scenteddiary

Saying that I love Eau de Californie would be an understatement. It opens up with a dirty citrus and then settles into a mossy, slightly smoky palo santo that feels deliciously creamy and airy yet never sweet. It's my idea of effortlessly cool. A little raunchy. Messy-sexy, like stealing a few sprays from the bottle you found in the bathroom of the guy you spent the night with, maybe one of his shirts too, and slipping out bright and early while he's still peacefully asleep. Safe to say it's my #1 favorite from Celine, together with Nightclubbing.
Unfortunately, it really doesn't last long - maybe 2-3 hours, before becoming a very intimate skinscent. If they ever came out with a more concentrated version, it would make me extremely happy.

The Noir’s best buddy. They’re just the coolest girls alive - sitting so effertlessly in a moody upscale pub like they own the night, sipping on dirty martinis a stranger felt lucky to pay for.

I'm not exactly the sexy type but oh I feel invincible whenever I wear this. Clean rose water dirtied up but dark woods and strong spices. It just works

Altough the pyramid is spot on, the notes list definitely isn't - check the Eminence website for the official one. Anyway, this stuff is nuclear. Sillage (and compliments) for days! It's a scent that makes you feel sexy and powerful, like a strong woman who knows what she wants and gets it no matter what. That kind of sensuality that is more intimidating than inviting. I'm not there in my life yet but I definitely like pretending I am whenever I wear this perfume lol. Also, the drydown somehow strongly reminds me of Portrait of a Lady. So so good

I tried my sample today and instantly fell in love, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why the scent felt so familiar. Then it hit me - I have the oil versions of both the neroli and orange blossom by Ortigia, and I usually layer them because they're my dream team on very hot and humid summer days. Soleil Blanc too, now that I think about it.
Un ete francais smells incredibly similar, although a little sweeter than Ortigia and more citrusy than Soleil Blanc, and much more long lasting. It opens with a bold hit of neroli, in all its bitter green glory, but as it starts to settle it becomes increasingly creamy, leaving behind a balmy, salty feeling - like the scent of your skin after a day spent sunbathing on the French Riviera.
It's incredibly chic, just like the rest of the Celine offerings.

Dewy floral, green unripe charm. Salty, raw, somehow melancholic. The broken stem of a lily. A summer breeze drifting in through the open window of a seaside villa. A graceful woman with a swan-like neck.

On a less romantic note (but just as evocative, if you ask me) - Monica Bellucci in a white linen dress on a yacht. This is how someone recently described Lys Mediterranee to me, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then. I'll try channeling this exact energy this summer. Hopefully it works - I'll report back.