Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Pretty Is as Pretty Does...More Perfume Bottles From My Collection

photo by Elena Vosnaki

The bottle of Shalimar Parfum Initial is a jewel, and thus should be accompanied by jewels. The choice of pearls is not random at all, as the sheen of the vanilla powdery ambience of the scented liquid is gloriously feminine with that touch of elegance we dedicate to those beautiful globules. You can find a fragrance review of Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial here. 

Flankers/derivative versions of Shalimar by Guerlain (with linked reviews & comparison with original):
Limited editions of Shalimar (without change in the perfume formula itself):

photo by Elena Vosnaki

The classic of classics and a scent redolent of women's emancipation, the eminable Tabac Blond (incidentally not a tobacco scent). You can find the fragrance review for Caron Tabac Blond here. The bottle is testament to the fact that I have exceedingly enjoyed the eau de perfume version, which is as good as possible. 
There are a lot of Caron fragrance reviews and news on PerfumeShrine: on the linked text. 

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Breaking the Cellophane on a New Bottle of Robert Piguet Bandit

Just some photos I took upon opening a third bottle of Robert Piguet's Bandit perfume. One of my favorites as it transpires.

photo copyright Elena Vosnaki

It wouldn't seem possible for such a forceful fragrance as Bandit, not to mention a collection of hundreds of scent, but yes, the two bottles on the left have been enjoyably drained to their last dregs. The one on the right is the latest one, the "new"one (bought a few years back as a back-up, please note).


all photos by Elena Vosnaki





Doesn't it look spanking new and cute? I can't wait to start wearing it again! Usually I wear it in the summer, but I think I'm missing out on this tough stuff during the winter.



There is a difference in the cap between the former batch and the batch I just opened (bought a few years ago as a back-up, as mentioned above). The older one, on the right, has the initials etched on the cap. The newer one is smooth and sleek. Also, please note the older one is polygonal in layout, while the newer one is round all around. Other than that no differences on the bottle design itself. 



This is the "certified" original formula, as assured by Givaudan. Some bottles bear this certification in further proof of the company's adherence to excellence.
Bandit by Robert Piguet is a marvel from 1944 coming alive on the skin in 2018. Priceless. 

All photos copyright by Elena Vosnaki

Monday, June 1, 2009

Flora Attica: Galivanting amidst the Greek gardens

The last day of May had me leafing through the photos that I had taken throughout the Veniamin month of spring. The fragrant orgy of the warm Greek spring was simply irresistible not to lock away in digital form for the gloomiest days of winter and the promise of a rampant summer was achingly palpable in every petal and every leaf.
Here are some of them as a small tribute to the glory of scented walks in the city...




The season of the lilac is all too brief, its passing leaving behind a nostalgic pang for beauty betrodden.

I like to prolong their fragrant whisperings by wearing Tocadilly, After my Own Heart by Ineke and Highland Lilac of Rochester well into the early throes of summer, when their lush, ripe beauty is but a distant memory. (click the links for reviews)






Pittosporum tobira (the dominant blossom in the heart of the strict, celebral chypre Knowing by Estee Lauder) hides in its small little corola a sweet, intoxicating smell of white floral longing.
The whiffs caught in the evening make the heart palpitate with pleasure and rapture.




The vibrant flowers of oleander in pink, white or salmon are characteristic of the Greek landscape and truly abundant, even in the intense heat of the summer. Their dusty, bittersweet aroma that combines earth and stem is indicative of their poisonous nature, yet tempting to a tentative taste.





Robinia pseudoacacia (mock acacia) on the other hand blooms safely in May and the white grappes hanging off the trees are swaying in the cool breeze of early morning with the promise of sunny happiness.



Small statuettes are very common in doorways and porticos and here we have a Venetian lion under a climbing vine and fuschia bougainvillea bush. The early peaches are visible on the peach tree at the background. The succulent juice of the fruit whets my appetite for Péché Cardinal by parfums MDCI, in which the sinful peach is the indomitable protagonist.




Fig trees
, their mighty shade and their dusty, bitter tang of the leaves always a welcome solace in the schorching rays of high summer, are already producing their first figs, unripe and green. They're bitter still, their white-ish "milk" making one's face grimace upon smelling like a child sucking on a sour lemon for the very first time.
The refreshing quality of both tree and fruit is lovingly captured in L'artisan's Premier Figuier, Cielo by Napa Valley, and A la figue by Satellite.







Scarlett bougainvilleas are sadly without their match in perfumery, but their emblematic contrast with the white of the houses casts our mind to summer vacations on Greek isles and their respective irresistible bouquet of aromata of herbs and foliage.

Roses are early bloomers in the warm climate and the juxtaposition of this most English of flowers with the terracotta of the archaic metopes and akroteria is arresting in its unexpectedness. Whenever the mood strikes me for a lush rose fragrance such as these blooms I turn to the embullient rose and violet combination that is Yves Saint Laurent's Paris; its crystal melody speaking of feminine elegance and almost tipsy romanticism. When I want an earthier companion to my rose, Une Rose Chyprée by Andy Tauer and Frédéric Malle's Une Rose provide the rich, dirty feel that enrobs my roses with the pungent soil odour following a summer thunderstorm. And finally when I'm all out for an orientalised classical rose that "would smell as sweet", nothing will do but Guerlain's Nahéma.


Last but not least, this garlanded doorway of delight had me stop in my tracks even before I turned the corner of the small alleyway; the fragrant stream of the jasmine trellis was so potent, so intoxicating, my feet had a will of their own trying to track the source of the heavenly aroma! Nothing caprtures the beauty and the awe of summer jasmine in the warm embrace of the Mediterannean like A la Nuit by Serge Lutens ~its enveloping hug is as mesmerising as falling in love all over again: not only with one's beloved but, more importantly, with life itself.

All photos by Elena Vosnaki, copyright for Perfume Shrine. Click to enlarge.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Galivanting aimlessly during the weekend

All cats come out in the sun, is a popular saying. Like them, I sunned myself. And these are a few of the things I snapped.

The open air market has flowers for sale. In cellophane and metallic-looking wrap, they stand proud: lilies, roses, petunias, freesias... People come and go and stare at them. Who will take them home?



The market also has olives. Lots of them. In all sizes, shapes and quite a few shades.


The lilies have blossomed. Those are cala lilies. Almost obscene. They remind me of Diego Rivera.


Surprisingly, so has jasmine! Yet, I can never be sure whether it is jasmine that has withstood the cold or new jasmine. It seems like I see jasmine all-year round!


With wisteria (glycine) I can be sure, though! These are the hypnotically fragrant, powdery spicy "grapes" of spring. Soon the whole place will be covered with them.


All kinds of things grow in the sun. Even clean socks!


Butterflies seem unaffected though! Harvesting the nectar...



There is retro-chic with a nod to bygone times. (I'd like to have an etched glass-door like that in my own verandah).


And then there's reto-retro! A 60s brand of lingerie and swimwear. Minoan-style...or not.



Shall we go in?


Sure, but let's first grab a bite!




All photos copyright © helg/Perfumeshrine

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