fragrance

DSH Perfumes Holiday 2015 Perfume Reviews

DSH Perfumes has launched a few perfumes for the holiday season. I usually give DSH perfumes their own review unless they are in a specific collection; however, I’m so behind on reviewing. I’ve been busy. So, I decided to give brief reviews so you can start trying these now if you’re interested. Otherwise, it’s going to take me months. And who wants to wait months?

Vogue 1937

Noel Enchanté

With notes of bergamot, galbanum, tuberose, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, gardenia, neroli, patchouli, spices, vanilla, benzoin, oakmoss and amber. Retails for $70¹.

Noel Enchanté opens with a vintage feel of greens and aldehydes with little unwrapped bars of gardenia soap. As it wears, it becomes a creamy, lactonic tuberose with manoï. Noel Enchanté dries down to a spicy, mossy fragrance.

I think of Noel Enchanté like going on a cruise during the holidays circa late 1950’s. It’s like the holidays on holiday but with an elegant twist.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A vintage-y spicy tuberose. I really like it. DSH does great things with tuberose.

YSL Opium ad

Fou d’Opium

With notes of aldehydes, bergamot, cinnamon, clove, Bulgarian rose, carnation, neroli, jasmine, peach, plum, orris, vanilla, vetiver, ambergris, patchouli and incense. Retails for $125.

Yes, this is YSL Opium inspired. Fou d’Opium opens like sticks of Juicy Fruit and Big Red gum. But, of course, it isn’t all fruity and spicy. It has florals which lean more spicy. The heart is like a cloves and jasmine with juicy, ripe peaches. The dry-down is still a spicy floral but with an addition of sweet incense.

I sort of think of Fou d’Opium as “Opium Light”. It has a lot going on but it has a sheerness to it that makes it wearable for day or even in the summer. It’s a beautiful “flanker” to DSH’s Euphorisme d’Opium.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – “Opium Light”. Think of it like a fruitier version of the classic (vintage).

1955 Marlboro Man

Zeitgeist 55

With notes of bergamot, clary sage, rose geranium, jasmine, orris, suede, whiskey accord, black leather accord, tobacco, patchouli, Mysore sandalwood, costus and oakmoss. Retails for $100.

Zeitgeist smells like a Western wear store. It’s new leather. Under the new cowboy boots and belts, there’s a hint of earthy, musky sage.

Years ago, in Nashville, I had a good friend that was so into cowboys, like a fetish or something. Like you know, rodeo guys with crooked broken noses and really tight jeans. Too many times I had to be like this escort on her first dates. I’ve had too many slightly awkward “dinner dates” with guys in really big cowboy hats and Texan accents, hoping they wouldn’t say anything weird, racist or homophobic that would make me hate them. To my surprise, they were usually really nice and laid-back. Anyway, they smelled exactly like Zeitgeist. The heart of Zeitgeist smells just like some aftershave that the rodeo guys like to wear, something herbaceous and like fresh tobacco leaves and moss. This would mix with all their new leather. And this is like Zeitgeist.

Long story short, Zeitgeist is nostalgic for me and I like it more than I thought I would. It made me get in contact with my friend again. She married a cowboy and lives on a huge ranch in Texas in a huge house, that little gal from Long Island sure seems happy now. I’m happy for her.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Western wear leather. Smells like all the little tourist-y shops on Broadway in Nashville. If you’re looking for a “new leather” scent, this is it.

1906 Maple Syrup

The Voices of Trees

With notes of maple leaves accord, neroli, lavender, poplar bud, sycamore, Balsam fir, pine sap, Virginia cedar, labdanum and muhuhu. Retails for $135.

The Voice of Trees smells like Christmas trees and sap. It has an unexpected nutty sweetness that reminds me of some sort of Chinese dessert/street food (like nutty, sweet, balsamic). Overall, it really does smell like a forest.

The Voice of Trees is a really good “forest” scent that has the evergreen needles, bark and sap. For me, it’s too much…I’m super sensititve to anything “maple” and this is too much for me. But, I’m a weirdo. If you like woods, you’ll probably like this.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Evergreens and sweet sap. It’s not for me, but if you like the idea of smelling like evergreen sap, try it.

Rauschenberg 1955

Albino (A Study in White)

With notes of grapefruit pith accord, albino raspberry accord, rhubarb, sweet basil, jasmine, white cognac, white oak, ambrette, patchouli, musk, sandalwood, guaiacwood, tonka bean and vetiver. Retails for $80.

This smells exactly like grapefruit pith in the opening. It’s not like the peel, the fruit or the juice. It really is the pith. And then it’s like green, herbaceous leaves. The dry-down of Albino is fluffy like clouds. It’s this citrus with a vegetal ambrette. It’s the sort of base that I catch a whiff of and wonder what is smelling so good. Oh, that’s me! It’s like creamy,  woodsy without being gourmand.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Grapefruit pith and musk. I’m so surprised by how much I love wearing this one. I think it’s one of the best grapefruit-centric perfumes ever.

All perfumes are available at DSH Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.

¹All prices are for 1 oz EDPs. Other sizes are also available.

Want more reviews? Try…

Fragrantica – Ida’s reviews

Perfume Posse – A gift guide

Perfume Polytechni – Interview with the perfumer


*Disclaimer – Samples were provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Vogue 1937 magazine cover from fabulousdoodles.blogspot.com. Vintage YSL Opium ad from 1984 (that conveys all my goals) from fashionedbylove.co.uk. 1955 Marlboro Man from firstversions.com. 1906 maple syrup pic from mlive.com. Robert Rauschenberg in NYC in 1955 from hekint.org.

 

7 thoughts on “DSH Perfumes Holiday 2015 Perfume Reviews

  1. Thanks for your reviews. I’ve been missing the original Opium and, where once even dupes of Opium were common, now IFRA has made this spicy wonder completely extinct.

    Can you please comment on whether Euphorisme d’Opium or Fou d’Opium is closer to the original Opium? Thanks!

    1. It’s a shame!

      In my opinion, Euphorisme d’Opium is closer to the original Opium. However, it’s not a solid dupe. It’s an interpretation. I find it spicier and the carnation is more prominent in it than Fou d’Opium. I could see someone that likes Opium owning both Euphorisme and Fou, mainly because these sort of perfumes are difficult to come by these days AND because they both highlight different aspects of Opium that perfume lovers seem to enjoy. Eupphorisme is more that rich citrus with dry spices and carnation. Fou is spicy with more fruits. Now the fruits aren’t “modern”, nothing like mainstream perfumes now. But, it’s fruity, and so was the original.

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