BOP News – Blog on Perfume News

I just love this scent. Something many people don’t know about Annick Goutal fragrances is that many of them are unisex – this and Eau d’Sud being the two most obvious examples.  So I (being a man) don’t feel ashamed at all when I wear d’Hadrien.

Thing is, this fragrance has many things that most don’t. Originality, style, sensibility, charm, rather than just an avalanche of concocted chemicals to distort ones nostrils. (Although, one thing I really don’t understand is why on earth it is called “Eau d’Hadrien”. I mean, what’s it got to do with the “emotions evoked by the Emperor Hadrien”, as Annick Goutal put it so wonderfully themselves…)

This is a perfume made all about citrus. Annick Goutal claim that the main scent of the fragrance is “Sicilian Lemon”. What on earth the difference between “Sicilian Lemons” and “Lemons” is, I have absolutely no idea. But the fact remains, that lemons are delicious.

Ever tried a drink called “Limoncello”? It’s a liqueur from southern Italy, whose smell you would no doubt recognize. Well, the alcohol and the lemons in Eau d’Hadrien mirrors the ingredients of Limoncello.  Add a bit of bergamot, orange juice, and a teabag, and you have Eau d’Hadrien. Ok, sounds simple….well it is! (But you can’t just do it yourself though, obviously….)

Eau d’Hadrien is a happy fragrance. It will show people you are not a miserable moaner, but a happy individual who loves life. It’s an upbeat, colourful, and effective fragrance, well worth it’s price tag. And the only difference between the “pour homme” and “pour femme” versions, is the bottle! However, Goutal only make this in a Eau de Parfum concentration in the “pour femme” bottles. So Beware!

Overall, an excellent perfume, well worth trying. It is Annick Goutal’s trademark, and since 1981 has been a favourite of perfume lovers across the world.

Being no expert on the French language myself, I can’t stress enough just how much I dislike the way French perfumers who sell their products internationally always give their perfumes ridiculously complicated French names.

So imagine my joy when I first laid eyes on a 30ml bottle of Yves Saint Laurent “L’Homme”. That’s easy! It means “the man”. Looking back now, I realise that I already liked this perfume, even though I hadn’t smelled it, simply because I understood it’s title, which still retained French charm.

I bought some, and tried it on. And boy was I shocked. Smells nothing like a man at all.

“In fact,” I thought to myself, “that smells like flowers”!

So, what do perfume testers do next? I went and hugged my girlfriend. And she clung on far tighter than she usually does, sniffing it in. Then comments on how she likes my scent. Success.

So  how can a floral perfume be masculine and attractive to ladies? God only knows, but “L’Homme” is a delicious and seductive fragrance, guaranteed to get you some looks from the girls. My chief criticism is, however, that it doesn’t really seem to last very long. The main body of the scent seems to wear off sooner than it should, leaving a very weak and diluted smell on the skin. Still though, a great perfume.

I have just purchased some Estée Lauder Pleasure for my mother’s Christmas present, and have therefore decided to review it.

It is a Bright and Colourful fragrance, like a small flower. With scents of woods, flowers and citrus. Fresh and subtle.

Top Notes – Citrus, Fresh, With Hints of Lemon and Bergamot.

Middle Notes – Wet Grass, Pine Woods, Cedar

Base Notes – Dark and Musky.Deep, warm spiced and sensual.

Recommended?  Most Definitely! It is also extremely long-lasting!