Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Nasomatto: Nudiflorum Extrait de Parfum Nudiflorum was released in 2018 by Nasamatto.   It is a floral woody musk that is said to be, “an interpretation of a feeling of being touched.” On me, Nudiflorum opens with a very bold, smoky, rubbery leather.   It is an opening not for the bashful.   It has a raw, hotness to it that in some ways is reminiscent of flesh.   Shortly after the initial note, the leather is accompanied by a deep green bitterness atop a pensive iris.   In my wear, I could not detect violet. In the middle of wear, a synthetically sticky jasmine with a bit of sweetness melds into the smoked leather.   The scent remains rough and rugged.   It feels like an intentionally unfinished symphony.   A swirl of musky white florals compliments the drydown.   Where you’d expect there to be cacophony, there is sense.   There is an overall primal sensation in the wear of Nudiflorum that makes it stand out as something ve...

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...

Acqua di Parma - Colonia Pura Launched in 2017, Colognia Pura (“Pura”) is a floral woody musk.   Pura opens with what I consider to be the classic bergamot – orange opening we get from many of the brand’s fragrances.   The citrus is bright and crisp.   The opening riff does not linger long before it is joined by an almost barbershop detergent soapiness and a sharp coriander.   I get a sense of aldehydes although there are none listed in the notes. As Pura wears, the often heady jasmine sambac and narcissus appear.   Instead of their typical bold entry, they seem softened and somewhat green.   The soapiness continues with a bit of a metallic turn to the composition.   Rounding out Pura is a light woody musk with only background hints of patchouli.   These notes warm the fragrance and carry it through the dry down. Pura wears on me with moderate projection for roughly 8 hours. Notes: bergamot, orange, jasmine sambac, narcissus,...

Ellis Brooklyn - Myth EDP I received a sample of Myth with a cosmetics order.   Late last year, I had the opportunity to sample another Ellis Brooklyn fragrance, Sci Fi (you can read my review on this blog), so Myth makes my second Ellis Brooklyn testing.   Unlike Sci Fi, Myth is a floral woody musk.   Released in 2016, Myth is a creation that finds a way to elevate the more traditional fragrance genre. In the opening, I get a light an airy bergamot and a slightly sweet cassis.   There is a sunny and bright feel that is amplified by a beautiful orchid and jasmine.   Jasmine can go wrong in a fragrance if it is overdone.   Here, both the orchid and jasmine are handled with a delicate touch.   There is a lightness to the floral accord.   Roughly three hours into wear, I get a light white musk and very soft cedar.   If they can be described as such, I’d describe the musk and cedar as having the feel of cashmere; there is a soft war...

Philosophy - Pure Grace: Nude Rose Nude Rose is the newest release from the Philosophy Pure Grace line.   This floral woody musk launched in 2017.   Based on the fragrance name, I anticipated that the fragrance would feel and wear like a pure rose scent with a musk underpinning.   While I do get rose and musk in the wear, I do not feel that it’s a true rose musk fragrance. Unlike the previous release from Philosophy – Ballet Rose which opens as a sparkling fruity floral rose, Nude Rose opens with a green-leaning white floral blend.   The rose in the floral accord is on the subtle side and does not come across as either a blooming or jammy rose.   Instead, it’s perhaps a soft whiff of a rose petal in passing.   The floral accord itself is quite bold. About 15 to 20 minutes into wear, the green floral takes on a soapy quality.   It’s somewhat like a floral laundry detergent or fabric softener and, assuming you like those scents, would be so...

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...

Juliette Has A Gun - Anyway EDP I often research fragrances on both the House website and on Fragrantica before writing a review.  Like with reading any review, doing so gives me a chance to consider what the brand may be trying to accomplish with the fragrance and also to which category Fragrantica classifies it.  I then compare any brand stated purpose of a fragrance with whether or not I feel the fragrance achieves the goal.  I also consider whether or not I feel a fragrance wears on me as the type of fragrance Fragrantica has it classified as. In investigating Anyway, Fragrantica has the fragrance classified as a floral woody musk.  The brand, however, has designated Anyway as a floral citrus.  So, and spoilers here, I am inclined to agree with the brand classification based on the overall wear of Anyway on my skin.  I would note here that both the brand site and Fragrantica state that 15 notes comprise this fragrance; neither list all 15....

Diptyque - Tam Dao EDP Tam Dao is an older floral woody musk offering from Diptyque.  Before I begin my review, I do want to share that this fragrance wears more like a slightly spicy, creamy, woody fragrance on me. In the opening, Tam Dao exudes a creamy, slightly spicy woody feel.  I get a deep cedar lightened by a creamy sandalwood.  The cedar and sandalwood are both moderate in intensity.  There is a slight spice that lays against a lush cypress.  Said to evoke “memories of Asia”, you can clearly sense the jungle vibe to the notes. As the fragrance continues to develop, a resinous amber in softer tones comes forward as does a clean, light, warm musk.  These notes add a feel of sunny warmth shining into the density of the jungle growth.  Finally, in the drydown, rosewood intensifies the woodiness of the fragrance.  There is an earthiness to the rosewood and subtle hints of floral (not distinguishable as a specific floral note). ...

Dame Perfumery - Dark Horse Have you ever sampled a fragrance and thought to yourself, “What in the world has taken me so long to try this, it’s fantastic?”  Well, that was literally my very first thought the moment I got my first whiff of Dark Horse.  Webster’s Dictionary define dark horse as “a usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing”.  In the case of this fragrance, the name fits perfectly for me. Dark Horse is a floral woody musk, which for me tends to be a category of fragrance I tend to enjoy.  It opens with a cinnamon spiced bergamot with a light lemon twist.  The spice is tempered so it brings out the very best in the other two notes; the bergamot is the more predominant.  In the development of this juice the floral notes are enhanced with jasmine, carnation, and rose.  The jasmine seems to take a front seat for me with the carnation and rose being more subtle.  A gorgeous clove...

Alaïa Paris - Alaïa Eau de Parfum Blanche In 2015, the fragrance world welcomed couture designer Azzedine Alaïa with his launch of Alaïa (created by perfumer Marie Salamagne ) .  Last year, Alaïa was joined by a flanker – Alaïa EDP Blanche (“Blanche”).  The original fragrance was a leather whereas Blanche is a floral woody musk.  I was drawn to test Blanche as Alaïa’s couture aesthetic of celebrating the female form, while simultaneously making a woman feel powerful, is very much in line with my own ethos. Traditionally, fragrances are described as having top/head notes, middle/heart notes, and bottom/base notes.  We see a deviation from these descriptives as with Blanche, the notes are further described as impressions.  With the wearing of Blanche it becomes clear that “impressions” could not be more accurate. Like the extolled female form, Blanche feels very curved to me.  The opening is a confident vanilla tinged almond that has a floral fee...