Wazamba

I've actually got a lot of things on order.  Barneys had their fall bag event, so got some things at that time which haven't been delivered yet. They did have Serge Lutens Tubéreuse Criminelle in the export bottles for sale online, so I ordered one of those directly off the web site.  Observant readers will notice that I already have this in a bell jar.

After dancing around it for years, I also got a bottle of Parfum d'Empire Wazamba.  It definitely works better in cooler weather (and it's been really hot here lately).  I'm looking forward to wearing it later in the year.

I'm not sure I like their new bottles.

Honey Hush

I stayed in Nagoya for the last three weeks of February.  While there, I ordered a bottle of Ginestet Botrytis (100 ml), despite my initial misgivings, in my quest for yet more honey. To be honest, I really haven't had time to test it very much, but it was not what I was expecting.  Certainly not oversweet, from what I can tell, but rather heavy (despite being an edt), and not particularly honey-like.  Again, I'll have to try it more later.  Not all that girly, though.

I also got a 3 ml bottle of Madini Oils Musk Gazelle,  Again, I've not had much time to spend with it.

Barneys is having their spring bag event. Patty was texting me as my flight taxied on the runway at O'Hare, and told me to pre-order so that I could get the man bag.  So I ordered a bell jar of Serge Lutens Tubéreuse Criminelle (75 ml). It really doesn't seem overly tuberosey, and I think I will be able to pull it off, especially dabbed.

Last month, Gaia at the Non Blonde wrote in a post that Miel de Bois had been reformulated, and that the new one didn't cut it.  Ever since, I have been on the lookout for an old bottle of it (it was originally released in 2005, and, I think, was changed to the exclusive line and reformulated in 2010).

While at Barneys last week, I was talking with the sales assistants, and one of them had an old export line bottle (50 ml). Turns out, she really hates it.  I already have a bell jar of it, and really love that version. She out of the blue said she would give her bottle to me! I offered to trade it for my Vaporisateur Tout Noir with 30 ml of Fourreau Noir, which I had received as a giveaway from the Serge Lutens site (the other 30 ml I gave to my sister Janet for Christmas.  I already have a bell jar of Fourreau Noir). So, yesterday, when the bag event had officially started and I could pick up my Tubéreuse Criminelle, we exchanged perfumes.  I am so happy about this you just don't know!

The 50 ml bottle (which the batch code on it dates to 2006) and bell jar juice definitely are different! I have only sprayed the export line version and only dabbed the bell jar version.  Therefore, a true comparison would have them applied in the same manner.  I'll do this at another date.  I had too much stuff on that I was trying yesterday.  I kinda sorta have a date tonight (some young'un who lives a few blocks south wants to meet me after he is done with work), so won't be doing the comparisons today.  (UPDATE:  young'un cancelled!) The sprayed MdB is still going strong on my arm 12 hours later and definitely is more acrid than the newer version.  I do think I love them both and glad I was able to get this!!!

The man bag from the bag event was really generous this time out.  Included was a 50 ml (?) bottle of Ulrich Lang Nightscape, which I still haven't tried. I was able to get samples of Frédéric Malle Monsieur. and The Night, which I guess I can order for $800 for 50 ml! We shall see!!

I did order a bottle of Demeter Beeswax, which still hasn't arrived. I'm not expecting a whole lot from it. But it was cheap.

UPDATE:  Beeswax arrived today (14 March), after a weird mixup with my mailing address.  Not great, but certainly better than that horrible Tokyomilk thing.

Oud Shamash

Yesterday, on the way home following a particularly grueling week at work, I was taking public transportation home with Miguel from work, and it turns out he is into perfume as well....  He said he was going to be going downtown today to shop for something.  When I asked what, he said maybe something By Kilian..... So we talked a bit before he had to get off the train.  He almost bought some Amouages when he was in Kuwait.  He said they were $100 in duty free.

Anyway, since we were talking about that, I figured I would go to Barneys today, which I did.  I was going to get Comme des Garçons 2 Man again.... but got sidetracked and got The Different Company's Oud Shamash instead.  I am not particularly a fan of this house, so I hope I continue to like it.  I got a sample of it a while back, and remember it being kind of sweet, which I didn't find it so today.

I also got rather large samples of La Fille de Berlin and Tubéreuse Criminelle.





Image from The Different Company.