TeaWithMilk

For 100% natural Fire & Cream is beautiful. I get lots of luscious, buttery, white flowers (tuberose and neroli) in the heart. There is also an orange cream and natural woods nicely blended with the florals. There is something smoldering about this perfume, like the glowing embers of a bonfire on a Tahitian beach. I can just see the little bit of red just above the horizon as the sun is almost set, waves crashing on the shore in the near darkness. Such a beautiful thought. I read that many people would like to wear this in the fall, and I am not arguing with that as it sounds like a good idea to me, but this tropical escape in my mind makes me think this perfume is great in the summer too. On my skin, the florals really pop. I sure wish it projected more and was not quite so expensive, but for 100% natural, I am willing to pay.

(May I add that this perfume is NOT discontinued, as implied above)

SUMMARY: It's a creamy tropical dreamy.

Hmmm...I love this perfume, but I am puzzled as to why it smells a bit sweet and fruity. From what I've seen online, "Intrigant" means "scheming," and I would say that this perfume is scheming to hide the patchouli because I don't smell much patchouli unless I try. I detect more sweet resins than anything else. It is the kind of clean, natural sweetness you find when the sap of a tree oozes out and hardens.

It reminds me of Yule Brynner in The King and I. The perfume has a purple, somewhat exotic darkness about it, yet I can't take it too seriously because of the sweetness. It's well-behaved in comparison to other patchouli perfumes that seem bolder, darker, more mysterious. On the contrary, Intrigant Patchouli is soft and subtle. At times there is a powdery black leather quality that reminds me of Chanel's Cuir de Russie.

SUMMARY: "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you. Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me...." ~The King and I

Jersey is the perfect lavender. It's slightly sweetened with vanilla, and it is rather white-musky. It reminds me of the lavender & vanilla-scented dryer sheets I used to use. A very soft and cozy perfume (as strong musks tend to be) that would do well in all seasons and would suit casual occasions. Lavender tends to become masculine on me, but there is no hint of men's aftershave in this very ladylike perfume. When I want the luxury of Chanel, but No.5 and Coromandel seem too extravagant for running errands or having tea with friends, I reach for Jersey. It has all the makings of a Chanel perfume, minus the pomp.

SUMMARY: The finest Turkish cotton towels and Egyptian cotton sheets

I am a bit nuts for orange blossom, so it is no surprise that I love Seville a l'Aube. Unlike Ellie Saab, this does not turn too musky and synthetic with continued wear and instead remains true to the flower. Seville a l'Aube actually starts out more acidic/citrusy than I like. But as it continues to dry down, it starts to smell like incense to me and apparently others as well. I happened to be in the car with my father when I first wore it, and he couldn't detect any flowers at all. He remarked that I smelled like incense, which I took as a compliment...until he said it wasn't a compliment and that he thinks it's weird to smell like incense. Oh well--I don't wear perfume to please my father.

If you have ever smelled Andy Tauer's Maroc Pour Elle, that could give you an idea of the incense effect I am talking about.

Despite the incense, this perfume is not dark and smoky, rich or intense. It reminds me very much of the one and only perfume released by Frederick Fekkai, Sensuelle. Both perfumes are extremely high-quality orange blossoms on a honey-like base. Seville a l'Aube is an orange flower perfume that is easy to wear year round--clean enough for warm weather and thick enough for cooler weather.

SUMMARY: It's summer in California all year long with Seville a l'Aube

The initial impression of iced black tea with lemon is quickly overtaken by an intense green tea and supremely natural jasmine flowers that linger softly on my skin for a good 8-10 hours. The Pour un Ete constantly maintains its integrity and never diminishes into a musky, nondescript fragrance like all the other jasmine green tea perfumes I have tried. Throughout the day I find myself daydreaming that I am in a little village in India, along the Ganges, baking under the sun and sniffing bushes full of white flowers. I wish this had more projection, but considering I may never find a jasmine green tea this good again, I can live with it. Spraying a bit on the inside of my clothing helps.

SUMMARY: Lazy afternoon tea in Bengal.