Recent Fragrance Purchases - Commodity Gold and Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon

As the seasons change, I invariably start reaching for heavier scents. I picked up two fragrances recently that I think will be good as we transition into fall. Commodity Gold is something I have had on my wishlist for some time now and I finally decided to try it out. Elizabeth and James expanded their line a couple months ago and added two new fragrances, Bourbon and Rose. I chose the Bourbon version. 

Commodity Gold Notes (from Sephora): 
Bergamot, Juniper Berries, Camphor, Amber, Haitian Vetiver, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Nubian Musk. 

Commodity Gold is a fairly strong scent. I think it is interesting that this is in the White Collection, as that collection is supposed to be light and airy scents. This is not - it is definitely more heavy and it lasts a long time. I purchased the smaller version, which is actually a spray and not a rollerball. I can only do one spritz of this. Any more than that and it is too strong for me. On me, this goes directly from the amber notes down to the vanilla and musk. I do not get any of the juniper or bergamot. It is a nice scent that I like a lot, but given how strong it is, I'm not sure that I will repurchase.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon Notes (from Sephora):
Vanilla Bourbon. Oakwood. Tuberose.

I love my Elizabeth and James Nirvana scents in White and Black, so I had high expectations for this one as well. Bourbon does not disappoint. It is a creamy vanilla bourbon, but the bourbon note is definitely there. If you dislike the smell of bourbon, you should really try in store first. This is kind of reminiscent of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, in that the vanilla is very dark and intense (this is way less expensive and lacking the tobacco note, sadly). The rollerball is perfect, as I really like putting stronger scents on pulse points, rather than spraying my clothes. Staying power with the roller version was great. It has lasted a full day each time I have tried it. I saw some reviews on Sephora complaining about the scent fading quickly, so I wonder if the difference is the spray vs. roller. 

Switching to deeper scents is making me happy about the season change. I love fall, but not really looking forward to the snow that will shortly follow. Do you wear the same scents year round or switch based on seasons?

BYREDO Perfumed Oil - Bal D'Afrique

I purchased Byredo's Bal D'Afrique earlier this year when I was at a conference in Las Vegas. The Barneys there had most of the Byredo line and I finally got to smell the scents in person. The entire line is beautiful, but I completely fell in love with Bal D'Afrique. To me, it is a really original scent and I have not smelled anything even remotely similar before.

Bal D'Afrique Roll-on Oil  Notes (from Luckyscent):

Bergamot, lemon, neroli, african marigold, bucchu, violet, jasmin petals, cyclamen, black amber, musk, vetiver, moroccan cedarwood

This is truly a scent that is hard to describe and it really changes over time. I get a lot of marigold initially and then later it definitely gives off more amber and cedarwood, but scents develop differently depending on body chemistry. You can buy samples from Luckyscent for a reasonable price, so that is something worth doing if you are not near a counter that has this for you to try.

The scent comes in a spray version, which is available in two larger sizes and a trio of travel sizes, and a rollerball oil version that is $78 for 7.5ml. I chose the oil as I had a carry on bag, but I very much like that it is an oil versus a liquid. The scent lasts a long time with the oil (I am talking upward of 14 hours without reapplying), but it is not overly strong. The packaging does make it sort of tricky to get the oil out. You have to rub the rollerball pretty hard to get product onto the skin. On the opposite side though, I traveled with it and had no leakage, which is impressive for an oil. I guess the difficulty getting product on is the trade off for no leakage.  I am fine with it as it keeps me from over applying, which has happened to me with some rollerballs where a lot of product comes out.

Overall, this is a scent that I really love and am so happy that I purchased. I did get some samples of a few other Byredo scents, but they are more floral so I will probably wait until Spring to see which one I want to purchase. Have you tried anything from Byredo?

Current Summer Scents

Today I am sharing a few of the scents that have been in my rotation a lot this summer. Like most people, I prefer lighter scents in the summer. I also tend to go a little heavier on the florals, as well. I hope you enjoy this roundup. Please let me know if you would like to see another post like this as we move into fall.

I have Elizabeth and James Nirvana in Black and White and love them both, but in the summer I prefer the White version. The main notes in White are Peony, Muguet (aka Lily of the Valley), and Musk. It is a great floral that dries down to a clean scent. I love the rollerball version, as I prefer how it dries down on my skin versus on my clothes when sprayed. As I love both of the current Nirvana scents, I am definitely going to be checking out the new Rose and Bourbon versions.

Tocca Simone is a scent that I have from a sampler set of a few Tocca perfumes. Out of all of them, Simone was hands down my favorite for summer. The description says that the inspiration came from Australia's Bondi Beach, so it is not surprising that it has become such a summer staple. It has a fruity scent and I definitely get a big hit of watermelon and woods with this one. The main notes are: Apple, Watermelon, Lemon, Calypsone, Frangipani, Ylang- Ylang, Rose Petals, Freesia, Creamy Lactones, Blonde Woods, Musk, Amber, and Nirvanolide. 

I have a few scents from Maison Margiela (Flower Market, Jazz Club, and Lazy Sunday Morning) and have found that I really get a lot of use out of them. I know that Beach Walk is a favorite of many people, but for some reason it does not agree with my body chemistry. I love the scent and think it would be great for summer as well, but it  is sadly not for me. I have been using Flower Market a lot lately, as it truly is like stepping into a flower market. I love how fresh the florals are and also think the packaging is adorable. The notes for Flower Market are: Crushed Leaves, Freesia, Sambac Jasmine, Jasmine Infusion, Tuberose Infusion, Rose from Grasse, Peach, Cedarwood, and Oak Moss. 

Chloe is another brand that I love and have multiple fragrances from. Roses de Chloe is the one I have been wearing the most lately, though. I love the strength of the rose notes and how they are truly highlighted in the scent. I also like that the packaging gets a great vintage look to it as the metal does tend to patina a bit. The notes include Fresh Cut Roses, Bergamot, Rose Essence, Magnolia Accord, White Musk, and Amber. 

Last, but certainly not least, is actually my favorite of the bunch. It is Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt. This is the scent that truly makes me think of the sea. I think that so many beachy scents tend to go the sunscreen smell route and are oftentimes cloying. This one is not. To me, it highlights the best parts of the beach - driftwood, salt, and an overall cleanliness in the air. I wear it year round and people always ask me what it is, I think mostly because it is so different. The notes on this one are: Top: bergamot, ambrette seeds, buchu leaves. Middle: sea salt, mineral accord, dry fruits. Base: driftwood accord, guaiac wood, white musk, sage.

What are some of your current favorite summer scents?