June 20th 2010 Scentbar sniffing with Asha and Arwen_elf!

Arwen_elf and I got together for my post-birthday sniffing trip! We visited Scent Bar in the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles. This was not an official "meet up", but we hope to have one soon--perhaps sometime in the next month. In the meantime, here are some highlights from our excursion today....

Ego Facto
Poopoo Pidou--very innocuous "pink musk" which had a Narciso Rodriguez for Women vibe without harsh woody notes as in the base of the predecessor. Poopoo Pidoo is smooth and soft, probably very wearable, but not much about it stood out for me.
Sacre Coeur--extremely banal but probably wearable aromatic fougere. Think rosemary and lavender.
Piege a Filles--somewhat edible quality, like brandied raisins, with soft florals and some light vanilla. I thought this one was the most interesting of the bunch, but I do love liquor accords!
Jamais le Dimanche--an aquatic. With clean white musk. Enough said.
Prends Garde a Toi--surprisingly attractive lily of the valley scent, somewhat fresh and very modern--very pretty and light for a straight up floral.

Parfums de Nicolai
Violette in Love--Asha's in love. And so is Arwen_elf. We bought a bottle to split as this was one that instantly grabbed us! It starts green with violet leaf, but also has some lovely violet flower that seems real--very "alive" and dewey, not candied like it can be in some fragrances. The drydown is soft floral with light vanilla and musk. Most people know I love green, and this is a green floral fragrance that truly can win hearts.
Leau Mixte--well, I was not as impressed with this new release, but I can't deny it is a solid and extremely competent citrus Eau de Cologne with the emphasis on grapefruit and some light aromatic herbs. Can be great for anybody who wants something different in a traditional-type EDC.

Atelier
Orange Sanguine--ORANGE. LOTS of orange. It smells like the best orange juice on the planet, and if I wore it, I would want to lick my arm. The orange note is surprisingly long lasting, and stays clean, unlike some orange essences that can get a sulfuric "off" quality. As an EDC it is very short lived, but that is expected. The price is reasonable, just a little more than a Chanel Exclusifs and the same size bottle. Very splittable and also great for dousing oneself in warm months. Also would be great for layering.
Grand Neroli--very nice high quality neroli-based citrus scent, very fresh and clean. The neroli in this composition does not get as cloyingly soapy as some do (C&S, for example). Great for layering, and as with others in this line seems well suited to lavish application during warm days.
Oolang Infini--of the woody offerings, I thought this one was preferable. It is not strongly tea like, but it is woody, tobacco-y and leathery enough to evoke the idea. Has a woody "buzz" at the drydown, and overall gives the impression of Bulgari Black while being a completely different composition.
Bois Blonds--Less interesting as it was like Oolang Infini with less complexity.

Heely
Oranges and Lemons Say the Bells of Saint Clemens--as if Atelier Blood Orange and Grand Neroli were layered (which is what I was craving after I smelled each from the Atelier line). This one definitely deserves more attention as it seems to be an extremely well balanced citrus cologne with complexity that some EDC's often lack. Lovely.

L'Artisan
Havana Vanille--I often sample this one while in the shops, but never have considered buying it. In essence, this is a light amber fragrance, heavy on the vanilla and with a bready/yeasty quality. It certainly supersedes L'Artisan's older Vanilia in complexity and sophistication.
Nuit de Tubereuse--I'm not a huge fan of tuberose, but in NdT, the flower is represented as green and woody and utterly adorable. The tuberose is mild and somewhat clean, and later seems fruity and fresh. It may not satisfy those who crave tuberose monsters, but its quiet and sheer qualities are extremely fetching regardless.

Etat Libre d'Orange
Tilda Swinton - Like This--an extremely rooty, gingery, somewhat sweaty "non-perfume" that dries to a pleasant woody base. Those who like edgy art-house scents will probably really dig this one. I'm not sure what to think of it yet, but in some ways, it reminds me of a classic chypre with all the ingredients substituted. Strange but also compelling.

Comme des Garcons x Undercover
Holygrace--charming fragrance with a floral water impression, a blended bouquet where not any one flower stands out. Great "lady's" cologne water, and probably great for young girls too. Seems classic without being fussy--nice.
Holygrapie--another charmer, this one with an emphasis on what seems to be violet (could be a ghost accord as violet is not in the notes). The violet is somewhat more woody than I would expect from a classic violet water composition, however, it does contribute to a modern interpretation. Also very nice.

And my birthday present to myself was...Parfumerie Generale Cuir d'Iris, a leather and iris lover's dream!

Thanks for the interest and well wishes everybody. It was a great day--mild, sunny weather, no traffic snags, great 'fumes and as always, sharing the hobby with others is the best part


Del Rae Mythique was also very good and I resampled it yesterday. I think overall the PG has a slight edge and is more unisex because Mythique dries down to a soapy and somewhat sweet white musk. With Cuir d'Iris, the leather is much more long lasting, although admittedly the iris is a bit subdued compared to Mythique.

Aw gosh...I'm really blushing! I'm happy everybody has been enjoying the read

Lillybelle, the CdG's are really up your alley, and not necessarily to appease the fragrance-phobe in your midst. They are lovely, feminine fragrances and would be great for refreshment or warm weather. Also a good alternative to typical warm weather citrus EDC's.