Tuesday, March 22, 2011

PureDistance 1 -- A Full Bottle Giveaway


The kind people at PureDistance Master Perfumes have honored me with a full bottle to give away to one lucky reader!  Leave a comment by midnight, April 4, U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. I’ll chose one commenter, using random.org, and announce the winner by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5th.
At my first sniff of “PureDistance 1,” I thought “Hitchcock blonde.”
The great film director Alfred Hitchcock was obsessed with the kind of cool, sophisticated blonde whose calm demeanor hid...well...a lot. There were many -- Grace Kelly, Eva Marie Saint, Kim Novak -- but the best personification of the Hitchcock blonde has always been, to me at least, Tippi Hedren, as the secretive socialite Melanie Daniels in “The Birds.” 
“PureDistance” is a green floral perfume that starts out in the cool spectrum and ends up warm and a little musky, but never loses its aplomb. Released in late 2008, it was the first perfume from Vienna-based PureDistance. The perfumer, Annie Buzantian of Firmenich, has said in interviews that this was the one she would have made for herself, and that her fragrances tend to be “joyful, with a very fluid signature”(Osmoz, 2008.) Romanian by birth, American by choice, she is a Lifetime Achievement Award winner -- American Society of Perfumers, 2003 -- and her other creations include Estee Lauder’s “Sensuous” and Ralph Lauren’s “Pure Turquoise.”
My guess is that Buzantian jumped at a chance to create something as high-end as this, without the common denominator constraints of the mass market. There is nothing common about this fragrance. It is, like a Hitchcock blonde, a little secretive. It doesn’t stray much. It announces its presence quietly, but isn’t afraid to stay late.
The initial reviews for “PureDistance 1” were glowing, but the mention of a slightly watery, slightly ozonic top note scared some of the original commenters. I personally dislike ozonic florals. This scent has nothing in common with that unfortunate 90’s fad. It opens with a slight, warm citrus, and a subtle floral note, meandering through magnolia, mimosa, and a little bit of rose. It finishes with a warm amber and white musk.
This scent is subtle. It’s very much a close-to-the-skin fragrance, but it never gets sharp or powdery. If you’re looking for a va-va-voom “Here I Am, World!” fragrance, this one probably isn’t for you. It’s Alfred Hitchcock’s Melanie Daniels, not, say, reality TV’s Snooki -- actually, it’s about as far away from Snooki as a perfume can get, and for that, I am grateful.
“PureDistance 1” is extrait strength, at 32% perfume oils. The bottle holds 17.5 mls, quite generous for a niche extrait
I’ll be very happy for whoever wins this!
Disclosure time: The bottle of “PureDistance1,” and a sample for me to use for review, were given to me by PureDistance Master Perfumes.
The photo of Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels is a taken from the Hitchcock film “The Birds.”
“Notes” for “PureDistance 1” include tangerine blossom, cassis, neroli bigarade, magnolia, rose wardia (a trademarked Firmenich composition), jasmine, natural mimosa, sweet amber, vetiver and musk.
To enter the drawing, click on the word “Comments” at the bottom, just above the “Labels” statement, and a comment screen will open. If you comment as “anonymous,” make sure there’s a name there somewhere, so I can identify you if you win!

55 comments:

Lessa said...

Oh my goodness, this sounds right up my alley - even though I'm a brunette! :) Thanks for entering me.

DWR said...

Well, I'm certainly in to try this one. Thanks for the awesome drawing!

Irina said...

I would love to try it and this is my ( almost) only chance to be able to
thanks

Isa said...

I'm so excited with this giveaway! I would love to try this fragrance. I have read a lot about Puredistance lately and this scent seems to be perfect for Spring.
I love all its notes!

Thank you!

*jen said...

ooh ooh!!!! :)

Aimée L'Ondée said...

Very cool drawing, thanks so much!

Gator Grad said...

Ooh! Magnolia and amber on a musk base? This is for ME!! :) Fingers crossed!

Sean Morey said...

PureDistance! What better scent for an Ultrarunner!

Anonymous said...

I cannot ignore suchan exclusive offer, pls enter me in the drawing, many thanks Alica - alica@cleis.net

Tamara Jackson said...

I'd love a chance to win such a delight! Please enter me in this lovely draw and thank you!

Truly~Tamara*J

Anonymous said...

"...about as far away from Snooki as a perfume can get" sounds perfect to me. Do please enter me into the draw for this elegant green floral treasure. Thank you.

-- Lindaloo

Natasha said...

I would love to be in the drawing. Thanks for the wonderful opportunity.

womo531 said...

ooh ooh me me.... this one seems to be mentioned alot lately and every review I read makes me want to try it more =)

samberg said...

Sign me up, please.

Sam

Unknown said...

How exciting! I've read a lot of great things about this. Fingers crossed that I get to see what all the fuss is about.

Datura5750 said...

Wow, Thanks for the contest!

a.k.a. Warum said...

Thank you for a fantastic drawing!
I want to win this... it sounds like me. I am not a blond and nearly not as beautiful as the picture you posted, but there always were many people in my life who were fooled by my calm and comforting appearance and were surprised to see everything else that came underneath...

ccdouglass said...

Please enter me! Many thanks. :-)

Unknown said...

Me! Me! Enter me!
Thanks, Rebecca

Elisa said...

I have a sample of this -- definitely wouldn't call it ozonic. Please enter me in the draw!

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your blog. Please enter me in the draw.
Thanks,
O. Anne

Carrie Meredith said...

I would love to try this, I'm a huge fan of EL Sensuous, it's one of my all-time favorites.

Nancy said...

A subtle perfume...sounds just what would please me as much as my husband.
Please enter me. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

"The Birds" scared the bejinkers out of me as a young lass! Shudders.

I'd very much like to put some PureDistance in between my memories of it and now, so please include me in the draw.

Many thanks, and I'll stop jumping at shadows in a minute ... that Hitchcock fellow really messed with his audience's heads!

cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh

taffynfontana said...

Please enter me in the draw it sounds like a perfect spring fragrance.

Denise said...

I would love to enter the drawing. I got to try a sample of Antonia & loved it,.

Cassandra said...

I would love to be entered. It sounds marvelous.

BARBARA O said...

Please Put Me In The Drawing!

Meghan said...

Sounds gorgeous - please enter me!

KathyT said...

It sounds lovely in spite of the scary ozone note! Please enter me into the drawing.

Thanks!

sean's jo said...

I have read wonderful reviews and would love to try. Please enter me in the drawing.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a blond, but would love to try this fragrance. It sounds lovely for spring and summer. Please do enter me in the drawing.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful review of what sounds like a beautiful fragrance! Please enter me in the draw - thanks!!

Kathryn said...

Have yet to read a less than positive review of this one. I'd love to enter the draw. Thanks!

Geordan said...

I thought I would like Antonia more, but the more I compare the two, I do think I like Puredistance I better. It's pretty classy. Would love to be in the draw.

Best,

Geordan

sharyl said...

I would love to be included in the draw. I have had the opportunity to sample all three Puredistance perfumes, and they are all very lovely, but Puredistance I is by far my favorite. These perfumes are expensive, but they are so exquisite and of such high quality, it is like wearing a magic elixir. Thank you for this lovely opportunity.
Sincerely, Sharyl

Undina said...

Please, enter me into the draw. I haven't tried any of this line's perfumes but plan on doing it eventually.

Tommasina said...

Just putting together the faces and the pieces and realized who you are ;0)

Love the writing; would love to try this; thanks so much for the chance! Now to spend some of my precious free time reading more of your blog...

Patrick said...

I love Puredistance. All 3 of 'em. I cannot afford these perfumes right now so winning a drawing might be the only chance I will ever get to bask in one. Thanks for the drawing and your fume reviews which I often frequent when I am procrastinating on writing a paper. Like now.
pegrysan@yahoo.com

Tasha said...

Ohh. What an unbelievable giveaway. I loved Antonia enough to put it on my birthday wish list (early summer! will be perfect) and sampled 1 and M just to be blown by both of them as well. Please enter me in the draw!

Vanessa said...

I have Puredistance 1 myself so no need to put me in the draw, thanks, not least because I have already won your giveaways twice before, so it must be somebody else's turn! I like this one a lot but it is a a big hitter on my skin, overtly perfumey / musky and not subtle at all. There is no accounting for skin, as they say! :- )

Anonymous said...

Please enter me in the drawing!I would love to try this.I love Pure Turquoise.

bookwyrmsmith@ live . com

d3m0lici0n said...

Please enter my name for this drawing, I've been able only to test M and is amazing, I'd love to win this one.

cabeza4ever@sbcglobal.net

elizabeth said...

Wow, what a drawing! Please enter me. I've never tried any of this line.

sonia garcia said...

I tried Antonia before and is simply beautiful, I'd love to get this bottle. Thanks for this amazing drawing!

lasuperchatis62@hotmail.com

Janet said...

What a wonderful drawing! Thanks!

Unknown said...

I'd love the chance to win this! Thanks so much...

you smell!!! said...

I've tried Antonia and M and just let me tell you that thank God for niche houses like this one that are just quality and make perfumery an art form by itself.

honeywhereismygun@hotmail.com

Jessica said...

Thanks for the opportunity to win! : )

Roberto said...

Oh please enter my name in this draw, Puredistance is getting nothing but glowing reviews all accross the net.
robertocrisanto@yahoo.com

Gustav said...

Thanks for this generous opportunity) gustav69@mail.ru

Unknown said...

Yes, please enter me for the draw! I got a sample of this yesterday, and it's wonderful. Approachable but not banal, fresh and crisp without being sharp or shrill, cool and warm at the same time. It's perfect till the last trace of drydown. johanse.johansson@gmail.com

Taffy said...

I love your description of the perfume as a "Hitchcock blonde." It was said that Hitchcock totally creeped Tippi out! What a beautiful picture of her to illustrate your column.

Please enter me in the drawer. PureDistance 1 sounds lovely.

Student said...

I have a small sample of this and I love it! Please enter me into the drawing. I was Melanie Daniels for Halloween one year, and April 4 will be my birthday! What a great drawing.

Anonymous said...

I'm far away from a blonde but would LOVE to try this- I've heard so many good things about it! Please enter me in the draw!