Rossiniopera

I wanted to try something new for this summer, and decided to blind buy a bottle of Grain de Soleil, apparently an older bottle. I don't have much experience with Fragonard, I've tried a few that were OK, but not more than that. Obviously it was a risk, but the notes looked nice and the bottle is so pretty and I really wanted to like it...

At the first spray, I was a little surprised at how soft it was. I was expecting something thicker, I think, something juicier. But this was more like a soft, transparent veil of cinnamon, vanilla and heliotrope. It was certainly leaning in the gourmand direction, but at the same time I didn't feel it had enough substance to be actually edible, if that makes sense. It was too airy. There was a sweet, soft blend of floral notes, even softer than the spices. I am not a fan of patchouli, but I'm not bothered by it here, I hardly notice it. Everything is just very soft, and sweet, and gently spicy.

I find it very suitable for summer - I enjoy spicy scents in warm weather. But there is another warm aspect here, too. I would have guessed benzoin, but it is not among the listed notes. Still, it gives me the same feeling I often get from perfumes with benzoin, of something baked, something sweet and buttery coming straight from the oven. With Grain de Soleil, I get a sensation of being on holiday in Southern Europe, walking down by the beach, the air smelling of hot sun and dusty sand, sweet flowers, and various street food aromas wafting around in the distance, waffle cones, cinnamon crêpes, vanilla cookies...

I have worn it several times now. It is a bit different from my usual style, and I haven't completely made up my mind about it yet. It's uncomplicated, and nice, but not wonderful. I think I find the frankincense a bit annoying. It's not really noticeable at first, just barely there, but suddenly it grows - it never gets immensely strong, but it somehow stays on top of everything else and doesn't blend in as well as I would wish for. If it hadn't been for that, I believe I would enjoy this soft, powdery cinnamon-vanilla-heliotrope even more.

I'm going to give it a chance, and try to get to know it better. Sometimes we just need to get used to things. And it did give me something of a holiday feeling, which is what I was looking for, after all. But I doubt it will be my number one choice.

I remember buying Lys Soleia blindly when it was fairly new, based on positive reviews. It did not disappoint. It has been one of my summer favourites ever since, it is indeed a very beautiful scent, and a very true lily, which I discovered in a rather funny way:

Just a few days after I got it, my husband and I went out for dinner. I was wondering if I should wear my new Lys Soleia, but ultimately I chose Dior Dolce Vita instead. We found a lovely French restaurant. Everyone was sitting outside, but since I get cold easily, I wanted an indoor table. As we followed the waiter through the empty dining room, I suddenly, to my great surprise, smelled Lys Soleia. Very strongly. For a moment I even wondered if I had accidently sprayed myself with the wrong bottle. I sniffed like crazy and told my husband I smelled lilies – and then – lo and behold! On a small table at the other side of the room, I spotted a vase full of big, white lilies. I had to go over there and smell them, just to be sure – but that was Lys Soleia, in full bloom!

I prefer wearing it on warm days and with a colourful sun dress, when I want a tropical holiday feeling. The vanilla can become a little strong and heavy after a few hours, but most of the time, it's just lovely!

Fresh, sweet, dewy roses. Reminds me of various rose-scented products that were popular in the early to mid-80s. At the time I collected scented erasers, and I had a few that were shaped like roses, in different colours, red, pink, yellow. I loved to sniff them, and in my memory, they smelled very similar to Rose Absolue.

I would probably have loved it when I was eight, but now I prefer perfumes with a darker base and more development. Still, it's a nice, happy scent, and I recommend trying it if you like roses and want something in the genre that is neither spicy nor chypre, just plain, juicy rose in all the pink and red nuances you can imagine.

There is not much to say about vintage Opium edt, that hasn't already been said. I just want to mention that it wears remarkably well on warm summer days - in small amounts, of course, this is a potent fragrance and you do not want to suffocate yourself or the people around you. But the heat of the sun awakens the floral aspect and allows the carnation to really shine against the spicy background.
A great love, in which I am always comfortable.

I am not sure I would call this floral-spicy, to me it is more of a chypre - a crisp, tart and wine-like rose-honey-patchouli chypre. I find it similar to Cardin Rose, but muskier, a little drier (more oakmoss), and even more elegant. Makes me think of an early autumn morning, with smells in the cool, fresh air of sweet-sour fruit lying on the wet ground.

I almost loved it. The patchouli was balancing between just right and just too much, although it should be said that I normally don't like patchouli and am very sensitive about it. But what made me decide not to buy a full bottle, was the musk, which unfortunately got very, very soapy on me as the scent developed. Soapy musk is not my favourite either.

Too bad, as it is a lovely and very elegant perfume and I would have loved to be able to wear it.