fragrance | Pomelo girl thoughts

My favorite gourmands

Posted on December 22, 2015 by elemonated

I don’t wear a lot of gourmands. I’m an ethereal or incense floral kind of girl. I’m also a fan of the weird stuff, like the fish market Etat Libre D’Orange Secretions Magnifiques and the fermented Byredo Pulp. That being said, tis’ the season! It’s cold and dark and dreary (or it would be if not for global warming), so wanting a bit of warm creamy sweetness is to be expected.

This is a list for people who probably aren’t really into gourmands. No big vanilla bombs to be found, I apologize. Read More

The new Annick Goutal boutique on Madison Ave.

Posted on December 14, 2015 by elemonated

It’s a good day when you can kick back with the lovely people of Sniffapalooza and the NYC fragrance community and get buzzed on perfume.

Mr. Chokkattu and I stopped at Lladro first, but I forgot to take pictures of the pretty porcelain, brand new candles and a new votive. No matter, they had three new home fragrances. Gardens of Valencia and Mediterranean Beach are both florals, Mediterranean is heavier on the musk, and I Love You, Mom is a gourmand, floral on top of chocolate and honey.

Calvin Klein releases gender-free fragrance

Posted on November 30, 2015 by elemonated

http://www.essence.com/2015/11/30/calvin-klein-releases-gender-free-fragrance

Hey Calvin Klein, the fragrance industry already has a term for “gender-free” fragrance: unisex. I think that you know that, seeing as CK One is unisex.

Unless you just mean your marketing campaign. To which, sure, jump on that wagon before it leaves. The popularity of Orange is the New Black, the media-positive view of Caitlyn Jenner’s transition, and H&M and all of the little companies that have made it safe for the big and the old to do this makes this a decent time to get on. And it really hits that “no labels” thing that millennials like.

“Creative lifestyle brands”

Posted on November 23, 2015 by elemonated

Picture from VF article

I admit that I’m a sucker for stories in marketing. I love storytelling and I love creative angles and interesting packaging and pretty, pretty words. I’m optimistic and gullible like that.

When it comes to fragrances, there’s a lot of that. If you’re not already a household name, it’s not like the computer has smell-o-vision, and all you have is that story and the best graphics you can invest in and reviewers writing that they’re being taken to the moon by a whiff. It’s probably why this is my current expensive hobby over something more useful like tech or politics.

Updates!

Posted on November 18, 2015 by elemonated

This is Milo, aka star of @frenchiebutt on Instagram. I love him.

Why does WordPress keep changing its writing format. It’s like it’s in college trying out its sexuality. Or in high school trying out different outward identities.

Anyway, I haven’t posted in a while, and this is just to keep my blog from looking too empty. Otherwise I’ve been busy with school (I’m slotted to graduate in January if I pass this semester!) and work/not-working and pining for puppies and just everything.

Posts I have in mind that will hopefully come soon:

Articles about cool things if I can get them out in a timely fashion
A comparison on purported leather frags; some of which are lies I tell ya.
A comparison on cold weather gourmands, possibly.
The post on the preservation of New York City’s Chinatown that I still haven’t gotten to.
Maybe a mini-bio or two of people I like reading about, like Danny Meyers, Elizabeth Holmes

Alright, I have an exam in less than 4 hours, I should go.

❤

House of Matriarch Blackbird

Posted on November 5, 2015 by elemonated

Blackbird was created by Christi Meshell and first came out in 2012. It has since amassed a cult following. House of Matriarch has also gathered similar praise, as it went on to win so many awards I think it would just be easier for everyone if you just clicked above for their website.

But Blackbird: Niche leather! Oud! Cannabis! All of the hype flavors on one train. Rave reviews, including one gentleman I recall reading the reaction of who didn’t necessarily see the pleasure of wearing fragrance until he smelled this on a friend of his. So I was glad when a friend recommended we try this one together. I’m a little late to the hype train, I do live on the other side of the US after all, but I figure this stuff probably has a mild following so I’m not too far behind.

BLACKBIRD Perfume

Well let’s give it a go shall we? Read More

Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2015!

Posted on October 30, 2015 by elemonated

Finally getting to this post!

I’ve been indulging my fragrance hobby for more than a year now, but only fairly quietly in the safety of my own home and in the awkward embrace of the internet. However. This changed last Friday when I attended my first Sniffapalooza event; the free kick-off at Twisted Lily, my own local niche fragrance Mecca that I’ve purchased from before, but ever only online. The website’s treated me well though, some of my old posts like 6 Scents 6 Selves, my UNUM review, my Twisted Lily favorites review, and my Ineke A-H reviews were sourced from Twisted Lily (click on each word for a different Ineke review!)

Mitsouko vs. Mitsouko

Posted on October 23, 2015 by elemonated

I have been reassured by several reliable-enough sources on the internet that 1989 Mitsouko counts as vintage, THEREFORE.

AND I have also received my Surrender to Chance sample of Mitsouko which I’m 99.5% certain is not a vintage in any way, though I don’t know what batch it is, so it’s time to compare them and, perhaps, contrast them!

I visited Twisted Lily tonight for their Sniffapalooza kick-off gathering and drenched myself in niche juice, so here’s to hoping that the shower I just took helps mitigate any interference. Also touching the wrist pad of my laptop makes my wrists come away with a rather unappetizing rubber scent, so I’ve been trying not to do that. Read More

1989* Mitsouko

Posted on October 21, 2015 by elemonated

Update: Someone has since informed me that the box is only indicative of the box design year and helped me figure out that this is actually a 1989 bottle using this website! Thanks!

Because I’m the luckiest woman alive, Mr. Chokkattu gave this pale, pasty, stressed-out version of me 1983 Mitsouko Eau de Parfum.

Inner box; so pretty!

Cute little 7.5 mL bottle!

The lovely golden outer shell!

1983 on the box!

I’ll post a review when I feel like I’m dying less, but if I am unable to convey my excitement given my current state of exhaustion, know that I am close to crying.

If you want to learn more about Mr. Chokkattu, he also has a blog, plus I have a whole post about him during our time in Iceland.

I love him I love him I love him.

6 Scents 6 Selves

Posted on October 15, 2015 by elemonated

These are all male-leaning or unisex, but I have no problem wearing Fils de Dieu or Le 3’ Homme myself and I am a tiny, rather unimposing female. The Jungian personalities that I decided would be best suited to each fragrance is also just my opinion. I would never discourage anyone from wearing what they like unless they ask for it explicitly! Mr. Chokkattu and I decided that these were the most versatile that we collectively own, so the list is obviously biased in our direction.

Nearly all of the fragrances in mentioned in this list come from Twisted Lily’s The Sands sample collection which I purchased for him a few months ago. I would like to take this moment and congratulate myself on being able to choose gifts really well, and also bask in the smugness of getting Mr. Chokkattu’s older brother in on the fragrance game without actually having to interact with him. (He basically stole the sample of Tom of Finland Mr. Chokkattu had received from Scent Trunk.) Anyway.

Enjoy the list!