Awesomeness

Gorgeous, rich & lush woody for the ladies. I find most woodies to be either too thin & austere or too syrupy & forced. B de Boucheron doesn't have those qualities.

The apricot and osmanthus are spot-on for the current trend in fragrance. The florals (rose, orange blossom) & spices (pink pepper) are so well-blended that I struggle to pick them out individually, although I know they are there. However, the base (sweet woods & patch) and the apricot really define the scent. Initially I thought the cedar was just a tad too dominant for me, but now I have grown to love it.

I think many perfumistas would find this scent a bore and consider it treading well-worn territory. However, for me, B is something that I reach for over and over again. It is so much better than 95% of the stuff in the mass market, and it's available at an excellent price to boot. Nice projection, even from top to bottom, and lasts 6-8 hours on me. The quality of the ingredients seems to be top-shelf.

I've tried most of the Boucheron femmes and haven't liked a single one. B is different. It's a grower, and can stretch from morning to night, casual to formal, winter to summer. It's easy-to-wear and accessible. Reminds me of John Varvatos but not as sweet, Badgley Mischka but not as fruity, and Tresor but softer & rounder & deeper. I love those fragrances but I love B even more. B "won" on a side-by-side test with each.

In my top 10. It's so me, but better. Signature scent worthy.

Notes: cedar, patchouli, osmanthus, apricot, spices, rose, orange blossom

I don't like HM Butterfly, but I do like HM Magical Moon and HM Haute Couture. MM & HC are two very different fragrances of course, but I think both are under-appreciated because they are *so* unlike Butterfly & are not immediately recognizable ... which are good things.

Magical Moon is a modern floriental. It's not dark or gothic. Rather, it's relatively clean & clear, which is unique for a contemporary creation in this category. It's difficult to pick out and identify specific notes. The fragrance is a sweet melange but it works.

I own Magical Moon in parfum and edp. Both are long-lasting, and I really don't sense a big difference between these 2 concentrations. That was a surprise to me because the concentrations in other HMs - specifically, Butterfly & Haute Couture - wear like different fragrances. Nevertheless, Magical Moon parfum is special - it strikes me as being much better quality, and, besides, the parfum is a sillage bomb!

Magical Moon can be worn year around and makes a striking, unique office-friendly alternative in the EdP when sprayed with a light hand. I think it could also be safely worn by the guys!

Very good fragrance, excellent price ... gently used bottles can frequently be found for a steal on ebay ...

I was fully prepared to love (and purchase) this Guerlain. Unfortunately, it failed to impress me enough to obtain a full bottle. Regardless, VdN is a must-sample for anyone serious about perfume. I am just starting to understand the "Guerlainade" of Guerlain fragrance, and VdN is Guerlainade.

The opening is *very* much like Mitsouko to me. As it VdN dries, all I get is Samsara, Samsara, and Samsara - in otherwoods, woody. Since I own both of those Guerlains, including a vintage Mitsy, I won't be adding this to my collection. I don't sense any green accords, which I would have expected given Bergamot, Galbanum, & Narcissus as listed notes - there is nothing green about the formulation I tested.

* note - tested a TPC sample marked EdT vintage

There's something dark & dirty about Lancome Magie (La Collections). She's not for a modern girl, but for a classic woman.

Magie opens unisex but dries femme. I like Magie, but I don't care for the way the jasmine develops on my skin and how the fragrance sweetens as it wears. I do like that quality in Cuir, I don't like it in Magie. I might be wrong, but I think it comes down to the relative amount of jasmine.

Ladies who love mysterious woody fragrances might just fall for the reissued Magie. I love sampling the reissued La Collections, and I applaud Lancome for resurrecting these fragrances and bring them to market. Magie doesn't speak to me in the same way that Lancome Cuir does. However, the entire line is sample-worthy!

Varensia is extremely pleasant on, and it wears like a light oriental on me. I sense the oakmoss but it's not brash or loud. Varensia just doesn't have the presence of a chypre on my skin.

I've seen here (and elsewhere) that Varensia is inspired by Gianni Versace by Versace. I can't make the comparison. But I can say that Varensia is not in the style of a big 1980s powerhouse, aggressive scent. Rather, Varensia is an agreeable, pleasant scent. It lasts 4 hours or so on me. First 2 hours are good, the next 2 hours are muddy & murky. Best in warm (but not hot) weather, I think.