Tuberose

How perfume has helped me get through hard times

Last year has been quite challenging for me as my mother quite unexpectedly passed away. As perfume was a subject we liked to discuss together it has been hard to test new fragrances or buy new scents. It was something very dear to her heart. The last subject we discussed together was perfume as I had just given her a small bottle of Cacharel Eden which she loved. I used to give her all kinds of perfumes which she really enjoyed wearing, some of her favorites being Estée Lauder Beautiful and the original Miss Dior.

I have used many rose centered perfumes last year to bring me some solace and help me with my grief. Guerlain Nahema extrait has been one of the scents I have used most. I found the discontinued Nahema pure perfume in a spray tester bottle fortunately for a reasonable price. One of the fragrances I bought last year was Paul Smith Rose, a very natural smelling and inexpensive tea rose. I like to spray it around me lavishly from time to time.

Apart from bringing some comfort, perfumes have brought me joy as well last year. Especially new scents created by independent perfumers like Envoyage Perfumes Rainmaker made by Shelley Waddington which introduced me to her new hometown Portland. Or the very original Zoologist Bat made by perfumer Ellen Covey and Sultan Pasha’s beautiful classic creations. Scenting these original and well made perfumes introduced me to new worlds and have broadened my olfactory horizons at moments when I needed it most and they still do. I look forward to trying their and many other scented creations this year.

The new year started quite well with Andy Tauers beautiful perfume in a soap smelling of green tuberose and testing many of the latest Italian niche creations at The Scent Company as can been seen on the photograph.

Has perfume helped you get through difficult times? If so which ones helped you most?

Photograph made by Chester.

Madonna Truth or Dare Budget Beauty Pick Perfume Review

In bed with Rubio

Madonna Truth or Dare* Eau de Parfum is surprisingly better than you would think for a celebrity fragrance. I would not call it a masterpiece but well worth a try if you like creamy tuberose or gardenia fragrances. Coty has discontinued Truth or Dare. It is sold now at ridiciously low prices. My back up bottle was € 8,59.

Truth or Dare was the first fragrance Madonna launched.* It was inspired by the 1948 Piguet classic Fracas. Fracas was said to be worn by Madonna’s mother. I do not find Truth or Dare to be very daring as it is neither indolic nor carnal. To some it is a gourmand floral due to the lush creamy vanilla and caramel amber base. The so called addiction accord.

Truth or Dare behaves quite decently on my skin starting with a fruity delicious ripe juicy pear note to continue as a creamy tuberose and gardenia, then moving quite quickly into a slightly but not overly sweet vanilla and carameled amber to end as a barely notice able soapy scent. Reading bloggers’ reviews I did not find others who scented the ripe pear note in the beginning. Some smelled white lily at the heart which luckily, I did not get. Truth or Dare wears quite close to the skin and can only be scented for a few hours. The trick to really enjoy it, is to reapply during the day and spray luxuriously. I like to wear Truth or Dare on warmer summer days.

Portrait of Guus Preitinger wife of Kees van Dongen, Kees van Dongen 1910, van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

What image do I get: a glamorous fur coat and a string of pearls like the lady (and wife of) on this Kees van Dongen painting.

What does it do? Makes me feel glamorous, outgoing, mature and centered.

Given its price and quality I would recommend Truth or Dare to those who like creamy tuberose, white florals or are new to the smell of tuberose and want to experience its lushness before moving on to other more expensive and classic tuberose fragrances like Fracas.

Try Truth or Dare for this bargain price!

Truth or Dare

Notes: (as off Fragrantica website) The scent is both a light and dark, opening with notes of gardenia, creamy tuberose and neroli. The heart consists of jasmine, benzoin and white lily, based on vanilla absolute, caramelized amber and sensual musk.

Launched: 2012

Perfumer: Stephen Nilsen (Givaudan)

Perfume Family: Floral /  Floral Oriental

Try if you like: Nicolai Juste Un Reve, Isabey Gardenia, MDCI Peche Cardinal, Miller Harris Noix de Tubereuse

Status: discontinued

Produced by: Coty

Origin of Sample: my own bottles

Price: € 8,59 for a 75 ml tester spray bottle at a Dutch online discount store

Painting: Portrait of Guus Preitinger by Kees van Dongen, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam

Photographs: made by me, model Rubio

*The Truth or Dare (In Bed with Madonna in Europe) movie was introduced 25 years ago. Read more about the anniversary this year and the original movie.

*Read this interesting interview with the perfumer Stephen Nilsen about creating Truth or Dare and working with Madonna, which was quite challenging.

Oliver & Co Santalum Scented Candle

According to his website Oliver & Co Spanish perfumer Oliver Valverde created his scented candle Santalum in 2010 together with four other candles, Ambrarem, Tuberosen, Terralium and Muskal. Ambrarem, Santalum and Tuberosen are still in production at this moment. The design of the container was simple and stylish to change in 2013 into a more futuristic and personalized one, inspired by space ships. I preferred the older packaging as I find it more suited to the fragrances. Oliver Valverde made the futuristic packaging to contrast the fragrances.

Santalum 3Like Oliver Valverde himself, these candles represent their own style both in packaging and fragrance. Compared to his perfumes the scented candles are less outspoken. Their throw off is marvelous and one of the best I have encountered so far to the point that the scent can be overwhelming at times. I tend to burn some of them (Ambrarem and Tuberosen) no more than one hour for this reason. All details, from the packaging to the design and fragrance are thought through and made by the perfumer himself.

One of the things to keep in mind when buying a scented candle is its size. Most of the scented candles are 190 grams (for example Diptyque) but Oliver & Co candles are 225 grams Santalum 2so they last longer. These scented candles include a wooden lid (where some other brands charge for them) and the containers can be re-used easily. So far I have used scented candles in the scents Tuberosen, Santalum, Silver Fir and Ambrarem. They are tempting to collect and easy to re use as their colours are beautiful with all different designs.

The most important thing remains its fragrance though. I believe Santalum to be my favorite one but have to admit it depends on the weather and season. The same as the scented candle Ambrarem, I wish Oliver made a perfume from it. Tuberosen and Santalum are suited for summer as they are  based on the summer/late summer flowers rose and tuberose. Silver Fir and Ambrarem are both very appropriate for cold winter weather.

What does Santalum smell like to me:

A beautiful feminine elegant light ethereal rose and raspberry fragrance which would make an excellent perfume and reminding me of Nicolai Rose Oud. If you like Nicolai Rose Oud Eau de Parfum you will probably like this scented candle.

What does it do ?

It brings softness,  soothes and relaxes.

Official notes: Sandalwood, Raspberry and Rose Petals

Burning time according to label: 50/60 hours

Size: 225 gr

Longevity: 5/5

Projection: 5/5

Price: 50 euro (sign up for the official newsletter as Oliver & Co has regular sales)

Disclosure: all candles mentioned in this article were bought by Esperessence

Photograph: Esperessence