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All Invited! ♥ ♥ ♥ Sniff 'n' Speak Saturday, April 3, 2010 ★★★ FLORALS

post #1 of 30
3/31/10 at 1:56pm
Thread Starter 
For newcomers, here's the lowdown on this monthly online event:
Every member, any gender, novice or veteran sniffer, is invited to apply a fragrance related to the theme of the month (listed below) and share your thoughts on the first Saturday of the month. This isn't a mandatory assignment; it's just for fun. Because not everyone logs in on weekends, you're encouraged to continue to add comments within this themed thread on subsequent days. If you don't join us for this month's discussion, please look ahead at the tentative lineup and join in at a later date.
JANUARY ~ Oriental
 (warmth, flowers, spices, woods & vanilla)
FEBRUARY ~ Animalic
(civet-, castoreum-, leather-, or musk-influenced scents)
MARCH ~ Chypre
 (used to be defined by oakmoss presence, but ...?)
APRIL ~ Floral
 (single solifore or full bouquet of flowers)
MAY~ Fruity
 (single sweet fruits or a bowl of fruity-florals)
JUNE ~ Citrus
 (hesperidic: bergamot, lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, etc.)
JULY ~ Green
 (fresh leaves & grasses)
AUGUST ~ Fresh or aquatic
 (cool, dewy notes and seaside scents)
SEPTEMBER ~ Opposite-Gender Fragrance
OCTOBER ~ Ambery
 (dark, light or blond amber as feature note)
NOVEMBER ~ Spicy
 (warm notes associated with cooking)
DECEMBER ~ Gourmand
 (fragrances with a foody note, but not usually fruity--save for May)
Looking for suggestions?
See previous SnS discussions:
Oriental Jan. 2007, Jan. 2008, Jan. 2009, Jan. 2010
Animalic Feb. 2007, Feb. 2008, Feb. 2009, Feb. 2010
Chypre March 2007, March 2008, March 2009, March 2010
Floral April 2007, April 2008, April 2009
Fruity May 2007, May 2008, May 2009
Citrus June 2007, June 2008, June 2009
Green July 2008, July 2009
Fresh Aug. 2008, Aug. 2009
Fougere Sept. 2007
Opposite Gender Sept. 2008, Sept. 2009
Ambery Oct. 2007, Oct. 2008, Oct. 2009
Spicy Nov. 2007, Nov. 2008, Nov. 2009
Gourmand Dec. 2007, Dec. 2008, Dec. 2009
For the months of July and August 2007, regular BN was offline and supporters had access to an abbreviated site. We discussed aquatics and greens, but those posts are no longer accessible.
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Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
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post #2 of 30
4/3/10 at 2:29am
I love florals !
I love flowers , period ;-D

Today, I work-
So NO Joy or other sultry stuff, alas.

But Lizzie's lovely Violets and Rainwater...

Love you all.
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post #3 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:04am
I'm travelling so I have limited access and only a few samples with me but today I'll wear Kiehl's Original Musk (musk, but with rose, lily, ylang-ylang, and neroli) and later Ralph Lauren Safari edp (a gorgeously dry green scent with a rich honey-floral heart):

Top Notes--Galbanum, Green notes, Mandarin, Aldehyde, Hyacinth, Orange, Daffodil, Blackcurrant .
Middle Notes--Muguet, Rose, Narcissus, Carnation, Orchid, Honey, Jasmine .
Base Notes--Cedar, Musk, Vetiver, Styrax, Vanilla, Amber, Tonka Bean, Patchouli .

Have a floral spring day!
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post #4 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:37am
Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger for me. I love this thick, languid, narcotic floral. Mouthwatering!
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post #5 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:41am
I'm house twin with Tdem, as I'm wearing another Lutens... A la Nuit for me... My favorite jasmine ever...
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post #6 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:54am
Starting out the day with the beautiful MDCI Enlevement au Serail


Planning on switching later to:
Les Maitresses du Louis XIV



At bedtime:
PdN Mimosaique

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post #7 of 30
4/3/10 at 6:01am
Was gonna go jasmine (still lusting over that YR Tendre Jasmin) but my eye fell on a long-neglected and absolutely GORgeous solifleur....Serena's MAHvelous...


WHITE LILAC
Had these growing outside the kitchen window in my PA home...they don't grow down here and I miss them SORELY. This is a lovely reminder.
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post #8 of 30
4/3/10 at 6:13am
Hi TT and all the other denizens here, it seems that I rarely get over to this forum anymore. I hope that you and yours are all doing well, both physically and spiritually.

For Floral day, I am wearing Agua de Kananga by Crusellas & Co.
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post #9 of 30
4/3/10 at 7:48am
Thread Starter 
Hi, TwoRoads Im not getting here a lot these days either, but thats another transitory thing. I have faith that I will always return, and when the gardening season slows, Ill be here oftener.

Am awash in Henry Dunays Sabi a floral if there ever was one. It's a little early in the day for this. It definitely suits a sunset time of day. Voluptuous, feminine, and, oh yeah, as others will note but I always forget with a hint of greenery. I learned of this scent only in the last year (thanks for Haunani), although its been around for 12 years.

Its said that it contains 250 captivating oils. Seems a suspiciously convenient number.

Various sources indicate that the 250 includes Italian mandarin, carnation, angelica seed, orange flower, jonquil, narcisse, violet leaves, tuberose, bergamot, jasmine, ylang-ylang, hyacinth, orchid, Turkish rose, galbanum, sandalwood, vertiver, tonka, and musk.
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post #10 of 30
4/3/10 at 9:30am
Perfect! I had been looking for an excuse to crack open a long-held sample vial of L'Artisan's Fleur d'Oranger 2007.

The thing I like about orange blossom is its potential to impart both chill and warmth at once, a sensation that ought to bewilder but instead delights. There is an assured "greenness" underpinning the faithful adaptation of that quality here, as if the buds and leaves themselves were preserved whole in the composition. The result is serenity itself, equal parts circumspection and radiance.

I am reading elsewhere that this 2007 version lacks a little of the intensity of the 2005 edition. Apologies to those that know and love the latter but my young and inexperienced nose finds the recent vintage seamless and satisfying--there isn't a day between now and the first hint of autumn that Fleur d'Oranger couldn't enliven. My compliments to perfumer Anne Flipo for making this look easy, "exceptional harvest" or not.

I am glad to be reminded once again that transient things of beauty with the power to exalt can exist beyond the ken of eye or ear. Unfortunately, this particular thing of beauty must necessarily reside beyond the grasp of my hands, too, certainly so long as it costs $295 for a 3.3oz bottle of EdP.

I hope everyone has a Saturday as lovely as mine is turning out to be (and not just because Man United lost, either ).
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post #11 of 30
4/3/10 at 9:48am
I am starting the day with Chant d'Aromes, a very lovely floral from the 60s by Jean Paul Guerlain
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post #12 of 30
4/3/10 at 10:00am

Fleurs De Rocaille by Caron, Vintage Eau De Cologne

I like flowers. I like to grow them and to smell them, and sometimes to eat and drink them (I make a killer Elderflower champagne). But, looking through my scents, I don't seem to be drawn to them in perfume. Sure, there's plenty of flowers in there, but Fleurs De Rocaille is, I think, my only true floral.

And if you have to have only one, I think this is is it!

Fleurs De Rocaille was designed in 1933, by Ernest Daltroff, and was the first of the Carons to use aldehydes.

Top notes: aldehydes, lily of the valley, clover
Heart notes: rose, violet, lilac, jasmine, iris, carnation, ylan ylang
Base notes: sandalwood, cedar, musk, civet, oakmoss

Old fashioned, perhaps, with that scent memory of grandma's dressing table. Classy, too, in that it seems effortless and fitting to all occasions. Seemlessly blended, like a sprig of shy little flowers, none barging to the front and all bringing with them more than a touch of the mossy green rocks they were gathered from.

But what is it that turns respect for this beautifully crafted fragrance into love? I think it must be because it reminds me of vintage clothing. Of scouring through coats and partyfrocks in charity shops. The scent that lingers on a roseprint 50's silk scarf, worn with a leather jacket and Doc Martins. Fleurs de Rocaille, ladies, is kickass!
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post #13 of 30
4/3/10 at 10:15am


This is one of my favorite tangy florals. The osmanthus flower is slightly sappy- not just sweet and it is just beautiful in the spring.
Alternatively 'Mille'; created in 1972 by Jean Kerléo; a rich floral-bouquet fragrance with top notes of bergamot, tarragon, angelica, damask rose and osmanthus; heart notes of jasmine de Grasse, violets, orris and Californian rose, with base notes of patchouli, civet, vetiver and sandalwood.
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post #14 of 30
4/3/10 at 10:25am
Hmm... Florals. I'm not that big on florals, I suppose. I have Samsara which is full of Jasmine, and Nahéma which is full of rose. That's about it, really, unless you count the greener bouquets which don't strike me as overtly floral.

My sotd has been Jicky pdt, but sote will be a sample of the rosy Epice Noir (Frederic Malle) and a small spritz of Nahéma to compare. I found EN to be very similar to Nahéma when I tried it a few days ago, and I want to see if I'm delusional or not.
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post #15 of 30
4/3/10 at 10:38am
I thought about rosy Cabaret and I thought about mimosa and linden in Aroma Allegoria Aromaparfum Apaisant, but it's a chilly and wet Saturday here so I'm in Mahora - orange blossom, almond blossom, ylang-ylang, neroli, tuberose and jasmine.
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post #16 of 30
4/3/10 at 11:28am
Patou's Joy is my floral of choice. I've loved this fragrance for 28 years and so far, I have never grown tired of it. It's one of the few scents from my youth that I still find wearable, and one of the few for which I have purchased multiple bottles over the years.

I first encountered it at age 12, on the dresser top of a wealthy woman for whom I used to babysit. She was my role model for fashion and style at the time, and this perfume seemed a perfect choice for her--the epitome of class, elegance and good taste.

My opinions about the woman, fashion, class, elegance and good taste would change dramatically after age 12, but my thoughts about Joy have remained the same. Love at first sniff, and love everlasting.

I actually prefer the Joy EDT to the parfum. Both are recognizable and beautiful, but the EDT smells more modern to me. (The parfum reminded me a bit of scented Kleenex or toilet tissue. )

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post #17 of 30
4/3/10 at 12:06pm
Sabi, Joy, 1000 -- everyone is smelling stupendous! I think I am going to put on some of my Snow Rose, the purest, softest rose perfume I have ever encountered.
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post #18 of 30
4/3/10 at 12:33pm
To continue the floral vibe, and to stay in the Lutens house (why not? ), I'm wearing Fleurs de Citronnier... It's my spring-summer staple...
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post #19 of 30
4/3/10 at 12:54pm
I have loved the Perfumer's Workshop soliflore Tea Rose for decades. Cheap and easy to find, it's a real pick-me-up. Not complex at all. It's loud, strong and simple.
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post #20 of 30
4/3/10 at 1:16pm
What a beautifully scented thread! For this Sniff 'n' Speak, I have chosen Diptyque's Do Son. This fragrance was created by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin and released in 2005. It is a floral blend of tuberose, orange tree leaves, roses, benzoin, iris, and white musk, but it's all about the tuberose for me.



Do Son is the closest bottled rendering I have found of the natural smell of tuberose growing in its proper tropical setting. To my nose, it is as if the fragrance of the freshly opened blooms is carried by a gentle ocean breeze (no ozone here, it's just a hint of salty sea air). Though I associate it with the dewy green of morning, Do Son is beautiful any time of day. While it is gentle and near-transparent in a style that brings to mind that of Olivia Giacobetti, it lasts quite a while on my skin. It is one of those scents that delights the nose by re-blooming at unexpected times, especially when worn in sultry weather. Ahhh...
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post #21 of 30
4/3/10 at 1:24pm
Wow. Some gorgeous pics today.

I'm wearing Annick Goutal's Le Chèvrefeuille. Generally I'm not a straight floral gal. I prefer aldehydic florals, for instance, or a floral chypre. But there are times when a straight floral is just right, and Le Chèvrefeuille is one of those just right straight florals.

Have a good day, everyone!
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post #22 of 30
4/3/10 at 2:26pm
I started the day in AG Rose Absolue. This scent is all about roses, lots of different varieties of rose were used to create this beautiful perfume.

Later on I changed to AL Midnight Violet, it's my favourite violet fragrance - very complex scent. Fingers crossed that Serena brings this one back!
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post #23 of 30
4/3/10 at 3:54pm
Not loving my choice today. I woke up with a sinus headache that seems to be responding quite negatively toward all the rose, rose, rose. Speaking of AL, I may switch to Hong Kong Garden later. It always seems to work for me, no matter the weather, my mood, nor the state of my sinuses.
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post #24 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:05pm
Not that long ago, I would have never considered myself a fan of florals, and I will be the first to admit that I have a LOT to learn about floral notes. But if you explore perfumes long enough, you learn to never say never ... I'm wearing Serge Lutens Sarrasins today, a floral beauty featuring the jasmine note.

I can't really compare Sarrasins to other jasmine fragrances, because sadly I have neglected them. I would be surprised to find one that I like better than Sarrasins, however. It is a lush, complex scent, full of contrasts with a totally gorgeous drydown that has a touch of velvety leather.

Isn't this bottle beautiful? It was a limited edition (and waaay out of my price range!):

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post #25 of 30
4/3/10 at 5:58pm
A dab of the 80's rose chypre powerhouse K de Krizia on the wrist (see Hillaire's review for the great characterization of this frag- especially the "that suit jacket just won't button" (that's me,baby), with a spritz of the more floral Cabotine Rose on the neck.

K de krizia notes: Aldehydes, peach, hyacinth, bergamot, neroli. Heart Notes: Jasmine, narcissus, orange blossom, rose, carnation, orchid, lily of the valley, orris. Base Notes: Sandalwood, vetiver, musk, amber, moss, civet, vanilla, styrax, leather."
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post #26 of 30
4/3/10 at 11:09pm
Today I'm test-wearing Parfums Delrae Amoureuse.



Imagine a warm, fruity, spicy apple pie, replete with cinnamon & nutmeg. Now replace the apples with oranges and peaches and throw a big bunch of tuberose on top.

No silly vanilla - the base is actually moss, but this has a spiced oriental almost-gourmand feeling that makes it quite different from any other tuberose I've sampled.

It's not really my cup of tea, but I can easily see this being grail material for some.
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post #27 of 30
4/4/10 at 6:02am
I wore Antonia's Flowers from a sample in a boutique. I'm hooked!
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post #28 of 30
4/4/10 at 10:44am
Pantaloons! I jolly well forgot about SnS and I was traveling and... the dog ate my homework! :O
OK, I forgot.
But I'm going to try something new that I haven't dared try before: Fracas.
I'm guessing that's PDF: Pretty Darn Floral.
Will report back in the morn.
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post #29 of 30
4/4/10 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
Mmmm … A la Nuit, Enlevement au Serail. And then there’s Joy — ewww. Tinky. Do Son—whomp! That's floral.

Petra Ichor! Elderblossom champagne? Fabulous. We’ve drunk elderblossom wine, elderberry wine, and accidentally made mead champagne, but E-champagne sounds fabulous. Kudos. (For the rest of you folks: elderberries are sometimes called the British grape.)

Yes, Shades, that bottle is crazy good.

Thanks, all, for playing along.
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post #30 of 30
4/5/10 at 4:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quarry View Post

... Elderblossom champagne? Fabulous. We've drunk elderblossom wine, elderberry wine, and accidentally made mead champagne, but E-champagne sounds fabulous.

It's very quick and simple to make, much easier than the wine. The fizz happens naturally if you pick big blowsy, pollen-ey blossoms on a hot summer's day. The scent of the flowers on a day like that is something else - veering between narcotic honey and cat pee. It's no wonder elderflower is thought of as belonging to the fairies!
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Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › All Invited! ♥ ♥ ♥ Sniff 'n' Speak Saturday, April 3, 2010 ★★★ FLORALS