SOTD: Le Labo Jasmin 17

After all my enthusing over A La Nuit, I thought I'd give one of my previous favorite jasmine fragrances a try. So, today I used up the last sprays of my sample of Le Labo Jasmin 17.

Both fragrances are undebatably jasmine-focused, but they're very different. A La Nuit is a deep pool of silk and honey; Jasmin 17 is powder and lace. Jasmin 17 is brighter and fresher and more frilly-flowery than A La Nuit, and in my days of lower jasmine tolerance, I preferred that.

But now I think I prefer drowning to frills. This scent is lovely for a few minutes, but I grow tired of it. Too much lace, too much powder, and I think too much neroli - I've never liked neroli for more than a few minutes.

Which leads me to the notes - according to Legerdenez, they're Jasmine, litsea cubeba, neroli, palma rose, bigarade, amber, musk, sandalwood, and vanilla.  A lovely sounding collection, and I once enjoyed the result very much, but now it's been bumped out of my list of favorites. For a full-strength dose of jasmine, I prefer A La Nuit; for a casual jeans-and-sneakers summery-day jasmine, I'll take Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint.

Review Roundup: Perfume-Smellin' Things and Perfume-Smellin' Things again and Aromascope and Legerdenez and Fragrantica and Basenotes.

Image: By Sie Bot. Wikimedia Commons. 

SOTD: Balmain Vent Vert, or, Is it possible to have too many greens?

I was debating what to wear for my Scent Of The Day, when the doorbell rang and a package addressed to me landed on the porch.

That usually means perfume, and it did: Balmain Vent Vert. So that answered that question. After the Cellophane Opening Ceremony, I applied four spritzes which, judging from Himself's reaction, was about three too much. But I'm enjoying it. I'm finding that the drydown, which was nice enough with the sample, is much nicer when you're wearing plenty of the stuff.

But looking at The Collection, I became uneasy. Why did I buy Vent Vert? Well, it's the matriarch of classic green florals, as I discussed in a previous post. It's a galbanum perfume, and if you've been reading along you know that I'm a galbanum freak. And it was, frankly, cheap. And I can give away decants!

And I'm sounding like a hoarder. This isn't good.

Because there are reasons against it. This isn't the classic version of the classic - it's the second reformulation. There would be ample reason for buying the original, dark green, slightly ominous version of Vent Vert. Is there any reason besides history (sentiment - the hoarder's excuse) for buying this one?

Yes, it's a pretty green floral. And so is Chanel Cristalle, which is a better green. And Chanel No. 19, which is a much better green. And so are Issey Miyake A Scent and Estee Lauder Jasmine White Moss, both of which I, um, well, already own.

And so are Le Labo Jasmin 17 and Hermes Vetiver Tonka and Miller et Bertaux Green, Green, Green, and Green and Balmain Ivoire, all of which I want to own. (OK, those aren't all green florals, but they're all green.)

I'm sure that there's such a thing as too many greens. I'm just not sure if I'm approaching that line, or if I passed it long ago. It may be time to get a grip.

Photo: Michele Ahin at Wikimedia Commons. Click for details.