Well, folks, now’s the time for everyone who’s received a sample of Honoré des Pré’s Vamp à NY to send in their comments!
I’ve been lugging around those samples in my bag and I must have “sold” quite a few bottles.
At the terrace of a funky little neighborhood café near the trendy Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, to my hair stylist and one of her clients, who’s got a boutique on the avenue Montaigne…
At a terribly London, terribly cosmopolitan dinner party in a designer’s Pimlico flat, to a drawling-voiced, Shakespeare-quoting New Zealander who recognized the frangipani blossoms from her hippie days on an Australian beach, and to a long-legged, fiery-tempered Irishwoman who moaned: “This reaches you in places sex doesn’t” – and she should know, she’s a sex therapist.
And I’d say to about a third of my London College of Fashion students, who were amazed you could make that kind of stuff with organic products.
Ok, so, now on to you: were you swept off your feet by Olivia Giacobetti’s Vamp? You’re allowed to say you weren’t, of course!
And because other bloggers were amongst the happy recipients of the Vamp à NY giveaway, you can find their reviews by clicking (and if anyone else is blogging on this, please let me know, I'll add the link)...
From Top to Bottom - Perfume Patter
Thank you again to Christian David of Honoré des Prés, who kindly donated 100 samples, sat down and wrote the addresses with me, stuck the vials in the envelopes and braved the French postal services to ship them all to you! A big round of applause, those were a lot of stamps to stick…
L'actu 
Articles
If and when a replacement sample comes I will definitely join the fun...but since my sample was lost in the mail I can't comment yet...! bummer...
RépondreSupprimerMy first wearing of Vamp à NY was on a relatively cool day and I liked every bit of it: the warm opening with the rum note and the wonderful natural vanilla, reminding me of Vanille Galante and then the great comfy tuberose smartly changing between creamy coconut, green, almost sparkling facets and again the fresh vanilla with just enough earthy feel to it to keep it from getting too sweet. Hours later I got whiffs of a delicious fruitiness which let me think of Nuit de Cellophane and then later still the smoldering balsamic drydown, and all the time distinctly recognizable tuberose. This was a very smart and easygoing vamp with a big generous heart, a ready loud laugh, heaps of interesting things to say and overall great fun to be with - something like the Queen Latifah of tuberoses. ;-)
RépondreSupprimerMy next wearing was on a hot day and this vamp shed at least 15 years in seconds, her IQ dropped a few points and she got lazy. For the rest of the day she was more interested in her chewing gum than in uttering anything nice for my entertainment. She still was very pretty though, don't get me wrong, but as repeated testing showed the same results I prefer her company on cooler days.
After writing this review I reread yours, Denyse, and I learned that Vamp à NY talks nicely to you on hot days. So color me envious and let's just assume that it is my nose that's getting lazy in the heat...
Oh, and by the way: potency and longevity are excellent - three spritzes last 8-10 hours on me.
Thank you so much for this opportunity - it was great fun!
Carol, it's been shipped!
RépondreSupprimerGisela, I find that everything smells better on me in the heat... Thanks!
RépondreSupprimerluckier than WaftbyCarol, I did receive an envelope,but inside were tiny bits of crushed plastic, dry(the liquor had evaporated,probably). I seldom curse and truly try not to, but standing under the tall ficus trees I sniffed into the envelope as if my life depended on it; thus I discovered what - should i deduct the envelope's lining nylon effect - promised more than much,it promised that mixture of illusion and truth that makes for all beauty. I want a real sample, so that I can test it on skin, but that envelope under the ficus trees...What shall I do? Write of envelopes and lining? If you allow me, dear Denyse, I'll do just that. :(
RépondreSupprimerEEM, I'm so sorry! You should have written, I'd have asked Christian to send another sample!
RépondreSupprimeroh...that envelope is my fetiche now, disturbing, demanding and soothing, all at once. I'm such a devotee of Olivia G. that even something relatively functional as her eau for Lisa Simon is more artful in my eyes than many of the presumptious 'serious' scents I know. Here, I've just sniffed the envelope, to reassess the obvious
RépondreSupprimergraindem...I didn't want to be a 'needy chick', but I can metaphorise on the envelope. I shall write.
RépondreSupprimerFirst off a huge thank you to everyone involved in this lovely project, especially you, Denyse. Now onto my impression: as soon as I opened the envelope and put the little sample vial towards my nose I could smell the tuberose, no mistake about it. And it reminded me quite a lot of the Fracas. When I applied the Vamp it started almost herbally, green but with a weird oiliness to it. Eventually the tropical coconuty tuberose crawled in and brought its BFF to the party: "Hello, everyone, meet Peach." Honestly, there's a lot of peach in there, at least that's how it translates on my skin. Actually, the first day when I wore the Vamp my sister, who is a huge fan of MDCI's Peche Cardinal, thought for a moment that I was wearing Peche, so I guess I'm not the crazy one getting whole lotta peach out of Vamp (or maybe it's a family thing and we're both crazy). One thing that Peche and Vamp deffinitely have in common is the ripeness of the composition - I don't know how to explain it, maybe it's the smell of ripe peaches drowned in booze (yum!).
RépondreSupprimerAfter the perfume settles there is a hint of the flowers and fruit left but the smokiness and softness (and yes, sweetness) are predominant and the Vamp is suddenly transformed into a cozy warm scent.
Overall, I am impressed by this natural fragrance - it is surprisingly longlasting bit weirdly, doesn't get too much even thought my bigger gripe with it is that it's sweeeeet, to sweet for me, if I'm honest. If I'd have to describe the Vamp I'd say this: Peche Cardinal meets Fracas, throws in some sugar and then they burn out in flames. If you're not terrified of this image, I'd say it's deffinitely worth a try.
I was sorry to hear Carol's sample disappeared, I wanted to hear her opinion.
RépondreSupprimerMy summary would be this - it is one of those perfumes that are made to make you smile.
It brought to my mind the lightheartedness and happiness that only summer warmth and sea breeze can achieve. It smelled like a perfect combination of L'Artisan's Vanilia and tuberose with that rum-y vibe in the opening making it slightly naughty. In a sexy way. :)
P.S. I just wish procuring a bottle would be easier (Colette's has quite some shipping charge) - but I will get my hands on one. :)
Klara, that's odd, Péché Cardinal was one of the very few fragrances I instantly loathed... and I didn't think of it at all when I smelled the Vamp. Guess naturals vary a lot more on skin than synthetics!
RépondreSupprimerInes, it'll be there in September. Shame though, isn't it? It's such a perfect summer scent...
RépondreSupprimerDear Denyse,
RépondreSupprimerThank you so much for this opportunity. I past a link to my blog post about Vamp á NY.
http://perfumenerd.blogspot.com/2010/06/honore-des-pres-vamp-ny.html
Best,
Annelie
I have a luck, because my sample arrived intact. Thank you again, Denyse and Christian for such a wonderful project and I am looking forward to reading other reviews!
RépondreSupprimerTo summarize- Vamp à NY is truly addictive and so long-lasting comparing to other of Honoré des Prés scents I have tested before thanks to Scent Bar samples.
I have been prepared for more traditional take on tuberose, so the result truly exceeded my expectations!
It smells lush, tropical and very playful- vamp indeed, but in modern, yet still elegant way.
Tuberose is dominating, mixed with some delicious candy notes (agree with Gisela's bubblegum comparision!) and vanilla/rum/spices combo is also easy to dectect giving Vamp slightly oriental vibe.
It smells sensual, (but definitely not in a vulgar way) and reminds me of some exotic parties, clearly not in NY :-)
Penhaligon's Amaranthine and Les Nez Manoumalia gave me similar visions before.
I like Vamp and sooner, or later have to get full bottle- it is all your fault! :-)
Note to Honoré des Prés team: please think about smaller sizes of this trio, it is always hard for me to use 100ml bottle. 50ml, or travel set with three, different NY scents would be a great and affordable idea. How to put them into one "coffee" cup in this case? :-)
Exactly! Perfect for summer. I'll be saving my sample for special opportunities to last me as long as possible. :)
RépondreSupprimerBy funny coincidence, I was able to try tuberose absolute for the first time today, so I tried it side by side with Vamp. The absolute has a wonderful "buttered toast" aspect that OG plays up to such great effect in Vamp. So now I like it even more than I did before, this is the only tuberose perfume I really enjoy. Thanks again for the opportunity to learn so much!
RépondreSupprimer-Marla
First of all, thank you, thank you Christian and Denyse for hosting this giveaway! Always love trying new fragrances. It's especially fun to try them with a bunch of other testers so we can all compare notes.
RépondreSupprimerOn to Vamp à NY - I posted a comment on Perfume Posse cause I had a similar experience to March. VaNY struck me as very sweet, too sweet for my taste. But I was testing it with another new fragrance release (NdT), and loved the NdT so much that it won big time.
But now I'm thinking I need to try VaNY by itself, without any comparison, to see if I like it on its own. I want to live with it for a day, give it a full wearing before I judge. First impressions aren't always correct. I've worn it twice so far, but only small spritzes on the back of my hand...
Unfortunately my sample broke and leaked in transit so I didn't get to try it on skin. The envelope smelled great, though!
RépondreSupprimerAnnelie, i'll link as soon as i get home!
RépondreSupprimerEla, the scent is sold in 50 ml bottles this time which makes it more manageable. Glad to see you got the same vibe i did!
RépondreSupprimerMarla, your review at PST was great! Tuberose absolute is such a fascinating, complex material, isn't it?
RépondreSupprimerHi D
RépondreSupprimerI happened upon a small decant of Vamp and I am enjoying it. At first I thought that I would not. The opening notes were a bit much at first. Rummy or boozy almost doesn't describe it for me. Slightly piercing maybe. But once it dries down, it's lovely. Green/banana, creamy/buttery tuberose. A touch of vanilla. It just took a bit of patience.
It probably helps that after a few years of struggling to like tuberose, I am now resolutely in love. And this is a masterful treatment. I'm going to have to wear this a few more times to decide whether to purchase a bottle, but in the meantime, I'm certainly enjoying it. I think I'll wear it outside today in our 95F heat.
Well, you've sold a bottle to me, as well. A friend who will be in Paris this summer is CPing a bottle for me, because I can't wait until September. I'm crazy about this stuff.
RépondreSupprimerIt is gorgeous and sexy and very reminiscent of Manoumalia. I think this is a bit more user-friendly than Manoumalia, due to the vanilla notes, but it shares that wonderful butterubbery tubey thing that I am all kah-razy for these days. The vanilla is warming but not sweet, which I really like -- seeing vanilla in the notes list is always a yellow flag for me, but this doesn't have a foody quality, it just adds creaminess.
I was really amazed by the stick & sillage of this -- thanks to its staying power I should be able to eke out this sample until by bottle arrives in August.
Thanks so much, Denyse, for arranging this giveaway, and thanks to the nice folks at HdP. Here's hoping word of this smashing success circulates and other folks realize what a great idea it is!
First of all - Thank you Mr. David, for the generous sample and the opportunity to comment on this new fragrance. And thank you, Denyse, for enabling.
RépondreSupprimerVaNY is a surprisingly sheer yet long-lasting scent. The blast of rum at the opening and subsequent softer accompaniment to the florals throughout the life of the scent on my skin gives it a whimsical twist, as if I had a rum-butterscotch candy in my mouth while wearing a tuberose perfume (without the added calories). The combination sounded a bit strange on paper but works very well in application. I even get a touch of coriander at the top, but perhaps that is part of the characteristic of the tuberose itself. This is not a glamorous tuberose, just a fun and easy to wear scent for almost any happy occasion, and shouldn't be an issue at the office.
I’ve been wearing VaNY now for the last several days and even done some side-by-side comparisons with other tuberose fragrances I have. VaNY definitely sets itself apart from the pack and stands its ground in longevity, lasting 5-6hours on me.
Here, in North America, most people trying Vamp à NY are going to link the fragrance to root beer. I see it as a fun, summer-by-the-beach kind of scent... root beer, coconut and a splash of rum. Any North Americans out there getting this?
RépondreSupprimerHi D, thanks to your and HdP for inviting us all to this wonderful party!
RépondreSupprimerAs I already said on PP--I too get rootbeer in the opening. Stubbornly so, though I try to think myself past it. But I get rootbeer from balsam, too. And of course rootbeer itself is a combination of sasparilla root, spices, vanilla and sugar, so I don't think it's that far off from the rum/vanilla that others are talking about. And that's not to say I don't like a little rootbeer every now and then...
In the heart I get sweet tropical flowers. Definitely the frangipani, accompanying the tuberose, which I must have learned from Songes, because that's where my mind went next. I'm familiar with tuberose absolute and can smell it's changeable facets in here--buttered popcorn/toast, as Marla points out, but also that raw angle that Carnal Flower plays up. But I have to admit that I find myself reaching for it past the sweetness.
The lasting power and the drydown are tremendous. (I'd say "for a natural" if I didn't have testing strips for absolutes tucked in my notebook from two years ago that still smell good...)
So. Well done. But I find myself wishing for less sweet and more vamp. I look forward to trying it in cooler weather.
First, a big thanks to Denyse and HdP for sending out the samples. What a delight to try something like this so early, and to take part in the group blogging!
RépondreSupprimerI normally stay away from Tuberose frags, and I had been looking forward to the other two in the series more than this one, so I probably wouldn't have tried this one if there hadn't been a giveaway. But I am a HUGE fan of Giacobetti, so I was actually excited to at least try this one.
And what a surprise it was! This was one of the 1st tuberoses that I really liked. The first 20 seconds were unique and didn't quite work for me (too much of something that smelled like very green banana to me), but after that, I was truly impressed. The frag goes through a few stages. Early on, it's mostly tuberose (but nothing like the buttery L'Artisan Tuberuese that I still have nightmares about). Here, the flower is tropical and lush and green. It seems like many tuberose frags are mixed with jasmine and get really indolic on my skin- but not this one. I remember reading how the series works around the idea of "raw" materials, and I can see that here. There’s something edible about it, but unlike others, I have not found it to be candy sweet at all.
6+ hrs later, I could still smell it on my skin on all three wearings. By the end of the day, the tuberose had taken more of a back seat, and I smelled mostly a "floral vanilla" mixed with hints of suntan lotion (not just the coconut oil, but also something that reminds me of sunblock). I actually like this stage as much as the other stages which are more floral.
A+ for lasting power.
Karin, Nuit de Tubéreuse are such different beasts it's really unfair to put them one against the other: tuberose is their common point but you couldn't say they're in the same family at all, and in many ways, it's unfair to both to designate them as tuberoses since they're far from being soliflores.
RépondreSupprimerI own both, and enjoy both. Their vibes are so entirely different...
Ack, I'm having problems with my cursed laptop (whereupon my full review was written) and haven't been able to get the review posted. Hope to have it fixed by end of day.
RépondreSupprimerWith everyone else I thank you, Denyse, and the lovely folks at HdP for sharing samples. I'll say again that it's a very smart business move to get the scent in front of as many noses as possible, because the thing seems to sell itself. I have a feeling I'll be angling for a bottle, too.
A brief description of my experiences with the Vamp: I do get about thirty seconds of that weird rubber-camphor note that now categorizes good tuberose absolute to me since I started really exploring tubey scents this past January. It fades into a green/coconutty presentation of tuberose - because the tuberose is very dominant, all the way through - that brings to mind the tropics, with coconut palms and soft winds. Then a sweet piquancy that reminds me of spicy root beer comes up and lasts and lasts. (Is there clove in this?) Eventually it slides into tuberose-vanilla, which I admit I just love. Way back in January, I applied Beyond Love over the very very far drydown of Havana Vanille and was stunned by how gorgeous it was - I'd have thought tuberose + vanilla would be too sweet, but it isn't. It IS sweet, but in a rich way.
Lasts several hours on my skin, clinging closer and wafting less as time goes on - which is fine with me, I don't usually like big sillage.
Abyss: oh noes! You're the third one to write that, which is a pretty bad record for those envelopes... Really sorry about that, I know how disappointing it is...
RépondreSupprimerThank you so much Denyse and Honore des Pres..
RépondreSupprimerI have utterly enjoyed Vamp a NY. I adore the bubble gum note in the beginning and the dreamy coconutty tubereuse next. At the end I think I get the tubereuse mixed with something like a a boozy smell, but it is not at all sweet, maybe that's the balsamic note that everyone else describes. But it doesn't smelly truly balsamically to me, its more boozy and breezy.
It is funny because many reviewers get a lot of "sweet" from Vamp a NY, but I thankfully do not. I get more of the greeniness (without being sharp) of the tubereuse and coconut.
I have to say that between this and the other new tubereuse Nuit de Tubereuse, I prefer this. Although I adore them both, and they are very different from a thematic point, but Vamp a NY just brings me joy. It is a very alive fragrance.
Vamp a NY will be an FB purchase for me when it comes to the US.
Melissa, I'm the gal who's addicted to the weird methyl salicylate top notes of Tubéreuse Criminelle and the rooty-earthy ones of Nuit de Tubéreuse, so odd top notes don't throw me in the least bit. In fact, in all three including Vamp I wish they'd last longer!
RépondreSupprimerGlad you're enjoying it...
(Oops, hit post too soon.)
RépondreSupprimerI love how friendly, warm, and attractive Vamp a NY is - she's like a hostess that is thoroughly enjoying her party, making sure that everyone has snacks and fresh drinks and someone interesting to talk to.
I too was testing Nuit de Tubereuse recently and comparing it to Vamp a NY - but I much, much preferred Vamp, finding NdT to be a little too far on the weird and mildewy side to really suit me. Vamp is so EASY to wear - and as Ines said, it seems designed simply to make people smile. Yes.
Amy, I really think Manoumalia lovers (like you and me) can get into the Vamp even though they're really very different, because of the lush tropicality of both. As you say, the Vamp may be a little less of a commitment than Manoumalia, in that it has a lighter, cheerier texture. Both are definitely on my summer-love list.
RépondreSupprimerOperaFan, the butterscotch aspect would be given by the woodier aspects of the vanilla (for the caramel side) while the buttery side comes from the lactones in tuberose, both milky and fatty -- other people will get more coconut from it.
RépondreSupprimerFunny how I never think of candy at all when I wear it! You're right, it does have a fun, easygoing vibe, doesn't it?
Normandn clearly Alyssa who comments just below you thinks so too, and gives the explanation. I'm wondering whether Olivia G., who loves experimenting with food notes, had it in mind? She's French but now lives in New York and might have been partaking...
RépondreSupprimerYes to the initial rum blast! I was amazed by the strength of this topnote. It pairs nicely with the coconut, and very interestingly creeps to the fore (and aft) of the heaping dose of creamy vanilla. I can't erase the imagery of a cream soda wearing this. I am even smelling some chocolate and root beer. And PEZ candy dispenser! While I'm used to more icy presentations of tuberose, Vamp a NY is like tuberose on an ornate cake stand.
RépondreSupprimerThere are traces of smoke ("burning"), even, which I find interesting in light of the creamy overtones.
Like others have said, the longevity and sillage are off the charts. I shared two spritzes w/ a friend, and she said 6 hours later at the gym, she smelled like an exploding candy store. Beware - one spritz goes far.
While the presentation is a touch too candied for my comfort, I deeply admire the theoretical execution. Beautiful!
Marcus
Alyssa, thanks for supplying the rootbeer decoding. I don't think I ever drank the stuff back in my Canadian days...
RépondreSupprimerI also think Vamp is related to Songes (and I think Octavian said so too), but the texture is entirely different: I find it much tighter-grained in Songes, with a lot of jasmine and that little burnt-rubber thing one also gets from Manoumalia. But it's definitely more than just a tuberose, lots of salicylates in there.
GatorGrad, what reminds you of sunblock are the salicylic notes that *were* actually used as sunblock but are now added as fragrance to the creams, and are present in spades in tropical blossoms. So you're right on the money.
RépondreSupprimerMals, layering Beyond Love with Havana Vanille sounds like a plan! Tuberose, in fact, does love vanilla, they just have to be introduced to each other properly. There's quite a bit of vanilla in Nuit de Tubéreuse as well, as a matter of fact.
RépondreSupprimerThere could well be clove, or maybe it's the effect of the balsams: I get almost pimiento from it.
Tara, it *is* a very joyful scent to me too... In fact, it's turned into one of my ban-the-blues bottles!
RépondreSupprimerMals: what I just said to Tara! Vamp is a good-time tubey gal...
RépondreSupprimerMarcus, I'm a little surprised that you're getting chocolate, but as there is often vanillin in North American chocolate (though I'm sure you're familiar with the proper stuff) vanilla sometimes throws the brain off into some parallel connection.
RépondreSupprimerOh, and I'm the girl who'll put on at leas six spritzes of the stuff. Haven't been stalked by drooling toddlers though, so I guess I don't bring off the candy store vibe.
Thank you Honore Des Pres and Denyse for the opportunity to preview this scent!
RépondreSupprimerI hadn't remembered any reviews of Vamp A NY, so when tuberose came charging out of the gate I was a little surprised. (I don't quite get the connection to NY. Having spent alot of time in tropical locations, it was a quick trip to Bali for me). But I love tuberose, and this one was a beauty. The opening is very boozy on me. I don't get the root beer some of you are talking about, thank goodness. Then it quickly morphs into full out creamy tuberose, but in such a fullsome way, it's a little like getting a little dizzy feeling after your first champagne. It made me feel like I was in the midst of a jungle with tangled, flowering vines everywhere.
Then this settles down into a softer, but still creamy, tuberose, and there it stays on me for several hours. There are little flits of other smells that come in and out...banana?...but they are fleeting, and on my skin it's all about the tuberose.
I thought the fragrance was gorgeous, and having tried some of the previous Honore des Pres fragrances, this one blew me away with it's longevity. I thought the others were lovely, but they disappeared so fast on my skin. I would never have thought a natural could have this much tenacity. I think this is my new, favorite tuberose scent.
"...but as there is often vanillin in North American chocolate (though I'm sure you're familiar with the proper stuff) vanilla sometimes throws the brain off into some parallel connection."
RépondreSupprimerWhat's wrong w/ Hershey's chocolate???? (kidding)
Seriously, good point, though, on connecting the vanillin. The chocolate I smell is fleeting. But still there as a shadow.
Cynthia, the NY theme is meant to celebrate Olivia G.'s new life and inspiration there. I don't think, and thank God, it's meant to evoke the smells of the city in any way.
RépondreSupprimerGlad you loved it!
Marcus, you mean apart from the fact that North American chocolate is soap?
RépondreSupprimerI'm actually confident that soap tastes better than that garbage.
RépondreSupprimerMarcus
Thanksso much for the sample! I blogged about it here: http://kjanicki-sotd.blogspot.com/2010/06/honore-des-pres-vamp-ny.html
RépondreSupprimerAm I the only one getting that cucumber and there after coke/tea (or some kind of bevarage) note...?
RépondreSupprimerMy sample is almost gone...I can't live without this delicious scent, I have ordered it from France as its fall release here in California is too far away!
RépondreSupprimerA sexy and long lasting creation, good in cool and hot weather....thank you for sharing this!
Kristina, just added the link!
RépondreSupprimerAnnelie, I'm wondering whether you're not getting the slight aquatic vibe I'm getting, which "opens up" the vanilla and makes it airier? It could well be something with a cucumber facet.
RépondreSupprimerDatura, well that *was* a strong craving! Fortunately, Colette ships...
RépondreSupprimerI'm out in California, so I'm trying not to read the other reviews before I write mine.
RépondreSupprimerWhat I planned to say was something like this:
For me this was a wild and wacky ride, from an stunningly beautiful, swoon worthy tuberose opening through an edgy rum phase to a truly goofy banana bubblegum dry down.
So, yes, it was definitely delicious and fun, but also a little young and silly for me. The lasting power was excellent.
Nina, sometimes young and silly is just how I want to feel... ;-)
RépondreSupprimerFirst a huge thank you to Christian David, Denyse, and all involved in this fun project. Now to Vamp a NY : I love it. To me it's airy and floaty, with an interesting green banana/ozonic/rubbery type note at the top, which in my book is not at all bad. This note--I don't know what it is--pops up here and there throughout the wearing, which on me lasted a good 6 hours (2 sprays). I get no vanilla, chocolate, rum, or coconut, and very little sweetness--just the natural sweetness of crushed flower petals. The sillage on this, thankfully, isn't huge but is enough to be noticed and complimented on by friends and family when I lean in for a hug. I will happily wear this again and again. Bravo to Olivia Giacobetti!
RépondreSupprimerGalileosDaughter, I find the diversity of impressions quite fascinating! It seems you decompose the vanilla into green + airy + banana, which makes a lot of sense since to me it is a very green, airy vanilla...
RépondreSupprimerHappy you love it! Gets me lots of compliments too...
I wanted to add that the quality and creativity of the composition was so obvious, I am dying to try the other two fragrances, especially the carrot!
RépondreSupprimerNina, the Vamp has stolen the thunder of the Coco and the Carottes, but they're very good too and the people I made them smell to found them very striking.
RépondreSupprimerDear Denyse,
RépondreSupprimerThank you and hdp for the sample; I manage to see the code now, so I try posting myself my "review"!
Vamp à NY is a very pleasant fragrance, built around a standard axe of
coconutty white flowers and vanilla. This archetypal construction is
enriched with a boozy rum opening, a whisper of green spicy bitterness,
and a rich balsamic and resinous drydown. Whitenilla fragrances are,
with a few exceptions, usually very sweet and a bit naive; but Vamp à NY
manages to maintain its urban quality and keep the sweetness controlled
(though, personally, I still would have turned the vanilla down quite a
few notches).
I have really enjoyed my sample and swooned over the coconutty/bananey
facets of tuberose and jasmine, with the sweet and warm whisper of
Frangipani holding long onto my skin…
I appreciate both Vamp à NY’s lasting power and sillage, but I also feel
it lacks something… the development is not really seamless and there is
no “chiaroscuro”, eventually the beautiful notes seem a bit two
dimensional, and the glorious floral heart is somewhat flattened under
the weight of the sweet fixative base. I feel that some issues might be
related to the “all natural palette” constraint rather than a deliberate
choice.
However Vamp à NY is really a playful and pleasant diva, even if a bit
stereotypical, and she does manage to garner lots of positive, non
solicited, comments. So, despite her hair is a shade too blonde, and she
is carrying way too many vanilla cupcakes, I might wish to go full
bottle… You know, I am a really easy prey to Vamps, ahem, I mean, tuberoses…
First, I want to add my thanks to Denyse and HdP for this lovely (and interesting!) project.
RépondreSupprimerI have loved wearing this! Really agree with the fun, playful, easy to wear comments. I get a tropical feeling, lots of tuberose and coconut, with something darker and earthy underneath. But even the darker and earthy part seems lighthearted somehow. It makes me think of coffee grounds, not so much literally but because coffee grounds have happy associations for me. For me, Vamp is evocative of happy times - like waking up on a sunny Saturday morning, full of wonderful possibilities.
This seems like the perfect summer fragrance, and so I've ordered a bottle from Colette!
Barbara
Zazie, I think that what you point out as a lack of "chiaroscuro" is probably what makes it so easygoing and carefree... I find the resinous burn is what keeps it from being too simple, but then I really pick it up a lot and find it quite addictive.
RépondreSupprimerBarbara, they'll be wondering at the influx of orders from the US -- perhaps I should go and take credit! ;-)
RépondreSupprimerJust thought of what Vamp à NY is to me: a song by the Beach Boys.
A liquorish tuberose that feels more like bohemian chic than urban vixen kind of fragrance as its name implied but I liked it a lot. Tubereuse Criminelle is still the only vixen I can think of.
RépondreSupprimerthank you Denyse!
Uella, totally agree this is Boho belle rather than femme fatale. But then, do we need more than one vixen, after Tubéreuse Criminelle? (no, don't answer that!) ;-)
RépondreSupprimerIt`s a blaze-ingly hot afternoon in NYC, and our Vamp has vanished from her office workplace early, because being cooped up AND hot were just overbearing. She walks to her Fave Bakery, and before she even gets close, she whiffs this new, sweet, and quite NICE aroma trailing out of the shop. When she enters and inquires, the waitress explains that it is their new, rum-spiked macaroons that Vamp smells. Our girl quickly tries a sample - mmmmmm - rum, vanilla, coconut - these are heaven!! She orders 2 dozen boxed, and then, orders a few more w/ her green tea, and sits down at one of the bakery`s little tables to enjoy. She then sees small vases of tuberose flowers on all of the tables, leans into the petite bouquet for a deep whiff, and sighs most contentedly as she munches away. She will now be refreshed, inspired,& ready for her New York Nite!!
RépondreSupprimerLinda, can she give me the address? Sound like a perfect afternoon to me...
RépondreSupprimerI loudly echo Ela on wishing for a set of flasks!! :-) Many warm thank yous to Carmencanada, Honore` des Pres, and Olivia G.!!! :-)
RépondreSupprimerDear Denyse,
RépondreSupprimerMy immediate impression when I sniffed this perfume on my wrist was of dark caramel. It has a buttery component and is intensely sweet. I think there is vanilla, as well. Yet it does seem floral, some heavy night-blooming flower. It smelled quite different when I sprayed some on cloth, so I think it needs skin to develop. It is a beautiful scent (the connection to New York, where I live, is unclear to me, however). Ariane
Linda, it *is* a good idea. Maybe to mark the collection's anniversary?
RépondreSupprimerAriane, as I've written above, I think the NY connection is mostly that Olivia G. lives there now and wanted to celebrate her new life, plus the presentation is pretty whimsical and new.
RépondreSupprimerWell, Vamp had the bad luck to arrive on the same day as a batch of other tuberoses: decants of Nuit de Tubereuse and of the three from Histoires des Parfums.
RépondreSupprimerMy first impression of Vamp was to be reminded of Fracas: it's a strong, "here I am" perfume with a buttery vibe. And it lasts a long time. For an all-natural, that is already pretty impressive.
If Nuit is nocturnal and complicated, Vamp struck me (and my wife) as bright white, a day-glo perfume. The coconut aspect does shine very brightly, with a chalky undertone that reminded me of white paint from when I was young. It lasted but didn't seem to evolve much.
In the end, it seemed good but not as complex as the other tuberoses that arrived that day. We didn't feel we needed a full bottle of this one.
Dear Denyse,
RépondreSupprimerMy first impression when I smelled this scent was of a dark caramel. It is buttery and quite sweet. I also think there is vanilla here. Yet it is floral -- some night-blooming, exotic flower. It has the heaviness I associate with tuberose (I bought some to compare) but without the piercing wintergreen. It seems darker, hypnotic almost. The name is a puzzle -- why New York(where I live)? I have enjoyed wearing this scent and hope to read the other comments now that I have delivered my own. Thank you for giving us all this chance to comment. Ariane
Fernando, I think the lack of complexity is deliberate because of the limited palette Olivia had to deal with, but again, out of this limitation she forged a stylistic option.
RépondreSupprimerPersonally I don't find it close to Fracas at all but I could see how you'd pick that up, because of the brightness and orange blossom facets. While I can't compare it to Nuit de Tubéreuse, whose praises I've been singing for months, I find it much more interesting than the Histoires de Parfum.
I guess I may be the only one who didn't enjoy this one - it smelled like the nauseating aroma of the state fair, with buttery sugary kettle corn popping and cotton candy burning in the background. There is a teenage girl standing in the crowd who put on some Juicy Couture a few hours ago and her scent is mixed in with it as well. None of these scent associations is positive for me, so it put me off right away.
RépondreSupprimerI love Nuit de Tubereuse and Tubereuse Criminelle, but this tuberose is definitely not for me. Thanks for letting me try though! More money saved for Nuit de Tubereuse bottles! :-)
Hi Denyse.
RépondreSupprimerI decided to capture my views of Vamp on my blog, which you can link to as below. Many thanks to you and Honore des Pres for arranging this project. I enjoyed participating and thought it was a very good idea.
http://fromtoptobottom-perfumepatter.blogspot.com/2010/06/honore-des-pres-vamp-ny.html
Tara, o you of the woods and resins, I didn't think you'd really go for it!
RépondreSupprimerMichael, I've just linked. This is turning into a major joint blogging operation!
RépondreSupprimerDenyse, these were such fun to read! If you speak with OG at some point, I'd love to know whether she'd ever tried root beer -- I'd think not, but then, the more I think about it, to me it is a quintessentially "American" flavor, particularly in the summer, and particularly if you add vanilla (root beer float = root beer + vanilla ice cream!) More likely it's just one of those amusing cultural coincidences, which are fun in their own way.
RépondreSupprimerI am sorry to hear so many of the vials were broken, and grateful for my sample and all your work on this.
Like everywhere, our city has a organics-everything store which sells every brand of tea, vegan remedies and shampoos.
RépondreSupprimerGoing into that store is like putting on Vamp à NY, only without the immense creamyness I get from the tuberose in Vamp. Maybe too much?
I find it stands somewhat out of the crowd scentwise, and I look forward to wearing it in hotter weather.
Thank you for the sample!
Vamp was fun and easy, spraying it on three or four times a day felt as natural as popping Smarties candy in your mouth one after the other (Smarties was the candy note I got--no root-beer here!).
RépondreSupprimerI'm not yet a tuberose fan, but this fragrance didn't require any kind of commitment from me... kind of like the friend you go dancing with: you go out and have a great time, but you don't cry on each others shoulders.
Vamp is beautiful--instantly like-able-- but I haven't really decided if it belongs in my collection yet.
I've recorded my full experience at beautyontheoutside.wordpress.com.
Thank you Denyse, for hosing this amazing opportunity, and for linking to my humble blog!
Yes, I agree that this is not much like Fracas once you think about it. The impression was generated by the big bright blast at the top and the buttery/orange flower thing as well.
RépondreSupprimerNuit is simply wonderful. I haven't made up my mind about the HdP tuberose trilogy. It may be that creating one really good perfume instead of three almost-good ones would have been smarter!
You're probably right that the aim was a simpler effect, especially given the restricted choices. It works well enough, but doesn't ring my bell loudly enough. And there's that chalky thing that does rub me the wrong way.
It was great to have a chance to try this. I hope you're happy with all the responses.
Thumbs up! Didn't expect to like it, but after days of wearing VaNY I found myself enchanted. Creamy florals (no grape as in Fracas), just the right amount of sillage for day wear, and development over 7+ hours to hold my attention. It's the tuberose for me!
RépondreSupprimerThanks to Denyse & Mr David for the treat and education!
Only one criticism - the urbanista/hip-hop theme and branding seem like mixed metaphors.
Mellisu
I think Octavian has (once again) perfectly described the whole trio from HdP in his blog.
RépondreSupprimerI get what he writes about Vamp, but the fragrance just isn't to my liking. It was the least appealing to me from the trio. Just too floral, sweet and rubbery. The far, far drydown is more to my liking but I don't want to wear it just to get that effect after a 6-hour wait.
Thanks Denyse and HdP for the Vamp-sampling opportunity!
I am, however, smitten with I Love Coco, which I find to be a long-lasting, fresh and subtle coconut with a surprisingly masculine vibe (probably in my mind because of the coriander). And I <3 Les Carottes just makes me smile. Oddly mellow and pleasant after the harsh opening calms down a little.
Thanks Denyse and HdP for the Vamp-sampling opportunity!
First of all, many thanks to Denyse and Christian for letting us have a scoop sniff. Now, as for the Vamp itself: it turns out I'm a lover of lush, tropical florals (crap, I'm going to tear up again over that Manoumalia mishap) and Vamp has got these descriptors written all over it. I'd expected it to be shortlived given it's an all-natural, but it stayed on me all day, albeit as a skin scent for most of the duration. I was also certain it was going to be flat-ish, and was proven wrong on that count, too. Vamp is a bright, for the most part boozy and coconutty (but not so much Copperton-y) fragrance that cheered me up no end each time I wore it.
RépondreSupprimerThe tuberose was noticeable on my skin only in the early stages, registering as unripe banana, and that was my favorite part of the experience. It was in the drydown, which was long, sweet and a little samey, that I started losing interest. The verdict: despite my predilection for sweet perfumes, Vamp was a bit much too much. All the same, I look forward to wearing it on the cooler evenings this summer.
March...
RépondreSupprimerI also got the root beer float note... and the more I compared it to Amarige, which is my reference tuberose, the more the root beer notes became evident.
Such a great perfume happening here. Thanks, Denyse, for making it... uh... well, happen.
I am completely LOVING my little sample of Vamp!!! I too am getting something of the root beer note - I think that was what I couldn't place before. I don't really get the rum/booze from it, but definitely the creaminess and banana/coconut. To me, this is a very round tuberose fragrance, if that makes any sense... Not loud, but... enveloping, I think. A big, sweet, silky hug. I know I should be conserving it, but I can't stop myself from wearing it on these hot days!!! I love it, and may just have to spring for a FB. Totally got a FB of L'Artisan's NdT, too, but Vamp is so different (as I'd expect!) I feel like I might end up needing it too... Thank you again!!!! :-D
RépondreSupprimerdear denyse, i still haven't received my sample, that's why i haven't given any feedback yet :( i'll proceed to read everyone's impressions in anticipation and, hopefully, it will arrive in the days to come and maybe it won't be too late to chime in my two cents' worth :) thank you once again.
RépondreSupprimerDenyse, do you think the woody aspect of NdT made me like it more? I don't perceive it as particularly woody, although others have remarked that aspect. Whatever it is, it's magic on me - will be taking the bottle with me to Montreal!
RépondreSupprimerMarch, I think I *will* get to meet her at some point, though I'm not sure if rootbeer will cross my mind just then... So much ground to cover!
RépondreSupprimerHelge, I don't go much into organics emporiums... But the ones I've been to, I wish smelled as nice as the Vamp!
RépondreSupprimerBeauty on the Outside, I do find that this scent is easy to love. I wore it this evening and got nothing but compliments, even in the florist's shop with all the natural competition...
RépondreSupprimerFernando, I don't quite see what you refer to as chalky. But bright it is, definitely! And yes of course, I'm happy with the response.
RépondreSupprimerMellisu, I kind of liked the branding in that it gives the whole experience a more laid-back feel -- it's definitely not holier-than-thou organics, which would have really put me off.
RépondreSupprimerMikael, I think the two other Honoré des Prés are well worth a try and find them both very appealing. In fact I'm getting a hankering for the Coco myself... Don't find it especially masculine though.
RépondreSupprimerDusan, I had the opposite reaction, it was the drydown I found absolutely mindblowing initially, something I'd want to roll around in forever...
RépondreSupprimerThank you so much again for the opportunity to try this scent. Not only was I lucky enough to make the cut but my vial was in perfect shape.
RépondreSupprimerMy previous experience with "natural" perfumes had not been positive - simply too "weak" with poor sillage and lasting power. Certainly this is not the case for Vamp a NY! It immediately grabs you with the first spray and stays with you throughout the day. It starts as a lovely tropical floral. Later the vanilla becomes quite strong on me and I am afraid that any complexity is lost. I guess I was hoping for a bit more of the VAMP too. Though this might not be for me, I definitely want to try the others.
Normand: my pleasure!
RépondreSupprimerOlivia, I've found I needed both. They're really in such different styles, it's not as though you were arbitraging between two tuberose soliflores... Not that a girl can ever have enough tuberoses.
RépondreSupprimerM, that's a little alarming, isn't it? Hope to see your comment soon...
RépondreSupprimerTara, it's got woodiness, plus that incense effect that comes from the mango accord and the pink pepper, and mineral, rooty effects, all of which contribute to a darker interpretation of the note.
RépondreSupprimerSean's Jo, it's definitely a feat for an organic perfume. For me that's not a sales argument, but it's nice that for people who do want that (and the rest of us) there are top-notch compositions in the genre.
RépondreSupprimerOnce again, thank you and Honoré des Prés for sending these all out.
RépondreSupprimerI find Vamp à NY gorgeous and am really pleased with it. When I first sprayed it on, I, too, thought immediately of Péché Cardinal. I then put some of the Péché on for comparison. I didn't find them quite as similar as I would have thought. Superficially they resemble each other, but I think it is just the tuberose in both. I didn't get the peach in Vamp at all.
Today I wore Vamp to work. It got very hot (up to 33º C) and, to be honest, I found it a bit much. I may have overspritzed though. But I was thinking, maybe a fall US debut would be better it it didn't work so well in the heat.
Organic fragrances I've tried in the past do not have the longevity I have found with Vamp. I put it on about 12 hours ago and it is still going strong. I want to try it some more, but I'll have to go easy on the trigger finger.
I do not get root beer in this at all, by the way.
RépondreSupprimerFurriner, I was surprised when you made that comment about Péché Cardinal, since much as I admire and respect Parfums MDCI, PC was a scent I instantly loathed.
RépondreSupprimerI'm a very generous spritzer and didn't find a problem with the... seven or eight I doused myself with in 27°C Paris. But then, I needed to compete: I was having dinner in a Rumanian restaurant.
And Ceaucescu's daughter was at the next table. Then you definitely need a tuberose bubble!
I have been hoarding my sample, I must admit! The first time I applied it, I loved it. I get a root beer spicy vibe at first, but then calms down into the tropics. I wear it to tango, and it's perfect. Not too weird, not too loud, but just a touch naughty. And I took a nap while wearing it once, and my sheets smelled wonderful afterwards. Thank you, everybody, for putting this together. I will definitely be looking into a bottle of this.
RépondreSupprimerLauren P: wearing it to tango and nap... now *that's* a life!
RépondreSupprimerComing in really late because of all the planing I FORGOT to wear it yesterday! Anyway, thank you Denyse and Christian for doing this giveaway and handwriting every envelope. I had a big smile on my face since the time I received the package, through the first wearing... and today =)
RépondreSupprimerOn first waft, I smell the tuberose sweetened by rum, yet still green and almost coconuty/buttery. It really does last all day and leave a gentle silage that isn't overwhelming, yet is ever present. Don't you just love getting a whiff of yourself when you lean back or catch a breeze? Being a big fan of Olivia Giacobetti, I was determined to love this one.. and I can add another love to the list =) Can't wait to try this in the winter as well..
Testing Vamp a New York has turned out to be a new experience. When I first started wearing it, I was most aware of honey and bread notes. There is a type of ice cream in the U.S. that has crushed cookies in it, and I felt Vamp a New York was like a variation of that: melting tuberose-honey ice cream with biscotti in it. Good, but I prefer scents with more contrast.
RépondreSupprimerThen, I just happened to took a break from my usual scents for a few days and also tried spraying Vamp on fabric, and I found it smelled entirely different - it was a very lovely, delicate, fresh, natural tuberose, without the heavier bread and honey notes. After that, I've been able to smell the tuberose more when wearing it.
I'm not sure why it smells so different now, but I think it may be because I hadn't spent much time with natural perfumes before. Now, I'm thinking that I'd like to give my nose a spa vacation by getting a bottle of Vamp (better yet would be a coffret with smaller sizes of Vamp, I Love Les Carottes and Coco Love) and spending a month with Honore de Pres. I KNOW natural isn't necessarily healthy - there are plenty of naturally occurring poisons - but wearing Vamp does feel healthy, as well as fun.
Also want to note how much I LOVE the Honore des Pres website - I get a buzz from just looking at it and listening to it, even though I don't know French (sigh!).
HUGE thanks to you, Denyse, and to Honore des Pres for this new experience! ~~nozknoz
Thanks, Denyse, for selecting me for a sample.
RépondreSupprimerUnfortunately, my sample broke in the mail, and it all leaked out. There was a tiny bit left in the tube of the sprayer, so I was able to get that last gasp of the spillage.
My verdict (albeit with just one spritz on my left hand): This reminds me of a less posh version of AG Tubereuse, one of the gold standards of tubereuse in perfumery, but with coconut and a bit of a Coppertone vibe.
That's all I can say, until it comes over to the states, and I have the opportunity to test it again.
Hugs!
Judging from my CTRL + F of bubblegum, I'm not the only one who got a massive dose of the smell. The neon pink scent was pretty apparent from the get-go and stayed strong throughout. It sounds like I hate it, right? Actually, no. (I'm as surprised as you are; neon pink?) I played with the idea of buying a bottle when it hit the US. The other observation I can add is an almost bitter herbal note like the scent of jasmine tea, a scent a friend of mine always calls "perfume-y" and something I would love to isolate.
RépondreSupprimerEnd of my little review, I guess. I don't know if I NEED a bottle but it would be fun to own more than I have left. That packaging, though! :o<3
Thank you for this. I was reminded of an early morning at Honolulu Airport, running into a large lai stand to get flowers to take home. Their shipments had just come in, there were plumeria blossoms everywhere and it was about 70 degrees(F)The smell was unforgettable, intoxicating and almost overwhelming, but in a very good way. So when I sprayed just one shot onto my wrist, I was back in Hawaii.A number of people were in the house that day and everyone of them wanted a bottle right then. Pretty amazing, also amazing staying power, at least eight hours of flowers. But clean flowers, nothing synthetic or off. This perfumer is a master!
RépondreSupprimerThanks... Ross
http://olfactoryrescueservice.wordpress.com/
Womo531, I'm happy this made you smile! I also love to get whiffs of it as I move...
RépondreSupprimerNozknoz, interesting what you say about your difficulty "reading" Vamp because it's a natural... I have that problem with natural perfumery, not so much because of the materials but often of the composition style: I feel my nose is "classically trained" in the French school. And what interests me is that Olivia G. brings that classic French know-how, along with her very personal style, to the genre, which makes it a lot more legible for me...
RépondreSupprimerVioletnoir, I'm so sorry! That's so frustrating... And clearly we've had about 5 of these mishaps. Don't know how that rates out of 100...
RépondreSupprimerEric, another reviewer mentioned jasmine tea, which I don't get at all. I mean, the jasmine part yes, the bitter part not so much. I'll have to re-smell it from that perspective.
RépondreSupprimerRoss, isn't it wonderful when a scent can make you relive a glorious olfactory experience? As a little girl, I dreamed of going to Hawaii, but now that I live in Europe it's a little too far off for me ever to make it there.
RépondreSupprimerMy sample never arrived, sigh sigh. But at least I had a chance to try it while you were in London. The verdict is that I was MORE!!! Will definitely come back to this post once I can have it again under my nose.
RépondreSupprimerSilvia! Had I known I would've left you one when we saw each other... Bad postman!
RépondreSupprimer(pls read I WANT more not I WAS more)
RépondreSupprimerI wore this to a jewellery sale and surrounded by gems and cashmere three people came up to me and said how wonderful I smelled... need I say more?
RépondreSupprimerNot one realised I was wearing tuberose. Perhaps it was unexpected of a man.
I think I love the lush coconut even more as time passes- so very easy to wear... almost too addictive....
Alexander, I'll bet you did smell delicious... And most people outside of our weird little world wouldn't recognize tuberose if it grabbed them by the short and curlies, though you're right, it's totally not expected from a man.
RépondreSupprimerBy the coconut, you mean the Love Coco? Lord, I don't even remember giving you that sample, and I didn't even drink that much...
Actually I was referring to the coconutty Vamp- you know how quickly my skin eats the good stuff...
RépondreSupprimerbut yes- you did let me try the Love Coco on the skin and it was perhaps more accessible for me and bizarrely interesting for something that might easily be straight from the coconut itself. I will need to try that one again!
I'm not very good at picking up individual notes (that's why I like to read your blog, because you are), so all I can describe are my impressions.
RépondreSupprimerVamp á NY is a beach scent to me, but it's a grown up beach scent. It's not a seaside beach, rather a lake, or a pool, where this Vamp is sitting in a bar, dressed in a fifties-style cotton dress and is sipping cocktails. Cocktails based on milk, because to me this fragrance has really creamy effect.
Thanks again for organizing this sampling project! :)
Alexander: so I'm not going quietly crazy after all... Yes, I know about that odd note-absorbing quality your skin has!
RépondreSupprimerKata, don't we all wish we were that kind of girl right now? (Off to seek 50s cotton sundress, wondering where the pool is).
RépondreSupprimerI was one of the lucky ones who received a sample - and I was, quite frankly - floored. This was a complex, summer-beachy, coconut/jasmine tuberose concoction, but the rum I didn't get at all. Instead, after that initial blast of Coppertone and Copacabana, it morphed into an arm-eating ashy-smoky monster, wafting alternate whiffs of (tantalizing) tuberose and cigarette smoke/ashtray.
RépondreSupprimerI wanted to love it, really I did. Unfortunately, my skin didn't agree.It lasted and lasted on me - I could still trace it 12 hours later.
Instead, I gave it to my brunette sister (I'm a strawberry blonde) and on her, it was - fabulous. THE most gorgeous, heady, potent tuberose on PLanet Earth, and not one trace of the ash monster. No fair. So fabulous, she immediately had to go FBW and order it.
And to think - without Big Sis, she would never have known it existed!
She owes me one now. Big time! ;-)
Tarleisio, jasmine *does* have ashtray facets and it is likely there is some in the formula. I'm sorry it didn't work out on you, but at least it seems someone has found a treasured beauty! Lucky sis...
RépondreSupprimerThank you very much for arranging this sample. What a lovely idea. At first smell, this reminds me immediately of something. I’m thinking possibly Aussie hairspray, which is not a bad smell, but not necessarily what I want my perfume to smell like. In the next few minutes I smell something pleasantly opposing the “in your face” sweetness that I smell. Something that I can’t put my finger on. The perfume definitely gets better as it wears. After about a 1/2 hour I get a lovely creamy note that wears beautifully in the soul wilting 100 degree humidity that my region has been experiencing. I don't have much experience with tuberose, but this frag is an unexpected joy to wear in the summer. Its lasting power is very good. Thank you, again for the opportunity to experience this fragrance.
RépondreSupprimerWhat a happy perfume. I have had a very bad week and this perfume made me smile. It is a little boozy at the start, but this only lasts a few minutes, then I smell mainly tuberose and vanilla. A gourmandy tuberose. It is creamy and smooth and I like it that there are no sharp edges. I will be on holiday soon, and I am planning to bring the rest of my sample. Thanks Denyse and Christian for arranging this. Thanks also for Ms. Giacobetti, for being such a creative force
RépondreSupprimerMelissa, happy the wearing worked out for you. I also find it's nice in damp heat although in Paris it hasn't been quite soul-wilting!
RépondreSupprimerArwen, sorry about the bad week -- it's really a blessing when scent can bring a smile to our souls despite everything life throws our way, isn't it? I find this fragrance does the trick too...
RépondreSupprimerLip smacking bubble gummy first impression -- not Bazooka or Juicy Fruit but along those lines. And there seemed to be cedar as a low lying player but almost hidden. It became resiny like an incense -ual cloud and then back to sweet but like a bread sweetness. While it did not have great sillage it has stayed close to my skin. I like it and thank you for sending this Vamp along.
RépondreSupprimerNancy, I love those resinous/balsamic facets... I feel they're what makes the perfume so distinctive.
RépondreSupprimer