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The Insidious Gourmand, don't you hate it?

10 years ago
I do not find Sycamore fruity or even sweet. Neither is Bois des Iles IMHO......

As for the general trend of mainstream perfumes becoming ever so fruity-"pleasing" : I am with you on this one.

Well, fruity perfume is generally not my cup of tea anymore (aaah, in my younger days, yes, but that was looong ago) and sweet is fine with me but there should be a twist with the sweetness :
Either some dirty patch or some edgy amber or some smoldering resins or hot spices....you get my idea, I am sure Smile
10 years ago
I can't do gourmands - just can't. Nor sweets such as artificial red berry flavours, vanilla, custard, caramel or "lolly musk", by which I mean the sort of sweet artificial musk that is used to flavour candy in my country, particularly "musk sticks" (a kind of extruded fondant) and Lifesavers (apparently Australia and New Zealand are the only countries where musk Lifesavers are sold). I guess most people wouldn't consider musk to be a gourmand note but I suppose it's all about learned associations.
If there's fruit, it needs to smell natural and perhaps a bit tart for me to feel comfortable, definitely not like fruit-flavoured jellies.
I do like to eat and smell the above flavours, and I don't really mind them on other people, but I just don't enjoy wearing them in perfumes for myself. I find them cloying and claustrophobic.
Not surprisingly, many orientals are a bit hit-or-miss for me, mostly when there's sweet vanilla and musk in the base.
Regarding the Chanel les Exclusifs, I've only tried "Cuir de Russie' (which I own and don't find sweet at all) and "Coromandel" which I admired but ultimately found veering too far into sweet amber/vanilla territory for my preferences.
It's true that the mainstrean trend seems to be so sweeeeet.. In drinks as well - so many kids go straight from soft drinks to alcopops, completely bypassing that adult transition to non-sugary beer and wine.
I was recently sampling quite a few contemporary men's fragrances with my teenage sons and was shocked at how sweet many of them were. They make many of the older women's fragrances I wear smell positively bitter and butch by comparison!
10 years ago
It's just a genre with low points and high points.

But it's definitely not my favorite genre.
10 years ago
Gourmands have their place for the ones who like them.

"Coromandel" is almost a classic and liked by many.

"Anima Dulcis" has chili in a sweet gourmand presentation and that adds a kick to it which is unusual. Cinnamon drydown is also very nice.
10 years ago
Pipette:
Gourmands have their place for the ones who like them.

"Coromandel" is almost a classic and liked by many.

"Anima Dulcis" has chili in a sweet gourmand presentation and that adds a kick to it which is unusual. Cinnamon drydown is also very nice.

yes, I agree. Not everyone likes the same style of perfume, nor do they like the same groups. We all don't like the same flowers, but it is perfectly acceptable to write a negative review, and point out what annoys you about certain fragrances. I, myself are not fond of berry, fruity fragrances, and have written several negative reviews on some of these fragrances, but that is only my personal opinion , and I would never criticize a person who wears and loves these type of perfumes. We are lucky we have so many wonderful choices, even though I am disappointed in today's newer fragrances...longevity etc. I for one, adore Coromandel, and don't find it sickly sweet at all. So, it is all in the smell of the beholder!
10 years ago
Testing sickly sweet fragrances at bedtime for me is fun. I don't think I would ever purchase a full bottle of most but they tend to be comforting at times. I did find that I can wear Voluspa Jasmine Brown Sugar. It's sweet but it's also friendly to my wallet, therefore, I could spurge a little on this one.
10 years ago
If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say a lot of perfumes these days are overly "sweet and foody" instead of gourmand in balance... in this case, too much of a good thing is indeed a bad thing. Still, we know they have a market. *shrugs* Each to their own.
10 years ago
There are days when I want a gourmand, I truly enjoy the scent of one. I have always loved vanilla in a fragrance and found it comforting. It appeals to me. Other days, I want something powerful, something vintage. And other days, I'll wear something masculine or smokey. My tastes vary. But gourmands have their appeal obviously to many since they are being marketed so heavily. Some I've written negative reviews if they've seemed too artificial or plasticky, and others, I've not. But I would never demean another for wearing a gourmand, that is their choice.
10 years ago
I don't hate them at all, insidious or otherwise.

BTW, the Chanel Les Exclusifs line is not a good example of gourmand (which means foody) or fruitchouli. With the exception of Coromandel, with it's white chocolate and vanilla, there isn't a gourmand or fruitchouli in the bunch.

There IS plenty of citrus, though, as is fitting for classic eaux de cologne, of which Les Exclusifs boasts several, and there are sweet flowers in many of the others, but that's what classic perfumery is all about: combining the sweetness of flowers with a million other things. The mere presence of sweetness has nothing to do with gourmand.
10 years ago
I LOVE GOURMANDS! In case you didn't know...Razz
And I've smelt a bit of everything else...high end to low. I think gourmands get a lot of crap on here because they're popular, but maybe ten years from now I'll finally be the cool kid on the block Cool
10 years ago
CakeCuddles:
I LOVE GOURMANDS! In case you didn't know...Razz
And I've smelt a bit of everything else...high end to low. I think gourmands get a lot of crap on here because they're popular, but maybe ten years from now I'll finally be the cool kid on the block Cool

Don't worry, you are in good company here. As everywhere, taste runs the gamut on parfumo. (The OP was fond of making negative declarations, but the OP is gone now.)

I am a proudly reformed former poo-pooer of gourmand and vanilla. All those years I went vanilla-free just make me want to cry. Crying or Very sad
10 years ago
Dulcemio:
CakeCuddles:
I LOVE GOURMANDS! In case you didn't know...Razz
And I've smelt a bit of everything else...high end to low. I think gourmands get a lot of crap on here because they're popular, but maybe ten years from now I'll finally be the cool kid on the block Cool

Don't worry, you are in good company here. As everywhere, taste runs the gamut on parfumo. (The OP was fond of making negative declarations, but the OP is gone now.)

I am a proudly reformed former poo-pooer of gourmand and vanilla. All those years I went vanilla-free just make me want to cry. Crying or Very sad

Awww *hugs*. I use to poo poo things too, when I was a fragrance newbie I was guilty of saying some fragrances were "old lady" which is rude. Embarassed
10 years ago
Again, I can't emphasize it enough. It's people like you two, those willing to say what they truly feel, just puts a smile on my face at Parfumo. Vanilla ain't so bad.....lol
10 years ago
CakeCuddles:
Awww *hugs*. I use to poo poo things too, when I was a fragrance newbie I was guilty of saying some fragrances were "old lady" which is rude. Embarassed

Yeah, the joy of discovery often requires us to leave our preconceptions at the door and give things a chance.
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