Estée Lauder - Bronze Goddess

The first day of summer

Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess is being billed as a limited release for 2011 but it has a longer history. It was first released as a body oil under the name Azure Soleil in 2006, as part of the Tom Ford for Estée Lauder collection and re-released as a perfume in 2007 called Azure Soleil Eau Fresh. By 2008, Tom Ford had created his own perfume line and Estee Lauder changed the name of Azure Soleil to Bronze Goddess but kept the formula nearly the same.

If you would like to feel and smell like you've been to the beach, but don't have time to get away, Bronze Goddess is the perfume for you. It starts with a summery squeeze of citrus but becomes a creamy, coconutty floral with a warm salty edge.

To me it smells just like expensive french sunblock - I have a tube of 50+ Vichy at home and it has the same "creamy rich flowers and coconut" smell. Underneath, salty amber base notes mimic the smell of warm skin just out of the ocean being dried on a white sand beach.

It's gorgeous, but I admit that after wearing it a few hours, I sometimes feel the need to go shower and clean up before dinner, the way I would do on holiday at a beach resort.  But keep this one around for the cold days of winter, and it will make you feel the sand between your toes again.

A new flanker, Bronze Goddess Soleil, was released this summer. It's very different from the original. Bronze Goddess Soleil starts with a stronger citrus notes - I smelled grapefruit. As it warms up, it becomes a fresh greenish floral that's predominantly lily and jasmine to my nose. It dries down to a light musky and wood base. The only thing that ties the two perfumes together in my mind is that Bronze Goddess Soleil seems to retain a little of that warm skin character underneath its florals, the way that Bronze Goddess does.

While I liked Bronze Goddess Soleil at first, I got a little bored with it after a while. I still prefer the original for it's unique and almost perfect simulacrum of beachiness.

For other great beach perfumes, try Parfumerie Generale Bois Naufragé or Creed Virgin Island Water, both big favourites of mine.

House: Estée Lauder
Nose: ?

Bronze Goddess Notes: coconut milk, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, myrrh, amber, mandarin, bergamot, lemon, orange, tiare flower, jasmine, magnolia, orange blossom and lavender.

Bronze Goddess Soleil Notes: citron, bergamot, tangerine, lavender, petitgrain, pittosporum, neroli, orange blossom, jasmine sambac, grapefruit tree blossom, pink lily, blonde woods, iris, ambrette seed and crystalline musks.

Penhaligon's - Gardenia

Light, breezy and pretty

Originally released in 1976, Gardenia was reformulated in 2009 by Bertrand Duchaufour as part of the Anthology Collection. As he did with Orange Blossom, M. Duchaufour created a sheer pretty interpretation of the flower.

In contrast to the number of notes listed below, Gardenia smells deceptively simple. It starts with a very green note, combined with jasmine and tuberose. There is a tartness that must be the rhubarb. In the heart I smell mainly the magnolia over some gentle, warm, woody spices.

Gardenia is fresh and easy to wear. It seems natural yet classic. I like Orange Blossom better, but I could see spritzing on Gardenia for a summer wedding or a garden party, that's the kind of feel it gives me.

House: Penhaligon's
Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour
Notes:
Head Notes
Violet, Rhubarb, Bergamot, Hyacinth, Magnolia, Green Leaves
Heart Notes
Gardenia, Rose, Ylang, Orange Blossom, Tuberose, Jasmine, Clove, Cinnamon, Lily of the Valley
Base Notes
Benzoin, Sandalwood, Musk, Vanilla

Eau d'Italie - Magnolia Romana

Walk beneath the magnolia trees outside the Villa Borghese in Rome

The original Eau d'Italie perfume was created for the Hotel Le Sirenuse in Italy. Subsequent Eau d'Italie fragrances explore the idea of travelling through Italy, the essence of the country, its beautiful locations, art and history.

Magnolia Romana was  inspired by the magnolia-lined avenues outside the Villa Borghese in Rome. The Villa was built by Scipione Borghese in the 17th century as his party palace, a place to get away from the city and enjoy his lush gardens and to house his impressive art collection.

Magnolia Romana starts with a blast of peppery green basil. For me, this note doesn't last long enough. I love the smell of basil, it evokes summer and great, fresh meals eaten outside. It's the perfect note to evoke Italy. Very lightly, there is the green cypress, like a distant breeze through a pine tree.

The middle notes are magnolia and fresh "water notes." I could have used less of the watery notes, but it does make this perfume very summery. I can imagine sitting beside a fountain in Rome, underneath a magnolia tree in bloom.

In the end it's a lovely musky wood. All in all, Magnolia Romana is a nice, sheer, pale pink and refreshing fragrance.

House: Eau d'Italie
Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour
Notes:
Top: purple basil, lemon leaves, cypress
Middle: magnolia flower, lotus, waternotes
Base: cedar, hay, white musk

Photo: bass_nroll

Serge Lutens - L'Eau Serge Lutens

Perfume: L'Eau Serge Lutens
House: Serge Lutens
Nose: Christopher Sheldrake
Notes: aldehydes, citrus, magnolia, white mint, clary sage, ozonic notes and musk

The scent of clean skin, ironing a white cotton shirt, linen hung on a line in the sun.

Serge Lutens is famous for his, shall we say, more aggressive perfumes. I have a few that I will review later, but his style is known to include spices, stewed fruits and animalic notes. This is the opposite of all that. This is Serge's "anti-perfume."

It’s like stepping out of the bath. Like putting on a freshly ironed shirt, or slipping into a bed with clean sheets…
- Serge Lutens

And, of course, he's exactly right. L'Eau starts very "clean," and it smells like ironing. There's a light, sparkling citrus, slightly dry and bitter. After the top notes fade it becomes a lovely magnolia, that creamy white and pink flower, and clean musk.

The musk in L'Eau lasts and lasts. I can smell it clearly 10 hours later. As a perfume it lifted my mood and was perfect for the office and yoga class. L'Eau is also a great unisex scent, and I'd love to smell it on a man. I didn't expect to like this "anti-perfume" but it's excellent, as I should have expected from Serge Lutens.


Photo: thecityofjess