Pomelo girl thoughts

Perfumed Personalities

A couple of years ago I wrote 6 Scents 6 Selves after taking the 16 Personalities quiz, which is an illustrated, and more fun version of the Myers-Brigg test. Not only did I, for some reason, only focus on “masculine” and unisex fragrances, I read back my choices and some of them have me scratching my head.

I’m an ENTP, aka the Debater, aka I’m like, really annoying and my moral backbone is very flexible.

So I’m going to revitalize this idea as a series. You know how YouTube lets you “premiere” videos now (so confusing to the Chromecast user honestly.)? Well this is the premiere. An introduction of sorts.

Ellis Brooklyn Raven Review

Posted on February 19 by elemonated

This stunning peony-patchouli vies for the same complexity of character—the seduction lasts long before the first notes of mandarin and rhubarb, developing into a heady olfactive brew underlined by blond woods and liquid musks.

Both the Myth and Raven note descriptions said that I’m supposed to smell patchouli, and while I got a bit of patchouli in Myth in the base as promised, it is the belle of the ball in Raven. It starts off sweet and creamy, with a sharpness like a tart apple, and then a sort of dogwood kind of woody. All of which play their part in the dry down as well in various strengths.

Then the patchouli has pulled its boots on and really gets everything going.

Happy Valentine’s Day: (In an anime, this is called a filler episode)

Posted on February 14, 2019 by elemonated

So over the holidays since I had and still have no money, I just made a ton of baked goods to bring to parties and treat my friends. Mr. Chokkattu’s favorite cookie is the gingersnap, small and crispy and normally purchased for like $6 from the store only to be demolished in 2 hours or less.

If your significant other is similar, you should try this cookie recipe and maybe buy yourself a heart cookie cutter.

Happy Valentine’s Day Mr. Chokkattu.

I adapted this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, whom I’ve followed for at least 5 years now if not more, who adapted it from other recipes herself.

Mr. Chokkattu was upset when I started to pack cookies for my family and his family. He was under the impression that all of the gingersnaps I made would be going exclusively to him during the holidays.

Ellis Brooklyn Myth Review

Posted on February 11, 2019 by elemonated

I think it’s that citrus-y and herbaceous bergamot on top of the cassis that makes this one almost scrumptious, or at least very tangible on the tongue.

Myth is “Bergamot, cassis and jasmine petals makes a first impression before lingering with patchouli, liquid musks and white cedarwood.”

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It doesn’t matter that pineapple and mango and melon aren’t listed as notes. Whatever the cassis was supposed to provide turns into a way more tropical fruity note. Like a mango or melon Hi-Chew. Myth smells like a twist on a mimosa with the brunchiest, Instagram-friendly accouterments: sunshine, lily petals strewn around the base of the glass and a few thrown in the glass itself for good measure, served on a coaster because the wood for table that was chosen doesn’t actually hold up to the function it was purchased to serve. Read More

Room 1015’s Power Ballad

Posted on November 7, 2018 by elemonated

I got Room 1015 Power Ballad through Scentbird for my October choice. Click the link for my referral if you’re interested in trying out the service.

The midterms have gotten me particularly emotional for one reason or another. I’m just a little bit closer to it this week than I have been, I guess. Shout-out to the girls I met from Alabama when I was canvassing in Washington Square Park who were not exactly hopeful but certainly were not giving up on their home state. Shout-out to the felons whose rights in Florida whose rights have been restored, and to the ones in New York and New York City whose rights have not yet been relinquished to them. Also to all of the very nice people who are not US citizens who wished me and us all luck when I bothered them anyway.

We lost a few battles but we won so many that it doesn’t feel fitting to concentrate on the losses this quarter.

Image from Fragrantica

Ellis Brooklyn Fable Review

Posted on May 18, 2018 by elemonated

Neroli is the essential oil of the orange blossom drawn using steam distillation from the bitter orange tree. Orange blossom also comes from the bitter orange tree, from the same blossom, but via enfleurage, which is the application of fat solids to pull out fragrance compounds from an item. Petitgrain is from the same tree but is made from steam distillation of the twigs and leaves. (Thanks Jessica Murphy from NST and Perfume Professor for that info. Also shout-out to Brooklyn Brainery because even when I look through the list of classes in their email newsletter like “I am not free for ANY of this” I’m still like “what is shibori even though” and “maybe I should start wool-working and also make a puff representation of my dog.”)

You’re so lame mom, please don’t.

I’m not the biggest fan of neroli. Most of the purer forms of it remind me too much of Froot Loops and I just don’t have any fun memories that would make the smell of neroli as significant to me as it is unique. During sniff-tests I’m usually standing next to neroli lovers, lovers of the Italian coastline, lovers of the Spanish coastline who are smiling and talking about their grandparents and their past trips and trips they want to take and saying absolutely nothing, smiling with them, appreciating the fragrance as objectively as I can, and swallowing down cereal jokes until that part of the conversation is over.

Novice design analysis, queso, and Ellis Brooklyn’s Bibliotheca box set

Posted on May 11, 2018 by elemonated

I’m just going to come out and say it.

I am a huge sucker for marketing that implies that the buyer is knowledgeable and well-read or appreciates some sort of pseudo-sophisticated humor. Like it makes me actually feel dumb after the fact for falling for it over and over. Whenever I catch myself wanting something because I think it’ll make me look smart I wonder if the thrill of having knowledge others counts as a guilty pleasure. Is it if you feel like a dick doing it? Is it if you don’t feel like a dick doing it?? Is that simply nerdy, or does it cross into being elitist? Am I even snobbier than I thought I was? Will I start interjecting “um, actually” more or less after this revelation??

In my defense though I think it really just boils down to wanting to be in on all the jokes. Nerdy jokes are hands down the best.

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