Happy Thursday! What's your scent of the day?
I'm wearing Comme des Garçons + Monocle Scent Two: Laurel, and wishing I had (small) bottles of all three Monocle scents.
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!
The following Friday, 10/17, wear one of the perfumes included in Michael Edwards' Perfume Legends (I've added a complete list at the end of the book review), or wear any fragrance from 1992 or before.
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.
Note: you can find the Comme des Garçons high top Converse sneakers at Dover Street Market.
Still sticking to my Nicolaï this week. Today I’m wearing the glorious Nicolaï pour Homme. Such a shame it was discontinued.
That was a nice one.
Pacifica Spanish Amber here!
A cheap thrill
They haven’t released a new scent in ages, wish they would!
Countdown until the Pacifica Oud release appears in your inbox?
(And yes, it is great!)
Ha!
They seem to have moved in the direction of makeup instead of fragrance.
Yes. I suppose the fragrance range is rather large already. I keep hoping they’ll top the Tibetan incense one
Spanish Amber is my favorite Pacifica fragrance! I’ve been carrying around the tin of solid perfume in my purse, which actually makes a pretty good hand cream.
I have the solid in my purse too. I like layering it with the Mexican Cocoa solid.
I was totally bummed yesterday – I had an errand to run about an hour away and was going to stop in a shop afterward so I could test some Pacifica, namely Spanish Amber and Tibetan Mountain Temple. Lo and behold, this shop doesn’t carry Pacifica anymore. I was so disappointed! I can’t test anything anymore!!
It’s feeling cooler in the mornings here and I’m wearing Dzing, which I seem to wear mostly in the fall.
I love Dzing!
Agree, Dzing! is great this time of year.
Dzing is one of my fall favorites! So perfect for the cooler weather.
My SOTD will be the same for tomorrow’s theme; Oeillet Bengale by Aedes. Its spicy and has incense and is perfect for fall/winter. I learned about this fragrance through NST and won the free bottle from one of the drawings. It is one of my new favorite fragrances!
So glad it worked out for you!
I’m wearing Tocca Margaux — a friend just gave me her bottle. It is about 100% synthetic woody/musky materials BUT it still smells good. Not as good as Sensuous Noir, but good.
I do wish Tocca would try a *little* harder? So many of them are almost but not quite.
Yeah I’ve pretty much ignored the line completely until now! They seem related to Jo Malone, targeting a client base that’s not quite perfumista. I did buy a Tocca candle for my mother-in-law once, it smelled great.
How does one define “perfumista?”
People who read this blog!
This morning: HdP Violette
This arvo: Douce Amere
Tonight: Agent Prov L’Agent (again)
Is it more or less fun to answer these when the day is already over?
Sometimes I answer at the end of the day only because my day gets so busy I have no down time to comment. I prefer to participate earlier rather than later because when I comment at night I feel like my musings float out into oblivion. Hmmm….maybe that’s okay?
You know, a substantial number of people read these posts every day, far more than comment…so even when you don’t get answers, I do think someone read your comment! (well, and I nearly always read all the comments even when I don’t answer) And a number of people who registered just to answer these polls have said how helpful they find it to read the comments and get ideas.
If that helps
Even if I post earlier in the day, I still tend to check back in late in the evening just to read all the comments.
This is so true. I don’t always have time to comment, but I always find the time to read. I really look forward to reading these posts at the end of a long work day. I associate it with “me” time. It helps me unwind and, gives me ideas of what’s out there for me to try. It’s just fun! Keep the posts coming!!
I try to read even if I don’t feel much like commenting. It’s always a pleasant distraction.
Yes, definitely helpful.
Also, a reminder to myself that I often read and don’t comment, and on more than one occasion will read yesterday’s post today!
Same! It’s fun to see how the conversation builds over the course of the day. I usually check in on my bus rides to and from work, and sometimes at lunch.
As it’s always 12 hours ahead here I’ve never been in the position to comment on SOTD as I’m about to choose it, and that’s ok. It gives me the opportunity to comment on whether my choice was a good one or not..
The not so fun part is that I only get to ‘chat’ if I’m still up really late, like wee hours of morning.. If I go to bed at a reasonable hour then by the time I wake up the comments have petered out, so if I can I wait til 1030 or so, give my 2cents worth, then go to bed and when I get up check in on all the fun I’ve missed out on
It’s the same for me – the earlier the better, then I get to participate. I’m usually 7 or 8 hours ahead of (US) EST. BUT, this week and next I am in Washington DC, so I get to comment even on the “late” post!
I’m wearing Barbara Bui Le Parfum! It had already been discontinued by the time I found out about it and was this was one of my early perfumista discoveries as I explored heliotrope notes in perfumes. Instant Love!
A bottle was my very first ebay purchase. I wore it a lot at first but then it was shoved aside as I discovered more and more niche perfumes and more (and more) bottles/decants were added to my collection. So, after a long time of not wearing it, I feel like I’ve rediscovered it for the first time!
Incense + heliotrope + sandalwood = yum!
I’m ready for fall even though temperatures continue to hover in the 90s. Extra humid today.
Barbara Bui is lovely! I’ve never got past just having a sample, but it is definitely FBW!
Do wish somebody would do a copy of that one!
I almost got a sample of this, but decided not to, since I didn’t want to grow attached to something discontinued. You’re making it sound like it might be worth it, though!
I am wearing AG Petite Cherie. I thought about this one when I got up this morning and just had to spray it on.
You smell pretty!
One of my all-time favorites. It’s even better over Petite Cherie body lotion.
SOTD is Chanel No 5 edt. I just needed some of that No 5 something something to help make it through the day. Cheers!
I had fully intended to wear No. 5 today after just acquiring a sample. Unfortunately, I was dressing in the dark and couldn’t find it, so sprayed my go-to, no fail, lovely No. 19. Looking forward to sampling No. 5 and No. 5 eau premier!
Definitely report back when you do!
#5, #5 Eau Premiere & #19 : all great choices!
Well, you can’t go wrong with No 19 either! I am sure you will enjoy all your No 5 samples!
I’m wearing Divine L’Infante, rescued from a pile of little-used decants.
It makes me feel pretty.
Yay for Divine. Infante is such a lovely scent. I mostly wear it in spring or early summer.
Yes, I can see that it would be perfect for spring.
I wear it to bed on cool nights. You smell pretty too
I’m wearing the tiniest drop of Phoenicia Oud Taiga today, which was not a very comforting choice. I was much more in the mood for something warm and sweetish, so this one turned out to be a little emotionally unsettling. I’m very much looking forward to the samples I ordered that are being delivered today, which should give me lots of great choices for tomorrow!
I don’t know that one, but sorry it isn’t working today.
It’s cold out today, so I’m getting reacquainted with Kenzo Amour. I fell down the perfume-hole last December-ish, so I’m looking forward to seeing how my nose has changed/developed in my second cold-season of addiction
Have not worn that in ages, I should find my decant!
Fragonard’s Capucine, nice and powdery on this chilly morning.
I love powdery scents. Can the community recommend any scents that combine aldehydes and powder?
Anne Pliska is one of my all time favorite powdery warm scents! It’s like a cashmere sweater on a chilly day- soft and cuddly!
Frederic Malle Iris Poudre. Ferre by Ferre. The late, lamented (especially by me) Mariella Burani. Santa Maria Novella Melograno. Tableau de Parfums Miriam.
I’m not generally a fan of powdery amber/powdery vanilla, and sometimes I have trouble with powdery iris, but powdery aldehydes I love.
I’m seconding Melograno – since I’m wearing it now!
I couldn’t resist Melograno today, either!
RIP Marielle Burani. I am shedding perfumista tears. I’d also suggest Piguet Baghari (esp. for this time of year), and if you want cheap and fun: Chantilly from the local drugstore. It’s a pretty basic amber powder that layers well with a lot. At the costlier end of the spectrum is Montale Powder Flowers.
I second Baghari!
I love powdery! Amouage Dia and Fate are long time favorites. Tient de Neige is powder overload (not necessarily on the aldehydes though). Divine L’ame Soeur is also wonderful. Iris Poudre, as Mals mentioned, tops the list! What about something like SSS Champagne du Bois?
Thanks all, these are intriguing suggestions! This could be a fun fall hunt for me!
Seconding Divine L’ame Soeur!
Teint de Neige I’ve never smelled.
L’Ame Soeur doesn’t work for me (it goes sour for some reason), but that’s one worth trying. Also Etat Libre d’Orange Vraie Blonde and Guerlain Vega. Vega is now d/c, and was always expensive because it was one of those special collection thingies, but I imagine it’s still available here and there.
and for powdery but not so aldehydic try Habanita?
YES! How can I forget Habanita? Total second for this one – the queen of powders!!!
I’m trying Amaranthine this morning. I haven’t found it even vaguely dirty but it’s a pretty floral and I can see myself using a decant. Actually, I’m glad it’s office appropriate because I got carried away this morning and sprayed quite generously.
My skank detector must be broken because I’ve never really been floored by any of the supposed heavy hitters. I do get a bit from Jub 25 but not enough to be really impressed. Haven’t tried Bal a Versailles yet but I did get a sample which Bat found very interesting and kept trying to swipe. I think my cat may be a better judge than I so I have high hopes.
Amaranthine didn’t seem as dirty to me either as I’d thought it might be from things I’d read.
It’s not skanky on me at all. I wear it to church. Warm and lived-in, I can get that out of it, but no sleaze.
I sometimes get skank from stuff that other people don’t detect it in, though, so the issue may depend on skin or on perception.
Amaranthine is one that I do find quite skanky, so I only wear it at home! I do like it, though, and bought a bottle after using up my decant.
MikasMinion, I’m glad you found the same. I also don’t find Amaranthine at all skanky, and I really wonder about that. Am I anosmic to the skanky element? Am I hyperosmic to the clean notes, so that they cover it up? Or does my nose just interpret the skanky note differently? I wish I could smell the skanky compound(s) in isolation in order to answer this puzzle.
There certainly are perfumes that smell different to different people. Some commenters find L’AP Timbuktu fresh and foresty, while, others (like myself) find a cumin-salty celery note that smells sweaty very prominent.
I’m always paranoid about wearing anything in public that has a mixed reputation.
I still remember sniffing l’Air de Rien in a shop when it came out and thinking “nice and sweet” then having a friend recoil in horror and saying how raunchy it was to her. I still think it’s sweet and wearable and maybe only mildly stinky.
I used to not smell anything dirty in Amaranthine – it was a totally banana pudding on me. But recently, when I try and wear it, I get such a raunchy skank that I am almost embarrased to try and wear it in public, lest I blush and feel like I was on a special lunch…..
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Not an ounce of skank on me either. It’s one of my summer favourites.
L’air de Rein isn’t skank either. Hmm the only ones I can think of that do have any skank on me are the opening of Absolue pour le Soir, and Costume National Scent Intense- which to everyone else is a harmless amber!
L’Occitane brought back the limited ed Zeste de Citron douceur de creme, so I’m wearing that. If they’d bring back the Bonne Mere Honey hand wash (in the pump container), I’d be really happy!
L’Occitane’s US website has Bonne Mere Creamy Handwash in Honey (also available in Milk) in a 10 oz pump bottle. Don’t if that’s the same as what you had.
No affiliation, just polishing my enabler pin
oh that’s it, thanks. The SA told me it was disco’d & unavailable!
SOTD is Silk Way by Ted Lapidus- this also fits the theme for tomorrow’s SOTD as I learned about this on The Non-Blonde Blog and did a blind buy of a small bottle for super cheap. It’s one of the Blind Buys that really worked for me, thankfully!
It’s woody but refreshing at the same time. While it’s categorized as a Fruity Floral, I don’t get that. At all! I get what the non-blonde gets: woody-incensey- softness.
Hope everyone has a great day full of interesting odors
Yes! Ditto- all of it!
I am wearing Lush Dirty, which I put on to counteract the over the top lingering drydown from LouLou. I love LouLou, but yesterday was my first time to wear it in a while, and I had forgotten how long it lingered. I have a hard time with fragrances that are too sweet lingering into bedtime. I don’t sleep well with such vanillic sweetness in my nose. I have the same problem with Tocade. I love it during the day, but the lingering vanilla smell is an issue at bedtime.
I don’t really dig vanilla during the day, but it registers as “comfort scent” to me at bedtime, so that my few vanilla-y scents I actually reserve for bedtime!
I am not a huge vanilla fan, but so many of my cooler weather favorites seem to feature it in the drydown. Anyone with any suggestions for a less sweet vanilla finish?
It is my epic quest to find such vanillas! I don’t like cake batter or excessive sweetness. The best I’ve come up with so far is Diptyque’s eau Duelle. But I’ve hear the Atelier Vanille Incensee is very good, but have yet to test this. I like the iPdF Ambra del Nepal, but really, it’s more of a very dry vanilla amber than just vanilla.
I agree – I’ve recently discovered that I love vanilla, but I too can’t too the epically sweet or overly foody vanillas. I prefer Eau Duelle (EdT) to Vanille Incensee, but there’s something in Vanille Incensee that dries down to a bugspray on me (albeit a nice one?). I also got a bit more spice from Eau Duelle than Vanille Incensee, but that could just be me.
I’m very curious/excited to try the EdP version of Eau Duelle as well.
SOTD is a decant of Dior Addict. I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet, it seems like a nice soft oriental.
The more recent version is a nice soft oriental – but the older one packed a power punch
Still, the newer one may be a more appealing scent, though it is less strong and possibly less complex. I think it was reformulated 2008, or perhaps 2012?
Sacrebleu. Love this in cooler weather and, since I’m unemployed, I can apply enough to have some decent sillage.
I am sending Good Job Opportunity Vibes your way! Thumbs up for excellent sillage
Ditto!!
Me three!
One of the most fun parts of unemployment is spraying perfume with abandon. You will find something, sending good vibes your way! In the meantime, enjoy your perfume freedom.
It’s a strange perk, but it’s one nonetheless.
My kind of people to see heavy spraying as a perk of unemployment! Of course, we all know how I’ll celebrate once I get a job– with a new bottle of perfume (currently leaning towards Desamant or Arabian Horse)
Lol, love that reply!
And more lucky vibes are being sent your way
Bahaha, I like your style! I just recently found a job and celebrated with a bottle of Avignon. Sooooo awesome.
Today I’m wearing Incense Rose. Andy really has a way with roses. And for tomorrow, I could wear almost anything from my collection, with the exception of an old bottle of Fendi, since I’ve learned about all of them from blogs like NST.
I love Incense Rose!
I’m excited about tomorrow too – I have quite a few on the list.
Tropical storm Simon is sending some clouds and rain up to the Rockies today and we’ve chilled down considerably. Thursday has always been my ‘dip into the untried samples’ day and I got a lovely one, just perfect for today. I’m wearing Huitieme Art’s Ambre Ceruleen. This is beautifully put together and unfolds like a story on your skin. The opening is full of cinnamon, which morphs to lemon verbena, then the vanilla, clove and amber chime in along with a soupcon of something animalic. Next, like fog drifting on land from the ocean, a layer of powder drifts over the amber. That’s where the development rests. The only caveat so far is now that I’ve been wearing it for about 4 hours, it’s starting to break down a bit and I’m detecting the individual notes more. Perhaps that’s intended, since the scent is new to me, but it detracts from my enjoyment of it.
I’ll reapply a bit at lunch time, if for no other reason than to experience that interesting initial development.
Panthere de Cartier from a vintage mini–I love big blended florals and the civet note in this is delicious. I almost wore Alahine today but will save it for tomorrow since I learned about it on a blog.
I adore Alahine, probably more so because it is so not my usual thing. (But discovered it as an extra sample tossed in with a sample purchase, so can’t wear it tomorrow.)
I am wearing Pascal Morabito Or Black, which has been re-issued/re-formulated this year, but I am wearing the older formulation. It is a wonderful, dark, kind of tough leather (not studded leather jacket tough, but more tough-as-nails, leather car interior, hard nosed senior executive tough) fougere and it smells like money in the way that many of the Chanel’s smell like money.
I already feel intimidated!
I’m wearing Avignon by CDG. It’s been so nice this fall.
Burberry Brit Sheer. It’s light and fresh, which is the subliminal message I am sending to myself today. “Be light and fresh, Self”
That’s completely different than fresh as in…”Don’t be so fresh with me, young lady!”, which would deserve a complete different scent!
SOTD is MdO Les Nombres D’Or-Cuir. Just received a package from a wonderful fairy godmother and this is one I had to try as soon as I opened it. It’s fantastic! Perfect for the cold rain this morning. It’s warm and the leather is spicy and dry and superb. It is so sexy, I almost feel silly wearing it while I’m still in my jammies.
Crisp cool day here today, leaves all turning gold and red so perfect for Malle’s Dries Van Noten. Already getting compliments on it.
Wearing Lubin Gin Fizz today, from a small decant sent by a very generous perfume fairy godmother. It’s pretty clean and about what you would expect from the name – nice, but nothing I need more of.
I would be able to wear just about anything for tomorrow’s project, but would be hard pressed to remember which blog I read about it on. I know most would probably be from NST.
Gin Fizz is my “hot laundry” scent because it (top notes) smells a bit like not quiet dry laundry when you first open the dryer . Love the lime in that one!
I can’t go a week without a blackberry fix! Today’s choice is L’Artisan Mure et Musc Extreme.
I love blackberry too. I almost put on JM Blackberry & Bay this morning, but it was very warm so wanted something even lighter! My other favorite (cheap) blackberry is Philosphy Falling in Love – much sweeter but I love it.
I’ve just discovered Mure et Musc Extreme and it may be FBW for me! It’s so delightful without being overly sweet. Each time I try my sample I find myself surprisingly pleased and smiling.
I went with Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue today. I’ll probably be able to get one more use out of my sample and then I have to decide if it goes on my buy list. Also, it looks like Lush will be launching their Christmas stuff this evening, at least online. I know Rose Jam was pretty popular around here.
Ours went on sale thurs online and Rose Jam sold out in a few hours, so did So White. There was also Snow Fairy and Hot Toddy shower gels. Hopefully there’s more stock in-stores..
Layering Tea for Two with Penhaligon Elixir today, it was bustly and rainy but soft and fairly warm. I smell like an old fancy tea cabinet!
I’m wearing Annick Goutal Sables today. I would smell delightful with pancakes.
I love Sables, although it doesn’t remind me of pancakes!
lol it’s not that it reminds me of pancakes. It’s that it smells like maple syrup.
The SOTD on me is Bottega Veneta Eau Legere. The SOTD in my office area is *probably* Samsara – I ordered the latest Chandler Burr “surprise” sample, which came in today’s mail, and of course I have no self-restraint so I sprayed the teensiest little bitty spray on a tissue. GORGEOUS and completely non-office friendly scent instantly billowed EVERYWHERE … which is when I peeked at people’s guesses as to what Mr. Burr’s latest sample actually is. (Obviously, I should have done that before spraying in the office environment. Ooops.)
Anyway, I moved the tissue to another room, but the scent is STILL lingering around my desk. WOW, what a powerhouse (whether it really is Samsara or not)!
I haven’t read the comments on it, but I’m pretty sure once one has smelled Samsara, one never forgets!
I remember walking through the city in 1989, and noticing that the WHOLE CITY smelled like Samsara. It was what my mum wore, and I guess what half of Perth was wearing too. It was so full-on the experience has stuck with me.
Those were the days!
I’m in a CdG too. The original CdG x Stephen Jones. I love this and am so happy I have a bottle.
Laurel is a favorite it was worth it for me to pick up a 50ml bottle at discount and sell a few splits of it. Great fragrance.
That Stephen Jones is such a freakfest! But in a good and interesting way. I like it.
Kalemat for me today, which will cover tomorrow’s theme as well. It was a blind buy after reading and re-reading about it on Kafkaesque blog. I couldn’t get it out of my head for months until I finally caved in and bought it in June. I am in an intoxicating cloud of honey, tobacco and amber and I love it!
I didn’t put on any scent until after my evening shower, SOTE is Amouage Fate Woman, a favorite. They’ve promised snow tomorrow, I’m trying to decide on something that fits both first snow and this weeks theme
Snow already? It’s hard to believe that it’s that cold somewhere when we’re having a heat wave.
Puredistance Antonia for me today. Beautiful perfume but probably needs a cooler weather.
Today was Guerlain’s Samsara, I just pulled my little bottle out of my mailbox yesterday. It is a miniature edt and judging from Victorias review (Bois De Jasmin) my bottle is of the newer stock. I’ve read mixed reviews of it and while I certainly could stand a little more raunch and depth- I like it. I am a sandalwood FREAK so I will probably obsess until I can find a vintage parfum to test as well.
This will likely also be my Friday perfume considering I initially read about Samsara on Bois De Jasmin.
Hi perfume friends,
I’m a little late to this as usual. On one arm I have PdN New York from a 5ml decant that just arrived in the mail. On me it’s a dead ringer for vintage Bandit perfume. I guess I could have done worse than that! In any case, when my husband comes up from his workout I’m going to ambush him with it to see how it smells on his skin.
On my other arm I’m wearing The Different Company Rose Poivree, also from a 5ml decant, which I absolutely love. It’s gone past its “I’m just the prettiest little candy shop rose” phase to its spicy, voluptuous true self in about 45 minutes.
Earlier, I tested Nest “Paradise” that I got as a sample from Sephora. It smells like an orange peel that should have been thrown away but got left in an airless room and 20 minutes later got held down in a barrel of “no more tears” until it became dead orange peel shampoo. After about 20 minutes it was completely gone.
the Nest scents don’t live up to their packaging, unfortunately.
Completely agree!
Shame. It’s really great packaging.
Bulgaria Omnia (the brown “original”, I think? – i.e. not an Omnia flanker). It is more nutty than I’d remembered and a perfectly good scent: powdery spice and sandalwood. Not FBW, but I am appreciating the knobly mini’s last drops.
I find the original Omnia a perfect scent to transition to fall and very easy to wear. It was the first fragrance I ever wore with intention (ie, post 80’s) that was spicy instead of floral or fruity – definitely a paradigm shift for me.
I have finally reached this stage: I found I had a stash of samples I had forgotten about and not yet tried! Sprayed on Bond No. 9 New York Amber last night and still smelled it this afternoon. It’s nice but *Shockingly* long lasting. My husband loved it but there is something screechy about it. It got on a bracelet which now smells nicer than I felt wearing the scent on skin was yesterday. It probably needs a retest but I don’t want to commit the time! Ha!
Way late to this party. Tonight I’m wearing one of my latest guilty pleasures: Prada Candy and loving it. I’ve had a great fragrance day today; Bois des Iles for the day (gorgeous) then Odalisque for the evening out (even better than I remembered and discovered anew the orange citrus of the opening that I’ve always overlooked before); then finally Candy before bed which is somehow just perfect.