It is a gloomy, cold, rainy day here, and I have no review to post. Last night, when I should have been finishing a review of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, I sat in front of the TV and ate most of a can of Pringles.
Today I am wearing La Perla Eclix, one of my favorite comfort fragrances. I will do a proper review of it some day soon. There was an interesting thread on Perfume of Life recently asking what people meant by "comfort fragrance". To me, it means something that is pretty, but that makes no particular statement and requires no thought. The few dessert fragrances I own (Molinard Tendre Friandise and Tan Giudicelli Annam) also fall into this category.
The perfume ad, which is entirely unrelated to this post, is from the wonderful site Images de Parfums.
Come back on Monday when I will be posting an interview with Chandler Burr.
I look forward to your interview, sounds good.
For me comfort scent means it makes me feel the same way putting on my old ratty grey cashemere cardigan does. The cardigan has a hole in the elbow and one in the armpit, all but one of the buttons has fallen off, and it looks as old as it is. But when I'm chilly and just toddling around the house, nothing else feels better to wear. What others think of me in it is irrelevant, because it makes me happy. And so, my comfort scents are things like Poison (I've been told multiple times that it smells “like nausea,” so I don't ever wear it out), or I'll enjoy the back to childhood Play-Doh note from Hypnotic Poison. And Organza Indecence, because there is never a wrong time to wear that one. Ever. Except today I'm wearing Czech & Speake's No. 88, because it makes me feel smarter and more put together than I really am, and that's comforting when I feel like the world is falling apart again.
Have a great weekend, R.
K, perfect description of a comfort fragrance! Just went to read the reviews of no. 88, sounds very interesting and will look for it. I love the Czech & Speake Neroli, but that and the Rose are the only ones I have tried.
You have a great weekend too 🙂
R, glad you have your comfort scent to warm you! I am wearing the comfort scent that I discovered thanks to you – OJ Tolu. I know it's not your favourite of her line, but it was thanks to your blog that I heard of Ormonde Jayne – and Tolu has rapidly become the scent that I most enjoy sniffing on myself, and smelling on my clothes the next day. Every time I pick up the bottle (which is just about every day – as soon as Official Day Perfume has worn off (if ODP is not Tolu)), I think of you, believe it or not. I find it soft and complex and absolutely satisfying. So thank you for the gift of Comfort! N
N, I am so glad to have introduced you to OJ! But how interesting that Tolu is your comfort scent. To me, all of the OJs are too complex and interesting to be comforting. I guess when I am gloomy, I want a simple candy fragrance and a can of Pringles 🙂
It is a rather gloomy day isn't it? Yesterday I didn't even think about what perfume I wore – I just wanted something warm to wear and a nice cup of tea. Ok – copious cups of coffee but tea sounded better. Seriously on a day like today – which is quite dreary I will be switching to tea shortly. As for comfort fragrances – I usually look to my warm ones – Vol de Nuit, Sensations or Tolu. For the past 2 days I have been wearing my Chanel Gardenia which I have never thought of as comforting but it is simple and my DH commented yesterday that he found it lovely – uncomplicated and perfect for 'these kind of days'. Who knew because I certainly wouldn't have picked Gardenia as comfort but comfort it has been. Here is to happier, safer and warmer days!
Ps – Barry White, Donna Summers and any Disco normally help too 🙂
Hey, babe!
Sometimes it feels good to simply revel in “the gloomies” and let it be. And, a rainy, cold day is the perfect time to do it!
Comfort fragrances should feel like comfort food or comfort clothes. How great does it feel to snuggle into those flannel jammies or tuck into a velvety bread pudding with jam and whipped cream? It's absolutely heavenly.
I know you don't like it that much, but Ambre Narguile is my snuggly comfort fragrance. I love to sink down into its richness and just meditate there for a while. For a cheap thrill when I'm padding around the house in my beloved Eagle Rock Elementary School t-shirts, B&BW's Sparkling Green Apple is a light mist that smells like freshly rinsed Granny Smith apples with just a touch of musk.
Have a great weekend, and watch those Pringles! :):) I look forward to your interview with CB on Monday.
Hugs!
Hey F! Looks like I am the only one that equates comfort with candy. Gardenia is cheerful, but not really comforting to me, and Tolu & Vol de Nuit require too much brain power. Hope you are well!
And Al Green! But we are listening to Tom Chapin, who at the moment is singing “You're Not The Boss Of My Brain”, which, surprise surprise, is my son's favorite song.
R, I think revelling in the gloomies is the agenda at my house today. Bread pudding sounds perfect, but of course, all I have is those darn Pringles! TG Annam is rice pudding-ish and I might wear that when the Eclix fades. Don't love Ambre Narguile but it is a perfect comfort fragrance for a cold rainy day, very foody & sweet. Have a great weekend 🙂
Dear R, I'm so looking forward to that Chandler Burr review. I went to his reading at the Half King when Emperor of Scent came out and it was a lot of fun. He got into a civilized contretemps with an Armani fragrance sales rep after making dismissive remarks about Gio, if I remember correctly.
After a few weeks of wearing the various Ormonde Jayne samples, I bought Champaca, which puts a spring to my step and is so creamy that I consider it my comfort fragrance. I really love that rice note. I've said it before, but thanks again for letting me know about Ormonde Jayne. This fall, I will have to get Tolu, which reminds me of Bal a Versailles but without the dirty underwear.
The ultimate comfort scent : Eau de Pringles!
Most of my comfort scents have vanilla in them (Rahat, Lea). Some non-vanilla comfort fragrances are Sage Onyx, Hermes 24 Faubourg and La Perla Eclix.
I look forward to your review of Flowerbomb! I just purchased a bottle.
Just popping in to add my definition of “comfort scent.” I should be doing my on-line grocery order with Shop-Rite, but this is more fun.
My comfort scents are those that transport me back to my early childhood. They usually involve a little bit of “clean baby” smell. Baby powder, or lotion, or something of the sort. Or clean laundry, clean hair/shampoo scent.
Today I spritzed on my Banana Republic “W”, which smells exactly like “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific” shampoo. Or at least what I remember it smelling like. I also like MaryKate/Ashley discontinued purple scent from WalMart (embarrassing, but true), Castelbajac, Fresh Mukki, and a few others I can't think of now.
Looking forward to that interview Monday. Have a good weekend, R and everyone!!
This gloomy doomy kind of day is the perfect day for a snuggle scent. I love being at home on a day like this and taking a mid-afternoon nap while on the couch – maybe with a book or a TV movie on – and all snuggled up in one of my cozy fragrances such as:
Les Nereides Douceur de Vanille
Ava Luxe Doll Face or Angel Face
Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum
Carrement Belle Vanille
Vinci & Rakos Earth
Have a great day everyone! And snuggle someone you love.
For me comfort scents for a rainy day like today would be Rahat Loukoum, Sweet Oriental Dream, Oblique Rwd, Eau d'Ambre…or, if I wanted to match the melancholy day I would put some Passage d'Enfer on and revel in my gloominess 🙂
Thank you for another great post!
Marina
Champaca is lovely, congrats on your new bottle! I am going to need one soon myself.
LOL at Bal a Varsailles without the dirty underwear!!
Rahat & POTL are both very calming. I don't know why I don't think of them as in the same category as “comfort”. Maybe because they are not as easy-going as something like Eclix or Lea? Eclix I can wear when I am brain dead.
Hi K — very jealous of your online grocery shopping, that nicety has not yet come to my little town.
Can't remember what “Gee Your Hair Smells Teriffic” smelled like…but still meaning to find the BR next time I make it to.
Clean baby: have you tried the Guerlain or the PdN children's scents? Keep meaning to review them.
You have a great weekend too 🙂
Of those have only tried Loukhoum & Earth. The Earth is lovely, and I should try it again. Loukhoum is way too much powder for me, but I can completely see why it would be someone's comfort scent. I think I have a sample of the Carrament Belle & will have to dig it out.
Would love to take a nap on the couch!! Doubt my son will cooperate with that plan though 🙂
I don't know why but Passage d'Enfer doesn't strike me as gloomy — I know most people see it that way though. I find it kind of calming. Messe de Minuit is my idea of a gloomy incense, but it is sooo gloomy it would probably have me in tears today.
I think something incense-y might be nice and calm; I associate calm with comfort: Sonoma Scent Studio Tranquility. Please pass the Pringles as I sing you a few verses of the theme song from Annie :::the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow!::: xoxoxoxo
LOL — will happily pass the Pringles, dear, so long as you stop singing that song!!!
I can't understand why people keep asking me to stop singing. Also am looking forward to Chandler Burr interview. *interesting!* have a good weekend.
comfort scents – that would be something a bit different from what Luca Turin calls a “sunday fragrance”, right? “comfort” for me would be Clinique Happy or any such simple orangey scent.
BTW can anybody tell me what Keiko Mecheri parfums are like? Robin can I ask you for a review? 🙂
The Keiko Mecheris are as a rule well done, and all of them are worth trying. I did a short review of Peau de Peche already, and also love Fleurs d'Osmanthus and Bois de Santal. I will try to review those soon!
Most days are gloomy here, in London, anyway; even gloomier since the other day.
Comfort scent? Hmm, until I bumped into MUA I wouldn't have understood what it meant because I used to wear fairly bright fragrances, mostly when going out, never for myself at home (seemed like a waste). The one scent that's always made me feel cosy (as well as sexy, for personal reasons I won't get into) is Coty Wild Musk, and until recently I only had a few drops from 1975 and couldn't get any more, so it was only for reminiscing purposes. Now that I have a good supply of it I can use it liberally – at home. The memories are getting fainter, though.
My other comfort scent would be Parfum Sacr̩ Рthe peppery notes are very muted on me and the sweetness is *just* right.
Looking forward to the interview.
J, Same here — never wore fragrance for myself in the old days. Now I am more likely to be wearing at home than when I go out.
Need to try some of the Coty musks, they are easy to buy here but not so easy to find testers.
i would also love to see a review of one or more of the fragrances for babies. bulgari petits et mamans? chocolate et tartine? johnson's (i.e. johnson&johnson/ ortho-macneil, of baby shampoo and powder fame) make an entire line of baby colognes here in turkey where they are extremely popular. way too much alcohol in them to consider putting on my little one's skin. looking into a gentler option. do you (or anyone out there) have the scoop on anything? thanks!! from a lover of gloomy days!
I have been meaning to review the 2 baby scents I have: Parfums di Nicolai Petit Ange & Guerlain Petit Guerlain. Will try to get to that soon. Haven't tried the others you mentioned though.
Now wondering: are the J & J colognes popular there to actually use on babies? Or are adults wearing them? The whole idea of putting cologne on a baby is so new to me, I'm not sure what I think of it. The 2 I mentioned above I got so I could see if I liked them myself, not for a baby.
yes, the j&j colognes are made just for babies. i suppose they think it's better for them than the regular lemon and rose colognes that are used here to clean and refresh the hands and neck (a century-old version of the antibacterial hand gel trend in the west). unfortunately there's lots of alcohol involved. there is a rendition of j&j for babies available in america but it is not made with alcohol, and only comes in one scent i think. looking forward to your reviews of petit ange and petit guerlain (neither of which i've smelled yet). cheers!
Interesting. I really wonder how many people in the US put cologne on their babies — I always just assume that most bottles are purchased as gifts or for adult use. I've certainly never smelled cologne on a baby here.
I have a brand new bottle of “Annam” in original packaging. Would anyone care to trade?
Also a bottle of Avon “Haiku” unused. Cleaning out your drawers can be a treasure hunt!
I am new to this blog but it is marvelous.
Welcome, and I'm so glad you like the blog!
If you want to trade fragrances, I highly recommend the swap boards at MakeupAlley or Basenotes. You're more likely to find others trying to trade by posting there than through the comments here.