Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang Estēe Lauder 2008 Eau de Parfum
4
Helpful Review
At the Vanguard of Pseudo-niche Perfumery
I was curious about the Estee Lauder Private Collection for quite some time, what with its thinly veiled insinuation that the other members of the EL line-up are somehow destined for hoi polloi. What could "private" really mean when these new fragrances were being sold just as freely at the EL website as all of the others by, I might add, a big-time corporate monster which encompasses more than a dozen other ostensibly independent lines as well (Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, Donna Karan, Tom Ford, Aveda, Darphin, La Mer, etc...).
Having finally gained access to samples of a couple of the EL PC (not-so p.c.) perfumes, I am happily in a position to say something about the compositions, rather than waxing vainly about globalization.
AMBER YLANG YLANG opens with a veritable bomb of amber, already not the most subtle of notes, and here presented in a concentration sufficient to mask even the usually strong character of ylang ylang. As the amber begins to wear away slightly (which is strange, since usually amber figures in the basenotes, not the topnotes), the vanilla and sandalwood begin to assert themselves. The lightly sweet, floral-woody drydown of this composition is just beautiful. However, the brash amber opening is a bit much for me.
I would say that the question here is not about sophistication but amber tolerance. Anyone who loves hard-hitting sledgehammer ambers will welcome the opening of AMBER YLANG YLANG. Others may wish to hold their breath for several minutes.
Does this "private collection creation" live up to the hype? Well, the price is definitely not right. If this perfume is succeeding, it's only because there are enough people with enough money and insufficient olfactory sophistication to know better than that paying triple digits for a bottle guarantees superior perfumosity. I, for one, am unimpressed.
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November 2013 update:
I just finished my large sample vial and have to say that I was overly harsh above. This smells pretty good in the drydown--provided that one is in the mood for labdanum amber... I do not find it overly sweet. I still think that it is a bit dense and sledgehammerish but somehow tonight it smells nice. I have increased my evaluation, as I would wear Amber Ylang Ylang, if I owned a bottle.
However, I still dislike the absurd "private collection" concept. Humph
Having finally gained access to samples of a couple of the EL PC (not-so p.c.) perfumes, I am happily in a position to say something about the compositions, rather than waxing vainly about globalization.
AMBER YLANG YLANG opens with a veritable bomb of amber, already not the most subtle of notes, and here presented in a concentration sufficient to mask even the usually strong character of ylang ylang. As the amber begins to wear away slightly (which is strange, since usually amber figures in the basenotes, not the topnotes), the vanilla and sandalwood begin to assert themselves. The lightly sweet, floral-woody drydown of this composition is just beautiful. However, the brash amber opening is a bit much for me.
I would say that the question here is not about sophistication but amber tolerance. Anyone who loves hard-hitting sledgehammer ambers will welcome the opening of AMBER YLANG YLANG. Others may wish to hold their breath for several minutes.
Does this "private collection creation" live up to the hype? Well, the price is definitely not right. If this perfume is succeeding, it's only because there are enough people with enough money and insufficient olfactory sophistication to know better than that paying triple digits for a bottle guarantees superior perfumosity. I, for one, am unimpressed.
--------------
November 2013 update:
I just finished my large sample vial and have to say that I was overly harsh above. This smells pretty good in the drydown--provided that one is in the mood for labdanum amber... I do not find it overly sweet. I still think that it is a bit dense and sledgehammerish but somehow tonight it smells nice. I have increased my evaluation, as I would wear Amber Ylang Ylang, if I owned a bottle.
However, I still dislike the absurd "private collection" concept. Humph
1 Comment
Dulcemio 11 years ago
Hey Shera, I'm with you on the hoity-toity name. Private to whom, exactly? Especially since I find the scent so accessible. Based on the reactions I get from some of the more discerning noses in my life, it's a crowd-pleaser.