Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier- Vocalise


The very second I opened the sample of Vocalise, I knew it might not be a very good idea. I haven't checked the notes, but I vaguely remembered it had something to do with fruit. The opening blast, though, wasn't much of anything: just a sharp alcoholic note, the kind you'd expect from far less exclusive brands. Thankfully, it vanished quickly on my skin, replaced with so much berry that my anti-fruit nose was screaming and I was planning a mad dash to the sink.

It wasn't that bad, though. Yes, blackcurrants and raspberries are not my thing, but the blend here isn't too syrupy. I guess it's the quality ingredients that are keeping it from going the synthetic jam way. Not that I didn't have the "No! No! No!" moment of panic every time I tested it again for this review, but I managed to brace myself and deal.

As the scent develops, the florals emerge, and they're nice enough. It's nothing you haven't smelled before. It's mostly rose and ylang-ylang, in a classic combination that would remind you of many perfumes you have probably owned at one point or another. It has an almost Goutalish quality, pretty and very French. But it doesn't hold: not my interest and not my nose, and while Vocalise boasts lower notes such as vanilla, sandalwood, musk and ambergris(!), I would swear that is has no base at all. The fragrance completely disappears from my skin after 15 minutes and doesn't leave even one berry behind.

Many of the MPG scents are available both from Aedes in NYC and Luckyscent in L.A., both are good places to obtain samples. They are also sold at Bendel, Bergdorf and several other fancy stores. My own pack of 30 MPG carded samples was purchased for less than a song on eBay, when it was still a common practice.

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