CB I Hate Perfumes is really a very special brand. When i first become perfume curious this was one of the first brands that got my attention. Scents with names as Winter 1972, In the Library, I´m a dandelion, Russian caravan tea and At The Beach 1966 are really turn ons for my imagination. Despite that, it took quite a while before I finally tried any of the scents.
Christpher Brosius, the man behind CH I Hate Perfume has a very personal philiosophy about scents. He isn´t interested in usual good smelling perfumes, he likes to create memories and stories in his bottles. Christopher has chose to make two kinds of scents, a water version and an oil version, also many of the scents are possible to get as a room spray. I decided to try some perfume oils, since I´ve heard that the water version isn´t so longlasting.
One of the scents that I´ve been most curious about is In The Library, I love the smell of old books, wooden shelfs and that dry almost dusty air in rooms filled with books, so it isn´t that surprising that this is among the samples I ordered.
But does it smell like a library? Yeah, kind of but still, not really or... On me, In the Library becomes a vague yet very pleasant smell of something a little oily, like leather or maybe wood polish? There is something dusty in the scents as well and something papery. But, In the Library are more like a feeling then a scent I think. I really like to wear this, it feels comfy, homey and and like getting a warm welcoming. But most of all, it makes me think about how it would be as a room scent.
In the Library is more a scent to step in to then to wear I think. Like Christopher stated, it´s more of a story in a bottle then a perfume.
On me, In the Library has at least some staying power, but not more then about 2-3 hours and the sillage is minimal. I´ve also tried Wild pansy, and even though it is the most geunin scent of a shy violet hidden among last years leafs and some mud, it has no staying power what so ever. On me Wild Pansy is totally gone in less then 30 minutes.
One the other hand, it doesn´t matter so much. I would like to have a small collection of CB I Hate Perfumes scents, and use a tiny little drop whenever I feel to wake a certain mood. I have two small 1/3 mls samples and you can´t hardly tell that I´ve tried them.
You can read a lot about the scents at CB I Hate Perfume homepage:
http://www.cbihateperfume.com/home.html
Admit that several of the scents stir both your imagination and curiousity? Despite the poor staying power I´ll order some more samples from this interesting perfume house. Maybe not I would go around wearing every day, but they are after all scents with a soul... and to find such a thing can´t make me dissapointed.
What do you think about CB I Hate Perfume? Have tou tried anything from them? Or are you curious? Or do you think that perfumes are supposed to be perfumes?
Pic: Trinity Old Library
I love Wild Hunt...smelled it in 2008 at Sniffapalooza and HAD TO HAVE IT !!
SvaraRaderaOld leaves and ferns and dirt and dries down to my HG scent...labdanum...only have a small bottle of the oil , but I love it..gonna go put some on now , perfect for this rainy grey day...
Rebella-- You raised some of the precise points I have when I think about CB: I love that his scents are strange yet familiar-- I love to have the option of smelling like something wonderful that doesn't smell like perfume. "In the Library" just smelled like paste to me-- I just didn't "get" it, although I've had lovely conversations with friends who enjoyed it a whole lot more than me.
SvaraRaderaAnd you are dead right about the lasting power-- I've never tried any of the oil concoctions-- Carol, I love "Wild Hunt" too, and one of these days I'm going to oder some-- have to see if it comes in an oil base...
I have the smokey tobacco in the perfume oil and it lasts 4+ hours on me. I have Black March in the water and if I spray myself wet, I can still smell it 6 hours later. I think the "spray yourself wet" application is key with the waters, and since they are relatively cheap, I don't feel bad with generous application. (Comparatively, I have to do the same with S-Perfumes 100% Love, and it is much pricier.)
SvaraRaderawaftbyCarol: I had such high expectations on In the Library, and it didn´t really lived up to them. But I´m sure others from CB are, they seem to be very different from most other brands. I think Wild Hunt will be in my next sample set from CB: :)
SvaraRaderaThe Left Coast Nose: I can´t really think about CBs scents as perfume, for me they´re something else, I even suspect that when I find "the right" among what they offer I can be so touched that I cry. It feels like the scents are touching a lot of emotions and memories and when they hit the right spot... Well, I´ll guess I have to wait and see.
SvaraRaderaThe alsting power is somewhat annoying, but since they´re not really perfumes I can forgive about that. :)
Diana: I love to take a shower in Black March. :) And yes, they´re not among the priciest, and best of all, they even are for sale in Sweden! :)
SvaraRaderaAnd maybe the staying power depends a little on which of the scents?