Alessandro Dell’Acqua (woman) by Alessandro Dell’Acqua : Perfume Review

Born in the picturesque, stunning city of Naples, Alessandro Dell’Acqua hasn’t had an idle moment in the world of fashion ever since he received his degree in graphic design from the Accademia de Belli Arti. Having designed for several prestigious brands, including Iceberg and Mariella Burani, Dell’Acqua finally conquered the hearts of the Italian public with the launch of his very own prêt-a-porter line in 1996, which instantly made him a household name and an instant success. His first, eponymous fragrance (Alessandro Dell’Acqua), launched in 2001 with ad campaigns fronted by Helena Christensen and shot by photography giant Helmut Newton.

Alessandro Dell’Acqua has a rather strict distribution, and as such cannot be found as easily as most department store scents – I have never seen it sold here in the Netherlands for example. I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of this from a wonderful, lovely reader with whom I often exchange perfumed thoughts and sample packets. I was not familiar with the perfume, so it was the first thing I tested when I opened the packet, and despite its simplicity, I fell in love with it instantly. The official notes are quite deceptive: Geranium, Pelargonium, Sweet Pea and Coriander up top, peony, hibiscus, rose in the heart and incense, sandalwood and musk in the base. If one would only go by the official notes, the best guess would probably be that this is a rather heavy, sweet floral, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth! The official description of the scent however, touting this as a perfume “to be worn like a second skin” is not only faithful to the nature of the scent, but also completely accurate. Alessandro Dell’Acqua is indeed one of those wonderful fragrances that blur the lines between where one’s own skin scent ends and where the perfume begins. It is one of those fragrances that is unlikely to elicit a compliment about how good your fragrance smells, but rather one that will definitely incite others to proclaim that you smell great. It is a fragrance that is unashamedly, all about musk. From beginning to end, this rather linear scent revolves around its heart of beautiful musk, which is extremely evocative of clean, warm, sweet smelling skin. The smell is comforting and sexy at the same time and wears so comfortably it would be easy enough for me to forget I’m wearing perfume at all, if it wasn’t so addictive! I literally can’t resist smelling my arm over and over again just to get closer to the comforting, clean sensation it produces. Stunningly, each and every time I marvel at its ability to smell so human and so realistically like feminine skin, without a single hint of animalic tendencies. Aside from musk, Alessandro Dell’Acqua features the sensual floral scent of Sweet Pea and slight hints of powder, but what really adds to the experience and truly makes this juice complete, is the use of incredibly long-lasting aldehydes. Beautiful and mysteriously vague, slightly metallic and cool, the aldehydes give this perfume an essential lift, rendering the musk quintessentially effeminate and yes, chic. This utterly personal scent has quickly become a firm favorite of mine in the musk family. Beautiful!

Prada Pour Homme by Prada : Perfume Review

It has been a while since I last reviewed a masculine fragrance here on Fragrance Bouquet, even though several creations, some old and some new have caught my attention since summer. I cannot put off reviewing Prada Pour Homme any longer though, and not just because I’ve somehow ended up smelling it almost daily –either on my own skin or on others- for the last couple of weeks. The truth is, I am currently deeply enamored with it – I find it simply divine. I didn’t really know what to expect from it in the beginning: I didn’t fall in love with the female version and subsequently never actually bothered to smell Prada Tendre. I likely would not have bothered to seek out Pour Homme either, had I not smelled it on a friend who happens to wear it very, very well. Wondering whether it was just a case of good chemistry-perfume fit, I started testing it on my own skin, only to discover I was instantly hooked.

One likely reason I find myself so excited by Prada Pour Homme is that it is a very atypical male scent: It does not resemble any other mainstream fragrance marketed towards men right now. It feels almost as though it quietly mocks every aquatic, citrusy, or overly bracing and invariably yawnfest-inducing male release out there, inviting you to laugh with it, sharing in the joke. This is indeed a fragrance for the self-assured man who does not need to reassert his masculinity, or rather, mask his insecurities through his overly stout, manly scent. Where others insist on announcing their arrival, taking up space, enunciating their presence loud and clear, Prada Pour Homme is content to whisper seductively, inviting others to come closer instead. Gentle woody murmurs, musks, the creamy lather of soap and a smidgen of leather make up this gorgeous fragrance that serves to enhance the wearer’s own chemistry. This effect is so well done, that smelling it on another for the first time, it is hard to know whether what you are smelling is indeed perfume or the man’s natural own skin-scent. To me, its sensual yet slightly aloof scent evokes images of both colors and textures with ease, presenting me with a well constructed, layered outfit of soft grey flannel and silvery silk. The sensory experience gradually extends to bodily sensations...A smoothly shaven cheek, the slightly damp, still steaming from the heat, naked body of a just-showered man. When thinking of these sensations rationally I can’t help but translate them to less romantic, but indeed logical qualities: tender melancholy, intellect, sexiness and perfect grooming. And yes, the jus indeed encompasses all four with ease. Admittedly though, what I love most about it is its soapy muskiness. Now, I am aware the term soapy is not always used in a positive manner when it comes to perfumes, but really, there is absolutely no need to fear it in this context. Yes, Prada Pour Homme is indeed soapy, but its earthy smell of saffron and its infinitely sexy musk base save it from being either safe or overly clean. It is simply yummy and warm, the smell of sweet skin wearing nothing but a thin oriental ribbon.

If you fall in love with this as much as I do, may I also suggest you consider splurging on the shower gel as well? It is simply fabulous. I use it at night and find myself wrapped in its tender, comforting embrace all evening. Furthermore, it is surprisingly long lasting: When I wake up in the morning my shirt is completely infused with the lovely smell – something I’ve never actually experienced with a shower gel before.

Images: www.beadfx.com and www.shaving.philips.com (color adjustments by author)

Skin² by Ava Luxe : Perfume Review

Give me something that blurs the lines between the point where my own skin’s scent ends and the point where the fragrance itself begins and chances are I’ll love it. I passionately seek these fragrances out and it always gives me such a feeling of satisfaction when I find a new one to add to my collection. It comes as no surprise then, that when I found Ava Luxe a year or so earlier, the first fragrance I wished to sample was Skin². The blurb, which read “A wonderful classic skin musk scent. This is a clean and slightly powdery musk that blends with your natural skin scent and creates your own unique fragrance.” was simply irresistible. My expectations were so high, I was almost disappointed when my sample arrived. I was expecting the Holy Grail of skin-emulating scents; the skin scent that would end the search for any other once and for all. Of course, as any perfumista will confess, this is a futile aspiration: There is always something else to sniff. Hope springs eternal in the true perfume addict – there is always something else to sniff and who knows, it might be extraordinary, more extraordinary than last time. It is the search for the ultimate high, if not its darker twin, the search for the original high... But, as I was saying, the sample arrived and before I had the chance to be fully disappointed by the fact that it was not perhaps the One, I fell deeply in love. I placed an order for a full bottle the next day, without ever feeling the need for a second thought, for Skin² is, as it turned out, perfect.

There are so many things I find hard to pinpoint about this scent. One of them is why it feels so familiar, so comfortable. The first time I smelled it, I had this feeling of instant recognition, like meeting someone for the first time and having the feeling you’d met them before. The mind becomes confused, offering ridiculous explanations ranging from childhood occurrences to the even more unlikely memories belonging to the world of dreams. A year later, that peculiar feeling of deja vous is still there, but I can let go. Skin² and I have made our own memories together and they’ve slowly replaced the aimless search for something that is not really there. They are all beautiful memories – perhaps because it feels like nothing can go wrong when I wear this scent. Even though it is not what you’d call a “sunshine” scent, it is in my eyes wellbeing encapsulated. Its sense of comfort and balance is unparalleled, almost as though it works on a hormonal level. Or perhaps as though it contains positive energy. Describing how it smells without using the word musk over and over again is hard. I feel obliged to make it clear though –because the comparison has cropped up here and there in the past- that it does not smell anything like White Musk from The Body Shop nor like Alyssa Ashley’s Musk. Not by a longshot. I personally would say that it is in a way, clean and beautiful skin, but better. To fully appreciate it, one has to wait a while for it to warm up on the skin. It starts with a mind of its own, muskier, stronger than it will soon turn out to be. Then, sooner than you’d expect perhaps, it melds with the skin, becoming strictly personal, warmer, sensual. It is indeed slightly powdery, especially in the beginning, but at the same time very, very sexy. And then, there is this fascinating feeling of sweetness that never becomes full, just remains sheer, like an overall impression. Another thing that makes me fall in love with Skin² is the soft trace of what I interpret as the smell of a smooth spirit, like a very good, well-aged brandy. Which brings me to yet another thing I find hard to pinpoint about it... The peculiar sense of something vaguely woody in there, so minute that it can only be likened to a footprint in the sand, in the process of being erased by a gentle wave. I entertain the thought of the brandy again, aging for years in dark, wooden casks. These merest hints of something I cannot quite touch or explain still drive me crazy, like familiar words that have been jumbled beyond recognition. They are in all likelihood simpler than I make them out to be, I think to myself. But whatever they might be, I love them. As to whether this is my current holder of the Holy Grail of skin-emulating scents? No... But that’s a story for another day, isn’t it?

Image courtesy of http://specialoffers.starwoodhotels.com