Our standard open thread poll: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the fragrance you're planning to test next, the fragrance you hope to never smell again, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is Crocus by TouTouke - Nightfox at flickr; some rights reserved.
Today I am wearing Iris Silver Mist, because it feels right for early spring and I wanted to give myself a treat.
General question: I have noticed several Amouage scents on sale on the net or at a lower price in the form of lower cost solids or sample card sets. Can anyone tell me their favorites, or even better, help resist the urge to splurge.
My personal favs with Amouage is Dia and Lyric for women. The reason I say Dia instead of Gold is that Gold can be way too much. But when the price is really good, go for it because Amouage is worth it.
I own 3 Amouage–two of which I bought steeply discounted online–so I’m not the one to tell you to back away slowly! In any case, my three bottles are Memoir (my first swoon fragrance–almost boozy incense), Ubar (bright, lemony white floral–apparently better in the original formulation, but I’m grateful I don’t know better!), and Lyric (an herbal, dark rose). I wear Lyric the most often and so can recommend it the most–it is easily the most versitile of the three (and perhaps the least grand). Have fun exploring!
And should add, all of mine are the “woman” versions.
+1 for Memoire Woman! And just to contextualize that data point, other Amouage scents strike me as beautiful but more formal than I can wear comfortably. But I love Memoire Woman. For whatever that info may be worth!
Those are “my” Amouages too! Lyric W, Ubar, and Memoir W. The first two I only have decants of, and to be honest I wear Ubar less frequently than the other two. Memoir Woman I dismissed when I first heard of it (“An animalic chypre? Cross THAT off my list…”) and then smelled a sample, and could not figure it out. Found it compelling anyway, worked my way through a 3ml decant, and HAD TO HAVE IT.
On me it is basically a big white floral buttressed by herbal notes up top and a leathery, sexy base on the other (yes, incense is in there, but that isn’t prominent to me). And now I own a discounted tester bottle of the EdP, a bottle of body lotion (discounted via Parfum1, I think), and a small pricey decant of the extrait.
I think they’re all worth smelling, to be honest, even if I didn’t love them all. (For what it’s worth, I could. Not. Stand. Jub 25, though I liked XXV, the men’s version. And Epic was sour wet wood ashes on me, into the bargain.) Ah well.
Whoops. Meant to say, those discounts can pop up from time to time, so perhaps it would be worth sampling first.
Or if you buy something and hate it, there are avenues to sell it on to another perfumehead.
Such good taste you have! 🙂
I don’t wear Ubar as much as the other two, either. In order, I probably wear Lyric the most, followed by Memoir, and lastly Ubar. But any of them, when they are right, they’re *perfect*!
Interesting that you’d put Memoir in the BWF category! It isn’t like that on me at all! When I first started wearing it, the biggest note I got was this sort of fermented grapes fruitiness with the deep, leathery incense in the base. But it is so well-blended, I find it very difficult to distinguish notes, especially the floral ones. And yes, definitely sexy!
Jubilation — both of them (25 & XXV)
Yes! I love both the Jubilations best!
I sampled the women’s versions of Jubilation, Gold, Ubar, Lyric, and Epic and loved them all except Ubar, which has a strange herbal note I could not identify but dislike. Ended up with FBs (bought online at discount) of Gold and Jubilation 25, if I had to choose a favorite it would be the Jubilation. I wear them both often, because they smell so good, although I do sometimes think the Gold especially might be more appropriate for special occasions.
I can help you resist… I went through a woman’s sampler and none of them clicked, although I did like Gold. I’d be happy to make do for awhile with a sample or small decant of it, though. It’s powerful stuff.
I’d go for one of the sampler sets. They go a long way, and if you fall madly in love with any then save up and go for a split or FB.
I definitely agree with going with a sample set, or individual samples. I’ve also found the Amouage fragrances to be quite powerful in terms of sillage and longevity, so a sample of any of their scents should give you enough to judge whether or not it’s right for you.
I have a sample set from some years back and did not love any of them BUT I did recently encounter Ubar which is beautiful. Does anyone know of a reputable discounter that would send to Europe as I will be in Germany in a week or two? Not sure I am ready to spring for an Amouage – but examine my options:)
Merlin First in Fragrance is in Germany and they carry Amouage.
Ditto
Very true – but their prices are definitely not discounted! (I’v used them before and their service is excellent though…)
Hi Merlin,
I often buy my Amouage and some of my other fragrances at Marjo (they have two stores in the center of Amsterdam and a webshop): http://www.parfumerie.nl
They sell 2 ml sample sprays of most Amouage scents for € 3,95 and also have the sample collections. They are not a discounter, but give free samples (of your choice) with orders. Service is quick and reliable and I’m quite sure they would send to Germany, as well. They have an AMAZING collection in the shop! That’s where I got to sample my Designer Shaikh scents and fell in love with them.
I do order perfume once in awhile from First in Fragrance, but Marjo is closer.
I’ve been an Amouage fan for years and am on my third 100 ml bottle of Epic Woman! I have samples of most of their scents (male and female versions) going all the way back to Ubar and Gold. So far, Epic Woman is the only one that is full bottle worthy for me. I love Opus V, but it’s so powerful, that I would never get through a bottle, so I buy a 2 ml sample once in a while. I’m starting to appreciate Jubilation Woman, but not enough to want a bottle. Every time they bring out a new scent, I hope to fall deeply in love with it, but so far, that hasn’t happened. There’s another shop I want to get over to sometime (open only by appointment for private sniffing/buying) and they said I could sample the attars.
Jonette, thanks for commenting! Of the older samples I have, Epic is my favorite. It’s probably because I like cinnamon:) Also, I have to say the green bottle is beautiful. Still, I don’t like it enough to buy a bottle. Which is to say I don’t adore it.
Ubar’s citrus spiciness though is lovely and they don’t sell it back at home. At Bruckner’s perfumers it is E191, though it seems available on e-bay for E150 or so. Unfortunately, even for that price I would need to test it over some weeks – at least – to be sure!
Hi Merlin,
I don’t know if you’ll still see this message. I’m writing to you at what I think is your private email address. If you don’t receive my email by tomorrow (Tuesday) you can try to leave your correct email address here for me. It’s about Ubar 🙂
I own Dia (a classic abstract aldehydic floral along No5 lines, but less ‘fuzzy”), Jubilarion 25 (a really great chypre, considerably less scary than Mitsouko) and Lyric. If I had a bottle, I’d also happily wear Memoir.
I LOVE Amouage and own Beloved, Gold, Lyric, Dia and Jubilation 25 (all womens’ versions). That’s basically my priority order, but they are all wonderful. Lyric is the most different – rose with a ripe fruit note. The others are plush, abstract florals. Dia is lighter and just slightly soapy, in good way – more of a day scent. Jub 25 has a touch of cumin. Beloved has a touch of incense. I think Jub 25 and Beloved are considered chypres.
I initially tried the Dia Solid and Lyric body creme as less expensive alternatives, but they only whetted my appetite and ultimately did not save me any money. Unless you prefer solids or cremes, I don’t really recommend that approach.
I think they are actually worth full price, but I did wait for discounted bottles on ebay and discounters. There have been some amazing decants recently – worth taking advantage of!
I meant to say “amazing discounts,” not “decants.” Sheesh!
Since there are discounters now selling Amouage testers (regular bottles just without the box) at much lower prices than usual, it is worth exploring this very special line. I think the quality for a modern perfume is outstanding. I own Epic Woman and vintage Ubar, and would love to own Jubilation 25 (which I’ve seen for $200 for 3.4 ounces!) and Lyric woman. It’s definitely a certain style of perfumery, very rich and complex, so it’s worth knowing whether its something you love or not. Maybe you’ll get it out of your system by getting some samples, right?
I haven’t tried a lot from Amouage yet, but so far my vote would be for Memoir Woman. I have a small decant and really want more. I find it a little heavy for warmer weather, however. I tried wearing it in the summer once, and it was too much. I also really liked Jub 25, but I think it reminded me enough of Mitsouko and Rochas Femme that I don’t feel like I need to drop the $$$ on it.
I’ve just discovered the wonderful world of niche fragrance reviews on youtube, which for some reason includes mostly men talking about their hauls and perfumes and not too many females that I’ve found. It’s quite addicting to watch “best of” videos, and I’ve done a few late-night marathons already.
One half-hour review of Bigarade Concentree was a real enabler 😀 I think I’ll start saving up now and go for the 100 ml soon. I’ve been sampling it and stalking it for two or three years now. It is just gorgeous.
SOTD is Un Jardin Sur le Nil – another one that I’ve sampled repeatedly over the past couple years. The dry-down is lovely, but I’m not sure I love this one enough to justify a FB. I’ve got a few more to sample in the jardin series and I really want to love one because I love the concept and the bottles. Most of my collection is too heavy for summer so I’m thinking one of the jardins would be just perfect for the hotter days that are approaching fast here in Cairo.
Yeah, I’m curious about that too — why so many more men than women? I don’t watch many (I’ve probably not chosen well, but the ones I watched were too slow), but see them when I’m looking for perfume commercials.
Have you checked out Katie Puckric Smells? Katie apparently once upon a time had a full time job as a television journalist, so her videos are very well produced. She reviews both mainstream and niche and is a good reviewer.
As for why some many utube reviewers are men, I suspect there are two factors: (1) the general dearth of info in the mainstream press for men interested in scent. (Kevin, you of course are excellent) and (2) the fact that straight men who are into fragrance may have few opportunities to talk to their real world buddies about their interest.
Oh yes, I know Katie! I like her reviews. Many of the others I listened to went on too long about packaging & other stuff I didn’t care about. I like to read so I can skim 🙂
Katie’s videos are great – and I agree about many of the male vids being too slow. Its as though the speaker expects the audience to be enrapt by these long drawn out syllables: ‘weeeeeeeeeel, today I have for you….uuuuuhm, this perfume’, at which he holds the bottle portentously to the camera before carrying on, ‘it waaaaaas one of Giacobetti’s early perfumes, aaaaaaaaand…’
I wonder if it is a similar dynamic to the way that there’s a huge gender imbalance in the people who contribute and edit Wikipedia entries. For my two cents, it has to do with the relative socialization toward confidence & pleasure in one’s own expertise…
Oh yes, I remember in college. We ladies read the material assigned, and then we read the “supplemental” and the works cited in the material assigned. Only when we finished the latter, did we feel confident addressing the prof’s as equals.
Meanwhile some guys would “skim” the assigned text and would practice “winging it” in discussions.
Could be. But blogs are pretty evenly divided men & women, I think.
Yeah–somehow that doesn’t seem totally inconsistent to me? Like blogs are more conversational, and the other media are more about holding forth? I don’t know, this is kind of unfounded speculation on my part. Free dissertation topic for sociology/new media types 🙂
(Ha but, have to say, I just did exactly the thing I was describing: I literally am working on my third advanced degree on topics pretty closely related to this. Maybe I shouldn’t call my comments “unfounded speculation.” 🙂 )
Maybe that’s it. Don’t know. I tried to watch a few more last night, and find myself squirming…I just can’t sit through them, waiting for them to say the parts I want to hear. Much prefer the written word.
I agree with your thoughts on Un Jardin Sur le Nil. I keep going back to it, and I always enjoy it, but never enough to splurge on a full bottle. The bottles really are gorgeous, and I imagine it would be very refreshing in the Cairo heat!
I love Un Jardin sur le Nil, but Après La Mousson is beautiful too. It’s a fresh but spicy green fragrance, great for hot climates. Un Jardin en Méditerranée is a lovely fig which I find a bit oppressive in extreme heat.
Un Jardin Sur le Nil is a staple summer scent in my perfume collection. It’s the only Jardin I like. The bottle and color of the juice are gorgeous.
Right now, I keep debating on should I wear Deneuve or Shalimar. It’s not helping that I’m looking at Diorissimo and Nuda as well.
You know I’ll vote for Diorissimo 🙂
‘Cos it’s Spring!
Third 🙂 Wore it earlier this week and it was exactly the help I needed believing spring will ever show up!!
Robin, one of my oldest friends came over to watch the b’ball game and she smelled really wonderful. I asked her what she was wearing. Her answer, “Diorissimo – I have a really old bottle of it in the houndstooth box.” I thought of you immediately!
Wow! And it must be quite old, those boxes are long gone.
Deneuve is great for early spring.
I love Deneuve! I feel so lucky to have acquired a partial bottle.
I need help coming up with a sample list for my son, whose 21st birthday is approaching. He already has Terre d’Hermes and Jo Malone’s Sweet Lime and Cedar, but has almost used them up. He likes both scents a lot (especially Terre d’Hermes) but is disappointed with their fleeting nature. I was thinking of getting him samples of Slumberhouse scents, because I’ve heard those are quite strong, with good longevity. And I believe Norne was inspired by northwestern rain forests, and we’ve had a wonderful family vacation there, so I think he might like that. Has anyone had experience with these scents – Norne, Jeke, Ore, and perhaps even Pear + Olive? Also, has anyone had any experiences with Olympic Orchids scents – I know they have a Rainforest scent as well.
Pear and Olive really does smell like a mixture of pear and olive. It is an odd scent. Although it can be fun for someone who wants to wear something “different,” I am not sure it is the best five for someone looking for a few basic fragrances to start his adult life.
If he likes Cedars, maybe one of the male Lutens.
I have a bottle of Norne and have sampled P & O, Jeke and Ore. Norne does smell like a fir forest and I love it, but it is so full of resin that my wrists stick to the computer keyboard and pick up lint. It’s very sticky. The fragrance does last a long time. It is probably the most wearable of the Slumberhouse offerings; P & O, Ore and Jeke are acquired tastes IMO. I think your plan of obtaining samples is a good one.
Holy cow – I’ve never heard of a scent being sticky! I’ll still get a sample, but I don’t think my son would like sticky.
It was my first time sticking to the computer! I didn’t know what had happened at first, then realized both wrists were sticky with Norne. Now I spray the sides of my neck. Oh, it stains, too, as it’s dark green.
SL Fourreau Noir, Sonoma Scent Studio Forest Walk, brand Juniper Ridge ( I’ve never tried them.) Enchanted Forest. Ayala Moriel has two: Rain Forest and Orcas, but the sillage and longevity are minimal, imo. Olympic Orchids is up for an Art and Olfaction award for one of their fragrances, Blackbird, but upon reviewing the line it seems that the sillage/longevity is an issue.
Thanks for the suggestions! I don’t know why I didn’t remember Forest Walk, but I think that’s really promising, and I really should also get some Lutens for him to sample as well. Adding to the list.
Tom Ford Sahara Noir is a great incense fragrance. Would be wonderful on a guy.
And this has the added benefit of being something I could get a sample of for free at Nordstrom. Thanks for recommending it!
I’m not up on the brands you mention, but Guerlain Vetiver is great, especially for summer, and lasts well. I think Eau Sauvage does, too. Also, there’s the new Hermes Bel Ami Vetiver, which sounds promising. What about a leather, such as Dzing! or Knize Ten?
I think Guerlain Vetiver is out, since that’s what his dad wears a lot. But a leather might work, especially Knize Ten, which I think has an herbal edge. I used to have a sample and remember it being long lasting.
I also love Guerlain Arsene Lupin, but it’s expensive. Oh, and isn’t there a new rerelease of Yohji Yamamoto Homme – Kevin reviewed it and liked it, I think. Really, it’s worth checking back through Kevin’s reviews for ideas (and warnings), too.
Seattle Chocolate by Olympic Orchids is nice — evergreen wood, sap, and chocolate.
Glad to hear you like it – it’s part of the men’s sample pack i was thinking of ordering.
Some of the more modern Guerlain’s are nice for a young man – my (teenage) son wears L’Instant Pour Homme and Guerlain Homme and they both smell wonderful on him.
I know I’m late commenting, but I just wanted to chime in since I’ve sampled almost all the Slumberhouse offerings with the exception of Ore and that super-limited edition one (I forget the name–Zahd or something?) and it’s a very impressive line. If you’re looking for longevity and projection, this is where it’s at. At present, I own full bottles of Grev, Rume, and Pear + Olive and my husband has Jeke. None of them disappoint. Quite a few of them have this “forest on fire” vibe–for example, Norne smells like a pine forest with a campfire in the middle. Jeke is even smokier; it reminds me of sipping good bourbon around a huge bonfire. Then there’s Pear + Olive, which is sort of the oddball of the current offerings and the only one I can really see wearing in the summer. It *is* summer in a bottle, to me. Even though I love it and wear it myself, I could definitely see a man wearing it too. If I were you, I’d order one of the sample packs and have at it–I really don’t think you’d regret it!
So, I head out to Vegas tomorrow–SOOOooooo looking forward to getting warm! We’ve had sun the past few days in Oregon, but it’s been frosty overnight, and I can’t seem to get warmed up!
My question–since I rarely have access to much diversity of mainstream scents–my Macy’s and Nordstroms have mostly the usual, boring stuff–what are some mainstream/mall scents I might have overlooked in my frustration with boring, mass-appeal fragrances? I know Robin would suggest I seek out Hermes. Are there other mall lines or specific fragrances that are really worth a sniff?
I used to fault mainstream for lack of creativity, but lately I don’t mind a “just pretty” fragrance if it’s done well. And I’ve found that what I fault more in mainstream lately isn’t necessarily how ordinary they are, but how so many turn sour on me in the dry-down. Just a few that I’ve recently sampled (La vie est Belle, Carven Le Parfum, Black Orchid,) all went synthetic and very odd on me after a pleasant half-hour or two.
What’s worth trying in mainstream that isn’t Hermes? All I’ve got is Gucci Envy Me, a pretty fruity floral that I know is a bit sweet but I like anyways. It was one of my first “real perfumes,” so maybe I like it for sentimental reasons but it might be worth a shot for you… Marni and Bottego Veneta are both mainstreams that got good reviews, and then there’s Prada, too. Candy is fun and worth trying, if you haven’t already. I also liked Spicebomb, including its dry-down.
Would agree with that list: BV, Prada, Marni, Carven. You should be able to find all of those at the mall in Vegas, Fashion Show, which has Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus & Saks. Would also check out the Cartiers, and Neiman Marcus should have the Atelier Cologne, BV, Balenciaga, Francis Kurkdjian, etc etc. Between those 3 stores, you’ll cover a fair amount of niche & high-to-mid end mainstream. Hopefully one of them will also have a decent Annick Goutal selection, and one of them will probably have a Tom Ford counter with all the Private Blends.
And adding: wishing you TONS of sunshine!
Oh, and you’re already going to Guerlain, right?
Go get a Marni Creepy Doll set and you can’t go wrong…
Ha! No thanks–no creepy dolls needed! 😀
Want to second especially the Cartiers–I had a sniff of the Heures series (available at least at Saks, not sure where else) again recently and was impressed with several of them.
I also feel like the Dior Collection Privée has a number of worthwhile things.
And def yes on the BVs–my boutique here even had a tester of the parfum recently! Really beautiful.
Thanks, Dominika! I will keep an eye out for the Gucci scents. I *do* in fact know Spicebomb (as I’m dating *Mr. Spicebomb* himself!), but you remind me that they have a new one out I can look for. . .
Thank you, Robin! I will head over to Fashion Show for sure! I’d be especially happy to run into some Tom Fords–haven’t sniffed any of that line.
And yes, I’ve been to the Guerlain boutique, although I admit, I didn’t have the best experience last time. The SA seemed turned off by my sniffing and was very reluctant to make me samples of the two that I’d especially been interested in–Cuir Belluga and Papier d’Armenie–both of which I’m happy I properly sampled, since I like them very much but they barely last on me, so not worth the purchase.
Fine then. Go to Hermes instead 🙂
Right!
I checked earlier, the Sephoras on the strip have the new Maison Martin Margiela Replica and Atelier Cologne lines. Their L’Artisans are only online, but Barney’s has that covered.
Add another vote for BV and Candy. Also, the Balenciaga one with the soccer ball cap, Narciso Rodriguez & flankers, and the Tocca line. (I recently tried Colette and found it surprisingly different from the rest.) I don’t know if Macy’s has these, but Sephora and Nordstrom should have them.
My Nordstrom keeps testers of several things that are not on their shelves. When I asked, the SA was able to pull out Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleu parfum, Idylle, Idylle duet, etc. They keep them on hand for their fragrance events (when they temporarily sell them), but will offer to order anything you like.
Have fun!
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Yes, I like Colette pretty well, too, and I think it’s because it is different from the others. Most of the Tocca scents I’ve tried were pretty enough but not distinctive enough to keep my attention.
Could not keep the Tocca scents straight if I was given a million dollars. In a sniff test I’d keep saying, “Lolita? No, I’m sure it’s Esmeralda…”
It doesn’t help that the names are so unmemorable/disconnected from the product!
Nordstrom used to have Annick Goutal, which has several wonderful scents. Balenciaga Paris is pleasant. There is a Guerlain Idylle flanker, Eau Sublime, that I really love, but I’m not sure it ever made it to U.S. department stores. (You can find it on Amazon for $39.35 for 100 ml, an amazing bargain.) I’ve seen Bill Blass Nude in those mall perfume shops.
I will keep an eye out for Eau Sublime. Thanks!
Tom Ford Sahara Noir is a great incense fragrance. Agree that the Annick Goutal line is excellent. I love L’Heure Exquise a galbanum, iris, and rose fragrance, similar to Chanel 19 but warmer and richer than modern 19 (I also love vintage 19). I love Musc Nomade as an everyday basic musk (though maybe they’re not importing that one anymore). Also I second Prada Candy, a really nice benzoin scent. A good friend of mine loves Balenciaga Paris (which I guess is the soccer ball cap perfume mentioned above). And there must be somewhere in Vegas where you can smell the Chanel Exclusives. I love Coromandel, 31 Rue Cambon, and Chanel 22. Most of the other scents have fans as well. They come in smaller bottles now, so you don’t have to spend so much money.
Ok. Adding Annick Goutal and TF Sahara Noir to the list. Thanks!
Hit the Chanel boutique!
I will look for it! I wonder if I can finally sample some Bois des Iles extrait. . .
I hope so ! Report back. I tested the edt in Chicago. I loved the aldehydes floating in the mist. There is something contemplative in the extrait for me. Either way, you can’t lose. Have a great time!
The next fragrance anxiously waiting to try is [drum roll, please]:
VALENTINO UOMO
I’ve been reading RAVE reviews about it lately, and I feel it even may be a finalist or winner of next year’s FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION’s FIFI Awards!
I need to try it too, hopefully next weekend I’ll do another mall run.
You’re prepared for something verrrrry sweet, yeah? Even having read Kevin’s review, I think I didn’t quite believe the current men’s mainstream market would issue a release quite that sweet, and was totally taken aback! Not to say it’s good or bad–just so you don’t get caught off guard!
Last week I reported that I was waiting on an order of Coty Muguet de Bois and Lemon Coolers. I’m happy to say that both are a hit. The fragrance is sweeter than I remembered it, but still makes me smile. It was perfect for the first day of “spring.” (It snowed.) I was shocked to still catch faint whiffs of it after eight hours. I thought I’d get thirty minutes tops. The cookies are not perfect replicas of the ones I used to love but they are oh so close. They are a little more buttery and more crunchy. They have the same tart, lemon flavored powdered sugar though. I also used to be able to eat half a box in one sitting. My new limit is five. I found out the hard way.
Nice! I loved those cookies.
Coty Muguet des Bois was one of my first perfumes! Did you previously mention you bought this from Vermont Country Store? I wonder how I would compare it now to Diorissimo …
Funny about those Lemon Coolers, huh? There must be some sort of cookie/age algorithm that no one taught us.
I did get it from VCS. I’ve seen it cheaper at other sites, but I was already ordering the cookies and was trying to reach a free shipping threshold. It did not come in the same bottle I had as a child. It is the flacon spray bottle, which I think is the most recent they make (or made? No idea if it’s still in production.). There’s no box but they did take care to wrap it in a plastic bag so it wouldn’t leak on the rest of my stuff. It’s very fun and happy. It reminds me more of Parfums del Rae Debut than Diorissomo. I tried it next to the Debut a few days ago. Debut is clearly the better fragrance for awhile, but after several hours I preferred the Muguet de Bois. I only have a new bottle of Diorissimo and somehow the jasmine smothers the Muguet for me. I will still compare them but am not expecting much.
There seem to be a lot of age algorithms no one taught us. Add cookies for dinner to the long list of things I did as a teenager that I can’t anymore – stay up all night, drink Mountain Dew, do 100 push ups,…who was that superhuman?
Was in NYC last weekend and managed to make it home without purchasing nary a scent–yay me! Sampled 2 at Bergdorfs, Liu and Vol de Nuit. Liked them both, Liu brings Eau Premiere to mind.
Then I discovered that Bloomingdales carries Les Exclusifs, so tried Gardenia and Beige–should have tried Sycomore again. Also tried a bit of Aerin’s Rose de Nuit and agree that’s the best of the bunch.
One of these times I want to go to Osswald and MinNy–never seem to make it downtown.
Yeah, what’d you make of the Aerin rose? I go back and forth–very nearly bought a bottle with a $50 off $200 NM special, but decided against at the last minute (tested it on a day when I really wasn’t in the mood and it turned me off). But just this week I sniffed again and sorta wished I did have some…
Liked it, but applied pretty sparingly–it’s not too department store-ish. But I don’t need another huge bottle, and the caps are rather tacky for the price.
Yeah the price/size are what’s holding me back too. At $110 for 50ml, I want it to totally knock me out.
Frankly, right now Nordstrom has a GWP of a set of travel sprays for all five scents–wish I could arrange a split where I end up just with the Evening Rose travel spray!!
Hi fragrant ones! I’m wearing Épice Marine today and waiting anxiously for my Scent on Canvas samples. They offer 5x3ml for only 10€, so I think it’s great value.
I’d like to conduct a straw poll: Atélier have a 20€ discount plus free shipping and I want to buy a 100ml bottle of something summery. I’m torn between Grand Néroli, of which I already have a 30ml bottle (half used) and Orange Sanguine, which I’ve tried and also love. I can’t afford both so,which do you prefer? As I really can¡t make up my mind, I think I’ll follow the advice of the perfume people!
Thanks in advance and enjoy your weekend. Spring has definitely arrived here!
…never tried Grand Neroli but had a sample of Orange Sanguine, IMO, I would go with Orange Sanguine reason being: the whole time wearing it, it smelled of a Creamcicle frozen treat, which in turn, is Summer to me!
My vote is for Orange Sanguine, if you want to be swayed by strangers!
I have no better criterion! And we’re talking about very well-informed strangers 🙂
Third vote here for Orange Sanguine. I’m buying a bottle too, it’s on sale here in the states as well!
As I am not a neroli/orange blossom lover, I’d vote the Orange Sanguine. I’m packing my sample to Vegas to see how it wears in the heat, as I suspect I will like it very much! I’ve got a $20 Atelier credit, too, so I was thinking it was time to decide if I might benefit from a bottle of something!
This is turning into a landslide victory for OS. Enjoy your stay in Vegas Marjorie. You’ll be so glad of the heat, I imagine.
Sorry, Marjorie Rose, that was a stupid comment seeing that you’d just said how much you were looking forward to feeling warm. Have a great time!
Oh gosh, no worries!
I actually really love hot weather, as long as it isn’t that oppressive humidity that I dealt with in Minnesota. Give me a tall, cool drink and not much to accomplish, and I’m a happy girl! 😀
I’ll be contrarian and suggest these other options — the new Cedrat Enivrant (lime deliciousness) or Sous le toit de Paris (only available from the Atelier Cologne store). That said, I have just about every Atelier Cologne out there in mostly 30mLs + and I am rounding out my collection via the NST Swap 🙂
Ooh, can we talk about Cedrat Enivrant? I just tried it this week, but only briefly, so I don’t completely trust my impressions–I really liked the top and the drydown but something in the middle felt a bit flat/sour? I don’t know, I was making samples to send to a friend so maybe I just overwhelmed my nose?
Ha, well I love Orange Sanguine as well, but just to speak up for the other side of things–how recently did you buy that 30ml of Grand Neroli/how fast are you going through it? I feel like, if you know you definitely use something very regularly, that’s probably the best investment.
But otherwise, yeah Orange Sanguine’s so great, hard to find someone who doesn’t love it!
I don’t love it. Swapped a mini away last week. I didn’t want to smell like a creamsicle!
Ha, there we are! A good reason always to follow one’s own preferences: there really isn’t anything that suits -everyone-.
The problem is that I have no preference in this case. I bought the GN last Oct and used it at first, then put it away because it didn’t feel like a cold weather fragrance. Now that spring is here, I’m using it again, but frugally, as there isn’t too much left.
Oh in that case I think I vote for GN! If you’d be using it up if only you had more, then I think you should go ahead and get more 🙂
I have to echo the votes for Orange Sanguine. I haven’t properly tested it yet, but it’s so zesty and cheerful, it’s difficult not to love! I didn’t care for Grand Neroli, though I can’t really articulate what I didn’t like about it.
I like them both, but I prefer Grand Neroli for summer as it has such a bright, green freshness, imo. I’d compare the difference to that between a creamy ice cream (Orange Sanguine) and a bracing sorbet (Grand Neroli.)
I’ve also been debating whether or not to take advantage of the Atelier offer, but unfortunately my favorite, Sous le toit de Paris, is out of stock in the 30ml and is not available in 100ml. So I would have to take the leap up to 200ml, BUT then I could get the free 30ml of something else! How this computes in my brain as saving money, I will never know.
…wait you’re saying this ISN’T a way to save money?! I don’t understand 😉
Lol! And, obviously I’d save WAY more money buying the 100+ samples on my STC wish list when they have their next sale and hope that none of them is fb worthy. Then I could wait for the next Atelier discount….
100+ samples on your wishlist?! That would totally overwhelm me. . . Does it feel like unfinished homework?
Great analogy, Marjorie Rose. Sometimes it DOES loom in the background as homework I have to finish, but I DO love the subject and I know the homework will never end. The best part is I’m never graded on it!
Luckily for me, many of the samples I get are for my eldercare/hospice clients, although I am, umm, very diligent in quality control before passing them on. 🙂
I hope you have a wonderful vacation in Vegas! I haven’t been there in years, so I look forward to a vicarious thrill hearing about your experience there.
Glad to hear it doesn’t weigh too terribly on you.
And nice of you to, uh, test so thoroughly before you share a scent with others! Growing up, I used to do that when making cookies for friends or whatever–you know, just want to be sure they aren’t accidentally poison or something! 😉
I haven’t tried Sous le Toit…but I think I’ll order a sample at the same time as it sounds lovely. And that 200 +30 ml is SO tempting that I’m sure I’m going to fall one day.
Oh yes, I would highly recommend a sample! Sous le toit has better sillage and longevity than many of the Atelier line, so a sample would definitely be enough for you to decide how you feel about it.
I guess I’ll be a dissenting vote and go with Grand Neroli. I didn’t care for Orange Sanguine much. It was oddly flat on me.
Not wearing anything yet today, but will probably turn to Jolie Madame (new version) to give me some confidence tonight as I am serving as Master (Madame?) of Ceremonies for a concert fundraiser tonight. I don’t mind speaking in public, but appreciate any kind of support!
I am awaiting my delivery of Martin Margiela Replica Flower Market from Sephora. It’s unsniffed, but there was one comprehensive review by someone with tastes so similar to my own, I thought I may have written it! Trying to deviate from my usual gourmand territory; I love the scent of flowers in real life, but most florals leave me with a headache or boredom. Fingers crossed.
Let us know how the Flower Market turns out. Luckily, Sephora is usually pretty great about returns.
Good luck tonight!
I will and thanks for the wishes! I’m a “Monday Mail” person from a few months ago and the search never seems to end. I thought Omnia Orange Garnet (or whatever it’s called) might have been a contender, but it was pretty unspectacular on me.
Online package tracking says I should have it on Tuesday…
It’s nice to hear back from a Monday Mail person!
Congratulations on the Madame of Ceremonies. I recently read (a TED talk, maybe?) that the old “imagine everyone in the audience as naked” was perhaps not the best way to have the speaker relax. Instead, the research reveals that yep, people are stressed out in certain situations and that their belief that they shouldn’t be is the problem.
So, I’m offering you my support as a pocket pal. Hopefully you won’t have to change your outfit to accommodate me. 🙂
Thanks for the support, Holly! I’m wearing leopard print pants — does that work for you sartorially? (Not too risque, I might add… they’re from Banana Republic!) 🙂
I’m nervous — in a good way. All of the people in the room are friends (if not my own, then of the cause), so no tough critics, just my never-ending desire to do well by people who have faith in me and what I’m working toward.
That sounds exciting! I hope you will share with us what the cause is and what you’re working toward when you have the chance.
I tried this recently and liked it, but I also liked Fun Fair. What did you think of it? Most reviews are pretty bad!
Could you refer me to any in depth reviews of this series – for some reason I’m having trouble finding…
I haven’t tried any of them yet! Fun Fair would be what I’d typically gravitate toward… I did appreciate Untitled, back in the day, but never got around to purchasing a full bottle.
I haven’t seen many online reviews of the range myself. Jazz Club drew my interest first, and I did find a youtube review by a British gent that was pretty in-depth.
I’m pretty sure my closest Sephora is the smallest, least-interesting one in existence… almost all the scents it carries are also available at The Bay down the hall of the mall. They seem to acknowledge this and the staff, in return, are great about returns. 🙂
Wearing BP PC01 to pretend it’s a sunny spring day.
Pretending here too. Wish it would warm up already.
SOTD = still wearing remnants of Mona di Orio Vanille layered with Serge Lutens Chergui…
Today is errands day and also hopefully a trip to the post office to drop off some swap packages…I know I will not be done today but I have to pump them out!
Tomorrow, I am going to a wake. A friend’s 91 year old mom passed away. Her dad passed away in early January this year. They were married for 62 years so perhaps one can say her mom died of a broken heart.
Gosh so sorry to hear about your friend’s parents. So hard, both of them in such a short time.
Happy New York spring, hajusuuri. It’s so lovely that you were invited to witness the passing of a loved one. I hope that your friend can come to experience this as a graceful transition …
Trying out Tom Ford Champaca Absolute today. I’m trying to broaden my horizons and appreciate things other than fruity scents and sugary gourmands, and I think this is a pretty solid (and EXPENSIVE) step! I also liked Fleur de Chine, but I reaaaaaaaaaally like Champaca Absolute. I’m definitely going to wear it several more times before making a decision, but I’m strongly considering saving up for a full bottle.
But because I can’t give up on my beloved fruity scents, I got some Atelier samples yesterday (Cedrat Enivrant and Orange Sanguine) and I’m quite excited about them. I think I’m going to wait until it warms up a bit more before I test them out, though. I also sniffed Vanille Insensee, Silver Iris, and Ambre Nue. Did not like Ambre Nue at ALL, wanted to love Silver Iris but the patchouli killed it for me, and I’m confused by Vanille Insensee. I didn’t get any vanilla whatsoever. I got a woody, mossy citrus that’s quite nice! But no vanilla.
My perfume background was pretty much orientals and woods, and for me the move into other fragrance groups was a gradual one. It’s true what they say about tastes changing and being able to ‘train’ your nose, but it doesn’t happen overnight!
My biggest surprises were my gradual dislike-to- like-to-love of big white florals and iris (florals in general I guess), so I’m sure if you try and keep trying (even if you hate it now you may change your mind one day), you will discover many new loves 🙂
Have a fantastic time experimenting! 🙂
Hello everyone and happy weekend! Just wanted to share that I joined Weight Watchers awhile back and set up a perfume rewards program (one scented item earned for every 3lbs lost). The only problem is that thanks to the NST comments and amazing sample sharing generosity of this group, the perfume items on the list are changing with alarming regularity. I’ve also found that the frags I pined for and actually acquired in the past are not being used very much because of my roving nose. Is this a newbie thing that settles down after awhile? Just wondering if anyone else has been through this and maybe has a creative idea on how to deal with it.
Hi Sajini! I have a WW perfume reward program too! Lol. I went back only 3 weeks ago to lose a ‘little’ I’ve put on over the last decade. But I cheated, perfume-wise. I was meant to wait for 5kg but I lost 4.5kg in 3 weeks so bought a rare bottle of D&G Sicily on special…
As to your question- I’m not sure if others don’t have that problem, but I’ve been a serious perfume junkie for a good 5 yrs (only social use prior), and I’m still a bit fickle. Sometimes it’s the thrill of the chase, sometimes it’s just that I have so darn many that they can’t all get the same love. But I do come back to them.
(and good luck with ww!) 🙂
Haha! Hello WW perfume reward program sister from across the globe and thanks for the laugh! 4.5kg lost in 3 weeks is bloody hard work on your part. You so derserved that Sicily! Thanks for reassuring me about getting back to some of those perfumes eventually. I’m feeling particulary guilty about a bottle of L’air de Rien that I savagely coerced my husband to give me for Valentines day and has only gotten a couple of wearings since. Meanwhile I’m snorting up those new and novel samples and decants every day. Today I’m wearing Jovoy Ambre Premier from a generously donated decant from Swap 3. It starts off all angelic and ends up kind of over ripe and dirty (which I love).
Totally have the same problem. I’ve been really, really happy switching most of my initial purchases to decants, and not buying any bottles until I’ve actually finished a decant. Amazing how often I can’t even finish a decant of something I thought I loooooved! I don’t stick to my rule 100% but it’s definitely saved me from quite a number of bottles that I would have felt really sad I wasn’t using.
The other thing I do is that I purposefully don’t keep a “to buy” list; I feel like, if I can forget a scent exists, then I definitely don’t have enough enthusiasm for it to use up a whole bottle! But that approach probably isn’t as useful if you want the perfume to serve as an incentive…
C.H.:Thank you so much for that tip. I seem to just be using decants these days, and it sounds like a really good way to vet a frag to see if it’s really a keeper. The good part about trying so many samples is that I find out that I don’t like a lot of things that sound soooo tempting in the reviews and comments. Sampling has saved me a ton of money.
I’m the same! I’m not able to make it to stores and spritz with abandon, so I rely on reviews and then sample.
Although I appreciate and admire a lot of what I sample, my true test now is that the fragrance makes me smile spontaneously. I’m willing to put in some effort, but ultimately what I love is a very personal experience.
You and I are in the same boat, Holly! I was in Atlanta for a few glorious days a short while ago and the Creed SA gave me the same advice, which is more specific — and helpful to store staff — than my usual “it’s ok… it’s just not ‘me'”!
Holly, that is a fantastic principle! It would probably make financial scent for me to have it tattooed on my arm, lol!
Oh, it’s no elevated principle, Merlin! It may be as much due to my neuroses (yep, plural) as to anything else. Luckily for me, I just don’t care!
And btw, I love your “financial scent” comment. Now THAT could be a tattoo. 🙂
Perhaps its the common ground of many neuroses that makes ‘the spontaneous smile’ such a useful principle for both of us! A tendency to overthink…
If I tattooed ‘financial scent’ on me i may be stuck wearing Bond 9’s Wall Street for the rest of my days:)
After a while of not using them, you may find that at least some of your former purchases will have a renewed charm.
However, if this is a problem, maybe you should reward yourself with something other than full bottles of perfume; perhaps a really fine soap?
(Or may be a cut new top in a lower size)
Wow excellent ideas for reward items. I do have decants and one item is a perfumed “tea” pillow from China.
I’m hopeful that what you said about former purchases renewing their charm. I also put a bunch of stuff up for sale on eBay last week to create some $ in the budget for new things.
Hey, good luck with that and what a great idea! Perfume rewards, very nice!
I was in London this week and managed to squeeze in a quick round of sniffing. I started with that Ormonde Jayne four corners collection and I actually thought they were mostly quite nice. QI was a nice, realistic tea/mate scent, quite fresh with something like mint or aniseed showing up in the drydown. I also rather liked Tsarina which slightly reminded me of Cuir de Russie and Montabaco.
Malle Dries van Noten had a nice drydown, but the weirdest plastic toy opening. And the Marni Rose and Iris Silver Mist – both of which I was sooo tempted to buy unsniffed – were nice enough, but not really the kind of things that I need to own so I’m glad that I resisted.
Instead, I passed by a French pharmacy in South Kensington and stocked up on some La Roche Posay and Bioderma skincare for my finicky skin.
I like the Dries Van Noten, too. Seems a sweet, complex vanilla to me. I did not notice that plastic note, but get it with some iris. The Prada smells like burning rubber on my wrist for a long time then settles to one dimensional iris. Give me Ann Gerard or my trusty Iris mobile anyday.
So, were they considerably “better” than the regular OJ line?
Question to all: after this week’s talk about Tam Dao I dug out my bottle that I have not used in about 3 years. It only has about 15 mls left but I am bummed to find the spray mechanism not working anymore. I must have capped it after making samples and the the juice made the top all sticky. I can see that I am moving the liquid up in the straw but it’s not coming out. I tried soaking it for a bit but no success. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to salvage it? Thank you!
SOTD = Cuir de Lancôme
If it’s just the cap that’s the problem, that should be an easy fix. To test that, just take it off, fill with hot water and blow through the bottom. If you meet resistance, and the water doesn’t come through the cap hole, you can soak it in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover. The latter is more effective. Use a bristle brush on the cap hole. If the residue is very sticky, you may try any type of oil to loosen it. If you prefer, you may gently simmer the cap in hot water. Once you’ve exhausted any of the above methods, test the cap again by blowing through the bottom to make sure the pinhole is clear.
Make sure you thoroughly clean and dry the cap of any solvents before you try and spritz. I hope this will work. 🙂
I, too, have had good luck taking the cap off the little tube and soaking it in alcohol.
A last resort (aside from cutting the top off and decanting it) would be go get one of those Travalo atomizers that draws from the tube.
Thank you Holly! I have tried the rubbing alcohol and the acetone combined with my sonicare but so far no success. I am on to the boiling now and will report back shortly.
As a fall back I just ordered the travalo based on nozknoz’s recommendation.
Idole de Lubin which I was afraid to open after a friend said “you won’t like that, too masculine. “. She knows me well, but not that well. After two more samples I knew what she meant, I am usually a girly girl when it comes to fragrance. This one, however, has just the right mix of spice, sweet and leather! Besides, amber can smooth out a leather.
I love it too. It’s not definitely not girly-girl perfume, but I wouldn’t say it’s exactly masculine either. Did you get a bottle?
Yes, a while ago. Glad I did.
Sad to say I do not get NowSmellThis in my inbox for whatever reason, but still log on with no problem. Please put me on the mailing list again, I miss my daily regular fix.
Dora, I think when they redid the site recently they somehow found themselves without that function. I also don’t get e-mails anymore. I don’t think e-mails go out.
Thanks for letting me know. Well worth visiting anyway.
When Robin reformatted the site, she did a post stating that the emails would no longer be going out. You had to go through another route to get it. I want to say it has been almost 6 months now.
That’s right, we no longer send the newsletter:
https://nstperfume.com/2014/01/11/if-you-are-receiving-the-daily-now-smell-this-newsletter-via-email/
Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!
Today I had one of those wonderful and heartbreaking perfume-related experience and need some help:
I had the chance to smell the osmoteque’s reconstructed version of worth’s je reviens at Milan’s esxence, and it blew the socks off my feet- a floral so intensely lit with yellow and gold (jonquil and narcissus) that the jaws of everyone sniffing dropped down.
An aldehydic floral so beautiful it left n.5 and gold (my favorites in the cathegory) in the dust.
I want that stuff, now!
I see there is a website selling the fragrance in parfum – does anyone know if and how it compares to the original?
I read Angela’s review here on NST, but she didn’t address the current parfum. She was also talking of something green, and what I smelled today was just the most opulent hue of golden yellow – so I don’t know…
Any advice?
Thanks!!
Those Osmothèque scent strips are heart breakers!
Yes, they really are!
Another “gem” that I found very very interesting was the shocking (at the time) “fruit defendu” by Rosine…
I hinted about how great it would be to be able to buy a coffret with the reconstructed formulas- just for educational purpose, of course 😉 … But no way…
I see newspapers titles in the future: “great robbery at the osmothèque”… “A bunch of wild perfumistas found guilty, their musings on blogs gave them away”!!
Yes, I had a chance to sniff Fruit Defendu, also. It was amazing, and everyone commented on how modern it smelled.
I know – now one is going to die from a 1/2-ml sample – it seems so cruel to deny us. To try to put a positive spin on it, I do recall that some of the necessary bases, etc., are in very limited supply, and one day they won’t even to be able to produce enough for the scent strips.
Ha, it’s true: Interpol would know exactly where to start looking, wouldn’t they? Operation Perfumista Dragnet!
It sounds lovely! Perhaps if you wait for everyone to get home after their weekend in Milan and do their post-Esxence posts you can pose your question again.
Yes, good suggestion!
Zazie,
I’ve worn Je Revien parfum since the ’60’s, back when they actually advertised picking wild narcissus in the mountains for the scent! So I know what you mean about the original glory of it.
I have tested the new parfum and it was better than I thought it would be. Obviously, it doesn’t have the natural essences the very old versions had. The florals didn’t smell as ‘real’ allowing the aldehydes to come across more strongly, nor does it have the indoles, but it was still recognizable as Je Reviens.
I got my sample from that website – they were happy to send. Also, Je Reviens parfum is easy to find and relatively inexpensive on eBay. Good luck!
Thank you, thank you!
I’ll contact the seller then!
I am still thinking about it today – so perfect!
I might even overcome my stupid aversion for eBay (I am so unable to snatch good deals, it is comic!)
Anybody have any thoughts on Hermes Voyage in parfum? I tried it sort of by accident the other day, and was surprised by how much I liked it. Is it stupid to buy a bottle though? Will I get sick of the white musk? Does it make it better or worse that one can have a 120ml refill for nearly the same price as the 35ml bottle (I don’t especially care about the bottle, so the price per ml is feels like a deal… but that’s an absurd amount of perfume.) Someone set me straight here!
I have a bottle of Voyage d’Hermès parfum that I bought after I found it discounted online. (I specifically wanted the parfum rather than the edt because I love this fragrance for its cardamom, and I find it to be more prominent in the parfum.) I bought 100 ml and haven’t regretted it because I feel like it’s a very versatile scent. I think it’s intended for warmer weather, but I have worn it year-round because I feel like the spices work well in winter too. You could easily wear it to work or in most casual settings, or even to something a bit nicer if you wanted I think. If you don’t think you’ll use it too often though you could get the smaller bottle.
I know white musk is a note listed in it, but it doesn’t seem very prominent on my skin at least; the spices, citrus, woods, tea, etc. stick out more. But I guess if it is prominent for you and you’re not sure about it, that’s something to consider.
Just my two cents. 🙂
Ha that’s exactly what I wanted to hear! I don’t actually find the white musk grating at all (unlike, say, the Aerin Amber Musk which left me smelling of laundry for days), but I was wondering if I was just overlooking it, and it might become more noticeable after a while. Glad to hear you’ve been wearing it year round without it becoming an issue. And I’m totally on the same page in terms of the edt v. parfum. I have plenty of crisp citrus fragrances, but the warmer version has definitely piqued my interest. Hm!
I read an exchange on social media the other day that gave me pause. It all started with one person tweeting, “No one cares that you love the smell of books.” This same person (who works for an online bookish website) admitted to rejecting writing samples from freelancers based on this very topic. A few other people chimed in with their own vitriol about people who claim they love the smell of books. Yikes. Who knew it was such a sore subject for people?
I find it interesting that those who love books don’t necessarily love or understand perfume, but (in my experience, anyway) those who love and adore perfume tend to also love and adore reading and books in general.
This whole exchange is yet another reminder that our perfume hobby isn’t at all mainstream and is, in fact, seen as a bit odd (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!).
Wow! Ay yi yi. I wonder what could have prompted that little outburst!
Perhaps your tweeter was tired of reading unsolicited essay after unsolicited essay on how much the writer loved the smell of books. I like the smell of books, but I doubt I would want to read more than one or two essays on the subject. Also, these days, it is possible to love literature without reading physically bound pages of printed paper.
Yes, perfume is an odd hobby. If you want another example, read the New York Times interview with Burr Chandler just before his first perfume exhibit opened up several years ago. The interviewer (why do I recall it as having been Adam Gopnik) kept smelling exhibits of classic perfumes which we would regard as wildly dissimilar (Jick, Eau D’Issy, Tresor) and commenting that each “smelled like perfume.” The interviewer was truly baffled as to why Burr regarded them as smelling so different from each other as to be different pieces of art. (Needless to say, the interviewer also did not accept the thesis that the fragrances were pieces of art). So clearly, in addition to our passion for in fragrance setting us apart, our belief that there is even anything to be passionate about sets us apart.
However, I find people passionately dedicated to one rarified subject (perfume, baseball, civil war history, Austen, Silent Films) tend to be wonderfully interesting people. (Actually I partially take that back, most people passionately dedicated to baseball are wonderful. 1% of them are nasty trolls who believe their particular form of fandom and particular team entitles them to be vicious to anyone else.)
I suspect you’re right, Dilana. This person just may have received an inordinate amount of unsolicited essays on the subject, which strikes me as sort of funny!
Add to that the fact that some book people don’t think e-books count as reading, which is, of course, absurd.
Oh, grumble grumble! Shame on the NYT for choosing an interviewer with no knowledge of perfume for that piece! I’m sure they wouldn’t dream of having someone ambivalent to wines interview a sommelier, or similar such art!
It frustrates me sometimes that perfume is SUCH an under-appreciated (or should I say unrecognized?) artform. I get it, not everyone goes to the ballet, but generally, folks don’t assume to have much of an opinion on the subject, because they know that they don’t have much exposure. But perfume–and come to think of it, maybe classical music?–gets this special table where nearly everyone thinks they have opinion just because they have a nose. (Or in the case of classical music, their exposure is limited to doctors offices and Looney Tunes.)
Along similar lines, the folks who take the leap of logic from “Oh, you like perfume” to “Have you ever made your own?” in about two seconds–like I could write a novel because I read them?!
*deep breaths*
*steps off of soap box*
Sorry for ranting.
But really! The thing about somehow it would be more “okay” to be into perfume… if only I made my own?!? That is SUCH a strange part of the prejudice against perfume! (Have you read Alyssa Harad’s book–she has a great discussion of that reaction.)
Thanks for the commiseration! Good to have company on this little soap box. . .
I own, but haven’t yet read, Coming to My Senses. Your comment reminds me that it would be *perfect* to read next to the pool in Vegas. . . it is now placed in my carry-on! 😀
People might very well assume these days that you want to write a novel because you enjoy reading them. A researcher I heard speak recently said that there were more people in the U.S. right now who want to write a book than who want to read one.
Many people have positive associations with reading and so its not altogether surprising they like the tangible properties of books. And given the increasing prevalence of digital texts many people want to reassert their old affection. Perhaps there is a kind of global mourning! In any case, I think the transition from books to digital is taking, and will take a long time and the constant reassertion of the superiority of books is becoming a little hackneyed.
As a bookseller of varying stripes for the last decade+, all I can tell you is that if you have ever interviewed anyone under 25 for a bookselling position, reason #1 they give for Why They Want To Work Here is that they love books! The smell of them! The feel of them! This also correlates highly with answering: Harry Potter, when I ask you what your favorite book is. Not that there’s anything wrong with either of those things! But I’m not paying you to stand around and smell books( most of them don’t really have much of a scent anyway) and…who DOESN’T love Harry Potter? And more importantly, who hasn’t already read it?
Lol! As someone who has worked as a lowly assistant in retail for some time, I have to say that a passion for the items one is selling makes one far better at the job. That being said, I think the ‘I love books’ sentiment is just not as profound as many people think –
Exactly! I mean, I’m happy that you love books! But telling me that you love the smell doesn’t really demonstrate the sort of book knowledge and passion that I need.
Did you find anyone under the age of 25 who did not identify the Harry Potter books as their favorite? Rowling, in fact, used books, as actual characters, and neither muggles nor wizards were particularly wired in. (The Muggle invention of email and texting is probably faster than sending owls).
I stare at a screen ll day for work, so I don’t do it for leasure. I do however believe books have one great advantage over data storage. Books, even those printed on cheap paper, are pretty durable and can’t be easily changed after written. Many books which one generation disregarded, survived in physical form and then were revived by later generations, either as literature or important historical sources.
Electronic media seem to be superceded over time, and it can become hard to “read” or “open” material which is even ten years old.
Meanwhile, speaking of musk, PSA: Lord & Taylor seems to be stocking the ostensibly discontinued Narciso Rodriguez Musc Oil. I’m not quite sure how this could be true, since hasn’t it been discontinued for some years now?, but I’ve ordered a bottle and supposedly it shipped (…meanwhile also ordered an STC sample), so I guess I’ll find out soon! Anyway just thought I’d mention, in case there was anyone else who was on the lookout for it.
Met up with Hajusuuri the other day and had so much fun that if there are any other NY fume folks that would like to meet in person, I’m open to it. (I use my screen name for my yahoo address). Am now seriously thinking of getting Or et Noir which is the most gorgeous rose to ever touch my skin (most go sour on me). I am not even a rose girl and since January, two have gone on my wishlist–this and Jardins d’Armide. Guess I have a gap in my collection that needs to be filled with something expensive…..
I am not a rose girl either a lot of the time..so, I say fill that gap!:). That Jardins looks particularly sniff worthy to me.
Byredo Green is what I’m currently saving for (theoretically since I’m easily distracted and I could end up buying something else from my wishlist). After that, it could be either of these roses, or Guerlain Shanghai, or Opardu, or Shanghai Lily, or…..
Isn’t it great to meet a fellow, local perfumista? I now have a Vancouver perfume buddy, and hope to go to Portland this year and be part of a sniffapalooza there…
Well, last weekend I found Paloma Picasso Edt for 16 bucks and this week the edp for 17, not bad. I figure I liked the edt so much that I bet I’d love the edp…and yep, 17 bucks. I am good on Paloma for a while!
To test list, hmmm, I haven’t had luck with many of the Serge Lutens scents as of yet..but I am not ruling out the whole line..several are on my test list..like Chergui, De Profundis..
and I would like to try Lyric Woman..even though, I am not huge on roses.
Paloma is great, isn’t it?
SL is a diverse line. I love La Myrrhe, Bois de Violette, A la Nuit, Iris Silver Mist and Daim Blonde. I have not loved any of the recent ones, although I find Fille de Berlin intriguing. I haven’t tried De Profundis yet, so I hope you’ll report back when you do.
Chergui was a bit light and sheer on me, without great longevity. The review that convinced me to sample it actually discussed that, but somehow it still surprised me. I found it a bit disappointing, but probably because my expectations weren’t met. (I assume a lover of PP likes a big ‘fume.) I’m not trying to discourage you; I just wish I hadn’t had the wrong idea in my head before I tried it.
I had the same experience – then a year later I came back to it and fell head over heels in love – and that it seemed a lot stronger than I had thought it was before. I’m not sure what responsible for the change but I have heard others talking about falling in love when they have come back to it.
Gorgeous 67° day in the Shenandoah Valley, so I put on Especially Escada Delicate Notes, which is a fun fruity floral (pear & roses). My husband loves it and it makes me smile. And I can’t stress enough the important that it was 67!!! Spring people – it might actually exist!!
I think the Shenandoah Valley is one of the most beautiful places on Earth! I lived there for several years, and from my back windows and doors, I had an unobstructed view of rolling countryside and the Blue Ridge Mts. Enjoy the 67*!
I’m originally from the PNW, so I can be a little snobby about landscapes, but even I concede that it is gorgeous here. I also still get a kick out of having true seasons (thought this one has gone on a little long, obviously).
Ha. I guess we *can* be a little smug out here in the NW, huh?
As a Houston resident, I am jealous of your landscapes. ;-P The only elevation we get around here is in the form of freeway overpasses.
I used to go back and forth to Austin a lot, and there was a little sign along Hwy 290 for a tiny town called Hills. I used to say that that sign was actually to let baffled Houstonians know what those high things that aren’t overpasses are.
lol (hate writing that, but it happened). FWIW, I live in Austin for years, and TX has unrivaled sunsets, IMO.*
*yeah, I know how many text abbreviations I used. Whatevs. 😉
I’m very jealous of your temps. My yard is still snow and ice. I tweeted a photo of it yesterday because someone thought I was exaggerating. On the weather forecast yesterday they also gave me the pollen count along with the forecast of a storm for midweek that could have over 6″ of snow. Somehow snow totals and pollen counts just don’t seem to go together.
Waving to you from the New River Valley, about 150 miles south of you on I-81! It was lovely here today, too, though only about 58F.
My daffodils and hyacinths are pushing up through the grass.
*waves back*
SOTD – Nectarine Blossom and Honey by Jo Malone. This has been my signature fragrance for years. With the arrival of Spring, I felt it was appropriate. Just smelling it makes me feel happy (as I subconsciously hear the song “Happy” by Pharrell in my head).
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my very first fragrance book: “Perfumes: The A-Z Guide”. After I have read the posts that so many people adore it, I had to get it.
I am very curious about two perfumes that was reviewed yesterday; Sortilege and Snob by Le Galion. If anyone has ever tried any of Le Galion’s fragrances, please share.
I’ve only tried Sortilege myself (ebay purchase, parfum de toilette mini) and it’s lovely, if you like aldehydic florals. It’s been compared often to Chanel No. 5, which I also love in parfum, but Sortilege has an innocent quality I don’t get in No. 5. I think it might be the lighter florals (there’s hyacinth in it and lily of the valley, which I don’t *think* are part of the classic rose-jasmine-ylang floral heart of No. 5).
Adding in a link for another blog review – I hope this won’t kick me into the spam file!
http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2010/10/le-galions-parallel-universe-sortilege.html
I owned them both back in the 70s. Sortilege was my first grown up scent.(I am ignoring the fact that I wore Evening in Paris at 12- and hope you will too.) Sortilege was a beauty! Peach and light aldehydes. Elegant and and pretty. I have high hopes for this reissue. I purchased a few vintage bottles over the years in my attempt to chase this dragon. What arrived was closer to Mrs. Butterworth in consistency. Snob had similarities in the way scents from the same house can, and i love the name. I believe Sortilege means witchcraft; I should have looked that up. Wise of you to get a reference book. Helps you identify notes and learn the lingo. And, a narrative is a good idea always.
Oh, enjoy The Guide! I often don’t agree with Turin (although it’s hard to say, with reformulations and such), but his writing is very entertaining!
I just picked up the EL Bronze Goddess body cream yesterday to go along with the perfume I got a couple of years ago and also a bottle of the shimmer body oil. The body cream is lovely- very moisturizing and the scent lasts for hours! The shimmer oil looks scary in the bottle, something maybe a 14 year old might like, but I was surprised to see that once sprayed on the skin, the shimmer is quite subtle. I live in Florida so I can pretty much wear this year round but I am a real lover of leathers, orientals and heavier perfumes in my heart of hearts. However, I really have been on a Bronze Goddess kick the past 2 weeks or so, must be due to temps in the high 70’s to low 80’s. Nary a snowflake in sight here. DREADING the summer!
Sometimes I think about moving to Florida, but I wonder when I’d get to wear my winter-heavy collection!
Good point!
Im in Miami this week and was thinking about this too. I wonder also about what happens when all the fall and winter fashions come out in stores up north, do Floridians see these in their shops too?
Does, for example, JCrew sell sweaters/coats in Florida or do they stay with the more summer items year round?
Do you have any recs for summer orientals? I have owned Opium Orchidee de Chine for years but would love some others
I wish I had a definitive answer for you but I am on the same hunt myself! I am rather new to this fragrance game and I am still looking for a perfume that is refreshing and cooling, but also deep and sensuous, long lasting, beautiful, deceptively simple, and good for any and all occasions. I’m not asking for much, an I? The closest scent I have found is Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire, although this in not really an “oriental.” If and when I stumble across it, I’ll let you know by shouting from the rooftops!
The only thing I have even remotely fitting that description is Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur. It has a cooling aspect to it suitable for warmer weather, and it seems lush yet light.
Oh, thanks for the suggestion! I will have to check this out as I have really not explored the TF line due to crazy prices! (IMO, anyway;))
Oh, so glad you commented. I think I’m going to get that body cream then.
I think you will really like it- gives a wonderful sheen to the skin and all you really need is a nickel size dab for each appendage and a little extra for the chest area. I think the jar will last quite a while as so little is needed! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
Perfect, thanks!
I opened my new bottle of BG yesterday–curious to compare it to the bottle I’d purchased a few years ago. I’d heard nasty rumors that they’d reformulated it. . . in any case, very pleased to report that I found no discernible difference between my two bottles! Yay!
I think I have heard that some years they bring out a flanker in addition to the regular scent. I know last year when I got the standard BG scent, I believe there was another version in a similar bottle and I had to ask the SA for help because I wasn’t aware of that when I went looking for it at Macy’s and was confused about which one I really wanted. She steered me in the right direction, happily for me!
I’m enjoying Roja Dove Diaghilev today. I like it very much, and consider it FB worthy in principle, but it’s $1,150 at Neiman Marcus. I do have decants, fortunately.
Is everyone ready to get out spring perfumes? What are your favs?
Favorite spring perfume is Pretty Machine, though I’ll also need to find my sample of Opardu soon and I’m wearing Coeur d’Ete today. Also, Lilas et Narcisse and After My Own Heart will be coming out to play soon as well.
Oh, I had completely forgotten about Pretty Machine since last August when Kevin praised it. Thanks for the reminder!
I have yet to try anything from this line because I don’t know where to get samples, other than the perfumers website. There are two or three I would like to sample and Pretty Machine is one of them. Also noticed that the price point increased exponentially this past year which was a turn off for me 🙁
MIN New York carries Kerosene, as does indiescents
Already got mine out! Switched my winter perfumes into the cabinet and put the springy ones into the hatbox on the dresser a couple of weeks ago. Le Temps d’une Fete, Crown Perfumery Crown Bouquet, Chanel No. 19, Chamade, Silences, Diorissimo, Cuir de Lancome, Ferre 20, Mary Greenwell Plum, Jolie Madame parfum, Penhaligon’s Violetta, Deneuve.
Yeah. Heavy on the green florals.
Mals, your list is making me feel a lot better about stowing away my wonderful winter favs!
I adore my greenies. 🙂
Just to say, NK, yes he adores perfume!
Oh my goodness – you could almost be my scent twin, Mals, as I have nearly every one of thise! Yay for the greenies!
Forgive typo – big cat pushing computer off my lap.
How adorable! Does your cat like perfume, too, Jillie?
Heh.. my cat tries to do that too. If I’m sitting on my bed with my laptop, he’ll paw at my arm until I let him in my lap. Or he’ll come from the other direction and try to step on my laptop screen.
Also, he seems to like green chypres. If I’m wearing one he’ll sniff my arm and start licking it.
YAY for almost-scent-twins! (Also yay for cat, computer-pushing notwithstanding…)
I meant to post this last weekend, but time got away from me: I have a $5 credit at Pinrose that I can use to send someone a set of all 10 samples. (These are the wet-wipe type of sample, unfortunately.) Robin had a post about Pinrose:
https://nstperfume.com/2014/02/09/pinrose-new-fragrance-line/
If anyone wants these, email me at iphintaur on aol (dotcom) with your name and address. The credit’s only good for another week or so.
I’m curious if anyone else has tried the bottega veneta aromatique fragrance yet? I just got a sample at Nordstrom and I’m quite smitten. It’s like a fresh spring version of the more sensual orientals I usually go for. I really hope it gets to the discounters so I can buy a full bottle.
I have not- but the original BV is what started me on my scent journey! I will never forget smelling it the first time and then browsing around and being pulled back to the bottle by some mysterious force! I was really taken with it. I will have to get my nose in this version soon!
Let us know what you think when you do! I am very curious if lovers of the original will like aromatique. I liked BV enough to buy a mini, but I think it’s too classy for me to really love, lol.
Funny coincidence as I bought a mini as well, still have it, and have never gotten a FB!
So I like basically all the other BVs, but the Essence Aromatique didn’t work as well for me–tonka bean is often a stumbling block for me. But if tonka works for you, I can definitely see what you’re saying about it being a more spring version of that kind of thing. Nice!
I did and can’t say I’m a fan. It was pretty harsh on me, and time didn’t help.
But good for you for liking it! Definitely coming into the season where you can really enjoy it.
Yesterday I went shopping to find a new spring perfume and I came home with Chanel 19! I tried everything from Amani to Lancome from Sisley to Guerlain but decided on the Chanel. Years ago I had one bottle of the original now vintage but can’t remember it but in those days I prefered No 22….sweet sweet – Le Dix sweeter…..also loved Miss Dior original amazing but I now realise those days of heady perfumes are gone. BUT everything changes….its a universal law. Just think how many of us people are on the planet today and also think how many of us are wearing fragrances and also think of the raw materials needed to fulfill that need. The heady days of perfume ARE gone but I do love some of the perfumes that have been created in these latter years. I loved ANGEL – it was iconic and so different – got thro lots of bottles of that one. I also love Tom Ford’s perfumes – especially Black Orchid. It was wonderful. So what I’m really trying to say is that we are here today on this planet in times that are very quickly changing with a huge global population that is expecting more and more – something has to give. If I’d had the money yesterday I would have bought Amouage Jubilation – it is glorious, rich, deep and full of real ingredients but I cannot justify spending that amount of money on a fragrance – I have too many other things I want to do. I may treat myself to a 2ml sample every now and again but thats it. So as for oakmoss and sandalwood – unfortunately they are disappearing fast but we do have some great replacements that are affordable and hey as long as we smell great it doesn’t matter. BTW when I was out in Birmingham (UK) yesterday I hardly smelt any perfume on anyone – just an occasional wiff of something vaguely flowery and yet Selfridges perfume hall was buzzing……there were a lot of people buying – the Chanel stand was really busy – maybe just too many people in too small an area for anything to stand out, so I came home to my beloved Mid Wales and in my country garden I sprayed some No 19 and it blended really well with the spring sunshine. Namaste to all:))))
No. 19 is so lovely.
Love No. 19! Also, 28 La Pausa is one of my favorite modern perfumes, along with Gucci Rush and Kenzo Amour.
In some ways it’s not so much that there aren’t any great perfumes any more, it’s that there used to be many great perfumes in ordinary department stores and drugstores, and now you have to sniff very hard to find them.
Just chiming in with more No.19 love. It’s my favorite of the Chanels I’ve tried. I also really like Kenzo Amour.
Went poking around some antique stores yesterday and made baby’s first vintage perfume score, a mostly full bottle of Shalimar EdC!!! So excited. Then after making my way to the register with it clutched to my bosom, I met an elderly lady in line who was buying a bottle of the bath oil and we had a lovely little convo about perfume. She was telling me that she got her first bottle as a teenage and has worn it ever since.
I also got samples of Prada Id’I and Id’I Absolue to compare as I can’t make my mind up between them. I tried the absolue on at Sephora as I hadn’t fragged up for the day and it reminded me a little of Prada’s No.2 Oilette. I need to do a side by side comparison now since I loooove No.2 but have a hard time spending that much. If I can get the same satisfaction out of the Id’IA it would make my wallet much happier.
All in all it was a really good perfumista day. Hope everyone else’s weekend is going lovely.
Oooh congrats on the vintage score! It’s so fun, isn’t it? It doesn’t always work out but when it does!!
Congrats on that vintage find! I love it when that happens.
Probably too late to get any replies to this, but earlier I was on the public transport and sitting next to a lady about 20 years older than me. Straight away I was a little ‘worried’ as I just disliked her scent. I thought maybe her clothes were musty or something. Because it was a long trip we started talking, and it turned out we were both perfume enthusiasts. I pulled out a bottle of something I love (that I was carrying with me) to show her. She sniffed it but did not react so she probably did not like it. She then pulled out HER bottle. I smelled it – and there was that nasty scent. She was then unable to resist spritzing it all over herself and then commenting with evident satisfaction on how refreshing it was. She was very interesting to talk to but I found the scent so off-putting I was unable to concentrate on the conversation. Its actually quite frightening how relative these things are!
That’s too funny, and I can SO relate. I used to have a roommate that would spray with abandon the most detestable scent (to my nose) I could barely stand to be around her. She thought it was her signature scent and loved it.
I can’t help wondering how many people feel that way about some of the perfumes I wear and adore.
🙁
Oh wow! Not to embarrass anyone but can you tell us the name of the bottle she had with her? And was it just a perfume you don’t like, or do you think perhaps her bottle had turned? I’m not sure I’ve experienced this with perfume just yet, but friends in the restaurant biz tell me people will sometimes drink a whole bottle of wine that’s gone off, just because the experience of sitting at a fancy restaurant and paying a lot of money for a bottle of wine can be sufficient conditioning to make one believe it’s good wine (not even just, I don’t think, in the sense of being afraid to speak up about something obviously bad, but genuinely changes how much a person does or doesn’t enjoy it.) I know usually the conversation is about people feeling disappointed that their perfume doesn’t smell as good anymore, but I wouldn’t be surprised if for some people it works the other way, and some folks remain committed to their scent–the brand, the bottle, the name–even when it really doesn’t smell the same anymore!
I do think that can happen – and I wonder if us, perfumistas, might be even more prone to this phenomenon as we accept the idea of ‘developing a taste’ for a scent. That is, we believe that a scent we at first find reprehensible might become wonderful to our noses when they are more developed. Most of the population would go yuck and move on:) So there can be all sorts of factors along with price. In this particular case I’m not sure. In general she seemed to love perfume, and did not seem to be the type to judge on price. Also from the expression on her face she really did enjoy the actual physical sensation of the scent.
This particular lady had a preference for natural perfumes but was using a brand I am not familiar with. It was an osmanthus scent (called osmanthus) and this is particularly strange since I usually find the note either harmless, pleasant or wonderful. Its always seemed quite mild to me. To me this one reeked!
I guess I know theoretically that not everyone likes the scents I do but there is always a little part of me that believes it’s impossible that someone is smelling the same thing I am and NOT sharing my experience. I often think they are just being critical or obstinate or something!
Fascinating. Did she say what other perfumes she liked? Did you guys agree on any of them? Because another thing is, I do have the impression that some of my crunchy-hippie friends really object to the smell of conventional perfume, and instead enjoy a set of smells that I’m really not such a fan of. But this is really a schematic difference, there’s almost no overlap in our tastes. It does seem stunning that someone who ostensibly shared the interest in perfume would have such a vastly different perspective…
I guess she may have been more emphatically bohemian than me, lol! She seemed to think mainstream perfume (Chanel, etc) was poisonous to put on the skin, contained chemicals, etc, etc. I suspect the perfume was an Italian one – I got that impression from the name, though I can’t remember the actual name. She was definitely a rather alternative type:) And, as I said, of a later generation. Also, she was German and I am South African. Her English was good enough for conversation (I can’t speak German) but we didn’t get into an in-depth perfume conversation; too much else! I think both of us had a rather brute and instinctual response to the scent – hers was positive, mine negative!
I remember loathing the Giorgio people used to marinate in back in the ’80s, but young solopsist that I was, it never occurred to me that others might feel the same way about my Opium.
Happy Spring, everyone! Or at least for all those who are on my side of the world!
I have a question that I hope someone can answer. One of my perfume bottles seems to be “bleeding” on the bottom (ew, I know, that sounds icky!) Not a lot, but just enough for me to notice it when I pick it up. So I put a piece of paper underneath the bottle to protect my dresser surface, and the paper turned black (it looks like an inkblot). Does anyone know why bottles bleed like that? Or why the paper would turn black? The juice is still fine and quite viable, it’s just, the bottle. Thanks in advance!!
WHat kind of bottle is that? Off the top of my hat I’d say the bottle is cracked? Sometimes tiny cracks are so tiny you can’t really see them well. Also, perfume can dissolve dyes, be careful, I spilled a sample on my kitchen table and the paint (acrylic) got totally ruined and started to peel off…
Hmm, I’ll have to take a look and see if there are any cracks in the bottle that are not very visible. It’s one of those bottles where it sits on its side instead of the traditional straight up presentation, so that may have something to do with it. And the dye-dissolving thing may explain the black paper.
Thanks for the reply!
So, I ventured on a sniffing trip to the mall – Live in Love by O. de la Renta (boring), Cartier Panthere (fruity, milky), Bottega Veneta Eau Legere (went home with me – is it only me, or does it feel very similar to Gucci Rush 2, albeit lighter? I know, I know, Mr. Almairac made them both), Si Lolita by Lolita Lempicka (heavily discounted but not a fan of licorice) and finally caved in and splurged on a bottle of Corallium by Carthusia (god, this was expensive as hell but love every drop of it).
Also, going to auction off some of my bottles on ebay – never sold anything through ebay, so it sounds like an adventure to me.
Happy spring to everyone!