Dusita is a line that I loved immediately. Not everything was my favorite, but I really thought I had written about them in the past, and come to find out, I don’t think I have or I only did it in passing. Time to rectify that.
I recently got samples of everything except the most recent Dusita Cavatina (jasmine, bergamot, tuberose, lily of the valley, tea rose, ylang, ambrette, siam, sandalwood and vanilla), and have spent the last week just rolling around with them – for lack of a better term. There is something about the entirety of them that adds up to something more. It was such a pleasure to revisit them all and experience again how beautiful they are.
From the filthy-beautiful Oudh Infini (Laotian oud, rose de mai, orange blossom, benzoin, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, civet) to the heartbreakingly beautiful Melodie de L’Amour that literally makes me gasp when I put it on (Gardenia, tuberose, honey, peach, broom, lily of the valley, jasmine, cedar, musk) to the fruity floral La Douceur de Siam making you rethink fruity florals place in the perfume pantheon (May rose, Frangipani, Champaca flower, Clove, Ylang ylang, Violet leaf, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber). Fleur de Lalita (rose de mai, magnolia, jasmine, white lily, galbanum, ylang ylang, ambrette, vanilla, sandalwood, tonka bean and ambergris) salted white floral, how could she know that would work? but it does! Ethereal Issara (Pine, sage, coumarin, bourbon vetiver, tobacco, musk, amber, oakmoss, woods), firmly rooted on the ground, no matter how wispy she seems. The ones I had smelled before but had not sniffed in a while were like sinking into a plush perfumed down comforter and watching Pride and Prejudice for the 95th time. Beautiful, kind of smutty, innocent, ethereal, earthy, homey. I’m not sure why I would ever need to wear anything else but one of these.
Then I got to play in a couple in the line I had not smelled before – Dusita Erawan (herbal notes, petitgrain, lily-of-the-valley, Haitian vetiver, hay, clary sage, liatris (deertongue), cedar, oakmoss, vanilla) is this earthy, practical thing full of nuts and hay. I wasn’t expecting that at all, and it charmed me.
Splendiris is an iris optimist. There is no rooty smoldering orris muttering going on here. It’s infused with sun and violets and carrot seed and is so cheerful – but not that annoying cheerful that makes you want to strangle it. The sort of cheerful that makes you hope all the beautiful you smell is really how the world is or can be.
The more I kept spraying them on, I realized the Dusitas all together are my outdoor summer life – the rich gardenias I’ve finally gotten to bloom, the hot, damp earthy banana tree that bursts with life, sun-kissed skin and suntan lotion, the tomato vines, cucumbers, watermelons and cantaloupes in the veggie garden that are overflowing and vining into everything, the oak nuts, elderberry blooms, some vaguely unidentified decaying things I never want to look too close at.
Every one of them is just beautiful and so wearable on their own, but together they are pretty fabulous. I didn’t have the Cavatina, but wait until I do, adding that one to my little smell buffet!
Winners of the Slumberhouse three-sample set – Gina, who had to email me her comment because our stupid spam filter randomly eats things. Just click the Drop Us a Note at the top, send me an email with your address, remind me what you won. I will give you a quick reply “Got it!” email so you know it didn’t wind up in my spam filter and get the sample out to you. Congrats, I hope you love it!
Will do as drawing for a complete set of the Dusitas! You want to win this, they are special. Just drop a comment about anything. Are you fully in summer now (or winter for those on the opposite side of the world)? Making summer plans, already had them? Have a perfume house that seems to check all the boxes for you?
Your choice of photo for this post made me laugh so hard that I dumped my glass of ice water in my lap. 🙂 Dusita perfumes are special. I don’t like champaca generally, but La Douceur de Siam made me gasp. So pretty. I think that’s the only one from this line I’ve tried, it seems like it is one of the older offerings from the house. Thank you for your review, I feel the embers of my perfume mojo warming up.
We’re in ramp up for the inferno that is Texas Summer here in Austin. We’ve had an uncharacteristically wet spring but temps are sliding towards triple digits so all is well. While I haven’t found a perfume house that ticks all the boxes, I want to shout about two recently-discovered scents that are just perfect and perfect for the season. The first is Neela Vermiere’s Trayee. I feel like a glamorous jett setter when I wear this, and it is long-lasting so well worth the cost. The second is an indian powder I read about on a travel blog. It’s called Javadhu Powder. You mix a small amount with rose water and apply. It’s a supercharged Sandalwood guaranteed to keep you smelling good in the hot and humid summer.
I love Dusita, too, but don’t own any. I only have sniffs. Tauer checks my boxes, except for Vetiver Dance and Lonesome Rider. I also love my vintage houses like Guerlain, Caron, Penhaligon’s and Annick Goutal.
I just picked up a sample of L’Air du Desert Marocain and am in love!
I love that but love Lonestar Memories more. Give that one a sniff!
Oooo, I haven’t sampled any of these and they sound so interesting. It’s crazy hot here, like 101F but I’ve been getting out in the cool of the evening to listen and smell nature.
AZ? Yikes! We are in the 90s, but cool off to like 87, 88 this weekend. Hard to believe that is a cooling off, but under 100, I love summer weather!
Ok, you sold me on wanting to win this. I don’t think I’ve smelled a single Dusita, but you make them sound amazing!
I am definitely fully in summer today. It’s 93 °F here, and sunny, and my zucchini and squash plants are producing fruit slightly faster than the squirrels are able to eat them >.>
I think they are amazing, she is really gifted in making beautiful things.
I’ve never had a zucchini plant, lots of cucumbers. Never had a squash either. I may need to add those in next year, like one of each. I just remember zucchinis are the rabbits of the garden world, yeah? Squirrels. I finally gave up hating them and leave them snacks instead. It’s easier than keeping them out of the bird food.
Ugh. We tried leaving them snacks, and they rewarded us by bringing their friends to our yard too and making an even bigger mess of everything.
Our zucchinis and cucumbers have both been very productive so far 🙂
I am on my second, or maybe third, bottle of Douceur de Siam, and it’s been one of the mainstays of wfh this past year.
Wow, that’s a lot of bottles! I think I will wind up doing that many of Melodie. I wish I were the kind of person that could pull off finishing off a bottle of Oudh Infini, but not sure that will ever happen, happily for my budget!
This line sounds very beautiful…in an outdoors, earthy kinda way. Splendiris sounds like it does not lean powdery at all!
Weather here in the NE has been waffling between cool rainy days and one week of temps in the 90’s. Not quite true summer yet. No plans over the summer, just work as usual, but hoping to use some vacation time to catch some of the Olympics in July!
I keep forgetting about the Olympics. and it’s not far away!
I do not know the Dusita line, so I am intrigued! Today, I am working in the garden: planting tomatoes & basil, checking up on the garlic bed. Scapes are curling! Can’t wait to smell the garden at high summer!
That sounds lovely. I think I need to plant some garlic next year, along with a small herb garden. also going to do some root plants – beets, potatoes. Growing things is way more fun now than it was when I grew up on the farm!
I love this line – I’ve sampled a few and they are comp!ex, unique, and beautiful. Right now I am far from home, helping my sister downsize as she prepares to move into a senior living apartment, and one of the things sustaining me through the dust, cobwebs, and piles and piles of stuff ( my sister has hoarding tendencies) is the fact that a Cavatina sample is waiting for me at home. Pissara’s generosity is helping me hold it together, and I can’t wait to try it! I’d love to play with other samples as well. By all means, try these scents if you haven’t already.
Same, same, just a beautiful experience, no matter whether it’s a personal fragrance for you or just an experience. I LOVE Oudh Infini, but I am never sure where I could wear it? I would! but the drydown just blows me away. Excited about the Cavatina. I think mine shows up today!
Here in Virginia, we’re in full summer mode. After last week’s heat wave, I’m grateful that this week has backed off, and we’re having some lovely ideal weather days. I recently bought my first bottle of 2021: Lubin Gin Fizz, which is a perfect summer scent. Smells a bit like a gin and tonic in the top notes, and dries way down into a soft fizzy, citrus, green scent that contains the best of a summer day. Haven’t tried any Dusita scents, but your descriptions make me want to. They sound lovely…especially Splendiris and Fleur de Lalita.
I spent a couple of days in D.C. in the summer a while back, and OMG, the humidity! We have a lot here in this part of Kansas, but that was super intense. I do like Lubin Gin Fiz, I haven’t smelled it in a while, but I remember it being just lovely.
What a gorgeous line up, they sound amazing! My lettuces are finally burnt up, but in better news my eggplant has its first blossom. May this be the year I finally get homegrown eggplant!
Eggplant? Wow, how cool is that. Never tried it. I did decide the broccoli is much too big for the size garden we have this year, so next year it’s probably going to go. Plus, rumor has it broccoli just doesn’t make right in Kansas, it spoils really fast before you can get it harvested. 🙁
wow, these sound beautiful — and one of my preferred sample places here has the line. So, off I’ll go. It’s been a while since I’ve been truly bowled over by something. Always hoping. Did the watering early this morning. Have a load of self seeded poppies — big and little — due to the builders grinding up the soil last summer. Not complaining — the little ones are delicate and bright red; the big ones almost magenta with black banding.
Oh, I have a feeling you’ll like them. They feel very old school but with a modern sensibility. I think I want to add some poppies. Do you plan those in the fall?
Old school with modern sensibility. I’m hooked. Will have to buy samples. The poppies do it themselves. I’ve never planted seeds for them.
I’ve not sampled many of the Dusitas; however, Splendiris is beautiful.
The photo of you checking on your garden at 7am! That is me as well, watering my tomato plants first thing each morning and checking on any new growth. My first attempt at gardening (a planter box); I had no idea how much fun it is to see little green tomatoes!
LOL. It’s true! My sons rent my two-bedroom walkout apartment downstairs, and my youngest son has just loved this gardening thing so far. Every morning, before work, he is out there watering all the plants. He’s especially in love with my banana plant. All the boys love that plant, my great-nephew is obsessed with it and tells everyone about it when he comes over. But that little bit of garden we planted is just exploding everywhere. I’ll take pictures for next week. It needs to be LOT bigger next year!
Yes, share photos of your garden! i love that your boys love your plants and participate in the gardening.
NE here too. Summer has arrived.
I tried La Douceur de Siam and thought it was very nice. I wanted to try some other Dusitas too but never got around to it and eventually it got forgotten.
Guerlain (vintage) is the perfume house I love and adore. In the last years, it has been the perfumers that seriously interest me. I discovered Maurice Roucel when I fell in love with Iris Silver Mist. Many of his perfumes are beautiful and really work for me. It turns out I even had a vintage perfume that I did not know was his, Yves Rocher Ispahan.
Siam is really nice. It’s not my very fave, but I appreciate what it is. I had kind of forgotten about Dusita a little bit too. It got a LOT of attention early, Luca loves them, but then they sorta fell out of the attention as other new things came along. I love Roucel’s work, it’s just special much of the time, even if I don’t love it, I can see his hand in it.
These sound lovely! I’d love to try them : )
I’m in New England and have a renewed interest in the Aqua di Parma’s with several samples coming this week. I’ve fallen in love with the green of the Club bottle so am hoping it’s not too masculine on me. Also recently sampled Parfums de Marly Delina and the Exclusif – wow! VERY beautiful. Also the Houbigant Quelque Fleurs Royale. Anxiously awaiting samples as today is my 60th birthday and I’m gifting myself a new scent.
Thanks for the draw!
Happy Birthday!!!
Thanks Maya!
Happy birthday! I hope you find a new perfume love to treat yourself!
Thank you – with the line up, odds are good! : )
Happy Birthday!!!!! Many many more in health and happiness!! xoxoxo
Thank you! : )
I’ve been playing around with the AdPs as well. There are some real gems in there. Delina is gorgeous. Have you smelled their new Rose one? I have not, keep wondering about it. Happy birthday!!!!!
I did smell it briefly at Nordstrom’s, but found I preferred the original and the exclusif.
Happy Tuesday! I’ve been cautiously venturing back out and am looking forward to more outdoor meals with friends. Between good conversation, delicious pizza and gelato, and perfect, not-humid weather, this afternoon felt like a mini vacation.
Thank you for the rebiew and giveaway. Dusita perfumes sound like a perfect match for time well spent outdoors.
It is nice, isn’t it? Our church ladies group started meeting again last month, and it has been so nice to see them after more than a year. Some of them are in their 80s – doing great! – but 80s is not a time when you want to let that much time go by without seeing someone.
I would love to have these samples; even just the one that made you gasp would be fine.
I’m obsessed with this mint we have here in the yard (and now in pots in the house and on the back porch). I can’t get enough. It’s not even really “minty,” it’s just… summer.
What mint do you do? I have an invasion of catmint everywhere. I had to level a couple of places where it was starting to become very “weedish. “
You know what, I have no idea what kind it is. I wish I knew! It can be invasive, but I make a lot of tea.
You commented “how could she know that would work?” I have often wondered how many perfumes were happy accidents. A dresser which holds most of my perfumes has the scent I wish could be captured into its own bottle. The sum of everything is amazing.
bottom of the purse when it’s been filled with samples effect for sure. It’s like food, some things you wouldn’t think go together are perfect!
I want to try the Dusita line. It sounds good, but different from my normal. Thank you for the drawing.
The peonies are blooming and they smell wonderful! Is there a realistic peony fragrance?
I haven’t run across one yet. There are some that have a good peony note IN it, but it’s not the main course. Sorry, peony is a tough one!
These sound fabulous! I don’t think I have tried any of this line.
This summer in California is both beautiful, my dahlias are starting to bloom, and terrifying, due to our drought. Every time I hear sirens I look for smoke. Fire season is every month now.
I’m up in Oregon, and I hear you on the watchfulness for fire season. It’s scary and has thrown me off of some smoky perfumes that I loved before the summer fire seasons.
You guys stay safe. I’m hoping for some good long rains for you to ease the drought. Living in Colorado was always scary, there were so many summers where the sky was just smoky for two months from fires all around.
obvs DNEM (that would just be tacky) but I have to say you are writing like a champ, here! Gorgeous, evocative review – and yet… all I can think of is that marvelous photo of you in the curlers. 😉
xoxoxo
LOL. I will have reached my final Mrs. Roper form in the next year, I predict. I don’t have the hair right, though, it’s either in a ponytail or I have a headband around it. I’m not doing that short curly thing, I would look like a chubby, ancient Orphan Annie.
I have one or two Dusitas in my stash, but definitely not all. I’ve been wanting to smell Erawan for a while!
My tomatoes are almost taller than me, so maybe it is summer 🙂 There’s a bouquet of tomato leaves right by me as I speak- my favorite summer smell besides star jasmine.
Tomato smells are the best. I love just pulling them around, checking for blooms, so I can have that smell on myh ands. Erawan was really nice, different, but had her touch in it.
Ooh, I would love to test all the Dusitas. The only one I have is Splendiris, and it is definitely a cheerful springy iris, I’ve been wearing it a lot. Summer is just getting started here in the pacific northwest. Will take a short road trip in the next couple of weeks then we move into our new house 7/17. Excited to have my first real garden! I’m enjoying all the posts about plants.
Congratulations on your first real garden!!!
You haven’t gotten to them all? I’m shocked! 🙂 Splendiris is a joyous thing. Nothing match my beloved Apres L’ondee, which seems to be back in existence, but Euro-limited? And a bottle change. I don’t know, I suspect a formula change could be there as well, though I have not smelled it in the new bottle. I’m excited for your garden, your road trip AND your move. That is a busy, lovely summer full of all the great things!