Elizabeth and James & Derek Lam 10 Crosby
I have not done a perfume post on ze blog for ages and I’m so pumped about this one because I have been LOOOOOOOOVING these scents. I spoke that sentence aloud as I typed it, so I hope you’re reading it in the exact tone I said it.I have been a huge fan of Elizabeth and James’ Nirvana perfume for years ever since the Black and White versions came out. And since then, they’ve come out with total of six variations of the Nirvana scent and it’s pretty safe to say I love every single one of them. And the fact that they’re created by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen (my idols) just make them that much better.
These two rollerballs are the newest scents in the Nirvana Family. To recap, the four other scents are Black (notes: Violet, Sandalwood, Vanilla), White (notes: Muguet, Peony, Musk), Bourbon (notes:Tuberose, Oakwood, Bourbon Vanilla), and Rose (notes: Geranium, Rose, Vetiver). But these scents are just any scents. They all smell so deliciously unique. They definitely have an edge to them. The two newest scents joining the line are Nirvana Amethyst and Nirvana French Grey. The Amethyst is easilymy favorite of the six to date. It is perfect in each of every way. It’s key notes are tobacco, honeysuckle and cedar. If you’re like me, you probably crinkled your nose at the thought of that scent combination, but it’s so perfectly balanced and works extremely well. It’s definitely a warm and spicy scent which is what I tend to gravitate towards when I get bored of my sickly sweet perfumes. When you first smell this perfume, it starts out sweet but then the deepness of the cedar and tobacco hits you and envelopes you in a warmth. It is stunning to say the least. Nirvana French Grey is definitely the more sophisticated, older sister of Amethyst. It’s key notes are musk, neroli, and lavender. I would say it’s more fresh and floral without the warmth or deepness of Amethyst. It’s the perfect day scent, rather than a nighttime scent in my opinion, but you do you, boo.
One other thing that’s worth mentioning is how well different Elizabeth and James Nirvana fragrances pair together. One of the reason I bought both the Black and the White scent back in the day is because I loved how the two smelled layered together. And the same goes for the new Amethyst and French Grey. If you want a totally unique scent, wear them mixed together for that floral spiciness. It works, I promise.
Now, let’s move on to a brand of perfumes I havent actually tried before this one! I have heard so muchabut Derek Lam 10 Crosby scents. Like Elizabeth and James Nirvana, they are so unique and expertly blended. Derek Lam is an amazing designer and his scents definitely reflect that. This is the Derek Lam 10 Crosby Blackout Parfum Stick. And before we even get into the scent, let’s talk about the reasons why a parfum stick is so great. This is the most portable and practical way to carry a perfume around. It’s a solid fragrance housed in a twist-up stick. You can glide it on wrists and your neck (and wherever else you want) for six hours of wear. It stays amazingly well on your skin. And if you want a more immersive experience, you can pair it with the spray Eau de Parfum as well to make sure you smell the scent on every bit of you.The key notes in the Blackout Parfum Stick areOsmanthus and chai tea essence, making it very earthy and woody, which I quite enjoy. Who knew! However, there’s definitely a sweet side to this perfume mixed with the spiciness from the chai tea. It’s one complex scent. But each note works beautifully together to create such an edgy and bold scent.