Awesomeness

Are you dying to try another fruity, white floral with a base of clean musk? If so, Stop, Sample & Sniff this one. However, be prepared to dole out $100+ for a 50ml bottle for a Been There, Done That fragrance.

Otherwise, move along ... there's nothing to see here.

Although this fragrance is Hiver (Winter) in the Les Saisons series (The Seasons), it's really not appropriate for winter to me. It's a great, light & cool musk that best for warmer weather.

A green floral? Not to me. I primarily get a linear, lime musk. Sometimes I get a bit of spiciness, but for the most part VCA Les Saisons Hiver is a cool, citrus aromatic, which makes it an ideal scent for warm days.

I have to overspray Hiver because the EDT is so light and my skin just drinks it in. It wears close to the skin but does have good staying power, like a good French cologne. Hiver does reveal different layers and it "kicks in" at the second or third hour. But the layers seem to repeat themselves, offering nothing new. This is why I say it's linear. Maybe to a trained nose it's not. Or, maybe that's what makes it special - the repeated unfolding of itself.

I'm glad to have a bottle, but it won't warrant repurchase. The bottle is beautiful in its simplicity, like the SJP Lovely bottle in that regard - simple beauty. However, the metallic snowflakes are just plain cheesy.

Yes, that's right, Montale Powder Flowers is a dirty skin scent.

I've tried this on numerous occasions when just out of the shower. I'm met with a long-lasting blast of aldehydes, which are not my friend. It's like Chanel 5 to me ... way too much of a good thing. I can sense the quality of this Mondale fragrance, and that's there is lots more to it. However, the aldehydes are overwhelming.

However, when sprayed on not-so pristine, clean skin, Powder Flowers is just lovely on me. Yes, it is still aldehydic, but that that tends to soapy on me. The real difference between clean and dirty skin is the development of the fragrance. On dirty skin, I get a soapy rose on woods. It's very Samsara, but not quite as loud.

Not always even in wear, but one to try if you like aldehydes, soap, or Samara.

When I first tried Vitriol d'Oeillet, I did not find it carnation enough. Then I realized that perhaps it was not a carnation scent at all, but an impression of carnation. That may or many not be true.

But now, after about 4 wears, I find Vitriol d'Oeillet to be like a lightly spiced rose sitting on transparent woods. It opens clean, like soap, and has aldehydes. It then warms before transitioning to a that spiced rose.

I would say that Vitriol d'Oeillet is on the feminine side of unisex, but not by much. It's a very grounded fragrance, and the base notes are easy to wear, which is rare for me with most of the unisex Lutens.

Vitriol d'Oeillet wears close to the skin & lasts a good, long while too. It's pleasant enough to draw compliments but unique enough to keep me smelling my wrists. However, it is absolutely compelling when re-applied, which is when Vitriol d'Oeillet really shines. This is one of those fragrances that's best sprayed in the morning after a showe, then respray in the evening for a date, dinner or event. It's versatile and can stretch from morning to night, and across any season for that matter.

I was initially on the fence about this fragrance. But when I learned to stop expecting a carnation, the fragrance began to grow on me.

OK, I admit it. I like powder, I like gourmands, and I like this!

This is truth in advertising: With Talc Gourmand, you get what you pay for ... a powdery gourmand made of high quality ingredients. Moreover, unlike many other high-quality powdery gourmands (the Loukhoums from KM & Montale, Sexy Angelic, others), Talc Gourmand is incredibly persistent and a bit strong. Talc Gourmand is a one-spray & walk-through fragrance. It will stay with you through the day ... and with your clothing and in your bathroom. Frankly, I like fragrances like that: At this price point, I want a fragrance to last, and Talc Gourmand does.

Unfortunately, it's not bottle-worthy for me. There's no development, like you might get with Sexy Angelic, and it's not as well-balanced as, say, the Montales or KMs. Nevertheless, my decant is getting plenty of rotation, and I use Talc Gourmand often as a comfort scent and at bedtime.

But please -- one spray only. Talc Gourmand is a persistent little thing.