Revisiting Old Loves!

Ah Safari what memories you give me.  I first sniffed this in an acting class in college back in 1995.  I smelled it on a girl who made all the guys in class just crazy about her.  To her credit she was actually very sweet and nice and probably had no idea that she was the man magnet of the class....lol.

In any case, I found out what she used to wear and it was Ralph Lauren's Safari.  I had never really tried to wear a perfume that was like this because at this time I seemed to stay within a strongly flowery range-very sweet and ultra feminine.  I went to Bon Marche (now known as Macy's), to sample it myself and I sprayed a bit on my wrist and walked around for mall for a bit.  It was truly a sensory experience I will never forget.  It was such a warm and comforting scent.  Like being wrapped up in a cozy fur blanket.  I can see where the name fits the feeling that this juice gives one.  Another beautiful aspect of this perfume is the color.  It's such a gorgeous glowing amber color.  I think it probably resembles the golden color of the sunset across the jungle preserves in Africa.  I ended up buying a large bottle, lotion and traveling spray.  The bottle, box, everything is just so lush and luxurious.  I wore it to death and I even kept the bottle for a couple of years after it was all gone just to enjoy the remnants of the scent. 

After a few years of doing without this I desired to add it to my collection once again but was shocked by the hugely increased price tag.  It literally doubled in price from the first time I purchased it.  I went back and forth for a while deciding on if I should purchase it or not.  It's definately not a cheap buy so I recommend sampling it to make sure you don't have a huge hole in your wallet that you cant replace. 

For me this was such an inspiring scent and the memories of those years wearing it were delightful and when I was young and impetuous and without children, so I grabbed the bottle and today when getting ready I was deciding that I wanted to smell different for today and I decided this fit my mood.  Also my weather here in the Pacific Northwest is pretty gray and rainy which is usual most of the time and it sometimes feels good to wear a heavy hot scent to offset the gray skies.

Hope you are having a Wonderful day and if you haven't already tried Ralph Lauren's Safari then please give it a try.  It's a bold, wild, and spicy scent wearable any time of the year.

Samantha

If you are interested in more about me.....

Please check out my Lifestyle Blog which I've been actually giving attention to as of late.  Circumstances have finally given me the time to pursure this passion as well.  Hooray!  It's all things other than my Perfume obsession.  Might give you some more insight into my many aspects.

Enjoy and remember I LOVE questions, interactions, etc.  I love making new friends and I look forward to expanding my interests with like thinking, off the beaten path, middle-aged steampunk, victorian hipster style individuals like myself.  (Kiddin!  I am just your average everyday Mom, who probably has too much time to try to fit in with all the younger set I find myself enundated by :-)

http://smoss.me/2014/05/18/trip-down-memory-lane-in-black-and-white/

From our heart (see the shadow behind my son and I)?  To yours!

Samantha

Vintage Treasure Find! Estee lauder

 

There is a wonderful old antique mall very near where I live.  It's one of those shabby, dusty places, filled with tons of useless and weird things, but I have been fortunate to find some very cool things, and not just perfume related.  It's a wonderful place to browse as I love old, vintage, unique and quirky things....lol

Recently I came across one of my favorite sellers there and she had a pretty good selection of vintage perfumes.  By that I mean in the early 70's to 80's powerhouse scents.  I found this GORGEOUS solid perfume case of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew.  It seriously weighs about 5 pounds!  It's so heavy.  Youth Dew itself is an extremely unwearable perfume to me, but the lovely Victorian looking case it was in was a definate buy for me.  You want to know the best part?  It was 5 dollars!!!  Yippee!  I was so happy walking around with this gorgeous piece clutched in my hand.  I even thought about scooping out the solid perfume and cleaning it and possibly putting in a new scent.  I've been researching creating my own solid perfume so I may end up putting it in this case when I do.  I'm even thinking of changing the stone in the middle of a Victorian Lady with a gemstone such as an Opal etc.  I dont know yet as if there aren't that many of these out there, I may choose to leave it alone.  

It was just so delightful to me to acquire such a neat little find.  And this place has so many interesting items, old vinyl, furniture, repurposed old tools, clothing, hats, even vintage make-up (which I am also a big fan of).  If I can ever find Vintage Biba Make-up I would probably pass out from pure joy.  Hahaha....

Everytime I look at this case I wonder, who owned it, what kind of life did they lead?  Did they carry it with them on a night out to Studio 54?  Was it a gift from a lover?  Who knows!  That's the exciting part, the history that comes with the finds that tickle my imagination and fill my heart with childlike wonder.

I hope one day my Collections spawn fascination in the minds of whoever then becomes the next owner of my unique treasures.  To despise with olfactory horror or adore with love such I have for my pretties on my drawer.

Samantha

My Current Perfume Collection

 My Love of Scents immediately becomes clear when one takes a look at how large my actual collection is.  I do have a few, what I term, Signature scents that I always reach for, and the rest in my collection I wear to trigger a different mood and various altering effects.  I also collect unique bottles that catch my fancy or that I feel have a particular aesthetic akin to my artistic sensibility.  I adore Art Nouveau and feminine curves in my bottles.  Over the years I have used and repurchased a few scents that I can never be without-which is a different post altogether....lol.  I hope you enjoy taking a peek at my collection.  I feel almost sheepish divulging this because not many know how obsessed I am with collecting scents.

Disclaimer:  Please keep in mind that I have been aquiring vintage and unique perfumes along with my wearable ones for many years.  I rotate them according to my appetite and season.  I typically display my current ones in my rotation on two glass display tables in my bedroom.  However the rest I keep sealed away in quality sealed gift box sized plastic boxes with lids and keep them stored properly.  As I rotate quite often I'm never too concerned about a bottle going "sour", before I"m able to use it up.

Recently I have been vintage hunting for unique crystal and glass decants to begin working on my own perfume mixing.  Very inspired and its really given me so much to research and ambition to create something unique and all mine.

Here they are in no particular order:

 G by Guess
 Basic Instinct by Victoria Secret-Discontinued
Clinique Aromatics Elixir
 Flash by Jimmy Choo
Gucci Premiere
 Bob Mackie
Tokyo Milk's Song in D Minor
 Fan di Fendi by Fendi
 Boucheron by Boucheron
Edwardian bouquet by Floris of London
 Anais Anais by Cacharel
Peony and Rose by Ellen Tracy
Vintage Emeraude by Coty
Tresor by Lancome
Ma Griffe by Carven
 Lily of the Valley by Crabtree & Evelyn
Chloe by Coty
 Stella by Stella McCartney
Prada Infusion de' Tubereuse
David Yurman Classic
Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights
 Bebe Gold
Chanel No. 5
Tea Rose by Perfumer's Workshop
 Chloe Narcisse
 Lilly Pulitzer Beachy
 Cerrutti 1881
Black Orchid by Tom Ford
Pink Sugar
 Panthere de Cartier
 Kenzo Jungle
 BLV 2 by Bvlgari
Very Irresistible Happy 10 year edition 10 roses by Givenchy
Le Baiser Du Dragon by Cartier
Insolence by Guerlain
 Vince Camuto Original
 Hot by Colors de Benetton
 J Lo Glow Original
 Mahora by Guerlain
 Oscar De La Renta Original
 Passport to Paris by Paris Hilton
Shalimar by Guerlain
 Violette by Molinard
 Gloria by Cacharel
Safari by Ralph Lauren
Paris by Balenciaga
 Jessica McClintock Original
 Jessica McClintock Always and Forever
 Amarige by Givenchy
 Chanel No. 19
 Live in Love by Oscar De La Renta
 Roberto Cavalli Original,
Nirmala by Molinard,
Poetica by Kat Von D
Killer Queen by Katy Perry
Couture Couture by Juicy Couture
Femme by Rochas
Muse by Rochas
Bijan for women
Lou Lou by Cacharel
Eden by Cacharel

I am thinking of sharing my collection soon by having a Fragrance Party for friends.  Basically coming over and having a scent sample party.  I have a large collection I think and it might be fun for friends that either cant buy often and end up with a "scrubber", and those who might be afraid to venture into this territory, and of course for friends like myself who love to try scents they have never had the chance to wear.

What do you think?

Samantha :-)

Samantha's Perfume Diary: Nirmala by the House of Molinard

Samantha's Perfume Diary: Nirmala by the House of Molinard:   On Monday I went scent exploring at my local favorite spot.  As I was browsing the wares I found a few I wanted to sample and as I was...

Nirmala by the House of Molinard

 

On Monday I went scent exploring at my local favorite spot.  As I was browsing the wares I found a few I wanted to sample and as I was, the shop owner and I were chatting away about what types of scents that I fancy.  I had decided to purchase something I've wanted for a while to add to my collection, the owner suggested another scent by Molinard, called Nirmala.  I thought, well the bottle looks so blase, but it was from one of my favorite perfume Houses, Molinard.  He generously sprayed a card and smelling it I got the most wonderful wafts of mango, tropics, sweet spices.  Like a outdoor kitchen in a tropical jungle with exotic flowers growing everywhere.  Wow!  What a heady and overwhelming scent-I was IN LOVE! 

Even so, I thought that I should wait on it before purchasing something based upon a positive experience just from the bottle alone.  Before I left I sprayed my right arm with Nirmala and left the store with my purchase and walked to my car and once I got in and sat down I took a sniff at my arm.  What happened was one of those special moments where perfume can really make an impression.  I literally had a memory explosion of my childhood growing up in Hawaii.  The scent literally brought memories to the surface of sticking my head out of the family car window driving through the Windward valley of Oahu with my family, smelling the air and the natural sweetness and floral air.....Ahhhhh...Delicious....scrumptious....encompassing.....beautiful.

Even then I still drove off telling myself that I didn't need another addition to my collection.  I got about 2 miles away when I said I MUST own this!  I drove back and walked into the store and declared, that's it I need that perfume!  The shopkeeper just smiled and felt like I had found a newfound ally in my endless search for inovative and compelling scents.  I thanked him for finding me a scent that was so up my alley.  These are the types of relationships with like minded individuals that I like to foster in my obsession for perfumes. 

I wore it again yesterday and I generously sprayed myself and clothing.  It was strong but the sillage was not enourmous so I got to enjoy the warmth and exotic scent all day long, like a warm tropical hug.  These vintage scents were really meant to worn by individuals not afraid to smell different, to smell like something, rather than nothing.  Its so me and I am so happy :-)

Enjoy your day and what scents in the vintage realm are your favorites?  Or have you been dying to try something rare and old and have never had the chance to sample it yet?

Samantha