The usual routine: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you'd forgotten you owned until an online mention jogged your memory, the next perfume you'll buy, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is p_0437 [doubled] by tomooka at flickr; some rights reserved.
HA! first comment on a Friday Lazy Poll!!! *cackle*
Nooooo! How did you beat me?!?
hahahahaa quick typing and short comment! *grin*
Daisy, I had a question; those samples you sent are women’s frags, right? I just read Kevin’s Santal review and it implied that it was for men ( even with the ten million different bottles in the accompaning picture). Just wonderin’!
Um, the first to ask a question of the first-to-commenter? Yeah, that’s me baby! Woo-HOO!
other than the WGP, I’m not entirely sure what scents I sent ! (yes, that was fun to say: scents I sent, 3 times fast!)
Sounds like I sent a sample of Santal 33 ?
Feminine versus Masculine is so subjective…. to me if something is really marine, ozone, violet leaf, or lavender; then my brain tends to slide them way down to the XY end of the perfume continuum….. conversely , the more gardenia or tuberose that is evident; my brain slides them toward the XX end. I’m sure very “woody” fragrances for some people scream “MANLY” but for me, they do not. oh, and yeah; mainstream men’s scents do mostly smell the same so we’re not even talking about any of those. Is Santal 33 masculine? I don’t know….I love sandalwood!! It’s not very “girlie” , that’s true, but to me Santal 33 is fascinating stuff….and because I can never test one thing at a time…I’ve found that it layers really well. I had Santal33 on one arm and 1000 Flowers Reglisse Noire on the other and I swear, I wanted to sprawl out on the rug, cross my arms over my face and just lay there sniffing myself! (that’s not sick, is it?)
Oh, ok, that’s fine I suppose. I do love me some nice sandalwood and have a few such blends in my own collection (tho none as sophisticated as the ones that comprise yours, I’m sure!). I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t toooo masculine before I put it on; although from what I could smell right thru the vial, it’s pretty nice (I don’t usually open my samples until I’m ready to use them, spillage and all.
As for the sniffing-on-a-rug-thing…….just make sure you’ve got some chocolates and red wine on hand! :;
Oops, that was suppose to be a winky face; dang, I can’t type after a couple Smirnoffs….;)
Sigh……..
that’s okay…by virtue of this glass of Amaretto –I was able to correctly interpret your emoticon-thingy!
can’t drink wine (sensitive tummy) but trust me….there’s always high quality dark chocolate on hand! One never knows when the need will arise…..I could win a bottle on ebay (need chocolate) or LOSE a bottle on ebay (need chocolate) I could have a bottle arrive in the mail (again, cause for chocolate) or *gasp* NOT get an expected bottle in the mail ( more chocolate please…)
btw –never hesitate to try the masculines either! I tend toward feminines….don’t care for the majority of masculines….and yet one of my all time favorite scents is YSL M7 —which I’ve read is extremely masculine! ha! smells faboo if you ask me! My point is that if you categorically shy away from masculines, you are at risk of missing something truly wonderful!
Be an Intrepid Tester!
Well, that’s good advice, actually; maybe I will try that sample of Echo Man that I have stashed in my sample box after all!
Just seconding Daisy here on a) the importance of having chocolate on constant stand-by and b) value of testing everything regardless of M/F denomination. Some of my favs are marketed as masculines, like Guerlain Vetiver. Annick Goutal markets many of their frags in both feminine (rounded) and masculine (rectangular) bottles. And some niche firms and noses make no distinction, really. There are some masculines that I love but rarely wear, like Caron Troisieme (sp?) Homme, but I have a FB (it’s cheap) to sniff from time to time, and others that I could never wear, but the designation won’t keep me from trying them if they sound at all interesting.
and now that I’ve nabbed the spot….I can leisurely comment….hey, that’s not shallow, is it?? *giggle*
Today I’m doused in 1000 Flowers Reglisse Noire and really digging the “Good n Plenty” black licorice-ness of it…..but I forgot that I’d be decanting Laboratorio Olfattivo Daimiris today so I’m bummed to have applied something spendy so lavishly and now it’s going to get obliterated by leather and orris….oh well, maybe I’ll delay the decanting for a couple of hours.
Also, eagerly awaiting the dulcet tones of the mail truck since I’m hoping for a perfume delivery….but …umm, when am I NOT hoping for a perfume delivery?
One of my favorite sounds: a delivery truck in my driveway! 😉
Hey, we’re on the same wave length today! I just spritzed the little one w/Etro Anice to cheer her up about her dead fishy pet, and I’m ALSO awaiting a package today. 🙂
oh no! fish down! fish down! poor N.
sigh…that is sort of the way of fishy pets I’m afraid. I read somewhere that the average lifespan of a gold fish is 2 years….but I disagree with that as I have “starter” goldfish in my koi pond that are already 5 years old and seem quite hale and hearty.
((((((( N ))))))
We only managed 2 weeks, but given my track record, even that was impressive. She’s handling it pretty well, brave girl, and we’ve promised to get a replacement fish. He was swimming happily at dinnertime, but when I checked him at bedtime after thinking “gee, it’s time to put in fresh water”….. he was gone. 🙁
Oh, and she’s taking him to bury with all the other passed pets at my parents’ house. That made her happy. J had a box from a mini of Armani Code and let her decorate it for a casket. 🙂
are you on city water by any chance?
Yep, that’s why I didn’t expect him to make it, but the dechlorinator worked really well. At least, I would assume if it was the chlorine, he would have kicked it faster than 2 weeks.
Oh, and hers was a guppy, not a goldfish.
guppies can be very touchy fish. When I kept freshwater tanks–I could not get guppies to live!
When I bought goldfish for my son (10 years ago), the guy at the pet store said that with proper care, goldfish can live 30 years! He was oddly passionate about his goldfish, and didn’t want to sell them to people who wouldn’t take proper care of them. Crazy, huh? But I have to say, one of those fish is still alive today (and huge). My son will be going off to college this summer, and I’ll be stuck taking care of his stupid fish! For 20 more years? The dang fish may outlive me!
is he outside? maybe I can send a Great Blue Heron your way…take care of the unwanted huge goldfish right quick —although if you have expensive fish as well —they will eat the rare/expensive ones first…I know this from experience. 🙁
Daisy – I am sorry to chuckle at your great heron misfortune. I would never imagine them to get so civilised. as to dine on your water landscaping! I’ve heard of racoons eating coi, but never heron. We have lots of them up here on the wetlands, but they are very shy and fly away when I even open the door. Ours sits for hours in the creek like a gorgeous statue. They nest up here. It’s so cool.
Around here they are bold as brass predators! They are smart and would watch the french doors for me to come out and shoo him away…. one particularly persistent fellow ate about a dozen of my beautiful fish. Easy prey—the Koi are almost tame and come right up to anyone!, they even come right up to the cats! Roxie snuck up on the fish eater and got tail feathers….he didn’t come back. Last year at the end of the season I had one that kept landing in the shrubs or landing on the yard but I don’t think it was the same one, he was more cautious and I kept scaring him away. This spring as soon as the ground was thawed , DH built me a fence around the accessible side of the pond using a black nylon volleyball net and green metal garden stakes—it is 3ft+ tall and really not “too” noticeable….and it keeps those fish-eating-wretches out of the pond! gah!
gorgeous statue….yep…right up until you notice your prize butterfly koi hanging out of their beak! I love to see them in natural wetlands….I hate to see them in my yard. 🙁
Gosh – what a pest – what a story. It sounds like you need to get a bald eagle pet to scare away the heron! Maybe you could use some well placed secretions magnifique to keep them away, lol. Who needs liquid fence? Does that work on big birds? Arg!!
I have a man on a little putt-putt motor scooter. Sadly I’m always at work when he calls. But he is the love of my life. Truly.
annemarie 😀
Has anyone tried Andy Tauer’s Zeta yet? I adore real linden blossom smell and I’ve been looking for a perfect summer floral for a while. I finally caved in and ordered a sample today after learning that Les Senteurs will be increasing their sample prices from next month. I’d love to know what other thought of it, though.
Also I discovered the other day that Le Labo sell samples online on their website. I’m thinking of trying Oud, Patchouli, Neroli and Iris, any other recs?
I love Fleur d’Oranger 27 –it’s my favorite orange blossom, pretty straightforward stuff. and Santal 33 is great on me despite Kevin’s disappointment in the far dry down. For me it reaches this nutty-woody state and just stays glorious for hours…then suddenly fades away. Perhaps that is the musky period that Kevin mentions and I just can’t smell it?
Oh, yes, I’m thinking of trying Santal too. I know that Kevin and a few others weren’t impressed but it sounds so good on paper – sandalwood, cardamom, leather…
And it was Kevin’s review that sent me to Le Labo’s website where I discovered that they do samples!
Have you tried Jo Malone’s and Penhaligon’s orange blossoms? How does Le Labo compare to those?
I’m afraid that everything I’ve tried from Jo Malone has gone very flat and iccky within moments…just don’t like the line. Although I’ve not sniffed the OB.
Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom– I have that one…Penhaligon’s OB has a little zing to it, a little more of an artificial note…and it’s really light…not much longevity.
Le Labo Fd’O27 –is very heady orange blossoms….to me it’s sweet and more realistic….like sticking your whole face into one of those old fashioned Mock Orange bushes in full bloom. Sometimes I put on a spritz of SL Clair de Musc with the Fd’O and it gets compliments every time.
forgot to mention that the Penhaligon’s OB has a bit of that “pencil shavings” note in the dry down….so if you love pencil shavings or hate them…well, just know it’s in there.
I can’t do most Jo Malones either. The only one that has worked for me so far is Dark Amber & Ginger Lily, though I’d still like to try one or two others.
Thanks, Daisy, that’s really helpful! Full on orange blossom bush sounds good.
Jo Malone is not my favourite line but their orange blossom is one of the nicer ones, I think. My biggest gripe with them is the complete lack of longevity. Most of them disappear after about an hour.
Penhaligon’s one was quite fun. It was a little skanky on me (nothing hardcore) but, thankfully, I don’t remember getting pencil shavings.
Boo, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily is my favourite JM too! It’s also the only one that doesn’t completely disappear after an hour.
Hi Abyss – I find JM Orange Blossom not fresh enough – it is pleasant, although I think it wears more masculine/cold weather. ( I find the French Lime Blossom to be a nice linden blossom floral.) I am more misses than hits with the JM line.
There are a lot of good OB’s around: Caron Nocturnes, Mona di Orio Jabu, Laura Mercier Neroli, Lorenzo Villoresi Dilmun… I could go on. Good luck!
I loved Zeta so much that I wore it at my wedding. It is summery but also kind of luxurious, and it has great longevity. The linden flowers are shimmering and they are made creamy by the addition of vanilla and a woody base.
Sounds like it’s very nice on you!
also –Zeta was 15 minutes of herbal/citrus on me….not impressed. But (and this is important) Tauer scents generally do NOT work for me. Only Une Rose Chypree which I lurve.
Second the Une Rose Chypre. I also like Incence Rose and the tiniest bit of Rose Vermeille. Other AT fragrances are hit or miss with me. I love the smoky rubber opening of Lonestar Memories.
yep, the only other AT fragrance I like is Incense Rose….which smells mostly like pine trees and turpentine….great stuff!
oooh – turpentine? With my current desire for a rubber/gasoline scent maybe I need to revisit Incense Rose.
when I wear Incense Rose I feel very artistic because it takes me right back to my days of painting and etching clases…..Of course I shudder to think of all xylene and turpentine and inks that I got all over my hands and up to my elbows ! Messy art classes are the best!
While I have not tried Zeta, there are reviews on Perfume Posse, Perfume Shrine and the Non-Blonde. I know several people here have commented that it is not very long-lasting. It does sound lovely though!
I really like Zeta but it isn’t out-and-out love. It’s much quieter than his others were before this one and it lasts quite a while. I’m not familiar with linden blossoms so can’t compare it to that but it is quite pretty.
I’ve also tried D’Orsay Tilleul and Neil Morris Clear. I like them both better than Zeta, for me.
I have Zeta and love it, but I’m the opposite of Daisy in that I haven’t met a Tauer yet that hasn’t worked on me. Zeta smells like a very true-to-life linden on me, but I’m waiting for the tree in my front yard to bloom (in a week or so I think) before testing the scent against the real thing. Zeta is extremely light (for a Tauer), however, and I have to spray about 6 times, but once on it does last on me. So for me, longevity isn’t a factor. It does wear closer to the skin than most Tauers, but I like that. I don’t need to knock people over EVERY day of the week!
Thanks everyone for your thoughts on Zeta. I don’t mind light/quiet, the real thing is quite delicate so that doesn’t surprise me. Short-lived would be a problem, though. *sigh* I’ll just have to wait and see.
There’s a huge linden tree right outside my living room window and I’m already seeing buds. Hopefully it won’t be long until the flowers finally appear.
If you like, I could send you a spray sample of Zeta. I ordered one in Andy’s discovery set, but my husband got me a bottle for Mother’s Day before I could use up the sample. (Andy’s samples are very generous.) Send me your address to klmurai at sbcglobal.net. This is a scent that you really have to spray to sample.
Oh, that’s so kind of you. I’m not sure where you are but I’m in UK so ‘d don’t want you to go out of your way and I’ll understand if that’s too much trouble 🙂
Don’t mind shipping overseas, but it will take longer to get to you!
Abyss – There are rows of linden trees where I live so I was really anticipating Zeta. On my skin, it was a very soapy orange blossom/generic sweet flower, more like smelling honeysuckle than linden. I can see why some folks like it, and I think my expectations might have been too high after smelling the real thing so strongly for weeks every year!
Zeta didn’t say “linden” to me at all…..the scent that is closest to linden to me is MAC Naked Honey…..hmm, maybe I’ll wear that today….although I’ll be shoveling mulch so maybe I don’t want the bumble bees quite that interested in me….
Naked Honey is gorgeous. I think it is the most “rare” scent that I own. What a tragedy it’s gone.
AG Eau de Ciel has a lovely soft linden accord, but it’s very naturalistic with a soft warm hay note in the background. Longevity is pretty good for an AG.
See, I tried both JM French Lime Blossom and AG Eau de Ciel and wasn’t impressed.
JM Lime Blossom CANDLE smells much closer to real linden than any perfume that I tried so far including the two I just mentioned. OJ Frangipani has a really nice and very realistic linden accord but most of the time it gets over-powered by citrus and whatever other stuff that’s in it.
I was thinking that that one was discontinued even before I read Ann’s comment confirming it. Sigh….
well, the AG scent that works for me is a rare thing indeed. (Rose Splendide and Mandragore are pretty much it) so I don’t know about eau Ciel…….JM candles might be really nice since it’s not ON my skin.
Naked Honey was discontinued (it seems) like the same day it was released! Seriously–here and gone! But still can be found on ebay. Due to the efforts of a wonderful fellow NST reader , I haz a back up bottle <3 <3 <3
I found it relatively long-lived, so maybe you will be okay. But the thing is, I didn’t like it all that much, and that may be why it seems to last a while!
I can tell sense Zeta is beautiful. I think it must be that I don’t care for the smell of Linden. I didn’t think I had ever smelled it before and so out of curiosity I included Zeta when I got a Tauer sample set. Turns out that I must have smelled it and not known it, because it when I smelled Zeta the scent was familiar. Just too rich and honeyed for me.
I like Le Labo’s Bergamotte 22, lovely green floral with a touch of spice.
Thanks again, ladies. Wow, the opinions really differ on Zeta, don’t they? I’ve no idea what to expect now but I’m definitely looking forward to find out for myself soon 😀
I have a question. The time has come for me to start downsizing my perfume collection. You know how it is, unsniffed purchases, cheap deals that seemed good at the time, or merely falling out of love.
In your experience what is the best way to sell those poor unused bottles? ebay? basenotes? or someplace else?
Thanks
Excellent question….I need to do this too.
**gasp** Can you really part with some of your bottles?!
don’t get all excited! lol
mostly I need to unload some of the more mainstreamish/designer bottles….like MJ Daisy, Lucien LeLong, Burberry, Armani etc. I may post something at scent wiki or basenotes to get rid of them cheap, but also was thinking of donating to the Detroit Zoo for the big cats. I also have a couple nice teenage girls on my street who might like something. All I know, is that my cabinets are getting jam-packed and I’ve no room for Cabinet #4, so somethings got to go!
OK, you’ve piqued my interest. How do the big cats play into it?
This is for matildaben – many zoos use fragrances with big cats as part of enrichment activities. The San Diego Zoo is now doing a study on it – http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2011/01/06/cologne-perfume-needed-for-cats/
there’s been a few studies about big cats and fragrance….I understand they really like Opium!….when sprayed on things like logs in their habits they rub and snorfle and paw at it….general fun things that all cats like to do. It seems that the big cats have boredom issues…poor babes, I can understand. Right about now someone should pop up with a link to an article about this, sorry that I don’t have any handy but I’m sure you could google it. 🙂
I suppose the Zoos find it less litigious to spray donated perfume around the pens than to toss in irritating juvenile visitors for the cats to play with . Although, the last time I was at the Zoo…there were a couple kids that I thought tossing to the big cats would certainly improve MY zoo experience….and I’m not even that cranky!!!
Thanks Odonata! that’s exactly what we needed! 🙂
My cats usually bolt whenever I apply fragrance, but yesterday I had on my vintage Mitsouko parfum, and the oldest one actually tentatively sniffed it and then licked my arm!
Rapple, I think my cats are older than your boys…..acclimatied over the years and such: mine just heave a heavy sigh and give me a look of resignation….
I don’t want to, but I feel a little sorry for the unused ones when they see others, like Shalimar Ode a La Vanille, or Serge ISM or (on my low budget days) Michael or Dior Addict, get all the attention. They really do deserve to be in a home where they will be lavished with love and attention. 🙂
that’s it exactly! It’s not that I hate them….it’s more a question of languishing at the back of the cabinet! sad sad sad!
I also need to cull out about 12 bottles and a jillion samples. I made a list and can’t figure out if circulating a swap list with my friends would help, if I should just have a yard sale with lots of other girly things, or should just donate them to Goodwill and take the deduction. I don’t feel like dealing with ebay, although that’s always a choice.
This is for AnnS – a clothing/accessory swap with friends is a great way to get rid of stuff. Did one with friends recently and people brought stuff they would normally give to Goodwill – bring some stuff and take whatever you like. People brought purses, shoes, clothes, hair products, jewelry. It was lots of fun, even though I could only swap accessories as my person and feet are bigger than all of my friends!
Odonata – that sounds like fun!
Ok, we should all just start driving to the city nearest the center of the US with our boxes of unwanted and neglected bottles, and just have a crazy fragrance swap meet. It will be like the fragrance equivalent of Burning Man, lol. 😉
One of the nice things about the SF Sniff was that we wer able to get rid of samples that had been gathering dust. At the end of the day when the people who were left went and had dinner at Out the Door we passed around plates, and you either took samples or left some. I left I lot, and it was quite a relief. I got rid of a Serge Lutens sample of Nuit de Cellophane that I had picked up at their store in Paris which was a miniature model of their export line bottles. Pretty bottle but boring fragrance.
@AnnS:
Ann, I don’t know how many samples you actually have and how much you would sell them for, but I wonder if you and I could get a transaction going or something; I’m new at this, so I don’t know how we would go about doing that. If that’s something you would be interested in, let me know.
Hi Gategirl – I hope you see this waaay down here. What the heck. You can contact me at anneroosie @ hotmail dot com and we’ll see what we can work out. 🙂
My cat licks my collarbones when I have certain fragrances on.
Ummmm please give us an alert when you have your garage sale as I certainly want to be there!!!
Will do!
I need to do this also….to make room for more 🙂
Me too. 🙂
I’ve sold perfumes on ebay before, they seem to sell fairly well. You can always look through completed listings to get an idea of what sort of prices things go for.
I just make sure that I include an honest description, some clear photos and package really, really well to avoid any surprises and disappointments.
I have recently downsized, as I feel perfume should be in a loving home rather than constantly passed over.
Agree, I have found that perfume does very well on Ebay, both mainstream and niche.
Although Ebay has been responsible for some wine fuelled impulse purchases (nothing to do with me natch) on the upside it has helped with recycling the less successful ones (how could I have misread eau de parfum as parfum??)
Wine fueled purchase?! Glad I’m not the only one.
I haven’t sold any, but I have bought used (and new) bottles off of eBay, Basenotes, and the ScentSplits Wiki, so that is one other option. I’d like to downsize my collection too, but my full bottles are not very pricey – all my high-end stuff is decants/splits, so not easy to sell. So then I swap and end up with even more stuff! Good luck!
I’m in exactly the same boat. But I need to sort through and see which things I really want to get rid of first. I need more free time!
Tara, someone in the past has suggested contacting your local women’s shelter to see if you can donate your perfume.
Fabulous Idea!!!!
This is what I do with all the GWP skincare, shampoo, and makeup samples I get. I also take perfume there sometimes. You can also donate it to a thrift store run by Goodwill your favourite charity. One of mine has an “exclusive” section that has nice dresses, bags, and perfume. Imagine the thrill of another perfumista finding it – I love hearing about other people’s thrift store finds. Angela and Miss Kitty have amazing finds (Amouage?!) from thrift stores.
I love this idea too.
Before you donate perfume to any charitable or benefit thrift, be sure to ask first what their policy is on “used” bottles of perfume. A friend who works at our county’s largest hospital benefit thrift shocked me when she confessed that she & her fellow volunteers are instructed to throw such donations straight in the garbage. Apparently, only new/shrink-wrapped perfumes are acceptable under their policy. The reason given for discarding the pre-owned perfume was that , having been “used”, it was “unhygienic” (despite the fact that it’s mostly alcohol!). My friend told me I would burst into tears if I knew what was going into the dumpster!
If you bring your perfume donations to Goodwill, don’t be surprised (or discouraged) if they never actually make it onto the shelf. High end items such as fragrance are often set aside to be listed on Goodwill’s national online auction site, shopgoodwill.com. The profits still go to the right place, but it’s up to the bidders to decide how much they’re willing to pay– and sometimes, it’s quite a lot!
Well now I’m a lttle envious! It seems that every time I go to a thrift shop or Goodwill to find nice frags on the cheap I come up empty. I think the most I’ve found is a teeny-tiny bottle of Tabu (did not last very long) and one of the only Ralph Lauren scents I don’t like. And those you can find at Kohls on sale.
Try antique stores – the bigger, the better. Look for “emporiums” in which shop space is leased to a multitude of vendors– very often these will have the best selection on both new & vintage perfumes, and they will be priced more reasonably to compete with the other sellers.
That is a great idea. I would do that too, except that I don’t know where my local women’s shelters are. They are very low key, sitting anonymously in the suburbs, so that violent husbands and partners can’t find them.
You’re right. There happens to be one in a house in my suburban neighborhood. You can contact local churches or organizations that help the homeless and they can get what you have to the people who need it. I also happen to live close to a family shelter that provides long term services to the residents. The family gets to stay together and the parents receive life skills counseling (budgeting, parenting, etc.) while they continue their education to either finish high school or get a GED and also receive vocational training and are allowed (expected) to work while they live there (usually 2-3 years) and they put part of their paychecks into an equity account so that when they are ready to move out on their own they have money for deposits, utilities, etc. The children attend school in our (exemplary) local school district.
Anyway, the women need clothing appropriate for job interviews and cosmetics and such are always appreciated.
It is difficult to locate an actual shelter for the reasons you mentioned, but they do have places where you can donate items without disclosing the location of the actual shelter.
Marvellous, thanks.
My favorite is Alba Botanic Very Emollient Body Lotion Original Unscented which you can get at very decent prices at Vitacost.
The perfume posse is hosting a swap next week which will probably be a good way to unload some goodies!
Tara – starting on the 22nd I think, and running through the weekend, Perfume Posse is hosting a swap. Just comment and list what you’d like to move. Of course that won’t really help you to cut down as you’ll get something in return, but you may end up with something you really love.
Rapp – good tip. I’ll have to post on this PP swap.
See you there! 🙂
I’m not a big fan of lotions in general, finding most sticky or overly scented, and I hate the ‘residue’ that a lot of lotions leave on my skin. I recommend trying jojoba oil instead
I found a bottle at my local health food store (Now Solutions is the brand I have). The gal at the store told me that jojoba oil is the closest to your skin’s natural sebum. I found that it absorbs super quickly (seriously!) and does not leave any residue at all (great for hands!) and adds just enough moisture without being greasy or oily or sticky. I’ve also found that it helps my perfumes last a bit longer AND you can put it on after your perfume without changing the scent (lock it in, so to speak.)
I do tend to have extra dry hands & feet and jojoba oil helps a lot – it’s also great on legs and arms, of course! (Make sure you exfoliate, too – that’ll help any product sink in.)
CM, thanks for the rec. I will surely try this!
I have two complaints today:
1) Canada Post is STILL on strike and I have so many things I’m waiting for. This is endless!!
2) Too many American-based frag shops won’t deliver to Canada, or if they do, at exorbitant prices. My latest curiosity is Providence Perfumery. Of course, no shipping to Canada.
Okay, I needed that. Thanks for listening 🙂
I sympathize. I was a Lollia scent but they also don’t ship to Canada 🙁 Also… if my father’s day card doesn’t get to my stepdad because of this strike madness, I will be sad
i know, whats the deal? Do they have any idea when it will stop? I’m not in Canada but I have two girls in Canada who I’m swapping with and I haven’t sent out (or received obviously) yet bc we’re all worried about our stuff getting lost. Don’t they know we have important business to do in the mail??!!
I know this has been asked before because I wrote down the answers but now this list has gone missing!
I need to find a nice, inexpensive, unscented lotion that I can use daily. I know I’m getting old because the calendar tells me so but to have my body scream it at me daily is hard to take. My skin keeps getting thinner and more dry as the days go by so I need to find something for the dryness but also as an anchor for perfume. Thanks!
I’ve been using this one: http://www.drugstore.com/seed-grape-seed-enriched-healthy-hand-cream-simply-fragrance-free/qxp310867
I usually buy it from alice.com but this seems to be a better deal. It is fairly light cream, almost lotiony. I am particular about ingredients and like this one. I also love the creams and lotions from cocoapink.net (they are my favorite) but they are usually scented. You can order unscented, but I’ve never tried. Their goatmilk and honey lotion is great and perfect for summer. hope this helps!
Dry Skin Queen Daisy has the answer for you:
Eucerin Calming Creme daily moisturizer .
comes in an 8oz tube. And doesn’t sting cracked knuckles.
I use this every day.
Eucerin is good stuff. Not outrageously expensive, and easy to find.
I wish it contained no parabens….if I could find something like Eucerin w/o parabens, I’d switch.
which is why sometimes I make my own Shea butter body creams.
Daisy – this is the one I use because it’s organic:
http://www.mercolahealthyskin.com/organic-body-butter.aspx
And despite being a thick butter, it absorbs very quickly and isn’t greasy. A little goes a long way though. I use it while I’m still damp from the shower.
Thanks Rapple –going to check it out!
…and ordered! I can hardly wait for shipping! 🙂
😀
I got some of the butter and the lotion. J will be excited–she’s even more “anti-evil-synthetic-chemicals” than I am!
TWO shiny stones for your enablers pin! perfumes, lotions…enabling is enabling! 🙂
Tiara, I can help! During the winter I bought a few purse size unscented lotions and tested. The winners:
–Jergens Ultra Healing Intense Moisture Therapy Fragrance Free Moisturizer
–Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, fragrance free
But, because, like you I was looking for extra cheap I bought Target’s version of the Aveeno. Their version of the Jergens did not come in fragrance free, so beware when going generic!
Even with these unscented lotions, I’m careful about applying it on my arms where I’m going to spray perfume, going very light if at all.
I hope you find one you like. The texture can be an issue, not just the scent.
There’s surprisingly little choice of good, reasonably priced, unscented body lotions. I quite like Neutrogena; it’s not my favourite but does a decent job without being heavy/oily/sticky, etc.
I’m looking for a similar thing except that I’d like it to also have SPF. I’ve yet to find one in UK.
I use Alba Very Emollient unscented lotion – it’s paraben and phtalate free for the green types, and Target sometimes has it – if not try Amazon or your local health food store.
Philosophy makes a really nice, unscented lotion in a pump dispenser that I’ve been pleased with. I also second the Aveeno choice for a quick, easy-to-buy option.
I like Nivea Creme. It doesn’t claim to be unscented, but it doesn’t smell. It’s very thick, which is good for hands in semi-desert winters.
You know that Princess Kate, I mean, the Duchess of Cambridge was seen buying Nivea cream at Boots recently. That’s a Royal Endorsement!
Unfortunately, I find Nivea Creme unpleasant-smelling, so Haunani would have to sniff it first. (I guess tastes differ…)
I don’t use it, but I always use unscented. One time I was in Bath and Body Works and asked if they had an unscented lotion. They looked at me like I had two heads. It’s a shame because I like some of their lotions and esp. the triple moisture shower cream (great for shaving) if only they were unscented.
Nivea on skin is awful!! Really, it gags me.
You know, this just drives the point home: Kate needs our help. She needs it BAD!
There’s another one for the “EST” column. I love Nivea. Unfortunately, I’m also seriously allergic to it, or at least used to be 20 yrs ago. I bought some recently to try again, but M swiped it before I could try it. She’s with you… hates the smell… but keeps using it anyway even though I bought the kind she DOES like at the same time. Kids.
Now, this is weird because I’m with Ruth on this one. Nivea is also too greasy for my skin.
LOL — you know I love you Haunani —but I should really send you all my samples that I HATE !!! Or I should split them up between you and Boo. 🙂 Y’all would find a bunch of new HGs *rolling eyes*
🙂
I really like the unscented version of “Everyday Shea”, which I think you can find at Whole Foods.
I have crazy dry skin too. I highly recommend Neutrogena body oil (there’s an unscented version) for right out of the shower. It absorbs very quickly and feels great. I’ve also been using CeraVe cream which comes in a huge tube. It’s just a little thicker than a lotion but doesn’t take forever to rub in. Also unscented. Both under $15.
I have always had very dry skin, which is becoming increasingly sensitive as I get older. I swear by fragrance free Curel. It’s the only lotion I’ve ever used that really lasts for 24 hours and also keeps the dry skin itch down in winter. In the summer though I also use the Aveeno baby lotion, which has a very nominal oatmeal type smell, but is very good and has never interfered with a fragrance. .
yep, I have some of that too. Good stuff.
I find Aveeno to be too sticky….I hate sticky.
anything Jergen’s always stings or itches.
and I hate anything greasy…..egad, I’m so picky!!
No, not picky. *Particular* 😉
Paula’s Choice makes some really nice unscented lotions – Slip Into Silk is the only one I can use on my whole body without feeling sticky and slimy. It’s really great.
This company is only on the Internet I think, at: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/
She started out sort of debunking much of what the cosmetic industry passes as true information and then branched out into her own lines of products which I have found to be excellent.
I prefer Eucerin but I find most of the Lubriderm products non-greasy.
Doesn’t Laurie (SSS) offer a really nice body lotion? I know it’s scented but I’ll bet you could ask her for unscented. I always choose unscented lotion because my skin is so sensitive and I don’t want it to clash with my perfume. If I do use a scented lotion to go with my perfumes I only apply to my arms and usually after I’ve already used the regular stuff.
I’ve used Laurie’s unscented body butter…..it’s very nice, maybe just a tad too much emulsifying wax for my tastes. But over all: one of the best body butters out there.
Thank you for all of the info about lotions. I have not only TYPED it this time, but saved it AND printed it out.
hey doll, I’m making a note to send you some of this all organic Dr. Mercola stuff that Rapple recommended….seems I owe you a packet anyhow. Rapple’s kind of the house expert on all things Essential oil, natural, and good for your skin type stuff– I’m eager to try it.
There’s a few other good sounding ones to look into as well….my skin needs the help!
Late to the party. Clinique Deep Comfort body lotion.
Oh wait, 2nd this. My mother loves it, too rich for me at the moment.
OH and my fav is actually Banana Boat after sun, unscented lotion. Huge bottle. Great for all around not just post sunbathing which i don’t even do anymore.. speaking of getting older… It makes your skin look really youthful i don’t know what it is. It just gives the illusion of tightening everything up and giving it a healthy glowy rejuvenating moisture but with no sparkles or whatever it is they put in other “glow” making lotions. And definitely no tanning stuff. Always put it on when wearing shorts or a skirt.
I recommend Dr. Mercola’s organic body butter:
http://www.mercolahealthyskin.com/organic-body-butter.aspx
I’m pretty freaky about using not using anything that isn’t organic as the skin absorbs a very high percentage of what you put on it!
gosh , no kidding! I hate reading a list of ingredients that sounds like a stocklist in a laboratory! I think people forget that your skin is an organ….in fact: it’s your single largest organ….take care what you put on it ; cuz that’s what you’re putting in it too.
Bottom line – if you wouldn’t drink it; don’t put it on your skin!
Egggzackly!
…except for perfume 😉
Except for perfume!
Shikai makes an unscented lotion with borage oil that is fantastic and inexpensive. Another one is Alba’s unscented lotion. These can be found at the health food store or the”natural” section of your grocery sometimes.
I use a lot of Lubriderm Intense Skin Repair lotion – not labeled unscented, but the ingredients do not include fragrance, and also their everyday moisture lotion with SPF. I also like Eucerin Sensitive Skin Everyday Protection SPF 30, which is labeled fragrance-free.
I like Cerave – comes in both cream and lotion, unscented.
The aveeno stuff is really great lasts all day for sure, and comes unscented.
I like the Alba Bontanica lotion, but if you really want to have something pure and scent free, try pure organic jojoba oil (straight). I use this in the winter. It’s apparently the oil most compatible with human skin, and it’s got nothing else in it. They have it at Trader Joe’s for a very good price, but it is otherwise available in health food stores, Whole Foods, etc. You can also mix it with salt for a salt scrub or sugar for a sugar scrub. No other ingredients needed. You could add an essential oil or two if you wanted a fragrances. A friend of mine makes her scrubs from sweet almond oil from the food section of the natural food store.
So for the past month or so I’ve been taking the Metro into DC for my commute instead of driving in and I’ve noticed how the prospect of being stuck on a train for what could be anywhere between 25 minutes & an hour sitting beside someone else for that duration has impacted what fragrances I select in the morning.
I tend to not care what others think about what fragrances I wear, but lately I’ve been very conservative in my application & in what I spray on. The usual fare has been a very light splash of Melograno, or something like Hermes Hiris, Acqua di Parma Absoluta, Penhaligon Artemisia. I’ve even delved into wearing Bvlgari Jade Omnia for the first time in almost 2 years. I feel like these with the exception of Melograno are ‘safe’.
This morning I couldn’t stand it any longer & sprayed on Dzing! but before I could get more than two sprays out of the bottle, I set it aside and reassured myself that at least I could smell it on my wrist if I sniffed it. Some part of me was terrified that the person sitting next to me was going to think I smelled. Now, I love Dzing!, it took me a few times to warm up to it, it’s wholly unique & a little dirty — or really dirty — and it’s that dirty part that concerns me.
I really want to just douse myself in Dzing! or Bandit, but I can’t bring myself to do it and now it’s driving me a little insane. Any other time, I’d do so without reservation but there’s something about that train & the close proximity and I just can’t.
So I’m curious, what fragrances do you struggle wearing publicly if you know you’re going to be stuck beside someone for a while or are around someone who you know doesn’t understand perfume?
I have been scared off Prada Amber (I’m guessing any patchouli would do the job) and Nuit de Turbeuse from close proximity to others
I just want to say that I would LOVE to be stuck on the train with someone wearing Bandit or Dzing! And I know where you’re coming from, but it drives me crazy that we’ve all been cowed into timidity about our scent choices. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t smell enough people wearing perfume at all. Perhaps everyone is wearing it at such low doses that no one else can detect it, but I wish everyone would be willing to spray on a little more and share their loveliness with the world! I’d be willing to put up with the occasional scents I don’t care too much for, just to smell the truly wonderful scents out there. It would be nice to have some fragrant surprises in my world. IMO if you doused yourself in Dzing or Bandit, you might be giving someone the highlight of their day!
Yeah, I rarely smell others wearing perfume and when I do it’s usually something super fresh or some Victoria’s Secret offering. I get excited when I smell someone wearing something lovely around me.
I was doused in YSL Yvresse one evening & was complimented by the gentleman seated beside me on the train, but that was during the spring when it was much cooler and these days it seems like it’s really a gamble as to whether or not a train car has properly running A/C.
Luckily, there are few times when I’m forcibly in close confines with a bunch of random people. But even if I were—I’d wear one spritz of whatever the hell I wanted! But just one. No need to make anyone run away screaming, right? And I’d have my decant in my bag so I could have additional spritzes during the course of the day.
people offended by perfume? huh. well let me tell you—often enough I’m thoroughly offended by B.O. and bad breath and stinky clothing (for Gods sake, just WASH it!) and no one seems to be overly concerned about not stinking me out of the room! grumble.
Daisy, I agree. I’m usually subjected to curry, or garlic, or something just awful reeking — it’s turned me off from cumin, which makes me sad because I dearly want to love Jubilation 25. It’s times like that where I put my sunglasses on, huddle into my seat and sniff my wrist until the offending individual leaves.
You could spray a cotton hanky with whatever and keep it in your bag/purse or under your sleeve, like in ye olde days(so I’ve heard), and snif away when the mood strikes!
I use Daisy’s strategy, when necessary.
And I add to Daisy’s list: the awful smell of a heavy smoker. Gross.
GAWD! no kidding…..that smoker smell is high on the list of The Most Vomitrocious Smells…….someone was parked in the no parking area in front of the grocery store one day last week, and I walked past on my way into the store….windows closed: I could still smell the REEKING of the stale cigarette smoke! It was SO EXTREMELY VILE…..on the bright side I didn’t throw any random snack items not on the list into the cart….in fact I could barely purchase the things that were on my list! Now there’s a dietary aid for you! >P
Why is stale smoke so horrid when unburned tobacco is so nice?
I’ve wondered the same thing! There’s SUCH a contrast!
To put a bit of a fine point on this topic, I think that what most of us object to is not tobacco smoke per se – indeed, it’s a note many of us like in fragrance; rather, I that what stinks is STALE tobacco smoke. Big difference there.
That is : I think that what stinks. Never post on an empty stomach! 🙂
it always seems to me that those folks who reek so badly of stale cigarette smoke….also seem to have personal hygiene issues as well… ever notice that? I’ve known some smokers who are “clean” people and while I can still smell cigarettes on them…it doesn’t gag me….on the other hand: these REEKING individuals seem to have other “odors” in tandem. A whole host of bad smells….
Klytaemnestra , for goodness sake spray away! Dzing! is far from offensive or strong, it melds into the perfect skin scent and is delectable to boot. I say do what you want where perfume is concerned, life is short and you should not be afraid to live vicariously through your passion for scent.
From a perfume lover and sometimes over-applier * happily* 😉
XOXO~ Tamara
I too imagine that I over spray (and my loving hubby with allergies agrees to this), it is driven uncontrollably by my pure love of whatever scent I am wearing. I want to smell it on me. Right now, the only scent on my vanity that I really try to spray with a light hand is Datura Blanche.
I can definitely sympathise with both sides. On one hand, you can’t live in constant fear of inadvertently offending every stranger you come in contact with with your perfume. On the other hand, I know I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a stuffy carriage with someone doused in ….Angel or something. It’s a tricky balance. In those situations I chose something safe or try to apply very sparingly or go for things that stay close to skin. Cuir de Russie in extrait, for example is not wimpy but it also doesn’t project and fill the space like some scents can.
Ohhh…good question! I have the luxury of working from home, so I don’t often have to deal with this…but when I do, I usually just spray once or twice, and refrain from dousing myself. Once on the wrist is a good one, cause you can sniff your wrist discretely and not bother a soul. Ha ha.
Opium – I can only feel comfortable wearing it in public if I dab, not spray. Years ago at a family get together someone asked what I was wearing, I replied “Opium” and an aunt of mine said, heavily “Yes, we know.” I swear I sprayed ONE spritz in the air, walked through it and then got dressed for the party. That is the only perfume I am paranoid about.
Opium kind of scares me. I like it, I want to wear it, but I will only do one spray in the dead of winter because I know that it’s not going to fade.
Klytaemnestra – I sympathize with your plight! Can you just douse yourself once you get off the train (and then take a walk around the block)?
When I want to wear something more challengind when I know there will be people around, I only put a small application in the cleavage or at the base of my throat.
The fragrances I’ve been afraid to wear too much in public for fear of skank or ick: Ninfeo Mio (boxwood cat pee fears), Joy (civet), Lancome Climat (civet), AT Maroc pour Elle (hippie patch), Amouage Gold for Men (whatever honey-pee people hate that I never smell), and as my nose has recently kind of altered it’s perceptions – Amaranthine (I totally get the agitated sexy funk in that one now).
For me it’s Miel de Bois due to the cat pee fears.
I’ve often wondered how my “weird” perfumes smell to other people. Dzing! is the perfect example because it took me quite a long time to warm up to it. However, the first time my husband caught a whiff of it he liked enough to compliment me on it and it is rare that he says anything about my perfumes anymore. I’m always afraid someone will ask, “What is that barnyard smell?” because that’s what I thought the first time I tried it.
Yeah, my fiance’ actually bought it for me after sampling various L’Artisans because it was his favourite. I detect something vaguely fecal in it. It’s very, very faint, but it’s still there. Now, I know what it is but I’m so concerned someone else wouldn’t & I’d really prefer not to smell like a hot mess to others.
K, I also commute on the Metro, and I guess that and my desire to separate my private life and work also leads me to wear lighter, crisper scents to the office, at least during the summer.
To avoid complete boredom, I do tuck a few decants and samples into my purse so that I can spritz something on after I get to the office or at least test something on the back of my hand when I get bored. I’ve decanted some of my favs into purse-sized atomizers just for this purpose!
I’m afraid to wear Aromatics Elixir around people for the first hour or so because even /I/ don’t like the top notes. But once the moss kicks in and the whole thing heats up….
I’ll be honest, it’s the only perfume I’ve ever had complimented by a person I didn’t know. And it’s so good, I wasn’t surprised. Still, that first hour….
Seriously, why should you care about what complete strangers think of the way you smell, or dress, or put on your makeup, or whatever. If they dont like it and move away from you, then just put your feet up on the empty seat and kick back.
I sympathize…I work in close proximity to others all day, so I’m very cautious about the fragrances I wear to work. And I never apply more than a single spritz to the wrist on workdays. Sometimes I dab rather than spray (I keep certain frags in old-fashioned stoppered bottles for this purpose.)
That said, Dzing! is on my Ok for Work list. It stays close to the skin on me. Anyone who gets close enough to object to it is invading my personal space.
As a newbie who has been collecting a lot of samples and decants to figure out what I like, I’m now having my first experience of not being able to find the one specific sample I’m wanting to put on … and of course the fact that I can’t find it makes me want to put it on even more. Has anyone seen my 5ml TPC decant of Histoires des Parfums 1826? Where is it? I’ve looked everywhere!
it’s probably under the desk. at least that’s where mine get to.
good luck 🙂 hope you find it.
Under the bed, or in the desk, or in your purse or in a bathroom drawer….you can tell I am a VERY organized person! 😉
ummm yeah….all those places too….. *also disorganized*
Embarassingly..I have even found long lost samples in my car…. Is it time to admit I have a problem (either an organizational issue or a “too many decants/samples” issue)? 😉
It could have tipped over and become lodged behind some other samples. Or you might have put it in your purse in case you wanted to touch up the day you were wearing it and then you changed purses and forgot to check all the pockets.
At this point I’m betting on bathroom drawer. Fortunately my DH has asked me to get dividers from Storables and organize the bathroom drawers this weekend – 1826 is motivating me to do that job.
If you’re anything like me, I’d say under the floor mats of your car. Can I tell you how many samples I find there? Puh. xD
Left arm: Grand Neroli
Right arm: Vanille Intensee
Love them both. Life is good!
Sounds Great!!!
How have you ladies (and gentlemen?) found the lasting power on Chanel No 5 EDP to be? I feel like mine is almost completely faded away after 4 hours of wear, which disappoints me. I’m starting to worry that my bottle is degraded or something?
Lasts forever (all night and into the next morning) on me, and I spray lightly. I purchased my current bottle from Sephora a couple of years ago — how old is yours?
I don’t know, I bought it from ebay. It is most definitely the real thing though, just might not have been stored properly I suppose. 🙁
I don’t think poor storage or age would affect it’s longevity on the skin (I have some No 5 thats decades old and I can still smell it in the drydown). It may be that you are sensitized to the base accords and just don’t smell them anymore. Have you asked someone else if they can still perceive your fragrance around that time it disappears for you? You could try layering (or refreshing) with the body cream which is divine. Four hours is still pretty good – have fun and just reapply!
It lasts all day on me and sometimes into the next morning. I’ve woken up numerous times smelling of Chanel No 5. I find it odd that it doesn’t last for you but I will admit that certain fragrances — particularly aldehydes — cling to my skin.
No 5 lasts forever on me too. I love putting a few dabs on before bed and then smelling it when I wake up – faded, but still beautiful.
This is not specifically about No5 but I noticed that people can have very different experiences with Chanels. For example, Bois des Îles hardly lasts on me at all but others get hours of wear out of it. On the other hand, 31 Rue Cambon lingers for days on me and I’ve seen people complain that it disappears very quickly on them. It seems a very strange phenomenon, perhaps there’s something in their bases that some people are anosmic to while others aren’t?
Abyss, absolutely! When the Exclusifs were released everyone seemed to be complaining about the poor lasting power of La Pausa. Sure, it wears close to the skin but on me it lasts all day.
Yup, La Pausa has an average lasting power on me. It’s light, but I spray on fabric and get a few hours out of it. It lasts longer than Bois des Îles *sigh*
LOL! 31RC has the half life of plutonium on me – and not in a good way!
Wait, do you not like 31RC either? I really think we’re starting to lose our EST status here.
Ruh roh…. how am I going to know what l will or won’t like then?? There’s always our blog mistress Robin. She and I are est’s.
Guess we’ll just have to watch for patterns!
31 RC lasts ages on me too, and I have so often wondered why other complain about it dying quickly. I love it!
I find 31RC’s lasting power outstanding, especially considering that it’s EDT. Lucky for me I also love so it’s all good 😀
I haven’t actually worn No5 in forever. I’m curious now so I think I’ll pass by a Chanel counter tomorrow, spritz myself with some EDT and see how that fares.
Thank you all, perhaps it is just my skin chemistry… I will have to test out another bottle of No 5 EDP to find the truth!
k-scott: Could your skin be drying out? Mine has been and I’m noticing that fragrance isn’t lasting as long on me as it had been. Even in this humid weather, my skin doesn’t feel the same as it once did (which is why I asked the question about lotions above).
I am a lotion-nazi, so I don’t think so… I’m guessing it probably is just my chemistry…
It may not be your chemistry, but something more fundamental than that. As Ann suggests, your brain is just not picking up notes in the base that other people get quite clearly. I don’t go much for the ‘chemistry’ idea of scent perception. I think a lot more goes on in the brain than on the skin. For the record, No 5EDP does not last long on me either.
I’m wearing “Eva” by Eva Longoria. It’s not my favorite by a long shot but it’s one that my boyfriend likes b/c it smells so peachy and it lasts a really long time. Ever since I switched over to morning shift, I’ve been surprised at how much the bright, peppy fragrance really helps to wake me up though, so I may well start wearing it even more than usual.
hmmmm I had discounted even trying this because I’m ridiculously anti-celebri-scent….but now I’ll have to reconsider! Loves a good peach!
on that note—have you tried Keiko Mecheri Peau de Peche?
So far that is the best peach I’ve tried…..
oh wait…it’s a toss up between that and the new SoOud Ouris…but that one will set your bank account back many many shiny coins.
No I haven’t but I’ll definitely look into it. The Eva scent was the closest thing to a peach scent I could find at my local Walmart at the time, but as I like the scent of that fruit, I’d love to find something even more true to it than “Eva.”
Weird thing is, there’s no peach in it at all. It’s all citrus that has somehow been combined to smell like something in between citrus and peach. I can live with it, possibly because Longoria specified that it be formulated for the kind of sensitive skin some people have that prevents them from wearing perfumes, and I suspect whatever was done to or left out of it makes it last a long time and stay so “top notey” as long as it doesn. There’s much better deals for it on ebay, especialy with all the testers avl in the 3.4 and even 3 ml samplers.
Thanks again for the tip about those other ones!
Ohhhhh…. I just looked up the SoOud Ouris and it sounds like something I’d kill for. If the sample I just ordered is even half as good, I don’t think I’m getting that new Blueray Player I was planning on getting next paycheck for a couple of months….
LOL! We’re all sick! I put off buy shoes (!) because I had just bought a bottle of Roja Dove Unspoken!
this sounds completely reasonable to me…
I thought so… 😉
heheheheh I did not think you would be surprised! 😉
Empress, this recommendation has paid me back for the body butter! I just looked it up on Lucky Scent and WOW! Sounds awesome.
Out of curiosity, which one did you choose on the SoOud: the eau fine, or the nektar?
SOTD: Bel Respiro. It’s warm outside but rainy and this one really blooms in that kind of weather. Summer hasn’t arrived yet and I’m already thinking about what to buy / wear for fall. How sick is that! Anyone else feels that way?
Me! Contemplating a bottle of SSS Tabac Aurea for fall, even though I live in the Bay Area and could probably wear it now … gotta pace myself somehow, though, right?
Funny, because Tabac Aurea was exactly what I was thinking about! Actually, I find it to be a great scent for warm summer nights so don’t restrain yourself. 🙂
That hasn’t historically been a problem 🙂
If you put on a judicious amount, Tabac Aurea is a year round scent. It is really wonderful stuff. You may even find that different accords rise up from it in the summer heat than you would smell in the winter. I enjoy wearing Magie Noir and Parfum Sacre in the summer because they smell different to me in the heat.
Magie Noire and Parfum Sacre are both on my to-sniff list. I know that I should go for the old formulation of Parfum Sacre (in the black and gold box), but are there any similar caveats for Magie Noire?
Hi Emily: my advice about Magie Noir and Parfum Sacre are pretty much the same. The current versions of both are still good, though much thinner than the original. You can still find vintage Parfum Sacre on some websites and ebay if you are up for it. There is also the recent Parfum Sacre edp Intense, which is still good, but a little more tonka-ish in the base than the original. You will have an easier time figuring out if you like Magie Noir – it is readily available at most regular department stores. You can test the current version and if you like it enough, invest in the effort to find a vintage in the ugly black bottle. I think it’s a little harder to find vintage Magie Noir than vintage PS. The current Magie Noir is still very similar so you can enjoy that. I have bottles of both current and vintage MN and PS, and concede to enjoying them both. Good luck!!! You’ll have to comment on a future thread what you decided.
Thanks so much, Ann! I had been wondering about PS Intense, too. I’m planning to drop by a Lancôme counter after work this week and try Magie Noire.
Parfum Sacre is great in the heat.
Good to know … I generally favor fragrances that are more conventionally suited to cooler weather, so it can be hard to find enough heat-friendly perfumes to get me through a summer. (Less of a problem now that I live in the Bay Area, though!)
I’m in love with Yvresse, and I want to shout it from the rooftoops. That’s all.
love yvresse, it’s so sunny and happy, the perfect scent for gloomy days
Of which there are many where I live … which only deepens my appreciation for Yvresse (and its reasonable price).
You are not alone, it is in my top 10 because it always makes me smile! Yvresse is effervescent, charming and that nectarine is just luscious.
It’s weird because I usually am not wild about non-citrus fruit in perfumes — in fact, I hesitated to pull the trigger on Yvresse for a long time because of its fruitiness. Then I read somewhere (maybe here?) that it’s a little like Rochas Femme, which is the one other peachy scent that I can stand. The rest is blissful peachy-necatariney-chypre history, and I’m thrilled to have a more office-friendly stand-in for Femme.
(One other peachy scent aside from Mitsouko, that is … yay DayQuil-brain.)
Femme is very “intimate” on me, so I can’t imagine wearing it to work! Glad Yvresse works for you as an office replacement.
Is Yvresse aldehydic? I read the notes and it sounds really great but I can’t abide by aldehdic/powdery scents so I’ve been wanting to ask someone before I buy.
The opening is a little aldehydic, but I don’t think any part of Yvresse is at all powdery. I sometimes find aldehydes problematic, but I get along fine with the ones in Yvresse.
Well Yvresse was originally named Champagne and the aldehydes smell like the fun bubbly of an open bottle. No powder here.
SOTD is Miller Harris Fleur de Sel. Yesterday I wore Miller et Bertaux’ Green, green, green and green to my son’s high school graduation. It’s the scent of simple happiness to me.
I love that Green, green! Need to replace my bottle soon, wish it was cheaper.
Ditto. My teen loves and thieves it, so my bottle is running low. It was my first niche purchase (first *bay perfume purchase, too). I need to pay more attn to Fleurs de Sel and make up my mind one way or the other, too.
Fleurs de Sel is awesome! It’s one of those fragrances that’s always languishing on my list. It is so refreshing!
I love Fleurs de Sel, too. Congrats on your son’s milestone!
I think maybe Green, Green and Green reminds me of Acqua Allegoria Herba Fresca, but it’s been a long time since I smelled it. Have you ever tried Herba Fresca?
I’ve never tried Herba Fresca. For me, the Green green, etc. opens big, with a lot of herbs, especially bay laurel and lemon verbena, and then it segues to a lovely green jasmine before drying down to a cedar and vetiver finish. It’s a staple of mine in the summer. I really should try some more of the Aqua Allegoria scents, but I have a hard time getting my hands on them.
Finally scored som vintage Miss Dior – it’s so gorgeous I can’t even say 🙂
Congrats!
Oh well done! I’ve had no luck so far, but I am wary of risking too much money. I do have a little bottle of Miss Dior parfum on the way, of unknown vintage. Did not cost much. Hoping for the best.
Oh, congratulations! If I may: what concentration? I recently found a cache of EDT (probably mid-80’s) and it’s heavenly.
it’s EDT, too. I think I’d better stock up on this stuff 🙂
SOTD is CDG Vettiveru and I’m going on my forest run in a min.
This scent is faboo! ( white pepper, musk, jasmine, cloves, vetiver, neroli, cedar, bergamot and cardamom ) And I love the giant ass bottle, cause I can wear it heavily, spray on my sheets, hell bathe in it!
I have had a good week and I’m so grateful for my perfume pals who have really helped me out.
I will never take for granted their kindness.
Just wanted to pop in and say hello to you all and have a great smelly weekend. Summer is coming and I can’t wait….<3
xoxo~T
Vettiveru really is a good deal.
SOTD is Tauer L’Eau D’Epices – needed something spiced and orange to cheer me up this morning. It is becoming addictive and I am tempted to move it ahead of my beloved Un Rose Chypree in the future FB standings.
This weekend I might wear Bagahari which I found while digging around in a box at the bottom of my closet.
I got my bottle of Elizabeth Taylor”s Black Pearls in the mail – definitely a cold weather fragrance. To me it smells like someone spilled peach liqueur on a pair of black patent stiletto’s, then they stepped in a puddle of vanilla ice cream but kept dancing anyway because they were drunk. I really like it a lot!
That description of Black Pearls makes me want to try it all the more.
STOP…I resisted an impulse purchase of Black Pearls after Angela’s review which was no easy exercise of will power given it only cost $13. I even had it my shopping cart, but resisted….
Now you are KILLING me bringing it up again.. …
I got mine on Amazon with free shipping, not that I am trying to enable you or anything : )
I have been craving Eau d’Epices lately — I got my bottle in the fall, I wonder how it will work in the heat, hmmmm…..
Oh, get that bottle out! I love incense in the heat and the mandarin really feels juicy in the heat.
“heat, heat, heat” my brain is on repeat today
I don’t wear Baghari nearly as much as I should. It is really elegant stuff. And I love your crazy description of Black Pearls – it makes me think of someone here who said Cuir Venenom smelled like grape juice and bandaids.
LOL! Haven’t tried Cuir Venenum but I think that description put me off permanently!
I discovered rosewater lemonade at an Ethiopian restaurant decorated with quotations from His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie. It’s like drinking nonalcoholic cologne.
(Jen Lancaster on Ethiopian cuisine: “They have food?”)
I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I thought it was funny because 160 years ago, the British were undoubtedly making the same joke about my ancestral cuisine. An Irish seven-course dinner still means a boiled potato and a six-pack.
Don’t feel insensitive; I thought it was funny, too.
One of my cousins married a man from Ethiopia, and when they came to LA several years ago, we were all excited about taking him to the Ethiopian section of LA for Ethiopian food, and he said something along the lines of : “Maybe that’s why there’s no food there; they ship it here” and he was laughing while he said it.
Am leaving for to both London and Florence tomorrow, and need to take a small bottle of something that will get me through the whole trip (at least until I buy something new). Being a light packer, I am sticking to the one fragrance restriction. Very small options include: Bois des Iles, Vanilia, No. 19, No 5, Chinatown, Iris Poudre, Fracas and Parfums de Rosine Rose d’Ete. Can’t figure which one I won’t tire of…
I vote for Iris poudre or Bois des isles..
I’d probably take the 19, myself.
I say take a small decant of both No 5 and No 19 – they are both so different and yet confidence inspiring. I think they’d help me make it through a trip! Good luck & have fun!
Second this.
Have a great trip! I vote for 19 for being the most versatile.
Have a safe journey! I’ll go for BdI which has always struck me as a more casual No.5. 🙂
Iris Poudre, I feel like its versatile, but specific enough that you will impart memories of your trip onto it. Can make you feel great while dressed down, and goes well with formal wear too.
Well, the decision didn’t much matter! My mother’s friend secretly bought me a bottle of No. 22 after I swooned over it in the Chanel boutique at Harrods, so had something new (and lovely) to wear!
becca b, take No. 5.
i meant Iles..
One of the high-end perfume boutiques in Bucharest made me discover a new Italian perfume house: Laboratorio Olfattivo. They have five fragrances and I tried two of them. One was Cozumel, (top notes Bergamot, Vietnamese Basil, Aromatic Notes middle notes Clary Sage, Indian Hemp, Blonde Tobacco, Amber, base notes Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Incense, Tonka bean) and the other was Alkemi, based on ylang-ylang.
I wanted to suggest to NST to add this house to their database.
Cool! one of those five is Daimiris which I am splitting right now! 🙂
We did announce them but it’s true I haven’t added them to perfume houses:
https://nstperfume.com/2010/03/24/laboratorio-olfattivo-alambar-alkemi-cozumel-daimiris-new-fragrances/
Good: I am home enjoying several days off, and I am wearing my Marc Jacobs splashes which are RIGHT THERE in the bathroom but which for some reason I don’t wear very often to work in the morning. I don’t know why. I usually wear a light “morning perfume” early in the day and then put on something heavier or more interesting or exciting in the afternoon. I love these Marc Jacobs (Rain, Cucumber, and Basil). I should wear them more often. The Basil is so perfect for a warm June day.
Bad: I am dying for some Poison and I gave away my mini years ago because I hate minis anyway but now I reeeeeeeeally wish I had some and I am so out of perfume money it’s not even funny. I wish I knew someone who wanted to swaaaaaaaaaaap or even just give a bottle a good home. There was a partial bottle on eBay that I let go because I was worried about how it was stored. Drat and drat.
It’s my last day to Do Stuff so I need to go work on some creative things that have been waiting for me all week. I really need a month-long vacation, not a week.
2nd Tamara’s suggestion below, and you might also look at Makeupalley to see if anyone is trying to swap a bottle.
For some reason I don’t much care for MUA swaps, but I have no problem swapping at the Posse.
I don’t need any more stuff, that’s for damn sure! But thank you for enabling. 🙂
You hate minis? I’d buy minis of almost anything if the bottle is cute. (I once bought a bottle of Daisy at Sephora, saw a bottle + mini combo at Macy’s, and returned the Sephora bottle. I still feel bad about it sometimes, but then I see that single vinyl daisy….)
Lemoonprint the Perfume Posse is hosting a awesome swap on the 22nd, I bet you’ll find a unloved Poison then. 😉
I participated in the last one and got lots of great stuff!
Oh, is it? The last one was great fun. I’ll look forward to that! I need to find some more bottles to give a new home to, if only for space reasons.
Thank god I’ve switched to decants!
I’m putting that on my calendar!
This morning was perfect for vintage Joy edp. When it is right for Joy, it is really right – all fresh roses and green gardeny smells! I never know how it’s going to be. This afternoon I turned to Cristalle edp. I must be in a green floral mood today!
I admit to never having tried Joy, mostly because there seems to be a lot of differences in the concentrations. Do you prefer the edp or the edt? How different is the vintage from the current formulation?
Sorry to bombard you with questions but I am very interested!
HI Ruth – I can’t really comment on vintage Joy edp vs. current Joy because I was kind of determined to get the same kind of vintage “pour” Joy bottle that my Mom had when I was growing up. She had this bottle forever and NEVER wore it. I only ever smelled it after it turned so it was not good and she’d left it out on her dresser for years. I was on the hunt for this bottle in particular, and was glad to find it at a questionable e-retailer. I was very relieved that it was in good shape and that I liked it! I’ve never smelled the edt. I’ve also been curious about the Joy parfum as I read it is different too, but never enough to go after it. The Joy I have has a rather tame jasmine, restrained civet (low dose civet does ok on my skin), and lots of very natural rose. It is very aldehydic too, but I do OK with that as well. I also find that less is better, so I’m glad I can dab it on. Email me and I can send you a sample if you like – anneroosie @ hotmail dot com.
That is so kind, thank you! Emailing you right now.
My SOTD is MFK Cologne pour le Soir. I just got it and I love it. It isn’t overwhelming in the heat, either. It’s sort of like I took a bath with Epic Woman soap and just a little bit is still clinging to my skin.
I am looking for something in the smoky/rubber/gasoline range.I’ve tried Bvlgari Black has none of that on me. Lonestar Memories is good but not quite it. I get tons of delicious rubberu smoke in the top notes of Tihota, but I’m not part of that club.
I think CB I Hate Perfumes has several things along those lines. I have Burning Leaves and several others by him but I haven’t tried anything like the garage based scent or Doll Head. Or maybe something from CdG? Suggestions appreciated!
CdG Leaves: Tea is kind of rubbery
Tom Ford’s Tuscan Leather has that dry, smoky, rubber smell!
Some people seem to also get it from Knize Ten. I actually find it pretty tame but it might be worth trying.
You should try CDG Tar and Garage–both discontinued, but there is probably a bottle or two lurking out in internet land.
Hi Julia! Did you hub tell you I met him at Beto’s recently? I was hoping I might have met you too! Alas. I think you should try Le Trezieme Heure for your smoky fix and see what your think.
Also- today I am testing Manoumalia and I find it quite rubbery and VERY interesting- I think a decant is in my future. I am not sure I love it or even like it- but I can’t stop sniffing myself. I am also getting something in here that reminds me of Samsara. Anyone else get that??? Happy weekend folks!
Helenviolette, it took me forever to decide what I thought about Manoumalia. I ended up deciding it was love and buying a bottle. It’s an unusual one, for sure!
I can see it going that way for me! Hmmmm- well you should look at my stuff on MUA (hpetry) in case you want to swap a little something 🙂
I will go look! That could be fun.
HV, I would never have thought of the comparison, but Samsara is SANDALWOOD-jasmine and Manoumalia is TROPICAL FLOWER-sandalwood-vetiver, i.e., sort of the inverse, so I think you are right. I love both of them. I’d love to find more scents by Sandrine Videault (Manoumalia)!
So would I, Noz!
Julia, have you tried Le Labo’s Patch 24? No patch but lots of rubber. Also, the Cartier Heures XIII was smoky/rubbery.
Agree with the Cartier. Also, have you tried PG Psychotrope?
Right arm: Jil Sander Sport Water Woman, unfortunately I do not get it from my arm (yes, I don’t like it, it is too aqua), left arm Disquared2 Golden Light Wood, smells great. To me it is a wearable version of Alien. Alien is great on a distance, but it makes me feel sick.
Alien is a darned strong perfume. I will have to check out the DSquared…I have not seen their latest flankers anywhere though.
Shall I send you a sample?
SOTEvening: Angel Liqueur de Parfum. It’s been raining and cold here, more autumn than summer and the weather reminded me of the first time I smelled Angel without gagging. A revelation and understanding of why it’s so popular. Of course, my frame of reference used to be Angel in hot, humid weather of my home country. Thought it was a bit rough and blind purchased LdP based on Robin’s review. Love. Thanks Robin! 🙂
It is lovely and so smooth. Also very nice is the Angel La Part des Anges – I got a sample in a swap and it is wonderful.
Is it much different from LdP?
Oh, so glad you love it! And I’m jealous of your bottle 😉
*whispers* and I got it at discount.
I got it from cheapsmells.com. They are doing free international shipping for orders over 50GBP (or equivalent currency) now. Not affiliated, just a happy customer.
Good to know, thanks!
WHAT?? this must be a new policy! last I knew Cheapsmells would not ship to the USA no matter how much I begged!
Have I just enabled the queen of enabling? Is there a special prize for that? *grin* It’s a June special offer.
You make me curious. Is it very identical to the normal Angel? I hate the overdosis patchouli (I always hate patchouli…..).
It is much like Angel, but where Angel screeches from cotton candy to dark (to me, incensey) patch-woods, LdP transitions smoothly. But if you hated the patch in Angel, I don’t think you’d much like this one. It’s still Angel, with better make-up put on. You know, instead of bright pink lipstick, she had a muted gloss on?
Ha, yes, I anamorphize my perfumes.
Robin says it all better: https://nstperfume.com/2010/01/08/thierry-mugler-angel-liqueur-de-parfum-perfume-review/
Thanks 😀
Today I am wearing my boyfriend’s CK Obsession for men, which keep me warm when it is cold out, like today… an amazing face for late June.
I have also been enjoying my Mini of Lollia “Wish,” a perfume that would probably send many perfumistas running but that I figure is my easy, go-to summer scent equivalent of Broze Goddess. It has a citrusy-y, wet-sugar opening and later some a tropical vibe and what I interpret as a banana note. The sillage and longevity are also excellent, which is good because as much I want to spring for a full body, I can neither afford it or get it shipped to Canada, so my mini will do.
How many errors can one person have in a short post? keeps*, fact*, bottle*
There are 2 Lollias that I like, and wouldn’t mind a mini of -the others are just so sweet! I can never remember which ones since the names are all one word and similar – Wish, Breathe, Imagine, Relax, etc.
The names are very tacky, aren’t they? Atleast they are well priced and packaged nicely. I’m afraid Wish would definitely be one qualifying as too sweet. The only other one I am familiar with is Relax, the lavender-honey one.
SOTD Armani Prive Rose Alexandrie.
QUESTION: I’m a female that wears and likes Tom Ford’s Oud Wood. Can I wear and get away with wearing M7? Please opine if you know this one.
I am a guy and I wear anything I like, so grain of salt and all. Of course! Be cheeky and wear it with the girliest clothes you can.
monkeytoe I like your answer. Actually I’m wondering if I should *get* M7, you know, without having sampled it. I’ve heard it’s verrry rich and heavy so I wonder if it’s too behemoth! or whether Oud Wood is a good predictor of future M7 successes.
I don’t find M7 overly masculine at all, just yummy and cozy. The M7 Fresh was pretty decent also.
I am female and have a FB of M7 that I love to wear. In fact there are a lot of “masculine” fragrances I enjoy and firmly believe that you should wear whatever you like!
You can also layer fragrances if you want to soften something that is masculine more than you feel comfortable wearing.
SOTD: Chanel Cuir de Russie edt. Ironically, after I first tried CdR (sample sent by our beloved Empress of Enabling, Daisy) I bought myself the parfum Christmas before last. However, that smells like the edt with a Guerlainade base so I just ordered and received a bottle of the edt. And I love it!
Sounds like I needn’t try the parfum, then! Good bc I was lemming that one. Love the edt. Maybe there are just houses that work for one and not the other… or perfumers… or something.
In this one I actually prefer the edt. I’ve got plenty of things with a Guerlainade base – I didn’t particularly want it in my Chanel Cuir de Russie! It’s not *exactly* Guerlainade, but it certainly reminded me of it.
Tiara’s lotion question made me think of something I’m looking for. I should be applying sunscreen daily and would like to find one for daily use that doesn’t compete with my SotD! I may be looking for the miracle product, but here’s what I want:
1. UNSCENTED
2. Light and non-greasy (I’m in my mid-50’s and have oily and fairly sensitive skin). A combination light moisturizer/sunscreen would be ideal.
3. Can be used near eyes without making me cry.
4. One product for face and body, please. I really like to keep “beauty” routines simple.
5. Waterproof or water-resistant would be best.
6. Prefer drugstore brands. Don’t mind paying a moderate price, though, for the right product.
Any ideas?
I’m on the same quest as far as gentle and unscented go. The thing is, sunscreen probably equals some kind of scent or odour. I don’t think there is any getting around that because of the chemicals in sunscreen. So the manufacturers of moisturisers with sunscreen either mask it with other scents, or they leave it. Either way, you get some sort of scent.
I’m in Australia and in in the summer I wear a moisturiser with SPF30 sunscreen put out by a local company. It has a relatively low scent. In the winter, which is now, I am wearing a very cheap product from Nivea that has an SPF15. I think it must be new on the shelves here because I have been on this quest for a couple of years now and this is the first I have seen it. Low scent, and costs about $7 – 8 for 50 mls.
Should add that in Australia you cannot buy sunscreens over SPF30.
Thanks, annemarie. I think you’re right that I won’t find a completely unscented sunscreen. I actually tried a sunscreen from your country recently (ordered online) called Blue Lizard. It had very little smell, but it was really hard to wash off later (left a white film on skin). It wasn’t a moisturizer, though, just straight sunscreen.
Sounds like it was a zinc based sunscreen. They do have a skin-whitening effect. Sometimes, for instance with Clinique’s City Block, a tint will be added to compensate. I’ve tried the zinc based sunscreens and found them thick and heave and a bit irritating. I gather the principle is that zinc repels UV rays, whereas the other sort, whatever it is, absorbs them. Good luck with the hunt!
Yes, it had zinc, which was hard to remove later even with soap and water. But it WAS nearly scent-free and I didn’t burn.
The zinc-based ones ARE hard to remove, but are some of the best. We use California Baby products on the little one, who spends lots of time outside.
I’m going to keep an eye on this post because unfortunately I’ve yet to find an unscented body lotion with SPF. For now I use Palmer’s which is SPF 15 but it’s has that typical Palmer’s scent (chocolate-y, vanilla-y cocoa butter-y). I also know that Kiehl’s do one which is supposed to be very good but, once again, it’s scented and also on the pricy side.
I don’t understand why it’s such a rarity considering there are plenty of face moisturisers with added SPF. I assumed that perhaps it was a UK thing and people in warmer/sunnier climes had more choices available to them but it sounds like it might not be the case.
Coppertone Kids/Babies (same formula, turquoise bottle for older children who object to the baby pink bottle) Pure and Simple has no added scent and a lot of zinc oxide. It’s supposed to be non-irritating to the eyes, but I’ve been disappointed by other products that say the same thing, so I use Neutrogena Sensitive Skin around my eyes. As a high-altitude Mick, I can get sunburned walking across a parking lot in the middle of winter.
I will look at those products! Thanks, Aimiliona.
Haunani, I’ve tried dozens of sunscreens, and I’ve been using Eucerin Sensitive Skin Everyday Protection SPF 30 (which is labeled fragrance-free) this year. It’s the lightest and least occlusive that I’ve found. I find all the waterproof ones too heavy. I must admit I don’t put it close to my eyes – I’m not sure anything other than possibly sensitive skin zinc or titanium sunscreens would work around eyes, but that wouldn’t look good. I always wear hats and sunglasses.
For a very light sunscreen, Lubriderm everyday moisture lotion with SPF 15 is good.
I picked up Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50 recently based on a link in one of The Non-Blonde weekly round-ups. I haven’t tried it yet though.
Neutrogena and LaRoche Posay sunscreens are supposed to have high-quality ingredients, but I find them gummy or heavy. I love the texture of Aveena but it’s too heavy for my face. Of course, I’m in a very hot, humid location where heat rash is a problem.
Noz, this is helpful! I use Cetaphil lotion daily on my few dry spots, but hadn’t seen their sunscreen product. The Eucerin sounds promising, too. And I do wear sunglasses and a hat when I’m in the sun for any length of time. Heat rashes have plagued me for the last two or three summers. My skin seems to get more sensitive as I get older, darn it! Thanks, everyone, for the ideas. If you’re like me, you want to smell your SotD and NOT your auxiliary products. 🙂
It’s true, I never had this much trouble with heat rash before, but last summer was a record-breaker here. Perhaps we can blame global warming rather than age, LOL!
Sunscreens have become more intense, too, I think. I’ll still go with something like La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ if I’m going to be outdoors a lot, and I’ve even been known to use an umbrella as a parasol! But I’m looking for lighter formulations for every day use. So far, so good with the Eucerin.
It’s not unscented, and I don’t know if it would work for the face, but I like Alba Botanica Body Lotion Very Emollient Daily Shade Formula SPF16. It has a light, vanilla-ish scent to me, and it absorbs reasonably well, though I have dry skin.
Thanks, FM! I’ll give it a sniff. I don’t always pay attention to what is for the face and what is for the body, anyway.
H – I’ve used Sensitive Oil of Olay with spf 15 for a looong time and it works well enough on chest, neck, face and eyes. Last year I decided I needed some more spf b/c I’m not a spring chicken anymore. I did invest in a small tube of the Clarins Sunscreen Wrinkle Control Eye High Protection spf 30. It has virtually no smell and works for me at least under makeup. (I think the other high protection Clarins products have very light scent, but are $$). And this summer I took a chance on a Neutrogena AGeless Essentials Continuous Hydration SPF 25. I actually really like this and it works amazingly well on my chest area. It’s a small tube, and only has a very light smell that has not interfered with my fragrances. You might also try some of the baby sunscreens that get up to spf 50 and normally do not have fragrance b/c of their sensitivity rating. I was using whatever we had bought at Babys R Us for my girl until it ran out when she was about 2.
Thanks, Ann! (I feel like I’ve created a Mini Monday Mail for myself here – my apologies, everyone, but I hope the topic is of general interest!)
I’ve been using Kiss my face Face factor SPF 30 and quite like it. It is unscented, non greasy and non irritating.
I bought my tube from vitacost- but I think it should be available in stores.
Here ‘s a link : http://www.vitacost.com/Kiss-My-Face-Face-Factor-SPF-30
Thanks, Lavanya!
I”ve discovered a new layer combination that makes me crazy amazing: Hermes Eau d’Hermes base with Un Jardin apres la Mousson on top……kinda funky for a humid summer day, kinda crazy wonderful too
Was Wearing All Black this morning for work, woke up in a Grump mood so decided i’d pay Homage to Johnny Cash and wear black head to toe… and decided i needed something dark to wear fragrance-wise… so i splurged on a few spritzes of the last 1/4 of the bottle of M7 By Yves Saint Laurent (the TF Years!) that my Sweet Loving Sis bought me for Xmas almost 7 years ago… I don’t want to use it all and it’s too hard finding another bottle but it is DARK! and RICH! and SENSUOUS! it fit my dark grump of a mood perfectly!!!
I WANT SO BADLY VOYAGE D’HERMES! OH MY! M-U-S-T H-A-V-E!!!!!!
You smell great!
Has anyone sampled Pierre Guillaime’s new line Hutieme Art? I bought the sample scent, and wasn’t thrilled with any of them. Many did not last an hour on my skin (Naiviris for one).
I haven’t, Dixie, but thank you for making me feel better for skipping the sample pack. I’m such a sucker for the sample packs for Luckyscent.
The bottles looked so beautiful, though!
I fell victim to the sample pack! The 2 Marie Saint-Pierre fragrances, B&C, that came in the packet were lovely. Those are the ones I’m enjoying.
SOTD Flowerbomb, I had a yearning to relive 2006. LOL! It’s a forgotten gem, I thoroughly enjoyed smelling it throughout the day. The next scent(s) on my To Buy list is: Fan di Fendi. It’s a nice light floral leather scent that I think will work well in Summer and Fall. I also purchased unsniffed Tokyo Milk Dead Sexy. Has anyone sniffed this? Thoughts? I figured for $28 if I didnt like it, it wouldnt cause me heartburn. I do need some fragrance selection assistance, I’m heading to Captiva Island for 4th of July weekend and was thinking about getting a great hot weather scent a la Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil or Un Jardin Sur le Toit. Can anyone help me decide between the two or offer another great hot weather vacation scent?
Make sure you test out Un Jardin Sur le Toit before you buy it, I hear that one wears differently for different people.
I liked Sur le Toit a lot, but probably not enough to buy it. Yes, definitely try it first!
Bronze Goddess is a great beach scent, too. I love the oil.
Thanks Bonbori, Haunani, Jonette & Dixie for the input. I’m scenting more today and will make my final decision soon!
Makes two.
I vote for Un Jardin sur le Nil. It is wonderful — fresh and feminine and a mood-lifter. Great for hot weather and I like it for going to sleep at night.
Jonette
Sur le Toit feels slightly more frivolous and young at the beginning to me but settles into a scent very similar to Nil. It may work slightly better in not-so-warm weather but I’d go for the latter if it’s going to be unsniffed purchase!
Best. Screen name. Ever!
Scent of this evening: Patricia Nicolai Eau Turquoise. We’ve had record-breaking heat for several weeks and I managed to escape it for an hour this afternoon visiting a friend’s pool. Thinking of that glorious cool water made me go into my perfume cabinet and dig this one out, and now I am really enjoying it! So summery and refreshing!
Oh my, that sounds delish. I shall keep an eye out for that one! Thanks.
Now I have to go searching for my sample!
SOTD is Gres Cabaret. I wanted to wear something simple but with personality; something floral with a touch of incense; something cheerful but not heavy on the citrus.
I’ve heard good things about this one but never tried it and was told it had a prominent rose note, which I love. Do you find it rosy or more of an even composite scent?
It’s a very soft rose note, Ruth – not a fresh rose, nor a dark rose. Also, lots and lots of (not laundry) musk. Cabaret, to my mind, has some overlap with Heure Exquise. Think HE without the galbanum or vetiver, but with a hint of incense instead. Cabaret (yes, the women’s) smells dead sexy on The CEO.
Agree to MALS86, soft rose and at the same time, sexy. =)
Love Cabaret — I find it to be equal parts rosy and incense/woody, and as Mals said, the rose is very soft. The scent as a whole is quite sheer; I wear it to the office with no qualms. I’m not that into roses in general, but I wouldn’t want to be without Cabaret.
Questions:
What does the 1970s Ma Griffe box look like?
Where in NYC can I sniff Armani Ondes? Or am I too late?
Where are the good discount perfume stores in NYC?
What is your favorite scent with a prominent patchouli note?
No SOTD yet. Very soon it will be Off! (time to weed).
I saw the Armani Ondes at a Lancome company outlet recently. They were priced to move by the way. However I thought they were pretty lousy. Vertige in particular had a beautiful first fifteen minutes of a really beautiful floral and then transformed into a generic woody-sweet men’s scent. Who wants something like that? Overall impression: cheap.
Oh yeah … this wasn’t near NYC. But maybe there’s an outlet nearby you could call :/
thanks, Bonbori, lured by the bottles of the Ondes…most of the reviews I’ve read have not made me want to buy any of them, but curious all the same.
For me, Chanel Coromandel is the nicest patchouli scent out there.
thanks, Abyss, I will make a point to sniff it.
Perfume Shrine *may* have a post about the Ma Griffe boxes – I know she’s posted about quite a few bottles and boxes in regards to dating them.
Patchouli: L’Artisan Voleur de Roses, Rosine Homme, Nobile Patchouli Nobile.
Thanks, I’ll check it out.
About the Ma Griffe boxes: they all have diagonal green and white lines on them, however, the older boxes have a black band with white lettering on them, while the newer ones have green lettering on white (maybe the ones from the 80s has some gold)? Are you talking about EDT, cologne, or extrait? If you described the bottle, I might be able to help you further. (Also you can use google images to look at photographs of the different bottles and boxes out there and learn which ones are vintage.)
Thanks. I’m looking at boxes on ebay so this helps a lot.
Hi everyone. I’ve been through another bad patch with my health but am coming out of it. Sigh. It takes so long to get better (they told me expect a couple of years) and I am the Queen of Impatience! I’m getting some of my sense of smell back, but it is selective. I still can’t smell Mitsouko at all!
Favorite Patchouli — Santa Maria Novella Patchouli. Although it is an “aqua di colonia” is VERY potent and has long silage! I have a bottle that is at least 8 years old and still great. I wear a bit very often, but just a dab is enough as this is very strong. I like to layer it with Crabtree and Evelyn Rose’s “Evelyn Rose” edp . This is the yummiest patchouli I’ve found.
Coincidentally, a friend was just in London and I begged her to get me lots of scent samples from Santa Maria Novella and the almond paste and a patchouli soap, if they make one. She didn’t have time for the samples, but brought the almond paste and a delicious men’s soap (sapone per uomo) that has patchouli.
Jonette
Thanks, Jonette, I will sniff it out. Hope you get your sense of smell back soon.
Sorry to hear you’re still going through this. Glad you’re coming out of it!
Thanks, Dixie. Sorry that I abandoned our correspondence on MUA — will resume when I’m really up to snuff again.
Jonette
Great to see you here, Jonette! My fav patchouli (the one I have a FB of) is PG Cozé. It’s ideal for winter. Chanel Coromandel is lovely and much lighter – could be worn most of the time, I think. SL Borneo 1834 is that same powdered chocolate and patchouli theme and also wonderful. In an ideal world – that one where I’d have a perfume closet like Donatella Versace’s 😉 – I’d have FBs of all three!
Hope you are 100% better soon!
(and I love that almond paste. and their witch hazel shower gel)
I may have asked this once before without a reply. Does anyone know of an expensive, lasting scent similar to that retro “Blue Waltz” sold in five and dime stores back in the fifties? I know it’s available still, but I want something more real.
Jonette
I smelled it once or twice. I only remember that it was sweet with a lot of vanilla . Maybe you could try Pink Sugar Aquolina or L Lolita Lempicka.
Thanks Tulp. I’ll try to find these to try. Are you Dutch? Tulp means Tulip in Dutch. I’m in Holland.
Yeap.
Haha! Gotcha! My brain seems to be working again.
Jonette
😀
Wearing vintage Youth Dew, plus a dab of vetiver absolute.
Vintage Youth Dew is so beautiful! I bet you smell marvelous!
It is wonderful, smooth and rich.
The vetiver, by the way, was not on purpose. On a thrift store trip, I’d uncovered a perfumer’s kit in which one of the glass vials had shattered, imbuing the box and all its contents with sticky vetiver absolute. Though the oils had originally been priced at $1 apiece (!!!) no one seemed willing to buy them. The shop owner offered me the entire box for a pittance just to get “that smell” out of the store. I ended up w/ benzoin, rose otto, blue chamomile, petitgrain, nutmeg, lemon verbena, sage, bergamot, jasmine, geranium, myrrh, and hay absolutes to play with…. all for $1.50 total!
Wow, everyone, I’m testing Jean Couturier Coriandre tonight. What a pungent and interesting fragrance! I’d love to hear what others think of it!
Haunani, I have been meaning to try this one. I remember seeing it back in the 70s. I don’t think I liked it then, but I was wearing spicy orientals in those days, LOL! What concentration/vintage are you testing?
It was my signature scent for many years, but it is much changed. I should look for a bottle of vintage.
I think my sample must be the newer stuff – it’s a partial manufacturer’s sample of EdT that someone sent me. I do like it! Would be interesting to try the vintage.
SOTD Black Orchid Voile De Fleur…very rich and sexy , on me it is close to the skin scent… I get lots of compliments from the family, I do want the edp however. I am also loving Creed ,Virgin Island Water but it is not lasting 🙁
any suggestions…
I love coconut scents and I mix Virgin Island Water with Kai oil… that is yummy!!!
Mmh, maybe Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess?
Yes that is a good one, I do have it… thank you tulip.
Honore des Pres Vamp a NY? Tuberose, vanilla, a bit of coconut. I love the stuff, and it does last.
Never heard of that one… where do i get a sample..???