FloraMilena

MADISON SQUARE PARK by Bond No.9

Absolutely gorgeous breath of unique, fruity-green-clean Spring freshness on my skin. This opens with a rush of morning dew laden cut grass all swathed in lushly blossoming hyacinth and wildly rambling ripe blueberry bushes.

A few elegant climbing roses are interspersed judiciously throughout, and add a just touch of refined floral grace to the composition, while a subdued teakwood/vetiver base adds a clean and well healed chic to the grounding elements without weighing down the entire spirited affair!

This is a distinctive mix of joyous and celebratory Spring radiance that smells like nothing else out there on my skin! It is outrageously clean without being soapy or detergent-like. It is fruity without being overly sweet or cloying. It is a uniquely uplifting potion of down-to-earth delight that I completely enjoy reveling in! Altogether rapturously beautiful and somewhat addictive! I cannot stop sniffing my wrists when this is applied!

Totally full bottle worthy for me! And a big 100ml bottle at that! And I'm spritzing away already!

Cheers and thank you to the House of Bond No.9 for this sparkling stunner!

LA FILLE DE BERLIN

The most unapologetically voluptuous and womanly pure rose I have ever smelt on my skin. This is the whole pristine magnificent rose in full bloom along with the powerful tangy bite of rich crimson fruit of the rose; the Rose Hip Berries. The rose hips impart a rich jam-like and delicately citrusy succulence to the creation that is unsullied by any additional syrupy sweetness and lends its own increased amplitude to the scent of the rose itself since it is actually part of the plant.

This is like a pure blood red rose on steroids. A whole barrel full of rose blossoms and rose hip jam all mashed together in perfectly, without any added sugar to foul or dilute the tangy fresh blast of divine floral crimson richness rolling down the mountain like an avalanche into your nose! It makes me want to devour my arm!

The barest trace of pepper lends a touch of spice, but is very subdued, and is so fantastically well blended that it smells like the amplified spice within the rosebush itself in some of the naturally spicier varieties of the plant. There is just a touch of the most subtle musk and amber to ground the jammy, spicy floral richness and impart a warm velvety clean-skin-like coziness to the entire composition.

Blood red, opulent, smooth as silk, lusciously feminine, elegantly voluptuous, narcotically soothing, and just incredibly gorgeous.

All of this is conjecture regarding the notes since Lutens gives no specifics on his site. My review is based upon how this magnificent beauty dances on my skin. It is presently my absolute favorite among all rose perfumes I have ever encountered.

Hiroko Koshino

Wabi-Sabi - A completely Japanese aesthetic. Here is a richly astringent absence of sweetness, as if magically opening up a newly made, yet ancient, lacquered oriental treasure chest made of hand carved cedar and lined in perfumed silk. I adore this without reservation and could wrap myself up in it completely.

Tremendously dark and imposing opening; as if one is entering a Shogun’s castle in the 16th century. Precious wood completely surrounds as you are walking through these darkened shadowy halls. The inner sanctum, the weapons hall dojo descends deeply into the smell of dark and heavy hardwoods, surrounded by subtle flourishes of clove oil used to polish the swords of the samurai. Rows of stone faced samurai guards sit motionless in vigilant silence.

Sliding shoji doors open to a sparsely furnished tatami floored room with a small lacquered table where a small bronze incense burner is placed; charcoal heated kyara agarwood and fine sandalwood sends wispy tendrils of profoundly meditative smoky beauty through the area. Sumptuous silks rustle with a touch of delicately refined ambrette seed while a kimono garbed woman is arranging a beautiful ikebana; carefully placing a long plum tree branch into an exquisite porcelain vase. A tea ceremony is being prepared nearby; the traditional streaming green matcha brew mingles with the delicate trails of the burning incense, and the scent of the courtyard garden where rose bushes, jasmine vines, camellia, lily of the valley, and ylang-ylang bloom discreetly near a little lotus pond. A zen gong is struck somewhere in the distance to signal the gathering dusk.

Exquisite, austere, very hushed, meditative, and profoundly beautiful.

Opens with all reserved elegance amidst an unsweetened dark-spicy-citric-melange of bergamot, orange, ginger, basil, cardamom, and nutmeg soon followed by the entrance of gentle hamanasu rose blossoms. Then the quiet, restrained carnality of ambrette seeds arrive and mingle with musk in an enveloping breath of hushed, shadowy sensuality. A delicate heliotrope swirls mischievously inside the smooth blend of spicy carnation blossoms with hints of clove and almonds while a buttery smooth trace of ylang-ylang, vanilla, and sweetly erotic jasmine balance the entire composition within complex layers of deep femininity. A beautifully subdued cedar entwines itself within groves of densely rich, balmy, and astringently meditative sandalwood.

To my nose and on my skin this is exceedingly and exquisitely Japanese. Never loud or bombastic. Perfectly refined. Exceptionally discreet. Quiet, hushed, deeply contemplative and bittersweet. Strong and tenacious, but never suffocating, never loud. Like the most gorgeous, delicate and finely embroidered silk…..wrapped around a sword of the finest sharpened steel. This is the samurai warlord’s wife. Supremely self-contained, elegant, educated, gracious, modest, loyal, and honorable. Beneath this woman’s magnificent, many layered, scented silken kimono is a formidable creature indeed. No excessive sweetness exists here to flatter and charm. Here…. there is only the stark beauty of steadfast devotion. This heart is a bottomless depth of dark passions and the bittersweet constancy of unrelenting honor.

Incredibly beautiful.

This is the most ravishingly beautiful vanilla I have ever sampled on my skin. I get hints of clean white fresh musk and even a touch of refreshing green plant material here. This smells like the actually fresh vanilla flower, not an extract used for cooking. It doesn't smell gourmand to me at all. No cooking or baked goods or kitchen smells here. So perfectly clean and fresh. Never smelled a vanilla like this. GORGEOUS. I must always have this.

I didn't think there could be an elegant vanilla soliflore. But here it is. Yes actually there is a touch of musk to anchor the plant essence, but that is it. MAGNIFICENT. A clean, fresh, vanilla soliflore. I want to bathe all over in this. One of my favorites forever. Better than naked skin. Better than skin musk scents. INCREDIBLE. Like pressing one’s nose into a fully ripened and blooming vanilla flower blossom, and inhaling deeply! Exquisite and magical! It is a pristine paradise tropical garden in the cool morning sun with dew drops sparkling and dripping off of freshly blooming pale vanilla blossoms and their leafy greenery. And oh by the way, the bottle is more beautiful than the picture.

Smooth as hand woven 100% silk, fresh green vanilla flower blossom and a kiss of clean musk. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Jalaine!