Mulish

That's the word for me. Mulish. You can't tell me anything. You never could. Just ask my mother, or my husband. Sometime during my fourth decade on the planet, I finally figured out that ignoring advice from smart people was a bad habit I should overcome. But I haven't yet.

Case in point: I spent all those years hanging out at POL, hearing wonderful things about Ava Luxe scents from perfume freaks known to have impeccable taste, and I never tried a single one. All I had to do was pop over to the website and throw down some small change for a few samps, but I couldn't be bothered. I was too busy chasing lost loves on ebay, or snatching up dubious bargains at Scentiments, I guess.

So now Chaya (in the nicest possible way) has shown me the error of my ways by introducing me to "Moss," an Ava Luxe creation that belongs in my chypre pantheon along with vintage Ma Griffe and Mitsouko. Really, it's that good, and it rebukes me every time I wear it--"Think of all the years you missed with me, baby. Just because you wouldn't give my niche label a second glance."

















"Moss" lacks the floralcy of Ma Griffe and the rich fruitiness of Mitsouko (both qualities I love), but it more than compensates with a musky, resinous drydown that is sexier and sweeter than either of my old favorites. It's a chypre of unusual warmth--a cozy chypre, if there can be such a thing. It's like a walk in the woods on a warm October morning, when the fallen leaves take on a faint caramel smell that softens the dryness of autumn.* I get little aldehydic fizz from "Moss"--normally something I would miss, fizzaholic that I am. But the ambery drydown would make a loud opening...well, loud. It would ruin the pensive purity of the scent.

Now that I've found her, I hope "Moss" and I enjoy many happy years together. Thanks again to Chaya. And apologies to all you perfumistas whose sage advice I mulishly ignored.

*I took this pic 2 days ago. This is how it should look well into fall. In August it should be choked with snakeroot and other greenery. At least the spiders seem to be thriving.