A lingering collection

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume February 14, 2014 Comments: 20

That is what I have. 
My collection has been growing for years but unfortunately my perfume review output hasn’t. And I can’t get rid of anything I haven’t actually reviewed (unless it’s so bad I never want to smell it again). Or anything I grew out of in my smelling journey. The irony in all this is the fact that for what seems most of my life I’ve been lecturing my mom on clearing her life of stuff she no longer uses, only to end up in pretty much the same mess.
According to my limited knowledge of Feng-shui (very limited actually), the stuff you don’t use but only accumulate weighs down your life energy. As my life energy feels pretty much down most of the time, I’m guessing I did it to myself (well, it’s not really guessing if I’m sure of it). 😉

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So basically, if I don’t want to weigh myself down I have two choices. Start writing even short reviews if I don’t have much to say so I can decide what to let go, or just have a quick smell and let go of at least half of the stuff I have (I’m talking mostly decants now).
Then again, I keep thinking what if there is something of what I let go I later decide I would like to revisit and I no longer have it?

Has anyone faced a similar problem? How do you let go of accumulated perfume which lingers because you never got the time to get to know it?
Should I let it go or still try to get to know it?

I must say, I don’t have such problems with clothes. At least my wardrobe is clear of lingering clothes… 😉

Behind times

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume February 4, 2014 Comments: 15

It’s not really surprising I’m behind perfume news considering how much free time for it I have (basically none). It’s a busy time at work and after it there really isn’t that much time (or energy) left for anything but bed.

But I don’t want to bore you all with the fact I have no free time, I was more shocked with the fact that pleasantly surprised as I was with what I thought were news about the new Dior Collection Privée Elixirs Précieux (Rose, Ambre, Oud and Musc) – a short Google search showed it was only news to me. 🙂

Even though it is only news to me, I got very excited after reading the French Vogue article where they said they were meant for layering. I must say I have high hopes of them smelling good by themselves and together.

Seeing though that they cost 280 €, I might have to decide they don’t really smell that great… 😉

Esxence – The Scent of Excellence

I've been thinking, World of Perfume January 29, 2014 Comments: 22

Is taking place in Milan this year for the 6th time,  from March 20-23.

With these brands being there, it’s the place to visit to start off your spring with a scentful bang.

I just might have to schedule my skiing trip to France to coincide with this (Milan is on our way). 😉

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #4

Book review, World of Books January 28, 2014 Comments: 7

This is our final week and this week’s questions were created by Grace of Books Without Any Pictures.

 

1.  We finally meet T’vril in his new role as Lord Arameri.  Is he what you expected?
Actually yes. He didn’t get too Arameri but he’s ruthless when he needs to be (seems not as much as his Arameri kin would like).
The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
2.  Oree is given a choice, to live as the Arameri’s weapon, or to die.  What would you do in that position?
I always like to think I would choose the higher path. But I love living. That said, I’m not sure if I could live with other peoples/godlings lives on my hands.
3.  Do you think that Oree made the right decision by sending Shiny away?  How do you feel about Yeine’s role here?

Yes, but it seems Shiny was expecting it. I think Yeine made the best out of the situation, salvaging what she could without breaking anyone’s tenuous connection to sanity.
4.  What did you think of the ending of the book?  Were you satisfied?
Well, at several points I was worried it was going to go into direction I wasn’t going to enjoy but it all ended up rather well. I knew there was no chance of a happy ending for Shiny and Oree, he has much more to learn and live through before he can start being whole.

 

5.  How did The Broken Kingdoms compare to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms?  Which did you like better?

I actually like The Broken Kingdoms better. I had a hard time consoling Yeine and Enefa and kept thinking Yeine got smothered a bit by goddess’ entity. It seems Yeine is upset a bit in this book that people find them interchangeable. 😉

This one seems more like a book about life. You have some pleasure and love, you suffer, you get better, you get some pleasure and love, disappointment follows but then there are the most amazing consequences to follow. 🙂

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #3

Book review, World of Books January 21, 2014 Comments: 6

This week our host is Lauren from Violin in a Void.

Let’s get to it then. 🙂

1. Oree chooses not to reveal Shiny’s identity to Dateh. Did you agree with her decision? What might have happened if she’d chosen otherwise? 

Yes, I agree. It’s never wise to share information with the bad guys. 🙂The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin

I can’t even begin to guess what would have happened if she chose to disclose that information. I’m not sure how much the human Itempass could help them…

 

2. Madding’s dead 😦 How do you feel about his death? What do you make of his last words to Oree?

Didn’t see that coming. Well, not before Oree actually called him through. Then it was obvious as the arrow was just lying there. I must say I couldn’t understand how come Oree didn’t think about that?!

Anyway, what I got out of Madding’s last words is that he truly loved Oree.

 

3. Itempas has seen what terrible things people do in his name. What do you make of Dateh’s interpretation of Itempan faith? Could this help rehabilitate Itempas or will he simply see the New Lights as a delusional sect?

I’m certainly hoping it will put Shiny on the path of spiritual healing. It becomes obvious later on that he was hurt badly and in view of his unbending character, he snapped and then all hell broke lose for the next 2000 years. Talk about being in better control of one’s character…

New Lights are definitely delusional, no doubt about it.

 

4. After Madding’s death, Oree loses the will to live, except to stop the New Lights. Shiny wants to kill her because she’s a demon. Do you think she’ll survive the events of the novel? Is it safer to wipe out the demons?

Safer, probably. Better, no. There should be checks and balances. And demons fit nicely into that. I think she’ll survive, I just wonder at what cost (something is probably going to happen to her – well, more than it already has).

 

5. Itempas shares his feelings about his actions in the God’s War. Have your feelings about him changed at all?

Slightly, yes. Still, he behaved like a spoiled child. And I would expect more from a god with his background. Well, it’s never too late to learn (and learn about yourself, because that is what he seems to be doing now…)

 

6. There’s something odd about Hado. Shiny says to him “You are not quite yourself. […] Something of him lingers.” Oree notes that Hado’s shadow is darker than the non-magical things around him. Could he be more than just a spy, and if so, what?

Ha, ha, it was obvious here who he was and I wondered if the name is the same from book 1 because I just don’t remember. We learn later that he is the human version of Nahadoth from book one but for me it was obvious once I read this paragraph.

Julianna Scott: The Holders

Book review, World of Books January 18, 2014 Leave a comment

I hate to say it, but even though I enjoyed it, it was so very predictable.

Now I feel I cannot go on and make you feel it’s worth reading but if you’re up for some interesting YA fun with some amazing abilities coming through the Celtic history (I think), this would be a nice start to a series (yes, it’s a series, who knew?!). 😉holders

I really liked Becca, most of the time she seemed much smarter than the usual teenage heroines I meet. Being clumsy and not able to direct yourself in space is human nature (and hers as well). She does seem to have a teenage propensity for quick falling in love (not that Alex was far behind). I don’t count this as a spoiler as it’s rather obvious from both the blurb and the beginning of the book.

But it would be a spoiler to let you know what they discover once they get to St. Brigid’s and the story starts unraveling.

I will say that the characters are well portrayed and you understand why they act the way they do, there is a mention of the great smell of libraries (something I definitely notice) and tension at some points will make you try and read faster.

17-year-old Becca spent her whole life protecting her brother from, well, everything. The abandonment of their father, the so called ‘experts’ who insist that voices in his head are unnatural and must be dealt with, and the constant threat of being taken away to some hospital and studied like an animal. When two representatives appear claiming to have the answers to Ryland’s perceived problem, Becca doesn’t buy it for one second. That is until they seem to know things about Ryland and about Becca and Ryland’s family, that forces Becca to concede that there may be more to these people than meets the eye. Though still highly skeptical, Becca agrees to do what’s best for Ryland.

What they find at St. Brigid’s is a world beyond their imagination. Little by little they piece together the information of their family’s heritage, their estranged Father, and the legend of the Holder race that decrees Ryland is the one they’ve been waiting for. However, they are all–especially Becca–in for a surprise that will change what they thought they knew about themselves and their kind.

She meets Alex, a Holder who is fiercely loyal to their race, and for some reason, Becca and Ryland. There’s an attraction between Becca and Alex that can’t be denied, but her true nature seems destined to keep them apart. However, certain destinies may not be as clear cut as everyone has always believed them to be.

Becca is lost, but found at the same time. Can she bring herself to leave Ryland now that he’s settled and can clearly see his future? Will she be able to put the the feelings she has for Alex aside and head back to the US? And can Becca and Ryland ever forgive their father for what he’s done?

Nivea In-Shower Body Milk

Sample of the day, World of Perfume January 15, 2014 Comments: 16

As you could have noticed by now, I really rarely talk about cosmetic products. It’s not that I don’t use them, it’s just that I find them all basically the same. Very rarely do I get surprised by any of them and feel that they need to be reviewed.nivea2

I admit, I am not a Nivea fan. Their facial products wreak havoc on my skin and I avoid them completely. I ended up with this in-shower milk because you got a shower gel for free with it, and my boyfriend always needs some.

I am now on my second bottle (this time the 400 ml one) of this in-shower milk (the blue one, for dry skin).

When they say in-shower milk, it’s exactly what they mean. I, for some reason, thought it was a shower gel that made your skin feel like you put lotion on it.

But no, it’s a body milk made to be used on wet, washed skin. You do your regular wash routine and then you apply the in-shower milk to your wet skin and rinse it off. All done!

For someone who needs to put something on my skin both evening and morning, this is a time-saver. I admit to being lazy and putting lotion after a shower requires much longer than putting this in shower. You just slather the in-shower milk while anything you apply to dry skin basically needs to be massaged in.

So, yes, my lazy self loves the fact that I save time because I put Nivea in-shower on me. 🙂nivea

We’re not having a winter now so I can live with the feeling this in-shower milk gives my skin but if it were really cold, I would need something stronger for my dry skin.

It’s probably going to be perfect in spring and summer. But I find it perfect for my lazy lifestyle already.

N.K. Jemisin: The Broken Kingdoms read-along #2

Book review, World of Books January 13, 2014 Comments: 4

This week our host is S Voss from Dab of Darkness.

1) We learned some tidbits about Oree’s father in this section. Who, or what, do you think he was and what do you think of the suspicions about mob madness that Lady Serymn brought up?
I think he is one of the demon children’s children. Everything points in that direction anyway. That also makes Oree one as well.The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
As for mob madness, I think it’s just Lady Serymn’s excuse and another way of pointing the finger of blame at Nahadoth.

2) Shiny has some stern views about the relationship between Oree and Madding. What do you think of him testing her love for Madding? Do you think she said yes to Madding for the right reasons?

I think Shiny has absolutely no idea what love is and how to feel it and show it. If I start writing what I think of him, it won’t end well, but I’ll just say he’s still an ego maniac.
I do think Oree said yes to Madding for the right reasons, love is compromising. She reminds me a bit of Yeine in that regard, her skirting of danger when having sex with Madding.

3) The House of the Risen Sun has some followers with skills. What do you think of the holes, The Empty, and what has happened to Oree’s friends, both mortal and immortal? Shiny?

Can someone just push the whole order into the holes, please? As soon as possible? I think that the Arameri are proving to be just as awful (if not more) as the first book portrayed them and I really hate them. Empty is awful and I sincerely hope everyone survives it.
I’m not worried about Shiny. At all. I somehow think nothing bad will be able to happen to him.

4) Are the ambitious plans of the House of the Risen Sun justified? Noble? Or is there a particular follower you already want to seen tossed into The Empty for a spell?

Ha, ha, ha, noble? No way. There is nothing noble about them and I did notice how Lady Serynm is very adept of twisting facts to fit what she wants to say and do.
As in my previous answer, just toss the whole order in. I have no patience for stupid people (the followers who are so blind to truth and eager to follow all orders).

5) Lord Dateh, the Nypri, requested a bit of Oree’s blood for study. What do think he will do with it and what part do you think the House of the Risen Sun hopes Oree to play in their plans?

I think they will check for remnants of magical bloodline? I sincerely hope there won’t be something voodoo-ish to it, making Oree their slave.

It seems Oree is supposed to be in this book what Yeine was in the last.
Does that mean she’ll gain some kind of godhood so she can enjoy her eternity with Madding? 😉

And for my thoughts on this week’s chapters, is it just me, or does anyone else think that trying to kill Nahadoth, or believing the Gray Lady will deter him from destroying the world is the thinking of a madman? Or  thinking that Gray Lady is Arameri? That way lies destruction for those thinking it…

Checkout what my companions in the Broken Kingdoms thought this week:

Dab of Darkness

Violin in a Void

Tethyan Books

Books Without Any Pictures

Veronica Roth: Divergent

Book review, World of Books January 12, 2014 Comments: 6

Well, I’m not sure what to say about this. It was fine while it lasted but I’m not sure I’ll be continuing (I thought that even before I read the reviews on Amazon).

The idea is great. In a future dystopian world, Chicago population is divided into 5 factions that are all supposed to live a utopian life but it’s not utopian as is soon rather obvious. From the people who are unlucky to be factionless, to the fact that not all who select one of the factions will actually become its members, to the point where most factions resent Abnegation leadership.divergent

I couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed with the fact that characterization is a bit lacking (also, no one packs so much muscles in 2 weeks no matter what they do) and we lack some crucial information (not even a hint to what happened to the world outside Chicago?! – that is just one thing), to the fact that what happens to Four is so very similar to what happens to Peeta in the Hunger Games…

I wish I didn’t sound so very dismissive of the book because I practically inhaled it, but by its end I was no longer sure I wanted to continue reading. Most of my questions would probably get answered in the next book, it’s just that I’m not sure I really want to read on.

The truth is, this novel feels more like a play on a dystopian novel and not an actual story that transports you into the world you’re reading about.

Does that make sense?

 

P.S. After all this, I still want to point out the fact that I read it (quickly) and enjoyed it, it’s just that in hindsight I can actually look at it and see what is it that was bothering me.

 

“In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.”

A forgotten gem – Chanel Coromandel

World of Perfume January 9, 2014 Comments: 30

At least for me.

I bought the big bottle when I was in Paris for the first time, and since I was getting lost all the time, it took me a while to locate the Chanel boutique. Now the bottle has lingered several years in my closet until I got reminded of it through a perfumista friend a few days ago.

I still understand why I didn’t blink an eye buying that 200 ml for what was my most expensive perfume purchase up to then. Now I think about it, possibly ever.

Basically, what I think of it is that it smells like a dry, ambery pashmina bolstered by patchouli.

Now, if I concentrate, I can smell the citrusy peel note in the opening, the frankincense being hidden in profile-chanel-mademoiselle-privee-collection-_6there (that’s a good thing in my book) and the little sunshine hidden in the petals of jasmine and rose.

The longer you wear it, the more the resiny base comes through and the dryness becomes even more apparent. Incense is peeking out of its hidey-hole and the patchouli takes center stage but the resiny warmth never leaves.

And that’s it. It’s a perfect example of elegant simplicity while not being simple at all.

So, what are your forgotten gems?

 

And while on the subject of Coromandel, these days, I see Les Exclusifs everywhere. 😉

So if you haven’t already, go play the detective over at Denyse’s blog (one of those places).

 

P.S. While searching for pics, I noticed Chanel has a nail polish of the same name in red color. Is it me, or Coromandel just doesn’t smell even remotely?

 

Notes: citruses, neroli, bitter oranger, jasmine, rose, orris, patchouli, woody notes, amber, benzoin, and frankincense