Separate from my sudden, shocking (to me) ardent love affair with big white florals and “beautiful” perfumes in general, we’re in a White Flower Moment in perfumery. Tuberose, jasmine and gardenia must be the new pink pepper. I’m loving L’Artisan’s Nuit de Tubereuse, as well as the heady florals of Amaranthine, Chloe (old school!), VC&A Gardenia Petale, Penhaligon’s Gardenia, and no doubt others I’ve forgotten. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can bust some of them out on a 93-degree day, when they’re really amazing.
So I was thrilled to finally get my hands on Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse 3 L’Animale, the one of the Histoires trio that I thought I’d like the most, based on the notes and early reviews. From Beautycafe: “A floral and tobacco leather scent that opens with a bath of fresh kumquat and neroli and leads into a strong combination of plum, herbs and dry grasses. Blond tobacco and immortelle flower leave intense base notes that linger.” I’d already read enough opinions elsewhere to be expecting more of a cuddly, honey-tobacco-hay comfort scent than a tuberose soliflore, and I love immortelle. Granted, it’s not cashmere-sweater season, but I’m always ready to discover a scent I imagine would fall somewhere in the neighborhood of Amaranthine, Lolita Lempicka L and VC&A Lys Carmin in terms of comfort.
Tubereuse 3 L’Animale opens on a powerful note of … whoa, seriously? Y’all are funnin’ me, right? It’s an indistinct, powdery, musky, sunbaked-vintage aroma that any of us who’ve smelled a lot of vintage perfumes are familiar with. Imagine a bottle of Habanita that sat on your Aunt Edna’s dresser next to the radiator for the last forty years. It smells old. It smells powdery and musty and sour; back in the day it might have been Replique or Mitsouko or Chypre or God’s Gift to All Mankind, only now it smells like you talcum-powdered the back end of an elderly, incontinent housecat. And not in a good way, either.
Patty was actually the generous source of this sample (and isn’t she pleased right this second that she sent it to me?) I was getting ready to email her the first time I tried it to ask if maybe she’d mislabeled some precious, nasty, ancient Guerlain that I’m now ignorantly disrespecting – Ma Entrecuisse, perhaps? – only then the immortelle showed up, so I’m sure she sent me the right thing. It’s not really Mr. Yuck territory. Instead I dug up (so to speak) my old friend Bill the Cat. If you sprayed him with Annick Goutal Sables and then left him in the sun to ripen for the afternoon, he’d probably smell like this thing. Perfume-wise the closest thing I can compare it to is that retch-inducing skank machine from Miller Harris that smells like Jane Birkin dropped her bag in the hog pen. Only, you know, in this case with plenty of immortelle.
So. EPIC FAIL. But really, in its own way, completely enjoyable. It made me laugh. I have no idea why it’s such a trainwreck on my skin compared to everyone else’s, but hey – good news! At least you’re not sitting here with a new lemming! Unless you use me as a reverse indicator. And now I can go back to enjoying my vintage Chamade.
Bill the Cat images: Bloom County. That first one has nothing to do with this post but, having seen it, how could I resist?
I love Tubereuse 3 and I am not able to sense the cat business that your are speaking of. hmm I wonder what this is all about!! I totally agree with Kenny; either you love immortelle or you hate it.
I think either you love or hate immortelle. I love it, and love Tubereuse 3 L’Animale. I get no cat piss or skank of any kind. It’s sweet like Sables. Any one who likes Sables with love this stuff too.
Bwahahaha! I know we all have different scent experiences, but… the hind end of a cat, powdered? Really??? Wowza. :(|) Oh well. It’s good that everybody likes something different.
This was my cashmere sweater scent (or long-sleeved silk thermal undershirt, if you prefer) back in January and February — along with Mona di Orio Jabu.
Love.
And I can’t wait to pull it out again when it gets chilly. It’s definitely a maple-sugar tube that might be made for a woman, but I like it too. Thanks for the entertaining review.
And for what it’s worth, I gagged on Rien when I first sampled it and I’m hard-pressed to see a connection here, but whatever works for you. Actually, after I had promised to send it on, I was packing it up and decided to smell it one last time and started feeling sad that I was sending it away because I thought, “hmm, this freakshow might have the ability to grow on me because it’s not really that bad.”
Yeah, Joe, my first reaction was “GET IT OFF!!!!!!” Now I can’t get enough of it. Book…top notes…you know what I’m saying…
I REALLY pulled the funk out in this one. As I said up there somewhere, I swear it must be a particular type of musk or something. It’s a quite specific peat/barnyard smell on me. I’ve only had it happen a couple times. And I’m pleased four people chimed in to say they had the same experience with Rien (and a couple with this thing.)
How’d you end up feeling about that Rien, did you mail it?
Oh yeah, I mailed it. I have enough things competing for my attention that I didn’t need to weasel out of a promised swap just so I could convince myself to like some stinky thing.
first, thank you for the bill the cat fix.
second, thank you for “ma entrecuisse.” the funniest, on-target name i’ve seen in a long time. l’eau d’entrecuisse sounds good, too.
third, thanks for popping the balloon on this one. not that it was that big a balloon, since everything i’ve smelled from this house seems unfinished and messy to me (and that would include the entire sampler set pre-tubereuse).
Hee! I feel like I should mail you something! I translated that using some cheesy online translator, not even sure if it’s the right word, it’s supposed to be “crotch.” (How would I know? Could be anything.)
nah, the translation is funny and accurate in that oh-so-precise-and-colorful way the french have with words. it translates to “between the thighs.” if that’s not between the thighs, i don’t know what is!
and having consulted google, i find that there was armour called “cuisse” that was designed to protect the upper thigh.
ooh, and a woman who is “too fond” (ahem) of men is said to “avoir la cuisse gaie.” she is, therefore, “une cuisse legere.” so, thanks to the french, we now know that a fondly used cuisse is a happy cuisse. 😉
and of course all this means that there can be the flanker: entrecuisse legere.
Sorry I’m late, but I have to say the Breathed illustration made my day! I still have a copy of that very strip and for posterity I will give the lead up to that classic last frame:
They’re all sitting around a computer….
Opus – Hey! How do you know if a woman has been working at a computer?
Cockroach – How?
Opus – There’s White Out on the screen!!
Lots of laughter….
Woman (sorry I cannot remember her name) – You dumb hypocrites! *arms folded across chest, she lectures them*
You mock the half of humanity that makes your graceless existence bearable. Men should pause for one moment and take another long, hard look at the very thing that brings meaning to their meaningless lives.
*she stalks away*
And then that priceless last picture!
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I had no idea what they were doing, or why, and that’s perfect!
Love this post and the pictures are perfect. While cleaning out our basement I found a stuffed Opus that I had in university and gave it to my son. He’s thrilled. Might wait a few years before introducing the cartoon though 😉
I agree with Olfacta, the occasional bad review is quite refreshing. Part of what makes this scent adventure so interesting is how differently each person interpretes the same perfume.
Would be fun to have a Posse Confessional where we admitted in front of God and fellow perfume lovers that there are some generally beloved scents that we, well, really hate. I have a few head scratchers. Someone mentioned spraying Sienne L’Hiver on their sheets. On me this highly recommended scent is rotting wood and celery vomit. Who knew?? 🙂
I did one of those True Confessions posts once (maybe more than once) where people fess up to the beloved scents they hate. It was hilarious. But I thought it was a nice gesture to the newbies/delurkers on here who apologize for not loving Serge Lutens’ latest gift or what have you.
I think your description of Sienne l’Hiver is spot on.
Thanks for the awesome in offfice LOL!!!
I have a samp of Rien somewhere that I will hunt around for when I get home to see what’s what. I am loving my NdT samp and ordered a 5ml decant to see if I need the whole shebang (and I scored a bottle of Amarathine on the Bay for a SONG!!!)
You’re welcome. And ordering a sample and then a decant is a nice way to save yourself some $ and some heartbreak. I don’t work my way through a decant all that often.
‘only now it smells like you talcum-powdered the back end of an elderly, incontinent housecat. And not in a good way, either.’
Oh thank you for that, March! Although laughing hurts physically due to a trip to the ER this weekend, that line was a great boost to the spirit! :d
Never tried Rien or TdN because they both sound fearsome, but I’m now eager to try L’Animale to find out where I stand on the powdered cat butt/rainbows and fuzzy kittehs divide.
Two quick stories about Bloom County: Opus was the cake topper at my wedding all those many years ago, and a bedraggled reindeer antlered Opus is our Christmas tree topper. Yes, we are fans. So much so that back in the day I asked Berke Breathed to sign one of his books which would be my brother’s Christmas present. You know that dream where you say something completely stupid to someone you admire? Well, my remark to Mr. Breathed: “My brother will be so happy to get something besides another sweater this year.” 😮
So sorry about the ER trip, but I’m glad I made you laugh! (Did you break a rib?) And my guess is L’Animale will be kitteh on you as it is on most folks. Have zero idea how I do what I do….
Your stories are so great! I’ve just decided that our wack Christmas tree is getting an Opus ornament this year. And your story made me laugh — yeah, BB must have been REALLY wowed by that comment!! /:) He probably told somebody and laughed too!
Loved the post and needed the humor badly today. I have a built-in “ack!” response to virtually all things tuberose so was in no danger of a lemming here, but I enjoy reading everyone’s responses and seeing how different we are. isn’t it funny that when “other people” know you like perfume, they think you like ALL perfume, not appreciating how some scents (usually the ones they give you for Christmas) absolutely repel you?
Well, this isn’t tuberose at all, hon! Just powdered cat butt with a side of syrup! Dig in!!! 🙂
Nobody even dares try to give me random perfume, although I let them buy me requested things sometimes.
Or even “Ack-Oop”!
Or “pppffffffffffft.”
I’m right there with you on the tuberose/gardenia, but white floral kick lately. Amaranthine is a favourite, and OJ Tiare, and I just bought Fracas.
The old school Chloe was my first perfume as a girl! I miss it. Amoureuse gives me the same feeling.
Shlowey!!! I have a vintage-ish bottle of Chloe (srsly, who designed that and thought it looked good?) and it makes me smile. Fracas I adore in theory but she is Too Much Woman for me. I love her on men, though!
I am hoping you will come to love Fracas – the Wearing Of sometime. It really is lovely to wear, esp once it settles down a notch or twelve. The first couple of minutes are terrifying, I admit. Sometimes I just use the body powder, which lasts a full 12 hours…and that gets noses quivering in a good way. Powder plus spray takes it beyond a nice nose-quiver into ‘WTH IS that?’.
xo >-)
I had a bottle for ages (sometimes i’m sorry I gave it away.) But even *walking* through the spray was Too Much, and the Cheese was not at all fond. I do admit I liked the smell of it in the air of my closet, though.
How’s the gel?
^:)^
smoochifyin’ly terrific!
that’s a bedtime wonder, baby! Perfect for a fat ol’ gal still tryin’ to work it!
😡
xoxo >-)
Oh I’m so glad! It deserved a good home. 😡
Hmm.. I do like L’Air de Rien, on me it smells of nothing more than sweet musk and hay, but your description was so… unappetizing… I’m not sure I’ll try it! :d
Yes, yes, you Rien fans with your sweet musk and hay… you get @};- and the breath of o:-) while I get :(|) or perhaps 3:-o, with a side of >:p
… where’s my eyebatting emoticon? My review hasn’t grabbed you by the credit card? 8-|
No hay here. Jane Birkin’s dirty underpants on my head in a head shop. Right on, right on, right on!b-)
You just made me snort coffee out of my nose. Guess you weren’t too of it!
OOPS! That should have said Guess you weren’t too fond of it!
But it wasn’t AWFUL. I mean, at least I was interested! And it wasn’t something I hate so much (like melon) that I had to scrub it. And it did make me laugh in part because it’s so not what anyone else got!
The picture came up, I laughed and thought, “Is this Wednesday? Must be March.” Only you could find a way to tie this cartoon in with perfume.
Anything that could even remotely smell like dirty football socks or old goalie gloves remains solidly in the “don’t try this at home” camp. I’ll stick with pretty and beautiful, thank you very much.
I’m pleased to know that so many regulars took one look at that image and thought, oh, must be March posting. <):) Every time I look at it I crack up. Skipping the dirty socks is just fine. I don't know why some of us immediately go off the high dive into the deep end, but we do. I've been swimming slowly back to the other end of the pool ever since. /:)
….
=))
I try to think of things to say, and then I just crack up. Thanks for that.
Oddly, I had a samp of something in my right crook yesterday…I read this, and thought, hey, what was *I* wearing? Of course, days being what they are sometimes, I paid a lot of attention to opening and closing stages, but lost track of the middle. The opening and closing were: a) candy (in a sweet fruity floral way), and b) comfort. It was one of the blasted tubes that have come out in recent months…went back to see…and I’ll be hanged. It is That One. Did the animal get crushed in the sandwich? Did my brain mercifully filter the funk? Will Willie and Joe Bob make it back to the ranch?
Here I was thinking, oh, okay, when I want to play a gentle trick and end up with a foody sort of comfort, I can wear this.
Now, I’ll be forever peeking in its knickers. Waiting. For the Other to come out.
;))
C’mon, is that top image hilarious or what? I had to go look it up, that’s Milquetoast the cockroach on the right. I don’t know what he’s looking for down there, but I probably want to remain blissfully ignorant of cockroach reproduction. :d
See. Candied comfort. Go read the other ninety-gazillion reviews. NO skank. Barely any tuberose. Some honey, some tobacco, loads of immortelle … blah blah. I was expecting more tuberose and zero barnyard. Shrug.
LOVE BLOOM COUNTY!!! I think the top image came from the storyline in which Spuds Mackenzie reveals that there is a female character hiding among them, and they’re all checking to verify their masculinity.
This sounds… out of my comfort zone, to say the least. I don’t do fecal very well.
Oh thanks so much! I cracked up when I saw that image, and decided to use it (it is rather appropriate, in hindsight!) but I couldn’t recall what the story line was!
Only on a perfume blog could we say “I don’t do fecal very well” 3:-o
Oh, Bill… I miss you so. Thank you for that.
Am currently awaiting an unsniffed decant of this. We’ll see. I think my Skankmeter is off compared to most folks’– I got nothing but big bright flowers from Amaranthine, perfectly acceptable for tea with Great Aunt Bessie. But I am in Big Honkin’ White Flower Heaven these days with all the tubey music being played right now. March, how did you find Manoumalia? ‘Cause THAT one is just one big sweaty roll in the flowers for me, and in a very good way.
No skank from Amaranthine? Sure, I’d wear it to tea with Aunt Bessie, but only if she was the madam of a New Orleans whorehouse!:”>
I don’t get any knickers, or even any thigh, out of it either. Which was rather a shame, because I was anticipating it. It is really beautiful, though – and I did register some warm moist skin, like at the end of the day when you’ve been sweating just a tiny bit. So skin yes, tropical yes, but skank no.
For x% of people, that cumin-y thing simply didn’t exist. I mean, I smelled it on their skin and it just isn’t there! I don’t think they’re anosmic, it somehow doesn’t happen. I have no idea why.
Isn’t that weird? But true, skin chemistry is so important, as is the weather, and on and on. For Amaranthine, I get a moderate amount of skank, enough that I can’t wear it to work at all, but home, no problem. It makes me think of Susan Sarandon’s character in that 80s movie, “Pretty Baby”. Seems like she’d rock it pretty well!
You know, I had one of those (great-aunt). Srsly. Weirdly enough, she was VERY conservative. Chanel No 5 and St John suits all the way.
Weird.
xo >-)
Actually, that doesn’t surprise me at all!
Manoumalia frightened me. I got something sorta bananamelonvetiver out of it and promptly lost my samp. But it keeps rearing its lumpy, misshapen head in comments on scents I love, so I should get ahold of another. I think my tropical-flower-nonsense tolerance has increased. Hopefully not too much vetiver. Or bananamelon. 🙂
Oy! You are impossible!8-|=;8-}=)):x
Yeah, and I think their Bluebell is >:) too! But I’m not too ~:> to try again! The Manboobia, that is. (too copy from Lee.)
OK I just ordered myself a sample!
BATH OIL.
Hahhhahhaaaa love this! I don’t know Bill the Cat but will now investigate since he seemed so appropriate here. Anyway, another fan of hog pen infused Birkin skank bag here and yes, another fan of L’Animale so I think you’re right on the money – one can easily lead to the other…..:)
PLEASE investigate Bill the Cat. Bloom County should be taught in school, in place of … I don’t know, sex ed or something.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom_County
This was so fabulous March, that I just HAD to share it.
You crack me up girly 🙂
Oh, you’re welcome. Always glad to be of service.
=))
Only you, March. Only You.
xo >-)
I thought about mailing it to you, but some other unfortunate soul is getting it. 8-x
Thas al’right…I knows someone with a good spritz or two for Divine Ms. M’s arm…
😮
:d
xo >-)
😉
Pshaw, it’s going to smell like Mrs. Butterworth on you, you watch.
Oh. My. Gawd.
That would 8-x me fo’ sho’.
xo >-)
So … >:) buttcrack plus 3:-o = :))
I’m at the end of my annual gardenia/orange blossom/tuberose binge. It starts in April with the first semi-warm days of the season and it slows when I’ve overdone it to the point that I’m sick of consistently smelling like a big white flower. So, now I’m craving chypres to alternate with the gaudy bouquets. I’m sure that my family and coworkers and people randomly standing next to me are appreciative. I was probably attracting bees.
I liked L’Animale for a little while. When the weather was cold. Maybe my nose was numb. The thought of spraying it right now makes me a little queasy. b-(
Hee, I attracted bees the other day! They were definitely moved by Amaranthine! I thought of you! I thought, I wonder if Melissa’s ever been attacked by bees wearing this thing?
Yes, it sounds like the time to break out the chypres or your favorite aldehydes?
I just packed off the Animale to a new home, so I’ll never be queasy again.
Oh I do so love a bad review once in a while. Often the fumeblogs and forums resemble cheerleading camp and make me wonder…is so and so on the take? (Not that that would ever happen, of course.)
I tried all three of these and thought they were all just kind of meh. Rien is intriguing though. But I gave my sample to a friend because on my skin it veered toward the garbage end of the scale rather than the mystery-musk end.
Well, of course we’re on the take! You don’t think I’m doing this for FREE, do you?!? I’m up to my armpits in … lessee … Soulgasm, Estee Lauder summer stuff I loathe, and there was that recent bottle of Coco Chance Eau Hell — oops, Eau Tendre, sorry. Also I have a chauffered Mercedes and my own pool boy, whom I keep busy in other ways since we don’t have a pool.
Garbage from Rien, eh? That’ll get readers lining up to try it.
you have a pool boy?
can I have him?
I don’t have a pool, either!
xo >-)
You have to come visit. I’ll loan him to you. /:)
Gah, not the Soulgasm. You kept it?????
I did keep it. I haven’t found someone awful enough to send it to….
(Explosion.)
Steve: Oh, fer cryin’ out – Bill’s not dead again, is he??!
Opus: No, no… I’ll get the Bactine.
That, of course, is my favorite Bloom County dialogue. I still miss Binkley’s Anxiety Closet.
And still have not tried The Animal, despite Joe’s urging and my Tuberose Lust. I’m considering a sigh of relief at this point. I still have a bunchatubey samples awaiting test, and I have a decant of Carnal Flower, and really, I want for nothing tuberose.
Heh. Annnnnnnnnnd another person who remembers Bloom County! It’s sad that these young whippersnappers haven’t been indoctrinated… if you want tuberose lust, I’d skip the Animale, which IMO isn’t a proper tubey even for normal folks — more tobacco/immortelle.
And as you point out, if you have Carnal Flower, you’re good. @};-
if you have carnal anything you’re good! =p~
xo >-)
o:-)
Although I did spend this past Saturday night staring at Jason Varitek through the zoom on the camera…
Who needs Amaranthigh if you can appreciate Mighty Thighs? :>
Haha! Three words: Derek Jeter’s ass=p~:x=d>>:d< . Which could never be mistaken for powdered cat butt :-$:>
You know, you make that sound pretty glorious, powdered cat butt and all – gloriously entertaining, if nothing else! Also, you made me morbidly curious to try that. Powdering a cat’s butt and sniffing it, that is, for educational purposes only. After all, I like powder in fragrances, I like animalic and I like a bit of skank, who knows, it could be interesting!
Powder makes me gag, so I dislike that part probably in equal amounts to the barnyard vibe. But everyone else got My Little Pony standing under a rainbow of syrupy goodness, so maybe I’m nuts.
I’m kind of surprised that I do, but I really enjoy it. I haven’t tried Teint de Neige yet, which I understand is the high priestess of powdery fragrances (how do you feel about that one?), but I probably should. The Tubereuse L’Animale, too.
March tried to poison me with TdN several years ago, citing it as an example of one of the ghastliest perfumes, evah! Of course I liked it, and now own a partial bottle. Great as a bedtime scent 😮
I had a brief fling with TdN but I have to admit that it’s powder explosion may be too much for even me. The last time I tried it I had a coughing fit.@-)
BLECH. That thing should be illegal. Of course you work it like a dream…
It’s hideous. It’s the Powder of the Powder. It’s Satan’s After-Bath Product. Loads of folks love it, you probably would too! :)>-
If Satan uses it, you just know it has to be good!
Aiiiiyyy!
That TdN! I jumped clear across the room to get away from it! It’s the sweet powder version of my ex-husband’s description of Grey Poupon mustard, which he called ‘mustard from the crack of the devil’s ass’
xo >-)
That’s totally untrue about Grey Poupon, which I lurve, but spot on about TdN!
I KNOW!
but he is (was?) a yellow mustard kinda guy.
xo >-)
Grey Poupon is the best mustard there is. TdN is clearly a must-try!
Yeah, cuz it cuts down on the HEAT RASH. Here all night folks!
So, you don’t like it :d/ ?
I was just chatting about my sudden craving for Big Florals with dear Melissa last night, and she attributes the urge to the sudden onset of heat :o. So I’m bathing in Datura Noir, and re-sampling Gardenias (thanks, M!) and seeking new tuberose hits.
The Animal if not at all repugnant to me-but not one of those White Flowers in Heat scent-it’s so gourmand on me, and wore just fine in winter, that it’ll like be tucked back into the winter rotation boc.
Must re-try Amaranthine 😉
Yeah, it’s hard to know with me. Maybe I mean powdered cat butt in a good way… it sounds like Animal was a cuddle-fest on you too.
I don’t know who Bill the Cat is, but add me to the list of l’Air de Rien lovers (on my second bottle) and it smells fabulous on me! Either the skanky notes don’t reveal themselves, or I am just used to skanky scents (probably the latter).
Actually, I am reminded that I need to try Un Petit Rien (though it might not be sufficiently skanky pour moi).
Bill the Cat is ancient comic strip history. I miss him and his friends. By today’s standards I suppose it’s tame, but it was naughty and weird and sweet all at once.
Based on comments above, I am alone on Skanky Rien. And I thought (perhaps incorrectly) that Petit Rien isn’t skanky at all.
Gaaah I’m so relieved you didn’t release the demon!
I really don’t need another ‘gottahaveitgottahaveit’ feeling these days cause I’ve been goin waaay overboard buying samples. And then I sit in my bed every night, almost afraid to try them cause I might want them bad. And then where would I be? And on the flip side, if I hate em’ or think meh, then it’s on to the next!
So thank goodness. I mean maybe I’ll love it but for now I feel like I don’t need to. You are awesome doing what you do for the rest of us, for better or worse!
Eh. I created a buncha lemmings comparing it to Rien. So consider yourself lucky.
What is this way overboard on samples of which you speak? 😕 I have never heard of such a thing. 😉
Where you’ll be after a sample is a decant or a split. :)>-
March–you are so funny! Bill the Cat– any perfume which has anything to do with Bill the Cat– is a must have, in my book! Break out the Am Ex!!Oh lord, I needed this laugh– and you had me so deeply reflecting on beauty with your last post, I almost took up smoking and existentialism again. You’re a great writer. Keep it up.
Hey, thanks — although don’t let me drive you to smoking again. I am not entirely sure this thang is worth breaking out the AmEx for, especially since most other folks got a tame, cuddly comfort scent.
I love you, March. I’ve had yet another crappy day in a long series of colossal crappers and your description of a cat ripening over an afternoon made me scream. I needed that.
L’Air de Rien (on me) is one of my ultimate skin/comfort scents. Never has it oinked or grunted on me, nor have people run away, both hands clutched to nose and mouth, as I entered a room while wearing it. Male hogs have never followed me. No one has ever come up and offered to muck out my office when I’ve had it on. I don’t even think I have been accused (to my face or behind closed doors) of sitting and ripening as I wore it.
Having had the release of a good, loud and deep belly laugh, I think I’ll sleep better tonight. Especially after I douse myself with that lovely Jane Birkin scent and nestle into the straw of my pen. 😀
And ANOTHER fan of Rien pipes up! Maybe I’ve created a lemming with this post after all… I think it smells like a farm, maybe a little bit closer to the smell of the Elephant House. Somewhere between peat and poop. 🙂 But I am entirely alone in that point of view, as far as I know.
You’re not alone! Rien is the foulest thing I’ve ever smelled. I sprayed some on in Bloomingdale’s one day and laughed out loud because it was so filthy. I wanted to love it based on the notes, but, alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
Yay! There are four of us here! We could all go shopping and … not put it on together! Glad it’s not just me, anyway.
Make that five! I hate Rien and it hates me. And not even in an eccentric interesting “I hate you, just kidding, no really” kind of way… in a pure rotten fetid way. Ditto on the Tubereuse 3 L’Animale. It’s all butt on my wrists, all the way. Yay, we’re not alone!!!!
I’m just getting back over here. It’s always nice to know, as I said, that I Am Not Alone.
I remember trying Rien and letting my family and friends sniff it, too (we were all out on a shopping spree in the Big City). I was laughing out loud that the joke was on me for spritzing myself and having to smell like poopee babie undies for the rest of our Grand Day Out! Unfortunately, everyone agreed with me, I was not very popular at the restaurant that evening….
This makes me so happy because as you can see, it gets a lot of love. So poopy baby undies makes me feel like I’m not nuts.
BTW fingers crossed, your pkg mailed today. I hope they don’t open it. Mine look so terrible.
I believe that there was a day where I drove you and Patty wearing “that retch-inducing skank machine from Miller Harris that smells like Jane Birkin dropped her bag in the hog pen” and you didn’t notice. Or perhaps you were being kind? >:)
:d
Oh, you probably did. And I probably didn’t notice. Maybe it only smells that way on me, I don’t know. I think there’s a particular chemical component, is my guess. Something that’s used to compose musk or leather or both. And to me it smells like peat bog and hog pen. Earthy/fecal. Most people clearly love it, though, Rien has tons of fans.
And to think I almost put this on skin @ Sniffa. But no, I thought better & ended up bathing that arm in Nuit de Tubereuse across the street (which I have a decant of & am still undecided on).
So really, I have nothing to say about this except that when I saw the Bill the Cat pix I knew it was your column today. And I mean that in the best possible way 😉
How well you know me. I miss Bill and his buds. And if you like Rien you should try it, although then maybe you’ll think I’m insane.
I hate Rien. Strong words, I know. Not very politically correct to hate, is it? It hates me. Makes me choke before I get far enough into it to appreciate any nuances.
So. I’m retrying the TdN decant today. It’s really interesting, quite unique, certainly not bad … I just can’t decide if I’m wearing it or it’s wearing me. The weird, spicy, rooty start is a bit metallic on me & not exactly pleasant. Not unpleasant either, just odd. It’s now drying down into something a little like mangoes & dirt with some tuberose blooms tromped into the mud. Jury is still out.
VINDICATION! Look, there are a couple of folks who agree with you! And me! About Rien!
Hm. Well, Tubey was definitely weirder when I sprayed it on (as I reported in my recent review.) I didn’t get that mud/mango thing the first time either. I dislike metallic notes, I hope that doesn’t suddenly appear in mine.
Um. I wore this all day. Dry down was deep & lovely. I got sad when it wore of and yes, had to respritz just now!! And I never re-apply the same scent in the evening. I still don’t like the initial metal mint root blast but ummm …. I am kinda craving the strange. What is it about this stuff?
Hehe. Just got my DECANT. Spraying it with abandon in the heat … is it wrong? I say NO. 8-|
Wait…you’re not talking about L’Air de Rien are you?
😮
‘Cause with that one I get buckets of skank=p~ but no hog:@)and most definitely no powdered cat patootie:*
If it’s true that this HdP closely resembles Rien, it’s going direckly onto my “Must Try” list immediatamente.
Same here. Why are we so weird? Loooove L’Air de Rien. Any comparison to that pretty much makes me say, YES!
Also- pulling out the intense white florals on 90 degree days? Another yes. And finally, I think, given your reaction to this puppy, the top pic is perfectly fitting!
I looked at it this morning and thought — wait — THREE animals checking their junk … it IS perfect!
😕
I think you mean ‘kitty’?
;))
xoxo >-)
Yes, and yes. Pure Barnyard. And I’m laughing at the comments. All you Rien freaks are excited now! I feel compelled to issue the disclaimer that all the other blogmeisters got warm fuzzy kittehs under Maple syrup rainbows. Jest saying.
I got a combination of the two – maple syrup over manure. It’s like eating your Sunday morning pancakes in the barnyard.
Yummmmmmmmmmm.
b-(
L’Air du Rien = hippie butt funk.
Best images on this blog evah! Thanks!
I was just thinking I needed to wear A LOT of Cruel Gardenia tomorrow!
Yeah, I like to keep the place classed up.
And it’s cold and rainy here today. Weird.