I've been entirely too busy with life stuff lately and haven't really had the chance to write up full reviews for perfume, not to mention I am so unqualified to do so. And so, I've decided to post "miniviews" of things I've smelled, with links to more substantial reviews from other legit perfume bloggers where warranted. These are basically just the notes I took on my phone when I went perfume hunting with L at the Eugene mall (which has a truly paltry selection of perfume, so don't be expecting anything niche here), so some are very brief and uninformative, though I've added some extra comments in parentheses. Hopefully they're witty enough for you to forgive me their lack of content! (Also, if you haven't already, be sure to enter the giveaway! It closes Monday.)
Cacharel Anaïs Anaïs: Nope, smells outdated. (Classified as a floral by Fragrantica, where it received not great reviews. I think the vintage was better, but am not about to try and hunt it down.)
Chanel No. 5: Yes, aldehydes, but I like it much better in edt than edp form, because the underlying floralcy can come out. Worth smelling, should probably try on skin. (Aldehydes and I don't get along particularly well, so I don't actually plan on getting a sample of this. I know, cue perfumista horror. See Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This's reviews.)
Clinique Aromatics Elixir: L described it as bug spray. I cannot put it better myself. Perhaps it's better when worn, but I don't really feel a burning desire to find out. (This is a classic, polarizing chypre, so I really should try it on skin sometime. Maybe I'll try the next time I'm at the mall. See Bois de Jasmin's review.)
Dior Hypnotic Poison: Okay, smells like vanilla and licorice to me. Maybe the woods come out when you wear it, but I'm not willing to find out. Too strong, too sweet. (See Now Smell This's review for a more flattering opinion.)
Dior Poison: Smelled this years ago and hated it; still holds true today. Way too big, couldn't even try and find the notes. Just no. ("Poison" is an accurate name, at least! This is arguably THE perfume of the 80s, with everything that comes with that. Should stay in the 80s, thank you very much, along with shoulder pads, big perms, and the Berlin Wall.)
Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise: Very pleasant floral, unoffensive and even appealing. Not terribly interesting, but easy to wear, and I quite like it. (Also: cheap. See the review in Perfumes: The Guide for a very flattering opinion.)
Estee Lauder Knowing: Yes, chypre-ness is nice, but it smells old, and I really ended up disliking it when worn––turned sour and dark. (Another classic chypre, I'm glad I tried it because now I know I do not want it. Also proves that not all chypres are appealing to me, which is a nice reminder after my mad love of Mitsouko, the ultimate chypre.)
Estee Lauder White Linen: ALDEHYDES. And laundry. No thank you. (Definitely not a fan of aldehydes in such large doses, or, in fact, much at all [more on that in a future FF].)
Estee Lauder Private Collection: Smells like nice dirt. Super woody, would work better on a dude. (Another I'd expected to love, but did not; for reviews that will make you think you need to try it, check out Perfume-Smellin' Things and Now Smell This.)
Gucci Rush: Red fruits! Should get a sample. (Chypre. Past me, why didn't you try spraying it on yourself? Rookie mistake, jeez. Plan to put it on when I'm next at the mall. Also, bottle is seriously fugly and awkward.)
Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune: Just very citrusy. If you want to smell like a grapefruit, get this. If you want subtlety, complexity, or interest, look elsewhere. (LT deemed this the quintessential grapefruit perfume in Perfumes: The Guide, which is certainly true, but holds much less appeal than I expected.)
Kenzo Amour: Really gourmand. Too sweet and strong for me. (Gourmand oriental, seems like it could be a nice "going-out" scent in the winter.)
Lancôme Pôeme: L thought it smelled nice on the blotter, but pulled way too sweet on her skin. (Sigh.)
Thierry Mugler Angel: Too much going on for my taste; the fruity floral gourmandness of it is overwhelming. May be worth trying someday when I'm feeling loud, but not something I really feel I need. ETA: OK, dabbed on a tiny bit––it's a scrubber. Too strong, too sweet, too...too. Mom said it smells cheap, I agree. ("Scrubber" is perfumespeak for "something that smelled so bad, I had to scrub it off". Unexpectedly, I quite like Lolita Lempicka, which is cited as being an offspring of Angel.)
So that's that. Have you tried any of these perfumes? How did you feel about them?
All images via Fragrantica.
So that's that. Have you tried any of these perfumes? How did you feel about them?
All images via Fragrantica.
