Prada Marienbad Perfume Review

A great one to try if you like Shalimar, and I do. This is like an older, earlier version of it and so great to wear.
Feb. 24
Bergamot, smoky incense, chewy labdanum, swirls of vanilla and a powdery benzoin, tolu balsam for old time’s sake. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Record stores, furniture wax, thrifting, afternoons spent in the sunshine but crunchy snow in the ground. Jackets thrown on the ground, helmets dusted off, the paths are clear. ⠀⠀

One foot in the past but the other in the present and facing the future. ⠀⠀
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Prada Marienbad. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Perfumehead Canadian Tuxedo – Maybe My Most Favourite Perfume

Feb. 24
It’s the spring equinox today, so I’ll give possibly a last wear of my favourite winter perfume: Canadian Tuxedo by Perfumehead. I sampled the whole line last year, and this one was my favourite, so much so that I couldn’t imagine never wearing it again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This is a blend of soft spices and a smooth amber that seems to have every possible resin in it. The result is a cozy scent that feels like wearing a velvet robe, a plush pair of slippers on your feet, a delicious secret in your mouth, a smug smile, getting someone a birthday present you know they’ll love, bringing the best present to the secret Santa gift exchange, picking up the check at the first patio hang of the year. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Amber perfection. ⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Santa Maria Novella Opoponax Perfume Review

Feb. 24
I filled the room this morning with 10 sprays of Opoponax, the right amount to meditate in, and be fortified for the rest of the day. Uplifting and enlivening, Santa Maria Novella’s take on the resin opens with lavender and citrus that reads as slightly medicinal. Maybe that’s why I liken this to putting on armour and preparing for the day ahead. I’m brighter and clearer, and later on, when the dry spiciness and warmth of opoponax comes out, I’m also ready to open up to the world and let it in. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀


This is one of two bottles I bought on my Milan trip. Of course, I love smelling it, but I also love the idea of collecting bottles from this house on special occasions. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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A Visit to Santa Maria Novella

Feb. 24
One of my first shopping stops in Milan was the beautiful store of Santa Maria Novella. This Florentine brand calls itself the oldest apothecary in Europe and doesn’t have any stores in Canada, so procuring a bottle of their juices usually involves shipping fees and duties. Going into the store is always a treat because as much as they’re known for their perfumes, they still respect their apothecary heritage and offer a range of products, including mints, body wash, incense, and hand cream. I had to try their Almond Paste balm but found that it pilled on my skin, so I gave that a pass.

They’re known for their Armenien incense papers, but I haven’t finished mine from last year’s trip to Milan, so I didn’t get anymore. You can see that the newer scents are in a new style of bottle but not all the scents have been moved over. I ended up picking up a bottle of Opoponax and it was available in an older bottle.

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Balmain Ambergris

Feb. 24
An approximation of amber gris, by way of spicy musks, almost like salty skin warmed by the sun. Balmain Ambre Gris.

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Replica Afternoon Delight Perfume Review

Feb. 24
Replica perfumes may not seem groundbreaking, but I assure you that at one point, it was pretty unique to name perfumes after scent ideas. In 2010, when this brand launched, this was a hip brand at Sephora, and I still like to think of it as gateway niche perfume. It’s accessible but the apothecary style bottles make you think you’re getting something edgy. My favourite Replica, Music Festival, was discontinued (understandably) but it was a weed perfume before weed perfumes were cool, and each launch seems to signal a trend in the perfume universe. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Afternoon Delight was launched in 2024 right when vanilla was really taking off. The iconography is all about eating a yummy madeline, but really this is a basic but warm, slightly powdery vanilla. Vanilla-philes will love it. There’s a slight woodsiness in the base, but it’s a soft amberwoods type, not the sandalwood that’s listed in the official notes, but honestly, if you want an everyday vanilla that’s easy to wear, then this might be it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Dior Vanilla Diorama Perfume Review

Here’s a vanilla perfume for grown-ups. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

You cook with spices now and even put them in dessert.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Your homemade ice cream smells just like this: equal parts camphorous cardamom and vanilla bean. The green of the cardamom skin balances the sweetness of the vanilla and keeps from anything becoming too sweet. A splash of orange juice reminds you of the sun. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

That’s Vanilla Diorama.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Fugazzi Angel Dust

Feb. 24
A head full of angel dust, or in this case, Angle Dust Dry Shampoo courtesy of Fugazzi. The Fugazzi booth at Esxence was always busy and overflowing with people, and their setup was an interactive one. It was the last day, and I hadn’t washed my hair and hadn’t brought dry shampoo either, but when I saw that the Fugazzi Angel Dust perfume came in a dry shampoo version, I couldn’t resist and had to try it. On the hair, this was light and clear, and I couldn’t really smell it which is just the way I like my dry shampoo to be. Yes, I want it to deodorize but I want to be able to layer the perfume too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I went home with the Angel Dust in sample form, the the scent comes in a regular version and an extrait. Angel Dust is one of those “molecular” scents, where the focus is on a musk molecule with some supporting characters. The musk here is cashmeran, which has a skin-like warmth, and Angel Dust combines it with a hint of sweetness that reminds me of powdered sugar. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

You could wear this on its own, but I prefer layering it with other things that provide a bit of oomph as this does stay pretty close to your skin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Perfumes from the 1920’s

Visiting the Osmetheque xhibit is never dull and it was one of my last stops on my last day in Milan. I had to smell vintage Shalimar (very similar to the Parfum, but the latest Jasmine version isn’t bad). They didn’t have vintage Habanita but they did have vintage Chanel Gardenia which was properly green. The Osmothque’s goal is to preserve and educate – they’re moving to a new space in Versailles in September, and I’m putting a visit on my bucket list.

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Perfumer H

Feb. 19
I regret to inform you that Perfumer H perfumes are so well done and you can not sample them. Luckily they had them on sale at Campo Marzio and a lovely shop person took us through all of them. They’re all very delicate and balanced and for the perfume lover who is more discerning. You will not buy these for longevity or sillage, you will not fill a room with them or announce yourself. They’re the epitome of quiet luxury and you will wear them for yourself and for those who you choose to have in your bubble. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I bought Rain Wood on the spot.

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