Yesterday for work I wore Penhaligon's Douro. For the evening's dinner out and the yearly tradition of going to Home Depot and eating a steak dinner out (father died on Jan. 21st), Rive Gauche.
Today I used the rest of L'eau Par Kenzo, realized I didn't want to wear it again, promply washed it off and wore Platinum Egoiste by Chanel. Strong woodsy fragrance which makes me want to try some Terre D'Hermes. For the evening I randomly pulled out of my 2.5ml decant drawer some Tabarome Millesime by Creed.
Tabarome is one I'll comment on. I felt rather repulsed by it. It's very sharp and the tobacco (I think it's tobacco) really pushes you away. It's very heavy but does settle down after a while. though the lightness afterwards doesn't bring me back in. It pushes me away and doesn't bring me back not do I want to go back. It's a well rounded fragrance but I don't like it.
Here's an odd thing I've been doing. I have problems sleeping most nights. I have a scent that is mostly lavender and I read somewhere that lavender is a relaxing scent. I've been spritzing some around my bed, not on/in it but around. I've been sleeping a little better. I really like the scent. The kicker is that it's a drug store "cheapo", only $20 a bottle. The culprit is a new release (last year I think) called Mustang complete with the Ford Mustang logo and a nice tin. It's gotten mixed reviews but mostly positive. It's only sold in cologne so no EDT.
Showing posts with label Penhaligon's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penhaligon's. Show all posts
January 22, 2008
January 19, 2008
A niche, a standard and an aquatic
I wore my first, what they call, niche fragrance today. From what I can tell, niche means "overpriced, limited in quantity and hyped". While I recognize that some niche fragrances are actually better (in terms of longevity and overall "roundness") their less expensive counterparts are just fine. Unless you're trying to impress someone who's in the know, niche fragrances are not worth it. UNless you really like spending $90-$150+ on a bottle or you really, really like the smell, I don't see the worth. I'm a casual wearer so it's academic to wear niche fragrances.
Nonetheless, I have a few samples of some niche fragrances. I will group Penhaligon's in these, too. As much as I like their stuff, I will not spend $90 just yet. Same with Creed and others you can find on websites like Luckyscent or Aedes De Venustas.
Yesterday, without really knowing what it was, I tried Anvers 2 by Ulrich Lang New York. It's a very slow, flowering scent. It may seem ugly to those who are used to designer scents. I don't think the people in my area are accustomed to scents that are structured well. I myself do not know what makes a scent more structured so I may be prejudging this. I don't like this scent. Too perfumey but light. I still have yet to find a flowery fragrance I like. I have a sample of Hei by Alfred Sung and I'm looking forward to trying that.
Later that evening I went out with a group of friends to a Japanese steakhouse in Allentown. I had planned to impress because my friend were bringing their friends along. I was dressed nice yet casual. I premeditated what scent to wear that night because I would not be able to go home before I traveled up to Allentown from Reading and get their on time. For the night, I chose Gucci Envy. What a great choice! Woody and oriental, great for where I was eating. Just plain awesome. Not to mention this fragrance came out the same year I graduated high school (God I'm old!).
Today, for kicks and since I'm hanging around the house today, I'm wearing Desire Blue by Dunhill. Very nice aquatic though I have nothing to compare it to since I haven't tried any other aquatics. Maybe a poor choice for winter but I picked it at random. I have a lot of samples to go through. This has a tonka basenote and I can pick it out. Good.
Been finding fragrances I like. Time to save up some money for a solid wardrobe.
Nonetheless, I have a few samples of some niche fragrances. I will group Penhaligon's in these, too. As much as I like their stuff, I will not spend $90 just yet. Same with Creed and others you can find on websites like Luckyscent or Aedes De Venustas.
Yesterday, without really knowing what it was, I tried Anvers 2 by Ulrich Lang New York. It's a very slow, flowering scent. It may seem ugly to those who are used to designer scents. I don't think the people in my area are accustomed to scents that are structured well. I myself do not know what makes a scent more structured so I may be prejudging this. I don't like this scent. Too perfumey but light. I still have yet to find a flowery fragrance I like. I have a sample of Hei by Alfred Sung and I'm looking forward to trying that.
Later that evening I went out with a group of friends to a Japanese steakhouse in Allentown. I had planned to impress because my friend were bringing their friends along. I was dressed nice yet casual. I premeditated what scent to wear that night because I would not be able to go home before I traveled up to Allentown from Reading and get their on time. For the night, I chose Gucci Envy. What a great choice! Woody and oriental, great for where I was eating. Just plain awesome. Not to mention this fragrance came out the same year I graduated high school (God I'm old!).
Today, for kicks and since I'm hanging around the house today, I'm wearing Desire Blue by Dunhill. Very nice aquatic though I have nothing to compare it to since I haven't tried any other aquatics. Maybe a poor choice for winter but I picked it at random. I have a lot of samples to go through. This has a tonka basenote and I can pick it out. Good.
Been finding fragrances I like. Time to save up some money for a solid wardrobe.
January 15, 2008
Penhaligon's Customer Service
I requested samples from Penhaligon's on Friday at 5PM EST (they are in NJ) when everyone usually is trying to go home or wrap up things for the weekend. My experience has told me that it's generally a bad idea to call places around that time because the boss is already gone, people are anxious to leave or some other single-minded reason because they just don't want to be there. I suppose I should shed my old stereotype of crank Friday afternoon workers.
As I said before, when I called the lady one the other end was more than happy to send me some samples. I got these today. I got 8 different kinds, all men's, a few unisex and more than one of my favorites. Once I can spring the cash (and a good reason to sue a British fragrance), I'll gladly purchase a bottle of Endymion. I'll still have to sample the others but it looks like I'll get small bottles of English Fern, Douro or Hammam Bouquet.
Quick comments:
English Fern is clean. Unisex.
Douro is a lovely neroli scent.
Quercus smells just like ck One and is the most modern of the fragrances from Penhaligon's. This one is also unisex.
Hammam Bouquet is a powdery floral uniquely British.
Castile is a rose scent.
Blenheim Bouquet is spicy. (I don't like this one)
Racquets is good for golfing and tennis: the 'uppity' sports.
Endymion, my favorite, is an excellent powdery fragrance with lavender and vetiver.
As I said before, when I called the lady one the other end was more than happy to send me some samples. I got these today. I got 8 different kinds, all men's, a few unisex and more than one of my favorites. Once I can spring the cash (and a good reason to sue a British fragrance), I'll gladly purchase a bottle of Endymion. I'll still have to sample the others but it looks like I'll get small bottles of English Fern, Douro or Hammam Bouquet.
Quick comments:
English Fern is clean. Unisex.
Douro is a lovely neroli scent.
Quercus smells just like ck One and is the most modern of the fragrances from Penhaligon's. This one is also unisex.
Hammam Bouquet is a powdery floral uniquely British.
Castile is a rose scent.
Blenheim Bouquet is spicy. (I don't like this one)
Racquets is good for golfing and tennis: the 'uppity' sports.
Endymion, my favorite, is an excellent powdery fragrance with lavender and vetiver.
January 12, 2008
Armani Code and Paco Rabanne XS
Double review time.
I wore Armani Code last night. I'd consider it a double date. Went out to a local pub with my girlfriend, my friend and his girlfriend. It was quite a delightful time. we sampled four different beers from local breweries and had a wonderful dinner. They had the most amazing tasting hot wings. Usually hot wings don't have any taste in my opinion. They just hot but these were a little sour. I swear they used Worcestershire sauce. I need to go back again, it's been a while since the last time.
It's only been maybe a week since I've started to wear cologne again. I haven't really received comments directly. I don't like to but I sometimes force comments from my girlfriend by deliberately holding my wrist in front of her nose when she leasts expects it. She really likes Armani Code. It was recommended as a "romantic" fragrance but I decided to wear it out to a pub.
On the notes there are olive leaves. My girlfriend, her name is Sabrina (so I can now stop calling her 'my girlfriend'), really likes black olives. I'm wondering if her preference for olives was reflected in her fondness for Arnami Code.
To me it smells synthetic. I do like the tonka bean as a base note. It dries nicely down on my skin making it comfortable to wear. I suppose you could call it.... "safe". Despite the fact that women like it, I do not. I would, however, wear it on request but I have other things, better things, to wear. Good thing I only got a small sample.
Next review is on Paco Rabanne XS. There is a men's and women's version so naturally, being a male, I'm reviewing the men's version. I wore this all day today around the house while cleaning and fixing up things. No one was around to comment but I kept getting wafts of it.
There's a mint opening in this. I absolutely despise mint, even in toothpaste and gum. I really dislike its stinging sensation.I still brush my teeth mind you but it's a feeling I do not like (although, the prying open of my wallet when I'm at the dentist isn't that great either). It's drydown is amazing, though and it's definitely a cologne I'd wear again. I've noticed that most of the fragrances I like contain tonka bean, sandalwood and bergamot. This one contains the latter two. Great notes in a fragrance.
As a side note, I called the USA division of Penhaligon's for some samples. The lady was more than happy to send me some. Awesome. I had tried a decant of their Endymion and found it amazing: lavender, "powdery" but not "bathroom talcum powder powdery, and it smells British to me. Refined. I commented on it with the representative and she said she'd see if they'll put in more samples of that in with my request. Now that's customer service. I certainly would love to purchase a bottle of a Penhaligon's sometime for permanent use.
I wore Armani Code last night. I'd consider it a double date. Went out to a local pub with my girlfriend, my friend and his girlfriend. It was quite a delightful time. we sampled four different beers from local breweries and had a wonderful dinner. They had the most amazing tasting hot wings. Usually hot wings don't have any taste in my opinion. They just hot but these were a little sour. I swear they used Worcestershire sauce. I need to go back again, it's been a while since the last time.
It's only been maybe a week since I've started to wear cologne again. I haven't really received comments directly. I don't like to but I sometimes force comments from my girlfriend by deliberately holding my wrist in front of her nose when she leasts expects it. She really likes Armani Code. It was recommended as a "romantic" fragrance but I decided to wear it out to a pub.
On the notes there are olive leaves. My girlfriend, her name is Sabrina (so I can now stop calling her 'my girlfriend'), really likes black olives. I'm wondering if her preference for olives was reflected in her fondness for Arnami Code.
To me it smells synthetic. I do like the tonka bean as a base note. It dries nicely down on my skin making it comfortable to wear. I suppose you could call it.... "safe". Despite the fact that women like it, I do not. I would, however, wear it on request but I have other things, better things, to wear. Good thing I only got a small sample.
Next review is on Paco Rabanne XS. There is a men's and women's version so naturally, being a male, I'm reviewing the men's version. I wore this all day today around the house while cleaning and fixing up things. No one was around to comment but I kept getting wafts of it.
There's a mint opening in this. I absolutely despise mint, even in toothpaste and gum. I really dislike its stinging sensation.I still brush my teeth mind you but it's a feeling I do not like (although, the prying open of my wallet when I'm at the dentist isn't that great either). It's drydown is amazing, though and it's definitely a cologne I'd wear again. I've noticed that most of the fragrances I like contain tonka bean, sandalwood and bergamot. This one contains the latter two. Great notes in a fragrance.
As a side note, I called the USA division of Penhaligon's for some samples. The lady was more than happy to send me some. Awesome. I had tried a decant of their Endymion and found it amazing: lavender, "powdery" but not "bathroom talcum powder powdery, and it smells British to me. Refined. I commented on it with the representative and she said she'd see if they'll put in more samples of that in with my request. Now that's customer service. I certainly would love to purchase a bottle of a Penhaligon's sometime for permanent use.
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