Let's Get Serious

I brought samples with me this trip. Naoki only has Givenchy Insense Ultramarine, no thanks! I see his bottle is running dry... yay!

I was going to bring my backup bottle of Dzongkha and leave it here, for when I was here. However, I wore it a couple days ago, and could imagine getting really sick of it if I wore it every day. I still may buy Francine's bottle offa her because she doesn't want it.

SO, the samples:

Byredo M/Mink. I'm seriously debating buying this.

Frederic Malle Une Fleur de Cassie and Dans Tes Bras. I got a lot of Malle samples recently, both before and after buying Portrait of a Lady. I brought just the two, because I wanted to clarify things in my head somewhat. One reason I think I wasn't so nuts about the Xerjoffs is that I tried them all at the same time. I was afraid of doing the same with the Malles. Une Fleur de Cassie, because I am trying to like florals more, and Carnal Flower smells a tad post-coital on me. Dans Tes Bras, because Shelley makes it sound so great! Plus, I was there when she bought it. I was not so entirely excited about the Malle line initially. Musc Ravageur, I really didn't like (smells of Nestle's Quik on me, although, maybe the oil is better, thank you, Katie Puckrick). Vetiver Extraordinaire doesn't seem wholly original to me. Portrait of a Lady kind of turned my head around, both for Malle and florals. I am still trying to adjust to it. I need to develop the perfect spray level. When Christina at Barneys sprayed it on me, it was perfect. I find that when I spray it on, I am conscious of it all day, which kinda bugs me. Anita says it gave her a headache, and I can see that. So I need to lower the level or something. I still love it, and it gets my best release of 2010 vote. Anita thinks it will reveal itself in hot weather, so we shall see.

By Kilian Cruel Intentions. I was not expecting to like this at all, but find I do. It reminds me of Amouage Epic Man, which is on my wish list. They are about the same price, so one or the other. I have Back to Black in the nifty travel atomizer and A Taste of Heaven in the full bottle-and-box presentation. In retrospect, I should have reversed these: Back to Black in the bottle, and A Taste of Heaven in the travel size, because I like the former more. But A Taste of Heaven is a beautiful lavender if there ever was one. Much nicer than Caron Pour Un Homme, which is a bit musty on me (though cheap! and, if you don't compare it to the Kilian, it is also a beautiful lavender once the mustiness fades). But Serge's Gris Clair... is my fave lavender still. Anyway, Cruel Intentions is the only other Kilian to make an impression (as in "want") on me so far (I need to test Pure Oud more, though it is entirely out of my budget).

Vero Profumo Kiki and Onda edps. I haven't tried the pure parfums of these yet (I also have a sample of Rubj in edp, but didn't bring it). I have worn Onda once so far, want to explore these more.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Cœur de Vétiver Sacré. I really love Karine Vinchon's L'Eau de Jatamansi (in the summer, it is all I can do not to wear it every day), so want to give this a fair chance (she also did Amouage's Opus III and Memoir Man, both of which I have samples). My first reaction was that CdVS was a bit sweet on me (another L'Artisan, Traversee du Bosphore is also really sweet and I want to give it more time, too, but didn't bring). And I am kinda sorta a L'Artisan fanboy, if you haven't noticed.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue Pour le Soir. Francis Kurkdjian, Francis Kurkdjian.... I have not smelled a single thing he has made that I liked. Until this. I own Davidoff's Silver Shadow, which smells of baby powder, pretty much. I have gotten similar reactions to others by him. Meh. Absolue Pour le Soir, however, seems different. I was pretty positive about it when I wore it the once.

So, that's what I brought. I am here ten days (maybe longer, if I can get someone to pick up my hours on January 13th and 14th). Eight samples, so there should be some repeats. I wore Borneo 1834 on the plane over. So... maybe I'll do some reviews since I have idle hands all day, every day (Naoki will be working much of the time. He's out visiting his mother, who is very ill, as we speak).