Reviews by knit at nite

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    knit at nite
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    Showing 1 to 25 of 25.
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    Miss Dior Cherie L'Eau by Christian Dior

    A person who has been used to Paris Hilton and Kimora Lee Simmons type scents would think Miss Dior Cherie L'eau is quite sophisticated, methinks. Not as bad as the original and I wouldn't be offended if I had to sit next to someone wearing it at work. In some ways it reminds me of a "pinker" L'eau de Serge Lutens. But overall, a waste of the name Dior.

    18th January, 2012.

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    Le Baiser by Lalique

    Published NOTES: black currant, gardenia and violet; middle notes are pepper, jasmine, pimento berries and rose; base notes are sandalwood, amber, musk and cedar

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned how strong the violet is in the very sporadic reviewing Le Baiser has seen on Basenotes- that may be the uber sweetness to it. The cute little kissy face motif on the bottle certainly reinforces that "precious" concept.
    I bought a 30 ml boxed bottle of EDP on eBay for $1 without any pre-purchase research, and hey, it's very wearable if you are a white floral fan. The drydown is really nice because the astringent violet mellows and blends with the pepper, musk and cedar on my skin. I'm not getting the fruit and am barely getting the rose which seems to dominate other reviews.
    Thumbs up, for violet lovers.
    For me because I already have apres l'ondee as a violet, actually more powdery than Le Baiser, it's a like not a love - a neutral leaning slightly up. I wish I hadn't given away my sample of TF Violet Blond because I'd like to compare that too.

    8th January, 2012.

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    Le Temps D'Aimer by Alain Delon

    For those not familiar, Mr Delon is an iconic Fench actor who celebrated his 75th birthday last November (2010). This scent, launched in 1981 is a complex wonder in the classic french style, but very wearable now.
    Top- aldehydes, green notes, peach and brazilian rosewood
    Heart- cloves, gardenia, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang and rose
    Base- leather, amber, patchouli, coconut, civet, vanilla, oakmoss and styrax.
    The aldehyde opening does not bomb you, and when the drydown comes, the coconut and animalic basenote combo is really compelling.
    I went through a mini of this very quickly last year and was fortunate enough to find a vintage tester bottle online to replace it so I can indulge again.
    Would that all celebuscents be as charming and well-made. Vive le temps d'aimer!

    10th August, 2011.

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    Eau de Gingembre by Roger & Gallet

    In agreement with the 5 previous reviewers that this is a pleasing wearable scent. Eau de Gingembre conjures up no foody visions of little men decorated with jelly drops, but it does have a certain crispness in its spicy warmth that makes it very refreshing on a hot day and has enough body to last 2-3 hours on my skin (which is better than some very highly priced Eaux) Totally unisex.

    4th August, 2011.

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    Eau Fraîche by Léonard

    This scent is actually from 1974. Please see listing for Leonard Eau Fraiche

    31st July, 2011.

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    Léonard Eau Fraîche by Léonard

    I love almost all citrus aromatics but in 1974, when this was launched, I probably would not have appreciated the oakmoss in the base of this baby. Too bad because now, in 2011, I'm worrying that the new version has probably been reformulated due to the decrease in the allowable amounts of oakmoss. Oh well- my bottle was sold as vintage and I'm certain it is because it's the now out of favor splash style. Sniffing the inside cap, Eau Fraiche has a typical scent of a bowl of mixed citrus, a little past their prime, complete with a slight nose wrinkling upon reaction to the sourness. On skin, however, the top notes are light and fizzy. I was also surprised to have the momentary impression of the smooth and tasty cocktail called "Pimms Cup" made with aromatically flavored gin and lemony soda. Other top notes listed are " orange, plum, lavender, mandarin orange, bergamot and sicilian lemon" Moving into the heart attributed notes are "artemisia, coriander, jasmine and cloves"; with base notes of " singapore patchouli, tahitian vetiver and oakmoss". I don't know what differentiates singapore patchouli from others, but the overall scent is totally unisex- refreshing but not insipid, nicely balanced and long lasting on my skin. Not a sillage monster, definately a light and easy scent. Comparisons? Eau De Patou is as bright, but spicier; Monsiour Balman much more lemon centric; Les Nuits D'Hadrien is darker and more resinous. Citrus Aromatic is a huge scent group but would be lessened without this version.

    30th July, 2011.

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    Paradoxe by Pierre Cardin

    This is one of those scents that if you know was launched in the 80's you only have visions of big shoulder pads and big hair. Sniffed out of the context of its release date, it is a striking leathery chypre EDP with total unisex possibilities.
    Notes I found listed are lemon, mandarin and bergamot, heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris, tuberose and hyacinth, base of frankincense, musk, leather, pepper, moss and amber. Powerful and well blended, I keep catching a pine, or resin note in there somewhere too- or maybe its just a phantom effect because there is a lot going on in this scent, more than I can adequately describe. It is also one of those scents whose effect is intoxicating if smelled from 5-6 inches away but is way too intense when the nose is stuck right up in it and inhaled- the type of scent some people would use as an example of why workplaces should be fragrance-free. But I am lovin' it. My vintage sample's top notes desintigrated quite quickly, but the heart and basenotes went on for many hours.

    28th July, 2011.

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    Wind Song by Prince Matchabelli

    I'm with tvlampboy's review- "May they never discontinue this afforable classic"
    This may smell dated to some, but Wind Song is timeless and not so very innocent IMO. With notes of spices, brazilian rosewood, sandalwood, amber, and benzoin there's some sensuality there. The woman who wore this in the 50's had her gartered stockings and her lipstick on. Later on, the TV ad had the theme song "I can't seem to forget you, your Wind Song stays on my mind" , alluding to romance and longing. Per FG: Top notes are coriander, orange leaf, mandarin orange, tarragon, neroli, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are cloves, carnation, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose and brazilian rosewood; base notes are sandalwood, amber, musk, benzoin, vetiver and cedar.

    I have formulations from late 50's, the 80's and now and enjoy them all. On me sillage is moderate, and the drydown lasts a long time.

    16th June, 2011.

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    Paradox Blue by Jacomo

    The bottle I tried recently just said Paradox (no blue). The bottle itself and the packaging (in a clear lucite box) was nice. The juice was another story- I got no fruity melon notes- that would have been an improvement. On my skin it was a cheap cleaning liquid scent all the way from top to bottom. The Jacomo brand is hit or miss on me, but I usually perceive quality in the products even if ithe notes don't thrill. Not this time. Keep me away from this Paradox.

    31st May, 2011.

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    Eau Légère Boucheron by Boucheron

    It always amazes me how the combination and proportion of individual notes influences the resulting scent. The notes ilisted in Boucheron Eau Legère are certainly among my favorite but, in toto, the resulting effect here is muddy. Although the scent does have some likeable orange and amber sensibility, to my nose it smells like there's been a light layer of petroleum jelly applied over it.
    BEL does have a certain elegant charm of older-school perfumery, and feels quality, despite a petrochemical accord, but it doesn't appeal enough to add to my shelf.

    28th May, 2011.

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    Histoire d'Amour by Aubusson

    I just recently bought Histoire D'Amour by Aubusson but Hillaire nailed the character of this very nicely priced juice as "unisex dry woodiness" in her review. Men, don't let the uber-fancy bottle get in the way of trying it.
    I'm glad to have this little addition to my chypre wardrobe.

    25th May, 2011.

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    Gem by Van Cleef & Arpels

    This is my impression of Gem, in vintage EDT formulation. According to Fragrantica:
    "The top notes include sensual, sweet, fruity accords of peach and plum
    and spicy-woody accords of cypress, cardamom, coriander and rosewood.
    Sensual floral bouquet of tuberose, jasmine, rose, iris and ylang-ylang enriched with a spicy clove is in the heart. The complex base is composed of patchouli, oak moss, amber, civet and vetiver.

    Gem opened on my skin with a definate "this is vintage perfume" feel. Not the hairspray-aldehyde type, but it feels older than an '87 release. It didn't have the "I'm going to make you pass out if you are standing next to me in an elevator" vibe of the time period, it is much classier and refined than a lot of iconic scents of the late 80's.

    I immediately got dry plum, and peachskin (not juicy flesh), and spices- dry spices, but still in their natural state before they've been pulverized into what goes into commercial spice bottles. Twenty minutes in, clove comes forward even more and predominates over the perceptable floral heart. I could (sadly) detect no individual floral notes, but it did sweeten up a tad. Could be my nose, or the age of the bottle, or it's so well blended- don't know which. In the dry down, the spicy-ness was still there but the clove had well disappated, thankfully. I like clove but it would have been way too much 4 hours in. It never becomes powdery and is definately a chypre. My bottle is EDT but 2 sprays lasted 7-8 hours on me.
    I found Gem to be neither sensual nor warm, but I did find it to be cool and elegant and a somewhat hard-edged confidence. If released now, I believe this would definately be marketed as unisex. The clove-heavy heart was not my favorite part, but it is very wearable, and well crafted, & representative of a quality fragrance that they just don't turn out much anymore, so it gets a thumps up from me.

    15th March, 2011.

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    Strenesse by Gabriele Strehle

    The nose for this original version of Strenesse is attributed to Maurice Roucel, so the previous reviewer's comment on the design, quality, and inspiration makes perfect sense. This pretty little confection is all about almonds. Strenesse hit my skin with a strong note of marzipan then settled down to a less sugary, more natural version of almond. The heart is sweetish white floral, but blended so that I really could not discern distinct notes, except for perhaps the Lily-of the valley. The base warms up, although the almond is still there, with some light amber, sandalwood, and woody iris. Oddly, though Strenesse has some characteristics I tend to avoid (multiple white floral, gourmand) it reminds me of those little cake squares covered in icing (petit-four?) which are great if you have one or two but sickening if you overdo. This scent has a super creaminess to it, not unlike L'Or deTorrente, another of M. Roucel's creations which make it cooly sensual, rather than just a food or teen scent. So I will enjoy this, with a light hand, but enjoy it nevertheless. Although d/c, I bought my bottle online for $10 USD, so it was a bargain as well.

    This is for the version as pictured in the ads on the scent page (cylindrical) and not the double named version released in 2010, which I have not sniffed

    26th February, 2011.

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    Escale à Pondichéry by Christian Dior

    I like all phases of this aromatic fresh and non cloying scent. On my skin, it begins with a lemon love fest, glowing and sunny. Jasmin evolves slowly and seems to come and go, as though the scent of the flower laden vine is brought up via a warm breeze. The tea and spice notes are the last to develop on me.
    Despite the fact it's in Dior's "cruise line" geared for summer and vacations, this is an extremely wearable and versatile scent which could also brighten your day at work, or fit in with any festive social occasion throughout the spring and summer.
    Given the presentation and the high quality ingredients, the price is reasonable even if the bottle size is definately not portable. On the plus side, a large size means I won't run out until after the inevitable future reformulation,a fate that has befallen too many Diors.
    Could be Unisex for guys who are not concerned about wearing jasmin notes.

    13rd February, 2011.

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    La Môme by Pierre Balmain

    La Mome is a scent I find myself craving. The rose, myrrh and amber notes dominate on my skin. I bought La Mome blind as I have had good luck with the Balmain frags- I did not find out about the Edith Piaf connection until later. Different from the green and clean scents in the Balmain line, La Mome is equally well crafted, and averaging around $35 US for 100 ml online, the price point is terrific.
    La Mome is an oriental that doesn't shout, is womanly without dowdiness, and has a retro feel without drying down to powder. It's grand scent in the cold- I don't think it will do so well in the heat of summer, but when that season gets here, I'll test it out anyway. Longevity on me is about 6 hours and sillage is moderate.

    Edited to add- I found LaMome just as pleasant in summer.

    24th May, 2010. (Last Edited: 29th April, 2011.)

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    SJP NYC by Sarah Jessica Parker

    Sampled this recently and was very disappointed. It's not just that I would rather eat strawberries than wear them. NYC seems like a fragrance created for a child's pretend make up and perfume set. The world did not need another fruity tooty fragrance but this is probably going to sell well, as it is affordable. The bottle print does correspond with the scent, but I can't figure out how it relates to the great city of New York, which is done no justice at all by this. The bottle could have been inspired by Betsey Johnson's perfume; at least this one doesn't have a plastic filigree topper.
    NO sale for me, but if you're looking for a potent strawberry scent, this may be your ticket.

    24th May, 2010.

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    Signature pour Femme by ST Dupont

    This extremely wearable scent in some ways it reminds me of L'Or Torrente, without the coffee note. It's creamy and warm without being too sweet. On me, it's more of an oriental floral than a straight-up floral. In cold weather the nutmeg and woody notes really pop in Signature, and that's usually when I wear it. Perhaps that's why I don't get any fruit.
    I've seen aldehydes listed in the topnotes on other sites, but it does not have either the soapy or powdery quality generally associated with Aldehydes, Although launched in 2000, the box, with its red flocked paper and gold lettering looks "old fashioned' in a 1950's glamour way, which makes me think they were not marketing to the celebu-scent crowd, but it does not smell dated to my nose. A very reasonable price and good longevity rounds out the appeal for me.

    24th May, 2010.

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    Cabotine Rose by Grès

    Lovely, cheap and cheerful. Per fragrantica, notes are: black currant, mandarin orange, cherry blossom and pear; middle notes are peony, mimose, tuberose, orange blossom, lily, pepper, jasmine and rose; base notes are sandalwood, musk, vetiver and frangipani.

    This is the first frag from the house of Gres that I have really embraced. I found Cabotine screechy, loud, and unpleasantly cheap smelling, Cabochard was, too sharply green. I rather like the sniff of Cabaret, but on skin it does not seem to like me.
    Cabotine Rose warmed my spirit immediately. Nicely blended and grounded, I think it moves out of the generic floral scent by the notes of black current and pepper, which keep it from becoming too cloying or sharp. And what a bargain for such a quality frag. I liked it as much as some of the very pricey niche scents and I did't have to save up for months to afford it.

    Edited for typo

    6th November, 2009. (Last Edited: 22nd January, 2011.)

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    My Insolence by Guerlain

    A HUGE opening of potent candy, followed by a headache. I would have rated it neutral because it smells so similar too many others on the current perfume counter, and it sould siut someone's taste.. But I expected more of something with Guerllain on the bottle...a lot more.

    20th September, 2009.

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    Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal

    I can't reallly afford a full bottle of this classic refreshing scent; however I will always want to have a decant with me when travelling to hot climes (like visiting family in Arizona in the summer) just for the complete and utter burst of refreshment Eau d'Hadrien provides. The lemony topnotes are clean and sweet without the overly jeune fille characteristic of some citrus scents. I did not get a sharp or cloying quality, as some have described like furniture polish or medicinal preparations. This is a smell of the natural world in sunlight in a bottle- very real but also very fleeting.

    13rd September, 2009. (Last Edited: 13rd March, 2011.)

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    Covet Sarah Jessica Parker by Sarah Jessica Parker

    When I tried Covet I took the advice of another reviewer who said to wait 15 minutes before rendering an opinion. The first test spray on paper was immediately intense, but not unpleasant. Didn't call to mind any other fragance I've tried. But the fragrance seemed to get even stronger with an intense synthetic- type odor- dare I say, a plasticy stink. Even after 45 minutes, I could not bring myself to put nose to card. Covet was a bust for me. Too bad, because it is reasonably price and has definate staying power. I'm just afraid that the scent will stay and the other folks in the room will leave.

    11th September, 2009.

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    Oxygène by Lanvin

    I'm new and my nose in't highly developed (yet:) but as a user of other Lanvin scents, and based on positive review (by fortidus in particular) I tried Oxygene. It was light and feminine without being cloying, particularly fresh when tested on paper. Was disappointed when I tested it on my skin and smelled a residue of a chemical- type odor which actually developed into a metallic taste in my mouth. Never had that happen before- this scent is apparently, not for me, but would be lovely on someone with compatible chemistry.

    11th September, 2009.

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    Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge by Bulgari

    Love at first sniff and still respect it the next day. First sprays redolent of Lapsang souchong tea with milk, or maybe Thai iced tea. Then like a cup of tea it cooled down too quickly. Remained a very gentle, comforting, pleasant reminder smell for a few hours.

    6th September, 2009.

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    Amarige Mariage by Givenchy

    Took a chance and bought this (untried) for $20 at TJ Maxx. No buyers remorse at all. It's not a fragrance renders me speechless and transported to another world (my holy grail standard). But it is the first Givenchy scent I would prefer to wear in the daytime.

    5th September, 2009.

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    Amarige by Givenchy

    Took a short cruise a few years ago and forgot to bring perfume. Bought this scent in their gift shop and immediately received questions from men as to "what scent was I wearing; I want some for my girlfriend". For me, it's definately an evening fragrance and a little goes a very long way, which I like.

    5th September, 2009.

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