Eau de Sisley 1, 2 & 3 by Sisley : Perfume Reviews

While most brands seem to be churning out perfumes at a pace that is hard to keep up with and even harder to take seriously (does this sort of strategy actually work I wonder? Do big-brand perfumes manage to make the marketing money back without ever being allowed to reach a sort of mythical, romantic status?), Sisley has been setting and following its own pace for decades, releasing a new perfume about every…16 years. All three of them have been stellar. Now, in just half of the time that it has so far taken the company to release a new scent, they have produced not just one, but three brand new perfumes. The fragrances in the trio, a collection of fresh eaux de toilette are simply named Eau de Sisley 1, 2 & 3. But neither the simplicity of the names nor the sudden, so far unprecedented for the brand faster-paced concurrent releases are indicative of a compromise in the quality of the end products. Sisley remains stellar in the perfume department: all three are simply wonderful!

Eau de Sisley 1: This should be evoking a “sunkissed summer dress, brimming with the mystery of a summer garden.", but thanks to the darker character of the aromatic, bitter, evergreen scent of juniper berries, 1 has the most masculine opening of the three. The opening is most evocative of the perfect gentleman’s fresh cologne (think Eau Sauvage, which it resembles in the opening, not in terms of scent but of character). Once the dark, sophisticated bitterness of the top notes flies off, 1’s masculinity gives way to a completely unisex composition. The sun shines through almost blindingly with delicious notes of citrus fruits. Sweet juicy lemons form the golden yellow canvas that is accented with the sexy warmth of grapefruit and the sparkling aroma of lime and tangerine. The lemon scent becomes tarter as time goes by, but the scent itself becomes ever calmer and smoother. The main impression changes from sunny yellow to a field of green. In fact, the scent becomes greener and greener with the passing of time. The slightly astringent feel of green tea blends seamlessly with a green accord that smells like freshly cut young grass with all its lovely milky, deep aspects and hay simultaneously. There is a slight floralcy, a delicate sweet scent of jasmine but it remains subtle enough to be a mere suggestion, mostly functioning as a lovely sweet impression. The drydown is a smoother, less floral and rather muskier interpretation of the lovely green accord.

Eau de Sisley 2: The most romantic of the trio, 2 begins with a subtle, creamy and slightly soapy aldehydic floral cord of bergamot and honeysuckle. In fact, the opening is truly reminiscent of Yves Rocher’s Chevrefeuille, albeit far more intense and infinitesimally chicer in character. While 1 is spring and summer in fields of green with no urban constructions in sight, Eau de Sisley 2 is a wonderful demonstration of spring city-chic. Spring, a season in which clothes can be airy and sensually light, but still allows for longer sleeves and tailoring, unlike the more unforgiving summer season. The spicy yet smooth hints of cardamom lend to this air of sophistication and the honeysuckle underscores the romanticism of the scent. The heart is unabashedly floral, with fruity hints. Water lily and cyclamen aldehyde with its fresh, cucumber-lily of the valley green scent lend a watery, aqueous overtone to the heart notes, over the subtler undertone of dewy rose. The overall feel is slightly sharp and bracing, while there is a smoother, creamy undercurrent very evocative of expensive moisturizing cosmetics. The transition from the aqueous floral notes to the woody base notes is eased by lovely vetiver which combined with slightly smoky cedar make the drydown darker. In all honesty, this is my least favorite of the three, even though it is still beautiful. The problem is that I keep hankering after the magnificent opening with its chic honeysuckle romanticism, so I tend to resist the sharp turn it takes as time goes by. I am generally not a fan of watery notes (although there are few exceptions), but this is not the problem in the case of 2, since they are subtle and fitting. My problem is the fruity sharpness in the blend. I would have been in love had it retained its 70’s floral romanticism. However, restrained application will serve lovers of floral-aldehydic perfumes well: if you allow the creaminess of this scent to shine through, you’ll have a refined winner in your hands.

Eau de Sisley 3: My absolute favorite of the three! Oh, this is beautiful! I did not get a basil note in 2 where it is actually listed as an official note, but I get a huge blast of basil in 3. Rustling the leaves of the bushy basil releases a most fragrant, slightly camphoraceous aroma in the air, with extremely subtle hints of licorice and clove. This fabulous experience is magnificently replicated in the opening of 3, joined with spices and sparkling bergamot. While 1 and 2 both manage to successfully impart the sense of a sunny day, 3 is to me the slightly cooler summer dusk, that particular window in the long days of summer when the sun is setting but the sky is still white instead of flooded with colors of orange and mauve. Osmanthus lovers rejoice, because this is a particularly lovely, uniquely soft rendition as offered in the heart notes. The fruity aspects of the blossom are wonderfully complemented by smoooooth, creamy apricot and peach. The fruitiness of the scent is gently hugged by the milky green scent of crushed fig leaves, possibly the most genius addition of a note in this scent as it projects it to perfection. Surprisingly (I don’t know if it is just me, but this is strange), I get more lemony accents with the passing of time, instead of indentifying them in the opening. The drydown retains traces of the lemony freshness still in fact, but rounds them up with the sweetness of vanilla and a glorious musk scent that is rendered earthy with hints of vetiver. Absolutely perfect.

Chypre lovers looking for a summer scent will love Eau de Sisley 1, while lovers of Patricia de Nicolai’s Eau Turquoise and Vie de Château will love Eau de Sisley 3. I'd classify both 1 and 3 as unisex, eaux fraîches type of scents, while 2 is decidedly feminine.

In terms of longevity and intensity, 2 is not only the most intense but also the most long-lasting – no need for reapplication here. It is followed by 3, which albeit not as intense, develops beautifully and has the perfect projection (in my opinion) for a summer scent. 1 tends to stay closer to the skin and will need reapplication often throughout the day. Considering its dazzling freshness, I don’t necessarily consider this a shortcoming: its scent dictates it should be worn as a fresh, cooling cologne as need arises during hot weather. The bottles however ARE expensive, so that makes it rather uneconomical, if not downright off-putting.

Lastly, I'd like to close this post with a smile, a thank you to Sisley, for paying homage to their chypre roots and remaining green in a decidedly pink, fruity-floral world.

Ma Folie de Noel by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz : Perfume Review

Do you remember how easily reality could change into enchanted playgrounds when you were a child? Do you remember how the air itself in an old cellar could suddenly assume presence, cold and damp, smelling of something far away, possibly touched by wizardry? Creatures would lurk in shadows and treasures untold were waiting to be discovered in long disused drawers. With no adults around to break the spell, nothing was ordinary and everything was potentially magical. The portals to other worlds were there all the time, their smells and textures enhanced tenfold. True magic, better than any novel, better than any dream; Russet velvets and gold coins, smells of dust and dried flowers and furs in the closet, fruits and nuts in a basket that may or may not have been made of wax, spiderwebs sparkling with dew and countless colorful buttons in an intricate box saved by grandma... all magic, all toys, all props for the wondrous worlds only a child’s fantasies could create. Do you remember? I had forgotten... And then my sample packet from DSH arrived and I felt drawn into this time-warp, only to emerge on the other side almost tearful for the witchcraft lost in time. I’ve fallen in love with these scents, so unlike anything else I’ve ever smelled, so unlike every other perfume that fits my adult world perfectly. These are scents that enable the wearer to suspend belief, bend reality, bring back the magic. They are a bit in fact, like wearing a fairytale.

Her scents make me smile, they make me curious, willing to explore like a child. They make me forget about time constraints, they re-introduce me to a world full of enchantments. They evoke memories and feelings. From the moment I started sampling them I have been overwhelmed by my own excitement and I’ve regretted not discovering them sooner. The scents I have sampled so far are not ones I can imagine wearing with a sharp suit, as I would for example something by Sisley. I did mean it when I said that these scents are unlike anything that perfectly fits my adult world. They are softer around the edges; they are moments in time, the part of a cloud where the sun breaks through, a memory, a strange object out of a treasure chest. I cherish them. There are so many things that I can wear with high heels and a crisp white shirt and so few that make my heart feel this long-lost delight with everyday beauty.

The first DSH fragrance I have chosen to review is Ma Folie de Noel, a scent that perfectly describes the wistfulness so many of the samples evoked inside me. In fact, it is a scent that coincidentally also describes Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s own nostalgic childhood experiences, being an amalgam of Holiday scents from her past. I can’t say that it conjures similar Christmassy memories for me too – my own Christmases were filled with very different smells: spice, cinnamon, cloves, icing sugar, almonds, orange rinds and myriads of traditional Greek delights. This fragrance has nevertheless touched me with its beauty, even though the name does not fit my own view of the winter holidays. Ma Folie de Noel opens with a very prominent anis note of remarkable beauty. It does not feel thick or heavy, but transparent and watery, like a mist. Then slowly, it becomes candied, like boiled anis sweets. There is a certain chocolate undertone there, and indeed, every time I wear Ma Folie de Noel, this stage makes me think of eating good dark chocolate with lovely, crunchy, tiny anis-candy fragments in it. As the chocolate disappears, the anis remains for a while still, this time with a peculiar, nutty vein running through it. The scent intensifies, gaining momentum, becoming warmer and spicier as time goes by. Smelling close, I can clearly discern the base on which it is built – a lovingly built tier of resinous musk. It feels as though the base notes are flowing upwards, permeating the ceiling through the mezzanine. The anis note now entirely gone, we enter the most luxurious phase of this perfume. A gentlemen’s club, with the light smell of vanilla-scented cigarette smoke lingering in the air, desks topped with buttery leather and unfinished glasses of Rémy Martin Cognac littering the small round tables. I love how the boozy smell of cognac and vanilla smoke enfolds my skin... There is a certain masculine sense there, that makes me want to bury my nose in my own skin – I find it immensely comforting and sexy at the same time. I also find it strange that in this stage I perceive the opoponax as smelling of wonderful, sweet leather when combined with the cognac and vanilla. Is it just me? But I digress... The anis is resurrected in the drydown, this time very light, understated and tame. It flows seamlessly through as the cognac note dissipates, smelling faintly of the lightly aniseedic flavor raisin pips impart when crushed. It is now that the opoponax note truly shows its beauty. It is dark and sweet and ever so lightly smoky, blending gorgeously with the smell of the skin itself. It positively enhances the skin’s own scent, creating an ultra-seductive musky murmur. It imbues the skin with warmth, a veil of saturated darkness, lit from within with joyous flames. If I could only describe the feeling it gives me, it would be that of a happy winter heart. It is the feel of my skin, finding warmth under a cashmere-silk blend sweater, snug under a soft leather jacket, walking the silent wintry streets in the arms of my loved one. If I could describe the perfect occasion instead, it would be in front of the fireplace on a cold snowy night. This has definitely become my favorite comfort/sexiness blend. I must have it – I don’t think the sample is going to last me through the month, let alone winter.

Images:
Vintage buttons courtesy of www.buttonzjewelry.com
Picture of Anis de Flavigny candy courtesy of www.cadeaux.com
Image of winter night, courtesy of www.worldisround.com, made by Shahram Razavi.