Beating the Birthday Blahs: Parfum d'Empire Wazamba, Aziyadé and 3 Fleurs
 By TomWell, the day came and went. I got up, went to the Farmers Market and the Fathers Day classic car show on Rodeo, to Sweet Lady Jane for cake and to Scent Bar (where two nice ladies from Basenotes were visiting and shopping, so I didn't interrupt) I smelled a few things: the new L'Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse which is a joy, the new Commes des Garcons which are some joke I don't get and a couple more Xerjoff which aren't doing it for me. Then I ran across the Parfum d'Empire area. I've liked their scents in the past, but they aren't for the faint of heart. They are, well definite scents. Aziyadé is a definite scent. Imagine if you will the stewed fruits of Lutens Arabie mixed with a heapin' helpin' 'o the cumin in Eau d'Hermes. I love this, but I love the drrrty. If you're a cumin-phobe you will feel like you died and gone to hell. If you are a very bad person, Karma will make sure that you're trapped in a stuck elevator with someone wearing this. Wazamba is hardly a shrinking violet: it also has fruits in the form of a stewed apple note, mixed with incense and woody myrrh. It certainly doesn't whisper, but it's more day-t0-day wearable on me. 3 Fleurs is one that I personally wouldn't wear any more than bias-cut silk. It's gorgeous; a perfectly balanced concoction of rose, jasmine and tuberose brightened by mint, each smoothing out the rough edges of the other unto the sly musky drydown. Between this and the L'Artisan tuberose has been redeemed... $75 for 50ml, $110 for 100, at the usual suspects Labels: Parfum d'Empire, Tom |
posted by Marina |
12:00 AM
22 Comments:
Gawd Tom, I got so distracted by the Sweet Lady Jane link I almost forgot to come back! What a pastry palace!
I think I would probably love Wazamba, but the 3 Fleurs scares me - I can't imagine why there is mint in it.
Happy Birthday Tom! I hope you had a good birthday though. Another year on planet earth is something to celebrate.
Thank you for your candor in your reviews and your opinions and feelings, they count to people like us, perfume really does matter, in it's own small way.
It provokes us, to think , to consider how we perceive ourselves and others, it helps us get through this thing called life. And we smell beautiful doing it.
Take care, be well!
<3 Tamara Jackson
these three blietz-reviews are so convincing. I want Wazamba and Trois Fleurs now, really now. Yet, like Flora, I'd like to read some more on the mint.
I LOVE 3 Fleurs!
I'm one of those people who generally doesn't get along well with cumin in perfume, AND for whom "stewed fruits" can be, well, bad. But somehow, Aziyadé pulls it together in a way that makes me happy with both.
Wazamba was the one that won the duel with Filles en Aiguilles, back when that was raging hot. Haven't pulled it out in the hot weather, but I have not one but two decants in the "happy things" box.
3 Fleurs I have not tried. Maybe I should go search it out for a birthday sniff...happy birthday from one celebrant to another. :)
D-
The mint is only barely there and sort of cools the hot white flowers. I think you would like it a lot.
Hi Tamara-
I did have a nice one, thanks!
EEM-
Emrace the mint! Really it's not much; it isn't like the doublemint accord in Tom of Finland. It's barely there.
Karin-
I don't blame you- it's gorgeous
ScentSelf-
Happy Birthday to you!
I do like that apple/chamomile vibe in Wazamba, though it is quite a strong bottle o' incense, for sure!
-Marla
a hint of mint! If it's well structured, and not Etat Libre like, it sounds irresistible. Will order samples of the twain (Wazamba too) and test on skin. Thanks.
I found 3 Fleurs utterly boring. Wazamba is more compelling. It is one of the rare scents both hubby and kids SPONTANEOUSLY admired.
Cheryl
Marla-
It is strong. But I kind of like that. I hate paying $250 for water..
EEMb-
Let us know how it works out on you!
Cheryl-
Wazumba seems to be everyones fave of the 3.
# Fleurs goes more towards "conventionally pretty". Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Sure wish we had a Scent Bar in the Big Apple. I can't think of any place I'd rather stop in on my way home from the Farmer's Market later in the day. I'd reach for the 3 Fleurs and Wazamba to sample- cumin makes me want to shower.
Marian-
You've got Aedes de Venustas on Christopher Street; I think they have about 98% of what ScentBar has including Parfums d'Empire. And you have Bergdorfs..
Tom- hope you had a lovely Birthday. I really want/need to smell Nuit de Tubereuse and 3 Fleurs. Ever since I smelled Lutens' Tuberose Criminelle , I've thought that a minty note would go wonderfully well with tuberose-judging by the way the cool menthol offsets the lush tuberose in TC (and I've been meaning to mix those two oils together- just to satisfy my curiosity. Completely forgot about trying that out, till I read your review- so Thank you!).
And I will drop by sweet lady jane the next time I'm in LA- anything specific you recommend trying there?
Lavanya-
The berry cake and coconut cake are favorites of mine as are the chocolate "tacos"- nutty praline cookies filled with dark chocolate mousse...
ooh- that chocolate taco sounds soooo good! Will definitely try it (I foresee an LA trip this weekend!!)
Happy Birthday, Tom! I keep expecting to run into you when I'm at Scent Bar (and Farmer's Market, and Rodeo Dr). I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Aziyadé is a perfume that a friend of mine seized upon when she was looking for a "new Lancome Magie Noire" (the original Magie Noire being morphed/ruined in reformulation). Now, the 2 aren't smelly-likeys, but she found a kinship in Aziyadé's boldness and drrrtiness.
But here's the thing: she reports that it's absurdly fleeting on the skin. Not what you'd expect from drrrty.
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