Surrender to Chance

Sunkissed Goddess by By Kilian
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Sunkissed Goddess by By Kilian

Heya Crew, Yes, I know. MORE recently purchased decants from Surrender To Chance. That this decant cost about half of last fortnights Guerlain may surprise you all, it did me. Remember when By Kilian were one of the most aspirational priced perfume houses in the world? Sure, they’re still expensive US$295 for a refillable Sunkissed Goddess 50ml from the By Killian site but that only seems pricey now rather than outrageous.

Since 2016 when Estée Lauder acquired By Kilian I’ve kept a little eye out, not really focussing but now that they’ve released this Limited Edition fragrance based on the Polynesian staple Manoi oil I’m interested. One of the brands famous pillars is Bronze Goddess which retails about US$85 for 50ml EdT (US$98 BGNuit EdP) and is a favourite of both Undina and myself. My memory (correct for once!) tells me Undina loves to take it on tropical holidays and I tend to use it to blow away the winter blues. It’s a staple. Plus the Lauder crew have also been doing a slew of Soleils over at the Tom Ford counter that range from US$300-405 in 50ml EdP. So they’ve deduced that tropical sunscreen with a boozy beverage sells (rightly so) and made them in accessible to aspirational offerings. Clever.

Sunkissed Goddess by By Kilian 2024

By Killian gives these featured accords:
Ylang-Ylang essence, Tiare Flower, Coconut

On first spritz my mind goes in a hundred directions. Oh yes, tropical beach suntanning in the late afternoon with a Pina Colada in a big glass and sunscreen slathered on. The slight prickle of salt still on your skin and through your hair and the smell of hot sand. I remember a few years ago Manoi oil became a thing here in Oz. Particularly among the early 20s club kids. For a brief moment, maybe a couple of summers, you’d walk in the club and it would smell like you’d found paradise. The older girls sun baking by the local swimming pool, their skin glistening with Reef Oil when we were kids. It’s all here in the first whiff.

Ylang in spades, coconut and vanilla all rolled together in some very luxe body lotion that does smell good. Really good. The heart into the base gets a lovely green banana leaf that lifts the experience. Apart from that Sunkissed Goddess is pretty linear and lasts well. Good projection for the first couple of hours then a whispering skin scent.

Sunkissed Goddess by By Kilian decant

So then, does Sunkissed Goddess smell like it’s worth more than three times Bronze Goddess? Yes and no. While Sunkissed Goddess does seem more luxurious and 5* hotel lotion-y I enjoy the story that the Bronze Goddess line tells. They seem more interesting, especially the Eau Fraiche ones with their citrus top over the rest. 2019s Bronze Goddess, with remarkably similar notes list still manages to be less ponderous and more jumping with life.

Now I’d like to read your thoughts please. Do you have favourites? Is this a genre you like?
Portia xx

 

 

Iris Pallida Extrait 6 by Guerlain
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Iris Pallida Extrait 6 by Guerlain

Dear Looking Glass-ers, I have a decant from Surrender To Chance. Yes, it cost an arm and a leg BUT I really didn’t want a full bottle. What I wanted after trying the Les Extrait collection in stores was to have enough to really get to know them in my own time, without the miasma of all the other perfumes beating my nose to death. So that’s what I’ve done. My 2ml spray decant has lasted months because I put some on a forearm and spend the next few hours luxuriating in Iris Pallida Extrait 6.

If you can afford these then I envy you (just a bit). US$630 for 50ml of extrait.

ALSO! arrived this week in the mail from the lovely Ingeborg, all the way from Norway to Sydney! Thank you. I seem to have lost you on social media (if we ever were connected) so I thought the best way to get my thanks to you is here on ULG. Jin and I are really touched. HUG. They will have pride of place on the fridge.

Ingeborg Xmas Postcards

Iris Pallida Extrait 6 by Guerlain 2023

Iris Pallida Extrait 6 Guerlain

Guerlain gives these featured accords:
Iris, almond, musk, suede, sandalwood

First breath of Iris Pallida Extrait 6 is almond meal, dry orris and something quite bittersweet like nougat with wood chips and some weird greenery darkness. It’s like fermented grass in an unturned pile during the hottest peak of summer. Sounds vile but actually it adds depth and interest to a fragrance that would otherwise be too simple, pretty and dull. As I head into the heart the suede and sandalwood become more apparent and a streak of cold wet cardboard heads in. Cardboard is one of my favourite facets of iris, combined with the other perfectly blended notes it is interesting rather than repulsive. The super glam Guerlain version of cold wet cardboard.

Towards the end of the heart my ride gives old fashioned make up vibes. Powdery, lipstick-ish and a little of hairspray. Very movie star and every housewife trying to live up to their impossible standards of beauty.  This stays and gets more woody, yet still that distinctive iris/orris till fade.

Iris Pallida Extrait 6 by Guerlain decant

Iris Pallida Extrait 6 is gorgeous. I’m unsure why we got these as a group instead of dropping one each year and why on earth did they come in extrait? I would quite like to have enjoyed it with more effervescence in an EdT and a swipe of the extrait to give it some extra depth (Did LVMH not think these perfumes worthy of pillar status?) This though is what we got and if I could spend that money right now I would without hesitation.

What did you think?
Portia x

Trajan by Electimuss London
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Trajan by Electimuss London

Hi there ULGers, Hope your fortnight has been a good one. If not then let’s talk perfume and forget the world for a moment. I have an admission to make. Electimuss as a brand has completely passed me by. From the Electimuss site: “Electimuss means “to choose the best” in Latin and that ethos is at the heart of our brand. Exquisite oils and resins in our fragrances are rare and precious and blended with meticulous attention paid to every note and detail… We care passionately about quality. All of our fragrances are 25% or 30% Pure Parfum / Extrait and our blends are unashamedly decadent and daring.” They are inspired by Ancient Rome.

Before we go any further I do not understand why brands are doing extraits and acting as if it’s a better deal. It’s bloody annoying. You could do 50% of cheap as shit ingredients and it is still an extrait. Also, I like the projection of an EdT. Should I wish a stronger % then I’d like to buy a 7.5ml extrait spray like the old Guerlain cigarette lighter case and wear them together. For that extra rich, burnished depth. In my books (clearly I’m a dinosaur) having the extrait should be a glamorous add on.

Sorry, rant over.

Trajan by Electimuss London 2020

Electimuss site gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, lemon, bergamot, blood orange
Heart: Lavender, sage, saffron
Base: Cedarwood, oak moss, ambergris

I’m unsure why I even bought this sample from Surrender To Chance. I was having a little retail therapy late at night. You know how it goes, right?

Trajan is named for a Roman emperor whose claim to fame was the expansion of Roman trade frontiers down the Silk Road. Expanding the empires access to sought after goods from Asia. So I was expecting a heavily spiced incense fragrance with all the dark trademarks of the travel. It was a surprise that citrus came from Southeast Asia, Lavender from mainland Eurasia, Sage is Mediterranean and Asia Minor, Saffron from Central Asia, Cedar is Mediterranean and Himalayas, Oakmoss the Balkans and Far East and Ambergris comes from beaches the world over but the Chinese called it Dragon Spit. After having an early interior sneer yet again I have been brought back to reality. Though these are not the notes I’d have most connected with the Silk Road there is definite relevance. Sorry Electimuss for my judgmental attitude.

Trajan Electimuss

How does it smell? The opening is like a slightly tweaked Baccarat Rouge 540. Much less headache inducing but very reminiscent. The lavender is a very nice touch and it appears magically in the second or third minute and stays for a while. As the initial fury subsides there is a fantastic Play Doh vibe underpinned by bakery or maybe cookie dough and Trajan becomes something much more interesting.

My nose is also telling me there are some flowers hiding within the construct but I can’t pin them down. You know that powdery smoothness of petals, the feeling of peony or crabapple petals without the fragrance of them.

The base smells similar to loads of other mass-tige offerings. Very nice ambery/woodsy/vanilla all smooshed together into that reliably comfortable and wearable melange.

OK, it’s 5.03pm tomorrow now. The base is BR450 and ETERNAL. It will not wash off. 

The bottle looks gorgeous.

Sound good?
Portia xx

 

From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela 2023
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From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela 2023

Hi there ULGers, Maison Margiela is one of those fragrance houses that has kind of passed me by. There’s always a LOT of chatter about them on the boards, I’ve smelt a few of them, sometimes when I ask in the wild a very excited perfumista will tell me all about the provenance of their scent and Maison Martin Margiela’s Replica Collection. Basically an up market, niche version of the Demeter range with MUCH better longevity and interesting twists. It surprised me when looking up the brand that they’ve been around since 2010. So, while trawling Surrender To Chance NEW section not so long ago I noted that they had a brand new scent, being sold as a chypre and with such an alluring title as From The Garden. It was in the cart before I could even think it through.

From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela

From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela

Maison Margiela site gives these featured accords:
Top: Green Mandarin Essence – Grapefruit Essence – Blackcurrant Accord
Heart: Tomato Leaf Accord – Geranium Bourbon Heart Madagascar – Rose Accord
Base: Patchouli Indonesia – Cristal Moss – White Musks

Well they’re not lying about the fruity top. It’s got that unmistakeable perfume version of blackcurrant and a bright, screechy grapefruit that is both super sweet and tart AF. It’s a surprisingly gorgeous opening and I wish it lasted in that mode longer than the minute before tomato leaf makes a bold entrance, pushing all other notes into the background.  There they become a really good pillow to rest the tomato leaf on.

From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela 2023

About an hour in the tomato leaf has decreased its power and is starting to let the geranium and patchouli add their respective charms.Loving the sharp geranium leaf that is almost photo realistic of rubbing a leaf between your fingers and then smelling the feisty waft. I’m sure the rose is mixed up in there but it’s not making a statement.

From the Garden by Maison Martin Margiela 2023

The dry down is a very calm dank earthy patchouli. Cristal moss is a synthetic moss recreation note and it does a very nice job here of adding a little furry greenery to the patchouli. It’s probably just me but in the base I smell basil leaves, just crushed for making pesto. It adds another dimension as we head towards fade.

From the Garden is a beautiful green chypre. A little darker than the 1970s version and though I hate to say it, more interesting. Maybe it’s the newness of the mixture and the front and centre of tomato leaf. Projection and longevity are moderate but the village is excellent. It really does change the air as you walk past.

Sound good?
Portia xx

 

 

 

Beekeeper’s Daughter by Sucreabeille
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Beekeeper’s Daughter by Sucreabeille

Hi Crew, This is another blind buy decant from Surrender To Chance. Suceabeille seems new to the STC site but Beekeeper’s Daughter was released in 2019. On looking up Parfumo there seem to be dozens of perfumes by Sucreabeille and this fragrance is so affordable, especially for its being vegan and cruelty free. Extra plus is that it’s woman owned, Andrea. Based in Washington state USA. Also it comes in oil or EdP. Sucreabeille site sends to most of the world except the EU

Beekeeper’s Daughter by Sucreabeille

The Beekeeper's daughter by Sucreabeille

Sucreabeille gives these featured accords:
Pure honeycomb, freshly harvested from the hive; a blooming herb garden full of clary sage, fennel, and thyme; peach blossoms and a touch of medicinal camphor.

O M G! Rich honey, funky and herbal. We get our honey from friends who get it directly from their hives. It is so tapestried and flavoursome that it doesn’t even compare to the stuff in the shops. Every batch is slightly different. Sometimes it has a green tinge, exactly like this. Honey from the shops is much cleaner, sweeter and far less animal.

I can smell the garden through the heart but it’s still honey in the forefront. There is also a reference to the smell of dogs paws, well my beautiful dog’s paws smell like it. Also, the super sweet smell of men’s urinals from outside the block. Not that disgusting foulness from inside, up close. It’s one of my favourite animalics and honey quite often reflects it.

Beekeeper's Daughter by Sucreabeille

This is not for the faint of heart. Absolutely unisex and delightfully feral. From wrist length it smells much less confrontational but bring it up to my nose and it’s all the growly honey. Amazing. I seriously can’t recommend this highly enough if off the charts honey is your jam.

Does vegan and cruelty free make you more interested?
Portia xx

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Olfactif: Yay or Nay?

 

I’m constantly on a lookout for new perfume-related … everything: brands, lines, perfumes, services, media coverage and other events. Naturally I got curious about the new service offering a subscription-based access to niche perfumes samples.

There are many ways to obtain samples for perfumes you want to try. I won’t be covering here getting samples from B&M stores, swapping with other perfumistas or participating in splits, all of which are my preferred methods. I want to look into different options for purchasing samples.

Lorraine (Dear Scent Diary) has recently compiled a list of the brands that offer samples. But it’s always a good idea to look for an official website and see what their samples policy is. if I’m interested in the particular brand, all other things being equal, I always try to buy samples from the brand directly.

Sonoma Scent Studio Samples

There are many services and online perfume stores that offer perfume samples of your choice, sometimes in a selection of sizes. Some of these companies have been around for a while, others are relatively new.

So let’s take a look at the new kid on the block: Olfactif. Three dab vial samples (0.7 ml or 1 ml, I’m not sure and they don’t provide that information on the site), perfectly packaged, delivered monthly for $18 subscription fee. First month was offered free (I’m not sure if they plan to do that for future new subscribers). There is no obligation to keep the subscription for any minimum number of months. Steve (The Scented Hound) wrote about his experience with the first installment.

$18 for three 0.7-1 ml niche samples including S&H is neither an outrageous price nor a bargain. For $17-$19 you can get 3 samples of your choice (including the latest releases) delivered from Luckyscent, Surrender to Chance, The Perfumed Court or The Posh Peasant. Aedes de Venustas offers 7 samples of your choice for $20 including S&H ($5 of which is refundable with any full bottle purchase within the next 3 months). Luscious Cargo offers 7 samples for $25 including S&H. MinNY offers 5 samples for ~ $28 including S&H or sells individual samples for $5.

Perfume Samples

So what makes Olfactif different or unique?

A good deal? One month’s subscription fee can be applied to a purchase of a full bottle of one of the featured perfumes. Taking into the account that it’s a full retail price plus shipping charges it’s not too exciting.

Interviews with perfumers and information about perfumes? Look to the right: most blogs listed on My Reading List do it for free with a lot of passion and talent.

A surprise? You pay $18 by the end of the month and then for a couple of days might enjoy not knowing what you’re getting (until your package arrives or the reveal – whatever comes first since according to the site’s FAQ you’ll get the package “a day or two before the first of the month or a day or two after”). I saw some comments from people being excited about that part – not knowing. I remember thinking that there was something in Chandler Burr’s blind sniffing idea but I just couldn’t get past $50+ for a blind buy of 50 ml of a perfume and a chance to play guess games for a month on Mr. Burr’s say-so*. Olfactif offers a speed-dating: 1 ml# x 3 for $18 and you can close your eyes and still do a blind testing.

And that brings me to the last point. Curation. It’s an appealing concept. But who is Tara Swords and why would anyone rely upon her taste in choosing perfumes for them? She might be Turin, Burr and Coifan all-in-one but we don’t know that.

There must be something in the air: it looks like there is market for that type of service.

Last year there was a press release about MinNY launching Fragrance Flight, a Global By-Invitation Private Members Club with Privileged Access to Information, Luxury, & Curated Scents. Since then all I could find was a closed door and not a single mentioning of it. The first rule of Flight Club?..

Recently I saw on Twitter “bergamot: Curated fragrances delivered to your door. Launching Spring 2013.” You can sign up to get notified about the launch.

I have no real objections to Olfactif’s doing what they plan to do: it’s just a business, not worse than other businesses, and I hope that eventually either Olfactif improves: more customized approach, selection based on a user’s profile and previous months’ feedback, better deals, pre-releases, etc.; or there will be another service that does it better. In the end we, consumers and perfume enthusiasts, might benefit.

But if you are [still] reading this you do not need Olfactif in its current form: whether you know anything about niche perfumes or not, I believe you can do better. But if you see in that service something that I’m not seeing (other than nice boxes for storing samples) please share.

 

Images: my own.

 

* BTW, OpenSky is still running Burr’s project; there will be the ninth offering in May. I wasn’t following it after the third episode but from what I gathered now a year later they still haven’t figured out all the quirks.
# UPDATE: Now Olfacif offers 2.25 ml spray samples, which is a huge improvement.