New Jobs

I am ecstatic to say that I have received a new position with a top notch company in my field. It allows me to continue in a similar capacity and affords me numerous opportunities. My field is very demanding, however. As you may have noticed, I have not been able to post as often.

The next two weeks present quite a challenge. I am without a laptop and will be attending a very intense, out-of-town training course. Therefore, Mr. TMH has agreed to post in my absence. Hopefully, he will keep you entertained with reviews and musings about his favorite fragrances. He has picked up quite a bit of fragrance lingo just by listening to me and reading my reviews. If nothing else, he will hopefully make you laugh as he does me every single day.

Please enjoy and feel free to comment to him as well. He will certainly relay any messages to me you would like. And when I do have computer time, you can rest assured, I will be reviewing the umpteen decants I'll be bringing with me!

Image source: scalaeditions.com

Random Collection Selection: Bulgari Blu

Bulgari ranks among houses such as Cartier and Dior for producing refined, sophisticated fragrances. The Bulgari's descend from an ancient family of Greek silversmiths. In the mid-19th Century Sortirio, the founder of the family, emigrated from Greece to Rome where he set up shop. Following years of gemstone design and fashion, Bulgari perfumes established itself in Switzerland in the 1990's. Today the house produces over eighteen fragrances for men and women.

Bulgari Blu's top notes are bergamot and ginger, with middle notes of fresh wisteria, musk, sandalwood, and flax flower. The scent concludes with a mix of vanilla and acacia. When the invigorating, exhilarating aspects of bergamot and ginger fade, a fresh, waxy, clean and somewhat soapy heart emerges. This is not your grandmother's soap, however. It is a dry, simultaneously cold and warm, sensually clean bouquet. What keeps the flax flower and wisteria from squeaking with cleanliness is the ever so light musk and sandalwood, which deliver a truly woodsy undertone. Finally, vanilla and acacia, while not pronounced, maintain the soft, sensual effect all day on my skin. I characterize this scent as captivating and soft. My husband buries his nose in my neck and my pet cat moves a little closer when I wear Blu. (Yes indeed, pets respond to fragrance!)

Bulgari Blu, described as "fire and ice, passion and poise," found its way into my collection about six years ago. I reach for it when I am seeking comfort or desiring a scent that is at once soft, sexy and clean. Despite its cobalt blue rather masculine bottle, the fragrance inside reminds me of an ivory silk pashmina, seemingly plain but nonetheless swank. Like Blu, an ivory pashmina has the ability to transform any outfit from drab to chic with a simple toss around the shoulder. In addition, Blu is delightfully flexible in its appropriateness. A day at the office? Sure. A night on the town? Most definitely. Throw it on when you want to add style to your ensemble or captivate others enough to say, "What smells so good?" Those words are music to a perfume maven's ears and I find them spoken abundantly when Blu is my fragrance.


Bulgari Blu can be found at numerous online fragrance discounters. See my post about online shopping for suggestions.

Image source: shopcardsandgifts.com

Perfume Blogging

I must offer my response to a controversial topic that has received a lot of attention this week. To my regular readers, I must thank you for your loyalty and attention. To others who may be reading for the first time, I would like to clarify the nature of this blog. Point blank - I do not accept money to review fragrances. Hopefully you will find all of my reviews quite wonderfully subjective. It is, after all, my opinion. I list notes and how they play with each other for objectivity's sake. But to write completely objectively would take the fun out of blogging for me. I continuously point out that scent love is extremely personal. What I abhor you may love and vice versa.

Second, I purchase samples, swap for them and occasionaly receive them from generous SA's at departments stores and through the web. A free sample in no way indebts me to write a good review and I have written several that are obviously unaffected by marketing. If you find most of my reviews to be positive, it is simply because 90% of the time I choose fragrances that I like to discuss. I find my page grimly blank when I do not like a scent.

Those who do accept money from perfumers, I wish them well. My value system prevents me from making a dime doing this. All of the links you see to other blogs follow this same value system. After all, it is only for the love of perfume that we write. Thank you for reading!

Image source: bloggingblog.net

Scent of the Day

I am wearing Kai Body Glow scented moisturizing oil, a perfect light gardenia blend for a long, hot day. What are you wearing? I will be back later today for a Random Collection Selection review. Have a great day!

Image source: skinrevival.com

Caron Coup de Fouet

After glancing through my list of reviewed fragrances, I discovered that the house of Caron eluded my radar for the past four months. This illustrious house, which recently celebrated a century of fragrance devotion, remains true to fragrance as an art form by bucking fashion trends. Caron persists in employing an in-house nose. In so doing, it ranks among one of the last original perfume houses. Caron has created magnificent fragrances like Aimez Moi, Parfum Sacre and Lady Caron.

Today's pick, Coup de Fouet, translates to "crack the whip." This is no wallflower scent and yet it does not smack you in the bum as the name suggests. Similar to Poivre which is the extrait de parfum of this wonderful scent, Coup de Fouet's blend is based upon a spicy accord, within which carnation and other florals weave beautifully. At first dab, the scent is spicy and sharp, featuring quite vividly red pepper and black pepper. However as the fragrance dries, carnation blooms with ylang ylang to create a soft, sweet, and floral bouquet. The fiery floral heart is what I favor, as the aromatic spices and innocent flowers play together agreeably. This aspect of the fragrance vaguely reminds me of a Chai tea latte, with its savory, creamy merging of sweetness and spiciness. As in the making of Chai, sweetener must be added to highlight the robust spices. So it is with Coup de Fouet where contrasting elements create an exquisite harmony. Opoponax, sandalwood, vetiver and oakmoss compose the balsamic base of this fragrance, giving it a smoky, woodsy quality. The entire effect creates a sophisticated, classic, surprising and refined blend.

I find it entirely wearable for evening and dressier occasions. It will most certainly inspire curiosity as to its origins, for not one currently marketed fragrance remotely resembles it - one of the many loveable aspects of a creation from Caron.

Coup de Fouet, like so many masterpieces, has proved quite difficult to find. I am open to suggestions for places to purchase!

Image source: pubsparfums.free.fr.com

5 Minute Review: Les Parfums de Rosine Ecume de Rose

Today, I am wearing Ecume de Rose, a generous sample from the lovely CourtD from MakeupAlley. This is my 5 minute impression, written a few months ago: Ecume de Rose by Les Parfums de Rosine means quite literally "rose foam," but we will stick with the French pronunciation since it fits this fragrance so beautifully. An ode to roses, this complex scent wraps its wearer oh so lightly in a rose-scented veil. The top notes of tart blackcurrant leaves and green water lilies set the stage strongly, evoking images of sunlight, beaches and gardens. As the heart of the scent shines through and the beauty of dune roses delicately make their appearance, the unexpected notes of strawflowers and St. John's Wort keep the fragrance from overwhelming its wearer. At the base, vetiver, amber and white musk ever so slightly add warmth to this fragrance, making it unlike any other rose scent. Indeed, this is the scent of garden strolls, straw hats and frilly sundresses. I find myself wanting to go to the beach with this lovely, light veil.

Scent of the Day

Hello and good morning perfume mavens! My work is monopolizing my time of late so in lieu of a fragrance review this morning, I would love to hear what you are wearing today! I plan to review Caron Coup de Fouet later today, when my schedule allows. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Image source: antique perfume bottles from journalofantiques.com

Successful Mini Sniffa!

Four of us met at the Arizona Biltmore Fashion Park - pattyaz, spell_me (from MUA), L. and myself. We started off the day with coffee and chit chat followed by a mini swap! Each of us brought fragrances and samples that needed new homes and we were delighted to be able to re-home most of them.

We then headed to Product which carried some of the iProfumi di Firenze line but not the newer offerings. Therefore, we sampled Zenzero, Caterina de Medici, Florentia 22, Florentia 16, Ambra del Nepal, Cedro and others. None of us purchased here as the SA was not super knowledgeable or aware of the new scents available. (This is more of a cosmetics shop than a fragrance boutique.) Despite spell_me's and my plan to split Florentia 22, we just weren't that impressed with it today and therefore decided against it.

From there we proceeded to Saks Fifth Avenue where we stopped momentarily at the Jo Malone counter. Each of us found one that intrigued. Today Verbenas de Provence had me swooning. I literally could buy a new Jo Malone every time I shop there. Others we liked were Amber & Lavender, Nectarine Blossom & Honey and Black Vetyver Cafe. We also tried the new Paris springtime at the YSL counter and none of us were impressed enough to buy it.

We meandered to the main fragrance counter and spoke with Paul who completely took care of us!! He had us sniffing for a good 1/2 hour, mostly Annick Goutal and Bond No. 9. A few hits and purchases - Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace, Annick Goutal Les Nuits d'Hadrien, Jill Sander Style, and Bond No. 9 West Side.

My purchase was quite a bit more than I anticipated but I am happy to say that my long-term love/hate relationship with Le Baiser du Dragon has finally materialized into extreme like. I purchased 1 oz. parfum in this gorgeous scent! (Often parfum is the truest formulation, especially for Cartier fragrances.) Paul and his team were extremely good to all of us. He truly exemplifies what great fragrance customer service can be. Thank you Paul!

We decided to sit at another cafe to chat, sip tea and have a bite to eat. L.'s husband joined us as we discussed our findings of the day, swapped more samples and prepared to go home. I thoroughly enjoyed our little get-together!! What wonderful women I am fortunate to live close to!! As we exited, we called ourselves the original "Fab Four", in the hopes that our Sniffas will continue to grow. Thanks gals!! Enjoy your new fragrances and samples. ;-)

Image: my own, from left to right - me, L., pattyaz and spell_me

Les Parfums de Rosine Poussière de Rose

A flame-haired beauty, with thick locks rolling down her shoulders dressed in a pink silk brocade gown, pearls around her neck with tiny golden slippers on her feet, slowly strolls through a spring garden, sniffing roses as she passes by. She langorously anticipates the upcoming rendezvous with her love interest, the Prince. She has all the time in the world and not a care about her, other than presenting herself in a most alluring fashion. She has not always been so privileged. This spring has given her the opportunity to live with her honorable aunt and uncle at their estate. Graciously, she takes extreme pleasure in her surroundings and appreciates the exquisite beauty of the countryside, the clothing in which she is dressed and most of all the perfume she wears, gifted to her by her cousin. It is Poussière de Rose.

Not unlike our heroine, I was gifted with this exquisite rose fragrance from my east coast mother. Perhaps she thought I had forgotten about this scent or ... worse yet ... disliked it. Oh, no. No, no, no. This scent could inspire novels. Delicate, elegant, sophisticated and understated, Poussière de Rose combines magical, romantic rose with plum, incense, tea and cinnamon. The plum is sweet, the tea green and the faint incense and cinnamon sensual, creating a fragrance altogether romantic, soft and dreamy. Literally meaning "dust of a rose," it requires bright colors, feminine frills, fresh lipstick, a sunny day and perhaps a romantic rendezvous. It also requires a wearer who can appreciate its absolute refinement.

Creator Marie-Helene Rogeon is not new to the art of perfumery. She was born into a family of perfumers and enjoyed from a very young age her grandparents' Rosine collection by Paul Poiret. She gained experience in perfume with Givenchy, Jean Deprez and Pierre Balmain before launching her own firm in 1991. Her rose scents are arguably the most cultivated in the perfume industry. With such offerings as Un Zest de Rose and Rose d'Amour, among many others, she has brought Rosine and her childhood to the world. Of the three I have tried, Poussière de Rose is by far my favorite.

Les Parfums de Rosine Poussière de Rose is available at beautyhabit.com and lusciouscargo.com. A 5omL bottle retails for $85.00.

Image sources: Virgin from the movie Perfume, cinabel.be, Rosine bottle meccacosmetica.com.au

Creed Virgin Island Water

I seem to be drawn to tropical scents this week. Perhaps I am longing for another honeymoon? After wondering what to review after an arduous day at a new job, I grabbed a sweater I had worn on Tuesday, when I first tried Creed's Virgin Island Water. Delightfully, I picked up remnants of the scent and thought perhaps I had worn Estee Lauder's Azuree Oil or Bobbi Brown Beach that day. When I remembered that it was Virgin Island Water I knew that I must review this one.

If Satellite Ipanema captures the beach, this scent has captures it times ten. While Ipanema evokes the pleasures of vacation and compliments a beach-going day nicely, Virgin Island Water renders its wearer a cool-smelling sun queen. With wet hair, tanned skin, freckles along the bridge of her nose, beautiful blue eyes, and smelling faintly of coconut oil, she enjoys an occasional game of beach volleyball and loves to swim. Lest I suggest Virgin Island Water is for the younger crowd, rest assured this scent is fluid and sophisticated enough for anyone.

Colombina of Perfume-Smellin' Things listed the notes beautifully: "essence of copra (the white inner portion of the coconut), coconut toddy (a liquid derived from the sweet sap of the palm tree), lime, bergamot, mandarin orange, hibiscus, ginger, ylang-ylang, jasmine, sugar cane, white rum and musk." The obvious top notes are lime, ginger and a sprinkling of coconut. The tart, cool citrus provides just enough bouyancy for the remainder of the notes to blend cheerfully. Although I cannot detect hibiscus or jasmine, when the citrus notes evaporate what remains is a lustrous merging of faint coconut, sweet sugar cane and tantalizing white rum. Overall, this light-hearted, pleasing scent merits a large decant for the dog days of summer ahead.

Creed Virgin Island Water is available in EDP, 1 oz. retails for $98, 2.5 oz. for $185 and 4 oz. for $208 at Neiman Marcus and other select stores.

Image source: 71percentwater.com, neimanmarcus.com

Arizona Mini Sniffa

I am pleased to announce the first ever Arizona Mini Sniffa to be held this Saturday, May 5th at the Arizona Biltmore Shopping Center. Edit: We have changed the date to Sunday May 6th to take advantage of the fragrance event at Saks Fifth Avenue! We plan to explore the i Profumi di Firenze scents as well as Annick Goutal offerings. If you live in Arizona and would like to join us, please e-mail me for further details!!

Random Collection Selection: Angel Lily

As a collector of fragrance since I was a young child, I possess what I consider to be an inordinate amount of perfume ... inordinate for one person, that is. This borderline obsession feels like a hoarding illness at times. When I give serious thought to exactly how much I own it inspires anxiety. How will I ever use it all? Therefore, I share quite generously and recently decided to purchase decants rather than full bottles. Although I fancy reviewing new, niche scents, the thought dawned on me yesterday to randomly pick a full bottle from my robust collection weekly to review. After all, if I felt compelled to purchase a full bottle at one time, the scent(s) certainly moved me. Enough said?

Today's pick is Thierry Mugler Angel Lily. I recall testing this at Nordstrom and firstly being quite impressed with the manufacturer's gadget to refill the bottle. (Mind you, I rarely empty bottles but the thought of refilling was ingenius enough to inspire a purchase!) I also recall turning my nose at the thought of giving Angel* another spin after smelling this scent on every woman and her sister at the mall. My second and lasting impression after trying the scent on my skin, despite my initial reluctance, is one of amazement. The brilliance of adding a few notes to the original overwhelming blend to create a much more wearable fragrance enchants me to this day.

Angel Lily launched in 2005 to appeal to fans of the original Angel as well as those, like me, who could not wear it. The year 2005 holds a dear place in my heart for it was the year my husband entered my life. Angel Lily held a prominent place at the beginning of our courtship. Following its green beginning, Angel Lily becomes a heady concoction, akin to sweet, honey-drenched lilies. True to the nature of the flower, the scent endures incredibly well and lasts the entire evening. The word "evening" is intentional. Parallel to the original Angel, this scent inspires a "love it or hate it" relationship due to its bold, intrepid bouquet. However, the night becomes darker, the moon brighter and the love sweeter for the woman who enjoys donning this ultra feminine scent. I still find it full bottle worthy.

Notes - Top notes: "Dew" Note, Green Stem. Middle notes: Nutmeg, Lily, Honey. Base notes: Patchouli, Vanilla Notes.

A free sample goes to the first reader to guess whether or not I have refilled the original bottle I purchased in 2005.

Thierry Mugler Angel Lily is available at multiple discount websites, .8 oz. EDP as low as $55.99 on amazon.com.

Image source: www.lilies.org

*After its launch in 1992, the original Angel became an instant success due to its unique blending of chocolate, vanilla and patchouli notes among others. Unfortunately for those who do not like it, the sillage of this persistent fragrance can fill a room.