Better than this? – Not likely

Uncategorized April 16, 2009 Leave a comment

To start with the spring again, it’s still warm and hopefully it will stay around this temperature a while yet. I like it when it’s not too warm and not too cold, I want to enjoy spring this year. Last few years what was happening was that we went directly from winter to summer, without those lovely green, fresh, sunny spring days. Well, this year it has lasted 10 days for now, and we keep counting. 🙂

That was just the beginning, what is actually making these days so perfect is the fact that there is Douglas store freshly opened in the center of Zagreb! That is good news on so many levels. First, they carry several perfume brands that were previously unavailabale in Croatia, like Prada, Acqua di parma, Viktor & Rolf, Ed Hardy, and those are just the ones off the top of my head. They also carry Orlane which wasn’t available either and it’s just well, unbelievable. 🙂

One of the reasons this is making me so happy, is because now there are several such stores in Zagreb, and most of them concentrated in the centre of the city so my hope is that now they are all having such heavy competition, getting samples and all sorts of gifts with particular purchases are going to increase. I don’t know if that’s typical only of Croatia but since I’ve been getting much more samples for much lesser purchase everywhere else, I’d say it’s typical for us, anyway sale assistants seem to be very stingy with samples, and I’m not going to talk about what I think of that, but you can guess.

So, it seems Zagreb is slowly becoming somewhat of a heaven for a budding perfumista. 🙂 Sure, we don’t have so many brands, but we have Institut Parfumeur Flores and some similar stores (smaller and with much less of a choice, but still niche brands) and all this generic brands in quite a lot of different stores. And on top of that, I got my Lucky scent Le Labo sample pack, so I’ll be enjoying that this week as well. Ahh, spring is just perfect this year! 🙂

Spring restlessness

Uncategorized April 9, 2009 Leave a comment

I know all my posts are named spring something lately but I can’t help it, I am way happy that it’s finally warm and sunny (though it’s a bit too warm too last).
What I wanted to say today is that I woke this morning restless and edgy because still half asleep I concluded I have no spring scent at my boyfriend’s place to put this morning. And that was followed by another irritating realization, my make-up collection is not spring ready.
Spring this year has come late and a bit unexpectedly for me so I am not prepared (my wardrobe isn’t either). Now, I already have a list of things to look up at home and bring over to my boyfriend’s so I wouldn’t wake too early restless beacuse I’m not going to enjoy something green and budding like the scenery around me these days. Ideas what I might try anyone?
I also found a perfect eye shadow palette from Estee Lauder that unfortunately I’m not going to own, since first, it’s sold out on their site, and secondly, the Bronze goddess collection hasn’t made an appearance in CRoatia so far. There are some nice palettes from Bourjois and YSL but none as perfect as this one. Well, you can’t have everything. And after reading Divina’s post on lipgloss, I realized I don’t have any in a spring tone. I guess a bit more shopping is in store for me. 😉
Let you know how my shopping went.

Image: http://www.esteelauder.com

Weekend reading

World of Perfume April 7, 2009 Leave a comment


Yesterday I was celebrating the start of spring with some perfumes. Today I’ll talk about the books I’ve read over the weekend. I finished the White witch, Black curse by Kim Harrison and read also the Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward.
The way Kim’s White witch ended, I’d say we are going to be seeing more of Rachel in the future. 🙂 Good to know. It was good as usual, but it got me thinking. I cannot get into characters’ heads and I can’t predict what they are going to say or how they are going to act or why they do what they do. By that I don’t mean to imply that Harrison is doing it badly, but quite contrary. Those are witches, vampires and pixies and the bottom line is that they are different from humans. So, I actually think she did a good job making it hard for me as a human to get their motivations completely. Well, that is my explanation anyway. 🙂
REgarding, JR Ward, her Black Dagger brotherhood has already reached its 7. installment (to come out later this month) and it is in my opinion in the same category as Keri Arthur, L. Hamilton and Kresley Cole but in a way darker. More violence, more deaths and more tragedy. Although I read only to relax (that is my anti-stress therapy) I like her books because they feel more real in a way (OK, I know we’re talking about vampires, but still). The thing is, real life is unfortunately full of tragedy and she somehow makes it more real than the rest. For her books, I have to be in a right state of mind while for the others, I simply take them and read them. Both scenarios are fine with me. 🙂
And to end this with a sketch from my morning life which proves I do not function in the morning. One of my favorite shops Martimex, has a special Easter promotion, you buy 2 perfumes and you get them 50% off (of course, this is only valid for a part of their offer, but that didn’t stop me from finding something). 🙂 anyway, they gave me samples, and instead of using one of those I bought, I decided to spritz on the sample of Guerlain Insolence, thinking I might not have been right when I remembered it as definitely not for me amd reading the notes on the card. Which just proves that I cannot think early in the morning. I was right that first time and I’m never repeating this experience with any new sample I get even if it seems fine after reading thenotes. One good thing though, I was instantly awake. 🙂 Beats me, but I have no idea where those read berries are in this because all I get is some powdery awful thing that I detest (guess it could be iris)…

Photo: spring across the street (mine)

Spring Monday

Uncategorized April 6, 2009 Comments: 2


Finally I can say it arrived. 🙂 Last week was horrible, the weather was awful, everyone was depressed (including me) and now it’s over. I mean even if the cold returns for a while, at least we got a preview of spring. And that is enough for now.
Now that spring has arrived, I thought I might give a short overview of some of the samples that came from Lucky scent’s Early spring sample pack. I love the fact that they create these sample packs and send them all over the world. Thanks!
I’ll focus on the four Teo Cabanel samples I got. I must admit, until the pack arrived, I never even heard of Teo Cabanel, but now, I have to say, it was nice getting to know the line. It contains 4 fragrances, Julia, Oha, Alahine and Meloe.

Julia: Mandarin, rhubarb leaves, black currant, jasmine, violet, hyacinth, sandalwood, incense, citruses, raspberry and musk.
This one surprised me because I’m not into floral feminine scents and I liked it from the go. It starts very fresh and floral and it lightens the mood instantly, giving the feeling of summer and light. The floral note is almost too much for me and I keep waiting for it to start irritating my nose, but it is perfectly balanced with a fresh current which my guess are those citruses in the notes. It reminds me of romance setting from the 19th century – walking with a parasol, in a white dress during a beautiful warm and sunny spring day with a romantic partner. I think that the barest trace of jasmine I get is waht gives it such a romantic connotation in my mind.

Oha: Bergamot, Tea accord, Bulgarian and Damascus rose, jasmine, cardamom, tonka bean, vanilla, white musk, Exotic woods
This one was terribly frustrating because I cannot recognize a single note. It smells classic and bitter green at the beginning (guess that’s the tea accord) and after the initial 15 minutes, what I get is an idea of a garden/home of an English spinster – I suppose the rose/tea combination is what brings that about. I think it is well done, although not something I would wear.

Alahine: Bergamot, ylang-ylang, jasmine, Moroccan rose, iris, cistus, patchouli, benjoin, vanilla, sandalwood, musk
Well, you can’t miss this one being an oriental. 🙂 It starts with a sweet oriental blast with hints of smoke and patchouli. Initially it is a bit too sweet for my taste, but it gets better (not so sweet). What it reminded me of is a warm oriental room full of rugs with loukhum and pipe on a low table. Lucky scent mentioned honey rose, I guess that’s the loukhum for me (the one I tried had the taste of rose). The drydown though is complete vanilla on me.

Meloe: Calabrian Bergamot, Mandarin and Lemon from Sicily, Lavander, Basil, Neroli from Tunisia, Orange blossom, Jasmine, Nutmeg, Crystal Moss, Musk, Amber
This one is an eau legere, and smells, well, like one. 🙂 That is fresh and citrusy and great. I absolutely love it. I kept smelling my wrist waiting for this perfect citrusy/green freshness to dissapear and leave me dissapointed, but I wasn’t. It smells of a Mediterranean summer the way I imagine it, sunny, citrusy and of beach. This is what I hoped Eau Turquiose of Parfums de Nicolai was going to smell like (that one was a definite disappointment for me).
My favorites are Julia and Meloe and I’m happy to say, the line can be bought in Zagreb at Institut Parfumeur Flores.
This was my welcome spring post. Hopefully now that the weather is turning warm, I’ll write more often.

Notes by Lucky scent.
Image: isabellelorelai.files.wordpress.com

Cops, witches and mutant tomatoes

Uncategorized March 27, 2009 Leave a comment


Ok, I haven’t got a clue how this might sound to people, but to me it sounds like a couple of days of total fun. 🙂
As I have already mentioned my love for romance, the only thing that makes me want to stay awake is reading. And I just got my new fix. I absolutely love my local bookstore Algoritam which keeps me stocked with all the books I like (I order regularly).
Now, to get to the title of the post. I got two books the other day, J.D. Robb’s (in real life that’s Nora Roberts) latest installment of Lt. Eve Dallas and her beautiful Roarke, and Kim Harrison’s White witch, black curse – hence the witch and tomato connotation. For all those who haven’t read about Rachel and the world where vampires, elves, witches, weres and the rest co-exist publicly with people due to an outbreak of a deadly disease that came about from mutating tomatoes, I have to say that the idea was so original for me, I had to see what it was all about, and I’m hooked. Now, most people no longer eat tomatoes, but the Interlanders do. 🙂 Anyway, I just started the White witch and can’t wait to see what awaits me. I have to admit I’m usually quite surprised with the way plot finishes.
The cop from the title is of course Eve Dallas, and I don’t think I can give a short overview of everything that comes to mind when I say that. If you like romance, crime, a bit of SF, well, try it and see where it leads you. Where it led me is to a full shelf (there are more than 20 books in that series and I don’t think it is going to end anytime soon). Lucky me. 🙂
So, those are the books that keep me going these days while I’m waiting for the spring to reveal its sunny side.
That’s it for this rainy Monday.

Image: reneesbookaddiction.wordpress.com

Frapin: Caravelle épicée

Uncategorized March 24, 2009 Comments: 3

First, a short introduction for my first perfume review. This is some scary business honestly. 🙂 Especially after reading so many different and wonderful bloggers doing this perfectly and sounding poetic at the same time. I’m not even sure I can do this since I have no experience reviewing anything, the scope of my feelings and ideas is usually, I like it or I don’t. So, I’ll try this and hopefully won’t fail miserably. In any case, this can be a good presentation of how someone calling themself a budding perfumista sees the perfume world. 🙂

Before I go on to the perfume in question, I have to share with you how this came about as the first review, the only reason not being I like it very much. 🙂

The other day I was putting some order into my closet and I found a bottle of cumin essential oil which I bought when doing my own massage oil variations. Honestly I don’t think I smelled it before the other day, but when I did a new world opened. Now I know I’ve smelled it already in several perfumes and can put a name to the note. It made me really happy. And the thing is, it is one of the notes I smell in Caravelle épicée.

OK, so here I go. As you could already have guessed, I like it very much. I’m totally into spice lately and this one works perfectly for me. After spraying it, you get hit by a spice bomb (I mean it feels like you entered a cloud of spice, it is everywhere). Unfortunately for me, that doesn’t last long, just a few short minutes before the cloud dissipates. What I get initially is something sweet I still haven’t had success in completely figuring out but guess some of it is nutmeg and at this time you can smell cumin already. Barely hints of pepper if you try (and I really tried for my first time). Honestly, those first minutes are the ones I enjoy best beacuse it feels like a feast for my spice starved senses. I get a whiff of what a good cognac smells like to me, I guess it is a combination of nutmeg and something else but I’m still too new to know what combination might achieve that wonderful whiff.

After the initial spice blast, the scent calms down considerably and stays close to skin smelling still sweet but in a dry way, smoke finds it’s way to the surface and if you really inhale, you can feel it’s sting in your throat (that was definitely a surprise). The cumin can still be traced but maybe I feel it so strongly because I have learned the way it smells and I’m just obsessed with the fact that I can recognize it. 🙂 Although, once you smell it, it’s kind of unforgettable. 😉

The rest of drydown is smoky and sweet at the same time (in a nice woody way) and I believe the little trace of cumin that I’m obsessed with, makes it feel a bit warm to me (luckyscent described it as cashmere comfort and I would have to agree). I absolutely love it.

I think this might work good in the summer as well, but I’ll let you know once summer arrives.

I was lucky enough after contacting Frapin to ask where in Croatia can this be bought, to get contacted by our wonderful new perfumery in Zagreb, Institut Parfumeur Flores, to let me know they have it. Now I have it. 🙂

They have many more wonderful things, that’s why I’m trying not to visit too often.

Luckyscent lists the following notes: Coriander, nutmeg, hot pepper, pepper, thyme, Gaiac wood, patchouli, amber, tobacco, sandalwood – but after sensing the cumin so strongly, I looked around a bit more and found clove, cumin and cardamom listed as well. I also found that it is listed as a masculine perfume (my boyfriend is going to laugh at me again – this is I believe a third one in the last month and a half that I fell in love with and is listed as a masculine). Humph!

Ok, so this is it for the first time. Besides learning I have a thing for ‘masculine’ scents, I decided to buy more essential oils I never before smelled just for learning purposes (although they will eventually end up in a carrier oil).

Image: metropoliten.rs

Not so good

Uncategorized March 23, 2009 Leave a comment

So, the weekend went by and nothing really big happened, I just decided to freshen up my hair color. It seems this time I should have listened to my horoscope. 🙂 This is actually going to sound like I know what I’m talking about but I’ll just quote Susan from Astrologyzone “If you were planning to try a new look for the coming season, it would be best to wait until after April 17 to make that salon appointment to have your hair cut, colored, or styled. Men and women should never schedule plastic surgery while Venus is retrograde – doing so seems to defeat the purpose! “
Anyway, I did color my hair (myself, like most of the time), and the color just didn’t turn out the way I supposed it will. It’s not copper red, it’s more like autumn red with violet undertones. So not me (although it’s really not that bad). So, on top of spring depression, I have a bad hair color. Nice way to start the work week.

Btw, I wasn’t aware of the color until I got to work because I colored it yesterday evening and it wasn’t daylight. Now I’m waiting to go home, make some strong chamomille tea and soak my hair in it (should help a little bit, I believe). At least I colored it quite well, no parts left out this time. One would think after so many years of doing it myself, there would be no more mistakes, but that would be just wrong. 80% of time I miss some little spot (the good thing since I missed it, it’s usually hidden from everyone’s view).

Hope everyone else had a better weekend and definitely a better start to their work week.

The image is of the color I hoped I would get, not the one actually on my head. 🙂
Image via http://www.schwarzkkopf.com/

The first blog – finally

Uncategorized March 20, 2009 Leave a comment

Ok, so, first – I didn’t think it would start this way. Me, drinking a glass of wine too much and smelling Omnia Green Jade on my wrist couple of hours later after spritzing it (and after the said wine). But there you have it – everything felt right and I wanted to say how surprising it is to realize that the scent that made me do it was Bulgari’s (total surprise for someone who is not into their stuff).
I will probably write more about perfume but not today. Today one short note on Omnia Green Jade – the drydown smells absolutely wonderful on my skin (and reminds of something but I can’t remember what yet) and I’m still not sure whether that drydown would be worth buying it. I’ll seriously think about it after trying it one more time.
This seems like such a big step for me but one I was considering a while now, after getting addicted first to the world of perfume, and then to the perfume blogs (being a cosmetics addict is not relevant since that goes too far back into past). It doesn’t mean this is going to be only about perfume or cosmetics – no, I will write about pretty much everything that seems interesting to me and sometimes only to get things of my chest (even if no one is reading, although you never know, someone might…).
I see this is as the anti-stress therapy I seriously need. I deal with things by writing them not by saying them.
This being my first post, just to give a sketch of me. I have been aware of my addicted nature for quite long now. It seems it all starts out innocently and before you know it, all your friends think you’re strange for having so many body lotions, creams and shampoos and knowing so many companies they never heard of. And while you are living a content life of trying all these products, you end up reading a perfume blog and your life changes forever (in a very good sense). Ok, so it might not be that good for your banking account but hey, I don’t smoke so why not spend that money on something that actually smells nice. And by that I actually think I spend more money on this addiction than I would on cigarettes – can’t be helped though. Especially if there is a recently opened perfume institute in my lovely Zagreb: Institut Parfumeur Flores. I went there only once and now I’m curbing my urge to visit because I really can’t afford myself and I know I’ll find something I have to have immediately. Yes, I know, I have no backbone, no character. 🙂

So, my hometown became a perfumista’s paradise and I’m being strong and not visiting too often. The thing that keeps my mind off of it is reading. As this is the day for coming out, I’ll come out and confess: I read romance novels and I am proud of it. I especially love historical and paranormal romance. I do actually read other things, but this is one of my great loves – I can’t help it, I’m a naive, romantic optimist.

Before I finish for today, apologies for all the blunders I might make being a beginner (and knowing me, there are going to be some). Apologies as well to Croatian readers for making this blog in English – well, Croatia has only 4 million people while English speaking population is slightly greater.
I left this for the end. Regarding the name of the blog, I don’t define myself by being a redhead with quite short hair but it seems here where I live it is something that is going to set you apart from all long-haired blondes and brunettes which is the definition of beauty for some 80-90% of population here. I absolutely love my short red hair. And I want everyone to know it.