Faster Kittycat?

[zankoku_zen]

A sudden sophistication: a sheer white chypre with cashmere amber, orris butter, and patchouli.

[Happicuppa]

Wet:  This is like...sexy grandma. Higher pitched, powdery amber patchouli. 

Dry: This is just sexy, now. Meow indeed. 

 

A very nice dusky patchouli scent which maybe comes off a little high pitched wet, but calms the f down in record time. I absolutely love it dried down, and it's going to be a go-to 'feelin' myself' scent to be sure. 

 

Loved it. 

[HerbGirl]

Gorgeous amber perfume backed by a creamy orris and a subdued patchouli. This is very different from any other perfume oil I have and it is just divine. Nice amount of throw and such a beautiful scent.

 

This dries down to a very sophisticated and spicy amber. Lovely.

Edited October 20, 2020 by HerbGirl

[ellocentipede]

This label is so gorgeous! The scent is gorgeous as well—it’s a regal, classic white chypre that’s beautifully mossy, floral, and woody. I love the one so much! 

Edited October 12, 2020 by ellocentipede

[VioletChaos]

In the bottle: I'm mostly getting the chypre: it reminds me a LOT of Guerlain's Shalimar, a scent I was *obsessed* with for a time. Someone upthread mentioned "sexy grandmas" and I think I see where they're going with that- Shalimar can read also as "old fashioned" I think *because* chypre doesn't get much play in modern perfumery. (I personally need to be in the right mood for it myself, but when that itch needs to be scratched? Accept no substitutes!)

Wet On Skin: Much the same. At this wet stage, the chypre for sure rules the roost.

Dry Down: Yes, my friends, this is DEAD sexy. I mostly got this for the cashmere amber, and at dry down, the scent does NOT disappoint. I have become a recent fan or the Lab's cashmere interpretation, it combines a coziness with a sexiness that can't be beat, and it's great here. The balance of that and a sliver of the orris keep the scent from trodding too much into "powdery" territory. Unfortunately, I get no patchouli in the mix, which makes me a bit sad, but I have enough of the essential oil lying around that I can plump it up if need be.

In all: Low throw, surprisingly, given the richness of the notes, though a little goes a long way. 
If you're looking for an elegant daytime scent or a more relaxed date night scent, check this out.  

[SophieCedar]

White moss, a glowing meniscus of a scent, clean, soft, powder. I can see this being wonderful for orris fans. I'd put it in the Dirty category but its drier. Fancy orchid deodorant? Dusting powder from Saks 5th? A lost Coty line only found in antique stores? 

[Madame Mew]

I somehow overlooked that amber note when reading the description. Sad face. I amp amber to high heaven, and am sad to report that it does not work for me. It's very creamy, powdery amber, just a smidge of patch but it is very much a vintage perfume vibe. Like, my very hip 72 year old mother in law would have worn in her heyday while traveling abroad.  I can see this knocking the socks of of someone who likes amber. I also love the orris note, which I got in the imp but on my skin, all I can smell is very expensive smelling amber. 

[Ythik]

On wet, it's very light and bright, almost sparkly in it's brightness. It's definitely a kind of fuzzy amber smell, though far less golden than a typical amber. As it dries I think I'm getting the orris (though I'm not entirely sure I know what orris smells like entirely). There's something kind of rich and woody but also slightly sweet in the middle here. It's almost like a powdery smell except not powdery at all. It's like if "powder" was creamy instead, if that makes any sense. It's kind of clean and fresh and dry, but smooth and creamy.

[biggnerd]

I wanted to try this because cashmere amber and orris butter = yes please. Chypres usually work pretty well on me, but patch is hit or miss.  This is one of the kinder patchoulis, not overly dirty or heavy. FC starts off with patchouli, but it quickly settles into a spicy, sweet, mossy amber with a little butteriness (and nuttiness? maybe that's woodiness?).  It's a scent that's hard to describe but it makes me feel calm and in-charge at the same time. I'm thinking this is what a sexy autumnal druid smells like?

[supreme_c0rt]

Orris and I aren't typically friends -- it tends to go straight to baby powder which isn't something I enjoy smelling like. This blend is an exception. The patchouli is the star here; it's not gnarly, not bitter, not medicinal. Smooth as silk. The chypre is moss-forward which I think is saving me from the powder-scape of the orris. Yes the powder is still there but it's not the typical powder I get from this note. Creamy, not dusty. I've tested this multiple times since receiving it, and each time the patchouli gets smoother and more complex, grounding the other floofy notes and locking them into something cohesive and reassuring.

 

"Sudden sophistication" is a great descriptor for this. It feels very modern classic. The modernity I think comes from the role patchouli is playing here, it just centers everything with a quiet confidence. I like this more and more each time I try it -- it feels expensive, mature, and warm and sexy. A lot like how Coco Mademoiselle feels on me. I don't have anything else quite like it.

[Minh Scent]

The notes in here are all ones I adore, especially the orris. The pach is very mild and is grounding for the chypre and amber. It is a classic fragrance which means 10 out 10 in my book. 2017 Closet Raid had the same kind of vibe, although definitely  different notes. This is not as sharp and much more sophisticated, but has the same "perfume counter at Macy's" aura as CR.

 

(May 2021) Wearing this again, I am just floored at how beautiful it is.  The dry down is reading almost a soft sandalwood to me (not in notes) but I guess that is the combination of the smooth patch, amber and orris.  It is a classic oriental perfume. LOVE this!

Edited May 2, 2021 by Minh Scent

[zankoku_zen]

Chypre, amber, and a whiff of patchouli. This is mainly a very classic perfume between the chypre and amber, very sophisticated. More floral than I expected. Medium throw and wear length.

[tyche]

When wet, this reminds me of Lady Lucille Sharp, but without the deep dark fruitiness of that. Maybe just the ambers? It also definitely hits a memory of my grandmother's fancy perfume bottles from the 50s-70s. She kept them on a glass tray and held onto the bottles for decades. So this smells like vintage perfumes, but not any one in particular. It's more the idea of vintage perfume. 

It was great at first...but now I'm 4 hours in and getting a very strange scent. It took me a while to place exactly what I'm sniffing but finally figured it out. This is turned into asparagus pee on me. I'll give the bottle some time to rest and try again in a few weeks. 

[Jenjin]

I adore a cuddly smooth amber, and this is one smooth operator. Faster Kittycat is a lovely veil of scent that wears like a sheer scarf, with a transparency crafted through blending these sometimes heavy notes, with a light touch. It is graceful, and speaks in a gentle whisper and soft purr. The secret weapon here is the orris I suspect, which keeps the perfume close to the body, yet gives the overall experience a kind of elegance. The cashmere amber and white chypre give me whiffs of warm sweetness, very exotic from a far away land reminiscent to Shalimar to me also, except with a bit more "bite" from the patchouli. 
I urge you to give this a try before the Lilith's come down, especially if you are a fan of seductive and gracefully smooth orris fragrance. It is discreet, refined and eminently wearable. Another GORGEOUS modern classic from the lab. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Jenjin

[VetchVesper]

This is a beautiful chypre, very classic, and it was a surprise hit for me. It's very mossy at first, then sweetens gradually as the amber blooms and the fragrance warms. I get greater complexity as it wears, and it's really just gorgeous. 

 

The orris, moss, and amber give this a raspy, powdery texture that powder haters might dislike, but it's far from baby powder or the prim powderiness of violet. 

 

If you wants something soft, elegant, classic, and not stereo typically feminine, check this out. I think it could work well on a man too. Chypre and amber lovers should be very happy. 

 

 

[feyofthefellwood]

Soft, creamy-powdery orris and amber warmed by patchouli. The patchouli is light. This really does have a warmth and elegance to it; the chypre adds a lovely complexity. I can see why others describe this as smelling like a classic. It puts me in mind of a high-end perfume, except better, because it doesn't have that sharpness, just soft warmth.

Edited March 24, 2021 by feyofthefellwood

[fairybites]

Wow, I totally see why this was one of Galen's favorites from the 15 Minutes of Fume video. It's a warm, creamy orris butter and amber on me with a very faint patchouli. So nice and sophisticated. I love foodie stuff, but I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a super buttery perfume oil. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I am. It's beautiful and soft, but as a patchouli fan I wish that note was a little stronger.

[tinyvulture]

I’m not sure about some of the notes listed -- “white chypre”, “cashmere amber”  My skin usually loves and amps chypres -- this one’s no exception. It smells classy, expensive. Orris is sometimes dryyyy as heck on me, but maybe the fact that this is orris butter makes the difference because it’s quite nice.  There’s a sweet floral note enveloped in layers of warmth. I’m not getting any patchouli.  This scent is like putting on a lux, warm white bathrobe.

[hhelix]

This is gorgeous. It’s got light throw and wears close to the skin, but it’s the perfect snuggly skin/sweater scent. Just lovely. Very good for fall. Smells more like a commercial perfume than most BPALs, but niche. It’s simple, classic, the little black dress of perfume.