9 – Vienna.Pink

My Burberry Black / Burberry

27 Sep

I met a woman a few months ago on a train in Peru. She and I were up before the break of dawn, on a dreary and melancholic day…both sipping our teas while watching the storm build up outside our compartment windows.

She was plain but exquisitely well dressed for such an occasion: a messy bun, trench coat and a pair of quilted sandals. However it wasn’t her fashion sense that was especially attractive, it was her perfume.

The scent was of rotting earth and wet foliage. There was something both sweet and hopeful yet weary and tragic at the same time. It was the strangest thing, like a walk in the woods after a very heavy rainstorm. I had to ask what it was she was wearing and she revealed that it was My Burberry Black.

The moment I got back to LA I had to rush out and get one myself. It was the saddest love story ever, in a bottle!

I loved it; can there ever be a scent more reminiscent of Central Park after a thunder storm? This is the smell of a confident woman with a trench coat and a great desire to conquer the world….that is, once she’s gotten out of the rain =]

Top Notes
Jasmine

Middle Notes
Rose, Peach

Base Notes
Patchouli , Amber

N°5 / Chanel

27 Sep

What if there exists a perfume which encapsulates all of the world’s greatest love stories in to one tiny bottle?

What if there was a fragrance that manages to capture a moment in time so powerful and nostalgic that it evokes memories once forgotten?
That bottle exists and it is called Chanel No 5.

The feelings I get while wearing No5 can only be summoned up in one word: Elegance. It is more than a fragrance…it is a stepping stone into adulthood…a stark line separating childish ambitions from strong independence.

Like most women who wear No5…their first memories of this perfume came from their mother…dressing up for an evening event…a formal occasion. Daughters would look at their mothers in awe, a beautiful and gorgeous woman…strong, elegant, and graceful. My mother would always lean down to tuck me into bed, and I would smell her perfume…it was always Chanel…it is a fragrance that I will remember forever.

Years later I would own every version, my favorite being Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere, which is the classical formula that is lighter, fresher, softer, more delicate, and suitable for every-day use. There are nights where I would spritz this on my wrist and just lay there in bed…allowing the notes to carry me away into an amber world full of prince and princesses, kings and queens. It is truly magnificent.

The original Chanel No5 goes on strong and smoky (like rich leather and amber) whereas Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere goes on strong and woodsy but immediately fades into a sheer sandalwood with top layers of ylang ylang. If Chanel N05 was the Victorian Age then Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere is definitely the roaring twenties. It is beautiful, elegant, and full of classiness. It reminds me of a young Marilyn Monroe, still innocent and full of wonder.

The dry down for me is mostly vanilla and jasmine, with hints of sandalwood.

Top Notes
Neroli, Ylang-Ylang, Aldehydes

Middle Notes
Jasmine, Rose

Base Notes
Vetyver, Sandalwood, Vanilla

Crystal Noir / Versace

27 Sep

I just received this in the mail last night, and my goodness…if you are looking for the perfect evening perfume, Versace Crystal Noire is it. This was formulated for the sexy femme fatales, for nights out with mysterious lovers and secret escapades. The dry down is AMAZING, top notes smells like powdery coconut, cardamom and pepper which fades into spicy gardenia and sandalwood…the fragrance is reminiscent of Indian milk, very creamy and decadent.

The only problem I’ve had with Crystal Noir is that it isn’t very versatile; I can’t wear this on just any occasion, it requires an audience. It’s lovely but the smell of coconut and pepper can be a bit too strong for my nose–but then I own the EDP, which by the way is super strong. Longevity can last the whole day and into the next morning, with sillage being just as enduring.

This perfume is scent embodiment of panties hanging on the door knob and steamy one night stands. The dry down smells like an autumn night dressed up in lingerie while waiting for the perfect suitor to appear at your door step.

I literally could not wear this fragrance without randomly slipping into day dreams, my husband seemed enticed by it too. Very toxic in a totally good way 😉

Top Notes
Ginger, Cardamom, Pepper

Middle Notes
Orange Blossom, Peony, Gardenia, Coconut

Base Notes
Sandalwood, Musk, Amber