The Best Laid Plans

I planned to create a blog that would be all about perfume, one of my biggest obsessions. I wanted to include loads of perfume reviews but then I was stumped, about just what else I should do with this blog. Then along came Brian. I met Brian at PerfumeCritic.com. We hit if off instantly. We both love perfume and share many similarities and just as many differences in our likes, dislikes and thoughts about scent. One idea we both agree on: Perfume Is Art. Perfume is evocative. Perfume is a damn good time. Perfume is a medium through which we can write stories about our lives, experiences, dreams, rants, raves and day-to-day musings that will hopefully be interesting to others like us.

One thing is for sure, I sortof hate Brian right now. After agreeing to work on this project together, I've found that he is a shockingly beautiful writer. My writing will pale in comparison. (be quiet Brian, it's true, so get over it, Mr. Humble). I'm not sure what I'll do about this. Rise to the occassion? Be the one to write the more mundane reviews? We shall see what happens.

A note about my perfume reviews. I'm finding that I don't have the patience to go into the extreme depth of other perfume reviewers, discussing how each and every note unfolds over the course of a few hours. When I try a perfume, I usually either love it, hate it or just think it's 'meh' (not worth discussing). I can mostly detect individual notes, but prefer not to do so, I'd rather discuss the 'work' as a whole. So, I hope that I don't disappoint my imaginary readers, but I think my perfume reviews will be somewhat brief and to the point and geared towards giving you an overall impression of the "juice."

This may be too obvious to even mention but I'd also like to point out that my reviews are entirely subjective. This is my personal taste, it's what I like and dislike, so please don't ever be insulted if I happen to dislike something you adore. I mention this because it took me about 3 weeks to get over the agony of reading Turin & Sanchez' book, Perfume: The Guide. Turin haaaaates 3 (ok it's really 10) of my favorite perfumes.

I'm over it now, but for 3 weeks this tortured me. I think perfume is extremely personal. Even though thousands perhaps millions of people have all worn the same perfume, each time I apply one of my favorites, it feels as though the scent is personally mine. So to say one of my favorite perfumes is atrocious, well, that just hurts! I know I didn't create it but I buy it and wear it and that says something about me. Anyway, I finally realized that perfume, like just about everything else, is subjective, and what might not be my cup of tea, might be someone else's luscious chai latte.

In case you're wondering, I'll let you in on the one that hurt the most. The perfume that I adore that Mr. Turin hates. It's Amarige by Givenchy. Yes, Amarige is potent. But, that is, of course, why I love it. I have a preference for perfumes that are strong and lasting. I'd rather be careful about spritzing lightly than wear a perfume that is fleeting and lasts for 14 minutes. Amarige is absolutely gorgeous in my book. It's a floral oriental that turns into molten lava on my skin. It follows me around like a cloud. It literally feels warm - like a warm cloud enveloping me all day. Some say Amarige is a tuberose heavy scent, and I'm not sure tuberose is among the listed notes. It's meant to showcase Indian Mimosa. Amarige bursts with personality. It's alive, sexy, sensual, fiesty and feminine. I actually don't even smell individual notes but instead a well blended floral oriental bomb of a perfume that can only be described as Amarige.

To Luca Turin I say this: Someday I hope we get trapped in an elevator together when I am wearing 4 bold spritzes of Amarige. ;-)

To my readers: I hope you enjoy what Brian and I do with this blog. It will be great fun for us and we hope a fascinating journey for you.