Our usual open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you're waiting to find at discount, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
A couple pieces of business: the damage poll for the third quarter of 2012 is coming up on Tuesday, and we'll have a followup poll for the swapmeet on October 21.
Note: image is chrysanthemum [cropped] by kuchingboy at flickr; some rights reserved.
Nice, sunny, fresh day here so I’ll probably wear my favorite autumn Lutens- one that doesn’t seem to get much love- Chypre Rouge.
Yesterday I received a box of vintage frags ordered online (all blind buys). Best surprise: Perry Ellis for men (original from 1985) The dry down is very similar to Daim Blond, so at $28 for a 150 ml, it was a great deal.
VanCleef & Arpels pout homme was also another great leather discovery. I wore a lot of great, big leathers 25-30 years ago and I seem to be coming back full circle.
Disappointments of the week:
-YVES Saint Laurent (capitalized in protest of the dropping of the first name) pour Homme Haute Concentration. In a word: Yuck! Not for me. Too sweaty and moldy.
-Terre D’Hermes. Way too much vetiver and flint for my taste. Will still give the Parfum version a try…
-Guerlain L’Homme L’Eau Boisée. Nothing special. Maybe because I’m wearing big leathers these days. Will have to give it another try.
Fan di Fendi for men will also need to be tried again. So far, I’m getting Escape for Men with a woody finish… but I love the bottle.
Have a great weekend!
Oh!… and my goal for the day is to go to L’Occitane to try L’eau des Baux.
Eau des Beax is the one scent at L’Occitane that I can see myself buying some day! Not complex, but very nice and seems good for fall, for that matter! (Although I keep wanting to write it Eau des Beau! I wonder if the pun is intentional?)
The name is Eau des Baux. Les Baux is a village in Provence, so there is no pun, I’m afraid.
Its a really nice simple amber – apparently notes of cypress and incense, though I smell more a kind of honey-wood, and I have been told that it smells powdery on me. I like layering it with Tea Rose when I want a floral dimension as well.
Oh, I can imagine it being lovely layered with a rose scent! Might have to try that some time.
As I understand it, the beauty line will keep the YVES. And I don’t care what those fashion people do
Do give TdH Parfum a try!
It’s a crisp autumn day here in London, but I wanted to remind myself of the holidays in France and Italy, so I’m wearing Magnolia Nobile. It’s such a gorgeous shame and it’s a shame that it languished in my wardrobe for the whole summer!
Now that it’s cooler, I’m turning my attention more toward comfort scents; Tabac Blond in particular. My vintage bottle only has a few spritz left, so I will either have to buy the current formulation or look for an alternative. I already have Cuir de Russie, Bandit and a sample of Cuir Mauresque, but want to find something a bit different, daring and sophisticated. I wonder if any of you have a suggestion?
Oh, and it was my birthday this week and my daughter got me a box of goodies from Lush, including LUST. WOW! Death by jasmine is not an understatement!
Grrr. I hate typos!!
I like Magnolia Nobile. It got a lukewarm reception but I enjoy it, perhaps because I’m not exactly familiar with real magnolia smell and so had no real expectations.
Are you looking for a leather scent? I’m a leather fiend
For something different and daring, how about (the misnamed) Le Labo Patchouli 24? If that’s a bit too much then Cartier La Treizième Heure is a similar story but definitely more sophisticated and refined. Or have you tried Amouage Memoir? That’s great too.
Thanks, Abyss! I haven’t tried any of those. Someone else also suggested Memoir.
I can see why Magnolia Nobile got a lukewarm reception. The lemon note is predominant and the polleny, powdery aspect of the magnolia recedes rather too quickly and I have to sniff hard to find it in the dry down.
Lady Murasaki, have you tried Tabac Aurea? It doesn’t have as much leather as Tabac Blond, but it’s my favorite tobacco fragrance by far.
Liz Zorn makes some great tobacco and leather scents — you might like Journeyman or Meerschaum.
Also, Chergui and Cuir Mauresque are lovely layered together.
And finally, I just bought a bottle of Midnight in Paris, which is really gorgeous stuff and a total steal. Also on my bargain/to-buy list is Spicebomb.
Thanks, egabbert. I’ve not tried layering Chergui and Cuir de Mauresque before.
I love Midnight in Paris – the bottle is gorgeous too.
Midnight in Paris is good. But between the two I do prefer Spicebomb.
Agree about Tabac Aurea!
Just wanted to say Happy Birthday-week! Hope its been good:)
Thank you, Merlin! I had a wonderful day. Overdone it with champers though! lol
Happy birthday!! Lust is really something
Thank you Robin! Yes it is quite something. One spritz is all one needs to make an impact.
Give PdE’s Cuir Ottoman a try. I think it’s gorgeous and sophisticated.
You could try Boxeuses but only if you like Feminite du Bois. Boxeuses is suedey and complex without being heavy-handed.
Hi Lys. I realised I have a was sample so I tried it. *Wonderful* I think this might be it! I’ll wait for the dry down. Thanks!
Happy birthday ladymurasaki!!! Best wishes to you!
Happy Birthday, ladymurasaki! Hope you had a lovely day!
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
A belated Happy Birthday!
Adding to the leather list……..Cuir Les Nombres D’Or is a very daring, masculine and perfect for cold winters. And I am IN LOVE, in a serious fashion, with Heeley’s Cuir Pleine Fleurs. It is a soft, powdery suede fragrance – mixed with interesting florals and it is soooooo sophisticated and has the feel of a real modern classic.
Happy birthday!
I love Lust..a little spray and the whole room will smell like jasmine! Good one by Lush!
Happy birthday, Lady Murasaki!
After enabling some Memoir love last weekend, I had to dig mine out of the box and wear it a few days this week. It’s entirely too hot for it, but my school is vaguely air-conditioned-like, so it hopefully didn’t overwhelm! None of the kids complained, in any case! (Although one did say “You smell like perfume.” Without scowling at me!)
Going out sniffing today, so I’m thinking maybe I won’t wear anything, or only something light.
“You smell like perfume” could go either way, right? It’s kind of a funny statement.
Yeah, it wasn’t entirely clear to me what she meant! But, as I say, she wasn’t scowling, so I decided that she didn’t mean it as a bad thing. Memoir is a more forceful scent than I usually choose for work, especially when it’s warm out, so I suspect it was mostly just that she noticed I was wearing a scent.
My other thought, though (and forgive me, if I’m over-analyzing, it’s a risk with me!), was that since Memoir is hardly a typical scent, and certainly not the BWF *PERFUME* that many non-perfumistas complain about, it was interesting that she identified it as “like perfume” at all.
Memoir is weird. In a fascinating way – and I love it.
But… you know… at its core it’s indeed a buncha white florals.
There are worse things you could smell like. Lol.
lol. Agree.
Beautiful Fall day here in SE Missouri, SOTD is Givenchy Gentlemen.
I’m driving to Portland for a meeting today, but I’m making a beeline for the Perfume House first! I’llbe pondering my strategy during the drive. Comfort scents, probably.
Sounds like a great fall day! I envy you your stop at the “church”.
Nice weekend to all!
Does someone know where I can find Comme des Garçons, Amouage and By Killian perfumes in Paris?
You can find Amouage at Jovoy (4 Rue de Castiglione) and By Kilian at Printemps.
Thank you! Any clue to where I can find a good price on By Killian in Europe?
Dunno. Ebay, perhaps?
They don’t have what I’m looking for.
And how about Comme des Graçons? Does someone know any store in Paris?
Wearing Dzonkha today, I’m liking the dry sharpness and my sample is nearly finished; but I don’t think I like it quite enough to invest in a whole bottle. A friend is going to London soon though and I am dreaming of a bottle of L’ombre dans Leau. The EDP sounds a LOT nicer but I haven’t smelled it and it only comes in 75ml…
I was wearing Dzonkha this week and I actually prefer it to Timbuktu. I like the faint, sweet spicyness it has, though I’m not sure if a bottle needs to be mine or not.
I have tried Dzonka and Timbuktu recently, along with Mure et Musc. They all seem to share that dry sharpness (exactly how I would describe it, Merlin). What IS that? It seems to be the same thing/accord in all those L’Artisan scents. I’m just starting out here, and while I appreciate those scents, the dry sharpness really isn’t for me and I’d like to be able to identify it so that I can tell by reading notes whether or not I’d like it.
Hi Elena, I used to dislike all dry notes so when I first tried Dzongkha I hated it. But since then I have started to get a taste for Vetiver, which is both dry and sharp as well as iris which can have a sharp aspect, depending on how it is used. Timbuktu and Dzongkha are by Bertrand Duchaufour and both contain vetiver, papyrus and incense. I suspect it is mainly the vetiver that has this effect. I don’t know Mure et Musc well but it is quite different. It may be the blackberry, the lemon or the oakmoss, all listed in the notes that is unappealing to you. L’Artisan does, however, have fragrances that are not at all sharp or bitter and which may appeal to you. Among the sweeter ones are Vanilia, Vanille extreme, La Transversee du Bosphore and Dzing. They do have quite a wide range of frags many of which are unusual, and some superb. Unfortunately most of them do not have very good lasting power or much sillage!
I too am wearing Dzongkha today, and will wear it to bed. Mostly all I get from it is its Incense, occasionally a waft of Vetiver will rise. I adore it, it is the fragrance that I can say is – ME.
As for the EDP of L’Ombre Dans L’Eau, well WOW! I only went in to Dyptique to get another bottle of Philosykos and was offered to test the EDP of L’Ombre, (I already wear the EDT) and it has all the zap of the green “not quite” tomato leaf, the juicy partially hidden richness of the rose, the unripe berriness, BUT EVEN DEEPER and RICHER (big 10 foot high letters), but not in an overpowering way. It is the smell of a high summer garden after a downpour. Needless to say, I left with a bottle of it as well as Philosykos.
Trigger Hippie…I was so hoping to hold off!
Oh Sorry.
I have been in an Amouage Dia stupor all week, and I don’t want it to end. Good day for a scent recon!
Dia is gorgeous! I find it lovely in warmer weather, too.
A very wet, overcast day here on the Gulf Coast. I had thought about venturing into Houston to do some perfume shopping, but I don’t really feel like leaving the house. Right now I am just listening to the rain and enjoying the next to last day of a very low-key week of vacation. Earlier this week, we spent some time in Galveston and enjoyed swimming in the Gulf, which is still plenty warm enough.
I thought of you this morning, L., when I saw the national weather map. It looked like you all are getting epic rain, as in, get out the ark! Personally, I love rainy Fall days as long as I’m curled up with my Kindle and a cup of hot tea!
It isn’t quite that bad! I just checked the rain gauge, and it had two inches in it, which is not unusual for us. Besides, it has been pretty dry here the last couple of months, so we can use it. It does seem that it is dropping the temperatures, though. The high today is supposed to be only 82
Oh that’s alright then. The weather man (national) was talking about an additional 7 inches in places! “Only” 82… lol! We’re down into the 70’s, and I can’t wait for 40’s and 50’s!
Yeah, kind of gloomy around here today (I’m also in Houston). I have been on a quest to find new lampshades, and it’s surprisingly hard. My SOTD is from my new bottle of SL Jeux de Peau. Nice and homey on a rainy day. Wow it’s really pouring down tonight. I am not lusting after any perfumes at the moment (unusual state for me) but eagerly awaiting my larger-sized decant of Amouage Interlude Woman. The tiny one just wasn’t enough. It’s a fascinating scent.
Calypso – I gave up on my hunt for lampshades in brick and mortar stores and went here:
http://lampandshadeoutlet.com/buyshades.html
Very satisfied. (not affiliated) Good luck!
Thanks!
The sound of the rain! It only would be better if we also could feel the smell of earth right after starting a a rain longer than it lasts.
Had some Kokorico sprayed on me two days ago, the lady was rather generous and quite a bit went onto the sleeve of my jacket. It smelled pretty ok, reminded me of Tom Ford Men or Men Extreme, so I didn’t mind all too much. Today I have my jacket on again and it smells unbelievably nice, really like the drydown. Smelling my sleeve all day long now. From what I read online it almost a copy of L’Instant pour Homme, without the famous ‘Guerlinade’. So I’m hoping I get a chance to pass by a department store today. *smells sleeve once more*
I got the L’Instant only at the top notes. It smells like A*Men in the base notes to me.
I’m in a smoke mood today, so SOTD (when I finally get dressed and scented) will be Le Labo Patch 24. I still have a few mls. of an older decant, and I was most disappointed to compare it to my new decant to find that – contrary to Le Labo’s claims – the juice IS different. They claimed only the color changed due to a difference in the cade being used, but that “dental drawer” note (myrrh? styrax?) is now missing.
And if *anyone* here has any of the older Patch 24 for sale or trade – email me (rappleyea11 at yahoo dot com). Thanks!!
Just curious, when did the change happen?
I think they changed either late summer or early fall of 2011.
May I ask a(nother) self-serving question? I looked up reviews of the Xerjoff Casamorati series; I have a coupon to use at a European perfume retailer. I saw you had commented somewhere that you had tried (including some Casamoratis) some Xerjoff samples and found some of them over-Iso-E-Supered. Do you remember, were the Casamorati samples along those lines? Or can you otherwise advise? (Wow, sorry to be so targeted is my question
!)
Your memory is much better than mine, Lys! lol! I can’t remember which of the Xerjoffs I tried, only, as you rightly remember, the overdose of iso e. I passed the samples on some time ago. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
LOL not scary-good memory on my part, just read it recently! It’s helpful regardless b/c too much iso e is a deal breaker for my skin type. Probably I will wait to try a sample from the line along the way rather than springing for the set.
You should definitely test then if you have a problem with iso e super (It makes me sick!), because I *do* remember that iso e seemed to be an integral part of their base.
Oh I absolutely love that stuff. Such a strange but compelling scent.
Compelling is the perfect word to describe it!
My FB of L’Artisan Seville a l’Aube arrived yesterday and I can now spritz with abandon! I had an earlier decant (5ml) and have been hoarding it. Now that SalA is here, I can (finally) douse myself! I love the opening.
Also testing Morgan Le Fay Green which I was hoping to be green and refreshing and cool. It’s more ‘cucumber melon’ (without the sugar) floating in water. Not my thing – must scrub!
What are y’all testing today??
Mine will be delivered Monday! Spritzing with abandon will be bliss!
I’m now contemplating Azemour as my next FB (thanks to you and the NST Swap) and am armed with $10 off at Beautyhabit. Danger Zone!
Uh oh. $10 off? Soooooo tempting. I endeavor not to enable you further, LOL.
CM, I forgot to say: you did the same to me with Iris Poudre. Ouch!– that’s a lot more expensive. Decants first…baby steps.
Iris Pourde is one of my top favorites! I have a decant and when that’s gone, I’ll be racing to buy a bottle.
You all are such enablers. I do have a $20 off beautyhabit coupon that expires tomorrow. That said, I now have to hunt for Iris Poudre. I know SuzyQ has good taste
LOL! You’d better put that coupon to good use!
If you like Infusion d’Iris you might like Iris Poudre, although that’s necessarily a prerequisite. It’s a woody iris with a deep warm base.
Where are you getting all these coupons? I need some either! lol.
Hajusuuri! go for Iris Poudre, it’s gorgeous. I feel envious you’ll have it soon
@ Vincent – My coupon was from a special offer as in for every $50 spent, you get $10 to use for a future purchase.
@ Lucas – I will exercise great restraint on Iris Poudre. I did, however, see a travel spray set (3 x 10mL) that looks very tempting. Maybe it will be a Christmas gift to myself…I’ll wait for a good online offer and go from there.
Thanks for the tip, Hajusuuri!
Hi everyone! It’s a gloomy day but all is well – my collection just reached 50 bottles! The new FB? Drumroll … Hello Kitty Intense. So, uh, not what I wanted my #50 to be. But Sephora was having a clearance and I pounced. On the plus side, she has a black, fabric-covered bulb atomizer with a rhinestone studded cap collar and the bottle itself is transparent black-to-clear ombre. And without concern for the actual juice inside, she will be proudly displayed in broad daylight.
I refuse to count my bottles. As long as there’s room on the dresser, I don’t have too many.
LOL, I like that. I had no idea how many I had until I was prompted by a poll question (which I couldn’t answer) to count them. Recounted this week and Kitty made it an even 50.
It’s great to have a cute bottle to display without concern for the juice!
Haha, congratulations! I do love that bottle.
In my world, clearance doesn’t count.
SOTD is Jicky! I passed by the local Guerlain counter earlier to see if they had Shalimar Ode à la Vanille. They didn’t so, instead, I gave myself a generous spritzing of Jicky. I forgot just how much I like it; I’d argue that it’s got to be the ultimate comfort scent. Absolutely perfect in this weather.
Oh and I finally picked up an older bottle of Diorella recently so it’s been quite a bad (but good?) quarter but I hope Donatella would approve
I adore Diorella! It’s so bohemian chic to my nose. Very good purchase on your part if I do say so myself.
I did a side by side comparison of both the vintage and the newer bottle and I have to say, there was not much difference. I found the newer version more to liking because it seemed a bit lighter on my skin.
Either way, it’s a great purchase and a nice scent to add to your collection.
~Dawn
I’m with you, Dawn! I think that Diorella is gorgeous and always manages to hit the spot so I’m happy to finally have a bottle to call my own.
I must admit that I was happy enough with contemporary Diorella formulations up until the most recent change (circa 2010-ish?). I figured that I didn’t need a 40 year old vintage or anything (although no doubt they must be glorious) but I definitely wanted to skip the current juice.
Diorella is the best (together with its cousins Eau Sauvage and FM Le Parfum de Therese)!
Edmond Roudnitska really knew how to compose a fabulous scent, didn’t he? ( I also own a bottle of Diorissimo)
I’m sure Donatella will aprove it! She’s generous when talking about perfumes!
Indeed, she never scolds anybody
I spent the week testing things I got in the Swapmeet. Prada Candy was a big surprise–I wore it four days in a row! Iris Poudre, Lipstick Rose. Wow. But, more on that when we do our big report in a few weeks.
Today, though, my nose needed a break. SOTD is vintage Guerlain Eau de Cologne Imperiale, something I got in a past swap. The citrus is a joy in this thing and a nice “palate cleanser” after so much testing.
Yuuuum. I need to try Lipstick Rose!
Moore, Lipstick Rose was a surprise: it’s more violet than rose and it’s more complex than I expected. It’s definitely worth a try for anyone who likes rose or violet notes. And, as with all the Malles, the raw materials are the highest quality. I marvel.
I like both notes Suzy. Never tried any Male though. I’m overly curious about the brand, specially about Portatrait of A Lady, Bigarade, Le Parfum de Thérèse, Carnal Flower and Musc Ravageur and Lipstick Rose.
My first reply disapeared! Suzy Q I like violet and rose. Actually I never tried any Malle, but the brand is very interesting specially LR, Portrait of A Lady, Le Parfum de Térèse, Musc Ravageur and Bigarade.
Good evening folks!
I just returned from a family trip to Germany. We had such a wonderful time spending one day in Berlin and then one day in Dresden. Our sightseeing was very effective with tons of photos taken.
It was a short trip, we travelled light so I only had a sample of Hermes Voyage Parfum and Green Orange & Coriander from Jo Loves… with me.
Welcome home, Lucas! Glad you enjoyed yourself. What do you have lined up on your review agenda next?
Thanks for the warm welcome
I’m planning to write a post about my trip to Berlin, as I met perfume there too! Didn’t think about what perfume will be reviewed next.
Sure thing is that on Monday new academic year begins and I will have less time for writing.
Lucas, good luck on your new academic year. I can’t wait to hear which perfume you decided to wear as well as your Berlin and Dresden trip!
I’ve tried the Hermes Voyage Parfum and while I liked it, it was too masculine for me. I’ll give it another go when the weather is colder.
Hi Lucas, I would love to hear your thoughts on Voyage Perfume!
Hi there! Thanks for letting me know! This might be the one that will appear on my blog soon.
my experience was similar as with Infusion Iris original and Absolue, I liked the the Parfum version better in Voyage.
I too, like the parfum version of Voyage. It’s richer and smoother.
I liked Parfum better than Voyage in edt too but still it doesn’t last long on my skin.
SOTD is Aromatics Elixir. It’s a bright blue fall day here in Chicagoland. The slanting light makes the colors more intense….
So far I have made it through Q3 without so much as a sample.
Does anyone know of good scent locations in Grand Rapids MI?
Not even a sample? That’s willpower.
Wow, my hat’s off to you, NancyG.
I, too, salute your restraint this quarter. (And you’re making me miss Chicago — this was always my favorite time of year when I lived up there.)
I finally found a perfume to wear on my wedding day: Azagury Eau de Parfum. It’s a gorgeous white flower musk with a hint of ginger. I cannot stop myself from sniffing my arm when I wear it, and I’ve had to force myself to stop wearing it until I get married! Steve and Laura at Scent Bar were so helpful. I’m a happy girl!
Congrats on finding your wedding day scent.
Love the Scent Bar too.
Congrats, that is lovely!
Wonderful!
I’ve been wearing Parfums MDCI Chypre Palatin from a sample that I ordered as soon as this new Duchaufour was available on LuckyScent. I pullled it out this week as a result of Angela’s review here and Dan Rollieri’s at Katie Puckrik Smells. They both admired CP but concluded that it wasn’t them. For me, this is just the sort of review that leads to obsession! I’m hoping it will wear off before my sample is exhausted.
I want to try that one. I don’t see how I can live up to it if Angie can’t, but want to give it a shot!
I just gave myself a few generous squirts of Iris Nobile and have a feeling that my puny sample spray isn’t going to be enough. It’s just lovely, and I see a large decant or FB in my future!
It’s lovely, isn’t it? I’ve got my own bottle of edp version.
Oh boy, I have to ttry thiis too. Lucas, does Iris Nobile come in EDT concentration?
My dearest one! Iris Nobile comes in two concentration. Edt has a white label on the bottle while edp has a golden label.
And there’s also new Iris Nobile Sublime released this year. I tried it when I was in Berlin two days ago.
Do you have a favorite, Lucasai? My sample is the EDP.
I like all 3 of them. EDT version is great for spring, EDP is better for autumn because there’s something “oriental” to it. Sublime is the most feminine one.
I like the EDT, it has more life and smells more like Iris. Unfortunately it did does not last long.
I have yet to try the sublime.
Hi all, here’s an idle question I’ve been entertaining. So I’m quite new, but have been galloping through a good number of the usual suspects (who knew how much stopping by perfume counters on the way home from the library could improve the daily life of the grad student! You guys knew, I am guessing!) I’m having a sort of curious experience that a number of things I really like on the test strip wind up smelling rather chocolate-y on my skin? (I realize some would regard this as a virtue, but unfortunately I am not among them.) Specifically, this happened with Elie Saab, Alien, Coco Mademoiselle, and one of the Miss Diors (but I borrowed it from a friend and I actually don’t know if it was original or the artist formerly known as Miss Dior Cherie). I can’t quite tell if this is:
A: me just misidentifying some other note as chocolate-y (in which case I’d love to hear guesses about which; maybe it would revise my opinion of these fragrances!)
B: that these have some note in common that reacts this way with my skin (also would love to hear guesses about which that is, for sake of avoiding in the future!)
C: that these all contain some specific but probably unidentifiable ingredient creating this reaction, so the only solution is, as ever, to try things on skin
D: something else altogether?
Speculation most welcome! And this is also a good opportunity for me to thank Robin for sending me out to try a bunch of things– I am having an absurdly good time!! Merci mille fois.
Interesting. Are you familiar with patchouli? All those have patch in them so I wonder if that’s what you are picking up and, if you are not familiar with the smell, think of as chocolate since that is a smell you do recognise. Other patch-heavy perfumes are the original Prada and, if you have access to more niche scents, Chanel Coromandel and Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 in case you want to get a clearer idea of the note.
Alternatively, could it be some product that you are using like body lotion, shower gel, etc?
I was also going to say it’s probably patchouli — patch can smell chocolate-y on its own and it’s only often paired with additional cocoa notes.
Yup! And vanilla.
Regarding skin tests – if you prefer how the perfume smells without skin contact then don’t forget that there’s always an option of spraying on fabric. I hardly ever apply on skin (because everything disappears within an hour or two, grr) and they are yet to kick me out of the perfumista club. Do what works best for you.
Ooooh! Coloring outside the lines! I love it!
Great call, Abyss! I second the patchouli notion, and would also suggest perhaps some of the musks in those scents reacting with your own chemistry.
And yes, I would recommend to always skin test a scent before committing to buy. I have found scents almost always take on different characteristics on skin than they showed on paper – some for better, some for worse.
Ohhh, good call–yes, something that is sort of rich (and in that respect has something in common with chocolate); also maybe more noticeable when heated up a bit by flesh than on paper? Very intriguing hypothesis! I will keep an eye out and see if this lines up! Thanks all! #No.1PerfumeDetectiveAgency
Sandlewood and rose together have a rich scent which you may be reading as “Chocololate.” In addition the food additive vanillin (a vanilla substitute), is used in many commercial brands of chocolates. This is derived from Tonka beans. Tonka is also used to create a vanilla base for many perfumes, so may be your nose is associating the two.
It is also possible that you are eating too many chocolate frosted donuts and are “chocolate moustaches” on your way to the perfume counter.
Hahaha how did you know about my donuts??
Agree with all above, and adding that Elie Saab, Coco Mademoiselle and Miss Dior Cherie all have a particularly “clean” patchouli that’s used in a lot of mainstream perfumes and to my nose smells extra green and even a bit sweet. Alien doesn’t have patchouli but with vanilla and amber-type ingredients you’ll have an equally sweet effect.
Exactly right — a molecular fraction of patchouli.
These fragrances may stimulate your brain area that associates any specific smell to chocolate.
Rediscovered my bottle of SJP Covet — and reminded of how much I like it. I know I’m in the minority, but I don’t know why this one didn’t catch on. I love the slightly powdery, vaguely chocolatey drydown.
I’m right there in the minority with you, Jill. Angel was the perfume that scared me away from chocolate; Covet was the one that brought me back.
Try Eau De Charlotte by Annick Goutal, I think you will like that chocolate note in there. If you like Covet..you may like that one.
Thanks for you recommendation, Omega; I’ll give it a try!
You need to try Parfum d’Empire Equistrius which has a chocolate/cocoa note or Histoires de Parfums 1969 which is a magnificent chocolate & peach combo.
Oooh — more recommendations — thanks! I’ve had samplers from both these lines in my checkout cart more than once but have never gone through with the purchase. Maybe this is just the push that I need, though!
Then now it’s the time to get them I guess. They’re both lovely.
FearsMice, glad to hear you’re also a Covet fan! I agree with Omega’s Eau de Charlotte rec — that’s a favorite of mine too.
I liked this one too! When it came out, I scored some shower gel along with it and it was divine!
I’ve never tried it in shower gel form, but I bet that would be nice!
I really think it was the sharp top notes — they didn’t make a good impression on the blotter at the fragrance counter.
I think you’re right, Robin. The top notes create a really different impression than the fragrance as a whole in this case.
Hi “Swap Buddy”! It is raining just a bit here in Austin, but the barometric pressure is just enough to make my knees hurt. I’m in a citrus mood from the grey day, fighting off the dullness of the weather… So, I think today calls for Diptyque L’Eau de Tarocco. Stay dry out there!
That was supposed to go under 50_Roses re: comments on Texas weather; sorry if I confused anyone!
Lol. Here is raininig and cold!
It’s a gray day today. We were supposed to go to a party tonight but hubby tweaked his back so we are home. I’m okay with that but he’s being a wee bit whiny and I know he’s hurting but he’s a drama queen so its hard to say how bad the pain really is.
I’ve worn Like This a lot this past week and I really am loving it with the cooler temps. I’m afraid to tally up things for the damage poll.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend.
I wish I had your damage poll drama!
My damage poll won’t be as bad a s some I’m sure but I feel like I’ve been bad because I said I wouldn’t buy anything and I think I did.
lol. Perfumemaniacs are incorrigible sinners. We’re with you in the purgatory! There will be a smelly place at least!
It’s comforting knowing that I’ll have company.
I want to go to Anthropologie and try the new Ineke floral scents they have there, in particular Sweet William. Those are my favorite flowers. I used to have fields of them as a kid and someday (after retirement maybe?) I will grow them again. When they are warm from the sun that spicy, clove-y carnation scent is so marvelous. I’m not sure I will love it in a perfume but I want to own it anyway for nostalgia’s sake.
SW…lacks carnation..I didn’t pick it up really. If you are looking for a rich, deep red carnation..you probably won’t find it in SW. It’s more of a pink/white floral..I didn’t get carnation. I will go somewhere else for a carnation..this ‘carnation’ is way too subdued for me. Nice scent, light, white..nice perhaps bridal scent..but found myself really digging to find any carnation.:(.
Oh, what a shame! I guess I won’t bother then!
Try Comme Des Garcons for a truer carnation…too green for my tastes but still..a lot of carnation.
Or Etro Dianthus.
Or DSH Oeillets Rouges, which to my nose is the perfect carnation (warm, rich, spicy).
LOOOOOVE Oeillets Rouges. And Etro Dianthus is nice too, although it seemed much quieter, more floral-vanilla than the DSH.
I love the scent of Sweet Williams (the flowers), too, and had been thinking about trying the Ineke Sweet William. Guess I won’t make much of effort to do so, now. Caron Bellodgia is a lovely carnation-centric scent, and, although fearfully expensive, so is JAR Golconda. Although carnation isn’t the focus of Donna Karan Black Cashmere, it’s certainly an element in that lovely spicy perfume.
Bought Black Cashmere for my birthday a few weeks ago and won some Lush Potion off ebay a few days ago and just realized that between working 2 massage jobs and going to acupuncture school, that I won’t be able to wear strong scents until my next completelyoff day which is during Thanksgiving week. Eek! Guess I’ll be saving for Guerlain Shanghai which is gorgeous on me and kind of soft (though long-lasting)
I’m really looking forward to trying Shanghai!
Love Shanghai–the iris/mimosa combo makes me texturally think of peach fuzz aand this was compulsively sniffable the two times I’ve tried it and immediately went on the to-buy list
Oh my! How I’d like my GF to be messeuse and acupuncturist.
What scents are the best to work on these jobs in your opnion?
This summer vintage White Shoulders cologne was my go to fragrance and now that the weather is cooler I’ll go back to Lollia Relax. I also find The Different Co’s Osmanthus suitable. Tried a sample of Piguet’s Calypso and that might also work . Equistrius seems appropriate but I need to retest that. Iris Ganache andBy Killian Love are both too big as far as I’m concerned.
With my schedule, if you wanted to date me, you’d have to be okay with only seeing me for Thurs lunch dates in Hoboken, NJ for the next three years while I go to school. 8)
@thegoddessrena – what’s considered vintage Whie Shoulders? Can you tell by looking at the box? I saw one box at TJMaxx late last week and I moved it to the bottom shelfhoping I can delay its discovery by others prior to me finding out more about this.
My truly vintage White Shoulders has a gold metallic label without a cameo, a round art deco sort of cap, and is from Evyan. My newer vintage everyday scent has the cameo logo molded into the glass and is a cologne splash. Ones with sprayers are generally more modern
TDC Osmanthus is lovely. I’m on my third sample of Calypso, and I *still* can’t figure out if I need a FB. Sometimes it does nothing for me, and other times it’s utterly addictive. What in particular do you like (or not) about it? (I’d be interested to hear, and it might help me clarify my own thoughts.)
I like Calypso because it is one of the few rose scents that don’t go sour on my skin; it. Isn’t obnoxious and overpowering and the rose/iris/suede combo just smells really lovely on me. Rose Oud and Ta’if are the only other two roses that I’d consider buying if that gives you a. Clearer idea of what I like
Never tried any of these, but they seem to be relaxing! I’m really really far from Hoboken right now! But I would love to visit there and have a launch! There’s a song called “Night falls on Hoboken” that I love. It’s so calm and envolvent.
Now Victor, we all know you are just after a free massage so no stories about lunch here! lol!
Merlin, I don’t like to ask people to explain their jokes, but I really didn’t get yours.
Hi everyone.
I guess I’ll choose a soft, subtle scent for today, maybe Songe de Tulipes by Il Profumo.
I’m new to this blog (discovered it 3 days ago and have spent every free minute I have reading articles) but am not new to perfume. I love the niche perfumes, and in general cant stand the cheap perfumes because they all smell chemical on me, and make me nauseous.
I live in Osaka, Japan, and right now a typhoon is headed this way. That means a lazy day at home for me. Yesterday as I read the blog, I went through my scent box, digging for perfumes I had forgotten about, and spritzed away. I rediscovered Cuir de Russie, and found that Bois des Iles isn’t as sandalwoody as I had hoped. It just doesn’t warm and blend with my skin. Hubby is home today, so there will be less spritzing
Hello and welcome *waves*
Welcome! You can lose track of time on here pretty easily.
Hi and welcome, and hope that typhoon doesn’t cause trouble!
Thank you for the warm welcome, glad to be here.
Does anyone have a recommendation on what I could layer with Iles des Bois to make it more of a skin scent? It kind of just “sits” on me, without changing much, as if the top notes never end.
Any suggestions are more than welcome.
Welcome, Cath. Stay safe. I was in Tokyo a few weeks ago and they were already forecasting typhoon. At least it’s not as hot as it was during the summer, right?
Hi ladymurasaki.
I live your name btw. Reminds of one of my first great perfume loves: murasaki by shiseido. Why oh why did they have to discontinue it
Typhoons, just like earthquakes, are something we learn to live with. In Osaka we’re actually pretty safe, we rarely get the full blast. But it gets hotter and more humid than in Tokyo for example. I was in Tokyo 3 weeks ago, and I felt the difference, the air is much drier and more comfortable.
I hope you had a nice time in Tokyo.
Love, not live.
Auto-correct function on iPad and iPhone isn’t always clever.
Hi Cath. Murasaki is one that I’ve been wanting to try. My mother used to wear Zen pre-reformulation.
I know about the earthquakes. It is such a normal occurence for us Japanese, but since I’ve lived outside of Japan most of my life, I feel unsettled every time. I felt 3 tremours whilst I was there in August!
I suppose Tokyo is drier than Osaka or Kyoto, it is too humid for my liking. Enjoy your life in Osaka; it’s a great place for exploring food, culture and history and you’re in close proximity to my spiritual home – Kyoto!
Oh, you are Japanese. Cool! I find that many Japanese women can’t appreciate the heavier perfumes. I guess it has to do with skin chemistry. They tend to like citrus scents (I can’t stand them) or light flowery scents.
I came to Japan exactly 20 years ago, September 1992, and I had my bottle of murasaki with me. Little did I know that only a year or so later they would discontinue it. They reformulated it, and it’s a very watered down, cheap and chemical version of the wonderful original, and it comes in a dull clear bottle with cheap plastic cap on it. Can you believe I still have the original bottle? I can’t part with it.
Another bottle I still have from that time is Romeo Gigli, there is still some juice in it. What a great vintage that makes now, lol.
No, I think it’s more of a cultural thing and how we perceive scent. I love heavy scents, but I was brought up abroad. My grandfather, for instance, forbid my mother from wearing perfume at the dinner table, saying that he could not enjoy the meal for the scent of perfume. I can understand that. No one wants a vase of lilies at the dinner table. Tastes in food has changed vastly since the Meiji restoration, but I think the Japanese sensibilities have not changed that much. Which is a good thing, I think.
SOTD is SSS Jour Ensoleille. It’s pretty much faded away at this point, so I might go use up the rest of my sample of SSS Incense Pure. (I discovered this week that I actually do like Incense Pure, and I’m thinking about a small bottle — because *of course* I need yet another incense fragrance. Glad I held on to that sample and gave it another shot.)
Also looking forward to the arrival of my first order from Demeter, which contains the highly psychoanalyzable quartet of Funeral Home, Riding Crop, Whiskey Tobacco, and Beet Root.
Well, not all incense is the same so I think that you probably do need another bottle.
Bingo. (And I just remembered that I also ordered Holy Smoke from Demeter, so it’s only right that I assemble a great big incensey welcome wagon to keep it company.)
Sotd- Au The Rouge- BVL
Yesterday..Ubar
I think I realized I don’t like lily or lotv notes..too green maybe? Ubar has a note that’s a bit off-putting, the rest kicks butt. Wonder if it’s the lotv. I’ve only really found jasmine to be my only love if it’s a white flower…well..peony..I think that’s white? Idk. Jasmine and peony..the rest can stay home lol.
My question to everyone would be-what’s the most wonderful violet centered scent you’ve ever smelled? Craving violets like no other!
Just last weekend I was talking about violets and I got some nice suggestions. I’ll mention a couple I like a lot: Verte Violette by L’Artisan is very true to violet, and Bois de Violette by Serge Lutens is just gorgeous, though more complex. There is also a Yardley violet scent that is very simple and pure and lovely.
I love violet but I can’t wear it very well. I loved L’Artisan Verte Violette but it didn’t work on my skin. Guerlain Apres L’Ondee is one I CAN wear, and is absolutely gorgeous. Finally, Amouage Library Series III has a gorgeous violet that peeks in and out without it being the star.
You might try Caron Aimez-Moi.
SL Bois de Violette is my favourite, it was love at first sniff for me. In fact, I might go a spritz some now.
Balenciaga Paris is a wonderful Rose Violet scent. (I prefer the original, which has more violet than the flanker). It often is packaged with a mini or a body creme for department store beauty “events.”
SSS makes a couple of very nice violets. Wood Violet is a nice plummy, cedary violet, and Voile de Violette is more floral, although it has some woody notes as well. They are very reasonably priced as well. Annick Goutal La Violette is more of a soliflor.
Guerlain’s gloriously gorgeous Attrape Coeur – violets and rose. Also seconding the SSS rec.
Balenciaga Le Dix!
Thirding the SSS recs. Violet isn’t one of my favorite notes by any stretch, but the SSS interpretations are gorgeous. (And in reply to your other query, I can’t stand LOTV — there’s something about it that feels like an ice pick up my nose, or at any rate, what I imagine an ice pick up my nose would feel like. Lily proper is a totally different story, though.)
I’m with you on the LOTV hate!
Yeah, Ubar (the modern version, not the original which disappeared several years ago) is pretty LotV-centric if you ask me. I happen to like it.
For violets, which I also like, my favorite would be Penhaligon’s Violetta. Green + violets, with a little cedar and musk underneath, very simple. I also really liked The Unicorn Spell, which has this amazing flash of raw green beans, then something silvery-metallic with its violets.
Bois de Violette is nice but just didn’t seize my heart.
I have seen different-looking bottles of preformulated Guerlain Samsara, edp. For example, one bottle is clear, with the gold cap (with a red strip perhaps along the bottom of the cap?) and the other bottle is red, again with the gold cap and gold lettering. (The red bottle has the letters for SAMSARA close together, not spaced out like the new bottles.)
Does anyone know what the difference is?
Hi, Taffy. I have worn Samsara since it first came out and am so disappointed with the newer formulations. I believe that the beautiful sandalwood they used once upon a time is now rare, endangered and expensive, so they have substituted it with one that smells much rougher, and which to my nose alters the perfume so much.
The older, pre-reformulation bottles are the clear ones. Not sure about the time scale of the different red glass bottles, but I do know that they are the current and more recent offerings. So, definitely go for the clear type!
Thanks so much for the info, Jillie! I agree that the new formulation is not quite the same (or at least not as I remembered Samsara). The newer fragrance smells a little “thin” to me.
Thin. Absolutely!
This past Wednesday was my birthday, and I’m a happy camper. My parents got me a bottle of Mitsouko (yay! I finally have a real bottle, not just that tiny little thing I’ve been hoarding) and a copy of Mandy Aftel’s “Essence and Alchemy”. And my sister-in-law-to-be took me to Bath Junkie for my birthday so I could play with the fragrance oils (that place is like crack), so I scented a lotion, hand cream and body spray.
Happy birthday, Sweetgrass! I had mine on Tuesday! Yay, fellow libra! Have fun with your new acquisitions.
Happy birthday! Sounds like you had a good day.
Happy Birthday – enjoy your new Mitsouko!
Happy birthday! Mitsuoko is always a good gift!
I bought the solid of LUSH’s Breath of God this afternoon. Amazing. But what are other people’s experiences of the sillage and longevity of this one?
I’ve not tried that one yet. My daugther just got me LUST and though the scent is great, it only lasts a couple of hours on me.
Hmmm … I’ve had about four hours out of BoG. Not too bad, but it sits very close to the skin. I must try some Lust next!
Beware; LUST has monster sillage.
I’m not sure I want much sillage out of BoG – it is a very weird, though strangely appealing frag. I have the solid, and I get about the same time as you. (though most frags are short-lived on my skin). I think the guide described it as smelling like smoked fruit!
Smoked fruit: yes. Or gasolene, some people say. After those weird notes, the drydown on me is creamy, dense and slightly sweet. Nothing scary at all!
I got laid off recently… It’s ok – my company had been cutting costs for awhile, and I expected something like this would happen eventually. Still, it’s not pleasant.
I’ve been applying for some positions in foreign countries that require an HIV test before you’re eligible for a work permit. So I’ll have to get that done soon… I don’t think I have it. I haven’t had many partners, and I’ve always been careful. But it’s not something that only drug users get anymore. And for some reason I’ve blown this test out of proportion and I’m really afraid and panicked about it. More than I probably should be… But how do people deal with finding out that they’ve got it? What incredible strength it must take to deal with something like that.
I don’t mean to bring people down or get too personal on what is supposed to be a fun blog. But people here are some of the friendliest I know online, so I thought I’d share
A job change, and possible move out of the country, is exciting when you’re in your mid-twenties. But when you’re a decade older, security and home become a lot more important.
Through all this, I think the modest perfume collection that I’ve collected is one of the better things I’ve done with the good salary I made in the past few years. I’m wearing a sample of Tabac Aurea today, and it’s amazing how a beautiful perfume can lift your spirits and change your outlook.
Whatever is in my future, I can at least count on a few minutes of happiness each morning when I spritz myself and look ahead to a new day.
Sorry to hear about your lay-off, but it sounds like you are facing the future very bravely, in spite of any fear you may be feeling. Kudos! Wishing you the best —
Sorry you’re in this period of uncertainty. Keeping my fingers crossed…hope you find some wonderful new opportunities. And of course, hope your test is negative.
It would be hard to pack up and move I think. I don’t envy people who are put in that position. Sorry about the layoff. Hopefully something good will turn up for you.
Medical tests of any kind are stressful. I agree with you that while you want to know if something is wrong, you just don’t want to know either. It’s scary. I admire people who can take bad news and face it with strength and a positive attitude. I’d like to think I could but really I’m not so sure I would. I’m crossing fingers for you. I’ve had to have testing done for jobs too. You’re probably fine but you’re like me and always wonder ” what if”.
Periods of flux are the most difficult, certainly, but man, oh, man, the view from beyond is fabulous! Now, go spray something strong and assertive and watch out, World!
Sorry to hear about your news. Perhaps this will open other doors for you. Here in the good old USA, except perhaps for jobs in the healthcare industry, passing an HIV test as a condition of employment is discriminatory and therefore, illegal.
DOMINIKA; you’re doing very well, considering. There’s bound to be better things in store for you. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Sending you lots of positive thoughts. Best of luck to you.
Hi Dominika, its funny because I was far too neurotic and anxious in my 20s to think of traveling at all, but I’m much more open to it now in my 30s! Of course HAVING to move to a new country would still be stressful though…
I’m sure you will discover strengths you never even knew you had!
Like everyone else, wishing you all the best for the test.
Adding my best wishes, Dominika. I’m pretty sure anybody would be freaked out by a medical test of that gravity, no matter how unlikely the worst-case scenario might be. Hang in there.
Don’t be worried before it’s time for. I also hope your test is negative. If it’s positive, remember that seropositive people can have a quality life if they care on their healthy and follow doctor’s orders. There are so many researches on HIV and cancer that to me a positive test on HIV is not a sentence anymore. Keep in your mind there are people who cares about you and will never let you down. Count on us. In the middle of coldness we can always find a warm place to get in.
And congrats on the new job. Yeah, that means some more fragrances, right?
It’s something that has been bugging me for a long time.
My skin chemistry tends to amplify certain notes and “kill” the rest when such notes are present. This annoys me so much because a lot of the times I would want to test a perfume but I read that the “danger” notes are involved and I would stay away and miss out on something maybe attractive and very lovable (because honestly, I can just go ahead and spray but perfumes do NOT come off that easily and they follow you around for the rest of the day…
E.g. Flowers: Lily & Tuberose (Cartier’s Baiser vole, Gurlain’s Lys Soleia), Spices: Pepper (Pink, black, white…), Anise (Guerlain’s Bouquet de Mai, Jo Malone’s Vanilla & Anise)
In the above examples, I would end up smelling nothing but the certain flowers or spices and they become so prominent that they sting my nose and overwhelm me to no end.
Does anyone have any suggestions of perfumes I can challenge or even a solution to the problem? Pink pepper is sooo “in” these days they are practically in every single fragrance! They even found their way into gourmands which is basically what I live on.
Dear Gourmand Coquin (Guerlain), why do you have to have PEPPER!?!?!?
Hi Happy888Cat – spraying things on fabric or walking thru a fragrance sprayed in the air after getting dressed would be one way around your skin-type issues.
My skin type amplifies spices, musks, (large dose) Iso-E, and above all else amber. While I’ve accepted that some great perfumes like Shalimar, my beloved Gris Clair and Feminite du Bois are NOT for me, I’ve also learned that a lot of fragrances that are just okay on other people are stellar on me. It was frustrating at first but now I really like having that close connection to the scents I choose.
Also, sometimes it’s not so much the notes but how the notes are constructed chemically so don’t give up on some of the ones you listed. Some white florals esp the ones with a clean-musk or lactonic base collapse on my skin, but the mint note which I amp up in Fracas gives that one a transparent-radiant effect.
Don’t know if this is helpful but it’s how I view it since skin-type is a significant factor in my perfume preferences.
Hi Happy888cat (your name wouldn’t have anything to do with the Ky. Wildcats winning their 8th championship, would it?)
My problems are musk and iso e super. Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio explained it to me that it is not so much a case of skin amping certain notes, but that these types of notes are long-lasting synthetic ones that tend to outlast the naturals in blends, and therefore they get stronger and stronger as the naturals fade.
No help really, just an explanation.
Yes, that’s a good way of putting it.
Did she mean though that some people continue to perceive these notes for longer than other people? I mean, if they are that long-lasting, we would all have the same problem. So is it that some people’s ‘scent-brains’ are more attuned to those notes than those of other people? I think I have read Laurie discuss this topic once before.
I’m always interested in how much our skin is responsible for the differences in how we perceive scent, vs how much of it is happening in our brains.
In terms of describing scent variability on different skin types, I like this letter that’s linked to on the NST FAQ page:
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov2001/1006805763.Gb.r.html
I also remember Michael Edwards describing skin temp as a very strong determinant along with everything from pH, oiliness, diet, even stress and medication affecting a perfume’s odor profile on skin.
Re: hyperosmia/hyposmia, personally I know I’m not hyperosmic in most of these cases b/c scents that smell unbalanced on my skin smell different (and correct) to me on fabric or paper. That’s how I calibrate. I am probably however more aware of these constituents b/c of my experience with them as “problem” notes, which is like what you are pointing out.
Thanks Lys! That’s a great link.
Thank you guys for the incredible help and advice!
I would really hate to give up on something that I love the smell of so the “indirect” scenting technique is fantastic!
Oh and my name has nothing to do with the winning. Pure coincidence
I want to know why it is that every time I pare down my collection I end up buying more to replace them, and it happens every single autumn. Uuuuuggggh! Well, I fell in love with Xerjoff Fars this weekend. I couldn’t fall asleep the other night and finally broke into my Oud Stars box, which I bought in May but never opened because Oud is not summer-friendly, to me. I started with Fars because it’s not oud, (and it’s still 80 degress here) and completely fell in love.
All the fragrances that I want to buy right now are never, ever on discount, but I bought a bunch of decants over the weekend: 3 of the CdG incense series, 4 Profumi de Forte decants (2 versilias and the by nights), Amouage Epic (which I’ve been lusting for forever and am missing my sample, so I got 5 ml), SL Fourreau Noir, Amouage Beloved, Phaedon Grisens, PG Praline de Santal and a few others. I’ll be smelling very confused in a couple of weeks.
Oh, autumn. You are the death of my bank account.
Oh, where did you find CdG and Amouage decants???? What is your favorite of incense series??
I got them on Surrender to Chance. I haven’t tried the CdGs yet…..I’ve been putting it off for years but with fall and winter coming I really want some incense-y scents for my collection…..I live in a high-desert area; it gets really cold here in the winter and wood/spicy scents make being bundled up really pleasant.
Thank you! I’ll check it out! I’m searching for some Amouage decants. Not easy to find them though.
Hi all. I thought it best to come out of lurker mode and post today since there is a damage poll coming up. I have lived up to my nic this quarter.
I also have been wearing MDCI Chypre Palatin and have held off on the fb, but did succumb to the travel size.
I sure am glad I found this place!
Welcome, Easily! I love how the damage poll is a confessional and yet…in the reportage of our purchase we just enable each other further!
Welcome! Very brave to de-lurk just before a damage poll
Welcome! EasilyEnabled is a great name. That describes a lot of us I think. The damage poll is always an eye opener.
Joining the welcome party! Good to have you here.
Welcome, EasilyEnabled. Your name describes me exactly. And the damage poll is cathartic.
Welcome! I so fell off the fragrant wagon this quarter that I am considering NOT participating. *blush*
I *so* enjoyed meeting NST perfumistas yesterday at the Perfume House, and this morning am enjoying my new Rance Laetitia, which was created for Napoleon’s mother. Incense, rose, patch, amber, vanilla. Yum. Napoleon’s mommie must have been a force of nature.
Smiling at “Napoleon’s mommie as a force of nature.” How lucky you were to get to the Perfume House! If I ever cross the continent, I will surely make that a goal.
Nice to have met you, BPG! Oh dear, I guess the GdC Carnation purchase counts for this quarter. Only Marjory Rose had the fortitude to resist the lure of Perfume House — this time, at least…
SOTD is Jasmin Rouge. Would like for someone to make a Jasmin Rogue.
Lys, I believe the rogue part will always depend upon the wearer!
LOL so true!
Went to Target and on the bottom of their clearance shelf saw a purse spray of Calyx for $10. Decided to try it out. Wow! It’s still warm enough to wear it. This is an unbelievable fragrance!
I bought 2 of those there today too! My niece will be getting one for Christmas. I love a good clearance sale.
SOTD – Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille. I get boozy vanilla and tart high-bush cranberries out of this, so it’s perfect for an afternoon hike on a sunny but cold Alaskan fall day.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I have learned so much from so many of you. SOTD is CB I Hate Perfume Patchouli Empire.
I’m celebrating a perfect spring day here with Diorissimo. Perfect!
I’ve just come back to Diorissimo. I bought mine in September 2007. I loved it at first but after a while it morphed into an evil car air freshener. Now all that the beauty is back and the car air freshener has disappeared. Weird! Maybe I was wearing it out of season or something.
“morphed into an evil car air freshener” – love that!
I should spring for a good decant of Diorissimo.
‘spring for a decant’ – pun intended?!
Yes, definitely start with a decant. These days Dior only sells Diorissimo (and its other classics) in whopping great 100 ml bottles. I got my Diorissimo in 30 mls, thankfully.
I wish the pun were intended, I’m usually a sucker for puns.
When it’s done right, I’m also a sucker for LOTV.
Made a cheap buy of Jacomo Arts Collection #8 & #9 about 10 days ago.
#9 is perfect for layering, a pulpy orange smell to open with, the an inoffensive fruity, caramelly something or other.
But #8 is wonderful with tea, milk, spices, something heady and floral. It is a great wear, but it was clearly reminiscent of something else, something I had worn before. But could I think of what it was….no. Then about 4 days after I first wore it, it came to be.
It doesn’t have the heft, or the deep luscious dry-down or that peppery spike, but the main body of the fragrance is Chanel’s Egoiste (the original), and one of my great fragrance memories.
It is so great to get those memories back, without the Chanel over-pricing (and I won’t forgive them for Bleue (Bleauchhhh!) either).
Although original Antaeus does make my knees wobble,
of course I meant “couldn’t think what it was”.
Congratulations on the Jacomo – I haven’t been able to find those easily around me but I’m putting them back on my decant/sample list right now!
Love Jacomo #8. Lovely milky chai.
Oh poop, no I didn’t. I was correct the first time.
It’s late here, really late – so forgive the incoherence.
Oh GAH. Damage poll coming up, and I have not at all kept up with my purchases this quarter.