Donna Karan Gold has notes of casablanca lily, white clove, jasmine, balsam, amber, patchouli. Casablanca lily is one of my favorite flowers when it’s in the garden, but bring it in the house, and, man, it is overwhelming in just the strength of its perfume. So while a favorite smell at a distance, it’s a tough thing to do in a perfume uniquely and to keep its ferocity under wraps.
The amber and patchouli tamps down what can be a cloying lily smell and makes it softer, never too much, but adding a nice twist on it that is very different. Normally the department store scents do little but deliver up an overamped heart note to satisfy the masses, but leaves the perfume obsessed like us sighing and rolling our eyes at doing the obvious. This time, they’ve done the lily right, leaving it warm and a little green, as if the sun had kissed the the slowly opening blossom. This is much, much more interesting than what I expected and seems FBW, though I may wait until it hits the discounters.
For those of you who have smelled the EDP and the EDT, how much of a differentce is there? I tried the EDP and liked it a lot, but don’t want to get the EDT and lament that I saved money for something I don’t like as well.
So far this fall’s crop of scents have been quite good as far as being interesting. I’ve liked most of them — Dzongkha, Fleur de Narcisse, Mandarine-Mandarin — and now DK Gold. Still on the horizon are Tom Ford’s Black Orchid and the new Hermessence. I’m worried about the Hermessence Paprika Basil, it’s been panned as weak to quite weak so far by everyone, but now that my expectations are very low, maybe it won’t be as disappointing? How could JCE have gone so wrong? Holding out hope that I will like it regardless, it should be in my hands this week or next to try.
What’s been your favorite new release this fall?
does anyone know when the edp will be available to the UK? can find loads of edt but really want the edp.
I prefer DK Gold edp to the edt although I like the top notes of the edt which are very luminous. Alas, the drydown is not as good as with the edp. I am glad they did not shy away from making a dirty perfume.
There were several great releases these last three months:)
I sort of liked DK Gold EdP, Patty. It has more depth than the EdT, but keep in mind that I usually favor an EdP when it is available.
In keeping with yesterday’s post, the whole thing was ruined when my very sophisticated 17 year old “woman” informed me that DK Gold smelled like it had “poopy” in the bass notes. That comment hailed the fragrance’s ultimate and untimely demise.#-o
Have a great weekend, darling!
Hugs!
Oops. Forgot to say: my favorite new release is Sisley’s Soir de Lune. It is sweet, but has character — a good shot of coumarin — and it lasts forever. The SA at Saks gave me a cute little sample bottle after I promised to walk her dogs at 6 a.m. for a week (just kidding).
Patty,
I enjoyed your review, and it changes my mind a little bit about DK Gold. When I first tried it last week, I decided it was a scrubber for me, because the opening note reminded me of something melon-like that I dislike in L’Eau d’Issey (sp?). As it begins to dry down the lily does come up, along with the greenness you mention. I’m waiting for the patchouli, natchouli. I usually like DK fragrances, but I wouldn’t buy this one.
Can’t wait to try Andy’s Orris and some of the others you mention.
Judith, you and Marina have so much of the same taste in lots of things, must be that the same notes are very disturbing too?
Great choices, Nina! FdN seems to be a complete hit or miss on people. I’m glad it is the object of my intense lust right now. 🙂
Priscilla, it seems that is where opinion is forming, nice, would definitely wear, but nobody is doing backflips to buy it.
Thank you, Victoria! I thought that’s what I remembered someone telling me, but wanted to confirm!
Marina, do lillies do that to you normally, or just this concoction?
March, how weird that it is too much. I thought it was fairly light too, though not as sheer as Sariah refers to it, but definitely not heavy or too much. Odd!
E, you and Ina are killing me on yapping about the Les Nez! I need to go order samples to add to my stack of unsniffed samples!
Sariah, I’m sorta in the same place with Gold. It’s not as heavy, and I like that, but wish it had a little more substance? I’ll be very happy to pick it up on a discount, absolutely.
Chaya, I think you will adore the Orris from Andy.
I need to try the Cuir Ottoman. So many things to get and try! I just got the new Tom ford in, and so far I’m liking it, except I wish there were a squidge less fruit in it and more dark. More on Monday or Tuesday about that!
I can’t do this one–I get the same headache as Marina. As far as new scents–I am really liking Le Labo Tubereuse and Bois d’Armenie–also Voilette de Madame, which is new here, at least. I liked all the Nez ones; I need to test them more, and I need to do the same with Cuir Ottoman. Paprika Brasil I don’t care to test again–big meh!
My favourites of the year so far are Andy Tauer’s Orris, Bois d’Armenie and PG Aomassai. As in, I parted with cash for these (or will, in the case of the Orris. One bottle? I’m getting two while the going is good. /:) I see bottles of Profumum Acqua di Sale and Fleur de Narcisse in my future, but reports suggest Hermes won’t be getting my money for Paprika Brasil. Was not wowed by Dzongkha. OJ Orris Noir is gorgeous, but not at the top of my spending budget for now. I can’t wait to smell DK Gold (still in love with DK Wenge and Labdanum), but it doesn’t see to be over here yet.
I only tried the EDP as well. I liked it, but not enough to buy. If I were to receive it as a gift, I’d wear it…My favorite releases have been Dzongkha and Badgley Mischka (or would that be late summer?), although I haven’t tried MM or FdN.
I like it in EDP only. I hear parfum is far superior, so I’m eager to try that. As for my fave new release, I’m thoroughly impressed by Les Nez.
I love Gold, but in the EDP. The EDT is too sharp.
Ugh, instant headache, this one 🙁 But I totally agree that there are so many exciting new releases!
I too love the lily, including in the house … but the DK Gold is just too much for me, although I admire it very much. I’ll do some research for you today, though — I’m going out with a friend. (They have the shelf space cleared at NM and keep telling me any day now). The SA said the EDT is “lighter” (duh) — will report back. I think the one I smelled was the EDP. FYI I’ve been doing random online research and lily crops up in other DK scents, I think I read it’s a favorite flower?
I’m doing a review of Narcisse next week — what a wonder it is. Also have some Nezes on the way.
Am definitely going to have to try Gold. My fav new releases are the Les Nez scents (all of them I’m afraid) and Cuir Ottoman. It’s been a good fall for my budget – minimal serious lemmings. Paprika Brasil really was insipid on my skin and FdN turned into hair spray on me. 🙁 Oh, also am loving CB Musk, but I don’t know if that was a fall release – could have been summer.
Hi Patty,
I like the Gold too, but not love. A spicy lily is one of my favorite notes, and I like that it’s used here but the fragrance is still quite sheer. Not so new but probably my favorite of new releases are Fico di Amalfi and Bois de Armenie. And I’m loving a few of the Le Labo’s.
The L’artisan Narcissus start was way too meaty smelling for me (seriously, like raw meat), but I like the drydown on others.
Mornin’, Patty-
While I appreciate the DK Gold, I don’t want to wear it. Dzongkha was SBW for me [the S is for ‘small’], MM , I haven’t smelt yet.
Fleur de Narcisse is very ethereal and complex, but not lasting enough for me to purchase, nor would I want to wear it this season…
For availability in new release, I think Cuir Ottoman is my favorite, because of the manner in which it is done, both complex and subtle, yet longlasting . It shares notes with Dzongkha, but there the similarity ends…the smokiness is SO fetching.
I await Andy’s Orris, hoping that it will move me the way L’Air did [that’s saying a lot !]
I also await samples of Les Nez eagerly…
Have a great w/e…:x