Concrete

I went to Japan for two weeks back in the beginning of September, so put my buying on hold.  I meant to get a bottle of Hermès Cuir d'Ange, but I didn't.  There were also some Serge Lutens in duty free for about $100, though I already had most. Was going  to get Une Fille de Berlin, but, then, didn't.

So I've been back two weeks, back to work.  Have got a lot in those two weeks.

First and foremost, I got Comme de Garçons Concrete (80 ml).  There have been some complaints that it's not sandalwood and it's not petrichor..... well, I do think it is sandalwood.  Kind of a sweet one.  But better than a lot of recent sandalwoods out there.  I like it!  Nice variation on the standard pebble bottle, too, by having it made of actual concrete.

I also picked up bottle of Comme des Garçons Carnation (100 ml) from the Red Series. This is a pretty good carnation, not as clovey as usual.  This may be my favorite of what I have from the Red Series so far (I also have Harissa and Palisander).

I aso got yet another of L'Artisan Parfumeur's Mon Numéro series, Mon Numéro 4 (100 ml).  I certainly like it more than 3 and 9. I'll probably get more use of it.  Does lavender and leather make a barbershop scent?  I really don't think so.  I like it and will probably get use out of it.

On a whim, and after reading a positive review of it on Persolaise, I got a bottle of Reminiscence Oud (100 ml).  I've never really tried anything from Reminiscence before.  It's pretty nice.  Don't smell any oud at all, though.  Sadly, it doesn't come in the starry bottle.

Finally, I ordered a bottle back before I went to Japan of Serge Lutens De Profundis (75 ml).  I have yet to go pick it up.  Maybe today.  I've been busy and/or sleeping. By the time I wake up Barneys is closed.

Whew!  Also decants of Areej le Doré Siberian Musk (I guess I mentioned this before) and Oud Zen.  You, know? They're ok.  I don't think I needed full bottles.  I'm curious what they'll come out with in the future and am glad to have smelled natural musk.

Yet Another Bag Event

Today I had lunch with Sara Dornacker from work.  We went to The Cheesecake Factory, where another co-worker, Laura Marshall, works.   Sara is, I guess a regular there.  Anyway, I am still stuffed.

Afterwards, we went to Barneys.  They were having their fall bag event.  So, yes, I bought some stuff.

First, I got Comme des Garçons Ouarzazate, from their Incense Series.  I'm meaning to get all five, eventually.  It's not as show-offy as others in the series, but I like it.  It probably would have been better in the summer, and it has been getting colder and colder, lately.

Next, I got Serge Lutens Louve.  I had a sample of this, and tried it recently.  I don't think a lot of people like this one.   The Perfume Guide only gives it two stars.  I do think it is very nice, especially now that it is getting colder.  I may have more words on this later, after I have worn it more.

Barneys in New York has begun carrying all the non-export line in what they call "cloche" bottles.  (The Serge Lutens web site calls them "flacons de table.") Prices are roughly twice what they are in Paris.  I guess that is to be expected.  I ordered five samples from Surrender to Chance (my first order since they broke away from The Perfumed Court):  La Myrrhe, De Profundis, Boxeuses, Iris Silver Mist, and Fourreau Noir. I figured I wasn't about to blind buy a $300 bottle of perfume, and these were the ones I was most interested in.  Surrender to Chance also sells empty bell jars for, like, $9.  So I got one for Bornéo 1834, which I have in the export line spray bottle.  Muscs Koublaï Khän and Borneo 1834 seem kind of perfect if they were in bell jars.  I figure I can decant my bottle of Borneo into the bell jar.  I had bought a 15 ml decant of MKK in a bell jar a few years back from the Perfumed Court, but I never decanted my 50 ml export version into it (they do smell the same).  The MKK bottle's label was kind of smudged when I got it.  The Borneo bottle is in perfect shape, though... so I think I will go through with it.  If I like other non-export scents, and they are not exporting them soon, I may plunk down eventually for a cloche bottle.  Why not?  The cloche bottles are 75 ml.

I also got a 1/4 ml sample of Amouage Homage.  I haven't tried it yet (nor have I tried the Lutens decants). I was looking for something else today, and I found my sample, or what's left of it, of Amouage Tribute.  I'll hang on to it until my bottle comes (it's currently on backorder), considering all this talk about reformulation.

Sara was acting very conspiratorial with Andy at Barneys, and she ended up buying Nuit de Cellophone, which I thought an odd choice.

26 September 2012 EDIT:

Sara smelled very good in Nuit de Cellophane.  It actually was a good choice for her.  Beautiful.  I guess I pretty much ignored it previously because it was a floral.  I still don't think it would work on me.

While I had been at Barneys, I tried Bois de Violette.  I'd like to try it more.  I have Féminité du Bois already, but it really does smell different from the Shiseido version (of which I have a 1 ml sample somewhere).  I think Bois de Violette smells more like the Shiseido version.... although, I would have to compare them.  Anyway, more research!

I tried my sample of Homage, and, to be honest, was kind of disappointed.  I gave my sample, for what it is, to Sara, because she liked it. I hope I am not disappointed with Tribute whenever it arrives. I'm saving the remainders of my Tribute sample so I can compare it with the bottle when I get it.