Basenotes - Reviews by JGbeader

New Zealand

Showing 1 to 8 of 8.

Alien by Thierry Mugler

Has anyone noticed that "Alien" is very like "Louve"? I love them both for their exotic postmodern edginess. Alien came first and is much less expensive... hmmm - not a hard decision when it comes time to replace sample with bottle. They both have an icy metallic quality which lasts and which I find refreshing when I'm not in the mood for sultry flowers and spices. Alien doesn't mix well with garlic or Gucci Rush, all of which I smell of at time of writing. I must get some art deco jewellery on. Perfect.

8th May, 2009.

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Gucci Flora by Gucci

A big disappointment. First, a blast of sparkling but sickly faux apricot, like one of those stodgy slice cakes with plastic-y fruit fillings and dubious, slightly rancid fat in the flour. Then, a boring floral accord with nothing to distinguish it from a hundred hundred thousand others. A triumph of mediocrity. They forgot to add a dry down which is perhaps why it's so short-lived. Wanting to capture the Britney market I suspect. Yawn.

6th May, 2009.

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Tabu by Dana

Powerful stuff! Generally, I enjoy potent seduction scents if I'm in the right mood. I decided to test my memory of Tabu today, as I haven't sniffed it for about 40 years. Back then it made me a bit queasy (more estrogen than now). I was almost knocked down by the sillage from one spray on the wrist. The top notes are quite a clarion call and I worried that passers-by might think I was off to my day-shift at the local massage parlour. I can detect no animal notes in this scent - it's raucously floral and sententiously spicy, and I suspect she who wears it shouldn't wash for a few days before wearing it to get the sultry best from Tabu. I arrived home one hour after application and washed the wrist with liquid soap and warm water, thoroughly. What's left is about the right amount, and still potent. There's an overwhelmingly-sweet quality to the accord which doesn't appeal to me too much. I'd like some leather notes and a little more woody dryness to temper it. But hey, for the price... who's complaining! Not too bad really - far, far superior to the ghastly Stitch series and their ilk. To be worn with mottley furs, red heels, tousled hair and lots of black eyeliner.

20th April, 2009.

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24, Faubourg by Hermès

Pure comfort. Warm, honeyed orange-blossom with a little cream and spice. Good for when I feel the need of The Mother's loving presence round me. A quality, classic perfume.

17th April, 2009.

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Sa Majesté la Rose by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Well... I was given a sample of Sa Majeste t'other day. After more than 20 years (yes!) I've just used up my 55ml spray bottle of Shiseido Rosarium EdP (y'all know the connection), which I'd kept always stored away from sunlight in a cool cupboard. Amazing longevity. The bottle is still resplendent with the fragrance: very powerful, almost overwhelming-green top notes and then the lush, rain-drenched red rose (tea and bourbon roses melded, to my mind) slowly settling into a spicy-rose dry-down. Lovely, when I'm in the mood for smelling sensually rosy. Long story short, Sa Maj is pretty much Rosarium, perhaps not as fabulously diverse or intense in its notes, but recognisably the same. I'd love another bottle of Rosarium though - it seems better. Perhaps I'm just being scentimental. After all, a fragrance that's been in your life that long is like favorite poetry or music, a kind of counterpoint and/or commentary on both the spirit and the body of your existence.

4th April, 2009.

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Louve by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Louve starts with almond and something bitter and medicinal on me - rather naughty - and I like it. I always loved the scent of almond essence as a child, and that's what attracted me to this scent. It settles down into a sweet muskiness which retains an edge of that cold, sharp, rather metallic ungent. Nice if you're in the mood for she-wolfery. A depilated she-wolf in a glam dress, more aluminium than silver-coloured. She has a hip flask of old blood mixed with vodka in her pocket.

31st March, 2009.

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Pink Happiness by Revlon

You'd think that all the notes in this scent would make it interesting. For me, alas, no.... and generally speaking, I love sweet scents! I *don't* smell lemon, bergamot, black pepper, elemi, jasmine muguet, ylang-ylang. All I get is molto molto musk + vanilla, right from the get-go, for hour after hour after hour! Sickly sweet. You get what you pay for, I guess. I'm about to bin the remains of my 15 ml bottle.

30th March, 2009.

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Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana

I agree with others - Sicily is a dense perfume. However, I like it - it's classy. Perhaps because I'm 60, but not a stereotypical "old lady", I feel confident in it. It's a lovely way to go out smelling of lemons and bergamot, and other sweet things as it drys down. It's not a scent to spray on generously unless you want to dominate the whole world. What is it with some folk? They complain about certain perfume being overpowering, but they use them so wastefully.

Sicily is more a comfort scent than an erotic one for me. I enjoy its warmth and don't find the base notes sickly at all. It speaks of contentment and peaceful sunny days. I never cease to be fascinated by how differently individuals respond to perfumes. Thank goodness. Wouldn't life be dull if we all approved of exactly the same things.

29th March, 2009.

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Showing 1 to 8 of 8.