Take An Oud to The Beach - Bond No. 9 Shelter Island Fragrance Review

There aren't many times when I would recommend wearing an Oud fragrance to the beach but Bond No. 9 put an astonishing marine twist on Shelter Island that I couldn't help but test it out this weekend. For starters, Oud is a dark and fragrant resin (also called agarwood) that comes from the wood of the tropical Agar (Aquilaria) tree. It is produced when the wood of the Agar tree gets infected with a very specific mold. The oud - when properly distilled or extracted - is a highly valuable ingredient to perfumers because of its distinctly complex woody, sweet and aromatic scent. I tend to be drawn more to oud scents during the colder months because they are normally heavier but Bond No. 9's Shelter Island took a fascinating turn with this fragrance that contrasted it into a light marine oud. 

It is a tart and lemony fragrance with notes of Citrus zest, black pepper, white lilies, algae extract, sandalwood, amber, myrhh, musk and oud. As I mentioned above, to me, oud tends to make a fragrance heavier but I love how the oud here contrasts with the natural aquatic aromas and candy sweetness to make this scent ideal for the summer and the beach. Plus the bottle was a perfect pairing for this holiday season.

It is available in a 1.7 oz and 3.3 oz from Saks.com and Nordstrom.com.

I hope you all have a fantastic and safe July 4th!

A Walk Through Central Park South by Bond No. 9 Fragrance Review

Summer - it's the most yearned for and most anticipated time of the year, am I right? As a native New Yorker, it really is all that we have to hold onto to get us through the unbearable winds of winter. For some, the seemingly never-ending sunshine and breezy air marks the beginning of a new shopping season, an occasion to store away the heavy layers of clothes and lighten your wardrobe with airy maxi dresses and flashback aviators. For me, I tend to want to just run outside and get lost in the wanderlust of the sights and smells of the city. There's nothing else in the world like going down to Central Park and experiencing an olfactory explosion from the newly bloomed flowers or getting little water droplets splashed on your face from the Bethesda Fountain. That's where Bond No. 9 got its fragrance inspiration for Central Park South - the world's most super-elegant city street with the world's most sumptuous greenery at its doorstep.Bond No. 9 Central Park South is a fresh and floral fragrance that features top notes of grapefruit flower and blackcurrant buds. It has seductive heart notes of jasmine and lily of the valley that blend into the base notes of classic wood. It's really a playground for the senses if you're looking for a fresh update to your floral fragrance wardrobe.  One of the things that I love about undressing this bottle is the use of accessories. You can wear the decorative neck piece as a bracelet - when fashion meets fragrance ;-).

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