Reviews by hallospacegirl

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    hallospacegirl
    United States United States

    Showing 1 to 15 of 15.
    rating

    L'Air du Desert Marocain by Tauer

    When I first tried this, I didn't know what to think. It smelled pleasant, sure, but wasn't like WOW OMG AWESOME. But then... as great scents are apt to do... it wormed under my skin... and I kept returning... and returning. This perfume smells like a memory. Its opening notes are incredibly clear. I can smell the open spaces, the dry wind, the sweet amber (my skin always brings out sweet smells). It really is a memory in a bottle. A peaceful, contemplating scent. Plus, Andy Tauer comes across as an awesome, accessible guy. I suggest ordering stuff directly from his website -- he has samples and reasonable prices! The ONLY reason preventing me from snatching up a full-size bottle of this piece of art (and yes, this feels more like an artistic work than just any ol' perfume) is that I don't think I can carry it off very well. I look like a fruity/flower kind of girl, and I lack the mysteriousness and gravitas for this lovely scent. But who knows? Who cares? Once my sample runs out, I think I'm getting this. Darn you, Andy Tauer, for bringing me just one more step closer to homelessness. At least I'll SMELL GOOD! ;)

    27th August, 2008.

    rating

    Kai by Kai

    I bought this online because I heard rave reviews about it, and I wanted to try a fragrance oil. From the bottle, I smell fresh gardenia and jasmine and something green. On skin? Goodbye jasmine! Straight up gardenia. Albeit it's a fresh gardenia, and smells just like the gardenias in the bush outside my house. Don't get me wrong -- it's a nice gardenia. But for the money I paid, I expected something a little more complicated than just one dinky gardenia. Kai be one of those pleasant-but-not-special scents I turn to when I have nothing else to wear.

    9th November, 2007.

    rating

    Arabie by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    I can appreciate this scent in private, but I cannot wear it. To me, this opulent scent is simply too... magical... to be worn on a regular basis. It's meant for the people inside 1001 Arabian Nights, not for a jeans and tee shirt wearing girl like me.

    From the bottle, Arabie smells innocuous enough. Ambery, medicinal, a little heady. When you put it on skin, though, it opens up into a warm and complex mix of spices and woods and dried fruits. Even though I've never been to anywhere in the Middle East, this perfume immediately conjured up a romanticized image of Arabia.

    I admit the first time I tried it I was shocked and taken aback, because of the force and presence of this perfume. But after several days, I realized I couldn't stop thinking about it. It is truly a masterful creation, but it's definitely not for everyone. (Well, at least not for me.) But this doesn't negate the fact that Arabie is truly a wonderful and invoking scent.

    6th November, 2007.

    rating

    Chemical Bonding by Ineke

    Hrm... I'm not too wild about this one. It smells bright and fresh, but it also smells like citrus-scented cleaning solution. The drydown leaves me with a slightly bitter scent -- perhaps the peony?

    I feel like Ineke always straddles the fine line between really amazing fresh and sparkling scents, and scents that remind me of cleaning solution. After My Own Heart comes out gloriously, but Chemical Bonding unfortunately falls to the other side.

    Aside from that, this scent is not particularly offensive, and does have good lasting power, along with all her other perfumes. I'm giving it a thumbs neutral for the fact that it strays much too close to the scent of Windex for my comfort.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    After My Own Heart by Ineke

    This is a perfect scent for spring, and I absolutely love it. It's amazingly fresh, light, and youthful, without being juvenile. When I smell this, I am reminded of a field of fresh flowers (NOT a bouquet of flowers, mind you -- a field of fresh flowers) swaying in the breeze, under a clear blue sky. It reminds me of new beginnings, happiness, and hope. With all of the not-unusual notes, this scent smells familiar, but at the same time, it has been mixed in a way that it also smells unique. I got a sample (now almost used up!) from Ineke.com, and am planning to get the full bottle soon. It's really lovely.

    Ineke has made 3 more perfumes (2 for gals, 1 for guy), and this one is my favorite.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules

    I really wanted to like this, but after getting a decant, I'm not so thrilled. The pepper and lime peel scent reminds of of the condiments you put on food (but it doesn't remind me of food!), and it really, really comes on strong. After a while, those drop off to the background. The Iso E Super is nice in its smooth, warm scent, and is one of those memory-invoking smells. However -- and I don't know why -- I started getting vaguely nauseous from smelling this. I think it's because I was very turned off by the top notes.

    Overall, however, it's a unique, challenging and intriguing scent (I can imagine others being intrigued by it as you walk past and they get a whiff of your frag) and it's good for a try because it's probably unlike anything else out there. I suggest getting a decant to test it out first.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Fiori de Capri by Carthusia

    Lovely! It's sweetly floral on me, and slightly powdery. I feel this would be appropriate for all ages, but it's a semi-formal to formal scent. Florals are strange on me -- some can be very heavy and dead-flower smelling -- but this one very much smells like living flowers (or at least fresh flowers in a vase). It's a very delicate, classy and distinct smell, and smells artistic and "expensive" (haha) like a beautiful Renaissance painting.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Passage d'Enfer by L'Artisan Parfumeur

    I really wanted to like this one so much. From all the reviews and from the name of it... passage to hell... mmm... so I got a decant off eBay.

    Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. Maybe it's just my body chemistry (sweet scents cling to me very well), but this smells extraordinarily soapy to me, pungent, detached, and not particularly sexy. For some reason I am reminded of the smell of sweat, and not in a good way. Grr, I really wanted to like this so much! Drat.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    cK one by Calvin Klein

    I came pretty late onto the perfume enthusiast bandwagon, so when I finally knowingly smelled this, it reminded me strongly of something... parts of my childhood? Well, now I know that it's because everyone was wearing it back in the 90s. So for this first-time smeller, I really enjoyed it. Smells pretty smooth, well-mixed, easygoing. It's something casual I would wear when I'm dressed in sweatpants and a tee shirt, and am not trying to impress with all my unusual niche scents.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Ex'cla.ma'tion by Coty

    Musky and sweet, inoffensively generic, certainly not very distinctive or unique. It smells comforting like lounging about your house in your underwear, and it's always perfect for a last-ditch effort when you have NO IDEA what to wear, fragrance-wise. I'm hesitating between a neutral and a thumbs up, but I rather like this BECAUSE of its musky generic quality, so thumbs up.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Weekend for Women by Burberry

    I REALLY like this one, very, very much. My friend had it, I sniffed it, and it was love at first sniff.

    Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't think it was very sweet at all (or maybe it's because I really like sweet scents -- I worship at the altar of Ginestet Botrytis). It was classy without being stodgy, almost like it took the traditional "classic" perfume smell and added a new, younger twist. The staying power is extraordinarily long, but not cloying, and it will stay on you softly. If you wanna have your perfume last the entire day, this is the one to choose.

    I feel this could work year-round, as it has enough power to last through a winter day without evaporating completely.

    24th March, 2007.

    rating

    Botrytis by Ginestet

    If I could go swimming in this, I would. It's honey-sweet and delicious, perfect for the colder months. It's very long lasting on me -- about the entire day... in snowing winter!

    1st February, 2007.

    rating

    Cotton Candy by Demeter Fragrance Library

    Yummy! The first spritz smelled like something cotton candy-ish mixed with rubbing alcohol, but 2-3 minutes later, after the perfume settled, it smelled EXACTLY like cotton candy. Demeter, once again, has captured the scent perfectly. I enjoy this scent, because it's not cloyingly sweet. It's also not too strong, and stays close to the skin, and smells sweet, powdery and warm. It also lasts for quite a while, which is nice.

    Obviously this scent is not for everyone, or for all occasions. But I think it'd be fun to use this to experiment and layer with.

    30th January, 2007.

    rating

    Orange Cremecicle by Demeter Fragrance Library

    Smells exactly like an orange cremecicle, and when you put it on, you will smell like an orange cremecicle too! It settles very well into the skin, is not overpowering, and lasts quite nicely. As a sweet-scent enthusiast, I quite enjoy this scent. It's welcoming, creamy, and warm.

    30th January, 2007.

    rating

    Incanto Dream by Salvatore Ferragamo

    I got the full-size after smelling a sample on paper. On paper, this scent stayed for 2 days, starting off fresh and sweet, and ending on a pure pineapple note.

    I decided to get it because it smelled so fresh, so pure, so lovely. (And plus, it had personal meaning... long story.) Anyway, on me, this is a lovely smelling scent that is very top-note reliant. It's fresh and zesty, somewhat sweet without being cloying, and I can smell pineapple and something citrus (even though it's not listed as one of the notes).

    Unfortunately... this perfume lasts literally 1 minute on me. No staying power at all. I spray my wrists and 1 minute later, I cannot smell anything but a faint, faint ghost of a base-note scent. I spray 5-6 spritzes on myself and my clothes before going outside, and it's gone in 5 minutes. Maybe it's because I'm wearing it in winter... I shall put this perfume in temporary hiatus and definitely bring it out again in the summertime.

    This lack of staying power is a pity, because scent-wise, Incanto Dream smells great. Maybe it just refuses to cling to me, or maybe it's the winter that's doing it. I really want to be able to wear this for more than 1 minute, haha.

    25th January, 2007.

    Showing 1 to 15 of 15.

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