Scent ramblings

So, I've been thinking...(I know, dangerous, right?)  I'm already getting comments like, "But how much perfume can one person wear?"  and "Do you really wear all that much perfume?" and I was starting to feel bad, especially when I realized...
The perfume thing really never ends, does it? I was thinking that once I got the rest of the BPAL GC's (General Catalog scents, those that are available all the time, barring component issue discontinuations), I want (and there really aren't that many) I'd be "done" except for seasonal updates. Riiiight. Add in seasonal updates from about six other companies and it becomes never-ending. I give, I give, you've got me for life!

Well and there's still GC's from some of the companies too, like Blooddrop, who has a few GC's I want, and the people over in the "Other Perfumes you Love" thread keep trying to talk me into trying Nocturne Alchemy (they have some foodie scents that sound divine), and if something happens with Conjure Oils so the TAT will be reasonable,  there will be a bunch of those I want. And of course there's my never ending attraction to Villainess. And Haus of Gloi, and Haunt, and Moxie Nouveau, and Arcana, and Midnight Gypsy.   Except for Villainess and Conjure Oils, each company only has a few I want, but multiply that between numerous companies and it starts to add up!

I am seriously going to have to save up for that perfume chest, I guess... I wonder just how long perfume oils last if kept dark and cool? I know Snake Oil is good for at LEAST seven years.

You know, though - I'd feel bad if I didn't WEAR them, but I wear everything I have except the bottle of Purple Swallowtail that's up for swap. If I don't love it, I don't keep it. I rotate - usually wear something different every day. And it's now to the point that I don't feel "dressed" without perfume on. Actually no, it's worse than that. Even on days I don't get out of pajamas, I will put on perfume.

I guess when student loans start coming due I'll have to budget differently, but I'm pretty sure I can manage at least one bottle per paycheck.

After discussing the whole issue with Chris, and he is saying that he isn't seeing the problem, I guess I can stop worrying about it. 

Haus of Gloi reviews: Troika and Twice Is Nice

I had been wanting these two for awhile - apparently my foodie fetish is lasting. For someone who said they didn't like foodie scents when I first got into perfume oils last year,  I sure have and enjoy a LOT of them! 

Twice Is Nice: Sweetest offerings of opulence! Buttery sugar cookie, with shavings of creamy coconut and topped with toasted almond slivers!

Indeed, in the bottle this is sheer butter cookie.  Yum.  As it dries, I get butter cookie with a just a touch of coconut and some almond.  I was slightly concerned about this one, after the almond note in Dana O'Shee turned to fake cherry on me.  This one doesn't seem to be doing that, thankfully.  It's just coconut/almond/cookie.  

Troika:  A trinity of soft milks, almond, oat and coconut, lashed with sweet agave nectar and the ethereal scent of clean white.

Well, it's definitely not what I was expecting....In the bottle, I get a creamy "white" note, but there's definitely a floral in there. This is NOT a foodie scent at all.  As it's drying, I get more floral and less milk.  No coconut, oat, or almond to be found, just a white floral.  When it's dry, the milk notes come out more, it sweetens up a lot, and the floral moves more to the background.  I have lots of scents with a vanilla cream note, and fortunately it appears milk and cream notes don't go "sour" on my skin, as I have seen people say happens to them in some reviews.  I think I was expecting more milk and less clean white with this one, but it's growing on me....When completely dry it finally is nearly all sweet milks with just a touch of that clean white floral.   This is nice and light and clean - not foodie, but still very nice!

Haus of Gloi is still batting a thousand with me.  Even though so far Troika is my least favorite of the bunch, it's still definitely a keeper. 

As always, Matt and Britton of Haus of Gloi don't have a clue who I am, other than a random customer, and I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this review.  

More misc. ramblings...

Since this blog is in danger of going "all perfume, all the time" (not that there's anything WRONG with that, mind you!), I thought I'd treat everyone (all two of you), to some miscellaneous ramblings about other things going on.

My beloved Chris got a wild notion that he wants to rearrange the kitchen (again).  We just did this last year, when we added the two wire racks that are the best thing since sliced bread. If you have wall space in your kitchen (I know, most modern kitchens don't),  let me tell you, these serve a multitude of storage purposes and even look pretty darn cool.  We have two, and they're currently used for hanging my copper bottom pots and pans, storing electrics, (food processor, bread machine, crock pot), Chris's coffee paraphernalia, and spices/flour/sugar; among other things.  However, due to the (relatively) new fridge, which now lives in the dining room, the dining room is horribly crowded. And with the nearing holiday season when we might actually have people over (gasp), something's got to be done about that.  Chris's idea is to put the fridge in the spot where it was originally designed to go, which is next to the stove.  Historically, my objection to this was that the stove gets hot and the fridge is supposed to stay cold, and putting the two next to each other made no sense.  However, after testing with the stove going full blast (hot oven), we found that our stove is new enough to be well insulated enough that the sides stay cool.  Sooo... looks like this weekend's project is well started!  I've already moved the pantry cabinet and the rack that was where the fridge is going.  But I think after looking at it again, we're going to have to switch racks, and put the taller one next to the stove, so I can have the shorter but sturdier one to put the microwave on, since the microwave stand won't fit in the new arrangement, so we'll end up moving it to the dining room to serve as Chris's coffee station.  It makes sense when you look at it, really!  This will entail switching racks for a lot of stuff, like my pans. 

And now, for something completely different:  I'm now watching more TV than I've watched in probably over a decade.  Glee, Merlin, Nashville, Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Bunheads, Smash....even I am having a hard time believing it.  Even more oddly, I'm enjoying it (well, obviously, or I wouldn't be doing it). I think part of the reason is that I actually have the time now - no kids at home, no school, only working part time. 

New release Tuesday is next week.  November holds myriad goodies, not least among them a new Shirley Rousseau Murphy Joe Grey book, a new Sister Jane entry from Rita Mae Brown, a new Dresden Files title, and the latest from Kevin Hearne's Atticus and Oberon.  All those are at the end of the month, so a little bit of a wait, but the first of the month is no slouch either, with new entries in established series by Cricket McRae, Livia J. Washburn, Kate Collins, Elaine Viets, Ali Brandon, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Rhys  Bowen, Betty Hechtman, Lee Hollis,and Laura Childs, among others.

And lest y'all think I've gone cold turkey on the perfume - nope.  Received a bottle of Haunt's Star and Thicket today that I hunted down on LJ because I didn't want to wait until it comes back next spring.  I'll write a review on it later, but just let me say it's delightful.  I also got Troika and Twice is Nice from Haus of Gloi (with exceptional turnaround time), that I've yet to skin test, but sniffing the bottles tells me they should be winners (like everything else I've gotten from Haus of Gloi).  Reviews will be forthcoming for those too - probably this weekend.

Haus of Gloi Review: Pumpkin Eater

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, had a wife and couldn't keep her, put her in a pumpkin shell, and there he kept her very well...

As I promised, here's the review for Pumpkin Eater.  But the short version is:  Pumpkin perfection!

From the site: "Cream, glowing pumpkin, rich vanilla bean and the tiniest touch of nutmeg butter."

In the bottle - buttery pumpkin goodness!  I was already happy with it just from sniffing the bottle.  And it just got better. On, the butter note fades and lets pumpkin and cream take center stage.  However, there's something else in there that smells faintly ....floral?  Must be my skin chemistry, as there is no floral listed in the notes, however, I'm going to call it pumpkin blossom and actually I'm very pleased with this surprise visitor.  As it dries, with one sniff I get pumpkin and vanilla cream, with another I'll get that faint floral, and with the next, a buttery pastry scent.   This one seems to be  more of a morpher than the other Haus of Gloi scents I have tried.  So far I've really not been disappointed with any of the scents I've ordered from Haus of Gloi, and there are a few more left on my wishlist. 

As always, Matt and Britton of Haus of Gloi have no idea who I am, other than a random customer.  I purchased the perfume oil on my own, and was not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this review.  

And the winner is....

...Haus of Gloi's Pumpkin Eater!  The title, of course, is "Shel's Choice of ONE Pumpkin Perfume for Autumn, 2012". 

However, Pumpkin Eater kind of won by default - I had finally found some reviews that sounded delicious, and had planned on doing a bit more comparison shopping, but then I checked the site and Pumpkin Eater was ...*gasp*.... GONE.  Panicked, I dashed off a message to Haus of Gloi's facebook wall and got the reassuring reply that it was already restocked.   After refreshing the page, there it was, so in a moment of complete relief, I placed the order.

I don't even have a shipping notice yet,  so reviews will have to wait.  I'm still waffling over a couple of Violette Market's Diablo Canyon pumpkin blends as well... Peach and pumpkin, pumpkin and rice milk, plum and pumpkin....

Speaking of plums, I wish I could find a good plum/cream/pastry blend, or possibly a plum/light musk/white floral blend.  I think Haus of Gloi's Hex has a bit of plum in it, but it's not as strong as I'd like.   Several of the companies that I'm familiar with offer customs, I might have to try that route.

Fiesta! And miscellaneous rambling.

I hope the novelty of having my weekends completely free never wears off.  I am still in the "It is SO NICE to be able to just go and do on weekends without worrying about deadlines!"  And this weekend was the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants type of weekend that we specialize in. 

We decided to go to Sterling to Kohl's, because Chris needs work pants, and I wanted to look at tunic tops to wear over leggings, which I have decided is the most comfortable thing ever.  Chris called it - I had said something about not planning on buying anything and he said something to the effect of, "but that trick never works!"  I didn't find tunics and he didn't find work jeans, but he enabled me into a new place setting of Fiestaware in Scarlet, and a four place setting of the matching silverware, which I have been wanting forever.  I'm now up to five complete place settings of Fiestaware, in Lemongrass, Tangerine, Sunflower, Peacock, and Scarlet.  I have Gusto bowls in Tangerine, Sunflower, and Peacock.  I want the bigger bowls (Fiesta calls them vegetable serving bowls, but I want them for taco salads, which overflow the regular bowls) in all the colors, and the other two colors I need in the Gusto bowls.

The next stop was the new Jo-Ann Fabrics store.  I am so excited that there is one of these in Sterling now.  Their jewelry making section is amazing - I bought a set of jewelry making pliers, a bunch of findings, and some pieces to make me a couple of things.  I need more beads/charms before I can make much of anything else though.

Yesterday I cooked.  I got up and put bread in the machine, and dinner was my version of chicken scallopini, which is (very)loosely based on Pioneer Woman's version.  My lemon-cream sauce was absolute perfection. It was amazing. I'll probably never be able to duplicate it, since I never measure anything, but at least I know I did it once!

Last night I caved to reviews on Haus of Gloi's White Raspberry Reverie.  Reveries are Haus of Gloi's version of limited edition items.  This one seems to have stuck around for a good long time but I really wanted it (raspberries and cream? oh yes!) and was afraid it would go away if I kept putting it off.   The search for the perfect Pumpkin scent of 2012 is still ongoing, too.  The current contenders are Haus of Gloi's Pumpkin Eater;  and Violette Market's Midnight Harvest Pumpkin or White Ghost Pumpkin.  (Did you really think we were going to have a post with no mention of perfume?)

Lots of good books coming out, too.  I'm jones'ing for Michael Ennis' new one starring Macchiavelli and Da Vinci teaming up to look for a serial killer.  And in November, we get a new installment of the Dresden Files! (hint - he's not dead, Jim!).

And last but not least - Glee is back!  I'm notoriously uncritical about plots, whether it be TV shows or books, which is why I don't do reviews.  So critics be damned....I'm just happy to be able to get my Glee fix again! 

Haus of Gloi review: Honey Tree

This was a sample sent to me with my order for the bottle of Hex, which I reviewed in the last post. Today on a whim I decided to skin-test Honey Tree, all I had done before was just sniff the vial.  The description from the site says:

Quite rich! Right from the bee hive - honey amplified by seductive essence of resinous vanilla, darkened by a passing waft of mild rare wood smoke.

As I mentioned in my notes about this in the other post, the wood smoke note concerned me, because I don't enjoy the smell of wood smoke (or most other smoke), why on earth would I want to smell like it?  Well, I shouldn't have worried.  
There *might* be a touch of it in this blend, but it certainly isn't enough to ruin it for anyone else who doesn't like smoke. 

This is definitely all sweet honey, all the time.  And it is STRONG.  It doesn't morph, either - what I was smelling wet is what I am smelling now that it is dry.  It has the dryness that I associate with honey scents, as well.  

I like it - a lot - but I think I'd prefer it more as a layering note (assuming it didn't overpower whatever I tried to layer it with), rather than on its own.  

Obligatory disclaimer: Matt and Britton of Haus of Gloi have no idea who I am, other than a random customer. I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this review.

Haus of Gloi review: Hex

Again, the "Other perfumes you love" thread at BPAL keeps introducing me to new perfumeries that I would never have found otherwise.  Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing depends on whether you ask my nose or my bank account!

Everyone is coming out with their Autumn scent collections.  Haus of Gloi's Autumn collection was both varied and intriguing to me.  But one scent, Hex, was a "must have" for me, just from the description:
"You've been bewitched! Brackish amber, aged vanilla bean and three dark fruits, veiled in darkness and otherworldly secrecy."

Dark fruits will get me every time, and honey and/or amber usually get my attention as well.  So I ordered a bottle of Hex, which arrived today.  

So I was very excited to receive this one, and didn't even let it settle much before applying.  First impression?  Yep, that's amber!  At very first sniff I was getting amber and honey, and ...wait...no fruit?  But after a few seconds, the fruit comes out and this is delicious!  This reminds me a lot of BPAL's Berry Moon 2009, without the musty impression I get from that one. This is a very nice blend of what smells like a mixture of black plum and blackberry with vanilla and rich golden amber. In other words...delightful!  So glad I ordered a whole bottle instead of a sample.  

The Autumn collection at Haus of Gloi has a few more scents I want to try to get my hands on before they disappear as well.  Pumpkin Eater, described as : "Cream, glowing pumpkin, rich vanilla bean and the tiniest touch of nutmeg butter", sounds like something I would adore. 

Also there was a sample of another scent from the regular line included in this order, and lucky me, it was one I had been curious about.  Honey Tree's description is: "Quite rich! Right from the bee hive - honey amplified by seductive essence of resinous vanilla, darkened by a passing waft of mild rare wood smoke."   The wood smoke note was concerning me, because unlike a lot of my friends on assorted perfume sites, I don't like notes like smoke and asphalt and tobacco.  But as far as I can tell, this is just a rich honey/vanilla, no smoke detected by my nose.  So that's a keeper too. 

As always, all scent descriptions are taken from the perfume site at http://www.hausofgloi.com.  Also,  Matt and Britton have no clue who I am other than a random customer, and had no idea I planned to review the scent.  I purchased the scent on my own, and  I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this review.