My mad search for the perfect incense perfume has taken an ugly turn.
For a week, after multiple testings, I thought Annick Goutal's Encens Flamboyant might be my new holy grail. After all, I had an OMG moment the first time I put it on my skin.
I pay attention to those.
To confirm my choice, and fall even more deeply in love, I read every blog review I can find.
Then, like one cocktail too many, I go to Makeup Alley.
Someone there comments that Encens Flamboyant smells like Comet Cleanser. Nuh-uh.
I try hard to put this out of my mind because it's killing my OMG buzz.
But that's kind of like, 'Whatever You Do, Don't Think About Elephants.'
So tonight, in a final attempt to prove the reviewer is misguided (i.e. fucking wrong), I march into the kitchen, reach under the sink, pick up the green container and smell the Comet, because I'm certain it's not even close...to...dammit.
Encens Flamboyant smells like Comet Cleanser.
Next.
Images from wikipedia.com and reviewperfumes.com
lol
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you have a bunch of them now to try. :)
Encens Flamboyant smells like laundry detergent on my skin. I don't enjoy smelling like laundry detergent.
ReplyDeleteThe other night, I came upon a "Coment note" too. In an oud fragrance. Ugh.
I hope you have better luck with your next incense selection!
I'll have to re-sniff Comet! Not all the brand-differentiation flankers like "Comet Sof-Scrub Lemon," the real, original mint-green gritty powder I scrubbed tubs with forever -- next time I'm at the store. I do remember that it made the bathroom smell clean, for awhile anyway.
ReplyDeleteDunn dunn dunn dunn...:( Yes, those analogies, once made, are unerasable from one's mind :(
ReplyDelete"Don't think about Comet cleanser" LOL! Almos the same thing happened to me. I wore it happily for a couple of days; I didn't love it, but I thought it was very good and it was almost sold out near me, so I was thinking of getting the last bottle. Until I read a review of Katie Puckrik's that mentioned ashes and pine trees. After that, all I could smell was Christmas tree ashes.
ReplyDeleteUnlucky Josephine. Perhaps if you have an OMG moment, that should be the point at which you stop reading reviews of that particular fragrance!
ReplyDeleteHi Ines - yes, I'm glad I have many other incense perfumes to try! Encens Flamboyant just isn't going to work now.
ReplyDeleteJoanElaine, isn't is disappointing when you 'come upon' a note that ruins a perfume for you? I'm disappointed, but glad to know now, rather than later.
ReplyDeleteHi Olfacta - please do try the original Comet - I'd be interested to know if you think it does, in fact, smell like EF. Disappointing, but true.
ReplyDeleteMarina, so true! You just can't un-ring the bell on this one. It's done.
ReplyDeletekjanicki, I remember you making the ashes and pine tree comment on an earlier post. Yeah, once the association is solid in your mind, it's hard to go backward!
ReplyDeleteMichael, your suggestion is full of logic and wisdom, but it's probably impossible for me! Part of falling in love with perfume is reading everything I can about it...perfume stalking, I guess you could say. Kind of sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think of the quick comment/reviews on Luckyscent. Some are absolutely hating on something while others are loving the same thing. Some will never be pleased by what pleases me personally, so I always ignore such comments on perfumes I love already. You can find bad reviews of practically anything, throwaway comments that will ruin good perfumes for you if you let them. The Comet comment was unfortunate, true, but I just smelled it, and for me it is no where close to anything AG at all. I think Comet has that prickly smell in the nose when water hits it as most characteristic, and it's the chlorine/bleach being activated. I understand some perfumers actually do use a chlorine note for certain composition purposes, as you might use baking soda, something you'd never eat on its own, in cakes. Actually I also recall Turin writing very fondly of certain fabric softeners. They put tons of musk in all of the cleaners, apparently.
ReplyDeleteLucy, thanks for your comment! You're right that there will always be reviews that love, and hate, every perfume. Usually, these comments simply inform me (positive or negative) and don't sway my opinion. The top notes of Encens Flamboyant are divine, especially the smokiness. However, the drydown was leaving me wanting. And, while not an exact replica of Comet, it shares enough similarities to fall out of HG or FB contention.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you!
Josephine, so true. My comment was slightly tongue in cheek, as I am just as guilty of that sort of thing as you!
ReplyDeleteWhat's particularly funny about this is that I am catching up, so I encountered "cheez whiz on celery" (your Ode to Piment Brulant) before learning of your Comet trauma.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry. But hey, did you have to fight fire with fire? ;)
SS, apologies for dragging you into my trauma and inflicting the whole 'cheez whiz on celery' thing.
ReplyDeletePerversely, I do feel a bit better.