Comments on: Le Labo Poivre 23

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:36:20 +0000

I’m picturing you in some Reynolds Wrap home version of a HazMat suit, walking the toxic bag to the outside garbage bin, held in front of you between the ends of a very long pair of tongs . . .

By: Tara

Tara — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:43:08 +0000

There are only a few Montales I really like as well – Greyland, Blue Amber, Wood & Spices, Red Aoud and Chypre Vanillee are the ones I like enough to wear regularly. Mostly the oud and/or rose ones are too medicinal.
As for scrubbing after a few minutes, there was only one fragrance that I felt compelled to sandblast off my wrists, and that was Norma Kamali Incense. After 15 minutes I couldn’t take it any more and scrubbed. Then I carefully wrapped the vial in a ziploc bag and walked it out to the trash can.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:22:36 +0000

I have a hard time with the Montale line. They don’t usually work well for me. I like Greyland, but I think that’s the only Montale I’ve tried so far that I’ve liked. I do have several other samples of theirs that I still need to get to, and maybe I’ll do that next week and see if there’s something else form Montale that trips my olfactory triggers.
And you’re right — I needed to go with something a little more complementary to Poivre 23 than the Bijou. It was just a terrible combination, like brandy and diet coke, or a gin martini with watermelon balls.
And I am a firm believer in going the full ride with a fragrance — three hours is about when a lot of them are just getting down to the nitty gritty. Granted, if you don’t particularly like what you’re wearing after three hours, then there’s no sense in continuing (unless you want to write a full review), but I’ve had fragrances twist and turn for hours and hours and hours. For example, Indult Tihota — I originally thought it was a yummy, smoky, incense vanilla until I woke up in the middle of the night and it was powerfully radiating a way simplistic, too sweet vanilla all through the bedroom. It put me right off the stuff.
I always shake my head when I read comments on perfume blogs from people who talk about scrubbing something off after a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes! What can they possibly tell about a perfume before the opening has even burned off?
So, yeah. The long date is always a good idea . . .
BTW: email me your mailing address (if you’re comfortable with that) and I’ll kick some of my excess samples in your direction, including the Poivre 23. You can find my email address in the “About Me” section on this site. I tried contacting you through your own website, but you don’t list an email address anywhere that I could see.

By: ScentScelf

ScentScelf — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:22:57 +0000

btw, I laughed out loud at your snarky bit… waterboarded by Strawberry Shortcake, indeed.

By: ScentScelf

ScentScelf — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:18:41 +0000

Harumph. You’ve got another fantabulous sounding scent. Me, I’m sitting here with Montale Aoud Roses Petals and having trouble getting past the medicine. Chatting up Poivre is, well, rubbing salt into the wound.
(It had to be said.)
And you had another pairings opportunity? I’m telling ya, you’ve got to play my game. What goes with the martini? If the martini is dirty? If you use the other kind of vermouth? If you Gibson it up with an onion?? Hmmmm????
My Roses Petals goes well with…Robitussin? No that’s not it; that German liquid vitamin? no, not quite; Aha! with Mrs. Meyer’s geranium rose all-purpose cleaner, which as we know, we are to keep out of the reach of children, and were supposed to keep out of the bar, but apparently washed the crystal with.
(I think I sound pouty. Maybe I should scrub. But after my Cradle of Light experience, I’m committed to the long date.)

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:40:28 +0000

A SMALL TYPO?!!!
Mon dieu! Thank you for correcting me. For some odd reason, I totally had it in my head that this was their Paris exclusive, even though I was reading the information right in front of me that it was their London piece.
Post has been corrected.
*sigh*
Obviously, my mind was more focused on the Friday evening martini I was going to reward myself with for a week of posting.
Poivre 23 is a beautiful peppery vanilla, and now I’m looking forward to sampling their actual vanilla release. I’m sure it’s wonderful, and layering the two sounds just shy of a brilliant idea.

By: Tara

Tara — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:08:27 +0000

There is a small typo in your post – Poivre 23 is the London exclusive, not Paris. The Paris exclusive is Vanille 44 (which I hear is a lovely delicate incensey vanilla). In fact another poster on Perfume Posse said she layered the two to great effect.
I have a sample of both winging their way to me at this minute – can’t wait to sniff! Will report back once I’ve done so.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:17:39 +0000

*ding ding ding ding ding*
And we have a winnah! Give the man his prize!

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:42:25 +0000

“…those who are aware of the difference between a vanilla bean pod and a vanilla cupcake…”
Wait I know this: One is a crazy delicious quantum of manna from heaven and the other is some kind of plant thingy.