Diptyque Milan Candle

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Henna

May 3
Geranium season thanks to this Diptyque Milan candle. The throw is softer than the holiday Diptyque candles, but I prefer it that way because it means that I can burn my candle longer and enjoy its beautiful glow. The candle is supposed to be spiced with cardamom too and some vanilla, but I only get a rosy type of floral with sweet herbaceous minty facets. The scent of this candle is light and fresh which makes this a perfect springtime candle.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Milan is a city I love visiting. so I love that I can think of its beautiful tree-lined streets every time I look at this candle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This was a limited edition candle and it isn’t at counters anymore, but you never know when it might come back.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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New Sisley Paris Phyto-Rouge Lipsticks

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Henna


These @sisleyparisofficial Phyto-Rouge Velvet Matte lipsticks are the smoothest I’ve ever used. Velvety and matte, very pigmented and very long lasting. Look at the texture on the bullet.  I’m finding that high end lipsticks are setting themselves apart by adding sensorial touches to their products. In this era of dupe culture, you can get the same colour but the feel will never be the same.

Each lipstick also comes in a gorgeous velvet pouch to give the user the ultimate luxury experience.  It’s like getting a high-end bag, not just a lipstick.

 

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Eris Mx Perfume Review

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Henna

Apr 19
SALT.

Olfactory magic in Mx. creates the scent of salt without using any of the actual material. Maybe it’s the use of spices that are adjacent to the salt in my kitchen that gives me that salty scent, without it just being mineralic like sea water. There’s a warm dry cocoa, a bit of piquant ginger, but all of them are far away and out of reach so it’s like I’m getting a memory of them not even the actual flavour. It’s the faded dustiness of opening a spice cupboard and reaching for something savoury instead of something sweet.

It’s the perfect perfume when you’re sitting inside and watching a blizzard.⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Prada Day for Night Perfume Review

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Henna

Apr 19
My conclusion about the Olfactories line – based on the 2 bottles I’ve bought – is that it performs rather softly and so didn’t do well in a market clamouring for shouty perfumes, especially when they were $400 and only available at a boutique. ⠀

That said, we don’t evaluate paintings for how well we can see that from fall away, and our favourite songs may never be long enough but we can always listen to them on a loop.

Day for Night might be for you if you want the perfect powdery benzoin. It’s smoky but vanillic, and also soft and cozy. The sweetness lingers on the edges of the scent, inviting but never revealing itself completely. This is not a gourmand in the way that we have gourmands now. There’s nothing literal here, you might not even be wearing perfume, because now it’s here and then it’s not. It’s my night time perfume and my daytime memory.⠀⠀⠀

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Chanel No. 5 L’Eau

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Henna

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

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Henna

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

Posted on May 27, 2025 by Henna

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

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Henna

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

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Henna

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

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Henna

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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