Hi Posse Peeps! Hope life is treating you kindly. I’m taking a morning to blog. During the madness of finishing my Celebrant Course (there’s still some tidying up work needed but the big stuff is done) the office moved to the living room. Well, the computer and printer and a shit tonne of paperwork and books. If Jin had taken over half our dining room table for a 6 week stint there would have been trouble. Fortunately he is a much calmer individual than I. Sorry, just background info. While this was all happening a Surrender To Chance pack came. I’d bought it in a pre-course-finishing-push retail therapy bid. By the time it arrived we (I’ve hired a Celebrant girlfriend to help me complete the course, everything SO MUCH better with a work buddy) were so deeply immersed in work it was ignored. I finally surfaced and there it was, awaiting attention. WOO HOO! A prize for all the work done. First cab off the rank and I’m very bloody excited about is Tonka Bodykon 31 by Pierre Guillaume Paris.
Tonka Bodykon 31 by Pierre Guillaume Paris 2022
Pierre Guillaume Paris gives these featured accords:
Amber, Rum, Tonka Bean, Apple, Honey, Vanilla, Pistachio, Benzoin
As usual the sexiest perfumer alive does not disappoint. His unbelievably deft hand with sweetness is here in full force.
Opening is a boozy, honeyed, vanilla rich amber made edible with a multitude of sweet nutty side hustles that give us a rich gourmand. It’s like one of those delicious Apple & Walnut Logs with nuts on top and apples/currants through the dough. We get them here in Australia (are they a thing where you are?). They’re not super sweet but they are a super yummy snack. Mum would slice them and add a thick layer of butter. Served with cold milk or hot Milo depending on the season.
The heart is much Tonka-style sweeter and yet still doesn’t push over into confectionary. A creamy, whipped sweetness that is smooth and elegant. Maybe this could be a gateway to niche for the people who loved the super sweet gourmands but are looking for a sophisticated level up.
By days end it is a mere wash of still beautiful nutty amber. You could respritz for dinner or the drinks party OR you could use this beautiful warmth as an extra base for your Guerlain Heavy Hitters, something with incense or even a heavy Oudh.
Projection and longevity are well above average and I find the scent changes the smell of the room when on a card for days. On my body the first couple of hours are very noticeable, a warm, rich sweetening. It does lower the voltage considerably after that but you’ll still be getting fragrant huffs at the end of the day. Leaning very feminine but I think a big extra male muscle bear type in a suit would rock Tonka Bodykon so beautifully.
I’m not sure why it’s been so long since we talked here about Pierre’s work. Here’s my post about Praline de Santal
Does Tonka Bodykon read like it might work for you?
Portia xx
We do not have Apple and Walnut loaves here, though we certainly should. They sound yummy!
I do not, as a rule, wear gourmands. The problem with your writing, Portia, is that you make everything sound so wonderful that I want to try it immediately. You enabler, you.
BUMMER! about the apple walnut loaves MaggieCat.
If you don’t like gourmands this will probably cause low level palpitations, even though it is bloody gorgeous. SOZ.
Portia xx
I should try this — sounds like something I would like. I’m currently in love with PG Arabian Horse, which my housemate introduced me to. YUMMMMM. Not my usual sort of thing, but it’s stunning.
LOVE PG Arabian Horse March. So delightfully feral and yet also very comfortable.
Portia xx
First: congratulations on finishing(ish) your Celebrant course!!!
Second: M. Pierre is HAWT!!!
Third: have no recollection of any of his scents
Fourth: he’s SMOKIN’ HAWT!!!
NOOOO! Not finished, but I can see the end Musette.
He is so smoking hot, and sweet as pie. I could eat Pierre right up. No leftovers.
Portia xx
I feel like I have enough (I know, sacrilege) of these types of perfumes. They are fun to layer, however, so sort of make more fragrances. Thus, more of the benefit side of cost/benefit analysis.
HA! I’m not a huge layer-er Cinnamon. Love reading stories of those that do though. It’s always such an interesting idea.
Portia xx
Oddly, yes. Because he’s that good.
He really is Tom. PLUS a huge sweet hulking spunk.
Portia xx
A year or so ago I sampled a lot of Pierre Guillaume perfumes. I like Tonka Bodykon enough that I wouldn’t mind a full bottle of it. I’m afraid that Praline de Santal was one of the few I didn’t care for.
I have a bottle of the limited edition Gardenia Grand Soir but it’s low and I will be sad to see it go. I love Bois Naufrage16.1. It started my love for fig fragrances. Then there’s Musc Maori 04. I just spritzed some on. There are others that I like to one degree or another.
Hey there Maya,
Praline de Santal is a very strange bird. Sometimes I crave its weird sweet/dry/toxic chicanery. Not very often, but when I do it hits the spot perfectly.
Portia xx
I’m another who didn’t get on with PdS. I had ordered some samples mainly to get PdS. Tonkamande was an extra with my order. That’s how I discovered it.
I just don’t understand why PdS was brought back & Tonkamande wasn’t.
Maybe it’s an itch no-one could get scratched anywhere else?
Wow Portia, That’s some love you’ve written!
I have a sample & remember it as being beautiful but I already have a glut of tonka forward scents in a similar style, including PG Tonkamande.
That loaf is similar to our Sally Lunn & Bismark loaves. Sally Lunns are enriched dough with dried fruit & a simple white icing on top. Bismarks are the same but with a marzipan centre. Both are delicious sliced & buttered.
Congrats on breaking the back of your Celebrants course.
Heya Alityke,
Interesting that you have a bunch of tonka. I’m not sure I have very many at all.
MMMMM! I’m thinking a trip to ANYWHERE with Sally Lunn & Bismark loaves is definitely in order.
Portia xx
Shalimar Millesime Tonka brought be back to Shalimar EDT. Tonka is a backbone to so many fragrances.
One of my favourite winter puds is tonka rice pudding with prune compote. It’s a warming cuddle in a bowl.
AHHHHH! I love that a flanker brought you back to the original Alityke.
Rice Pudding is my textural EW. Seriously gives me the heeby jeebies.
Portia x
Mine is blancmange….BARF!
I reckon tonka bean could be added to anything that vanilla gets added to.
Tonka bean icecream, yum!
Yeah, that too. EW. I’m such a food princess, texture is a big deal.
I’m not picky, but blancmange, snails & oysters, hard no.
I’m good for snails. The garlic ones from France.
No to most seafood and oysters triple no.