Celebrity Scents, vol. 4

I recently heard someone muse that because it is no longer in fashion to buy posters of stars, they have turned more and more to using cosmetics lines to supplement their income and ride their own name as far as it will travel. Recently there has been a decline in the purchases of celebrity perfumes, with more consumers choosing to buy fewer high end niche bottles over many inexpensive mainstream scents. That said, I know celebrity fragrances will not be disappearing anytime soon. Their fans already experience these stars not as people, but as products. They are an entire aesthetic and that will always sell a product. We love reading about them in the tabloids but we're usually not tacky enough to admit such a thing. As long as we are obsessed with stars, celebrity fragrances will continue to exist. For your enjoyment, here are eight more star studded scents I have tried: 

JENNIFER ANISTON (formerly Lolavie) by Jennifer Aniston

What's with the name? "The Artist Formerly Known As Lolavie" Did Miss Aniston run into some sort of legal issues in regard to the name Lolavie? Who is Lolavie? Is it a real person? Does Jennifer not like them anymore? So many questions. Anyway, this scent is a very pleasant clean musk white floral. It does have a slight hot sand and sunscreen vibe to it, but not as pronounced or heavy as Bobbi Brown Beach or anything. It leans more on the jasmine end of things, like Child or Kai or maybe something from the Philosophy or Clean lines. If you like any of the scents I just listed, this is probably a safe blind buy for you. Casual clothes, freshly washed sheets drying on the line next to a sandy dune covered in fragrant grasses and sea spray.

TOUCH OF SEDUCTION by Christina Aguilera 

This reminds me so much of something from my childhood toy collection, It smells exactly like a Barbie doll I had called Sweet Roses PJ. (This would have been 1983). I really like it. It's the perfect blend of vanilla, berries and roses. Very cozy and warm.

VINTAGE BLOOM by Jessica Simpson

This is delicious. The raspberry accord mixed with the lemon accord create an almost candy or cake like smell. But there is a floral woodsy layer just underneath which makes this very reminiscent of Nina by Nina Ricci, which I wore and loved when my son was just a baby. Because of this similarity, it makes Vintage Bloom a personally nostalgic scent for me. Reminds me of having fun, being young and a little naive. This is inexpensive and great to spritz on whenever you just want to be cheered up.

WONDERSTRUCK by Taylor Swift

First off, let me say the bottle is very pretty. It's one of the nicer looking things on my dresser. When I was first gifted Wonderstruck, I did a double take looking at the bottle because I swore I saw Illuminati symbols in the gold filigree ("Who is Taylor Swift anyway?" haha) Sadly, the juice inside doesn't live up to the hype of the ads or the packaging. I don't know what I was expecting really. Even though I am in my fourth decade of life and occasionally enjoy a T-Swift song, I understand that her fanbase is generally younger than me. And what they like are fruity vanillas that are more like body sprays. It's raspberry, peach and vanilla mostly. Every once in awhile I will force my nose to detect the tea note, just for variety. It's okay to like scents like this, it's just not my bag. I like Wonderstruck but I don't love it. For me it just smells too similar to a lot of other things out there which I equate with being boring and basic. Just my opinion though.

LIVE by Jennifer Lopez

This did not smell ANYTHING like what I was expecting. I read every review to see if anyone else had the same experience as me. A few did, but not many. I do not smell sweetness or fruit or caramel or any of the things most reviewers are mentioning. What Live is for me is a sporty, almost masculine-energy scent. Like a men's body wash. Don't get me wrong, I do like the smell. It just doesn't match up with the listed notes for me. I get a strong soapy, Axe body wash feeling from it. And that's fine, it fills a niche in my perfume wardrobe. Do I smell any of the listed notes? If I had to pick, maybe the orange and the tonka but I'm really not sure. If you like clean, soapy, shower fresh smells you might like this. Or maybe my nose is weird and you'll get the sweet fruity caramel smell that every other review speaks of. The bottle is very pretty and changes colors as you turn it.

FANCY LOVE by Jessica Simpson

Fancy Love smells like Burberry had a baby with Light Blue. It has the peachy vanilla warmth of Burberry and the cedar-apple fresh texture of D&G Light Blue, as well as the sillage of both. I think this will be a winter scent for me, as I feel it leans a bit too heavy for the hot months. I'm not usually a gourmand fan, so this strikes the right balance of dessert notes mixed with non edibles.

BEACHSCAPE by Jennifer Aniston

Beachscape was my least favorite of the Jennifer Aniston scents. It's ok but that "clean laundry / dryer sheets" genre is kind of whatever for me. And that's what I get from Beachscape. Nothing about this feels beachy to me. It reminded me a lot of pulling warm clothes out of the dryer. I see it's been compared to CLEAN Warm Cotton which does not surprise me. If you like musky laundry type scents, try this one, it's always a good price. I'm going to stick with J from the Aniston line, it had so much more nuance.

SOMEDAY by Justin Bieber

It really does smell like many many many others that are being marketed to the same demographic. (Wonderstruck, Viva La Juicy, Ari, etc) Indiscernible fruit mixed with a vanillic base. It smells sweet and innocent, but not very interesting and easily interchangeable with a lot other fragrances for the younger market. I get it though, when I was a kid I wanted Debbie Gibson Electric Youth, which smelled a lot like Someday... candied fruits and vanilla on a musky base. About as sexually provocative as bubble gum, which makes sense. I ended up layering my sample of Someday with a Banana Republic perfume that had a matching vanilla note in it, just to add more nuance to my sillage cloud. 

Juicy Juice: Citruses You Need to Know

Citrus scents are the perfect way to boost your energy! They make you appear youthful. They reduce stress levels. Lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lime. All vivid and tangy. Fresh, natural mouthwatering fizziness. A few citruses I adore: 

AQUA ALLEGORIA ORANGE SOLEIA by Guerlain 

This really is the PERFECT orange scent. Not too sweet, not too bitter... photorealistic orange. Projection is soft but not too soft, someone else could possibly smell this on me if they were a foot or two away. I keep rocking back and forth so I can get little wafts of it over and over. This is the quality I have come to anticipate from Guerlain. 

CHINOTTO di LIGURIA by ACQUA di PARMA

A mind bending citrus floral. Good enough to drink. Summer cocktails and sunglasses. Riding home on the back of his motorcycle. A fantastic geranium note in there too!

L'ETROG by Arquiste

This fragrance got me to learn about the holiday of Sukkot. I love how perfume reviews often take me down a rabbit hole of learning. I've sampled L'Etrog fairly heavily now and it's in my top citrus of all time category. It's up there with Acqua di Parma Colonia and Francis Kurkdjian Universalis Forte. I can smell the myrtle sharpening the edges and the date sweetening it up. Refreshing and irresistible.

ORANGE SANGUINE by Atelier 

I realize that I just called Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Orange Soleia "the PERFECT orange scent". Well, now that I consider it, I feel it may be tied for first place with this one. They are both the perfect blood orange! Soleia is a bit more citrus-y, with a brightness that pops and fizzes your nose. Sanguine is smoother, with hints of green leaves and geranium. But they are equally photorealistic. It's just like two different strains of oranges and here's me standing in the grocery store trying to decide which orange to actually buy. I guess Soleia is the orange juice I'd drink in a tiny glass for a delicious breakfast and Sanguine is the orange juice I would use to mix in a refreshing cocktail. I never thought I'd be a person who loved orange perfumes. My wallet says I should check out the Pacifica one next.

COLOGNE by Etat Libre d'Orange

This is such a bergamot BOMB! That might be all I can smell on this is bergamot, although I know there are other notes lifting and carrying the bergamot because its not like essential oil or anything. This makes me think that the creator wanted to make a posh version of 4711. Just like 4711 but with SILLAGE and LONGEVITY. It certainly is not as interesting as other ELDO creations, but as far as classic cologne accord goes, it is very very nice. Clean and sexy.

UNDER THE LEMON TREE by Maison Martin Margiela

A summer refresher scent like AdG or Ck1. For those hot days when everything else is too oppressive, you can slip into the light herbal aromas of Under the Lemon Tree. Petitgrain can be such a powerhouse note when used the way it is here. Reminds me a bit of an herbal shampoo from the 80s. People who are sad about the discontinuation of Love's Fresh Lemon will find memories stoked somewhat here.

A Fine Vintage, Aged to Perfection

A question I get a lot is "Are vintage perfumes still good to wear?" and the answer is ABSOLUTELY. Provided they have been stored in a cool dry place, away from sunlight and the bottle has stayed sealed well enough to not let in air, a perfume can stay wonderful smelling for decades. There are some perfumistas whose wardrobe is made up exclusively of vintage because they just prefer those type of scents over the candy sweet ones that make up a large percentage of what is on the current market. They don't make em like they used to! Perfumes of yesteryear had serious personality that cannot be compared to modern. There is a fantasy aspect to them, taking you away in a time machine. It's a piece of history in smell form. There is a character and depth as they unravel in layers over the course of wearing them. Here are a few vintages that I absolutely loved wearing. 

 

VOL DE NUIT by Guerlain 

This was the scent that not only turned me on to galbanum as a note (making me chase things like vintage Miss Dior and Ralph Lauren Safari) but Vol de Nuit also turned me on to the world of 1930s woody fragrances. The smell of real silk stockings in a drawer with a stash of perfumed cigarettes. Perfumes like Angelique Encens, Sous le Vent and Tweed suddenly entered my world, all thanks to a little sample of Guerlain Vol de Nuit holding the door open. This just smells so classy and old school, like the beautiful star of a black and white romantic comedy.

ARPEGE by Lanvin 

The first time I smelled Arpege I immediately thought "This one is going to need very careful wearing". Meaning light handed, meaning just the right weather, meaning just the right occasion. Not a perfume I would recommend to someone just starting out on a perfume journey. Not to sound like a snob but this is an old school aldehyde that to a newbie inexperienced nose will receive the dreaded "o l d l a d y" comment and scrunched nose. You have to know who you are and what you are doing in order to rock Arpege confidently. This is a lady, she knows what a finger bowl is for. She has monogrammed stationary. Her house is decorated in chintz fabric and everything is perfectly symmetrical. She is probably an Earth or Water sign. This is really musky and not at all light. If you are confident with your ability to pull off things like White Linen or even jLo Glow, you can handle Arpege. But yes, it takes a minute to "get" Arpege and it won't be everyone's thing. Smells shy but it's not for shy people.

FIRST by Van Cleef & Arpels

A fine aldehydic potion. Where White Diamonds uses aldehydes to showcase lilies and Ysatis uses aldehydes to showcase ylang ylang, Van Cleef & Arpels First uses aldehyde accord in the top notes to frame and highlight a green and fresh hyacinth. Very "ladies who lunch". I'm so impressed! 

 L'HEURE BLEUE by Guerlain 

I consider this the quiet, reserved older sister of the more cheeky and vivacious Mitsouko. About seven years ago, I first sampled it and couldn't really forget it once my sample was gone. I saw a vintage bottle of it in a thrift store of all places but for whatever reason, went home without buying it. Regret clouded my thoughts. A few days later my sister called and mentioned that she was shopping at that particular thrift store. I yelled into the phone instructions for what part of the store I'd seen it, which shelf it was on, described the curlique bottle shape and promised I'd pay her back right away if she could please please find it and buy it for me. It was still there (how did the other thrift store shoppers never see it??) and once she brought it to me, I knew why it had haunted my mind so badly. It's a haunted perfume. Mitsouko is also a haunted perfume. Otherworldly, possessed by a spirit of an era, unforgettable, larger than life, having a personality that takes the wearer on a fantastic journey to another time. The standout notes for me are heliotrope, anise, vanilla and tonka. It's powdery in the very best way a perfume can be. Reading through the other reviews, you'll notice how it reminds different people of different things. Some smell the gourmand notes more strongly and some sense it to be more floral, but almost everyone finds it nostalgic. It's soft and comforting, elegant in the way of old Guerlain. Images of the twilight hour are perfect for this. L'Heure Bleue came out in 1912, the year Titanic sank. I always wonder how many fashionable ladies were wearing it on that fateful night. Some of them went to a watery grave, making it the last perfume they ever wore. Others perhaps wore it and survived but could not bear to wear it again, due to the painful memory associations that fragrance has on our hearts and minds. I suppose this could be a signature scent for some people. To me, it's not an every day mood. It's melancholy, elegant, romantic and feels like it is meant for the most special of occasions

Your Skin But Better

It may seem redundant to want a perfume that smells like skin. What's the point? Well, sometimes we don't want to shout LOOK AT ME but instead whisper it. Something soft and light but still a definitely felt presence. The perfume version of the "no makeup" look. Alluring but extremely subtle. Skin scents are having a bit of a moment right now. Perhaps the past year had many of us paring down our lives and getting back to the basics in all parts of our lives. And what could be more simple than the smell of clean warm naked skin? It's so intimate, like sharing a secret with just one other person. Of course, actual human skin does not usually smell as good as these reinterpretations. 

Nude by Bill Blass

One of those love it or hate it scents and I'm in the first camp. Smells like a fresh pair of women's nylon stockings and I mean that in the best way. It has that expensive new clothes smell I love this aldehydic mossy ever so slightly bitter powder. Would make a great signature "Oh my goodness you smell wonderful" perfume. Very classy fragrance for a nice price. A lot of people are saying it smells synthetic and I agree but at the same time, I don't always find "smells synthetic" to be a bad thing. It reminds me of shopping and browsing racks of silk and linen garments. The people who crave that doll's head scent may like this too for that very reason. Nude is an oddball but those are my favorite kind of perfumes.

Odeur 53 by Comme des Garcons 

What a strange one. Smells like the interior of a new office building that has not yet had furniture or people moved into it. The drywall is in place, the walls are painted and the carpet is installed. But it's all fresh and untouched, lacking the smells that indicate human presence.

You by Glossier

Not a perfume as much as it is a smell. I get a smattering of notes suggested to me as I wear this: The musk, iris and powder, but also hints of that pebble accord from CdG Odeur 53 or occasional wafts of the "solar accord" in Alien. A warm hazy skin musk but also a sterile minimalist laundry product. It's definitely going to be a matter of skin chemistry and personal taste if you like this. I became aware of this after smelling it on another guest while I was on vacation. Her style was something fierce, I can only describe it as "Wednesday Addams Goes to The Beach" and the scent of Glossier You suited this aesthetic perfectly. As soon as I got back from vacation, I put this one into my Scentbird queue. I like it but if I had a bottle I would probably use this as a layering piece for other scents. On it's own it's really cozy and does travel a journey of several different types of musky notes.

Muscs Khoublai Khan 

I've been reading the reviews of this for years and it's been on my "Must Try" list forever. Well, now that I have tried it, I must say that I'm really not sure what everyone is talking about. This is not a sillage monster. This is not Bigfoot's ball sweat. I'm not even sure if it's a cuddly puppy. It's definitely a musk, yes, but it's so soft and clean to my nose. I am shocked because I have never felt less in agreement with other perfume reviewers. This is lovely, soft, powdery, floral musk. If it reminds me of anything body part related, perhaps the clean scalp of a baby? I would buy an entire bottle of this, it isn't scary AT ALL to me it's really beautiful.

Putain des Palaces by Etat Libre d'Orange 

The name translates roughly to "hotel whore". All dolled up in her leather bondage gear and heavily baby powdered to prevent chafing.

Au The Blanc by Bulgari 

I first smelled this is the form of a bar soap and that's exactly what the perfume smells like... clean soap from a high end hotel, lounging on fresh linens, snuggled in a fluffy white bathrobe. This is what the babies of aristocrats smell like I bet (I don't know any aristocrats so I am just speculating). It's a nice sharp but still like green tea scent, very quality. The musk and black pepper give it a cool minimalist aesthetic. I enjoy this, it's subtle and calming.

Odyssey by Avon 

This smells a lot like Jovan White Musk to me, but it has a little more sillage. Musk is the main note of Odyssey but the other notes (mimosa, lily of the valley and magnolia) combine to create a very soapy feel. I like to always have a soap type scent in my collection, so if you like things like JLo Glow, you will probably enjoy this too. You really won't smell like you're wearing perfume, more like you took a hot shower and then applied lotion, deodorant, and talcum powder. It's very clean and no frills but also warm. Your flushed skin wearing freshly laundered clothing. It's not going to challenge you but it will provide a sense of comfort. And don't we all need a few perfumes in our collection that just give us that reset feeling?

Creme de Nude by MAC

This is wonderful, a soft leathery musk in the vein of Glossier You, with added sweetness from a vanillic ambrette seed. Starts off like the inside of a soft handbag, moves into the powdery quality of a freshly washed scalp and dries down to a sweet warm skin musk, like the scent of a woman lounging in bed. I may have to buy a full bottle, this is really attractive

Himalayan Musk by Nemat International 

When first applied, I don't smell much at all and then I end up over applying. An hour later it's mixed in with my natural skin oil and body heat, creating an impressive cloud of muskiness. There was enough sillage that I received a few compliments.... words like "fresh" and "clean". People were surprised to hear that it was a simple inexpensive musk oil, something they've seen at Whole Foods a thousand times and never bothered to smell. Longevity is a good six hours or more on me and it changes most delightfully as it wears. A more floral nuance appears, powdery and "white" feeling. (Sometimes I 'see' smells in the form of color) Himalayan Musk is fantastic on its own when you want simplicity or would make a great layering oil for scents you wanted to increase the musk accord on. I will definitely have to check out Nemat's other oils, I think they could be a great addition to my wardrobe, especially considering my love for layering.

Scrumptious

 Gourmand fragrances smell good enough to eat. The notes are often things like vanilla, chocolate, coffee, honey, berries, etc. Some people feel these should only be worn in the cold months, but I disagree. You can wear anything in any weather, it all depends on the application. If you're going to wear a sweet perfume in warm weather, use a bit of restraint when spraying. You can always go back and add more but it's harder to subtract without a full shower. Let me tell you today about a handful of lesser known gourmand scents that you'll definitely want to sample. 

FROLLINO LAVANDA by Kyse Perfumes 

This is delicious. I don't really smell any lavender though, it's a buttery, salty creamy caramel to me. Really buttery actually. I can almost taste melted butter when I smell this. It makes me think of the winter holidays and the treats and warm drinks you get around that time of year.

OMNIA GREEN JADE by Bulgari

A nutty, buttery pistachio note that lasts and lasts, backed up with that very signature Bulgari woodsy musk base. This is a gourmand that does not scream gourmand. Very classy gourmand.

AMOUR DE CACAO by Comptoir Sud Pacifique 

I'm koo koo for Coco Puffs! Enough said. 

AVATAR by Hilde Soliani 

Yum yum! Ice cream. This was a sample sent to me after I purchased the custom perfume fitting from LuckyScent. I never would have thought to try this scent on my own. Now I'm going to have to get a whole bunch of other samples from Hilde Soliani because gourmands seem to be her thing. This is delectable. Like a bowl of vanilla ice cream being eaten while lounging in a fluffy bubble bath.

SWEET ORIENTAL DREAM by Montale 

A sweet, heavy powdery gourmand on my skin. Yummy and cozy, like an oversized sweater on Christmas morning, eating almond kringle and you can smell Grandpa's pipe tobacco wafting in from the porch.

CHOCOLATE GREEDY by Montale

The best, truest chocolate perfume I've had the pleasure of trying in twenty some years of being an avid perfumista explorer. Mouthwatering. Like fudgey brownie batter. This is what you recommend to someone looking for a true chocolate experience (gotta save your pennies first, it is Montale after all) Don't wear this if you're even slightly hungry or trying to diet, you will straight up chew your arm off.

Bullseye. Shopping for Perfumes and Cordless Drills.

 You've probably noticed that Target is one of those stores where you can go in to buy one item and leave with a lot more because you got sucked in to the vibe and the low prices. They've got everything! Including their very own store line of perfumes. If you've ever felt curious about these rows and rows of pretty tester bottles in the Target cosmetics aisle, this is your chance to find out what is what. I have tested a huge assortment of the Good Chemistry line (which spans genders and genres) and am set to pass the knowledge along to you! 

GOOD CHEMISTRY @ Target stores

GARDENIA PALM 

A gardenia scent that isn't just a pile of tuberose. Lots of aquatic/green notes in here to keep the gardenia fresh and not cloying. It doesn't fall into the sunscreen gardenia trap either. It's a nice new take on gardenia, really.

JASMINE ROSE 

This is nice, it's very much a shampoo floral. More rose than jasmine. Very bright and office safe, like clean hair and good manners.

MAGNOLIA VIOLET

A very pretty crowd pleasing floral. It's very light, something of a milky violet scent. It reminds me of various Ellen Tracy perfumes I've had over the years. It makes me think of a luxurious skin cream.

VANILLA ORCHID 

This one surprised me! Vanilla so often does not sit well with me in perfume, too sweet or heavy. But this was really fresh!! Almost like lilac or heliotrope with a small dash of milky vanilla underpinning it. Two thumbs up, this is very nice and even refreshing.

COOL GLACIER 

Cool Glacier is an appropriate name for this one. It smells almost cold. Melancholy, like days spent alone out at sea. It reminds me of popular bar soaps like Irish Spring or Coast. Will definitely extend your shower fresh feeling for the entire day.

MINERAL DESERT 

I kept forgetting what this one smelled like after I sampled it because it didn't bring to mind images like "desert" or "mineral" at all to me. This was like the budget version of Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte. Smells just like it but fades quickly. This would be good for a hot summer day when you just wanted a quick refresher spray. Very citrus. 

RUSTIC WOODS

The dark green packaging and the name Rustic Woods had me expecting pine but no, instead I got LEATHER. Straight up soft handbag leather start to finish. Unexpected but I do like it!

SILVER COAST 

Your basic aquatic-citrus-aromatic blend. Smells nice but not extremely unique. You've smelled this before in fragrances like Acqua di Gio. Not groundbreaking in any way, but a nice affordable version of that type of smell. Would make a safe blind buy for a man, it's safe for the office or anywhere else. Not going to turn heads but you'll smell appropriate and well groomed. Would be a good starter for a young person on a budget just building up their fragrance wardrobe. This is the basic white shirt of colognes.

APRICOT BLOOM 

This one seems to be very popular, but I have determined that apricot notes in perfume are not really my thing. This reminds me of the sweet floral scents that were popular in the late 80s / early 90s. Good for those who like sweet or amber fragrances. 

BLUEBELL 

This smells so much like D&G Light Blue, but if you were to dial back the lemon and cedar notes quite a bit in Light Blue and then turn up the volume all the way on the bellflower. Perfect for a hot summer day I'd say! Less masculine than Light Blue and a much prettier bottle too. All of the Good Chemistry bottles are beautifully designed.

SUGAR BERRY 

One of my favorites from the Good Chemistry line. First of all, how pretty is that bottle? I love the raspberries on the bush, reminds me of high summer. This is a scrumptious warm sugar scent, hints of raspberry marshmallow. If you're a fan of stuff like Pink Sugar, Ari, or Dolce & Gabbana pour Femme, GET THIS. Such a nice creamy dessert smell.

WATER LILY 

A pretty aquatic. In the same vein as Dolce Floral Drops or Alfred Sung Shi. However, it's not the same as either of those, this one is even lighter and airier. There's something about this that conjurs up nostalgia for me, although I can't say what, just that I have smelled this long ago, in another life maybe. I get little hints of the berry now and again, but it's definitely a floral aquatic perfume.

BRAINIAC

Very peppery and hot but the citrus lightens and brightens it. Woody on the drydown, a huge pile of logs. I really think the entire Good Chemistry line is worth sampling, they really have something for everyone's taste.

DAYDREAMER

This is a strange one. I didn't even get pineapple until the drydown. For most of the time, Daydreamer was a dryer sheet musk with the volume turned up to 11. Smells like hand soap or gummy vitamins.

QUEEN BEE 

Queen Bee is the Good Chemistry line's take on the modern fruity floral. A very juicy currant accord reads almost honeyed by the amber notes. This does remind me of Coach or something along those lines. I'd think that a little bitty spray should go a long way with this one.

WILD CHILD 

Wild Child might be my favorite of the Good Chemistry line that I've had the chance to sample thus far. Very woody and not too sweet, this reminds me so much of James Heeley Coccobello, which I wore when I was in Hawaii. Therefore Wild Child will be a cost effective way for me to take a trip back to Hawaii in my mind whenever I want. If you're unfamiliar with Coccobello, I'll explain it this way. It's not coconut in a sweet gourmand way. It's coconut in a woody, green, still growing on the tree way. There are leaves and bark surrounding this coconut. You can really smell the humid air filled with thousands of these palm trees. If you're a fan of rich woody scents you'll most likely enjoy Wild Child.

Hitting Just the Right Note: Favorite Soliflores vol. 2

                                  

It's been awhile since I talked about favorite soliflores. The ones I wrote about previously here are still favorites but in the meantime here are a couple more to check out. 

ROSE: Atelier Rose Anonyme

I've had several opportunities to sample Rose Anonyme and it's landed straight on my wish list. This is the kind of rose perfume I dig the most... a rose with bite. A stunning, intensely earthy rose. Like a rose growing on the crumbling wall of Sleeping Beauty's forgotten castle. There is a dark side to this that I am just loving. The oud, the patchouli, the opoponax... basically any of the notes that aren't rose serve to elevate the rose into a fairytale realm of beauty from pain, mysteries and legend. 

JASMINE: Rogue Perfumery Jasmin Antique

A big stinky jasmine for lovers of big stinky jasmine. Do not apply if you're more into sweet delicate romantic dainty girl florals. This is loud, proud and it's coming for everyone so look out! I recommended this to a perfume loving friend who is on a quest for the skankiest most indolic jasmine that exists. They might really love this one. It's like having my nose dipped right into a cluster of real jasmine blossoms. Mmmmmmm. Delicious and loud. Floral indole heaven.

HONEYSUCKLE: Fresh Honeysuckle

This is a very realistic honeysuckle soliflore. Clean, slightly sweet floral musk, very nostalgic for anyone who grew up in a place with honeysuckle vines. I am surprised this is not way more popular. I believe it's longer lasting, better sillage and better price than any niche house's honeysuckle that I have tried.

GARDENIA: Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia

Tahitian Gardenia is a nice affordable option among the many gardenia perfumes currently on the market. If you like Marc Jacobs, Tocca Florence, Jovan Island Gardenia, Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia, etc. then you will also like this. Pacifica's gardenia soliflore is a soft mellow creamy gardenia. Perfect for hot weather, there is the tiniest hint of jasmine that blooms underneath the composition but the heart is pure gardenia lotion on a body wearing a summer dress. This gives me a calm nurturing mood.

LILY OF THE VALLEY: Byredo Inflorescence

Lily of the valley scent is extremely nostalgic for me. These tiny bell shaped blossoms have played a role in more than a few eras of my life. But it can be a tricky note in perfumery. Luckily, Byredo Inflorescence sticks the landing flawlessly. This does not only remind me of the lily of the valley growing in the yard of my childhood home, it reminds me of the entire yard. Details I had not thought about in years.... the tiny sandbox, the plum tree, the lemon balm that took over and grew through cracks in the wooden fence. A rainy spring morning, new dresses, my first bicycle, a treasured doll. All of these details and more come through at one whiff of Inflorescence. The truest LOTV perfume I've smelled since the original version of Crabtree & Evelyn's LOTV. If I were to purchase a bottle of Byredo it would either be this one or Mojave Ghost, which is also a pretty and nostalgic floral with a sweet airy mood of innocence.

ORANGE BLOSSOM: L'Artisan Seville a l'Aube

I really enjoy the sharp green herbal opening on this. It really gives a new twist to orange blossom. The buttery waxiness underneath makes it come alive on my skin. Truly remarkable performance. Another love for me from L'Artisan. Hits a spot that not many florals can. A nice yin and yang balance of syrupy summer blossoms and crisp green incense.

VIOLET: Guerlain Insolence

Candy sweet violet powdery goodness. So much raspberry mixed with the violets here gives Insolence a bubble gum quality. This seems to be Guerlain's perfect reach toward the younger crowd. The fruity fun girlishness they crave with the Guerlain quality their mothers will purchase for them. This is a good girl with a decidedly naughty streak. Summers in the Hamptons with the sweater set but taking midnight dips in the nude with the party kids. Did I mention how much raspberry is in here? And yet somehow it still comes across as a modern twist on the violet soliflore.