My perfume preferences come and go in certain phases. Generally I oscillate between two major leanings, that come and go like the tides. Maybe the moon has something to do with it, I don’t know. This peculiarity enables me to wear many, often contradictory perfumes. That is how it is possible to simultaneously love Un Jardin sur le Nil and Frapin 1697, despite their diametrically opposed traits.
There is the super-minimalistic, as-light-as-possible, fancy-yourself-an-elven-princess phase. And there is the sink-into-the-super-plush-rich-brocade-Persian-carpet-and-wander-through-spice-markets phase.
It is kind of obvious in which phase I turn to Amouage. And it never disappoints.
After experiencing such happiness with my magic carpet ride that is Epic and the loving embrace of Lyric, I approached Memoir next.
Memoir Woman was created by perfumers Daniel Maurel and Dorothée Piot in 2010. Notes include mandarin, cardamom, absinthe, pink pepper, pepper, clove, white flowers, rose, jasmine, wood, frankincense, styrax, oakmoss, castoreum, leather, labdanum, fenugreek and musk.
Amouage says it is an animalic leather chypre. Now that does not necessarily sound like I would like it, but as usual, what I think I like and what I end up liking are often two pairs of shoes entirely.
I know from my best friend in perfume that it is a fragrance that makes her feel like she is the Queen of the World. Now that is a statement.
When I first wore it I wrote her an email saying, for me it was not Queen of the World, but maybe Vice President. But half an hour later I already had to amend that. Memoir is truly royal material.
While I am not over the moon upon first spray, like I was with Lyric, as soon as the top notes mellow, a paradisiacal vista opens in my mind courtesy of Memoir.
I see a landscape right out of 1001 Nights. An oriental city at night, softly lit under the star studded sky, white buildings, lean spires, mosques.
The night air is soft, warm, like a caress on skin, the air is fragrant with spices, flowers and resins.
Memoir invites me in like a friendly host who will provide sustenance and a bed for the night without asking questions.
I can lay back on an old, worn leather divan and enjoy the hot, spicy tea I am served. I can truly relax and let go. I feel cared for and as if I had not a care in the world.
May be that is indeed how a Queen feels (although I doubt todays royalty would agree), or maybe it is how the Vice President feels after all. All the privileges, not so much of the responsibility. (My apologies to Mr Biden, what do I know…)
Memoir develops from a slightly harsh and bumpy start on me, into a smooth, warm and gorgeously sweet (in a good way!) skin scent that even my super-picky, aquatics loving husband had to acknowledge as “quite good, but it is mostly you, not perfume, I think it has worn off”. Well, it hadn’t, but isn’t that what we all want to hear? That something smells great, but it is you not the perfume?
Okay, that leaves me with three Amouages on my wish list of five. Sigh.
But how can I forgo something that makes me feel cared for, carefree and ready for Vice Presidency? Exactly.
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Hmm, I know I tried more Amouages than just Lyric but I don’t remember any of them evoking any feelings of love – so now I need to re-visit all of my AMouage samples and see what did I miss.
I love being transported into Oriental day-dreams. 🙂
For me Memoir, Epic and Lyric form the Holy Trinity of perfume right now. The other Amouages are too aldehydic/old school-french fro me (maybe with the exception of Jubilation 25). I am very curious about their new iris – Opus V!
Opus V is iris? Damn my eyes! I thought I could happily ignore that series…
Nope, ignorance is no longer an option once iris enters the picture…;)
I do find it really interesting that you have these two fragrance personalities, as it were. How nice to be able to enjoy two diatmetrically opposed perfume styles. I fear I am a lot more predictable.
I did think that Memoir would suit me to a T, but sadly I’ve tried it twice now and I just get too much of something akin to licorice. Maybe I should give a third try. I’m guessing Jeux de Peau is the fourth perfume on your wishlist but what is the fifth I wonder? Nosy aren’t I? 🙂
That trait comes in handy when writing a perfume blog. 😉
The fifth is Dior Mitzah actually, it has really grown on me.
Ah, Dior Mitzah, I would never have guessed. Thanks for that, how interesting. Just goes to show there is a lot to be said for wearability even if a fragrance isn’t particularly ground-breaking (which, truth be told, few are).
Tara, I too wrote Mitzah off in the first days, and am now finding that I have to retract my original statements. It doesn’t break ground, but when you keep going back to a scent over and over and over… well. That’s something!
So true, Dee. Time is the real test.
It also works the other way around too, some scents that were love at first sniff for me, like Daim Blond, turned out to be less and less appealing with repeated wearings.
Sadly, that is true. We grow out of love just as easily as into it. Another point in case for the smaller bottles-campaign we should unleash upon the industry! 🙂
I agree, Mitzah has proven her pull, despite my initial misgivings. 😉
“quite good, but it is mostly you, not perfume, I think it has worn off”
Absolute perfection. M is now under the spell of Memoir! That stuff stays on the skin for decades, but it just nestles lazily into the skin… aaaahhhh. Yes, it transforms you into the Queen of Sheba! 🙂 Though, the “Vice President” title makes me giggle every time you say it.
Love, love, love it. I think I might even abandon Bronze Goddess for the day and take a dip in Memoir…
Memoir has cast a truly peculiar spell over our house that even Mr Vice President cannot withstand. 😉
Oh, deah. Woe is me. You had me at ‘Amouage’. And then. And then.
So now I sit here and wonder about things like Madame Vice President (all the perks – none of the drawbacks, love it!) and about what stories she could tell me if I ever got my grubby little hands on her…
Something tells me – call it a hunch – that might be a story worth writing! 😉
Thank you for this, B! This was a joy to read. You know they say the biggest pleasure is in..anticipation, right? 🙂
Oh yes, I know all about anticipation…;) I suspect your story would be a dark one, it would be when I would tell it at least. Best, Madame Vice President
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