Question:
OK. I now officially respect the house of l'Artisan. Voleur de Roses is divine. I also tested Dzing! (again), and Fou d'Absinthe.
Dzing! - The first time I tested it, I questioned the sanity of most Basenoters. How could anyone love this scent which simply smelled of burnt saran wrap? I threw away my sample, and an hour later, all I could detect was a little sweetness added to the "disaster". I wasn't impressed, but I decided to get another sample (from markc), and I'm glad I did. First impression was... you guessed it, burnt saran wrap. I waited a half hour, and now I get why people love it so much... it's delicious. Enough said.
Fou d'Absinthe - When it when on, I thought... Ummmm... ok... I guess. Oww... Owwwww! OW! It burns! Well, not that much... ok, it's fine now. Candy? Tonka? Chocolate? Herbs? Alcohol! OK... I guess. Five minutes later, I couldn't take my nose away, delicious! Half an hour later, it's the smell of really old soap... you know the kind; It's the same bar that's been in your grandmother's "formal bathroom" for the last thirty years, doesn't smell bad, but you're never really impressed. So much for d'Absinthe.
Voleur de Roses - Took me by surprise... Big time. I was excited for the Czech & Speake #88, but VdR beats it out in the long run... big time. #88 is candied rose, and VdR is "secret garden" roses. Unbelievably good. I'm glad I tried it, and it will most likely be my first l'Artisan. Yes, $85. I'm ready and willing to smell this good.
Philosykos - WOW! From start to finish, this fragrance has blown me away. Creamy, luscious, edible fig. I'm a huge fan of figs (Ever since I tried Inchnusa by Profvmvm, which is a sharper, AWESOME, and expen$ive cologne.), and this one is tied for first. Heely's was too sweet, but this does it perfectly. My stomache literally gets butterflies everytime I smell it, and I melt. Marc Jacob's is good for a close to the skin scent, but the coconut makes it a little to 'beachy' for me. Still a good scent, and fig though. Philosykos is definitely going to be in my wardrobe VERY soon. It's just a cool name too. I might even spring for the 3.4oz. It's that good.
Crypt - Umm... Waffle syrup? OK... Ummm... No thanks.
Blenheim Bouquet - Ummm... Pez anyone? Wait... nevermind, it's already gone.
Egoiste - Hmmm... Good. Smells familiar... In a good way.
Havana - Hmmm... Good. Smells familiar... In a good way... wait, did I just spray Egoiste on two cards? ... No, but they both smell good! Havana is a little more spicy, less powdery... I like both in their own way.
Czech & Speak #88 - Candied Roses! Yeah! Wait... now it's just the classic rose... Damn... Good though, just smells like my Grandmother's rose soap.
Basala - Oh yeah! This stuff is THE cologne. It's what every "man's" cologne should be judged by. Seriously. It's a very classic and modern cologne at the same time. Really good stuff. Lavender? Fleeting citrus?... Wow. Good. Definitely masculine (CologneJunkie, if you haven't tried it, drop the phone and try it... I think you might like this one a lot.) Smells kind of familiar though... It's gonna bug me until I get my finger on it.
Antaeus - No thanks, too powdery for MY tastes. (I just adore Brit, so that's how powdery this is. Lipsticky)

Creative Universe - Luce - Hmmm... Didn't strike me at first, but now it smells hauntingly of a pool I used to work at. In a good way. Cheap suntan lotion, chlorine, grassy knolls... Ice machine. I kind of like it now.
That's it folks! markc gave me three free samples with my decant purchase, and everything was perfect. Packaging, the sample vials, communication, speed, and price. Sweet seller! Thanks mark!
- Rich
EDIT 2-1-07 :
OK, I've tested more again.
Luce - Ummm... wow. I don't know why, but this fragrance has really been pleasing me. I have to find a bottle of it now. Seriously, it's not a good scent, and it's really not constructed very well (Completely linear), but it has great staying power, and I cannot stop smelling it. I can't think of when I'd want to smell like it, but this is exactly how I smelt after a day of working at the pool. Where would I get it? I've found one bottle on eBay, but it's not buy it now.
Basala - I'll eventually get a bottle of this, it's great but it doesn't seem to have much lasting power. I'll just have to remember to use lotion that day. To me, it seems like a "deep" cologne, you can't pick out all the individual notes at once, but at some time or another, you'll get 'em all.
Egoiste - Another bottle on my wishlist. Simply divine, and has great sillage.
Royal English Leather - Still a little soapy, but I can smell the lavender, and it has a sweet delicateness to it that I like now.
Bois du Portugal - I completely misunderstood this fragrance. It's not too heavy, and the spice (Is that cinnamon?) with the woods (Bois) is a really great mix. Not very good staying power though.
I'll keep reviewing them, and I'll keep you updated! Next up is Crypt, Havana, and Fou de Absinthe.
- Rich
EDIT - 2-2-07:
I got my L'Artisans in the mail today, and some more samples which I am going to review (again since I accidentally closed the window) right now.
Comme de Garcons Red: Sequoia - I was born, and lived in California for four years, and my family made once or twice a year trips to the National Reserve Redwood Forests, the Sequoias. I was expecting this to take me back, and in a way, it did. It took me back to the seventh grade when we cleaned the class guinea pig cages. It's not a bad scent, but I can't imaging wanting to smell like this. After the dry down, it's more interesting and sensual, but it's almost undetectable. I might get a bottle anyways, cause I like the smell of wood and wood chips.
Geir - I'm not going to make any friends by saying this, but I'm not impressed. It's a used car salesman smell to me. Good sillage though.
L'Homme Sage - Wow. This is a stunner. It's... inexplicable. I can't even begin to comprehend the notes before me, though someday I intend to, and it's still amazing to behold. From such a small house as Divine, I'm very impressed. I don't mean to be cheesy, but this is what the Garden of Eden smells like.
Havana - I don't think it's that similar to Egoiste anymore, but it is a very good scent. It's really hard to pick out the individual notes, and the longevity isn't very good, so I probably wont get a bottle, but I definitely want to try the Reserva edition in a decant, to see how long it lasts.
Blenheim Bouquet - What? It's not a floral to my nose. It just smells cheap to me, but to each his own.
Dzing! - This is another stunner. I haven't smelled anyone that smells this unique (in a good way). Definitely glad I got it.
Voleur de Roses - I put the last of my sample on my hand at 6 this morning (I wasn't up early, I was up late studying Calculus. I kicked its ass, and it won't be saying anything until next week). I can still smell it. It's one of my scents that's going to smell soooooo good it the right circumstances. It smells good anytime, but I'm feeling certain situations will garner its attention more than others.
That's it for now, I intend to do the rest I tested early in the week again, have no fear! Bottles on my wish list right now include Egoiste, Luce (I don't know why, it's not that good, but I like the smell of it), Basala (or Dunhill Edition), L'Homme Sage, and Philosykos (again).
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OK, I continued to test, and what do you know, I bought some of the scents that I didn't like off of the bat. Just goes to show, if at first you don't succeed...
The bottles I ended up getting are:
Voleur de Roses (Ended up trading it away, no longevity)
Dzing! (Soooo good! Used to hate this one so much though.)
Egoiste (Why wouldn't I?)
Havana (Excellent trade, excellent swapper \/ He's the first reply, if you need a hint)
Antaeus (Why oh why did I think that this wasn't for me? IDIOT! I love it now though!)
L'Homme Sage (Still as good as the first time I smelled it, and getting better!)
So, I've continued testing niche, and I've compiled some that I'd like to review.
Jardin de Kerylos by Parfumerie Generale
This is the first Fig based scent for the PG line, and I was so freaking psyched when I heard they were making one! I ordered a sample, and to save on shipping, I pulled a few more I've been itching to try and pulled out that damned debit card again. The description Luckyscent put on their site is actually spot on, except for a few discrepancies.
1.) It is a dry fig, which I have loved ever since I smelled my first fig, Ichnusa by Profumum. Since I've been looking for another fig as good or close to that one, I was elated when I saw this on Luckyscent.
2.) It is not the whole tree. I've tested scents based around all different components of the Fig tree, and this one is missing the fruit. I detect the leaves, wood, and bark, but no fruit in this one... SWEET! Just what I was looking for really...
3.) I was not dissapointed.
It really is quite similar to Ichnusa, but it is not a completely dry fig. While Ichnusa has more of a dusty leaves smell to it, the leaves in this one (while green and juicy), are not overbearingly prominent like the leaves in Philosykos or Heeley (Which by the way, had too much fruit, and lent a super sweet smell to it... YUCK!)
You can feel the tree in this one, which is partly why I liked Ichnusa so much, it made it so much more real. Philosykos is a runner up to these two, and I think will always be.
I'm going to devote a day with Ichnusa on one hand, Jardin on the other to compare them better.
Bois Blonde by Parfumerie Genderale
I had to test this one when I read it had ceral in it. As I'm wearing it right now, I sense a little spiciness coming off of it, maybe cinnamon or clove... Requires way more testing, but I am loving this one so far!
Carnation by CDG
While the name is far too long for me to right out, this is a very cool fragrance. Cool in the Prince way, everybody respects him (I hope), but no one else could do what he does. This is indeed a Carnation, although a little too sweet for my tastes, I enjoy this one very much so far. I wanted a bottle right away, but when it went sweet, I reconsidered. I expect a Carnation to be a little more cool and calm than this.
Route du Vetiver by MPG
Didn't like it right off the bat, but as it progressed, I was more and more impressed with it. Still requires way more testing, but I don't think I'll be getiing a bottle. Soon.
Bois de Copaiba by Parfumerie Generale
Candy sweet, not for me. Wish I could review this longer, but it couldn't keep my attention for more than ten seconds.
Corps et Ames by Parfumerie Generale
I am so unbelievably conflicted with this one... I want to like it, and I want to wear it, but I somehow can't. It's cool, fresh, and oh so subtle, but this is a Chypre that I'm afraid won't work for me. If I spend $80, I've got to know that I'll enjoy it, but after three sample wearings, I don't think this is wearable for me. Too bad, it's an excellent fragrance, very well constructed, and just plain smells good.
Querelle by Parfumerie Generale
I wasn't really impressed by this. The two times I wore it, I was much more impressed with whatever I had on the other hand, and this one really didn't turn my head. Inspired by romance? More like romance novels... *yawn*.
I've got a couple more I want to review, but I've got class in four hours, and I think that Statistics for Engineers may take presence over Parfumerie Generale... did I just say that? Of course it doesn't, but my prof would disagree.
- Rich

Answer:
I didnt find Antaeus to be powdery, but I did like it quite a bit.

With VDR I swapped my bottle away pretty quick becuase it's really more about patchoulli (as many basenoters have noted) and less about the roses, though they are definatley there.

Never tried Luce, though Mare is excellent.

I sold my bottle of 88 to another fine basenoter, and I do miss it from time to time.

DONT LISTEN ANNIE BASALA IS A SPICY AS HELL MAN SCENT! Had to save her before she tried it and it knocked her out.

Havana is beautiful, but WAY different than Egoiste. Egoiste smells kinda like a very "bright" apple pie. To me anyway....

Fou d'Absinthe but my bottle went to another basenoter cause I found that it was just to piney for me, though longevity was excellent.
Philosykos is nice. Might I suggest Premier Figuer Extreme by L'artisan? I got rid of my bottle of that as well.

Damn! Why do I get rid of stuff and then wish I hadnt? Oh yeah, I'm a junkie! I remember now.

Answer:
Antaeus, and powdery ? Its drydown is dry woods with a hint of Amber. Perhaps Chanel's finest mens fragrance. Maybe its the sage and lavender top notes which put you off ?

Answer:
Originally Posted by smndrummer Crypt - Umm... Waffle syrup? OK... Ummm... No thanks. What's Crypt? I that one of the Goth Rosary scents?
Love the name ...

Answer:
Thanks for your Reviews Rich,
Wow! You tested an amazing bunch of scents. Wait a week and test them all again. It would be fun to see if your initial impressions have changed at all. I bet you perceive some a bit different on second test.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents Thanks for your Reviews Rich,
Wow! You tested an amazing buch of scents. Wait a week and test them all again. It would be fun to see if your initial impressions have changed at all. I bet you perceive some a bit different on second test. Oh, I plan on it, but I'm gonna go ahead and buy a bottle of VdR... I wore it to bed last night, and it's still amazing. Really amazing. I think a bottle of Dzing! is in order too. <- Never thought I'd say that. I don't think Philosykos is wearable for me... as much as I LOVE figs, and especially this one, it's almost gourmand for how edible the creamy fig note is, and most gourmands I can't wear. This one was really close to being in my wardrobe the next day though, and I may yet purchase it, just have to test it some more.
- Rich

Answer:
OK. I bought my first l'Artisans... I feel almost like I have fulfilled my "repentance" for thinking lowly of this house before. I bought a bottle of Voleur de Roses, and *drumroll*.... Dzing! I really never thought that I would ever buy a bottle of something I disliked so much, but after wearing it all day, I know purchasing a bottle was the 'right' thing to do. I can still smell it on my arm, it's like a second skin to me now. Just thought you might like an update! I'm planning on getting decants of Tea 4 Two and Merchant Loup soon, but I have to finish testing the decants I just bought. Any suggestions from the AWESOME house of l'Artisan? (Never thought I'd say that either.)
- Rich

Answer:
I just found a bunch of l'artisan bottles and candles being sold on Ebay. Not sure how reliable the seller is though (he does have a 99.9% rating). L'Artisan's retail price is much lower than serge lutens and creed anyways.

Answer:
Yeah, but I can't find a full bottle of either VdR or Dzing!
- Rich

Answer:
Originally Posted by smndrummer OK. I now officially respect the house of l'Artisan. Voleur de Roses is divine. I also tested Dzing! (again), and Fou d'Absinthe.
That's it folks! markc gave me three free samples with my decant purchase, and everything was perfect. Packaging, the sample vials, communication, speed, and price. Sweet seller! Thanks mark!
- Rich Dang! Awesome post, very well written! I love reading about people's experiences with fragrance.
Also...if you're willing to wait for a little bit, I suggest setting up a "favorite search" on eBay. You can add any search to a favorite search and eBay will send you email whenever items matching your search terms are found.
That's how I got my bottles of Timbuktu and Musc Ravageur for a LOT less than retail. Highly recommended.