I posted recently about suggestions for a spicy winter scent, and did get some good ideas. I was unable to try Youth Dew bath oil (and was not a big fan of the perfume proper when I tried it before), and after getting my bottle of Allure stolen from the postbox I'm reluctant to put in any more internet orders until we move house and can have a secure postbox. So I haven't bought any of the suggested scents yet.

However, I'd forgotten about a free-shipping impulse order I put in with FragranceX a few weeks ago,and it arrived just before the weekend. As well as a gift set of 5th Avenue (pretty, inoffensive, officewear) and a gift set of Youth Dew Amber Nude (not sure about this one at all), there was a mini of Tabu that I'd ordered because the mixed reviews piqued my interest. And I love it! One spray and I am utterly hypnotised.

Since I have no association with anybody else wearing this, and had never heard of it before coming to this board, I'm hopefully coming from a completely neutral standpoint. Honestly, I cannot stop sniffing my wrist, and it is exactly the sort of spicy winter perfume that I was searching for. Not bad for a NZ$5 spend! My experience of orange and patchouli hasn't been positive so far (Lush Karma, although very similar in a simpler way, was too much for me), but Tabu is the perfect mix for my nose. I am so happy that I found this

More than a year ago I first bought the EDP version of Ralph Lauren's Pure Turquoise. Nothing I'd smelled before and nothing since fills this need I have for an 'open skied, very DRY' fragrance. I'm sure Ralph and Rickie Lauren worked to make Pure Turquoise evoke the Southwest -particularly Colorado- spirit they love. When I wear it I feel almost as if I'm getting to again visit Santa Fe or Cochise County, AZ. I put on my most treasured turquoise jewelry.

About Pure Turquoise (which Luca Turin recommends for men as well):

Perfume Collection

Cool and serene, yet warm and inviting — this refreshing scent from Ralph Lauren is sure to match your personal style.

Top notes: dewy cassis, indigo violet petals, lily of the valley and cactus flower.
Middle notes: night-blooming cereus, orange flower absolute, Bulgarian rose absolute and desert lily.
Base notes: patchouli, silver birch wood, polished amber, vanilla bourbon and rum.

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Which of your discoveries within the last 2 years will you buy again and intend to keep in stock?

I ran after a woman in my local David Jones department store yesterday, because the sillage from her perfume was HEAVENLY!! I was not familiar with it, so I had to ask her on the escalator as she left the beauty department.
Well, she had been outside the store, at the Chanel boutique, and had sprayed Chanel 22......it was breathtaking!!

I had sniffed this on the atomiser in the boutique some time ago, along with the other Les Excl. fragrances, but had not tried it on my skin....it certainly smelt amazing on this woman, wafting past me yesterday.
Mmmmmnnnn......I'll be trying this on my skin today!!

My brother's girlfriend is looking for a new scent. We went shopping recently and she said she prefers something light (sigh) and usually something with Rose. In the past she has worn Victoria's Secret Very Sexy (light?) and Clinique Happy Heart in high school.

I suggested Blvgari Rose Essentielle and the sales clerk at Douglas was kind enough to give her a generous decant of it. She said she liked it at first but then it became too heavy on her? My guess is that when she says something is "light" it means she likes the smell and anything "heavy" is something that she doesnt' like.

I'd like to get a few samples for her. . .but I'm not sure what to choose. I don't think that rose needs to be or probably should be the dominant scent.

She has a very vivacious and friendly personality and is in her late 20s. Any thoughts?

I've been in sampling mode lately. I ordered a bunch of samples from LS and these are my thoughts on them....

China White by Nassomato - If you missed the Oscar de la Renta craze in the late 1980's, then have no fear! Nassomato has resurrected that powerhouse perfume with their very own China White. They smell so much alike. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery they say. Needless to say that I won't be buying a full bottle of this one.

M. Micallef Black Sea - Starts out promising then I realize I have smelled this somewhere before!!! Ah, it's a Black Cashmere dupe! Donna Karan gets my vote. Sorry M. Micallef but not very original and at $150.00 a bottle, very disappointing.

Regina Harris Frankincense Myrhh Rose - Scrubber! Very overwhelming after only a few minutes. I really wanted to like this one but it didn't work out that way.

M. Micallef Note Vanillee - Love this one but not enough to pay $180.00 a bottle. No vanilla is that good. Well except my Cuir Beluga but that is the only Guerlain that I can wear. Back to Note Vanillee.... I read a review on LS and someone compared it to being a dead-ringer to Blue Sugar and I have to say, they are pretty darn close. So, I picked up a bottle of the Blue Sugar for $29.00 and it will suffice in lieu of the Note Vanillee.

Parfumerie Generale L'Oiseau de Nuit - Just simply gorgeous. This one is on my wishlist right now. LuckyScent's description is really good, so you can read all about here: http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/detail.asp?...0&section=1


The end.


Dawn

Hi, have any of you tried any "tester" bottles of perfume? Have you had any good or bad experiences you can share with me? Thanks

To your experience, which notes do not blend well together? Give simply your opinion (ex: vanilla + patchouli) and if you have a concrete example (ex: Angel) and why you don't like this blend. I don't want someone to be offensed regarding a perfume he/she likes so please, do not be rude (ex: not using something like "smells like toilet deodorant/cleaner")

Honestly, personally I can't think about any bad association, all can be interesting to blend, just for fun. That's why I would like to know your opinion.

Nathan and I were having a little convo about musk and I was feeling squirrelly. I started making references to bad 70s porn and other cheesy stuff. He was understandably confused:

"So do you like musk or not?"

"Of course I like musk. Are you kidding me?"

"Well, it's hard to tell when you're doing that."

"Yeah, well....it's musk, baby. I can't help myself."

I love musk. I think it's challenging not to. It's a delicious scent if it's done well. But am I the only one that thinks of: necklaces with gender symbols... Famolares... what's your sign, baby?...polyester disco shirts... long overdue haircuts....all things fabulously 70s ...when a pure musk scent is introduced?

And how to you take your musk? - cottony and vanilla-laden a la Perfect Veil... naughty musk... "clean" musk, white musk, raw musk, muskrat love...no, wait...

Let's talk some musk. Are you for it? Do you like a musk-dominated scent or just as a note in a composition? I like mine mixed with something a little dry and earthy to keep it from being too sweet or cottony - woods are nice with musk.

As mentioned on another thread, I have Ava Luxe Black Coconut & Figuier ordered and on the way, but they are not here quite yet, so...

My most recent purchase (that has actually arrived and I can wear it now,) is Yvresse. I recently finished what little I had left of this "in-your-face-yet-dreamy-and-smooth-all-at-the-same-time" fragrance, so I had to get another bottle! Other than my on-going stockpiling of Vent Vert (the good version,) this is the first bottle of anything that I have replaced in quite a while.

Whether it's arrived, or still on it's way to you, what the latest juice that you have splurged on?

Yes folks, once again, Yvonne buys not one, but two fragrances unsniffed...

I just ordered Ava Luxe Black Coconut, and Ava Luxe Figuer. Why do I do this? Actually, I have been pondering this buy for some time now, but researching fragrances on the web can only take so you far. I was really torn between the two I bought and also, Film Noir, Wild Blackberry Musk, and Bohemian Rose.

During the past year, I've had not-so-great experiences with Ava Luxe Citrine & Chaos (lovely, no staying power on my skin,) but that can be said for countless fragrances, and many of Serna's fragrances work very well on my skin, so I figured I'd take a chance!

If they don't work for me, you all know that they will be turning up on the swap list, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

By-the-way, any thoughts here on the Wild Blackberry musk? I'm really curious about it...