Kristen Michéle is a new niche perfumer on the scene creating some lovely fragrances. I had the opportunity to try all three of her fragrances; Épice Orientale, Fleurs Blanches and Notes Fraiches, each of which are lovely and different yet carry within them a similar thread that makes them seem obviously created by the same individual. Kristen Michéle perfumes smell to me like chic timeless classics with a modern twist. My favorite of the three is Épice Orientale.
To me, Floral-Orientals are the sexiest fragrance category. The blending of typically feminine florals with typically masculine spices creates a beautifully balanced yin-yang impression. The base notes of patchouli, amber and sandalwood seem to allow the floral and citrus notes to flutter in and out of your awareness in a light, sweet but understated manner. Épice Orientale is a beautifully classic oriental, which makes me think of film actresses from the 30’s and 40’s. While Épice Orientale definitely shows its classic oriental roots, there’s an airy modern appeal, keeping it from smelling too heavy or serious. Épice Orientale is a sexy little number but I think it can easily be worn for any occasion, from the most casual to formal elegance.
Notes: blood orange, jasmine, clove, amber, patchouli, incense and sandalwood
I’m impressed by the balance between sweet and dry ~ Épice Orientale is perfectly in the middle, it’s not too sweet or too dry. The amber, patchouli and sandalwood seem to be of high quality. The amber, in particular, is not syrupy sweet in the least and reminds me a bit of the ambery quality of Teo Cabanel Alahine. I don’t frequently receive perfume compliments but both days I wore Épice Orientale I received several.
Longevity: Slightly better than average ~ 4-5 hours
Sillage: depends on application, it can go either way. The first time I wore it I applied 2 sprays, one on each wrist and it was soft. The second time I wore it I applied 2 sprays to each wrist/arm and then it was easily detected by me and others very close to me.
Kristen Michéle website
Epice Orientale is my new favorite scent. For 10 years I wore the same fragrance and unfortunately it was discontinued about a year ago or so. This new scent was given to me by a friend who had attended an event where The Perfumer(Kristen Michele) herself was attending. My friend knew I was looking for a new fragrance so she let me choose between all 3 scents and I happily chose Epice Orientale:)
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