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Might one "grow into" amber?

post #1 of 6
12/12/06 at 2:49pm
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Did those of you who love amber always appreciate it, or was it something you "grew into"?

Some perverse streak in me makes me pursue notes I'm not that keen on, just to see if my chemistry/perception or their setting may lead to one of those serendipitous moments when the universe expands due to a newly acquired love.

So far, a distinct amber note tends to be a real deal-breaker for me (I also dislike musk and powdery notes, perhaps the powderiness/muskiness that characterises some ambers is related to this).

I recently tried Costume National's "Scent Intense" and "Intense Parfum".
I'd been so looking forward to trying them--the reviews sounded really intriguing. I wandered down Mercer Street, away from the CN shop, hopefully sniffing my wrists and crashing into annoyed shoppers, trying to convince myself that at least I didn't DISlike these scents, but nope. Just didn't work.

This is such an ubiquitous note, I feel that my dislike of amber limits my options, which is a pity. I haven't given up altogether, since there are fragrances with discreet amber that I love (e.g. "Jicky", and, on most days, "MV3")

Perhaps the taste is often an acquired one? Do any of you like one and only one amber fragrance?
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post #2 of 6
12/13/06 at 12:39pm
I had to grow into it, but did quickly and intentionally. I thought "amber" sounded divine, and ordered 10 or 20 samples of amber-heavy scents on eBay. When I opened the little box, the aroma wafting out at me was a little off-putting - animalic, unfamiliar, but compelling. I tried them all, and whatever had initially drawn me in bloomed enormously, and now I love amber, whether it's soft and mild or brash and surprising.

The only one I have that I'm not at home in yet is Montale's Oud Ambre, but that's probably my unfamiliarity with oud, not with amber. Of course, there are notes I can't stomach, and amber (although it's not really a single note, and so many different things are passed off as amber that you may just not have found the right one for you yet) may be one you won't ever find that you like. You might like the subtle amber in the drydown of Prada...and I believe Laura Mercier's Ambre Passion is very pleasant.
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post #3 of 6
12/13/06 at 1:38pm
This may be unhelpful, but remember that amber isn't a single entity unto itself. It's made up of a variety of components, and each amber may differ from another. Some are very resinous and others very smoky, some are sweet, some are cheap-smelling. I had a hard time with the smoky or tinny variant (e. g. Fifi Chachnil, Laura Mercier Amber Passion), but over the years have come to adore it in all forms, even as a paste.

Sometimes, unfamiliarity breeds contempt. I know I had a dastardly time with oud. I still don't really like, but can respect it.
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post #4 of 6
12/13/06 at 4:13pm
I despise amber, except for only one I've ever tried. The only one I like is Montale's Blue Amber. I haven't bought it yet, but when I tested it, my son Sam complimented me over and over, and I kept getting whiffs of myself all day (very long lasting) and thinking "That smells good" before I remembered it was an amber.
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post #5 of 6
12/15/06 at 9:55am
Two of the nicest ambers I've found:
'Etro Ambre' and
'Youth Dew Amber Nude' which has a great body cream to match.
To me the 'Prada' is not much in the way of amber but is more of a patchouli.
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post #6 of 6
12/15/06 at 10:39am
I guess Paisley has a really importaint point. Amber is not one single scent, it can be different.

I like these of my frags who holds amber, about half of them, and it is nothing I have grown into. I like a frag or I don´t.

But I do sharpen my nose with time, I detect more ingredients in my frags when I want to get to know them. And this is really joyfull!
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