This is the latest unisex perfume from the jewelry house Omnia. It is a carefully thought through and marketed perfume that attracts both the sexes in different ways. Ultimately it something of a triumph because it avoids many of the challenges that kill off mixed sex perfumes. It is pleasant to look at and smell. A good buy for everyone who cares about perfumes.

The Brand

Omnia is a jewelry house of Italian extraction that has had some success in the perfume industry. They have only started as early as 2009 but they already have about nine perfumes on the go which shows a determination and diligence towards the industry. I find their products innovative but not shocking. They are one of those brands that will quietly last a very long time. That is what you want in today’s competitive perfume industry.

The Fragrance

The perfume notes start off with hawthorn and jasmine. They then move on to lilac, rose and gardenia. The fresh theme is developed by geranium and orange. We have the obligatory spicy stuff such as nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and white thyme. This then settles into the more familiar anise, cedar, patchouli and sandalwood. The perfume is completed by vetiver, vanilla and white musk. It might appear that the flavors are just too many to bring out a perfume that is coherent. However I was surprised to note that the final product was quite exceptional in its ability to blend all these complex scents into a rather calm final product

The Packaging

The best description that I can come up with is beautiful. This is really a wonderful bottle that reminds me of pearls. The golden liquid within is almost like honey and the labeling is that of clean black or gold lines. The whole feeling is elegant without necessarily offending either the feminine or masculine aspects of its composition. This is packaging that is comfortable for both men and women.

General Customer Feedback

The customers really enjoyed the perfume and commented on its ability to satisfy both the male and female elements of the customer base. Quite surprisingly for a new perfume, I did not find negatively in the boards that I visited. They praised its versatility and the kinds of aromatic flavors that it brought with it. I think the makers are onto a winner here. If they can continue in this vein, I am sure they will be up there with the perfume greats.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Givrine is a herbal perfume that can be used by both ladies and gentlemen. It is made by the old perfume  house of E Coudray. The perfume is a repackaging of some older versions that go back as a far as the 1950s. Overall it is a great nostalgic look at what might have been but also shows courage in updating an older perfume for modern tastes. I admire the fact that they have decided to repackage an old perfume and make it appropriate for the modern age.

The Brand

E Coudray is by no means as famous as the great fashion houses such as Lacoste. However on occasion they are able to produce a perfume that is more than capable of holding its own. Givrine is one of the their better successes. However it must also be remembered that the fashion house is capable of producing less successful ones so it is a pity that on this occasion they insist on buying the perfume without sampling first.

The Fragrance

I like the very straightforward top notes. There is nothing complicated about the mandarin, bergamot, lemon, orange blossom, lavender, thyme, tarragon, jasmine, amber and mint. Rather it gives you a perfume that is both fresh but also has some depth. The almost citrus notes combine with the mint to give you a herbal mixture and then the lavender tones it down a bit to give you comfort. This perfume is the antidote to showy perfumes that lack substance.

The Packaging

The packaging reminds me of classic French style with some baroque overtones that cover the floral theme. I like the slightly golden hue that surrounds the whole package. It gives the perfume an elegant and luxurious feel. I think that the packaging is very effective.

General Customer Feedback

Customers were very complementary about the perfume. Curiously many of them said that they felt that the perfume made them feel clean. Whether this was the intention of the manufacturers is another matter altogether. However they were dissatisfied that they could not sample the perfume before buying. This is definitely an area that they can improve on because it does put off an awful lot of customers from buying.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Canali for Men is created by Pierre Bourdon on behalf of the men’s apparel company Canali. It is not always successful but many fashion houses have decided that they would like to make accompanying fragrances for the outfits that they make. I am particularly impressed that this time the gentlemen are getting a look in.

The Brand

Canali is a well known fashion house for men. They tend to produce good quality stuff without the need to make some of the more showy gestures of the bigger fashion houses. It is wonderful to see them venturing into the fashion business and I for one would recommend it. I believe that their fashion sense is well brought into the perfume and they do work together.

The Fragrance

The fragrance notes list for Canali reads like a who is who of the perfume industry.  We start off with the customary  bergamot. This then goes all fruity into tangerine, pineapple and apple. We then go spicy with nutmeg, cardamom and coriander. The floral theme is provided by lily of the valley, jasmine, violet and orange blossom. There is then an attempt to make the perfume masculine with leather, suede, iris absolute, guaiac wood and cedar wood. The standard ingredients are not forgetten such as sandal, vetiver, tonka bean, amber and oakmoss. I have to say that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

The Packaging

The packaging is strangely boring. It has that horrible brown bottle with the green top and I really cannot see any color or vibrancy. However this is a personal preference and you might like the packaging. Besides if they are trying to make the perfume safe then boring is the right way to go.

General Customer Feedback

Unfortunately for the perfume the customers were rather scathing about the fragrance itself. They felt that it was too floral and did not give them the masculinity they craved. I for one thought that this was a decent perfume. Perhaps you might like to try it and make up your mind.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Created by Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion, Miss Boucheron is the latest perfume from the jewelry house. I suppose that their experience in the jewelry business has been transferred back to their work on the perfume. They intend to go for the younger woman so it is not expected that the perfume will have many of the classical overtones of a Versace or Chanel. What they do have is a sense of modern chic.

The Brand

Boucheron is a jewelry house which has specialized in the hip market with tentacles across various spectrums of the business. They occasionally channel their creativity into side products such as the perfume business but their most durable work has always been about jewels. Their perfumes are meant to appeal to niche markets and to concentrate on developing those markets.

The Fragrance

The fragrance is simple to the point of simplistic. It starts off with the fairly mundane notes of  bergamot and pomegranate. We then move to pink pepper and the more unusual cyclamen, violet, and rose. The fragrance mix is completed by white suede, cedar and musk. Despite these ingredient scents, the perfume is rather disappointing and dull. All you get is the standard floral signs with no great effort at making something unforgettable. If this is how they think they are going to capture the younger market then they can think again. It is highly unlikely that a stylish woman will want something bland and floral for high end fashion. Perhaps it was intended as a perfume for ordinary use or use in conjunction with another fragrance.

The Packaging

If the perfume itself is bland then the packaging is the exact opposite. It has a pink to red motif with gold tops and floral labels. There is also a gold chain attached which makes it look very stylish and feminine. However I cannot help but feel that they should have spent all this time in improving the fragrance so that it had a better impact with the public. It is all a bit bubble and no squeak. I admire the packaging but wish I could admire the fragrance to the same level.

General Customer Feedback

Customers were very impressed by the packaging and felt that the chain was beautiful although it was not practical to wear. However they also commented that the fragrance itself was a bit of a letdown after the drama of the packaging.  Perhaps this is something that the perfume makers can think about for the future.

Popularity: 11% [?]

If you like spice then you have come to the right perfume. Epicee is all about spice and if you like soft perfumes then you will be disappointed. Given the bold statement, I would not have automatically assumed that it was a ladies fragrance. However it definitely it is for the ladies and as you look through the tops notes, you will notice that it has been carefully constructed to appeal to that market. I would not go as far as calling it an outright triumph but I think it does a very good job.

The Brand

Frapin is not your typical perfume maker. It started off as a Cognac house but then  Béatrice Cointreau started the perfume line. They are really about French classical tastes and this is reflected in their rather chic perfumes. Caravelle Epicee pays homage to this tradition but with the extra dimension of a really spicy overtone. If there is anything to know about high end fashion, the French are your first resource. This perfume is a prime example of that adage.

The Fragrance

I might as well say spice and leave it at that because this is the overwhelming theme of the perfume. So much so that it has put off some customers. It opens with  coriander of all things  then it goes to thyme and nutmeg. The spicy theme is then carried forward to cumin and cardamom. The unconventional tobacco is joined by the more conventional patchouli, sandalwood, Gaiac wood and amber. This is a very interesting perfume but I am sure that I am not the only one who feels that they might have overdone it on the spicy theme.

The Packaging

Brilliant…just brilliant! I absolutely adore the packaging on this perfume. You have a carefully sculptured glass bottle with a lime green perfume topped by very black caps and markings. The overall effect is very French and very elegant. The makers of this perfume know what they are doing and could teach people a few things about packaging your product. I think what did it for me was the combination of lime perfume and the black markings. It somehow seems to work for me.

General Customer Feedback

Customers seemed genuinely interested in the perfume although some of them were rather alarmed at the powerful spicy theme. They felt that it could have been tempered a bit with sweeter undertones. Nevertheless they felt that this was a good effort and a good representation of the brand.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Behind the weird management speak is a great perfume from Barbara Bui. I read some boring mumbo jumbo about how she wants the perfume to be “multisensorial”  and to be “results oriented”. What a  load of old twaddle! However I must say that the perfume is excellent and it fits the ladies market like a glove. It is not very innovative or striking but it does get the job done and I would not be ashamed to buy it for someone special as a present.

The Brand

Barbara Bui goes for the modern woman and she satisfies her needs very well. Her perfumes stand on the background of good quality products and scents that are both interesting and beautiful. I think that she does a great job with defining the modern woman within fashion industry. Some of the old perfume brands can look a bit dated when you are considering the younger buyers who look for something that is fresh and more up to date. I think the Barbara Bui brand satisfies this niche. I only wish they wouldn’t mix it all up with the new age nonsense.

The Fragrance

A sweet, almost sickly quality opens the fragrance notes. It then moves towards incense and jasmine. The tones then go into vanilla which is quite surprising given the beginning. The scents are rounded off by amber, sandalwood, heliotrope and cedar. Thus you have a heady mix of the sweet vanilla with the woody undertone and you get a fabulous perfume at the end. Unlike some of the other perfumes that I have reviewed, this is one is always pleasant. You don’t have to wait for it to take route before you can see its quality.

The Packaging

I think the packaging on this one is just great. A clear bottle holds an almost orange liquid. The writings have an elegant translucent quality. This is a rather charming packaging that suits the perfume very well. I don’t think that a bold design would be able to fit the overall ambience of the fragrance.

General Customer Feedback

The customer feedback is glowing and I did not find too many negatives. I think that Barbara Bui has created a very successful brand and this latest perfume just ensures that the ladies will be coming back for more. Most of my criticism are to do with the way the perfume is marketed but neutrally looking at what is before me, I think that this effort is a great success.

Popularity: 10% [?]

This is an interesting perfume from the Washington Tremlett line. It is marketed as a unisex perfume that can be used by either sex but I believe that its rather powerful ingredients are more suited to gentlemen. However I could be wrong. The general consensus seems to be that this is not a perfume for the faint hearted. Some people have gone as far as describing it as having medicinal qualities, which is quite something for a perfume. I suppose if you are one of the experimental types, this perfume will be right up your street.

The Brand

Washington Tremlett have built their brand up from an understanding of the curious customer. They try to meet the needs of those perfume connoisseurs who will not settle for the bland. Black Tie continues this trend and I believe that it challenges the sense buds of anyone who dares to try it. Like any brand that is experimental, some of the efforts of Washington Tremlett have not been well received. Some customers grumbled at being overpowered by their perfumes. However on balance the brand does bring a new edge to the market and we would all be the poorer for its absence.

The Fragrance

I was amazed that such a challenging perfume could be constructed from very simple materials. I think that it is a testament to the imagination of the Washington Tremlett brand that they have been able to create Black Tie with a minimum of fuss but the maximum of effect. The perfume starts off with some bright citrus flavors. It then transitions into  greenish rose  and hints at some woody quality that I cannot quite place. The scent list includes henna, saffron and agar wood. This is where some people argue that it has a medicinal background, although I am not particularly into that kind of thing. Anyway the combination of the scents is dazzling in its unusualness.

The Packaging

I find the packaging weird. The bottle is almost gothic in its blackness but then this is completely thrown off the boil by the florid pink writing. What is that all about? Perhaps they wanted to shock. If that was their intention then they have succeeded well. I have to say that I do not live the bottle and would rather they looked at something a bit more elegant.

General Customer Feedback

The customers were rather curious about the strange fragrance combination but then they calmed down and started to enjoy it. From the general feedback it appears that the perfume is not particularly pleasant when you first smell it but as time goes by, it acquires  rather classy scent to it.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Developed by Christine Nagel, this is a wonderful rosewater perfume that reeks of elegance and style. At the same time they have done a wonderful job with the price such that it seems that you can get the Rose Absolue for a song when compared to other perfumes. This has nothing to do with its qualities because everyone agrees that this is a first class perfume. Rather it appears that they have rationalized their costs very well.

The Brand

Yves Rocher is not a very household brand name but they specialize in ladies toiletries. Their brand is all affordable femininity. Christine Nagel has already had great success with her previous perfumes and it is not surprising that she has scored yet another winner with this one. The brand is to be congratulated for sticking to their principles of affordable elegance. If other brands stuck to similar principles then we would have more perfume customers.

The Fragrance

I find the combination of flowery femininity with complexity quite alluring. The perfume starts off with spicy overtones including cinnamon. It then becomes fruity with a hint of  various rose waters including the Turkish and Bulgarian versions. They say that it also has a hint of the Moroccan rose but I did not sense that particular fragrance note We then move to the darker tones of cedar, patchouli and Tonka bean. All these combine to create a subtle but very effective perfume.

The Packaging

Pretty in pink would be an accurate description of the packaging on this perfume. The bottle is clear and the writing is just elegant but I wish they had been a bit more elegant with their coloring. Everyone knows that pink goes with ladies products. There is no need to re emphasize the stereotype. Perhaps they could have achieved much more with a bit more imagination and daring. It is not a boring package outfit but at the same time it does not send the heart racing.

General Customer Feedback

There is almost universal admiration for the fact that the product is so cheap. Most people have also started buying the supporting cosmetics such as creams on the back of the rather affordable perfume. This means that the marketing strategy has really been spot on and I commend them for the effort. This is a perfume that can dominate the mass market. As a commercial perfume I think that this is as good as it gets.

Popularity: 11% [?]

And now for something totally different. Azzaro by Loris Azzaro has been with us since 1978 but it does not have the brand power that you would associate with established houses such as Chanel. However the fact that it has stayed for such a long time means that they have something to offer. My own persona theory is that it is such niche perfume that it tends to retain all of its customers regardless of what is happening around the world in terms of fashions. In any case I like the concept of Azzaro as a masculine perfume for men.

The Brand

As I mentioned in the short extract above, the brand is not particularly well known outside the circles of those connoisseurs who patronize the fragrance. The strongest selling point for the perfume is its unabashed masculinity and its simplicity of execution which brings to the fore quite powerful elements in a non formulaic way. This is a perfume for men and it says so from the time you open the packet.

The Fragrance

The fragrance list for Azzaro is surprising because it is not entirely obvious that it will be  a very masculine perfume until you actually sample it.  It starts off with the mildest hint of lavender and then some spices. This is a perplexing combination but I have found that it is often used in these high end perfumes. Suddenly the perfume hits you with its full masculinity when it moves into wood, musk, basil and sandalwood. You then definitely know that this is a man’s fragrance but it also has lighter elements that will appeal to the ladies.

The Packaging

Although it looks like something from star wars, I absolutely  love the packaging on the perfume. The combination of jet black with the clear bottle and the golden liquid within gives the impression of planned luxury. It almost seems as if the precious liquid is encased within  a protective glass shield and I for one would give top marks for the packaging on this one.

General Customer Feedback

Quite surprising none of the men who reviewed this problem had any problem with the overtly masculine overtones. They all gave it the thumbs up  and encouragingly for the manufacturers some even said that they would continue using the perfume for years to come. All in all I think this is a spectacular triumph. It is not surprising to me that Azzaro is  set to remain a strong presence in the men’s perfume sector.

Popularity: 7% [?]

When the highly dynamic Thierry Mugler was venturing into the world of men’s fragrances, he chose to start with Angel and the results are quite impressive. It was a hint of the great color and vibrancy that he was to bring to a fledgling industry. The perfume is meant to shock but then to calm down into an old friend with a maculate career. There is some mumbo jumbo about the inspiration of two legends moving between the past and the future. Apparently this is the inspiration for this perfume but I do not buy it for one minute. However the merits of the perfume quickly make me forget the kind of nonsense that the inspiration is made out to be.

The Brand

Thierry Mugler is not for his innovative style within the industry and his ability to work within different contexts depending on the perfume that he is trying to design. As I said earlier, he brings a dynamism to the industry that it has frankly been lacking for a very long time. Most of the younger designers are just too full of themselves but Thierry Mugler shocks with good quality so you really cannot lump him with the modern charlatans.

The Fragrance

I understand the thinking behind the perfume was that women liked chocolate so if they could get a perfume that smelt like chocolate, they could get the women to like those men who wore the perfume. It sounds all rather contrived but in any case the perfume starts off with the feminine lavender which then moves into  Bergamote, Helional and  Peppermint . The culinary theme is continued with a hint of coffee. We then go back to the traditional fragrance list with  patchouli and styrax. Finally we end with the heartening scents of caramel, tonka bean, musk,  vanilla  and the all important Chocolate.

The Packaging

Now this is a very interesting box. It is made of a silver color but with a dark, almost black star. I kept thinking what this all meant because you never know what messages the designers might have left behind. However  I think that it fits in quite well with the innovative nature of the perfume and it goes a long way to complementing what is really something that serves as a shock to the system.

General Customer Feedback

The customers talked about the relative strangeness of the perfume. Some of them could not quite get over the scent of chocolate in the perfume and they suggested that perhaps the perfume would only suit men of a certain moral latitude. There were one or two negative comments to the  effect that they did not feel entirely decent wearing the perfume. However on balance I think they achieved their objective of making the public think and query.

Popularity: 7% [?]