Coffee, hazelnuts, cigarette smoke, cloves, my boyfriend and rain all stir my senses into a frenzy, but then there's perfume. And perfume is one of my greatest passions. Here are five of my all time favorites along with a brief description of each.
1. Shalimar (eau de parfum) by Guerlain
This is my signature scent. I wear the eau de toilette on a daily basis and spring for the parfum on special occasions and outings. This is my all time favorite perfume.
Formulated in 1925 by the almost 200 year old perfume house of Guerlain, this fragrance has immense class, regal elegance and, in spite of that, a shady speakeasy past. In the 1920's this was considered a bad girls' perfume. It was strange, oriental, citrusy, spicy and sexy. In a time when most perfumes were one-note florals, this was a naughty little number indeed. An axiom developed that said, "Good girls don't dance the tango, smoke or wear Shalimar."
Notes: vanilla, leather, apoponax, bergamot, lemon, iris, civet etc.
On the skin? when you first spray Shalimar it erupts in a dense cloud of powdery citrus --which can be a little scary. You have to let it dry down. Then, rich smokey vanilla comes to the surface, anchored by leathery iris and sweet myrrh. A subdued, adult sweetness makes this oriental the most feminine of the five.
2. Poison (eau de toilette) by Dior
Talk about a bad reputation, Dior's Poison is not a sweet, timid people-pleaser and there are two kinds of people --those who love Poison and those who hate it. I don't care much for the new, young and hip formulas that Dior has introduced: Hypnotic Poison, Pure Poison, Midnight Poison etc. This is the original 1985 fragrance, and it is an extravaganza of fruity, floral, balsamic and spicy notes that defy categorization. This is a loud, aggressive, b***h perfume. It is not apologetic and it doesn't care if you like it --just as long as you pay attention. And you will.
Notes: tuberose, plum, incense, cinnamon, apoponax, honey, berries, coriander, jasmine, anise, vanilla, amber, sandalwood, musk etc.
On the skin? Poison comes out of the bottle like being kicked in the face, in fact, I have to hold my breath a moment when I first spritz it. It's a powerful roundhouse of intense syrupy plum notes, tuberose and woody spice. As it dries down, the complexity unfolds but individual notes are difficult to pick out. The warm coriander, amber, myrrh and sandalwood woodiness hums dangerously under a current of sickly sweet plummy floral to create the quintessential forbidden fragrance.
3. Opium (eau de parfum) by Yves Saint Laurent
The most controversial of my favorites is Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. In 1977 when it was first released, many Chinese and Chinese Americans were offended by the name Opium being applied to an Oriental fragrance. Yves Saint Laurent came under immense pressure to change the name of the perfume for the sake of political correctness, thank God he didn't knuckle under. The name remains Opium, and you will be hooked on it like a zombie. This is the most intensely spicy, woody, balsamic, smoky fragrance I have ever smelled --for either women or men. It's an explosion of intense, unrelenting spice. My grandmother wore it, I wear it, don't let anyone tell you it's just for older women, that said it's not for teenagers. It's an erotic potion that exudes class and elegance. This isn't for everyday wear, and it isn't something everyone will love due to its immense sillage. I suggest it for crisp cold weather and romantic evenings.
Notes: incense, cloves, cinnamon, carnation, myrrh, sandalwood, peppercorn, amber, apoponax, balsam, coridander, patchouli, musk, vanilla etc.
On the skin? At first, the sweetness of myrrh and cinnamon and carnation are the first sharp notes that hit your nose, but almost instantly after, it unfolds and melts into the warmest, spiciest, most exotic smokey perfume I have ever smelled. The smokey incense melds with your skin and, for me at least, makes you feel like a gypsy sorceress, existing to ensnare the hearts of men with black magic.
4. Samsara (eau de parfum) by Guerlain
Samsara was created to compete with Dior's Poison after it's phenomenal success. In the late 80's, the house of Guerlain was becoming old, struggling, no longer fashionable and desperately needed to reinvent itself. A rich woody oriental was precisely the way to do it. In truth, Samsara's opening is extremely similar to Poison.
Notes: jasmine, sandalwood, ylangylang, tonka bean, amber, vanilla, musk, iris
On the skin? Instead of the syrupy plum notes of Poison, you smell the tell-tale lemony citrus opening of Guerlain fragrances (which are all based on the same master sauce of ingredients loving dubbed the "Guerlinade" wink , but that's where the similarities end, because the dry down transforms Samsara into a whole 'nother animal. It's reminiscent of a jasminey Shalimar, but with a shock of woody earthy sandalwood humming sensuously all through it.This is a ******** fragrance.
5. Obession (eau de parfum) by Calvin Klein
This is another spicy oriental perfume my grandmother taught me to love. It's similar to Opium, but definitely toned down and more wearable. This is warm spicy, woody, oriental, grounded with sexy amber and animalistic musk. It's one of my sister's favorites as well. This fragrance was also released during the height of the mid 1980's frenzy surrounding Poison and other spicy orientals. Perhaps most famous for it's cheesy as s**t commercials, Obsession was a huge success and sported a lower price point that some of its contemporaries. It's opulent, succulent and reminds me of my grandmother --of course I love it. It's loud, so be sparing with it, and wear it during cold weather for the coziest effect.
Notes: amber, incense, vanilla, civet, sandalwood, spices, musk, oakmoss, coriander, vetiver, cedar, bergamot etc.
Honorable mention to: Chanel No. 5, Tabu by Dana, Tom Ford's Black Orchid and Dior Dior Addict
