Ambering It Up

I suppose I sometimes think of amber as my scent, I feel a certain territorial quality for the note, I suspect it is because it is a note that from a young age has been a part of my life, a note that is always in the background. A note that I know blends well with my skin which is why it was so sad for me a few years ago to realize that chemistry of skin with amber had changed making my ambered fragrances take on overly sweet tarry note, but with time I have found some new loves in the amber category. So out of curiosity I decided to see all the amber fragrances I have and how I would categorize them and came to the conclusion that I am total amber nut:

Ambre Narguile by Hermessence- The ultimate amber pastry, completely defines the idea of amber being a pastry note.
Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire- A spicy narcotic decadent amber with a little bit of growling fur going through it.
Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens- An herbal narcotic amber, very cool and hot at the same time.
Baltic Amber candle by Voluspa- I beautiful smoky creamy amber with hints of pine and vanilla, one of the few candles I have repeatedly bought.
Blackberry Amber by Bath and Body Works- A juicy blackberrry amber patchouli combo, very intense.
Must de Cartier- What I like to call gingerbread amber with smoke and beautiful green notes.
Sensual Amber by Bath and Body Works- A chewy dried apricot amber that has a nice resinous vanilla drydown.
With Love by Hilary Duff- a coffeed piney creamy amber. Bizarrely good.

As you can see I am no perfume snob, I can appreciate high and low end.

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image: Venice Amber Vine Trio by Julie Lazarus

SOTD: With Love

After weeks of green and fresh; I feel the need for something comforting, sweet, and ambered. I admit I would love to reach for Un Bois Vanille or L de Lolita Lempicka, but those are just too rich, so I am going with the whipped amber confection of With Love. I will admit I am still embarrassed for liking this one, but it is perfect for days when you yearn for an oriental but don't what the intensity of an oriental fragrance.

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image by Flor Garduno

Sweet For Spring

Now as lovely as flowers and greenery are in spring fragrances, there is the reality that I lean towards fragrances on the oriental side which usually have some sort of sweet undercurrent. Now of late I have been thinking about sweet fragrances that work in spring, because as it turns out spring seems to be a hard time to wear sweet fragrances (some how summer is easier even if the weather is warmer). So I have come up with a list of three fragrances that work in spring weather that lean on the sweet side yet complement the weather:

1. With Love by Hilary Duff : There is something perfect about this lovely creamy milky amber to go with cooler spring days. The scent contains enough oriental elements to fulfill the need for this type of scent, yet is light enough to never over power. It has a lovely cafe au lait quality with just a hint of zesty fruit to keep it from becoming to sweet.

2. Pearl by Sage Machado : This scent has always reminded me of petals on the ground, clouds, and scent of steam and incense intermixed. It brings about a meditative quality with the use of clean musk and sandalwood, but remains wonderfully comforting with a lovely vanilla that is not gourmand.

3. Kuumba Made Vanilla Musk : There is something rather pink and opalescent about this scent. It is wonderfully feminine but at the same time very relaxed, I will admit it reminds of pastries filled with almond but decorated with floral designs, but I will say this now it is not a gourmand scent.


image provided http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=170

SOTD: With Love

Today is cloudy and so back to something comforting and sweet: With Love. I still can't believe especially with my snobbery that I like this little fragrance represented by Hillary Duff, but it really is good. I suppose I must remind myself that really it was perfumer that created this scent, but the reality is image does mean something when it comes to fragrances, I mean look at the the world of niche fragrances? I just remind myself: If it smells good it smells good (okay I will never wear a Paris Hilton fragrance).

Quote of the Day: "I like a cook who smiles out loud when he tastes his own work. Let God worry about your modesty; I want to see your enthusiasm." — Robert Farrar Capon

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Leaving Downy Cloud Island by Amy Sol

SOTD: With Love by Hillary Duff

It is Friday, I am still sick, I have work today, the on coming headache that will be setting up a new cellphone plan; so I have decided to go with comfort in both image and fragrance. Today I am wearing Hillary Duff's With Love, a lovely little perfume, that combines cream, amber, spices, vanilla, and a light dash of fruit. Overall it kind've reminds me of a mango lassi and a mocha. One very unique characteristic of the scent is that it becomes stronger and richer as it dries down.

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Cream by Alfred Arthur Brunel de Neuville