Dressing tables and what's on them

I started to write the below, and then work appeared. Here's the thing: never ever say 'it's done, it's finished' you just invoke the genies of here's some more. Suddenly there was a necessary conversation/interview with an erudite impassioned companion whose information is very pertinent. I have plenty to write up today, and I will give it all my concentration soon. But first, something else, something silly and unimportant; dressing tables.

I never cared about them as a child - the floor was my dressing table - but my mother always had one, some art deco creation, pretty and interesting yet neat. I never managed neat in my whole life.

The world is full of elegant dressing tables. Mine is... not elegant. But happy.



I can't help it, because I am basically nine years old, and still captivated by junk heaps that may be hiding something magical. As an actual 9 year old I would have swept all that stuff off and replaced it with books, but now I have real room for books. Not enough room, mind, but that's another story.

There's something new on my dressing table;


I've been wearing Oud for Greatness to help me write (it does make me feel livelier! Is there something to all that sacred geometry and divine oud mularky? Or does it just cheer me up and feel a bit more buzzed? ) Russ bought me some. The illuminati will be turning up for their bottle any minute!

There's so much absurdity that makes me smile.

I am at the stage where I should list my other perfume samples and discards so that R doesn't repeat buy samples.

Loves:
Noir de Noir: Lovely classic lady's perfume given a weirdass name,very nice amber note.
Lamar by Kajal; gorgeous, utterly beautiful silky rose/lily combo with tropical top. Taking remnamts to V&C.
Coffee Break by Maison Margiela - comforting coffee notes, nice for everyday wear/working in cooler months.
Philosykos by Diptyque - tried this before, lovely fig note! Only works in heat though, so taking it to V&C.
Mandarino di Amalfi - High summer perfume, taking tester to V&C.

Likes:
L'Air du Desert Marocain by Tauer - evokes the way it sounds. Retest.
Intense Cafe by Montale - Good for work, R likes. Retest.
Malik Al Motia by Areej Le Dore; Bit paint-strippery at first? Not sure I want a full bottle, but remnants are coming to V&C.
Gloam by Aesop - Lovely woody topnote, devolves to nice ordinary a bit fast
Alexandria II by Xerjoff; sometimes it works, sometimes it's only OK. Incense.

Weird
Opus II Silver Oud by Amouage - Fun but we're done.
Ganymede Extrait by Marc Antoine Barrois - Fennel.
Liquid Night by Lab on Fire - Nice crisp start then raw garden peas and mint.
Interlude Woman by Amouage - No, unless combined with Escentric Molecules 01, then like cake dough that's not too sweet. Nice.

Hates:
The Moon by Frederic Malle -Consistent; remains horrible whenever/wherever one wears it.
Ottoman Empire IV by Areej Le Dore - Massive thick powdery rose. R hates it.
Crimson Rocks by Amouage - Fearful horror.
Escentric Molecules 01 - Pencil shavings.
Gladiator Oud by Electimuss - weird scritchy geranium.

Special Mention: Russian Oud II by Areej Le Dore.
This has a lot of notes traditionally associated with male gendered perfumes, and it does make me think of men; it's musky, very faintly boozy, elements of tobacco and smoke, but it has a delicious line of chocolate in there somewhere. It doesn't smell like any man I actually know, more like some imagined burly masculine archetype, I wouldn't be surprised if this guy - bearded natch! - came to my door straight out of a Siberian winter, furs and all, up for partying but not trying to take it too far. On R's skin, this disappeared into smoke. On mine it stays, and though it feels like its made for cold weather, it's a rich delight on my skin huddled under a quilt.

But even I can't spend £399 on a 53 ml bottle of perfume for a duvet.