The Elements Showcase filled the Skyline West with a diverse assortment of fragrance and beauty products. Here is a sampling of my favorite new things I saw at the February 2014 show.
[slideshow_deploy id=’1569′]
Categories
Tag: illuminum
Categories
European Trip 2012 – Day 4 (London)
So, I ran around London today, got back to my hotel and realized that I had misplaced my notes. This really kills me because I had a great day and took good notes. On the upside, I have a pretty good memory, oh wait- what was I talking about?
I started with a list of places I wanted to go to and then ended up wandering around and finding other great places.
* Orange Blossom kicks off with orange flower – surprise! Actually the orange flower is not overly sweet and juicy, spices are there to dry it down.
* The spices are slowly replaced by a quiet oud. It’s not screaming at first, but you can smell it enter the room.
* The oud is kind of like tequila – you add it to a party and things get interesting. The oud is joined by a musk that goes a little animalic and gamey, but not all the way to skank. The orange flower stays present which really accents a contrast.
* After about 6 hours, a sweet zesty incense joins the orange flower to make up the base.
* It calms down to a skin scent that lasts more than 9 hours.
Summary: When I saw Illuminum Orange Blossom was classified in their musk family, I knew this would be an interesting take. Mixing oud and flowers is not a new idea, but it’s usually rose which is the flower of choice – using an orange flower was quite unique. As with all the other Illuminum Haute fragrances I’ve tested, the top broadcasts and then it calms down over time. This one can easily be for men or women but I definitely see this more for evening than daytime wear. The oud party in the middle is definitely too much for the office.
Illuminum Haute Perfumes are available from http://www.illuminumperfumelounge.com/ . They will be available at Henri Bendel in June 2012.
Disclaimer: Sample provided by Illuminum. My opinions are my own and I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. Image from www.illuminumperfumelounge.com
* The top is sweet and tangy yet floral and earthy – peach and tomato.
* It sounds strange, but it is fresh and spare with an energizing/invigorating feel.
* The middle is pretty and soft, but not overly feminine, with the peach being joined by waterlilly.
* After about five hours it dries down to a light white musk. Sometimes, I will get a hint of coconut as well.
* The sheer skin scent keeps going more than 12 hours.
Summary: Is there such a thing as masculine pretty? Tomato Leaf reminds me of cooking an italian meal in a nice flower garden. The term gourmand refers to scents that remind you of food, but to me that normally implies sweets like chocolate, honey, and vanilla. This is definitely not that kind of gourmand. The wear of this scent is quite unique as it comes and goes. In between the middle and the base there are times I would smell my wrist and it would disappear for 10-15 minutes, but then come back. I don’t know if that’s my nose getting accustomed to the scent… The longevity of the base notes is incredible – similar to the other scents in the Haute Perfume line, easily lasting until you shower it off.
Illuminum Haute Perfumes are available from http://www.illuminumperfumelounge.com/ . They will be available at Henri Bendel in June 2012.
Disclaimer: Sample provided by Illuminum. My opinions are my own and I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. Image from www.illuminumperfumelounge.com