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Browsing by category: perfume talk

Neela Vermeire Creations Niral ~ fragrance review

Posted by Jessica on 29 March 2018 28 Comments

Niral is the newest fragrance from Neela Vermeire Créations,1 a Paris-based niche house offering “French contemporary classic perfumes with an Eastern heritage.” Each fragrance from this line tells a cross-cultural tale, and Niral is inspired by British silk expert and industrialist Sir Thomas Wardle and “his immense contribution to the promotion of Indian wild silk trade from Bengal and Kashmir to Europe,” particularly his innovations in dyeing tussar silk.

Niral was developed by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour and it includes notes of iris, tea, pink pepper, rose, green wine lees,2 cabreuva, angelica seed, ambrette seed, cardamom, leather, magnolia, jasmine, sandalwood and cedar. Its name comes from a Hindu word meaning “unique, calm, serene,” and it does feel serene, in a very elegant way…

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5 Perfumes: Orange Blossom

Posted by Angela on 26 March 2018 98 Comments

I once heard perfumer Thomas Fontaine say he considered orange blossom an American note. (Iris and galbanum were French, he said.) Right away, I thought of bars of soap, brides, and piles of white laundered towels. Is that what Americans are about — cleanliness and innocence? Maybe I should have asked, is that what orange blossom is about?

Orange blossom is a lot more expressive than its association with laundry detergent would have you believe. Here are five relatively easy-to-find1 orange blossom-centered fragrances that explore a variety of non-Girl Scout takes on the note:

Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger: Fleurs d’Oranger kicks off as bright and juicy as a grove of Florida Ambersweets in spring…

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Diptyque Fleur de Peau ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 21 March 2018 18 Comments

In ancient Greece, one myth stood out as the most passionate and sensual: the love between Psyche and Eros, the beauty’s quest to meet with her lover and the happy outcome of their union which led to the birth of their daughter, Hedone. Only one scent can convey this legend as a fragrance, that of musks. Equally legendary, they have the unique ability to enhance the skin with their arousing carnal accents. They are at the very heart of Fleur de Peau, as cottony and light as they are soft and moist. — Diptyque

With the launch of Fleur de Peau1, Diptyque celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first perfume — L’Eau. I’ve gotten so many suggestions on the translation of the phrase à fleur de peau (“on edge”) that I will use my own instinct regarding Eros and Psyche. Fleur de Peau = horny. So there. After wearing Fleur de Peau, I believe the agitated lovers are, in spirit, millennials.

In a recent New York Times article, The New Softies, Rachel Syme noted the types of minimalist perfumes (the ‘softies’) that appeal to millennials…

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Hermes Cedre Sambac & Agar Ebene ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Robin on 20 March 2018 21 Comments

Of the five new Hermessence fragrances, I’ve already reviewed Myrrhe Églantine. Today, short reviews of the other two fragrances in Eau de Toilette, Cèdre Sambac and Agar Ebène. If you’ve smelled either of the two “perfume essences”, Musc Pallida and Cardamusc, do comment, as I may or may not ever get around to them and it’s a pretty good bet that I’ll never buy them.

Cèdre Sambac

Upon this age-old tree, strong and graceful, I wanted to grow an embracing jasmine that coils around it. — Christine Nagel

I wanted a nice jasmine soliflore from Hermès for ages…

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The swapmeet, episode 12

Posted by Robin on 17 March 2018 192 Comments — Comments are closed

Chrysanthemum

The swapmeet (episode 12) is open for business! PLEASE read the instructions! (For those of you who refuse to read the instructions, please do not respond to anyone else’s comment except to say that their email address does not work. ANYTHING else you need to say, say it in an email. If you insist on responding to a comment, I will delete your comment. If you want to know how to swap for something, see #6 below!) For people who would like to chat in addition to, or instead of, swapping, there will be a poll along shortly.

Don’t know what swapping is, or you know but you’ve never tried it? See here. You can also take a look at the feedback from episode 3, episode 4, episode 5, episode 6 and episodes 7-8, episodes 9-10.

Please, do not participate if you do not have time to mail your items within the next two weeks! Another swapmeet will be coming up in the fall…

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