Weekend Perfume Sync June 2022 through June 2023

[ClockworkAlice]

Pearl Jam would be my favorite as well. Nirvana would be closely behind. Less of Alice In Chains and Sound Garden.

Pearl Jam is my favourite for sure, but honestly I can't really rank the others as some months it's Nirvana that's second, and then I go through periods of AiC and Soundgarden, too.
But I think Soundgarden would be the 4th one for me most of the time no matter how amazing Cornell's voice was. He has one of my favourite voices in rock music, I think. But I would fall in love with a couple of songs and not really listen to the full albums of Soundgarden. I must admit I actually dig Audioslave's stuff more than Soundgarden's. Their first album was just so great.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Luckily have been blessed with enough dark but also powerhouse, beast mode etc, scents to qualify for the current sync.
While admittedly not always fully grunge, still close to the style, spirit and/or certain grunge moods rendered within a scent choice.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Re-posting/replying again after having settled on Romeo Gigli as a fairly dark, likely "Euro" style version on a grunge main theme.
At least consistent (since first released in 1991) with the time frame of this particular type of style, trend and feeling.

 

[CookBot]

Apparently MTV was a good channel about music once.

If any statement ever separated the youngsters from the oldsters, it's that one right there. If you can remember when MTV was a music channel, you're old.

In 1981, I interviewed for a media sales job at the San Francisco office of the fledgling MTV. When they offered me the position, I turned it down, thinking "Music played on television? What a pile of B.S. Flash in the pan idea if I've ever seen one. They'd be laying us all off in six months."

 

[ClockworkAlice]

If any statement ever separated the youngsters from the oldsters, it's that one right there. If you can remember when MTV was a music channel, you're old.

I'm old then, or maybe halfway, as I saw its demise. We did not have MTV on cable until my last years at school and I used to watch German VIVA and French MCM instead. But when we first got MTV I kinda still preferred the European counterparts.

In 1981, I interviewed for a media sales job at the San Francisco office of the fledgling MTV. When they offered me the position, I turned it down, thinking "Music played on television? What a pile of B.S. Flash in the pan idea if I've ever seen one. They'd be laying us all off in six months."

That's a funny story!😀 Did you regret your decision?

 

[CookBot]

That's a funny story!😀 Did you regret your decision?

Nah. I moved to Seattle, which I barely escaped ten years later in 1991, just before grunge took over the city -- thereby bringing us back to today's sync theme!

 

[Ken_Russell]

Even if off topic: admitting to be one of the ear;y to mid to late 90s admirers how have enjoyed MTV, but also MCM and VIVA during the mid to late 90s.

Having said this, quite sorry to not have been part of the Cook.Boot audience if-in addition to the invaluable BN contribution- could/would have had the honor to experience such wonderful fragrance style, erudition and inspiration directly on MTV as well as on further music channels.

Including but by far not limited to the ones who contributed to the rise and (more or less) maintaining of both specific 90s themes music channels. AND also a certain early to mid 90s fragrance style, mindset and/or sense of being creative.

 

[yellowtone]

Gruuuuunge!!! Yes, I, too, grew up on grunge and am thoroughly amused by its reemergence in fashion in recent years. And the kids are not even really GOING there, so I may or may not have worn my 90s staple of a baby doll dress & flannel shirt & combat boots recently, just to show them how it's done.

My older sister was a full metal head and grunge aficionado and I still remember how devastated she was when Kurt died. Nirvana's MTV unplugged is still one of the greatest live performances I've ever hear.

I gravitated more towards the awesome ladies of the 90s. They may not always have technically been grunge, but lord they were great!! Here's Tori Amos covering Smells Like Teen Spirit... I mean...

And last, but not least, the inimitable PJ Harvey teaming up with Nick Cave.

Now as for perfume, not wearing anything would be the grunge thing to do, but that's not the brief here. I am going out on a limb and thinking Tori Amos sitting behind that piano was smelling really beautiful, like clasically ladylike pretty. I am wearing vintage Madame Rochas.

 

[yellowtone]

If any statement ever separated the youngsters from the oldsters, it's that one right there. If you can remember when MTV was a music channel, you're old.

In 1981, I interviewed for a media sales job at the San Francisco office of the fledgling MTV. When they offered me the position, I turned it down, thinking "Music played on television? What a pile of B.S. Flash in the pan idea if I've ever seen one. They'd be laying us all off in six months."

Hahaha, that's a great story! It was such a thing back then, MTV (MTV Europe that is) was just everything. We did not have it at home, so we went to friends' houses just to be able to watch the latest videos drop. Even later in the 90s, when things were sliding downhill towards reality tv, 'alternative' shows like MTVnew were things I watched daily.

 

[Franco65]

Hahaha, that's a great story! It was such a thing back then, MTV (MTV Europe that is) was just everything. We did not have it at home, so we went to friends' houses just to be able to watch the latest videos drop. Even later in the 90s, when things were sliding downhill towards reality tv, 'alternative' shows like MTVnew were things I watched daily.

I used to love UK's Music Box and Videomusic from Italy! I had breakfast watching their video clips!

 

[sakecat]

I was music director at a university radio station when Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit came out.
After a month of listening to this album on practically 24/7 loop, we had to destroy the record so the DJs would play something (ANYTHING) else.
Still love that album - and all the grunge/punk from that era.

The scent among the college radio set in my neck of the woods - Patchouli oil.

I don't have a decent cheap hippie patchouli oil in my collection right now - so I'm going with Reminiscence Patchouli.

Smells like Mid-Atlantic teen spirit.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I didn't realize how big of a grunge fan I am, until reading all these great comments. It's certainly not my biggest love, but I really like both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, so yeah!

I'm accidentally wearing Azzaro The Most Wanted, in the all black bottle, which may go with this sync!!! 🖤

 

[CeeTee]

Pearl Jam would be my favorite as well. Nirvana would be closely behind. Less of Alice In Chains and Sound Garden

My husband and I talk about how we still remember exactly where we were when we heard, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The song was that transformative at the time!

Yes- Teen Spirit WAS an actual deodorant brand. I had to try it of course! And it did NOT work. I grew up around a lot of food made with cumin, fidéo as an example. My teen pits smelled like this, for a good month or so. (Because I was gonna use every damn swipe of this badass, teen-girl-specific deodorant!)

As you can see, I was destined to smell niche.

 

[CeeTee]

A woman after my own heart!
Yes yes to all. As a fashion enthusiast, it amuses me to no avail how I’m seeing grunge re-emerge right now-which i feel very contrived from the get go like those $200 tattered, holey jeans. Doc Martens are cool again (personally I think they’re forever cool) and I get miffed like an old woman that I am when these youngins think they discovered a new thing 🤪

Thinking of wearing SJP Stash today. A little dirty, skanky, worn in and a tad unwashed

In 6th grade, the cool kids had the green doc martens. They were too rich for my blood at the time, but I wanted a pair so damn bad! My dreams were dashed again when I tried them on my size 9 feet, on my bean pole body, and looked like a clown. 🤡

 

[Pheusinger]

Creed - Silver Mountain Water perfume

Creed Silver Mountain Water perfume information, consumer reviews, where to buy, perfume notes and more... Silver Mountain Water is a shared scent launched in 1995 by Creed

basenotes.com

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Here's another goodie from Nirvana called Love Buzz, one of my favorites:

Here's the live version where Kurt got into a fight with one of the bouncers, they barely got out of there when it was done.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

My husband and I talk about how we still remember exactly where we were when we heard, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The song was that transformative at the time!

Yes- Teen Spirit WAS an actual deodorant brand. I had to try it of course! And it did NOT work. I grew up around a lot of food made with cumin, fidéo as an example. My teen pits smelled like this, for a good month or so. (Because I was gonna use every damn swipe of this badass, teen-girl-specific deodorant!)

As you can see, I was destined to smell niche.

I remember that song being overplayed and later when the released in 2002 compilation album came out.

That first track You know you're right was quite chilling as it was Kurt's last song ever recorded.

Pearl Jam is my favourite for sure, but honestly I can't really rank the others as some months it's Nirvana that's second, and then I go through periods of AiC and Soundgarden, too.
But I think Soundgarden would be the 4th one for me most of the time no matter how amazing Cornell's voice was. He has one of my favourite voices in rock music, I think. But I would fall in love with a couple of songs and not really listen to the full albums of Soundgarden. I must admit I actually dig Audioslave's stuff more than Soundgarden's. Their first album was just so great.

Chris Cornell was good and I've heard some of his songs from Audioslave.

 

[Blue_Eyez]

Grunge is enjoying another big round lately - from faded vintage Nirvana t-shirts that are everywhere, looser jeans with dirty faded patches on light blue washes and plaid shirts, to smudged slept in make up with a lot of black eye liner and shiny eyelids.

Don't have anything right now that I would put in a fragrance grunge. In the past Bvlgari Black from 90s, or Vivienne's Anglomania, or MQ Kingdom from early 2000s would fit the mood. Remember Alexander McQueen in jeans, plaid and that "we love you Kate" ? t-shirt?

Today I would have worn Charogne by ELDO with animal notes, cardamon funk, a bit of leather and floral notes, or a little drier and tamer Chambre Noir by Olfactive studio with darkish violet, leather, patchouli and smoky plum combo.

 

[filledoux]

In 6th grade, the cool kids had the green doc martens. They were too rich for my blood at the time, but I wanted a pair so damn bad! My dreams were dashed again when I tried them on my size 9 feet, on my bean pole body, and looked like a clown. 🤡

Haha! They do feel like that dont they? i was jonesing for them back then too, and bought me some Limited Edition Jean Michel Basquiat 1461s.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Tea leaves

Drink up and I'll predict your future

You can't do a tea sync without mentioning L'Artisan Tea of Two so that's what I'm going with.

 

[Blue_Eyez]

We are still enjoying warm summer days. Today is a little breezy, but pleasantly warm. I had a few small chores to run and chose Hermessence Osmanthe Yunnane by Hermes to wear for a casual outing. This refined, uplifting fruity tea scent is always enjoyable. I was told once it’s slightly nostalgic and old fashioned. Perhaps, it’s the freesia giving the old lady vibes 👵🏻
To me the fragrance is elegant and refreshing, a joy to wear.

 

[JoM68]

Like N.Cal I was tempted by Tea for Two because I love that scent, but my OH has a hospital appointment this morning, so I've gone with Miller Harris' Tea Tonique. Wonderful citrus opening that quickly fades to introduce the tea - a perfumed Earl Grey with a lactonic vibe to it (I tend to have Earl Grey without milk). So far there is nothing harsh. It is a scent inviting you to sit down and relax with a cup of tea and maybe cake, 'cause you know tea and cake go so well together.

 

[yellowtone]

Tea leaves

Drink up and I'll predict your future

You can't do a tea sync without mentioning L'Artisan Tea of Two so that's what I'm going with.

I've never smelled this one, what kind of tea does it smell like? I love the scent of tea, green, black, smoked, all of it. I used to have 2 Atelier Cologne decants, Oolong Infini and Philtre Ceylan. They were great clear tea fragrances, not sweetened at all, very calming. Right now, I have a sample of a fragrance oil called Earl Grey and of course the fantastic green tea and osmathus scent Qi, by Ormonde Jayne. I will start the weekend with the latter, which always comes out when spring is about to spring. It has a smooth, delicate suede like green tea note with a touch of bitterness, and that lovely floral apricot-like osmanthus.

 

[CookBot]

I've never smelled this one, what kind of tea does it smell like? I love the scent of tea, green, black, smoked, all of it.

Tea For Two is a smoky black tea, so heavily spiced that I think of it more as a spice scent than a tea. Pretty delicious in winter.

I thought about it for today, but then decided on ....

the fantastic green tea and osmathus scent Qi, by Ormonde Jayne. I will start the weekend with the latter, which always comes out when spring is about to spring. It has a smooth, delicate suede like green tea note with a touch of bitterness, and that lovely floral apricot-like osmanthus.

I've rarely met an osmanthus I didn't like, but Qi takes a back seat to my favorite, the Osmanthe Yunnan that Blue_Eyez is wearing. Compared to the elegant Hermes, Qi feels a little blocky . Osmanthus trees are very common where I live, and the Yunnan does an almost photographic job of duplicating the intoxicating soft, leathery apricot tea scent of their blossoms. Qi is good, but not THAT good.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

I've never smelled this one, what kind of tea does it smell like? I love the scent of tea, green, black, smoked, all of it. I used to have 2 Atelier Cologne decants, Oolong Infini and Philtre Ceylan. They were great clear tea fragrances, not sweetened at all, very calming. Right now, I have a sample of a fragrance oil called Earl Grey and of course the fantastic green tea and osmathus scent Qi, by Ormonde Jayne. I will start the weekend with the latter, which always comes out when spring is about to spring. It has a smooth, delicate suede like green tea note with a touch of bitterness, and that lovely floral apricot-like osmanthus.

To my nose, Tea for Two has more of a Black Tea feel to it. It's gets pretty close to gourmand territory with the cinnamon, honey, and vanilla in addition to the spices with this scent. A very warm scent, I highly recommend trying it out.

 

[ClockworkAlice]

I wore Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic today - it's first and foremost a sweet mandarin fragrance, but there's a faint hint of green tea in the background, too. It's one of my favourite fragrances and definitely the happiest one. It just radiates joy and brings summertime memories. The fact that I've been bringing travelsprays of it to all my vacations for the past 4 years definitely helps the association part.

Also seeing how everyone is wearing osmanthus fragrances today I sprayed some Fleur d'Osmanthus by Roger & Gallet over it in the evening. It's a lovely and light fragrance. No tea mentioned in the notes but there is some tea-like quality to it, still.

I also have a bunch of Bvlgaris I might wear tomorrow (or maybe even on Monday, too) if I feel like - Eau parfumee au the bleu, Eau parfumee au the noir, Omnia and Black. Or maybe some 5 o'clock au gingembre by Serge Lutens if I want a bolder choice.

I do not get along with Tea for Two at all. Looking at the notes and all the praise I was sure that would be a safe blind buy for me as I love spices and tea, but luckily I never saw a bottle for cheap. I tried a sample and gagged and had to scrub it each time I tried it. It gets terribly sour and stale and cloying on my skin and to my nose. And the sample did not seem to be turned, I just hated the smell itself. Oh well. More for you all.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Owning only Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and possibly few other options to join with, might still join.
However if so, with a perhaps likely less impressive scent choice.

 

[ClockworkAlice]

Owning only Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and possibly few other options to join with, might still join.
However if so, with a perhaps likely less impressive scent choice.

Arden's Green Tea is a great classic!
And also made by Kurkdjian himself.
It's even a more impressive choice given its affordability and availability in my eyes.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Arden's Green Tea is a great classic!
And also made by Kurkdjian himself.
It's even a more impressive choice given its affordability and availability in my eyes.

Thank you so much. Did however finally sync with Te Verde Matcha by Tesori d'Oriente.

 

[Blue_Eyez]

Do you love tea as much as I do? One cup of coffee in the morning, and then tea all day every day. Over the years I've done it all: milk oolong, red robe, iron goddess, your every day English breakfast, earl grey (my preferred everyday tea most days), lapsang souchong, pu erh, every variety and style of green tea and everything in between, and all the gaudy fruit/spice/sweet "tea" they dare calling these brews. I am a tea drinker. After trying all this stuff, some of it tea, and some of it tea name adjacent, it boiled down to a few things: Assam (with milk), earl grey, milk oolong if I feel frivolous have not bought it for a while and this sync reminded to place and order), good green tea and occasional genmaicha. But tea is not only the drink itself - it's the ritual! and everything that comes with it.

And this is why I chose to wear on Saturday night Montale Sweet Oriental Dream. It's about what goes with tea: rose scented fresh and delicately soft Turkish delight, almond barfi with silver leaf (my colleagues buy the most decadent stuff to share around the office during Diwali festival), a bit of marzipan or nougat, honey soaked baklava. Small morsels of intense flavour with black tea - delicious!

Then this morning I've tried Collection grands Crus: Assam of India by Berdoues. The sample has been kicking around for a while, and the theme was a good occasion to finally try it. We can call it a weak earl grey. Some notes reminiscent of Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and its variants, but not as good. An ok scent to wear to the gym, as it happened for me.

For Sunday evening I'll wear Serge Lutens' Five o'clock au gingember. Tea with gingerbread cookies - soft cookies, still slightly warm, comforting, with ginger, cinnamon and a touch of honey. I also get a slightly cooling, almost minty pepper notes. A little bit of woody notes - wood that got warmed up by fire, but not burning yet. This I would have with a comforting cup of a very milky black tea.

 

[JoM68]

@Blue_Eyez you're a woman after my own heart - I love tea. Yes, a coffee first thing but then I too just drink tea. I have so many different tea concoctions in my cupboard it's ridiculous, but I like variety.

Today's sync is The Merchant of Venice - Gyokuro. Gyokuro tea is a Japanese high quality green tea that is grown in the shade, rather than in full sun. The name translates as jewel dew, or jade dew. It has aromas of fresh cut grass and seaweed and a sweet taste. Going by that description I had high hopes for this fragrance but for some reason they added 'exotic fruits' and that's pretty much all I can smell. It's supposed to have ambergris in there too, but I can't detect that either. Don't get me wrong, the perfume is lovely, it's just not the tea scent I was looking for.

 

[sakecat]

My contribution to the tea party - State of Mind Voluptuous Seduction

The entire conceit behind the State of Mind line is that the perfumes are based on various types of tea and have a tea blend that accompanies them.
I have a sample set I am slowly working my way through. I have enjoyed what I have tried so far.
Might do a concentrated week of State of Mind in April - after I fill out more Basenote Directory forms to get the rest of the line in the database.

Voluptuous Seduction is, on my skin, a Rooibos and Roses blend.
The rose leans jammy.
That rooibos and roses accord runs through the lifespan on my skin as the other notes evolve around it.
Lily and rose heavy at the top. More tea and roses in the mid. Creamy woods with a hint of mushroomy weight at the base.
I don't get any hard edges.
Overall - I wouldn't be upset if a full bottle wound up in my collection.

Notes from the site
Top: Lys Blanc de la Madone, Rooibos, Apple
Heart: Truffles, Rose Velour, Eglantine (another type of rose)
Base: Sandalwood, Cedar Wood

 

[yellowtone]

@sakecat what a wonderful description! I have a those infused black tea that I love to drink, but I never thought of the pairing of rooibos with rose, interesting.

This afternoon I have a high tea birthday party, how appropriate! I will be wearing my Earl Grey perfume oil sample.

@Cook.bot your post puts Osmanthe Yunan back on my test list. I remember trying it years ago for the Turin/Sanchez quest, but it didn't really register back then.

 

[CookBot]

I've learned more about tea in this thread than I have about perfume -- and that's a good thing. Tea is one of those things, like wine, that I've never learned a great deal about because I feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things there are to learn about it. To compensate, I just content myself with a few familiar favorites and seldom branch out into more exotic avenues.

@Cook.bot your post puts Osmanthe Yunan back on my test list. I remember trying it years ago for the Turin/Sanchez quest, but it didn't really register back then.

I'd forgotten that it got a 5-star rating in The Guide. I've just now re-read the entry and wow, Tania really liked it. Deservedly so.

 

[JoM68]

SOTE - I just couldn't resist putting this on - L'Artisan Parfumeur - Tea for Two. Fab smoky tea on the opening melding with beautiful spices and honey - divine.

 

[CuddleCat]

Late posting but I did sync on the weekend with Chai by Baruti. I absolutely adore this scent, best milky spice chai tea aroma I've found in a perfume. I didn't get along with Tea for Two either for similar reasons to @ClockworkAlice very stale smelling to me -stale spices and stale black tea.

 

[CeeTee]

Dang it, I was so busy last weekend, birdwatching and perfume shopping, that I missed the sync! And tea is one of my favorite profiles! Oh well. I’ll go hunt for something sweet now. 🤣

 

[JoM68]

Going through my samples I came across a couple of contenders that, until now, I'd been avoiding trying just because they're supposed to be very sweet and while I like a little sweetness I can't take the over the top ones. Anyway, I'm wearing Cacharel's Yes I am. At the moment I'm just getting plastic sweet wrappers and a sense of sweet fruity lollipops/candy, you know the round kind on a stick. Not as overwhelming as I was expecting but it is sweet in a very synthetic way.

 

[ClockworkAlice]

I'm taking this theme as literally as I can today so I picked up my sample of Dragee by Reminiscence!
It has the very sweet scent of actual dragee - but also with almond, orange blossom, vanilla, musk, a little bit of cardamom and the tiniest hint of citrus - a very happy, youthful yet slightly classic because of its powderiness and fun fragrance!

I also have two more Reminiscence samples from the same gourmand series - Guimauve and Heliotrope, and will wear them through the weekend, too. Sweetness, powderiness and almond-iness tie them together. I think people who like soft, very sweet and marshmallowy, but still quite subtle and easy to wear gourmand fragrances like D&G Pour femme would enjoy the series a lot.

From the earlier testing I remember I liked the Guimauve the most and refused to buy a bottle because that one is pink, haha. Dragee is white and Heliotrope is green. I wonder which one I'll enjoy most this time.

 

[yellowtone]

Calling all gourmand lovers, bring out your sweet stuff!

I personally am not the biggest fan of foody, edible scents, especially the very sweet ones that have dominated the mainstream fragrance industry the past decade. For a while everything contained a praline/caramel/coffee/spun sugar/marshmallow overdose, yikes!

However, I have learned that I can tolerate quite a bit of vanilla, if it's done right. The sweetest and most edible vanilla I have is a sample of the delightful Indult Tihota, which I will wear today. I also have a sample of Castana by Koon Kleen, a warm and sweet roasted chestnut scent that I might break out.

And I feel this is the perfect time to go and test the famous Baccarate Rouge. Much to my chagrin I've never been able to try this because the tester bottles are always empty. Perhaps today is the day...