Smells Like Christmas, Part Three

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I've been searching for a perfume that smells like Christmas. To me, that's orange and spice, and a bit of pine/evergreen. In other words, the Nest Holiday candle. I've asked around for suggestions and found other scents on my own; read Parts One and Two to catch up. 

For the third and final part of this series, I am exploring recommendations for scents that I didn't already have in my collection. I had some high hopes for a few of these based on the notes, but they were dashed once I got the goods on my skin. Here are my thoughts on each.

Atelier des Ors Lune Feline 

Cardamom, Cinnamon, Pink Pepper, Woodsy Notes, Ambergris, Styrax, Cedar, Green Notes, Tahitian Vanilla, Peru Balsam, Musk

Hm. Lune Feline is nice. It definitely has some spices on top, cinnamon and a lightly mentholated cardamom. I'm also getting warm woods and balsamic notes and then a gorgeous vanilla note. I've seen it described as "smoky," but I'm find it more sticky and dark, like a vanilla-flavored date syrup. It's giving warm sticky toffee pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I do get the sensation of smokiness in the long drydown, but it seems more like vetiver than actual smoke. Lune Feline is lovely, but out of the trifecta I'm seeking (orange, pine, spices), it only has a fleeting amount of spice. While I like it, and it seems perfect for winter, this isn't a Christmas scent for me.

Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy

Orange, Tangerine, Lemon Verbena, Neroli, Sweet Notes, Clove, Lily, Jasmine, Vanilla, Amber, Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood

This was recommended by multiple folks on Fragrantica, and several of the comments on the fragrance's listing mention Christmas vibes. I figured I couldn't go too wrong if I picked up a bottle, unless it ended up being a cloying sugar bomb. For years I avoided Britney's scents because I thought they'd be too sweet. So far, the two I've tried have proven me wrong (yes, I know there are lots more that could prove me right). Hidden Fantasy starts out with light citrus notes in the orange family, somewhat orange-juicy (yet not juicy orange), morphs into a brief but pretty floral with a hint of clove, then finishes with a light amber drydown. What sweetness it has is rather gentle. Sadly, it's not Christmassy. The citrus doesn't last long enough, nor does the clove--which is more of a bubblegum note than an actual spice. It doesn't hit the mark, but I'm not sorry I bought it. I might try layering it with something more overtly spicy, like Bapteme du Feu, and see how that works for me. 

Christina Aguilera Red Sin

Red Apple, Cinnamon, Cyclamen, Ginger, Sandalwood, Musk

This is a pleasant and inoffensive scent that is neither red nor sinful. It's a bit light, especially as it's supposed to be an eau de parfum. There's something vaguely fruity about it, vaguely spicy, vaguely musky. It 100% does not smell like Christmas, not even vaguely. 

Giorgio Red

Cherry, Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Hyacinth, Peach, Osmanthus, Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Black Currant, Carnation, Tuberose, Rose, Rosemary, Jasmine, Gardenia, Iris, Litchi, Lily-of-the-Valley, Oakmoss, Amber, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Patchouli, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vanilla

Red was the signature fragrance of one of my favorite co-workers, Michele, who was my mentor during my brief foray into the dual worlds of fine jewelry and working with total assholes. I thought she smelled marvelous. I was hoping that Red, the lesser-known sister of the uber-popular 80s white flower bomb, Giorgio, was going to flood my senses with nostalgia. Sadly, Red doesn't smell quite the same to me. I remember it as being sweeter and spicier, but I have a feeling I am remembering the smell of this fragrance on Michele combined with the plug-in apple-spice-y air freshener that perpetually perfumed the tiny shop. As the multitude of notes indicates, there's a lot going on here. Overall, Red is a spicy floral with a vintage feel, the spice due to carnation rather than actual spice notes. It's a giant bouquet of flowers with a light peachy fruitiness and a powdery drydown with sandalwood, patchouli, and tonka. And no, it does not smell Christmas-y. It would make a nice wintertime special occasion scent, though I think it's entirely too big for me. 

Frederick Malle Noir Epices 

Geranium, Orange, Rose, Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper, Cinnamon, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cedar, Vanilla

I mean, black spices? Come on, why shouldn't this have been perfect? Ugh. Get rid of the geranium and rose notes, which make this smell like an old-fashioned bar of soap, and this has potential. The soapiness is quite overpowering, but lurking beneath its floral depths is a very nice orange backed up with spices, almost pomander-like. I want this to be so much sharper than it is, with bright orange and truly spicy spices, but it's just too damn soapy. Borderline scrubber. 

Panah London Gourmantic Orange Extrait De Parfum 

Vanilla, Orange, Fruity Notes, Dark Chocolate

Despite being an extrait de parfum that left an oily blotch on the back of my hand where I had applied it, Gourmantic Orange seems pretty lightweight. I was hoping for a giant chocolate orange to smack me in the nose, but it's just too subtle. At first application, I don't get any obvious orange, chocolate, or vanilla, just some "fruity notes." Later in the drydown, yeah, I can tell it's an orange and chocolate  scent. I wish this came in EDP so I could spray it all over and get a better whiff. Gourmantic Orange has potential as a gourmand scent, but isn't making the cut as a Christmas-specific fragrance.

Tauer Perfumes L'Air Des Alpes Suisses

Ambergris, Fir, Lavender, Pine needles, Lily, Tonka Bean, Lemon Balm, Orchid, Birch, Palisander Rosewood, Thyme, Basil, Nutmeg

Well, this is a fun scent, though I need to come right out with it: L'Air Des Alpes Suisses is not Christmas. What it is, though, is a giant, disembodied, lavender-filled, plastic doll head. Switzerland is not the first place that comes to mind when I think of lavender. Nor of plastic dolls and their heads, for that matter. The plastic and herb make for a funky, cozy, powdery aroma that is comforting, but not holiday-inducing. Despite the preponderance of coniferous tree notes, this doesn't smell at all forest-y, just a little dark green. A weird rootbeer-like note comes out in the drydown, taking this even further from the holiday season. 

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.