The usual open thread poll, but even lazier. Talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the latest sample you acquired, the sample you can't seem to get your hands on, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend; we'll be back on Tuesday!
Note: top image is Summer's over by Herman Rhoids at flickr; some rights reserved.
Wearing Carolina Herrera 212 Men and curious about why CH’s perfumes are so underapreciated at USA and Europe. Could you tell me?
I’m not sure I’ve heard of CH. . .is it maybe a distribution issue? If I don’t encounter a fragrance (and it isn’t discussed here at NST), chances are I won’t seek it out.
Marjorie, sorry. When I say CH I’m reffering to Carolina Herrera’s perfumes. They’re widely distributed. Don’t you know them? If not, you can have a surprise. 212 Woman and Herrera are some nice stuff. The rest of femine line is also great!
I think that as a designer, she is less well known here than some, but she is hardly unknown. I do think the 212 series does very well at Sephora. Can’t remember if I ever see her other fragrances in department stores — certainly they’re not as widely distributed as some other designer brands.
She’s a very very classy and beautiful lady and she’s somewhat respected as a designer. 212 line was created by her also wonderful daughter Carolina and is a “younger line”. Try Carolina Herrera for woman: it’s nicely done.
Yes, I’ve smelled it — it is nice.
CH 212 came to me as a gift before I got interested in perfumes. I loved its fragile sweet delicacy (as I remember it) and I finished the 100ml bottle. Unfortunately it didn’t last much on my acidic skin – and so I did not repurchase. As far as I have gathered 212 is not highly regarded by many perfumistas, but the original CH is. Of course, I didn’t like the original…
I like the original CH as far as I like 212 for woman. Both so underapreciated and so well done!…
Yeah, 212 woman is an Eau de Parfum and lacks some longevity, although its fragrance is very pleasant . 212 Men is an Eau de Toilette and has better longevity and sillage.
One of those times that the EDT out performs the EDP!
I loved the original Carolina Herrera for women in the 1990s. It was a BIG beautiful floral, which went out of style soon thereafter. Wish I had sniffed its companion back in the day – glad you are enjoying its current version, Moore.
Nozkoz, that’s the same I’m telling here, or have they reformulated it? By the way you were disappeared at this lazy weekend pool. Good to see you again.
Yes, when I didn’t see the poll on Friday, I thought there wasn’t going to be one, so late to the party!
Happy Labor Day! Is is fall-like where you are? What is everybody looking forward to wearing this autumn?
It is still 100+ where I live and snuggling up with Ambre Narguille or Tobacco Vanille is still a few months away and I can hardly wait. I’m craving something deep and smoky. My husband likes Tabac Blond parfum and I tried it on a couple of weeks ago and it was a little too much in the heat.
Its still hot here, I’m wanting dark roses most for fall- Secrets de Rose- a luscious licorice rose oriental, Rose de Nuit- a leathery dom rose, Magie Noire- dark rose chypre. I also like weirdos best in Autumn. I’m craving a bottle of Jacomo 02 a strangely sexy combo of smoky leather and playdo. The musty old books/ vanilla combo of Smell Bents One. The acrid smoke/ incense/ musk of Black Tourmaline. And wanting to try I Love Carrots, Black Afgano, and Cepes and Tuberose alot.
We must be scent twins! I’ve been tentatively approaching some of my dark roses, too. I’ve been testing by Killian Incense Oud, which is an incense rose to me, and I really like it and I haven’t found it too much in the summer. I think it’s the incense which keeps it sort of light and airy for a rose/oud fragrance. I pulled out AT Incense Rose to compare it to and I find them very similar but the AT is more powerful with more sillage than the Killian.
I’m also craving rubbery, smoky, earthy fragrances. I wish I had more Indult Tihota – in my memories it is the best rubber fragrance ever. My notes say “vanilla tires” and I’m still searching for a really rubbery scent . I wish somebody would make a fragrance called “Tire Store.” I missed the boat on the CdG synthetic fragrances like Tar and Garage so I’m browsing CB I Hate Perfume and open to suggestions. I wish I lived in Brooklyn so I could visit the showroom and maybe work with him on a special blend all my own.
Hi Julia, have you tried Bulgari Black? I get vanilla tires with some bonfire smoke- it’s w
Whoops! I mean to say it is wonderful and fab for cool fall days. I seem to recall that you love Shalimar and it is one of my absolute favourites- something in Black makes me see them as very distant cousins.
I heart Bvlgari Black. I need more than a sample of this lovely frag, for sure!
I believe Bulgari Black is rubber + vanilla as well. I’ve only sniffed once so don’t remember how strong the rubber is – probably not too much since it is a mainstream release, but may be worth trying.
For me this rubber note is so vagueness as the tea note on Bvlgari Black. Do you know 212 Sexy Men, Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin or Body Kouros? Then you’ll have a nice idea of what is Bvlgari Black, bookgirl.
You might try Le Labo Patchouli 24. I get a definite rubbery smell from it. It is by Annick Menardo who also did Bulgari Black and others, and it too has vanilla. Almost everyone comments on the scent’s oddness. It is not very patchouli-ish at all. I think birch tar is one reason for its strange rubbery quality. When I wear it, people’s heads turn and they say, “What IS that scent you’re wearing?”, though not always in a complimentary tone of voice, as if to ask instead, “What did you stumble into”? — like when I used to have a dog who would go outside and come back after having rolled in the most grotesque stuff! Still, I really love it, though it’s not something I would wear every day.
Yes, me too! (Craving some unusual scents) I just got a small bottle of Jacomo02 (perfect addition to my collection of unusual but wearable scents). Love it. Did you know that cheapsmells carries it at quite a good price? (I hope it’s ok to post that here – I’m not affil.)
What other scents have you included in that collection? I seem to be drawn towards “not typically feminine but not exactly perfume drag” scents, myself! (Included in that list are No. 19, MJ Bang, Egoiste, Bulgari Black)
Let’s see. I guess I’ve never really listed the group, but I have quite a few – and of course, this is all just the way I think of them. I find them all wearable art.
Along with Jacomo 02, I would inclu7de 1000Flowers Reglisse Noire, DSH Memory and Desire, Frapin Caravelle Epicee, Tokyo Milk Bullet Proof, L’Artisan Dzing!, Lostmarch Ael Mat and Diptyque Opoponax (room spray). Some of these are bottles, some are just decants or samples. I’m sure I’ll be thinking of more!
I love Reglisse Noire and Dzing!, but I’m not familiar with the others. Looks like more to add to ye olde sniff list!
Another thought. . .
Why are you drawn to unusual fragrances, do you think? Is it for you or for those who smell you?
I often wonder at how fragrance is unusual in that for me it really is personal extravagance, for my own joy, but I can’t ignore that it sends messages to those around me about who I am and what my tastes are. This creates a tension between choices that I like and what I think will reflect positively about me (especially in the unusual and arty fragrances).
It’s slowly getting towards fall, but yesterday was as hot and humid as the best summer day! It was weird, I’m not used to it anymore.
Looking forward to wearing Un Bois Vanille, Like This, Dzing!, and I want to get bottles of Jacomo #01 and SL Filles en Aiguilles!
We’ve only had one good month of warm, sunny weather this summer, so I’m NOT ready to think fall scents! However, I must start thinking of work scents, as the kiddos return next week, and so I must return to my more restrained choices for the classroom.
It doesn’t feel like fall yet here, but it doesn’t feel like high summer either.
Well, so far today it is still below 90, so that is almost “fall-like” for us. Lee’s rainfall has all been east of us, so no help for the drought, but we have had some nice breezes which have cooled it off a little. Maybe we are finally through with the 100+ degree days for this summer.
So sorry to hear that Lee hasn’t brought any relief Fifty! I know it wasn’t expected to help, but I was hoping anyway.
No, it seems as if the rain keeps going to places that really don’t need it, while we are still bone-dry. Nobody wants a major hurricane, or 2 feet of rain, but a tropical storm and 6 or 7 inches of rain would be just fine.
Yes, I’m in Houston too, back in town after being up north for three weeks, and I definitely notice how brown and dry and droopy all the poor trees are. I felt sprinkles yesterday and was optimistic, but no luck. Still, it’s definitely cooler.
Oh rain – too much rain up here where I am in Pennsylvania. We are around 20 inches or more over our annual, and each week it keeps coming and coming. All this rain has basically ruined our new library building construction site conditions. After Irene went through an artesian spring bubbled up on our site!! ARGH! I have back-fill on the brain and dirt is soo expensive and it is just keeps on raining and is so cold and dreary. With all my heart I wish I could send it to the southwest. I think we only had bona-fide summer for about 4 weeks this year.
We’re more than 20 inches below normal for this time of year, so if you could just send us all your excess rain, and we could send you some of our excess heat, we both could have had really nice summers! Too bad there isn’t some kind of exchange system for weather.
The temperature hasn’t changed much here yet but the scents in the air certainly have. I find the smell of fall air achingly beautiful.
Summer has finally come to Santa Monica and the temps have been hovering in the 75-80 range for the last month or so. It’s been really lovely; yesterday around the magic hour when afternoon meets early evening, I sipped prosecco on my patio as my boyfriend fired up the BBQ and I thought to myself, I really don’t want this to end.
But at the same time, I am ready for autumn. There’s something about September 1st that flips the switch for me, and all of a sudden I long for chilly evenings and woolen scarves and cozy scents to snuggle up with. Blvgari Black, Ambre Narguille, Vetiver Tonka, Tabac Aurea are all comfy scents that I cannot wait to wear once the weather gets cooler. Tabac Blond is on my to-try list. I love this time of year!!!
And yet if you were to go 25 minutes inland to Hades on Earth or Glendale as it’s commonly known you wouldn’t even have an iota of Fall’s promise. Geography is so unjust.
Ha! Autumnal weather is in our future, Marise, I just know it! It’ll just be way later rather than sooner. Grr.
100° forecast here in my part of Northern CA. Nights are getting gradually cooler, though. I really don’t get out the full-fledged fall fragrances until October. I’ve been wearing some all-season beauties lately, along with my summer faves.
Hi Julia, May I ask you how you are doing? I hope everything is good and you feel fine.
Hi! Thank you for asking – I know it’s late but I’m going through some old Lazy Weekend Polls taking notes and wanted to answer your inquiry. I am still in remission but I’m also on chemotherapy so great news tempered by continuing side effects. I had my maintenance dose just after Labor Day and I’m still feeling a it a little bit, but over all things are good.
Lolita Lempicka for me today: Let’s see how well it goes with barbecue!
I think it sounds nice for a BBQ. There is something kind of airy about it to me but not the fresh kind of airy of many “clean” fragrances. More like the smell of my backyard on a cool evening. I think it’s the ivy note – green but not too green.
I think it would work nicely.
Good idea: Au Masculin for me later…
You’ll carry the dessert…
This weekend I’m spending most of my time trying to convince myself not to buy samples of Andy Tauer’s Pentachords. I hate being broke.
Yesterday I went to Saks and tried Tom Ford’s Violet Blonde. I thought it was pretty great, and the associate gave me a sample, which almost never happens there seemingly. It’s definitely in the style of the new-generation powdery fragrances, like Esprit de Oscar and Love, Chloe. I really like all three of those… I’m not sure, if it came down to it, which I’d purchase. Maybe the Oscar because I think it’s the most affordable! Saks doesn’t have Baiser Vole yet, which I’m kind of dying to try as well.
I really want to try Jasmin Rouge but I’m not sure where near me has it. Probably Neiman’s I guess?
Neiman’s has Jasmin Rouge and the new TF sandalwood. I didn’t think Violet Blonde was powdery but I did get milky, so maybe that’s the other side of the powdery coin. But if you like Love, Chloe and it’s ilk you will prob’ly really like Baiser Vole!
I really want to try the TF sandalwood (Santal Rouge?). As far as I can tell it is only available in the giant bottle right now. Perfect for splitting….
It comes in a 1.7 oz as well, which is good news.
I think I smell powder lots of times when there’s no powder. Maybe just wishful thinking as I love powder.
Definitely heading to Neiman’s to try the new Tom Ford’s either tomorrow or next weekend, then.
The Saks lady said she thought they should have Cartier soon. I NEEEEEED to try it.
I’m looking for a recommendation for a spicy rose perfume (like the roses in my garden) that is still somewhat clean. I don’t think I’m ready for dirty rose. I like YSL Parisienne and L’Artisan’s Safran Troublant, but I’m looking for a bit more spice. Any recs would be appreciated, even mildly dirty rose, and I’ll try to keep an open mind, willing to try them out. Thanks.
Ormonde Jayne Ta’if! It’s not at all dirty but it’s quite peppery which gives a (dry) spicy kick. I’m not usually a huge fan of rose perfumes but this one is nice.
Oh and Caron’s Parfum Sacré, of course!
It’s so odd, when I went through a rose phase, I grabbed a bottle of Parfum Sacre unsniffed and was surprised that I found nary a rose in it. There was musty, slightly peppery incense, but not one rose.
TDC Rose Poivre is a nice peppery rose by J-C Ellena. It is light but definitely spicy and just a little dirty to me.
Nice suggestion! Love Rose Poivre!
I am admittedly not a rose fan (despite my name!), but I would add that Ta’if is a sweet, but not heady, rose scent. I can see why other people like it!
Le Labo Rose 31 might interest you
Have you tried Malle’s use rose? On my skin it smells like fresh luscious roses with enough depth, spice like rose petal jam…most people find it dirty too..I don’t perceive it as dirt just as depth (but I seem to have a high tolerance for dirt…:-))
My favorite spicy rose is Caron’s Infini. I have a vintage bottle that’s all mossy, spicy roses.
L’AP Voleur des Roses is a very earthy rose garden after a rainstorm fragrance but not really “clean.”
You might like something from Juliette Has a Gun. Lady Vengeance is a clean, well-behaved version of VdR and Midnight Oud is a light rose/oud that I don’t find too overpowering even in the heat. by Killian’s Incense Oud is another light spicy rose (“light” being completely subjective, of course). IMO, the ultimate spicy rose is Amouage Epic Woman but I wouldn’t describe it as light, fresh or clean. It is dark and beautiful.
I’m also interested in Jo Malone’s Rosewater and Vanilla. I haven’t sampled it yet but I’m a fan of Christine Nagel and am looking forward to it. Has anybody tried it?
Hey Julia,
I have a 100 ml bottle of it and would be happy to send you off a sample. I like it a lot! And for JM, it has great longevity. When it gets a little cooler, I’ll wear it more. If you’re interested, write me at mou7gh@gmail.com.
Am wearing my vintage Infini, the spicy rose that was just talked about. I wore it for over 20 years straight, until I discovered other scents! Plus, now, it smells totally castrated from its original…
And Parfum d’ Rosine: homme…
I am currently in a polyamorous relationship with a number of Montale aoud fragrances. Black Aoud is a dark rose with a tempered spicy note that might be just what you seek. It is delicious! Montale has so many rose fragrances, though, and all are lovely. Many have spicy notes. Shiny (strange name, I know) is also a good one for you to try.
I’m crazy about Aoud Roses Petals, which is a stronger aoud, delicious and feminine, yet woody.
My absolute favorite (so far) is Roses Musk! Not an aoud and probably not what you’re looking for, but it’s hard to resist the beauty of this one.
BTW, Amouage Epic Woman is one of my favorite fragrances, but to me, the rose can’t be deciphered among the other ingredients.
we seem to have similar taste in roses..:)
Prudie I was pleasantly surprised by Ineke’s Briar Rose at Anthropologie which is a peppery rose with black currant accents up top and smells like a natural, wearable not-to-sweet rose. The price is reasonable.
I tried that on Thursday! I wasn’t expecting much for some reason but I thought Briar Rose was pretty divine. And the price is right – I think it was $68?!?
I must second By Kilian Rose Oud – really rich and gorgeous. Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses is a beautiful rose, probably not spicy, but combined with the wood, amber & leather, it’s lush and satisfying.
I always find the term “dirty rose” to be slightly misleading as I find that the darker roses head off into mostly patchouli laden territory and these days, patchouli is only dirty sometimes, lol. IMHO only a few of them get into seriously “dirty” territory with cumin, leathers, rawer patchouli, or even civet occasionally . I also don’t smell skank very often, so something has to be REALLY dirty to register to my nose. (I’m thinking of the original version of Rose Poivre that smells like dirty panties, not the current.) That being said, if you are looking to get into some richer, darker, maybe “dirtier” roses, here are a few I recommend. Stella McCartney “Stella” is a very pleasant rose that just trips into the darker category with the amber/patch combo that anchors it. It is very easy to wear, so you may like it as a starter into this category. Sonoma Scent Studio has a few nice darker roses like Vintage Rose (rose & plum wine) and my personal fav Rose Musc that is a wonderful rich natural rose and warm dry labdanum. There is also the SSS Cameo that is roses with musks and woods. There is L’Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses, but this has big raw patchouli and is very intense. I find the Juliette Has a Gun roses to be really excellent (all by F Kurkdjian) and include the Lady Vengeance & Miss Charming which have lovely roses and a slight gourmand style. Lady Vengeance has a nicely controlled deeper patchouli base, and I almost bought this a million times except it is so similar to Stella. Bond’s Bryant Park is in the same vein – great rose with a gourmandy patchouli base. More elegant and dryer are current or vintage Lancome Magie Noir which has a lovely dark rose and woods. Also the hard to find Gucci L’Arte di Gucci (darkest & sexiest of them all IMHO). If you can’t find this or want to dabble without the expense, you can always try Ungaro Diva, which is a dead ringer for L’Arte and much less expensive and easier to find. Rosine Rose d’Homme is a very dark and warm rose – ignore that it’s “homme” – it’s a great dark rose. Le Labo Rose 31 has a fantastic cumin accord (one of the few I actually like) riding around with a sweet bright rose. Miller Harris has the Geranium Bourbon which is really well done rose, rose geranium and woods. Annick Goutal Ce Soir ou Jamais edp has very deep rose, pear and a light skank accord that may be dirty for you. Amouage Lyric for Women is certainly rich and deep, but I don’t consider this very dark or dirty as it is super elegant with shimmering incense accords. I think Frederic Malle’s Portrait of a Lady is a super skanky rose. My new love is for Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, so I cant’ say enough about it, but it is certainly peppery and woody as is the Parfum Sacre, so it may not be to your tastes. I didn’t like Ta’if the first few times I tested it and then this year it just clicked – it’s very deep rose and dry woods which I just love. There is also a deep rose and plum and dash of leather in the By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses, which is very rich and mouth watering, but not really dark or dirty. I am sure I am missing something wonderful. This is a genre I especially like, so I hope you enjoy your explorations! Good luck!
If you’re looking for a spicy rose, I’d suggest L’ Arte di Gucci, edp is more oriental and dark, edt is drier and a bit cleaner. Very hard to find though.
Diptyque L’ombre dans L’eau- is blackcurrant leaves, and rose. It is a spicy, green rose. Les Parfums de Rosine – Rose Kashmirie is an uber spicy saffron/ rose combo.
Has anybody dived into MIchael Boadi’s new line Illuminum? Other than the famed White Gardenia Petals? Which ones did you try and what are your thoughts?
I just tried the White Gardenia, and that was all I wanted to know. Hope someone else will chime in.
I just got a sample of Saffron Amber in a swap – haven’t tried it on skin yet, but it is wafting serious sillage from the vial!
I sampled Ginger Pear a few months ago and all I remember is thinking “meh”. Then again, I feel the same way about White Gardenia Petals. Too much clean musk and neither fragrance lasted for more than an hour on my skin.
Yesterday was my birthday so I am now (FINALLY) the owner of a lovely bottle of Parfumerie Generale’s Cedre Sandaraque! Yay! I loved it from my first sniff, but used to think it too masculine. I guess as my nose matured, I got over that. Now where it was masculine, I get dark coffee notes and resin.
Luckyscent passed on samples of Parfumerie Generale’s other unisex gourmands, and though I didn’t try them extensively yet, I’m not sure they’ll work for me. None were love at first sniff. Anyone have an opinion on Aomassi, Coze, Tonkamande, and Praline de Santal?
Hope everyone has a beautiful, long weekend!
Happy Birthday!!!
Thank you!
Happy Birthday! What a nice present. I’ve only sampled a few of PG’s offerings but I like what I’ve tried.
Aw, thanks. I have come to think of PG as the house of resinous gourmands, though I’m not sure how true that is, especially since they also make the lovely Querelle too. I am dying to try their Tuberose scent.
Happy Birthday, onelittlesleep!
Happy birthday! Cèdre Sandaraque is on my sample wishlist, since I read Olfactoria’s review last month. I’d love to feel “like standing in a carpenters work room”! Is it the same on you?
Praliné de Santal is the first FB I bought about two months ago, it smells just like Nutella to me (very sweet and hazelnut-y), and as it dries down I get more and more sandalwood. I like it a lot!
And I haven’t smelled the others you mention…
Oh! I read her review too. I don’t think I get as much wood out of Cedre Sandaraque, though I get some. Mostly, I find warm cereals and slightly smoky, slightly camphorous resins. And then dark coffee notes and praline. It’s lovely. Definitely gourmand. I would eat it if it was a pastry.
Wow, this sounds amazing! Must try.
Happy birthday!!
Belated Happy Birthday! Happy Unbirthday today.
Happy belated birthday, onelittlesleep! My birthday was on the 29th and I treated myself to perfume, too. Virgo power!
Parfumerie Generale is a great line. I really need to try more of their stuff; I’ve loved most of what I’ve sampled: Cuir d’Iris, Bois Blond, L’eau Rare Matale, Drama Nuii (not such a fan of Papyrus de Ciane). I found Coze to be so strong, dark, boozy, and a little off-putting when I first tried it, but I’ve only ever sampled it in summer, so I’m waiting for the weather to cool to take it out again. I think it helps to wear frags in the proper season.
I need to check out Cedre Sandaraque; I’m totally down for dark coffee notes in my perfume! Yum.
Happy Birthday to you too, bookgirl!!
Thank you, Lavanya!
Happy birthday!
I love Coze in the depths of winter – it’s the perfume equivalent of my long down coat with the hood. Ideal for January!
Happy Birthday, onelittlesleep, and congrats on your new bottle! I love the line, in general (pardon the pun). Coze did not appeal to me – too foody/rich, I guess. I love Aomassai, but more as a novelty than something to wear. It’s unique!
Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Hope everyone is having a relaxing long weekend.
I’m looking for a rose scent that dances between the rose and something spicy, smokey, woody and/or with incense.
My daughter and I both tried FM Portrait of a Lady. On her the rose was tempered by this lovely spicey, woody base. On me it was strong rose all the way and then the rose soured after about an hour, as a lot of rose fragrances tend to.
Also tried By Killian Rose Oud. While the rose was lovely and did not turn sour, that was all I got on my skin.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.
I wore By Killian Cruel Intentions to bed last night, so that I could fall asleep. Does anyone else find that fragrance helps them to fall asleep?
Have a great day!
Killian’s Incense Oud is a nice rose fragrance. I’m trying to talk myself out of a bottle since I already have Andy Tauer’s Incense Rose but I really do like it.
Thanks for the suggestion. I have a few samples from By Killian and it turns out, Incense Oud is one of them. Wore it yesterday and my husband mentioned that it was not his favorite.
Which is too bad, because I really like it.
How about YSL Rive Gauche? Easily found and pretty affordable it’s an oldie but a goodie which seems to get surprisingly little love. Aldehydic rose with woody base.
Another radiant woody rose with a fair bit of projection is also Diptyque Opone.
I tryied Rive Gauche a loooong time ago and remember it follows the lines of some fougere such as Azzaro pour Homme and Antaeus. I don’t remember it as you described. Maybe my memorie is failing…
Which one do you mean? I was referring to the female version of Rive Gauche but I think that Rive Gauche pour Homme might well be a fougère.
Oh! I have never heard or seen a feminine Rive Gauche. Then this sounds like a good choice. It seems that’s a “old’ kind of rose perfume. Isn’t it?
Very pricey, but you can try a sample: Amouage Lyric Woman. Gorgeous, gorgeous.
Very inexpensive but nice: Gres Cabaret, which is rose and a bit of incense and a soft pillowy musk.
OJ Ta’if is peppery and woody along with the rose. Or try Tauer Incense Rose.
Oh, and yes, I frequently sleep in perfume. It has to be something soft and comforting, not terribly expensive, something that makes me relax and not worry about missing part of the development. Favorite summer sleep scents: YSL Paris Pont des Amours, Kenzo Parfum d’Ete. Other times of the year, I’m wearing Shalimar Light or Mariella Burani.
I wear perfume to sleep too. I find it’s a good time to use those that I like that have no lasting power on me.
No long lasting power is one of my criterions for choosing one frag to sleep too.
Most of my life, (starting in my teens), I’ve worn perfume to sleep. My current favorites as comfort scents are Lalique’s Amethyst, which has no lasting power :(. I spray my curtains and bedding with it as well. The other one I like to sleep with is Miriam Mirani’s Aqaba. This seems to often induce pleasant dreams.
I also like to watch the total development of the perfume before sleeping. Interesting to see how a lot of people search for the same things…
I’m searching for Cabaret but not finding…
I found it for cheap on amazon- contemplated buying..
I did a google search just now and found it at several online discounters. (I don’t know if you will find it at a store.)
Thanks Lavanya and Mals86, but for me it’s so dangerous buying at amazon cause I never know if it will be sent. I don’t live in USA.
Try Eau de Cartier for this!! For me, infallible!
Coincidentally- I actually find that woody/spicy rose fragrances help me sleep: something like Montale’s Black Oud or White Aoud which are my favorite woody roses too..(white aoud is fluffier and probably more comforting..but I like the resistance that black aoud offers)
I do like Ta’if but it is more pretty than comforting and more of a going out perfume..
Epic is a lovely incense-y rose..expensive but great if you can find a reasonably priced decant/split
See my post above about the Montale rose aouds. They have several that fit your description.
Another of my favorites, that I forgot to mention, is Abdes Salaam Attar’s Rose de Bois. It’s a natural perfume, so doesn’t last very long, but I find it akin to Andy Tauers Rose Chypre, but I like it much better.
Happy hunting!
Gres Cabaret is a nice rosewatery, dewy rose paired with woodsmoke. Its very affordable too!
hehe it took me so long to type changing my mind about what to say, and then looking up how to spell cabaret, that Mals suggested it before me.
Second (or third) Cabaret. I’m not really a rose person, but I still love it.
Have you tried Andy Tauer’s Incense Rose?
Not yet, but I do have a sample of it.
There are a lot of people interested in rose scents right now. Has anybody tried Trish McEvoy’s Black Rose Oud? I didn’t even know she made perfume.
I really disliked this one especially for the strong cheap wood in the drydown. IMAO the price is too high and you can get much better rose or oud or rose oud for your money. I haven’t read about whether other people liked it or not so take my opinion with a major grain of salt because I could have missed the point of it.
I haven’t yet tried TM black rose oud. But you’re right, rose is experiencing a bit of a resurgence in popularity at the moment. I think it’s all the modern rose compositions going on, all the new iterations. Some are with incense, some with pepper, etc. They’re not your grandmother’s rose scents. I’m loving my new bottles of Une Rose and Lipstick Rose, as well as my samples of Taif by OJ, Paestum Rose, Amouage Epic, FM Portrait of a Lady, JHAG Citizen Queen, White Oud by Montale. On the hunt for more to try….
Just got back from a trip to Vancouver. Someone on here (forget who–thanks so much!) advised me to check out The Perfume Shoppe. I was worried because I strolled in looking rather grubby in ripped jeans and with messy hair I thought I wouldn’t be taken seriously as a customer. It turned out to be really great though!: got to talk to another perfume enthusiast (the owner) in person who so gracious and helpful and there was no pressure to buy. Definitely going to perchase niche bottles from there in the future to avoid getting scalped by customs though luckyscent. Highly recommended!
Anyway, I got to sniff Datura Noir, Santal Blanc, Wild Oud, and PG’s 18, 19 and 21. Of these I think Cadjmere and Felanilla are the biggest contendors for future bottles. I am now thoroughly intrigued by PG and must explore the line further. I’ve found the sheer number of scents so intimidating though! What are the must trys?
So glad you had a good experience! Sounds like fun!
Praliné de Santal should be on its way today or tomorrow!!!
Unfortunately, none of the other PGs I tried (Cadjmeré, Drama Nuui, Yuzo Ab Irato, Un Crime Exotique) got me hooked… I thought Cadjmeré and Drama Nuui were beautiful, though. And I want to try Felanilla and Cèdre Sandaraque most.
I really liked the sniff of Datura Noir I got at the store the other day… What did you think of it?
Excited to try Praliné de Santal!! I am also going to try Cèdre Sandaraque asap. I liked Yuzo Ab Irato and Drama Nuui, but not enamored enough to purchase. I would, as Robin says, probably wear them if a bottle was given to me but that will never happen.
I found Datura Noir to be appealingly cuddly and cozy. I just don’t seem to want to wear white flowers though. I appreciate them, I often think perfumes centered around them are beautiful but they just don’t seem “me.” What about you? Do you think it’s the white flower you could love? Also what did you think of Back to Black?
I wanted to wait and try them all again before I’d give you my impressions, but I didn’t have the time to try them a second time! So I’ll tell you my first impressions at the same time as I will confirm the package is sent. I found Back to Black wayyyy too sweet for me! But it’s probably the amber, it’s annoying me in every amber perfume I tried… I’ll try it again on a cold winter day. But I’m growing fond of Bas de Soie, just like you said you did! More details to come by email!
Meg, I love L’Oiseau de Nuit (gorgeous labdanum), Iris Oriental (formerly known as Iris Taizo), and Bois Blond (an out-of-this-world hay fragrance). I’m glad you found yourself a good shop!
Thanks! I will be sure to check them out!
It’s a really nice place, isn’t it? Nazrin is a really easy person to talk to about perfumes, and sometimes I just pop in to say hi on the way to work. I think the first bottle I bought there was PG’s Eau Rare Matale, one of my major cold-weather perfumes.
I think PG Bois Blond is a must try if you have not yet tried it. Lovely hay, woods, amber. It has a cult following by this point.
For the past few days, my needle has been stuck in the Le Temps d’une Fete groove. I’ve missed it this summer.
It’s been miserably hot and humid this week, but I’m hoping we’ll have some fall weather soon. It’s marching band season!
Can I just say that your love for Le Temps d’Une Fete is why I own a bottle now? Your enthusiasm is very inspiring! When I’m in a perfume slump, I have to avoid your blog or I’ll max out my credit card. At least I’d smell good…SIGH!
LOL- I have similar feelings about mals’ blog too-I can completely blame her for some of my recent buys (though I do love the buys so I will give her my thanks instead of the blame..:))
Thanks to both of you! Of course it’s always good when someone alerts us to what’s wonderful out there…
And yep, it’s all green-and-gold to me too. Sunshine through leaves.
Yep, it’s a beauty. I think I enjoy it most of all in spring.
Yes, I owe you a big “thank-you!” for your raves about Tabac Aurea and Le Temps. Both are now Top 10s for me.
Tabac Aurea! THAT’S what I want to go put on now…
I discovered how beautiful Le temps is after I bought my mother a bottle..It is truly a gorgeous yellow and green perfume..For me it captures the essence of my mother and feels like ‘HER’ smell even though she’s only recently started wearing it. SO I don’t think I could wear it myself, but love sniffing it on my skin once in a while…
My new PdN love is L’eau Chic – highly rec as another one great for hot, humid days. Grain de Musc put it in her top 10 for summer and said “As clean, chic and easy as a crisp white cotton shirt.” It’s lovely!
I am still enjoying my lovely OJ Discovery set, and have added Orris Noir to my list of genuinely lovely scents! Although I’m still not sure that I can really smell Iris notes, I love its peppery warmth and the tenacious alto notes.
I really have never found a perfumer that I liked so universally! Others I have enjoyed include Ormonde Woman (a real swoon!) and Tolu.
I like, but probably don’t want to own, Sampaquita, Ormonde Man, Tiare, and Fragrapani. I know Fragrapani gets much love here, but it’s a too sheer for me. Although I wonder if maybe a big bottle that I could spray enthusiastically might be lovely!
Anyone else in the fan club? Other perfumers you find overwhelmingly good fits?
I like the OJ line quite well also. I went through the discovery set, and can honestly say there was not a single one that I actively disliked. Even those that were not “me” were obviously well-done. I bought a FB of Woman for me and one of Man for my husband.
Sounds like we are on exactly the same page! I wish I had a fella to squirt OJ man on. . .
. . .and Antaeus!
. . .and maybe a few others!!!
I adore Orris Noir! It’s the onlu bottle of OJ that I own. For a spicy Iris you may want to try PG’s Iris Oriental.
Ooops! That’s only, not onlu.
I went through the discovery set this year as well and Woman is on my to-buy list (as soon as some cash flow opens up!) Everything in the line is just so well done.
Oh, my other fun recently has been layering Ange ou Demon Le Secret with Kenzo Amour after my evening showers. Together, a mysteriously spicy note develops which I find warm and cozy in the evening! I’d love to hear other layering joys others have discovered recently!
I haven’t had much success in the layering department. On my skin it just seems as though mixing a perfume steals away the nature of both and doesn’t leave any ‘defined’ smell at all
Even quite ‘plain’ ones like Amour and Vanillia smell better on their own than in any of my attempted combinations!
But, what I do enjoy doing is spraying two or three frags in different places on my skin. Each retains its unique identity and they often seem to complement each other. A brief whiff of one followed by a brief whiff of the other can be REALLY pleasurable. Is there anyone else who has more success with this than with layering?
I must admit that the above experiment is the first to be successful for me! I’ve had some accidental layering when trying too many new scents on an arm/hand/elbow at a time! Most are not good to really unpleasant! (MJ Bang doesn’t play well with others!) I like your solution to have different scents placed on different parts of the body. Very clever!
Works better for me to layer by applying different places too, even if it’s side by side.
Hi there!…Yes , I really like to use different scents on different areas. Something on the neck, something else on wrists and maybe something different again on the back of the neck. If you get a nice comment its hard to know immediately which frag it is!
Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense finally arrived to Poland (or at least to my favourite online perfume shop)
I’m gonna buy myself this great stuff soon
Pradas are really good! Do you like Infusion D’Homme?
Uhuhuh, the theme os this lazy weekend pool could be “Rose perfumes”. Nice!
Well, I have been wearing Amouage Honor Woman for a couple of days now trying to figure out what I am missing in it, as all Amouages have been my passion for a decade now. And – there is no mystery, no kick, no twist, and – I hate to say – no much thinking or elaboration in it. It is booooooring… Sad.
I’m a big fan of Amouage and found Honour Woman hugely disappointing too, very blah.
On the other hand, I am a lucky owner of several old bottles of Le Gallion Sortiliege – pure chypre heaven in the line of Dioressence and Eve Reve, and Cuir de Russie but more of a velvet-gown-and-going-to-theater-Jo-Staffordishis style.
Eternal values are still there, I suppose…
It is funny how I discovered it – one of my cats knocked off a bottle that was sealed, off the dresser. I never smelled it as I got it in a garage sale and had not been curious enough. My room smelled like – I am at a loss for words. It smelled of Erich Maria Remarque Geborgtes Leben and the way women were women despite wars, loss and deprivation surrounding them at that time. It smelled od seduction, betrayal and devotion, gold lame and custom-made ball shoes that just arrived in a closed box, and the night of the great ball is near…
Definitely my #1 perfume of all times…
What a FABULOUS description! I hope you thanked your cat. I am going to have to hunt for a vintage sample.
Thank you! I tend to evaluate perfume and movies by “Is there a good story to it?” and there have been so few good stories recently…
Le Gallion Sortiliege Parfum is available on you-know-bay for $25-$70 depending on how lucky you are. The Eau and other dilutions are there, too, but much paler in comparison. It must be the nitro musks of which there are no more in the present (circumcised) perfume production.
Agreed, amazing description!
Today … am wearing Un Jardin en Mediterannee, which is appropriate in this extremely hot weather. Like many on this thread, am looking for a spicy woody rose for a non-rose fan (if that makes sense hehehe) for autumn. I discovered a bottle of the now discontinued Tumulte by Christian Lacroix and will pick it up tomorrow or Tuesday.
Also got a new perfume oil from Esteban – Teak & Tonka Bean. I’t’s a nice home fragrance.
Nice gravatar!
Thanks Moore, yours is not too bad either – looks like an impressionist picture
OMG! I just got that sample too from Sephora (the UJDM, that is). So it’s nice, huh? I had mentioned below that I have been looking for a nice rose, so maybe I’ll have to bust this sample out soon.
I always wear Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker, but it’s best when layered over Archipelago Body Milk body wash…something about that combination is just heavenly, and people comment on it when I do it right.
Sounds lovely!
A lovely day here at the local suburban mall, Nordstom’s actually had sample vials out in big bowls and you could make your own. I do not know how long that will last but, being that I never “look” like the diamond clad crowd they are use to here, I appreciate that I least I can serve myself. The new Ellie Saab was interesting, although I am overly sensitive to the neroli(?) in it.
That is interesting! My local Nordstrom will make a vial if asked, but they don’t have them out – doesn’t seem like their clientele would be the DIY type!
I’m going to my Nordstom’s tomorrow so I’m gonna have to look around and see if there are any vials. I hope there are because I can never seem to get a sample in that place.
The “fancy” Nordies downtown does that here now, but not the smaller ones around town. I think it’s very lovely of them!
Something in the new Ellie Saab clashed with my nose and gave me a horrible headache until I could get into a loong shower and wash it off. It’s an Eau de Chemistry Lab, that scent.
I agree, the SA at Neiman’s gave my arm a big spray of it and I disliked it quite a lot. It has an off note in it and is not the buttery sort of orange blossom I was hoping for. Sort of a gasoline note?
I’m going to have to reserve my judgement of Elie Saab – I just got a large decant. I was very smitten with the fragrance strip (I know, I know), but now that I’ve tested it on my skin, I find it distressingly high pitched. Maybe it’s not a good time for me to try it? I like the way it smells off the nozzle, and will likely enjoy it on others, but it may not be a good match for me. I had to swing the other direction and wear my AdP Iris Nobile edp to get some orange blossom and florals with more gravitas.
Oh, I do like that! Never seen it at my Nordstrom though.
The Nordstrom in San Francisco has that setup, too. I first noticed it during the Anniversary Sale — made myself 10 samples while the SAs were busy dealing with higher-value targets.
I recently visited the Frederic Malle counter at Barneys with my mother, which was both good and not-so-good (mostly very good). Good because she generously bought me a bottle of Lipstick Rose for my birthday (I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did!) and bought Bigarade Concentree for herself (she LOVES citrus). Not so good because she isn’t much of a shopper and got bored very quickly and kept prodding me to hurry up and pick a fragrance (the horror!). I quickly learned never to go perfume shipping with her again. But I DID get a perfume out of the deal, so I really can’t complain!
Hours later, I returned to Barneys and bought a bottle of Une Rose as my own birthday gift to myself; by then the dirty truffle notes had bloomed on my skin and I couldn’t stop sniffing my arm: a bottle had to be mine. Not a bad way to spend a birthday!
Funny thing is I had originally had my eyes on Portrait of a Lady instead, but I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on buying a bottle because the weather has been rather toasty in LA at the moment, and to me POAL is better suited to autumn and winter.
Has that ever happened to anyone else? You go perfume shopping, thinking you’ll go for one frag, and then end up buying something else?
^shipping = shopping
When I started reading your comment- it sounded like I’d written it..lol..I took my mom to the Barney’s perfume counter in LA too (more than a couple of months back though)..I tried PoAL and Carnal Flower..My mom tried Therese which was gorgeous on her. I was liking POAL- but preferred the body butter to the perfume on my skin- stronger somehow..I thought I’d come back to buy Therese for my mom but came back for a Carnal Flower travel set for moi (birthday money too!). She fell in love with a couple of PdNs at the scent bar..
oops- sorry about the double post!
That’s too funny. Great minds, Lavanya! I didn’t try the body butters, though – must remember to give them a whirl next time. Spending birthday money on a little Frederic Malle is an excellent way to celebrate, I think. I haven’t been to the scent bar yet, which is kind of not cool considering I live in the same city!
Was Angela at the Barney’s FM counter? She used to work at the Scent Bar for a while (and now works at Barneys), so is very familiar with the ‘perfumista concept’..lol ..and understanding about living with a sample before buying etc.
Rachel, at the scent bar, is an absolute DOLL and so lovelyl and friendly and patient – you must visit!
Angela wasn’t at the Barneys counter, but I did talk to Gary. He was quite helpful. I wish we could have chatted longer, but my mother was over it. I’ll have to look out for Angela next time I visit. I love talking to knowledgeable, helpful SA’s who are as passionate about perfume as you are and who don’t pressure you into buying. I despise the pressure above everything else, which is why I tend to acquire samples via mail.
I am itching to visit the Scent Bar. I was just talking to a friend about it last night. Hopefully, we’ll make the pilgrimage soon. I’ll look out for Rachel when I go!
Ooh! I am very fond of Lipstick Rose! Good choice! I own a bottle of L’Eau D’Hiver, which I stingily parcel out whenever I feel it is the only thing that will do. I wish I had a Barney’s!!!! (Although I guess my downpayment-for-my-first-house fund is thankful that we don’t!)
Thanks, Marjorie Rose! I’m very happy with my Lipstick Rose. It’s just so feminine and sweet and I wasn’t prepared to love it as much as I do. I feel quite glam wearing it, which is a nice confidence and mood booster. I, too, have a bottle of L’Eau D’Hiver, which was my very first FM (purchased with a Barneys gift card I received for Christmas). I’ve been known to wear it around Thanksgiving; it’s my happy family-time-in-autumn scent.
I think your house fund is super thankful not to have a Barneys nearby!
Happy Birthday, BookGirl!
I rarely buy fragrance on impulse, and when it happens, it can go either way. Ananas Fizz was a love affair, Maitresse – of which I bought 2 bottles at the airport, silly me, ended up as a piece of decoration on my dresser. I get more use out of the complimentary pack of strip poker cards. THAT was thoughtful
Thanks so much, Nile Goddess!
I have done that! Congrats on your Une Rose. That is the ultimate rose fragrance, in my book.
Thanks, Haunani. Une Rose does seem like the mother of all roses. I’ve been on somewhat of a rose kick, lately, and am eager to sniff out more iterations.
Happy belated birthday! You got 2 great scents, and now you’ve covered both ends of the rose spectrum.
Thank you, Robin! It was a big birthday – my 30th – so there was ample pampering, perfume buying, champagne swilling, chocolate eating, and partying it up. I’m exhausted! And, quite frankly, over myself. Haha. I am one incredibly blessed and very happy birthday girl.
Yeah, I think I’m pretty set with those two lovely bottles of rose. But, you know, it wouldn’t hurt to just sniff out some other rose samples……it’s a sickness, really.
LOL…it never hurts to see if there are any roses out there that you still need!
(and you’re still a BABY!)
A baby, huh? I’ll take it! Especially since I’ve been feeling quite grandma lately!
Thanks, Merlin! Happy early birthday to you!
Happy 30th!
And 30 is not a baby, cos I’ll be 33 in a few weeks and I REFUSE to be thought of as a toddler:)
I got back a week ago from a lovely trip to the South of France (despite the fact that I ended up being separated from my luggage). I discovered these great perfume oils in the back of a little shop in Avignon. Only 2 euros each and so nice! Today I’m wearing Noix de Coco (coconut) and it smells beachy and wonderful. I’m not a huge fan of oils but these are lovely.
How fun! I’m glad you had a good trip. What was your favorite town/area?
Thanks for asking, Haunani! I think I liked Avignon and Isle sur la Sorgue best of the places I went. There was a church I went into in Avignon where they were lighting these candles that had a sort of cinnamon-incense smell — wonderful! I also loved the Site du Pont du Gard — beautiful!
*listens in*
Leave it to a perfumista to report on at least one memorable smell from the trip!
The Noix de Coco sounds beautiful!
From the new issue of Entertainment Weekly (9/9 — 9/16), about the new season of America’s Next Top Model, which will apparently star contestants from past seasons of the show:
“‘The power of the model over the last 10 years has started to shift to people who are more entertainers, singers, actors, and reality TV stars,’ says co-producer Tyra Banks, who will judge alongside her usual panel and guests including Nicki Minaj and Kathy Griffin. To that end, the hopefuls will create a perfume and write a song — and star in its video. Explains Banks, ‘If I tried to start modeling now, I wouldn’t have had my career.’”
NP
“the hopefuls will create a perfume…”
Noooooooo!
Cynical me, I assume that they will have as much influence in the final frag as the usual celebrities–maybe identify a few notes they like, but otherwise, not really much else.
How funny!
A promised (but not yeet arrived) cold front has me reaching for Mon Jasmin Noir this mroning. Lovely spicy cozy scent – but darned if I get any jasmine from it! Oh well – enjoy the weekend everyone!
It is supposed to be darned cold here tomorrow, for the 1st day of school.
Happy holiday weekend all. I packed Après L’ondee for my weekend getaway with my sweetheart who is as of last night my Fiancé!
oooh- Congratulations!!!! that is exciting! I know it is too soon- but have you set a date yet?
No date set yet…looking at spring!
Congratulations, Helenviolette! How exciting! Have a wonderful trip!
Congrtulations!
Congratulations!!
How sweet, congratulations!
At least one person has to say – MAZELTOV!
Congrats! What a great time of life . . . . Enjoy!
Best wishes & congrats! I hope you have more troubles picking out your wedding fragrance than you have during the rest of your life together.
Have someone tryied Sisley’s Eau D’Ikar????
My SotD is the weird and wonderful Comme des Garcons Stephen Jones. On me, it’s a very beautiful and long-lasting violet. It’s one of those fragrances that I can wear any month of the year, and perfect for the transition month of September.
What fragrances do you think are easily worn in any season?
Fresh ones: Happy Men, Miss Dior Cherrie L’Eau, Dior addict 2 Fraîche, Jardin series… some strange ones: Fahrenheit, M7 and Rochas Man ever!!! (uhuh, how I like to say this).
Year-rounders for me tend to be aldehydes! No. 5, Vega, Mariella Burani, Iris Poudre… Also can wear vtg Emeraude in any weather because it’s so weightless.
I feel like I can get away with a wider range of year-round fragrances where I live now (Bay Area) than I could in other places. My year-round staples now include Eau des Merveilles, Yvresse, Futur, and Cabaret, but it’s a rare day that I can’t bust out Youth Dew or Vol de Nuit if I feel like it. Most nights I wear Tibetan Mountain Temple to bed.
TDC Osmanthus works just about any time – perhaps not the very coldest days. Dzing! is the most seasonless leather to my nose. BK Pure Oud is rather seasonless, as well. Also many vetivers, such as my fav AG Vetiver.
I acquired Mary Greenwell Plum recently and have the same feeling about it, although I haven’t actually tested it other seasons yet, of course.
My next purchase will be Lutens’ Daim Blond. Should be nice for the fall.
Perfect for fall!
Great fragrance, Raymond. I’ve gone through about three samples of Daim Blond, and considered FB as well. I may content myself with a large decant. It is lovely peachy suede on me. A bit too much for our 90+F at the moment, but will be fantastic in the fall.
My real hesitation is SL’s Boxeuses–for me it has a similar suede-like note, and more plum than peach. I haven’t decided which I love most. The Daim Blond is easily available here, stateside, but I’m tempted to wait for a trip to Paris and pick up the bell jar of Boxeuses. Hope you love your purchase. Be well.
And here I think Daim Blond is perfect for a summer day. I’m instantly cooled by the fuzzy peach suede. I haven’t tried it in autumn; must give it a whirl.
SOTD = Parfum d’Empire Osmanthus Interdite. So, so pretty.
We had a hint of fall Friday and Saturday with temps in the mid-80s and much less humidity than we’ve suffered through this summer. Oh, it felt good!
Yes it is!
(we are expecting a high of 65 tomorrow! Quite cold for September)
I just purchased Chere Louise from Crazylibellule and the Poppies. Love love love the scent, unfortunately it lasts about 1.5 sec on me. Are there similar scents that have greater longevity?
Just swapped decants with my visiting mother-in-law. She brought the Hermes 24 Faubourg she’d been raving about , and I offered her my Creed Royal Water to quench her thirst for citrus. We are two very happy, sweet-smelling ladies, and my husband is pleased that we didn’t go overboard like last time, when we tried on SIX perfumes.
This is the kind of mother-in-law I would like one day. What did you think of faubourg?
I loved it. Smooth, golden, rich– a weightier version of Coty Les Muses.
Hi everyone….. scent to bed last night EL Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang… today is VCA Bois D Iris ….. Trying to find a refill bottle of Agonist Liquid Crystal….. any ideas??
Cheers, Margy
A quiet perfume at night makes a lot of sense. I recently tried a perfume sample – was it Fleur de Liane? and it WOKE me up! Eek. Not waking me up: Anais Anais.
Looking forward to colder weather so I can wear my new purchase of Bois de Paradis. Good news: one spritz on each arm and I’m good to go for the day; bad news: it is Too Much in warm weather.
A good point about bedtime scents! I definitely have made the mistake of testing perfumes too near bedtime and found them not conducive to a good night’s sleep! Weirdly, I think some of them have actually influenced my dreams!! {trying to think of an example. . .}
Yep, I have to go for quiet, comforting things at bedtime.
The absolute best bedtime scent I have tried is Hanae Mori Butterfly. So comforting and calming, and so pretty.
I wore HM Butterfly — and only HM Butterfly — for a good two years. It was my first serious perfume. I still think it’s gorgeous but I find it a little sweet for regular use; maybe I should give it a go at bedtime.
As I mentioned in a thread above, I usually put on Pacifica’s Tibetan Mountain Temple before bed. It seems to melt away any lingering stress, and at $22 a bottle I don’t fret about being unable to consciously enjoy it after I fall asleep.
Happy Labor Day! I’m wearing Heidi Klum “Shine” this evening and liking it very much. I think I will add it to my autumn rotation. Has anyone else here tried it? Care to share your thoughts?
I tried this today and found it pleasant, if a bit bare… only to be expected in a cheapie drugstore frag.
I tested Parfums Delrae Mythique today again on a whim. The first 3-4 times I tested this I got some kind of plastic pineapple mixed with bathtub cleaner, but today I’m finally getting the iris and suede mentioned in the review and it is lovely! However my previous experiences are making me unsure if it’s really something I should buy….what if my skin chemistry turns this into nauseating plastic pineapple again? However I’m happy to finally be able to see what people like about it now.
Lately lily has been fascinating me. Got a sample of FM LM and while I wish it wasn’t so linear, I can’t seem to get enough of this. It’s such a nice mix of lily, salt and mild ginger on me. Plus the AZ heat really makes this scent bloom and feel really opulent. I also obtained a sample of the Baiser Vole and I’m really liking that as well (I also really like Love, Chloe and Paris so I’ve been liking the “cosmetic powder” scents coming out lately). However the $100 asking price is a bit too much for me to swallow…might go for it if I can find it on ebay later after the hype has died down and bottles can be found cheaper.
There’s no review here for FM LM so I was wondering what do the people here think of it?
I like Lys Mediterranee – I think it was well received. (If you want to read other blog reviews, go to the search box at the right and put in what you’re looking for, then click on “perfume blogs” to narrow the search result.)
I do actually prefer Donna Karan Gold, which is discontinued but you can still find it for reasonable prices on the internet last time I checked. It has an amber-wood cast rather than the salty-air one of LM, but they’re both lovely.
21 today! I could not be more EXCITED! I haven’t a clue as to what I should wear to mark the occasion?! Maybe my Tom Ford Extreme or M7? Hmmmmm? : )
Happy birthday!
Thanks so much! : )
Happy birthday! Have a nice day!
Thanks so much! You too! : )
Happy birthday!
Thanks! : )
Oh, a very happy 21st!! What did you pick?
Thanks Robin! I went with M7. I went out to dinner so 2 little sprays did the trick. M7 is a bit of a monster. Haha. : )
Happy bithday!!! I wasn’t too excited at my 21st either! But you began soooo better than I: M7 is an excellent choice and a wonderfull beginning. Ripe choice for a very young person. Good signal, huh?!
Oh thanks so much! I bought M7 unsniffed a few yrs back because of nst’s review! It’s really a great scent. : )
Happy Birthday!! Wear something that will smell good in a bar and then the morning after!
*chuckle*
LOL!!! Thanks so much! : )
I ordered my first bunch of samples from The Perfumed Court this week — the CDG Incense Series, Jacomo #08, and a few Sonoma Scent Studio offerings. I have a feeling that this could lead to perdition, but oh well.
Also decided that my blind buy of Rochas Mystère was not in fact a huge mistake, though I think I’ve learned my lesson in that department.
I absolutely love Jacomo #08! I hope you like it too!
Thanks! I decided to try it largely based on your recommendation. How is the new job going?
It’s going well, thanks!
Glad to hear it.
Another fan of Jacomo #8 here. Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks! Looks like it’ll be here tomorrow, so I’ll find out shortly.
I tried Oh, Lola! Very warm, vanillic and peachy in the beginning, but in the end it was a complet mess on my skin. Not my cup of tea, beside I am way out of the target group. I also smelled Especially Escada, I thought I had taken the wrong botte. It smelled to me like Chloe EdP (with the ribbon).
I suspected I could skip the Escada, & sounds like I was right!
It is just my opinion. Maybe you will like the new Escada. I am sure you will smell much more differences as I do.
My most recent FB purchase was Borneo 1834 which I’d been craving for some time. I have a nice-sized decant of Chanel Coromandel and keep comparing them. I do think I prefer the SL for its slightly greater sweetness; it’s less “sharp” or biting. Luckyscent included some samples including Sandal de Mysore which I’d tried before but I am just loving it in our Houston heat. I have found that it “blooms” in the heat into an almost floral quality, fascinating. So, now being on a sandalwood kick too, I’m comparing it with 10 Corso Como which I’m wearing this morning. I like it very much but it does not have the magic of the SL. Still, it’s surprising to me how well incense fragrances do in the heat. They seem to blend in with it somehow and make it (heat) more airy and tolerable.
I’m dying to try the new Chanel 19 Poudre.
It’s a hot, humid morning in central florida. My husband is cleaning the gutters while I standby in case he falls (I’ve forbidden it). Can’t wait to shower and put Sycomore on him and i’m in a Shalimar mood after reading Katie Puckriks review of Shalimar Initial this morning. Perhaps Eau Legere will be nice in the heat.
LOVE the Iris Poudre. Got three spray samples and am torn between spraying with wild abandon and hoarding it, with delicate half-sprays on just the back of my hand. I have actually caught a whiff of myself unexpectedly and wanted to track down the scent . . . Before realizing it was ME! Ahhhhh. Hope you get some soon and enjoy it, too.
Oh for crying out loud. I meant the Chanel 19 Poudre. This is what happens when I have to work when everyone else is at the beach. I have lost my ever-loving mind.
I tried Shalimar Initial last week – the bottle looks so pretty – but it’s just too much lemon custard, not enough perfume, to me.
“My husband is cleaning the gutters while I standby in case he falls…”
So that he has something to fall on???
Happy Labor Day & best wishes to all those seeking jobs.
Because it is so damp and dreary today, I’m wearing SSS Champagne de Bois, which is perfectly warm and dry. Yesterday it was Lancome’s Magie Noir, layered with L’AP Drole de Rose. It’s a remarkably sucessful combination.
I just wanted to mention a book set I just finished that I found very very good: Marcel Pagnol “Jean de Florette & Manon of the Springs”. It’s an oldie but goodie – new to me. I just couldn’t put it down. I picked it up after I saw the movie of the same, which was very enjoyable. It’s just very well written and the characters are wonderful. I wish my French was good enough that I could read it in French.
I remember watching the movies (I think there were two of them, one for each book?) in my high school French class. Unfortunately, I haven’t retained enough of the language to be able to read untranslated French novels — maybe I’ll check out the English versions.
I have a sample of Champagne du Bois on the way (along with some other SSS stuff) — can’t wait to try it.
Emily: good luck with the SSS samples. I have a lot of them and enjoy the line very much. There are a number of the SSS that I have troubles smelling b/c of musk anosmia. If for some reason you smell one that you can’t smell or smells unusual, don’t panic – it may be musk anosmia. But there are lots to pick from the line that are so good. I hope you find something you like!!
Thanks for the warning. So far the only thing I’ve been markedly anosmic to is whatever musk is in the drydown of AA Jasminora, but I haven’t yet had any experience at all with SSS.
The other SSS samples that are coming (tomorrow! yay!) are Ambre Noir, Incense Pure, and Tabac Aurea — especially looking forward to that last one.
The weather here changes every day, yesterday was pretty warm and sunny, today is wet and feels cooler so SOTD is Nicolai’s Odalisque which I think is wonderful but seemingly often over-looked.
I noticed that Amazon UK have a new LT & TS book available for pre-order. Anyone know anything about it? I’m wondering if it contains the same material as PTG or if there’s some new stuff in it.
I think the new book is just an excerpt of the old one, just containing reviews of the “classics.” I suppose the problem with the original book is that, by the time it came out as a mass-market paperback, many of the perfumes reviewed were no longer available. By only having reviews of perfumes that are likely to hang around for a while, the smaller book will have more legs.
From what I’ve heard the new book will revisit 100 classics with updates on how they’re doing in the midst of all the reformulation going on.
I think I read of this on Perfume Shrine within the last month or so.
Someone – I think Nathan Branch? or Perfume Shrine? – wrote about this recently. I think it’s the 5 star perfumes from The Guide plus four or so newer perfumes to make 100.
Thanks, everyone, sounds like it’s something I’d need to look through in person to decide if the amount of new material is sufficient to justify a purchase.
You know what would be cool? A post/article about perfumes celebrities wear–comparing and contrasting the celebs who clearly are fond of niche perfumery and the ones who aren’t. it’s incredibly interesting considering that many celebs come out with perfumes now.
For example, Christina Hendricks from MadMen wears Premier Figuier Extreme, L’eau d’ambre, Mandarin, and about 8 others from LAP–she has stated that she has about 10! And her night frag is Black Cashmere by Donna Karan. But then you have someone like Selena Gomez, who is coming out with a perfume, but in the past has worn Escada, Daisy Eau So Fresh, and Paris Hilton.
Went and sniffed my way around Nordstrom’s and Neiman Marcus today. Had the hubby with me. Tried a few scents, got samples of Elie Saab and BaiserVoile. When we got in the car a while later to find somewhere to eat lunch I pulled out the hand sanitizer because I had handled a lot of tester bottles. My wacky husband said to me at that point “whatever you just sprayed smells really nice. I like that one”. After I stopped laughing I broke the news to him that it was Purell. Much cheaper than what I had been looking at but not going to work as a fragrance.
Its experiences like that that keep us down to earth!
That is just so funny! At least you have a husband who is trying to be supportive of you habit, lol!
Does anyone remember from the movie “Lost Boys” when the grandpa character uses Windex as aftershave before he goes on a date with some widow?
It was my first day as a casual in a rather uppity store. I wore 31 Rue Cambon (from a sample) on my wrists and scarf; and a little Parfum Sacre (also a sample) on my arms. The 31 RC definitely did its job in making me feel just so suave! I’ll probably never need a bottle but I think having a decant at hand would be worthwhile
Unexpected: Out of the 20 or so random samples I have been wearing in the last few weeks, 1000 Kisses Deep (I got a solid as a gift) stands out as, perhaps, my most favourite. But, no one I’v asked really seems to like it as much as me. And, I tend to get Leonard Cohen earrworms when I wear it…
Leonard Cohen earworms? How lucky! I usually end up with some silly 50s/60s pop song ringing in my brain.
If one HAS to have earworms then I agree – Leonard Cohen’s are the ones to go for, but its like my brain feels obliged to wearily dredge up fragments of the song ALL DAY LONG!
Yesterday I tried some samples: Nez a Nez Marron Chic and Divine L’Inspiratrice. I found Marron Chic very pleasant – seems very wearable – will test further. L’Inspiratrice was interesting but just too something for my taste.
Well. Today I scored some serious sample looty – Viva La Juicy, Jimmy Choo (reminds me of SJP’s Lovely – my fave – or Narcisso Rodriguez, depending upon whom you ask), and Burberry Body, all from Lord and Taylor, and from Sephora I picked up Miss Dior Cherie parfum, Dior Addict Shine, and Bulgari Rose. I am especially excited to try the Rose simply because I’ve been looking around for a nice rose. Hope it fits the bill. And at Blue Mercury last week I picked up four Cartier frag samples – De Lune, Concentree, Declaration, and Eau de Cartier. Have only tried De Lune so far, and not really impressed. Little too weak for my tastes. It actually smells like a perfume from the Gap that I bought called Heaven; I actually like that better.
You bought them without smelling them? Or you got samples? I sampled Bvlgari Rose recently and enjoyed it, but man, that stuff is PERSISTENT. I can still smell it weeks later on a bracelet I happened to be wearing at the time of sampling.
Nope. Free samples. Altho I’m glad someone here has tried Bvlgari Rose, especially since now I know how to spell it. And @ Moore, I don’t know how many frags Cartier has out, but these are the ones that the salesgirl gave me. All in all, quite a generous week for me and samples. My shoebox is getting full again.
Haven’t you get Délices Fruitée? Is one of my favourite female Cartier’s. Roadster is very good too.
And how could I forget Le Baiser du Dragon? Cartier doens’t attach great importance on making easy frags.
A sad thing happened to me today. At a very hot and humid bbq, my friends’ Aunt arrived doused in Hermes Eau De Merveilles. One of my favorites- I truly admire the fragrance. It was so sharp and sour on her it seared my sinuses. I smelt it in my nose the rest of the day.
I was wearing Philosophy Pure Grace, and I had given my friend Mugler Cologne to try. Something about that Cologne annoys me. I think it’s too sweet, maybe? Maybe it’s just my nose today. HA!
How awful! I hope she didn’t ruin it for you!
I wouldn’t have thought EDM could become offensive; its so light, salty and transient.
Hard to say… I tried EdM on paper in a Duty-Free and liked it. On my skin, though, it was awful. It might be one that does not do well on certain skins.
Strangely, I really loved it on me, but never got around to buying it a few years ago. For the last couple of months though it hasn’t been all that pleasant on my skin. Glad I didn’t buy it. Still on me it doesn’t have the sillage or longevity to really offend.
Same here. I like it on paper but on my skin it smells awful too.
I tried Bleu de Chanel yesterday. It was not a total disappointment cause I was already expecting nothing high level. Male Chanel’s aren’t my cup of tea! First thing came to my mind when i sniffed it: “Mademoiselle Chanel may be contorting herself into the grave”. Poor girl! Wicked people.