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Summer Favourites 2025
With temperatures reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius in Luxembourg today its perhaps premature to pronounce summer to be over, but for an Estonian like me, September is definitely an autumn month. So let’s take a moment to look back to my summer favourites: most of these are not limited to hot weather, in case you are interested in trying them out. Not all are new launches either, as I am trying to appreciate things that have stood the test of time rather than always chasing newness.
On Perfume and Politics
Yesterday, my good friend and perfume expert Victoria Belim called out the fragrance brand Les Indemodables for how they use the concept of ‘legendary Russian leather’ in the marketing of their latest scent Vanille Havane ‘Cuir des Abysses’. She pointed out to the company that romanticising the Russian Empire is perhaps not what we should be engaging in right now. Disappointingly, but predictably, the brand replied that this is just a reference to a specific tanning technique (more on this later) and asked whether we should now all stop reading Dostoyevsky. When Victoria shared her thoughts and the brand’s reaction, I went to their Instagram feed and asked them to reconsider the use of the concept – in what I though was a reasonably respectful manner.
End of Summer Memo
I was planning to do an Early Autumn Memo for my re-entry into blogosphere, but it’s so warm in Brussels (up to 31 degrees expected in the coming week) that I cannot bring myself to talk about autumny stuff at the moment. Which is, in a way, good news, as I have quite a few things to share from this summer, and as they aren’t necessarily summer-specific, they may still be of use to you. So I am going to get them off my chest in this post, leaving all the talk of chocolate-coloured suede and plush perfumes for the next memo.
Best of 2021: Beauty, Style, Perfume
In the two years of the pandemic, my makeup, perfume and clothes purchases have slowed down – although not stopped by any means. Perhaps most irrationally, my habit of buying a few evening dresses per year is as strong as ever. But if you are expecting a proper ‘best of’ of fragrance or beauty releases, this I’m not able to provide. Still, perhaps this overview is useful as you are planning your own wardrobes or makeup buys.
10 Perfumes I Have Been Wearing Recently
Marina asked somewhere in the comments whether I was going to do a post about my autumn perfumes this year. I have to admit this isn’t quite it, it’s just an overview of things I’ve bought and worn recently, so it has more of an end-of-summer, early autumn vibe than a true, rich October-November feel. Many of these I would wear year round, though, so let’s not get too hung up on seasonality and simply talk about the scents.
10 Fragrances I Cannot Live Without
The title is of course a lie – I am currently out of at least two perfumes mentioned here and I am still very much alive (although perhaps this explains my recent health troubles…). But a follower on Instagram asked me to provide such a list and I thought: why not? I have enough experience with wearing and paying attention to perfume by now to select scents that I’m reasonably confident I’ll not change my mind about any time soon.
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.
On the First Day of Christmas Marina Gave to Me 13 Perfume Samples
Technically, it was two days before Christmas that I met Marina* in Athens for a cocktail and a chat – but one shouldn’t let facts get in the way of a good blog post title. Or even a mediocre one, as titles are always difficult. It was a lovely evening for m..
(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 ..
Autumn Scent Update: Dark Florals and Other Pleasures
My fragrance posts are few and far between these days, as I test and buy so much less than I used to and hence mostly wear perfumes I’ve already spoken about. For blogging purposes, this is not ideal. I do still go through distinctive moods, however, and aut..