L'Artisan Batucada Eau de Toilette

Sometimes, you want to deny winter with fragrance. L'Artisan Perfumeur's new unisex Batucada Eau de Toilette ($100 to $145) is a perfect way to say, "I'm sticking with the fun times!"

L’Artisan’s latest journey takes us to contemporary Brazil with a vibrant, joyful, and sensual perfume, inspired by the effervescence and rhythm of Rio. Batucada is the name of a percussive style of samba music. It's a celebration - repetitive, fast, and racy. Want to hear Batucada? Click on this YouTube link to hear Carnival Batucada by Sergio Mendes. It will rev you for something - my first two thoughts were food and fragrance!

L'Artisan calls Batucada "refreshing as a cocktail, sexy as a Brazilian dance." The notes listed by L'Artisan are tiaré flowers, caïpirinha accord, and "skin notes." Look up images for Batucada online, and you'll see why skin notes are perfectly appropriate for the fragrance.

Batucada was developed by perfumers Karine Vinchon (in Grasse, France) and Elisabeth Maier (in Saõ Paulo). I read at basenotes.com that the scent opens with mint, davana, tiare, lime, and caïpirinha accord. The heart notes are ylang ylang, amber, benzoin, aquatic notes, and coconut. The fragrance dries down to reveal vanilla, sandalwood, skin notes, patchouli, vetiver, and musk. Fortunately, the patchouli is barely discernible (if it can be detected at all). That one note can ruin a fragrance for me. LuckyScent does not list patchouli among the notes.

Batucada is a refreshing fragrance, one that opens with the scent of caïpirinha, Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça - sugar cane rum, sugar (preferably white powdered sugar, or any other sugar, even honey), and lime. The green, lime-laden drink might even be garnished with mint! Because I had never had one, I had to drink a caïpirinha. I don't often drink hard liquor, and my reaction was "smells great, tastes great, but a few of these would knock me on my toosh." Quite a blend!

The fragrance is a nice blend too. It's revs with the samba, relaxes with tropical flowers, and lingers with sea air and a musky, salty memory of celebration - like the crowds have moved on, but their scent remains. I like it. It's not a characteristic scent for me, but every so often, we need to shake things up (maybe with a cocktail, maybe with a fragrance). Batucada will do that!

You can find L'Artisan's Batucada online at L'Artisan and L'Artisan boutiques and at LuckyScent.

Photos courtesy of L'Artisan and Wikipedia

L'Artisan Verte Violette Eau de Toilette

Every so often, I "gamble" on a fragrance, ordering without a sample. I don't always know the line, although I knew L'Artisan when I purchased Verte Violette Eau de Toilette ($145 or $57). L'Artisan created two of my favorite orange blossom scents, both limited-editions from annual blossom harvests. I selected Verte Violette for two reasons: it was on sale, and it sounded enticing.

Described as a haunting still life of violet leaves, flowers, and stems, Verte Violette appeared to combine two genres I love, florals and greens, in a single scent. Created by Anne Flipo and launched in 2000 for L'Artisan Parfumeur, Verte Violette is a union of the green note of leaves with the fresh powdered note of the violet flower. There is a little darkness too (very little), a touch of the forest floor, shadows, and flickering sunlight amid the sweetness. Iris notes deepen the delicacy and iridescence of the powder as Verte Violette lies softly on the skin, making this haunting take on violet beautiful on the skin.

I learned at Now Smell This that the notes are violet leaves, raspberry leaves, rose, heliotrope, cedar, iris, and white musk. The notes promised a fragrance that was soft and relatively uncomplicated - a plus when you're gambling.

I could not be more pleased with Verte Violette! When it arrived, I sprayed it on my arm immediately to get a first impression. I feel in instant love. I've been wearing it ever since. Violets have a delicate fragrance. They are a scent for a lady - one who wants to be remembered for her femininity, one who would have worn white gloves and carried a parasol in earlier times.

Verte Violette is, to me, more floral than green. It's definitely soft and powdery (not dusty, though), a quality I love. There's something about powdery florals that reminds me of heirlooms, precious items passed from one generation to the next, preserved to allow their contemporary holders to experience the treasures of their ancestry.

Eau de toilettes suit those looking for a light, natural scent that will complement the skin, never overpower it. Eau de toilettes were originally designed as refreshing body splashes to help people wake up, as part of their morning toilette. However, Verte Violette is not a bracing scent. It will awaken only your senses, so make sure to spray some on your arm to give your nose as much pleasure the fragrance will give those near you. I'll bet you'll find your nose diving in now and then.

Verte Violette lasts on my skin for eight hours, surprising for an eau de toilette. The dry-down is subtle. The cedar that graces the dry-down reminds me the lingering soft fragrance of a cedar fence, months after its installation. The powdery violet never departs. I can still smell it late in the afternoon. All in all, perfect!

Right now, Verte Violette is on sale at L'Artisan. You can purchase the 50 ml spray for $57. For some reason, I feared that meant it was about to be discontinued. Now, I need - seriously need - the 100 ml bottle just in case it's L'Artisan's intention to recall this beautiful fragrance. This is one heirloom that has joined the antiques among my own treasures.

Photos courtesy of L'Artisan and Wild Violets for Mother's Day painting by artist Paul Wolber

L'Artisan Nuit de Tubéreuse - Love at First Whiff

I'd like to stop hyperventilating long enough to write a reasonably intelligent post. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece. I just want to convey how much I love my new fragrance. I love almost everything about it: its beautiful bottle, the lovely color of the intoxicating liquid, and the main attraction, the fragrance itself.

I had pre-ordered L'Artisan's Nuit de Tubéreuse ($115 or $155, depending on size) from LuckyScent - based solely on the description. When I told you, some of you commented that my leap of faith was brave. Friends, my bravery was rewarded with a fragrance that I would hoard if it were a limited edition. I'm now kicking myself for ordering the small size!

I don't think I can do a better job than LuckyScent in giving you the facts about Nuit de Tubéreuse. I'll provide you with their description; then, I'll add a few closing notes of my own.

Bertrand Duchaufour is on a roll. With Penhaligon’s Amaranthine, he proved that his masterful style could extend to sensual florals. Now, he’s gone and tackled the most unmanageable diva of the perfumer’s palette, and come up with a totally novel, utterly seductive take on tuberose.

The eagerly expected Nuit de Tubéreuse turns down the classic, creamy-coconutty facets of the flower to focus on its more unusual facets. The top notes draw out the odd, rooty, snapped asparagus stalk aspects of tuberose absolute and set them off with vibrant green cardamom; mango drenched in pink pepper creates an almost incense-like effect – Duchaufour’s signature. The scent goes through a strangely compelling, freshly upturned earth phase before easing into a suave floral heart, where the tuberose is bolstered by orange blossom, ylang-ylang, and rose, wrapped in the honeyed-tobacco facets of broom on a warm, musky, woody, and balsamic base.

If you’re addicted to tuberose, you’ll be riveted by Bertrand Duchaufour’s totally original interpretation. If you’re tuberose-averse, you might very well be converted. And if you’re a man, you may have finally found a version of the note that can be worn unselfconsciously. But women needn’t worry: Nuit de Tubéreuse is still very much a heart-breaker.

Nuit de Tubéreuse Notes
Cardamom, clove, pink pepper, black pepper, citrus, green mango, angelica, tuberose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, rose, broom, musks, vanilla, sandalwood, palisander, benzoin, and styrax

You can read another description at L'Artisan's blog. It's equally engaging.

I would describe Nuit de Tubéreuse as having all the intoxicating qualities of tuberose (I really can't keep my nose away from the flowers), but with a spin that is totally unique to L'Artisan's new introduction. This fragrance has green notes, a bit of fruit, only enough spice to keep it interesting (as a rule, I dislike spicy fragrances), and a warm base that's sultry. On first spray, you can detect the tuberose, floral, green, and slightly spicey blend. As the fragrance dries down to its base notes, it becomes sexy, warm, and slightly powdery. Sometimes, I don't appreciate (in other perfumes) the base notes present in Nuit de Tubéreuse. This blend works for me, possibly because the blend of notes produces a fragrance in which no note - other than tuberose at first blush - predominates. I think Duchaufour has produced a winner.

From my perspective, it's not a man's fragrance, even though it's "rated" at LuckyScent half-way between feminine and unisex. Not that I would object to being around a guy wearing Nuit de Tubéreuse. I might embarrass myself zeroing in for a fragrance fix. Better that I spray some on my own arm each time I wear it. Then I can satisfy my need to dive in.

The only thing I don't like about Nuit de Tubéreuse is very personal - the hint of spice left of my skin 10-12 hours after I spritz. By then, all the notes I love have departed, and one or two base notes that were great in the blend, but less so alone, remain. It's a personal preference that there be no scent left when the star attractions leave the stage.

You can purchase Nuit de Tubéreuse at LuckyScent, Henri Bendel's L'Artisan Boutique, or your favorite L'Artisan source. If you want to test before you buy, and you don't have a source near you, LuckyScent offers samples for $3.

Photo courtesy of LuckyScent

L'Artisan Nuit de Tubéreuse

I was so excited when this e-mail came from LuckyScent. L'Artisan, tuberose, "narcotic perfume." What white flower lover wouldn't have been?

As you can see above, LuckyScent is accepting pre-orders for L'Artisan's new Nuit de Tubéreuse. It will ship on June 21, a few short weeks away. See if this intrigues you.

The Scoop

Bertrand Duchaufour is on a roll. With Penhaligon’s Amaranthine, he proved that his masterful style could extend to sensual florals. Now, he’s gone and tackled the most unmanageable diva of the perfumer’s palette and come up with a totally novel, utterly seductive take on tuberose.
The eagerly expected Nuit de Tubéreuse turns down the classic, creamy-coconutty facets of the flower to focus on its more unusual facets. The top notes draw out the odd, rooty, snapped asparagus stalk aspects of tuberose absolute and set them off with vibrant green cardamom; mango drenched in pink pepper creates an almost incense-like effect – Duchaufour’s signature. The scent goes through a strangely compelling, freshly upturned earth phase before easing into a suave floral heart, where the tuberose is bolstered by orange blossom, ylang ylang, and rose, wrapped in the honeyed-tobacco facets of broom on a warm, musky, woody. and balsamic base.

If you’re addicted to tuberose, you’ll be riveted by Bertrand Duchaufour’s totally original interpretation. If you’re tuberose-averse, you might very well be converted. And if you’re a man, you may have finally found a version of the note that can be worn unselfconsciously. But women needn’t worry: Nuit de Tubéreuse is still very much a heart-breaker.

Here are the notes: cardamom, clove, pink pepper, black pepper, citrus, green mango, angelica, tuberose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, rose, broom, musks, vanilla, sandalwood, palisander, benzoin, and styrax.

If you pre-order now, as I did, you will get some goodies with your fragrance when it ships. They are a nice incentive. I hope we love it!

Photos courtesy of LuckyScent

L'Artisan's L'Été en Douce

While I was in New York, shopping at Henri Bendel, I stopped in at the L'Artisan boutique within the store. I had a great chat with Linda about my favorite limited-edition L'Artisan fragrances and the notes I like in my perfumes, including rose and orange blossom. She suggested I try L'Été en Douce ($135). I love it!

Created by Olivia Giacobetti, L'Été en Douce is a light, powdery, floral Eau de Toilette with notes of linden, hay, mint, rose, orange blossom, woods, and white musk.

L'Artisan describes it this way.

L'Été en Douce introduces a new way of talking about fresh fragrances, with no acidulated, fusing, or sparkling notes. Pure and light, it evokes the dew caressing grass in a field and wild rose bushes, the freshness of lime trees, and the warm scent of freshly cut hay. Soothing as orange-flower water, it is as transparent as our summer thoughts. Soft and caressing, it is as easy to wear as a white linen dress and envelopes your summer memories with a gorgeous veil of mist.

It's not summer, but I am loving L'Été en Douce! I don't treat fragrances as seasonal, like we do clothing. If I like them, I like them during all four seasons. I might wear a light fragrance more during the summer, but that doesn't stop me from turning to it when I need to escape from winter.

L'Été en Douce has an interesting history - and an unfortunate "false start." The fragrance was originally released as a limited edition in 2005, under the name of Extrait de Songes. Annick Goutal had just released Songes and made claim to the name. L'Artisan withdrew the scent from the market to avoid the legal confrontation. In 2006, it was re-released as L'Été en Douce. I don't know how I could have missed it for a little over three years! My guess is that my DC-area L'Artisan sources carry a limited selection from the house.

This fragrance is clean and green. When I spray it, I immediately smell the musk and linden. My favorite orange blossom and rose bloom quickly and quietly with the middle notes. Then, the scent lasts about five to six hours on me, much the way it smells just a few minutes after spraying.

Adjectives I would use to describe L'Été en Douce include charming, pretty, breezy, soft, and feminine. It's not particularly complex, powerful, surprising, or mysterious - if that's what you like in a fragrance, L'Artisan has other choices for you. You might like their new Havana Vanille, one I uncharacteristically like. You can read the BTiB post on Havana Vanille here.

If you love green florals, you will love L'Été en Douce. You can find it at Henri Bendel, L'Artisan boutiques, the L'Artisan Web site, LuckyScent, and Barneys. Or Google it for sources near you. I think I need the L'Été en Douce candle ($60). It will transport me into spring.

Photo courtesy of L'Artisan

L'Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille

L'Artisan Parfumeur's latest introduction, Havana Vanille, officially launches this month. Called the fragrance of a magical place, Havana Vanille was created by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour to evoke "travels around the world, the nostalgia of crossing the seven seas to discover far-off treasures, and the smell of a wooden boat mingling with the aroma of rum and spice." From its vibrant Salsa rhythms to its famous cigars and rum, the mystique of Havana, Cuba, was bottled by Duchaufour. Worked for me!

Just in case you haven't figured it out, I'm most comfortable with florals and fruits. Too many spices trigger my cut-and-run instincts. This one is different. I first wore it on my wrist, a place I could easily scrub to remove it if my nose said enough. I didn't have to scrub; I found my nose wandering to my wrist for frequent whiffs.

At the soul of the fragrance is the Mexican vanilla pod soaked in aged rum, the makings of a good exotic drink. There are notes of clove (which I don't smell), crystallized dried fruit, rum, mandarin orange, leather, tobacco, powder, honey, narcissus, tonka bean, balms, smoked woods, vetiver, and musks around a vanilla absolute that's dry, creamy, mellow, and addictive. You'll be the exotic drink wearing this one. Men will lean into it to inhale the seductive, yet charming blend of sweet and spicy scents. In fact, men may want to wear this fragrance.

Vanilla fragrance lovers will find Havana Vanille unique, complex, and sophisticated. You would think the world has enough vanilla-based fragrances, and then along comes one that's unique and powerful. If you love fragrances with vanilla, spices, tobacco, and woods, you will want to seek out this one. Even if you don't think you love those fragrances, like me, you may like this one. Bill at Art with Flowers, who provided me with the pre-release sample, isn't going to believe I like it!

As soon as supplies arrive this month, you will find Havana Vanille at Art with Flowers at the Tysons Galleria, Bluemercury, and Henri Bendel. You can order a sample from L'Artisan's Web site, and, I'm sure, you can order the fragrance when it's available. It will cost $115 or $155 for 50 ml or 100 ml, respectively.

Don't forget that you're invited to a party the afternoon of November 15 at Art with Flowers. DC locals will find fragrances, gifts, and flowers galore (this is where I buy the orchids for my office). Join the party, and you will save 5% on all purchases by mentioning Best Things in Beauty when you pull out that credit card. You'll have fun too. Art with Flowers has fabulous parties! And you can smell and pre-order Havana Vanille if it moves you, but hasn't arrived.

Happy Veterans Day, and to all of our veterans, our sincere thanks for your service!

Photo courtesy of L'Artisan Parfumeur

L'Artisan 2007 Limited Edition Fleur d'Oranger

A few weeks ago, I said I would review L'Artisan's Fleur d'Oranger ($295), a limited edition Eau de Parfum. I had bought the original 2005 Fleur d'Oranger, which sold out. I am still wearing it because the bottle is generous in size (I suspect I am actually hoarding it). As soon as the 2007 edition was introduced, I purchased it. Now, I need to buy another 2007 before it becomes "extinct."

I thought about how I would describe this wonderful fragrance and decided that I couldn't match Lusciouscargo, so here's an edited quote.

"Fleur d'Oranger was the first fragrance in L'Artisan's brilliant new series of outstanding perfumes that share one simple trait: each is dependent on the vagaries of climate, cultivation, and harvesting - in essence these scents celebrate an exceptional vintage year of a particular natural raw material. The stellar crop was reserved exclusively for L’Artisan Parfumeur - quite an innovative and clever concept - and judging by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception this perfume has enjoyed, it's safe to say L'Artisan's novel and ambitious new series will most certainly endure.

By definition, each entry will be a (very) limited edition; since the shrewd folks at L'Artisan have purchased the entire crop, once it's exhausted it cannot be recreated or duplicated. Each perfume is presented in the stunning L'Artisan fashion we've all come to adore, and each bottle is numbered.

And the first exclusive raw material in the series? Tunisian orange blossom - the '04 harvest - which was a very good year indeed. Harvested and processed in the Tunisian fields, each and every one of these orange blossoms was reserved for L'Artisan. How incredibly cool!

Now, to our infinite delight, they have brought it to us again - new crop, same sublime artistry. Doubtless, the fact that the original Fleur d'Oranger sold out nationally in about 45 minutes had something to do with their decision to brighten our lives once again with an orange blossom fragrance that is, to put it mildly, without peer.

For the first creation of this new collection of “Grand Cru,” L’Artisan Parfumeur’s hallmark 100 ml bottle is adorned with a slew of elegant details: the facets are engraved with orange blossoms, the bottle is numbered and signed (2990 copies). It is topped with a copper cap reminiscent of one you might find in a still, and nestled in custom-printed silk paper. The presentation: a coolly elegant wooden box fastened with a sliver of grosgrain ribbon and L'Artisan signature brass coin. And finally, the bottle is engraved on all four sides - a la the Grandes Reserves."

The single-note fragrance is all about orange blossom, and it's blended with petit grain and beeswax. People at work stop me and ask what I'm wearing. I can't smell it, but obviously, it lasts. I feel transported to a grove of orange trees in bloom when I spray it - sublime!

There is a difference between the 2005 and 2007 editions, but I won't tempt you with something you can't get. Other limited editions have been Iris Padilla and Fleur de Narcisse. I purchased the Fleur de Narcisse, but gifted it to a very good friend because there was a hint of tobacco in it. My nose couldn't get past the masculinity of that note, despite the very floral nature of the rest of the blend.

Fleur d'Oranger is available at Lusciouscargo, LuckyScent, and L'Artisan. Art with Flowers at Tysons Galleria also has it, but shhh, don't tell anyone before I get my next bottle. I'm saving up.

Photo courtesy of Lusciouscargo.

L'Artisan's New Fleur de Liane

L'Artisan has introduced a floral perfume, Fleur de Liane (Flower of the Vine). With notes of leaves, guava, magnolia, tuberose, frangipani, vetiver, guaiac, patchouli (yes, it's there, but it's not obnoxious), and moss, it's the line's latest trip to the islands. It's unique, as all L'Artisan fragrances are, and it's worth checking out.

Here's what the L'Artisan Web site has to say about the mysterious Flower of the Vine of Panama.

"The fourth perfume in L'Artisan Parfumeur's Travel Series, Fleur de Liane was created by a renowned perfumer to commemorate his trip to the island of Bahia Honda in Panama. Inspired by the sultry, tropical atmosphere of the island, Fleur de Liane celebrates lush rains and the ocean, the exuberant green of leaves, the mossy and woody aroma of the sap, and the mysterious, narcotic white flower of the tropical forest. A perfumer's dream of an exotic flower, an enthralling and wild fragrance!" Hmm...white flowers, tropical, wild...I was inspired to go smell it.

To get started without breaking the bank, you can purchase the Scented Body Cream ($50) at Art with Flowers in the Tysons Galleria or from any store carrying L'Artisan. The ingredients include apricot nut oil and Vitamin E, so it's good for the skin in addition to having a unique floral fragrance. I put it in the crook of my arm, and seven hours later, it was still there. Long-lasting is good!

The Eau de Toilette Spray, shown above, is $135. Art with Flowers carries the full range of L'Artisan products, including the limited edition fragrances. If you can stop by, say hello to owners Bill and Jose.

L'Artisan Parfumeur has stores all over the U.S. and Canada, and you can also shop on their Web site. Sometime soon, I'll tell you about their limited edition Fleur d'Oranger 2007, which is one of my all-time favorite fragrances - extraordinary.

Photo courtesy of L'Artisan.