So long, farewell...

Auf wiedersehen, Adieu, Au'voir and sadly...good bye.

Writing about noteworthy fragrances had been a dream of mine that I first envisioned this past Winter after reading so many great and creative blogs proclaiming marvelous and not so marvelous things about fragrances. From the major design houses to the small cottage in England creating a work of love...I've been impressed with this: Those who create beauty ~ are beautiful.

The knowledge I've gained will stay with me the rest of my life. Tihota by Indult became my perfume holy grail and I made so many incredible friends along this journey, both in the US and abroad. I've thoroughly enjoyed sharing links with many other blog owners as well as sharing samples across the miles. I'll always remember Andy Tauer's "Bottle on a journey" as a highlight of this experience. I wish each of you continued success and would love to keep in touch from time to time. I'm richer and wiser and more fragrant for having known each of you!

I leave the world of sampling and writing fragrance reviews to become my husband's copy editor for an upcoming book. He is hoping to have a contract with Zondervan Publishing House early next year. He has been waiting for this opportunity to be a published author for years and finally the time seems perfect. It's his dream come true! I can do no less than to offer this incredible husband of 38 years my undivided attention with editing and help him meet those manuscript deadlines.

I wish for each of you the very best and abundance in all you do.

Your friend forever,
Joyce

“Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Liz Zorn Perfumes ~ the girl makes scents

It's always great to stay in touch with Liz and learn about all the new and luscious scents she is bringing to the world. With the appropriate fanfare, here is her latest and possibly greatest launch yet!

The Good Luck collection

"This collection is a reformulation and makeover of the "Fusionne' Collection. Originally only an oil parfume. We have expanded the vision of this series of perfumes to include a variety of selections for each fragrance. As we were making new, the packaging has also been updated to reflect a more contemporary aesthetic. We decided to relaunch with the top three sellers from the pervious collection, Ankhara, Calcutta and Quan Yin." (Known as the Amber Girls)

"Tea Trilogy, which includes a reformulation of the Chado parfume that so many love. These are mixed media scents. Which means that we start with a high level of natural materials and accent them with modern perfumery elements. We call this the Good Luck Collection because these perfumes, have been very good for us. Very popular with our customers, And we want to spread some good cheer."

EDP-X - 1 oz. Flacon (see photo above) A new concentration that we have created, that bridges the gap between a standard Eau D' Parfume and a Parfume Extrait. Rich and lasting, but not to overbearing or heavy on the base notes. Price: 90.00. Allow three weeks for delivery.

Perfumed Body Creme - A generously fragranced luxury formula. May be layered with the eau d' parfume for an added element, or used alone as a light r effect. To be used as one would apply a fine fragrance. Not for use on the face. 4.5 oz. 65.00 - allow two weeks for delivery.

Previously posted:
August/2007Like Patti LaBelle, there's more than just a new attitude rising up from ZZ's Petals Boutique. First of all, let's start with a new name: Liz Zorn Perfumes.

Now let's add a new collection! LZ ARTISAN is introducing five Eau D' Parfumes. I've tried them all and am madly in love with Palomino. Once I get past the opening 'green notes' my personal chemistry kicks in to high gear and the sultry, spicy floral takes over and charms me with its beauty. Long lasting, intensely fragrant...love at first whiff.

PALOMINO "Contrary to the obvious - this fragrance gets it's name from the palomino grape, not the famous horse of Roy Rodgers! The Palomino grape is commonly used in the production of sherry. And like Sherry, our Palomino is a touch dry, warm, spicy and rich. Steeped in Amber and Cloves, with a touch of pomegranate, in a base of Cedar, Sandalwood and Musk. Notes: Clary Sage, Juniper, Cabreuva, Galbanum, Clove, Cinnamon, Amber (house natural), Vanilla, Pomegranate, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, and Musk."

CITRINE ROSE "A conceptual scent, created around the idea of following the evolution of a rose from thorn to blossom. Citrine Rose starts out sharp and biting, and warms over time, to a citrus tinged softness, that is both uplifting and sensual. Notes: Citrus, Spices, Geranium, Carnation, Rose Otto, Rose Absolute, Amber (house), Cedar, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Vanilla, and Musk."

JHANGO BAY "Riding the fence between classic and modern. This scent is rich in Caribbean spices, masculine florals, warm woods, balsams and musky animalic undertones. Notes: Citrus, Jamacian Bay Rum, Spices, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Natural Musk, and Ambergris."

ALLEGORY "A twist on the traditional Lavender Fragrance. Allegory, rich with leather and smoke is a Lavender, Vanilla scent, built around the Absolute of Lavender, which has a fruitiness not found in the essential oil alone. Allegory comes on strong, and mellows to a beautifully seductive rustic floral, with a rich herb and vanilla dry down. Notes: Marigold, French Lavender, Orange Flower, Lavender Absolute, Lavender Concrete, Vanilla, Spices, Birch Tar, Leather Notes, and Woods."

MAN SPRAY "An extraordinarily smooth natural masculine fragrance, that opens with a citrus and green wake up call followed by a slowly smoldering richness, that can only be described as Vintage Chic. Always on the edge, never out of style. Notes: Bergamot, French Lavender, Clary Sage, Cedar, Spices, Geranium Leaf, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Hay Absolute, Amber (house blend) Ambrette Seed Musk, Oak Moss, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, and Vanilla."

Her new Signature Collection of luxury perfumes will now be available in Parfume Extrait only and are created with well chosen, high quality natural ingredients, tinctured fruits and florals not commonly available to the perfumer, natural or otherwise. Liz refuses to outsource any part of the process allowing her to maintain complete control over the quality of her perfumes.

Liz, like the true artist she is, has succeeded in designing an incredible wardrobe of fragrances.Samples as well as full-sized bottles are available on her website and promptly arrive packaged with the flair of an artist.

Indult ~ An exclusive society of perfumes

Indult: Privilege granted to certain people by the King of France or the Pope to few people in order to profit of certain exclusive favors. Indult Perfumes are inspired by these aristocratical privileges from the past centuries and the wish to present a new concept of perfume for people who appreciate the feeling of exclusivity. These exclusive and confidential perfumes are the result of delicate and exceptional ingredients. Each fragrance is edited in 999 bottles, Indult perfumes are made of natural and extremely rare extracts and contain no colorants or additives. The three perfumes were composed by nose Francis Kurkdjian who also created the MDCI perfumes that I reviewed several weeks ago.

TIHOTA

"Means Sugar in Polynesian. It’s an exotic marriage of musk infusion with the sensual vanilla pods. Like the blow of a warm breeze that wraps the body and invades the atmosphere in a singular way. Tihota is a magical trip, the incandescence of the sunrise that embraces the far horizon." The verdict: Have mercy! This is the mother of all vanilla scents, but with an incredible twist. If you are familiar with Vanille Abricot by Comptior Sud Pacifique, then just imagine that fragrance times ten. My sample was crushed in shipment, so there was only about a drop that I could safely test without cutting my arm with glass shards, but that one drop sent me over the edge of vanilla heaven. Full bottle worthy at any price!!

MANAKARA

"Madagascar’s area famous for flourishing the most beautiful lychees in the world.
When roses are fruits, they associate best with lychees. The most beautiful roses in perfumery are the ones from Bulgaria and Turkey; they could only find their alter ego in the heart of a Madagascar region where the most beautiful lychees are made. An exclusive fragrance where the voluptuous essence of rose is married with the fresh and subtle scent of lychee." The verdict: Sniff, sniff...I wish I liked this better, but I can only think of a very, very sweet rose flavored cotton candy and you'll get a very good picture of that this smells like on me. I think my chemistry intensifies the canned syrupy lychee fruits and I'll have this for dessert with ice cream rather than wear it.

ISVARAYA

"Meaning divine in Hindi. In India, the patchouli is traditionally the favorite scent of Vishnu, god savior of men and life, the guardian of universal harmony. From this secular legend, an olfactory allegory is born that associates the sensual intensity of the patchouli to the fruity and suave scent of the Indian plum trees and the flowers of Jasmine Sambac. Isvaraya is the fantasy of a diverse India, culturally and ethnically, between the spiritual legend of Vishnu and the fantasy of Bollywood." The verdict: It's really super rich and exotic, like Indian incense with heavy woods and florals. Not my cup of tea, but very exotic and sexy and it will be savored for those 'extra special' moments when only a mature siren of a scent will do.

Get over to Lucky Scent and order a sample when it's back in stock. And visit Indult.fr if you want to join the 'exclusive club' of the faithful and privileged 999.

Finding your 'happy groove'

The aim of a fragrance is to make you feel happy! The packaging of Smiley alone started the smiles and chuckles even before I got to the scent inside. Fragrance therapy without an RX? And what's with those crazy bottles that don't even stand up but prefer to just roll around? So fun! When most fragrance designers add glamor and value to their scents by bottling them up in fine cut baccarat crystal, sometimes even studded with diamonds....Smiley says, "No thanks" and instead comes packaged in a pill shaped bottle tucked away in a box that looks like it came from a pharmacology company. So original!

Ah ha!! There in lies the genius of this product, created by the very famous Jean Pierre Bethouart, mastermind of fragrances such as Caron, Christian Dior and Versace with the packaging credit going to Ora Ito who's reinterpreted everything from Vuitton backpacks to Heineken bottles, mobile phones and Mac computers.
So famous!

The Smiley formula combines theobromine and phenylethylamine, both natural mood elevators found in cocoa beans, as well as the more conventional notes of bergamot, orange, pimento and bay leaves; the middle notes are cacao, praline and curaçao; the base note has patchouli, myrrh and musk. Is this the smell of happiness? Anytime I can get a legal giddy boost that's not from a bottle, not from a pill and not from someone who's billing me by the minute - that's got my attention. Smiley calls itself the first anti-stress perfume and those who wear it are 'in therapy'. Now, granted this could be a bit too much hype, but really, who cares? If there is something in these pill shaped bottles that ups the happy factor for my stressful day, I'm at least smiling more just looking at those cutsie bottles labeled in French, English and Braille with such great smelling fragrance. So quirky!

Available in a preponderance of potent perfumed products...you can get your smiles in bath gel and bath fizzies, body lotion, massage oil and my favorite, the Smiley perfume extract. Honestly, you can measure this out by the drop and it lasts all day. Now that is something you can smile about. So happy!

Go on...purchase your own Smiley products at HappyTherapy.com or BigelowChemists.com and let the happy begin!

Ebba Los Angeles

"Mom I'm busy creating." When Viktoria Fisch's mom Ebba would wonder what her daughter was doing, she somehow new that the little girl and the elementary lotions and potions she was mixing in the bathroom would lead to greatness. Viktoria says that not much has changed in the years that have passed as one little girl grew up to demonstrate that anything is possible.

Finding the 'abundance within' must have destined her to become quite the talk around Hollywood, CA where flocks of the faithful drop by to experience first hand the fun and flirty scents that abound. Seems like there is always something new happening at Ebba Los Angeles. Perhaps the best known of the Miss collection is Miss Marisa and if you love mint, you'll love this fragrance. At first it developed with a somewhat 'soapy' opening, that made me wince just ever so slightly. It was also confusing as notes of peach and licorice played dueling matches on my skin. But wait...give this perfume oil about 15 minutes and then you have the most beautiful floral bouquet remaining with just a whisper of mint. I got raves when I wore this last week and it's definitely appropriate for office wear as it's not a suffocating scent, but polite in every aspect. The verdict: it's not your average floral bouquet, but you really don't want to wear 'average' do you?

The Miss perfume oils are packaged in a beautiful decorate box with a hand pressed wax seal. Available from Ebba online in a delightful collection of perfume oils, spray, bath and body and boudoir candles.

Get your samples here!

It's About Thyme

you discovered the amazing world of Thyme's collection of personal, bath and home fragrances.
"Beauty, not superficial beauty but true beauty, lies in the small details of life. These details...a greeting from a neighbor, the feeling of a plush towel against your skin, a stroll in the warmth of the sun...nourish our individual selves and nurture our connections to others. Finding beauty in these moments brings a thoughtfulness, a sense of well-being and fulfillment, to our sometimes hectic, always demanding lives."

Leslie Ross Lentz, founder of Thymes has a singular and abiding philosophy: "Our mission is to help you enhance and enjoy the quiet moments in your life. We honor this through every aspect of our manufacturing process, and we try hard to treat ourselves, and one another with the same degree of attention and care."

The perfumer at Thymes works as an artisan mixing blend after blend, to find a crisper note of citrus, the lushest-smelling lavender, a bergamot with just the right bloom. The perfumer's staff gives attention to these small details to ensure that the fragrances you experience will always be complex, delightful and more. Their packaging is a work of art! Each fragrance package is uniquely and playfully styled to make taking the bottle out the box as enjoyable as spritzing the delicate yet long lasting scents inside the box! I love to spritz a cloud of fragrance and then 'walk into' the scent. I get a head to toe experience that lasts all day!

My favorite collections are Gold Leaf, Wild Ginger and Kimono Rose.

Goldleaf "When perfume is a work of art. Experience a fragrance of exceptional elegance and grace, enhanced with the skin-soothing properties of nature's most luxuriant ingredients. Bee pollen extract infuses skin with vital nutrients, and golden honey draws in moisture to keep skin supple. Smooth jasmine, fragrant roses, hyacinth and creamy lily of the valley blossom on a background of oak moss and musk to create an elaborate tapestry for the senses."

"Make both you and your skin happy all over with the fresh, inspiring scent of Wild Ginger. Bursting with the bright, mood-elevating essence of effervescent organic ginger balanced with refreshing cucumber; touched with creamy vanilla and spiked with a slice of Tahitian lime and Moro orange. Energized with organic red clover to soothe and moisturizing honey to hydrate, it keeps your skin (and your spirits) positively glowing all day long. Slightly Untamed, Entirely Uplifting."

"Sparkling and lyrical, Kimono Rose is unabashedly feminine, beautifully layered with an undercurrent of intrigue. A sheer, sensuous floral heightened with effervescent sweet clementine and voluptuous cassis on a creamy bed of satiny rose, peony and jasmine petals…finished with a kiss of smooth, silken vanilla. Delicate but dynamic; soft spoken, yet striking, it is a modern reflection of who you are, and who you want to be…all wrapped up in one truly lovely fragrance."

All Thymes are available online and tucked inside each uniquely created box (it's almost a work of art) is a matching sample of body lotion.

Susanne Lang~Fragrant Layers of Scent

Behind the philosophy of Susanne Lang is the belief that a woman's beauty is most alluring when it's subtle. Not only a veil of her presence but the impression of poise and originality that she leaves behind. As a perfumer, this belief has inspired the creation of a palette of authentic essences which can be layered and blended in endless combinations letting every woman have her special signature fragrances that speaks uniquely to who she is and inspires to be.

Creating those endless combinations is precisely why Susanne created the Layers Wardrobe of Six. Susanne Lang's Layering Wardrobe includes six 7 ml bottles of Eau de parfum.

Midnight Orchid~Egyptian jasmine, balanced with soft musk and a beautiful vanilla absolute, so real it's almost edible. My favorite!

Lotus Blossom~Pink lotus, ginger lily, gardenia, freesia and just a hint of peach.

Tamboti Wood~Tamboti wood accord paired with fresh cedar, Indian sandalwood and vetiver.

Red Ginger~Ginger, pink pepper, patchouli and nutmeg meld perfectly with rose otto.

Vanilla Coconut~Tahitian vanilla, coconut, pineapple, with sultry notes of fig leaf and red torch ginger.

Cashmere~Cashmere combines rich and sensuous amber, incense, saffron and a variety of exotic spices

Reasonably priced at $72.00 and available from our friends at Lucky Scent.

Anglia Perfumery~Classic Fragrances From England

Relaxing on a quiet Sunday afternoon nestled in my comfy reclining chair next to the fireplace was not when I expected to be jolted out of my 'fume sniffing' session. There is was! Oh my gosh, where has this sample been all my life? Wedding Bouquet by Angelia Perfumery is a full-out wedding in a tester vial. The dress, the beautiful bride, the pipe organ, the cake, the flowers...the everything!

The Angelia Perfumery website describes it perfectly: "A floral fragrance with a mixed floral bouquet of rose, geranium, jasmine, ylang, cyclamen, heliotrope, neroli and lilac. The base is woody with substantive, soft vanilla notes." I was definitely having one of those 'ah ha' moments where my nose finally caught up to all of my blog editing and I cold detect every single solitary note presented in this beautiful fragrance. There is a touch of honey that makes this a very romantic scent.

Available online at the English Scent.

b-Glowing ~ A LaLicious gift for you

Lisa from b-glowing would love for all Noteworthy Fragrance readers to know about a very special offer. You haven't tried a Sugar Scrub until you've tried this finely whipped sweet concoction that locks in so much moisture that the water will literally bead off your smooth and silky skin! The fragrances are simply intoxicating! Purchase $65 or more of LaLicious and receive a FREE FULL-SIZE BROWN SUGAR VANILLA SOUFLE! Retail value: $30.00.
Certificate Code: yummy

Here's what Lisa says about the Brown Sugar Vanilla Soufle:

A scent so wonderful people will follow you around like a love sick puppy. The sweet, rich, decadent fragrance of French boulangerie! It's like wrapping your naked body in a cozy cashmere blanket. A product so luxurious it will melt on your skin. A scrub so fine your body will glisten. The shower water will actually bead off your skin. You've never tried a body scrub like this. The perfect amount of Oils, Pure Cane Sugar, Vitamin E & Honey whipped together to moisturize and exfoliate a very important part of our body, the skin.

This product is made with all natural ingredients. Using a whipped technique so the consistency will never change you will never need to re-mix them. Coconut oil absorbs quickly and easily into your skin, leaving it moisturized and protected without feeling greasy. Pure cane sugar crystals exfoliate dead skin cells while coconut, sweet almond and vitamin-e oils condition, moisturize and smoothes you to perfection!

Click here to view all the LaLicious products at b-glowing.

It's never to early to start your Holiday shopping.

Something new from Essense Collections

New for Fall and Winter!

From the Essense Studio Collection, Noteworthy Fragrances invites you to explore some new scents ready for the cooler weather, cashmere sweaters and a steaming cup of spiced tea.

Blond Suede
New for Fall is a buttery, supple and sweet leather fragrance: Blond Suede. Experience a new wonderfully light and subtly textured take on leather! The notes include bergamot, spices, violet, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, hay, orris, amber, castoreum, honey, leather and sandalwood. The verdict: a new take on leather. Yeah baby!

Sequoia7 is a scent of earth, mystery and a vast knowing. This winter perfume is from deep within an ancient forest. An earthy blend of coriander and caraway seed, cypress, liatrix, elemi, ginseng accord, guiacwood, patchouli, tobacco vetiver, oakmoss balsam teakwood and woodsmoke accord. The verdict: perfect for "winter hibernation". Oh so soothing.

New for Holiday Season 2007 Essense Collection:

Lumiere
A hushed candlelight perfume; warm, delicious and pulsating. Lumiere brings dark and light together with shimmering spice, rhum and deep coffee notes. But that's only the beginning. Add cinnamon leaf, nutmeg, almond milk accord, hazelnut, amber, sandalwood, oppopanax and Peru Balsam. The verdict: celebrate the season of lights with lovely Lumiere! Romantic and then some!

And if these new scents weren't enough to delight you, a special fragrance returns! After a long search for new source ingredients, Dawn is re-launching the highly desired skin scent la Fête Nouvelle. Bitter almond, freshly mown hay, lavender, green wheat, sweet grass, toasted rice are anchored with sandalwood, tonka bean, treemoss and vanilla. The verdict: sun warmed fields; simple, clean. Perfect and natural.

Dawn M. Spencer Hurwitz Perfumer and Certified Aromatherapist

Dawn M. Spencer Hurwitz has a unique talent and has been called a Perfume Genius by her devoted clientele. Beginning her career as an art student in painting, Dawn came to Perfumery in 1991. But before she gained the title of Perfume Genius, she was a little girl playing in fields of flowers dreaming one day of painting masterpieces and creating perfume. Now Dawn has achieved the best of both worlds with Parfums des Beaux Arts ~ fine art fragrances and Essence Oils.

Since the early nineties, Dawn has been busy transforming the ESSENSE perfumery into her previous online emporium, "essenseoils.com," as well as developing her innovative lines of ready to wear artisan perfumes under her own label and consulting for niche marketers, such as Flora Napa Valley, Calypso, Jules & Jane and Zents Spa collection. Dawn continues to be one busy creative lady and is ever on the quest to create new and luscious perfumes.

Recently updated packaging on the very popular Essense Collections brings bursts of jewel tones and gold filigree to express the sensual and other-worldliness of these beautiful scents. These jewels are boxed up in elegant black to show off the gorgeous colors and make them perfect for gift giving.

If you have personal questions about fragrance, Dawn will respond immediately to your inquires. A delightful perfumer with an exceptional future. Don't forget to check out the samples section of her website. It's a gourmet feast for your sampling pleasure.

Earlier review posted May/2007

Somewhere between Heaven and Earth

are some amazing handcrafted, fresh and lavish products for your bath and body that are sure to please the most difficult critic and that would be me! I don't like gooey, I don't like greasy and I don't want my jacuzzi tub clogged with oil after taking a long and luxurious bubbly soak. The Heaven and Earth products fulfilled my demands and left my skin totally softened with a delicate scent that did not overwhelm DH who is always such a great sport when I'm sampling and testing new products for review.

This line has offers moisturizers, sugar scrubs, salt scrubs for all skin types, hair care products, soaps and custom blended fragrances. There are even several products where you can choose to layer different scents for your own variety of 'heaven in a jar'. The products I sampled would be considered in the 'foody' or gourmand range. And you already know that I enjoy all things vanilla, so it came as no surprise to me that I loved the jar of Gingerbread and Frosted Vanilla Sugar foaming scrub the very first time I tried it. All I needed was a dollop of freshly whipped cream to go along with the warm, just from the oven gingerbread aroma. The sugar granules are refined enough in this scrub that you won't have to worry about sandblasting off a layer of skin. Finishing off with an application of Silken Glove Cream in Pure Vanilla, I was ready for a night of fragrant, sweet dreams!

I was especially drawn to Autumn, a fragrance with balsamic clove notes reminiscent of Darjeeling tea and undertones of burning leaves. Michele lists the notes as: "Golden Amber and Vanilla and then gently kissed with Orange Blossom. Orange Blossom, Vanilla Bean, Burning Leaves, Golden Amber and Cinnamon." These are long lasting uncomplicated fragrances that are fun, affordable and best of all, they are made in Minnesota. You gotta love that!

This is THE place to visit if you are looking for unique products that can be custom scented in an amazing choice of products.

Who wants samples?

Bermuda Perfumery Library

The Bermuda Perfumery was founded in 1928 by William Blackburn Smith and his daughter Madeline Scott. Easter Lily Perfume was first produced experimentally in a small wooden building in Bailey's Bay. The family gradually acquired the surrounding properties to a total of six acres, which is immense to Bermuda standards. New fragrances were added, such as Sweet Pea, Eve, Gardenia and Jonquil. Most were successful but not all. Jonquil was judged to be too sweet and heavy by the public and was dropped.

The same traditions and methods of perfume making are still pursued to this day with the guidance and assistance of David Botello, the Perfumery's perfumer for the past 43 years. Each bottle continues to be filled individually by hand by their dedicated staff. The Perfume Library is an absolutely perfect way to try each of the exquisite fragrances. For an extra special treat ask them to gift wrap your purchase. Delightful indeed!

My favorite fragrance is Lily, a chic and sparkling lush floral bouquet. "The effervescence of tamarine, clementine and guava, hibiscus, calla lily, wild muguet and purple orchid, intertwine with pear flower and nectarine with a touch of blonde woods and a dash of seducing white musk that will linger on the skin long after." This is the perfect Wedding Day scent that is innocent enough for the processional down the isle yet spicy enough to dance the night away.

All fragrances are available in Perfume, Eau de Toilette, Body Lotion and Shower Gel online at the Lily Boutique.

The "Joyous Mistakes" of Armando

Introducing the redesigned website for Armando Martinez has been on the top of my 'to do' list for the past few days. And since I've taken a 'sanity break' from the office today, it was at last time to get the review posted. The solitude of being away from a frantic, stressful call center has been delightfully refreshing and has allowed more hours to research both new and 'new to me' fragrances.

For the past six years, 'Mando' has taken his love for classic fragrances and has become a designer of classic fragrances himself. He calls his potions "joyous mistakes" as did the legend perfumer Jean Carles. I prefer to just call them inspired ingenuity. Armando's work is still new to the designer scene and yet with a childlike abandonment, he strives to improve and perfect his fragrances.

He doesn't shock you with just another repackaged, renamed fragrance. His collection of five perfumes are unique and his own. He doesn't shock you with provocative ads that seem to be selling sex more than scent. Instead he packages them in simple apothecary style glass bottles that are a refreshing change of pace. He doesn't shock you with anything...he's about as honest as you can get and I predict that one day Armando will have a loving following who admire and respect his fragrances. Here are links to each of his fragrances. Enjoy! Benefactor, Kitsune, Maquillage, Pillow of Flowers, and Satyr. Armando's fragrances are available internationally online at First in Fragrance and directly from his website.

Photo from Armando Martinez website

La Via del Profumo ~ A bath in chocolate?

"The somehow aphrodisiac effect that chocolate perfume can have is due to it's capacity to awaken in our olfactory memory the sensual emotions experienced while enjoying cakes, pastries and creams, of which the sweet aromas of Cocoa and Vanilla are often the spirit." La Via del Profumo invites me to have a 'bath in chocolate'.

Wouldn't the ultimate fantasy be a day of chocolate spa services at the Hershey Hotel? If you can't quite fit that into your schedule, you can still enjoy the delights of the Chocolate Kit from La Via del Profumo.

Mention the word chocolate and I'm ready to party! Sampling the 'Chocolate Kit' by La Via del Profumo (The Way of Perfume) was shear joy as each of the fragrances evoked a very specific chocolate memory. Abdes Salaam Attar describes his scents so perfectly well that you know exactly what they will smell like, yet the surprise is how they will smell on you as they mingle with your specific chemistry.

My favorites were the Chocolate Orange and Chocolate Amber scents and what a close competition it was. I found it best to transfer the samples from the small bottles to a spray mist vial as the chocolate was much livelier sprayed than daubed. Within the first few minutes, the chocolate note made a very strong appearance that immediately sent me reminiscing about the tour I took inside one of the actual Hershey manufacturing plants in Illinois. Vats the size of a small house bubbled with enormous amounts of liquid chocolate as it morphed into millions of Kisses. Chocolate Orange, with a punch of orange zest gave way to whispers of frankincense and myrrh at the heart to play upon my skin. This is 'kissing under the mistletoe' chocolate and would be perfect to lavish upon yourself as a treasured Christmas gift.

Winning my heart however was the Chocolate Amber! Highly evocative bitter sweet chocolate mingles with a dark vanilla and tonka that stays surprisingly well connected from the first spritz. But the action that follows was very surprising.
Chocolate Amber is all about chocolate gourmand! Simple and simply addicting is the reaction from everyone who would stand still long enough to test this sample with me.

Working in a very intense customer service department for a cell phone provider, I thought it would be fun to see what others thought of Chocolate Amber. It wasn't long before I singled out two of my co-workers who eagerly consented to be spritzed. For the remainder of the afternoon, each time they walked by my office their nose was literally buried in their wrist. A good sign for sure! My peers are very familiar with my love of fragrance and often ask for a quick spritz of whatever I'm wearing for the day. But this was just insane.

They loved Chocolate Amber as much as I did. Emphasis on 'did'. So now my tiny treasure is all used up and even though I brought my jar of Bath & Body Works Wickedly Hot Chocolate Shimmer Body Cream to share, they sniff and walk away with a woeful look of disappointment. Hopefully, some day in the future, I may get my hands of more of this very limited and very beautiful perfume...ah...to dream.

Chocolate Amber provided a mysterious calming effect as frequently the intensity of speaking with someone not happy about their wireless service or crazed about the overages on their bill would ramp up my body temperature and at the same time, would cause a swirl of chocolate to provide that invisible emotional support I needed! Powerful stuff indeed.

"Chocolate Amber" blends Chocolate and Vanilla with Tonka, the exotic fragrance of the famous Indian Amber in a uniquely sensual fragrance.

"Chocolate Spicy" blends Chocolate and Vanilla with the essences of these spices that Mayas used for preparing with Cocoa the "Divine drink" Theobroma Cocoa.

"Chocolate Orange" blends Chocolate and Vanilla with the essences of citruses for an aroma that make us live the emotions of a box of Christmas chocolates.

"Chocolate Mint" blends Chocolate and Vanilla with the essence of peppermint in an aroma that reminds us the classic and unforgettable "After Eight" chocolate mints.

"Cocoa" Cocoa Perfume is made with pure bitter chocolate extract.

**Warning** Clicking to this site means you'll be spending an average of two hours just enthralled with all La Via del Profuma has to offer. It's like spending the day at an aroma university, where you'll improve your education of perfuming and base ingredients and at the same time, a unique fragrance boutique where you can purchase some of the most exotic fragrances in the world.

Silky and Sensuous Bodies by Bond

Perfumer to the City of New York, Bond No. 9 is proud to announce a brand new departure that combines skin-scenting with skin pampering. Introducing 24/7 New York Body Silk, a collection of unspeakably lush creams that mark the start of a long-awaited program of sumptuous body smoothers that simultaneously soothe the skin in the city that never sleeps. I want to immediately get my hands, knees and elbows on Saks Fifth Avenue for Her 24/7 New York Body Silk, but I think this is were patience must become my virtue and I'll be waiting just a while longer. This all-white bouquet captures the fashion-forward essence of 21st century Saks, while at the same time expressing the eclectic downtown spirit of SoHo-based Bond No. 9. This is your classic gardenia eau de parfum, given a chic contemporary twist with the addition of sparkling jasmine and vetiver, along with smooth vanilla. Please hurry!!

24/7 New York Body Silk will instantly entice perfumed smoothness everywhere, including those problem areas, elbows, shoulders, knees, you know those body parts you’d formerly given up on.

24/7 Body Silk will be initially available in these Bond No. 9 scents:

Eau de New York A sense-awakening fruity-floral-green blend of neroli, white lily, gardenia, and skin musk, whose scent molecules positively whiz through the air.
Nuits de Noho An irreverent nighttime gourmand blend of jasmine, creamy vanilla, and sheer patchouli. Has the impact of a shot of icy vodka.
Chinatown Superpower meets Supercity in a sultry, mouthwatering East-West bouquet of peach blossoms, tuberose, and patchouli, with cardamom thrown in for spice.
The Scent of Peace Détente in the form of a sparkling citrussy-woody-musky mélange of grapefruit, black current, lily of the valley, and cedarwood.
Bryant Park Leading-edge fragrance fashion: a rose-patchouli-lily-rhubarb concoction with pink pepper added for dissonance.
West Side An undulating coloratura blend of dark-light, high-low, sweet-sharp, and floral-woody notes, including rose, ylang ylang, peony, amber, serious vanilla, and musk.
Chelsea Flowers An exuberant fresh-picked bouquet of peonies, tulips, hyacinth, magnolia, and rose, with vetiver, sandalwood, and musk added for a hint of insolence.

Suggested Retail Price: $105 for a 6.8 fl. oz jar and available at all four Bond No. 9 stores in New York, bondno9.com, Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide and online at www.saks.com.

"Everywhere you want to be kissed"

says Isabelle Masson-Mandonnaud, of Crazylibellule and the Poppies, her sexy line of solid scents and first foray into beauty since she and husband, Dominique Mandonnaud, co-founded, industry-revolutionizing Shop8 (ultimately sold and renamed Sephora). What tempted this industry luminary back to beauty after an eight year break? Nothing less than a burning desire to re-imagine the very essence of fragrance.

The brand was named “Libellule,” meaning “dragonfly” in French, because, like fragrance, dragonflies delicately hover in the air and then lightly touch down. “Crazy” references the female proclivity for fantasy and “the Poppies” stand for freedom in nature. So, play, layer, collect, jump unabashedly from one to the next with no sense of loyalty whatever. All this and so reasonably priced at only $16.00. What's not to love?

My favorite of the Shanghaijava collection is called Blue Orchidée with top notes of bergamot, mandarin, orange; heart notes of jasmine, rose, ylang ylang and base notes of sandalwood, vanilla, musk. Swivel this little darling and you can seduce the nape of your neck, the tender spot behind your knee, around your navel or add a delicate caress on your inner wrists with this beautiful solid twist up perfume. Use it alone or by mixing and matching it with any other scent from Crazylibellule's Shanghaijava Collection.

Available from our friend Lisa at b-glowing.

Unique Fragrance Boutique ~ The Beauty Cafe

News Flash - News Flash - News Flash!

Beauty Cafe is offering all Noteworthy Fragrances readers a 15% discount on any items purchased.
Simply add "Noteworthy" to your order to receive your promotional discount!
Thanks Lisa.
Serving up the Finest in Luxury Personal Care and Fragrances

Thymes Chocolate Candles...for the chocolate lover in us all and some of the finest candles I've ever experienced.
Chocolat Cassis
A deeper shade of cocoa embraces luscious cassis and wild raspberry
kissed with violet and mellowed with rich caramel and vanilla.
Chocolat Ginger
A fresh and uplifting take on chocolate, where bittersweet cocoa, spicy ginger root, sweet coconut and a twist of lemon come together for an unexpectedly engaging experience.
Chocolat Saffron
Chocolate, dark and passionate, infused with the intriguing scent of saffron, coconut milk and vanilla, creating a sumptuous fragrance.
Chocolat Mandarin
Bittersweet chocolate animated with the bright and clarifying zest of mandarin orange, sweet orange blossoms, neroli and a golden drop of honey.
Candles: $25.00

Looking for a cappuccino or a latte? Sorry, you won't find it at the Beauty Cafe, but what you will find is Lisa Slavik, owner of this unique boutique of fragrance, located in Historic Downtown Plano, Texas. All of the merchants on 15th Street have the 'everyone knows your name' vibe and believe me...everyone not only knows Lisa, they love her!! Imagine a fragrance store so popular that tours are booked from Dallas bringing bus loads of women to meet Lisa, who gives expert advise on what's new, what's trendy and what's happening in the world of perfume. Beauty Cafe is a favorite of even the Red Hat Society! Now that's a hoot!

Stepping into Beauty Cafe is exactly being like a kid in a candy store. Lisa, the reigning queen of customer service will go out of her way to find exactly what you desire. "We search the globe to find the finest in fragrances, bath and body, cosmetics, skin care, baby care, and men's grooming fragrances! If we don't love it...we simply don't sell it." Her loyal consumers adore her and on the day I met Lisa, she received an amazing tulip bouquet from a grateful customer in Oregon.

Lisa says, "You'll never find your everyday personal care products at Beauty Cafe...you can find them anywhere. Instead we search for the niche products, the products that are hard-to-find, start up companies that are looking for a reputable company to introduce their products to an already established clientele. My customers often laugh or are shocked when I recommend products to them that I don't carry. If we are out of stock on an item or an item has been discontinued I'll do my best to help them locate it elsewhere and yes, I will refer them to other online retailers."

Lisa states, "I want our customers to feel good about their shopping experience with us, while we are a small company, we spend time getting to know many of our customers. Just take a look at our phone bills! We love to chat and get to know everyone, that's why if we don't pick up the phone, leave a message, we will call you back as soon as we can!! Or drop us an email and we'll be happy to answer your questions or concerns." Lisa even has a 'live help' line available so you can have a virtual conversation and find out what new items were just delivered.

It's not at all uncommon for a celeb to call Lisa personally to reorder her favorite perfume or have a luxury gift basket created and shipped out for someone walking the Red Carpet. Anyone can sell fragrances, whether online or in a retail store, but if you want that personal touch, that element of 'my best friend would never steer me wrong' and just gracious Texas hospitality, then you want the Beauty Cafe experience.

Beauty Cafe opened its online doors in July 1997. One of Lisa's passions in life is fragrances and through Beauty Cafe she's able to share her love of fragrances and learn from others!! Beauty Cafe has been fortunate through the years to have been mentioned in the following magazines: WWD, W, Jane, InStyle, Allure, Mademoiselle, Redbook and recently in Star Magazine. Lisa specializes in locating the products that you read about in the magazines, bringing them home to you.

Brands you'll find at the Beauty Cafe

What are you waiting for?

Tell Lisa that Joyce from Noteworthy Fragrances sent you!

Don't tell my husband ~ I'm in love with FRANK

FRANK - A name that salutes both heritage and forthrightness. Upfront, distinct and cutting-edge, FRANK/Los Angeles is a boutique fragrance house that keeps with the time honored tradition of artisan, small batch perfume making, smart, minimalist packaging and bold essence combinations. FRANK’s hand-crafted creations are a salute to men (and women) of this age. Okay...I'll admit that I really like this collection of 'guy juice'.

Frank: Notes - grapefruit, ginger root, green tea, bergamot, cassis, angelic seed, clove, sandalwood. The verdict: Masculine, but not to a fault. Woodsy, green, clean and just sweet enough so you won't need to add sugar thanks to the yummy, fruity cassis.

Frank 2: Notes - bergamot, white lavender, coriander, crushed plum leaves, cognac, plum, fir balsam, coffee bean essence, red maplewood, teakwood, white musk.
The verdict: Stronger, sexier and more sophisticated than the original. Way more sillage...reminds me of Christmas incense, although don't look for Santa to be wearing this when he pays you a visit this December!

Frank 3: Notes - cucumber, casaba melon, citrus, lavender, basil, clary sage, oak moss, suede, musk, patchouli. The verdict: This is the perfect fragrance for the 'tween' season of summer to autumn with a jasmine note that makes me weak in the knees followed by the earthiness of fallen leaves in a deep forest.

Available from our friends at Lucky Scent

Satellite of Paris ~ Technicolor fragrance

Satellite of Paris - niche perfume collection has many fragrances for your many moods.

Sandrine Dulon's owner of Satellite of Paris has unique and diversified jewelry creations which are always original. Taking a personal and stylish mix of juvenile imagination, ethological spirit and recollections from her various travels around the world, Sandrine's talent in the fashion and fragrance world is drawing attention. Her quest for a collection of perfect fragrances draws upon her experience as a traveler to exotic destinations replicating the scent of secret gardens from around the world.

The highlight of sampling these fragrances was unquestionably Padparadscha, named for the the extremely rare glowing pink and orange sapphires of Burma. Opening with an earthy blast of black pepper, this fragrance meanders and takes several detours before it gets down to business and lets the sandalwood and musk bask in the limelight. Elusive to describe it's easier to tell you it's like a walk in a deep Evergreen forest as pine needles snap under foot releasing a resinous cedar/incense aroma. Longevity wise it was about six hours for me and I would recommend Padparadscha while wearing a silk dressing gown and sharing a glass of Shiraz as prelude to a very romantic encounter. Definitely not for the office unless you are a confident power-broker type who loves throwing caution to the wind.

Available at Lucky Scent.

Andy Tauer's Bottle on a Journey ~ Hyacinths and a Mechanic

Andy Tauer is on a mission and his newest fragrance (in testing) Hyacinths and a Mechanic is on a journey around the world to perfumistas who will provide input on this complex and contradictory scent!

While this photo was not my initial vision of Hyacinths and a Mechanic it clearly demonstrates that opposing fragrance notes can be a delightful surprise! According to Andy, "It is a floral scent, a bouquet of powdery lilacs, green hyacinths and gentle lily of the valley. A bouquet of May flowers in the hand of a mechanic with an undertone of oily skin."

Having read the earlier reviews of this perfume, I knew it would not be prudent to spritz Hyacinths and a Mechanic with abandonment, so I tenderly rubbed the residue from Raphaella's test spray onto my wrists. This was at precisely 7:20 pm. I thought, "Oh no, this could be a migraine just waiting to happen." The 'oil' note was quite pronounced and just about caused me to run to the sink and grab the lemon scented Joy dish washing detergent, but I thought I should be fair to Andy, whom I adore.

After waited the obligatory 8-10 minutes before I sniffed again, the powerfully strong oil note was still definitely present, but the florals were beginning to debut. At about 7:45, there was an incredible soft, powdery floral bouquet that emerged as totally hypnotic and captivatingly sensual and was taking over the party. Nose to wrist; nose to wrist, over and over! I had become a slave to the Bottle Journey adventure!

The oil note clung with a fierce tenacity and took a good hour to dry down to the creamy mature Hyacinth and her little Lilac sister. Checking again at 9:00 the oil note for me was returning??? How could this be? Now this took me by surprise but then, we're dealing with Andy Tauer and he is a genius at creating complex fragrances, right? What I'll now share is the honest truth: at 6:00 am the next morning....I'm still feeling the love of the perfume, so that would mean that this fragrance could last almost 12 hours with a single drop. Andy, this is some mighty strong stuff.

The Verdict: This is a wonderfully complex fragrance that does become more 'wearable' as the hours go by, but I'm unsure of owning a perfume that I could not spray with abandonment. This is one of those scents, that if I choose to wear it, I'd have to get up an hour earlier than normal to begin my routine so the oily note could have dissipated enough that my peers wouldn't think I just completed an oil change on my Nissan. Now Andy, if you could just make a version sans oil? I'd be your raving fan for life!

Visit Andy Tauer to learn more about the bottle journey of Hyacinths and a Mechanic.

Photo courtesy of Raphaella Brescia and Kathy Patterson of Sniffapalooza Magazine.