Note Identification Project - Please Join In!

[Aiona]

Aiona, your galbanum-labdanum package was posted yesterday.
After you smell them, put a drop of each on your skin and you will smell part of the old-school Green Chypre formula, featured prominantly in Miss Dior.

But first I'll do as you say, and try this combination.

[Aiona]

Recently, I tried Muscs Kublai Khan, and found a drydown that resembles something that I was given. . . called "rose oil."

Now, I've tried a lot of perfumes that claim to have "rose" as a dominant note. But this "rose oil" is an elusive thing to me. It doesn't really smell like rose, but a mixture of things. The drydown is my favorite part.

I'm going to send a little bit of this "rose oil" to purplebird7 with Andrew's galbanum and sandalwood and the Eden Botanicals sandalwood. Please let me know what you think is in this "rose oil."

Currently, I have both MKK and the "rose oil" on, and side by side, they are not very similar initially. I'm waiting for the drydown to compare. (I had to spritz my daily scent in my hair in order to have my arms free for sampling!!)

[purplebird7]

The only natural rose I have smelled that smelled like live roses was Primavera Persian Rose from Iran. It costs $59 per ml (but it's worth it if you don't want synthetic roses). All of the other rose absolutes and attars that I have smelled were more spicy than fruity, less like a live rose than dried potpourri. Synthetics smelled more "real" than real.
Another good "rose" scent is wild geranium from Morocco. A perfume of this type is by Madini under the name Malvaloca.

[Aiona]

Okay, tonight, I finally got home from work, and decided to sit down and make these samples. This involved pulling out a pipette (one of the freebies from Sally's Accessories for Fragrances), and getting some into one of the glass vials I got from silverbullet. Which reminds me, I think I was going to send him some rose oil too. Or maybe I already did. My brain is shot.

Anyway, so I'm sucking this stuff up, right? AND IT SMELLS NOTHING LIKE EITHER OF THE SANDALWOOD OILS I HAD PREVIOUSLY.

Wow. I mean really. It's completely different.

It smells like. . .

My dad used to do a lot of woodworking when I was little. This smell. . . smells like the smell of freshly sawed plywood. Maybe a little varnish. And that hot burning smell from a saw. Ozone?

Whoof!

I am so confused!
Anyway, I'm going to try to ship this off tomorrow, along with Andrew's sandalwood, *and* a vial of my lovely "sandlewood" from the mall. How's about that for sandalwood overload?

[Aiona]

Made myself a little hot tea, and with it, some hot water to melt this amber paste from purplebird7. It was fun to watch that sticky stuff just slide right down the side of the bottle, as I placed it into the bowl of hot water.



Bendy-straw pilfered from work, useful as a dabber. Luckily, they have plenty of bendy-straws.

This "amber paste" smells weird too. Like nothing I would associate with perfumery. It smells rather Tiger-Balmy. And plum wine-y. Like one of my uncles, if he smothered himself in Tiger Balm and drank quite a bit of plum wine, which I'm sure he'd be happy to do.

Thanks, purplebird7, for this sample. I gotta say, this has been really confusing for me. But, I'm hoping things will all fall into place.

[purplebird7]

So, both you and your father noticed the fruity aspects of labdanum? It's great, like a bazaar full of woods, spices, honey, and dried fruits all rolled into one. Isn't it a wonderful substance? For a perfumer using a natural palette, it offers one of the strongest, most long-lasting, sweet bases available. It even outlasts synthetics.

Labdanum is a strange substance. Even if you smell one sample, you cannot be sure that you know how all labdanum smells. It comes in a wide range of golden hues, from almost garnet red to honey yellow. It is really the resin of the rock rose plant, and I bet there is quite a bit of variation due to variations of species (wild and cultivated), local growing conditions, and time of year collected. Some labdanum absolutes are rather animalic, smelling almost like leather.

[Lady_in_Black]

I still haven't smelled labdanum as a single note. As far as I can judge from le Labo's Labdanum18, I loathe the smell, but on the other hand I love it in L'Oiseau de Nuit

I'd sure wish to test the labdanum resin from Crete, which is still combed out from the beard of the billy goats or "raked" from the bushes by means of an instrument resembling a huge Victorian angel cake knife but using pliable leather strips instead of rigid metal - a rather confusing description, I know, but I don't know how else to describe it.
I think I'll be ordering some directly from the producer!

[Aiona]

Um. Profumo was gracious to send me a box full of civet.

Which I sniffed yesterday. Wow. And that was just from the outside of the vial. I will ship the other 7 vials to members of the Profumo sample group. I've never received anything from Italy before. And certainly, never expected to get anything like this from Italy in my life!

He also sent some bergamot essential oil. Man! This stuff is peppery. Very unlike any bergamot I've sniffed at the mall essential oil shops. And again, that was just from outside the vial.

I shipped the sandalwood samples to purplebird7 yesterday. I hope they arrive this week. Enclosed is also the galbanum from Andrew. And Norell. Not vintage, unfortunately.

[Aiona]

So, both you and your father noticed the fruity aspects of labdanum?

Me? No, my father hasn't smelled this. Or maybe he has. . . but I didn't know it. Well, actually, as I am a female version of my dad, one could say he *has*.

[purplebird7]

I received the samples and eagerly opened them. Thank you, Aiona, for this extreme pleasure. I will try to do justice to these descriptions:

1. Andrew B.'s galbanum was much tamer than my sample. Mine was earthshakingly strong and smelled like dirt, and it was agressively green and musty, like the kind used in Miss Dior. Andrew's was a lower concentration and smelled mildly green, a bit citrusy, and decidedly soapy like the kind used in Givenchy III.
Will the real galbanum please stand up? (Probably both, possibly mine is wild grown...)
Does anyone else on this forum have a sample of galbanum which he or she can describe, compared to these two?

2. Mall sandalwood. Starts out smelling similar to sandalwood, but then "falls apart" into the component smells. First I smell a little Atlas Cedar mixed possibly mixed with some variety of sandalwood (not Mysore) or even a mild cedar. Then a sweet, dusty, almondlike aroma creeps out. At least it smells more "real" than the Kuumba Made Arabian Sandalwood I bought a few years ago, which ended up smelling very sweet and almondy, like cookie dough, clearly a perfume made of various ingredients which may be 100% natural, but are nowhere near 100% sandalwood.

3. Mysore Sandalwood from Eden Botanicals - The first time I have actually smelled Santaum Album essential oil. I can tell you right now, this is the strongest, deepest sandalwood oil I have ever smelled. I have it on side-by-side with Vanatu Sandalwood (Santalum austrocaledonium).
a. The Mysore is stronger and has more base notes. The Vanatu is lighter and greener, more airy.
b. The Mysore has some inherent sweetness, while the Vanatu is more pungent.
c. The Mysore has a quality that can only be described as "creamy" although this quality is nowhere near the opacity of vanilla or amber. It is still transparent, but compared to other species of sandalwood, it is dense and thick.
d. Both are exceedingly woody, having sharp, pine-like or peppery resinous notes up top.
e. The Mysore sandalwood is much more complex. It is incomparably thicker and fuller in its aroma, with dark nuances, and it is much longer lasting. I fully expect to be able to smell this on my skin tomorrow. I wonder if, by then, it will go sweeter and more powdery. Right now, it is markedly woody.

4. Andrew's sandalwood - I suspect that this is sandalwood perfume. It is sweet and creamy from the start, without harsh topnotes, and the powder develops quickly. It is light, slightly woody, delicately sweet, and vanillic. I would wear it for a perfume--it is very attractive. Two scenarios are possible here:
a. It is not straight sandalwood or it is not natural sandalwood.
b. It is real, aged, expensive Mysore sandalwood, in a low concentration and I just don't know what real, aged, expensive Mysore sandalwood smells like.
Andrew, you would be the one to tell us, how much did you pay for this sample? How long ago did you buy it? And who did you buy it from? Regardless, I enjoyed it and would purchase some as a perfume.

5. Mudassir's Rose Oil from India is gorgeous. I love this. It has a "real" rose aroma like the Primavera Persian Rose sample that I adored. Both of them smell much more real than the Egyptian Rose Absolute I have. Sweet, bright, a bit soapy, and very fruity--probably most like plum. Exceedingly nice and very impressive if it truly is 100% natural.

Now, my big question is:
Who gets this package after me? Speak up, and you will receive it next. I have all the addresses of the people on the Note Identification Project list.

PM me, please.

[purplebird7]

Update: four hours later.

The Santalum album remains quite woody with just a hint of sweetness. It really is is more of an aromatic wood than anything, and I would not consider it to be a "sweet" base for perfume--certainly nothing like amber or vanilla--although it is smoother and easier to work with than cedar. Based on this information, I truly doubt that the other sandalwood sample is authentic. Does anyone know, will sandalwood oil sweeten as it ages?

The galbanum sample also has sweetened considerably, leading me to believe that it is more of a galbanum perfume rather than a sample of galbanum essential oil. I will add some of my galbanum sample to this swap package so that people can see straight galbanum smells like--not a bit sweet, ever.

[Aiona]

leading me to believe that it is more of a galbanum perfume rather than a sample of galbanum essential oil.

I have a feeling that Mudassir's rose oil isn't a straight rose oil either. It smells like there's other stuff in there. I have never smelled plain ole rose oil, so I don't know what it's supposed to smell like, but certainly this rose oil does not smell like fresh roses.

[Aiona]

There are so many things I want to sample, but haven't the time or skin space. So, today, I decided I'd just test Profumo's bergamot essential oil and compare it to the stuff I purchased from the mall.

I bought this mall bergamot oil. . . maybe a year or two ago. I don't know where it comes from. I don't know if it's adulterated. I don't know if it's synthetic, even. And that's part of the frustration I have with "natural perfumery" at my amateur level. Consistency is difficult. But anyway, this bergamot from the mall smells really different from the bergamot essential oil that Profumo sent, which he says comes from "a tiny area of the Italian region of Calabria, by the seaside."

Profumo's bergamot oil: Sharp. Spicy. Almost-peppery. Citrus. It smells like Thai oranges -- called "som." Or that small orange used in Philippino cooking, and sometimes grown as a houseplant, called "calamansi." Are they the same thing, perhaps?

mall bergamot oil: Musty. I think there is some galbanum mixed into this. It's almost a soapy citrusy scent. I need to order more vials, but I want to send this off to someone else to compare with their own bergamot.

If I had to pick a bergamot to use in my own perfumes -- as in a perfume I were making by myself -- I'd much rather use Profumo's oil.

Edit: I am sure a similar quality of bergamot is used in Montana Parfum d'Homme (red box), which is why those first few minutes have me salivating on my own body parts.

[Aiona]

Another sample that Profumo sent is the civet tincture. Holey moley this stinks! And I thought it smelled bad from the outside of the vial! I should have sampled it *before* I showered. I smell like I rolled my arm in horse dung. Does Dzing! have civet? And how*ever* in the world is this note useful in perfumery????

[Asha]

Aiona, it must be natural civet since profumo makes all natural blends...can't wait to try it!

I am pretty sure Jicky uses synthetic civet which has a sort of combination mothball and urine smell to it. In small dosages, it really brightens a blend.

[Aiona]

Aiona, it must be natural civet since profumo makes all natural blends...can't wait to try it!

I forgot to mention that I mailed those packages off today. I hope they arrive by Saturday, but most likely, US Basenotes members will get them on Monday.

I am pretty sure Jicky uses synthetic civet which has a sort of combination mothball and urine smell to it. In small dosages, it really brightens a blend.

Another nice Basenotes member has shared some Jicky EdT with me. I must admit, there was a glue smell in the lemon. Perhaps that "glue" I'm smelling is the synthetic civet. I must go back and sniff again!

I made an embarrassingly long post about the karo karounde that Profumo sent, before I realized that it was not a perfume but an essential oil. Amazingly complex scent from that essential oil. I was unable to shower this morning due to being called to work before I expected. And so that karo karounde that I sampled the night before was still there. The drydown on that is. . . weirdly nice. Stinky, but nice. I can't quite explain it. Compelling scents!

Even this civet is starting to warm on me. I smell so stinky!

[Irina]

Hi everyone,

So sorry that I've been away here from so long
I've received a parcel today from Austria, I still have to find out from who that is

I hope to share my smell experiences soon but I had a cold for a while now and it's coming and going so my sense of smell is terrible right now

There was a question about Galbanum.

I've got some resin from a Dutch supplier and to me it smells very intense. I'm not sure how should I describe it: it's resinous, dark green, pine-y, sour, bitter, astringent.

[Aiona]

There was a question about Galbanum.

I've got some resin from a Dutch supplier and to me it smells very intense. I'm not sure how should I describe it: it's resinous, dark green, pine-y, sour, bitter, astringent.

That's how purplebird7's galbanum smelled. Very different from mine (obtained from unknown source) which was light, perfume-y, and soapy.

[purplebird7]

Well, Irina is going to receive a package with all of the sandalwoods, two galbanums, and the amber paste soon, because I just mailed it yesterday.
So, enjoy, and be enlightened.
Aiona I get the feeling that Profumo's samples are going to be extremely high-quality. He has access to some good sources, and we probably never will smell those animalics anywhere else--real musk, real civit, real castoreum.
(And, yes, Dzing was animalic to me. My cats, who are never interested in perfume, jumped into my lap and sniffed the vial when I opened it.)
We did smell real ambergris, though, from LIB. Because of that experience, just yesterday I positively identified it in L'Artisan Parfumer L'Eau d'Ambre. And you know what? It is a difficult note for me to enjoy unless it occurs under the radar. Same with civit and castoreum. They really have to be in discrete amounts. I deliberate over buying perfumes when they smell too dirty because I worry about how other people will react. I mean, we do have to live in society. And, dispite any claims I may make to the contrary, I do really care what other people think of me. LOL.

[tamora]

irina, you have now LIB´s package and sure all will be interested what you think of the many marvelous samples and of course of her creations, like the beastly jasmine!

LIB, with the same post i have sent you a package containing jillsy`s, indie_guy`s (his perfumes are simply wonderful!!!) and my own. the absolutes in my package are all from shiva exports india, this source has been discussed quite critical here on basenotes, i wonder what you do think of them. the chypre viennoise and the cabrutto are my first tries in creating something of my own. the bottle labeled lavandal is an essential lavender oil made by me and my friend with the plants of a little dalmatian island.

[Aiona]

a sort of combination mothball and urine smell to it. In small dosages, it really brightens a blend.

I don't think there is any other forum in the world where the words "mothball" and "urine" would be used in conjunction with "brightens."

Definitely sniffing Jicky again today.

[purplebird7]

What concentration of Jicky?
The parfum has the most civit.

[Lady_in_Black]

LIB, with the same post i have sent you a package containing jillsy`s, indie_guy`s (his perfumes are simply wonderful!!!) and my own. the absolutes in my package are all from shiva exports india, this source has been discussed quite critical here on basenotes, i wonder what you do think of them. the chypre viennoise and the cabrutto are my first tries in creating something of my own. the bottle labeled lavandal is an essential lavender oil made by me and my friend with the plants of a little dalmatian island.

Thank you, tamora, I didn't check in this w/e but I'm happy to report that your package arrived safely on Saturday as well
I had "almost" identified the contents of this treasure chest
Your own cerations and the absolutes you added to the package look absolutely interesting! I'll be back soon with my impressions.

[Aiona]

What concentration of Jicky?
The parfum has the most civit.

It's only the EdT, which I understand is not as heavy on the civet. (is it civit or civet?) I still haven't re-sniffed Jicky yet, because I was doing the Jean Claude Ellena thing today.

But I *did* do a little mixing on the skin. Couldn't help myself. Placed a dab of civet, mixed with the amber from Ruidoso. Maybe I'm just talking out of my boo-hiney, but it was like the amber got a kick in the pants with the civet. It projects more.

Am I just imagining it? Or does civet really do that?

[Irina]

Just wanted to let you know that PB's galbanum parcel arrived!!! THANK YOU!

Unfortunately I can't smell a thing atm cos I've still got that awful cold! I hope it will clear up soon so that I can share my notes here with you.

[purplebird7]

Irina, that certainly was fast international postal service.
Please wait until your cold is gone before testing. Those sandalwood samples are delicate, and you won't be able to pick up the nuances until your nose is functioning at 100%.
Aiona, The correction spelling is "civet." Sorry about my misspelling.
And yes, it does "bump up" the amber. Civet, ambergris, and other animalics are used as fixatives to make the other notes last longer, but they also aid in blending and intensifying the aromas.

[Aiona]

Aiona, The correction spelling is "civet." Sorry about my misspelling.
And yes, it does "bump up" the amber. Civet, ambergris, and other animalics are used as fixatives to make the other notes last longer, but they also aid in blending and intensifying the aromas.

I've done a couple of combinations so far with the civet, and it's really an odd thing.

Today it's civet + lavender, as recommended by Profumo/Salaam, although his actual recommendation was to spray it in bed, and I missed that part somehow.

Really changes/softens the civet. Not so poopy. I have yet to sample it on a coffee filter to see if it turns into some kind of floral. I'm really reluctant to sample it a lot for two reasons really:

1. It's stinky.
2. I feel a bit concerned about using it so blithely. I know it comes from an animal. And I'm as far from a vegetarian as one can possibly be. I love meat. But, I also know that this is some rare stuff I've got in my possession, and I feel that I've got to sample it when I can devote all my time to learning from it, as I doubt this kind of opportunity will come my way again.

Anyway, after this sampling series is over, I'd like to forward it to someone else in the group so that they can try it too. Are you going to be receiving civet in your samples from Quarry, purplebird? If you are, I could probably send the civet over to Irina, since she has the sandalwood as well!

we probably never will smell those animalics anywhere else--real musk, real civit, real castoreum.

Musk? Castoreum too? I really must read more carefully.

[Asha]

I am cross posting this from Profumo's thread--these are individual notes he sent for us to try.

Bergamot EO--much more fruity and green than other bergamot oils I have smelled. It is bitter, sharp and juicy, like a cross between grapefruit, lime and rosewood. It does not smell as much like Earl Gray tea as I expected, so the aromatic herbal quality I normally associate with bergamot is not as prominent here. As it dries down, it gets sharper and a tiny bit like lemony peppercorns (I think it is white pepper which has the lemon note). It also takes on a woody tone as some citruses seem to do in their drydown.

Civet--swings between smelling fecal and smelling like mothballs. I do not get any urine smell here as I do with the synthetic civet. I think natural civet is much more pleasing, however, I am really impressed that synthetic civet comes as close as it does to the natural scent. I recognize this scent very well from Jicky, and of the concentrations I've tried, the civet in Jicky extrait comes closest to smelling like this natural civet. In the drydown, it has a sweetness that is unexpected, but helps me see how this can blend so well in oriental bases that include sweet balsamic notes.

Karo Karounde--very, very overripe fruit at first, then it transitions into the smell of damp and slightly mildewed paper or cloth. It stays very sweet, even in the drydown and becomes more fruity in time. The fruit is mostly like stone fruits--peach, nectarine or apricot. I'd say it is very indolic, although it does not smell particularly floral to me, so I hesitate to compare it to other indolic florals such as jasmine.

[purplebird7]

Okay, since Asha cross-posted, I am going to do a synopsis of something I wrote today, too.
See entire thread at: http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=224091

"Thanks to abubakr al-misky I am smelling some of the finest natural essences, real ouds, the "liquid gold" of perfumery, plus some rare, natural animalics....

[Ouds] smell bitter, medicinal, and deeply woody, a bit smoky, and similar to a pile of aged oak mulch, as if wood resins are leaching out slowly in the sun. They are hot and bittersweet, and very strong.

Each one, from different countries of origin, smells slightly distinct from the others. Here are what I have smelled:

Cambodian Classic - Warm, a bit fecal, woody, hints of sawdust, with some sweetness in the drydown. Complex, deep, and medicinal.

Junnid Cambodian - Warm, less fecal, with some rubbery nuances, sweeter in the drydown. Hours later, the most dramatic development. Cinnamon undertones.

Indian Aged 10 Years - Also called "Hindi Assam Qasoosi Kadeem," which means the tree was 40-50 years old and the oud has been aged for a decade. Cooler, least fecal of all, most deeply woody, straightforward. The strongest and longest-lasting.

Vietnam - Warm, sweeter but less complex or strong as Cambodian.

Vietnam Wild - Herbal, not fecal, less bitter or woody, mildest with pleasant, sweet, green, haylike note. Hours later, fairly sweet and even a bit fruity or floral.

...There really isn't any synthetic substance that can replace this ingredient. It is too complicated to replicate in its entirety. Only fractions of this scent could be copied, and then, even the longevity or development would not match the actual substance.

One more special one here, my favorite, because it is a perfume composition, and very, very beautiful:

Dehn Misk Maliki Supreme - The meaning is "Oil of Kings Musk Supreme." Oud with some subtle floral and spice underpinnings. I can't describe this properly. Starts out smelling like woody oud, and then a dark, rosy floral creeps out, followed by spiciness similar to clove and other sweets. The whole fragrance is highly diffusive, bittersweet, and extremely pleasing, sensual, sexy, and mysterious. It is fabulous. Hours later, powdery, sweet, lovely. Is there white musk in the base? And maybe a touch of vanilla?

Now for the animalics:

Ambergris - Salty, dry, bitter, very diffusive, gradually sweetens. I didn't get much on myself, and it didn't last as long as I thought it would.

Musk, Red - Dry, unsweet, musty, pungent, powdery, bitter, dusty, leathery. This is not at all like synthetic musk. It is nowhere near as sweet, and it is much, much stronger. Hours later, sweeter and very complex. Sharper and more masculine than the white musk. As time passes, it just gets better and better.

Musk, White - Smooth, musty, powdery, starts out bitter and ends up sweet and leathery. Smells more like what we have grown accustomed to as "musk," and yet, it is so much more animalic than the synthetics we use. This is drier, and dirtier. Hours later, still sweetening and becoming powdery. This is very nice. Smells like perfume all by itself. Still later, smells very sweet and close to some synthetic musks. Now I see what chemists have tried to capture--it is the drydown phase, alone, of real musk. This is gorgeous."

I let my cats smell my arms, and they both started licking me. They have never done this before.

[Asha]

Natural Castoreum (from profumo.it, cross posted):

Urine, wet cardboard, feces at first. When it dries, it turns more sweet but has a slightly dry, astringent edge--gorgeous. Surprisingly, it has a similar antiseptic note to the synthetic castoreum I have smelled. Real castoreum smells much more floral to my nose, and the antiseptic note seems more herbal rather than like "band-aid". Later, it takes on more of the familiar leather quality I expected from the start, but at the same time has a sort of tropical flower quality to it. I wonder if Shalimar ever had real castoreum and civet in it?

[purplebird7]

I've been reading and enjoying the reviews on the La Via deI Profumo thread!
Asha, I don't know what samples I will get when it's my group's turn, but save yours, and we will swap.

I bet lots of older perfumes used to have real animalics in them. Usually, when I try a vintage perfume, I am impressed by the way women used to wear bolder fragrances than they do now. It seems incongruous, that we are "liberated" to express our opinions, conduct our love lives, and hold any type of job, but our perfumes are more careful and apologetic!

I think Paloma Picasso has synthetic castoreum.
Jicky parfum concentration has noticeable civit.
And Shalimar has a big, smoky note, maybe styrax.

[Irina]

Okay FINALLY My cold is really gone so I can smell again. I'm not a very elaborate writer I must say...

General question: what shall I do with all those samples?
Send them on? Add new ones?

FROM PURPLEBIRD
Galbanum Iran: the same as mine = resinous dark green pine sour bitter astringent

Galbanum mystery: fresh floral lily violet

Kuumba amber paste: warm honey and beeswax yummy

Rose India: fresh cut lemongrass rose

Sandalwood south plains: sweet vanilla orange very nice

Sandalwood eden botanicals: harsh rooty resin

Andrew's sandalwood: sweet woody

FROM TAMORA

Methyl Heptine Carbonate: 1% water fresh light floral violet cucumber

real ambergris tincture 1%: musky civet animal stinky

bergamot 10%: fresh citrus

benzoin tincture (siam): dark vanilla

birch leaf 1% woody smoky tobacco

lady in black's: beastly jasmine otb stinky feet? earthy dirt moldy decay, sorry but I had to rub this off

storax tincture: warm vanilla resin sweet

lady's in black's bad: chanel no 5 dupe: warm musk aldehyde citrus

myrrh tincture: warm woody resin

wormwood 1% artemisia absinthium: herbal spiciness a bit old?

ginger 10%: dry powder spicy warm harsh

rose damascene: wow sexy warm goodness, where is this from?

patchouli: moldy earthy dirt dark warm

vanilla: yummy sweetness

cedar: my favorite dry wood pencils

ylang ylang 10%: classic sexy scent this one is a bit plastic?

cassia 5%: wow heavy buttery cinnamon

bois de rose 10%: rosewood nice rosy but the alcohol overwhelms my nose

Cos of allergies I didn't try many directly on skin. I might though but I'll have to dilute them some more.

[purplebird7]

If nobody wants them, I'll take them!
The idea is to keep sending them on, so you could PM some of the people here who expressed an interest, but if they don't answer, send those little vials to me.

[Irina]

If nobody wants them, I'll take them!
The idea is to keep sending them on, so you could PM some of the people here who expressed an interest, but if they don't answer, send those little vials to me.

I'm sorry if I sound dumb
Which people?
In this thread? Or from the list I've received from Asha a while ago?

And which vials? The vials I got from you (sandalwood etc.)? The vials from Tamora (Lady in black perfumes)? Or the extra vials I wanted to send/add to the project?

Thank you so much!

[Asha]

Irina, I don't think Tamora's package made the rounds yet. There should have been a list inside, or a package of address labels. The only thing is that the newest people were not put in the packages since they came along later. I have not had Tamora's package either, but I still have one from whisperingleaves (yes, I've been bad). So yes, please send to somebody on the list who has not yet smelled Tamora's package.

But it sounds like there are 3 packages total, so unless purplebird thinks otherwise, my suggestion is to keep them separate.

[Irina]

I'm very confused now... I'll pm every member on the list that I've got from you and I'll take it from there.

[purplebird7]

Tamora's package should have labels inside with the names of the early participants who still need to receive it.
However, there may not be names of the new people in there yet.
They are: Indie Guy, Aiona, and you (Irina). So, add those names to the inside of Tamora's package.
Then pick one label to paste on the outside of the box, leave the rest of the lables inside the box, and send it on.
Same goes for any other samples you might receive.
If anyone starts to send something new around, please use the complete list that Asha compiled, with both old and new participants. I have that list, so PM if you need it.

[Irina]

Tamora's package should have labels inside with the names of the early participants who still need to receive it.
However, there may not be names of the new people in there yet.
They are: Indie Guy, Aiona, and you (Irina). So, add those names to the inside of Tamora's package.
Then pick one label to paste on the outside of the box, leave the rest of the lables inside the box, and send it on.
Same goes for any other samples you might receive.
If anyone starts to send something new around, please use the complete list that Asha compiled, with both old and new participants. I have that list, so PM if you need it.

Okay, the pm's I sent actually clarified things A LOT! I'd really recommend this for anyone that receives stuff: pm everyone on the list

It seems so far there is only 1 person on the list that hasn't received anything. The rest either already have received the ones I have or are in possession of other packages.

Tamora's package didn't contain addresses, only yours, Purplebird, did.

Anyways if I may suggest this:

I'll make just 1 parcel, I'll include a list of everything that contains. I'll add some aromachemicals and some of my own creations.

(Purplebird, I'll pm you bout your wishes and we'll figure something out, but it seems handy to keep that outside the loop cos I'm afraid it will get confusing)

I'll send this parcel to Jillsy, cos she hasn't received anything yet. Also I'll include a list of the other members with the new information I've received (who received what and who's next on the list).

[jillsy]

I'll send this parcel to Jillsy, cos she hasn't received anything yet. Also I'll include a list of the other members with the new information I've received (who received what and who's next on the list).

Oops, just to clarify - I received something last year and sent it on but I am not in posession of a package nor have received either of the 2 packages you mentioned. I'm an ESFP therefore I tend to "jump from thought to thought in mid-sentence, touching here or there in a manner that's almost incoherent to the listener"

[purplebird7]

I'm an ESFP

Hi. I'm an ENTJ. That makes our work styles quite different, doesn't it?
LOL
Jillsy needs another package! (I've got some store samples I can pass on to you, too, if you're interested. The Chanel rep at Von Mauer just showered me with them because we're friends now.)
Irina, I didn't realize that Tamora's package didn't have a set of labels. All of these swap packages should have a full list of them inside. That's why it was so confusing as to who had gotten it and who hadn't.
Will someone please put them in?

This thread is at 9,300 views. I will call upon each of you to be vigilant and PM our dear friend and comrade LIB when it reaches 10,000 in order to hold her to her promise to drench herself in pure civit or castoreum when it reaches the ten K mark.

Purplebird, so many views...isn't it wonderful? The moment it hits 10,000 I am going to wear diluted civet (reconst.) on its own ... no wait, make that castoreum (reconst.) - after all, I love leather

Lady goin' to be stinkin'!

[Irina]

My son is a bit better so I can post to Jillsy and Purplebird tomorrow!!!

I have a question (I'll cross post this in the DIY section)
I trying to identify specific notes in a blend so I can train my nose.
However I've came across some blends (with no label nor maker) that are totally puzzling me! Would anyone that's more experienced be willing to give me a hand?
I can send you some samples (for free of course) and you can tell me your impressions.
Please email me if you think you would like to help.
Thank you sooooo much!

[jillsy]

Hi. I'm an ENTJ. That makes our work styles quite different, doesn't it?

Ahh ENTJs are great - my mother and little sis are ENTJs.

Got the package from Irina yesters, unfortunately my nose has been a bit blocked on and off the past two days. I did manage to clear my nose and have a quick sniff - just when I thought I was sick of roses I smelled that rose oil from India... WHOA! That's gorgeous stuff! I'm loving it! It's not as heavy as the other roses I've smelled lately.

Will post the rest of my impression soon!

[purplebird7]

Irina, I suggest you post to the Female Fragrance thread. Someone will take you up on the offer. We have had people do that before.
Or you could ask one of the professional perfumers on Basenotes. Those people are really, really good at identifying ingredients.

[purplebird7]

Great news!
ECaruthers has made a wonderful suggestion--organizing the Note Identification reviews according to note.
This will yield a fabulous Note Identification Guide.
We are working on it right now.
The theory is this: By putting descriptions of aromas into words, especially descriptions by several different people, readers will be able to recognize and remember smells more easily. In other words, if people say, "this smells like..." other people, when they smell something, can understand and remember that aroma..
This is fabulous.
Anyway, there are 32 pages of reviews, so sit tight, and it will be forthcoming.
I leave this decision to you, [B]ECaruthers[/B--please decide how to post the document. I don't know if it should go on the thread as it is because it is so long. Maybe it would be possible to upload it for people to download. Your computer expertise is needed.
At any rate, thank you for your inspiration.
The project continues...
And we're almost at 10,000 views.
LIB get ready to smell skanky. Remember? You promised.

[Lady_in_Black]

GREAT idea!!!

Don't worry, I remember my promise and I've got my castoreum and civet reconsitutions all set and ready
Think I'll mix them with some jasmine eo and a bit of cade, just for the fun of it! Maybe also some pure oudh oil from Cambodgia...it smells like a pig farm. Oh my gosh, I'm going to stink to high heaven.....

[Haunani]

Great news! ECaruthers has made a wonderful suggestion--organizing the Note Identification reviews according to note. This will yield a fabulous Note Identification Guide...

What a fantastic resource that will be! A big thank you in advance to you, purplebird, and to you, ECaruthers!

[purplebird7]

I've done my document in Microsoft Word 97 so that everybody can open it, even if they have kludgy, outdated software like me.
ECaruthers is going to do something clever in Excel spreadsheet and a newer version of Word.
It's going to be fantastic. It's all arranged by categories of notes and grouped by each specific note.
Just you wait and see. All that good information has been cross-referenced.
It's an organizational freak's dream come true.
Thanks for the card, Hanunani.

[purplebird7]

Here it is, a complete list of all the Note Identification Project reviews organized by note.
It is too large to upload to this site, so I will provide a link.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/14761125/N...ectAll-Reviews

Thank you, ECaruthersfor the idea to organize all of this information into this useful guide. It needed to be done, and I never would have done it without your encouragement.
He is going to upload a few more documents soon in spreadsheet format.
So, look for those soon.

[Lady_in_Black]

Can I add my impressions on labdanum, pleeeease?

Labdanum Absolute #1, solvent extracted, origin Spain, source Eden Botanicals: intriguing...I eventually get to try the star of amber accords in so many fragrances. This one is pleasantly sweet, only moderately powdery, with a strong smell of pine wood, pine resin and slight incense.

Labdanum Absolute #2, solvent extracted, origin Spain, source Eden Botanicals: much sweeter and creamier than Labdanum #1, with an intense wine-y note. The smell of pine resin is more subdued.

Thank you, p-bird!

[purplebird7]

Okay, LIB. I'll make an exception for you. I've added them.
If someone else wants to start Part Two of this project, more reviews can go on a second document.

[purplebird7]

TA DAAAA!
That's it. We've passed 10,000 views.
And LIB's a stinky girl!
Thanks, everybody for your interest. I hope you like the note-by-note reviews.

[Haunani]

Thanks again for this wonderful resource. I just downloaded it and look forward to the reading.

[Nukapai]

Fabulous, thank you for providing this!

[purplebird7]

You're welcome.

[socalwoman]

Great work purplebird7, and everyone who contributed to this thread.

[tigrushka]

There's a brand new forum dedicated to the note discussion: http://community.basenotes.net/forumdisplay.php?f=107

[Asha]

If it's ok with purplebird--I think this thread should be moved to the new forum!

[castorpollux]

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if i can join in...
I got -a couple of years ago- a small bottle of Gardenia Absolut i bought in Grasse, possibly the most expensive absolut i have ever bought, made via enfleurage (it's not Benzil salicilate nor Syvertal -no chemicals) with the most fragrant gardenia flowers...
i know many still think gardenias don't yield oils (even some so called perfume journalists!) but they do.

cheers!