Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne: Perfume Review

I feel pretty, Oh, so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright! And I pity Any girl who isn't me tonight. I feel charming, Oh, so charming It's alarming how charming I feel! And so pretty That I hardly can believe I'm real. ... I feel stunning And entrancing, Feel like running and dancing for joy, For I'm loved By a pretty wonderful boy! Yves Saint Laurent's new Parisienne sings this songs, and it twirls, and it smiles, and it winks and it is so full of joy and so pleased with itself and the world that it might simply burst like a fantastic pink bubble and rain down in a myriad rose petals. Ah, so pretty!- I exclaimed the moment I smelled it. So romantic. So unashamedly feminine. So exactly like what I didn't know I really wanted. The ad... and I can't remember last time I liked an advertising this much... the concept of "the glamour and seductive allure of a Parisian woman" and the list of notes, "with a vinyl accord, said to add a modern twist to the fragrance and evoke the gloss, varnish or metal of a spike heel" (source) present the fragrance as a little more sensual, darker and edgier than it is on my skin. I repeat, I adore the advertising for Parisienne and I don't think that it clashes with the fragrance, but the smell, to me, would be represented even better by a lighter, brighter, girlier visuals like those for Miss Dior Cherie (another campaign that I love). The perfume had me at bonjour with its sweet-and-tangy accord of cranberry and rose. I have been looking for the mouthwatering sugary sourness in a perfume ever since I encountered it in Quel Amour. The Goutal's creation was a little too acidulated. I found some in Sophia Grojsman's earlier creation, 100% Love, but, although strikingly unique, it was ultimately too sweet. Parisienne strikes a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The airy tanginess of cranberry is enhanced by peony and vetiver, the sweetness of rose is underscored by blackberry, violet and sandalwood. The violet is another aspect of Parisienne that I enjoy; in fact, I think that it is the presence of the softly powdery note, vaguely evocative of lipsticks, powders and somehow, to me, of all things "French", that makes the perfume "Parisienne". And when violet is joined by a delicate hint of patchouli, the composition, although never, on me, achieving the vinyl edge, acquires that twilit, dusky, husky quality that is promised by the elegantly-suggestive commercial. In other words, girly as it is, Parisienne has depth. It is a proper perfume, with refined structure and the kind of harmonious complexity that is the testament to the talent of the creators. One always dreams of finding an unexpected gem among the multitude of new luxe releases, and once in a while the dream comes true. Fans of the aforementioned Quel Amour and 100% Love as well as of such Grojsman classics as- of course!- Paris and Beautiful, along with lovers of the retro-chic, flirty creations like Drole de Rose, Lipstick Rose and Le Pot Aux Roses, please, take note of Parisienne. I will leave you with the second commercial teaser for Parisienne, courtesy of YSL, click here for the first. The fragrance is expected to arrive in the US in September. Image source, models.com, YSL.

L'Eau Par Kenzo Eau Indigo Pour Homme

Inspired by indigo, "the color of travel", "by the seductive dance of color and scent as dusk sets on water", and by the atmospheric mi chieh mi loup hour of twilight, L'Eau Par Kenzo Eau Indigo Pour Homme is a "night-time" sequel to L'Eau Par Kenzo Pour Homme. Created by Sophie Labbé, the fragrance is a blend of ginger, coriander, elemi, vetiver, cedar, labdanum and tonka bean. As the list of notes indicates, the scent is built on the contrast of spicy-cool-fresh and resinous-warm-earthy. The airier top notes balance the more substantial base, achieving that very Kenzo effect of pared-down transparency under which is concealed fairly weighty complexity. An Indigo perfume by another line would have been significantly darker and more intense. Kenzo's interpretation is the transluscent darkness of water right before the sun sinks into it on the horizon... while the rays still make it possible to get a glimpse of the solemn depth under the tranquil surface. I love the interplay of the sweeter ginger and sharper, more fiery coriander in the beginning, and the way spices enliven the dry resinousness of cedar and elemi. Vetiver prevents amber and tonka bean from making the scent too robust and sweet, while they, in turn, make sure that the green rootiness of vetiver, although apparent, does not dominate the composition. Softly sensual, harmonious, easy to wear, this is indeed a perfect perfume for a quiet summer night. L'Eau Par Kenzo Eau Indigo Pour Homme is soft enough to be easily worn by a woman, and I found it much more interesting on my skin than the Femme verison, which I thought to be somewhat powdery-sugary. Available at kenzousa.com, $55.00 for 1.7oz.