Tom Ford Neroli Portofino and Bath & Body Works Orange Sapphire

I received a very thoughtful parcel from handsome Lee last week; included were a whack of Humiecki & Graef samples along with a vial of Parfumerie Generale’s new Bois Naufrage, which pretty well sent me over the edge: fig tree, ambergris and “fleur de sel” accord. I can’t decide if I want to strangle handsome Lee or declare my undying devotion to him. I am so enthralled with Bois Naufrage that I cannot yet bring myself to write about it. I will eventually, along with all the Humiecki & Graef loot. I just didn’t have the opportunity to give them proper attention over the past week. Oh, the inconvenience of actually having to work for a living (don’t let the lament fool you – I’m enjoying the crap out of finally getting paid to write!).

In the meantime, I’ve moved on from my general fruit obsession to a more specific one: oranges and orange blossom. I figure it adds to the intrigue by choosing two scents from opposite ends of the spectrum. My $400 bottle of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino and my $30 bottle of Bath and Body Works Orange Sapphire.

Many of us have scoffed at the Tom Ford Private Blend scents, but I have a soft spot for a few of them. I didn’t really need a 250 ml bottle of Neroli Portofino, but in my current fruity mood, I’ve been showing it a lot of love lately. I doubt I’ll ever get to the bottom of that bottle, but knowing I have it provides a strange comfort to me, like an old sweater or a childhood “blankie”. It isn’t what I would consider a comfort scent, but it is a rather potent interpretation of orange blossom. Sometimes orange blossom is paired up with jasmine, which has a tendency to be overwhelming (Armani Code comes to mind), and that can sometimes turn my stomach. Orange blossom has the unique ability to be subtle, yet tenacious, which is what makes it so perfect for warm weather. It doesn’t have that “headiness” to it that tuberose and gardenia do, although I know some of you love to let those scents bloom in the heat. Kudos to you for that; I’d be face down in bed with a migraine.

Neroli Portofino has a bit of amber in it, which warms it up, but other than that, it is orange blossom, straight up and dirty. Not literally dirty, but it’s definitely not doctored up with any additional white flowers. So if that’s how you like your OB, then this is another one Tom Ford did very well.

Now on to the $30 bottle of Bath & Body Works Orange Sapphire. I believe I mentioned a few weeks ago, when I was strung out on fruit salad, that I was somewhat impressed by the newer scents they were trotting out. If you like orange, not orange blossom, this one is fairly interesting. It sort of reminds me of Sarah Horowitz’s Perfect Nectar Perfect Perfume, but it doesn’t have that overripe quality that I found so suffocating. According to B&BW’s website, the notes are…way too long. You can look at them here. My nose gets blood orange, a fair amount of jasmine and raspberry, and a good bit of honey. It’s nice; and pleasant. I could see myself using up the bottle I bought – because if the BOGO deal B&BW seems to always be running is omnipresent, then why not? That seems to be my answer to a lot of questions these days: WHY NOT?

Here’s something for you to chew on this week: Name some scents – high end and low end – that are similar. Tell me what it is you like or dislike about them, and which one you would prefer to own and why. That is your mission, should you choose to accept it. This post will self destruct in 10 seconds.

Disclosure: The bottles of Neroli Portofino and Orange Sapphire are part of my personal collection.