Showing posts with label narciso rodriguez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label narciso rodriguez. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her: fragrance review

There are brands conceived to claim something very potent, to break with the mold of their times, and to establish themselves in the market, spawning a thousand variations on their theme in their wake. Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her is not only a sort of a pioneer (albeit indirectly), coming out in the market as a "nouveau chypre"—a modern take on the mossy "chypre" family of perfumes—but also one of its most radiant representatives: it's hard not to notice a wearer of Narciso For Her, even though the scent itself isn't particularly pungent in any of its broken-apart constituents; not too harsh, too sweet nor too bitter, it's however very noticeable and radiates for miles.

via

Technically Narciso For Her is a floral woody musk, not a proper "chypre" perfume (chypres are a classic fragrance family of very perfume-y scents with a floral heart sandwiched between fresh bergamot on top and the tension of trickle-like, leather-smelling labdanum resin and mossy, inky oakmoss, from a parasite growing on oaks, in the less volatile stages of the fragrance's development) Narciso For Her instead constructs the scent on vetiver (a Far East grass with a fresh and earthy feel) and fractalized patchouli, meaning a "cleaned up" patchouli essence, manipulated in the lab to divest it of its more hippie-like facets for which the natural extract, with its dirty chocolate overtones, is famous.
The floral component in Narciso is all a fantasy of abstraction: the orange blossom and osmanthus notes are registering as an intense sweetness, but you cannot bring yourself to proclaim "this is X flower, that is Y." Fans often say it doesn't smell like perfume per se and this is its major draw.

The aromachemical Amberlyn (a variation on woody amber notes, another name for Ambrox) plus a cluster of musks supports the floralcy, but most importantly gives tremendous diffusion and lasting power, without gazing everyone in close proximity, the pitfall of many a potent fragrance. The ingenious quality of Ambrox is its ability to come into and out of focus at intervals without being perceived as anything concrete; the person wearing the scent or someone sitting close by that person isn't constantly aware of the potent aromachemical. This allows for the necessary breathing space, alongside the clean egyptian musk at the core of the Narciso For Her scent, but also the necessary time chasm that gives us license to re-appreciate a beautiful thing we have come in contact with. "Look. Turn away. Now look again." If that is the definition of a beautiful human being's impression on those who pass him/her by on the street, Narciso For Her is its analogy in scent terms; smell, now forget about it, then smell again and be charmed anew.

For a breakdown of the concentrations (eau de toilette, eau de parfum, musk oil etc) & flankers of Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her fragrance, refer to THIS GUIDE.

More Narciso Rodriguez fragrance reviews and news HERE.
Musk fragrances guide and reviews HERE.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Scents for a Good Hair Day: Is it Advisable to Spray Perfume in Your Hair?

Hair scenting has been a big trend for a few seasons now, eschewing the matter of potential allergens, since hair can't react, and providing formulae that won't dry out delicate hair cuticles like alcohol-based products such as eau de toilette or eau de parfum does. As the company claims, "a blend of moisturizing oils provide a veil of fragrance and subtle shine".

Hair Mist is a form of fragrance product that has been gaining in popularity for a reason. Hair mists in several fragrance lines are a wonderful and relatively newer product that can be applied on the hair without damage. They typically contain water, added scent, soluble silicones and emulsifiers and little else, so they bypass the main culprit of a regular bottle of eau de toilette or eau de perfume, namely alcohol. They come in the form of spray mists that can be directly applied on the hair or on the brush and they impart a light veil which holds its scent for more than a couple of hours.



There are several companies and brands that have invested in this market and I have some recommendations to make accordingly.

Tocca has come out with 5 scents for their Hair Mists: Florence (floral with violet), Cleopatra (ambery spicy), Colette (fresh citrus with juniper and musk), Liliana (fresh peachy neroli and gardenia) and Stella (refreshing freesia and lily with musk). The bottles look as cute, or even cuter than the actual eaux de toilette and the scents project credibly, if subtler.

White Moss Nourishing Hair Perfume by Acca Kappa was formulated to envelop the hair in a pleasant, delicate scent while at the same time contributing to its beauty. According to Acca Kappa, it “contains a hydrolyzed corn, wheat and soy protein complex chosen for its hydrating and nourishing action. The organic green tea and red grape vine extracts help protect the hair against damage caused by external aggressors. The fresh white moss scent will leave your hair pleasantly fragranced.”

The offerings in Thierry Mugler Angel and Narciso Rodriguez For Her are particularly caring and they smell very nice indeed. In the case of Angel, in fact, this is probably the very best way to carry this powerhouse of a scent; the hair product retains the wonderful gourmand and patchouli qualities without overpowering anyone in the vicinity.

Chanel is another company who regularly offers hair mist products and those come in a variety of fragrances: No.5, Chance and Chance Eau Tendre are available in hair mists as we speak and they come in beautiful bottles that adorn the dresser at a relatively lower price point; good news if you want some Chanel but are budget-restrained. There is also the dedicated Balmain Hair Perfume (shown above) which is a separate product that is constructed to be a scent that adapts well to use in hair, although the promise of a fragrance is probably a bit too much considering the simpler peachy nuance that recalls hair products. 

Dior's J'adore Hair Mist is another good product, retaining the characteristic bouquet of the eau de parfum, as is Miss Dior Parfum pour les Cheveux. Byredo Blanche Hair Perfume is a great long lasting option of warm clean musks, and Carnal Flower Hair Mist by Frederic Malle is the supremely indulgent option, great for those loving the green fresh tuberose scent and wanting to be surrounded by it all day long! Frederic Malle has recently also issued Portrait of a Lady in a Hair Mist formula; the gorgeous combination of rose, patchouli and incense rests on a bed of smoky amber that makes a deep impression and creates an intense mystery.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Narciso Rodriguez Essence Eau de Musc: new fragrance


Narciso Rodriguez is crazy about musk, his fetish material...as we needed reminding. His eponymous creation (the many confusing concentrations broken down in this article) is full of the warm, intimate aura of a "clean" musk. For women who like musky scents as much in order to reveal the femininity inside every woman, Rodrifuez issues a new flanker to his Essence fragrance, called Essence Eau de Musc.

The new eau de toilette will be available from February 28th 2011 and is inspired by the house’s latest perfume, Essence (reviewed here), but introduces more floral-sparkling facets, highlighting the delicacy of the white musks trail. The heart allies the musky notes with bergamot and iris.
“It’s an airy and luminous fragrance that reflects a new energy and a lighter state of mind,” according to the official blurb. The mirrored bottle has gotten more slender for the occassion and the package has been updated, too. Narciso Rodriguez Essence Eau de Musc will retail from 49, 75 to 95 euros for 50ml, 100ml and 125ml respectively.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Narciso Rodriguez Musk Collection: new fragrances

Narciso Rodriguez, the man under whose name one of the most successful and prolific (in its influence to the market at large, the precursor of the nouveau chypre) new feminine fragrances was first issued, Narciso For Her (2004), is unstopable.
Not only he brought out the masculine counterpart Narciso For Him in 2007 and Essence last spring but he is now issuing a Musk Collection (There is a similar project of light musks collection masterminded by Tom Ford, launching soon).
The two versions of Her and Him will be limited editions in shiny bottles (a nod to Essence's terrific facade?). Narciso Rodriguez for Her limited edition Musk introduces musk in the central role, along with notes of ylang-ylang, jasmine and orange blossom. Narciso Rodriguez for Him limited edition Musk, will fuse musk with essences of iris and red berries.

The bottles come in 50ml/1.7oz and will cost 62 and 44 euros respectively. Launching September 1st.
They look good!


Related reading on Perfume Shrine: The differences between concentrations of Narciso For Her, NR Essence fragrance review, Upcoming Releases

Pics via punmiris

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Warm Weather Aquarelles part 1

Warm weather almost de iuro demands a lighter disposition and a scent to match it. One which might unfortunately be dismissed by serious fragrance enthusiasts as...watered-down. Not unjustly market reality has objectively proven that often this is not too far off the mark, making many of us wary of summery editions as non-sensical or even a blatant rip-off. Yet sometimes a twist here or there might make a previously opaque and opressing scent just right and pliable to more ethereal moods. The latest edition of French Vogue has a small selection of recommendations for diaphanous and refreshing fragrances for the warmer months ahead. The choice is among some of the latest or upcoming releases and -let's be realistic- it is to be expected in a publication which is largely dependent on advertisers. This is why you will not see niche recommendations on this list, but instead major players in the industry. In fact there is a bit from everyone, so that no major Group is left out. But perhaps I am meowing too much! The main interest and the reason I decided to include the selection on PerfumeShrine is that it allows a glimpse into how the French -and consequently the European, and further on the international- market is shaped. Here is the list of 10 spring and summer scents with commentary and links to articles/reviews of my own.


Dior Miss Dior Chérie L'eau: The fresh accent of gardenia promises to take the popular flanker out of the super-sweet gourmand territory of candy-country Miss Dior Chérie ~ though I simply adore its commercial! In this version I like the lightly green colour and the simpler flacon. (sug.retail price: 59,01€ )

Essence de Narciso Rodriguez: Supposedly a light fragrance based on musk, which surprisingly is formidably tenacious to the point of never quiting (musks tend to hang on for a long time). A smidge of amber warms the proceedings giving the warm skin feel, although the overall impression is one of laundry day; the soapy aldehydic impression very prominent! Not as distinctive as the regular Narciso for Her and its many confusing concentrations, more unisex, but quite pleasant in an unexpected way.
Full review here. (sug.retail price: 72€)

Beige de Chanel : Frangipani, ylang ylang and jasmine bring out a discreet note of honey, making the whole smell like upscale shampoo. The "clean" trend hasn't expired but has conquered even the mightest bastions. Pretty, if a little unexciting for the price and exclusivity. Full review here. (sug.retail price at Chanel boutiques: 200€).

Flora de Gucci : Floral as suggested by the name, based on rose and osmanthus (a Chinese blossom of almost suede-like apricotty tonalities). I expect quite a bit of clean notes too! Full article here. (sug.retail price: 50€).

Burberry Summer Here we tread on fruity avenues once again: litchi, mandarin and blackcurrant ally with "water jasmine" (hedione is more like it) and rose. Reportedly very fresh and scintilatting. We'll see...(sug.retail price: 55€).

Calvin Klein CK One Summer Another limited summer edition of CKOne (there is one evey summer, mainly changing the bottle colouring) focusing on grapefruit, orange pulp, mandarin and fresh mint for a vitamin cocktail when there is shortage of energy. Personally I don't expect it to distance itself damatically from the tried and true of lime on a clean musk gush of frosty wind. (sug.retail price: 49€).

Eau de Shalimar by Guerlain The sunny notes of bergamot and citron bighten up the vanillic base making it excellent for summer and any other time time-tested regular standby Shalimar is too much. Full review here. (sug. retail price: 86€).

Flower by Kenzo Spring Edition The smashing best-seller of powdery notes in the poppy-crowned bottle, Flower by Kenzo, has several limited editions. This one focuses on mandarin and ginger accents that contrast with the violet and white musk notes of the original.(sug. retail price: 49€).


Very Irrésistible Récolte/Harvest 2008 by Givenchy Givenchy has adopted the habit of picking one note of the bouquet of their fragrances each year and investing in a specific harvest of it that is meant to denote millesime quality, such as in wines. An idea that was first explored by L'Artisan with their Harvest scents. This year's Very Irrésistible will highlight Rose Damascena, harvested at Isparta in Turkey. I haven't sampled it yet, but I recall being impressed only by the Organza Jasmine Harvest 2007 (sug.retail price: 90€).

Angel Sunessence by Thierry Mugler. Bergamot and hibiscus will garland the well-loved patchouli and vanilla accord of perennial best-seller Angel, lightening it considerably. If the previous twist on classic Angel, Eau de Star, is anything to go by I am curious to test this one! Full article here. (sug.retail price: 59€)


On the second part I will propose my own warm weather aquarelles recommendations. Stay tuned!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Frequent Questions: the differences between concentrations of Narciso Rodriguez For Her

Narciso Rodriguez most successful foray into fragrance so far has been his original Narciso For Her. We were discussing the other day while reviewing his new Essence how Narciso For Her became the kickstart of a whole new genre of modern fragrances that aim at the young-ish demographic yet do not smell of fruity cocktails or vanilla desserts and for that he should be applauded. However the range of this fragrance is rather confusing to say the least, as every product in it has some difference in smell and packaging. To elucidate matters and help readers along, I am hereby trying a breakdown of all the different versions in packaging with reviews and comparison on the Narciso brand fragrances themselves.

The original fragrance appeared first as Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Toilette in a black austere bottle painted from the inside, so that there is a clearly discernible "edge" of clear glass at the bottle and the sides (this allows one to judge how much juice is left in the bottle too!). The lettering is in pink as is the box (where the letting is in black). I fell in love with this as soon as it hit the stores and I still cherish it. People of all walks of life loved it and there is a reason: It is soft, "clean" in the most sensuous sense of skin that has been bathed but is living its day along nevertheless; musky in the sense that it beckons you closer radiating harmonious warmth; and feminine all at once. Three days into faithfully wearing it, a compliment: "You smell very nice , like expensive soap! What is it?" Although I don't peg it as soapy, it gives an enigmatic vibe between just showered and sighing under a caress that won't remain at that for long. Its plaint nature makes it meld with one's personal smell ceasing to be something that floats above it and clinges on to clothing and bed-sheets in the most gracious manner.
The Eau de Toilette version is the most sillage-worthy (meaning it leaves a trail of scent behind when you wear it) and projects quite potently.
Interestingly, several people however have trouble smelling it properly due to specific "musk anosmia" (a common condition in which certain musks remain undetected from the nose, hence perfumers used a multitude in a single perfume so that the nose picks at least some). Others with less of a threshold for "living" smells report it is a bit "dirty" for their taste. As always in the subjective matters of fragrance opinions, your safest bet is trying it out before buying. Having said that it is terrifically well-made, even if I suspect it might be 100% synthetic, and a best-seller for all the right reasons!

The parfum concentration of Narciso For Her comes in a roll-on 10ml/0.33oz for the purse (depicted on the right), in clear glass with black painted on the inside. The scent is the same, although the volume and sillage are being a bit toned down as the fragrance is smeared on rather than sprayed, which produces a difference in evaporation of the molecules. The lasting power is very good, same as with the Eau de Toilette, although the same problem with musk anosmia surfaces again for several people.
As of 2012, the previous version of the purse roll-on has been discontinued and a new Narciso for Her extrait de parfum version is issued with a dabber style bottle with a black curvy cap, as depicted above.


The bottle that is black on the outside, same design as the Eau de Toilette, without clear glass edging however, in a pour bottle, is the Narciso Musc for Her version. The lettering is again in pink, reading Musc for Her. Beware the confusion as this is a completely different scent: this is pure Egyptian musc lacking the floral tone (orange blossom) and alcoholic sharpness of the Eau de Toilette as well as the patchouli-woods base. The scent is the softest, most erotic thing one could wish for in the "clean" lightly powdery musks genre and although it is based on Abdoul Karim's Egyptian Musk oil that Caroline Besette Kennedy ~who was the friend and muse after which Narciso Rodriguez created his fragrance~ was buying off the streets of Manhattan, it smells very upscale. One of the missions of any perfume board worth its salt is to find decent alternatives to popular scents which are either hard to get or too expensive (and this one is at 150 euros retail for 50ml/1.7oz, but oh, so worth it!). Although Body Time Egyptian Musc and Auric Blends Egyptian Goddess have been proposed as substitutes for perfumistas on a shoe-string budget, I am reporting that none of those rather fabric-softener musks comes really close. There is something unutterable in Musk for Her which makes it enigmatically alluring like nothing else on the market today: not too sweet, not too sharp, not too laundry-like, it traipses along the way of familiarity and supple mystery which is the sign of any product worth making one's own. It is a gift to make to those who come really close to you to savour the nectar.
Narciso Musk for Her has an oily texture based on silicone to be used on pulse points or all over quite liberally because it is a light enough scent. As it becomes one with skin and does not project as much as the Eau de Toilette does, one solution would be to wear it on hair ends to extend its sillage-radius, a trick used with very good results.
As this is notoriously the product with the most complaints about not being able to smell it from numerous people it is highly adviseable to try it out before buying. Also, as silicone-based products might go "bad" (ie.losing their scent in this case) over time, one would be advised not to stockpile.
Edit to add: As of 2011, this is discontinued, nowhere to be found, making it a rare collectible. 


The pink bottle with black lettering in a black box with pink lettering (the mirror image of the original, therefore) came more than a year after the initial products above and is Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Parfum concentration. It has a slightly tweaked formula, resulting in a different scent. Its rose/peach-flesh top note is quite pronounced, veering it into more fruity chypre avenues than a woody musk, which didn't exist in the original Eau de Toilette. Less people seem anosmic to this version as the more floral elements take center stage.

Limited editions: There is a limited edition For Her bottle numbered and signed by the designer that circulated a few years ago. Also a bottle with little sparkly stars for the holidays of 2005 and a new home candle in a black minimalist tin. The white bottles are limited editions from 2006 and 2008 respectively to commemorate the scent's success. All those variations have the exact same delicious scent as the Eau de Toilette and are aimed at bottle collectors mostly.

There are also ancillary body products: a body lotion tagged Narciso Her Scented Body Defining Lotion (not very potent in the smell department)in a pink bottle with black label, a shower gel in a black and peach bottle and a squat pot of Narciso Her Body Cream in a black glass pot(better fare this one on lasting scent than the lotion). Additionally there is a Narciso Powder Brush with the product incorporated in the device, a Narciso spray deodorant and a Narciso Hair Mist in a 30ml/1oz spray bottle which is weaker than the Eau de Toilette but eerily reminiscent of its mysterious aura.

Narciso for Her had received praise even from the difficult mr.Turin on his blog on 27/11/05, when he noticed that despite not a great deal of innovation it sure smells wonderful. He later wrote in Perfumes, the Guide: "But give Narciso to someone you like and stand at attention as she sweeps past. You then realise that some fragrances, like gravitation, reliably generate an attractive force that day in and day out, without fuss or explanation, though theories abound".
Excellently said!

Notes for the Narciso For Her edt: Honey Flower, Solar Musk, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus, Amberlyn, Vanilla, Tactile Musk, Tactile Woods, Vetiver.
Notes for the Narciso For Her edp: Pink Chypre, Pink Floral, Voluptuous Woods, Soft Amber, Sheer Chypre, Flower Honey, Tactile Woods, Amber Light.

Perfumeurs : Christine Nagel and Francis Kurkdjian (Quest).

Available through major department stores.

LIMITED EDITIONS/VARIATIONS IN THE NARCISO RODRIGUEZ "FOR HER" LINE


The two versions of Her and Him in "the Musk Collection" are limited editions from 2009 in shiny bottles. The packaging is black with a coloured inlay on the bottom citing "Musk Collection, Eau de Parfum Intense".
Narciso Rodriguez for Her limited edition Musk introduces musk in the central role, along with notes of ylang-ylang, jasmine and orange blossom.  
Narciso Rodriguez for Him limited edition Musk, will fuse musk with essences of iris and red berries.
Available both in 50ml Eau de Parfum Intense.


Narciso Rodriguez For Her Iridescent is a limited edition launched in April 2010. Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian made it as soft as silk, while the liquid contains tiny sparkling particles. Personally I haven't noticed any sparkling effect on either skin, hair or clothe, but it looks pretty on my vanity.

The scent is similar to the pink EDP. For Her Iridescent contains fragrant notes of honey flower, orange blossom, osmanthus, amber, musk, woody notes, vetiver and vanilla.

It is available as a limited editions of 50ml and 100 ml of Eau de Parfum.

Narciso Rodriguez for Her in Color Eau de Parfum was launched in 2011 and is bottled in a fuschia bottle and pink box.  Available in 100ml.

Top notes are rose and peach; middle note is amber; base notes are musk, sandalwood and patchouli.

It's very close to the original EDP but with a peachier warm note in the floralcy of the core.
Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum Delicate Limited Edition is launching for 2012. The bottles are recognisable by the lilac-tinge to the packaging and the "delicate" on the box (pictured above).
The fragrance is somewhat changed compared to the original NR For Her and features notes of vetiver, musk, african orange flower, amber, coriander, vanille, bergamot and black fig.
Available as eau de toilette in 125ml/4.2oz bottles of light purple and a matching box.

Pics via ebay & punmiris

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Narciso Rodriguez Essence: fragrance review

Narciso For Her by young, hip and understated designer Narciso Rodriguez had me at hello all those years ago with its delicious musky trail that is too sexy for words, yet polished enough to pass off as classy; ever since the brand has me curious as to what they come up with next. Proving to be a mega-trendsetter ever since its launch, Narciso for Her catapulted the market into a gene-pool sharing the same musks and "clean" synthesized patchouli bases shaped into the beautiful but traitorous dress of the "modern chypré"; in moments of truth and Sundays' waking up too late after a night partying next to delicious-looking strangers those scents shed that pretentious dress for the comfortable and more accurate flannel PJs of "woody florals with musks" and that's perfectly all right by me. But I digress... Luckily for all of us, the tremendous success of Narciso For Her didn't wind the Rodriguez brand into mechanically and pacingly launching myriads of "flankers"; with the exception of slight differences between the original range itself (eau de toilette vs eau de parfum vs parful roll-on vs Musk For Her oil) and the masculine counterpart issued one year ago, they have restrained themselves into an elegant rhythm which I respect.

Essence, Rodriguez's newest feminine fragrance, didn't grab me as much as Narciso For Her initially did, but that doesn't mean it is a bad fragrance; on the contrary it has a strangely insidious, undercurrent appeal of being made by very skilled hands who were given a not-too-precise-brief and although I am snobishly trying to write it off as repetitive and trite, I can't really. In Essence Rodriguez collaborated again with Beauté Prestige International, the Paris-based fragrance division of the Shiseido Cosmetics Corporation, aiming to capture a "sensual and luminous fragrance with a modern heart of musc enhanced by radiant notes of rose petals, powder notes of iris and hints of amber resulting in a floral, powdery musc fragrance". It doesn't sound terribly exciting, it utilizes the same well-known notes that Narciso Rodriguez obviously loves and I bet that the Spanish-born perfumer Alberto Morillas of Firmenich ~at once a classicist and a modernist and amazingly prolific in his almost 40-years-long career~ could have provided the formula with both hands tied behind his back and blindfolded at the drop of a hat! A recipient of numerous awards, among them the coveted Prix Francois Coty in 2003, Alberto Morillas is responsible for such bestsellers as Armani's Sensi and Aqua di Gio, Bulgari Blu, Omnia and Thé Blanc, Carolina Herrera Chic and 212, Cartier's Le Baiser du Dragon , M7 for YSL, Marc Jacobs Daisy and of course another huge influence on the market: Flower by Kenzo. The man knows how to attract the audience's loyalty, therefore enough said.

The overall effect of Narciso Rodriguez Essence is a clean unctuous almost soapy/aldehydic scent with classical mementos of White Linen minus some of the sharpness and Chanel No.5 minus the sweet florals or the skanky sexiness of lacy panties underneath prim suits, yet with an eerily reminiscent warm-skin-feel that the original Narciso for Her possessed as well. The clean musks featured, with their lathery bubbliness, have their lineage in Morillas's 212 and Daisy, while the powdery segment takes a page off Flower. Little development happens from the initial dryer-sheet sharply aliphatic and abstractly floral opening to the polite muskiness skin-like effect of probably Ambroxan*, (wishful-thinking) Muscenone** and Habanolide**. For what is worth the current modern white musk accord was first created by Alberto Morillas himself in Emporio Armani White for Her (combining Habanolide to Helvetolide**) and he used Muscenone in both Flower and Vanille 44 for niche brand Le Labo. The whole pared-down approach reminds me of the Escentric Molecules line. Although the powdery hazy effect is often attributed to iris, I do not detect any of its melancholic earthiness in the composition, same as with Infusion d'Iris by Prada which utilized a similar approach to the upscale-shampoo-latheriness vibe which seems to be all the rage now (judging by even such offerings as Chanel's Beige from Les Exclusifs). Luckily for the anosmiacs to Narciso For Her it seems to be rather different, enough to maybe give a jolt to their hypothalamus and be discernable to them.

Rodriguez wanted Essence to represent duality: "the intense and the ethereal, the simple and the complex" with an emphasis on "sun's purity" which reminds me of the "solar musks" accord of his first feminine perfume. I guess it's shorthand for "clean and warm" which Essence most certainly is. Lovers of that unperfume-y aspect as well as adventurers of all things delicately musky should flock to at least try it, the rest might find it non remarkable or even unpleasant in its screechy soapy tonalities which overstay their welcome impressively. It's pleasant enough for people into that genre, quite unisex and rather fun (for the price asked) to wear when that Sunday in flannels comes around once in a while, although not as enjoyably fulfilling as the original Narciso for Her is.

The bottle glows from within its mirrored core, round in its glass curvaceousness, created by noted industrial designer Ross Lovegrove (recipient of the prize Royal Designer for Industry in 2004 and art-exhibitor at MOMA and Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris as well as the Design Museum in London). The eye-catching design is almost a futuristic, rounded interpretation of the original solid and austere Narciso For Her flacon.
The advertising campaign shot by the lens of Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
features supermodel Catherine MacNeil to whom Narciso "was drawn to instinctively".

Notes for Narciso Rodriguez Essence:
iris, rose, benzoin, modern musks


Narciso Rodriguez Essence is available in Eau de Parfum 50ml/1.7oz and 100ml/3.4oz exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue from March and globally in April.
Ancilary products include a body lotion, a bath and shower cream and a deodorant spray.

Ad pic via fibre2fashion.com , soap courtesy of sassylicious.com.au

*Abroxan is a synthetic aromachemical mimicking the ambergris sensuous note.
**Muscenone, Habanolide, Helvetolide are gtrademark names for different varieties of synthetic musks.

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