Welcome to another Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Do share your scent of the day if you have time, and tell us if you hate Mondays, or if it's just another day to you?
I am wearing Burberry Beat Intense on one hand and Burberry Brit Rhythm on the other.
Reminder: this Friday, the 27th, will be Forgotten Friends Day — wear something you haven't worn in ages, or that you tend to forget that you own, or the like.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2014, where I'll try to always have the next six or seven weeks mapped out in advance.
Sotd: Tuscany Per Uomo. Reformulated version but it’s still pretty darn good. Perfect office scent. I need to reach for this little gem more often.
That’s one I have never smelled
It really is lovely, R. Slightly herbal, grassy, has got a sweet patchouli angle (patchouli-phobes need not worry too much!). I’d gladly send you a large sample if you’d like. I already have the address, just say the word!
You’re very kind, thank you! I’m a bit overwhelmed with samples at the moment so will take a raincheck
I’m wearing the lovely Baiser Vole edp…… such a great floral!
Yep! Have you tried the new Lys Rose flanker? (I haven’t yet, so curious)
I tried it at Nordstrom, and I thought they couldn’t have done a pink version of Baiser Vole any better. It’s the same lily note and a sheer, very dewy rose. I would say the berries are right in the middle — not tart or candied — and in general I found the whole thing less cloying than I feared. I didn’t want it but didn’t expect to because I’m just not in the market for a pink BV — I think if you are it’s a good one.
Thanks!
I tried it over the weekend, and that was pretty much my assessment too. I thought it had a little more presence than BV EDT. It seemed to have less lasting power, but that could also have been the heat.
I’m wearing Kai. For some reason I had low expectations, maybe because perfumistas don’t mention it much? But it’s nice! Pretty similar to ELPC Tuberose Gardenia, to my nose.
I don’t like Mondays, but Sunday nights are almost worse. Anticipation of the thing worse than the thing itself.
Oh, I like Kai! A smidge too clean (every time I wear it I want to reformulate it slightly) but it’s perfect when you don’t want one of the bigger tuberose gardenia scents…like the EL.
Yeah it’s really nice! I dumped the whole sample vial into my palm with a blob of unscented lotion and rubbed it all over my arms. Easier than trying to apply with that tiny wand.
Good idea! I bought the dry oil once, but the silicone base didn’t hold the scent for more than a year, and since I don’t use anything up that quickly, it was a mistake. So I just collect samples
Sunday afternoons can be bad — the sense that the freedom will soon be over.
Exactly. Like a ticking timebomb.
Wow, I just retired and we were discussing the fact that the Sunday night blues were entirely gone now!
I heard that Kai is supposed to be the fragrance that a lot of Hollywood stars swear by. I was wondering what it smelled like. I like EL Private Collection TG and own a bottle of it, but I won’t buy Kai if it is like that. No sense in having two fragrances that smell the same.
I’ve also heard that a lot of celebs wear it, maybe that is another reason I had a slight prejudice.
I’ve got a bottle of Tuberose Gardenia too so I don’t need any of this, it’s quite nice though.
Estee Lauder Spellbound. I’ve loved it since its launch because (among other things) it smells exactly like your skin smells when you’ve been sitting in front of a wood fire. Ignore what Tania Sanchez has to say about it: it’s glorious.
That sounds lovely! Honestly can’t remember if I’ve ever smelled it. Also didn’t remember whatever Tania said about it
Oh, it’s good! Peaches, and yes, warm woods, like a smokey sandalwood and carnation! Think Dolce Vita but deeper, peachier and very balsamic.
OMG, that sounds like heaven in a bottle!
Mmmmm, sounds lovely.
I MUST try this! EL definitely seems to put out some nice frags, but I feel like they are shadowed by the cosmetics as only their latest fragrance releases are on the counter.
I’m wearing Prada Infusion d’Iris. The new Drybar dry shampoo I’ve been using also has a pretty strong scent — this might be crazy, but I think it smells like Le Labo Labdanum 18 — and it’s at least even with IdI if not winning.
Sometimes on Sunday nights I get wacky anxiety about the upcoming Monday, but I don’t tend to mind them so much once they actually get here.
Does the dry shampoo work well? I’ve still never tried one.
Some of them are horrible — they feel sticky and weigh at your hair — but a good one makes everything feel smooth and clean and gives my flat hair a little more body. I use it to touch up after bike commuting, not to replace proper hair washes.
Thanks!
SOTD is Royal Water (Creed).
A Basenotes classic
Heure Exquise today, with Infusion D’Iris shower gel which leaves a lingering scent. A good combination (unsurprisingly I daresay).
I love the IdI body lotion as a layering agent, too.
Ah that’s interesting – and a great excuse for me to try the lotion!
IDI is my favorite perfume. Good to know that the body products are nice as well. Also, I love to hear about layering options
La Chasse aux Papillons – I haven’t worn for over a year (I should’ve saved it for Themed Friday!). Don’t know what made me wear it today, but I’ve enjoyed it very much. Which is good, because I definitely do not like Mondays.
Gosh, I haven’t worn that in ages either. Or the Extreme, and I have both.
SOTD is Bubblegum Chic, by Heeley, dabbed from a sample tube. The notes, per Lucky Scent, are jasmine sambac, tuberose, white musk, and fruits. It does smell like bubblegum for the first five minutes, and the bubblegum note works! It then transitions into a fruity (hint of strawberry) gardenia. I have picked gardenias from my yard and infused them in jojoba oil, and the resultant oil does have a faint whiff of strawberries. Those clever perfumers
I don’t usually like white florals, but I’m enjoying this one. I work in an air-conditioned office, so I can sample a white floral in the summer :-)
I’m not a big fan of Mondays. Just seems like a huge catching up kind of day. I was thinking of wearing vintage Bal or maybe even Mitsouko today.
I agree with the Sunday-night-is-worse-than-the-actual-Monday thoughts. I like quiet, contemplative (rainy) Mondays, time to savor the deliciousness of the weekend. I try as much as possible to not schedule any meetings or anything out of the ordinary that requires me to be in top form on Mondays. And always a bubble bath on Monday nights to make it all better!
Well, it’s a rainy Monday here and I’ve chosen the very light and frothy philosophy’s Falling in Love Summer as my totally-out-of-sync-with-the-day scent. Don’t know why I chose it but it’s soft and somehow comforting.
Spritzed some Feminite du Bois in my hair in anticipation of a date tonight, and trying out some Parfums Delrae Debut on my wrists. Lily of the Valley is not my thing, but I do appreciate its beauty.
Ooh date night!
hope you have a great time and that your date thinks you smell fabulous too! 
Thank you! Maybe he’ll smell fabulous as well…
Today is my first day of teaching summer school, so I wore SL SIlver Iris Mist – it seems to keep me energized when I need it most (and I’d like to think that the cool yet aggressive aloofness of the iris subconsciously reminds the students “who is in charge” ;-)). Mondays, as much as I may loathe them on Sunday evenings, always represent a “clean slate” for me….the beginning of new week and new encounters.
Oh, good choice for a first-day-of-class, tone-setting fragrance! I think iris does have that in control feel about it, and it’s usually subtle enough that it’s almost subliminal! (Although, admittedly, ISM is on the stronger side of the iris-scented spectrum!)
I have chosen to use my summers to recuperate and catch up on non-work projects, so I think you’re brave to teach when you could be resting!
I feel the same way about No. 19, and wear it sometimes when I want to feel and show that I’m in control.
Good Morning NST Family. I just received a few days ago my “fragrance shot box” of all 10 scents from the Jo Loves line. I am really enjoying it. Today my SOTD is “No. 42 The Flower Shop” from Jo Loves. It is the perfect summer scent. It has a nice mixture of peonies and moss (2 of my favorite notes). Very nice!
I am on summer vacation right now since school is out (I’m a school counselor), so Mondays aren’t big deal to me right now. Get back to me when we go back to work. Then, I will tell you that Mondays are tough for me.
Ah, but there’s something delicious about that first Monday that would be a work day but isn’t, because you are finally on summer break!
It is a fabulous feeling. That first Monday morning when you wake thinking you overslept and will be late. Then you realize summer vacation has began and you can roll right back into bed and fall back asleep. Can’t beat that feeling!
I am really interested to know what you think of those – I have read that the Gardenia is excellent and would love to know your thoughts when you get a chance?
I can tell you that each of them has that “clean” smell like the original Jo Malone fragrances. The Gardenia is quite pleasant, but personally I am not a fan of gardenia. If you are a fan, then you would definitely love it. “A Shot of Thai Lime” and “A Shot of Muguet & Cedar” are amazing. Never smelled anything quite like those two. My favorites out of the ten are “No. 42 The Flower Shop” and “Orange Tulle”. All ten are unique in its own right and Jo Malone fans won’t be disappointed. I love the line a lot. Hope this helped a bit.
Thank you – that helped a lot and I think that has persuaded me to either get the sample set or manage to make it to the shop some weekend. Also really intrigued by perfumes unlike any you’ve smelled before. The website also lists some really unusual candle smells as well. Am looking forward to trying the Gardenia since, as you’ve probably guessed, I can definitely be a fan when it’s well done
Blanche de Bois from Parfums Lalun is what I’m sampling today. It is interesting but not quite me. Must look up the notes since this was part of my sample acquiring binge a few months ago. No problems with Mon or any other day really
La Fille de Berlin today. Smells much nicer to me in cold weather, and one of my favourite roses.
I work random shifts, so Mondays and weekends mean nothing to me. I did just have a ‘normal’ weekend however, and bf and I both had it off, as he works random shifts also. He knows I love Viggo Mortensen, so we went to see Two Faces of January. I’m sure that means I’ll now have to watch Dead Snow 2. Lol.
Monday night bedtime scent is now L’air de Rein. Love everything about it except the reference to the smell of Jane Birkin’s brother’s hair. I just find that a bit creepy..
It’s so nice to be wearing my winter scents again after such a long summer!
I love, love, loooooove L’Air de Rien. That would be on my desert island list. It’s summer here, but I want to wear it now!
I actually like it most in the summer time!
Monday’s are tough. I feel like I work/operate at half-speed and get very little done. I use to be hard on myself about this, but now I just accept it and do the best I can. With technology/iphone/bb I would say my employer gets enough out of me all the other days of the week!
SOTD for me: Cuir de Lancome. It is a very good Monday scent as the enjoyment it gives me counteracts being back in my cubicle & back to work, argh!
I hear good things about Cuir de Lancome, and have a sample in the mail. Looking forward to trying it – am just discovering the beauty of leather scents.
I love it. I could easily where it every day.
It is fascinating to me that the leather scent is created thru the birch and styrax. I’ve enjoyed learning more about these notes.
I hope you love it too!
Keiko Mecheri’s Loukhoum Parfum du Soir. The weather is grey, I’m on self-imposed office lockdown trying to crank though a big project, and I wanted something ridiculously sweet and cheerful to keep me going. I’m almost done with my sample, but don’t want to get a FB – so this might be on my split wishlist for the next NST split meet. I’ve never tried the original or poudree versions – if you’ve tried all three, how do they compare?
OJ Frangipani – an almost perfect summer floral (I’m still looking for the perfect one).
SOTD is Montale Jasmin Full. I am enjoying it very much, jasmine, orange flower, and a tiny bit of honey. Not indolic like my Sarrasins, and a great choice for a summer day though I think it would work well all year round.
I am retired now so Mondays, thankfully, are not the dreaded back-to-work days they once were.
I’m wearing Byedo La Tulipe today and it’s nice in the warm, but not hot summer weather we’re having right now. I agree with the thoughts that Sunday night can be worse than Monday morning. Too much time to think about the week ahead and all that has to be done.
JLo Still (one of my four or so go-to office scents at the moment – and a top pick for when I have no meetings so don’t need to smell particularly authoritative).
Mondays are okay. They do pass more slowly than the other weekdays, it seems. But I love watching the Bachelorette/Bachelor franchise with my guy and a good meal so there’s something to look forward to.
Wearing my favorite for hot weather; Eau de Courrèges.
I love the freshness of it, and the fact very few people know/wear it.
It’s the kind of fragrance that always puts me in a better mood.
Unfortunately no scent of the day yet, since I have a headache and perfume seems to make them worse! Does anyone else have a problem with scents and headaches, and do you have any fragrances that don’t irritate your head? Just wondering.
If I have a headache (usually just sinus around here), I won’t put on perfume. I just don’t want to smell anything! My own perfumes don’t give me headaches, but I’ve discovered that some I’ve tested will (I’m looking at you Amouage!).
Hope you feel better soon!
Thanks! Guess I’ll just skip the perfume today!
I usually skip perfume when I have a headache, so I’m no help, but hope it fades soon!
Dentist appointment earlier today so I had to make it through the morning unscented, but back at work I found a tiny sample of Kilian’s Taste of Heaven in my desk that I’d forgotten I had. (There are quite a few nearly empty samples in my desk…) This is about the most wearable—maybe the only wearable—lavender perfume I’ve tried.
SOTD: Anna Sui’s Magic Romance.
I really do hate Mondays! It’s by far the busiest work day for me, and I only get to see my boyfriend on weekends, so when that alarm clock goes off on Monday mornings, I get rather sad thinking it will be almost another week until I get to see him again.
But at least I smell nice!
I don’t like Mondays. I used to go to a knitting group on Monday nights, which gave me something to look forward to and they weren’t so bad. But the place we used to meet closes too early now and I don’t really knit much anymore
SOTD is Chanel Cristalle (again!). I am feeling like trying something new for tomorrow though – I do love reading about what everyone else is wearing and why. I also have a few contenders for Friday that I am excited about.
Another thumbs down for Mondays. I have a stack of field reports on my desk that need to be coordinated and then input into our tracking system. I simply HATE doing data entry, but that’s the only way to get the data in the system to generate the reports I need for my Tuesday meeting. Thankfully it’s only one day a week and I get to hand it off when I’m traveling ( which is often
).
We’ll be pushing 90 all week this week so I broke out the tea scents. Today’s is Aroma M Geisha Haruka. It’s pretty much straightforward black tea – no flowers, no fruit. And it’s as refreshing as a glass of iced tea up straight.
Hot and humid here so I’m wearing Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete, which I probably should have saved for Friday’s Forgotten Friends!
I’m with the “dread Monday on Sunday evening, but it’s not so bad once it’s here” crowd!
That is a nice one–I wonder if the restrictions will keep that one from being reintroduced.
Fareb Huitieme Art Parfums in the morning and Eau d’Italie now.
From today I have a vacancy so… happy day, nice and lazy.
The only Huitieme I have tried is Myrrhiad, which I like. How is Fareb? Have you tried others?
No, it’s the only I tried. Very spice, very dry, like a dessert sand. Nice and unusal. But I can’t wear it the whole day, I am tired from it.
And what is your experience?
Honoré des Prés Bontes Bloom which smells like a warm dry field of wild summer flowers. A little green, a little dusty, and a bit floral, but in a unkempt sort of way.
Giving l’eau de magnolia it’s third chance, I’m still underwhelmed, so in the purgatory it goes
oh jeez, I didn’t care for it, and thought I was the only one…
Sarah Horowitz Perfect Nectar, Tropical fruit bowl. It’s something I’d never buy, I won it and find it nice every once in a while.
SOT(yester)D: Busted out my brand new bottle of White Musk Libertine (finally). I like it; it’s nice and powdery, although for more musk action I would turn to the original purple one.
Mondays are a much-looked-forward-to-day-off after a crazy work weekend for me.
Wearing Cuir de Lancome today (Floragal and I are scent twins! :D) I was thinking earlier that I want to get a bottle of this, and I just found one for a good price on Ebay, so I put in a bid. It ends in 7 hours, so I’ll find out soon if I won it.
You smell marvelous!
Why do you think those bottles on eBay are so cheap?
Less than $50 including shipping! I don’t get it. It’s such a great scent.
Hope you win!!!
I don’t know, but I’ve seen it on Amazon for not too much more. I don’t see any on Amazon now, but when I was considering a blind buy, it was around $50, if I remember correctly. This one was $45 with free shipping, and I won! I was the only bidder, as a matter of fact.
SOTD = Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au thé blanc
I work with a perfume phobic person and this one got by him today. It is very soft and comfortable for summer. Next I want to retry Omnia Crystalline. I think that may fly under the radar too. Both are forgotten friends so I am getting a head start for Friday!
If you like au the blanc, you should Bvlgari au the vert. I love au the blanc and recently bought au the vert based on so many great reviews here. It’s lovely and very subtle, and perfect for summer. Might fly past the perfume phobe too.
SOTD was Guerlain Vetiver and then after work I tried EL Private Collection on one wrist and Knowing on the other. I really liked both! It was kind of surprising because outside of sensuous noir and the three private collection florals I tend to find EL fragrances pretty strident and obnoxiously soapy. I was happy to find that the Private Collection is a kind of tidy clean green I don’t mind at all and it’s refreshing to smell a clean fragrance without the ubiquitous white musk drydown! Knowing is of course a rose chypre and I have yet to dislike a chypre. Nom!
I don’t mind mondays because I tend to work weekends, so there’s not a lot of difference – more meetings, of course, but at this time of year there’s hardly anything going on. I’m a childless university employee and research never takes time off! I’m looking forward to my holidays…
Interesting observations – hope you have great holidays!
SOTD – Charlotte by Sweet Anthem. Notes listed are roseleaf, snow, lavender and peony. I was skeptical about being able to identify the snow…but think I can. The fragrance is very crisp and floral – quite nice.
This is a repeat of my post today from Robin’s generous draw: I’ve been wanting to share about my lovely afternoon learning about perfume making with Meredith at Sweet Anthem. We spent a couple hours talking fragrance and testing individual accords. It was really interesting to smell JUST vetiver, and JUST osmanthus. Then I started putting together base, heart and head notes. It was so much fun and I really felt like I was creating something magical. I ended up combining tobacco, peony, and tomato leaf perfume oil. It does sound like a strange combination, but I think it will be beautiful and interesting. I’m letting it brew for a week and then will be able to wear it…very exciting!
Where is this place located where you can create your own fragrances? That would be a dream come true for me. I would absolutely love to do that. And peony is one of my absolute favorite notes. Please tell us how your creation turns out. While you are waiting for it to come to its essence, you must come up with a name for it! Congrats on your fantastic day!
They’re in Seattle.
Yes, in West Seattle to be exact. It’s worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood. Meredith said that she does about one class a month, with up to 3 people. I was lucky to have a private lesson. I am excited to report back the results!
That was a nice birthday gift! Thanks for sharing. If you love your new frag, you could call it Eau de Nightingale
Yes! Or maybe Florence.
How exciting! Coincidentally, I just got my Sweet Anthem samples order today! They’re all untested and I would be curious to see which one I end up picking “randomly” for sample grab bag Friday
which I think is in a few weeks. I do have to “curate” them (all the candidate samples, not just Sweet Anthem) first and eliminate anything funky that a vial / atomizer sniff detects.
I cannot wait to learn what you think! Next time I’m there I’d like more time to sample. It’s a super cute spot and smells fabulous!
That sounds wonderful – both the experience and your creation!
Definitely a wonderful experience. I just took a sniff of my creation – it will be difficult to wait the week!
SOTD = Prada Infusion Fleur d’Oranger
Lucas’ weekend post was about summer perfumes and he included this one. I am doing a Forgotten Friends Week. My criteria is something I haven’t worn in the past 2 months from my non-sample collection. I already have my Friends lined up ready to be spritzed; it’s just a matter of choosing which one to wear each day!
What a good idea!
Trying Mugler Cologne, which I have been curious about for a while. I have a bit of a cold, which has made my Monday a bit blue-er than usual, but I’m just glad I can still (kind of) smell things!
What did you think of the Mugler? I too have been curious about it. Sorry to hear you are a little under the weather. Hope you feel better soon.
I need to try it more (and with a fully functional nose!) to give a full opinion of it, but so far I am very much enjoying the bright citrus, which has a nice green, bitter-ish edge to it. Overall it reminds me a bit of Sel de Vetiver (which I love), both being slightly soap-y to my nose in the best possible way!
I love Mugler Cologne. It may not be what I would choose for a desert island but if I ended up with it on said island I would be okay with it. It is always appropriate and never irritating.
That might make a good Friday SotD: scents that always work and don’t bore.
I wish I was wearing something lush and glamorous for Summer, like Hothouse Flower. Alas, I’m nursing a baby with a triple-digit fever, so my SOTD is a miasma of chicken broth, rice porridge…and berry-flavored infant Motrin. LOL.
Ugh. I hope everyone is well and ready for some summer glamor like a some SL Datura Noir or EL Brasil Dream.
Oh, my, both sound gorgeous! I will have to hunt down samples when my cash flow improves
My youngest is almost 12, but I still know exactly what that Motrin smells like! I hope your little one is feeling better!
Thanks, Nightingale. It is a powerful (and sickeningly sweet) smell, can’t blame my little one for HATING it so!
Her fever has come down from alarm bell level, though, so I can’t complain…too much…LOL.
Definitely the minority here, but I don’t mind Mondays. After four days at home with my 3-year-olds, it’s kind of nice to send them off to preschool and enjoy the blissful silence. They are my heart, but they test my patience constantly.
SOTD was Chanel 31 RC. Rainy here today, so it was perfect.
SOTD is Lorenzo Villoresi Dilmun. I had to wait for the mail to arrive in order to wear it. Very nice; reminds me of Seville a l’Aube, but less sweet, and woody instead of waxy. Unfortunately, when I reapplied this evening after washing the dishes, I failed to get all the latex smell off my hands and arms, and it’s made for an unpleasant combination. Like Bulgari Black, except horrible.