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Belle de Menthe


katz

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Question: How on earth do you combine floral and *mint*?

Answer: If you're Mara - very well!

 

Ohmygawd I love this... I love both Gardenia and Magnolia as solo florals - and have come to love them *more* since sniffing Southern Gothic and the like. Deep, lush scents that evoke the South, and it's mysteries? Uh-huh. Scents the evoke summertime and sensuality? Yep. If that you dig, you shall dig this one...

 

Yes, I do get the tea in this, so if your skin sometimes dislikes tea...sample first.

 

Craving for mint tea now...must brew!

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I think combining mint with a white floral is genius because they compliment each other very well...and of course I love this! When I read the description I wondered if the other floral notes would go soapy but the gardenia pretty much dominates this one for me (and my skin tends to amp it, but in a good way). I love the really strong mint tea evocation this starts out with, but as the gardenia blooms it backs off, becoming a cooling undercurrent, as it were. It sort of drifts in and out...and here I thought I had enough gardenia scents...as if there's any such thing! :)

 

This makes me think of the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "The Ice Palace," wherein a Southern Belle falls in love with a Northerner and visits his family in the dead of winter, where things go awry and ultimately she learns she's hot-blooded to the core.

Edited by luna65
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At first I was turned off because I'm not a big mint person, but I do love me some gardenias.. and this is so beautiful! I do get mint at first, but then it dissolves and what's left is such a beautiful gardenia and magnolia morph with tea peeking in and out. I don't get the other florals, which is normal and it's almost buttery or sugary. It's very beautiful and I love this one too!!

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I was really enjoying this one till Mr. Picky nose asked what's that soapy smell? Good Soap or Cheap Soap? I asked. Cheap Soap he said!!!! I think it's me amping something again. I will try again & see if I get the same reaction.

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That's what I thought might happen to me...white florals tend to go very soapy on me so that's why I really can't wear them (besides my whole mental issue with smelling like flowers, heh) but fortunately the gardenia took over (and I can wear that most of the time). Maybe shake it up really good before applying again.

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I usually hate mint. I tolerate it in toothpaste...but there a couple mints that LP have turned me on to. The mint in LP Silver, for one. I actually like fresh mint, in a fruit salad, for instance & I also like the mint in this. It's prominent, but not overpowering. The way Mara uses mint, it's just refreshing in the perfume.

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That's what I thought might happen to me...white florals tend to go very soapy on me so that's why I really can't wear them (besides my whole mental issue with smelling like flowers, heh) but fortunately the gardenia took over (and I can wear that most of the time). Maybe shake it up really good before applying again.

 

 

Thanks Luna, I will try again. I love it in the bottle and really want it to work!!!

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I am a mint-lover, and I was hoping this would work for me, but it is just way too floral. I'll have to stick to BPAL's Lick It Like You Mean It and Mad Hatter for my mint fix...

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  • 1 month later...

I thought I would love this, sadly I don't.In the vial, minty lemony white floral. I love gardenia, I love mint. Something goes up to screech level in this on the white floral vibe, granted mint does it's best to hide it, but it's there, shrieking in the garden, ruining the party like a spoilt girl in a pretty dress who needs to be taken home..

edit for repeat.repeat.haha

Edited by cinnamonmel
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  • 1 year later...

This reminds me of a scent that would be used at a spa. It's so fresh. I want to just take a huge whiff! The mint is very refreshing. I get mostly mint, soft floral and a hint of something herbal.

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Pulled out my sample of this. Previously I didn't smell the Gardenia as much but now that I'm in LURV with Provocative Paradise, the gardenia in Belle De Menthe is now so obvious. The mint is like a good toothpaste but there almost seems a tiny bit of chalkiness, which doesn't bother me because I only notice it when I'm huffing it non-stop close up.

 

This reminds me in some ways of a Jennifer Lopez perfume-- not the specific notes (although maybe there's gardenia in there too) but there's that damned humidity smell--and I'm sorry, I know humidity determines amount of liquid suspended in air, but maybe it has to do with throw? Throws easily 1 foot or more from body. Or else perhaps it's just gardenia comes across like that. Anyway, it's very pleasureable for me and even though I wasn't going to look for a bottle before based on my first test of BdM, now I'm definitely adding this to my list. I'd have to do a side by side test with Provocative Paradise, but I think the gardenia in this one is more concentrated. Instead of walking along gardenias, I feel like I'm surrounded (in a good way!) and slathered with a really great foo-foo body cream to boot.

 

I'm really happy that I can finally say I've found a floral I LOVE and can (so far) depend on.

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I'd have to do a side by side test with Provocative Paradise, but I think the gardenia in this one is more concentrated. Instead of walking along gardenias, I feel like I'm surrounded (in a good way!) and slathered with a really great foo-foo body cream to boot.

Yeah I would say the gardenia in that one (aka Naughty in Paradise) is much more sheer - the scent as a whole is that way, really - whereas Belle de Menthe has more weight to it.

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strangely between when I posted (I'd just put it on) and now, my skin ate it.

 

It ate Provocative P as well but I think this one got eaten faster with less residue left behind (with Provocative Paradise if I huff really hard close to the skin I can sometimes pick up some whiffage.) Hm. I'll layer this with the one UN silicone I have to see if that makes it last longer.

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