back in a few weeks and do it all over again. I am sure I am not alone in that sentiment.

Image of interior of Bond No. 9 store courtesy of basenotes.net

Fall Ball Part I

Ahem! Well ...

Here I am back in the valley of the sun and so jet lagged I feel like the walking dead. However, any discomfort I am experiencing now is a small price to pay for the incredible experience I had in New York City. What a fabulous weekend Karen D. and Karen A. managed to put together! Because each day was chock full of noteworthy (heh!) moments, I will offer up some of the best via bullet points. Without further ado, here they are:

Bergdorf Goodman

• Meeting the illustrious Aurelien Guichard, creator of Bond No. 9 Chinatown and the new offering from Piguet, Visa
• Meeting Antonia Ballanca of Antonia's Flowers
• Discussing one of my favorite houses, Annick Goutal, with their charming representative Tom Crutchfield
• Listening to Neil Morris describe his love of Tom Ford's Purple Patchouli
• Discovering the new Kilian fragrances and falling in love with them
• Other discoveries included Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Etro Magot, Etro Vicolo Fiore

• Scents further explored and liked included Chanel Bois des Iles (Oh, how I wish I could get a smaller bottle of this than the gargantuan EDT!), Annick Goutal Mandragore, Annick Goutal Passion
• Meeting my dear friend Chaya Ruchama face-to-face

Lunch at Seppi's

• Meeting sweet, fun and fabulous new perfumista friends Azjavagirl, My3sons, R. and L. and seeing Rbrewer!
• New offerings from Crazy Libellule and the Poppies
• Discussion from Chandler Burr on his new book The Perfect Scent
• Neil Morris' discussion of his new scents Storm and Coral

Takashimaya

• Sniffing offerings from Yosh in wine glasses - discoveries included Winter Rose and Ginger Ciao
• Speaking with owner and perfumer of Ineke perfumes and experiencing her unique A, B, C and D fragrances
• Meeting Estesmcc in person, an angel of kindness who sent me a fabulous package overflowing with perfume last spring!
• Listening to owner of 06130 and experiencing Feuille de Reglisse, Lentisque and Lierre Rose, all created by Jacques Chabert and meant to evoke the scents of Mediterranean flowers
• Red Velvet cupcakes from Sunshine bakery
• Meeting owner of Summerscent perfume and experiencing her exquisite fragrance
• Sampling Detaille, Fragonard and Sage lines!

Henri Bendel

• Experiencing L'Artisan Jour de Fete sprayed onto my skin rather than dabbed with my tiny sample
• Memoire Liquide!!!! Remember my review of Voleur? (see it here) I expressed intrigue in exploring the line further and wow, did I get my fill along with many others! This unique line calls to the creative nose in everyone by allowing the customer to come up with their own blend of two or three fragrances. After nearly an hour experimenting, I chose Enfant Innocent and Ivoire for a beautiful, soft, skin musk fragrance.

All of this activity was followed by drinks at the top of the Peninsula Hotel with my fantastic new friends! Cheers!

I will continue tomorrow with details regarding Sunday. If you can believe it, Sunday was just as packed with glorious sights and smells!

New York, New York!

It is with great pleasure that I announce For The Love Of Perfume is headed to New York for the weekend! Off I go to be part of the extravaganza that is the annual Fall Sniffapalooza!! This year's Fall Ball promises to be the best yet and I am thrilled and grateful to be a part of it. Please stay tuned. The fragrances to be discovered abound and I anticipate many subjects for discussion here!

M. Micallef Note Ambrée

By far my favorite of the three, and that is saying a lot since Note Vanillée is so glorious, Note Ambrée is a sensual, soft and captivating scent that has elicited numerous compliments every time I've worn it. The name can be deceiving. This scent is not solely an amber fragrance and if you are looking for straight up amber, look elsewhere. Rather and much to my delight, it is a beautifully constructed floral with a strong undercurrent of amber.

The notes include an invigorating top of bergamot and fennel leaves. The fennel adds a dash of uniqueness. Since I adore the use of fennel in many types of cuisine from pasta to salad, I easily appreciate the use of the fragrant, faint liquorice-smelling leaves in a fragrance. Even so, those averse to any form of anise or liquorice in fragrance still have a great chance of loving Note Ambrée. It is not the prominent note by far.

The enthralling floral heart is what sets this fragrance apart. A delicate combination of jasmine, rose and ylang ylang, the soul of this fragrance is at once soft, sensual and emotional. The use of ylang ylang, literally meaning "flower of flowers", in fragrance and aromatherapy has long been touted for its sensual and soothing qualities. It eases stress and squelches anxiety. Therefore, this floral heart captures the attention of others without holding them hostage and it soothes and comforts the wearer with a warmth and sensuality that is difficult to find in many fragrances. I faintly smell vanilla somewhere in there as well, giving gourmand fragrance fanatics a chance to love Note Ambrée.

Being its namesake, I would expect the base of Note Ambrée to be pronounced and it most certainly is. Amber and iris fuse beautifully and linger on the skin for hours.

This scent has all of the qualities that inspired my infatuation with Bond No. 9 West Side and then some. The delicate and classic flowers combined with the sensual warmth of amber make this fragrance very "me." For those averse to West Side due to the peony note, I suspect this fragrance will captivate them. The packaging, as you have seen from my previous reviews of this line, is what really sets these fragrances apart. It is charming, artistic and truly original. If it weren't for my wanting to preserve the fragrance by avoiding exposure to direct sunlight, and the desire to contain my pocketbook, I would gladly display all three bottles on my dresser. The resplendent Note Ambrée would be front and center!

M. Micallef Note Ambrée retails for 117€ and 150mL bottle retails for 156€.

Image source: mmicallef.com, scentable.com

M. Micallef Note Poudrée

As promised, I continue my impressions of the new Les Notes line from M. Micallef. Note Poudrée was designed to be a soft, floral and powdery scent, and it is my least favorite of the Note line. I therefore am struggling to produce lots of words to describe it. In their absence, I will list the notes. The top begins with fresh peach, followed by a sweet floral heart of jasmine and rose. The base of cedarwood, patchouli, vanilla, amber and musk seems to disappear on my skin. Although beautifully constructed in writing, Note Poudrée lacks any real defining or imaginative qualities when mixed with my chemistry. It is simply sweet, powdery and short-lived without a solid warming base to give it real sex appeal. Despite my lack of any enthusiasm for it, it could attract those searching for a soft floral. But with so many similar fragrances on the market at a fraction of the cost, why bother? The redeeming facet of this fragrance is the gorgeous bottle design and the exotic looking woman representing it.

M. Micallef Note Poudrée is available here. A 75mL bottle retails for 117€ and 150mL bottle retails for 156€.

Image source: mmicallef.com

Forget Me Not: Emanuel Ungaro Diva

My step-father hated perfume. I recall sitting at church with him and watching his nose turn up at the scent of an irresponsibly applied perfume that emanated from a seemingly innocent woman. This was not an isolated incident. It happened often, especially during my 1980's adolescence. You can imagine his horror when my mother asked him to find a fragrance for her that he liked - quite a challenge if you ask me. Luckily, he made frequent trips to Chicago where he could shop a much greater selection than he could find in our tiny little hometown. After one such Chicago business trip, he came home with Diva by Emanuel Ungaro. He presented it to my mother and she wore it proudly for years, with the secret of knowing that he would always be inspired by that scent. I am still charmed by his quest to find the one that would be different from every other nose-turning fragrance. And for the one to be Diva? He has impeccable taste.

Diva was created by master perfumer Jacques Polges in the year 1983 - the year of Rubic's cube fanatacism, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Swatches, big hair and parachute pants. Women loved wearing off-shoulder outfits à la Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. Subtlety was a lost art. Michael Jackson's and Cyndi Lauper's popularity drove the outrageous style trends. Along with the focus on loud, primary colors, big, floral chypre fragrances were also the rage. Like a perfect, colorful, red blooming rose in the midst of fields of wildflowers, Emanuel Ungaro's Diva is a statement making fragrance of the richest kind. It will always remind me of my mother.

Diva's colorful list of notes begins with aldyehydes (added to bring a champagne sparkle to a fragrance and enrich floral notes). Following the sparkling, opulent opening, the focus is on beautiful, rich red roses (Turkish and Morrocan) lightly dipped in honey with a dab of delicate tuberose and powdery orris root thrown in for interest. Not to worry about the mention of honey. This scent is not in the least bit sweet. An ample sampling of spices, woods and earthy notes including cardamom, coriander, patchouli, narcissus, oakmoss and sandalwood catapults this fragrance into the classic chypre floral category. With a heavy base of amber, vanilla, musk and civet, the fragrance lingers on the skin for hours.

This is one fragrance which has the perfect name that aptly describes the woman who wears it. Diva is heavy without being overbearing. It has a softness not found in many other fragrances in its category. Rather than simply pretty and nice, it is gorgeous - beautiful from every angle, or in this case, from start to finish. It is most certainly a dramatic fragrance true to its 1980's roots, perfect for an occasion when one wants to make a statement. Despite this sensational quality, it will not elicit my step-father's response to most fragrances by overwhelming those close by, but it will render the wearer unforgettable with its sensual trail of scent. Finally, because of its masterful, complex combination it maintains a strong sense of class as most floral chypres do. All of these qualities are easily attributable to my strong, gorgeous, chic, persistent and undoubtedly original mother.

Unlike any other and superbly done, Diva should be worn by strong women willing to buck recent trends. For those, it is very worth the effort. With its unparalleled, rich blend that has stood the test of time, this scent has entered the distinguished realm of classic fragrances. The gorgeous bottle design evocative of a designer garment beautifully compliments the exquisite jus. Mom, this one is for you!

Please be sure to check out Divina's lovely review of this same fragrance here!

For some even better news, Diva can be found on many fragrance discount websites. A 1.7 oz. EDP spray is as low as $29.20 at www.fragrancex.com.

Image of bottle courtesy of punmiris.com; rose courtesy of mccullagh.org