Couvent des Minimes Eau des Mission Cologne is one of those bargain gems that I expect y’all to tell me about soonest.
It was only after a couple of begging e-mails for Surrender to Chance to stock it that I looked it up, found out it costs the perfume version of free (starts at $38 for 100 mls), got it, smelled it and fell in deep like and maybe love. It makes a compelling case for love because of the freaking price.
You can bath in this vanilla incense comfort stew if you want and not feel guilty. Heck they have a soap, if you prefer that route, but if you want to just dump it in your bath or put it in an industrial sprayer and spray it on your linens, well, why not?
Inspired by the journeys of the Franciscan missionaries (trying to figure out how this all fits together, but decided I don’t care), it has notes of vanilla, asiatica (gotu kola), myrrh, benjoin, Chinese camellia and cedar. Basically fabulous incense smothered in smoky vanilla. I can’t decide if I like it better as vanilla or incense, then decide I don’t care, it fits both. It’s not complex warmed vanilla incense, but I’m thinking it doesn’t need to be. Unlike some vanillas, t’s not too big on the waft it gives off. You won’t choke anyone in the office unless you dump the bottle on you
Les Couvent des Minimes Eau de Missions is a bargain gem of the very best kind – it smells great and costs almost nothing. Now, it’s not going to last all day, though the vanilla in it will linger quite long, but at this price, who cares? Just spray more on. As I was hitting my zenith of bitching about the high price and going higher perfume biz, running across Eau des Missions was like a breath of vanilla incensed air going into the holiday season.
So how many of you knew about this and didn’t tell me? I’ll do a giveaway of like five 3 ml sprays (it’s like perfume confetti!) Just drop a comment to be entered. I’ve got snow on the ground tonight here in Denver, and it’s dropping to like 20 degrees or less, so this little gem goes nicely with trying to stay warm and toasty. Anyone else getting caught in the early season Polar Vortex?
Ooo that sounds grand! I’d love to try it. Thanks!!! Keep warm. 🙂
Couvent des Minimes also has an amazing Eau de Cologne that I absolutely love – along with the shower gel, etc. Beautiful scents, great prices (and yes the hand cream is also amazing!)
I’ve been hearing some buzz about this as well, so definitely count me in. My vanilla/incense collection is woefully underrepresented at this point, and I looooove a good deal, so it’s a win-win all around. As far as the polar vortex goes, we managed to have a fantastic and mild Hallowe-en here before the snow hit, so you won’t find me complaining. At my latitude and altitude (Calgary region) it’s to be expected that there will be cold and snow in November.
Holy crap! Why didn’t know about this?? Vanilla AND incense? Yes, I’ll be wanting a bathtub full… Thanks for the draw, Patty!
Polar vortex is scheduled to arrive either late tonight or early tomorrow in the mountains of Virginia. However, I think I shall just hop over to StC and order me some vanilla-incense deliciousness now.
heard a lot about, never had a chance to sample and I’d love to
The polar vortex won’t be arriving here but we suffered through a miserably hot year. I have also seen this cologne pop up in the blogs recently and am definitely curious to try it. Vanilla and incense, lovely. Please enter me in the draw! Thanks, Patty. 🙂
Perfume conffetti is a great concept! This sounds great, I’m wondering how it compares to Goutal’s Vanille Exquise, which I love but find too simple for its price. (Not that it isn’t worth it, but I have other Goutal priorities.)
Incense coupled with vanilla sounds heavenly. $38 for 100 mls – it begs to be used as a perfume, home fragrance, air freshener, laundry rinse, and linen spray. I really appreciate this post, in light of the insanely prohibitive costs of many of the scents that make the rounds of perfume blogs. Perhaps a regular series of “bargain basement gems” is in order…..
Don’t enter me, please–I’m pretty sure there’s an Ulta somewhere between here and my sister’s house–but I’m happy to see this review. I know I’d seen the name Couvent des Minimes before, but assumed it was one of those expensive, not-available-outside-Europe brands that it’s better not to think about. Between Jennifer’s mention on another blog yesterday and this review, I’m now enlightened, and hope to jump on the bandwagon before the brand disappears/the perfume is reformulated/the price quadruples.
No snow here yet, it is unusually warm for November in this corner of the world. I would love to try this perfume, it sounds just perfect for damp, chilly and dark days of this month! This line is new to me. Thanks for the draw!
Incense *and* vanilla?!? Sounds perfect for a frosty day.
I would love to try this. I’m interested in the incense angle…there’s a glorious Catholic basilica right across from my office and I go walk around there sometimes, even though I’m Jewish, just to smell the place.
As for the polar vortex, it’s been here for two days. Sleet rattling against the metal screens in my window, turned to several inches of snow. Had to bust out the roof rake earlier today.
I didn’t know about this line but will be running to Ulta to find it. I love vanilla and incense so can’t wait to try this. I’d love to be entered in the draw. As to the vortex, well yesterday it was 77 and tonight it’s 38. Guess winter’s here!
The Polar Vortex arrived in Arkansas this morning; I am loving it and am hoping we get the snow they’re forecasting for this weekend!
I am trying to find a vanilla to love and this sounds intriguing. Nice to know there are still some nice fragrances with a reasonable price tag.
Thanks for a chance to win!
I would love to try this! I’m intrigued by all incense fragrences and when it’s connected with a monastery – heavenly!
Would love the chance to try this since we can’t get it in Canada! In terms of Polar Vortex…I’m up in Canada, so I suspect it’s probably colder here most of the year anyway!
Hope you’re staying warm!
The polar vortex hit here in Missouri yesterday. I went to work at 8 PM and it was about 70 degrees outside. When I was done at 11 PM it was below freezing. I hate it! A cozy perfume is perfect for this weather. Thanks for the draw!
I’d love to try this..thanks! Also, has anyone else tried One by Smell Bent? I haven’t had a lot of luck with the other stuff of theirs that I’ve tried but I’m in love with this one…it kinda smells a bit like cinnamon toast to my nose and later the paper note comes in. And their stuff is practically free it’s so cheap! Highly recommended.
I have 2 little travel sprays of One. It is a very nice dry vanilla. The rare not too sweet vailla – definitely recommended.
Oh man, I’d love to try this!! It’s getting colder by the second here and I need something blanket-y to warm me up!! The price makes me feel warmer already.
Wow, this sounds lovely and practically free. I’ll have to see if I can find it at my Ulta. Polar vortex is on its way here, and I’m worried for my plants (it took out my whole bed of lavender last time) and my heating bills! Could really use a cheap thrill.
I originally heard about this one on YouTube. I have heard it is similar to the Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille, which costs significantly more! I am really wanting to try this one and cannot find it at any of the stores in my area. I was going to blind buy online for 20% off but the site I was shopping was sold out of them. I am hoping to also get the soap as well. I am such a vanilla and incense lover so I cannot imagine not loving this one! Cheers!
I did smell this in Ulta a few months ago. If I didn’t have so many vanilla frags already, I probably would have gotten it. Would love a chance at a sample to see if I should just go ahead and get it. Thanks for the draw.
They have it on Amazon too. Love it! I want to try the soap too.
Oh, that one is on my way-too-long wishlist. Just added it a couple of weeks ago, I think. Right now I’m slightly obsessed with the idea of finding a saffron perfume in time for Lucia Day, but no matter what scents I’m looking for at the moment I always return to vanilla in all its forms. Especially now that the dark, damp and chilly season has begun. Warm socks on the feet, hot cocoa in the hands, a purring cat in the lap, a blanket over the shoulders, vanilla on the skin.
But rain and last weeks colder weather aside, over here in southern Sweden, people talk more about how warm it is for mid-November right now. We got meteorological autumn just the other day or something.
I am glad to know that I am not the only one with a crazy-long wishlist! Now if only my budget allowed for me to buy everything I want…
Sounds lovely. I am also in snownado and polar vortex territory.
Wow that sounds lovely – scent wise and pocket wise. I’d love to give it a try! hehe on a sidenote, my hubby just flew to Denver for work yesterday and sent me a picture of his rental car dusted in snow. It’s getting to be that time I guess…
I had seen this mentioned on MUA wishlists but the name was too long for me to remember long enough to look it up . I’d love to try it ! Perfume confetti – woop !!
I would be very curious to try this one – thank you for the draw! As for the polar vortex, I’m basically shutting my eyes and ears and pretending that good ol’ New England winter will never come…
I’d love to try this! Heard so much about it and it’s definitely getting to be the right weather for it here…
I am dying to see if this one lives up to the hype.
I really enjoy this line of fragrances, their Cologne of Love is my favorite sweet, orange blossom, not quite Love by Kilian, but it does the job for a whole lot less moolah. On Sunday it was so warm we were outside with out jackets, now it’s 20 degrees with 20 mph winds, snow and freezing rain coming soon, I’m perfectly happy to stay inside with some hot tea and cozy scents but feel for those who have to drive and work in this weather.
This stuff sounds delightful, I’m in the market for a new vanilla. The vortex is expected later this week and I’m prepared for it – not happy but prepared.
Sorry that the Vortex is hitting so early in the season! I’m sure vanilla helps, and I like vanilla even in our spring weather.
The vortex is heading my way I’m sure but I don’t think we get it until later in the week. Today should still be pleasant enough for me to rake leaves when I get home. I need to find some of this after seeing the comment that it smells like SDV. I’d much rather have this at a fraction of the cost. This might be my next blind buy.
Vanilla is fairly unexplored territory for me. A vanilla-incense sounds kinda dreamy. I would love to sample this one.
Still rather pleasant in my part of the globe, but the Winter is nevertheless approaching…on the other hand there is little chance that I will find this scent in my part of the globe… and yes, I’d like to try it. I like vanilla for the Winter. Thanks for the draw!
We had a temperate sunny day here in NYC, but the news talks of nothing but the coming polar vortex. Did anyone ever hear this term before last year??? Thanks for the opportunity to try this perfume.
I like the Couvent des Minimes products. I enjoy the Honey and Shea Butter Bath Gel a lot. It smells nice and leaves the skin soft. I’ve also used their lavender products. They used to be carried by Bath & Body Works but are now at Ulta.
It would probably be polite for me not to mention that I’m in California and therefore out of the polar vortex. Yes, better not say anything.
Ooh! intriguing. My budget has been tight recently, so a bargain might fulfill some of my perfume cravings without wrecking the budget – and of course, I love vanilla and incense.
It is a bit chilly in the Southwest US today without much sun. It’s a good day for a fresh, cheery spritz of an eau de Cologne. They are such happy scents.
Couvent des Minimes has wonderful hand creams with shea butter. They are great for dry skin in the winter. Stay warm!
This sounds pretty perfect for winter! We are actually having a couple above freezing days which are very nice, but we did have our first “wintry mix” this past weekend. I hope I love this, because I definitely like the pricepoint 🙂
No need to enter me in the draw. I just picked up a bottle at Ulta over the weekend. I had been seeing it mentioned around recently, and I was intrigued. Some people say it is similar to Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille. I haven’t smelled SDV, so I can’t say how accurate that is. On me it was more tobacco-y than incense, and it reminded me of TF Tobacco Vanille in a lighter form. I get good longevity out of EdM too, so it’s well worth my $38. They also had another called Eau Aimable that I really liked. It’s a pretty orange blossom for the same price. I may go back and get that one too eventually.
You got me curious so I looked it up. It’s made in a convent in France and this is their botanical cologne. I definitely want to try this!
PS I thought for the price it would be all synthetic and the opposite is true. What a lovely surprise.
I’m in Chicagoland so expecting the Vortex by the end of the week. No worries tho–I’ve already ordered my ski pants, gloves, face masks and warm undies from Amazon and picked up a knee length Marmot down jacket from TJ Maxx this past weekend. Unlike last year, I am prepared! 🙂 As far as parfume goes, I love vanilla and incense. Casmir was a fav when I was in high school and I love frankescense in any parfume or soap. Please enter me in the drawing as I’d love to try this lovely sounding (and sanely priced) scent treat!
Pretty sure I need this in my life! Oh, and the temp in the KC area dropped over 30 degrees in two hours this evening, so I feel your polar vortex pain.
I’m in Columbia, MO and had the same experience. UGH!
There’s no likelihood of a polar vortex in my part of the world, but I’d still love to try Les Couvent des Minimes Eau de Missions. It’s not an easy one to find in bricks-and-mortar retail outlets.