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All invited *** Sniff 'n' Speak Saturday, April 7, 2012 *** FLORALS

post #1 of 34
4/6/12 at 5:32am
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, Jan. 2011, Jan. 2012
Animalic Feb. 2007, Feb. 2008, Feb. 2009, Feb. 2010, Feb. 2011, Feb. 2012
Chypre March 2007, March 2008, March 2009, March 2010, March 2011, March 2012
Floral April 2007, April 2008, April 2009, April 2010, April 2011
Fruity May 2007, May 2008, May 2009, May 2010, May 2011
Citrus June 2007, June 2008, June 2009, June 2010, June 2011
Green July 2008, July 2009, July 2010, July 2011
Fresh Aug. 2008, Aug. 2009, Aug. 2010, Aug. 2011
Fougere Sept. 2007
Opposite Gender Sept. 2008, Sept. 2009, Sept. 2010, Sept. 2011
Ambery Oct. 2007, Oct. 2008, Oct. 2009, Oct. 2010, Oct. 2011
Spicy Nov. 2007, Nov. 2008, Nov. 2009, Nov. 2010, Nov. 2011
Gourmand Dec. 2007, Dec. 2008, Dec. 2009, Dec. 2010, Dec. 2011
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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post #2 of 34
4/6/12 at 6:15am
Yay! I'm in.
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post #3 of 34
4/6/12 at 9:13am
Me too.
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post #4 of 34
4/6/12 at 11:45am
Yep moi aussi. Florals not a category I'm educated in. Do white florals count?
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post #5 of 34
4/6/12 at 12:03pm
White florals definitely count.
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post #6 of 34
4/6/12 at 12:21pm
Yay then I have many choices but might try Amouage Gold as I want to educate my nose and find Amouage quite difficult
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post #7 of 34
4/6/12 at 1:02pm
Yay, one of my favourite categories! l have several to choose from, which will it be......?
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post #8 of 34
4/6/12 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

Yay then I have many choices but might try Amouage Gold as I want to educate my nose and find Amouage quite difficult

Amouage Gold is a floral aldehyde and it's a category within floral, so I guess it does count. One of my favorite categories, actually! But if you like floral, you won't necessarily like floral aldehydes. I usually love floral aldehydes, so I think I'll try a straight-up floral for the S&S.
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post #9 of 34
4/6/12 at 2:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Warum View Post

Amouage Gold is a floral aldehyde and it's a category within floral, so I guess it does count. One of my favorite categories, actually! But if you like floral, you won't necessarily like floral aldehydes. I usually love floral aldehydes, so I think I'll try a straight-up floral for the S&S.

I've had every concentration of No 5 from the last 30 yrs which would also count and I love Arpege. So guess I'm comfy with aldehydes but Amouage beyond me?!?!?!?!
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post #10 of 34
4/6/12 at 2:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

I've had every concentration of No 5 from the last 30 yrs which would also count and I love Arpege. So guess I'm comfy with aldehydes but Amouage beyond me?!?!?!?!

Ha! Interesting. I love all three of them -- No 5, Arpege, and Amouage Gold. In fact, I think Amouage Gold is a happy marriage between #5 (top+heart of Gold) and #22 (the drydown).
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post #11 of 34
4/6/12 at 5:27pm
Florals, florals, yay-yay-yay. Florals, florals, yay-yay-yay. Goooooooo, florals!
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post #12 of 34
4/7/12 at 2:42am
Hmmm....From this category I have Sa majeste la rose,Nahema, L'ombre dans l'eau, Allure, Midnight Violet,Prada Infusion d'iris and Fracas to choose from. ( from the top of my head) Will probably go for either Fracas or Midnight violet I think....Or maybe Allure, which is very neglected!
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post #13 of 34
4/7/12 at 4:12am
Minor change of plan, same house but trying a different fragrance. I'm trying out Amouage Lyric Woman.

Sprayed 10 minutes ago and was hit with a dense wall of I have no idea but smelt like rubbing linament, this went in seconds and behold a rose bloomed. A deep velvety purple red rose about 30ft high and 60ft across! No leaves, no earth, nothing green to freshen it, just this enormous single rose!

On my skin just a touch of violets has now crept in and a tiny smidge of incense and wood. Walking back into the room where I applied it, the room smells of a more natural rose, still gigantic, but more natural. Truth be told I prefer how it smells in the room rather than on me.

So far as with all the Amouage family I find this too dense and illegible for my philistine nose and tastes

I look up the recorded notes at the end of the sniff n speak
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post #14 of 34
4/7/12 at 6:09am
Guerlain - Champs Elysees - from a recently acquired sample, it's pretty and very light on me to begin with, not the usual thing I would wear but it would make a nice contrast to some of my others. I wonder how long it will last on my skin?
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post #15 of 34
4/7/12 at 7:02am
Jo Malone White Lilac & Rhubarb, from a decant sent by 30 Roses. This is a lovely lilac. The rhubarb is subtle; and the lilac is the sweet scent of spring - blossoms, leaves & twiggy green stems. Lovely, lovely, lovely. It reminds me that I need to go cut some lilacs and put a bowl on my kitchen table where the overgrown Christmas poinsettia still resides.

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post #16 of 34
4/7/12 at 7:20am
Roger & Gallet Lavande Royale for me. A light, short-lived lavender. Good one for a spring morning.
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post #17 of 34
4/7/12 at 7:42am
Good morning, all you smelly SnS-ers!

I'm probably cheating a little bit, but I'm at the beach and I didn't bring any straight-up florals with me, so I'm in Alien Sunessence Or d'Ambre. This is really about the florals imo, although I've seen it called an oriental due to its ambery Alien base. But honestly, this is the least thick and ambery of all the flankers...it's almost pure, sweet jasmine, but with a tropical twist - an accord that includes orchid and kiwi - and gives it a wonderful, lush gardenia-y feel. But, although it's clearly in the same family, it's much lighter than the original...it's lighter than Lemon Alien too, and more about the jasmine accord rather than the amber accord. I don't quite know what it is about the original that I never found quite right for me, but this is the third flanker that I really love, and they're all quite recognizably Alien. I'm calling this one, per Tony of course, "Beach Alien."

Alien Sunessence Or d'Ambre was a limited edition for 2011, and was created by Dominique Ropion. It has notes of kiwi, jasmine, vanilla, orchid, woodsy notes and amber ...trust me, it smells much more floral than those notes might suggest.


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post #18 of 34
4/7/12 at 7:56am
l went for the classic Springtime option of vintage Diorissimo for work this morning. The day started off quite cold, but as it warmed up l got the slight animalic undertone beneath the lush lily of the valley. l don't always notice it, but it was most enjoyable today!
l'll have a think about what to wear this evening after my post-work shower. And l'll probably keep going with other florals over the weekend, as l have so many to choose from!
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post #19 of 34
4/7/12 at 8:15am
Teardrop, I almost went for Diorissimo too. Im not sure what floral Ill choose later, but it might be Jo Malone Red Roses, which Ive been loving. I seem to be doing well with Jo Malones lately.

Evangeline, you have me so interested in the Alien flankers. I know what you mean about the original. I cant wear it at all, but I thought it was brilliant when it came out. Id like to wear it, but it is way too much for me now. Ive smelled the Sunessence one and I like that very much, and I think I like the new edt version of Alien as well. I havent tried the one youre wearing today but it sounds nice. I love the bottles most, I think.
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post #20 of 34
4/7/12 at 8:31am
It's 5hrs since the anointing with Lyric Woman and on my wrists it has disappeared due to my strenuous wire wooling of my welsh dresser in preparation for it being treated to a paint job. However, at 2 hours it suddenly opened right up and became a pretty light citrus rose, still of the same dimension but the colour had changed from purple red to a pale pink with a lemon centered bloom. This was by far the most pleasant stage of it's development and I didn't feel I was being walked around by a mutant rose on the end of a leash. Speaking of which the fragrance does continue under my t-shirt and has turned again into a dark rose with incense and leather.

I can appreciate this fragrance is special and unique but I still find it dense and foggy other than that hour of citrus which is stunning

Notes from Fragrantica
"Amouage Lyric Woman - ginger, cinnamon and saffron in the top. The rose awaits us in the heart, just like in the version for men. It is joined by angelica and floral support of jasmine, ylang-ylang, geranium and iris root. The base notes introduce oak moss, sensual musk, woody accords, patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, Tonka bean and incense."
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post #21 of 34
4/7/12 at 9:37am
Evangeline, I'm adding Sunessence Or d'Ambre aka Beach Alien to my list. Thanks!



I'm in Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile EDP which the Turin/Sanchez guide and others say is not really iris, more of a fleeting iris and a gardenia dry down. I can't pick out which floral I'm smelling, but it's a very slightly sweetened floral with a touch of orange, and the drydown has a powdery, amber, light patchouli base. Overall, gorgeously smooth and elegant, and a true favorite of mine.
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post #22 of 34
4/7/12 at 9:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

Minor change of plan, same house but trying a different fragrance. I'm trying out Amouage Lyric Woman.

-- Absolutely a major change of plan to me! I cannot do Lyric; I love Gold.

Now I feel like trying Lyric again (but the weather is not right for it), or going for becoming scent twins with Lilybelle, or going with my original floral plan... I will decide and post it!
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post #23 of 34
4/7/12 at 10:25am
I almost grabbed Diorissimo too but wanted to give some love to florals I've ignoredfor a looooong time.

Marilyn Miglin's "tuber tuberose" was it, then.

E- You crack me up with the "Beach Alien"
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post #24 of 34
4/7/12 at 11:05am
This evening l've gone for Carnal Flower, the most "flower-like" of any floral l've experienced. l finally got around to buying a bottle just a couple of weeks ago, & l'm falling in love with it all over again! l have tried many tuberoses, but this is the most pure & true that l've come across. l just adore that "florist's fridge" scent of cool green stems that make me feel like a rain-soaked flower the whole time l'm wearing it.
l'm off out with the bf shortly; he hasn't smelled this on me yet, so it'll be interesting to see what (if any!) reaction it gets. He finds Fracas rather too much for him, (especially in the doses l apply!) but here's hoping he'll like this better. l'll report back tomorrow.
Wishing a wonderful evening to all you flower children out there!
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post #25 of 34
4/7/12 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 

I love Sabi. I love it. I love it. I love it.

To me, it's the most well-rounded floral.
Jasmine stands in the foreground. Rose hides behind her discreetly. Orange blossom twinkles amidst a plume of ylang-ylang.
Reviewers note Sabi has a green stem running through it.
It's as sweet as natural flowers could be -- no foody sweetening here.
The promo copy claims it contains "250 captivating oils."
No argument from me.
Each time I revisit it, I go weak in the knees.

Did Evangeline say she was going to Florida ... or Area 51?
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post #26 of 34
4/7/12 at 12:09pm
For me, it's not YSL Paris (as I had planned), but my new bottle of Idylle in EDP!

This is not a true Guerlain to me, with that instantly recognizable Guerlainade, but it's a wonderful floral/fruity but without too much fruit. Closer to a chypre on the drydown.

A great new experience for me!
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post #27 of 34
4/7/12 at 3:17pm
A decision has been made and I did go with the plan -- to wear some tuberose fragrances that I liked and wanted to check whether it was a fluke. Apparently, not, I wore LAP Nuit de Tubereuse and just reapplied (finishing up my sample). Like Vamp A NY it is a kind of tuberose I can seem to wear pretty easily. It is not buttery, it is not overwhelming, rather, relatively light and has a sweet note (especially in the top notes) which makes me think of a huge ball of sweet sugary fluff (I am not sure how to describe it or what it's called!)

Too bad my husband cannot sniff it -- he's having a cold and I am only hoping I am not getting it from him.
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post #28 of 34
4/7/12 at 3:39pm
I went with Sonoma Scent Studio Velvet Rose Extrait. A pure rose scent that is very lush in feel, a rose in full bloom. There's a little movement through a couple of stages but it's more linear than complex. I've own this perfume for well over a year in two versions (extrait & perfume oil) & I'm always surprised by how much I reach for Velvet Rose & it's also great layered with other perfumes, for example- Incense Pure or an amber based body lotion/oil.
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post #29 of 34
4/7/12 at 4:27pm
Quote:
Did Evangeline say she was going to Florida ... or Area 51?

Quarry, that Sabi is wonderful.

I’m wearing some vintage Y parfum this evening, fruity-green-floral.



Notes: Peach, Aldehydes, Gardenia, Honeysuckle, Narcissus, Hyacinth, Rose, Orris, Patchouli, Vetiver, Civet, Benzoin. This smells incredibly good.
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post #30 of 34
4/7/12 at 5:00pm
Late posting as I've been doing my annual baking of traditional Italian Easter specialties:

grain pie

Attachment 12880

and pizza rustica. Note the missing piece for "quality control", a direct quote from my husband and son, my "quality control" team.

Attachment 12881

I've been wearing Prada Infusion de Fleur d'Oranger, a lovely, sunny, clean and pretty orange blossom fragrance that just makes me happy.
LL
LL
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post #31 of 34
4/7/12 at 8:43pm
I've said it many times, but I'm not a floral-y girl ... or so I always thought. For sure, my tastes have evolved and changed a lot and I have actually started to enjoy florals. Sometimes.

I'm wearing By Kilian Love and Tears, Surrender today. To me, it's a pretty straight forward, fresh and radiant jasmine. No leather. No heavy incense. No amber or vanilla. None of the notes I usually require to really like a fragrance. So why do I like it so much? I don't know, but I really do. I can wear it without feeling like I'm be beaten up by it ... No hard lines, no screeching, no soapiness.

Notes: bergamot, petitgrain, lavandin, galbanum, daffodil, Egyptian and Indian jasmines, lily of the valley, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, jasmine water, cedarwood, oakmoss, and styrax
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post #32 of 34
4/8/12 at 10:13am
I love florals - and a few days ago I was very excited to experiment, but this weekend I forgot all about it and have been sampling small bits of - florals!

Yesterday:

Verte Violette L'Artisan Parfumeur - violet is a a favorite of mine for late winter, and I recently moved by a park that has 3 different kinds of violets in the lawns and trial so I will probably wear it until off and on until they stop blooming. This violet is sharp and clean on me, and perfect for work.

Iris Nobile by Acqua di Parma. I like this one, but I don't think of it as an iris, which I often find paired with musky-powdery notes, but think this one is more warm white flowers. Beautiful though.

Today I sample scent that are LOTV or a strong LOTV note - but not Diorissimo! Earlier was Annick Goutal Le Muguet, I put off trying it but I do not know why because I like the strong and sweet LOTV note. Later I switched to Lily of the Valley by Penhaligon, much softer and soapy in the drydown, and a bit synthetic smelling to me, especially compared to Le Muguet.

The plan is to try Idylle by Guerlain and/or a Boucheron floral.
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post #33 of 34
4/8/12 at 11:02am
Shades, there's something magical about Love and Tears -- I did not think I loved jasmine until I got this one! I have lost my sample of it. Arrggghhh.

I was braver than yesterday -- I tried on something that gives me creeps, and it is Rubj EDT. Oh, I consider myself not a white floral gal (see above). So Rubj orange blossom kinda scares me. Still does. On the other hand, my husband responded with immediate, "Oh this is nice!" -- so interesting to discover which ones he likes! Expensive taste this boy has, too!
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post #34 of 34
4/8/12 at 1:31pm
Quarry, Sabi sounds beautiful! l'll be off to the directory shortly to look this one up.

l didn't have time to post before work this morning, but just to update; the bf's verdict on Carnal Flower was that it was "granny-ish, a bit lavender-y"!!! Talk about mortified! Ah well, l will just comfort myself with the fact that he has chronic sinus problems & probably can't smell what l smell, & remember not to wear it around him. Myself l felt as if l smelled utterly divine!

Today l wore Annick Goutal's Un Matin d'Orage, from another longed-for & recently acquired bottle. When l first sampled this from a dab vial, l got the heavenly scent of a garden after rain. Not a specific flower, but the radiant, limpid smell of a garden full of wet flowers. Having now sprayed it, l find that in addition to this, l get a very authentic-smelling ambergris in the drydown, which adds a whole new dimension to it. Beautiful! And l got a very nice compliment on it from a female colleague, too.

This evening l am wearing Parfums Luxe: Champaca by Comme des Garcons, from my precious decant. Although it has woody, spicy, & incensy aspects, l get a big, creamy white floral note from this, which l adore. l may have to save up for a bottle of this one, God help my credit card!
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › All invited *** Sniff 'n' Speak Saturday, April 7, 2012 *** FLORALS