Scent of the Day - Monday - 07/31/06

Anne Pliska for me today - What are you wearing?

The weather has finally cooled off here in California, yay! Twenty degrees cooler today that last week. We went to the fair yesterday and a concert last night and it was actually comfortable. Great news for all of California, the firefighters, the animals and the elderly. :O)

Blind Fragrance Reviews

In the next few weeks a few of us Perfume Bloggers have decided it might be fun to do some blind fragrance reviews. Seven bloggers are participating and the way it works is this: Each of us will choose THREE mystery scents these three scents will be sent to two different people unlabeled. Then those two people will review each of the scents. It should make for fun and some varied opinions, and maybe even a few surprises as the scents are reveled.

Be sure to check the other blogs watch for this coming event!

Participating are:
Aromascope
Perfume Critic.Com
Perfume Posse
Perfume-Smellin' Things
Scentzilla!
SmellyBlog
Victoria's Own

Scent of the Day - Friday - 07/28/06

TGIF!!!! I'm wearing another new love today - Guerlain Metallys. Review to follow soon! What are you wearing?

Chypre Rouge - Serge Lutens - Review

The newest Serge Lutens is Chypre Rouge by perfumer Christopher Sheldrake. I have tried this one six maybe seven times now, trying to get past the opening, or change my perception of the opening so my mind can evaluate the notes. But alas it is not going to happen.

The opening is a strong woody-peppery blast that leans toward the dreaded celery effect.

There are some beautiful notes under there, barely perceptible, smothered by the heavy celery wood note. I love the honeyed sweet notes that linger on the skin hours after the top notes burn off - a honeyed incense, sandalwood with a fruity tone. But by the time they arrive, it is a skin scent barely there, just a sweet remembrance of what could have been.

Die hard Serge Lutens fans will undoubtedly love it. The name is romantic, the composition complex and dense.

Scent of the Day - Thursday - 07/27/06

Re-testing Serge Lutens Chypre Rouge today for the 6th or 7th time. Review to follow. What are you wearing today?

Scent of the Day - Wednesday - 07/26/06

Still testing Guerlain Rose Barbare today. What are you wearing?

I apologize for not posting more info and reviews, it has been so hot here. They say it will start cooling off today. I hope so, I feel drained of all energy. I am working on several reviews so they will be here soon!

Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 07/25/06

Guerlain Rose Barbare for me today, what are you wearing?
Another hot one today, try to stay cool!

Scent of the Day - Monday - 07/24/06

Angelique Noire for me today, what are you wearing?

Scent of the Day - Saturday - 07/22/06

Another HOT weekend! I'm wearing Bond No 9 Fire Island - What are you wearing?
Try to stay cool eveybody!

Scent of the Day - Friday - 07/21/06

Today I'm wearing CdG Carnation - What are you wearing?
TGIF!!

Scent of the Day - Thursday - 07/20/06

I'm wearing DSH Fresh Carnation today. What are you wearing?

Scent of the Day - Wednesday - 07/19/06

I'll be wearing an old favorite, Niki De Saint Phalle today.
What are you wearing?

- Notice -

I'm sorry that I have had to add comment verification to my blog now. I have been hit by ocassional spammers before and just deleted them, but this morning I was hit with 75 spam comments. The blogger is moving really slow so it will take me hours to delete them all. It is so unfortunate that people take advantage of others this way and create more work .

Rose Leger - Herve Leger - Review

Rose Leger starts out with a sharp, high pitched rose note. Over time the fragrance softens, sweetens and become more wearable. The rose note seems to blend harmoniously with the fruit notes that begin to emerge, making it quite different from the initial blast. As the middle notes begin to fade, the drydown is very reminiscent of the original's sweet vanilla and sandalwood base.

The falcon is the Herve Leger trademark tall wavy design, this time filled with a light pink juice. I have fallen in love with my Herve Leger bottle, it is one of my favorites in my collection.

La Maison Guerlain, Neiman Marcus, San Francisco

MAJOR NEWS!!! Well I think it's major news! The West Coast Guerlain Boutique is now open! It is located inside Neiman Marcus, 150 Stockton Ave, San Franciso. The phone number is 415-362-3900 and I spoke to a lovely SA named Josie. They currently only have a few of the boutique fragrances in stock, but hope to get more shipments soon! Is this exciting news? I mean I can drive there in six hours if I had to. And as you know, sometimes you just have to!!

Currently In stock: Angelique Noire, Rose Barbare, Cuir Beluga, Plus que Jamais, and Liu. They also have the Baby Guerlains and Lovely Cherry Blossom. I believe more will be coming around August 20th when the shipment of Insolence also arrives. They also mentioned they are selling Nehema, which was previously not sold at that Neiman Marcus.

"Located in a vintage Beaux Arts building dating from just after the 1906 earthquake and fire, this is one of San Francisco's most upscale department stores."
Hours of Operation:
10am-7pm Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat, 10am-8pm Thurs, Noon-6pm Sun

Very exciting news for us West Coast people!!!

Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 07/18/06

I'll be wearing my Angelique Noire today, still in a major Guerlain mood.
What about you? What are you wearing today?

Bois D' Armenie - Guerlain - Review

The newest fragrance to be added to the Guerlain L'Art et la Matiere line is Bois D' Armenie. It will join Cuir Beluga, Rose Barbare and Angelique Noire.

Notes are "pink pepper, iris, rose, coriander, benzoin, Indonesian patchouli, incense, precious woods, musk and balsams." Bois d'Armenie is exclusive to the Paris Champs Elysées store, at least for the time being.

Bois D'Armenie gets its name from the incense burning papers called Papier d'Armenie. These papers are folded accordion style, then lit on the end and then blown out, which causes the paper to burn slowly releasing the incense notes. You can read more about Papier d'Armenie and its origins by clicking here:
Papier d'Armenie

Very different for a Guerlain, none of the Guerlainade here. The fragrance opens with a light medicinal benzoin note. Slowly it turns more and more like the scent of a smoky wood fire. In the final stages it softens to a barely there incense note, very close to the skin. At one point it really does smell like the burning papers of my headshop youth. While the idea of smelling like warm, woody incense, is romantic and appealing, the truth is you smell like pieces of burning incense paper. Not really all that appealing when you actually put it on. At least to me. Dry, incense, wood fire, smokiness; is just not my idea of a perfume scent. A touch of sweetness with a little more floral would have made this infinitely more wearable for me. Of course I'm sure many of you love woody incense notes, and those who do, may really enjoy this.

Bottle photo: museesdegrasse.com
Bois D'Armenie photo: hoohoo-shop.com

Scent of the Day - Monday - 07/17/06

I'll be wearing Guerlain #68 today. What are you wearing?

Scent of the Day - Saturday - 07/15/06

Testing some DSHs today. What is your choice for the weekend?

- Stay tuned this weekend for a major Guerlain announcement & new fragrance reviews -

Scent of the Day - Friday - 07/14/06

Guerlain Attrape Coeur for me today. I have been in a Guerlain mood lately. What are you wearing today??

Scent of the Day - Thursday - 07/13/06

I'm wearing DSH Fresh Carnation. What are you wearing today?

Jarling - Jar Parfums - Review

As a perfume enthusiast, I couldn't really pass up the opportunity to sniff these two Jar Parfum samples. I knew that Golconda was a carnation scent, but I had no idea what Jarling was. Carnation being one of my favorite flowers, I wasn't disappointed with Golconda. Not knowing any notes, Jarling it turns out is a warm, creamy heliotrope/almondy scent. Not really my style, but nicely crafted and softly wearable. A nice comfort scent.

Jarling opens with what I perceive to be heliotrope with a barely there anise note. The composition is rather linear, but over time mellows to a powdery, almondy, softer version of itself. As others have stated these scents are long lasting. I applied it before bed and could still smell it this morning, however it is very close to the skin.

Scent of the Day - Wednesday - 07/12/06

Today I'm testing Jar Jarling Parfum. What are you wearing?

Golconda - Jar Parfums - Review

Wet dewy bouquet of fresh cut carnations or a stick of Big Red chewing gum? Well maybe a little of both. Or might it just be … Clove Jell-O? When I was in grade school my girlfriend Marcia and I loved to cook and bake as a diversion over the long summer vacation. Usually the fare was a white Jiffy cake or Jell-O. We sometimes would experiment to find new ways of improving on these two standards, one of which was adding clove to orange Jell-O. A lot of clove. The taste was ummm … interesting. But the smell … divine. My first whiff of Jar Golconda brought back that smell from my Grandmother’s kitchen some 40 years ago.

For me Golconda whiffs and wafts both directions, at times smelling dead-on like a bouquet of fresh cut carnations. Wet and fresh, as your nose is buried deep for that first sniff. Other times I do get a spicy clove/cinnamon scent that smells more gourmand then soliflore. I think this is what others have referred to as the Big Red chewing gum note. But even at that, being a gourmand lover; it is nice, spicy and enjoyable.

If you are a carnation lover, no make that a devoted carnation fragrance lover, this extravagantly priced, boutique fragrance just might be your Holy Grail. If you merely enjoy carnation scents, you will probably find this cost prohibitive to satisfy your needs. Being that it brings back such wonderful memories for me and that I adore carnations, this would be my ultimate carnation scent. I would love to own it. But alas, the price will keep me from buying this one, sad to say, unless a windfall comes my way. Until then, I have one more wearing from my sample to enjoy for another day.

Available from the Jar Boutique in Paris or the JAR boutique at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC. The price? You know the saying - If you have to ask ...

Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 07/11/06

Today I'm wearing Jar Golconda Parfum. Very spicy! What are you wearing today?

- Golconda Parfum Review - tomorrow!!

Elizabeth W. Citrus Vervain

Refreshingis the perfect one word description of this scent. One of my favorite summer scents and reasonably priced too! It is lemony and citrusy and green and sparkling. A perfect pick-me-up during the day, great after a shower to cool off.

Notesare: ruby grapefruit, mandarin, lime peel and lemon scented verbena leaves.

Available at elizabeth W. - Citrus Vervain
2 fl oz for $32.00

Photo from elizabethw.com

Scent of the Day - Sunday - 07/09/06

Attrape Coeur has captured my heart this weekend.
I'm in a very Guerlain mood.
How about you?

Scent of the Day - Friday - 07/07/06

PDN Eau d’été is my choice for today.
What are you wearing?




Photo: Lucky Scent

Scent of the Day - Thursday - 07/06/06

For me today Lancôme Mille & Une Roses Eau De Parfum!! Lovely!

What are you wearing?

Ange ou Demon - Givenchy - Review

EXCLUSIVE!! The second of Givenchy's releases planned for July 2006 is Ange ou Demon. This launch will be initally limited Nordstrom and should be arriving around July 15th. "Angelic purity or bewithching seductress? She alone knows", according to the ad designed to showcase this fragrance.

The noses behind Ange Ou Demon (Angel or Demon) are Olivier Cresp and Jean-Pierre Béthouart of Firmenich. Classified as a floral Oriental, this is a very soft and close to the skin scent.

The florals are soft and muted with the saffron and woods lending a powdery veil effect. The citrus is understated and barely noticable as the notes swirl together into a nice lightly spicy floral Oriental with a soft gourmand drydown. More soft and sexy than you might expect from the name, this scent is subtle and clean. Perhaps inviting those nearby to lean in for a closer sniff.

The falcon is just gorgeous with a center crystal droplet which was designed to represent light and shadow.

Notes:
Top: White thyme essence, Mandarin from Calabria, Saffron essence
Middle: Lily, Ylang-ylang, Orchid maxillaria
Base: Tonka bean, Vanilla, Palissander wood, Oak wood essence

According to The Times - June 30, 2006 article, the beauty in the ad is the daughter of the French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, Marie de Villepin age 20. "She will use her stage name, Steiss, to avoid accusations that she is exploiting her father’s position."

Photo credits: www.escentual.co.uk & Cosmetic News

Scent of the Day - Wednesday - 07/05/06

Awwww do we really have to go back to work today??? Well at least the week is half over already! I'll be wearing Guerlain Sous Le Vent.
What are you wearing today?

Happy 4th of July from
- Victoria's Own-

Scent of the Day - Monday - 07/03/06

I'm wearing Guerlain Angelique Noire today, lots of errands and running around to do. I've been enjoying my time off, but it's flying by, and little is getting done. Maybe that is a good thing. I'm waiting on a sample to do my next review and feeling kinda of lazy to review anything else today.

So for your viewing pleasure, here is the Hilary Swank Guerlain Insolence ad, just in case you missed it.





Review

Scent of the Day - Saturday - 07/01/06

I'm lavished in my Arrogance Mix -
Lime Sugar today.
What are you wearing this weekend?

- Arrogance is Bliss - Review

Summer cocktails anyone?

Arrogance Mix - Lime Zucchero (Lime Sugar) is a sweet summer cocktail to freshen up a hot day. The key to making lime feminine and not masculine, as in so many men's colognes, is SUGAR. The opening of this sweet lime concoction reminds me of a lime version of Aqualina's Pink Sugar, but only the first blast. Unlike Pink Sugar, this is simple and less complex; notably so with fewer notes. The lime blast is sweet, juicy and a bit tart. I don't detect the anise note (that's a good thing), this scent is mouth watering and delicious enough to be served with a tiny umbrella. The drydown is a very subtle soft floral musk that lays close to the skin, but is sexy, in a clean sort of way.

Notes: Lime, Star Anise, Rose, Hazelnut, Sugar, Musk.

These EDT's are not long lasting, but fun nonetheless. My favorite by far of the line is the Lime Sugar but Sephora also offers:

Litchi, Mandorla
Notes: Litchi, Coriander Leaves, Peony, Milk, Almonds, Musk.

Muschio Blanco, Mela
Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Kumquat, Apple, Osmanthus, Vanilla, White Musk.

99Perfume.Com offers these additional scents:
Basil Mandarin, Vanilla Papaya

Interesting note: The Arrogance Mix line is made in Italy by Schiapparelli Pinkenz, the perfumer behind Shocking de Schiaparelli, Blu Bluemarine, Zut and others.

Photos and notes from Sephora, Photo from 99perfume.com