Dot by Annie Buzantian and Ann Gottlieb for Marc Jacobs 2012

March 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

Post by Poodle

Dot, dot, dot…

This is not really a review but rather a tale of a perfume that I never thought I’d wear, never mind own.

Hubby went on a trip and got me a fragrant souvenir. I know I should have told him what to get but I was curious to see what he’d pick if left to his own devices. Well, he went to a Sephora and with some help from the SA, left with one of the newest releases at the time. Dot. Yes, the Marc Jacobs one.

Dot by Annie Buzantian and Ann Gottlieb for Marc Jacobs 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords (different in words & pics):
Top: Red berries, honeysuckle, pitaya fruit (dragon fruit)
Heart: Coconut, jasmine, orange blossom
Base: Vanilla, driftwood, musk

So there I sat with a polka dotted bottle of my very own dreading the thought that I might have to wear it. I thought perhaps I could wear it once or twice and when he didn’t notice it I could shove it to the back of the shelf and forget about it.

I bravely spritzed one morning before work. When I stepped into the kitchen after getting ready, hubby noticed immediately and commented on my fragrance. I told him it was the one he bought and he was so pleased that he picked out something that smelled so good. Of course I was not thinking that. This was not what I wanted to smell like. Not. At. All.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

At work there was a random comment that something smelled good in the office but I knew it couldn’t be me so I dismissed it. Then I was followed down the hall by a coworker who wanted to know if it was me she was smelling. It was. She had to know what my perfume was. I was forced to admit I was wearing Dot. I even brought her a sample the next day.

The next time I wore it I received similar reactions and hubby comments on it every time.

To this day Dot continues to be one of the perfumes that I get the most compliments on.I’ve accepted that fact now even though I don’t understand it.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

There’s no point in trying to dissect the perfume note by note. It smells like a lot of other fruity florals to me. I would not be able to pick it out of a scented line up. It’s sweet and dripping with red berries, white flowers, and vanilla. It’s girly and a bit loud at first. Yet people seem to love it on me. It’s not “me”, but I guess I’m not wearing it for me. I’m wearing it because hubby bought it for me and it makes him happy. Once in a while you have to take one for the team I guess.

Do you have perfumes you wear because someone gave them to you or because they like them on you even though they’re not favorites of yours? Please tell me I’m not the only one.

Poodle x

01/02 Vapeur de Tubéreuse by Julie Massé for Fragrance Republic 2013

February 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hi APJ,

When I was asked to sample a new perfume I jumped at the chance. I’m usually late to the party with most new releases. When I heard it was a tuberose scent my nostrils really perked up. Mmmmmm….. white florals.

01/02 Vapeur de Tubéreuse by Julie Massé for Fragrance Republic 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: rose absolute
Heart: Tuberose absolute
Base: Cocoa résinoïde

Fragrance Republic 01/02 Vapeur de Tubéreuse is without a doubt a white floral but for those of you frightened by the BIG white florals out there, this might be just the ticket. The idea behind the scent was to create something light and airy, two words not usually connected with tuberose, and perfumer Julie Massé succeeded.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Initially there’s a wonderful burst of flowers, white roses, tuberose and a touch of green leaves and stems which keeps it from being too, too much. There’s a fresh, just bloomed quality to it followed by a slight creamy softness. The other listed note is cocoa. I had some trouble really smelling it at first because I was looking for something sweet like hot cocoa. This cocoa is more like unsweetened baking cocoa. It’s there but it’s dry and earthier and seems to keep the flower notes from becoming too sweet or cloying. It wears somewhat linear on me with the cocoa becoming a little more apparent as it dries down.

Even at its most intense point the scent maintains an airy, wispy quality about it. That’s not to say you can’t smell it because you can. It just doesn’t have that heavy quality like some tuberose scents do. If the carnal aspect of tuberose perfumes has scared you in the past, fear not, this one is clean but not soapy. The creaminess of tuberose is there but it’s not overly sweet or heavy. I imagine this perfume would bloom beautifully in warmer weather. Also worth noting, on my scent eating skin I can still smell traces 3 hours later. For a lighter perfume that’s actually quite impressive on me.

Photo Stolen Mehul Antani Flickr

Vapeur de Tuberose isn’t a scent I’d normally be interested in because of that airy quality but, I have to be honest, I like it. Right now it’s well below freezing outside but when I sniff this perfume I think spring or summer and I also think brides. Seriously, this would be a great bridal scent. It’s feminine. It’s a scent that is easy to wear without it wearing you. The wispy quality to it calls to mind a veil of chiffon blowing in a floral scented breeze. It’s not a skin scent but it’s also not going to take over the room.

One other interesting thing to note is that my husband actually said I smelled fabulous. He very rarely comments on my perfumes so Vapeur de Tuberose will be in my rotation to give him a break from smelling my usual incense and woody scents.

Further reading: Chemist In A Bottle
Fragrance Republic has $45/15ml + $95/75ml

Until next time…
hugs
Poodle X

Armani Privè Ambre Soie by Christina Nagel for Giorgio Armani 2004

January 16, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Poodle

Armani Privè Ambre Soie by Christina Nagel for Giorgio Armani 2004

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Ginger, amber, patchouli, pepper, cloves

Ambre Soie is a perfume that has a little bite to it. It opens with a burst of amber and ginger. It’s more about sharp, fresh ginger than the dried one used in baking. I can smell the black pepper too. It’s not what I’d call sharp but there’s almost a warmth or heat to it in the opening. As the ginger fades the pepper becomes more evident. Pepper is one of those notes that is sometimes a deal breaker for me. I don’t mind it in this although I will say it’s not my favorite part of the perfume’s development. It gives a warm feeling to the perfume and I can imagine reaching for it on a cold winters night. A night like tonight for instance, where as I’m sniffing and writing, the wind is howling away and the wind chill is well below freezing. Somehow just the word Ambre in the name makes me feel like it will take the chill away.

Photo Stolen Geography.org

There’s a dry, spicy feeling to Ambre Soie before it all seems to mellow and soften. This is where I begin to really enjoy the scent. It becomes a touch sweeter as the amber really emerges with a spicy patchouli note. The patchouli hums along quietly and never veers into moldy decay like some patchoulis do. Amber scents can be sweet and almost cloying at times. Ambre Soie has a sweetness to it but it doesn’t cross that line. It doesn’t list incense as a note but as it wears on me it becomes more of an incense and amber scent. Somehow, up close, I smell menthol too. At this point it’s very cozy, like a warm blanket.

Photo Stolen Sarah Ackerman Flickr

I would say it could easily be worn by a man or a woman. I would wear it but some women might find it leans a little too masculine for them. I think that’s the pepper that gives it that little edge. It’s more of a scent to wear when you plan on snuggling up to someone special rather than wearing it to the office. It only lasted a few hours on my skin with minimal projection after the first hour. On my clothes though it lingered well into the next day. I’m sure both these factors could be adjusted based on whether you were to dab or spray and how much you applied. Also bear in mind my skin eats perfume and I’m using a sample vial.

While I enjoy Ambre Soie I don’t think I need a bottle of it. It’s not quite love.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and The Scented Hound
You can find Armani Privè Ambre Soie at big department stores.
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/.5ml

What scents warm you on a cold winter’s night? Have you tried Ambre Soie? What’s your favorite amber?

Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone 2005: Smells Like Christmas

December 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

Post by Poodle

Smells Like Christmas Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone 2005

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Raspberry, pomegranate, plum, rhubarb, watermelon
Heart: Lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, rose, pink pepper, clove, olibanum, opoponax, guaiac wood
Base: Virginia cedar, patchouli, musk, amber

Pomegranate Noir is the only Jo Malone fragrance I own and I really do love it. It always makes me feel warm and cozy and somewhat happy but I never realized why until I wore it to work one day. Someone came by my desk and said it smelled like Christmas in the office that day. They were right. It did smell like Christmas and I was the source of the aroma.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

When I was younger I loved Christmas. I had many happy memories of it usually involving my favorite aunt. Aunt Wanda loved Christmas. She started shopping for Christmas on December 26th and had a collection of Santa Claus figurines that she displayed year round in her home. She put extra thought into finding everyone the perfect gifts as well. She never used pre-made bows; she bought ribbon and made her own. She was a large joyful woman and some would say she looked like what Mrs. Claus should look like. Sadly, she’s been gone for many years and Christmas just isn’t the same without her.

Photo Stolen Elizabeth Ellis Flickr

Pom Noir does smell like Aunt Wanda’s house during the holidays which is why it makes me smile. The fruity opening calls to mind the fact that she did a lot of canning and I get the smell of jams and spicy compotes that always lingered in the air in her house. Pomegranates were a favorite of hers as well. She’d also make those clove studded orange pomanders. A real Christmas tree was a must for her so the scent of evergreen was in the air and the wood burning stove added that warm cozy aroma that only wood can do. Her house really had that New England holiday feel to it. All of this is in Pom Noir. The florals never dominate and I barely notice they are there. It’s all spicy berries, evergreen, and warm wood. This is a comfort scent to me and it smells like my memories of Christmas.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

It’s definitely unisex and has pretty good lasting power on my scent eating skin. It lasts longer if sprayed on clothing. I don’t think it’s very sweet since the fruits are offset by the spices and woody notes.

Further reading: Now Smell This and Memory Of Scent
You can buy Jo Malone Products at many Department Stores
In Australia Essential Mall has a range of Pomegranate Noir online
Beauty Encounter has sold out of their bottles but have $5/2ml spray samples
Surrender To Chance start at $3/ml

I love the fact that Pomegranate Noir smells like the holidays to me but what perfume, if any, smells like the holidays to you?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope you all have a wonderful season and I wish all of you a very Happy and Fragrant New Year.

Poodle XXX

Jacinthe et Rose by E. Coudray 1983

November 14, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hello to all my friends down in Oz!

As I’m writing this, the leaves are turning and it feels like fall out there but those of you down under are shaking off the winter chill and spring is in the air. One of my favorite scents of springtime is hyacinth in bloom. I have a few in my yard and I sometimes pick them and bring in a cluster to perfume the house a bit. This past spring I tried to find a perfume with hyacinth as a major note. I stumbled across Jacinthe et Rose online and even though it had peach in it I blind bought a bottle. I know, I know, shame on me. Blind buys are bad.

I had a coupon.

I am weak.

And no, I’ll never learn.

Jacinthe et Rose by E. Coudray 1983

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Top: Vodka, peach, hyacinth, bitter orange
Heart: Peony, orange blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose
Base: Sandalwood, musk, vanilla, vetiver, cedar

At first spritz it reminded me of something, but what? Each time I tested it I couldn’t place it. Then it dawned on me. Once upon a time Victoria’s Secret was a lovely store that played classical music and their merchandise was not marketed towards teens. Those were the pre-Pink days. In addition to a wonderful perfume called Victoria, they also carried a line of bath and body products which I think were called Secret Garden. Even their fruity scents were good. One of those was Peach Hyacinth.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Jacinthe et Rose reminds me of Peach Hyacinth. I’d completely forgotten about it until now. It’s not a dead ringer for it but there are some similarities. At first spritz it’s a quick blast of peach and hyacinth. It’s not as peachy as I remember Peach Hyacinth being but it’s close enough to trigger my memories of it. You already know my fear of peach and this was one of the few that smelled like peach and not pee on me. The hyacinth was pretty strong in Peach Hyacinth too. I can smell some hyacinth here but I wish it was a bit more pronounced than it is. Soon, Jacinthe et Rose veers away from my remembrance of Peach Hyacinth and becomes a slightly powdery but well balanced bouquet. This is the point where the rose really shines. The juice is pink and honestly that’s the perfect color for it. Soft and delicate are words that come to mind. This is a ladylike scent. There’s nothing dirty here at all. It’s pretty and clean. If you’re a fan of powdery florals this might be for you but if you like dark and dirty Jacinthe et Rose won’t fit the bill.

Photo Stolen T.Kiya Flickr

I wish I could say I smell all the notes in this but other than the main characters I really can’t. It’s very well blended to my nose and linear. I’m sure plenty of people with better noses than mine could pick this one apart but its not that important to me to smell everything in it.

First In Fragrance has 100ml/€73 and Samples
Jovoy Paris has 100ml/ €56 (sadly they do not send to Australia)
GraysOutlet (in Australia) has $103/100ml

While I do like Jacinthe et Rose I’m not in love with it. It doesn’t have much lasting power on me but few things do, and it just gradually fades away.. I like the fact that the rose doesn’t get sour on me and stays fresh. It is a very pretty perfume that’s worth a sniff. On those days when I’m feeling demure and feminine it will be the perfect potion I’m sure.

Poodle x

Whips and Roses by John Pegg for Kerosene 2012

October 17, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by Poodle
.

Hi APJ,

When she was younger she had to sit far away because that’s all she could afford. In her teenage years she spent hours locked away in her room listening to his albums and dreaming of what she’d say when she met him. Now she was up close and he would be right there in front of her, close enough to make eye contact. Everyone would say she was too old for a crush on a rock star but what fun is life without a little fantasy?

She brought a bouquet of roses to toss on the stage. The night was cool so she had worn her leather jacket but the rain earlier in the day was making it feel a but humid. As she was waiting for the concert to start she began to wonder if it would become too warm. The roses were cradled close to her chest now and the seats around her filled with people. She was definitely feeling warm and with the heat rising from her body she could smell the roses and the leather. Traces of perfumes she had worn before swirled around her, released from her jacket by the rising temperature.

Photo Stolen Todd Shaffer Flickr

The house lights dimmed. The scent of roses and leather intensified with the rising temperature. The music started to play and then, there he was. So close but really still so far. She lost herself in the moment. Sure, she was too old for schoolgirl fantasies but for that moment she relived them all. She’d almost forgotten about the roses which she was practically crushing now. She held them up to him and when she was able to hand him the bouquet their eyes met. He was singing to her. At least that’s what she wanted to believe, that he was hers for that moment in time. She hugged her leather jacket closer, cradling herself in its warm, musky softness.

Whips and Roses by Kerosene 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, blood orange, rose, jasmine, gardenia, iris, sandalwood, musk, leather

Whips and Roses is a perfume that I have loved from the very first sniff. When I first got a sample of it I was smitten. I tried to forget it but the memory of it stayed with me. Eventually I just broke down and got a full bottle. It might just be my favorite rose scent. It’s not a fussy floral nor does it smell like some of the classic leather scents. The name describes it perfectly. It does smell of leather and roses. It’s the first perfume that truly smelled like leather to me. It’s not powdery at all which is how some leathers are to my nose. Whips and Roses reminds me of walking into a leather goods store or the smell of looking at fine purses.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The rose isn’t fresh or powdery. It’s the smell of roses past their prime in a bouquet of flowers, some of which have wilted and died. There is an almost green, humid quality to the scent as well, maybe thatʼs the jasmine or gardenia peeking through. Something about this perfume feels almost melancholy or perhaps bittersweet. I could probably pick the notes apart more if I really tried, but I never want to do that when I wear it. It’s a scent I just like to lose myself in.

Like the other Kerosene scents I’ve tried this one has good projection and longevity, which are two wonderful qualities to me. I’ve worn it to work but I wear almost anything to work. Most people might not find this a good office scent although if applied with a light hand it might work. Give it a try if you like your roses a little darker and heavier. If you love the smell of leather but find a lot of leather perfumes are too powdery this might work for you. Probably more of a cool weather choice for most people but that green, humid quality to it makes me reach for in in summer as well and it really blooms on me.

Photo Stolen T.Kiya Flickr

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Memory of Scent
MinNY has Whips & Roses $140/100ml with FREE USA Shipping
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/ml

So far I’ve loved all the Kerosene scents I’ve tried. I’m hoping that trend changes because if I keep falling in love it’s going to be tough on my wallet.

Poodle x

Creature by John Pegg for Kerosene 2012

September 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hello APJ,

It’s hard to know just how some perfumes turn up on my radar. Sometimes a name catches my attention, sometimes a note. With Creature by Kerosene I found the name interesting and when I saw mint as a note I simply had to try it. I’d never really experienced mint in perfumes so I thought it would be a good scent to explore.

Creature by Kerosene 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Sweet birch, mint, lemon, jasmine, green tea, sage, violet leaves, cypress, cedar, patchouli, moss.

The best way I can describe this scent is try to imagine sitting out on the porch on a warm summer day. You’ve just cut the grass and now you’re relaxing with a glass of iced green tea with mint and the glass is rimmed with lemon and sugar. As you finish your drink a little sun shower passes through and dampens things just enough so that you smell a little of the dirt in the flowerbeds. It’s bright and green and just a little earthy.

$Creature Kerosene Moss_Creature RefractedMoments$ Photo Stolen RefractedMoments

Creature opens with a blast of minty freshness. I remember reading somewhere that for the average perfume buyer it’s the top notes that sell the scent. If that’s the case, then Creature would be a challenge because the mint smacks you in the face and I’m sure the mouthwash factor might cause some people to give up quickly. Itʼs a sweet mint to me, not really herbal, if that makes sense. The lemon is there, but barely. After the initial blast Creature tames a bit and I find it worth the wait as the mint gives way to a touch of fresh sage and green tea. It’s green, grassy, and fresh. I can’t honestly smell the jasmine or patchouli. I can smell a touch of cedar. My guess is these notes give the fragrance a little bit of earthiness and keep the whole thing from smelling like mouthwash even though they aren’t that apparent to my nose. There is a good bit of time when it does smell like mint muddled with sugar. Or perhaps it’s a sweet mint gum. Oddly enough, I like it. It seems to go back and forth between sugared mint and fresh, clean green and gradually just fades away. I get a few hours out of it but I wouldn’t mind refreshing this one, like popping a fresh piece of gum in your mouth when the flavor is gone. For something with a name like Creature I find this to be surprisingly soft and wearable by either a man or a woman.

Photo Stolen Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel Flickr

I wasn’t sure how I felt about Creature at first, didnʼt think I liked it, thought the mint was too much, but it stayed on my mind and I kept wanting to test it again. (I have to admit when I see mint in a perfume I always think its going to smell like I’ve pulled a muscle and used some pain relieving rub.) I find the minty burst in Creature to be fun in a weird way and once it subsides it actually becomes a rather lovely green perfume on me. There was no swampy odor, nothing slimy or moldy either. It does smell green, but any other mental associations I have with the word creature donʼt seem to fit.
As I was writing this, hubby asked what I was up to and I shoved my wrist under his nose. He took a good sniff of it and gave it a thumbs up. Despite all that I fear that poor Creature will be a scent you either love or hate based on how you feel about mint. Even though I’m known for making blind buys, I recommend sampling this one. I did find a few comments online that said it did smell swampy to some people. I detected nothing of the sort so oneʼs chemistry and nose may play a big part in whether this one works on you or not. Iʼm not even sure why I like it. It is an unusual perfume and probably not for everyone. That being said, I totally want a bottle of it.

Photo Stolen Robbert van der Steeg Flickr

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and FromPyrgos
MinNewYork has $140/100ml and also you can buy samples
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/ml

So, are you a mint lover, or do you like it only in your toothpaste? Iʼm intrigued by the whole minty perfume thing. Are there any others I should try?

Thanks,
Poodle

Red Cattleyea by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

August 15, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 34 Comments

Post by Poodle

When I was first married my in-laws told me I’d have a hard time cooking for my husband because he was so picky. I knew this but since I had persuaded him to try different foods while we were dating I knew I’d come up with a plan so I could cook what I wanted and not have him go hungry. I figured out that it was almost like cooking for a child (no offense, my love, if you’re reading this).

If he knew a dish had certain ingredients he wouldn’t try it. He was convinced he didn’t like certain things, even things I knew he’d eaten in the past and loved. The catch was that those times he hadn’t seen what was going into the pot. He came home and it was already prepared and waiting for him. I stopped telling him the ingredients or I told him what was in a dish after it was in his stomach. It worked, and cooking is much easier.

How does this relate to perfume? There are times when I think too much information is a bad thing. Sometimes I think knowing the notes before smelling can alter one’s opinion of it. If something smelled awful on me before or has a lot of notes I dislike I shouldn’t waste my time with it…or so I thought.

Red Cattleyea by Olympic Orchids 2010

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citrus, peach, apricot, melon, hyacinth, gardenia, violets, lilac, musk, woods, vanilla

I asked for the Olympic Orchids Just Orchids sampler set for Christmas. I didn’t see many reviews and I didn’t really study the note lists prior to trying the perfumes.

When I tried Red Cattleyea it was juicy and tropical and a great counterpoint to the chill in the air at the time. Since it is named after a flower I was expecting it to be a floral, but there was more, something sweet yet wonderful…then it hit me. Fruit! Yes, the dreaded fruity floral. This was nothing like the mainstream fruity scents, this was a fruity floral with personality. My first impression was favorable so I just kept enjoying my perfume, sniffing happily at my wrist now and then.

Photo Stolen MorgueFile

When I looked at the notes I was horrified. This has multiple notes that usually turn ugly on me. Citrus, peach, and melon can make me run from the fragrance counter. Had I read the notes first I may have never sprayed but Ellen Covey worked some magic here.

Red Cattleyea opens sweet and fruity, more candied citrus than kitchen cleaner. Then there’s peach, on my skin peach usually smells like, well, let’s just say it’s not how I want to smell. But not this time. The peach is blended with apricot and it’s more jammy and sun warmed than fresh. Alongside this is a bouquet of gardenia and lilac. Hints of wood and vanilla keep peeking through and there’s an undercurrent of spice to my nose. As the fruit subsides the gardenia becomes fleshy and rich before fading. I don’t find the musk very strong, rather it holds everything together and gives the perfume warmth as well. On my extreme scent eating skin I could smell it easily for hours and ended up with the most wonderfully warm vanilla base.

Photo Stolen Flickr Brett Spangler

This isn’t a light skin scent, it’s got some kick to it, I’d say that if applied with a light touch it would be office friendly. I’ve worn Red Cattleyea to work and gotten compliments. If you work with fragrance-phobes, perhaps it might be a little too bold.

Further reading: The Alembicated Genie and Hortus Conclusus
Olympic Orchids has $40/30ml EdP, isn’t that the best deal EVER?
Olympic Orchids $15/5ml Parfum

So Red Cattleyea’s fruity and sweet and peachy. On paper I shouldn’t like it yet I absolutely love wearing Red Cattleyea and there aren’t many fruity florals I can say that about.
Have you tried it?

Poodle. x

Spiritus / Land #2 by Miller et Bertaux 2004 (?)

June 22, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 32 Comments

Post by Poodle

The cottage was a mess when she inherited it. No one had lived there since her grandfather died. Her family thought it was too small, too rustic and that she should sell it. She thought it held a certain charm and now it was hers. It needed a lot of work but she had vision to see past the years of dirt that had accumulated in every crack and crevice. She scrubbed every inch of it until her fingers were raw. She remembered her grandmother used to burn incense to purify the air. She loved the smell of incense sticks but not the smoke so she would tuck them strategically around the house like potpourri. She washed and polished the wood floors. She put fresh new curtains on the windows. Little by little it regained some of its former beauty.

Photo Stolen TripAdvisor

She was now finally able to sit back and admire the results of her hard work. The warm spice tea she cradled in her hands comforted her. The smell of the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg brought back memories of when her grandmother used to bake in this very kitchen. It was early fall and still warm enough to keep the windows open. On the breeze she could smell the lavender and geraniums she had planted in the window box. Every now and then she caught a whiff of the late summer roses but they were far from the house so it was only ever a fleeting scent. Sunlight streamed into the kitchen in the late afternoon. She was convinced that as the floorboards warmed under the sunlight she could smell the wood and even after all of her cleaning efforts and bucketfuls of soapy water, a touch of her grandfather’s tobacco still lingered.

Spiritus/Land #2 by Miller et Bertaux

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Top: bergamot, rosemary, incense
Heart: lavender, rose, geranium, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg
Base: sandalwood, teak wood, patchouli, tobacco

When I got the sample for Spiritus / Land I was expecting something earthy and dirty. It has a dusty quality to it but it’s clean and fresh at the same time. I saw it described as an incense scent but this is not churchy at all. It smells more like the unlit sticks. It’s also a soapy scent. It opens somewhat herbal, fresh, and woody all at the same time and then hits you with ginger and spice. Not like dessert spices, these are spices without the sugar. The spices are prominent throughout its development and the wood notes seem to come and go. Yet for all the spice and woods it is a very clean smelling fragrance because it has a very strong soapy quality to it that persists throughout. It also seems to smell cleaner as it develops instead of getting woodier and dirtier in the base. This isn’t the modern clean of laundry fabric softener. It’s more along the lines of an old fashioned guest soap. If soap isn’t your thing you might want to pass on this one. If you’re looking for a clean scent without citrus or marine accords it might be worth a try. The lack of sweetness in the spice might make it lean more masculine to some. Longevity on the average person is probably pretty good. My scent eating skin got a few hours out of it and at the end my skin had a just out of the shower scent to it. This was the first perfume I’ve tried from this line and while it was not true love on me I imagine it would be wonderful on the right person.

Photo Stolen ehow

Further reading: Perfume Smellin’ Things and Now Smell This
Libertine Parfumerie has $165/100ml with FREE postage within Australia
Aedes de Venustas has $145/100ml
Surrender To Chance start at $3/ml

Thanks for reading<
Poodle xx