Budget Perfume

Stash Unspoken by Sarah Jessica Parker
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Stash Unspoken by Sarah Jessica Parker

Hey there ULGers, I have this perfume in my collection, Stash Unspoken. It’s not niche leaning, pushes zero boundaries and does not make me swoon with rapture every time I spritz it. So you’d think I would ignore it and wear other more interesting things, right? Nope. It gets the spritz way more often than many of my super amazing, eye rollingly gorgeous, weird and wonderful bottles. I have a theory, probably we have talked about this before. Sorry if it’s old news. While the boundary pushing elixirs are fabulous, fun to write about, share with perfumista buddies and swoon over; what I really want in my day to day life is to smell good. Simple, easy to waft, pretty and friendly fragrances that don’t overtake my mind with rapture in the midst of doing my daily whatever. I also love that it was relatively inexpensive. So if I get really busy or distracted and totally ignore it then so what?

Stash Unspoken by Sarah Jessica Parker 2017

Stash Unspoken

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Quince, Pink pepper
Heart: Honeysuckle, Peony, Wisteria
Base: Musk, Sandalwood, Tonka bean, Frankincense

Quince? I dunno. Maybe if you squint your nose, from a distance, backwards with a following breeze. It’s kind of fruity, a cross between fig and citrus so it could be quince and the zingy pink pepper berry gives it a lift.

None of the amorphous bouquet heart really seem to match the notes list at all, maybe some fruity rose. Maybe honeysuckle.

The base is a pretty, nondescript waft of sweet-ish woodsy nothings that don’t really have definition as notes.

Sounds like crap? It’s not. Well, not for me anyway. Stash Unspoken is so easy going and stress free. It got a really bad rap when released because the original Stash was so damn good. After that high bar everyone was expecting more fabulosity and what we got was something tame and friendly.

Well, stuff the haters, I really love Stash Unspoken and while wearing it last week noticed how empty my bottle is. So I jumped on FragranceNet (not affiliated) and bought a new one. 50ml for under US$20.

Are you a lover, hater or meh-er on Stash Unspoken?
Portia xx

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Green Tea Mimosa by Elizabeth Arden

Hi Crew. Today I’m reminding you that spring will be with you soon. One of the loveliest harbingers of spring in Australia is its wattle. Yeah, that’s what we call our versions of mimosa. Late winter it blooms here and that bright yellow through to lime green puff ball extravaganza always brings a smile to my winter face. Sadly it plays merry hell with Jin’s hay fever and he suffers dreadfully with it. Fortunately it’s the pollen not the perfume so I’m free to wear mimosa perfumes whenever I want. This summer I finally caved and bought a bottle of Green Tea Mimosa.

Green Tea Mimosa by Elizabeth Arden 2016

Green Tea Mimosa by Elizabeth Arden

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green Tea, Citruses
Heart: Mimosa
Base: Heliotrope, Ambrette (Musk Mallow)

I know, yet again I’m very late to the party. Thing is the Elizabeth Arden counters in the mall are never at the front. That means I’ve usually found something else to sniff and spritz by the time I get there. Also, there’s rarely a specific Elizabeth Arden SA anymore. Perfume sniffing is about engagement, right? Sure it’s fun to go and sniff the aisles solo but having a representative I can make a human connection with will get my wallet out of my pocket so much faster. Sorry, end rant.

Green Tea Mimosa is a perfect spring and summer spritz, yes. I’m wearing it a LOT in our very muggy summer here right now to give me a moments respite. I tried it in the fridge but that is just TOO COOL! HA! It did strike me though today that it could very well be a winter blues buster. I know many of you are suffering the lack of sunlight and warmth. For next to nothing a few spritzes of Green Tea Mimosa could very well give you a much needed lift.

How does it smell? That opening waft is a lovely citrus/mimosa combo with that back of throat ache that comes with perfumery tea. Don’t expect it to be a replacement for Amouage Love Mimosa, or any of the big speedy niche mimosas. It’s a lovely fresh budget spritz that smells a LOT better than you’d expect at the price.

This is a fresh, powdery mimosa with none of the honeyed animals backbeat, though the vegetal musk is very nice. I think there might even be a little lily of the valley accord and some narcissus within the mix. Maybe even some jasmine. The heart and dry down are a little soapy.

Longevity is better than expected for something so ethereal. I’m fragrant but there seems to be a lot of space between the notes. After the first 10-20 minutes it’s a lightweight and gauzy beauty, not under the radar but low key. Totally unisex.

Do you ever use scent to pull you out of the winter blues?
Portia xx