Return of the Temptress - The New Love Potions of the Fragrance World
by Mari

Hypnotic Poison

The fragrance pendulum is swinging back and the days of light, fruity florals may be numbered!  The warmer, sensual side of fragrance is making a big comeback.   Last season saw the limited launches of warm, heady fragrances like Lancome's Rouge, Dior's Hypnotic Poison and Issey Miyake's Le Feu D'Issey.  Even mass market brought richer, deeper scents - Coty's Dark Vanilla was a huge success.   Now companies are investing full-tilt in the 'love' market.

The shift in fragrance components is mainly in the base notes - where floral and aldehydic notes used to dominate.  Now, lighter floral and fruit notes are layered on bases of vanilla, musk, woods, incense, leather and amber.  These headier concoctions are popping up everywhere from direct sales to department stores.

Le Feu D'Issey:  A spicy floral scent made with Szechwan pepper and Bulgarian rose

 Zaharoff
"A woman's entire body, getting ready to conquer the world!  Created to awaken the soul from the very first moment applied, the Signature Fragrance dries down to true luxury and calm confidence."

Available from Nordstrom, is a floral-Oriental, with notes of jasmine, sandalwood and Bulgarian rose blended with a soft, powdery vanilla base.  It's in the same scent family as Shalimar, but it's a bit more transparent and wearable for everyday.

Eau de Parfum Spray 3.4oz.  ($89)
Eau de Parfum Spray 1.7oz.  ($59)
Hydrating Opulence (Non-alcoholic Body Milk Spray) ($55)

 Royal Body Lotion (Signature Bottle)
"A light lotion to be used on all areas of the body to balance and maintain the body's own moisture content. A moisture
sheet was developed to deliver moisture rapidly under the skins surface and then lock the moisture in upon drying. This
unique combination of state of the art emollients provides maximum attention to dry skin areas all day long without any
greasy feeling. The addition of vitamins and antioxidants help to maintain skin nourishment and to protect and prevent
any damage from our environment."   6.8oz $45.00.

Royal Bath and Shower Gel (Signature Bottle)
"Designed for the most effective cleansing with the least irritation combination of surfactants. Contains skin conditioning
agents to bind moisturization all day long to the dry areas of the skin. Super humectants help to maximize this all day
feeling of moisture and antioxidants help to protect the skin all day long. A technologically advance formula using
nothing but leading edge raw materials, producing a noticeable difference in the skin."   6.8oz $30.00

The Royal Scented Candle
"The Signature Zaharoff fragrance has been created into an incredible, opulent candle. This rich and soft texture is a modern way to illuminate and scent your personal atmosphere. The hand-poured candle comes in a frosted glass with the"Z" logo silk-screened. Formulated to elevate the spirit and create an uplifting, luxurious mood."  Approximate burning time: 50+ hours 10oz for $30.00

Love Brought to Your Doorstep!

Avon has launched two fragrances that fit into this category: Personally Yours Birthstone cologne and Love Life Eau de Toilette.  Personally Yours combines the sparkling scents of violet, muguet and ylang-ylang, with suede, sandalwood, and clove bud - warmed further by a base of oakmoss, patchouli and vanilla.  Talk about sex appeal!  The bottle features a cap and faux birthstone in your birthstone.

Love Life is a brighter, more transparent fragrance, clearly attracting the Valentine's Day shopper.  The top notes are Mandarin, lemon and bergamot - with middle notes of floral freesia.  But again, the base is comprised of warm woods - a woodsy musk, sandalwood and vetiver.

(Call 1-800-FOR-AVON)

BeautiControl's Positively You fragrance takes personalized fragrance even farther - saying that the fragrances changes according to your mood.   Positively You is a warm, spicy fragrance - that changes with your personal body chemistry.  So it could theoretically be different every time you wear it.  The formulation is made of pure essential oils - and is very long lasting.  Atomizer (.169 oz) $30;  Body Creme  (with a subtle silver shimmer - 4.5 oz) $20.

(Call 1-800-Beauti-1 for Beauticontrol products.)

More Love in Fragrance...

Although they're not technically in the exotic category, Philosophy and Aveda capitalized on the Valentine's day market with Falling In Love and Love Pure-fume respectively.  Philosophy's product is not actually a perfume at all - but a pheromone complex that attracts the opposite sex.  Aveda's Love Pure-fume is a more traditional take - a soft fragrance with jasmine, rose, geranium, clove and chamomile.