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.

Filching a birthday present

As all of you who read Birgit's blog Olfactoria's Travels know, she did mini reviews yesterday of DSH perfumes in honour of Dawn's birthday today.
I think it is a lovely idea so I thought I'd give my thoughts on the latest trio I tried of Dawn's creations.
And a very happy birthday Dawn! :)

Minuit
Top notes: Cassis Bud, Hazelnut, Silver Fir

Middle notes: Carnation, Centifolia Rose Absolute, Jasmine, Tuberose Absolute
Base notes: Brown Oakmoss, Olibanum (Frankincense), Oude (Agarwood)

I'd swear there was some patchouli in this as it starts sweet, lightly earthy-rooty so it instantly reminded me of patchouli. Also, I just realized, that the earthy-rooty thing might not sound appealing in terms of perfume but to me, it always smells great. I was already starting to get worried I might be imagining things as I smelled carnation (and I tested Vitriol d'Oiellet morning before) but carnation is in there. And I can smell the wonderful oakmoss base. And to imagine I used to think I didn't like oakmoss (that's until you smell the real deal).
Basically, to me it smells darkishly woody and lightly floral, and then it gets more rosy-woody until woodsy notes are all I can smell and it makes me feel calm and relaxed and while I'm not watching, the woods give way to florals and I'm floating on a cloud.
 
 
Oude Arabique
Top notes: Mastic

Middle notes: Oude (Agarwood), Tamil Nadu Sandalwood

Base notes: Australian Sandalwood, Buddahwood, Himalayan Cedar, Tolu Balsam

Of this trio, Oude is my favourite but it doesn't smell really oudish to me. It starts sweetly, floral-sandalwoody and then I get this wonderfull creaminess that is very reminiscent of Love Coco but there is no coconut or ylang-ylang in this. The best I could come up with was that mastic and sandalwood were playing tricks on me because later I could smell sandalwood more clearly.
As I follow my nose and notes are there to point the way most of the time, I ended up with something floral in the base (again). :) Not that I mind.
 
 
L'Eau d'Iris
Top notes: Bergamot, Florentine Iris Flower, Violet

Middle notes: Neroli, Orris Root
Base notes: Benzoin, Musk, Sandalwood

I really thought this wasn't my kind of perfume until the initial iris bitterness was mellowed  by violet. And if I read that somewhere else, I wouldn't have been interested as I'm not really a violet fan, but lately it seems to be getting under my skin.
The initial iris smells very strict and uncompromising to me until it gets mellowed by the violet and then later musc (reminding me a bit of MdO Musc where the pair works wonderfully). I really tried smelling the bergamot but it's more of a backdrop to the iris's center stage.
Does that happen to anyone else? I mean, I can't smell a note but I know it's there because of the way the most obvious note smells like.
So, iris loses its strength slowly and while making way for violet, in the end it makes it into sandalwoody muskiness. Extremely lovely. Especially when considering where it started from.


Notes and pics by: http://www.dshperfumes.com/

Spring is here!

Although not in my step. I have a terrible cold for days now so I'm not able to smell anything and if something is strong enough to register, it hurts my nose and throat. 

But the weather is warm (incredibly so for this time of year) and the sun has been shining all week and should keep doing so in days to come even though it shouldn't be this warm.
So, it's the perfect time to dive into spring scents and I'm dying to do so, but at the moment, it is only a heartfelt wish that will have to wait.

In a vain attempt to smell spring, I sprayed Dawn's Dutch Blue Hyacinth this morning only to smell the barest whiff of something first 5 minutes and nothing from then on. I couldn't  decipher what it was that I was smelling before even that disappeared (as only the first strongest whiff managed to pass through my runny nose).

Oh, I am so very much looking forward to the moment I can enjoy spring through my nose!

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

Woody chocolate anyone?

I should write this before it's gone so if anyone has a liking, it can be snatched for a reduced price.
I'm talking about DSH Bois du Chocolate, a sample of which arrived with my last order and has been going around with me for weeks as it just didn't beckon to me.

Today I decided to forget about the beckoning part and just try it. It's wonderful! Simple yet brilliant. I don't where this is coming from, I didn't write this down when smelling it but now I look back to what it smelled like, I find it great.
Well, I thought it was great then as well. :)

Top notes: Sandalwood

Middle notes: Dark Chocolate, Vanilla
Base notes: Musk, Patchouli

Straight away I got dark chocolate and it wasn't sweet. It was as dark chocolate is supposed to smell like. I wanted to describe that smell but the best I got is deep, dark chocolate. :) And I need to work on better distinguishing variants of patchouli and vetiver, I thought I smelled vetiver and it turned out, patchouli was in the notes. But you certainly cannot miss the sandalwood. I did miss the musk and vanilla though. Vanilla isn't surprising, as it probably underscores chocolate and is there to make it work its magic. Musk completely by-passed me, but then again, it was made clear to me yesterday, I can't smell some musks very well (like Musc Nomade by AG, I could barely sniff it on my arm).

Anyway, I enjoyed smelling this, it's exactly what it says, but it smells so much better than you can guess by reading the notes (or the name). Seductive but not sweet (I'm wondering now if I find the smell of dark chocolate seductive, it seems to pop out each time I smell a perfume with it).

And if I recover from my recent perfume stunts in time, while there is a bottle of this farewell item left, I believe I'll have one. And check if men find it seductive as well. ;)

Notes and pic by: http://www.dshperfumes.com/

The Outlaws, part 3

It's time I brought my outlaw experience to its end. Not that there is an actual end to this particular experience - I feel like I could test them over and over again and never be sure if my opinion was correct.

DSH: Mata Hari

Top notes: Bergamot, Coriander Seed, Fruit Note no.1 (botanical accord), Green Mandarin, Neroli, Orange Flower Absolute - France, Tarragon (Estragon)
Middle notes: Cassie Absolute, Champaca Absolute, Cinnamon Bark, Cinnamon Leaf, Clove Bud, Lilac Cocktail (botanical accord), Moroccan Rose Absolute, Orris Concrete, Sambac Jasmine, Tuberose Absolute, Vintage Orchid (botanical accord)
Base notes: Australian Sandalwood, Benzoin, Brown Oakmoss, Buddahwood, Cade, Cassis Bud, Ciste Absolute, East Indian Patchouli, Green Oakmoss, Indonesian Vetiver, Leather (botanical accord), musk eau natural accord, Tonka Bean, Vanilla Absolute

The best advice I can give you when it comes to DSH scents, just ignore the notes and follow your nose. There is always such a wealth of notes, there's no way you are going to discern them all (or half of them, or a third...). :)
As you saw through my previous reviews, I had some problems writing coherent reviews that would give you the right impression. Mata Hari is one of those that gave me serious trouble. It is a fruity chypre. Ok. I have an idea what a chypre smells like but it seems my idea might not be true in all cases. This is definitely a fruity perfume (I seem to be a fertile ground these days for fruity, all the fruit practically blossoms on me, if fruit can do that).

Anyway, this starts on me with an amazing peach booze accord that quickly gets encased in chocolate. Like you had this chocolate filled with peach liquor that smells so very fruity when you bite through it so you can barely register the chocolate, the peach liquor is all that makes you swoon. It really lasts for me so by the time other things start to happen, my concentration is gone (drunk on liquor and chocolate).
Yes, I get some piquancy at one point (cinammon?), some leathery aspect peaking out from somewhere and a dark, marshy base that can't get through but is there underneath the fruit giving this depth, opulence and a bit of darkness. Which is strange given the opening but obviously very appropriate given the name.
Anyway, this made me re-think my opinion on chypres, they are not the strange, unwearable creatures I thought I knew, but mysterious, deep, sultry enchantresses when put into right hands.
Even though I know I can't wear this at all times, I find it really incredible.

Joanne Basset: Amazing

Notes: Oakmoss, Cassie, Cinnamon, Vintage Jasmine, Lemon Verbena, Rose Otto, Muhuhu, Ginger, Yuzu, Rhododendron, Benzoin, Violet Leaf, and 19 others

And if I don't seem to be able to wear Mata Hari at all times, I definitely know when I can wear Amazing. Any time I need some happiness and sunshine in my life. This one is all that. It might not have the depths of some other Outlaws  but it sure has serious sunny effect.
It's at the same time green, citrusy (quite so as it smells like you're peeling the rind from a lemon), piquant and just alive. Eventually the citrusness subsides and some piquancy (not the lemon rind kind) is there - my guess is cinammon and this is where it gets strange.
By now, I realized that all the strangeness I'm feeling is probably due to the fact that I wasn't familiar with real oakmoss until now and now that I am, I'm lacking words for describing it. But at least I'm learning. :)
The thing is - outlaw strangeness is good.

Dupetit: Cannabis

Notes: Basil oil (holy), Bay oil (West Indian), Bergamot leaf oil, Birch tar oil, Citronella oil, Clove oil, Geranium oil, Ginger oil, Grapefruit peel oil, Jasmine Sambac absolute, Lemon peel oils, Lemon verbena absolute, Lime peel oil (expressed) Mace oil, Nutmeg oil, Orange blossom absolute, Orange leaf oil, Orange peel oil (bitter) orange peel oil (sweet), Peppermint oil, Rose absolute, Rose oil, Rue oil, Taget (marigold) absolute, Thyme oil (thymol CT) Tolu balsam extract.

Well, how do you talk about a perfume that is named Cannabis? :) I'll do it quickly.
It's a sparkly, Sprite-feeling cannabis perfume. Sparkly as in a sparkly soda made of lemon stuff (just check the notes on this one).
Eventually this subsides and  a nice feeling cannabis remains surrounded by floral, lightly resiny friends.


P.S. I really tested all of these many times and applied great amounts and had NO side effects what so ever.

Pics by: https://www.dshperfumes.com/index.asp, http://www.joannebassett.com/edt.htm and http://www.bioscent.info/cannabis_perfume.html

Visiting ancient Egypt III

And with this, I'll conclude this mini series. The last scent I'll talk about is Megaleion.

Top notes: Cardamom co2 Absolute, Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Fragrant Wine (accord), Lemongrass
Middle notes: Australian Sandalwood, Balm of Gilead (accord), Spikenard, Turkish Rose Otto
Base notes: Copaiba Balsam, Costus, Myrrh Gum, Olibanum (Frankincense), Peru Balsam, Pine Resin, Sweet Flag

This one was the one that moved me the least. Not to say I don't like it, I do, but it feels more restrained in its olfactory approach. It smells like something Egyptian priests might have worn, and it feels more masculine than the rest. It could be I'm associating it with priests due to the frankincense in the opening. And when mixed with cardamom, I just get the priest in Egypt association springing up in my mind. :)

Anyway, the opening is incensey-green, mixed with cinnamon and cardamom but cinnamon in significantly smaller presence than in Keni. It's warm, resinic and the fragrant wine accord is again in my mind connected with the cardamon and the warm wine you drink in winter. And that's about the most sweetness you can expect from it, if you associate fragrant wine with sweetness. This is much drier than the other two, like smoky wood, burnt in a temple perhaps.

I'm aware Dawn wrote that this is "Perhaps the world’s first “designer fragrance”... - but I can't help think of temples and priests when smelling it. But not Christian variant of incense burned in a church (which is a smell to make me nauseous instantly), more the spicy, dry version that I come to associate with dry climates, sun and temples - Egypt is a good picture. :)

Visiting ancient Egypt II

It seems I really don't know much about ancient history since if someone asked me what spices Egyptians used, I'd have no idea.  I would probably guess at some, but I don't think cinnamon would be on that list.
And then, here comes Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and her Secrets of Egypt and through my nose, I learn some of the things my school books never managed to teach me.

Today  I'll talk about Keni - the cinnamon fest. :)

Top notes: Bitter Almond, Cardamom co2 Absolute, Cassia, Cinnamon Bark
Middle notes: Australian Sandalwood, Benzoin, Fragrant Wine (accord)
Base notes: Atlas Cedarwood, Myrrh Gum, Pine Resin

Ok, as you can see from the notes, it's not all a cinnamon fest but the opening is, and it lasts for a while so I can call it that.  It's the most real cinnamon I ever smelled. As with all spices (which I recognize by their particular nose pinching effect, you know, similar to black pepper), this cinnamon is at the same time nose pinching, juicy and bark-like. If you ever tried a cinnamon chewing gum, it smells like that. Wonderful (as I adore cinnamon gums).

As cinnamon starts to subside, there is a light gummy quality to it and then cardamom appears. If you take a look at the notes of the different Secrets of Egypt scents, you will notice many notes being the same in many of them. And then, in the end, they all smell spicy but different.

After cardamon, I start getting some whiffs of sandalwood and after that, it gets tricky. Sandalwood for me gets more dry and resiny and in the end morphs into sweet cedar and then just cedar? I'm not really sure except it's dry and comforting (but then again, all spicy scents are comforting to me,  and I wonder, does that mean something?).

Pic by: http://www.ground-cinnamon.com/
Notes by: http://www.dshperfumes.com/

Visiting ancient Egypt I

I've been interested in the Secrets of Egypt collection of scents from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz since it came out and then I finally ordered 3 samples of scents that were made for the exhibition in Denver Art Museum.

I don't know how many of you know, I am a huge fan of Dawn's work and unfortunately for me, I seriously like pretty much anything I smell that she created. :)

So, it came as a surprise realization yesterday (I've been having those lately) that the reason I kept postponing writing about several perfumes I tried recently is because I don't feel I can give them a review they deserve. I mean, whatever comes into my mind as something I want to say about them doesn't feel as good as they smell to me.
But I decided that's a stupid reason for not writing about them, so here it goes.


The one I will talk about today is Antiu - I won't go into details about the name, you can read more about it on Dawn's site.

Top notes: Bitter Almond, Cardamom co2 Absolute, Fragrant Wine (accord), Galbanum, Lemongrass
Middle notes: Australian Sandalwood, Gallica Rose Otto, Honey Beeswax
Base notes: Copaiba Balsam, Mastic, Myrrh Gum, Peru Balsam, Pine Resin, Sweet Flag

For me, this starts as a spicy burst (that reminded me strongly of cinnamon which is featured prominently in the other 2 samples) that smelled at the same time green like peas and almondy. And that's before I read the notes (I just love it when I can smell something on my own). :)
It has  a slightly citrusy tang and in the beginning smells to me like cinnamony grass. You know, spicily green. And absolutely wonderful (those are two smells I adore in anything). I still can't believe there is no cinnamon in this but then again, we put here in our warm wine cinammon and clove so it's no wonder that the fragrant wine accord will remind me of it. One variant of such wine is glög (that's what the Swedish do) and it's a bit more spicy and has a thicker consistency (I'm not sure from what) but cardamom is put into it.

I've heard people say that they don't like cardamom but I can't help but associate it with warmth and fragrant wine so when it makes a bolder appearance in Antiu, I really enjoy it.

Even though I mentioned winter customs, for me, this smells like a perfect scent for spring. It has some kind of sunny, breezy, grassy freshness and then gets a sweet aspect around the cardamom but in a light, resiny way.  Well, if you take a look at the base notes, you can come to that conclusion as well. :)

Soon, I will talk about the other samples and one that is absolute cinnamon heaven for which a friend told me she doesn't consider that as something one might wear as perfume. Oh well, more for me.

If you take a look at Dawn's site, I'm warning you straight away, don't check the Mummy bottles because they are just way too wonderful not to be wanted for oneself. Which is a terrible torture as one costs 275 $.

Btw, it seems I decided to write about these perfumes at the same time as Krista over at Scent of the Day, so you can head over there and see what she wrote about Antiu.

Pic by: http://www.stanford.edu/

Is tea a spring note and other musings

I've been meaning to write about this for some time now but I'm glad I waited and had a chance to smell some DSH creations that arrived last week.

As the spring started, I thought a lot about things I would like to wear, what feels right in spring and came up with tea among other things, smelling it in Amaranthine and The Silk Road (also by DSH). But the tea note I crave is not black tea, I need greenery now in all forms. Not the tea that makes appearance in CdG Tea - that smells like some Chinese tea I tried some time ago and hated. That is just a total scrubber in my case.

So, in my mind, green tea is one of the spring notes I like and prefer.

Then I read Katie's comment to my Scents that sing Spring! post and realized she is right. My choices are zesty and yes, I enjoy citrusy stuff because it gives off an energetic vibe I seem to need in the spring. Everything is waking and after the initial surge in energy, my energy level slowly decreases so I crave smells that will help with that.

So, you can imagine I was happy when I discovered some new gems in the DSH package.

I just wish that they weren't letting go Wasabi-Shiso. That is bottled spring energy! And I have no idea why is it considered an autumn scent on DSH site?!

Top notes: Shiso (accord), Wasabi (accord), Yuzu

Middle notes: Bergamot, Holy Basil, Pittosporum (accord), Russian Rose Absolute

Base notes: Brazilian Vetiver, Elemi Gum, Mysore Sandalwood, Patchouli

I have the notes now but when I smelled it for the first time it was a rush. :) The description at the DSH site says Whoosh! Well, that certainly is one way of putting it. You get this strong lemon peel vibe underscored by green (those are my initial ideas - lemon peel and perhaps basil and majoram). It is very optimistic and energetic and once I saw the notes, I realized there was quite a lot to give that citrusy vibe. It is almost grapefruity, smells more like lemon peel and pits and is just a limey, juicy, happy thing. It practically fizzes with all those citruses. Later it settles down and I lose my note detection ability. Some easy vetiver and sandal.

I am happy to have a little bottle of this, especially if it's going out of production.

And now on to the one that has my spring cravings. Bancha.

Top notes: Green Mandarin, Lime Peel, Spearmint, Yuzu

Middle notes: Centifolia Rose Absolute, Holy Basil, Jasmine, Pine Needle

Base notes: Australian Sandalwood, Himalayan Cedar, Moss

Here is what DSH has to say about it:

"The season of new life, new beginnings and renewed wellbeing, Spring signifies a rebirth through a harmonious celebration of balance and revitalization. To welcome this invigorating time of year, we've created a special ayurvedic, all botanical scent elemental to the season, Bancha. Charismatic and refreshing, the bold citrus top notes of Bancha intertwine with a base of earthy, green aromas for a crisp, lively fragrance that will revive the senses and restore harmony."

My initial thought was osmanthus perhaps and it smelled like lemon-tea but better. :) I know, I really smell a lot. ;)

The problem was I smelled this after Wasabi-Shiso and thought it smelled like a watered down version of it. With citrusy opening but with the grapefruit association, some lemon peel no pits.

It doesn't have the juiciness and doesn't project so much energy but it grows on you. Me especially because there are similarities with Charmes et Feuilles and whatever is similar to that is guarantueed my love. The mandarin and lime peel underscored by greenery hinting at spearmint and basil, what more could you ask? And then it mellows even more and the tea note comes from somewhere (have no idea where, it is not listed, perhaps yuzu and rose?). Anyway, it is really a calming scent and totally for me and my spring cravings.

Although, you know, nothing beats spring. I guess that is why I keep looking for something to wear in spring but I don't think anything will ever compare.

Notes by: http://www.dshperfumes.com/

I've been thinking...

At the moment I have no perfume to review and no books/authors to write about. Soon, but not today.

I don't know if this happens to anyone else but I find it annoying and strange. Over these Christmas days I didn't have neither the time nor the will to concentrate on smelling something new and interesting (or just new, or just interesting) so I didn't. Then as the new week started yesterday, I wanted to go on with all those wonders of samples I have everywhere, so I did. And what happens?! A complete fiasco. My nose and my brain seem to have lost the connection. It is like I'm a beginner once more (ok, so I'm not really far down the road, but I'm not at the beginning either). This has already happened before - right after I came from summer vacation. There seems to be a break where once was a way. It will probably take 2 or 3 days for me to get back on track, but what I find annoying is that it happens. Does this happen to anyone else?

So, yesterday I wanted to begin smelling the color series by DSH and I start with Quinacridone Violet and I got everything mixed (the fruit in the opening) and then I see the list of notes, and I realize there is so much happening in what I'm smelling and I can smell it happening, I just can't seem to verbalize it. In any manner. :(

Then I went on with Estee Lauder's Jasmine White Moss. I already smelled it before when I got the sample but since it was lying near and I saw it mentioned on MUA, I went to check it again. And this time I smelled much more than the initial time, but all I could say is after is that it would be nice to own a decant of this. Depressing really what time away from concentrated sniffing can do to me...

Well, that too shall pass.

I don't know what you are going to be doing this New Year's Eve but I'm really only up to enjoying champagne in front of the TV. And it seems that is what I'll be doing together with my boyfriend. Everyone I talk to these days is pretty much thinking the same. What about you?

This has been a difficult year, to finish off a difficult decade and I hope what awaits us in the years to come brings more light and joy to the world. The world deserves it.

Picture is mine.

DSH round-up (so far)

I've been wanting to write this for days but it's pre-Christmas time and free time usually dwindles to non-existant in that period (at least for me). :)

When I ordered last from DSH site, I didn't realize I actually ordered so many samples. I was a bit surprised when I started unpacking them but I'm not complaining - there will be things to try and try and try... :)

So, let's start:

Silver Fir

Top notes: Bergamot, Cassis Bud, Pink Grapefruit, Plum, Siberian Fir, Spearmint

Middle notes: Green Tea, Olibanum (Frankincense), Silver Fir

Base notes: Atlas Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, Balsam Fir, Treemoss

I actually had a couple of samples that I almost thought had mixed labels. :) This was one of them. It is the season so I smelled several fir scents lately when this one came along and in the opening instead of fir, I got citrusy fresh opening. :) I was wondering what was happening and then I took a look at the notes and realized I could smell the spearmint and grapefruit/bergamot. :) Then this went through a phase that was a strange sweet vanilla? which I didn't like and subsided into a lovely drydown.

Festive

Top notes: Spice Notes

Middle notes: Fir Needle, Spruce

Base notes: Incense Notes, Sandalwood

This was the other scent I had on my other wrist and the one that made me think someone mixed the labels because I got a strong fir note from this. I thought I was smelling lavender and rosemary at the beginning but then realized it was probably me mixing it with fir scent. :) I mix notes a lot in my head.

I really liked this one because once the fir subsides what you are left with is the atmosphere of the name. Very appropriate - like having a party around a Christmas tree, one where you smell sexy. Incredible really how she managed that.

Winter White

Top notes: Raspberry

Middle notes: Sandalwood, White Rose Accord

Base notes: Heliotrope, Musk, White Chocolate

I wasn't exactly thrilled with opening of this one - reminded me of marzipan and flowers. I guess that can be attributed to the white chocolate (which I'm not a fan of in real life) and raspberry combo. Later, the chocolate was nice but the whole idea is too powdery for me and I'm not really into that. It's not too much though and I will wear my sample because the chocolate ends up smelling great. And calory-free. ;)

Gingembre

Top notes: Allspice, Black Pepper, Clove Bud, Mandarin, Nutmeg, Pimento Berry, Star Anise

Middle notes: Ginger, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Honey Beeswax, Moroccan Rose Absolute, Osmanthus, Siam Benzoin

Base notes: Ambrette Seed, Cocoa Beans, Labdanum, Moss, Patchouli, Rhum, Sandalwood, Tolu Balsam

Cookies, cookies, cookies. Here in Croatia (and around) we have soft cakes that are made of some kind of thin sponge cake, with orange jelly covered in chocolate (jaffa cakes). I don't think there is any ginger in those but the opening of this reminded me strongly of that. No wonder, mandarin, ambrette and cocoa. It starts a bit alcoholic and herbal sweer and then I get my jaffa cake association. This one is as edible as they get and totally yummy. I would never have guessed I would contemplate wearing something that reminds me of food so strongly and smelling like cookies, but you never know what awaits you around the corner. :) Anyway, I will smell like Gingembre this Christmas but not of cookies all the time, some clove, and labdanum and sandal as well.

Piment and Chocolat

Top notes: Black Pepper, Paprika, Pimento Berry, Red Chili

Middle notes: Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud, Nutmeg

Base notes: Cocoa Beans, Dark Chocolate

This is definitely my favorite of today's round-up. I cannot describe it in words that will bring this forth as it deserves. I already mentioned it the other day and I need to repeat that. This is thick, dark, hot chocolate mixed with chili to better warm you up when you drink it, only this one will be drunk through the nose and enjoyed guilt-free. If nothing else of the ones I mentioned today - try this one.

Lumiere

Top notes: Bergamot, Cardamom co2 Absolute, Cinnamon Leaf, Coriander Seed, Nutmeg

Middle notes: Almond Milk (accord), Hazelnut, Rhum, Sweet Cream

Base notes: Amber, Australian Sandalwood, Coffee Absolute, Oppopanax, Peru Balsam

I will have to give more nose-time to this one. I got the bergamot and cinammon but I kind of spaced out on the rest and just the list of notes makes me wonder how in the world did I manage to skip through the rest. So, no actual thoughts on this one yet, sorry.

On to the last two I thought got mixed up as well.

Three Kings

There is no listing for this on the DSH site. So, no notes for this. I thought it was going to smell like myrhh and incense (in the very hard to breathe church way) but I was completely wrong.

It smells more green and sharp - ish, I thought I got some smoke/incense but couldn't be sure (it was wafting barely through). My thought on notes ran like this: vetiver and benzoin?, perhaps labdanum, galbanum and oakmoss maybe, I think something smells celery like. :)

We'll see eventually how wrong I was. :)

Twelfth Night

Top notes: Juniper/Juniper Berry, Spice Notes

Middle notes: Laurel Leaf, Patchouli

Base notes: Brown Oakmoss, Frankincense (Olibanum), True Arabian Myrrh

As you can see by the notes, this one has the notes I thought Three Kings should have. :) I thought I smelled vetiver but realized that could be the patchouli + laurel combination. And I could smell myrhh and incense. It's not a happy and festive scent like those mentioned before but it is interesting.

It's incredible how DSH can evoke specific feelings/atmosphere and still manage to make one long to wear such a scent.

Some I love completely, some I like in the beginning and some I like in the drydown more. But there is something to like in all of them. I just have to say I think that is some great talent Ms Hurwitz has.

Picture by:https://www.dshperfumes.com/

My DSH package

has arrived the other day. I didn't order much but what came in it made me very happy. Then I started smelling what was in it and I was no longer that happy, I was quite distressed. I know I ordered sampled according to notes I usually like, but I didn't expect them to smell so nice that I decide I need those in larger amounts, and I only tried 2. There are 3 more left!

Notes for Nourouz:

Top notes: Black Pomegranate (accord), Paprika, Tamarind

Middle notes: Bulgarian Rose Otto, Orris, Osmanthus

Base notes: Oppopanax, Red Wine notes, Tobacco Absolute, Vanilla Absolute

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone but once you smell that, you'll recognize pomegranate anywhere. I love it here! It smells like the real deal, so juicy. It made my mouth water. The other thing I realized except for that top note, I get lost in the wonderful smell of the DSH perfume. Don't ask me if I got the other notes, I just smelled my wrist and wondered how much more money was I going to spend on DSH site. :)

Notes for Cimabue:

Top notes: Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Cardamom Seed, Clementine, Italian Neroli, Lemon, Nutmeg

Middle notes: Carnation Absolute, Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud, Egyptian Rose Geranium, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Honey Beeswax, Moroccan Rose Absolute, Mysore Sandalwood, Saffron absolute, Tuberose Absolute

Base notes: Ciste Absolute, East Indian Sandalwood, Labdanum, Oppopanax, Siam Benzoin, Tahitian Vanilla, Tamil Nadu Sandalwood, Vanilla Absolute

For those of you who might not have realized it yet, I'm a total clove fan. I grew up smelling it each winter when my parents made hot wine and lated, tasting that same wine and smelling those wonderful aromas. Actually, while at university, I tried the Swedish variant (glög) and that's where I learned I liked the smell of cardamom as well.

But on to Cimabue. I smelled it before reading the notes (you can get lost in them, there are really many) and straight away I got the nice sweet smell of clove. Then I went to see if I was imagining it these days and saw the list of noted. It is not listed in the top notes but I guess all those citrusy fruits are the ones that made me not think of clove in terms of hot wine. I tried my best and only managed to catch whiffs of cinnamon, the rest was again lost in the wonderful smell that emanated from my wrist. In the end, I got some vanillic undertone to my clove but I'm sorry to say, my nose wasn't able to distinguish much else.

The good thing about my new infatuation with DSH is the fact that they are going to have a holiday sale! And it will be starting this weekend! Yeey!

20% means I'll be able to squeeze something more in the package for the same amount of money. :)

Notes and pic by: https://www.dshperfumes.com/