So lately I have been craving vanillas and ambers, but here is the conundrum, I don't want my winter/autumn ambers and vanillas, they are too heavy and spicy. So while looking through my samples yesterday I ended up finding Estee Lauder's Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang, and this really seems to be hitting the spot. It is light, airy, enveloping, and gentle, makes you just want to relax in its glow. Lovely stuff. On other notes, cats can be exceptional wackjobs sometimes, like now.
After a complaint of the weather being in the 90's we are suddenly in the 50's talk about a mood swing. Yesterday I spent my day in my sample of Chergui and came to the utter conclusion that it does not do diddly on me, rather it becomes a nice musk, and all those other wonderful notes seem to be sucked out by my skin, I am sad because this one always seems to inspire poetry in others. Still a nice thing for the wallet. I was then tempted to go with Bois des Iles today but I just wasn't feeling the sandalwood and my other spring stuff was feeling to shrieky, until I remembered by hoarded sample of Lieu de Reves, has just the right amount of warmth, tranquilty, and sometimes I get a little tobacco in the drydown (I suspect from the vetiver).
Can't believe I have not posted about this amazing beauty, Annick Goutal once again makes me love a floral I don't usually love, this time gardenia. I can't too see how this does in balmy humid weather, I have a feeling like Osmanthus Interdite it will bloom.
Oh how nicely it has cooled off. It feels like spring again and not summer; which by the way I don't want for awhile. My one complaint is that is overcast. Update on Sienna Musk: that was definately not for me, my skin had a reactioning of just amplifing it way to much, so much so that I got a bit of a headache from it. So I am going with the super pretty and light Le Chasse aux Papillons today.
image provided by artnet.com
image: Morning Glories on Sunflower by Tony Mendoza 2004
Many have described this as a gourmand, but I fairly positive that I know why Sonoma Scent Studio's Sienna Musk is not gourmand on me, Laurie's sandalwood, which always becomes smoky on me, in a good way, but most definately smoky. The spices leave quickly on me and what is left is a smoky woodsy creamsy musk, I think this would smell exquisite on a man. Doesn't really evoke Sienna to me but rather the southwest with its dryness.
We are suddenly having 90 degree weather here (started on Sunday but should be done today) and suddenly most of my spring stuff is seeming to heavy, so reaching for the creamy coolness of Datura Noir. So strange how the weather works.
So this week I took a little mini sniffa-thon at the mall and here is what I tried and thought:
-Butterfly Flower by Bath and Body Works Fragrance Top Notes: Black Tea, Mouthwatering Tangerine, Cyclamen, Banana Leaf Fragrance Mid Notes: Maxillaria Tenufolia Orchid, Asian Syringa Flower, French Mimosa Fragrance Base Notes: Creamy Coconut Milk, Musk This is girlish, very pretty, sweet spring floral. What those notes do not mention: Lilac! This has a lot of lilac and I have to say this is one of the better pure florals I have smelled in awhile. -Escale a Portifino by Dior notes: A glorious experience of fresh top notes of bergamot and citron, tempting middle notes of almond and orange blossom, and base notes of cool cypress essence. Want a perfect cologne tonic for summer, this is it between this and the John Varvatos Artisan, and waiting to sniff Infusion Fleur d'Oranger, I suspect one of these will be my summer fragrance. -Miss Dior Cherie L'eau by Dior notes: strawberry leaves, pink jasmine, caramelized popcorn, strawberry sorbet, patchouli . I got a lot of rhubarb from this on the paper and makes me think I need to test it out because it was pretty but in a very chic way. -Be Delicious Fresh Blossom by Donna Karan notes: Grapefruit, Cassis, Apricot, Muguet, Rose, Jasmine, Apple, Blond Woods, Smooth Skin Accord. I really didn't get much from this on paper, but I feel now looking at the notes I should try because of the apricot. -Flora by Gucci Top notes: citrus accords, peony. Heart: rose, osmanthus flower. Base: pink pepper, sandalwood. So this is supposed to be centered around osmanthus and for a moment it is, but then it is taken over by a super sweet caramel bottom with a dash of pink pepper. Pretty bottle though. -Lotus Garden by Pacifica notes: lotus blossom, cassis, green violet leaf, and pink pepper. Lots of tart mango. -Malibu Lemon Blossom by Pacifica notes: Litsea Cubeba, flowering Angel's Trumpet, and fresh herbs Very herbal reminding me of lemon grass, verbena, and citronella, a nice change from the usual. -Bali Lime Papaya notes: slightly musky papaya, bright Kaffir lime, and sweet lime blossom. In lotion form this mainly smelled like pear, a nice pear, but pear none the less.
And because this so right on the money about the obnoxiousness of Carl's Jr's advertisements
And my new favorite song to rock out too, Franz Ferdinand's "Your What She Came For"
image provided by artnet.com image: Spring by Juan Erlich 2007 video provided by current.com video uploaded by CRO875
The weather has cooled down a little bit but the sun keeps on shining beautifully. I took a sniffage trip to the mall earlier this week and will have a report up tomorrow. Otherwise I have been enjoying the beauty of this perfect gorgeous spring weather, I think spring in California may be the shortest season, summer comes so fast. I right now have a vase of daffodils on my dresser and they really are my favorite spring flower, they are perfect in all of their sunny trumpeting glory. Also I just a read a wonderful book called His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik, for lovers of regency fun and dragons, this is wonderful, besides the main character reminds me a bit of Austen's wonderful Colonel Brandon.
So lately I have been craving vanillas and ambers, but here is the conundrum, I don't want my winter/autumn ambers and vanillas, they are too heavy and spicy. So while looking through my samples yesterday I ended up finding Estee Lauder's Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang, and this really seems to be hitting the spot. It is light, airy, enveloping, and gentle, makes you just want to relax in its glow. Lovely stuff. On other notes, cats can be exceptional wackjobs sometimes, like now. 
