Happy April.  Our weather is still very much a study in contrasts — much colder than usual, with sunshine and flurries.  I’ve been jokingly calling it “spinter.”  I suspect this is one of the years we will bypass spring in D.C. and go directly to summer.  I’ll walk out the door in my Polarfleece jacket one fine morning later this month and it will be 83 degrees.

In the spirit of the changeable weather, here’s a candy samples post on fragrances with sharp contrasts: old version vs. new (the first); top vs. bottom (second) and expectation vs. reality (third.)

Coty Emeraude – has there been any fragrance house more bastardized and debased than Coty? I did a quick sniff of Emeraude at CVS at Christmas, just to refresh my memory. It smells like Pine-Sol and Glade Powder Fresh. It´s ghastly.  Its cologne formula manages through some sort of perverted alchemy to be both screechingly strong and one-dimensionally thin at the same time. Which is why sniffing a vintage bottle of the parfum (yes, dolls, apparently at one time Emeraude actually came in parfum), I´m guessing from the 1960s based on the packaging, brought tears to my eyes. Emeraude used to be lovely – soft and warm and alluring. On my wrist it smells vaguely like Shalimar, only with less tension between aggressive citrus and cloying vanilla, a Shalimar I could actually embrace. Browsing the comments on various fragrance sites, I can see this is hardly my original idea — the gist of several comments is, Shalimar, only softer. I was surprised, though - given the modern, sharp iteration I expected the vintage to smell more aggressive, perhaps a green chypre. Given how long Emeraude´s been around (since 1921) fans of vintage fragrances and soft classic Guerlains might want to scare some up – you can find it online from vintage dealers and eBay pretty cheap.

Gianni Versace – another lost masterpiece? From the drecky, trashy house of Versace? Seriously? (Although I´m very fond of the Dreamer.) Fragrantica calls it a floral chypre, launched in 1981, notes are aldehydes, spices, bergamot, carnation, tuberose, gardenia, orris, jasmine, muguet, narcissus, benzoin, leather, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, oakmoss, incense, myrrh. It shows up periodically on eBay for $75 – $100 a bottle. I didn´t like the top at all – sweet big-hair 80s floral, plus maybe the top notes are off a bit (I´m pretty sure these are old bottles.) But the bottom? An almost unimaginable transition to an exquisite focus on the last half of that list of notes. The narcissus, benzoin, leather, oakmoss and incense are dominant, creating a drydown reminiscent of: the burnt-candy edges of Bal a Versailles; the almost acrid leather of vintage Femme; and the dusky strangeness of Guerlain Vol de Nuit. Um, yeah, I mean that as a compliment. I´m warning you though, for fifteen minutes I kept thinking, why did this dear, wonderful person who knows my tastes send this to me? The answer was worth waiting for.

Schiaparelli Shocking (vintage parfum). This was humorous. The same benefactress who gifted me with this (and some other astonishing things) also sent Santa Maria Novella´s Cuba, which has That Honey Note. I love honey in fragrance, but it´s tricky – depending on the nose, the skin, the lunar cycle, I have no idea what, you can get honey´s less optimal aspects – specifically, urine (see Serge Lutens’ Miel de Bois) or that male essence I won´t type in right here to spare you from seeing the word sperm again in one of my posts (oops!). Both Lee and I were visited by the latter when we tried Cuba in London (and for more honey posts, see Satan´s Beehive and Doctor Strangebuzz). Anyway, X stated in her note that she had both Cuba and Shocking on at the same time and coincidentally noticed some similarities. And there you have it. Schiaparelli Shocking, which I´d never smelled, is shocking to me because based on the name I´d have expected something ballsier. It is a fairly straightforward, rich, vintage honey smell on me – fortunately, without the gamey bits. We´re also supposed to have rose, jasmine, cloves and civet, but after we get past the (mostly gone) aldehydes and citrus at the top, I´m smelling delicious honey. Sign me up.

March

I promised to report in on the Seda France Belgian Marigold candle.  Their description “The bright, sunny yellow hue of the Calendula flower was the inspiration for this crisp creation. Piquant citrus notes of bitter orange and tangerine are combined with rich West Indian bay leaf, followed by lavish layers of robust applewood and cinnamon bark, ripe peach, and the spicy bite of nutmeg, clove, curry spice and a subtle dash of vanilla musk.”

If you’re looking for a lot of pungent marigold smell, you’ll need to keep going.  This just isn’t that. I get a hit of it from time to time, but it’s much more a spicy fruity orange candle.  That makes it no less great, but definitely not marigold dominant. Disappointing to be sure. The throw isn’t the best throw of the Seda candles, but it is decent.

Also smelled that new Perry Ellis Women’s perfume.  I’m not finding any notes listed for it, but it starts off all citrusy and crisp with a pretty floral heart peaking through.  It’s a really nice, simple, cute bottle.  The scents leans a little too far over into that “fresh feeling” scent early on, but once that vamooses, it’s very nice and subtle.  $65 for 3.5 oz makes it one of the more reasonable entries in perfumeville, and I’m guessing there will be a much more decent price point for it once it hits discounters.  It’s certainly easy to wear, not loud in the least and would be a great scent for the office or anywhere you want something pretty, quiet and feminine.

I have to also share one of my favorite beauty blogs, KarlaSugar. She does almost nothing but swatching.  This girl has got to have amazing arms that takes the kind of swatching and scrubbing she puts hers through.  I aways go check there for a new listick or eyeshadow collection because she will have the whole darn thing swatched on her arm.

So share one of your favorite blogs with us!  It can be beauty or maybe some other special interest you have.  I”m always looking for unusual and fun blogs to add to my rounds.

Patty

Unfinished business — first off, anyone with comments/issues since our WordPress upgrade last week, please go comment on the “Blog Quirks” post before this one.  I wasn’t expecting all the random kind words from everyone, and thanks.  We put a lot of effort into this blog, and it’s nice to know it’s appreciated.  For people who are now frantically emailing because you can’t comment at all — we’ve checked in various browsers, and I’m hiring someone to look into it.   Have you updated your browser recently?  Also Firefox seems to work better than IE.  Mac users seem to be having more problems.  And that annoying Wal-Mart ad is not ours, don’t know what’s up with that.  Although they invite you to “roll over for a deeper experience,” and I’m not even going to comment on that except it was my laugh of the day.  Maybe they are targeting the right blog.

Okay, the review.  I don’t even know where half my samples come from anymore, and thanks to whoever gave me the samples of the two new Bois 1920 scents at LuckyScent.  I had no idea what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised.

Bois 1920 Come la Luna – Sicilian mandarin, Sicilian sweet orange, rose wood, pink pepper, coriander, Indonesian patchouli, cedar, amber, incense. The LuckyScent blurb is all about ambery luminosity and comfort with “a seductive thrum,” but the first ten minutes are pretty much all thrum on me. A delightfully sweaty scent that develops into an amber with enough citrus it doesn´t do that nauseating embalmed-fly thing on my skin, which is my general reaction to sweet amber scents like Ambre Narguile. Assuming you rode out the first few minutes in the privacy of your own home, I agree with the Lucky blurb that this would be a work-safe scent that isn´t boring and could carry you into the evening. Also, remember, I am the musk magnifier. I´d put this somewhere between the saucy Courtesan and Party in Manhattan on the skank scale.  Lasted all day.

Bois 1920 Vento di Fiori – Sicilian lemon, cardamom, tarragon, jasmine, galbanum, patchouli, amber, oak moss, musk, Siberian birch. Lucky touts this as a “classic chypre” with some green notes and “the hushed feel of an isolated forest.” A sublime, strange scent that has me pondering vintage samples of things like Ma Griffe or Vent Vert. Herbacous in the extreme at the opening, the tarragon and galbanum combine to form an echo of the distinctly medicinal smell of artemisia. As it dries down it becomes somewhat more classic-feeling in composition while never losing its pungent, attractive oddity. I personally struggle with the leather/galbanum combination of some classic scents like Bandit and Cabochard. I wouldn´t describe this as lighter, exactly, but it´s less challenging, at least for me, and less animalic. I think this would be very much enjoyed by classic-style perfumery fans, particularly those who enjoy green notes. I happened upon a small vial of vintage Ma Griffe just last week, and it´s achingly clear to me, several decades after the creation of many of these scents, what has been lost.

Finally, I wanted to mention that Art with Flowers has Floris Malmaison in stock, which stunned me.  Bill didn’t seem to think it was that big a deal, it showed up in his last shipment.  It shows up periodically online (it’s backordered right now at Luscious, but on another discounter.)  I’m thrilled, especially since I thought someone mentioned it’s been discontinued; I can’t find it on their site, anyway.  So.  Good news for the carnation-loving world.   If you are a fan of carnation, you really need to try Malmaison at some point, it’s probably my favorite, with CdG Carnation and Lorenzo Villoresi Garofano close behind (although you can never really have too much carnation.)  Now if only Floris would stick some Summer Limes in the next shipment…

image, luckyscent

March

Okay, as y’all have figured out, we finally upgraded our WordPress after like two years, and we won’t do that again (I think it will automatically update now.)

I know we lost the emoticons and folks seem to have gotten really attached to those, so I’ll work on getting those back.

Is anyone else having any problems/issues with the new format?  I feel like the threads are a little less obvious than they were; the color scheme is different.  And didn’t they used to be boxed?  Is this an issue for anyone?

Also I think someone mentioned they stay logged in now, which is nice … I’m always logged in anyway when I comment.  Have you noticed a difference?  I assume the commenter meant you don’t have to type your personal info in?

Does anyone want gravatars, like NST has?  Gravatars are fun but they take up room in the comments, I can’t say I missed them when we switched to WordPress.

We may hire someone to do a little cleanup, so if you have questions/gripes/issues, dump them in here.

March

I’ve streamlined. I now have under 70 bottles of ‘fume. I tell ya: minor miracle, dudes. And you know what’s crazy about even this low number for a (former?) addict? Most of those bottles are at least half-full.

There are three that run the risk of running out. Let me tell you about them pretty damn promptly.

Number 3 at risk is Terre d’Hermes. I haven’t worn Mr Grapefruit Mineral since last September as he only seems to flourish in hot weather, but along with number 2 at risk, he’s a mainstream men’s scent that I could happily mainline, and one of those few new releases of the past five years where the hype delivered. I tend to test scents as much as use them up or wear them out (you disco bunnies reading will now understand the title of this post); this one has got worn, and worn again.

As has Number 2 at risk: Dior Homme. I’m not one, generally, for overpowering sillage. But I’m guessing that everybody linked me with this smell in my last job, the amount of Mr Wears a Grey Suit in the Week and Lippie at Weekends I’d spray on in the morning. I was hooked into the baby for months. Now, we’re on a break, but Matt’s taken up the iris and handbag mantle quite happily. And I have a back up bottle of this one – the only frag for which I do – kindly supplied by the flower loving Bryan.

Finally, Number 1 at risk can’t be treated in the same flippant way. I’m its devotee. It’s Serge Lutens’ Encens et Lavande. Pure, simple, and an exceptionally introverted and contemplative scent, it smells of both the best of the outdoors and the internal world. I tend to be drawn, typically, to warm scents, but this is cool and green and grey and purple. It’s shadows and silences, candles spluttering out, the flicker of a final light, a stark interior space where shadows of the real dance momentarily on the wall. If I had just one scent, it would be this. And I’m almost out. I need more.

Tell me your three at risk of running out scents, and why you tend to use it up and wear it out.

And now, for a hellacious earworm moment:

(I always preferred ‘Native New Yorker’, myself, even if it was used in The Stud. Go youtube that for a moment of unadulterated cringing.)

Lee