Carnation

Love, love, love, love, love! I was bereft when Lush discontinued one of my favorites, Potion, a few years back. Carnation is a worthy replacement. Yes, the clove is assertive, though I have the solid version so it may not be as prominent as with the spray. I haven't had much luck finding a decent carnation-forward perfume. This hits me as pure carnation, with the clove adding a spicy, but not overwhelming top note. Given the other reviews, I'd say try before you buy, but if you're into spicy florals you might dig this one.

Oh, gosh, this takes me back. I bought a teeny bottle when I was a teenager back in the '70s at the Hové shop down in The Quarter. I loved it at the time, but then I moved on to Opium (1977) which I found more complex and interesting. I've always been a sucker for spicy scents. I wonder if it has been reformulated since then.

God. At first glance this scent is actually terrible. Abysmal. It reeks of Fireball whiskey. You MUST give it a minute to calm down into something more tolerable or it WILL choke everyone around you. This is not a carry-in-your-purse-to-touch up perfume. This, you put on BEFORE you begin getting ready to leave. The previous reviewer said it best- try only if you really, really, really like cloves. It is kind of pleasant after a while. Still strong. Once the pure alcohol stench wears off it's like a bracing face splash of clove as opposed to a full-home gas explosion. Masculine? Feminine? If you're bold enough to put this on, you can have it. If you're a fan of cloves, it gives off EXACTLY the impression you might want- from a distance of several feet. And then it's gone, like a flashbang, quickly- and except to thrillseekers on the edge of burning out, unpleasantly. I waver constantly from "Hey I like this!" to "Christ almighty what have I put on my body". I really wouldn't be able to recommend it to anyone, which is sad as even the small dram I purchased was quite pricey for me.

Reading the reviews on this made me so curious; "fireball whiskey", yes please! So yes, this can be a bit overwhelming for some in the opening. It does smell like a big ole fireball, very reminiscent of Diptyque's L'Eau. Personally, I don't think it's overwhelming, but that's just me. I don't get any booziness from the notes, but the fireball element is there. Despite the name "Carnation", I don't get any carnation on my skin; it's all cloves. It smells very Christmas-y and festive. This best suited for the cooler months; late fall, winter or maybe a cool spring day. If you're into clove heavy perfumes, do try it.

I had a bottle of this; it smelled more like eugenol (oil of cloves) than carnations. Try this only if you really, really, really like cloves.