Fragrance Junkie Central

[Mochapj]

I know there are a few of us on BT that are fragrance addicts, so I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated place where we can share our thoughts.

This is not to take away from the lovely What Are You Wearing Today, Fragrance Edition thread, but more a place to post longer reviews, chat about new brands or releases, and just shoot the breeze on anything good and smelly 🙂

For me, I recently acquired 2 new decants that I've been anxiously awaiting.  Ever since Lachaton mentioned that MMM was releasing a new scent called By The Fireplace I've been itching to get my hands on it.  My decant arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to marinating in it this weekend.  Secondly, I recently picked up a tiny sample of Shiseido Nombre Noir.  Supposedly it is one of the most expensive failures in perfume history - made by Serge Lutens for Shiseido back in the 80s.  Of course, with a backstory like that, I was dying to get a sniff 😄

What's new on your scent radar?  Do tell!

 

[Libellules]

I'd be in! The issue with my thought was I wouldn't be sure what to do with the leftovers. Probably need to find a women's shelter for such occaisions

[Sprytely]

Yes. It might also depend a bit on what was left over, I could see this going a few rounds with mostly the same folks.

I was thinking nothing tried more than 3x for a mini or more than 1x for a vial. Or just "don't be a jer-k-face" as I have a lot of decants that were never "full" to begin with...

However, I don't have the time to put this together right now. So I've just been sitting on it. I might not have time until May!!! 

[Libellules]

LOL yes I have a few decants that have never been full! I'll see what I can pull together in the next few weeks. I have mostly samples but have a few minis as well 🙂

[samls324]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Groupon has a ton of awesome fragrance deals! 

[Mochapj]

Since I'm down to less than 10 things in my sample pile, I decided to dip back into some of the stuff I previously tried to get some second impressions.

Today I'm re-trying Penhaligon Lothair and L'artisan Rappelle Toi.

I've confirmed I definitely need a bottle of RT, but Lothair (while lovely) is possibly a touch too masculine for me.  It might be the sort of thing I buy an atomizer decant of, rather than a full bottle.  

I'm sort of happy to be almost finished my sampling TBH, because I've missed out on being able to wear my favorite scents in the interim.  I miss them!

[jemly]

whenever i see mixed reviews on a perfume when the main critique is that it "stinks", i want to try it immediately. "THIS IS HORRIBLE WHAT AN ABOMINATION" and i'm like ohhhhh i want to try ! 

[Mochapj]

LOL, I do this too, sometimes.

I'm convinced that's the only reason I grabbed a vial of that gross perfume you posted the video about out of the TSB.

I'm working up my gumption still to try it 😄

[buggirl]

Okay Mocha- This one is ENTIRELY your fault (Though I will say I have seen the Pixies perform live, so...) .  I went back and forth on it, and ordered Debaser.  Its very interesting, I'm about 4 hours in and I keep needing to go back and smell it as it changes.  Initially the iris and something sweet and slightly soapy (the green leaf maybe?) hit a little fast and hard, but very quickly settle into the fig and bergamot and something spicy. Im not entirely sure what the spicy note is.  But as with many recent unisex perfumes I have tried many of these perfumes decidedly settle to that richer and spicier end.  I wasn't sure at first as flowers are VERY difficult for me, but I think this might turn out to be a good warm weather perfume as I could see it settling a little lighter with my body chemistry and that iris note combining with the fig and bergamot.  Anyway, Im rambling, I don't have the nose many of you have yet, but so far I'm 2/2 on the D.S & Durga perfumes.  I will say that both, on me, are one spray perfumes, more than that would be overpowering. 

[Mochapj]

Today marks the end of my L'artisan Parfumeur journey.

I only have a handful (smaller than that picture) of random samples left to try, and then I'm done.

The scents today are all from the Explosions d'Emotions collection they released a while back.  If I understand correctly, it's a tongue-in-cheek sensual moments set of scents.  I believe there's actually a sixth scent (Onde Sensuelle) in the group, but I didn't get it because; citrus :S

Explosions d'Emotions Skin on Skin

notes: iris, suede, saffron, whiskey, lavender, rose, musk

Lots of iris, suede, musk.  Whispers of rose, but the iris overpowers it.  The saffron and lavender blend into a medicinal, cough syrup vibe. 

Explosions d'Emotions Deliria

notes: metal, rum, toffee, apple, cotton candy

Starts out smelling like Hubba Bubba bubble gum.  A hint of apple, too.  Sweet and fruity.  After an hour it is too candy sweet.  Heady.

Explosions d'Emotions Rappelle Toi (reminds you)

notes: gin, szechuan pepper, gardenia, incense, sandalwood, musk, honey

I love this.  It will be going on my to track down FB list.  Lots of herbal, gin notes.  It actually reminds me of a lot of the things I like about SL Douce Amere.  Mixed with the gardenia, the gin is quite strange.  At first the bits of honey make it smell like ammonia (I believe in perfume terms, they call this indolic)  It has the numbing, mentholic quality that Szechuan pepper has when you eat it.  The honey eventually softens.  Complex and beautiful.

Explosions d'Emotions Amour Nocturne (night love)

notes: cedar, hot milk, caramel, gunpowder, orchid

This is very, VERY odd.  So briefly it had the scent of milk left over from Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  But then it goes full on cedar, mixed with the ashiness of gunpowder/embers.  Some caramelly nuances.  Also, the smell of old newspaper.  And metal.  

Explosions d'Emotions Haute Voltige (high aerobatics?) 

notes: pomegranate, black pepper, peony, juniper, woody, oak moss, balsam fir

At first it smells like Mr Clean??  The juniper, woods and fir make it piney-fresh.  Some sweet tartness from the pomegranate.  Oak moss pops out, making it a bit mossy/grassy/green.  Once bloomed, it smells like Sweet Tarts (the candy).  Fruity.

[jemly]

amour nocturne actually sounds verrrry interesting. maybe nonsensical. i suppose it's supposed to be warm and comforting ? but then....you get metal...... hmmmm

[Mochapj]

I think it's supposed to be their version of sexy times 😮

Metal = blood, perhaps?

[jemly]

oh but of course !!

[Libellules]

Rapelle Toi sounds SO interesting! Is it discontinued or something?

Amour Nocturne also sounds like it has potendtial 😄

[Mochapj]

it looks like it is still available directly from L'artisan, but it looks like it might be on clearance, so that probably means it is d/c.  

[jemly]

alright 2 questions:

1. anyone have any experience with ordering fragrances on overstock dot com ? 

and

2. anyone have any experience with guerlain mitsouko ? i've never smelled it myself, but i'm very intrigued. i want some 'classics' in my collection (and i'm curious to see if i can re-contextualize a slight powdery-ness in my brain to not always being a bad thing). i've seen a few people around the web complain about it being a notable victim to the mass reformulations that EU regulations have required (SL ambre sultan being another; i have no clue which variant i have, love the one i have regardless). i'm not sure if this would bother me--if i'd find anything lacking-- as my nose, though enthusiastic, is still relatively untrained.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Overstock where I bought my 3.3 oz Jimmy Choo last year for suuuuper cheap. I tested it and it was legit but the slowest shipping I've ever seen.

[lachaton]

Ooh jelly, I bought Mitsouko fairly recently. It totally seems like a jemly scent to me! 

There's peach underlying it which is beautiful. I love to wear it in the fall. Haven't tried any of the vintage formulations but I love the new one I bought. I agree with ghkim's description of mossy! It's a neat vintag scnt IMO

[jemly]

peach in fragrance is never what i think of as peach, which i find very interesting. very pleased to have your endorsement (and a two-fold one at that !). i think it'll happen, though a little bit down the road.

[ghkim]

mitsuoko is quite mossy. i don't get a ton of powder from mine but definitely moss in addition to the fruit.

[kethry70]

Yes - I bought 2 blind buys from over stock last year. One I promptly re-sold as blech. The other I have kept but don't love. Not sure what you're looking for, but overstock is legitimate - perfumes were real and arrived safely 🙂

[Mochapj]

It seems the 5 L'artisan Parfumeur scents I picked today were real stinkers (some literally, some figuratively) 😄  

These were no shrinking violets, that's for sure.

Drole de Rose (funny or amusing pink/rose)

notes: orange flower, star anise, iris, rose, violet, powder, almond, leather, honey

First baby powder, rose, iris and violet.  Feminine, girly, soft.  A rose potpourri, sweetened with a hint of honey.    

Jouer de Fete (play festival/birthday)

notes: iris, vanilla, almond, wheat

Candied almonds and iris.  Lots of sugar.  The smell of melting birthday candles.  Really sweet and powdery.  For a bit in the middle it is Play-doh.  Then it's very beautiful and floral/gourmand.

Navegar (???)

notes: lime, pepper, star anise, ginger, rum, cedar, guaiac, incense

I had such high hopes for this.  Almost all the notes are right up my alley, and then... At first, pepper and bug spray.  Then stinky feet.  It dies off after about 10 minutes (thank goodness) but it then smells of rubber with a little cedar.  And hints of something metallic.  So confused and saddened.

Poivre Piquant (spicy pepper)

notes: honey, white pepper, milk, licorice, sugar, woody notes

Lots of white pepper, honey and woods to begin with.  It's a skin scent at first.  After about an hour I get licorice, but strangely, also oregano.  The licorice lingers all day and mixes with the woodiness.

Piment Brulant (burning chilli)

notes: amber, cinnamon, musk, poppy, vanilla, dark chocolate, cacao, clove, chilli

Very accurate.  Smells like wood, cloves, chillis (lots of chillis).  Develops the bitter smell of green bell peppers.  A prolonged really bitter dark chocolate/burnt coffee note carries through it with a lot of toasted, dry chillis.