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.
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
4th Lucky Scent Sample Order
So, my SO (significant other) was feeling generous when I asked him if he would buy me some samples (woohoo) so I decided to order a few scents & include a couple of controversial perfumes that I have been wanting to try for a while.
Here's what I ordered;
BLOOD Concept - O
Montale - Intense Cafe
Montale - Dark Purple
Etat Libre d’Orange - Tilda Swinton Like This
Etat Libre d’Orange - Secretions Magnifiques
Etat Libre d’Orange - Putain des Palaces
Etat Libre d’Orange - Don't Get Me Wrong Baby, I Don't Swallow
Etat Libre d’Orange - Jasmin et Cigarette
L’Artisan Parfumeur - Al Oudh
Cost:
The cost of the above order comes to $31US + $8US shipping. All in all, about $40AU.
......................
Can't wait to try them. I've been collecting some L'Artisan Pafumeur scents lately but have never tried Al Oudh.
Blood Concept O sounds quite interesting - a perfume that smells like blood? On a similar theme the notorious Secretions Magnifiques (blood sweat & semen?) & Putain des Palaces (Hotel Whore) are scents that have intrigued me with their controversial descriptions. I have to try them for the novelty factor.
Don't Get Me Wrong Baby, I Don't Swallow seems to be controversial in name only & the rest seem relatively tame compared.
Should I film my first impressions????? :D
10/1: Still haven't received my order.... gave it a few more weeks than I would have because of Christmas (I thought it might be caught up in Xmas mail) but I think I really should have received this by now. :(
18/1: Still nothing, no reply to my email sent last week... Sending another one....
24/1: I still haven't received my Luckyscent order. I just sent my 3rd email to them (ive sent 1 per week since 10/1) - not one reply.
1/2: Still no reply..... 4th email sent. Getting very very annoyed..
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
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Vengeance Extreme by Juliette Has A Gun
I first tried Juliette Has A Gun (JHAG) fragrances a few months ago at a boutique. I had heard of the brand but never seen the bottles in person or tried the scents. JHAG seems to be everywhere now so it's easier to find & try. Although I was tempted I decided to include it in a Luckyscent haul to try it out on my skin for a few days first.
Here's what JHAG has to say about Vengeance Extreme;
Vengeance Extrême is a chypre fragrance which draws its intensity from an unusual dosage of Patchouli, Bulgarian Rose and Vanilla. A trail suggesting an evident sensuality, with a zest of provocation. Not to be left in innocent hands...
Perfume Notes:
Patchouli, Bulgarian rose, Vanilla from Madagascar
Scent
Vengeance Extreme is a simple, sexy scent. At first spray it is quite strong & very perfumey although it settles down within a few moments. I love the patchouli in this one - at first it seems to be quite fresh & bright - it soon turns slightly dark.
My favourite part of Vengeance Extreme is the vanilla. It's so very smooth, like a delicately whipped chantilly cream. It's a change from the super sweet vanillas I usually go for. The rose in Vengeance Extreme is more of a background scent here, blending with the patchouli. It is quite a comforting scent & Vengeance Extreme would work in Spring but would be perfect for Autumn or Winter.
When I first wore it, all day I knew that I had smelt something similar before, but I couldn't place it. Then I realised it reminds me a little of one of my favourite orientals - Joop! Femme which is much cheaper & I enjoy it a lot more. Sorry VE!
Bottle
I can't say much about the bottle as I have a sample however from looking at it at the store I find it quite elegant & unique. The face that it's dark/covered is great as it will protect the perfume inside from light, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to feel how much is left for those who own a bottle.
Longevity
I find that fragrances with patchouli last quite well, and this is no exception. Longevity is about 5-6 hours on me. It gradually fades to become a skin scent for the last couple of hours.
Conclusion
Vengeance Extreme is a beautiful fragrance but unfortunately I don't find it to be unique enough to spring for a full bottle, especially at $200. I will finish my sample!
Reminds me of: Joop! Femme
• Bottle: N/A
• Season: Autumn, Winter, Spring
• Cost: $4/1ml at Luckyscent, $208 at David Jones
• Blind Buy Rating: N/A
• Longevity: Good
• My overall rating: 5.5/10
Here's what JHAG has to say about Vengeance Extreme;
 | |
| Photo from www.juliettehasagun.com |
Perfume Notes:
Patchouli, Bulgarian rose, Vanilla from Madagascar
Scent
Vengeance Extreme is a simple, sexy scent. At first spray it is quite strong & very perfumey although it settles down within a few moments. I love the patchouli in this one - at first it seems to be quite fresh & bright - it soon turns slightly dark.
My favourite part of Vengeance Extreme is the vanilla. It's so very smooth, like a delicately whipped chantilly cream. It's a change from the super sweet vanillas I usually go for. The rose in Vengeance Extreme is more of a background scent here, blending with the patchouli. It is quite a comforting scent & Vengeance Extreme would work in Spring but would be perfect for Autumn or Winter.
When I first wore it, all day I knew that I had smelt something similar before, but I couldn't place it. Then I realised it reminds me a little of one of my favourite orientals - Joop! Femme which is much cheaper & I enjoy it a lot more. Sorry VE!
Bottle
I can't say much about the bottle as I have a sample however from looking at it at the store I find it quite elegant & unique. The face that it's dark/covered is great as it will protect the perfume inside from light, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to feel how much is left for those who own a bottle.
Longevity
I find that fragrances with patchouli last quite well, and this is no exception. Longevity is about 5-6 hours on me. It gradually fades to become a skin scent for the last couple of hours.
Conclusion
Vengeance Extreme is a beautiful fragrance but unfortunately I don't find it to be unique enough to spring for a full bottle, especially at $200. I will finish my sample!
Reminds me of: Joop! Femme
• Bottle: N/A
• Season: Autumn, Winter, Spring
• Cost: $4/1ml at Luckyscent, $208 at David Jones
• Blind Buy Rating: N/A
• Longevity: Good
• My overall rating: 5.5/10
Friday, 3 May 2013
Honey & The Moon EDP by TokyoMilk
Honey is such a delicious scent. When I started looking for perfumes featuring this note - one name that came up quite frequently was TokyoMilk's No. 10 perfume - Honey & The Moon.
Here's what TokyoMilk has to say about Honey & The Moon:
"A decidedly different collection of brilliantly paired fragrance notes housed in an alluring glass bottle decorated with Summer's buzzing bee."
Notes: Sweet Honey, Sugared Violet, Jasmine & Sandalwood
Honey & The Moon has such a cute & unusual name, and a very interesting scent.
I found this perfume at David Jones & my first impression wasn't the best - I thought it smelt like sugary honey & smouldering burnt cardboard & plastic. That made me recoil a little. Granted, it was straight from the bottle & I should know better than to base my impression on the scent from a nozzle but a tester was not available (more about that later).
I put it back on the shelf & continued browsing, forgetting about Honey & The Moon.
A few weeks down the track I saw the bottle again, and decided to buy it - sort of a blind buy as I had not tried it on my skin.
So, I took it home & wore it the next day. I'm very glad I got it as it's amazingly goooood.
Here's what TokyoMilk has to say about Honey & The Moon:
"A decidedly different collection of brilliantly paired fragrance notes housed in an alluring glass bottle decorated with Summer's buzzing bee."
Notes: Sweet Honey, Sugared Violet, Jasmine & Sandalwood
 |
| Honey & The Moon |
I found this perfume at David Jones & my first impression wasn't the best - I thought it smelt like sugary honey & smouldering burnt cardboard & plastic. That made me recoil a little. Granted, it was straight from the bottle & I should know better than to base my impression on the scent from a nozzle but a tester was not available (more about that later).
I put it back on the shelf & continued browsing, forgetting about Honey & The Moon.
A few weeks down the track I saw the bottle again, and decided to buy it - sort of a blind buy as I had not tried it on my skin.
So, I took it home & wore it the next day. I'm very glad I got it as it's amazingly goooood.
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.
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Review: Chloe Eau de Parfum (EDP) by Chloe
I really like the scent of Chloé Eau de Parfum. however my like turned to dislike after a few months. I still like the scent, but the sooner I finish this bottle, the better.Why? Read on!
I was drawn into the hype of Chloé EDP just when it was released. I was wandering through David Jones & encountered eager Sales Reps holding the bottle & cards. I took a sprayed card & was intrigued by this bright rose fragrance.
The scent seemed to grow on me. During a shopping trip with a friend a few months later I took home a little bottle of Chloé.
Perfumers Description
I can't find their official description on their website. Chloé just raves about the bottle. Hmm.
Notes
Pink Peony, Freesia, Lychee, Magnolia Flower, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, Honey
Scent
Chloé EDP is a beautiful simple scent. Roses & peony. One thing I love about it is that it's a fragrance that's suitable for a number of occassions. Great for work, or a night out, it has an innocent yet sexy charm about it.
Whenever I wear or smell Chloé the image that comes to my mind is roses & cotton. Yes, cotton. Freshly laundered cotton bedsheets. Maybe Chloé is not so innocent after all!
It doesn't go through any development on my skin. What I get at first spray is what sticks with me. I'm happy with that. It's not cloying at all.
Chloé is definitely a crowd pleaser. People love it, and it's one perfume that even if people overspray (I knew a girl who put way too much on) it's still nice. I love smelling this on other people. Probably more than I like smelling it on myself.
Longevity & Sillage
Sillage is decent, quite good for a mainstream scent. Longevity is amazing for this scent. I know it's an EDP but I didn't expect that, simply because whenever I wear it it seems to fade after a while. I simply took it at face value, however I was so surprised one evening when I was about to go home a co-worker said I smell lovely & she asked what I was wearing. I couldn't believe she could still smell it!
Bottle
OK. Here it is. My dislike. The bottle is the reason why I don't like Chloé anymore.
Here's what Chloé says about the bottle;
"AN ICONIC BOTTLETarnished!
Just as the fragrance fuses classic elements with fresh ideas, and airy sweetness with woody strength, the flacon is a study in opposites.
Designer Patrick Veillet drew on the itricate detail of the sleeve of a Chloé blouse as the inspiration for the delicately pleated glass walls of the square flacon.
An oval cap plays off the strong lines while a silver collar adds a nostalgic feel. The metal plaque is a unique example of craftsmanship rarely seen in modern perfumeery, and graced with the finishing touch, a lously knotted petal-coloured ribbon."
The bottle is a cute design, I will give them that. It reminds me of Miss Dior Cherie which also has a bow. The cuteness of the bottle faded fast just a few months after owning Chloé. Why? The metal on the bottle turned a tarnished matte black brown.
Not only that, this chemical change also turned the pretty pink bow into a dirty pink colour.
I couldn't believe this happened. It looks awful. If I had known the bottle would turn a green/brown/black there's no way I'd have bought it. Not happy Jan.
 |
| Chloé - after trying to clean the tarnished metal. I wish I took a photo before as believe it or not, this looks much better than it was. |
I probably should have taken it back and/or complained but I simply put it at the back of the cupboard (hiding it behind my other perfumes) & left it there.
One day I got the bottle out & decided to try & clean it up with a silver polishing cloth. The picture you see above is the result of that cleaning. It doesn't look as bad as it did but it's not back to the shiny silver it was originally. I wish I took a photo before I tried to clean it to show you what it looked like.
If the metal was completely silver (925) it should have come up sparkling - I use the same treated cloth to clean my silver jewellery - but it doesn't.
I know that this has not just happened to me, there are many complaints which you'll find if you do a Google search. It seems that the flankers in the same bottle also tarnish.
Imagine trying to swap or sell a bottle of tarnished Chloé. Imagine buying a used tarnished bottle? No one would be very impressed!
Poor manufacturing Chloé.
Conclusion
People put perfume on to add a bit of aromatic beauty to their day. Chloé IS beautiful, but who wants to put on a beautiful fragrance from an ugly looking bottle? The bottle is meant to be part of the experience. I won't be buying any more perfumes from this line.
If you're thinking of purchasing Chloé, I would say spend your hard earned money elsewhere.
• Bottle: Not impressed at all. The metal tarnishes after a few months 0/10
• Season: All (But perfect for Summer/Spring)
• Cost: $90AU/30ml
• Blind Buy Rating: N/A
• Longevity: 7 hours
• My overall rating: 1/10
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Scent(s) Of The Day #SOTD: March 2013
Scent(s) Of The Day for March
I have set myself a goal to not wear the same perfume for a whole month. Very very hard for me, as there are definitely a few favourites in my collection.
I noticed that some of my scents had not been worn for 12 months. :/ Hence the challange.
I ALMOST reached the goal this month, but for one slip up - Fleur d'oranger!
I didn't start off well, as I got a virus at the start of the month. When I feel feverish or nauseous I generally don't feel like wearing or smelling any scent.
Scents with reviews will have their name hyperlinked.
If there are any fragrances you would like to see a review of, let me know! :)
------
1st to 4th: No fragrance - I had a virus :( No scent for a few days.
5th March: Vanille Absolu by Montale
6th March: Sunset Flowers by Montale (sample)
7th March: Omnia Crystalline by Bvlgari
8th March: Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale
9th March: S de Scherrer by Jean-Louis Scherrer
10th March: Orange Blossom by Lush Cosmetics & Fleur d'oranger by Fragonard (on each arm)
11th March: Vanille Divine des Tropiques by La Maison de la Vanille - One compliment from a female colleague said "You smell nice, like vanilla". Thank you! I do smell like vanilla! :D
12th March: Pure Turquoise by Ralph Lauren - oops, I over applied but it mellowed out.
13th March: Yujin Paradise by Ella Mikao
14th March: Chloe EDP by Chloe - Forcing myself to use this one up. 1 compliment at the end of the day from a female colleague who said I smell nice - I thought it had faded. Darn you Chloe & your people pleasing scent!
15th March: Chocolate Greedy by Montale - Chocolate Greedy instigated a conversation between two male colleagues about whether I smelt like strawberry cream lollies (?) or chocolate.
16th March: Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun (sample)
17th March: Fleur d'oranger by Fragonard
18th March: Serendipitous by Serendipity3
19th March: Pink Sugar by Aquolina
20th March: Little Kiss by Salvador Dali
21st March: Custo Barcelona by Custo Barcelona
22nd March: Chocolovers by Aquolina - no comments today, unusual for Chocolovers!
23rd March: Honey and The Moon by TokyoMilk - Generated a "what have you got on? Smells nice!" from the OH, unusual!
24th March: Pure Gold by Montale (sample)
26th March: Dirty by Lush Cosmetics
27th March: Lust by Lush Cosmetics
28th March: Esprit de Gingembre Pour Femme by Angel Schlesser
29th March: Cool Water Woman by Ralph Lauren
30th March: Cassis Noir by Mor Cosmetics
31st March: Black Aoud by Montale - First wear of a new bottle - a Birthday present. I might be breaking my goal with this one next month...... :) :) :) :)
I have set myself a goal to not wear the same perfume for a whole month. Very very hard for me, as there are definitely a few favourites in my collection.I noticed that some of my scents had not been worn for 12 months. :/ Hence the challange.
I ALMOST reached the goal this month, but for one slip up - Fleur d'oranger!
I didn't start off well, as I got a virus at the start of the month. When I feel feverish or nauseous I generally don't feel like wearing or smelling any scent.
Scents with reviews will have their name hyperlinked.
If there are any fragrances you would like to see a review of, let me know! :)
------
1st to 4th: No fragrance - I had a virus :( No scent for a few days.
5th March: Vanille Absolu by Montale
6th March: Sunset Flowers by Montale (sample)
7th March: Omnia Crystalline by Bvlgari
8th March: Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale
9th March: S de Scherrer by Jean-Louis Scherrer
10th March: Orange Blossom by Lush Cosmetics & Fleur d'oranger by Fragonard (on each arm)
11th March: Vanille Divine des Tropiques by La Maison de la Vanille - One compliment from a female colleague said "You smell nice, like vanilla". Thank you! I do smell like vanilla! :D
12th March: Pure Turquoise by Ralph Lauren - oops, I over applied but it mellowed out.
13th March: Yujin Paradise by Ella Mikao
14th March: Chloe EDP by Chloe - Forcing myself to use this one up. 1 compliment at the end of the day from a female colleague who said I smell nice - I thought it had faded. Darn you Chloe & your people pleasing scent!
15th March: Chocolate Greedy by Montale - Chocolate Greedy instigated a conversation between two male colleagues about whether I smelt like strawberry cream lollies (?) or chocolate.
16th March: Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun (sample)
17th March: Fleur d'oranger by Fragonard
18th March: Serendipitous by Serendipity3
19th March: Pink Sugar by Aquolina
20th March: Little Kiss by Salvador Dali
21st March: Custo Barcelona by Custo Barcelona
22nd March: Chocolovers by Aquolina - no comments today, unusual for Chocolovers!
23rd March: Honey and The Moon by TokyoMilk - Generated a "what have you got on? Smells nice!" from the OH, unusual!
24th March: Pure Gold by Montale (sample)
26th March: Dirty by Lush Cosmetics
27th March: Lust by Lush Cosmetics
28th March: Esprit de Gingembre Pour Femme by Angel Schlesser
29th March: Cool Water Woman by Ralph Lauren
30th March: Cassis Noir by Mor Cosmetics
31st March: Black Aoud by Montale - First wear of a new bottle - a Birthday present. I might be breaking my goal with this one next month...... :) :) :) :)
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Fleur d'oranger by Fragonard
I eyed the other perfumes in this collection with interest & decided to go for a blind buy! They all sounded so alluring, but I really love the scent of orange blossom & mandarin so finally decided on Fleur d'Oranger.
This is what Fragonard have to say about their fragrance;
"Hidden amongst its leaves polished with green light lies the orange blossom that has given us a suave eau de toilette as sensual as it is fresh. Tender neroli blossom joins with bergamot, jasmine and musk to enchant our senses with an inexpressible voluptuousness."
Fleur d'oranger's notes are;
Top notes: Orange Blossom, Bergamot, Mandarin
Middle notes: Jasmine, Honey.
Base notes: Musk
How does it smell?
True to its name the top notes - orange blossom, accompanied by mandarin are first notes I detect. I'm happy that they also last to the dry down for me!
Then comes the bergamot. I'm generally a fan of bergamot anyway, and in this case it's enough to let you know it's present but it knows it's not the star of this scent.
The honey note is next to appear & gives the fragrance an additional background sweetness. Then comes the jasmine & finally the musk.
The supporting notes in Fleur d'Oranger are so well behaved. Many orange scents that I've tried start out well, but the orange is
usually overtaken & muffled by a stronger note - especially musk or jasmine, however they never do in this composition.
Fleur d'oranger is sweet, but not overly so. I would describe it as being "bright & cheerful" with aromatherapy qualities. It is a perfect Monday morning pick-me-up after you've dragged yourself out of bed. It sure improves my mood on those foggy mornings.
This is not a complex fragrance, and I like that. Sometimes you just need something simple. I haven't experienced any crazy weird notes coming out of nowhere.
Fleur d'oranger is definitely one of my go-to fragrances for hot Summer days & I look forward to using it to brighten a few Winter days when I don't feel like a cozy vanilla scent. It's also a perfect & safe work fragrance. No offending anyone here!
I really do like this one.
Longevity
I expected Fleur d'oranger to be like similar florals & disappear within a couple of hours but I must say I've been pleasantly surprised as it does last quite a few hours - almost a whole working day (8 hours) on bare skin. I haven't tried layering with moisturiser so I'm sure I'd be able to get a couple more hours that way. Fragonard does have a matching shower gel & body lotion that I may look at getting down the track however I have an orange blossom lotion by MOR Cosmetics that I may try layering it with.
Who can wear Fleur d'oranger?
This fragrance is not in the Men's section on the Fragonard website but I don't feel that it's specifically marketed to women either - very clever Fragonard! Fragrantica lists it "for women" but I disagree. It's definitely unisex, & could be worn by a man. So I would say go for it guys! You eat oranges too right?
The Bottle:
Fleur d'oranger's bottle is a simple yet elegant design which sprays a perfect amount of scent. It's a good quality atomiser which lets you control the amount of fragrance that comes out. I always like that.
Cost:
Fleur d'oranger retails at about $80AU if you buy it in Australia. I bought my bottle from evilBay for about $40AU which makes it a very affordable fragrance.
I wanted to purchase directly from Fragonard as their prices are even cheaper (you can also buy refills) alas Australia is a country they do not ship to. Sad face.
Would I buy it again?
I think my 100ml bottle will last a while, but I will definitely repurchase when it runs out.
Last thoughts
If you love the scent of orange blossom & mandarin, you will definitely love Fleur d'oranger. It is a simple, elegant & well blended quality fragrance. It could also be used to "brighten up" other fragrances. I'll definitely be trying this.
The Fragonard Les Naturalles collection looks extensive with other fragrances "starring" notes such as Fig (Figuier fleur), Cedar (Cedre), Lavender (Lavande), Patchouli, Verbena (Verveine) & Vetiver. My thought is that they would work really well together & I'd be very interested to experiment with layering them with each other to make different scents.
There seems to be a collection/trial pack that I've seen pictures of, but I've never seen it for sale anywhere.
Fleur d'oranger reminds me of:
Orange Blossom by LUSH Cosmetics (I prefer Fleur d'oranger)
Blind buy rating; Success!
My overall rating: 8/10
Thursday, 14 March 2013
@Ouch110's Review of Alien The Taste of Fragrance & subsequent sample purchase!
Alien The Taste Of Fragrance is a perfume that I've had my eye on for a while but have never really done anything about. I guess I was hoping that it would be released in Australia & I'd be able to try it out instore. I asked around at different department stores & got multiple blank stares (Myer & David Jones I'm looking at you!).
I eventually forgot about this fragrance whilst waiting for something that's never going to happen.
Fast forward to March 2013. I found & subscribed to Ouch110's YouTube Channel a few days ago & am really loving his fragrance review vlogs. Today I noticed his Alien TTOF review & clicked immediately.
He describes his fragrance very well - the salty nature of TTOF really intrigues me. So I let my mouse "do the walking" & headed over to eBay. I was THIS close to buying a bottle, but I really need to slow down on my full bottle purchases. The samples seemed to be a similar price per ml so I talked myself out of the full bottle & into the sample instead.
Feeling very proud of myself. Gold star for meeee!
Oh, but I did manage to accidently buy some Angel The Taste Of Fragrance samples as well. :D Well, you really need to make the postage cost worth it. Know what I mean?
Enjoy the fantastic review! Thanks for the inspiration @ouch110!
PS: Don't you hate having to wait to pay a seller on eBay because they need to send you a new
invoice to combine shipping. I'd rather just pay & get it over & done with.
I eventually forgot about this fragrance whilst waiting for something that's never going to happen.
Fast forward to March 2013. I found & subscribed to Ouch110's YouTube Channel a few days ago & am really loving his fragrance review vlogs. Today I noticed his Alien TTOF review & clicked immediately.
He describes his fragrance very well - the salty nature of TTOF really intrigues me. So I let my mouse "do the walking" & headed over to eBay. I was THIS close to buying a bottle, but I really need to slow down on my full bottle purchases. The samples seemed to be a similar price per ml so I talked myself out of the full bottle & into the sample instead.
Feeling very proud of myself. Gold star for meeee!
Oh, but I did manage to accidently buy some Angel The Taste Of Fragrance samples as well. :D Well, you really need to make the postage cost worth it. Know what I mean?
Enjoy the fantastic review! Thanks for the inspiration @ouch110!
PS: Don't you hate having to wait to pay a seller on eBay because they need to send you a new
invoice to combine shipping. I'd rather just pay & get it over & done with.
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