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Sunday, December 15, 2013

The Ten Best Perfumes You're Not Wearing- Part III


This is becoming a semi-annual thing: a list of ten perfumes that deserve a lot more attention, hype, and skin space than they get (see Part I and Part II) . Sometimes there are other perfumes from the same brand that get all the spotlight, others are a bit more obscure. Granted, a few of them would probably be a lot more popular if they were easier to find. Still all of these fragrances are worth seeking or rediscovering.


  • Parfum de Nicolai- Vie de Chateau Intense. Somehow even Nicolai fans seem to forget this one exists, which is a shame, because this sweet leather-tobacco thing is a true gem. ($65 at Luckyscent)
  • Nez a Nez- Marron Chic. A powdery labdanum and cocoa thing that doesn't go the expected route of cuddly and sweet, but earthy and elegant. ($165 at Luckyscent)
  • Arquiste- Aleksandr. Violets and leather in the snow, and the memory of a dead Russian poet ($165 at Osswald and Aedes).
  • Worth- Courtesan. Our first cheap thrill of the evening is an animalic bombshell that smells far more classic than its 2005 birth date. (Around $30 from various online discounters. Google is your friend)
  • Kelly & Jones- #3 Notes Of Cabernet. The entire Kelly & Jones line is worth discovering, but Cabernet's ripe black cherry, pipe tobacco, and leather are perfect mid-winter ($50, kellyandjones.com)
  • CB I Hate Perfume- I Am A Dandelion. Like the flower, this is a shy and unassuming perfume. But its' also incredibly pretty. ($16 for 2ml, cbihateperfume.com)
  • Memo- Lalibela.  For some infuriating reason, you can't get Memo perfumes in the US (though their site promises that they're coming soon to NYC and my money is on Osswald). If you're going to visit Paris it's worth the visit to their Le Bon Marché counter (also at Harvey Nichols in London). Lalibela is a massively incensy rose with mega sillage.
  • Josef Statkus Perfume. The talented Lithuanian fashion designer is responsible for this gorgeous amber and incense fragrance. Mysterious and dark, yet very wearable. ($180 at Luckyscent)
  • Charenton Macerations- Christopher street. Like the NYC locale, this is an enigma in citrus and leather. ($100, charentonmacerations.com)
  • Ted Lapidus- Silk Way. We're ending this list with one last cheap thrill. This spicy musk-vanilla-incense perfume is sensual and seductive, smells like a million bucks and can be found for around $25 online. How did we get so lucky?
The bottles of Christopher Street and Marron Chic were press samples. Everything else was purchased by me.




7 comments:

  1. I have been on the fence about Courtesan but I guess I have to try it now, since you and I like so many of the same perfumes. You had me at "animalic bombshell." :-)

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  2. I'm so glad you mentioned Worth Courtesan! It's one of those perfumes I make all my perfumista (and budding perfumistas too) friends smell.
    It's a bomb - but what a bomb it is...

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  3. The PdN is wonderful, yes. And a question about Silk Way: I've read glowing reviews on various forums but have also seen it called a dupe for Barbara Bui. Since I have BB, is Silk Way different enough to justify owning both? I am a sucker for a cheap thrill. Thanks!

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    1. I can see why people smell a similarity to BB, but I wouldn't call it a dupe. On my skin Silk Way is much more musky while Barbara Bui is more of a sweet incense. BB seems closer to Le Labo Labdanum; the musky veil Silk Road creates for me is in the same category of Musc Ravageur (though they smell nothing alike).

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  4. Have never tried Silk Way, the Kelly & Jones or Christopher Street - my olfactory receptors are doing a little happy dance inside my nose in anticipation of getting to try new perfumes (just ordered full bottles of the first two and a sample of Christopher St.) and my budget is also thrilled since the first two are so inexpensive they're practically free in today's perfume universe. I live to find good new perfumes, but the problem with this is that some truly brilliant, deeply loved scents sometimes get put on the back burner and end up staying there till I'm reminded of them again and in this list you've reminded me of several of those, especially PdN's Vie de Chateau Intense, Marron Chic and Josef Statkus. Went to rescue those from my perfume room the moment I read this.
    Anna

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  5. I'm wearing Vie de Chateau Intense today and remembering how much I love it... I found it originally thanks to your review, so thank you for giving me another gorgeous chypre to love!

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  6. I've been wearing Josef Statkus every day for the past week, it's becoming a habit. Beautiful, subtle scent.

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