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.

Talk with the Animals: House of Zoologist

 Zoologist is one of my favorite niche houses to sample because they really do make art. Even if you get something that's not a wearable perfume per se, you will get a memorable olfactory art experience.

Civet

This is quite beautiful in a vintage feeling, old world way. No single note jumps out, it's a perfectly blended symphonic chorus. This reminds me of wandering through a city that was foreign to me and going into a little shop that sold incense and jewelry and fabrics. It was so quiet inside the shop it felt like a church to me. There was an old Nepalese man running the store and he smiled at me. I bought incense. I had not thought about that store in so long but smelling Civet reminded me of the air inside the place. Fragrant, mystical, holy florals and spices.

Macaque

This does not make me think of monkeys at all but it is an extremely unique smell. The opening was a bright sour green apple and green tea sweetened with honey. To be honest, I did not like the opening, it was weird for me. However, that fruity sweetness burns off real quick and the duration of the wear is a dusty musky galbanum that smells amazing. Like laying in tall grass. Very green and dry and relaxing. Reminds me of a chill transparent version of Ralph Lauren Safari

Dodo 

This was the biggest miss for me. Not just from the house of Zoologist but for sampling in general. And I sample a lot of fragrances. This smells like a big old smelly bird's nest full of feathers and urine and god knows what kind of weird food scraps. Not a fan. It's just pungent and animalic in an uneasy feeling way. I just wanted to be wearing something else. Still, it's art if you are into art. What does a dodo smell like anyway? Probably nasty.

Sloth

I have a friend who is an actual zoologist and on a few occasions had the pleasure of accompanying them to care for some of the animals. This perfume really and truly reminds me of the sloth at that zoo. Sweet (acai) furry (cumin and beeswax) and clean! (hay and chamomile) The sloth does have those claws but is really a very loving and gentle beast. Likewise, this is a fruity yet soft nurturing perfume. This is quite unique, perhaps reminiscent of a 90s fragrance like Benneton Tribu.

Beaver

I died laughing when I read a reviewer say that upon being asked what gorgeous perfume they were wearing replied, "Oh that's my beaver you're smelling!" Anyway... (still laughing)... Zoologist Beaver is actually a truly fascinating scent. It's surprisingly fresh! It's a very pretty floral that anyone could wear easily. I smell the linden blossom and iris and they have a bright edge to them which reminds me of the abandoned Lancome Attraction! The linden blossom in particularly is very outdoors in late springtime. Nice soft musk drydown, decent longevity. I can see why this one gets such positive reviews. 

Bee

I really adore Bee, one of my favorites from the house. A strong honey and beeswax scent. Not as sweet as Tokyo Milk Honey and the Moon, this one has a much dustier undertone. I think the labdanum and tonka is responsible for that dusky, deeper tone. There is a nice almondy floral texture from the heliotrope. Honey perfumes are very hit or miss for me but luckily, Bee was a hit.

Rhinoceros

Super intense, a bit too challenging for me. The whips and chains leather scent. Paired with oud, rum and tobacco... it's just way too much for a little miss like me. But I am confident that somewhere out there exists a person this is absolutely perfect for. A don't-mess-with-me scent. A scrubber for my sensitive self, but for someone else this one is going to be like "f*$# yeah, I'm a badass! get out my way!"

Koala 

I disagree with reviewers who say this does not have enough animalic notes in it. I find this to be one of the more animal-esque photorealistic scents from Zoologist. It's on the pissy side of eucalyptus. The honey, mimosa and amber combine into a pissy accord. It smells like the environment of a koala.

Panda 

This is a citrus scent first and foremost to me, with the green notes/bamboo playing quietly in the backbone. The citrus is huge, almost overripe fruits in the heat. There is a huge dose of osmanthus as well as orange flower. If it's a green scent then it is the sweetest side of green and a powerhouse. Not my favorite from the house.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Zoo ee mama! This is something else indeed. I think this may be one of the craziest Zoologist scents. I mean, what does a T Rex smell like anyway? Apparently like a forest fire. Or maybe a volcano. Very smoky, perhaps the smokiest perfume I have yet encountered. So bold it is not my cup of tea. It ain't pretty. Smells like my hair after a night spent around a bonfire. Maybe this isn't the dinosaur itself but the tar pits, the meteors, the devastation of the T Rex. 

Elephant

A very green fragrance. More of a location, an atmosphere than a perfume. I remember watching a nature show where an elephant was making its way through the jungle of northern India. It took down the vegetation in its path like it was no obstacle whatsoever. So much strength in the majestic elephants. I imagine that jungle smelled like this here. Wet green leaves, soaked in rain, with an extremely woody, almost dry in the throat baseline.

Nightingale

This bird from Zoologist was much more my speed than Hummingbird. I like my florals just like this, old school roses with mossy chypre depth. Smells vintage in the best of ways. Sensual, not too powdery, syrupy sweet rose with bite from the oud. This is very nice. This grew on me. Might need to re sample this.

Bat

This is not a perfume but it is a SMELL. It seemed right for wearing on Halloween, as a novelty, but I can't imagine anyone wearing this in earnest daily. The soil accord was very mentholated to my nose, almost like patchouli or camphor notes. Medicinal. The fruity notes poked through the eucalyptus-like soil accord and that's when things got even weirder. I mean, yes it does feel like you're hanging out in a dark moist cave. But it's certainly not anything I'd call beautiful or approachable. So intriguing and even though I don't find Bat at all wearable, I love the risk taking and story telling it delivers.

Hummingbird

A grandmother scent for the very young. Yes, it is a perfect balance of soapy and fruity accords. Syrupy sweet florals. I personally found this overly sweet. Something a hummingbird would love to drink. The honeysuckle and pear are quite pronounced. Quite musky and fluffy on drydown. 

Musk Deer

This has many of my favorite notes and although it's a fairly straightforward soft musk, it still has enough nuance to differentiate it from a cheaper drugstore musk. I vote the ambrette, the labdanum and the sandalwood as the notes I smell most. You will probably be pleased with this as long as you understand ahead of time that it's not going to be a skanky realistic animal type scent. Zoologist has other fragrances that are a lot more "true to life" and literal. This isn't one of them, it's a very wearable "clean but naked skin on a lazy day in bed" sort of perfume.

Camel

On first applying, the civet is very strong but it settles into place quickly and the dried fruit notes become prominent. I get shades of Bal a Versailles with sweetness and spice added. Camel is both warm and fresh at the same time. As it dries down, I catch hints of the floral notes and it's really unique, takes me on an all day scent journey. Another top pick from the entire Zoologist line.

Dragonfly

A musky floral aquatic. Very light and ethereal, like sitting beside a still pond after the rain. I was not expecting this to be so powdery! Like vanilla aldehydes. The iris and lotus are notable florals. 

Chameleon

In my opinion, Zoologist has packaged the weakest scent in their house in the best bottle of all. These bottles are gorgeous. The fragrance was a disappointment for me. The notes all sounded lovely... ylang ylang, plumeria, star fruit. But the smell comes out so pedestrian. It reminds me of the 1980s in America... Pez candy and cheap sun lotion. 

Hyrax

One of the more realistic animal scents of the line, this is not for the shy. It would take a strong personality to pull off Hyrax with confidence. While the animal notes might be made synthetically, this packs a punch like the real thing from a vintage potion. The sillage and longevity are insane, prepare to smell like this until you shower it off. This could be suffocating is overapplied, it is very very much animal themed. Beneath the animal notes lies a bed of saffron, pepper and sharp patchouli leaves. Is it offensive or is it just this side of edgy? You be the judge. 

Moth

Moth went on very smoky and after about twenty minutes, everything settled and balanced out which brought on a very specific place memory for me. The clapboard sided boathouse on the lake where I spent vacation time as a child. The linens on the bed, clean but unused for many months. The oil burning lamp on the table. The curious old dresser with drawers nearly empty other than a deck of playing cards, some beeswax candles, maybe a box of campfire matches.And when I think of the boathouse, there is always a moth somewhere in the picture, usually a live one, resting on the screen, beating its wings demanding to be let in so it can dance with the light of the oil lamp. Zoologist Moth brings to life every detail of the boathouse, a place I have not actually been in years.

Squid 

Squid is probably my favorite Zoologist scent. I really love that salty accord. This is like an even darker, deeper version of CK Reveal. Added to the salty brine is the distinct smell of black ink. My father is a writer and artist so I grew up in a house full of back ink... ribbons for the old typewriters and glass bottles for his calligraphy pens. I remember distinctly that slightly licorice solvent smell surrounding those materials and yes, here it is in Squid. Slightly spicy resinous dried wood too, like the oak drawing table my dad's calligraphy pens and brushes lived upon. I think Squid is the only animal represented in the Zoologist line that I would and have eaten. I love eating squid, reminds me of my past life as a mermaid. The ambergris accord on this is out of this world good, well worth the price of a bottle. If most powdery puffs of musk conjure up the colors white and grey, than the musk in this is a black and indigo cloud.

Snowy Owl TBD... the only scent from the house that I have not yet tried. It came out a few months ago and I have yet to purchase a sample. The notes from the company make it sound like a cold dry minty floral. Of course I'm going to try it and when I do, you'll hear all about it. 

Incensed

Lately I've developed a huge fondness for incense. It started with the typical sticks you find sold in metaphysical stores and headshops, then progressed to pricey cones purchased from niche perfume houses. I found the most delight however, in buying loose resins, barks and powders in bulk to burn on a small charcoal disk. Had to learn moderation with that... the tiniest bit of resin can fill an entire room with smoke. My favorites to burn are myrrh, sandalwood, and palo santo. I also enjoy having benzoin, frankincense and dragons blood bark on hand. It's fun to create new combinations and take in the sweet ancient fragrances. Burning real incense has given me a deeper appreciation for incense inspired perfumes and so today I'll tell you about some of the best ones I've tried. 

COMME DES GARCONS Series 3: INCENSE

CdG came out with five incense inspired scents for this series, influenced by the places of worship ascribed to some of the major world religions. 

Jaisalmer (inspired by Hinduism) was the woodiest one to me. It reminds me of standing on a cut pine log porch in the summertime after the rain has come, and the soaked wood smells so earthy and medicinal.

Kyoto (inspired by Buddhism) is the most ethereal, the hardest to pin down but possibly my favorite? Not sure yet but it's very beautiful, light and herbal. Doesn't smell like a perfume at all really, it's so natural.

Ouarzazate (inspired by Islam) was the most floral to me. The sage note is really fresh and realistic and there is a nice hit of jasmine, green tea and wood notes.

Zagorsk (inspired by Orthodox Christianity) was the coziest, most powdered, almost clean soap like to me. There is a lot of orris root in here. Reminds me of the interior of an old quality handbag.

Avignon (inspired by Catholicism) was the most "churchy" to me. I suppose that makes sense for me personally, since I grew up in Christian circles. It's got that nice blend of sweet myrrh and bracing clean frankincense. Notes like labdanum and ambrette add to the "ancient building filled with tapestries and old wood" feeling.

BOWHANTI by THE BODY SHOP

Woody notes with a hefty dose of cinnamon incense. I did not particularly care for this on the first spray as it goes on slightly medicinal but it grew on me over time. It's very balsamic and earthy, slightly peppered, totally unisex in my opinion. One of the most calm incense fragrances I've ever worn. The notes listing seems like it would have powerful sillage, but I found it to be a close to the skin scent no matter how much I over sprayed.

FAT ELECTRICIAN by ETAT LIBRE D'ORANGE

Vetiver and myrrh are favorite notes for me, and having them beautifully balanced with sweet notes here make Fat Electrician one of my favorite perfumes and one that will definitely be added to my collection. It doesn't smell foody despite the sweet candied nut accord. It does smell warm. The bitterness of the vetiver gives it a more yang leaning. If I smelled anyone wearing this I would climb them like a tree.

OPIUM by YVES SAINT LAURENT

The smell of Christ's tomb. The dust on the stones in the desert heat. The balms and spices used to wrap a body. Spikenard still in the air. Antiquity and mystery. I love the smell of Opium but I can't imagine being enveloped in this as a daily scent. It has a lot of gravitas to me.

FURIOSA by FENDI 

I blind bought this due to the cool bottle. It looks like a tortoise shell. The scent itself is really unique, and as you can see from the other reviews, difficult to describe accurately. It's hot peppery, incense smoky, sweet amber, heavy floral, whispers of powder... it's all of these things drifting in and out in layers, like ballet dancers who leap off into the wings only to reappear onstage a few minutes later. This is very distinctive, in Fendi style.