Halloween is here! Spooky by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (a perfume review)

This delightfully SPOOKY image is courtesy of
Danille Tunstall, a horror photographer.
She's featured on my other blog today - so be sure to come on over and it out!

I love Halloween. Do you?

I love the crisp air of Fall. The leaves crunching underfoot. The sounds of kids laughing. The excitement over choosing a costume - and then executing it perfectly. If we're lucky, the smells of fireplaces burning and, of course, of candy.

So... why not celebrate this week with a series. The first series on This Blog Really Stinks! And no one does Halloween better than Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL), so that's where we'll start and that's where we'll stay. A week of Halloween. A week of BPAL!



All of my BPAL Halloweenies are "vintage" because I just couldn't swing a purchase this Fall - and that's majorly disappointing because I love Love LOVE BPAL Halloween. Sigh...

Anyway, vintage is good, too. And The Lab often re-releases scents of the same name so you can collect various vintages - like wine!

Today, there's no better place to start than SPOOKY (a spooky scent for a spooky day!). This is BPAL fan fave -a scent that many clamor for when it's released. But does it live up to the hype?

From what I can gather, Spooky was originally released in 2003. It went over well for many - love at first sniff! BPAL fans waited for a reappearance... They got one in 2005, then again in 2009 when the scent was "resurrected" for BPAL's anniversary celebration. I am reviewing the 2009 version today and can't speak to the difference between it and the earlier version - if there is one.

Spooky
A maddeningly festive blend of warm, buttery rum,cocoa, coconut, vanilla and a jolt of peppermint. It’s a sweet, decadent, slightly silly scent, reminiscent of rum-laced holiday cookies.

OK. I have to admit: that sounds weird. "Slightly silly". Yup. But it's also delightful, and my choice for today.

I never recommend sniffing straight from the bottle when dealing with --- well, with any scent, but especially BPAL. The genius of the scents usually needs skin to help it unfold. This bottle is all peppermint. A good start, but it doesn't really tell the whole story.

While peppermint is the first thing you smell when this oil hits your skin, it's not sharp or sweet. It's quite herbal, actually, like crushing the leaf of a peppermint plant between your fingers.

Then, moments later, a beautiful sweet and boozy smell swirls around, as if you were sucking on a butter rum candy when sniffing that peppermint plant. It sounds strange. It is. But it's also really, really beautiful. These odd combinations swirl and become a surprising melange of yum. Yes, you may quote me on that - and feel free to borrow that phrase. Let's make it a new thing, mkay?

Shortly, the coconut comes into play. The result, on my skin at least, is a strange cilantro-like smell! I happen to love cilantro, so this is great. The perfume actually wavers a bit, like a flame in a slow breeze. It changes softly from this cilantro feeling to fleshy coconut to a light peppermint, then back again to cilantro. After the initial few minutes, for me the butter rum is gone. I enjoyed it greatly while it was there, but don't miss it. The flickering candle flame is enough for me.

From the reviews I've read, most folks seem to concur with my description - well, maybe not the cilantro thing, but the peppermint-coconut description. Some people associate a little more strongly with Thin Mints (of Girl Scout cookie fame). What I noticed most clearly, though, is that this is one of those scents that must seems to be highly influenced by skin chemistry. It seems to be a love it or hate it scent with some complaining of the smell of plastic or suntan lotion gone bad. The rest are swooning.

I, for one, love Spooky.
I love Halloween. Do you?


What are you wearing for Halloween? Do you like cilantro? Which are your favorite Girl Scout cookies? Are you dressing up for Halloween? Are you hyped up on sugar? Let me know in the comments! 

Mary Greenwell Plum - modern classic?

Mary Greenwell Plum. The name is whispered reverently in perfume circles. Mary. Greenwell. Plum. I feel a lot of pressure when reviewing a scent like this. The whispers... the laughing and pointing if I screw it up. Perfumistas are a vicious, hateful group*.

*This is a very blatant lie.
The perfume community is one of the most
lovely groups I've ever had the privilege to be a part of!

The Mary Greenwell website claims Plum is "A story of femininity and joy."

It goes on...

A classic chypre with a memorable modern twist. Plum begins the story of femininity and joy, a fragrance of uncomplicated chic and sensual warmth. Top notes of English plum, blackcurrant, peach, bergamot and lemon blend with heart notes of gardenia, tuberose absolute, orange flower absolute, rose absolute and jasmine absolute with a base of precious woods, sandalwood, oakmoss, patchouli, amber and white musk complete the intoxicating scent that is Plum by Mary Greenwell.

To top it all off, I'm sure you saw those words that make the shriveled, evil little hearts of certain perfume fans race, beady eyes darting every which way:

A classic Chypre. 

Oakmoss.

Big words, big fans, big expectations.

My thoughts
Disclaimer: I can count myself in that crew of oakmoss and chypre-lovers. And I'm talking about the heavy-on-the-oakmoss vintage chypres, not the modern kind with patchouli and a cast of supporting mossy characters. I like those, too, but to me "chypre" means the vintage kind.

Plum is not like those, but still a very good perfume.

It opens with strong fruit salad, heavy on the lemon and blackcurrant. I can't find any plum, but that's of no real issue to me. It's a voluptuous, unabashedly feminine in a very sweet and tart way. I kind of like that view of women: sweet but tart.

I begin to pick up the woods just as the florals make their entrance. There's something sweet there that supports them, like a cedar table under a very full vase of flowers. First you notice the orange blossom, then the higher-pitched gardenia. Jasmine and some well-behaved tuberose join in after awhile. And this stage is long-winded...

Luckily for me, the floral stage -long as it is- is also a little quieter than that fruity opening. I feel fairly... obvious, I guess, in the opening minutes of Plum. The heart of the perfume isn't exactly shy and retiring, but certainly more circumspect than the opening. On another happy note, the florals do not boss or bully; it's actually sweetly feminine and very pretty.

What I don't get, other than that breath of woods, is chypre. I can't pick up much oakmoss  or even much patchouli. A soft amber muskiness ends the scent on my skin. It's a great ending, but not exactly capital-C Chypre stuff.

So, this modern chypre with the cult following --- what do I really think in the end? You know what? I like it. But I do not love it. At least, not enough to go through all of the hoops required to obtain a bottle. Apparently this one is hard to get out of England, and frankly even though I have a friend in London I just resent that kind of exclusivity and won't deal with it. Which tells you how much I didn't fall in love with Plum, I guess, or I'd toss my flimsy morals to the curb. I am a perfumista after all...

Are you a fan of Plum? How do you feel about modern chypres? The vintage ones? 

Moon Valley by Escentual Alchemy --- Wow.

Half-dome Moonrise, 

Sheldon Neill

I could have just left this post as-is with the headline, because it just about sums up my feelings. Instead, being a wordy little son-of-a-gun, I will keep running my mouth.

I really wasn't sure what to expect out of a perfume called "Moon Valley" (by Amanda Feeley's Escentual Alchemy). Something cold? Something distant? Something... I dunno why, but metallic?*

*I said I don't know why. Just go with it.

What I got, though, was a complete surprise!

Esscentual Alchemy's Moon Valley natural perfume opens with a hint of the dew that falls at night.

Following with a fresh heirloom muskmelon scent, and exotic herbs.
Mouthwateringly enticing. Next comes the smell of well-travelled luggage,
that has seen alluring, glamourous, and out of the way ports of call,
and has stood the test of time, and the rigors of the journey.

Ends with a spicy dry down.

Perfume Ingredients: Vetiver, Antique Oakmoss, Hyrax, Orris, Jasmine Grandiflorum, Lilac, Tuberose, Carnation, Peach Accord, Virginia Cedar, Natural isolate of Heliotrope 

So, what did I actually smell?

There's lilac in that there perfume! 

Hot damn! I do loves me a lilac perfume. This is no simple soliflore, though, which is good because those bore me quickly.  I don't know if anyone else would jump to the lilac first, by the way, but I'm such a fan that I just can't help but note it!

The other florals makes Moon Valley nice and round, while the peachy-melon highlights the sweetness and gives it a little heft. And you know what? There's a little bit of that metal I was expecting - just a twinge of it in the orris (iris root). This is Amanda's personal "take" on the gone-but-not-forgotten Iris Gris (Jacques Fath), after all.

The mood for this scent is a happy one. It makes me feel happy and cheerful - and a little absurd because I keep sniffing myself.

This is the best kind of fruity floral and I think it's going on my Christmas Wishlist.

Moon Valley @Etsy; @Artfire

Have any of my readers tried Illamasqua's first scent - Freak?

I just love Illamasqua. The esthetic, the ethics, the clever and well-done products. And when I heard they're launching a fragrance... Well, I can't wait to try it.

Have you? If so, what do you think? If not, are you curious?

Elie Saab Le Parfum (A perfume review)

Do you remember that dress? I think it's one of my favorite red carpet gowns to-date. Halle Berry is so fabulously gorgeous and so perfectly suited to the brilliant femininity of Elie Saab's gowns. 

I've long been a admirerer of Saab's, so when I heard a perfume was going to carry his name, I was interested. When I heard that it was designed by perfumer Francis Kurkdijian* well, it became a must-try. 

Here's the spiel:
“Composed as an ode to light, ELIE SAAB Le Parfum celebrates the splendor and the brilliance of radiant femininity with a floral solar woody theme. The permanent exchange between flowers and wood is what gives the fragrance such captivating resonance.”

And here are the notes:
Orange blossom, jasmine (Grandiflorum and Sambac), rose honey, cedar, patchouli.

And here are my thoughts:
I think I like it. I can see the relationship between this scent and light, and I can see how it suits the Elie Saab esthetic. It's bright, it's feminine, it's pretty. In fact, it's womanly. Just like Saab's gowns. It brings out some lovely floral facets that really say "woman" but grounds them in the modern fashion with some fairly strong woods.

It's not terribly ground-breaking - I'm sure plenty of smarter and more experienced perfumistas can line up a list of scents this one references. I don't know that creating Le Parfum stretched any of Kurdijian's olfactory or brain muscles. Then again, I'm not sure the brief asked for that. However, it seems to be a solidly-made perfume that will likely find a lot of fans.

I enjoy the initial blast (and it is a blast!) of orange blossom. There are other white florals in there, too, I believe. Definitely jasmine. Quite a bit of jasmine! And I suspect there's some gardenia maybe some tuberose. This is one of those "don't spray it right before you walk into the office" scents. You'll be the cause of a new no-scent policy, for sure.

Give it a little while -10 minutes or so?- and the orange blossom and jasmine party starts to die down a bit. The scent is still floral, but more at a more socially acceptable volume. That "rose honey" accord kicks in giving this a warmer, more friendly feel while still retaining maximum femininity. That said, I don't see why a man couldn't carry this off. 


Throughout, sillage is present - maybe even overtly so. Le Parfum wears well, too, still wafting five or six hours after application - at least on my skin.

Some people report a strong patchouli taking over at this point, and I 100% smell the patch, but for me the one being pushy is the cedar. He's not my favorite, and this is the note that caused me to waffle for quite a long time on my review of Le Parfum. In warmer weather, the cedar pushes this perfume into a shrill place that I don't enjoy. In cooler air, it is less sharp and pointy.


It's this feminine floral vs. woody counterpoint that I just can't quite decide on. I enjoy tension in my perfumes - linear and straightforward is too easy. But I can't help but wonder if this technique has been overplayed here. I find the first half of Le Parfum's development so overtly feminine and round that it's almost difficult for me to swallow the edges of the drydown.

In the end, I'm still not sure how I feel about Elie Saab Le Parfum. I think I like it. That clearly means I don't love it. If I did, I'd be clamoring for a bottle, and I'm decidedly not doing that. I will wear my samples, though, and maybe even fork over for a decant.


*Here are just a few of Kurkdijian's best-selling and/or highly thought-of works: Green Tea (Elizabeth Arden); Le Male (Gaultier); Lady Vengeance, Miss Charming (both by Juliette Has a Gun); Narciso Rodriguez for her, Narcisco Rodriguez for Him; and his own well-received line.
Have you tried Le Parfum? Do you like it? Love it? How do you feel about cedar? Would you wear an Elie Saab gown?

Soothing frazzled nerves and getting your sexy on with Escentual Alchemy's Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume.

via

There are times where I, as a PWF (Person With Fibromyalgia), need some calming and soothing. I always joke that I need a drink, but alcohol actually causes more trouble than it's worth: it messes with my sleep and dehydrates me. Neither of those things is helpful to me - or most anyone. Not that I'm saying having a few drinks is bad - far from it. But when I'm feeling out-of-sorts or ill, it's not the healthy choice. 

What is?

I am surrounded by some lovely friends who are fierce advocates for aromatherapy. I know little about this amazing art, but I'm trying to be open to learning. It's not that I don't believe in it, rather that the fibro makes my memory so shaky that I can't remember which plants have which properties, which scents soothe which concerns. Recently I was hurting from a thrown-out back. Jasmine and rose were the primary suggestions my fabulous friends made, as apparently those scents are good for easing pain. I am kicking myself for not immediately remembering that I had the perfect thing handy...

Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume Pot

Indian Jasmine Grandiflorum, is a heavy floral scent, with fruity and floral tones. Turkish Rose, has a soft floral scent, with fruity, floral tones. Jasmine and Rose are the ultimate aphrodisiac, exotic and sensual, floral, sweet. The King and Queen of Flowers blended together into one luxurious solid perfume!

One of those friends I mentioned had actually scent me this lovely pot of healing smells awhile back. She made it herself. Jasmine and Rose Solid Botanical Perfume, by Escentual Alchemy perfumer Amanda Feeley, is a straightforward blend of Indian Jasmine Grandiflorum and Turkish Rose (in a base of filtered beeswax, jojoba oil, and fractionated coconut oil).

Jasmine is thought to help promote sleep and rest. In what seems like a paradox, it also can ease depression, improve moods, give spirits "a lift", and add a little hubba hubba to your life (it's an aphrodisiac). Rose is known to be relaxing and soothing (remember how I sprayed that lovely rose hydrosol by En Voyage on my sheets and pillow?). It, too, relieves depression as well as helping to minimize stress and tension. Topically, it is apparently quite nice for soothing aching muscles*.

*It seems there are myriad ways to use these oils. I'm just scratching the surface, here!

So while I didn't have the right oils to apply topically to my aching back, I wonder if huffing this lovely solid perfume would have helped? My guess is yes, as today it seems to have calmed me (necessary with two kids with a fever-y headcold on top of their chickenpox) and somewhat soothed my pounding headache (from my own cold). Or maybe calming my spirit is what helped beat back the headache? Who cares which came first - it worked for me!

And here's some even better news: it smells amazing. At first, there's a blast of rose, but then it becomes and amazing blend of both flowers - soft, soothing, pretty. It's also kinda sexy, ya'll, so watch out! ;)

And even better? It's $15 for a pot. 

What are your thoughts on aromatherapy? What ways do you use it? Are there calming perfumes you reach for regularly? Envigorating scents? What are your thoughts on solid perfumes? 

Disclosure: a sample of this perfume was provided for consideration by the perfumer.
Please read my About Page for more information on my review policies.

Sniff sniff!

I thought you might enjoy this illustration from Love Roccoco! It's named "Eau d`♥".
Isn't Vanessa talented?   :)

L’Emblem Rouge eau de parfum and L'eau de Emblem Rouge floral water (perfume reviews)

via

I have gone on record saying I do not care to smell like a rose.

And then, in the same post, I immediately proved myself wrong. Multiple times.

Why is it, then, that I'm always concerned when I'm handed a rose-based fragrance? Why do I often ignore the rose scents I own?

Perhaps I need to talk to a psychologist about these things.

Needless to say, I danced nervously around my samples of Shelley Waddington's newest scents for her line, En Voyage Perfumes.

Why?

I'm an idiot and a slow-learner, I suppose. Also, I was a little confused by the fact that one of the samples I was sent was "a hydrosol". I had no clue what that meant and what I one was supposed to do with a hydrosol. I clutched under the pressure. Regardless, it was eventually time to (wo)Man Up.

Diving in...

Spice of Life rose

via

L'Emblem Rouge edp

This perfume is the first in En Voyage's new Rubicon Collection of 100% natural scents. Reading that, if you expect this to be a limpid and wan creature you are going to be disappointed.

L'Emblem Rouge starts right out of the gate with a kick. The opening slightly-dark swirl of fruits and spices is really lovely. Like an Autumn squall, the early burst is relatively shortlived, though. The fire is soothed by the gorgeous floral blend in the center, most of which is ylang-ylang and rose on my skin (likely, these are the only notes I'm savvy enough to pick out). The drydown is a lovely, honeyed sandalwood and vanilla. I wish this scent would last all day, strong, but it doesn't. It's just not that kind of perfume. However, you can smell the drydown hours later - very close and soft. It's really quite a treat.

If you enjoy a spicy facet to your Fall perfumes, this is one to consider trying.

The official notes list:
Top Notes:  Cassie, Mace, Cinnamon, Bitter Orange, Juicy Grapefruit, Green Pepper, Iranian galbanum, Violet, and Cistus 
Heart Notes:   Iranian Rose Otto, Ylang-Ylang, Heliotrope,  French Jasmine sambac, Violet, and Honey
Base Notes:  Guaiacwood, Sandalwood, Copaiba, Vetiver, Cedarwood Virginia, Tolu Balsam, Benzoin Siam,   Tonka, Vanilla and Ambergris. 

via

L'eau de Emblem Rouge 

First things first: I had to suss out what a hydrosol is. Basically, L'eau de Emblem Rouge is a perfumed water created by Master Distiller Dabney Rose. It was created by distilling the perfume with additional rose petals. It can be used to freshen your perfume (!), which comes in handy. It can also be used to enhance moisturizers with a spritz on the skin before applying your cream. Spritz it as a lovely, light-scented cool-off spray and you won't be sorry. Or, spray it on your linens, lingerie, or hair for a soft, fresh boost.  


I was a little reticent to apply this to my face, mostly because my skin is irritated right now, and a little because I don't like a strong smell on my face - especially rose. I found that out ages ago when testing a rose-based skincare line. I did use it before body moisturizer and loved it - it also accented the rose-based scent I put on afterwards. Score!

I then tried this as a linen spray - directly on my bed and pillow. I'm in love with it. I was totally surprised, too, to find that my room smelled deliciously of lightly-spiced rose hours later. Impressive. But, it wasn't too strong on my pillow! Meaning, I could smell it and it was delightful, but it wasn't over-powering or distracting. Double-score! How did Dabney Rose and Shelley Waddington do it?

via

Speaking of Shelley, today is her birthday! Happiest of days to you, my dear. I wish you many blessings and I can't wait to try more of your line. You've hooked me!

xoxo,
jen

Gettin' your fashion on with Pantone 18-3027, also known as Purple Orchid (a perfume review - Escentual Alchemy)

image: my own

Last Autumn, 13.87% of designers used this lovely pinked-purple in their designs during Fall Fashion Week in NY. ^source  Don't look at me like that! I don't keep track - but clearly someone does. Pantone has been tracking color trends for a long time (since 1963), and predicting them, too. They picked #18-3027 as one of The Colors for Fall '10.

So did Amanda Feeley, natural perfumer and owner of Escentual Alchemy. While considering the Pantone shades of Fall (fashion navel gazing?) she wondered what this perfect shade of purple would smell like.

What's a natural perfumer to do when musings like that take over? Clearly, "make a perfume!" is the answer. And so she did, and named it the same as the inspiration: Purple Orchid (it trips off the tongue more smoothly than 18-3027, after all).

Now, I didn't have a chance to try this perfume until this year, Fall '11. I'm one year behind, as are my fashion choices. Don't worry, though. Unlike last season's handbag (please be sure to read that with a air of disdain, as typed), this scent won't embarrass you.

Purple Orchid smelled, when first applied, familiar. I couldn't quite place the scent, but I wanted to describe it as an upscale lollipop. I'm not sure why, though. I mean it as no insult - it's a beautiful scent! The first notes, though, at least on my skin, were sweet and nuanced and almost candied.

I fully expected this scent to evaporate off of my skin quickly, but a few hours later it's still lightly wafting. Wait? I forgot to tell you what it smells like once you lick to the middle of the lollipop, didn't I? Lovely waves of lavender and rose, that's what. Still sweet but not candy-ish. It's still got levels of interest that belie the meager list of notes: rose, lavender, white cognac. I'm still not sure what cognac smells like, but there are soft woods hiding in the drydown behind the delicate floral veil.

I love it.

Now to see about updating that handbag...

Amanda sells her perfumes on Artfire under the name "Absinthe Dragonfly".

A sample of this fragrance was provided for consideration for review. 

Please read my About Page for more about my reviewing policies.

Cool Weather Cashmere! Donna Karan Black Cashmere & Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude (Perfume Reviews)

I love it when the weather changes in the Fall, and I know I'm not the only one. Today is a perfect example: the air is crisp, the leaves have just started to change the slightest little bit, and I can smell - somewhere far off - someone's fireplace burning. 

It's time to pull out my favorite jeans, lightweight sweaters, comfy long-sleeved tops and, of course, my boots. 

It's time to switch to my Autumn scents!

This time last year launched my little perfumista lifestyle. In fact, it did it with one of the scents I'm "reviewing" today! Yup - the lynchpin scent. The one that I followed down the rabbit hole. 

Designer Donna Karan created a scent that debuted in 1994: Cashmere Mist. She was inspired by the feel of cashmere against the skin --- who isn't? The notes for the scent are: lily of the valley, suede notes, bergamot, ylang ylang, jasmine Maroc, sandalwood, orris, amber, vanilla, cedarwood, patchouli, and musk. I can see the cashmere reference just from the note list! The suede, the soft but feminine flowers, the vanilla, sandalwood and musk... all are soft and cozy. 

I haven't smelled it. 

Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude

For whatever reason, Cashmere Mist's flanker, Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude, caught my eye last year.  Or caught my nose. Is that weird to say? Certainly it's more accurate. 

Anyway, I am probably responsible for emptying at least one tester at the local Nordstrom last Fall. I'd spray it (multiple times) every time I worked a freelance gig there. It was different from most of the scents I had tried, which weren't so soft and musky. I was obsessed. 

Money was tight so I just couldn't justify springing for my own bottle when I was supposed to be saving for Christmas gifts! But it went on my own request list and -Wahoo!- Santa came through. Well, actually my husband came through. Thanks, honey!

I had Googled Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude (CMLN) a ton during the Fall, as only the obsessed can do. Maybe I was trying to figure out why it had such a hold on me? I'm not sure. Regardless, through my search I ended up finding all of the perfume blogs, the 'fumey communities, and all my new perfumista friends. 

CMLN is obviously a flanker to the original. The notes included cyclamen, lily of the valley, orange blossom, Moroccan jasmine, jasmine sambac, ylang ylang, sandalwood, cistus labdanum, suede, amber, musk, benzoin, and tonka bean. 

Not being familiar with the original, I can't really speak to the difference between the two scents, but from what I've read CMLN is softer, closer to the skin. 

Indeed, it is what I'd consider a skin scent. It wears close, softly hugging the skin. I can understand the link to cashmere, indeed. The soft florals gently fade into an amber musk, and the scent lasts a good number of hours. I get a small amount of sillage (scent trail) from CMLN - enough to make me smile when I catch it. Copious spraying can build the scent to a degree, but it always stays light, subtle, and feminine. 

It is probably not a terribly unique scent. I imagine more savvy perfumistas can name other scents like it, but I don't care. I really enjoy it, mostly in Fall. By the time Spring rolled around, I was not really enjoying it anymore. And there was my first lesson in "seasonal scents". I had never given much though to the fact that some perfumes worked better in warm weather, others in cool. I grabbed my bottle of CMLN a few days ago and gave it a tentative spritz. I was certain I had just fallen out of love with it, but no - it really, really works in the cool air. I'm glad I have it!

Black Cashmere

During my plummet down the rabbit hole, I kept investigating lists of "must-try" fragrances. Most of them were seasonally-oriented, and it was late Fall-early Winter. Naturally, Donna Karan's Black Cashmere came up on a lot of lists.

Apparently, Donna Karan wanted to create with this perfume the feeling of luxurious, sexy black cashmere. The scent has notes of saffron, masala spices, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, pimento berries, broom flower, patchouli, rose, incense, wengue wood, bois de miel, and labdanum.  

The first time I smelled Black Cashmere, I was head over heels in mad, passionate lust! I had never, ever before smelled something so spicy (that wasn't food, that is). Had you asked me the day before if I wanted to smell like spices and incense, I would have laughed and said no. What a fool! 

Black Cashmere starts, on me, with a blast of incense. Frankincense, I suspect, but I'm no incense specialist. There are nose-tickling peppers, too, and a little bit of clove. Where CMLN snuggles, making me feel cozy, Black Cashmere invigorates and makes me feel sexy! I want to pull on said black cashmere and some killer heels and go to a martini bar. 

The snuggle factor does kick in later, though. Much later. Like, hours and hours later. The spices lower in volume like lights on a dimmer switch. A sweet woody amber begins to take control, softly and slowly. Black Cashmere is much more sensual and cozy at this point, but the mood is still a little spicy, so beware.  This is from front to back a kickin' up a little trouble kind of scent!

Cashmere

I have to briefly mention those amazing bottles! I love CMLN's pink-champagne shade and the gracefully undulating flacon. It speaks well for the scent inside. Black Cashmere, on the other hand, is a glossy black pebble. It lies flat on the table and fits nicely in the hand. I have no perfume bottles like it and it's really rather cool. 

Both of these scents from Donna Karan are cozy and snuggly. Both embody the concept of cashmere well, in my opinion. And both are perfect for this cooling weather - just as a cashmere sweater is the ideal topper in Autumn. Unfortunately for many of us (me!), good cashmere is a little unattainable. It's luxe in feel and in price. Unfortunately for us all, Black Cashmere and Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude are also a little unattainable. Both are no longer on the Donna Karan line-up, though you can still get both -- for now -- on eBay and from etailers. In fact, CMLN is still showing on the Nordstrom website. I may need a back-up bottle of both. They're that good.

What are your favorite Fall scents? Do you wear cozy musks? How about spicy ones? Do you think it's worth it for me to try the original Cashmere Mist?