Savvy Thinker » Vanilla

Review: Comparing Guerlain Cologne du 68 and Guerlain Moscow

Karin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:44:57 +0000

In many ways Guerlain Moscow reminds me of 68, so I thought today I'd compare the two to see if my scent memory was on the beam or not. There is that certain Guerlain flavor to both of them which adds a particular sameness -- I wasn't wrong about that.

I hesitate to call it Guerlinade. I suppose I'd call it Fruit and Guerlinade because both of these have some fruit in them. At the same time this is not your usual teeny bopper fruit, this is grown up fruit. Both of these can easily be worn by a man or a woman (68 is marketed towards a man, but it is good on me.)

I put 68 on my left arm, and Moscow on my right arm at the same time. I was careful not to mix the two (very often I will apply to one arm, then transfer to the other by blotting my arms together.)

Guerlain 68
68 was sweeter from the get-go and the stronger of the two. As far down as vanilla is in the list of notes, you wouldn't think it would be so dominant.

Notes for 68, if you can believe it:

Notes for Guerlain Cologne du 68: bergamot, green mandarin, lemon, clementine, orange peel, blood orange, sweet lime, grapefruit, basil, fennel, star anise, lavender, bay leaf, cypress, elemi, thyme, myrthe, bigarade, mandarin, petit grain, lemon petit grain, pear, violet greens, lierre, gentiane, seve, blackcurrant, freesia, lily of the valley, hazel leaf, cyclamen, cardamom, coriander, black pepper, pink berry, nutmeg, ginger, jasmine, frangipane, magnolia blossom, orange blossom, peony, rose, carnation, ylang-ylang, lychee, fig, blackberry, immortelle, lentisque (mastic), opoponax, amber, benzoin, vanilla, cistus, heliotrope, iris, tonka bean, sage, musk, patchouli, agarwood, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, vegetable musk, praline, myrrhe and lichen.

Or a shorter version, again if it can be believed:

green tangerine, lemon petit-grain, limette, star anise, coriandre, cardamom, pepper, immortelle, opoponax, and cedar.

Guerlain Moscow
Moscow was spicier -- maybe it's the absinthe and the red currants. You definitely get red currants in the beginning -- and I like that note. (Kilian has an absinthe too -- perhaps I'll compare it to Moscow tomorrow, though as I remember it, the Kilian has lavender in it, so it is quite different.)

Notes: Musk, fruit, wood...vanilla, bergamot, red currants, absinthe, lemon, plum

It is now several hours later. Neither is strongly discernible to my nose, but putting my arm up to my nose, both smell pretty nearly alike. Perhaps having both is not a necessity, but they are quite different in the beginning.

Here are the verdicts from my scent testers (2 teens, 1 20 something, and a preteen):
Could they smell it when I walked past them two hours later?
Yes, they could smell it; it was light, not too strong. Then I let them smell each arm so they could tell me which one was still evident. I could smell 68 more.
20 something: She could smell the Moscow and likes it better.
Pre-teen: She could smell the 68, but likes the Moscow better.
Teen (10th grade): She could smell the Moscow. It's not too strong.
Teen (8th grade): She could smell both. She could smell it when I walked away, not when I walked toward her. She liked them.

Isn't that funny!

Re-spritzed: (I've never respritzed before today.)
Me: 68 smells reminiscent of Shalimar now, the original vintage. Between the two, I can't smell Moscow, though putting arm to nose, Moscow is spicier.
20 something: Still likes Moscow.
Pre-teen: Oh, that's fruity (the blend of the two.) I like it!
10th grader: I smell vanilla now. (Yes, there's vanilla in both.)
8th grader: I like it!

So there you have it! I still think it's funny.

Hey, Claire (Kyler and Jorganne), what do you think? from Guerlain at the Palazzo in LV.
Do they remind you of each other? Which lasts longer? Which do you prefer (not fair, I know, when you sell it!)

Don't forget that both of these are available at Guerlain at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. Stop in if you are there -- or phone (702) 732-7008 or email GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com. Be sure to tell them you heard it from me. They will treat you right and take good care of you. I always have fun there.

Do you have either of these? Do you have both?
Do you have a preference one over the other?

My personal preference: I wish the bottles were smaller and cost less.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-22 14:04:17.

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Review: Just Cavalli Her

Karin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:29:37 +0000

Just Cavalli Her by Roberto Cavalli was introduced in 2004 for Women. It is considered an oriental floral.

When I wear it, I don't get too much from it except for sweet vanilla -- and the vanilla lasts through the entire fragrance. Getting stronger, if that is possible, which of course it is, because it is one of the base notes, which means it shows up at or through the end.

Top: Sicilian Bergamot, Ceylon Cinnamon, Bamboo Leaves,
Heart: Wild Lily Of The Valley, Apricot Tree Flower, Sambac Jasmine,
Base:Golden Amber, Madagascar Vanilla, Lebanese White Cedarwood, Powdery Musk

It is one of the nicer vanillas out there, but I have to be in the mood for it because it is vanilla.

This is not the sultry vanilla of Shalimar, and it isn't a particularly gourmand vanilla, like white cake.

On the whole, it is sweet. I prefer it not so close to my face. I should have spritzed my leg, not my arm.

As soon as I could, I switched to another fragrance -- to Light Blue -- to get away from the sweetness. I needed a little tart to go with it.

Is this a fragrance that you wear?
When do you wear it? I think it would have served me better on a fall night, not a summer morning. I was engulfed in a vanilla dream. I don't think I'm quite that sweet!

Karin

Originally posted 2009-06-17 07:27:14.

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Scent impressions on a hot day Serge Lutens Part 2

Karin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:02:47 +0000

Moving on to Serge Lutens from L'artisan:

Ahhhh... Oh my. This is the first time I've seen so many Lutens fragrances in one place since I was in Paris. On that trip I was overwhelmed by the choices, didn't really know the offerings, and felt confused enough not to make a choice. Then a generous POL'er (you know who you are) sent me from Europe a wonderful selection of sample vials so that I could really try them at my leisure. I went on to order several decants and a couple of partial bottles.

This week I sampled Rousse, Datura Noir, and Miel de Bois.

Miel de Bois is practically straight honey. I prefer L'Occitane's Honey and Lemon which has less honey predominating:

Miel de Bois:
Notes of honey and woods with top notes of ebony, gaiac and oak wood, middle notes of honey and bottom notes of beeswax, iris and hawthorn.

Honey and Lemon:
lemon and citrus fruit, golden honey, vanilla and caramel scents.

I liked this Datura Noir quite a bit, but I have Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Secrete Datura* and while not the same, it gave me pause to think of getting this one. I look forward to putting it on skin again, and comparing it to SD.

Datura Noir

Notes of myrrh, bitter almond, tonka bean, and musk, heliotrope, mandarin, lemon flower, and tuberose, vanilla, coconut oil, and apricot.

My favorite of what I tried was Rousse . I fell in love with this one, but I would want to sample it comparing it to Fou d'Absinthe on my next trip, unless I simply decide to bite the bullet and get both. Rousse was created by Chris Sheldrake. Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices, so to have it in a fragrance that is more than gourmand, is a delight.

I expected it to be like Chypre Rouge, which I find masculine, but it is not. Rousse is certainly wearable by a man; it is equally wearable for me.

Rousse
notes of mandarin, cinnamon, cloves, spices, floral & aromatic notes, fruit, cinnamon wood, precious woods, amber, musk and vanilla.

Now, I would be completely happy concerning fragrance if I had one or both of the ones I loved -- but then would I be on the hunt for more? Yes, probably, but I've resigned myself to the knowledge that there are so many new offerings that it is impossible to test all of them. I must be satisfied with the few.

There were a couple Lutens I didn't care for, but I didn't write their names on the cards, and I am having trouble recognizing the names as I look for them, so I will have to have an addendum when I sample them again.

Karin

Secrete Datura's notes:

Notes: Datura, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Chocolate

Top: intermingles the lily, heliotrope and lemon.
Mid: jasmin, honeysickle, wallflower and orange blossom,
base: iris, vanilla, chocolate, and sandalwood.

Originally posted 2008-06-28 18:46:31.

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Neil Morris Fragrances, Part 3 Dark Season

Karin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:28:47 +0000

Perfume is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion. It heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure. Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel

I think it is safe to say that perfume prolongs your enjoyment of moments too. It adds both a sensory layer and a sensory memory to life's experiences. I find that I can enhance a mood -- or conversely change a mood -- by the perfume I choose for the day.

I decided this last sentence isn't exactly true for me. It is rare that I wear the same fragrance through the entire day. I much prefer to layer up and change as the day goes on and as my own feelings develop. I wear enough that I can enjoy it, but not so much that I can't change in a few hours.

Neil Morris spoke with me saying that he likes to capture memories and moments of his life in a fragrance. Behind his fragrances, there is always a story. He asked me if I would like to know the stories behind his fragrances, and of course, I said yes!

Dark Season is a lovely, lush fragrance, filled with nuances of meaning. The notes are

French cinnamon, labdanum, oak moss, myrrh, fir needle, dark vanilla, Indonesian patchouli

He told me

Dark Season is a scent impression of a time I spent in Finland visiting friends -- cold, dry shimmering nights. One evening our group took a walk through the winter woods in Lahti. The night was crystalline with cold air, and a majestic forest. The snow started to fall -- it was an other worldly landscape. The stars were like frozen lights, as if they would break in a thousand crystal pieces, if you breathed on them. We had to return home as the north wind was getting too potent. My friend lives on a street that translates: Path of the Northern Hag. In the distance we could smell the warm fires and the saunas. Out in the cold and elements, a dry cold, we felt the promise of something warm in the distance, the hearth burning. My friend served gloggi, like a mulled wine -- a perfect evening.

One thing I have longed to do for a number of years is spend some time in Finland during the winter season when the nights fill the daytime hours. I have 'family' in Helsinki and a dear 'son' who lived with us for the school year when our son was 5. Just recently he brought his son to visit us, a kind of full circle. I've spent some time in Helsinki and at their summer cottage, enjoying their saunas, not to mention the cold dip after in the crystal clear lake.

I asked Neil how he learned to speak Finnish, and he told me he'd lived there for about a year. Lovely for him! Someday I hope to do the same, even if I might be hopeless with the language.

I asked him what he would do if he could no longer use oak moss. He said, it wasn't settled yet, but he preferred to use natural oak moss and labdanum, but he has a good alternative, if he can no longer use oak moss.

Well, my impression: of course, knowing the Finnish back story enhances the fragrance for me, how could it not! My first impression is of fir needle and patchouli, the sweet kind that I love. The fragrance settles in with cinnamon wrapped around the patchouli -- both last until the end -- with vanilla casting a spell, along with the richness of myrrh. Altogether an entirely satisfying fragrance. If you love the notes, you would love it!

Yes, it is a walk in the woods, a night dark enough to let the stars shine through as crystal. (We had this experience of stars so bright you felt you could touch them, when we were at Lake Tahoe.) Wrapped around like the warmth of a good lap blanket are the notes that make up some of the spicy drinks we serve in cold weather -- but not spiced cider, as there is no apple/fruity note in it.

I think I'm thirsty!

This fragrance is not overbearing, nor sickly sweet. It is the promise of happy memories and good times, richly elegant in its simplicity.

Stayed tuned for his other fragrances on other days. The price is $150 for 2 oz of perfume. Again, these are not available at his website yet, but you can order them by requesting them. Or if you prefer, you can phone: 617-267-2315. They are also available at Takashimaya in NYC.

Karin

Originally posted 2008-01-17 18:10:13.

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Review: D&G Comparing Rose The One with The One

Karin — Thu, 12 May 2011 05:09:33 +0000

Rose The One
I was able to try Rose The One in person tonight, and I have to say it is a nice addition to the original The One.

What are the notes?
Rose The One

notes: blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, mandarin, lily of the valley, rose, litchi, peony, Madonna lily, ambrette seed, sandalwood, musk and vanilla.

The One

top: bergamot, mandarin, lychee and peach,
mid: Madonna lily, muguet and jasmine,
base: of plum, vetiver, vanilla, amber and musk.

How do they compare?
The main difference for me is the addition of pink grapefruit in Rose The One. That comes across strongly in the beginning, perhaps even stronger than the rose. But citrus notes burn off fast from the top notes, leaving a gentler, softer version of The One.

Both fragrances begin with almost a fizz, but the fizz is stronger in Rose The One, as you would expect, because of the tart aspect of the grapefruit.

Does it resemble the original The One?
Unlike some flankers that have no resemblance to the original fragrance except for the name, Rose The One stays true to the original concept, while making it more wearable with the addition of the rose and pink grapefruit and softening it.

My Take:
I found over time that The One was a fragrance so distinctive that I tired of it. I couldn't layer up over it to get another fragrance later in the day, which I like to do.

I like citrus in a fragrance. And I have trouble wearing roses. But Rose The One is one I can wear. I'm really happy that it has a lighter feel to it than The One. I prefer it.

Have you tried it?
Do you wear either of them? Which do you prefer?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2009-10-26 19:26:44.

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Bond No 9 for Saks 5th Avenue

Karin — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:02:56 +0000

Bond No 9 has created its first non-specific NYC fragrances for Saks 5th Ave. Both are worthy creations -- modern, elegant and large, said to

capture the fashion-forward essence of 21st century Saks, while at the same time expressing the eclectic downtown spirit of NoHo-based Bond No. 9.

DNA for women is a classic, large gardenia scent. If you love gardenia, you will love this fragrance. A little goes a long ways, because it is long-lasting. On me, the dominant note is gardenia. Anything else is hidden among the petals.

DNA For Her
Gardenia, sparkling jasmine, vetiver and vanilla.

I love the scent of gardenias, brought into the house. I float them in bowls.

This scent is true to real gardenia. So many perfumes are not.

DNA for men is an elegant aqua scent, with a classic masculine ambiance, through the notes that are generally thought to be part of men's fragrances.

DNA For Him
Sicilian bergamot, cardamom, amber and cedarwood.

Of interest are these notes:

What makes this eau de parfum metro-modernity is the addition of notes that are new to luxury perfumes: a marine accord, fiery chilies, seductive incense and soothing guaiac wood from South America.

While it is said to be for both men and women, it leans more masculine to me. I would like to smell it on a man. It is perfectly wearable for a woman, once the top notes develop into the lower notes. But the top notes are decidedly masculine. If you are a woman who wears it, tell me how it develops for you.

If you are a bottle collector, the bottles are quite, quite lovely, dramatic black and white, echoed in the new SAKs shopping bags. The women's is white with black; the men's is black with white. They rank up right up there with the Chinatown bottle, which is red and white. You won't be sorry to add either of these bottles to your collection, and if the man in your life wears it, it will be an added plus.

Karin

Originally posted 2007-10-29 07:47:22.

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Review: Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire

Karin — Wed, 04 May 2011 02:24:35 +0000

What a pretty bottle:

11:00 Book Girl likes this one. Her first words:

Oh, I like this one! This smells like a night time rendevous! Going to a club... It's definitely for someone in their 20's. Young and spunky. I like it!

She says it's more elegant than skanky, and she didn't even know the name yet.

Avon had Little Black Dress first, but it wasn't this version, and it wasn't with a French name. La Petite Robe Noire, Little Black Dress, AKA Little-Black-Dress-gone-clubbing, is considered a fruity gourmand, right up the alley of the 20-somethings. And it decidedly not noir noir, it is more fuchsia noir.

Notes include Sicilian lemon, licorice, almond, rose, smoky tea, musk and vanilla.

Yesterday I picked up more of the floral. Today I'm picking up more of a somewhat subdued Angel. It is Angel's youngest sister. Sweet and sassy. LVMH uses the word audacious.

Almost cherry or very cherry, it must be the almond thing going on, but it does not smell like the original Jergen's. And then there might even be a touch of Lolita Lempicka -- it's got to be the licorice.

I want that bottle. Or, at least I want to see that bottle.

Octavian has a nice write up at his blog, a play on French words, and a great picture of the window on Rue de la Paix.

I keep hearing this lyric in my head:

Someone left the cake out in the rain.

12:40 Today, it is not moving past this first stage very quickly, but then I gave myself a double hit. The top notes are predominant, but make no mistake, it will move. I will update as the day goes on.

3:00 pretty well gone, just smelled lighter
5:00 gone; but still apparent on Book Girl
5:47 I replenished with a drop on each wrist -- smells less like Angel when used in small doses
7:06 much more of a fruity floral when worn this way

Update December 2009 I got a great compliment while wearing my sample. I still have not bought this in full size, but considering the compliment, I ought to!

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Sprayed 3x Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire 1.7 oz EdP in Box! Retails for $135.

10 Bids

US $81.00

19h 54m

La Petite Robe Noir Eau de Parfum - Guerlain

US $255.00

22d 6h

La Petite Robe Noir 2 Eau de Parfum - Guerlain

US $255.00

27d 19h 34m

Originally posted 2009-03-17 11:40:46.

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Guerlain Vol de Nuit Evasion

Karin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:55:33 +0000

I must have been sleeping whenever this fragrance was discussed, because I only happened upon mention of it the other day when I was surfing for decants and samples. It seems to be one that is either liked or not -- there's no happy medium.

And it's important to know that there is nothing remotely like Vol de Nuit in this fragrance except for borrowing the name.

What I've noticed over time is that if you can wear Mitsouko or Vol de Nuit -- and like them -- then you might not like L'Heure Bleu or vice versa. That might be a way you could determine if you would like this or not, short of ordering a small sample.

I like Vol De Nuit a lot, and often layer it up as the notes soften during the day, starting with Chant d'Aromes, passing through Chamade or Mitsouko or both, and ending with Vol de Nuit at night, so I thought I'd like to give this a shot.

LHB is definitely not one of my faves, but I wear it occasionally.

I received my sample in today's mail and immediately sniffed and put some on my wrist.

The notes are peach, rose, jasmine, amber, iris, woods, vanilla.

And while these notes are common to a lot of Guerlain fragrances, they are put together in a different way in this one. I don't get any peach at all -- it isn't a bit like Femme by Rochas, for example. And it isn't a chypre at all.

On me, it starts out aldehydic with lots of powdery overtures. As that softens, it moves into a more animalic phase which has been described as smelling of sweat (which I do not get) or marine (salty, I'm guessing -- I do get a bit of salt in it). Underneath it all is iris, almost as sweet as in Iris Ganache, without the chocolate that puts it into the too sweet category for me. It reminds me of the iris in Prada Infusion d'Iris. In the drydown I get amber and woods, but no vanilla. It's there, but so minute as not to be particularly discernible.

So, there you have it. I will try it in a heavier dose a bit later today to see how that develops and compare it to Guet-Apens/Attrape-Coeur, which I have a bit of. It has also been compared to 31 Rue Cambon by Chanel, which I have never smelled. If you have that one, you might try comparing and let me know.

Vol de Nuit Evasion has been available in airport stores. You can also find it at ThePerfumedCourt.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Originally posted 2008-06-20 13:30:42.

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Review Kilian Cruel Intentions Tempt Me

Karin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:12:31 +0000

Cruel Intentions is a fragrance I've found surprisingly to my taste. Well, maybe not surprising, but it wasn't my first choice. I find I love it. And perhaps it should have been my first choice!

Again, *Sergio Gonzalez is the expert on the line at SAKs in Las Vegas, and he will be happy to help you. Phone 702-967-1266. Be sure to tell him you heard it from me. He will take good care of you!

Kilian says:

A fragrance inspired by the warm, enfolding balsamic notes of Oud, a legendary wood said to be « worth more than its weight in gold ». Perfumer : Sidonie Lancesseur

I've heard it said that it gets stronger on some, but on me it just stays softly resinous. I love the scent as it softens, and I love the bit that is on my clothes. I spray my wrist and arm, then transfer to the other arm and wrist. And I spritz my neck.

The notes are:

Fresh notes: Bergamot calabria oil, orange blossom oil,
Floral notes: violet accord, centifolia rose absolute,
Woody notes: agarwood (here is the oud again), Indian papyrus oil, gaiacwood oil, Haiti vetiver oil, sandalwood,
Animalic notes: styrax absolute, castoreum absolute, vanilla absolute, musk.

This is not a sweet vanilla; it is more of a dry vetiver. It is so precisely blended that I cannot really separate the notes. Occasionally I get a glimpse of violets in the woods. Mostly it is a very wearable animalic fragrance. It is soft enough to be worn day or night by both men or women.

Sergio considers it the most complex of Kilian's fragrances. I don't know about that, but it is quite, quite lovely. My over all impression includes a leathery dry down, though leather is not listed as one of the notes.

This is a fragrance that has a double meaning in the name: likely if someone is being tempted, there are cruel intentions in that temptation.

But I don't find this fragrance cruel or cutting. It gets under your skin and becomes an ambiance. The sweetness that is there is not sugary, but resinous. It's even a little bit boozy, as I find his other fragrances. I find this particularly interesting, as Kilian is heir to the Hennessey cognac family.

Have you tried it? Do you love it? I bought this in the travel set.

It may be that I end up liking it as well as or more than Love, don't be shy.

You can see an overview of all his fragrances here.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-11 23:46:00.

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Review: Lavender and more lavender

Karin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:52:03 +0000

Lavender is a note that is real iffy on me. Sometimes I like it; sometimes not. Sometimes it feels feminine; other times it is just too masculine.

How about you? Do you like and wear lavender?

Lavender supposedly has soothing properties and promotes restfulness and good sleep. I suppose that is true if you like lavender. But for me, it either is or it isn't. There are times when lavender does seem like a good addition for bedtime to aid in sleep, but if the lavender has a negative value to me, then it is more wake-inducing than sleep-inducing.

There are a number of fragrances built around lavender, and lavender is a note in a lot of men's fragrances. I don't even particularly like it in men's fragrances, if it is a lavender note I don't like. Perhaps it is a function of what synthetics are used to mimic lavender or whether it is natural lavender or not, if that even exists. Perhaps real lavender is too fleeting or subject to change. Or it may entirely be a function of where the lavender originates. There are huge fields planted in various places, used in the perfume industry.

One of the blogs I enjoy is French Word a Day. She has shown pictures a couple of times of an aunt making a woven sachet out of lavender. Perhaps she will leave a message here and give me a direct link to it. That's the kind of hand craft that is interesting to learn to do. It looks lovely when finished.

Here are some lavender fragrances that I do like. I'll add others as time goes on or as I have time.

Kilian A Taste of Heaven absinthe verte

Inspired by Absinthe, bittersweet nectar of poets.

This is a men's fragrance, but easily worn by a woman. From The Artificial Paradises for men, the lavender in A Taste of Heaven absinthe verte is lush and sweet; it isn't pungent or artificial. When it softens over hours, the lavender is barely visible under the whole of it. It doesn't become the whole of it.

A little incensy; a little boozy; a lot sexy.

Notes:
Fresh Note: Bergamot Calabria Oil
Floral Notes: Geranium Bourbon Oil, Orange Flower absolute, rose Turkish absolute, green absinthe oil, lavender bareme oil, lavandin abrialis oil, lavandin green absolute oil, lavandin green concrete
Amber Notes: Patchouli Indonesian oil, oakmoss extract, costus oil @ 1%, ambrarome absolute, vanilla beans absolute, tonka beans hyper essence.

Perfumer : Calice Becker

My first impression is Vanilla and Lavender, but much, much smoother and richer than BBW. No comparison. At it's final stages, there is a spiciness to it.

I haven't bought this, but it is a possibility if I find I can wear this lavender as well as I'm wearing it today.

Contact Sergio at SAKs in Las Vegas. He's the Kilian expert there and will take good care of you. (702) 733-8300. Sergio told me where the lavender is from that makes it so special, but I regret to say I have forgotten what he said. I will have to re-ask him and then add it to this post at a later time. If you talk to him and find out, leave a comment!

I just got off the phone with him. Here's what his info says:

The best lavender is from the north of France, and that is where Kilian gets his.

Added late at night: after respritzing the one time, I got busy and didn't layer up to something else or respritz. Now, hours and hours later, I smell no lavender, just an intriquing sort of incensy sweetness. Have you tried this one?

You can see an overview of all Kilian fragrances here.

Tova by Tova
If you've ever watched Tova on TV, you know how persuasive she can be. She is a lovely woman, married to Ernest Borgnine. This is her first of several fragrances. To hear her tell it, people follow her and whoever else is wearing it, whenever and wherever they are wearing it, to find out what it is.

By day, the alluring Tova Signature scent envelops you in an unforgettable blend of bergamot, jasmine, and lavender.

By evening, Tova Nights(R) fragrance enchants with its aromatic combination of lilies, lilacs, subtle spice, and a hint of musk.

I like it, but it isn't me. I'm sure if I loved, loved, loved it, and wore it sufficiently, people would stop me too. It is an intriguing scent, different than anything else on the market.

Lavender Vanilla Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy SLEEP
Just as it says, lavender vanilla. At one time they had it in many formulas: lotion, pillow spray, oil, shower gel. I'm not sure what is available now, or if you can only find it during their big sales.

This is sweet and comforting, whereas Kilian's is lush and sexy.

I don't find it makes any difference in my sleep one way or the other. It is disconcerting to smell it on my pillow. I'd rather smell my own fragrance.

Arbonne Unwind Unwind Rejuvenating Body Mist
I have no idea if there is lavender in this. But I'm reviewing it with lavender because of its relaxation properties. I took it on my trip in case the world got to be too much with me, LOL! I did spritz it a bit in the car. I threatened to spritz my kids if they got too out of hand, but I never had to do it. It comes in a mist, a massaging oil, a shower gel, a lotion...

Notes: Chamomile and ylang ylang
The calming, botanically-based all over mist designed to hydrate the skin while imparting aromatherapeutic benefits of the Unwind essential oil blend. Recommended for all skin types. 4 fl. oz./118 mL ( 4 fl. oz./118 mL ) Price: $16.00

If BBW Lavender Vanilla is a sledge hammer, Unwind is a whisper. There is hardly any scent to it at all.

Does it work? Dunno. But I got there and back all right -- and I wondered before we started. 8 days driving/riding with a full car is a lot! What do you think, did it help?

What's your favorite scent with lavender? Do you like and wear lavender or not?
Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-23 12:25:25.

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