Tag: FLORAL FRAGRANCES

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Female Floral Fragrances For Big Boys: From Fresh To Full On

Floral Fragrances Mood Pic

About six months ago I posted about why men should wear female fragrances, in particular floral fragrances. You can read that post here: https://fragroom.com/2017/06/12/men-should-wear-womens-fragrances. After all, why miss out on so many more options by limiting oneself to so-called masculine fragrances?

“Why miss out on so many more options by limiting oneself to so-called masculine fragrances?”

Since then I’ve been sniffing out some new floral fragrances. While officially female floral fragrances, brave boys should consider giving these a go, too. I have already shared my thoughts on this year’s mega-launch, the much-debated Gabrielle Chanel EDP (https://fragroom.com/2017/09/19/gabrielle-chanel-fragrance-review/). In brief, although it’s not particularly ground-breaking, it’s a good option if you are looking for a well-executed and elegant white floral.

Floral Fragrances - Gabrielle Chanel EDP

Here are my thoughts on some of this year’s other floral fragrances, which range from the fresh to the full on.

STELLA McCARTNEY POP BLUEBELL EDP

The big designer fragrance brands are all hustling for the millennial moolah, with varying degrees of success and desperation. Stella McCartney Pop Bluebell is one of the better young’uns on the market. It features notes of bellflower (using biomimicry, as the bluebell is an endangered species), tuberose, violet, frangipani, tomato leaf, green mandarin and sandalwood. It’s more grown-up than its intended target market suggests. Stella McCartney Pop Bluebell EDP, R815 for 30ml, R1 105 for 50ml and R1 475 for 100ml

Floral Fragrances - Stella McCartney Pop Bluebell EDP

ELIZABETH ARDEN GREEN TEA MIMOSA EDT

Elizabeth Arden has a reputation for producing worthwhile budget fragrances and Green Tea Mimosa is another goodie. Green tea and citrus notes open this EDT, with mimosa then coming to the fore. There are also splashes of osmanthus, orris root, heliotrope and ambrette seed here. It nails summer freshness oh so well. And because it’s not over-powering, it’s the perfect intro to floral fragrances if you’re still not quite ready to go the full-on florals route. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Mimosa EDT, R425 for 100ml.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Mimosa EDT

GUCCI BLOOM EDP

Phew! Never mind full on – this is a super-intense white floral fragrance. It’s a collaboration between master perfumer Alberto Morillas and Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele. This EDP features natural tuberose absolute, natural jasmine absolute, jasmine bud extract and Rangoon creeper (apparently the first time it has been used in a fragrance). Gucci Bloom is like being in a hothouse – wonderfully intoxicating or get-me-out-of-here suffocating, depending on your mood. Gucci Bloom EDP, R975 for 30ml, R1 335 for 50ml and R1 710 for 75ml.

Floral Fragrances - Gucci Bloom EDP

YARDLEY BOND ST NO 8 EDP

There’s no floral fireworks to be found in Yardley Bond St No 8. What you will find, though, is a slightly sweetish take on the genre, featuring notes of neroli, orange flower, white rose petals and musk. It fades quite quickly. But for the price, it’s a good enough cheapie. Yardley Bond St No 8 EDP, R399.95 for 50ml.

ZADIG & VOLTAIRE JUST ROCK! FOR HER EDP

 

The latest addition to the Zadig & Voltaire fragrance range features patchouli, vanilla, white jasmine absolute, tuberose absolute and woody notes. It’s a smooth, soft and creamy floriental, without the in-your-face associations of the genre. It comes in a striking sculptural bottle, designed to fit its male counterpart. I will review Zadig & Voltaire Just Rock! For Him in an upcoming post. Zadig & Voltaire Just Rock! For Her EDP, R785 for 30ml, R1 100 for 50ml and R1 460 for 100ml.

Floral Fragrances - Zadig & Voltaire Just Rock! For Her EDP

 

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Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Did the world move for you on 1 September 2017? More precisely, did you feel the perfume world move? After all, the most important perfume event of 2017 happened on this day. No, I’m not talking about the launch of Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous, although that was a close second. I’m talking about the worldwide launch of Gabrielle Chanel EDP.  The fragrance industry has perfected the art of hype. And as far as hype goes, the first brand-new Chanel fragrance launch in 15 years (since the highly regarded Chanel Chance EDP in 2002) was fraught with expectation, hubris and debate.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

In the month leading up to the worldwide launch and for the past three weeks, I deliberately avoided reading all reviews about Gabrielle Chanel. So apologies to all those fragrance bloggers whose notification mails I deleted. I didn’t want my thoughts on this fragrance to be influenced in any way by other opinions.

The Eastern Orange Free State

FREE STATE OF MIND: A family road-trip to escape the buzz and hype.

I decided instead to bring Gabrielle Chanel on a family road trip to the eastern Free State. To spend some time with it, on its own terms. I thought the Free State would be a fitting environment to do this, as this province of South Africa captures some of the qualities Chanel herself is renowned for. A pioneering and resilient spirit and an uncompromising style that can only come from suffering and endurance. Although the Chanel aesthetic is often associated with pearls and black dresses, Coco was never a prissy missy.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review - Portrait Of Coco Chanel

PIONEERING SPIRIT: A Man Ray portrait of Coco Chanel. Pic courtesy of Chanel.

So what did I learn about Gabrielle Chanel the fragrance from my relatively secluded time with it? Well, it’s clearly aimed at a new generation of younger women, who might find Chanel No5 “overpowering”, “old-fashioned” and “one of my mother’s favourites”. No doubt about it, this is Chanel’s big push for the “millennial” market.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

The result is a modern scent that has a dominant heart of white florals (jasmine, ylang-ylang, tuberose, orange blossoms). The listed top notes include mandarin, black currant and grapefruit, but I only picked up grapefruit from those. The floral heart is fresh and contemporary, albeit not particularly original, and eventually makes way for a more traditional base of sandalwood and musk notes. I enjoyed this more subdued element after the initial spark of white florals had subsided.

The Eastern Free State

TREE OF LIFE: Gabrielle Chanel’s road trip included this vivid landscape.

While I am both male and 40-something (ahem, clearly not the target market), Gabrielle Chanel is very easy to wear, accessible and undeniably appealing. It will probably appeal to many other non-millennials too. And now for the big question…

IS GABRIELLE CHANEL A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING?

Mais non! And it doesn’t have to be. If the brief for Chanel’s in-house perfumer, Olivier Polge, was to create a modern, elegant and luxurious scent, he has succeeded admirably.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

I had no “classic” expectations of Gabrielle Chanel. After all, is it realistic to expect another iconic scent like Chanel No5? I was going to title this post “Keep Calm & Gabrielle Chanel” and perhaps that’s the best way to approach this EDP. If you have unrealistic expectations of it, you’ll probably be disappointed. If you can appreciate it for what it is, then it’s a very pleasurable, well-executed scent.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Either way, do expect a roll-out of Gabrielle Chanel flankers over the next five years, as Chanel has invested heavily in this new pillar fragrance and left no details to chance. The luxe packaging and fine-glass bottle alone will tell you that.

Gabrielle Chanel EDP, R1 745 for 50ml and R2 465 for 100ml.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review - A Portrait of Coco Chanel

VISIONARY: A portrait of a young Coco Chanel, taken in 1909. Pic courtesy of Chanel.