Smells Like Christmas, Part Three

created with Ideogram AI and Photoshop

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.

Sexy Scents: 10 Corso Como

created with Ideogram AI and Adobe Photoshop.
I tried something different this time. Rather than my usual complicated request of exactly what I'd like to see generated (not that I have ever received what I requested, but sometimes it gets sorta close), I simply typed the list of notes for this scent and the word sexy. I added the perfume bottle and another hand to replace a rather large incense burner. Not bad.

10 Corso Como

Sandalwood, Incense, Oud, Resin, Geranium, Rose, Vetiver, Musk

10 Corso Como was one of the first samples I ordered from Luckyscent, back in the mid-00s. This was truly a love-at-first-sniff fragrance for me. Sadly, it wasn't for Mr Minx. He took one whiff and declared that it smelled like something that one of his uncles would wear. We liked this uncle, so I didn't see how it was a problem. But then I didn't want to wear something I thought smelled great but reminded hubby of a middle-aged male relative. 

I hung onto my sample and sniffed it once in a while, lamenting that I'd never own a bottle of it. Until I grew a pair and ordered it. Most of the time Mr Minx doesn't even notice what I'm wearing if it's not patchouli-heavy. (As soon as I take the cap off my bottle of Chanel Coromandel, he's grousing about "that patchouli stuff.") There's no patch in 10 Corso Como and I was certain that hubby wouldn't smell it at all if I wore it. After all, I am not an over-sprayer. (No judgement if you are, unless you are a "fragrance bro" who's into "beast mode" scents. I don't have energy for that.) 

So what does it smell like? Your mileage may vary, but I don't get any obvious floral notes, or any oud. What I do get is a ton of sandalwood, some incense, and musk. The sandalwood is not at all sweet or creamy, rather, it's more amber-y and somewhat leathery. There's an almost fizzy incense quality, and one of the sexiest musky drydowns I've ever smelled. I can't stop sniffing myself when I wear 10 Corso Como, and it's one of the few scents that I don't eventually become anosmic to during the day. (With my skin, I get a good 12 hours out of most scents--lucky me!) I don't actually feel sexy when I wear it, I just think the scent itself is quite alluring. 

10 Corso Como, which is both the brand's name and address as well as the scent's name, also put out a 10 Corso Como Uomo ten years after the original. That might indicate that the original fragrance was a feminine scent, but I disagree. It's totally unisex, but might also be considered to lean a little masculine. And I have no problem with wearing masculine scents, as long as it's not one of the many boring, same-same, designer frags sold at places like Macy's (which, IMNSHO, are not fit for man nor beast). 

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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.

Smells Like Christmas, Part Two

Created by Ideogram AI, with Photoshop editing.

In my first post on this subject, I pontificated on both the fragrances that I already own that I wear around the holidays (but no other time of year), and the niche and indie scents that I found after googling "Christmas perfume." This time, I'm going to talk about some of the Fragrantica-recommended scents that are already in my collection. Though I was looking for perfumes that featured orange and spice and evergreens, like the Nest Holiday candle, I mostly received recs for fragrances that reminded other people of Christmas, whether or not they contained the notes I was seeking. 

These are all good suggestions--of course, since I own six of the ten, and I bought samples for the other four--but none hit the mark.

Owned

Cartier Must de Cartier 

Galbanum, Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Bergamot, Lemon, Green Mandarin, Peach, Pineapple, Leather, Carnation, Vetiver, Orris Root, Ylang-Ylang, Musk, Yellow Narcissus, Neroli, Rose, Jasmine, Orchid, Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Civet, Vetiver

I never thought of this as a Christmastime scent, though it's definitely something I reach for in the winter months. Despite the galbanum note, this is not at all a green perfume. Nor is it flowery, despite the eight types of floral notes. Five kinds of fruits doesn't make this a sweet and fruity scent, either. So what is it? It's a leathery ambree that is also woody and fairly powdery, and long a favorite of mine. It reminds me of the scent of an old and well-used handbag, the kind with a rigid frame, short handle, and metal twist closure--my Mom would have called it a "pocketbook"--containing lipsticked tissues, spilled face powder, and Wrigley's spearmint gum wrappers among the loose change, scratched sunglasses, and worn wallet of wrinkled small bills. It's a nostalgic scent without being particularly old-fashioned, and reminds me not at all of Christmas. 

Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur 

Cinnamon, Cloves, Orris Root, Rose, Osmanthus, Musk, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Amber, Sandalwood, Guaiac Wood, Cedar, Animal notes, Patchouli

Musc Ravageur is wild animal sex up against the dumpster behind a bakery that specializes in mince pies. It's sweet, spicy, and oh so dirty. The drydown is very vanilla-y, but still quite animalic. If I could layer this with something that smells of candied orange peel, I might come up with somewhat of an "after dark," raunchy, version of the scent I'm looking for. But Musc Ravageur, amazing as it is, doesn't cut it on its own.

L'Erbolario Méharées 

Cinnamon, Orange, Bergamot, Rose, Sandalwood, Guaiac Wood, Cedar, Patchouli, Amber, Vanilla, Musk

Méharées was recommended by more than one person on Fragrantica, and fortunately, I already had a bottle. The cinnamon-citrus opening gives Coca-Cola vibes, and the drydown is amber and woods. This is a really nice scent that smells much better on other people. On me, there's a weird antiseptic smell hiding in the depths, as if someone stuck a Band-aid on a stick of sandalwood. The late drydown, however, is a honeyed delight. Needless to say, this doesn't have what I'm looking for.

Serge Lutens 

Bapteme du Feu

Gingerbread, Tangerine, Woody Notes, Powdery Notes, Castoreum, Osmanthus

On paper, this scent sounds fairly Christmassy--it has the requisite citrus, spice, and woody notes. Unfortunately, the tangerine doesn't stand out as a citrus note on my skin. The gingerbread note is in the foreground, but I want it to be more cakey/sweet and not only about dry spices. 

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre 

Tea, Bergamot, Cinnamon, Woodsy Notes, Candied Ginger, Pepper, Honey, Amber, Cacao, Patchouli

Mr Minx and I have been wearing this fragrance every winter for years, and at no point have we thought it to smell anything like the Christmas holidays. It is delightfully woodsy and spicy, though not particularly ginger-y, with a clean patchouli drydown. This is so warm and cozy for the winter months, but not what I seek.

Zara Ebony Wood

Ebony, Cloves, Pink Pepper

Reviewed here. The clove note disappears fast, so no, this doesn't smell like Christmas. Plus, no orange or pine.

Sampled

Atkinsons Pirates' Grand Reserve

Rum, Cacao, Vanilla, Heliotrope, Jasmine, Virginia Cedar, Cardamom, Clary Sage, Broom, Geranium, Cashmeran, Patchouli, Musk, Moss

Rum and bandaids. That's what the opening smells like. Then the rum disappears, which is kinda disappointing for a fragrance that is named after a pirate's favorite adult beverage. (Yes, rum.) Again, I was hoping this would give me some sort of Christmas cake vibes, or even rum cake--figuring that there would be plenty of not only rum, but also cacao, vanilla, heliotrope, and cardamom. There's a subtle sweetness to this scent, but the bandaid smell is super strong. Overall, it's quite masculine, and definitely not what I'm looking for.

Farmacia SS. Annunziata Anniversary

Cinnamon, Orange Blossom, Tobacco, Clove, Leather, Nutmeg, Rose, Vanilla, Bran, Sandalwood, Saffron, Cedar

Spicy? Yes. Festive? Yes. What I'm looking for? No. But...Anniversary does immediately put me in mind of the holiday season. More specifically, a plate of warm-from-the-oven spice cookies drizzled with a bit of frosting. The first spicy sniff actually reminded me of cola, followed immediately by red hot cinnamon candies. Yes, the spice notes are loud and proud. The bran and vanilla are prominent as well (though definitely not as much as the shouty cinnamon). I let Mr Minx sniff it and he was immediately taken to a holiday shop. You know, those places that specialize in trees and ornaments and offer cinnamon-scented candles, potpourri, fireplace logs, and even garlands decorated with actual cinnamon sticks. 

Mancera Tonka Cola 

Cinnamon, Cherry, Sicilian Lemon, Nutmeg, Coca-Cola, Indonesian Patchouli Leaf, Orange Blossom, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Benzoin, Labdanum

The opening of Méharées has that cola thing going on, and this whole fragrance is based on cola. Makes me wonder if the people who recommended these scents were only allowed to have soft drinks on special occasions, so the smell of Coke is the smell of Christmas. However, I find this scent far more about the tonka than the cola, though there's a nice cinnamony thing going on, too. I don't get the citrus, and the overall scent is more powdery than I'd expect. Quite nice, but not Christmas.

 

Milano Fragranze Panettone 

Bitter Orange, Ginger, Mandarin Orange, Carrot Seeds, Davana, Rum, Immortelle, Tagetes, Vanilla,  Buckwheat

I love me a panettone at Christmas! For the past few years, I've ordered one from Yummy Bazaar, a specialty food shop in South Jersey. Sometimes I get a pumpkin-filled panettone, but once in a while I buy a plain one (maybe this year I'll spring for a Dolce & Gabbana). Panettone has a very specific vanilla citrus flavor and aroma, and that's what I wanted from this perfume. Milano Fragranze Panettone does have a vanilla-citrus thing and the buckwheat note definitely gives baked-goods, but there's also something spicy (cinnamon, perhaps?) going on. While overall, this perfume is quite nice, it doesn't smell like actual panettone. So while it does have a citrus note, and spice, it's not really what I was looking for. BUT, if it actually smelled like panettone, I might buy it.

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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.

Pistachio

A whole lotta Photoshop, a tiny bit of AI

The number of pistachio scents on the market right now is rather incredible. I have always loved the brat-green nuts and remember when they used red dye to hide the mottled markings created by the drying process on the naturally beige shells. There was no sneaking a pistachio snack in those days, as brightly stained fingers and lips were always a dead giveaway. 

Eating pistachios is as much about texture as it is about flavor. Pistachio nutmeats are generally rather small, about the size of a pinky nail. They are not hard or crisp, like an almond, pecan, walnut, or most any other nut, but give fairly easily under the pressure of a tooth. Maybe crunchy-tender is a good way to put it? Pistachios also have a thin woody membrane on the outside of the nutmeat that sometimes comes off when when the shell is removed...but mostly doesn't. Under this fine bark hides the glorious green color of the nut. The flavor of pistachios is a bit harder to pin down. They are both savory and vaguely sweet, buttery, green, and, well, nutty. They are one of my favorite nuts, and the idea of a pistachio-scented perfume turns me on. If only there was one that actually did smell of pistachio! 

D.S. & Durga Pistachio
Pistachio, Cardamom, More Pistachio, Roasted Almond, Even More Pistachio, Patchouli, Vanilla Creme

I am sitting here right now, absolutely drenched in D.S. & Durga Pistachio. I did a bit of an overspray this morning in order to really smell this stuff. It's a giant cloud hovering around me, full of honey and creamy vanilla. There's also a gorgeous whiff of patchouli, which, to be honest, is my favorite part of this fragrance and what puts it above all of the other pistachio fragrances I've smelled thus far. 

From my experience, pistachio perfumes tend to be quite sweet, and this one is no exception. I have a bowl of them next to me, and their smell is very distinct. While the nuts do have a light sweetness about them, they are also a little green, a little woody, a little savory. The flavor is all of that plus buttery-ness. A well-toasted almond might be the closest thing to a pistachio, but it's still worlds away. While D.S. & Durga Pistachio lists the nut in the top, middle, and base notes, I don't find that it smells particularly of pistachio, particularly in the first hour or so when a sticky honey-like note feels particularly in-my-face. This is why this fragrance needs such an assertive patchouli note: it cuts through the sweetness and stands in for the savory quality that pistachios possess. 

I have never smelled natural pistachio extract, or whatever natural or man-made pistachio notes are available to perfumers. Perhaps it is a bit like almond extract, which has a distinctive smell that is recognized as almond, but doesn't actually smell the way almond nutmeats smell. Or like cherry flavoring, which doesn't taste of actual cherries, but like cheap maraschino cocktail cherries (which taste rather like almond extract). We have been conditioned by years of cherry-flavored sweets like Lifesavers--and cocktail cherries--so we recognize that particular flavor as "cherry," but not actually cherry. The idea of cherry.

It's possible Pistachio smells like these perfumery ingredients, the idea of pistachio. I don't know. All I do know is that I do very much like this fragrance, whether or not it actually smells like the nut in question. My husband thinks it does, so what do I know? I'd say this fragrance smelled more like a bowl of rich vanilla French buttercream, drizzled with honey, and topped with a smattering of chopped nutmeats. And a good slug of earthy patchouli, which means it doesn't adhere to my definition of a "gourmand" fragrance, though some might categorize it thusly. No matter--I like it enough to have purchased a big bottle, and I plan to use it frequently during the cooler months.

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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.