The temperature dropped sharply in the last few days, which (naturally) sent me scurrying to the Big Cabinet o’ Perfume Curiosities – mine and Carolyn’s, situated in our rental’s “home office” – to see what I might enjoy in cooler weather. In no particular order, and with my usual nattering and asides:
Annick Goutal Nuit Etoilee – this seems to have disappeared online and I forgot to buy a bottle (I have a decant which is almost gone) and perfume panic ensues! Defcon 4 … 3 … 2 … and then I looked in the waaay back of my Goutal shelf and oh, yeah, there’s a bottle still in its sealed box. I mean, I could have more than one bottle of Nuit Etoilee back there; who knows? Launched in 2012, created by Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal, notes are mint, citron, orange, pine, fir, immortelle, angelica and Tonka bean; not to be confused with 2019’s forgettable fruity floral Étoile d’Une Nuit. I adore Nuit Etoilee although I don’t think it was a huge success. It’s like being in a forest, holding a fruit basket. It’s definitely a throwback to the more oddball, early AGs. Apologies if you get Pine-Sol and orange air freshener, and feel free to send me your unloved bottle, it can sit next to the gifted Mandragore rejects from perfume friends (another unappreciated fragrance!)
Cartier Les Heures XI – Perdue – So I looked and this is Mathilde Laurent’s 2015 concept fragrance involving all synthetics, no listed notes (not that I can find, anyhow), and online references to everything from vanillin and aldehydes to stale chocolate and rubber balloons. Luca Turin apparently loves/admires it. I got a hint of the sour smell of kefir, balloons, cardboard, something sweet (mimosa? Praline?) … have you tried this? My first serious scrubber in quite some time, it literally brought on a wave of nausea. While not smelling identifiably “bad” in some way I could hope to articulate, it’s very, very weird. I sprayed my wrist with rubbing alcohol and then marinated it in OxyClean Odor Blasters detergent (aka “the nuclear option”), hoping to remove even the faintest reminder. I’m pretty sure I got this in a big box of swaps. Do you love this stuff? I’d be happy to pass it on to someone in the U.S.
Narciso EDP (white cube) – as I wrote last time, I finally got my mitts on some at a more reasonable price. It showed up and it smells wonderful. (Launched in 2014, Aurélien Guichard, notes are gardenia, white rose, musk; cedar, vetiver.) It’s a creamy, floral musk, cuddly vs. groundbreaking. I waffled forever between this one and Poudree, which is still widely available and smells pretty darn similar to me, to be honest. Perfume life being what it is, I’ll probably wind up buying that as well.
images via Pexels
Nuit Etoilee! March, I love it. Thanks for the reminder. It’s perfect weather for it here in Sydney right now. Funny thing about Annick Goutal, on FragNet they still have some of those original pleated bottles for sale. I think they’re running out old stock.
I also have Cartier XI. It is strange but I also find it more-ish. It rarely gets a spritz but when it does I want it again next day. Weird right?
I’ve got an unopened NR Poudree cube, there might also be an opened one somewhere. Sat next to a woman wearing it at the symphony a couple of years ago and she smelled ravishing. I was inspired to purchase.
Portia x
I’ve been eyeballing those bottles! I need to revisit before they’re all gone, see if I have any “needs” to fill hahahahahahaha. Also, okay, so I do need the Poudree lol.
That Cartier sounds horrific! Latex? Who wants to smell like rubber condoms or murderers gloves? That’s what we called sterile latex gloves as student nurses. We were taught to put them on without touching the outside, to keep the side touching the patient sterile.
Maria Zappas Annabel’s Birthday Party has a balloon note….. Bleuch!
Yes, UGH. Also we go to a salt cave spa where they have you wear those blue shoe covers like at crime scenes, I call them murder booties 😀
This is hilarious as usual and I have to thank you for the tip on the odor blasters..
I notice you didn’t ask me to send you the Perdue!
Let’s send Perdue to Perdition! Sounds horrid! As for the AG Nuit Etoilee, I’m sorry not to have had the chance to try it. It sounds lovely and perfect for this time of year. Yay! You got your Narciso white cube. So glad you’re enjoying its floral cuddliness. Also good for chilly days.
This past Saturday I had a meet up with 2 scent friends from Makeupalley at Arielle Shoshanna in NoVa, and we were reminiscing about the old Art with Flowers meet ups. We sniffed many things. I love the Regime des Fleurs line the most.
I LOVE Regime! She just announced that a limited # of customers can get custom scents made … I’m sure it’s way out of my budget. I miss your meetups! Arielle Shoshanna, the old AwF (which was INCREDIBLE). I’m grateful to have a perfumista housemate though. A “scent free” housemate would have been a deal-breaker.
March! That description of Perdue made me laugh so hard I scared the dogs!
Who live down the street!!!
Hahahahahaha I’m so tempted to send it to you. But I will NOT. Hoping someone reaches out to me saying how much they love it.
I’ve sold my Nuit Etoilee some time ago when I tried to downsize my perfume collection. Now I regret it, of course…although I’ve made a decant for myself and I’ll be wearing it these days. Thanks for the reminder!
Here it’s cold as well and I long for cozy perfumes. I’ve been happily wearing Diptyque’s Tam Dao and SL Feminite du Bois.
Yeah, perfume sales regrets, I have a few … seemed like the right thing to do at the time? And ABSOLUTELY it’s time for FdB, gotta dig that up! Tam Dao is never as pretty on me as it is on others, IMO.
I cannot smell the Narcisos. Have no clue what note it is but the times I’ve tried it’s just … gentle laundry detergent?
Most Goutals are a no on me (except Hadrien) but I’m still sad I never bought a bottle of Eau de Fier. I wonder if it’s still to be had somewhere …
I went from not being able to smell the original NR at all to being almost hypernosmic to it. Sense of smell is weird. I’m assuming you can find Fier on the secondhand market if you set a search for it.
No, No, No……………..I haven’t tried any of them. I’m glad you got 2 out of 3!
I have been playing with samples, but putting on more than I usually do to get the full effect of the perfume.
PMC Ylang Ylang Nosy Be – very nice perfume with no staying power, so no.
NVC Eshal – like it but didn’t want it until I accidently put it on over some plumeria oil that I had put on earlier. Gorgeous with great silage! Will eventually get a decant and just wear it over plumeria oil.
Profumum Ichnusa – originally wrote this off as nice but………then I put a lot on and it’s fig and green and fresh and cool, perfect for warm weather. On the list for spring it goes.
Oh, I love those accidental moments of layering delight! I can see how it would totally work with plumeria. And for as much as I love fig I’ve not tried Ichnusa? Shame on me. Lemming created 😀
I just ran across my bottle of Nuit Etoilee this week as I was cleaning the perfume closet. I only liked the edp, the edt smelled like Lemon Pledge on me. Need to wear that again soon but it’s still pretty warm in SoCal. The only Cartier les Heures that I ever loved was VII L’Heure Perdue, the iris chocolate patchouli one. I have 3 bottles which should last me for the duration.
I’m glad your Narciso white cube worked out! I have a bottle I haven’t worn in eons. I should probably test it again. I’m doing a major purge to reduce the crazy number of bottles I own and can’t possibly wear in this lifetime.
My AG lemon pledge experience is Hadrian, which everyone else looooooves. Sud is my replacement. I did a major purge before moving cross country and there are still some things I am sorry I let go of.