Apologies to those who have submitted comments and gotten an error message page and not seen your comments published. I've got something set incorrectly somewhere in the blog mechanics, and I'm trying to fix it now. I did publish the comments people have made, though. In the meantime, I"ll be mucking around in the back end of the blog system to try to work out what I have set improperly.

[EDIT] Yay, it seems to be working. Currently have just the generic page for the "you've made a comment" thingy, but I did change the colors so it coordinates with this blog. Some time if I'm feeling ambitious, I may change it round a little, but for now, well, feel free to comment and you'll just have to cope with the generic "thanks for commenting" page.

Oh, and comments are currently moderated (that is, anyone can comment but before they appear on the site, I look them over and publish them). This is to prevent spammers and other nasty sorts from making trouble with my bandwidth. It's pretty easy to become a "trusted" comment writer, though. Just write non-spammy and non-abusive comments and you're pretty much approved (I do that manually, too). You can even disagree with me, so long as you're polite about it (perfume is such a very personal thing, I would certainly expect people to disagree with me on, well, pretty much every review I do, so feel free to share your own opinions. I can take it. Don't like Treséor? Hey, it just leaves more for me, right?)

"HP has taken umbrage with a Gartner analyst who pointed out that at $2,145 per liter, printer ink is more expensive per drop than Chanel No.5 or a good bottle of whiskey. HP hit back with a prepared email statement, saying the premium pricing just reflects their investment in R&D." This isn't new, of course. We've had a few stories in the past about how ink costs more than vintage champagne and how filling a swimming pool with ink would cost nearly $6 billion.

"A perfume, it is as a new dress. It makes you simply magnificent." - Estée Lauder

Designed by Christian Dior in 1956, now a famed classic. A romantic and carefree bouquet is composed around Christian Dior’s lucky flower and the emblem of Dior couture, lily of the valley. The fragrance is further softened with notes of jasmine, lilac and sandalwood. Diorissimo is a chance to indulge yourself in the soft, delightful scent of springtime. Classically feminine!

Years ago, I worked as a support tech at an ISP. Yes, a very geeky job (don't worry, I was pretty good at it), and the entire workplace was dominated by men. Since I was always in the back in the "tech lair" as we called it, I never bothered to wear makeup or wear anything especially dressy (jeans and t-shirts was - and is - my usual uniform). I wore some jewellery because I always wear rings and frequently wear earrings, but other than that, I was always pretty "butch" at work.

One day, though, I came to work wearing perfume (probably an Estée Lauder one like White Linen), just because I felt like it. A co-worker who was also a pretty good friend and who also happened to be a reasonably funny guy sniffed the air as I entered the tech lair and said in a slightly funny accent, "Somethin' smells kinda.... FLOWERY in here!"

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Dior Diorissimo....

If you haven't visited the links page, you might want to do that now. I've added a number of new links to various kinds of sites (lots of information sites!).

Launched in 2003, Paradise celebrates the glory of balancing state of mind and environment. Paradise is a lush, green, fruity, floral fragrance, a heavenly blend of tropical greens, tagete absolute, white peach, jasmine, gardenia, rose de mai, orchid vanille, sandalwood, and musk.

"The inspiration for Alfred Sung Paradise fragrance comes from a very special place in my heart. It is a personal interpretation of an idyllic escape, transporting one's thoughts to a peaceful and tranquil setting. It is a place that brings one complete happiness." - Alfred Sung

The first thing I want to say about this fragrance is that it's subtle. It's not one of those fragrances that immediately assults your olifactory system. This one is much, much more laid back.

The second thing I want to say about it is that it's very different, and not quite like any other fragrance with which I'm familiar. This one really does smell tropical, but not in a fruity tropical way (not like coconuts and pineapples or anything remotely that overt). The tropical sense comes from its lush, subtle, "green" qualities. The fruity notes are soft ones, not too sweet.

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Alfred Sung Paradise....

I admit I shamelessly lifted this from Wikipedia:

Famous perfumes classified by year of creation

* 1714 : Eau de Cologne by Farina (Johann Maria Farina 1685-1766)
* 1889 : Jicky by Guerlain (Aimé Guerlain)
* 1917 : Chypre by François Coty (François Coty)
* 1919 : Mitsouko by Guerlain (Jacques Guerlain)
* 1919 : Tabac Blond by Caron (Ernest Daltroff)
* 1921 : N°5 by Chanel (Ernest Beaux)
* 1925 : Shalimar by Guerlain (Jacques Guerlain)

But wait! There's more! Continue reading What and when....

Fake cosmetics is a growing problem of global proportions. In Europe alone, EU customs authorities have reported that seizures of counterfeit cosmetic products, including fragrances, jumped by 800 per cent in the period 2003 – 2003, with the main hubs for the trafficking of such products found in Eastern Europe and China.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that I've got a whole drawer full of fragrances. Only a few of them, however, are full-sized bottles (Tresór, Sensi, and Sunflowers). The rest are medium sized (50ml or 1.7 oz) or, more likely, that which is known as a Mini. A Mini is a small bottle, generally around 5ml but possibly a bit more or a bit less, depending on the manufacturer. Minis can last a surprisingly long time, particularly if it's a fragrance you want to wear but not wear often (those "have to be in the mood for it" type fragrances).

But wait! There's more! Continue reading In praise of Minis....

Introduced in 2001, Miracle Homme is a sharp, masculine, fresh blend of fresh and spicy florals, with notes of maple leaf, red pepper and oak moss blending into a heart of coffee granita and cedar wood, and base notes of rosewood, gaiac wood, amber, and jasmine. Sensual and surprising!

My husband wears this. He wears it because I chose it for him, really. The thing is, he's not a very perfumey kind of guy (he's not even vaguely metrosexual, although he's also not particularly blokey, either). He can say when he doesn't like something, but that's about it. If I like it and he doesn't hate it, he's okay with it.

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Lancôme Miracle Homme....

Introduced in 1997, Davidoff Cool Water Woman is a fresh aquatic, with notes of citrus, water lily, jasmine, peach, and sandalwood. Fresh, light, fruity and highly feminine, this is a unique fragrance for the woman who possesses vitality and revels in her sensuality.

I like this one, and I wear it, although not as often as some other fragrances I have, for various reasons. Cool Water Woman was released as a followup to the popular and successful Cool Water for Men (a review I'll do someday when I've got an appropriately sized sample and my husband nearby to wear it for me). This fragrance is deceptively light, pleasantly fruity, slightly sweet (not too sweet, though, and not cloying), and very, very fresh. It's appropriate for young women, but it's not a "girlish" scent (we forty-somethings like it, too). It's also a lot stronger than people tend to imagine, and it's easy to overdo it, I find, so it's a "go lightly" fragrance until you're absolutely sure of how much you can get away with wearing.

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Davidoff Cool Water....

Designed in 1925 by Guerlain, this venerable scent is a refined oriental, and is often said to be the quintessential oriental. This sensual, ultra-feminine fragrance contains a rich blend of bergamot, lemon, iris, and patchouli, and is accented with vanilla, sandalwood, and musk. Shalimar is exceptionally well made, and surprisingly chic for its age. Utterly classic, utterly romantic, utterly unforgettable.

I've admitted before that I really don't care for Orientals much, and I'm going to admit that I don't really like and I don't ever wear Shalimar. However, I can appreciate it for what it is: classic, sensual, elegant, and, on the right woman, stunning.

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Guerlain Shalimar....

"The perfume is not goods; its creation is an act of love. It must reflect the heart of the woman who will wear it." - Robert RIcci

Winner of the 29th Annual “FiFi” 2001 Awards for U.S. Women’s Fragrance Star of the Year, J’adore by Christian Dior is a sparkling fresh floral bouquet that is deeply sensual, totally feminine...and as contemporary as you are. It exudes top notes of tangy mandarin and ivy leaves, softened by the champaca flower, the heart of rare orchids, roses, and violets, with a base of damascus plum, amaranth wood, and blackberry musk.

This fragrance is fabulously floral, really lushy so. The orchids in this are just gorgeous. There's a stage in the development of this perfume that I honestly find nearly intoxicating, and almost arousing. That's how good it is (on me, anyway).

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Dior J'adore ....

Casmir was created by Chopard in 1991. Top notes are fruity and include mango, coconut, peach, and bergamot, with floral middle notes of jasmine, geranium, and lily of the valley (muguet), on a strong base of amber, musk, vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli. Casmir captures the charm and mystery of the Orient in a beautiful, exotic perfume. Scintillating!

First, I must confess that I'm not a fan of Orientals. I don't like opopanax (myrrh), which seems to be common in orientals, I generally don't care for patchouli (in rare instances it's okay, but mostly I really just plain don't like it), and while I like sandalwood, I like it only in certain situations and with certain combinations.

But wait! There's more! Continue reading Chopard Casmir....

Sensi is as sensual as light cashmir; oriental romance with italian spirit. Introduced in 2003, it is a sweet, light, oriental-floral blend. The main scent is fresh vanilla which is accompanied by amber, benzoin, jasmine, and exotic woods. Fabulous!

I didn't expect to like Sensi. I'm not a big fan of vanilla. Well, let me rephrase that. I thought I wasn't a fan of vanilla, but the fact is, I do like it, I just don't like it when it's too sweet or cloying. It turns out that I do actually quite like vanilla in many cases (I thought I didn't like asparagus, too, until I found out that I do like it if it's prepared well; same thing here, I think).

The initial notes are very light, mostly citrus, and then it quickly settles down into the sweet-but-not-too-sweet middle notes and eventually works its way into a very pleasant warm vanilla.

One of the things I like about this fragrance is that it's subtle. It's very sensual, but it's not all "in your face" about it like some perfumes are. And, of course, it's not too sweet, despite the vanilla base. It's nicely sophsticated in a soft, feminine, inviting way that isn't overpowering. I think you could happily wear this in an office setting as well as you could wear it on more formal or showy occasions.

I haven't had much personal experience of Armani fragrances, but if this is indicative of the kind of things they produce, I'll definitely have to look into their line further.

It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion, that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure. - Coco Chanel

Introduced in 1993, winner of the Fifi Award for Best Women’s Fragrance in 1994, Sunflowers for women is a refined, aquatic, upbeat fragrance. Its fragrant nature explores essences of melon, peach and jasmine. Blended with notes of tea rose, sandalwood and moss, Sunflowers is a casual, spunky, cheerful type of fragrance. Fresh and lovely!

And on a personal level, I love this one. It really is fresh, and while normally you wouldn't think of perfumes as being "cheerful", this one is. Sunflowers is spunky, fun, cheerful, and extremely appealing. I've never met anyone who disliked it (I'm sure there must be people who do, but I've never met any of them).

By the way, it doesn't smell like actual sunflowers. I think the name is meant to refer to "sunny" flowers, not the actual sunflower (which, in my opinion, don't smell very nice at all!).

Sunflowers is an extremely affordable fragrance. There's nothing wrong (in my opinion) with expensive perfumes, but when you find a really good one that you like and it's also very affordable, well, there's something to be said for that!

Sunflowers is generally available primarily in an Eau de Toilette strength. I haven't personally seen it in anything stronger, but pehaps it's out there and just uncommon.

Suitable for daytime and casual use, and I would feel comfortable wearing it to more formal occasions, as well.

Created by Lancôme in 1990, and named after the French word for treasure, Trésor is a fresh and spirited fragrance. This sophisticated, floral, semi-oriental fragrance has notes of rose, apricot blossom, peach, iris, jasmine, musk, and vanilla. This tantalizing fragrance is great for office and evening wear. Outstanding!

If I could wear only one perfume for the rest of my life (perish that thought, but for the sake of argument), it would be this one. The name means "treasure" in French, and it lives up to that. The original "face" of this perfume, Isabella Rosselini, said that it's like "a rose at sunset". This fragrance is remarkably sophsticated, smoothly floral and just slightly exotic (it's technically a floral-oriental), and is just plain gorgeous from top note to bottom. It is my "true love" fragrance (not to be confused with Elizabeth Arden "True Love" which I'll review at another time), the one to which I always return. I love it, and it loves me.

As with all things, your mileage may vary. If you don't like rose (which is the major note of this fragrance), then you might not find this anywhere near as appealing as I do, and if you prefer a spicier or more playful fragrance, well, Trésor isn't really either. I do recommend that you give it a try next time you walk past the Lancôme counter in a department store, particularly if you like a nice, smooth, sophsticated and elgant floral.

This is the Perfume Blog. I'm starting this here because, well, I have a professional and personal interest in perfumes. I wouldn't call this blog "commerical" though it has aspects of that, nor would I call it entirely "personal" although I'm a real person and I write subjectively here (so take the reviews entirely for what they're worth to you; these are just my own opinions, nothing more or less).

The design of this blog was meant to evoke early 20th century Paris. The colors were chosen because pink and black was a combination that was popular around that time. I chose the lace because I liked the feminine, bouidoir type feel (note: boudoir, not bordello, although my late beloved grandmother always said if you wore too much perfume you smelled "like a French whorehouse").

Anyway, welcome to the blog, and I hope you'll enjoy the ramblings and pontifications that end up here.