Two for Fall: Caron Le 3e Homme and Coty L’Aimant

Musette wrote just this week (brilliantly) about the change of seasons and also grief. Well, I don’t have anything really to write about the latter, but we have had a touch of the former, yes, even here in LA.

You wouldn’t think LA has fall, but we do. It’s just very subtle. The closest we get to a real New England fall (the only time of year that I really miss about my homeland- spring is fleeting and can be treacherous, winters brutal and summers kill-me-now humid) is in winter, when the temps even in Beverly Hills where you think it would be illegal flirt with freezing and the trees on Alden Drive and Carmelita Avenue blaze with color (BH unlike most cities has only one or two species of street trees planted: Canon Drive has the famous Palms, Palm Drive has Jacarandas, Maple Drive has Camphor trees while Elm has Elms. Only a few do fall colors.) I don’t have moments such as the one I did in college when I was driving, top down, scarf and heater on, looking at the glorious blaze of colors that were on that Elm street, the valley and Mount Tom ahead of me, equally showy in their fiery glory. To this day I still have that memory clearly in my head- I remember marking it, thinking that all else be damned, the place I grew up in could be almost magically pretty.

But back to fall, and reality.

I suppose that writing that a dip from the mid 100’s down to the 80’s and that the days are getting noticeably shorter has triggered some sort of migration instinct is rather laughable,, but there you are. There’s a nip in the air at night and the shift off of Daylight Savings time looms ever nearer. None of this has made me think that I should decamp to Portia’s sofa for the next few months, even if I had the money to do so. No matter how much fun it would be. It just makes me get out some of the more fall-appropriate scents that are just a teensy bit much in summer for me.

Caron 3e Homme is one that I have had for years, at least from the 90’s. It debuted in 1985 and the notes (from Fragrantica) are:

Top notes are Lavender, Amalfi Lemon, Bergamot, Anise and Rosemary; middle notes are Coriander, Carnation, Geranium, Jasmine and Rose; base notes are oak moss, vetyver, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Cedar and Musk.

Don’t be fooled by that list- in many ways this is a big scent, in that 80’s kind of way. Back then even more so than today you had to metaphorically grab a consumer by the lapels and shake him like a rag doll to get his attention away from other contenders at the perfume counter. By the 90’s when I bought this it was already considered somewhat passé, since everyone was into Eau de Eau (Eau no!) at that point of crazy about Calvin’s CK one gender-fluid fluid. But the BIG portion of the program is only at the beginning; once the opening brass band passes by the lavender, flowers and vanilla base start to play very nicely together. Is it 80’s? Yeah, a bit. So’s the black 450SL Richard Gere drove in American Gigolo. I happily wear one and would happily drive the other.

Coty L’Aimant is one that I got because of Musette. She had written about it more that once and it was so inexpensive on one of the online discounters it ended up as a purchase simply to get free shipping (Why yes, I am a lemming. A broke, smelly lemming.) It’s from 1927 and the notes (again from Fragrantica are:

Top notes: bergamot, neroli, peach, and aldehydes. Heart: geranium, rose, orchid, jasmine and ylang-ylang. Base: vetiver, musk, vanilla, sandalwood, tonka bean and cedar

Now this one is interesting- Musette wrote that it’s the Jane Russell to Marilyn’s Chanel No. 5 and that pretty much nails it. She also wrote that it was one that is better when it’s a little chilly, which is very true. When it’s a little cold the Aldehydles lightly skim the surface the way the first sip of a really good and really well chilled glass of champagne does. In the heat it seems on me to be more of a room temperature mimosa, made with OJ from concentrate and Andre- just sort of cloying and off. If you’re going from your air conditioned home to your air conditioned car to your air conditioned life it won’t be an issue. If not.. It settles down into a lovely scent that I think could easily be worn by a guy. Well I’m going to wear it anyway, so there.

 

Do you have any fall favorites that you plan on breaking out? Let us know in the comments.

3e Homme is discounted on the interwebs, but not at the prices I paid from one of the little shops on Broadway. I think it’s worth it. Like that SL. L’Aimant is available at discounters at discount prices and is certainly a “cheap and cheerful” find. Both bottles are my own. Photos are from Pexels and my iPhone.

  • Barbara Rohan Buckley says:

    My grandmother, Mother, Auntie and myself enjoyed Bellodgia perfume. I’m 85 now and can’t find it anywhere. Can you help me?

  • Musette says:

    I wasn’t ignoring you – Skynet hacked the comments for awhile. And now I am a ‘guest’. So. Okay. Here’s hoping.
    You had me BLARTING!!! with laughter re L’Aimant in less than chilly temps – truer words never spoken. I’m writing this as I am marinating in No5 body creme – but the thought of L’Aimant is looming, darling. Loooming. Probably early December.

    Lovely post – cheered me right up.

    xoxox Guest

    • Tom says:

      Sky net tells me that I’m spam every so often. Offensive! I’m prime rib at least!

      I liked your funnel cakes metaphor.

      You mentioned Daim Blond, right? I love that one as well, but it’s one of those “one too many spritzes and TAKE COVER!” kind of ones from Uncle Serge Just enough and you’re wearing the softest, thinnest, most expensive suede shirt ever. One too many and you and your shirt fall into a vat of apricot jam. Not as dangerous as Miel de Bois (here kitty, kitty!) but close…

  • Portia says:

    Tom,
    You won’t be staying on the couch when you come. we have a guest room (I sleep there mostly but happily jump back in with Jin when we have visitors)
    Portia xx

  • Maya says:

    Your statement on the New England seasons is absolutely perfect.
    I was thinking about cooler weather perfumes and realized that I don’t do much changing of perfumes based on seasons. I do put away the cooling citrusy ones, but that’s about it. I simply wear what my current favorites are, which, of course, changes fairly regularly.

    • Tom says:

      There are some that I Just Can’t in summer. Even though interfacing with summer for me is mostly walking to the store..

  • March says:

    I so enjoyed this post and the comments — ah, burning leaves, you’re right, a smell I’ll never forget (or just a leaf pile, another great memory.) It’s been such variable temps here, fall-ish in the morning and then summer in the afternoon. I’ve been doing a studio exercise commitment and/but it’s very no-fragrance (fair enough!) so I’m hyper aware of not wearing anything scented, I need to get better at “scheduling” scents.

    • Tom says:

      March- it actually made me and go get a bottle of his burning leaves, and one of Memory of Kindness jut today. I’ve never met this guy but his work makes me feel like he’s been in my head if not my bed. (That sound you hear is CB calling for a restraining order..)

  • Maggiecat says:

    It’s flirting with 100 here in Dallas, but next week promises lows in the 50s with highs “only” in the low 80s. I’m waiting for cooler weather to break out Fragonard’s Grain due Soliel, a pleasant cinnamon tinged amber.

    • Tom says:

      It’s supposed to get back up there here starting tomorrow. But it feel like the corner has been turned..

  • Dina C. says:

    Tom,
    I haven’t tried either of these. The fall scents I look forward to wearing include Chanel Sycomore (like burning leaves), Cuir de Russie, Jolie Madame, Bois des Iles, Mitsouko, and Arpege. But right now it’s 91 degrees out, so fat chance that’s happening today! I love fall and wish it would cool down here.

    • Tom says:

      I used to love Jolie Madame but never got any for myself. All of thos others are wonderful- did you ever smell CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves? It’s so evocative of the smell of Autumn in the mid 60’s where people would rake the leaves into piles and burn them in the yard. Totally illegal today, but if you remember the smell you never forget it.

  • cinnamon says:

    It’s weird time here. Freezing (with fog today) early morning. Then, warm and sunny until around 5 pm, after which things get colder again. Caron isn’t my jam. Don’t own a one, and just gave my samples away to a friend. Autumn fragrances … SL Arabie is a big one. And the Guerlains I own (Mitsouko, Shalimar). And the Dior thing with immortelle comes out (Eau Noire).

    • Tom says:

      Here the immortelle comes out in winter. But I so loved wearing AG Sables in Fall when I lived in NYC (I put it on here when the rains come) That’s an immortelle bomb that I think sadly isn’t available anymore.

  • Alityke says:

    Kathleen has covered some of my autumnal scents. My favourites would be, in no particular order, Ambre Sultan, Arabie, Daim Blond, FdB, Boxeuses, vintage Opium, Bottega Veneta, Bottega Veneta Velours, EL PC Amber Ylang Ylang, Cuir de Lancome, Reminiscence Patchouli, Chantilly & Tabu.
    I could go on but we could be here until Winter.
    I will give a special mention to Chipmunk authored by the lovely Pia Long & Faun by Thomas O’Brian aka Ouch 110. Both dry, crunchy, golden leaves underfoot, Chipmunk is richer, more loamy & complex. Faun is lighter, warmer autumnal days with that crisp snap in the air but bright sunshine.
    Yep I actually bought a blogger scent but I respect Thomas’s writing & did research, got a sample & was blown away. 50ml was less expensive than generic designer including shipping.
    I’m still saving for Papillon Hera Extrait which is another golden shimmer.
    Ok signing off before it snows

  • matty1649 says:

    I always have a bottle of L’Aimant. As you say,cheap and cheerful

  • Kathleen says:

    I adore L’Aimant. I have bottles from the 60’s and it makes me so happy. I wear it year round. Fall/winter fragrances are my favorites. It is hinting at temps cooling off here, and I look forward to: EL Youth Dew; Arpege; Chanel Coco, Coromandel, and Bois des Iles, Tom Ford Plum Japonais and Amber Absolute; Amouage Ubar, Lyric, and Fate; Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, Shalimar, and Mitsouko; Papillon Salome and Bengale Rouge; Anna Pliska; Parfume d’Empire Amber Russe…..I could go on, obviously my favorite perfume season!