A quick note: the 2012 Prix Eau Faux (our contest to reward creative fragrance writing or “faux ad copy”) will kick off in mid- to late-February. Sharpen your pencils!
Today, the same old open thread routine: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you wish you were wearing today, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is Green Roof by Fr Antunes at flickr; some rights reserved.
I wish I were wearing Farenheit Aoud.
I don’t know that one…or do you mean Fahrenheit Absolute?
Sorry, I should have explained: that’s on my hypothetical wishlist. The current Fahrenheit missed some warmth and resinous it used to have. Oud would be a nice note to be added. Nice topic for a pool.
Ah! Did you try the Absolute? I think it was supposed to be what you’re describing, but I never tried it so don’t know if it hit the mark.
Yeah, I’ve tried. From what I remember, didn’t catch my attention nor overcame the original formula. It has a spicy top and middle; don’t remember the bottom. Middle was the only phase that remembered me Fahrenheit. By the way, amber would also be a good note to be added.
Oh, good, an open thread!
I’ve been holding onto a question for several weeks. . .
So, I went sniffing at the Perfume House, searching for a scent to buy with the help of a gift certificate I got for my birthday, and one of the samples I came home with was Serge Noire. I really enjoy the stewed fruit-incense-spiced wine feel of it. As I often do, when I discover a new scent, I enthusiastically search out online reviews, to see how my impressions compare and to educate my nose to more nuances.
And what did I find? NST has a review from Kevin, who HATED IT! I mean, references to urine and old clothes are part of the review! So here’s the question: What the heck?
No, ok, my real question is about divisive scents. What other scents have this sort of shocking division of opinions? Do you love a scent that people around you abhor? Do you just *not get* a scent that gets a lot of perfumista love? Do tell!
Kevin really didn’t like that one! I didn’t love it either, but didn’t feel as strongly about it either way as he did. Here are 2 nicer reviews, if you didn’t see them:
http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2008/08/perfume-review-serge-lutens-serge-noire.html
http://memoryofscent.wordpress.com/category/full-bottles/serge-noire/
Me: I don’t really like any of the classic numbered Chanels, so there you are. And I’m sure I love lots of scents that perfumistas turn their nose up about, but offhand can’t think of them. There are probably too many to think of, LOL…
Thanks, Robin, for the links! It is good to see confirmation that I’m not completely crazy! Although, I’m happy to say that I’m becoming more confident in my perfume tastes–I’m ok not agreeing with people more than I used to be. Although, it did make me laugh to find such a strong disagreement! I had to go back to my sample and search for body odor notes!
As for the Chanels, I admit it is hard to sniff so many of them and say they aren’t for me. I do feel like I’m not “refined” enough sometimes!
Marjore, shall we team up this time? I also do a review research when I get some new samples. I find others opinion quite valuable, as I am young, growing perfumista.
That’s ok, though. While I adore the Chanels (if I had to live w/just one house, that would probably be the one), I just can’t stand almost any of the classic Guerlains. And TBH, I think that draws much more perfumista scorn than disliking the Chanels.
That’s because your EST loves Guerlains! Good to see you on here, dear EST! Happy New Year! 😀
Well I really like Serge Noir. I wish I got the stewed fruit that you get, on me it’s mostly clove and smoke. I love clove (and smoke) so I don’t mind.
I don’t like or don’t get Mona di Orios Oud. And I wish I did since most people find it beautiful. Bulgari black is another one I can’t stand, and Chinatown by Bond no 9.
One that I do like a lot is Daphne by Comme Des Garcons. That perfume has really gotten a lot of “bad press”, I love it.
Maybe there’s something wrong with my nose? 🙂
I enjoy wearing Daphne, too. I love the incense melded with the florals.
Have to agree with you 🙂
I finally have a sample of Daphne that I must get out and try… today might be a good day, temps are in the 20sF.
I used to love Chinatown to the point that the only thing holding up my FB purchase was the dilemma between the different bottles. Then one day Ii put it on and it smelled too syrupy, and I haven’t worn it since. That was over 2 years ago.
Saran, I suspect the “stewed fruit” is really just that funny, sweet base so common running through so many SL frags. I get almost a dried prune to the cloves in the top notes. Of course, I may change my mind completely with a proper spray–I’m working with a little dauber, and I’m learning to understand how that can “misshape” the notes.
I have noticed that too. The dabber versus the sprayer. I personally like spraying Lutens to dabbing. I’m not sure why. I think the fragrance evolves more smooth. Of course this can all be in my head.
I haven’t explored CdG much at all, yet, so I don’t know Daphne. But incense floral sounds nice!
Daphne is great. It’s one of my favourite modern perfumes.
Angel is the archetypal divisive monster scent. Some adore it. Some abhor it. Personally I admire its construction and influence but just can’t wear the original.
I can understand that about Angel. I was actually really surprised over the holidays, I was walking through Nordie’s and an SA was handing out samples of Angel–It seemed like an odd choice. It is neither new nor “safe.” I wondered if it was her choice or a managers. . .
Was this during their big fragrance event in December? Here they focused on the moneymakers: Angel, Flowerbomb, and their ilk. It was like walking a gantlet of monster scent.
I’m surprised to hear that Angel is considered a moneymaker! I don’t feel like I sniff it regularly, certainly not like I did 10, 15 years ago. And with all the love for “clean, fresh” scents, it seems so out of fashion.
Oh yes, Angel is the moneymaker of Thierry Mugler- their precious baby. It will always be the focus of their sales. People love it or hate it- and it was designed to be exactly that way….to envoke a strong reaction. I respect it’s construction but do not care for the scent myself. It lingers like nothing else, and when people over spray it it’s quite painful….especially in an elevator, at the theatre, etc.
I love Serge Noir as well. It melds with my skin well. I find Miel de Bois has a similar reaction: cat urine versus honeyed goodness!
The ado and divisiveness surrounding Miel de Bois has made it take on this epic mythical status in my mind where it is basically bound to disappoint. Or horrify.
Not cat urine, but stuff for polishing wood floors was what I was getting from Miel de Bois. I was jealous of those who just talked about honey and how good it was!
Serge Noire smelled like ashes on me but I sort of liked it! 🙂
Yes, I’ve read that other people get a lot of smoke and ashes, but I don’t. Only if I place my nose right next to my skin, and then I get burning incense stick, but it’s not nearly as smoky as, say, Tea for Two, which I feel like makes me smell like I smoke clove cigarettes.
Interesting! I get long lasting black tea with honey and just a side of smoke from Tea for Two. Chemistry is so individual. Verte Violette just vanishes.
Oh, dear, best avoid reading The Guide review too (I believe the words “oriental from hell” were used so I’m yet to even try it)!
There are plenty of scents that others love that I don’t and vice versa. The most recent examples would be things like Mon Parfum Cheri (which I hated) and Candy (which I didn’t find offensive but thought was dull)
It’s okay to disagree 😀
You know, I think if I were a more confident “nose,” I could argue for hours with Luca Turin! I don’t think we’ve agreed on nearly any scent. I think he’s my ultimate evil scent twin!
There are plenty of classics that I don’t “get” (*cough cough Mitsouko cough*), and for a long time I didn’t comprehend all the hoopla around Serge Lutens… Then I discovered Gris Clair and Iris Silver Mist, and now every single time I wear the latter in public, I overhear someone say, “Eeeeuuwww, what is that SMELL?” Darn it all, I finally “get” a Serge, and it turns out no one else gets it! The moral of that story is, if you love it, to heck with the haters.
I love Gris Clair, or at least I did 6 months ago! I haven’t been wearing it lately–I’m finding it has a grape bubble-gum note that’s distracting me from the lovely lavender. I haven’t tried Iris Silver Mist, though, so I will need to check that one out!
Would you like me to send you my sample? It is a 2.5 ml spray vial, so there is plenty to test with. Perhaps I could throw in a few other things as well, if you could give me an idea of what notes/fragrance families you might like. If you are interested, contact me at roses_50 at yahoo dot com.
Oh, thank you! How can I resist? I’ll send you a note. 🙂
Now, it’s funny – I liked ISM (though not enough to buy it) despite not being a big iris fan, but Gris Clair depressed the living heck out of me. That’s the one that I don’t get…
Quite a few perfumistas seem to like Iris Silver Mist, and I ordered a good-sized sample based on all the glowing reviews. I hated it! I don’t just mean that I disliked it or that it wasn’t me, it actually made me feel physically ill, as if I were going to vomit! I currently have the sample double-bagged and stashed in closed plastic storage box so I can’t accidentally get a whiff of it. I hated to toss it, as it wasn’t cheap and I know a lot of people do like it. If anyone would like to have it, let me know.
You could swap it during the big Swapmania swap meet on the Perfume Posse. It’s going to take place at the end of the month or in February. That’s what i’m doing with the things I don’t want.
http://perfumeposse.com/2012/01/10/swapmania-and-silver-foxes/
Oh, I’d love to take it off your hands but I’m in UK so I’m not sure how you feel about a potentially international swap?
I am in the UK and I have an ISM sample you are welcome to! Let me know….witchypurple@yahoo.co.uk
Oh, fab, I’ll drop you line! 🙂
ooh 50 roses, i would love to swap something with you for a sample of ISM…what r u wanting to try?
I think iris is polarizing. I really dislike it, and I don’t dislike anything.
A lot of perfumistas, and reviewers, really diss two Guerlains that I love: Mahora/Mayotte and Samsara.
I find I’m usually “meh” on the Lutens, as I remember being on Serge Noire. Jeux de Peau made me laugh as it smelled like the caramel corn store end of the mall! 😀
I keep on meaning to (and forgetting to) order a sample of Mahora. I have a feeling I’d love it — seems like just the thing for a beach vacation, or for a depressing winter day.
Emily – nooooo! lol! I am the self-appointed Minister of Mahora! Email me at rappleyea11 at yahoo dot com for a sample.
Oh, how kind of you! I’ll e-mail you shortly — anything for the Mahora cause.
MAHORA IS MAGNIFICENT!!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!
I think some reviewers have an idea of what a Guerlain “should” be and can’t think outside of that box which is unfortunate.
You are absolutely right! If it isn’t Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleue or Vol de Nuit (and maybe Chamade to some extent), it’s gotten panned! The other Guerlain “out of the box” scent that I really love in the summer is Jardins de Bagatelle. I wonder if they had taken the Chanel route and made these different scents part of an exclusive line – like they ended up doing with the L’Arte et la Matierre series – if they wouldn’t have been accepted.
I feel like I should have loved the six Le Labo city exclusives I ordered from Lucky Scent back in November (they weren’t cheap), but I only really liked Paris and Tokyo. Dallas, Chicago, New York all elicit a big “meh” from me. I’m eager to swap them with someone who can appreciate them better than I can.
Tauer Une Rose Chypree failed to charm me, as well.
I’d love to send you some stuff if I knew what you liked to try. Do you have a test list? I’d be interested in the Dallas especially, and maybe others.
Warum, I would be happy to send you an email. What’s your address?
I love many classic Guerlains and I love orientals, but … I detest Shalimar. I want to like it, and I’ve given it many more chances than I would have given any other uncooperative perfume, but after the lemony part is over it just smells acrid on me.
I also don’t get it at all about Chant d’Aromes. Thankfully I ordered a sample from TPC instead of pulling the trigger on what would have been a disastrous blind buy. I’ve heard that the current version isn’t optimal, but I was still surprised to be reminded of aspirational hotel shampoo (for the 30 minutes in which I could smell it at all).
Also — and this makes me as sad as the Shalimar fail does — all the Sonoma Scent Studio perfumes I’ve tried have been varying degrees of unwearable. They all seem to contain the same sweet, strong musk that’s completely overwhelming, even if I apply the tiniest amount possible.
I’m so glad someone else gets that nauseating sweet musk from SSS! Everyone swoons over Champagne du Bois, and it makes me queasy.
Oh thank god, others who aren’t crazy about the SSS scents! They don’t turn me off that much, but I mostly shrug when I smell them.
Natalie, “queasy” is exactly how Tabac Aurea made me feel, and yet it sounded so perfect for me. Same goes for Incense Pure. I did a little better with Champagne de Bois (i.e., did not feel actively ill) but have no particular desire to wear it again.
Tabac Aurea did the same thing on me, as did Sienna Musk… My skin (or perhaps my nose?) tends to reduce a lot of scents to their lowest common denominator, but it’s particularly apparent in the SSS line.
oh no! I adore Shalimar. Have you tried different formulations? Often testers are EDT and I find the EDP to be lovelier and less lemony in the opening. Or, try the extrait which is just…words fail me. if you have tried any or all formulations and its still not for you, I hope you have a fab oriental that you love! 🙂
Oh, I have *many* fab orientals that I love — no worries there! I’ve tried both the EDT and the EDP with no success; by the time I noticed that Nordstrom had extrait testers, I was too dispirited to try Shalimar again. But I’ll make myself a sample of it next time I’m in there.
I do fine with Eau de Shalimar, however. I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, but it’s pleasant enough on lazy summer weekends. (Unfortunately, I fell down the perfume rabbit hole too late to easily find any Shalimar LIght.)
Fragrantwitch, your comment is so timely! I just picked up a full, mini splash bottle of Shalimar Parfum de Toilette that I found at Goodwill for $5! I am feeling pretty swell about it, too! But in my searching about, I can’t find any information about it. . .the bottle is not the fan/shield shape I associate with Shalimar and it doesn’t seem to be a concentration that you read much about. Can you tell me more?
MJ, my general impression is that parfum de toilette is the older, original designation for eau de parfum. So your bottle is a bit older than it would be if it was labeled eau de parfum, I think. (I’ve seen this explained somewhere but not finding it in the obvious places.)
Oh, Emily, if only you could have smrelt Chant d’Aromes when it first came out! I saved my pocket money (and probably sweet-talked my dad into giving me extra) and bought myself the extrait (I was a precocious 14 year old). It was gorgeous. Now you can only get a very weak eau de toilette and it has lost some of its precious ingredients – I believe it used to have quite a lot of oakmoss in it originally. It is a ghost of what it was, but I sometimes wear it to bring back memories, even if they are so pale now.
I was so bummed about Chant d’Aromes because it sounded like — and probably once was — exactly the kind of thing I’d love. And what a marvelously sophisticated 14-year-old you were! (At that age, I was utterly captivated by CK Escape and Obsession. But it didn’t occur to me that I could actually buy them myself — as though there were a legal minimum age for nice fragrance purchases — so I made do with the drugstore knockoffs in spray cans, which quickly turned nasty and gave me horrific headaches.)
Hi Marjorie – I have had the reverse experience (as I am sure many others have too) where after reading several reviews my lemmings screamed at me that I had to try that rich earthy winey truffley Une Rose. Urine. Try again. Urine. So Sad. Angel is a truly divisive scent though hey?
I think that it is much more common that I dislike something that “everyone” likes than the other way around. It is disappointing to get so excited about something and to feel left out at the end!
What a thread you have spawned! One that I love that seems to be divisive is Borneo. Some people seems to get mothballs but to me it is pure refined gorgeousness.
Something that has inspired a lot of love in others, but that does nothing for me, is nuit de tuberose. Think I’ll be offloading that during Swapmania…
Fun conversation, no? I can’t remember if I’ve tried Nuit de Tuberose, but I have yet to find a tuberose that I like, so I’ve mostly just started to avoid them.
Oh, just had to chime in and say, I love Borneo, too! Love it! I also like Le Labo Patchouli 24, the “burned-rubber” one. I can understand, though, with both why someone would not care for them.
Seconding the Patch 24! I love it. Maybe that will be my SOTD after my shower (obviously a lazy morning).
love love love borneo!!!
Did you buy Memoir already? 😉
*SIGH* no! I know I will not regret it, but I’m such a cheapskate. . .ur. . .I mean, FRUGAL person, I keep thinking there will be a DEAL! But Amouage seems to be completely un-dealable! Almost never do I see those lovely partially-used-under-appreciated bottles on the ‘bay. And then, never has it been Memoir!
Oh, and all of the perfumes in the DelRae line are lost on me – with the exception of Bois de Paradis. They just stink to high heaven on my skin.
Really? I love Debut, it’s on my get-a-sample list.
And the only DelRae I really liked is Amoureuse! BdP was all blueberry pancakes and floor wax on me…
bois de paradise smells to me like a thinner serge femininte de…but i smelled it briefly when i was in ny.
OH HONEY! I was enraged at Kevin’s Review of Gucci Guilty For Men… I ADORE The Fragrance and everyone around me adores it as well… so i found his review and others on here, not only shocking but somewhat mean spirited and divisive… I have had to be less sensitive and just accept that most mainstream fragrances are going to be slaughtered even if they are really nice smelling… although all the money that Gucci Guilty is making kinda is a lovely slap in the face to those whom abhor it so! LOL!
Hahaha! I genuinely respect Kevin’s quick wit and honest, no-holds-barred reviews, but it can be a bit much if you strongly disagree with him! Thankfully, I didn’t take it personally that he disliked Serge Noire so greatly, just found it surprising. 😀
I recently tried Bois d’Iris by van Cleef for the first time and while I didn’t find the iris that original I really, really loved the drydown. Any opinions on this scent? Has anyone fallen for a full bottle?
I bought it! Kind of wish I hadn’t….I do really like it but it was expensive, and a decant would have been enough for me.
Oh, wow! I have the feeling that it is a really good scent which I would wear happily but that it’s not that special to justify the prize.
Oh, I do wear it, and happily! I just don’t need more than 15 ml of ANYTHING, I have so much already.
I bought it on the spot! Love it!
Ooh, I would totally buy a full bottle if I had the funds at the moment! I fell hard for this one last summer – sometimes I’ll ask the DH to wear it too it’s that wonderful. 🙂 I also love that it lasts ALL DAY. One day when DH is out of school I’ll have a bottle…
I like it too. Unfortunately I got a sample of it at the same time I got about a dozen others and I forgot about it until you mentioned it. I meant to wear it more often.
this was one of the first iris scents I’ve tried and all I get is a pile of pencil shavings, albeit nice pencil shavings. I will revisit it again though when I make my way through an iris sampler set I recently purchased from tpc. Maybe after that I will pick out other notes!
Bought it and love it! Dry, woody, salty, iris-y….
Tons of compliments too
none of them were a love for me
SOTD is Tolu since the temps here suddenly dropped to more seasonal levels more suitable for this kind of scent. Tomorrow might even be cold enough to bring out Carnal Flower (I like to wear it when it’s freezing but sunny) 😀
I also think Carnal flower is the best in really cold weather.
It’s heavenly, isn’t it? Something very special about catching the scent of tropical flowers and green stems in the crystalline winter air.
Yeah it puts me in a great mood wintertime.
Living in LA, I’ve really only ever worn Carnal Flower in the heat and decided I wasn’t a huge fan (it’s fancier than I am). Now I’m waiting for those elusive cold nights (they do exist) to bring it out again!
Aaaah – that makes sense. I sprayed a little on a very hot day recently in the department store, and then walked the half hour home. It was so nauseating I tried to rub it off on some roughly-barked trees (maybe this is where the saying barking mad is from…I don’t think passers by were too impressed) Anyway, nausea aside, I actually liked the smell. Looks like I’ll have to wait another few months to try again though.
Oh, I absolutely agree! I first tried Carnal Flower on a day when temperatures were below 0F, and the air was like crystal – and it was STUNNING.
Mind, I love tuberose anyway, but I love CF best in the cold.
Mmm, Tolu. I’ve been wearing it a lot this week too.
I really need to try Tolu. I’ve noticed that I’ve enjoyed every single Ormonde Jayne fragrance I’ve tried, so why not sample the entire range? My pocket book probably wouldn’t agree, but I’m used to our arguments. 😉
Well, there’s free worldwide postage on OJ sample sets (I’m not sure if that’s s permanent thing or a limited time offer) so, y’know….;)
Tolu is great and very typical of OJ line, imo, but it’s another cold weather scent for me since it’s pretty potent stuff.
Tolu is fantastic, it is like golden something–ambrosia maybe–I got the sample set for myself for Christmas and just have gone nuts over that one. It’s so addictive.
I have only tried Champaca, taif, Iskander and Ormonde woman. I have been impressed by all of them but a full bottle purchase hasnt been necessary so far. Iam thinking about the sample set which isnt that expensive.
You smell lovely! I adore Tolu.
would really love to try tolu… for some reason, the twice i have ordered from OJ, and requested a sample of tolu, they made a mistake and didnt send it
SOTD is Ubar. But my kid wants me to switch to “that yummy one you were wearing last night,” i.e. Prada Candy. Might be time for a FB.
I gave in to the Candy, LOL…
I’m a sucker for benzoin.
And my kid.
🙂
I LOVE UBAR!
Isn’t it lovely? There’s nothing like it.
didn’t love candy…my daughter did! didnt even take a a decant from her
I’m in PJs on the couch, sipping my morning coffee, so no perfume yet for me today. I have a bunch of samples to try, so I’m thinking of diving into those… either Diane by DVF or the Mona di Orio samples that arrived yesterday from luckyscent…
The big goal for me this weekend is getting my new blog up…
good morning, and good luck on your blog!
Makes two.
Ooh, let us know when you’re up and running. I’ll link to you.
should be soon. I have most of the formatting done – currently playing around with widgets and getting ready to write the first post. I have a long weekend for MLK, so the goal is for it to be open for business by Monday evening…
sounds like a great morning…and great goals!!! Good luck
I’m working through my decants (I have hundreds) and trying to sort the keepers from the giveaways. I was inspired by last weeks discussion on organizing perfume collections. Today I am wearing Sutra Ylang and forgot how much I love it.
I spritzed ELDO Sex Pistols earlier this week and my husband just loves it on me! Go figure! If he continues to like it I may have to get a full bottle.
I’m going to tackle my sample boxes… I bought some 2′ x 3′ resealable plastic bags for the more potent samples. We’ll see how this goes.
I went out last weekend and bought a hanging jewelry organizer from Bed Bath and Beyond to organize my samples in!
perfume is like jewelry…
“If he continues to like it I may have to get a full bottle.”
Better yet, he can get you a full bottle 😉
I like the cut of your jib.
I’m working on the same thing. I think I’d like to get down to ~30 cold weather and ~30 warm weather scents.
Believe it or not, I’d be happier with 10 and 10! Too many and I get more indecisive than I normally am about which fragrance to wear!
Baby steps. 😉 Though really, somewhere in the 20-30 is probably ideal for me. I think.
Oh, I hate the indecision! Sometimes it leaves me completely scentless (senseless?), and I think “wow, this is such pointless insanity.”
amen to that. looking at all the bottles too long leaves me thinking “surely this is a little silly.”
SOTD Vetyverio
Question: am I foolish to order a sample set from Parfum d’Empire at this time of year – will the little vials freeze in transit?
Mine arrived safe and sound to the western US last week. I think it does help that they are alcohol-based, and alcohol has a much lower freezing point.
Oh, I’d do it…personally I order in the winter but not the summer. Cold is way less harmful than heat.
I much prefer to order in the winter, as the heat here in Texas in the summer can cause damage. I can’t tell you the exact freezing point of perfume, and it would depend on the concentration of the alcohol, and what else was in the perfume, but for comparison, the freezing point of 80 proof vodka is about -16 F (-27 C) and the freezing point of pure ethanol is -173 F (-114 C). It is unlikely that the perfume will be exposed to such extremes of temperature. The only type I might worry about would be something like the CBIHP water perfumes. With no alcohol, the freezing point of a water-based perfume would most likely be only a little below the normal freezing point of water.
I love Vetyverio. I keep buying samples of it, never got a FB. It’s never occurred to me to wear it in the winter. Maybe tomorrow….
Mine arrived yesterday with a zero wind chill here! They faired better than I did!
That should be: “…*fared* better than I did.”
I live very high up in Sweden. Last winter i ordered a few samples from Amouage, Cb I hate perfume, Caron, Serge Lutens and Parfumerie Generale. Two samples were completely frozen, both from CB I hate. After letting them warm up inside I was able to try them and I dont think the cold had affected the perfume. It was about – 38 fahrenheit that day.
Were they the water perfumes?
yes.
Oh, a fellow perfumista in the north of Sweden! Would you mind tell me where, I’m just curious- myself I’m in Luleå. I never thought about the risk of ordering samples in winter, and I was just about to do so. It’s been a mild winter so far but if gets to be
Ack! Ipad failure! I meant to say that when the temperature drops to -30 C or below there might be a problem with samples in the mail.
ooh you smell good! my ceos favourite. going to buy him another replacement bottle for our anni
I ordered my sample set drom Pd’E last week and they arrived perfectly safely a few days later. I am wearing the Osmanthus today. I live in Minnesota and the samples sat in the mailbox for several hours, and suffered no ill effects. I say, go for it , as they have that six euro deal for the set and free international shipping, I think.
I’m also working through my decants. On the left arm I’m wearing Lipstick Rose FM, on the right arm Love by Kilian. I’m still struggling whether I need a full bottle of Lipstick Rose, sometimes it smells great, on other days it turns sour. Love blends good with my skin chemistry.
It’s worth looking around for people to split those travel trios of Malle scents! Sometimes you can find singles on ebay too.
Has anyone else had trouble smelling Prada Candy? I tried it while out Christmas shopping with my husband, and the funny thing is, neither of us could smell it at all! Nada. It’s funny that we would both be anosmic to the same thing. We must be soul mates. But I was disappointed after reading so many great reviews.
Were you sniffing other things at the time? Did y’all just eat? Try again and make it the first sniff and before eating.
That one makes me confused. I have only tried it twice. First time it was super sweet benzoin crazyness, next time it reminded me a lot of the iris one they have.
I also got a strong infusion d’iris reference from it. That is, of what I could smell.
i also got infusion the first time i smelled it..thereafter…sweet sweet sweet and thereafter…light softnes…(could be my daughter skin chemistry that make it so soft
I & my mum we give it a try everytime we visit our local perfumery (Douglas), my mom fell in love with it and so did I, but she just bought herself Euphoria from CK, so Candy might come later.
On the other hand this is the first lady’s fragrance I like so much I try to discover a nice way to sneak Prada Candy into male fragrances. Any idea what can I layer it with, so that a young man could wear it? Maybe Caron Homme?
hey lucasi..howabout with chene….for me chene needs to be layered…have tried it with ala nuit and bois de vanille, makes it more wearable for me
if only I had a chance to put my hands on chene. I have poor access to niche lines and mainstream are only Sephora & Douglas, and not every fragrance arrives here, some does not…
But thanks for suggestion
I had the same problem in winter-but now its summer I can smell it, on my skin, for most of the day. I love Prada scents but find them quite subtle.
Where are you? Australia? It’s winter and 16 degrees F in NY!!
Yes- Australia- its 28C here at the moment (around 82F)-just lovely!
Yes, I had this problem with Candy as well. Tried it twice and couldn’t smell a thing either time!
Definitely feeling the Candy anosmnia.
No I didn’t have this problem, but I have had it with other fragrances. People rave about le Labo Gaiac and I barely smell anything and what I do smell is gone in 10 minutes..
Nada Prada 🙂
Wish I were wearing Black Tourmaline, but I’m going to a dinner tonight where one of the other guests has chemical sensitivities, and while I can usually get away with something relatively discreet (I know, I’m bad), BT is probably pushing my luck.
Here’s my question: Any suggestions for perfume shopping in Rome? I’m going next month, and while I know Profumum has multiple boutiques there, I’d love input from anyone with further ideas.
I’m sure they have a Prada boutique, if you like any of their fragrances, it’s been 6 years after my visit there, so I guess a lot has changed
Ooh, maybe I can find that new Prada super-iris that’s supposed to come out in March!
Infusion d’Iris Eau de Parfum Absolue should be available there, I envy you if you happen to put your hands on it, you might be one of the first to try it.
Don’t know where to go for perfume in Rome, but lucky you going there! I adore that city and can’t wait to get back there myself. (And I love Black Tourmaline.)
What about Fendi? You could look for (the fabled) Theorema. Many says it’s discontinued, but others have claimed it’s just in severely limited distribution, and can only be found it Italy.
I would also suggest Hilde Soliani; try testing Conaffetto and Tulipano.
I actually have a decent stash of Theorema, but always useful to have some more for swapping/splitting, and I love that kind of treasure hunt/wild goose chase when traveling! As for Hilde Soliani, I’ve only tried Saliiiisimo or whatever the heck it’s called, but that’s a good one to hunt for — I assume anywhere that would sell that line would have other interesting wares as well…
SOTD: Hermes Santal Massoia, but also wearing some Elemis ‘Revitalise-Me’ hand lotion.
I’ve been taking stock of my sample and bottle collection, and just freaked myself out a little. If I wore a different perfume every day starting from today, I wouldn’t wear the same perfume again until – eeks! – 13th June 2013 !! And that’s not counting all those pending purchases between now and then !
I have a spreadsheet to keep track of all my samples/decants/bottles and I think the same thing all the time. I stopped entering new acquisitions at around 400 – but that includes sample vials. I don’t have a problem, really I don’t! LOL
Ah, the only known cure for that problem, should any of us ever fall victim (ahem!) is… more perfume! 😉
dang. should i feel bad if i break 1000? I KNOW there are people on here with more in their collection than me.
1000 will be my next big milestone too! May take me a while as I’ve slowed down on sampling, but I’m going to enjoy the ride getting there!
Yes, but if you wear one in the morning and switch up for the afternoon/evening, you barely have enough for the rest of the year!
:-)))) what a great solution
Oohh, Santal Massoia….my new favorite! I can’t get enough of it. May very well be my first FB of an Hermessence. 🙂
Im loving it too, Bluest!! Wish it was a tad creamier with more staying power…otherwise it truly is addictive. Im going to try it tomorrow after my morning shower and over a slathering of unscented lotion.
Bella
Yes, staying power is disappointing! Someone else mentioned it, appropriately, as maddening. 🙂 Although, I sprayed some on my wrist at bedtime and could smell it in the morning.
I just ordered a sample of Kilian Amber oud. Has anyone tried that one? What are your thoughts in that case?
I need a good amber in my collection. I don’t own one yet.
I am also thinking about investing in a bottle of Absoloue pour le soir by Francis Kurkdijan. Anyone else who loves that one?
Did you try the L’Eau Ambree by Prada?
Try it, try it, try it, please 😉 I’m a Pradaholic and I second idea of l’eau ambree.
Yes I have tried it but it is super duper sweet on me 🙁
This can’t be! How about Prada Amber pour Homme? My signature fragrance, it’s widely women-wearable. What do you think?
Oh yes. A fried of mine wears it and it’s heaven on him. On me… powdered bathroom. Isn’t skin chemistry a bitch 🙂
Yes, it is, indeed. I find that those ambery, soapy, clean fragrances work great with me, but others? Thats a roulette. I bought Dsquared Potion, because I fell in love with it, and after an hour I can’t smell it, but others say they do.
I’ll try to figure some other ambery fragrances for you, so just you wait for my reply, I’ll try to help 🙂
Thank you that is so sweet of you. The way you describe your favorite ambers sounds lovely and I would love to be able to wear that category. However, I have not tried them all yet 🙂
I don’t know much about niche lines, as I don’t have access to them (2 shops in my country, but far away from my city)
My suggestions, from maintream lines:
gucci guilty, d&g the one or the one rose, burberry body, cacharel amor amor, bvlgari femme.
Hope I helped a little. Good luck with your findings of new ambery scent. Hope you share your joy when you find THIS ONE
Thank you so much! I’ll check them out next week. Keeping my fingers crossed I will find something.
Did you try the L’Artisan L’eau d’ambre?
Yes Tulp I have tried it. It was very very sweet, booth the extreme and the regular one. Maybe I should lay off ambers entirely 🙂 or try one with a herbal accord.
Yummy ambery scents: OJ Tolu, and Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe.
Thumbs up for Ambre Russe. I havent tried Tolu but I am thinking about getting her sample set.
I haven’t tried it, but Daisy commented last night on the Google group that the new Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue had become her favorite amber. High praise indeed.
I just checked it out on Luckyscent and I think it sounds promising. I havent tried any of the other fragrances in that line but they have been getting a lot of press.
It certainly made me want to try them!
Rappelyea, can you tell me anything about the Google site, or is that the one which requires an invitation? I know there was one site which a BNer invited me to a couple of years ago, but it started to take up too much time and $, so I stopped going. Now I can’t find my password or even remember the name of the group! What age does to the brain. :-\
This is the link for the Google group, and it is the one which requires and invitation. I’ve been in for a couple of years, and I honestly don’t remember how or who invited me!
http://groups.google.com/group/scent-splits
This is the wiki split site that is open to all.
http://scentsplits.wikidot.com/
The main difference is that the Google group is very strict about one splitting only a new bottle (not decants, other splits, etc.) and only for the amount paid (no profit!). You need to be a bit discerning and knowledgeable on the wiki site – there are some deals, some so-so, and some way too expensive pricing.
I hope this helps.
Rochas Absolu is a very satisfying (and inexpensive) orangey amber, but it may be sweeter than you’d like. Also in the budget category, Yves Rocher Voile d’Ambre gets a lot of love and is less toothachey, though it didn’t really capture my heart.
Sounds promising. Thank you 🙂
It’s actually my all time favorite. Has been since it came out. I was knocked out by it. I don’t wear it all the time; I like to save it for when I’m outside around horses, moving cows, or in a crowd where I want to make a statement. I love it so much I bought a back up bottle in fact. And the candle. It’s also the only one I don’t tell anyone what it is if they ask, and ask they do. I nicknamed it “Cavalia” for the Cirque du Soleil show with horses– as it reminds me of the mix of a slightly sweaty horse, sand, a hint of flowered perfume on a beautifully costumed, glowingly sweating Cirque rider.
I’m picturing asking a sales associate “Have you a fragrance that goes with moving the cows?” I love it! Now that’s a perfumista. Speaking of moving the cows or cow’s movements, I ordered UNTITLED No. 8 from Luckyscent yesterday because I find a lot of the barnyard has been laundered out of the real powerhouse scents. Someone please tell me I won’t regret it!
Well, if you really want a good whiff of barnyard, you ordered the right one. My impression was of a portable toilet, but of course YMMV. The reviews on Lucky Scent are quite interesting; most of them are either one star or five. There doesn’t seem to be any in-between for this one–you either love it or hate it. And for the record, I don’t mind a little skank in my perfumes. I love the slightly dirty edge in so many vintage scents and find most modern ‘fumes just a little too squeaky clean, but this one was too much!
Thanks 50. I just find I remember my mother’s ‘fumes seemed “stinky” to me when I was a little girl, yet they spoke unequivocally about being a big girl and all the mystique that held for someone who wasn’t yet 3 feet tall! She had great taste in the days before perfumes started being neutered. I tried MKK and thought huh? It was just a sweet inoffensive little musk on me, so perhaps the no. 8 will give me what I want through experimentation with layering. I will report back (if it doesn’t knock me dead)!
That’s interesting what you say about MKK because I thought the very same thing when I tried it–it was just a sweet, gentle musk. It was really very nice, but probably not worth SL prices, when I have my Coty Wild Musk that does the same thing. I’ve since decided that I must be anosmic or at leat hyposmic to the musks in MKK.
LOL! That would be Dzing! I’m old enough to know what you mean – I used to love scents with indolic jasmine and/or neroli, civet, etc. But that’s all been laundered out with the “clean” aroma-chemicals.
Oh yes, Dzing!, or as I call it, Dung! Definitely a barnyard note in that. Not my taste, but worth trying if you want a “dirty” scent.
Okay, adding Dzing to my must try list (pages rustling to the floor) eeeeek!
I quite like Costume National 21 for amber. It is an easy, snuggly amber rather than a decadent, lush one but imo there is always room for one of those!
I’m on an amber kick lately, too, and still looking for my HG one. Recently tried the new one from Isabey, L’Ambre de Carthage, and it’s the top-runner so far. This morning I happened to see Montale Blue Amber in a pile of samples and decants; the word is still out on that one. The Atelier one looks good!
I went through an amber period and felt that the MPG was the best. I don’t like amber that goes either in a too sweet or too medicinal, pine-y direction (like Ambre Sultan which I equate with Pine-Sol!). Don’t neglect the MGP one if you can find a sample.
I’ve tried the MPG, but it was decidedly “meh” on me. And Ambre Sultan, ah, the cumin-fest horror. I shudder at the memory.
I haven’t tried Kilian’s Amber (I want to!), but some of my favorite ambers include Versilia Vintage Ambra Mediterranea, Neil Morris Burnt Amber, Hutieme Art Ambre Ceruleen, and Annick Goutal Ambre Fetishe. Oh yes, and LAbdanum 18 is goood! And Ambre 114 from Histoire is no-nonsense amber stuff…
Should I mention that I am, apparently, not only AldeHo — nod to Mals for a phrase — but also an AmberHo?.. 🙂
Did you ever try the Jo Malone Amber-Patchouly? I thought it was rather nice, more amber than patch in the mix. I didn’t buy it though.
Is this one from the Cologne Intense? I haven’t tried any of those. Actually, did not realize there was a one with amber in the name! Need to note it down. Do you like their regular offering from the “line” a.k.a. arc – Amber and Lavender?
Yes it’s a cologne intense. They have it at Neiman-Marcus. The copy says this: “Amber and Patchouli is a deep, modern fragrance that combines the marriage of ambers, the beauty of the magnolia flower and the smokiness of agarwood and patchouli.” I liked it quite a lot–don’t remember noticing any magnolia, but mainly amber. I already have the dark amber and ginger lily one, and decided that was enough. And yes, I do like the amber & lavender one, too.
Thanks for an idea! I’ll definitely try it out.
amber sultan….
SOTD: I forget. I mean, I know I sprayed SOMETHING on this morning, and I sure liked it at the time– but after five hours of Saturday errands and chores, I cannot remember what I’m wearing for the life o’ me. I sniff my wrist and it doesn’t even ring a bell. Has anyone else out there ever suffered from this type of fragrance amnesia?
The most common version of amnesia for me is pulling on a sweater or a scarf from a day before and smelling a scent and I CANNOT place it! I know I love it, but which one is that, again? Sometimes, it drives me crazy enough that I start sniffing bottles to figure it out!
thats a pain to me, too. Especialy, when I sample something in perfumey and I put one fragrance on the left sleeve and the other on the right sleeve of my coat then I find out one of these is nice, but can’t remember which is which…
Yes, sometimes I get too enthusiastic in testing samples, and I lose track of which one is which. I try to limit myself to no more than 4, but when I get a big set in the mail, I usually fail such restraint!
Now, is that Osmanthus on my left index finger or on my ring finger? 😉
I do that sweater thing a lot. One day I put a cardigan on with the remnants of some scent on it and spritzed something else on. Whatever I combined was completely and utterly wonderful and I have no clue what I combined. I’m hoping one day I will rediscover the magical combination.
Ack! I basically said what you said first. 🙂
Even more maddening when more than one scent has accumulated on the scarf/sweater, combining to create a hybrid work of genius that you can never buy in any store…
Lol. It’s beyond frustrating isn’t it?
ITA! I call mine “Ambrosia.” 🙂
That also happens in the lipstick holder where I keep decants and roll-ons of my favorites!
I was going to say this as well! I wish I could buy a scent that smells like the cumulative base notes of several perfumes!
the best smell was opening a ziploc full of mixture of montale, serge, amouages and others…and extraordinary smell…perhaps i will take sampleas and mix them in a bottle…who knows?
Perfumista chemistry set! 😀
Happens to the best of us 😉
I actually had that experience yesterday evening. I had put on some perfume, then a couple hours later I was trying to figure out what it was because I liked it and it fit perfectly with the cold weather we have been having, but I couldn’t remember what it was. After a couple minutes, though, I remembered that it was Zen (black bottle). I think the amnesia was because I had not worn this one in a long time.
Isn’t that gorgeous? I bought a bottle last Christmas and had to restrain myself from buying the last two remaining bottles. I believe Shiseido has turfed it for a newer, faceless watery insult that they are trying to pass off as perfume. I think it can still be had online though. It’s just lovely.
I thought the black Zen was gone too (except for a few online sources), but just last week I saw it in two different stores in the Houston Galleria (Macy’s and Nordstrom), right alongside the “other” Zen. You might check around the department stores where you live; you never know.
Now THAT would be good news. I’m nervous though. I got mine here in Canada at The Bay displayed alongside the newbies. It is no longer there and when I asked at Shoppers Drugmart here (has higher end cosmetics and some fragrances in its boutique stores) they weren’t even aware of it. A girlfriend of my older brother in the late 70’s wore this in PERFUME. Can you just imagine the beauty. My formulation is cologne and has very good lasting power and sillage. May have to get another bottle to hoard, but I’m almost embarrassed now by how much I have and made myself a promise not to chase vintage or discontinued or this Alice would never get up out of the rabbit hole again!
Not sure if I’ve had exactly this version of perfume amnesia, but I always find it hard to figure out what a new perfume reminds me of – it’s really maddening!
SOTD: Chamade PdT.
You all inspired me last week to get my samples in order and make labels for some decants that were nameless. What a great feeling to start out the new year organized.
I got inspired and got some closets cleaned out but have not tackled my scents yet. Maybe this week.
Love Chamade pdt.
Good afternoon, everyone!
Today I was wearing Caron Homme in the morning and then I changed it for Prada Infusion D’Homme.
I, full-blood Pradaholic am very excited about this announcement (http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Prada-Infusion-d-Iris-Eau-de-Parfum-Absolue-2804.html) for Prada Infusion d’Iris eau de parfum absolue. I sending my prayers for this one to happily land in my country in march, so that I can give it a deep whiff. Ahh….
I love how much you love Prada. Sadly I do not own any Prada yet but your enthusiasm for it makes me want to buy a bottle of something Prada just because.
I would say I’m fully dedicated to Prada. (they could make me a Spokesperson for Prada Fragrances, lol) It’s because I find all their fragrances beautiful, well made, and a little bit “next to maintream.” And of course none of their fragrances I tried was a disappintment to me.
If I could be of any help, please let me know 🙂 I’ll gladly lend you a helping hand
If I ever get to Poland you can take me shopping. 🙂
Actually, my niece is considering a trip this summer.
Wow, you remember I’m polish, I’m impressed. If you happen to visit Poznan you can count on me
Lucasai, I suspect you’re an unknown son of Miuccia Prada? Not?! Maybe Daniela Andrier?! I’m kidding! You should work at Prada. I’m serious: enthusiasts are always welcome at companies; nothing like a person working and trusting in his work. Hey, and when you work there, don’t forget to send me some party invitations, right? 😉 If you forget, I’ll remember you!
I wish I had any family relations with Miuccia Prada or Daniela Andrier.
I know I’m such an enthusiast of Prada fragrances, actually saying it’s my big dream to work for them one day. That’s one of the reasons I study cosmetic chemistry now.
Sure, if that happens you’ll be cordially invited for a parfum launch or a catwalk party.
Really? Interesting. Here we have to do pharmacy graduation (5 years) and after that, industrial pharmacy (about 2 years). You’re on the right place for working with comestics. Hah, I’d love to be Miuccia’s son. Actually, who wouldn’t?
pharmacy studies in Poland look the same 5 years + 2. My cosmetic chemistry studies are 5 years studies, I hope to make my way to Prada someday
Good look. You’re on the right way! 😉
Lucky you 😀 I love the Prada fragrances from a distance (except for the tuberose, this one makes me feel ill), but I cannot wear a single one of them.
That’s a shame. I’m a huge fan of all male Prada fragrances and they do their best when I’m wearing one of them. I didn’t try d’Iris – have to repair that mistake. I haven’t seen other d’something, probably they’re still making their way to Poland or they won’t come here at all.
Fellow Pradaholic. Infusion D’Iris, however, despite being perhaps the most widely loved, doesn’t do it for me. I’ll give the Absolue a whirl anyway though!
I know d’Iris gets the most love of them all, but I should’ve at least try it 😉 It way be worse than d’Homme, but introducing another fragrance to my nose sounds great. I’m counting on absolue too
I Just Can’t Wait to try this new Infusion D’Iris. The EDP is one of my all time faves.
My nose is very happy to sniff d’Iris absolue in march.
Hope this lands in Poland on time
I love Prada Infusion d’Iris but feel like it’s too light and fleeting to justify a full bottle. So I’m with you Lucasai, can’t wait to try the new absolue.
I have a full bottle of Infusion d’Homme & two other male fragrances by Prada. I’ve heard many opinions that d’Iris is similar to d’Homme, but I can’t remeber giving d’Iris a try. Maybe because I discovered not so long ago, that some women fragrances can be worn by man. So if I happen to meed d’Iris absolue I’ll gladly welcome it and maybe adapt it to my skin & senses if it works good.
I tried them both because I heard the Infusion d’homme was a more intense version of d’Iris. To my nose the Homme is more masculine and deeper in some ways. It’s just hard for me to put it into words.
Dear, you don’t have to explain that to my, I’m fully dedicated to Prada. If I tried d’Iris I could tell somehing more for comparison. Let’s patiently wait for absolue release in march & we’ll see how they worked it up and if it’s worth buying. I hope this will be fabulous
Have you tried Prada Infusion de Vetiver and Infusion de Rose?
Yes, Moore I tried d’Vetiver, but I liked d’Homme better, so I bought d’Homme
And, Moore, one more. No I haven’t tried de Rose. Why? I’m asking myself why, I don’t even know if it arrived to Poland.
Eeck I have some major fragrance lacks from the ladys parfum counter. I must change that quickly
Cause I haven’t tried either. I’d like to hear what you thought about it.
Moore, if I happen to see de Rose when I’ll visit my sephora on wednesday I’ll let you know my thoughts
But it fits perfectly a lady.
I’m starting off the new year by catching up on testing last year’s releases. Last weekend I got to try out some of the mainstream stuff–Botega Veneta, Prada Candy, and Violet Blonde. I thought Candy was much better than most of the recent mainstream releases I have smelled, but nothing to inspire a lemming. BV seemed to have a lot of a certain synthetic, plasticky note that I have noticed in a lot of recent perfumes. I don’t know if it is a specific aromachemical, or which one it might be, but I don’t care for it. VB was intensely, sugary sweet on my skin. I like sweet violets better than green violets, but this was perhaps a bit too much. I have ordered a sample, though to try it out further.
Today I placed an order for the more elusive scents that I couldn’t find in the department stores–Mon Parfum Cheri, Secret Garden, and Miriam. I have read such good things about these that I am really looking forward to trying them out. I am afraid I am becoming very much of a niche snob. It is not that I object in principle to wearing a mainstream perfume–if I like something, I will gladly wear it and I really don’t care how many other people have it or wear it, or if it is being sold at 10,000 cosmetic counters–I just am finding that fewer and fewer of the mainstream releases smell any good to me.
Oh, good for you for ordering those samples, 50 Roses! I have meant to do the same thing, but I fear I will continue to be “behind” for some time now!
I agree with you about department store scents. I don’t have a problem with available scents in theory, but sadly, I don’t find many that I love. I REALLY wish I could find more “cheap thrills” that I actually found thrilling!
I love when I can find things that I love and are easily available but I agree, it’s getting hard to do.
Have the same experience with the mainstream releases. I am more and more going back to the perfumes I used in the 80/90 years.
I’m glad I’m not alone in missing the BV love. I really just didn’t get it. It seemed like there was barely anything to smell and what I did was hardly distinctive. Maybe I need to give it some more chances to get its subtlety though.
I am totally with you on the BV. It was really cloying on me, a scrubber in fact. I cannot understand all the love it’s gotten in reviews. There must be some element in there that some people pick up on and others don’t.
i am with you on that…getting a lot of synthetics our of mainstreams lately
I agree 50. I find even newer versions of great oldies have been put on a diet and limited to one coat of mascara. I tried Shalimar EdP the other day and it was so insipid and had zero lasting power (1 hour, no kidding). I think the mainstream industry is practically forcing us to go niche. Thank God there are niche houses out there. The Mon Parfum Cherie, is that the new Goutal release? Very interested to know what you think, there are reviews but not much feedback from the community. I’ll bet Miriam will be great. Love me an old fashioned chypre. Great start for your New Year.
You said it!! Totally agreeing with everyone on the BV “non-love”.
Can’t we do better than this, people?? 🙂
Our noses are too discerning to be fooled into believing this is fine fragrance! I find BV to be quite suffocating. I can see a hazy comparison to Daim Blond but in terms of construction and quality of materials there is just no comparison. Another similar niche perfume which is miles above BV is Mythique. In this case at least, you get what you pay for!
50_Roses, I totally agree with you on the BV. I tried it twice and still don’t “get” it. For me at least, there is nothing special about it. Actually I don’t get much leather, it’s, as you say, all chemically.
Can I just say that I picked up a bottle of Womanity for 70% off at the Sephora down the street from me? I have a bit of perfumista guilt right now because I don’t “love” it – but I couldn’t pass up that price. It is growing on me…
lucky you, congrats! Let it work perfect with you 🙂
I do like it, but since I’m hiding it behind my other bottles, I think I have to work though the purchase guilt!
Dont be ashamed – I have a small bottle that I wear when the mood hits me, not often, I admit, but sometimes it calls out to me from the back of my cupboard. It just smells of sweet fig on me.
Lol. I bought a bottle at discount too even though I didn’t really love it. I have to admit it has grown on me. I hated the stuff the first time I smelled it and gradually I’ve somehow started to like that saltiness with the fig.
I spent the week trying out seven samples from Luckyscent, in order to figure out what to do with my xmas gift certificate. The winner — by a mile — is ELO Tilda Swinton Like This. And now that I’m addicted to it, of course it’s backordered, so I’m not sure when it’ll actually be in my possession.
Runner up was probably CdG Carnation; might get a large-ish decant from TPC later on. I had high hopes for ELO Jasmin et Cigarette — it was interesting at first, with gorgeous jasmine and pipe tobacco and a little peachy fruit, but the drydown was rather nondescript and the whole thing wasn’t as weird as I was hoping for. But a fellow perfumista (perfumisto? he’s a dude) at work is anxious to try it, so the rest of the sample is going to a good home.
I’ve also fallen hard for Tokyo Milk Ex Libris, thanks to my Indiescents gift certificate. Love the fig-leaf and cardamom combination. I also got Sea and Sky, which is what I wish more “fresh” scents were like.
Like This has been on my Buy List for over a year…one day! It’s really lovely, isn’t it?
Ex Libris is one of the only ToykoMilks I have not tried and I’m dying to smell it, for some reason the store nearby doesn’t carry it. I agree about Sea to Sky having a lovely freshness that doesn’t seem too artificial or contrived. I’m quite sure I’ll own it one day. I also think Marine Sel is fresh in a truly outdoorsy and unexpected way. Have you tried it?
Like This is the first scent I’ve tried in a while that just blew me away. I got it all over my forearms and wrists (darn non-spray vial) last weekend, and then spent a lot of time at my desk working on a freelance editing project — now the places I rested my arms on smell divine. I never thought I’d huff my desk, but there you have it.
I haven’t tried Marine Sel, but it piqued my interest when I saw it online — will definitely seek out a sample. Also (horror!) I didn’t see Ex Libris on the Tokyo Milk website last time I looked. I know Indiescents and Beauty Encounter still have it, though (got my bottle from the latter, where it’s on clearance — also probably not a good sign).
ahaha, the things perfume will make us do.
That is concerning, I am now tempted to make a blind buy. Great, my perfumed resolutions are getting shaky two weeks into Januarary. This does not bode well.
Given the clear and present danger of extinction, and given that Ex Libris is all of $28, I submit that an exemption from your New Year’s resolution would not be inappropriate in this case.
Also, Meg, are you in the US? I’d be happy to send you a sample of Ex Libris (once I track down some empty vials).
I’m not, unfortunately for perfume swapping. In Canada! Thank you for the kind offer anyway.
sotd is Kelly caleche sample I ordered after reading much love for it here on the site. I still smell it on my wrists 6 hours after applying, it is very nice, but what’s all the hype about fellow perfumistas?
I take it you don’t love it?
like, but not love. Not yet at least! Maybe I expected more?
It’s cold in Ohio today, so Tea for Two sounded perfect for the day!
Yes, Tea for Two is lovely and comforting in the cold!
I am wearing Bond I Love NY For All. I absolutely adore it and love putting it on in the morning/early afternoon.. and then adding on top of it in the evening.
SOTD is L’Artisan Vanilia layered with Passage d’enfer.
Yesterday, though, I found myself walking right past the Creed boutique so, of course, i just had to pop in. I am still very new to this very old line. After a few misses, the lovely and helpful salesman suggested Original Santal, which I had never tried, and low and behold I really loved it on me! Then when I got home I searched out reviews on it and was surprised to find such a wide range of opinions from love to hate.
Every time I’ve been in proximity to the Creed collection in person I am too imtimidated by the sheeer size of it to know where to start. The fact that I find the bottles deplorably drab certainly isn’t helping the situation.
I have a similar response to the new Bond no. 9 collection at my Nordie’s. There are too many and I feel stuck sort of randomly sniffing them based on the color of the bottle!
I feel that way about the Bonds too. But I love Nuits de Noho and Success is a Job in NY. Haven’t sprung for a FB yet though. Fortunately th e stores are great about samples. They practically push them on you!
Yes, I am intimidated by Creed as well, but there was no one in the store at the time so I had the salesman all to myself to help me. Still, after the first 5 scents, I was losing hope and then he offered Santal. The cinnamon note was really fun and it lasted on me for hours. I’m going to have to order a sample and try it a few more times.
I recently ordered from Celeste Parfums in Den Haag, Netherlands. Initially, the order did not go through because US addresses don’t fit their European address format, but I e-mailed CP, they sent me a PayPal voucher and my order quickly and safely.
The international shipping is steep, but CP included a generous array of samples that would have cost an equivalent amount from the usual sites that sell samples. So I am a happy (and completely unaffiliated) and will likely check back in the future for anything that I can’t find closer to home. Among other things, I noticed that they still seem to have Cologne a la Francaise from the late Institut Tres Bien.
One of the samples they sent me was Guerlain Idylle Eau Sublime, which I’m testing now. I haven’t seen many reviews, but Octavian liked it better than the original Idylle. It reminds of the original J’Adore, (I think – I haven’t sniffed that for many years), and, since I don’t like the current J’Adore, I may need more of this Idylle flanker.
Has anyone else tried Idylle Eau Sublime and formed an opinion yet?
I have not, sorry…wish it was easier to find Idylle flankers here.
I purchased a ’70s mini of Vent Vert off the ‘Bay a few months ago and have been circling it, eyeing it cautiously, such is its (and Cellier’s) reputation for intensity and vivid greenness. But, here down under, we have recently had a cold snap in the middle of Indian summer and I found myself drawn to it. Several days of wear later, I think it’s love. That beautiful bitter opening shapeshifts for about two hours and reminds me of playing in a big tangle of vines growing next to the house as a child – broken stems and crushed leaves. Then the wonderful lifted, powdery drydown comes – so good I find myself sniffing my arm again and again just to make sure I didn’t imagine it.
Which concentration do you have? I have an older bottle of Vent Vert EDT (not sure of the exact vintage) that I randomly found at a discounter for under $30. It’s a tall, nearly cylindrical bottle with sloped shoulders and the label at the bottom, and the juice is deep green. It smells very much like what you’ve described — love it.
Oh, it’s so, so wonderful isn’t it? You got a bargain!
My VV is parfum concentration, the juice is pale golden, and the bottle is square and labelled across a corner, with a brown lid – much like this one
http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/balmain_vent_vert_pre1990_reformulation_.jpg
which is attached to a great article at Bois de Jasmin about the various reformulations – worth a read if you have a moment.
Oh yes, I remember that article from when I was researching Vent Vert before deciding to buy. So glad I went ahead and did it. I can only fantasize about what the vintage parfum must be like … so glad you’re enjoying it!
Good afternoon Robin!,
I tried on ” Laugh” in a Brighton store this afternoon…You know, those purse and jewelry stores in malls. It actually smells pretty good on me right now, and I’m holding my breath, hoping it stays this nice!… Roses, and spices. We’re to the drydown and it smells like an expensive rosier, slightly spicier version of Charlie to me… : ) but in a nice way. Have any of you tried this? Robin, can you comment. What are the notes in this?It’s not expensive!
Not sure what scent you mean. What’s the brand name?
It might be the one from Avon that Reese Witherspoon is fronting, the Expressions collection: Love, Live, Laugh
But that wouldn’t have been in a store, would it?
Oh! It’s not sold in stores? Sorry, I don’t know anything about Avon, we don’t have that brand in Norway (I think)
I think some areas now have stores and/or kiosks, but Avon was historically a direct sales company. Don’t know what they are in England, assuming she means Brighton, England — which she might not!
I only know this because a friend gave me a Brighton watch several years ago. That is the company name, and evidently they now make a perfume (who doesn’t!):
http://www.brighton.com/product/fragrances/36956-15592/laugh-eau-de-parfum.html
Not Brighton, England but Brighton Collectibles stores. They have a nice line of bags, small accessories, shoes, eyewear, and jewelry (including charms that rival Pandora at much lower prices). Surprisingly, despite frequenting the local store, I have not tried the fragrances but I will now make it a point to do so!
I think it’s made by the Brighton company…it was inside of the store, in the mall…: ) I was in Branson, MO…not in Brighton ,England, though that does sound lovely.
They have four fragrances; Live, Laugh, Love and Dream. They’re in nice bottles. The company sells purses, jewelry, bracelets, charm necklaces and such…charms similar to the ones that pandora sells. I only glanced at the price; I think it said $ 49.
It ended up being just ok. My coat smells fabulous though : ).
AH…so sorry, that went right over my head! Never heard of them so I’ll be no help, sorry!
SOTD; Eau d’Hiver. We are having a cold snap here in the UK so I spent a quiet day at home, making cookies, chatting with my husband and reading to my daughters and this scent was just perfect for that!
I adore L’Eau d’Hiver (my first Frederic Malle). It’s perfect for a cozy, wintry day at home!
I think I’m beginning a “leather” kick. The new Bottega Veneta is lovely and I drained my sample in no time. It’s on my FB list. I also own Kelly Caleche and Dzing and I really enjoy the leather notes in both of these. What other perfumes feature Leather notes but lean (for lack of a better word) toward feminine? I have tried Bandit and need to revisit it. My last sampling found Bandit a bit too much for me.
Leather (along with vetiver) is my favorite note, there are sooo many of them! Plus leathers can be many things but they are rarely boring.
Off the top of my head –
Bandit, Kelly Caleche and Bottega as mentioned as mentioned, then
Cuir de Russie (stunning)
Scandal (Lanvin, that is. Long discontinued)
Tabac Blond (but probably only vintage is worth trying)
Cabochard (as above. Vintage parfum is divine. A lot like Bandit but not quite as scary)
Daim Blond
Cuir Mauresque
Boxeuses
Oud Cuir d’Arabie (I adore it but it might be a little on the masculine side)
Jolie Madame
Miss Balmain (The above seems to get most of the love but I like this one better)
Azurée (seems to be a love or hate fragrance)
Cuir Venenum
Tuscan Leather
Knize Ten
Cuir Pleine Fleur
Lancome Cuir (this pretty feminine, easy to wear, oh, and cheap!)
Bel Ami
Memoir
Dior Leather Oud (probably too scary to wear but fun to sniff for the shock factor)
ELDO Rien
Mythique (believe this is also supposed to be a light, feminine suede)
And I’m sure there are plenty I’m forgetting
Great list! I was searching leathers the otherday online. I tried Dior Leather Oud last year thinking I would love it. I’ve been afraid to wear it since. 🙂
Ha, yes! This is the scent for which the word animalic was invented 😀
Great list! I’ve tried a few you mentioned – boxeuses and memoir- and swooned. I didn’t realize they feature leather! I wish boxeuses was here in the states, because I’d prob own a bottle. I plan to track down samples of the rest of these, too. And I need to give bandit another try now that my nose has matured. I wore it to bed on the last trial and had nightmares! Thanks abyss!
Never wear Bandit to bed . . . if you want to sleep!
I loved Bandit from the very first sniff and, yes, have even worn it to bed but it’s definitely not a scent for everyone.
Have fun exploring leathers and do report back with your impressions 😀
Boxeuses is definitely on my to-sniff list! It sounds right up my alley!
Guerlain’s Cuir de Beluga
Thought of another leather… Dior Homme. Marketed as a masculine, but with the iris and powdery dry down, really is a unisex.
What about Traversee du Boshore? I find myself wearing it more often. I love the candle!
Bosphore. Darn phone and fingers aren’t getting along. 😉
I love TdB. Full bottle love!
Wow – awesome list by abyss, and totally agree with Bluest on TdB. Hard to find anything to add, but here goes:
Parfums d’Empire Cuir Ottoman (one of my favs)
MDCI Belle Helene (the pear version of TdB)
Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur
DSH Mata Hari
Isn’t the Heeley a lovely, delicate, beautifully balanced leather? It doesn’t get nearly enough attention.
You’re right, Holly C. If I could have only one leather, that might be the one (although I have to admit that I haven’t really given Chanel Cuir de Russie a good try yet).
Oh you must get tiny samples of EdT and Extr. of CdR. That was all it took for me to fall madly in love. If I could only have one or the other I’d go for the EdT. It is very true to scent and has more sillage than the extrait. But if you’re an oooomph girl the extrait has more of that. It’s a masterpiece of a bygone era that has been faithfully brought back to life.
I intend to try Cuir Pleine Fleur and Cardinal next time I’m at Barneys (I think they have most, if not all, of the Heeley range). CPF sounds like something I’d wear a lot, and it’s encouraging to hear it get good recommendations from NSTers.
daim blonde was my first and favourite leather..probably because of the apricot and suede
Not wearing anything yet as I’ve had a slow start to the day and still have some cleaning chores ahead of me (I always get so bummed out when I apply perfume and then realize I forgot I had to wash the dishes or the floors or something and it gets washed away. Although it’s usually lovely for a minute or so when the warm water intensifies the scent). But when I do put something on for this evening I think it will need to be lighter, fruity, or citrusy. I’m not sure if it’s the current water advisory in my town making me chronically dehydrated or if it’s the fact that I’ve been wearing a lot of dense, aldeyhdic perfumes (got a compliment on Tabu yesterday. Chalk one up for the cheap drugstore scents!), which seem like the olfactory equivalent of warm delicious bread, but I am in the mood for a scent equivalent of a tall icy drink. Thoughts? I’m thinking maybe Cooney Island.
Another question: I have recently gotten some freshly cut cedar slabs which are drying for furniture. As it dries, I can’t believe how damn gorgeous the smell is. I really want a cedar-centred perfume, but for some reason this proves harder than I thought. It seems to be so often cast as a supporting role in many scents, never taking the stage. Any true cedar rec’s? Is there such a thing?
For me, at least, Feminite du Bois is all about the cedar.
Oh absolutely! The cedar completely brings the scent together in the most marvellous way. Older Zen has quite a bit of cedar too.
Thanks 50! I had a sample of FdB that I swapped away not that long ago, now I’m thinking I didn’t give it enough of a chance. I had one of the strangest and strongest scent associations with FdB which sort of deterred me from sampling it extensively; to me it smelled exactly like a fresh cut tomato sprinkled with pepper. Delicious to eat, I just didn’t want to smell like it at the time.
I love cedar, too, and I know what you mean about wishing for a scent in which it’s the main attraction. I got a lot of cedar from CdG Jaisalmer (in the incense series), and also from Kyoto (though I didn’t really care for that one otherwise). Currently, the drydown of Piguet Futur is my go-to cedar fix.
I’ve been sorely tempted to blind-buy the Yves Rocher Blue Cedar fragrance — massive bottle goes for around $15 — but given that I couldn’t smell the companion shower gel at all, I’ve been hesitant. (Speaking of cedar shower gels, Korres used to have a fantastic one; not sure if they still make it. I hoarded bottles of it when Sephora put it on sale.)
Christian LaCroix’s “Tumulte Pour Homme” is a nice cedar scent, and I know a lot of women who wear it. Another of my favorites is “Tiempe Passate” from Antonia’s Flowers, which is a more feminine blend of cedar and mostly rose (to my nose, at least). The first one is cheap and the second expensive. I think they’re both still around if you search a bit.
Thanks Emily, you’ve sold me on a sample of Jaismalar.
Happy to enable!
uncle serges cedre. a tall ice drink, mmmmm…. anisa bella
Cedre will definitely be on my next Luckyscent order! Who is anisa bella by? I can’t seem to find any info on it.
Anisia Bella is by Guerlain. It is beautiful, uplifting, airy and herbal. Very refreshing indeed!
Love Anisia Bella! By far my favorite of the Aqua Allegorias (Aquas Allegorias? meh). It’s discontinued but is dirt cheap at discounters, or at least it used to be.
I have to say it is supporting role here, too, but De Bachmakov has some nice cedar notes.
Voyage D’hermes has a nice infusion of cedar about halfway through the drydown. I would say it is a supporting cast member after the spices and citrus. But once it arrives…..mmmmm yum for that dry sweet creamy cedar.
I have found in my experience of this scent that it becomes sweeter and the cedar more pronounced on darker or olive skin tones. Don’t know why that is though.
Bella
I have (finally) tried Vert pour Madame by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz on one arm and her Mirabella on the other arm. Both are wonderful. Vert is all I hoped for — well, if I am to be completely honest, almost. I hoped for more aldehydes in it… but other than that, it is a green top, floral heart and sophisticated mossy base. Mrreow!
I like Vert Pour Madame quite a lot too. I haven’t tried Mirabella yet. Have you tried Pandora? It is fantastic. I don’t really have a very high success rate with DSH, as I only end up liking maybe 20% of those I try, but the ones that do work for me, work extremely well.
I did try Pandora, but I needed more floral action there! Vert was what I hoped Pandora would be, too. Actually, I need to give it a “proper wearing” to be sure 🙂 but my arm tests did not wow me as I hoped they would…
Hi everyone,
Longtime lurker here! Came out of my shell tonight to ask a question that’s been hounding me for a few days now.
Has anyone noticed a similarity between the Bottega Venetta perfume and the old Liz Claiborne (in the red triangular bottle)?
I’ve been testing out BV for the past few weeks and couldn’t make up my mind if I liked it or not. There was a note that was bothering me. Suddenly it hit me that the fruity note in BV is EXACTLY to my nose the persistent fruit note in LC. I do not care for LC, I had a camp counselor loooong ago who wore it and didn’t care for her either 🙂
Is anyone familiar with the old LC fragrance? I was so relieved just to make that connection in my head and I now know why I was so ambivalent to BV. Any comments are appreciated!!
Bella
I can’t answer your question, but I wanted to say Welcome!
I second Marjorie Rose, Bella. It’s good that you’re venturing out here. It’s wonderful the enjoyment fragrance brings, particularly when you begin to figure out what you do and don’t like and why. It will limit considerably the purchases that you wish you hadn’t made and increase those that will bring you a rush of enjoyment everytime you smell them. I have Cuir de Russie in EdT and extrait and I sniff them both almost everyday even if it’s not a day to wear them, they are just pure beauty. Have fun, you’re in good company.
Hi hollyc, thanks for your kind words and tips!
I am actually much more of an advanced perfumista than I’ve let on to be. I possess (or am possessed by??) upwards of 200 bottles of perfume at his point. I’ve always bee the crazy nose in the family since I was little. Now that Ive found NSTI just love reading up on everyone’s opinions of different scents, positive or negative, I find them all to be helpful. Regarding Cuir de Russie, I havent yet smelled the extrait but do just love the EDP! Dont own it though…yet 🙂
Bella
200! Good Lord, you should have your OWN blog!! Welcome, I’ll look forward to your input!
Thanks so much Marjorie Rose!
I love being here amongst all my favorite fragrant celebrities! 🙂
Hi Bella. I am not familiar with LC frags so I can’t answer your question but I also just wanted to say welcome…and to express awe (two hundred bottles!).
Hi Meg and thanks!
Yup 200..at least. It’s not LOVE with all of them though so I’d like to find a way to unload at least 25-30 of them. Maybe I’ll join that swap. Need more details if anyone has em!
Bella
Swapmania is held over at the Perfume Posse (perfumeposse.com). It looks like it is going to happen semi-annually, once in winter and in summer. The upcoming one is going to be Mid-February, I think. Anyway, you list whatever perfume items (bottles/decants…whatever) you no longer want, a brief description of the item, where you live and where you are willing to ship, and what you hope to get in return. Or you can just cruise what other people have posted and if you see something you want offer them something you have. It really is a lot of fun. You’ll just want to pay attention to when it starts exactly so you don’t miss out.
hi bella and welcome..i too have unloved bottles to off load…lets look out for each other in the next swapamania
Hi everybody,
I love ginger but I don’t know which perfume contains it (mainstream lines). Could you be so kind to help me? Thanks! 😀
According to my notes. . .
Bulgari Omnia
LL Si Lolita
and it seems like I remember ginger in Terre d’Hermes?
I always smelled ginger in Voyage d’Hermes, but I am not sure whether it is listed in the official notes. My nose and brain say yes though and I leave it at that.
And so does amouage epic for women.
Ah, maybe it was Voyage!? I don’t have either listed in my notes, but I definitely remember an Hermes with gingery notes. . .
Marjorie Rose, I believe the Hermes with ginger is un jardin apres le mousson. I know it contained many spices ie cardamom, coriander and pepper. From what I rememeber it did smell gingery as well. Havent checked though, so could be wrong!
Bella
Off the top of my head, and maybe these aren’t mainstream enough, are Nutmeg and Ginger by Jo Malone, and then Five O’Clock Ginembre by Lutens and then…Roget and Gallet have a ginger called Ginembre, as well. Surely Pacifica or Body Shop has some as well. I don’t know of any others. Best of luck. I love the smell of ginger!
Origins do a ginger fragrance, the exact name escapes me.
JM Nutmeg and Ginger is pretty nice but heavier on nutmeg than ginger. They also never last on me.
Thanks a lot Marjorie Rose, Abyss and Mough
I think I’ll try Bulgari Omnia. I’m sure it will smell great on me.
Bulgari Omnia is a people magnet!! More specifically a man magnet, but let’s not discuss that 🙂
I’m on my 3rd full bottle and 4th travel bottle. It’s THAT good!!
Just heavenly
Bella
Yup! I almost feel like I should post a warning when I recommend it to people: do not wear unless you want male attention!
Hi Perfumelover!
It doesn’t get a lot of love online but there is definitely a distinctive ginger note in Giorgio Armani Idole.
Now that you’ve reminded me of it I’ve dug it up and its my SOTD. It really is very gingery and I already got a compliment on it.
SL 5 O’Clock au Gingembre 🙂
My scent of the day was Diorama. I can’t believe I didn’t care for it when I got it early summer, but it really comes into its own in the cold. I much, much, much prefer it to the much regaled Parfum de Therese which was so sweet on me it got downright annoying.
Tonight though I’m wearing Amazone by Hermes but rather wishing I’d spritzed Annick Goutal Passion , it’s my go to, always love it, never bores me, God it’s gorgeous fragrance.
My biggest surprise last year was discovering I didn’t hate tuberose after all and am exploring it through Carnal Flower, Tuberose Gardenia, and Gardenia Passion.
Wish I had Osmanthe Yunnan and Onda extrait and Dia. Yes, they will be next unless I regain my sanity which seems unlikely . . . .
I’m still searching for a tuberose to love. You’ve given me hope!
meg i have always disliked tuberose…and suddenly strangely, i smelled fracas on a friend…and it is now love!!! as well as tuberose criminal, carnal flower, nuit de tuberose(the first addiction…not love) tuberose gardenia (sorry that was the first)and i have a sample of the original l’artisan tubereuse…which i will use today 🙂
I’ve been on a sandalwood kick for the last six weeks or so and have ordered several different sample packs from Perfumed Court. I have found a lot of scents I really love, such as Serge’s Santal de Mysore, and (ooh) Anick Goutal Sables, but somehow these seemed to belong in a separate category and not be “pure” enough. I feel as if I don’t really know for sure what sandalwood smells like on its own but I’d like to avoid the too-sweet, too-spicy, and too-dry or incense-y. I’ve gone back and forth on this but my selection has finally come down to two, each with its own virtues: the MPG Santal Noble (wonderful, a little creamy) and I Profumi di FIrenze Santal Misore (hard to find, but somehow just perfect, and VERY unlike the Serge, missing the syrup and cumin). So now I’ve ordered both of these and can be a happy camper–This search is now concluded (ha ha, she says). Meanwhile I’m wearing Sables today and loving it. I would really douse myself in it but am afraid I will smell funny to people in the shops and at the cat shelter where I volunteer. (I’m sure the kitties will like me though, my cat wants to lick where I’ve applied it!).
You must try Cadjmere (PG).
Calyspo what does the il Forenzi (sp?) smel like?
I’m not sure how to describe it. It has a bit of sweetness to it but nothing like the Serge version which I would call heavy and syrupy (though I do love it). It’s quite light and airy in feeling and has a simple structure–the beginning is what you keep smelling. It lasts fairly well on me and just seems natural, like you are smelling fresh cut wood itself. It’s more dry than creamy, but not dry in a medicinal way which i do find in a lot of sandalwoods.
It sounds lovely.
sandlewood is one of my notes…the first one i fell in love with was corso como, and then santal blanc….bois de isle
well today my daughter went back to college:-( my hibbie went to la, my good friend left for israel and a very good friend left to live in melbourne….what a lot of leaving…so i have loads of time (even tho there are three boys still at home) and it is 12.38 and i am still in pjs hanging out with you guys:-)
i am kind of worrying if daisy is ok…
i have fallen in lov ewith fracas and would like to know if anybody has a comparison between current and pre reformulation, as i am getting a chemical smells for the first hour…
Can anybody compare untitled with vetiveryo?
Have a great sunday …mine is halfway finished
That *is* a lot of leaving! Good to see you on here too. And I agree that I’m a bit worried about our Daisy – other than the one comment the other night on the Google group, I haven’t seen or heard hide nor hair of her! I miss her here.
I can’t answer any of your other questions…. 🙂
Rappleyea, How do you join the Google Group?
Tara – you have to be invited or apply. I’m not sure what the rules are on “inviting” though. Here’s an email that will go to the administrators:
scent-splits at googlegroups dot com
I’d suggest just writing and asking permission, telling them that you are a regular on here.
Thanks
good to say hi too rapps…yup a lot of leaving…it has been a hectic year in all. DAISY..come and say hi! No worries about my questions….perhaps i will have to find a vintage fracas somewhere sometime:-)
Daisy is definitely OK so don’t worry! (I’m in regular contact with her, and she continues to be as funny and generous as ever.)
Great! Thanks. 🙂
good to hear! thnx
I was wonderfing about Daisy too!
I wanted to order L’Artisan’s Vanille absolument from their sale. It’s been a while since I first smelled it and wandet to double check before my order, I went to a store and smelled the tester. There was NO vanilla in it. It smelled watery-earthy. Nothing else. I thought I must have mixed up names and this one was a different perfume – a perfumer’s joke, using roots, sap and bark of the vanilla tree. And if a poor customer would ask ” is there any vanilla??”, the name would be’ vanille absolument- absolutely, there is, just ont as you expected” (yes, I’ve been reading one too many niche ad copys lately). I went back to Robins review and now I’m sure something was wrong with the tester (strange, since the store started carrying LAP only about 3 months ago… Has anyone had similar experiences with this perfume?It didn’t smell “off” like in old tester. Just completely different and without vanilla….
Unfortunately my bottle of Vanille absolument turned, after that it smelled strange, earthy not good and some other strange smell. And it had a very dark color. I had to throw it away.
Thank you for the information. I guess I won’t purchase then – don’t want to risk a full bottle that might turn after just a few months
I addicted to Prada Candy!!! I bought it last Saturday and have worn it everyday this week which is unusal for me. There is just something about that I can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s the carmel beginning, which foody but not too sweet or the spice in the dry down. Even I sit here right now and think about what I want to wear today, Boxeues or ISM or something incensey (it’s cold here in NY…16 degrees F right now) , they get crowded out by visions of Prada Candy…I think I have a problem!!
I am loving it too…very glad I bought it.
Well, at least it’s not bad for the hips or teeth, LOL!
I have a question, before my Prada Candy addiction started I smell a sample of Tom Ford’s Santal Blush and as a perfume person found it really compellling, but do you think regular people (ya know…people whose lives are not comsumed with fragrance..) think I smell lovely or do they think I need to apply more deodorant?
I haven’t sniffed Santal Blush, but your question makes me giggle! I love me some sillage, and I do wonder (occasionally) how my fragrance impacts those around me. Few of my scents are odd enough to be mistaken for B.O., but they definitely aren’t all roses and jasmine!
tara, i tested it and found it extremely compelling as well..it reminded me of santal blanc and so i didnt go any further because of the price point! it lasted all day and i kept getting incredible wafts…
This is the perfumista’s dilemma, Tara! The other day I was sampling PG Cuir Venenum, which LT compares to Belgian beer. I had a discreet spritz on one hand, because I was afraid of smelling like I’d been drinking. I was relieved when I asked a colleague if it smelled like beer, and she said, no, it smelled good. 🙂
SOTD is Traversee du Bosphore. Still contemplating buying a FB of this eventually — when I need a big reward!
I keep having this feeling lately like I’m craving a particular scent, but I don’t know what it is — and I couldn’t even name notes or anything. It’s kind of a “wood pudding” but very light. Grrr … I don’t know if it’s something I sampled before or something I own a FB of — this is what happens when you have too much perfume!
Yes…I do something similar all the time!
This happens to me, too, and, oddly enough, I sometimes crave something that I don’t have and don’t even think exists. Sometimes it’s simply something that I have but wish could be tweaked to reduce or augment one of its notes, and sometimes it’s something completely different.
I think that’s exactly it, Nozknoz!
Not exactly a fragrance question, but I hope someone here can help me anyway. 🙂
I’ve recently found myself in possession of some fantastic jasmine green tea and top-quality basmati rice. I’m quite in the mood to combine these two…but I’m not sure exactly what I want to do with that. I love kheer, an Indian rice pudding that often uses rose water- do any fellow foodies think jasmine green tea would be an acceptable substitute? I’d probably add some orange, cardamom, and ginger as well, unless any of those stick out as a terrible idea to any kind readers. 🙂
Anyway, any thoughts?
Ooh, here’s a thought: I’d be tempted to scald some milk and steep the tea in it. Use this as the liquid to make the rice pudding with. Sweetened with honey, cardamom and cinnamon maybe? Sprinkle with some pistachios or pine nuts.
Do you think the tea would steep properly in the milk? It sounds fantastic, but I’d be worried that the milk might not absorb the flavor like water does.
I think it would be ok. As Noz suggests, you could start with a small amount and see how it goes. Good luck! I’d love to hear what you try!
I’d give it a try in small quantities, Pinkster. Also, I do think milk would absorb the tea flavor: delicious chai is made by simmering tea and spices in milk.
You could also try out the effect of other spices simply by adding them to a cup of tea made with your lovely new tea. The best way to figure out what works is to experiment! And please report back and let us know what works best – this desert sounds excellent.
Thanks for the comments! 🙂 I considered steeping the tea in milk, but couldn’t figure out how to strain it without also taking out the spices I added. But I did come up with something, and it turned out fabulously! 😀
Jasmine Tea Pudding
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup jasmine green tea
1 tbsp honey
1/2 orange, chopped fine. Save 2 inches of rind.
1 egg yolk (duck, if you can manage it)
A pinch of salt
Combine milks, tea, sugar, salt, honey, orange rind, and spices, bring to boil. Add rice, simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup to a separate bowl, whisk in yolk until dissolved, then return the mixture to the pot.
Cook covered on low, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the rice is mushy, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard orange rind and serve, orange segments sprinkled on top as desired.
Sweet lord, that sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Adding orange is genius! Really sounds fabulous, thanks for sharing!
You work fast, Pinkster – this sounds great – thanks for sharing the recipe!
Scent i am wearing…. Bijan… OLD OLD SCHOOL POWER Fragrance! LOVE IT!
Maybe I need a big shoulder pad perfume today. So frustrated with little tester vials that don’t convey the truth about a scent. I’m on a rose kick and am working though my samples. Half a vial of CB Tea Rose on one arm, and half a vial of Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses on the other. No wafting, can barely smell them! I may have to start drenching myself with Tresor!
Have you tried Montale:
Taif
Oud Queen Roses
Attar
Black Aoud
Montale really does rose up in a big way. If you’re looking for almost a soliflore, Taif is the way to go.
I’ll try the Montales! Thanks . . .
Paris!