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Great Layering Challenge #2 - Animalics Freestyle / Focussed

post #1 of 13
2/1/07 at 9:17pm
Thread Starter 
For details of how to participate check out this thread first:
http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=191212

From now on there will only be one GLC thread, per month, which will have 4 'set' perfumes for people to experience and compare; with a 'Freestyle' option included where people can experiment more freely, within that months theme, and share their experiences / discoveries.

Hopefully this will reduce the confusion and make it easier for all involved. After all the first rule is that we should all have fun!

Freestyle
You pick the perfume (animalic = features a dominant leather, musk, ambergris, civet, castoreum note) that you wish to explore / experiment with and share with us any potential or actual crazy combos you think of involving this perfume. Then report back on the results. Your only restriction is that your combo MUST include at least ONE animalic perfume. Simple!

Focussed
Balmain Jolie Madame
Ava Luxe Rasa
(the truly brave should request a sample of the old / intense / extreme formulation)
Kiehl's Original Musk #1
Serge Lutens Daim Blond

Please remember to make a note of which combinations you tried when reporting back and to make sure to answer the core questions:


What did you try?
Did you like it?
Do you think it works?
Did it elicit compliments / comments?
Which notes dominated in the blend?
Did it work out the way you imagined it would?
Would you wear it again?


But most importantly

HAVE FUN!!!

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post #2 of 13
2/1/07 at 9:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taolady

(Hope I'm in the right place !! )

First day of the animals. Started with Habanita on wrists and arms - flew downstairs to the PILE of samples sent by a dear Dragon and lavished on much-anticipated Tam Dao between boobs and on chest and behind ears.

Friends forever!! The smoky myrrh and leather and roses of Habanita (now drying down into a refined vanilla) is a perfect companion for the sophisticated sandalwood of Tam Dao.

Lessee- the questions: Did it work as I had expected? Yup! Were any notes dominant? Not really - Tam Dao is pretty straightforward and Habanita is so beautifully blended (IMNSHO) and the image of a soignee gentleman in his "Smoking" lounging in a wing chair of well oiled ancient leather and smoking a private blend is GREAT for this chill rainy day at the beach! Would I do it again? Am thinking about it. Both are samples......

That sounds truly amazing! I can see how the clean white sandal / cedarwoods of Diptyque Tam Dao would add a delicious delicacy and elegance to the sheer raw, wanton sensuousness of Molinard Habanita.

Speaking of Molinard Habanita...

I noticed yesterday that both Habanita and Poison (original) share a distinct ambergris heart note. So I am now looking forward to trying the two worn together to see how they interact. Also, because the parfum of each differs quite markedly from the EDT, I shall have to try them in their different formulations. So, it will be interesting to see how these combos work:

Molinard Habanita EDT + Dior Poison EDT
Molinard Habanita EDT + Dior Poison Esprit de Parfum
Molinard Habanita parfum + Dior Poison EDT
Molinard Habanita parfum + Dior Poison Esprit de Parfum

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post #3 of 13
2/2/07 at 5:31am
Jumped the gun AGAIN! Why am I always way ahead or way behind? Anyway, I have simmered down and awaiting tomorrow's first Animal SnS. Be patient with me y'all!!

(Had to swipe this from MoonDeva!!)
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post #4 of 13
2/2/07 at 7:27pm
Thread Starter 
submitted by coumarin
Quote:
Originally Posted by coumarin

My first animalic/leather layering combo is LesNez L'Antimatiere with SL Daim Blond.

On me, L'Antimatiere dries down to a comforting wool and musk scent with the faintest hint of refreshing mint, or maybe linen pressed with a mint-infused laundry spray. The only animalic option in Moondeva's guidelines that I thought might match L'Antimatiere without overwhelming it was the marvelously subtle Daim Blond, featuring notes of suede, apricot and iris.

I had applied L'Antimatiere first and allowed time for it to settle in. A light spritz of Daim Blond, and the apricot/suede notes clearly dominated. The a strange thing happened: DB seemed to vanish for a moment, as the famously elusive LA took over. Only then did the two frags seem to truly meld, with DM's iris note sharing the airier space in the composition with L'A's minty pressed linen accord, as the suede note took on a faintly wooly hue, pushing DB's apricot back from center stage to a supporting role.

How did I like it? I did! I have yet to wear DB in hot humid weather, but I can imagine the apricot getting a bit over aggressive, and L'A could be the perfect antidote in that case. the combination is probably too subtle and close to the skin to get noticed much, but I would definitely wear it again.
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post #5 of 13
2/2/07 at 11:50pm
both Taolady and coumarin's combos sound nice...I can't wait to try Daim Blond! I'm hoping to try it tomorrow when I'm in the city (hopefully the store I go to has it!!!)
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post #6 of 13
2/3/07 at 3:27pm
Layering Combo: L'Artisan Dzing! + Serge Lutens Fleurs D'Oranger

Did you like it? Actually, I love it. I really enjoy fragrances that combine warm, animal notes (and especially leather) with sweeter and more innocent florals. These perfumes seem made for each other.

Do you think it works? I definitely do. On my skin, Dzing! is a very dry woods and leather scent, with a healthy dose of rubber, whereas Fleurs d'Oranger is a honeyed, peachy, nostalgic floral. (I've read that French mothers hang orange blossoms over their babies' cribs to keep them calm - after smelling Fleurs d'Oranger, I can understand why.) They're both lovely scents, and I would wear either one on its own, but when they combine, the sum is definitely greater than its parts. FdO lends Dzing! a certain sweetness and warmth, and Dzing! makes FdO deeper and more adult.

Did it illicit compliments / comments? No, not really - no one has gotten close enough to smell me except for my boyfriend, and he's just cheesed off about the fact that I bought another Lutens.

Which notes dominated in the blend? The notes blend very smoothly, but Dzing!'s leather predominates, along with the orange blossom and a bit of jasmine.

Did it work out the way you imagined it would? Actually, it was an accident - I tried these fragrances, one on each wrist, while on a sampling quest at Aedes, and loved the sillage so much that I had to write about it here.

Would you wear it again? I don't know when I'll have an opportunity to try Dzing! again, but I do notice a definite similarity to Bulgari Black, so I may try a Black and Orange combo later this week. I also think that FdO will be a good layering partner for several of the other scents in my collection.
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post #7 of 13
2/3/07 at 9:01pm
First off - had to restrain self from diving into wonderful trove of samples from the ever-generous TWolf.

THEN - had to start out with Lauder's pretty Pleasures - to offset the grumpiness caused by the fact I couldn't find my Habanita sample for today's SnS.

THEN, of course, found the Habanita. Et voila - serendipitous layering!!:bounce:

Since Pleasures is not as intense as many Lauders, and Habanita - with her bold blend of tobacco and leather (and myrrh and smoked roses) - doesn't take a back seat for ANYONE ....this is a most felicitous combination!

Did you like it? See above

Do you think it works? See above above.

Did it elicit* compliments / comments? A grudging "Mmmnnn" from boss-lady who thinks I am NUTS for investing so much time and effort on fragrance! "Something smells so good in here" from several customers in the flower shop!

Which notes dominated in the blend? See above above above.

Did it work out the way you imagined it would? They all got along with each other RULLY well - beyond my wildest dreams!!

Would you wear it again? Absolutely!! :bounce:

*"Illicit" means illegal!!!
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post #8 of 13
2/9/07 at 7:46am
Thread Starter 
What did you try?
Nemat International Musk Supreme + Serge Lutens Daim Blond

Did you like it?
They are two favourite perfumes of mine, so there wasn't much to dislike.

Do you think it works?
Judging from SO's reaction: Abso-freaking-lutely! Personally, I did enjoy it and felt it was a great combination.

Did it elicit compliments / comments?
SO noticed as soon as he came in and went into absolute raptures about it. I eventually had to beat him off with a stick! SO likes animalic woody musks on me usually, but the Nemat International Musk Supreme had not elicited as positive a response when worn alone, neither had the Serge Lutens Daim Blond. So it must be the combo that pushes up the heat!

Which notes dominated in the blend?
I applied the Daim Blond (spritzed) directly over the Musk Supreme (roller ball dabbed). The Daim Blond appeared to dominate (to my nose) but SO definitely got the blend scent.
The plush suede and creamy apricot kernel becomes richer, plumper and more voluptuous. Very sensual and luxe.
As the scent develops the Musk Supreme pushes forward but always as a sensuous support, causing the usually discreet, aloof, ladylike Daim Blond to soften and bloom.

Did it work out the way you imagined it would?
Even better. It turns into a modern Balmain Jolie Madame - luxe, classy, reserved but with that wonderful troublant animalic base.

Would you wear it again?
Definitely - and soon! SO was very, very impressed with this combo, so much so that he has requested that I wear it again, this weekend, when he has more time to show just how much he likes it.
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post #9 of 13
2/9/07 at 7:52am
I've been mixing Kiehl's musk with lots of things lately...I've found it works best as the base scent.

Animalic to animalic...SJP Lovely with Kiehl's musk is very pretty lately
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post #10 of 13
2/9/07 at 4:04pm
Thread Starter 
What did you try?
Kiehls Original Musk #1 EDT + CDG Wood Coffee type oil + Thierry Mugler B*Men

Did you like it?
Nice enough, a yummy incensy woody blend laced with coffee, but sadly not the effect I was hoping for.

Do you think it ‘works’?
It works very well in the fact that all the elements have merged well and the whole smells like one scent. Quite a sophisticated scent.

Did it elicit compliments / comments?
SO is not currently around to comment but I doubt it will have as extreme effect as last night's combo did. He is a bit of a caffeine addict though so I shall have to wait and see.
Update: SO did like it. He said it was quite light (my skin eat it!) but sophisticated. Definitely no raptures over this one...

Which notes dominated in the blend?
I applied the B*Men (spritzed) directly over the Wood Coffee(roller ball dabbed) which I had applied directly over the Kiehls Musk (spritzed). Initially the green moss / wood notes of the B*Men dominated the opening but very quickly dispersed.
Then the coffee note in both B*Men and Wood Coffee emerged nicely providing an interesting gourmand note without sweetness or foodiness. The warm of the dark coffee supported and enhanced by the floral (nag champa) incense note in the Wood Coffee blend oil. Very sensual and sophisticated.
The scent remained wonderfully balanced as it dried down, with the incense maintaining a steady prominence with the coffee. As the scent developed it mellowed evenly as a whole, becoming softer, warmer, woodier. The Kiehls Musk never seemed to make an appearance and any animalic or clean musk signature is assimilated into the sophisticated aromatic coffee / incense blend.

Did it work out the way you imagined it would?
No. It is truly lovely (a great blend even if I do say so myself) but I was hoping for a rawer, richer, darker, deeper, uncompromising animalic musk based, espresso coffee blend.

Would you wear it again?
Definitely! This is sophisticated and sexy in an elegant, subtle, understated way,(similar to Gucci pour homme or Gucci Eau de Parfum). Perfect for a guy or confident gal to wear out of an evening or on a cold winter's day. This is definitely a keeper.


PS: I am going to try to achieve the effect I was looking for when I obtain a sample / decant / or bottle of Ava Luxe's Cafe Noir parfum. If that turns out to be the dark espresso / chocolate scent I imagine, then I am going to retry this combo using a more animalic woody musk like Nemat International Musk Supreme.



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post #11 of 13
2/15/07 at 1:45am
It is no fun at all to write about a layering combo that went completely down the drains, so I will keep it short.

What did I try?
SL Cuir Mauresque and Creed Ambre Cannelle

I hope I have Moondeva's permission to skip the other questions and just give an impression of what happened.

Both scents sprayed on one arm but at different spots. I smell leather and...soap
A test of Ambre Cannelle on other arm: yes, there is the soap!! What happened? Last week it smelled so beautiful.

I wait and wait. Finally the 'test arm' only wafts a cloud of heady Cuir Mauresque. Creed seems to have disappeared completely.
On the 'Creed arm' I can still smell something faint that could be amber. Not really great.

So, either it is a temporarily change in my bodychemistry or the bottle has turned.

I think I will repeat this experiment. Maybe. But in my heart I am convinced that the Creed is too weak to make a good match with a powerscent like Cuir Mauresque.

Very disappointed
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post #12 of 13
2/16/07 at 6:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Riannon

It is no fun at all to write about a layering combo that went completely down the drains, so I will keep it short.

What did I try?
SL Cuir Mauresque and Creed Ambre Cannelle

I hope I have Moondeva's permission to skip the other questions and just give an impression of what happened.

Both scents sprayed on one arm but at different spots. I smell leather and...soap
A test of Ambre Cannelle on other arm: yes, there is the soap!! What happened? Last week it smelled so beautiful.

I wait and wait. Finally the 'test arm' only wafts a cloud of heady Cuir Mauresque. Creed seems to have disappeared completely.
On the 'Creed arm' I can still smell something faint that could be amber. Not really great.

So, either it is a temporarily change in my bodychemistry or the bottle has turned.

I think I will repeat this experiment. Maybe. But in my heart I am convinced that the Creed is too weak to make a good match with a powerscent like Cuir Mauresque.

Very disappointed

Oh Riannon! My poor dear... {{Big Hug }}

But all is not necessarily lost! I find that Creeds do tend to dry down soapy which is great for wearing in warmer climates. Save Ambre Cannelle for balmy summer evenings and try the combo again but this time try Estee Lauder Cinnabar with the Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque instead!

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post #13 of 13
2/16/07 at 8:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by moondeva

Oh Riannon! My poor dear... {{Big Hug }}

But all is not necessarily lost! I find that Creeds do tend to dry down soapy which is great for wearing in warmer climates. Save Ambre Cannelle for balmy summer evenings and try the combo again but this time try Estee Lauder Cinnabar with the Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque instead!


My Layering Queen!! Where would I be without your advice. Right: I will save this for the summer. Hmm, lovely Cinnabar. You just gave me the perfect excuse to buy a bottle again

(((HUG)))
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