MrsGuerlain

What I like most about Yves Rocher as a brand is, that it is environmentally conscious. In the world of fragrance the talk about the environment is becoming a more explicit theme but not as much as I would like. I like the concept of refillable bottles and wrapping being produced in a environmentally friendly way. Let us have more of this.
Ode à la Joie (Ode to Joy) has been in my collection for some years, but I have never given it much thought. The other day I received an offer from another parfumista, who told me she wore it back in the early 2000s and would like to revisit it. Therefore I decided to test it. I do not want to sell fragrances gone bad.
Luckily, the fragrance is still in good shape. It opens up very fresh and citric, like an Italian ice cream I really love. After half an hour it turns floral, and that part is also nice, just not as great as the opening. In my opinion it becomes a little more mainstream. In the dry down I get mostly musk but a good one. It is a bit short lived, 3-4 hours, and sillage is less than half a meter. The bottle is the same as the other ‘Ode à la…’ fragrances. A nice bottle, shaped like a water drop or a leaf. I do have to mention, that it is not necessarily a great idea that it lies down, when it comes to saving the juice inside.
I consider this an good average Yves Rocher fragrance. All in all decent and nice for many occasions. I am happy, though, that it shall have a new home at a person, who will appreciate it more than I do. I shall wave at the garden gate and whisper ‘Bon Voyage!’.
Year 2, 77/365

When I grew up, everyone smoked everywhere. Church was the only place where you could go and find a smoke free environment. Looking back at it, it was absurd. But that was how it was. I myself started smoking at an early age. Luckily, I was able to get rid of my lethal habit when I was in my early 30s. When I succeeded it felt like a huge victory for me. Had anyone asked me then if I would say positive things about tobacco in the future, I would have laughed. That was before I met Tobacco Vanille or some of the other beautiful, delicate tobacco note based fragrances.
Recently I have increased my Tom Ford collection with four scents. For some years I have had Violent Blonde and Black Orchid, two really interesting and well composed fragrances. Lately, their relatives Noir pour Femme, Lost Cherry, Tuscan Leather and Tobacco Vanille have joined them. Four purchases I do not regret the least. All six have an aura of ‘quality’ around them. I am not saying that I will like all Tom Fords - I just yet have to meet one I do not like.
Tobacco Vanille is a fragrance that I love to wear. It is unique and alluring. Even though it is fairly new in my collection I have already worn it several times - and I have a good five hundred to choose from, so it is rather special. By alluring I mean, that I experience that people tend to notice it, but obviously they are not sure whether it is a perfume or something else their noses are picking up. Some ask. Some just stand very close and look puzzled. That is so fun!
I wear TV when I want to keep my cool; comforting, sweet and totally low key, this fragrance supports me and I love to wear it. The next morning I can still smell it. I even wear it at the gym, which I suppose a lot of people will not understand. But it works great for me. I have three good gym scents but lately TV has been the one I reach for.
I love the square TF bottle that is used for many of the TF fragrances. It looks like something from an old apothecary. Recognizable but not pretentious.
This deserves the high ranking and the place in the top 100 as well. Maybe Tobacco Vanille is the best Tom Ford ever… I will have to wait to decide until I have met Oud Wood. But TV will definitely be a new classic, and I shall make sure that I always have this in my collection.
Year 2, 76/365

A Carven that I would like to own, just for the bottle, is Variations (1950]. Right now I only have two Carvens: Ma Griffe (1946) PdT in a mint box and Le Parfum. Ma Griffe is a beautiful green/fresh and quite modern still. I have a tester from another parfumista and am waiting for the day when it is time to finally crack the seal and open the box. It has to be on a special day. I dare say that Carven Le Parfum is another successful try to make a good and modern smell for La Parisienne, the chic Parisian woman. The idea of a woman, that keeps inspiring designers to make new outfits and fragrances.
When we talk CLP, the beginning, the first sniff, keeps amazing me. It is so crisp! So fresh! So green! So Paris in the late spring. It is a few minutes later that I notice that it is the flowers that make it smell like this. There is a cleanness to this, a citric element and it is absolutely fabulous. Amazingly made. Not a lot changes during the hours. It actually keeps this expression whereas a lot of other fresh scents seem to shift to a lower gear.
The chubby, heavy bottle is really good looking. It has a ribbon around its neck, which add a slight cuteness to it without being too girly. A Parisienne is never girly. She has a maturity that is supported by her self confidence. So is Carven Le Parfum.
Year 2, 75/365

My interest in unisex fragrances is growing. Perhaps it is due to a change in taste when it comes to different notes. Perhaps it is because I find them less complex, even though a lot of them are not. From Byredo I have Bal d’Afrique which I find absolutely stunning (review in the making) and I have Mojave Ghost, warmly recommended to me by a fellow parfumista. Having been abroad the other week, I took some time to try a few other Byredos in the airport. But right now it is the two mentioned, that are in my collection. Both great unisex fragrances.
Mojave Ghost is great for a hot day. With its light composition and expression it gives you a feeling of being clean and cooled down, also when it is above 25 degrees. I would not have thought so when looking at the notes, but luckily that is how it works on my skin. Usually when it is hot I grab one of my lemon-mandarine-bergamot fragrances such as VV Verino or Ô de Lancôme, but after testing I shall definitely remember to spray this one as well.
A great unisex. I shall try and keep it out of sight so that my partner does not begin to use it. He likes it as well.
Year 2, 74/365

When I was younger I had a huge interest in learning about the Chakra concept from hinduism. Being a yoga practitioner I was introduced to the Chakras and their meaning through my yogi. Chakras are connected to both body and mind, the physical parts of the body and the life cycles we experience. They can both explain and guide you through life, if you want to discover new things about yourself or if you want to live a better and more meaningful life. At least that is my own experience. Keep in mind that this is my personal point of view.
In the seven chakras’ system every chakra has a colour connected to it. The 7th and highest chakra is purple. The chakra represents pure consciousness and is the state of mind where you are one with time and space with no objects or personal aspects attached. As a child I loved the colour purple, and this love did increase when I read and learned about this. I have no ambitions to ever reach this state of mind but the colour purple calms me and makes me happy. Even when it comes to perfume bottles.
A gorgeous bottle meets me when I open the box containing Chopard’s Imperiale Iris Malika. Heavy due to the glass, golden details and that deep purple colour. I love it. It oozes of quality and this definitely raises the expectations to what is inside. I am not disappointed in the end of my test.
The amount of notes is a bit overwhelming when it comes to testing, trying to figure it all out. I do get the top notes; a mix of fruit and spices. Really good. Then after half an hour the iris and ylang-ylang enter the stage and start to blend in. None of the notes disappear. The fragrance simply becomes more complex. I suppose this is one of the reasons why this is so highly rated: a wonderful mix with a determined goal. Wonderfully composed. Finally, and this is after 6-8 hours it dries down to a more woody/spicy/amber cocktail, which is what I would classify as a Grand Finale. So much depth and warmth here that it almost makes me cry. 10-12 hours before this fragrances fades. That is well performed.
I adore Iris Malika and I hope that everybody else who meets this wonderful fragrance will have the same great experience as I have had every time.
Year 2, 73/365