I Fell Into The Candy

Having mostly recovered, I fell into the candy samples bowl, where I was amused to discover a number of things I´ve been wanting to try.

Honestly, where do these things come from? Do people just stop by my house now and leave atomizers on my desk, and then three months later I notice them? One of you must have given this to me, fess up … anyway, my best guess for the atomizer labeled Sinativa is from “The Original Chiang Mai´s spa” website, which says: “The summer fragrance of lavender, the aromatic scent of sandalwood, the lemon freshness of neroli, the sensuous bouquet of ylang-ylang and the aromas of other genuine essential oils combine to create the captivating harmony of this perfume.” If I´m completely wrong chime in here. So – it makes me feel very aromatherapized. In a good way, like when I put on my Edun cotton pants and top and go up to my little room armed with my yoga mat (even though I end up sitting around reading Glamour and eating truffles until I fall into a stupor). I don´t like the first ten minutes at all – it´s it´s like the lemon freshness of neroli and the aromatic sandalwood are locked in a serious beatdown (maybe even muay thai) . Although even then, it was interestingly wrong – sweet/sour and raspy. Eventually the sandalwood kicks the neroli out of the ring entirely, then curls up with the lavender and ylang. I don´t even like lavender, and can I tell you? With sandalwood it´s pretty delish – it´s weird, I can totally identify it as lavender without that sucking-on-a-sachet feeling. It smells incense-like, without being incense. It gets sweeter in the drydown, and I think there must be other florals in there, but it´s never very sweet, and it´s spicy too, like cinnamon. Something I´d want to try again in the hot, humid summer, maybe layered with Jatamansi. Yum.

Mona di Orio Oiro – oh, my God, nooooooooooooo. How did she do it? How did she capture the exact smell of the inside of the sneakers of one of my (unspecified) children? And why is it that some people have such stinky feet? And why is it that I like some stink (armpit) in a fragrance, but not other kinds (locker-room-grade feet)? And when I am queen, I will have someone on my royal staff I can call who can explain to me the slight difference in chemical components between lovely armpit and foul feet. Oiro opens on a powerful note of Gold Bond Foot Powder applied generously to the inside of a child´s favorite pair of overripe Keds. Go on, stick your nose in there – it´s fascinating, in a horrifying way. After five minutes the powdery, quasi-medicinal sweetness of the Gold Bond fades and you´re left with, essentially, Ked – including the burnt rubber note you get when you sniff the sole. A monumental trainwreck on my skin (and I assume this must be a problem with my skin) that simultaneously amuses me and makes me so very happy that I didn´t spray it generously. Lee clearly loves this thing; in his recent review he called it a “richly brocaded jasmine and sunlight glitterball.” Cripes. Nuit Noire is dirty on me, but this is so far over my skank line I can´t even see the line in the distance from here.

Armando Martinez Kitsune – I keep this out, trying to decide whether I like it. And I´ve decided I like it, but it´s not something I would ever choose to wear. Notes are: incense, leather, frankincense, and clove. It´s very masculine, leathery and faintly sour on me, but it´s interesting – on one level it´s a very straightforward leather/incense, but there´s this extra edge to it – a more complex registry on the edge of the senses, like the difference between, say, the smells you might encounter in a car interior vs. the smells on a leather jacket. This is in the car-interior direction (hint of dashboard?) By the way, I put this on accidentally while looking for Gianni Campagne´s Vento Canale, which I then dug out of my filed samps to see whether I still adored it, and I do (I reviewed it here) if you´re still looking for that perfect obscure-ish winter pipe tobacco/amber/rum comfort scent.

Givenchy Organza Indecence – okay, this candy sampling is now inching toward practical-joke level. Do you have any idea how long this has been on my to-try list? And I keep wimping out on eBay because my unsniffed purchase track record is so bad. Maybe I should look in my own to-try bowl more often. Who sent this to me? So this is what you all are raving about, eh? And … the next bottle on eBay is mine, you hear?!?! Mine, mine, all mine!!!!! I can´t even remember what Organza smells like (wait … big white-flower confection? Or is that Amarige? Or both?), so this might be one of those pseudo-flankers that makes no sense name-wise. This is also one of those scents that makes me wonder, what is wrong with the world of fragrance that this got the ax, and not 65 other things I could name right off the top of my head? Basenotes lists cinnamon, jacaranda wood, patchouli, musk and amber; actually, I´m going to go re-smell Organza because it´s got some nice comments on Basenotes as well. Indecence sounds like maybe Organza with no florals and more spice/woods? And I must have fallen on my head, because this is another vanilla I am loving. Spicy vanilla. A smoother, creamier scent than, say, Bois 1920 Sushi Imperiale, which (without going back and resmelling all my vanillas) feels like the closest comparison – Indecence is less aggressive spice, but oh, lord, the woods! If it weren’t for the woody notes, and (on me anyway) a deliciously animalic dollop of musk buried in the base, this would be too plain-vanilla and too sweet. I’m going to commit fragrance heresy and admit I find Indecence easier to wear than Sushi. When surveys say men find vanilla-based scents sexy, this is the kind of sexy I imagine they´re talking about.

Ineke Perfumer Evening Edged in Gold – first off, I love that name (she’s doing her series alphabetically.) Second, she should win some sort of award for her sample packaging, as any of you know who’ve ever opened one of her wonderful little matchbox scents. Third, I admire her esthetic. Having said that, while I admire her scents, I have not thus far been sufficiently moved to work through a decant; there’s a green, modern spaciousness to her scents that just aren’t me. Evening Edged in Gold is no different — except. Except you leather fans need to take note here. I am not (at this point) a leather freak, at least as a dominant note. Notes are plum, osmanthus, night blooming flowers called Angel’s Trumpet and Midnight Candy, saffron, woods and leather. Evening Edged in Gold starts with a sharp contrast between some fairly sweet notes and the animalic, tanned-skin side of leather. First off — if you are trying this, forget dabbing, this is seriously one of those scents where you need to go for it — four, five, six sprays on the arm — to get the effect. Angel’s Trumpet and Midnight Candy both refer to flowers that give off heady evening scents — night phlox and datura/brugmansia (depending), and that headiness is immediately apparent, but it builds almost simultaneously on top of a dark, bitter leather note, and there’s that signature Ineke I-don’t-know-what, a synthetic space opening the notes up like a big umbrella. The fragrance starts to settle after ten or fifteen minutes, the leather loses its bitterness, and the saffron emerges, and it is this part of the development that I find arresting — there is nothing else I can think of offhand to compare it to. Watching it over the first hour is like watching the sun set, and the slow, deepening shadows of the evening. After an hour I’m left with a soft, leather/woods skin scent and the desire to do the whole thing over again.

Coming up Thursday and Friday – this month´s Posse Scent Club! Also, if you´re interested, here´s a link sweetlife sent me to an interesting article about old roses and “rose rustling” – rose lovers hunting through old graveyards, abandoned homesteads, etc., looking to rescue long-forgotten roses. (By the way, this practice is not confined to Texas, and generally refers to taking cuttings, not the entire rose). Finally, I have to include the quote carmencanada found on Basenotes describing Eau d´Hermes, for those of you who missed it: “Robert Mitchum´s jockstrap in Grace Kelly´s bag.” If that doesn´t make you want to sample it, I don´t know what will.

microscopic image of sandalwood tree: micro.magnet.fsu.ed

  • noi says:

    Let’s talk about the dogs which has post on the month of april unfortunatelly my bithday is on 10th april which is coming soon .

    This may me the Thai Way Story I think you can accepted.

    My home have 2 dogs and I will call them is now premium dogs may be the one in the capture gate or simalar wich auther says so nasty not nice but my premium dogs are well eat and always have brush on the hair by maid servants.

    Let,s look in picture carefully for the both dogs in the capture gate they find the way to get out and see they are a little bit hungry also.
    For examples they will not compare to another on which out side the brown and short hair which situation of this one is now good looking and freedom it will be healthy for sure because these one never find food out side of office and eat probably well from the attendant so I look like a young prince .Another hand never even find his own snake or frogs from the ponds sorry about the young prince dogs so he not know how delicious of fresh snake and fresh frogs is ,not khow even How fun of hunting these animals are?

    on another way if you let these not happy 2 dogs out of the gate they frist gonna run to find somethings to eat if you are not feed them these 2 hairy mess up dog either they gonna the foot path of the street dogs or if they challage enough they can be foxes. if they have a choice or lucky may be someone nicer pick up and if these 2 dogs the are not educated the nicer guys will educated them.nothing wrongs

    But any way if I were the reader these 2 dogs are heroes or heroines not another one with short hair and lazy tall .

    Look again It is pity here this post cannot vote otherwise everybody will give all the top ratings for only 2 pity and dity and hungry dogs in the gate the fight for their own life because no one care about agree.

    any way….Back to my home premium dog you know? premium? mean what is it?Do they expensive dog? or come from the sky?

    The answers is not at all . They are simply Thai Dogs the food may be manual(shit)? some where in the town ? which is today its has a best food for today and very happy . Right nothing wrong and it is true which may be the tall browwn shot dogs never have it really no chace too miesier .

    My premium dog which I post last time only the half of the beginings. But I will try continue to you to see the image .
    Thai Premium dogs they are very challance very independently very chic and probably hairy youg look always small and smart enough to feel and feel that some of wobsite of premium Thai dog strange behavier so if you are the member you can guss who? That may be some reason which if have to fallow up by premium thai dog and another hand premium Thai dog cannot do which poor knowlegible on
    this. You are the reader you can see guess the realistic pbobable

    Thai Premium dog can only may be a bit of bakcing normal because its has also heart with full heart.

    You are the reader you can see who start and who continue and who end up with what? Thai premium dog can do at maximum only fallow for this things still wonder what is it? me nooooo.

    I wish you will have a nicer job than here and good luck.

  • Mary, a faithful reader says:

    Organza Indecence is not discontinued. Macy’s and Ulta still carry it (as does Portland’s Perfume House). As far as I can tell, they only discontinued the 100 ml size.:)

    • March says:

      I totally got suckered by this one, sorry. Hey, my information is entertaining and well-intentioned, but not always precisely true! And it’s great to know it’s still available.

  • Patty says:

    That is the best description ever for Eau d’Hermes. That’s some potent stuff. Puts hair and breasts on your chest, if you know what I mean.

    • March says:

      I am so happy we introduced all these people to Eau, aren’t you?

      BTW I am slamming my way through the JLos. Consider yourself warned.

  • Stephanie says:

    I’ve also seen Indecence in stores for awhile, both Macy’s and Ulta. I don’t think it was ever discontinued, despite what prices on ebay may suggest. I love that one; Givenchy shouldn’t have let it fall by the wayside.

    • March says:

      Yep, everyone has pointed this out to me, I can drive over to Ulta and get some! And this is one of the many reasons why I love this blog.

  • BBliss says:

    Love the candy bowl today! The only stinky feet I can tolerate are baby feet which are a complete mystery to me when the rest of the little ones smell so delicious. Am awaiting my EEiG – I think they are making up more – love your dabbing vs. spritzing instructions, too – for full disclosure on effect.

    And that image is gorgeous – must be why sandalwood smells so magical!

    • March says:

      SSprirtzspritzspritz — maybe it’s me, but I got nuthin’ with one spritz. Patty said to pour that thing on, and she was right.

      I was surprised Marina liked it, she reviewed it today. I wish I liked the line better, rather than admiring them :”>

      that is a gorgeous image, isn’t it? love those colors.

      • BBliss says:

        I also *want* to like the line, too what with the whole concept and packaging…there’s something about these – maybe they feel sparse? I just think of mod furniture maybe something from Roche Bobois? – which I love the look of, but don’t really feel comfortable with – all straight lines, no nooks and crannies…hmmm, I’ll still wait for this one, but won’t hold my breath! I’ll go check out Marina’s review, too – thanks!

        • March says:

          Late again with the response, sorry — I think we’ve decided she’s got some fresh, green thing going on in there — I definitely see your Roche Bobois comparison (which also makes me giggle, it is very much not me) I will say Evening Edged in Gold is a departure, but I still won’t be buying.

  • Tigs / Erin says:

    Well, I’m going to be chatty again, because a lot of things twigged me here. Amariage is the white floral, Organza is the vanilla bomb. I just bought Indecence, which the SA here told me is not discontinued (in Canada, at least) in the old, hideously frou-frou bottle, just rarely available, because Givenchy doesn’t send out many, and then they get snapped up. I got a really cool little mini 15 ml with my 50 ml bottle – it’s got a spray or two out of it, but I would be happy to send it to you so you can live with a decant before a full bottle. Let me know! I also just bought Eau D’Hermes the other day, completely unsniffed and unplanned, at full price, completely on your recommendation. See what influence you have over me! I love it, so don’t worry, but I’m happy to send you some of that, too. (You didn’t buy it, did you? Can’t remember….) Oh, and some Jungle Tigre, my dear?

    Also, wanted to say the Orio smells to me like it was tremendously influenced by Serge’s TC. Don’t you think that smells like death? Maybe there’s a connection somewhere here. And Vento Canale smells to me like the delicious, poisoned cannoli made my nuns that killed Eli Wallach in the third Godfather movie. That’s the way I want to go…

    • Catherine says:

      The comparison between TC and Orio is very interesting….must compare them this afternoon!

      And now I truly must find Vento Canale… I love cannoli.

    • March says:

      Hey, I’m emailing you!

      I am glad the Hermes worked out; it’s not for everyone, I guess.

      REally, it smelled like TC to you? I was thinking just death by foot-rot, myself. It was missing the mothball note of TC … at least someone else thought it was nasty, which pleases me.

      And as I said below, now I’ll remember it as Vento Cannoli!

  • sweetlife says:

    You know you’ve reached a certain point in your perfume obsession when you not only don’t remember where all your samples have come from, but are sitting here thinking — am I the one that sent that OI to her? :-

    I don’t think I did, but I have sort of been preaching the OI gospel through the mail for awhile — bought a back up bottle so I could share without worrying I would run out… It’s another one that really benefits from a good generous spray, by the way. Never got the cinnamon topnotes until one night when I applied far more than my usual dose for comfort aura’s sake.

    • sweetlife says:

      Darn it, my little questioning icon guy didn’t work.

      :-<

    • March says:

      Hmmmmm. what else was in there with the OI, there was some other stuff. Sage Machado amber oil? And a CdG I think… a little set of vials.

      Laughing about what I learn on here — apparently everyone, everywhere, has OI. I have *never* seen a bottle. Duh. :”>

      PS I am REALLY MAD my chin-holding guy doesn’t work any more, and I think the whistling guy gives you a question mark? Where’s the complaint department? Here, let’s see what happens.

      😕 chin guy
      :-\” whistling guy

      okay, pressing save…

      • March says:

        Nope. How am I going to live without the whistling guy?

        • erin k. says:

          i think the little devil would be perfect for you! >:)

          (i’ve been wanting to use him, but am way too entranced by the skull. i mean … he’s laughing! … and his eyes blink! what more could a goth chick want in an emoticon?)

          8-x 8-x 8-x

          • March says:

            NFW!?!?!? Your skull blinks?!?

            My skull doesn’t do jack!

            Okay, I’m complaining to the blogmistress, my emoticons are malfunctioning.

            I think most vital to my blogging are 😮 /:):-ss :-&

          • erin k. says:

            he blinks and he laughs! it’s not NEARLY as cool if you don’t get that!!! i’m using internet explorer 7, don’t know if that matters.

            i need to work :-& into a comment. oh wait, i just did! :d

            8-x

  • Robin says:

    I am pretty sure I sent you the Sinativa. Marlen sent it to me some time ago, and I kept dragging it out and trying it again in the hopes it would work for me, then I gave up and sent it to you.

    And what Gail S says just above is what I’ve heard too — OI never really discontinued.

    • March says:

      That’s so funny — I couldn’t find it online except eBay, and I don’t like to buy on eBay if I can find a reputable source elsewhere. And now here’s everyone telling me you can find it at Ulta, Dillard’s, etc.

      And you probably did send me the Sinativa! I have a whole pile of samples/atomizers from you on my desk for easy sniffage, somehow I never noticed that one.

  • Gail S says:

    I was told that Givenchy never discontinued Organza Indecence, they just stopped promoting it, thus many places stopped carrying it. At the risk of making you hate me, my local Dillard’s department store always has bottles on the shelf. Still in the same bottle, still the same retail price. Want some?

    • March says:

      You are so sweet! See, I learn something every day from these posts. Several people up there say it’s available, and Louise says they have it at our local Ulta, so I think I’m covered. But if not I know where to find you! :d

  • Malena says:

    i wasn´t impressed by oiro at all – sadly no skank whatsoever, but an almost clean smelling jasmine 🙁

    vento carnale is really nice, but i rarely wear comfort scents, i mostly choose the ones with some oomph – but the cocoa note in VC is lovely *yummy*

    indecence isn´t discontinued, it´s now part of the givenchy collecton (or whatever it´s called?) with le de, givenchy III, eau de givenchy & one or two others. i´m not sure if it still smells the same, though, or if they tweaked it.

    can´t wait to test the new ineke – your review sounds so promising!

    i´m sampling solange cosmic today & am strangely smitten. i think the name & the bottle are…ridiculous? they just don´t fit the smell of the fragrance which is absolutely fab.
    according to NST it´s called a modern chypre (i hate that term 8-| ) with a candy top note. i find it somehow quite addictive & comforting, but the price… :-<

    • March says:

      Solange isn’t giving it away, that’s for sure. And I am now wondering whether there’s something seriously wrong with my batch of Oiro, because nobody got what I got. :”>

      I will have to track down the Indecence! Wonder if it smells the same?

  • Louise says:

    Given your wild sweet tooth, March, I am delighted with the image of your falling into a very large candy bowl…and not wanting to crawl out, not a bit. A Looking Glass image…with the Cheese and Cheesewhizzes calling plaintively for you.

    Sinativa still scares me…lavender scares me…I’m not reassured, yet.

    MdO will get a lot of testing from me in NY-I’ve lost my NN, want to try Amyitis, and have forgotten Oiro’s single trial completely. I do love Carnation (thanks, Lee!).

    My Ulta has the occsional bottle of OI, which I (and a basically anosmic SO) really liked in the day-I may have to re-buy, before the re-release and certain re-pricing by Guerlain. I do have some Organza extrait if you’d like a sniff. Very pretty, not me.

    Yesterday I dragged my sniffles down to Art and Chemistry and tried the Evening Edged in Gold (Bill misses you…). I liked it quite a bit, it lasted pretty well (surprise!), and is decant worthy for sure. I mostly got a rounded soft leather from it, similar on me to Kelly Caleche. But the flowers popped up enough for it to spell a nice spring leather for me.

    • March says:

      No WAY! The Ulta where? In Silver Spring? I have never seen a bottle of Indecence anywhere.

      Art with Flowers! I am a wretch, haven’t been there in forever. Glad to hear the Ineke worked for you, I wouldn’t have predicted it.

      We are all (still) relatively sick, although the weather is so lovely today I’m getting outside no matter what.

      I wonder how my batch of Oiro would smell on you?

  • Judith says:

    I saw that quote on B-notes, and my desire to try Eau d’Hermes went wild! Did try, loved, gonna get! On the other hand, I don’t get the Vento Canale: I mean this literally; it’s very mild on me (yes, I sprayed), and I think there’s something I’m not smelling. Must try that Ineke.

    • March says:

      I specifically thought of you for the Ineke, since you have introduced me to some of my most interesting leathers.

      But it’ll only work if you GET the leather part, which Marina up there didn’t.

      That’s funny about the VC, and I know what you mean, that weird sense you must be “missing” some portion of the scent. It’s pretty full bodied on me. I wonder if your skin is eating it, or you just can’t smell it.

  • Elle says:

    Dirty feet? Oh, no! Skank lover that I am, like you, I loathe the scent of dirty feet. Glancing over protectively at my new bottle of Oiro to make sure it didn’t get that comment. *Love* the stuff! Rejoiced when Aedes finally got it.
    Am going to have to try the Sinativa – sounds interesting. And on the basis of your review, I purchased a sample of Vento Canale. Fell madly in love and got a bottle from FiF. Brilliant comfort scent. Oh, also got a sample of Eau d’Hermes after reading your recent review. When I put it on I realized I knew that scent (yes, it *is* exactly and wonderfully what Carmencanada described it as). Went to dig around my perfume closet and…umm….yes…there was a bottle I got centuries ago. Can’t understand how I had forgotten it since I really do love the stuff.

    • March says:

      What *is* that dirty feet smell? I don’t even mean the dog-feet Cheeto note. That other thing. Shudder.

      Well, if you like Oiro I wonder if there’s something wrong with my batch like Lee said. You’re my best guide in terms of what I might like.

      Laughing so hard at your Eau story! Although I wound up with two bottles of Theorema more or less the same way… :”>

      • Vasily says:

        Here’s my guess: The armpits have the highest concentration of apocrine glands on the body. Both armpits and feet sweat, and bacteria digest the fatty acids in the sweat. Because the chemical makeup of the sweat is different in the armpits and on the feet due to the apocrine glands, the products of bacterial digestion will be different, thus leading to different smells for feet & pits. Armpit sweat contains chemicals that are a factor in human sexual attraction; foot sweat doesn’t. I suspect that might be why the right pitty skank can be a turn-on while feety skank is just … well, gross (except perhaps for certain fetishists).

        Rachel Herz’s excellent “Scent of Desire” talks about body odor and chemicals as a factor in sexual attraction … see for example this review from Now Smell This:

        http://tinyurl.com/ytahsz

        • March says:

          Vasily — I was wondering if you were going to come back and comment! How do you know this stuff? Your explanation makes total sense to me.

          • Vasily says:

            Graduate study in four different disciplines will do it to you. 🙂

            My current career is in counseling, and as a psychotherapist I have a strong interest in the psychology of scent. Plus, the biological sciences have been a lifelong passion so I’m also fascinated by the physiology of scent and the evolutionary/cultural aspects of our sense of smell.

          • March says:

            Vasily, I feel so … undisciplined reading that.

            However, now I know who to bug with technical questions! Assuming my broad hints at some knowledge deficit in a particular area don’t draw you out…

  • Marina says:

    I don’t get any leather in EEiG, which is a shame all things considered, but I love the scent anyway.
    I hope everybody is feeling better at home, March!

    • March says:

      No WAY. Poor EFT. EEiG without the leather would be pretty lame.

      We are still fighting the nasty chest portion of this thing, whatever it is. Big Cheese on new antibiotic, all of us coughing. Although it’s so lovely and warm today I want to go out!

  • MattS says:

    I love your approach to yoga; I took a class once and celebrated each evening’s end with a bottle of wine. Nothing beats loose, limber joints and old vine zinfandel. If only I’d thought to work chocolate in there also…I have a feeling TPC is gonna be shipping out a lot of decants of Eau d’Hermes. I think a lot of readers, myself included, are gonna be sold with such a perfect description.

    Oh, quick newbie question. Is parfum to be dabbed only or can it be decanted and sprayed also? Being the avid spritzer you are, I figured you’d be the perfect one to ask. My Valentine’s Day present to myself was a bottle of Jicky, parfum strength, and there’s someone bad inside me who wants to spray it a little bit, rather than dab the wrists and neck.

  • MattS says:

    I love your approach to yoga; I took a class once and celebrated each evening’s end with a bottle of wine. Nothing beats loose, limber joints and old vine zinfandel. If only I’d thought to work chocolate in there also…I have a feeling TPC is gonna be shipping out a lot of decants of Eau d’Hermes. I think a lot of readers, myself included, are gonna be sold with such a perfect description.

    Oh, quick newbie question. Is parfum to be dabbed only or can it be decanted and sprayed also? Being the avid spritzer you are, I figured you’d be the perfect one to ask. My Valentine’s Day present to myself was a bottle of Jicky, parfum strength, and there’s someone bad inside me who wants to spray it a little bit, rather than dab the wrists and neck.

    • MattS says:

      Whoops. Sorry for the double post. Combine a slow computer on an early morning with an idiot with no caffeine in his system and that’s what you get.

      • March says:

        No problem! You’re just as sweet the second time.

        I guess you can spray parfum — I mean, it’s not super thick or anything. Although Jicky extrait sprayed on with abandon is scaring me a little bit. Also, this is probably where I’m supposed to get all anal and tell you not to touch the stopper to your skin, you’ll contaminate your bottle, etc. Buy a little atomizer and tell me what happens! :d

        • MattS says:

          Of course, I would spritz in moderation. I promise…although sometimes I do like to make an entrance.:-\”

  • Sue says:

    Love the candy report, March. FYI – Givenchy re-released Organza Indecence as part of the Les Parfums Mythiques collection, along with L’Interdit, Givenchy III, and 7 others, so it may become easier to come by. (Hot Couture seems to have been relaunched permanently, so maybe OI will be, too.)

    Do you know if there’s anywhere to purchase a sample of Evening Edged in Gold online? I wasn’t lucky enough to get one of the free samples (guess there was huge demand), but each review makes me think more and more that I’d love it. Thanks!

    • March says:

      Sue, thanks for the info about Indecence! The Nordstrom near me has part of the reissues, but not that one. I did see elsewhere (Gaia) mentioned a re-release, with bottles available online, but couldn’t find them anywhere, only eBay.

      I’d assumed Ineke sends/sells samples? I guess only a limited number, from what you’re saying? Did you try The Perfumed Court? You can always bug them to get it, usually works for me. /:)

    • Vida says:

      Sue, if you go to the Ineke website and purchase the sample pack, request Evening Edged in Gold sample, and they will include it. They also will credit the sample purchase against your next purchase, which is very good advertising. I can’t wait to receive mine!

  • Billy D says:

    The wonders of skin chemistry never cease to amaze. BF decided to buy an Acqua di Parma tonight (tried out a bunch of Creeds at Neiman Marcus–I thought I like Neroli Sauvage, but it was completely average) and went with the Colonia Asoluta. He didn’t test it on his skin, because he already had on French Lover (I made him try it since I hate it on me).

    When we got home, he tried it on and it is all about amber, and very sweet amber, with his skin–almost no citrus. I think he’s a little disappointed, but he still likes it.

    Can’t wait for the scent club announcement!

    • March says:

      Wow, so sorry he killed off all the citrus! It’s a nice scent, but I’d miss the full spectrum.

      What don’t you like about French Lover?

      • Billy D says:

        I think I just don’t like fougeres. I’m tempted to say that my skin makes them go a little sour, but I think more than anything, I just don’t like the way I smell in them. I need a touch of floral somewhere, or something bright.

        That being said, I think FL is a really good, well-blended scent. On BF, it smelled ok, but not incredible. He’s more Vetiver Extraordinaire than FL.

        • March says:

          I keep wondering. I smelled French Lover in London with Lee and thought it was fab. Then I smelled it here (only it’s called Bois d’Orage or whatever, Thunder Wood — puhleeze) and thought it was sorta ordinary. Wonder if they changed the recipe…

          • Lee says:

            It *is* supposed cto be a tweaked version… more musk perhaps. I like the topnotes best – all that angelica. The drydown is a little samey samey – a little Le Labo Vet, a little Rive Gauche pour Homme… yadda yah.

          • March says:

            Aha! So it IS different! I thought it smelled amazing as Les Senteurs, but maybe it was just the company… @};-

  • Catherine says:

    Oh, my goodness, March–what IS your skin like? How could you turn Orio into something like the inside of sneakers. My only complaint about the scent is that it has none–zippo–of the sexy skank that Nuit Noire and Carnation have on me. It is simply pure, sun-shiny, and on the pretty side of beautiful. Even the immortelle turns golden, rather than syrupy…

    Oh, no, I think I’ve convinced myself to order a bottle. I haven’t even finished my decant yet, since I was waiting for summer.

    Well, now I understand why Afteliers went muddy on you, why OJ is just too much, and why you like Noir Epices–we are evil scent twins. I’m going to start looking for the scents you say don’t work!!:d

    • Lee says:

      Vento Canale is very comforting, and there’s something decidedly old fashioned about how it smells. It’s a sepia toned aroma. And Elle and Catherine are right about Oiro, Mrach – and by default so am I… I’m wondering if your sample has warped – it’s a long way from skanky to me. A greeny gold delight. A veritable glitterball! Sheesh, was I purple prose last week or what!

      • March says:

        You’re right about VC — it’s old fashioned but, I don’t know, not stodgy — a hard line to walk. I think it’s delicious.

        And my sample could def. be off — in which case now I’m all primed for some crow eating. I will say it smells very much like a Mona di Orio, even if there’s something wrong with the skank level. I’ll retry it in NYC if not sooner.

      • Catherine says:

        Lee, I’ve been wanting to try that VC ever since helg reviewed it (I think she did–maybe I’m wrong). I love the notion of emitting the aura of a sepia-toned photograph. I shall have to find a sample despite March’s admiration–because I sure don’t want to cut out so many scents in the world!

        Your description of VC, Lee, actually brought to mind my trial of L’air de Rien. Sorry, March, but this one sings an aria on my skin. In the words of my husband: Pink, Big Pink–not hot pink, but soft bright pink–and Huge floral, but not a conventional floral, a strong woman. No barnyard whatsoever.

        Despite the fact that skin chemistry is mighty quirky, I’ll chime in… Maybe the sample went off. Still, it might be hard to try it again after that experience, especially when you smelled the Mona signature within. I’ve been struggling to retry Mitsouko parfum after getting a bad sample–but just cannot take the plunge and obtain another sample. I can still *smell* the mess overlaying all the beauty!

        • March says:

          Well, it’s definitely a possibility there’s something wrong with my sample. And if I were scrupulously fair (which I’m not) I’d have tried various samples. But think how much fun it will be reading later on while I say what an idiot I was!

          :d

    • March says:

      Yeah, but see — this is useful! There are FTs and EFTs out there for all of us, I think (not naming any names). So you can triangulate. From now on when I rave over something, you can cross it off. Or: if I loathe something, you can buy it unsniffed. :)>-

      • erin k. says:

        LOL “triangulate!” that’s exactly what i’ve been doing!

        from now on, i’m gonna see myself busily drawing complicated trig drawings and long algebraic calculations into my perfume notes! great image!

        8-x

  • tmp00 says:

    I might have to buy that Hermes unsniffed just because of that statement… 😕

    • erin k. says:

      yeah, right?!? i’m thinking, “must … sniff … NOW.”

      8-x

      • tmp00 says:

        the only way she could have lemminged me more is if she worked Joan Crawford in there…:))

        • March says:

          I didn’t catch even a *whiff* of Joan — and I’m warning you, I am not sure Eau is up to your skank requirements at your current semi-pro level.

      • March says:

        And don’t you find that hilarious? I mean, when I saw that quote, I thought, if I hadn’t sniffed it already it would vault to the top of my to-try list :”>

        • erin k. says:

          yeah, really. what’s wrong with us? :d

          i was recently very excitedly telling a friend about buying Bulgari Black, and i said, “it smells like burning tire plus hot asphalt plus vanilla!” and she said, “um … ok.” then i’m left trying to explain why that’s a GOOD thing, failing, and ending up with the lame “well, you really just have to smell it…”

          8-x

          • March says:

            Yeah, I love that. At least on here most of the time I’ve started leaving off “… in a GOOD way.” Good luck getting your friend into Black. :d

          • erin k. says:

            well, i got her into chanel no. 19, so at least she smells wonderfully classy now. i’ll work up to the skank…

            8-x

        • erin k. says:

          march, btw, i realize this is totally off-topic and totally late, but i just saw your post with a picture of your daughter Diva in a red dress, and i just had to say – she’s beautiful! you’re gonna have to start carrying around some blunt object to beat the boys off when you take her out anywhere! she even has gorgeous SKIN, i mean, who has perfect skin at that age? when i was that age, i looked very, very awkward. i’ve never seen your picture, but i guess she’s got wonderful genes! :d

          8-x

          • March says:

            Well … she’s beautiful, yeah. Also now she’s, uh, balanced out. She was at the park with the twins today (I am still sick) and they thought she was the au pair… she’s such a sweetie, though. Her skin has taken a hormone-related nosedive, I’m going to take her to a derm for some advice.

          • erin k. says:

            i dealt with hormonal skin when i was a teenager, too, but then it just didn’t quit, even with dermatological visits. if the doctor doesn’t help her, i highly recommend ordering paula’s choice products online – i know lots of people give testimonials for crappy products, but i swear this stuff works, and there’s tons of info on the site about what the ingredients really do, and what types of products works for which problems. i actually get compliments on my skin now, it’s completely clear for the first time since i was, like, 12. i hope the doctor will help, though, it can be fairly traumatizing for anyone, much less a teenager.

          • March says:

            Erin, a late thanks for your recommendation. She’s driving me crazy right now because I think part of the problem is she’s throwing, like, 15 products at it. And it’s very much along her hairline which makes me think oil … I want to take her to a derm in part to get an assessment of whether too much crap is making things worse, and also she picks (I know, TMI) which drives me insane. I worry about scarring. She gets it naturally, my husband had terrible skin when you just lived through it, and now has that very pockmarked skin, which looks ruggedly handsome on him but is not something I’m going to settle for on her 🙁

  • MarkDavid says:

    Having been in Grace Kelly’s handbag, I can attest to the validity of that statement. b-)

    Right on!

    Happy Monday!

    • March says:

      What were you doing in Grace’s bag?!?! Who/what else was in there? 😮

      • MarkDavid says:

        oh it was a party in there, let me tell you.

        I actually have been inside Grace Kelly’s handbag and Ive held her wedding dress as well. Im friends with the curator of the Costume Institute at the Philadelphia Museum of Art – they own them.

        However, the statement was made in jest, b/c I would need to have smelled Robert Mitchum’s Jock Strap in order to really attest to the validity. And, well…I, umm….I plead the fifth.

        Kidding. 😉

  • Molly says:

    Hi March,
    Great post!
    I love, love, love Indecence. I didn’t know it was discontinued though. Well I guess it’s a good thing I snatched my mom’s bottle!
    I don’t think I’ve smelled the original Organza.
    And speaking of Amarige, what do you think about it?
    Molly 🙂

    • March says:

      I think it was Scentzilla who penned those immortal words a couple years ago, about Amarige: Like being whomped over the head with a frying pan of gardenia. To which I’d add: seasoned with tuberose (a la my recent gardenia post). I admire it but I can’t imagine wearing it, it’s like Fracas (which I tried to wear for years) — very much not me. I’m not enough of a broad for those scents, or something.

      I am going to sniff Organza, for comparison purposes and just because some reviewers made it sound very pretty in an old-fashioned way.