In Which I Sail on a Sea of Molten Woods, and Don't Like It Much

Hmmmph. I loved Bois des Iles, and I loved Feminite du Bois, and I really liked Secret Obsession, and so I was developing an idea that I liked woods, in general. Subsequent to this, I decided to try more woods, and I developed a deep interest in trying 10 Corso Como. To round out the sandalwood experience, I also ordered up a sample of Bois de Santal, by Keiko Mecheri, whose Ume I appreciate.

I think it's cedar that I like, or maybe I just need different sandalwoods. Perhaps I should have remembered my unfortunate experience with Esteee Lauder's molten-wood experience, Sensuous, which left me with the unnerving experience of having my arm smell like furniture varnish.

10 Corso Como is a decided disappointment. I really liked the idea of liking it--it comes with lots of accessories, like lotion and bath oil and solid perfume, and it's all in neat little retro deco packaging--like, how cute is that bottle? But it doesn't smell smoky or incensey as advertised, it smells like raw wood, and develops an unpleasantly screechy sulphurous note when the geranium topnotes wear off. I just don't yike it. Now, I did have a problem with Feminite du Bois until I got used to it--this could just be a matter of educating my nose--but I don't think so. I think I just don't like this stuff very much.

Today I am wearing the Mecheri Bois de Santal slathered on, and I can hardly smell it. There's a faint sandalwood whiff--bland and sulphurous--and that's about it. The flowers and musk advertised hardly appeared.

Hmmm. Starting to think the sandalwood is a dead end.

Bad Shiseido! BAD Shiseido!!

I went back to Feminite du Bois, because after the last post, once I had identified the smell that was making me not like Black Cashmere, I wanted to see if I would mind the clove note as much now that I had identified it.

I have a terribly symbol-driven mind, and once I can put words on something, it often feels very different to me.

The problem is that I now really, really like Feminite du Bois.

Which, of course, Shiseido does not sell in the United States. Making it awfully expensive, and very hard to find.

This perfume thing is rough. I also like Attrape Coeur very much, and Guerlain has apparently discontinued it after reissuing it as Attrape Coeur, when it used to be Guet-Apens.

Well shoot. I guess this is what they sell decants for.

Eureka!

I have identified the mystery scent that I hate! I think.

I ordered a sample of Black Cashmere, and just found it way too loaded down with a sweetish spice note I could not identify--I began to describe it as a combination between cinnamon and anise, and then just as a 'red-brown' smell I did not like.

Then I ordered a sample of Feminite du Bois, which I had heard raves about, and dabbed it on. It was really nice initially--and then the red-brown smell surfaced. Not horrible, but prominent enough that I really couldn't ignore it.

Clove. I think it's clove. I DO NOT LIKE IT.