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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Agonist Reviews: Quick Impressions

Agonist is a line that's been fascinating me for some time.  I finally managed to get a hold of the entire sample set; these can be hard to come by, if you order directly from their site you get charged 20 euro for shipping on top of the 23 euro for the samples.  However, each one is individually boxed and you get 6 of them, so you'll get a lot of use from them if you enjoy the scents.  I have now tried all six, quick impressions:


The Infidels:  Very elegant head shop scent, obviously well made and very unisex.  Definitely strong sillage, not a summer scent, but something that would be worn with heavy clothing while skulking through city streets at dusk.  The patchouli, labdanum and amber base is lightened by the lavender and blackcurrant, the initial impression is of dark spiced fruits that give way to a smouldering resinous scent.  Very nice, I bought a bottle.


Onyx Pearl:  Upon spraying, reminds me of the men's department at Nordstrom when they start selling leather jackets.  Upscale and very masculine, the suede and oud are at the forefront for the entire fragrance, I never get even a hint of floral but eventually get to a sandalwood and cedar base.  This would be a very sexy fragrance on the right person, however, not for me.


Black Amber:  This is a beautiful, smokey labdanum scent, and reminds me of looking at actual amber.  There are shots of light throughout keeping it from becoming too heavy, a bit like looking at stained glass in a very dark church.  The olibanum and tobacco are quite pronounced on me for a long period of time and keeps the scent from becoming your 'typical' amber.  I get no sense of powder here, just a sweet, reverential amber.  Lovely.


Liquid Crystal:  Lavender opening is gorgeous but quickly becomes The Infidels Light.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a background spice note that threatens to become men's deodorant, a bit like Xerjoff Dhofar.  Unisex.


Vanille Marble:  Oh.  My Goodness.  I like vanilla.  I LOVE this.  I had read reviews already and frankly wasn't all that excited to try it.  I was wrong.  WRONG.  This is The Goddess Vanilla.  It's creamy yet dark, smoky yet luminous, balanced with the perfect amount of floral, fig and sandalwood.  I did not find it foody, but almost mysterious and very very sophisticated.   Instantly bought a bottle with absolutely not regrets as to price. 
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Arctic Jade:  A lovely surprise!  Opens on a children's aspirin note but quickly develops into a tart berried floral with an undertone of cedar and vanilla.  Manages to smell fresh, tangy, clean and elegant at the same time.  Very ladylike and versatile. My next FB purchase.



All in all, one of the most interesting lines I've come across with something for everyone.  All are extremely well made and creative.  Currently available at Aedes.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Keiko Mecheri Bespoke: Bal De Roses

Rose is a ubiquitous note in many fragrances, so while I generally say that I'm not a fan of rose scents, that's not necessarily true.  I typically don't like scents that feature rose as an almost-soliflore.  However, rose and elevate, brighten, and flesh out a fragrance like few florals can, and the different ways rose can be interpreted are myriad. 
Bal de Roses is a scent that starts with a blast of floral peppered with a brightness and spice that seems modern, like a huge minimalist vase of roses in a chic, edgy luxury hotel.  There are so many florals in this, with the ylang ylang adding a blue edge, the tuberose a slight latex-like scent, and jasmine brightening the core.  The overall effect is large and bright and beautiful, very feminine and ethereal.  The rose is a support note and the one that is most obvious, filling out any empty spaces left by the other notes, and at each sniff it takes a different turn....here, a little tea rose.  There, a lush, red spiced rose.  A moment of sunny yellow. 
When the oud comes out, it mirrors the latex feel of the tuberose, but develops into that medicinal quality that good oud has, and finally develops and blends with what I think is sandalwood and maybe benzoin? to form a solid foundation to the florals.  This scent is never heavy but has wonderful sillage. 
Keiko Mecheri has really shown her talents in the Bespoke collection.  I've enjoyed KM scents for awhile but I must say that these are by far her best.  Each one I have tried so far has been absolutely beautiful. 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Mirage: Atelier Ambre Nue

With the fall comes the annual amber kick.  Typically I gravitate toward heavier amber scents but my skin amplifies all the amber-associated components and notes, so sometimes I'm searching for an amber that won't scream my presence across a room. 

Today I tried Atelier's Ambre Nue.  At first sniff, this smells like a typical, light amber fragrance.  It comes across as light and sweet, this is definitely not cold-weather amber but like amber boating on a lake in the summertime with a beer.  The mandarin and bergamot make a quick appearance,  like a surprisingly candied citrus.  I'm almost turned off, but I'm finding it intriguing that my amber is turning into a lemon amber meringue candy drop.  It's actually entertaining.  Every few minutes I'm sniffing and getting something else:  oranges.  a flash of sunlight.  light amber. 

A while later, the citrus melds into a slightly spicy kick with the slightest breath of floral.  I love how this entire time, the amber is still just barely perceptible.  It quietly dances on the outskirts of the fragrance, like an artist might use a few lines to add structure to an otherwise muted drawing.

Every facet of this scent is a surprise.  Although not an 'amber' scent per se in the commonly accepted sense, it's a wonderful translation and feels like a crowd pleaser.  I'll definitely be reaching for this one in the spring when I need my amber fix.






Sunday, October 7, 2012

Xerjoff Nio : Review

Notes:  Neroli, Calabrian bergamot, cardamom, nutmeg, pink pepper, green leaves, cedar, gaiac wood, Haitian vetiver, Indian patchouli, amber.

Xerjoff is a house that I find fascinating in that it incites people towards fits of rage or complete ecstasy.  I fall into the latter.  Of course, not every Xerjoff is perfect but it is clear that the materials used are very high quality, even in the fragrances that don't quite work.

In my Xerjoff quests I have managed to accumulate all of their discovery sets (with the exception of Casamorati, which I am working on :)  ).  Recently I purchased the Shooting Stars series 2 discovery set:  Masculine.  I wasn't sure what to expect; I like unisex fragrances but many of the typical ingredients used in men's perfumerie don't work for me.  I decided that if I purchased them and they didn't work on me, they would work on my husband, so I went for it.

Tonight I tried Nio for the first time.  The intial burst of bergamot and neroli felt sweet and the spices added a mild, intriguing aspect.  Unisex definitely came to mind......although this would smell incredibly sexy on any man, any woman could wear this comfortably in the heat of summer.  The citrus actually increases in strength in the first few minutes.  The green leaves add lush freshness to the composition, but it never turns leafy or overtly masculine.   In the later stages, interestingly enough, the neroli shows up again (my skin amps neroli) but it's still kept in check by the citrus which has some incredible lasting power.  The cedar is quite well-behaved as well, adding balance and a 'dry' element without marching all over the other notes. 

I am shocked by how long the citrus lasts in Nio.  My typical citrus experience is CITRUS (5 minutes)......sweet (2 hours).......wood or herbs (forever).   Nio kept the balance the entire, long, duration of the fragrance, which for a citrus lover like me is a huge benefit. 

Though some might find Xerjoff to be too pricey (especially the bottles, which I understand), I find it reasonable in terms of the Discovery Sets.  Considering that I paid 212.00 for the set and there were 6 15 ml bottles in it, I only paid 35.00 per bottle, or about 2.25 per ml.  I have paid that price for 15 ml decants of fragrances that were much lower quality that didn't have half the longevity.....therefore, I feel that the prices of the sets are fair for what you receive.  If you can allow room in your budget for it, you should try these scents. 

Etat Libre D'Orange Rossy de Palma : Review

It's been quite awhile since I made any posts; I had gotten my soap shop up and running again and then summer hits, and it becomes all about kids and frogs for awhile.  The weather the last few days have made a turn toward the cool side and darkness is settling in earlier.  It's time to break out the autumn fragrances.

Today, I am wearing Etat Libre d'Orange Rossy de Palma.  Notes include Ginger, black pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, benzoin, incense, cacao and patchouli (as per http://www.luckyscent.com).  It's interesting that I reached for this.......ELDO scents are usually not my favorite, and I rarely find a rose scent that I enjoy, let alone want to own.  Rossy has kicked her way through all of my misgivings.

When I was growing up, there were some things that were just part of our home.  There was always a bottle of 4711 laying around somewhere, lots of ivory soap, and a 3 piece set of Maja soap in my mother's drawer.  The Maja box always fascinated me with its beautiful flamenco dancer, and the scent, though a bit intense for me when I was young, was a spicy floral blend that fit the image perfectly.  The description that I read for RdP flashed me back to finding that soap box, so I was happy that it was included in the ELDO prestige coffret.

Initial impressions of Rossy de Palma include a blast of pepper and rose, but not an off-putting vintage rose.  This rose is red, and alive, and surrounding you with little wisps of floral.  For an hour, my arm smells of warmth and rose and smoke.  The incense increases in intensity but never becomes overwhelming and tames the rose into a suggestion. 

When it hits the drydown stage, Rossy turns around completely and you are left with a rich, sweet amber/musk/wood with a light overlay of rose liqeur.

I have never in my life wanted to purchase a rose-centered scent.  This one has made itself sorely tempting. 

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I'm a huge candle lover. I have all kinds, from Slatkin and Yankee to Lafco, D.L. Company and Aquiesse. I have to say that I've found that, in general, the higher the price point the better the scent....not necessarily in terms of throw, but in general ambience.

One that I'm burning right now is Votivo Sea Blue Sky. The description from the Votivo.com website describes the scent as:
"The sensory delight of wide open spaces, dancing kites, foggy blue-gray seashores and the souls of dew-drench lavender buds and moistened, softened amber remnants- romance on the eve of spring.".

The first time I experienced this scent, cold-sniffed, I found it to be very heavy on the wood and woody-musk. I reached for it one day when the sun was just starting to warm up the ground outside and wanted something that didn't scream 'winter'. I let it burn for awhile,ignored it, and went into another room for an hour to do some work. Somewhere in the interim, a magical transformation occured with the scent of the candle.

When I came back into the kitchen, my living area, dining area and kitchen all smelled wonderful. You could finally make out the lavender buds, but just lightly, over the woodsy scent. It definitely gave the impression of an early spring day outside, when the leaves haven't peeked out yet but the earth is starting to generate that lovely spring, slightly damp, woodsy scent.

My favorite thing about Votivo candles is that as long as the wick is trimmed properly, they don't soot much, although sometimes the wax doesn't melt completely. For the most part, though, they make a reliable and consistently lovely-scented product. A- on this scent!!!!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Bois 1920 La Vaniglia : Review

bergamot, mandarin, mint, pepper, ginger, frankincense, patchouli and vanilla.

Every so often there comes a fragrance unlike any you've experienced. When I was searching for a new vanilla fragrance, I came across this one and couldn't find many reviews on it. The notes sounded intriguing and a little bit confusing. I ended up buying a bottle unsniffed.

I wore it for the first time a few days ago. The initial blast was one of heat and a lovely, creamy (read: creamy, not bakery) vanilla. Almost like someone had made a weird condensed milk sorbet with a hot ginger, mint and fruit. In a few minutes the ginger, citrus, pepper and frankincense combines to create a delicious, sweet yet hot melange of yumminess. You can sense the heat through the fragrance, which is so interesting, as I find that spicy usually doesn't really translate into anything but nutmeg or cinnamon, but in this fragrance the heat is almost tangible and I am reminded of incense and Christmas at church. The vanilla becomes more like extract lingering on the edges of the dancing spices and fruit, but it's definitely still there. This phase lasts about an hour and I love every minute of it. Finally, a spiced scent that I can wrap my head (or nose) around.

When the scent finally settles, a lovely, sweet, vaguely creamy vanilla is lingering, with the vaguest touch of patchouli. The frankincense is still there leaving a vaguely incense-like trace.

This is a truly beautiful fragrance, and I feel that as more people try it it's going to be very popular. I'm surprised that I haven't seen it mentioned more but it's definitely worth a try, and in my case I am thrilled to own a full size bottle. Gorgeous!!!!!!

Marc Jacobs Curacao : A review

blood orange, bitter orange, lime, mandarin, violet, pear, apricot, white moss, amber, musk, and sandalwood.

Marc Jacobs splashes were something I wanted to try for awhile. The Perfumed Court had some great sales over the month of December and I figured it would be a good time to try them, so I purchased some (and managed to get a huge bottle of Pomegranate at Marshall's for 22.99). Curacao was intriguing to me, because I'm a big fan of the liquer, and the color. I'm a sucker for any blue scent.
This fragrance gives the impression, at first, of just being another fruity-floral. At first I was afraid. Very afraid. I got a big, fruity disastrous mess that singed my nose hairs. Is it citrus? Is it pear? Where is this going???? What is going on? *panic* I need some soothing tea.
I didn't get orange at all. My skin amps anything pear so mostly I was getting this weird cloying fragrance. I decided to ignore it and went back to it a half hour later.
At this point, it was mostly pear and apricot with some violet-ness. Violet is one of those notes that can take over completely, but it does add balance and in this case I was grateful that it was tempering the pear.
When this fragrance finally burned off its top notes, the result was shocking. The lasting impression of Curacao is a lovely, slightly mossy aquatic with an appealing musk base. It's not heavy at all and has turned into a quiet skin scent.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

L'Eau des Hesperides by Diptyque : Review

I go through spates where I try to find the perfect 'x' fragrance. Most recently it was a search for my perfect vanilla, but just prior I was looking for my perfect citrus which resulted in a frenzy of citrus decant purchases. L'Eau Des Hesperides by Diptyque was one of these decant purchases. Bitter orange and lemon, thyme, rosemary, peppermint, immortelle, musk and wood. Far be it from me to be seasonal....I decided to spray it on this morning, as the post-holiday season is upon me and all I'm feeling is lethargic, so a peppy, zingy fragrance is on the menu.

L'Eau Des Hesperides opens on a bright, true citrus blast with almost a peppery green-ness, which quickly mellows to a....dare I say it?........lemon Razzles gum scent. Luckily, this nostalgic trip to 4th grade fades quickly as well. It doesn't disappear completely but it quickly tempered by the herbs which gives the scent a vague aura of very expensive soap. I love the thyme as it adds a 'dryness' to the scent and keeps it from becoming too run-of-the-mill.

A half hour later all obvious sweetness has dissipated and I'm left with the faintest whisper of floral underneath tame, dry wood and still, thankfully, citrus.

This is a lovely scent. I love L'eau de Tarocco, and it's obvious that these two scents share a common lineage, like they started on the same train and then at a common stop they both got off and went to different destinations. Whereas Tarocco is warmer due to the saffron and is scent that I could easily see wearing in cooler weather, Hesperides has a definitive warm-weather vibe to it due to the bitterness that the Mediterranean herbs impart. Definitely unisex, and in my eyes, a bargain.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

LUSH Sympathy For the Skin : Review

Ahhhhh, LUSH. I have had an on again/off again, non-committal relationship with them for a long time now. There are a few products that I find myself returning to: I love the Olive Branch shower gel, as well as Happy Hippy, and their Godiva solid shampoo is amazing. However, there is one product of theirs that has always been a standout for me, and an absolute staple in my cabinet.
My heart is palpitating just saying it:
Sympathy for the Skin.
SYMPATHY FOR THE SKIN!
This lotion has it all. From its very subtle, barely there vanilla bean scent that layers beautifully with just about everything to its smooth, velvety, moisturizing-yet-light texture, this cream is perfect. It's a great hand lotion, fantastic for making my desert-dry legs look smoother, wonderful for all over moisturizing...I've even been know to use a dab of it to de-frizz my hair and when I'm out of my Celestial moisturizer I use it on my face with great results.
Every so often there are rumors that it might be discontinued. I find that hard to believe. However, if that ever occurs my life will be over as I know it.
Price is rather high, but a jar tends to last me about 5 months which is fair. I love the little vanilla bean flecks in the lotion....it looks so delicious!!!! I also love how it never overpowers anything.
SYMPATHY for the SKIN!
Hooray!!!!

Humiecki & Graef Clemency : Review

Notes: Rose, linden blossom, sweet acacia, woods, leather, milk

Clemency opens on a pure tea rose note, tempered by a soft wood and the brightness of linden. I'm afraid of rose notes in general, my skin amplifies it like nothing else and many a rose sample has been thrown in my trash bin (even the good ones like Ta'if and Lyric). Surprisingly, this rose stays in check which is no small feat, and the linden never becomes loud or obnoxious. I'm surprised by the pairing of linden with wood and leather. It turns linden into a refined, year round type of note instead of one that screams SPRING!
This scent stays linear for quite a while.....the rose and linden eventually give way to a smooth, light acacia with the wood strengthening to become the dominant element, but then the milk starts making an appearance. This is not condensed milk, but a light, ethereal sweet note, like the foam on a cappuccino, lending a light airiness to the composition. As a reflection of motherhood....well, I don't know. This is a very elegant mom, not one you'd really want to hug. but definitely intriguing and worldly. It's the mom that takes you to the opera for your 6th birthday. Memorable, but not necessarily fun. Overall impression is that it's a lovely scent, but maybe not one that would be reached for on an everyday basis. It's restrained and elegant, but different and almost sharp. I'm reminded of shell pink linen and an expensive gold compact with light face powder in it.

A surplus of scents.

New year, new blog. I was going through my stash of fragrances the other day, trying to categorize, where I had that moment of enlightenment that I have way too much, and I haven't even worn many of them. It's time to start wearing and reviewing. When most of the shelf space in your closet is taken over by bath and body products, it's time to start using and reviewing. When most of the shelves in your laundry room are taken up by candles, it's time to start using and reviewing. So, here I am.
I have this 'thing' about fragrance. I hate smelly things. Not that most people like them, but I really don't like truly offensive odors and it can take over my whole experience in a very negative way. I started buying perfume regularly in 2005 when I realized that I connect so many memories to smell (which I know is not unusual), but I started realizing just what a visceral reaction some scents had for me. Then I started realizing that there were many beautiful, little-known fragrances in the world and I had to experience them.
As a side note, I have a son with Asperger's Syndrome. He, too, loves scent, which I appreciate. Many children with AS find most scents to be too strong........he does if he doesn't like the scent, but if he likes one he really likes it, so this journey has been fun for me and it is for him as well. How many 10 year olds with Asperger's request Lush Glogg shower gel? And my 4 year old has already decided that his favorite scent is Bond #9 Wall Street and tries to steal his Dad's. I love that my kids have inherited my weird obsession with scent. It's a bonding ritual.
Anywho, here we go. I am not super-educated in the world of fragrance but I can put across my impressions. This blog is mostly for me to remember what I've tried and what I think about a fragrance, and also to chat about daily things, but I hope that maybe some people out there can relate to this and give me feedback or thoughts on things I haven't tried. Happy New Year!!!!!!