Thinking About Fragrance - Changing Tastes

One of the problems with collecting perfumes, at least for me, is that the newest additions to my vast collection are the ones I tend to wear most often. Each successive purchase usurps the position of the one before and eventually I stop wearing some fragrances altogether. Sometimes it's because I'm completely bored with it, but mostly it's because my tastes have evolved and that old scent that was once perfect is now not so much.

For instance, I'm loving my Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Pour le Matin, with its lovely citrus and lavender notes (I also smell candied violet, even if it's not listed), and Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte, an amazing fresh green scent - both purchased in the late Spring. But the Ava Luxe Gardenia Musk, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, and Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca that I adored in recent Summers have been largely ignored. This is partly because I have new loves, but also partly because I'm finding these scents too sweet to be refreshing enough in this hot weather. Another old favorite - Hermes Eau de Merveilles - is wonderfully salty and not at all perfume-y or sweet, so it finds its way into the rotation once every other week or so. But still not as often as in the past.

This week I'm trying to revive my interest in the old favorites by wearing a different one every day. On Monday I broke out the Light Blue; Tuesday was Gardenia Musk. Today is Chanel Beige. Unfortunately, I'm not thrilled by any of them.

Readers who are fragrance aficionados - do you find yourself falling into the same pattern as me, or are you pretty egalitarian in using your perfume collection?

Photo Credit: Corbis

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Fragrance Review Flashback - Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanilla

Notes: vanilla, spices, benzoin, frankincense, cedar, pink pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, ylang ylang

I’m a vanilla girl.  Not personality-wise -- there I would be more pistachio. What I mean is that I love vanilla scents.  The rich, overtly-vanilla ones, decadent and gourmand, as well as oriental or floral fragrances that have a warm vanillaic base.  My husband likes them too, which makes me more inclined to wear them.  So imagine my dismay when he proclaimed, after sniffing a ribbon spritzed with Guerlain’s new vanilla-based fragrance, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, “it smells like Play-Doh.”  I had been looking forward to experiencing this new perfume more than any other during the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball.  I snatched the ribbon from his hand, for I had let him smell it first, and had my turn.  It didn’t smell of much at all.  I was crestfallen.  But somewhere at the back of my mind, I was relieved that I would not be forking over $200 to the fabulous Guerlain rep.Wanting to give it another shot, on skin, I raced out of Bergdorf’s cramped café straight to the Guerlain counter. Miraculously, I was the first to arrive, proclaiming, somewhat breathlessly, “I need to smell the Vanilla.”  I was promptly spritzed.  I closed my eyes, sniffed deeply, and my wallet instantly felt lighter.  I waved my arm in front of my husband, who spent an uncharacteristically long time inhaling the fragrance. “Mmmm, spicy.  I like it.”

Play-Doh was nowhere to be smelled.  I would suggest foregoing the ribbon tester for a strip of paper, or, better yet, some nice warm skin.  Although vanilla is there from the start, cedar is the most prominent opening note, woody and aromatic.  It is tinged with the subtly sharp spice of pink peppercorns and a whiff of other sweeter spice notes.  As the scent dries down, the vanilla becomes more pronounced, rich and deep, but somehow gentle. As the vanilla takes center stage, a rich, resiny incense forms the backdrop. The rose is barely perceptible, and the ylang doesn’t speak to me at all. All of the notes combined create a fragrance that is somewhat reminiscent of tobacco.  It’s honeyed, but not overly sweet.  Eventually, the vanilla takes over almost completely, with tiny traces of the incense and cedar in the depths.

I told the nice Guerlain reps that I would have to think about investing in the fragrance and would probably be back.  Fifteen minutes later, my husband was toting that little rectangular shopping bag….

Fragrance Review Flashback - Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanilla

Notes: vanilla, spices, benzoin, frankincense, cedar, pink pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, ylang ylang

I’m a vanilla girl.  Not personality-wise -- there I would be more pistachio. What I mean is that I love vanilla scents.  The rich, overtly-vanilla ones, decadent and gourmand, as well as oriental or floral fragrances that have a warm vanillaic base.  My husband likes them too, which makes me more inclined to wear them.  So imagine my dismay when he proclaimed, after sniffing a ribbon spritzed with Guerlain’s new vanilla-based fragrance, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, “it smells like Play-Doh.”  I had been looking forward to experiencing this new perfume more than any other during the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball.  I snatched the ribbon from his hand, for I had let him smell it first, and had my turn.  It didn’t smell of much at all.  I was crestfallen.  But somewhere at the back of my mind, I was relieved that I would not be forking over $200 to the fabulous Guerlain rep.Wanting to give it another shot, on skin, I raced out of Bergdorf’s cramped café straight to the Guerlain counter. Miraculously, I was the first to arrive, proclaiming, somewhat breathlessly, “I need to smell the Vanilla.”  I was promptly spritzed.  I closed my eyes, sniffed deeply, and my wallet instantly felt lighter.  I waved my arm in front of my husband, who spent an uncharacteristically long time inhaling the fragrance. “Mmmm, spicy.  I like it.”

Play-Doh was nowhere to be smelled.  I would suggest foregoing the ribbon tester for a strip of paper, or, better yet, some nice warm skin.  Although vanilla is there from the start, cedar is the most prominent opening note, woody and aromatic.  It is tinged with the subtly sharp spice of pink peppercorns and a whiff of other sweeter spice notes.  As the scent dries down, the vanilla becomes more pronounced, rich and deep, but somehow gentle. As the vanilla takes center stage, a rich, resiny incense forms the backdrop. The rose is barely perceptible, and the ylang doesn’t speak to me at all. All of the notes combined create a fragrance that is somewhat reminiscent of tobacco.  It’s honeyed, but not overly sweet.  Eventually, the vanilla takes over almost completely, with tiny traces of the incense and cedar in the depths.

I told the nice Guerlain reps that I would have to think about investing in the fragrance and would probably be back.  Fifteen minutes later, my husband was toting that little rectangular shopping bag….

Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille

I'm taking a little holiday break from daily blogging, so I thought I might run some old fragrance reviews that readers of this blog may have missed.

Notes: vanilla, spices, benzoin, frankincense, cedar, pink pepper, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, ylang ylang

I’m a vanilla girl. Not personality-wise -- there I would be more pistachio. What I mean is that I love vanilla scents. The rich, overtly-vanilla ones, decadent and gourmand, as well as oriental or floral fragrances that have a warm vanillaic base. My husband likes them too, which makes me more inclined to wear them. So imagine my dismay when he proclaimed, after sniffing a ribbon spritzed with Guerlain’s new vanilla-based fragrance, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, “it smells like Play-Doh.” I had been looking forward to experiencing this new perfume more than any other during the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball. I snatched the ribbon from his hand, for I had let him smell it first, and had my turn. It didn’t smell of much at all. I was crestfallen. But somewhere at the back of my mind, I was relieved that I would not be forking over $200 to the fabulous Guerlain rep.Wanting to give it another shot, on skin, I raced out of Bergdorf’s cramped café straight to the Guerlain counter. Miraculously, I was the first to arrive, proclaiming, somewhat breathlessly, “I need to smell the Vanilla.” I was promptly spritzed. I closed my eyes, sniffed deeply, and my wallet instantly felt lighter. I waved my arm in front of my husband, who spent an uncharacteristically long time inhaling the fragrance. “Mmmm, spicy. I like it.”

Play-Doh was nowhere to be smelled. I would suggest foregoing the ribbon tester for a strip of paper, or, better yet, some nice warm skin. Although vanilla is there from the start, cedar is the most prominent opening note, woody and aromatic. It is tinged with the subtly sharp spice of pink peppercorns and a whiff of other sweeter spice notes. As the scent dries down, the vanilla becomes more pronounced, rich and deep, but somehow gentle. As the vanilla takes center stage, a rich, resiny incense forms the backdrop. The rose is barely perceptible, and the ylang doesn’t speak to me at all. All of the notes combined create a fragrance that is somewhat reminiscent of tobacco. It’s honeyed, but not overly sweet. Eventually, the vanilla takes over almost completely, with tiny traces of the incense and cedar in the depths.

I told the nice Guerlain reps that I would have to think about investing in the fragrance and would probably be back. Fifteen minutes later, my husband was toting that little rectangular shopping bag….

(Originally published in Sniffapalooza Magazine.)

Scent of the Day 10.1.09

Today I'm wearing Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire. I know some perfumistas turn their noses up at this one, but I love it. It's a nice cherry/almond and tea scent that starts off lemony. I think it smells expensive, yet youthful, and it's far better - to my nose - than Guerlain's recent commercial offering Insolence.

What are you wearing today?