Sniffing Paris (sans Ines )

By Asali

While Ines is still very preoccupied with her thesis, I’ll sneak in my Paris part two.  

Experience had taught me that deciding one perfume-buy from home, might me a good idea, as to not get perfume- purchase - stress –syndrome, or serious snuffusion, if I wouldn’t be able to choose from the spoils once there.

 My trip to the Mothership (as baptized by Tara) at 68 Champs Elyssées, was therefore obligatory since my home choice was going to be bought here. It was Cuir Beluga, which stems from the Guerlain L’Art et la Matiere line, and is the fragrant equivalent of wrapping up in a decadent finely woven cashmere shawl. While at the store many other things had to be tested, and had I not been a bit stingy with my available skin space, I’d probably have poured Vol de Nuit Extrait all over myself, as it was, I put some on the right wrist, the right hand being most likely to waft the most fragrance.  Give me a moment to gush to myself... Anyway, apart from Vol de Nuit, I enjoyed sniffing the Les Voyages Olfactifs and had thought that the Christmassy Paris- New York would win me over, but in fact Paris- London was the one that really got me with its grassy and rhubarb notes and a soft woody, vetiver, vanilla dry down (full impressions read here ).

It is a great fragrance when spring lurks, and you try hastening its arrival with an uplifting and delightful perfume.  (I read in the tea leaves of my 5 o’clock cuppa a bottle in the future...) In the end, I was surprised when I reached out to try Le Cologne du Parfumeur, not expecting anything, and loved it from the first sniff.  My non-perfumista friend exclaimed “it radiates”, which is true, it does, a mellow wonderful shine. And even though I normally have problems with discreet transparent fragrances, this one has great longevity and projection for an EdC, and a comforting resinous dry down.

Some nose rest included amongst other things the incredibly beautiful Sante Chapelle.

I have found that of the department stores, I prefer Printemps for perfume shopping; the selection is huge, and the staff overall friendly and knowledgeable. I went there to see if I could get to test the new Lubin EdP version of Idole. I love the original Idole spice fest, and thought what I really wanted was a less fleeting more fixated Idole, but now I am not so sure, maybe the charm of Idole is partly in its volatility. It remains to be sniffed, my sample is still waiting to be tried, I did see that the EdP version has already received rave reviews  here  and here .

The stand which has the Nez a Nez and So Oud amongst others has to be singled out for it’s wonderful SAs. I have on both occasions been helped by a young man (that just made me sound ancient:-/) who, apart from being very pleasant, is also very knowledgeable and clearly loves perfume, and not just the ones from his own brands, the kind of person that makes you feel that you’re his new best friend. He has great ideas for trying new stuff, and so I got away with Marron Chic, which I had not given much thought when I first tried it some time ago, but which now seems like the Christmas/winter party scent. It’s sensuous yet discreet, and yummy without being overly gourmand, all in all just very festive. (It has been on a test drive to the opera with some success, I should add as an afterthought) Definitely my winter hit-hot fragrance.

(Seen at the local Super Market and I simply had to shared it, since a certain fragrance of the same name, now sadly DC, is among my most beloved)

At the Armani Prive stand I was surprised to see a new addition to the Arabian Night line; Cuir Noir.  I hadn’t heard of the release yet, so was of course very excited by this find. Especially since I do find some of these perfumes to be quite extraordinary, I love Bois D’Encens for example. It turned out it was an exclusive release for Printemps at this stage, which will reach broader release in the next month or so.

Unfortunately, there was only the back of my left hand free to spray and there were no samples available, however, what I sniffed I simply adored. Apparently the noir is as in vanilla pods and tobacco, from what I could smell from under the olfactory overload I had suffered; I should say that the cuir was more a soft suede leather as in Cuir Beluga, rather than the spiky Marlboro Man type. Apparently it contained oud too, but I am happy that this particular note really didn’t stick out much on my skin, but was seamlessly blended into the very cozy fragrance. I liked Cuir Noir very much, on the downside is the price of 250€ on the plus is that they will actually carry it at the department store here, so I shall be able to sniff it again as soon as it comes on general release.

I am nearly at the end with talking of my sniffing escapades, but I have still to mention Jovoy- I am very sad that I didn’t get to take Ines there, since this really is a most wonderful boutique, that comes with the highest recommendations possible. The staff as well as the owner are super friendly and welcoming, helpful if you need it, but also happy to let you just sniff on your own for ages, and their selection beautifully picked with a broad palette of classic and more contemporary as well as labels from several countries are at display.

Normally, they will do you samples of the fragrances you want to test, but they had just run out of vials when I visited, this did not lessen the joy of being there. Especially since the owner François Hénin ended up endowing my friend with Parfum D’Empire samples. Personally, I discovered a, to me unfamiliar line called Romea D’Ameor (the perfumer behind those is none other than Pierre Bourdon ) , got to sniff the 3 new HdP, learned that I really like the Rance and the Atelier Flou lines and I got to revisit old suspects like Amouage, MDCI and Vero Profumo. Also, I should give mention to their own range of Jovoy perfumes with several new additions amongst other a very special incense-fragrance in La Liturgie des Heures. But since I kept ah-ing at all the decidedly male fragrances I was aware my nose was probably no longer to be completely trusted, and since this was my last day in Paris I had to leave without buying. I do have a pretty good idea of what needs my further attention though, and they do ship too. If you are visiting Paris, Jovoy is a must, until then, their homepage is the place to go.

http://www.jovoyparis.com/

Thanks for reading  and au revoir !

What I expect in the year 2012.

I don't think I should name my post New Year's resolutions even though they might appear as such.
I'm hoping they become a longer fixation in my life.
Of course, not as strictly inforced as what I'm planning for the next year but hopefully some of that strictness will remain forever.
Some thing are just general ideas I have about life I would like to keep living and possibly deepen.

1. I'm following Birgit's path next year and I am not buying any bottles of perfume* (the most important word here being bottle - decants don't count). I really need to start wearing and enjoying all the perfumes I have and actually talk about those and not be on a constant quest for new. I have more than enough to last me for ymore than a year if I were to talk about one each day (this includes samples of course!).

2. Which brings me to point number 2. I need to enjoy the things I already have. (this goes for both perfume and books)
I have so much of both that I haven't given any attention to, and I believe it is causing some underlying stress that more accumulate and I haven't even started with those I have.
In case of books, not buying doesn't count for the series I'm following. Everything else will wait.

3. Point number 3 would be, I will try and enjoy the bounty of my life. As shown by previous too, I obviously don't lack in life's leisurely pursuits and honestly, this recession has demonstrated very clearly to me that I have more than enough and don't lack for anything.
Yes, I'd love to be rich but if I weren't happy as the person I am, money wouldn't be able to change that (just make it more difficult for me to understand that happiness doesn't come from it).

4. This brings me to number 4. I will seriously try to save a little bit of money. The key thing here is starting with little as I'm not prone to saving or sticking to any such plan (made by myself). I really need to learn to not spend all the money I earn. It's starting to make me feel materialistic (which I know I am) but also, lacking in strength of character.
I really, really have enough of stuff in my life and don't lack for anything. Now I need to start enjoying the things I have and taking good care that the new things that arrive are really those I need.

5. And speaking of character strength, I sincerely hope I'll have enough to enroll in a 2-month program here that teaches people how to run effectively and prepares you for a half-marathon (I do think I'll skip that part).

Running on a beach like this would never be a problem

But I would really love to do something for my body (and its health) and I always thought running was beyond me (I'm just not such a person).

So, I hope I'll win against myself (and that will probably be a good opportunity to present myself with an iPod as I have nothing for music if I decide to do it).

Feel free to show your support in this because I am pretty sure I will be needing it. :)



6. I also hope I will write more (often). :) I want to, I just need to work more on making my wishes into reality (especially those that are only dependent on me).


7. And last but not least, I hope I finish my thesis (unless it all comes down to nothing as the university is no longer inclined to extend the deadline for quite many of us left) but in any case, I hope it gets finished in any way, and then I hope I'll have more time to spend with family and friends and finally restore the feeling I have all the time I need to enjoy the little things in life, instead of the opposite.


It all basically comes to the fact that I want to enjoy the life I have and not the one I need to pay for.



* I am pretty sure an exception or two to the rule of non-buying will appear but I can't say in advance what they might be.

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit

I'm already preparing myself for the movie to come out next year and even though I already read Hobbit 10-12 years ago, it was time to read it again.
I realized this after I started reading and noticed that the only things I remembered from the first time was that there were Bilbo and Gandalf, trolls, dwarves, Gollum and the ring and a dragon. I managed to forget every single detail.

Including that the tone of the story is much lighter than The Lord of the Rings and many times goes for funny. Also, the whole story is told from the narrator's point of view, even when thoughts and speech are coming from the characters.

All together it's a nice, light introduction into what is to come next. So much so that I kept wondering how in the world did the Hobbit author manage to evolve that world so much to come up with the rest later. Although it seems LotR was written at almost the same time (or very soon after).
This just proves I will need to read LotR again soon. :)

Anyway, The Hobbit is a fantasy story of a quest to which Bilbo only reluctantly agrees to (as their resident burglar) and the dwarves and Bilbo have all sorts of extraordinary adventures from which he returns changed (and richer).
We also learn of the goodness and resilience the hobbits display and it's easy to agree with their matter-of-fact world view (at least I hope so, I don't think some would be as generous of both spirit and material things as Bilbo is).

There is one thing about Hobbit though, although not as strongly presented, that is a continuing feature of all Tolkien work (I've read so far) - there is always a tragic part to the story.

Which makes me wonder what will they do about that in the movie...?

Merry Christmas!

I wish everyone a merry Christmas, filled with happiness among family and friends (and nice gifts under the Christmas tree, possibly fragrant!)

O Tannenbaum! (part 2)

Welcome to my part of the O Tannebaum! blog project. :)

I'm running a bit late after my co-bloggers but that's because I tried to put my thoughts on my 3 choices in order, only to discover I can't.

I find all 3 beguiling, extremely interesting, strange and therefore meant for me. :)

In a random manner (not as to how much I like them) here they are.

Parfumerie Generale - Un Crime Exotique

My readers probably remember that I was on a hunt for a Christmas perfume. This one fits the bill only partly. The cinnamon and ginger are here, as is the black tea, but Christmas here doesn't smell like this perfume.

But I surely wouldn't mind spending it where it does smell like UCE. :)

With this perfume I keep going through what of the notes I can smell and then trying to guess how in the world do they combine into what I smell.

Notes: Chinese osmanthus, gingerbread, tea, cinnamon, star anise, mate absolute, vanilla sugar, South Sea Island sandalwood

It starts sweetly gingery-cinnamony (I don't know how gingerbread smells like so gingery it is) and now that I know what to look for, I can smell the tea underneath (of the black variety). My notes made me look for a bit of raspberry-ish fruit but I guess the osmanthus-anise-tea combination could make me feel the fruity aspect in this.

I keep having problems describing this but I blame it all on the anise. It gets more barky-cinnamon and there is the underlying smell I cannot describe that I'm guessing is made refreshing by mate, anise, vanilla and sandalwood.

The good thing about this perfume is that it doesn't lose the cinnamon tinge, even though it lessens, it is still there. And the wonder lasts.

La Via del Profumo - Oud Caravan no1.

I was lucky to win a sample of this from Suzanne and it came in time to be included in my O Tannenbaum choices.

If there are notes for this listed somewhere, someone please let me know as I had to smell this blindly (so all manner of strange associations might crop up). :)

First of all, I need to say it doesn't smell as oudy as I keep thinking oud perfumes should (having the previous Montale experience). Then again, it does smell oudy, in that good, smoky, serious, lightly leathery and incensey way. The way that makes you a bit scared of the aura it is projecting.

At the same time, it makes you come closer to try and define what is it that makes it enticing.

As I don't know the notes, it makes it easier for me to describe what I'm smelling without wondering why am I not smelling something (or smelling something that isn't there). :)

Sometimes I smell it and think there is a light herbal tinge to it - the kind that makes your nose clear but in this case it's not very apparent.

Anyway, a bit later, light balsamic feel emerges (as in the woody-resiny kind) giving this just a hint of sweetness so as to not make it too dry to smell. But it still smells dry with a light woody creaminess in the background. And all the time preciously oudy.

Burren Perfumery - Winter Woods

It seems Burren Perfumery is this very well hidden little perfumery in Ireland because so far I've never seen a single perfume review of any of their scents (including myself who is aware of their existence).

Winter Woods is their latest release and I was lucky to receive a sample when the release was announced (along with all other of their perfumes).

Notes: rosemary, bergamot, lemon, iris, lavender, cedar, pine and vetiver.

I see they are calling this a quietly masculine fragrance - I can't really judge, I like it and I have a tendeny to fall into the "masculine" part of the perfume world.

It starts with a refreshingly bitter - powdery feel. Considering the fact that both bergamot and lemon are listed, it is remarkably subdued in the citrusy department. I mean you can smell the light citrusness, combined with a bitterness and what I tend to call shampoo freshness (which always reminds me of nettle but that's not listed as a note).  Before I lose your interest, the clean freshness doesn't last that long. I'm pretty sure iris is exorting its effect on this whole composition, making it bitter and powdery.

At the same time, the idea of winter woods is becoming more and more true. But these winter woods are covered in snow (the wihiteness of the perfume comes very clearly out) and you can smell the crisp air, the wood bark and the powdery feel of the snow.

I'm not one to fall for powdery (at least I never did before) but the bitterness and powderiness of this are getting under my skin.

(actually they already got there)

I could go into details of the notes but unless you really pay attention to what you're smelling, they won't reveal themselves (they will if you really want to know them).

But I find that I don't want to deconstruct them - I want to walk in those woods.

Please visit other participating blogs for some more Tannenbaum perfumes. :)

Another Perfume Blog
Beauty, Bacon, Bunnies
Beauty on the Outside
EauMG
Eyeliner on a cat
Fragrant Reviews
Muse in Wooden Shoes
Olfactoria's Travels
Parfumieren
Redolent of Spices
Scent of the Day
Suzanne's Perfume Journal
The Candy Perfume Boy

Undina's Looking Glass

O Tannenbaum! A joint blogging event

I adore participating in joint blogging projects so when Joanne and Krista asked if we were interested in this year's Christmas project of course we said yes (that includes Asali and I).

So here are Asali's mini reviews for O Tannenbaum! project:


Pick #1:

Iunx, L’Ether; Only recently I discovered this fragrance, and I can’t get it out of my mind, so it is definitely my Tannenbaum perfume no 1 – in spirit, even if not yet in material shape.

Because this incense perfume invites introspective thoughtfulness, and in the middle of this almost spiritual swirl of fragrance there is a discreet rose heart, and there is the golden hue of saffron softened by sandalwood. Even if this can be worn all year round, somehow it manages to sum up the soul of Christmas to me. A divine creation by Olivia Giacobetti

My pick #2;

Another Giacobetti gem is Safran Troublant (L’Artisan Parfumeur), ok so it isn’t exactly an imaginative choice, but it practically IS all that is nice about December to me.  It smells like the most delicious bun that the Swedes do for Lucia day called Lussekat. The fragrance like the bun manages to sparkle in all its glorious saffron spiciness, rounded and softened by vanilla sweetness.  It is alluring and smooth, and a most wonderful fragrance. Sharing many of the same notes including the creamy sandalwood, it couldn’t be further away from L’Ether in its expression. On the 13^th of December you can experience a little scenery of girls dressed in white with a candle clad garland on their heads singing the Santa Lucia song, and you can eat Lussekatte (plural), and you can relive it every time you wear ST.

Pick #3

Last but not least the ultimative Christmas party fragrance: Marron Chic from Nez a Nez.

It’s less “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” and more sleigh ride style “We’ll be singing the songs we like to sing without a single stop, at the fireplace while we watch the chestnut pop, just hear those sleigh bells jingling , ring ting tingling too, come on it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ”

Comfy cosy and yet very sensual, it truly comes alive on the skin, oozing chic radiance, and like some of my most cherished perfumes turns you into something a little better than yourself.

Please visit other participating blogs to read more about what Christmas season perfumes bring happiness to them:

Another Perfume Blog
Beauty, Bacon, Bunnies
Beauty on the Outside
EauMG
Eyeliner on a cat
Fragrant Reviews
Muse in Wooden Shoes
Olfactoria's Travels
Parfumieren
Redolent of Spices

Scent of the Day
Suzanne's Perfume Journal
The Candy Perfume Boy
Undina's Looking Glass


P.S. I'll be posting my reviews later in the day.

Coming up!

I don't know if anyone noticed the lack of posts recently here (luckily, I can count on Asali to put in one or two to make it look like something is happening).

Well, at least tomorrow, I can happily announce there will be some perfume reviews (both by me and many other wonderful bloggers).

Sometimes I really need a shove at my back and everything returns to normal again (I hope tomorrow is that day). :)

So stay tuned and have fun tomorrow with us!

Paris part 1 – seen through green eyes

By Asali

I enjoyed Ines’ Paris diary post so much, I had second thoughts about writing anything myself, although I had already promised to do so. I am not a diary person, and find it much easier to concentrate on a single subject; however, I found that once I got started I had a lot to share, in fact so much so, this ended up in a two parter as well. J

Firstly: Ines is indeed every bit as red haired as you would imagine and every bit as lovely, and spotting a bright red winter coat, she lit up the Paris December landscape. Although I might have talked somewhat AT her at times, she did not seem to mind too much, our rather long e-mail correspondences prepared us, and meeting in person was just an extension of our cyber friendship.

My trip with Ines started out at L’Artisan Parfumeur, where we headed straight for the exclusive Mon Numero collection.  I really liked Mon Numero 10, which is basically a very wearable, soft incense fragrance, and I could imagine it would get at lot of wear if I owned it, but all in all, from this line it is still a bottle of Olivia Giacobetti’s Safran Troublant which has my number - in the future at least.

From there on we decided to go to Sens Unique in the Marais. I discovered to my great pleasure and surprise, Sens Unique is situated right opposite my Paris hairdresser in this hip part of town, so I actually had a pre-sniff in there the day before meeting up with Ines. At this first visit I (re-)discovered the perfume line Evody which does hold quite a few gems.  I tested the gorgeous Bois Secret which is just that; lovely secretive wood. As Ines mentioned I also came very close to getting myself a PROPER green fragrance, Parfumerie Generale’s Papyrus de Ciane.  It was definitely green, and yet it had enough vetiver, incense and spice for me to feel on safe and friendly ground. The only reason that it didn’t get to come straight home with me was, that it didn’t feel at all wintery to me, and considering I might have another 4 months of winter to come, I would rather wait a little. Buying a perfume, and then not to wear it for several months, just doesn’t seem quite right. Am I alone feeling that way? Une Crime Exotique was beautiful and very Chrismassy, and I can absolutely see why Ines went home with a bottle. And another vote goes to the lovely Svetlana, who was a wonderful host, and let us sniff to our hearts contend. Our time in the small but very well stocked perfume boutique flew by so fast, that I was very happy that we already had an appointment for the next day meeting up with Denyse to go to Palais Royal. 

What can I say, Palais Royale is wonderful, and I could go home with half the shop, but at this moment I restrained myself.  Denyse next took us to Costes, which are the single distributor of Iunx, Olivia Giacobetti’s brand. At Iunx I fell for the stunning creation L’Ether. Here again it was an resiny Incense scent, one in true Giacobetti style swirling and radiating above and around you, playing hard to get. It is truly ethereal, and a perfume I keep going back to in my mind, thinking this will too find its way into my perfume cupboard.

Denyse I found to be a truly vibrant, passionate and warm woman, and she shared generously of her vast knowledge and time. Spending time with her and Ines was a great pleasure, and I felt grateful yet again over the joys and friendships that this scented community has brought me. 

While we had spent all this lovely time together on a scented tour of Paris, it had gone dark around us, and after having left Denyse at Rue Rivoli, Ines and I walked through the Tuileries Gardens and said our goodbyes by the Pont Royal.  A very worthy place to do so, I find.

Mona di Orio - RIP

It's been a whole day and I'm still having a hard time believing the fact that the beautiful and talented Mona di Orio will never again present us all perfume aficionados with another wonderfully brilliant creation.

After finally "getting" her first collection, this year's Les Nombres d'Or made me realize that Mona was on top of the list of the perfumers I loved the most for the creations they brought forth.

Everybody is saying it, and I can only repeat it as it's on my mind as well - she will be remembered through her perfumes we wear and are going to wear into the future.


Lovely Mona, rest in peace.

Having fun in Paris II

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but upon hearing I'm going alone to Paris, my mother said she'd like to come as well (she was never there).

I am so glad she decided to come, even though the 3 days aren't even close enough for someone who is there for the first time to see anything. But she had fun.

So, I spent the Saturday morning walking around (and getting a bit lost) with my mother, then headed to meet with Asali at 3, before we went together to meet Denyse for coffee.
We were meeting at a bistro at Palais Royale, the most easiest to find if you remember correctly the instructions from the email (which I didn't). But we found it (and a nice French guy even googled the location to help us). :)

And let me tell you, time spent with Denyse flies by. She wasn't as I imagined her from her blog writings, she is very gregarious, smiling, vivacious and interesting to talk to (or just listen to). I feel Asali and I were lucky as she brought with herself, two of the creations she tried at the IFF Speed-smelling lunch she talked about on her blog.
I was much more impressed with Citizen K than with Yamazaki Idylle, which I wouldn't mind drinking but well, the Idylle from the name is one of the Guerlains I'm not in love with. Citizen K on the other hand, I seriously hope will become widely available (if we're lucky).


After coffee, of course we proceeded to Serge Lutens.
I was there only once 3 years ago and I was the only one there. This time around, there were a lot of people inside and people kept coming and going. It was a bit crowded.

I wasn't interested in buying a bottle (except the Christmas present for my boyfriend) because as my company is located in Slovenia (the EU), SLs are always available for ordering.

I smelled many, learned I really like El Attarine and was careful not to get too close to Un Bois Vanille so it wouldn't follow me home. :)


Denyse suggested one more stop after Serge Lutens, so she took us to the Iunx shop. She and Asali kept talking about the name and I kept thinking, how come I've never heard of this line before?!
Well, that happens when all you ever do with names is read them somewhere and don't pronounce them. :)
Once we were in front of the shop and I saw the name in writing, everything fell into place.
(from now on, I'm pronouncing brand names loudly - except possibly for Xerjoff)

The shop only carries two lines - Iunx and Costes.

The Iunx perfumes are located in these strange tubes which release scent when you put your nose close to them. It's actually a great way for getting a good smell. Too great as I learned I really enjoy the tubes containing Eau Frappee, Eau Baptiste and Splash Forte.
The very good-looking girl SA told me that my choices range all over (which they do) but each of them is unique and interesting and now I need to get myself samples so I can get to know them better.

In the end I walked out with Costes 1. :) The winner of the day (and quite economical when compared to other perfumes I liked that weekend).

We said our good-byes to denyse and hopefully, there will be another chance in the future to visit perfume shops in Paris with her explaining all the details and background.

Having fun in Paris

I was there for only 3 days (not even 3 full days at that) but I still think time flies when you're in Paris.  It went by in a flurry of visits and walks.

On Friday afternoon I met Asali for the first time and we thought we'd visit several perfume shops that afternoon.

Our first stop was L'Artisan's boutique just opposite the Louvre with the Numeros.
Ok, so we didn't smell them all on skin properly, but first from the bowls, and then on strips and only numbers 1, 3, 4 and 10 (those were the only ones they had).

I really liked number 3 for Germany and Asali prefered number 10 but overall, I can't say I think they are that special. And the number 3 (with lavender, iris and vetiver) seemed very familiar to me while I was smelling it on me.  I still didn't remember what exactly it is reminding me of.

Next, we  managed a quick visit to Sephora where I wanted to try the new Aromatics Elixir (and didn't, because the tester was empty) but we sniffed some of the Guerlains on offer.
And here we are: Asali

And I:

I am not very happy to be falling a bit for Tonka Imperiale, I can tell you that. (170 euros not happy)

Also, I wouldn't mind having some Cologne du Parfumeur as it smells like an extremely classy and elegant cologne.

The really surprising thing was that I seriously like La Petite Robe Noire. :) It's frivolously easy to like.

Btw, we were lucky to even get these 2 photos as an SA arrived and said it was forbidden to take pictures.
Our next stop was Sens Unique and that also turned out to be our last stop for the day. :)

The lovely shop owner Svetlana spent almost 2 hours with us explaining everything and discussing perfumes.

Asali was convinced (by Svetlana) that there might actually be a green perfume out there she might enjoy wearing.

I, on the other hand, asked directly if she knew of a Christmasy perfume. And she did.

Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be Une Crime Exotique by Parfumerie Generale. :)

The other one by Parfumerie Generale that caught my attention was Cedre Sandaraque  - a really strange concoction - starting too sharply on me but then turning into something dangerously intriguing.

I will have to give it more time  and then possibly decide if I need to buy it - if I'll be able to wear it often enough.

I walked out with Une Crime Exotique of course. :)

 

Afterwards we sat down for a glass of Kir - I never tried that before, dry white wine and a bit of blackcurrant syrup - yummy.

(I stand corrected - Laurinha explained that the cassis syrup isn't a syrup but Creme de cassis, also liquor - see comments below)

Asali is even nicer in real life than through emails and we just started talking from where we left off previously.

And she has lovely green eyes - if you're wondering why I'm saying that, it's because I've always wanted to have green eyes. :)

Next to come - what happened on Saturday. :)

Les Exclusifs de Chanel in Zagreb!

Honestly, I thought at first that someone made a mistake in publishing a little article in one newspaper I accidentally got hold of.
Then I googled it and amid all the wrong hits, I found again a little article saying that Limoni opened a Chanel perfume boutique  on Novemeber 15.

So, yesterday I went to check. :)
And sure thing, it's there! And the Exclusifs are there too! :)
They only have perfumes and for the first time, a boutique here actually has them all in pure parfum strengths as well.

The address is Mesnička 1 - here is the map.

And the SAs seem nice - the one I talked to was helpful, smiling and perfectly enthusiastic (just the right amount).

It seems I love Gin-tonic more than I knew - Juniper Sling

Well, I might not be fast but I get there in the end. :)

I have to admit I received the samples of Juniper Sling quite a while ago (measured in months, not weeks) and I wanted to write about it but the time never seemed right.

(I should also mention there are quite a few more samples I received waiting their turn)

The thing is, I kept thinking that this was not the right season to talk about a perfume I considered a summer one.
But you see, the thing is, this perfume is the equivalent of gin-tonic. And although that might sound as a refreshing drink, it's not a singularly summer one, is it?
I mean, I can imagine having one this time of year too. Easy and sparkly, refreshing and calming after a hard day.
And before anyone starts thinking I consider alcohol as a solution, I don't. I just believe it helps unwind from a work-day and lets you relax a bit.

And that is what Juniper Sling does for me. After the initial burst of junipery gin-tonic freshness to perk you up a bit, it actually relaxes me.
I breathe it in and I can feel my mind and body relaxing with the exhale.

For me, it smells bitterly sparkly, slightly herbal and very juniperish (or anyway of a evergreen tree - I still have a hard time distinguishing between them).
The smell itself doesn't change that much - it retains that gin-tonic spiced with juniper feel but at the drydown it gets more into skin scent teritorry, acquiring a salty tang underneath, less sparkly, more musky. Perfectly relaxing.

I honestly didn't think this would get under my skin - I guess I just wasn't aware of the fact that I was a gin-tonic lover...

I'll leave you with the video made for the release - I really loved it. :)

Head notes: Cinnamon, Orange Brandy, Angelica, Juniper Berry
Heart Notes: Cardamom, Leather, Black Pepper, Orris Wood
Base Notes: Brown Sugar, Black Cherry, Vetiver, Ambrox



Pic by: http://www.thekitchn.com/

Little help would be welcome :)

A friend of mine, Ankica of Bellatrix perfumes would be very grateful if anyone interested in (natural) perfumes could answer a little questionnaire she has up on her site:

http://bellatrixperfumes.polldaddy.com/s/naturalperfumes


Thank you!

How do you know you're a Guerlain Girl?

Compiled by Asali and Ines.


1. You know where the flagship store is located.

2. No visit to Paris can pass without the visit to the afore-mentioned store.

3. You know which Mr. Guerlain did which perfume (and frown upon those who don't differentiate).

4. You recognize when other people waft Shalimar/Jicky/Mitsouko/insert Guerlain of your choice - this only counts if you recognize more than 5 different ones (don't have to be those mentioned above).

5. Even those older Guerlains you can't wear as they aren't you, you appreciate them and the way they were made.

6. You own at least one Guerlain perfume in several variations.

7. You hunt down vintage Guerlains (and are jealous of people who find them).
 
8. You try to recruit people for the Guerlain appreciation club, and smile a little condescendingly when they say that it "isn't quite them", saying "oh, don't worry, you'll get there".


9. At least one holy grail is a discontinued Guerlain.

10. You use words like guerlinade and bee bottle as frequent as you use the words sillage and base note.

11. More than one (or two, or more?) Guerlain perfumes feel like "home" to you.
 
12. You bemoan the fact that some of the best ones are discontinued or re-formulated.
 

13. You look at batch codes before you purchase Samsara/ Shalimar etc. from the Bay.


14. You think of Thierry Wasser as the "adopted son" and rightful heir to Jean -Paul. :)
 
 
I'd say if you find yourself in 10 of these statements, there is no doubt about you being a Guerlain Girl (as we're writing this from our female perspective).
 
Let's hear it - do you have anything else to add? :)

Contemplating Christmas perfumes

Not to say that I'm contemplating what perfumes I'm going to wear around Christmas but I feel this very strong need to wear some of those evoking Christmas time - now. :)

It's dark, cold and frosty outside and I can't help but want warm, spicy, Christmasy fragrant perfumes wafting around me.

And of course, when I realized that is what I wanted, I also realized I don't have that many ideas on the topic.
Here are those that came to mind (you will probably notice they are all by a single perfumer):

Piment et Chocolat - spicy and warm, lightly chocolatey

Festive - evoking fir trees and fun in the warmth of a fire

Nourouz - smelling of juicy pomegranate and holiday warmth

Gingembre - I could use the smell of baking cookies

I could also include Sienna, smelling very cinnamony, and Cimabue smelling clove-y.

Ok, so these are the ideas I had but I would like to enlarge my choices if possible, so please, ideas and suggestions are very much welcome.
You can tell from my choices what I would generally like in my Christmas perfumes but I would love to hear what are your associations when it comes to perfumes that evoke Christmas for you.

What is happening?

It seems my blog is turning into my thoughts on everything else but perfume but I can't help it at the moment.

Spurred by reading for my thesis, news from the world and just some thoughts of my own (which do tend toward depressing these days), I can't help but wonder where are we as a world headed?

It hit me 5 minutes ago that my life dependant on resources outside of me was in a downward spiral and as optimistic and positive as I am, I must confess that at this point, I don't see the trend either stopping or reversing.
Quite the contrary, it seems to be accelerating toward the deep end.

So, that is why I asked what is happening? But more to the point, why are people so mean and selfish as to have brought this upon the world at large, and more specifically, my own country?
Croatia is the slowest European country to start coming out of the recession, meaning, we still haven't begun to climb out of it, and talking to everyone here (who still has work), it doesn't seem it will happen any time soon.
I won't go into details why that is so, but it has a lot to do with the mean, selfish, hypocritical and just plain bad people.

Basically, if I am starting to think it can only get worse, and I have a good job and live relatively protected from the worst of this recession, how do other people fare?
And not just here but all around the world?

And as I'm being honest here, I really wish I wouldn't worry about things like this. It's hard for me these days to feel truly happy and satisfied with the world I live in, this is only making me feel worse.

And the bottom line is, is there anything I can do about it? On a larger scale than being part of an ignored demonstration...?

The smell of winter

Finally, it arrived.

Not the actual winter but the hints it's giving out before it comes.

The smell of snowflakes in the air.

The cold that smells blue.

The anticipation of air turning and sun blazing white.

Ok, so I really didn't smell the snow in the air (but I don't think it can be far now) but the rest is here.

We've had  a long summer and a strange, humid autumn that made everyone sick and today, finally, the air is bracingly cold, the sky is finally showing signs of losing the clouds and the smell of winter is in the air.

I love the smell of each of the seasons but I especially love the smell of winter. After all, it is my season (as I was born in winter).
I hate being cold but I can't help feeling that when I smell the winter in the night air (as it seems it's always night now), I feel at ease and comfortable.
There is something in this cold, night, starry air that feels as much me as it can.

I still don't know why that is that I feel winter is the time of year when I feel most comfortable with everything. Walking in the cold and enjoying Christmas decorations (which are almost here) and then coming home into the warmth and enjoying being comfortable and cocooned in it - not to mention all the perfumes making me feel warm and fuzzy and happy.
The truth is - only the winter perfumes make me feel truly happy and truly me. :)


But, even though this might sound like I will be writing more often than lately, I do think it won't be the case as some of my personal (delayed by me) obligations will have to take precedence over everything, so I believe I won't be writing as often as I'd like, but I hope that I'll be here at least once a week until Christmas (and the rush) passes.

Paris - here I come!

I'm practically bursting to announce this to everyone - I'm going to Paris! :D

In 3 weeks and 2 days no less - for a 3-day weekend but any amount of time in Paris is fine with me.

And all this is thanks to Asali who convinced me it's no point in delaying these kinds of things, who will be there at the same time so I'll meet up with her, and who obviously knows when is the right time to prompt people into such undertakings as I found a return plane ticket for quite a reasonable amount of money (and a wonderful hotel to stay in too, at least it seems so from their site).

I'll be sure to take a lot of photos and describe in detail the fun everyone will have. :)

Until then, some pics from the last time I was there:

Wrong season but I need some energy (Eau Dynamisante, Clarins)

Clarins was always a company for good cosmetics and I never got the urge to try their scent. It always felt like a splash edt that they had and could sell along with the creams.

Now I know better. :)

I got a sample in a swap and from the instant I applied it, I felt better.

To me it smells like a really good cologne, exactly the one that I would fit into my collection as it has all the hallmarks  I find lovely in perfumes.

It has an energetic citrusy opening (the peel one along with the sparkly soda feeling) and what I like to call evergreen freshness.

Then, it also has a light spiciness to it so it's not completely innocent.

All that time you can smell the light sweetness and warmth in the base but on this summer day, you are refreshed and feel cool because Dynamisante is taking care of you.

It's not spectacular, innovative, strong or perfumey for that matter, but it's energising and dynamic and refreshing. It doesn't pretend to be other than that.

And I won't pretend I don't need a bottle for next summer. :)


Top notes are orange, coriander, caraway and amalfi lemon; middle notes are rosemary, carnation and cardamom; base note is patchouli.

The easy choice - Labdanum 18 by Le Labo

I'm calling this an easy choice because each time I have to go someplace and don't know what to wear, I reach for this. :)
My relatively large decant came through a split and the speed I'm going through it, makes me think I will have to start looking for another one soon.

Notes: Labdanum, tonka beans, vanilla, castoreum, patchouli.

If I were to describe this perfume in one word, I'd say it smells ambery. :)

Lately, I realized I write down my notes on a perfume, then I go see what are the notes listed and then I go investigate which parts combined to get me the smells I was getting.

One of the good things about Labdanum 18 is that I believe I know what castoreum smells like. The process of elimination brought me there. :)
So, the vanilla, labdanum and tonka beans are responsible for the ambery feel but all very nicely tempered so no note overpowers the other. I also detect light whiffs of some herbal sharpness and I thought that came from patchouli but cannot really say for sure.

The problem with this perfume is that it is better smelled around you than on you. I mean, for reviewing purposes, I get less when I smell it on my wrist than when I smell it around me when I wear it. Then it sort of jumps out at me at all times. Not that this perfume jumps, it's more like it suddenly stealthily overpowers you and you are left wondering how you didn't know it was there a second ago.
It's an aural perfume to me (you know, it has the amount of sillage like an aura - just right).

Which brings me to the last note and castoreum. I have a problem detecting that particular tinge to this perfume on my writs, but when I catch a whiff of my "aura" there is a light sexy, possibly dirty or animalic to some, tinge to this perfume. But when you want to take a better look, it's gone. And then when you're not watching, it hovers around the edge of your vision, only to disappear when you take a better look.

There doesn't seem to be much development to this perfume (at least not to me) but I don't mind that because I really love the way it starts and those "sleight of hand" changes it does so it remains smelling the same with some minor changes for the  duration.


P.S. I just checked the Le Labo site and they list more notes than Luckyscent.
The ones missing up there are: cista, civet, musk aubepine, birch tar, cinnamon, gurjaum balsam.
Can't say I got any cinnamon but the first 3 could be all responsible for what I thought was solely castoreum's part. Oh well, I guess I still need to learn how it smells then. :)

Late to the party - L'Air de Rien by Miller Harris

It seems everyone knows how this smells and it has quite a lot of fans out there as far as I could tell.

I only tried it today. So, yes, quite late to the party. :)

Notes: French oak moss, Tunisian neroli, sweet musk, amber and vanilla

I've been thinking of how to describe this all day.

On me it doesn't really display many changes, and I don't want it to.

(I also tried Lorenzo Villoresi's Dilmun today and wished it wouldn't change from the opening, but unfortunately it did, once again confirming LV perfumes and I don't go together)

Basically, L'Air de Rien smells like a cool, dry cover over a warm ambery base. The cover wouldn't let me get to the warmth hiding inside even though I could almost touch it.
Honetsly, I can't tell what notes the cover is made of, but as I see the list, the oakmoss must have done its thing with keeping the warmth and sweetness inside and neroli and musk as far as I can tell kept everything smooth and cool.

I really need some of this.

Melissa Darnell: Crave

If you asked me why I love YA so much, I couldn't give you an answer.
I'm not sure myself.

Is it because teenagers are full of emotions and anxiety and want to be adults but still retain the childlike in them?

Because I can no longer imagine my inner life going through so many emotional turmoils - I really don't have the energy left for it. :)

But, I enjoy reading about young people having adventures in the style of Romeo and Julia. Because this story reminds one of those lovers.
Tristan and Savannah were forbidenn in fourth grade to ever have any contact with each other. And until then, they were best friends.
Nobody though bothered to explain the reason to them.

The things I really loved about this book were:

- the fact the story is told both from Tristan's and Savannah's point of view (I always miss the male perspective, because honestly, I can't begin to imagine what might be going through their heads)

- the witch is the guy and the vampire is the girl (usually it's always the opposite)

- absolutely loved the part where Savannah's mother is explaining magic to her and saying that only in post Harry Potter world is magic cool and fun :)

- even though Savannah struck me at first as blinded and unrational, she did come to the conclusions I wanted her to understand eventually, so I guess, I can't take fault with that ( she is 16 after all and finding her place in a completely new world)

It's been a while since a YA love story gripped me so much.
And the star-crossed lovers of modern America are to appear in books 2 and 3.

The problem though is - it won't be soon enough. :)

Tom Ford: Black Violet (and I'm upset)

Seriously upset! I mean, for the love of god, Mr. Ford, 200$ for 50 ml?!

And that was the cheapest one I could find.

I don't know how private these blends are, but unless Mr. Ford made them himself, there is no way I want to give that much money for 50 ml.
No matter how much I love this perfume.

I can't even convince myself Profumum's Ambre Aurea would be a justifiable purchase even though I go weak at the knees thinking of it (240$ for 100ml but the blend is 40% perfume).
Btw, is that normal? Going weak at the knees at the smell of particular perfume? Because Ambre Aurea isn't the only one - but luckily there isn't many of those around.

On to Black Violet.

It smells perfect to me.

It starts lightly citrusy-piney to me, the masculine accord but soon after that I get the sweet "pulpy" fruitiness, and the woods and I believe some resins too but the notes themselves are very misleading. There's got to be more in there than what is enumerated (I guess everyone who smelled this came to the same conclusion) but I can't figure out what.
I just love the way it smells. A lot.

I've been testing it for a whole week and I still have problems writing this review. Each time I try it, something new comes out. And it's not the violet. :)
There are some florals in there, beside violet that is. And I hope it's not my wishful thinking conjuring the violet feelings of this perfume (I hate being influenced but sometimes I can't tell if it's happening or not). Still, can't say I smell anything violety, I just have the color in my head.

That middle stage, after the masculine accord of the beginning and before the one in the end, lasts quite a long time. And I lack words to describe it - a woody, lightly salty moss lightened by fruity sweetness.
And the woody masculine drydown is still discernible after 8 hours of wear.

But still, 200$?!

No matter how much I love it, I won't be buying a bottle at that price (but if anyone can point me to a cheaper one, please do). :)

Notes: citrus, pulpy fruit, black violet, woods, oakmoss

Am I being too harsh?

I don't know how many of my readers are aware that I am a total cosmetics freak. It was my first love, I adore testing stuff and I'm always on the lookout to try something new.

But it hit me today when I was applying my perfectly ok face cream.
There aren't that many cosmetic products that wow me.

Those that actually deliver what they promised, or work in a way that would make you notice.
And that is why I don't talk much about them. Although I wish I would because that would mean there are some truly spectacular products out there available to everyone.
Because I don't really like to pay a huge amount for a body cream. Or any kind of cosmetic product. Ok, so what I am willing to pay is huge to my mother, but when compared to other cosmetic prices out there, I consider myself rather conservative. :)

The last two things that worked really well for me were:

Afrodita Cinnamon AHA Forte Anti-cellulite cream - I don't use it enough for an anti-cellulite effect to be noticeable but the AHA part works great.

And, a sample of Guerlain's serum and cream that the most generous Birgit sent, but being me, I managed to forget the name, I only remember it was anti-age (and blue).
But worked wonders to make my inner radiance come out. ;)

So, what do you think about most cosmetic products you use? What really stood out lately?

Kasey Michaels: A Midsummer Night's Sin

Being a romance novel lover, I'm always on the lookout for new authors to read. Unfortunately as my romance taste is rather specific, those writers tend to be few and in between.

But I found a new one! Kasey Michaels. And had so much fun reading. :)

The main male character is Puck (nickname). He is fun and games personified and also lovable and loving when he falls in love.
In this case, the woman he falls in love is intelligent and has a healthy sense of humour which is needed if you plan on spending time with Puck.

The problem they face is white slavery. That unfortunately is a problem we still face today so I was glas to see K. Michaels showing it in rather grim manner in this novel.
I love to read to get lost in imagined worlds but we shouldn't forget that the world we live in, is generally not a  nice one.
And Regina's world won't be rocked just by that.

I loved the intelligent conversations and all the Shakespearian connotations.
And as this is the middle novel of the three Blackthorn brothers, I have something to go back to and something to look forward.
And Jack's story is definitely something to look forward... ;)

Nalini Singh: Lord of the Abyss

I've been hearing the name Nalini Singh for ages now, but I never seemed to get around to actually read one of her books.
Now I have Netgalley to thank for my first opportunity. :) Loved it too.

By the end of the book, I realized it's part of the series as it brings together brothers and a sister in order for them to save their land and the Lord of the Abyss is the youngest one so the others had to come before.
Now, I'll have to go back and read from the beginning (what a terrible chore!). ;)

Anyway, I can't help but put in some slight, possible spoilers.

Lord of the Abyss reads to me like a beauty and the beast story. Only in this case, the beauty is ugly, and the beast is beautiful and only gets beastly when the curse is upon him (which isn't often).

In retrospect, for a book that is romantical fantasy, it actually got me feeling quite strongly (and by that I mean the actual feeling of my stomach clenching in certain situations).
N. Singh certainly painted the childhood of Liliana in such dark and gruesome details that I shivered and almost cried with incredulity that she would do something so awful to such a good character in her book. But unfortunately, it did fit with the father. :(

Micah, or the Lord of the Abyss is an interesting character because he has many traits that I would detest if they weren't combined in him with kingly ethic and goodwill toward all the people and the land. And his lover.  They seem to be, character-wise, made for each other.

I really enjoyed the destroyed world of Elden (they only got to fix it in the end, like I said, last book in the series) and I also think that because this was the last book, I lost some of the world building which probably happened in the beginning but I didn't have a problem following the story (did wonder a bit about parts of the world they inhabit).

Basic line is, I am happy I got introduced to N. Singh's novels and I want to read more - starting with Royal House of Shadows 1 (which btw I just realized wasn't written by her but is a series written by some other authors I wanted to get to know). :)

Having fun at Flores yesterday

You know, I really do believe I get drunk when I enter a niche perfumery and start smelling stuff and then times flies by when you're drunk and having fun, and before you know it, it's closing time and you've been there longer than you thought possible. :)

But it really isn't my fault. :)
When I came, I was the only one, and then at one point, a guy walked in and we then proceeded through smelling his possible choices while I was debating with myself what do I want to walk out with.

He seemed very keen on By Kilians but couldn't get the refill of his favourite White Cristal (which surprised me when I heard the name as I thought I knew all the By Kilians and it turned out to be the sub-title of Straight to Heaven). I have a hard time distinguishing them with all the love floating around, let alone with double names. Oh well...

Of all the perfumes he tried, in the end his two (and mine) favorites were Passion Boise by Frapin and Lumiere Noir by MFK.
Passion Boisée, which for some reason I read English Passion and French Boisée is a really good cold-weather choice for men, this one especially as his skin seems to eat all the sweetness out of every perfume.

Lumière Noire, fits the name (finally! a noir that works) as there is a dark rose in there.

Passion Boisée is a warm, rumy-fruity wood concoction that will probably make your guy smell very appealing to a lot of women.
Hmm, I might still decide against buying this one for my boyfriend then...

Of those that I smelled

Dyptique 34 almost made the cut. I really like it. It's more full than the rest of the Dyptique perfumes I tried so far and has some fig in there which makes it instantly likeable for me, but it's not sweet, it actually seems fitting for the fall weather we are having at the moment.
In the end, I decided against it because it's just so perfectly fine.

Ombre Rose L'Original smelled much better on the blotter than on my skin. All I seemed to be getting, progressively at that, was powdery violety-irisy-rose (with accent on powdery). Not for me.

Jovoy Chypre has potential. It is a serious chypre, one you don't want to mess with. Easier to wear than Bandit but almost giving away the same aura.

Velvet Aoud by Montale also almost made the cut. It would fit nicely with the mood I'm in as it seems to have a light fruity feel tinged with metallic (with the oudy background) and I like it a lot.
I checked the notes now and the only thing with any fruit connotation would be orange blossom. :) But it seems whoever wrote the Luckyscent description also gets some fruitiness. :)  I'll be going for some more testing.

The last thing that sticks in my mind from yesterday is Safran Troublant which I finally tested. I knew there was a reason I didn't try it before. I'm a spice addict and ST fits my addiction very nicely. :)


And if you're wondering what I took home with me - well, finally, I have my own stash of Ambre Russe and Fougere Bengale by Parfum d'Empire. :)

Huge thank you to the nice blonde lady (whose name I don't know) for her smiling, easy-going  company yesterday. :)

The Flores facebook site from which I took the photo.