How's your Monday so far? And what's your fragrance today?
I'm wearing The Different Company De Bachmakov.
Reminder: this Friday, 10/10, wear a fragrance you discovered via a blog or other online review, and link to the review if you can. Bonus points for not linking to a review on Now Smell This, since everyone commenting here already knows about Now Smell This — hopefully this will help all of us expand our perfume reading!
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.
Estee Lauder Sensuous for me. I put this one away all summer, so I’m going a little crazy on it as it gets cooler.
You smell great!
This morning I put on some Annick Goutal. I believe that it is Grand Amour. Unfortunately the label that has the name of the fragrance is gone. Can you tell the name of a fragrance from the number on the lable at the bottom of the bottle? Anyway, the number is 584.
the number on my Grand Amour is 396. What does the fragrance smell like? Grand Amour has quite a lot of hyacinth in it, and a powdery drydown.
It probably isn’t Grand Amour then, because I’m getting a spicy drydown, not powdery. In fact it’s been spicy throughout.
Maybe Sables?
Wearing AG Eau du Sud today. The sun is out and it is a nice crisp fall day and this one felt right.
Love that one!
Eau du Sud is perfect for early fall!
I’m doing a Nicolaï week so today I’m wearing Baladin. It’s nice and wearable but not as great as New York or N. pour Monsieur.
I like Bachmakov, I bought a partial bottle of it on ebay a couple of years ago.
I have a decant. They’ve stopped doing the fancy label on the new bottles, I think, but it’s no cheaper 🙂
I love those bottles though. They are very good looking. I got the estagnons of Divine Bergamote and Bois d’Iris when they were still quite cheap. They are really brilliant as they protect the perfume so well.
Is Bergamote your favourite TDC?
No, I really liked Bergamote but don’t adore it. Did a split of an Estagnon but it didn’t keep well, and did not replace it.
I think the De Bachmakov might be my favorite at this point, with Bois d’Iris second?
De Bachmakov is quirkier and greener. My favourite is probably Osmanthus, but I wear Bergamote the most. It’s probably my most worn citrus.
I’m not doing a week, but I am wearing Patchouli Intense today. It’s one of my absolute favorite scents.
SOTD so far is Concentree d’Orange Verte (Hermes)
You smell great, of course!
SOTD is Ambre des Marveilles. I’m on the look out for a good amber fragrance, so I am testing samples. I can’t believe that I don’t have one as I have always loved amber fragrances. Actually, I think the one that got me started was Amber Romance from Victoria’s Secret …
A favorite camp counselor wore Amber Romance. She let me wear a little every Friday night 🙂
Aww, how fun! It was my special, going out perfume when I was 18 (actually I just had the lotion, but it was very strong).
Ha, super scent twins! Amber Romance in lotion form was _my_ going out scent when I was 18 as well. Though I mean “going out” in a very loose sense, since I usually just applied it and found [mis]adventures on my college campus.
Wearing Ambre des Marveilles too, on a grey, not-yet-rainy day. It’s the only Hermès I’ve come across with any lasting power.
It only lasts ok on me, but I think I have perfume devouring skin 🙁
Amber Romance was my “gateway” amber too – no shame! I really like Ambre des Merveilles, it might be my fall purchase.
From what I remember, it wasn’t too sweet and is fairly sophisticated. But I haven’t tried it recently, so who knows! Around that time I also had CSP Abricot Vanilla and I can not even handle that sugar bomb now, but I almost drained the bottle.
Big fan of Ambre de Merveilles; so soft and cozy. Another good amber worth looking into is Histoire de Parfums’ Ambre 114 and you can get a small bottle (15ml I think?) for $36.
May I recommend Sonoma Scent Studio Amber Noir? It has some pretty rose in it too, and going by your screen name, you might like that as well!
That sounds delicious, thanks for the recommendation! I’ll have to order some samples from them when their online shop opens back up in late October 🙂
Have you tried Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J, Annick Goutal Ambre Fétiche and Bvlgari Black? All three are beautiful ambers but won’t cost you arm and leg.
I still can’t believe that I haven’t tried Bvlgari Black, as it is available so many places. Black and Ambre Fetiche sound right up my alley, with the amber and leather. And then iris with Calamity J – iris being another favorite note. Thanks for the suggestions!
If you can’t easily get them, e-mail me and I’ll send you some samples.
Nobile 1942 Ambra Nobile is my favorite amber. It would also be worth trying Pd’E Cuir Ottoman, which is almost more like a sandalwood amber than a leather.
CBIHP Burning Leaves for a drive down to the Mosaic District in Virginia. Anyone ever been?
I grew up in Maryland and never even heard of it! Have fun…
It opened two years ago, Robin! They have an art house movie theater, an Anthropologie, a farmer’s market- I’m thinking it might be a perfect spot for a perfume shop! 😉
Ah, just looked it up…in Fairfax. Looks perfect, sort of like what they’ve tried to do in Silver Spring but maybe more upscale/funky?
My sister has just moved to Arlington for a year (in between overseas stints) and VA sounds very different than it used to be.
Looks like a lot of fun. I miss cool shopping!!!
My SIL lives in South Riding in Fairfax Co… she calls Mosaic “one of those deliberately quirky-yet-luxurious designer neighborhoods.” But keep in mind that she grew up on a farm in SW Va, too. 🙂
I grew up in a city and I’d still call Mosaic “one of those deliberately quirky-yet luxurious designer neighborhoods.” It’s a cute area, though, there’s a bunch of food, and the theater’s nice. If they opened a perfume shop, though–besides being the end of me–I’d move in!
Beats the deliberately upscale but not quirky designer neighborhoods, which perfectly describes much of suburban DC these days!
Indeed. A lot of neighborhoods in my city are going the same way. Light on soul, heavy on the fees.
I lived in an apartment building there while they were ripping everything up to build it, then moved away in time for it to open. I have a knack for causing everything around me to get ripped up in 10-year construction projects.
CSP Bois de Filao which is a sheer-ish woody floral with just a touch of oud/or oud like scent.
Oh, I like that one! I miss “old” CSP.
Haven’t worn that in ages. Right time of year for it, though.
Vintage Anais Anais, EdP. This one was left undisturbed in the back of my closet for a few years, since every time I wear it my husband has to say that it was gradmma´s perfume, which is so unsexy. But the interesting thing is that now I´m getting a lot of greenery that I did not catch at all before, which is crazy, because it seems like a totally different perfume! Where is the dim light, the amber tone I experienced before? What the heck I was thinking? Anais Anais is a sunny green field!
My love of greens goes way way back – I used to wear Anais Anais. Certainly never smelled of grandmas… or perhaps just really good grandmas 🙂
Don’t know how old it is, or whether it might be a difference in concentration… for myself, the more recent stuff smells very different than the old (my mother wore the EdT when I was a tween). For writer Flora at Perfume-Smellin’ Things, the concentrations are very different.
Could be your perceptions changing, but it could be differences in teh fragrance, as well.
That was a wonderful fragrance. I’ve still got some of the older version the EDT. I’m afraid I don’t like the new one.
Anaïs Anaïs was my first serious perfume!
Mine too!
I woke up to 40 degrees in the Nation’s Capitol so I reached for one of my favorite fall/winter scents, Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory by Bond No. 9.
Ugh. Not quite that cold here but close.
I’m loving this weather and I’m a Florida native!
It’s sunny and warmed up quickly into the low 70s, so it’s the best time of the year in DC (unless you really love spring pollen).
I’m wearing Le Labo Poivre 23 again and really liking it. I rediscovered my little sample just as the city exclusives became unavailable again, which is probably a good thing for my wallet.
Le Labo too, but Rose 31, an autumn scent for me, so it’s nice to wear it again after a longer hiatus
That would be nice in autumn! I almost wore it last week (chose Safran Troublant instead) and will have to get my decant back out again for this week.
SOTD are the remnants of Sacrebleu which still smell great more than 24 hours later.
Also in response to nozknoz– I tried the 2 Cartier scents in comparison to PG Arabian Horse which I still prefer. l’ Heure Fougueuse smelled a little more horsey of the 2 Carriers but it was sort of sour on me. La Treizieme Heure was a great rich smoky tea leather on me with a dry vanilla in its base
thegoddessrena, thank you so much for the comparison! I’m impressed that you appreciate La Treizieme but still prefer Arabian Horse. I will definitely try it as soon as it’s more readily available.
Just put on a little Absolue pour le Soir. Holy moly I forgot how animalic this stuff is. It’s a good thing I work from home!
But the drydown is so worth the wait!
SOTD is SL Diam Blonde. This is lovely stuff… there’s a tiny bit of heliotrope that peeks thru. I keep huffing (the perfumista salute) hoping to get another hit. This will go on my FB list, I think, but I’ve a long way to go before draining my decant.
I noticed it selling on LS in the haute parfum edition. Is this different from the regular bottles? Is there a difference between that and the ‘regular’ version? I’m not quite sure what I’ve got on but it seems really light.
I love Daim Blonde! I’ve wondered about SL’s “haute concentration” as well. Hope someone knows.
Nokonoz and CM, Daim Blond is one of my faves too, worthy of a FB. Basenotes has a thread on the haute concentrations: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/187962-Serge-Lutens-Concentration. In my experience it’s try strong and persistent.
SoTD is 4160 Tuesday’s Urura’s Tokyo Cafe, which was reviewed here – liking it a lot. Very sweet and strong for the first hour then faded down.
Today, I am too lazy to really put a whole lot of effort in SOTD and went with no 5.
Can’t go wrong with no. 5. Waft away, Dawn!
I almost chose No 5 edt today, but I wanted something a little more cozy. I went with Bottega Veneta. Any of the No 5 iterations and BV are my fav go-to scents.
SOTD is Ambre Narguilé to shield myself from the suddenly autumnal weather.
Also caved in and treated myself to a large bottle of Rose Jam.
SOTD:Jimmy Choo Man Jimmy Choo for men
Wearing Black Opium
SOTD is Ivoire, the new version. I have mixed feelings about it. After wearing it for 10 hours I can say that (a) it works well in autumn weather (cool-ish), better than in warm weather for me; and (b) there is something screechy but I can’t put my finger on it.
I’ll probably spray on something else for the evening: either L’Air de Rien or Mazzolari Lei.
I had a hectic morning, so it was a dip into the untried sample basket for me. I pulled out Atelier Silver Iris. Hey, I thought, finally an Atelier scent that I can like (Vanilla Insensee was just hideous on me). But alas, another Atelier fail for me. This is a jumbled mess of notes that don’t really fit together – black currant, iris, vanilla and amber. Doesn’t sound horrible, but it comes off as vanilla with jam and pencil shavings. At least on me. I guess this line and I are simply not meant to be.
The kill shot, though, was that it set me to sneezing. I am remarkably allergy free (yes!!) when it comes to perfume, but this one made me sneeze and made my eyes water. Eeek.
Oh no to the sneezes! I’m sorry to hear that, Silver Iris is my favorite Atelier so far (though admitedly I haven’t tried that many). I wonder what the offending ingredient was…
I have yet to find an Atelier that works for me as well. Vanille Insensee was so sharp and screechy it gave me a headache. Orange Sanguine seems to get a lot of love, but I hate it. The few times I wore it I felt like I had bathed in Tropicana OJ. Something about the Ateliers…
I have that trouble with the Goutals – so far they’re either headache-inducing or I just don’t like them. I wonder sometimes if it’s something in a common base material that’s the problem.
None of them really work for me, either, except perhaps Rose Anonym. I might find it FB worthy if I did not already have BK Rose Oud.
SOTD (and last evening) is Mona di Orio Vanille from a sample. Love this stuff and wish I could spring for a bottle but it’s beyond my cuff off point. So sad!
Last night was the first night without AC in months and it was just wonderful! So far the humidity is way down and temp in the 70’s although it’s supposed to heat up to mid to high 80’s- such a bummer!
Hope autumn is treating everyone well with cool temps, beautiful leaves, and a whiff now and again of wood smoke 🙂
Wearing Vol de Nuit parfum again and enjoying it much, much more than I did last time I wore it. Lovely in this slightly cool weather, and so elegant. Darn, I didn’t want to end up liking such an expensive one. 🙂
Are you testing the current version?
Yes, I have a sample of the current version. I’m always afraid to get attached to an old version I know will only get harder and harder to come by, but I can only imagine what I’m missing.
VdN is an excellent fall fragrance! I have to wear mine soon.
Agree, it’s perfect for fall!
Keep It Simple Monday scent is L’Occitane Miel & Citron, warmth and comfort on a chilly, gloomy day.
I have a small decant of that which I always forget to wear. I see the citron and think it’s a summery perfume, then put it on and remember it’s not! It is lovely and comforting, but more for cooler weather.
Yes, it dries down to a vanilla/ patchouli/honey note on me, very nice in cooler weather. I also have the shimmer version which has a stronger lemon note and is brighter, lighter and wonderful in summer.
Went with Love, Chloe this morning, since I haven’t worn it in months. Getting a lot of peppery sweetness, which both pleases and irritates me at the same time.
Must mean I need my coffee.
Vanilla by Les Voiles Depliees. I cannot say I am a big fan of gourmand scents (although I crave them sometimes), but this one is really nice. This is a pretty combination of vanilla and rum, cosy and sweet, but not cloying. But you must like vanilla to appreciate it.
It’s cold here, and I finally busted out my sample of Dior blah blah leather oud. It reminds me of a good old-fashioned, subtly spiced/smoked leather perfume. It settled into the skin nicely, but the part that got on my shirt has more definite smoke to it. I was worried it might be rude, but I don’t think so?
However they sell it by the expensive gallon, so I am unlikely to get more…
There are some decants for sale on eBay, not that I am shooting for *my* enabler pin or anything…
If you look at FB split group(s) you’ll, most likely, find a very reasonably priced decants. Thanks to those huge bottles (I still disapprove Dior’s not making it in, at least, 30 ml bottles) price per ml is more than reasonable for the quality, in my opinion.
How do you find FB split groups?
I sent you two invites (to the e-mail from your profile). I’m not an admin in those groups but I hope they will approve you.
Thank you!
eep, I’m that rare bird who’s not on facebook…
maybe someone will do a swap with me, or vouch for me or something.
the FB group should crosspost with NST!
There are some nice little Dior minis on ebay – not sure if that particular one.
This Monday was rather tough, full of final deadlines and endless meetings. I’m going to relax, drink tea and read novels all night to make up for it.
I wore Blenheim Bouquet by Penhaligon for its fresh sharpness and long duration (for a cologne). I only got one comment on my choice, by my mother, who claimed I stunk of forest, all sharp and tannic. Why thanks! She does think anything from pure patchouli oil to tarry incenses to herby lemon smells like forest. She is probably right, there’s a lot of different scents in a forest. I rather like most of them.
LOL – forests don’t stink!!
I’m wearing PdN Odalisque, which although very beautiful, seems a bit staid for an autumn afternoon. A good one to wear to the symphony, as it has low sillage. 🙂
You might want something a bit “warmer” perhaps. But it most certainly won’t offend anyone.
I think my sample of Odalisque was off when I tried it because there was something really unpleasant in it (“old perfume” vibe) – and I haven’t seen anybody else complaining.
Wit again. I’ve just been in the mood for pretty lately and it’s the prettiest perfume I have. My decant is going quick and I just ordered another, there may be a FB in my future.
Today is turning out to be a Monday so I’m glad I didn’t choose anything challenging. My boss, Dr. Easy Going, isn’t feeling well and is being a grump so I’ve banished him to his office and am trying to deal with the normal Monday craziness without his “help” 😐
Wit is so beautiful! Even though it doesn’t smell of Daphne I was looking for, I liked it on its own when I tried it. If Parfums DelRae introduces smaller bottles (they were conducting a poll on Twitter about that), I’ll snatch a small bottle of it in no time!
Yes and yes. Beautiful stuff, wish there were a smaller bottle of it available.
Demeter Incense. I’m on the road and it’s the only thing I brought with me. Lucky it’s so good!
I still haven’t gotten around to this one, need to try it soon.
I’m testing Oeillet Bengale today. I love it except for that sour note I detect sometimes in frankincense. It was in L’Orphelline the other day, too. Fortunately, it’s only apparent if I cram my wrist into my nose, so not a deal-breaker, but probably not a buy, either.
By Kilian Amber Oud. Thankfully it’s 95% amber and 5% of what smells more like cedar than oud. It is too light to ever consider an fb, but I do like my travel spray.
With all the ambers that I have, I don’t think I’ll go for the FB of Amber Oud but it’s different enough for me to enjoy wearing it from the decant I bought. But a travel size after that might be also a good idea.
You smell great!
I”m not much of an amber fan, or an oud fan… so of course, I liked it. I think what I particularly enjoyed was the silky smoothness of it – and yes, it’s light for an amber.
After a long drive taking relatives to the airport and helping elderly parents get over the relatives leaving, I have the rest of the day to myself and just put on Kerosene Black Vines layered with a little Kiehl’s Musk. Smells delicious!
I love Kiehl’s musk, always carry it in my purse.
It’s pretty much my favorite musk and I layer it with everything.
I need to try it! Thanks fur reminder. That, and their cedar/vanilla scent.
I am wearing L’Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant, a gift from my husband last christmas. I love it, but would like it to last a little longer. I bring a little decant with me to the office, so that I can re-spritz a few times during the day.
Today begins the grand Serge Lutens Experiment/Shenanigans. I decided to approach these perfumes in chronological order/odor to see if I could find one that I love or that speaks to me or lasts or all three. Today I began with the one that started it all Shiseido Nombre Noir, small sample obtained from Surrender to Chance. So I could really confuse myself, I also ordered Vintage Dior Dolce Vita, rumored to be one of the rejected formulas for Nombre Noir. So with Nombre Noir on the left hand and Dolce Vita on the right I embark on my Lutensian journey…..
What an interesting experiment! Do you actually hope to find one that you’ll like enough to buy or not to find one? 🙂
I really wish to find one! It will probably be in the non- export line knowing my luck……..
About 1 hour in, I completely understand why Nombre Noir is one of the great lost perfumes. Texturally, perfectly balanced between soft and hard, fuzzy and crisp. I cannot really compare it to anything currently in production, though it’s plummy ness is reminiscent of Dior Poison, without the spikey clove and loud tuberose. Nombre Noir is not very loud but still very present, I get tones of old wood and dust, which is very evocative of the Japanese house I lived in as a child…..
It was cold this morning–the heat went on in my building! One spray of CdG Zagorsk is doing nicely.
I love Zagorsk, or any woody incense, on a cold day 🙂
I’m wearing Diptyque’s Volutes EdT today: it works for me perfectly both in the heat (we’re having a heat wave) and in the cold (our office AC strives to keep us all young).
Hah, I should be better preserved after so many years in cold AC! 😉
Well, you won’t know what would have been without it 😉 (not unless you have a twin who spent all that time without an AC)
Good points! 🙂
I love so much reading about everyone’s choices, day after day. Even though, as a newbie, I haven’t smelled most of what is named, I still love the evocative descriptions, almost reviews by way of aphorisms to decipher.
My SOTD is the newly launched GIRL. I’ve heard some people describe the sweetness of it, but on me it’s very dry, primarily wood and violet (and maybe the vetiver? still new at identifying discrete scents by name). But it’s so faint! I’ve applied three times through the course of the morning and it’s almost gone again. Sad, because I quite like it. I keep hoping to smell the iris, though….
Carthusia Mediterraneo for me today. Having another heat wave here in SoCal, so summer perfumes are still in the rotation. Hoping it cools down soon. I like warm weather, but it has been 10-20 degrees above average for the last month or so.
My Monday is so-so. The weather is crisp and very sunny, which is nice to help elevate my mood. SOTD is Bottega Veneta. One thing I do love about this formula is that it’s so light I can just spray away. Normally anything a) oriental and b) that I’d save for cool weather needs to be applied with such a light hand. I like that I can just get all spritzy.
Spraying perfume is the best part! Plus, Bottega Veneta is a fun one: the spray is so fine and fans out so nicely.
It does have a very fine sprayer. I think BV did a great job with the whole thing.
Memo Manoa. I read about a new perfume by Memo and it reminded me to pull out my Memo decant.
Robin, did I read somewhere that there is going to be a swapmeet this month? 🙂
Yes, on the 18th. There’s now a list of upcoming events on the bottom of the right column, but only if your screen is large enough to show the right column 🙂
Ahh, I see it now. Great feature! Thank you! 🙂
By Killian Beyond Love from a small sample spray picked out in a hurry. Death by Tuberose! I think I would like it better in warmer weather, but as of right now I can’t wait for it to be gone.
Big event today so went with a scent that is confidence boosting, comforting and long lasting: Dune by Dior
SOTD = Hermessence Paprika Brasil
… from a sample which I transferred to an atomizer. The Hermes boutique was out of this (and had been for a while) or I would have gotten this as part of the split I hosted recently. This is so close to skin so it is guaranteed not to offend anyone within intimate stranger smelling distance (aka the inside of an airplane).
For the rest of the week, I’ll be in Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris, all day, everyday.
And you will smell divine all week long 😉
I am obsessing over byredos gypsy water today, but it’s so sheer on me! I’ve gone through an entire ml sample in one day (I am usually all set with a tiny dab or spray of most perfumes). So I am covered in gypsy water, with a spray of dries van noten on one arm to give me something concrete to focus on. It’s actually a great, eyes rolling back in the head, combo.
Oh how I love that one!!! They have travel sprays at Barney’s which are a great size.
I’m wearing Lolita Lempicka Eau de Minuit today. We just had a nasty storm come through, and it’s down to the upper 60s – low 70s, which feels great now that it’s not raining.
Minuet is so good!
I’m testing Hermes Eau des Merveilles. I sort of almost like it, enough that I should probably keep trying it. It’s such an odd composition.
This evening I’ll indulge in Pd’E Cuir Ottoman, one of my favorites, especially in the fall.
It took me awhile to warm up to Eau de Merveilles, nozknoz. Now it’s one of my favorites, and I wear it practically every week.
SOTD is Hermes Bel Ami. I smell like falling leaves and warm leather. 🙂
That sounds wonderful!
Today was the first day I used my new pretty blue coat and new scarf, I matched the elegance with Amouage Memoir Woman 🙂
I’m waiting for it to get colder where I live to wear this beauty. But you realize that from now it’ll be how your scarf smells for a long while, don’t you? (not that it’s a bad thing)
Oh, true. That one sticks around on fabric.
… off to spray teal and gold pashmina with Memoir W…
I haven’t yet tried Memoir W, but you look fantastic!
Started off with Womanity, but after a while the pinkness began to irritate me so I raided my sample stash in my work locker on my break and upgraded to APOM, which was such an improvement! It’s one of the ones I still have the initial sample of because it was an immediate fb upgrade..
APOM Femme? I didn’t love the masculine one, but I am still dying to try the other.
Yes, pour femme. I haven’t tried the masculine version, but I find the women’s to be such a radiant and sunny orange blossom, it always puts me in a sunny day mood 🙂
Today I’m wearing the Chloe Roses flanker! I always have a rose fragrance and this one was purchased to take the place of YSL Paris which has a few sprays left in the bottle. The ‘original’ Chloe unfortunately reminds me of washing powder. It’s getting warmer in Brisbane, Australia where I live and I am moving towards lighter scents. Happy Monday (or Tuesday here)!
Lolita Lempicka Si Lolita edp. Not as evanescent as the edt, but still very light. It’s nice, with a pretty floral and a nicely judged amount of pink pepper, but…. Maybe I need to try spraying it. Maybe next week I’ll come across Carven at Sephora, and see if it’s a more satisfying sweet pea scent. (Got a little alliterative there.)