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Saturday Question: What Is Your Favorite Amouage Perfume?

My living space is almost back to normal after the flooding accident a month ago, and I’m back with a Saturday Question.

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #294:

What Is Your Favorite Amouage Perfume?

Have you tried their newer collections (The Odyssey or The Essences)? What do you think about the new bottles for The Essences collection? Do you follow the brand’s new releases?

My Answer

It has been several decades since I’ve done (or even closely witnessed) any home remodeling. Now I have validation of all my fears about that and reluctance to entertain any serious work where I live. It proved to be quite disruptive, even though all the crews that worked on addressing the consequences of the unfortunate fire sprinkler incident were very fast and professional. But as I said, it’s almost over, and I started feeling more inclined to get back to less serious undertakings, such as blogging or testing perfumes.

Historically, Amouage was one of my “Top 5 Favorite Brands”, and when answering the SQ question “An Ambassador of What Brand Would You Like to be?”, I chose that brand as my #1 contender, which says a lot about how I feel about their perfumes. It also wouldn’t be hard for me to name my most favorite Amouage perfume, since Ubar (sadly discontinued) is one of my top 3 all-time favorites. But I can easily name another 5 that I enjoy wearing.

All of my Amouage “loves” belong to their Main Collection. The only two perfumes from later-released collections that I wear are Love Mimosa (The Secret Garden Collection) and Guidance (The Odyssey Collection). I don’t think I’ll ever need more of the former once my decant is gone, but I would love to add the latter to my collection eventually (even though I don’t need any more FBs).

I haven’t seen a bottle from The Essence Collection in RL yet, but I like how they look online, and I’m waiting for a couple of samples from that collection in my recent Luckyscent order, hoping both to like and not to like those perfumes, since $475 still feels like an insane price for a single bottle (especially given the size of my collection).

 

How about you?

 

What Is Your Favorite Amouage Perfume?

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Eau Folle by Le Galion

Hi there Crew, Spring has spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Yes, I know some of you are still chilly but YAY it’s not long now. So let’s talk about some gorgeous springtime fragrances over the next few weeks. Please tell us what spring beauties you are wearing too. Have you rearranged the grab tray yet? I’m just thinking about what will be put forward on the Autumn one here is Sydney. You know that the Le Galion gents are my friends, they gave me this last time we were in Paris. They know how much I love a Travel Size and I’m thinking this is 15ml spritz, so .5oz. According to Google Translate Eau Folle means Crazy Water, does anyone know if that’s the meaning or does it mean like a Folly? Like something done for the joy of itself, disregarding truly rational thought? I’ll be glad to know.

Eau Folle by Le Galion 2025

Eau Folle by Le Galion

Le Galion gives these featured accords:
Top: Basil, wormwood, violet leaf
Heart: Ginger, rosemary, geranium, lavandin
Base: Vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood, olibanum

The blurb: “With an energy multiplied tenfold by the irrepressible desire for freedom, Eau Folle generously and vividly projects a bouquet of aromatic herbs with spicy, green and herbaceous facets. Tonic and stimulating…”. Created by Julien Rasquinet, you’ll know his name from Aether, Amouage, Naomi Goodsir and Jusbox. Eau Folle is his first for the Le Galion crew. Noted in Fragtrantica as an Aromatic Aquatic but I think that undersells what we get, and though it does have a salty tang, I’d really like to call it a modern chypre. That idea of an island’s greenery, yes with the scent of surrounding ocean but that’s not the main player.

The opening is greenery and the crisp, zingy, snap of fresh ginger while overlooking the sea from the kitchen window. There is also the taste of a cold metal spoon or scent of a freshly cleaned sink. That multilayered deep, inky, oily greenness of vetiver runs right through alongside the strange, sweetly bitterness of wormwood. if you want your fragrance to waken and add a zest to your morning then Eau Folle will snap you out of morning lethargy and ready you for a day of action. Opening seems to last a long while as the rest of the notes slowly move forward. This is no top heavy, collapsing perfume but a slowly opening flower. Here is my best analogy in a photograph. Very late spring night in Seoul City, South Korea. Everywhere there are trees bursting forth with blossom and greenery, the shops are closing up, people are few but it still smells like a bustling city.

Eau Folle by Le Galion Spring in Seoul City

Through the heart and on to dry down the greenery becomes more basil/rosemary oriented and you can seriously smell them both, especially the basil. This is up close, nose nearly to arm. From further Eau Folle smells like a herbal cologne with extra depth. Not overpowering but focused and refreshing.

Dry down is a green woodsiness, still bright and serenely steady. Its woodiness is fecund and signals abundance and energy. If you ever need to project the aura of effortless energetic ability and strength then Eau Folle is your fragrance. Unisex but leaning traditional modern masculine, I’m thinking a perfect scent for grounding and relaxed strength.

So, what are you hoping to wear for Spring 2026?
Portia xx

 

 

Santal Noir by DIOR
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Santal Noir by DIOR

Hi there ULGers, DIOR is one of my most collected brands. The Couturier range, now called La Collection Privée Christian Dior, has changed and evolved over time. Created by the DIOR in house perfumer at the time François Demachy. Francis Kurkdjian took the reins in 2021 and has done some interesting things. It was a surprise to me that though I own a bottle up till now I’ve not reviewed Santal Noir. The fragrance designed around Mr Christian Dior’s love for the colour black. As you can see, I rarely reach for it but when the mood strikes only Santal Noir will do.

I’m not buying any more large DIOR Collection bottles. They have changed the sizes and that shits me beyond words. Shrinkenomics in action. If I love something then I’m only buying the 40ml. Yes, it’s more expensive BUT then it won’t stand out like dogs balls as different to my 125ml and 250ml bottles. DIOR can suck it.

Santal Noir by DIOR 2018

Santal Noir by Dior

Cited featured accords:
Sandalwood, Leather, Woods, Rose, Ambrette

Opening gambit is scratchy dark woods, a little bit eucalyptus and very earthy. Pretty soon there is a jammy rose that peeks through and some smooth, sweet resins.

Not too long ago wait for a brand-new-shoe leather smell bubbling up. You know when you open the box at the store and pull out a never before touched shoe? You smell it and the mixture of leather, tanning materials, colours and finishes all greets you. It’s such a wonderful smell. Imagine you are smelling that smell but it’s in a dream. So not really but definitely in the same realm.

It’s not till all of these other notes have made their presentation that the dry yet creamy sandalwood of fragrance enters. It plays happily alongside the rest until it takes its moment to rise above. Yes, the rest of the backing chorus is still there but they have been overshadowed. It’s nice to have a sandalwood that is not buoyed by coconut, ylang or masses of vanilla. I do think there is a little amber hiding in the mix though.

Santal Noir by Dior

Is this a brand new look at sandalwood? No, we’ve smelled this kind of treatment before, especially in some of the 21st century niche and a few of the earlier masculine designers. It’s the backing players and the refined blend that makes Santal Noir stand head and shoulders above most others. I do like this dry, mainly unsweetened or tropicalised version of sandalwood. It’s restrained and solid.

Where do you stand on bottle changes mid run? Do you like the idea of a less flamboyant sandalwood?
Portia xx

Bulgari Man Wood Neroli
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Bulgari Man Wood Neroli

Hi there Looking Glassers. I’m surprised we’ve not talked about this fragrance. The Bulgari Man pillar is one of the designer sets that is constantly better than expected. They are nicely produced, smell pretty good plus plus and won’t break the bank. The OG was and is stunning. I bought this 15ml Wood Neroli for Jin as stocking filler one year but it didn’t get a lot of wear. Now it’s in my wardrobe and I’ve been giving it a red hot go this summer. Hoping to thunk it TBH. I do love the smaller size, most of the flankers are available in 15ml and it is a perfect size to throw in the bag for gym, office, travel etc.

Bulgari Man Wood Neroli 2019

Wood Neroli

Featured accords include:
Top: Neroli, Bergamot
Heart: Orange Blossom, Virginia Cedar, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha
Base: Woody Notes,White Musk, Ambergris, Amber, Leather

I’m not sure why this was not a heavily used perfume in Jin’s wardrobe. I remember we got spritzed at the mall just before C19 lockdown and him being in raptures. Even talking about it a few days later. It went on a list. Grabbed the 15ml so he could use it as a gym/swim after shower spritz. Nope. Almost never got used.

Wood Neroli

Don’t let the MAN fool you. Wood Neroli is a bright, citrus forward wood with a tinge of salty sea breeze that can be worn by anyone. As the Northern Hemisphere heads into warmer temperatures this could be a very affordable refreshing rest button. That’s how I use it. Available for very decent prices at the discounters. It’s not free but compared the ridiculous aspirational pricing of many designer perfumes right now, not outrageous. A solid gift for the non perfiumista male (except Jin, obvs.). I bought mine at FragranceNet.

Sound good?
Portia xx

 

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Saturday Question: What Perfumes Do You Reach for When Dealing With a Stressful Situation?

Stressful situations are an unavoidable part of life – whether they come from work, travel, health issues or everyday logistics. While perfume obviously can’t fix any of those problems, many of us still reach for certain scents when we want a bit of comfort, distraction or a small boost of confidence.

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #293:

What Perfumes Do You Reach for When Dealing With a Stressful Situation?

Do you have some particular perfumes? Or is it a type of scents that you choose? Or does it not affect your choice?

My Answer

It’s not a theoretical question for me: because of a recent mishap with the fire sprinklers in a neighboring condo, we ended up with water damage in ours. Since that happened, I’ve been dealing with insurance adjusters, contractors and estimates, and preparing for the upcoming demolition (they constantly use that word!) of some of the walls and flooring.

None of this is dramatic in the grand scheme of things (at least yet), but it does involve a lot of phone calls, paperwork, waiting and generally feeling that things are a little out of your control. Plus, extremely loud fans running for 14+ hours per day.

So when my morning starts, I ask myself: “What do you feel like wearing?” And, surprisingly, after a couple of days, I realized that I was craving lavender. My “go-to” perfumes recently have been Serge Lutens Gris Clair, Guerlain Jicky (both EdP and extrait) and Parfums de Marly Darley – but I suspect I’ll go through more lavender-heavy perfumes before this ordeal is behind us.

 

How about you?

 

What Perfumes Do You Reach for When Dealing With a Stressful Situation?

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Saturday Question: What Was The Most Unpleasant Perfume You’ve Ever Smelled?

Most of my Saturday Questions are positive, so I hesitated for a while about whether I should even ask this one. I hope that nobody will feel too hurt if a perfume they love ends up on someone’s “can’t stand it” list – after all, we are all so different in our olfactory perception.

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #292:

What Was The Most Unpleasant Perfume You’ve Ever Smelled?

Was it a “hate from the first sniff”? Did you put it on your skin? Was it a scrubber, or did you endure it through the development? Did you do it more than once?

My Answer

My knee-jerk reaction answer was Oriza L. Legrand‘s Chypre Mousse. But then I remembered that I’ve previously used that perfume while answering another SQ about the spookiest perfume I’ve ever tried. So I decided to search my daily use database for more offenders. One of the standard reactions that I can select to classify what I thought about perfumes I wore or tested is “I hated it” – that was the filter I used.

Interestingly, in 15 years of recording my reactions, only 23 perfumes have ever deserved that harsh option. And it was unexpectedly hard to decide which one of them to name the worst. I decided to go with the one that I dared to put on my skin 3 times, hoping to change my mind.

Serge Lutens Miel de Bois. Many years ago, when Lutens’s perfumes were both hard to get and highly cherished by perfumistas, I got a sample in a swap. I had read such high praise for that perfume that I expected it to be magical. It wasn’t. It was quite unpleasant on my skin. I wasn’t ready to accept that, and once the memory of the off-putting encounter softened a little, I would try it again. With the same result. After the third attempt 10 years ago, I finally conceded defeat and purged the sample so that I could not even think about subjecting myself to that torture again.

 

How about you?

 

What Was The Most Unpleasant Perfume You’ve Ever Smelled?

Mitsouko EdT by Guerlain
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Mitsouko EdT by Guerlain

Hi there ULGers, You may know that Shalimar is my ride or die perfume. It has been part of my life since childhood, Mum and a few of her girlfriends wore it. It still smells so good on and to me. Thing is, wearing Shalimar is a big deal and it takes a lot of attention. So what’s happened is that Mitsouko has become something much easier for me to wear. A Guerlain for all seasons. It’s less memory scent, less awe inspiring ride and much less distracting. Without making it less beautiful, tapestried or interesting. I can wear Mitsouko and go about my day. The reason you’re getting this post is because I just gave myself a lavish spritzing.

Mitsouko EdT by Guerlain

mitsouko

These are the commonly offered featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Rose, Jasmine, Citruses
Heart: Peach, Ylang-Ylang, Lilac, Rose, Jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, Spices, Vetiver, Cinnamon, Amber

I’m writing to you from the past. Currently Jin, Anna Maria and her husband Johnny and I are on an adventure together. We are off to Singapore and Busan, South Korea. Yes, I’m hoping there will be updates once we return.

Mitsouko EdT! Jacques Guerlain’s 1919 masterpiece is a mind blowing, blowsy, retro hit of gorgeousness. Did you know it was the first fruity chypre? Its peach note, which I find smells like the lid of a tin of canned peaches, was groundbreaking at the time. While smelling dated AF it still smells brand new and bang up to date as well. Because it’s a style not worn by modern youth, it feels brand new, subversive and oh so elegant.

The fruits of Mitsouko are not lush and juicy but sharp, metallic and very sunshiny. In comparison to Shalimar’s regal overblown elegance Mitsouko is definitely the Princess Margaret of the family. I really don’t smell most of the noted parts, Mitsouko is her own scent. A glamorous melange of that not quite real peach, a bouquet and spices all drizzled over a labdanum rich amber and that lovely furry oakmoss.

The top and heart are lovely but what really makes me swoon is the dry down. Which lasts for hours and hours. That peach/amber/oakmoss meld, with all the bit players, combines to create such a harmonious beauty. It’s dry but fleshy, sparkling ands spicy yet furry, cuddly and scintillating.

Mitsouko EdT by Guerlain

I’m wearing a vintage version but even the modern bottle shown below holds a delectable scent. Not quite as fusty as mine, the modern is a clearer, sheerer, brighter concoction that feels slightly more in line with modern tastes. Though it still has the marvelous shape of the vintage.

I’m seriously glad we are in a new era of the art nouveau inverted heart bottle designed originally by Raymond Guerlain in 1912. It’s such an icon of perfumery and feels good in my hand.

Mitsouko EdT by Guerlain

Are you a Mitsouko fan?
Portia xx

 

 

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Saturday Question: What Was the Last Mainstream Perfume You Tried?

With shelves already full of niche bottles and cherished vintages (and with the market constantly flooded by new releases that often feel more prolific than original), it’s easy to lose interest in what’s happening in mainstream perfumery… Until one day you walk through a department store, pass a duty-free counter, or receive a sample with a purchase – and you just have to try it!

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #291:

What Was the Last Mainstream Perfume You Tried?

Was it something you sought out intentionally, or did you just happen to come across it? Did you like it? Would you consider wearing it?

My Answer

I received a sample of Burberry Her Elixir de Parfum with a Sephora order. I didn’t request that sample, they just sent it instead of some beauty packet I chose during the checkout. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have probably even notice it in the store. But since it was already there, I tested it. Twice. I didn’t like it. It’s cloyingly sweet in the opening, plasticky-fruity, quite artificial and not particularly tenacious… though that might not be a bad thing in this case. I wouldn’t want to wear it, but as a skin scent, it becomes tolerable about 90 minutes into its development. I wouldn’t mind a shower gel with that faint residual vanilla+sandalwood combo.

How about you?

 

What Was the Last Mainstream Perfume You Tried?

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NOTHING but APJ Scent Diary

Hi there ULG crew, I’m well behind this fortnight and really have come up dry. There are a couple of half finished posts that I’ll get to but honestly, my head is not in the game. I’ve started back writing the Australian Perfume Junkies Scent Diary. You might remember it from the 2010s? Each week I’d do a run down of my life with most of the perfumes worn. Throughout the Christmas break I was reminded of the series and went back to see what they were like. What a fantastic memory lane, it’s like journaling but to share. So many moments came flooding back. So I’ve spent the last week, or so, getting that up and running again.

Sorry there’s nothing today. It’s all on me. Of all the ball drops this feels like a pretty minor one. No one is dead from it and in 10 years no one will remember it.

I’ll be back again next fortnight with some perfumed adventure to share.
HUG
Portia xx

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Saturday Question: Are You Buying Any INeKE Perfumes Before They Are Gone Forever?

A couple of days ago, I received an email from INeKE Perfumer San Francisco with a subject “Last Call for Ineke Perfumes.” Ineke Ruhland, the owner of and the nose behind this niche brand, wrote the following:

Hello fragrant friends,

After 20 years of making perfumes, I’ve reached a new chapter in my life and will wind down my business over the next few months. As many of you know, I co-founded Ministry of Scent with Antonia Kohl in 2018. We sell niche and indie brands from around the world in our two San Francisco stores, as well as online at ministryofscent.com. This year we’ll also be opening a Perfumery Studio in San Francisco and selling raw materials to perfume makers online. We’ve been growing in leaps and bounds, and it’s more than a full-time job, so I’ll be focusing my efforts on Ministry of Scent.

She also mentioned that there were some remaining bottles of her perfumes produced in the last small batches, samples and sample packs for some of them. There is no sale going on, whatever is available can be purchased now. Some online retailers also have the remaining stock, but I’m sure it’ll disappear quickly once the brand closes.

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #290:

Are You Buying Any INeKE Perfumes Before They Are Gone Forever?

Do you have any favorites from this brand? Will you miss any of them?

My Answer

When three years ago I featured the brand in my Brand Appreciation: INEKE post, I ended it saying that I was looking forward to their next letter – K. I am sad that it will never happen.

I have 3 favorite perfumes from the brand – Field Notes From Paris (its story is in the post linked above), Hothouse Flower (“H” for Hothouse Flower by Ineke) and Idyllwild (Light and Shadows: Ineke Idyllwild). I still have enough of FNFP and Hothouse Flower. My Idyllwild bottle is still 1/3 full, but if feels like not enough. I enjoy this perfume very much. Recently, before I learned the news of the brand’s closing, I wore Idyllwild and thought how great it was and how much I liked it. Besides, this perfume holds a special place in my heart because of the picture I took for the post (a shadow of Rusty “smelling” a shadow of Idyllwild).

Rusty and Ineke Idyllwild

Considering that, I wanted to get a backup bottle. It was sold out on the site, so I ordered a pack of 10 samples thinking that 15 ml in addition to what I have in my original bottle would be enough. And only after I started putting together this post, I thought of checking Ineke’s new enterprise – The Ministry Of Scent. They still have a bottle of Idyllwild. I wrote to the brand’s sales to see if I could cancel the samples order and buy a bottle instead. I hope they’ll agree, I’ll get that backup bottle.

 

How about you?

 

Are You Buying Any INeKE Perfumes Before They Are Gone Forever?