Oh, the siren call of the perfume counter. I just love to wander the department store cosmetic floor, playing with the newest perfume and beauty releases. I take my time, sniff this, try that, and often fall in love. The new, the old, the classic and the modern. I have tried two lately that are calling to me!

Chanel Misia

Chanel has added another beauty to it’s Les Exclusifs lineup – Misia. I fell hard for the last release, Jersey, which is the prettiest lavender perfume that exists, in my humble opinion. The sweet vanilla-musk base is my kryptonite. It’s present in Misia, as well as Guerlain French Kiss and Eau de Lingerie, and invites me in every time. I can’t resist a sexy skin scent, and Misia is exactly that. It is a soft powdery melange of violet, iris, tonka and benzoin. There is much talk of the rose notes in this perfume, but oddly I barely detect them. The website mentions “suede”, and perhaps there is a slightly leathery aspect in the deep dry down. I suspect I will need some repeated wearings to appreciate every facet of this gorgeous Exclusif.  That delicious base combination is sheer perfection, and the whole package is everything I want in a cuddly perfume.

Bravo to perfumer Olivier Polge on his first Chanel creation. Olivier Polge is the son of Jacques Polge, who has been Chanel’s in-house perfumer since 1978. From the website:

Named for the art patron Misia Sert, Gabrielle Chanels confidante. Evoking the air of a theater backstage, this exquisite scent features a feminine blend of May Rose and Violet, intertwined with a hint of leather. A truly inspired and distinctive creation.

Something in Chanel Misia reminds me of the fragrance of Guerlain Meteorites. I have a bottle of the long discontinued and hard to find Guerlain Les Meteorites perfume. I don’t wear it often as I am hoarding it, but Misia may scratch that itch for me. It’s not as strident as Les Meteorites, and is more complex, with the iris adding a cool and sexy feeling. Oh man. I need this. A 75ml bottle is $160 USD at Chanel Boutiques and select Chanel cosmetic counters.

Guerlain French Kiss

The latest release from Guerlain’s exclusive Les Élixirs Charnels collection is French Kiss. From a line called “The Carnal Elixirs”, we know these are meant to entice and be irresistible. As soon as I saw the press release I fell in love with the name and the pink juice. From the website:

French Kiss belongs to the Exclusive Collections, designed for perfume-lovers who enjoy rare scents, exquisite ingredients and absolute refinement. With the Elixirs Charnels collection, Guerlain unveils its most sought after secrets of seduction. Give in to the charms of French Kiss, a glossy floral that celebrates the French art of kissing with a sexy rose, litchi and raspberry accord. The fragrance dresses up in a bottle with pure lines, adorned with a metallic silver label inspired by the intimate ambience of the boudoir.

Yes, the notes of rose, litchi and raspberry make for a sweetly sexy combination. It’s not overly sweet though, and the fruity notes softly fade into the sexy yet soft base notes of vanilla, almondy heliotrope and a softly soapy musk. These notes could make up a candy floss nightmare of a perfume (Hanae Mori – sorry, but I just can’t….) but instead are masterfully blended, as only Guerlain can do, into a sweet and sexy skin scent. I found myself sniffing my wrists all day and fell in love.

Guerlain perfumer Thierry Wasser created something beautiful with his my beloved Guerlain Eau de Lingerie, and he has done it again with French Kiss. Hm, I’m thinking these two perfumes would also layer perfectly together. I’m in love. At $260 USD for 100ml, this is no impulse purchase. Let’s just say I am thinking about it.