Fragrance--Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta Live in Love

The March 2012 issue of The Wall Street Journal's beauty supplement magazine featured an interview with Oscar de la Renta. He's now 79 years old, looks great, and is still going strong. Mr. de la Renta is now closely collaborating with his daughter and son-in-law, and one of the things they've done is to retrieve their fragrances from L'Oreal and are now bringing them back under the de la Renta umbrella--it should always have been so. They've also released a new fragrance in 2012: Live in Love. Click the link to read the specifics on it. Every note appeals to me except for one: rose, which floats up in the Heart of the fragrance. I love the scent of roses, however, they don't love me, and often smell poorly on my skin. Also, many fragrances that contain rose don't really bring forth a true rose scent. I often smell something synthetic instead of the rose. If I end up purchasing this scent, I'd definitely get the smallest size: One ounce eau de parfum spray for $58.

If any of you have tried this new fragrance, please let me know what you think of it. I'd love to hear from you!

Fragrance--Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler: Angel & Solstice Scents: Jack & The Devil (a concoction)
Thierry Mugler's Angel is D-I-V-I-N-E. I've worn it for years, in fact, ever since it first hit the market. A fragrance representative who befriended me recommended it to me, and I'll owe her for that for the rest of my life. I love Angel.

But it gets more interesting... I know someone in my town who is a fragrance wizard, an alchemist. She makes fragrances and beauty products and sells them through her own website Solstice Scents. Well, I've bought many of Solstice Scents's products, and one of the perfumes that I love (amongst many) is Jack & the Devil. One day I discovered that if I apply Jack & the Devil and then spray one squirt of Angel over it, the result is out of this world! Funny, isn't it? Angel & Devil. The resulting scent is very, very dark, but with a tiny bit of sweetness drifting throughout. Oh! It's marvelous! Try it. And by the way, you can feel completely comfortable ordering online from Solstice Scents. My friend is very professional, very honest, does wonderful and fast shipping, has marvelous products, and she's a lovely person! Go for it! As I get the time, I'll list other Solstice Scents fragrances that I've enjoyed.

Fragrance--Chanel

Chanel Les Exclusifs Line

I wasn't aware of the existence of this "boutique" line from Chanel. Here's wonderful info on the fragrances from the great fragrance blog, Now Smell This.



Chanel Sycomore
Chanel: Sycomore is from the Chanel Les Exclusifs Series, and I'd love to try it. It is, however, a little pricey for me at $110! Ah, well, probably worth it!

The wonderful fragrance blog, Now Smell This, has a good blurb on Sycomore.

Fragrance--General

Fragrance rules my life. A scent can make or break my day. When I smell a fragrance, I also see it, hear it, and feel it. Oftentimes, scents will invoke a powerful memory. So, this is how I review scents, by what I saw, heard, felt, or remembered when I applied it to my skin.

I'm not a "Nose," so when it comes to the notes in a scent, the drydown, and all the other wonderful details concerning its composition, I leave it to the fragrance's creator, or to other blogs that discuss these details so very, very well.

The Perfume Maker
by Rodolphe Ernst

Fragrance--Hermes

Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil Eau de Toilette
Un Jardin Sur le Nil is a beauty of a fragrance! When I wear this, I get stopped by people who compliment my fragrance and then ask me what it is. This is a great fragrance for summer. When I wear it, I think of the citrus groves in Lakeland in March. I'm driving past them on the Florida Turnpike, my windows are open, and I smell the blooms on the trees. Magic! I was very familiar with Hermes's scents because I've used Caleche for a number of years, however, I learned of the existence of Un Jardin Sur Le Nil while reading The Perfect Scent by Chandler Burr (LOVE this book!).

Hermes Un Jardin en Mediterranee Eau de Toilette
Un Jardin en Mediterranee is exquisite. This scent is "heavier" than Un Jardin Sur le Nil (see review for this scent), it is also, in my opinion, a bit darker. Once again, I learned of the existence of this divine little beauty by way of Chandler Burr's book, The Perfect Scent (see review of Un Jardin Sur le Nil). When I wear this, I think of Spain and the courtyard in the Museo del Prado, in the sunshine, a fountain gurgling, great art awaiting me inside!

Oils--Anointing and Magick

Conjured Cardea: Erzulie Oil

Erzulie Freda

Erzulie Oil can be purchased from Conjured Cardea on ETSY. This oil is very soft, and as such, it helps me envision the beautiful Erzulie, loa of love. On application, I caught a whiff of warm cinnamon and vetiver. Once dry, I could smell a soft, and warm, floral. Really delightful. This shop provides excellent customer service, super fast shipping, very reasonalble prices and shipping fees, and the owner seems to be a really nice person! By the way, you can learn all about Erzulie by reading the information provided with the listing for the oil at the link, above.

Fragrance--Serge Lutens

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan

This lovely lady is NOT my friend Meridith and
she's also not Yolanda or Lovelia, but she
is a great representation of the Hialeah
atmosphere!

I was introduced to Serge Lutens by my wonderful friend, Meridith. On one of her little jaunts to NYC she purchased a bottle of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan and she shared a few sprays with me. IT -- IS -- DIVINE! I gotta be honest, as much as I love this fragrance, the "DIVINE" belongs to Meridith 'cause that's how it smells on her. Nevertheless, it wasn't bad on me, not bad at all. Damn good, actually. After I sprayed it on my wrist, I felt a little memory coming up, but it wasn't quite manifesting itself just yet. Much, much later that day, I saw it! I was taken back to the late 1970s when almost every Saturday I'd visit a little "Cuban Boutique" in west Hialeah called Yoher. My Mom always came with me, and we'd spend a couple of hours there doing a little shopping, but mostly, just chatting with the owners, Yolanda and Lovelia, two beautiful souls. That's what Yoher was all about: The camaraderie. Yolanda would always have plenty of "cafecito" to drink, and our conversations ranged from fashion, to ghosts, to crime, to their kids, to parties, you name it. Those were wonderful times.

Serge Lutens Borneo 1834

Lucky Scents describes this fragrance as masculine, but I disagree. No, it's not a "girly" scent, but it's definitely a little on the feminine side. I loved this, and it has definite staying power! It's pricey, but very worth it. I only have a sample, but if I can afford this one day, I'd definitely buy it! When I applied it, I imagined a beautiful room with shiny wood floors, and a red, peach, and gray bokhara rug in the center of it.

Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan

Lucky Scents describes this as a masculine scent, but I think it's more of a unisex scent. Regardless, it's wonderful. I have a sample and I use it sparingly so it will last a while--buying this incredible scent will set me back a lot of $$$! I would, however, definitely buy this one if I had an extra $140.


Serge Lutens Wish List:

Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle
Tubereuse Criminelle Notes
tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, hyacinth, nutmeg, clove, styrax, musk, vanilla.

Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque
Cuir Mauresque Notes
amber, myrrh, burnt styrax, incense, cinnamon, aloe wood, cedar, civet, nutmeg, clove, cumin, musk, mandarin peel, orange blossom

Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan
Muscs Koublai Khan Notes
Vegetal Musk, Roots of Costus, Labdanum Rockrose, Grey Amber, Vanilla, Patchouli, Ambrette Seeds, pure Moroccan Rose
I've tried a sample of this scent, and I love it!

Serge Lutens Borneo 1834
Borneo 1834 Notes
Floral notes, galbanum, Indonesian patchouli, cocoa accord, cistus labdanum.
I've tried a sample of this scent, and I love it!

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
Ambre Sultan Notes
coriander, amber, oregano, bay leaf, myrtle, angelica root, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla
I've tried a sample of this scent, and I love it!

Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle
Tubereuse Criminelle Notes
tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, hyacinth, nutmeg, clove, styrax, musk, vanilla.

Serge Lutens Datura Noir
Datura Noir Notes
Myrrh, bitter almond, tonka bean, musk, osmanthus, heliotrope, mandarin, lemon blossom, tuberose, vanilla, coconut oil, apricot
Celia Lyttelton's book, The Scent Trail, names "Black Datura" by Serge Lutens, however, I wasn't able to find a Serge Lutens scent by that name.  I did find "Datura Noir," and the notes of this fragrance are exactly the same as the notes that Lyttelton lists for "Black Datura."  I'm assuming that "Datura Noir" and "Black Datura" are one and the same.