Archive for May, 2006
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Some new perfume releases include: I Profumi di Firenze Zenzero, Calypso Figue, Dyptique Eau de Lierre.
May 31st, 2006
Lancome Magie Noire was the perfume of my childhood. I wasn’t lucky enough to own it then as it was quite a rare thing to come by, back in the Soviet times. My friend’s mother, however, somehow managed to obtain a bottle, and I have such vivid memories running over to her place after school just so we could smell, and, even better, put on a drop of this potion which on rare occasions she allowed us to do. All of that was done completely unbeknownst to her mother, of course. It was a moment to be cherished! It was indeed a perfume of magic.
Just the other day I was in a department store and witnessed a conversation between a sales person at the Chanel counter (why it was not a Lancome counter is a mystery to me) and a customer. I didn’t hear the entire conversation but what I could hear was the sales lady saying Lancome had stopped making Magie Noire, and she had no idea where to find it, and perhaps you should check the internet. I was so tempted to interfere and say that you could still find it fairly easily but only in the eau de toilette concentration. In fact, most Lancome counters I’ve seen still carry eau de toilette. Quite a few internet discount perfume sites do, too. What’s lamentable, though, is that Magie Noire is superb in parfum, and, as far as I know, that’s what has been discontinued. If you’re lucky enough, you can still find it on ebay.
It’s a gorgeous floral oriental that reminds me a lot of Chanel Coco minus the spicy notes. According to Osmoz, the notes are: blackcurrant, hyacinth, bergamot, raspberry, honey, tuberose, narcissus, rose oriental, patchouli, vetiver, civet, and castoreum. The florals blend in harmonoiously, sweetened by honey and skillfully balanced by slightly animalic vetiver-patchouli mixture. The parfum has amazing sillage and an excellent staying power. I don’t have Magie Noire eau de toilette handy to compare to parfum but from what I can recall, it has a distinct bitterness about it and a gutsy attitude. I also believe it’s more potent than parfum. I’m seriously contemplating writing a petition to Lancome to reissue this beauty in parfum.
Image source: www.lancome-usa.com
May 31st, 2006
Please check out the Perfumer Primer – From The Edge Of An Atomizer post on the Perfume Posse blog, a Perfume 101 for beginners.
May 31st, 2006
Today I’m wearing L’Instant parfum by Guerlain. The notes are: mandarin, bergamot, magnolia, jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris, vanilla, benzoin, musk, amber. I must say I only prefer this in the parfum concentration as both eau de toilette and eau de parfum are too sharp on my skin. The parfum, however, is smooth and creamy, stays close to skin and makes me feel pretty.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
May 31st, 2006
Check out these special beauty offers on the Saks Fifth Avenue site.
May 31st, 2006

With any beauty purchase of $85 or more, you will receive a sun tote filled with samples. Some new perfume releases available at Nordstrom’s:
May 30th, 2006
Today I am wearing my beloved Lipstick Rose. Basically, it smells like lipstick. The notes are: rose, violet, vetiver, musk, and vanilla. I don’t think I’ve ever found a perfume that is just so perfect in every way – the combination of notes, their development, the lasting power, the bottle, the price (OK, maybe not the price). If I could marry perfume, I would marry Lipstick Rose.
Lipstick Rose can be purchased from the Frederic Malle online shop, Les Senteurs, and Barney’s New York.
Image source: www.editionsdeparfums.com
May 30th, 2006
Aromascope is a blog about perfume and all things aromatic. I plan to cover such topics as perfume reviews, new releases, information on where to buy perfumes, and will also have a special page for perfume newbies. There’s more to come in the near future. Special thanks to my husband Todd who is my personal web design guru; my friend Laurie who continually inspired me to start a blog; and my favorite perfume bloggers Victoria, Robin, and Marina who do such an amazing job that if there was such a thing as Perfume Blogging School, I’d be their apprentice. Cheers!
May 30th, 2006