Our basic open thread poll: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you keep smelling on the street lately, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is tulips [cropped] by gagilas at flickr; some rights reserved.
After a couple of nice and sunny days we’re having more of a sad and grey weekend. And it’s quite cold.
I’m currently working on my master thesis, doing little steps of progression. When I don’t work on it I write articles for the blog. I have a lot of perfumes to review after Esxence. And some more things are due to arrive by post.
Today I’m wearing Tango by Masque Fragranze. I really like the density, warmth and carnal character of this perfume created by Cecile Zarokian.
Hope your weekend is bright and sunny.
Love the tulips picture Robin!
Not quite grey, not quite sunny here. And the tulips are to cheer me up…we don’t even have crocuses here. Actually I think maybe the squirrels ate them all.
It still sounds like a better weather than we have here. Tulips do cheer up, my mum bought a buch yesterday to put them in a vase 🙂
Yes, it’s a lovely photo.
I live in “tulip town” (Holland) and they are everywhere!
In the supermarkets and flower stalls, the tulip colors are amazing! I haven’t seen my favorites yet, the ‘parrot’ tulips. I think those are sold later in the year and I’ve seldom seen them actually growing in people’s gardens.
I’ve been to the Netherlands/Holland many years ago but what I remember from being there was a view of an old windmill and a tulip fields 🙂
Are the parrot tulips the orange/pink ones with green swooshes? I love those. . .
Yes, Marjorie Rose, and they come in all colors — solids and combinations. They are larger than regular tulips and have frilled edges.
Good luck with your thesis! Little steps at a time is the best way to do it! I found that when looking at the big picture it felt overwhelming. One task at a time keeps the process manageable. Hang in there!
Thank you! I’m trying to manage it all!
I want to see the Wes Anderson movie today. I am notorious for thinking, waiting, missing movies – and this one deserves the big screen. I will trot out my Parure. Beautiful movie, beautiful scent.
I have been obsessed with the return of Sortilege and dashed an email off to find out when it might be available in the States. Twenty minutes later I received a response from the CEO in France! Couldn’t believe it. The good news is it will be out in September in France. Looking forward to that!
I was going to take my son to see it tomorrow, but now turns out my Mom wants to take him over spring break. Drat. Hear it’s great. We loved Moonrise Kingdom.
Glad to hear it!
Saw it on Monday. That concierge loves his perfume.
I went to see it today. Loved it. Now I want to know what L’Air de Panache smells like. I decided to try out my Une Rose de Kandahar decant. I like it a lot, but once the rose note fades, it bears an uncanny resemblance to Chergui.
Good morning!
I’ve been trying to do my part to proselytize the wonders of fragrance this past week or so. While in Vegas, I went sniffing through Sephora with a friend, who was looking to replace her favorite discontinued scent–we went home with a sample of Vesace Crystal Noir, which I think she likes pretty well, although I suspect it isn’t *quite* right. . .
And last weekend, at the grocery store, I got to talking with my cashier about my SOTD–OJ Ta’if–and she was so enthusiastic, I ended up writing down information on decant suppliers, etc! I would be *thrilled* to smell Ta’if in my grocery store in the future! 🙂
The conversation about Ta’if almost convinced me to give in and buy a FB myself some time soon. . . that large decant I bought is getting sorta spare!
I never heard a final roundup — did you discover anything fabulous in Vegas? Perfume-wise, that is?
Well, I *did* enjoy the Liberace museum! 😀
As for perfume fabulousness, nothing led me to weak-in-the-knees swooning, sorry to say! I definitely want to explore the Tom Ford scents more, as they are clearly well made, although none called out to me immediately.
And the Chanel SAs seemed to think that I was odd to even consider getting to sample extrait of Bois des Iles–they suggested that if I like the perfume, of course I’d like the extrait and I should just jump in! Felt like a sales pitch rather than the considered advice of a perfume lover. 🙁
Honestly, wandering around with my friend sniffing things to match for her was probably the best perfume moment! The other scent she liked quite a bit, although the Versace was preferred, was Kenneth Cole Black, which we found at a small discount outlet. I’m tempted to find her a small sample for retesting.
Thanks for the recap. Just as well I guess, there are plenty of other ways to blow money there.
I have not seen the Liberace museum! Now I have to go back to Vegas.
I’m pretty frugal by Vegas standards, I think! (Don’t drink, don’t gamble–so shows and shopping are it!) I wouldn’t mind buying a vacation frag, but I think my desire to test and retest and maybe test one more time before I commit to new purchases makes it exceptionally unlikely that I’ll buy one. It’s a rare scent that bowls me over and becomes a longterm love!
I have never seen a tester of the extraits in my “usual” NYC perfume haunts. The few times I’ve been to the Chanel boutique, I was told they DO NOT have testers for the extraits. Being the desperate sort, I ended up getting a .25 mL smidgen of Bois des Iles extrait from STC (long story but I ended up getting it for free due to a series of missteps – mine and STC’s – but STC has TOP-NOTCH personalized Customer Service and I will ALWAYS recommend them over any other decant site). LOVE! It took me quite a while to get the FB and I did so using Saks gift cards from credit card points.
Yeah. There happens to be a 20% code for STC today, and a sample was on my mind. . . 🙂
Shout-out to the SAs at my nearest Bottega Veneta who have a tester out for their pure parfum AND sent me home with a mini of the Essence Aromatique, in recognition of the need to try only one fragrance at a time, to test it properly. Very perfumista-friendly place!
Oh wonderful! I wish I saw more of that! They could win my loyalty so easily!
High-five on the perfume evangelizing! 🙂 I’ve sent a bunch of samples to friends lately too. Popular choices–Balenciaga Paris, Blackberry & Bay, Marchesa and Elie Saab. We could do much worse!
Yeah–I have given a small decant of Lyric to this friend, who loves it, but I cannot even imagine her giving in to spend that kind of money on herself! I’ll be pleased if she treats herself to ANY new perfume!
It *is* fun to share the perfume love, though, huh? And not some Victoria Secret swill. . .
Totally, I’m just glad when I can share something nice even if the person doesn’t necessarily want something really difficult or expensive. That is a-okay!
OH! And an OT question (but where else can I ask?!): I finally gave in and bought some replacement colors for my most-used eyeshadows, and I feel like they are VERY sheer! I have to moisten the applicator to get the color to have any presence.
Has anyone else noticed a trend towards less pigment (or whatever it is) in eye shadows? Do I need to give in and shop outside the drug store?
I would rather be able to control the color myself–I can always apply less, it’s lot harder to get more from something that barely shows in the first place!
Most (not all) drugstore brands are sheerer than dept store brands because pigment is expensive. I’d google eyeshadow reviews and see what brands/colors have more coverage. Brightest Bulb in the Box has a ton of reviews (no affiliation) including comments on opacity. I find her candid commentary highly amusing. Her perfume sample reviews are short and often hilarious… she’s certainly not a perfumista!
Gosh. Never even occurred to me that there would be make-up reviews, but now you say it, of course there is! I will look into it.
Go to makeupalley.com
Great site, and they also have a perfume section.
Shout out to NST’s Jessica, who does some make-up reviews on her blog, Tinsel Creation. The Non-Blonde blog is a good one, too.
I love drugstore mascara and lipstick, do not love drugstore eye shadow for the most part. Too sheer and the textures aren’t as smooth either. I do like Maybelline color tattoo cream shadows, and some e.l.f. Palettes are better than others. Sephora sales are great for trying new eye shadow shades.
Oh, what are your favorite drugstore lipstick brands? I gave up and bought some pricier lipstick (Bobbi Brown) b/c what I had from the drugstore kept bleeding–not cute. But I <3 my drugstore mascara and blush, would be so happy if I didn't have to shell out for lipstick.
The absolute best red lipstick of all time is Rimmel 01 by Kate Moss. I think it’s about 6 bucks. Whenever they get it at CVS I buy two or three and stockpile them. There’s a scary baggy full of it in my fridge.
Also I love L’oreal color riche lipstick. I have another fridge baggie full of Vagabond rose and cinnamon toast.
Ooh thank you so much for these suggestions, I may have to hit CVS today! 🙂
I’ve always been a little ooked out by the Sephora make-up displays–if I want to try something, is it hygienic? Seems odd to have them open to all those fingers. . . But I do like the idea of being able to try something out before buying it.
Me too. I never try anything on my face but I will try on the back of my hand to see how the colors look. I sometimes see girls picking up lipstick testers and applying them and it makes me cringe. You have no idea whose lips may have touched that before yours. Ick.
Try Nordstrom. When I asked to try a Nars Multiple (like a blush stick) the SA sprayed the top of it with rubbing alcohol and wiped it with a fresh tissue before even putting it on my hand. Made me very happy.
Sephora will do this too if you ask!
Sephora has left Holland! I liked to shop there. Recently, I was in a Douglas and asked about a particular color eyeliner. The sales girl took one from the counter, unwrapped the cellophane and applied the eyeliner for me to see. Then she looked at me expectantly, to see if I wanted to buy it! I would NEVER, EVER buy something for my eyes (or lips) that wasn’t in a sealed package!
And while I’m complaining about sales personnel…
I was in an ICI Paris shop yesterday (they’ve taken over all the Sephora venues) and wanted to test some scents. They didn’t have anything I was looking for (and had never heard of them). Then I saw a bunch of Estee Lauder perfumes and asked if they had a tester for Bronze Goddess. They did. I bared my wrist and before I could stop her, the sales girl pushed my sleeve further up and sprayed my entire arm lavishly! Unfortunately, I did not like this scent very much and now it has permeated my sweater sleeve AND jacket sleeve! Ugh! I know these are very young women who work there and have probably received a minimum of training, so I’m trying to feel forgiving.
Oops — somehow some words got lost from my post. The sales girl applied the eyeliner to the back of her hand.
Has Sephora left France completely? Even the Champs Elysées flagship? This is making me nervous about Spain. 🙁
Hi 2rista ,
As far as I know, they’ve only left the Netherlands. I haven’t been to Paris for years, but loved their flagship. It was heavenly. In Holland, we’ve been directed to order from Sephora.fr online.
Oh my! I’d be lost without Sephora.
Duhh…sorry, I read ICI Paris as ICI, Paris. For a moment I thought they’d closed their Paris stores!
I’m definitely not willing to try any communal mascara, too scared of pink eye, but between their willingness to clean things off (as Lucy mentioned above) and a general sense that a certain amount of exposure to germs is necessary for a robust immune system 😉 I do use their testers for some other products.
That said I basically don’t wear eye shadow, so I haven’t given a lot of thought to whether I should be worried about that one in particular. I don’t know, do you think it actually gets in your eyes?
The trend this season as well is for sheer, Easter-egg colours. It might well be worth the extra money to go to say, MAC, Stila or Bobbi Brown for some advice on picking a long-lasting classic or two.
Sephora also sells the Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion. A little dab of primer on each lid and your shadow will be sure to glimmer all day!
Ah, that makes sense. I never thought of make-up as all that seasonal (other than I tend to match my brighter warm-weather colors with brighter eyeshadows), but I can see how they might make different formulations, too. Sounds like I need to go try some new brands!
Pigmentation can be hit or miss. Higher price does not always guarantee better pigment but primer almost always enhances the color of eyeshadows. For reviews, high resolution swatches and a dupe database I recommend temptalia.com. No affiliation.
Marjorie Rose, I read The Non-Blonde every day, as I do NST. Her reviews of makeup, skin care products, makeup brushes, and perfume, both current and vintage, are fun to read. Temptalia has great swatches and very thorough reviews. If I’m considering a specific product, I usually google it for reviews before buying.
I don’t buy a lot of makeup, but shadow is very important to my look, so the particular color, texture and sheen have to be just right. I always test them on the back of my hand, so I find it worth shopping in department stores or Sephora. If you like to experiment with different colors and looks, Sephora has palettes of its own line and special edition palettes from many of the brands it carries, such as Urban Decay.
Yesterday I tried some FM Dries Van Noten, and as I went about my afternoon I was haunted by its familiarity. I got home, and on a hunch tried Ambre de Merveilles and voila! The latter is sweeter but they are definitely siblings.
Ah isn’t that great! I’m in a “appreciate what I have” mode and I have Ambre!! (love the dries but you just saved me a bundle!)
Ooooh, I am so glad to read this. I love L’Ambre des Merveilles, and just ordered a small decant of Dries van Noten yesterday!
What a fabulous week this has been! On Monday I finished my master’s thesis and have completed my Master’s in Science and Nursing! I also received a bottle of Chanel No. 19 from my husband for my birthday – so much to celebrate!
Congratulations! Nice to have a scented present as a future memory…
Thank you! That was my thought as well!
Huge congrats, that’s wonderful!
Thank you Robin! And thanks for sharing NST – it was great to have a place to explore (procrastinate) when I needed a break from my studies!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Congratulations! That’s a HUGE accomplishment!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Congratulations several times over. It’s great to hear such happy news.
Congratulations!!! That is awesome.
Just want to add my congratulations as well, that’s just terrific!
Wow! That’s impressive. Congrats!
Thank you to all of you for your well wishes! 🙂
So that explains the Nightingale 🙂 Congratulations!
kindcrow, you got my number! 😉
thank you!
Congratulations, Nightingale! I know how grueling the nursing program can be. Best wishes for the future 🙂
Thank you, Holly! Fellow nurse?
I’ve been experimenting with essential oils and am using a homemade “dryer sheet” in today’s laundry. Right now, my darks are tumbling about with a few drops of jasmine and lavender. The recipe is simple – add 4-5 drops of your favorite essential oil to a scrap of cotton and toss in the dryer. Since oils are flammable, don’t add more than 4 or 5 drops.
Next on my list: home air freshener!
Wow great idea!
Spring cleaning and wearing Muscs Koublai Khan. I received some from the swap meet. I love it, but I get zero sillage, so the dominant smell for me right now is actually peppermint scented Dr. Bronners (I’m cleaning window screens. What joy…).
It’s not warm enough for me to do the windows today so I cleaned the grill instead.
Advice needed on my perfume dilemma. I have been sampling Atelier Cologne Silver Iris and Chanel 31, Rue Cambon. I love both. I have been through decants of both now. As I really shouldn’t purchase FBs of both at this point, I am trying to limit myself to one, but am having a hard time choosing. I am also not sure if they both fit into the same category in my perfume collection as iris-y fragrances. I don’t have any other iris fragrances thus far. So, considering the change in weather (hopefully) and that I spend much of my summer in hot, humid locales, which would be better at this point — Silver Iris or 31 RC? I have many summer-type fragrances, so this would likely be reserved for work, etc., as I’m not sure how either would do outside in excessive heat. Thoughts?
TIY!
Nicole
I meant, TIA! Thanks in advance. : )
I adore 31 RC and have the huge 200ml bottle, but in my experience it doesn’t work in hot weather and can smell quite sour. I’d definitely recommend wearing it when it warms up to see how you fare before buying a bottle.
I haven’t tried Silver Iris so can’t comment on that.
Personally I think 31 RC would be a great work scent! So sophisticated.
I think the Silver Iris would work well in the heat but it’s hard to say for sure until you try it. It’s has more floral notes in it and it’s not just rooty iris so my guess is it will bloom in the warmth. Or course I could be totally wrong too.
For Iris in the summer, I like Serge Lutens Bas de Soie. As for turning sour, I highly recommend the skin primer that was reviewed on this site http://www.nstperfume.com/…/canvas-concrete-fragrance-primer-product-review/ – it really solved my problems with fragrances “turning”!
Thanks so much for posting that link! Somehow, I missed Angela’s review. I just tried emailing the company to find out if I can order from Europe. Their contact box didn’t work for me, so I wrote to info@canvasandconcrete.com and hope it reaches them. It sounds like a great idea!
Update: the email bounced back! I don’t like to use Facebook, but see that their FB page is active. Can anyone try to find out for me whether the product is available in Europe or can be shipped there?
There’s a “contact us” link at the bottom right of their web page, also has a place to ask for a sample — worth a shot!
I had to shut down my computer after clicking on info@canvasandconcrete.com, so maybe they’re having technical difficulties? If you google Canvas and Concrete, you can enter your email address for store options, but the only option to enter for residence at present is in the US. Still might be worth a try. The primer is also available through Amazon, but who knows what the cost of shipping to you might be …
That’s what I originally tried, Robin. It doesn’t work.
Holly, thanks. I don’t think I will order from Amazon. I’ll have to wait until a friend is visiting the States and maybe talk them into picking it up for me.
What I’d do in this case is going for another round of decants of both. You spend less and further test if you’re not getting tired of one of them after a while…
And, with the STC sale, it is a perfect time to restock on decants, which will likely be enough to get me through summer so I can see how each do in the heat. Plus, I can restock my Perfumerie Generale Djhenne. Yay.
Djhenne is fantastic, glad to see it get some love.
Thanks for all the comments!
Nicole, it you plan to wear it at a different time of the year, I’d wait until I could test it then before deciding. It can be surprisingly difficult to predict in what weather and season something will smell best or not work well. Also, work can be tricky because of AC. BTW, it would also be worth trying Chanel 28 la Pausa, if you haven’t already. It’s an iris-vetiver perfume that is great for work.
SOTD is Rosabotanica. I sprayed quite liberally from a tester bottle and it lasted all of 4 hours (on fabric)! A colleague did comment that I smelled nice and I liked it better than Florabotanica, but it’s definitely not something that I have any need for.
I might put on some Tubéreuse Criminelle or Lyric now that I’m home for the evening.
I’d go for TC over Rosabotanica too 🙂
Well I’m quite the engorged python after the last swap. Thank you so much everyone for the generous samples/decants etc. so above and beyond my wildest expectations. So the result is I have so much to test and enjoy that I’ve dropped my weight loss perfume rewards program for now and just decided to enjoy what I have. For Spring, I’m breaking out the L’air de Rien and Clair de musc as everyday perfumes.
I had a surprise perfume moment last week with a woman who owns an amazing antique shop in my area. I was buying a gorgeous old piece of cloth from the Congo and somehow we started talking about perfume. She said she has somewhere a bottle of Quadrille that she got in Paris in 1960 and then she blurted out, “You want some?!” So next time I go there I will bring little decant bottle. What a generous soul.
Wow that’s amazing treat!! Someone pressed a decant of Attrape-Coeur into my hands in much the same way back in February and I’m still just overcome by the generosity!
I have found that people who love perfume are the most generous people I’ve met. I wonder why?
Such a good question. Someone pointed out to me recently that being into perfume’s different from, say, being into wine, because instead of having a lot of social cachet, it can make you sort of an oddity. So anyone who perseveres is really in it for the love of the game, so to speak. I think that’s part of why perfume folks are so eager to share–if it’s really just about increasing joy, who wouldn’t want to share that! 🙂
I love “quite the engorged python”! It’s also an apt expression because the perfumista feels satisfied for a few weeks, but, after digesting the new acquisitions, is soon on the prowl for more. 🙂
My perfume question this week is, what should I buy from the STC sale? 😉
I don’t see a sale on there, CH..can’t navigate very well on that site, what they got goin on?
Husband is off to hang out with boardgamers, cause apparently, it’s International Tabletop Day? I guess that Wil Weaton kid from Star Trek grew up and has a tabletop show..Wil Weaton got super nerdy, lol.
Not wearing scent atm, homemade dryer sheets sound lovely though..I would love the smell of hot, jasmine scented laundry right out of the dryer.
Sign up for their newsletter! Under the “Free Updates” tab. Very low spam and almost every one they send has a discount code 🙂 Oh, you can see it on their Facebook page too: https://www.facebook.com/SurrenderToChance
20% off yesterday and today, 15% off the rest of the week.
A discount code eh? May be worth it, thanks for that!
Sure thing!
Well there goes the “appreciate what I’ve got” plan. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
Hahaha, yeahhhh I saw your message after I’d posted mine and immediately went, “Oh man, I do have SO much great new stuff, what am I thinking?!” The more the merrier?? 😉
You are such an enabler, C.H.! I missed that email and of course I now have to place an order.
Hahaha–can’t imagine what you’re talking about, you guys were supposed to enable me, not the other way around!! 😉
Placed my order yesterday morning, by end of day it was shipped – yay!
Really great savings.
Ooh so what did you order?
Working on that, too. . . 🙂
What do you have your eye on? I purposefully don’t keep an on-going shopping list (only want to spend money on perfumes I love so much I can’t forget them!), but it does mean I do a wretched job when it comes to ordering samples. I feel like only when I click send on my order do I suddenly remember the thing I -really- wanted!
My wish list is full of dark, spicy rose scents which were recommended to me a while ago. Now, though, I’ve missed my chance at the 20%. . . Mr. Spicebomb and I went out last night, and so I didn’t hit “send” in time. Now I’m trying to decide if 15% off is worth it, or if I should wait for the next deal. . .
I understand what you mean about not keeping a full cart, but for samples, I don’t know how else to keep track! Too many interesting things get passing recommendations and then I’d forget about them later! And in theory, I don’t have to actually buy them all at one time. . .
Did a bit of shopping this morning on 5th ave hoping to try some of the new scents out there but found very few available. So many launches are exclusive to this store or that store, many not even in NYC. Bummer! I did find one I really thought was beautiful and that was the new Ramon Monegal Very Private. I went back for a 2nd spray and event a couple of hours later it’s quite nice. Got that licorice note I love 😉
Enjoy the weekend!
Oh, nice to hear that one is good — it’s expensive though!
I know! Too much money for those perfumes!
Ohh, there is a licorice note in that one? Hopefully, it’s better than Lovely Day..which I didn’t find to be lovely at all.
Does anyone know whether Kiera Mai perfumes have ceased production? BeautyHabit is selling off their remaining stock, and no other etailer seems to have anything but Tresor de Mai. [I put off purchasing Fleur de Mai, and now cannot find it anywhere except Surrender to Chance.] Appreciate any info, and hope everyone has a great weekend.
Wearing the old Karl Lagerfeld, and having a blast with it. Back in the day, before Chloe, I think, I had no idea who the man was, or that he would be my dear uncle one day. So I left a miniature of his cinnamony perfume undisturbed in the bottom of a drawer for decades, for the utter enjoyment of future me. Now I can barely believe how good it is.
It is funny — he is so much more widely known now, but his scents do not seem to be as good as they once were.
Yeah, I wish he would do something as interesting today. So happy I neglected my little bottle inside a dark drawer, what a gift for my present perfumista (and momentarily broken) self.
Any perfumistas out there have any familiarity with Acqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo Ginepro di Sardegna? It’s listed in the women’s section but sounds masculine, which is what I am looking for. There’s not much online about it as it only came out this year.
I won’t be able to smell it in person and so very tempted with a Sephora discount right now… thanks in advance!
I have only smelled it quickly so far, but would call it unisex. It did not wow me on first try (on a blotter) but mean to try it again. Sorry that’s not much help!
I am waiting for the 50°F they promised me today. Just went outside and cleaned the grill to get it ready for the season and froze my butt off. It’s gray, cold, and windy. That’s it for outdoor activity for today. That’s fine though because I have some perfume packages to get ready to mail.
I was at the grocery store today to get bananas and they had none. None. Apparently there was some delivery issue. So for some reason it made me wonder if there are any perfumes with a banana note. I don’t think I want to smell like bananas but it’s just something that crossed my mind.
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.
hermessence vanille galante
Thanks!
Ladyboy by Lush is supposed to have a banana note.
Hi Poodle. I think some tropical white flowers are known to smell like bananas, but I can’t remember which ones! I do know that when I used to wear Fidji, I was always amazed at how banana-y it smelt. This was in the days of “yore”, so I don’t know if the current formulation smells the same. I remember once that the bottle leaked in my purse and it reeked of bananas for weeks!
I think ylang-ylang can smell like banana a bit.
I must be craving some warmer weather trying to find tropical perfumes. Everytime I wear some of my sweaters I think “this will be the last time I get to wear this this season”, but the following week it’s still cold and I’m still wearing the sweater. 🙁
The weather is keeping us on our toes!
Jean Patou Sira des Indes — if they still make it!
Yes, you are right Robin, but as well as the banana I unfortunately also get a heavy dose of poo from SdesI!!!!
Not a perfume, but I sniffed a banana magnolia at the National Botanic Garden a couple of weeks ago. It had exactly that very specific banana note. Apparently, it grows into a shrub rather than a tree. I wonder how a banana magnolia perfume would do? 😉
Sounds perfectly tropical.
Felanilla by Parfumerie Generale is supposed to have a banana note. I could never really smell it because I couldn’t get past the other notes that I didn’t like ;-(
SOTD = VC&A Orchidee Vanille. I got this from the most recent NST Swapmeet and what a find! I am on a VC&A kick lately – it started with Bois d’Iris from the Splitmeet, then I read Lucas’ review of Rose Velours and KNEW I had to try it (and I ended up with a FB) and then Orchidee Vanille!
Besides VC&A, I’ve had good vanilla perfume moments recently — Tommi Sooni Eau de Tommi Sooni II – WOWEE! Indult Tihota – sweet burnt sugar vanilla – YUMMMMM!
And now I am off to STC to acquire more samples!
I can send you the rest of the VC & A samples if you’d like. They’re only about 1/2 full, but they are yours if you’d like.
Wowzer Rappleyea! Emailing now. Thanks!
Hi Rappleyea – Congrats on your big win last night!
Thank you, Lucy!! I’m over the moon ecstatic about it. Cannot believe we’ve won two big ones in a row by a 3-point at the buzzer! One more win for #9!!
Just got my Nu_Be sample pack from Luckyscent. Not sure that I’ll find anything amazing in the group, but it seems that I’ll enjoy sampling them.
In answer to the banana note question, there used to be a Comptoire Sud Pacifique perfume (Vanille Banana, I believe). It had a definite banana scent. One year I wore it when I went to the butterfly tent at the MN state fair and it attracted many butterflies. No one could figure out why I had so many land on me. Of course, I shared the butterflies with the little kids that were there.
Thanks! We have a butterfly garden? Zoo? Habitat? I’m not sure what to call it, but it’s a place where you can go and walk around and there are hundreds of butterflies all over the place. I had one land on my hand and it was really pretty amazing. Now I wonder if it was my perfume.
My brother was hospitalized for the third time last week. I haven’t been wearing much perfume. I would be really grateful for comfort scent recommendations.
So very sorry to hear about your brother, Ari. Comfort for me is usually a vanilla scent. Or just anything that makes you ridiculously happy or that has pleasant memories attached to it.
Thank you so much, Rappleyea. I recently received some Indult Tihota, maybe that will hit the vanilla spot!
I’m sorry to hear about your brother, Ari. I hope his situation improves.
Comfort scents are really a matter of individual taste. I like Lalique Amethyst (not to be confused with several other perfumes called Amethyst). I guess it would be considered…GASP!…a fruity floral, but not in the usual sense for me. It is a soft and lovely floral with a berry note. I find it very comforting and wear it to sleep most the time.
Thank you, Jonette. I’ve never had the pleasure of smelling Amethyst, or any of the Lalique line. Fruity florals need love too =)
I think Amethyst comes into its own about a half-hour to an hour after applying, so if you try it, give it a chance. The opening is rather sharp with a blast of berries. When it calms down, it’s like a comforting, light blanket of gentle scent. For me, it lasts most of the night.
Ohh, Ari I am so sorry. That’s so hard. Do you like Ormonde Jayne Champaca? I find the creamy floral quite comforting, and I have a mostly full-travel spray that needs a more loving home–if you’d use it, I’d love to send it to you! My gmail’s catherineh789.
Thank you for your incredibly generous offer, Catherine. I’ve never tried Champaca, but I would love to. Emailing you soon!
Sorry to hear this Ari. I turn to incense or food for comfort. How about Trayee? Or just skip the perfume and get a pint of ice cream and a spoon.
Wonderful Neela sent me a little bottle of Trayee the first time my brother was hospitalized. Nothing could be more perfect.
Oh no, so sorry Ari.
When I’m feeling under the weather physically or mentally, I often turn to La Via del Profumo (Abdes Salaam Attar) Lake Flower (or Blossom), part of his Scents of the Soul Collection, which he subtitles The Anti-Depressant Perfume. The notes are listed as ylang ylang, rose and helichrysium with the scent of prairies (guessing the better translation would be meadows). To me, it smells like fresh ginger root, too. STC has samples and 15% off right now, too. Good luck, Ari!
Ooh, I second this! This particular perfume is noted to also be particularly useful for caregivers and the aromatherapeutic effects are healing for the patient as well.
I wish you, your brother and all of your loved ones moments of peace and tranquility during this difficult time.
I’m so sorry, Ari! I’m in favor of long, hot baths when I need to recharge. A lovely spritz of something on the chest beforehand can waft up rather wonderfully, too. Wishing all the best for you and your family!
Rather late but I just can’t keep quiet, SOTD is Silver Iris, which I’ve enjoyed very much today. The weather is quite warm (25ºc) and it’s wearing beautifully. I, too, have lots of samples and really shouldn’t buy anything else. I decided on the FB of Grand Néroli… Orange Sanguine will have to wait a little. So I have samples from Atélier, Scent on Canvas, and some I received from generous donors. I’ve even found a rose I like, thanks to Sweetgrass. It just had to be Putain des Palaces that won me over! Rossy de Palma is lovely too, after the first 30 mins, but I think my next FB will be Putain: fortunately it isn’t too expensive. But I promise to wait until after the summer…maybe!
Yay! I’m glad you liked the PdP! 😀
Love it! Thank you so much!
I Love Putain! I really like the brands over the top, tongue in cheek vibe because it just makes me laugh! And what makes me laugh even harder is how serious some serious people seriously take it. lol! I have sampled a few and this one won my money. Enjoy that FB when you get it 🙂
I totally love Putain – it was my first ELDO love affair and I’m still eking out my rather large decant but I’m sure an FB is in my future.
Several years ago, I bought a fb of Agent Provocateur (the original), but am no longer in love with it. I have a sample of Lady Vengeance, which is similar but much nicer. It lacks depth. I’d like recommendations for something along the same line but with more of a ‘story to tell’.
SOTD is Designer Shaik nr. 30. I sprayed it on this morning and it lasted eight hours. Mmmmmmmmm.
Oh Jonette, since you have a bottle of the Agent Provocateur, can I ask you–do you get any magnolia from it? I have a friend looking for a magnolia perfume BUT she doesn’t really like really girly soft florals, so AP came to mind as something more assertive, and at least lists magnolia as a note… but honestly I can’t totally recall whether the magnolia was actually detectable. Do you notice it at all?
I’m really not sure. The magnolias in my neighborhood are in bloom right now, and I enjoy the scent, although I notice a distinct difference between the two kinds of magnolias popular here (one is a star magnolia, and I like that better). SOTD is Jo Loves Pink Vetiver, which dominates and makes it impossible for me to test my AP for you right now. I’ll try to report back tomorrow, so check this space at the end of the day (allowing for time difference — I’m in the Netherlands).
Hi again, C.H.,
You may not have to wait until tomorrow. My Pink Vetiver has worn off (it usually lasts longer), so I’m going to spray my wrist with AP and go out and sniff my magnolia tree and maybe also the star magnolia on the next street. I’ll report back here.
In the meantime, I googled and found this for you:
http://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Magnolia-147.html
Lots of magnolia perfumes listed if you scroll down the page.
Ooh fantastic all around–thanks so much Jonette! Will check back for your thoughts on AP.
Hi C.H.,
I’m afraid I’m not of much use to you. I went out and sniffed four magnolias — my own Grandiflora and one two blocks away and two Star magnolias that were on my walking route. I really couldn’t detect any similarity to my AP, but it could just be that I haven’t a sophisticated enough nose. I think the other notes (rose, patchouli, etc.) are too dominant.
AP lists magnolia as a note in several of their scents. I think your friend would be better off sniffing a sample and if that doesn’t please her, she’ll have to try some of the scents listed on Fragrantica or search for a soliflore.
Best wishes with the hunt!
Ah, thank you so much for this thorough investigation! That’s really useful, especially I don’t have any magnolias currently in bloom nearby. Too bad if not so surprising about the AP; it does seem like a tricky if not impossible thing, to make a perfume that’s not a soft floral, without the more assertive elements completely eclipsing the magnolia.
(Really, that’s just SO nice of you to go out on a hunt!! So many thanks 🙂 )
How about the Magnolia Grandiflora scents? I haven’t sniffed either Sandrine or Michel, but they sound wonderful, and it seems Michel skews a little more unisex/masculine. I’d send you the link for NST’s review by Robin, but my laptop has decided it’s the boss. Samples are available at Luckyscent.
I have Sandrine, and it really does smell like Grandifloras. That’s a lighter and drier scent than the early magnolias, and a bit lemony. Michel is more like the earlier magnolias. They are both worth sampling.
I wasn’t wild about Agent Provocateur, but I find Le Labo Ylang 49 to be kind of in the same vein as AP but better.
Thanks, Sweetgrass. I’ll have to see if it’s available to sniff at a local perfume shop.
Okay, I’ve spent a couple of hours reading reviews here and on some other perfume blogs/forums, looking for perfumes that are similar. MFK has designed most of them! So I am going to order samples of Guerlain Rose Barbare (if I can find it), Lumiere Noire, and by other noses: Eau d’italia Pasteum Rose, Grès Cabaret, FM Portrait of a Lady.
I’m rather afraid to try PoaL as Une Rose was one of my all-time hates and made me feel sick. Hopefully, that is the only FM I’ll ever react to that way. I suspect it was the truffle note.
I also want to try Narciso Rodriguez for her but need to know which one? There are so many versions! Help?
I’ve got a sample of Narciso Rodriguez you can have. I can also send you Cabaret and I might have a few others that would work. I’ll get that out to you this week. I think I still have your address. If not, I’ll email you for it.
How very kind of you, Poodle. I’ll email you privately. In the meantime, see if you can make a list of fragrances you want to try and I’ll see if I have samples for you.
Put on Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil today in anticipation of some warm weather. I think it would have been warm if not for the wind…Enjoying the fresh green mango scent nonetheless, while devouring a ripe mango. 😀
Wish it would warm up here! But great scent, of course.
Hello NST!Sotd was Guerlain Cuir Beluga,seriously falling for this 1-I think a fb is needed!I need some advice:I’ve been eyeing a bottle of Hermes Hiris at a local online retailer,problem is they don’t have testers,and I’ll have to do a blind-buy.I love Iris perfumes like Iris Poudre,Infusion d’Iris and Bendelirious.Can you compare Hiris to any of these?Or are there any other iris perfumes that are similar to Hiris that I might know already?HELP!!
Happy Weekend!
Hiris is more metallic & sharp in the opening, also rather carrot-y — or, it used to be. It’s almost certainly been reformulated since I bought my bottle. You would not necessarily like it because you like Iris Poudre or Infusion (sorry, can’t remember Bendelirious, haven’t smelled it in years).
(Unless it’s radically changed — ) It is not as sweet & cushy as Iris Poudre. It’s not nearly as rooty as Iris Silver Mist. It’s sharper & colder than Infusion.
I am not much help, but don’t think I’d buy it unsniffed.
The Hiris they have is the one in the VERY blue bottle,that is pre-reformulation,as far as I could tell.ISM was “nice”,but not memorable on my skin.I also have 28 La Pausa,and VC&A Bois d’Iris,both are favorites as well.(28 esp. lasts remarkably well on me!)Maybe I’m set with Iris then…lol!Thanks Robin.
I almost bought Cuir Belluga–beautiful stuff! Sadly, it only lasts an hour or two on me, so I decided it wasn’t worth it. If it had more longevity, it would be no contest, though!
No SOTD yet. I decided to check out a big arboretum/botanical garden on the northeast side of town that I’d never been to, and I decided to go ‘fume-free because I figured there might be interesting olfactory experiences to be had there. The place is huge, and it was really gorgeous. Not many fragrant plants overall, but near the entrance I kept smelling something that smelled a bit like star jasmine, but I could never figure out where it was coming from. Now that I’m home, I think I’m in the mood to break out my brand new Zeta decant that I got from the swap meet.
SOTD- started with Jo Malone Bergamot and Oud dry oil body spray, which I really like. Not enough to buy a bottle of the perfume, but the oil is lovely and stays fairly close to the body. The oil leaves a great sheen to the skin.
Then, out and about doing this and that and got a sample of the Essence Aromatique from BV. Nice. Inoffensive. Very Wearable. The first 10 seconds seem to be stolen from right out of Shalimar’s mouth- beautiful bergamot! Then it went straight to powder- a NICE powder, but powder none the less. It is quite “fresh” during the first 30 minutes or so, which I enjoyed because I was a little heated up (I think in was eighty-something here today).
Then, home and catching up with all the NST folks and I just spritzed 1/2 a spray of Cuir Ottoman from a decant I bought from STC. So sad to hear the Parfum d’Empire is raising prices and no longer offering 50ml bottles. Guess I wont be getting a FB anytime soon. **sigh**
That’s such a pity; I love Cuir Ottoman too. Don’t they know that perfumistas value variety above (almost) all else? That’s why I’m especially fond of Atélier – at least one can aspire to having a good collection.
Very, very few brands are targeting perfumistas- we can never spend as much as the insanely wealthy Middle Eastern (mostly Saudi) clients that perfume retail cherishes.
I was thinking that as I wrote it. Who can compete with a sheikh or an oligarch? But perfumistas do make a lot of noise about fragrances…
I really wanted a 50 ml bottle of Cuir Ottoman but had trouble finding any left anywhere. Finally I managed to buy one from Parfumaria dot com, excellent service. I see they still have them, but I’m not sure where they ship, myself I’m in the EU and the shop is in the Netherlands (or maybye Belgium). Hope this might help!
Thanks so much for the info- I will check it out ASAP!
You might try Knize Ten. I’m still seeing 50-ml bottles for $70 on Luckyscent. It’s a fantastic, leather, too, and a classic.
That’s bad news re Pd’E. I used to recommend them, and especially Cuir Ottoman, constantly, because they were fantastic and well priced.
I have heard a lot of good things about Knize Ten but have been unable to get my nose on it- I will have remedy this! Thanks for the recommendation 🙂
I tried Fields of Rubus by Kerosene on the back of my hand last night. I ended up scubbing it off after fifteen minutes and putting tape (the kind you use with bandages) over the smelly area (it was that potent) I’m not a patchouli fan, so I didn’t expect to love it, but the patchouli-wood combo was very unpleasant (((shudder))).
SOTD or rather SOTH (scent of the house) is the 10 ml Donna Karan Chaos bottle that fell onto the tiled floor… Luckily we smell good and I have a backup 10 ml :).
Continuing the licorice conversation from earlier this week: Blindbought a small bottle of Diesel Loverdose and enjoyed it very much. To my surprise, since it is way sweeter than my usual scents. It is a sugarcoated licorice sweet for sure, with some general funfair going on in the backgroud. And the bottle is lovely!
It reminds me that I get a sweet licorice vibe from the start of Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial.
(Gasp!) Glad you have a back up! I’ve wanted to try Chaos for a while now and it could possibly be a blind buy. Too bad I couldn’t swing buy for a sniff! 😉
So disappointed this week – I sent off to Les Senteurs in London for some samples and eagerly awaited them……they arrived and I was gutted!
Amouage Jubilation 25 – was hideous! Smelt like stale underarm b.o. for about half an hour and then it did morph into a total replica of the old vintage Femme by Rochas. I remember the original and didn’t like it then – so anyone hankering after the old Femme – get Jubilation if you can get over that first wiff:((
Amouage Ubar – Awful!! On my skin its like the inside of a cheap incense shop – just terrible and so strong – I had to scrub it off!
Amouage – Honour – Beautiful opening – like a curtain of diaphanous silk…..lovely – then a smell like old vase water, slightly eggy:(((( oh dear NOT good – it settled after about half an hour into a lovely sheer tuberose – but its not worth the money.
Carnal Flower – Beautiful -thank goodness – a lovely sheer tuberose again but the opening is like heaven on steroids – wish they could bottle THAT and make it last…….
So I got to thinking that perfume SO depends on skin and chemistry. So today I’ve gone back to my old Eau de Soir which I love and which suits my skin and smells bright and rich – just like I used to be Ha!! I cannot understand Luca Turin giving it such a low score and slating it!! Bah! He has no taste!! )Joke) I agree with him 95% of the time but sometimes he just gets it wrong. Does anyone else love Eau de Soir???
Interesting here as yes, I love Eau de Soir. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was contemplating whether or not I needed (lol!) a FB. And the Amouage fragrances don’t really work for me either. Not sure if this is skin chemistry or olfactory perception or some of both. Also, that line usually gives me a headache, which is very rare for me.
Thankyou for the comment – so glad someone else loves Eau de Soir – and all the Amouage which I’ve sampled just don’t smell very good on me and I so wanted to love one and save up for a FB.
The only Amouage I have loved so far is DIa. Feminine and not as “big” as the other Amouage’s seem to be. I’ve never tried Eau de Soir, now I’m curious!
Luca Turin didn’t like it and gave it one star and that has influenced so many people…..but he’s given 5 stars to perfume that I loathe – eg Black by Bulgari – on me is awful! Loathsome…..we’re all so so different – we should never let other’s reviews put us off.
This scares me,as I was ready to purchase Jubilation unsniffed!Many retailers here are short of testers/samples,esp of the Niche stuff,so they kinda defeat the purpose of selling perfumes.Surely one MUST be able to smell stuff before you buy!?Amouage I’m looking at you….!!
Oh I agree – its such a huge price that you cannot buy unsniffed! I read the reviews of Jubilation and it seemed so me… I love some chypre/leather/orientals but this was so bad on my skin. I’m in the UK where its damp and cool most of the year….so I need deeper sweeter fragrances and only in the summer can I wear citrus florals….Jubilation is strong! And a bit odd/not nice/stale/……am selling a sample on ebay at the mo – check it out:))
Not an Amouage fan either. Have a decant of Dia and it is pleasant. Some were not nice at all in me. Well, money saved.
I’m so disappointed! I have lusted for years after a cheap drugstore scent from my youth, which even in my teens netted me compliments from chic, wealthy women. It is “Blue Waltz” and I’ve always hoped to find something like my memory of it. NSTers have recommended vanilla scents, but I’ve never found anything really like it. So I was happy that a good friend brought some back for me from a trip to the US. It is just TERRIBLE! I don’t know if they changed the formula, or if this bottle was off, or if my perception of fragrances has changed that drastically. I was really looking forward to it, but it is beyond awful.
Oh tragic!! Yeah I’ve occasionally thought of revisiting scents high school boyfriends wore, but between reformulations and my changing taste, I am pretty sure I’ll be horrified. Especially hearing your tale, probably it’s best if I let sleeping dogs lie!
Scent yesterday was Puredistance I, I had choirpractise and thought it wouldn’t be too intrusive. Today I’m thinking of trying my sample of Mito Voile for the first time, or maybe Rubj Voile again or Nuit Andalouse. I didn’t have big expectations of Nuit Andalouse but I found it a lovely scent-FB worthy! Anyone else tried it?
I just got suprise samples in the mail yesterday from By Killiam with the latest Asian Tales scents. The earlier ones didn’t wow me though, wich is a pity since the packaging is lovely!
I have a small dauber sample of Nuit Andalouse and thought it was VERY pretty. Love Puredistance I!
So, I have finally tried my sample of real musk oil from an etsy seller and I have no clue how the word musk got associated with laundry products–it’s raunchy and sort of fecal with slightly sweet and smoky tones, at least for the first hour (after which I scrubbed it off). Does anyone know how much alcohol I would need to dilute my 1ml sample to make it wearable? Or, failing that, does anyone want me to pass my sample along to them?
Chandler Burr in The Perfect Scent wrote about how scientists and the perfume industry isolated the molecules that smell like different components of musk, and American scientists found these chemicals to be very stable, cheap to produce, and decided to use them to scent laundry detergents and cleaning products. The public also liked this particular scent, which was similar to musk minus the animalic qualities, and essentially perceived it to be a skin scent, and associated this scent with cleanliness due to their pervasiveness in cleaning products and detergents. The book is a great read, imo. 🙂
As far as diluting your musk oil, you’d be better off diluting it in oil such as jojoba oil, as it might not dilute properly in alcohol and you’ll end up with skanky blobs suspended in liquid. If you decide to dilute it in alcohol, you can always filter the resulting product and the remaining liquid will carry the scent. The longer you leave it infused, the stronger the scent will be. Even diluted, it will still smell the same but if you’re interested in experimenting it could be fun to layer or enhance perfumes that you find need more sillage or longevity. I would start off with a very small amount, like less than a drop, diluted in 30ml of your chosen carrier.
It sounds like you have the real thing! I think you should hold onto it if you have any interest in playing around, as it is very rare and will not deteriorate over time.
Thanks for this book rec!
You’re welcome!
This is very interesting info, C.H. Thank you for posting it.
Somewhere among my gazillion samples is a quite pricey tiny vial of a rare Egyptian musk from a few years ago from DSH, which she wrote me is her personal favorite. I had the same reaction to it as you, thegoddessrena, and haven’t dared to sniff it again.
Holly gets credit for the musk info, which I agree is SO interesting! 🙂
Spring is here! I took a short walk this afternoon and my whole neighborhood is bursting into bloom! Magnolias, cherry trees, all the bulbs, forsythias and now the lilacs are getting ready to open.
I saw a little “Koolmeesje” (I think it’s called a “Blue Tit” in English) poking around in the dog run the other day, picking up dog hair and plant debris. So I combed out my dog (I comb him every day and could fill a garbage bag each time) — he’s a Leonberger, a giant long-haired breed with a double coat and I put some of the hair in the dog run. It didn’t take long for a pair of the birds to appear and fly off with ALL of the hair, which created a mass larger than they were! It gives me a good feeling to know that my dog is helping to furnish nests.
I’ve also ordered a number of fragrant rose plants for my garden. I narrowed down my choice to the most fragrant ones I could find in garden reviews and then told my gardener to make the final choice.
They probably won’t bloom until next year (?), but I’m really looking forward to a perfumed garden. This year, my Osmanthus should bloom for the first time. I’m so glad it survived the winter.
One of my dog’s best friends is a Leonberger! Such beautiful dogs. I have a Tibetan Mastiff and his fur also is in the bird’s nests in my yard. One hummingbird in particular carried away a lot of it in about 50 trips back and forth.
SOTD is Jo Malone Amber & Lavender for working outdoors today.
Amber & Lavender is perfect for working outdoors, I so agree! How lovely.
That story makes such a funny picture! And it is probably preferable to the birds building nests with dog hair while it is still stuck to the dog 🙂
I remember seeing someone walking a gigantic, long-haired dog in my neighborhood and asking what it was, which was the first time I had heard of them. It’s delightful to think of this “beastly” fur becoming a birds’ nest! 🙂
Hi Guys,
My husband is in Cannes, France right now. He promised he would pick me up some perfume to bring home to California. I am having trouble deciding which perfume to choose. I was looking for a perfume he could only buy in France, and not in the states to make it special. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
You could get him to bring a bottle of Chypre Mousse by Oriza L. Legrand and I think you can buy it in Pairs in the Marais quarter in a place called Marie Antoinette. It is one of the favourite of Kafkaesque – check out his website. Sounds totally divine – :))
Is he going to/through Paris? I’ve been wondering whether Colette participates in the détaxe program, in which case I might get a bottle of Vanille 44 when I’m there next. Sorry to say I don’t know anything about perfume shopping in Cannes though!
I think some of the Guerlains are available only in France (but very pricey!)
Yesterday and today’s SOTD are Bottega Veneta. I’m at the bottom of the bottle squeezing out the last few gasps. I’ve been wearing it all winter, actually, layered on top of Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel lotion. It’s a seriously delightful combination. 🙂
I don’t think I have as many perfumes as many of you here may, but I have quite a few and for some strange reason I’m excited to have used it up. I bought the 1.7oz when it first came out in what, October 2011? So it took me only a little over 2 years to use an entire bottle. Amazing. Last time I used up a whole bottle of any fragrance was Jo Malone’s French Lime Blossom, which I started wearing the minute JM brand arrived in the US.
I’ve been lurking on NST for many years now and figured it’s time to weigh in. I love this website!! I love the reviews and I love the comments!! You’re all so interesting and intelligent and keep me on my nose toes.
Welcome! On my nose toes–love it 🙂
Sniff, sniff, hmmmm…. What’s that spice? Can anyone here demystify those spicy notes that I pick up in Bois Farine and Songes?
They may be one and the same.
I don’t like it : (
Monday morning, so I’m very late to the party.
Here’s my question: I just discovered that the Lutens (export)line is available in a store near me. I love A lot of Lutens fragrances, but the ones I have tried are mostly fall/winter scents.
Is there a Lutens that would be perfect for summer?
Bas de Soie.
Perfume ideas please! My sister loves the smell of fresh basil. Any thoughts on a fresh yet feminine herbal scent for spring and summer? We live in a very hot and humid climate. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy, just something to bring her some joy. She’s a middle school teacher and is going through a really rough time at work with both the students and the administration, and I want to treat her to something that’ll make her smile…
Hi there:) Clarins has a scent called Eau de Ressoursante. It is blue in colour and very well priced. The dominant note is basil which is buttressed by iris and cedar. It is formulated to be soothing and makes you smell like you’ve just left a luxurious spa. Hope things ease up for her!