Twin Peaks: Allesandro dell'Acqua and Korres

If you're a true musk lover such as myself then surely you recall Allesandro dell' Acqua by designer Allesandro dell'Acqua, a soapy but oddly sensual musk fragrance, which came and went without much noise and made us bang our head on the wall for not stockpiling.

via

Thankfully Korres has the filled the gap with Iris Lily of the Valley Cotton (admittedly a name too programmatic for its own good) which can be had for a mediocre sum of money and no great jumping through Ebay hoops to score a bottle. It smells of high count Egyptian cotton sheets somewhere posh with good company.

This is what I call a worthy discovery.

The Case for a Good Drag of Smoke: Korres Premium II L'Eau de Parfum

Poor Jon Hamm had to smoke 74 herbal cigarettes in the pilot of Mad Men alone, such is our modern shunning of smoking, even more so on screen, where it's strictly seen as "period work." And yet ... You can do lots of things with a cigarette on hand: gain time, use that sharp intake of smoke as a decisive battle cry, fill that hanging silence of exhaling with something to look into, occupy your hands, offer to light a damsel-in-distress's own cigarette ... smoking has its own language and codes.

Which nicely brings me to our matter at hand. A gorgeous tobacco fragrance for men. Those old-cut ones, like Richard Widmark. Widmark looked quite a bit like my own grandfather, who wore Tabac Original by Mauer & Wirtz; there's poetic justice in the lives of perfumephiles, you see.

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Thus goes my review of the Premium II L'Eau de Parfum by Greek brand Korres. Issued in late 2014 and among the very good surprises of the beginning of this year, I realize that it's not exactly summer material (though you could wear it, why not), more of a flannel suit and fedora hat affair, yet it beckoned last week when the heatwave made everything smell so very intensely that I was sure I was either smelling fragrances from three blocks away or experiencing a case of phantosmia (sensing phantom smells). Please find my full review of this beautiful tobacco and woods cologne on this link. As always you're welcome to comment either here or there or both.

Twin Peaks: Korres Pure Cotton & Prada Infusion d'Iris

Do you associate iris the fragrance note with pure cotton? You should. Today's comparison involves two fragrances which share the same olfactory core in a language that has become Morse code for comfort, effortless elegance and sophisticated grooming.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s the scent of "groomed female" involved some floral aldehydic fragrance with the powerful blanched aspect of something termed White Linen (and we will revert to that) or First by Van Cleef & Arpels (or even Chanel No.5 for the purists), while still topping everything with the garland of sweet ladylike flowers. It probably involved matching ensembles, genuine supple kid skin leather goods and a 18K gold trinity ring by Cartier.
Our Millenial rotation has dispensed with the niceties and the romantic semiotics of flowers (especially since the metrosexual male partook in female ritual) and appreciates the "clean" "dry" feel minus the glamour and the hard cash. Enter the iris and white musk brigade that has been hammering down our collective nose door for a full on decade as the new code for "groomed".

via Korres Instagram

The "cotton" mention is thus explained; the former hot iron on a starched linen shirt coming from aldehydes is now smothered into the downy soft fabric softener feel of irones on freshly laundered cotton sheets (irones form the main constituent in the scent of iris/orris). You can casually stroll any super-market aisle and pick up any product in the body products range or even the laundry detergents/fabric softeners; "cotton" is code for lots of irones and white musks. Case in point? Carrefour's Cotton shower gel, for one.

Infusion d'Iris doesn't smell particularly iris-y. truth be told. That is, it's not the starchy pasta-and-sourdough feel one gets from orris, the dried rhizome "resinous" extraction coming after macerating the roots, even though the perfume's whole marketing standpoint stresses that technique ("infusion" etc. though if you notice, in the "list" of "ingredients" on the packaging iris/orris isn't mentioned). It's a powerfully woody resinous "clean" smelling entity with formidable attributes that do not proclaim their presence.  Benzoin, cedar notes and a hint of incense resin give warmth-coolness contrasts and copious tenacity and I suspect musk does too. This is also what I smell from the Korres Pure Cotton fragrance and the scratchy (but in a good way) lily of the valley aromachemical that signifies "I feel pretty, oh so pretty".

Beyond perfumery tropes, nevertheless, there is a very practical, tangible reason why Perfume Shrine's smell-alike perfumes articles, Twin Peaks, are so popular and this post is one such case. The full effect of the well-established best-seller by Prada comes at the fraction of the price in the newer incarnation by Korres! In fact Korres is probably playing on one of their older eaux de toilette, Iris Lily of the Valley Cotton. 

If you have been following our blog for years, you surely recall our dinosaur-worthy article of how much perfume actually costs. The internet has since erupted on similar breakdowns of cost vs. retail price, but beyond the pure logistics, any dedicated fan will tell you you're paying not for the raw materials but for the expertise, the know how, the tradition, the beautiful aesthetics...in the end for the sheer experience. (And that's why if you haven't read The Aesthetic Principle you really should). Price is irrelevant if you truly love what you get.

from the Wallpaper "Clean Slate" editorial featuring Korres products, via Korres Instagram

And yet, how do you explain two perfumes that are so close in scent that opting for one when having your eyes closed wouldn't produce a micro-grimace (lips falling down on one side, eyes rolling up) of distrustful apprehension?  Of course lots of other brands and companies have cottoned on (can't help the pun) to the success of the Prada Infusion d'Iris, not least Prada itself (mainly with their Infusion d'Homme). Chanel for one seems to have revitalized the No.19 perfume stable with Chanel No.19 Poudre, a scent which smells more like something from Prada (a soap devised by Prada) than traditional Chanel (a soap referencing Chanel)...and feel free to call me reductionist if you like, since I'm sorta sacrilegiously "reducing" both to soap. (Though soap is hard business to get right). And I'm coming round to the beginning of my parsing treatise; it's probably Dove and their classic soap scent which has inspired this whole genre. Something fluffy, soft, powdery and full of irones, lily of the valley, orange flower and white musks.

Fragrantica categorizes Korres Pure Cotton (part of the newly launched Eau de Cologne range) into the "aromatic spicy" fragrances and gives (the official) notes of mandarin orange (on top), iris (in the heart) and amber (in the base). It is an eau de cologne edition in a biggish bottle in the familiar elegant Korres aesthetics with a matte black rubber spraying mechanism. It smells and performs exactly the same as Prada's original Infusion d'Iris eau de parfum. Perfumephiles on a budget, rejoice!

Korres White tea Bergamot Freesia, Vetiver root Green tea Cedarwood, & Vanilla Freesia Lychee: fragrance reviews

It was only a few days ago that I broke the news of the new line of fragrances by Korres on these pages, offering a cursory glance to the new scents as a whole and short reviews on three of them: Heliotrope Ylang Ylang Citron (the most impressive of them all and from the looks of it, the one Greek exclusive, as it doesn't appear on the International site at all), Iris Lily of the Valley Cotton (the most cooly subtle and refined skin-like) and Paeonia Vanilla Amber Pear (the weakest, as it seemed to me as if riding on the coat-tails of a well-known by now "trend", the fruitchouli).

I also announced one discontinuation from the original trio: that of Rose Blackcurrant Cyclamen. I stand behind that announcement and have since supplemented the post with a screenshot which showcases that indeed that's the one shot down (the other two appear featured on the International site normally alongside the new ones). Today I return with reviews on the remaining three fragrances in the newest line-up which is available in Greece as we speak and will be exported soon to the USA and everywhere where Korres is available: White tea Bergamot Freesia, Vetiver root Green tea Cedarwood, & Vanilla Freesia Lyche.

Contrary to the Korres fragrances I reviewed the other day, the remaining three are more or less faithful to their name, and -what's more- specifically to the first "note" announced in it. Thus they uncomplicate things for the weary consumer who doesn't want to have to spell everything out to the chemist behind the counter ("Please give me the Vanilla one") as well as the dazed chemist who is standing in his or her feet all day long catering to customers. The compositions are straightforward without appearing contrived and they possess excellent staying power. and projection Whereas that might have been a sort of given for Heliotrope Ylang Ylang Citron or Paeonia Vanilla Amber Pear by nature (the notes themselves veering into the lasting floriental genre), it is delightful to find it's also so for scents which are lighter and subtler in character, such as the remaining three we're reviewing today. They lasted well and were perceptibly audible on both skin and blotter: In fact I have a couple of blotters on my desk right now, wafting their effluvium as I type.

White Tea Bergamot Freesia is a crisp citrusy floral in the school that Jean Claude Ellena established as light "tea" notes (actually cool citrusy florals) and should lend itself to endless days of sunshine and sunny clothing to match. It's totally easy to wear and enjoy, undemanding like a sip from a pitcher of icy water on a hot day. The fragrance oscillates between a coolish white musk with floral notes and a fruity tonality with a bit of an apricoty lactonic scent. Very nice. The bottle is immediately recognisable as it's white to reflect the concept and name.

Vetiver root Green tea Cedarwood is redolent of earthy freshness and re-interprets a mainstay of masculine perfumery: the succulence of vetiver! Anyone who caught our Vetiver Series knows just how much I like this exotic grass in perfumes. So which take does the Korres fragrance take? The straight, the sweet or the strange? It seems it's a cross between the classic fresh (with its underscoring of an hesperidic, injected here through the "green tea" note which is a small crisp/floral segment, see above) and the sweet. If I'm not greatly mistaken the latter should be attributed to a little patchouli, lending a facet like licorice alongside the woodiness. The bottle is in dark green hues and the company recommends this scent for men, alongside the previous (and gorgeous) Saffron Amber Cardamom. I say it's eminently fit for both sexes and everything in-between.

Vanilla Lychee Freesia, true to its name, is a fruity vanilla with calorific tendencies. It's quite delectable, with great tenacity and a monochrome radiating all around, staying almost exactly the same from beginning to end: The vanilla scent is removed from the cookie-cutter board and takes on the caramelised nuance of a good flan. There is a kinship with some of the better Comptoir Sud Pacifique fragrances, perhaps Vanille Abricot; the fruity note leans towards a peachy-apricoty tone and plummy note which also reminds me a bit of Flowerbomb Extrême with its osmanthus and benzoin (i.e. vanillic) core. It's not very foody and it's not sickly sweet, which is a nice change of pace amidst most current gourmand fragrances on shelves.

The formulae do not contain phtalates, polycyclic musk compounds, nor nitro-musks of course. Korres is using Rosmarinus officinalis in the formula as a natural anti-oxidant. The new bottles come at 50ml/1.7oz and are presented at an advantageous price point (below 30 euros) that belies their quality.

Korres: New Fragrances & One Discontinuation

It's no secret that Greek brand Korres has created a cult following around the world. The trio of fragrances in old chemist's apothecary-style bottles were named after the main scented materials entering the composition and they became an instant hit shortly after their introduction in 2009. They were originally meant to be limited editions in the USA, the stock quickly dried up and became the object of fervent hunting on international online venues. The fragrances of course are a mainstay in the Greek market.



The original trio included the intriguingly appealing Pepper Jasmine Gaiacwood Passion Fruit (woody oriental) the majestically deep Saffron Agarwood Cardamom (spicy oriental) and Rose Blackcurrant Cyclamen (floral). Of them, one is discontinued even from the Greek market my sources reveal to me, namely Rose Blackcurrant Cyclamen, the weakest link in the chain in my opinion.

EDIT TO ADD 25th Nov: One of my readers, Iliana, kindly notified me that the one she had trouble finding in her city was Saffron Agarwood Cardamom. I'm pleased to say that this is still in production beyond any doubt, as shown on the official Korres site today (choose country option International), showing two of the previous trio (exactly as I had mentioned above) on their index page alongside the new ones (Oddly enough they don't show the Heliotrope Ylang Ylang Citron one, see below). See attached screenshot above for proof (click to enlarge).

You can look at the frag-zine KORRES created especially for its fragrance launch, the editorial concept of which was developed by the brand’s global Communications Director, George Anthoulakis on this link by the Greek page in English on Yatzer. (It's an interesting read with quite some info and is visually very appealing)

However new fragrances are being introduced as of this minute (they're not up on the official Korres site at the time of writing this post), after the success of the former trio, which Perfume Shrine is proud to introduce to the international fragrance community.
The newest Korres fragrance collection includes:

• Heliotrope Ylang Ylang Citron
• Vetiver root Green tea Cedarwood
• White tea Bergamot Freesia
• Iris Lily of the Valley Cotton
• Vanilla Freesia Lyche
• Paeonia Vanilla Amber Pear

I was positively impressed by the Heliotrope Ylang Ylang Citron which is a floriental, not too sweet and with a piqant, "sharp" top note which blends well with the almond/cherry pie note of heliotrope. For those who want a nice "clean" woody-musk that doesn't punch you with its synthetic fist, Iris Lily of the Valley Cotton is surprisingly smooth, with a perceptively rooty-metallic iris note in the background. This is a perfect everyday fragrance which could pass for the natural smell of your skin and clothes.
In my opinion the Paeonia Vanilla Amber Pear was the least original, as it reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle. Of course that might prove to be its strong selling point, although the average Korres consumer is sophisticated enough to not be searching for dupes from what I've seen.
Expect to see international launches in the foreseeable future! The price point is comparable to the previous trio, i.e. good value for money.

The remaining three new fragrances by Korres are reviewed on this page.

photo via yatzer.com

New fragrances from Korres: 3 new Eaux de Toilette

Korres, the famous Greek brand of skincare and cosmetics, had tentatively explored the world of fragrance with their body waters, a line of light eaux for after showering refreshment accompanying their bath-products line, in such scents as the Amaretto-echoing Bitter Almond, the piquantly astrigent Basil Lemon and the austerely sonorous Cedar (the latter highly recommended, by the way!).
Now they're issuing a trio of more traditional Eaux de Toilette, destined to be proper fragrances rather than soli-nuanced scented waters and with greater tenacity ~a complaint that some people had with some of the previous Body Waters. The new line of fragrances is comprised by:

RoseWood/Blackcurrant/Cyclamen for women,
Saffron Amber/Agarwood/Cardamom for men and
Pepper Jasmine/Gaiac Wood/Passion Fruit for both sexes, to be shared.

I like to think that if I like the men's one (sounds like it comprises at least two of my favourite notes!), I could borrow it too! *wink, wink*

Korres is a Greek company with roots in the first homeopathic pharmacy of Athens. Naturally derived, top quality active ingredients, clinically tested for effectiveness are used, "aiming in the creation of natural, beneficial and safe products for skin, hair and body which however are also a sensory pleasure to use".
Following the policies of the company on matters of eco-consciousness and minimizing allergy risks, the new trio of Eaux de Toilette are phthalate-free and PCM-Compound Free.

The new Eaux de Toilette have just launched in Greece with plans to bring them out in the international market later on.

Pic of Korres family via Beautyworks.

Kings & Queens

Perfume Shrine likes to look at new things and when a favourite brand branches out, here we are following the trail like a scenthound. Korres, the Greek skincare and makeup line that has taken the world by storm has launched a separate new body care line, named "For Kings and Queens".The idea behind it is to link specific royal persons with scents associated with their life and beliefs. Naturally, Perfume Shrine's interest was piqued!

Perusing the line there is a wealth of famous people inspiring shower gels and body creams. Beginning back in antiquity, Caspar is associated with Myrrh (it smells somptuous!), the fragrant gift of the Magi to baby Jesus, while Nefertiti takes her bath in Honey. Her name means "beautiful woman who has arrived" and it is inferred that her beauty rituals were complimentary to her loveliness.
Queen of Sheba inspired Pistachio (an unusual choice, don't you agree!) because she was so mad about its taste and aroma that she ordered the country's crops to be solely distributed to her Court.
King Solomon gave the inspiration for Cedar (a very smooth, austere yet sensual smell). The king of Israel, responsible for building the first Temple of Jerusalem used almost only cedar for its amazing properties of resisting decay and smelling fragrantly pious.

The exotics are well taken care of: King of Ceylon has a penchant for Cinnamon, a product accountable for the antagonism of the Dutch, British and Portuguese fighting over control of the island.
Indian Maharajas opt for Mahogany, a woody fragrance inspired by the reddish timber. The King of Sumatra is tied to Pepper and Bergamot : pepper was the most highly prized spice till well into the Middle Ages due to its admirable hot aroma that helped fight bacteria and repel insects which might tamper with food. In Sumatra black pepper has become the stuff of legend with pirates and colonialists fighting over loads of the black gem in merchant ships. The composition is complimented with a classical Mediterranean citrusy tang of bergamot.
Pre-Colombian Aztek Kings are catered for by a spicy Vanilla Pear blend which derives its popularity from its purpoted aphrodisiac properties, accounting for its extensive use among the kings and their wives (along with cocoa). The composition is complimented with a tinge of fresh pear.

Some unidentified Princess of China goes for Jasmine: that one predictably did have me sniffing and resniffing and the association is a particularly dreamy one: since jasmine is such a potent love potion for the mind that awakens feelings of love and passion, she had ordered her gardens to be solely planted with jasmine so that her lover would never forget his vows. A wonderful choice for spring and summer!

Reverting to Europe, I really liked the aroma of Tobacco, associated with Tsar Peter the Great, who actually did favour the habit of smoking himself and encouraged it during his reign, despite the laws against it, since its introduction to Western Europe. The scent is deep with a hint of sweetness and a very subtle citrusy top. I bought this one on the spot, to layer with my leathery scents.
George the III, another European king is associated with Lime: the obscure reason is not tied to his particular preference for the fruit, but rather to his orders for sailors of the Royal Navy to consume lime juice along with their booze to help fight the most dangerous disease of sailors of the past: scurvy, a deficiency in vitamin C due to shortage of fresh produce in ships.
Orange quickly became the fruit of the aristocracy when it was brought back to Europe by Portuguese colonialists travelling to Southeast Asia, but there was no tester for me to get an idea how successful the rendition was.
Queen Isabella of Spain inspired the Cinnamon Orange shower gel and lotion, which marries the spicy taste of cinnamon to fresh orange blossom.
I really liked the Lemon Flower of the Sultans Nasrid of Granada: it reminded me of a warm summer walking in the city full of lemon trees and the cool evening breeze bringing the heavenly smell while passing by the Mauritanic Palace walls. This is my next buy, to layer with Fleurs de Citronnier by Serge Lutens!

The texture of Tobacco is more like liquid caramel and quite dark blackish brown (which is interesting!), somehow coming out in diaphanous big blobs out of the bottle. I don't know if this is characteristic of each and everyone of them though. Nevertheless, to their credit, they are all manufactured without mineral oil nor parabens.
The body butters and lotions come in 9 scents so far, with plans to include more. Some of them are shimmering lotions, such as Caspar Murrh and Chinese Princess Jasmine. While others are thicker, in a texture of body butter, such as Nefertiti Honey; or more runny like a body milk, such as George III Lime. All the products are enriched with Pomegranate, Blue Egyptian Lotus and Malachite (!) extracts.
The bottles are all enrobed in swirly pattenrs of contrasting colours with a different font for each one complimenting the historical trivia.
The prices are more than reasonable, making the line an everyday indulgence.


The official site is really well made with lots of wonderful trivia, a breakdown of the psychological types of everyday royalty (like the Scene Stealer, the Natural Performer or the City Nomad), cult personalities making a cameo appearence and everyday people asnwering questions about their personal kingdoms.

For our friends in the UK, some of them are available at Asos.com

You can email them with querries at: Atyourservice@forkingsandqueens.com

NEXT: a fun feature!! Check back shortly to see ;-)

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