Comments on: Aramis Havana Reserva, Bella Bellissima Perfect Man and Etro Messe de Minuit

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:49:32 +0000

Stop! I feel badly enough about it already! But I have started sending out small decants of Black Tourmaline to fellow perfume fans so that I can feel like I’m at least spreading the love, if not partaking of it myself.
Whenever I spray it into a vial, I’m reminded of why I purchased it in the first place.
Good to hear that Silver Factory still holds up after the hype has died down. I was just looking at that bottle last night and wondering . . .

By: Tara

Tara — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:43:18 +0000

You aren’t wearing your BT? For shame! Actually this happens to me sometimes, I develop a weird resistance to wearing things I know I like. Forced myself to break out the Bond No. 9 Chinatown and Silver Factory this weekend and sure enough, I still loved them.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:21:50 +0000

Okay, I’m kind of cracking up at the thought of you owning a bottle of perfume that you only drag out to sniff at once in a while because you find it unwearable.
But then, my poor bottle of Black Tourmaline sits in the back of my cupboard, collecting dust, even though I insist I love the stuff . . .

By: Tara

Tara — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:04:25 +0000

I keep the bottle of MdM and sniff the sprayer from time to time, but can’t wear it. The Aedes L’Artisan is similarly borderline to me – it teeters dangerously on the brink of total BO, but I can *just* keep it from going over the edge.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:45:36 +0000

There is that bit of mushroom and cold-must quality to Messe de Minuit, but I think I’m able to just carry it off. I could be completely wrong and leave a trail of people holding their noses behind me as I breeze past, but I’ve been wearing the Messe de Minuit for the past couple of days, with constant monitoring for wonk, and it seems to keep to the incense and spice side of the equation without tilting overboard into the sour mildew sea.
I’m also able to carry off the Regina Harris Frankincense Myrrh Rose Maroc fragrance, as well, but there are numerous other myrrh based scents that go all-wrong for me, so I completely understand where you’re coming from.
There are numerous blog reviews of the Etro that talk about how interesting it is, yet ultimately unwearable for the reviewer — I’m, like, “Send yours my way!”

By: Tara

Tara — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:33:48 +0000

Myrrh = kryptonite. It always smells mildewed or mushroomy on me. Such a pity.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:28:06 +0000

I was actually thinking to myself as I wore Messe de Minuit why I hadn’t heard you mention this stuff before . . . and now I know.
I don’t get the mildew note that other people talk about, but the myrrh is fairly strong and I can see how it might go sour for a lot of people. Funny thing is, I’m usually not a fan of a strong myrrh presence, but there’s something about the way it’s put together in Messe de Minuit that makes it a-ok.
For me, it’s a very dark, gothic scent without any unpleasant undertones, but that was just a one sample impression. I have more showing up next week, and we’ll see if an extended run holds up under scrutiny.

By: Tara

Tara — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:33:08 +0000

I’m a hardcore incense lover, and all I got from Messe de Minuit was a dank basement full of mildewed books. Oh well – I’ll stick with the CdG Incense series for my church incense needs.

By: Nathan Branch

Nathan Branch — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:44:50 +0000

I remember the first time I saw that episode of South Park. I nodded my head sagely and thought, “Yes . . . yes, that’s quite possibly true.”

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:55:21 +0000

“Thanks Robert Smith. ‘Disintegration’ is the best album ever!”