Smoke and Mirrors

Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque – I was expecting something more outré. Basically this smells like the inside of a tobacconist. Not a bad thing; it´s a perfectly nice smell. But I´d rather smell like the inside of a tea shop, thanks. I still need to smell MKK and Cuir Mauresque before I complete my pleasure tour of Serge´s Sweaty Side, which – no kidding – I am really enjoying. Chergui turned into my first Full Bottle Purchase.

Tauer Perfumes Le Maroc Pour Elle – Moroccan Petitgrain (bitter orange), French Lavender, red Mandarin, Moroccan Rose absolute, Moroccan Jasmin absolute, Moroccan Cedarwood from the High Atlas, Sandalwood, Patchouli. I can´t stop putting this on and smelling it. Be warned – this is not a timid scent. But give it 30 minutes and a little space and wrap your mind around that rose rising up in all its herbal-green-sappish glory. I have nothing else that smells even remotely like this, and I mean that as my highest compliment. A stunner.

Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums Carnal Flower – I´ve had this for awhile, and I kept putting it off, idiot that I am, because the whole heady white flower experience is a hard one for me. I dragged my @ss until Legerdenez wrote: “I don´t smell all of the above components that constitute tuberose in this scent. I smell wintergreen oil´s florist shop chill with an orgy of tuberose that trills and then melds to my skin´s seemingly subdermal musk.” Well, okay, that sounds interesting. This is the fragrance that has, at long last, solved my Fracas Conundrum – I own Fracas, because I love the way it smells, but I never wear it, because I consider it basically unwearable. But this is the tuberose with just enough refrigeration to keep it from overwhelming me (well, okay, the first half hour´s a little tough.) But the rest of the day I stood in a mysterious snow from heaven, drifting all around. This scent has singlehandedly caused an entire rethinking of the white-flower possibilities.

Les Parfums de Rosine Rose d´Argent – In a sick twist of fate, I discovered this amazing sample just as I’ve begun to come around to the possibilities of the rose, and I was so intrigued I did a little research, which allowed me to learn that (of course) it´s been discontinued. It´s green and rampant and a little dangerous, a thorny climber into my heart, and I refuse to smell it again, because I am not falling in love with yet another discontinued frag. I am afraid of turning into the perfume version of the pathetic chick who only falls in love with unattainable, emotionally unavailable men.

Evening in Paris (Soir de Paris) – I need to thank Victoria O. for this silky, sophisticated Perfume from the Past. The drydown is a cross between the gentle violet-anise of Apres l´Ondee and the spicy carnation of My Sin. A grown-up scent that is retro but not dowdy. It´s a gorgeous skin scent after 20 minutes. Fans of vintage smells without vintage risks: you can get it new online at Vermont Country Store, which is where my sample came from.

Sperm for Surfers (S-ex Perfumes) — Okay, I don’t know what it’s called. It has a little swimmer on the glass vial and it says: (for surfers). You tell me. Actually, you tell me what it smells like, because I cannot smell it. Can. Not. Smell. It. It doesn’t smell like sperm… not that I’d know what sperm smelled like. What I mean to say is, it smells vaguely ozonic, like that Demeter stuff (Thunderstorm?), but basically it might as well be water. Maybe I’m anosmic to whatever this is? Maybe it IS water, because — dude — what could be a better surfer smell, right?

camellia – nmessences.com
Edouard Leon Cortes – Snowy Evening Paris
sperm – weboflife.nasa.gov