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

Parfums d'Armando
Noteworthy Newsflash for US readers:
All four Parfums d'Armando are now available in the US directly from Armando on his blogsite. Be sure to check this out and stay tuned to reviews of the newly launched Satyr and Benefactor.

Inspired by the love for classics, Armando Martinez a delightful newcomer on the niche scene of fragrances has quickly established himself as a designer to be reckoned with. From Armando: "I am an amateur perfumer that has been creating scents for over 5 years. A work in progress. I feel it's now time to unleash my creations to the public and I hope that they will be enjoyed and loved. I hope they awaken memories, emotions and above all else, make you feel good, my primary focus."

With four fragrances now available on First in Fragrance (no easy task to be listed here) Armando offers Maquillage, Pillow of Flowers, Satyr and Benefactor. Since I have not sampled Satyr and Benefactor, I will focus my comments on Maquillage and Pillow of Flowers and will look forward to reviewing his two newest fragrances in the coming days.

Maquillage: The name for this fragrance is taken from the French word for makeup reminiscent of fine dresser sets gracing the boudoir of the most dignified ladies. Armando's love of vintage and classic fragrances pays homage to Jean Paul Gaultier's Classique. Maquillage is a very feminine, powdery fragrance with a rich floral/citrus blending. When I wear a fragrance with dominate 'powdery notes' I refuse to smell like baby powder. Never fear...you're not getting baby powder with this scent. Armando captures the essence of a bygone style of elegance and glarmour with Maquillage. The official notes are: lemon, lime, linden, honey, peach, rose, jasmine, violet, musk, iris, vanilla. I've often wondered how successful a marriage would be between multiple citrus, honey and vanilla notes would be and Armando has answered my questions. This is a well crafted scent that is not overpowering and is well anchored.

Pillow of Flowers: Asking Armando about his inspiration for Pillow of Flowers he delighted me with this: "I wanted a very vintage in feel but modern white fuzzy floral scent. Something that evoked white clothes (couture like vintage Balenciaga, Givenchy, etc...), white interiors of a chic apartment or a chic restaurant of the 1950's like in a movie with Doris Day or Audrey Hepburn for example. I imagined vases of white flowers all around as well too. I wanted the scent to be a homage to an older era when aldehydic florals were very much appreciated. This scent stands apart from the others because it's more mature, more complex and more sexy in a goddess way." I personally see Pillow of Flowers as the epitome of flowers and aldehydes in a harmonious marriage. In a reversal of fragrance composition, Armando has taken what is normally considered basenotes and turned them up side down. No doubt that this scent is a basenote junkie's dream. The opoponax could get out of hand combined with frankincense and vetiver, but they continue to mellow into a glamorous white floral bouquet. Retro, yet strangely modern as the florals, aldehydes and basenotes dance upon you skin wearing luxurious satin gowns.

Armando is confident enough not to be intimidated by his trial and error approach to fragrance blending. "I like to think that the scents I create fall into this sort of happenstance category. I have the best intentions of creating something from an inspiration of another great classic of perfumery. But the outcome ends up to be quite unique unto itself and totally my own, which is a blessing."

An esteemed lady close to Armando's heart lived her life by this inspiration and now Armando, congratulations as you've entered your moment in the spotlight. "I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it." Audry Hepburn

Parfums d' Armando are now available for sampling and purchase to the entire world at First in Fragrance.