Bête Noire

Perfumes I strongly dislike (but for whatever reason decided to write about)

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WTD, Episode 2.3: Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves Rocher

Rose Absolu and Pur Desir de Rose by Yves RocherRose Absolu – created in 2007 by Christine Nagel, notes include Damascene rose, cinnamon, patchouli and tonka bean. This one is tricky: two out of three times I tried it I couldn’t smell a rose note. Not a good one, not a bad one – none at all. And it’s really disconcerting when it comes from a perfume with this specific name. Once, when tried against another perfume, I think I smelled something close to the rose scent… But it could be a “transferred” effect – the same way as some people’s eyes can “pick up” a color from a piece of clothing. Other than that, Rose Absolu smells nice on the skin and wears very close to it.

Yesterday I read in the Fragrance Friends group on Facebook somebody’s comment that Rose Absolu reminds her Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille. Even though I immediately felt somehow offended by that suggestion (I don’t know why since I’m not even familiar with that person) I still decided to give it a try. What can I say? With Une Rose Vermeille on one wrist and Rose Absolu on another I think I could smell some rose in Rose Absolu. In addition to the rose both perfumes use tonka bean. That’s it. Beyond those two facts I cannot smell any similarities. Maybe if I were to take a shower and then re-apply only Rose Absolu … But I’m still doubtful.
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WTD, Episode 1.3: Le Mimosa by Annick Goutal

Le Mimosa – created in 2011, notes include mimosa absolute from Grasse, peach, anise, Florentine iris, white musk. Even though I strongly disliked this perfume during my search for a perfect mimosa scent (see links to other reviews in that post) I decided to give it the last try before getting rid of the remaining sample. I still can smell mostly a peach. And it is still nauseating. But since this time I knew what to expect I could tolerate it better. I should mention once again: I’m really sorry I do not like this perfume, I wanted to – because of the cute ribbon, because of one of my favorite flowers, because of Annick Goutal and my hope to find another scent in her line to love. Oh well…

Sillage: light (3 out of 5); tenacity: good (4 hours).

Image: my own

(as always, feel free to share a link to your blog if you’ve written on the topic before)

See all episodes:

Weeklong Test Drives, Season 1: Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.1: Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.2: Grand Amor by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.4: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.5: Neroli by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.6: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.7: Songes by Annick Goutal

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WTD, Episode 1.2: Grand Amor by Annick Goutal

Grand AmorGrand Amor – created in 1997, notes include white lily, hyacinth, honeysuckle, hint of Turkish rose, jasmine, base notes of amber, vanilla and myrrh, musky notes. If anything is grand about this perfume it is my disappointment. I wanted to like it (“the perfume of the serene passion Annick experienced with her husband…” – romantic, isn’t it?). But this is one more love-related perfume from Annick Goutal that just doesn’t work for me (another one was Quel Amour! – it was so bad on my skin that I gave away my sample and do not plan on trying it again ever but I read that others enjoyed it so it might be just my chemistry). Once applied Grand Amor stays noticeable for the whole 15 minutes – which isn’t bad taking into the account that I do not like the opening notes: it smells green, powdery and, for the lack of a better description, dusty at the same time. After that it becomes a relatively pleasant skin scent that quietly dies in the next couple of hours.

Sillage: very light (2 out of 5); tenacity: poor (2 hours).

For a more positive spin on this perfume read reviews from I Smell Therefore I Am and Perfume Shrine.

Image: my own

(as always, feel free to share a link to your blog if you’ve written on the topic before)

See all episodes:

Weeklong Test Drives, Season 1: Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.1: Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.3: Le Mimosa by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.4: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.5: Neroli by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.6: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.7: Songes by Annick Goutal

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My First Scrubber

While reading What Is Your Perfume Nemesis discussion at Olfactoria’s Travels I was reminded of one of my perfume “hates”. My very first scrubber.

Gucci Rush - Do Not EnterIt was a scent strip in one of the fashion magazines that attracted my attention to the new perfume Gucci Rush. I liked the scent and even rubbed it on my wrist. It smelled good. So the next time I happened to be in a store with a perfume counter I went straight to that tester and lavishly sprayed the fragrance all over my wrist: I wasn’t sure in its tenacity and wanted it to last long enough for me to enjoy and decide if I want to buy a bottle. It did last. Much longer than I wanted it too. I could hardly wait to get home, take off any clothes that came in contact with it and shower. It was that bad on my skin.
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Dial M for… Spring or A Perfect Mimosa

A gray chilly day, gray dirty slush on the pavement, gray skies and serious men in gray gabardine overcoats with gray newspaper cones – in their hand, under arm or even sticking out of a handbag. And confined in each of those cones are hundreds of small suns.

MimosaThis is how I remember 8th of March, an International Women’s Day, from my childhood. Of course, there were other early spring flowers – tulips and daffodils (back then we didn’t have “evergreen” roses yet) – but mimosa* was strongly associated with this holiday (a combination of Mother’s Day and St. Valentine’s Day). Mimosa was such a sunny and happy flower that you couldn’t help feeling Spring in the air even though it was still cold and unpleasant outside.

It’s almost never cold where I live now; all seasons’ boundaries are blurred and I gladly swapped not so “international,” as I found out, holiday for a more romantic, in my view, local one. But I still smile and my heart fills with joy whenever I see these bright golden constellations on a filigree of silvery leaves.

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Elusive Perfume

An ancient Parfumista’s wisdom teaches us:

“Do not buy a perfume unsniffed.”

I haven’t. It still hasn’t helped.

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What can be better than spending time with friends you haven’t seen for a long while? To spend it tasting great wines in the magnificent wine country. And to make it even better add a perfume testing (at the end of the day, of course, not to ruin the appreciation of wines).

I don’t know if it was the perfume itself, the wine we tasted earlier this day or the dinner at a somewhat pretentious Michelin starred restaurant, but it was a love at first sniff. I opened the vial, put a couple of drops to my wrist, inhaled the aroma and started planning when and where I will buy it. The label on my vial stated Frederic Malle Carnal Flower.

Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle

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