Perfume Review: 40º à l’Ombre, A la Figue!, Corrida and Ipanema by Satellite

Review by Tom Satellite came onto the scene perfume-wise about a year and a half ago with Padparadscha (at least that's when they hit my radar). Colombina was a rather indifferent to it, I liked it enough to get a full bottle. I have to say that I have not made as many inroads on that bottle as I have with others in my cupboard, but I find it a wonderful circus-of-cedar that brightens up a winter day. After an 18 month or so silence, Satellite has landed not one or two new ones but four new scents, all in gorgeous jewel-tones (which I would hesitate to spritz on while wearing a white silk shirt for fear of staining) and in bottles updated with caps that have amusing little dependant charms on chains. It should be silly, but it's really charming. 40º à l’Ombre 40º à l’Ombre (100º in the Shade) is described as a "bright, zippy fragrance poured over crushed ice and served in a frosted glass". I personally think that's the perfect description for Eau d'Hadrien, and I dare say I would find Hadrien more refreshing. Not that this is bad, it's a nice orangy-grapefruit fizz with lots of peel, but fairly fleeting. It's lasting power is my only caveat: I spritzed it on at about 5 and it was a distant memory by 6:30. A la figue! Desribed as being not overly green for a fig scent and I suppose that is a literal truth. It's not as green as say, salad, but it's still fairly green. I like green so it's not an issue. It does have a wonderfully rounded fruitiness and a quality that they refer to as "creamy" but for me is more like the particular unctuousness of actual figs: California is a big fig producer and there are even fig festivals. This creaminess reminds me of the fig shakes you get at the festivals; milk, ice and that glottal figginess. On a blasting hot day, trust me nothing could be yummier. I can just imagine this would have the same effect. Corrida Corrida is a fruity floral. Did I scare you? Good. It IS a fruity floral, but nothing like one you'll find in a department store. It starts out rich and heady with a boozy shot of black currant, eventually softening and supplanted by sandalwood and white flowers. A bit like being served a vermouth cassis on a deck in the evening with the night-blooming jasmine just starting to be discernible. It wouldn't be the first thing I'd reach for, but I didn't run screaming either, and for me that's saying something. Now I want a Vermouth Cassis. Great. Ipanema This one surprised me by being by far the one that I liked the best. Surprised me because of the description (coconut, beach, blah, blah, blah) made me think of about five other scents from CB I Hate Perfume At the Beach 1966 to Bond No. 9 Fire Island. What I got was a very nicely blended skin scent with a hint of suntan lotion, and just enough grapefruit and orange peel to make you feel like vacation in Rio. On me this one is also the most long lasting, and oddly enough, not the first thing I'd reach for on a hot summer day (that's Hadrien; this would be on the list, but rather further down it). However, on a day like you east coasters are having (I got IM's from NY friends complaining about the "winter mix" of snow and sleet this March 16th) I would happily grab this screaming tourqouise vial of liquid happy and spritz away the seasonal affective disorder. These are available at LuckyScent, at $75 for a nicely sized 100 ml bottle.