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!

 

[pocketvenus]

L'Artisan Parfumeur has come out with a new fragrance, Le Chant de Camargue, by the prolific Alberto Morillas who did CK One, Armani's Acqua di Gio, Gucci Bloom, a number of the Kilians and the new Chopard line, and a personal favourite, Amouage's Opus VII.

Notes for Le Chant de Camargue are bergamot, Camargue rice and sandalwood. The ad copy is pretty overblown as it tends to be with perfume

Morillas recalled the flights of pink flamingos and the Fêtes des Prémices du Riz - rice festivals - brought to life by the incredible parade of floats. But, first and foremost, the floral, powdery, creamy aroma of rice is indelibly etched in Alberto Morillas’s memory.

This aquatic, herbaceous plant is dark green to start with. It gradually turns a beautiful shade of amber at the start of the flowering season as it bends beneath the weight of its ears. Alberto Morillas creates a fragrance that smells "white" thanks to the aqueous floral notes of Hédione and Paradisone coupled with deliciously milky sandalwood and the beguiling aroma of "Camargue rice". The tribute to this Camargue treasure trove is so realistic and the blend of aromas and sensations so perfect that you could be strolling through a real paddy field.

I haven't tried others in the Les Paysages line, but I am curious about this one.

[RoseCharlie]

Ooh think looks so interesting! Sigh - I wish they would bring back Seville a l’aube it was beautiful!

[jemly]

i bought this on a whim and it was one of the better impulsive decisions i've made. launched in 1990 jil sander no.4 smells exactly of its time: that 80s/early 90s spicy floral that was everywhere right before the reigning 90s trend of watery 'clean' scents took over. if you look at the notes--with plum, tuberose, carnation and musk--there can be an easy comparison to dior poison, but i find no.4 to be more refined. the inital blast is a full time warp, and sings of that particular ylang ylang - carnation accord, mixed with white flowers, that was present in so many of my mother's fragrances when i was growing up. (she never had this one, so it's a fun way for me to be nostalgic for my mom's scents while still having my 'own' version of it). many will undoubtedly find it dated, but i adore it and find it strong and sophisticated. what's more, though, is that the dry down is absolutely my favorite dry down of any fragrance i own. after 20 min to an hour it turns into a tonka-myrrh with musk binding it to the skin. not too sweet, the spices are still floating, just more quietly. 

jil sander no.4

[Raritystar]

@jemly thank you so much for posting this flashback! I used to love and wear Jil Sander no 4. In 1990 I was still in college and working in cosmetics at a beautiful store in NYC. I don’t recall how I stumbled upon it, probably playing with fragrances on my off time. I just remember loving it so much! It was definitely more intense, more interesting, more... serious than the clean, crisp watery fragrances that popped up subsequently. It made me feel so mature and confident, and many other wonderful emotions. I completely forgot about this fragrance! It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but it was a huge favourite back then. Time to start looking through old memento boxes. I thank you for this memory. It truly was a marvellous time to be a young girl. xoxo

[pocketvenus]

@jemly, that sounds fantastic! Not just the perfume notes, but how it connects you to your mother but that you still have a perfume of your own 🙂 I love older styles too, sometimes it feels like wearing a special vintage fashion piece.

[pocketvenus]

Has anyone tried Hiram Green? I kept reading good things about this all-naturals line so I bought the discovery set. I'm most excited to try Hyde which is smoky leather.

[Vmaster]

@pocketvenus  I have only sampled Slowdive and Hyde from this house.

Both are very good! Slowdive has the resins, beeswax, dried fruit and floral. Sweet without being overly sweet. Hyde is all about the smoky Birch Tar. Also, I do not believe there is leather in Hyde.

Although Hyde is an amazing smoky, it is one of those fragrances that is hard to find the right occasion to wear. Between the two, my vote goes to Slowdive for better versatility.

[pocketvenus]

@Vmaster, Thanks for sharing your thoughts!! I’m so glad you find them both to be good 🙂 Slowdive sounds really delicious!! I have also read that Hyde is challenging. I do like the cade-heavy fragrances it’s been compared to but I definitely see what you mean about these smoky scents being difficult to wear out. The last one I tried, T-Rex by Zoologist, was too much, even for me. I think it’s very interesting but I have no idea what to wear with something so unusual and powerful. Well, I received my package in the mail today so hopefully will get a chance to share my impressions soon 🙂

[Mochapj]

@pocketvenus  I've only tried one (Shangri-La) and not exactly of my own accord. I received a sample as an extra in an order I'd made from a 'fume shop and it definitely wasn't something I'd have chosen for myself. 

I tried it on before looking up the notes and although I didn't enjoy it (too floral and fruity) that was more of it being not the scent for me than it being an inherently poor formulation. 

Please share how you feel about Hyde, I am always on the lookout for well done leathers.

[pocketvenus]

@Mochapjwill do! I have to admit, I tend to be skeptical of all-natural houses because the fragrances never seem to measure up but the reviews have been so good.

[jemly]

i've been on a real guerlain samsara edp kick lately !! it is, to my nose, primarily a sandalwood-ylang ylang-iris concoction, and perhaps the most geniusly blended irises i've encountered (and mine isn't even a vintage version !). it's very soothing, and currently my favorite my-skin-but-better scent. it's been a bit of a slow burn of like-to-love but it's all i've been wanting to grab the past week or so. 

its (original) bottle, branding and marketing were RED. but to my nose, samsara is blue velvet.

here's the original add when it was launched in 1989

[IndyQT317]

Birthday scents. I have had my eye on the Tom Ford scent for a bit. Pretty excited to have it in my collection. And of course, I had to chose Jo Malone as my Sephora gift as well. I think this scent can pass as unisex. Its soft yet you can smell the leather undertone.

[pocketvenus]

@IndyQT317very nice, congrats on the birthday gift 🙂

[elise222]

I hope by the time August rolls around, they have something great like Jo Malone for my birthday! I love that Tom Ford scent, too. Happy birthday month! 🙂

[IndyQT317]

Thank you @elise222! Yes, I hope the birthday gift scent is still available for you in a few months. Or they have an even better fragrance for you😉

[pocketvenus]

In other celebrity scent news, DS & Durga is releasing a fragrance inspired by Notorious B.I.G. called Notorious Oud. Available now from Harrods but not on their website

• Top notes: Saffron, camphor, white galbanum
• Middle notes: Indonesian oud, bulgar rose, lavender absolute
• Base notes: Civet, cetalox, papyrus

[pocketvenus]

Cher announced she will be releasing a "genderless" fragrance, "Eau Couture de Cher". WWD reports that it has notes of bergamot, neroli, jasmine and vetiver to make a spicy, vanilla oriental fragrance. Eau Couture de Cher has been four years in the making, and is a partnership between Cher, Scent Beauty, and fragrance house Firmenich with Clément Gavarry as the nose.

Mr. Gavarry also did SJP's Lovely.

[IndyQT317]

Hmmm the notes sound interesting. Thanks for sharing @pocketvenue. I do not wear many spicy note fragrances, but I would consider. It's Cher!

[michelleshops]

I adore Cher and she can do no wrong.  The notes don't sound bad...I'm curious to see what it ends up smelling (and looking) like.  Thanks for sharing @pocketvenus I'm going to keep an eye out!

[pocketvenus]

@michelleshopsyou're very welcome! I am so curious about the bottle! I hope it's done in a big 80s oriental style 🙂

[Samtian]

Hoping someone can help me, because Google hasn't been any help. Sometimes I have perfumes I spray on me and I get overwhelmed with what I can only describe as medical. It smells like I'm in a hospital or something. I can't stand the smell of it. Does anyone know of any notes that could be the reason behind it or any other reason? I just had two samples I had to throw away, Majestic Woods from Juicy Couture and This Is Not A Blue Bottle from HDP. The only note these two have much in common seems to be amber.