TOM FORD Shanghai Lily

Tom Ford
Shanghai Lily
Created by: Antoine Maisondieu  2013
*oriental-floral*

Spicy notes, floral notes, olibanum, vanilla, bitter orange, pink pepper, black pepper, cloves, jasmine, rose, tuberose, vetiver, cashmere wood, benzoin, castoreum, labdanum, guaiac wood and incense.

Shanghai Lily, one of the four fragrances in the Atelier d’Orient collection from Tom Ford. I did not  like this at all at first unlike Fluer de Chine which was love at first squirt. Shanghai Lily drying down becomes much more pleasant, even beautiful in a way.   I like the Fluer de Chine so much better, but I want to try all four of this collection together. There is a sophistication and refinement to them which I love. The strength is quite weak which is fine for Shanghai Lily as I would have washed it off if it didn’t calm down.It’s pricey for the power it has, but then I have a love-hate with orientals in general. I love the warmth and complexity, but hate the in your face cloying stickiness and interminable sillage some have, who didn’t wear Opium back in the day. So actually, for me Tom Ford orientals would be just the ticket. 

B

Buy Shanghai Lily

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MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN: Aqua Vitae

Aqua Vitae
Maison Francis Kurkddjian
Created by: Francis Kurkdjian 2013
*citrus aromatic*

Notes: Calabrian lemon, sicilian mandarin, brazilian tonka bean, vanilla infusion, hedione and guaiac wood

Just when I was losing hope of finding a perfect blend I found Aqua Vitae.

Here is the moment when the aria brings tears to your eyes, your heart sings, breathing suspended then exhausted deeply so the next intake will be full of flavor. Yes, it’s that good.
The downside is that it’s fleeting as are all ephemeral, exquisite experiences, not sure if this is on purpose…
Aqua Vitae opens with a sweet, soft citrus reminiscent of freshly picked delicate osmanthus blossoms but in reality, tiny sweet oranges and their blossoms wrapped in a soft guaze of musk. The balance is perfect, no hard edges, not too warm nor too cold.
The entire composition is perceptible at the start, the perfect operatic olfactory overture foreshadowing all to follow, nothing screams for attention, no Divas here, just the genius behind the curtain.
Aqua Vitae is the the quintessence of harmony.

A+

 Buy: Aqua Vitae

BROSSEAU Ombre Rose

Ombre Rose
John Charles Brosseau
Parfumer: Francoise Caron  1981
*floral*  *soft oriental with powdery notes* 

Ombre Rose is one of the softest most beautifully feminine fragrances I’ve ever owned.  I purchased a bottle soon after it was released and couldn’t wait to try it. I managed to spill a large amount of the mini all over myself and my things (coat,clothes,portfolio) which upset me to no end.  I was on a Chicago train, any other fragrance would have people moving to another car or ejecting me from this one. Ombre Rose began soft and stayed soft, it’s what I love most about this fragrance. Ombre Rose doesn’t change like a roller coaster, it just mellows. Every day on the way home on the train I wrapped my coat around my face just to be surrounded by this essence. Soft, smooth and creamy, it’s a masterpiece.
The Jean-Charles Brousseau site and Frangrantica site show different compositions, but the lovely soft rose is balanced by musk, honey, peach and sandalwood. It’s one of those scents that seem simple in their complexity.
Francoise Caron is a genius, Ombre Rose is one of my great perfumes of this lifetime. It is absolutely amazing.

I just recently purchased another EDP through amazon, and I still have my original mini (actually two)  On testing;  the perfume from the 80’s is just as rich and warm as I remember. The EDT is a pale shadow of the delicious Ombre Rose I know and love. It’s ok as a quick fragrance splash, but it’s not the one.  My next trial will have to be the current perfume. I will just have to follow what Ms. Caron creates in the future, whatever it is, I will be first in line to try it.  Parfum and Memory  *A+*

Vintage parfum:

Current EDT

Buy Ombre Rose