Amoureuse Parfums DelRae

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: pinterest.com

The perfume community keeps raving about Amoureuse and siblings over the years that I've been part of it. Unfortunately due to several reasons including that samples are not easy to find and full bottles even harder to blind buy, Amoureuse and I never got together until I received a decant from a fellow fragrance lover in a recent swap.

It reminds me of Mona di Orio's Nuit Noire, both share animalic, white floral and spicy accords but Amoureuse is much more tame than Nuit Noire. Where Nuit Noire is a sweat-encrusted, well-loved  and worn leather jacket, intoxicating tuberose and sumptuous orange blossom, Amoureuse is lush, honeyed lilies and narcotic jasmine enhanced by the beauty of the tuberose. Cardomom is present in both, imparting its sweet and special spiciness, made even more fiery by fresh ginger in Nuit Noire. Amoureuse stays sweeter throughout its lifetime whereas in Nuit Noire, the sweetness waxes and wanes throughout the story, yet never quite reaching the honeyed tones of Amoureuse. Both scents mellow over time, Amoureuse turning into a soft and powdery affair of sandalwood and flowers whereas Nuit Noire is the glowing coals of a warm amber base. Classic and traditional, both Amoureuese and Nuit Noire are full bottle worthy in my opinion. Sillage and longevity are both very good in the case of Amoureuse, my SOTD clinging on into the night.

Coincidentally while wearing Amoureuse today and surfing the net for potential buys, I came across a very affordable deal for a bottle of Nuit Noire instead. Plus the website had the travel sizes for Profumum Roma so I got one of Battito d'Ali. The icing on the cake was free international shipping. Guess who's an even happier chick than usual today? :) 

L'Aimant Coty

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Amazon.com

Suffering withdrawal symptoms from my month long holiday, one thing that revived me was the many parcels I accumulated while away. All of them were swaps with other fragrance lovers and many of them were blind swaps, including L'Aimant (the version I have is pictured above). 

A generous yet smooth and gentle dose of aldehydes, fuzzy peaches, dusty florals drying down to baby powder if it is possible to find baby powder smelling of musk and sandalwood. Elegant, warm and so lovely from beginning to end, L'Aimant would appeal to lovers of scents with a vintage flair. L'Aimant doesn't feel like the pink colour it is boxed in but more of a hazy peachy colour, like being enveloped in a loving hug. 

L'Aimant has been compared and contrasted to Chanel No. 5 but personally I won't recommend it as a dupe or a replacement. L'Aimant is easier on the senses than No. 5, with a milder character than the demanding "look at me, look at me" personality of No. 5. I've always felt that No. 5 is a moody if glamorous scent with dark secrets ( well the No. 5 of my childhood that I smelt on my mother who wore the same scent over the years and reluctantly moved on to something else due in part to the reformulations of No. 5) as compared to L'Aimant which comes across bright and joyful. I can't say that this would ever be a favourite as it is more mellow than I like my fragrances to be, but it is a nice relief from the many over the top/sugary sweet perfumes we are overloaded with today.  

A scent that you can wear anytime and to any place in any weather, with decent sillage and OK longevity=Blind swap success! I hate to make negative remarks but L'Aimant as a cologne spray lasted longer than my No. 5 parfum which I bought in 2013 from a Chanel counter (just in case Chanel loyalists accuse me of buying off the grey market). Last but not least let's not forget how very affordable L'Aimant is! Highly recommend!

Voile d'Ambre Yves Rocher

Desirability: Decant

Source: www.punmiris.com

A soft oriental that reminds me of other similarly mild tempered characters like Oppoponax by Les Néréides and Opium Eau D'ete Summer Fragrance 2003 from Yves Saint Laurent. 

Starts off bitter green and tangy like the rinds of dozens of limes being peeled off simultaneously, with a dash of the aromatic sweetness that is unique to cardamom seeds. It turns a bit dry and dusty with a sweet woody smell before evolving into a sheer golden amber, citrus-tinged vanilla and smoky sweet resins. Many ambers get too powdery or too sweet but Voile d'Ambre is nicely balanced in both these categories, with the balsamic elements featuring more prominently.

Voile d'Ambre hovers close to me so much so that I really have to stick my nose to my skin in order to smell it after the first two hours. The longevity fares a bit better, I can detect it up to around six hours. Overall, a nice scent for those just starting to venture into the oriental section of fragrances and those who prefer gossamer-like fragrances in general. 

Paradise Lost Keiko Mecheri

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Luckyscent.com

Yes I've thought some of the Keiko Mercheri fragrances that I've tried so far are worth buying full bottles of, but I've never really been compelled to go after a full bottle of any until now. Strangely enough, judging by the reactions of fragrant friends, I'm in the minority when it comes to liking Paradise Lost. 

I've heard negative comments ranging from too candy like to too floral like and both bewilder me as I don't smell sweets and yes obviously there are floral notes but Paradise Lost is far from just a floral perfume, on me at least. It starts off very sunny and bright with citruses loaded with greens and life, white floral blooms and sweet sandalwood conveying an image of the first part of its name "Paradise". However the rest is a slightly different tale and makes me think of the consequences after Adam and Eve were too greedy with the apple and got banished from Paradise. Paradise Lost develops into an pungent aroma with a strong smell of musky nether regions or the smell of decay or both mixed together. The white floral notes are still identifiable but the petals have lost their vigour and have begun to wilt quickly. The drydown is like a sweaty animalic musk and the residual perfume left by the faded flowers. Very interesting ride and not something I had anticipated when I first did a quick survey of the listed notes before ordering a sample to try. Perhaps the "Lost" part of the name is represented by the earthiness of the latter part of this fragrance's evolution, after the abrupt departure from its celestial beginnings. That's how I imagine it anyway.  

The projection and longevity are nothing to write home about but I've made peace with that by spraying heavily and frequently i.e. bring bottle around with you all day. I'm actually quite happy that I'm in the minority championing Paradise Lost, means more for me and less chance of smelling it on someone else! 

Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue Bond No. 9

Source: nitrolicious.com

Spiced crème brûlée. 

It starts off like a spicy gourmand, a spiced crème brûlée literally making me want to eat my arm. It's as if someone stole the chai latte notes from Five O'Clock Au Gingembre to jazz up the custard. Fresh figs and plums decorate the dessert which smells like a well-proportioned combination of fruit, vanilla and spices, none dominating the others.The sweet and milky sandalwood here reminds me of Le Labo's Santal 33, which is all the sandalwood I need and never fails to garner compliments. As it dries, the scent becomes even warmer and bundles you up in a downy blanket of contentment. All in all Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue is perfectly balanced between woody, spicy and sweet, smooth and rich but not too much, beginning with dessert and ending up with you satiated and comfortable on a cushy sofa all ready for a snooze. 

One common trait amongst the Bond No. 9 range whether I like the perfume or not, is that all the ones I've tried have mega projection and longevity. For example the little spot where I've dabbed Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue is outperforming my SOTD Annick Goutal's Ambre Fetiche. 

On a side note a lovely friend sent me this and I thought I would share it with you in case you ever need a spot of sunshine.

Source: inniepoo.wordpress.com

1876 Histoires de Parfums

Source: Fragrantica

Spicy. Woody. Floral. Powdery. 

In 1876 the spices and powdery are the most prominent on me with the rose and woody notes playing supporting roles in this complex and interesting creation. 

In 1876 the spicy notes are contributed by caraway, cinnamon and carnation which also provides the powdery aspect of it.1876 gives off a vintage air as if stepping back into time or opening an antique chest that had not been opened for the past century and would be more fitting amongst rich brocades and plush velvets rather than the stark white modernity of my office. Once past the strong spicy opening, I pick out the sweet rose amongst other floral notes that I cannot tell apart but which lend some fresh air to the perfume. In the later stage the scent feels dry and dusty like being in the old and infrequently used section of an ancient library, with smoky and woody notes of sandalwood and vetiver adding to the air of mystery around 1876 like being in a hallowed place of worship filled with poor lighting, spirals of smoke and whispered prayer. Overall I find the effect similar to what opium smokers might have felt, a haziness creeps over and fogs out everything leaving behind a sense of serenity and security. 

Supposedly inspired by Mata Hari, 1876 is a unique and captivating scent that is worthy of its namesake. However I personally feel the scent is more snuggle-worthy than femme fatale but in any case I do like it and would probably enjoy it even more if the scent were on the "deeper" side instead of the current "lite" version. 

Une Fleur de Cassie Frederic Malle

Desirability: Full bottle and a back up

I was too caught up in my obsession with Carnal Flower and Dans Tes Bras to give Une Fleur de Cassie the attention she deserved but I'm glad she gave me a second chance. A friend recently asked to swap for 10 ml of it and fired up my curiosity, I have always liked it but never appreciated its real magic. Till now that is. Thank you Emilija :)

Time-lapse image of a suntrail. Pekka Parviainen. 

Une Fleur de Cassie is like watching the sunrise to sunset.

 She opens bright, yellow and clear, like the sun shining through the windows in the morning. The initial sharpness gradually turns into a musty golden pollen, sour sweet and woody, like romping in scented fields of flowers and hay, rays of the afternoon sun beaming down, far far away from the any jaded, polluted city.

Magnificent mimosa in a vase. FRAGAL.

Like the soothing calm watching a sunset brings, so does the mellow powdery dry down of Une Fleur de Cassie bring feelings of contentment and happiness shaded by a light melancholy.



You kiss the last rays goodbye and give your loved ones a hug, breathing in the heated musk of skin tinged with sweat from playing under the sun all day.

Just as the happy memories stay with you forever, so does the warm glow of Une Fleur de Cassie stay on your clothes for what seems forever, keeping you in a perfumed personal bubble all day.  

Une Fleur de Cassie is a scent you need to have time for, not something to spray on in a rush. Like a fine wine that you let breathe and sit with to fully appreciate its bouquet, so it is with Une Fleur de Cassie. 

The emotional joyride Une Fleur de Cassie takes you on is magical. Quite the epitome of a perfect fragrance.

Rozy Voile d'Extrait Vero Profumo

My first scent from Vero Profumo and the initial spray from my sample sent me into such raptures I bought a bottle from First in Fragrance stat. 

Rozy d'Extrait is pretty indescribable for me and I apologize beforehand if I don't do it enough justice. The last time I felt so giddy about a scent was hmm...a year ago with Francis Kurkdjian's Absolue Pour le Soir. 

Rozy is like a mammoth vase of flowers, artfully arranged to look elegantly disarrayed, it smells more of white florals, tuberose especially and not so much of roses. The honey is clear and sweet not thick and syrupy, the green and nutty coriander that ruined Onda for me, is kept in check here. Rozy smells lightly spiced, not spicy but similar to how cinnamon tastes/smells and has a smoky woody background. Rozy feels simultaneously exuberant and wistful, I feel like the notes are orbiting around each other like planets in the solar system, such that her facets are displayed all the time, the heady florals, the spiced honey and the smoky wood notes, altogether creating something passionate and soulful.

The Voile d'Extrait is a powerful scent with a massive projection. From one spray. Seriously. Don't overdo it. 

El Born, Carner Barcelona

My dad loves rum and raisin ice-cream and when I first tried El Born, I wish he wore scents, I would have gotten a bottle of this for him. 

It's very boozy with dried fruit and sweet vanilla, conjuring up images of a mound of dark glossy raisins over creamy vanilla ice-cream, add rum as you please. El Born is without a doubt, gourmand without being a gourmand. Like how Frederic Malle's Dries Van Noten smells like spiced egg nog, when there's nothing gourmand in its listed notes to suggest so. 

In El Born, the rich resins and balsams give it it's boozy warmth and contribute to the sweetness created by the honey, vanilla and dried fruit notes. The sandalwood adds a creamy and rich texture, hence the ice-cream analogy. 

The scent dries to a boozy and powdery vanilla. Delicious from start till finish which is over eight hours at least. 

Rum raisin ice-cream 

Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle

This smells like Christmas in a bottle. Well parts of Christmas anyway, like logs blazing in the fireplace (the pyromaniac in me enjoyed watching wood burning on the grate), eggnog generously laced repeatedly by forgetful grandmothers and naughty teenagers and spiced christmas pudding with its dark sugar-glazed surface. 

Spiced Eggnog Cupcake

Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle is a delicious not quite dessert but a woody gourmand if that is feasible. The musk is present but not prominent like it is in Musc Ravageur, it's slightly powdery but the main players are the sweet spicy vanilla and the creamy sandalwood with a sweet earthy patchouli presenting itself in the drydown, all the ingredients making this not an unusual scent per se, but an interesting vanilla scent with a definite woody-oriental character.  

Eggnog Latte

Although I don't take seasons/weather into account(how could I when most of the year I spend it on this tropical city island where the weather is hot and humid or hot, humid and wet) when I choose a fragrance to wear, I would suggest that Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle would be sublime in colder weather where the spices come out and play, rather than on a hot day where I fear the sweetness would be overdoing things and masking the scent's true character. It's perfect for cuddling on a sofa, it's as comforting as Linus' stinky blanket is to him, it's as soothing as the purring of my cat against my skin and totally disarming if wearing to work or play. 

It leaves a gossamer of a scent veil around me and( I don't usually get compliments on my scents not because I stink but well...I just don't. But I do not stink. This is however one of the scents that has garnered compliments) people ask what is that delightful/delectable/yummy smell? The sad part is that it does not last long, I don't get more than four hours each time I wear this and even then it's very much a skin scent. Still I couldn't resist this sumptuous fragrance and sprung for the 3x10ml travel sprays so that it's easier to lug around for touch ups.