by Tom
It rained overnight in LA, but this Sunday was clear, cool and windy. So I wandered around sniffing things. These weren’t full-on tests: I didn’t live with them or gave them more than one (moderately) discrete spray or dab so I’m calling these impressions rather than full-on reviews.
I started at Neiman Marcus, where there was the new Annick Goutal, Le Mimosa. I didn’t get a whole lot of mimosa in there until perhaps the end. I got a lot of peach which I normally don’t care for and a fair bit of musk which, for which I do. It’s also a sillage monster, which is surprising for a Goutal. What isn’t surprising is that it’s fairly fleeting, maybe 2 hours before getting to the slightly musky mimosa at the end. At that point I like it a lot more. $80 for 50ML, at Neiman’s, where I sampled it.
Then off to Saks where I saw Guerlain Mayotte, which I hadn’t tried. Apparenly this was called Mahora back in the day. The Saks website reads “limited edition” in big red letters and admonishes that one can only order 6 in a 30 day period. Which begs the question, who would need a big gulp of this every month? Testing it I had the answer: anyone who would want to maintain it’s wholly wonderful, full throated ylang-ylangy ode to the islands. I think some people would think of it as rather old-lady with its jasmine, vetiver, tuberose and sandalwood. The opening makes me want to let loose my inner Dorothy Lamour. The drydown calms down quite a lot, but I discreetly dabbed. I might have to make a trip back and be a little less discreet; it may be my birthday present to myself. $235 for 4.2 oz at Saks, where I dabbed.
Barney’s had pretty much nothing to report, so it was off to ScentBar. The big news there is that they will be carrying Illuminum White Gardenia Petals, which everyone is so hot about since Kate Middleton wore it on her wedding day to the future King of England. They had a small tester so I sniffed. I got an opening of (very much unlisted) green apples followed by very light white flowers. $140 for 50ML at LuckyScent, where I sampled, and who carries Goutal’s frankly more interesting Gardenia Passion at $60 for 50ML.
Perfume Love for Everyone!
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by Tom
LOL, Tom, I was so enthralled by the mental image of you unleashing your inner Dorothy Lamour at your birthday party with Mayotte that I almost did not make it to the part about AG Gardenia Passion being sold for only $60 dollars. Must check it out, as well as Mayotte and Champs Elysees. Lord knows we need hot weather scents here in the soon to be steamy for months on end DC area.
Ooof, that’s an image I don’t want to explore. I’m seeing Ed Asner in a fuschia sarong, mink eyelashes and Tangee lipstick (shudder)
I still can’t remember what Mayotte smells like. :”> Although I’d love to be back there finding out…
I’ve never smelled it that I know. Might have to buy unsniffed depending how much it is on Broadway. If it’s just too sarongy I’ll pass it on to the Godchild to rock. Or her Mom.
Sigh….I can tell I’m officially Middle-Aged because even the prospect of such an amazing place as Scent Bar doesn’t tempt me to want to drive a mere 40 miles up the 405.
My twentysomething self would have made the trip weekly, and hit The Pantry or Apple Pan while she was out there.
The 405 is not for the faint of heart.
xo >-)
Especially since they’re going to close it in Brentwood for a weekend in July..
Oh, the Apple Pan! I miss that too. And the Santa Monica Wednesday farmer’s market.
I miss LA so much; I miss Roscoe’s (the Gower one – all others need not apply). I miss Cora’s Coffee Shop. I miss Santa Monica Farms watermelon juice….I miss….I miss…I miss LA.
Thank Floyd Scent Bar wasn’t there when I was, else I would’ve …..:(( March and I were discussing that, were we to live in LA, the good girls and boys at Scent Bar would prolly have us locked up for trespassing, with us climbing over the counters like :(|) :(|) and rolling around in scent like cats in catnip…..a scary thought..
xoxo >-)
Too funny! I think there are a number of us who would be either locked up or stone-cold broke and in the poorhouse if we lived nearby.
We’d all be sharing a cardboard box in the alley behind the place, but we’d smell great!
Amen, Tom!!
While I’m happy to live in Dallas rather than LA, i do envy your acess to ScentBar. I’ve been anxious to try the White Gardenia Petals – not because of the wedding thing, but because I truly love soft white florals. I’m haunting Luckyscent’s site, waiting for samples to become available. I hate that it’s the “now” scent because of the wedding, but i still want to try it…can I help it if i have royal tastes?
Hi Maggiecat, you and me both!! I keep compulsively checking the site, too, just in case they put them up early. :)
I think they’re having trouble getting it. Demand is really high. If you like soft white florals you will be very happy with this.
Tom, you should be able to find Mahora available very affordably, on line or in a local perfume shop. I found mine at the perfume kiosk in my local mall for only $35. It is delicious in the hot weather.
Seconding this! Our favorite auction site has loads of it very inexpensively. I’ve tried Mayotte and Mahora side by side (arm by arm) and they are identical. I’m glad to see it getting some love as I’m a big fan.
Also, a good mimosa is Guerlain’s Champs Elysees – also available quite inexpensively. I especially appreciate the older version, which is evident by the packaging.
I’m going to go look for it. Thanks!
Hi, Tom, you lucky dog, you, with so many great places to sniff! I eagerly tried the Mimosa when it first came out and — whew! — I got a wallop of cumin out of it, so put it down quickly. A couple of other Posse-ites have also gotten cumin from it as well.
Am really looking to trying the Illuminum. Your mention of green apples intrigues me. I’ve read comparisons to White Linen, Creed Spring Flower and even Gucci Rush, so it’ll be interesting to finally get to smell it later this month. Thanks!
re: the cumin in Mimosa. I’m glad to know that other people got cumin in this one; I wondered if my nose was broken! I got a combination of sweat with old crayons from this one. No clue how crayons got in there.
Hey, Leslie! So that’s what I was smelling with the cumin — crayons!! Who’da thunk it? :)
I know! I’m pretty sure that left ‘crayons’ off the list of notes… :D
On me the cumin isn’t really discernible per se, it just comes across as, er, human>/i>
sorry about the bad html
I would fix it but I suck at html. sowwy! :”>
xo >-)