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Bond No. 9 Cooper Square is driving me to drink! A fragrance review

I need a drink.

A glass of cognac, specifically. Snifter? Jug? Goblet? I don't even know how to drink it, much less what it tastes or smells like.

Cognac plays an integral part of the opening of one of Bond No. 9's Fall '10 releases, Cooper Square. My frame of reference is nonexistant.

Other notes include juniper berry, lavender, myrrh, olibanum, patchouli, cashmere wood, musk, vetiver, ciste labdanum, and timberwood.

When I first recived my sample of Cooper Square, I foolishly sniffed the sample vial and, compounding my error, made a judgement (negative) on the scent. Since then, I've been dragging my feet about doing the review.

Lesson learned (until next time). I actually quite like this scent. In fact, this may have jumped to the top of my "If I Had a Million Dollars" list. As a point of reference, the only two other Bonds on the list are Chinatown (of course) and Silver Factory (of course*).
_{*These two seem to be considered by perfume fans as the best of Bond.}

When first applied, my nose wants to classify this fragrance as a men's cologne. I mostly blame the juniper berries, which I associate with men's fragrances. Cooper Square is called unisex by Bond. Kind of. The press release says it has "a desirable male-female quotient". Ahem. I'll return to that thought in my summary.

What I also smell in the opening of the scent is alcohol. Not perfume-alcohol, but booze. It's not the scent of wino, nor is it a particularly boozey scent overall, but that note is there and prominent at this stage. I must assume I have just met cognac.

As the scent develops, I get a hint of lavender spice. There aren't a ton of reviews for this scent online at the moment (why is this?) but a few I browsed say the lavender is a take-over note for them, hijacking the scent. Not for me, but it's something to keep in mind if lavender amps up on your skin. I like this stage, which is no surprise as a blend of frankincence or olibanum with myrrh and patchouli is right up my alley. This is a spiced herbal honey mix that I really enjoy.

Later still, I'm left with a pleasant, soft, honeyed woods with a bit of a kick. That kick is a bit dirty and funky, though not unsexy.

100ml — $230.00 ,  50ml — $170.00 ,   Silver Pocket Spray- 7ml — $95.00




Final Thoughts
A nice one for men, unless they dislike cognac (see below) or lavender. Women looking to try something more unusual than the typical floral perfume may enjoy this, too. I know I do. That said, I'd still not deem it "unisex". The juniper berry is too strongly associated with men's scents and the musk and woods here are a bit rougher than those found in most women's scents. If you are a mainstream kinda gal, skip on back to Chinatown and leave Cooper Square to me. ;)

Now, who's up for a drink?

xoxo
*jen


Editor's note: I asked my dear friend what cognac smells like. I am amused to report that the answer was "butt". I can only assume this is one fragrance he won't be buying!

About the perfumer: Cooper Square was developed for Bond by Laurent Le Guernec, who also created Bond's other new scent, Washington Square, along with their eponymous scent, Bond No 9, and their recent fragrances Andy Warhol Montauk, High Line, and a few others. He's also responsible for Fergie's Outspoken, Elizabeth Arden's Daytona 500, Michael Kors Very Hollywood, and MAC's Air of Style, among others.

_{Images: a, b}

_{This product was furnished for consideration by the manufacturer or a representative thereof. Please read our review policy on our About tab for more information.}

 

New in Fragrance | 9.5.10

 
The other day I was standing in front of my vanity and trying to pick a perfume to wear. Usually when I want to pick a scent, I "just know" what I want. Or as soon as I look at the selection, something jumps out at me. On that day, though, as I stared at my shelf, the bottles all just stared back at me. I wasn't in the mood to wear one of my BPALs; I knew that. I looked at a few of my "Summer scents" and they just seemed too light or fruity or sparkly for my mood. My "Fall scents" didn't move me, either. They felt too heavy or too dark or too murky.

It's an in-between season - not quite Summer anymore, and not quite Fall. Maybe I need a new scent for this time of year? Or maybe I just need a new perfume, period!

Here are some of the newest perfumes on the market (or about to hit the stores). I have by no means listed them all - just the ones that "spoke to me". Wonder if one will hit that spot?

Love, Chloé
Tagline: "A halo of grace"
Genre: Floral, woody musk
Perfumers: Louise Turner and Nathalie Cetto-Gracia, Givaudan.
Top Notes: Orange blossom and pink pepper
Heart Notes: Lilac, hyacinth, wisteria, heliotrope, "woodsy notes"
Base Notes: Rice powder, talcum powder accord, iris, musks
About: This scent is meant to evoke a woman "in the private sphere of applying makeup", hence the powdery notes (inspired by the scent of vintage Chloé face powder).
Release Date: ?

Guilty by Gucci
Tagline: "The Scent of Defiance"
Genre: Floriental
Perfumers:  ?  / Developed by Frida Giannini
Notes: Mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber and patchouli.
 About: This scent was inspired by the Barbara Streisand song, "Guilty".  The bottle features the famous "interlocking Gs" of Gucci. A film promoting the scent was created by Frank Miller, of Sin City fame. See it here.
Release Date: Sept. '10

  Outspoken by Fergie (Avon)
Tagline: "Say It Like You Mean It"
Perfumer: Laurent Le Guernec
Genre: Fruity, floral
Top Notes: star fruit, berry, saffron
Middle Notes: tuberose, passion flower, jasmine
Bottom Notes: black leather note, ebony wood, vetiver
About: A combination of Fergie's favorite notes and scents from her past.
Cost: $28 for 1.7oz
Release Date: I believe this came out in June?

Forbbidden Affair, Anna Sui
Tagline: Discover hidden passions you never knew existed
Perfumer: ?
Genre: fruity floral
Top Notes: zesty lemon, red currant, blackcurrant and raspberry
Middle Notes: wild violet, rose petal accords, pomegranate
Bottom Notes: cedar and musk
About: "the fragrance incorporates, for the first time, Cyclodextrin Technology. This allows the immediate first fresh topnote impression to 're-burst' over and over again for an ongoing sparkling fresh fragrance experience!"
Cost: ?
Release: Sept '10

Twirl by Kate Spade
(via Musings of a Muse) 
Tagline: ?
Perfumer: ?
Genre: fruity floral gourmand
Top Notes: pink watermelon mingles with blackberry and red currant
Middle Notes: fresh flowers including orange blossom, star jasmine, tiare flower and sweet magnolia
Bottom Notes: luminous musks and a touch of french macaron
About: I don't know about you, but I adore this bottle and package and concept. So fun and spunky and pretty! It's perfect for Kate Spade. I dont know that I've seen a more appropriate celeb-fragrance pairing before. I think this begs a test run from me!
Cost: $80 for 3.4oz and the line also contains body lotions, body cream, a shower gel, and the uber-trendy rollerball.
Release: Sept '10

Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude by Donna Karan
 Perfumer: ?
Genre: nude floriental? ;)
Top: Orange Blossom, Cyclamen, Lily of the Valley
Middle: Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, Labdanum, Moroccan & Indian Jasmine
Bottom: Benzoin, Tonka, White Amber, Suede, Skin Musk
About: This takes the iconic Cashmere Mist a step forward. Rather than celebrating the glorious feeling of cashmere on skin, Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude celebrates sensual bare skin. Va-va-voom!
Cost: $72 for 1.7oz
Release: already on shelves
*REVIEW PENDING*

Washington Square by Bond No. 9
Perfumer: Laurent Le Guernec
 Top: bergamot, geranium, tarragon
Middle: purple rose,  honey
Bottom: vintage amber, leather accord, vetiver, musk
About: This unisex-leaning-towards-feminine fragrance inspired by the newly refurbished Washington Square, which is depitced on the bottle. The scent is described by Bond No. 9 as "assertively dissident."
Cost: $230 for 100ml; $170 for 50ml
Release: Nov. 1
*REVIEW PENDING*


Cooper Square by Bond No. 9
Perfumer: Laurent Le Guernec
Top: cognac,  juniper berry 
Middle: lavender, myrrh, olibanum, patchouli
Bottom:  cashmere wood, musk, vetiver, ciste labdanum, timber wood.
About: Where Washington Square leaned towards women, Cooper Square leans towards men. "Downtown in future mode" is represented by the laser etched bottle as well as the scent.
Cost: $230 for 100ml; $170 for 50ml
Release: Sept. 1st
*REVIEW PENDING*

 
Naughty Alice, Vivenne Westwood
Genre: Powdery, musky floriental
Perfumer: Bruno Jovanovic
Notes: black rose, carnal violet and ylang ylang
About: Yes, that Alice, but here a bit on the bad side! It may be worth it just for the pretty bottle.
Image credit: ozmoz.com - drawing by Maly Siri
Cost: ?
Release: October


S by Shakira
Genre: floriental with woods
Perfumer: ?
Top Notes: Exotic fruits, jasmine, gardenia
Middle Notes: floral bouquet
Bottom Notes: vanilla bean, sandalwood and warm amber.
About: Yes, I would like Shakira! A curvy bottle and curvy scent, both befitting the Brazilian beauty. “Layering notes is like adding instruments to compositions,” she said. Apparently she was quite present in the making of this scent. Gotta say: I love the "Om" charm on the bottle.
Cost: $35 for 1.7oz
Release: Already out
*REVIEW PENDING*


Minuit Noir, Lolita Lempicka
Genre: Woody Oriental
Perfumer:  ?
Top: liquorice flower
Middle: iris, violet
Bottom: sweet patchouli
About: This Limited Edition is a deeper, darker flanker to the original Lolita Lempicka scent. Warning: apparently all of the other Minuits have a reputation for being the same - will this one prove different? I used to like the original, back when I was working at Nordstrom, but that was before I was "into" perfume (please take that with a grain of salt, I'm no pro!). Wonder if my tastes have changed, and if I should bother with this or the other flanker scents?
Cost: ?
Release: October

I may have to check a few of these out and see if they hit that Indian Summer spot. Do any sound like they may be hits for you? Any turn you off immediately? Have you sniffed any of these? How do you select the perfume you want to wear each day?

News and other cool stuff

Hi, luvvies! How is your week shaping up? Not too much more now, my friends.

Listen, I have something on the horizon and it's not just Lulu's 1st birthday (!) on Saturday. I can't spill yet, but I sure can catch us all up on the recent comings, goings, and amazing happenings in the world. Do me a favor: let me know what I've missed!

Here we go...

Beauty Goodies

• John Frieda is taking his show on the road. You can get personalized attention from a top John Frieda stylist - a 15 minute lesson and consultation will address your specific hair issues and find out what products can help you bring out your best! Oh, did I mention that you'll also have access to a BCBGMAXAZRIA pop-up shop, so you can rock some sweet styles to complement your perfected hair? Find out where and how here.

• by Kilian lovers rejoice! The line has released a limited edition Gold Travel Fragrance Set, exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman. It's an artisanal-style black enamel with a gold finish that really embodies the "L'Oeuvre Noire" collection. The set will include a new scent, Rose Oud (from the Arabian Nights collection), plus the L'Oeuvre Noire yummies Love, Liaisons Dangereuses, Straight to Heaven, and Back to Black. See my review of a few of the scents here.
  New York gals: meet the founder himself on May 14th from 2-6 at Bergdorf Goodman (on the beauty level, of course!).   

• If you've been hesitating on purchasing the Illamasqua Spring collection, shame on you. But actually, your waiting may have paid off! You can save money by ordering all of the nail lacquers in a new LE set. It includes all three of the Body Electrics shades -JoMina, Prism, and Force- plus a bottle of Nail Base Coat.

• I loves me some Clarins skincare, man. I'm hustling over to Gilt Group TODAY to pick up some goodies.
   
  They've got faves like Best of the Sun Ultimate Protection Duo (Original Retail: $65, Gilt: $33), Clear Skin Solutions Kit for Combination/Oily Skin (Original Retail: $52, Gilt: $35), Super Rest Luxury Collection 4 Piece Kit + Gold Case (Original Retail: $196, Gilt: $149), and Multi-Active Day Cream for All Skin Types (Original Retail: $64, Gilt: $32). Clarins is renowned for their sun protection products, and I can personally vouch for the Multi-Active Day Cream: that's good stuff! 

• 
  Purple Lab has some new products going on sale at HSN! Um, yum: Pearlesque Show Primer for a dewy glow (for only $22.50);  Runway in a Box ($59.50); Check and Chic Makeup Duo ($37.50), and Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Plumper in Lychee Martini (barely peach shine), Goji Berry Smoothie (berry rosy sparkle), Love Your Thighs (exotic coral), and Limo to Lobby (pale pink - more pink than Cult Fave Kitty Pole Dancer) for $20 each. Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting my hand on that primer and on Goji Berry Smoothie and Love Your Thighs. How 'bout you? Getcher info here.
  Showtimes: April 29th--- 2am-2:30am, 2pm-2:30pm, 8pm-8:30pm; April 30th---10am-10:30am, 3pm-3:30pm

• Really nifty makeup applications tools make my day. Check out the new one from Pür Minerals! You can pick your eye makeup, assign the model your own eye color, and even pick different brushes. It's so much fun, I may have to block the website or I'll never get any work done. No, really: try it!
  
  
  
  
  
• I'm kinda lemming Philosophy's Field of Flowers set, so if you're getting me a Mother's Day gift, that may be a place to start. :)
  
  The set, which is only $35, includes the body lotion (8oz) and perfume (2 oz), though you can get a few other versions of this lovely peony scent, too. 

• Not a huge Laura Mercier person. What I should say, really, is that I haven't tried a lot from her line. However, I do know that her body products are a-maz-ing! We used to run from the MAC counter over to Laura's and dip our hands in the delicious lotions and then sniff ourselves for hours. :) I haven't tried Crème de Pistache, have you? It's the scent of pistachio nuts plus almond, praline and hazelnut "nuances" and freshly whipped cream. Um... yeah. Now, what's the most fun? The Honey Bath, the Souffle Body Creme, or the Body Scrub?
  
• Where are my Bond No. 9 fans? Gimme a "WOOT!" There's a new one coming out and it's another in the  Andy Warhol series. I don't have to tell you that I love the Warhol scents soooo much! This one is inspired by Montauk, Long Island. Four of Warhol's iconic Sunset series will dress the trademark star-shaped bottles. Expect this one to be good! Debuts Memorial Day, but I've got a sample coming and a review pending!
  
   

• Got sensitive skin? I do, at times. One of the lines that is closest to my heart, Patricia Wexler, MD, has created a line for the sensitive-skinned among us. It's called Anti-Aging for Sensitive Skin. That kind of says it all, doesn't it?
  The line includes a Gentle Exfoliating Peel ($34.50); MMPi20 Comforting & Renewing Serum, which will decrease reactivity while diminishing the signs of aging ($55); Calming Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 ($39.50); and Soothing & Renewing Night Cream ($39.50). Can't wait to try it, especially the peel - I can get away with a lot of moisturizers and serums, but not exfoliators!

• Check out these sleek Mattene/Slimshine-like lippies! They're new from NARS and are called Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment. These shiny, sheer, subtly tinted balms are packed with Wild Mango Butter, Vitamin E, Polar Berries and Açai Oil and come in six shades: Aurore (seashell pink), Greta (mauve), Paloma (cantaloupe), Lara (pastel pink), Angélique (strawberry) and Bianca (pearl). I'd love to test these, but unless some cash falls in my lap I'm not going to be able to. If you try them, let me know how they are, OK?!

• Speaking of lips, another favorite brand is promoting a new SPF-for-lips product. Check out Bobbi Brown's Treatment Lip Shine SPF, which contains natural Cocoa & Shea Butters, and Jojoba, Apricot Kernel & Avocado oils. Oh, don't forget the Peptides, Vitamin C & Paracress, which stimulate collagen production to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I confess: I could certainly use that around the lips, ya'll. How 'bout you? Did I mention the TWELVE shades?
  
  
  
  
  
  

Whew! That's a lot of "new"! What else ya got? Whatcha looking forward to? See a clear winner or loser?

Have a good day and weekend. Hope it's fab! Have a funny for the road:

Bond No. 9 by... well, by Bond No. 9, of course!

Apparently having a 10th anniversary makes Bond No. 9 feel all "Hey it's sexy times!", because to celebrate theirs they created a fantastic but steamy scent. Wearer beware! 

The perfume, called simply Bond No. 9, is the latest in a short list of perfumes jumping on the Oud train. Oud is used as a descriptive term in the Middle East, helping catalog a type of scent, but here we use it as an ingredient. An expensive one, in fact, which seems to be fabulously attractive to the smaller, niche perfumers (see: Le Labo Oud 27, Amouage Epic, Kilian Pure Oud, Tom Ford Oud Wood, Tom's YSL M7, Juliette Has a Gun's Midnight Oud, etc...). 

 

 

What is Oud, anyway?

OK... it's kinda gross. There are these Aquilaria trees, you see, and they tend to get infected with a manky, nasty parasitic mold (fungus). See where the sexy comes in? Er...

Well anyway, the tree produces a dense and strong-smelling resin in response to the mold (like a self-defense mechanism), in an attempt to slow down the infection. The infected wood ("agar" or "agarwood") is darker and more dense than that of the healthy parts of the tree. This damaged wood is harvested and used for incense or perfumes.

Downside: the types of trees that create agarwood are a "potentially threatened species" and the practice of harvesting the agarwood isn't helping. You see, people actually proactively infect some trees to "force" the creation of agarwood. Naturally occurring agarwood is referred to as "agarwood #1" while the man-assisted version is called "agarwood #2". No clue which is used in Bond No. 9's scent.

What does Oud smell like? I haven't smelled a more pure version, but the word on the street is that it's a smoky, charred, woody scent with a tinge of the primal and earthy. It's one that potentially brings out a strong reaction, too, as many people recoil even as others lean forward for more. Does it smell dirty or medicinal or sharp or too primal? Or does it smell deep and sultry, sexy and animalistic, and gloriously resinous? You'll have to decide for yourself...

Bond No. 9

Speaking of "short lists", don't expect a mile-long list of notes out of this scent. It's got four. That's it.

Top Notes: Oud & Rose. The rose adds a sweet floral edge to the "feral" oud, which is easily influenced by the scents around it.

Heart Note: The middle of the scent is Tonka Beans (these are apparently South American) and Bond No. 9 promises they will lend a "caramel almond flavor" and "melt any remaining inhibitions". 

Bottom Note: Musk. Bond says this musk is "inspired by the Asian musk deer", so I assume it's synthetic (?).

The Review

I'm not a huge fragrance expert (please reference my admittedly untalented nose for an explanation), but I can tell you that I enjoy resins and woods and certainly smokey scents. This is all of those, and more.

I really like the scent, but can easily see why it might not be up everyone's alley. It's got a dirty, smoky feeling to it straight out of the gate. The rose is not terribly present -- just enough to soften the grime of the oud. I enjoy the heart notes. Er.... note. I'm a big tonka fan. The musk used here is a sharp one, but not terribly animalistic or strong.

In fact, I find the whole scent to be fairly close to the skin (which is good since you can't be sure of what others may think of your oud!).

Wet, this perfume smells very, very masculine, but later settles to a pleasantly unisex fragrance, and not the kind you smell and figure "it's pretty manly but I could probably pull it off". It's truly unisex, taking on a lot of personal flavor from the person wearing it.

Does it make me feel super sexy? Yes. Does it make me feel guilty about the poor trees? Uh huh.

Conflicted sex. I was raised a Catholic. What's new!? :)

Smells like money, honey!

I have mentioned my love for Andy Warhol and my affinity for Bond No. 9 perfumes. Once again, the twain shall meet!

And meet they have in Bond No. 9's Fall offering, Success is a Job in New York, which will launch in October, 2009. Whether you're pining away for those hazy, crazy Summer days or looking for the comfort of crisp Autumn nights, this spicy gourmand may be just what the doctor ordered!

This isn't just one of those blogs where the editor [that's me!] just writes up something fluffy and blows smoke up your--- er, says what they think you or the PR company wants to hear. When I say I like something, I do. And I love this perfume! 

Let's get to the crux of the matter:

Top Notes (what you smell right when you put it on)

• Bergamot as sweet as a Poor Little Rich Girl, silently putting on her makeup with the Everly Brother in the background
• Cardamom Seed as cool and intense as a riff from the Velvet Underground
• Mandarin, the laid back but always intriguing gang leader of the citruses
• Tart and tangy Coriander, dancing under the shimmering disco mirror-balls
• Nutmeg gone wild, having slithered out of the eggnogg bowl

Heart Notes (the middle of the fragrance's progression, bridging the end of the quick evaporation of the Top Notes and the development of the longer-lasting Base Notes)

• Peppery-sweet Pimento - so barely legal it's always getting stuffed into any old olive that comes its way
• Sense-enhancing Tuberose - the scent to smell during your 15 minutes of fame
• Rose de Mai - Oh so delicate and pretty, but don't be fooled - it really runs the show
• Viva la Jasmine - light and breezy but wily enough to hold its own with the Rose de Mai
• Forbidden Plum - as in "the plum job of your dreams"
• Sweet, green Iris - scent of the wayward Warhol waif

Base Notes (the scent that blooms about a half-an-hour after application and lingers)

• Earthy, sensual Patchouli, with all the sinuous curves of a dollar sign
• Benzoin that calms and soothes, just the way a large bank budget does
• Vanilla infusion, as soft and smooth as the Velvet Underground's bass guitar

Tasty good! Especially since the bottom notes are so vanilla-y yummy, layered with vanilla, patchouli and that lovely resinous citrus-tinged benzoin.

Warhol's first job as an illustrator was a Glamour magazine article called, you guessed it: "Success is a Job in New York".  He was fascinated with money and fame and success, so Bond No. 9 thought this would be a great time to add to the Warhol collection and laugh in the face of the recession!

The bottle has a bold dollar sign in Warholian bright neons, appropriate for the punches of colors seen in Fall '09 fashion. The scent itself is what we called "unisex" in the 80s, and it truly is (and not in that "only certain women can carry it off" or "appropriate for certain kinds of guys only" kind of way!) Despite the name, this is a rich scent in a good, deep and sexy manner, not in the moneyed sense of the word; delightful because none of the notes takes complete control.

I really think you should give this perfume a try if you're in the market for a new scent! Stop by a Bond No. 9 boutique or your favorite Saks Fifth Avenue for a sniffie and see how money you think this perfume is!

Read more of my Bond No. 9 articles here.

New fragrance from Bond No. 9 | Brooklyn

I need a MAC break, and I thought the perfect place to go would be New York. Specifically, I'd like to visit Brooklyn. Luckily, perfumer Laurice Rahme has created another marvel for her company Bond No. 9, and it's called... you guessed it: Brooklyn!

The time has come where Brooklyn is no longer where you'd end up if you couldn't swing Manhattan. Now, it's a destination in its own right, and the area is filling with the artsy, the fashionistas, the folks who would hate to be described as "hip". For decades, loyal and rabid Brooklynites have defended their town from all sorts of slander - but there's no need now.

Bond No. 9's Brooklyn is masculine, but still unisex - just the type of scent I like from time to time, and a nice break from the pure, sexed-up femininity of Chinatown (my current favorite). It's admittedly got a sillage, which means you don't have to snuffle your arm to seek it out, instead it will drift and waft and be noticable. I like that in a scent, unless it's an oldie from the 80's!

The scent will launch in March and will be available at Bond No. 9 boutiques (there are 4 in NYC) and directly at 877.273.336, Bond No. 9 online, and Saks.
Here are the details...

• The scent
  
  • Top notes | zesty grapefruit and, surprisingly, cardamom
    
  • Heart notes | cypress wood, geranium leaves, and juniper berries
    
  • Base notes | cedarwood, leather and guaiacwood
    
• The bottle | In the signature star-shaped flacon, the scent of Brooklyn is decorated with hand-lettering in a graffiti-like style. This type of packaging is a new trick for Bond No. 9.
  
• The cost | $145 for 50ml, and $220 for 100ml

I'm looking forward to trying this perfume, and when I do a review will be posted immediately!

Earth Week is coming... Earth Week is coming...

While we're on the subject of Bond No. 9, I thought I'd mention that the company is helping save the world one used perfume bottle at a time. Sweet! Grab your empty perfume containers and mosey on over to a Bond No. 9 location or a Bond No. 9 counter at Saks and hand 'em over. Bond No. 9 will recycle them for you and give you a refillable pocket spray for your trouble. And no, it's not exclusively Bond No. 9 bottles they're taking back - go ahead and get rid of that Britney Spears Curious bottle that you've been holding onto because you just love its blue charm. Don't be shy - it's good for the earth!

Oh-so-sexy bling that smells good, too!

Bond No. 9 certainly does keep itself newsworthy, doesn't it? There's always something new coming out... some argue that the house is so prolific that it's just churning out second-rate product, but from where I sit, it smells great.

Haven't heard of Bond No. 9? Here's a brief lesson on the brand. Ok, ok, it's not brief; brevity isn't my strong suit. Whatever - go read it!

First things first, a long-overdue newsflash:

New from Bond No. 9 is the latest in the series of Andy Warhol scents: Union Square. You may remember my review of the first, Silver Factory, which was a scent I absolutely loved (and still do). (What!?! You weren't a loyal reader of Fifty-Cent Head then? Shame on you- go read it while we wait here for you!)

Union Square is just like Silver Factory... in the way that a hot pink lipstick is the same as a tennis shoe - that is to say: not at all. Oddly, I like it anyway. I don't know when my poor, weak little nose got so sophisticated, but I like scents from all different arenas, now. Sweet... (and sour, and floral, and ... oh you get the idea!).

Andy Warhol made a series of floral silkscreens, and had studios in Union Square. Voila! A fragrance idea is born. The scent goes a little something like this:

• Top notes: lily of the valley and green stem notes
• Heart notes: sweet blue freesia and white birchwood
• Bottom notes: amber and silver cloud musk accord

My review: I like it! This is not the type of scent I usually go for - florals aren't often my friend and green scents don't usually wow me in a good way, but this one really is nice and crisp and clean without being starchy and obnoxious. It's gentle in a first-few-days-of-Spring way: a soft and sweet green that makes you feel hopeful and pretty. It doesn't hurt that the scent is anchored by amber and a musk - that gives it a solid leg to stand on that doesn't make this scent too light for my tastes. Oh, and I kind of like the almost-tacky bottle. (maybe it looks full-on tacky to you, but in person it's not as gaudy - or possibly I just have terrible taste!?)

The bad news: $195 USD for 100ml, $135 USD for 50ml. Available now at Bond No. 9 or Saks.

---

Next up, a brief note about Mother's Day offerings from Bond No. 9:

Got a few extra bucks? You need Swarovski Stars! Bond No. 9 top-sellers Nuit de Noho, Bleeker Street and Bryant Park are blinged-out and lovely in Swarovski crystals. I probably can't describe it as well as this can, so I won't try (click for an up-close-and-personal):

These 50ml bottles are completely covered in one shade of crystal - a departure for Bond No. 9, even when they've done the Swarovski thing before (usually they copy the pattern of the non-bejeweled bottle).

There are also the "traditional" Bond No. 9 bon bons (small vials), which also includes Eau de New York (not available in the ginormous glittery version). These are also blinged-out.

The scents are described as follows:

1. Bryant Park- Top Notes are lily of the valley, rhubarb, and pink pepper; Heart Notes are rose and patchouli; Bottom Notes are raspberry and amber.
2. Bleecker Street- Top Notes are violet leaf, cassis and thyme; Heart Notes are jasmine, cedarwood and cinnamon; Bottom Notes are oakmoss, suede, patchouli, amber and vanilla.
3. Nuits de Noho- Top Notes are bergamot, mandarin, and pineapple leaves; Heart Notes are jasmine and rosewood; Bottom Notes are creamy vanilla, sheer patchouli, and grey musk.
4. Eau de New York- Top Notes are bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, pettigrain leaves, and green watery accord; Heart Notes are neroli, gardenia, cyclamen, white lily, basil verbena, and jasmine petals; Bottom Notes are vetiver, oakmoss, skin musk and white woods.

The 50ml bottles are only $650 USD, while the bon bon set is only $700 USD. These will be available in May at Bond No. 9 or Saks.

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Union Square sign source

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Bond No. 9 - West Side

New York's West Side. Snuggled between Morningside Heights, Central Park and the Hudson River, this area of Manhattan has quite a rich history. One of my favorite haunts in the city is the Museum of American Folk Art which can be found on the West Side, as can Lincoln Center and Julliard. Here are the famed NY brownstones and their residents. In the Spring, flowers line some of the streets and residents and visitors alike visit the Farmer's Market. Here, also, is the Dakota hotel, where John Lennon lived and died. Grant's tomb, Riverside Park, and Columbia University round out this diverse neighborhood.

While we're talking about Lincoln Center, Julliard and Lennon, let's cast our gaze on the musical history of this area. Back in the mid-19th century, songwriters and performers participated in the surge or popular music referred to as Tin Pan Alley - right there on the Lower West Side. Carnegie Hall is on the West Side, but so were the Cotton Club and The Copacabana and Studio 54.

This musical diversity is what Bond No. 9's fragrance is all about.

Read more after the jump...