Ferme tes Yeux- JAR

Ferme tes Yeux means close your eyes.

"Close your eyes", Buffy* said to Angel the vampire, her lover, as she kissed him and stuck the sword in his gut and sent him to the hell dimension through the opened portal. Two years before she told him, "When you kiss me I want to die". But that was not her time. Yet.

I asked The Blond what he thinks about when he smells the opening notes of Ferme tes Yeux. His answer: "a wedding in hell". And he means it in the best possible way. It's funny, actually, since the one scent I remember from our wedding is the stargazer lilies from my bouquet. Their scent, blooming in the heat and humidity completely drowned the Panthere de Cartier I wore that night. The deathly part in Ferme tes Yeux is right there at the top, where the decay and animalic notes come jumping at you.

I was quite horrified the first time I smelled Ferme, three years ago in the dark and mysterious JAR alcove at Bergdorf Goodman. It's the last thing you'd expect to smell at this posh 5th Avenue location. The Undead, rot and carnal desires don't exactly belong among the Prada accessories and definitely not where JAR is hidden- right behind the Caron urns and Annick Goutal perfumes. But here I am, three years later, the proud owner of a bottle, one of my top ten scents of all times (for now) which I feel is so very personal to me (probably because only a dozen of people or so are insane enough to wear this thing in public).

So what's in there? The closest approximation to real civet money can buy, most likely, and Mr. Rosenthal, the perfume creator (Joel Arthur Rosenthal= JAR) didn't save it for the drydown. It's as in your face as can be from the very begining. Then there are the flowers. Big, lush, just past their prime (it's a favorite JAR theme, also explored in the magnificent Jardenia). I swear I can smell the lilies from my wedding, some ultra-indolic jasmine and something creamy, but probably not tuberose or gardenia. Maybe ylang-ylang on all its aphrodisiac qualities.

Then there's something spicy- clove or carnation, making the perfume smell like the deranged evil twin of the sparkling Diamond Water. Think of Helena Bonham-Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange just out of Azkaban. What would she smell like?
Things mellow down considerably in the drydown. A berry-like musk takes over, very velvety. If CB Musk and Uncle Serge's Muscs Kublai Khan had fornicated and spawned, the result would have been the sweet drydown of Ferme tes Yeux.

It's magnificent.

For more information and reviews of JAR and his creations, please see my older posts:

1. In which my scent twin and I visit JAR at Bergdorf.
2. A review of Diamond Water. Bring your own tiara.
3. The n00b point of view- my first encounter with JAR perfumes.


*Vampire Slayer, not my fat white cat.
For the Buffy geeks (recommended to switch into HD mode):


Photograph by Norman Parkinson.

News from JAR: Shadow Discontinued, Al Palazzo to Launch Soon

My Bergdorf visit today was bittersweet. The JAR alcove has been calling my name, but when sitting down for a sniffing, only six scents were presented. Shadow is no more, according to the (wonderful) JAR rep because one of the raw materials is no longer available and couldn't be replaced. JAR doesn't reformulate, substitutes or compromises. Since Shadow could no longer be made the way it was conceived, it was sent to Great Fragrance Counter in the sky, to sit with Hermes Doblis, Shiseido Nombre Noir, Guerlain Djedi and Tauer Orris.

I don't know which ingredient was responsible to Shadow's demise, as JAR notes are kept secret. The SA said twice that it was an availability issue and not a consequence of regulation, so your guess is as good as mine. It's sad. I was very fond of this earthy, damp leprechaun of a scent.

The good news is the new JAR that is expected to be launched right before the Holidays. The name is subject to change, according to the SA, but most likely will be Al Palazzo and it takes the line in a new, interesting direction.

It was sweet. Really sweet. But not in a conventional amber or vanilla way. It moves from raw to burnt sugar, has a wet feeling but never crosses the line towards the cliché or the cloying. There's a burst of a bright green, herbal note (mint? tarragon?) and very little (if any) of the typical JAR darkness. I think I got something a bit spicy, but the It's probably more accessible than anything else in the line (other than maybe Golconda). There's only a small spray tester available at the moment, and JARs are meant to be dabbed, so this is only a partial impression. I'll need to go back (again and again), but I suspect this is a serious new love. It's quite gorgeous.

Image: Iris brooch by JAR from blog.jeaninepayer.com (a very interesting artist by her own right)

Top 10 Memorable Masculine Fragrances

In honor of Father's Day, Elena of Perfume Shrine and I wanted to honor men and the scents they wear.

Fathers, spouses, old boyfriends, scent twins- they all have one thing in common: they (and us) create memories. Nothing is more emotionally triggering than scent. Think of your father's old cologne from the 70s (did he wear Old Spice? Did he later graduated to the original Polo?) or the Drakkar Noir of your first boyfriend. Did you ever date a man who wore Creed Green Irish Tweed and made you think of Cary Grant (the story is that GIT was created for him)? Did your little brother drench himself in Axe before his first date? Maybe you had a great teacher or work mentor who used to wear Grey Flannel, or had your heart broken by a Chanel Égoïste fan (I did). The point is that it's not just our Shalimar that creates special moments.

Things have changed since the days of the ubiquitous bottle of Polo, and the choices are many. Here's my list of (very) memorable masculine scents for the unforgettable men in our lives. In no particular order:

1. Tauer Perfumes-Lonestar Memories
Smoky, strong and outdoorsy at times, warm leather, herbal with a hint of Lapsang Souchong. More interesting and sophisticated than the cowboy image.

2. Tom Ford Private Blend-Tuscan Leather
Soft, smooth and as leathery as they come. Warm and inviting, evokes both a leather jacket and an old study full with leather-bound books.

3. Mazzolari-Lui
An animalic patchouli like no other. Sweet and dangerous (especially if over-applied).

4. Serge Lutens-Gris Clair
Burnt lavender. A bit brooding, yet clean and crisp.

5. Guerlain-Vetiver
A great classic. Citrus top over green vetiver. Perfectly tasteful.

6. Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier-Iris Bleu Gris
Dry to the bone, earthy without being dirty.

7. JAR-Shadow
Damp and mysterious. A visit to dark cellars and forgotten attics.

8. Frederic Malle-Vetiver Extraordinaire
Dry and bitter vetiver, yet still green. A scent to take over the boardroom before going out to take Manhattan.

9. Hermes-Terre d'Hermes
Perhaps the most popular in this bunch, yet somewhat controversial. Orange peel and minerals, crisp and strong.

10. Comme des Garcons-Monocle Scent One: Hinoki
Incense, evergreens, a forest floor.

Please visit Perfume Shrine for more unforgettable masculine fragrances.

In Which I Smell Annick Goutal Un Matin d'Orage

...and have a little déjà vu.

According to the flowery blurb on the Annick Goutal site, the inspiration for their newest fragrance, Un Matin d'Orage, was Camille Goutal's trips in Japan where she experienced storm drenched Japanese gardens. I've never been to Japan, so I cannot comment on how evocative the scent is in this regard, but shortly after spraying it on my arm I felt it was somewhat familiar. It took me several hours of obsessively sniffing my arm to realize where I've smelled this before.

But let's go back to the beginning. Un Matin d'Orage is currently only available at Saks (it looks sold out online, but if your local store is as much of a ghost town as mine, it's probably in stock), which meant braving the normally sour-faced SA at the counter. There's a significant improvement of the attitude in the store, probably related to the fact Saks is in dire straits these days. The SA apologized profusely because she had no samples of the perfume, but was eager for me to spray "the new orange perfume" (seriously!). Which I did.

Unlike the SA, I knew there wasn't any orange there (my French may be limited to a terrible pronunciation of "Serge Lutens" and "Pâte à Choux", but this is not the first Orage I come across, and it translates to "a stormy morning"). What I got was a hit of charged, ozonic air which led the way to wetness: wet greenery, wet florals, wet earth. My skin is an infamous flower slayer, so I can't say much about the promised champaca, jasmine or magnolia. The one flower that stood out and stayed put was gardenia. A surprisingly green gardenia, bare of any sweetness or gilding that you often find in gardenia-based scents.

Because of all the air and water that stand between my nose and the gardenia, my main impression was of a flower seen through a window while rain is pouring. That image has stayed with me for several hours until I remembered the last interesting gardenia I've smelled:

JAR Bolt Of Lightning

Seriously.

I don't know about Japan, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Isabelle Doyen, the nose behind Un Matin d'Orage, got some of her influence at the JAR boutique in Paris. Think of it: a stormy, ozonic opening, wet earth and tons of gardenia. It's not that UMdO smells like Bolt Of Lightning, but there are some striking similarities here and there as the scent develops. Bolt of Lightning has a much more dramatic and dangerous opening. It hits you forcefully before the gardenia arrives. Un Matin D'Orage isn't shocking. It draws you in and is decidedly prettier. But it's not a typical Goutal scent and has a lot more edge than one would expect.

Is it the poor man's Bolt Of Lightning? At $80 for 1.7 oz, It's less than 10% of the JAR price, so one could even spring for the special butterfly bottle ($220 for 3.4 oz) and still feel sort of thrifty. Is it an adequate substitution? Probably not. Un Matin d'Orage is thinner, lighter, airier. It belongs in the same group as other new tropical greens like L'Artisan Fleur de Liane and that aquatic disaster from Hermes, Un Jardin Apres La Mousson. It's also infinitely better than both.

I can see UMdO being a perfect summer scent if you're looking for something green with a touch of florals that will not turn on you. It's different than the calonic-melonic fragrances which can be stomach-turning if you're sensitive to their aromachemicals. And it's definitely pleasant to wear, unless you were hoping for something like Grand Amour or Quel Amour!. I don't agree with the ultra-feminine label they're trying to stick on Un Matin. I'm pretty sure many men can pull it off easily, as long as they don't have the skin chemistry that amplify white flowers and broadcast them to the stratosphere.

Do I need a bottle? I'm not sure. I'm not in the market for air and water. But talk to me in late July and I might change my tune.

Image of wet gardenia by Susan Boden Dillon

About those JARs...

Previously on the Non-Blonde: Tom (my scent twin) and I went on a perfume adventure. You can read all about it here, but I promised a separate post to discuss the JAR perfumes we sniffed at Bergdorf.

I've been there before and have a full bottle of Diamond Water, so I knew more or less what to expect. It was still a surprising experience. The sales assistant presented us with the famous scented fabrics in their glass bowls, and we started sniffing. The first thing I noticed was the (too) big a difference between the real juice and what you get from the cloth. I had to be told that what I was smelling was Diamond Water, because the pretty but tame thing didn't resemble the radiant, sparkly and spicy perfume I like to wear when dressed to the nines.

Golconda was more spicy than the carnation skin scent I remembered, but it's still high on my wish list. Jardenia was its cheesy gardenia self, pungent and life-like. Shadow was not as dark as I remembered it on my husband's skin, but that's one that needs to be worn before you can really tell much (like all of them, actually). Jarling was softer than I remembered. This time I could actually smell the lilacs under the almonds. I didn't even have to try it on to know it can never work on my skin that brings out the worst in anything with lilac. This one just smells cheap on me.

The two for which I intended to devote serious skin space were the mysterious Bolt of Lightning and the notorious Ferme Tes Yeux. The latter is sometimes known as "I smell dead people", and I remembered it as too weird and rather unpleasant. Now, I've smelled a thing or two since then, and I'm the proud owner of some other famous stinkers that on my skin are tame kittens, and Ferme Tes Yeux is amazingly close to them. It's a sibling to Serge Lutens Muscs Kublai Khan with a touch of the sweetness I get from CB Musk and some undefinable animalic quality that makes it very appealing. I adored it from the second it touched my skin till I reluctantly showered late that night. I want a full bottle, but since I already own MKK and CB Musk, it's a bit hard to justify buying Ferme Tes Yeux considering the price tag (around $500). If you're a fan of Muscs Kublai Khan, this is a must-smell. And it makes the price of the Serge Lutens bell jar look like a bargain.

The jewel in the JAR collection is Bolt of Lightning. It's not the perfume's real name, because it doesn't actually have one. But the flacon is etched with a bolt of lightning (the same one that you see painted on the ceiling at the dark alcove of the boutique), so that's what the perfume is nicknamed. The scent is a whirlwind of charged air and danger in its opening, then it becomes green and damp, and then...

I can't even begin to say how glad I am that Tom was there with me and tested the exact same thing on the same part of his arm, because otherwise I'd hesitate to write this. Not only did I have a witness to sniff me, but also someone who had the very same thing happening on his skin.

Gardenia. That's what Bolt of Lightening became on both of us. An exquisite, the most beautiful, non-creamy, unsweetened, elegant and streamlined gardenia. It's a gorgeous fragrance, but for the life of me I can't fathom forking over $800 to smell like a gardenia (a $500 dirty musk is all of a sudden so very reasonable).

My first visit to the JAR boutique at Bergdorf Goodman can be found here.
My full review of Diamond Water is here.

Image: Zebra brooch by Joel Arthur Rosenthal, the nose behind JAR, from The Jewels of JAR Paris: The Gilbert Collection (catalog of the exhibition). I'm still dreaming about the cuff bracelets from that collection. Probably the sexiest, most perfect piece of jewelry I've ever seen.

Romancing the Stone: Diamond Water by JAR

A carnation isn't the most glamorous flower. While popular and symbolizing affection, love and luck, it lacks the diva quality of a rose or a lily, or the drama of an iris. The price tag for a carnation bouquet is reasonable, which makes the flower quite ubiquitous.

But when it comes to perfume, a carnation note has a lot more to offer. It can be peppery, spicy (often paired with clove), sharp and fresh cut or sweet and powdery. It can also sparkle.

The latter is the incredible effect found in Diamond Water, one of seven unique creations by jeweler to the stars, Joel Arthur Rosenthal (see this post for an overview of the line and my first encounter with it). Diamond Water isn't the only carnation scent by JAR. Golconda is one, too, but it's softer and dries down to a warm skin scent, while Diamond Water shines and dazzles. The perfect blending makes the notes flow into each other, from the peppery opening to a rich floral heart (jasmine? who knows. JAR does not reveal the official notes and prefers to keep us guessing). Just as the perfume starts to give hints of a white flower bouquet it begins transforming into clean but dark incense. It's far from heavy or church-like, and somehow the incense manages to retain the shine and sparkle of the earlier phases. A black diamond, if you will.

This perfume is incredibly pretty and feels like the ultimate in elegance. There's something very romantic about the way it wears: ball gowns, crystal chandeliers, french doors opening into a well manicured garden. That's not to say it's all femme. While my skin brings out the jewels and velvet dresses, on a masculine chemistry it's darker and the dry-down is a soft wood and incense blend.

Diamond Water (like all JAR perfumes) only comes as a pure parfum in a 1 oz teardrop shaped bottle, ensconced in a purple suede pouch. It can be found in one of two locations: The Paris boutique (14 rue de Castiglione) and Bergdorf Goodman in NYC.



Images: Blue Carnation from Judith Barath Art, Diamond Water bottle from JAR website.

My Favorite Things for 2006

2006 has been full of beauty discoveries. Of course, I also started my blogging journey this year, which made the experience more interesting. My experiments with color and scent have an audience now, witnessing both Holy Grail discoveries, as well as what happens when I don't wash my hair for four days (in the name of science) or when I try on a fragrance that turns my stomach just before having one mojito too many.

Without further ado, here's my list of Favorite Things for 2006 (in no particular order):

1. Secret de Vie by Lancome

The magic orb holds a cream that is officially targeting an audience older than me (you'll find it on their site under solutions for wrinkles and dermo-creases). I'll go out on a limb here and say that it probably doesn't erase wrinkles. However, it's an amazing active cream that really restores and nourishes the skin. It promises instant, visible results and in the case of my 30-something skin it is delivering just that. I've been using it since early fall, from the first sign that my skin gave about being unhappy with the change of weather. That first sign was also the last, because SdV has done wonders. No redness, flakiness or any other kind of irritation. It feels great, smells wonderfully, doesn't clog pores and actually seems to be helping with healing if the occasional breakout appears. It costs a pretty penny and is well worth it.
My original post about SdV is here.

2. Besame Cosmetics makeup in general and lip glaze in particular

Pretty is as pretty does, and in the case of this small and relatively unknown California-based company, it's not just the gorgeous, retro-glam packaging of the products. Inside the gold and red vials, tubes and compacts there is some serious beauty and exceptional quality. The latest product that was launched is the lip glaze, which for me takes the cake. The combination of pretty colors, delicious smell, impressive staying power and, most important, pampering and soothing my sensitive lips, is the best one I came across so far. It can only improve if it came in more colors.
My reviews of Besame products are here.

3. Shea Butter and Dead Sea Salt Scrub from Maryam's Soap Nook

The fact that a body scrub is even on my list of favorites should be telling. After all, this is "just" the stuff that you rub on your body to remove dead skin flakes and wash it away. Some scrubs are better than others, some smell really nice, but how much notice do you really take of them? This product makes a big difference in the way my skin looks and feels. It does the work and then some. The salt is packed into a rich cream of shea butter and several oils. The result is that my skin is not only smoother but also softer and never dry. It's a homespun product in a humble packaging that is far superior to the expensive stuff that's sold in fancy stores and spas.
The original review is here.

4. Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

It took me a while (and a change in weather) to fall in love with this scent, and I still like it much better on my husband than on myself, so I'm listing it as my favorite men fragrance for 2006. What's in it? Mostly lavender with a touch of iris, smoke sweetened with maybe a hint of vanilla. It's understated and sophisticated in its quiet way, and the somewhat earthy drydown is heartbreakingly beautiful. Or, is it handsome? The only problem is the staying power, or lack of it. It's lovely, but gone too soon.

5. Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion

It's my most recent discovery and it makes a lot of difference in the way my eye makeup behaves. I'm not entirely sure that it was only launched in 2006, but since primers of all kinds have become a mainstream essential this year, I'll regard it as such. An extra 30 seconds of applying makeup resulting in eye shadows that not only last and last (and last), but also look brighter and better.
Here's my original review.

6. Lorac Snake Charmer palette

This seems to be the year of palettes, especially the limited edition ones. People were doing crazy things to score Bobbi Brown's Chocolate palette (so much hype over brown eye shadow, albeit pretty), Chanel charged an arm, a leg and your firstborn for their Coromandels compact that looks like a work of art, but isn't the most practical thing ever. The Snake Charmer palette is the one I reach for most often. The blush gives a healthy glow (though it requires a very light hand, as it's quite bright and very pigmented) that I love when wearing warm colors. The four eye shadows also pack a lot of color and quite a bit of non-glittery shimmer. The colors are neutral but they give a beautiful evening look. They never flaked or creased on me, even before I started using a primer underneath them, and their texture is excellent and easy to apply.
Here's what I wrote about this palette months ago.

7. Niche Perfumes

Yes, I know that this is sort of a cop out. But, my main fragrance discovery this year has been the world beyond Calvin, Ralph and even Cartier. I don't think I can pick just one scent or even one perfume house. I wish I'd have discovered Serge Lutens a few months before I did, when I was in Paris and could have picked a bell jar or two (or three). In the mean time, I'm falling in love with every (export line) Serge I manage to come across, as well with the creations from L' Artisan, Andy Tauer, Regina Harris, Bond no. 9, Mazzolari (a post coming soon. There's more to them than Alessandro), Lea St. Barth, Sage Machado, Keiko Mecheri and many others. But most notable this year was the nearly religious experience I had at the JAR boutique of Bergdorf. You don't look at fragrance the same way after you smell and try on these unique scents.

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Back to the world of mainstream (albeit luxury) perfumes. I know that some bloggers were disappointed with this one, as they expected something very edgy. I didn't have many expectations, as I've always been a bit suspicious of Ford, who is more than a little misogynistic. It took me a few tries to really learn to appreciate this scent, to make it mine and to enjoy it as much as I do now. It's not a Serge Lutens, but it's almost Lutenic (did I just coin a phrase?) in the experience and complexity. I love its elegance and Old World charm. It might not be the mystery lady in a black cape, vanishing into the night. But it is a black dress (not necessarily a little one) and silk stockings scent. How many of those are created these days?
More can be found here.

9. Dallas blush/bronzer by Benefit

This was the color that made my summer. A plummish bronze or a brownish plum was the best and easiest fake tan I came across. It takes a much lighter hand in the winter, but it still works beautifully.
Here's my first rave about it.

10. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

Another recent discovery that has become an important part of my routine. It can be used in several ways, but to me it works best as a super moisturizing but completely non-greasy hand cream. It's the one I keep on my desk and use while typing, without leaving any sticky residue in my wake.
Here's my original post.

Worth mentioning are my perennial favorites. Most of those I've been using for years and still reach for them on a nearly daily basis. Here they are.

Please visit my fellow bloggers who are also taking part in this end of the year tradition and listing their own favorites:

Afrobella

All About The Pretty

Aromascope

Beauty Addict

Beauty Blogging Junkie

Beauty by Nadine

Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

Beauty Hatchery

Beauty Jones

Blogdorf Goodman

Bois de Jasmin

BonBons in the Bath

Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

Capital Hill Barbie

C'est Chic

Coquette

Crazy Jay Blue

eBeautyDaily

Girl's Handbook

Hautemommastuff

Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

Legerdenez

Makeup Bag

Monkeyposh

My Muse

No one knows why the wolf laughs

Now Smell This

Perfume Smellin' Things

Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

Platinum Blonde Life

Product Girl

Scentzilla!

She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

Slap of the Day

The Customer Is Always Right

The Daily Obsession

The Great She Elephant

The Life of a Ladybug

Urbane Girl

Victoria's Own

A special thank you to Annie from Blogdorf Goodman who organized this project.
Happy New Year!

All Fragrances, Great and Small

Despite the lack of fragrance posts lately, I've been sampling and testing quite a bit, and adding several new ones to my ever-growing wish list.

L'Artisan Perfumeur- Premier Figuier Extreme: I love it, and it's no big surprise, as fig (or fig leaf) is one of my favorite notes. I've always been a fan of the Fig Leaf and Cassis line from The Thymes, but their cologne is exactly that- a very weak and flat juice and not an EdP. They really disappointed me when they discontinued their environmental oil, which I used in my lamp rings almost daily. But here, at last, is the real thing: deep, warm, rich but keeps its green freshness. It's both comforting and sexy, has a dark edge to it but very wearable. The gorgeous limited edition bottle in the picture can be found at Aedes. The regular bottle is available from Luckyscents, and I also spotted it at my local C.O. Bigelow in Paramus.

L'artisan Perfumeur-Dzonkha: This could be described as Premier Figuier's complete opposite. But I still love it. There's nothing comforting about its serious presence. It's a calm, confident, stony-faced scent, aware of its beauty and accomplishments. For me, it doesn't evoke a Bhutanese fortress (not really surprising, as I've never been there or seen one), but it makes me think of Midtown Manhattan on a cloudy grey day. Steel, skyscrapers and the concrete pavements. Either way, it's complex, cold and very unisex. Like many scents of this kind, I liked it better on my husband than on myself. However, he has found it a bit too bitter to wear comfortably.
A far better review of Dzonkha by Greeneyes can be found here.

Yosh- Winter Rose: This isn't a masterpiece. The reason I feel it needs to be stated is the fact that an 8 ml bottle of this perfume oil is sold for $200, which puts it right there with the most expensive of the JAR line (about $800 for 30 ml for Bolt of Lightning). However, this isn't a JAR creation. It's not as complex, interesting and well-blended and it doesn't give you the otherworldly impression that Mr. Rosenthal's work does. Don't get me wrong: It's a really nice one. It's rosy and spicy, and on my skin the cardamon was very dominant (I think I also detected a hint of saffron, though it's not a listed note). I like cardamon in chai, in rice, and apparently, I also like wearing it. But I don't adore it that much. It's a limited edition, only 250 bottles are available at Luckyscent.

Il Profumo- Encens Epice: I really loved this one. Not all incense fragrances work this well for me (I can't stand CdG's Zagorsk or the original Regina Harris). But this one has a lot to offer when it comes to spice and wood. Coriander seeds, cypress and a drydown of blond tobacco are making it smell rich and honeyed, cozy but with enough character to keep things interesting. It's a great cold weather scent, in my opinion, and can probably be worn by both men and women, though I used every drop of my sample without testing it on my husband. I tested the EdP, but when I get a full bottle I'll probably go with the oil.

Tocca Perfume- Florence, Stella and Touch: Tocca's famous candles had many people eagerly waiting for the personal fragrance version. I don't use candles (a result of allergies and a house full of cats), so I wasn't familiar with the scents, only with their reputation. I was especially curious about Stella and its orange flowery goodness. I sniffed the bottle a couple of months ago and nearly bought it based on that. I'm very glad that I didn't. On the skin it becomes a very sweet orange confection. March from Perfume Posse described it as an upscale nouvelle cuisine orange creamsicle, and I agree. It's dessert-like until the drydown that is all musk and reminds me a lot of Valentino V Absolu. Nice enough, but doesn't rock my world.
Neither did Touch, with its fruity-floral boring composition that turned into a heady white floral and not in a good way. But the worst was Florence. March blames it on the cabbage rose note, but what made it into a horrible scrubber as far as I'm concerned, was the bathroom-worthy jasmine. It was horrible and hard to wash off. Florence has clung to my skin like nothing else in my memory and required lots of hot water, soap and hand cream until it was finally gone. I kept sniffing my wrist in panic that a trace of it might still be there.
If you must, both Sephora and Bergdorf sell them, as well as Luckyscents (link above).

Robert Piguet- Fracas: This fragrance doesn't really belong on the list, as it's a classic one from 1948. Also, I've sniffed it a couple of times in the past, so it wasn't really new to me. However, last week I decided to test it, so it is worth talking about.
The reason I avoided it for so long was my original impression that it smelled just like Chloe, my mom's favorite fragrance of all time. Through all the years of living in the same house as countless Chloe bottles, I've never once actually tried it. It was my mother's signature scent and so identified with her that I couldn't (and still can't) even think of giving it a try. However, two things have happened in recent years. My mother started to venture out of this tuberose comfort zone and Chloe had been demoted and degraded into a drugstore EdT (the original EdP in the milky glass bottle has been discontinued).
This is why my wrist has found itself sprayed with Fracas. And, I was right, It does smell just like the old Chloe, only with more depth and richness. It's a similar white floral combination (the infamous tuberose, orange, lily of the valley, jasmine, gardenia and a musky finish. It's pretty, but I can't be objective or adequately describe it. Also, I can't wear it. It smells like my mother.

Anat Fritz-Anat Fritz: This is a new one, created by a knitwear designer who is based in Berlin. As far as I know, here in the U.S. the fragrance is a Luckyscent exclusive. It's a typical cold-weather scent that starts with a distinct lavender note that doesn't completely go away even as the scent wears on. It is joined by vetiver and woods to create a very clean and dry experience. It can be easily worn by men as to my nose it lacks any of the traditional feminine notes and it isn't seductive or flirty in any way. But it is very pleasant, interesting and caused me to bring my wrist to my nose many times during the EdP long wear. But, it's true beauty is revealed when it's lightly sprayed on sweaters and coats. I think I need a bottle just to keep in my closet and make my clothes smell divine. The fact that I also like wearing it is simply a bonus.

Pilgrimage- JAR Perfumes at Bergdorf Goodman

Monday Morning has found me worshipping at the altar of the ultimate destination for all things pretty: Bergdorf's Beauty Level. Together with my husband, I visited the inner sanctum: The dimly lit cavern of JAR.

There are many fragrances I've been and still am curious to try. But nothing can compete with a line so exclusive you can only find at two locations in the world: Their Paris boutique and Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. It doesn't sell anywhere else, you can't order it online and there are no samples, other than teeny tiny decants that you can purchase on eBay. So what's left for a fragrance obsessed girl to do?

The answer is to make an appointment for a sniffing ceremony with one of the two nice gentlemen who are in charge of bestowing the JAR goodness on us mere mortals. Not only do they have perfect manners and a friendly personality, these two guys are supposedly the only people in the US who know exactly what's in those sacred bottles.

The seven fragrances are not just exclusive, but also kept as secrets, as far as their notes go. There's no record anywhere of what's inside, and the very few reviews you can find online are only guesses. In some cases, certain notes are pretty obvious- gardenia, carnation, clove, almond. Others are a complete mystery, as is the name of one of them- the jewel in the crown that is only marked by a bolt of lightning on the bottle.

We met with Bob, the JAR guy (the ladies of Perfume Posse have raved about Franz, and Bob himself has told us that his colleague is an incredibly charming and handsome man. I really liked Bob, and didn't mind missing the Franz experience). He presented us with seven containers, each holding a piece of satiny cloth infused with a fragrance. The scents are presented in a certain order, from left to right, according to the creator's specific instructions (Joel Arthur Rosenthal, a world renowned jeweler, whose initials are JAR). But after the initial sniffage, if you ask nicely, Bob would let you re-sniff in whatever order you choose.

The following is my impression. It's not a real review, just how the scents felt to me either from smelling the cloth or from those that we tried on. Also of note: the fragrances are quite unisex. Supposedly, even the gardenia one. The idea appealed to me, because lately I've been gravitating towards more masculine perfumes and I love sharing bottles with my husband.

Ferme Tes Yeux: Others have described this as "barnyard" and animalic. I've smelled something on the wrong side of rotten. Bad cheese. Bad something. It wasn't anything you'd classify as perfume, and not something that I felt like checking again. My husband wasn't repulsed by it at all. He didn't get the barnyard reference, and he should know, as he grew up on a dairy farm. Or, maybe that's why he didn't mind the smell.

Shadow: It smelled dark and masculine. I think that there was vetiver and probably lavender. It smelled damp and musty in a pleasant way. My husband tried it on and it was sharp and good. Too sharp for his liking, though.

Jarling: My big disappointment. The initial sniffing wowed me. It was rich and sweet, but had a wicked twist to it. I thought it was going to be the one. But upon landing on my skin it was nothing but almond. Not a hint of another note. Sweet almond, like my mother's marzipan at first, but soon enough it became very sharp. It could have been made by Crabtree & Evelyn. Or by Method, and used for cleaning up wood furniture. I'm not making this up.

The one with the bolt of lightning: I'm definitely regretting not trying it on. It's probably not my thing- too "wet", earthy and green, but it was very complex and interesting, unlike anything else I know (but in a good way, unlike FTY). This is the most expensive one in this very expensive lot, and costs nearly as much as our car payments, combined. The scent and the price tag are not for the faint of heart.

Diamond Water: Sparkling carnations and a hint of clove. Definitely floral, but with some oriental spice. Very beautiful in its delicate sweetness, never cloying. It developed to be very carnation-like, with a soft, creamy musk dry-down that lingered for hours. Interestingly, on my husband it wasn't sparkling or floral. It had the green part of the carnation, and was deeper and creamier. I really liked it on myself, but absolutely adored it on him.
* edit: Here's my full review of Diamond Water.

Jardenia: They were not kidding with this name. This is a gardenia, the whole plant, including some of the dirt that gets caught up in the roots. It makes any other gardenia-like fragrance pale in comparison, and if you are a fan of the scent- this is your holy grail. Sadly, I'm not.

Golconda: Carnations and skin. It was amazing how similar Golconda and Diamond Water smelled on me. Bob was quite surprised at the result on my skin. According to him, it's not supposed to do that. Great. I broke the JAR. All kidding aside, this was really good. It lacked the sparks and glitter of DW, but blended better with my chemistry. To the point that I couldn't smell anything after a while, while Bob and my husband assured me that it's very much there.

It was an amazing experience. I liked the fragrances and was quite enamoured by Golconda and Diamond Water. But I couldn't make a decision on the spot. eventually, after living with the scents for several hours, DW has clearly become my favorite. I like the extra oomph that it has over Golconda, though they are very similar when I'm wearing them. But do I really love it so much that it justifies a purchase? I'm not yet sure. I enjoy perfume very much and I don't wear cheap ones. But considering the collection that I already have- do I really need another one that cost so much but didn't make me feel the Must.Get.It.Now thing that I have for other favorites? On the other hand, I really really liked it, and am certain to wear it a lot. Wouldn't I wear it as often if not more than a pair of boots (that I only wear during fall/winter and is one of several that I own)? More pondering is in order.

**Another edit (September 2008): I revisited the boutique and wrote about it here.

(Picture: Greg Geffner, Diagonal Bolt Hitting Queensboro Bridge)