Our now famous Travelling Box of Perfume got much closer to the US East Coast at the end of last week. We should give Hajusuuri some time to explore and have fun with it. That’s why in the meantime let’s hear from Ann who had the box for 2 weeks before it was sent to New Jersey.
Your general impression of the box once it arrived…
What a delight to receive the Travelling Box of Perfume! I only wish I could have more time to test everything in the box. But, as this is a busy time for my work, I was happy also to have the two week limit.
Favorite perfume in the box…
My favorite perfume in the box was Assam of India! I would have never sought this out, outside of the box 😉
Least favorite perfume in the box…
My least favorite perfume was Phlur Greylocke – I had to wash it off.
5-10 mini reviews (Tweet length or longer if you’d like)
Berdoues – Assam of India.Immediately love, I smell faintly a familiar scent from Shiseido toner my mom used, not sure if it’s still what Shiseido smells like, but I also picked this up in MFK a la Rose, I wish I knew if it was 1 ingredient, or a blend of several that give me this impression. Then I get a bit of fruity candy. I think I over sprayed a bit.
By Kilian – Liaisons Dangereuses. Fuity, reminds me of al fresco dining in a hot place for some reason.
By Kilian – Straight to Heaven, White Cristal.Hmmm, chocolate? Coconut? It’s nice and intriguing, but I don’t know that I want to smell like this. Something sharp about it. Why do I even try these, they are too expensive. Just turns into coconut skin scent, money saved, as they say!
Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Teazzurra.Begins with a nice sharp astringent smell, followed by cherry cough syrup, briefly, then jasmine/corn.
Heeley – Cocobello.Unripe coconut, green. It’s OK
Hiram Green – Arbole Arbole.Something delightful, thick baby powder, like if you made a cake out of baby powder and cut a thick slice out. 10 minutes in – I think I’m smelling almond now, no trees yet. I really like this, but I have no idea why it’s called Arbole Arbole?
Hiram Green – SlowdiveStarts out with a powerful burst of fruity bubblegum. Some sort of chalky wall. Dusty – fruity – thick. Old dusty corner in an old house with light coming through the window. Thick in the same way an attar might smell, but with different scent. Not for me. Only 5-10 minutes in do I smell what reads as honey to me – I think you would have to really be a honey lover for this one, I suppose that’s obvious. I like honey, but the beginning is too much for me. This is a must for a honey lover.
Jo Loves – Pomelo. Lemon lime, sweet & bright, reminds me of sweet tarts candy.
Judith Leiber – Night. Fruitchouli? It’s OK
Masque Milano – Romanza.Bright, there something that reminds me of cactus, a watery vegetal feeling. Vetiver? Herbal rose. I really like it but I wouldn’t call it romance.
Memo Quartier Latin. Reminds me of pastry.
Memo Tiger’s Nest. Very nice incense, cozy, sweet but not too sweet. Reminds me a bit of Neela Vermeire Trayee. I like it but I don’t need more. This reminds me that I don’t like perfume names with animals in them – this is why I’ve never sought out the Zoologist line. The thought of a living animal with fur or what not does not give me the feeling I want when I wear perfume. Can you tell I’m not much of an animal lover? Ha 😉
Papillon Anubis. Rubber Wall.
Parfum d’Empire Fougere Bengale. Whoah! Stewed spice pot.
Parfum d’Empire Musc Tonkin. How wow – this is perfume, I love it, classic, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Oakmoss. LOTV. Makes me think someone when into a garden & forest and pulled everything – all the flowers wild & domestic, herbs, moss, tree branches and put in in a magical perfume blender. It gets a little overwhelming 5-10 minutes in – I should have sprayed more lightly, yikes! We are approaching Youth Dew territory. For classic perfume lovers!
Phlur – Greylocke.1st try: food, rice, grass? Bronx? Trees, apples & grass. Vetiver? Lemon? I’m not getting much else. I mean, it smells nice. I wouldn’t mind if my husband wore this. I was interested to try this because I remember the corny marketing, and wanted to know if it would affect my opinion. I guess I’d say it’s more masculine leaning. Good summer scent, starts blooming 1/2 hour in. 1 hour in – somethings gone wrong – it smells like my aunt’s powder room, not horrible, but clean bathroom scent! It’s turned into a scrubber!
Santa Maria Novella Citta di Kyoto.Reminds me of worms, earthy
Teo Cabanel Early Roses.Roses with the green on them, but not syrupy. It’s potent, subly strong = good.
Out of the box…
Out of many things that are in the box Ann decided to keep the following 5: Guerlain Rose Barbare, Atelier Cologne Pacific Lime, Berdoues Assam of India, Jacomo Silences and Marni Rose.
Into the box…
The list is just too long to post the entire thing but you must know that Ann has been amazingly generous and she added circa 50 different things – couple of decants and a while bunch of samples. Just as a teaser I will tell you there are fragrances from Aedes, Byredo, D.S & Durga, Juliette Has a Gun or Mona di Orio and many, many more that I just won’t list this time. Hajusuuri is in for a surprise.
Chemist in the Bottle 