Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Gallagher Fragrances – Fineapple EDP Fineapple is a brand new release (August 2018) from Gallagher Fragrances.   As soon as it became available, I knew I wanted to order a sample.   The fruity floral notes sounded interesting to me and I wanted to see if the perfumer had come up with a fragrance that was different from “that well known one” (read Creed here). Fineapple opens with an absolutely lush pineapple and green apple note.   The pineapple is most prominent, as expected, and it is so juicy you almost feel the cut pineapple dripping its juices!   The green apple adds just enough tartness to prevent this accord from going too sweet.   Still, for me, it is reminiscent of a Summer drink.   Just behind the pineapple and green apple, I get a lovely soft magnolia.   The image in my head is now that of laying on a beach chair somewhere tropical as the bartender, flower in her hair, brings me a drink to sip. After about an hour and a half, s...

DedCool – Red (Dakota) EDP Recently launched as part of the Series 2 Collection, DedCool’s Red (Dakota) (“Red”) is a transforming citrus floral. Red opens with a juicy orange and bold gardenia.    The citrus compliments the gardenia by elevating it from the garden.    I get a picture in my mind of an Old Master’s painting of a still life; fresh picked gardenias in a vase and a bowl of ripe fruit on the table.    While the image it conjures is old school, this is far from an old school fragrance.    The blend feels new. Shortly into wear in comes a moody wood and amber.    There is an intimate warmth in these additions.    The citrus and gardenia remain but now the fragrance becomes almost cozy.    It feels comfortable and approachable.   Into the drydown, Red retains its character.    The gardenia and citrus have softened.    The amber is now adding a gentle sweetness (not clo...

Mugler - Les Exceptions – Supra Floral EDP Supra Floral was launched in 2014.   As its name suggests, it is a floral fragrance; however, it is more than just a simple floral. The fragrance opens with a bright, crisp, fresh note that has aspects of hyacinth.   I feel as if I am standing in a garden and breathing in a freshly blossomed flower in Spring; although cannot identify the note as a “pure hyacinth”.   I get the floral of course, as elements of hyacinth, and it is accompanied by a fairly moderate greenness. The floral is soon joined by a lightly smoked incense.   This is not a “church” incense but is instead closer to a white smoke.   I want to describe this as a clean smoke.   The note adds a depth and complexity to the floral while allowing it to retain all of its best qualities.   I don’t get the typical resinous quality one would expect of an amber in a fragrance.   Here, the amber takes on more of a warm and sweet darkness...

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...

Mugler - Aura Mugler EDP Aura Mugler (“Aura”) is an oriental green aromatic with hallmarks of a fruity floral fragrance.   Released in the United States this past Winter, the brand states it is intended to make the wearer “reconnect with (your) inner nature and to unleash all (your) femininity and (your) aura.”   Based on the description, I anticipated an assertive feminine fragrance. Aura opens with an intensely bitter and sour vegetal note.   The bitterness intertwines with a floral that reads on me as orange blossom.   This duel accord floats on my skin for about an hour before the bitterness subsides and the fragrance takes on a softer edge. As Aura wears, I get a complex smokiness and a sweetness that peeks through.   Again, the contrast of the notes is intriguing.   There is a slight medicinal quality that comes through at about the two hour mark.   Typically, a medicinal note is unpleasant to me but in this fragrance, I don’t f...

Berdous - Péng Lái EDP Péng Lái (“Peng”) is an oriental floral fragrance from Berdous.   The fragrance also has hallmarks of being a lightly spicy fruity floral.   The inspiration behind Peng is one of Chinese legend.   It is said that, “The tale of Peng Lai, tells of the island of longevity where the Goddess of Flowers, He Xiangu, sojourned. This grand cru invites you to daydream, clear your mind, and recharge your batteries at the heart of the Middle Kingdom as you admire the singular beauty of this region of the world.” Peng opens with a soft osmanthus and bergamot blended with an equally light, bright citrus.   The notes project with a delicate intimacy.   There is also a gentle sweetness.   Very quickly, I get a juicy peach and a somewhat jammy rose.   Neither of these two notes take this fragrance to a place where it becomes cloying.   At roughly the one hour mark, benzoin adds it’s usual tones and the fragrance begins to round...

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Oud Silk Mood EDP Oud Silk Mood (“Mood”) is a 2018 launch from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (“MFK”).   It was a fragrance I was anxious to try since oud can often be a challenging note for many people.   In the traditional use of oud in fragrance, the note is often paired with rose.   We see such a pairing in Mood but we also see much more which takes the oud to a place that becomes more wearable for a larger audience. This is not your traditionalist’s take on oud.   Instead, oud is met here with delicate floral accompaniments and becomes an approachable note that retains its inherent sensual nature.   Mood opens with a lush floral bouquet that is decidedly rose-intense.   The rose is rich, deep, and elegant.   There is a lightness from a soft bergamot and chamomile that elevates the rose with an airiness and smoothness.   The notes are blended with an oud that is present, yet still in the background, and have a fe...

Jo Loves – Pomelo Pomelo is a citrus fragrance from Jo Loves that is much more than simply citrus and is the perfumer’s signature scent.   The fragrance has the “Jo Malone” touch all over it and, if you’re a fan of or familiar with her scents, you’ll understand that nuance she has as a perfumer.   For those not familiar, the best way I can describe it is that she has a certain knack for taking a primary note or notes and blending them with other notes in such a way that the “star” note is front and center and then transforms into more than the sum of the parts. With Pomelo the opening is zesty, effervescent, and fresh.   I get a burst of citric pomelo at first whiff.   This is a fresh from the orchard grapefruit zing.   Within about fifteen minutes, the almost pure citrus begins its transformation.   I get hints of a full-bodied rose just behind and beginning to soften and round the opening.   It feels very similar to an old masters painting ...

Lilee Fragrance Studio – Haiku 575 EDP Soft citric tea blend Fragrant Japanese garden Meditative thoughts Haiku 575 is another fragrance in the line of releases for the new brand, Lilee Fragrance Studio.    Haiku wears on me with soft moving to skin scent projection for roughly 6 – 7 hours. Notes: green tea, citrus, rice, floral notes, earthy notes *Search my blog by brand name to find my other reviews!

Lilee Fragrance Studio – Iris Nights EDP I want to share with you some fragrances from the brand new fragrance brand – Lilee Fragrance Studio.   The brand was started by a Facebook friend of mine, Robert Hunt, who I met through an online fragrance group.   Iris Nights (“Iris”) is the first fragrance I’ll be reviewing.   With Iris Nights, the brand introduces the fragrance by setting the scene: “The vision is of a woman of quiet sophistication sitting by the warmth of the fire, sipping fine cognac with aromatic scent of a floral bouquet by her side.”   Iris opens with a soft citrus white floral.   The citrus is present enough to add brightness and elevation to the floral without becoming “fruity” in any way.   The opening floral accord is reminiscent of a bouquet of fresh picked white flowers from the garden.   They are clean and light with just a hint of green freshness.   As Iris wear, I get a soft, powdery iris that comes forward. ...