By Marla
Some of you read, or joined in with, March’s recent review on Perfume Posse of MDCI’s La Belle Helene, the one with PEAR. I sure did. I hate pears! I hate their weird, grainy texture, I loathe their mottled and bruised skins, and mostly, I can’t stand the way they taste! So I had to express myself to March via poetry:
March: You do not like the scent of pear?/ You do not like it anywhere?/You do not like it in your nose?/On your fingers or your toes?
Me: I do not like the scent of pear./ I do not like it anywhere./ I do not like it with a goat./I do not like it on a stoat./ I do not like it on a train./ I do not like it in the rain./ I do not care for scent of pear./ I will not wear it anywhere!
I think my feelings came across clearly in that exchange.
Soon after arriving at my new tropical home, I get a little welcome package with L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Mon Numero 1 (rumored to be Singapore’s). That’s right. The one with PEAR. Did I dare to wear the pear? I did, and, like Sam I Am’s stubborn friend, I loved it! Mon Numero 1 is primarily fresh, green pear, mimosa, and white musk. It’s a light-infused, pale green, and goes well with the dawn here on the Atlantic Ocean. Mimosa absolute can range from almost doughy-powdery to honey-sweet, even, sadly, to cloying cat pee. In Numero Uno, it’s a celadon version, just barely sweet, very delicate, lightly powdery. For both the pear and mimosa, the super-sweet, amber tones have been cut out, leaving only the most delicate shadings for the wearer’s appreciation. The white musk rounds out the pairing, and that’s really about it. The simplicity works. Longevity is several hours, and then I want to start all over again. So Bertrand Duchaufour has pulled another rabbit out of another hat, and I officially eat my words. Green eggs and ham for me! The Mon Numero series will be debuting online and in several cities in June, 2011.
I love it too! I had the good fortune of getting an advance sample of Numero 1.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful review, Marla, light-infused pear and celadon shade of mimosa - how beautifully and aptly put! Thank you!
Ah, B, I thought you'd like the poetry part best! ;-)
ReplyDelete-M
Marla: I don't know about the perfume but I don't like pears either! And you described the reasons why I don't like them perfectly. Your poem made me laugh so hard! I wish I could do stuff like that!
ReplyDeleteThanks, marsha, glad to know there's another pear-hater out there! But I am happy to have found a perfume that sports that note, that I actually enjoy. I'm still scared to try the Helene, though!
ReplyDelete-Marla
Wah, I'm getting an error message when I try to comment! I enjoyed all the Seussical responses to my post. I'll definitely have to search this new scent out, I've not smelled it. I love the illustration you picked.
ReplyDeleteThe pears are "Buddha Pears", they're for real! A farmer in Asia is trying to shape pears into all sorts of forms. Buddhism tells us that those things you hate can be very good teachers, so I had to include the Buddha pears. And of course, Sam-I-Am just rocks.
ReplyDelete-M
http://www.incrediblethings.com/art-design/buddha-pears/
ReplyDeleteThat's a link to the Buddha Pears phenomenon. I love them!
-Marla
Despite reviews extraordinaire,
ReplyDeleteStill I fear this scent of pear,
A hint of pear, the threat of pee,
And, lord, that musk, it frightens me.
Musk is frightening as can be,
ReplyDeleteunless you are anosmic like me!
And no one likes the scent of pee,
from mimosa or from dogwood tree.
Despite the trepidation, do try Numero Uno when it debuts, it's very delicate and pretty! :-)
-Marla
Okay, I will, persuasive girl,
ReplyDeleteTho' my nose hairs I suspect will curl.
And if the pear repels me still,
To your doorstep send I will!
;)
You do make this sound worth trying!
Great review, Marla. I love perfumista volte face. But man, those candles are freaking me out!
ReplyDeleteOh wait, just read the comments. Even more freaked out now that they are actual pears. (No, no, no. Do not to that to the fruit. What did the fruit do to you?)
ReplyDeleteYes, Alyssa, I had no idea pears could look like that! I thought it was soap at first, too.
ReplyDelete-Marla
Wow! I hadn't read about the new l'Artisan releases! I can't wait to try this one....well all of them, really :-) Thank you for the information and really fun poetry :-)
ReplyDeletelovethescents,
ReplyDeleteYes, I want to try some of the others now, too, particularly the one that's inspired by India, sounds fantastic! And there's a spicy amber, too....
-Marla
Oh Marla, that Indian inspiration sounds beautiful too. I wonder if they'll be available in our city. Fingers tightly crossed!
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to wait for Olfactoria or Graindemusc to review them, I know both of them have tried the line, now they must tell!
ReplyDelete-Marla
I kind of like the scent of pee
ReplyDeletethat's TMI, how can this be?
I do not like it on my bod
Not on my children, thank you God
But "boxwood" in a scent can be
the nicest kind of smells-like-pee.