Category Archives: Journal

Sylt and Baccarat Rouge

I’m a little bit…lost. Olfactory-wise, that is.

I loved Krigler Sylt. It’s absolute perfection. But…the more I wear my sample the more I realize how manly it actually is. I can wear it but…if it’s not really hot outside when I wear it it becomes…not quite right on my skin. It’s just too masculine and I don’t wear “masculine” fragrances well. *shrug* I might buy a bottle anyway because I love it just that much but not with the haste I had when I first discovered it.

…Krigler. I need to invest more time, effort and money into really delving through their fragrances. There must be at least one “feminine” fragrance I would feel such an affinity for. I’ve tried Manhattan Rose 44, Lieber Gustav 14, Sumptuous Oud 75213, Elegant Schwan 06, Kabarett Krigler 216, Extraordinaire Camelia 209, and Dolce Tuberose 43. I own the smaller bottle of Lovely Patchouli 55. …I need to try more. Lovely Patchouli 55 is glorious but it’s not like the feminine version of Lovely Patchouli 55.

…

I ordered another sample of Baccarat Rouge 540 because I just can’t decide if it’s worth a full bottle or not. …I recently sampled the extrait and every time I wear it I feel like I’m wearing someone else’s perfume. It’s a tiny bit too masculine too. But…just a little. It’s really more that it just feels like it belongs to someone else and unlike some people who enjoy stealing things from others I don’t enjoy wearing something that doesn’t belong to me even in effect. Sounds persnickety maybe but over $300 is too much to spend for any fragrance that’s not necessarily a classic and also isn’t “mine”. Like I once wrote recently, Baccarat Rouge 540 is maybe a genuine classic…and over the next year or two I’ll probably add it to my collection if it doesn’t start to feel dated to me, but I need to make sure.

To explain further what I mean: Chanel No. 22 is a classic and I think even if it wasn’t “your perfume” you could add it to a well-rounded collection just because it adds historical depth and interest. Actually, speaking of Chanel, like Coromandel No. 22 is a classic whereas Jersey is starting to feel dated (I still love it). So…even though Chanel still sells all Les Exclusifs de Chanel I wouldn’t buy all of them if I didn’t have a deep, undying love for Chanel and that line in particular.

Anyway…I might still buy Baccarat Rouge and Sylt. En Passant in the Spring.

…Meanwhile I’ll let my olfactory senses develop more. No matter how many things you’ve smelled you should always try to keep cultivating that sense if you love collecting and appreciating perfume. Aside from the shipping waste samples are totally underrated…

*smile*

Sorry if I’m boring you with this slightly pedantic post if you’re not a “hater” (they weirdly never seem to tire of reading every dang thing I write apparently). *laugh* Something better next time.

Dupe?

In the first installment of a series I’m calling “Dupe?” I’ll examine The Ordinary’s AHA/BHA Peeling Solution versus Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial. The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution ($7.50) is supposed to be a dupe for the latter ($80.00).

So, I’ve been using both intermittently for a while and can say, to quickly summarize, that they are not interchangeable (my definition for a real dupe) but are both effective. The first noticeable difference is that The Ordinary’s product is much more light weight and liquid. And, perhaps somewhat predictably, Drunk Elephant’s Babyfacial is harsher and more irritating than the Peeling Solution but also more effective for doing a total exfoliation. That being said it’s important to quickly state that the Peeling Solution is still effective, of course, just less so. The two products also provide different types of results visually in terms of exfoliation not just due to effectiveness. The Peeling Solution’s initial result is a refreshed, smoother appearance akin to the combined results of mild manual exfoliation and maybe the one time use of a fairly effective brightening mask. Sukari Babyfacial affects fine lines more than the Peeling Solution but it also makes the skin look like it was “resurfaced” and while that doesn’t necessarily sound bad…I actually don’t entirely appreciate the way my skin looks from Sukari Babyfacial. The results almost remind me of how a piece of wood looks after you’ve sanded it. *laugh* …It’s nearly too much exfoliation for my sensitive skin.

Would I rebuy Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial? No. Would I rebuy The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution? Maybe? It’s $7.50 for a mild but still very real exfoliation. Over time the Peeling Solution might be genuinely helpful and it’s certainly cost effective. But is the Peeling Solution truly a dupe for Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial? No.