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Blackbird Broken Glass Fragrance Review

blackbird-broken-glass

* A sharp, metallic violet pierces through the opening.

* It is brisk and will take you by surprise.

* The violet mellows down into a brew of muddled, rubbery flowers – rose, iris, and violet in the background with angelica on the top.

* All of the flowers seem to implode into one other and a woody note comes to the forefront.

* There is a hint of spice in the warm base with some resins sweetening the wood.

Summary:  I am back from a long break of reviewing perfume. and Broken Glass is one that reinspired me.  I wore Triton a few times and noticed it was a complete 180 from the bongwater scent that didn’t work on me.  Triton was crisp, atmospheric, and pleasantly astringent – which honestly doesn’t make sense when you read it, but in texture and experience that is the perfect description.  Broken Glass is creative and interesting without being a scene stealer.  It doesn’t demand attention by screaming but lures you in with interesting changes over its development.  Longevity is excellent – well over 12 hours, but it is not overwhelming.  It feels like a second skin, present in your space but not burdening you with a heavy film.

Other opinions:

Colognoisseur
Best Smelling Perfumes

Blackbird Broken Glass is available from Blackbird Website.

Disclaimer: Sample provided by Blackbird. Image courtesy of Blackbird website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Parfums Retro Grand Cuir Fragrance Review

parfums-retro-grand-cuir
* Starts off with pine, sage, motor oil and a hint of citrus.

* Off the bat, this is a classic and rugged manly scent.  You kind of need chest hair to pull this off.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Bond No 9 Perfumista Avenue Fragrance Review

bond-no-9-perfumista-avenue-eau-de-parfum-panella-parfum
* Kicks off strong with a burst of spicy herbal fruit with a touch of honey and hay.

* It feels like an Arabic fruit – which must be the saffron and the rose.

* After that opening, it mellows down to a floral melange – a sharp rose and some jasmine.

* A light patchouli appears with the flower and quietly becomes the focus.

* The patchouli is joined by some clean musk and a slight hint of amber in the base.

Summary:  I kind of have a love/hate relationship with Bond scents.  Either I love them immensely or absolutely detest them.  Perfumista Avenue is the rare Bond scent where I am neutral on it. It’s okay, if a bit generic. I don’t get the Perfumista Avenue theme – it’s saffron, flowers, and a pretty generic dry-down.  It does smell like a Bond Scent – sniffing it, that’s obvious, but there isn’t anything in it that makes it stand out from the rest of the collection.  Longevity is disappointing for an edp as it becomes a close skin scent after two hours, then after four hours, it’s barely noticeable.  There are much better scents in the collection, so I would advise you to try a different one in the collection.  Please note – other reviewers are getting much different results on this scent, so read the other reviews below and test for yourself if they sound interesting.

Other Opinions:

The Scentrist
Man Loves Cologne

Bond No 9 fragrances are available at Nordstrom, Saks 5th Avenue, independent boutiques and from Bond No 9 boutiques.

Disclaimer: Sample provided by department store. Image courtesy of Panella Parfums.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Mona di Orio Violette Fumee Fragrance Review

mona-di-orio-violette-fumee
* Large cloud of airy violet – slightly sweet, but not candied.

* When I say cloud, I mean it’s airy and voluminous – like you walked into a hazy space and you feel the violet all around you.

* Actually, fumée means smoke in French – so the smoke / cloud effect makes sense.

* After the first hour, the cloud begins to get closer and a little more dense. 

* It gets a little more masculine, with lavender and sage cutting the sweetness a bit.  Violet is still the focus – these are just there for support.

* The scent also reacts differently on my skin.   Sometimes I get a musky floral after the lavender, while at other times there is a dry rose.

* In the deep dry-down, the violet is still the star with some resins grounding it.

Summary:  Mona Di Orio is a line that I have been meaning to explore for a while.  Many fragrance friends of mine are diehard fans, and even though I have a sample kit, I haven’t dove in.  A trip to a Louisville perfumery netted me this sample of Violet Fumee, and I can see why people love the line.  This is not a feminine, candy sweet violet bomb.  Neither is it a classic masculine violet lavender.  The feeling is defiantly unisex, mixing both sides together for a composition that can develop on your skin in a few different ways.  After the first hour, this would be a great office scent because while it’s long-lasting, it’s not so strong as to overpower those around you, yet you will definitely smell it on yourself for at least 8 hours.  The price is on the high side, so definitely test it a few times before you take the plunge.  And yes, this has inspired me to dive into my sample box.

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The Scented Hound
Ca Fleure Bon

Mona Di Orio fragrances are available from Lady Ruth Perfumes, LuckyScent and MIN New York.

Disclaimer: Sample provided by Lady Ruth Perfumes. Picture courtesy of LuckyScent.