APB is two years old today! Although a lot has changed in my life since I started blogging, and some of those changes may soon start to appear on the blog, one thing hasn’t changed: reading your blogs (those who have them), reading your comments, and even seeing from the site stats that people are reading is a wonderful gift. Thank you for giving it to me. xo, Natalie
Fuzzy rose. Medical office in the woods. Citronella. Tactile. Soft. Cinnamon vanilla.
Reading my notes about Marni (created by Daniela Andrier), I realized I could think of them as a time-lapse review. Read real reviews of Marni’s perfume at Bois de Jasmin and Persolaise.
In case it isn’t clear, I like the perfume.
Image courtesy Fragrantica. Sample my own purchase.
With the help of Mr. APB (who picked the number 14), we have a winner:
Beth
And, it turns out that you can win a bottle of your perfume, Alyssa Ashley Coco Vanilla, instead of the perfume I selected. Please send me an email with your choice (either Coco Vanilla or O de L’Orangerie) and your mailing address for me to pass on to 99 Perfume. My email is anotherperfumeblog at hotmail dot com.
Thank you again, 99 Perfume!
If all is working correctly, you are seeing a post below this one that says “protected.” I have created a post to share only with those of you who are regular readers of the blog who I “know”, rather than with the whole world. 
Should you for some reason be seeing that whole post, either here or in your email, please let me know right away!
And, if you want to read that post, and I “know” you, send me an email (anotherperfumeblog at hotmail dot com) and I will send you the password.
In light of new FTC regulations, I have modified the disclosure statement on my blog. I’m posting it here as well. (Sigh)
Disclosure (updated March 2013)
First, I want to thank you for reading APB. I hope you like the content you find here, and I encourage you to contact me with any questions you might have.
Here are the specifics about how I run APB.
*Note that I will be slowly returning to older posts that required a disclosure and updating them to reflect new FTC requirements.
With this latest set of requirements, the FTC apparently doesn’t want bloggers to claim they are writing honest reviews if they have received product for free. Obviously, I understand the FTC’s position, but they put us in an uncomfortable position of not being able to say what we strive for in our reviews.
So, apparently, all I can say is this: In the almost two years I have been running my blog, I have received about four full bottles of perfume and about 30 perfume samples for free. And I’ve made $31 via WordAds. Obviously, I blog for myself and for you. Thank you for reading!
I was fortunate to smell/test (or retest in some cases) several Serge Lutens Exclusives at Barney’s in New York earlier this month. I thought it might be interesting to share these impressions, because my initial reactions to Serge Lutens are almost never in line my “final” opinions about them. I’d be curious to know if there is a perfume line that any of you feel this way about, and/or if you have a completely different opinion of any of these perfumes.
Rose de Nuit. Notes for this are Turkish rose, yellow jasmine, apricot, amber, musk, sandalwood and beeswax. Fragrantica describes it as a “dark and animalistic female rose perfume.” So I’m at a loss that it goes a little rosewater, and not in a good way, on my skin. My notes say “sour and fusty.”
Fourreau Noir. Notes for this are lavender, tonka, musk, almonds, and smokey accords. It reminds me of Eau Noire, but not as rich and overpowering, and it smells less like unappetizing leftovers. The almond is quite evident in Fourreau Noir. But still, I think I like this as a smell, but not a perfume.
Une Voix Noire. Gardenia as inspired by Billy Holliday and done up by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens seems like a dream. But what can I say? I wasn’t wowed. I wanted it to be weirder and more audacious.
Rahat Loukoum. Notes for this are aldehydes, almond, cherry, hawthorn, Turkish rose, heliotrope, white honey, vanilla, tonka bean, balsam and musk. To my nose, this is almond pastry, straight up, with a drydown to vanilla with a hint of charcoal smoke.
Of these four, I will test Une Voix Noire and Rahat Loukoum more. I was also more interested in De Profundis, after testing on the strip, than I had thought I would be. And I will continue trying to fall in love with Boxeuses.
L’Wren Scott. This Ralph Schweiger creation is a Barney’s exclusive. Notes per a Refinery 29 interview are absinthe, coriander, marigold, tuberose, geranium, clove buds, curry, patchouli, amber, and moss. To my nose, it started out as a perfumey modern chypre that stays close to the skin but does make a statement. A floral with a backbone of spiciness, patchouli, and creamy wood. I also think I smell a bit of fruitiness to it, but nothing overt—just enough to hint at another fragrance dimension. Unfortunately, and I don’t know if this was nose fatigue, but it seemed to have very little sillage and to disintegrate on my skin within an hour. I hope to revisit this, since I really liked what I smelled initially. For a review of L’Wren Scott perfume, click to go to Ca Fleure Bon.
Today I’m participating in joint holiday blogging with All I Am – A Redhead, ChickenFreak’s Obsessions, EauMG, The Muse in Wooden Shoes, Olfactoria’s Travels, Perfume Journal, and Undina’s Looking Glass. We are following a tradition begun by Redolent of Spices and Scent of the Day. If you’re interested, you can check out last year’s O Tannenbaum-themed posts. The theme this year is Ghosts of Perfumes Past, Present, and Future.
Past
If you’re very lucky, you have a legendary friend. I do. We first met when he was 16. He drove a late-model suburban sedan covered in bumper stickers, had dorky hair, and was completely himself. Everyone loved him. These days, not much has changed except that his awesomeness is recognized on a bigger stage, so more people love him. I often ask myself how, exactly, one person can possess so much talent and likability. But it’s simply not possible to hold anything against him. He’s earned every ounce of good karma that comes his way with humility, hard work, and the sort of kindness that can’t be faked. A few months ago we were talking about perfume, and he mentioned that he wore Fahrenheit for years. I thought this was strange, since I never associated it with him. The next time I was at a shop, I sprayed Fahrenheit on the tester strip, and sure enough … I practically hugged the bottle.
Present
I am completely obsessed with Enlevement au Serail, a Francis Kurkdjian creation for Parfums MDCI. It is spicy/creamy, sumptuous/angular dichot0mous floral goodness. I will wear it at Christmas, and it will be amazing.
Future
Sometimes everything is perfect. I smell a carnation perfume, and I beg a sample because my mom might like it. I walk down the street behind a man wearing Grey Flannel, and I giggle into my sleeve that my husband’s scent twin is an 80-year old man walking a bilious dachshund. I clock a bottle of Miss Dior in a shop, and I stop to see if it’s the original without the “Originale” that a perfume-friend is looking for.
That perfect time is right now, and I know it’s wrong, but God I hope somehow these things never change.
***
Thank you, much loved reader-friends, for keeping me company on APB this year. I hope your holidays are warm and toasty, and your new year is full of love, good health, and perfume. <3
The Six Scents samples go to … ItaliaLouise!
The winners of the Neela Vermeire giveaway are:
#5, which is Anatu13, wins Mohur plus the samples.
#2, which is Tony, wins Trayee plus the samples.
#6, which is Einsof, wins Bombay Bling plus the samples.
Winners, please email your shipping details to anotherperfumeblog(at)hotmail(dot)com.
And now for the explanation of the photos.
The far left photo shows an actor dressed as Kaali, one of the goddesses mentioned in the original Vedic writings, and therefore represents Trayee.
The middle photo shows Amrita Sher-Gil, an Indian painter of the early 20th Century, and therefore represents Mohur.
The last photo shows Yamini Reddy, a modern-day Indian classical dancer, and therefore represents Bombay Bling.
Congratulations to Scottie, Elisa, Lindaloo, ImmaS, Nina, Joey, Undina, and Merry who all guessed correctly and were entered (except for Undina, who asked not to be) in a second chance draw for the small amounts remaining in my Neela Vermeire samples. The winner of this second chance draw was:
#2 Elisa
