Well, this is certainly the best way to “drink” and drive! Pure whisky of the wonderful single-malt variety, infused with dry cocoa powder, butterscotch, smoky woods, dark resinous amber, peppermint, and a hint of green herbs. It’s hard not to think about drinking when you wear Ore, a dry, woody, sweet, and virtually alcoholic fragrance that swirls about in a rich, unctuous, deep bouquet that can be compulsively sniffable at times.
Ore is the creation of Slumberhouse, a niche, indie perfume brand out of Portland, Oregon. The company describes itself as follows:
Slumberhouse is a boutique cologne label in the heart of Portland, OR; created and inspired by urban and street culture, art, film and music – especially the new school of hiphop and graffiti artists. We are a group of young gents who march to our own beat, embracing an absolute disregard for other brands, trends and marketing cliches. Slumberhouse represents an unequivocal love for the art of fragrance making.
It’s a fascinating background, matched by the equally fascinating candour and genuine commitment shown by one of the founders, Josh Lobb, who now seems to be the sole force behind the brand as well as its perfume creator/nose. In his personal blog on the website, the 31-year old Mr. Lobb reveals his personal struggle with keeping costs down while using the best fragrance absolutes; his realisation that he was barely breaking even with many scents; and his personal journey in making some of the Slumberhouse fragrances.
Ore Extrait. Source: Luckyscent
Mr. Lobb is a very admired Indie perfumer, not only because he seems like a genuinely nice chap but, also, because he’s astoundingly talented for someone who is so young and wholly self-taught. He also is a perfectionist who works constantly at honing his creations, which explains why he essentially scrapped much of the original Ore perfume and re-released it this year in a new version. The reformulated Ore is not only an extrait de parfum in concentration, but, apparently, a fundamental re-working of the notes and their proportions.
Ore is classified on Fragrantica as an “oriental spicy” perfume, and the Slumberhouse website describes the new Extrait version and its notes as follows:
A swim with the caramel nettles
flooded with the dusky murk
I wish I could dream it again.
Oakwood, Cocoa, Mahogany, Guaiac, Dittany of Crete, Vanilla, Whiskey Lactone & Peru [Balsam] Resin.
Dittany of Crete. Source: mountainvalleygrowers.com
Mr. Lobb frequently uses extremely unusual ingredients that I’ve never heard of and end up having to research (which is something I absolutely love about Slumberhouse), and Ore is no exception. Looking up “Dittany of Crete,” it seems to be a very rare, healing, aromatic shrub that only grows on the island of Crete, that was referenced in ancient legends about aphrodisiacs and wounded warriors, and that is apparently a type of oregano used for centuries for medicinal reasons, including the curing of snake bites. Who knew?! And how cool! Honestly, I absolutely love the places Mr. Lobb takes me when I review one of his fragrances.
Source: wall.alphacoders.com
Ore opens on my skin with a blast of pure whisky that is slightly smoky and peaty, much like a lighter version of the Islay single malt, Laphroaig. It’s swirled in with dark, dusty, dry cocoa powder flecked with hints of vanilla. It’s sweet, but it’s not cloying. It’s boozy, but never feels as though you’ve been drenched in actual alcohol. It’s not sharp or abrasive, but as smooth as satiny caramel with a dry, lightly smoked nature.
Inside the golden-brown haze are other surprises. There are flickers of a dark green freshness that is hard to describe in any way other than Slumberhouse’s own analogy to nettles. Yes, it has the feel of dark, forest-green nettles on a Scottish moor somewhere, but it’s extremely mild and muted. Underneath, there is a foundation of dark, smoky woods, dominated by guaiac wood’s whiff of autumnal burning leaves. There is a touch of peppermint which is a little surprise. I’d read that the original Ore eau de parfum had a strong aroma of Carmex medicated lip salve, but Mr. Lobb seems to have sharply tone it down in the extrait, leaving only something that smells to me like hard-boiled, pink-and-white peppermint candies.
Source: Indiamart.com
Ore’s primary bouquet, however, is of whisky infused with dark cocoa powder. Not sweet chocolate, but dusky, dry cocoa. I’m an absolute sucker for the note in perfumery, and to mix it with peaty, slightly smoky whisky seems like utter genius to me. It’s such an intoxicating swirl that the opening moments of Ore leave me sniffing my arm like some sort of alcoholic in need of a fix.
Source: upwallpapers.net
There is a profound richness to the scent which is a somewhat odd mix of sweetness with dryness. Sometimes, I think Ore verges on the gourmand. The Peru Balsam, which is one of my favorite amber resins, has a dark, chewy, thick quality here, and mixes with the dry vanilla and the whiskey to create something that smells a lot like butterscotch at times. Yet, the dark woods add a subtle smokiness and strong hint of dryness to the scent as well. The dry “nettles” and the dusky cocoa contribute an additional counterbalance to the sweetness. I suppose this is my idea of a ideal “gourmand” fragrance: a dark, woody, slightly smoky, dry sweetness that doesn’t actually smell of food or dessert.
Source: wallippo.com
Thirty minutes into Ore’s development, it smooths out into a well-balanced, dark cloud of cocoa whiskey with hints of peppermint atop chewy, sweet, amber resins that are lightly flecked by dry vanilla and slightly smoky dark woods. There is finally a subtle whiff of that Carmex medicated lip salve that I’d read about in Ore’s previous incarnation, but it’s very subtle. Less subtle is the sense of something slightly synthetic in the dark woods in the base. I tried Ore twice, applying different quantities, and it was rather noticeable the first time when I applied quite a bit of the fragrance. Or, at least, quite a bit for a Slumberhouse perfume: 3 large-ish smears.
Slumberhouse is well-known to create extremely potent scents that work best with only one spray, and which can otherwise overwhelm you with their intensity, projection and longevity. I tried to approximate that amount with my dabber vial, keeping in mind that Ore, as an extrait, is the most concentrated type of perfume available. Yet, just to be sure, I did a second test where I applied only one, very big, smear. The perfume smelled the same each time, with the exception of the synthetic element in the base which was noticeable only the first time around with the larger quantity. It didn’t give me a headache, exactly, but it did bother me with a small, brief throbbing behind my eye. It was never enough, however, to detract from my enjoyment of the scent.
Vermont West Hill House B&B.
Ore really feels like something well-suited for a cold winter’s night. The whisky-cocoa with butterscotch undertone really transports you to a cozy room before a fireplace while the snow falls gentle outside. You snuggle with your partner, one of you sipping Laphroaig, one of you drinking dark, hot chocolate, and both of you nibbling on a peppermint candy. I can’t see anyone wearing Ore Extrait in 100 degree heat, but what a perfect scent for Winter!
Ore is fundamentally linear in nature, and never really transforms beyond its opening bouquet. It’s a glorious scent in those opening hours, especially the first time around. There were moments where I felt like rolling around in it, the way a dog does in a particularly smelly patch of grass. Then, something happened. Around the star of the fourth hour, I started feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. It was perhaps too much unleavened, unalloyed richness. The linearity of so much unctuous heaviness, without change, felt almost cloying. Now, Ore itself isn’t cloying in terms of sweetness, but the forcefulness of all that thick, gooey caramel whisky really got to me. It is the primary reason why I tested the fragrance a second time; I wondered if my feelings would change, and if Ore merely required a lot of patience. My feelings didn’t change. If anything, I was significantly less enamoured of the opening, and found it less addictively, compulsively sniffable. Was it all just the novelty of such an unusual combination? Perhaps.
Source: abstract.desktopnexus.com
I think the more accurate reason with my slight change of heart is really the linearity. I always say that there is nothing wrong with linearity if you really love the notes in question, and I really enjoy certain aspects of Ore. However, it is such an incredibly rich, heavy fragrance that the only way to describe its feel is “unctuous” — and endlessly buttery unctuousness can be a little exhausting. Perhaps the best way to describe it is in terms of food. I love Devil’s Food cake, but a really large slice of it can be a little much. Wearing Ore feels a little like you’ve eaten not a slice of Devil’s Food, but the whole damn cake! It’s gloriously wonderful in one bite, even a bite that stretches on for a few hours, but it can be too much for 10 hours on end unless you have something to balance it out.
And Ore doesn’t. Ore was hours of unchanging, heavy butteriness until the very end when it became a simple smoky sweetness. All in all, it lasted just under 11 hours, with about 8 of them feeling very rich indeed. (On some people, Slumberhouse fragrances can last for 24 hours at a stretch!) I had problems at the end of the third hour, so the full lifespan felt a little like Rammstein playing at maximum volume right in my ear. I adore Rammstein, but I can’t listen to Du Hast or Ich Will at full blast, on repeat, for 11 hours straight. (Okay, sometimes, I can, and do. But extremely rarely!) Ore’s smoked, whisky butterscotch is like my beloved Du Hast and Devil’s Food Cake.
I think my difficulty with Ore encapsulates my difficulty with Slumberhouse as a whole. I want to love the fragrances. Oh, how I want to love them! There is always something in each one that I greatly enjoy, and I have nothing but the deepest respect for Josh Lobb who seems like an incredibly nice chap, in addition to being very talented. At the end of the day, however, something above the overall, sum-total effect of each fragrance just doesn’t work for me on a personal level. I think each one is great in its own way, highly original, and always boldly creative, but I haven’t found one that I can wholeheartedly love.
I’ve struggled to figure out why, and I’ve finally concluded that it’s the unctuousness and richness of the base which seems to be a common signature to all of Slumberhouse’s fragrances. What bewilders me is that I have never once had problems with a fragrance being too rich, until it comes to Slumberhouse…. In truth, it’s not so much a question of richness or power — two things I specifically look for in fragrances for my own personal use — but rather, the unalleviated, unalloyed nature of their unctuousness. Even when applied lightly or in a small dosage, the almost buttery, viscous thickness to the base — especially in conjunction with one other, extremely dominant, element — ends up being too much for me. For example, the potpourri-like element in Jeke‘s base, or the sweetness of Pear + Olive.
It’s hard for me to compare my experience to that of others because, as noted, Ore has been completely changed from its original character, and the majority of reviews pertain to the old Ore eau de parfum. The most useful comparative explanation of the differences comes from Mark Behnke of CaFleureBon who writes:
Ore was one of the first fragrances Mr. Lobb released back in 2009. Of all the updates this one shows the evolution of Mr. Lobb as a perfumer and also the evolution of the slumberhouse aesthetic. It is by far the biggest difference between the original and the extrait of the fragrances which have undergone this re-imagining.
If I was pressed I would’ve said the original Ore was my least favorite of Mr. Lobb’s earlier creations because it had all the subtlety of a right cross to the nose. An overpowering dry cocoa seemed to overwhelm every receptor in my brain. It took nearly an hour for me to realize there was anything else as it went through a slightly caramel aspect on top of an edgy green balsamic base. Coming to this after trying other things by Mr. Lobb made me exhibit some patience with it but it was really close to being unbearable. […][¶]
The extrait of Ore opens with the same dry cocoa but this time it is toned down enough to let other things come out to play. There is a subtle touch of thyme which picks up the less sweet aspects of the cocoa and adds some of the green quality of the original early on without being as sharp. The transition seems more smoothed out with less of an abrupt shift happening as there was in the original. The mix of woods: oakwood, guaiac and peru resin turn Ore into a creamy balsamic mix coated in cocoa. Right here is where Mr. Lobb shows his improvement as perfumer; all of this is present in the original but it collides with each other like a pinball against a bumper making an unappealing thunk. In this new extrait the notes are well-balanced which allow for a more complete picture to be presented and that picture is something to behold. A bit of vanilla added in the late going turns all of this into a slight tobacco accord that lasts for a fleeting moment.
I never tried the original Ore, but it seems to have been quite appreciated by those (other than Mark Behnke) who tried it. On Indiescents, there are raves about its “smoked Tootsie rolls” quality, although one person had problems with the medicinal element from the much talked about Carmex-like undertone. The general character of the old Ore can be seen in some of the following descriptions:
- Earthy, sweet but not cloying, very sensuous. Amazing.
- Dark and Boozy. I get nothing of Carmex in this scent. However, the chocolate and sage come out in this when I wear it. My husband loves it-once it dries down.
- Since i am addicted to and love the smell of Carmex i had to buy this…i was soo pleasantly surprised, this is a super nice sexy beast of a gourmand fragrance……i can definitely pick out the cocoa absolute in the dry down and love it.
- Very nice! If you love rich,not so SWEET gourmet scents,this is worthy of sampling! I was expecting something more off-beat,due to the Carmex comparison,but its quite feminine and soft.
- I’m smitten. Seriously, it takes a lot to interest me and this fragrance has had me distracted all day. Delicious. What I love is that it is sweet and feminine without being cloying. It’s sexy and strong. The dry down is lovely and soft but still has strength. Beautiful.
There are similar accounts for the old Ore eau de parfum on Fragrantica where men seem to be as much a fan as the women. One commentator, “Alfarom,” described the scent as:
Balsamic chocolate. Ore opens dry and rough with a desweetened cacao note. Dark woods remark their presence right away while a boozy accord concours in adding some warmness during the middle phase and the drydown. […] This bizarre concoction between edible and inedible elements makes of Ore one of the most original takes on the gourmandic theme. Intense but barely sweet, mysterious, dark and dangerously sexy.
If you take the accounts of the old Ore and read them in light of CaFleureBon’s assessment of the new Extrait version, the result seems to be a more toned down fragrance. Better modulated, perhaps, but my experience seems to indicate a scent that is also much less dark, smoky, and balsamic than it was before. I certainly don’t think that Ore I tried was particularly smoky or dark; it seemed quite caramel, butterscotch golden — in both visuals and aromatic feel — to me, but it might well just be my skin which always amplifies the sweeter elements in a perfume’s base.
All in all, I think Slumberhouse is an incredibly original perfume house that every serious perfumista should explore for themselves, especially if they like very rich, potent scents and especially if they’re jaded about the sameness of many fragrances put out there today. Maybe you will fall in my boat or maybe you’ll find one you love, but, either way, you really should experience (at least once) the uniqueness, originality, and creativity that is Slumberhouse’s ultimate hallmark. As for Ore, it may not be to my personal tastes at the end of the day, but I strongly urge those of you who like fragrances that are boozy, rich, almost (but not quite) gourmand, and feature dark cocoa powder, to give it a try. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you found it quite addictively delicious.
I’m lemming this, dear Kafka. Linearity in a perfume does not bother me at all. In fact, I would rather smell the same all day than end the day with a musk dry-down which is what many people smell like on my way home from work. Great review!
It’s not the linearity, per se, that bothers me. Lord knows, my beloved Ambra Aurea is hardly a shape-shifter! It was the unalloyed unctuousness for so, so long. That said, I think you, in particular, would LOVE this, Hajusuuri, my dear. LOVE IT! I urge you to order a sample from Mr. Lobb, pronto! 🙂
I went to the website immediately after I left my comment here and several clicks later I stopped because the shipping cost was $5.00! I did not expect shipping to be free…but $5.00 for one sample is kinda high. Maybe on my next LuckyScent order….
Yikes! That is very high for one vial! Okay, perhaps it’s not quite *such* a bang for your buck if you order directly from Slumberhouse. lol. Thank you so much for letting me and, more importantly, other readers know! I greatly appreciate it, Hajusuuri.
Wow a scent that’s too much for you to bare. Now that’s a helluva fragrance. LOL I think a scent like that would overwhelm me as well. Granted I do like my fragrances strong and potent! I like scents that transition through its phases and I do love linear perfumes if it encompasses notes I love and thoroughly enjoy e.g rose, amber, spices, incense , sandalwood, vanilla, and/or chocolate . You have to give Slumberhouse credit though for giving people a perfume that they can literally sink their teeth into. I need to try a sample of this potent elixir. A dab will do me just fine I gather from your review!
Slumberhouse definitely takes buttery richness to an extreme. I think I need something a little drier or more balanced, perhaps? Still, if you’ve never tried anything from the line, I definitely think it’s worth trying. Slumberhouse does extremely original, interesting stuff, and many have a very woody, smoky nature that might appeal to you, Ferris. Let me know if you try any!
I enjoyed your review very much- it was actually ironic how not linear (in perfume parlance) your review was. In the sense that, what I thought you thought about the perfume kept changing throughout the review. And my urge to try it also kept changing along with your review..:)
[Of course I need to try them all now. Erin’s review on NST already made me lemma Pear + Olive]
Ha, thank you! I really did love it at the start. The problem is that I came to a screeching halt midway because it just beats you over the head with its endless butteriness thickness, all done at a very persistent, loud, but simple beat. For me, it was a little much, but I know a lot of people adore Slumberhouse for its signature dense richness. If you try any, I’d love to hear what you think, Lavanya. 🙂
I just recently sampled Ore Extrait and I was a bit disappointed actually… All I got on my skin was bitterly dark cocoa. I was decidedly underwhelmed, a bit like I was with Pear + Olive. But I also finally sampled Sova, and it was beyond words! Jeke has been at the top of my wishlist for most of a year, but Sova has now taken that place! My Slumberhouse favorite list now goes as follows, from favorite to least favorite, Sova, Jeke, Kere, Norne, Baque, Grev, Ore, Pear + Olive, Vikt, Rume. I rather like that the scents are linear! Sova is in my opinion a bit more of a shapeshifter than the others, but mostly what you see is what you get with these! No selling top notes that hide an underwhelming heart and base…
Oh, what a shame you didn’t get any of the whisky, woods, or butterscotch/caramel! Such a pity! Nothing but bitter dark cocoa sounds like a dreadful bore. As for Sova, I think that’s the other one I have a sample of, and I hope I like it as much as you do. 🙂
Hmmm…..It sounds like the Isley whiskey answer to L’Instant de Guerlain Eau Extreme’s cocoa-vodka accord. interesting.
I tend to think of fragrances like this as evening-only options for the reasons you described. Anything more than 5 hours is just too much.
I know how much you like the L’Instant flanker, so if you think this sounds similar in some ways, you should give it a try. 🙂 I’d be curious to see what you think of the buttery nature of the foundation and its denseness. Have you tried anything from Slumberhouse before?
I really like the detail and rich language in your reviews. On this one….you had me wanting the perfume but then thinking…hm…do I really want something so heavy that lingers… One thing I find overwhelming is the sheer number of brands and scents on your site that sound amazing (from brands I’ve never heard of). Since I’m new to the site…do you periodically do posts with your favorites in different categories? Right now there is no way I can choose from the amazing scents you’ve described! And since a lot of them aren’t available for testing the decision making gets harder. Great post!
Megan (or should I call you Megan Lisa?), thank you for your very kind words. 🙂 And I’m thrilled that you’re intrigued instead of turned off by all the brands you haven’t heard about. That’s wonderful, and I’m so glad. In terms of my favorites, I have mentioned some in posts called #100 and #200, that categorize which things I’ve liked best in a particular review cycle (ie, last 100 posts). I have a full list in my “About Me” section of perfumes that I love, and many of them have reviews. You can buy samples of almost all the fragrances from Surrender to Chance, so they’re not wholly out of range in terms of testing.
Some of my absolute favorites: Teo Cabanel’s Alahine, Chanel’s Coromandel, Dior’s Mitzah, Puredistance’s M (and Opardu, as a floral, though the beautiful stage doesn’t last very long on my skin), Profumum’s Ambra Aurea, Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles, Chergui, Cuir Mauresque, and De Profundis, Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Absolue Pour Le Soir, Ormonde Jayne’s Tolu, Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Chypré, and Vero Profumo’s Onda. I hope that helps a little, though I fear the list may be overwhelming in a different way. I would strongly urge you to start with Alahine, Coromandel, Mitzah, and Fille en Aiguilles in terms of reading reviews, then maybe Absolue Pour Le Soir and the other Lutens. The Puredistance is quite expensive, whereas the others are much more affordable in price. 🙂
Thanks! I will check those out. Honestly, I’ve never before heard of any of your favorites! Or Surrender to Chance! But I have noticed a huge difference between mainstream scents and some of the smaller/speciality or whatever the best term is. Starting to pick is overwhelming so your site helps a lot! My name is Megan…but that name is usually taken for a lot of user names so I got in the habit of adding my middle name. So you can call me either.
Surrender to Chance is fantastic! It lets you try every perfume imaginable, with a simply massive array of niche fragrances at all price ranges. Domestic shipping on ALL orders below $75 is a mere $2.95 in total. And, if you sign up for the newsletter, you will get the monthly codes, as well as details of their frequent sales where prices can often be up to 20% off. Surrender to Chance gives you the opportunity to test out $600 perfumes for a small amount, and to let you see if it’s worth a further investment. Plus, they’re utterly professional and super, super fast. I can’t recommend them enough.
I am really genuinely and truly excited to watch your journey into niche perfumery, and I’m very touched that you might let me help you along the way. Once you try some really good niche stuff, you’ll be amazed at the things you used to smell and see in department stores because, as a general rule (though there are exceptions), the quality, originality, inventiveness and luxuriousness of the products is worlds apart from mainstream scents. Now, I just need to get to learn your tastes better so that I can know what to recommend and what may suit you best! 🙂
It’s fun! As I’d commented on an earlier post comment thread…the scents and makeup right now are helping me creatively. Makeup with the visual mood; scents with a deeper mood and energy. I used to love Annick Goutal and Jo Malone…but got tired of them. Now I’m wearing Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, Tocca Brigitte, the Gucci Floras I got as a sample, vanilla based stuff…none of which I love yet…and I actually really like a lot of Coach perfumes. So an odd mix. I like Tom Ford Patchouli and almost got that…I’m really looking for something that approximates the incense at my yoga studio but not so heavy…but haven’t found it yet…. So, you can see, I’m wearing all mainstream stuff….plus a lot of samples and old bottles that I use for a few days. Thanks for such great reviews!
I am also so excited for you! You are in for some wonderful reading when you read Kafka’s words on perfume. And I also will give huge props and thumbs up to Surrender to Chance for being the greatest way to try new scents without breaking the bank. I am kind of envious of anyone in the beginning throes of this love affair with the wonderful world of perfume. Kafka has taught me so very much, and some of my favorite perfumes were found through her. Have fun Megan!!!!!
Just wanted to put my 2 cents in and say that Parfum 1 also sells samples (and bottles) of Slumberhouse. I just added a sample of Norne to my last order. Haven’t received it yet, though, so can’t say anything about it.
Whoops! Just noticed that you have that info, too, in Details. sorry.
Not a problem. It was thoughtful of you to try to help people out with the retail tip.
I’ve tried pretty much all the Slumberhouse fragrances now and while I do quite like them,I do find them a little too overpowering at times. I wish they could just calm it down a little, to allow the subtleties to show through. That’s my opinion and experience anyway. Having said that, it is an interesting line.
Definitely interesting! But, yes, it might work better for me, as well as for you, if the fragrances were a little less like a bulldozer.
I have tried both versions of this and from what i can remember, the Cacao note has definitely been dialed down in this new version. The Cacao note in this new extrait seems to dive into the mix much faster and it seems to be a much smoother, cohesive blend than the original. In the original, the raw Cacao and a sharp note that i think was vetiver, seemed to jut out of the composition, at odds with the background of caramelised woods. This new version is quite lovely, but i think i liked the edp more for it’s oddness and juxtapositions.
Extremely interesting, C, thank you. It’s great to have another comparative assessment, and I’m sure it will be of enormous benefit to other readers. Thank you so much for taking the time to describe your experience with the two versions. I greatly appreciate it.
I have never tried any Sumberhouse. This one sounds really intense and with notes that appeal. I kept thinking of Mamluk while reading about the never ending unctuousness and linear caramel whiskey goo. I am going to have to try this, though. Great review, again!!!
I had heard such wonderful things about Slumberhouse and ordered a sample pack. Like you, I really wanted to like them, but what I found is that they weren’t smooth enough for me. So what does that mean? I think of them like fine writing paper. You can buy paper that is woven tightly and smooth to the finish and then you have beautiful hand made rough hewn paper which is wonderfully exquisite, but just not my taste. I hope this makes sense rather than me just rambling!
It makes perfect sense and is a much better, more easily understood way of describing things than my use of the Rammstein metaphor. lol! I think you put your finger on one of the issues with the line, though I do think the Ore Extrait is somewhat smoother than the earlier EDP creations.
Slumberhouse is listed on my “Houses to Try” document, as I’ve heard so much about the line; a lot of people have mentioned the somewhat raw, unfinished aspect of the fragrances that makes them so intriguingly different from a lot of what’s out there. Count me in as a fan of big, boozy frags in the winter, although your mention of the longevity has me a bit worried: with my scent-glue skin, my longest-lasting frags are 24-hours-and-a-shower later….. do I dare? Also, it’s still a lovely sunny September here, and since I’ll soon be facing 6 months of winter, I’m in no hurry to sample any heavier frags just yet. There’ll be plenty of time for big-league waftage in a month or so.
Dionne, you have perfume-glue skin?? You lucky devil, you!!! In that case, I would go very, very easy with the application of any Slumberhouse fragrances. lol. The darker, woody, smoky ones repeatedly get longevity mentions of 24 hrs with 2 sprays. Perhaps dabbing will result in a shorter time, but if your skin really retains perfume like that….
I think a cold, snowy winter’s night will be the perfect time to try a lot of the Slumberhouse line. I’ll be very interested to hear your thoughts when you do. 🙂
There is a definite upside to scent-glue skin, that’s for sure, so it’s always a surprise when something disappears on my skin (yeah, Osmanthe Yunnan, I’m looking at you.) The downside is I rarely get to wear more than one scent a day, which can be a bummer where I go into sampling mode.
If someone like YOU can’t have success with a Jean-Claude Ellena creation, then how are poor sods like me ever supposed to manage??! See, that’s precisely why I stay away from Hermès, even apart from the general minimalism. They are like ghosts on me!
So, now, I’m curious, how do many Kilian fragrances work with your skin?
I haven’t really tried them yet, to be honest. I swim at the frugal end of the perfumista pool, and with so many possibilities out there I still haven’t tried even after 3 1/2 years (my Lines to Try doc includes Miller Harris, Histoires de Parfum, Via del Profumo, Divine, Parfums de Rosine, Slumberhouse and Eau d’Italie), the expensive stuff tends not to be near the top of the list. I did get some samples of the Asian Tales series, and found them impressively boring.
Haha, “impressively boring” is pretty close to my overview of the whole line. “Over-priced and underwhelming” might be another phrase. 😉 😀
I know I’ve tried this. Or rather, I know I have this and am quite sure I tried it. Although maybe I only tried Jeke and Pear + Olive? But these notes are ringing a bell for me and I came to a similar conclusion. It’s extraordinarily rare that I would ever say a scent needed to be “turned down” a tad, but I felt this way for both Ore and Pear + Olive. It was ultimately too much of a good thing and the richness was overwhelming to the point of being vaguely nauseating for me. They were both beautiful and well-done, but simply too rich and buttery. I think with Pear + Olive I compared it to having a too much of your absolutely favorite, most decadent dessert. Yeah, you might love the dessert but you don’t necessarily want to eat 20 servings of it at once (unless it’s peanut butter or peanut M&Ms :P). I want to dig out the sample, wherever it may be, once again and try it to see if I feel the same way. I do absolutely adore the bottle though – stunning.
Do you recall if you tried the Eau de Parfum, or the relatively new Extrait? I’d be really interested to know if you found the latter rich as well, because, seriously, that dessert butteriness? Too, too, TOO much! You’re like me in almost never finding that, so yeah, it definitely same something that you reached the same conclusion and plea to “turn it down!”
Absolutely lovely review, I even learned about a new type of oregano that only grows in Crete and that makes this review even more important to me. I truly dislike strange scents that just smell weird, but I do love original aromas that make you pause and wonder what you are smelling. This seems feminine so I think I would love this no doubt since the descriptions alone made me imagine the scent and almost smell it. And Oh my God Kafka you´re a Rammstein fan? 😀 Rammstein is one of my favorite bands, the one that made me appreciate metal music when I was about 13 years old (although I can´t understand german) I too couldn´t listen to Du Hast or Ich Will for too long, but I could listen to my favorite Rammlied for hours, I think the fact that it sounds a bit like medieval music makes me love that song more 🙂 I could have never imagined you were a Rammstein fan Kafka 😛 . Anyway I don´t mind linear scents so this would be really nice.
I’m a HUGE Rammstein fan! Amusingly, I could never have imagined that YOU would be one, too! LOL. Guess we both surprised each other, hun. 😀
I don´t have experience with Slumberhouse but I like to try Sova because they use hops as a fragrance. Hops is normally used for beer. So I assume they use aroma hops (more oil) and it may be interesting due to hops (depending on the variety). Some aroma hops has the characteristic of being citrussy. There are varieties in USA as Cascade, Willamette: fantastic. I can not imagine using Saaz variety for fragances (but, why not?). I’ll try this fragrance and will gladly share with you my experience.
I have a sample of Sova that I’m really looking forward to trying. But it will have to wait for a few weeks, as I’m about to go on vacation. If you try it before I do, let me know what you think, dear Walter. 🙂
Pingback: Zahd – Slumberhouse | The Fragrant Man
Pingback: Slumberhouse Zahd (Limited Edition) | Kafkaesque
Hee, almost two years later, I got my Ore extrait from Twisted Lily. My other choice would have been Isabey Lys Noir but Ore was too delicious to pass up!
Hello hajusuuri. I have yet to discover all the posts in this blog but when your comment popped up I was intrigued. I will be ordering the slumber house sample set from twisted lily. Thanks for highlighting that direction. And of course K for the review