Synchronized Fridays 2012

[Foustie]

Well, I had to rifle the samples and I had a few choices. I have gone with Chanel Gardenia. Oh! What a strange fragrance, and I have some strange fragrances! It begins with an unexpected Lavender, a nice Lavender, but your nose and your bonce are so confused that it takes a second try while thinking "what is that"? (You know how that goes). Then you realise that it is actually a very true, and strong, Lavender. Then there is a phase that smells like Barbie dolls with sweeties, then another phase that surprised me again because I am catching whiffs of a sort of rubbery vanilla which is quite reminiscent of Bulgari Black. Ooooooo. How odd. Worth much more than one star just for the ride. Weird.

Edit, 20:40pm. Well I was so bamboozled by my Lavender Gardenia that I tried it again. Still Lavender, then Eureka! the penny dropped, and I checked. It is a Jersey sample in a Gardenia sleeve. So , apologies, and welcome to a brief review of Jersey!

[Foustie]

I have a decant of Chanel Gardenia that Mimi Gardenia sent me a while back. Maybe I'll wear that. It doesn't smell like gardenia, but it's very pretty and it's the kind of thing I enjoy lately. I actually agree with many of their opinions, though not all. I love Champs Elysees and Vera Wang Princess. If I had either of those I'd wear it.

Something odd seems to have happened and I missed a chunk of posts which I have just seen. Oh go on Lilybelle, if I am not too late, try the Gardenia! I smelled it on a friend and it smelled pretty, pretty and green and she suited it, but aas you will see, something entirely different happened today!! All good stuff.

[Foustie]

^^^oh, I have MANY for that one, but I don't think anything (i have) can really beat Cotton Candy Fantasy Body Mist though..

Woohoo. Eeek!

[mumsy]

That Cotton candy name and the packet being so pink, was so gross that I had to spray some in the store. Sweeeeteeeeee. Good gracious I fell in the sugar tin.

[fragranceman88]

Hello ladies, my part in this weeks sync is Original Santal - I can't understand why LT doesn't like this one. I've come to the conclusion the he doesn't know what he is talking about

[Foustie]

Purple Fantasy: Guerlain

I am with the 1-star on this and I am not neing a star-snob because going by the list very kindly transcribed by bonsai and comparing to my wardrobe past and present 'I have no taste!'

Ha Ha. Au Contraire! You have impeccable taste, as do Mimi and boowyrmsmith! You are all five star gals!

Shall we invite Luca Turin and Tanya Sanchez? I bet you they are here. I really like the book actually. I have both versions, you know, when they updated it? My copies are covered in scribbles and notes. I agree, I disagree. I also learn just like I do here!

I am loving this synch....good job it is my day off! See you again later.

Hello fragranceman888. How nice to see you here!

[Guest 3]

Foustie, I just spritzed on some Chanel Gardenia, but I don't think I get lavender. Though I'm suggestible enough, that I thought "hmm...there is a slight whiff of lavender in there", but it passed quickly. Mostly, I get green green green jasmine, a little creamy orange blossom (?), and no gardenia at all. LT says, "a thoroughly unpleasant, loud airport-toilet floral". Good lord, it isn't that bad! Or else he uses more swanky airport toilets than I ever have (probably does!). But you know...it does smell a bit like a thoroughly pleasant sort of floral fragrance you'd buy in a gift/souvenir shop somewhere nice. When you visit plantations in the deep south, for example, they often sell fragrances and soaps and all these frilly things in the gift shop. I can see this scent being one of those. In that sense it doesn't smell *Chanel*. Well that's ok, I like it just fine for a warm sunny day (85 F today!).

[PerfumedLady]

Well done you! Gabe you are so great. You do realise that you have managed all of the synchs so far! You are our hero. We love ya! Don't we girls?

Yes, we do! Gabe is the Sync Friday Man! Good job!

This sync is just awesome- whwend really learned something, found a scent to agree with The Guide about! And Alityke finding a new love by syncing on the wrong day! See, we do learn; it's just with a lot of hilarity involved!

Re: my thoughts on The Guide- I agree with Knit, it's a really fun read. No, don't agree with all or even most of what they say but love the writing style. I find it very handy to have downloaded into my Kindle to take shopping with me. I have it riddled with highlights on scents I want to try, many of those are 3 stars or lower. I do think only testing on paper takes away from their credibility somewhat. When I agree with the book, I really agree and when I don't, I wonder if we're even smelling the same scent (that happens for me particularly with Mr. Turin's perceptions). Which leads me to:

Champs Elysees- From the get-go, Turin's two word description, "flourescent floral" made me think, "WHAT?!". This dainty little thing is not flourescent to my mind at all. They are very hard on this one; almost like they take it personally that Guerlain had the nerve to release a scent they don't like. Still like reading it, just as I enjoy reading all of your opinions. This is why I joined a perfume community in the first place, I love all the opinionated folks it gathers together. I guarantee if one of you writes a book of perfume critique, I'll jump at the chance to buy & read that, too- even if it slams every scent I love!

Oh, forgot to add I could have worn Eau de Shalimar. Don't even get me started.

[devilcat]

Well, I was unjustified in dissing Fig Tea as unlikely to stick around - it was still lingering 10 hours later. Nevertheless, I have blasted it out of the water with my only 1* full bottle - Amarige. This is an old bottle from when it first came out, and I don't know if it has changed since, but this is heavy, heady, potent, floral stuff. Having applied only a single spray I went outside. My husband, standing about 15 feet away, calls out, 'You're wearing Amarige'. RESULT! I can add it to the list of frags he recognises (making three - Hypnotic Poison and Ormonde Woman being the other two). This isn't 1* - although apart from calling it 'loathsome' The Guide's description is spot-on.

[cestrum nocturnum]

What a fun sync today! I also have a number of * frags on the list, lol! Of those that I have, I really like Champs Elysees and wear it quite a bit. I also laughed at the description in The Guide, especially regarding the "intended audience of trashy teens in the Far East," so I am stinking like "the nightclubs of Macau" today in Champs Elysees!

Oh, and I need to find Chanel Gardenia now!

[kumquat]

For what it's worth; I also like Armani Code and D&G Light Blue. Light Blue was one of my first favorites when I started on BN.

[Guest 3]

Kumquat, I love D&G Light Blue! I also love Moschino I Love Love, which is similar.

Here's to Gabe! It's nice to have a gentleman syncher with us.

I've been sort of love/hate with Chanel Gardénia today. I took a second big blasty spray of it, and it was hate for a while (too near my face), but now it has calmed down and it is love. ♥ ♥ ♥ The drydown is lovely. I keep getting a faint impression of violets (?). I think LT must have sprayed too much too near his face. Nobody could possibly dislike what I'm smelling now.

[Nuria G]

Hi,

I have chosen Cartier Must today.

[Fleurine]

Cotton Candy Fantasy by Body Fantasies is a classic stripper scent. . .

[Foustie]

LILYBELLE! YOOHOOOOO!

Ha! I reapplied Chanel Gardenia too, and again I got a very realistic, really nice LAVENDER. A definate, unmistakeable, true, purple, Lavender! I was so puzzled because it is sooooo apparent that there is no way that no one else would comment. Then I clicked! I thought this is not Gardenia, it is................and I checked my sample and it is..........JERSEY in a Gardenia sleeve!! I told you "Gardenia" was Lavender!! No wonder you seemed puzzled! Didn't I say that I had smelled it on my friend and it was pretty? Ha ha. I am a dunderheid!

[Guest 3]

Well then, mystery cleared up, Foustie! You had me smelling lavender there for a second, so I'm the real dunderheed! Lol!

[Klute]

So, I'm wearing Miel de Bois today....I tried this about a year ago and I have quite conflicting feelings about this. I love the honey note (to me it is more beeswax), but I don't like the barnyard/cat pee thing going on there, I don't think it compliments the honey. To me, the honey is so syrupy it would be better to alleviate it a bit with something fresh. But this scent makes me feel sticky, like I've covered myself in that stuff they use in waxing studios. Or like I'm a fly trapped in a carnivorous plant, my feet sticking to the leaf and I can't get away...AAARRRGGGHHH! This the only fragrance I can think of that actually evokes a feeling of texture in me - but not in good way.

EDIT: I just let my DH smell my wrist. He gasped with disgust and said: "There's just one word to describe this: No."

[Klute]

How about a synch of "the most complex scent you own" and right before or after "the most linear or simple fragrance you own"?

[donna255]

Next Friday I have no idea????? Tips please.

[Klute]

I am thinking of wearing "Let me play the Lion", because it smells of sawdust and that somethow makes me think of the Wild West. I guess raw leather scents would also be suitable.

[Klute]

I have some more ideas for synchs:

How about four consecutive "four elements" synchs? Scents you associate with Fire, Water, Air, the Earth.

Or a synch for your most abstract, "artificial" scent and one for your most concrete, life-like scent?

[Klute]

double post

[bonsai]

I have some more ideas for synchs:

How about four consecutive "four elements" synchs? Scents you associate with Fire, Water, Air, the Earth.

Or a synch for your most abstract, "artificial" scent and one for your most concrete, life-like scent?

Thank you for all the sync ideas! I have added the "four elements" to the list. However, there's only one last Friday open (our one but last sync of 2012) so I could not add the rest (since they would be more fun to keep in pairs as you suggested). But let's remember them for next year - we'll need lots of ideas to fill up 2013!

[devilcat]

I am thinking of wearing "Let me play the Lion", because it smells of sawdust and that somethow makes me think of the Wild West. I guess raw leather scents would also be suitable.

Yes, I was thinking leather. Or maybe woody, smokey 'campfire' sniffs. I'll probably go with Calamity J, just for the name

[Klute]

Thank you for all the sync ideas! I have added the "four elements" to the list. However, there's only one last Friday open (our one but last sync of 2012) so I could not add the rest (since they would be more fun to keep in pairs as you suggested). But let's remember them for next year - we'll need lots of ideas to fill up 2013!

That's true, I'll start racking my brain for 2013. This thread is so much fun! It has really added to my perfume experience!

[mumsy]

I am thinking of wearing "Let me play the Lion", because it smells of sawdust and that somethow makes me think of the Wild West. I guess raw leather scents would also be suitable.

I can do that one too. I'll have a rummage and see what else. I used to have an Avon in the shape of a pistol... lol

[PerfumedLady]

Tough one for me this week, too. I'm afraid my wardrobe isn't very well- traveled. It likes to go to Paris or the Orient every time it gets a vacation! Do have a sample of Tam Dao, which is nothing but cedar on me. Guess I could do the "sawdust theme". Hopefully will come up with something that excites me more, though. Need some Lady Stetson for this!

[mumsy]

Lets have a olfactory brainstorm about wild west without a perfume in mind...

heat, dust, horses, gunpowder, late night around a fire (could be CB's burning leaves?), a bar full of sweaty men and boozy notes (steady on), dancing ladies on a sawdust stage, woods... what else. I know these are a bit corny.

[kumquat]

Have we ever done one about scents you started out disliking, or were unimpressed with, then decided you really loved later on? Call them 180 degree frags. I didn't like Iris Silver Mist at first or Ormonde Jayne Woman or Montale Black Aoud, to name a few on which I did complete turn-arounds.

[Guest 3]

Lets have a olfactory brainstorm about wild west without a perfume in mind...

heat, dust, horses, gunpowder, late night around a fire (could be CB's burning leaves?), a bar full of sweaty men and boozy notes (steady on), dancing ladies on a sawdust stage, woods... what else. I know these are a bit corny.

I can see all of these, esp. the smoke from a wood fire, open skies, night stars, wild sage, pine and cedar resins, hemp rope, barnyardy odors, leather, bleached cotton, scented face powder for the dancing ladies, tobacco. You could even go Asian if you like, David Carradine/Kung Fu in the wild west, incense and tea, the traveling magic show (snake oil salesman), gunpowder.