Zorah

I admit, when it comes to fragrance, I personally don't care much whether the concoction is intended for men or women.
If something seems interesting to me, I will test it or, depending on the price, buy it blind.

In the privileged position of having a TKMaxx almost at my doorstep, I actually visit it (at least) once a week.
More for browsing than with real buying intentions.
However, this wonder shop offers my hyped Dead Sea products, or my favorite shampoo from the Baltics.
And occasionally, there’s a fragrance in there....

Currently, there is a selection of fragrances from the house of Monotheme.
I hadn't known them before, but they seem to be something rather "affordable" yet good.

So Aqua Marina found its way to me....
The pretty packaging triggered the want-to-have effect, screw it that it’s a men’s fragrance.
So the scent was packed for a small price and waited a while for its "debut".

Today, I sprayed it for the first time.
Holy Shit, what is this?
The namesake character, that is the seawater, is recognized only by those who live by the sea and have realized that "sea" does not always mean absolute pure freshness.
What’s the name of that chemical compound that names the scent of the sea? Right, dimethyl sulfide.
If you are lucky enough, like me, to live by the Kiel Fjord and smell the DMS live, you are somewhat favored by nasal luck and know that the sea smells rather "different".

"The sea" appears in this wonderful scent as a dark, warm, salty note within the herbal aromas that dominate this fragrance.

What emanates from my (admittedly feminine) skin is the entire palette of Italian herbs.
Marjoram, thyme, oregano - all with a wonderful handful of warmth and a hefty pinch of salt.
A little Italian I know would love it.

Certainly not a scent that the masses will like.

Beautiful scent - is it now gourmet or gourmand?
In any case, it invites you to take a bite :)

We are in the 23rd calendar week of 2021. Second summer of the pandemic - the most dangerous ever and for all time, says Angie M..

Here in the north of the Republic, the situation is quite relaxed; the subjects have been able to shop without obstacles for a while now, thanks to the low danger level.
Well, the silly mask made from excellent Chinese plastic production remains. If no sport is making us sweat, the mask certainly does.

In these challenging times, a rebellious woman from Schleswig-Holstein of a certain age takes a look at her fragrance supplies and freezes:
The bottle of her favorite scent has reached a fill level of 50%. Half full or half empty - it doesn't matter. The fragrance won't survive the year, the next three months, possibly even the summer.
And who knows, maybe everything will be closed again soon? Wave No. 4? No possibility to repurchase? Paaaanik!

So, despite all the masquerade, off to the nearest turquoise perfumery that sells this scent as a private label.
Bottle checked, bagged, and paid for. The northern light is happy.

"Oh," says the very nice saleswoman. "I'll give you something else!"

A sample?
Nope, a piece of turquoise tissue paper, soaked with a very delicious scent.
When I asked what it was (just in case I liked it), she held up a bottle shaped like a black-red-gold stiletto and conspiratorially said: "The new one!"
Ah yes, Carolina's red heel. The Very Good Girl.
Um..... Don't very high red shoes rather stand for women of loose morals?

So the woman from Schleswig-Holstein buzzed home, in 23 °C in the shade.
On her left arm, the (generous) free spritz of the beloved Seathalasso, on her right, in the little bag, the red shoe.
Both met in the middle, at the height of the wearer's nose, with a light sea breeze. And somehow matched so perfectly to a new scent event that wild layering thoughts began to arise.....

The woman from Schleswig-Holstein is, of course, me.
And I am still torn.

On the tissue paper, the scent smells like a birthday in a summer garden, among blooming trees, ripe fruit bushes, and a coffee table with currant cakes.
The good ones, with sponge cake base, real vanilla pudding, and fresh red currants under a slightly lemony layer of glaze. Maybe a dollop of cream on top.
Simply delicious. Ah........

The desire was great, the buying reflex even greater, so two days later I went back to the perfumery to test the scent on my skin.

The disappointment was great.
On the skin, it didn't "work."
The delicious fruity scent that I loved so much on the tissue paper was somehow non-existent. Oh noooooo!
What remained was a rose-vanilla mix. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad.
But unfortunately too generic to lay down 68 euros for 30ml EdP.

The last word has not yet been spoken, though.
Maybe I'll give the good girl a chance after all?
Opposites attract, as they say, and soon it's birthday time........

However, I must complain again:
I suspect that this elaborate bottle makes up about half of the price.
When empty, a woman will keep it once, then throw it away when repurchasing.
Why is it not possible to offer refill options? Or a deposit system?
I would be in. My heart bleeds every time I have to dispose of a beautiful bottle.......

I let myself be seduced.
This fragrance was part of my first order at QVC.
The focus was actually on a piece of clothing........

Let me briefly quote the print on the outer packaging:
Elegant freshness, finest floral essences.
Citrus notes and the finest nuances of jasmine, rose, and magnolia.
Along with a base of sandalwood, musk, and patchouli.

Unfortunately, the citrus notes are completely absent.
The white flowers, namely jasmine and magnolia, form a rather (un)pleasantly soapy connection with the woods and herbs, especially patchouli. Rose? Maybe.
What you get here is reminiscent of the 70s/80s product Fenjala.
Bath oil. With a much woodier base.

You have to like it.
Sprayed on hair, not on skin, I actually find the scent quite cool,
Still, 30 euros for 100ml is quite steep, especially since there are extremely similar options available for less money.........

Stay away if you don’t like heavy, woody scents.

Oh no, has no one wanted to be here yet...?

I confess: I have no clue what sea fennel is supposed to smell like.
However, I do enjoy watching the BeautyNight on QVC, which is where I hear about Panier de Sens.
Though mostly about the soaps, which are said to be of excellent quality. I can't really comment on that, as my favorite soap is and remains Sea Kelp / Scottish Fine Soaps.
If I have the luck to get it. (Thanks, TKMaxx)

On my daily commute to and from work, there is a small perfumery that sells well-selected cosmetics and not-so-common fragrant treasures.
Usually something that tends to exceed the budget of the average person, but still sparks desire.
On one of those dark autumn evenings, before any lockdown, there was a display of fragrances from Panier de Sens in front of the store.
Now, as an old coastal girl, I like scents that smell of the sea and its relatives, so my hunting instinct was awakened.
Criste Marine (Sea Fennel) was briefly tested in the store, found pleasant, and then bagged. To gift myself with it for Christmas.

Well, Christmas just passed, the bottle was opened, and just at that moment, I have the scent on my skin.

How should I describe it? Let's start with the little things.
A nicely designed cardboard tube in which the fragrance is sold makes the bottle wobble unfortunately (= luxury nitpicking)
The label "Huile Essentielle" initially suggests less a fragrance than a body oil.
The bottle itself is very minimalist, a clear cylinder with the barest print / labeling.

Okay, let's spray a round. Right where it’s warm and where the gentlemen of creation like to glance :)
Wonderful, it works perfectly.
Unfortunately, there is no fine mist, as one usually knows from the sprayer, but rather a small shower that lingers damp on the skin for a longer moment.

But what is now being sprayed out is as follows:
A fresh-fruity scent with both watery and somewhat bitter notes, more sweet than seawater.
It lifts the spirits on dark winter days.
Not so light and fleeting, but by no means heavy.
Longevity is okay.

Melon dominates the fruity note. No water melon, no honeydew melon. Something green with a slightly bitter sweetness, Galia or cantaloupe?
Doesn't matter, I like it.
And above all, there hovers a slightly ethereal fresh-air hint of je-ne-sais-quoi and a touch of creaminess. However, I couldn't detect the cedar........

It vaguely reminds me of something I liked very much: Tommy Hilfiger The Girl (the bottle with the anchor) in a very rough direction, but it is much milder.
(At this point, a call: If anyone knows where I can still get The Girl, please help me)

Indeed, I find it hard to describe this little pick-me-up.
Over the years (I'm not a young girl anymore), I have been able to smell a lot.

Smooth recommendation for Criste Marine: For the affordable price, you can take it with you.

A bit of pencil, a bit of citrus, some hard-to-define cotton-cloud softness, and a whole lot of fresh air.
It must be about a year ago that I made this blind purchase while ordering samples among colleagues. The description and the bottle somehow appealed to me.

Then this fragrance arrived in its pretty little box, and I was initially quite disappointed.
I sprayed it on. It somehow smelled like - NOTHING. Air. Oh noooooo!
(I somehow have the feeling that a fragrance needs to "mature" on its way from the bottle, through the tube, to the skin. This has happened to me before......)
After several attempts, Need_U finally came to life and became one of the few not inexpensive fragrances that I really like.

Woody-fresh, without being too forest-like.
No exaggerated citrus bomb (like Light Blue, which was mentioned here and at least in the girls' version strongly reminds of apple-lemon soda - don't get me wrong, I like it. In midsummer.)
A light breeze, but not too windy.
One of my favorites.
Strikingly unobtrusive.
Weird and boring at the same time.
Cool for everyday, if you’re not looking for the usual suspects of light drivel that everyone wears anyway.

I will be a repeat offender and will soon buy the big bottle!