Perfume Review: Augustina Avondale, Roxborough and Woodlawn

Augustina is a boutique in Toronto, and, since Spring 2007, in London, described as "a destination for shoppers looking for exclusive, fashionable and forward luxury accessories". Augustina's line of fragrances was created by Susanne Lang and right now consists of three scents, Avondale, Roxborough and Woodlawn. Avondale, inspired by "an urban oasis with its winding street, cobblestone and ivy covered walls" is a pretty and dainty little floral. While typically perfumes seem to develop from brighter and lighter top notes to a more sumptuous heart, in Avindale the two seem to be reversed, at least on my skin. The scent starts with a rather powerful and appealingly creamy accord of gardenia and tuberose. The sweetness and the headiness of the flowers is kept in check by the strong bergamot note. As the scent develops, it actually grows fresher and airier; lily of the valley becomes apparent and the citrus accord grows stronger. The drydown is a delicate musky blend, which stays close to the skin and has a slight and not unpleasant soapy characteristic. Lovely and loveable and very feminine in a white sundress and a tea party in a posh garden kind of way, but not worth $80.00 for me. Roxborough. It puzzles me that this scent comes in a bright pink packaging as it seems to be if not entirely masculine than at least rather firmly unisex. In fact, with its mix of fresh and spicy notes, it seems just like the kind of scent Mr. Colombina usually favors. The beginning has a certain fruity, aldehydic effervescence that isn't in the least girly. The woods are apparent right from the start and continue to be the most prominent element of the composition all through its development. Five or so minutes after the application, cinnamon and carnation enter the scene, warming the blend considerably. The base is a little ambery, rather spicy and very woody. All in all, a pleasant if not perhaps breathtakingly original spicy-woody-floral composition that should suit men and women alike, and my favorite of the three. Woodlawn "recalls a Victorian Coachhouse where an expansive lawn hosts an early summer garden party". Clearly, the lawn overlooks a body of water of some sort, because the aquatic accord is quite strong in this citrusy-fruity-green fragrance. The beginning, with its mouthwatering tangy-ness of lime and yuzu, is the most attractive part of the composition. It smells like a refereshing citrusy cocktail, very light on sugar and decorated with a mint leaf. As the citrus accord becomes replaced by the green, the scent looses most of its initial liveliness. Its greenness is neutral and very tame, like that of very shortly-mowed grass of a very well-mannered garden. The drydown features apples, soft woods, a tiny bit of moss and a strong marine vibe. Not my kind of scent, but if you don't mind an aquatic quality, it should be very pleasant in hot weather. Avondale, Roxborough and Woodlawn are available at Fragrances & More, $80.00 for 2oz.