DISCLOSURES First of all, let me say right up front that this post (like all my others) is unsponsored and unsolicited. All of the bottles and samples reviewed and photographed…
Reflecting on Notre Dame
I was at work, in the operating room, which is like a windowless cell. An alert flashed on my phone. Notre Dame is burning. I work in Cincinnati, over 4,000…
The Intersection of Coffee Culture and Fragrance Culture
Coffee is associated with luxury, intellect, and leisure. Its aroma is distinctive, familiar, and comforting, but also bold and sophisticated. So, it’s no surprise that the scent of coffee is popular in fragrance. While explaining the history of coffee culture, which can be divided into three “waves.” I’ll also suggest some coffee-centric fragrances that could represent each stage of perfume culture development.
Margot Elena Subscription Box No. 06 – Spring 2019 – Unboxing & Review
An unboxing and description of the Margot Elena Subscription Box #6 for Spring 2019, and a quick sniff of Lollia’s new fragrance called “This Moment.”
Violets – Symbolism and Fragrance, and Some of My Favorite Violet Scents
I love the smell of violets, and when I’m dreadfully tired of winter, I long for violet scents. Since today is the first day of spring after a long winter, I decided to round up some of my favorite violet scents, and also write a little bit about violets’ scent and symbolism.
Madeleine de Madeleine from Madeleine Mono – Fragrance Review
Madeleine de Madeleine is a floral skank-lover’s dream. Released in 1978 by Madeleine Mono, it is the scent of hot flesh rendered in florals.
BLACKBIRD – my first niche fragrance (and quasi-origin story)
Blackbird from House of Matriarch was my first niche fragrance, and has inspired me in a multitude of ways. This is the story of my experience.
Jovoy Private Label
This is the best-performing, most masculine, Beast-Mode fragrance in my arsenal, that works magic in all seasons, and gets me TONS of compliments. It is loved by women, and is an extraordinary, manly fragrance. But, ladies — you can wear it too (IF you’re a boss).
Ariana Grande Cloud Fragrance Review (and comparison to Baccarat Rouge 540)
I don’t always get excited about celebrity fragrances, but for some reason this one caught my attention early. Some of the first press releases speculated that it would smell like marshmallows, and later it was rumored to smell like whipped cream. Yum! Plus, the bottle is adorable. I’m a little bit old to be the target demographic for this fragrance, but I’ve expanded my horizons to include gourmand fragrances, and the deeper I go down the gourmand rabbit-hole, the more I can tolerate, and even enjoy, sweet scents.
I try not to pay attention to early reviews and opinions when I’m considering writing about something, but it was impossible to escape the controversy that emerged about Cloud — with people swearing that it smells “exactly like” Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540. This was actually a bit of a disappointment for me, because that’s not a fragrance that smells like marshmallows or whipped cream, and I’m not particularly fond of it. But, I decided to check out both head-to-head, and I didn’t read or listen to any of the “formal” reviews that support or deny this claim. I wanted to evaluate it for myself first.
Malik Al Taif from Areej Le Doré – A Love Story
As 2018 comes to a close, I feel compelled to write about my most-worn fragrance of the year, Malik Al Taif. I’m not going to “review” it, because I have such strong feelings for this particular perfume. I’m just going to share my experience wearing it, and describe how my senses perceive it.