 | Black Cashmere by Donna KaranI was excited to find this at a discount store, as I'd heard a lot about it. I love the bottle (the 30ml), although my mother said that it looks like a "very expensive vibrator" (thanks for that, ma). I had to wait to try it on until I got home because she's allergic to perfume. The first impression I had was of strong church incense, and the way it can permeate your clothes and hair. However, as it developed the spices and sweetness became more apparent. It's gorgeous, and not something I would expect to find at a department store these days-- to interesting. Since I have a (very) low tolerance for sweetness, the spicy-puddingyness of it was a bit overwhelming, so I layered it with Montale Original Aoud and wow, it really balanced it out. 6th January, 2010. |
| | Cuir by LancômeI was going to order this online, but I found it at Winners today for $40! I love leathers, but I have a tendency to love the truly butch ones (Lonestar Memories, for instance), and since apparently I am a girl, people expect me to smell at least a bit girly. I know, I know, societally bound expectations of gender, etc, but most folks don't read smoke and hot leather as a "good" smell. And I take the bus a lot, and I feel like perfume has a bad rap. I don't want to inflict my weird tastes on a busful of strangers. 25th October, 2009. |
 | Malachite by Banana RepublicThis smells very similar to Garnier Fructis shampoo, which has a nice tart fruity smell to it. The smell of GF shampoo is one of my favorite shampoo scents. But I do not want it in perfume form. Folks could do a lot worse, however. Most will probably find it inoffensive, yet pleasing. I like more of a challenge from my perfume. 23rd October, 2009. |
 | cK one by Calvin KleinSmells like pineapple juice and citrus dishsoap and cheap musks. Not my thing. And for a "light" scent, it's surprisingly tenacious, like L'Eau D'Issey. I could still smell it after a vigorous handwashing. I thought I would like this more, but it was actually kind of nauseating. 23rd October, 2009. |
| | Feminitè du Bois by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoI tried a sample of the reissued rectangular-bottle FdB and loved it insanely. I had to order the original in the brown translucent bottle (god I love that bottle, I dont find it dark and sinister at all, as esquirol does). Its fantastic! It starts out cedary and violety and suede-y and then turns to dried fruits and then to church incense like they had on special occaisions at the Anglican church when I was a child. 23rd October, 2009. |
| | Shalimar by GuerlainThe first time I tried this, I was just getting into perfume and still getting my bearings. I found it much too powdery and feminine, and, I'm sorry to say, "grandmotherly". At the time I was wearing mainly Bulgari Black, which I still do, and had yet to get into florals or traditionally feminine compositions. I recently read a review of Black on Grain de Musc which called it "Shalimar for Replicants." So I went back to try Shalimar again, this time with a slightly more educated nose (and brain). They had the EdP at Sephora, which surprised me. I smelled it (after smelling a few dull new releases) and by George, I got it! It was gorgeous! I had them make up a little sample for me and have been wearing it for the past few days. The longevity is amazing, and the depth and richness of the composition are stunning. I definitely need some of this. 21st September, 2009. |
| | Euphoria by Calvin KleinTo replicate this fragrance at home: Take a bag of strawberry cotton candy, pour some hairspray into it, add a dash nutmeg, and a lit match. Enjoy the plasticky fumes. This is my experience of Euphoria. And it will... not... wash... off! Arrrrrgh. 20th September, 2009. |
| | Idole d'Armani by Giorgio ArmaniWow, not bad! I haven't liked any of the Armani fragrances I've smelled so far--Armani Mania and Code were fairly nauseating to me--but I'd actually wear this one. Online I've seen it described as a spicy floral, but I don't smell much spice in it, maybe a tiny bit of ginger in the drydown. The opening is too sweet for my tastes, sort of a candied pear and citrus. The standard rose and jasmine follow. The drydown is my favorite part. It's difficult to pick out individual notes here, but the whole is well-balanced and generally more interesting than most new releases I've smelled recently. It's a little like Michael by Michael Kors without the tuberose, which I also like, although both scents are sweeter than I usually go for. Nice work. It goes well with the Armani trashy-but-luxe brand image. (His women's clothes are generally expensive-call-girl wear. And I mean that in the best possible way.) 17th September, 2009. |
| | Eau de Grey Flannel by Geoffrey BeeneDang, I also thought I was getting regular Grey Flannel. Ick. This stuff smells like a deodorant labelled Mountain Fresh. Or possibly cheap dryer sheets. Horrible. 16th September, 2009. |
| | Amarige by GivenchyOkay, I really like this. When I first tried it, it reminded me of Carnal Flower. However when I tried them on side to side, I found that Amarige is quite different, a more rounded, rich floral without the eucalyptus or coconut of Carnal Flower. Although tuberose isn't listed in the notes, I'm pretty sure I smell it in there, but it's blended wonderfully with jasmine, mimosa, orange blossom and some peachy fruit notes that are more like osmanthus than actual fruit. The total effect is not one of sweetness, but of a voluptuous tropical floral. Wonderful. In fact, although I don't want to hurt Carnal Flower's feelings because I adore it, I think I like Amarige equally if not more. 16th September, 2009. |
| | La Nuit De L'Homme by Yves Saint LaurentThe Night of the Man? Huh? I liked the original L'Homme, my roommate wore it and I was always stealing spritzes. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, just a good, well-crafted thing, citrussy and herby like many others of its time. Le Nuit de L'Homme doesn't have much in common with it, and the silly name doesn't go with it because there's nothing dark about it. To my taste, it's too sweet, the spices are too cloying and fake, and just all around bland and flat. But that guy in the ads, I'll give him a thumbs up. 15th September, 2009. |
| | J'Adore by Christian DiorCitrussy peachy rose. I have a sample of EdP and it's so watery and weak I could have sworn it was cologne or EdT. I would have liked it more if they'd amped up the peach and rose a bit more and fleshed it out a bit. And it gave me a rash. 15th September, 2009. |
| | Hermèssence Osmanthe Yunnan by HermèsI received a nice large sample of this and another Hermessence from a very nice SA fellow at the Hermes boutique, who didn't mind me and two other BaseNoters smelling every single fragrance in the store with no intention of buying. It was my favorite one, but upon trying it on my skin, five minutes later I smelled... absolutely nothing. I splashed on a bunch more, and five minutes later, more nothing. Clearly this is designed the so-called "Asian market", i.e. people who don't want anyone on their crowded Tokyo commute to be bothered by their odor. Or it's just that darn JC Ellena. Give me Dominique Ropion any day. 6th September, 2009. |
| | Rose Poivrée by Different CompanyOh my goodness, I love this! In fact, when I first put it on from a new sample, I said "F**k yes!", loudly. I get a beautifully realistic fresh peppery rose. It dries down to a less spicy but still gorgeous rosiness. But not a polite rose, a rose with attitude. For lack of a better word, a rose with sass. 28th August, 2009. |
| | Cinéma by Yves Saint LaurentThis is one of the few fruity florals I actually like. I mostly get notes of dried orange peel, mimosa, cyclamen/heliotrope, vanilla, and light amber and musk in the drydown. But then I'm not sure what almond blossom and amaryllis are like! Not much peony, which is a shame because I love peony and it's not a common note. I don't find Cinema particularly strong or long-lasting, but it might be a bit cloying on a very hot day. 11th August, 2009. |
| | Halston Z-14 by HalstonAn interesting idea, a sparkling spicy-herbs and lemon chypre. It feels like it could almost be a modern niche scent, given a bigger budget and careful attention. However, it has that old-school synthetic musk aroma that smells a little too much like BO (and worse) to me. Probably not a good fragrance in hot weather. 10th August, 2009. |
| | Kenzo Amour by KenzoKenzo Amour is indeed very comforting. Im not usually a fan of gourmands, but the vanilla in this is subtle and the sweetness is balanced by the incense and woods. Ive had quite a few compliments on this, and I like to put some on before I go to bed, especially in the winter. 8th August, 2009. |
| | L'Homme by Yves Saint LaurentVery nice! Ginger-citrus opening, a little vetiver and some violet-leaf of course, then a oriental amber drydown. My roommate used to wear this, and strangely enough, it was what got me interested in exploring mass-market scents. Just a really enjoyable smell, nothing particularly innovative, but I really like it, and I would consider buying it for myself. I have smelled Cool Water, but it although it didnt really stick in my memory, it was not much like LHomme, to me at least. Id recommend it for a guy of any age who doesnt care much about fragrance but wants to smell nice to people around him. It would make a good first fragrance for a young guy, but it would work for any age. Although older (retiree-age) guys usually have their mind made up about what they wear, and stick to it. 8th August, 2009. |
| | Une Rose by Editions de Parfums Frederic MalleI thought I didn't like rose fragrances, although I love the smell of the flower, but this is the rose scent that converted me loving it. It smells, like the name says, of a fresh rose on the stem, not like rose oil, which is completely different, and which I'm not a fan of. This is stunning. I put it on the back of my hand so I can keep sniffing it subtly all day, which isn't as obvious as smelling my wrist constantly! 31st July, 2009. |
| | She Wood by Dsquared2Meh. With a name like that, I was hoping it might smell like... wood. It smells to me like lemon soda and amber, kind of in a fizzy way. The drydown is light and sweet. Boring, inoffensive and wood-free. I might have liked it better if it been named more accurately, Ambre Petillante perhaps (Fizzy Amber). For a feminine wood, I like Sensuous for a light rendition, or Feminite du Bois if you want real cedar and true gorgeousness. 25th July, 2009. |
| | Eau Sauvage by Christian DiorThe topnotes were gorgeous, and I nearly bought it, but, sensibly, I sprayed it on my skin so it could develop. Thank god! I loved the lemony-herby beginning, but I have to agree with another commenter that the only thing the drydown reminds me of is... poop. Definite scrubber! Maybe it's my skin, or my tastes, though usually I go for more classic fragrances. But I couldn't stand this! I got Dune instead, it's wonderful! 17th July, 2009. |
| | Dune by Christian DiorI don't find this to be "bleakly beautiful" at all! I find it to be a warm, woody oriental, sweet but not cloying or syrupy, spicy but not overwhelming. Wonderful! I was surprised to find it at Shopper's Drug Mart (I guess they're a Christian Dior-approved vendor!) ;) 17th July, 2009. |
| | Fete d'Hiver by Ayala MorielThis is discontinued? I just got a sample of Fete d'Hiver and one of Bois d'Hiver and they seem quite different to me... BdH is much more woody and dry, and less rich and sweet (although FdH is not particularly sweet). Anyway, I love Fete d'Hiver! I couldn't figure out what was in it just from smelling it, since it is very well blended,and was surprised to find that it's a rose and incense scent, since I usually don't care for rose. I entered a draw to win a travel roll-on of this when I met Ayala and I won, yay, lucky me! It's my favorite of the ones I've sampled so far, and the longevity and coherence are quite good for a natural perfume. 14th July, 2009. |
| | White Potion by Ayala MorielDang! I loved this in the bottle, fabulous ylang-ylang and tuberose. But it changes completely on my skin and all I can smell are the coconut and tonka bean, way too sweet for my tastes. I think I'll try it in my essential oil burner or maybe a drop on a lkight bulb (yes, I know they can erxplode... from experience!). 14th July, 2009. |
| | Yasmin by Ayala MorielThis is lovely! I love jasmine and have been looking for soliflore. I was turned off jasmine for a while after a mediocre experience with Shopper's Drug Mart "essential oil" (I was young and broke.) I liked Montale's Jasmin Full but it's a bit too strong and harsh to my nose, almost chemical. Yasmin is more rounded and well-balanced. However, since it's a natural scent, it needs to be reapplied or it vanishes, but I'd rather reapply than have it linger and get sick of it, as I do with the Montale. 14th July, 2009. |
| | Cèdre by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoHonestly, I expected to love this. I tried to love this. But when I smelled it I thought for a minute that the samples had got mixed up... it reminded me of nothing more than BUBBLEGUM MOUTHWASH. What the heck? It's so sweet! When I was a kid I would brush my teeth with cinnamon toothpaste and then use bubblegum mouthwash and my breath smelled like this. 9th July, 2009. |
| | Jasmin Full by MontaleI found this to be a fairly realistic and simple jasmine, almost too straightforward and strong at first, but smoothing out to a rich drydown. If you want a good jasmine soliflore, this could be for you. But be patient, give it a few minutes to settle down. 6th July, 2009. |
| | Comme des Garçons 2 by Comme des GarçonsI didn't find this overwhelming at all, on the contrary. Though I do have a sample that only allows for dabbing, maybe spraying it makes a difference. In high school I took a Japanese calligraphy class where we had to grind the sumi ink by hand and it smelled just like this,a beautiful inky incense. I love it! 6th July, 2009. |
| | Sacrebleu by Parfums de NicolaïArgh! I loved this, but it reminded me of something I couldn't quite name... I wish I hadn't read the review that says it smells like children's Motrin, cause that's it! Well, it's still gorgeous, but just too syrupy sweet for my tastes. 6th July, 2009. |
| | Passage d'Enfer by L'Artisan ParfumeurI love this! Cool flowery incense, but not like Easter mass, more like... burning a single stick/cone of incense burning in a large clean light room with a small perfect flower arrangement in the corner. 26th June, 2009. |
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