Winner of the Guerlain samples: Cheryl
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Amouage’s latest entries into the perfume new release overload (though I do think it’s slowed down this year, no?) is Reflection – one for her and one for him.
Amouage Reflection Women has notes of Water violet, freesia, tropical green leaves, magnolia, ylang ylang, jasmine, amber, musk, cedarwood, sandalwood. When it went on, it scared me. It was skewing off into an aquatic swamp. I’ve read other reviews where it stays there on some people. I didn’t find that to be true for me. It pulls back into a much more woody floral territory – a decent amount of nose space seems to be magnolia, which is nice – that is soft, feminine, and very fresh feeling. I do get some aquatic floating around in it vaguely, but not enough to bother me. Those of you that despise aquatics of all sorts may want to give it a miss. It’s a well done, great summer fragrance, but it just doesn’t do it for me like a lot of their other scents. It is a nice departure from the normal oud/incense/skank area they dwell in most of the time, but I sorta like their normal territory. At their regular price tag, it’s not all that compelling.
Amouage Reflection Man has notes of Rosemary, red pepper berries, bitter orange leaves, neroli, orris, jasmine, ylang ylang, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood. This is a nice, cool, masculine scent. It covers a lot of classic men’s territory, but the red pepper and rosemary give it a little bit of a slant so it does and doesn’t smell typically masculine. I’m sort of enamored with this, it’s definitely a power scent that would be great on your investment banker type.
This line just doesn’t work for me, thank the lord, because I will definitely pay for anything I love, regardless of what they have the nerve to charge.
I am also grateful, in a sad sort of way, that most things don’t work on me, sparing me much drama in the spousal arena when the credit card bill comes in each month.
“skewing off into an aquatic swamp” sounds like New England today. torrential downpours, thunder storms, rain and more rain. I think the perfume for the day should be “un jardin apres un monsoon” or however it’s spelled.
Hmmm…it’s scary when “meh” and “skyscraper price” start to converge. It’s probably appropriate for the house to create such a scent in order to extend the line…though then again, I don’t know. It is another path they do so well…perhaps this is a case of “should stick in their own sandbox.” Where they play nice. Really, really nice. 🙂
Which brings up a whole other question: I wonder if we have individual convergence points that describe our “won’t cross” line when evaluating quality vs. price? “Quality” being a somewhat nebulous term that includes our personal experience of a scent, not necessarily limited to (or even largely determined by) the grade of materials in the juice. I know I have bumped into my line a number of times, now…haven’t tried to connect the dots yet.
What a good point on the Subjective Quality vs. Cold Hard Cash issue… I know I would have paid about 3x the actual price for a bottle of PdN Fete, I love it that much. And all I could afford of Lyric was a decant – but it’s another Great Love. Whereas conversely, I’ve run across a number of Lutens and Guerlain frags that were obviously well-made, out of quality stuff, that I wouldn’t give you a dime for. And then I really really liked Tauer Une Rose Chypree – but considered it out of my price range. What is a wonder and a joy is when you find something gorgeous AND affordable!
I tried Reflection Woman right before Jubilation and it left me w/ very low expectations for Jubilation. Reflection Woman went and stayed in that aquatic swamp zone for me. Not good. But my faith in Amouage has completely been restored since then w/ Jubilation, Lyric and Ubar. Overall, I love this line. I should probably give Reflection for men a chance – sounds like it might work for me.
I think I ‘liked’ both of these, but not enough to commit. And hey, who wants to imagine they’re an investment banker these days, unless they’re into kinky prison fantasies???
Have a great time in London!
I was thinking something similar (without the prison fantasy part), in that being an investment banker doesn’t quite carry the same cachet that it used to.
You know, I’ve never gotten past Jub25 and Lyric (one of those smells like a smoothed-out Femme but I can’t remember which. After those two the line sort of veered off into Huh?land for me.
Just as well – that’s a terrifying pricepoint.
xox>-)
I tried the women’s version of this at some point and it didn’t do much for me. I’ll have to give the men’s a whirl. I love a number of Amouage fragrances, with Gold (Woman), Jubilation 25 and Homage leading the pack. Gold is the sort of epic fragrance that I have to force myself to wear. I never quite find the right occasion. (I like Joe’s idea. Maybe I could put on an evening gown, spritz, and swish around my house?) But I soooo love it!
Well, the prices of these are high, but they have plenty of competition in that department these days!
Curious about these two, but less so now. Neither sounds too special. The men’s sounds better, but I’m no investment banker type (though I can spritz myself and stomp around my apartment pretending to be one).
I like Amouage. Ubar, Lyrics, Jubilations are all I’ve sampled, but I think I snagged the best of the bunch with Jubilation XXV, which still sends me into reveries.
I’m not crazy about the line, either. None of the fragrances really are “me,” and the price tag is high.
Hugs!