FF has been on a bit of a hiatus, due to an overly-tenacious cold and a lack of new perfume acquisitions, but my nose is mostly back to normal, and I took the plunge and ordered some Sonoma Scent Studio samples (as well as some more Guerlain, during a StC sale). For those of you who don't know her, Laurie Ericks is the mind behind SSS. She's regarded by perfume bloggers as one of the greats, and is renowned for her excellent quality and (relatively) affordable prices. All of her scents are in extrait concentration, 20-25% fragrance oils, which is twice as strong as most mainstream (and niche, for that matter) perfumes. I ordered 6 samples, plus a bonus free sample, and haven't disliked a single one (even the powdery, aldehydic floral!). Needless to say, I will be ordering samples of the rest of her collection (though she sadly lacks a white floral at this point in time, sigh), and I highly recommend you check them out yourselves! Anyways, enough chitchat, onto the rambling.
Friday, August 17
I'd ordered a full bottle of Mitsouko on eBay with some of my birthday funds, and was dismayed to discover that it didn't smell like the sample I'd received from TPC several months ago. I wasn't sure if it was a reformulation or a fake, so I ordered another sample from StC with which to compare it (as I'd long finished my original sample vial). Tragically, it seems that the original Mitsouko sample I got is not the same as the current formulation. *sob* The one I have is much more powdery and slightly sour (perhaps due to aldehydes?), at least for the first hour, though it does start to smell more like the Mitsouko I fell in love with as time goes by. After a couple hours, I like it fine, but it's not the same passionate joy that that original vial gave me. Oh, well, I'll just have to continue my search for a signature perfume...I suspect I'll get along better with this Mitsouko once the weather's cooler, so I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
Saturday, August 18
Morning: My mother and I went up to Corvallis to visit my brother and go to the Bite of Benton festival. I knew it was going to be pretty warm, so I wore my failsafe Eau Sauvage down my dress. Every time I smell it I get happy! I also transferred SSS Forest Walk (black hemlock absolute, fir absolute, Western red cedar, oakwood absolute, galbanum resin, jasmine sambac absolute, violet, olibanum, labdanum absolute, natural oakmoss absolute, aged Indian patchouli, New Caledonia sandalwood, orris, benzoin, earthy notes) and dabbed the vial on my arm, and proceeded to dance about gleefully because guys, it smells amazing. It's got black hemlock absolute, so it reminds me of Ormonde Woman, but I like it way better than OW, which I found disappointingly straightforward. It smells like forests, and as a native Oregonian, trees are my friend, though I am by no means an outdoorsy type––fortunately, Forest Walk smells like all the best parts of the forest with none of the creepy crawly bugs and mud and poky sticks. It's a predominantly-natural perfume, and smells sinfully rich, but it's not heavy or dense. It's just gorgeous. It's also the most expensive perfume she sells, but at $56 for 17 ml (0.57 oz) is still affordable, especially given the concentration and quality.
Evening: Went to see Prometheus with the boy and his roommates. What a piece of crap film. Gaping plot holes, lack of character motivation or any kind of common sense, "scientists" who would never have gotten into grad school, much less become experts in their field, and OH YEAH ridiculous linguistic theories (my personal greatest annoyance with the film, given my field, but the biologists in our group had plenty to say about how that was portrayed in the movie, too...). Wore SSS Velvet Rose (damask rose, bergamot, carnation, violet leaf, musk, patchouli) down my shirt. Now, I don't like rose scents, generally, and this isn't quite an exception, but out of all the rose scents I've smelled, this is by far my favorite. It's still got some of that sourness that rose perfumes have on me, but it's also got citrus, which I believe is necessary for any rose perfume to actually smell like a rose, and a nice musky base. Also transferred Guerlain Derby (the newer version; Chypre: artemisia, mint, bergamot, lemon, jasmine, nutmeg flower, rose, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver) and wore it on my arm. It's intended for men, but c'mon now, that's never stopped me before, and I'm glad it didn't this time, because it smelled great. Very complex, and I need to wear it a few more times before I can be confident in my opinion of it, but it has the characteristic Guerlinade base (herby and vanillic, and I love it) so I'm happy!
Sunday, August 19
Overcast in the morning. Went to the county fair, where I spazzed out over the rabbits for awhile before stuffing myself with fried shit. SSS Forest Walk down my shirt made the entire outing far classier than it had any right to be, as did the delightful SSS Champagne de Bois (aldehydes, jasmine, clove, sandalwood, labdanum absolute, vetiver, amber) on my arm. The Muse in Wooden Shoes pointed out that FW and CdB smell quite similar as they drydown, but I prefer Forest Walk because I just adore the dark green mossiness of it.
Evening: Went to the Granary to watch the bluegrass, as usual. Didn't feel like anything too heavy and couldn't decide on any of my florals, so I wore Chanel Chance eau tendre, which has languished since I really got obsessed with perfume. It's a bit too synthetic for me now, and I can see why real perfumistas are disgusted by it, as it's light and simple and friendly and undeserving of the Chanel moniker, but I still enjoyed wearing it, and the boy really liked it. Guess I'll have to reincorporate it into my rotating choices!
Monday, August 20
Morning: Chilly, but supposed to get warmer. Tried SSS Cameo (rose, violet, ambergris, labdanum absolute, sandalwood, cedar, orris, oakmoss absolute, musk) down my shirt. I expected to dislike it, since it's a powdery floral (my nemesis!), but I actually ended up liking it quite a lot. It's still not really "me", but I enjoy smelling it and find it much more appropriate for me than others in the same vein (No. 19 and other green florals tend to wear me), perhaps because of the lovely spicy base. A great choice for times when I need some extra classy confidence!
Evening: Went to work at the boy's office, since he had a big project to finish up for the next day (he ended up staying until 3 o'clock the next afternoon, what the effff). Dabbed on L'Heure Bleue pure parfum (Oriental Floral: lemon, bergamot, neroli, coriander, anise, cloves, orchid, carnation, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, heliotrope, violet, iris, sandalwood, musk, benzoin, vanilla, vetiver, tonka bean) to see if I like it better in its best formulation. Turns out yes, I do, but I'd still rather go without perfume than wear it. Smells very powdery and medicinal, which just does not work for me. Impressive longevity, though (a good thing if you like the smell, somewhat less wonderful if you don't). Fortunately, I was wearing Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Fleur des Comores (Floral: black currant, green notes, passionfruit, ylang-ylang, vanilla, jasmine, orange flower, musk, amber, vetiver) down my shirt, so that distracted me for the few hours it lasted, emanating its happy (albeit sweet) fruitiness.
Tuesday, August 21
Morning: Wore SSS Champagne de Bois down the dress, though I didn't really spray enough to get much sillage so I barely got to smell it at all. Dabbed Guerlain Habit Rouge (Oriental Woody: orange, basil, lime, rosewood, lemon, bergamot, tangerine, carnation, sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon, rose, jasmine, cedar, oakmoss, benzoin, amber, leather, labdanum, vanilla) on my arm, which made up for the underspray of CdB and smelled delicious. It supposedly has leather featured prominently, but I can't smell it (every other "leather" perfume I've tried has smelled like pickles to me, so this is not a bad thing). There's something off for me in the first 10 minutes, sharp and musty, but it fades quickly. Guerlain knows how to do big orientals, let's just say that. And I liked it. A lot. Not as much as Derby, but still, a lot. Also, BAH to gendered fragrances!
Evening: Eau Sauvage! Because it'd been a whole 3 days since I'd worn it last, sheesh.
Wednesday, August 22
Morning: Cooler than it had been, so I decided to wear woody chypre Chanel 31 Rue Cambon (Woody Chypre: bergamot, patchouli), and hot damn did it smell good. I don't think it's all that complex (it's got nothing on Guerlain or Forest Walk), but it smells gorgeous, and it lasted most of the day. Well worth checking out if you haven't yet, and it reminded me that I should wear it more often!
Afternoon: Dabbed SSS Tabac Aurea (cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, leather, vetiver, patchouli, clove, tonka bean, labdanum absolute, amber, vanilla, musk) on my arm, which was a mistake. It was a nice day, and Tabac Aurea simply did not fit in. Too sweet and strong for how breezy and beautiful it was, but I set it aside to try again come the cold season, because even though it didn't work in the sunshine, it is a beautifully composed sweet oriental tobacco perfume, and I'm quite sure it will be perfect for snuggling in front of a fire.
Thursday, August 23
Morning: Wore Derby, and was pleased to discover that yep, it smells great. It reminds me somewhat of Mitsouko, pre-disappointing version, which isn't surprising as they're both chypres, but Derby is less fruity (no peach) and slightly darker. If Mitsouko doesn't fare better come cooler weather, Derby should be a suitable substitute (though it is incredibly hard to find, as [I believe?] it's only available in the Champs-Elysees flagship store. Thank heavens for decanters!).
Friday, August 24
Morning: Wore SSS Forest Walk, because it was cold and I wanted to smell yummy. Mission accomplished!
Evening: Habit Rouge, which is so unmistakably Guerlain it's ridiculous. Also, smells great. Though it may be a bit incongruous with the weather––how do you feel about orientals in warm weather? Even nice non-sweet orientals like Habit Rouge? Things to ponder...
What have you been wearing this week? Have you tried any of these Guerlain and Sonoma Scent Studio scents? What did you think?
Friday, August 17
I'd ordered a full bottle of Mitsouko on eBay with some of my birthday funds, and was dismayed to discover that it didn't smell like the sample I'd received from TPC several months ago. I wasn't sure if it was a reformulation or a fake, so I ordered another sample from StC with which to compare it (as I'd long finished my original sample vial). Tragically, it seems that the original Mitsouko sample I got is not the same as the current formulation. *sob* The one I have is much more powdery and slightly sour (perhaps due to aldehydes?), at least for the first hour, though it does start to smell more like the Mitsouko I fell in love with as time goes by. After a couple hours, I like it fine, but it's not the same passionate joy that that original vial gave me. Oh, well, I'll just have to continue my search for a signature perfume...I suspect I'll get along better with this Mitsouko once the weather's cooler, so I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
Saturday, August 18
Morning: My mother and I went up to Corvallis to visit my brother and go to the Bite of Benton festival. I knew it was going to be pretty warm, so I wore my failsafe Eau Sauvage down my dress. Every time I smell it I get happy! I also transferred SSS Forest Walk (black hemlock absolute, fir absolute, Western red cedar, oakwood absolute, galbanum resin, jasmine sambac absolute, violet, olibanum, labdanum absolute, natural oakmoss absolute, aged Indian patchouli, New Caledonia sandalwood, orris, benzoin, earthy notes) and dabbed the vial on my arm, and proceeded to dance about gleefully because guys, it smells amazing. It's got black hemlock absolute, so it reminds me of Ormonde Woman, but I like it way better than OW, which I found disappointingly straightforward. It smells like forests, and as a native Oregonian, trees are my friend, though I am by no means an outdoorsy type––fortunately, Forest Walk smells like all the best parts of the forest with none of the creepy crawly bugs and mud and poky sticks. It's a predominantly-natural perfume, and smells sinfully rich, but it's not heavy or dense. It's just gorgeous. It's also the most expensive perfume she sells, but at $56 for 17 ml (0.57 oz) is still affordable, especially given the concentration and quality.
Evening: Went to see Prometheus with the boy and his roommates. What a piece of crap film. Gaping plot holes, lack of character motivation or any kind of common sense, "scientists" who would never have gotten into grad school, much less become experts in their field, and OH YEAH ridiculous linguistic theories (my personal greatest annoyance with the film, given my field, but the biologists in our group had plenty to say about how that was portrayed in the movie, too...). Wore SSS Velvet Rose (damask rose, bergamot, carnation, violet leaf, musk, patchouli) down my shirt. Now, I don't like rose scents, generally, and this isn't quite an exception, but out of all the rose scents I've smelled, this is by far my favorite. It's still got some of that sourness that rose perfumes have on me, but it's also got citrus, which I believe is necessary for any rose perfume to actually smell like a rose, and a nice musky base. Also transferred Guerlain Derby (the newer version; Chypre: artemisia, mint, bergamot, lemon, jasmine, nutmeg flower, rose, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver) and wore it on my arm. It's intended for men, but c'mon now, that's never stopped me before, and I'm glad it didn't this time, because it smelled great. Very complex, and I need to wear it a few more times before I can be confident in my opinion of it, but it has the characteristic Guerlinade base (herby and vanillic, and I love it) so I'm happy!
Sunday, August 19
Overcast in the morning. Went to the county fair, where I spazzed out over the rabbits for awhile before stuffing myself with fried shit. SSS Forest Walk down my shirt made the entire outing far classier than it had any right to be, as did the delightful SSS Champagne de Bois (aldehydes, jasmine, clove, sandalwood, labdanum absolute, vetiver, amber) on my arm. The Muse in Wooden Shoes pointed out that FW and CdB smell quite similar as they drydown, but I prefer Forest Walk because I just adore the dark green mossiness of it.
Evening: Went to the Granary to watch the bluegrass, as usual. Didn't feel like anything too heavy and couldn't decide on any of my florals, so I wore Chanel Chance eau tendre, which has languished since I really got obsessed with perfume. It's a bit too synthetic for me now, and I can see why real perfumistas are disgusted by it, as it's light and simple and friendly and undeserving of the Chanel moniker, but I still enjoyed wearing it, and the boy really liked it. Guess I'll have to reincorporate it into my rotating choices!
Monday, August 20
Morning: Chilly, but supposed to get warmer. Tried SSS Cameo (rose, violet, ambergris, labdanum absolute, sandalwood, cedar, orris, oakmoss absolute, musk) down my shirt. I expected to dislike it, since it's a powdery floral (my nemesis!), but I actually ended up liking it quite a lot. It's still not really "me", but I enjoy smelling it and find it much more appropriate for me than others in the same vein (No. 19 and other green florals tend to wear me), perhaps because of the lovely spicy base. A great choice for times when I need some extra classy confidence!
Evening: Went to work at the boy's office, since he had a big project to finish up for the next day (he ended up staying until 3 o'clock the next afternoon, what the effff). Dabbed on L'Heure Bleue pure parfum (Oriental Floral: lemon, bergamot, neroli, coriander, anise, cloves, orchid, carnation, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, heliotrope, violet, iris, sandalwood, musk, benzoin, vanilla, vetiver, tonka bean) to see if I like it better in its best formulation. Turns out yes, I do, but I'd still rather go without perfume than wear it. Smells very powdery and medicinal, which just does not work for me. Impressive longevity, though (a good thing if you like the smell, somewhat less wonderful if you don't). Fortunately, I was wearing Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Fleur des Comores (Floral: black currant, green notes, passionfruit, ylang-ylang, vanilla, jasmine, orange flower, musk, amber, vetiver) down my shirt, so that distracted me for the few hours it lasted, emanating its happy (albeit sweet) fruitiness.
Tuesday, August 21
Morning: Wore SSS Champagne de Bois down the dress, though I didn't really spray enough to get much sillage so I barely got to smell it at all. Dabbed Guerlain Habit Rouge (Oriental Woody: orange, basil, lime, rosewood, lemon, bergamot, tangerine, carnation, sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon, rose, jasmine, cedar, oakmoss, benzoin, amber, leather, labdanum, vanilla) on my arm, which made up for the underspray of CdB and smelled delicious. It supposedly has leather featured prominently, but I can't smell it (every other "leather" perfume I've tried has smelled like pickles to me, so this is not a bad thing). There's something off for me in the first 10 minutes, sharp and musty, but it fades quickly. Guerlain knows how to do big orientals, let's just say that. And I liked it. A lot. Not as much as Derby, but still, a lot. Also, BAH to gendered fragrances!
Evening: Eau Sauvage! Because it'd been a whole 3 days since I'd worn it last, sheesh.
Wednesday, August 22
Morning: Cooler than it had been, so I decided to wear woody chypre Chanel 31 Rue Cambon (Woody Chypre: bergamot, patchouli), and hot damn did it smell good. I don't think it's all that complex (it's got nothing on Guerlain or Forest Walk), but it smells gorgeous, and it lasted most of the day. Well worth checking out if you haven't yet, and it reminded me that I should wear it more often!
Afternoon: Dabbed SSS Tabac Aurea (cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, leather, vetiver, patchouli, clove, tonka bean, labdanum absolute, amber, vanilla, musk) on my arm, which was a mistake. It was a nice day, and Tabac Aurea simply did not fit in. Too sweet and strong for how breezy and beautiful it was, but I set it aside to try again come the cold season, because even though it didn't work in the sunshine, it is a beautifully composed sweet oriental tobacco perfume, and I'm quite sure it will be perfect for snuggling in front of a fire.
Thursday, August 23
Morning: Wore Derby, and was pleased to discover that yep, it smells great. It reminds me somewhat of Mitsouko, pre-disappointing version, which isn't surprising as they're both chypres, but Derby is less fruity (no peach) and slightly darker. If Mitsouko doesn't fare better come cooler weather, Derby should be a suitable substitute (though it is incredibly hard to find, as [I believe?] it's only available in the Champs-Elysees flagship store. Thank heavens for decanters!).
Friday, August 24
Morning: Wore SSS Forest Walk, because it was cold and I wanted to smell yummy. Mission accomplished!
Evening: Habit Rouge, which is so unmistakably Guerlain it's ridiculous. Also, smells great. Though it may be a bit incongruous with the weather––how do you feel about orientals in warm weather? Even nice non-sweet orientals like Habit Rouge? Things to ponder...
What have you been wearing this week? Have you tried any of these Guerlain and Sonoma Scent Studio scents? What did you think?
