Thursday, March 31, 2011

Time flies by when the sun is shining

I think I'm suffering from spring laziness. I'm not really tired as that is what everyone keeps talking about these days when the sun keeps shining all day long and everyone is smiling because of it. I'm actually running around, trying to do all sorts of things and I'm managing but the writing sort of got lost in the middle of all that.

During last week's fumechat, I got some wonderful recommendations for spring scents from Persolaise, only to manage to locate one of those samples and basically just try that one. One would think if I'm looking for new perfume loves, I'd put more effort into it...

So, the one I tried was Vert Pivoine by Histoires de Parfums, and while I was already amid those samples, I tested Blanc Violette too.

Vert Pivoine

Notes (in French):
Top note : Pivoine, Feuille de Lierre, Eau de Rose.

Heart note : Pivoine, Rose, Mimosa, Gardénia, Fruits Rouges, Baies Roses.
Base note : Pivoine, Santal, Cèdre, Musc, Vanille.

One of the good things about perfumes is that I learn many new words through them. Especially for flowers. :) So now I know the name for peony in both French and Croatian and thanks to google, I even know what it looks like. Before, peony was just another name of a flower.
So, what does it smell like? For me, it starts with the smell of flowers stalks that give off a slightly peppery twist. It's not sweet at all, more like spring flowers after rain when you can't smell the sweet grass and pollen residue in the air but just clear scent.
It smells serious and elegant to me with the smell of real rose (at least that's how I think of that particular smell, the one where you actually have your nose in the rose and can smell the surrounding air and leaves) complementing the elegancy.
These are soliflores by Histoires de Parfums site so it's no surprise when I say that this one smells pretty much linear with some detours - a bit greener in the drydown.
Very easily wearable if not a great love for me. It's more like a nice blouse you know fits well, even though  not the most spectacular you own.


Blanc Violette

Notes (also in French)
Top note : Violette, Bergamote, Iris.

Heart note : Violette, Ylang-Ylang, Anis Badiane.
Base note : Violette, Santal, Vanille, Musc, Poudre de Riz.

I'm not the one to fall for violets in my perfumes, but I actually liked this one better than Vert Pivoine (and I liked that one).
The interesting thing happened right at the beginning - I couldn't say what I was smelling. I was smelling it but my mind refused to put any name to it so I wrote down - white and sligthly bitter. :) I'm just so good with words. ;)
After that, it got slightly powdery and lightly irisy but I can't say I could recognize violets in there.
Then another interesting thing happened - it started smelling like it was being suffused with light. I don't know where that came from and I was very surprised to get that idea in my head. I wonder if someone else has tried this and had the same revelation?
I like it when I smell something that strongly questions my perfume knowledge as it was very hard for me to put into words what I was smelling and still can't really describe it well enough - I guess my flower notes knowledge is seriously lacking. :)
To me it basically smells good, easy, light, elegant and smoothly powdery in occasional whiffs.
Notes by: http://www.histoiresdeparfums.com/
 
Pic is mine of trees blooming in Zagreb.

14 comments:

  1. oh how beautiful that photo is! We had four inches of SNOW yesterday...sigh!

    great reviews!

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  2. Mmm...I could smell some light right now. I've been unsure about violets, but this sounds intriguing!

    Right now my "suffused with light and happiness" treat is Champaca. Think I'll go spray some on right now... :)

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  3. Ooh, I thought Blanc Violette looked most interesting and you've confirmed it for me. One to seek out.

    cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh

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  4. Vert Pivoine is one of my favourite HdPs - it is pleasant and undemanding and accessible. (Unlike quite a few scents in the range.) Can you tell why I like it?! : - )

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  5. Thank you Bloody Frida. :)
    I'm really enjoying the sun these days, it makes my stress disappear.

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  6. Hi Axum, well, if you get light and happiness from Champaca, then it's getting on my list of things to try. :)
    I supposed that is OJ's Champaca? I haven't tried that yet but I don't have a good record with OJ, they don't work well on me. :(

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  7. HI Anna, yes, it's very interesting and I would love to hear your thoughts on it once you try it.

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  8. Vanessa, I can certainly see why you like it. I have to admit though, I enjoy pretty much everything from the line. Some more, some less but they are all good for me. Especially tuberoses. ;)

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  9. Ines, Vert Pivoine and Blanc Violette are both so very pretty, they are among my favorites in the HdP line. I don't usually go in for soliflores either, as they tend to bore me, but there is something just so elegant about Vert Pivoine and just so delicate and lovely about Blanc Violette. Of the two, Blanc Violette is my favorite.

    Still very jealous of your weather. It's just flat out miserable here. :-(

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  10. GdP is one of the lines I'm still only planning to approach so any information is useful. It's amazing to read that a flower that I always thought of as something really common and ubiquitous was just a name for somebody.
    I've always liked peony's scent but with its "untidy" petals arrangement it always loses to an elegant rose in the looks department when it comes to selecting a gift or a decoration.

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  11. Suzanne, it seems everyone is familiar with HdP line and has favorites but I don't see much talk of them (or maybe I'm just not paying much attention).
    Blanc Violette is my favourite of the two, too. :)

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  12. Undina, I think HdP line is definitely worth exploring. :) And their sample sets are not expensive if I remember it correctly.
    I'm a bit ashamed as I had no idea what peony looked like until I googled it. I'm only good with the most obvious flowers.

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  13. I am NOT familiar with HdP with the exception of Marquis de Sade, which is lightyears away from these two. :)
    Pivoine Vert sounds just like something I might love, actually both do. Lovely reviews, Ines.

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  14. Thank you Olfactoria. :)
    Regarding Marquis de Sade and all other named after people with years in their names are actually different from the soliflores (these are labeled as such on their site).
    And then you have the tuberose trio. :) Luckily for me, I have travel size bottles of those 3 and I do plan on reviewing them eventually.

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