Shelley Waddington has gone into her fragrant paint box yet again, and created two new wonderful works of perfumed art. Only this time, she asked her fans from around the world to name these new creations. When I first heard she was doing a sheer aquatic floral and a dark masculine amber fragrance I was skeptical, to say the least; so I signed up for samples and threw out a couple of names out, off the top of my head. What arrived in my mailbox the next week (quite literally) blew me away!

Two very plain samples arrived with descriptions and notes printed on cards with an email address for responding with possible names after sniffing the perfumes.  Shelley notified me, after all submissions were entered, that she had chosen the names Lorelei (for the floral) and L’Hombre (for the masculine). They are available as of today (21 April 2012) on her website. After such masterful releases as Makeda (the given name of and inspired by the Queen of Sheba), Poete de Carmel (award winning) and Go Ask Alice…I should have never doubted her! Here are two very classic perfume structures presented with style and panache.

L’Hombre was the one I reached for first. While sniffing it, I touched the vial lid’s dipstick inadvertently on the tip of my nose. Less than one drop of this heady masculine elixir surrounded and haunted me until I went back and dabbed it on more fully. This name is a contraction of “l’homme” (the man) and “ombre” (shadow) and the name is quite fitting.  What the perfumer was trying to do was create a scent that was boozy (but not too much) while capturing the spicy and sexy qualities of a mysterious yet “earthy” guy.

This stunning manscent opens opulently with notes of a fine aged malt scotch, subtly blended spices and just enough citrus to keep it from being overly heavy or too alcoholic. It imparts an almost vaporous glow of warmth all around you (similar to that which one feels after sipping a fine scotch).  This scent just makes you feel “rich”. As the heart notes open, it becomes even more luxurious. Dark coffee adds a slight gourmand aspect yet it is paired with smooth and slightly smoky incense. The drydown is a superb blend of mineral ambers, vetiver from Haiti, tree moss and musk. This combination adds a sensual animalic (but not overly sweaty or musty) aroma softened by dry greens.

 

This takes the often unpleasant edge off black oudh wood, that many find too sharp or medicinal, while incorporating its exotic aura perfectly. The whole composition is “polished with a high patina of rich sandalwood and aged patchouli”, but this only adds an intriguing oriental flair to its beauty.  Composed of equal parts of dark, masculine, sexy and extremely well balanced; L’Hombre is the olfactory equivalent of a tall dashing handsome stranger all guys secretly want to be…and now, thanks to Ms. Waddington, we can! Sillage: very good. Longevity: excellent.

Lorelei is the name of a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine River. It is also the name of a water spirit said to haunt that river. She was betrayed by her love and so seduces men sweetly to their end in a watery grave with promises of her charms in a heavenly song. Sylvia Plath, Mendelssohn, Gershwin, and Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” have all celebrated her; as have the Irish band the Pogues, who immortalized her in song.

This perfume was nothing like I expected it to be and is much more than the sum of its parts. The only listed notes are: wisteria, lilac, violet, daffodil, jonquil and lily. It is described as “the essence of eternal youth…in a bouquet of spring flowers” by the perfumer. My skin “eats” light spring floral notes for breakfast (magnolia, honeysuckle and the like) but this fragrance actually lasts!  Imagine each of these floral notes as a single strand of perfumed silk. Each one is light and ephemeral on its own, and could easily be snapped. Woven and twisted together though, they are stronger than steel.

 

Without any lotuses, water lily or “marine notes”, Shelley has captured the sheer nature of these flowers and through a light-handed mix produced a “watery” feeling. Wisteria blows in the breeze while sweet violets laugh. Daffodils and jonquils add a verdant floral edge, as creamy lilies round this out. Softer and silky at first, this becomes something well rounded and utterly elegant to wear and experience. Sillage: good. Longevity: very good.

 

Disclosure: These reviewed are based on samples sent to me by En Voyage for “the Name Game” contest. I would like to thank Shelley for her willingness to incorporate her fans and their input into her work. Brava, my dear, BRAVA!!

Thanks to Shelley Waddington we have one mini (spray or bottle) of each of these new fragrances to give away. Leave a comment naming which one you would prefer and we will draw one winner for each. The draw will take place via random.org on April 25, 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume.

-John Reasinger, Editor

Senior Editor’s Note: The 6th semi-annual SF Sniff is happening on April 21st, concurrent with the launch of Shelley's new scents. To commemorate, she has created sample packs of each scent to give away to attendees that includes a coupon for entry into a contest for a prize bottle. The SF Sniffers are the first to receive these new scents. We are very honored and happy to sniff them! We are most grateful for Shelley's generosity and hard work putting these together for us. Please leave a comment if you need more information and I’ll get back to you. –Tama Blough