Perfume and Film

In a recent post by Ça Fleure Bon, Pam Barr has a review of Bruno Fazzolari's new fragrance, Seyrig. In it, she cites Mr. Fazzolari as saying the "cinematic inspiration" for the scent was Faye Dunaway from the late '60s to early '70s.  I find this surprising, since I had figured it referred to Delphine Seyrig.

Similarly, when Serge Lutens released La Réligieuse, the first thing that popped into my head was Anna Karina in Jacques Rivette's film of Diderot's novel (not a happy tale). Reviews I have read have not made this connection.   The Sound of Music and Sister Bertrille have been mentioned, though. Perfume Shrine does discuss Diderot, and perhaps French reviews have as well.

Anyway, just wondering if the connections I made are legit.

EDIT.  I guess a newer film version of La Réligieuse came out in 2013, starring Isabelle Huppert.




Delphine Seyrig photo from Edward Copeland's Tangents.
Anna Karina photo from piclist.com. 

Yet More

I just happened to be looking at the Women's Beauty section of the Barneys Warehouse web site (I almost never do) and they were selling the 20th anniversary bottle of 10 Corso Como for half off, so I grabbed it.  True, I already have 10 Corso Como, but I figured I would get this bottle.  I wonder if they smell the same. I can give my other bottle to one of my sisters for Christmas.  Anyway, I checked the web site the next day and it was sold out (along with a normal bottle of the 50 ml.).  So, good timing.  Groovy bottle.

I also ordered Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque (50 ml.) directly from the Serge Lutens web site.  Anyway, lots of giveaways:  5 ml. minis of Ambre Sultan, Un Bois Vanille, La Réligieuse, La Fille de Berlin, and Clair de Musc; 2 pages of the wax sample book; and 1 ml. spray samples of Bas de Soie and L'Eau Serge Lutens. Anyway, I'll give some of these away. Tamio said he liked L'Eau Serge Lutens the other day when I wore it, so I'll give him the sample. I don't like Ambre Sultan... should I keep it as reference? Give it away? I'm still deciding. I already have samples of Bois de Soie and La Fille de Berlin and I own Un Bois Vanille.

Serge Serge Serge

So my bell jar of Mandarine-mandarin (I just now noticed the hyphen) came the other day.  Fortunately, it smells the same as my sample does (sometimes they don't!).  I'm really happy I got this.  I looked at my initial response to the sample from a couple years ago.... I wasn't impressed.  I think I was kind of overdosed on Serges at that time.  See that post though, for that really beautiful bell jar.

I got this at Barneys.  I also ordered two more Serges, Bois et Fruits and Cèdre from Beauty Encounter.  Both came in the mail today.  I can't try these all at once or I will probably be ill. So I will leave my thoughts for another day. Today I probably will wear Mandarine-mandarin, though.

White and Black

Once again, Barneys is having a bag event.  I got two Comme des Garçons fragrances:  White and Black -- nyuck nyuck nyuck.   I've been trying to get White for the past year, but they never had it in stock.  Also, perversely, whenever I want to get something by Comme des Garçons, the sales assistants always start to show me something else.   I guess they're too inexpensive!!

I had tried Black before, but thought it too sweet, but liked it.  I liked it much more today.  It seems more gourmand-ish than I remember it.  Anyway, so in an unimaginative way, I bought two related perfumes and was able to buy enough to get the bag.   I almost got Zagorsk, which I've been circling for a while, but figured I could wait until the weather got colder. 

I had been looking at the Le Labo stuff.  I actually am interested in getting Ylang 49.  A sales assistant came up to me asking me about the line.  I said I was interested in the ylang, and she started showing me Vetiver 46! What's wrong with these people???

I also did order Mandarine-mandarin, as I said, so will get another bag.  Today's bag was with women's samples.  Supposedly the one I'll get with the Serge is with men's samples. 

Frango Mints

I recently made a few purchases.

First off, Serge Lutens Vétiver Oriental, which was available in 50 ml from a discounter.

Is it just me, or does this remind anyone of the smell of Frango Mints (or, alternately, Fannie May Meltaways)?  Maybe I'm imagining things. I do like it and am glad I got it.  I've been on a Serge kick as of late.  I may get Mandarine Mandarin next.

I also got Aramis Perfume Calligraphy Saffron, which was on sale fairly cheap.  This was a blind buy.  I have yet to wear it extensively.  I was not expecting a whole lot.

Lastly, a retailer on Amazon.com was selling the elusive Shiseido Basala in the edt, so I got it.  It smells ok, but I fear it may be a counterfeit.  The lettering at the bottom of the bottle ("Eau de Toilette" and "Shiseido") rubbed off almost immediately when I opened the box.

I've been searching for this for years. It's near impossible to find.  I think I will give up looking. This is much stronger than the after shave, which I got several years ago.  However, it comes across somewhat thinner than I remember it.  It does last on my skin fairly long, though.