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.
