Join me on my journey through the worlds of perfumes and books
I’m finally reading Essence of Perfume by Roja Dove and can’t help but ponder the subject.
Not that I don’t ponder perfumes as a subject regularly. 😉
But at one point, it hit me.
I have a favourite perfume memory!
It was the moment I smelled Shalimar and fell in love (that wasn’t even close to my first try).
Closely followed when the same thing happened with Vent Vert and Chanel 19.
Do you have a favourite perfume moment? More than one?
There’s been a lot of posts written about advice for budding perfumistas, so this is not advice, these are the things I learned in the process of becoming one. 🙂
1. Once you start calling yourself a perfumista (perfume lover, perfume geek, however you want to call yourself), IT’S FOR LIFE. There is just no way you are going to go back to that time in the past when your nose could distinguish only the most common things. And dismiss them in the next instant.
2. However do you start, ordering an army of samples and getting lost in their perfumed sillage or taking time with one by one, it will still take a couple of years of constant smelling for your nose to learn enough so you can finally smell and name the nuances.
Take your time, the journey is lovely and fragrant.4. Once the fragrant world opens its doors and lets you in, you will be joyfully smelling everything in your path as you probably won’t be familiar with the smell of so many things you live surrounded with. And you will start cataloguing them in your mind.
5. Your sense of smell will improve and you’ll be able to detect whiffs of things people around you won’t be able to smell.
6. Don’t got for naturals if you haven’t had previous experience with essential oils and are unfamiliar with the way they smell. Naturals are a perfume category for itself.
7. Pretty much the same goes for vintage. It takes time to understand and like perfumes from days past. But you will. 🙂
8. The perfume community is full of the most lovely people you are ever going to virtually meet (and some of them you might actually meet in real life). Finding beauty in such an ethereal thing like perfume is not something many people actually appreciate and my thoughts run in the vein of perfume people being positive and optimistic to find and actively search for beauty in those little wispy whiffs.
9. Frustration with mainstream will abound. But sometimes, a gem will be found among those shelves of synthetic fruity-florals (or whatever the current vogue).
10. At one point, you will be sure samples procreate and have children of their own. Beacuse they will take over every free space you have (and those that aren’t free, too).
11. Don’t worry if at one point you lose all enthusiasm for smelling and you feel you’ll never get it back. It happens. It also never lasts long. 🙂
12. Thanks to Undina who reminded me – NEVER SAY NEVER. 🙂 You might think you don’t like a perfume family or a single note, but it’s just a question of discovering the right perfume that will open the door into the previously forbidden smelly teritorry (you just wait and see). 🙂
P.S. I plan on updating the list when something new occurs to me.
That’s what’s been on my mind lately. Perfume thoughts of all kind.Also, have you noticed how at all times if you take care to follow these things (and even if you don’t), there are numerous possibilities of acquiring perfume for less money than what’s in stores? For one, I always seem to stumble upon Carol’s Niche boutique sales (like the blizzard one yesterday). So close after my Paris bottles is really not something I though I’d be doing, but I just couldn’t skip it. And besides, I’ve been happy about it ever since.
One thing I learned about scents is, the more you let go, the more happiness they bring. Josephine from Notes from Josephine had a recent post about awfulness of January which I seem to be feeling as well. The only thing sure to make me smile is perfume (and pilates and zumba but they do not happen as often).
And then I came to a sudden realization after smelling one Roja Dove perfume and all the outlaws. The more you let go of your conscious mind in trying to register what you’re smelling, the more the universe of that perfume opens up to you.
Now I’ve written this, it feels like I might be exaggerating. But when I say a universe, I mean a world of its own, and universe just sound better (and looks better in my opionion). 🙂
I do want to talk about perfumes I’ve been smelling (and the rest of Outlaws) but for some reason, I can’t. I can talk about perfume generally but each time I sit down to write a review, it doesn’t feel right.
I know it will soon but at the moment I seem to be enjoying perfumes privately.
Pics by: http://www.apod.nasa.gov/ and grand_universe_by_antifan_real
Hopefully, this post brings an end to my post draught lately.
My mind is just scattered all over the place and I have some serious trouble both concentrating on any type of mental work or remembering things I’m supposed to do (I’m writing all sorts of notes these days in order to remember to do everything).
I saw on some other blogs that the autumn perfume picks started appearing. I wish I could do one as well, but as with my mind, my nose is all over the place and I’m still not in an autumnal frame of mind completely (even though the weather is, for over a month now).
I have no problem getting into summer or winter perfume frame of mind, but both spring an autumn sneak up on me and I’m left wondering what is appropriate and it’s a hit and miss kind of wondering.
In my mind, it’s like this: Is autumn appropriate time to start with all those warm winter scents I have or am I supposed to ease my way into some seriously warm orientals and woods with something less heavy? And what exactly is less heavy? Which then leads me to thinking I might need to buy something more autumn-like even though I’m still not sure what would that be.
So, these days, I’m easing my way into autumn with some ambers (which seems a good color choice for autumn) and some patchoulis, but those that are more dry and earthy so I can still warm them up before it gets too cold.
Yesterday I also realized what a labyrinth of choices the perfume world presents and I still get lost in it regularly. To give you an example.
I’ve read wonderful reviews of Fendi Theorema all over the blogs and I got a sample of it last winter. I tried it then and I liked it very much and contemplated the need of a bottle.
So, yesterday, in my autumnal review of which scents are appropriate and which aren’t, I put Theorema on one arm and another oriental (which is coming up for review quite soon) on another. And it started in Theorema’s favour but it didn’t last long. I finally understood that other oriental and why it got some serious love and even though I wouldn’t mind wearing Theorema if someone gave me a bottle since it is perfectly nice and easy to wear and just feels right, but in comparison to the other one, it will never bring forth some serious feelings from me.
And there are enough perfumes out there which are going to make me feel strong about them so I decided not to buy any of those that don’t do that anymore.
We’ll just have to wait and see if I actually manage that. 🙂
I finally realized what happens to me when I’m in a niche perfume store. I get drunk. And I mean seriously tipsy by all the fumes wafting around while I’m trying perfumes even when I temper it with coffee (like in real life, coffee helps a bit when you’re drunk).
I couldn’t resist anymore so I went to Victor Koncept for some serious perfume sniffa-tour. And that’s exactly what I did. So, of course I overdoses and got extremely giddy and forgot some of the things they told me so I asked twice. Like for example, when is the rest of PG line coming (end of this week) which is bad. Really bad. Because I tried their tuberose and patchouli and I seriously like them (and they weren’t even on the top of my PG list to try! So, I’m thinking, tuberose is not for this time of year, and I have enough patchoulis so I can test the rest next week without problems. Because I have high hopes for some other stuff coming in. But their patchouli is so great. It’s a dark chocolate patchouli, deep and warm and if not black, then very close to it.
I also managed to try Byredo Palermo – a must try more before next summer. It’s a different take on summer cologne/citrusy stuff and that is what I like (bitter orange or something like that got me). Baudelaire is also one I’ll try again. I like the Tulipe but it’s not for me.
After reading some nice things about Penhaligon’s Bluebell, I finally tried it. 🙂 I can see what might make people like it – it’s bottled sprimg meadow. I’ll see in the spring if we are going to it hit it off.
This time around, I took enough time and didn’t have to rush so I got some samples to try as well. Yeey! That is also how I got drunk on perfume. 🙂 But I don’t mind.
I mean, I was a bit light-headed when going home and couldn’t stop smiling due to giddiness but I really deserved a trip there. It’s been six months since my last time. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be that much until my next visit.
Do you want to know what I bought?
After discovering just last week I love amber, L’Eau d’Ambre by L’Artisan came home with me.
Along with – Molecule 02. Yes, I’m very susceptible – I’m sure everyone saw the Luckyscent 5 sexiest perfume choices clip. And, honestly, I tried it before and just couldn’t understand (again!) what the fuss is about. It turns out that the tester is not what’s in the bottle and the stuff only works correctly when sprayed on skin and not on paper strip. So, I bought it unsniffed basically but I’m checking the effect as soon as tomorrow. 🙂
P.S. I was surprised at how many people were at Viktor Koncept, usually when I go, I’m the only one. Also, I really had the time of my life and didn’t want to leave, everyone was very friendly and we discussed so many things (they again let me try something they only received to try and still don’t have at the perfumery).
I have a really good excuse for not writing more often since I got back from my vacation. It’s not that I don’t sniff perfumes every single day and write notes, it’s the fact that my home laptop is broken so once I get home, the chances of me writing a post are practically non-existent.
Hopefully, that will be remedied very soon so I’ll try and write more often.
In the meantime, I’m in the throes of a terrible shopping madness and want to wander around doing just that all the time. Of course, that means that after work, I head straight home, especially taking care to not go near any perfume stores. And I cannot tell you how much I want to go into one and sniff all the new niche things they acquired in the last few months.
If you know me (from reading my posts this last year and a half), you can probably guess I won’t be able to hold out much longer. And I’m preparing a list of things I want to try – some in Viktor Koncept and some in Institute Parfumeur Flores.
The problem is (yes, I am a shoppingholic) I can’t walk out empty handed. First, chances of trying several scents that I know are on the list because I read good reviews and not liking any of those enough to want it are again practically nil, and then finding something I really like and not buying it?! Impossible.
Have I recently mentioned how I’m trying to save money (or not spend so much)? I’m just very lousy at it so maybe I should stick with stuff I am good at – like spending money. 🙂
Anyway, I seem to be going through a period where almost all the things I try I like very much so I have several scents I am going to talk about soon.
I noticed how once I loose my momentum (or things fall out of schedule), it is terribly hard for me to get it back. It goes for everything, writing, pilates, my eating schedule. So, I’m trying to learn some self-control.
While I’m doing that, I’ll try and write more often to get more practice.
Each year as I prepare to go off to my vacation, I leave with so many plans as to what I will do once I’m there enjoying all the free time. I’m old enough to know by now if it never succeeded before, the chances that it might this year were pretty much non-existent. Oh well, I’m the eternal optimist. And I managed to prove to myself I am as lazy as I appear after my vacations. 🙂
Once the house was clean and I put my feet up, that was the end. Laziness took over and still has its hold on me. I had so many plans about writing about all the many samples and decants I took with me (like I said, optimist), and I’ve been smelling them and wearing them, but I just have no will to write about them. I don’t even take notes. I just enjoy the sun and the books and sniff my wrists to make the summer enjoyment more profound. And that’s it. I still have several days of this left (not that many, I’m back to work on Monday) but while I’m here, I’ll enjoy those last few days of not doing anything to the fullest.
One thing I love about spending vacations at the seaside is the fact that nothing smells as carefree and relaxing as a summer sea breeze. It is better in June though while the greenery is still alive, now it’s a bit fried and dry by all the sun beating upon it. But it’s still wonderful.
And then one day my first week here we had a real summer shower. You know the one that smells of wet dust, herbs and has a slightly metallic tang to it. Everything just smells better when sea is its background.
My batteries are full and I’m ready (as much as I can be, I’m always sad when my summer vacations end) to get back to my usual routine and that also means writing. I can’t wait actually. And one thing I realized here when spending time surrounded by many people who visited us here is that I have a serious problem talking coherently. I just got used so much to writing my thoughts that now it seems I need to concentrate better when I want to sound as a person capable of coherent talk. 🙂 Oh well, sea and sun will do that to you.
I’ll post some pictures when I get back (I have some really nice ones) and until then, just this one which I took yesterday of a beach on the island of Krk which is right across from where we are and this beach can only be reached by boat.
I feel like a glutton. A perfume glutton that is. As with any other worthwhile sin, you can’t do much else while in the throes of that sin. Hmm, that didn’t sound very polite. 😀
Anyway, I’m aware I haven’t written anything about perfume in a while which doesn’t mean I haven’t been smelling anything, quite the contrary but most of the things I smell, evoke in the best case scenario, a sentence (that usually isn’t very positive so I’m not writing them down).
It seems sometimes I’m lucky and I go days on end smelling great stuff – some of it I can’t wear but I can still tell it’s great and I’m glued to my wrist smelling that greatness. And then comes a period where I start going through some of my accumulated samples and I’m left wondering if it’s me or there really is some stuff that shouldn’t have seen the light of day (or acquired some place on my arm to be more precise). I’m in such a period at the moment so I decided (just now) for today to just spray on me stuff I know I love to mitigate the effects of the last few days.
Plus, and this will now sound whiny, I’m seriously exhausted. There is still a week left of work and then I’m off to a 3 week vacation (this year I’m taking everything necessary to stay in touch with the virtual world and my friends there) so I’m really looking forward to it. I just need to survive these last days before it’s sun and fun for me.
I still have no idea what perfumes I’m taking with me – I know for sure I’m not leaving without Bronze Goddess. 🙂
I am getting ready to get back to my usual posting schedule and go back to my sample to the day posts. I’ve been sampling those samples (for the lack of a diferent word) lately but just don’t yet feel like writing as often as I used to. Or doing much except reading Harry Potter. It somehow feels like with the end of the series, I’ll be back to almost my usual self.
But that’s not what I was going to write about today. My thoughts today are centered around vintage perfumes. Because I realized yesterday, I went completely wrong way when trying to understand their whole appeal. In my case that was the chypre road. Since I don’t appreaciate chypres at all (yet – I’m sure I’ll get there eventually), that was a completely wrong road for me. As evidenced by Carol’s packages containing some of her wonderful finds. She told me in an email to my statement that I finally understand all that love toward vintage stuff because they smell the way perfume in my mind is supposed to that stuff today just pales in comparison. And that is just plain true. Where did that perfume artistry go, I have no idea, but I do wish someone would bring it back. I mean, the market today is so large, I’m sure there would be quite enough buyers of perfumes as they used to be.
And the perfume that initialized this realization was of course one of Carol’s. The Rose Quad (that would be the grassy one). I am still baffled by this new-found rose love I seem to have developed. Have no idea how it came about but now I also know I love vintage perfume. Oh, I’m sure there will be quite a lot of those I won’t like but there are those that will make sniffing of those not terribly great worthwhile.
And a leaving thought. Do you ever experience a scent you wore and thought you knew display a new note or feature? That happened to me today. I put on Etro’s Lemon Sorbet and suddenly I was walking in a cloud of meadow flowers (for a couple of minutes only). I have no idea where it came from but it was thoroughly enjoyable. 🙂
It seems that’s pretty much all I do these days and it’s rather unfocused as is. I’ve been unfocused and deconcentrated so even though good ideas for posts keep popping out of my head, I just can’t seem to find the focus and energy needed to write them down. But I guess we all have times like these…
Not to mention that on top of all that it’s that time when I get to feel sorry for myself, then I get angry with myself for feeling sorry but since I can’t do much about it, I get back to feeling sorry and I go in circles. 🙂 At least I know why.
But you know what? Even though my mind is unfocused, most of the time I feel seriously happy to be alive. I love my life. Oh, I see a lot that could make it better, but I also see a lot that makes it full and happy and fulfilled. And that is what is important if you want to feel happy. I love the people around me (my family, my friends, my colleagues, my virtual friends, my dog…), I love the little things that fill my life – books, perfumes, cosmetics, pilates…
I really have a lot to make me grateful. So I get doubly angry with myself when I start feeling sorry for myself for reading a post that was written sincerely and without trying to make anyone feel like he/she doesn’t belong to this perfume blogging community. There were actually two good posts written on the subject, the original by Denyse from Grain de Musc and the additional thoughts on the subject by The Non Blonde (you should read the comments as well).
I don’t feel like I’ve been blogging about perfumes for long or like I know much, but I like to learn and garner much pleasure from it. And there will always be people who might find their way to my blog and perhaps enjoy something I’ve written.
It is true that there are so many new scents turning up everywhere and perfume blogs as well, but it is still not as crowded as book blogs (although it seems the amount of new perfumes might be catching up with the amount of new books being published – hopefully not so many perfume blogs will appear as there are book ones).
And then, it also seems that if you are writing about perfume, you should probably decide where you want to go with it because there is just no way one person can keep up with everything. This of course does not apply to me because I never know where exactly I want to go with anything, I let myself be taken along. So anything that appears interesting or something by a perfumer I’ve come to love will definitely find its way to me. But also, all those lovely interesting samples coming from swap packages and Luckyscent sample packages.
Of course, these last two options are the ones where you are most likely to come across a mine. Like I did recently. I feel really bad for saying this but there is not a single thing made by Yosh that I like (and I’m wondering who does because they all end up smelling like some kind of washing detergent or fabric softener). They are not scrubbers but they just don’t even come close to being interesting to me.
So, this is what’s going through my mind these days. Hopefully, it didn’t come out as jumbled as it seems to me it has. 🙂
I hope soon I’ll be back to my usual posting.
All I am - a redhead 