A pink rose resting against a tiny Guerlain gold accented bottle, filled with pale pink eau.
A noncommittal and tired rose–a little dusty (the blooms might be fading a bit)–in some canned mixed fruit, heavy on the pink grapefruit wedges.
Boring, and not even that high end. I’m rather sad about it.
Edit – 1/5/2022
I had to go back and give a re-sniff, just to see if my negativity might have been the weather, or just my dreary mood, but nope, this is definitely a disappointment. Oddly, it was designed by the same guy who did Teazzurra, which is one of my favorite scents ever.
Mini Guerlain beehive bottle on a tiny white cardboard box printed with orange blossoms.
Flora Nerolia is basically everything I love in a good neroli essential oil with three times the staying power and an added touch of elegance. Opens with spring sunshine and honey caught in a crystal decanter, then jasmine and pettigrain rough it up to make it organic and skanky. (The lushness could get sweaty in the summer. In winter it’s like wearing hope on the skin.)
Sadly discontinued. Secondhand prices are weird on this one–I’ve seen empty boxes go for more than full bottles.
Wore this the entire week that one crazy midsummer. Still makes me feel hungover.
Edit – 10/12/21
Anisia Bella doesn’t make me ill anymore–I can finally drink ouzo again, too–but it’s definitely a scent for high summer.
The anise and licorice are too spicy for spring, the basil and tea too herbal for autumn. The citrus kick at the top is a lovely summer lemon seltzer, and the drydown was biscotti in another lifetime.
Nice. Leans a bit more butch fade than Teazzurra‘s fringe bob. For more accessible options, try any incantation of the original Lolita Lempicka, or 4711’s Blood Orange & Basil.
Guerlain beehive mini bottle with blue flower printed box behind.
Huh. So that’s what gentians smell like. Interesting. And odd! Not as sweet and delicate as the Regency romances would have one believe–like did the author actually research this? Or did they just go looking for “blue flower that grows in England?” This is NOT a flower a swooning Georgian debutante would tuck into her bodice, unless she was trying to seduce the groundskeeper. (Which might make an interesting story, actually.)
2/16/23 – Edit
Pulled this out when sniffing Lacoste Match Point yesterday, to compare the gentian. It’s such a weird tangled green garden scent, that touches on tomato leaf and clover honey, bell pepper and sage dust.
Gentiana, after the first grapefruit squeeze, goes fast into that chaotic herbal floral, with a touch of nectar to soften the bitterness, and bit of lavender-ish soap suds to wash off the garden soil. Some sandalwood on the bottom keeps it from getting too discombobulated.
One of the nicer Aqua Allegorias. (Pamplelune is bolder and better.)
kira a. gold 