Every once in a while I find a perfume that makes me stop in my tracks and realize that "this" is how things should smell. It's the scent equivalent of what Tim Gunn calls "Soul Stirrers" when he talks about clothes people should keep in their wardrobes (versus all those "meh" items that should never have been bought to begin with). In Serge Lutens collection of Soul Stirrers, Ambre Sultan manages to remain a major achievement.
On my skin, Ambre Sultan is very gourmand, from top to base. The spicy-herbal opening of coriander, bay leaf and oregano takes me straight to foreign markets and exotic kitchens (even though they are all staples in my own kitchen, so how exotic can it really be?). It goes greener and more resinous before settling into a sweet benzoin-vanilla base that still sparkles with amber and spice and completely lacks the powder quality that so often comes with the territory.
The rich and dark qualities make Ambre Sultan perfect for a cold day, though I loved the courage displayed by Tom, who reviewed it for Perfume Smellin' Things and braved it successfully on a July day in L.A..
Unlike another big amber (which I love and wear), Ambre Russe (Parfum d'Empire), this isn't boozey and only half as sweet. It also stays closer to my skin, and while long lasting (12 hours, easily), despite the assertive blast of the first spray it is not a sillage monster and can be used generously. I love having a significant amount of it on me. It feels like my favorite cashmere dress, warm and cozy, refined, well-made and incredibly flattering.
Ambre Sultan is available from top department stores (Neiman's, Barneys, Bergdorf in the US, Selfridges in the UK) as well as from Aedes in NYC and Scent Bar in Los Angeles. It can also be bought in a bell jar from the Salon du Palais Royal Shiseido in Paris.
Art from The Vinings Gallery: Journey Inward II by Pamela Sukhum.
On my skin, Ambre Sultan is very gourmand, from top to base. The spicy-herbal opening of coriander, bay leaf and oregano takes me straight to foreign markets and exotic kitchens (even though they are all staples in my own kitchen, so how exotic can it really be?). It goes greener and more resinous before settling into a sweet benzoin-vanilla base that still sparkles with amber and spice and completely lacks the powder quality that so often comes with the territory.
The rich and dark qualities make Ambre Sultan perfect for a cold day, though I loved the courage displayed by Tom, who reviewed it for Perfume Smellin' Things and braved it successfully on a July day in L.A..
Unlike another big amber (which I love and wear), Ambre Russe (Parfum d'Empire), this isn't boozey and only half as sweet. It also stays closer to my skin, and while long lasting (12 hours, easily), despite the assertive blast of the first spray it is not a sillage monster and can be used generously. I love having a significant amount of it on me. It feels like my favorite cashmere dress, warm and cozy, refined, well-made and incredibly flattering.
Ambre Sultan is available from top department stores (Neiman's, Barneys, Bergdorf in the US, Selfridges in the UK) as well as from Aedes in NYC and Scent Bar in Los Angeles. It can also be bought in a bell jar from the Salon du Palais Royal Shiseido in Paris.
Art from The Vinings Gallery: Journey Inward II by Pamela Sukhum.
No comments:
Post a Comment