What I Bought in Milan

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Henna

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Perfume I bought in Italy. If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll see that these are all old favourites. I sold my partial bottle of Coromandel a couple of days before I left and then got a new one. I got a 4ml bottle of Le Lion with my purchase and I’ll enjoy that for a while. Meharees by L’Erbolario has a scent profile similar to Musc Ravageur, but slightly sweeter and more feminine. Easy to wear. Again, I’d bought a bottle but gave away my partial knowing I’d be able to get a new one. I also grabbed a couple of the body washes. They don’t smell that strong in the shower but an hour after getting out of the shower I can still get whiffs of Meharees even though I’m not wearing any perfume.

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Melograno by Santa Maria Novella is still my favourite from the brand and I was able to get a sample of L’Iris so I can enjoy it slowly. I had a longer list of things I wanted from SMN but they hadn’t updated the bottles on all of them and I didn’t want the old-style bottles. Melograno is like clean white powdery hotel soap. It’s fresh and easy to wear. I love it in the summer.

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If you’re keeping track, (and I really wasn’t) I’m still under the $800 worth of goods you’re allowed to bring into Canada.

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Where to Stay if You Go To Esxence

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Henna

My @esxenceofficial recap continues. I stayed at the Melia Milano, which is the closest 5-star hotel to the venue. It happens to be reasonably priced for a 5-star hotel and is within walking distance from the metro and bus stop. There’s even a direct bus to and from the Malpensa airport that comes right to the square close to the hotel.

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The room was neat, the lobby was sparkling, the lounge was comfortable, and the food was delicious. Because it’s so close to the convention, there were a lot of brands and attendees that were also staying there. Because there were spacious places to sit and socialize, it was a good place to meet for a drink or a bite to eat.

There’s not much happening in that part of town, so I think the hotel bar and restaurant receiving a lot of traffic. Many people said that staying near the Duomo was a better place to stay so that you’re near the attractions, but I’ll say that if you’re attending Esxence, this is the most convenient place to stay. It’s easier to pop back and drop your stuff off, and then head out to wherever you want to go. There was even a day that I came back for lunch and to rest, and then ended up back at the convention again. Would I give my stay a 10/10? No… the service was European (not fast) and the food menu was small, but I’d give my experience a solid 8 out of 10, and I’d stay there again next year.

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Esxence Recap – Too Much Waste

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Henna

I didn’t have time to visit their booth, but Kajal Perfumes had the best bag at Esxence.

It’s a plastic transparent number, neon orange and perfect for everyday use because it fits a laptop but also I always know where my keys are when I use it. I’m sure it cost them a lot but everyone had one so it was great visibility for them.

The second picture is one of two trash bins that I filled with branded bags while I was packing up to go home. I took all the samples out and tossed the bags. I would have liked to take some of them home but there was no room, and I already have a section of a closet devoted to these types of bags and I’m always trying to get rid of them. Honestly, if a brand is reading this and wants some notes for next year – I’d say give out less, aside from samples. Less reading materials, less stuff to throw away. If you want to gift, make it meaningful after the show, remembering that there are so many people coming from out of town and not everyone will be able to take things home.

There were also many brands giving out and asking for business cards. I don’t think I’ve given out a card since 2015, and the irony is that I took them out of my purses before the trip. Have a list that interested people can put their email addresses down on (maybe a guest book?) and then follow up later. The sheer number of content creators, fragheads, and press from around the world is going to be hard to keep up with, but you’re looking for people who can tell your story and hopefully, you find them.

Oh, and in case you were wondering I did take this bag to work this morning and I’m going to keep using it.

As a side note, I’ve noticed that the perfume community has an overly fragile ego and can’t take any kind of criticism or negative feedback.  The Esxence people have been reposting mentions that they’ve gotten, mine included, but this was one they didn’t care to share. They never said they wanted to focus on sustainability and I didn’t come across any brand that was claiming that, which is good.  The most sustainable option is to stay at home and use nothing, but we all travelled far away to meet each other and I would say that it was worth it.  But there were scent strips and pamphlets littering the ground after the event too, and that’s not a great look.

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Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Henna

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I had a moment of regret after buying this bottle of Musc Ravageur – wasn’t spring on its way? How much would I be able to wear this vanilla perfume? But it looks like it came at the perfect time.Apparently, Musc Ravageur was in part inspired by Shalimar and the similarities are apparent. Tolu balsam, vanilla, a certain leather-note that seems to present itself at times. But Musc Ravageur also features a ton of musk and a cinnamon-spiciness that adds bite. There’s also a sweet citrus that almost reminds me of Christmas-time pomanders. The musks keep this from being heavy and actually, I’m going to test it out in warmer weather too. Right now, I have enough to last me many winters, no matter how long they are.

 

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What I Packed for Milan for Esxence 2024

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Henna

It’s kind of like the first few things you grab to pack must be the ones you can’t live without, right? So here’s some skincare that I packed for my trip.

Vichy has a new sunscreen out and the texture is truly like a serum. It’s just moisturizing enough and has a glowy finish. I like that it’s super light and has a serum-like consistency but I do wish these facial sunscreens came in larger bottles.  Makeup layered well with it and I used it daily.  My bottle isn’t finished yet, and I’m still using it now that I’m back.

I grabbed my Tatcha vitamin C serum. This is what I use first thing in the morning after cleansing. It’s light but if you put on too much, you’ll find it pulls so one pump is plenty.

Trinny London sent me this BFF de-stress tinted moisturizer. It’s the perfect match for my skin and forgiving. They say to apply it before sunscreen like a moisturizer but if I do that, I find myself tempted to skip the sunscreen altogether so apply like normal makeup. Yes, that means that I’m using it more like a foundation and less like a moisturizer but I like the level of coverage.  I didn’t find it lasted the whole day, but it lasted through dinner and that’s just what I needed.

Also! I used the Trinny London Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides on this trip. I used it more for some hydration at night time, this is a very light serum. Honestly, I probably didn’t need to bring it but here we are. It was probably one of the last things I grabbed, I could have done without it, but I did use it while I was there.

Avene milk cleanser is my makeup remover. This cleanser is a bit greasy but that makes it perfect for taking off makeup.  I used it at night before cleansing more thoroughly with the hotel hand wash, and then again in the morning on a cotton pad.

Finally, Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream. Never leave home without it. It’s a more rich moisturizer that layers with everything.  Super dry skins will find that they need something more, but my combination skin likes it just fine.

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CT Lipsticks

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Henna

I’m back with some more Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks.

I have the two deeper colours of the pink lipsticks inspired by Hollywood. The shades are 90’s Pink, and Rose to Fame. I really like Rose to Fame. I find that these deeper shades look more like the campaign advertising than the lighter shades did. The finishes are creamy but the lipstick is very long-wearing which I appreciate.

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Milan Perfume Shopping Guide

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Henna

 

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I found the Duomo to be breath-taking each and every time I saw it, in the same way that I find the Rocky Mountains to be breath-taking even though I can see them out of my window every day. The last day in Milan was spent walking and shipping, and I think in the grand scheme of things, I hardly bought anything. I think my suitcase was already pretty full of outfits and shoe options, so it was hard to imagine what else I’d have room for. If you end up in Milan, Brera is a nice shopping area that has lots of cool perfumeries, some that are even run by the brands themselves or the distributors, and you can find literally anything. It kind of reminded me of Soho in NYC, or Berkley in California. Same vibes.

Mazzolari is a perfume store that was fun to go through and it was amazing to see all the brands that I’ve only see in on the Internet in one place. The store was packed corner to corner, but I will say that the service isn’t the greatest. They don’t want to help you, but they will stand by and watch you spray scent strips yourself.  But if you ask for help, they are lovely.  Someone told me to download a translating app to help me while I was there, but I didn’t find that I had much of a problem.

Rinascente department store in Duomo was the best place to buy designer because their customer service was excellent and they have machines in the store where you could get your tax back if you had your passport information with you. It was so convenient, and a great place to get souvenirs too. I got some soaps and some stuff to eat, a new bottle of Coromandel, and… I think that’s it. They had the latest designer releases too and you could smell to your heart’s content. The rooftop is a food hall, definitely less impressive than other European food halls I’ve seen (like Harrod’s or even Kadewe in Berlin) but it was stocked full of Italian treats.

My favourite thing is that if you sit down and order a drink, little appies magically appear in front of you.

I loved Milan. It was cold and rainy, but I was warm the whole time.

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Musc Perfume World

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Henna

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Really, part of the fun of this hobby we call smelling perfume, is smelling new things and getting excited about them. Sometimes, even before smelling, it’s interesting to learn about a new concept or point-of-view before being able to immerse yourself into it via smelling the perfume. I go through phases where I want to just wear my bottles and then I just want to sample and smell something new everyday.

Next week, I’ll be smelling all the perfume at Esxence in Milan, but this past December I got to have a mini smell session @MuscPerfume.World. Elena, the owner, took me through Rubini Perfumes and Mark Buxton Perfumes, both brands that she carries. Yes, it’s just two brands, but given that Mark Buxton has more than one line of scents, there was lots to smell and talk about. Other than smelling the samples, I also got to see the beautiful and unique Rubini packaging in real life, and feel the heft of the bottles.

If you’ve owned older bottles of the Mark Buxton line, you might be surprised to see that the packaging has been updated and is now in elegant black bottles. I got sent home with all the samples, and Black Angel continues to be a standout for me. It’s a patchouli scent, and I’m grateful to the friend who pointed out that maybe the name Black Angel is a reference to Angel, maybe the most iconic patchouli scent of all time. If you found Angel to be overwhelming and unwearable, then possibly Black Angel might be more your thing, because I certainly am enjoying it. The best part, for me, is always re-experiencing the samples on my own at home and with my perfume-smelling friends. That’s when the story isn’t at the front of my mind anymore and I just smell more freely. I also like to come back to scent strips throughout the day before putting them on my skin. I went home with samples of all the scents so I could try them slowly and work my way through them. A huge thank you to Elena for hosting me and sharing this beautiful perfume with me! It’s always a joy to chat about perfume with another perfume-lover. Reach out to Musc Perfume World if you’re in Toronto.

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Cool Scent Strips

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Henna

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This was super-cool and I’m sure it cost a pretty penny: scent strips that give you a hint of what you’re going to smell when you spray the perfume on them. Akro Fragrances and Maison Crivelli both had them. As the alcohol evaporates the picture fades, kind of like a reverse Polaroid. Fun to smell these at a counter. My favourite was Akro Smoke.

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Diptyque 34 Boulevard St. Germain edt Perfume Review

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Henna

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My desk at work is wooden, and of course, accumulates perfume samples. Sometimes, they come out of my purse and into someone’s hands, and sometimes, I spray them on paper so that I can think about them while I work. Somehow, I tend to get so much more done if there’s a scent in the air. When I’m done with the perfume, it goes into my desk, and over the years, you can smell the perfume right as you approach my desk, but the smell just intensifies the second I open my desk drawer. Sometimes, samples need to be moved out of the drawer because they smell too strong – anything with heavy doses of ambroxan gets moved far away, but mostly, it’s a happy little collection.

34 Boulevard Saint Germaine is the scent of that drawer. It’s woodsy for sure, but also powdery, and slightly floral, but mostly like a worn wooden drawer that squeaks a ton every time you open and close it. There’s the scent of floor polish here, as the floor gets waxed regularly, but the wax isn’t made for office chairs, so it’s constantly coming off. 34 Boulevard Saint Germaine is meant to evoke the scent of the original Diptyque store which didn’t just carry perfume, but also candles other home goods, but really, it could be all of our perfume drawers, our cupboards, the vessels that keep our smelly stuff.

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