Fragrances -Tom Ford - Santal Blush
sucrose77 12/30/2012 12:02:00 PM
One of my favorite sandalwood fragrances. The sandalwood is creamy and soft, but made a bit bold with spices. It has a fenugreek note that threatens to bring it into curry territory, but not as much as Serge Lutens Santal Blanc. It is also less sweet and generally more subtle than Santal Blanc. Instead, the emphasis is on the gorgeous milky sandalwood, powdery musks, and the smell of skin. It feels exotic but comfortable.
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Fragrances -Lancome - Sikkim
sucrose77 12/5/2012 4:45:00 PM
People who love classic old-school chypres should check out this reissue, which does justice to the chypres of the past. Everything you want is here: aldehydes, florals, moss, leather, soap. It reminds me a bit of Norell but smoother. It is very well blended and probably less aggressive than the older fragrances, but anyone who finds vintage chypres to be too musty, soapy, and old-fashioned probably won't like this. While I enjoy smelling it, I tend to prefer more modern-smelling fragrances (Parfumerie Generale's Corps et Ames comes to mind as an even more updated take on this kind of perfume).
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Fragrances -Creed - Royal Oud
sucrose77 6/17/2012 5:15:00 PM
This is a great summerweight version of oud -- in fact, I wouldn't necessarily pick out the oud if it wasn't in the title. It's a dark but sheer fragrance with citrus, smoky woods, and cardamom. There's a touch of sweetness in the base from a creamy sandalwood note, and I can see how the previous reviewer smells coconut. It's surprisingly light and easy to wear, given the hefty-sounding notes. I love cardamom and I like having a low-calorie oriental that can be warn in warm weather. If you're expecting a potent oud for the price tag, though, it will disappoint.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Heeley Menthe Fraiche
sucrose77 6/10/2012 5:28:00 PM
A great alternative to a typical summer cologne. The mint leaf note is very pronounced at the opening, and becomes more subtle as it dries down. The mint is blended with a mixture of unusual green notes, including mate tea, cedar, and lotus leaves (it reminds me a little of the shiso leaf note in TDC De Bachmakov). The scent is sweet but not too foody. It's subtle and wears like a cologne, and to me it doesn't pull masculine or feminine--it's more like a refreshing spa scent that would work for anyone.
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Fragrances -Tom Ford - Lavender Palm
sucrose77 5/30/2012 9:23:00 PM
When I first tried this, it didn't make a strong impression, but subsequent wears have turned it into one of my most reached-for scents. It is very definitely a lavender fragrance, but the lavender is surrounded by a swirl of supporting notes -- citrus, herbs, florals, and a bit of powdery amber. The result is a well-blended fragrance that smells soft and rounded. It's also more feminine than most true lavender scents. For me, it's one of those everyday jeans-and-t-shirt kind of perfumes, enjoyable and easy to wear.
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Fragrances -Cartier - L'Heure Promise (I)
sucrose77 5/30/2012 8:55:00 PM
L'Heure Promise is a simple scent, but it grew on me. It opens with a really lovely, natural-smelling iris, then unfolds into a soft, clean sandalwood with iris and musk. It makes your skin smell as if you just scrubbed it in sandalwood soap. I completely understand why anyone would object to paying a lot for this, but I find it a pleasure to wear when I'm in the mood for something clean and relaxing that doesn't smell generic. It's a soft scent, but I've been surprised when people have commented on it -- it turns out to have a lot of sillage.
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Fragrances -Issey Miyake - a scent by issey miyake
sucrose77 4/24/2011 11:59:00 AM
I think of this perfume as an update of vintage green florals and chypres that used to be more popular. The opening has a burst of galbanum that reminds me of Vent Vert, and I can see how others are reminded of Cristalle -- especially the EDP -- in the hyacinth and jasmine. As it dries down, it fades into a soft green jasmine scent. Compared to its older counterparts, this is smoother and mellower, with less character. Anyone who loves those older scents will probably be disappointed. But I'm all for updating those ideas if it means bringing them back into the mainstream in place of super-sweet fruity florals. While not original, it's a very wearable green scent that feels classic but not old-fashioned.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Mona di Orio--Oiro edp
sucrose77 3/9/2011 1:16:00 PM
Smelling this made me physically ill. I got a strong yet artificial-smelling animalic note paired with intense, soapy florals, and maybe a bit of nag champa. The Guide says it smells like air freshener, but to me it includes the bathroom as well. I'm usually not this negative, but it's been a long time since I reacted so strongly to a scent.
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Fragrances -By Kilian - Rose Oud - Eau de Parfum
sucrose77 3/1/2010 3:33:00 PM
There have been so many rose-oud perfumes lately, I wasn't sure what Kilian's take would be. To my surprise, this is a very soft and feminine version with much more emphasis on rose than oud. It begins bright, jammy, and sugary--an edible sweet rose with a little saffron. The oud becomes more noticeable after the first few minutes, but it's never the strong, medicinal oud you might expect. The fragrance lasts a long time, staying sweet and a little powdery. It reminds me a little of Liaisons Dangereuses with the jammy rose note. I happen to love it, but I'm sure that anyone hoping for a dark rose-oud fragrance will be disappointed. I'm between a 4 and a 5 on this one, and the price is what's keeping my rating lower!
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Fragrances -Keiko Mecheri - Cuir Cordoba
sucrose77 1/7/2010 9:29:00 PM
I'm still deciding between a 4 or a 5 on this one....it's very very nice! Keiko Mecheri continues her habit of ripping off -- er -- referencing Serge Lutens fragrances, in this case Daim Blond. I usually find the KM versions kind of soulless and synthetic, but this one feels like an improvement. I've always wanted to love Daim Blond--the suede, the peach fuzz of apricot and heliotrope--all things to love. But somehow the suede note is just a little too harsh and things never quite hang together. Cuir Cordoba tones down the leather so that it's the smoothest possible ambery suede--no Bandaid note here! Although there is no apricot listed in the notes, it has a similar peachy softness with a bit of violet. I prefer this to both Daim Blond and Cuir Amethyst, which it also resembles. My only hesitation is that it's so smooth, I don't necessarily get a lot of personality from it. But it's a pleasure to wear. Notes from luckyscent: black violet, bergamot, elemi, suede accord, patchouli, sandalwood, benzoin
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan Un The au Sahara
sucrose77 1/7/2010 9:12:00 PM
I'm really taken with this scent. It's a blend of cool mint tea, warm amber, and just a touch of hay from the barnyard. I can see how that might sound awful to some people, but it works for me. It's warm and a bit sweet, but not as overwhelming as Chergui--the mint gives it a nice freshness.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Ineke - After My Own Heart
sucrose77 10/23/2009 9:42:00 PM
I can see why others are charmed by this fragrance, and I'd recommend lilac lovers try it. I get mostly lilac and greenery, and some other florals. There is a "fresh" note that just make me think of detergent, though. I want to be transported to a field of lilacs but I'm not quite convinced.
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Fragrances -Les Parfums de Rosine - Rose Praline
sucrose77 10/23/2009 9:39:00 PM
I wish I could drink this stuff! I smell bergamot, roses, black tea, cocoa, and a dollop of sugar. It doesn't change much, just smells delicious from start to finish. It's quite sweet but I don't find it cloying or unwearable. It dries down to a soft skin scent but lasts a long time. This is probably my favorite of the Rosine line.
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Fragrances -Bare Escentuals - Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries
sucrose77 10/23/2009 9:05:00 PM
I just got a sample of this from Sephora, and was very surprised! Based on the description, I thought this would be an airheaded beachy fragrance. It's actually a really interesting anise scent -- I also get benzoin and a touch of black pepper and woods. This could easily be marketed by a niche company, so I'm impressed it ended up at Sephora. There are lots of reviews there complaining about it smelling like sweaty men and old ladies, which is usually a sign that a scent is interesting!....in any case, I think this is a nice scent that has been mismarketed. It's more of a comforting cold-weather skin scent to me and doesn't really evoke the beach. I also find it pretty unisex. I can definitely see how someone expecting something fun and summery would be disappointed.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - LesNez Let Me Play the Lion
sucrose77 2/11/2009 10:42:00 AM
This fragrance reminds me a lot of Hermes Poivre Samarcande, but while that scent is a pared-down pepper-wood accord, this one is more adorned with spices and a touch of sweetness. They are both atmospheric scents that share a muted, low-key quality I really like; the pepper and woods seem dry but there is also something about them that smells damp, like wet wood. This is a good fragrance for someone who likes wood and spice but isn't looking for something overly bold. It lasted a long time on my skin but is fairly quiet.
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