Nonmadame
Reviews
Detailed
Translated · Show original
More Beach than Flower
I confess: As a Millennial, Glossier holds a deep-seated place in my nostalgic consumer heart. The first "You" was innovative and special for the fragrance market at the time. It perfectly sold the brand's effortlessness in that moment. And now, after years of fragrance silence from Glossier, three flankers have been released, the latest being "Fleur". One wonders, is the uniqueness still there?
The scent starts with a fresh salty note. Yes, salt is odorless, but here it smells more like salty, sun-dried skin after a swim in the sea. I imagine a light coconut scent joining in. The image of a tropical beach and sea comes to mind. Then it begins to bloom. More yellow (instead of purple, as the bottle might suggest), clean, floral, and synthetic. The tried-and-true Glossier Ambrox base runs through from start to finish. It feels quite unisex and smells almost masculine in the drydown. Nevertheless, "Fleur" wouldn't have been the name I would have thought of for this composition. More like "Sel" or "Plage".
All these fragrance notes are, however, so incredibly quiet that you practically have to press your nose into the scented skin. Of course, Glossier has always created scents meant to be smelled only by oneself and literally close people. But here I really have to search. Maybe I'm also nose-blind.
After extensive testing, "Fleur" smells constantly different on me. Sometimes the floral dominates, mostly the salty, and often a generic, unexciting men's aftershave. I’m curious to hopefully perceive it differently in the summer. Maybe it needs more bare skin and more sun to truly unfold.
It's nice. Really nice. Maybe too nice? In new speak: It’s an “easy grab”. Always works and makes you smell fresh and pleasant. It lacks a bit of bite and uniqueness, which has been a characteristic of Glossier fragrances for me so far.
In summary: While it’s not outstanding, it has its charm. The quiet sillage has a certain appeal in times of the “Beastmode” hype. The longevity isn’t bad at all. For unexciting hours when you just want to smell clean for yourself, it’s perfect. But I think I’m done with Glossier.
The scent starts with a fresh salty note. Yes, salt is odorless, but here it smells more like salty, sun-dried skin after a swim in the sea. I imagine a light coconut scent joining in. The image of a tropical beach and sea comes to mind. Then it begins to bloom. More yellow (instead of purple, as the bottle might suggest), clean, floral, and synthetic. The tried-and-true Glossier Ambrox base runs through from start to finish. It feels quite unisex and smells almost masculine in the drydown. Nevertheless, "Fleur" wouldn't have been the name I would have thought of for this composition. More like "Sel" or "Plage".
All these fragrance notes are, however, so incredibly quiet that you practically have to press your nose into the scented skin. Of course, Glossier has always created scents meant to be smelled only by oneself and literally close people. But here I really have to search. Maybe I'm also nose-blind.
After extensive testing, "Fleur" smells constantly different on me. Sometimes the floral dominates, mostly the salty, and often a generic, unexciting men's aftershave. I’m curious to hopefully perceive it differently in the summer. Maybe it needs more bare skin and more sun to truly unfold.
It's nice. Really nice. Maybe too nice? In new speak: It’s an “easy grab”. Always works and makes you smell fresh and pleasant. It lacks a bit of bite and uniqueness, which has been a characteristic of Glossier fragrances for me so far.
In summary: While it’s not outstanding, it has its charm. The quiet sillage has a certain appeal in times of the “Beastmode” hype. The longevity isn’t bad at all. For unexciting hours when you just want to smell clean for yourself, it’s perfect. But I think I’m done with Glossier.
Translated · Show original
False Hopes
Oh, a scent of empty promises! Since the announcement of Miami Shakes as the brand JHAG's first "true" gourmand, I eagerly awaited the strawberry ice cream. Well, one could certainly approach this with a healthy dose of skepticism and not believe the marketing. However, it just sounded too tempting to resist.
The trend of sparse fragrance pyramids has created false expectations here. In my opinion, the scent is primarily floral and musky. Where are the flowers in the fragrance pyramid? The strawberry initially presents itself as strongly synthetic and remains a quiet companion in the drydown. Vanilla ice cream and waffle cone can be sensed as a phantom, with an extreme amount of imagination, towards the end. A light, nonspecific sweetness comes through. Some coconut joins in as well and feels stuffy.
Overall, the scent is "quite nice." Not gourmand or fruity in the slightest, but floral, musky, and slightly sweet. But "quite nice" is not enough when you actually wanted to smell like strawberry ice cream. And the advertised notes are only marginally recognizable in the nondescript (and unadvertised) sea of flowers. What a shame!
The trend of sparse fragrance pyramids has created false expectations here. In my opinion, the scent is primarily floral and musky. Where are the flowers in the fragrance pyramid? The strawberry initially presents itself as strongly synthetic and remains a quiet companion in the drydown. Vanilla ice cream and waffle cone can be sensed as a phantom, with an extreme amount of imagination, towards the end. A light, nonspecific sweetness comes through. Some coconut joins in as well and feels stuffy.
Overall, the scent is "quite nice." Not gourmand or fruity in the slightest, but floral, musky, and slightly sweet. But "quite nice" is not enough when you actually wanted to smell like strawberry ice cream. And the advertised notes are only marginally recognizable in the nondescript (and unadvertised) sea of flowers. What a shame!
2 Comments
Translated · Show original
"Let's smell Paul Allen's cologne"
The fragrance notes already suggest before the first spray that the bloody-brutal character traits of Patrick Bateman are not captured here. Rather, 16-96 interprets the subtler subtext of "American Psycho".
The scent is clean, fresh, flawless - and therein lies its statement. It is pleasing, smells expensive, but remains somehow interchangeable. No special recognition value and nothing that evokes strong emotions. And that is the essence of Bateman. The book "American Psycho" questions whether he even exists as an individual or if he is merely a copy of a financial yuppie from the 80s: "I simply am not there". The spirit of a generation that defines itself through perfection, but not through personality. Everyone strives to appear flawless, not to stand out, and only to shine through status symbols: hairstyles, suits, business cards - and presumably also fragrances.
In American Psycho, perfumes play a recurring role and are sometimes described with a similar level of detail as musical pieces. Bateman's signature scent is Green Irish Tweed by Creed. A luxurious classic that is consciously meant to stand out from the scents of the masses. In contrast, he despises more popular compositions like Drakkar Noir and Obsession for Men, which seem too ordinary to him. Yet his own perfume is nothing more than another status symbol. A calculated choice, without emotional significance. It is not meant to express him as an individual, but simply to make him appear better than others. Another layer of his mask.
In this respect, I see this fragrance as a good representation of the story. "American Psycho" smells pleasant, was released by a niche brand, and is correspondingly exclusive. A scent that smells good and will appeal to many, but reveals nothing about the wearer - because it was made exactly for that purpose.
The scent is clean, fresh, flawless - and therein lies its statement. It is pleasing, smells expensive, but remains somehow interchangeable. No special recognition value and nothing that evokes strong emotions. And that is the essence of Bateman. The book "American Psycho" questions whether he even exists as an individual or if he is merely a copy of a financial yuppie from the 80s: "I simply am not there". The spirit of a generation that defines itself through perfection, but not through personality. Everyone strives to appear flawless, not to stand out, and only to shine through status symbols: hairstyles, suits, business cards - and presumably also fragrances.
In American Psycho, perfumes play a recurring role and are sometimes described with a similar level of detail as musical pieces. Bateman's signature scent is Green Irish Tweed by Creed. A luxurious classic that is consciously meant to stand out from the scents of the masses. In contrast, he despises more popular compositions like Drakkar Noir and Obsession for Men, which seem too ordinary to him. Yet his own perfume is nothing more than another status symbol. A calculated choice, without emotional significance. It is not meant to express him as an individual, but simply to make him appear better than others. Another layer of his mask.
In this respect, I see this fragrance as a good representation of the story. "American Psycho" smells pleasant, was released by a niche brand, and is correspondingly exclusive. A scent that smells good and will appeal to many, but reveals nothing about the wearer - because it was made exactly for that purpose.
1 Comment
Translated · Show original
Stories from the Auto Repair Shop
"May I quickly wash my hands?" I ask and am directed towards the restroom. "Back there!"
On the edge of the sink lies a piece of oval soap, now reduced to 1 cm in thickness due to frequent use. Cracks have formed in it, collecting grease and dirt. Should I use it or rely on my hand sanitizer instead? Hmm.. a usable towel is also not in sight.
The penetrating smell of lavender air freshener rises from the upturned toilet. On it sits a potpourri of roses, probably from 1980. A cleaning certificate hangs on the door, last cleaned about an hour ago, it seems. Well, it does smell clean here, that's true. Quite chemical.
On the way out, a display catches my eye: Coconut -wonder trees on sale.
I hope my car is ready, my nose can't take it anymore.
On the edge of the sink lies a piece of oval soap, now reduced to 1 cm in thickness due to frequent use. Cracks have formed in it, collecting grease and dirt. Should I use it or rely on my hand sanitizer instead? Hmm.. a usable towel is also not in sight.
The penetrating smell of lavender air freshener rises from the upturned toilet. On it sits a potpourri of roses, probably from 1980. A cleaning certificate hangs on the door, last cleaned about an hour ago, it seems. Well, it does smell clean here, that's true. Quite chemical.
On the way out, a display catches my eye: Coconut -wonder trees on sale.
I hope my car is ready, my nose can't take it anymore.
3 Comments
Translated · Show original
Light Blue? No, better!
What can I say? I love the hair care products from Oribe. It's not just the nourishing effect that impresses me, but also significantly the scent! Oh, this scent... With shampoo and the like, my hair only retains the fragrance shortly after washing, so of course I wanted to finally try the perfume. And since we are not gathered here to discuss hair care, let me get to the point.
Received a shared decant, sprayed it, convinced. 1:1 what I expected. Citrusy, floral, well-groomed. Oribe apparently can do more than just make hair shine.
I can understand the comparison to "Light Blue," but only to a certain extent. "Côte d'Azure" offers much more nuance. It’s not just the pure lemon that stands out; no, a comforting creaminess accompanies it. An exquisite mélange of various citrus fruits and currants, like lemonade but without the sweet stickiness. A hint of peach can also be sensed, even though it’s not listed. The whole thing is underscored by a delicate spring floral bouquet, rounded off by subtle, light woods. The entire pyramid remains intact during the wear.
I can't pinpoint anything specific for the light care product vibes. The scent also doesn’t have a classic shampoo note. The overall composition simply radiates an elegant grooming.
For me, this scent is a wonderful everyday fragrance, except perhaps in freezing temperatures as it doesn’t fully unfold then. Well, it’s not ultra sexy or sultry either, but if you prefer freshness like I do, that’s not important. It lasts well on my skin for a good 6 hours, and on my hair and clothes even into the next day.
I believe that after writing this, I’ve convinced myself. I need more of this!
Received a shared decant, sprayed it, convinced. 1:1 what I expected. Citrusy, floral, well-groomed. Oribe apparently can do more than just make hair shine.
I can understand the comparison to "Light Blue," but only to a certain extent. "Côte d'Azure" offers much more nuance. It’s not just the pure lemon that stands out; no, a comforting creaminess accompanies it. An exquisite mélange of various citrus fruits and currants, like lemonade but without the sweet stickiness. A hint of peach can also be sensed, even though it’s not listed. The whole thing is underscored by a delicate spring floral bouquet, rounded off by subtle, light woods. The entire pyramid remains intact during the wear.
I can't pinpoint anything specific for the light care product vibes. The scent also doesn’t have a classic shampoo note. The overall composition simply radiates an elegant grooming.
For me, this scent is a wonderful everyday fragrance, except perhaps in freezing temperatures as it doesn’t fully unfold then. Well, it’s not ultra sexy or sultry either, but if you prefer freshness like I do, that’s not important. It lasts well on my skin for a good 6 hours, and on my hair and clothes even into the next day.
I believe that after writing this, I’ve convinced myself. I need more of this!
1 Comment
