DesireeM

this is incredibly good. i think because it reminds me of wearing Narciso Eau de Parfum paired with Nivea cream. eventually the musk in all of my Narcisos all grew too metallic for me, left my clothes smelling absolutely musky-putrid, and this--so far--does not do that. it's very creamy, skincare, lotion-esque. quite nice, and not overtly vintage at all.

i thought my next potential purchase would be Blanc des Cotons but the musk, the damn musk, an UNLISTED musk at that! i am not a fan. but, despite the listed musk in this, i bravely wore this through the night, expecting for it to let me down by morning, leaving me stinking of musk, needing a shower or at least a very immediate change of clothes and a washing of our sheets. obviously, the deciding factor for me has become the fabric test. because i am not a girl who washes her tops every time she wears them for the whole two-hours-max i'm ever out of the house at a time. i am please to report that this passed.

however, there's still that reminiscence to aforementioned period in my life which wasn't exactly a happy one. what i mean is...i wore Narciso EDP for comfort, i wore it to bed, despite it being discontinued, increasingly hard to find other than on the second-hand market. i would put it on before bed after much-needed shower, slathered in Nivea, trying to tune out the sounds of my household, wishing for the opportunity to go back in time, or at least to fall into a sweet slumber and dream of something (anything) nice, someplace (anywhere) but here, or have my mother make an appearance. laying there, often eyes welled up with tears, planning, plotting to change things, but never acting. as usual. because, let's be honest, i am no "independent woman."

i don't dislike this, not at all. i can't! i need more time with it. and less time in my head. side note: the name reminds me of my favorite TV show of all time, specifically Frasier & Niles' restaurant: Les Frères Heureux, which, because i took French in high school, always made me laugh. the happy brothers? whyyyy? lol

i love this scent so much! i don't wear lipstick, not at all. lip oil, lip mask, maybe a stain here or there, and balm, but not a bullet lipstick in sight. but i swear, it's one of my favorite accords. i can't ever get enough of a powdery, earthy, iris-y, slightly sweet lipstick scent--i'd love to try them all! but i don't really find that necessary anymore.

i had Iris Crush and, although i did love it, something about it was...too dressed up. i wanted to wear it, but it never felt appropriate, it was too fancy in some way. it got too sweet for me in the end, as well. Incarnata had it all...for about five minutes, until it became more powder-scented deodorant than lipstick. this stuff, though! really toes the line with the sweetness, and it reels it in JUUUST when it's about to cross over into that too-sweet territory. and the gentle-but-persistent scent stops evolving at the perfect time. you're left with a bit of a fruity sweetness, but the waxiness and powder hangs in there enough to make all the difference. there's still some balance. and it smells fantastic after an overnight wear...it turns a little nasty (as a positive), a little sexier once it really becomes one with your natural skin scent.

i asked my man what he thought, for what his opinion is even worth (nothing--not to be rude, but he will NOT stop wearing Ombré Leather despite it literally making me want to die every time i smell it, so i will wear whatever i want). he sniffed and said, "baby powder." two words! but they're two great words to me. not important: whether he likes it or not, it's giving the vibe i want. it's clean, it's coiffed, it's a step up from something like my La Peau Nue, a little fancier. i can imagine leaving an impression with something like this, different from the one i leave with anything else i wear. and when i say "leave an impression," i mean that i will impress the older ladies who assist me during checkout at the grocery store lol. despite it being a bit of a repeat genre for me (and an unsurprising addition to the cabinet), as a whole, it's definitely unique from anything else i own. i'm hoping it won't get too sweet as it ages, but we will see. will try to use it up before that time comes, despite my fear of dents. pray for me.

i really didn't think i needed this; i have Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum and it's one of my favorite perfumes of all time. that said, they do not compare. but i thought i had this "box" checked, is what i'm getting at. i'm really focused on keeping my collection one of only signatures, as small as possible. but i had a few of samples of this, and, as it would turn out, my memory of this scent was not at all correct...oh i needed this after another few testings! anyway--i haven't been reaching for FdP lately because it's just so strong and eternal, whereas this is much more delicate and light, and yes: it disappears eventually (though not quite entirely). FdP is also very DRY to me -- beautifully dry, it's texture is sort-of edible in a way i can't explain other than it's almost toothsome, like al dente pasta. this has a lightness and its lipsticky vibe is, and forever will be, a favorite of mine. neither one is better than the other, they are very different girls.

this is by far my easiest reach. even when i don't want to wear anything, i can wear this. and i OFTEN want to wear nothing, but...that's not really an option (for the most part). nothing about this is overpowering or annoying to me. and, honestly, this is the MOST "Celine" of their fragrances, in my opinion (which is worth nothing). this girl is not expensive for the sake of being so -- she's classy, refined, she just knows no other way to be. somehow effortless, in that whole closet-full-of-neutrals way that i personally enjoy mimicking. it's almost like...OF COURSE something like this would be expensive. what i mean is, perfume is so expensive these days, ALL OF THEM! it's actually insane WHAT SOME JUICES COST and simply just aren't worth the cost of the cardboard box they haphazardly stuff them into. but this is deserving of its price tag: you literally don't have to think about it at all, and that's priceless.

i get--and LOVE--the baby wipes association (am a mom). but the lipstickiness keeps it interesting.

i really liked this when i was gifted a sample (dabber) of it. so much so, that i ordered a 5ml decant--it really took me by surprise, but ultimately, wasn't going to semi-blind buy it off a dabber first impression. boy oh boy, i'm glad i restrained myself. from the dabber it was excellent. but from a spray sample, it's so extremely sharp and sour (sour in a fruit way, not a spoiled way. astringent). it also smells generic while also not being anything i've ever completely smelled before. it's bright, fruity, musky, so many things i detest. all in all, i'm just too depressed for this. like i could be full-on catatonic if i didn't have a family to take care of! this does not fit me at all.

i was never a Shalimar girlie, not even a little bit, not even at all. it reminded me of someone from my past; my grandma wore Wind Song, so it wasn't her. my grandpa's girlfriend after my grandma passed? no, she wore some Avon fragrances. regardless of my distaste for Shalimar overall, one Shalimar piqued my interest when it was released: Millesime Iris.

i owned and enjoyed M.Iris for some time. i created a few nice scent memories with it, but ultimately, the caramel in it was too overpowering for me. it gave me Prada Candy vibes, though obviously they are very, very different. it was just something that to me, i couldn't get over--i don't like Prada Candy. i rehomed M.Iris to someone who would love and appreciate her, and moved on with my life. though, there were times when i'd get this itch and wish i still had it, though i was mostly grateful i didn't keep it "just to have it."

then i saw l'Essence was being released and it being this "100-year" celebratory fragrance. that's special, and not a Millesime! worth trying, certainly. i ordered it a week or two after it was released, no real reviews or opinions out just yet, but i couldn't help but wonder what was inside. and it showed up. i excitedly opened everything up and sprayed. i was met with...nothing? the most 'nothing' i could imagine coming out of a Guerlain bottle. perplexed, i sprayed a few more times, and i found Shalimar. just Shalimar, though, what i could only deduce was a weakened version as i've never smelled a WEAK SHALIMAR lol. it was fine but, i actually boxed it back up, printed and filled out the return form, put it away to drop off the following week, and i went on to do my housework kind of disappointedly. story doesn't end there though, as i kept catching whiffs of myself, over the bleach and glass cleaner. it was quite nice, and what a pretty vanilla...

so, i unboxed it again. put it on the main shelf of my cabinet, not ready to give up on it. we had some people over later that day, before they arrived i changed and topped up l'Essence. fully committed as the scent of the day. it was an annoying day--drunkenness around me, my toddler needing me, wanting me to run and play while the other grown-ups get to be grown-ups (not that i care to mingle), needing to bitterly entertain him AND these grown adults who don't have to worry about anything but finishing their beers and checking on their smoked meats. the feeding of everyone, the loudness, getting the boy to bed and then having to play stupid, crass card games and remind myself: "you're 'having fun' right now." through all those moments, there were these little wafts hitting my nose, almost to hug me and say, "you're doing great. hang in there."

this one was a surprise. the same Shalimar i'd smelled on some mystery woman/women way back when was still there (quieter), but with this gentle but undeniable vanilla, the perfect way to celebrate Shalimar in the NOW. i know now this gets some mixed reviews -- the scent, the bottle, some people are just SO MAD lol. but take a look at the current landscape: vanilla here, vanilla there (especially that atrocious vanilla caviar). the bottle is GORGEOUS to me; another wonderful mixture of new and old. the large, bold font screaming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" like a Hallmark card! it's perfect, eclectic. i am a fan of vintage things, things that have been worn and used and loved and still maintain their integrity, show signs of age, but are still beautiful and unique. i think if you can appreciate classic beauty mixed with modern sexiness, amounting to a timeless elegance, this is for you, too.