Mona di Orio: Carnation

UPDATE: Well, it seems I need to pay more attention to all the texts concerning fragrances I try as I managed to completely miss what the name of this one means. :) As it's not in English but in French (which also means I've been pronouncing it wrong - at least that was only in my mind).
Thanks to Carol for pointing it out, Carnation in French actually means complexion. So, my whole carnation introduction is completely beside the point. :)

Carnations are forever in my mind asssociated with having no smell and being THE flower of Communist/socialist regimes. That would probably be because for the first 10 years of my life, I grew in one. Which from my perspective then had absolutely no impact on my life in any matter, except that we all became little pioneers in our first grade and got a red carnation as well. So having held it for several of those type of occasions, I must say I don't remember it having any smell.
And for some reason I keep thinnking that whenever I see carnation appearing in a name of perfume, it is not going to smell good to me (lately I wonder where do I get these associations?). I wasn't able to find a reference to its smell, but that doesn't mean there isn't a carnation out there without one.

Anyway, you can probably tell from the introduction that I didn't think it wasn't good upon smelling Mona di Orio's Carnation. :) And I didn't. I was actually very much surprised.

It doesn't come often that if you don't smell a perfume straight away, you miss the opening. Lucky for me, I tried Carnation several times before this review so I got it from my second try. There is this initial sparkly burst of slightly citrusy aldehydes and if you're not there the second it happens, a bit later it's gone. And then the ride starts.
Smelling it without notes I kept thinking (again) how jasmine and orange blossoms were there in the beginning, and I don't know which part of the whole picture made me think old-fashioned but not in a bad way, but as in, you don't come across things like this any more. Some greenery peeks in through musky florals and there is a slight soapy-cream quality to it but lucky for me, the soapiness is here and then it's gone. It smells quite summery actually, I guess it's all the white flowers, green and citrus. But there also comes a time when a light leathery aspect appears, smelling rooty and chewy (not in a bubble gum way).

I hate the fact that I simply lack words for appropriately describing this.

There is just a vintage feel to the way this smells. And I guess a look at the notes can be revealing: bergamot, clove bark, Bourbon geranium, ylang-ylang, violet, jasmine, woods, msuk, amber, styrax.

It settles down into a lovely soft floral and you wonder if all those intriguing whispers along the way actually happened...?


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

Mona di Orio: Jabu and Amyitis

I still can't believe how quickly I dismissed Mona di Orio perfumes when I first tried them some year and a half ago. Although honestly, at that point, I don't think my nose was able to appreciate them.  I certainly notice changes in what I like in perfume and the fact that I smell more just makes me want to write about it less because it doesn't feel like I can give them the words they deserve. Which is stupid because writing about them actually helps me form more coherent thoughts on them and remeber them more vividly (those I write about).

Anyway, I'm taking my time this time around and I'm taking a leisurely walk through Mona di Orio samples. There and back again (I sound like I came from the Lord of the Rings). :)

First off, I have to say I smelled these without the notes and wrote down my thoughts. Then I went to check the notes and got completely discouraged by the list. 

Jabu

Notes: Brazilian orange flower, South African petitgrain, Manoi oil, Rose damascena, Comores ylang-ylang, Santal amyris, Siamese Benzoin, plum, myrrh

The name is totally apt (basically meaning happy). If there is one thing this perfume manages to convey, it's definitely happiness.
For me it starts sweet and neroli/jasmine-like smelling. As you can see, I'm close. :) It's like you took L'Artisan's Vanilia and put some white flowers over it. Absolutely wonderful and slightly intoxicating in a way that makes you feel happy and smiling. I kept thinking that the sweet vanilla aspects smelled like they were mixed with some coconut, but then I saw manoi oil and benzoin, and there was my answer.
I don't really think you can describe this in words well enough to transfer the warm scent wafting from my wrist. It's warm flowers, warmed by the sun, amid coconut trees. God, I really need a bottle of this. It's instant smile on your face with a bit more serious drydown. It gets you from feeling happy and smiling, into more mature happiness, where you know you are not always going to feel like this but that's fine, otherwise you wouldn't be able to appreaciate the real deal when it happened.


Amyitis

Notes:caraway, savory, capsicum, green leaves, iris, violet, gaiac wood, cedar of Virginia, saffron, opoponax, moss, amber

That caraway thing keeps cropping up and I still have no idea what it smells like. Well, actually I think I do now that I smelled it in several places and couldn't place it.  If it doesn't work any other way, then the method of elimination is what I'm left with. The thing is it gets translated into Croatian as cumin which isn't it (and some googling ensured me it doesn't smell the same either).
Now that I got that cleared in my mind, Amyitis starts for me as smelling like leathery roots. Well, more like suede roots. You know, that iris-earthy combo that spells smelling of roots. And violet sometimes evokes suede for me (probably in combination with something else but I haven't taken it so far yet).

I read the Luckyscent description and got discouraged again. Cucumber and mint? Can't say I got that impression. Although I can smell some sweetness I associate with mint notes but very faintly. 

Honestly, I have no idea why I like this one so much. If I were to guess by the notes, I'd be very iffy regarding the possibility of me liking this. It's a bit strange, hard to pin down and describe, but so very intriguing. It has that green, rooty thing going on that I pretty much always like but it's not obvious and it's just one of the things going on, most easy for me to get so that's why I'm highlighting it.

So, now I have both good and bad news. Good news is that Mona di Orio perfumes are available in Zagreb. The bad news is, they are not very economically approachable - especially if you realize you like more than one. ;)

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

The smell of snow

You know, the more I smell perfumes, the less I feel  I know. Each time I try and think of a perfume with a particular scent, I come blank. Like snow now.

Living in a city, this is not the best place to announce to everyone you love snow as people tend to get upset since snow makes everything more difficult (and the fact that it needs to be removed from pretty much everywhere in order to get anywhere makes people cranky). I, I adore snow. I adore the way air starts smelling of it even weeks before it falls, I love the quiet it brings when it's falling and once it's on the ground, I love walking in it, I love snow-fights and snowmen, there is pretty much nothing about snow that I don't love.

So, naturally, as we've had some for the last 10 days or so (not too much and it melts quickly), I started thinking about scents that manage, even for a few seconds, to conjure that smell of snow in the air.

You know, the one that smells cold and fresh, but almost electrically sweet. Snow for me never smells like it brings cold of both spirit and body, for me the cool smell of snow brings clarity of mind, freeing of the spirit  from all that weighs on it and childlike happiness. So, of course, a perfume that could evoke that would be much welcome.

As I've been thinking about this for some days now, I realized I have a wonderful collection of perfumes to wear when it's cold outside that make me feel warm but none that makes me feel like I'm enjoying a brisk walk in the snow. Or standing outside in the cold night air, breathing fully the snowy freshness and contemplating the stars in the sky...

The closest I got was Sushi Imperiale which for me evokes the happiness of a snowfight but it's a bit too childlike for me.

So, now I'm asking for some help - what are the perfumes that evoke the smell of snow for you?

Mystery and Suspense Reading Challenge 2011.

As I'm almost done with this one for the year 2010. I can say it shouldn't be a problem finishing it again next year (and the participation in this one also wins you a book).

In order to participate, you need to sign up over at Book Chick City.

The details are as follows:

* Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011


* Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

* You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

* You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.


As with all other challenges so far, I cannot list my books in advance so I'll list them as I read them.

Happy reading!

1. Lee Child: The Killing Floor
2. Sean Slater: The Survivor
3. J.D. Robb: Treachery in Death
4. Lee Child: Die Trying
5. James Rollins: The Devil colony
6. Tess Gerritsen: The Silent Girl
7. James Rollins: The Skeleton Key
8. JD Robb: Indulgence in Death
9. Tom Knox: The Lost Goddess
10. MJ Rose: In Session

Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge 2011.

It seems it's that time of year again when reading challenges start appearing and I'm ready to sign-up again for some of them.
I still need to write my wrap-up posts regarding this year but there's time left. :)
Ok, so this year Speculative Fiction is hosted by Amanda at Floor to Ceiling Books.

Here are the rules:

* Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011


* Rules: To read 12 Speculative Fiction novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum - you can read more if you wish!)

* You don't have to choose your books ahead of time, you can add them as you go. If you do list them upfront, you can change them. Books for this challenge can be used to fulfil other challenges.

* You can join anytime between now and the later part of next week.
 
Here is a link to the post where you can sign up.
 
Happy reading!

P.S. I'll be listing my books as I read them.

1. Steven Brust: Jhereg
2.Steven Brust: Yendi
3. Steven Brust: Teckla
4. Rachel Vincent: Stray
5. Linda Howard: Blood Bound
6. Steven Brust: Taltos
7. Steven Brust: Phoenix
8. Steven Brust: Athyra
9. Steven Brust: Orca
10. Kresley Cole: Dreams of a Dark Warrior
11. Rachel Hawkins: Hex Hall
12. Kristin Cashore: Graceling
13. Lois McMaster Bujold: Shards of Honour

14. Lois McMaster Bujold: Barrayar
15. Lois McMaster Bujold: The Warrior's Apprentice
16. Lois McMaster Bujold: The Mountains of Mourning
17. Lois McMaster Bujold: The Vor Game
18. Lois McMaster Bujold: Cetaganda
19. Lois McMaster Bujold: Labyrinth
20. Lois McMaster Bujold: The Borders of Infinity
21. Lois McMaster Bujold: Brothers in Arms
22. Lois McMaster Bujold: Mirror Dance
23. Lois McMaster Bujold: Memory
24. Rachel Hawkins: Demonglass
25. Lois McMaster Bujold: Komarr

James Rollins: Excavation

It's fun when you go back to the beginning of a writer you really like and you realize, he also learned to write better with time. :)
If this were my first James Rollins novel, I'm not really sure if I would have continued reading him. This way, I got introduced to him through the Sigma series (which I love) so I can look on Excavation as the trial and practice it took for him to get where he is now.

The story is set in the Andes where archeologists are looking for clues as to a previous race inhabiting the same place where Incas lived. Anyway, without getting too much into the story, all kind of discoveries are made and the beginning of incredible stories that will later appear in Rollins' novels are here but just not as well developed as in Sigma.

It took me a bit longer than  usual to get through it - it's not bad but it's just not very believable or very gripping. It's more like an action movie with bad actors trying to convince us that their cheesy dialogues are serious and the whole plot is terribly tense and serious and all you can think of is that's it is too funny how they try and fail miserably. It's still fun but because it's funny to watch the failure not because it's supposed to funny. This sounds complicated even to me and I know what I was trying to say. :) Did I lose you with this explanation?

The point is, if you are interested in James Rollins, start with Sigma and once you are done with that, consider if you really love Mr. Rollins enough to brave his earlier work. :)

And before you start thinking I think it's a really bad book, it isn't. It's just nowhere near to what he writes now.

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

A quick word

Prompted by new Luckyscent sample pack and Mona di Orio scents.

One of the most important things I learned about the world of perfume is that you cannot just jump in. You cannot go around gathering ideas from what bloggers are writing about, what smells good or is new and interesting at the moment, what the classics are, etc.

If you have no knowledge outside your perfume store and absolutely general and often bad releases we see (smell) each day, you cannot just start smelling stuff at random by reading about what people find great.
I mean, you could (as I did) but most of the time, I failed to come to the same conclusion.

Learning about perfumes (and their constituent parts, i.e. notes) is a long and pretty much never-ending process. And I know this for some time now, but it became very clear tonight after trying some Mona di Orio perfumes. I tried some of them a year and half ago and kept wondering what was in there that everyone liked so much?!
Well, now I understand, and I already have my favourite - Jabu.

But the point I'm trying to make is, you need to take baby steps. Learn a general road of notes, start with some easily likeable but different houses (my favourite for that is L'Artisan Parfumeur) and take it slowly then. Trust me when I say, it takes a while for Mona di Orio (and in my case chypres) to register on the right scale.

And the most important thing - the more you smell perfumes, the more you understand them. There is no other way.

Not a quick word after all. :)

Gerard O'Donovan: The Priest

Since I am a serious book freak, it's not difficult to get me interested in a book.

So, when this title appeared on Algoritam site, I was hooked and went to buy it. I'm actually surprised by my reaction to it. I kept reading it although I kept thinking each time I put it down that I might not continue next time with it (as I'm always reading at least 3 books at the same time) but each time I found the time to read, it was always The Priest I kept reading until I finished.  I'm still not sure why that is.

It's not like it keeps you at the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. You get a pretty good idea very soon what is going to happen. and this being by my standards a crime thriller, you know what you can expect from it.

I hope no one gets upset with me writing this, but reading The Priest is like watching a British crime series. You know, since the author is Irish and the book is mostly set in Dublin.

I'm not going to get into details about the story, I'm sure you'll find them if you get interested but it is a bit gory type of violence. Not many dead but that doesn't take away from the tragic factor.

Anyway, what I loved about this book was the way the main character's thoughts were described. Inspector Mulcahy is a person like all of us. We get tired, we get upset, we cannot remember the key fact at a moment, it takes us a while to link some things into a picture. You get the idea.
We solve the case through his mind and we follow his steps until he reaches the right conclusion. But the important thing is, those steps are so real. Even though you know who is guilty, you still understand why Inspector Mulcahy cannot just jump to that conclusion without serious evidence. And that process is what I love about this book and what I think made me not want to stop reading it.
Of course, we follow the thought processes of some other characters, but I was mostly taken by Inspector Mulcahy's.

Pic by: Gerard O'Donovan site

Finally a HP movie worthy of the book

Honestly, after the disaster that was the HP 6 movie, I didn't expect the first part of the Deathly Hallows to be so much better. I don't know if it was directed by the same person (I never remember these things) but if it was, I think whoever it was listened to what people had to say after movie 6. As someone who is a huge fan, I watched all the movies again previously to Deathly Hallows coming out, except for movie 6 because I'm still boycotting it. It was just a huge disappointment for me.

So, I am extremely glad that this one was everything I expected after reading the series several times. It's dark, it sticks to the story so well that I, for a chnage, didn't have any complaints as to the changes that were made for the movie, which I think is a first for me, the story feels real and the acting is excellent. There really isn't anything that I have any complaints about - except the fact that I need to wait 8 months for the last installment. But I waited so long for the last book, I can survive these 8 months. I'm a bit scared of thinking how tragic that one is going to be, but well, the book wasn't very happy (or almost at all).

One thing I'm wondering though is how are people who haven't read the books enjoying these movies?! I just can't imagine not reading the books but going to watch the movies (and I know many who did exactly that). I keep thinking they must be missing so many things I take for granted as I read the books and they have no underlying knowledge why some things happen or what they represent. Not to mention the fact that they probably forgot the stories (and little important bits of information) from the previous movies.

Can you tell I'm a huge fan? :)

SSS: Tabac Aurea

Well, before you all get your hopes up, this is it for the time being, no more reviews of Sonoma Scents as I only ordered these two. But this is actually good, I don't wont to end up having Sonoma scents monopolizing my perfume wear time being in constant use. :)
I find it quite ironic that I would like so much a perfume that has such a prominent tobbacco leaf note as I hate cigarettes, smoking and have been against them my whole life (and expect to continue like it) and have also without success tried to convince my parents of the same.

Notes: cedar, sandalwood, tobbacco, leather, vetiver, patchouli, clove, labdanum, tonka bean, amber, vanilla, musk.

Lately I started wondering why I even bother with the notes as most of the time they just cannot even begin to describe the perfume journey you are going through while smelling something. And in this case, I really have to admit and say, most of them never popped out of this wonderfully different but totally cool perfume. At least it's different for me, I don't remember smelling such an amber tobbacco scent.

It opens with a sweet (shortly boozy) tobbacco smelling wonder. This is where I get the most of the vanilla. I don't know if I'm that sensitive to tobbacco (having to endure a smoking home most of my life) or it's really that prominent (I would need to hear about this from someone not as opposed to smoking) but the tobbacco is there for the whole ride. Not always as prominent, and almost invisible at some point, but there.
After a while, some smokiness starts appearing, but luckily for me, it's not the smell of cigarette smoke but more of a fire under a clear sky. And along for the ride came vetiver, hinting that the smoke cannot possibly be coming from an indoor fire.

One of the best thing about this is that each time you smell it as it progresses, some little thing has changed but so imperceptibly that you are not sure of you are imagining it or it's really happening. It's always the same perfume but it keeps winking at you. It makes me feel like I'm all mysterious when wearing, you can never be sure what I'm thinking and whether I'm approachable or not. ;)

Pic and notes by: Sonoma Scent Studio

Angry scents

This morning I woke up seriously angry with the world (somewhat with myself) but mostly just angry. So, naturally, I wanted my perfume to reflect my state of mind and say to everyone who comes near me today to back away, because I'm angry and a mean - something (I won't write down what all went through my mind). The reasons behind my anger are not important now, but I'm sure we all have our angry moments.

Anyway, I stood in front of my perfume collection and had no idea what to put on that would reflect my angry state of mind.
So, I need some help now. Do you know of a scent that can make your anger waft around you?
In the end, I put on Serge Noire, but it's not meeting my angry expectations.

And as a side note, I contemplated putting on some Chanel 19 from a sample I unearthed some days ago and that caught me completely by surprise. I've tried 19 several times (because a character from Anne Rice novel wore it and I wanted to know what the fuss was about) and each time I tried it, there was nothing there for me to like.
Until I tried that sample. Oh my, I can now see why people who knew perfumes a decade ago are angry with the IFRA. I want a bottle of THAT Chanel 19 that came from my sample, not the one I've been smelling around here.
Btw, that's just one more thing to be angry about.

So, please, any angry scent recommendations would be welcome. :)

Winter Woods

This appeared in my Holiday Gift Guide but I haven't given it a proper review yet, so the time has come to do just that.

You know how you smell a lot of perfumes and most of them (the unsignificant ones) are gone from your mind the next day? I mean, you know you smelled them but all you can remember about them is exactly that - you smelled them and no longer remember what they smelled like or just have a vague idea what they smelled like.
And then, there are the ones you smell and love them instantly and just know they are great, they are what perfumes should smell like.
That is what I think of Winter Woods (and Tabac Aurea but that is another review).

Notes: Guaiacwood, cedar, sandalwood, birch tar, cade, oakmoss absolute, castoreum, amber, labdanum absolute, vetiver, ambergris, musk.

Each time I wear this, it seems another facet pops out. First time I tried it, I thought it smelled sweet (vanillic), woody with hints of incense and slightly fruity. Then I thought I detected a vague metallic undertone which got lost as smokiness got a bit more prominent. And then I got a whiff of something that can only be described as pine resin. Quite lovely really, especially as I always associate pine woods with winter - fresh, woody and ambery.

So, I tried it again (well, wore it, then sprayed it on my arm to have it closer to my nose, wore it, sampled it), I keep coming back to it even though it's not nearly as cold here as I wish it when I wear Winter Woods.
Anyway, on other wearings I get a more ambery sweet opening (with slight booziness that comes and is fast gone) giving off richness and depth. I love it how incense here peeks through but never ever overwhelms the whole  (which can often happen, once you smell incense, everything else just fades into background). As the smokiness gets more into the wearing, the vanilla sweetness somewhat subsides but never disappears. And then at some point, I smell hints of tobacco which I would have probably missed if it weren't for Tabac Aurea getting some wearing these days as well.

The best thing about Winter Woods is that is very easy to wear (not like Tabac Aurea for which you really have to like the smell of tobacco leaves in order to wear it). It's just so likeable.


Notes and pic by: Sonoma Scent Studio

Shopping for high-end cosmetic products in Zagreb

Basically, if you really don't have to, don't do it.
I, on the other hand, don't have any choice because there is no trip abroad anywhere on the horizon for me so I did some shopping today. Well, I do it often enough to have gained some insights I'd like to share even though I don't suspect many of my readers might actually find themselves in this situation. :)

My first stop was Martimex, which used to be one of my favourite shops for high-end cosmetics and perfumes (while I still knew nothing about niche). This is not the first time I arrived and whatever I asked for particularly, they didn't have. So, I didn't find the face illuminator I wanted and ended with Touche Eclat by YSL again (it's not bad but I wanted something different). They didn't have any primers of any kind. And the eye cream I didn't ask for anything specific so I took Guerlain's home with me.  This is really starting to get on my nerves, each time I come, they don't have most of the products I'm looking for, even though they carry the lines. My purchase got me one Moschino perfume sample (one I got last time as well).
I have no idea what's happening with them, I mean, I have a pretty good guess but the way they are going, they are just losing customers. Yes, I know it's recession time and I guess they don't earn as much money as before but hey, this way they are not going to improve the situation.

Although, if they are losing customers, Iris perfumery is probably not going to be getting them. Each time I get there, all the SAs try and sell Sisley products to me. Always and all of them. Then, when I say that I have something else on my mind, we move on to that. So, today, after saying I'm not giving 200$ for a Sysleya primer (or however you spell that), I got the Sisley one. :) And lo and behold, they have a special offer - when you buy one Lancaster product, you get the other one for free. As I'm a proficient shoppingholic, I could not pass such an offer (and I'm almost done with those I have) so I got a day and night cream. All this amounted to almost the double what I paid in Martimex and earned me no samples. I guess that free cream counts as one big sample. I wouldn't even be mentioning this if it were the first time, which it isn't. And I'm certainly not going to ask for them.
You see, the thing here is, all the SAs working in stores like that don't need to buy any cosmetic products - they have all those free samples just lying there and why give them to customers when they can use them themselves.
Btw, here is where I should mention that I get more cosmetic samples from Bamapharm pharmacy where I don't buy the stuff.

And to end my rant today - I'll just mention Douglas which I didn't visit today but do it often enough. They usually have what you are looking for, if the SA can find it. Although, most of them need to be asked to just give you what it is you want because usually they cannot be trusted to suggest the right thing.
Plus, just a word of caution - which I learned the hard way, anything available to public with a lid on it (like a body butter or similar) needs to be opened prior to purchase in case someone decided before you to partly remove the foil and test the product.
But at least your bag will contain some samples.

Sorry, I had to get this off my chest - this is years of frustration pouring out. :)

Holiday Gift Guide

I have to say I was thrilled when Trish of the Scent Hive invited me to participate in the Holiday Gift Guide blog event. I get to talk about shopping ideas? Wonderful! :) Especially since shopping brings me much joy.

The only holiday we are looking forward here is Christmas and I admit, I already have most of my shopping for that event planned out (and some actually done). Shoppingholic, what can I say.

So, let me guide you through my ideas. I'll start with the perfume ones.

My first choice and the latest discovery would be Winter Woods by Sonoma Scent Studio. As I live in a city, a perfume that can transport me for a walk in the fresh woods where you can even smell the resin from pines, well, is there a better way to refresh your Christmas day in the city? Or someone else's?

17 ml of this natural perfume will cost you 40$, and 34ml are 75$.

My next stop is the online boutique of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. She has several great holiday choices I wouldn't mind finding under my Christmas tree.

My recommendations for Christmas scents would be: Piment et Chocolat, Cimabue, Festive and Gingembre.

Piment et Chocolat can be found on Dawn's site under Perfection Connoisseur Fragrances and Les Rouges. This one comes as a perfume solid (among other variants) for this holiday season and is 45 $. 

The same goes for Cimabue which is a lovely clove fragrance and also comes as a perfume solid under the Limited Editions but if you enjoy the smell of cloves, you can add a perfumed body lotion into the mix - for 30$.
Gingembre will evoke a wonderful smell of orange and cake but one you will want to wear, as a purse spray for 35$ and shea body lotion for 27$.
Which brings me to Festive - if you want to smell sexy for a Christmas party, my suggestion is this. And, it's the most economically approachable, purse spray for 27$ and shea body lotion for 14$.
Dawn's site is not easy to navigate, so if you cannot find these perfumes, try the Search function.

My choices in  gifts usually reflect what I would like to own or receive as a gift. Lately, I've beein trying to coax people into drinking more tea, so one of my holiday gift choices are sets from Mariages Freres.

In Zagreb, their products can be found at Institut Parfumeur Flores but you can also order from their site.

The products I found would make for lovely gifts are Tea break Noël set which will set you back 46 Euros and a box of chocolates Chocolat des Mandarins - Esprit de Noël for 15 Euros.

On to some more easily acquirable/economic choices.

One of my first forays into niche perfumery was through the Irish wildness of Burren Perfumery. I still love the fact that their love of Irish nature and natural products is easily seen in what they do and how they approach life.  They have  a page for their Christmas specials, but what I enjoyed most giving my friend last Christmas were their soy candles (9,50 Euros).

If I cannot get myself over there to experience Irish nature in real life, at least I can get some of it over here and share it with my friends.

Also, if you subscribe to their newsletter, you get 10% off your first order.

And last but not least, my favourite due to the fact that it is easy to acquire and even though somewhat typical, I will be giving it this Christmas to some of my friends.

A bottle of quality red wine but since it is a Christmas gift, why not buy some cinammon and clove and put it in little bags in order to warm up and spice up the cold winter days with some mulled wine? You should probably aim for a wine with a more fruity taste and if you really want to add spice to it, add cardamom to cinammon and clove. :)

I hope your holiday season is filled with love and laughter because even though gifts will be exchanged, the most important gift we all will be getting this holiday season is the love of our family and friends.

Please visit other participating blogs for some other interesting ideas:

Scent Hive

Perfume Shrine

Roxana Illuminated

Indie Perfumes

Thank you to Roxana for coming with the picture for the blog event.

Other pics taken from: https://www.dshperfumes.com/index.asp, http://www.mariagefreres.com/, http://www.sonomascentstudio.com/index.shtml

Intrigued but not yet in love

Thankfully, there is still a lot left in my sample to fall in love with.

So, I finally got my hands on a sample of Boxeuses. For some reason, I though it was going to smell like a leathery version of Feminite du Bois. I was quickly proven wrong and then I started thinking how in the world did I get to thinking that? Perhaps somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered reading plum is a note listed and most of my SL experiences are oriental so the leap was made.

You can probably guess from my introduction that I don't think it smells like leathery Fem du Bois. :) Actually, in the beginning it smells more like you had an extremely juicy smelling lollipop clutched in your leather-clad hands. Probably sticky as well as it was handed to you by your kid standing by.
Here is where I have to say that someone forgot to mention a whole bunch of notes when deciding to make them public: woody notes, leather, licorice and plum.

Plum completely went by me. The initial fruit burst reminded me more of oranges and berries and there was something lightly floral in there, giving off some powderiness (so my mind went straight thinking there's some violet in it), but that didn't last too long. As the fruity aspect subsides, leather gets more and more prominent but it's the type of leather that's in Daim Blond which in my mind is well, too lady-like.
Given the name, I really thought this was going to be more dangerous and dark (maybe that's just me thinking box is a dangerous and aggresive sport, even if women participate). I find it serious but not really dangerous. 
Unfortunately for me, I don't know what licorice smells like. But I can tell you that I smelled light smokiness, like someone accidentally charred some of the wood in this, and it was the only thing giving a dark and bitter vibe. Maybe if I were to spray it on, this darkness would get more pronounced and therefore be truer to the name for me.

Since I have enough left in my sample, I'm looking forward to seeing if I can tease the darkness out. :)

Pic by: www.sergelutens.com