Basenotes - Reviews by sophywt

China

Showing 1 to 12 of 12.

Monsieur Musk by Dana

used to be Houbigant's, now is under DANA.

Get Houbigant version if possible, it's a well craft scent, with spicy, smoky and musky nots so balanced. it's much better than the dana's, though I admit dana's is still a nice and easy one, esp for its low price.

3rd November, 2011.

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Zen (original / black) by Shiseido

A friend sent me a little decant of Zen to compare with Spirit of Zen. The original Zen really suprises me. When I got it, I sniffed from vail, but merely only got aldehydes. So I thought it's quite similar with the later Spirit of Zen. But yesterday when I apply it on wrist, it like a bomb "burst" on my skin, and suddenly, the strong and heavy woody notes exploding and roaring within aldehydes. This heavy woody notes almost like burning dry wood, with bit spicy, you can feel the intense flame, and smoky dusty air surround you.
Masculine, if people want to put it this way. I rather think it's a strong-mind or dignity scent for a very powerful woman.

The staying power is superb for cologne water, it lasts the whole day on my skin.

Definitely worth a try!

18th May, 2009.

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Rem by Réminiscence

wow! I love REM!!!
Great beach/gourmand scent for summer!

The openning is a blast of fresh marine notes, and the fresh feeling lasts, hanging over the foody heart notes.
It's not acturally floral, there is much more creamy gourmand than floral. But unlike the famous Angel, REM's foody/dessert notes are very light, even transparent with that lingering marine/floral notes. So you can enjoy the delightful creamy feeling even in the muggy summer afternoon!

And the lasting power is So good! 4 or 5 sprays, then the fresh feeling can lasts for whole day, and the day after you can still smell it from the clothes, yet it never become too cloying.

11th September, 2008.

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Kingdom by Alexander McQueen

This is the review for EDP version.

I love the mood Kingdom presents, gothic and dark in a powerful way. And I'm amazed that It developes so differently on different people(and on animals too!).

On me, the cumin note is very dirty, extremely animalic. It lasts so long and overwhelms the floral notes totally. I like this animalic feeling, very erotic, full of lust. and I understand why people say it has armpit smell or body odour. yes, sometimes. but it doesn't always smell like that. A friend tried the same EDP version another day, and it turns into a very beautiful froral notes on her. There is the cumin note as well, but much lighter and cleaner than on me. the floral notes are still with the dark feeling, very dense, but totally different.

I also find my cat is crazy for it! When I wear Kingdom, he will keep on licking my wrist. I've tried dozens of perfumes, everytime he just runs away, and this is the only one he likes!

I know Kingdom is on the one-star-trash-list in Mr.Turin's new book. Well, I'm afraid I couldn't agree with him this time, and nor my cat :P

22nd July, 2008.

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Lily Prune Sublime Vanilla by Lily Prune

I'd love it if I were 12, and I won't mind it smells not that vanilla-ish as its name suggests.

It starts very foody with notes of plum and maybe sour cherry. When it settles down, the smell is quite soft and comfortable. Plum and cherry are my favourite even though my body chemistry often over-hightlight these notes and makes it smells too sticky. well, I think it's because I am too old to wear this and always imagine if I were 10 years younger, things might be different(don't tell me if I'm wrong) ...

Anyway, the stuff is for teenage girls and only costs you no more then 10 dollars, I think it's already done its best. No one expects it could smell as subtle and graceful as products from Herme's, right?

15th June, 2008.

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Boss Pure by Hugo Boss

A clean and fresh aquatic fragrance, without sharp open notes.

Nice for summer.

9th June, 2008. (Last Edited: 11th July, 2008.)

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Shanghai by Marc Rosen

Shanghai seems the only perfume from Marc Rosen who is famous for perfume bottle design, but this single work is really a nice one! I got a sampler recently. The first sniff has a powdery rose floral notes, very pink-ish. I don't like it much. but after spraying some on my wrist, the smell turns into a mild sweet fruity notes combining with soft floral and warm vanilla.

I like its subtle softness which is not often seen in oriental perfumes. I always warn my friends that Oriental is not very suitable for Chinese since its strong smells. but I recommend this one for night. It has a touch of some real chinese characters: passion-hided, never go extreme, soft and peaceful nature.

6th June, 2008. (Last Edited: 11th July, 2008.)

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Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf

disappointing!

It's too fruity and sweet on me, just like "candy floss" as lots people described. I get the tea note which I like, but it was blocked by that cloying-and-never-cease sweetness... I just wonder where the flower is. If I want some candy, I'd rather go for a bottle of hilton's heiress, at least it's much cheaper!

Maybe all these are due to body chemistry. but since quite a lot people felt same as me, I think is wise to have a test befor purchase.

31st May, 2008.

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Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka

It smells very strange on my skin. First it's the sweet licorice and something spicy(annis?). I think the Licorice note is quite weird, but still ok for me. But then, it turns into a horrible BURNT rubber smell which I can't stand at all!

It's not a fragrance suits for every girl... really need to sample before you buy it.

28th May, 2008.

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Tabaróme Millésime by Creed

A nice mix of tabaco, ginger and vetiver, smoky but fresh. I really like this one.

21st May, 2008.

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Petite Chérie by Annick Goutal

Petite Cherie is fresh fruity. On me it smells like fizzy peach and pear soda drink, sweet, young, cheerful and fresh, no bitter or dry martini notes as lots people described at all. I can't say it's awful, and frankly, I quite like it.
But the thing is, nobody would be happy to spend such a large mount of money for a fruit soda drink. And for a brand like Annick Goutal, people want more then a just "ok" juice, they expect more. So, for this point, Petite Cherie really disappoints me a little.

21st May, 2008. (Last Edited: 28th May, 2008.)

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Heiress by Paris Hilton

This one is for teenage girls, absolutely.

I agree with castorpollux ~ It's girly, smells like bubblegum somehow, a little bit too fake and cheap ~ but i like it that way. It reminds me of my childhood, my barbie dolls, all those childish dreams i had as a little girl. On this point, it's not a bad one.

31st October, 2007.

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