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!

 

[Mochapj]

DS & Durga has put out a collab with Duran Duran available at Liberty London

FRAGRANCES with notes from perfumer David Moltz

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF, 1982. smells like it sounds

“I insisted on this song from the 80’s (although there were so many that would have worked!) The fragrance is animalic and captures some of the scenes in the video – the market, the jungle at night. It is furry, wolfy and badass!”

Notes include leather, atlas cedar, cade, sandalwood and patchouli.

COME UNDONE, 1993. immaculate dream made breath & skin

“A sexy song and a sexy scent! It smells of body secretions – musks, hot breath and possibly illegal substances…….!”

Notes include oil of saffron, coca leaf, geraniol and tonka.

SKIN DIVERS, 2007. love in an aquatic landscape

“Using Calone (a molecule created in the 1990’s) to help convey a drenched love affair.”

Notes include seaweed, blue water, ylang ylang, vetiver and bergamot citrus.

YOU KILL ME WITH SILENCE, 2015. cold, silent northern woods in torment, smoke and ice

“A cold and smokey Arctic wood fragrance. It uses Nootka tree and wintergreen extract to achieve a bitter woody note that conjures the feeling of being frozen out by a loved one in a fight – like in the song.”

Notes include smoke, cistus, ice and incense.

[Vmaster]

I just received an email from Russian Adam, the owner, nose and distiller of Areej le Doré and Feel Oud distillery.

Here is the message:

The 4th Collection of AREEJ LE DORE Extrait de Parfum

We are pleased to inform you that our new collection will be available very soon. The date of release is planned for the end of October, 2018.

We have spent a great deal of time and energy creating this series, and we are excited to share it with you!

We have continued to strive to make our prices as affordable as possible. During this month, we will slowly reveal the notes of our new compositions. The first is Oud Luwak. 

OUD LUWAK

Top notes:
Sinking Sumatra agarwood smoke infusion and an extract of coffee Luwak (civet cat coffee), both produced by Russian Adam.

Heart notes:
Maroke Noir oud oil, spikenard, carrot seeds, nutmeg.

Base notes:
Indian oud, Indonesian vetiver absolute, cedarwood and Sumatran benzoin.

Thank you!
— Russian Adam (@russianadam)
Distiller, perfumer, founder Areej le Dore

[pocketvenus]

Jo Malone is releasing a new LE scent, White Moss & Snowdrop. From NST Perfume:

Fragrance story: A fragrance contrast. Snowdrop petals peeking through powdery snow. Greeting forest-fresh moss, iridescent under winter sunlight. A warm touch of golden amber, topped with a luminous burst of cardamom.

Additional notes include clementine, petitgrain, neroli, white moss and tonka bean.

Also rereleasing Orange Bitters for the holidays.

[DaintyDiva]

Remember when Les Exclusifs de Chanel Discovery Set was released in Feb.2017 and it was available for about 24hrs before went OOS? Well, miracles do happen and it's available again!

Also, I just realized how little comes in the bottles (3.5 ml!!!)  compared to miniatures from Dior (5-7ml) or Jo Malone (9ml). A bit disappointing 😞

Spoiler

The picture here is the one I posted last year, but the description and price are the same.
Fresh from the website:
"This limited-edition Discovery Set features a selection of fifteen exquisite, preciously sized scents from the LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL collection. Presented in this beautiful, signature coffret ideal for the fragrance connoisseur and collector alike. Size: 15 x 0.12 oz.

Composed of rare and intricate ingredients, each fragrance embodies the exceptional art of perfuming and evokes a chapter from the story of Gabrielle Chanel.

Set includes:

GARDÉNIA

BEL RESPIRO

N°22

COROMANDEL

BOIS DES ILES

SYCOMORE

CUIR DE RUSSIE

BEIGE

31 RUE CAMBON

JERSEY

N°18

1932

LA PAUSA

MISIA

EAU DE COLOGNE"

On the same subject, Jo Malone just released a "Luxury Cologne Collection" for $600 with 25 minis. The Neiman Marcus website didn't list the scents in the vault. 

Personally, I won't be buying this one for a couple of reasons, but the price makes a bit of sense when you think it's 225ml total volume vs 52.5 ml in the Chanel, or 60ml in the recent Maison Christian Dior Discovery set (8 minis/$180)

  And talking about Dior, they also have a new(ish) beautiful miniature box.

I got one almost identical to this a couple of years ago, but the box itself wasn't that gorgeous.

[DaintyDiva]

Update: I got an email from a very nice NM SA with a list of the scents in the JM vault.

Spoiler

Cologne: 
Lime Basil Mandarin 
Grapefruit 
Basil & Neroli 
Earl Grey & Cucumber 
Pomegranate Noir 
English Pear & Freesia 
Blackberry & Bay 
Nectarine Blossom & Honey 
English Oak & Redcurrant 
Wild Bluebell 
Red Roses 
Orange Blossom 
Peony & Blush Suede 
Mimosa & Cardamom 
Amber & Lavender 
English Oak & Hazelnut 
Wood Sage & Sea Salt 
154 
Black Cedarwood & Juniper 

Cologne Intense: 
Tuberose Angelica 
Jasmine Sambac & Marigold 
Velvet Rose & Oud 
Dark Amber & Ginger Lily 
Myrrh & Tonka 
Oud & Bergamot 

In a glance it looks great, but I can't help feeling that they could have done better. If they were going to go all the way with a $600 vault, they should have included at least all of the current scents.

[pocketvenus]

@DaintyDivathanks for the intel!

[Ispend2much6]

Speaking of Chanel @DaintyDiva, have you tried the new fragrances?  The Biarritz, Venise, and Deauville?  They are so pretty and soft!  I know there's something wrong with me, but I've never liked a Chanel fragrance until I tried these. 🙂

[pocketvenus]

@Ispend2much6@DaintyDivaI'm jealous! I wanted to try these but was told we are not getting it in Canada. The only reported Chanel counter with it I've heard is in Pearson airport :'(

[Ispend2much6]

@pocketvenus  That's beyond sad!  I only received samples from Nordstrom; at one point they had all of them available.  Maybe keep your eye out for samples from places that sell Chanel?  I hope there are some.

[pocketvenus]

@Ispend2much6good idea I'll give it a shot\!

[DaintyDiva]

@pocketvenus, what, that's so unfair! 😞 

Let me see if I can get any extra samples -fingers crossed- I'll let you know next week and if you want them, they're yours.

[pocketvenus]

@DaintyDivaThat's so generous, thank you ❤️ I didn't ask for samples so maybe I'll try that - I just figured if they didn't have testers, they wouldn't have samples. Canadians can buy these online, but you cannot test them anywhere so you're stuck with it if you don't like it.

[DaintyDiva]

@Ispend2much6 nice seeing you! 🙂

I liked Biarritz and Venise too 🙂 Didn't care much for Deauville, but I only tried it once. Sometimes I change my mind after trying a scent a second time. I'm hoping they'll release a body oil version of Biarritz. I agree they are all very soft and pleasant as you mentioned. In a way they feel like the grown up version of the Chance collection.

But my opinion is a little bit biased 😄 lol. I love all 3 Cocos (I have 2), and even got my husband to wear Egoiste Platinum (praise the Lord for creating the deodorant spray version! rofl). Not a fan of either the N.5 though, can't like them no matter how much I try.

[Ispend2much6]

@DaintyDiva  I'm the same; no No. 5 for me. 🙂  

[pocketvenus]

@DaintyDivaThank you for sharing this! The exclusifs set is so cute!

[DaintyDiva]

Oh, and if anyone is interested, that Maison Christian Dior Discovery Set and is totally worth it. I was worried that the scents would be too boring, but I pleasantly surprised by many of them.

BTW, right now they are offering a mini of Rose Gipsy as GWP.

[Mochapj]

Can't recall if I posted this before, but 2 new scents from l'artisan - Mont de Narcisse and Mandarina Corsica 

Mont de Narcisse: narcissus, green notes, osmanthus, plum, immortelle, leather, vanilla, birch

Mandarina Corsica: mandarin orange, bitter orange, immortelle, hedione, jasmine, orange blossom, maltol, tonka, cinnamon, sandalwood, vanilla, caramel

[pocketvenus]

Le Labo has released a new fragrance in its main line, Tonka 25. There's a reddit group that describes it as spicy, with one person claiming it smells like Big Red.

[ZombieMetroAnt]

@pocketvenus apparently, this is kind of a bit deal. LOL!  Here is a snippet of the article they had on WWD:

"...It’s described as “dark and woody” with a subtle hint of sweetness, evoking “the smell of warm skin and resinous wood,” the company said. “Notes include orange flower absolute, cedar atlas, styrax resins and absolute tonka to define an intriguing olfactive experience.” The number 25 in the name refers to the 25 ingredients it took to make the perfume.

The scent is quite a departure from its last released fragrance, Noir 29, which carrying notes of fig, bergamot and bay leaves, was created as an ode to the leaf."

[pocketvenus]

@ZombieMetroAnt, thank you for sharing the notes ❤️ I'm not a huge fan of the house as their scents tend to collapse and fall apart on my skin, but will definitely check it out 🙂 Sounds great for the season too!

[pocketvenus]

Maison Margiela has released another fragrance, but it is not a part of the Replica line.

It's a tuberose scent featuring notes of mandarin, pink pepper, leather accord, saffron, oud, and vanilla. I'm relieved the pricing isn't reaching for the kind of "aspirational" heights we're seeing these days. It's retailing for US$115 for 50ml or $165 for 100ml.