Tag: byredo

Byredo; Gypsy Water

July 15, 2012

Notes: bergamot, lemon, pepper, juniper; incense, pine needles, orris root, amber, vanilla and sandalwood.

At first sniff, Gypsy Water is somewhat similar to Bal d’Afrique. I get that same sensation of fresh baked lemon squares. To me, Gypsy Water is a delicious, but elegant gourmand. The top notes here aren’t all citrus-based, and I quickly sense the spicy pepper. This leads me think that this gourmand isn’t just about dessert, it’s about an entire meal. Ultimately, I get the sense of a kitchen from this fragrance. Gypsy Water is about touches of spice mixed with a fresh green quality (the pine needles). The base of vanilla and sandalwood bring a sense of coziness. This kitchen is a lovely place to spend time, full of warmth and love.

And yet, I’m afraid of being misleading when using words like ‘warmth’ and ‘spicy’ to describe this scent. Gypsy Water is composed with the lightest of touches. The spice is delicate, never overpowering. I’ve described this as a gourmand, but it’s a refreshing gourmand. Don’t worry, this delicacy doesn’t translate to a short wear time. I lamented that Bal d’Afrique didn’t have as much staying power as I would have liked. Gypsy Water does, but it’s subtle.

I recently wore this out to dinner with family. It survived the long family dinner and messing around with little cousins afterwards. As I was walking home, I thought something smells great out here tonight! and even said it out loud. My cousins said they didn’t smell anything. When I got home and still sensed it, I realized that great smell was Gypsy Water, still wafting up from wrist.

By the way, I just realized that Byredo is now offering travel sized refills of their perfumes. The travel set comes as a set of three, and you even choose a leather travel case. It’s a fun and slightly more affordable option. I don’t think I will ever go for one the 100 ml bottles. The price isn’t worth it for me, as I just don’t think I need that much, as delicious as Gypsy Water is. But I am absolutely contemplating the travel set.

Byredo; Gypsy Water $220 for 100 ml // $145 for 50 ml // $110 for three 12 ml travel refills. Byredo is available at Barney’s or at Byredo.com. I got my sample from The Perfumed Court.

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Byredo; Bal d’Afrique

April 29, 2012

Notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli, african marigold, bucchu, violet, jasmin petals, cyclamen, black amber, musk, vetiver, and moroccan cedarwood

I added Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique to my to try list immediately after reading this fantastic interview with the house founder and perfumer, Ben Gorham, on Into the Gloss. The way he discussed translating a memory into a scent had me hooked straight away. I noticed many people recommending Bal d’Afrique, so I made it my first Byredo sample.

And I don’t regret it! This opens with some sharp lemon and neroli. The citrus is bright, but not astringent. I don’t see it listed in the notes, but I sense some spice along the lines of cardamom. The floral bouquet is tangible: I can practically touch the jasmine petals. Yet the bouquet is understated; it’s there to support the bright citrus top-notes, but never taking over the composition.

The odd thing about Bal d’Afrique is its edible quality. It makes me think of lemon squares topped with powdered sugar, or even rice pudding with lemon peel. The woody cedar base adds a salty, nutty flavor.  It’s funny, I’m listing all this food and, yet, this is not a gourmand fragrance. It’s not overly sweet, it’s not too citrusy, nor is it obviously salty. Bal d’Afrique is a beautiful blend, perfectly and effortlessly balanced.  The fact that there happens to be an edible quality around the edges here just adds interest.

The only drawback is that, on my skin anyway, it’s a bit lightweight. I have to spray liberally to get it to stick, and consequently I blew through my sample pretty quickly. I would have liked to spend more time with this. I’m not quite ready to shell out for a full bottle, but I’m picking up a second sample. For me, I think Bal d’Afrique was a good introduction to Byredo’s line, as there’s some intrigue here but it’s still extremely wearable. I’m looking forward to trying more from this line.

Byredo; Bal d’Afrique $220 for 100 ml // $145 for 50 ml. Available from Barney’s and Byredo.com. I ordered my sample from The Perfumed Court.

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