Perfume: Window Shopping

My Perfumed Court and LuckyScent carts are empty. They expired. That never used to happen.

So what's going on these days? I see that Andy Tauer has some new perfumes. I see that Nathan Branch compares them, in a regretful sounding sort of way, to Orange Star. I liked Orange Star, but if the new perfumes go much further in the fresh modern direction, I can see that I might be a bit dubious about them. All the same, I want to smell them, especially Verdant.

Parfum de Nicolai's L'Eau Chic looks very interesting. Geranium, mint, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, iris... ooh. Unfortunately, also white musk, not one of my favorite notes. On the other hand, the bath oil version of Jo Malone's White Jasmine & Mint has a distinctly soapy note, and it works there. I fell madly in love with at least one other Nicolai. (Number One? Yes, Number One.) So I need a sample.

I keep trying orange fragrances, searching for the perfect one, and Jardin de Poete looks interesting. The description promises orange and grapefruit and cassis, all scents that I love. Unfortunately, I have trouble imagining myself loving them all together, and Eau d'Italie has yet to completely win me over with any fragrance. But it's also worth a sample.

And the "if you like this" listing for Jardin de Poete included Din Dan. Din Dan... that one, I liked. Looking at my own review, I see that I perceived it as having enough complexity to maintain my interest. And I do love lemon. And while I'm shopping, what else is Lostmarch doing? I don't see anything awfully new, but Iroaz always looked interesting - "wild rose, grass, marine notes".

I've never yet so much as sniffed a By Kilian fragrance; I think that something about the packaging puts me off. But Sweet Redemption has orange, vanilla, and balsamic notes. Mmmm. Sample sample.

I was drawn to Fool For Love in a sort of gawking-at-a-car-accident sort of way. That pink bottle. That very, very pink bottle. And when I get to the detail page, with an even bigger picture of the pink bottle, I see "fruit punch accord". I'm frightened.

I never heard of Huitieme Art before, and I really dislike the bottles. I realize that an opaque bottle is good for the perfume, but, well, no. I clicked on one, just in case, and was fascinated by the description of Sucre d'Ebene -- brown sugar, witch hazel, and benzoin. Ooh. Another one combines immortelle and leather. Tonka, sandalwood, and verbena. Peach blossom and hay. Cassis and tomato leaves. Hmmm. Maybe I can get over the bottles.

Samples. I'm going to be ordering samples.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Link: Gluttony in the North

A little bit north. Specifically, Portland. Himself did the extensive writeup of Day One in Trolleys and Buses and Food Carts, Oh, My!, complete with a lovely photo of the Perfume House.  He also found the Perfume House's address, called for the hours, planned the transit route, and sat patiently in the lobby while I burbled and flitted around. Have I mentioned that I'm very fond of Himself?

All I have to add in my current not-too-eloquent state is that the Perfume House is definitely worth visiting, and the perfume department at the Portland Nordstrom's is infinitely better than the one at the Nordstrom's in Palo Alto. I came home with Trumper Extract of West Indian Limes and Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey. And the Perfume House is ordering a bottle of Sutra Ylang for me.

Bwaha.

(And of course we got maple bacon doughnuts. Mmmmmm.)

Image: Wikimedia Commons.