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Browsing by category: perfume talk

5 perfumes: vetiver fragrances for winter

Posted by Robin on 6 January 2017 79 Comments

Striped Vetiver Fiber Table Linen Collection

It’s January, and this morning we had our first snow-related school delay — it must be time for the winter vetiver list (I’ve already covered summer and fall). For all of these lists, the line between the seasons is perhaps a bit arbitrary and/or personal, but in general, today’s selections are heavier variations on the theme. If you are a woman who sometimes finds vetiver too masculine to wear, you might want to stick with the summer recommendations, or come back for the spring list. And as always, do add your own picks in the comments!

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Route du Vétiver: Arguably the granddaddy of them all; when I reviewed it, I called it “the wild beast of vetiver fragrances”…

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Andrea Maack Soft Tension & Dual ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Jessica on 5 January 2017 8 Comments

Foggy Iceberg at Glacier Lagoon

Soft Tension and Dual are the two latest releases from Andrea Maack, an Icelandic multimedia artist who established an independent perfume line in 2011. Both are inspired by Icelandic landscapes. Soft Tension is a “sensual white musk inspired by a thick mysterious fog,” and Dual is “inspired by the calming water of the natural hot springs in the Icelandic highlands” and “mimics the feeling of fresh water on the skin and the intense color spectrum surrounding the hot spring lagoons.”

I’ve never traveled to Iceland, but I’ve heard fascinating accounts from friends who’ve been there. Would Soft Tension and Dual provide an olfactory substitute for a Nordic getaway? I tried Soft Tension first…

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DS & Durga White Peacock Lily ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 4 January 2017 24 Comments

white peacock

To be honest, I wanted to review DS & Durga White Peacock Lily1 even before I smelled it because I could, finally, use a white peacock to illustrate a post. Apropos of nothing, I have come to regard white peacocks as my ‘spirit animal’…and have warned friends that after I croak to pay attention if a loud-mouthed white peacock crosses their path — or blocks it (could be dear ole me; you’ve been warned).

White Peacock Lily is one of a trio of releases DS & Durga launched in 2016…

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Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune ~ fragrance review

Posted by Angela on 2 January 2017 14 Comments

Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune brand image

Not every perfume is a groundbreaking work of art. It’s best that way. Some fragrances earn their keep as supporting characters — everyday auras that hum along and let you provide the personality. They’re flexible perfumes friendly to just about any situation, mood, or season. They’re “go tos” when you don’t want to think too much about a scent, but simply want to spritz one on and forget about it.

Perfumes I count on to fill this role include Guerlain Vol de Nuit, DelRae Mythique, Caron Nocturnes, Bois 1920 Sutra Ylang, and, to some extent, Chanel No. 5. If I had a bottle, Hermès Eau des Merveilles would join the line up. For someone who loves amber, Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune might be a solid choice for this kind of “aura” fragrance…

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Perfume: the best of 2016

Posted by Robin on 30 December 2016 106 Comments

Bottles & Reflections (Revised)

Every year the fragrance industry’s output grows more prodigious, and every year, I try fewer new fragrances. In 2016, I outdid myself (and so, presumably, did they, although I have not yet seen any official numbers for the year’s releases). I could not tell you if it was a good year, or a bad year, or a so-so year, for perfume. It seems like I found fewer fantastic new scents than usual, but maybe I just directed my sampling poorly (and quite a few of the fragrances chosen as this year’s best by Now Smell This contributors are fragrances I missed entirely).

My choices are just below. Scroll down to see what Angela, Erin, Jessica and Kevin thought was noteworthy in 2016, or click over to Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc, Perfume Posse or The Non-Blonde for more opinions. And of course, do add your own thoughts in the comments…

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