Reviews by Twitchly

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    Twitchly
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    Showing 1 to 15 of 15.
    rating

    Privet Bloom by Hampton Sun

    I love the smell of privet blossoms. We have two large privet hedges in our yard that just finished blooming. The scent is heady, dense, soft and sweet, a bit like lilacs or hyacinth.

    Unfortunately, this perfume smells nothing like that. It's basically a very high-pitched lily of the valley scent with sharp, "clean" musks. (I assume those are musks; they have a shampoo vibe.) It reminds me of Diorissimo or even Eternity. I don't get the green leafy notes others have mentioned, unfortunately.

    I think I could wear this on a very humid, hot day; it should cut through the fug like a blade.

    28th June, 2011.

    rating

    Un Jardin Après La Mousson by Hermès

    I loved this when I first smelled it. The first few minutes were gorgeous -- a milky cardamom, reminiscent of a lightly floral Indian dessert. Loved it. Had to have it. Bought a big bottle.

    Should've waited. I *know* better; I usually get a decant or a sample before taking the plunge. I have no excuse. But there it is.

    The cardamom swiftly fades, and all I get afterward is melon. Lots and lots of melon. Overlaying the fruit is something that actually hurts the lining of my nose, the same prickly chemical one finds overloaded in Annick Goutal's Un Matin d'Orage. I'm guessing this is supposed to evoke the ozone in a storm, but it's physically irritating and I find myself trying not to inhale deeply.

    Since I have this great honking bottle, I keep trying it, thinking maybe this time I'll get all the lovely ginger and vetiver and spices everyone else keeps mentioning. But now I don't even get the cardamom beginning that I used to love; it goes straight to cantaloupe and inflammation. How sad.

    5th August, 2010.

    rating

    Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal

    Starts off in HG territory for me, with the greenest of green openings, featuring mint, leaves, citrus rind, and just a hint of fig. As the lovely mint quickly fades, the fig grows but thankfully never becomes milky. After a few minutes, it turns into a figgy Pamplelune. Now, I love Pamplelune. But it does lend itself to the dreaded armpit note, as does this fragrance. If I just think of it as boxwood, I'm happier. Love boxwood. But in the end, you do have to have a high tolerance for skank to enjoy this scent. I'm remaining on the fence for now.

    7th June, 2010.

    rating

    Ginestre by Santa Maria Novella

    The bracing, green floral scent of broom. Love this one. Perfect on hot days, when you need something to keep you from wilting. It's longer lasting on me than some of the other Santa Maria Novellas, which is a nice plus.

    4th June, 2009.

    rating

    Attrape Coeur / Guet-Apens by Guerlain

    Smells almost exactly like Mitsouko to me. Fortunately, I love Mitsouko -- which is much more easily found and cheaper.

    11th January, 2006.

    rating

    Farouche by Nina Ricci

    My first perfume purchase ever, many years ago. I bought it for the name (which means something like wild but shy; I was neither, but that didn't stop me), but loved the fragrance, too. It started me down the road of chypre madness that I still follow today. Here's the description from Jan Moran:

    Farouche by Nina Ricci for Women
    Year Introduced: 1974
    Scent Type: Floral-Aldehyde
    Top Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, galbanum, aldehydes, peach

    Heart Notes: Rose, jasmine, honeysuckle, clary sage, cardamon, genista flowers, iris, carnation, geranium, lily of the valley, lily

    Base Notes: Oakmoss, sandalwood, amber, vetiver, musk

    "Farouche is an aldehydic floral bouquet from Nina Ricci. Citrus fruit top notes combine with the greenness of galbanum for a crisp opening sequence of aromas, dissolving into an ethereal floral heart. Soft sandalwood and soothing oakmoss lend a woody backdrop, like an autumn walk through the Black Forest.
    Softly tenacious, Farouche is a feminine fragrance that is easy to wear from day to evening for a variety of occasions."

    15th November, 2005.

    rating

    L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain

    When I first put this on, I thought "Oh no, it's Apres l'Ondee." I don't like almond notes (heliotrope), which I find quite strong in that perfume. L'Heure Bleue, however, blends the heliotrope much more subtly after that initial blast, for which I'm extremely grateful; there's just enough to add a cool feeling, along with the iris and carnation, against the warmer woods.

    I really like the drydown on this one; I get lots of sandalwood and vetiver on my skin, lots of woods but tempered somehow so that the fragrance remains light and slightly, gently floral.

    This is a difficult fragrance to describe. It's timeless. As others have said, give it some time before you make up your mind; it takes a little while to truly come into its own.

    9th November, 2005.

    rating

    Laura Ashley No. 1 by Laura Ashley

    (NOTE: The notes listed above and the date of the fragrance's launch are either inaccurate or refer to a different version of this fragrance. The book "Fabulous Fragrances II" also has this same information, so I have to conclude that there was a remake of Laura Ashley No. 1 in 1989. My review is for the mid-1980s version; I purchased my bottle in around 1985. Its notes are included in the review.)

    One of my favorite floral chypres. Well blended, very reminiscent of an English garden with its subtle rose. Here's what the leaflet in the perfume box says:

    "Laura Ashley No. 1: At the insistence of Bernard Ashley, only the very finest essences of Moroccan rose, Italian iris, and French jasmine are combined to give this fragrance a predominantly floral note--first impressions on spraying the skin are of fresh green jacinthe and delicate orange blossom. Aromatic, herbal tones, such as cedarwood, basil and cinnamon mix with this floral base providing a lasting but subtle perfume. Moss, oak and alpine lichens add a sweeter musky touch to this fresh, light and feminine scent."

    This is indeed a slightly green, very fresh floral, not powdery in the least. The oak moss in its base warms it nicely without giving it too much sweetness. A lovely, very English scent. I'm so sorry they discontinued it.

    8th November, 2005.

    rating

    Euphoria by Calvin Klein

    I get lots of compliments on this, especially as it dries down. I use the gel perfume, which is more subtle, less of a whomp upside the head than the EDP spray. A good fall/winter fragrance, very warm.

    8th November, 2005.

    rating

    Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana

    After the lovely initial citrus notes, this fragrance turns to something like Kool-Aid on my skin. Plastic marzipan, maybe. Definitely unpleasant.

    27th October, 2005.

    rating

    Blu Notte by Bulgari

    No idea why Sephora calls this a water fragrance. I get warmth, ginger -- especially initially -- mixed with just a whisper of cocoa. While I don't smell the vodka notes, they may be what keeps this slightly sweet fragrance from becoming cloying. It's a lullaby in a bottle, a cozy fragrance for long winter nights.

    25th October, 2005.

    rating

    Eau de Guerlain by Guerlain

    Pros: Dry lemon/citrus with no juiciness or sweetness. Think of the driest champagne with an invigorating twist of lemon, mixed with snow and sipped at high altitude. Very refreshing, extremely light to the point of vanishing. The perfect summer scent for either gender. Cons: It has no staying power on me whatsoever; I have to spray it on my clothes to get any lasting fragrance. It is also the only fragrance ever to cause my sinuses to completely seize up, as though I'd inhaled horseradish. But the scent is worth the occasional inconvenience.

    24th October, 2005.

    rating

    Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune by Guerlain

    This is definitely a European rather than American take on grapefruit; it's complex and dark and quite dirty rather than light and crisp or sweet. I find I love it and hate it in about equal measure. The sulfrous notes add interest but are also a turnoff, depending on how I decide to take them at any given time. I don't smell vanilla; I wish I did.

    Initially, I smell a strong burst of the most accurately "real" grapefruit peel I've yet encountered in a perfume. Heaven. Within 10 minutes, the sulfrous notes make themselves known, and I find myself alternately fascinated and repulsed. Within a couple of hours, just the faintest grapefruit lingers and I'm strongly reminded of tangy B.O. or garlic. I have learned to be careful not to get any of this on my clothing.

    This is definitely a scent you'll want to wear for a while before deciding to purchase.

    18th October, 2005.

    rating

    Ginger Essence by Origins

    Love this one. It's my tried-and-true fallback fragrance. Warm, sparkling, gingery and citrusy without being sharp. Light enough to wear to work. Pair it with the Ginger Souffle body cream, also from Origins, for an even warmer overall scent.

    18th October, 2005. (Last Edited: 8th November, 2005.)

    rating

    Mitsouko by Guerlain

    Mitsouko is a noir perfume, reminiscent of an angular woman with a marcel wave in her hair, wearing a black column evening dress and smoking through a long cigarette holder. This is not a modern fragrance, but it is a compelling one. It is deeply feminine but without the obviousness of a floral. Greta Garbo must have worn this.

    18th October, 2005.

    Showing 1 to 15 of 15.

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