Obsessions
Category
I Tried All the Le Labo City Exclusives in Case You Cannot: Part 1
I’ve always had conflicting feelings about Le Labo. I really like some of their scents and their aesthetic was truly refreshing when the brand launched. Their gimmicky ways can be irritating, though. I understand that insisting on ‘fresh’ mixing of the perfumes and the confusing naming practices are a marketing strategy (and a pretty successful one, I guess), but I find it annoying. The whole song and dance about their city exclusives is the most ridiculous part of it all in my view.
Celine Eau de Californie: French Elegance in a Bottle
or perfume are somehow by default superior to things made everywhere else. This is mostly because I resent the implication that some nations are innately more ‘stylish’ than others and also because the idea of French style, as it’s stereotypically presented*, seems restrictive and elitist to me.
Current Skincare Routine
I have procrastinated with posting, because during the last weeks, I had a vague feeling that I should write something feminist. I follow mostly the UK and Estonian media and both have recently been filled with stuff that reminds one why fighting for women’s and girls’ rights and contributing to patriarchy-smashing is important (for those who are not Estonian: #metoo has finally landed in earnest there with some seriously disturbing cases featuring underage girls – and boys, too).
Neela Vermeire’s Trayee: A Spicy Masterpiece
I’m not easily intimidated when it comes to reviewing perfume – it is not Newtonian physics, where there’s only one correct answer. You smell what you smell, everyone’s perceptions are different and equally valid (if not necessarily equally detailed, knowledgeable or interesting). Reviewing Trayee gave me pause, however. It is such a complex and multifaceted perfume that I’m not sure I’m able to even capture the general mood, not to mention the nuances.
Lockdown Life: The Easiest Banana Cake in the Universe
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If all that talk of daily workouts and cleaning the house has made you worry that I’m turning into an ethereal wellness queen, have no fear. In parallel, I’m also baking like there is no tomorrow. I would be baking even more, if there was..
(Cire) Trudon Bruma and Its Siblings
Cire Trudon, the iconic French candle maker, launched its perfume line about two years ago. Since then, Trudon Bruma has been on my to-buy list, but 180 euros is quite an investment – and I own several iris perfumes already. The reason I am able to properly ..
The Inexplicable Appeal of Poppy & Barley
I am frankly quite puzzled when it comes to my attraction to Poppy & Barley. Jo Malone is in general not known for ground-breaking compositions, but this one is literally non-descript. I have spent several years smelling and describing perfume, with a modera..
Me and Statement Sneakers: An Unlikely Love Story
I have done statement dresses, statement shoes, statement earrings, statement skirts, statement everything, but even relatively recently, I would have been incredulous at the thought of wearing statement sneakers. But fashions change, as do people – see my r..
Parfums de Nicolaï: The Most Underrated Fragrance Brand in the World?
Perfume business is a weird business. It seems so simple: obviously, people would just buy perfumes that smell the best to them, right? In reality, the whole thing is so heavily influenced by hard-core marketing, prestige, status, group-think and aesthetic c..
Ormonde Jayne Champaca: An Unusual, Addictive Floral
Ormonde Jayne, a niche London fragrance brand, was among my absolute favourites when I became seriously interested in perfume – more than 10 years ago now. Their original line-up was diverse but coherent and there were no duds in the bunch; from the gorgeous..