Happy Labor Day weekend!
Name some perfumes you wear for rest...to rest your nose, to rest your mind, to rest when you're tired, whatever.
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Note: top image is Beech Wood IV [cropped] by rachel_thecat at flickr; some rights reserved.
Good afternoon!
Today I’m in Amouage Lyric Man, I haven’t worn it for quite a long time so it was nice to remind me how I like it.
When I seek for peace, comfort and rest in perfumes I like to use Sonoma Scent Studio Sienna Musk, it really makes me calm. Also Histoires de Parfums 1725 soothe my nerves. Carner Barcelona D600 does a good job when I want to rest, not to mention my beloved Prada which is suitable for any occasion and purpose.
Good morning and happy weekend!
If I want a scent that’s lovely but not tiresome to my nose, I like to reach for L’eau d’Hiver. Kenzo Amour is also very nice for those moments.
Bedtime scents include a sandalwood-vanilla essential oil (heavy on the vanilla), DSH Lush Honey, or maybe Jacomo #8 in the winter.
Good morning everyone! I woke up this holiday weekend to pouring rain and thunder. I am so okay with this. Mr. Lucy seems to think our summer social lives aren’t fulfilled unless we go hang out with friends and family every weekend. I love them all, but I need some downtime and there is nothing like a storm to help me sleep. Plus, the house has cooled off for the first time in months. Ahhhhhh.
For relaxing scents I usually turn to my Aveda personal blends Pure-Fume sprays. (The ones where they mix the oil and the spray in-store.). My current favorites are number six – ylang ylang, Bergamot, and orange (I think this is the same scent used in their shampure?) and number two – rose, geranium, eucalyptus, and lemon.
To give my nose a rest I do go perfume free one or two days each month. *Please don’t revoke my perfumista card.*
Oh good let’s confess perfume sins–sometimes to rest my nose… I purposefully wear a dumbed-down department store scent! You know, while we are at it, let me just get it all off my chest–I also sometimes watch reality television! Whew I feel better 🙂
But seriously, I feel like both reality TV and department store perfume are so popular because they are incredibly accessible (even if they don’t have much to offer beyond that), and sometimes a mindless pleasure is a nice break! I’m very relieved that two of my three perfume picks have at least passed the NST threshold for not being affirmatively terrible (thanks Robin and Angela for going easy on my Versace Versense and Burberry Brit Summer for Women!!) but I will certainly own that these are not complicated or refined or otherwise especially esteemed scents.
I’ll confess to wearing dumbed down scents too sometimes.
Oh I am so glad I am not alone in this. Which are your faves?
If I confessed them all they would revoke my perfumista card. I will admit to using Love’s Baby Soft once in a while.
When I watched television, I watched a LOT of reality television.
It happens! A year or two ago I read an interview with one of my favorite writers, who remarked that everyone she knew in grad school became at some point in their dissertations morbidly addicted to television. I basically barked with laughter, I was so relieved it wasn’t just me!! 🙂
haha, i feel you! exams are looming on the horizon for me, and i’ve been wearing a lot of lanvin eclat d’arpege and elizabeth arden green tea. what can i say… they’re easy to wear. plus i really need to get through this 100ml bottle of EA. 😉
Oh, good luck with exams–or maybe even more so for exam prep, which I found to be much more agonizing than the thing itself! I think easy-to-wear is just the right perfume strategy for it–anything that can help keep one’s mind clear under those circumstances is the way to go!
My confession under Perfume Sins (fits in better here than in a thread below): I’m a perfume sample hoarder! I have sooooooooo many samples, those I ordered and those I get as freebies with cosmetic purchases. I wish I had a fellow perfumista living nearby with whom I could swap on a regular basis. I live in Holland. Anybody?
In the meantime, I sometimes re-sniff after several months. Only once or twice did my feelings about a disliked scent change.
Hahaha me too, this is the dark side of holding onto stuff for reference–a “reference library” of scents can become kind of a boundless project! Marjorie makes a great point below about at least get rid of duplicates, but like you Jonette I’m lacking for a local perfumista pal. I keep trying to conscript IRL friends to the task but no real luck with that yet!
Good evening! I had a lazy day alone, just visited my mum. I wear a white dress and My Insolence. I like this almond note.
I feel like I am always on the go except when I am sleeping, at which time I don’t wear any scented products. My most comforting scent if I were to choose one is SSS To Dream – it is wonderfully cozy, smooth …ahhhhhh…
Hajusuuri, are you back from your trip (to Europe, if I remember correctly)? Bring back any fragrant treasures?
Oh yes…I’m back. I had to readjust back to “normal” life after being away for close to 3 weeks. As to my perfume purchases …I’ll “reveal” in due course (perhaps a guest post somewhere) and of course, we are a month away from confession time…
Thanks for remembering and have a wonderful long weekend (I need it to recover from vacation!).
hmmm, I see a trend for the naturals as calming scents. My pick is DSH’s Parfum de Grasse, for the jasmine and beeswax combo.
I like to relax with Jacomo No 8 – it’s like chai with milk. Softly spicy but sweet as well – it really does help me go to sleep. If I’m really stressed I need CdG Avignon to help me get some inner calm – that and a glass of wine…..
This sounds wonderful! I’m going to have to see if I can find it near me, otherwise, I’ll order a sample.
I do not think I ever use perfume for the resting. If I need some neutral, not demanding scent, I go for one of Jo Malone’s tea scents – Assam & Grapefruit or Earl Grey & Cucumber.
Donna Karan Black Cashmere (or Tom Ford Sahara Noir) are very relaxing scents to me.
If I need a perfume break, I just go a day or two without. Lately, I’ve been using a bit of Pacifica’s Malibu Lemon (solid) as a bedtime scent. It’s a very restful combination of lemon and powder. I wouldn’t want it for daytime, but it’s great for going to sleep.
I have a question for the masses: at what point do you decide a perfume just isn’t for you, and what do you do with it? For example, I’ve got about 10 1mL decants, all of which are lovely scents, but some just aren’t doing much for me. I’m trying to decide whether to:
1) power through and use those decants, and reward myself with some perfume that I really love when they are used up,
2) just bite the bullet, admit they aren’t my thing even though they’re nice, and trade or give them away,
3) hold on to them for 6 months and try them again to see if I like them any better after some time has passed,
4) some other idea I haven’t thought of but that works for you lovely perfumisti.
Thanks for any advice.
I love to take those perfumes I like but just not on me, and I use them as bathroom sprays. At the moment, I spray Phaedon Grisens in the powder bath when needed. and Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute in the master bath. I get to appreciate the fragrance from a respectable distance. I also keep my eye out for Facebook Fragrance Friends who express a desire to try something. Then I just gift them.
They are 1ml samples? I say it’s not worth stressing over. I mean unless they are JAR or some such, it probably would cost nearly as much to mail them to a more loving home as it would for those people just to order the samples in the first place.
So I say let them live in a cool dark closet for a while, not necessarily because they’ll ever become your thing (though maybe they will!) but also just because if you’re avid about perfume, there’s a good chance you’ll read a review or other essay that makes you want to remind yourself what something smells like, for comparison to some other thing. That happens to me almost once a week, I would say!
I file them away for future reference. Like CH, I often want to revisit a perfume when I read a new review or comment. I think people who swap often toss them in with something they are sending to another perfumista.
I certainly wouldn’t force myself to wear something that doesn’t feel like a good fit. My preference is to either hold onto them for reference, as CH suggests, or to put them in my “swap box.” I don’t have a lot in there, but if I have something interesting but maybe I have duplicates, or I’m certain it will never win me over, etc., then I figure I can send it to others in exchange some day or just gift them. In fact, my box is getting more full than my comfort zone, and I’ve been thinking of just putting them together to give away to a newer perfumista at a sniffa or something.
When I have samples I don’t like, what I do with them kind of depends on whether I see potential in them or not. If I don’t see potential or the scent didn’t make enough of an impression for me to care (i.e. it got a preliminary sniff but I didn’t like it enough to give it a full day’s wear), I will just give them away. The monthly Fairy Godmother posts at Perfume Posse are good for that. If I have a fair number of samples I want to get rid of, I’ll just post up what I have, and whoever wants it can have it. And I usually throw in a couple extras in the package. I don’t like mailing just one sample.. it’s a thing I have.
If I don’t necessarily like a scent but I see the potential to change my mind on it, I’ll keep it and revisit later. And since 1ml samples are usually reasonably cheap, I figure if I want to revisit something I either used up or gave away, I can always get another one.
Life’s too short to “power through” the decants you don’t like ! Just admit you don’t like them and give them away. It’s like me and books- I used to think I had to finish every book I bought. Now I just donate them to my library or give them to friends.
I keep some for reference, but if I see someone searching for it I may just gift it. This depends on whether its a classic much-talked about perfume; if it is then I will want to re-sniff. Also, if I’m looking for a sample of something and someone is happy to gift it to me, then I’ll give them a list of those I am not overly-attached to and ask if they are interested in any of them. I have a ‘thing’ about taking without giving, so that solves the problem!
Thanks for the suggestions and advice, everyone!
Delurking. Testing Frau Tonis Valeria which is green and vegetal and a little spicy. Not exactly restful but matching the sun that’s come out. Just got my 3 x 6ml samples from them, which are in the most unfortunately splashiest bottles.
So glad you delurked! I haven’t heard of Frau Tonis, but green, vegetal and spicy sounds wonderful.
I don’t have any experience with this scent, but I wanted to say hi and welcome!
Thanks. I heard about Frau Tonis initially on this site ages ago, and got their little sampler.
I just have to share this you guys. My husband told me that during a walk one of our dogs went nuts rolling in a mystery plant, like a cat in catnip. I joined him this morning on our walk, and the dog did the same thing. Guess what the plant was? Cistus ladanifer, a common perfume ingredient.
I brought home a few leaves to rub on the dog, and she went wild! I have all sorts of experiments planned.
When my dogs find something they want to roll in it doesn’t usually work out well for any of us.
That’s very interesting! And nice that they weren’t rolling in some rotten carcass. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labdanum) says that “In ancient times, labdanum was collected by combing the beards and thighs of goats and sheep that had grazed on the cistus shrubs.” Goats (and dogs) are soooo adorable. I can just imagine enjoying combing one and then getting some perfume in the process 🙂
bluepinegrove, what a neat discovery!
My bad boy Husky, rest his soul, used to dig up the roots of my favorite red rose bush, chew on them a little, and then lay down on his stomach and hold down each end of the root with both his paws as if he were enjoying its fragrance. If I took it away, he would look until he found it, then dig it out of the garbage or wherever I put it. Sadly, after a few digging adventures, the plant didn’t survive and I replaced it with a lovely deep yellow ‘ Julia Child’s.’ that is also noted for its rich rose fragrance.
It was a lovely deep red velvet rose with a spicy rich sent — maybe it was named “Ingrid Bergman” or after another actress of that time.
Our lab when I was a kid used to do that with blocks of cheese or loaves of bread that she’d stolen and buried some days (weeks?) earlier!
That’s cool! For one, cool that you live somewhere where you have Cistus growing around you, and neat that your dog likes it. Maybe you have a canine perfumista.
My cats have certain perfumes of mine that they like, my male cat especially. One that was funny recently was discovering that he loves Carnal Flower. I was wearing some of my new decant a few days ago, and he got in my lap, sniffed my arm and then started licking. I can’t imagine it must’ve tasted very good, but he didn’t seem to want to stop.
Every night before bed I spray on Les Nerides Patchouli Antique. 30 minutes of reading and inhaling this soft comforting scent, and I drift off happy and peaceful. In the day time, when I want calm and reassuring, I wear Histoire des Parfumes 1725, or MFK’s Cologne Pour le Soir.
Night night scents are TF Tuscan Leather and Anais Anais. Daytime relaxation provided by Atelier Orange Sanguine. Still can’t believe I went to Montreal and Toronto and didn’t buy any perfume this year. Most restrained of me…
I have an old, tiny bottle of L’Occitane Vanille Bourbon perfume extract that I like to use just so I can smell it on myself. It’s delicious and doesn’t demand anything of me. There’s really nothing to figure out, so in that way it is relaxing! I have a question I would like to put out there for everyone: What is that note that is suppose to be “fresh”, or “water” or “blue” that’s in everything like D&G Light Blue, L’Eau de Issey, Chance, Coco Mademoiselle, etc. I really can’t stand it and want to know what it’s called so I can beware of it. Thanks a lot!
I’m guessing it could be calone:
http://beauty.about.com/od/fragranceterms/a/what-is-calone.htm
Thanks for the reference. It could well be calone, it does smell synthetic.
I associate that with scents that have “sport,” “fresh” or a marine vibe. More times than not, it’s blue juice!
When I need a rest I go with lavender. Or one of the many scents I have that just don’t last long or have much oomph on me. Baiser Vole comes to mind. There are the times I will use a nice scented body lotion or butter instead of perfume. If I need to rest I probably need to feel pampered too.
I’m another who loves to relax with a soft lavender — my sleepless night, tossy-turney remedy is Elizabeth Arden’s Lavender Green Tea, which is usually available at one of the discount department store sources for a song. Also find that some softer licorice or anise scents are also relaxing for me.
I’ve found some drugstore bath gells have lavender in them, but it’s the sharp, wake up the nose type, and find that great for morning wake up.
I usually wear an amber when I’m feeling tired (Ambre Sultan, Blue Amber) or a soft, cosy oriental along the lines of Coromandel. It makes me feel like I’m being snuggled.
Although sometimes I’ll wear a tobacco-leaf accord to bed, e.g. Tobacco Vanille, Back to Black or Chergui, just because for me that has a similar vibe. (When I was little I loved to poke my nose in aromatic tobacco pouches every chance I could get. I remember being very puzzled as to how the smoked tobacco could be so unpleasant when the fresh leaf was so fragrant!)
This is rather strange, but I find Bulgari Black to be comforting. I do not get a rubber note, just soothing tea and mild vanilla. Isn’t it amazing at how different all our noses are? They are kinda like finger prints.
Fascinating! Is it your nose or your skin, do you think? That is, have other people smelled it on you and had same impression?
But totally without the rubber kick, I can totally see this as a comfort scent! (In fact I think that neat contrast is probably what BB fans who do smell the rubber like about the scent–just rubber would be tough!)
Oh, I’d agree on Black. I do get rubber in it, but it makes me think of new bicycle tires or new sneakers when I was a child, and along with the tea and the powdery vanilla, it’s a lovely calm thing.
I love woody vanilla or amber scents for bedtime, though I rarely wear them during the day: PG Ilang Ivohibe, Neonatura Coccoon, YSL Cinema, YSL Cinema, Shalimar, Chanel Bois de Iles, Nuit De Noël,
Armani Ambre Soie, Hermès Ambre Narguile all make me feel cozy.
Jasmine is often great for resting, and I particularly like J’Adore L’Absolu for this purpose.
Oh thanks for this reminder! I need to pull out my sample. If I’m remembering correctly it did not agree with my skin but maybe now that we’re in September I’ll soon be able to spray a scarf with it, because yes I feel like I also found it really lovely.
When I want something cozy, I reach for Kenzo Amour or Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee. But if I want more of an uplift, I go for something like Grand Neroli.
Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I have an essential oil blend I concocted with lavender, rose otto and sandalwood that I put on at bedtime to help me relax. I made one with lavender, rose absolute and vanilla that was great too.
Nice picks, the Ateliers are two of my favorites too.
I love L’eau d’Hiver or Estee Lauder Sensuous for relaxing.
Oh, Sensuous is a good one, too! I’ve been thinking I might want a bottle of that one of these days. . .
I rarely use perfume after my nightly bath, but when I do, it’s always Prada Infusion d’Iris.
This afternoon, I accidentally spritzed a bit of Id’I EdT on top of Kenzo Amour, and hours later I’m still enjoying the combination. I think this would be nice for relaxing before bed.
Cool combo! I’ll have to try that.
Guerlain is never wrong for relaxing 🙂
My favorites for this purpose is Gourmand Coquin and Lys Soleia.
Another calming scent is Arquiste Anima Dulcis and for some reason I find Amouage Memoir Woman very relaxing as well.
Oh wow, Memoir?! I *LOVE* it, but I don’t think of it as relaxing! It’s so complex and changing, I find I pay a lot of attention to it when I wear it.
I feel the same way about Memoir Woman – fascinating stuff, very changeful. Love it.
Lyric Woman I find very meditative, which makes it a good choice for a time when I need to be centered and calm.
I can see Lyric that way–a very cozy scent. And as it only last a few hours on me, maybe evening is the best time to wear it. Of course, these thoughts could be used to convince myself that it’s worth the purchase some day. . .
I still only have a decant, but I enjoy wearing it to concerts (the kind held in auditoriums with seats). However, wore it the day we dropped our daughter off at college, and it nearly suffocated me. I don’t know why it was wrong, but it was. Sigh.
I use Brin de Reglisse because of the lavender note. I know it evaporates within 10 minutes, but that’s just enough time for me to fall asleep.
I’m a perfumaholic and also an aromatherapist so on days when I want to rest my “perfume aura” I’ll always turn to essential oil of rose preferably Rose Otto which I have just for me because it is SO expensive. It fills me with deep joy.
How wonderful to have something special just for yourself. That sounds perfect.
I usually wear something like Le Cherche Midi #17 Cashmere Noir, Arquiste Infanta en Flor, Tauer Reverie au Jardin, Montale Velvet Flowers, or Annick Goutal Petite Cherie or Myrrh Ardente.
I love sleeping in Petite Cherie in the summer. It’s a lovely childhood memory for me.
For a long time, my go-to-sleep scent was Lalique Amethyst. Then I discovered Atelier Oolang Infini, which I have been wearing during the day very often as well. This has been a very stressful year with my health going downhill again, and I find this scent truly calming and comforting. Occasionally, I’ll wear Amouage Opus V, which I find extremely calming at night.
A little bit of Penhaligon’s Artemisia is nice and relaxing to me when it’s time to go to sleep.
Amber and vanilla are most relaxing to me, though I don’t often wear scent to bed. I also usually choose my scent in the morning and I never really want to relax then, I need to wake up! Bulgari Black or Prada eau Ambree get some play in the evenings. Maybe I’ll put Black on now!