herbal

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Melissa & Verbena

4711 cut crystal flask with simple Kelly green and gold label.

Or, lemon balm and vervain.
Bright citrus without the bite, that settles down to woody tonic water.

Greener and sharper and more linear than the original–I miss the sweetness and the quickly shifting nuances–but longer lasting.
Good for cocktails on the patio, perhaps.

Edit — 8/14/21

I usually pass fragrances that I wouldn’t wear on to someone who would appreciate them, but I’ve had Melissa & Verbena for years and still not found a home for it.
There’s an herbal musk at the bottom that sits strangely on the skin, so not one to use as a mask spritz, either.

4711 released it in 2009, but I don’t think it was in production long.
Lemon & Ginger was the hit of that run, and is still made today.

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This came out the same year. Saw it in concert–it was awesome.

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Lotus Sake

TokyoMilk solid perfume and matchbox, and gold capped bottle, both featuring two ladies in cheongsam dresses.

TokyoMilk #53 touts Crisp Greens, Plum, Green Lotus, Warm Sake on the label–
–and yeah, this stuff smells like a drunk dinner salad.
(The parfum solide adds oil to the dressing.)

Has an interesting vegan prep chef aura–I’ll toss the solid and keep the eau.

Edit 2/1/23

Unearthed this one today and did a double take, then did a comparison test, and yep, it’s got a LOT in common with Un Jardin sur le Nil—
Maybe I’m into alcoholic vegetables?

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A bit of crunk.


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Aqua Allegoria Anisia Bella

Guerlain beehive bottle and star anise.

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.

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I played this song a lot that summer.

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Aqua Allegoria Gentiana

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.)

Also, I just ordered gentian seeds.

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More Blue –

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Crushed

White cat sniffing a black bottle with a butterfly illustration.

#32 – Witchy grape soda.

This brand is ridiculous.

“Earth & Moss” and “Crushed Herbs?” Just say wormwood and stop being coy.
“Wild Grass?” Ookaaay.
The Jasmine I get.

It’s actually pretty good.

Edit – 2/12/2023

Well, I went back for it.

There’s an effervescent sweet wisteria purple that lingers for hours with hints of absinthe, that makes it enchanting and a little evil–poisoned soda pop at a birthday party.

Might be too young for me now–lately I’m more kitchen crone than fairy princess–but I don’t care.

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