I´ve got luck!

I love to read other perfume blogs (and a lot of toher stuff about perfume too). Some reviews make me so extremly curious about the scent described, that I can´t wait to try it. Sometimes it becoma as wonderful on me as on the person that reviewed it but sometimes it´s nothing but a big oh well... I also find it extremly interesting to read about people that happened to find a practically new bottle of Amouage at the local thrift store (like that ever will happen here in Nyköping). Or every possible way to find/buy/discover unusual perfumes at unusual places.


Usually I won´t say that I´m a particulary lucky person, not that I´m the opposite either. But my luck usually is of the kind you know like "Wow, I just won 10 bucks on the lottery" or "Finally I manage to get me a small decant of that wonderful scent" or "Yippie, I´ve got some small, pretty samples by mail today", and belive me I´m a very happy every time I´ve got some new decants or samples in the mail, but however, usually I don´t manage to get me that many big bottles of perfume. Maybe one for my birhday and one for Christmas, at least if we´re talking about those a little more rare and expensive kind of scents. So my, perfume budget an ordinary month is rather about 10 euros and up (and not THAT much up either) than 100 euros and up.


But during this past weeks I have been more lucky than usual. Maybe it started when I´ve got the opportunity to buy a big, unopened bottle of Yohji by Yohji Yamamoto for a much lower price then it usually retails for at Ebay (thank you, Triplex). Or when I swapped me a big, almost full bottle of Bond No 9 So New York? Or when I happened to stumble upon another bottle of Yohji (together with a few other nice perfumes) at Tradera for almost free? And not to forget mention, that I´ve just find out that I won the first price in the blog contest at www.parfymguiden.se a gift voucher of (about) 100 euro to spend on a nice perfume shop. OK, they carry mostly mainstream-and designer scents, but it´ll be so much fun to chose among Kenzo, Prada, JP. Gaultier and Dior just to mention a few. And, 100 euro is a lot of money!


I guess I have to share this luck also, so I´ll have a drawing on the blog soon. I think luck is something to share, like goes around comes around. And that seem to be a guding star with a lot of people (most would I say) that swap perfumes. So don´t miss it, I can´t say exactly what day it´ll be, but probably with one or one and a half week.






pic: luck-celtic-shamrock-blessing

Honore des Pres - Vamp á NY

Vamp á NY isn´t the first scent I try from Honore des Pres, and my personal favorite among the one´s I tried before is Sexy Angelic a subtle, soft and whispering scent with almost airy almond gourmand quality. Vamp á NY is a totally different kind of scent. On me it starts with a strong and powerful tuberose note blended with something that smells smoky, but also something that to my nose smells almost like cucumber, but not as watery as cucumber actually smells like for real. This initial blast wears off quite quickly and Vamp á NY soon become more about tuberose then about cucumber. The weak smoky note also dissapears, but instead a heavy dose of sweetness occurs.

To be honest this phase smells much more like coke and tuberose on my skin, then what it´s supposed to smell, rhum and tuberose. I´m searching after the rhum accord without any succes, I can´t find anything smelling like liqeuor on my skin at all. No, Vamp á NY is a sweet, fully blossoming tuberose scent with pronounced gourmand features. I think of Vamp á NY as a happy, summery kind of tuberose scent even though it´s so sweet, it´s sweet without being sticky or too sweet.

When thinking about it this fragrances smells like some kind of healthy, modern but also sparkling soft drink, some kind of trendy ice tea perhaps? Yes, there is definitly something reminding me of tea, but tea served cold that is. I like the scent, but I find it to be quite linear, when I´m finnished with figuring out what I think it smells like, it goes on that way for a long time. Consisting of a huge part tuberose, but still on the softer side among tuberoses, one part fresh sweetness and another part of some kind of tea... I´m enjoying it, it´s soft, likeable and pretty, but I don´t find it to be that special, even though I can´t think of any other scent featuring tuberose that reminds of it. Vamp á NY is quite unique, but yet, in my opinion, lack something that makes it stand out.

Being a 100% natural scent the longvity is impressing though, I put it on at night and can still smell it lingering around next morning. The sillage is also nice and noticable. During dry down Vamp á NY become less sweet and with a pleasant woody note that seem to rise from the tea accord, the tuberose is very present all the time and the last thing remaining before the scent slowly wears off.

In comparision my skin chemistry seem to make most scents leaning to the sweeter side. For some reason my skin also makes some smoke/incense notes smelling like coke... Vamp á NY is an interesting, well made and different tuberose scent, but it isn´t really a tuberose scent for me. Strange thing is that I belive I love tuberose in perfumes, but after all there is only one tuberose scent that I really love, and that is Frederic Malle´s Carnal Flower.

Stendhal - Elixir Noir

Stendhal mostly offers skincare products, but also have one perfume, Elixir Noir. I haven´t heard much about it, but become curious about it since the notes sounds promising and the bottle is so beautiful. Therefor it´s so much fun to finally try it (I´ve got two little samples from the Swedish general agent). You can find Elixir Noir on many places at the internet.


Elixir Noir starts of with juicy and sweet berry notes and some peppery and sharp notes. It smells kind of red and that isn´t so strange becasue the notes are cranberries and pink pepper. Soon the red and berry opening becomes a little softer, and with green, crisp notes of magnolia leaf. The sharp note in the opening wears off quite fast and Elixir Noir becomes a sweet, comfy and kind of happy scent. During this phase it is pleasant, but not that uniqe or different and not with anything that makes it stand out.


The cranberry stays for a while but becomes less sweet and mixes with some powdery notes which join in some kind of very delicious note of chewy fudge, and this smells really, really good. The fudgy note are light and not so sweet. The scents develops and become more powdery and also less sweet than in the opening, during this phase it smells powdery, soft floral and of a very discrete gourmand character. This feel more personal and different, even though Elixir Noir keeps on the safe side and never become strange or edgy. It´s a feminine scent that mixes modern notes (cranberry and pepper) with more traditional powdery, floral notes and patchouli.
The result is a modern scent, which have a retro feel. I like it but can imagine that some will find it to be to much all over the place.


During the opening and early heart notes I can´t help wondering when it shall fit it´s name, Elixir Noir, since it isn´t the slightest "noir" (black) with it´s apperance at first. But just wait...
When the base notes are making entrance, the darkness comes with them. And now, finally Elixir Noir become a little more adventurous. Suddenly the soft, powdery and cherful scent becomes husky, dark, woody (the patchouli notes is a very soft one though) and with warm oriental features. I think those opposites find each other quite well in Elixir Noir, and yes, I like it. Usually I have a weakspot for powdery perfumes and sweetness is likeable for me also and the darkness makes it intriguing. But, I do belive this mix could be little to much for some of you.
On me, Elixir Noir is sprawly bit still nice.


Elixir Noir feel refined and every phase of it develops nice and slow, the scent feel timeless, even though I have hard time imagining it on very young women. Excellent staying power, stays most of the day and the sillage is also good, but not to much. Elixir Noir would fit superb as a night-party scent. Better during the cold season than during summer though. And it is both mood lifting and sensaul at the same time.


I think everyone that cares for powdery scent should give it a try. And also if you´re looking for a scent with elegant patchouli note.


Apart from that I´m on the hunt for an attar since I´ve read on Perfume posse about Maymua attar, it sounds just wonderful. Must try it! And I´ll evaluate the new scent from Honore des pres, Vamp a NY soon also.



Pic: travel.webshots

Jo Wood Organics - Tula

Jo Woods Organics offers organic certified skincare products and fragrances. Jo Wood´s mother is of South African origin and Jo Wood find a lot of inspiration in Africa. Tula means silent in swahili, and even though I find Tula to be a little quiet and maybe shy, I don´t find it to be totally silent at all.


You can read more about Jo Woods Organics here: http://www.jowoodorganics.com/


In Tula you find notes of frangipani, jasmine, ylang, sandal wood and green anise. Tula is an excellent summer scent and compared to other "big" white florals it has a quite careful personality. In my opinion it is the note of green anise that gives the scent it´s personality and distinctness. The sweet floral notes are rich, but also soft and I can sense some fruit and also almond notes. The anise contribute to a fresh feeling but also, a weak and enjoyable note of licorice.


Tula is quite linear, the top is dominated by white flowers but also some fruit (I smell citrus and also some tropical maybe passionfruit?), the top notes soon gives rrom to the heartnote that consists of the same florals but now rather accompanied by anise which gives the scent a fresh, green feeling but also some "body". This part is my favorite, since it make Tula stand out in compare with other "big" white florals. When the anise fades away the ylang note become more dominating with some vanilla and heavy sweetness in it. The sandal wood brings a powdery feel, but it´s a sandal wood note used with very light hands.


As with many other organic scents, Tula has a very discrete sillage and not that good lasting power. Even though I find it to be Ok in comparision with other organic scents, I put it on an evening and could still -barely- smell it the next morning.


If you usually like lush, white florals I suggest you to take a look on Tula, especially now during summer it is very nice to wear. Also if you´re a fan of anise note, you must give this a try.





pic: adimagephotos

Nicolas Danila - Amazonian Gardens

Oakmoss in perfumes isn´t that easy for me. When my perfume interest began I had difficulties with oakmoss, but eventually learned to tolerate it, but it very small amounts. I was far from appreciate chypres though...


But, as you can learn to like certain foods, you can also learn to like certain scents... Givenchy´s Ange ou Demon have oakmoss among the notes and that I´ve liked from start, even though it isn´t that heavy on oakmoss. The break through when it comes to oakmoss was when i tried Hors La Monde´s Shiloh, ok still it´s the opening-and heartnotes I like the most in it, but from time to time I realise that I long for the lush, saturated chypre base with oakmoss.


A while ago i wrote about Nicolas Danila´s perfume line Alladins Gardens and also reviewed some of them a little closer. Among them Arabian and Asian Gardens was my favorites, easy to wear and easy to like. The other was nice and fine, even though failed to impress me, but my youngest daughter love Aboriginial Gardens. But among the nice scents there was one that stod out a lot, Amazonian Gardens. I had a hard time to belive it really belonged at all among the others.


Amazonian Gardens was both captivating and repelling at the same time. To my nose and on my skin it was totally dominated by oakmoss. The oakmoss in Amazonian Gardens is strong, deep, dusty powdery and smells of moss, stones, dirt, ashes and cigars. The first time I tried it, I was so overwhelmed of it, that I scrubbed it off. I found it interesting, but not for me. Despite this, I have been attracted to it from time to time, but just sniffing from the little bottle has been more then enough to stop my cravings.


Now when I´ve become a little hardened I decided to test it again. The oakmoss is still much to strong and dominating for my taste, but now I can also sense nuances i missed the last time I tried it. In some ways it remind of Givenchy´s Ange ou Demon, but enlarged and much stronger. Ange ou Demon is for a mainstream public while Amazonian Gardens are cutting edge... Amazonian Gardens are like a negative print of Ange ou Demon, with the notes in reversed proportions.


Beneath the oakmoss there is streams of beautiful, pink flowers. The scent of flowers brings some sweetness, lightness and femininity in a scent that is quite unisex. Amazonian Gardens also have a note of sandel wood that softens the scent in the basenote. I think Amazonian Graden would be the perfect scent for the evil fairy in Disney´s Sleeping Beauty.


Amazonian Gardens demands a lot of attention from the wearer as well as the people around. This is a scent that not will past unnoticed. I don´t think I will wear it that often, but still this is a very interesting scent. A must if you are curious about oakmoss or like it a lot. Heavy sillage and longlasting, would work well on men to I think.


Do you have any favoritye scent with oakmoss? Any suggestions on what I might try to learn more about oakmoss in perfumes?



Pic:eaumg.wordpress

Skin chemistry and scents

Here I am smelling like a stale glass of coke, or at least some beverage similar to coke. Of course I´m talking about Etro´s Messe de Minuit. I was so fascinated about the fact that this perfume smelled so very different on me compared to others (at the perfume meeting in Stockholm). All of us sprayed it on within the same minutes, and still it was developing so different on each of us.


Messe de Minuit was one of the first fragarances that i sprayed on that day, so even though i notice differences between several other perfumes such as Bond No 9´s Coney Island, Annick Goutal´s Ninfeo Mio and Byredo´s Baudeleire, the differences was most noticable when it comes to Messe de Minuit.


I become happy and a little flattered when one of my readers tell me that they have order samples of scents I have wrote about. Hopefully these scents will fit them as good as they fit me, but the worst scenario is that they will smell like shit on some of my readers. This is partly depending on each and everyones sense of smell, for some people the scent of flowers is the best smell in the world, while other prefer vanilla fudge, incense or leather. But most of all, these differences seem to depend on individual skin chemistry.


Every human´s skin is unique. The skin of men is different from the skin of women, and dark skin is different from light skin. Young people´s skin are usually more fat then skin of a little older people and so on. In the outmost layer of skin we all have an acid barrier that consist of amino acids, fat acids and milk acids. Fat skin have a ph value of about 4-5, while dry skin has a ph of about 6-7. There is big individual differences, but also the skin chemistry changes within the day, with lower ph at night. This influence both make-up and perfumes.


At Fragrantica we have talked a little about Xerjoff scents, which I love (not all of them, but some of them are so great), but not all do. On some they smell overly sweet and almost jucky. I do recommend you to find out what they are like on you, BEFORE you order a 25o euro big bottle of any of them!


A lot of folk talks positivly about the scents from Sonoma Scent Studio, but on me, non of them are working. The have a common in house note that on my skin become both sharp and stale at the same time. Well, with that said, still they can be gorgeous on someone else.


Everyone´s own skin chemistry has a really big part of how we like a scent. And also, everyone´s unique preferences, I know that most of us wonder how anyone could wear Etat Libre d'Orange´s Secretions Magnifique, but probably there is people out there thinking it smells nice, interesting and even cozy! We´re also influenced by trends and people around us. A young girl might like the smell of a scent, but still think of it as an old lady scent and refuse to wear it, while a women at 45 think of it as youthful and adventurous! A person that has spend a lot of time in stables and barnyards might find scents like Dzing! and Muscs Koublai Khan very attractive, while a person that´s afraid of horses or cows might find them utterly repulsive.


I can go on like this for ever, but isn´t it very interesting? So when you read my blog and become curious about something that I´ve wriote about, remember that it is like wanting to have a perfume that´s suitable for your co-worker, it might not suit you at all. Try to learn to know your very own skin chemistry instead. It is as unique as your finger prints. And think about your own scent preferences and how current trends inflict you, and if you care at all if a scent is old lady-like or girly...



Pic: chemistry uctvs

Caron - Bellodgia (vintage)

Perfumes like this aren´t made any more. When I tested Tabac Blond for the first time and liked it, I was relived and happy cause it felt like I passed a needle´s eye. Despite my liking of Tabac Blond I haven´t been that eager to try other scents from Caron, I belive I´ve tought that Tabac Blond was one of a kind, and that I wouldn´t like the others as much.


Well, I still find Tabac Blond to be unique, but Bellodgia isn´t that bad either. I´ve got a small sample from a reader and it´s a vintage-Bellodgia. Caron´s Bellodgia was created in 1927 by the perfumer Ernest Daltroff, that also is the perfumer behind several of Caron´s most famous scsnts as Tabac Bland, Nuit de Noel, En Avion and Narcisse Noir. Several of these fragrances are still in production, but I have no idea how they are compared to the original formulas. Anyone that knows?


Bellodgia starts of very sharp, dark and medical on me. I can´t say I think it smells good, more like interesting. And I usually likes a little medical notes in perfumes, so that isn´t a problem for me. The first hald an hour, it´s like Bellodgia is biding it´s time, waiting, getting ready... Just as with Tabac Blond I have some difficulties to recognise the separate notes, Bellodgia is very well blended.


Eventually it starts to develop and bloom on my skin. It´s still dark and deep, but now with elements of sweetness, flowers and spicyness. I find it similar to Tabac Blond, but Bellodgia is sweeter, but also sharper. The carnation that in tabac Blond becomes like a vague leather, in Bellodgia rather becomes a powdery, floral and more feminin note. The vanilla in Bellodgia is more pronounced and sweet than in Tabac Blond.


Belldgia is long lasting and have great sillage. I think Bellodgia works well on men to, but most of all Bellodgia is a grown up kind of scent, there isn´t anything childish or girly about it. Bellodgia also got a obvious, but kind of dressed, sexyness. I think of Tabac Blond as more timeless then Bellodgia, it is like Bellodgia is more a part of a time passed. Some people might even think of it as dated, even tough I don´t.


Which is your favorite Caron? Or maybe non of them works well on you?




Pic: Film Noir

Vacation!

Today is the first day off for my dear husband. Jippie! And why do I sit here and write then? Well, he´s still asleep and today he can sleep for as long as he wants.


The kids still got a week left in school, a little sad, but at the same time me and my husband get some kid free time.


Summer and sun can be a little difficult when it comes to perfumes. Often we´re talking about summer scents. Of course I wouldn´t wear Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 in the middle of the summer... or maybe that´s exactly what I should do? In Sweden we´re "lucky" enough to not have that hot summers. Perfumes that would work here, wouldn´t work that great in France or Greece during summer.


Some scents I´m sure I´ll use a lot of during summer: Missoni by Missoni, Scent Intense by Costume National, White Jasmine by Björk&Berries, Feu d'Issey Light (need more of it, there´s only few ml left), warm summer nights I will drench myself in ambers like Ambre Sultan and Ambra Nera. If it become really hot, Un Jardin sur le Nil, Aqua di Sale and Eau de Star would work just fine. Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant is a perfect summer night scent and I belive L de Lolita Lempicka also could be that.


Do you have the same kind of scents summer as winter? Or do you have some really loved summer scents that you use year after year? Maybe you have discover a new summer love just now? Is there any scent that you don´t think is suitable at all during summer, but that you so much look forward to start using again during autumn?


I´ll continue to write on the blog even though it is vacation time here, maybe not as often as usual though. Anyway, I wish all the readers of my blog a really nice, comfy, adventurous and all together very happy summer!

Oriscent - Sheikh´s Borneo och Sweet China

"Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated"


That very well sum up what I feel when I try two different oud-oils from Oriscent. http://www.oriscent.com/index.php


I hadn´t heard at all about Oriscent before I swapped some treasured drops with one of my blog readers. Oud is an aromatic oil, that comes from agarwood, and more specifik, agarwood with rot. The tree is defending itself against the rot with an overproduction of resin and with resin and rot, the result is oud (more about how to make oud and such you can read at Oriscent homepage, it´s really interesting).


Oud as a perfume ingredience has been quite unusual in West, but much more common in Asia and Middle East. Lately Western perfumers and perfume companies have start making perfumes with oud, I´ve wrote about L'Artisan´s Al Aoud, and about oud-scents from Montale. If Al Aoudh is oud for beginners, Montale´s oud-scents is for enthusiasts and people with some oud-knowledge, then the oud-oils from Oriscent is for the hardcore-oud fans and conneseurs.


I have wrote about being covered in greenery when wearing Bandit. Sheikh´s Borneo and Sweet China is making me to a tree. Sheikh´s Borneo is from start quite soft, aromatic and likeable, while Sweet China is a struggle. It´s strong, pungent and overwhelming. A tiny little drop is more then enough, the opening of Sweet China reminds of being on top of a manure pile a hot summer day. It´s a very, very special scent experience and if it wasn´t for that I´m sure it will be an interesting trip I would go and wash it of at once. But apart from the strong smell of manure there is notes of warm wood, sweetness and something spicy... thankfully.


Sheikh´s Borneo is much lighter and easier to wear from start. I can totally see whu it´s popular among sultans and sheikhs. Don´t be foled by thinking it is soft compared to other perfumes though, it is soft and gentle only in comparision with Sweet China.


As mentioned, a single little drop is more than enough with both of the fragrances. When the opening wears of a little it´s like a close study of a tree. Sheikh´s Borneo is all the way on the softer side, but I´ve had to admit that in the long run I think of Sweet China as the most interesting of the two. After a while, the smell of manure are lightening up, but still remains until the end. I can smell smoky, leathery and earthy nuances in Sweet China. As a scent it feels very swirly the different notes are coming after each other. Sheikh´s Borneo on the other hand seem to have the different notes in layers. I can detect some floral scents and sweetness in it. Sheikh´s Borneo is much more serene and calm than Sweet China.


After several hours (both of the oils last at least for a full day) the scents are mostly about wood. Beautiful, warm and harmonic. Again I think of Sweet China as more lively and interesting, the base in it is green, living and kind of happy, like a dancing tree. Sheikh´s Borneo become more golden, powdery and comfortable woody. Really, I think Sheikh´s Borneo is the one that smells best, but I think of Sweet China as more genuin and less tame.


It´s really interesting that something that originate from a rotten tree can smell that good, exciting and complex. And that different kinds of oud-oil can vary so much in between. I can also feel that the oud-oils is about more then smelling good or interesting, they manage to affect my mood, and make me feel calm and relaxed. They also feel very luxurious and exotic to me. If I wasn´t occupied with being a tree, it wouldn´t be hard to imagine me to be a part of the Royal Saudian family.


The sillage is impressive, I feel liked soaked in oud-scent only with a small amount. The lasting power is amazing, put a drop on in the morning and the scent will last all day long at least. If you have the slightest interest for something different then western perfumes, you must try something from oriscent, even though I´m aware of that they can be quite hard to come by.


Pic: davidkphotography
bluerockbuck

Xerjoff - Bouquet Ideale

With the scents from Xerjoff it has been difficult to decide which of them to write about. OK, Oesel is my absolute favorite among them, but several of the others aren´t far behind and there´s only a few of them that don´t please me at all.


Bouquet Ideale, from the Casamorati 1888 collection, is also one of my favorites. Maybe, even the one I would wear most often, since it is so easy to wear, mood lifting and still both personal and of highest quality.


Bouquet Ideale starts off with the smothest, creamiest vanilla you can imagine and mixed with something juicy, berry and sweet. It is like the most delicious vanilla ice cream together with soft and sunripe berries. It´s hard to tell exactly which kind of berries, but some tart berries like raspberry, blackberry or even arctic bramble. The ice cream are filled with berry ripple but after a short while the scent changes and the vanilla become more like custard and the whole scent remind more of fudge cookies or a cripsy pie filled with custard and berries. Soooo jummy!


This is really sweet, happy and filled with joy. As a mood lifter Bouquet Ideale is as good as Frederic Malle´s Lipstick Rose, but Bouquet Ideale is more discrete and also changing more. Beneath the lovely surface of vanilla and berries I can smell from the start some vague notes of warm wood and even little whiffs of incense. With time those notes become more prominent and the berries are being switched to flowers. At first I think of violet and roses, but eventually I also think I can smell ylang ylang and maybe jasmine. The wood notes are becoming stronger, but it´s a warm, soft and discrete kind of wood. There is appereantly a note of papyrus in Bouquet Ideale even though I can´t really smell it, I think it contributes to making the scent dryer, and with some papery feeling and also, interesting. I´ve problem finding any report about notes in Bouquet Ideale accept for cashmere wood (a synthetic), vanilla and papyrus. But I say that the base have amber and the vanilla is still around.


Bouquet Ideale would be a perfect scent for parties during late summer or autumn, but I don´t find it to heavy to wear now either. Most of all I like it becasue it is like a big, red and very happy smile. Sensual, but in a exuberant and vivid way, more than seductive or sexy. Bouquet Ideale is smitten me with it´s happy, sunny and radiant energy.


The sillage is good and the lasting power is OK, even though it seem the scents in Shooting Star-collection lasts longer on me. Bouquet Ideale should been tried by everyone that fancy florientals with warm and lively character.




Pic: Inmagine