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Post in Fragrance Fans
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The Perfume Challenge

Do you have a box full of perfume vials and/or a vanity covered in perfume bottles? Are you the Goldilocks of perfume, just looking for the perfect signature scent? Do you want an opportunity to post daily about how your perfume of the day smells oaky and smoky with hints of blackberry and currant, like a cigar in a whisky barrel rolling through a Mediterranean orchard on a breezy summer morning?

 

If you answered yes to any of the above, or you just want to hop on board for the ride, join us for a 31 days of perfume challenge starting January 1st! Some of us from the 25 days of lipstick challenge wanted to continue the fun and exploration, and since many of us have so many perfume samples, we thought this challenge would be perfect. If you don't have 31 perfumes or hate everything that doesn't smell like Meyer lemons and fresh goat cream, that's fine--we're just aiming to use the neglected perfumes we have laying around and incorporate them into our perfume rotations.

 

And if you want more perfume vials, there's no better time than now to take a peek at Sephora's samples section.

 

Edit: Anyone can join in at anytime! We're here to support, live vicariously through, and encourage everyone in their olfactory adventures!

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus

After quite a few more wearings of each fragrance, there is a slight change in my favorites:

1. KL Homme

2. Lagerfeld Classic

3. Private Klub

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@Vmaster, funny how things can change with repeated wears! Was there something different in subsequent wearings that made you change your mind?

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus  That musk note combined with the orange is just too nice.

I'm going to buy another bottle tomorrow (just in case).

🙂

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@Vmastergood luck with scoring another vintage 🙂

Re: The Perfume Challenge

My bottle of Private Klub for Men by Lagerfeld arrived yesterday. If you can imagine Aventus by Creed without the smoky birch, you'll have Private Klub for Men. A really nice pineapple-centered fragrance. Not bad at all considering it was only $30 US on ebay for a 100 ml bottle, while a 100 ml bottle of Aventus retails for $435 US. A pity that it was discontinued.

 

Fragrance Notes:
Top Notes: Basil, Grapefruit, Lavender
Heart Notes: Pineapple, Clove, Cinnamon
Base Notes: Coumarin, Vetiver, Cedar

 

As usual, this is marketed towards men, but the ladies will enjoy it as well.

 

There was a Private Klub for Women that focused on magnolia, almond and kashmir notes but it did not rate very well.

 

Notice the profile of Karl Lagerfeld on the K's?

 

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Re: The Perfume Challenge

@Vmasterwow, $30 😮 You could try layering it with something smokey and there's your Aventus ha ha

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus  Hyde by Hiram Green 🙂

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@Vmasterthis one is definitely on my to test list. It sounds amazing

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus  I have a sample of this. It is Very smoky and Very nice.

RE: The Perfume Challenge

I didn’t know where to post this, so I figured here would be a good spot. I came across this fig tree candle in Target and its a total dupe for Diptyque Philosykos!

Re: RE: The Perfume Challenge

@octopusmethanks for sharing, sounds like an amazing find ❤️

Re: The Perfume Challenge

Karl Lagerfeld had worked for Jean Patou, Cloe, Krizia, Valentino and Fendi as a designer. He also worked as the design director for Chanel from 1982 to 2000, being responsible for bringing the near-dead brand back to life as well as creating the CC monograph of Coco Chanel into a style pattern for the house that we see today. He had also began his own "Karl Lagerfeld" brand, which was established to channel "intellectual sexiness". Karl worked with Fendi until his death last month, at the age of 85.


When I had read the news of his passing, I realized that I had never tried the Karl Lagerfeld fragrances. This past Wednesday I purchased three of the brand's fragrances: Lagerfeld Classic which was released in 1978, Private Klub for Men which was released in 2015, and the highly rated KL Homme which was released in 1986. I was able to find a 50 ml bottle of Lagerfeld Classic at Walgreens in the US for $25, and the other two were found on ebay as they both had been discontinued. I will report on the two from ebay when they arrive next week. If you are not into "male" fragrances, a highly rated women's fragrance from Lagerfeld is KL by Lagerfeld (released in 1982) which can be found on ebay.

 

Lagerfeld Classic by Karl Lagerfeld is a spicy oriental.

 

Top Notes: Aldehydes, Bergamot, Tarragon, Green notes, Clary sage, Lemon.
Heart Notes: Orris root, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Cedar.
Base Notes: Amber, Oakmoss, Musk, Tonka bean, Vanilla.

 

To my nose, the musk really stands out. Personally, I do not like overbearing animalic musk, but the musk note in this fragrance is very enjoyable coupled with the other notes, especially the tobacco, amber, vanilla and aldehydes. This fragrance smells really sexy.

Although this fragrance is aimed at men, women will enjoy this one as well. Again, I purchased my 50 ml bottle at Walgreens in the US for $25. Cheap but it does not smell cheap.

Re: The Perfume Challenge

Thanks, @Vmaster !  I didn't know Karl Lagerfeld passed away.  I'm interested in your review on his fragrances.  I have a tendency to migrate towards male scents (for myself).

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@Vmasterthanks for sharing - always great to find an excellent cheapie 🙂

Re: The Perfume Challenge

Tried Ellis Brooklyn's Sci Fi today. I'm not a big vanilla fan but read this was an unusual vanilla so gave it a shot. It was definitely not my style. There's a momentary mixing of orange and vanilla that's pleasant. I read a review that said it was not "orange creamsicle" but there definitely was a bit of that for me. Then it just became sweet and generic. No "jolt of green tea" or "otherworldiness." Unless you really want this temporary orange creamsicle experience, I don't think it's worth the price, you can get cheaper vanilla perfumes that smell similar in the dry down.

 

Hesitant to try the other Ellis fragrances. So far, I'd say the Phlurs are better and cheaper.

Re: The Perfume Challenge

Yeah. This was a disappointment. As a fan of science fiction, you could imagine how excited I was to try this one. I don't understand what exactly is "sci fi" about it. Creamsicle and sugar water dry-down? What am I missing? It sure is not otherworldly, sci fi, alien, or whatever else. It's very meh and forgettable. Such a great name wasted on such a mediocre fragrance. Smh. ( I am still sour about it, obviously. 😄 )

 

@pocketvenus 

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@lyravega, oh so good to know I'm not the only one underwhelmed!! I read a lot of good reviews about it - but now that I'm looking again, they all repeated the same "so amazing you've never smelled vanilla like this" line and it was from fashion magazines and blogs, not perfume forums and critics I trust. I'm guessing that was all a PR blitz?? Having said that, there were a couple BIC members who said it worked out well for them. I guess we'll always have Alien!

Re: The Perfume Challenge

Tried Phlur today on paper:

 

 

  • PHLUR - Sandara Eau de Parfum mostly sandalwood, pretty generic and one-dimensional. I don't get the edge of violet leaf, or the bitter depth of oakmoss.
  • PHLUR - Olmsted & Vaux Eau de Parfum easy citrus.
  • PHLUR - Moab Eau de Parfum: sweet dates. Definitely did not feel dry or spicy despite the pepper and clove notes. Dries down to a warm, slightly fruity vanilla.

Overall, these are nice but I find them flat and lacking complexity on paper. Maybe they wear better on skin? Of course, they are affordable and made with safe synthetics only.

 

A bit disappointing because there are some big names associated with the house. Chandler Burr was an advisor. Moab is by Ralf Schwieger who did Etat Libre's Fils de Dieu and Malle's Lipstick Rose.

 

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Re: The Perfume Challenge

I tried Bohea Boheme today which is a tea scent. And it's probably the first tea fragrance I've tried that really reminds me of actual tea. In fact, it reminds of the tea I usually drink (loose leaf Oolong). Most of the tea scents I know are watery and abstract, like tea vapour? Whereas BB is very grounding to me. It's more like wet tea leaves left unfurled in an old teapot than it is about tea itself. It's smoky without being dry, and a little earthy. Unfortunately, the dry down is a little harsh, something is becoming candied on my skin. I'll have to test it again on another day and see if it develops the same way because I don't think it's supposed to do this.

 

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Tagging you @lyravega since I know you like the house 🙂

Re: The Perfume Challenge

I agree, it is a very nice, "real deal", tea fragrance. At first. On me, it starts out as a slightly smoky tea, with damp, musty, earthy forest in the background. Very faint. The tea aspect is the most dominant, and it is very, very nice. After an hour or so it starts turning into amber, stronger woods, and a hint of something powdery. But still very much a tea fragrance. Then soon after it takes this quite unexpected turn ( on me ) into something sharper, old school kind of masculine, and "burnt tiers" ( a kind of "smoke" I don't like ). But, it is not really "offensive" ( to my nose and with all the burnt tiers 😄 ) as the fragrance is very light, and at this point barely there. It is a skin scent on me, with very poor projection and longevity. It starts out very nice and pleasant, but it just turns into this weird mess on me that I do not like. Lovely ( the tea aspect of it ), but not my fav from the house. I wish the tea part(y) lasted longer. It is truly nicely done, realistic and enjoyable. 

 

Thanks for the tag, @pocketvenus  ! ❤️ 

Re: The Perfume Challenge

@lyravegaohhhhhhh I guess I'm not the only one then! Yes, this fragrance does change in the dry-down. I would say for me it gets sweet and incensey, not at all tea-like. It wasn't as sharp as the first time, but I'm not a huge fan of the development. But as you say, it's not offensive. Maybe it will grow on me.

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