Revived perfumistas thread 2

[maryclarey]

Let's go!

I used to have a lovely patch of lily of the valley but it has shrunk to a single plant this year, probably because it's starved of light and nutrients by the laurel tree DH refuses to cut control on the grounds that it gives us privacy. It hasn't stopped him from slashing away at the front bushes though; the hydrangea and the escallonia were savaged in his pursuit of the brambles and ivy that have been invading the (flower) bed. Lily of the valley is very traditional in Cornwall in May, but it's flowered quite late this year. It seems picky about location so here's hoping the gardeners do better with it than me.

DS finished school yesterday for the summer and is embarking on a brief career in mowing, pressure-washing and general outdoor labouring as he saves for a car and insurance. (He's changing school to retake Y12 in September.) My role in this is taxi service, naturally!

Wafting about in a cloud of lilac today. En passant.

En Passant was nearly love for me but I got a wee bit too much cucumber.

Went with my Lolita Lempicka again today, it's very suntan oil but it's growing on me.

Luca loves 4160

Generous discount on some of the perfumes to celebrate (I'm sure you've all had the email), including the wonderful, Midnight in the Palace Garden

Was thrilled to read Luca Turin's review, and no wonder Sarah had tears in her eyes when she read it.

So delighted that passion and sheer joie de vivre can still triumph against the big battalions.

Love the lilac in En Passant, but it goes a bit faecal on me! But Secretions Magnifique (a poo monster for those not stupid brave enough to sample) ends up smelling rather wonderfully of slightly overdue baby. I think of it as Johnson & Johnson baby stuff for perfumistas, but clean it is not.

Sadly I think I am coming to the end of my love affair with the Bvlgari eaux. The Bleu was soapy today, in a not good way. Don't know waht I shall love next, but Hermes is likely to be the waypoint, because it always is. Ideas?

I've been lurking, but never really joined in, but wanted to ask - the Mary Greenwell Fire, is the Jasmine note prominent? Jasmine is my nemesis, and everything else sounds great, but I don't want to stink of old lady wee (which is where Jasmine goes on me).

Also, I know there's a few gourmand haters on here - any lovers? I adore gourmands, as well as masculine leather and tobaccos, but I know they often get no love!

Loving all the new smells on here! Have learnt a ton already.

No, the jasmine is not dominant in Fire. It's there but there's so much else going on that I reckon Fire will be Ok on you. Ask for a squirt in the Fragrance Shop.. It's mostly a spicy, woody scent.

YetAnotherNC- Magie Noire is a wonderful green chypre with lots of citrus. Very longlasting at about 8 hours. I tried some in House of Fraser. I loved it.

MissB thank you! I'll give it a whirl then. Such a bargain!

Welcome aboard, Humpty! I'm not a gourmand hater, I love anything with that almond/marzipan smell - I suspect it goes back to my childhood, mum says she was forever trying to retrieve bits of Play-doh from up my snout. Coconuts are a favourite too, if done well.

Still learning what I like, haven't a clue about leathers, might have to investigate them next...

Everybody needs leathers! They are my new love.

I would never have dreamed of investigating them until I came on here, now I just love (as I think Scented Hound said) the idea of putting my nose into a lady's glove drawer and inhaling.

Magie Noire has been on my list of vintage 70s/80s to try for ages, I never would have imagined with that name it would be a fresh citrussy chypre!

I have been awol a few days with more exams (almost finished) but reslutely in Givenchy III. Miniature is almost finished, might be time to start tracking some ebay FBs.

MsBojangles, your taste sounds similar to mine - have any recos for scents with those notes in them? I do in theory like gourmands but many of them seem to go so sweet on me - I am leery of going in to work smelling like a pastry shop or a bag of candyfloss!

Humpty, I also love tobacco and have been really enjoying Etat Libre d'Orange's Jasmin et Cigarettes - it's pretty much what it says on the tin, jasmine (which, like you, I don't generally like) and fresh tobacco. I've also been wearing L'Artisan's Tea for Two which is very tobacco-y and a bit gourmand as it has a prominent honey note - that might be worth checking out?

My Tauerville order from Les Senteurs was cancelled as it's not in stock at the moment, but I had a very nice email exchange with someone there and he's made me samples of Incense and Fruitchouli Flash, and I bought a decant of the Vanilla Flash on ebay. LS have also sent me some free samples of a new line they're carrying called Pozzi di Borgo - one of which is described as a 'spicy but fresh leather' - might be one for you, Humpty? Will report back with my thoughts once everything arrives!

Secretions Magnifique smells like sweat and sperm to me!

I am rather living Fire, not least because it lasts all day.

SOTD is Halston. Love it.

Here's a review of Secretions Magnifique

thisfalseinsight- Those Tauers really are elusive aren't they? They need to find more stockists. There's a big fan base in the UK and its getting frustrating.

Thisfalseinsight,i strangely enough dislike most Gourmands but love Mfk's Baccarat Rouge ( Sotd) and Profumum Roma's Battito d ali .Battito d ali smells like an Orange Blossom pastry with a slight bitterness from the Cacao and Myrrh.This stops it from being overwhelmingly sweet.
Likewise the Candy floss accord from the fir balsam in the Baccarat Rouge is moderated by the mineral aspect of the synthetic Ambergris.

Well, that was quick! My Les Senteurs samples came today so SOTD is Incense Flash - it's interesting but I'll have to see how it develops. I read somewhere that it's a bit like LAdDM without the sweetness, and I would say that's pretty accurate. It's quite resinous - if anyone has ever been in the studio of someone who paints with oils (I have an uncle who's a painter), it smells like that - a bit like linseed oil and turpentine. It's quite a 'church-y' incense, too - a lot of frankincense. At the moment I must admit it's one of those 'it's a lovely smell but I'm not sure I want to smell like this' scents.

teta, thank you for the suggestions - I will check those out!

Cresset-I have FINALLY been to the post office! Look out for a wee jiffy bag postmarked the Arse End Of Europe in the next week or so!

20% off everything on fragrance shop till 9pm
ordering another Mary Greenwell Lemon

I find Baccarat Rouge really compelling and I'm not. Big gourmand fan either.
I'm wearing No 19 Poudree, which was on offer in House of Fraser, so I have stocked up.
I love this perfume: angular iris overdose. Heaven!

Lovely description of Baccarst Rouge, Teta. I think you explain what is inviting, enveloping, yet also dissonant and intriguing in its composition.

Sotd was Terre d'Iris, filched from DS' stash of things he has been gifted, by me mostly. Lovely, but so subtle that it had to be actively sniffed from the wrist.

Otherwise, catching up with ironing, and hauling the bamboo over growth to the bonfire site. It will be mega visible from space when it has dried out a bit. Oh and hearing progress on DS' first batch of home-brewed ale which was transferred to its cask this evening. Exciting stuff, non? And tomorrow we are hosting several teenage boys who will drink tea, coffee and coke in our cellar while doing role play games until they are fed hot dogs. Love it, really.

Thank you ThenLater. I will wait for the postie with interest!

MrsBojangles thank you! I love reading about fumes, and you guys have great chat.

thisfalseinsight Tea for Two is one of my all time favourites. On me, I get tobacco, honey and fresh bread. Yum. I'll check out the other suggestions, thank you.

SOTD is Kerbside Violet, which I adore - not a floral fan, in the main, but this is ace.

I've just got some juicy couture it's really nice