Sheherazade EDT by Jean Desprez

I have picked up 2 bottles of Sheherazade in the last 2 years. One vintage splash and the other the exact bottle in this image. Initially, I purchased them to stockpile, but as always, I ask my better half if she likes it. She does, but unlike me, she hardly ever wears scent. In the healthcare field, that has become an unbreakable habit for her. However.......when her and I have a "date"....."sans parfum" is thrown out the proverbial window.

She doesn't wear Sheherazade, but not because it isn't good. It's actually a well constructed chypre that gets no love in my house. I cannot pull it off due to its leaning far too feminine. I will periodically blur the lines when the mood strikes, but I can't wear this.....unless, of course, I took up cross dressing.....and THAT would really upset my softball team. To them, it's bad enough I wear powerhouse fragrances to games in the hot weather. It would also piss off Mrs. Aromi....and that is even more detrimental to Mr. Aromi...........

Anyway........I have been meaning to review Sheherazade for quite some time and am finally getting around to it. It seems that all these fragrances constructed decades ago need a light touch when applying them. Strong is a common theme, but you know what? I'd much rather have "strong" and regulate it by application than an anemic composition that has no oomph or longevity. Who the hell wants to spray until carpal tunnel sets in? Besides, perfumes like this give you alot of bang for the buck.

The opening of Sheherazade on me is the top two accords at once. A sparkling citric woody blended with jasmin, rose and a dash of spice. The carnation and orris provide the bite here, but it's a friendly nip that enhances the accord. The jasmin-rose tandem isn't in your face, but they are prominent enough to notice. There's a subtle powder clawing its way upwards and when it arrives, it stays polite. I'm happy it doesn't usurp the composition and it leaves room for vanilla and sandal to calmly enter the arena for a pleasant drydown. All in all, a nice creation from yesteryear when worn modestly and certainly overlooked.

Suffice it to say that if Aromi was a transvestite softball player and had a wife that wouldn't forfeit his very life for wearing her clothes, I would definitely wear Sheherazade. My muscle bound ass would still look horrific in spaghetti straps and spandex, but I sure would smell great.

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Teatro Alla Scala - Krizia

I tried Comete by Chanel today and wanted to write about how Chanel is going by the way of Roger Dove - copying old masterpieces. I did not know where to post that and then I realized I have been neglecting this blog. When I logged in I saw an unfinished post I wrote a year ago about Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia. Teatro is the best full bodied floral - better than any Chanel or Patou. Even better than Gucci L'Arte. A brief background: Teatro Alla Scala is an Opera theatre in Milan. The bottle's design is an homage to the theatre and the perfume an homage to its sophisticated patrons. I wanted to write a symphony for it. Maybe some day. For now here are few notes I wrote comparing EDT vs EDP. And if you don't have Teatro, your wardrobe is incomplete Rose, Jasmine, Tuberose. Jammy berries (more in EDP) . Honey note listed is probably the jammy part Vetiver & moss - more in EDT Rose and carnation is more than jasmine and that is what separates it from other florals like J...

Jane at Daly BeautySeptember 4, 2010 at 9:46 AM
Sheherazade sounds divine! How do you find these beauties? Your wife is so lucky that you search out these lovelies for her. And I agree...I'd rather regulate a BIG scent vs go through bottles of a wan thin perfume trying to smell it on myself....I'm off to search for this one.
UnknownSeptember 5, 2010 at 8:54 AM
Oh I agree! A strong scent that can be applied lightly is soo much better than and watery anemic little perfume. There seem to be more of those these day. I'll have to try Sheherazade if I get the chance. I like Bal a Versailles, but I find it my skankiest perfume, so I apply sparingly. But it's a nice skank.

You and your wife are the mirror image of my husband and I. He doesn't wear perfumes and tolerates my hobby, but prefers the more feminine perfumes I wear to the masculine ones.

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