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!

 

[buggirl]

Im sure its the smokyness. 🙂

It wears down softly but never turned sweet, just softening of the frankincense and wood.

I would actually be curious to see how it smelled on my husband 🙂

[Samtian]

I received my order today. The MMMR Lipstick on, definitely smells like a glamorous powder room and what I imagine a 1940's lipstick would smell like. I'm horrible at descriptions I'm sorry.  Kind of musky. I really like this one. I feel like the old Hollywood actresses would have worn this. 

[lachaton]

I placed an order a little while ago from Surrender to Chance and it arrived today! I'm so excited to try out my new scents.

I picked up a mini Chanel Misia, mini Diptyque Eau Duelle, and a decant of Guerlain Winter Delice. 🙂

[Mochapj]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Winter Delice!

[Mochapj]

4 more today!  I'm trying to 'front load' my trials since I know once the holidays start, there's not going to be any time for this frivolousness. (73 to go!)

Arquiste L'etrog Acqua

notes: vetiver, cedar, labdanum, bergamot, lemon leaf, lemon, citron, myrtle, mandarin

Like the regular L'etrog, there is lots of citrus in this.  The lemon leaf is very prominent to start, and smells just like my lemon tree.  It makes me feel like this is a very Sicilian scent.  The vetiver and citrus battle back and forth, but the result is mild.  It's classy, but not my jam.  

Arquiste Aleksandr

notes: neroli, violet leaf, fir balsam, leather

I am 99% sure this is what I am using my g/c for Twisted Lily on.  It is VERY interesting.  Supposedly it's a men's scent, but I think it is firmly uni.  It opens with the candied violet aroma from Guerlain meteorites.  Has a bit of an ashy after scent.  If it is masculine, then the man must be a bit of a dandy.  Would love for my husband to wear this, almost as much as I'd love to.  I'm not usually a re-sprayer, but I re-sprayed this.  

Mikmoi AO

notes: ginger, coconut, tuberose, plai, blue tansy, sandalwood, cade

I find this borderline offensive to my sense of smell.  I get none of the listed notes except blue tansy, and am actually sort of wondering why you would want to smell like that.  It smells exactly like the blue tansy in Sunday Riley Luna, Herbivore Lapis oil, and the Herbivore Blue Tansy mask.  It is so overpoweringly blue tansy.  I wish I could smell the other notes.  😞

Mikmoi Vesper

notes: lillet, fig, rose, suede, myrrh, frankincense

I wonder if it's called vesper because it has notes of Llillet (ala Vesper Lynd from James Bond)  It starts out lightly boozy, sort of like Lillet, in the herbal/wine aroma, and I get touches of soft suede.  There's some smoke/ash/incense in the middle that reminds me of church.  It turns a little soapy, and isn't very long-lasting. Not a favorite.

[k617]

I'm testing out Juliette Has a Gun Vengeance Extreme today. It was one of those from the sampler that I didn't really like, but didn't dislike it enough to throw away without really using it (like Midnight Oud and Gentlewoman)

First couple of sniffs...IN YO FACE!!

Holy moly. I sprayed 2 tiny little squirts on my neck and I couldn't stand myself. Now that my scarf has absorbed some of the perfume and it's had a couple of hours to mellow out... I do kind of *like* it, but I doubt I'll like it enough to purchase.

[Mochapj]

LOL, I found the majority of the JHAG line to be pretty in yo face, unfortunately.  

I can tell you I DEFINITELY did not like Gentlewoman.  OMG, I sprayed a bit on myself at a Rouge event, and the smell lingered so long I had to take my coat to be dry cleaned to be rid of it.  Blech.

[k617]

I think it was the strong patchouli top note that really knocked me out. I like patchouli, I think, but that one was straight up offensive to me.

You're right, except for the softer ones like Romantina and Miss Charming, many of them are quite strong. I guess it just has to do with whether it's a pleasant in yo face or an unpleasant one 😄

Luckily, I'd say it mellowed out considerably at the 3-4 hour mark, and I couldn't even smell the perfume on me after that.

[Mochapj]

I've tried 3 more things.  It was a busy weekend, so I limited my testing to once holiday events were over, so I wasn't subjecting all the partygoers to any fragrance fruit salad 😄

Brecourt Farah (previously known as Haram)

notes: bergamot, cinnamon, styrax, date, leather, cedar, honey, tonka, patchouli, labdanum, benzoin, musk

This was the last sample I ordered before I decided to put a moratorium on sample orders until I make a dent in my stash.  Thank you to the lovely lady who recommended it (cosmicbeauty, I believe?) as it's lovely. It starts off mild and powdery, similar to the type of baby powder scent you find in some luxury cosmetics.  After a while it evolves to a sweet, musky depth.  Has lots of cinnamon and spice, with a touch of woodiness.  It's a very refined, yet feminine scent.

Andy Tauer 08 Une Rose Chypree

notes: rose, bay, cinnamon, bergamot, lemon, clementine, bourbon, geranium, labdanum, vetiver, oak moss, patchouli, vanilla

This one baffles me.  At first I thought I didn't like it, but now I think I do.  It's definitely going in the 'needs further consideration' pile.  It also starts off a bit powdery, and gives off something reminiscent of 'white musk' but also a bit of smooth incense.  It gets some additional sweetness from a boozy bourbon and vanilla combo.  A touch of spice from the cinnamon, but in the 'random spicy fair trade store' aroma, rather than a true cinnamon.  It has some bay, but not as much as I would like.  

Nishane Istanbul Wulong Cha

notes: bergamot, orange, litchi, mandarin, tea, nutmeg, musk, fig

Very sadly, I don't really like this.  One of my favorite indie boutiques recommended it to me after I asked them for a good fig scent, but this isn't it (for me).  It starts out as a really bright citrus, very orange forward.  The combination of litchi and tea makes it smell like a B&BW spray at the beginning.  The fig is a green leafy one, not the lush fruit.  As it loosens up, I get a very airy, fresh and crisp but astringent tea.  Lovely composition, but the exact opposite of what I'm looking for. 

We're down to 77!

[dioradict]

I need your help ladies to get a Diptyque fragrance for me. My favorite is Dior J'adore, Chanel Chance Eau Vive, Dior Prive Grand ball at the moment. I also liked Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot (I think citrusy+floral so). I tried Diptyque Do Son and its nice, very similar to Dior Grand ball. I am wondering if there is any other recommendation so I can go take a look? Thanks 🙂

[Mochapj]

I got ambitious today.  Seeing as I had 5 vials from DS&Durga's HYLAND collection, I decided to try them all, rather than do 2/day.   

Spirit of the Glen

notes: pear leaf, chamomile, oak, hay, malt, coal, woody, white wine

This one leaves me so conflicted.  It starts out sweet, like the smell of caramelized pear butter.  Has some faint floral notes, but also dirt.  A bit of baker's malt extract.  Touches of mentholic herbals (chamomile).  Some sniffs I think it is much too sweet, and others I just want to bury my nose in it.  I get a bit of a toasted oat cookie vibe.  This one will go back in the 'try again' pile to be revisited at a later date. 

Bitter Rose, Broken Spear

notes: embers, thyme, cubeb, bitter rose, thistle, nutmeg, iron, amber, larch

One I'm pretty certain is meant for men.  It is aggressively spicy when it opens, smelling of allspice and pepper.  I get whiffs of cigarette ash and metallic iron filings.  Then it gets really smoky and has a hint of aged leather.  Moments of medicinal smelling thyme, but they are brief.  I wanted to like this, but it is too harsh for me.     

Burning Barbershop

notes: spearmint, lime, vanilla, lavender

The first word that came to mind when I put this on was cacophonous.  This is not a whispering perfume, it is a full-throated scream.  It very, very briefly gave off a barbershop aroma (like that blue jar of Barbicide they use for disinfecting combs) but too soon it devolves into a medicinal, and also Mequite-y mess.  

Isle Ryder

notes: poplar, fir cones, meadowsweet, gorse, jasmine, spruce, mead, woodruff, bulrush

If you have ever tried and enjoyed mead, you will probably like this.  It starts with equal parts woody and musty opening notes.  Maybe even borderline moldy.  Develops a sweet, soapy quality similar to mead.  Ends with the smell of a wildflower meadow.  

Silent Grove

notes: cedar, white tea, linden

I was really looking forward to trying this one, but it's quite a pass for me.  It started off with a strong, citrus cleaner aroma, then veered into soapy, vetiver-ish territory.  Once it settled, it had a scent similar to the smell of clean bed linen.  Pass.  

...80 more to go! 😉

[vchotia]

How did you still have 80 after trying this many, lol? Whenever I get samples, I want to try all of them immediately then I end up with fingers smelling like everything!

[Mochapj]

I've ordered decant samples a few times this year and then gotten sick very shortly after receiving them, so they get put aside.  Plus every time I buy a bottle of perfume from an indie fragrance store, they give me random samples of other stuff I had no intention of sampling.

I didn't realize how many I had until I actually sat down to sort what I wanted to try and what I didn't.  

[liguriansea]

Wearing my all time favorite Byredo Pulp today. I feel like a walking fruit basket! 

[Mochapj]

I decided my best method of attack for the giant sample pile was to test by brand.

Today I am trying my sampler from Laboratory Perfumes.

Samphire

notes: juniper, citruses, lavender, vetiver, basil, rosemary, oak moss, white amber

This is very classically masculine.  Iconic cologne scent.  Lemony and soapy.  Barbershop.

Gorse

notes: citruses, cardamom

This is a very soft, lightly powdery citrus.  The clean smell of lemon.  Has the bright, slightly citronella zing of cardamom, along with a hint of sugar biscuit caramelized sweetness.  Speculoos cookies, actually.  Intriguing, but not for me.

Amber

notes: woody notes, ambergris, green notes, spicy notes

This is VERY mild.  Barely perceptible.  Nondescriptly spicy.  I practically have to hyperventilate in order to smell this one.  Dud.  Even smelling straight from the vial, there is hardly any aroma.

[liguriansea]

I am a fan of your short reviews! Keep up the good work!

[4Ali4]

Random question - I am really intrigued by several scents in the MMM Replica line, but NO stores anywhere near me carry them. Are there any other places where you can order samples/decants? If not, I'll have to anxiously wait until I'm in Vegas again in February.

[Mochapj]

Surrender to Chance, Perfumed Court, Luckyscent, Indiescents.

I've used all of them except PC and they've all been great.  

Which MMM ones are you interested in?

[vchotia]

I can vouch for Perfumed Court. It's my go-to sample/decant shop (I love that they use quality glass bottles for bigger decants.)

[4Ali4]

I'm intrigued by Jazz Club (not sure if for me or my husband haha), By the Fireplace, and maybe Beach Walk and Promenade in the Gardens. 

My Google-fu failed me today - thanks for the recommendations, I'm going to check them out!

[Anonymous]

Ali, Jazz Club smells very similar to Commodity Whiskey BTW.