Thinking about the fragrances I have worn in the last few months I'm finding that I keep going back to the same ones over & over. Lately I've tried to stop myself by putting the bottles down & making myself wear something I've long since neglected.
You'll notice a definite trend below - two houses dominate my current faves!
Here's my current top 5:
1. Chocolate Greedy by Montale - a decadent chocolate desert so good it deserves a Michelin star. I love wearing this & could easily make this a signature scent if it wasn't for their other fragrances.
2. Vanille Absolu by Montale - Vanilla vanilla vanilla! Need I say more? An amazing delicious vanilla, rich & creamy. Lasts FOREVER.
3. Nuit de Tubereuse by L`Artisan Parfumeur - Spicy tuberose. I find this fragrance sweet & peppery at the same time. I didn't think I would like this one but it's magical.
4. Black Aoud by Montale - the chameleon of perfumes. Mysterious, powerful, beautiful, intoxicating. This one definitely makes me feel rich & luxurious - no matter what I'm wearing.
5. Tea For Two by L'Artisan Parfumeur - This one is a creeper - passing several fragrances to my top 5. Smoky, a tea party - chai, english breakfast, darjeeling & earl grey in leather pants by the bonfire. Strangely interesting!
I have not written a review for any of the above fragrances. I really need to! Are there any you'd like to see?
Hi. My name is Kelly & I am a perfume addict. It has been 8 hours since my last application.
Showing posts with label Montale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Montale. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Review: Dark Aoud by Montale
I picked up Dark Aoud as a sample from my 7 Vial Sampler Extravaganza from Europerfumes & have since purchased a full bottle.
I love Black Aoud & was interested to read that people think that Dark Aoud is blacker. When I saw it was in the Aoud sample pack, I was excited to try it.
Here's what Montale has to say about Dark Aoud;
A variation on the theme of dark and intense Aoud. The magnificence of the Sandalwood of India sieves this partition of materials come from the depths of the Asian forests.
Perfume Notes:
Indian sandalwood, Aoud, Black Pepper, Saffron, Vetiver, Teak, Leather, & Grey Amber
Some sites list the notes simply as Aoud & Indian Sandalwood however I feel that the above notes actually represent what's in Dark Aoud.
Scent
Wow. This one is well, interesting. I think that being used to the aoud in other Montale fragrances didn't help me be ready for the Dark Aoud. This is going to be the weirdest review I've written, but this is one of the weirdest scents I have smelt in a while.
Here's my first impression;
Upon application I was waiting for the sharp medicinal scent I'm familiar with however I was punched in the face with peppery grease, cold metal & dirt - I look down & I'm wearing overalls, smeared with oil, standing in sawdust. I look around me & realise I'm standing in a car workshop. What on earth? The radio's blaring, car hoods are open. I see motors, car bodies, buckets of bolts. I'm aghast! I didn't expect to be transported here! Where am I? How do I get back????
Then the sandalwood, teak & leather step in & now I'm now sitting inside a Jaguar with the door open. I can smell the workshop outside, but that's muted. The leather seats get my attention. Soft & rich. I turn & see the dashboard, I can smell a little plastic, and a lot of wood.
It smells as though someone has polished the dash with a fancy oil. I lean back in my seat. I can tell right now this is going to be an interesting ride. I hope the owner doesn't mind the oil stains.
I wasn't sure about Dark Aoud at first, but it really intrigued me. I sat the sample on my desk & would smell a wonderful sandalwood wafting to my nose every now and again. The sandalwood is creamy & rich, I think the saffron really helps with the richness. I think that's what lured me in! The aoud is pungent & medicinal, which, like the aoud in it's brother Black Aoud, is quite addictive.
I find that also, like Black Aoud, the scent seems to alternate between the aoud & other notes (particularly the sandalwood). Sometimes I will simply smell aoud, other times sandalwood. Sometimes a mix. It's unpredictable.
After several tries, I realised that I quite enjoy wearing this.
Layering
Having since purchased a full bottle, I've been having fun co-wearing (on separate arms) Dark Aoud with other scents. I find that it gives depth to fruity scents and have worn it with other fragrances such as Montale's Mango Manga, & Fruits Of The Musk. Dark Aoud gives life to samples that I haven't really liked.
Bottle
I quite like the Montale bottles. The fact that they don't have a lid is a little strange, but I do like that the bottle is metal & that the perfume inside stays in the dark. They look quite industrial & I think its clever of Montale to create a bottle that would appeal to men.
You might be shocked at first as they feel like they are half full - for some reason Montale have 120ml (?) bottles filled with 100ml of fragrance, so it splashes around like it's been used or hasn't been filled properly. Also, as the bottle is metal instead of glass it feels very light. Luckily I was prepared for this when I bought my first full bottle of Montale.
Longevity
Dark Aoud lasts a LONG time. I have had a 16+ hour wear!
How much do you wear?
I highly recommend, especially if you're just starting off, wearing just a smidge of your sample (or half a spray) & work your way up if you want more.
Spray too much & you will hate it forever. You'll also risk being hosed down by family, co-workers & strangers - this stuff is strong!
Conclusion
Dark Aoud is strange, which is why I like it. An adventure in a bottle.... I find the cold metal, peppery oil & wood so interesting. The Sandalwood/Teak is very rich & alluring. I find myself detecting it during the day, wondering who is wearing such a mysterious perfume - then I realise - its ME! :-)
This is a scent that seems to be very popular with men, but women can definitely pull it off.
You MUST sample first however as it's love it, or hate it. Make sure you give it a few wears. You will either enjoy wearing it, or you won't. It's that simple.
Reminds me of: I have never smelt anything quite like Dark Aoud.
• Bottle: Typical of the Montale brand. I like them!
• Season: Autumn & Winter, cooler Spring days, not sure about using it in Summer...
• Cost: Usually around $160/100ml
• Blind Buy Rating: N/A
• Longevity: Amazing!
• My overall rating: 8.9/10
I love Black Aoud & was interested to read that people think that Dark Aoud is blacker. When I saw it was in the Aoud sample pack, I was excited to try it.
Here's what Montale has to say about Dark Aoud;
A variation on the theme of dark and intense Aoud. The magnificence of the Sandalwood of India sieves this partition of materials come from the depths of the Asian forests.
Perfume Notes:
Indian sandalwood, Aoud, Black Pepper, Saffron, Vetiver, Teak, Leather, & Grey Amber
Some sites list the notes simply as Aoud & Indian Sandalwood however I feel that the above notes actually represent what's in Dark Aoud.
Scent
Wow. This one is well, interesting. I think that being used to the aoud in other Montale fragrances didn't help me be ready for the Dark Aoud. This is going to be the weirdest review I've written, but this is one of the weirdest scents I have smelt in a while.
Here's my first impression;
Upon application I was waiting for the sharp medicinal scent I'm familiar with however I was punched in the face with peppery grease, cold metal & dirt - I look down & I'm wearing overalls, smeared with oil, standing in sawdust. I look around me & realise I'm standing in a car workshop. What on earth? The radio's blaring, car hoods are open. I see motors, car bodies, buckets of bolts. I'm aghast! I didn't expect to be transported here! Where am I? How do I get back????
Then the sandalwood, teak & leather step in & now I'm now sitting inside a Jaguar with the door open. I can smell the workshop outside, but that's muted. The leather seats get my attention. Soft & rich. I turn & see the dashboard, I can smell a little plastic, and a lot of wood.
It smells as though someone has polished the dash with a fancy oil. I lean back in my seat. I can tell right now this is going to be an interesting ride. I hope the owner doesn't mind the oil stains.
I wasn't sure about Dark Aoud at first, but it really intrigued me. I sat the sample on my desk & would smell a wonderful sandalwood wafting to my nose every now and again. The sandalwood is creamy & rich, I think the saffron really helps with the richness. I think that's what lured me in! The aoud is pungent & medicinal, which, like the aoud in it's brother Black Aoud, is quite addictive.
I find that also, like Black Aoud, the scent seems to alternate between the aoud & other notes (particularly the sandalwood). Sometimes I will simply smell aoud, other times sandalwood. Sometimes a mix. It's unpredictable.
After several tries, I realised that I quite enjoy wearing this.
Layering
Having since purchased a full bottle, I've been having fun co-wearing (on separate arms) Dark Aoud with other scents. I find that it gives depth to fruity scents and have worn it with other fragrances such as Montale's Mango Manga, & Fruits Of The Musk. Dark Aoud gives life to samples that I haven't really liked.
Bottle
I quite like the Montale bottles. The fact that they don't have a lid is a little strange, but I do like that the bottle is metal & that the perfume inside stays in the dark. They look quite industrial & I think its clever of Montale to create a bottle that would appeal to men.
You might be shocked at first as they feel like they are half full - for some reason Montale have 120ml (?) bottles filled with 100ml of fragrance, so it splashes around like it's been used or hasn't been filled properly. Also, as the bottle is metal instead of glass it feels very light. Luckily I was prepared for this when I bought my first full bottle of Montale.
Longevity
Dark Aoud lasts a LONG time. I have had a 16+ hour wear!
How much do you wear?
I highly recommend, especially if you're just starting off, wearing just a smidge of your sample (or half a spray) & work your way up if you want more.
Spray too much & you will hate it forever. You'll also risk being hosed down by family, co-workers & strangers - this stuff is strong!
Conclusion
Dark Aoud is strange, which is why I like it. An adventure in a bottle.... I find the cold metal, peppery oil & wood so interesting. The Sandalwood/Teak is very rich & alluring. I find myself detecting it during the day, wondering who is wearing such a mysterious perfume - then I realise - its ME! :-)
This is a scent that seems to be very popular with men, but women can definitely pull it off.
You MUST sample first however as it's love it, or hate it. Make sure you give it a few wears. You will either enjoy wearing it, or you won't. It's that simple.
Reminds me of: I have never smelt anything quite like Dark Aoud.
• Bottle: Typical of the Montale brand. I like them!
• Season: Autumn & Winter, cooler Spring days, not sure about using it in Summer...
• Cost: Usually around $160/100ml
• Blind Buy Rating: N/A
• Longevity: Amazing!
• My overall rating: 8.9/10
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Montale & Comptour Sud Pacifique - 7 Vial Sampler Extravaganza from Europerfumes!
I've received a box of sample goodness from Europerfumes!
I've been loving samples lately, especially Montale which has lead to a few full bottle purchases. I wish I found this brand a long time ago as I'm loving the quality & longevity. You MUST sample though, they're too expensive to blind buy!
I was just about to pull the trigger on another Montale sample purchase at Luckyscent when I found Europerfume's 7 vial sample packs.
I like Luckyscent, I find their sample vials a lot easier to use than The Perfumed Court however the carded Montale sample vials are even easier to open & use and last for quite a few wears which lets you really get to know a scent. Important if you're considering a full bottle purchase. Sometimes Luckyscent will send carded Montale sample vials for one or two scents but they are usually their own vials with a wand & label.
So, when I saw that Europerfumes were offering carded Montale samples I knew I had to order from them. A 7 vial sampler pack costs $10US per pack making each sample $1.42US. Bargain!
They also offer $10 off a full bottle purchase if you buy their sample pack. They seem to have a good selection of Montale too. My full bottle Montale collection has grown over the last few months & I can see it getting even bigger
So, I decided to partake in a 7 Vial Sampler Extravaganza!
Europerfumes offer a few different sampler packs with groups of perfumes, eg the Montale samples are in groups named woods & musks, roses & flowers & aoud for example. How do you choose between the Samplers? Well, I couldn't so I got them all, even the mens pack. I also decided whilst I was at it, I may as well include the Comptour Sud Pacifique 7 vial Sampler pack too.
As I already have a few of the samples/full bottles) getting these packs means I have a few doubles (& triples) however I figured that I can just use them when travelling, or give them to friends/family to try.
I was very happy with Europerfumes customer service. They were very helpful, friendly, answered all of my questions promptly & went out of their way. The packaging & postage was reasonable & very quick too.
The only small negative about the experience was that instead of Aoud Leather, they sent Aoud Moon (in the Mens Sampler) without letting me know. I was looking forward to trying Aoud Leather after reading some reviews and already had a sample of Aoud Moon. :( Oh well.
Opening each carton I got a small whiff of the scented goodness inside. The musks smell amazing, the aouds are ever intriguing & the mens samples smell great - especially Woods + Spices. The Comptour Sud Pacifique samples smell so sweet. I have a couple of them already, so it will be great to smell more of the range.
I've already started to use them. I'm a little overwhelmed with the choice! It's like being a kid in a candy store!
Here's what I got;
Comptoir Sud Pacifique 7 Vial Sampler
Vanille Abricot
Vanille Coco
Vanille Extreme
Amour de Cacao
Coco Extreme
Aqua Motu
Aloha Tiare
Montale - Fruits & Vanillas 7 Vial Sampler
Soleil de Capri
Blue Amber
Chocolate Greedy
Vanille Absolu
Fruits of the Musk
Mukhallat
Wild Pears
Montale - Woods & Musks 7 Vial Sampler
Fruits of the Musk
Musk to Musk
White Musk
Black Musk
Patchoulli Leaves
Full Incense
Roses Musk
Montale - Roses & Flowers 7 Vial Sampler
Deep Rose
Louban
Roses Elixir
Intense Tiare
Velvet Flowers
Mukhallat
Roses Musk
Montale - Aoud 7 Vial Sampler
Dark Aoud
Red Aoud
Aoud Velvet
Aoud Rose Petals
White Aoud
Aoud Forest
Black Aoud
Montale - Men 7 Vial Sampler
Greyland
Red Vetiver
Woods + Spices
Embruns D'Essaquira
Aoud Moon (instead of Aoud Leather)
Aoud Forest
Fougeres Marines
Cost: $10US/per box of 7 samples.
Postage: $5/pack to Australia (I paid $20 all up as I purchased all the Montale packs), Fast international post
Customer Service: Friendly, prompt helpful
Negatives: Aoud Leather was replaced with Aoud Moon without notice.
Recommended? Yes, especially if you want to try Montale fragrances.
I've been loving samples lately, especially Montale which has lead to a few full bottle purchases. I wish I found this brand a long time ago as I'm loving the quality & longevity. You MUST sample though, they're too expensive to blind buy!
I was just about to pull the trigger on another Montale sample purchase at Luckyscent when I found Europerfume's 7 vial sample packs.
I like Luckyscent, I find their sample vials a lot easier to use than The Perfumed Court however the carded Montale sample vials are even easier to open & use and last for quite a few wears which lets you really get to know a scent. Important if you're considering a full bottle purchase. Sometimes Luckyscent will send carded Montale sample vials for one or two scents but they are usually their own vials with a wand & label.
So, when I saw that Europerfumes were offering carded Montale samples I knew I had to order from them. A 7 vial sampler pack costs $10US per pack making each sample $1.42US. Bargain!They also offer $10 off a full bottle purchase if you buy their sample pack. They seem to have a good selection of Montale too. My full bottle Montale collection has grown over the last few months & I can see it getting even bigger
So, I decided to partake in a 7 Vial Sampler Extravaganza!
Europerfumes offer a few different sampler packs with groups of perfumes, eg the Montale samples are in groups named woods & musks, roses & flowers & aoud for example. How do you choose between the Samplers? Well, I couldn't so I got them all, even the mens pack. I also decided whilst I was at it, I may as well include the Comptour Sud Pacifique 7 vial Sampler pack too.
As I already have a few of the samples/full bottles) getting these packs means I have a few doubles (& triples) however I figured that I can just use them when travelling, or give them to friends/family to try.
I was very happy with Europerfumes customer service. They were very helpful, friendly, answered all of my questions promptly & went out of their way. The packaging & postage was reasonable & very quick too.
The only small negative about the experience was that instead of Aoud Leather, they sent Aoud Moon (in the Mens Sampler) without letting me know. I was looking forward to trying Aoud Leather after reading some reviews and already had a sample of Aoud Moon. :( Oh well.
Opening each carton I got a small whiff of the scented goodness inside. The musks smell amazing, the aouds are ever intriguing & the mens samples smell great - especially Woods + Spices. The Comptour Sud Pacifique samples smell so sweet. I have a couple of them already, so it will be great to smell more of the range.
I've already started to use them. I'm a little overwhelmed with the choice! It's like being a kid in a candy store!
Here's what I got;
 |
| Comptoir Sud Pacifique 7 Vial Sampler |
Vanille Abricot
Vanille Coco
Vanille Extreme
Amour de Cacao
Coco Extreme
Aqua Motu
Aloha Tiare
 |
| Fruits & Vanillas 7 Vial Sampler |
Soleil de Capri
Blue Amber
Chocolate Greedy
Vanille Absolu
Fruits of the Musk
Mukhallat
Wild Pears
 |
| Montale - Woods & Musks 7 Vial Sampler |
Fruits of the Musk
Musk to Musk
White Musk
Black Musk
Patchoulli Leaves
Full Incense
Roses Musk
 |
| Montale - Roses & Flowers 7 Vial Sampler |
Montale - Roses & Flowers 7 Vial Sampler
Deep Rose
Louban
Roses Elixir
Intense Tiare
Velvet Flowers
Mukhallat
Roses Musk
 |
| Montale - Aoud 7 Vial Sampler |
Dark Aoud
Red Aoud
Aoud Velvet
Aoud Rose Petals
White Aoud
Aoud Forest
Black Aoud
 |
| Montale - Men 7 Vial Sampler |
Greyland
Red Vetiver
Woods + Spices
Embruns D'Essaquira
Aoud Moon (instead of Aoud Leather)
Aoud Forest
Fougeres Marines
Cost: $10US/per box of 7 samples.
Postage: $5/pack to Australia (I paid $20 all up as I purchased all the Montale packs), Fast international post
Customer Service: Friendly, prompt helpful
Negatives: Aoud Leather was replaced with Aoud Moon without notice.
Recommended? Yes, especially if you want to try Montale fragrances.
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Sunset Flowers by Montale
I received Montale's Sunset Flowers as a sample with my Montale purchase from Parfums Raffy. I didn't ask for this sample & haven't really read much about this fragrance. I was excited to try it!Fragrance Notes:
Lemontree Leaves
Green Apple
Blue Chamomile
Parma Violet
The Scent
Sunset Flowers starts out like an uber floral EA (Elizabeth Arden) power fragrance - the apple & violet I'm guessing. At first I thought - oh no! A generic Montale!
It then surprised me by taking on the relaxing chamomile, calming down the fragrance slightly. I love chamomile tea, and this is the first instance that I've actually recognised chamomile as a note in a fragrance. I like it!
Then the petitgrain comes into the tag team. I've never really noticed petitgrain before (although looking up the note I see it's in a couple of my perfumes) & was pleasantly surprised by the woody, herby slightly spicy quality that it gave this scent. It's at this point that Sunset Flowers is turned into a unisex fragrance & would now probably appeal to men.
It reminds me a little of a less lemony Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal (see my review here). The apple gives it a tiny sour tilt which matches the herbs perfectly.
This one is definitely worth a try by both men & women.
Would I buy a full bottle?
Well, whilst I do like Sunset Flowers, I just don't love it. So although I will wear & enjoy my sample whilst it lasts, it will not turn into a full bottle. It's just not me right now.
My rating: 6.5/10 (.5 is for the Chamomile!)
Monday, 11 February 2013
Valentines Day Perfumes
So, my OH asked me what I wanted for Valentines Day. I gave him "that grin" that said, do you need to ask?
I'd been lemming a few of my Montale samples that I'd purchased from Lucky Scent & The Perfumed Court & asked if I could get my 3 favourites. To my surprise he agreed. I sent an email to Parfums Raffy to see if they had them in stock. They did!
So, I've ordered the following;
Sweet Oriental Dream 100ml
Velvet Flowers 100ml &
Vanille Absolu 100ml
I asked them if they could include a sample of Montales Blue Amber & Mukhallat. They said they could, and also said they'll include a few others that I might like. Woohoo!
Very excited to receive these!!!!
Parfums Raffy told me it should take about 3 weeks. So the wait begins! :) :) :)
I'd been lemming a few of my Montale samples that I'd purchased from Lucky Scent & The Perfumed Court & asked if I could get my 3 favourites. To my surprise he agreed. I sent an email to Parfums Raffy to see if they had them in stock. They did!
So, I've ordered the following;
Sweet Oriental Dream 100ml
Velvet Flowers 100ml &
Vanille Absolu 100ml
I asked them if they could include a sample of Montales Blue Amber & Mukhallat. They said they could, and also said they'll include a few others that I might like. Woohoo!
Very excited to receive these!!!!
Parfums Raffy told me it should take about 3 weeks. So the wait begins! :) :) :)
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