Tinctureall

A little vintage mini is what fascinated me. I loved the bakerlite style mustard coloured, embossed lid and wasn't expecting much when I tried it. Wrong assumption. I have no idea what the real listed notes are, so you only get the interpretation of my own nose. A wonderful citrus beginning backed up by a pungent and wonderful jasmine/floral/woods. Added to that is a touch of a spicy carnation or linden blossom type floral on top of a well structured musky woodsy base. There is a freshness like a peony there too but she's being caressed so firmly by the jasmine that she can only just peek out. A real floral nuzzler here. Joy fiends might like this. Old school and elegant, when ladies wore dashing, vibrantly patterned frocks with loads of skirt billowing around them. With a proper amount worn, this jasmine would billow around you like that skirt. His Italian fashion scene and high birth position are all reflected in the obvious quality of this perfume. It might be old but it still packs a floral punch. Made when perfumes were still allowed to contain some decent ingredients. There is a sharper note peeking out from the woody green background, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was real civet, and there is a powerful orris powdery quality to the basenotes. There is but a tiny hint of sweetness but more along the lines of benzoin or spicy tolu. Completely delicious and well balanced rich floral. I haven't smelled the new ones to see how they compare.

Exactly what the ingredients suggest. A laundry-like, watery, berry, fruity, sweet, cologne strength fragrance. Quite berryish and fresh after the first rather chemical feel in the rendition. Ok, if you like smelling like laundry fresh, flowery berries. Inoffensive and unremarkable. Suitable for a little girl to play with perhaps. This is an EDT mini.

A sample from a trade set. The juice is unusually pale blue. A quick blast initially of grapefruit, a little too sharp, but quickly remedied with a gentle jasmine and some soft powdery flowers to caress the nostrils. These flowers are gentle, almost watery and clean, but there is a little hint of spice there. I read nutmeg and clove but they are hardly perceptible, like soap. A sandalwood base with the support of musk. A fairly classic blend that doesn't disappoint. Fresh and floral with a hint of powdery spice and woods. This would be a nice start for a young girl.

A bright and breezy innocent start like a citrus fresher at a party, she is handed a boozy drink and wham she's off. The wild flower child is released and the night heats up rapidly. Then as soon as she is fully charged, she melts off into the woods before getting into trouble. Leaving her trail behind her. What a delight of a perfume. A rather unsung treasure. What's not to like about the rather well balanced ingredients? Never a moment of harshness about this lovely comfy and rather pretty oriental.

An opening burst of sparkling citrus and soft peach, quickly backed up by a luxurious jungle of exotic florals, spicy carnation keeping the abundance of jasmine, orchids, ylang, roses, iris's and lilies just on the spicy side and not too floral, then a full on back up of the sweeter, amber woodies and musks to the rescue. The florals and citrus balance this, and keep the woods fresh without vanishing into musty.

This is a classic whopper of a floral. One tiny drop and the smell is huge. This must contain the original nitro musks of old. This is an example of the sheer power that the earlier perfumes are capable of. This ability to slay any rival womans perfume with one massive sillage cloud. This perfume is loud but perfectly structured. Once hailed as the most exotic perfume in the world and deservedly so. This is a massive, heavy and not-too-sweet gardenia/tuberose with an undercurrent of sandalwood and musk. The citrus and herbs are enough to present the huge centre and base as a truly consistent whole entity. This is not a perfume for the shy. It has a herby nutty quality that is presented in such a way that this reminds one of a complete bouquet including the plastic and the bow. It is reminiscent of a much heavier version of Joy by Jean Patou, especially in the sandalwood, floral, spicy, musky dry down. Supposedly worn by the likes of Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, Fay Wray (King Kong) and even Michael Jackson was reputed to have worn this on stage. Not for the flower shy.