Basenotes - Reviews by sblades138

United States

Showing 1 to 14 of 14.

Beige by Chanel

One of my least favorite Chanel fragrances, I'm afraid. I guess the name is appropriate - nice, easy to work with, but nothing special. On me, it's linear, sweet and soapy freesia. It's not a scrubber, but it isn't one I'd ever buy for myself. Perhaps the pure perfume would change my mind, as this is a review for the EDT from Les Exclusifs.

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

Sycomore (new) by Chanel

Vetiver can be astringent for some, but I absolutely adore it...and Sycomore is a wonderful rendition of vetiver! Before trying Sycomore, I had found a fragrance from Bath and Body Works that has been discontinued called "Indian Vetiver" (to all you vetiver lovers: if you can find this on ebay, I recommend you grab it because you can't beat the price for a good, long-lasting vetiver!), and I realized I loved this exotic grass. Interestingly, Sycomore reminds me of that BBW fragrance, but has MUCH more depth and complexity. When first applied, I get a much darker, woodier smell; however, the dry down is full-blown fresh vetiver...almost identical to the much less expensive "Indian Vetiver." Also, Sycomore has greater longevity than most of Les Exclusifs.

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

Salt Air by Demeter Fragrance Library

I'm disappointed in this one. At first, I thought "woah, this reminds me of summers at home on the beach!," but then came the dry-down. YUCK. There is something very "off" and rancid about the dry-down that I can't quite put my finger on. Although, like all Demeter fragrances, Salt Air didn't last too long, there was still this lingering, dull sickening smell that turned my stomach a couple of hours later. Bleh. Maybe this would work for me as a short-lived room spray to bring back memories of my hometown, but I want it nowhere near my skin!

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

31 rue Cambon by Chanel

31 rue Cambon, Bois des Iles, and Cuir de Russie are head-to-head in the race for my affection! I love woodsy-florals, and 31 rue Cambon is so interesting and beautiful. As with all Les Exclusifs, I wish it had better longevity.

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

28 La Pausa by Chanel

28 La Pausa is a lovely woodsy/green flowery iris with a citrusy-vetiver dry-down. It's easy to wear, but it still has character. One of my favorites from Les Exclusifs.

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

Sandalwood by Demeter Fragrance Library

So...much.....alcohol. I can't tell if I like the actual sandalwood scent because it is covered up by the overabundance of alcohol smacking me in the face upon first spritz.

Okay, 30 minutes later and I finally smell a hint of sandalwood...a very good sandalwood, but not good enough as a body fragrance. I have to literally stick my nose on my arm to smell it. I'd rather use a higher quality, stronger-smelling sandalwood oil. Disappointment.

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel

I like Coco Mademoiselle for what it is - immature, silly, and oddly spicy-sweet in the dry-down. It isn't my go-to Chanel fragrance because I prefer the darker, woodier "mature" fragrances, but I respect Mademoiselle as a kind-of compromise when considering the newer grapefruit fragrances being produced. I find it light and fun, and I always get compliments when I wear it (albeit, those compliments are coming from my college students! haha). It's not the most sophisticated, and I certainly wouldn't call it sexy, but I enjoy it nonetheless. I'd call it a young, happy fragrance : )

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

No. 19 by Chanel

iMaverick's review is spot-on, and I feel silly even adding to it! Chanel 19 was the first Chanel that I fell in love with, and it was the reformulated pure perfume. I don't think I would have given Chanel n.5 another chance if it hadn't been for the instantaneous love I had for 19 and then Coco. THEN I snagged the original french formula n.19 parfum on ebay, and....wow! What an amazing fragrance! On me, the original 19 is VERY earthy, mossy, and dark with little flower. The reformulation is lovely and more floral, but it doesn't have the same mysterious power of the original oakmoss formula. I swoon when I catch a whiff on my wrist hours after application. People must think I'm crazy when they see me constantly sticking my wrist to my nose! : )

As for the EDP, I'm sorry to say that it smells rancid on me. Bleh! It's harsh and oily smelling...so strange. The EDT is much closer smelling to the reformulated pure perfume, and I use it the most because I save the original perfume for when I need a special pick-me-up. Wonderful stuff!

11th January, 2010.

Report Review

Ormonde Woman by Ormonde Jayne

A personal story: a colleague of mine, who is rather off-putting and distant in her demeanor, recently sat next to me while I was grading papers. She rarely speaks to anyone, other than the pleasantries of co-workers who aren't close but respect each other. I can't envision her as a fragrance-lover - she's all business and theory. Suddenly, she grabs my arm and says, "I'm so sorry, but what in the world are you wearing?! Not to scare you or anything, but I want to take a bite out of your arm (*insert funny munching sounds here*), you smell so yummy!" This is my Ormonde Woman pure perfume story...and I can't say much else about it because to analyze such a unique fragrance would destroy the magic : )

4th December, 2009. (Last Edited: 11th January, 2010.)

Report Review

Black Amethyst by Bath and Body Works

Okay - so I had to give my opinion on this 'popular for the masses' fragrance. You have to give Bath and Body Works a little credit for this one. I have enjoyed a couple (and I do mean no more than 2 or 3) fragrances from BBW, besides my love for the Scentport plug-ins (sandalwood vanilla rocks!). I admit to having an off-again/on-again love affair with Japanese Cherry Blossom (hey, the hubby finds it hot!) Being the snob that I am, I probably would never wear these fragrances when going out...like "out out," and probably not even to teach undergrads who honesty don't care about my class nor my perfume. However, I like a spritz of a nice smell after the gym or in my car...or even when cleaning the house. Would I want to waste my Coco Mademoiselle during these moments? No. Is Black Amethyst close enough to remind me of Coco Mademoiselle without the guilt of "wasting" my Chanel? Yes.

Black Amethyst has more depth than many perfumes in the same price range, and on me I get all middle and bottom notes which is really great. I know the top notes are supposed to be comprised of fruit and melon or the equivalent of those, but I don't smell those notes one bit (thank goodness!). The first sniff is a little sweet (although again - not fruity nor melony) for my tastes, but it is the same with Coco Mademoiselle for me. In contrast, the dry down has a much deeper earthy pitch to it without losing any sexy (albeit younger) femininity. This is much more complex than I ever would have imagined from BBW, and I now feel like a snooty jackass for having scoffed the idea of trying it for so long.

You can't write off a perfectly nice (I didn't say "amazing") fragrance because it is a bit of a rip-off of some other favorites. Any pleasant smell has a time and a place, and while I don't love this fragrance I will still give it a thumbs up simply for the low price tag on a surprisingly lovely fragrance for those times when you just don't care to bring out the big guns, or those times that we all have when we just can't splurge on the pricier stuff. Black Amethyst - you are a-okay in my books!

29th July, 2009.

Report Review

Cleopatra by Tocca

Awwww....poor Cleopatra. This perfume has gotten a lot of negative flack on many sites for its simplicity. It does smell like a light dusting of jasmine to me, but I'm perfectly happy with it. When I'm not in the mood to wear something complex and heavy, I always reach for this fragrance. People who dislike perfume tend to be okay with it. Best of all, this fragrance doesn't smell as artificial to me as some, and it reminds me of my inlaws' (who are from India) jasmine plants. I used to pick the flowers off the plant and crush them between my fingers just to get my jasmine fix. Now I can just spritz a little of this delightful fragrance and breathe deeply. I guess it is different for different people, but I got very little musk and spice from this one (not that I would complain if I did!).

29th July, 2009.

Report Review

Nahéma by Guerlain

I have mixed feelings about Nahema. I sometimes like it, but I sometimes cannot get past the waxy melted crayon smell. I could almost give a hesitant thumbs up (a slanted thumb, perhaps?) because, well....I rather like the smell of crayons! : ) However, I'm not sure I want my wrists to smell like rose-scented crayons. It's a tough call. There isn't anything offensive or daring about the perfume (therefore some would find this a complete thumbs down because of being 'boring' or not unique enough or something), but I have to agree with those who have said it is shallow in comparison with the likes of Joy, which is just...well...joyful!

29th July, 2009.

Report Review

Bois des Îles by Chanel

My absolute favorite perfume! Of course, my husband would say, "Every perfume you own is your 'absolute favorite'!" Maybe he is right. A favorite fragrance for each individual - and often fluctuating - mood. But no, seriously...this is a wonderful woodsy floral with perfect balance, and it's definitely at the very top of my list. I own many Chanel perfumes, and I find this to be the most wearable.

I had tried a sample of the newer formulation from the Les Exclusifs line and fell in love. Recently (maybe there is a god after all??) I found an older bottle of the EDT (a full and unused 3.4oz!! woohoo!) on ebay for less than $100. I'm comparing the two as I type, and I must say that the newer Les Exclusifs formulation is very similar but perhaps more flowery and less musky? The older bottle's color is definitely darker. The older formulation makes me think of my beloved Jicky with extra sandalwood and less possibility of offense due to civet overload.

Surprisingly I am enjoying the newer formulation a little more at the moment. Maybe it's because I had fallen too hard for my first whiff of the newer Bois Des Iles from my recent Exclusifs sampling. The iris is breathtaking in these newer formulations. One day I'll have to spring for one of those enormous 200ml bottles!

29th July, 2009.

Report Review

Mitsouko by Guerlain

I've tried this fragrance in the EDP version several times, and I just cannot force myself to appreciate it. I wanted to - I find the name, the bottle, the history....EVERYTHING about it fascinating.........except for the smell. And it kills me. No seriously....the smell could kill, and not in a good way!

I'm not afraid of aldehydes (I'm a Chanel girl and get my kicks from 5 and 22, and I love vintage Joy which is chock full of aldehydes AND peaches...a combo I thought I'd never like 'cause i hate fruity+flower fragrances), and I can handle spicy animalic scents (Jicky and Shalimar are favorites of mine). Unfortunately, Jicky, Shalimar, and Nahema are the only Guerlains that have befriended me so far. L'heure Bleue and Mitsouko do the same thing to me. They make me sick to my stomach. Literally. I've never had to scrub a fragrance off of my wrists before puking until trying L'heuere Bleue. It isn't the "skank" factor that many perfumistas laud and that many fragrance lovers just can't get past. I can enjoy "dirty hippie" smells like spice, sweat and musk...and the ol' "morning after" smell. It isn't the "old lady" factor. Most "old lady" perfumes (powder and all) are awesomely sexy to me, and I usually prefer vintage even though I'm only in my 20's. I'll never understand the statement that a perfume can be "out dated." Fashion never really is. Think about all the inspirations we take from the past and mix into contemporary fashion...just like literature. Classics are classics! But then again, I find many classics over-rated as well....Dickens, anyone?

So, here's the kicker for me: Mitsouko smells an awful lot like mint bubble Orbitz gum on me. Or maybe it's something from Trident? I forget. Smells like a waxy-based, nauseatingly fruity menthol. I swear it does...maybe mixed with a little cough syrup? It makes me think of horrible b-flicks that have a cult following for no other reason than they are "unique," difficult to "get," and rather unapproachable for the "common" person. I'll never understand it. Unique can be great...I love unique (and sometimes kinda weird) fragrances (hah...and admittedly, I love many b-ficks too!), but I just can't handle off-putting and unapproachable. But then again, people say the same thing about my beloved Jicky, and it could just be my body chemistry...so whatever floats your good smellin' boats,people! : )

28th July, 2009.

Report Review

Showing 1 to 14 of 14.