Tag Archives: Institut Parfumeur Flores

I’m lost

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume November 20, 2012 Comments: 15

I believe it’s the case of as I know more the less I feel I know.
I am getting a bit lost among my perfumes (and perfumes in general).
Each morning I stand in front of my stash and I have no idea what to put on. I don’t seem to be able to see the trees in the proverbial forest (I’m getting it backwards). 😉
I can’t seem to figure out what exactly is it I want to wear. I like the choices I make, after all, there is a reason I own those decants and bottles but something is not clicking.
I am prone to blaming it on stress ( stress is such a great thing, you can blame it for everything) but I think it’s more likely the case of me not getting as familiar as I should with both my collection and the perfumes outside my ‘comfort’ zone. I realized yesterday I’m a bit stuck in the groups I like when I went to a little sniffing session in Flores here.
I decided to try CDG Daphne again and realized I now liked it. I tried it twice before and completely dismissed it.
I think that the fact so many perfumes go through my hands makes me lose focus of the things I love and enjoy and that is how I lost myself among the perfumes.

I am now hoping that by trying to smell my samples and getting to know better all I have, I will regain my focus and enjoy wearing the perfumes I have much more than now.

I do not plan on adding anything to my collection until I get a handle on what I have. Swapmania withstanding as I’m getting some lovelies through that. 🙂

Ok now that I’ve rambled through this post, I should say it was prompted by smelling Amouage Opus III.

I like it even though it’s not my kind of perfume but I can’t figure out whether I would wear it or not. Even though it reminds me of the dentist’s office for some reason.
Does this happen to anyone else? Something similar maybe?

Having fun at Flores yesterday

Uncategorized October 14, 2011 Comments: 10

You know, I really do believe I get drunk when I enter a niche perfumery and start smelling stuff and then times flies by when you’re drunk and having fun, and before you know it, it’s closing time and you’ve been there longer than you thought possible. 🙂

But it really isn’t my fault. 🙂
When I came, I was the only one, and then at one point, a guy walked in and we then proceeded through smelling his possible choices while I was debating with myself what do I want to walk out with.

He seemed very keen on By Kilians but couldn’t get the refill of his favourite White Cristal (which surprised me when I heard the name as I thought I knew all the By Kilians and it turned out to be the sub-title of Straight to Heaven). I have a hard time distinguishing them with all the love floating around, let alone with double names. Oh well…

Of all the perfumes he tried, in the end his two (and mine) favorites were Passion Boise by Frapin and Lumiere Noir by MFK.
Passion Boisée, which for some reason I read English Passion and French Boisée is a really good cold-weather choice for men, this one especially as his skin seems to eat all the sweetness out of every perfume.

Lumière Noire, fits the name (finally! a noir that works) as there is a dark rose in there.

Passion Boisée is a warm, rumy-fruity wood concoction that will probably make your guy smell very appealing to a lot of women.
Hmm, I might still decide against buying this one for my boyfriend then…

Of those that I smelled

Dyptique 34 almost made the cut. I really like it. It’s more full than the rest of the Dyptique perfumes I tried so far and has some fig in there which makes it instantly likeable for me, but it’s not sweet, it actually seems fitting for the fall weather we are having at the moment.
In the end, I decided against it because it’s just so perfectly fine.

Ombre Rose L’Original smelled much better on the blotter than on my skin. All I seemed to be getting, progressively at that, was powdery violety-irisy-rose (with accent on powdery). Not for me.

Jovoy Chypre has potential. It is a serious chypre, one you don’t want to mess with. Easier to wear than Bandit but almost giving away the same aura.

Velvet Aoud by Montale also almost made the cut. It would fit nicely with the mood I’m in as it seems to have a light fruity feel tinged with metallic (with the oudy background) and I like it a lot.
I checked the notes now and the only thing with any fruit connotation would be orange blossom. 🙂 But it seems whoever wrote the Luckyscent description also gets some fruitiness. ðŸ™‚  I’ll be going for some more testing.

The last thing that sticks in my mind from yesterday is Safran Troublant which I finally tested. I knew there was a reason I didn’t try it before. I’m a spice addict and ST fits my addiction very nicely. 🙂

And if you’re wondering what I took home with me – well, finally, I have my own stash of Ambre Russe and Fougere Bengale by Parfum d’Empire. 🙂

Huge thank you to the nice blonde lady (whose name I don’t know) for her smiling, easy-going  company yesterday. 🙂

The Flores facebook site from which I took the photo.

Drunk on perfume (again)

World of Perfume January 25, 2011 Comments: 12

As far as I can guess, that is the only explanation how come I spent so much money in Institut Parfumeur Flores today and instead of my usual 2 bottle purchase, I actually came out with 3. Well, 2 are for me, one is for my boyfriend. Luckily for me, he doesn’t read this blog so he can’t find out I bought him a birthday gift (tomorrow is his birthday) even though I said I wouldn’t (as I’m still hodling a grudge for not getting a birthday gift myself a year ago).

On top of the 3 perfumes, I also bought a room spray for a friend.  But I do have a good explanation for my bottles – both were 50% off!!! And those 2, I didn’t even have to sniff, I learned about the discount while talking to the nice SA there who was very helpful and took the time to show me everything I wanted and talk to me about anything I wanted (well, all was related to perfume).

So, for me, I bought Worth Courtesan and Eau d’Italie Paestum Rose. I never talked about Courtesan and I should because it was the first “dirty” perfume that I actually started wearing. Paestum Rose I already talked about so today when the chance presented itself to upgrade from half a decant to a bottle I took it (especially a bottle at half the price).
The Eau d’Italie line is off because they are getting rid of the old bottles and replacing them with new (the design is different). Not all Eau d’Italie scents are 50% off, but enough. So, if anyone is interested in procuring a bottle for a good price, let me know (it comes up to 75$ or 55 Euros).

I have no idea why Courtesan was 50% off but my decant is low and now I have a bottle and no worries.
On the other hand, I can never guess what my boyfriend will like so I don’t know if he’s going to enjoy his Frapin Terre de Sarment but if he doesn’t, I know I will.

The overall experience was great – I had lots to smell and will again soon when they get some new stuff. Although, I do hope that doesn’t mean another pair of bottles (even though I just know I will have to have that new Frapin about to come out). The people were great, nice and efficient, knowledgeable and patient (as I spent there almost hour and a half). The way I was going, I could have spent there another hour and half without noticing it passing.

Afterwards, I started thinking if perhaps there is something wrong with me for wanting (and needing) to talk about perfume so much and smell it and just revel in it but then I remembered Olfactoria’s post from this morning and felt relieved. After all, she is a psychotherapist, so if someone should know what is normal, it’s her. Right? 🙂

Pic by: http://www.mimifroufrou.com/ of Cognac Pierre Frapin, cuvée 1888

Perfume shopping in Zagreb – Institut Parfumeur Flores

Perfume shopping November 18, 2009 Comments: 4

I think I shoud stop for a while with this feature. 🙂 You know, let my credit cards recover. Thankfully, there aren’t that many niche perfumeries in Zagreb. I do have to say though that Flores easily tops the list. The address is Dežmanov prolaz 2.

Yesterday when there, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Later I reflected back and thought that the SA must have thought so herself, I didn’t know where to start and what to try and had a serious problem concentrating on perfumes she was handing me to smell. I tell you, kid in a candy shop. 🙂

There are soo many different brands on such large shelves that go up to the ceiling that you get lost just trying to figure out what they have. Then I made a mistake asking the SA to tell me what brands they carry (I already had some I knew of before written down) but in the end, I didn’t manage to write them all down and I felt bad asking her to repeat. It would even be a bit embarassing for me because I’ve never heard of some of them.

Since the last time I was there, they have enlarged their offer with, for example, By Kilian. And they have Back to Black (no Pure Oud yet). And Carol, if you’re reading this, I didn’t have enough time and wrist space to try it properly there, but I got a sample for home. I am so looking forward to trying it since hearing so many wonderful things about it (mostly by Carol). 🙂

Ok, on to the list of (almost) every brand of perfume Flores carries:

– By Kilian

– Parfum d’Empire

– Santa Maria Novella

– Amouage

– L’Artisan Parfumeur

– The Different Company

– Washington Tremlett

– Mona di Orio

– Mark Buxton

– Bond no. 9

– Frapin

– Villoresi

– Profumum Roma

– Clive Christian

– Nobile 1942.

– Miller Harris

– Les Parfums de Rosine

– Teo Cabanel

– Juliette has a gun

– Nasomatto

– Sud Pacifique

– Demeter

– Robert Piguet

– Carthusia

– Morgane le Fay

– Truefitt and Hill

– Comptoir Sud Pacifique

– Ortigia

– Czech and Speake

– Profumi del Forte

– Jovoy Paris

– Eau d’Italie

These are all I managed to gather, I probably missed some. It’s just wonderful in there and you’ll excuse me for getting a bit lost.

Although I did get lost among all these wonders, in the end I managed to come out with Clove Absolute (again something that qualifies as a more masculine scent) and Wazamba. I know. I have no control over my spending. 🙂

But that wasn’t the end. They also have a little part of their space dedicated to delicacies – I concentrated on tea this time (olive oil, cakes and jams didn’t interest me). I still haven’t tried the tea I bought by Mariage Freres but will soon. I bought Pharaon because I fell in love with the way it smells.

Btw, they also have a small coffee (more like tea) shop where you can enjoy most of the delicacies they sell.

Going to Flores might be a bit problematic for the credit card but it’s a world of pleasure for the nose and the palate.

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! 🙂

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

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.
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