Bring on the dancing horses…
Notes: Leather, Ginger, Tonka Bean, Musk, White Woods, Caramel, Saffron,
Toffee, Candy Apple and Cotton Candy.
When I met up with lovely Esperanza of Esperessence a while back, she kindly gave me a decant of Dzing! I was really pleased with this because although I’ve found it a little too skanky in the past, I thought it was a fantastic perfume which I really wanted to write about.
Even when I didn’t think it was something I could wear, I still admired Dzing! from afar. I loved its brilliant “Ta-dah!” name and its novel circus concept.
First released in 1999, it’s a brilliantly executed fragrance. This is down to perfumer Olivia Giacobetti who is a masterful ringmaster. She orchestrates this clever composition so that it is both cohesive and evolving. To experience Dzing! is a thrill and more than likely to raise a smile of recognition.
When I sprayed my newly acquired decant, I held it close to the back of my hand, the way I usually do with samples and decants. As expected, the most prominent note on my skin was sawdust with eau de elephant. Not scrub-worthy but not something I’d want to spray properly.
The next day I sprayed it on the same place, but at a bit of a distance. The difference in scent was remarkable. This time, after a bright orange opening, I got soft creamy saffron, old books and a layer of sawdust concealing something only mildly animalic. There was also a hint of leather from the horses’ saddles and the lion-tamer’s whip.
In the base, Dzing! has a fabulous fur-like quality; warm and silkily textured. The sweetness of the toffee, caramel and cotton candy (candy floss in the UK) comes through and the balance of this with the last traces of the departed animals is perfect for me during this final encore. The sugary treats are also kept in check by hay and vanillic cardboard accords.
Lasting power is excellent and I’d put the projection at moderate.
Dzing! Is that rare beast; a truly unique fragrance. L’Artisan Parfumeur deserve a standing ovation for continuing to produce it. It’s a good reminder of why we need niche perfumery and where it excels.
Please let me know your thoughts about Dzing! in the comments, or if there is a another quirky perfume which you really admire.
A Bottled Rose 
Olivia Giacobetti as ringmaster! Wonderfully put. For some reason I haven’t been able to retry Dzing! for ages, although it has been on my radar. Quirky wearable perfumes are always great finds, and the fir quality you mention has made me even keener to try and get my nose on this one.
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FUR not fir silly iPad dictionary
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I got it!
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Sorry to be an enabler once again but I can imagine this one appealing to you with its animalic vanilla and furry drydown. Quirky but wearable perfumes are indeed great finds and this one is so clever and witty. Olivia Giacobetti is super talented.
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I haven’t tried Dzing! in ages and must get my decant out to try spraying it from different distances and see how it differs – I know I have sometimes not been in the mood for it because of the animalic aspect, and that all sounds very interesting. Love the references to ‘eau de elephant’ and ‘departed animals’. 😉 There is so much random stuff in this one. A true one off, as you say!
PS D’you not mean ‘(cotton candy in the US)’, or have you Brexited even further than most, hehe?
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There IS so much random stuff here, V! You love a subtle vanillla and you’re skank tolerance has shot up so it’s definitely a good time to find that decant.
I used “cotton candy” and translated it in brackets for us as L’Artisan use the American version for some reason. I’d fancy Brexiting over to the States if it were not for who they have looming on the horizon 🙂
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Glad you are enjoying Dzing! A marvelous review, Tara. Love what you write about the departing animals. Haven’t worn Dzing! For a while but it is a good idea to use it again. Xxx Esperanza
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I thoroughly enjoyed re-testing it, Esperanza. It’s rare that an animalic note does actually remind you of animals!
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I have tried this once, but had other perfumes on at the same time. I can get in both Vienna and Linz. I will give it a proper wearing next time. You have seriously given me the push I needed. I know it is a cult number. Dunno why it has taken so long. xxx
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It’s easily done, especially as L’Artisan have such a large line-up. I can bring Esperanza’s decant when we next meet if you don’t get round to it.
Dzing! is a cult number, it’s true.
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Hey there Tara,
There’s a Dzing! bottle here but when I want circus I tend to choose that super weird, play doh, barnyard vanilla Jacomo Art #2. The Dzing! rarely gets an outing. You have inspired me to grab it out and have a whirl tomorrow.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia,
Whoa, that Jacomo Art #2 sounds like Dzing! turned up to 11. I can see how you’d turn to that first to satisfy your circus craving.
Perhaps Dzing! is better for the less adventurous.
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HA! Perhaps it is. I like Dzing! Never think to wear it though.
Portia xx
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Portia, I reckon when you’re in the mood for weird, you want WEIRD 🙂
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Your review had, most likely, an unexpected effect on me: I’m testing Dzing! again right now (after reading the review) and contemplating a bottle purchase.
I always liked this perfume and never found it unpleasant or even weird, for that matter. I thought that the quirkiest part was its name. Why suddenly now I want to buy it? Your review was very appealing, I admit, but when I said “unexpected effect” I was referring to the picture you used. No, I’m not talking about a circus girl with a horse. While I’m still not sure how I feel about new L’Artisan’s bottles in general, after looking at the picture while reading your review, I realized that it definitely doesn’t go well with this particular perfume. So I should probably get the old bottle with the tiger while I still can (too bad I can’t find a single 50 ml bottle online now!)
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It is a real shame that they did keep the little drawing for this particular bottle because it was so fitting of the scent. I’d want to seek it out too. I think I must be very sensitive to any kind of skankiness as most don’t raise an eyebrow at Dzing! Although spraying at a distance makes all the difference, I still register it.
Such a shame they got rid of the 50ml size a while back. I hope you manage to track one down.
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