— fragrance —

DSH Perfumes Pandora EDP Perfume Review

September 12, 2011

Actress Louise Brooks

DSH Perfumes Pandora is amazing. And it’s so good, that I’m the evil one, not Pandora. I don’t want to share it with you. I want this to be my perfume. This has been one of my favorite perfumes of the past 5 years. Pandora is so familiar but not. It’s an old-fashioned chypre with a pitch black helmet-like bob and pencil thin brows. This is Lulu in Die Büchse der Pandora. This is a hedonistic chypre that is going to steal a few boyfriends and a few girlfriends. It’s a dichotomy of naïveté and maturity based on the concept of ancient and modern. It’s a bewitching blend with accords of Gloria Swanson, Louise Brooks, Alla Nazimova and Jean Acker.

Pandora opens with a sparkle, almost an immoral glimmer in her eyes. There’s some darkness to this shine. She knows she has your attention but she won’t be responsible for your fate. It’s energetic with spicy anise and a rainbow of peppercorns. The citrus even have a spicy edge and it mixes with green, crushed herbs that remind me of chervil . What’s so difficult to explain about Pandora is that I get this leatheriness. It reminds me of dried, leathery fruits, apricots, in particular, and the softest suede – all in one. It’s that Mousse de Sax accord first used by the house of Caron in the 1920’s. I can’t get my nose off of my wrist. It’s beauty. It’s so familiar but unlike anything that you can purchase these days (without bidding and taking a gamble on ebay). It’s darker and deeper than any modern perfume you can think of. Read this as vampy. The leather gets more prominent, less suede-like and more like a perfectly worn leather glove. There’s a rich, hexing orris that is dry, earthy, dark and this meshes with a camphoric patchouli. The dry-down is this creamy vanilla and coumarin with this intense, spellminding moss and velvety amber. Being that moss isn’t what it used to be in perfumes, Pandora has a wonderful vintage feel. And this “vintage” feel is intensified by the tonka bean. It’s astounding. But, it still manages to be modern; you haven’t sniffed this yet.

Gloria Swanson wearing a turban

Notes listed include ruby fruits, bergamot, aldehyde, spice notes, ozone, violet leaf absolute, davana, cassis bud, green pepper, pink pepper, rose de mai absolute, juhi jasmine, linden blossom, yerba maté, cabreuva wood, orris, green tea, mousse de sax accord (geranium, licorice, leather, iodine and vanillin), cyperus, fossilized amber, ambergris, patchouli, vetiver, muhuhu, Australian sandalwood, tonka bean, green oakmoss and vanilla.

If you love vintage perfumes, I can’t push this one to you enough. It reminds me of classic Coty, Caron and Guerlain. Except it’s more wearable. You can buy it now, use it liberally, indulge, be hedonistic! The lasting power is wonderful, lasting longer than all of the silent films in the world put together. It wears closely but it leaves an intoxicating haze. This is one that a lover will smell on a scarf long after the seduction and coveting your love.

Pandora excites me. Like I said, one of the best perfumes or the most “me” perfume that I have smelled in years. My devilish thoughts pass and I am willing to share Pandora with you. Pandora excites me in the way that finding out that the lost Metropolis footage has been found, restored and that I will finally get to see it all. It makes my life feel complete. Pandora is like that, it’s like finding a buried treasure of a perfume. A perfume that has been found and restored. And now it can be mine to enjoy. As you can see, I have a lust for Pandora.

Pandora comes in a few sizes with prices ranging from $25-$220. This nouveau-vintage perfume, dare I say, masterpiece is available at DSH Perfumes.

Check out these other reviews:

Scent Hive

Eyeliner On a Cat

Scentual Soundtracks

Oh, True Apothecary!

DSH Notebook

Indie Perfumes

Esscentual Alchemy

This Blog Really Stinks

Perfume Pharmer

And don’t you miss out on my Fragrance Freebie!!! DRAWING IS CLOSED

Dawn is generously giving one lucky reader of EauMG a 3ml spray of Pandora! Here’s what you need to do to be entered in this fragrance freebie draw:

Leave a comment telling me who is your favorite Old Hollywood actor/actress. The vampier the better 😉 You won’t get extra entries, but, hey, you’ll get cool points!

You’ll get 2 entries if you are a fan of EauMG on Facebook. Please tell me in the comment section if you are a fan.

***On Friday, 9/16, at 8:00 p.m. PST, I will use random.org to select a winner of this draw. Good luck and thank you for reading and commenting! This draw is open to people all over the globe!*** DRAWING IS CLOSED. WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN & NOTIFIED

*Disclaimer – Sample was provided by DSH Perfumes. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Louise Brooks and Gloria Swanson pic from www.fanpix.net

72 thoughts on “DSH Perfumes Pandora EDP Perfume Review”

  1. Please enter me in the draw. My favouurite old Hollywood actress is Marlene Dietrich.
    Not so much the vamp, but sexy as all get out. That photograph of Louise Brooks puts me very much in mind of Selma Blair.

    1. Entered! Marlene had attitude. Powder, intimidating, who doesn’t want to be her?

      Louise Brooks does look Selma Blair-ish here. Did Selma Blair do a similar photo shoot at one time? It seems so familiar.

      1. It does seem familiar doesn’t it?. I just google imaged her, nothing jumps out but boy, she is gorgeous.

  3. V, I am so glad you mentioned the leatheriness of Pandora, I totally agree! For me, it was a more “animalic” leather, probably from the ambergris because I know Dawn didn’t use any leather notes per se. But it’s present for sure, one of those ghost leather accords possibly 😀

    Loved your review, I couldn’t agree more with everything you said.

    XOXO
    Trish
    Scent Hive recently posted..DSH Perfumes Pandora

    1. Loved your review too!

      It is leathery. And that’s what “shocked” me. Where was it coming from? Well, a melange of things! I love ambergris, probably so much that I don’t even notice its filth anymore. I think that’s where the “suede” comes from.

  4. Wow, this sounds *AMAZING!* I’ve read several reviews of this today but yours is the one that has piqued my interest most (probably because we like a lot of the same stuff and I trust you. 🙂

    umm… old school actress.. uh… Bette Davis? Can I be stereotypical here? Oh, no, wait, Audrey Hepburn. I mean, really. Though she’s not really OLD old school. Hmm.

    ‘Btw, I am also a fan of EauMG on Facebook’ 😉

    1. I really think you’ll like it. I was going to rave about it to you earlier, but, you know, I’m being selfish with it. This is the perfume for me, someone that wants to smell vintage but fears buying vintage.

      Oh, I was hoping you’d say Joan Crawford so we could Mommy Dearest joke, but whatever. Audrey Hepburn is sooo not vampy 😉

  6. I have to agree that your mention of the animalic leather aspect of Pandora piques my interest. My favorite old hollywood actress would be Kate Hepburn. Am a fan on FB…

  8. Vivien Leigh….
    Vampy or not, she’s my favorite one!
    I am very excited to try Pandora.
    I have just liked EauMG on FB.
    Thanks for the draw!

  9. You’ve made this sound amazing. My favourite Old Hollywood actress is Lauren Bacall. Not sure I would describe her as a vamp but she’s not a sap either!

    1. I have so much love and respect for Lauren Bacall. I love the noir actresses. I agree, not vampy but still breathtaking. It’s not a charade with her.

  10. I love Barbara Stanwyck. Her older movies were the best. She was vampy and funny and witty, especially in Ball of Fire, with Gary Cooper, she made that whole movie!!!! I love Miss Dior, so if Pandora is at all like that I will love it. Please enter me in the Draw. Thank you.

    1. Thank you for bringing up Barbara Stanwyck! She is vampy but approachable! (Just rewatched ball of Fire last night BTW).

      If you love Miss Dior, I can see you loving Pandora 🙂

  11. I love vintage inspired perfumes, and I’m so excited to try this one from DSH, even if I don’t win it! I like hearing that it’s more wearable, as some vintage perfumes are too heavy for me. My favorite old Hollywood actress is Judy Garland. I used to love her when I was growing up. Thanks for the giveaway!
    Lisa A recently posted..Me and CVS are Officially BFFs

    1. This one is “heavy” but not work to wear. I hope that makes sense 🙂 But, what I’m saying is that it has a vintage thickness but it doesn’t wear you! I love vintage perfumes too but often feel “out of character” while wearing them.

      Judy Garland – Such talent!

  12. Oh my goodness, V… WOW! I am floored at your response to Pandora and THRILLED beyond belief! One of the most ‘YOU’ perfumes in years… I couldn’t be happier about that! Thank you so much for the amazing review and the wonderful references to classic film (of which I am a full tilt junkie). I’ll just go ahead and say, I’m a HUGE Garbo fan…but so many others as well. oxoxo

    1. It would only make sense that I would love a fragrance that mixes the ancient and the modern 🙂 If a perfume makes me feel like Lulu, then it is a winner.

      Oh, Garbo, love her too.

      Thank you, Dawn for making another wonderful perfume, another perfume that makes me happy and gets me through another cool, rainy and gloomy WA fall/winter.

  13. Hello and thanks for this review; I’d love to try Pandora, so please enter me in the draw…twice, ’cause I’m an EAUMG facebook fan!
    Best wishes

  15. She’s not vampy/dangerous, but Clara Bow of “It Girl” might steal your boyfriend by accident…

    I loves me some vintage Femme, so this sounds like it’s right up my alley!

    I’m a FB fan, too! Thanks to you and Dawn for offering this up!

  16. Wonderful review and high praise indeed from such a vintage lover and retro gal.
    Don’t know if vamp is exactly the right word, but one of my old Hollywood faves is Carole Lombard, a saucy seductress.

    Congrats to Dawn for another great achievement and thanks for the draw opportunity.
    Sorry, I’m not on Facebook so I can’t spread the word.

    1. 🙂 Carole Lombard – She’s been my hair inspiration lately.

      It’s another great one from Dawn, but I’m such a DSH fangirl.

  17. Growing up, my favorite Old Hollywood actress was Audrey Hepburn..I still love Audrey Hepburn, but now my current favorites are probably Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis.

    Pnadora sounds gorgeously vintage. I have been all about vintage perfumes, lately- so please enter me in the draw! (vintage AND vampy- sign me up!..:))
    Lavanya recently posted..The Figurative Fig : Review of Aftelier’s Fig

    1. I can see you loving this one too 🙂 A good chypre isn’t so easy to find. yes, Bacall was vampy in that. Like I said, I love the noir gals.

  20. Great review V, I love the sound of this one.

    As for my favourite old Hollywood star, does Doris Day count? I adore her spirit, especially in Calamity Jane!

    I am a fan of EauMG on Facebook 😀

  21. No vamps in my favorites, unfortunately. Greer Garson is my favorite, although it’s hard to pass up Rosalind Russell in a comedy.

    1. 🙂 I love Rosalind Russell because she was beautiful BUT never a sex symbol. She was all brains and class. And she owned an English Bulldog. What is there not to love?

  23. You can’t get your nose off your wrist… and I can’t take my eyes off that list of scent elements. Uber-yum. I’d love to be included in the draw. My favorite film goddess is no vamp, but I can’t help it…. Fanny Brice just SENDS me. When she wasn’t dressed down as Baby Snooks, she was a top-shelf fashionista! 🙂

    1. Didn’t Jean Paul Gualtier do a Baby Snooks Collection? (jk) Fanny had some rocking non-baby fashions in her burlesque days.

      1. RE: JPG- if he had, Madonna would’ve designed a tour around it. RE: Burlesque- My husband actually bought me a “Ziegfeld Girls” paperdoll book for my birthday, and Fanny’s wearing some stunners!

  24. My favourite movie vamp is Lana Turner is The Postman always rings twice. My favourite movie actresses ( I cannot pick just one!) are Doris day, Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergman and Jean Arthur – I would love to have met all her leading men!

  26. Now, when you admitted you didn’t want to share I want to try it even more!
    I’m not a fan of old Holliwood (and, for that matter, any old) movies so I couldn’t come up with any name other than Audrey Hepburn. But I can offer a name of the Soviet actress from the past who, in my opinion, was very beautiful (and a good actress as well) – Elina Bystritskaya (http://treasury.tripod.com/Images/Old_faces/Elina3.jpg ).
    Undina recently posted..In the Search for the Perfect Pear

  29. My favorite Vampy silver screen actress is Joan Crawford. Commanding, sophisticated, edgy, and a real siren who could probably kill you with her bare hands, or maybe with just a look!

  31. I would really like to try this one. Thanks for the chance to enter the draw. I’m kinda sorta into horror films so my favorite actor would be Vincent Price. Actress? Lauren Bacall by far. I’m already a fan on FB. 😀

  32. I’m entering purely for the “cool points”, but I still want to win 😉

    My fave old time-y actress? Hmmm…I dig Crawford, but who doesn’t? I also lurve Hedy Lamarr!

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