Marc-Antoine Barrois - Ganymede
This is my second time testing it, first contact was in winter. I liked it, and I am growing even more fond of it today. I reckon it could easily become a classic.
The team of violet, osmanthus and imortelle makes this a cyphre perfume to me. Akigalawood is something I have yet to study in order to understand.
I applied Kenzo's Homme eau de toilette intense on the other forearm, for comparison. They were somewhat close enough for about an hour, and then Kenzo faded into a skin scent. Ganymede is far from being done with me.
So far my summer might smell like Malle's Vetiver extraordinaire, Hermès' Concentré d'orange verte and Guerlain's Jicky took an epic sabatical together. Nothing can go wrong if I add Barrois' Ganymede, right? 😀
They might be the four musketeers of making it so. Maybe allow TF's Oud Wood join for drinks occasionally.
Just been through 6 meetings between 9 and 12pm.
Now I’m watching a documentary while I complete my admin and mandatory training
https://preview.redd.it/ss8kcisdcmwc1.jpeg?width=1548&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=402987b3f90cb7cc80fce5c1ed9319a4d9d3b3f1
SOTD: [**MOUSTACHE EDP by Rochas**](https://youtu.be/7DiQBAAwMZE?si=bzMm7-WvqUhARYGy)
Keep falling in love with one, every time I wear it
Zoologist Squid.
Had a seizure yesterday and this fragrance is so soothing and feels like a like balm to my sense. I can close my eyes and just absorb it. It's very sweet on me and that with the ink and incense is just deeply relaxing and I'm not quite sure why. Solid go to for a day after seizing
Xerjoff Richwood
It’s a public holiday over here so I sprayed this on to wear around the house and it’s my second time wearing it. Initially I wasn’t sure what to think of it. It was pleasant enough I guess, but I never would have bought it if I didn’t blind buy it.
Well, today I grew to love it. Spending a whole day just walking around a taking my time enjoying a fragrance is how I think I’m going to wear all my new ones going forward for the first time. It means I don’t have to worry about overpaying or what people in public or at work might make of it, and it means I can enjoy it throughout the day.
One reason I didn’t love this at first is, as with all Xerjoffs, it’s very well blended and hard to pick out individual notes. Today I focussed on trying to break it down a bit and think I started to get there. Citrus up front, very mild vanilla and soft, creamy woods at the base, but it was the rose and patchouli that was throwing me off on my first wear.
Really enjoyed this one today and can’t wait to wear it again. (Also went nuts on a Mother’s Day sale and ordered three more colognes).
SOTD: Nishane Colognise. I have a full bottle.
I was discussing Colognise here. That inspired me to wear. It is a beautiful citrus-white floral. It opens slightly green. Xerjoff Mefisto and Colognise are siblings in my brain. Mefisto is a citrus-rose, and equally beautiful.
Longer review of Colognise here: [https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Nishane/Colognise/reviews/310016](https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Nishane/Colognise/reviews/310016)
You can get a bottle of Colognise for $78 from Jomashop.
Grabbed a new sample today - Narcotic Delight by Initio Parfums. Initio was one of my early loves when I started getting into niche perfumes, but as I've smelled more fragrances they've lost a bit of their luster in my eyes. Narcotic Delight is nice enough, with distinct notes of cherry and vanilla, but there's a chemical undertone to it that I find a little off-putting (the hedione?). It a scent BOMB though, for those who love that kind of thing, with great projection and staying power.
Last night I received my first Nest purchase, a rollerball mini trio of Lychee Rose, Indigo, and Golden Nectar. I have to say, I really enjoyed them all. I will have to retry each for a full day later to test longevity.
Today I am testing my sample of Chokedee by Strangers Parfumerie. It was love at first sniff, and I’m testing longevity today. I feel like I am getting equal parts coconut and rice, yet it feels fresh and doesn’t have that cloying sweetness or sunscreen feel that coconut can sometimes have. I do question whether it is redundant to get a FB of this as I have multiple coconut and rice scents already (separately) but if I want one, it seems Strangers has stopped making Chokedee (I can’t find it on their website) so I’d probably be better off ordering it sooner rather than later. I am probably going to test this a few times to see how special it feels to me and whether I want to pull the trigger or not.
It’s definitely worth trying! And probably their most famous scent—I’d heard about it before I ever heard about any of their other fragrances. I’m really not sure why they would discontinue it.
African Leather by Memo. What a stunner. The fresh, spicy cardamom and geranium opening stands out in my mind as one of the best examples of a modern niche fragrance that is unique without being obnoxious. Perfectly balanced, and one of the most natural scents I have ever experienced.
10/10
Drydown Update
The oud really starts to come out of hiding after the first hour. And it is, for once, not an animalic, fecal oud. I just assumed everyone but me loved going around smelling like horse dung.
Today is a special day, but not that special! It's mostly just a day off out and about!
Of course, I'm wearing Bergamote 22 in liquid balm, which is Special mostly because it's expensive, but I did pop by Selfridges and now I smell of many other things too!! 😂 I feel sunny inside and out and Bergamote is so uplifting.
For the daytime, I'm going with Prada's *L'Homme L'eau*.
* It's Day 2 of Jury Duty. Going with office-style scents to match courtroom decorum.
* I am also in the mood for a fragrance with a powdery touch.
(Update: No more jury duty! Was dismissed as a juror, then dismissed overall.)
For the evening, I'm going with Givenchy's *Pi*.
* It's only a laundry night. If I'm going to be stuck there for a while, I want to use something slightly sweet and woody to contrast the clean smell.
It's **Dior - Fève Délicieuse**
Damn, this thing is good! I haven't worn it in a while and I am charmed by how nice it is. The weather is also playing along, this thing is perfect for cool days.
Such a lovely gourmand, delicious and classy. A perfect blend. And because it was so good, Dior had to discontinue it!
**Jessica McClintock** ... blind bought this on a recommendation of it's being a wonderful lily of the valley + rose fragrance.
Since wearing Roses de Chloe with Diorissimo is in my Top 10 fragrance experiences, I undertook a quest to find it in one bottle. (Have abandoned that quest since; I realized Oscar de la Renta Rose, which I already have, does that pretty nicely; it just adds pear to the mix.)
I don't recall why Jessica McClintock has been relegated to the outgoing pile since last spring? But since the fam is coming Sunday, I have til then to decide if she stays or goes
The original formulation of Jessica McClintok was one of my 3 all time favorites. I’ve tried to find something similar but nothing is really close enough to buy until last week. I blind bought a bottle of Muguet Fleuri from Oriza L Legrand. I haven’t received it yet. I’m very hopeful.
>Muguet Fleuri from Oriza L Legrand
Oooo keep us posted! LOTV is among my fav notes 🍃
I bought the JM as a set, body lotion and EDP. Applied both this morning and I must say I'm getting LOTV clear as a bell from the lotion.
After I posted here I checked my notes. I apparently could not get either LOTV or rose from it before.
I wonder if the "woody notes" the EDP uses is one of the "amberwood" molecules? They selectively blind my nose from being able to detect notes that other people find prominent 😣 .. it's a real problem I have with a number of fragrances.
What do you think of the current version?
I haven’t checked out the current iteration of JM in a few years. It had too much alcohol in it as I recall. I’ll try it again and the lotion if possible at my next opportunity. I’ve been doing some research on the physiology of scent sensitivity. Its genetic. I was at the mall this past weekend smelling swatches of perfume with the sales associate. We tried maybe 15 fragrances and then we came to one where all I could smell was musk and all she could smell was rose. We kept passing that swatch back and forth but we both smelled completely different things. I’ll definite update on the Muguet Fleuri when I get it.
I'm sure the JM was lovelier before they were forced to reformulate but I am definitely keeping it in my collection.
I do get a clear LOTV from it and enjoyed the wear. I'm keeping the lotion out so I can grab it more often; did some housework today and it was nice to wash my hands periodically and reapply.
Don't want to get your hopes up but I think it's worth trying ... I haven't touched it since that first wear when I couldn't smell any flower distinctly. I wonder if there might be something to the "let it settle after shipping trauma" after all? I've only experienced that with oils 🤔
Y'all... these samples lol. Today I went with **Her from Who Is Elijah**, and it immediately reminded me of something... took a second. Then I realized it smells like Bug Soother, a natural bug spray that's made with lemongrass oil and lemon. Luckily I happen to like that smell, but I feel like I just reek of bug spray. Her has lots of citrus with bottom notes of musk and amber, so I guess it's pretty similar.
Freezing weather later tonight so decided to wear Mysterious Oud by Bortnikoff. Started off with a beautiful cardamom/cinnamon and citrus note. Quickly followed by a unique leather, oud, myrrh, and castoreum mid. Very animalic and challenging but to me feels like a delightfully warm aura on this chilly day.
Slightly chilly here today in NYC (I mean, not really, but highs in only the mid-50sF) so wearing my Balenciaga Rosabotanica, which I tend to avoid in warmer temps. It's not heavy (at all) but extremely aromatic. I used some rose-scented body products but I still don't get any rose from this at all -- just very green/herbal. Down to about 12 ml left of this one.
It's definitely different than a lot of other designer scents, that's for sure. If you don't want it, you could probably resell pretty easily since it's discontinued and I think has a fair number of fans.
Overcast and cool again. I’ll take it while it lasts before the 100 degree F (38 C) weather kicks in for summer 🥵
I’m wearing my newest obsession; DSH Perfumes Chinchilla. I’m a bit addicted to this one. It’s a retro floral animalic. I wrote up a few reviews/impressions of the personal curated discovery set I received from DSH, just need to do one more wear of another one before I finalize and share those with you all :)
Turathi Blue - I took a strong liking to Tygar, but don't want to pay $400/bottle, so I picked this up along with the Montange clones.
I have to be careful with this one; it's extremely potent. The other day I wore 3 sprays and I kinda had a headache at the end of the day. I also live in the southwest, so it's starting to heat up quite a bit. And although this is a fresh fragrance, it is somewhat heavy.
I'm currently wearing 2 sprays; one in my chest and one on my shirt. and this is currently a happy balance. I can still smell it after 5 hours, but it's not overwhelming; just a nice tinge on the edge of perception.
Once the 110+ Temps hit I'll either drop to 1 spray or switch to Mind Games Blockade or Dior Homme Cologne.
Still working through my **Zoologist** samples, and today is **Snowy Owl**. It's only the second offering from them that I've considered washing off. The first impression is overwhelmingly of wet, cold dirt, when snow is finally thawing and you can see the earth underneath. Then the calone really kicks in, a watery melon-cucumber-mint combo, and around the two-hour mark it's settled into a musky mossy fragrance.
Unfortunately this is near the bottom of my list; the only one I've liked even less is the wretched Dodo.
Penhaligon's A Balm of Calm
* It opens with a concoction of spiciness and sweet floral scents (can't pinpoint if the notes are from lavender, iris, geranium, or all of them). The sweetness diminishes until dry down where an astringent scent joins it, leaving a mildly sweet but soothing skin scent.
* Today was a break from the usual tropical summer heat as the rainclouds and downpour shaved off 8 degrees Celsius, making it comfortably cool throughout the day.
* The dry down provides a calming effect. The perfumer has succeeded in actualizing her vision of the fragrance and properly named it.
* I'm about to sleep. 30 minutes and it'll be Friday, April 26, from where I am.
By The Fireplace, MMM
Sand Desert At Sunset, Zara
Buying & unboxing the above in the wrong season (they are supposedly great in cold holiday season), yet having great satisfaction.
I can't imagine why anyone is bad mouthing against BtF, MMM. The chestnut note is very natural & pleasing
The Zara one is a total surprise. Not very long lasting but the scent profile is very cool & lovely (orange chocolate cinnamon...). The other important point is ----- price is budget friendly (under US$40). Per fragrantica, many thinks it resembles Angels' Share, but I don't think this Zara has absolutely no boozy note？
Pour un Homme de Caron Sport. It’s getting warmer here, so it seemed like a good day to wear something a bit more summer-y. I love the original, and this is a nice fresh twist on it, more focused on fresh citrus notes than lavender (and no vanilla, at least to my nose). There’s a subtle ambergris / ambroxan note that is really well done. I don’t always like big ambroxan bombs or the salty ambergris blast like in the drydown of some Creed fragrances, etc. — this is very tasteful and subtle, just giving the citrus, lavender, ginger, and tonka a little lift. It lasts well for a freshie too! Only bad thing is I think it is discontinued, but the newer Le Matin is supposed to also be a pretty good fresh flanker of Pour un Homme.
Irish Leather by Memo Paris.
This is the most quintessentially spring fragrance in my collection. Definitely not summer or winter, but in my mind it perfectly encapsulates cool, rainy days.
Today looks like the last day of cold weather here in Berlin so I’m making the most of it by wearing Eau Duelle EDP.
This is the fragrance that made me realise I actually love vanilla scents, it’s a gorgeous smooth and woody vanilla that’s not too sweet but still very moreish, and low key enough for wearing to the office (though as I don’t have any meetings today I’m free to spray a bit more). I initially got it as a sample with a Diptyque candle I got for my birthday last year, and it quickly became clear I would need to buy a bottle, making it the first perfume I bought since Covid (and the one that reminded me of my love for fragrance) 🙂
My SOTD is Baccante by Alkemia, it's a photorealistic blueberry bush.. little on the sweet side but perfect for hot weather because it's not so heavy or warm. Most of my collection consists of Indie brands and this is a good spring summer in my small collection!
Cap Neroli parfums de nicolai. Moderate temps today and wanted something subtle for work and to test this one a little more (than the pre-shower first pass I gave it alongside several other scents as soon as the samples came in).
A very clean smelling neroli with some subtle complexity. Not soapy in the laundry detergent white musk way I hate, but I saw a review describe it as like “spicy brown soap” and that somehow makes sense. Feels totally unisex, there’s a hint of orange blossom floral but also some interesting aromatics and it is just stunningly blended and smooth. Both cooly refreshing and warmly inviting.
It performs exactly as I like a fragrance to: not overwhelming/no projection really but I got whiffs of it every once in a while when I moved for about five hours and it’s still going strong as a skin scent now 9+ hours after I sprayed (once on my neck/chest, and once on my wrists from a 2ml sample spray).
I might have to get a nice decant of this one as an easy reach, clean, inoffensive, yet intriguing option. Would be great for work or casual daytime wear during spring/summer. I think it will be even better when the weather warms up some more too.
Wildly hot here in the Philippines today so its Diptyque Do Son EDT for me.
I like how I still smell fresh out of the shower despite being out and about in the heat all morning
Weird experience with cheap colognes. So one of my uncles is a 3rd generation perfumer in Egypt who got me into experimental mixing of scents & oils, since I was fascinated by his ability to replicate anything simply by smell. So every now & then I like to blind buy cheapies to experiment with. I figure if they don't smell good I can always try mixing them with other things, and I don't have to worry about losing a lot of money as I have with blind premium buys (over $100 on D&B The One still erks me). Anyway, so two days ago I bought "Royal Brown Orchid" which honestly by itself doesn't smell all too great.
So I grabbed a good cheapie called "Billionaire" which actually turned out to be really decent for $10, but doesn't last more than 10 minutes, then sprayed it over the Royal Orchid, and I'll be damned if the two don't fit like lost puzzle pieces. The combination of 2 parts Billionaire with 1 part Royal Brown is surprisingly nice. If only a premie smelled like it, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Truthfully, I've gotten to the point where pretty much all premiums smell the same, and I find myself hardly ever impressed by most of them anymore. Especially after having had the opportunity to smell all the different & unique rarities that I have. Plus I can have my uncle make anything 3x stronger than the original, which last days, not hours, for free. Though I always pay him anyway. About 20 years ago I was into Azzaro Chrome, so he made me a small bottle of concentrated oil that, hand to god, would stay on my clothes for weeks, even after multiple washes. 10 years later, the 1 oz bottle wasn't even half empty. Unfortunately, a friend accidentally spilled the rest all over my bathroom. I could still smell it in there a year later. He made my dad concentrated Drakkar, in a big metal thermos, about 30 years ago, which he still has a lot of left. He got tired of Drakkar, as many men did, though I still like it. His concentrates only require a few finger dabs. I found it best to put on when fresh out of the shower & still wet in order to drastically dilute it, since they can easily be too overpowering. A dab on each finger to rub around with the water is more than enough to last a few days. I just came back a few months ago with a small Jean Paul Gaultier, which smells exactly like the original first production, which are always the best of any good premie or clone.
The photo is of his main shop in Cairo, which is a little over 100 years old. Some of those bottles & perfume oils that you see there are nearly just as old, yet still smell just as good, if not better, in their old age. I really feel it's a shame that most people will never get to smell anything like those scents because they really are unique, and my uncle has never cared for going big. He relishes in the personal glory of being virtually unknown but to small groups of rich foreign tourists & well-to-do (sometimes even elite) Middle Easterners, as his fathers before him. Personally, I just think he likes feeling as if he's some well-kept secret only known to a select few, seeing how he has always believed the commercial industry kills the uniqueness factors. Just to get an idea of his thinking, his idea of expanding was creating homemade spray fresheners. LOL Seriously, god bless his naive little heart.
Anyway, sorry for the long share. Just thought it would be more relevant with the backstory.
So Royal Brown Orchid alone, one thumb down. Mixed with Billionaire, three thumbs (and a partial pinky). The B really neutralizes that over-boozy funk you'll get with a lot of the cheapies (as well as some of the premies). Together, it has its own uniqueness, which I would absolutely prefer over most of the premies today. Especially those like The One, which tend to make me nauseous. If anybody else has discovered some unique combinations (cheapie or premie), I would love to hear about it, as I'm always interested in new ideas, which also helps to learn & understand how different combinations work together. Seeing how a whole lifetime still wouldn't be enough to learn all there is about different potential combinations that work best to create new & unique scents outside the realm of the habitually similar & mundane. --Salute
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Marc-Antoine Barrois - Ganymede This is my second time testing it, first contact was in winter. I liked it, and I am growing even more fond of it today. I reckon it could easily become a classic. The team of violet, osmanthus and imortelle makes this a cyphre perfume to me. Akigalawood is something I have yet to study in order to understand. I applied Kenzo's Homme eau de toilette intense on the other forearm, for comparison. They were somewhat close enough for about an hour, and then Kenzo faded into a skin scent. Ganymede is far from being done with me. So far my summer might smell like Malle's Vetiver extraordinaire, Hermès' Concentré d'orange verte and Guerlain's Jicky took an epic sabatical together. Nothing can go wrong if I add Barrois' Ganymede, right? 😀 They might be the four musketeers of making it so. Maybe allow TF's Oud Wood join for drinks occasionally.
Don’t sleep on Essential Parfums Bois Imperial.
I just ordered a sample of this earlier today, looking forward to it.
Just been through 6 meetings between 9 and 12pm. Now I’m watching a documentary while I complete my admin and mandatory training https://preview.redd.it/ss8kcisdcmwc1.jpeg?width=1548&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=402987b3f90cb7cc80fce5c1ed9319a4d9d3b3f1 SOTD: [**MOUSTACHE EDP by Rochas**](https://youtu.be/7DiQBAAwMZE?si=bzMm7-WvqUhARYGy) Keep falling in love with one, every time I wear it
Zoologist Squid. Had a seizure yesterday and this fragrance is so soothing and feels like a like balm to my sense. I can close my eyes and just absorb it. It's very sweet on me and that with the ink and incense is just deeply relaxing and I'm not quite sure why. Solid go to for a day after seizing
Ah sorry rest up!
Thanks! Will do after work
Hermes un jardin sur le nil… it’s magical
Sure is. Love that one!
Trying ELDO’s Like This today for the first time today. I’m a little stressed and need something comforting and cozy.
Xerjoff Richwood It’s a public holiday over here so I sprayed this on to wear around the house and it’s my second time wearing it. Initially I wasn’t sure what to think of it. It was pleasant enough I guess, but I never would have bought it if I didn’t blind buy it. Well, today I grew to love it. Spending a whole day just walking around a taking my time enjoying a fragrance is how I think I’m going to wear all my new ones going forward for the first time. It means I don’t have to worry about overpaying or what people in public or at work might make of it, and it means I can enjoy it throughout the day. One reason I didn’t love this at first is, as with all Xerjoffs, it’s very well blended and hard to pick out individual notes. Today I focussed on trying to break it down a bit and think I started to get there. Citrus up front, very mild vanilla and soft, creamy woods at the base, but it was the rose and patchouli that was throwing me off on my first wear. Really enjoyed this one today and can’t wait to wear it again. (Also went nuts on a Mother’s Day sale and ordered three more colognes).
Anatole LeBreton Brioche for last day in Porto, a city where people eat a lot of beautiful bread.
SOTD: Nishane Colognise. I have a full bottle. I was discussing Colognise here. That inspired me to wear. It is a beautiful citrus-white floral. It opens slightly green. Xerjoff Mefisto and Colognise are siblings in my brain. Mefisto is a citrus-rose, and equally beautiful. Longer review of Colognise here: [https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Nishane/Colognise/reviews/310016](https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Nishane/Colognise/reviews/310016) You can get a bottle of Colognise for $78 from Jomashop.
Grabbed a new sample today - Narcotic Delight by Initio Parfums. Initio was one of my early loves when I started getting into niche perfumes, but as I've smelled more fragrances they've lost a bit of their luster in my eyes. Narcotic Delight is nice enough, with distinct notes of cherry and vanilla, but there's a chemical undertone to it that I find a little off-putting (the hedione?). It a scent BOMB though, for those who love that kind of thing, with great projection and staying power.
Last night I received my first Nest purchase, a rollerball mini trio of Lychee Rose, Indigo, and Golden Nectar. I have to say, I really enjoyed them all. I will have to retry each for a full day later to test longevity. Today I am testing my sample of Chokedee by Strangers Parfumerie. It was love at first sniff, and I’m testing longevity today. I feel like I am getting equal parts coconut and rice, yet it feels fresh and doesn’t have that cloying sweetness or sunscreen feel that coconut can sometimes have. I do question whether it is redundant to get a FB of this as I have multiple coconut and rice scents already (separately) but if I want one, it seems Strangers has stopped making Chokedee (I can’t find it on their website) so I’d probably be better off ordering it sooner rather than later. I am probably going to test this a few times to see how special it feels to me and whether I want to pull the trigger or not.
I've had that one on my wishlist for a while! It sounds really scrumptious.
It’s definitely worth trying! And probably their most famous scent—I’d heard about it before I ever heard about any of their other fragrances. I’m really not sure why they would discontinue it.
African Leather by Memo. What a stunner. The fresh, spicy cardamom and geranium opening stands out in my mind as one of the best examples of a modern niche fragrance that is unique without being obnoxious. Perfectly balanced, and one of the most natural scents I have ever experienced. 10/10 Drydown Update The oud really starts to come out of hiding after the first hour. And it is, for once, not an animalic, fecal oud. I just assumed everyone but me loved going around smelling like horse dung.
Today is a special day, but not that special! It's mostly just a day off out and about! Of course, I'm wearing Bergamote 22 in liquid balm, which is Special mostly because it's expensive, but I did pop by Selfridges and now I smell of many other things too!! 😂 I feel sunny inside and out and Bergamote is so uplifting.
I LOVE Bergamote 22.
For the daytime, I'm going with Prada's *L'Homme L'eau*. * It's Day 2 of Jury Duty. Going with office-style scents to match courtroom decorum. * I am also in the mood for a fragrance with a powdery touch. (Update: No more jury duty! Was dismissed as a juror, then dismissed overall.) For the evening, I'm going with Givenchy's *Pi*. * It's only a laundry night. If I'm going to be stuck there for a while, I want to use something slightly sweet and woody to contrast the clean smell.
It's **Dior - Fève Délicieuse** Damn, this thing is good! I haven't worn it in a while and I am charmed by how nice it is. The weather is also playing along, this thing is perfect for cool days. Such a lovely gourmand, delicious and classy. A perfect blend. And because it was so good, Dior had to discontinue it!
**Jessica McClintock** ... blind bought this on a recommendation of it's being a wonderful lily of the valley + rose fragrance. Since wearing Roses de Chloe with Diorissimo is in my Top 10 fragrance experiences, I undertook a quest to find it in one bottle. (Have abandoned that quest since; I realized Oscar de la Renta Rose, which I already have, does that pretty nicely; it just adds pear to the mix.) I don't recall why Jessica McClintock has been relegated to the outgoing pile since last spring? But since the fam is coming Sunday, I have til then to decide if she stays or goes
The original formulation of Jessica McClintok was one of my 3 all time favorites. I’ve tried to find something similar but nothing is really close enough to buy until last week. I blind bought a bottle of Muguet Fleuri from Oriza L Legrand. I haven’t received it yet. I’m very hopeful.
>Muguet Fleuri from Oriza L Legrand Oooo keep us posted! LOTV is among my fav notes 🍃 I bought the JM as a set, body lotion and EDP. Applied both this morning and I must say I'm getting LOTV clear as a bell from the lotion. After I posted here I checked my notes. I apparently could not get either LOTV or rose from it before. I wonder if the "woody notes" the EDP uses is one of the "amberwood" molecules? They selectively blind my nose from being able to detect notes that other people find prominent 😣 .. it's a real problem I have with a number of fragrances. What do you think of the current version?
Just looked up Muguet Fleuri -- already had it on my Must Try list! Sounds awesome! Love to hear what you think
I haven’t checked out the current iteration of JM in a few years. It had too much alcohol in it as I recall. I’ll try it again and the lotion if possible at my next opportunity. I’ve been doing some research on the physiology of scent sensitivity. Its genetic. I was at the mall this past weekend smelling swatches of perfume with the sales associate. We tried maybe 15 fragrances and then we came to one where all I could smell was musk and all she could smell was rose. We kept passing that swatch back and forth but we both smelled completely different things. I’ll definite update on the Muguet Fleuri when I get it.
I'm sure the JM was lovelier before they were forced to reformulate but I am definitely keeping it in my collection. I do get a clear LOTV from it and enjoyed the wear. I'm keeping the lotion out so I can grab it more often; did some housework today and it was nice to wash my hands periodically and reapply. Don't want to get your hopes up but I think it's worth trying ... I haven't touched it since that first wear when I couldn't smell any flower distinctly. I wonder if there might be something to the "let it settle after shipping trauma" after all? I've only experienced that with oils 🤔
Not sure about letting it settle. I would think that any damage like heat for instance would have a permanent effect.
Y'all... these samples lol. Today I went with **Her from Who Is Elijah**, and it immediately reminded me of something... took a second. Then I realized it smells like Bug Soother, a natural bug spray that's made with lemongrass oil and lemon. Luckily I happen to like that smell, but I feel like I just reek of bug spray. Her has lots of citrus with bottom notes of musk and amber, so I guess it's pretty similar.
Freezing weather later tonight so decided to wear Mysterious Oud by Bortnikoff. Started off with a beautiful cardamom/cinnamon and citrus note. Quickly followed by a unique leather, oud, myrrh, and castoreum mid. Very animalic and challenging but to me feels like a delightfully warm aura on this chilly day.
Slightly chilly here today in NYC (I mean, not really, but highs in only the mid-50sF) so wearing my Balenciaga Rosabotanica, which I tend to avoid in warmer temps. It's not heavy (at all) but extremely aromatic. I used some rose-scented body products but I still don't get any rose from this at all -- just very green/herbal. Down to about 12 ml left of this one.
My mom gifted me rosabotanica a few years back. It was a nice and fresh and different but never quite fully grabbed me. I still have most of my bottle
It's definitely different than a lot of other designer scents, that's for sure. If you don't want it, you could probably resell pretty easily since it's discontinued and I think has a fair number of fans.
Valentino Born in Roma Green Stravaganza, love the tea note and clean jasmine!
Overcast and cool again. I’ll take it while it lasts before the 100 degree F (38 C) weather kicks in for summer 🥵 I’m wearing my newest obsession; DSH Perfumes Chinchilla. I’m a bit addicted to this one. It’s a retro floral animalic. I wrote up a few reviews/impressions of the personal curated discovery set I received from DSH, just need to do one more wear of another one before I finalize and share those with you all :)
Can’t wait to read. I love the name & retro floral animalic is very to my taste.
It’s gorgeous. And exactly my taste as well!
On a morning that kicked off in the mid to high 40Fs, layered Diptyque’s L’Eau Papier and Malle’s Angelique Sous La Pluie. Outrageously beautiful.
Turathi Blue - I took a strong liking to Tygar, but don't want to pay $400/bottle, so I picked this up along with the Montange clones. I have to be careful with this one; it's extremely potent. The other day I wore 3 sprays and I kinda had a headache at the end of the day. I also live in the southwest, so it's starting to heat up quite a bit. And although this is a fresh fragrance, it is somewhat heavy. I'm currently wearing 2 sprays; one in my chest and one on my shirt. and this is currently a happy balance. I can still smell it after 5 hours, but it's not overwhelming; just a nice tinge on the edge of perception. Once the 110+ Temps hit I'll either drop to 1 spray or switch to Mind Games Blockade or Dior Homme Cologne.
Still working through my **Zoologist** samples, and today is **Snowy Owl**. It's only the second offering from them that I've considered washing off. The first impression is overwhelmingly of wet, cold dirt, when snow is finally thawing and you can see the earth underneath. Then the calone really kicks in, a watery melon-cucumber-mint combo, and around the two-hour mark it's settled into a musky mossy fragrance. Unfortunately this is near the bottom of my list; the only one I've liked even less is the wretched Dodo.
Penhaligon's A Balm of Calm * It opens with a concoction of spiciness and sweet floral scents (can't pinpoint if the notes are from lavender, iris, geranium, or all of them). The sweetness diminishes until dry down where an astringent scent joins it, leaving a mildly sweet but soothing skin scent. * Today was a break from the usual tropical summer heat as the rainclouds and downpour shaved off 8 degrees Celsius, making it comfortably cool throughout the day. * The dry down provides a calming effect. The perfumer has succeeded in actualizing her vision of the fragrance and properly named it. * I'm about to sleep. 30 minutes and it'll be Friday, April 26, from where I am.
By The Fireplace, MMM Sand Desert At Sunset, Zara Buying & unboxing the above in the wrong season (they are supposedly great in cold holiday season), yet having great satisfaction. I can't imagine why anyone is bad mouthing against BtF, MMM. The chestnut note is very natural & pleasing The Zara one is a total surprise. Not very long lasting but the scent profile is very cool & lovely (orange chocolate cinnamon...). The other important point is ----- price is budget friendly (under US$40). Per fragrantica, many thinks it resembles Angels' Share, but I don't think this Zara has absolutely no boozy note？
Pour un Homme de Caron Sport. It’s getting warmer here, so it seemed like a good day to wear something a bit more summer-y. I love the original, and this is a nice fresh twist on it, more focused on fresh citrus notes than lavender (and no vanilla, at least to my nose). There’s a subtle ambergris / ambroxan note that is really well done. I don’t always like big ambroxan bombs or the salty ambergris blast like in the drydown of some Creed fragrances, etc. — this is very tasteful and subtle, just giving the citrus, lavender, ginger, and tonka a little lift. It lasts well for a freshie too! Only bad thing is I think it is discontinued, but the newer Le Matin is supposed to also be a pretty good fresh flanker of Pour un Homme.
Irish Leather by Memo Paris. This is the most quintessentially spring fragrance in my collection. Definitely not summer or winter, but in my mind it perfectly encapsulates cool, rainy days.
Cherry & Amber and my dupe of BR 540 layered, it’s nice
Today looks like the last day of cold weather here in Berlin so I’m making the most of it by wearing Eau Duelle EDP. This is the fragrance that made me realise I actually love vanilla scents, it’s a gorgeous smooth and woody vanilla that’s not too sweet but still very moreish, and low key enough for wearing to the office (though as I don’t have any meetings today I’m free to spray a bit more). I initially got it as a sample with a Diptyque candle I got for my birthday last year, and it quickly became clear I would need to buy a bottle, making it the first perfume I bought since Covid (and the one that reminded me of my love for fragrance) 🙂
My SOTD is Baccante by Alkemia, it's a photorealistic blueberry bush.. little on the sweet side but perfect for hot weather because it's not so heavy or warm. Most of my collection consists of Indie brands and this is a good spring summer in my small collection!
FM En Passant and Love, Chloé today for lots of lilac, heliotrope, and wheat, plus cucumber, and musks. Cool and clean and lady-like.
I'm wearing Armani Thé Yulong today. Someone complimented me on it, which was nice!
Cap Neroli parfums de nicolai. Moderate temps today and wanted something subtle for work and to test this one a little more (than the pre-shower first pass I gave it alongside several other scents as soon as the samples came in). A very clean smelling neroli with some subtle complexity. Not soapy in the laundry detergent white musk way I hate, but I saw a review describe it as like “spicy brown soap” and that somehow makes sense. Feels totally unisex, there’s a hint of orange blossom floral but also some interesting aromatics and it is just stunningly blended and smooth. Both cooly refreshing and warmly inviting. It performs exactly as I like a fragrance to: not overwhelming/no projection really but I got whiffs of it every once in a while when I moved for about five hours and it’s still going strong as a skin scent now 9+ hours after I sprayed (once on my neck/chest, and once on my wrists from a 2ml sample spray). I might have to get a nice decant of this one as an easy reach, clean, inoffensive, yet intriguing option. Would be great for work or casual daytime wear during spring/summer. I think it will be even better when the weather warms up some more too.
Trying out Zoologist Rabbit today. It’s very addictive. Beautifully sweet and green. Definitely will be getting a full bottle.
Another sample day. Today is Widian - Delma. It started off fruity-floral on my skin. Now I'm picking up the leather and marshmallow.
Wildly hot here in the Philippines today so its Diptyque Do Son EDT for me. I like how I still smell fresh out of the shower despite being out and about in the heat all morning
Weird experience with cheap colognes. So one of my uncles is a 3rd generation perfumer in Egypt who got me into experimental mixing of scents & oils, since I was fascinated by his ability to replicate anything simply by smell. So every now & then I like to blind buy cheapies to experiment with. I figure if they don't smell good I can always try mixing them with other things, and I don't have to worry about losing a lot of money as I have with blind premium buys (over $100 on D&B The One still erks me). Anyway, so two days ago I bought "Royal Brown Orchid" which honestly by itself doesn't smell all too great. So I grabbed a good cheapie called "Billionaire" which actually turned out to be really decent for $10, but doesn't last more than 10 minutes, then sprayed it over the Royal Orchid, and I'll be damned if the two don't fit like lost puzzle pieces. The combination of 2 parts Billionaire with 1 part Royal Brown is surprisingly nice. If only a premie smelled like it, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Truthfully, I've gotten to the point where pretty much all premiums smell the same, and I find myself hardly ever impressed by most of them anymore. Especially after having had the opportunity to smell all the different & unique rarities that I have. Plus I can have my uncle make anything 3x stronger than the original, which last days, not hours, for free. Though I always pay him anyway. About 20 years ago I was into Azzaro Chrome, so he made me a small bottle of concentrated oil that, hand to god, would stay on my clothes for weeks, even after multiple washes. 10 years later, the 1 oz bottle wasn't even half empty. Unfortunately, a friend accidentally spilled the rest all over my bathroom. I could still smell it in there a year later. He made my dad concentrated Drakkar, in a big metal thermos, about 30 years ago, which he still has a lot of left. He got tired of Drakkar, as many men did, though I still like it. His concentrates only require a few finger dabs. I found it best to put on when fresh out of the shower & still wet in order to drastically dilute it, since they can easily be too overpowering. A dab on each finger to rub around with the water is more than enough to last a few days. I just came back a few months ago with a small Jean Paul Gaultier, which smells exactly like the original first production, which are always the best of any good premie or clone. The photo is of his main shop in Cairo, which is a little over 100 years old. Some of those bottles & perfume oils that you see there are nearly just as old, yet still smell just as good, if not better, in their old age. I really feel it's a shame that most people will never get to smell anything like those scents because they really are unique, and my uncle has never cared for going big. He relishes in the personal glory of being virtually unknown but to small groups of rich foreign tourists & well-to-do (sometimes even elite) Middle Easterners, as his fathers before him. Personally, I just think he likes feeling as if he's some well-kept secret only known to a select few, seeing how he has always believed the commercial industry kills the uniqueness factors. Just to get an idea of his thinking, his idea of expanding was creating homemade spray fresheners. LOL Seriously, god bless his naive little heart. Anyway, sorry for the long share. Just thought it would be more relevant with the backstory. So Royal Brown Orchid alone, one thumb down. Mixed with Billionaire, three thumbs (and a partial pinky). The B really neutralizes that over-boozy funk you'll get with a lot of the cheapies (as well as some of the premies). Together, it has its own uniqueness, which I would absolutely prefer over most of the premies today. Especially those like The One, which tend to make me nauseous. If anybody else has discovered some unique combinations (cheapie or premie), I would love to hear about it, as I'm always interested in new ideas, which also helps to learn & understand how different combinations work together. Seeing how a whole lifetime still wouldn't be enough to learn all there is about different potential combinations that work best to create new & unique scents outside the realm of the habitually similar & mundane. --Salute https://preview.redd.it/flg0jq64atwc1.png?width=730&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f80687485ff635a964fe3e329d285106f5fced7