This
was the first quality perfume I bought, one for which I have to save, because, in those days, I was poor and Tresor was a very expensive perfume. Although I don't use it
regularly nowadays, I always keep small samples and travel size bottles
at hand because, the time has passed, the world of perfumes has evolved and changed, but Tresor is still today one of my favourite fragrances.
Lancome has reinvented Tresor in the last years, but the fact remains, the original Tresor, is still a great fragrance that smells of groomed woman, that is feminine and seductive. Tresor is a classic for a reason. In a world that discards perfumes every two years, having a perfume like this still being sold, says something about any perfume. For the younger generations, Tresor smells of their mothers and grand-mothers, so it will have an old-lady sort of attached prejudice; yet, if they didn't see the bottle and smelled the fragrance in a blind testing, many of them would still like or love the scent.
Tresor is the essence of femininity: intoxicating, velvety, powdery, warm and floral. It has an unique distinguishable scent that you won't find matched anywhere else. While I have found that some scents by designer houses smell the same, I mean the same, as other perfumes with different names from another designer house, I have still to find a perfume that smells like Tresor. It has never been and will never be. Amen.
This is one of those perfumes that I don't overdo, because, if I do, I
get a headache and I cannot stand it. A tiny amount of spray or rubbing
on the usual spots goes the long way and brings up the woman in you even in those days that you feel a bit crappy.
I have three perfumes that people I don't know ask me about, and Bottega Veneta EDP is one of them.
Bottega Veneta EDP was Bottega Veneta's first ever perfume and the result was a brilliant contemporary fragrance and an instant classic.
We leave in a time in which perfumes are launched every six months, a time in which fashion trends have turned perfumes into another accessory, and in a time where mediocre or bad perfumes are packaged in pretty bottles and sold at high prices. Discovering Bottega Veneta made me belief that there is still room for old perfumiers' savoir-faire, there is the space to take the time necessary to develop an unique fragrance that is not discardable in six months or smells like any other. Old perfumiers used to take years to work and develop a perfume, and you would get something unique, a great scent and a great quality one. This is what Bottega Veneta just did with their first ever perfume for women.
Bottega Veneta EDP is classified within the Chypre family of perfumes but smells more of an light oriental woody floral turned mutant on me. The
scent is sophisticated, timeless, seductive, and feminine. It has a very distinctive smell that is modern and classic at the same time. It is nobility luxury not bourgeoisie luxury. If I had to describe the smell I would tell you a story that captures the world that this perfume transports me to. Imagine you have a hut in the forest somewhere in Western Europe, and your hut is furnished with very comfortable leather furniture that smell of new; your hut is surrounded by bushes, wild berries and moss are everywhere; you have a small lemon tree in your backyard and a jasmine plant on the ledge of your window; a small breeze enters through the window and you smell everything at once and you get a multilayered earthy organic smell that is fresh and deep at the same time, something that you feel all around you.
Every essence in Bottega Veneta EDP makes sense, complements each other organically, and it is not overdone. The fragrance tantalises your senses but does not overwhelm them. A priori, I am not a fan of patchouli because it reminds me of the stinky hippies of the 70s. A priori, leather is something that I would not want to smell in a feminine perfume. Although I love citrusy fragrances, I consider them summery, fresh and not very elegant. I usually define perfumes with jasmine as 'stinky'. Moss is something wintry that smells funny. Alas! All of those ingredients are part of Bottega Veneta EDP and this is one of my all-times favourite fragrances.
This perfume has a day-long longevity and, at least on me, it changes little from first outing, once of the lemony horses run away, to when the scent is sealed onto my skin. In a way, the fragrance is flatter than others I have, but also less deceiving when you smell it at first. The sillage is medium, enough to leave a trail when you pass by, but not too strong to
make it unbearable to others.
I find this perfume perfect for autumn and winter, from morning to evening, and also good for night outings if I am not doing anything too formal. I have used for work as well, and it suits a lady-like suit.
The minimal packaging is elegant and timeless, it does not target any age, any class, or any type of woman. It makes you look inside, to the perfume. Nothing to show off, for sure.
Bottega Veneta EDP is timeless modern classicism, so the perfume is an honest representation of what the Bottega Veneta fashion house is.
The following variations on the perfume and the latest Bottega Veneta perfume suffer from the same sin as other fashion houses -- they are an object of commerce, not a perfumier's perfume and cannot compete with this little wonder.
The 30 mls bottle starts from 100+ dollars. It is worth it.
Photo courtesy of The Scent Store
Eau Poudrée is the last addition to my perfume collection. I am not usually a fan of Narciso Rodriguez Perfumes, as I find them too strong, masculine and overwhelming on me. However, I found Eau Poudrée recently when looking for a perfume to give my mum as a gift, I was provided with a sample, I tried it on myself, and ended buying a bottle for me as well.
This is a woody floral fragrance, musky, very feminine, delicate and elegant with a great dose of romanticism. The first spray is really noticeable, velvety and enveloping. Once the perfume settles in, it is really a delicate fragrance, less musky and more floral with a drop of sweetness.
The musk, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, orange blossom, and other ingredients are masterly blended and I cannot say that this perfume smells more of any of them. It really smells as if you were applying luxurious perfumed mineral make-up on your face, and the scent came clear to your nose without overwhelming it. Eau Poudrée really transports me to a world of ladies who visited luxury rest rooms in a classic Hollywood movie minus the passé feeling and very much adapted to the 21st century women.
I find this perfume good for all ages, more a day to afternoon perfume than a night or special occasion perfume. Perfect for a day date. This is also more a spring-summer fragrance than a an autumn-winter one, without being specifically for summer.
I find the longevity of the perfume medium, and the sillage also medium on me. This, of course, varies from person to person as every person's skin and skin Ph are different.
The packaging is minimal, square to square, a bit boring, nothing creative but no ostentatious or fancy either.
This is quite an expensive perfume for a mainstream perfume brand. It starts from 88 bucks the 30 ml bottle. Unlike other mainstream perfumes I have spent my money on, I haven't regretted the purchase and I spray generously my clothing and myself for my day outings.
Perfumes are something so very particular to each individual that, what is my ambrosia me might be your nausea. We tend to revolve around families of perfumes because our skins absorb the perfume in specific ways that are individual to each person. Our noses also differ in the way they absorb and process smells and scents. To me powdery feminine woody floral perfumes and lightly oriental perfumes are very much my cup of tea, so if they are yours too, you will love this perfume.
Photo courtesy of Fragantica
Narciso Eau de Toilet, is a fresh version of Narciso For Her. However, while I find the NfH masculine, "stinky", chemical, and dry, I find this EDT version toned down and morphed enough to ring all the bells I want in a perfume.
The first notes, to my nose, are a mix of very fresh green and young flowers, sweetish without being sweet, a bit acidic, and a bit berry-ish as well. Once this exhilarating coup of freshness evaporates, you get what is the core of the perfume and what you will smell of the rest of the day - a woody floral scent with some smoky muskiness undertones.
Narciso EDT is a sophisticated scent, but it is not classic by any means as contains cedar and vetiver, ingredients that have been traditionally used in masculine fragrances. In that regard, the perfume is feminine but not romantic, it is more mysterious than seductive, and it has a light masculine energy that is constantly challenged by the sexiness of the musk and the femininity of the the peony and Bulgarian rose. Unlike Narciso Eau Poudrée, Narciso EDT is not an EDT for everybody, so spray it on you at your nearest store and see how the fragrance evolves on your skin throughout the day.
Narciso EDT reminds me of the original Bottega Venetta EDP, but it is way more daring and quirky, and also more complex from first outing to settlement. If you like Bottega you'll probably like Narciso EDT. If you want a dark twist to you Bottega's, this is it!
Despite being an EDT, this fragrance has more longevity and sillage than some EDP scents I have. It lasts on me all day, on a low key, but it is clearly noticeable when I smell my wrists.
I find this perfume perfect for autumn and winter, great for casual afternoon and evening outings if you want to smell good and interesting but are not overdoing your outfit or yourself. This is also a good fragrance for meetings if you apply it half an hour earlier, as you will be wearing a perfume that is feminine, assertive and mysterious at the same time, so it doesn't smell of "make love to me", but of "lets make a deal together".
The bottle... Another square chunky bottle. Come on Narciso! Yet, in this particular case, it has a good vibe. It reminds me of those old bottles of blank ink my father used to have for his fountain pen when I was a kid. Black Ink would have been a good name for this perfume in a way it is that.
Not cheap, but cheaper than other Narciso's scents, Narciso Eau de Toilet starts at 80 bucks the 30 mls bottle.
