Basenotes - Reviews by oldnose

United States

Showing 1 to 7 of 7.

Néonatura - Cocoon by Yves Rocher

I purchased this on a whim when I was ordering Rose Absolut; it was $3.00 for a purse-size spray of a half ounce. Turns out that the Rose didn't work well on me, but I totally fell in love with Cocoon. It's warm without being overly sweet, very much as BlackAmberMoon said, dry cocoa from the tin. I usually don't do well with either vanilla or patchouli, but the combination of the two is just lovely. All I can think when I wear this is that this is how skin should smell. I got back on the YR site and took advantage of the current sale price and ordered five more half ounce sprays for a grand total of $15.00 - and qualified for free shipping at that! The regular price for a 1.7 ounce spray is $40.00 (not that anyone would pay full price with the sales they always have), so I think my 3 ounces for $18.00 is quite a steal. This may be my default everyday scent for a long time to come. Love, love, love it.

24th December, 2008.

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Rose Absolue by Yves Rocher

I just purchased this, and although I am very impressed with it, I just don't know if it is for me yet. I gave my bottle to a friend who fell in love with it, but I think I will try it again sometime when I am in the mood for a scent that is more challenging than the comfort ones I usually wear. I adore the cinnamon-rose blend at the top, and wish that combination lasted longer. It makes me think of Gigi's grandmother, one of my favorite characters in literature and film, in that it is very old-fashioned but with a definite edge, and so very French. I had some bad experiences with rose on me in the past, and I think if I can get past that and remember that this is NOT one of those overly sweet, fruity, gag-inducing roses, I will not only salute it, but embrace it. It really is a work of art.

24th December, 2008.

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Chamade by Guerlain

I haven't owned Chamade for about 35 years, but I still miss it. On me (I used the EDT), it pretty much stayed the same throughout the day, a very sparkly, peppery floral. The sparkliness and pepperiness were more predominant. I did have some friends who were surprised it was Chamade I was wearing, so apparently it's one of those that reacts quite differently to one's body chemistry.

It's one of the few scents I have ever worn that had strange men ask me what it was - including one guy who owned a ritzy little art shop in New Orleans, and decided he wanted to sell it as the only scent he would carry! Someday, I will splurge again; in the meantime, I have to settle for Chamade's working-class cousin Vanderbilt (which to me is Chamade with a few drops of Organza - could be worse!).

29th August, 2008.

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Design by Paul Sebastian

I like Design occasionally, mostly because it reminds me of Fame (de Corday) from circa 1970, which was one of the first scents I loved. I can't wear this very frequently, but every once in a while, I crave it - applied lightly. It seems to work pretty well with my chemistry, too. It's a little sweet, but doesn't have the fruity tones that make so many sweet scents overbearing.

26th August, 2008.

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Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt

This is one of the basics I keep around. It has some of the same appeal (at least on my skin) as Chamade, but at a fraction of the cost. A lovely scent, especially for the price, and long-wearing. It's sparkly and soft at the same time, very well balanced.

26th August, 2008.

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Cinnabar by Estée Lauder

I want to like Cinnabar, I've tried to like Cinnabar, but unfortunately, I cannot wear it. It smells great in the bottle, but after the top and mid notes have gone, the cloying sweetness of the vanilla gives me a headache. I have found that I must be very cautious with anything with carnation or vanilla, because on my skin, those two scents will wipe out anything else in the mix. Maybe I'll try it just spritzed on my clothing and I might not have the same reaction.

9th December, 2007.

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Ici by Coty

I bought Ici based on the reviews posted here. Wow, do I love this scent. It's become almost an addiction for me. The first spray didn't impress me, but after just a few minutes, when the opening magnolia/mimosa had dried, the wonderful lower notes took over. It's like drinking hot chocolate while burning a good incense, and under the creamy softness there is something earthy and smoky peeking through. My only complaint is with the strange bottle - the bottle is ok, the silver is ok, but what's with the cheap-looking, ill-fitting faceted pink thing on it? And why is the liquid tinted pink? There is nothing pink about this scent, which is why I like it so much.

7th December, 2007.

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Showing 1 to 7 of 7.