Tag Archives: Andy Tauer

Perfume Consultant

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume April 22, 2021 Comments: 10

That would be me. 🙂

Honestly, I am a bit proud now. Yesterday I managed to find two matches for someone. I’m especially happy because it was for a friend’s daughter who is 12 (going on 70) and all I had to go on was something neutral, that she can wear to school and that won’t bother her nose like all other perfumes she smells all the time.

The really helpful part is I know her since the day she was born so I could add some more ideas about what might suit her. I’ll tell you what I chose for her to try and what she finally selected (which were also the ones I thought she might latch onto).

As I was selecting perfumes from my collection for her to try and for me to get an idea what she might like (because neutral can be so many things), I realized I don’t really do neutral, no sillage, nobody knows I’m wearing perfume stuff. 😀

Still, I managed to locate some things that could fit the bill.

This is what I took for her to try:

Eau de Cartier – because it really is unisex, although not really very quiet

Puredistance Antonia – I sort of sneaked that one in not expecting her to like it for herself, but to give her an idea of quiet elegance

Different Company – Un parfum de Sens et Bois – a completely forgotten sample I accidentally found and loved for her

Serge Lutens Bas de Soie – I always think of iris as being the soft, quiet flower

Rue Rance Eau Sublime – a forgotten bottle I only recently realized I enjoy immensely

Any Tauer Penta Verdant – green=neutral? sort of, but more to see whether she would associate the two

Romea d’Ameor The Great Inca Priestess – one I really like and only had a sample of (have no idea why they don’t have a webpage?)

I wonder what you think would be her choice(s) among these?

She loved both Sens et Bois and the Incan Priestess. Which are honestly so very easy to love and smell perfect on her.

Then we went in search of where they can be bought. It turns out they are not so easily obtainable in Croatia. But it also got me thinking how the proliferation of perfume brands and perfumes had two really bad impacts (at least in my case).

  1. I lost all will to try and follow what’s happening in the perfume world because who can keep track anymore
  2. But while I was still trying to keep track, I ignored the beautiful perfumes I already had at home, which are really pieces of art how well they are done, and it doesn’t seem they are given the praise and love they deserve (this is just my opinion, maybe I’m completely wrong)

Then again, I always thought that The Different Company wasn’t given the love it deserves. Now I think the same for the Inca Priestess.

I don’t like it at all

I've been thinking, Perfume review, Perfume shopping, Perfume thoughts, Sample of the day, World of Perfume August 26, 2018 Comments: 3

I just realized my love of perfumes is back but my writing skills aren’t.

I can write about things but I’m drawing blanks when it comes to perfume. I’m really not happy about that but I lost the practice and now it will take a while to get it back.

In this post I’ll try to explain why I love the perfumes I’m writing about.

I’ve been wearing April Aromatics’ Tempted Muse before my vacation and loved it so much that the decant is gone. Btw, thank you Asali for sending it – you really know my taste. 😀

Which brings me to Undina’s post and her explanation how perfumes are thunked.

Discover-Muse

Of all the muses out there, the one that speaks to me is Urania (surprise, suprise)

My decant is done but the perfume is definitely not thunked.

After a long time, I used up a decant and now I know I want a bottle of it. It’s kind of funny that when I look back at the bottles of perfumes I fell in love with, ones that I purchased in the last few years, they were all perfumes that I labeled completely wrong with my nose.

For example, the beginning of Tempted Muse reminds me a lot of Jicky and therefore I concluded the perfume must contain lavender. Turns out, that’s not one of the listed notes.

Notes: Frangipani, tuberose, jasmine, rose otto, tonka bean, sandalwood, ylang ylang, pink grapefruit, vanilla, anis fruit accord.

Which brings me to the seductive one.

On summer vacation evening I went out for a stroll along the seaside and as this was a quick weekend getaway I brought no perfumes and just fished out of my purse one of the samples I  always have there for backup. Turns out it was Andy Tauer’s Une Rose de Kandahar.

What an amazing perfume to wear on a hot summer night!

I would never have guessed it and feel a bit ashamed. I always felt ouds were too much for heat which is the opposite of where they originated. Luckily, I found out for myself how great they work in heat.  I could smell it wafting off of me all the time but in an easy wave that is enjoyable to smell. You’re not sure where it’s coming from but you like that it’s here and want it to remain in the air around you.

Notes: Apricot, cinnamon, almond, bergamot, Bulgarian rose absolute, rose from Kandahar, bourbon geranium, tobacco leaf, patchouli, vetiver, vanilla, tonka bean, musk and ambergris.

Being true to the introduction, I cannot describe it better than that it’s a rose oud but I’ll work on that. 🙂 I mean out of all these notes, in the drydown I get vetiver in addition to the beginning of rose and oud. Which also isn’t a note of this perfume (oud) but hell, obviously the base notes combine well to give that impression. And that makes it even more amazing.

Now that I wrote this, I realize that it’s the small niche brands I’ve been enjoying the most lately. Little gems of novelty brilliance in the sea of sameness.

I’m not gone just a bit MIA

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume July 20, 2014 Comments: 32

Dear readers, I feel like last couple of years all I do is plan on writing more and it always seems like I write less. 🙂

I don’t really have a good explanation why that happens as I have many perfumes in my queue I would love to write about, it just seems that life has some other plans that unfortunately intervene in the meantime. Life is usually unpredictable like that. 😉nev1

The last few months have been rather tumultuous when it comes to my life, what with the quantity of work I had to do, what with separation from my long-term boyfriend, and then finally with enrolling to get my driver’s licence. And that is just the three largest things that come to mind.

As none of that is finished yet, I am sincerely hoping I organize my time and mind in a manner that allows me to write (and smell) more.

That said, I will be finally getting some well deserved peace of mind and rest when my vacation starts on the 30th (of July). Luckily, that is not far away.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some general perfume thoughts I’ve been having lately:

  • I’m not really happy with the new L’Artisans even though they are Duchafour’s work
  • I am rather happy though with Cologne du Maghreb and finally understand Andy’s idea of spraying your body with a lot of cologne, works like magic! 🙂
  • The Scented Hound sent some amazing perfumes for me to try (and I did), now all I need is to give them more time and write about them
  • The longer I’m in this perfume world, the more I am starting to lean towards old style perfumery – French classics are taking over my heart
  • Helped by the new Coco Chanel biography I’m reading (well, I just started) – I have a feeling it will be a good one
  • Also, I really, really want to find an old version of Chanel 5 (see previous bullet) 🙂
  • And Paris has been on my mind lately for several reasons, perfumes, Coco Chanel and I’m re-reading Angelique, La Marquise des Anges after I saw the new movie (beats me why it got such bad reviews…)

 

P.S. The picture is of the weather we have once a week here (give or take a few days). It’s also a bit what my life has been like lately. Which is why I loved this Portia’s post where she hid a little gem of a sentence in about loving yourself.

Life is about to get better and more fragrant!

My summer perfume staples

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume July 7, 2014 Comments: 14

During the last few years, several perfumes have come into my summer rotation and stayed there. 🙂 Of course, I don’t use only these, but these are the ones I use the most.

For the beach

Bronze Goddess – ever since it came out, it’s been in my rotation, along with the body oil that comes with it.

 

For work (when it’s not too hot)

Vamp a NY –  I find it a perfect combination of flirty but nice and very likeable (many people have commented on it smelling great)

For hot days when almost nothing works 

Eau de Cartier – which as probably everyone knows is the perfume equivalent of Gin and tonic (with lots of ice if you ask me)

and Pamplelune – with its zesty refreshing feel

For balmy evenings

Guerlain Mahora – well, I’ve been applying this for those evenings when I’m going out. Seductive and velvety. Perfect!

(I linked to Kafka’s review of it – I really enjoyed it and have no review of my own – shame on me)

So tell me what are your summer staples? I am always open to adding to my list, especially if you have more cooling choices.

By what I smelled lately (or read about), Nuit Andalouse, Cologne du Maghreb and Terracotta le Parfum might be joining the list…

The Rose of Morocco – Andy Tauer’s Phi Une Rose de Kandahar

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume December 30, 2013 Comments: 19

Actually, it’s the rose of Afghanistan but I’m calling it the Rose of Morocco in my mind as it smells of dry and thorny rose, on the familiar Tauer base which always makes me think of L’Air du Desert Marocain (not that they smell similar).

But the idea of dryness and dust is there, accompanied by light acridness and the feeling of thorns being hidden so you better beware when approaching it.desert rose

HEAD NOTES: natural apricot extract,cinnamon,hints of bitter almond, bergamot essential oil.

HEART NOTES: rare rose essential oil with its unique scent of spices, plums and flower petals, rose absolute from Bulgaria, Bourbon geranium,dark tobacco fond, absolute of dried tobacco leaves.

BODY NOTES: patchouli, vetiver, vanilla and tonka, musk and amber gris.

I would say smelling the notes is not what is important here. Sure, I can smell the bergamot, spices and almonds in the opening together with a beautiful rose note. And then the warmth of the vanilla and tonka, together with a pinch of tobacco. Finishing off with a warm, dry base resting on incredible patchouli.

What I find incredible is that it actually smells and feels like a warm, dry, rough region where the most succulent rose comes from. Not that I would know what dry, rough lands smell like, whether in Afghanistan or Morocco, but in my mind, this is how.

And once the night falls down, the rose closes its petals and you are left with the warmth of dry lands, reminiscing what bounty there was to smell when the petals were open.

This rose has so easily captured my heart and climbed the list of my favorite rose perfumes.

My sample was provided through http://www.tauerperfumes.com/ and the notes were taken from there as well.

When perfume speaks, you can only listen – Pentachords by Andy Tauer

World of Perfume July 22, 2011 Comments: 20

I am happy to be able to host a guest post by Asali who was recently a lucky recipient of some Pentachords samples and I feel lucky she wanted to share her experience with us by writing a post. 🙂

Three samples from Andy Tauer’s new line Pentachords arrived at my door some days ago. Two of them would not leave me alone, but kept telling me to write, so I did.

Andy Tauer did the perfumer’s answer to the painter’s restricted palette, and wanted to show how to create beautiful and innovative fragrances out of only five ingredients. 
Let me start with Verdant which is an edt with notes of (in his own words) dewy leaves, suave leather, brown tobacco, sweet earth, vibrant amber. This fragrance is quite unlike any green scent I ever smelled before. It is definitely earth and leaves, both moist and heavy with scent. It’s not aiming at transparency nor is it a stylized picture of nature forced into a little neat pastel. This smells like nature when you’re out walking in the rain drenched woods in your mac and wellingtons.  The leaves I find are more soaked than dewy and have, together with the rain-wet soil, the slight sense of bitter decay.
Doesn’t sound good? Well, it is. It’s rather marvelous. Because the tobacco sets in and gives the scent warmth underneath the dampness, and the leather makes you feel well equipped for this kind of walk in the forest. The slight bit of amber in the base feels like the anticipation of being home again. For me personally, this fragrance evokes memories of my childhood spent in a daytime forest kinder garden, with no playground and actual playthings, just the grounds and the forest at our disposal. This was in the late 70’s, and I suspect the memory connected with this smell of woods after the rain together with the scent of pipe tobacco which hung in the smoking caretaker’s clothes, to me breathes comfort and safety.

 White is an equally surprising white fragrance, which gives the extreme quality bourbon vanilla scent off, so that it almost has a whiff of sweet tobacco, it’s both a tiny bit fluffy and at the same time retains a low sense of gravity, and again the sensation almost of damp earthiness .  In contrast to Verdant, and although I think Andy Tauer was inspired by a winter morning run for this one, I feel very much like this fragrance is the one you put on as you’d wrap yourself in a comfy shawl, once you’ve returned home from your country walk. You hang up the damp clothes, make a cup of vanilla scented tea, and comfy yourself up in the sofa with a good book, ah, and then just enjoy.

The violets then kick in, but only after a substantial amount of time with the vanilla, so beautiful and a bit powdery and yet so earthy and rich, a real surprise after the bourbon vanilla. The dry down of ambergris and warm wood, is the lovely base on which the two main players are resting. I like the way as you read the notes, and kind of second guess the fragrance, only to be proven utterly wrong. White has notes of Bourbon vanilla, orris root, violet blossom, amber gris and warm wood, and it’s lovely.

May I suggest if the ‘wildlife’ of verdant is a bit too much for you, that you might try layering. Oh, yes, I know the whole idea was to restrict the perfume to 5, but they do go awfully nicely hand in hand. Both have 8+ hours at least.

The picture I get from both fragrances, the stories they tell, the time travelling is so vivid, so beautiful I can only encourage everyone who reads this:  Do go and try all of the Pentachords, I’m sure you’ll find they will tell you your own story, if you’ll let them.

How to define extreme? Incense Extreme

World of Perfume May 26, 2011 Comments: 6

I’m one of those people who cannot remember definitions of anything or quote examples at the right moment or even remember what exactly happened when I got the idea in my mind. I just remember I got the idea, my beliefs are composed of all the things I heard and learned in life but I cannot exactly say what was the initial fact that got it in my head.

I don’t deal in facts and definitions – I deal in ideas and thoughts. Does that make sense?

So, I can’t give you a definition what anything extreme in perfume should be like. Because I just don’t know it.

But I got a general idea of what it means to me when applied to Incense Extreme by Andy Tauer.

The extremeness of this perfume for me lies in the fact that I never thought incense could smell refreshing.
Most of the time, incense is not a note I can wear. Yes, I can enjoy it in small quantities, especially if it’s not reminiscent of churches. But, I generally don’t have an urge to wear it except for special, thoughtfully relaxing situations.

And then, there is Incense Extreme. An incense I breathe in as fully as I can that refreshes me the instant it hits my smell receptors. How Andy did it, I don’t know but it’s great. 🙂

Notes: coriander, petit grain, incense, orris wood, dry woods, ambergris

I’m not going to talk about how it smells much. It starts off sharpishly refreshing, lightly tinged with green and I thought I caught barest powdery wisps in there.
A bit later, I get something smoky and to me, something that smelled a bit like smoked meat. 🙂 Anyway, the drydown is the most masculine of the perfume but that is no deterrent in my case.
I do believe this is  my favourite of the line, even though it’s hard to choose among several Tauers I love.

Notes and pic by: http://www.tauerperfumes.com/

Zeta – experiencing more than can be described

World of Perfume May 23, 2011 Comments: 17

I do wish that I wouldn’t so very often start reviews by saying I can’t really describe a perfume I’m reviewing as I lack words. 🙂 I mean, that kind of defeats the purpose of reviews.

But still, I want to give you my thoughts even if they cannot prepare you for the experience.
That is one thing I can say about Tauer perfumes, no matter how many reviews you read and you think you have an idea, usually it’s not even close. And I mean that in the best possible way.

I grew up with a linden tree in my yard, and I still adore that smell. But so far, all the linden perfumes I smelled just didn’t work for me. Yes, the linden note was unmistakeable but it came across as shrill and just not what I could wear.

Luckily, this is not the case with Zeta. But then again, Zeta isn’t really a linden soliflore perfume. It’s more the softest whiff of linden you would catch on a coldish spring morning before the blooms reach their full scenting power with the sun beating down on them. Which is the part where I get confused because upon first sniff, I am reminded of summery freshness in the guise of sparkling lemonade and barest whiff of sun creams on a breeze ( can’t help it if ylang always conjures that for me). Absolutely smile-inducing. 🙂 And then there is the thought of linden trees in the early morning.

But at least the scenery passing by my nose is wonderful. I’m also not the only one thinking along the lines of two seasons as you can see from Tarleisio’s review.

There is just one little thing I need to add. I get a little dirtiness from Zeta and I see Tarleisio is talking about honey but I don’t see it listed as a note (except as part of a rose). But it would definitely fit that little teaser in there.

Notes: bright chord of lemon and bergamot with a sweet orange note, ylang, orange blossom absolute and steam distilled neroli, Linden blossom, honey yellow rose, orris root, Mysore sandalwood, vanilla.

Bottom line is – you have to experience it and see for yourself where it takes you. I, go along for a ride through scent memories that hold no everyday stress and make me smile and relax.

Notes by: http://www.tauerperfumes.com/
Pic by: http://www.opg.mturic.net/

Lily of the valley in the forest

World of Perfume September 20, 2010 Comments: 6

There is a reason why my fragrant wardrobe does not include many florals and why I neither wear them not own them. Every once in a while I will come across a specimen that surprises me and works great with my skin but more often than not, that is not the case.

So you can imagine my chagrin when I finally got my hands on Carillon pour un Ange by Andy Tauer and after a great opening, it went down the path of so many florals and turned very shrill and sinus pinching on me. 😦

I was so very sad to smell that happening. Especially since the first burst of Carillon on my skin transported me straight to a forest after the rain where the lily of the valley grows in dark, wet earth. It is such a true rendition of that place that I couldn’t believe my nose. And I know what that smells like since I used to gather them with my mother (who adores lily of the valley flowers).

And there I was, walking in the woods among lily of the valley when the floral shrilliness hit me. I’ve read enough floral reviews so far to notice this thing does not happen to most people. I am one of the unfortunate ones. I am still not sure though if it’s florals or white musk that makes it happen (or they both work like that)but whatever it is, it hurts my nose.
Luckily, in Carillon it doesn’t last, so after  it’s gone, I’m left with the lily of the valley resting on my desk after I picked it off the wet forest floor. The scent is here but there is no more of that dark wetness of the forest where it grew.

Notes: rose, ylang-ylang, lilac, lily of the valley, jasmine, leather, ambergris, moss, woods

I saw reviewers mentioning hints of leather, I have to admit to not being able to smell it. But I do like the drydown, it’s very soft and makes me think I’m smelling some other perfum  the way it gets tamed. Because you know, Andy Tauer creations practically jump out on you from the bottle, and sparingly applying them is the way to go. They are not for the faint of heart, otherwise they may strangle you. 😉

Pic by: BACKYard Woods Explorer on Flickr

P.S. Yes, I did manage to post this originally without a title. 🙂

Checking my perfume learning progress

Uncategorized November 4, 2009 Comments: 2

It seems I found a way how to check how much I learned (or more likely didn’t) by smelling Andy Tauer creations. Yep, a good way to test how little I know.

I tried Lonestar Memories and Reverie au jardin. Ok, I did smell a bit more than the first time some months ago but there’s so much more there that my nose cannot get hold of. 🙂

Notes for Lonestar memories: geranium, carrot seed, clary sage, birch tar, cistus, jasmine, cedar wood, myrrh, tonka, vetiver and sandalwood.

The smoky tar hits you straight off, it has a bit strong opening (like all Tauer creations I tried). I get some herbal and fruity notes (got surprised by the fruit, I wasn’t expecting that). I did get hints of carrot (yeey for me) and supposed what smelled somewhat herbal was sage but that’s about it. The rest of the notes are a blur in a smoky, slightly sweet leathery setting that ends in the drydown with a burnt caramel note I completely love.

I have a bit of a problem with all Tauer creations so far – they are strong on the initial spritz and although I actually love all of those I tried, and I tried them on my wrist, I cannot imagine what it would feel like wearing them. They really need to be used sparingly since not only do they come on strong, they stay on forever. 🙂 Well, not forever but longer than anything I’ve been wearing/smelling lately.

I find them all terribly serious. They cannot be taken lightly or worn indoscriminately otherwise it might happen that the perfume is wearing you. 🙂

The second one I mentioned was Reverie au jardin. I realized lately I have a tenuous relationship with lavender – although I like the essential oil and the real-life plant, there are not that many perfumes that have a strong lavender that I find wearable, or even nice.

Notes: green and fresh lavender, galbanum, fir balm, bergamot, rose, frankincense, ambrette, flowery orris, vetiver, tonka bean, oakmoss.

It striked me as a clean and floral lavender before I read the notes. Than I realized it does smell fresh and that the clean part was probably my association regarding fir (so many cleaning product having that smell). Then I got a really strong citrusy feel for the lavender and after that, my smelling fell apart. I mean, everything coalesced into this joyful, loud, sunny, happy creation that I couldn’t for the life of me take apart. So I just kept smelling it and enjoying it. Of all those I tried recently, I don’t think I’ll be able to wear this one as often as others. I wish I could, but at the moment I don’t see myself as how I described it so we woulnd’t suit. But who says that’s not going to change come spring? 🙂 I certainly hope that the sun and greenery will be what it takes for us to get together again.

So, of the 4 I tested recently, my favourite is Lonestar memories. It even sounds like I feel these days.

REMINDER (again): You still have time to win a copy of the first novel in The Black Cobra quartet series, by Stephanie Laurens which, trust me, shouldn’t be missed. You never know, you might get hooked like me (and that’s not a bad thing). 🙂 Or at least have a little fun and spend a cozy evening reading a book that is made for anti-stress therapy.

P.S. I still have Une Rose chyprée to try and see how far I go. 🙂
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