What did you try today? (2023)

[hollywoodforever]

Aqua Media Cologne Forte by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Pleasant and soapy with some green elements. Fresh without being citrus-y, with a green tea feeling from start to finish. AMCF's clean laundry musk base reminds me of CK One, or one of its summer flankers, but elevated and longer lasting. I would actually love the idea of a new, limited edition "cologne forte" flanker each summer... 3.5/5

I wore this again and thoroughly enjoyed it. Up close, nose to skin, it's very "meh." But as I was driving around, getting blasted by the recycled air in my car, Aqua Media is a beautiful sweet green tea scent in the air. I still won't buy it, but I am upgrading it to a 4/5.

 

[hednic]

I tried a sample of Oud Island by Montale nrought to me from abroad which I thought was lovely.

 

[hollywoodforever]

Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir

Smells like an iris I would really like, but I detected a very literal cigarette ash accord that I couldn't unsmell, which ruined it for me. I would still like to try Corpus Equus from this house.

 

[cheapimitation]

Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir

Smells like an iris I would really like, but I detected a very literal cigarette ash accord that I couldn't unsmell, which ruined it for me. I would still like to try Corpus Equus from this house.

Yea I had a similar experience, the ashy aspect was too realistic for me and ruined an otherwise beautiful iris accord.

 

[PStoller]

Christèle Jacquemin - Memory Lane (no photo: looks the same as all the other samples)

…inspired by photographs I took in Valliguières, a village in Southern France where I lived until 16. I walk away early hoping to be reborn different elsewhere. After more than 30 years of avoidance behavior, it became clear that the only way to end up with my old ghosts was to face them.

After these few decades, I translated into scent the mixed feeling of my childhood.

The fragrance invites to get to the root, break free from demons and follow the route, reassured.

Jacquemin's gotten recognition for Memory Lane from Fragrantica and ÇaFleureBon, and I can see why: it's a smooth blend of floral, incense, herbal, and gourmand notes. Alas, it's the last bit that rubs against my tastes: I just can't get past the meringue accord and vanilla base, which define the scent far more than the incense and herbs do, even if the net result is hardly as sweet as most girly designer fare. As I'm not a Dead Head, the whole "sugar magnolia" thing is lost on me. However, if a sweet magnolia scent sounds like your idea of heaven, give this a try.

 

[hednic]

I tried Oud Island by Montale and loved it.

 

[JakeStiebs]

My first Avon, not too bad! I definitely get a lot of pear.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Epic Man. Couldn't get past the gross opening notes of stale deli meats. You know, the vegan ones, made out of soy, after they've been left out of their package at the back of the crisper, and found curled up in a foetal position in the last stages of dehydration.

 

[hollywoodforever]

Dunhuang (敦煌) by Parfum Prissana

A pleasant but very animalic osmanthus chypre-y affair. Particularly nice are some of the fruity aspects, which include plum, tangerine, and kumquat. The osmanthus here was buttery rich, and in combination with the civet, there were moments when the whole perfume felt a little overripe. Not an easy wear, I don't think, but nice to sample it. 3.5/5

As an aside, I do feel like perfumes with a "Chinese" theme that just end up being variations on osmanthus are getting a little stale.

 

[PStoller]

Christèle Jacquemin - Slow Life

…inspired by photographs I took in Okubo, an isolated hamlet in the Japanese Alps where I stayed a month in a traditional house converted into artists' residence. After months of frenzy, I was catapulted overnight in a slowness that made me lose ground under my feet.

Back in France, I translated into scent the loss of bearings in a green environment from which I learned the language.

This fragrance invites you to get away from haste and to tune in to the surroundings.

Slow Life is all about the jasmine, augmented by spicy spikenard, herby guava leaf, sandy(?) sandalwood, and some imperceptible-to-me sesame. As I’m not a great lover of jasmine as a primary note, it’s not for me, but it’s quality stuff, so it’s recommended for jasminophiles.

 

[Schubertian]

Hedonik Divine Perversion. A lot of realistic leather, plus sweet fruit. Nicely done but not for me.
Hedonik Obsessive Devotion. This I like more, smells chypre-y and interesting. Want to smell more.
Hiram Green Vetiver. Oh no, I don't know what happened but this just smelled dirty-earthy. I didn't get citrus or ginger.
Oriza L Legrand Marions-Nous. Vintagey floral, not unpleasant but no wish to explore further.
Oriza L Jardins d'Armide. Ah no, too much powder.
Jusbox Visionary Eye. I really disliked this, not that it smelled bad but just too boring and encapsulates a certain perfumery trend I dislike. Very powdery, clean musk, lots of projection. The subtle delights of this perfume so hyped in reviews just escape me. And it's a Ropion...

 

[cheapimitation]

Affinessence Patchouli Oud
The first real dud from the sample set as far as I'm concerned. It reminds me a lot of the "oud" accord in FM Promise, a harsh smokey bitter take on oud that I don't appreciate. It doesn't smell particularly natural or complex but it also doesn't smell overly generic like the smooth synthetic designer oud accord that is used so often. This has more character and bite than that, but for my taste that's not a positive. The patchouli comes out more after a few hours but it is of the dry/scratchy variety. I like it more at this stage but it's still not my favorite smell.

Fans of aggressively smokey dark fragrances like Promise or Rien should try this.

 

[hednic]

I tried Suncrest by Ulirch Lang which I found OK but nothing special.

 

[PStoller]

Christèle Jacquemin - Underworld

…inspired by photographs I took during frequent trips between Barcelona where I resided and Paris where I studied perfumery. I left seventeen years of my life behind me. The Murcia chapter, a city in Southern Spain, was coming to an end. A new chapter was in the making, between shadows and lights.

After these few months, I worked to translate this feeling of intertwined fears and hopes into a scent.

The fragrance invites to let go, get out of one's cave and enter light.

I’m not sure why this is called Underworld, other than that tuberose is my own personal Hell. Alas, despite a small spice cabinet of auxiliary notes, this is really all about tuberose, abetted by mimosa and patchouli. So, not for me, but if you’re in the market for a spicy tuberose, Jacquemin’s penchant for quality naturals and tasteful blending should at least pique your interest in Underworld.

Out of six Christèle Jacquemin samples, I’ve got three potential full bottles, and the passes are due to primary notes I don’t love rather than any fault in the perfumery. The only Jacquemin I have yet to try is Impermanence, which looks to be my sort of thing, so if I order a bottle of anything else from her, I’ll be sure to score a sample of that one as well. I look forward to more issues from this house!

 

[davidcalgary29]

Byredo Bal d'Afrique: it's a tropical vanishing act! I gave my hand three spritzes at lunchtime...and two hours later, it's completely faded from my skin. Flanker From Another Mother "Tales from Zanzibar" is louder but has much better longevity, so this sample, sadly, will not lead to a bottle purchase.

 

[cheapimitation]

Continuing the Affinessence discovery set with Santal Basmati. My wallet is relieved I found another one I don't like!

I used to wonder with Santal 33 "where's the sandalwood?" but as I've smelled more and more fragrances with sandalwood in their name I keep coming across this similar accord. This doesn't smell like Santal 33 but this feels like it's in the same family of sandalwood accords.

I'm also starting to feel like I have no idea what sandalwood is really supposed to smell like and whether or not I even like it. There's Chanel Bois des Isles which goes into spiced gingerbread territory, Villoresi Sandalo which smells like old libraries and old books, the Le Labo santal always reminds me of wax or varnish on old wood with a rubbery texture (rubbery woods??), then there's the green milky sandalwood of Hermes Santal Massaoi which is really a fig fragrance in woody drag. I'm also realizing this smell is the culprit in the base of a whole load of indie/artisanal perfumes I've smelled that dry down to a weak dank dusty woody smell. Ham-fisted sandalwood base, the mark of amateur perfumery (cue Hans Hendley weeping softly into a vat of mysore).

Anyway, I don't like this. The more I smell it the more I think it is like Santal 33 with much fewer notes, maybe Santal 11.

Aha but there is one more in my fragrance memory this triggers: Providence Perfume Company Vientiane. It even has the same concept of connecting a rice note to sandalwood, except Vientiane is gorgeous and everything Santal Basmati wishes it could be (complex, layered, full of contrast, natural smelling).

I don't really understand why this has been the breakout hit of the line. But if you like Santal Basmati, I urge you to go try Vientiane and support a small perfume company!

 

[hednic]

I tried Charme by La Manufacture which I loved.

 

[Toxicon]

Not sure how it happened, but we started receiving issues of Vogue in the mail, without having subscribed. A new one arrived today, and I was flipping through looking at pictures over breakfast, when I saw they had one of those perfume tester flaps... for Acqua di Gio Eau de Parfum (2022), of all things.

My step dad wore the original AdG EDT when it came out, and I always thought it worked well on him; he was a professional diver in his younger years, and the aquatic vibe seemed like a perfect fit. At the same time, I never really liked the way it sat on my skin, at least not back then. (I was content with Polo Sport at the time.) The later flankers never really appealed to me either, especially the latter-day "blue" adaptations, and that was that for me and the AdG line. Not my style.

So it was strange when I peeled back the flap and found the AdG EDP rather nice, even compelling? It's hard to gauge from a magazine paper strip, but it seemed greener than I remember the original being (not a bad thing), with a bit of lavender (also nice in this context), and none of the blue dreck I was fearing. Not sweet, just aromatic, with a well-heeled take on the core marine top notes. It just seemed like an exceedingly pleasant, wearable masculine scent? I hardly ever sample these types of mainstream flankers, but I'm tempted to track down a proper spray sample just to see how it wears.

 

[Pippin06]

Not sure how it happened, but we started receiving issues of Vogue in the mail, without having subscribed. A new one arrived today, and I was flipping through looking at pictures over breakfast, when I saw they had one of those perfume tester flaps... for Acqua di Gio Eau de Parfum (2022), of all things.

My step dad wore the original AdG EDT when it came out, and I always thought it worked well on him; he was a professional diver in his younger years, and the aquatic vibe seemed like a perfect fit. At the same time, I never really liked the way it sat on my skin, at least not back then. (I was content with Polo Sport at the time.) The later flankers never really appealed to me either, especially the latter-day "blue" adaptations, and that was that for me and the AdG line. Not my style.

So it was strange when I peeled back the flap and found the AdG EDP rather nice, even compelling? It's hard to gauge from a magazine paper strip, but it seemed greener than I remember the original being (not a bad thing), with a bit of lavender (also nice in this context), and none of the blue dreck I was fearing. Not sweet, just aromatic, with a well-heeled take on the core marine top notes. It just seemed like an exceedingly pleasant, wearable masculine scent? I hardly ever sample these types of mainstream flankers, but I'm tempted to track down a proper spray sample just to see how it wears.

I'd do it!

 

[PStoller]

A new day, a new house:



Zoologist - Bee

Like the frantic hustle of the bee through a maze of multi-faceted scents, Zoologist Bee delivers a surreal experience. The rich aroma of honey captivates, while alluring florals, royal jelly, animalic beeswax and regal incense unite to create a buzz, offering excitement, and the sweet rewards of life.

There’s nothing terribly surreal to my nose about Bee. It’s basically an orange blossom honey amber with a bit of zingy ginger on top. Heliotrope and mimosa add to the creamy sweetness in the heart, and there’s an animalic warmth courtesy of some “no bees were harmed” beeswax alongside the usual suspects in the base.

All in all, it’s quite lovely, and worth considering if this category is more in your wheelhouse than it is in mine. However, I’d urge you to try TRNP’s Honey Amber before committing to a bottle of Bee.