Melli9710

Every fragrance has its time. And for me, the time for Gris Montaigne seems to be ripe. I know, not everyone here likes personal stories and associations with fragrances, but so be it. I don't have to please everyone (anymore). I have tried to do so since I can remember, hoping to be loved. Well, times change and we change with them. And while much is not in our hands, we do have influence over our lives from a certain point onward. What path do I want to take? Do I confront the pain, or do I banish it to the darkest corners of my soul? Do I fall into the abysses, allowing myself and others to be destroyed by it, or do I look at it and strive for mindfulness and healing? I have chosen the latter and have taken the path of greater resistance, the path that hurts and demands everything from you at times. Today, I can be proud of myself, look in the mirror, and say to myself: "Melanie, I like you just the way you are." And this fragrance fits exactly that feeling.

It is light yet not fleeting. It is present yet not overwhelming. It is self-assured yet not arrogant. It is clear yet not distant. It is like Mithril, the material from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, which is harder than steel and lighter than silk.

Fire tempers, the art lies in the decision to (re)open one's heart.

gently leads me with a strong hand,
helps to forget scars on heart and soul,
calms, protects,
gives dreams of flying in the dark night,
timeless, balsamic, spicy, warm and mystical, it grants me a precious gift:

the feeling of paternal love

gently, oh so gently, it holds the newborn in its hands, caresses its cheek...
watches and applauds the first careful steps...
at the cool little stream, it scoops water with its large hands so she can drink from it...
to him, she is the purest, most beautiful, and most perfect being...

and even if it is born only from fantasy, a feeling of acceptance, strength, and nobility arises

such is the effect of this fragrance...
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Addendum 28.04.2016

(Your) Angel

The wingbeats become gentler,
thoughts are banished far away in vain certainty,
first rays of sun gently touch the morning,
it flies proudly and nobly over the vast kingdom.

Like feather-light cloud white,
delicately swirling around the dark brown angel eyes,
problems flee, lonely and strong, into nowhere,
for all we must do is: trust the angel blindly.

Unwavering, ever higher, ever further,
it carries the angel quietly and radiantly through the air.
Its gaze becomes gentler and softer,
wonderfully dreamlike, the scent of spring accompanies it.

The sun shines generously in the blue days,
the sky empty, the stars have faded,
but they have not completely disappeared, rather they sleep,
dreaming of the angel until a new, dark night awakens.

The angel smiles in your eyes,
clinking lightly, it glides over the horizon.
Against it, a wind from the gray north,
icy, clear, and cold like a warrior snowman front.

Unwavering, it flies further into the light,
you stand here, lovingly, your lips dry,
one can say much, can believe it or not
but at the sight of your eyes, his angel curls shine quietly.

The truth is hardly believable,
sent for no one but you,
bravely, your image held in its arms,
the angel flies on, quietly over the colorful land of humanity.

© Christopher Tafeit

There are days when everything is upside down. It starts right in the morning. My half-hour snooze (the youngest was awake from four to five) pays off when I try, with little success, to get the middle one to finally get dressed because Grandma will be at the door in five minutes to take her to kindergarten. Meanwhile, I’m keeping the little one from climbing on the dining table or "clearing" it. And our oldest: she’s in the middle of puberty, and the motto is - everything Mom says ("Sweetheart, please take off your makeup before going to bed next time, you know, for your skin and eyelashes...") can and will be dismissed as annoying and malicious. What was I thinking bringing this up in the morning (insert any time here)? The fact that I will attempt to brush my teeth three times by noon is a bit gross, but it’s the unvarnished truth :) and the chaos often only ends when the sweet ones are all peacefully lying in their beds...

On such days, I reach for Allure. This scent smells fine, elegant, controlled, noble, understated, cultured - all that which I sometimes feel I have to be as a mom, woman, friend, neighbor (overwhelming perfectionism says hello), but am not, especially not on those days. At least I smell as if I do ;)

When I finally collapse on the couch, I need a little Shalimar for comfort. Perfectionism, even if it’s just olfactory, is exhausting.

As I already mentioned in my statement, the scent has everything I like: beautiful woods, fine vanilla, and a touch of powder. It is long-lasting, yet pleasantly understated and only slightly fruity and sweet, BUT

when I wear the scent, I become critical, impatient, and irritable. It really puts me in a bad mood! I can't quite explain it... is it an elusive scent memory? (I always think of a dear elementary school friend, whom I used to visit very happily as a nine-year-old girl. Unfortunately, the house had to be sold later for reasons I do not know), a hormonal issue (I am currently pregnant), or simply a self-fulfilling prophecy by now. The fact is: with my overly critical and constantly impatient behavior, I not only annoy myself but also my husband and my children. Moreover, you can hardly blink before all my loved ones around me also catch my bad mood when I have one :-)

Oh, it could have been so nice... a fine everyday scent for the cooler season... no matter, for now, it’s going in the cupboard and then we’ll see. The little fine 30ml bottle, which fittingly reminds me of a porcini mushroom for autumn, will definitely get another chance.

I will now write the 99th comment on this outstanding fragrance, and woe betide the hundredth if it is not a hymn of praise! ;-)

First of all: I adore Meryl Streep and revere Shalimar. Just recently, I found out that it is supposedly one of her favorite perfumes. How fitting! Of course, not everyone likes the two; tastes are known to differ, but one must acknowledge without envy that both are unique and extraordinarily successful. Neither is beautiful in a superficial, conventional sense. They exude an aura and elegance, and both come across as so warm, down-to-earth, and authentic that it is a joy.

The beginning of the fragrance journey is not easy, and there are parallels to Meryl Streep's life. When she auditioned for the role of Dawn in King Kong, she was rejected by producer Dino De Laurentiis as being too ugly. I find that incomprehensible...

Shalimar starts off as an acquired taste, but once the flowers, blossoms, and citrus harmonize, a scent emerges that becomes increasingly refined, complex, and wonderful as it develops, to the point that it is hard to describe... powdery, sensual, unsweet vanilla, leathery, spicy, and yet soothing. Meryl Streep has also had an exemplary career while remaining refreshingly natural.

Point made. I love them both :-)