Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Ebba Miss Fabienne
elfriede 11/18/2004 12:02:00 AM
Crisp starfruit and hazy heliotrope are lovely together. The starfruit has a cough-syrupy edge to it at first if I apply too much in one place, though. The starfruit fades in the drydown, and the scent becomes softer and sweeter, with a hint of almond from the heliotrope. Wears wonderfully with flannel pajamas. Must try this on a snowy winter's day. EDIT: that starfruit note is much better in warmer weather than cold. Nice, but I don't wear this very often and don't plan to repurchase.
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Fragrances -Fendi - Fendi Theorema EDP
elfriede 11/16/2004 1:37:00 AM
This was too spicy in the summertime, but now that it's fall, it's perfect. Delicious--but not foody, not too spicy, and not too sweet. And the orange notes are sweetly aromatic--not at all tart. It has so much going on, yet has no sharp edges or wierd funky notes. My clothes smell marvelous where the Theorema has rubbed off on them, too. This has some seriously sexy notes running through it (jasmine, amber, musk) but still comes across to me as light-hearted and casual. I feel very comfortable wearing this. All day I breathe deep and smile....Ahhh.
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Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella- Eau de Parfum
elfriede 11/12/2004 11:48:00 PM
I disliked Stella when I tried it in summertime--on me it was heavy and shrill. It's much better in cool weather, but still didn't win me over. When first applied, it is charming, fresh, and tasteful, and just as other reviewers have said, rosy without being cloying or stuffy. But instead of mellowing to a deep, ambery rose, it dries down high-pitched and powdery. (No matter. When I want a deep, ambery, yet ladylike floral, I have the marvelous Quelques Fleurs!)
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Fragrances -Alexander McQueen - Kingdom
elfriede 10/31/2004 1:49:00 AM
The cumin note doesn't smell like unwashed armpit on me, but it is hot and acrid, and sometimes stings the back of my throat and even my eyes. I attempted to wear this three times--in both hot weather and cool--and the pesky cumin keeps getting in the way of the subtle, velvety, slightly soapy floral notes.
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Fragrances -Fresh - Sugar Blossom Eau de Parfum
elfriede 8/20/2004 3:35:00 PM
Love the scent, but the strength and lasting power are more like a body splash than an EdP. I'm generally a one-or-two-spritzes person, but I use twelve or more of this, and it's still too light. I'm going to blow through this sample and then try to forget about the wonderful scent. Hope it lasts longer on other people. The citrus top notes are so refreshing, perfectly piquant, and don't tweak my nose like other citrus scents. The white flowers, caramel, and vanilla are soft, gentle, and slightly creamy-sweet. The hint of amber in the drydown is lovely--almost spicy. Overall, it has a "beachy" feel, between the fresh citrus and sweet-yet-clean drydown.
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Fragrances -Nina Ricci - L'Air du Temps
elfriede 8/18/2004 9:41:00 AM
Soft, refined, lovely floral that is neither heady nor sharp. Not powdery on me, just fresh, subtly spicy-floral, and a bit soapy. Fairly animalic too (the ambergris?), in a classic-French-floral sort of way. Surprisingly long-lasting for an EdT. I agree with the comments that it's tasteful and easy to wear--I find it very comforting too. Edit--the *vintage* is terrific! It's not soapy like the EdT, it's spicier & woodier--specifically, I smell sandalwood and bitter rosewood. Something in here also reminds me of ginger--can't put my finger on it. This is addictive stuff, alas! Five points for the original, four for the current version....(10/06) Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has a scent, "Musk X," that reminds me very much of the base notes of vintage L'Air du Temps. Musk, sandalwood, ambergris. No florals, but it gives the current L'Air a bit more oomph layered underneath.
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Fragrances -Burberry - Burberry Classic EDP
elfriede 8/17/2004 12:11:00 AM
Despite the vanilla and peach, this is very masculine on me. Perhaps the herbal notes (thyme, lavender) come out too strongly on my skin. I sampled it twice, in case some freak fluctuation in my chemistry was to blame, but both times it smelled like a man's fragrance. Just as well--it gives me a slight headache.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Dior Addict EDP
elfriede 8/13/2004 2:47:00 PM
I had heard this was very strong, so I managed to get a tiny dab on the inside of my wrists. My initial reaction was "yum yum yum yum YUM!" Luscious smoky vanilla and sandalwood, oh my! But the fragrance became stronger and spicier and began to make me dizzy! Too heady for me! I imagine a gorgeous femme fatale walking down the street in a skintight black dress, making people faint as she passes by.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Murray & Lanman's Florida Water Cologne
elfriede 8/12/2004 3:12:00 PM
Wonderful stuff. Found a 7-ounce bottle at Walmart for 3.27! It has a cool cinnamon note that reminds me of chewing gum and mouthwash--but I love it; it's very refreshing. The cinnamon softens as it dries down and the subtle citrus and floral notes come forward. Suitable for year-round use by men or women. Edit--6/26/05--this has become my year-round, most-used fragrance! I like to apply it to my throat and shoulders with a cotton pad, especially when I need to go out and don't have time to shower. I never regret choosing this one after I put it on.
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Fragrances -Coty - Wild Musk
elfriede 8/11/2004 2:08:00 PM
Picked a bottle of the perfume oil, since it was cheap ($8) and I've been craving musk. A bit cloying at first whiff, but dries down to a soft and subtle musk. Along with the deep (yet clean) musk notes, I get a scent similar to J&J baby oil and a hint of sandalwood. It's grown on me in a big way and I find myself reaching for it often. Lovely, casual, cuddly skin scent. Doesn't have the same strength or staying power as other perfume oils, but it's so cheap I don't mind.
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Fragrances -Hanae Mori - Butterfly EDT
elfriede 8/10/2004 10:33:00 PM
At first spray, I was afraid that this would be too fruity-syrupy, but the wood notes temper that sweetness nicely as the scent dries down. Seems like a good cheer-me-up scent for a cold, gray day. Very pretty, distinctive scent with nice sillage. However, there's a synthetic wood note in here that can be irritatingly persistent to the point of causing headaches.
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Fragrances -Kenzo - Parfum d'Ete
elfriede 8/9/2004 5:57:00 PM
Started out lovely, a fresh, green, sheer floral reminiscent of new green leaves and lilacs smelled at a distance, a walk outside in late May. However--the drydown smelled acrid and burnt on me, with an unpleasant whiff of barnyard, perhaps from the jasmine. Must be my chemistry--green florals are hit or miss for me.
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Fragrances -J. Lo - Glow
elfriede 8/3/2004 3:11:00 PM
I will use up this sample, but no repurchase. Since many have compared this to "China Rain" scents I may check those out instead. Clean, warm skin scent. EDIT Jan. 2006--I've gone back and forth on this and have realized that I go through love/hate phases with soapy musks like this. Might be partly hormonal, but when it works, it's wonderful, and when it doesn't, it's unpleasant. On a bad day, it has an acrid edge and reminds me of the cheap powdered hand soap they had in Massachusetts public school restrooms in the early 70s. On a good day, it's fresh and pretty--a subtle hint of soft floral soap on my skin, with a warm citrus on top and a bit of sweet vanilla underneath. Layers well with simple vanilla and cocoa butter lotions. Still unlikely to repurchase as the quality of the ingredients is so-so, but if a deeply discounted bottle appears I might cave. I will say for it that it lasts all day and then some, and a little goes a long way---my sample has lasted forever!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Madini
elfriede 8/2/2004 4:44:00 PM
I've continued to sample more of these marvelous fragrances: MARIAM: A "light floral bouquet," pretty, soft, feminine, and easy to wear except that it’s **very** powdery. The galbanum top note is surprisingly soft. There are many different floral notes, but I'm hard pressed to identify most of them. Definitely some tuberose. I think of pale pink, the ballet, white eyelet, lace, white clouds. Lovely soft base notes--my best guess is musk, sandalwood, and vetiver, and perhaps civet. The musk is like a soft halo around the floral notes. TULIPE is described on the Madini site as “An antique Madini formula. Balsamic green and sweet floral. A fantasy oriental bouquet." This is a heavy oriental that probably would be better in the winter. Thick, sappy, green, sweet, oily, dark scent. I recognize the dark balsamic notes from Guerlain's Shalimar and Nahema--balsams really dominate this fragrance. There seems to be some sweet henna, a minty note (like you get with e.g. tuberose or cedar), and sweetish, sappy green notes. As it dries down, the scent becomes lighter and softer and reveals a hint of dark musk (I usually dislike musk but this is wonderful--soft, sexy, snuggly!). There seems to be some bergamot and amber in this as well. Should be lovely in the winter, wafting out of a wool sweater. Might be appreciated by those looking for an oriental without vanilla or spicy notes. MUSK GAZELLE (dark musk!) Strong stuff! Can’t wear this without diluting w/body lotion, but I love it! Smells dark, warm, and snuzzly. My first reaction was a Mona Lisa smile as the sweet warmth of it reached my nose. I was surprised by its sweetness--seems almost fruity; there may be some balsamic notes as well. After an hour I thought I smelled a hint of civet. At two hours, I thought I detected another animal note I couldn't quite place--then it hit me; it reminds me of one of my cats! Weird—but I like it. Over the next few hours it gets softer and less sweet/balsamic, but lingers with a dark smokiness. KAMARY: A blend of rose and sandalwood. A bit citrusy, especially at first (I can feel it in my back teeth), and fairly soapy. Not soapy as in scented like soap, but soapy as in I get a fatty/waxy feel and some astringency in the back of the throat. I don't know many varieties of rose, so I'm better at describing what it is not like: not a spicy oriental rose (e.g. Nahema), not a winey tea rose, and not sweet like a damask rose (e.g. Bulgarian) either. It is neither powdery nor green (some rose scents include leafy notes), though it's like sticking your nose into a large, moist, fragrant rose (I get more than just rose petals). I keep thinking of buzzing bees, it's such a fresh-smelling floral scent. The sandalwood stays in the background. After three hours or so it starts to lose the fresh rose quality and the soapiness, and starts to meld with my skin--this is the part I like best, and it lasts well into the next day. I wanted more sandalwood...I prefer floral scents to meld with the skin, not to smell like a fresh flower.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Aroma M Geisha Pink
elfriede 7/19/2004 12:22:00 AM
Geisha Pink is not very sweet on me, and is dominated by the too-tart orange note. The vanilla is barely detectable, but is a rich French vanilla that nicely complements the plum--yummy but not candy-sweet. If not for the tart, slightly bitter orange I would love this. It has a lovely freshness. After trying this, I would like to sample some of the other Geisha perfume oils.
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