Fragrances -Caron - Tabac Blond
julie_madame 3/9/2007 5:16:00 PM
When I first applied this, I was afraid it was going to be too woody/spicy. I actually had this on one arm and Shiseido's Feminite du Bois on the other arm. For the first hour or so, I liked FdB much better than TB--it smelled more womanly and "rounded". Then another hour went by, and the FdB is smelling just like Dior's Dolce Vita (which is my sister's signature scent, therefore off-limits to me), and Tabac Blond is smelling like...creme brulee (caramel/rum/burnt sugar) and vintage leather ladies' gloves. In other words, I'm in fragrance heaven. My only gripe is that it's fading fast...I've had it on for about 2 1/2 hours and I have to concentrate to smell it. With better staying power, I'd give it 5 lippies.
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Fragrances -Comme des Garcons - Sweet Series- Spicy Cocoa
julie_madame 3/9/2007 5:06:00 PM
This is the first CdG scent that I've hated (I love the incense and red series!!). It smells like a milk chocolate candy filled with orange marshmallow cream. Waaaay to gourmande (and young) for me. Sample is up for swap.
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Fragrances -Serendipity 3 - Serendipitous
julie_madame 3/9/2007 5:01:00 PM
This just disappeared on me. I was hoping for something richer and more complex (and less synthetic), but this is more like a body wash I'd find at bath and body works. Too sweet and gourmande for me. Sample up for swap.
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Fragrances -Shiseido - Feminite du Bois
julie_madame 3/9/2007 3:18:00 PM
I love this scent. It's a soft, woody scent that makes me feel mysterious and incredibly feminine. After about an hour, I realized however that it smelled just like Dior's Dolce Vita, which is my sister's signature perfume. And we can't exactly go around smelling alike now can we? Not to mention, stealing her "signature scent" would be like stealing her husband, so sadly, this one is off limits to me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Cuir de Russie
julie_madame 3/9/2007 6:46:00 AM
While this is not "my scent", I can certainly appreciate it and what it could be for the right person as it is truly lovely. Something about this makes me think of the Ballets Russes and the smell from the backstage of the theater. It reminds me of tulle and vintage leather gloves and powder--extremely feminine, yet not demure. A little like Chanel No. 5, but with more history. Totally French. I might wear it if I had a vintage evening gown to go with it. Update: I judged this one far too quickly. It wears so beautifully that I could not stop smelling myself hours later!! I feel jealous of this perfume b/c it represents a woman I fantasize of being, but cannot due to the fact that she lives in the Belle Epoque era and I am a stay at home mom in Florida. It makes me want to read Colette and walk the streets of Montmartre again. If you are a francophile romanticist like me, you must try this. Adding a lippie and searching obsessively on eBay for a bottle of this.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Vetiver
julie_madame 3/9/2007 6:37:00 AM
Love it after 2-3 minutes--vetiver heaven with a nice soapiness (Irish Spring?). As it dries down, however, it becomes more powdery and mellow. Wonderfully balanced. After 15 minutes, it's like a dry, "pepper-ed" forest. I never really got any citrus, or even cedar. Within 30 minutes, I'm thinking, "I have GOT to get a bottle of this!"
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Fragrances -Creed - Millesime Imperial
julie_madame 3/8/2007 9:13:00 PM
This is one of the few fragrances that I have completely used up. It's my favorite marine scent and makes me think of cruising along the Amalfi Coast in a yacht decorated with juicy fruits and lush flowers. The smell is beautifully balanced, natural and classy. Whenever I spray it on, I'm transported. A wonderful addition to any collection. Pricey, like all things of quality, but worth it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Clinique - Aromatics Elixir
julie_madame 3/8/2007 9:05:00 PM
I really wanted to like this despite its age, but just couldn't. It reminded me too much of 70s orange shag carpeting. And too much spice (the pumpkin pie kind). It did get better as it dried down and had great staying power, though. Also tried the newer "velvet" perfume oil which smells like your two- pack-a-day grandma wearing too much Aromatics Elixir (i.e., I wouldn't even give it one lippie).
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Fragrances -Givenchy - Amarige Mariage
julie_madame 3/8/2007 9:02:00 PM
As everyone else, I got this as a sample from Sephora. I first took a whiff of the nozzle and immediately thought, "No way". But then I tried it on, and after a few minutes...I liked it. An hour and a half later, it's drying down into more of a powdery scent--which I like less. It's kind of like Amarige's married older sister. I could see myself using this before a garden party wearing a red sundress and sandals...it's feminine but womanly, not girlish like Amarige is to me. I might buy a bottle, if it was at TJMaxx for $12 or something, but I wouldn't pay full price, as it's not an everyday kind of perfume for me.
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Fragrances -Comme des Garcons - Red Series- Sequoia
julie_madame 3/8/2007 9:00:00 PM
If you want to smell like the tree, buy this. I don't particularly want to smell "like" a tree, but I DID find myself sniffing my arm over and over after applying this as I love the smell of fresh wood (particularly cedar). The scent is singular...not something I'd wear out of the house, but rather something I'd like to smell in a room. A roaring fire and a good bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with your sweetie would complement the scent perfectly. Maybe one could layer it with something else? Update: now that I've got Tam Dao, I wouldn't need to purchase this. Tam Dao is a little more..."lovely". I wish I could make a candle out of Sequoia, though--that would be awesome.
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Fragrances -Comme des Garcons - Incense Series 'Ouarzazate'
julie_madame 3/8/2007 8:58:00 PM
So grateful to the MUAer who sent me this as a freebie!! Having been to Ouarzazate (my husband is Moroccan), I can honestly say that this reminds me of my time in Morocco. For a mental picture, Ouarzazate is an ancient but simple looking city where many famous-of-late pictures have been filmed (Black Hawk Down and Gladiator to name a few). In fact, set designers didn't have to do much of anything in terms of set design--Ouarzazate REALLY does look like the Gladiator movie!! Everything is terracotta, blue and sand. Big selection of handmade rugs (don't remember seeing any perfume). The pronunciation is WAWR-za-ZOT. Having said all that, I agree with the others on the "notes"...it's a beautiful, well-balanced fragrance. UPDATE: after several tries, I've decided to go for the the whole bottle...it's just that good. Saw the bottle online and am a little disappointed. I would've liked to have seen something that reflected the name of the perfume rather than what looks to be a can of deoderant spray. No matter-I'm still buyin' it.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Sonoma Scent Studio Cashmere Woods
julie_madame 3/8/2007 8:53:00 PM
I received this as a sample from a nice MUA-er, so I don't know what it costs or anything about the packaging. This scent is not "me" at all. It smells like baby powder, cheap musk and some kind of wood. While I love wood, I hate powder and I'm not a huge fan of musk. I tried to be fair and give it 2 hours on my arm, but I was honestly nauseous and had to wash it off with oil and skin scrub. I can, however, vouch for its excellent staying power.
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Fragrances -Giorgio Armani - Armani Code for women
julie_madame 3/8/2007 8:50:00 PM
I am really liking this scent. Still true two and a half hours later. Unfortunately it's too similar to my other perfumes (Mugler's Alien, specifically) and I just don't "need" it, at the moment. Great scent, though--I could see myself buying it in the future, but only if Alien were discontinued as it's more "lush". My husband said it smelled "very European", and I agree. I supposed I would classify it as a floriental....lovely bottle too.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Issey Miyake - Le Feu d'Issey
julie_madame 3/8/2007 8:47:00 PM
Smells like an orange and a rose rubbed over antique furniture with a little bit of dark chocolate thrown in. Okay? It's one of my HGs, made even more attractive to me by the fact that most people don't like it. It's eclectic for sure...and I absolutely love it. Issay Miyake, don't you ever stop making this one.
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Fragrances -Diptyque - Tam Dao
julie_madame 3/8/2007 6:11:00 PM
If this is what hamster cage smells like, then I want to be reincarnated as a hamster. To be able to smell like THIS all day?! Sign me up!! Tam Dao is, so far, my favorite woody scent--so clean, pure and natural. I'm glad no incense notes show up on my skin b/c that would surely ruin it for me. My husband and I will be fighting over this. Great bedtime fragrance, too.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No