Cartier Must Pour Homme EDT

Cartier Must Pour Homme has a worldly and sophisticated quality that makes one think of colognes from very different eras, while it was actually a 2000 release. A spicy oriental, heavy on tonka bean, MPH has a Guerlain-like presence, which is probably why I love wearing it just as much (if not more) as smelling it on the husband.

You need to like anise if you're going to enjoy this Cartier fragrance. The spice is prominent from the opening into the late drydown. It sculpts and transforms the usual suspects from the top notes- ubiquitous citrus and greens and makes you notice right away that this is not an average male cologne. Anise has many facets. It can be dry and woody, but also milky, soft and sweet. The perfumer, Nathalie Feisthauer (Eau de Marveilles, several of Etat Libre d'Orange creations), put this fact into good use in Must Pour Homme. The cool and almost herbal aspect of anise morphs into a robust spicy heart. It offers warmth and depth, familiarity and an almost gourmand comfort that intensifies as the vanilla and tonka bean take over. The patchouli in the drydown adds a hint of dark chocolate that plays very well with the creamy sandalwood.

MPH never crosses the lines and remains tasteful. It seduces the senses and has an almost dirty spark in its dark eye, but I have to disagree with Luca Turin who actually labeled it an "animalic woody". It's certainly sexy, but MKK it ain't.

Cartier Must Pour Homme ($100, 3.3oz eau de toilette) is available from most department stores, though as far I've noticed not in every location. I bought my our bottle years ago at Nordstrom. The smart thing would be to search online, as many discounters actually have it for less than half retail price.

Demi Moore At the Cartier 100th Anniversary in America Celebration

Maybe I shouldn't, but I really like Demi Moore (her taste in men notwithstanding). Here she is at the Cartier 100th Anniversary in America Celebration, sporting a beautiful ring and an interesting nail polish. As far as I can tell from a closeup it's quite glittery, which I'm not sure I'd pair with serious bling, but I love the color. Any guesses what polish/color this might be?

Photo: Faded Youth Blog

Cartier Le Baiser Du Dragon

Le Baiser du Dragon by Cartier is a 2003 release, but feels like a perfume from another era. It starts big and bold, like orientals from bygone days. The amaretto note, a sweet almond liqueur, is very balanced: not too boozey, not too yummy, never crossing the line between a perfume and an after dinner treat. It draws you in with a lot of promise, which is where things get a bit tricky.

I really like Le Baiser du Dragon and I think (hope?) I wear it well, but there's a note there in the middle that feels a bit jarring. It's most prominent in the EDT which I find sharp and cheap, but also sticks out from the smoothness of the EDP. According to Basenotes, the heart notes are iris, musk, cedar and Bulgarian rose, but on my skin I can't detect anything specific. It might be the rose or just a general floral mess (my skin can do atrocious things to innocent flowers), but it goes away quickly, especially when I layer the EDP with the extrait de parfum, which I always do. The parfum is a golden perfection as far as I'm concerned, dark and velvety. It also amplifies the patchouli drydown.

And for me it's all about that drydown. I get hours of chocolate-like patchouli that glides easily from under the milkiness of the top notes. It's not very earthy or dirty, though I'm sure those with a patch-aversion who make the hippie connection would not have an epiphany and start loving it here, elegant bottle or not. To me, Le Baiser du Dragon feels like a grown up option for a gourmand mood, more dressed up than other perfumes in this category, more feminine than Borneo 1834. The base ends up with a mellow vetiver note, once the patchouli eases up a little. It's a dry and woody vetiver, without any bitterness or green.

A man can probably pull it off with the right skin chemistry(Nathan gave it a try, though he was not impressed) , especially the parfum. I have yet to try it on the resident male in this house, though, so no guarantees.

Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon is available at decent department stores (I saw it locally at Saks and Nordstorm), but you can find it better priced from online discounters or on eBay. Despite the rumors, LBdD has not been discontinued (yet. I doubt that it's a big seller) and you can see it on the Cartier web site.

Image of the chocolate dragon: blackmagicmarkers.com

Cartier So Pretty- Naughty And Nice

A couple of months ago I was wearing So Pretty as my scent of the day when my husband made the observation this Cartier perfume might be the most feminine scent I own. This isn't completely true, but there's no doubt that my shelves host more unisex, masculine or weird fragrances than delicate ladylike ones. But So Pretty is more than just a pretty little thing.

So Pretty is one of the most aptly named perfumes you will find. It belongs in the same category with Annick Goutal Grand Amour and Guerlain Chamade. They are all beautifully and seamlessly blended, not relying too heavily on any of the floral notes as to make it too obvious, smelling rich, sophisticated and drying down into a smooth base that has not even a hint of gourmand leanings. It's not that Chamade, Grand Amour and So Pretty smell similar. But something about them calls to mind a certain type of femininity and elegance which seems a bit out of place in a world where the cover of Vogue is occupied by a Gossip Girl actress and people care about Miley Cyrus.

According to the Cartier web site, the three foundations of So Pretty are rose, iris and sandalwood. Nordstom also mentions fruit and orchid, and I definitely smell both. Basenotes adds musk, but I have no idea what they're talking about. In The Guide, Tania Sanchez calls it 'a blackcurrant chypre' and compares it to Mitsouko. I think she's got it right, and So Pretty does have that classic feel, even if it's not your ass-kicking oakmoss chypre. What I love about So Pretty is how well it manages to be intoxicating without any of the issues I often have with rose-heavy scents. The iris is ethereal, not earthy, the wood more balsamic than creamy, and there's some unexpected backbone to the drydown. It's a lady, but she has a past.

For a long time there were rumors about So Pretty being discontinued. It looks like the result of Cartier getting a tighter hold over the distribution: Many discounters no longer have it in stock, and those who do, only got the EDT. However, both Nordstrom (online, too) and Bloomingdale's still carry the EDP ($100 for 1.6 oz) and both formulations are listed on Cartier's official web site, thus promising that at least for now, So Pretty is alive and well.

This review is for the EDP, which has impressive sillage and easily stays on my skin for more than 12 hours. My first bottle from around 2001 was a gift and bought at one of the local department stores (or maybe Sephora, before they began to suck). I since got another one when one of the discounters still had the eau de parfum. It smells exactly the same as my original one, and a quick testing at Bloomingdale's a few weeks ago didn't detect any changes, either.

Image: Cartier white gold pendant from their Panthere collection. Want.

Feline (Memory Lane IV, Panthere de Cartier)

The winter of 1995/96 wasn't the best one ever. I was fresh out of business school, living in a city by the sea that turned out to be a gray, dreary place, plagued with unemployment and air pollution. I was working for a very small employment agency (so small that I was the only employee), had my second-to-worst boss and was realizing that the real world wasn't all that.

There were a few bright spots, though. The Blond and I were living together and talking engagement, we adopted our first cat and just around the corner from my miserable office was a little store that sold several of my favorite beauty brands.

One evening, after another frustrating day of trying to place unqualified workers at jobs only a little less horrible than mine, I paid a visit to the store. I needed a new Lancome Artliner, and was contemplating going wild and buying a red lipstick. I found one that I liked (I can no longer remember which one or what shade), and the sales assistant rewarded me with a purse spray of a new-to-me Cartier fragrance, Panthere.

I still have this vial, which is ensconced in the grip of a blue plastic panther. I don't remember much from the first time I tried it on, other than that it was love at first sniff. So much love that within a few days (and a paycheck) I was back at that store buying a full bottle.

Today I know to classify it as a floriental, to identify the citrus in the opening, the white florals in the heart notes (it has one of the most delicate tuberose and jasmine blends I have ever come across) and enjoy the elegant woodsy spicy dry-down (sandalwood, tonka bean and labandum). Back then I could only say that it felt elegant and sexy, much darker and edgier than my everyday Eternity, but still bright enough to make me feel happy.

It still does. I'm definitely not the queen of white flowers, but this scent is a far cry from the heady Fracas and its ilk. It doesn't hit you on the head. Instead, it glides on velvety paws in a warm, enveloping way. The flowers are soft, and even the opening isn't sharp at all, being more about the blossom than the pulpy fruit. A cat would not recoil from this.

Back then, it was one of my more sophisticated scents. My taste has shifted since then, and I might not be as in awe of Panthere as I used to be, but I still wear it when I want to smell pretty and soft, with a hint of mystery.

Panthere used to be easier to find. Sephora carried the fragrance and several of the bath and body products in this line, most of them are now discontinued. My first bottle was refillable parfum de toilette, with a red plastic cap. Those are also gone now, replaced by the prettier edp bottle with the perching panther on top. You can find it occasionally at one of the online discounters, but it's easier to get at the department stores. There's also a parfum version that might be my next purchase. I'm very curious to see how they differ and get more staying power.

A Few of My Favorite Things (that are not whiskers on kittens)

I was going through my little collection of favorite perfumes, trying to figure out if there was some common denominator or if there was a way to tell what kind of fragrance I would like and what I wouldn't. I can't say that I've found a definite answer, but I decided to list all of my current favorites. I'm not linking to other sites this time, because there are just too many. What I can say is that I buy my fragrances offline and online at LuckyScent.com, Sephora, Neiman's, Saks, Bloomie's, FragranceNet.com and Perfume1.com. For what's categorized as "department store perfumes" I highly recommend checking the last two first, as their prices are significantly lower. I always go for the EDP, as I like the smell to linger. This list doesn't include everything I have or things I used to love but fell out of grace, just the most favorite ones, for now.
Reccomendations based on this would be gladly accepted.

Kingdom by Alexander McQueen- This is an odd one. I think I bought it because in a way, it reminded me (don't laugh) of Colors by Benetton, that I wore at 18 for special dates with my boyfriend. Those are some bittersweet memories and so is this fragrance. It's drier than what I usually go for and requires a certain mood. I usually wear it at night and only recently discovered that it's actually better in hot weather than it is in winter. Heat brings out a very sensual element in this one. Decent lasting power.

Tiffany (the original one, by Tiffany, of course)- I was introduced to it about 14 years ago by my friend E, who has since moved on to other fragrances. I bought it for myself in the summer of 1993 just before I met my husband, and have been wearing it ever since. It used to be the one I wore for our special dates and has stayed as a special favorite of us both. I know that many think of it as an "old lady smell", but for me it's anything but. It was perfect when I was 22 and it suits me just as well today. It's become so much a part of me that I can't even analyze the notes or anything else about it. It's one of my signature scents and I wear it easily both days and nights. Excellent staying power.

Eternity (yeah, Calvin Klein)- A favorite daytime fragrance that I've been wearing on and off since 1993. It's a sunny and happy scent, lasts for many hours.

Panthere (Cartier)- Another signature scent that seems to have been made especially for me. Like Tiffany, it's an ambery floral, but it's very very different. It's both elegant and sexy (very), I prefer it as a night time fragrance and has been wearing it since late 1995 or early 1996. It's the perfume I wore for my wedding and all through my honeymoon, which is probably why my husband adores it.

Neroli by L'Occitane- This is a much maligned fragrance (just read the reviews on makeupalley.com and see what I mean). People either love it or hate it with a white hot passion. I used to be obsessed with it, now I just love it. I never fail to get compliments when I'm wearing it. The first notes are indeed pretty harsh, but it soon changes into a spicy-sweet beauty. I wish it had more sillage, but whatever does stay close to the skin is wonderful, and my only complaint is that I wish that it lasted a lot longer.

Jil Sander No. 4- I've been wearing this complex and very layered scent for special nights during the last 6 years, and can never get enough of it. It's deep, rich and sexy, the florals are subtle and the woody-oriental base has both a lovely, lingering sillage and a strong staying power. I love the elegance and sophistication. And it calls to be worn with black, well-cut clothes. It's one of my most beloved signature scents.

Sensi (Armani)-I've heard that it's being discontinued, but I can't get it confirmed. I'd be very sorry if it's true, because I love this jasmine, wood and vanilla combination. It's sensual and elegant. A cute cold weather scent with excellent staying power.

So Pretty (Cartier)- I'm quite sure that this one is on its way to be discontinued, which is a shame. It's one of those classics, a beautiful floral with an almost animalic base. Impeccably elegant, needs to be worn with something fabulous.

Le Baiser du Dragon (Cartier)- Very different than my usual fare, not even a hint of vanilla. Very woody, but with a hard to describe twist. It's bold and rich, full of vetiver and patchouli. It's one of the few reasons to enjoy colder weather, as it's so perfect for fall. Stays on for hours.

Grand Amour (Annick Goutal)- Though different than Cartier's So Pretty, in my mind they are grouped together. Classic elegance, very French. It works for me both for day and for night, but never in jeans. Moderate staying power, lovely sillage for as long as the scent is there.

Quel Amour! (Annick Goutal)- A surprising choice for me, as the fruity element is quite prominent. But those are lovely red fruit (yet I dislike Goutal's Petite Cherie), the official notes says something about currants, but to me it's pomegranate beautifully blended with rose and peony. It's an intoxicating sunny fragrance with an incredible staying power on my skin.

Eau d'Hadrien (Annick Goutal)- Lemon and Cypress, fun and uncomplicated. Wonderful to wear first thing in the morning before doing stuff around the house. It has no staying power unless layered with something else. My little discovery is how good it is combined with Serge Luten's Un Bois Vanille.

Nuit du Hadrien (Annick Goutal)- Hadrien's grown-up, wickedly sexy sister. It's definitely very ambery and lasts much longer. I think I'll be wearing it quite often for fall mornings.

Black Cashmere (Donna Karan)- A fairly recent discovery.

Lea St. Barth Extreme- My journey with Lea is documented here and here.

Loukhoum (Keiko Mecheri)- Again, I've already raved about this one.

Monyette Paris- Everyone is more beautiful when wearing this. One of my staples this summer, as I've predicted here.

Serge Lutens- Un bois Vanille and Cedre. Another new love. Both aren't very summery, yet I'm already wearing them often. I foresee many more Serges in my future.

Valentino V Absolu- I wore the original Valentino when I was 20. I loved it despite the no staying power (it was most likely the EDT. I didn't know better in those days). V Absolu doesn't have the greatest staying power ever (I dread to think how long the regular V would last on my skin), but what is left close to the skin is a heady mix of sweet and citrusy wood, enriched with delicate vanilla. It's a day scent, especially because of the citrus and fig top notes. I love the way it reacts with my skin on a sunny day.

Sage Machado perfume oils: Onyx, Moonstone- A very recent discovery. I have yet to buy them, but for now I'm relishing the samples. They are very similar, but Onyx has more pronounced coconut note. There's something about those two that reminds me of a favorite shampoo from my childhood- Flex by Revlon. It was crap on the hair but I was addicted to its smell. I need to decide if I really love this or if it's a passing summer whim. Wonderful staying power, and for now I'm enamored.


The Heart is Deceitful Above All things (Yosh)- A stupid name for a very beautiful scent. Wood, something earthy and vanilla make this one indescribable. I'm still using the sample, but the decision has already been made. I need a full bottle.

Goldmund by Dorissima - Another very new discovery. My Luckyscents order is going to include this one as well. It's soft and complex, has some of my favorite notes (rose, vanilla, sandalwood and soft musk), doesn't resemble anything else that I have or even know and makes me feel pretty. That alone is a good reason to wear it year round. Moderate staying power, as far as I can tell, but haven't tested it enough yet to know for sure.