Choose your literary holiday: today is Virginia Woolf's birthday, and it's Burns Night.
We're celebrating with our usual open thread poll: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you'd like to get for your next birthday, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Pink Petals [cropped] by Kumaravel at flickr; some rights reserved.
It’s cold (what else is new?) with lots of blowing snow in my neck of the woods this morning. Many roads are closed, etc., but my husband had to make an unavoidable trip out of town. I’m hanging with our tot and therefore still in my pajamas, wearing remnants of Oscar de la Renta’s Volupte. It’s very persistent! I sprayed twice yesterday and can still get a whiff of it. It was a discount grab, but I like it and apparently, it’s a good value: very warm, lots of amber, and very linear. I get none of the flowers/green that so many reviews suggest.
After I shower, I’m going to give Field Notes from Paris another go from my Ineke sample set — thanks for that twitter link on it, Robin!
Sounds like we’re having the same weather!
Field Notes is by far my favorite Ineke, do give it another go!
I had food poisoning last weekend and found I couldn’t even contemplate a fragrance as I recovered. I couldn’t even enjoy the smell of my Pacifica Tibetan Mountain Temple candle. What do y’all wear when recoverin from an illness?
So sorry! I try not to wear anything when I’m sick — always afraid because of people who say they wore something and then could never stand the smell of it again. But when recovering, usually light citrusy things.
BTW, how is the throw on that candle?
I’ve never burned the candle, but I can smell it all over my small house. It’s a perfect winter scent, like a spicy chai latte.
Oh you poor thing! I had food poisoning in Turkey in May and ended up on a drip I was so ill so I feel your pain 🙁
I’m with Robin though. No scent for exactly that reason- scent association. I hope you’re all recovered
I’ve had food poisoning. It’s worse than any stomach bug I’ve ever gotten. I feel for you. I can’t stand too many smells when I’m that sick.
I had chemotherapy a couple of years ago and I could only wear cologne-like citrus fragrances. Everything else made me nauseous.
Oh – and I’m sorry you are poorly and hope you are feeling well very soon.
Nothing at all for illness. Maybe something light and floral for coming out of it–like having a floral bouquet in the room. Hope you feel better soon, food poisoning is the worst.
Aw so sorry you were sick. I would skip the perfume and throw open the windows to let some fresh smells in and scuttle away the disease vibe. The take a nice detox shower with a salt scrub.
Its hard to say if the problem is nausea, but if I have to be in bed some time i like some lavender essential oil on my pillow or a spritz of Tea Rose on the sheets. Just to freshen things up:)
Ick on the food poisoning, I don’t/can’t wear anything when my stomach is acting up. Even the freon smell from the fridge gets to me!
Winter has appeared in Poland, the streets and pavements are slippery (think collisions and broken arms and legs) and trains are late because their tracks are covered with ice.
It’s been a week full of emotions for me. First of all I’m starting an apprenticeship in fragrance laboratory on 3rd February and I’m excited about it. Second great news is that I got my university scholarship back 🙂
SotD was Chanel 31 Rue Cambon. I said “was” because it wore off couple hours ago. So pretty but so fleeting.
Congratulations, Lucas! What a great way to start the year!
Oh yes it is!
Congratulations, Lucas! Great news 🙂
I received 31 rue cambon in the freebie exchange last week and I’m in love. Not as fleeting on me, and the dry down is just gorgeous.
Grateful to the gal who was willing to part with it.
SOTD: 31 rue cambon!
So great you got it as a freebie and that you love it 🙂
And let me add – BIG congrats on your exciting news. Very cool and much to look forward to.
Although I’ve not commented on your blog I do frequent it and enjoy it very much. It’s like a “blow-by-blow” account of a perfumes’ transition and I’m amazed at how nuanced your noise is to capture all that it does. I think you’re in the right profession 😉
Thanks Floragal!
It’s good to know some of those readers hiding out there.
Big congratulations, Lucas! Stay warm!
Thank you! Keep warm too!
Yay that means you have your perfume fund back! 🙂 congratulations Lucas!
That was exactly what I thought when I found out about the good news!
And I can go to Esxence in March!
That’s great, congrats!
Thanks Robin
Congratulations! Such good news
I simply couldn’t believe that a coin flipped a happy side up for me.
Wonderful news, Lucas, congratulations!
thank you
Sorry to hear that winter has you iced in but congrats on the other stuff. That’s great news.
Day after day it’s getting better. The first day was the worst, in news they reported some trains were over 10 hours late!
I drive trains- we get our butts wooped after a few minutes! Wet weather and extreme heat certainly affect the line but I can’t imagine 10 hours that must be a nightmare for everyone!
Such a pity about the longevity of these exclusive Chanels.I LOVE 28 La Pausa,but longevity maximum is 4 hours,and it stays very close to skin.Big congrats on all your news,sounds like a busy year Lucas!
Oh how I wish 28 La Pausa would last on my skin for 4 hours! I would buy it then. But no, it lasts on my skin for 30 minutes and then I cannot smell it anymore.
All Chanel Exclusives seem to have poor longevity. Only Cuir de Russie and Jersey stay on me for a longer time.
I think my skin must be very unusual. In cold weather La Pausa lasts up to 12 hours on me, albeit very definitely as a skin scent.
Oh! And congratulations Lucas!
Thanks Sarah!
And I’m envious about 28 La Pausa longevity you get.
On the longevity plus-side, I find that Bois des Iles does wonderful things in the heat, and the less-than-stellar longevity seems like a plus when the alternative could be suffocating in a scent all day!
Congratulations!
thank you
Congratulations – that’s such exciting news! Bravo!
thanks Holly, hope you’re having a good weekend
Congratulations on the scholarship. Times are tight in the academy so kudos. You must be a good scholar.
thanks a lot
Congratulations on all that great news!
It’s been a great news week
Lucasi that is incredible; and now you will have so much more info to share with your blog readers.
Huge communal congratulations to you! We all think you totally deserve it:)
Rue Cambon lasts better on me than most of the Exclusifs. It fades to a skin scent, whereas the others just vanish entirely.
Yes, I will get to know a little bit more from the “behind the scenes” perspective.
On my Rue Cambon lasts for 4 hours – it’s not bad but could’ve been better.
I am looking forward to learning right along with you! 🙂
SOTD is from my new Aftalier Cuir de Gardenia. On first putting in on, it is a perfect example of what the crazy 70’s housewife in American Hustle calls a beautiful perfume made more special because of an undernote of something rotten.
I mean that as a compliment.
My only concern is that I am not sure I have a good skin for naturals. I understand this should be expected to last a couple of hours. I’ll check in later.
Aftelier Cuir de Gardenia is also my SOTD! I agree about the something rotten undertone AND agree that it somehow makes the fragrance work. I don’t like skank and this is not skank.
Scent had a slight tone (when place of application was held up to nose about 2 hours later. completely gone as of 4 hours later. )
Definately not skank. More rotting fruit than the smell of sex.
Is it that blue cheese gardenia note?
I had gotten the impression from reading up on naturals that two hours is about average for them. I don’t usually get much more than that, generally (I have scent-eating skin).
Tuberose and vanilla are a couple of natural notes that DO stick around on me, though. I do okay with Vamp a NY and DSH Rose Vert in terms of longevity, for all-natural scents.
It’s an absolutely fantastic warm, sunny day here and everyone is eating al fresco. Wearing Ambre Nue – it has excellent longevity.
I have a question which I hope someone will be able to answer. In a nearby boutique that sells clothes and perfume, but with a slow turnover (I think), they have a lot of odd bottles in the shop window. One is Opium, in a box with a black top and bottom, which I suspect could be the old formula. I think the newer boxes have the same reddish-brown colour throughout. If it’s vintage, I’ll snap it up, but I hate the new formulation. Any ideas, please?
Kafkaesque has a very extensive blogpost on Opium, including pictures of packaging. You may want to consider how long the bottle had been displayed in the shop window and how sunny that spot gets.
Yes, I was thinking of that, too. It’s probably been there for years. But if it turned out to be obviously off, I”d return it. I’ll see if I can find that post. Thanks!
Hmm, after consulting the blog, it would appear that it is a vintage version…maybe I’ll give it a try. I had one of those beautiful tasselled bottles in the seventies, though I started with the EDT. I do miss it!
Thanks, Hajusuuri, for putting me on the right track.
It might be okay if it’s been in the box. Orientals tend to deteriorate a little less than lighter things, in my experience.
Hope you get it, hope it’s good.
SOTD is a Bay Rum Splash that I bought years ago at a little shop in Humboldt County. It’s the best Bay Rum I’ve tried, so of course, they don’t make it any longer.
I had a co-worker of Scottish descent, and she turned me on to Burns’s “Address to a Haggis” (aka “Ode to a Haggis”) a few years ago, and I read it every January around the 25th. We are both vegetarians, and she kept a can of vegetarian haggis on display in her office.
10 Cool Facts About Robbie Burns, http://www.cbc.ca/books/2014/01/10-cool-facts-about-robbie-burns.html
Address to a Haggis (aka “Ode to a Haggis”), http://www.robertburns.org/works/147.shtml
Neeps and tatties for everyone!
Vegetarian haggis? WHY?!? lol
And in a can?! 🙂
And more to the point: How?
I had a French trigonometry teacher who would ask something like “How to we solve for x in this equation?” and then he would answer his own question with “Veeeeeeeery carefully!” How do you make a vegetarian haggis and get it into a can? As Professor Lesage would say “Veeeeeery carefully!”
See … vegetarian haggis in a can is worth it for its comedic value alone. That is why she had it displayed in her office.
Was going to say…if I saw a can, I’d have to buy it.
Hahahaha yes, nailed that one for sure 🙂
Wegman’s has spotted dick in a can. You know I bought that for the comic value.
You are the best.
If you’d like some I’ll send you a can. 🙂
Oy, you have actually increased the suggestiveness of the dishes name.
I know…bad poodle…*slaps herself on the back of the wrist*
I almost bought that when I saw it at Cost Plus World Market.
I actually want to try it from the can. I’ve made it once and it wasn’t bad. I believe it’s also called spotted dog. Neither name is all that appetizing.
No, no, no, no, no…. Haggis is sheep’s stomach and suet (I didn’t say it was pretty). My husband is Scottish and many a Burns Night we’ve been up to all hours waiting for the ye olde ‘rustic’ haggis to finish cooking… Back when we were young and could tolerate hangovers, the long hours would be filled with whiskey shots and various folks coming by to share in the cheer. In Manhattan that would lead to all sorts of mischief as invariably we’d lose track of who wandered in. Quite a few folks living rough got their first taste of haggis in our flat, and once someone corralled a bagpiper into coming. Our little studio flat (street level–well sort of sub-street level) was bursting at the seams between the folks we knew, the folks we didn’t, the bagpiper playing and the haggis steaming away. I think Robert Burns would have enjoyed the evening himself… what I can remember of it that is! 🙂
That sounds like fun. I don’t think I could bring myself to eat haggis. Not knowingly at least. The whisky part of the tradition would be okay.
I know what sheep intestines are, but have always been confused as to what “suet” is.
Excellent question (I adjust my glasses and clear my throat…). Suet is beef or lamb fat. It was used to prepare puddings and such for hundreds of years, and tallow for soap. Mostly now folks use it to bind birdseed for outdoor feeders when they are not preparing haggis. In fact, my old neighbor that I hadn’t seen in months stopped by recently to give us a huge bag of suet for our bird feeders. Apparently he had got it into his head that we needed suet! We don’t. A funny random note about suet and birdseed–a looooong time ago when the Phil Collins’ hit “Sussudio” was carpeting the airwaves, Dave Letterman donned a suet suit (he had decided that that was what the song was about) covered in birdseed and entered a large cage full of birds. My recollection is that nothing happened. The birds ignored him. So much for suet! 🙂
Ah yes, but don’t you think there’s some value in things that are SO WRONG that they’re right? Like household objects that are tacky-cool! I think vegetarian haggis might be along those lines. . . 😀
That sounds like heaven.
I meant the Manhattan Burns Night party – not suet.
This sounds like so much fun! Thank-you for sharing this.
Hahaha, fantastic story! Thank you for sharing 🙂
40 mph winds making for horizontal snow here in the Bluegrass. But, hey, we’re having a heat wave – it’s 23 degrees today! And *still* 24,000 folks will be downtown watching the Ky. Wildcats play basketball this afternoon. I wish I were one of them! 😉
SOTD: Guerlain Mahora. I’m making dehydrator macaroons and it goes with the smell of the coconut.
Stay safe you all!
Ok, what are dehydrator macaroons??
Macaroons made from raw coconut, ground almonds, coconut butter, date paste (dates and water in Vitamix), touch of vanilla and almond extracts and a pinch of salt. By using the dehydrator instead of baking, it keeps the healthy fat of the coconut raw.
Now you all know – this is how I eat! 😉
I love learning new tricks for my dehydrator. Thanks Rappleyea. I’d eat those.
Poodle,
Email me at rappleyea11 at yahoo dot com and I’ll send you the recipe if you’d like.
I’m as happy to enable healthy eating as perfume!
Thanks! Don’t have a dehydrator, but now I know 🙂
I love my dehydrator! It’s great fun experimenting with it. I also make some mean amaranth crackers.
Rapple-those sound delicious!
Hey Rapp! Stay warm and vertical! Haven’t gotten around to making those macaroons, yet, but I haven’t forgotten about them. 🙂 Do you find that humidity makes a difference in how they turn out? I’ve made meringues (which are basically just dried very slowly in the oven) that can be *completely* different textures depending on the weather–from crisp and crunchy to almost sticky and chewy.
Not really, MR, and we get some awesome humidity here in the summer. These aren’t nearly as temperamental as meringues and egg whites. I have learned over time though that I like them best after only 2 to 3 hours of dehydrating. Most recipes call for 8 to 12. Mine are more cakey, less crunchy.
You’ve escaped this winter wonderland mess haven’t you?
Yep, completely. We’ve had a really non-wintery-winter so far. It’s cold by our standards (35-40 degrees F), and the wind has been pretty strong these past few days, but we’re approaching drought conditions and the snowpack in the mountains is too low–raising concerns for spring planting season in the valley farms. We’d need some pretty amazing storms to catch up to average rainfall at this point.
The weather is really out of balance!
Came home from watching the game to find I had mail! Can’t wait!! 😀
Oh, goodie for packages! I’ll be interested to hear if you find anything new to love! 🙂
The combined waft from the bag was glorious! I wanted to bottle it, and hoped that it was one of the vials rather than the fragrance-cabinet blend.
Initially I’m loving Eau d’Epices. Who’da thunk! That one was not on my radar at all!
I hope that the waft wasn’t due to my less-than-fabulous skills at sealing samples!? Hopefully I left enough in each one for you to try them out.
L’eau d’Epices?! That was one that I felt like I *ought* to love and it never quite did it for me. It feels incomplete somehow, but there are nuances there that you will find in several other Tauer scents, and I suspect that in those formats I get what I feel like I’m missing in the less powerhouse-y L’eau d’Epices. In any case, glad you’re enjoying it!
It was my birthday last week and my mum, who has anosmia due to a severe sinus infection, gave me her vintage Poison esprit de parfum, and her vintage Samsara. (YAY!!! thanks Mum!). I’ve looked up vintage Samsara info, but I can’t find any info on this bottle. It’s 100ml edp and I remember she bought it when it was released in 1989- the whole city smelled like Samsara! It’s in a red plastic coffin shaped bottle with a gold and black band across the shoulders and neck and a gold lid with red band and black base. I read somewhere the plastic bottle was the refillable version… It has 1988 written on the base too..
Does anyone have any info about this plastic bottle mystery? 🙂
Hey, isn’t she going to want her perfumes back when her sense of smell returns? 🙂
She hasn’t been able to smell for over 5 years now and had 4 surgeries, so it’s unlikely. Her taste is reduced to sweet/salty/bitter etc so it must be rather miserable 🙁
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! I did not know that it was a permanent thing. Losing one of one’s senses would be miserable.
Wow, how fabulous! Wear them well.
What a wonderful gift from your mom! Enjoy!
Happy Birthday! Love the coffin-shaped descriptor, lol!
— Unlike this cold weather, My perfumes have no longevity : /
Good Day, Perfumistas.
Unfortunately I have to report that my Sniffing Adventure has hit an unexpected and frustrating snag: Nothing lasts on my skin : (
I started off trying to be systematic. I divided all my samples into fragrance groups. The idea being that I would try to recognize a scent common to the group and then to also smell the differences of the individual perfumes side by side.
My process was to first spritz strips of paper first and smell the juices at various points during dry-down …and that seemed to work well and be interesting. The first group was “Woody” represented by L’Artisan Parfumeur – Dzing!, Etat Libre d’Orange – Sécrétions Magnifiques, Le Labo – Vetiver 46 and Commes des Garcons – Wonderwood. All nice scents to my nose.
Since there were four candidates, I altered my plan a little and decided to put all four on my skin at once: two at the wrists and two at the ‘inner elbows’ (Is there a real name for that bit of real-estate?).
My strategy at that point was to use the first skin contact to select out “winners” for a second round of more thourough testing after having gone through all the samples once.
I applied them mid-evening, 8-9pm and was in bed reading by 10. I get up at 4am. ….So I was awake for the dry-down which, frankly, I experienced (on my skin as opposed to on paper) as a simple lessening of intensity. But the scents were all still very evident when I went to sleep.
When I awoke at 4 and …nothing.
…or virtually nothing. Oh, I could still tell there were perfumes on the areas I’d sprayed …if I pressed my nose against my skin and took a very deep breath… but honestly I was very disappointed. Even that Bad Boy, Sécrétions Magnifiques, failed me: In like a lion but out like a lamb.
“That was only my first four,” I told myself, “and while they were nice, there was nothing I can’t live without.” (Casting a side-long glance of disappointment at Monsieur SM…)
I moved on to the Woody Aromatics: Caron – Third Man, Etat Libre d’Orange – Tom of Finland, Nasomotto – Black Afgano, Le Labo – Santal 33, Le Labo – Bergamote 22, Atelier Cologne – Mistral Patchouli and then the Woody Chypres: Chanel – Antaeus, Tauer – Lonestar Memories, Le Labo – Patchouli 24, L’Artisan Parfumeur – Timbuktu and Commes des Garcons – 2 Man. Similar results: scents almost entirely gone after a few hours of sleep.
The process began to unravel. I dropped the paper testing and put two fragrances at a time on my wrists twide a day; one pair in the morning and one pair in the evening. Not a bad fragrance amoung them to my nose. Nothing I could eliminate from considerations of how it smelled… but nothing lasts as I expected it to.
Then the battle lines fell into disarray. I just wanted to find ONE that lasted… the fragrance groups were ignored and I tried, in no particular order: 10 Corso Como – 10 Corso Como, Eau D’Italie – Baume du Doge, Etat Libre d’Orange – Tom of Finland, Guerlain – Mitsouko EdP, L’Artisan – Al Oudh, Rochas – Tocade EdT, Rochas – Femme (Vintage Parfum), Serge Lutens – Muscs Koublai Khan, Tauer – L’air du Desert Marocain and Frederic Malle – Une Fleur de Cassie. Same results.
I had no specific longevity figure in mind when I began. I had only my experience with Kouros, my first and only perfume love to go by… Perhaps that standard is a fluke, unrealistic, and it just so happened that the first cologne/perfume I ever wore lasts on me like no other will again. I don’t know.
The only thing I can say at this point is that having spent about $700 on a third of what I intended to sample, I’m not at all certain it’s worth another fourteen hundred for me to stay in this sampling game the way it’s going.
I understand that longevity is, at least in part and perhaps primarily, a matter of skin chemistry and fragrance interaction. But is there any place else I’ve unknowingly violated the Perfume Covenants?
I’m interested to hear any comments or suggestions you may have.
Stay Warm…
Yay — someone else who gets up at 4:00!
I’m sorry to hear about your fragrance longevity woes! I can only offer a link to the following post: https://nstperfume.com/2012/02/27/perfumista-tip-how-to-make-fragrance-last-through-the-day/.
Perfume can last much longer if you apply it to clothing, but it will not smell the same as it does on skin. If you are afraid of staining your clothes, you could apply it to an undershirt/T-shirt.
I should change “will not smell the same” to “might not smell the same.” 🙂
No worries; I know what you mean.
Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out this evening.
Yeah, 4am’s the best; we’ll just keep it for ourselves. I learned it in a Buddhist monastary…. are we still on the same page?
Yeah, I do my clothes too; especially when I go dancing. And no stain worries here. When I retired I hermetically sealed a good suit in a travel bag in case I ever thought I needed one again. Jeans, boots, and tee-shirts for me these days; what’s a few stains in the Man Cave?
I’m really surprised that the Tauers and Patch 24 didn’t last!! Almost as surprised as knowing you liked and wanted The Vile SM 😉
Not having tested Kouros on myself for comparison, my only thought is that maybe the amount from a vial is not the same quantity as from a whopping great bottle with a much longer pipe to suck the stuff up with. (technical term. It’s late I’m tired lol..) So unless you’re giving more than one or two spritzes?
I know that when I sample the scents never seem to last as long either but I know I don’t spray as much as I don’t want to waste what I would from say a 50/100ml bottle..
You’re probably right about the sampling vs FB spritzing technique.
When I started out I was trying to be downright stingy but as I got more desperate to have something last I was using more and more of the sample.
Good point too about the “pipe to suck the stuff up with” (I love good technical terms.) You’re right; not only is the Kouiros tube prolly four times longer than the samplers it wouldn’t surprise me if the internal diameter of the tube is larger in the Kouros ….I’m probably spritzing out two sample bottle worth of Kouros! : )))
According to the Interwebs, inner elbow = cubital fossa. If you want your cubital fossa to smell like axillaries (armpits), apply SM!
Interestingly, or perhaps not, Wikipedia tells us that a “Fossa” is also a genus the Malagasy civet endemic to Madagascar. So a little SM on the ole cubital fossa is entirely appropriate.
Yes, the fossa (pronounced “FOO-sha”) are AMAZING animals! They make my housecats look downright clumsy and slow. Gotta be nimble to predate on lemurs!
“FOO-sha” is also very like the sound some people made when I wore Sécrétions Magnifiques.
Did you get to see one when you were in Madagascar?
Yeah, I saw one in captivity at the zoo in ‘Tana! Never saw one out in the field, though.
🙂
*Heresy warning, please proceed with caution*
I don’t fully buy into a whole lot of perfumista lore about things like perfumes smelling better on skin, personal chemistry, etc. These things get repeated all the time and they might well have some effect (i.e. some kind of placebo effect probably plays a part), but I suspect not as much as one would believe from the ‘conventional wisdom’.
I apply on fabric because everything lasts longer, doesn’t smell any differently and is less likely to cause any rashes with repeated exposure. I also usually spray or dab on the chest area rather than the wrists because it’s closer to my nose so I can smell things better, I don’t need to apply as much and I’m less likely to bother others even with heavier scents. It works for me and I’m yet to lose my perfumista club membership 😉 I recommend being a bit rebellious.
From personal experience, I have noticed that many perfumes smell different on my skin than they do on my clothing. For example, the honey note in Lush’s Rose Jam perfume is prominent when I apply the perfume to my skin, but non-existent when I apply it to my clothing. The difference that I usually notice is that one or more notes are greatly subdued or even absent when I apply perfume to clothing as opposed to my skin. But, everyone is an individual.
Ummm, Heresy and Rebellion — two new scents for the forth-coming Perfumista brand.
You may well be right. I do think that any difference between skin and clothing would have to be fairly stark for me to notice.
My nose seems to be more of the caveman club sort rather than the jeweler’s screwdriver.
But I have no problem with spraying away on my shirt or sweater. On the other hand it also seems to me that chemistry (* lots of waving of hands *) being what it is, body heat must influence what we smell.
I think the skin vs. fabric issue is similar to the spray vs. dab issue we discussed last weekend. It seems to matter more with some scents than with others, at least to me. If a scent has a sparkling top note, I might notice it more if it evaporates more slowly, etc.
In any case, I completely agree to ignore conventional wisdom and test everything out for ourselves–the scientist in me always wants to question assumptions! I also find that I prefer my scent applied to my chest and hair, so it can waft pleasantly into my nose regularly! Wrists just are too far away!
Studying science is what I hope to be doing if this whole going back to school thing works out!
Oh, good for you! I think some of us just have that sort of brain, so we might as well embrace it! What kind of science do you have in mind?
Wait. Embracing our brains isn’t *quite* what I meant there. . . 😀
Haha!
I wanted to study biology since I was a kid and I always regretted not pursuing it straight after school. Right now I’m into molecular biology and genetics, but I will be applying for general biology degrees, so I might still change my mind and specialise in something completely different. Who knows, if it turns out to be neuroscience then I could be embracing *someone’s* brains 😀
Yay for biology nerds! I loved genetics in school, but I couldn’t imagine myself doing the work. I’m kinda a “busy” person–always on the move, not really good with sitting still for long periods of time–and while the science is fascinating, the work required too many hours with micropipettes and lab stools! So, I ended up in ecology where I could work out my wigglies more productively!
Good for you, in any case, for pursuing your passions!
It may be a matter of application, as some others have suggested. I find that I tend to apply very sparingly from a sample vial, in order to have enough for several testings, whereas I apply much more heavily when I have a FB.
It may also just be your particular skin. I have perfume eating skin, and most perfumes are practically undetectable within 4 hours. I have even tried a few that disappeared within an hour (needless to say, I didn’t buy any of those!). Perfume applied at bedtime is almost invariably gone by morning, and I have found nothing that will survive a shower. I used to lament this loss of longevity, but I have learned to appreciated the bright side–I can change scent during the day if I wish, rather than being committed to one perfume for the whole day, as are those with scent glue skin. I can, in fact, wear up to four different perfumes a day–one in the morning, a different one in the afternoon, a third perfume for evening, and a fourth at bedtime after my shower. If I wish to keep the same scent all day, I carry a sample or decant vial with me for touchups.
I have found that vintage scents seem to have much more longevity than most contemporary scents. I attribute this partially to the loss of many long-lasting perfume notes, such as animalics, certain synthetics (such as nitro musks), and some essential oils such as Mysore sandalwood and rosewood, which are unavailable or severely limited as they are endangered. I believe that another part of it may be due to the modern trend for “clean” and “light” scents, which means that heavier base notes, which give perfume better longevity, are largely out even when they are available for use. The all-time longevity champion for me is my tiny bottle of vintage Secret of Venus perfume oil, which is capable of lasting a full 24 hours on me. Perfume oils in general last longer than alcohol-based scents, so that might be another avenue to explore.
Thank you for all your great points.
I think you’re right, along with others who’ve mentioned it, that there’s a discrepency between the amount I use in sampling VS spraying from a full bottle.
I also like your point about being able to change scents during the day if desired. I’d just always thought of myself as a “one juice guy”.
I see now that a lot of my reaction has been because my experience contrasted so significantly with what I had already “decided” was going to occur. So I was spending too much time reacting to THAT rather than taking in what was actually occuring and dealing with that reality.
Thanks for helping me see that.
I have scent eating skin. Very, very few things last on me. I try to think its not always a bad thing because I can easily switch scents 3 times a day. I don’t buy many samples but I find spraying is better than dabbing for me. Spraying on clothing helps. Also how much I spray is a factor too. I’m not one to spray just one or two spritzes. Very few scents pack enough punch for that to work on me. I usually spritz at least 8 times, sometimes more. But the time I get to work I’m just lightly wafting. That being said, samples don’t go very far on me.
50 Roses made some good points including what she said about vintage. They do last a bit longer. I envy people who get a day out of their morning spritz. If I can get 4 hours out of a scent it’s full bottle worthy to me. Honestly anything over two hours makes me happy now.
It’s good to be hearing that I’m not the only one, Poodle. …I mean, I’ve heard others mention it, but I kept thinking to myself “Nobody’s said it was THIS bad…” I haven’t tried anything yet that I hated but I guess the up side is that if I do I won’t face three days of scrubing to be done with it… just have a cup of coffee and it’s gone : )
I think I’m gonna go back and time some and see if I make it to a two-hour mark.
Have you checked out what your bed linens smell like. Your purfume may be transferring to pillow and sheets. (Adulterers be warned).
Hahahah… I just went and checked.
Mostly they smell like dog and that I oughta do laundry soon. ….Probably more information than you needed… But seriously, the reason that was so noteable to me is the contrast with when I come home from dancing and just go to sleep. I’m thinking more and more that it has to do with the volume of perfume I’m using.
Lol!!!
You’ve already gotten some great suggestions! I have a tiny smattering to add:
Try using unscented jojoba oil to moisturize your skin before you apply fragrance. That will help prevent evaporation and absorption. It’s readily available at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and some drugstores.
How about applying in the morning as opposed to when you go to sleep? Our circadian rhythms affect hormones, perspiration and sense of smell. Also, there’s less chance of the perfume being absorbed by sheets, pillows, clothing. Perhaps you are missing the entire “story” of the perfume as it develops, which is part science, part artistry, and most of all … fun.
It might be that you are testing too many things at once, and you have olfactory fatigue. How about trying one perfume, applied liberally in the morning, and see how that goes?
Have you tried your current method with your beloved Kouros? If you applied that in the evening, plus 3 other fragrances to different areas, do you smell the Kouros in the morning?
These are all excellent suggestions — especially the idea to compare Kouros using the same application method as you are using with your samples.
Also, I rarely apply scent to wrists and inner elbows as I find the warmth dissipates the scent too quickly. Instead I apply on my forearms — just as easy to bring to the nose, but cooler skin for a longer ride.
You’re right; I”ve gotten a ton of good suggestions : )
And thank you too. I’ll try using my forearms. What you say makes sense.
I guess I’d thought that wrists and elbows were just the standard places.
This learning to be a Perfumista isn’t for the faint of heart.
It can be absorbed too? …&%&*)^%
I’ll find some of the jojoba oil and see if I can use it, but truth is I hate having oily stuff rubbed on my skin…just thinking of it gives me the heebee jeebees. I always hated sunscreens and suntan oil : (
I don’t know what it is, maybe if it’s reall light or rubs right in…. but yuck… lol
Sure, I can do it in the morning. There was a reason for the night-time thing but I won’t bore you with why. It doesn’t matter to your point. I’ll give that a try too.
lol… “fun” … I think you’ve told me that before. I can have fun but I tend to get kind goal oriented then I’m like a bullet-train “Sorry, Folks, No stopping at the Fun Station today!” Whooooooosh….
I do best with an Engineer to kinda throttle me back a little lol
I haven’t done that exact thing with Kouros…but I do love to layer it with other things… Kinda conceal the skank so it can sneak up on you. Kouros + Organza Indecence = Ummmmm
I’m the same! Despite all the advice regarding the health, beauty and anti-aging benefits of lotions, potions and so on, I can’t stand the way they feel.
Alcohol and oils are “carriers” which means that they can be absorbed into the skin, and carry lighter molecules along with them. Baser molecules, like the base notes in perfume, are heavier and not easily absorbed. Jojoba oil is actually a wax, but it is in liquid form. Supposedly it’s as close to sebum as you can get.
My comment about the Kouros is strictly for you to scientifically test your method. I may be wrong, but my thought was that you may find that you are experiencing overload. Will the Kouros still register if you apply other perfumes simultaneously in the evening and then sniff in the morning? Or does it register with you because it’s something you’re familiar with?
Yes, you’re right …. I do believe I’ve mentioned fun!
Well, don’t worry, there really aren’t any perfume covenants. Just enjoy yourself. Have you tried pure perfumes? Vintage ones usually go on for miles. I also find that, when I really hate a fragrance, it will never go away, especially if I get it on fabric. I had that happen with YSL Manifesto this past week.
Also, have you tried Bond No. 9 Chinatown? That one is very, very strong and long lasting. So is New Haarlem. Dab, don’t spray, either of them!
I know Chinatown is on my sample list; hadn’t heard of New Haarlem. This first round of samples was stuff that people had commented on as being “very” skanky [of course others said the same scents were only moderate skankbombs.
I’m putting together a new, small list of things I’ve heard about here and there. I’ll put these two on it. Thank you : )
I can only dab the smallest amount of either fragrance. I get a migraine if I spray either one. Perfumes don’t normally do that to me, but they really are strong. New Haarlem is more unisex/masculine. It has a coffee note. You might like it. Bond’s New York Oud is lovely too, largely because it doesn’t smell like oud. That one is unisex too.
Maybe I could “pretend hate” a few enough to get them to stick around longer 😛
From my reading I suspect you’re right about the Vintage stuff. I was born too late… But I’d really really really not get into chasing after those. I wasn’t looking for a full time job when I started this.
I’d like to find something I really love, buy about ten bottles of it to dodge the reformulation gremlins and THEN just relax about it and have fun.
You don’t have to do much chasing. Just go onto evil-bay and search their vintage perfumes section to see what pops up. You could also order samples from TPC and STC.
Depending on the fragrance, you may want to reconsider buying ten bottles. Perfume changes through time, some quicker than others. The top notes especially.
Relax and have fun now!
Is your skin moisturized? Scent lasts better when your skin isn’t so dry, and in winter it is easy for skin to dry out. Try an unscented hand lotion.
Thank you. I’ll give it a go.
I got pointed towards some jojoba oil too, so I’ll try it all.
DD, can I ask about the 4am rising? I’m trying to find a sleeping routine which works for me – my patterns are totally irregular and I struggle to find a rhythm that works for me. This one sounds interesting!
Like some others here – I often spray my clothes as well as my skin. Sometimes spraying my skin just seems a waste of perfume, but I do it anyway for the slight changes. Why not just do both?
And one other thing I wanted to add is that often I think a scent has gone, but then I will get a surprise waft of it. Smell the skin – can’t smell anything…
Also, the way you are doing this demands quite a lot from you in that you are wanting a definite recordable response each time to what you are trying. I think this might be difficult if you are not used to being aware of, and paying attention to, what you smell. Iv realised only recently that sometimes I think I cannot smell something because I just don’t think of a particular sensation as a smell but as an atmosphere, a tingle or something else. It’s taken a few years to realize, that’s smell!
Anyway, thought I’d share in case it helps:)
Ah, yes. You’re correct again.
I’ve always expected too much from myself… even though I’m aware of what you’re saying and have certainly expericenced the same thing in others in instances where the tables are turned.
“Le Sigh” … but you and others here are slowing me down… Thank you for your help. I’m trying not to remain too obtuse lol…
The sun is out; time to rake leaves!
Merlin, Yes you’re right about spraying both skin and clothes. In fact that’s how it happens with FBs I own. I’m like a dancing bear getting all the right places lol. …So, some of the problem is that I’ve been too stingy in my spritzing.
And yes also to your ‘scent showing up later experience’ … I’ll be sitting at my desk and all of a sudden I’ll smell a perfume — but I can’t ever identify which one it is! and it makes me crazy.
The 4am waking is, I guess, a routine but one that grew organically. I’ve always been a morning person so I started off with a tendency to raise early. Later in my life a spent a few years as a practising Zen Buddhist monk where we arose at 3am each day so that solidified my predilection. Now I am retired and live alone. Without obligations to me other’s schedules I allow my sleep time to drift. …Possibly we are very much the same, but in this case I just go with the flow and sleep when I’m sleepy without worrying about when it is.
Thank you for all your comments.
I’m not sure if this question is intrusive – if so, please don’t answer, but I was wondering if you still maintain your practice, and if you still maintain some of Zen’s ideals?
If the answer is yes, then I was wondering whether you find this interest/preoccupation with aesthetics to be contrary to those ideals.
Please understand that this is not intended then as a criticism – I kind of agree with Walt Whitman who said ‘I am large, I contain multitudes’.
I don’t even think we should aim for consistency so I really am just curious!
Not too intrusive, but Robin may start billing us for bandwidth : )
I do maintain my practice and after I finish building my fence this Spring, I’m going to put a rustic, one-mat-room in my backyard which I will probably live in for periods of time. I’m not sure what ideals you’re thinking of. I did not come to zazen through Bhuddism, but through martial arts. Your’s is a very complicated question…. and the space across here is very short.
I’ll simply say that, no, there is no conflict. Appreciatioin is not attachment if that is what you’re thinking of, but I’m only guessing at your meaning.
Hope you’re having a good day.
Yes, I see now – my question was quite vague, but you still did a perfect job of answering it! ‘Appreciation is not attachment’.
Yes, we have gone seriously off topic! I know curiosity did kill the cat – but I have more questions, lol! If you are up to an e-mail exchange sometime my address is merlynn dot edelstein at gmail dot com.
Merlin, have you read “Buddhism Without Beliefs” by Stephen Batchelor? I like his non-dogmatic approach.
No, I’ll look out for it:) And if I read it I’ll do so with a little Dzongkha for atmosphere, lol!
Wearing VCA Evening in Paris, whose secret name is Morning on a Sand Dune, or something else bright and outdoors.
Every perfume should have a secret name!
Sounds like a poll idea 😉
Second this!
Good morning! It’s been chilly, windy and unusually dry here in Oregon this winter. We have a rare winter forest fire in the east as a result. I know, nothing like the midwest and eastern parts of the US, but it’s not *right* for Oregon! I regret we haven’t had at least one really good storm, yet. Mr. Spicebomb and I are going to the beach next weekend for a couple nights, and I think both of us are hoping the weather will turn for the worse!
I wore B. Paris to the Winterhawks hockey game last night, and confirmed that it is not a scent I want to wear! I bought a bottle and wore it happily for about 6 months and then, it became unpleasantly distracting. And that seems to be where it’s settled. I’ve used most of my bottle as a room spray (a potentially wasteful notion that Mr. Spicebomb seemed a bit horrified by!), and I’ve kept maybe the bottom 10 mL or so, thinking maybe I’d decide I like it better with some time off. Well, no. At least, not a year later. Funny how our tastes can change, huh?
Oops! My reply is below.
Gosh, it continues to be so funny to me to realize what we do and don’t feel like it’s okay to spend money on. I can totally relate to Mr. Spicebomb’s gut reaction on this, but why do I feel like it makes any difference, in terms of valid amount of spend, whether the scent arriving at my nose came from my skin or from the curtains?!
I know, right?! I admit, it took a while before I got used to using it that way, but now it seems better than just letting it sit in my perfume cabinet totally unused and unenjoyed. At least this way it gives me some pleasure. 🙂
Yeah I mean, in the end, you smell it and enjoy it–what more can one really ask of perfume? 🙂
Sotd: kenzo elephant, perfect comfort scent for this grotty weather. Am booking my trip to florence, sorrento and rome in april. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions – any particular perfumey (or non perfumey ) highlights? Or food places for vegetarians?
On that note, would like to thank all the wonderful pple here, whose tips have proven brilliant! 🙂 love NST people!
You must go to Santa Maria Novella in Florence! I think you have to make advance arrangements to visit Lorenzo Villoresi’s Atelier, but that might be great fun too.
La Farmacia SS. Annunziata and Farmacia Munstermann, both in Florence, are great too. The folks at Munstermann (http://www.munstermann.it) gave me all sorts of samples and they were so welcoming. I bought their Florentine Iris fragrance and want to get the Linden next time I can make it back to Italy.
Golly, I LOVE Sorrento. My daughter and I were there during the summer of 2011. We stayed at the Magnolia. It was great.
http://www.magnoliasorrento.it/english/
There is also a wonderful perfumery in Rome called Campo Marzio 70 (http://www.campomarzio70.it/modx/it/chi-siamo/22-pantheon.html). I bought Neroli Portofino bath products at the shop opposite the Pantheon. The body lotion was out of stock and they had it delivered from their other shop in minutes while I sampled Tauer Pentachords. Now that is customer service! Can you tell that I LOVE Italy!!!
Wow, that is impressive. Glad it’s been a great place for you. I have been saving for a few yrs to go so it is nice to have advanced planning help.
You can find vegetarian food options in most restaurants in Italy. Think of all the great pasta you are going to eat!
Awww, wish I’d known about that when I went to Rome a few years ago!
I did find a little hole in the wall perfumery near… hmm… the Porticus Octaviae, I think, and came home with Ferre 20. (I should get that bottle back out, it’s very nice. Assuming you like aldehydes. Which I do.)
Ooh, thanks everyone! Getting more excited now! 🙂
Im so envious I love Italy!! Sorrento is known for it’s citrus, so there’s plenty of limoncello and I had a divine lemon risotto there. A quick boatride and your in Capri, home of Carthusia. Unfortunately when I went to Italy was just prior to full-on perfumista days so I didn’t go to any perfume shops. Need to go back!
Have a fantastic time!
Wow! The lemon blossoms will probably be in bloom during April. How lovely! There is a lemon grove where you can sample Lemoncello right in the center of Sorrento.
I didn’t love Capri because I was there in the summer and it was too crowded. April might be nice though. Carthusia was wonderful. Don’t eat in the restaurants in the main square or near the funicular railway. They are awful. There are lots of better places further in town and on back streets.
Luca Turin wrote about two Italian perfume lines, Maria Candida Gentile and Onediffusion (or One Diffusion) by Scipione Zanella. The former is now at Luckyscent and there have been a number of reviews of Exultat, Cinabre, Sideris and others. Not seeing much on the internet about the other, but it might be worth looking and asking in perfume shops.
Sounds like I need to put Florence in my MUST VISIT list!
SOTD Encre Noir – I do love that India ink smell…
Me too!
Enjoy the beach! Last weekend we spent a day in the Jenner-Fort Ross area. We walked on the beach (where the Russian River meets the ocean), toured Fort Ross, and saw lots of cool wildlife, including a couple of bobcats. We called the second one a “bobkitten,” since it was quite small — about the size of a large housecat.
Thank you! It’s our first little trip together–2 nights/3 days of uninterrupted time. Pretty sure that’s some sort of milestone! Last weekend was officially 6 months together, which is hard to believe. When did I become a girl with a real boyfriend?!
In any case, I’ve booked a room at a B&B that’s right on the beach, with fireplace and soaking tub and the like. It will be lovely regardless, but wouldn’t it be nice to be all cozy inside and watching a storm roll through!
Six months already? Wow. That’s great. Enjoy your trip.
I know. It seems only yesterday I was dealing with a cross-dressing wrestler. . .
And thanks! I’m really looking forward to getting away for a bit!
I’m with Poodle – can’t believe it’s already been six months! But, great! And have a wonderful trip.
Tell us more about the cross-dressing wrestler!
Oh, missionista, did you miss that story?!
He was a very promising online dating candidate who wrote me just before our first date, you know, just to be sure that a particular proclivity wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me! Yeah. So, turns out, I’m not as open-minded as I thought I was! 😀
Ah the joys of online dating 🙂 I tried it and have vowed never again! One guy (a very professional acting engineer) tried to bury his head in my armpit and baby talked his wish to be my ‘puppy dog’. On out first coffee meeting. :-/
I totally missed that story. Good to know about those proclivities up front. And it makes for a good story later.
Perthgirl, your experience is also in the “good story later on” category. Thanks for sharing.
So far, I’ve had good luck with online dating. Hope it stays that way!
Yes, so the plus-side of the cross-dressing wrestler disappointment was that I had an excellent story to share with future men who wanted to date me! If we talked on the phone first, I could bring it up as an amusing anecdote and, you know, to casually slip in the “now, there isn’t something like that that you need to tell me, is there?” 😀
As for online dating, it is how I met Mr. Spicebomb, so I clearly have to say that it’s got possibilities! OTOH, it is unquestionably work, and there’s a lot of sifting to find the folks that have any real potential for you. Sad truth is that a lot of people are single because they have something (or several somethings) to learn before they’re ready for a real relationship! Like, most women aren’t really attracted to arm-pit nuzzling baby-talkers!
Yes, it’s definitely a mile-stone! Congrats:)
My family loves Fort Ross too 🙂 The kids like lolling about the canons. One year my husband and younger son camped out at the Fort with my son’s class–the students caught an eel fishing in the sea and ate it!
My co-worker went to Fort Ross with his daughter’s class. They tried to replicate what it was like there 200 hundred years ago — food, jobs, clothing, etc. When we were there, people kept ringing the church bell, which bugged me — it really disturbed the peace.
SOTD is Santal Majuscule. I’ve been on a sandalwood and other milky/creamy woods kick prompted by the arrival of my bargainous bottle of Tam Dao. They seem to be working quite well for a bit of comfort in the somewhat miserable, but not hugely cold weather that we are having.
I love those two.
I only pull out my sample of SM occasionally, but I can see Tam Dao getting a lot of wear.
Do you have the EDT or EDP? I’v only smelled the EDT and was wondering about the difference.
I got the EDT in the old style bottle. I think I tried the EDP in the past, but I never compared them side by side so can’t really comment.
For me, the EDT is just the right type of light, season-less, unisex scent which can be easily worn in many situations and around normal, non-perfumista people but which isn’t boring.
Yes, I can see how that would be useful!
Hello Perfume People!Still summer over here…we’re having one hell of a hot summer this year!It’s 8pm now,and a wonderful Highveld thunderstorm is raging outside now.The cool breeze from outside is wonderfully fragrant with wisteria and gardenia whiffs from my garden.SOTD was Lush Dirty,it really works well in the heat!A very hot summer means only one thing in South Africa:a REALLY cold winter is coming in June!Happy Weekend everybody!
I am SO jealous!
I’m jealous too – but not of the weather. I’m jealous of your ability to detect the scent of particular flowers wafting in through the windows! Perhaps I need to start gardening so there is something other than weeds, lol!
I’ve been having fun lately making my way through the Serge Lutens wax samples. Today it’s La Myrrhe… very interesting! For some of these I wish I had the liquid to compare.
Definitely get liquid before you buy a full bottle of anything! But the wax samples are great, at least you know which ones you need liquid samples for.
LOVE La Myrrhe. I would actually call it something of an outlier on the Lutens continuum because it seems to have very little in common with the rest of the line.
But then I’m not a big SL fan, so devotees of Uncle Serge feel free to weigh in on that subject. 🙂
I’ve been keeping my resolution to wear my favorites more, which makes for a fairly boring SOTD report (have on Blackberry & Bay, as I have most days this week!), but I did get a chance to try this newish (?) brand Nomaterra recently. It’s on Indiescents but I haven’t found many reviews–I’m curious whether anyone else has sniffed it as well? I thought the gardenia was pretty lovely! Not especially indolic, but not “clean” in the synthetic sense either. Mildly sweetish and just generally really pretty.
I’m trying to wear my favorites more too. I am resisting the urge to buy something new but we all know how poor my resistance can be at times. Anyway, I might actually finish my bottle of Pomegranate Noir this winter. It’s not often I see empty bottles.
Wow, well done on approaching the end of that Pom Noir bottle! If you do, maybe that’s an occasion to buy something new 🙂 Do you have your eye on something in particular?
There is always something I want but right now there’s nothing I’m just dying to have. That could change.
As Daisy always says, “Resistance is futile.” 😉
Am trying to figure out what scent to wear for a first date. This is tricky because when I casually mentioned trying on perfume, he said that a woman wearing perfume is hisbiggest turn-on, so I can pretty well assume that I’ll be sniffed if there’s a goodnight kiss. I have narrowed it down to Seattle Chocolate, Milk of Flowers (my two most recent purchases)Chinatown or Songes (my pretty scents ). Any thoughts?
Oh gosh! No pressure! Is this a guy you’ve known a bit or is it a first meeting? I don’t know any of those scents well enough to judge, but my general feeling in my own dating was to choose something that was *me* but not quite a *statement*. Something generally agreeable but with some personality seems like a good compromise. After all, you want him to be attracted to YOU! Good luck and hope it’s an enjoyable outing!
Well, depending on how the evening goes, you might find yourself wearing that scent frequently in the future…
Haha good point! Worth thinking about what you want to commit yourself to 🙂
Already thought of that which is why I won’t be wearing Iris Ganache–don’t want to be associated with something discontinued that I can’t replace
I say wear whichever one makes you feel fabulous.
I second and third Poodle’s advice!
I think Songes is a statement scent.
Wear the scent you would like to smell while on a date.
Too soon to ask how it went?
Haha just what I was wondering 🙂
Does anyone have any idea when “Reve” By VC&A Is coming to the American Market????
No idea, sorry! They do show it on the US version of their website, but that doesn’t help much.
SOTD is Iris Nobile. Actually, nothing lasts on my skin either so “of the day” isn’t really accurate… of the morning is better. SOTM.
So, musks are on my mind today.
I really think I must be anosmic to many (all?) musks. I tried to test my theory with a vintage bottle of Coty’s Wild Musk, which I can barely detect (my husband says it smells like clean skin and locker room) for a few minutes and then not at all, even after I spray it liberally. But, there is a guy at my gym who works in the office wooing new members and whenever he passes me giving a tour I almost gag on what I think is a synthetic musk. The sillage of whatever he is wearing could blow out a window and I find the smell really really awful. I’ll try to describe the smell. More than an actual fragrance, it is like a gagging itchy feeling in my throat along with scent of the residue of a synthetic smelling (what other kind is there?) fabric softener.
What am I missing? What do musks smell like to you?
What is a good musk? What is a bad musk? What well-known perfume that I might have tried is full of musk? Could it be that I can smell some musks and not others?
You probably, like me, react poorly to “white musk”
I’m with you! And it last longer than all other perfume notes… 🙁
I associate “musk” with that clean, laundry-aisle smell, too. Some of them I can definitely notice, some not as much. Too much always turns me off, though. I want my perfume to smell more than just like a nice hand soap–I can get that from lotions, bar soaps and the like!
It could be that you haven’t smelled any real musk, as it is restricted. It’s been a long time, but to my recollection that scent was defined as the predominant note in Tide. Likewise, fabric softener is “orange blossom.” I believe those references are from the book “The Perfect Scent.” The actual scent of musk and orange blossom have nothing to do with the marketing, and smell nothing like those products.
If you are interested in smelling true musk in its current manifestation, you can check out profumo.it which offers it. Many vintage versions of perfumes contain true animalics, including musk.
Most perfumes have synthetic musks sd base notes, and most people are anosmic to some musks because they are relatively large molecules and verge on too large for the nose to perceive. Kiehl’s Original Musk is a classic musk-focused scent that would be worth sampling.
I was at Nordstrom today and tried Original Musk – eeek, not for me; however, I am not specifically bothered when musk is in a perfume as it really all depends on what other notes are present in the perfume.
Sorry – I should have included a cautionary note! I recommended Original Musk because Oakland Fresca wasn’t sure she could smell musks, and this would test that hypothesis, for sure.
I wrote it down in my calendar/planner. Thanks!!!
I think I’m in the same boat. I can smell the dryer-sheet musks (yuck) and what I think of as nicer white musks (Violet Blonde, several Micallefs) but never anything that might be described as “sexy.” I can smell the top notes of NR for Her edt (wonderful) and then… nothing. The same thing happened with SIP Musc Botanique. The Body Shop Musk might as well have been alcohol and water. Have you ever tried Musc Koublai Khan? I’m thinking of getting a sample of it just to see if I can smell it at all.
Yes. Yes!! I can smell the dryer sheet musks! That’s it. But not what people describe as sexy and skinlike. I’ve had the exact same experience as you smelling the top notes of a well-regarded fragrance… and then nothing. I even tried spraying and spraying–thinking sheer volume would solve the problem. It didn’t. Thank you, thank you, and thank you for writing!!
Nope. Haven’t tried Musc Kublai Khan, but I’ve had a sample in my “shopping cart” at Luckyscent for weeks :)!
I’ve always had this ridiculous conceit that I have a discerning nose! Hardly!!! Sigh. The weird thing is that I am super sensitive to many smells. Some cleaning products, even some cooking smells, can trigger a migraine. So it is very strange to me that there are smells out there giving millions of people enjoyment, and I apparently cannot detect them.
Just because some musk molecules are large enough to block the rest of the scent doesn’t mean you don’t have a discerning nose. 🙂
My my. I am feeling chatty today. One other thing on my mind. Captain and Tennille are getting divorced? For any of you who are old enough to remember “Love Will Keep Us Together” please let me know if their split strikes you as sort of liberating. Divorcing at 70 something? Talk about second winds!!
I admit I’m stunned. I remember watching their TV show as a kid. I also had some 45’s of their songs. I wonder what causes a couple whose been together for that long to throw in the towel.
Sob … what about muskrat love?
They sure don’t make them like that any more!
The 60-something parents of a friend of mine recently separated. They’ve been together nearly 40 years. I think it’s great, unless it means that it’s 20 years later than it should’a been!
I kind of feel like that too… I think unhappy couples stay together for financial reasons all the time. Without knowing any of the back story I have to say that my first thought when I read about the split was, “you go girl!” I know that divorce is horrendous… but somehow I just imagine that when a couple is in their seventies and both are relatively solvent, that a divorce must mean a new lease on life… I guess for at least one of them…
SOTM is Atelier Cologne Oolong Infini (inspired by Lucasai’s recent review of AC’s newest release). Soft & bright on yet another cold, cloudy VA day. SOTE will probably be Coco (and a pepperoni pizza, because I’m too tired to cook!)
We just had pizza too. I think I had one slice too many. I’m stuffed.
SOTD…Bond #9 West Side, thanks to a very generous NST contributor from last week’s giveaway. When do you ever get such a gift from someone you’ve never met? – such an amazing experience from this wonderful and unique community!
As to West Side…Such a pretty scent, all roses and vanilla. It is seriously so lovely and delicious and the absolute perfect scent for these cold, grey days of winter!
Yes I was blown away too by the generosity and civility of the freebie meet. Congrats on your Bond #9! This really is a special group.
I don’t know many literary holidays but just picked up Perfumes the Guide at the library and had a fun time tonight looking up Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez reviews of some perfumes I have and a bunch more I want to try. Also starting to read The Perfume Collector. Has anyone read it?
SOTE is snugglepuss (my secret name for Bvlgari Black)
I really enjoyed The Perfume Collector!
SOTD is Strange Invisible Perfume’s Aquarian Roses. I like it, but probably not enough for a full bottle or even a decant. I’ll just use up this sample bit by bit.
However, the other day I got a sample of Hermes Vetiver Tonka, and I think I’m in love! I’ve been wearing it almost every day since I got it. I don’t normally like such gourmand scents but the vetiver makes it all OK.
Im sorry -its summer here too and we about to have a nice week of hot weather-although we do need rain. I am stuck on a perfume from Bud Parfums (Melbourne perfumer) called Scarlett . Its notes are listed as cinnamon, gardenia, bergamot, orange, lime, ylang ylang and jasmine-it is perfect for this weather.
I just checked their site- free samples!! Unheard of! 🙂
And mens frags called ‘Ugly Bastard’ and ‘Whoa de Cologne’! Lol. I’m going to have to try them!
I have had samples of most of the ladies perfumes and they are all lovely! I just ordered my second 50ml bottle of Scarlet-with some more free samples and have found a couple that I may have to get in a larger size-oh dear!
Just put my order in! I’d like to try them all as I usually always surprise myself by liking one I didn’t think I would- and vice versa- but it’s a start 🙂
Goodluck- I hope you don’t like too many!
SOTD is Lalique Le Parfum. I needed something strong to penetrate my stuffy head.
SOTD is Safran Troublant. And my latest obsession: Rose Water from Santa Maria Novella. Love that! I sprinkle it on my pillow, use it as a toner, splash it on all over… Such a pure and comforting scent. And best thing: It is not expensive!
Oslo is covered in a thick blanket of snow. And it keeps snowing. My son has got a cold so we stay inside today, otherwise we would be out skiing now. I am baking cinnamon rolls, and the house smells nice. Have a great Sunday!
I love the image of your warm saffron-rose-cinnamon scented bower amid the quiet snow – a great Sunday!
Thanks nozkoz! Winter has its charm. Hope you are having a great Sunday to.
And speaking of Virginia Woolf (one of my favorite authors; I’m in the middle of _Orlando_ now), my mother just sent me this link, which is the only known recording of her:
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/04/29/craftsmanship-virginia-woolf-speaks-1937/
How cool is that? Thank you so much for the link.
Sunday SOTD is Mossy Breaches. A green incense which really does evoke mossy rocks in a forest.
I can’t think of a single connection to Burns of Woolfe.
Sounds bewitching! I love the smell off mossy rocks!
So, what scent would you wear to regrout your bathroom tiles? 😉
THAT is my exciting agenda today. Actually, I’m looking forward to a day of puttering around the house. My introvert-self has been out with folks for 3 days in a row, and now I’m ready for some recuperation with a good audiobook (_Dearie: the Remarkable Life of Julia Child_) and some housework. Maybe I’ll go dig something out of that bowlful-a-samples. . .
Oooh, enjoy that. I can’t really understand the use of “looking forward to” in the same breath as “regrout …tiles” That’d better be a good audiobook!
Thanks! Yeah, I know I’m a bit of an odd duck in that regard, but I find such projects to be sort of medatative and restorative. I painted EVERY surface of my house over the first 6-8 months of ownership, and it was a big (and necessary) job, but mostly enjoyable. I find that I get into sort of groove and can just “Zen” into the process, as long as things go mostly according to plan, anyway! Really quite pleasant!
You can come to my house whenever you like!
😀
I am so glad I’m not the only one who feels this way 🙂
That’s me in the garden. Weeding? Love it. Listening to the radio and pulling weeds… nothing better!
Since you will not need to worry about sharing your bathroom today with co-workers with allergies, giving the “wrong” impression on a first date, or judgmental sales associates, the correct perfume is whatever the heck you feel like.
Oh. And a perfume mystery that maybe someone can help me solve?
The afore-mentioned sample bowl has a carded sample of Chanel Allure, which smells VERY familiar to me. Like, I thought maybe it was my step-mother’s fragrance? But I’ve looked it up, and Allure was made in 1996, which isn’t early enough. So, now I’m wondering–what was my step-mom’s scent? I know it was a Chanel, because we’d talked about No. 5, and she didn’t like it as well as this other scent. (No. 5 was the only Chanel I’d known as a child.)
So, what could it be? Is there something similar to Allure that anyone can suggest I sniff? I know she also wore White Diamonds, if that’s any help at all. 🙂
I wonder if it could have been Chanel 22, one of the early ones that was also composed by Ernest Beaux. Christalle was introduced in 1974. I don’t think Allure resembles No. 19, but that is also from the 70s. Now I’m curious – I hope you can figure it out and let us know!
I will make a note to try No. 22 next time I’m out. Thanks for the suggestion! I’ve tried No. 19, and I agree, not similar enough to be the doppleganger.
It’s been a long time since I smelled Allure (on purpose!) so I don’t know that I can help with the suggestion, but I did have a similar sort of OH I’VE SMELLED THIS WHEN I WAS A KID reaction when I was testing some Chanels a few years ago.
It was Cristalle. And I didn’t recognize it until I got to the point where the heart started to fade and the basenotes began to be perceptible, and BANG there was my mother’s best friend right there in the car with me. I hadn’t seen her in years, since she’d moved back to England more than twenty years ago.