Fragrances -Lorenzo Villoresi - Incensi
Suzy_Queue 7/15/2004 9:38:00 AM
I simply adore the dryness of this scent. The frankinsense and myrrhe are lovely, and the wood tones, ahhhhhhh, the wood tones are indescribably beautiful--just as good as they come! Dry and rich. What I DON'T like: the cinnamon. On me, the cinnamon--a note I don't care for in perfume to begin with-- plays just a tiny bit too loudly. It doesn't completely spoil the whole perfume for me, but it keeps me from loving it wholeheartedly. I would also say that I understand why others describe Incensi as cold, but with my chemistry, the cinnamon has a warming effect. Actually, when I first apply Incensi, it is cold and dry, with those beautiful wood tones, then a few minutes later, the cinnamon note appears, and ignites it! THen as the cinnamon settles down some and blends with the other notes, it has a smoldering effect. I was wavering between rating this scent 3 or 4. I feel that it is a good quality, well-composed item, so I thought it unfair to give it the lower rating just because I am prejudiced against cinnamon.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Parfums Delrae- Amoureuse
Suzy_Queue 7/1/2004 10:39:00 PM
Oh, this is lovely! This is a very well-crafted fragrance--it really lives and breathes on my skin! I didn't smell much tangerine at opening, just a slight hint of citrus. Really, for me, this scent is BOX TREE from open to close. But it is not flat, and does not smell the same hour after hour.... rather, as other notes have their moments, the various phases of the fragrance provide different "views": box trees on the breeze, box trees in a garden, and so on. Although, there was a phase in the middle where--just like Victoria said--it smelled very much like Stargazer Lily! On me, Amoureuse is not even the slightest musky. All this being said, I am not really sure that this scent is "me". THis is hard to explain. I enjoy wearing it a great deal, but that's because to apply it is to be lifted up and taken away to another place (California). My husband really loved it on me, though (perhaps because he thinks lilies are sexy on me).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Gobin Daudé Parfums - Sève Exquise
Suzy_Queue 6/29/2004 9:45:00 AM
My favorite Gobin Daude, and a very special fragrance. On me it is a blend of tender green notes, soft wood and grass tones, and a faint, powdery ashiness. The result: when I apply this scent, I SEE things. This fragrance paints a picture for me, a picture of a forest that has been ravaged by fire. Immediately after the fire, the land looked dead and hopeless, spoiled forever. Too scarred and scorched to go on. But today we revisit, and we see it is already budding with the promise of new life-- shoots and sprouts abound. The fire had its day but did not prevail. The land is not the same and never shall be exactly as it was, but when we see how quickly new life has been spreading, it is possible to hope for great things. As I say, this is a special fragrance. It glows with the promise of hope and new life.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Bois Oriental
Suzy_Queue 6/24/2004 9:35:00 AM
This is superb. The cedar is rich and soft, much like Bois Et Fruits. On me, a definite animalic musk comes through, similar to one of the musk notes in Musks Koublai Khan. It works much better for me with the cedar than it does in MKK. Bois Orientale bears these obvious similarities to other SL fragrances, but is distinctly excellent.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - Or et Noir
Suzy_Queue 6/23/2004 12:32:00 PM
I was especially eager to try this fragrance because I am a huge fan of Caron, and because it is said to have been the inspiration for Parfum Sacre, which is one of my very favorite perfumes of all time. On me, Or Et Noir opens very sharply, and it remains quite sharp for more than an hour. Though the rose dominates, on my skin the carnation is also very pronounced.(Must be my chemistry, as other reviewers didn't mention this). Actually, during this phase, Or Et Noir doesn't seem much related to Parfum Sacre to me. Instead, it smells like Bellodgia turned upside-down--the carnation and the rose trading roles. A couple of hours later, it the sharpness of the rose settles down and the perfume softens into a harmonious blend. It is at this point where I can see the beginning of Parfum Sacre ("the very quintessence of rose, revealed by musk and myrrhe"). Like Dragonfly, I find Or Et Noir very comparable to Creed's Fleur De The Rose Bulgare. I prefer Or Et Noir VASTLY, for besides being a very realistic rose, it is also very vivid and lively; that is, a very LIVING scent-- whereas FDTRB lays flat and unchanging upon my skin, hour after hour, always the same with every application. UPDATE: I had to upgrade this from 4 to 5 lippies! I have fallen- I am smitten- my heart has been conquered by this beautiful scent.
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Styling Products -Citre Shine - Shine Mist
Suzy_Queue 6/8/2004 10:28:00 PM
From reading the other reviews, it seems that this is a product that is best for those with fuller hair. That's me. I love it, it provides lots of shine, makes my hair look so golden! I've tried loads of more expensive shine products, and none of them worked as well as this for me. If I use it too often, though, I get a build-up.
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Shampoo -J.F. Lazartique - Rebalancing Shampoo
Suzy_Queue 6/8/2004 10:10:00 PM
I do not ascribe great powers to shampoo to make improvements in one's hair. I believe that conditioners, treatments, and styling products etc do most of that work, and that the best you can hope for in a good shampoo is that it will effectively clean your hair without doing any damage. (Yes, some shampoos help thicken, lighten, add shine, etc., but I think that's a less-effective route to take, and that it's best to use other products for these purposes.) Lazertique's Rebalancing shampoo doesn't make any grand claims, or I'd have shied away from it. It is a mild shampoo, meant for "oily roots, dry ends". I don't suffer horribly from this problem, just a little bit, probably because I prefer to wash my hair every 3 days instead of daily. I'm telling ya, this stuff is MARVELOUS. I don't understand how it works. Seaweed, "trace elements", and marine collagen..... It sounds like hooey to me, but somehow this stuff really does rebalance my hair, and makes it look as good as it can possibly look. Even if I skip conditioner (but I never skip my dab of leave-in detangler, "Spotlight" by John Frieda), even if I don't bother to style my hair. My hair is just so happy to be "rebalanced" that it just settles nicely into place all by itself. Truly amazing. It is expensive, but my local Marshall's usually has it for $3 to $5.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Muscs Koublai Khan
Suzy_Queue 5/22/2004 10:51:00 AM
Notes: civet, castoreum, costus roots, cistus labdanum, ambergris Smells like it has more, but I guess that's it! This is an AMAZING perfume. Yes, it is a love-it-or-hate-it scent, as most scents with great character tend to be, as well as most scents that contain civet, as this one does. As has been mentioned, it starts out as a vegetal musk--to me it smells much like FM Musc Ravageur (which is a vegetal musk) at opening. Then the animals come out: civet, castoreum, ambergris. Very wild and gamey, but with enough sweetness underneath to keep it from being scary. My only complaint is that on my chemistry, it quieted down too soon. It was a lovely, long-lasting drydown, but I wanted the "kick" of the animal notes to last longer. I've only worn it once so far, though, so it may have been just been a hormonal fluke. If in future tests I find that this phase lasts longer on me, I'm afraid that I will not be able to live without purchasing some.
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Fragrances -Balmain - Jolie Madame
Suzy_Queue 5/20/2004 10:16:00 PM
The violet top notes did not smell right on me. They smelled like artificial banana! This was alarming to me. As it became more intense, I fought temptation to wash the scent off. I'm glad I did!! After 15 or 20 minutes, it developed into a truly beautiful leather scent. Just lovely. It was long-lasting enough to justify the horrid opening. The tone of the leather is similar to that of the leather in Cuir Mauresque, which is a favorite of mine, and as another reviewer said, makes you think of the smell of a slightly perfumed, very fine purse (rather than, say, tack leather, or a supple mens leather jacket).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Balmain - Pierre Balmain Balmain de Balmain
Suzy_Queue 5/5/2004 11:18:00 PM
This perfume has guts. It's a real (dare I say it?)"ball-buster"! As noted in previous reviews, this scent is really perfect for a chic suit. However, I am not letting that stop me (I don't even own a cheesy suit, let alone a chic one), as I am finding myself really drawn to this unique fragrance. Of the notes others have listed, bergamot, violet, jasmine, rose, galbanum, vetiver, and black currant are the ones I am getting. The result is very powerful, very strong, and totally elegant. There is nothing sweet or girlish about it. Like a tailored suit, it's not "feminine", yet it emphasizes and flatters a woman like nothing else. Definitely try before you buy--it's a love it or hate it scent. Took ME several tries! I wasn't sure what to think, but I kept coming back-- there's something addictive in this one!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - Lady Caron
Suzy_Queue 4/10/2004 11:16:00 PM
I received a sample of this several months ago, and I admit that at first, I was unable to appreciate this scent. I was looking for that classic "Caron accord"--a special underlying note akin to Guerlainade that has been the foundation of many of the Caron fragrances, from Tobac Blonde (1919) and Bellodgia to Parfum Sacre (1980's). Alas--that addictive dark Caron undercurrent which ALWAYS pulls me under is not IN this perfume! Most of the newer Carons (such as Pour Une Femme Caron) seem to be made from scratch, starting with a fresh base instead of the old Caron base. I imagine it is an attempt to be more modern. But I believe that Tobac Blonde is as chic and modern as ever. Since my Lady Caron sample was received alongside samples and decants of many of the great classic Carons, it did not receive much respect from me. Fast Forward a few months. The weather is already getting hot. I spritz on Lady Caron: Wow! The raspberry and peach blend very nicely with the magnolia, rose and jasmine, with sandalwood holding it together. It's pleasantly sweet, but in a light, non-cloying way. Yet good sillage and decent lasting power. The magnolia is subtle but I think it's what makes this unique. The effect is very fresh. OK, let's not get carried away. When I say "unique", I don't mean that this is a one-of-a-kind, category-of-its-own sort of fragrance. But it is a specially appealing fruity-floral, and I would definitely love to have a full bottle of this!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Rochas - Byzance
Suzy_Queue 2/10/2004 9:18:00 PM
I think overall this is a very nice product. It is a beautifully balanced blend of spice, flowers, and amber. It has a lovely way of rising off the skin. On me, the cardomom is very pronounced. The overall effect of this scent is very comforting. And yet it just isn't "me". After an hour, I am dying to get away from this fragrance. It's like an overly- friendly, talkative person that you like to visit with for a few minutes but find too exhausting or even smothering to spend a whole afternoon with. You feel a bit guilty, because the person is really super NICE and all, but for some reason you feel like you will physically suffocate if you have to spend another 5 minutes with them! This is how Byzance makes me feel. I have made myself stay with it, and I have figured out that it is the tuberose that makes me feel this way. Generally I love tuberose, and I think tuberose may be a big part of what "lifts" this fragrance up so well, but it has a strange unsettling effect on me. I'm sure this is just my own personal quirk. ANother thing about this fragrance: Oh, boy, I HATE to say this, but I keep thinking that it would smell nice on someone who is overweight. I'm not sure how to explain this! But when I sniff it on my arm, I picture a big, wonderful, zaftig woman--the kind who's everybody's auntie, who gives you a big soft hug when she sees you. (She's not to be confused with the earlier-mentioned person that you want to get away from). Perhaps this goes along with comfort element of this scent. Even though I can't WAIT to wash it off, I gave it high marks. I recognize that it is well made and somewhat unique. Also long-lasting. I think many people would love it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - Angelique Encens [DISCONTINUED]
Suzy_Queue 2/6/2004 9:37:00 PM
FOr me, Angelique Encens starts out as a sugar-sweet vanilla incense blend. During the next half hour it loses the incense accord and becomes a very strong one-dimensional vanilla/amber. PLEASANT-enough, but with my chemistry it is nothing special and not at ALL worth getting. Update July 2004: This scent has been upgraded fron 2 Lippies to a 5! It's that good! I don't know if my chemistry changed, or if I simply was unable to appreciate it before, but I certainly don't find it 1-dimensional anymore. I think I was too quick to associate AE with foody fragrances because of the vanilla, and because of a note that seemed almondy to me at that time. Well.....while sweet and appealing on the surface, A.E. is rich and mysterious at its heart. Dark, foggy, very evocative. NOT foody--it's MOODY. I'm not a Creed fan, but I must give credit where it is deserved. Excellent perfume.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Santa Maria Novella - Potpourri
Suzy_Queue 2/4/2004 7:27:00 PM
I NEVER review a product the same day I try it, especially when less than an hour has passed since first application, but I am making an exception for this scent. IT IS WONDERFUL. If it ends up fading quickly, I will still love it for the 45 minutes of joy it has given me today. The name "Potpourri" would normally have scared me away--it makes me think of all the cinnamon/pumpkin pie stuff that many of my otherwise wonderful neighbors like to use to sweeten the air in their homes. Apparently Italians have a MUCH BETTER idea of how to make air freshener! This is non-sweet aromatic fragrance: lots of pine (smells like pine sap!), lavender, grasses, herbs... It is beautiful and deeply satisfying. It does resemble Messe de Minuit in some ways, but the Etro is more incense-y, where Potpourri is more resinous and aromatic--and i suppose a bit medicinal.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Etro - Shaal Nur
Suzy_Queue 2/2/2004 11:53:00 AM
I'm surprised that I don't like this scent! On paper, the notes make it sound like a great scent for me. Plus, I LOVE its sister-scent, "Messe de Minuit" so much. I just don't care for this one, though. I can't quite figure out why. Nothing in it offends me. Yet when I wear it, I find myself so annoyed by something in it that after 2 hours I'm wanting to wash it off. On me, this scent is very strong with big lasting power! This seems to be the opposite of what other reviewers are experiencing. This is unusal for me: with my "cool" metabolism, many fragrance products are too weak and short-lived on me. Update: August 2004 I was all wrong about Shaal Nur. It's fantastic! I don't understand why I disliked it before. Despite the fact that it plays STRONG on me (I seem to be the odd man out there--others are reporting weakness. Also, a citrus note does not come out on me at all), it smells FAB on a hot humid August night. To look at Shaal Nur is to look through a rosy floral haze at a dry-but-rich smoldering incense. Beautiful. Intoxicating. Sexy!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No