Pasadena

No, the earth is not flat - and this fragrance is not just a "feel-good fruity floral without any depth of character or longevity," as I recently dismissed it in my statement. I had unfairly reduced it to watermelon and its color - I must now backtrack on that as well.

One could simply delete a statement. But the fact that fragrances develop differently, or that one can be captivated by them, or that an initial opinion can change drastically... isn't that part of our wonderful hobby?

Credit where credit is due - so yes, it is a fruity floral, that's true. But it has something special. It is a balanced composition and despite its sweetness, it has a bit of an edge. Flowers and fruits maintain a fragrant parity, no component becomes overpowering.

It comes to me fresh and bright, instantly making me 5 cm taller, and the feel-good sillage happily wafts behind me. And it lasts for several hours, although it becomes more intimate. I am a top note junkie and vow - at the latest now - to improve!

*Raises finger to swear*

Today marks two years on Parfumo ..... and I still haven't reviewed my signature scent. That’s just NOT acceptable!

There’s actually not much to say. L’Impératrice has the 3 FRs: fruity, cheeky, fresh. A total peach overload, even though there’s no peach in it - modern-day mystery! I’ve been using it for over 12 years, bottles die like flies, but I can’t even remember how I discovered it.

I also like to call it “Lone Survivor” - it’s the only survivor from the Anthology line of originally .... how many? .... at least 11 colleagues. Moreover, it seems to jealously defend its position - I love fruity perfumes, but during my pre-research, I always thought: I don’t need any, L’Impératrice has it all! I don’t know how many scents I have NOT tested because of it.

Even in phases when I wasn’t feeling so fragrant, I instinctively applied it. There’s always a travel spray in my handbag .... even though my daytime scent is officially another one and is also taken along.

If I had to assign a song to L’Impératrice, it would be “Fresh” by Cool & The Gang. “He’s fresh, is so fresh, exciting ... fresh as a summer breeze, mm-yeah!”

If someone forced me to stick to one scent for the rest of my life, I would choose L’Impératrice, because it suits my silly nature so well.

(The Terminator in me would definitely take on that “someone” who imposed this on me!!)

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A warning upfront: This is a feelings-/drooling review - olfactory enlightenment and fragrance facts are not to be found here. Also, there’s going to be some subtle advertising.... if you don’t want that, you should click away in a hurry!
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Tomorrow marks exactly 2 years since I joined Parfumo, and I haven’t reviewed my two favorite fragrances yet - the Sale Marino here, and the L’Impératrice by D&G, which is actually my signature scent. Strange. To celebrate the occasion, I’m rectifying that now!

For my milestone birthday in 2019, I traveled to Vienna with a friend. She had the contact address for a very exclusive perfume collection, so we headed straight to the Lobmeyr company on Kärntnertstraße at the start of our trip. Just the sight of the facade brought joy and coziness: a narrow house, Art Nouveau facade, ornate wood, amidst bulky buildings of steel, glass, and concrete. Inside, dazzling artworks made of porcelain, glass, mirrors, and - in a multi-story open gallery - endless chandeliers. The perfume for testing was fetched from the cellar (in my imagination, a ton-heavy safe was opened, like in action movies). We were allowed to take all the time in the world (Viennese don’t rush), of course, there were sniffing coffee beans provided, and my friend found something for herself right away. I was still wavering between the Clubwasser and the Sale Marino. I was chattering endlessly, excited and having already been to the coffee house, overwhelmed and enchanted by everything, with the many Fiakers and cute horses everywhere.

Afterwards, I floated like on a cloud. The Sale Marino - I had never smelled anything like it. Unique, spicy, fresh, lovely. The high price kept me from taking it home right away (yes, I had such reservations back then, two years ago, such a wuss), because one wanted to be sensible. Who doesn’t know that feeling: on vacation, something smells or tastes amazing, but at home, the souvenirs don’t bring any joy anymore.

Tense and wistful, I flew home without the Sale Marino, but since I was being sensible, I ordered two samples online from a supplier in Augsburg (also of the Clubwasser). I was horrified. The Clubwasser overwhelmed me, and I was missing something with the Sale Marino - namely the slight sweetness, the loveliness. I couldn’t explain it. Was it my wool coat that had warmed my skin? The air pressure in Vienna? The silly mood?

I still ordered it - despite the limitation. It was still stunning.

And because I was being so sensible, it HAD to come from Vienna, which made the shipping twice as expensive. A call to Lobmeyr, and the saleswoman remembered me: “You’re the one who flirted with the waiter at Gerstner!” Excuse me?? That was already 10 days ago..... what nonsense did I talk when I was there?

Anyway: My first Sale Marino was sent to me. While unpacking: the mood was like at a folk festival. Drained the bottle, ordered the next one in spring 2020 (of course again in Vienna - normal, right?). Although my perfume collection has grown by 417% since autumn, I soon need to acquire the third bottle.

I don’t think about whether it fits the occasion or the mood. Whether I use too much or too little of it. I spray it around blindly - I always feel secure, well-groomed, fresh, almost exalted with it.

There are fragrances you never forget. That grow dear to your heart, that make you irrational. Together with L’Impératrice, the Sale Marino reigns over my other fragrances on an inverted cubic stove made of ton-heavy glass. My husband has the order to save these two if our house ever catches fire.

In the recently launched Parfumo campaign, where you can support your perfumery, I would have loved to list the traditional house Lobmeyr here, because the service is top-notch, the glass and light art breathtaking - and all fragrances from the Wiener Blut collection are unique and worth sniffing. But only pure perfumeries could be mentioned.

Vienna is worth a trip.

I will personally pick up my next bottle - as soon as the “current situation” allows it, FIRST THING.

I wrote this review in Word beforehand. To publish it, my daughter had to open the fragrance page and scroll everything in such a way that I couldn’t see the ingredients. The reason:

I don’t want to. =:-I

At the end of February, I had my birthday, and my husband received a list of fragrances that I would be happy with. He chose this one for me and - what could be more contrasting - the Ginger Lover by Azzaro. Grin.

So both were on the dining table in the morning with a bouquet of flowers, a candle, and a stuffed animal. I immediately unboxed the Chant d'Arômes and sprayed it on. I was blown away by this lovely, delicate scent. And it lives up to its name, as generally described: You really can’t pick out any particular flower. They all sing in a harmonious scent choir.

It’s a bit powdery, but not too much.

It’s also not too floral (for me).

It’s silky soft and light, yet still has character.

I felt like a young girl - but also like a sophisticated lady.

How does it do that, I wondered.

I then announced to my husband that I didn’t want to know the ingredients at all for now. Movie quote from Tomb Raider: “My ignorance amuses me!” I said I would check the next day. But I didn’t. Not the day after either. I wore it all weekend.

In the following week, I also didn’t want to destroy the fine magic with mundane, scientific knowledge.

The weekend after, the flowers had wilted, but I wanted to recapture the birthday feeling and wore it several times. I even used a shower gel that matches it, namely “Fiorito” by Bioearth.

That was two weeks ago. While cleaning, I smile lovingly at the bottle (by the way, it doesn’t look like it does here, but resembles more the beehives from the Aqua Allegoria series). I can still perceive the fragrant harmony song and don’t want to know what’s inside.

It can stay like this now.

No. 18 and I were not meant to be. I received a sample from a dear perfume enthusiast and Chanel addict - at the same time as the Eau de Cologne, which I was enamored with, and Le Lion - but this one only made me shake my head.

When I test at home, I don’t mess around in the air or with paper - no risk, no fun, right? So I went straight for my forearm.

My reaction timeline:

Pharmacy?? - - Grappa?? - - who would put themselves through this?!?! My forearm couldn’t be far enough away from my face, but what can you do? It’s attached, and washing it off doesn’t make it any clearer. So I continued to engage with the quirky 18.

My forearm then gradually came closer to my face. - - Hay. - - Playground .... or do you know that smell of wood preservative used on the palisades and climbing parts? And when the sun beats down on it in midsummer, combined with that outdoor and adventure feeling, or something like in Phantasialand, the wooden Wild West section?

After I overcame this olfactory hurdle (about 5-6 minutes), I was rewarded for my bravery: what blogger Super Dacob describes as the "Poetry of Chanel" unfolded. I could only think "BLUUMÄÄÄÄ!!" and couldn’t get enough of my forearm.

Whenever I was bored, I sprayed it on and amused myself. The tester was almost empty, and due to my comment, Parfumo colleague Martin offered me his nearly full 200-ml canister at a ridiculous price. I couldn’t say no, and just two days later, a bulky piece with this outrageous scent arrived at my house, my first full-sized one from Les Exclusifs (until now, I had only dealt with samples, decants, and minis). Now it sits there, the Big One, in my Chanel bag. All family members were forced to try out the magnetic cap. And they had to hold it - look how heavy it is! It was humorously staged and photographed (see my album), commented on, and because of it, I’m getting a syringe for decanting on the go. I always take my daily scent in my handbag, but with the Big One, I’d wear my neck raw (I wear crossbody).

Yesterday, I showcased it to my husband - with the full amusement of the scent progression. By the way, I think this Bluumääää in the drydown is very similar to Beige.

Yes, the Big One and I - we have fun together. Maybe we WERE meant to be after all.....

=:-)