Prada Candy

It's funny had you said I would go through the bottles of one houses perfumes easily, I would not have guessed Prada. Not that I don't get the aesthetic of Prada but I am just not that high minded about my fashion, not that I don't have a concept of a beauty or that I can't appreciate the aesthetic of Prada, but I'm not a Prada woman unless you take into account their fragrances, then I am totally their woman. I went through a bottle of Infusion d'Iris eau de parfum, easily, garnered compliments, and have often consider replacing the bottle I used up. It was my easy elegant go anywhere scent that made me feel put together and at ease.

The news then came out about Candy and I wasn't quite sure what to expect, a gourmand from Prada? Then the advertising fun, playful, young bright exuberant pink, uh oh? Really, we should have all known better, this is Prada we are talking about. To say the aesthetic of this house is well controlled is an understatement.

So I finally catch my first whiff of Candy and an hour later I have a bottle, it is good, but completely not what is advertised, yes this will appeal to the young, but this scent will appeal to all ages.

First off ignore the name Candy, there is really nothing candy-ish about it, maybe hints of those amazing sea salt caramels in France or the delicious goat's milk caramel from Mexico called Cajeta but like I said hints. This scent though is firmly rooted in the Infusion family, it starts off with the gauzy note that always makes me think of papyrus and mineral dust but instead of being layered over iris this time it is layered over benzoin and white musk.  Towards the end a milky vanilla bean caramel shows up but it is light never ever overpowering, more like quality of two minutes after eating one of those delicious sea salt caramels where there is still a hint of nutty smooth sweetness in your mouth but for the most part it is gone. The effect is warm and comforting, it belongs to the family of Lea St. Barth scents, easy and comfortable but just really really good to smell. The thing is also it is very tasteful this scent is not going to offend anyone but it is interesting, it is a gourmand but one that runs away from heavy confections and rather is meant to remind the memory of confections, like this:

If I were to be really frank this is the gourmand for the people who think they hate gourmand, not diet gourmand, but rather the memory of really good treat.

Try if you like: Serge Luten Un Bois Vanille, Prada Infusion d'Iris Absolue, Al-Rehab Dalal, Kenzo Kenzo Amour, Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee.

first image: 'Cosas Intimas #72' by Conrad Roset 
second image: http://www.manusmenu.com/blue-persian-salt-caramel-sauce

A return, the state of perfume, and orange blossom

So it has been 4 years since I last posted here and as expected many things have happened. I suppose I left with no word, which is rude, but at the time I was in the middle of grad school, and going through the ending of my first major relationship. And then like so many countries the economy went bust, majorly, and well it still is.

I kept up with the fragrance world to a degree but let us be honest about one major thing, it is no longer the play land it once was, finances were hit hard, and over the years the price of perfume has risen absurdly. Indie for the most part means it should be around $100.00 and higher, unless you go very indie and try the etailers and etsy. Mainstream has released some good but mainly it has been a whole lot of bad, the fruitchouli has taken over the roll of fruity floral, and really there isn't much to say about that. On the other hand natural perfumes have gotten a whole lot better. Sadly some perfumes and perfumers have gone away. There is always the notes du jour, oud has stayed longer than expected, and suddenly it seems we are coming into an era of fragrance when uber-sexy isn't the point with the startling release of green and powdery from some major fragrance houses.

On the other hand some things don't change. I still love orange blossom and I must say the last four years has seen the return of this lovely note in a big way. Today I will start with something I bought yesterday, a cheap thrill by the price tag alone, but a big thrill I think for any orange blossom lover. LUSH's Orange Blossom, it is a gorgeous rendition of orange blossom. It is a true orange blossom scent that stays and stays, the longevity of it is marvelous considering fleeting is often a large problem for orange blossom scents. While it has some of the soapy qualities associated with orange blossom it also has a honeyed facet that keeps the sweetness of the blossoms going allowing it to not go into neroli territory. What is strikes me even more is the dry woody note placed in it that gives it a hint of incense. Even better it is never heavy. This is perfect for a hot summer and I plan to take advantage of that.

In another interesting turn I took the recommendation of one of the SA's at LUSH yesterday and layered it with Vanillary and the guy was definitely on to something, the orange blossom notes cut through the sweetness that times can be overwhelming in Vanillary. I have also had wonderful layering results with Vanillary and Pacifica's Malibu Lemon Blossom.

If you like Lorenzo Villoresi's Dilmun (which sometimes can be sweeter than I like) I think you will like LUSH's Orange Blossom they share that same ripe intense orange blossom note, which I would almost called fruited.

image: The Staircase/L'Escalier by Repp 1

SOTD: Bois des Iles

What always strikes me about Bois des Iles is how utterly unique it is and yet how it is completely familiar to me, for Chanel it completely blows off of the idea that all Chanels are some strange alien cool creatures that just reek of cool chicness (which is what you want a lot of the times anyways). For me it is what a fairytale would look like in the hands of Coco Chanel. As for the familiarity of the scent, I can't explain it, it smells of home too me, it smells like it should be every where, but it isn't. It is the scent that makes you question why on earth are there not more scents in its category of aldehydic woods. It glows, it evolves, it is woods, perfect glow of an orange in Autumn twilight, gingerbread in shadows waiting to be eaten.

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image: Lot 153: Illustration of a Fox Hunting Party Traveling Through the Woods by Henry James Soulen

Gourmand Equivalents: Cuir Beluga and Brown Butter Blondies

Sometimes all you want is something sweet and embracing but then you have that one other need that is so opposite of the other two, sophisticated, that you are left with a conundrum of what to do, and to top it all off you want it easy. I had seen the recipe for Brown Butter Blondies a few weeks ago and had been agonizing about wanting to make them but could not with a right mind turn the oven on in 100 degree weather to bake a dessert that screamed Autumn to me, so I waited the weather out.

The idea of brown butter in desserts has always intrigued me, the added nuttiness and depth to already delicious butter made brown butter something to fantasize about, so finally the weather changed, and I tried the recipe. The recipe could not be simpler or easier and the results were phenomenal, while sweet the blondies were not overly sweet, the vanilla melded with the molasses of the dark brown sugar to create a heady fragrance, the pecans added there own sweet nuttiness, while the blondies themselves a beautiful caramel color. While children would eat these with joy, I could not help but realize that these are probably far more delightful for adults. As I sat there eating a blondie I realized that it reminded me of a fragrance, Guerlain's Cuir Beluga, while Guerlain may hype up the scent as the most elegant of things, and it is elegant what they fail to add is that Cuir Beluga is also very much a dessert scent, vanilla and amber with just the tiniest touch of leather to keep it from becoming vanilla pudding. The Leather and Brown Butter act out the very same role in these creations they make them adult desserts.

The recipe for Brown Butter Blondies can be found here:

http://blueridgebaker.blogspot.com/2009/09/brown-butter-blondies.html

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image: The Muse of Autumn by Delphin Enjolras

SOTD: Daim Blond

So today is finally feeling like Autumn. I've already made Carrot Ginger soup in celebration of it and later on some Brown Butter Blondies. My scent today is Serge Luten's Daim Blond that doesn't seem to get much love yet in this lovely Autumnal weather is perfect. This lightly spiced suede melts into the skin beautifully and brings a chicness that is unexpected.

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image: Golden Cottonwoods by Christopher Burkett 1993

SOTD: Farnesiana

Sometimes you just have to go girly pretty but why should that disparaged, in age when girly and womanly seem to be oversexed to attract a man's view, it is nice to put on a scent that feels like the purely feminine, celebratory of the feminine aspect at its most girly. In a way it reminds me of the Lolita Gothic trend:

The fragrance while feminine has its own bits of dark angles that makes it such a unique fragrance.

Just wanted to offer two really good articles about the Gothic Lolita trend:

http://jezebel.com/5056920/in-her-own-words

http://jezebel.com/5056235/gothic-lolita-style-rebellious-or-regressive

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image: Gossamer Tide by Amy Sol

image provided by http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/trends-gothic-lolita-2643/

SOTD: Magnifique

I think I am one of the few that likes this scent/or has positive results from it. For the few first hours it is smoky goodness and then becomes a sweet tart rose. In the other news today is the first day of Autumn and it is supposed to get to 103 here, Magnifique was the only scent that reminded me of of Autumn and I could wear in the heat today. Not much else to say when you are pining away for your Autumn weather.

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image: Still Life with Poppies and Morning Glories by James Aponovich 2007

My new tobacco addiction (don't worry I'm not smoking)

When I was a kid my Dad smoked cigarettes; to this day the scent of cigarette smoke makes me nauseous. So imagine my surprise when I found out I have a rather growing love for the scent of tobacco. The love for it began with Fifi Chachnil (this still has one of the more delightful unique uses for tobacco out there), I then went on to try and smell it in Chergui (for some reason this smells mainly of sweet honey on me), followed by Fumerie Turque which has a wonderful smokiness going on a hint of tobacco and eventual dry down creamy leather on me. Finally what I consider almost a soliflore for tobacco, Hilde Soliani's Bell'Antonia, tobacco and coffee deliciously blended into something utterly nuzzle worthy. I then received a decant of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, which starts out with a pungent wet tobacco note laden with cloves and drys down to a delicious honey vanilla cream on me. Yet, it turns out my love for the scent of tobacco really didn't just begin last year, I like to think it might actually be something I have been growing with for a very long time. The beginner scent being Lolita Lempicka, yes thats right there is a tobacco note in there, so lovely and delicate in its use you might pass it by but it is there, then there was the scent that made me cross the gender aisles of perfumery, Guerlain's Vetiver, the tobacco pronounced beautifully in the dry down. Finally about three years ago my love for Must de Cartier which I swear has a tobacco note.

Another realization, I like my tobacco notes combined with sweeter things. My birthday is coming up and I have decided to kill two birds with one stone this year for my birthday fragrance, I want to find a good tobacco scent with vanilla. So I have gathered a list for things I wish to sample:

Back To Black by Killian

Doolciiisssimo by Hilde Soliani

Field Notes From Paris by Ineke

Havana Vanille by L'Artisan

Tobacco by Odori

Tobacco and Tulle by Soivohle

Tobacco Caramel by Fresh

Vanillaville by Soivohle

Vintage Tobacco Vanille by Voluspa

Should you know any other great tobacco vanilla scents please do tell.

image provided by http://www.red.lawrnc.k12.il.us/Schools/RHHS/Classes/Art/Slides/cow's%20skull.htm

image: Cow's Skull with Calico Roses by Georgia O'Keefe

SOTD: Musc Nomade by Annick Goutal

Sometimes you just forget that Annick Goutal is not all romance and that the house is very much willing to take creative leaps. I always think that a perfume is showing its art when you smell it and image immediately springs to your mind, Musc Nomade did just that. While Musc Nomade's inspiration lies in the Middle East, when I smelled it something very American popped in my head: The South Western Painted Horse. Yet this is not completely anachronistic, in the US the painted horse is a symbol of nomad-ism at its most wild and beautiful. When smelling Musc Nomade, I immediately smelled hay, warm horse breath that had just eaten oats rolled in molasses, the colors of Navajo white and rich chocolate brown.

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image: Horse and Stone Walls by Patricia Turner 2008

SOTD: Ferre by Ferre

I think I may be going backwards with my fragrance love when I was young I adored Paloma Picasso (I suspect because of my association with my mother), I understood chypres to an extent, but then I moved on to sweet gourmands, after that it was orientals and woods but always with a sweet edge, for the most part this year I have been enamoured with the note of tobacco, and now as Autumn arrives I suddenly have my eyes looking towards florals. It has begun with an awakened love for lily which began with Donna Karan's Gold and now with the blazing Serge Luten's Un Lys, sharped edged in exactness of opulent lily. But to be more truthful this new love towards lady-like florals most likely began with Prada's Infusion d'Iris, which I have worn the last two years with a great deal of love, the bottle more than half way gone, which is almost unheard of for a fragrance lover. But lately that iris just hasn't been up to what I have been wanting on a whim I swapped for Ferre by Ferre, another iris of good repute. This is an iris for Autumn (okay the whole year) where as Infusion d'Iris can feel too cool and delicate in cold weather unless you are need a spring pick me up, this one warm and powdery starting with a lovely bright pineapple note and then heads into lovely iris softness.

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image: Autumn Garden by Ellen Phelan 2008

SOTD: Lolita Lempicka

Well it suddenly feels like Autumn has arrived for the last two days we have had thunder and lightening followed by gentle rain, a crispness in the air has suddenly arrived. I admit I am bit shocked considering on Thursday we were in 100s and now this loveliness, although looking at the weather forecast it is supposed to be short lived and by Thursday we will be back in the 90s. Taking advantage of this lovely little bit of weather before Indian summer comes back with Lolita Lempicka today and a pair of boots. There is something so perfect about this scent in Autumnal weather, the sweetness perfectly accented by violets, anise, vetiver, vanilla, and a dash of tobacco. It is a scent meant for playful enchantment.

image provided by artmagick.com

image: The Queen of Hearts by Emma Florence Harrison 1910

SOTD: Marc Jacob's Blush

My relationship with jasmine has always been on the tenous side, some how I bring out the indoles in even the least indolic of jasmine fragrances, but something strange has happened. A few years ago I tried Marc Jacob's Blush and well I detested it, I mean seriously did not LIKE it, it bloomed on my skin in the most perverse way, others spoke of how easy and lovely it was, and me, well Pooptown, USA would have been a good description. And then the other day through a swap I received a sample of it and because I constant curiousity decided for the hell of it to retry Blush. What hit my nose was not indolic at all but rather something very similar to L'Artisan's Le Chasse aux Papillons but hints of wonderful delightful peach. As I said inwardly to myself "Holy Skin Chemistry Change Batman!"

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image: Peach Tulip Trio by Tulla Booth

SOTD: Musk To Musk by Montale

Montale's Musk To Musk is unlike any musk I have ever tried. It is beautifully airy and spiritual, putting is like having mist over a desert effect, strangely dry and yet at the same time moist. It is one of the few scents with aoud I can wear. For a musk it is delightfully aromatic and full of strong imagery. This can be worn by men or women easily; cool, clean, aromatic, woodsy, with a lovely nutmeg and rose note.

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image: Veil (Danae) by Lisa Holden

SOTD: Suaded Musk by Gap

I'll say it now I don't really like this musk, but I received it as a gift which was a coffret set of Gap oils. I'm not quite sure why I don't like it because the reality is I should like it; it is very much in the family of Sonoma Scent Studio's Opal but that is the thing musk lovers know when a musk is not working for them. I think I find it too powdery and sweet and the slight tang it has just adds to cloyingness of it. I'm going to layer Madini's Azahar over it and see what happens.

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image: Summer Haze by Hyde Solomon

SOTD: Mure et Musc by L'Artisan

L'Artisan's Mure et Musc is an originator scent, if you love Trish McEvoy's No. 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk or Philosophy's Falling In Love you better give this fragrance some thanks, well at least the original version. I few years ago I received a decant of Mure et Musc and truthfully I am not all that impressed and from what I understand there is good reason: L'Artisan at some point reformulated it. What I smell now is a somewhat dirty citrus musk, clean and not clean at the same time, the barest hint of blackberry, and overall it has a masculine edge. Another musk to take into consideration from the berry musk category is Montale's Fruits of The Musk, pumped full of berries and roses this musk is absolutely luscious. While I love that L'Artisan helped to create the category of blackberry musks I'm just not in love with this originator.

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image: Nido d'Aprile by Piero Gilardi

SOTD: Vanilla Musk by Kuumba Made

I lied. There is another type of musk that can get you instant compliments: the vanilla musk. This scent is ubiquitous but with good reason, it smells just really good, but as musks go there are many varieties of it, the high end expensive kind ex. Lea St. Barth and Sage Machado's Pearl. These two both play on the vanilla musk category in different ways Lea heightens its formulation with a distinct almond note and Pearl goes woody with addition of a prominent sandalwood note. The funny thing about Kuumba Made's Vanilla Musk is that it is dirt cheap and easily holds it own with the above mentioned expensive vanilla musks. In someways it might actually be a better perfume for perfume lovers who want a vanilla musk that is edgier, the beginning of Vanilla Musk is almond, a really good almond I should add, followed by a heart of soft amber (through out the whole thing is vanilla), below that is clean musk that actually has an edge of civety skank. What is interesting about this vanilla musk is it has major sillage. It also in my case has been a man magnate. Wear it when you seem to be forgetting how good simple can be.

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image: Avian Headdress by Francesca Sundsten

SOTD: World's Best Egyptian Musk by Sweetcakes

A few years ago this scent caused quite the uproar, it proclaimed itself to be the "World's Best" Egyptian musk for the most part it was quite the let down. In the frenzy of the arguments over the scent a very kind POLer sent me a sample. This is not an Egyptian musk scent, but neither is it horrible, it is a rather intriguing use of fruity red currant mixed with a sweet clean musk there is also a definite hint of lemon rind in there and just maybe a dash of Egyptian musk. I could lovers of Montale's Fruits of the Musk or L'Artisan's Mure et Musc finding it enjoyable.

***Update: This is actually a true Egyptian Musk it just takes awhile to get there but once it does oh my is it lovely. Very akin to NR edt in the drydown.

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image: Butterfly Series: Redcurrants with Two Butterflies by Joanna Hill

SOTD: Musc Botanique by Strange Invisible Perfumes

This is a strange little beauty. I don't have much experience with natural perfumes so excuse if I make a few mistakes. The opening of it is strikingly green for a moment I afraid this scent is going to be just very green, while I admire green scents, they don't usually sit well on my skin. This softens though and sweetens becoming a candied Egyptian Geranium, this musk follows in the steps of Perfect Veil, Sonoma Scent Studio's Opal, and Ava Luxe's Nude Musk. Sweet musks laced with tangy soft notes in Perfect Veil, Opal, and Nude Musk it is citrus, but in Musc Botanique it is geranium, a wonderful come smell me closeness that just makes you want to breath in the scent of necks as you hug. Wear this type of musk if you want compliments, trust me they always work.

Notes: botanical musk, Egyptian Geranium, white amber.

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image: Passion Flower 8/99 by Nall

SOTD: Egyptian Goddess and Musc by Reminiscence

Its that time of year when I look at my fragrance choices for the season and I sigh. August is that month where I can smell the change of seasons in the air but the heat of summer remains, I want to wear opulent orientals but know it will have disastrous results in being over powering. So its around this time I start reaching for musks. Musks have that beauty of not being too heavy but providing a soothing sensuality that melds with your skin.

To be truly honest with myself musks are also a scent I consistently get compliments on, I also get compliments on rose based scents, and vetiver scents; this makes me wonder if compliments are based also on how people view the person who is wearing the scent and whether they think that scent goes with their character.

Yesterday I put Narciso Rodriguez eau de toilette, sometimes I forget how beautiful the bottom is to the fragrance with the combination of vetiver, egyptian musk, and patchouli. Its honeyed earthiness just makes you want to delight in your own skin.

Today the craving continued at first I spritzed on a sample of Reminiscence's Musc, a powdery mild musk with almond and with a drydown that hints at animalic naughtiness. If you like Madini's White Musk, Musk Pierre, Sage Machado's Pearl, or Lea St. Barth you will enjoy this. I am curious as to why almond is so often paired with musk.

But then I realized I wanted more musk so I dabbed on Auric Blend's Egyptian Goddess, which maybe one the worlds greatest cheap buys ever as far as fragrance is concerned. With the application of heat on the skin this one blooms, and hilariously enough is probably the fragrance that has given me the most compliments in my collection. If you like Narciso Rodriguez eau de toilette try this.

Forever how long it takes the next couple of days will be dedicated to the explorations of musk in my collection.

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image: Idyll by Patrick Cierpka

Its been a long month....

Well I didn't fall off the face of the earth or go into the jungle and get lost or visit the moon and meet an alien who took me to the center, rather I did what so many do after a break-up and a ton of work, I went into hiding, and had a few meditative thoughts. But after a month of doing that...well...one can only handle so much of it. So I decided to share somethings I enjoyed this month:

I took my Dad to go see the new Harry Potter movie, which I thought was really cute, and it just made me really happy to see my Dad happy.

The Chicken Piccata I made my Dad for his birthday. The excellent recipe was provided by Giada de Laurentiis.

The making of apricot preserves. My favorite recipe can be found here.

Making my favorite homemade lemon liquor, which can be found here.

The perfection that is Blueberry Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes, I've never been fond of regular pancakes, but these are divine, and the recipe is here.

I come from a family that is bacon connoseurs, so I rather love bacon, but quite frankly I suck at cooking it stove top, but then I found out you can do it in the oven, and my bacon world has been saved, also this is perfect if your having a crowd over for breakfast, instructions here.

Watching the Wallender series starring Kenneth Branagh, just wow, the photography in this was exceptional, and I really just loved seeing Sweden as I have never really seen it before.

Which brings me to Emily Barker, the intro to Wallender has one of the most haunting songs I have heard in a long time, and I was utterly taken by it. The voice of Emily Barker is haunting and the song that captured me, Nostalgia:

As for fragrance, I am rather haunted by the beauty of Ormonde Jayne's woman, the scent of sap from childhood.

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image: Red Lanterns July 24 2007 by Donald Sultan

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