In which I sample the good stuff: Diptyque's Creme Riche Body Butter

This is going to be a post about one of those things you hoard because you know quite frankly you are never going to buy it unless over night you become incredibly rich but every once in awhile you will think "...maybe I will..." Diptyque's Creme Rich Body Butter is definitely the fantasy body creme for me richly scented with rose that plays on loukhoum that thankfully never hits full dessert mode. The rose is full and true, sweet but never cloying, and there is a slight earthy dusky edge to it that is very seductive (I'm assuming it is the myrrh note). The texture is wonderful moisturizing rich but never oily or dense. Fragrance lasts for a good while and lends itself well to layering. It definitely has a sort of hammam quality to it that definitely makes you feel luxurious, well pampered, and clean.

Image: "In Anticipation of Summer" by Ekatarina Gocharova

The Mall Report: Chanel, Prada, Jo Malone, and Marchesa or what I really remember

So every once in awhile I have an extra long lunch break so I like to traipse over to the local mall and check out the latest fragrance offerings in the area.

First up Jo Malone's Blackberry and Bay which was not particularily very blackberry or bay, more citrussy than anything, which was disappointing because I love both of those things.

Then the big bad fruitchouli or as they are calling it over at Chanel, Coco Noir, sigh what an utter disappointment, the bottle is gorgeous, the name alone demands something good, but sadly this is a giant fruitchouli with some serious tenacity. Just no thank you.

Marchesa's Parfum D'Extase, big giant white floral, with possible headache inducing qualities, although touted as "fresh" and "different" I only smelled this on a card, and immediately knew it was not for I.

Prada Infusion d'Iris Absolue, this is pretty, very nice, not sure I need it with by bottle of Prada Candy still on the fuller side, as most have said imagine Infusion d'Iris mixed with Candy and you would have something like this but with a richer animalic dry down.

Tomorrow No6 by Naoko Stoop

Perfume Review: Trussardi Jeans for Women

If you were to tell me one of my favorite fragrances was going to be called Jeans I would have laughed. I'm short and larger hipped, jeans and I for the most part do not get along, it is usually a once a year excursion into body dysmorphia of "Why won't these jeans f*&!ing jeans fit properly!?" At my plumpest and my thinnest jeans have not fit properly. On the other hand Trussardi Jeans is my go to anytime perfect fitting fragrance.

First off this fragrance is not necessarily original, in fact is smells like a very high end bit of a cult status fragrance, L'Artisan Jour de Fete, in fact nearly identical, except that Trussardi Jeans is in my estimation a better fragrance. Nor is my comparison original I learned of this fragrance and comparison through Aromascope.

Now what it means to me: rain water, violets, lovely clean diaphonous heliotrope, sweet milk, blanched almonds, and hints of peppery white musk (luckily not laundry detergent), and incredible calm. This is such a perfect calm space scent that caters to the comforting side but does not veer off into bakery land. It has excellent lasting power but is never overwhelming. When I don't know what to wear I reach for this. It is never offending but also never dull, for me it is my Guerlain Apres L'Ondee except it works on me.

Try if you like: Caron Farnesiana, L'Artisan Jour de Fete, Guerlain Apres L'Ondee, Black Phoenix Alchemy Dana O'Shee.

image by Tatiana Plakhova