Paris - Balenciaga
Extremely muted. Very classy. Definitely worth a try - but verging on too subtle for my gauche tastes.
Very Hollywood - Michael Kors
The opening is all bubblegum. But once you're over the Hubba Bubba notes this dries down very similarly to the original Michael Kors fragrance. I'm a big fan of the original fragrance, so could imagine coming round to this.
Noix de Tubereuse - Miller Harris
This is extremely almondy. Lovely. Will definitely be trying this again. I've been looking for a Miller Harris to claim as my own, and this might be it.
Un Matin d'Orage - Annick Goutal
One of my key discoveries yesterday was how pretty many of the Annick Goutal fragrances are. This is a gardenia fragrance. Not sure if it's my absolute favourite in the range, but nonetheless extremely wearable.
Black March - CB I Hate Perfume
This is the fragrance that I came home wearing yesterday. Although I've had quite a few samples of CB I Hate Perfume, it was pure indulgence to try a huge amount from a full size bottle. My husband thought it smelt almost purely of mould. But I could definitely smell black peat and earth. Beautiful and in a class of its own.
Flowerbomb - Viktor&Rolf
My husband thought that this smelt of our little baby girl. It might do - but that's because she always has a tinge of sweet fruit yogurt. It's so long since I've smelt Thierry Mugler's Angel, that I don't want to draw a comparison. But Flowerbomb is sweet sweet sweet. A few months ago I would have dismissed this out of hand. But now I can see that it's pretty if you wear it in the right way.
Escale a Pondicherry - Dior
As Escale a Portofino is such a personal favourite, I had to try out the sister fragrance. Pondicherry is an extremely stylish smell. It's soapy, which doesn't really describe it, and beautifully muted. An elegant fragrance.
Solar Donkey Power - Six Scents Series Two
Solar Donkey Power is described as reminiscent of saunas. My husband told me it smelt of wet flannels, which sort of put me off. But this is a fabulous male fragrance - sexy in an obvious way - which isn't always bad.
Diorissimo - Dior
Diorissimo needs no introduction, it's such a famous scent. It's definitely spring flowers. But for me it's spring flowers through a loud speaker.
A Room With A View - CB I Hate Perfume
This didn't capture my heart as much as Black March. Another extremely evocative fragrance, described as capturing the scent of the hills above Florence.
Jicky - Guerlain
Wish I could say that I love Guerlain. But sadly I don't. Think it's the bergamot that I find overpowering. However much I smell them things don't change. Maybe one day.
Burberry Sport for Women
Surprisingly good. Light and fresh. Somehow, not at all what I was expecting.
Orange - Hugo Boss
Another big surprise. The name is off-putting. The bottle is tacky. It's only redeeming feature is that Sienna Miller is the face of this new fragrance. It's a light, very wearable fruity floral (I think). Worthy of a proper review at a later date.
Versus - Versace
Overwhelming orange notes in the opening made this a definite 'no' for me.
Eau du Soir - Sisley
Unlike the other Sisley fragrances, this reminds me of Sisley skin products. It' has a 'drenched' note, which possibly isn't a very helpful description. It puts me in mind of Aromatics Elixir, which is a personal favourite. Eau du Soir is fabulous.
Ivoire - Balmain
Initially I loved this. But the dry down is very peppery and has a slightly irritant quality.Will do another test as I've read many positive reviews about this one and really want to like it.
Geranium Bourbon - Miller Harris
This is probably a masculine fragrance. Sadly I don't like it, but can't put my finger on why. There's almost a ginger note in it. Perhaps that's the geranium.
Elemis
Very mild floral fragrance. Forgettable. Too harsh?
Eau d'Hadrien - Annick Goutal
Another fragrance that I had read a lot about, it's extremely pretty. I will have a detailed look at the entire Annick Goutal range in the coming weeks.
8 Lovely comments:
keep going with ther Guerlains- once you find love it's very strong and true- not that I think anyone *should* like certain scents just because they are famous- I don't like Chanel No 5. I loved Apres L'Ondee but couldn't get other Guerlain's for ages- then suddenly I did and when you do they are like Van Gogh compared to pop art.
Hi Rose,
Interesting that you say that. Apres L'Ondee is the only one that has appealed to me at all. So perhaps I'm on the same journey as you, just a long way behind. Will keep trying Guerlain and fingers crossed for a breakthrough moment.
I love Flowerbomb but ironically I just don't get any flowers, rather it smells like an explosion of sugar! I wore it as an office fragrance and found it settled well on the skin, not too overpowering.
I have Boss Orange and wear it as a casual weekend fragrance. I really like it too, it's very light. Usually I tend to more unique or woody spicy scents but this is a breath of fresh air. Also, when I sprayed it on in the office about half a dozen women came up to ask what it was because they really liked it. Anything you get conpliments from is a winner!
Hi Natalie - thanks for the comment. Agree that Flowerbomb isn't about flowers. It should be called Sweetsbomb.
Hmm - interesting that you got comments about Orange. Agree that anything that people comment on has to be a good thing!
So sweet that Flowerbomb reminds your husband of your little girl... and probably pretty accurate, too.
I did NOT love Ivoire upon first wearing, or even second or third. I found the middle portion a tug-of-war between the soapy quality and the moss, and it was quite distracting. But after six hours or so, the drydown is beautifully rich and almost honeyed.
Re: Guerlains - the only testers I ever see are for edt, and I think most of the edts, except Apres l'Ondee, are unwearable for me. L'Heure Bleue I like only in parfum, and Shalimar requires the right weather and the teeeeniest drop I can manage, otherwise I'm miserable.
Good to hear that Ivoire is a grower. I'm definitely giving this one another chance. And perfumes can be really different on your skin to how they are on paper.
First sniffs can be very deceptive as it's not possible to know which ones are going to stand the test of time.
I can't wait to try the new Paris! I didn't like Geranium Bourbon either and I am okay with geranium but it may have been the patchouli that made this a bit headachey, as Fleur Oriental does.
Afraid Boss Orange is not good on me - I get furry orange squash, much like the Prada orange one that quite a few people were disappointed in.
I do so envy your being in London and having regular access to these great temples to scent!
Hi Flittersniffer,
Geranium bourbon is definitely an odd one. I'm not keen on bourbon, so don't know why I picked that one to try out of such a lovely range.
Interesting to read your reaction to Boss Orange. I didn't find it too orangey. But I had just tried Versace Versus about half an hour before. My immediate reaction to Versus was that I'd "been tango'd". Let me know if you try Versus.
Although I'm in London I hardly ever go into town properly even though it's only half an hour away. But Oxford Street is great to get all the up to date fragrances.
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