The Unmentionable Subject: Dupes

Forgive me for my naivete, dear readers. I'm not sure if this is a forbidden subject, but it's one that I feel compelled to write about today. Whether we're trying to duplicate a long-discontinued scent, stumble upon a fragrance that bears more than a passing resemblance to another, or are actually seeking out a cheaper alternative, there is that unseemly, underground world of perfume 'dupes' that seems to be avoided as a topic altogether.

(Sesame Street's: One of These Things is Not Like The Other, courtesy of youtube :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueZ6tvqhk8U

In my early perfumista days, I sought out cheaper alternatives to fragrances I was not able to get my hands on. My fragrance obsession ironically reached it's height as soon as I moved from the big city back to my hometown. Unfortunately for me, 'niche' is unheard of here, the most one can hope to sniff is the vast array of new celebrity scent releases. Dig a bit further, and there are perhaps one or two Chanel or Guerlain sources (that would be the bare minimum, no 'Exclusifs' to be found).

When I returned to my hometown, I opted to take advantage of etailers who offered wares that were 'inspired' by other scents. Admittedly, some of these purchases were very misguided. In my attempt to find a 'deal', I had spent way too much on alot of scents, rather than just invest in a bottle of the actual fragrance.

One positive that came out of this experiment was the fact that I was introduced to many scents that gave me a very cohesive idea of what the original is meant to smell like. In some instances, the 'dupe' would be virtually indistinguishable from the original.

image taken from www.fragrantica.com

Unintentional duplications are scents that due to coincidence, (or something else entirely) resemble one another. I'm sure there are many, but the one pair that instantly comes to mind is the (long-discontinued and rare) Gloria by Cacharel and Guerlain's Spirituese Double Vanille. Another is Dior's Miss Dior Cherie, and Soap and Glory's Girligo Body Mist.

Ironically, the scents we're desperate to duplicate the most, the long-discontinued are often un-dupable. One of the many cruelties of life and fragrance appreciation.

What say you, fellow perfume addicts? Is the 'dupe' subject untouchable, or dare you contribute your two cents?

The Scents of Melancholia

(image taken from my bedroom window at dusk, sometime earlier this year :)


Taking in the essence of a fragrance can enhance one's mood, evoke emotion, or provide some kind of fragrant association. In my mind, there are several scents in the fragrant world that evoke that true sense of melancholia. Whether it's a rainy day, you're down in the dumps, or your heart is quite simply broken, it's at times therapeutic to just wallow in it and immerse yourself in a scent that embodies your depressed state. For myself, I like to partake in one of the following:



#1. Guerlain Apres l'Ondee

image taken from www.polyvore.com

According to www.fragrantica.com, notes in this fragrance include orange blossom, violet, and aniseed. The scent is meant to evoke those initial moments after a rainfall, where foliage is sweet and wet with fragrance. The traditional Guerlainade is ever-present in this one, artfully enveloped by a very retro violet.

I'm not sure if it's the vintage quality of this fragrance, but wearing this one makes me feel as if I've hopped aboard a time machine and transported myself to the turn of the 20th century. I see myself in an older, damp English home, looking wistfully out its carefully paned window onto a dew-infused garden. In my hand a lover's letter of regret. It's the scent of heartbreak, and when it's time to wallow, this is the perfect fragrance for it.


#2. Christian Dior Dune



image taken from www.dior.com





Puzzlingly described as an 'oceanic' scent, this fragrance embodies the dryness of the desert and imparts such a cold aura that I practically shiver when I wear it. With notes of mandarin, peony and vanilla, (and something else that somehow manages to smell how grains of sand feel), Dune is Cruella Deville-like in its disposition. Despite it's assertion as a desert fragrance, it's positively icy to me. When one isn't ready to face the world in their heartache and is desperate to feign a courageous facade, Dune is positively the way to go.




#3. 'That' scent.








(image taken from www.dezeen.com)




When one is ready to torture oneself in grief, it's time to take in whatever scent reminds you of him or her most. That mystery scent will transport you back in time, to the beginning of love, when everything seemed possible and you never envisioned yourself without them. That mystery scent will be the constant reminder of what once was. You might never reclaim it as anything else.



The Stash Purge

A glimpse of my stash....

When one is as fragrance-obsessed as myself, it's inevitable that a collection will accumulate. Those lemmings duplicate and before we know it...we have more bottles than we know what to do with.


For myself, I had a brief period about 6 years ago where I had purged pretty much everything from my collection...resulting in a grand total of about 5 bottles. Fast forward till now and I can safely say that between samples, decants and full bottles....I'm well past the double-digits.


I was looking at my collection recently and was seized by a fit of anxiety. There was just WAY too much in there. Incredibly overwhelming, attempting to look into my stash and figure out what to wear on any particular day. So I made myself do the unthinkable: take every single bottle out of its box and organize. (Those boxes take up a ton of room!) And yes, my mother's voice popped up into my head, telling me how important it is to keep that precious juice out of sunlight and heat....The problem was that since I had everything boxed, I had literally forgotten about half the stuff in my collection. So I had to weigh my options: have everything hidden and nicely preserved, or unearth all of those dusty bottles (at the risk of having them turn more quickly) and enjoy. Needless to say, I chose the latter.


Realizing how much I had that I literally hadn't worn in years, I had to come to a decision: to keep or not to keep? It's kind of embarrassing, admitting that I have some bottles in my collection purely for nostalgia's sake (Britney Spears Fantasy anyone?) The stuff that I had worn years ago and associate with particular times of my life but rarely revisit. Do they warrant that precious real estate? Is it time to let go? I think so.


I have my moments where I get into a major swap frenzy, trading as much as I can. At certain times though, I have such an insane hankering to get rid of stuff that I just pack it up and send it away to my cousins overseas. Who absolutely love their fumes. (Is it genetic? Maybe so... ;-) I also like to pawn stuff off on other unsuspecting family members (who will often gladly take any castaways :)


What do you fellow perfumistas do when you're hankering for a stash purge? Giveaways to friends and family members? Online auctions, swaps, or do you just put them away somewhere to retrieve later for future enjoyment?

The One that Got Away....

As rabid perfumistas, it seems that we're always looking for the next best thing. As soon as I make a purchase or complete a swap, I'm always reading up on something new, negotiating my next swap, or scanning ebay for a deal. I can admit the fact that it's an obsession; an addiction, borderlining on illness.

Occasionally, I think back to the scents that captured my imagination years ago when I was just beginning my fragrant journey. The ones I had a chance to purchase before they were long-discontinued, or ones that I've always wanted to have in my collection but for whatever reason...I just haven't taken the plunge.

Maybe it's because I'm saving my pennies for the next best new thing, am afraid of not loving the particular perfume as much as I did back then...or just simply because I'm somehow thinking it won't get as much wear as anticipated.

The first perfume that comes to mind in terms of woeful regret, wishing that I had bought a bottle when it was readily available is Joop's All About Eve.



(Image taken from douglas.de)

When I travelled through Europe in the mid-nineties, this one was absolutely everywhere. I first sniffed it in Munich and fell in love. It stands out in my memory for several reasons. The first being that it is in my mind that link to the summer of '96, when I had high hopes about my future and was living out my dream of travelling through a continent that somehow felt more like home than North America ever did. (The fact that this was seemingly never launched in North America reinforced that).

The second reason was that it went completely against the grain of what I usually desired in a fragrance back then. My usual preference was the uber-clean, ozonic aquatic that was ubiquitious. All About Eve was the polar opposite of everything that I had coveted. With it's notes of caramel and apple, it was heady, sweet, and completely different. It had taken Europe by storm that summer, and when I came back to Canada and it was nowhere to be found, I was kicking myself for not christening my student Visa card and plunking down the 90 Deutchmarks for it. (Incidentally, I ended up using that Visa on the flight back. First purchase? The newly-launched Acqua di Gio, duty-free.)


My second regret, wishing that I had purchased vats of it when it was possible to do so (given how much this currently goes for via online auction, I might have been able to retire by now...) is The Body Shop's much-lauded Original Vanilla:



(Image taken from essential-oils-store.com)

At the time, I didn't understand what the huge deal was, why everyone was bemoaning the fact that this one was being re-formulated. After all, a vanilla is a vanilla is a vanilla, right? Turns out that I was wrong. This one has been virtually impossible to duplicate. A bit of sugar cookie, a blast of pure vanilla, and a touch of magic. It's the stuff that dreams are made of. Most recently, a pal of mine parted with a couple of mls of this to add to my collection. As soon as I sampled it, I was instantly transported back in time. High school Biology class, someone seated behind me doused herself with this on a regular basis. Still completely hype-worthy.

What say you, fellow perfumistas? What are the ones that got away in your fragrant world? Are they still readily available, or is the eternal quest on?

What are Your Ultimate Pleasure Scents?

As perfumistas, there are scents that appeal to our creative side, the ones that are complex enough to generate an appreciation. These scents could be worn for the sake of making a statement, going against the mainstream grain. Especially for those of us who live far away from any larger urban centres, wearing certain niche scents that may be considered artistically advanced and particularly complex might garner a particular sense of satisfaction.

There are times though, where it's just necessary to wear whatever gives us pleasure. The hedonist in me occasionally eschews the complex in favour of juice that makes me shudder with pleasure. Most recently, there have been a few 'fumes that have literally made my eyes roll to the back of my head whenever sniffed. (How's that for a ringing endorsement?)

#1: Guerlain Gourmand Coquin



(Image taken from http://www.fragrantica.com/)


On a recent trip to the U.S., my fragrant dream of browsing the scent selection at Saks came true. I stopped by the Guerlain counter, wanting desperately to get my hands on some of the exclusive scents that would otherwise not be available to me at the tiny Guerlain section at my local Sears counter. The SA inquired as to what Guerlain scents I had sampled before, and thus determined that I should try this one. The usual SA recommendations leave me cold, however this lady knew exactly what she was doing. One whiff of this stuff sent me over the moon. Perhaps it's that pleasure centre that so closely forms the association between scent and taste. The cocoa accord in this one simply made my mouth water. I can't recall what other notes I detected. It simply didn't matter. Within days, I was in negotiations for a decant.

#2: Ormonde Jayne Ta'if



(image taken from http://www.ormondejayne.com/)


This particular floral is anything but typical. A spice-infused rose, it challenges convention. It's not possible to come up with a more atypical floral. One sniff sends me into sensory overdrive. When I wear this one, I find that my nose is perpetually glued to my wrist. Hours later, when I think its final notes have departed, I'm surprised to find it has retained its integrity full-force, especially on fabric. I can honestly say that I wear this one solely for myself.


#3 Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb




Image taken from http://www.fragrantica.com/



It truly doesn't get much more delectable than this. Not particularly complex or original in concept, Flowerbomb gets my senses going. This sugary, patch-infused scent is my ultimate guilty pleasure. I'll where it absolutely anywhere (except for my 'fragrance free' work environment. ;-) Any compliments garnered are a mere bonus in my world. No matter who else wears it, I still consider it to be solely my own.

What say you, fellow readers? What are your guilty pleasure staples? I'd love to add more to my list! :)

Drugstore Gems, Part #1

So yes. I fully admit the fact that despite my occasional 'fume snobbery, I have major love for some unlikely drugstore candidates. Many (if not all) of these Drugstore Gems have been reformulated at one point or another (what hasn't?) but for those of you who find yourselves out running errands at your local CVS (or SDM, for us Canadians :) hankering for a cheap thrill, look no further:


Drugstore Gem #1: Dana's Tabu




All Tabu images courtesy of www.danaclassics.com



Up until about a year ago, I wouldn't have touched this stuff with a ten foot pole. Everything about this scent was the absolute antithesis of what I considered wearable and confident. It was unbearably outdated to me. 
One sniff transported me to an older woman's dusty, cigarette smoke-infused, oriental rug-filled, depressingly empty estate home. When my high school boyfriend begged me to wear it for him, I recoiled. I may have wretched too.
(My preferred scent: Perry Ellis' 360. How times have changed...)

I managed to score a gift set of Tabu before this past holiday season. In it were the following: two violin dab bottles of EDC (one 30 ml, one 90 ml....the 30 ml alone would last 3 lifetimes) and the very coveted dusting powder. (I will fully admit that I bought this set primarily for the dusting powder. Dusting powders seem to be a rare find these days). I was also very intrigued by the option of having a sheer, veil-like Tabu option.

The current EDC opens up with heavy myrrh and old-school amber to my nose. After warming for a few minutes, jasmine, rose and musk emerge. This scent harkens back to a time when ladies dressed up to do their grocery shopping. There is a certain refinement to this fragrance that simply doesn't exist in present-day mainstream perfumery. The tiniest dab will do ya. I personally can't imagine wearing this one to my ('fragrance free') workplace, but would readily bust it out for a quiet dinner or night in.





The dusting powder is truly a fantastic find. If you snag some via gift set, and can get past the extremely bargain-basement packaging (cardboard and some off-centre lettering, different from the individually-sold option above) what is inside is worth discovering. A finely-milled, silky powder that imparts all of the best elements of Tabu without overwhelming oneself, or those around you.

I find this powder to infuse some much-needed decadence and comfort during these grey wintry days. I also think this one will get alot of wear during summer months, where the nature of the product itself (a cooling powder as opposed to a heavy amber-based perfume) and whispery scent will be welcomed.



Drugstore Gem #2: Alyssa Ashley Musk




Image courtesy of www.alyssaashley.com



A polar opposite to Tabu, Alyssa Ashley Musk was a staple in my mom's collection when I was a child. When we'd venture overseas to visit relatives, she would bring bottles of this stuff to give out as gifts. For those who are looking for a straight up, clean musk, look no further. The oil version is especially warm and skin-like and layers well under florals and orientals alike. Widely considered a feminine scent, I'd venture to say that it veers towards unisex. For those days when I'm at a loss as to what to wear, or am feeling headachy and somewhat perfume-intolerant, this is the one I reach for.

Looking at the graphic above, I admit that I'm a bit astonished as to how many layering options there are. I've seen the oil, EDT and lotion, but have been completely unaware of the 'super' moisturizing cream and EDP. More lemmings created in my world. (Because I clearly need more of those ;-)

What are your favourite guilty drugstore pleasures fellow perfumistas? Don't be ashamed to reveal them, your secret is safe with me. ;-)

A Tale of Two Ouds

Confession: I'm waiting for the ranks to come out of the woodwork and revoke my perfumista card. Why? For the simple fact that up until recently, I had not had the privilege of sampling an oud-based fragrance. I knew that it was one of the new 'hot' fragrance notes, heard a bit about it via messageboards and the like....

Until about 5 minutes ago, I had no idea what oud was. Let me enlighten you via Wikipedia:

Agarwood or oodh (or just agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops^[1] trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold. Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured; however, as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with 'Bakhoor') and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.

Perhaps I had sent some kind of subliminal messaging into the universe, imploring the perfume gods to permit me to sample something with oud in it, because within the span of a couple of weeks, two distinct fragrances fell into my lap. More fortunate I couldn't be.

The first is R'Oud Elements from the House of Kerosene.


Image courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/

Youtube fragrance reviewer Kerosene has decided to translate his love of scents into a series of his own creations. R'oud Elements, the first Kerosene launch, is described by its creator as 'An edp with notes of Oud, Sandalwood, Amber, Vanilla, Lavender, Iris and Orange Bitters. R'oud Elements has a smoldering oud opening that will tingle your nose hairs, then after about twenty minutes, settles down to a velvety oud and lightly spicy woody scent. Masculine and warm'.


From the manner of fragrance blending, to meticulous packaging, (the bottle is painted by Kerosene with automotive grade paint and clearcoat,) execution of the first Kerosene scent is clearly a labour of love.
Not one to shout his accomplishments from the rooftops, Kerosene has decided to quietly spread the word (and generous samples), to let his first creation speak for itself.


First spritz yields a blast of sandalwood to my untrained nose. The orange bitters emerge rather quickly with none of the sharpness of a typical citrus. After approximately 30 minutes, I can detect a distinct church incense note that stirs my senses. Must be the oud. I'd like to say that it's hidden, but it simply rides on the coattails of the vanilla, iris and lavender. The olfactory equivalent of a plush cashmere scarf, this 'masculine' scent is indeed warm, but I daresay, not exclusively for enjoyment by members of the male persuasion.





A very sharp contrast was the second fragrance that I received, via RAOK from the best swapper ever through Makeupalley: Montale's Black Aoud.
According to http://www.luckyscent.com/ Black Aoud's notes incorporate the following : Red rose, aoud, labdanum, and sandalwood.




Image courtesy of http://www.luckyscent.com/


I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to sample a scent that packs this much of a punch. This perfume had saturated the box and packaging that it was shipped in and had made its presence known even before I had opened it.


Upon testing this fragrance, the one resounding impression in my mind was that of darkness. I envisioned a resinous, stalagmite-dripped cave, laden with wet clay and earth. Oud and wilted flowers. The opaqueness of the bottle it is housed in tells its story well. More than a hint of raw sensuality. Wallflowers need not apply. I'd envision this one worn by someone on a mission of seduction. I doubt the intended would have the ability to say no.


I had wondered about this much talked-about, notorious fragrance note and the universe delivered. Two distinctly different scents with the incorporation of oud. Both unlike anything else, but so very different from one another.

If I were to offer some advice to a fellow perfumista who would love to sample an oud fragrance for the first time, (or one who had tried other ouds and found them too brash) my recommendation would lie with R'oud Elements. R'oud would also get a shout out to ladies who love to keep them guessing with a scent that veers towards the masculine.

For those who have no need to tone things down for the sake of their fragrance-adverse office mates, who are on a clear path to astonishment, the Montale would be an alternate choice. It's safe to say that I have never sampled anything that reminds me of either oud selection. Both stand on their own as olfactory masterpieces.