Armani Prive layering

Giorgio Armani | armani / privé

I have all four of the Armani/Prive scents now. Originally I bought Bois d’encens, it was the one I had to have on first sniff and remains the one I like the most, for its deep cedary incense, which I prefer to all the other incense smells out there that I have tried thus far.LG_vin_Prive.jpg

As the other three scents, Pierre de Lune and Eau de Jade and Ambre Soie, have come into my collection, I wind up admiring and liking each of them, but not really loving them. They seem lonely somehow.

It occurred to me, thinking of my perfume’s loneliness — which strikes me as odd that I would think about that at all, not to mention it’s disturbing and worrisome as well, thinking about the well-being of my perfumes. Anyway, I have heard they were meant to be layered. To test that theory, I am embarking on the Great Armani Prive Layering Marathon.

buddysmall.jpgIt is my intention to layer each one with the other one to find the best combination. I think I can do two combos a day, one on each arm, without scenting the entire household and office out so that they start taking a 10-foot berth. I may have to confine this to my home office, with the doors shut, and poor Buddy will just have to cry as he covers his poor nose. He is such a long-suffering dog. His sense of smell is just warped at this point. Poor Buddy.

Bois D’Encens/Pierre de Lune

For those of you not familiar with the line at all, Bois D’Encens is, as the name implies, their incense/woody scent, cedar, vetiver, incense. Pierre de Lune is violet, cassie flower, green notes, iris, belambre. (Robin at Now Smell This has most of the notes listed in her reviews here and here).

The BdE and PdL combination give a unique green incense kind of smell. It’s not bad actually. It tamps down some of the cedar from BdE, which can be fairly strong, and gives it a little softness. I’ve gotten to the drydown, and they both seem to have canceled each other out and left a very faint smell, which is weird, given how potent the BdE is, though the remainder is not an unpleasant smell at all, just not what I expected. Okay, not a great duo, I had no idea green notes and violet could cover cedar and incense. In the rock/paper/scissors world, I would have bet my life BdE would have smached Pierre de Lune.

UPDATE: As this has dried down, I’ve actually become enamored. It almost seemed to disappear, and then it has come back with this lush green tinged with incense smell. This is not a bad combination at all, but you would have to be patient with it.

Ambre Soie/Bois D’Ences combo.

I know others have done this combo and swear it is wonderful, and given the notes in the two scents, that seems likely to be true. The Ambre Soie on its own is just too much for me, too much amber. This goes on as a very nice combination, each complementing the other — the amber weaving into the cedar so neither is too much. It almost becomes gourmandy, though I don’t know how that is possible, like a bitter chocolate with woody ambery notes. This is a great combination and makes each of them better, though different. Neither of them seem to retain themselves, but together it is a warmer scent.

Update: As this has dried down, the incense has asserted itself more and overpowered most of the amber. I still like the combination since the amber did soften the cedar and made it softer and much more wearable.

Tomorrow — Ambre Soie with Pierre de Lune and Eau de Jade and Ambre Soie.

  • Marina says:

    Aww…poor little lonely Prives 🙂

    My layering experiences are usually accidental. I just cannot be bothered most of the time. Maybe I should also become concerned with the well-being of my scents. See, Patty, this post just shows you kind heart :angel:

  • mreenymo says:

    This is very interesting. I guess the only one I really liked was Eau de Jade, but it just faded, completely faded, with half hour of spraying. :crying:

    Hugs!

  • Cait says:

    To layer or not to layer, that is the question. I think your perfumes will never be lonely, as long as you wear them or give them to a good home. I haven’t tried these. Your review makes me want to try them, or makes me hungry, not sure which. :blink: I like it.

  • Patty says:

    I went ahead and spritzed PdL on since I hadn’t really properly tried it yet, and I really, really like this one, it’s almost love. With some Jade, it could be head-over.

    Feeling better, yes! Dog cannot be kissed, he needs to go to the beauty parlor and get bathed, he stinks! Will e-mail the wonderful Ms. Marbledog’s instructions for text wrapping to you.

  • marchlion says:

    :wave: You go, girl! I’m looking forward to your assessment of PdL and EdJ together. I don’t even LIKE amber scents particularly, but I’ve developed a soft spot for the Soie, which makes me think of that German stollen we discussed… a lovely review. You keep up the hard work. I am assuming you are feeling better? Kiss the dog for me! PS Hey — how’d you get the text to wrap around the pix? I wanna look like a pro! (whine)

  • Patty says:

    Do I look like a professional now? Whee! Thanks to you! I agree, doggy summer camp or spring or winter, Buddy needs some playmates, he’d be happy with the parrot.

  • marbledog says:

    Hey way to go on them pix. Buddy & Gina need to go off to doggy summer camp and play and romp and try to hump each other for a while. Buddy could get a break from the perfume and Gina could get a break from the parrot.