I have got the package with wax samples from Serge Lutens, but lacking experience with wax samples, I wonder how best to test/"use" them? Where to apply them, f. ex. How are the scents in this form compared to the liquid ones? How true are they to the originals? I would very much like to hear about your experiences with these samples!

I usually apply them to the back of my hand with my little finger.

The wax samples concentrate on the base notes of the scents. They do however, give a very good impression of what the scents are like.

Barry

I agree with what HRH Barry said. The wax samples smell like the real stuff after it has dried down a bit on your skin, but they are a lot milder than the actual EdP's and stay closer to the skin. The EdP's can feel a bit agressive at first.

I would still recommend getting a real sample before commiting to a purchase though. Now go rub that stuff on your wrists and tell us what you think!

thank you for info and advise! It was difficult to chose among them all to decide which one to try, but I chose Tubereuse criminelle. It was lovely intoxicating flowery (although I´m not a white-flowery type of girl at all..), but the criminal part of it got lost? Indoles, I think. But how could they be criminal? I also had some of the ondols still on my skin from applying Fleurs d'oranger early this morning. (I have this and then two samples of louve and douche amere which still is untried (although I love both absinth and mandel (the nut, forgot the english word)

almond?

Did you catch any of the menthol smell? I have always thought Criminelle was referring to that part.

When you say it, the menthol is very detectable on the paper the wax was on, even today one day after I used the wax. On the skin it was not prominent, at least not for my unexperienced nose...

As Elysium writes, and I can confirm this having heard it from an unimpeachable source, the "criminelle" part refers to the minty-camphory opening blast: it's not an indolic white floral at all.
And as Barry says, it's better not to commit to one of those just from the wax sample: though it's a faithful rendition of the drydown, the trip to the drydown can last a while. My friend LisaCarol (absent from PoL these days) loved Muscs Koublaï Khan until she applied the real thing to her skin, and thought it way too feral...

Yes, if my experience with the wax sample is representative, the top notes was almost lost! On my skin I really sensed it as a heavy floral, and the minty "opening blast" was not so much on my skin as one the paper in which the wax was enclosed. So I understand that one has to smell the scents in liquid form tp get the right impression. Look forward to try the other wax samples, although!

Wee!!! I got my petit livre today, after forgetting I had actually requested one. A long time ago, I had requested one and was told they could not send one to America at the time. I was so surprised to find the lovely scented package from France waiting in the mailbox.

Just from testing some of them quickly: I can finally see why people get "dirty diaper" from Sarrasins... :-)

And I forgot how much I enjoyed Fumerie Turque.

So I've basically applied wax to every square inch of my arms...and it feels great! I may need to spring for FB's of the following some time in the future:

Chergui
Fumerie Turque
Tubereuse Criminelle
Cuir Mauresque (I'll have to try it against Cuir Ottoman)
and Chene.

I think I must have been missing a booklet, because I didn't get to sample Bois et Musc, Bois et Fruits, or Un Bois Sepia.

There are so many of them now, so you don't get samples of them all these days. I think I usually get three cards (12 samples).

I'm missing the same booklet from my set.

Ditto here, missing the Bois series, except for Bois de Violette and Bois Oriental. I think they don't have the booklet: they gave me the four they have.

Also listed in the booklet but not included were Iris Silver Mist and Fleurs d'Oranger. FdO is obviously already an export, but ISM? Isn't it in the Les Eaux Anciennes series?

I've been meaning to ask you Denyse, do you happen to know from your sources what the top-selling Lutens are? I know Chergui is probably No. 1 (and Miel de Bois is probably at the bottom), but what are the other popular ones? Could it be that ISM is one of the least popular?

I'll ask. Don't know if I'll get an answer, but I'll ask... I'm going to the El Attarine launch on Sept. 1st, that'll be a good opportunity...

I don't know what's wrong with me. I tried Un Lys today for kicks, and decided I actually really liked it. I am a floral freak. I tried layering it with Chene to give it some umph, and it's really nice! Those of you that have both: it's a good combo.

I got my wax sample of El Atarine through the post today.

Barry

ISM is included in the new one containing El Atarine.

" the trip to the drydown can last a while"

Bingo. Yes, the wax samples represent the far drydown, but what comes before can be shockingly different with his scents and can last way too long in the case that you don't care for it. I'd never make a full bottle purchase based on the wax samples - move up to small decant of the juice first.