Puredistance I is a perfume built around exclusivity. Now, before y’all start sighing and rolling your eyes, it does have those elements if you get the really spiffy Swarovski crystal bottle for a couple thousand euro, but if you just want the perfume, you can get the refill at an expensive price, 165 euros for 17.5 ml, but it’s 32% perfume oil, so that makes it comparable to about any parfum/extrait price.
I waded through all the hype and marketing, which is beautifull presented, btw, so you don’t have to, and what we get is: Puredistance I was created by Annie Buzantian of Firmenich. She had created the perfume for herself initially and called it her personal masterpiece. When she heard about the Puredistance concept, she felt her perfume was a perfect fit for them. From their website, it ”is intriguingly complex. The perfume’s rich and sophisticated tones are a discreet statement of elegance. The perfume opens as top note with a fresh, ozone-tangerine blossom blend with a hint of cassis, complemented with neroli bigarade and crisp watery nuances. The heart of the fragrance warms to a sophisticated, modern blend of magnolia, rose wardia and jasmine; parmenthia & natural mimosa, before finally settling softly into the rich classical notes of sweet amber, vetiver and white musk.”
After reading through all the marketing materials, you really, really want to hate this perfume or at least make fun of it … but I just can’t. It’s stunning and beautiful - lush and rich without falling into the uber-rich notes that scream “expensive!” like the Amouages and Hermes 24, Faubourg. There’s some greenness on the open that seems to weave through the scent all the way through. It morphs into a gorgeous white floral, but like something fresh from the garden, not heavy or indolic at all. It almost has a little bit of a Shalini feel to it, though not with the emphasis on the orange blossom - the emphasis here is on the magnolia and mimosa. It has a great sillage that’s enchanting as you walk through the room. Put together perfectly, and it holds up through the drydown, changing slightly in its angle on the notes, but never getting muddy or less crystal clear than it is at the beginning. The base notes become more prominent in the long drydown, but the floral heart stays with it to the glorious end. I needz this. If they had not made the refill available, I’d be all curses now, but happily this still falls in the high end of perfume pricing, but not out of line.
Available from their website for 165 euro for the 17.5 ml refill.
Well, the refills aren’t too bad considering, but (he grumbled) is it churlish of me to expect something that is expensive to smell expensive?
I’m grumpy this evening….
You are grumpy.
It does smell expensive, but it doesn’t have that over the top uber-rich smell. Does that make sense? It’s more understated. I think it will appeal and work for some people well enough to buy. It surprised me that I liked it as much as I did, and after 12 hours+, it’s still rolling along beautifully.
Well that’s good then. Makes sense. I’m grumpy after 4 days of the flu- first two in bed nad the last two whorfing up fur balls.
On the plus side the diet of tea with no sugar or milk, juice and practically nothing else should be doing great things for my waist..
I tried this in Corso Como 10 a couple of months ago and I was totally underwhelmed. Admittedly the tester was practically empty so I didn’t get a full spray of it and I tested it on a paper strip only, but it failed to make an impression. However I loved the refill “test tube” bottle, very cool. Will make a point of trying it again next time I am there, yo unever know…
Yeah, I’d try it again. I’m not sure the differences on skin or a test strip. I think it has broad appeal as far as being beautiful, but probably narrower appeal for anyone wanting to spring 165 euros for it.
I guess I’d have to try this again. Octavian from 1000fragrances gave me a sample, and I was put off by the ozonic note — it’s in there somewhere, I swear!
It does go counter to the idea that expensive must smell saturated with rich ingredients, and that’s interesting…
I read the list of notes after I put it on, and I smelled nothing ozonic, but I know it’s in there, it just didn’t hang around on me to harsh my mellow at all. I’m grateful.
Isn’t it always so much easier when the pricey stuff fails to steal your heart? This sounds pretty great…
Yeah, it’s tragic.
First spritz, I just did a, yeah, that’s really nice, but the longer it was on, the more I really, really liked it. Which is better than the reverse, which is also the more usual, that you like it at first and tire of it in 10 minutes.
Luckily for me, the list of notes doesn’t cause instant lust. Note that the crystal and steel bottle is a relative bargain compared to the crystal and gold…
I’d really like to see that bottle in person. The refill bottle is hefty and substantial feeling, and it comes in a beautiful presentation box. Floored me. So if the refill is this nice, I suspect that bottle is pretty elegant
Considering that I am currently setting aside my pennies to manage $350 for 3ml of an oud I’m craving, this seems downright cheap. However, am wary of quite a few of the notes it contains. Never did fall for Shalini and have to admit it’s the rare white floral that really wins me over. I am a base notes sl*t to the core. Still…that amber and vetiver base could work. I’d never have thought from the notes that Amoureuse would be one of my fave scents of all time, but it certainly is, so I’m keeping an open mind till I sample it.
Oh, dear. What oud?
Agarscent’s Al Manara that was written about on PST a couple of days ago is my latest insane oud craving. Sounds heartbreakingly gorgeous. However, am probably going to have to get Oriscent’s Borneo 3000 first (at a little over $400 for 3 ml - sob!), since they are running out and I’m not sure the 4000 is as good (haven’t tried it). I’ve been milking my 1 ml sample of the 3000 for a few eternities and really can’t imagine being w/out it.
Reminder to self (again). Avoid Agarscents website.
oh, i wanted to check this out. thanks for the reminder (not the reminder on the price! I was wondering how much it would come out to…
once someone told me pure aoud lasts days on the skin tho…
Hi, I just bought and received Al Manara today. I really had no idea what to expect. It is so unique and beautiful. I have samples of a few others from Agarscents Bazaar….Which have you tried and loved?
Shannon
I had a jolly good time slowly perusing their website a few months ago. All of those glamour shots, that serious copy…I actually had the feeling of being a bit of a voyeur, as if I was peeking into a world that wasn’t really mine. Of course, it COULD be, in a way, if I just paid the freight….
Would absolutely love to try a sample, of course, but I’ll try anything to satisfy curiosity. I admire the concept, and while I’m not the target demographic, it all seems thoroughly conceived. If the juice delivers anything beyond “good,” I’d say they’ve done their job with the entire package. (Because you don’t take this time, effort, and concept if it’s just about the juice.)
Uh-oh. Falling into the world of theoretical. Think I better balance the start of my day with the delivery of a concrete juice, like OJ…
For their target,they’ve done a nice job. I thought doing it in a refill for less was a nice touch, though. I would have never sampled it if it took 2k euros to be able to wear it!
“Crisp watery nuances” is an oxymoron, isn’t it?
I thought that particular bit of fluffy note description sucked.
Did you say it has a Shalini feel, but with an emphasis on magnolia and mimosa? Oh…my…goodness!…This sounds beautiful, Patty!
Where can I get a sample?
Hugs to you, gorgeous!
It is already at TPC!!! :~) Sounds heavenly…thanks Patty!
Uh-oh…I feel a future order coming on…!
Thanks!
My pleasure, violetnoir. I think this has to go on my TPC wishlist also.
I’ve no idea what magnolia smells like; is it in any scents that are easier to find?
I haven’t yet found a while floral to love, believe it or not, but “not heavy or indolic” sounds promising. I don’t think I want to fall in love with something so expensive, though!
Champaca is in the Magnolia family, if that helps. Patty, does this Magnolia smell like Champaca?