Red Door by Elizabeth Arden

Plum, Peach, Anise, Orange Blossom, Rose, Violet.
Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Carnation, Honey, Orchid, Jasmine, Muguet, Freesia, Wild Lily, Rose.
Heliotrope, Benzoin, Cedar, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Amber, Musk.

Depending upon how much someone applies this and at what stage of development you happen to encounter Red Door, it can either come across as crass and slightly overbearing or an extremely clean and penetrating feminine. I say that because I have smelled this over the years on various women. On some of them I enjoy it immensely and on others.......well........not so much.

There is one particular co-worker of mine who wears this exclusively. For whatever reason, it smells completely different on her than it does me ( as I sample it ) or others who I know wear it. On her, the sillage is perfect and the aroma is akin to a rendition of soapy lavender. It smells nothing like that on me however. She has told me she will mist herself twice and call it good. The only times I have smelled it on her however is after she has been wearing it for over an hour. Perhaps I wouldn't like it so much on her immediately after application......or maybe I would. All I know is that the base and drydown perform well on her and it is her signature scent.

Red Door opens with a strong surge of citric fruit. The Blossom anchors this cacophony and in no time, an assertive floral array inserts itself into the accord. It's a heady brew for sure and if applied too heavily, it's cloying and overwhelming. Sprayed with a deft touch however, proves to be a successful tactic.

Once Red Door settles a bit, the Tuberose and Jasmine are well executed. These two are the soul of this fragrance on my skin. There are numerous notes constituting the accords, but in my wearings I've found everything centered around these two and the rest being relegated as assistance and accent notes.

Lightly applied, Red Door is better than the reviews give it credit for. Sillage is very good and longevity is 6 hours plus. I don't love it, but it deserves a thumbs up regardless.

Comments

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...

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

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...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog