Dear Scent Diary

Scent of vacation in Costa Rica 🏝 Histoires des Parfums 1804 George Sand. Pineapple, peach, benzoin, nutmeg, vanilla, clove, jasmine, tiare, rose, patchouli, sandalwood, musk. Rich pineapple oriental that’s lovely in the heat.

Testing Tauer Perfumes Vetiver Dance. Vetiver, grapefruit, sage, lily of the valley, labdanum, tonka, ambergris, rose, cedar, pepper. A very bright, lucid vetiver that opens with a lot of grapefruit. The dry down becomes powdery + cozy with that ambery 'Tauerade'.

Retesting Olfactive Studio Flashback. Rhubarb, grapefruit, vetiver, apple, pink pepper, orange, cedar, amber, musk. Oooh, that tart/sweet citrus open is seductive. The scent fades gradually but thankfully doesn’t change. The vetiver nudges it masculine but I’d wear it.

Testing Lancome Parfait de Roses. Rose, liquor, vanilla, benzoin, orris, tonka bean, olibanum, pink pepper, aldehydes. Jammy rose + tonka bean whipped into a mouse and topped with powdered rose sugar.

Testing Frank No 1. Cardamom, bergamot, clove, tomato leaf, lime, iris, sage, leather, lavender, mate, cedar, oak moss, pink pepper, violet, juniper, geranium. A men's designer-style scent composition, but with higher quality ingredients.

Retesting Providence Perfume Co. Rose Boheme. Rose, patchouli, tea, red tea, fir, oud. A very earthy, dirty rose. The rose is more present in the air than up close where all the vegetal notes dominate. Very natural smelling.

New Dior perfume launch with over the top PR copy and J Law as the face coming later this year. thecut.com/2018/06/jennifer-… via @thecut

Testing Carner Barcelona Besos. Musk, iris, benzoin, jasmine, vanilla, mandarin, pepper. Sweetened musky iris. The sweet, musky powderiness reminds me of clean disposable diapers.

#sotd Cartier Declaration EDT. Cardamom, bitter orange, pepper, vetiver, bergamot, corriander, tea, ginger, cedar, leather, juniper, neroli, artemisia, oak moss. Up close, the darker, earthy notes are present, but in the air, it's just incredible cardamom spiced freshness.

Testing Hermes Santal Massoia. Sandalwood, Massoia wood resin, sweets made of milk and dried fruits. Creamy sandalwood with wafts of fig and a floral feel. Transparent, yet rich and very elegant. Melds well with my skin.

Testing Hermes Myrrh Eglantine. Wild rose, myrrh. A crystal clear, dewy rose, diffused with musk. I don’t identify myrrh but there is a lovely, unobtrusive balsamic quality. Classy + very wearable.

Testing Arquiste Nanban. Leather, coffee, myth, olibanum, styrax, copaiba balm, tea, osmanthus, pepper, saffron, sandalwood. Sharp, tangy leather with tea and coffee. Strong + punchy.

Testing Eau D’Italie Un Bateau Pour Capri. Peony, peach, freesia, rose, woods, heliotrope, musk, jasmine, cedar. A slightly aquatic, fresh, peachy floral scent. Not overly sweet, not particularly unique...but nice.

Testing Mona Di Orio Suede de Suede. Suede, sichuan pepper, osmanthus, cloudberry, cedar, strawberry leaf, castoreum, patchouli, musk. Opens as a brand new pair of stiff, expensive leather boots. Softens/diffuses + turns into a pair of suede slippers.

Testing Escentric Molecules Escentric 04. Grapefruit, juniper, osmanthus, mastic, galbanum, rose, sandalwood. Bright, spiky grapefruit + juniper freshness. My husband smells oud which I don’t get, but I’ve heard this scent is perceived differently by different people.

#SOTD Amouage Opus III. Mimosa, violet, benzoin, ylang, vanilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, clove, woods, jasmine, papyrus, musk, ambrette, neroli. A warm, humid mimosa scent laced with powdery violet and sweetened with vanilla. Love it.

Testing Lancome Jasmins Marzipane. Jasmine, vanilla, almond, cashmeran, musk, sandalwood. Opens as a somewhat indolic, sour jasmine with some candy notes. Gradually, a toasted almond feel emerges. Dry down is clean + pretty.

Testing Lancome Roses Berberanza. Rose, pistachio, raspberry, rum, hazelnut, benzoin, honey, vanilla, woods, saffron, violet, ginger, cedar, tangerine. Creamy, warm rose/oud custard w a raspberry rose jam coulis + crushed pistachios. Buscuits are added later in the drydown.

Testing Eau d’Italie Aqua Décima. Lemon, mint, mandarin, neroli, petitgrain, vetiver, woods. Opens very bright and citrusy + dries down to a soapy, green neroli scent. Has a masculine vibe on my skin.

Testing D&G #3 L’Imperatrice. Rhubarb, watermelon, kiwi, pink cyclamen, jasmine, lemon tree, pink pepper, sandalwood, musk. A fresh, aquatic, fruity rhubarb scent. Watery, sweet, tart and airy. A tiny bit green.