Saturday, June 20, 2009

Words returned, eaten

Perhaps it is only fitting that after an extended absence, the words I offer are...eaten.

Did I ever mention that one of the scent families I do not, would not, could not like is carnation?

That I can not enjoy Je Reviens in a box, or Bellodgia with a fox?  That I would not try any ouillet at the fair, that I simply could not imagine going there? 

Hello, Bellodgia parfum.  Open mouth, insert foot.

It opened the way I would expect.  There was that florist's carnation.  But I was busy, and Bellodgia had time to hang around.  And out of the blue, I found myself asking "what smells good?"  (Kind of a tricky question when one is in the midst of a sample binge; I had five to choose from.)  Not only was it lasting, I enjoyed what it had become.  It didn't rock my boat, mind you, and was not "original" or "daring" ... it wasn't the smell of the circus, or your favorite pastry, or the forest floor.

It was simply...nice.  Really nice.

So, blart, I eat my words.  In perfume form, I might appreciate this thing called...carnation.  

But I still don't like Je Reviens.  And I think the trick with any of them that work is going to be the thicker, developed version that a denser concentration allows.  Not necessarily fetid in 10 day old water, mind you...I can create that in my own living room, thank you very much, and I don't necessarily find it attractive...but the pushing back of petal after petal with slowly accumulating non-jarring tangential notes that is the concentrated version.

I did plant a tall carnation in my garden this spring, after years of sticking with the shorter pinks.  Is that a factor?  I don't know.

If you've been here before, thanks for coming back.

17 comments:

Musette said...

That's part of the fun, don't you think? I have fallen in and out of love with cumin in fragrance, as well as rose, which I profess not to love at all (but I secretly like a little bit when it's not cloying).

Speaking of Je Reviens - it's probably not the carnation that's icking you out, though I could be wrong - there's something else in there that is sort of oily and round that gives me pause - and I used to LOVE jeR, especially in the round 'stars' bottle -

I keep waiting for musk to make me fall in love with it. So far, it is still bringing up a gal's lunch......

xoA

ScentScelf said...

Ah, musk. The scent that made my mother dub a junior high friend "a harlot." No kidding. She did travel in a dense cloud of it...the Jovan variety...

Yes, it is absolutely part of the fun, coming to an intersection...again...and finding that this time you *can* go down the other path...

I'm finding it hard to concentrate right now because I am haunted by the smell of root beer. Root beer! Weird. It's Un Matin d'Orage on me...and I've caught on that the tropical white flower hovers 8-16" from my skin...but why do I get *root beer* to one side? Weird, weird.

I think I never loved Je Reviens because I only smelled the modern EdT. No, wait...EdP. Regardless, it certainly didn't inspire me to search out vintage. Of course, that was early in my sniffage. I know better now. Things could be *very* different. But then, that would only lead to yet another vintage heartache.

Musette said...

speaking of, am sending you a little vial of the current EdP iteration of a Certain Vicious Lady. We'll see what you think. I refuse (refuse!! say I!!) to go down the vintage path with that lady, seeing as I've been hooked like a big ol' bass on her current stuff...

....but we'll see what you think of it v. the edt you're currently on the fence about (and no wonder!)

xoxoxo

Olfacta said...

Hi S!

Welcome back from quiz city!

I have a little problem too, with some note that may or may not be carnation. Vintage Patou 1000 has it, whatever it is -- not enough of it so I don't wear the scent, because it's otherwise gorgeous, but enough so that it's not a go-to. I've never been able to accurately identify it.

Musette said...

I stole this from Perfume of Life (don't know how to credit, sorry!)

These are the notes for Je Reviens according to Jan Moran:
Top Notes: Orange blossom, aldehydes, bergamot, violet
Heart Notes: Clove, rose, jasmine, hyacinth, lilac, orris, ylang-ylang
Base Notes: Amber, incense, tonka bean, vetiver, musk, moss, sandalwood


I'm thinking the amber/musk/tonka bean base might (might!) be what's bugging you - that's what bugs me, anyway.

xoxoA

Lucy Fishwife said...

I thought I hated violets until I tried Insolence - I thought I hated fruity perfumes until I tried Pulp - I thought I really, truly, hated incensey perfumes until I tried Avignon and Aomassai. There's always a Never Say Never moment!

ScentScelf said...

Olfacta...you have a third eye onto my online Achilles heel... ;)

Yeah, what *is* that note? And will there be a day when I do a 180, and say, where I have I been without it? It's in vintage 1000, you say? Hmm, a sniffing trail to be explored...

ScentScelf said...

Musette, I'm looking forward to trying the p not the t...

and thanks for the notes. It's weird when I look at them; everything about the drydown, especially the base notes, says "you'll like it whether or not you intend to" to me...but then, methinks I have seen lists of notes "tweaked" and mysteriously incorporate more current trends/tastes...so might need to take that with a bucket of salt.

OTOH, aldehydes are frequently a deal killer for me, no matter what else is inside.

ScentScelf said...

Lucy,

You are so right. And incense was also one I gave a wide berth to...somewhere, though, I found one to love... (rats...which one was it? neither of the two you mention...which of course I am now keeping an eye out for...)

Rose said...

Hello! lovely that you're back and sorry I'm a bit late to the party.

I completely agree about needing to find your way into a note. I don't love those scents but I think I could love carnation if I found the right one.

It's like a light bulb goes on when you find a scent that works with a note you don't like.

Carnation is probably due a bit of a revamp though isn't it. Like the current perfume crush seems to be mint maybe soon it'll be carnation.

ScentScelf said...

Hmm, Rose, you may be on to something...we'll see if elderflower hits first, or something else...like...carnation?

Yup, the light bulb thing. :)

ScentScelf said...

Lucy! It was the one I thought, but was for some reason thinking I was wrong about incense being a note...YSL Nu! (And I think I was playing mind games with myself...incense is still a powerful negative trigger after my first experience with it, despite now having positive associations.)

Rose said...

elderflower would be lovely wouldn't it

Unknown said...

I love the fragrance of real carnations but truthfully I just can't wear them in fragrances.

Perfumeshrine said...

Lovely to see you back dear S!!
Carnations are hard to do right, but glad you like Bellodgia, it's truly dense and rich. Not just cloves on murky water, like so many.
Like Lucy above, there is always a Never Say Never moment.

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Lol- I've never liked carnation much either, but I always say 'no contempt prior to investigation'... I might check this one out! xo

Flora said...

Try this one: DSH Perfumes Oeillets Rouges. Deep and "thick" carnation, very clove-like and warm, no florist's cooler in sight. :-)