Chantilly in the rain.

   Rain showers have been hit and miss all day.  With each one I keep hoping it will linger a while. That way the temperatures stay down at least a little bit!  But no, the rain passes through and the sun comes out. Then the steam starts to rise off everything! Its hot and ridiculously muggy.  But then again, its Summer in central Florida.... and this is what happens! hahaha
   This time of year presents me with challenges when it comes to picking a fragrance to wear for the day.  The humidity can make certain perfumes mutate into hideous monsters on my skin!  (And of course, those NEVER wash off easily)  August is the worst month. I usually wind up using AV by Adrienne Vittadini  for the whole month. For whatever reason, it stays "clean" smelling on my skin.
    But today, the last day of June, I've chosen to splash on some vintage Chantilly eau de cologne by Houbigant. Now I'm asking myself why I forget about this one so often. Perhaps because the newer version by Dana seems so coarse. Its a bit difficult to like and impossible for me to love. The older version however, is a whole different story! And the edc is turning out to be a great choice for this weather.
    Chantilly! Now theres a perfume that brings back memories for a lot of people! Created in the early 40's, it has graced dressing tables and school lockers for years. I meet women who still use it as their signature scent. A lot of people refer to it as "old fashioned". Well if that's the case, then we need more old fashion perfumes on the market!  I wish someone would resurrect this in it's original formulation and with quality ingredients. I'd love it if everyone had a chance to experience this nowadays!
    On my skin it starts out with citrus notes. I hear a lot about the lovely fruity notes in the top, but I barely recognize them. Perhaps they're the sweetness that I detect immediately upon applying. Maybe they are more pronounced in the stronger concentrations.   The beginning is very crisp! That soon mellows as the floral notes rise. Spicy flowers. A hint of carnations.... love that note! Powdery flowers, lots of them. Roses especially. Blended beautifully with the rest of the blooms. Soft musk and even softer leather mellow out the composition. Even the benzoin is soft. Not quiet..... soft ....and gentle. The spices give this a delicate "sparkle". The sandalwood and oakmoss give it a luscious depth! And yes, the vanilla will remind you a bit of vintage Shalimar. Its a joy to wear.
   Chantilly is intricate and yet gracefully simplistic in its overall effect. Its fragrant metamorphosis is a joy to experience!  A testament to the beautiful perfumes of the era it was created in. A classic!

Edit on July 2nd: Seems I got so carried away I forgot to mention how comforting Chantilly is. This is one for soothing the nerves and calming yourself down when the world has been treating you harshly. Enjoy!

Chantilly by Houbigant                         Oriental           1941

Notes (gathered from various internet Fragrance sites)
    Top: Fruity notes, Neroli, Bergamot, Lemon
    Heart: Spices, Carnation, Jasmine, Ylang ylang, Rose, Orange blossom
    Base: Leather, Tonka bean, Musk, Benzoin, Oakmoss, Vanilla, Sandalwood
   

Soooo Frustrating!!! Also a small update.

    Just when I thought I had this whole "photo posting" thing under control, it would seem that the computer gremlin has changed the rules on me.  Yep, I'm blaming a gremlin!  When I follow all the same steps on several different occasions and get a different response each time ..... then something is wrong! And I refuse to take all the blame! hahahaha
    The worst part is that its probably just a simple thing that I'm not computer savvy enough to understand. My "savvy" is in horrible short supply! chuckle
    Lots going on. Have acquired a couple of bottles of vintage Arpege by Lanvin. That led to receiving a sample of My Sin, also Lanvin. I was so smitten with that one, that I purchased a bottle from a dear Etsy shop owner. Holly has some wonderful vintages! I bought my Chantilly cologne by Houbigant from her.  
     Then there was my trip to the zoo. While I was there it became apparent that the male Clouded Leopard really liked my vintage Magie Noire perfume! Have some good pictures of him ~ that I would LOVE to share! BUT I'll have to slay the photo gremlin first.
     Was one of the winners in a vintage perfume sample give away. Got that package in the other day. I get to try and review 1. Vol de Nuit, 2. Chanel No. 22 edc and edt, 3. Fendi, 4. Bal a Versailles and 5. Parfum Sacre.  Thank you to Dana for her generousity.
    FINALLY found my Ruffles edp! There seem to be a couple of notes that are a bit off. But once it starts drying down its fine. A partial bottle of Rochas' Femme pdt has started me on a whole new "love affair". hahaha
     But my most ambitious effort is to try to go on a NO-BUY!  Haven't been doing very well with that so far........ but I keep trying to get back up on the wagon! lol   The money situation gets tighter in the Summer, but my animals still need food and care! So I chose my furry children ahead of perfume.  Anyway, I all ready have a lot I can review.    I just want to be able to post photos to go with them!!!    Love & Light to everyone!

Vintage Camot Soir

   I have a tendency to purchase things I know nothing about. hahaha  Then I try and research them. I find it really interesting! This lovely little bottle of perfume is one such item. The label on front says Camot, the back says Soir. I know the latter means "evening" and that's about it. I haven't had time to investigate further.

   It measures three inches high and just shy of two and a half inches wide. Approximately five eights of an inch deep. And its what I refer to as a "stucker"! Because the glass stopper is stuck like heck!!!  Since its arrival yesterday I've tried some of the basic tricks to unlodge the top, but no success .... yet! I've learned to be very patient. And persistent. That helps tremendously. Presently its sitting in a cool, dark place where it can just relax. I'm reading up on some suggested techniques for stopper removal and planning my next attempt.

   You see, its all a bit of an adventure. Vintages are, in the first place, a gamble. The bottles may have been poorly kept and the notes have gone "off" or the contents have just outright spoiled. If the name is not commonly known, then that adds a bit of mystery. If research pinpoints what the perfume is, then you have discovery, which is very gratifying!
   My warning stands: This can become addictive! chuckle