Buchart Colbert

created with Ideogram AI and a shit-ton of Adobe Photoshop.
I honestly don't know where I was going with this one.
These three are my favorites of the six.

US-based fragrance brand Buchart Colbert may have just launched in October 2024, but it's already creating a buzz. I was introduced to fragrance designer Sean Colbert and brand architect Sean Cavenaugh and their six sophisticated and largely gender-neutral creations during a November online master class with Sniffapalooza, and I must say I was impressed. Apart from Knife Thrower, which just isn't the kind of fragrance I choose to wear (and is also the most traditionally "masculine"), I had difficulty narrowing the remaining five scents down to one purchase. Le Bain de Lulu won, but likely won't be my last buy from this company. 

This post includes my thoughts on each of Buchart Colbert's fragrances, and I've included text from the web site and links to performances of the music that inspired each scent. 

Faisan d'Or

Caramelized Sugar, Valencia Orange, Smoke, Suede, Cedar, Spice, Pink Pepper, Amber, Woods

Golden Pheasant draws inspiration from Igor Stravinsky’s symphonic poem, Chant du Rossignol, which is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale. Explore a forest of autumnal renewal, celebrating the triumph of nature over artifice, where creativity and self-expression come to life. Smoke, musk, and suede conjure primal authenticity, while pink pepper, cinnamon, and rich amber exude confidence and allure. Individuality envelopes you with a final burst of Valencia orange, caramelized sugar, and creamy coconut.

Remember when I was looking for a new holiday scent? Though it doesn't have the type of evergreen note I was looking for, had I smelled Faisan d'Or in October, it might have been a contender. This is definitely a fall and winter scent, what with its rich caramelized sugar, spice, and woody notes. The opening is all juicy orange and bright pink pepper with a lightly singed sugar. The suede and spice notes come in fast, along with the woods. I'm reminded of Fendi Theorema, but Faisan d'Or is even more complex. There's a subtle sweetness, and the spices add an almost savory quality (no cumin--I asked) that provides a real balance. There are a lot of things going on in Faisan d'Or, and I like all of them. 

(The musical inspiration: https://youtu.be/BnhxSPu4eBY)

Knife Thrower

Citrus, Coriander, Melon, Madagascar Ginger, Grapefruit, Marine, Fern, Musk, Woods

Knife Thrower takes the stage, conjured from composer Claude Debussy’s visit to the Paris World Fair, and re-imagined into a scented souvenir. The suspense and energy shared between the performer and the crowd is captured with crisp notes of grapefruit, bright ginger, and fresh melon, as resonant woods, musk, and fern underscore the confident spirit of this daring performance. Through intricate layers of precision and depth, this gender-neutral fougère is an invitation to explore your bold side. 

I'm not a big fan of the fougere style of fragrance because they lean too traditionally "masculine" to me, much like most designer fragrances found in the men's shop of any big department store. So I will not be a good judge of Knife Thrower. It also has marine and marine-adjacent (melon) aromas, which are among my least-favorite notes. However, Knife Thrower is impressively blended so no one note overpowers the others. There is citrus, and spice, and a hint of the aquatic, and a pleasant aromatic quality overall. And the drydown is quite nice. Fans of this sort of scent will appreciate Knife Thrower. Even I can.

(The musical inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-JOqlvVQ5s)

This scent is my favorite of the bunch.

Le Bain de Lulu

Cardamom, Valencia Orange, Floral Notes, Rose, Caramel, Plum, Violet, Oakmoss, Woods

Lulu’s Bath draws inspiration from the New York Metropolitan Opera's 2015 staging of composer Alban Berg’s opera Lulu. Featuring a revolutionary twelve-tone serialist technique, the complexity of its musical discord and lush harmony mirrors the tragic path of this enigmatic and mercurial beauty. From an imagined bath scene, an antique vanity sits adorned with gifts from her many lovers—brushes, pearls, soaps are scattered violently, captured by peppery spices, while sweet notes of caramel and citrus reflect the preening beauty from a foggy mirror. Powdery violet and rose escape from a frothy bar of soap as delicate, fragrant bubbles float above woods and moss. A momentary escape from the chaos before untenable beauty and tension dissolve into the ether. What will Lulu do next?

This opens up all clean and soapy, which makes perfect sense, as the name translates to "Lulu's Bath." Sprayed on a tester strip, Le Bain de Lulu opens with a tiny bit of cardamom, but sadly it's nowhere to be found on my skin. Instead, the orange is more prominent (and long-lasting). It's a bit like drinking a glass of freshly squeezed juice while lounging in a tub filled with rosewater-tinged bubble bath. There's a mild sweetness in the background, but not what I typically think of as caramel, and a fluff of powder. Much later in the drydown the scent becomes more woody. Overall, it's lovely stuff. 

(The musical inspiration: https://youtu.be/n5GoAnCaq9U)

L'Hantise

Rosewood, Red Currant, Bergamot, Muguet, Raspberry, Herbal Notes including Sage, Vetiver, Patchouli, Amber, Pineapple

The Haunting is inspired by dreams scored by the hypnotizing melodies of Chopin's waltzes and études. Reinterpreted as fragrant compositions, rosewood, red currant, and bergamot softly beckon. Quickly turn around to whirling florals, vetiver, and light citrus as reflections dissipate like a fresh mist in the warming sun. An invocation from the past, this familiar guide vanishes as gently as it appeared.

If a near-medicinal woody, herbal, fragrance could be the subject of an obsession, L'Hantise would be it. This fragrance is a green so dark it's almost black, like a forest in the middle of the night without a moon in the sky. The name, L'Hantise (which translates as "haunting" as well as "obsession") fits so well, because I can't stop sniffing this while trying to figure out what I am smelling. Vetiver and patchouli, for sure, tinged with tart fruits, but what are the herbal notes? Am I smelling the muguet? I can't tell; there's nothing overtly floral in here to my nose. Does it smell like Chopin? My synesthesia doesn't work that way, so who knows? In any case, call me obsessed.

(Musical inspiration: https://youtu.be/D92xATclLHs)

Lutin Errant

Plum, White Musk, Rum, Mushroom, Coconut, Sage, Cedar, Amber, Woods

Straying Sprite is inspired by composer Cecile Chaminade, a visionary female composer who broke through France’s 19th-century male dominated music world. The odyssey emerges through a dusty autumn prélude of white musk and cedar. Crisp leaves crumple beneath every nimble footstep as earthy mushroom, sage, and amber draw you forward into the unknown. Hesitation gives way as rum and plum evaporate into a mischievous ether of curiosity and enthusiasm. Adventure summons while courage winks at every obstacle.

I was so curious about the mushroom note in this that I couldn't wait to try it. Lutin Errant--wandering leprechaun in French--is an interesting dry woody fragrance that at first reminds me of Nasomatto Absinth, which is an all-time favorite of mine. I get some herbal sage and woods right off the bat, with a bit of very desiccated coconut. The rum note is present on a tester, but not on my skin, otherwise, the fragrance is pretty similar in both places. I'm not really getting anything that smells definitively of mushroom, though there's a vague "wet newspaper" thing going on that could be it. The drydown has a bit of muskiness and more woods, and overall the scent becomes warmer and a tad sweeter. Lutin Errant doesn't actually display any of the mischievous or trickster nature of a leprechaun (or a "straying sprite"). It's very quiet and rather calming. I like it.

(Musical inspiration: https://youtu.be/AMlqoOHzPD4)

Mischa

Neroli, Black Pepper, Citrus, Saffron, Elemi, Geranium, Moss, Amber, Musk 

Inspired by the opera Eugene Onegin by composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Mischa embodies sweeping resolve and resilient spirit. Tip-toe through soft neroli and light citrus as spicy geranium awakens a boundless strength. As the seasons shift, grounding musk, black pepper, and golden moss deepen self-awareness and conviction. Like a full moon framed by a halo of saffron, elemi, and sweet amber, Mischa invites you to view yourself without pretense as you embrace intrinsic elegance and poise. 

Mischa possesses a golden quality, like a shaft of sunlight coming through the window on a cold winter day. It's is both warmed by the spices and chilled by the incense-like elemi. There's a blast of saffron at the opening, with some citrus and neroli. I don't get a lot of geranium or moss. Later on, the saffron smells a little like cannabis, but that only makes it more interesting. Even so, my favorite part is the drydown, when everything melds into a golden ooze.

(Musical inspiration: https://youtu.be/4Um3wUL-pxw)

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Hold the Presses! Another Christmas Scent!

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D.S. & Durga The Most Festive Cologne of All Time

Neroli, Clove Terpines, Bergamot, Pine Essence, Valencia Orange, Mandarin Flower, Pine Absolute, Cedar, Nutmeg

I sniffed 25 different fragrances and wrote four blog posts on my quest to find a new perfume for Christmas season 2024. Ultimately, I did find it: Pineward White Fir. Within days of writing that final (or so I thought) triumphant post, I received an email from D.S. & Durga announcing their limited edition holiday scent, The Most Festive Cologne of All Time. Just reading about it turned me on: three kinds of orange/orange flower notes, two types of pine, and clove and nutmeg. One of the things that attracted me most is that it's a cologne-style fragrance, rather than a heavy cold-weather scent. I didn't  have to think too much; I ordered on a Tuesday and had it in my hands on Thursday. It helped that I had a 20% off coupon burning a hole in my virtual wallet.

Let's get to the most important question: how does it smell? Exactly as one would expect. It is a typical light and bracing cologne, suitable for everyone. There are strong citrus notes in the opening, the usual bergamot, but also green neroli. As it dries down, I can smell the pine, but sadly, not much of the spices. It's also a bit musky. It's really quite nice, and long-lasting too, as it's an eau de parfum. I think it could work well layered over a heavier scent, perhaps one that is overly-spicy, like Farmacia SS. Annunziata Anniversary, or the sometimes too-sweet ELDO Divin'Enfant. I can still smell it on my clothes the next morning, when there's a bit of a vetiver-type thing going on.

The Most Festive Cologne of All Time is the perfect holiday fragrance for folks who live in hotter climes. And with climate change a real thing--despite all you science-hating deniers--we'll all be in shirtsleeves (or entirely sleeveless) on Christmas Day soon enough. And with my latest festive perfume purchase, I am now prepared for the inevitable 80° Mid-Atlantic holiday season.

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Smells Like Christmas, Part Four

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If you haven't read the three previous posts in this series (here, here, and here), let me catch you up. I am looking for another holiday fragrance to add to my collection. I already own a handful of scents that remind me of Christmas, but what I really want is one that has a distinct evergreen note, along with orange and spices. I sought recommendations from various places and found others via the google, but up to now, none have hit the mark. 

A couple folks had suggested that a couple of Pineward Perfumes scents might be what I was seeking, particularly Christmas Wine and Gluhwine. Of course, every time I went to the Pineward site, those particular fragrances were listed as out of stock. Eventually it was on the verge of November and I was getting desperate, so I ordered samples of a few of Pineward's other scents. A few days later, when my samples arrived, I went back to their site to check the notes. Not surprisingly, now that I had placed an order, Christmas Wine and Gluhwine were available, as was Gingerbread. The three came in a November Sampler along with Coffee Tabac and Mint Cocoa. So I placed another order, even though my desperation order included the ultimate winner of my Christmas quest! Read on to find out what that was.

First, let's start with the recommended wine-y fragrances.

Christmas Wine

Cranberry, Plum, Blood Orange, Cloves, Nutmeg, Fir Balsam

Mmm...this is rich and spicy, very much like I imagine a sweet mulled wine would smell. It starts out very strong and dark, which gave the initial impression that it would be best worn in the evening. However, as it settles on the skin, the fruits become more obvious, making the scent seem a bit lighter. While this scent does have the requisite citrus/spice/evergreen notes that I was seeking, the fruit aspect is not what I was looking for, and the fir balsam is just a backup singer.

I've read that this smells like a Christmas candle, and I think that was meant to be negative. Personally, I would love to have a candle that smelled this complex and delicious. And I will be quite happy to use up my sample during the holiday season. Who knows? I might end up buying a full bottle for next year. 

Gluhwine

Cranberry, Champaca, Cherry Compote, Raspberry, Fir Balsam, Chocolate, Davana Attar, Oakmoss, Tolu Balsam, Rose, Frankincense

I knew this one wasn't going to fit my parameters, but I thought it would definitely bring thoughts of the holiday season. The opening is very berry-ful, and to be honest reminds me of the smell of raspberry Jell-O hitting boiling water. That's not at all a bad thing; my Mom used to make gelatin desserts all the time, and while they weren't my favorite things to eat, I did enjoy the raspberry flavored one. And of course it made me think of my Mom, who's been gone for almost 24 years now. The berries fade fairly fast, replaced by floral and balsamic notes. Unlike Christmas Wine, this scent isn't spicy, though it is festive. Both of them feel like I'm missing out by not drinking mulled wine of some sort during the Christmas holidays.

Gingerbread

Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Wheat Absolute, Butter CO2*, Molasses distillate, Brown Sugar, Black Walnut, Milk, Cream, Vanilla

This one doesn't smell as much like actual gingerbread as I would have liked. There's a lot more cinnamon and clove in this than there is ginger. Many Pineward fragrances have an interesting earthiness to them, and Gingerbread does as well. Unfortunately, there's just so much spice on the top that it's hard to find the buttery cake-like notes that I know are in this one. After a couple hours, the shouty cinnamon calms down, but never gets replaced by the hoped-for wheat, butter, milk, and vanilla. Or ginger. Perhaps this one smells dreamy on someone else's skin, but it doesn't on mine.

White Fir--THE WINNER!

Orange, Ginger, White Fir, Clove, Anise, Pine, Musk, Vetiver, Oakmoss

I was starting to give up hope until I spritzed this one on my forearm. Immediately I could smell the orange and evergreen trees. "WOW!" I yelled, "THIS IS IT!" White fir has all the aspects I was seeking: evergreen trees; spices; and orange. It doesn't smell exactly like the Nest Holiday Candle, which is a bit heavier on the spices and has a more spruce-y green note, but it's otherwise perfect. I worried that maybe the oakmoss and vetiver would be too strong, but I don't even notice them. This perfume is all fir and pine and a surprisingly long-lasting orange note that is propped up with some sprightly ginger. I don't get a lot of clove or anise, but that's ok. There's some musk in the drydown, but it's still mostly evergreen and orange.

When I purchased my November Sampler, I also bought a 37ml bottle of White Fir. My new holiday season fragrance.

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Trudon Revolution

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Revolution

Elemi, Angelica, Wild Juniper, Cedarwood, Papyrus, Cade, Cistus, Incense, Opoponax

I enjoy a good smoky scent, but there's often something harsh in it somewhere that ruins it for me. Like oud. So when I experienced Trudon's Revolution during an online master class event with Beautyhabit, and found it to be smooth from beginning to end, I fell in love and had to have it. Normally, I hate spending over $200 on a bottle of fragrance, but I knew I wasn't going to find it on a discounter site anytime soon. Apart from the expense, the other downside was discovering this scent when I did: Spring. I knew I'd have to wait until the weather got much cooler before I would be able to wear Revolution comfortably. (Yes, I know some folks can wear heavier scents all year long, but I am not one of them. As soon as it gets above 50F, I want to smell like lemons and orange blossom.) 

I'd heard that perfumer Lyn Harris locked herself in a room with a painting of the French Revolution and used that image as inspiration for the scent. Rather than the acrid scent of gun smoke and chaos, of despair and death, Trudon Revolution comforts me with memories of the past. Now that there's finally a chill in the air, I'm ready to smell like an evening spent near a massive fireplace in our drafty old chateau. With the crackling song of the flames in my ears, I sit in my Dad's ancient leather armchair and reminisce about the delicious smoked brisket we enjoyed in Texas, or the lovely fat sausages we put on sticks and cooked over an open campfire when I was a kid. The meaty memories are fleeting, but the lovely smoke and leather aspects, along with some incense, and a lovely cedar-liner-in-a-cigar-box aroma, lasts for hours. We never owned a chateau (a Tudor mansion tho), built a fire (gas fireplaces), went to Texas (had a layover in Dallas once), or camped (does stargazing on a putting green at a golf resort count? there were bears....), but when I wear Revolution, I feel as though I have.

Revolution isn't for everyone, and even I won't wear this too many times per year. But it really hits the spot when I want to be reminded of things that I never actually experienced. Perhaps someday....

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Smells Like Christmas, Part Three

created with Ideogram AI and Photoshop

I've been searching for a perfume that smells like Christmas. To me, that's orange and spice, and a bit of pine/evergreen. In other words, the Nest Holiday candle. I've asked around for suggestions and found other scents on my own; read Parts One and Two to catch up. 

For the third and final part of this series, I am exploring recommendations for scents that I didn't already have in my collection. I had some high hopes for a few of these based on the notes, but they were dashed once I got the goods on my skin. Here are my thoughts on each.

Atelier des Ors Lune Feline 

Cardamom, Cinnamon, Pink Pepper, Woodsy Notes, Ambergris, Styrax, Cedar, Green Notes, Tahitian Vanilla, Peru Balsam, Musk

Hm. Lune Feline is nice. It definitely has some spices on top, cinnamon and a lightly mentholated cardamom. I'm also getting warm woods and balsamic notes and then a gorgeous vanilla note. I've seen it described as "smoky," but I'm find it more sticky and dark, like a vanilla-flavored date syrup. It's giving warm sticky toffee pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I do get the sensation of smokiness in the long drydown, but it seems more like vetiver than actual smoke. Lune Feline is lovely, but out of the trifecta I'm seeking (orange, pine, spices), it only has a fleeting amount of spice. While I like it, and it seems perfect for winter, this isn't a Christmas scent for me.

Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy

Orange, Tangerine, Lemon Verbena, Neroli, Sweet Notes, Clove, Lily, Jasmine, Vanilla, Amber, Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood

This was recommended by multiple folks on Fragrantica, and several of the comments on the fragrance's listing mention Christmas vibes. I figured I couldn't go too wrong if I picked up a bottle, unless it ended up being a cloying sugar bomb. For years I avoided Britney's scents because I thought they'd be too sweet. So far, the two I've tried have proven me wrong (yes, I know there are lots more that could prove me right). Hidden Fantasy starts out with light citrus notes in the orange family, somewhat orange-juicy (yet not juicy orange), morphs into a brief but pretty floral with a hint of clove, then finishes with a light amber drydown. What sweetness it has is rather gentle. Sadly, it's not Christmassy. The citrus doesn't last long enough, nor does the clove--which is more of a bubblegum note than an actual spice. It doesn't hit the mark, but I'm not sorry I bought it. I might try layering it with something more overtly spicy, like Bapteme du Feu, and see how that works for me. 

Christina Aguilera Red Sin

Red Apple, Cinnamon, Cyclamen, Ginger, Sandalwood, Musk

This is a pleasant and inoffensive scent that is neither red nor sinful. It's a bit light, especially as it's supposed to be an eau de parfum. There's something vaguely fruity about it, vaguely spicy, vaguely musky. It 100% does not smell like Christmas, not even vaguely. 

Giorgio Red

Cherry, Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Hyacinth, Peach, Osmanthus, Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Black Currant, Carnation, Tuberose, Rose, Rosemary, Jasmine, Gardenia, Iris, Litchi, Lily-of-the-Valley, Oakmoss, Amber, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Patchouli, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vanilla

Red was the signature fragrance of one of my favorite co-workers, Michele, who was my mentor during my brief foray into the dual worlds of fine jewelry and working with total assholes. I thought she smelled marvelous. I was hoping that Red, the lesser-known sister of the uber-popular 80s white flower bomb, Giorgio, was going to flood my senses with nostalgia. Sadly, Red doesn't smell quite the same to me. I remember it as being sweeter and spicier, but I have a feeling I am remembering the smell of this fragrance on Michele combined with the plug-in apple-spice-y air freshener that perpetually perfumed the tiny shop. As the multitude of notes indicates, there's a lot going on here. Overall, Red is a spicy floral with a vintage feel, the spice due to carnation rather than actual spice notes. It's a giant bouquet of flowers with a light peachy fruitiness and a powdery drydown with sandalwood, patchouli, and tonka. And no, it does not smell Christmas-y. It would make a nice wintertime special occasion scent, though I think it's entirely too big for me. 

Frederick Malle Noir Epices 

Geranium, Orange, Rose, Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper, Cinnamon, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cedar, Vanilla

I mean, black spices? Come on, why shouldn't this have been perfect? Ugh. Get rid of the geranium and rose notes, which make this smell like an old-fashioned bar of soap, and this has potential. The soapiness is quite overpowering, but lurking beneath its floral depths is a very nice orange backed up with spices, almost pomander-like. I want this to be so much sharper than it is, with bright orange and truly spicy spices, but it's just too damn soapy. Borderline scrubber. 

Panah London Gourmantic Orange Extrait De Parfum 

Vanilla, Orange, Fruity Notes, Dark Chocolate

Despite being an extrait de parfum that left an oily blotch on the back of my hand where I had applied it, Gourmantic Orange seems pretty lightweight. I was hoping for a giant chocolate orange to smack me in the nose, but it's just too subtle. At first application, I don't get any obvious orange, chocolate, or vanilla, just some "fruity notes." Later in the drydown, yeah, I can tell it's an orange and chocolate  scent. I wish this came in EDP so I could spray it all over and get a better whiff. Gourmantic Orange has potential as a gourmand scent, but isn't making the cut as a Christmas-specific fragrance.

Tauer Perfumes L'Air Des Alpes Suisses

Ambergris, Fir, Lavender, Pine needles, Lily, Tonka Bean, Lemon Balm, Orchid, Birch, Palisander Rosewood, Thyme, Basil, Nutmeg

Well, this is a fun scent, though I need to come right out with it: L'Air Des Alpes Suisses is not Christmas. What it is, though, is a giant, disembodied, lavender-filled, plastic doll head. Switzerland is not the first place that comes to mind when I think of lavender. Nor of plastic dolls and their heads, for that matter. The plastic and herb make for a funky, cozy, powdery aroma that is comforting, but not holiday-inducing. Despite the preponderance of coniferous tree notes, this doesn't smell at all forest-y, just a little dark green. A weird rootbeer-like note comes out in the drydown, taking this even further from the holiday season. 

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.