The subject of this post came to me this morning as I was happily spraying myself with Serge Lutens Nuit de Cellophane. This much-maligned fruity-floral by is widely considered a misfire even by die hard fans of Uncle Serge. However, I love it dearly and have been wearing it as one of my summer staples ever since NdC first came out in 2009. This perfume and its cousin, Tom Ford Champaca Absolute, work better for me than the pretty Ormonde Jayne florals that are often hailed as the best of their kind. Don't get me wrong, I like the Ormonde Jayne tropical perfumes very much, I'm just not lusting after them and they're not impressed with my skin chemistry, either.
This line of thinking lead me to look at my perfume collection and wonder what else I love and wear that is generally considered inferior by most. Also, which iconic perfumes are completely beyond my comprehension and affection?
Now, let's skip truly controversial perfumes like Miel de Bois and MKK. Unless someone from the Palais Royal cares to chime in and declare the opposite, I'd go out on a limb and say they were never meant to be crowd pleasers. Besides, both have devoted fans that regard them as Uncle Serge's finest and bravest (myself included). I'm talking more along the lines of the aforementioned Nuit de Cellophane or Five O'Clock au Gingembre, another beautiful and joyful Lutens that often gets trashed. Perhaps even Gris Clair, though this one seems to have slowly grown on many who felt disappointed at first.
Let's leave Uncle Serge now and think about other perfumes. The entire Tom Ford Private Blend range is a good example. People still love to hate it while I've been slowly buying them one by one. Not everything, but still, I find most of the line quite wonderful. Speaking of Tom Ford, I adore Black Orchid as much as I did when it first came out, mushrooms and all.
A few weeks ago I got a rather rude comment on an old review of Mazzolari Lui. Apparently this one is quite controversial. Who knew? Then there's my beloved Ferme tes Yeux (JAR). I call it the Precious, but many claim it smells more like Gollum. At least I will have my scent twin for validation.
What else? Oh, Mechant Loup. It's probably the least popular perfume from L'Artisan. Smells fabulous on the husband (and I borrow it, too).
Guerlain get a lot of deserved flak for just about everything- the heavy-handed reformulation of the classics, assorted pink juices, the level of sugary goodness in some of their more expensive creations. The truth is that as much as I kvetch and krechtz with the best of them, I'd still take a Guerlain perfume over just about everything else you'd find on the shelves at Nordstrom, and I have yet to sniff a Shalimar I don't like.
Another proof that I'm completely backward about some things: I barely get the appeal of Estee Lauder Private Collection Jasmine-White Moss, but love Amber-Ylang Ylang with all my heart; toothache and all.
Now for the other side of this exercise, if we ignore obvious stuff like Angel that has as many haters as devotees, there's till enough juice I don't get. Popular perfumes such as the original Prada, Paris (pre-reformulation), Tresor (ditto) and L'Instant (the only Guerlain I truly, completely and utterly dislike). I love many (most, actually) of Annick Goutal perfumes, but I could live the rest of my life happily without smelling Petite Cherie ever again.
Then there's the revered Hermessence line. Perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena was hailed as god over this (and other stuff). Even Vetiver Tonka doesn't save this inflated eau-de-whatever range for my nose. I wish Mr. Ellena would revisit his Van Cleef & Arpels root and give us something with an actual body. No, I'm not surrendering my perfumista badge just yet. Get one step closer and I'll spray you with Miel de Bois.
So, let's talk about it: what do you secretly (or not so secretly) love that would make Luca Turin smack you with a fish? What perfumery milestone you just don't get?
Photo of Barbara Streisand by Richard Avedon, 1965
One very unpopular perfume I love is Vivienne Westwood Boudoir. While it's clearly on the way out and nobody seems to be stopping it (at least in the US), I'm stocking up. I loved its over-the-top floral femme skank from the very first spray many years ago. It lingers for days and is unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Guerlains, I can't get enough. Tom Ford, also. I think people got burnt out on Black Orchid and started to resent his gall for stepping into perfumery in such a bold way, but the quality and beauty of most of his perfumes is undeniable. He knows what he's doing.
Another generally unpopular favorite of mine is Dior Addict. I see it as being a sister of Serge Lutens Chergui, which I also love, but haven't bought a bottle of yet because I still have plenty of original formulation Addict.
I hoard Lutens samples more ferociously than any other house, even the fragrances I don't like. I feel they are necessary to hold on to as reference pieces because there are MANY that could never be duplicated. I have a sample of Vitriol d'Oeillet on the way and couldn't be more geeked about it.
Luca would have my head for: Le Labo Rose 31, Serge Noire, and By Killian Cruel Intentions.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Creed Tabarome.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I love those fragrances.
I'm also not ashamed to admit that I love Angel, but I try to not wear it around most people! Ha!
Well, that does it. You really are a weirdo. I really like Jasmine White Moss and can only stand Amber YY in the dead of winter, and in small doses. Bananas Foster + creme brulee + amber and oh boy does that sound disgusting in this heat.
ReplyDeleteI'm too much of a beginner to have any idea what Luca would kick my ass for enjoying. Everything, probably.
I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I've never smelled Angel. It's just one of those Have-to-Smell important fragrances that somehow managed to completely pass me by. I should really remedy this the next time I'm at the department store. I really appreciate Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue Pour le Soir even though is is apparently way too much for some people. I've heard it called many unflattering names and compared to various bodily functions and sweaty bits.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite of the Bvlgari tea scents is Au The Rouge, which is by far the least popular of the three. The green tea scent that everyone loves so much does nothing for me at all. Great topic!
HATE TRESOR. Smells like old lady to me! I love one of Britney Spears' perfumes, which I don't exactly broadcast haha
ReplyDeleteI love Nuit Noire by Mona di Orio and I know that Mr. Turin would probably hit me for that, but it's ok. The one that I absolutely don't understand is Dzing by L'Artisan - it smells like a horse stall to me, definitely not the kind of animalistic I'd go for. And I really hate the smell of Lipstick Rose - it's just so plasticky smelling, like a mixture of champagne and lipstick and not in a good way at all. If Barbie had a perfume this would be it.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the hullabaloo over most, if not all, of Creed's scents (except for Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie & Jasmal). They don't last that long on my skin, making their high price even harder to swallow, and some of them smell downright old ladyish, e.g. Fleurissimo, which also suffers from being a very boring scent. It just doesn't evolve over time. I get a cloying tea rose note when I spritz it on my skin. Also, I really don't get a few of the perfumes from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria line, including Tiaré Mimosa and Cherry Blossom. I loved this topic, Gaia!
ReplyDeleteI can think of loads of examples of this. Don't shoot me but the only Serge I really like is La Myrrhe. And I also own and occasionally wear Gingembre and Chergui but I have swapped away so many of the others that I have finally given up on him. I love Parfums Delrae and own several but my favourite is everyone else's least favourite Eau Illuminee. The Armani Prives don't get a lot of love but I love Eclat de Jasmin. The Boadicea the Victoriouses get more vitriol than any other line I have seen but I love Exotic and Noble - though they are really strong so you do have to be in the mood. And I totally agree with you about L'Instant. It's not just that I don't like it but I genuinely can't see why anyone would like it.
ReplyDeletePurple Patchouli by tom Ford and Chene by Serge Lutens.
ReplyDeleteI tend to take Luca turin's views in much the same way as I do Paula Begoun's - they are all about the composition rather than the end result. I'm particularly happy to owning up to having no problem with most of the Caron reformulations and I'm positively puzzled by his dislike of the Le Labo range.
ReplyDeleteI also like 5 o'clock au gingembre very much indeed.
I love all of the Calice Becker Kilians, own several, and consider each one best in class. It's popular to diss the BKs as merely pretty and wail about the packaging, but to me perfect balance and beauty are priceless.
ReplyDeleteI also LOVE Hermes Hiris, which LT hates, and hate Tommy Girl, which he praises. I'm usually in sync with him and TS, though, and hugely appreciate The Guide for making it possible to explore perfume intelligently. I never miss your reviews, either, Gaia! ~~nozknoz
This topic has really been on my mind...I'm so glad you brought it up. One of my favorites that is routinely ridiculed is Pink Sugar. I've heard it described as nauseating. And my supreme favorite, Scent of Peace, Turin says is for people who want to smell like shampoo but are afraid of water. Ouch! Mean!
ReplyDeleteSo my question is, what do I do about wearing them? I really don't want to nauseate the people I come in contact with!! Since just about everything has lovers and haters, how do we wear anything at all?
What a great post!
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that Turin hates one of my favourites: Love in White. Its my chilly beauty, I'd use it as mouthspray if I could.
I also love marine fragrances which no one can seem to stand.
I'm trying hard to love the Malle Editions but their longevity is just not worth the price and Carnal Flower (everyone's darling) is just a bit meh on me (I'll stick to Fracas)
Also Guerlain can keep L'Heure Bleu - it nearly suffocated me!
As I say - great post - maybe you should start 'going against the grain amnesty'?
GBx
How about this? To the biggest Serge Lutens fangirl in the world: that syrup goes flourescent on my skin. [ducks]
ReplyDeleteHonestly, the internet can be a bad place for hype. It has a solid, incontrovertible feeling, even though quite a lot is parroting. Prick the bubble and return to the 3-D world, it all comes down to you and your nose. I think the biggest faux pas I'm guilty of is that I refuse to chase vintage juice. I can't subject myself to the heartache; I try to appreciate what's available.
Mind you, makeup has that, too. I've growing fatigued by Chanel.
I love this topic, too!
ReplyDeleteI love Creed. Not in a die hard Basenotes kind of way, but I have quite a few, and they make me feel very special. Especially Irisia, which was totally panned in The Guide. Oh, and I love Love In White, which was also panned!
I love Guerlains, esp the classics. And Annick Goutal is my other favorite house.
The only TF I have is Voile de FLeurs, which I bought for $10, new in box. It was a a discount store, and it had lingered there for months. I like it a lot-like Noir de Noir even better :)
Carole
The most looked-down-upon fragrance I love is Flowerbomb. To me, it's a beautiful floral tea scent with a hint of patch in the base. Hardly sweet at all. The perfume that everyone else seems to love that I just don't get is Atelier Cologne's Vanille Insensee. It's a dead ringer for Fresh's Lemon Sugar as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteI adore Micheal by Michael Kors (and to tell you the truth almost all of Michael Kors's perfumes...shh don't tell anyone) and I adore Dior Addict. I also really liked Guerlain Le Petit Robe Noir and that was panned, but then again I am a Guerlain girl and I don't think there is a single one I find to be a scrubber.
ReplyDeletePeople wax peotic about all those vintage Diors, however, they don't do it for me at all. It's not that I don't like vintage, because I would give anything for a vintage Guerlain, but the Doirs I just don't get it. As for the modern Diors, other than Addict there is not a single Dior I can remember liking or even being tempted to buy.
I'm with you on the Guerlains, anything with oakmoss is wonderful! Tom Ford gets a lot of love from me, I adore Purple Patchouli and Moss Breches.
ReplyDeleteThe one scent I don't get is Joy, I love and wear many other Patou scents, 1000, Sublime, Eau de Patou, Colony-but I just can't seem to pull Joy off.
I have a knack for wearing difficult & strange scents. My skin turns Secretions Magnifiques and M/Mink into glorious woody/leather and oud. Very strange but I'm not complaining. :)
I find criticism to be interesting, but for purely aesthetic matters like fragrance, I stick with my own judgments. When I buy durable goods, like the stove I bought in March, I will go to Consumer Reports,
ReplyDelete(had a once in a lifetime windfall!) but for fragrance, I trust my nose.
And some (but just some) friends. Currently wearing Andy Tauer's Carillon Pour Un Ange, and liking it, a decant that a friend gave me,but am far from certain that I would want a full bottle.
I deeply dislike the cumin-intense opening of Absolue Pour Le Soir, but once the cheap chili parlour leaves, I love the rest of it. Particularly the "honeyed kitten" aspect!
Lawrence in Ohio
Oops, just realized that I was confused in my first post. It's Diptyque's Eau Duelle that smells like Fresh Lemon Sugar to me. Still don't like Vanille Insensee though :)
ReplyDeleteI don't get all the hype surrounding Jean Claude Ellena, L'Artisan in general, Bertrand Duchaufour or Serge Lutens. There are a handful from each I like, but I just don't understand the cult following. Kind of makes me feel like an outsider most of the time. I love a good amount of mainstream perfumes and have been tiring (so weary) of the onslaught of the multitudes of Ultra Exclusive niche perfumes for some years now.
ReplyDeleteI second the comment about Lipstick Rose: in general, that rose-violet accord is one I find most repugnant, especially in a sweet base.
ReplyDeleteI like Miel de Bois, and SO wears MKK (to work, ha!) and I'll take this over that plasticky, vinyl whiff of frags like Insolence, Turin's favorite, any day. Blergh!
I also dislike (aliphatic) aldehydes, and when I recently smelled Nombre Noir, I was taken aback by its strongly aldehydic top. The rest of it wasn't that great either.
And, my cats wrinkle their noses furiously at Diorissimo in extrait, and give me this dirty look that says "Why would you wear THAT?". Coming from creatures that love catnip and stinky fish food, that is little disconcerting..
I can't stand Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois. Put it on once, wondered if I'd gotten a sample of the right juice, re-checked, and then was forced to wash it off. I just don't get it. I had the same reaction to Traversee du Bosphore, which everyone else seemed to love, but I thought it smelled like those cheap bubblegum squares you eat when you're a kid.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I'm another Absolue pour le Soir lover. On me, it's a perfect combination of honey and skin. I've even worn it to work, in light doses, and no one has seemed to notice. Of course, one never knows if they started fanning their hands under their noses the moment I turned away, but I think I smelled amazing.
The ridiculously tacky Victoria's Secret Heavenly wears very nicely on me, esp if I pair it over vanilla. It remains soft and doesn't die. The other day my fiancee found something of mine and said it reminded him of way back when we first met, so the memory keeps it in my heart.
ReplyDeleteI miss the drugstore Love's line (Spring Rain and Jasmine?) and I will bathe in Dior's Hypnotic Poison, much to the agony of anyone within 50 ft of me.
Boozy, dirty, musky--if it smells like it could come out of my own skin, I will love it. A touch of a woodsy, crisp man's cologne will wear better on me than most of the fragrances for women.
I love a basic herbal-y scent, but anything Jo Malone wears like Lysol on me.
You know how everyone thinks that L'Eau Serge Lutens was some sort of huge sell-out, or final bowing to the will of the masses? How everyone says it's just like any other cologne, and not special or interesting or at all worth the money?
ReplyDeleteWell I totally love L'Eau, and have ever since I first smelled it, and it's not because I'm ignorantly bowing to the masses, or blinded into loving everything Serge Lutens makes - I genuinely love the fragrance, and I think it smells excellent, and I do think it smells different and better than most colognes.
I really want to make friends with Frederic Malle, but I just can't make any of them love me. I've tried so many. Musc Ravageur doesn't even smell good on me (and I love musk -- I schlepped over to Barneys today to spritz on MKK, which will be my next purchase, because it smells divine). I am a Serge girl, to the core. I reduce most of the Le Labo line to cumin. Chanel is a no-go, and I only sort of like Guerlain (but I really want to try the Double Vanille). I tried the Turin favorites Tommy Girl and Bulgari Black, and loathed them both. I'm afraid Tom Ford is becoming another Malle for me, but I'll try the Champaca soon.
ReplyDeleteI dislike most department store scent (if only because I love to smell different), but I will break out the Angel --sparingly, so as not to asphyxiate others -- and my guilty pleasure, Sean John Unforgivable Woman Black (with that name, no wonder it's discontinued).
I love Nuit De Cellophane too! It's a heady floral but never seems to go cloying on my skin like so many do! I like to layer Datura Noir over it for a transition to nighttime sexy!
ReplyDeleteI also fell hard for Byredo's Accord Oud at a time when most frag bloggers were lamenting the ubiquity and redundancy of oud. Oh well, it was new and amazing to me!
Thanks for this post, guilty pleasures should be enjoyed guiltlessly, and liking something against the grain is like finding a hidden treasure! :)
Carrie, somehow I've managed to not smell Boudoir in such a long time that I can't even remotely remember what it was like. I think I'm going to fix this situation this week.
ReplyDeleteJoey, Luca would have my head for about 30% of my collection. But I do agree with him about Serge Noire ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh, Laura ;)
ReplyDeleteVeroushka , once you smell Angel you'll realize that you actually came across it in the past. Between its own popularity and the many Angel clones that were released into the wild, it's highly unlikely to smell new.
ReplyDeleteStephanie, my celeb perfume of choice is Kate Walsh Boyfriend, and you know what? If a bottle of Hilary Duff With Love were to appear on my doorstep I would probably wear it.
ReplyDeleteKlara, I'm a huge Mona di Orio fan- have most of her perfumes and wear them often (while growling at LT's treatment of her and her work. This is one thing I cannot forgive him).
ReplyDeleteSimone, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria puzzles me as well. I love Flora Neolia, Ylang Vanille and Winter Delice (all discontinued, of course), but can't figure out why most of them exist.
ReplyDeleteLondo, thanks for reminding me about Armani Prive. I love Cuir Amethyst which is considered tacky and cloying by many.
ReplyDeleteSaif, these two are among my favorites. I have no idea why the hate for Purple Patchouli. It smells so complex and velvety on me.
ReplyDeleteGSE, what an interesting analogy between LT and PB. I get what you mean and you're spot on.
ReplyDeleteNozknoz, thank you so much. I love many of the Kilians and at least appreciate the others, box and all. Don't get me started on Tommy Girl. As much as I respect Luca (and I do, very much so, even when I have no idea what he was smelling), I'd like to see him wear Tommy Girl 24/7 for a week and see if he survives.
ReplyDeleteAnon, wear what you like, spray with abandon and let them deal. You know what? As much as I dislike Angel I'd never ever want someone who enjoys it to stop wearing the perfume because of my opinion, even around me.
ReplyDeleteGB, I dislike Love In White, but just like everything else, skin chemistry and perception are all that matters. Enjoy it and spray all you like.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Carnal Flower. It's inferior to Fracas.
Dain, you're not alone: my sister finds my Serge quite repulsive.
ReplyDeleteChanel have been overdoing it lately with their makeup. The marketing blitz of RCS (the Facebook campaign was very effective) and the new collection almost every month. I'm hand-picking an item or two every time but see no reason to purchase full collections of items I'm unlikely to wear.
Carole, you had me laughing with the Basenotes thing. My favorite Creeds are Angelique Encense and Vintage Tabarome. There's a sample of Irissia in one of my drawers. Maybe it's time I use it.
ReplyDeleteGail, I wish I could smell what you smell in Flowerbomb. I suspect that on the right skin it can be amazing.
ReplyDeleteNatasha, I love Michael, especially in parfum and also enjoy Dior Addict.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I'm going to have to dig up a sample of M/Mink. It looks like I didn't give it the attention it deserves. But Secretion Magnifique... that's... I have no words ;)
ReplyDeleteLawrence, in the end it's always down to one's nose. Even my scent twin can't make me like Serge Noire.
ReplyDeleteAbigail, we can be outsiders together :)
ReplyDeleteAA, I don't get Diorissimo, either. I've smelled countless amounts of it in vintage form, and other than one tiny pebble bottle from the late 50s or early 60s I actually own (it was part of a set), I don't care for it.
ReplyDeleteKit, that's so interesting to hear about L'Artisan TdB. I adore it and find it incredibly comforting, but maybe it's exactly because of some forgotten childhood memory.
ReplyDeleteSophia, I have issues with many Jo Malone perfumes. They become even thinner on my skin than what they're supposed to be, so I get the Lysol reference.
ReplyDeleteProximity, I'm still trying to figure out L'Eau. Just when I think I hate it, I have a good Eau day and it smells brilliant. My goal is to eventually form a solid opinion and review it this summer.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I can't wear all the perfumes I'd like because of migraines but I do like flowerbomb and chanel gardenia (I have a bottle around 6 years old, not sure if different from the current juice).
ReplyDeleteEke, now I'm curious about the Sean John. I can't believe I just typed this sentence...
ReplyDeleteGlosslizard, the kvetching about oud's ubiquity is something I don't get. The stuff smells so good, so why complain? It's not like perfumers have embraced a plastic strawberry accord.
ReplyDeleteBiaC, I'm pretty sure Chanel Gardenia has been tweaked. Enjoy it while you can.
ReplyDeleteEeks I'm-a-mo-late to this one but Gotzta chime in! :) Ok, so I remain shocked that my lusty, musc-whore self does NOT like the famous Musc Ravageur. Don't get it. Nope. Mystery. Yuck. And Underworld, which was Supposed to smell like Middle Earth - Whaaaaa... More like Ork pee. I satisfy my mad Middle Earth cravings with Onda - Ohhhh, Ondaaaaa...
ReplyDeleteLove-Love AG Eau de Fier but fear no one would draw near where I to wear her.. Quel Amore, so raved-on, is another mystery. A soapy bland thing to me ... Not Even in the tart-fruity Love-leagues of Grosselina and Julia! hmmmm...
Latest off-the-beaten-path Adoration is Hilde Soliani's Stecca! It's a sweaty, slightly acrid, vegatable scent - like a few eggplants and bell peppers just finished a marathon ..or stayed put and sang, "let's get it onnnnnn..." Freaky. Intoxicating.
Love this post, Gaia! You so Cool!
Zanne :)
Thank you, Zanne, and you're not late at all. I'm loving all these comments- it's so much fun to hear everyone's smelly secrets ;)
ReplyDeleteStecca is the one with tomato leaf, right? I think it's fabulous, but I love Hilde Soliani. Even when she does stuff like pineapple.
Well, my wife and I like Mahora, which should certainly get Luca to hit us with a fish. And Byredo Baudelaire is another one that everyone loves to hate and we quite like.
ReplyDeleteOnes I don't get... well, Angel you've already mentioned. But Mitsouko, I'm afraid, is another. I even ordered a little bit of the vintage version from TPC... and I don't get it. Heck, I'm not sure I even smell it.
I can't stand Chanel No. 5. It reviles me so completely I can barely hold a conversation with anyone wearing it, despite being my favourite aunts signature scent.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm clearly a bit of a pleb as I love JLo 'Glow: After Dark'. Oh the shame!
LT has a strong dislike for big white florals, which I love. I'm also a big fan of Nuit de Cellophane- it smells lovely on my skin. And I'm a big Jo Malone fan. I'm very happy liking what I like!
ReplyDeleteI only yesterday realized how horribly LT reviewed Mona di Orio perfumes in the Guide.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love them!
I don't really see much talk of them though.
Btw, I got samples of Nombres d'Or collection. I didn't doubt I'd love them, but I also find some of them very brave (Cuir especially).
I disagree more with TS than with LT.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what she was talking about with Badgley Mishka, a bit of fruit punch that died on me almost immediately. Bois des Iles is lovely, as she says, but that stuff also lasts less than a minute. Five stars? Is it unfair to demand that a perfume that costs an average American's day's pay stay put longer than a drugstore cheapie?
Also, don't know why they're both so enamored of Lush and ELDO. Both those firm's offerings are gimmicky, although Lush's, at least, are not overpriced.
I don't think Serge Lutens are difficult to wear perfumes. They are universally flattering. The fact that they have one strong note, e.g lemon blossoms, and remain the same after hours, without strange developments is what makes them boring to some people. People look for monstrous compositions, not pure elegance. I have so many favourites among the line!
ReplyDeleteAnother favourite brand is Etat libre d' Orange. I enjoy all of their perfumes. I haven' t smelt yet 2 or 3 of their latest releases. Sécrétions Magnifiques is marvellous - intoxicating alkaline sea note. Soon, it develops to evoke the flavour of abrased-clean human skin.
Fernando, I quite like Mahora, the Southern Belle on steroids. I say, if we go all white flowers and cleavage we might as well enjoy the ride.
ReplyDeleteLucy, I know many are just repulsed by the aldehydes and the whole classic floral heart that melts into vanilla-sandalwood. It can be too much and too loud (even though I love it, especially in the vintagest forms I can find). On the other hand, some people insist on wearing Chanel 5 despite having the wrong skin chemistry, just because it is Chanel 5. They're not doing themselves or the planet any favors.
ReplyDeletepklagrange, is it really an anti white floral thing with LT? I'm too lazy to reach for the book and check what he says about Fracas and Lauder PC-TG.
ReplyDeleteInes, LT's treatment of Mona di Orio is something that rattles me to this day. She's in my top 5 contemporary perfumers and I love everything she does. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G .
ReplyDeleteThe Nombres d'Or collection is gorgeous. I already have a bottle of Cuir and know that eventually I'll get them all. Currently I'm testing the second trio and it's beyond fab.
Rednails, I was quite surprised at the Badgley Mishka review. I thought it was rather vile.
ReplyDeleteAsuka, I also find Serge very easy to wear, and the few exception are more for personal reasons (ie Arabie. It takes me to really bad places). I really liked the recent ELdO releases. Most are quite bottle-worthy.
ReplyDeleteLove Chanel Gardenia (LT hates), love Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle (LT hates), love Burberry London, love Tea Rose (perfumer's workshop, LT gives it love). Also been known to wear, gasp!, Dolce and Gabbana (original)! And yet I live.... Like Cartier's Le Baiser du Dragon, and VS Angel Heavenly. Have many 5-star faves too. Don't get the affection for Cool Water, Rive Guache, Beyond Paradise, Calyx, and many others. Wear what you like!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about Trésor, which smells like Halls Rose-Lyptus to my noses... Also can´t like Chanel Cristalle,it smells like BO on my skin! Love Jolie Madame, Joy and the Shalimars...
ReplyDelete