Tag: back to black

Nez à Nez; l’Hêtre Révé

May 25, 2012

Notes: Star anise, mandarin, cinnamon, clove, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, plum, wisteria, cedarwood, gaiacwood, jacaranda, leather, musk, port

I’ve been in quite the mood for bold luxurious perfumes lately; first with Chergui and, now, I’ve been living in Nez à Nez’s gorgeous l’Hêtre Révé all week. Nez à Nez is a niche perfume line started by a French couple: Christa Patout and Stephane Humbert Lucas. Fortunately Luckyscent carries the full line for all to try out, and I’ve been greedily devouring my sample.

I liked l’Hêtre Révé immediately, as the opening is quite spicy with the cinnamon and clove coming on strongly. I was reminded of sitting in coffee houses as a college student, lighting up clove cigarettes, and discussing Colette and Simone de Beauvoir.

But don’t worry, this fragrance quickly transitions out of university student territory. A delicious plum note appears, and seems to ripen more and more as long as l’Hêtre Révé lasts on the skin. However, I wouldn’t describe this scent as predominantly fruity, as there are plenty of other elements to balance out the plum. l’Hêtre Révé develops into a smoky leather scent. I hate to admit this, but leather scents can be hit or miss for me. Luckily this one is really, really a hit. There is a slight edginess to this leather–giving off a hint of danger–but it manages to be warm and inviting at the same time.

l’Hêtre Révé reminds me of By Kilian’s Back to Black because of the ripe fruit note and the overall pure indulgence of the fragrance. But the smokiness of Back to Black is more delicate and herbal, while l’Hêtre Révé is some deeply spiced and smokey goodness. This spice isn’t hippie though. It’s elegant, Parisian, grown up. Wear your favorite lipstick with this perfume, and settle into a corner of a dimly lit bar with a champagne cocktail.

And just for fun: l’Hêtre Révé literally means ‘the dreamt Beech tree.’ But it also serves as a play on words, since it sounds like l’Etre Révé which means ‘the dreamt person.’ Interesting to think about!

Nez à Nez; l’Hêtre Révé: $165 for 100 ml. Samples and Full Bottles available from Luckyscent

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By Kilian; Back to Black

April 11, 2012

Notes: Bergamot, raspberry, blue chamomile, cardamom, coriander, saffron, cedarwood, vanilla, almond, vetiver, cistus labdanum, patchouli, oakmoss.

I’ve said in the past that I try to avoid perfumes with fruit notes but, as always, the best fragrances manage to challenge your preconceived preferences. Back to Black taught me that sometimes I really do enjoy fruity fragrances. The fruit in this case is a sumptuous fermented raspberry. It’s not sticky-sweet, just lovely and edible.

Back to Black is a subtle tobacco fragrance. This isn’t the heady blast of something like of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille. The tobacco here is herbal and delicate. It interlaces with the raspberry note like hazy curls of smoke.

The drydown has a boozy feel that gives the impression of having an after-dinner drink at a swanky cigar bar. Almond and vanilla appear, taking things into full-on gourmand territory. Back to Black isn’t the style of sweet/fruity perfume you’d find on the shelf at any Sephora. This is a sweet scent, but the underlying herbal smokiness keeps it in balance. It feels luxurious and rich, but there are still nuances to be found here.

This is already my second write-up of a By Kilian fragrance, can you tell I’ve fallen hard for this brand? I’m saving up for a full bottle of Back to Black. It’s just about as smooth and sophisticated as you can get. It lives up to its aphrodisiac subtitle, and that’s absolutely full bottle-worthy for me!

By Kilian; Back to Black: $225 for 50ml. Samples available from Luckyscent and The Perfumed Court.

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