New And Not So New Discoveries
Today is my only day off this week, and I’m quietly contemplating on my recent perfume discoveries or, rather, rediscoveries. Fickleness when it comes to perfume is an absolutely normal state of mind (and nose) – I fall in and out of love all the time. So it’s always quite thrilling to develop new obsessions over scents you’ve known all along, especially if you used to dislike them (ooh, that really spices things up!) My current rediscoveries are fragrances I quite liked from the beginning but more in a detached kind of way. Two of them deserve a paragraph each at least, and the rest – honorable mention for the time being, with plans for future reviews:
Fleur de Narcisse by L’Artisan Parfumeur – been wearing this daily at work and wondering how on earth did I allow this beauty to be so far from my skin for this long! Never again. I love, love, love daffodil, and I can safely say there’s no other perfume under the sun that conveys its scent as beautifully as Fleur de Narcisse does. What makes it even more appealing to me is the added leather and hay notes which tend to smell a bit off when first applied on skin but subside as the scent develops, giving way to the stunning narcissus. I see a bottle in my future.
Clive Christian X For Women – a complete opposite to the airiness of Fleur de Narcisse, this scent is all about opulence and presence. It’s the kind of fragrance that will speak louder than your demeanor or attire, hence I’d only wear it to accompany a very simple, classic look (like a black dress). A rich, almost brooding blend of pulpy peach, green ivy, tangy mandarin, and piquant patchouli that gets better the longer it stays on your skin (and it does stay!) The fact it’s one of the most expensive perfumes in the world and all the claims regarding luxury, exclusiveness, and the like hardly matter to me. I love it for its scent alone.
Honorable mention goes to:
Pretty much the entire Montale oud line. Yes, I know, the perfume blogosphere has been on a Montale kick lately, and I do plan to make my contribution to the excitement at some point soon (most likely, when it subsides a little – to make some waves again). I adore Black Oud and Oud Roses Petals. Both have no rivals.
Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has A Gun which has already been reviewed here. I’ve now tried its counterpart, Miss Charming, a much more innocent, blushing kind of rose. If I think of enough to say, there will be a review soon. For me to have to say enough, a rose based perfume has to have a lot more going on than simply depicting the flower.
I think that’s about it. Have you had any discoveries or rediscoveries lately? Please share.
Image source: barneys.com, nordstrom.com
12 comments July 4th, 2007