DSH Perfumes Cimabue: Italian Journey No. 8 is described as “Opulent. Enigmatic. Beguiling.” This is another winner from Perfumes DSH. I’ve got to stop falling in love with all of her creations! Cimabue is intoxicating without being overwhelming. This fragrance is described as an “or*ental/gourmand”. It is absolutely delicious. It has what I want in a gourmand: spice, citrus, honey, and sweet vanilla. What can I say? I like spice and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz does spice well. I can not imagine my fragrance collection without Cimabue.
This fragrance is rich, luxurious. It’s warmth reminds me of the gilded hues you see in Byzantine art. At first is citrus spice. It is almost like a pomander. It’s spicy and citrusy. The spice reminds me of a chai masala mix sprinkled on dried citrus. Cimabue wears like a spicy carnation mixed with decadent, almost numbing clove bud and spicy cinnamon. The spice is rounded by sticky honey and candied roses. It’s delicious. This is the stage where I can’t stop sniffing myself! There’s lots of saffron. It smells more of dried saffron threads before cooking. The dry down consists of rich, spiritual resins and creamy vanilla. The dry-down smells like a temple.
This is a very long-wearing unisex perfume. I love how this blend wears on my skin. It’s spicy but sweet. The florals don’t take over this scent but they are there. They add a romantic element. The fragrance is rich. It’s luxe. It’s gilded in gold and draped with velvet. This is a fragrance that I love to wear in the fall and winter because of its richness and warmth. It has gourmand spices but it doesn’t come across as gingerbread or wintery baked goods.
DSH Cimabue as a unisex fragrance. It’s a gourmand perfume and it has sweetness but it’s sweet from honey and resins. It wears for many hours on me, at least 12 hours. It wears closely and I like that. I love every stage of this fragrance on my skin.
I’m also finding that I’m falling for any fragrance with honey in it. It seems to be one of those notes that works for me. This makes me happy because not many people can pull off sweet, sticky honey. What works for you?
Notes listed include: bergamot, bitter orange, cardamom seed, clementine, Italian neroli, lemon, nutmeg, carnation, cinnamon bark, clove bud, Egyptian rose geranium, grandiflorum jasmine, honey beeswax, Moroccan rose, Mysore sandalwood, saffron, tuberose, ciste, East Indian sandalwood, labdanum, oppopanax, Siam benzoin, Tahitian vanilla, tamil nadu sandalwood, and vanilla.
Give Cimabue a try if you like spicy but sweet gourmand fragrances, honey fragrances, or scents like Clive Christian “C” For Women, Tom Ford Private Blend Noir de Noir, L’Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant, Lubin Idole de Lubin, and/or Stephanie de Saint-Aignan Berberiades.
Cimabue is available in a few sizes with the 1 oz EDP retailing for $100 at DSH Perfumes. Samples are also available for purchase.
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Basenotes (member reviews)
Oh it sounds so gorgeous! I love spice and I see nutmeg and clove bud in there, and also my favorite roses, ones that come from Morocco.
I have read reviews of Cimabue in the past and I always thought “hmmm, sounds too gourmande for me”, but you have convinced me to try it. Now, if only I could dig up some $ to buy more samples!
Cimabue is gourmand, but not too gourmand. I don’t think that makes sense, but it isn’t as gourmand on me as other’s are describing it. Saying that, I can wear honey fragrances without smelling “off”. I think you should try it (I know you have 15 million more on your list to try) because it does have enough spice to make it wearable for people who usually don’t do sweet. I mean there is clove, nutmeg, saffron, and even the carnation adds spice. But, then again the honey adds lots of sweetness.
I’m still waiting on the samples I ordered from last week’s coupon code sale. I’m so excited! I ordered the “incense” pack.
I do have 15 million other things on my list, buy DSH is a priority for me and this sounds like it would be perfect for this time of year.
I want to give gourmandes another chance. Ever since my husband said he liked the drydown of Penhaligon’s Amaranthine, which he described as “caramel-y”, I am more open to trying them.
The “incense” pack sounds interesting. I don’t think I saw that. I’m curious!
JoanElaine recently posted..Purple Prose about Rose Perfumes
I guess what I mean about this one, is that I could see this as a gourmand but I wouldn’t want to eat it.
Just got my pack!
And I truly believe that there aren’t enough days in our lives to sample every fragrance we want to.
That sounds wonderful. I’ve only tried a couple of DSH but I’ve liked them. As for honey, I liked the honey in the bottom of Fumerie Turque, I liked it in Kilian’s Back to Black, and I like the honey/linden of MAC’s Naked Honey.
kjanicki recently posted..DSH Perfumes- Secrets of Egypt- Part 2 of 3- Cardamom and Kyphi and Antiu
I’m craving honey! I have a sample of Back to Black (haven’t tried it yet). Oh, how I miss Naked Honey! My favorite cheap thrill ever.
I’ve been very happy with DSH perfumes. On my way to read your Secrets of Egypt review.
[…] Cimabue – Here’s another Parfums des Beaux Arts fragrance that I adore! Cimabue is a decadent blend of spices such as saffron and clove, heady florals, and exotic woods. Goes for $33. (My review here). […]
I keep hearing about this one. Time for me to give in and try it!
[…] there were less blogs and social networking sites. Sometimes this worked well for me (stuff like Cimabue from DSH Perfumes or aroma M Geisha Noire). And I’ve had some I didn’t like such as a […]
[…] honey, the sort of delicious accord that I associate with DSH’s work (like with Lautrec or Cimabue). Florals begin to bloom on my skin but they aren’t fresh or dewy. They’re mainly there […]