Welcome to winter! If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where it's the first day of summer, please don't gloat. Plus, happy one year anniversary of the day the world didn't end!
Same old open thread poll: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you can't make up your mind about, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is snowflakes [cropped] by moonstar909 at flickr; some rights reserved.
Wearing Ninfeo Mio, and thinking that fig is not really my thing.
Yyyyyeah, not mine either. Fig leaf kind of kills me – it’s not the coconutty aspect, but the bitter green part (which is surprising given how much I love galbanum). I always feel like I’m wearing poison if I’m testing a fig-leaf scent. I suspect my skin reacts badly to that element, because I tend to like fig scents better on paper.
You betcha, it feels poisonous!
Oh, interesting! I didn’t warm to Fig until I tried SSS Fig Tree and I really liked the creamy, coolness of the fruit paired with a slightly vegetal green from the leaf, etc. I don’t really like green scents in general, but something about that cool fruit did enough to make me not dislike the green elements of the scent. Seems like there might be scents that have that sweet, cool fig note without the leaf, though, huh?
Philosykos EDT is entirely unlike Ninfeo Mio. Its sweet, milky fig fruit all the way:)
Nope. No, I especially despise Philosykos (on me). 🙂 To my nose, lots of fig leaf in it.
Ok, I recant!
But does that mean you experience Philosykos EDT as having a bitter aspect? I don’t detect that at all – though the EDP strikes me as woodier and dryer.
Yes, I do find it bitter! Didn’t like Laurie’s Fig Tree either, though I wanted to.
Most fig scents smell like 80’s hairspray to me. But yeah, aqua net, final net, poison,…all the same.
The only fig that works for me is L’Artisan’s. But I kissed a lot of poisonous frogs before finding that prince.
Happy weekend everyone! I am on my way in to New York City to meet up with a dear friend. Every Christmas, she and I spend part of a day walking around the city taking in the sights, sounds and smells. It doesn’t matter that I’ve seen practically everything on my own, seeing them with a friend adds that extra pixie dust!
It is uncharacteristically balmy today so my SOTD is Hermes L’ Ambre des Merveilles.
The perfume I couldn’t make up my mind about is Oriza L. Legrand Chypre Mousse. It’s a very unusual fragrance that is green, earthy, mossy, mushroomy, woodsy, wet pine. It leans a little masculine but it is quite an unusual fragrance.
Enjoy!
Sounds like a perfect day and scent choice!
Happy weekend, hajusuuri! You’re having my version of the perfect day. Since I can’t get back home to NY this year, I just enjoyed watching NYT’s Bill Cunningham Christmas video.
A good dose of New York when you’re feeling too far from the Big Apple!
Golly, I love his photo essays, not for the fashion, but for the way he organizes the photos into mini-art collages. I had no idea he did a video. Is there a utube link for these.
Have fun!
Have a great trip! I’ve had good experiences wandering NYC, but I agree–with a friend is even better!
What a festive way to spend the day! I hope you have a great time.
Thanks for all the replies. I’m back! Exhausted, for sure, having walked about 5 miles altogether, most of the time dodging around people! This year’s Top 3 holiday window displays for me are:
– Macy’s Herald Square – both the 34th Street and 6th Ave. sides were very well done. This year’s 34th Street display was the Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus tableau. One of our group (it became a group :-)) was a graphic designer in a previous life and she said that the cut outs looked like they were hand-cut and they did a good job. On the 6th Ave. side, I particularly liked the glass/crystal animals. Too often for that side of Macy’s the display was too futuristic; this year’s is more traditional.
– Bergdorf Goodman – always over the top, glitzy with mannequins in designer togs. This year’s theme (I don’t remember last year’s but I know it had the glitz) is “holidays on ice” with individual displays framed in ice crystals of various “holidays” – Arbor Day (!), 4th of July, Valentines Day, April Fool’s and Halloween.
– Henri Bendel – One window (It does have a small storefront) with a tribute to artist Al Hirschfield. The window features “Hirschfieldesque” 3D caricatures of actors / actresses / other famous people (e.g. Whoopi Goldberg, Woody Allen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, among others) AND some of his drawings.
The weather was freakishly warm which made it more palatable to be walking all over!
Oh how fun! I’ve never been in NY for the holidays–I think I would really like those window displays! I really love walking around the city–much more palatable than taking the train or a taxi anywhere. Glad you had good weather for it!
Nice, thanks for the descriptions!
I just simmered up a batch of barbecue sauce for pulled pork YUM, and the house smells like vinegar. Until that dissipates, I don’t think I can pick a fragrance.
Also, it’s supposed to be 60F today. Which is just wrong, for December in these parts.
On the plus side, though, my B&BW Winter candle smells lovely. And I’m getting Memoir Woman lotion for Christmas.
I love homemade barbecue sauce! Sounds yummy!
We’re going to get close to 60 today, & over 60 tomorrow. Too bad it isn’t sunny.
Mmmmmm……pulled pork with home made barbecue sauce……
Question time!
What is everyone’s favorite LUSH hand and body lotion?
Yesterday, I stopped by the LUSH store at Herald Square intending to buy Snowcake Soap but they,ve run out except as part of a gift set. In any case, I ended up leaving the store with Charity Pot – very moisturizing and smells with a combination of shea butter, almond oil and ylang-ylang. Also, 100% of the proceeds go to charity!
I need to clarify – Charity Pot smells GREAT!
So far, I have only tried Celebrate and Charity Pot. I like the scent of Celebrate but I prefer the texture of Charity Pot. Celebrate is a little too greasy to use except at bedtime. I want to order some Potion Lotion, but they are out of stock right now.
I have been on a very serious LUSH kick lately. Don’t ask me how much I have spent in total. I do think the skin care is helping a lot though. I have skin that is still acne-prone even though I am a “mature” woman. I have been using Coalface cleanser, Tea Tree toner, Vanishing Cream moisturizer, and Grease Lightning, and my skin is gradually clearing up without becoming too dry or irritated. I love their fresh face masks too–my favorite so far is Brazened Honey.
I want to try that Brazened Honey!
Best scent: Potion.
Potion, for its big carnation. I also like Creme Anglaise. It has been dc’d. Too foody and juvenile for some, but I bet its price did it in. I liked the “wet” feeling of that one.
I hold fast to King of Skin as my favorite body moisturizer. Layered with Rose Jam? Well, I become my own macaron.
“My own macaron.” Love it.
LOL!
The Cream Anglaise smelled good. The one I tried at the store today (yeah, I went back again today as I had time to kill before meeting up with my friend) was Karma Kream. I wish they had smaller sizes. My Charity Pot will last me a long time and I really don’t want several large sizes of the lotion sitting around unused or partially used.
I haven’t tried the Charity Pot, but I do have Helping Hands and I like it very much as it both absorbs well and seems to form a bit of a protective layer rather than just disappear.
I was looking at Helping Hands…sounds like something I would like. Have you tried the Ultra balm?
No, afraid not!
As a former LUSHIE who no longer enjoys their generous, generous, discount, I reserve a chunk of my pay cheque to the following three truly moisturizing products:
1.DREAM CREAM
2. SMITTEN
3. BUFFY
I avoided LUSH for the longest time (overpriced stink bombs I thought…) but an adult onset of eczema and a sample of Dream Cream converted me.
Another option is to use one of their massage bars and put on some cotton gloves before you jump into bed. Moisturizin’, stylin’ and sleepin’.
Dream Cream sounds divine!
Oooh, I second the suggestion of using the massage bars as moisturizer. I’ve been using up a Wiccy Magic Muscles one, and it smells particularly good at this time of year.
I really love Ro’s argan body conditioner. The scent is soooo beautiful and I normally don’t like roses very much. It’s kind of like a vanilla rose. Yummy. This morning I used it in the shower and sprayed on some vintage Parfum Sacre extrait after the shower. The creamy spicy rose scent is still lingering into the evening.
Don’t mean to rub it in but it is a balmy day in south florida. A little coolness would be nice. I’m trying to sort through my hundreds of decants and picked Le Labo Labdamun to wear today. It’s very enjoyable.
Hey, that’s rubbing it in!
Hey Dixie,
Do you think if we just go ahead and call it muggy here nobody will be jealous? Wood split, cut, & waiting on the porch for the cold front to come through Monday night. But right now I’m barefoot with the doors open and sweating in my T-shirt. Gonna wear Olympic Amber anyway.
Agreed! Muggy is the perfect description. Muggy does not belong in December!
Happy Solstice to everyone! I love the sun and spending time outdoors, and at the time of the Winter Solstice, I always look forward to the brighter days ahead. I have not decided on a SOTD yet, but I received a paperwhite (a narcissus)-scented perfume oil in the mail yesterday, and I might try that. Crossing my fingers for no manure overtones! 🙂
Happy Yule! I’m with you–love knowing that the days are about to get longer! It’s so reassuring, especially as the coldest parts of the winter are yet to pass through. I have friends who like to stay up all night, but I prefer a more hibernation-centric celebration! 😀
I am wearing EL Bronze Goddess, my last resort to get some warmth… It is dark and rainy in London… and this is how it is going to be all next week.
I LOVE to wear BG in the cold weather! I often wear it in the spring when the warm weather *STILL* hasn’t come! Hope it’s working its magic on you!
Me too! BG in the dark, gray days of winter does feel like magic! I hope my current bottle lasts until the spring. I’m so glad today is the solstice!
I go through periods when I use A LOT of BG, and I will likely need a new bottle in the next year or so. But there were nasty rumors of reformulation last year–any chance you can counter it?
Oh no!! I bought my bottle of BG a few years ago. If it is reformulated, I can only hope they keep with the notes of sunshine and summer!
OH, Happy weekend AND happy start of the winter vacation holidays for those of us in education! I’m sure we can all use the sleep! *happy dance*
My goal today is to tackle the mall–which frightens me deeply!–but I MUST do some clothes shopping, and I have a very good Macy’s coupon. . . 🙂 Really, the big impetus is that I have purchased an absolutely lovely dress–at the enabling suggestion of Mr. Spicebomb–and I don’t have the right undergarments, shoes or coat to go with it!
It drives me crazy that women’s clothes require so much “support,” but part of it is my “problem” is that I’ve continued to lose weight! My nice coat is too large. My tights are falling off. I’m down two bra sizes. . . sounds great, but it means I don’t have what I need to go out on the town! And a girl likes to look cute for her sweetie. 🙂
On the plus side, neither perfume nor purses require resizing! Another argument for the supremacy of perfume over clothes!!! 😉
I responded below. Seeing my response hanging out there by itself makes it seem like a weird non sequitur :-0
No worries–I found you! 🙂
Congratulations on losing weight … I have too, though no idea how much – scales have no place in my house, outside the kitchen I mean. But I’ve bought smaller jeans and retrieved a coat that was too tight round the shoulders – that’s Zara for you, At Christmas you see people you haven’t seen recently and they’re the ones that notice these things! Enjoy your new dress and all the underpinnings.
Thank you! Are you still enjoying clothes shopping or has it become a chore? Since my weight loss has been so slow, I really enjoyed it at first, but the past few years, it has been more of a chore. I might be able to enjoy it again today, though, as I think I’m finally down to a size that I will be able to buy pretty much what I want, where I want. It was one of my biggest annoyances at being larger–it could take 6 hours and 40 pairs of pants to find one flattering pair of quality size 18 jeans! I have a lot more options in the 8-10 range!
I’m supportive of the idea of not weighing yourself–makes sense to keep it about lifestyle and not a number–but I fear that without that little reminder to stay focussed each morning, I wouldn’t be successful. Do you do something else to keep track and keep on track?
I’m doing it little by little too, Yoga is helping in the sense that i’m reluctant to eat big meals after practically dislocating all my joints. I just keep track by observing the fit of my clothes – and enjoying people’s comments.
I took some Iyengar Yoga classes for a while, and I found the messages around body so healthy–all about what you can do and respecting your limits rather than what you look like, which is how so many strictly exercise-oriented classes seem to be! I still use some of what I learn to help me warm-up or cool down after a workout or to relax at the end of the day. And yes–hard to fill up if you know you’re gonna need to do twists!
Marjorie, at the risk of being TMI over here, you might want to go for a bra-fitting. It is well worth the time (and sometimes embarrassment) to know that All is Well in the underpinning department.
My difficulty with a lot of femme clothes is that it involves not merely a good fit, (in the ‘underpinning’)but one of those more unusual contraptions that fit with cross straps, partial straps or no straps and personally I just can’t be bothered. I hate feeling aware of what I am wearing – for one thing!
I hate feeling aware of what I’m wearing. My husband likens me to the Princess and the Pea when it comes to clothes 🙂 Is that fairy tale known in S. Africa?
It may depend on culture and race, but yes I am familiar with it, lol! I don’t think I’m extraordinarily sensitive or anything, but I don’t like having my movement restricted by awkward garments, or shoes, for that matter.
C.H. yes, that one is a well used strategy. And so often the $$$$ French number does not actually work that well for me over time.
Yes, you have to be willing to be aware–what you are wearing, how you hold yourself (keep those shoulders back, tummy tucked), whether you can safely cross your legs, lean against the sofa, etc., etc! When I’m truly girly, it is unquestionably limiting to dress like that. I don’t go to that level very often, but sometimes I guess I’ve decided it’s worth it to look really cute! 🙂
I am also a general proponent of this, although I wish someone had warned me about how much upselling goes on in these contexts. Dangerous slippage between “find the right size” and “the only one that fits you ‘correctly’ costs 3x what you planned on paying”. And I say that as someone who believes stuff that fits really well makes a big difference, and I’m willing to pay a premium for it, but that doesn’t imply I have an unlimited budget!
Kind of on this theme, my mom had a mastectomy a few months ago and opted out of getting reconstruction surgery. Soon she started noticing that her clothes were always twisting to one side, so she decided to splash out and get a fitting and a top of the line prosthesis. She loves it and calls it her “foob”. It made a big difference to how she feels.
Oh, good for her!
My first tattoo artist had a separate portfolio just for mastectomy scar tattoos. I think losing a body part like that, and one that is so connected to our identities as women/mothers/lovers, requires us to respond to reclaim and accept in some creative ways. Glad to hear your mother found a way to be more comfortable and cute!
Hey N!–I actually went for a bra fitting last month. I totally agree that it’s worth getting it done! This last fitting was the most attentive (and time-consuming) I’ve ever had, but boy, she really helped me find the right size! And what the heck–let’s get into TMI–I was pleased to learn that while my ribcage size has gone down, my cup size hasn’t! 🙂
I love this about perfume. Barring allergies, literally anyone can put it on and feel great in their skin 🙂
And we’re all instantly more fabulous! 😀
So fabulous 🙂
I am a woman, but I don’t wear a lot of “women’s” clothing mainly because of all the the special undergarments that are required. Oy vey.
The mall frightens me, as well. At least you have something fun to look forward to after the mall 🙂
Yes, I went many years wearing men’s clothes and looking pretty androgynous–easy, short hair, no make-up, etc. It especially made sense when I was doing ecology research. However, I’ve gotten slowly more “femmey” over the years–although I had to look up how to wear make-up and shave my legs on the internet! I miss the easy, low-fuss nature of styling myself that way, but I admit, I like looking pretty, too! Hopefully I’ve managed to keep my perspective and succeed in balancing practicality with dressing in a more feminine way!
This is funny, because it reminds me of me! My sister calls my “style” (an overstatement already!): comfortably ugly. My mom was just lamenting that I would be so pretty if I just TRIED 🙂 Perhaps one day I, too, will learn to balance practicality with looking more pretty! I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to longer hair, though.
I used to hear a lot of the ‘you would be so attractive if you just tried’. In retrospect I realize it was a put-down. I’m not sure about the ‘comfortably ugly’ either. My personal style is casual and laid-back. I also incorporate elements that some others find ugly, like loose baggy trousers, battered boots, etc. I don’t think style has to be about stilettos and false lashes. My situation may be totally different, but being so different to my mother I had to find my own style and sometimes not care too much if I was/am a fashion disaster, lol!
I’m so on board with what you are talking about, Merlin. I’m all about matching my choice in clothing to how I want to feel. Anyone with a problem with that can go take a flying leap. Right now I’m sooooo into black and I just wear black!
I wear of comfortable, practical clothes–jeans and teeshirts, lose, comfy skirts and such. But I do pay attention now to how they fit and flatter, whereas it used to not matter to me. I pretty much lived in men’s army surplus and chamois shirts!
And Sanjini, I agree–it’s not about pleasing other people. For me, feeling attractive is rewarding for myself–it’s a way I show myself that I’m valuable. I know that it’s a slippery slope, especially for women, between feeling valued and connecting that to our looks, but I also feel like I’d be lying to myself to say it doesn’t matter to me at this point in my life. Yes, getting positive attention is nice, but even if no one sees me, I enjoy feeling put together. Like keeping a clean, organized home–I don’t need company over to appreciate how nice it is!
Yukie–my “practical pretty” is mostly accomplished with careful purchases of flattering basics. I decided a while back that if I was gonna buy clothes, they should fit me well. Again, had to look it up on the internet to figure out how to dress myself!!!–however, if they aren’t things I can wear in a variety of ways, with other people doing activities, not just standing being decorative, I don’t want them. It takes a lot of time at the mall, but then it doesn’t take much work to feel cute and still comfortable when I get dressed in the morning.
There is nothing wrong with expanding your definition of who you are, and expanding your vision of yourself to some one who “Cleans up well” when she wants to, is just fine.
(“Cleans up well, is a phrase usually used for guys who are usually extremely casual but look wonderful when they indulge in some grooming or more formal clothes. Its a much nicer phrase than “pretty if you tried.”)
I rarely wore makeup until several years ago, but here is my secret for learning how.
If you go to a top department store, you can always get a good professional to show you how to put make up on, your particular features and style.
Some of the real pros have very good tips and they will not try to make you up to be some one other than who you are. Yes, you should buy some product from their brand afterwords, but you may want to get one of the colors (or foundations) that they used. If not, you can always get that classic fragrance from the brand you have been aching for.
And gosh darned- I think the “field scientist” look is glamorous anyway.
It’s cool and sunny here today. Fantastic in the midday sun, but need a coat and scarf now that evening is beginning to fall.
I went to Sephora today and tried so many sweet scents for my daughter that I started to feel sick. The remedy was a generous spray of CdG Wonderwood, of which I was given two samples. It’s so dry and gives a whole lumberyard of wood at first, but softens to smoky incense after a couple of hours. I like it better and better.
Oh, and happy Christmas, Yule —whatever. Enjoy your holidays!
Hope you found something wonderful for your daughter? And hey, your Sephora has CdG?? Jealous!
Against my better judgement, I bought Armani’s Si. I know she likes it. She didn’t care for Eau Première and I tried Love, Chloe and found it smelled plasticky on me. My local Sephora has some CdG tucked away almost out of sight but no Lutens, Atelier etc. When I visit my daughter in Barcelona I go to Sephora there – it’s even bigger than the Champs Elysées one.
Oh, that’s a well done scent, good choice & esp. if she already likes it.
Wafting current formulation Chamade right now. Enjoying the drydown, though I wish the green opening lasted a wee bit longer.
Yum. Haven’t smelled the new though.
Chamaaaaaaade!
2nd this! 🙂
We went to a smart restaurant today and I almost wore a dress for the first time in months! I’m not meaning to gloat;) but it is really hot here at the moment – and its actually too hot for long trousers. So, I thought its time to expose my scary white legs. But, I then noticed huge bruises on my legs and had to go with longs after all. Last week, I was going down a flight of stairs, missed one, slipped and then somehow turned and went tumbling down the rest of the flight! I thought I was totally unhurt but the large purple patches say otherwise. In any case, not seriously hurt, except for my feelings, lol!
I am swapping a back-up perfume, which I do not think I will ever get to, for Azuree. However my reaction to Azuree is complex – it does not give me a rush of pleasure, like some smells, but it intrigues me and my nose keeps wanting to smell it again. The longer it is on the skin, the more I tend to like it. Some people say it is like Aromatics Elixir – but A.E. is just vile on me. Any opinions on Azuree? It is a much harsher chypre than Halston which is soft, fruity and sweet, but it has this tanginess that is nevertheless addictive…
Glad to hear that nothing was broken in your fall. I bruise pretty easily and often I find huge bruises on my legs when I’m in the shower and have no idea where they came from. It’s really annoying in the summer when I’d like to wear shorts but don’t because I look like I was in a fight and lost.
Aromatics Elixir is awful on me too.
Same thing: I sometimes forget the knocks by the time the bruise appears. Or, my glasses are off for the showers&baths and my vision becomes somewhat Monet-like; the world, one highly variegated bruise!
I went to a dinner party last night and was excited to debut my sample of Botegga Venetta Eau Legere. I was thrilled to discover it because despite all the love I hear for the original BV, it didn’t work for me. I was loving BV Eau Legere, and may have even squandered my sample with one too many sprays. I was chatting with a group of friends when one asked who was wearing Aromatics Elixir. Of course I stayed quiet, as the comment was surely aimed at my friend’s mom. I was shocked hen I realized the fragrance they identified was mine! I know Aromatics Elixir has many fans, but does it really smell like my new beloved BV Eau Legere?? Am I over reacting?!
I can’t answer as we don’t have the BVs over here and I have not yet organized a sample of Eau Leger – but from the original it does seem an unusual comparison. BV has no rough edges at all. But then again, I once smelled AE on a friend and it came across as wonderfully smooth and lovely…
So it may be that they associate AE with that wonderful scent rather than the nasty stench I get off my skin? In that case it would be a great compliment!
I DO think it was a compliment. Also likely that she hadn’t tried AE in years – just had a memory of it. (she also mentioned remembering Youth Dew – but was definitely not making any comparisons to BV). The good news is that she is traveling to London next month and has offered to pick up a small bottle of Ormonde Jayne for me – which I learned of while obsessively (procrastinating) reading NST!
What a a win! You have found yourself a perfume mule;)
Weird I love BV Eau Legere, but DH gets “powdery old lady” from it. Sigh. I definitely do NOT get powdery old lady from BV EL! Nor do I see any connection with AE. But you found a perfume mule – fantastic!
I’ve tried and tried with AE but can’t learn to love it. I do like it the following morning though.
That one is so bad on me I have to wash it off after only a few minutes.
I have a weird love-hate thing going with AE. Every time I go to the mall (not frequently!) I stop by Clinique and sniff the tester. It smells like somebody peed all over a rose hedge to me. However, sprayed on paper or fabric, it’s really really lovely the second day and the third AND the fourth.
Pee and rose bushes?! I can see the appeal! 😉
I have a mini of Azuree and try it every now and again because I love the idea of it, but I find the leather very harsh and dry. I suppose it is often compared to AE because of their strong and distinctive character. And were they both composed by Bernard Chant? AE was, and of course it’s all the same company.
Yes, it has a bitter cast, though the leather note strikes me as oily.
I must check out the perfumer…
Do you find it changes much over time?
In spillage and longevity it is weaker than Private Collection – which I love but have not yet got my hands on, but it is not like PC have a cooling effect.
Yes, I think Az. does become smoother over time but it has been a while since I tried it. I find it at least as strong as PC though. I suppose you have seen the the minis of PC on eBay? Fairly cheap, although I notice the prices seem to have gone up …
I haven’t yet done any e bay shopping. I assume it would be a problem having things shipped internationally and don’t want to risk absurd customs and duty charges. I can get a 50ml for about 85$ here, but, am not used to spending quite that much on mainstream perfume!
Most perfumes go very quiet on my skin, and Azuree is no exception. P.c. However, sheieks like a fleurescent green banshee all day, lol! When I try Azuree on one hand and PC on the other, I can only smell PC unless I deliberately lift the hand with Azuree towards my nose.
Sorry about spelling! Its a fluorescent banshee shriek that I mean to describe! Spectral, but strangely pleasant:p
Yes, it’s funny how sometimes our skin will absorb what other people find to be sillage monsters. White Diamonds shrinks pleasantly to my skin after about 15 minutes and I can’t see what all the fuss is about !
I’m in Australia and I do buy internationally on eBay quite a bit, usually just samples and minis, and I’ve never had any problems. You do need to check your own customs regulations though, or see if there are forums where this is discussed in your country (South Africa, right?). I’m in an Australian fragrance group on Facebook and it’s a handy source of knowledge.
Yes, that does sound useful! I know people who have purchased on-line from overseas and been hit by absurd duties, but then again they were full bottles, not minis or samples which would probably be fine.
I’m wearing Sensual Orchid today from a sample. It’s very nice but it’s not making me swoon. It smells better in the vial than it does on my skin.
I’ve made a few blind buys lately which were pretty successful. Cape Heartache was the most recent. I’ll be wearing that in a bit once the last of Sensual Orchid wears away. Who knew I’d like a scent with strawberry in it?
And it’s just not a complete weekend without an impromptu trip to the vet. This time my poodle chewed her nail too far and now has an infected toe. So she’s on antibiotics yet again. Plus we get to do Epsom salt soaks 2-3 times a day. She’s been doing so good lately this is a bit of a downer.
Oh no! Its one thing after another with the little thing:(
Anyway, hope this one clears up quickly!
Thanks! Me too. Oh and in typical Christmas fashion, we found out today that dad has pneumonia. He’s not feeling too terrible so hopefully they caught it early enough.
‘in typical Christmas fashion’, lol! I know what you mean…
Oh Poodle! I wish I could give you a hug and a tin of cookies to sustain you through the rest of the holidays! Best wishes for your puppy and dad!
Thanks Marjorie.
Wearing Vetiver Pour Elle with a Christmas-green shirt. Two very different greens…
Hmm. Now you have me thinking about green scents for Christmas. . . I think Vetiver is too fresh for my associations. Unless there’s a spicy, warm vetiver scent I haven’t encountered yet? Not that vetiver is exactly cold, but it has that *cleanness* to it. Something pine-y or forest-y is an obvious choice–OJ Woman, Forest Walk, etc. 🙂
To my nose, l’artisan coeur de Vetiver Sacre would be a great vetiver scent for Christmas! It is not really vetiver-centric, maybe, but it definitely smells wonderfully spicy-piney 🙂
Happy Holiday and Best Wishes to everyone.
I’ve been continuing my fall down the Rabbit Hole.
After making a list of ~~ 250-300 (or so) perfumes I “ought” to sniff, I read that I’d perhaps learn more by sniffing them organized according to primary notes.
While working on *that* list, I encountered the term “skank” …well, I’d heard it before, but THIS time in relation to perfumes… And since the only fragrance I’ve ever truly loved (as a young man some forty years ago) was Kouros I decided to make a “Skank List” to see if I was indeed a “male skank” lol. (Turns out that the idea of a male “skank” is not nearly so open to playful recontour with a female “skank”.)
No answer to that yet, although my SoTD is Le Labo Oud 27 …Which I had read somewhere descirbed as “too skanky” a juice (along side Sécrétions Magnifiques just so you know the measuring stick). Well…, I don’t get it.
I’m either a complete innocent or a total slut. I just don’t know which.
Part of the problem is all the differing uses of the term “skank” and other poetic euphemisms to talk about …if at all… sexually-oriented perfumista thoughts in the different blogs I’ve visited so far. But far be it from me, as the new, male kid-on-the-block to suggest open discussion of such things.
But if you are of a mind too… In your best mytho-poetic phrasing share with me/us what scents get your heart racing? In those darkest dreams you smile quietly about over the morning coffee… what was your lover wearing? What scent should Santa be wearing when he sneaks into your living room to nick a cookie and milk?
I don’t necessarily find it skanky – but Comme de Garcons Black is a very sexy smell to me.
Skanky scents in which I can detect the skanki-ness? Bal a Versailles, which is a floral soft leather and which has a slightly dirty lived-in feel about it.
On me L’Air de’Rien, however, takes on an unpleasantly skanky hue. Can’t remember exactly, but on my skin it was too much like worn underwear, lol!
Thank you, Merlin. I’ve seen CdG – Black talked about and am pretty sure it’s on my “300” list, but I’ll check to be sure.
When I was reviewing the “Skank” post on here, I tallied mentions of each perfume and Bal a Versailles was the most frequently mentioned as a “go to skank”.
L’Air de Rein was considered an “extreme” skank more often than a moderate one …with MH – Un Petit Rein being called by one poster “the tamer lil’ sis of
L’Air de Rein”.
I haven’t actually smelled any of them yet so can’t comment. I decided to wait and see if there are any after Christmas sales before I spend half my net worth on samples : )
Yes, I find BaV pleasant, but cannot do the Miller. I have not tried un Petit Rein. Another famous one is lutens Koublah Khan.
My advice would be to make use of shop testers rather than order samples whenever possible:)
There are not that many mainstream skank-tests, though there is your Kouros and perhaps others can recommend more. I think many of the older classics have skanky aspects as Rappleyea mentions.
And, my reaction to Black may be entirely idiosyncratic!
Meant skank-fest, not test, lol!
You have your fingertips firmly on the pulse of Skank in America, Merlin: Serge Lutens – Muscs Koublai Khan was #2 on the all-time hit parade of go-to Ska-Juice.
===========
Hmmm…. Maybe Kouros is a “skank test” lol. I’ll start paying more attention to who likes it, * – *
Oh, D. D. I love me some skank! My favorite perfumes of yore (and mind you, I never realized they were “skanky” until recent internet years and they were defined so on the blogs) were Je Reviens (full of indolic neroli and narcissus), the aforementioned Bal a Versailles, and Femme.
But those perfumes used civet, castoreum, nitro musks, and *real* jasmine, narcissus and neroli, all very indolic – none of those ingredients (in their natural form) are used anymore. Grant you, the nitro musks aren’t healthy, but the aroma chemicals used for the florals tend to lack personality and definitely aren’t indolic.
Gosh, I wore all of those in their original formulas in my teen years before skanky was a word.
Yeah, I think it’s kind-of-a fun term to toss around but that ultimately cuts down on people saying what they reall mean.
Oh, don’t even get me started about “vintage” and “reformulation”.
I haven’t been in the game that long, but I can already sense that the time of the pefumes *I* want is past. …But I honestly can’t decide that I’m willing to put in the time and effort to hunt down increasing scarce bottles from the past like Unicorns in a snow storm.
When I re-ordered Kouros a year or two ago, after thinking for so long that it simply didn’t exist anymore, and spritzed some on I immediately recognized it, but just as quickly noticed that *something* wasn’t quite right. It was like an old friend, but one who had had a lobotomy to remove any “unpleasant” habits.
It’s a matter of depth and character versus the untried potential of youth.
Oh, you raise some great questions, and this is a charming post! I hope you get some better answers than mine, but it’s a busy shopping/baking/decorating day so who knows?
What smells skanky to some won’t to others, and IMHO skanky doesn’t necessarily connote an unpleasant odor or a note you don’t like. Some are attracted to what are considered skanky notes as they can be animalic or indolic, purportedly indicating a certain sexiness or actually smelling like a good romp in the hay. Consider dogs greeting each other in their customary fashion, or Napoleon anticipating greeting Josephine and advising her not to bathe. Others may find skanky notes repellant, or that they make a perfume seem “off.” I find often a little skank adds depth, like with people 🙂
I remember going to purchase some jasmine essential oil decades ago and coming across jasmine sambac. It was NOT what I was expecting at all, as I had been buying (unknowingly) jasmine grandiflorum. This was when aromatherapy was pretty basic, but perfumery was not. The first impression was OH! EEEUUWW! Then I kept sniffing, and sniffing and was hooked. That was my first experience with skank in perfume.
Happy holidays to you as well.
Thank you, Holly. Later tonight I’ll make challah dough for a slow over-night rise in the ‘fridge then baking tomorrow moring, along with Christmas cookies : )
Maybe that should be a new perfume note: “Romp in the hay”.
Do you have any thoughts on what standard perfume notes give you that ‘romp in the hay’ sense? I’m interested to sort out which notes I should investigate fisrt as I work my way through them all.
I want to discover the Mother Lode of Skank lol
I’m assuming oud, musk and leather but are there others in your experience?
D.D., unfortunately many of the ingredients which are notorious for being skanky are from nature and are now either unavailable, restricted or exorbitantly expensive. Civet, musk, and ambergris come to mind. That’s why many people seek out vintage perfumes as some of them contain those ingredients in natural form.
So presenting our current artistes, the perfumers who seek to create the same experience without those ingredients while maintaining the integrity of the perfume and their vision. A daunting task!
Certain flowers also have a notorious skank factor: jasmine sambac, gardenia, tuberose, lilacs, lilies and honeysuckle. I can’t sense it in honeysuckle, personally. The skank is that sublimely faint whiff of fruity rot.That being said, though, we also associate many of those flowers with death , and they were and are often used to disguise the odor. So our associations color our perceptions.
If you’re a fan of cheese, skank is like comparing a nice mild nutty cheddar to a ripe (skanky) Stilton.
While I’m not a fan of most ouds, I don’t find them skanky. I’d love to find a skanky leather. I’m thinking of those sheepskin Afghani coats so popular in the 1970’s, and all that connotes.
Ah, challah sounds nice! Come to think of it, yeasty dough rising can be kind of skanky in an innocent, unslutty way.
I think I know what you mean about the yeasty dough, but the thought of a skanky challah really made me lol!
Better keep it away from the red wine;)
One reason I’m glad not to pursue vintage is the possibility of painfully derived animal extracts in it. Though of course i would not say no to ambergris!
Lol, Merlin, the red wine would make it a slutty challah.
I agree with you about the sourcing of animal extracts, and since they’re often such a small percentage of a formula, maybe the chemical formulations suffice. I can’t say I’ve ever smelled a real civet, or musk. Ambergris, yes. And I do find it skanky. After all, it’s whale gack.
Well, Holly and Merlin, we seem to have run out of reply boxes : (
A wheel of Stilton soaked with good port… Ummmm… …and if there were some hot-from-the-oven bread to spread it on… I’m sure we could have this perfume thing sorted out before dawn.
Good evening to you each; it was a pleasure chatting.
Holly: “I’d love to find a skanky leather.”
You sound much too well informed for me to presume to make suggestions from my limited perspective, but checking back through my list leathers that I’ve noted (and I say this without having actually smelled any of them…) there are:
SL – Cuir Mauresque
Bulgari – Black
Piguet – Bandit
Caron – Tabac Blond
Knize – Ten
Tom Ford – Tuscan Leather
as well as: vintage Grès Cabochard and Vintage Jolie Madame
…but I can’t imagine that you don’t know of all of those already.
I suppose that whale vomit collected from the beach is fairly cruelty-free! 🙂
D.D., sounds like you’re starting with the best bits of perfumery it seems 😉
L’air de Rein to me isn’t skanky, I can smell what some might call a ‘barnyard’ accord- literally a romp in the hay, but it doesn’t smell like a personal odour to me. What DOES however, is Costume National Scent Intense. I’d read reviews saying it smelt of sex- and to me it does. Not like SM- that’s not sex to me it’s metallic vileness, but SI smells like the sweat of intimate areas (and sheets and the whole room really) after a whole night’s romp. In summer. It’s morning after skank. I don’t know what it says about me but I find it rather compelling 😉
Hi, Perth …I’m trying to be at least a bit pragmatic and disciplined before I just start throwing money at that problem of a sniffing education 😛
Costume National Scent Intense is new to me. Thank you; added to the top tier of my list. It was funny when I looked at some online reviews, given your introduction, …guys talking about wearing it to the office and their mother-in-laws loving it lol….
One site’s review said, “Scent intense is ideal for the charmingly quiet woman with an intense certainty…”
They didn’t say what sort of certainty, but it seems we know.
Have a nice, warm Christmas and watch out for all those Aussie snakes I don’t wanna meet.
You know what’s really funny to me about reading this?
Jasmine grandiflorum, on my skin, can sometimes go really rank. Like, the pair of panties you were wearing when you went running… and then left them on for two days… that kind of rank. Girly skank.
Jasmine sambac is the pretty-flower one on me.
Jasmine turns moth-ballish on me…not all…some.. le sigh
I recall reading comments of
Jasmine sambac going to skank, but not the other way round.
Care to name some names on both sides? I’d like to check your experience against my “skank list” : )
D.D., one of the reasons I pursue vintage perfumes is for the good old animalic base notes. Also, some of the natural perfumers still use real animalics. One of my lines is La Via del Profumo (profumo.it); he even offers a kit of tinctures of several animalic ingredients. Another good line is Aftelier. I found Candide frankly skanky. It’s not my personal favorite from this line but many perfumistas like it.
A skank of another sort is Vero Profumo Onda. It’s worth looking up Angela’s review here on NST. And enjoy the hunt!
Nozknoz, aren’t ‘real animalics’ illegal in America?
Merlin, I’m really up on this but I think some are, such as hyraceum. (Thank you, RSA!) Aftelier Cuir de Gardenia has castoreum, for example. I recall some perfumers having acquired old stocks of certain ingredients, too.
BTW, my wording is not entirely clear, but I was trying to say that I think some animalics are still legal in the U.S.
Tks Nozknoz – I never knew that!
Nozknoz, I’m certain I recognize the Profumo line, but can’t locate it on my too-many-different-lists ATM to see which juices I’ve cited as sniff-worthy.
I’m pretty sure I’ve also seen Aftelier and will add all your suggestions to my sample list.
Perhaps once I’m out of my initial “perfume confusions” you can help to ease me into the persuit of vintage frags…. I mean I won’t be entirely entitled to complain about the modern juices if I haven’t sniffed the glories of the past will I?
If you’d care to list others, I’d be interested to know the natural perfumers you know to use use real animalics. I suspect that the complexity of those scents is going to be where my interest lies.
Bottleneck Blues from Soivohle is the dirtiest most animalic thing I own, and I won’t even wear it out of the house for the first hour. I seem to recall it containing both ambergris and tinctured Africa stone
Nasomotto Pardon smelled like a postcoital guy on my skin, which is just wrong on me as a female
Sexiest thing I’ve smelled on a guy is Puredistance M
Thank you, Goddess. (…The first time I’ve ever said that…lol)
I have Nasomotto- Black Afgano on my sniff-list noted as “extrememly skanky” to which I will now add Pardon. Do you think the whole product line is worth a look skank-wise?
I’ve seen Soivohle mentioned but can’t find it in my notes…which is disconcerting but have now added Bottleneck Blues… which I do enjoy on the guitar. Perhaps that’s a sign : )
Puredistance M is new to me. Thank you.
D.D, regarding Nasomatto, I wouldn’t group them all as skanky, and they also seem to be a rather polarizing brand. I have absinth- not even remotely skanky, narcotic venus- a tuberose but not as ‘buxom’ as some other tuberoses out there, and Nuda, which is almost all indolic jasmine (and subsequently discontinued due to ingredient cost or availability. It is often referred to as a skanky jasmine due to the indoles, but I dont group all my skanks as one. There’s indole skank (white floral), coital skank, fecal/animalic skank…
(and btw it’s not the snakes that are the problem it’s the sharks! 😉 )
D.D., people also refer to the line as Abdes Salaam Attar. (I think that’s the Sufi name of perfumer Dominique Dubrana, but I’m not certain.) I especially like Mecca Balsam, Sharif, and Attar Maulana, and there are several others that I have at least decants of, such as the ones that Luca Turin reviewed and recommended in The Guide: Grezzo, Hindu Kush, and Tabac. His blog is interesting, too. You find samples on his website and sometimes on ebay and Surrender to Chance. (I’ve no affiliations with any of these.)
Thank you once again. Much appreciated.
As I’m writing this I’m sitting in a train back home. I had a christmasy meeting with my fellow perfume friends from all over Poland. We had a great time!
Sotd was Sonoma Scent Studio Sienna Musk, but now I smell of some vintage gems, Miss Dior and Shalimar edc
Wishing everyone merry and peaceful Christmas
Merry Christmas to you too Lucasai! Sounds like a fun meet-up…
Sounds like a lovely day, lucasai. I loved your blog post today. Scents matching songs really heightens our experience of both arts. Thanks.
Today’s perfume is Amouage Dia. Since it’s been really rainy all day, I needed the aldehydes to pick me up. I had to venture down to the mall and finish the rest of that diabolical Christmas list.
So sorry you had to go to the mall! I am avoiding it now until at least mid-January.
Cool and sunny in Los Angeles today, which means Winter is here. Attending an elaborate Pagan/Drudic/Celtic/Nordic/Christian Solstice celebration under 400 year old oak trees this evening. I’ll be wearing Breath of God, naturally.
Make that “Druidic”.
Those old oaks must be beautiful.
It sounds like a ceremony which could do with some smoked melon scent;)
What an inspired perfume choice, Merrily Row!
So celebrated getting through my midterms by buying a few vintage minis–Channel No 5 and Bois des Iles extraits (not here yet), Histoire d’Amour, and a sealed micromini of 1940s Jungle Gardenia parfum! Can’twait to wear it–70years old and it’s completely intact. Woo!
Congrats on the midterms and your wonderful vintage purchases. Amazing about the JG!
Congrats on your midterms, and congrats on that Tuvache find!
Vintage Bois des Iles Extrait! Be still my heart!
What has happened to Givenchy as a perfume house?
I got thinking about this because I’ve been wearing Ysatis a lot recently. I had a look at the Givenchy website and all they seem to promote is Dahlia Noir and some Ange ou Demon thing. Even Eau Demoiselle, a relatively recent release, seems to have dropped out. You still see the great classics like Ysatis and (ahem) Amarige everywhere in the shops, so presumably they are still made, but it really saddens me to think that Givenchy might be embarrassed by its own perfume heritage.
The re-released perfumes under the ‘Mythiques’ banner (Eau de Givenchy, L’Interdit, etc) seem to have all but disappeared. I’m glad I grabbed EdG while I could, to replace the bottle I bought in 1996. Sigh.
I’m mourning Organza Indecence. Even the Mythiques version.
The Bay (in Canada) still offers the eau de parfum on its site — haven’t seen or smelled it in stores (though Givenchy isn’t usually one of the areas I gravitate toward at the perfume counters).
The bottle is strangely plain compared to my circa-1999 bottle that is, magically, half full! I went through a phase of hating it but couldn’t let go of the bottle… thankfully, it seems I’ve come full circle!
Oh I know that full circle experience!
OI was one of the ‘Mythiques’ re-releases in the mid-2000s, I think. They were all in plain, rather ugly frosted bottles. It’s probably cheaper for the company to have uniform bottles. Once they start to do this – YSL and Rochas have done it too with their older releases – I start to worry that the company is losing interest in supporting those perfumes.
They probably take the opportunity to reformulate at the same time. The Mythiques version of Eau de Givenchy was okay, but a tad drier than the original.
I’ve wondered the same. Eau Demoiselle was hardly genius, but it was better than most of their modern stuff, & it does not seem like they even promote it.
Just got a package in the mail from my mom in Canada. Inside was a vintage bottle of Armani EDT from the 1980’s. That was the legendary perfume holy grail for me and I was trying to find some on ebay for years, but it was scarce and often pricey. My mom had some when I was growing up and I used to beg her for sprays of it. I mentioned it to her several weeks ago and she sent me that very bottle that she had kept in it’s box in her closet for almost 30 years. It was nearly full. I was afraid that it wouldn’t appeal to me any more, but when I sprayed some on it was the same gorgeous scent that I remembered. It brought back so many memories. So that’s the perfume I’m wearing today.
Now that’s a perfect gift. Thanks for sharing that story. How lovely of your mom.
My mom took me shopping when I was 12 to buy my first (non-drugstore) perfume. I chose Caron’s Fleurs de Rocaille. Decades later, I went to find it in a department store, and I knew what I found just wasn’t the same thing. Luckily there was a mention of Parfumelle in a mag (before the computer era) and the charming Frenchman located a vintage bottle for me, which I gave to my mom. She has dementia now, but the bottle is still with her and I tell her about my happy memories about that special time in our lives.
Aw your story makes me cry. What a wonderful memory and so special to be able to share that with your mom. I’m sure that perfume unlocks parts of the brain and even with the dementia there must be so much enjoyment for her to be able to smell that perfume and hang out with you. FdR is very beautiful.
Aw, thanks. It’s very special that your mom gave you what has been precious enough for her to save. Happy Holidays!
Lovely.
Sajini and Holly, thanks for sharing those stories.
Wearing Bourbon French’s Mon Amour to clean house and pack – heading out tomorrow to spend Christmas week with my sister, armed with some samples to lure her to the dark side 🙂 I’ll make her a perfumista yet!
You go girl! I have the same evil plan for my sister-in-law. I bought her a gift certificate to Surrender to Chance and a carved wooden box to store her samples in. mwahahahaha! uh oh hope she doesnt read this…
What a great idea. I have three nieces who bathe in bath and body works and Victoria’s secret sprays, and sometimes Viva la Juicy. I’d happily double my Christmas budget for them if I could get them to enjoy something more sophisticated.
I’ve been on a SL Un Bois Vanille kick lately. Must be all this wintry Christmas festivity in the air.
Happy Winter Solstice, everyone!
And to you!
SOTD is Kenzo jungle l’elephant. At first it seemed perfect for this time of year but probably not after…but the more I wear it the more I can see myself wearing it in the fall and after christmas 🙂 Happy holidays, everyone!
I keep seeing Jungle Elephant super discounted on BE and I’ve been tempted to buy it unsniffed. What do you like about it?
Hmm. I have been wearing it quite a lot in the last two weeks, and I hope other people chime in about their own opinions! To me, the opening smells like a crazy hodgepodge of winter spices: cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, you name it. Perhaps dried orange peel? I have only gotten compliments on it, but I have also been compared (favorably, I think) to a scented christmas candle. After maybe an hour or so, the spices quiet down a bit and get smoothed out by a lovely vanilla that is not too sweet, and the spices still hover over it to give it the perfect complexity. It is cozy and warm and slightly foodish, and a perfect fit for snow and pine trees.
I ADORE Jungle Elephant! I find it very Christmasy. It reminds me of big department store smells (Macy’s, etc. NYC) back in the early 1950’s — a smell of excitement and Christmas. It’s very boozy — like good cognac or brandy and has lots of spices. I find it a very uplifting fragrance. It can actually energize me as well as making me feel very happy.
It’s very powerful — one spray in the air — and then I walk through it and it lasts all day. If I were to apply it to skin, it would probably be too strong. (And I’m someone who regularly can wear a couple of sprays of Amouage or Montale on my skin without nuking my surroundings).
A fun night out, but definitely for someone who wears a *lot* more makeup than I do, smoky eyes and deep lipstick together, oh and maybe a fur coat…
I got a decant of Kenzo jungle l’elephant after reading raves about it but sadly, it did not work out for me. I may give it another chance and if it is still yucky on me, it will go to the freebies pile.
Afraid I’m also a naysayer on this one: its just nuclear on me, and to me!
My SOTD is Imaginary Authors Cape Heartache. It was my first unsniffed purchase in many years, and am glad to report I am not disappointed. It really is a beautiful fragrance and very well done. I would have preferred there to be a little less strawberry and more fir/pine. Nonetheless I do love it and feel it was a great bargain for the price. Feel free to share any other recommendations for great fir/pine resin centered fragrances. Thanks!
Hi Michael, I’ve fallen in love with quite a few of the Amouage men’s fragrances. If you’re going for pine, try Memoir Man. You’ll be the best smelling tree in town.
Thanks. Will do!
Have you tries Lutens’ Fille en Aguilles? Very resin-piney, but with a hint of curry thrown in?
I must confess, I am not a huge Lutens fan. I have tried it but it has been awhile. I recall that it reminded me of wazamba, which I preferred. Thank you, though.
Slumberhouse Norne? I have not personally tried it, but it seems to get a lot of positive attention…
I need to get my hands on a sample – should probably order one tonight! I’ve read those good reviews as well
Slumberhouse Norne is perfect for that effect plus the color of the juice is also a lovely deep green that matches the smell
WHY have I *still* not tried Slumberhouse?! Those local boys deserve my support for sure! 🙂 Will put it on my to-do list for the spring.
I bought Cape Heartache unsniffed too. I don’t mind the strawberry. It fades nicely and the pine and resins shine through with just a touch of sweetness.
I’m ready for a long soak in the tub, but the color of the water is very off-putting! I’m a fan of Kneipp bath products and have quite a collection. A couple of weeks ago, I bought their Patchouly shower cream and also the bath oil. The shower cream was disappointing. It’s not an unpleasant smell, but I don’t smell any patchouly! The bath oil, which has now been added to my bath water turns the water an unsightly khaki shade, looking like someone had a toilet accident! UGH! Whatever inspired them to use this color?
Well that’s certainly an evocative description – ha!
My husband and pup are still asleep and I just treated myself to a morning bath. It was divine. I hope yours turns out too!
Perhaps it’s better for an evening bath by candlelight where you wouldn’t be able to see the color of the water as well. It does make you wonder why they’d make it that color.
I had the same reaction the first time I tried an Aveeno oatmeal soak. Light candles, shut your eyes,…hope it doesn’t stain your bathtub. 🙂
Just tried Clarins Eau Dynamisante again. It didn’t used to be my sort of thing at all, but in the last year I have acquired a taste for herbal notes:)
It is very very nice – and I’m wondering whether I actually preferring it to Azuree as it is also a herbal chypre but is without the harsher elements…
Sampling DSH Sampsucinon today and just wondering what else might be herbal but wearable by a woman so I’ll have to seek that out. Herbal scents are a recently noticed gap in my collection–so far I’m considering Sampsuchinon, L’Heure Vertreuese, and Parfum du 68 but if you have other good ones please let me know
An oldy but goodie I recently sampled in its newest iteration is Jicky edp… It had a lot of the lemony sparkle of Shalimar’s top notes, done just as elegantly and with that sly feminine wink, but dries down to a herbally comfort scent– at least on me. I’ve added it to my “hope to buy maybe one day, some day” list!
Fleurs de Sel Miller Harris is not just a salty perfume, but quite herbal, in my nose’s humble opinion. Clary sage, perhaps…
thegoddessrenna – you should try Oriza L. Legrand Chypre Mousse. While it is not traditionally herbal, the combination of green, woods, mushrooms and great sillage makes it herbal, at least to my nose.
I’v tried none of these as herbal is a little new to me too! Perhaps Une Rose Chypre, as it does have a definite herbal aspect, and perhaps Herba Fresca, although it does seem brighter and sweeter than the others I mentioned.
Merlin, the most intensely herbal perfume I have experienced is one of my favs, Diptyque Virgilio. Another fav with herbal notes is AG Eau du Sud. I also catch a whiff of herbs in PdN Vie de Chateau. Hermès Épice Marine was designed in collaboration with a famous chef and although it’s technically spicy, the combination seems herbal to me, too.
I haven’t tried Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin or Hermès Paprika Basil, but they sound herbal and could be worth a try.
A shop here now sells Diptyque but I can’t remember if they had Virgilio – I will go look! Most of the others are not easily available here – except Basil and Mandarin which is lovely on others but not nice on my skin. Have no idea why. O’de Lancolm, however, is good!
SOTD is Vacances, supposedly; finally got around to trying the mini I picked up, and alas it isn’t living up to description. No green burst at the top, just immediately kind of candied. I can’t quite tell whether it’s just that the top notes have gone off and I’m smelling a lot of mimosa, or if the juice actually been replaced with some other lilac scent (After My Own Heart? heliotrope often reads as a bit sugary to my nose–maybe I’ll try them side by side). Blah.
On the other hand, I did have a big victory this week with $4 vintage Diorissimo that smells incredible, so on balance I really can’t complain about my perfume karma!
Oh, so sorry! But hey, VERY jealous of your Diorissimo, which concentration is it?
EDT! It’s pretty fantastic–delicate and airy without being thin, or even sheer, per se, still had distinct presence. Sniffing it for the first time totally gave me that sensation of, aha, so this is what the good stuff smells like! Very fun, although my wallet is cowering in fear of what might come from such a discovery; I hadn’t been much inclined toward vintage until now…
C.H., I have one of those Vacances minis, which I bought as part of the complete set, so I believe it is real. I haven’t worn it in a while, but I don’t remember a blast of green at any point, but rather think of it as a very soft and blowzy scent that feels like lazing under flowering trees on a perfect late spring/early summer day. It’s a bit like Puredistance Opardu, too.
It’s frustrating to fall in love with an unattainable perfume, though, so perhaps it’s just as well not to like it, right?
Oh, thanks so much for this, very useful to hear not everyone finds it so green. I was just taken aback to find it sweet! Not what I was expecting–is yours the same? I’ll definitely keep my eye out for a chance to sniff Opardu to compare. In any event, wise words that it’s probably not the worst thing that this didn’t work out, as long as the perfume’s not readily available. If Vacances joins the Jean Patou reissues, I can give it another shot then.
It has a bit of a honey feeling in keeping with the flower theme. Also, Aftelier Honey Blossom has a similar feeling. I also find that weather makes a big difference with perfume, so it would be worth trying again in late spring/early summer.
Oh interesting about the honey, yes that is in line with how it smelled to me. And good point about the weather. I waited for a balmy day, but still in the general midst of gray and cold, probably didn’t show it in its best light!
Good Morning! I’ve started some candied tangerine peels this morning, and oh my house smells *so good*!!! If I had time, I’d start some sugar cookies, too, and I don’t think I’d ever stop inhaling deeply through my nose!
No SOTD, yet, but I am attending a holiday cookie exchange with Mr. Spicebomb this afternoon, so I will hopefully find something friendly and holiday-appropriate! Maybe Jacomo #8 for spices? I wish I had some vintage Theorema–the smell of candied citrus rinds has me in an oranges-note mood!
That all sounds -incredible-. Where did you learn such magic?? (I think I am probably in the minority in the perfume community as a total kitchen incompetent, so this all seems completely miraculous to me!)
Ha! Hardly magic or miracles in this case!
Candy making might be risky for a total newbie in the kitchen, but candied citrus rinds is certainly on the easier side of the spectrum! It’s pretty much just rinds gently boiled in sugar syrup until it’s nearly evaporated. Then you dust them in sugar and dry them for about a day. No thermometers or tending required! AND bonus, I don’t feel like I’m being unhealthy eating them compared to, say, fudge! (Which I love and may have to make soon, too, and *may* count as slightly miraculous since fudge is so finicky!)
Good luck with the fudge. I’m just trying to cover my fruitcake with marzipan. It tastes (and smell) fabulous but it’s too sticky and I don’t know if I’ll be able to roll it out :(. If all else fails I’ll just spread it with a palette knife.
You’d better give most of that fudge to Mr Spicebomb!
Can’t edit, but neither can I leave that unconjugated verb uncorrected; I meant *smells*, of course.
Yes, I could eat a pound of fudge myself, given the opportunity! My best defense is to make it for an occasion in which others will share and hopefully there won’t be too much left over!
The challenge this year is that I’m avoiding cooking with dairy, since I’ve learned I’m VERY lactose intolerant. So, I thought I’d try making it with coconut milk, but since I can’t find any recipes like that, I will have to experiment and watch for the right candy stage carefully, I expect!
Gosh that sounds heavenly. I might have to give it a shot!
C.H.! I am worse than “kitchen incompetent”. My idea of “cooking” is boil some water (in the microwave, no less), throw in couscous + whatever flavor packet is on hand, cover the bowl, fluff up the couscous, serve in the same bowl, DONE!
Oh we would make a good team then, because my one skill is that I can make a (relatively edible) chicken breast, but literally nothing to go with it–I have been known to ruin even rice. So your couscous and my chicken, we would almost have a meal! Is there anyone here who can make a vegetable?!
Well, I can add milk to cereal…
I can steam broccoli!
We have a winner–thanks kindcrow, now we won’t get scurvy 🙂
Merlin, you can come sit here by me. I was going to say I could dress us a salad, but the hard truth is that I don’t really have even that level of culinary finesse at my disposal.
😀 You ladies are making me laugh, even if I’m NOT invited to dinner! (Couldn’t I tempt you with home-baked dessert?)
Sorry MR, the presence of a genuinely pleasurable dish would totally shatter the illusion that anything I made could count as “food”. Strictly verboten 🙂
Oh, sad to be excluded from what I’m sure would be an excellent evening! 🙁
How about Rice Krispie treats? I could even make them with marshmallows rather than making my own sticky goo stuff. . . 🙂
You make your own sticky goo!! I mean, clearly the solution is just to relocate the entirety to your house. We can bring… drinks? Flowers? Amusing stories?
You are, of course, welcome any time!
That is, as long as you a) aren’t deathly allergic to cats and b) ARE willing to help with the dishes! I love to cook, not so love with the clean up afterwards! 😀
We have a deal! 🙂
I think rice is one of the most difficult starches to make because the wrong amount of water and time will result in undercooking or mush, and the different strains have different absorbencies.
Thank you!! It always seemed so to me (checking to see if it’s done can ruin it?? what are we cooking, souffles??), but others act like rice is one of those basics any fool can manage!
Rice! I thought EVERY home had an electric rice cooker (looks like a slow cooker) but I haven’t used it. Apparently, all you have to do is measure rice, measure water, throw everything into the pot, close the lid, press a button…and then, some 30+ minutes later, perfectly cooked rice! Some fancier ones keep the rice warm for 2 days!
Its late and perhaps no one is around any more – but just in case there is – I was wondering if anyone has an opinion about Aramis’ Calligraphy Rose?
Haven’t smelled it but now that I’ve looked it up, I’m intrigued–have you sniffed it yet?
I have – and liked it very much, a beautiful ambered rose. But, I think it is supposed to fit into the oud/rose/mid-Eastern species and I don’t have nearly as much experience of these as everyone else.
Yes I’d be interested to hear more about this too–especially the Mideast by way of Estee Lauder dimension. Maybe Jessica will review and shed some light on this!
Well, my husband did get me Evening Edged In Gold for Christmas:). I can’t open it until Dec. 25th though. He dropped a lot of hints and UPS dropped a package. Lol, he said, ‘It’s nothing’ with a smile:). You know you’ve been together a while when you know some of the presents you’ve got one another for Christmas:).
Lol, about the day the world didn’t end. When people put a date on the apocalypse..I quickly dismiss it. LOL, memeber Y2K? People were storing food, freaking out. I wasn’t worried at all. How many movies were made about the 2012 end of the world? Lol.
Y2K, yes! That one, looking back, REALLY hard to see what all the fuss was about.
We’ve had weird record warm weather here in the DC area – highs in the low 70s. Seems more like May than December, except the days are so short; the sun, so low in the sky, seems dim; and the vegetation is dead and dreary.
I’ve been testing the new L’AP Skin on Skin and Memo Lalibela, both of which I like, but it’s not as if I can justify adding bottle that costs over $200 to my collection. Why is L’Artisan, in particular, limiting these new releases to a 120-ml bottle that costs well over $200? Bah, humbug!
Yep, we had our windows open! If only it had been sunny, that would have been perfect.
Local question–do you know somewhere in DC that stocks L’Artisan and if so are you willing to share this precious address? 🙂
Nozknoz undoubtedly has more up to date info than I do, but in case she doesn’t see your question:
Blue Mercury (Bethesda, possibly elsewhere) used to.
Art With Flowers (Tysons Galleria) also, although haven’t been there in years. They had a small but interesting niche selection in general.
Thanks Robin! I’ll check the Bethesda Blue Mercury–tragically Art With Flowers is no more.
Oh, shame! Hopefully Nozknoz will chime in, there must be some place. I don’t think Blue Mercury ever had the whole line.
One would think there must be! Slim pickings in DC for niche these days though–even Blue Mercury is down to one store for Serge (Georgetown), and SAs tell me they don’t expect to restock once what they have now is gone. I haven’t been to Bethesda though, with any luck maybe they’ll still have a L’Artisan cache.
C.H., I’m not up to date at all. I mostly shop online, especially for perfume. I like to order samples and decants so that I can test at my leisure. It’s so time-consuming to get around in this area. I haven’t even made it out to the Santa Maria Novella shop at Friendship Heights yet.
Too true about inconvenience; I basically keep a running mental list and try to stop in when I happen to be in the vicinity of something interesting (there’s some CB I Hate Perfume on 14th St…) but that still requires a lot of forward thinking (and results in some days when I end up wearing nothing because I thought I might have time to stop by to test something, but didn’t. Alack.)
There’s a Barneys in Georgetown…you may want to call them to see if they carry L’AP there. The one in NY has an extensive collection.
I am hopeful about this! Right now it’s a Co-op with slim pickings but I heard Barneys is slowly converting all the Co-ops into main stores so perhaps the fragrance offerings with improve commensurately??
Working today, so just a small spray of Infusion d’Iris so as not to offend. I thought it would warm me up in the damp weather, but all I’m getting is baby powder for some reason. I get more iris/sweetness when there’s less humidity in the air.
Shouldn’t complain, though… our area seems to have escaped the brunt of the big ice storm moving through Ontario/Quebec/Maritimes today!
C.H., also jealous of your Diorissimo. Wishing I could find a reasonably priced vintage Diorella or Gres Cabochard. Lovely skanky stuff, D.D.
Spent the weekend making gifts – blood orange vinegar, thyme oil, Jameson punch, Bloody Maria mix, herb-marinated feta and a rum/sugar/dried fruit compote. (all recipes from a WSJ article). I loathe rum but others love it. Also made my own bitters for the punch – crushed allspice, cinnamon and light rum. The house smells good.
SoTD is Tom Ford Black Orchid, a bit of an obsession right now. Trying to decide if it’s worth buying. The Nordstrom’s SA tried to talk me into Jasmine Rouge. Like it but not sure.
Love the conversations. Have a great day/week!
I totally feel spoiled with the Diorissima–I know there are much more devoted vintage hunters than I out there looking for these things! I’ll try to make sure I really appreciate it as fully as possible 🙂
Ha, I seem to have reassigned its gender. (I kind of like it that way though!)