What fragrance did you pick today?
I am wearing Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena body lotion layered with a bit of Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers G solid perfume.
Reminder: this Friday, 12/5, is Friday At The Mall: wear something from a mall chain (Lush, The Body Shop, Victoria's Secret, L'Occitane, etc & etc).
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.
I’m battling the cold and grey weather with olfactory warmth so I chose Songes as my SOTD. I can never quite make up my mind whether it is this one or Heure Exquise that is my favourite of the Goutals.
My scent is not doing so well to battle cold & grey. Coconut Lime Verbena is not as nice as it used to be.
You smell wonderful! Songes is so lush and beautiful. It is definitely a floral that can stand up to winter.
Songes is definitely my favorite, especially in cold weather – it really warms up a frosty winter’s night.
Beyond Love from Killian seemed the least likely of my purse sample stash to annoy me in flight so that’s what I’m wearing. Can’t wait to get home. Wish I could take the lovely sandal wearing FL weather with me
Ugh. Wish I was in Florida, or anywhere warm.
Got home to find a bunch of stuff that I’d ordered–I went a little crazy once I finally had money– samples from 1) Soivohle, and 2) Velvet and Sweet Pea Purrfumery, 3)a bottle of Samarinda and 4) a vintage lot of Bat-Sheba Parfum samples. Showered off from traveling and now I’m in Samarinda which is warm and spicy
What a great welcome-home present!
Sotd is Hanae Mori Butterfly extrait. It is so cozy and warm and the sweetness isn’t quite so intense in cold weather.
I just got a sample of that, haven’t smelled it in years and will hopefully try again this week.
The parfum is so RICH, isn’t it? Less sweet than the other concentrations. More wood. Maybe more vanilla, less sugar, if that makes any sense.
All the times you mention Butterfly all these years has made me revisit the small sample I have during this past year when I wanted something friendly and vanilla. I have come to respect it more each time as probably the best of the sweet fragrances I’ve ever attempted to like. The parfum sounds very lovely.
Today I’m wearing Rose Aoud by Monotheme. It’s Rose infused petrol. Loud, harsh, brash, unrefined and unashamedly chemical. The neon rose is laboratory created (probably involving a castle, lightning rod, a dark and stormy night and a man in a white lab coat screaming “IT’S ALIVE!”) and the closest this stuff has got to real wood, never mind real Aoud, is the cardboard box it comes in. It wears like body armour. Every pore of my being screams I should hate this stuff, but I just keep reaching for it…
LOL! Can’t decide if that sounds like fun or something you should see somebody about
Definitely the latter!
Thank you so much for this highly amusing description. It definitely put a smile on my face.
Ha! Very funny.
I knew I wouldn’t miss wearing scent today if I read the comments! I think I’ll put that one on my to avoid list.
Thank you for the smile. You described my feelings about this perfume almost exactly (less the very last part).
Ditto to all these comments. Thank you!
Oh my gosh! Thank you for making me laugh!!
Am wearing Penhaligon’s Bluebell at the moment, but only because I am having difficulty decanting from my 100ml bottle to my travel atomiser & have managed to get more on me than in the atomiser! Prepping for London trip on Thursday & decided I really should finish my Bluebell before starting on my Trish McEvoy Snowdrop & Crystal Flower (purchased in a tiny Nieman Marcus in Forth Worth in 2012, not been opened yet!) & my recently acquired Privet Bloom, the story of which I related here reasonably recently. Since retiring I don’t go out that much, so don’t get through bottles like I did when I was working, hence the unopened S&CF – hoping to start something in the voluntary sector in the New Year, so use will increase. Annick Goutal in Motcomb Street, Roullier White in Dulwich & Content in Bulstrode Street on my list of ‘smellies’ destinations this trip.
Wow, that’s a long time to have an unopened bottle.
Have fun in London!
I tend to use just one fragrance/bottle at a time until it’s finished – always have, not sure why! Need to perhaps buy smaller bottles now I am no longer working!
Thank you, Robin, I’m sure I shall.
Enjoy your trip, I envy you! It’s been a long time since I was there, fond memories of visits to Penhaligon’s and Geo. F Trumper.
Thank you, Laila. It’s an annual trip with a longtime friend – culture, retail therapy & the ‘seniors’ tennis at the Royal Albert Hall – this will be our 17th year!
SOTD is Lancome Climat. Is this a chypre? I thought it was, but whatever it is I find myself craving it. I think it might be the aldehydes and the florals that are so well blended that I can’t distinguish any one in particular.
A green floral chypre or a floral aldehydic depending on where you look. I understand newer versions are less chypre, more aldehydic.
I have a small bottle of the rereleased La Collection Climat, and I don’t find it particularly chypre-like – just a hint, and it’s mostly aldehydic floral with a bit of green. But today’s chilly-rainy weather is just perfect for it, I think, so thanks for the suggestion!
I have the newer version, so I guess it’s not really a chypre. Can anyone give me an example or two of a true chypre that is available in its current form? I would love to have a good reference point.
Some of my favorite classic chypres, still available today, are Guerlain Mitsouko, Chanel No. 19, Estee Lauder Private Collection and Aromatics Elixir, Rochas Femme, and Paloma Picasso Mon Parfum.
Thanks for the list! I love No 19. I have samples of a few of these, so I can start comparing!
The aldehydes are so prominent for me (no, it’s okay, I like them. Grew up on my mom’s No. 5, and they smell like “proper lady perfume” to me) that I have a hard time relating classic chypres to Climat. Bastet’s got a good list there, but none of those smell much like Climat to me and none of them are “aldehydic chypres” like Madame Rochas or Hermes Caleche, where the aldehydes are as important as the chypre base. (I might even argue that No. 19 isn’t chypre so much as it is green floral… but I truly love that one, so it can be whatever it likes, I don’t feel a great need to classify it.)
I like floral chypres, myself. Perfume Shrine has a good set of discussions on types of perfumes (a whole set of posts on chypres alone!) that you might want to read for more education.
Perfume Shrine is indeed a good source! Thanks for the reference.
Climat falls into a certain style of aldehydic floral that, sadly, always reminds me of hairspray. These perfume formulas must have trickled down at just the right moment to turn into hairspray scents in my childhood, similar to how some people experience Chanel No. 5 style aldehydic florals as soapy.
Yes! I get that too (although I hadn’t identified it) for the first 20 minutes or so. It was off putting at first, but now I like it …
Yes, I think chypre also, even though it wears very floral and light for a “green” in the chypre category. It’s definitely cousins to Givenchy III. I have a small bottle of it and enjoy it especially in the spring.
I love Climat! I wore it in most of its formulations and I don’t think it had ever been a chypre perfume. Miss Dior (the one currently called “originale”) is still, in my opinion, a good reference point for the chypre genre.
Wearing my sample of L’Occitane Arlesienne. Not saffron really but rose/violet/honey, and comes dangerously close to the dreaded “Tampax fresh accord” but gosh darn it, I rather like it.
I rather like it too, but I know what you mean. Less fresh / more saffron & earthiness in the solid, definitely.
How were the other products in the line (lotion, candle, etc.)?
Did not try…the candle smelled strong unlit, that’s all I can really say.
The body milk is more complex than the spray perfume to me.
Wow interesting. I think I have a sample, will try soon.
I have a body oil and shower gel but I haven’t tried them yet.
Wearing Si Lolita. I’m enjoying this on a very cold day and happy to have a mini, not sure if I will purchase a FB.
Does anyone notice their fragrance take on a metallic smell when worn on the wrist with a watch/bangle bracelets? I need to remember to only spraying on my right wrist, my left one smells like metal bracelet perfume.
Sometimes my fragrances end up smelling a little metallic later on in the day, and it had never occurred to me to blame my jewelry. You might be on to something!
Yes – I try and spray “below” where my watch sits so I don’t get that awful stainless steel-whatever smell. Yuck. I don’t always wear my watch unless I have a meeting. I’d rather smell good than know what is the time.
That is the spirit!
Bahahahahaha, that made me laugh so hard. I like your style!
I don’t get the smell, but for a while I was spraying on my left wrist and wondering why the coating on my watch kept flaking off. I stopped spraying that wrist and the watch coating has stayed intact.
I notice that smell too! I try to remember not to spray my wrists if I want to wear jewelry.
Thanks for all the validation! Will try to retrain myself to spray above watch line!
I was going to wear Deneuve but then I smelled Epic an chose that instead. I haven’t worn Epic in so long, I forgot how good it smells.
I am wearing Epic today as well!
I am on a bit of an Amouage kick this week- yesterday it was ubar
I know you smell divine today!
I wore Deneuve yesterday and I’m wearing Epic today. What a perfume synchronicity!
Golden Honey Musk body cream from Laura Mercier only.
It’s actually strong enough I didn’t need to spray anything else!
Oooh, you smell amazing. I am so lusting after that set!
I recently tried a few of her body creams and I just can’t take how sweet and powerful they are. You are right in saying you don’t need to spray anything else!
The Golden Honey Musk I’ve not tried, however.
This one is actually less sweet than her others (but the pistachio. oh i drool.). It has that slightly warm, animalistic quality you find in some honey based fragrances and it is so divine!
Oh my word, that sounds amazing. I need to try it!
Yes, they are awesome! I have the Creme Brulee and it’s divine! No other scent is needed and it lasts all day. Sometimes you do get what you pay for . . .
Amen to that!
It’s one of those throw-on-whatever modes for me today. Wearing Opus VI by Amouage. It’s not doing much for me, but I doubt anything would after having a late night (Note to self: I’m too old to be going to concerts on weekdays).
I feel ya!
I’ve decided that unless it is a once in a lifetime situation, then no shows on weeknights. It just isn’t worth it and I end up going in late or taking the day off. Hope you at least had fun at your concert!
Yes! The reason why I said ok to this one is because it’s “our” band (the fiance and I love Interpol). Otherwise, when there’s a weekday concert I just tell him, “have fun!”
Epic by amouage for me today
Love love this scent
Same here
SOTD is Cologne Pour Le Soir. Very fuzzy and warm. Although I haven’t tried Absolue Pour Le Soir yet, and perhaps shouldn’t get ahead of myself, I wouldn’t mind if a bottle of Cologne were to magically appear at my house.
For Friday’s mall perfume, does that include department stores? I have non-department store options, too, and think I know what I’m going to wear, but am also considering backups in case I chicken out.
Happy day for me! All I need is a spritz or two of my SOTD: PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, and I’m all smiles.
The power for fragrance!
After reading Angela’s article yesterday on Montana Parfum de Peau, I put on some Montana Parfum de Femme, which is much more quiet and gentle. It does have enough amber and vanilla to be nice in colder weather.
Wore cologne de le mission des minimes (i know i totally butchered that, but you get the drift) to bed lay night, and continuing the vanilla train with Bvlgari Black this morning.
While in bedi was pretty convinced i was too sick to go to work, but now that i am up and at it my concern is that i am too well to go back to bed.
Bite your tongue!
Yes’ m!
I am home from work today, Nebbe. On the couch with a cup of steaming tea. Hope you get to feeling better! A nice vanilla sounds lovely.
Thank you – you too!
Couch with tea sounds perfect.
SOTD is Caron Parfum Sacre edp (the “new” version). I wanted something warm and sheer. I don’t know how they manage it, but PS always wears very sheer to me. Cheers!
I am wearing my last drops of the old CD Addict. I am loving it so much, it is really comforting when it is very cold outside.
Finally a cooler and rainy day so I can wear SL Chene. Can’t believe i would ever say that (about the weather, that is!), but we have a serious drought here and incredibly warm weather lately. I am glad I put it on because the collar on the spray atomizer was loose and it was wet all around it, so I imagine quite a bit had evaporated since it has been a long time since I wore it last.
I have several Gap and BB&W body sprays, as well as a few L’Occitane scents so ready for the Friday challenge this week!
Hear, hear! (weather)
Hello perfume people. Rozy EDP for me. This one has great longevity – I’ve just noticed this today or else my nose is working better! I find her scents really unusual and utterly gorgeous. This is the only one I have but it’s a treasure. I’ve also been thinking about Friday’s perfume and I believe I have it sorted.
Wearing Bottega Veneta today, from a newly acquired sample. Had the opportunity to linger in the perfume department of luxury department store in during my weekend trip to a bigger city. The SAs were very nice and gave/made me samples of all sorts of things that I’ve only read about until now.
The very opening of BV I like, and then about 10-15 minutes in it goes strangely flat, almost play-doughy. Not bad, but odd, something I feel like I need to get accustomed to. When I tried it in the store, already wearing a number of irises, this point turned me off. But hours later, sniffing my covered arms, this was the one that stood out: creamy, warm, still very present. I’m hoping that’s how it progresses today.
SL Iris Silver Mist just because. I can honestly say there is never a time this fragrance doesn’t feel right, and it always takes my breath away. Love her.
It’s interesting: I’ve never thought of a perfume as “she”
yeah, well, why not i say?
I’m wearing Costume National Scent Intense today. it’s got a nice little incense thing going on, not a big wallop, just one of the factors. It’s fitting in well with a coolish but not cold day.
It’s a wonderfully grey and rainy day (yes, I know how it sounds but you go try drought for a couple of years
) and I’m wearing Amouage Epic Woman. It’s warm and spicy – just perfect for today.
Yay for the rain from San Diego! (even though we didn’t get that much at all, but better than nothing …)
There is still hope! (well, at least I want to hope
)
Thanks, Undina — Actually, since I commented, we got quite a bit of water (not a storm, but it rains!) … let’s hope it continues!
Hi Morgana! I’m in San Diego too (waving)!
Happily waving back through the rain! Tomorrow some cold weather fragrances for us too
My SsOTD today are Old Spice Champion body wash and Vicks Vap-O-Rub as I combat a horrible cold and have crazy fever dreams on the couch all day. I can FEEL the Vicks on my chest, but I cannot smell it at all. My dad called me and told me to put some on the bottom of my feet and put socks on. Has anyone heard this before?
Also, I know that it is only 1 PM, but I have helped myself to a big old cup of chamomile tea, lemon, honey, and a nice shot of whiskey. :-p
Nice! I want to join you, but I don’t have a cold as an excuse … and my coworkers would definitely become suspicious. Boo!
Seriously, hope the Vicks and chamomile help you feel better soon.
Awww, I will have another cup of tea for you, then, Sheri! Lol, those pesky coworkers.
Sorry you’re feeling so crummy. Hope I’m not heading down that road. I can’t see how menthol on your feet could help but if it makes you feel better, go for it. I would go for more rest and hot broth and tea myself.
I’m not sure it would help either, I was just curious. My dad is full of some pretty interesting folk remedies. Please don’t get this. Get some rest and see if you can fight it off. I am firmly planted with a big mug of tea and will see if I can get some broth a little later. I hope you get to feeling better too!
I’ve heard the feet thing too. My mom told me about it recently. I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know if it works.
Thanks, guys! Both of my parents have called me today and told me to put Vicks on my feet with socks. I do feel better, but I don’t know if it was the Vicks or the 20+ hours I’ve slept today…
Glad to hear it either way!
I haven’t heard about the vicks on the feet with socks thing, but it sounds like the same sort of idea as reflexology. In reflexology (and please forgive this very generalized account), all points of the body can be found through the feet, so massaging/manipulating the appropriate area of the foot is thought to have an effect on the corresponding part of the body. I don’t know if I believe this, but I have gotten some excellent foot massages…
I think it’s a similar folk remedy as dried mustard into socks from my childhood. As with most of them, it works only if you believe in them.
Get better!
It’s worth a try. I used to get bad bronchitis years ago, and the only thing that used to help (and really help!) was putting a couple of drops of red thyme oil on a tissue on the soles of my feet, then socks at bedtime. By morning my chest had usually cleared.
Yesterday was my last day at work so I had big plans for some errand running and lots of packing today. Well, my sinuses have different plans for me and instead I’m sitting here in my thickest robe, waiting for the decongestants, antihistamines, ibuprofen, and coffee to kick in and hoping there is another box of tissues still unpacked. I’m so grateful to be able to smell vicariously through the NST comments!
I seem to be on a naturals kick lately so had planned on wearing some of the FSW Jasmine solid today. Ordering a new Winter Kitty solid the other day prompted me to dig out the samples I hadn’t gotten to from my last order.
Today, my SOTD is my favorite perfume; Nectarine Blossom and Honey by Jo Malone. This is my signature scent. Yesterday, I ordered some Pear and Olive by Slumberhouse from STC. I can’t wait for it to come in so I can try it. Hope everyone has a “Terrific Tuesday”.
Have you tried layering Nectarine Blossom with their most recent Wood Sage & Sea Salt? I haven’t tried myself yet but I read from several people that it worked very nice for them.
Haven’t tried it yet. I do have a sample of Wood Sage and Sea Salt, So I Will Give It A Try soon.
I’m kickin’ it mall-style today and wearing spritz of Obsession. I picked up a 15ml at TJ Maxx because why not. I remembered not really liking it the first time I tried it because I thought the dry-down smelled like Play-Doh. I still get that a bit, but now I kinda like it.
So funny…I’m reading these posts from the bottom up (which I usually do at the end of the day) and just posted about Barbara Bui smelling like play-doh. Didn’t know that was a trend! :-O
Barbara Bui Le Parfum edp is my scent of choice for a sunny Tuesday. A wonderful winter skin (and sleep) scent, this manages to be both subtle yet distinctive, quietly wearing close to the skin yet with sufficient sillage and longevity to be ‘present.’ One of my best ‘blind buys and cheap thrills.’ Notes are spices, incense, jasmine, heliotrope, white musk, sandalwood, cedar and amber but all is soft, soft, soft.
Sending feel better wishes to those of you not feeling well today. Get better soon!
Do you ever get a play-doh smell from this? I sampled it once and the play-doh smell threw me off. After reading your comment I’d like to try it again.
A lot of people read heliotrope as play-doh.
Interesting, I had no idea! Thanks for the info. I will give it another try and think heliotrope va. play- doh and see if I can make the mental switch.
No, but I know that other people do, I think it’s all body chemistry and, like Eliza says, some get play-doh from heliotrope whereas I get a soft powder. Le Parfum smells nicest after the notes meld for awhile, the first 10-15 minutes or so are not my favorite part of the scent.
Will do my best to be patient on the next go-round!
I forget. Seriously. I mean, I know it’s Serge Lutens because I’ve been trying lots of different SL samples lately, but I can’t remember what I put on this morning.
[seriously, brain? it’s not even a monday. c’mon, you can remember…]
Well the good news is that I left the sample vial on the bathroom counter, so unless the cats play hockey with it, I can find out when I get home.
[oh this is pathetic. crikey. can i really be getting this old???]
Well whatever it is, I like it.
[jeez]
FEMININITE DU BOIS!
random neurons finally fired!
hoo boy. need.more.caffeine
You smell great!
I wonder about the soap (I only saw it on eBay, maybe it was from a set?); has anyone tried it?
I started the day wearing 4711 Acqua Colonia Mandarine & Cardamom. However, by this afternoon, I could smell nothing, so I put a small spritz of Youth Dew Amber Nude on the back of one hand. I just received it in the mail from Ebay. I like it so far, but boy is it strong. One spritz is definitely enough.
That mandarin and cardamom cologne sounds nice.
I have several of the Acqua Colonia line from 4711. Generally, I have good luck with colognes, which seem to last quite well on my skin. This one didn’t last. It is very nice, although I prefer it in the warmer weather. Truthfully, I don’t get as much of the cardamom as I would like.
I like JHAG Midnight Oud, but it’s very persistent, almost overpowering. Only a small spritz today closer to the navel region than the cleavage to see how it keeps up in cold weather. And it does :)!
Gosh. I wear about 6 sprays of this and find it quite sheer for a rose/oud frag. Maybe everyone else can smell me a mile away and I’m just happily oblivious in my little cloud
Coeur de Vetiver Sacré. Strange… A little like overripe star fruit gathering under the tree.
I love that one at bedtime – it’s very soothing.
That one is very strange on me, can’t wrap my head around it…
Interesting. I get a lot of incense from that one.
SOTD is Hermes 24, Faubourg. Needed something warm and glow-y on this cold, cold morning. (Twenty-six degrees – seriously???)
mmmmmm, love that drydown…
Trying Amouage Journey Woman for the first time, it’s very pretty.
Guerlain Chamade today. Such a pretty floral.
You smell amazing!
Edt or extrait? I like both so I’m just curious.
EdT. Wish it was extrait, I seem to prefer that strength in most scents.
I made the mistake of ordering a small sample of Dior Mitzah, which is discontinued. Of course, I love it and am trying to figure out ways of getting more! Why do they always have to axe the good ones??
I was just asking myself the same question!
I recommend signing up on their website http://www.dior.com/beauty/en_us/fragrance-and-beauty/fragrance/exceptional-fragrance/la-collection-privee-christian-dior/pr-collectionexclusive-Y0901160-mitzah.html to be notified when it becomes available. I’m still hopeful they’ll make more – why would they keep it up on the site otherwise?
Thanks for the link, Undina! I signed up to be notified should it ever return.
Mitzah is fab. I ordered 2 of the big honker bottles of it right before it disappeared. So glad I did, despite the expense!
Two bottles! Wow, I guess you really like it.
I wore Byredo Inflorescence today.
This is my favorite concentration since the vanilla and wood are stronger with the fruit more an accent that weaves around the other notes. And the price is really great considering the strength of the sillage and staying power. Two or three sprays will last me all day, which isn’t often the case for extraits. And best of all, it hasn’t been reformulated beyond recognition… Yet.
SOTD is Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose. I am trying to decide if it is worthwhile to buy a full bottle of this–I finally found a TJ Maxx where the perfume selection is kind of interesting. I passed up a fairly cheap bottle of this yesterday, but wearing it today I really like it. Maybe I should go back tomorrow and get the full bottle. If I do, does anyone want some? I don’t think I could use the 100mL in my lifetime….
It makes great room spray (I suckered twice at the Marshall’s clearance shelf so am experienced in the 100ml conundrum).
You can get it really cheap on Amazon in a much smaller bottle. It’ll be more per ml but you’ll have a nice bottle.
This one gets extremely soapy on me so I gave away my decant of it but I know many people who like it.
I love that one. I swear, it is a man magnet. I honestly felt like when I wore it out at bars, I had better be ready to get hit on!!! Of course, this was many years ago! Spray with caution!(And let me know if it still works!
Missionista, I’ll email you. I’ll give you my bottle the next time I see you. I got a bottle as a freebie from a dear perfumista. I’ll decant some for myself and give you the bottle.
SOTD was L’Artisan L’eau d’Ambre and scent of the evening Chanel Coromandel. I have to go into the city to have lunch with coworkers tomorrow and am spending more time thinking about what fragrance I want to wear than what clothes. I have only now realized that I need to do some laundry if I am to wear something that isn’t sweatpants!
Since my day starts so early I usually plan what I’m going to wear before I go to sleep. I often think about what fragrance to wear the next day as well. There is no time to change my wardrobe choice, but I find I often change my preplanned fragrance based on my mood in the morning.
Started in Plus Que Jamais and now am in Myrrhe Ardente. Love listening to the rain!
No perfume today but carried around a scent strip with some Bottega Veneta Knott this evening during shopping. It smells nice enough, but not compelling. I also tried L’Occitaine Alesienne recently and I think Knott smelled similar – they both smell like the kind of musk in Prada Infusion d’Iris, but more lily than iris.