The Pinnacle of The Burning

In a previous post I'd set a reminder to myself to talk about one of my many bergamot disasters - Frederick Malle's Musc Ravageur, to be specific. I'm going to preface this review with a statement, for those who haven't been following me: my chemistry despises most kinds of bergamot. There are rarities that do end up working well on me, but for the most part I have to avoid it. Perfect example: Pink Sugar ended up smelling like burning wormwood and cigarettes on my skin. Absinthe poured into a smoldering ashtray... ick!

That said, I went into the experience of Musc Ravageur with anticipation. I was recommended it by the Frederic Malle survey (click on 'choose your own perfume'), and was sent the cute little mini in the mail ...along with Lipstick Rose, which was an odd combo. I had heard raves about it, and I'm a fairly intense fan of musks, so I sprayed it on lightly and raised my arm to sniff...

Actually, I can't do any better than my review on Makeup Alley. I'll quote it here:

ye gods! like someone left a very chemical-ish cheap grapefruit and tropical punch soda out during a particularly warm week, then slathered it on my skin, and THEN covered me with baby powder, and THEN decided to pelt me with rotting persimmons. I was not yet through with my torture, though. Within minutes a smell of burning came through - the signature of the Evil Bergamot come to claim my soul. The sad thing was that The Burning smelled like someone had set fire to a vat of highly carbonated chlorine! I'm still waiting for this horrid scent to fade, after several scrubs and many layers of deodorant. Please try sparingly!

My chemistry is talented, indeed. I wasn't able to get that smell off me for another few hours. There's no other note I've come across - not even aldehydes - that manages to smell as consistently dreadful on me as that one. Guerlain's bergamots seem to work most consistently, and even then only half of them. I was so sad at Mitsouko's smell on me... however, knowing what I know now about my Guerlain mania, I suppose I should be grateful!