fragrance

Carven Le Parfum EDP Perfume Review

Carven Le Parfum Carven

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

I had heard a few good things about Carven Le Parfum, but with so many new launches and me catching up on old launches, this one slipped through. I didn’t know anything about it other than the bottle is attractive (well, it’s photogenic at least). I stumbled across a sample, sprayed it and said, “This has to be a Kurkdjian”. And it is.

Kurkdjian does wonderful things with rose but I live for what he does with white… Continue reading | 2 Comments

fragrance

Chanel Cuir de Russie EDT Perfume Review

Chanel Cuir de Russie

Some perfumes make me feel like a crummy perfume blogger and Chanel Cuir de Russie in the Exclusifs Collection is one of those perfumes that gives me those feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I like Cuir de Russie and enjoy wearing it. It’s so Chanel and it’s no doubt a classic; however, I find I don’t really have much to say about it. I wish I had a story to tell you or I could come up with wonderful associations, but I don’t. I like Cuir… Continue reading | 12 Comments

fragrance

Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Oud EDP Perfume Review

Mona di Orio Oud

For years I have avoided sampling Mona di Orio Oud in fear that I’d fall in love with something that I would never buy. I have never bought a perfume $200+. Actually, I don’t think I’ve purchased anything $150+. When I witnessed something getting praised that retails for $500+, I knew to stay away. After two years of peer pressure, “Oh, Victoria, this perfume is so ‘you’, you’ve got to try it!“, I gave up. I’ve done more than try it, I fell in love with Mona… Continue reading | 16 Comments

fragrance

2011 National Sense of Smell Day

1920's actress Mary Astor

Sense of smell. I know that all of my readers are “sensory” people. We all understand descriptors like “damp”, “bitter”, and “dry” when we speak of fragrance. I find that many of my readers are also foodies and can equally “read” a description of a flavor/taste and understand. As a sensory person, I thought all people had this skill. I spent childhood rubbing various leaves between my fingers, sniffing them, and “filing” those smells in my brain. I spent adolescence sniffing every… Continue reading | 4 Comments