First, Chandler Burr is the new Perfume Critic for the New York times. I’m looking forward to reading that column. Has there ever been an official perfume critic before? It would be great if this starts a trend.
So what is the ultimate trashiest guilty pleasure on television? Big Brother 7 – All Stars, that’s what. I’m not even going into any details about it here because only a fan will apreciate the game that they play and everyone else will be pretty sure I should seek mental help. Usually at this point in the summer series, I’m over it and just waiting to find out which of the worst remaining in the house will win because I hate them all. This year, some of the best players ever are still in the house, playing each other, and it’s become a pretty entertaining trying to figure out who is playing what or whom, and the Evil Dr. Will is gorgeous and the most manipulative liar in reality TV history, which is super-fun to watch.
My attention has been elsewhere the last couple of weeks as that game finally got good, and I’ve been ignoring my perfume addictions. If there are other BB7 addicts, just let me know.
Newest love — Serge Lutens Encens et Lavande. I adored Gris Clair, surprisingly, because I don’t like lavender in perfume normally. When I got my hands on some Encens et Lavande, I was a little more optimistic, and…. wow. It takes my breath away. A stunning incensy lavender, this just rocks. I wafted it under the hubby’s nose, and he’s been following me around since then.
Got my Cuir Amethyste. Ditto what March said, this has to be spritzed. Between the leathery violet around my neck and the incensy lavender on my arm, I smell dreamy, like a place full of memories with just a tinge of regret.
Oh, Yay!! I just love EeL–one of my very favorites. And now I love Cuir Amethyste, too; I just bought some! I wish, though, that Chaya hadn’t said that about the Elixer des Merveilles. I adore the parfum, and yes, there is an Hermes near me (but I am verrrrrry broke):)
Robin — Victoria F might know … Ina said they smelled more or less the same to her, maybe the new one’s a little deeper? Not sure they’re different enough to change your feelings! The very nice SA at Saks here (he’s so sweet and plays with me, even though he knows I seldom buy) thinks it’s just horrible. I am still puzzling out my anosmia — wonder if there was something wrong with the early release tester bottle I used… I did spray it on, and the one from the actual bottle is so much stronger.
I am not familiar with Chandler Burr’s work. I do know he wrote ‘The Emperor of Scent’ and that many PerfumePals® respect his work.
Elle mentioned that Burr has already appeared on the Today show (in comment #4). He will hold an incredible sway – enough for a perfume to make-it-or-break it: St Valentine’s Day draws near and clueless men turn their eyes to his column (or its electronic counterpart) to determine what their significant others want. And the millions of words spent by FragranceFriends® parsing his words.
I did try reading a review by Luca Turin that brought to mind the priviledged similarities between Vladimir Nabokov’s and Turin’s adolescences and fondnesses for their nannies and I thought to myself, “Sorry, the cuir in Cuir de Russie doesn’t remind me of the upholstery in my Corniche”.
Patty-
Thanks for the kind wishes…
No, the Elixir is brand new, and softer,gourmand without the cloy factor.
It’s more sunny in hue, and drydown [there’s that evil word again!]is delicious, not sticky.
It may be awhile before it’s widely available, but the boutiques should have it, along with promo and LOTS of samples [they do in Boston, at any rate].
May your w/e delight!
P.S. to Dusan-
You sly fox!
I LOVE to dance…
Thank you for your tender riposte, you shameless seducteur!
Robin, I don’t know. I didn’t smell the first one. It is possible it is the same, and when I smelled it just out of the sample vial, I didn’t think it was more than a nice violet/iris with something else in there. Spritzed on is compltely different. It’s beautiful with the iris/violet, but richer, deeper.
Does anyone know if Armani actually fiddled with the composition of Cuir Amethyste before it came to the US? I had a carded sample early on and hated it, not sure if it is worth my trying to get another.
Tigs, hi! Yes, I do have samples and decants of E et L in my store, just the internet one, not the eBay one, though I’ll probably stick it in that one eventually. It’s just scrumptious.
R — I think you would love the Cuir Amethyste. It is like a richer, deeper E. Duse.
Hugs back, my friend!
Dusan, you’ll have to tell us how much you enjoy the first BB. I know the other versions are very different than the U.S. version. Ours is more of a game and less soap opera.
Sariah, that is cheesey! I agree about most perfume articles, they are written like bad fanfic instead of truly critical articles on scent. More about the hype and not enough about whether it is good or unusual juice.
E — how cool is that! I love that perfume may be getting more press. I didn’t see the segment this morning, I was stuck doing cuts for the CBS early morning show, so I may have to youtube search for it.
March, you are cracked. It’s been a bad day if I haven’t gotten on at least three scents.
Have you smelled the EeL? If not, lemme know, I’ll throw some of that in. It really is as lovely as Gris Clair, but deeper, more sorrowful.
Chaya, congrats on your anniversary! Is that the parfum de Merveilles? If so, I have some of that, and it is amazing.
L — I am SO glad someone else is addicted to Trashy TV. I used to be embarrassed because I have a decent IQ, and it’s just such a waste of time, but I can’t help myself, it’s way too much fun!
Yay Patty! Are you going to be selling samples?!? E et L is the one I really want to try – I was looking elsewhere, but I’ll definitely snap it up from you if you’re selling…
I’ll have to re-test Gris Clair, but EetL was not quite for me.
But the Cuir Amethyste…this sounds lovely. Must test…must test…must test…
Hugs, darling!
Draga moja Chaya,
thank YOU!
This Leo loves to dance, it’s in his blood and I guess, in his eyes, too… And he is majoring in Spanish, hehe…
I would have married you for Mitsouko alone. And your purry, golden voice.
I’d love to hear you sing…
Dusan- Dusa Moj- Moj Zlati-
Thank you!
You’re a Leo? I should have known…
If I could get my mitts on you, I’d make you jota…
BTW, 23 1/2 years ago, that’s how I seduced my DH- I made him jota- and a week later, he asked me to marry him!
[ Well, maybe being barely clothed in a blizzard ans sleeping with him might have tipped the scales a bit…Oh, and wafting Mitsouko everywhere]
Chaya, Mother Earth, happy anniversary!!!
Eau des Merveilles is in my top 5 HGs, but now I would kill to get my leonine paws on the Elixir! The notes are a match made in heaven.
Our first Serbian BB season starts in September so I’m all shivers and goosebumps. I don’t normally like lavender either, but lurve Dior Homme, so I guess the dreaded note must be stashed deep under amber, cocoa and iris.
Congratulations on EeL, wear it in good health!
Hugs
I think it’s great that there will be an official perfume critic. Usually whenever there are articles in magazines about perfume, they are very vague and sound basically like an advertisement for the perfume – more about the image than the scent.
I need to add a little trashiness. Patty, I thought of you when I saw this, check it out:
http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1228989_7_0_,00.html
(horribly cheezy pictures and wickedly funny captions)
I normally don’t like lavender in perfume either, but EeL is a serious HG of mine. Stunning to the extreme!
Chandler Burr said in the Basenotes interview that Luca was the first official critic, since he writes for NZZ, but he’s definitely the second. Very unusual. Tania just posted that he was on the Today show this morning. It was on at about 8:20 EST, so you may still be able to catch it further west. I haven’t seen it, but DH taped it. I really like the man, even if I disagree w/ some of his takes on scents.
Hey, Chaya — happy anniversary!<:-p P -- waaaaaaahhhh!!!! But I wanna smell like memories and a tinge of regret ... not sure how much longer I can go on wearing one fragrance a day... it is killin' me. Wee boxes of goodies and vials calling out to me.
Oh, my lovely one…
The only reason I didn’t buy I & L 8 years ago [when I visited the Rue de Valois Holy Grail] was because I could only buy 4 bottles !!!
I can’t even think about GC, because it’s nothing like…
If they mailed overseas, this would be IT.
So happy that we love the same ones….
I know it’s infantile- but comforting!
BTW, fair one, if there’s a Hermes boutique near you, smell the Elixir des Merveilles- it grows on you in a most luscious way, trailing resins after you get your oh-so-subtle chocolate-glaceed orange fix and flirt with vanilla and wafts of bitter caramel [aka flan]…
I assure, it’s not your usual gourmand-
I bought the littlest one [so as not to resemble Cartman on SouthPark, piggy that he is ].
SA assures me that Paprika Brasil should be coming in soon…
May your w/e be a fine one….
It ushers in the DH and my 23rd anny.
Our Brit series of BB7 has just finished and I was sadly, sadly and desperately addicted to its rampaging trashy glory. Enjoy.
Encens et Lavande is a true beauty, isn’t it? I love this and it’s securely in my top 3 (God only knows what the other two are). I’ve been planning to buy another SL bottle this week – haven’t spent a droplet on perfume for two months – but my holiday credit card bill is still scary horrible. I might need to hold off or make my first Fragrant Fripperies visit… Now, lemme see….