The weather is gorgeous, my favorite time of year here – warm, sunny and dry with occasional monsoon season rains. I’m in a good mood and my nose seems to be functioning reasonably well, so I’ve done some random sampling and had surprises (good and bad!) which is fun, rather than everything being merely ehhhhh, you know? My hot takes on three of them:
Creed Queen of Silk was launched in 2024. Isn’t that purple bottle gorgeous? She’s a looker for sure! Since she caught my eye I decided to give her a test-drive. Notes are saffron, osmanthus, magnolia, tuberose, passionfruit, patchouli, oud, vanilla, ambroxan, myrrh, musk, incense, cedarwood.
It starts off promisingly – I love a hit of saffron, and it’s rich and floral for about five minutes. Then the saffron gets bitter and the tuberose fades and it settles into … a sort of murky, muddy scent before drying down into an amber-patch with that Creed nuclear half-life. I also sprayed it on a tissue and I keep going back and smelling it, and it’s kind of a mess. Oh well, another Creed I don’t need. I am clearly not their target market. Next!
DS & Durga Grapefruit Generation – I know they’re hipster/pretentious, but I have a soft spot for the brand despite their “look how cool I am!” mediocrities. Radio Bombay is fun, and I think Bowmakers and Cowboy Grass are lovely if not “me.” Here’s their nonsensical blurb for Grapefruit Generation: “Imagine a grove far off. Put a gem in the ground. Surround it with flowering bushes. Pick a rare animal to lay over the gem.” (then rolllll your eyes — March) Notes are pomelo skin, elm leaf, silver (?!), hawthorn, tuberose, cork, grapefruit, animalic musk.
Well, that sounds … weird, how does it smell? It’s a nice, breezy summer scent. The grapefruit sticks around better and longer than you’d think it would (grapefruit, like ginger, never seems to last in perfumery). It’s a floral grapefruit musk. Hmmmmm, I don’t think I have anything quite like this, I might have to poke around online and see if I can find a decant.
Jo Malone Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Notes: marigold, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, honey, benzoin. I’ve liked several of the JMs over the years enough to buy them, although they tend not to last long unless they’re part of the cologne intense line, which this is.
How did I miss this, this is fantastic! And by “fantastic” I mean it is a ripe, indolic jasmine on me, which is the way I like my jasmine – smutty, vs. a clean white floral labeled “jasmine.” Bring me the skank! The Cos Bar SA saw my face (which was full of surprise) after applying and said, apologetically, that’s not for everyone. Hahahahahaha YEAH I BET. Proper filthy jasmine drying down to honeyed benzoin. Do I need a bottle? No. Do I want a bottle? Hell, yes. Whyyyyyy is this not included in their travel sizes? Some review blurb said “better in cooler weather” and that’s silly, it is stunning in the summer heat. Fair warning that it wears and feels like a jasmine Fracas, it is a lot, so approach with caution if I’ve piqued your curiosity.
Have you tried these? Any perfume surprises recently, good or bad?
images via Pexels
OOOH! I like DS&Durga too March but am yet to purchase a bottle.
That Jo Malone sounds very nice.
Portia xx
It turns out they can be had cheaper on eBay and online discounters, so I’m ogling the grapefruit.
March,
The Jo Malone Jasmine sounds great! I love a lush jasmine scent. I seem to remember that the OG Lauren in the red cube had marigold in its notes, so that’s a bonus as well. Don’t ask me how I remember such ephemera, when I can’t remember why I walked into the next room!
I LOST my bottle of Lauren in the move and I’m STILL vexed about it! Since we’re scent twins you might really like it.
Do you remember all the lyrics to the songs of your youth?
Those lyrics use up the majority of my memory. I regularly forget why I’ve gone somewhere. Lists are now my friends
I need to get back into the habit of sampling new things on a regular basis again. The only one that sounds interesting to me is the jasmine and marigold one.
It’s a lot harder to sample where I live now (small town vs. big city) but if I make an effort I can get out there and smell some new things. If you like jasmine, that JM is worth tracking down for a sniff.
Note to self, get a sniff of that JML. I’m also wanting to sniff the Amber & Labdanum Cologne Intense, Beach Blossom Cologne & this summer’s release of Raspberry Ripple.
We have Sephora opening later this week at the big mall down the M1. Opening day will be bedlam as they’re giving away goody bags to first day customers. I really want to go but cannot be arsed with the bun fight. Will wait til next week.
Wow, do it! Just take a deep breath, bring a couple of masks, and get there early. The goody bag might be amazing — and then you can tell us the tale!
Ooooh! I wish we were getting a Sephora (also a big mall) down the road! Love “bun fight” — will be working that into my vocabulary. I meant to sniff the Amber and Labdanum but I tried the Jasmine first and that was that.
OMG, like March said! Love “bun fight” lol and am stealing it!
Creed. Sigh. Try as I may, I have never been able to find a CreedLove. I do adore their perfume atomizers, though ( mine is the pale blue) which I fill with fragrances Not Creed.
You do love an indolic jasmine! I’m more into the tuberoses, as you know… but now I kinda wanna try the JM, see if I can have what you’re having!
“I’ll have what she’s having” hehehe. I don’t think it’ll thrill you, but what a delightful surprise.
Bar Green Irish Tweed, I have not met a Creed I like — and boy, are they pricey for what they are.
The Jo Malone: well, that’s a wow. I’d stopped sampling them decades ago because they tended to be sort of wan. That was when she was still involved — the brand was sold and is now owned by Estee Lauder. Her new brand, Jo Loves, is very wan again. I will have to try the jasmine though. sounds well worth the time and effort.
The colognes are pretty evanescent for sure. The only other one that has lasted on me is the Dark Amber and Ginger Lily. And yeah, what doesn’t EL own at this point?!?
You have me wanting a Jo Malone.
… a moment I bet you never saw coming! You’ll have to go to one of your 427 places to try fragrance. Man, I am (and will forever remain) jealous.
(affecting Scarlett O’Hara accent) Ah just don’t which of those li’l ole places to try it? Neiman’s? Saks? Nordstrom? Why I I’ll just have to have someone pack me a hamper with sandwiches and strong tea and my fan just to survive!
I am simply OOOOOZING green!!!
Well I would certainly prefer to do my sampling with the company. Dissing (or appreciating) is so much more fun with friends..
We really need to get back out there!
I don’t seem to be in Creed’s target market either. I have tried though.
As to DS & Durga – a friend gave me a bag of about a dozen or more DS & Durga samples quite a while ago. Some were nice but all of them lasted between 5 and 25 minutes on my skin. Then, poof, they were gone. Obviously they’re not for me.
Now, the Jo Malone – you got my attention immediately with the marigold note. I really like marigold in perfumes. Plus, you could not have made it more enticing! So yes yes yes, I’m checking out Jasmine Sambac & Marigold. Piqued my curiosity is an understatement.
I didn’t even mention the marigold! I think it’s what makes the JM more … interesting? More something. If you feel like googling, Michelyn at Ca Fleure Bon has a much more in depth review.