Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle - Musc Ravageur Parfum Spray Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur (“Musc”) is one of those fragrances I thought I had tried but had not.   For the life of me, I can’t explain why I missed this!   Released in 2000, it is an oriental (amber oriental) fragrance.   On me, Musc opens with a complex, spicy, slightly sweet, dirty patchouli.   It is heady and intoxicating.   There are dripping notes of amber; rich and syrupy.   A light floral peeks out from the background as a creamy vanilla clove seems to melt effortlessly into the accord. As Musc wears, its raw sensual aspects continue to delight.   The musk in the fragrance joins with the patchouli and creates a carnal sensory explosion.   There is an animalic fearlessness to Musc’s wear.   The drydown of Musc is warm and comforting.   Woody notes slide into Musc with a touch of darkness.   To the end, Musc continues to come to life with an irre...

DedCool – Madonna (Lilly) Madonna (Lilly) (“Madonna”) is one of the new releases in the DedCool Series 2.   She wears on me as a woody spicy fragrance. Madonna opens with a spicy burst of black pepper coupled with hints of citrus.   There is an interesting warmth and freshness to the opening.   About 15 minutes into wear, the black pepper recedes slightly and the fragrance takes on a creamy quality.   Roughly 2 hours into wear, I begin to get notes of a delicately resinous amber and woody notes.   Madonna is distinctly interesting at this point in wear.   She is warm without being too spicy, she is comforting while being complex. Madonna’s drydown brings further complexity.   A light white floral perhaps? A new rush of creamy citrus? A delicate spiced wood?   Yes on all accounts.   Yet even with the development of each note, the fragrance retains on course with an even balance. Madonna wears on me with moderate projectio...

Apothescary Scents - Mary Shelley Perfume Oil Mary Shelley (“Shelley”) was released by Apothescary Scents as part of the Literary Classics Collection.   On me, Shelley wears as an oriental spicy fragrance. In her description of the fragrance, the perfumer includes a quote from the namesake of the fragrance, “Solitude was my only consolation - deep, dark, deathlike solitude.” (Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)   The inclusion of this particular quote is telling as it accurately sets the scene for what will play out in the wear of the fragrance.   Shelley the person and the fragrance is colored with dark, mysterious vibes. As she opens, Shelley bursts with a deep, juicy, bold blood orange generous sprinkled with ginger.   The note is biting and spicy.   There is a hint of sweetness that feels just out of reach.   As Shelley wears, a vibrant and warm clove is detected.   There is a resinous underpinning courtesy of the cardamom that amplifies the...

Pinrose – Secret Genius Secret Genius (“Genius”) was released in 2015 and is the first fragrance I’ve tested from Pinrose.   Genius is an oriental vanilla. If you look below the main review, you’ll see I’ve kept the brand’s Notes as published instead of converting it to the “standard” fragrance terms for the note construction.   The way the brand describes Notes and, moreover, the way they describe the basic “vibe” of their fragrances speaks to who their target audience is.   In the case of Genius, the fragrance is described as: VIBE   Trustworthy • Comforting • Sexy PERFECT FOR Hatching plans and sneaking kisses SIPS LIKE   White Russian Genius isn’t a fragrance that has much by way of development with the exception of the initial note I get in the very opening.   Basically, it’s a “what you smell is what you get”.   And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.   What was less than spectacular was the very first opening note that I...

By Kilian - Vodka on the Rocks EDP Vodka on the Rocks (“Vodka”) was released By Kilian in 2014.   The fragrance is an interesting aromatic with strong earthy underpinnings. The opening of Vodka is surprisingly much like the initial pour of vodka into a glass of ice.   Through the use of aldehydes, which typically are not a favorite of mine, Kilian manages to replicate the essence of that singular moment.   There is a slight spiciness to the opening with coriander being more prominent than cardamom, but overall the clear alcohol accord comes through. As Vodka wears, I get the bitter rhubarb and rose.   The two are well paired and with the help of Lily of the Valley, a citric floral emerges.   At the same time, I begin to get smoky leathery notes.   On me, the base notes are just smoky enough that I get a vibe of a white incense.   Vodka on the Rocks wears on me for roughly 9 hours with moderate projection. Notes: cardmom, coriande...

Mugler Les Exceptions - Oriental Express EDP To help celebrate the Mugler Friends and Family Event, I thought I’d give you another Mugler fragrance review.   Oriental Express (“Express”) is, not surprisingly, an oriental fragrance released by Mugler in 2014.   Express is not your Mother’s oriental.   It is also not one of those 80s-style in your face orientals.   Instead, it has a “come closer” vibe to it. Express opens with a cozy, powdery slightly spiced vanilla.   There is an evolving greenness in the background that lends a slight edge to the otherwise softness.   Into wear, I get a creamy woody note.   The woodiness is ever so slight as to not move this into a woody fragrance territory.   It simply adds depth and contrast.   There is a sense of classic minimalism to the fragrance while at the same time striking a different chord in the oriental fragrance family.   Express feels like what comfort food tastes like. Expre...

Karl Lagerfeld - Fleur de Mûrier EDP Fleur de Mûrier (“Fleur”) is the newest release from Lagerfeld in the Parfums Matières Collection.   It is a floriental and its release was accompanied by a fragrance for men, Bois de Yuzu.   I note here that when I received my fragrance, it was accompanied by GWP items from the new Karl Lagerfeld x Kaia Collection (shown in the pictures below). Fleur opens with fresh berry fruity notes.   I get both red currant and raspberry with the raspberry being slightly more prominent.   The fruit lingers for about 20 minutes with rich and delectable clarity and light sweetness before they are joined by florals. The use of mulberry flower and violet leaves is an interesting and more modern take on the floriental in my opinion.   This is not yesterday’s fragrance.   Instead, it captures the heart of a floriental while at the same time being fresh and enticing.   There is the same kind of provocative feel that you ...

DedCool – Ivy Blanc EDP Ivy Blanc (“Ivy”) is a new release from DedCool and is part of the Series 2 Collection.   On me, it wears like a woody spicy fragrance. When Ivy first opens, I get a brief, bright, leaf-like note.   Very soon after, I get a stunning pink pepper that is tempered by a smooth and rich sandalwood.   There is a cedar-like woodiness to the accord. At about the one hour mark, I get a warm, slightly resinous amber and a hay-like note.   The amber seems to float with a white smoky incense.   The fragrance does not turn dark but instead, remains cozy and comfortable with a note of bergamot that elevates the fragrance without transforming it into a floral. There is a warmth and depth to Ivy that takes me to the woods in the very best way.   The scent reminds me of Fall without having the traditional pumpkin or Fall-spice notes.   Ivy Blanc wears on me with soft projection for roughly 8 hours. Notes: Top: Pink Pepp...

Guerlain - Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune (“Pamplelune”) is a citrus fragrance released by Guerlain in 1999.   The Collection, Aqua Allegoria, created the eau fraiche genre in fragrance. Pamplelune opens with an intense grapefruit and lemon accord that is bright and tart.   There is a distinct sunny freshness to it.   Soon after, the citrus is joined by a background of bergamot which, while rounding the tartness somewhat, does more by way of adding a fullness to the scent. As Pamlelune wears, I get a deep berry coming through.   I cannot readily identify this note as blackcurrent but it is clearly a berry.   There is a heavy bitterness that begins to come to light.   The fruity notes are tempered by a smooth sandalwood and vanilla that come through at roughly the two and a half hour mark.   The vanilla does not overly sweeten the fragrance.   In the drydown, Pamplelune is joined by patchouli.   The patch...

Tauer Perfumes - Les Annees 25 EDP Recently launched (2018) to celebrate the brand’s 25 th anniversary (congratulations!), Les Annes 25 (“Annes”) is a floral woody musk. Annes opens with a glorious, sparkling citrus accord.   I get a bold and juicy orange that is bright and actually feels celebratory.   As the fragrance wears, white floral blends with a spiced ginger and creates an intriguing introduction for the addition of a powdery true rose note.   The rose is reminiscent of a dew-laden petal on a Spring morning where the lovely waft of rose permeates the air. As Annes wears, a decadent base of oakmoss, tonka, sandalwood, and amber gris add a sophistication to the fragrance.   There is a creamy smokiness that feels very classic “Tauer”.   In its finishing hours, a light musk and equally light patchouli add complexity while a final touch of vanilla adds a delicately sweetened exuberance. Les Annes 25 wears on me with soft projection for ro...

KKW Fragrance - Crystal Gardenia Crystal Gardenia (“Crystal”) is a floral woody musk fragrance released last year (2017).   After having purchased the newest scent, KKW Body, I was curious to track back and try some of the other brand fragrances (see Writer’s Note below review).   Unlike the controversial bottle of KKW Body, Crystal’s bottle is, well, shaped like a crystal.   The bottle is well made and quite heavy.   It is somewhat difficult to store due to the size. Crystal opens with a sparkling, sweet, bright, juicy pear.   There is a joyous effervescence to the opening that is soon joined by the other notes in this fragrance.   Not long after the first whiff, the pear is joined by the trio of white florals which help comprise Crystal.   After its namesake, Crystal’s most prominent floral is gardenia.   The gardenia is clean and heady.   The tuberose is treated well and does not take on the often “screechiness” that tube...

Olibere Parfums - L`Etoile Noire Launched in 2016, L’Etoile Noire (“Noire”) is a study of light and dark; the opposites that we each carry with us.   The notes classify this as an oriental fragrance, however, in my opinion, it is also very much a woody one. Noire opens on me with a contrast.   On the one hand I get an intense bergamot and sharp lemon and on the other I get an achingly intense peppery spice.   There is a heavy smokiness from the gaiac.   As Noire continues to wear I get more and more tones of wood.   I do not identify the wood as specifically being oud, as iterated in the Notes of this fragrance, but rather a general deep, dark woody accord.   At roughly 3 – 4 hours into wear, Noire takes on a powdery aspect.   There is still an echo of citrus, moderate spice, woods, and smoke but in comes a softened rose and what seems like patchouli.   There is a dried tobacco leaf as well as a very soft dried rose petal. In the...

Kiss My Sass Cosmetics – Rainforest Fairies (perfume oil) In the March 2018 release of Rainforest Fairies (“Rainforest”), Kiss My Sass gives us a vision of the fairy world secreted deep inside a rainforest.   Rainforest opens with a tart and juicy blackberry paired with a lightly dirty patchouli.   There is an immediate sense of deep, dark, rich depth and lushness.   You can feel the loam under your feet while all around you, life springs in abundance.   Entering into the mix come moss and fern.   They add a further damp greenness to the woody points in the fragrance.   The wet notes do not hold Rainforest down; they are coupled with a lightly sweet and creamy vanilla which serves to add an ethereal quality.   There is a play between extremes and yet the duality of the fragrance does not inhibit its beauty.   In the drydown, whispers of jasmine appear as each of the other notes soften into the background. Rainforest wears on me f...

Parfums de Marly – Pegasus Following the tradition of naming their fragrances after winning thoroughbred horses, Pegasus (launched in 2011) is named after a winning 18 th century stallion.   You may also be familiar with the name Pegasus as the mythological God of all horses.   Pegasus is an oriental fougere.   The fragrance opens with a slightly sweet bergamot and heliotrope blend.   While these notes would tend to lead someone to believe this is a sweeter floral, it is not.   Within fifteen minutes, I get a large dose of bitter almond and cumin.   The bitter almond and cumin add a very spicy, somewhat hot and sweaty feel to the opening.   There is a sharpness to the bitter almond.   Yet even with the addition of these notes, the scent retains a moderate powdery feel to it. As Pegasus wears, I get the fougere traditional lavender.   The note is clear and classic to the genre.   There is just a light touch of jasmine that ...

DUA Fragrances - Wood & Cognac Wood and Cognac.   The two words together bring to mind a pensive gentleman in his study.   The image is old world.   It’s an image of cultured elegance. With Wood & Cognac, DUA Fragrances brings us a refined woody fragrance.   The opening is a complex, deep, boozy wood.   As you breathe in, the wood panels of the study come alive.   There is a light, green rose that drifts through the composition intricately mingled with the wood and cognac.   As this fragrance wears, it takes on additional complexity; a touch of dark cocoa, a warm creamy sandalwood – all the while the boozy wood remains in the forefront.   The perfumer gives us additional notes to create interest and complexity with this fragrance, but at no point do they surpass the boozy woody notes.   Wood & Cognac is about its namesake throughout the wear.   Wood & Cognac wears on me for roughly 11 hours with heavy moving...

Imaginary Authors - O, Unknown! Like many of you, I like a good story.   Being a fragrance fan, I love when fragrance and story meet.   I’d been interested in Imaginary Authors for some time because of this.   Luckily, a good friend of mine sent me a sample of O, Unknown! an oriental woody fragrance created by Imaginary Authors.   Unlike many fragrances that tell a story through wear alone, Imaginary Authors provides the wearer with a narrative to consider while enjoying the fragrance.   For this reason, before I get into my review, I’d like to share the fragrance story: ““It is a mystery to me why the further I am from home the closer I am to God.” – Philip Sava At age 65, when famed explorer and author Philip Sava was given less than a year to live, he set off from his home in Madagascar for parts unknown. Leaving all his belongings behind, he set off on foot, hopped a freighter across the Indian Ocean, and wandered into the Bangladesh wilderne...

M. Micallef – Art Collection Vanille: Vanille Orient In 2012, M. Micallef released The Art Collection which they described as “a four-movement symphony on the theme of Vanilla.”   Each vanilla-based fragrance showcases the note in a different fragrance family – leather, floral, aquatic, and oriental.   Vanille Orient (“Vanille) is, as expected, the oriental vanilla release of the quad. Vanille opens with a lightly spiced yet somehow cool boozy vanilla.   The vanilla is also creamy, buttery, and somewhat sweet.   I get a pronounced clean musk and a more subtle amber.   There is a richness and complexity to the fragrance which highlights the vanilla.   Vanilla is showcased here as its sweet self and is complimented with the traditional hallmarks of an oriental fragrance.   There is a fairly linear wear to Vanille with the exception of the drydown where the fragrance takes on a powdery quality. Vanille wears on me with moderate moving to lig...

Juliette Has a Gun - Sunny Side Up Sunny Side Up (“Sunny”) is a floral woody musk offering from the think-outside-the-box brand Juliette Has a Gun.   Released in 2017, the perfumer, Romano Ricci seeks to emulate the warmth and effect of midday sun against the skin. Typically, I’m a Fall/Winter person.   I adore the changing of the leaves in the Fall and Winter’s peaceful silence.   Somehow today as an icy blanket covered my corner of the world, I was looking for something to break from the chill.   As life is full of ironies, I thought the choice of a “sunny” fragrance would provide a little fragrance humor as well as a respite from the grasp of the cold. Sunny opens with a creamy accord of a floral sandalwood.   The sandalwood is prominent and lush; almost milky.   About an hour into wear I begin to get a semi-sweet coconut vanilla.   The vanilla prevents the coconut from becoming a “suntan lotion” note; instead, the fragrance shifts int...

Kiss My Sass - The Poet I’ve decided to take a bit of poetic license (pun intended) with this review. The Poet sits alone in his room.  The scent of his plummy lightly sweetened pipe tobacco floats through the air.  The smell is deep and contemplative yet touched with a hint of caramel.  He wonders whether his muse will be with him today. As he reaches for his black tea, the steam rises up and joins the tobacco swirling and turning in an intimate dance.  He gazes at her portrait hanging on the wall.  He remembers that lovely Spring day they spent together picking blackberries growing wild.  He remembers laying side by side on that blanket bathed in the warm sun; her skin glistening like cream against the soft ground.  As he turns back to reality, his writing desk calls to him with it’s richly resinous woody voice.  It is a complex voice that is tinged with his wishes and dreams.  Full of wonder and spice.  And yet – he’s...

Kiss My Sass - Sucre Noir For my blog, I like to test and review fragrances from every place in the fragrance world: Mainstream, Indie, Niche, High End/Luxury – there are a number of descriptives and many fragrances cross between categories.  Recently there’s been some discussion in the fragcomm about what each group of fragrance is defined as.  For me, while there is some relevance as to where a particular fragrance may fit, at the end of the day my personal feeling is that fragrance is for everyone.  There is a price point and a creative philosophy behind fragrances that everyone can find their own happy place with.  Sucre Noir is an offering from an Indie brand, Kiss My Sass, out of Pennsylvania.  I purchased this fragrance, along with a cosmetic order, because I was curious as to how the brand approached scent.  Often, Indie brands offer unique variations of fragrance that you simply do not see replicated in the Mainstream. Sucre Noir wears...