Hey POSSE! Last minute gifts? I know most of us don’t really get to the mainstream designer stuff anymore so I thought it might be good to know a couple that I was asked to buy for people. It makes it so delightfully simple when I’m given a list, eh? Are you a list lover? Anyway, I figured if my friends and family are asking for particular things it might be good to give myself a couple of blasts and come back with reports.
Completely unrelated. I was walking the dogs today in the cool drizzling rain and our street looked so lovely I thought you might like to see it. We are 5 minutes walk from the ferry to town at the end of one road and the light rail at the top of the other. 10 minutes walk to the Parramatta CBD and 15 to the train station and Westfield. One hour on the ferry to Sydney City CBD, 30 minutes on the train and buses take 45-50 minutes. Even though we are so connected it still feels like a very comfortable, leafy, established suburb with acres and acres of green spaces, sports fields and dog parks.
Mainstream Designer Sniffing
Daisy Wild by Marc Jacobs 2024
This must be the cutest bottle on the whole designer spectrum right now. Also, it’s quite a departure for my BFF Kath. Not scent wise but I’ve NEVER thought of her as someone who would even have something like this in her home. She also eschews the smell of banana so it’s weird to me that the top and quite a way through has definite green banana smell. This on top of a clean jasmine and some creamy warmth in the base. Groundbreaking? No. Pretty and wearable? YES! Like, two enthusiastic thumbs up yes. If you’re looking for a brand new, fun and flirty, no brainer present for someone who quite likes perfume but isn’t a hardcore, weird assed, wear only the most expensive envelope pushing craziness kinda chick then this is good.
Eternity Aromatic Essence Calvin Klein 2024
Eternity Aromatic Essence is better than I expected, by far, especially for a modern mainstream designer. Not a big fragrance. Actually it’s a low key lovely. Flies so close to your body that it’s almost introverted. It also pushes a few buttons rarely hit well together. Tropical and fougere. Yeah, I know. It sounds ghastly but they have made it work here. Salted coconut water is seasoned with a shiver of lime and berry over a softly vanilla sandalwood. The effect is like a salted ice cream and it is so more-ish. TOTALLY UNISEX and the colour of the bottle is heaven. There’s also a mens version but I didn’t test it. When this hits the sale rack I’ll be buying myself a couple.
Last year I also talked about Tommy Hilfiger Impact Intense, Jin was wearing it again the other day and I really like it. If you’re still looking for a present for a gent who likes the boyzie stuff.
SO, don’t tell me I rarely review brand new stuff. Today you got a twofer.
Sound like good gifting to you?
Portia x
Your street IS lovely! What’s CBD? I’m thinking weed … but I doubt that’s what you meant…?
I will wear anything that’s pretty! I love the living snot out of the original Clinique Happy! and… does Cartier count? Not the spendy ones – I love Baiser Vole Lys Rose – and so does anyone/everyone who smells it on me.
The Eternity bottle is FABULOUS!
Hey Musette,
CBD = Central Business District
I’ve been wearing my original Baiser Volé the last couple of weeks. SO pretty.
Agreed on the Eternity Aromatic Essence bottle. That colour sends me.
Portia xx
There are many really good mainstream designer perfumes. I’ve never sniffed the MJ Daisy perfumes and agree the bottle is adorable. The original Eternity has such fond scent memories and I still wear occasionally, I’ll have to look for the new aromatic elixir, notes sound interesting and sometimes a low key fragrance is appreciated. Your street looks lovely and I’m with you, dog walking a favorite activity and appreciate the opportunity to appreciate the surrounding nature. xoxo
Hiya Kathleen,
Jin is an Eternity Blue man. Even though he now has a large selection of his own the blue gets loads of summer wear and smells excellent on him.
The dogs are always so grateful to get out and about. They don’t care what the weather is doing, to which roads we take, as long as we are together and I let them sniff EVERYTHING!
Portia xx
I bought Daisy Wild at Ulta when it came out and have enjoyed wearing it, recently I read somewhere that an intense version will be released soon. I have a soft spot in my heart for MJ fragrances and have owned quite a few over the years, my favorite was the Cocktail Ginger Splash which I wore until I couldn’t find it any more. Your neighborhood looks so inviting for a walk!
Hey VerbenaLuvvr, I don’t remember Cocktail Ginger Splash but it sounds like a good one.
The neighborhood is so good for a ramble. The dogs appreciate the many different shady paths we can take, especially in our summer.
Portia xx
I still have a YUUUGE! bottle of MJ Lemon! It actually holds in the heat, which is unusual for a citrus. And it’s very pretty!
GAH! Lemming born
Oh wow! I’ve always loved those MJ bottles and thought Daisy was fine (for someone else lol) but I might sniff this one… really though, that Eternity interests me! That bottle color is stunnnnnningggggg and that tropical fougere?!?! Definitely going to track that down for a sniff. ALSO your neighborhood is gorgeous and I love all the travel options!
HA! March, I’ve been similarly, “Cute, next” with the Marc Jacobs but really happy I gave Daisy Wild a sniff.
The Eternity is well worth a sniff. Honestly, they are in the same wheelhouse but CK smells more interesting and sophisticated, to me anyway.
Portia xx
Portia,
Your neighborhood looks so lovely. And how great to be near so many transportation centers. I’m similarly situated near Washington, DC: trains, metro rail, highways, airports, etc. It’s handy. Sadly, in spite of my efforts to recruit and indoctrinate members of my family and friends into our perfume world, nobody wants perfume gifts. Wah!!! But I enjoyed your reviews anyway.
Hey DinaC,
I never thought living in the suburbs would be so rewarding and still feel so connected. We have landed in a pot of jam.
Bummer about the family. What do you get them?
Portia x
This year, daughter wanted a bunch of clothes. Son-in-law is getting gourmet vegan foods and a hoodie. Honorary son: hoodie and headphones. Hubby: sneakers, slippers, game, book. Nothing exciting.
I do love a hoodie, Did you get them plain or with picture features?
I might actually need to get out there and sniff these two. I rarely sniff anything new these days, unless it’s from a free sample with purchase. The last set of those I got from Ulta (maybe 6-7) were all duds. My latest foray into (sort of) mainstream is directing my son to buy his aunt some Coco Mad body lotion for Christmas. She’s a signature scent person and that one is her current. I know she would never splurge on lotion for herself. Son said he brought up the item on his phone when he got to the Chanel counter at Macy’s and it took a nanosecond for the SA to zoom in. (He probably looked terribly out of place – 6’2”, 275 football lineman in athletic clothes!)
HA! I would have zoomed in on such a fine specimen too in my squirt bitch days MMKinPA. I bet he got the best service with loads of smiles.
Portia xx
Hi, Portia. I got a sample of the Marc Jacobs Perfect and I was surprised I liked it. Notes are amber, rhubarb, almond, narcissus, cashmeran. Cute bottle.
OOOHHHHHH! I’ve not seen Perfect yet. Thanks for the heads up JillS,
Portia xx
All the MJ bottles are delightful!
I’m the pref by the CK tropical fougere sounds beautifully weird assed
Yeah, it’s a fun and quirky idea for such a mainstream house. I think you might get a kick out of it too Alityke.
Portia xx
I’m with Tom that the MJ bottle is so cute. I think I need to spend more time haunting the mainstream perfume section of our lone department store.
These aren’t terribly groundbreaking Cinnamon but they do smell good. To me anyway. A waltz through the local might be more fun than anticipated.
Portia xx
Those Marc Jacobs bottles are so freaking cure! But banana?
HA! It’s very green, like banana leaf Tom. I like a cool banana vibe in fragrance. Sira des Indes by Patou has a more banana fruit undercurrent, and it’s bloody gorgeous.
Portia xx