Same old, same old: talk about anything you like — what perfume you’re wearing today, your favorite perfume out of the latest crop of releases, whatever. Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer.
Note: image is Main Vein [cropped] by Noël Zia Lee at flickr; some rights reserved.
Anyone know when Havana Vanille is coming out? I need to start counting the days. And saving the money.
I think it’s October, but don’t recall seeing a particular date.
I don’t know an exact date either. Might be worth emailing L’Artisan to ask.
It depends where you live!
In Europe it is already on the shelves…
I suppose it is a must try for vanilla lovers.
I read it would also make converts, but it wasn’t my case:
I found it nicely executed, but very true to the vanilla pod itself.
And in place of the tobacco-rum accord I was excited about, I found a strong cherry-almond note on my skin, almost plasticy, spoiling the first 30 minutes…
hey, but I’m no vanilla lover….
I was checking around for this just last night…..practically panting the entire time. I think the concierge at Henri Bendel hates me…I’ve emailed so MANY times!
Ha, so was I.
Maybe I should start harrassing LAP on Facebook to see when they’re going to start coughing up samples, at least. So far, I’ve resisted the urge.
Oh, LAP is on Facebook? I’ll have to become a “fan.” LOL
I already did.
I just got on Facebook and I’m SO going to sign up as a fan with my favorite house!
Thanks for the tip about FB; I just zipped over there to become a fan.
I am too!
I thought I saw it available for purchase just yesterday at one of my favourite perfumes stores, in Toronto. It could have just been a tester, though.
Wearing Apres L’Ondee today — I love it any day, but most especially when I’m riding a dramatic surge of creative energy…to put it in less flowery terms, it’s just right when I’m feeling like an emo, beret-wearing, artistic freak. *g*
LOL — perfect description! (and a great scent, of course)
If I were going to get a sample of Apres L’Ondee, would I want the parfum or the EDT?
The parfum is pretty hard to find I think, since it’s discontinued. To me the EdT is perfectly nice, but of course, I don’t know what I’m missing. I’d still rather sample things I know I can still buy.
I’m right there with Joe — if I sample the parfum and love it, then I’m screwed (most recent eBay auction I saw was 8 ml of the parfum, which went for about $180), so I’ve only tried the EDT.
Though in the interests of full disclosure, confession, whatever…I did bid on that parfum
I knew I wouldn’t win it and wasn’t willing to pay enough for that, but I just wanted to maybe have the high bid for a few days (yeah, that’s how it starts, so innocent!).
I thought you could still get the extrait — in Paris, maybe, or at BG? But you guys probably know better than I. I will say that there isn’t such a huge difference between EdT & extrait as I expected…I like the EdT just fine.
They’re right, parfum is dctd and scarcer than hen’s teeth. And anyway, one of the things I really love about Apres l’Ondee is its ephemeral, gauzy nature, so EdT works well. I don’t think you can go wrong with it – in my opinion, it’s not one of the “difficult” classic Guerlains that you need to test in the higher concentrations.
That said, if you ever find a bottle of parfum at an estate sale or thrift store, SNAP THAT GIRL UP.
I just ordered a sample of it on The Perfumed Court. It’s as good a place as any to grab it if you’re just looking to test it out.
Thanks, everyone. I will look for the EDT, as I am too broke right now for the parfum. But if I ever go to Paris, I will blow all of my money in the perfume shops.
I’m wearing Apres today, too. Not a beret day for me, though
Beret optional…*hee*
In my most recent sniffing trip, there were quite a few new mainstream releases in the department stores. I was disappointed with Guerlain Idylle, NR Musc for Her (and along with other shoppers I didn’t grasp the concept of the ceramic blotters – like clay-tipped pencils – you’re supposed to spray them with the scent corresponding to the pattern of holes on top), Ricci Ricci (cute bottle, screaming fruit), and CK Free. Was surprised to find myself liking Si Lolita (soft, spicy) but not loving the bottle as much as I expected. Loved Kenzo Flower Essentielle, and invested in 25ml. At last, one of those gorgeous flower bottles is mine! Looking forward to Havana Vanille, and samples of Irissime and the Van Cleef & Arpels set. And now that I know that there’s a Mazzolari Ambra, there has to be at least a sample headed my way…
I still can’t make up my mind about the Kenzo. It’s beautifully done, as always, that’s for sure! I’d like to try the Si Lolita.
Finally wearing a sample of EL Jasmine White Moss today thanks to the gracious Cynthia. I like it a lot and might want a decant, but it sure is “high pitched.”
Not lemming so many full bottles going forward since I’ve become such a “decant ho.” More bang for my buck that way. Loving my recent decant of Epic Woman and looking forward soon to decants Dior Homme, L’Homme de Coeur, and Borneo 1834. Of course can’t wait for the two new L’Artisans this fall. Also want to sniff Flower Essentielle. Worried about doing some financial accounting for the 3rd quarter tally coming up. Have a good Thursday, everyone.
Flower Essentielle is lovely but I don’t know if I like it. I’m still waiting for my Epic!!
Oooh … I have a decant of Epic on the way too – I have mixed feelings about it though. What if it starts me off on an Amouage binge?
Then you’ll be a decant ho on a higher debt plateau.
HA!!!
So a decant courtesan, then?
Saving the fractional splurge for when you get the urge.
I too just received my decant of Epic, and it is beautiful! I’m wearing nothing, zip, nada today though as after being so excited about Epic, I sampled Gold and Jubilation 25 on successive days. They were both FB worthy beautiful, but they both gave me a headache. Very disappointing! I had the same concern as you, Cynthia, but not a problem in my case!
Skimming through comments is entertaining… again, I *thought* I read that you were wearing “nothing, zip, nada” today BUT Epic. And I thought, okayyy, that’s nice of you to share, R… so glad you feel so “free” and unhindered.
ROFL! Seriously! That made me spew my tea. I’ve been known to skinny dip, but I always try to wear clothes to the office.
when you say you “try” to wear clothes to the office….it implies that you may not always be successful…like “most of the time I wear clothes but now and then I completely forget!” must make for interesting meetings….
Go back and look at the video clip of Christina Aguiliera…apparently, if you spritz enough, your “au naturel” self will magically be painted with clothes.
Well, you know, I’m getting to that age where forgetfullness IS a problem.
lol – I’m not looking forward to tallying up my 3rd quarter damage either. Despite becoming a decant ho in recent months, there’s been quite a few of them, they’ve been pricey on a per ml basis, and I’ve bought some full bottles (including the aforementioned Jasmine White Moss – which can be screechy in the beginning
)
SOTD is 31 Rue Cambon because the temp finally dipped into the 60s – yay! I have recently acquired some lovely fall scents and need the temps to go down and stay down so I can wear them.
We’re still up in the 80s, it doesn’t feel like fall at all. Fine w/ me though
We’ve been in the upper 80s until this week – but after a summer that tied for the hottest summer on record, with several 100+ degree days, I’m ready for it to cool off.
ME TOO. (Oh, and isn’t 31 RC gorgeous for fall??)
Definitely – now I have to decide if I might not spring for an FB of that at NM tomorrow instead of some of the others that I’ve been eyeballing.
LOL “lockdown” I know not this word.
ha ha – anything that I buy in person, I can sneak in as a cash purchase and what the CEO doesn’t know can’t hurt him. I’m going with “lockdown” as being a synonym for “be sneakier”.
we must have the very same dictionary!
31 rue cambon is beautiful indeed!!!
Love 31 Rue Cambon and just had my decant out this week as well! It smelled even better than the last time I wore it.
Hello! I’ve been a bit shy about posting but was wondering if anyone has any intro-to-skank recs. I love the sexy concept, but the two I tried (Shalimar extrait, Musc Ravageur) turned to very sour powder on me
Serge Lutens Musc Koublai Khan, CB I Hate Perfume Musk, Guerlain Jicky (again, skankier in extrait). Also “meant to be sexy”: Vivienne Westwood Boudoir and the original Agent Provocateur. And you might check out:
https://nstperfume.com/2006/11/02/sexy-perfumes-a-poll/
I promote the Agent Provocateur suggestion, it nearly makes me want to have sex with myself…lol kidding, it is sexy though.
I think of Ormonde Woman as sophisticated skank and absolutely love it. YMMV, though…I don’t know what’s commonly thought of as skanky since I’m pretty new to fragrance discussions!
Yes, how do we define skanky in a scent? I think of it as overdoing some “sexy” note – like someone who hasn’t bathed since her last…er…sexual encounter and is in the mood for more, asap. Like Bulgari Black which I consider slutty. Or overdone jasmine, rose or gardenia. (SL’s A La Nuit or Sarassins, FM Lipstick Rose, or AG Gardenia Passion.) I’m trying out a decant of Une Rose Chypree, and I find all the spice makes it verge very interestingly toward skankelicious.
B Black is slutty?!?! Gasp.
I propose an experiment: I’ll wear Black, and you wear something jasmine-y (Joy will do, or A La Nuit, or Quelques Fleurs Royale), and we’ll ask passers-by who smells more like she’s just done the deed… okay, just kidding.
Unless smelling like burnt rubber is slutty, I don’t get that form Blvgari black. And mals needs to stop maligning my beloved Joy! It does not smell like dirty panties!
Sorry. Sorry sorry sorry. (Cover its ears, give it a little pat, tell it that you still love it even if Mals is nuts.) Maybe it’s just MY skin that does that to jasmine. But I actually think it’s my brain, interpreting it as, um, you know.
It’s not just you. Jasmine is a very slutty flower indeed. I love it, but… it’s filthy.
Rose Poivre has civet in it, which I guess is dirty, but not “skanky” per se.
Yeah, I think one person’s definition of skank is different from another’s. I don’t find the cumin or whatever in Jubilation 25 or Rochas Femme to be skanky, but some people say skank.
Pity about Musc Ravageur — I love that scent! Muscs Kublai Khan is WAY too much skank in my opinion. Maybe you could try Yatagan also, or YSL Kouros. Both are men’s scents, but might work for you (don’t know your gender). I recently sampled Molinard Nirmala and think I actually love it — it’s kind of a fruity skank, and I mean that in the best way.
how true, on me koublai khan is “animalic” for about 10 minutes and mellows down to a warm earthy musc.. whereas I find chanel nr. 5 is very skanky… (but I’m probably alone with this opinion)
Interesting. I just got a decant of MKK to give it a try, and on me it just seems like a sweet musk, with any hint of skank (or animalic) dialed down really really soft, almost to non-existence. I convinced myself that I can smell a teeny little bit of what everyone talks about, but my wife says she doesn’t smell it at all. (It was only a little decant, so I didn’t bathe in the stuff… but I never had the impression from the comments that large quantities were necessary.)
Yatagan is the same way, just smells woody. Either I have too high a skank tolerance or my skin just neutralizes it.
well actually you could be anosmic to some musk moelcules, that is quite frequent, it would however be strange that your wife is anosmic to the same molecules… and well, I can confirm your neutralizing theory, that’s what happens to me.. btw, back to datura’s original question, L’air de rien is often considered as über-skanky, but everybody says I smell NICE when I wear it..
As for “sexy,” I think that concept’s definitely personal. In that category, I have Juliette Has A Gun Citizen Queen, Bal a Versailles, and L’Heure Bleue parfum. And my husband seems to like it when I wear Shalimar Light or, of all things, MJ Daisy. (Yeah, yeah, but he’s otherwise worth it.
)
“Skank,” to me, means “animalic in such a way that you wouldn’t want to wear the scent to your mother’s house.” I find that jasmine-heavy scents tend to smell like dirty panties to me, so I call that skank. Cuir de Russie smelled like a barnyard to me, complete with dirt, manure, animal hair, and raw cowhides (and my husband raises cattle, so I do know of what I speak!), so that’s skank too in my book. Not to mention the *truly vile* Secretions Magnifique!
Hey everyone, BTW, I am currently in possession of a sample vial of Secretions Magnifique, and if you want to smell it, it’s ALL YOURS. (I’m Mals86 at MUA & Fragrantica.) I think this one’s made the rounds a bit, but there’s still more than enough in the vial to ruin your couch if you spilled it…
See, it’s funny that you describe L’Heure Bleue as “sexy”. I’d classify it as a more sedate scent. Now Mitsouko on the other hand…Sexy/Skanky really is in the eye of the beholder.
Most people wouldn’t describe L’HB as sexy, no. And it’s only at the very bottom of the scent – after, say, 3 hours, that I get hints of sexy at all.
And, see, Mitsouko hates me. So she’s not sexy at all; she’s what I’d wear if I was punishing myself. Na na, na na na… (sticks out tongue at Mits).
oh sheeesh! don’t even sniff it anywhere near your couch! Near a sink is a good idea. That stuff activated my gag reflex immediately!
Just waving “hi” Miss Daisy!
Hi!! waving back to Rapple
TPC has an intro to naughty (skank) set just for you –
http://theperfumedcourt.com/Products/Naughty—Beginning-Naughty-Girl-Sampler-Pack__SKANKBEIGNNER.aspx
There’s also an “animalic” one.
They have all kinds of sample packs – by type, note, brand, etc.
I have that sample pack: Jicky smelled a little poopy on me, which was sad. I never found the skank in Nuit Noire. Perfect Night, on the other hand- my, my,my! There is incense, there is ginger, and what I think is the olfactory equivalent of sex on a park bench. Definitely naughty.
Hi Datura: I’m surprised that Mals didn’t rec you for Juliette Has a Gun (JAG) Citizen Queen. It supposedly has a good skanky note in it. I don’t get that per-se, but it is dark to me. Another nice “starter skank” if you like roses is the Annick Goutal Ce Soir ou Jamais which definitely has a very suble skank note in the lower middle notes…esp. the eau de toilette version that has thinner florals. And you should try anything with Civet, even something as beautiful and well blended as Chanel No 19 or Cristalle and Lancome’s Climat have a sort of subtle body accord that technically qualifies as skank.
Try Alexander McQueen Kingdom too-it’s not too expensive either on ebay.
OMG, somebody mentioned my nemesis. THAT is skank overboard to me…it’s the cumin. Panties. Totally panties.
I was just about to spritz some on
‘Course, I’m impervious to skank, so it might well be me.
Zeezee, I hope I can meet you someday. When you’re wearing Kingdom. I’ll be it smells awesome on you. On YOU, I still emphasize.
Hi Datura,
Skank is different for everyone. To my nose, scents would be: Serge Lutens Musc Koublai Khan or Fleurs d’Oranger, Guerlain Jicky (in extrait) or Bal a Versailles (extrait).
I agree on the SL MKK and also SL A la Nuit which is really “naughty”. I consider it not wearable during the day and I really do not care for usual.
Also AG Songes which is jasmine and vanilla is skanky.
May I suggest Theo Fennell Scent? I don’t often see it mentioned but it is a lovely, lush rose (and I’m no rose lover) with the gentle spice and a healthy dose of skank. I like the dirty dirty more than most people, but Scent is exactly what i imagine burying one’s face in Marilyn Monroe’s cleavage must have been like. Along with Bal a Versailles, the Party in Manhattan, and Le Labo’s Oud27 (a different flavor of skank altogether) it is one of my favorites.
MKK, which I was hoping would knock my skanky skirt up (so to speak)? Smells *exactly* like high school to me. What does that mean?
Well, it says *something* about your high school!
Theo Fennell scent is unfortunately hard to find in the US. Wish it wasn’t.
I find all three Vero Kern perfumes quite skanky…
and quite beautiful and original.
I also find very sexy delrae L’amoureuse: I think it is one of the most stunning fragrances out there.
And yes, I also find By Kilian’s Beyond Love dirty yet clean, sexy and innocent at the same time… I’m becoming obsessed and annoying, am I, always commenting on my HG ?
But most tuberose fragrances seem skanky to me, in a perverse kind of way…
Hmmmm, skanky frags are my thang!! I recommend Andy Tauer’s L’Air Desert Marocain, Lonestar Memories, Maroc Pour Elle, Incense Extreme and Incense Rose, i even think that Reverie au Jardin has a slight skankiness to it!! Le Labo’s Poivre is utterly fabulous (which is a london exclusive, but i think can be ordered over the phone from wherever), also their Patchouli is rather skankfesty. Serge Lutens’ Cuir Mauresque is great, and Tabac Blond Parfum by Caron is the ultimate chic skank scent in the world i think. There’s a great review of it on this website.
Oh, how could I forget?!?!
BANDIT by Robert Piguet!!!!! (well, by Germaine Cellier for Robert Piguet) This is the number one skanky scent you must try! The EdP is nice, personally I prefer the Parfum layered with the EdP or EdT on top.
I’m feeling sick today so I decided to wear Habanita extrait. I don’t know the logic behind that one at all. I think I might need a bottle down the line. I’m surprised at how cheap it is, though. Only, like, $300 for 100ml of parfum, right? That’s a steal.
Um, not much testing going on on my end, really. I’ve just been sampling old stuff that I’d missed out on. Lubin’s La Vetiver? It’s on my to-be-purchased list. I just wish bottles were smaller. I have too much already. xP
I first thought you said you were sick BECAUSE you wore Habanita. LOL. Sorry and hope you feel well soon.
Oh, get better! And shop around for the Habanita…Beauty Encounter has it for $225, and you might even do better!
hey…rei rien has it for about $103 I think…
Wow, that’s amazing. Still have a hard time with large bottles, especially when three drops gets you through the day. Might need to try to make up a split.
Yay! Split!!
It’s an outrageously hot day in the city. I’m wearing TDC”s Osmanthus in my armpits. Normally I enjoy this scent on my neck, knowing it will disappear after 20 mins or so and that I’m not really getting my money’s worth. Today I discovered that spraying it on the pits makes it last quite long, and it keeps its clean soapy flower smell even through sweat. Call me crazy, well, I’m just a rabbit.
Funny, that one can last on me all day, but I like your method.
…I’m just a rabbit…. LOL!!!
If I said “I’m just a caravaggio”, it would sound that funny, I suppose…
wouldn’t sound that funny, I meant…
especially since in the bigger picture you’re lopping off a head….nasty business, that.
Nasty business indeed….
But she’s chopping the head with quite an aplomb, I would say ;)!
ahh, the mark of a true lady….the ability to handle those unpleasant tasks with aplomb! I guess that puts me out of the running since I gag like mad when cleaning up the cat’s furball…..
Not a bad idea, for a rabbit. I might have to try that too!
That’s an interesting technique, and you’ve reminded me that I’ve been craving Osmanthus. Maybe tomorrow!
Hi, I’m wearing Beyond Love today…
It has really stirred a passion for everything tuberose:
Fracas has raised high into my affections…
wonderful (I don’t find it overwhelming at all, but I apply it lightly), even if I still prefer BL.
Last saturday I tried carnal flower: it was drop-dead gorgeous. But I don’t know if it was the SA who overapplied ( 3!!! generous spritzes- argh!) or if the fragrance is indeed quite potent, but I started to feel a kind of olfactory fatigue, and couldn’t tell between me an CF who was wearing who.
If you have some tuberose-based fragrance to suggest me -please do. I like it more when there are some cold (minty?green?) currents to balance the sweetness. Like in Fracas and BL.
I love Carnal Flower – but find I have to decant it to a bottle with a dauber. Spraying it is instant overdose. A single dab, on the other hand, is the perfect cloud. You might also like FM Iris Poudre. It is the most Chanel-like frag I’ve found outside of Chanel – maybe cuz of aldehydes?
Carnal Flower is definitely potent stuff. I’ve a sample in a dabbing vial and just a few dabs are more than enough.
For more tuberose Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur and Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia might be worth a try.
Hey, is MPG Fleur des Comores a tuberose scent. Because I don’t like tuberose and need to find someone to give my almost full bottle to. Seriously.
There’s no tuberose listed in the notes, but it might be the jasmine and vanilla that’s swamping your nose.
I love tuberose, too. DSH Tubereuse is buttery-gorgeous. (Oops, wait, you’re in Europe, right? I think she ships to Europe but the fees are crazy.) Goutal Tubereuse is pretty as well. And for tuberose-spice, a couple of vintage scents: Balenciaga Michelle and Diana von Furstenburg Tatiana (parfum only for that one – it was reformulated into a chemical mess). I have not tried the Beyond Love… budget says Uh-uh, no way, fugeddaboutit.
Oh, do try it!
the travel spays refills are 70 $ for 1 oz, which is still not exactly cheap, of course… but if you happen to fall in love…
For tuberose, I’m going to recommend a Guerlain that doesn’t get much love, but I think is beautiful – Mahora. And it can be had very inexpensively on eBay.
Rappleyea,
Thank you for mentioning Mahora. I think it’s such a beauty, especially since it’s tied to my first experience walking into Guerlain’s on Champs Elysees. Too bad it doesn’t get a lot of love….
Not to be too obvious, but what about SL Tubereuse Criminelle? Icy green rubber tuberose. Annick Goutal’s Gardenia Passion is a grand tuberose in disguise, one of the very first niche perfumes I ever smelled.
This is a timely thread as I just spend an afternoon sniffing all sorts of things. I won’t go into detail about being accosted by pushy staff insisting that I MUST smell the new D&Gs and other such things. I mostly managed dodge them and still tried the things that I actually wanted to which included but weren’t limited to
AG Mandragore Pourpre – didn’t quite grab me
SL Feminite du Bois – nose was quite tied by that point but definite potential. Will need to sniff again
Hermessence Vanille Galante – not what I was was expecting and didn’t really grab me
Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile – can’t make my mind about it but, man, that thing has some sillage I put the sprayed card into my bag and kept catching the whiffs of it all day long.
Tom For Velvet Gardenia – was told it’s being discontinued
EL PCTG – I expected to love this but I’m not sure. Once again, my nose was quite tired by that point so I’m not dismissing it completely yet.
The highlight though, was the sniffing session at the Chanel concession. The sales assistant was lovely and helpful so I sniffed a bunch of things
Sycomore was heavenly. I might have to talk my man into buying this for himself so that I can then borrow it from him. Between this and Vetiver Tonka I might turn into a complete vetiver fiend.
Bois des Iles – just beautiful especially the opening (although I can’t quite figure out what it is) and the milky sandalwood heart seems perfect for this time of the year.
31 Rue – the opening was almost..well.. carroty so I pretty dismissed it at first but an hour or so later it started morphing into this gorgeous thing that I now can’t stop sniffing.
Cuir de Russie – big surprise. I smelled this before and instantly thought “gah, too much!” But when I mentioned this to the sales assistant, she seemed quite surprised and said that I should give it another chance. Well, she was right. Perhaps it’s the weather but it suddenly smells plush and gorgeous. Another one that I will be going back to.
Gosh that’s quite an essay. I’ve a question though – I really want to give the Exclusifs a decent test drive so I’m wondering if Chanel do samples of these or if I’ll have to get them from elsewhere.
I’m so with you on the Chanel counter. Every time I go into Saks, my voyage seems to begin and end with Chanel. Nothing can touch that line, IMO. I always seem to prefer the parfum versions too. One day I shall have all the classics – except No. 22 which makes me puke.
No. 22 was way sweeeeeeeeet on me, once the dizzying cloud of aldehydes floated off. Bleah.
But 31 RC is amazing. So is Bois des Iles. And vintage No. 5 parfum…
Mmm hmm. And I recently found the door that opens to love for Coromandel.
Oh, Monstabunny and Mals, you and I will never be able to meet in person– no 22 is my favorite and most-frequently-worn perfume, and I do mean parfum, not the Exclusifs edt. I love that aldehyde launch– straight to heaven!– and the long glide on that base of incense. Not wearing it today, though, since we’re still in a monster heatwave here. I splashed on some Fidji edt. Delightful!
Oh, I might quite like it on YOU!
Sweet, more for me!
Chanel does free samples of these… If you find a gracious SA, she/he will be happy to give you a couple to try. They are very generous samples: 4 ml, beautifully packaged. You can also find some of these on ebay.
But hey, those Exclusifs are nasty stuff: they tend to grow on your affections until you start to think 200 euros for 200 ml is a deal… and that you could easily go through that HUGE bottle (which of course is impossible).
That’s what is happening to me…CC levitating towards 31 rue cambon and Sycomore…
Oh, no! I got up the courage to go into Chanel in SF and ask for a sample of Coromandel, and they, wow, they gave me the most beautiful mini bottle! It’s gorgeous. So now do I have to slink back there and try to get 31 Rue Cambon?
YES! slinking back for 31RC is perfectly acceptable!
Rue Cambon is the most amazing scent….and perfect for fall & winter. Also check scentsplits for decant options….200ml is a lot of juice.
Y’know, I’m not big on Chanels, but I tried Beige recently and liked it quite a bit! Still hate the name, though.
I also liked Beige a lot!
Give me anything with hints of honey and I start swooning…
I hate the name too, surely calling a perfume Beige is one step from calling it Blah. I gave it a quick sniff but it didn’t quite grab me this time.
Not to enable y’all or anything, but splits of the exclusifs are often available for quite reasonable prices (due to those enormous vats) at the Scent Split Wiki page. Just google and then scroll through the lists. There are European and UK splitters as well.
That said, I’ll be testing Bois des Iles on my next NYC trip to see if it stands up to the vintage EDT. If it does, those 200 ml are indeed going to seem very reasonable to me. I need enough BdI for several lifetimes plus some to share. Yes I do. And besides, that sandalwood heart ages beautifully.
oh, I guess I should have read a little farther down! Scentsplits is a wonderful place!
What?! When I was in Saks in NYC a couple of months ago, they claimed Chanel hadn’t made any samples of the Exclusifs yet. Liars!
Thank you both! My trip indeed began and finished at Chanel. Not only that, but I also already figured that £160 for 200ml makes for £80 per 100ml which is actually not such a bad deal, And with that twisted math in mind, ml per ml, Sycomore would be cheaper than Vetiver Tonka, lol
I’ll ask for the samples next time. Hermes are very generous with Hermessence samples but I wasn’t sure if Chanel were too.
Ah, but Vetiver Tonka…brings tears to my eyes. I’d go for that one between the 2…
I also did a sniffing outing to the Chanel boutique in Toronto a few weeks ago and came home and immediately order a decant of Bois des Iles. I don’t know when a scent has captured by heart so immediately. Can’t wait until it arrives.
Rue de Cambon was also lovely, but it’s Bois des Iles that captured my heart.
i smelled 4 of the exclusifs but i cant remember any of their names or really what they smelled like. i did like a few of them for sure though.
I’ve been trying to avoid sniffing this line because it all spells BAD NEWS to my account, but… they sound so good. Argh.
I don’t know if Chanel did samples, but I do know they did minis. Don’t know if they still do.
Actually, the minis is what I called samples – beacuse they are not for sale and are given for free as if they were sample vials. Sorry for my English mistake.
No mistake…they just give minis as samples, you’re right!
Oh, do sniff FdBois again – especially when it’s cold. (I actually prefer Dolce Vita, which is related, but sunnier.) Likewise 31 RC; the amber in the bottom of that one just transfixes me.
And the Chanels are just elegance in a bottle, aren’t they?
I figured I’d add a sample of FdBois next time I’m getting my fix from Les Senteurs, it seemed very promising.
And next time I’m in the area, I’m heading straight to Chanel and begging for some samples
I have the Sheseido Feminite du Bois (which is SL still dunno if there were any minor tweeks done to it though), it was one of the first bottles I bought. Only a small amount is required and it is super nice and lasts until the following morning where it smells even more mystic. So do check the SL Feminite du Bois again and again
Here’s a bizarre thing: I have owned a bottle of L de Lempicka for about three years. This past week, I noticed that the color of the juice had changed, like overnight! It had been clear, and suddenly I noticed one day last week that it was brown. It still smells fine. Has anyone else experienced this, with L or anything else? I know color can change over time, but overnight like this? This has never happened with any of my other perfumes.
I have experienced it with quite a few perfumes, and it doesn’t appear to have any relationship to smell (that is, some that turned color also went bad, but others didn’t).
I guess I’ve just been lucky — I’ve had a couple that have turned after many years, but this was weird because it seemed to happen literally from one day to the next; I always thought this kind of thing happened gradually! Glad to know it doesn’t necessarily have an effect on the smell, though.
I have a question… does anybody know where I can find a decant/split of Guerlain’s 180 Ans? I know The Court has it, but priced at $20/ml.! I don’t need it that badly, but after reading Helg’s lovely review, I would like a decant. Thanks in advance.
Did you check Scent Splits?
Yes, first place I checked. But GREAT NEWS! I left a comment on that review to someone who had a bottle and thought is was alright, but not great, and asked it they’d sell a decant. After leaving my question above, I heard back from her, and the answer was YES!!! I can’t wait.
Oh good!
So I finally got my vintage bottle of Amouage Ciel from eBay. And at first I was disappointed because side-by-side with a sample of more recent vintage, it was definitely a bit faded.
But finally I realized, hey, I can actually WEAR this! Because I have had some uncomfortable meetings after a too-enthusiastic pick-me-up spritz of an Amouage in the afternoon. And this Ciel smells lovely to me but doesn’t blow out the room.
So all in all I’m pretty pleased with the juice… and of course there’s the gorgeous bottle as a bonus.
Now I have to figure out what my Christmas Amouage to myself will be. I’m having a hard time deciding between a bigger edp bottle of Dia and a smaller edt bottle of Dia (which would not coincidentally leave me more money… perhaps to spend on another perfume.)
So glad it worked out! I don’t buy much vintage because I’m a chicken
I applaud your chickenhood. After a bottle of Creed Fleurissimo that made me sneeze constantly (which effect the current bottle in the store never had), you’d think I’d have learned my lesson. But I’m so crazy for some of these things that I can’t pass them up at an eBay clearance price. Amouage is killing me because I love everything of theirs that I’ve sniffed and I can’t live on samples forever and I can’t afford new bottles! So I took the risk. So far my eBay purchases have been fine… but it is like walking a tightrope and I fully expect something awful to happen eventually.
Has anyone smelled YSL Parisienne? Is it out yet? I’m in Toronto and keep stopping by the Bay waiting for it and they keep saying “Any day now”. I guess I want to know if I am getting my hopes up. I really like Paris but have to be in the right mood for it as the powderiness can be a bit suffocating, and was hoping Parisienne would be a little easier going, but still interesting.
They have it at Neiman here in Chicago. It definitely is lighter and easier to handle than it’s predecessor. I feel like there’s more violet, and there’s a bit of fresh accord that will make it palatable to younger sniffers. But it lacks the all out DIVA attitude that’s Paris’ hallmark (at least to me).
It’s worth a try though and you never know. Flowerbomb and Coco Mademoiselle were what helped me fall in love with powerhouse frags like Angel and No. 5 (respectively) so after some time with Parisienne, maybe you’ll find Paris’ powderiness less aggro.
Definitely less powdery, but I think some of the Paris spring/summer flankers were more appealing — and they were also lighter & less powdery. Still need to give Parisienne a few more tries though…
Yes… Air-freshener. A cheap one.
Hi all,
Today I’m wearing Aromatics Elixir Velvet Sheer mixed with BT’s Egyptian Musk. Below is my post re: last Saturday’s scent excursion. It was a lot of fun, and the list is long, but I got a lot of my “to smell” items on my list taken care of.
-BLV II-Lovely anise/powdery iris scent, tiny bit of sweetness in the beginning that dried down after one hour to a discreet woody (thanks to patchouli and vetiver) spice. It had moderate sillage & great staying power. The drydown 5-6 hours later was very nice. I could not stop smelling my arm.
-Jo Malone-Vanilla Anise-Not too sweet-I liked the anise in the top notes, it eventually dried down to a boozy warm bourbon. I really liked it but not enough to purchase.
-A Scent By Issey Miyake-on me screechy white ozone/floral, on me, it was very linear. Did not care for it with my chemistry.
-Tom Ford -White Suede great suede note over a touch of musk. The Grey Vetiver was very crisp & dry. Either sex could wear it, although on the card two days later, it smelled like a very expensive men’s scent. I loved both, but Grey Vetiver more.
-Guerlain I wish I could remember the name, but it was a Scent with Chocolate & woods (heaven!). It was an amazing-wood scent, with chocolate and almost a coffee/spice drydown. The scent strip still smells wonderful after four days. I also tried two of the Voyage collection. I liked NY and Tokyo. NY was nice and smoky with vanilla spices and woods. Tokyo was a light green floral with green tea notes and sheer jasmine, it was lovely but not purchase-worthy for me.
-Chanel-Cristalle Eau Verte (I was wearing the original edt). I was disappointed in the staying power, it disappeared after 2 hours. It was almost as if there were no base notes to hold the scent. Robin’s description was perfect, it verged on dryer sheets.
-Prada’s new l’ eau Ambree- top notes were a little grating but it may have been my chemistry. I gave a sample to a co-worker and it was a lovely woodsy/amber/warm scent on her. The dry down was similar to EL’s Sensuous. It’d be a nice a nice scent on the right person.
-Halston’s New scent, more sweet and less dry mosses/woods than the original Halston Couture. The sales girl mentioned the scent was based on the original Halston Couture (not Halston). I have an old bottle of the original from the 90’s ran home to try it. I loved the original, not the new version.
-Hermes’ Parfum des Merveilles (loved the perfum and edt formulation, meh on the elixir). This will be my next purchase (in Q4).
-Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris-adored it. Warm spices and vanilla iris notes. Excellent lasting power.
I am still trying to find the AG Mandragore Pourpre-but to no avail. I have gone to Nordies, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales. If anyone has seen it, could you please let me know??
Thanks for the mini-reviews, Smokey. Sometimes I’m a little jealous of the people who live in large cities, with their easy access to sniffies… and then I look at my band account, and think, Well, I do enough damage with just ebay and the scentsplits wiki…
Hey, if you remember/find out what the Guerlain choco-thingy was, do tell, okay?
yeah, with a credit card and an internet connection I can do loads of damage—no brick and mortar store needed!
Um, that would be my BANK account. Fingers faster than the brain again.
I too am curious about that Guerlain chocolate scent — sounds wonderful!
was the salty note quite evident in the VC&A Bois d”Iris? Everything about it has me bouncing in the seat …..until I remember that salty note….gotta try this ……
Hi Daisy,
I smelled the VC & A Iris at the end of the scent trip, I didn’t pick up any salty notes but at that point I’m sure my nose called it quits!
To Mals86, when I find out the Guerlain chocolate scent, I will let you know. I really loved that one. Of course, it may tempt me to eat more chocolate too, not good…..
I’m wondering if it could be one of the Charnal Elixir things. Didn’t the Gourmande one have chocolate? Great reviews Smokey Toes! Thank you.
Hi Rappleyea
It might have been, I am planning to head out to downtown SF for another trip. I don’t think it was 68 though, that wasn’t as foody on me as this one.
It’s a good thing I didn’t take transit downtown, I had so much scent on I could have wiped out everyone on the BART train by the time I was through! Sooo much fun.
Did someone say SALT. Yep, I’m going to try that one. So many of us drooling after Robin’s article yesterday…
SmokeyToes, could the Guerlian have been Cologne 68? So I thought about chocolate (yes…) and woods – it has a wooden cap, but not so much wood on my skin; I would bet this is it.
Hi BeautyBlog,
I’ve been quite obsessed with the Guerlain chocolate scent,…..
I don’t think it was 68 but it’s been a while since I’ve tried it. Have to give it another sniff…
I’m wearing the sadly discontinued MPG Soir d’Orient. Such a fantastic scent – sandalwood and oud mostly on me. Swoon.
I never smelled that one!
Well im wearing YSL M7 Fresh today. Its been so dark and chilly in the mornings, and the forecast has been for rain, but it keeps getting sunny and warm by the afternoon. Its throwing my fragrance selection off.
Im considering the following purchases for Fall/Winter:
Cartier Roadster, Dior Fahrenheit 32, Frapin Caravelle Epicee, Parfums de Nicolai Carre D’As.
Should i save money and go mainstream, or spend a little mroe for niche?
Decants of niche!
I cant bring myself to buy a decant. Yes im paying less, but im getting MUCH less juice for my money. I dont find decants to be worth the price per ml. Plus, im not saying i dont trust people, but at the same time, i cant be sure its genuine.
Decants at TPC are more than I want to pay per ml, too. But I have had good experiences with the scent splits wiki – although I’ll point out that I’m not buying men’s fragrances there and I can’t comment on the splitters selling them.
maybe the solution would be for you to host the split and place a listing at scentwiki…..you would get the bottle and know it’s genuine but then you wouldn’t have 100ml to use up.
I used to have that same mindset, but then I realized that as my taste diversifies, and I want so many different frags, I’m never going to use a FB of almost anything ever again. I’d rather spend $30 on 10 ml of something I’m going to use up than $50 on 50 ml of something of which I’m only going to use 10 ml…those unused 40 ml represent wasted $ ($40 wasted based on its cost/ml, or at least $20 based on what I would have spent on the other).
After two days of nice cool low 70’s weather, we’re back up into the mid-80’s… Dang it, I already moved all my “summer” perfumes into the bedside cabinet and put my “fall/winter” ones in the hatbox on the dresser! Aimez-Moi wore very well today, even though I think of that one as for autumn.
And my tiny bottle of Montana Parfum de Peau came today… yes, the vintage ebay buys continue, albeit at a far slower rate!… and just from sniffing, it’s really lovely. Will try on skin soon. Who would have know I’d turn into such a ho for rose chypres?
Just had my socks blown off yesterday by SSS Tabac Aurea. Amazing, amazing stuff. I’m currently making arrangements for a decant (thanks, ScentScelf! and Robin for facilitating!) – all I can say is My God, that’s gorgeous. Brief notes on what I get out of it: pipe tobacco, well-worn bomber jacket, woods, grassy patchouli, amber and the kind of musk that smells like clean male skin. Reads very masculine to me, but in a way that I’d wear myself – no “shaving cream” accord here. It smells, actually, like an old boyfriend of mine, and although the relationship All Ended In Tears, as a British nanny might say, the fragrance is a definite keeper. Toe-curling ectasy…
Sounds like I need to pull out my sample again. It didn’t do all that for me, but everyone needs to pursue a good toe-curl once in awhile, so I’ll try again and see if I can “have what you’re having.”
Oh, it was very good for me.
Hoo boy. Put me back in the cage now.
Hey C-Well, I am sooo glad that you are nuts over Tabac Aurea. It is *gorgeous* — I love the stuff. It is going to be one of my fall-winter staples now. I think it is amazing – so rich and well blended. I can’t say enough, and I think it ranks up there in beauty withChanel Coco, and it even IMHO has a similar warmth and structure to Bois des Iles. And it is so unisex too! But not in that boring way. It is just wonderful. Those woods! That warm pipe tobacco! It smells like all men should, and even women with a taste for deep rich scents. My husband even wears it, and he never wears any fragrance. I love it too!
I liked Tabac Aurea, but I didn’t get as much tobacco, but something that strangely smelled like oatmeal cookie dough in the middle! LOL! Maybe I’ll try again. But I did purchase a FB of Champagne de Bois. That one is gawgeous!
I find this sequence of comments interesting, because to me, Champagne du Bois is VERY reminiscent of Bois des Isles. Bois des Isles, btw, is one of those scents that will always be in my possession.
wow…..all I got from Tabac Aurea was old cigarette. bummer.
From the Mals is carrying on, maybe what you’re smelling is the postcoital cigarette…
hey, hey now!
well,then there’d have to be some nice outdoorsy notes in it too since no cigarettes are allowed in my house (pre or post coital) so it’d all have to be au naturel out in nature. (kind of throws a whole new light on the term “lawn fertilizer”, now doesn’t it?)
See now that Tabac sounds sexy with a capital “sex”.
It sure was All That to me, although I’ll point out that perception is always filtered through your emotions/memories/experiences.
I didn’t smell ashtray at all in TA (Old Boyfriend did not smoke!), but I did read a review of it somewhere that did mention ashtray… and again, maybe it’s skin chemistry. I think I generally sweeten things up.
I was all set to order about 5 samples from SSS, which included Tabac Aurea, but i didnt like my payment option of going through paypal, so i cancelled my order.
Hi Rictor – you can get SSS samples from the Perfumed Court too.
Laurie uses the PayPal service to handle internet orders, but you can bypass PayPal and just use your own cc to purchase. That’s how I made my first purchase back in the spring. You can call her directly and see if you can make a different payment arrangement. Not all of her scents are available from TPC….
I also find Aimez-Moi to wear nicely in warmer weather — it’s got kind of a warm-cold thing going on.
Ooooooooo. Must. Have.
Thanks for pushing me over the edge, mals. I’d had it on my list and now I know it’s time buy.
OK, I don’t know why that comment ended up down here – it was supposed to be under mals rave of Tabac Aurea.
with love. wish i could wear my cold weather scents but its still hot here
Yeah, I miss my cool-weather scents: but I hate cold weather so I still won’t complain!
Don’t have a strong desire to go out and smell more new stuff, thank god. I think I’m still in shock after buying two Delraes in two months. Though I re-smelled Ormonde Woman and god, craving that like crazy. Luckily decants of that aren’t as eye-gougingly priced, unlike the Delraes.
I’m going to start decanting, I think. It’s time. I went back and read the intro to decanting article here, but I was wondering: where does everybody get their bottles? I want to use glass atomizers.
SOTD Petite Cherie, it’s way hot in LA today.
Which Delraes did you buy? I may be in the market for a decant. Contact me on MUA if you’re on there: joe805.
LOL!!! Lemming after some Mythique Joe?? my goodness “sometime in the future” sure got here fast! **snicker**
LOL, not Mythique, sorry: Bois de Paradis and Amoureuse.
I enjoyed Amoreuse too, believe me, even though Mythique is near the top of my list. When you’re ready to start selling decants, contact me.
I’ll let you know.
I tried Amoureuse recently. What a unique fragrance – just gorgeous!
It’s everything I thought I hated: big, floral, and honeyed — but I loved it at first sniff! LOL I smelled it as I was buying Bois de Paradis… and it made BdP slip in my affections. I think I might trade that away, hopefully for some Ormonde Woman.
I thought I hated honey in fragrances, but I’ve tried a few lately that threaten to change my mind!
Accessories for Fragrance has the best combination of selection and price that I have found on glass atomizers.
I am craving a bottle of OJ Woman, too, (and Champaca). Thank heavens for decants !
I need to try Champaca, then!
Speaking of which, has anyone tried Sampaquita? Is it more of a jasmine solliflore or is it a floral blend with jasmine?
I love Petite Cherie – it’s very, very comforting to me.
And I usually find what I want at A for F too.
So far, I’ve bought mine at TPC. In higher quantities, their prices aren’t unreasonable (disclaimer: I ordered several months ago, so that may have changed), and since I’m often ordering samples anyway, the shipping ends up being “free”. The only downside was that they didn’t have a nice, inexpensive 10 ml bottle available, just 5, 8 and 15.
I need to start decanting too, so I can bring frag with me on travel. Will have to check out Accessories. I’m ridiculously nervous about my first decanting, but the articles tell me it’s ‘normal’ (whatever that means!).
Hot here too, in Florida. My autumns are still hiding in the dark! SOTD: Ormonde Jayne Champaca. Tried Alien today, which I received in swap, and it’s a scubber on me. Phew!
Another vote for AccessoriesforF. And yeah, nervousness or uncertainty are part of it at the beginning, but within a month you’ll be able to squirt a perfume stream through the eye of a needle at 20 paces. Sorta.
Joe, if I can do that, I’ll put in on YouTube!
LOL! Just start out small…make a few samples of a cheap drugstore perfume, or middle of the road department store frag. Then you don’t have to worry as much about the what ifs. Foolish me, my first split/decant experience ever was Amouage Lyric. Talk about a huge case of nerves! What if I mess up, what if it spills everywhere, what if it breaks during shipping?! I was a wreck.
LOL Joe, here’s hoping!
I have a monstrous cold and am trying to amuse myself by focusing on perfume. (Which is odd, since I can’t smell anything, but whatever.) So I have a question… I have come to conclusion that my favorite thing ever is aldehydes. I’m all over the map, scent-wise, and don’t necessarily have a favorite category: the minute I decide I can’t do orientals, I find ten I love, and so on, blah blah blah. But I am definitely loving the aldehydes. So here’s the question: I’m looking for some I haven’t tried, and am wondering if anyone has any suggestions. What I have tried are: Chanel No. 5 (of course), ELd’O’s Vraie Blonde, Baghari, Le Dix, and I’m sure there’s something else I’m forgetting. Not that I need to go buying anything else–even samples–but dammit I’m sick and I deserve some fun!
Vintage Coty L’Aimant (cheap/easy to find on ebay). SL La Myrrhe (beautiful – I only have a sample, but I want a small decant). L’Interdit. Arpege (again, easy to find small bottles on the ‘bay – I have a small bottle of vtg extrait that is rich-rich-rich and especially gorgeous in the drydown, but the reformulated edt is pretty, too, and might be easier to wear).
Some aldehydics I haven’t tried, but which are on my test list: Lancome Climat, Divine L’Ame Soeur. Paco Rabanne Calandre. Weil Antilope & Zibeline. Je Reviens, Rive Gauche.
Oh, and of COURSE you deserve it!
Oh Calandre is gorgeous. My mom used to wear it so in my mind it’s one of those scents that’s forever linked with being grown up and pretty and sophisticated.
Excellent! Thank you! I haven’t tried any of those. I have next week off, so I may devote it to tracking some of those down.
BTW, I forgot about L’Aimant. My aunt used to wear that. We absolutely hated each other, but perfume was our one area of common ground. I’ve never tried that one myself. If I find some I may have to send some to her as well–and I’m sure she will find fault with it or the way I ship it. But that’ll be fun, for old time’s sake.
Have you given Jean Patou Joy a spin? It’s all sparkle and gorgeous flowers (EDT is kickier than the EDP, but meh lasting power). Vega is another aldehyde classic, crisp and delicate and Be-yooh-ti-ful.
If you’re looking for something a bit more modern (and this is ironic since it was inspired by retro makeup) try Malle’s Lipstick Rose. It’s got that lovely aldehydic lightness to it but without being too aloof. Just roses and violets and lots of pretty!
Ooooh, Vega! Another one to add to the list. Somewhere I read that it was Guerlain’s version of No. 5 (please take with a grain of salt!).
guerlain liu is similar to no5 as well
I have a bottle of Joy perfume! It was a gift–a friend found it at a garage sale for $5. (How many times have I brought that up on here? I think I like to share in the power of letting people know you love perfume. Every now and then someone will come through for you.) I haven’t tried ANY of the FM’s yet–even the samples seem out of my price range.
But maybe I’ll have to break down and treat myself. I mean, I am sick. I could die without trying that, and how horrible would that be?
awww, sorry oo sic Miz Kitty….you simply must try Divine L’Ame Soeur….lots of aldehydes and I think it’s kind of “boozy” but I’ve been told I’m nuts too…..
Anyhoodle…I’m lemming after a bottle of L’Ame Soeur (soulmate) and naturally I’ll attempt to lure you into a split….and now Mals is on my radar too….bwa-ha-ha-ha!
Oh, yes, try Rive Gauche as well…lovely stuff…I wore it all thru college.
Oh, no… she’s got me in her sights… DUCK! I still haven’t tried any Divines.
Actually, since aldehydics were fashionable for so long, there’s probably a ton of classic bottles out there on evilbay, so I’ll eventually find them (rubs hands together)… oh, yes, I’ll get you, my pretty…
I am so easily lured into your web. Ok, I will try that one, ASAP.
heheheheh….you’re sick and your resistance is low….that’s when I strike!
For a cheap option (discontinued, but inexpensive at discounters still), you could try Ralph Lauren Safari. That was my signature scent for 5 years or so, but my chemistry has changed enough that it’s a bit too sweet on me now. If you’re interested, I can send you a sample (wasn’t there something else I was supposed to send you?).
If there was, we both forgot! You know, I remember hating that one when it came out–but I’m finding a lot of things I hated ten or twenty years ago have become some of my favorites now. Hey, if you want to send me some, I’ll take it!
Let me know what I can send you.
I’m just playing catch-up from the last round…you sent a lot!
Feel better soon, Miss Kitty.
I don’t love aldehydes, but I’d also add SSS Bois de Champagne and (from what everyone says) the new Natori edp. Angela did a series here on classic aldehydic fragrances where she included Le Dix, Arpege, and others.
Here you go:
https://nstperfume.com/2007/08/03/floral-aldehydes-twenty-more/
Ooh, thank you! I must have either missed that one, or forgot about it–shhhh! Don’t tell Angela! Bois de Champagne is on my Must Try Now list. I have to say, I wasn’t crazy about Natori, but maybe haven’t given it a fair shake yet.
Miz Kitty—I’ll send you a sample of Champagne de Bois right away!
It is gawgeous stuff ! I hate to think of you missing out!
Other aldehydes not mentioned above that are great are Givenchy III, Hermes Amazone, Van Cleef and Arpel First. I’ll second just about every one mentioned above like Climat, L’Interdit, Arpege, and Safari especially. One aldehyde/powder that I found to be a great gateway aldehyde — and it is so gorgeous and cozy too — is the Montale Powder Flowers, which is like a powdery soft cousin to No 5.
Thanks! I am excited about the Montale, for some reason–maybe because of the No.5 connection. I may have to wander over to the Perfume House here in town this weekend and check that out. Soooo dangerous to be there…
eek.
Ooh, lucky you. It’s truly a dangerous place.
I’ve read that some people get a tinny-silver type note from Powder Flowers (including my husband, boo-hoo), but I don’t get that at all. I hope you enjoy testing it! And test Velvet Flowers while you are there which is a really exuberant saffron vanilla floriental – really interesting.
Oh dear, get better soon!
Thank you! (My first try typing that came out “tnhank you,” which is actually much closer to how I would sound saying it.) I used to at least be able to get through the summer without getting sick–I feel like this year I’ve been sick ALL summer. Argh. May need better vitamins.
Extra D3, and get a good probiotic too. I’m in the same boat there… I told my doc at this point, if someone sneezes in China, I get sick. So aggravating. However, I’ve read recently that 60-70% of your immunity resides in your digestive tract. Given the state mine has been in for the past 13 months…it’s no surprise at all that I’ve caught every last thing I’ve been exposed to.
Guerlain Liu and seconding Je Reviens. I can send you samples if you’d like.
Oh, and I’m so sorry about your cold, miserable things. Hope you feel better soon.
For a minute I thought you were calling ME a miserable thing!
What’s odd is it seemed about right–like, yep! That’s me! Maybe I’m getting brain damage from this virus. Anyway, thank you! That would be awesome–please let me know if there’s anything I can send you. I feel like I never have much to offer. 
Aww – so sorry to hear you’re under the weather Miss Kitty. I’m going to look for something to get in the mail to you and hopefully that will make up for the Coromandel fiasco! I will not be getting to the post office til next week tho – I have all kinds of work going on in the house – ugh. Mostly plumbing related. Double ugh.
Noooo, not you! Never!! Talking about those bad old colds.
no 22 and FMalle Iris Poudre!!!
I hope this question doesn’t seem redundant… what is your favorite place to order samples/decants? I live in a place where it’s easy to get things that are at department stores and Sephora, but little off of that well-beaten path. I’ve been wanting to order some samples online and would like to find a reliable, not-too-expensive source.
Hi, Zen! Over to the left side there’s a link in purple lettering that says, “How to Get Fragrance Samples.” Check that out! I will say that The Perfumed Court and The Posh Peasant are both good for samples – and sometimes you can get samples directly from the perfume house. For example, DelRae has a sample set on their website, where you can get 6 samples for $10 (I HAVE to check that out soon), and Ormonde Jayne has a sampler set too (a lot more expensive…). Also, luckyscent.com has a lot of niche samples.
Yes – the perfume houses are great sources to check first because they can be much cheaper than going through a 3rd party (but not always). I started out getting my samples from The Perfumed Court before I discovered begging SAs for samples (only works if they have them, of course) and the joys of swapping.
The sites that others have mentioned will work for decants, although it can get pricey, since commercial sites have to mark up the price per ml to make a profit. Scent-splits and/or finding like-minded people who are willing to do splits is the best way because you’re only paying the per ml price, plus the atomizer and shipping.
I just ordered the DelRae sample set…can’t wait. $10…and free shipping! The L’Artisan website lets you choose 5 “free” samples for a $7.00 shipping charge; also a pretty good deal.
Thanks, everyone, for the tips. I’m eagerly awaiting my samples from L’Artisan and Parfums DelRae… and plotting my next move!
You can also just ask if companies don’t have sample programs. I e-mailed Byredo inquiring after samples, and while they didn’t have them at the time they followed up with me once they did have some in stock, and send me what I asked for — free!
Random Question: how reliable do you think it is to smell something from a scent strip in a magazine? I’ve been wondering for a while if this can really give a fair indication of what the juice is like, or if you just get a blast of top notes, maybe some base that’s dissolved into the paper, but not much else? A real glut of scent strips just fell out my recent Macy’s catalog (Idole d’Armani, Mariah Carey Forever, EL Sensuous, Viva la Juicy, MJ Lola, Michael Kors Very Hollywood, DKNY Cashmere Mist etc) – is it fair to form an opinion of these scents from sniffing the strips alone? Do they really work?…
Good question, I’ve wondered what others get from those scent strips as well….because so often they end up all smelling so much alike that I start to think that I’m smelling mostly paper and fixative.
How reliable? NOT, in my opinion.
Ooh, that sounded flip. Sorry… but I’m being totally serious about this. I never even bother with spraying stuff on paper on the rare occasion that I do go to the mall for sniffing purposes. I do not give a hang what something smells like on paper or a scarf, I want it on my skin, and since skin does seem to matter, paper strips are less than helpful.
You might possibly be able to decide, from sniffing the paper strip, if something is definitely on your Do Not Sniff list.
I really find it interesting that scent strips are even used at all, since they just seem to misrepresent the scent they’re advertising. Then again, we live in an age where every mall is steeped in the smell of Abercrombie and Fitch perfume, so what do I know.
I did a walk through Macy’s last week and smelled a lot of the scents you mentioned — many of them were very different on my skin than on the paper cards I was handed (too bad I didn’t really like anything, except Queen by Queen Latifah was kind of nice).
I think it’s fair to form an initial impression from them, or use them to narrow down your list. If you hate the scent strip, it’s very unlikely a spritz will change your mind, IMO. But if you like it, then move on to an actual sample because it could go either way. I’m sure others have different experiences though.
I think it might give a decent idea of especially the top notes, and some of the body of the scent, but of course there’s a different experience on skin. Some scents that I know very well I would definitely recognize on a perfumed magazine insert — no mistaking them. I think what those mainly do sometimes is pique my interest so that I go seek out the scent to smell in person and on skin.
I find them so unreliable I’ve stopped even smelling them.
The last 40 or so I’ve tried all seem to be of the same perfume. Scent strips in magazines all smell the same to me, a strident fruity-floral top note and that’s it. I wish more advertisers would use those little foil blister-packets, that seems to preserve the scent much better.
I used to know a border collie who liked to roll on magazine scent strips. His owner claimed that that proved that the advertised perfumes smelled like dead skunk.
Wearing Champaca Absolute and have fallen in love irrevocably. This might be my Christmas bonus frag this year.
Also, A question: I’m trying to hunt down an Iris with a decent silage, preferably on the warmer side. I tried Luten’s Silver Mist and while it’s beautiful, it’s just not me (sorry Robin!). Prada Infusion D’Iris was my first love, but now that I’m revisiting it, it seems too restrained. What say you?
Aqua di Parma Iris Nobile is a soft, sweet iris, have you tried that one? TDC Bois d”iris is really pretty but, alas, it disappears so quickly. Have you tried Hermes Hiris? Hiris is a little on the metallic side but mixed 1:1 with the Prada Id’I —verra nice!
Oh, and of course Delrae Mythique is a beautiful Iris.
Sadly, Iris Nobile too sweet for my taste, and TDC Bois, too fleeting. I haven’t tried Hiris yet, and the 1:1 idea is brill! I’ve also heard mouthwatering things about Mythique. Sounds like it’s sample time!
It really IS brilliant. I liked IdI on its own, Hiris was iffy…but the two together are truly wonderful. The Hiris grounds the IdI and gives it a little more body.
A very beautifl warm iris is the Annick Goutal Heure Exquise. It is one of my absolute fav fragrances ever. It starts off with a aldehydic galbanun sweet rose, but the body of the fragrance is mostly all about powdery iris and very warm and dry sandalwood. It is very beautiful, classy, gorgeous stuff. It is also not sweet in the Goutal style. I highly recommend it, and it is my fav iris.
Also, a nice iris is the Ferre from the year 2005 by Gianfranco Ferre. It is a very sheer, soft violet iris and musk composition that is very pretty and very wearable in everyday situations. It is the half sister to Iris Poudre, both by the same perfumer PIerre Bourdon.
I always forget HE is an iris, probably because it IS so warm. Perfect rec!
The Le Labo iris is warm and has great sillage. I love it but–warning–it has a lot of patchouli so that may be a deal breaker for some…
I forgive you, esp. since you love the Champaca
i wear prada iris no1(perfume) with infusiond”iris….also works really well and…..i have just returned from VCleef and Arpels and sniffed their Bois de Iris…It was from a tiny sample they had…but the little sniff I had was instant love!!!! they will be unpacking in two days and I will surely be there
Can anyone comment on the differences in Bandit EdP and the extrait? I’m finally taking the plunge and getting some, but I’m not sure which will be the better purchase. Anyone?
The extrait is wetter, darker, oilier–altogether more sinister than the EDP. It’s great stuff, but if you’ve ever worn Bandit and wondered, “maybe this is too much” then stick with the EDP. In other words, it takes cojones to rock Bandit extrait.
Excellent- Bandit extrait it is! Thanks for the input!
LOL!!
Hi Jared… just so you know: yesterday i got a 30ml bottle of Bandit in parfum, and i was heartbroken since it is NOTHING like the juice i have in my other 7,5 ml bottle (which has the most gorgeous smell). So it might be good to sniif before you buy (although this is hard when you buy it via internet). i have read several threads on the difference in smell in edt and edp but i have not yet come across any reference to a difference in smell with parfum. The new one (big bottle) smells very diluted and not perfumey at all, very green and it is almost like an after shave… Has anyone ever had the same problem? cheers!
wearing AG chevrefeuille (which i learned about from this very website). it’s from a sample and i think it would be better sprayed – it’s already almost disappeared on me.
anyone know where i can get a sample of the MAC Naked Honey? I just read the review here recently and all the MAC stores and Nordies around here are out of it. Saw 1 or 2 FB on ebay, but don’t want to get into a bidding war for something i haven’t smelled yet!
Oooh, yummy! I LOVE Chevrefeuille. Just got a small bottle, and already wish I’d gone for bigger…
I can give you a sample. I’m under the same name on MUA (all one word), send me a message there.
You are the greatest! I just got on MUA, so still figuring everything out.
If the sample that Miss Kitty sends you tickles your fancy, you might be able to grab a bottle here:
http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=4516742
Good luck!
how did i not find that when i was searching online? thank you!
Holy Cow. Helloooo ecrater… learn something new every day.
Seriously! Not that I needed another shopping option (goodbye, money! I love you! It was great while it lasted!), but this looks exciting. And I didn’t even know there WAS any MAC body lotion. Seems even the MAC website was holding out on me.
It is most definitely better sprayed!
well now i guess i just have to buy a bottle, now don’t i? ; )
LOL…that was easy!
my daughter got the last bottle at MAcy’s NYC in the 1st week of August and in HOng Kong they were all out by end July….i think ur chances of finding it are slim….it was an instant like on first sniff for me(i love orange/neroli)perhaps u should bid
Hey, side note: I haven’t been able to access the Perfume Posse blog at all today. Does anyone know if they’re having technical difficulties?
I was having trouble for awhile yesterday… maybe their ISP is having issues.
Seems to be back up now.
I, too, was disappointed by the Si Lolita bottle. The back especially, is quite ugly. The ribbon is cute. I liked the scent though, much more than the previous L. All the bottles up to Si have been gorgeous!
I still need to try Si — I agree, though, that the bottle is not as appealing as the previous LL bottles.
BWAHAH! Did I say I wasn’t lemming any bottles? That’s true, but I just opened up the new LuckyScent email and realized that I REALLY want samples of ELDO Fat Electrician and CdG x Daphne. If they have Kenzo UFO I’ll add that too. Sigh. The quarterly LuckyScent sample order.
I best not poke around that site too long or the sample list will grow to impossible-for-the-budget proportions.
So true … LuckyScent is dangerous! I realized the other day that my “here and there” sample orders from LS easily add up to a rather costly full bottle.
I was ANNOYED that there was not a sample pack of the stuff in that email, I scrolled down and thought – but, but, no sample pack? What are they thinking??
Today I am wearing a sample of By Killian Back to Black and already plotting a purchase. Yummy, smooth, lovely on this first slightly crisp fall day. Bonus: Hubby said Mmmmm and he rarely notices what I’m wearing on a day to day basis.
My sample is already on the way! I can’t wait to try it, as I really loved Pure Oud.
Loved them both.
Whoopee! I’ve been waiting for one of these so I can gloat over my recent flea market finds:
Sample sizes (full or mostly full):
Byzance
Tuscany per Donna
Paloma Picasso
Fidgi
Diva
Eau Sauvage
Chloe
Dune
Empty sample bottles of Joy (dark glass) and Poison
1 oz Miss Dior bath oil – 1/2 full
1/2 oz Replique parfum – full
2 oz Prince Matchabelli Added Attraction cologne – 2/3 full (anyone heard of this one?)
I will test all the samplers, but whether I like them or not, they will be used in the “perfume shop” shadowbox I’m planning to make. The seller had a lot of these, and I picked out the bottles I thought had the most interesting shapes.
Boy what fantastic finds! Congrats to you.
You sound like my kinda girl! I love mini vintage bottles.
Wow, you got all of that at a flea market?? Fabulous, congrats!
My mom has done a mini perfume bottle shadow box and she keeps it in the guest room. It’s so charming and I love looking at it when I visit. Congrats on your found treasures!
No frag for me today at all, which is becoming a rather more frequent occurrence. I’ve been running later than usual in the mornings, and just don’t have time to sit and ponder which sample fits the day’s weather. Too many samples, too little time… and yet I have that ever-growing list of more samples to order. I think I need a system. Or an intervention, one of the two.
I have to act like a little kid with clothes…put out my three or four selections the night before and then just grab one & go w/it in the morning. Otherwise I get overstimulated and I’d never get to work. And how would I pay for perfume then??
True. I often kind of think about a couple of things I might want to wear the night before because I’m always running around trying to get out the door in the morning. However, plenty of times I don’t go with the plan about and instead just grab something that strikes me when I step out of the shower and look at the perfume shelf (and the boxes of decants… and no, don’t worry, they’re NOT in the steamy, hot bathroom).
I always mean to, but I guess I’m rather fickle. I’ve also given up trying to do that w/clothing. Something that sounds perfect before I go to sleep somehow always loses its appeal in the morning. I basically keep a good stash of samples in my purse so I can pick something once I get to work, but half the time, I forget until the day is basically over.
No scent for me, either, today. I saw the doctor this morning and was diagnosed with flu. Couldn’t smell it if I was wearing it. Denise
I’m so sorry, hope you’re better soon! My son is just getting over it.
Ok – two things. 1. The Laura Mercier Minuite Enchantee smells like Theorema and Mauboussin had a love child. There you go. If you love Theorema and lament the fact it is pretty much gone, then try ME. Otherwise, go for Mauboussin which is soo much more interesting than ME.
2. I think I’ve reached perfumista nirvana— I finally have become completely enchanted with Mitsouko. Oh, finally! The joy, the love, the beauty! And just in time for fall. I’ve been testing and retesting Mitsouko for two years now. Finally! And thanks to Daisy as well who was gracious to swap me some of the edp. So my advice to anyone who is Mitsouko challenged – it will happen, and don’t even bother with the edt which is the mistake I made. It was only after I smelled the edp that I realized the beauty of Mitsouko. And now I am wondering about getting my hands on a few mls of the extrait….
So this was a great year for me, I found No 5 (after waiting too long to get right to the parfum), Joy, and then L’Heure Bleue, and Mitsouko. Now that I’ve climbed Everest, now what?
Shalimar?
Thanks Norjunma, I already have some of the Shalimar edt in the old “ribbed” bottles, but now I am actually considering some of the extrait for myself for the holidays, esp. as now I am having bottle lust for it as well. I’ll send it to the top of my short list post haste!
LOL. Ann, is that one of the scents you used to get a “pepsi accord” from. Your mention of that really made me laugh sometimes. And yeah, that EdP is good stuff. I haven’t graduated to trying extrait yet, but I’m sure it’s great. I think I may still love L’Heure Bleue a bit more just because it’s more melancholy, and I loves me some melancholy.
Pepsi accord = Youth Dew and Stetson, and sadly Sikkim, et al. It used to also be Songes too, but I willed myself to ignore it in those cases. There is something about that what? cardomum? or whatever it is, that makes me smell Pepsi. Nothing wrong with that, but then I can just spritz myself with a soda if I want, lol.
I was hit with the big L’Heure Bleue stick in August and it suddently made sense to me. I think it was after I really liked Bulgari Black though (Thanks Mals), as I think they are actually very similar in some ways. L’HB became my “aperitif” fragrance for the end of summer, and I thoroughly enjoy wearing it.
All I can say to all perfumistas is try and try again. You never know when lightening will strike.
Mitsouko was always a battle, but that’s because I was testing the edt. Now, well, there is little to say. It is my latest lemming.
Now I went to the Guerlain counter several times to buy LHB as extrait, since the SA always gave me extrait to smell… Every time whether my boyfreind or another SA said: No, you are too young for this (I am 31). I felt it was not right, but the scent is a masterpiece. Mitsouko and Jicky I have here also for 2 years, I cannot get to them. But it took me several years to accept No. 5 so it might take a while to get certain scents.
I keep on trying like you did
As a 21 year-old with a serious thing for both L’HB and Mitsouko, I object! I think if worn with confidence, they are very beautiful. And anyway, I enjoy them, which is the main thing.
Hi Mybeautyblog — I’ve always been attracted to the concept of a Guerlain fragrance, even when I was “young” and couldn’t really get to them. I did get a bottle of Jardins de Bagatelle when I was about 20 though, and also had a small bottle of Shalimar in college that I wore from time to time. Anyway, I am now in my late 30s and I can tell you that about 10 years ago, I saw a full compliment of Guerlain fragrances in a Nordstrom back when I lived near a Nordstrom (I’m talking to you Washington Square), and Nordstrom actually carried a full compliment of Guerlain fragrances….. Now I absolutely regret that I didn’t just go for it and get a bottle of Nahema or Chamade from 10 years ago. I was a little intimidated by them, even though I really loved them too. Now, reformulation is such an issue! I would die to have a mid-90’s “vintage” Guerlain of Chamade or Nahema!!! And also, they were still selling the cute .25 oz of extrait for most of them at that time too. There is no way I could have afforded extrait then, but my point is this….
If you really like a Guerlain, go for it. Don’t let those SA’s boss you – maybe they like some silly little fragrance themselves. A sale is a sale is a sale and it is none of their business. There is nothing too old or too young about a fragrance if you really like it. Someone told me once that Bal a Versailles was too old for me, and I thought, screw you it is gorgeous and I’m going to wear it if I want. I think it is one of the sexiest perfumes ever created.
Mostly I wear the major Guerlains and even Chanel No 5 parfum for myself, especially at home to enjoy through the evening after a long day at work. Rarely am I in the velvet evening attire that beckons to Nahema, but who of us are? Some of those classic fragrances *are* too much for day wear. But no one should be dictating your tastes to you, especially when you are in the critical discovery phase of these classics. If you love it, do it I say…..even if you only get a few mls from a decanter. Take the time to learn, explore and enjoy. Get in touch with your future self, she will thank you! And someday when you think you are old enough, then you’ll have some vintage on your hands!!!
Ooh, glad you liked Black! I should wear that more often. I think it does share a smooth texture with L’HB, and maybe that amber hiding in the base. I didn’t “get” L’HB until I sampled the edp, and I had difficulties with Shalimar until I found a little vintage bottle (yep, on ebay) of PdT, which was a concentration they made in the 80’s. It’s far nicer than the edt, albeit still a bit tarry!
I have now tried three different samples of Mitsouko, including edp (I am NOT gonna pay $14 for a half-ml sample of parfum at TPC!), and I sort of get where it’s going… it’s a work of art, it’s rounded and polished and interesting… but I simply do not like it. I find it hostile. I hereby declare that I am not going to make any further concerted efforts at Mitsouko. There’s too much other stuff out there to test, new and old, including those vintage mini bottles of which I am so fond…
Yes, I really do enjoy Black, and it is on my “want” list. To me it is all tea, powder, anise and fuzzy warm amber. It is so different from the marketing that it surprises me, and I don’t smell tar at all. I liked it immediately, and it reminded me so much of the parts of L’HB that I like that it helped to coach me through the tricky parts of L’HB. And it was the same for me too – I didn’t care for L’HB until I tested it in edp when I was able to smell all the pretty florals. I think in all honesty that “they” should stop making the edt versions of some of these classics that smell so thin and almost a joke. The edt definitely has that tricky medicine note.
Wow, Ann, that Minuite Enchantee sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the rec!
Glad to be of service to ya! It is strikingly like the warm sweet orange and spices of Theorema with some incense sprinkled in. FYI – ME is also significantly different from Nuits Enchante which is more of a sweet vanilla spice cabinet affair.
Ann, you inspired me to pop a bit of Mitsy on my wrists. it is a thing of beauty for sure. I don’t know if it’s exactly ME – I don’t feel like I need to be older, just MUCH better dressed! I like it much better this time than the last time. so I can see it is one that grows on you.
A heads-up on the B Black – it is showing up at Ross and other discounters now.
I just wanted to announce that I got a new kitten. (My black kitty died about a month ago after complications from a surgery :*( ) I wanted to name the new kitty Myrrh (after the sound she makes and my favorite frag note) but my sister, who got her for me, didn’t like it. Then I suggested Frankincense (my 2nd fave) which she finally agreed to after I said we’d call her Frankie for short.
Welcome Frankie! Too bad about “Myrrh” though, since it sounds like the kind of noise a kitteh would make.
She does! With a little trill to it. lol It’s one of my favorite sounds.
Congrats on your new kitty (and I’m so sorry about your cat who passed away, being a cat person I know how tough that is). I love the name Myrrh, I think it’s perfect for a cat, but Frankie is very cute too!
Thank you! I was distraught after I lost Sorscha. My kitties are my kiddies so when I lose one it is truly like losing a family member. I thought it was a bit soon to get another kitty but my sister made the decision for me. Though I still get teary-eyed thinking about Sorscha at least now I’ve got a silly, clumsy kitten to make me laugh.
I know what you mean — they really are like family members. After my last cat passed away, I felt at first like I never wanted another one, but ended up adopting one within three weeks, and I think it actually helped with the grief.
Cute name! Congrats…is this one black too?
Actually, no, she’s white & tiger striped. Had my eye on a black kitten but someone snagged her. Wasn’t meant to be. I’m glad my sister got me this one. I’ll get another black kitty again some time but right now it’s just too soon. Sorscha was a very special kitty.
Congrats on the new kitten! And obviously Frankie needs a cat brother/sister to be named Myrrh. lol!
That’s what I’m thinkin’.
frankie surely needs myhrre….how about a third….jasmin to flower it up….the cute kittens frankie is white, greytiger…myrrhe could be black and jasmin could be the gingi
my “pavement special”dog is called tiger balm….he is a very soothing dog to touch and as tiger balm has physical healing properties…he can heal the soul!!
Tiger Balm – I love it! Pets really are good for the soul. It’s funny that you mention Jasmine – my sister has a cat by that name but she’s a calico. And I have a ginger named Big Boy. They are both adjusting pretty well to Frankie. The only time they hiss at her now is when she wants to play and they don’t.
oh, I completely agree with Rapple—Frankie needs a co-conspirator named Myrrh! Two always seems to work better around here…keep each other busy and provides kitteh company when the hoomans are out.
So sorry about Sorscha, losing a trusted feline companion is a hard, hard thing.
We adopted two kittens from the same litter, to try to cheer up our old, dour cat. The old, dour cat didn’t thank us for it. It’s nice for us people having two young cats around, though, if you can stand the utter chaos.
Sorry about your kitty.
Yep, we’ve had about a week hardly any sleep with a kitten in the house. (Haven’t adopted a kitten since I was 10 yrs old!) Finally got a full night of sleep last night. Our older kitties are around 10/11 years old (Sorscha was 10) so we thought we’d get a little youth in the household to try and perk things up too. Well, at least we all have fun *watching* her run around. lol
Aw, congrats! Please give little Frankie a scritch on the top of her head from me.
Oh a new lil kitten baby – how wonderful for you! Myrrh is such an awesome, apropos and unique name for a cat! Frankie is adorable though. Mazel tov!
Thank you both!
Congrats on your new baby!!
Thanks, Tama!
SOTD is CdG2 Woman, because I was feeling like a hot, sweaty mess and needed something to make me feel cool and competent. And it kinda worked!
Does anyone here know about perfume availability in non-Parisian France? A friend is taking a business trip to France next month and offered to buy me something; he originally thought he’d be in Paris, but alas, it looks like he’ll be somewhere in or around Cannes. Is there anything available there that isn’t here in the States?
I”m sorry but I don’t know anything … hope someone else will chime in!
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that there is a large “perfume center” or something pretty near Cannes with lots of perfumeries … as for what they actually have I’m not sure but maybe you can Google it. Hope your friend brings back something good!
Guessing you mean Grasse, and there must be tons of perfume stores in Grasse…but don’t know much about what you can get that you can’t get elsewhere.
Cannes is very upscale around the port and the hall (where the Cannes Film Festival is) and there are many name worthy French designer boutiques. also in Grasse (and Nice) are Fragonard and Molinard among others….but the best are the Sephora stores which have a huge selection of fragrances, more than you find in the States. If your friend gets into any of the cities (he would probably have to fly into Nice), he would have good access to lots of perfume. good luck
Thank you all so much… Now I just have to figure out what to ask for (I definitely don’t trust his perfume judgment!).
My SOTD is Beautiful by Estee Lauder. I was given it as a gift. At first I thought ho-hum, its nice but I’m not ecstatic about it. But lately it has really grown on me and I love it!! Its so smooth and pretty yet complex and I can detect the different notes. Lasts well too. Its the eau de parfum spray.
the bottle is very well made, especially the cap.
Estee Lauder always does a great job
I am wearing B by Boucheron. Love it.
Nice!
The scent I can’t stop thinking about recently is Les Parfums de Rosine’s Rose Praline, which is weird because on paper it looks like nothing I would like, but in sample form it’s got me hooked. So, it’s my wedding anniversary next week and I’ve been trying to convince my husband that, along the lines of 25=silver, 50=gold, the 4th wedding anniversary is traditionally the Rose Praline anniversary! And I had just about succeeded too, only to find that all the on-line retailers (my only option here) seem to be out of stock. Anyone know anything? I’m really hoping it’s not LE or discontinued…
http://www.les-parfums-de-rosine.com/modules/scenes/detail-produit/index.php?id_prod=81
Doesn’t Barney’s carry Rosine? You could try giving them a call.
Lusciouscargo.com and aedes.com both list it… I didn’t try putting it in a cart, though, so it’s possible that they list it and then tell you when you try to buy it that it’s on backorder. You could always order it, right? Wrap up a little box with a drawing of the bottle in it, and tell your husband, “Thanks for the thoughtful gift, honey!”
I usually wind up picking out my own presents (Christmas, birthday, anniversary) because my husband hates to do it, and this way I get what I want. I don’t care anymore that it’s not “romantic” – it’s practical, and that’s my husband all over. It is kind of funny, though, when he says, “So what am I giving you for your birthday?”
Clearly our CEO’s are cut of the same cloth….I get the exact same question,( insert current holiday) ! But it works wonderfully since I have no interest in power tools or car parts, and he doesn’t know the difference between Parlux and Amouage! This way I get what I want and he doesn’t receive bodily damage.
ps. he’s being extremely generous on Sweetest Day! (and he doesn’t even know it!)lol
the only place I could find other than what’s been mentioned is Lessenteurs in the UK….74.50 GBP = c.$119.08 USD but I didn’t check the shipping.
Thanks everyone! Will follow all those leads and hopefully end up with a “lovely surprise” anniversary gift!
Paloma Picasso today, because I can smell it even with seasonal allergies. I’m always amazed that PP and Cristalle are both chypres.
Lemming to sniff Iris Ganache, and my credit card is thankful that I’m not going to find it anywhere between Cheyenne and Colorado Springs. (I spent a lot of money on maintaining the car this quarter; and more cheerfully, on acquiring, vaccinating, and fixing Mitsouko the Maine Coon: forest cat with touches of peach.)
Awww. Your cat is named Mitsouko? Seems perfect for a being with claws!
(Don’t mind me; I just don’t get on with Mitsy at all.) My own cat is named Silvia, after a very ladylike character in a Scott Turow novel.
Paloma scares me. Every time I try it, I get the feeling that I’ve barely escaped being raked by talons… OTOH, I do really love a rose chypre. Haven’t tried the tiny bottle of MOntana Parfum de Peau I got in the mail yesterday, but I did sniff it and it smells lovely in the bottle – and definitely shares some genetics with Paloma, but I need my chypres to be heavily floral, I think.
Oh Cheyenne! I love Cheyenne! Wyoming is so beautiful this time of year! I’ve had the priviledge of driving across Wyoming three times, and it is really an amazing state. Now I want to go for a drive!! And Mitsouko is adorable for a cat name – how glamorous for a Maine Coon. I always wanted to name a cat Moo-shoo (like as in Mu Shu Pork, etc.) but my husband laughs at me.
SOTD Guerlain Cologne 68 during today and now at bedtime Kelly Caleche Edt. I emptied half of 50ml in three months. I will get the EdP which is more grapefruit, pretty different.
I wait for one year now nearly to put my hands on a small Hermessence Set. Sigh.
And I might go to the Guerlain counter with the nice SAs who hide their good scents. They take the bottle sof extraits out as soon as I say I bought Nahema. Magic word!
I still can’t decide which Kelly Caleche I like better, the EdT or the EdP. Nice to have both!
EDT for me – more leathery.
I worked from home today, so really got to settle in & sniff violet frags. Guerlain Apres l’Ondee, Serge Lutens Bois de Violette (last drops of my decant — what to do?!), Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose, Annick Goutal La Violette and Borsari Violetta di Parma. I hadn’t thought to wear Apres l’Ondee in autumn, but the anise seed & herbals really glow right now. The SL drydown is dreamy & warm and the FM drydown is jam-luscious. AG & Borsari were styled more aas violet soliflores, and didn’t last very long. What beauty all!
A violet day!
How beautiful!
So, is BdV really a must try?
I don’t want to venture in a “unsniffed purchase”…
but I’m tempted… do you think it bears some resemblance to feminité du bois?
That one I like a lot, though I don’t wear it that often…
I think the Lutens “Bois” scents are all variations on FdBois. I haven’t smelled them all, but I did try Bois et Fruits and Bois de Violette. They definitely share the same genetics. BdV is really pretty, but I didn’t find it to be the IT scent that Perfumes: The Guide made it out to be. I liked FdBois better, and I still like Dior Dolce Vita (another variation on FdB) best of that group.
My favorite violets: Aimez-Moi (violet-anise-vanilla), Jolie Madame (violet leather), and Penhaligon’s Violetta. I think I need a decant of the Penhaligon’s…
BdV is a must try. I love it. Especially in Fall. I love the whole bois series, but this one is the most ethereal to me, lots of cedar but more austere than the fruitier of the bunch. Another favorite woody violet is Ormonde Woman.
BdV is truly gorgeous — I really, really want a bottle, but I’m having difficulty justifying the price tag. That’s one of the reasons I was having my violets day. On me, the BdV violets hum softly along in a low voice, and the woods are warm and low with just a light hint of sweetness. It lasts very long on my skin, but not harshly. While I do love SSS wood violet, BdV is infinitely more complex and subtle and mutable and I just can’t stop sniffing!
I was surprised to seriously love SSS Wood Violet. Perfect balance of the violet and woods. Very nice.
I know I am late, but I hope there’s still someone out there.
My question: Does anyone know of a perfume similar to NR For Her? Something in it “hits the spot” with its spicy undertones and warmth, but there is a kind of soapy note in the end that I am not crazy about.
I recently tried Kilian Back to Black, and I liked it initially, but then, on me, it develops as a cherbet, rather ripe and fruity.
I recently tried Tom Ford Noir de Noir: nice spice in the beginning, but gets somehow too linear in the end. Otherwise, I like the patchouli/truffle combo.
The skankiest scent I tried was Comme des Garsons, the original.
Sneaky Pie, I have heard that Sarah Jessica Parkers “Lovely” is like NR for her. I haven’t tried either so I don’t know for sure.
philosophy inner grace has a slight NR smell but more subltle…it may be a bit soapy though
I just recently purchased Tocca Cleopatra and I’ve heard comparisons to For Her.
Thank you for the suggestions! Unfortunately, SJP’s Lovely is not my cup of tea, but I will revisit it and try the others as well.
Second the Cleopatra for an alternative to Lovely or NR for Her. The Cleopatra seems less synthetic to me in the woody/patchouli part than the other two, and I love the grapefruit up top…
Plus, the bottle is soooo pretty.
My random thot, then I’m off to watch the Office with DH.
I am totally digging Alien right now. I think I’m the only person in existence who thinks the bottle is cool. Well, me and DH.
That bottle IS cool, SF! I smile every time I see a picture of it.
Sweeeeet, it makes me happy that you like it too, H!
since i took a snif at the hermessence Osmanthus Yunnan, I’ve been actively searching perfume with a prominant osmanthus scent, I tried Narciso For Her and Flora Gucci, both claimed to have osmanthus note but i can’t distinguish as I can for hermesessence……do anyone here know which perfume has a prominant osmanthus scent? I’m soooooo obsessed with it lol
I’m also lusting to try Havana vanille, but do anyone know when it will arrive to Asia? We don’t have much option here other than the typical fashion brand …….
I’ve detected the same aroma chemical that JCE calls “osmanthus” in a few others, although not always called that. It smells like a type of ionone to me. Rue Cambon, OJ Woman, Unicorn’s Spell and to a lesser extent before disappearing entirely, the new Guerlain, Mitsouko Fleur de Lotus.
You also might try Ormande Jayne’s scent Osmanthus.
OMG you must try Parfum D’Empire’s Osmanthus Interdite. I am an O freak and have tried many. That is my favorite.
The Different Company’s Osmanthus is very nice too, by the same parfumeur. I think he did this one first before adding the tea for the Hermessence. But maybe that’s a brand that would be tough to find in Asia.
Personally I can leave or take osmanthus but THAT one, I agree, is totally great.
Let’s see, what have my perfume adventures been? Oh — I tried Bois Blond the other day and ordered a bottle the same night! I don’t usually do that, but BB is one special fragrance! Any other fans out there? If so, I shout out to you. HAY!
Other interesting ones I’ve tried lately: Vero Profumo’s Onda, which isn’t me, I’m afraid (too in-your-face leather). However, it had one of the most beautiful vetiver notes I’ve smelled. Also tested Stephanie de Saint-Aignan Royal Palm. On me, it was a light and dreamy and spicy wood. Lovely! And today, I tested M. Micallef White Sea. I found it intoxicating – perhaps a little too dense and heady for me, but a great marine-but-not-aquatic blend. Luckyscent listed notes: lime, violet, patchouli, nutmeg, musk, grey amber, iris.
Lesson of the quarter for me? Give me cardamom and/or nutmeg and I turn into one of those lemming creatures you all speak of so fondly.
I love cardamom & nutmeg too — they’re never strong enough in perfume!
I don’t know about the nutmeg, but I know cardomon is prohibitively expensive.
H, that Micallef White Sea sounds good. I may have to order a sample. Makes me think that I really need to look up some of the best “ambergris scents.”
Robin, do you have CSP L’Eau de Gouverneur? Nutmeg city.
Joe, I think you would like White Sea! It’s supposed to be a masculine, and I suppose it is a bit on that side. I ordered samples of Black Sea and Gaiac, too, but haven’t tried them yet.
I really like Royal Palm too — I’m hoping maybe someone will be extremely generous and give it to me for Christmas.
As for nutmeg, I really like it in Jo Malone Vetyver. I love nutmeg too.
Hi Jill! Thanks for the Jo Malone Vetyver rec. That’s one I haven’t tried! I think Royal Palm’s going on my wish list, too.
Has anyone tried the LeLabo frags in silicon form? I’m desperate for the Oud, but the regular perfume is rather a stretch for my budget.
I haven’t, sorry! But in general I have not had good luck with the shelf life of silicone-based scents.
Thanks Robin.
A question from me this time:
Does anyone know if Balkis and Maharadjah ( both by Patricia de Nicolai) are still sold from her own shop(s)? Aus Liebe zum Duft still has them, but they are far more expensive that way.
Thanks for letting me know!
I’m not sure if you’re in Europe or the US, but beautyhabit.com still lists both for sale. Both great scents, I’d love to have some of each, though Maharanih has surpassed Maharadjah for my affection recently.
I am very late to reply to this. ( Have been away on holiday) I am in Europe. I wanted to know whether the De Nicolai shops themselves still sold them. Because they also sell the small bottles (30 mls.)
But thanks for replying anyway!
Still later with this; I will post in the first new lazy poll as well. I received the answer to my question straight from the De Nicolai shops themselves. Balkis is no longer made; has not been in production for a while. Maharadjah will soon or has already been discontinued. Fortunately various retailers still list it. I have spoiled myself by ordering both from AusLiebezumDuft.
Oh, how sad! But thanks for the news.
A day late to this thread, but an urgent question! I’ll be in Paris next week Thursday: besides Serge Lutens, Guerlain, L’Artisan, and Fragonard, where else should I go??
Hi,
What about one of the Nicolai shops? I don’t know if you like her scents? I think they are amazing, and all things considered very affordable. When I was in Paris ( in August) all her shops were closed because of the holidays, they should be open now. On het website you can find the addresses for her shops, there are 3 in Paris.
I would 2nd Nicolai, and perhaps also Annick Goutal? They still have Eau de Fier in Paris, I’m told, if that interests you. And then there’s the new Francis Kurkdjian shop, that would be fun. Other possibilities: Caron, The Different Company, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, Etat LIbre d’Orange, Frederic Malle.
And I assume you’ll hit the big department stores!
Don’t miss Malle !! Also, Galleries Lafayette and Sephora on the Champs Elyssee (the mother ship)–they will make samples of anything for you if you are really polite and try to ask in French !!!! Have fun
Thank you all! My nose has a lot of work ahead of it!
Don’t forget Hermes and Dior!
Frederic Malle is a must! I’ve been to the store in the Left Bank area, and it is very cool (space age!).
I wanted to like Aimez-Moi, because it is so affordable. But I get such a lingering synthetic smell from it. Same with Magnifique. Donna Karan’s Chaos (I have the old formula off eBay, not very expensive) does the woods better and is more classy, IMAO. And then there’s SL Bois de Violette – don’t get me started….
Aimez Moi never smelled “natural” to me at all, but also wondering if it’s been reformulated? I should try a recent version.
Gosh, I hope Aimez-Moi hasn’t been reformulated! I don’t get synthetic at all from it, but my bottle is a few years old.
Everything has been reformulated
Naked Honey seekers: Try calling a MAC store and asking for the “Gone But Not Forgotten” – the Estee Lauder Discontinued Product Dept.
They will take your order over the phone, then do a search for it.
If they find it in their inventory, they will bill your card and ship it to you!
Thanks! I do wonder if they’ll add it to the permanent line since it did so well.
I found one at the Mac counter at Saks this morning – I bought one, but came really close to snatching up all three of the ones that they had left.
I passed on the Asphalt Flower thing though – it smelled like nothing but hot asphalt on me.
Have you tried asking for the Gone, but Not Forgotten dept like someone suggested above? Someone on another blog said that they did it and that they were able to have it shipped to them. Either that or call the Mac counter at the Saks in the Houston Galleria – they had them yesterday and could maybe mail it to you?
A day late for my SOTD, but I’m wearing Sonoran Leather by Soivohle – which is from the newer Studio line. I love this awesome, complex scent! Liz describes the fragrance this way: ” A leather scent with all the intensity of the hot desert sun. It is both warm and dry, incorporating spice notes of cinnamon and clove with a backdrop of tobacco, jasmin and rose set against a deep animalic musk.” To my nose, it is warm and spicy, tho I don’t detect cinnamon and clove exactly, and the leather note is what really appeals to me the most about it.
I really really wanted to love her line, but something just didn’t work with my skin. I still sniff the samples though.
Oh, that’s too bad they didn’t work for you! I am a fan and enjoy quite a few of her scents. Have you tried the Sonoran Leather?
No, not that one. It really IS too bad, several were lovely scents. I never seem to have much luck w/naturals or oils. I tried Ginger Mead, Remarkably Incendiary, Honeysuckle Bird, Writing Lyrical Poetry, Vanillaville, and Woodmere. If she put out beeswax candles scented like some of these, I’d probably be alllll over them.
That is too bad. I really like a few of her scents and snapped up some small bottle when she was having a “clearance” a few months ago. I really like Ankhara (pomegranate coffee musk) and Calcutta, and her Moroccan Orange is very nice, among others. She’s not “all natural”, I don’t think, and the formulations I have aren’t oils (not a huge fan of those either).
Joe – I’m not sure whether they actually *are* oils or not (I thought so, but wouldn’t put money on it)…but they had that same sort of vibe for me. I envy anyone who can wear these well. They really were nice (can’t emphasize that enough).
It’s finally fall today, cloudy and cool with occasional rain. SOTD: JM Black Vetyver Cafe. It was a tough call, but I’m hoping to sneak in a few minutes at the mall when I go get the girls’ bunkbeds at IKEA after work, so I wanted something with lesser staying power.
I adore BVC. I really should buy it, but I swear it doesn’t even last an hour on me. Phooey.
I think I got between 2 and 3 hours, but that’s a flash in the pan on me. Of course, to be fair, it was dabbed on from a sample. Maybe if I poured it on…
I took up swimming 3 weeks ago. What smells good with chlorine?
and what smells good for the post-swim shower top up perfume?
I swim too and it is such a trouble about “chlorine skin” wrecking a fragrance. What I do is soap up really good after a swim to make sure my skin is as rinsed off as it can get, and then I use the Neutrogena Sesame Body Oil in a sprayer to mist over my skin. The oil just gets sucked right in since the skin is so dry from chlorine, and then I have the nice light fragrance that diminishes the chlorine smell that I hate so much and replenishes my skin with oils. About two hours later my skin is OK for fragrance. I think using the scented body oil after swim makes a big difference. You could find some neutral smelling scented body oil, or make your own from essential oil, and then use a non-competing base aroma like vanilla, for instance, and then put on the fragrance after the skin has stablized. I think removing the chlorine by soaping up and then adding back the skin oils is the key to dealing with chlorine skin.
I’d be tempted to try Ecume de Rose. Something about the smell of that one takes me back to summer, having just finished swimming, still cool and wet, but wrapped in a towel and ready for lunch. Whether it’s beach or pool swimming, I couldn’t say… but given that feeling it evokes for me, I’d be really curious to smell it on skin that still has a hint of chlorine.
Not sure what smells good WITH chlorine, but I’ve found that a dip in a chlorinated pool is just the ticket for getting rid of scrubbers! Seriously, if you’re testing out something with the potential for searing your nostril hairs and brain cells, do it before a swim.
Hi – was wondering if anyone knew where you could purchase Chanel No. 22 or Bois des iles in the parfum version in the US? I’ve tried Nordstroms but no luck! Thank you for the info!
Hi Eliza, I’m really sorry to say that I don’t know anymore. You used to be able to get them at the Chanel boutique in NYC, but I don’t know if you still can. I’d try calling the Chanel fragrance counter at Saks in NYC, because I think that’s one of their bigger counters, and ask them. If they don’t know, then the answer might unfortunately be: Paris.
Or maybe someone who knows for sure will chime in!
Wore Chinatown creme with Park Avenue on top, and loved it, loved it. BTW, sampled Bond No. 9 Success this week at Saks and definitely want a FB.
Oh thanks, didn’t even know Success was out yet!
Maybe we should have tried this on skin today – on the card, it smelled like Old Spice. Not that I have anything against Old Spice, but I can get it for a lot less than the Bond.
Robin — Actually they just had a sample at Saks only. SA said they are slated to get Success by October 3. Will let you know.
Ah, that’s about when I thought it was coming — thanks!
I hate being late to the Thursday polls! Busy day yesterday.
Someone who is training me said she was looking for a new scent. I brought her a sample of Tauer Reverie au Jardin and she liked it enough to order a decant. Success! She wanted something fresh, but warm and outdoorsy and unique. I am going to give her some other stuff to try just for fun.
Today I wore Soviohle Palomino, which is nice but disappeared too quickly. Need to be a bit careful since I will be dealing with the public, and I also am running around and schvitzing so strong scents might be a bit much for work now.
Working on a few new samples – all very sweet for some reason. Saint and Sinner by Kat vonD and TF Black Orchid (OMG that stuff is sa-ha-ha-weeeeet. I got cavities.) & Grey Vetiver (meh). That’s about it. Saint is super-candy but sometimes I kind of like that. Haven’t tried Sinner.
Better late than never
And how nice that you found a scent for your co-worker! And that’s not an easy one, either.
Thank you all for the inspiring words on age+classic scents!
I was to shy somehow. Now I will make sure I will grab myself one of those small Guerlain LHB extrait, the old ones. One drop is enough for two days.
Hi everyone!! I’m new here, love the site. What company distributes Haloween? Also does anyone have any information on the Fragrances by 50 Cent and Kim K through Lighthouse Beauty Firm? Would love any info on this company. Thank you in advance!!
Halloween is by J Del Pozo. We’ve announced the 50 Cent:
https://nstperfume.com/2009/06/26/50-cent-power-patrick-dempsey-2-new-fragrances-for-men/
…but not the KK — it’s not due out until next year.