This one bridges the gap between Lolita Lempicka L’Eau en Blanc and the original first scent, but somehow loses the vibrancy of both parents.
Pretty mixed-up berries in the beginning that eventually decide they’re black currants, then aniseed hits with the usual LL violet-iris notes before it settles in close with pleasant white musk and sandalwood powder.
A good bridesmaid perfume.
This is a lovely “first dance” wedding song–
It’s pretty, in a girl’s First Perfume kind of way–
Opens with spring floral orchard blooms, then fades to a powdery, almost childish cherry. Lasts the length of a junior high date, with cinema seat projection.
There’s nothing really special about it–Outremer’s Cola has that marvelous splashy pop, and Pêche is pure sass and juice–so I was expecting a kick of something more.
Here’s a song with a lot of kick–
From the 4711 Acqua Colonia line–
All the fruity citrus breakfast brunch drinks (garnished with parsley) in an instant spritz, and I love it.
The peach dries to powder in five minutes, and the green coriander lingers for another ten, and then it’s gone with no residue, leaving one refreshed in that magical burst that only 4711 has.
Beck is also magically refreshing.
This is lemon Italian ice, sold from a cheery street vendor in August.
Sugary citrus blooms, loud, with a wet floral that is supposed to be lotus, but seems more like yellow roses, with synthetic papery wooden notes underneath.
Citrine is sweet but safe, polite sillage that doesn’t overstay its welcome, no risks, no glory.
It needs a layer of musk, or even a bite of something animalic to make it shine.
Bono channeling his inner Elton-Bowie-Elvis is amazing. Whether you grin or groan, you have to admit he takes risks–and the song is great.
Honeysuckle nectar and lilac and more honey, then a mouthful of cherry and lily-of-the-valley cream, but always the pervasive tropical green note that is the Zoologist trademark.
Sits a few inches above the skin for several hours, but it’s too sweet for me.
This cover of Leon Russell’s Hummingbird (made famous by BB King) is also sweet but much less flighty–
Vintage bottle from the La Collezione Borsari 1870.
There’s a fresh lemony zest to magnolia, a little more creamy/waxy than roses, spring rather than summer. I can find it in the middle of L’Instant de Guerlain, and at the opening of J’adore.
This baby sings in big white full bloom, with an oddly pleasant sour civet and traces of vetiver holding it in place–what research I found indicates it was released in 1970, and those were trendy bases then.
Lasts for decades, in a marvelous retro way.
The Muddy Magnolias are amazing!
I loved the rich fruity floral scent on the peelie, but when I tried it on in the store the amber punched me in the stomach and the patchouli hit me on the head with a hammer.
I got two compliments during my rush to the bathroom to scrub it off, and the guy said “ooh, nice,” when I got home–my shirt cuffs actually smelled wonderfully of peachy rose jam.
So I wouldn’t turn down a mini of this, to save for scarves, but not one for my skin.
*
Got this stuck in my head today–
This one bombs an apple orchard with flowers–exploding petals everywhere–big fat magnolias, roses, white lilies, orange blossoms, ylang ylang, tons of neroli.
White musk takes over after fifteen minutes with a metallic edge that somehow cheapens the flowers, like a vase made from aluminum, then everything fades to a lick of ambergris on the skin.
I’d like it more as a candle.
I dreamed of a pilgrimage to Monet’s waterlily garden, like all impressionable teenage art students–
I got a sample set of 4711 Acqua Colonia and I’m having so much fun with these clever and quick little splashes–I grew up on the original.
This one is bright–a soap-bubble pop of herbal cleansing that finishes with brisk citrus.
The basil sticks pleasantly to cotton for several hours after the orange is long gone.
More Blood Orange pleasant herbal-pop cleverness–
Petrified forest.
The cedar and amber make for a very stony accord, and the nutmeg takes it even earthier, though in a refined, almost preserved, way. (And it does last forever, a few inches above the skin.)
It’s not very exciting, but would pair well with a men’s blue suit.
Some more woodsy blues–
kira a. gold 