Ormonde Jayne Sampaquita

Sampaquita, is probably the least exotic-smelling perfume in Ormonde Jayne's group of lush tropicals. Known as the national flower of the Philippines, sampaquita (more commonly spelled sampaguita) means jasmine sambac. So, basically, this is a jasmine-centered scent, but with a twist- the typical OJ grass/wood/pepper touch.

I'm not a big jasmine fan and it takes a lot to make me love jasmine soliflores. The closest I got recently was with the exceptionally made and utterly gorgeous Love And Tears (By Kilian). Sampaquita is not quite in this league, but it still works for me. I don't think of this Ormonde Jayne creation as a true jasmine. It's a lot more unisex than many scents that focus on this note and has a very sheer, watercolor-like quality rather than the usual sultriness. The opening is a bit challenging, though. It's too sharp and makes my eyes water until things settle down a little. The rest of the scent is sheer flowers over a green wood and musk base. It's easy to wear and feel clear and cool like a waterfall. I'm not even bothered by the water lily and muguet, a combination that usually sends me running for the hills.

Sampaquita is light-weighted and light-hearted. It's not on the same level of Ormonde Jayne's true masterpieces, but sometimes this is the right thing to wear on a miserable rainy Monday.

Ormonde Jayne Sampaquita (£68.00, 50ml EDP but also in a £54.00 travel spray version and a full range of bath, body and home products) is available from ormondejayne.com (they ship worldwide) and for the lucky ones also in the London boutique and in Harrods.

Art: Sampaguita Flower by Yencagulada on deviantart.com

Ormonde Jayne Frangipani

Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne was the one perfume in the line that didn't win me quickly. Now I think it was about expectations- I kept waiting for the tropical paradise of my dreams but it never materialized. Instead, there was tuberose, jasmine, more tuberose, linden and more white flowers, a hint of the tropics and a surprisingly persistent lime note that kept things zingy and airy. I didn't know what to make of it.

Eventually I got it. Frangipani might not take me to that island, but it's easy and carefree. It's sunny and blooming, there's a view of the Pacific from a road down the hill, pink, red and orange bougainvilleas everywhere, wearing a silk scarf and big sunglasses while driving a convertible. For me, it's Los Angeles in November.

I'm writing this on a muggy East Coast August night when the only thing keeping my sanity is the a/c, so early winter in L.A. is as good a fantasy as any. Ormonde Jayne's Frangipani is actually a perfect summer scent. White flowers in general and tuberose in particular bloom beautifully in the heat. But this isn't your typical variation on the Fracas theme. Several notes here, from what I assume is the water lilies to the very green lime, keep things from going all diva on us, while there's enough depth and jasmine that it never becomes too dainty and bridal. Like the other Ormonde Jayne fragrances, Frangipani is as fun as it is pretty, and we all can use some of this mood every now and then.

Ormonde Jayne perfumes (£68.00, 50ml EDP or the 4x10ml travel spray vials) are available from the London boutique as well as online. They sell  internationally and the discovery set (£42.00- 2ml sample of each fragrance) ships for free.

Photo: Regine for Meggy Rouff by Henry Clark, 1951

£54.00

Ormonde Jayne- Orris Noir

What to wear when Mercury is in retrograde?

I don't know if it's the alignment of the planets, the weather or the pollen, but some days just feel off. A disturbance in the Force, if you will. So I wear Orris Noir by Ormonde Jayne, and I'm not sure if it's the cure or simply a reflection of my mood. But it's beautiful, dark and has a lot of spicy incense of the kind you smell in Donna Karan's Black Cashmere, only rounder and a lot more balanced with a touch of fruit macerated in liquor.

Orris Noir has the signature Ormonde Jayne notes- red and pink pepper and a very dry musky wood. They serve as bookends to a black velvet mantle of incense, gorgeous jasmine and a surprisingly pale iris. I was a little disappointed the first time I tried Orris Noir. I hoped for a more distinct and edgy iris, maybe with some unresolved anger. But I've learned to love and respect the subtleties and elegance of this composition. It's dramatic enough  without going all the way to Bertha Rochester's territory.

While the first 20 minutes of Orris Noir are quite strong and bold, it calms down a bit later and hovers just above the skin. That's when the incense and wood are at their best. Ormonde Woman has a similar feel, but I actually prefer this one because the wood isn't as austere and I can sometimes smell an animalic touch. I find Orris Noir warmer and sexier on my skin; while I think it's a perfectly gender neutral scent, when I'm wearing it there's a distinct femininity. This is one I think I want in the parfum concentration (though I've only tried the EDP), preferably with an engraved stopper, just because. Just thinking of it is already making me feel better.

Orris Noir by Ormonde Jayne can be purchased at the London boutique (12 The Royal Arcade  28 Old Bond Street) or from Harrods. Thankfully, it's also available online directly from Ormonde Jayne and they ship oversees. I originally bought the discovery set (£35.00, free shipping) which I highly recommend.

Photo of Tina Modotti by Edward Weston, 1921

Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus

Osmanthus by Ormonde Jayne is one of the nicest and  friendliest fragrances I know, and I mean it in the most positive way. My personal favorite osmanthus note in perfume is actually Serge Lutens Nuit de Cellophane which is a bit more diva-like, but this Ormonde Jayne certainly comes close, especially in the sweet late drydown.

Osmanthus opens with fruity sparks, a hint of the tropics and a big happy smile. Its sunny disposition can uplift the mood of the crankiest blogger and brighten up a gloomy winter day. There's a moderate amount of sweetness that never crosses the boundaries of good taste and a young at heart air that comes from the lovely floral notes. I wish the heart was more robust and the descent into a somewhat pale creamy drydown wouldn't be so rapid, but I'm quite fond of the soft scent that lingers between my skin and my clothes for the rest of the day. If I spray a little before bed, I wake up to just a hint of a jasminy sandalwood, which is a great way to start my day.

Osmanthus would probably suit someone a bit more easygoing than me. I enjoy it a lot, but unlike the more assertive Ormonde Jayne perfumes (Ta'if and Tolu) I'm not the right person for it other than occasionally. Maybe what I actually need are the bath and body products in this range- The bath oil sounds heavenly the more I think about it (and I bet it would layer perfectly with Nuit de Cellophane, with apologies to Uncle Serge).

Osmanthus  (£68.00, 50 ml EDP or £54.00 for 4x10ml travel sprays) and the rest of the Ormonde Jayne line is available from the London boutique and online at ormondejayne.com. The sample set I bought (£35.00, free shipping worldwide) has proven to be an excellent investment.

Image: Ladies Home Journal, 1958 from myvintagevogue.com

Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand

Isfarkand is one of the masculine offerings from London-based perfume house Ormonde Jayne has the line's signature structure and skeleton, which are evident from the very first notes. While there's a passing citrus note that fades on me almost before it begins, I'm getting a very peppery polished wood, that Iso Super E blast that seems to take over at first. It's not as aggressive and bracing as in some other ISO-heavy scents (think Terre d'Hermes), but it's there in spades.

The part that won me over (eventually. Isfarkand wasn't a love at first sniff) was the lime-infused cedar-vetiver that slowly reveals itself under the pink peppercorns. It's crisp, not fussy and has an elegant backbone that makes it especially people-friendly without compromising on having a character. Isfarkand is a great example of a truly modern perfume/cologne that captures the spirit of the time but doesn't settle or smells cheap.

Unlike some of my other Ormonde Jayne favorites (Tolu and Ta'if), Isfarkand has almost no sillage. I guess it makes the perfume very wearable for men who don't want to be too obvious about wearing scent. I like bigger statements, but since the longevity is excellent, I'm willing to live with the fact only my nearest and dearest would ever get to smell it on me. Interesting enough, Isfarkand, while being a men's cologne, doesn't work on my husband. It disintegrates into bitter shreds of wood and citrus before evaporating into thin air. A similar thing happens to him with Terre d'Hermes, which I wear happily, so it might be an Iso Super E issue. In any case, more for me.

Isfarkand (£68.00, 50 ml) is available from ormondejayne.com and the Ormonde Jayne boutique in London. They ship worldwide and I highly recommend ordering the full sample set, as I did, since these fragrances can be an acquired taste.

Photo by Ilva Beretta.

Ormonde Jayne Tolu

After yesterday's perfume ambivalence (not because Noir Epices isn't awesome, just the way it can make me feel), I wanted to write about a scent that is pure joy. And that is where an amber-wood-resin fragrance is needed.

Tolu by London-based house Ormonde Jayne is golden magic. The opening is a bit sharp and balsamic, and I'm always surprised how clearly I smell the juniper. It's uplifting with tinges of green herbs and you might be reminded of the chewy herbal top of Ambre Sultan. But Uncle Serge had a different direction for his amber, which soon becomes a wonderful incense fest. Tolu is rounder and softer, despite its big bones. From the perfume's heart till the late drydown (24 hours later), it's very smooth and well-blended. There's frankincense and wood, though the distinct Ormonde Jayne signature note isn't all that prominent here as far as my nose or skin chemistry can tell. There's also a mellow ambery sweetness. It's not straight up vanilla, but it's darker sibling, tonka bean, which smells to me a bit more raw.

From the moment Tolu settles on my skin I feel ready to go. It's like an elegant cashmere cape, unusual enough among conventional trench coats, more feminine and very alluring. I've been draining samples and now that the weather is about to turn (so what if tomorrow's temperatures are in the mid 80s?), I'm ready for a bottle. And maybe some of the body products. The idea of soaking in Tolu bathing oil is deliciously appealing.

Ormonde Jayne perfumes (£68.00 for 50ml EDP, and now also available in 4 x 10ml vials travel purse sprays for £54.00, which is a wonderful thing) can be purchased at the London boutique or online from ormondejayne.com. Thankfully, they ship internationally.

Art: Birch by Maya Eventov

Ormonde Jayne Ta'if

Ta'if by British perfume house Ormonde Jayne is both playful and romantic. Sort of like the images I chose above. In theory- Ta'if is a rose scent, so the romance isn't a surprise. The unexpected elements are three:
1. the sparkling, peppery opening
2. the spicy, not very feminine drydown
3. I love it

I had several expectations when I ordered the Ormonde Jayne sample pack last year. I knew I was going to love Tolu, the big-boned, balsamic oriental (and I do), shrug off the white florals (ditto), adore Woman and Orris Noir (not so much) and dislike Ta'if on account of the rose- this note tends to go sour on my skin.

Ta'if became my first full bottle of this line.

I could tell from the very beginning that there's something different about this fragrance. Pink pepper might have become a modern perfumery cliche, but when it works it really does a bottle good. In this case, the top notes sparkle and shine. It feels uplifting and fun from the first moment, and also very pretty. The rose is pretty big here. It's honeyed, sweet and rounded with rich fruit. I can't really spot the dates, but I believe they are responsible for the honey-like part. I get some peachiness, in the best possible way, or maybe a peach liqueur, because there's some very pleasant booziness, balanced by a dry wood-spice drydown.

As the hours go by it's no longer all about rose. The big red flower is still there, but other notes are more pronounced and there's a spicy feeling. The obvious question here is about a possible similarity to Malle's Noir Epices, but I get none. I like Noir Epices well enough, but it doesn't move me. It's sharper and definitely not as sweet. I also can't compare it to some of the rosy Montale fragrances, as each and every one I tried so far turned into a sour mess on me.

The final drydown of Ta'if is an amber-wood-vanilla with a gentle rose floating just above. It's not projecting much, but it wraps the skin in a pleasant, soft and inviting aura that holds for about 8 hours. The perfume blooms nicely, both in the heat and while working out (don't give me this look: I do it in private, not in a crowded gym), but I loved it just as much last winter. It had a summery promise.

For a male perspective read Dane's review over at PereDePierre.

Ta'if, as all the other Ormonde Jayne perfumes (£68.00 for 50 ml) is available from the London boutique (12 The Royal Arcade 28 Old Bond Street). Thankfully, they have a beautiful and functional e-commerce site, ormondejayne.com , and they are happy to ship overseas. They also have a sample program that gives you generous samples of all 11 fragrances for £35.00 (shipping is free, but they do not subtract the VAT. Just pick a day the exchange rate isn't too atrocious).

images: Vogue Red Rose cover from art.com, Valentino Rose Vertigo purse from Bergdorf Goodman