Third installement of Joys of the duty-free
In my foray into the futy-free new launches beckoned me. I usually am pretty weak and have to try, even if I am certain that I will not like the goods. I guess we always hope that we will be pleasantly surprised.
In this case I have had not one, but several pleasant suprises (and one miss) from things that would usually take a bashing, simply because they are flankers of established perfumes.
I am referring to Estee Lauders Pure White Linen, Guerlain Insolence, Bulgari femme Voile de jasmin and Ralph Lauren's Pure Turquoise.
Pure White Linen was something I was very reluctant about, because I do not have good associations with the original White Linen. This classic aldehydic was hailed as a breath of fresh air and was completely matching its simple, but to the point name. Introduced in 1978, it has been mentioned by many experts as a master-creation to come from the Lauder stable. And I can see why. However on my skin it always remained harsh and somehow not mingling quite right. Others imagined their mothers watering the orchids in the garden when they smelled it, alas I did not. A flanker that had been issued in the 90's, named White Linen Breeze wasn't particularly spectacular to make me change my mind either.
Pure White Linen, although being almost a misnomer, because what is "pure" anyway and how much purer can white (a non-colour) go, is a nice scent to have around. Advertised as “the fragrance to live in all year long” it features a very photoshopped Gwyneth Paltrow as its face, striking a weird pose which does not help in attracting customers in my opinion. However the velvety floral that lurks inside the frosty bottle is something else. The aldehydic shimmer of the start is more subdued than that of the original, going through a light fruity phase of pear that then becomes more floral with whispers of jasmine and honeysuckle and ends in velvety woods at drydown. The whole is like a weightless dove, a small swallow with white belly, featherlight, but tenacious enough to last on clothes through the day and into the next.
Besides, I quite like the idea of creating a modern aldehydic, especially one that is not predominantly soapy, like Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana was.
Arguably, it does not smell like something Tom Ford would have his hand on (he was involved in producing such sexy things as Nu EDP by Yves Saint laurent, Rush for Gucci, Gucci I Eau de parfum in the heavy crystal square bottle) and I might also be a little prejudiced against mr.Ford (regarding his designer abilities), but no one can blame him for not knowing what will please the public. Personally I am all hot and bothered about his upcoming Black Orchid.
Notes for Pure White Linen include grapefruit, mandarin, iced rose tea, raspberry, pear, Granny Smith apple, dewy greens, lily, white freesia, white ginger, cardamom, red tulips, rose absolute, honeysuckle, gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, iris, osmanthus, white cedarwood, patchouli and white heliotropine. (wow, everything and the kitchen sink!)
Ralph Lauren's Pure Turquoise is also centered on the pure aspect and it makes me double-take (what's up with that?). Supposedly exclusive to the boutiques and hard to get by, it is readily available in the duty-free it seems, although not in the parfum concentration with the exquisite turqoise-stone top.
The scent is another one of the "modern chypre" category I have talked about in the past. This is not to mean that it has the classic bergamot-oakmoss combination, rather that it opens up on some citrusy smell that is then anchored with the grassy feel of patchouli/vetiver. In that light Michael Edwards has classified certain modern perfumes in his Mossy woods category, which is encomprassing the classic chypres. In that system Miss Dior Cherie is such a perfume (no, Edwards hasn't devised the sweet pop-corn-woods just yet!! alas...). Narciso for Her is another one to be included in this category and I am striken dumb by the similarities I discern. Although they do not smell identical, they do both start with a subtle citrusy piquant top-note, provided by synthetic orange blossom from all things, flankered by floral notes and end up on a musky/patchouli/woody base. The overall effect is curiously shower-clean and sexy all at once. (quite a feat, don't knock it!)
Developped by nose Annie Byzantian, whose other oeuvres include Diane von Furstenberg D, Tommy Hilfiger T for her and T for Him, Adrienne Vittadini and Victoria's Secret Breathless and Secret Pink, it is a pleasant surprise.
Ayala Moriel of the eponymous natural fragrances has been a fan, they tell me, and I can see why.
It even got a Fifi award for Nouveau Niche (what a pretentious term!), if that means something to you. Although the reviews it got are mixed, I suggest at least sampling it, as it is more worthwhile than it would seem. (and I have never been a fan of the perfumes issued by Ralph Lauren). Maybe not as tenacious or sillage-worthy as the Pure White Linen mentioned above and significantly costlier, so take that into consideration.
Notes: Dewy Cassis, Indigo Violet Petals, Lily Of The Valley, Cactus Flower, Night Blooming Cereus, Orange Flower Absolute, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Desert Lily, Patchouli, Sliver Birch Wood, Polished Amber, Vanilla Bourbon, Rum
Bulgari femme Voile de Jasmin was a little disppointing to me, personally. The bottle and presentation are so classy around this greco-roman brand, that one has the highest expectations. Their perfume line does not disappoint in general. They have a crisp air of impeccable good taste and old money, of patrician air to them, even if they are composed in a way that does not ephatically denote that. Jean Claude Ellena has been responsible for much of that reputation and the others followed suite, from the lovely, misty Pour Femme, to the gently spicy of Omnia to the wonderful powdery crisp of Blv Notte.
Voile de jasmin is supposed to be a variation on the classic feminine scent of the house, yet the jasmine in this is not clear enough and it detonates into little explosions on my skin that have the alkaline smell of soap. Jasmine can smell soapy in a perfume, that's true, especially in aldehydic ones, however, I was not prepared for this. I also found it a bit lacking in staying power. Maybe I should try it again at some point.
Insolence by Guerlain was last but not least. Although Guerlain perfumes in recent years take the bashing of the century, there are fools there; they know what will sell and they do not produce bad perfume either, even if it is not up on a par with their classic era ones. But times have moved on, FDA and European terms of ingredients being what they are and life and the media getting cheapened in general, what's one to expect?
With what they have in hand, Guerlain have managed to create something that respects part of their illustrous heritage and move on with the times.
The advertising featuring Hillary Swank has been the cornerstone of fora fracas over this, and it does present a certain challenge to someone unaccustomed to such imagery from Guerlain (although the first glimpse was visible at the hint of implied sex in the L'instant ad) especially if one sees the Vogue segment with a shaded, yet naked Swank dancing.
However, what is advertising to a perfume lover? Icing on the cake. The cake can be eaten and enjoyed without, if it is well-made. The juice is what counts and this one is not half as bad as feared. Even if it is not 100% classic Guerlain in character, it does have merit.
The revolution in its composition is this one is supposedly like a spiral; according to their press release "rather than a slow progression from head to base, the notes spiral and continue to circulate so that your favourite notes remain prominent from flight to finish." In my old days I could swear that we called that linear....but maybe I am wrong, because this one does have an overlapping quality in the note development.
It is quite sweet and the raspberry opening in combination with the caramelised violets make it very sweet indeed, yet although I do not detect any iris per se, I do smell a slightly mentholated phase, just a hint, before the final kiss-off that makes me smile in rememberance of the Lutens treatment we get from him. Oy, Oy, Guerlain have cottoned on to the plot.... I do not detect any particular similarity with Apres l'ondee either, like some have noticed, because although it does smell like Guerlain it is not as melancholy and airy as the afore-mentioned classic. The base is all smooth wood and light vanilla with whiffs of some sweet berry still discernible.
Anyway, my point is many people dissed L'instant when it first came out, commenting on how uncharacteristic of Guerlain it was, then lots of people went and bought it and enjoyed it immensely.
They are no fools at Guerlain, they know what they're doing and I don't think that issuing something not on a par with Mitsouko is a bad thing; not everything has to be on a par with it, anyway.
So..................
I have liked it. Yes, I have. This die-hard lover of Opium and Mitsouko liked Insolence. I was sure I would when I had read someone who has almost the same taste say she found herself addicted to wearing it when she first got it and sure enough I find it a little addictive myself. It does not smell "ho" whatever the image might imply; it smells a little old-fashioned actually in the best possible sense. Quite in contrast to the "modernised" advertising technique used.
It also elicited an immediate response from SO, who is very eclectic in perfume (and really knows nothing about brand cachet, so I trust his judgement because I know it has to do with the smell per se). I am sure it would elicit compliments from others too.
I have not bought a bottle yet, because I was on a trip and I thought it's not necessary since I can wait for the official launch pretty soon. But I think I will get one (for L'instant I got only a mini, it's too sweet in Eau De Parfum for me)
This one will be quite successful, mark my words.
pic is "Good taste for a pigeon" by Isolano/frickr
I found it a propos ;-)
four commentsHi!!!
I was updating my bookmarked list of sites that I had saved and I came across your site. :)
I love Insolence – especially the drydown. Insolence also elicited a compliment from my husband who usually does not notice perfume. He really liked it, so I ended up buying the bottle.
Take care and great site.
Dawn (dawnkana)
Dawn - 01 09 06
Hi dear!
You know the same happened to me too with Insolence 
Thanks for your kind words, it’s a labour of love.
Hey, BTW I liked the figgy soap a lot. Thanks again.
perfumeshrine - 02 09 06
‘L’instant’ has the kind of pungent odour that an orchid gets when it’s about to really start putrifying, after a few days in the vase.
How odd – the Bulgari one is definitely what I’d like to try but the EL one could also suit me, though perhaps not with as many of those fruity notes as you’ve listed. You’re right about the ‘pure white’ thing – in English we would say that the word ‘pure’ in this case is ‘redundant’, or that ‘pure white’ is tautological (unnecessarily repetitive)
Snarkattack - 22 11 06
Dear G, I think you might have misunderstood me. I was talking about Insolence, the newest Guerlain, not L’instant. Insolence smells of candied berry-ish violets and is completely different than L’instant in either concentration.
The Bulgari one did not wow me, although I wanted it to. Their Rose essentielle version on the same scent is much better (and imagine I am not a rose fan).
Thanks for the comment on the Pure White Linene. In fact it is a very likeable scent, especially for wam weather and the fruitiness does not come out in the fore too much. It’s really pretty! Do try it.
perfumeshrine - 22 11 06
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