Synchronized Fridays 2023

[CeeTee]

Well, it looks like I have 6 decants and 2 FB of meh, per L.T. and T.S.
Guerlain’s Neroli Outrenoir and Jardín Sur le Nil.
Since I really like those two, I may wear my decant of Woman in Gold, By Killian.
Still some time to decide.
Meh!

 

[JoM68]

In sync with Jacques Fath's L'Oree du Bois. Second wear of this and I like it. Nice woody scent that won't scare the horses.

Edit: And just realised I'm a day ahead of myself. Oh well, maybe I'll go for something different tomorrow.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I suppose they are softer versions of turds in Luca Turin's eyes?

I'm not exactly sure if softer turd is actually a better version of it.

Tristarrhea is definitely difficult to clean out of a quality collection!

 

[MistaPanda]

I haven't been able to locate Vetiver Oriental unfortunately... but I apparently own plenty of other "meh-diocre" fragrances ! 😁

> APOM Homme (MFK) // civet neroli
> Allure Homme Edition Blanche (Chanel) // sandalwood crab - apple
> Autoportrait (Olfactive Studio) // lemon ginger
> Chambre Noire (Olfactive Studio) // violet amber
> Eau Sauvage Parfum (Dior) // woody citrus
> Acqua di Parma (Acqua di Parma) // floral cologne
> Ambre Narguilé (Hermès) // dried fruit
> Pour Homme (Dolce & Gabbana) // complex oriental
> Eau de Parfum (Gucci) // indole oriental
> Molecule 01 (Escentric Molecules) // woody amber
> Oud Wood (Tom Ford) // fresh woody
> Tam Dao (Diptyque) // wood furniture
> Still Life in Rio (Olfactive Studio) // lemon ginger
> Wood Infusion (Goldfield & Banks) // orange woody
> Acqua di Gio (Armani) // citrus rosemary
> Vetiver Babylone (Armani) // woody citrus
> Guilty Pour Homme Absolute (Gucci) // woody smoky
> Musc Intense (Nicolaï) // rose pear

I also have a few samples with me at the moment :

> Ombre Indigo (Olfactive Studio) // saffron Incense
> Flash back (Olfactive Studio) // lemon ginger
> Blenheim Bouquet (Penhaligon’s) // citrus spicy

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

In have dozens of these things! This could be a chance to bring out some rarely worn stuff. I'll have to see what sounds good on Friday.

 

[NabiE]

Pre-syncing again, this time in Louanges Profanes by Parfumerie Generale, a "sweet floral", according to the Guide 2008. Again, I can see why this got "only" three stars: BN reviewer @gimmegreen described it as "both charming and banal", which I agree on completely. Orange blossom and benzoin are the main players here and the outcome is a lovely, powdery-sweet cocoon which manages to convey an idea of both innocence and womanliness.

 

[fanny]

Ample choice:

List from 2018
Amber Absolutely (Fort & Manle) plum rose
APOM pour Femme (Maison Francis Kurkdjian): neroli musk
Camélia Intrépide (Atelier Cologne): leather violets (on my to sell list, indeed)
Lavande 44 (Rania J.): sweet lavender
Musk Oud (Kilian): woody musky
Opus VIII (Amouage): woody amber
Oud Silk Mood (Maison Francis Kurkdjian): wood rose
Songe d’un Bois d’Eté (Guerlain): myrrh patchouli

From my decants there were too many to mention, but I'd like to make an exception for the wonderful
Oud Shamash (The Different Company): woody oriental

List from 2008
Amazone – Hermes : woody floral
Black Orhid – Tom Ford : cucumber chocolate
Bois d’Paradis – Parfums DelRae : berry sandalwood
Cedre – Serge Lutens : sweetened tuberose.............................I'm getting annoyed here.....!
Cuir Mauresque – Serge Lutens : sweet leather
Elixir des Merveilles – Hermes : orange chypre
Enslaved – Roja Dove : vetiver heliotropin
Une Folie de Rose – Parfums de Rosine : aldehydic chypre
Genie des Bois – Keiko Mercheri : green woody
Hammam Bouquet – Penhaligon’s : woody floral
L’Inspiratrice – Divine: buttery floral ----------------------(is being sent to me as we speak)
L’Ombre dans l’Eau – Lancome: fruity green
L’Or de Torrente – Torrente : Campari vermouth
Oud Wood – Tom Ford : fresh woody
Putain des Places – Etat Libre d’Orange : floral leather
Sublime – Jean Patou : vetiver amber
Vanille Fields – Coty : suntan floral

From many decants:
Imperial Opopanax – Les Nereides : sweet fougere
Iris Ganache – Guerlain : iris amber
Unspoken – Roja Dove : patchouli floral

 

[Puma]

Just noticed that today I unintentionally pre-synced with SUBLIME by Jean Patou, vetiver amber according to LT.

From LT's three-star 2008 list I found quite a few in my collection, most of which I don't find mediocre. Very often I disagree with what LT pretends to smell.

Allure Sensuelle by Chanel (sample; I don't like it)
Balmain de Balmain (beautifully green chypre)
L'Eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake
Extravagance d'Amarige by Givenchy (love it for the tagete in the top notes)
Fleurissimo by Creed (love it; fresh floral)
Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron
Fleurs d'Oranger by Serge Lutens
Gomma by Etro (strong leather)
Hanae Mori Eau Fraîche (gourmand, not fresh)
Infini by Caron
Jasmin de Nuit by The Different Company (spicy floral)
Un Jardin sur le Nil by Hermès (my most-worn scent in the gym)
Patchouly by Etro (where is the cloud?)
Prada Prada(Amber) (love it)
Rose Poivrée by The Different Company (other than LT, I don't get any fruitiness)
Sublime by Jean Patou
Tabu by Dana (cheap oriental, would award it one star at the most)
Vent Vert by Balmain
Ysatis by Givenchy.

Will decide tomorrow what to wear for the sync.

 

[Shycat]

I have 20 *** I think I'll go with En Passant, but you never know when some bit of MEH will reach out a grab you.

 

[Schubertian]

Rejoining the sync now I've resurfaced on the other side of my move (though still in recovery mode).

Are you excited for the MEH DAY? You shouldn't be.

I had a few options for this one:

• Jolie Madame. Green violet.
• Diaghilev. Woody chypre.
• Rahele. Resinous rose.
• Un air d’apogee. Mimosa leather.
• Pourpre d’automne. Iris rose.

None of these are "meh" at all to me! But I think it'll be Rahele tomorrow.

 

[sagebrush]

I could spend the entire weekend in the Land of Meh, and on into next week, since Turin is lukewarm about Etro Gomma (sweet leather ? the opening is dryly aromatic, and the drydown is no more ambery than many leathers) - perfect for a Saturday at home; and I might give my sample of Parfum d'Empire Eau de Gloire (citrus incense) a spin on Sunday, and hope it's not too loud (in-person, workshop).

Will save GGA (woody smoky) for Monday. Nuff said.

 

[ChypreInBloom]

Just noticed that today I unintentionally pre-synced with SUBLIME by Jean Patou, vetiver amber according to LT.
View attachment 323022
From LT's three-star 2008 list I found quite a few in my collection, most of which I don't find mediocre. Very often I disagree with what LT pretends to smell.

Allure Sensuelle by Chanel (sample; I don't like it)
Balmain de Balmain (beautifully green chypre)
L'Eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake
Extravagance d'Amarige by Givenchy (love it for the tagete in the top notes)
Fleurissimo by Creed (love it; fresh floral)
Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron
Fleurs d'Oranger by Serge Lutens
Gomma by Etro (strong leather)
Hanae Mori Eau Fraîche (gourmand, not fresh)
Infini by Caron
Jasmin de Nuit by The Different Company (spicy floral)
Un Jardin sur le Nil by Hermès (my most-worn scent in the gym)
Patchouly by Etro (where is the cloud?)
Prada Prada(Amber) (love it)
Rose Poivrée by The Different Company (other than LT, I don't get any fruitiness)
Sublime by Jean Patou
Tabu by Dana (cheap oriental, would award it one star at the most)
Vent Vert by Balmain
Ysatis by Givenchy.

Will decide tomorrow what to wear for the sync.

Just like you, I just fail to understand why Luca Turin would place Vent Vert and Ysatis in an only-three-stars list. Or Balmain from Balmain. Or Allure Sensuelle (oh okay, this one is debatable, although I love it). Or Caron's Fleurs de Rocaille (Fleurs, not Fleur). Among others.
Being away for a holiday, I'll be syncing with Allure Sensuelle by the way 😄

 

[CuddleCat]

I had several choices but we are in the middle of a heatwave here (39C today so over 100F) and the one that is very wearable in this weather is Tam Dao EDT by Diptyque. Yes, it is fairly linear but it's so calming, peaceful and tranquil. If I'm stressed, I can feel the tension easing when I spritz this on. I feel like I'm walking around on a constant cloud of blissful calm when I wear this scent. Plus, it is an excellent layering scent as well. My current favourite combo is Eau Rose and Tam Dao for a beautiful rose and sandalwood aroma and I really want to try a Tam Dao/Gardenia Petale (VC&A) combo - I'm just waiting for the temps to cool down a bit first before giving it a go!

 

[Blue_Eyez]

Outraged!🤣 A wardrobe full of mediocre 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ frags. Quelle horreur!

Most of Byredo fragrances marked as 3⭐️ in the guide. For me these fragrances are fun and modern. There are days for vintage Caron and days for Byredo and alike. Today I am in Blanche

 

[CookBot]

"meh-diocre" fragrances

New name for this sync!

In have dozens of these things! This could be a chance to bring out some rarely worn stuff. I'll have to see what sounds good on Friday.

That surprises me. I didn't think LT and TS usually reviewed Bed Bath & Beyond scents. 😘

Well, at least Fanny, Puma, and Shycat have made me feel less deflated about the depth of my mediocrity. Not including samples, I have a full twenty to choose from. Surprisingly, my ratings more often than not agreed with theirs, which tells me there's a lot of dross in my cabinet that could be pruned.

Amazone 3 Balmain de Balmain 4 Bois de Farine 3 Boucheron pour homme 4 Caleche 3 Eau du Sud 5 Femme Rochas (modern) 3 Iskander 5 Jolie Madame 3

Tam Dao 4 Tea For Two 4 Ysatis 3 Ambergreen 3 Corsica Furiosa 5 Eau de Rhubarb Ecarlate 3 MOUSSE II 3 Peau de Soie 2 Les Nuits de Hadrien 3

At the moment I'm feeling inclined toward Boucheron, but CuddleCat is making me contemplate Tam Dao. I'll see how I feel when I wake up.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

I'm going with Terre d'Hermes - I thought this was well made, I don't understand Luca's reasoning.

 

[teardrop]

l've gone with Putain des Palaces for today. Described simply as "floral leather", this delightful, if mis-named, blend of violets & labdanum is a perfect breath of early springtime.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Like @N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer, I scratch my head at 3 stars for Terre d'Hermes, but so be it - Luca perhaps didn't think it was that original, and he's very big on originality.

In an opposite way, I was surprised that the oft-BN-ridiculed Ralph Lauren Polo Explorer got 3 stars. However, it was Tania who rated it, and that makes more sense. She literally called it out as a sort of "obligatory meh" with her review:

"I have an endless supply of gray skirts, black T-shirts, blue jeans, taupe eyeshadows, and red lipsticks because they're so standard they inspire a sort of "oh, I need one of those" mindlessness in shops. Middle-of-the-road masculines like Explorer are designed on the black T-shirt principle: they hope you won't remember you have five just like it." TS

I bought this while I was on a road trip with my wife, early in my fragrance hobby, and I have great memories of it. But there is more to my respect than just that.

The guide's assessment of "green woody" is spot on - that is exactly what attracted me to it. In some ways, it apes the original Polo formula in a very durable, synthetic way. It was supposed to be more modern - strong yet subdued - and that's exactly what it is. The scent has not changed a bit since I bought it. This stuff will likely smell exactly like it does now, decades from now.

The fact is, I love this one, but tire of it quickly (as in, wear it once, and I'm done for a year). I just felt the urge hit me again, now.

The canteen bottle is goofy, it never sold, and now it's gone full disco. Prices for bottles are insane. I'm quite happy to wear it once a year, which should make my bottle last longer than me!

 

[JON RODGERS]

It appears that I have plenty of mediocrity in my wardrobe so there are a multitude of options this week

Jo Malone - Black Vetyver Cafe.

 

[Puma]

Going with Rose Poivrée by The Different Company, perfumer is Jean-Claude Ellena