That's what's been on my mind lately. Perfume thoughts of all kind.The fact that your traveling friends can bring wonders from around the world without you having any shipping costs. The fact that it still costs a pretty penny getting a bottle from Paris (because the same bottle costs a pretty penny).
One thing I learned about scents is, the more you let go, the more happiness they bring. Josephine from Notes from Josephine had a recent post about awfulness of January which I seem to be feeling as well. The only thing sure to make me smile is perfume (and pilates and zumba but they do not happen as often).
And then I came to a sudden realization after smelling one Roja Dove perfume and all the outlaws. The more you let go of your conscious mind in trying to register what you're smelling, the more the universe of that perfume opens up to you.
First time I smelled the Roja Dove Unspoken, I now realize I was prejudiced by the swapper's opinion (she said it wasn't his best and didn't really like it). Today, I wanted to smell anything, just to let my mind wander around it and I let go. And I stepped into the universe of Unspoken. I do realize that this cannot happen with every perfume one tries, some of them don't even have a house to let you in, let alone a universe. But Unspoken does. And all of the Outlaws do. It might not be the universe the appeals to you but it's still a universe.
Now I've written this, it feels like I might be exaggerating. But when I say a universe, I mean a world of its own, and universe just sound better (and looks better in my opionion). :)I do want to talk about perfumes I've been smelling (and the rest of Outlaws) but for some reason, I can't. I can talk about perfume generally but each time I sit down to write a review, it doesn't feel right.
I know it will soon but at the moment I seem to be enjoying perfumes privately.
Pics by: http://www.apod.nasa.gov/ and grand_universe_by_antifan_real
Ines, thanks for mentioning my post! And you're right - sometimes I, too, get involved in perfume privately, like it cheapens it to try to put words to the experience. At other times, I can blather on about it forever. The perfumes I love most change and evolve, like a love affair. I could review them weekly and each would be different. Which may be why I rarely 'review' perfumes, at least not in the traditional sense.
ReplyDeleteNice post!
Yes, beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteI know that when I have gone through periods of intense learning, intellectual, spiritual or otherwise- that ONE thing that never fails me, language, fails miserably no matter how I plead for it to stay close. So in my estimation, you clearly have a pass on blogging about the specifics of perfume, about reviews- please, speak in generalities and see what magic may happen!
ReplyDeleteIf I do not ground myself in the details, I am afraid nothing I write about scent will make sense, it will be too "esoteric", but on the other hand, I love reading when other people write like that. What does that say about me? That I'm still green, and should give myself more credit, and maybe more license, to do what I please.
Josephine, your post really struck a chord with me. And it made me feel better for not feeling like my usual self.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with you, there are some perfumes I love and have reviewed and still today I keep on discovering new facets to it. That's why at the moment I seem to be taking time and more time to smell something in order to review it properly and then, each time I smell it, sth new pops out of it. Grrr. :)
Thank you Bloody Frida! :)
ReplyDeleteCarrie, thank you for your words, you made me feel better about not writing proper reviews lately. The thing is, I feel I should and then I get more upset that I can't (well, not really upset, more like I'm skipping out on a chore I must be doing which is just stupid as I love blogging). So that's why I'm enjoying other people's writing more these days, than I write myself.
ReplyDeleteAnd today, I'm really glad I consciously decided to let go with Unspoken. As soon as I started smelling it and discovering previously unsniffed notes, I though maybe I should write this down, but then I decided, no, I'll enjoy this for now by myself (besides, I couldn't come up with words that I thought would do it justice). :)
It's rather peculiar that we all of us write about perfume, knowing that our sense of smell is the one sense that bypasses the cerebral cortex altogether and heads straight for our amygdala, which is all to do with emotion! ;-)
ReplyDeleteEmotion, as we also all know, can be incredibly difficult to put into words. At least, I think so, because somehow, the words are never quite enough for what a scent has to say.
I try to find the story in the bottle, or should I say, I try to let the story find me, and then just...follow where it leads, and it's always rather less than what I feel I should be saying!
But the very best thing about being a perfume blogger is reading other people's interpretations of that conundrum unique to scent - to articulate the inarticulate, to describe a scent and to pass on how it makes the writer feel and in so doing, evoke it in our readers, too! ;-)
Tarleisio, you have a wonderful way with words. I don't feel your words ever lack for anything regarding the scent you describe. But it's true, I often find I cannot put into words what my mind has conjured. Does that mean that I actually don't have good communication skills or that our mind's universe transcends the world of words?
ReplyDeleteInes, my dear, it simply means that you have entered into a multiverse where words are too confining and limited. I believe that's what they call transcendence - or one version of it, any way! Isn't that something we all hope to find in those small, beautiful and hideously expensive bottles? ;-) And when we do...the words will find us, sooner or later!
ReplyDeleteInes, you expressed quite eloquently what I feel on many a day: as much as I enjoy the process of analyzing and writing about a perfume --trying to pay homage to a perfume in words -- so often words fail me, and quite often, I am ever the more immersed in the perfume when they do. It's a good thing to let go sometimes and just be. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel like I use twice as many words to capture what I said at the outset...it's often beyond words. But the journey is an interesting thing, and it can be worth doing what you can to take snapshots along the way.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am a person who often journeys without a camera, because I'd rather make my mind take it in. :)
Enjoy, with or without words. :) :)
Tarleisio, you made me feel better now. :) Those little expensive bottles are definitely worth it for the worlds they open up.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, I do wish you would find words more often as I really love reading your posts (and the last one about your father was just beautiful).
ReplyDeleteI think I should learn to relax and let go more. :)
ScentScelf, no camera really? How interesting. Although, I take the camera with me often and forget to use it (or just can't be bothered with it as I'm enjoying myself too much).
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about my journey into the perfume world (and now through it) is that surprises await pretty much each step of the way (in many forms as well, notes, perfumes, blogger friends and perfumers who connect with their audience...)
It is great. I haven't tried Unspoken. Thanks for the Niche Place link.
ReplyDeleteVintage Lady, I hope you find something nice in Carol's boutique (I know I always do). :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding carrying a camera...
ReplyDeleteYeah, sometimes. I don't. What interests me about that is I'm trained as a filmmaker, and am a visual thinker. I love photos a documents, as artistic expressions, as an alternative delivery of meaning and/or story. But I find that when it comes to some of my own moments, my personal moments--including in the raising of my children--I don't want to process through a lens. Because I run the risk of not being in the moment. (Maybe I am not adept enough behind a lens to get to Zen? I don't think it's that, though.)
Anyway, I have certainly taken pictures of/at/during vacations, and childhood milestones, and all. But there are times I need to trust I will revisit in my head...and maybe, if I am lucky, capture some portion thereof in words and/or re-imagination of the moment.
ScentScelf, the things one learns when talking with fellow bloggers. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I read all what other bloggers write and feel totally unaccomplished (yes, I suffer from the female illness of not having a proper self-assurance any guy I know has).
Sometimes, when experiencing something I want to remember forever, I try to make my mind remember what i was thinking, but so far it hasn't really worked. I just know situations happened when I thought that but can't remember what those situations were. I guess they will pop out at the right time.
Btw, I finally tried today the Sea Salt Caramels. Yummy!!! Although, I did take off every grain of salt but one. :)
I am so glad that Unspoken has "spoken" to you during this difficult month (with which I would also agree). My friend had a similar epiphany with Scandal from Roja Dove, and we both own that one now!
ReplyDeleteVanessa, I want to try and keep my mind free from now on when it comes to perfume. Although I know that might not be as easy as it sounds. :) Now I need to try Scandal and see if it will work with other Roja Dove perfumes (I somehow think it might).
ReplyDeleteHi Ines,
ReplyDeleteI hope your perfume-reviewing mojo enjoys the breathing space: it can't be easy testing and reviewing, testing and reviewing. It definitely shouldn't be a rod for your own back.
I wouldn't want to imagine you, or any perfume blogger, slogging through testing unhappily so as to keep filling their blog space.
Pacing yourself until it feels right seems to be sensible. Be good to yourself:-)
cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh
Thanks Anna! I do seem to enjoy smelling perfumes more now that I don't force myself to write about them all the time. It will come back once my mind rests from all the stress around me.
ReplyDelete