Thursday 8 May 2014

Perfume Thursday Round Up



Each and every Thursday at Plush Folly we review a perfume that includes our aroma of the week. It's great for us as we get to try a range of exquisite perfumes that more often than not take us out of our comfort zone but it's also great for our readers as they get an unbiased review that is hopefully of interest!

In this post we're listing all of our previous Perfume Thursday posts but will, in the future, post them individually as each Thursday passes. 


So sit back, relax and catch up with all of our Perfume Thursday posts, you never know, you might find your next signature scent!




Prada - Infusion d'Iris

Perfume Thursday comes around so quickly! Today it's Cathy's turn to choose and she's gone for Prada Infusion d'Iris. 

Plush Folly panel views on this? Subtle, gentle, evocative, classy, "violets!", elegant, light, floral.

There are two types of orange and orange blossom in it but the floral element is far more apparent than the citrus to us - in fact soft violet is the initial overwhelming smell created by the components. It was fresh to begin with and we felt it wouldn't last long but 90 minutes later the smell is still apparent. Still waiting for the base notes of vetiver, benzoin and incense to appear-the perfume has changed only a little in 90 minutes.

Would we wear it? The verdict's out on this! 3 of the five of us think we might in the summer, the other two don't feel it's quite their style! Do any of you know it? We'd love to know your views!



Thierry Mugler - Angel

This week Sally has chosen Thierry Mugler's Angel for us all to wear. Jury's out on whether we love it or not! 

One of us used to sit next to someone who practically oozed it and found it overwhelmingly sweet and cloying - she remains unconvinced! It reminded one of us of Kylie and one of Gucci Rush. First comments were that it smelled of: plastic, dentists's gloves, dusty and sweet and when asked what we could identify there was amaretti, tonka bean and aldehyde c11 undec. 

An hour later, it hasn't changed too much but has lost a little of its weird edginess. Some of us like it better for that, some less!
Certainly intriguing, young, challenging - what do you all think?

Sally chose Angel as Tonka Bean is our smell of the week and certainly features in the perfume. Don't forget any orders placed tomorrow will get a freebie sample of our Tonka Bean Fragrance Oil!



Jo Malone - Pomegranate Noir

Perfume Thursday and today's perfume is Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone London as it contains our fragrance of the week - rhubarb. Alongside the rhubarb, other fruity notes include pomegranate, raspberry, plum and watermelon, floral notes are lily of the valley, rose and jasmine underpinned by woody notes of patchouli, cedarwood and guaiac wood. Add in the sweet/spicy smells - amber, white musk, pink pepper, clove, frankincense and myrrh and you've got quite a complex blend!

First impressions are light and sweet but the spices soon kick in. Some of us love it, the younger staff members feel it's for "older people" (thanks, we love you too!!). Undoubtedly unisex, some feel they'd prefer it on a man. 

Are any of you addicted to Pomegranate Noir?



Ormonde Jayne - Isfarkand

Perfume Thursday's treat today is Ormonde Jayne's 'Isfarkand' - in theory a man's perfume! On first sniff, Elaine picked out lime, bergamot and mandarin - lovely citrussy top notes - in with the Pink Pepper, cedar, iris, vetiver and oakmoss. 

We are surprised it's, in theory, a man's fragrance, and would definitely be happy to wear it. More unisex, perhaps? Like the printing on the back of the bottle as well as the front - not sure if the photos show that so well but the one on pink background shows the back of the bottle. 

Any of you know it? What are your views?



Lady Gaga - Fame

It's Perfume Thursday and today we're wearing 'Fame' by Lady Gaga. 

Overall it's quite a fruity scent with hints of Belladonna, Orchid, Apricot, Saffron and Honey all combined. 

Everyone agreed it was a pleasant, wearable scent suitable for both day and night thanks to the layered, dark and mellow Honey undertones.

Bryony can still smell it on herself roughly six hours after her initial spritz, so it seems to have a respectable wear time also.

Being a Lady Gaga perfume we were expecting something quite wild and weird. The black liquid form it comes in is intriguing but we'd go as far as to say the strangest thing about it is the scary and quite spiky over cap! Sally refers to it as 'Tame' as opposed to 'Fame' and we'd all have to agree with that here at PF HQ.

Has anyone else tried it? What are your thoughts on Celebrity perfume? Let us know!




Oscar de la Renta - Oscar Bamboo

Perfume Thursday really does come around quickly and this week we're focusing on Oscar de la Renta's 'Oscar Bamboo' - Bamboo being this week's fragrance, of course.

It's a very fresh and uplifting scent with huge bursts of Green and Fresh scents. We'd say it's a wonderful summertime scent, ideal for someone who isn't too keen on floral perfumes. 

It's very refreshing and bright with chunks of lime and bamboo leaves as well as a hint of water lily all incorporated.

We all really liked it, and its stunning bottle, each of us agreeing that it was inoffensive and easy to wear.

Thumbs up all round!

Anyone else have any suggestions for summer scents that aren't too floral or fruity? Anyone tried Oscar Bamboo? Let us know in the comments!



Roja Dove - Fetish

Welcome to this week's Perfume Thursday!

Today we’re feeling very special as we’re all wearing one of Sally’s absolute favourite perfumes: Fetish by Roja Dove.

It’s a bold perfume that knows how to make an immediate impact thanks to the bursting bergamot and petitgrain top notes which are quickly followed by some of our favourite floral notes, including rose and jasmine. The heady base notes, such as galbanum, vetiver (this week’s aroma) and castoreum, give it a leathery and smokey dark side.

Everyone in the office has really enjoyed wearing it. It’s long-lasting and complex and somewhat of a treat to wear. 

Sally and Nickie were lucky enough to meet Roja Dove at a perfume event, where they bought this bottle of Fetish, and were delighted when he signed the bottle and the box, making it a truly unique and desirable item in the Plush Folly office.

We’d love more Roja Dove perfumes, but sadly our budget just won't allow it! 

Has anyone else tried it? Does it sound like a perfume you'd wear? Let us know below!



Guerlain -  Insolence

Insolence by Guerlain is our featured perfume this Thursday!

On first spray you're hit with bold violet and raspberry scents which linger for some time but mingled beneath those notes lies a fruity cocktail combination that gives the perfume its overall sweet smell. As the perfume develops you're met with an array of florals quickly followed by subtle notes of Tonka.

Violet was by far the strongest note that we could smell, however the raspberry was competing with it well. Also, we were all able to smell the perfume wafting through the air with every movement we each made - putting a smile on our faces each time.

The quirky Alice In Wonderland-esque bottle completes the perfume's bold and confident signature style and makes this a true Plush Folly fave!

Guerlain have never been afraid to stand out from the crowd and Insolence is the perfect example of this...

Does anyone else share our love for Insolence? Let us know below.



4160 Tuesdays - The Sexiest Scent On The Planet. Ever. (IMHO)

A little while ago we posted about 4160 Tuesdays' perfume 'The Sexiest Scent On The Planet. Ever. (IMHO)' and now it's our chosen Perfume Thursday fragrance!

We can completely understand where the name comes from but it’s not the sexy we were anticipating. Instead it’s subtle, delicate and confident; essentially it’s sexy in another form, a sexy we all prefer. We can imagine it being worn on the girl who is effortlessly sexy, the one who causes heads to turn, the one who we all secretly wish to be.

It's unintrusive and gentle but at the same time quite sweet, reminding us of sherbet lemons and other sugary sweets. The perfume is a blend of Juniper Berry, Lemon, Bergamot, Iso E Super and a highly secret blend used to create its underlying woody tones. There’s a hint of vanilla in there too giving it a certain deliciousness. 

After wearing it for a few hours we can still smell it on our wrists but we can mainly smell the citrusy sweet notes. All in all it’s lovely, very wearable and perfect for any occasion.

Has anyone else tried it? Let us know what you think below!



Angela Flanders - Zanzibar 

Today at Plush Folly we’re all wearing Zanzibar by Angela Flanders for Perfume Thursday!

Atop a rich base of cedarwood and sandalwood lies a blend of ylang ylang, jasmine and rose and in the middle rests hints of lemon and exotic spices to create a luxurious floriental scent. 

Created for both men and women Zanzibar, upon first spray, is overcome but its rose and woody notes before it mellows down to a more powdery and subdued scent. The cedarwood is notable from first application too. We’d say it’s slightly more feminine than masculine, simply because the rose and other florals seem to be speaking the loudest, but when the woody notes display themselves it definitely has a masculine twist. 

The name of the perfume had us believing that Zanzibar would be bold and powerful, yet after wearing it for a few hours we believe it’s much more subtle than that, which is no bad thing. We can’t detect much spiciness in it, which is where our preconceptions about the boldness came from, but it does have a gentle way about it and is a great scent that is rich and warming.

Has anyone else tried Zanzibar or any other Angela Flanders perfumes? Let us know below!



Shay and Blue - Atropa Belladonna

Our Perfume Thursday choice this week is the wonderfully unique Atropa Belladonna by Shay and Blue.

In Italian, the name translates to Beautiful Lady but it is also a name for the rare plant, Deadly Nightshade. Deadly nightshade was ingested by Venetians in the 17th Century as it's natural toxins would cause the pupils to widen and dilate, giving a sense of possessive, hallucinogenic beauty.

This perfume has had the office divided due to personal taste - Nickie admitting she likes the smell but wouldn't want this to be her signiature scent and Ruby agreeing with our current work experience girls that Atropa Belladonna is one of their favourite kinds of perfume.

Sweet and juicy Black Currant hits you first before it deepens and mellows into a powdery, floral level with hints of Jasmine and Narcissus predominant. The base notes of Patchouli and Vanilla Bourbon create balance and retain the sweetness of the perfume respectively.

It's a beautiful and chic perfume which has a mesmerising and potent way about it, fitting the description of the Deadly Nightshade/Atropa Belladonna perfectly.

Has anyone else tried it? Do you find it too sweet or just right?



Paloma Picasso - Paloma Picasso

Today’s chosen fragrance for Perfume Thursday is Paloma Picasso’s ‘Paloma Picasso’.

First launched in 1984, this respected perfume is a mighty blend of green, woody and floral scents.

Opening with a peppery-fresh note of coriander combined with angelica and carnation, the perfume soon develops into a mustier, powdery scent thanks to the aldehydes that do eventually mellow down. Middle notes of ylang ylang, jasmine and hyacinth are interspersed with heavy base notes such as oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, tobacco blend, castoreum and civet musk.

On first spray it’s hard to ignore the connotations that it brings to mind: Grandma’s perfume, antiques, charity shops, generally just old fashioned perfume. However, don’t let this fool you because behind its dated exterior lies a pretty, floral scent that erases any previous opinions. 

Paloma Picasso, daughter of Picasso, has created a perfume that is truly reminiscent of the time of its creation. That’s not to say that it is not relevant now, it is, just simply on more vintage terms.

Has anyone else tried this classic? Let us know your thoughts and opinions below...



DKNY - Be Delicious Collection

It's that time of the week! Grab a cuppa and take a read through this week's extended Perfume Thursday!

With Red Apple being our aroma of the week we quickly decided that DKNY’s Be Delicious collection would make the perfect Perfume Thursday choice!

This ever-expanding collection of perfumes are bottled in cute and stumpy apple-shaped bottles to symbolise New York (The Big Apple, get it?) and although they look like apples, they don’t necessarily smell like apple or even have apple in them.

So yes, we’re bending the rules a bit because thanks to Nickie’s collection of DKNY Be Delicious perfumes we’ve had a chance to spray a variety of them – some containing red apple, some not. 

We’ve been using Fresh Blossom Juiced, Delicious Night, Red Delicious and the original Be Delicious and out of all of them, Be Delicious is probably our favourite. Bursting scents of apple hit you immediately giving it a powerful and fresh juiciness that we're sure anyone would enjoy!

Fresh Blossom Juiced is quite a simple scent, inoffensive to wear but because of that it’s quite a boring perfume. By that we mean it doesn't make us go “Ooh!” and rush to re-apply.

Delicious Night is quite different from the rest as it’s got a deeper and more complex life to it. It’s not sickly sweet like its sisters and fits its name perfectly.

Red Delicious is another one bursting with hints of apple, which is surprising as it has apple blossom blended with it, rather than red apple itself. It’s very soft but still very sweet. Not for lovers of heavier/woody perfumes!

Apart from Delicious Night, they all have a very similar scent and because that they aren't memorable individually and there’s not one that stands out on its own. They smell nice, but sadly they aren't spectacular.

They're also quite difficult to smell! Surprising seeing as we're covered in four different varieties; you'd think we'd be struggling to breathe past the sweetness!

Has anyone else got any/all from this DKNY collection?





Michael Kors -  Michael

For possibly the first time in Perfume Thursday history, each and every one of us (including this morning’s students) absolutely love our Perfume Thursday choice!

The perfume that’s got us feeling this way: Michael Kors’ ‘Michael’. 

This floral-woody scent is a sumptuous blend of predominantly floral notes nestled among some hefty and grounded base notes. Subtle helpings of freesia, incense, osmanthus and tamarind are layered above lashings of tuberose as well as iris, peony, orris, lily. The base notes include musk, cashmere wood and vetiver.

By description, it’s floral heavy but when you smell it and wear it, it definitely doesn't scream flowers. The vetiver has helped it find a universal balance, making it suitable for all. 

Overall it’s feminine, sexy and bold without being heady or overpowering. By wearing it, you’ll feel confident and in control – empowered even. We’ve been bringing our noses to our wrists all day to steal a sniff of it’s beautiful scent as if it has some kind magnetic power.

Can you tell that we're in love? 

Has anyone else tried this or any other of Michael Kors’ scents? Let us know below...



Guerlain - Mitsouko

Thanks to the lovely Stephan Matthews, this week’s Perfume Thursday choice is the glorious and widely celebrated Mitsouko by Guerlain.

Created in 1919, Mitsouko is a complex blend of rich and warm notes. Bundled into the mix lies a heady helping of oakmoss alongside notes of peach, bergamot, jasmine, may rose, cinnamon, vetiver and wood. 

Its complexity has lead to it being mysterious in character as it’s difficult to pin-point one or two smells in particular – it’s like a highly kept secret.

For us, Mitsouko conjures up thoughts of the colder seasons, Autumn in particular. With one smell of the perfume you’re transported to a damp, earthy forest, walking through the fallen amber leaves. 

Mitsouko sits firmly within the green/chypre families and exudes a sensual elegance that is impossible to ignore. It’s mature, superbly sophisticated and has almighty staying power. 

It is quite an intense scent, especially upon first spray, but as the day goes past the scent mellows and becomes a more subdued and wearable version of itself.

Has anyone else used Mitsouko? What do you think? Any questions, ask below...



Viktor and Rolf - Bon Bon

It’s Perfume Thursday, the day you've all be waiting for, and we can reveal the perfume we’re wearing – and one of you will be winning (see details below) - is... Bon Bon by Viktor and Rolf! 

Currently sold exclusively at Selfridges in the UK and Saks in the US, this gorgeous little number is as sweet as its name suggests but is in no way sickly or overpowering. 

Spoonfuls of caramel wrapped around a beautiful blend of fruity, floral and woody notes give it a well-designed balance and successfully create a perfume intended for guilt-free self-indulgence! We can’t get enough of it!



Burberry - Touch for Men

As you probably know, we’ve worn and reviewed perfumes aplenty at Plush Folly but for this Perfume Thursday we’ve decided to unleash our masculine side and try an aftershave!

The aftershave in question is Burberry Touch for men and we really like it...

It features our aroma of the week Artemisia which gives it a bright and bold freshness. On first spray it seems quite strong but after a short while the scent mellows to become much more subdued. 

Touch for men also includes violet leaf, mandarin, nutmeg, white pepper, cedar, tonka bean, vetiver and white musk and the end result is a complex and beautifully blended musky, woody and fresh scent. 

We’ve really enjoyed wearing it and, for both the partnered ladies in the office and the single ones, we’d be happy if our boyfriends/husbands decided to wear it. 

It’s quite a secretive and intimate scent in that you’d have to get quite close to the wearer in order to smell the aftershave properly. On a man we all agree this would be preferable as men might not want wear an aftershave for the same reasons that women do. However, Touch for men has just enough scent give an effortless yet conscious impression from the wearer without being overpowering.

Has anyone else tried this one? Let us know below!

Stella McCartney - Stella



Today's Perfume Thursday fragrance is the rather delicious Stella in its limited edition Print Collection form. The bottles are beautiful - an edgy, colourful snakeskin print (we have the blue) in perfect handbag size. 

A floral fragrance for women, it includes Rose, Amber (our smell of the week!), Mandarin and Peony. And consensus is that we love it!

Long-lasting without being overpowering, floral without being either girlie or reminding us of our grannies, we're impressed. It is pretty and easy to wear, settling into a gorgeous, sophisticated but slightly quirky, rose smell after the initial Mandarin hit. Amber is subtle in there - possibly what makes the Rose smell more, well, grown up! 

Well done, Stella McCartney, a big thumbs up all round for both the smell and packaging. Do any of you own it? what do you think?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I love Perfume Thursday and here they all are for me to drool over again! Fab x x x

Chichi said...

Fab! Perfume Thursday and now I can find them all in one place to drool over lol x x