fragrance

DSH Perfumes The Brilliant Collection Perfume Review

DSH Perfumes has launched four perfumes in the collaboration with the Denver Art Museum for their Cartier in the 20th Century Exhibit, The Brilliant Collection.This is a collection inspired by jewels!

So, let me dive right into the reviews here:

Duke and Duchess of Windsor

Deco Diamonds with notes of neroli, peach, galbanum, aldehydes, sambac jasmine, gardenia, tuberose, honeysuckle absolute, oakmoss, sandalwood, civet and ambergris. Inspired by Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

Deco Diamonds is delightfully vintage smelling. It’s opening is soapy and green with galbanum and… Continue reading | 8 Comments

fragrance

Boadicea The Victorious Complex EDP Perfume Review

Boadicea Complex EDP Perfume Review

 

I hate really certain thoughts that put people into boxes of rigid identities: introvert/extrovert, left-brain/right-brain, dog person/cat person and even city person/country person. But, I have found, and much of the struggle of adulthood is finding out what you want, that I am a city person. I fit into that stringent little box. Open spaces give me anxiety. My nightmares are filled with scenarios where I’m stuck in some tiny town. Don’t get me wrong, I like visiting rural… Continue reading | 1 Comment

fragrance

DSH Perfume Vers la Violette EDP Perfume Review – Passport to Paris Collection

DSH Perfumes Vers la Violette

Purple Flowers Week 2014

DSH Perfumes Passport to Paris is a collection of perfumes inspired by Belle Epoque Paris for the Denver Art Museum. Vers la Violette is an hommage to one of the most popular notes in perfumery at the time, violet.

Vers la Violette opens a mushroom-y violet. Vers la Violette has a sheerness. It’s like a breeze of living violets – petals and stems. It isn’t powdery, sweet or candied. It’s a flirty, fresh and breathing. This is a “green”… Continue reading | 1 Comment

fragrance

Esscentual Alchemy Hokkabaz Natural Perfume Review

Esscentual Alchemy Hokkabaz is a tribute to Guerlain’s Djedi, an epic Guerlain launched in 1926 that had a heavy Orientalist overtone. Now if you’re involved in the online perfume community, you quickly find out that Djedi is some sort of perfume unicorn, a mystical and magical thing that you can’t and won’t get your hands on. I mean, it does exist but I don’t have the finances or the time to hunt unicorns.

Hokkabaz is inspired by the 1920’s Orientalism obsession. And this makes sense. Djedi was most likely inspired by the unveiling of the wonders found… Continue reading | 9 Comments

fragrance

Histoires de Parfums 1740 Marquis de Sade Perfume Review

Histoires de Parfums 1740 Marquis de Sade

Histoires de Parfums 1740 is a woody chypre inspired by Parisian artist, outcast, and scandalous writer, Donatien-Alphonse-François/The Marquis de Sade. The eponym sadism comes from his name. As you can tell, this man has influenced our culture. Now let’s see how he has influenced perfume.

1740 opens with a birch tar leather and camphoric patchouli. There’s a dash of cool spices and citrus but I’d never call 1740 bright. It’s rugged and worn. It’s an earthy, dark, animalic potion. With time… Continue reading | 9 Comments