Chanel No. 5 L’Eau

Leave it to Chanel to create a bottle that films so well. To me, the L’Eau version of Chanel No. 5 bears more similarities to Chanel No. 19 than it does to Chanel No. 5. It’s fresh and very iris forward instead of having the classic floral blend of the Chanel No. 5. Even the aldehydes in the top are different, reminding me of a fresh shower than a fizzy drink. The drydown is a clean musk rather than the subdued sandalwood of the earlier scent. It’s perfect for the summer if you want to beat the sticky heat, and for all year round if you’re the type of person who likes to smell fresh and clean.

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Cartier Oud and Musc and Easy Ouds

I have a few friends to thank for the discovery of Cartier’s Oud and Musc. I’m not drawn to many oud perfumes, but after hearing many positive reviews from friends, a bag of discarded samples coincidentally made its way to me, and happened to have a few from Cartier’s oud in it. Oud and Vanilla seems to be the crowd favourite and is much easier to wear, but I finished my sample Oud and Musc and wasn’t done deconstructing it in my head. I had to get a bottle so I could wear it some more. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Feb. 24

To me, this is everything I wanted the famed Muscs Kublai Khan to be. It’s animalic, a dirty barnyardy oud melding an animalic musk. A clean musk lies in the background and patchouli smoulders in the background. It’s easy to wear and even though it says “parfum” at the bottom of the bottle, the atomizer dispenses a fine luxurious mist that’s not overly potent. It feels more like an eau de toilette. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I’ve never understood how people could bear the animalic facets of oud until I smelled this line. It’s one where the wait is worth it because although it smells weird at first spray, the dry down has a cozy friendly warmth that reminds me of warm hugs, doggy fur, clean skin. Layer this with anything you want and make it your own, but wear it on skin to really experience the best of it.

I like it with Shalimar. ⠀⠀⠀⠀

Oud and Santal seems to be a popular one from this line too and it’s quite lovely.

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Diaghilev Perfume Review

Opulent. Luxurious. Over-the-top. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

A chypre from yesterday, made for the perfume lover today.

Diaghilev by Roja Parfums.

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Tom Ford Violet Blonde

Apr 26
Tom Ford Violet Blonde is the one Tom Ford I regret not getting when it was easily available. I reviewed it when it first came out, and loved it, but didn’t get a bottle, and now it is basically a unicorn and bottles are impossible to find. I was fortunate enough to be gifted a bottle, so I have no more fomo and can wear Violet Blonde as much as I want.

When it came out in 2011, Tom Ford was releasing scents that appealed to the traditional perfume lover, showing an appreciation for classic materials and styles of perfume. It was inevitable that as the brand became more popular, got bought over, and Ford retired, that the newer launches set and follow the latest trends, showcase the latest materials. ⠀

Violet Blonde is a vintage-style powdery iris and jasmine combo that opens with violet moving to a almost face-cream like Jasmine, and finishes with an almost airy vetiver.

Violet Blonde is a reference to the almost pastel blonde shade of hair, tinted with a hint of purple so that it doesn’t look brassy. It’s glam but fun. It implies that particular type of meticulousness. The perfume represents this perfectly. It’s classic and assured, put together, intentionally thoughtful. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Nicolai Creme Ebene Perfume Review

Feb. 19
If you’re wondering about trends in perfumery, one popular note in perfumes Esxence was cardamom. Nicolai Parfums introduced Crème Ébène which uses a smoother iteration of cardamom than their Caravanserail, which came out a few years ago. Paired with the cardamom is saffron for a leathery touch, barely skimming gourmand territory set on a base of akigalawood, the trendiest new material which is meant to resemble patchouli. Vanilla smooths it out and date lends a hint of sweetness but without much of the tart jamminess that I’ve come to expect from dates in perfume.

The use of akigalawood will satisfy perfume lovers who are looking for longevity in their perfumes because it’s a material that lasts and lasts, but while it can sometimes be more masculine, the other notes in Crème Ébène make this a more unisex scent. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Overall, this is another gourmand for those who might not love gourmands, and still satisfies noses that are looking for something fresh and new. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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A Sample Exchange

Apr 26
I did a sample trade with someone who lives near me. We introduced ourselves and did a little chit chatting. He said he got into perfume years ago, but slowly switched over to just wearing samples because, you know… “consumerism”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

So I’ll just leave that right here. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Sisley Curl Care Products and New CeraVe Haircare

A little high and low for you today.  I think it’s pretty normal to have a high-low thing going on, but this is what’s in my bathroom right now.

Apr 19
I’ve had Eau du Soir in my perfume collection for over a decade, but I had no idea that Sisley also made hair products. I guess it makes sense, because this company started with skincare, and now makes everything else too. I’ve got their Curl Care Jelly and Curl Care Cream in the rotation, and they’re lightly scented with a signature green note that’s present in the iconic Eau de Campagne and Eau de Soir. It’s got the zing of juniper and the mossiness of oakmoss, but the scent of the hair products isn’t one that sticks around. They do their job and then the scent is done. I found both the Curl Care products to make my hair a tiny bit crispy initially, but I am able to brush through the curl for a softer look. I love mixing the Jelly with a bit of styling oil to get a softer hold.⠀

On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve been loving the unscented hair products that just launched by CeraVe. They’re basic but in the way that they offer effectiveness without any bells or whistles. The formulas feel luxurious without being over the top. They’re sulfate and silicone free, but still offer conditioning for dry hair. That aesthetic has always been part of the CeraVe brand. Even the skincare is basic but feels good, making it a great choice for people with sensitivities, yes, but really for anyone who wants a pared down but effective beauty routine.

⠀Sisley products can be found at Sisley counters in department stores, and the new CeraVe haircare line is at drugstores everywhere. ⠀⠀

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Lancome Idole Power

Apr 19
In a post-apocalyptic time, the whole world is a mall, and you’re walking through it with your mom, a juice box in one hand, smelling a whiff of her perfume as it trails behind her. Your hand are sticky, some of the juice has leaked, but your’e not going to tell her because she’s on a mission. She wore her red lipstick today (red means business), and her heels click-clack. You can barely keep up, but your other hand is in hers, and its warm softness reminds you that everything will be ok.

Lancome’s Idole Power is here, and I hate to say it but this is the only one from this line I’ve smelled, and I like it.⠀

This one is a punchy rose with a juicy apple opening and a creamy dry down. It kind of reminds me of Santal Majuscule, the rose and sandalwood perfume I’ve loved before, but instead of the Lutens subtleties, we have a rich powerful rose – an AI rose, if you will, so rosy that it smells more like a rose than a real rose. The tartness of the opening combines with the powdery makeup quality of the rose, adding vinegar to it’s almost cucumber-like freshness, before it calms down and becomes a more tame version of itself.

This is an eau de parfum intense, and yes, it wears like a powerful perfume. One spray lasted the whole day on me, and I caught a faint whiff of it when I woke up in the morning. Use it when you want to be remembered.

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MDCI Perfume Reviews

Apr 19
If you venture down the rabbit hole that is MDCI, let me influence you to get a Silk Road bottle from the brand, like my bottle of Chypre Palatin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I spent the week smelling and think about the samples I got with this bottle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Rose de Siwa – a rose perfume made by Francis Kurdjian. Fresh and cold, this one would be a great summer rose because it smells so clean. It’s hard to do a rose that really wows, and this one didn’t give me anything I didn’t already get from the other rose perfumes in my collection. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Fetes Persanes – loads of spices and then a warm vanilla. Fetes Persanes came well recommended, but there’s a bitterness in here that my nose couldn’t handle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Invasion Barbare – a fougere that’s delicately spiced but stays fresh and clean. Cardamom and ginger spice the lavender opening but don’t add any head, they just add to the freshness in the scent. This went on my wish list because of how easy it is to wear. It’s how I want to smell all summer long. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Santa Maria Novella Lana Perfume Review

Santa Maria Novella is a brand that continues to captivate me because of their history and aesthetic. If you love a bit of a connection to history and the natural world when you wear perfume, then this should be on your radar. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Lana – maybe the most misunderstood from the brand because it’s not what they say it is.

Lana means wool in Italian, and this perfume was created to evoke Scottish cashmere. The name is misleading because this is an aromatic rose with peppery top notes, very similar to those of bell pepper. Vetiver gives a mossiness, an earthy base that connects it to the land, but if you’re looking for a cozy soft perfume, this won’t be it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

It’s a beautiful rose, easy to wear and elegant, but cashmere? Nowhere to be found. ⠀⠀⠀

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