Fragrances -Guerlain - Mitsouko
Sashayy 1/31/2005 3:00:00 PM
This is a difficult review to do for me. This was the first time I'd ever worn a true Chypre and I can definitely understand the appeal of this family of fragrances, though I'm torn as to what I think of them on me overall.
Mitsouko is a very well-blended and complex scent that unfolds its notes gradually over the hours. It starts off piquant and woody on me, then a slight sweetness emerges after 10 minutes. The sweet note does a pas de deux with the cedary-smelling oakmoss notes for a few hours then another slightly sweet dry almost amber note starts to rise and join the dance. I would say that this is definitely in the same family as Black Cashmere but Mitsouko is the better of the two. While I do appreciate Mitsouko's charms and refinement, I find it perhaps a bit too dry and sombre and also almost masculine for me. It's the oakmoss I think - I smell cedar forests in it.
While it isn't a scent for me, I cannot in good conscience give it a bad review because it is an artful well balanced scent that would be knockout gorgeous on the woman with the personality to carry it off. I just don't think she is me.
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Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - Cotton Blossom body spray
Sashayy 1/30/2005 12:45:00 PM
Yes this smells clean and fresh, but in a similar way that a Bounce or Downey dryer sheet smells clean. It is also incredibly alcoholic smelling, moreso even than other B&BW scents, of which I'm a fan of quite a few.
Sorry, but I'd prefer to smell like something not associated with clean towels or rubbing alcohol. I won't repurchase.
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Fragrances -L'Aromarine - Vanilla Perfume Pen
Sashayy 1/30/2005 9:15:00 AM
This is a standard, sweet foody vanilla with average staying power. I do not get the bourbon reference others have noted with this. On me, this is pure cotton candy sweet vanilla, very girly and just too sweet for me. I like the pen packaging for its innovation and distinction, though it isn't the most classy packaging around. The price on this is decent. Ultimately though, the scent itself is not distinctive or dark enough for me. I'll stick with Yves Rocher Vanille Bourbon which is true dark bourbon vanilla and is only $5CDN to boot!
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Fragrances -I Profumi di Firenze - Spezie de Medici
Sashayy 1/30/2005 9:13:00 AM
This is one of those fragrances I had super-high hopes for. The sample was eagerly awaited and upon receipt, I opened it up and promptly dabbed it on. One sniff...oh no! Potpourri? Home fragrance oil? Sadly that is exactly what this smells like to me.
It opens on me with what smells like a blast of blood orange and spices, strong, bright, strident, with a slight honeyed note to tame it, similar to what similarily noted fragrance oils from TBS or Yankee Candles would smell like. After about 10 minutes, the citrus brightness recedes enough to let the spices come to the fore. After 30 minutes, the entire thing has receded to the point that there is no sillage whatsoever and short of gluing my nose to my wrist, I can't smell it.
Since I don't think I could ever get over the potpourri association, I would definitely not buy a full bottle of this. Doesn't work on me.
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Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - White Tea and Ginger
Sashayy 1/27/2005 1:01:00 AM
This is the B&BW product that keeps me driving over the border to shop. This is one of my top 10 scents.
White Tea & Ginger is based on white blossoms and a hint of tea with a bit of ever so slightly sweet ginger. It is neither sweet nor dark nor green. I'm hard-pressed to figure out what category this would fit in other than just as an oriental. It is a much nicer and less expensive alternative to Lancome's Aroma Tonic. The sillage is great and the price can't be beat. It isn't particularly sophisticated or complicated but it works well on my body chemistry, which darkens the scent a touch and keeps it nice and adult.
I have deducted one lippie for the slight alcholy tang of it, but it isn't as bad as other B&BW fragrance body sprays I can think of.
To pump up the ginger smell of this, try using the B&BW Pure Simplicity Ginger body wash or scrub, then the PS Ginger body lotion, then spritz with this.
As long as they keep making this scent, I'll keep buying it. For me, this scent is heaven!
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - L'Eau d'Ambre
Sashayy 1/26/2005 9:34:00 AM
Ok I confess - I'm a huge fan of anything amber, whether it be in clothing, jewellery, makeup colours or yes in fragrances. Having sampled many different ambers to date, I've become very smitten with the l'Artisan take on ambers.
This one is a daytime amber. It has a definite yet subtle sillage that can be ever-so-slightly haunting but is still appropriate IMO for daytime office wear. The VP at my office is from France and when she got a whiff of this on me this morning, she got dreamy eyed and asked what I was wearing, because she said it evoked happy memories of France.
It is soft and feminine with a rather powdery heart that sweetens up the richness of its otherwise pure and true amber scent. On me, it expresses everything about amber that my Irish redhead soul would wish for a daytime fragrance - sweetness, depth, subtlety, a tinge of darkness, and a definite suggestion of a precious burnished golden presence. Unlike its big sister, l'Ambre Extreme, it whispers of sensuality and distinction and isn't demanding of your attention, yet is present enough to escape being a pure skin scent. TThis one is signature scent worthy and I shall definitely be buying a full bottle.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - Ambre Cannelle
Sashayy 1/25/2005 9:08:00 PM
This is my first foray into Creed scents and while I don't hate it, I wouldn't say it is full bottle worthy. It smells exactly like its name - a mix of amber and cinnamon. We aren't talking valentine's heart cinnamon either - it is spiky, peppery slightly sharp. The amber tries hard to mellow and contain it but doesn't quite succeed. It is enjoyable but not distinct or different or wow-worthy.
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Fragrances -Fendi - Fendi Theorema EDP
Sashayy 1/25/2005 11:34:00 AM
This is a beautiful grown up scent that hovers at the edge of being masculine by the woody dark notes at the base of it but is saved for women by a touch of sweetness.
On my chemistry, I detect no oranges at all. On me it is a spicy, nutty somewhat dry and ever so slightly sweet scent with no trace of baby powder or floral in it. Because I'm reviewing based on a sample vial, I can't comment definitively on it due to my inability to actual diffuse spray it. The sillage is decent, not the Energizer bunny good of my other spicy sweet love, Indecence so I've deducted a lippy for that lack, but good nonetheless. It is grown-up, yet not too formal, sexy yet carefree. I quite like it. So far, definitely full bottle worthy! Will update again after a few more wearings
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Fragrances -Prada - Prada EDT
Sashayy 1/24/2005 3:05:00 PM
Notes:
- Sandalwood
- Patchouli
- Labdanum
- Benzoin
Not sure what fragrance type this is classified as, but I should find out so I can avoid it in the future. I know that ozonic fragrances don't work on me but reading those notes, I expected there to be more of a grounded, richer earthy note to this which, if true, just didn't materialize on me. Thus, it didn't work at all on my chemistry, nose or mood so it's definitely not for me. Glad I only tried a sample.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - 10 Corso Como
Sashayy 1/20/2005 5:50:00 PM
It starts out with a blast of astringent geranium that softens down a bit with an almost honey quality after 30 minutes. The scent itself stays vacillating between that honey-unctousness and the slight astringency of the geraniums. There is a whisper of sandalwood and something else in the base note (the malay-oud oil perhaps?) but it is just that, a whisper, a hint, a suggestion. I smell no vetiver or musk or roses in it at all. While I don't love it, something about it is still compelling enough to keep me intriqued. The sillage is subtle but present just enough that I occasionally caught whiffs of it throughout the day. I wonder if it is different if applied through a diffuser rather than sample bottle? At any rate, it is definitely decant-worthy. I'll update after wearing it a few more times.
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Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Les Nuits d'Hadrien
Sashayy 1/20/2005 5:45:00 PM
This is a good crisp citrusy scent on me. It smells positively dusty in the bottle, as do most Goutals IMO. Once applied, at first whiff, all I smell is dusty musk but then that disappears within 5 minutes and the lemon notes emerge. There is just enough darkness to the lemon to keep it away from Pledge territory, perhaps due to the Bergamot notes? After about a half hour, the smells gets a bit more velvety and smooth as the amber emerges on me. The base notes stay at amber tinged with citrus on me and the overall fragrance experience lasts about 9 hours.
This is a more casual and fun scent than I'm accustomed to from Goutal and it can easily be worn with jeans and sweaters or t-shirt and shorts. It is a welcome addition to my collection that I see myself reaching for come spring.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Perfumes - Or des Indes
Sashayy 1/19/2005 9:35:00 PM
A true masterpiece! On me, this smells like an exotic marketplace full of spices and incense and precious fragrant oils and old wood. On one hand, there is a slight very mature sweetness to it that prevents it from being a masculine fragrance but there is no suggestion of this being a "grandma" scent full of someone else's memories. On me, I think it smells unique, signature-worthy. It is deep and warm and rich and velvety. The notes evolve over time and the sillage is wonderful. I'm definitely buying a full bottle of this. It goes into my top 5 faves!
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Eye Shadow -NARS - New Delight Duo
Sashayy 1/19/2005 2:13:00 PM
I will preface this review by reminding the reader that I'm a super-pale lighter-than-PPP lady on whom all colour of any kind shows up. Take that into account ;-)
With that in place, I have to say I do like this duo but had I realized how close to my beloved Heaven duo it is, I'd probably not have bought it. The lavender/pink shade is slightly darker than the pink in Heaven and the peach here is a bit lighter than the apricot shade in Heaven. Generally, though they look about the same on my eyes though and give the same effect. I wear the lavender as a wash and the peach in the crease for as subtle and naturally pretty look. A touch of mascara, some navy eyeliner (I'm liking Stila smudgepot in Navy) and that's it, I'm ready.
If your skin is darker than LLL, you already own Heaven or you like heavily pigmented shadows avoid this. It isn't a must-have but I do enjoy having it in my own train case.
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Pink Pepper edp
Sashayy 1/17/2005 10:39:00 AM
- Top notes: mandarin flower, nutmeg, ginger and freesia
- Heart notes: Mexican pink pepper seeds, cardamom, pimento and jasmine
- Base notes: amber, vanilla bean, sandalwood, cedar and tonka bean
I sprayed this on a card at TBS a few times and walked around with it to my nose, swooning. So onto my Christmas list it went. Christmas morning, rip open package, exclaim in delight! There it is! Try it on promptly and whoa! Pepper pepper pepper, nothing but pepper and a bit of indian spice like an Indian meal. A few hours later, yuck, sourness, saltiness, pepper, that's it. So disappointed!
Where is all those other notes I smelled when spraying it on the card? Where is the nutmeg? The ginger? The amber? All three are favourites of mine and wear well on me in other scents, why not this one?
How can I explain now to hubby why I don't wear this one? Up for swap it goes and I'll know from herein - don't buy a fragrance that lists Mexican pink pepper seeds or pimento as a major ingredient, as they're overpowering and salty-sour on my chemistry.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Etro - Heliotrope
Sashayy 1/17/2005 10:35:00 AM
No. Definitely no. This starts out a sharp, somewhat acrid salty dough smell on me and then mellows a bit and the salt disappears. However, while it is true that my chemistry that tends to darken all scents a bit, the darker less salty drydown wasn't worth it. It was subtly doughy but I detected no almond scent at all or even any sweetness before the fragrance itself all but disappeared entirely after 2 hours into a bit of a subtly enhanced skin scent. Not full-bottle worthy on me.
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