Blind Buy: Dossier Free the Musk

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Dossier Free the Musk

Cardamom, Cinnamon, Lily of the Valley, Clove, Ylang Ylang, Fresh Jasmine, White Musks, Amber Woods, Myrrh, Caramel

I had never purchased from Dossier before I took a recent plunge on one of their original scents. The company primarily does dupes of super-popular fragrances like Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 and Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille--stuff in which I have little to no interest. Dupes rarely smell like the real thing anyway, and as cheap as they are, it's usually a you-get-what-you-pay-for situation. But I like musks, and I enjoy spicy amber scents, so I figured this one was right up my alley. Plus, they were having a sale, so I was able to snag it for less than $20.

Free the Musk starts out with a strong and photorealistic cardamom note along with a bright effervescence. Unfortunately, on my skin, that fizziness is more like a cheap, yeasty, American lager than something more pleasant, like champagne. It's definitely my skin doing that, because on paper that funkiness is more easily identified as a floral note, possibly the jasmine or the muguet or both. There's a definite sweetness in there too, which is a little much for me. Though it's not a dupe, it's giving Baccarat Rouge vibes, though with different spices and a buttery caramel rather than a burnt sugar note. Considering the popularity of BR540, it's no wonder that other fragrances are copying that sweet floral woody-amber thing. Fortunately, all that vaguely repulsive (to me) stuff goes away after a couple hours, leaving a nice white musk scent that stays close to the skin. 

Was this a safe blind buy? I'm going to say no. At least not for me. I love the first minute of Free the Musk, hate the next 1 hour and 59 minutes, and then like the drydown quite a bit. I'm sure other folks will love it though, so it should be a good seller for Dossier.

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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.

A NY Sniffari - Part Three

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Explanatory paragraph, in case you just came in: I live in Baltimore, where there are few places to buy niche or high end fragrance, so when I go to NYC, I go a little wild. On this particular three day trip in January 2025, I went a lot wild. Read Part One here and Part Two here.

After a huge plate of scrambled eggs with shiitakes at The Harold, my favorite breakfast spot, I journeyed to SoHo to hit up the various fragrance boutiques that have been popping up like mushrooms. First stop: Penhaligon's. I sought a sample of A Kiss of Bliss, which from previous sniffings I believed I liked. I didn't think such a simple task would be so time-consuming and ultimately for naught. The store had just received a large shipment of stock, including samples, all of which needed to be added to inventory before my request could be filled. I spent almost an hour there, sniffing and chatting desultorily with one of the SAs--who had a heavy European accent and was hard to understand--until I had sample in hand. Kinda put me off the brand, to tell the truth. Not sure I'll go back to the boutique, though I had been excited to see Penhaligon's return to NY. (Turns out A Kiss of Bliss is a bit cloying on my skin, and I'm so glad I didn't buy it after only one testing.)

Next was Commodity, where I had a much better experience. The guy running the show there--Bryson--was friendly and knowledgeable and I left happy, with a travel spray of Gold + and samples of Milk, Gold, and Book in the "expressive" formula. No fuss, no muss, and I'll happily return to spend more time sniffing their Archive fragrances. 

I noticed a clothing shop called And Other Stories that I knew sold fragrance, so I stopped to browse. The clothes seem worth rummaging through (next time) but the scents were all meh. Then it was on to D.S. & Durga. I was on a mission to smell Wear at Maximum Volume, a Liberty of London exclusive that was available for a limited time in the US. The Soho shop had a tester, with which I spritzed my wrist. I liked it right away, but chose to wander around the neighborhood a bit before making a purchase. Only one bottle remained from the 100 that were made for the US market, and it was at the Madison Avenue shop. As I had a train to catch and little time (and no desire) to travel up and down the city, I arranged to have it shipped to me. It arrived the next day--NY high-end shop customer service is really the best.

I wandered across the street to Osswald to see if they had received Bohoboco Polish Potatoes yet, and they had not. I sniffed a couple of things, then left after the SA's unpleasant comments about a fragrance line I enjoy. They are new and Osswald is the only retailer that carries them, AFAIK. He said their scents were "trash," which was cruel and completely untrue, and I told him that. I wonder if I should say something to the brand? Though I left without purchasing anything, I did pick up a follower--a young woman who had been in Commodity, who appeared at Osswald just before I left. 

After a brief walk, I stopped into a Korean shop called Elorea that not only sells perfume but also has a coffee shop in the back. I fell in love with their Water scent, a beautiful floral white musk. I didn't buy it (yet) but I took home a well-sprayed blotter. (At this writing, two weeks later, the fragranced blotter is still going strong.) I also enjoyed a black sesame latte and a much-needed sit-down. As I left, I told my follower that I'd see her at Stele, which I assumed was next on her tour of fragrance shops...

...and indeed it was. The Stele on Mott Street is a sister shop to the one in Brooklyn, and each has its own inventory. I was hoping to sniff some Mabelle O'Rama and Melissa Zappas, but those scents are currently available in Brooklyn. Still, I had a nice time wandering around the new space, petting the doggo, and talking with owner Jake. I'll definitely put Stele on my regular sniffing agenda, as they have some brands that I haven't seen elsewhere.

Finally, I stopped into Granado for a quick looksee at their line. I did have that train to catch, so no time for actually spraying and sniffing, but I took a quick tour of bottle caps and vowed to be back next time.

Commodity Gold +

Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Iso E Super, Saffron, Patchouli, Nutmeg

I love amber fragrances and own quite a few. This might have catapulted itself to the top of the list, or at least very near the top. It might be a tad sweeter than I normally prefer, but it's lovely. I wish the saffron note lasted longer than it does, but it's pleasingly not at all iodine-y. It lends a golden light to the scent that is otherwise very warm and cozy.

D.S. & Durga Wear at Maximum Volume 

Silk, Mandarin, Pepper, English Rose, Violet, Egyptian Jasmine, Patchouli, Moss, Amber

The On the Scent podcast strikes again! Several of my recent fragrance purchases have been quite influenced by Suzy and Nicola; they've convinced me to try scents that I normally wouldn't sniff. Rosy chypres are definitely on that list, as I'm not a huge fan of either roses or chypres. However, the disappearance of oakmoss in most modern chypre formulations has made them far more palatable for me. At least that's the thing to which I'm attributing the sudden appearance of chypres in my fragrance collection. The "silk" note is very much a sensation that brings to mind a lovely blouse--in my mind it's a warm grey color--light and cool against skin that's been spritzed with a bit of citrus cologne over a dusting of rosy powder. The other floral notes are present, but gently so. The patchouli note in the drydown is very much like the one in D.S. & Durga's Pistachio, which I adore. Apart from the patch, Wear at Maximum Volume is a scent that I normally wouldn't enjoy. So why do I love 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.

A NY Sniffari - Part Two

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Explanatory paragraph, in case you just came in: I live in Baltimore, where there are few places to buy niche or high end fragrance, so when I go to NYC, I go a little wild. On this particular three day trip in January 2025, I went a lot wild. Read Part One here.

Tuesday was my uptown day, starting with a trip to Bloomingdale's to visit my friend Jason, who runs the Chanel counter. He did my makeup, which looked fabulous, and I purchased the foundation he used (I have always loved Chanel foundation--it has excellent coverage) and a bottle of Paris-Edimbourg EDT, which will be stunning in the warmer months. I wandered around the rest of the beauty department, checking out Le Labo, Diptyque, Byredo, and other brands. The store was surprisingly quiet, so I had the full attention of the SAs--always nice. After Bloomie's, I popped into Bergdorf's to see my friend Donna at Estee Lauder. Attention people who loved Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia - it's back, in the form of an Aerin scent. There was an old tester of the original available, so I was able to smell them side-by-side. There's a slight difference--the original seems a tad greener-- but they are otherwise extremely similar. 

Jason used to work at Saks, so I've already spent a decent amount of time exploring their beauty department. I didn't feel the need to do that on this trip, though I was curious to find out if the Celine leather goods shop on the first floor carried their line of fragrances. I have been obsessed with Saint-Germain-Des-Pres since since the moment I spritzed it on my skin. I know a lot of people like Black Tie, but that one makes me gag. Can't/won't explain it. The other scents in the line are very nice, but only SGDP captured my heart. Ordinarily I wouldn't give the time of day to a fragrance that retails for over $300 and can't be purchased from a discounter, however, I was in possession of a somewhat aged $100 Saks gift card and had finally found something on which to use it. To answer my question, YES! Celine's leather goods department does carry their fragrances, and within a few moments of walking in the door, I was leaving again with my purchase. 

I made one more fragrant stop on Tuesday evening. My lovely friend Josie, who works for Kintessence, the US-exclusive distributor of high-end lines like The Harmonist, Dusita, THoO, and Clive Christian, was doing a thing at Scentbar with BDK Parfums founder David Benedek. She is a busy lady whom I hadn't seen in a while, so Daisy Bow--one of my favorite people and regular NY dining companion--and I stopped in for a few minutes to say hi. I got swept up in the festive atmosphere of the moment and actually requested a spritz of BDK's newest, as-yet-unreleased, scent. To be very honest, I'm not a fan of the line and now I can't escape this thing. The left sleeve of my brand-new coat seems permanently scented with something that's just not to my liking. And yes, the coat has been washed since.

Celine Saint-Germain-des-Pres

Petitgrain, Neroli, Heliotrope, Orris Root, Vanilla

I ordered a discovery set after hearing about Celine's rather pricey line on my favorite podcast, On the Scent. Several of the fragrances are excellent, a couple are just ok, and another couple are really not to my liking. That includes the most-discussed scent, Black Tie. With notes of orris, musk, and vanilla, I figured that would be my favorite of the bunch, but to be very honest, it made me gag. Not sure why, but I find it unwearable. Instead, I more-characteristically succumbed to the orange blossom-y allure of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the longest and most punctuated of Celine's perfumes. The softness of the heliotrope and orris cuts the bite of the petitgrain and neroli, making them a bit softer on the skin than would be typical. While I enjoy the opening of this fragrance, it's not what made me fall in love. That would be that long drydown, after an hour or more. At that point, the vanilla comes into play, creating a sexy, snuggly, angora sweater of a scent, magnificently fluffy and totally addictive. Heaven.

Chanel Paris - Edimbourg

Cypress, Juniper Berries, Lavender, Cedar, Vetiver, Musk, Vanilla

I'm not sure why, but rather than cypress and juniper, I get ginger. I'm not complaining--I love ginger scents. Pretty sure there's at least one kind of citrus in this, too. It's so bright and happy, yet not at all boring or pedestrian. It's a light and refreshing cologne-y fragrance that is going to get me through the heat of summer alongside my very favorite Chanel, Cristalle Eau Verte. This scent can be worn by anyone, btw, so get yourself some.

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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.

A NY Sniffari - Part One

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I live in Baltimore, where there are no good places to sniff perfumes. Yeah, we have Sephora, Macy's, and Nordstrom at the closest mall, but they're all pretty awful when it comes to their perfume selection. My skin doesn't like 99% of designer fragrances, and that's what these shops sell. There's a Lush, too, which I have started to frequent, but there are only so many Lush fragrances I can own. (Seven seems like a lot to me, all purchased in 2024.) When I get the opportunity to go to New York, I make a list of perfume sources, check it twice, and plan my trip. I almost always go to Bergdorf's and Saks, more to visit with friends than to actually perfume shop. One of those friends has migrated to Bloomingdale's, so I had to add that to my itinerary. Turns out, they have an excellent perfume department. It's no Barney's, but it's quite good. The last time I was in Bloomie's, years ago, I felt it was just an overpriced Macy's. Clearly things have changed, despite the store now being a Macy's property. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was spending three days in NY, and I chose a different part of town to explore each day. On Monday, I thought I'd wander through Chelsea and Greenwich Village, at least the small part that includes fragrance shops. The Maker Hotel has a lovely line of scents, available in their shop in Chelsea. Sadly, they are closed on Monday and Tuesday, which means I'll have to save that for another visit. Odin is a men's clothing shop on Greenwich Avenue that sells their own line of fragrances. I've loved Odin 01 Sunda since I first smelled it in 2009 or 2010, back when it was still called Nomad, but I never made the purchase. It's not like I could buy it just anywhere. So I made a point to go to the shop and take 01 home with me. As it turns out, pretty much all of their fragrances are great, at least the dozen or so geared toward men. The three aimed at women are nothing special. Just down the street from Odin is a Frederic Malle boutique. I wanted to smell most of their line, but for some reason the SA ignored about half my requests. They insist on spraying the blotter for the customer, so I couldn't just grab what I wanted and do it myself. (A man with a small dog pranced in at one point, clearly wanting to spritz himself with something and leave. He threw a small tantrum when another SA came out to tell him that he wasn't allowed to touch the testers on his own.) I was rather surprised that some of their lesser-known scents, like Uncut Gem and Music For a While, are just not particularly special. Perhaps I expect too much from the line? To be very honest, I find it quite uneven. I want all of their fragrances to be masterpieces, like Musc Ravageur and Carnal Flower, but they are...not. I left with a sample of Eau d'Hiver, a light and airy scent created by Jean-Claude Ellena. It's lovely, but I feel like it is too subtle, or perhaps I simply go noseblind. Still need to test this one a bit more.

In the evening, I popped into Ulta Beauty and Macy's. Ulta had nothing worth smelling, though the SA really tried. I feel that the popular new scents rely too heavily on synthetic aroma chemicals like ethylmaltol, cashmeran, and ambroxan to evoke a sensation (sweetness, coziness, etc.) as much as an actual smell. A little goes a long way for me. Sometimes too far. So while Burberry Goddess and its ilk are decent enough fragrances, they share a sameness that I have started thinking of as the "Sephora effect." Sadly (or not), on my skin they are cheap-smelling at best. I am either lucky or unlucky in this regard.

Macy's had a fairly well-stocked Hermes counter that wasn't busy, so I took the opportunity to try their newest scent, Barenia. I did like it, but was not bowled over. I picked up a sample to try later (though I misplaced it as soon as I got home). While I was at Hermes, a gentleman who struggled a bit with the English language came over and requested help with a scent. He wanted something light, but masculine. Or so it seemed. Everything the SA handed him was too strong, even Un Jardin en Méditerranée. I suggested the original Eau des Merveilles, which earned a more positive response. However, after sniffing each of his blotters once more, he thanked us and left. As did I, a few minutes later, off to find dinner and a cocktail.

 

Odin 01 Sunda

Juniper Berries, Bergamot, Himalayan Cedar, Heliotrope, Black Pepper, Palmarosa, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood, Musk

Despite the list of notes reading like a typical masculine-leaning cologne, what with the juniper, cedar, and pepper, Sunda is really all about the heliotrope and tonka, the sandalwood and the musk. It's a soft, vaguely nutty, cashmere blanket of a scent. It's both creamy and powdery, and super snuggly. As it dries down, I get some pepper, at which point Sunda reminds me a wee bit of L'Artisan Poivre Piquant. So glad to finally have this one in my collection.

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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.