Mood Scent 4 : Mainstream Perfumes : Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Tendre Jasmin, Accord Chic, Vanille Noir
Welcome to MoodScent 4!
We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who post on a different joint subject every couple of months. This time we have chosen Mainstream perfumes. You will find links to the other blogs at the end of the post. We hope you have fun reading our different choices and adding your own selection in the comments!
The Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection
As some of you already know, I love the Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection so I chose a couple of fragrances from this product line for mini reviews: Accord Chic, Tendre Jasmin and Vanille Noir. I reviewed Rose Oud earlier this year (see link at the end) and I plan on writing about Neroli soon.
The Secrets d’Essences Collection focuses on raw materials in perfumery like vanilla (2010), jasmine (2008), neroli (2013), iris (2007) and rose (2006). The Collection launched in 2005 with Voile d’Ambre.
I have all fragrances from this line as they can be found regularly on Marktplaats (Dutch eBay) for a decent price. Small 5 ml bottles can be bought at Yves Rocher for sampling. Recently they had 3 bottles on sale for 5 euro. Personally I find most of the scents fairly linear but very well made for a decent price and excellent to layer with, except for the intriguing dark Rose Oud.
Tendre Jasmin
Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier(Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey and Jean Paul Gaultier Classique)
Notes: Jasmine Grandiflorum Abs., Jasmine Sambac Abs., Mimosa Abs., Orange Blossom Abs., Lemon, Mandarin. Orange
After starting with rather annoying synthetic aromachemicals, Tendre Jasmin continues as a clean floral bouquet with a bit of a green fresh touch. There is nothing edgy about this scent, no animals or índoles but a beautiful light jasmine fragrance.
Layer with: Accord Chic
Tendre Jasmin in a few words: happy, careless like a butterfly, light, virginal floral, pristine Jasmine
Accord Chic
Perfumers: Olivier Cresp (also known for creating Thierry Mugler Angel) and Marie Salamagne
Notes: pink pepper, elemi, iris, benzoin and frankincense
Starting with a spicy note of activating pink pepper and elemi with a sweet balsamic undertone probably from the benzoin, this fragrance changes quickly into a slightly dusty, sweeter and smoother scent. The frankincense adds a greener and slightly damp note to the whole fragrance. After a few hours what remains is a smooth scent which reminds me of liquorice. Longevity is excellent after 7 hours I can still smell a trace.
The image I get, when I smell Accord Chic, is from a well dressed elegant lady in a thin black wool sweater and long white wide wool pants. Looking closer you can see these are luxurious designer clothes. The name Chic in the perfume is very fitting but I find Accord horrendous as a perfume name. If this scent was sold by a niche perfume house this fragrance could easily become a bestseller. This fragrance is well worth a try.
Layer with: Tendre Jasmin to enhance the floral heart or with Vanille Noir to link the benzoin in Accord Chic with the vanilla in the Vanille Noir to create a warmer fragrance.
Accord Chic in a few words: casual elegance and chic, refined, introverted, calm, intriguing
Vanilla Noir
Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier
Notes: mandarin, mimosa, Vanilla Bourbon, Ugandan Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, leather, cedar wood, orange blossom
This slightly dry vanilla seems to go directly to the base with sweet powder, liquid caramel and comforting woody notes. After a few hours what remains on the skin is a warm woody anisic skin scent. I find Vanilla Noir to be quite linear and not very interesting in the beginning but it turns into a fabulous warm comforting fragrance after a few hours. It is an excellent fragrance to layer with Guerlain Shalimar or Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Cologne to enhance the vanilla in both.
Vanille Noir in a few words: warm, smooth, feels like a protective thin black soft wool blanket, comforting skin scent, not a gourmand vanilla
Layer with: Voile d’Ambre and Accord Chic, it probably works well with Neroli to create a fresh top note as well.
Bottom line: Tendre Jasmin, Accord Chic and Vanille Noir are all well worth a try, I find Accord Chic the most intriguing and Vanilla Noir the one I grew to like most.
Read my review of Annick Menardo’s dark rose creation for Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences and favorite from this collection here: Rose Oud
Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I I Scent You A Day can be found by clicking on the names of the websites. I am curious about their choices, aren’t you?
Have you tried this Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection? Do you have a favourite fragrance? Which one do you like most or would you like to try?
July 31, 2017 @ 11:24
Love the fact you can get small bottles of these for a bargain price. They all sound good but especially Accord Chic and Vanille Noir.
I only have the Yves Rocher Manoi body products which are lovely.
Really like the way you do a bottom line summary, Esperanza. Very useful.
July 31, 2017 @ 16:28
Love that too, Tara. YR gives you the opportunity to try them several time for a decent price. The Monoi products are great, love the smell too! Thanks I thought so too 😎
July 31, 2017 @ 19:46
Hello there! I really like Accord Chic too and was quite surprised by it. Here’s to Yves Rocher. I do like that there’s an affordable option out there and I do think you’ve picked some of the best in the range. Love the photos too. x Megan
August 3, 2017 @ 18:36
Thank you, Megan. I was surprised by it as well, and judging from the comments in different Facebook Groups there is quite a love for it.
July 31, 2017 @ 23:56
I love that you chose to spotlight Yves Rocher! They are an accessible and affordable brand that never compromises on quality. A friend of mine wears Comme Une Evidence and smelled so incredibly good I couldn’t stop sniffing her. I also love the Secrets d’essence range- they are superb. Accord Chic was not at all what I expected but very well done.
Wonderful piece, as always xxx
August 3, 2017 @ 18:38
Thank you, Sam! Did you try YR Quelques notes d’amour? I agree this line is superb.xxx
August 3, 2017 @ 10:22
I went through Yves Rocher phase at some point in my life, and I still have a couple of favorite perfumes (discontinued) that I wear from time to time. From the line you’re reviewing I tried 4 and didn’t dislike any of them but my 5 ml bottles of those are almost not touched: they smell too artificial for my current taste. But for the price they are great – especially compared to dozens of mainstream or drugstore perfumes.
August 3, 2017 @ 18:34
I have some older Yves Rocher fragrances I love, especially Cantate and Venice. What are your favourites, Undina? I can imagine you found some of them artificial, as I had this with Tendre Jasmin in the beginning but have grown to appreciate this scent in its dry down.
August 4, 2017 @ 10:25
My two favorites are Venice and Nature.
August 4, 2017 @ 10:47
Love Venice as well, but do not know Nature, Undina!