To F.J.
I fell in love for Shelley Waddington (En Voyage Perfumes) creations back in 2010 and it has been a pleasure to review her fragrances ever since. My favorite fragrances from her collections are Pêche Noir, Makeda, Lorelei, and Zelda - all reviewed in the past and linked here if you missed.
I fell in love for Shelley Waddington (En Voyage Perfumes) creations back in 2010 and it has been a pleasure to review her fragrances ever since. My favorite fragrances from her collections are Pêche Noir, Makeda, Lorelei, and Zelda - all reviewed in the past and linked here if you missed.
Joséphine
Her newest collection came in a very good timing because my most recent posts were all about gourmet fragrances and it seems that Shelley decided to take a tour into the world of smell and flavors by launching a new collection called Souvenir de Chocolate Trio with 3 new scents or gourmandises: Indigo Vanilla, Capture in Amber and Café Cacao. All presented in 2 concentrations - Perfume Extrait (0.14 oz) and Eau de Parfum (0.5 oz).
Today I am reviewing Café Cacao EDP - a perfume version of the Parisienne Café Mocha, that according to the brand has a surprisingly aphrodisiac effect and it is also inspired by Marie Antoinette amber flavored cocoa and Josephine musk scented chamber's walls.
Souvenir de Chocolate Trio samples
Photo credit: + Q Perfume Blog
Notes revealed are:
TOP: Vanilla Powder, Rose Sugar, Ground Cardamom, Bergamot
Peel
.
HEART:
Espresso Cafe, Steamed Milk, Salt, Dark Cacao, Rich Whipped Cream.
BASE:
Soft Amber, Himalayan Musk, New Zealand Beach-combed Ambergris.
CAFÉ CACAO EDP is a real treat for those who love the sweet combination of chocolate, vanilla and amber, with a velvety touch of coffee with a vintage aura of roses, musk and ambergris.
It seems that Shelley is again following the path of vintage scents that started with Zelda and this is exactly what Ioved about this fragrance.
Most fragrances surrounding a coffee notes contain a urban contemporary aura and the idea of Lattes. Shelley is going to a total opposite direction.
Café de Flore Paris, 1953
Photo credit: Ed van Elsken
If Pêche Noir was a jazzy rendezvous in smokey bars, taverns and cabarets starting with a carnal dark acid peach, Café Cacao EDP brings a morning dark bitterness opening which is quite striking - a bitter Bergamot-vanilla combo awakens the senses that slowly is mellowed down by a sweeter touch of rose and milky notes. It is a foamy layer that caresses the skin. Two lovers meeting for breakfast and something more perhaps?
Le Baisier de L'Hôtel de Ville, Paris - 1950
Photo credit: Robert Doisneau
As the perfume continues to develop so does its sensuality. Saltiness come play a part in a melting dark chocolate. The caress on the skin is substituted to a long lasting kiss.
Needless to say that breakfast will end in the nearest hotel where ambergris and musk will remind us of Josephine and the lust of Napoleon for her.
In a letter he wrote to her "I awake full of you. Your image and the memory of last night's intoxicating pleasures has left no rest to my senses/"Je me réveille plein de toi. Ton portrais et le souvenir de l'enivrante soirée d'hiers n'ont point laiseé de repos à mes senses..." *
It is not a secret that I love fragrance with coffee notes. I have reviewed some that really made me smile in the past:
*BONAPARTE, Napoléon (1769-1821) : Lettres de Napoléon à Joséphine.- Paris : M. Vox, 1945.- 56 p. ; 17 cm.- (Brins de plume. 1ère série ; 4).
