What's your fragrance today? Would you have worn it in your pre-perfumista days?
I'm wearing Thierry Mugler Cologne. And yes, absolutely โ it's probably the only Mugler scent I would have worn.
Reminder: this Friday, 11/14, is L'Effet Angel Friday: wear Thierry Mugler Angel, an Angel flanker or spawn of Angel (i.e. something influenced by Angel), with partial credit for wearing another Mugler fragrance.
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 five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is from the Mugler menswear collection campaign, 2011.
I’m wearing Estee Lauder Sensuous and, probably, if I had tried it. I wouldn’t have, though, because (forgive me!) I would’ve thought the Estee Lauder counter was only for grandmas.
HA! This made me laugh out loud! I love that comment about EL only for grandmas. I remember my friends grandma wore Pleasures.
When I was younger, I didn’t know much about perfume history so I mostly associated EL with pleasures (I think Liz Hurley was in the ads at the time). I would have thought pretty and preppy, which was NOT the image that I was going for in high school!
We are ScentTwins, melissa! Probably would not have worn it before. I actually (in more cash flush days) bought it almost as reference scent after my BF gave me Sensuous Noir, which I like so much. Wanted to know what the un-Noir would be like ๐ Verdict: I like the Noir more – more oomph, as would be expected. AND would not have bought a “reference scent pre-perfumista days!
LOL, so true, I thought that up until a few years ago, when I became perfume-obsessed. Then when all y’all were waxing poetic about her perfumes, I was like, I guess I better make a trip down that rabbit hole….
I am wearing a sample of Prada Candy Floral.
I do not like the other Prada Candy, this one smells of strawberry, caramel sweets with lighter notes of flowers, which I do not like the sweet side of this fragrance ( like the orginal Prada Candy).
Overall I feel “meh” about this frangrance. Will most likely not purchase and will not sample again.
I was pretty meh about it too.
I just got a sample of this with a Sephora catalog and was underwhelmed to say the least. I didn’t get strawberry, just a sweet generic “pink flower” blend that smelled strongly of department store peony to my nose. It was not a perfume I’d wish to try again, either. I do wish Prada would hurry up and make an amazing Candy Absolue already. *crosses fingers*
SOTD is Smell Bent’s Bollywood or Bust. Thanks to the person who suggested this one as another inexpensive rose to explore. So far I like it. I’m still looking for some other cheap thrills in the rose category.
I like Stella for Rose-though I can’t wear it anymore for some reason it doesnt jive with my body chemistry. You can easily got a sample from Sephora.
My favorite rose-which is not budget friendly by any means-is La Fille de Berlin.
Hey, I think that was me! Glad you like it!
It’s my favourite Smell Bent perfume. Okay, it’s my only Smell Bent perfume. I want to like them more than I do in reality.
Gucci pour homme. Enough said!
๐
I wearing SSS Winter Woods — I woke up craving it, probably because it’s -2 and snowing out. On Nov. 12! Not ready!
Oh, my sincere sympathies. That’s way too soon.
haha, thank you…not planning to leave the house today.
Oh, and would I have worn this? Maybe! I wore Egoiste as a teenager, even though I can’t say I really “got” it.
At least you smell perfectly amazing!
I feel like that’s the SSS I hear the most about – and I haven’t tried her stuff yet. If I were to order a decant, should I go for that one from the house? It sounds lovely!
Ormonde Woman for me. It was a beautiful autumnal day and it worked particularly well today.
I’m feeling under the weather today (is a junk food hangover a real thing?), so I couldn’t handle even the idea of anything strong or sweet. Pacifica Spanish Amber has become my go-to for days when I want spice and absolutely nothing complicated with it. That plus Neutrogena Rainbath (I never got into expensive bath products, since I spend so much money on trying to keep my hair presentable), and I feel sufficiently soothed.
Junk food hangovers are real! I have been having them every morning since Halloween for some strange reason… You inspired me to dig out my tin of Spanish Amber from a few years back. I might layer it with a little Dzing! To help my mental focus for painting and proof reading today. Hope you feel better.
Oooh, I’ll have to test out Spanish Amber + Dzing! when I get home. That sounds very interesting! Of course, I overdid it on movie theater popcorn yesterday, so maybe it’s too soon for a scent evocative of the circus. ๐
Good luck with your painting and proofreading! I don’t know much about painting, but I know how demanding proofreading is!
The proof reading project is a labor of love for a dear friend’s first book.
Movie popcorn definitely = junk food hangover! Been there, done that ๐
I love the smell of Rainbath. I can’t find it anywhere around here lately, though.
Target and Nordstrom Rack have it where I am. I’ve seen it at CVS, too, but they’re about $2 more expensive.
Costco usually has huge bottles. And target has it too….where are you?
Snort! Rural America.
There’s a Target 20 miles away. No Costco. No Nordstrom. My CVS doesn’t have it, either (they used to). GAH.
Junk food hangover is definitely a thing. Since most junk food is full of carbs and sugar I always feel a bit bloated and like there’s a film in my mouth. Blech. Glad the Rainbath is helping you feel better ๐
I’m in Hiris. I bought this bottle long ago, in the days of only owning two bottles of perfume (so, obviously, before I because a full blown perfumista!). I still adore it, and don’t wear it often enough.
Oh, one of my faves! So glad to have to “old” packaging, too! You smell great!
Hiris is a quietly lovely scent. I’m glad you are wearing it, and mention it here. I need prodding to remember to bust it out!
I am wearing FM portrait of a lady today, only one spray on the back of my neck, i find it a little strong . This is a scent I can wear only in very small amount and during fall and winter.
In the spirit of this Friday’s community scent I am wearing Lolita Lempika, which I believe can be considered a “spawn of Angel.” LL sometimes seems too sweet but for some reason its perfect today, and I’ve even gotten a complement from a co-worker! (Love when that happens.)
Seeing today’s photos necessitates a unicorn chaser.
My SOTD is Milk of Flowers. Yes, I would have loved it in my pre-perfumista days.
Yes, it does. Luckily, this morning my daughter sent me a link on Facebook to a site with pictures of adorable baby animals.
In case you need it: http://www.buzzfeed.com/kaelintully/someone-get-me-a-milano-bc-now-im-hungry
Thank you. Balance has been restored.
(I was about to head over to Cute Overload or The Tiny Animals on Fingers Flickr album.)
The one on the right (in the tuxedo) reminds me of the Phantom of the Opera!
SOTD is Rose Flash. I would have worn it in my pre-perfumitsa days, as it smells rosy and delicious (gourmand, but not too sweet). I was into gourmand – and more sweetness than I can handle now, i.e., Vanilla Abricot.
Can you compare it to Rose Vermeille?
They are pretty similar. I think Rose Flash has more musk in the dry down, while Rose Vermeille is more amber-y. I have yet to try them side by side, but I would say if you have one, you probably don’t need the other.
That’s very helpful, thank you :)!
Wearing Opus v today by Amouage. I’m wondering if I needed to add another spray b/c it’s rather faint on me, and that’s surprising for an Amouage.
Today I’m copycatting Eleebelle and wearing Pacifica Spanish amber. I still remember feeling very decadent about adding that $8 solid perfume to my basket at Wholefoods. Oh Lordy have I ever sinned on perfume since those innocent days.
They’re $17 here, so it really is a bargain ๐
Baby and me returned from St Lucia late last week with pretty bad colds so I have abstained from wearing anything until I can smell properly… It’s so sad!
Hope you are both feeling better soon!
Thanks! ๐
I’m wearing Dana Tabu (vintage) for the first time today and HELL no this is not something I ever would have worn. It’s definitely a scent from a different time. I was reading a review this morning and it said the brief for this was to make a scent a whore would wear. I laughed SO HARD. Talk about evolving sensibilities.
Your comment made me lol – literally! I wore Tabu (along with Dana Ambush and others) when I was in 7th grade. But then I’m vintage! ๐
Hi SOTD is Noix de Tubereuse from Miller Harris. A very rainy day in France and it is cheering me up no end.
SOTD is Vero Profumo Rozy EDP. And no, I wouldn’t! Which sometimes worries me – my perfumes probably smell really weird to others.
Wearing DK Black Cashmere today, as I’ve suddenly got incense on the brain for some reason – and the polar vortex is supposed to show up here tomorrow.
I’d never have worn this pre-2008, as there is no noticeable floral aspect to it and I wouldn’t have thought it Proper Perfume at all. But I’d have loved the smell of it in the air.
Black Cashmere was my bridge to non-florals/citrus too and I love love love it AND its bottle. One of the few truly haptic as opposed to visual perfume bottle experiences.
I’m wearing Evocative’s Siberian Fir, an parallel whoosh of fresh green medicinal pine and sweet sap. I would totally have worn it pre-rabbit hole but wouldn’t have known it existed or how to get my sweaty paws on it.
A blind buy bottle of Agent Provocateur’s Petale Noire has arrived, so that is my SOTD.
Never would have worn this before my perfumista days (a year ago) – leather, AND heavily floral, AND green? What a nightmare ๐ I would have tossed the strip in four seconds, without a thought toward middle and base notes.
As it is, I’m enjoying it so far and waiting to see where it takes me ๐ There’s a lot going on but I tend to be quite in love with AP’s high potency ๐
I liked Petale Noire from a sample vial, but it didn’t strike me as either green or leathery… on the other hand, I *would* have worn this as a non-perfumista. Very pretty.
I get a good whiff of leather off the top notes, which is strange because it’s listed as a base note. It exits pretty quickly, though. There are a LOT of notes going on so I’m sure my impressions will change the more I wear it!
I was stuck on vanilla scents (the plainer the better) till my late 20s, when I wandered half-heartedly into fruity florals like Tresor and J’Adore. I guess it’s not a surprise it took me so long to get into perfume – the scents I am most drawn to are not super popular with the mainstream right now. I totally missed out by being too young for perfume in the ’80s ๐
Well I was just old enough for perfume in the 80s but I was waaaay too poor! So I was a one bottle girl. It’s never too late though, I’m working my way peacefully through the biggies now and I feel like I’m grown up enough to fit into them now. Fewer jeans choices at my age but more perfume choices heheheh.
“Fewer jeans choices at my age but more perfume choices”
I love this way of describing your age! Can I borrow it?
haha, oh the money angle is a good consideration, I guess the 80s would have been wasted on me even if I’d been a decade older! I wouldn’t have had the confidence for big orientals in the 90s when all the other teens were wearing CK One, or probably even in my 20s had I been paying attention to perfume. Much more comfortable with them in my 30s ๐ And decants and discount sites make it so much easier in 2014!
Feel free missionista!
SOTD: Le Male Jean Paul Gaultier for men
Chergui is my scent of the day. I would not have known about something like it in my pre-perfumista days, and I’m not really sure what I would have thought about it back then.
We’ve had snow, ice & cold temps where I am for a couple of days now, and it’s definitely too early. It just all seems like such a sudden temperature change. One day I was watering the last of my fall flowers and then two days later, there were inches of snow.
I checked out all of the baby animals on the link above, and they are so cute! I especially like the one where the little boy is holding up the baby chick to sniff the flower.
That little boy was adorable.
Today is an experiment in layering of two fragrances I own but feel meh about, but combined are a winner! Spritz of Eau Lavande with a spritz of SNM vanilia. The SNM tones down the astringency of Eau Lavande, and the spice in Eau Lavande brings out the incense facets in the SNM. Yum!
I probably would have worn this, pre-perfumista. Bet each separately? No.
I’m in Amour de Cacao, one of my go-to cold-weather scent. Most people love it, nobody hates it, it’s just perfectly warm and cozy.
SOTD is Shalimar edt. This has to be a sample of one of the new reformulations, because NO WAY does it live up to the Shalimar reputation. I am seriously underwhelmed. Slightly ivory-soap-ish amber. Bleh. I don’t think I’d have worn this pre-perfumista days, and am regretting wearing it now.
Ys Uzac Immortal Beloved. I tried it this summer and it wasn’t quite right, but it’s PERFECT for fall. A rich, plush, velvety scent with enough but not too much rose. Highly recommended!
SOTD is Tea for Two, perfect for this time of year!
Today was Guerlain Attrape-Coeur, because even though it’s sealed my decant is evaporating- not impressed ๐
I never would have known that this existed in ‘the old days’ but had it miraculously appeared, Im pretty sure I would have worn it, as I mostly wore warmer scents- orientals, woods, florientals, and amber/violet would fit in there nicely..
Is this one an IFRA victim, or is there a chance it will ever reappear? I want some.
SOTD: Mitsouko edt. Well, since I’ve worn this fairly regularly since high school, either yes, I would have worn this before becoming a perfumista or else I’ve always been a perfumista. Probably the latter, just not with such a big collection.
๐
Christopher Street and loving it! I have met Zombie boy. Really nice guy.
Really? No photoshop, no makeup in that picture?
That’s gotta be the most true commitment to an art form that I’ve seen in a long, long time.
Really, no photoshop, no makeup. There’s a great youtube video (a commercial for derma blend coverup) with him. Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mIBKifOOQQ
Wearing vintage Sortilege Le Galion parfum today. I’ve always loved chypres so, yeah, I would have worn it. ( I wore Miss Dior as a teen.)
SOTD is Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti (La Maison de la Vanille), sweet with a bit of amber and cedar and incense (I get nothing tropical from this). Back in my pre-perfumista days, I don’t remember any vanillas as we know them today (I don’t consider Shalimar to be in that category). The first vanilla as such I remember is Coty’s Vanilla Fields, which I wore; the ‘parfum’, which has long since been d/c, was actually quite nice compared to the cologne. Since then, vanilla has been a favorite comfort note for me in cold weather, so, yes, had Vanille Fleurie been around at that time, I might have worn it.
Laila, I bought some Vanilla Fields a few years ago and still love it as much now, too. It would be great in pure perfume since I didn’t even know it existed in that strength back in the day. It was a friend’s signature scent in high school so I couldn’t wear it, of course, but back then I was more into the classics for the most part anyway. But I was craving it a few winters back, bought some and was so happy it was pretty much as I’d remembered. Today would be a good day for it since the weather has decided winter’s here early. Maybe I’ll go put some on since I find vanilla perfumes so comforting and wonderful, too. Vanilla Fields is a classic.
Chose l’AP Fou d’Absinthe today, thought it would suit the day, but on my way out I realized it felt slightly unapologetic, so I did a quick layering with Bois de Farine. That one works well with all green scents I have tried it with so far. In fact, it is my only layering success so far.
This morning my sotd was a couple sprays of the original Halle, but at the moment I smell more like Mustela’s baby products due to lo’s pre-naptime bath. So happy she’s sleeping today and wish her first set of molars would hurry up and come in. She’s biting everything/one and having the worst time trying to sleep. So glad for some quiet time and off to try and catch up on email. Maybe even have a cup of tea I get to actually drink while it’s still hot. ๐
Oh and yes, if Halle had been around in high school, I probably would have worn it to get away from all the ozonic, fresh and bright florals that seemed to be everywhere. A friend of mine used to drown herself (thus everyone in her orbit) in a cloud of EL Pleasures to the point where I still can’t smell it today without cringing though I’d like to think it a nice perfume in very small doses.
I can relate – my twin girls are just about done with their molars. One is just taking its sweet time and I am over it!
SOTD is (again!) Eau Duelle EDP, a sample from a disgruntled Nordstrom Diptyque SA.
I mentioned a post or two ago that a FB is doubtful, but I’m wearing quite a bit since I pried it out of the SA’s claws.
It’s just so easy to wear!
I am avoiding the Polar Vortex by living in the subtropical rainforest and I feel for you folks who mentioned that temps were -2!! Was that a typo?! Holy cow! I am sending sunshine and 70 degree temps your way ๐
Wow, considering Nordstom’s sample policy I didn’t think it would be such a big deal to get a sample. I’ve not had any issues at the ones I’ve been to around me (so far). Sucks that you got a stingy SA. They are the worst!
Well, I think her agenda was to sell me a bottle of their newest scent. I asked her what the difference was between the EDP and EDT (eau duelle) and she said none!- then went on a mini-diatribe about the EDP’s being too strong for her… It was a very strange interaction, I have to say. But no worries as I persisted and came away with the two samples in was interested in. Alls well that ends well ๐
Mine are pretty stingy too. I know they have a good reputation nationally but not in my city. I had an interesting time trying to get some Bronze Goddess from a woman who kept insisting there wasn’t a tester. There were actually two and I had to point out that I had just seen her spray some for a client and put the bottle away, and I had the other in my hand.
Also, I can’t seem to disabuse the regular SA of the notion that Diptyque isn’t actually exclusive to Nordstrom and I can, in fact, get it elsewhere. Oddly enough, those samples she is extremely generous with.
Wow, my grammar was all kinds of mangled there. Sorry.
I’ve had varying experiences with Nordstrom’s perfume counter SAs – some good, but mostly bad. There’s one who pronounced Faubourg as “FAB-berg” in a rather self-important way, and one who didn’t know there’s a difference between Chanel N. 19 and 19 Poudre. I’ll try the downtown store sometime and see if they’re trained any better.
Brrrr – ghastly morning here in polar vortex central. It was -1 when I left for work and we’re expecting it to drop to -14 by tonight. Since it’s also snowing, my ordinary 20-min commute was more like a 70-min one this morning. When I arrived to work, the elevators were out. The only one working was the freight elevator, so it was a half-hour wait just to get upstairs. I work on the 17th floor and wasn’t about to hoof it that far up. Plus, my multi-windowed office is a deep freeze. Per building management, the heat isn’t rising all the way to the top (gee, you think?) and they are looking into it. In the meantime, I’m working wearing my coat and wrapped in a blanket.
I needed a pretty heavy-duty scent today to counter all of that bad ‘ju-ju’. I chose Micallef’s Royal Amber which is dark and rich and deep and carries the illusion of warmth.
My goodness – when it rains (or snows!), it pours, doesn’t it? Hope your scent is helping you stay warm. They should just close the office, hough driving in the snow again is probably not what you want to do at the moment!
SOTD for me: Bottega Venetta
Today I’m wearing Atelier Oolang Infini. It’s very similar to the LL Gaiac 10 I was wearing the other day – maybe not a dupe, but has the same grey airy quality about it so lovers of Gaiac 10 may try this as it is cheaper and easier to find! It may be just a touch sweeter, which is more to my taste anyway. It is a grey feeling perfume, and not fitting very well with this nice sunny day. I dont’ think I would have worn it before ats it is not nearly sweet enough, though it has a slight ozonic quality, and I did wear Escape and L’Eau D’Issey back in the day (my apologies!).
I wore L’Eau d’Issey. I don’t get the hate!
It was pretty revolutionary in its time! Don’t own it now, but a friend gave me the bath gel, which I’m looking fwd to using
I wore it and loved it in the 1990s when I’d never smelt anything like it. But soon it was just…everywhere…and then the copies were just everywhere and I think it was just overkill through overfamiliarity. Use it fast though, it goes off quite quickly.
I’m wearing Rossy de Palma today. If I had known about it in my pre-fumie days, I think I would have liked it. It’s no weapons-grade cold like some places, but we’re having a chilly day for Houston in November (was in the 40s this morning, now in the 50s).
SOTD is Caron Tabac Blond edt, and yes, I believe I would have worn it in my pre-down-the-rabbit-hole days if I’d known about it. I wore some BIG scents in my younger days, but always with a very light hand so I never realized they could be overpowering. ๐
Tried Angel on one wrist last night (to see if I could stand to wear it this Friday), with a little Helmut Lang on the other wrist. It was interesting – I think Angel might be nice layered over a refined leather scent. Would that be cheating? ๐
Wearing Angel in any incarnation or layered with anything will impress me. I still have the many samples forced upon me in my younger days and keep them for reference only. I’m afraid I won’t be playing Friday unless I really stretch the definition of “inspired by Angel”.
Hey. Do what you have to do ๐
Wearing Ferre, which I wouldn’t have tried in pre-perfumista days (“Don’t they make fur coats?”), but probably would have liked had I done so.
SOTD is Tokyo Milk Excess, which I’d probably have considered bizarre a few years ago. Now I’m really digging it, though!
Hope everybody stays safe and cozy under the polar vortex.
Wearing Rien Intense Incense today inspired by yesterday’s post. Actually, I wore some of the regular on one wrist just for fun and still find them different enough and both good. The Intense, oddly enough, doesn’t seem to have the longevity on skin of the original but my hair and clothes are still nicely incensy. It was a good choice for today’s chilly wind and my lingering mild nausea. Anything sweeter would have been unbearable but since the building didn’t have the heat on and the office was freezing (ok, for Texas it was freezing so probably just slightly cool), it was cozy and not overpowering. I don’t think I would have worn it pre-rabbit hole but I probably would have liked it and might have used it as a room spray.
SOTD = SL Chergui
Had I known about Chergui pre-perfumista, I would have worn it.
About this Friday’s challenge, I may chicken out and just wear something that has Angel in the name – a stretch but it still counts, right?
Today I’m trying a sample of Wit. I love it so far. I love Amoureuse, too. Wit has wonderful florals that are sweet but not too sweet.
Wit’s lemony-floral-vanilla is delightful. I definitely would have worn it years ago.
I wore MdO Cuir today, which I definitely would not have worn pre-rabbit hole. Way too different from what I thought perfume should smell like.
I wore Narcisco Rodriguez For Her edp (I think, it’s the pink one). Haven’t worn this one since Valentine’s day, I remember because it went sour and gross on me that night so I laid off it after that. Let it think about what it did ๐
Much better today.
I don’t know if I would have worn it before, but maybe! I had no concept of “musk” before last year.
SOTD Cristalle EdP. I loved this and wore it throughout the summer. This morning it was so cold and I was trying to capture a little bit of summer. Unfortunately, my plan backfire, even the Cristalle felt cold and metallic today. All I could do was lament that I wasnโt wearing comforting and cozy Bvlgari Black.
I as much as I love Cristalle (which has been moved to the back of the drawer) I don’t think I would have worn it in pre-perfume interest days. Same goes for Black.
Commando, because I forgot. Boo.
However, I can still smell last night’s Ambre 114 from Histoires de Parfums. ‘Sokay. I wish it was 24 Fauborg’s drydown instead. But I generally almost always wish everything was 24 Fauborg.
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