Welcome to another Monday! What fragrance are you wearing today?
I'm wearing Madonna Truth or Dare.
Reminder: this Friday, 10 April, is BWF Friday: wear a big white floral. Partial credit for diet white florals, a wee bitsy dash of credit for other sorts of flowers. The decision of the judges will be final and binding on all participants.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2015, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Well I started my big white floral week with Songes (edp), I don’t know if it qualifies as big, it is very lovely and wonderful to counteract this grey weather.
Gosh, qualifies as big to me!
That was the first scent I thought of when I read BWF!
SOTD is Sexual Secret Man (Michel Germain). Happy Monday! 🙂
And to you!
The perfect excuse for a BWF week… thanks!
Yesterday was DK Gold. Easter = lilies, of course. Today is Amoureuse.
I’m planning on Amoureuse this week as well.
Yum, love Gold.
Happy Monday!
Well I spent most of today searching for Balenciaga Paris in my “little” perfume vault,after TNG Friday,and all the Paris talk!So today it’s soft-purple-flower-day…I’ve forgotten how good Paris is!Of course my brain went straight to HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO MISIA?.lol.I prefer Misia between the two.If I HAD to choose.
I probably prefer Misia too, but would probably wear the “easier” BP more often. Don’t have to figure it out really because I don’t own either 🙂
With all the talk about Balenciaga Paris I went ahead and bought a lot of samples on ebay — I do love violet, so looking forward to trying this one.
My first thoughts on spraying it,was Violettes de Toulouse!!There is a similarity between the two,but Paris is way more toned down!
SOTD is Hermes Marine Epice. I forgot to put apoly before I left the house, which almost never happens! Luckily I have some samples at work. Marine Epice is working for me today 🙂
Good to have samples where ever you go, right? Glad it’s working.
That’s a great idea. I should move part of Mt. Sample to the office, as emergency back up perfumes. It would also make my desk drawer at work smell pleasant. Thanks, Rose Pepper!
Sampling Une Fleur de Cassie for the first time and it is really ridiculously beautiful!
My first buy of this year, it’s stunning and very wearable!
Like rose pepper I’m in Hermes today – L’Ambre des Merveilles. I should keep samples at work like rose pepper too – great idea.
I keep some in my desk drawer, too, just in case. It’s not often that I do my “get dressed and prepped” without applying perfume. When it does happen – let’s say I’m on my way to work, and I realize I HAVE ON NO PERFUME (GASP!) – it makes me a little bit sad, so I have a standing “Perfume Plan B” in place.
I am wearing Eau De Fleur de Magnolia.
Big White Floral Week is here and I am giddy! Started the day with Alien shower gel, love it or hate it, this fragrance is all about the jasmine. Very few shower gels linger on my skin, I select them to set the tone of the day and scent my bathroom. Dug out my Tiare oil, let’s get that winter skin primed for Spring and a fragrance! So here are the chices: Lonestar Memories, Fracas, Estée Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia, Estée Lauder Beautiful, Lust, Tawaf, Van Cleef & Arpels First. Since it is a day of errands and gardening, I will go with Lonestar Memories, the leather and smoke take a backseat to the jasmine for me. Happy Spring to everyone!
After your mentioning jasmine, I was surprised to find it listed in Lonestar Memories’s notes. Never picked up on it, myself. You must smell particularly good!
My skin grabs those white flowers! Conversely it is very hard for me to find a fragrance with leather and incense notes that will stay.
I get a ton of jasmine out of Lonestar Memories as well. It makes it hard for me to remember that most people consider it a very masculine scent.
Dame Perfumery’s Passionfruit. Orange Blossom & Vetiver for me today 🙂 !!
I’m starting my big white floral week in Elie Saab Le Parfum. Its pretty, but I’m not tempted to get more when my sample runs out and I’m looking forward to wearing some of my old favorites as the week goes on.
I wanted to love this fragrance but, alas, I do not. I preferred the L’eau and purchased that enen though I am not usually a L’eau anything kind of girl.
Same here, I’d heard such good things about it, but felt rather “meh” after trying it.
I love the sparkly-tulle opening of it – aldehydes and pretty, non-soapy orange blossom!! – but can’t take the patchouli afterward. Sigh.
Have you tried Carven Le Parfum? Also a Kurkdjian composition, and something of the same joyous, youthful feeling to it.
I have not tried the Carven, will put it on my sample list. Thank you for the suggestion!
Although thinking about what to wear this week made me realize I have enough white floral perfumes (not all necessarily “big”) to wear a different one every day for a month, not just a week.
BWFs FTW!
Not quite on topic, but I loved reading about everyone’s hypothetical Easter baskets yesterday.
Today is Chinatown, in honor of a slightly chilly spring day. It’s just about perfect. Not quite a BWF (too sweet) but a nice way to start off BWF/spring florals week.
Chinatown is my favorite of the Bond line.
I think it is becoming my favorite of the line as well. It is one of the few that doesn’t go “screechy” on me. I am not normally a fan of such sweet scents, but this is OK at the right time/place. I also like one of their other gourmand scents. Haarlem, I think it’s called. Lots of coffee/chocolate. Gourmand seems to be this line’s strength.
I haven’t tried New Haarlem but now you have tempted me! I have sampled many others from this line but I still like Chinatown the best and own a big FB….I happen to like gourmands!
Me too – it certainly covers the Big part quite well if not the WF as much. Perfect for a non-work day in these perfume-nervous times…
Osmanthus Interdite. I’m getting lots of apricot from it this morning.
SOTD is Soivohle Domino Viole thanks to the generous Lisa D! It’s a little bit dark and damp and I am really enjoying it.
Happy Monday 🙂
Hiya, Deva! I put the Domino Viole in the box, because for some reason, it gives me the same vibe as Onda, so I thought it might appeal to you – kinda weird, walking a line between, “Gosh, that’s unusually gorgeous” and “Do I smell paint thinner?”
If you like dark and damp, I’d recommend Etro Messe de Minuit, as well.
Hey, thanks for the recommendation! I will research it. You know what Domino reminds me of in the early opening stages? SSS Forest Walk-it seems to have a similar cool dampness in the beginning. Hope the l’Ambre is treating you well 🙂
Mugler A*Men Ultra Zest. Sort of like a toned-down and much less aggressive A*Men overlaid with a lot of orange Creamsicle. It is really good — maybe my favourite of the flankers.
I have a large decant of this and will have to wear it when the weather gets a lot warmer!
SOTD is Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete, which is full of spicy carnation and clove. I got this as a swap item as I was curious to try the “other” Terracotta.
I liked that one very much, but it frustrated the toothpicks out of me by being one of those Incredible Shrinking Scents. It would start out big and delightful and then become a skin scent on me within an hour, so I could never dose it properly. Spray so that the opening didn’t overwhelm me, and it was gone too quickly. Spray so that it would last, and I’d be reeling against the walls early on. GAH. I hate that effect wherever it shows up. I mean, either be loud or be quiet. Don’t be both.
I’m experiencing the same effect, mals! I have my decant here at work and am respraying every hour. It (the decant) will be gone by nightfall.
Oh, yes! I love both Terracotta scents. I like to wear a dab of Voile d’Ete in the evening so I’m asleep before it disappears. Carnation scents are so lovely. But agree with you and Mals that this one is hard to balance. . . too much is sometimes not a good thing.
I’m wearing Joy and sampling Ce Soir ou Jamais, which are playing very nicely together. I also have Elvis in my head, singing, “It’s now or never…”
I love Elvis. I know, embarrassing, but I don’t care.
Anything that makes you want to dance is good, embarrassing or not.
Wearing Mimosa pour Moi, mostly because I discovered my 30 ml decant has evaporated to about 20 ml. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I think it lasts a lot better now :).
I’m really looking forward to Friday.
I was inspired to break out my Opardu sample for Easter yesterday and now that I remember how utterly gorgeous it is I can’t stop wearing it. I think that’s what prompted me to put it away in the first place. I am afraid I will need a full bottle 😉
That’s the danger of wearing those gorgeous but pricey scents. I had the same experience with Amouage Gold yesterday. I’ve promised myself a FB when I hit/complete a big goal. It will be an achievement, so I will celebrate. Meanwhile, I may have get a decant to tide me over… 😀
I’m wearing and loving on a brisk spring day 31 Rue Cambon..
I wish I had some Carnal Flower to wear this week for BWF. I think it’s time for another decant of this 😉
So many are mentioning 31 Rue Cambon and now I want another decant!
It’s totally worth it! I bought a decant and since you don’t need much of this one it lasts a while.
I don’t think I could stand a BWF week, so I’ll hold off until Friday. Today I’m wearing Dame Perfumery’s Verbena, Freesia & Musk.
How do you like it? My package of nine travel size sprays from Dame Perfumery should be arriving today and this is one of them! I bought quite a few unsniffed but at those prices and free shipping I could not resist 🙂 !
I just ordered the travel size spray of this one and the passionfruit one. I am wearing this for the first time. I like it very much so far. The sillage isn’t overpowering but it is present. I am waiting to see how long it lasts on my skin. I was very pleasantly surprised to get my package from Dame Perfumery, since they included several lovely samples, and one free (smaller) travel spray. I was also interested to see that they now have a unisex scent called Dark Horse that looks interesting.
Did you get a sample of Dark Horse? I am interested to hear what it might be like!
I’m in AG Le Mimosa, as I find it to be nice to wear in spring weather.
Lovely although I do not get a lot of mimosa from it.
Hello, first post after a long time lurking….enjoying reading about everyone’s lovely perfumes!
Wearing a sample of Acqua di Parma Gelsomino Nobile. Perfect for a sunny spring day.
Hi! Glad you delurked.
Hi and welcome!
Hey there, welcome.
I’m going to have to sample that one, just getting into Aqua di Parma, and love the quality.
Enjoy your sunshine, Jo 🙂
I’m wearing Cartier La Panthere today. It’s the only bottle I’ve bought so far this year (first quarter). Since I’ve got so much going on with buying a house and planning a “wedding” (we’re not doing traditional, but we still need to plan stuff) I’ve curbed my decant/sample purchases a LOT. I’m trying to get through all the samples I never use, but should.
I also packed up half my collection this past weekend. As I taped up the box the fiance asked: Are you sure you won’t want some of those over the next two weeks? I said “Yes” confidently then, but I’m sure later this week I’ll be wanting something from that box…. This move is more an experiment on my will power than anything else!
Exciting that you are finally moving!
Yes! It’s so funny because the fiance and I keep talking about our “lasts” in the city. We did our last big grocery shopping and all I could think was how much nicer it will be grocery shopping in the ‘burbs where the produce sections are SO MUCH BETTER.
Oriflame’s Native Force for the first time this morning, quite nice so far.
Wearing Filles en Aguilles today, and noticing how much stewed fruit there is among the incense and pine!
I had a question for Lush fans: I love Dirty in soap form. Also, I have the Body Spray because when I went to buy it they were out of stock of the perfume. However I find the Body Spray to have a definite mens’ deodorant vibe. Do you find the solid or Edt (spray or drops) to be softer and any more feminine?
Started BWF week yesterday with Terracotta, but as Ive worn BWF’s for the most part of summer I took a break today to give Bvlgari Black its first wear for the year.
Bedtime now and in Baiser Volé edp, and wondering how insane it would be to also have a little bottle each of the edt and the essence de parfum as they’re all different…
Not insane at all, if you love it (I don’t think I could even tell you how many versions of Shalimar I own). And you can find various BV’s for a discount online these days . . .
Bvlgari Black for me too today. Such a comfort scent. Mmmmmm.
I’m wearing Good Girl Gone Bad this morning, and after a brief flash of osmanthus this is almost entirely coconut on me. Surprising.
I had the same experience with Beyond Love! Which, to be fair, is a coconut-centric scent. Turned out to be very reminiscent of old school tanning oil, like a high-end Hawaiian Tropic.
BWF Friday might be a wee bit more difficult this week…
I have 2 big meetings on Friday (in a small room) a long workshop session, and BWF for men (or men friendly) are… well… Rare. There’s a pretty big tuberose note in SL Cèdre, i guess…
SOTD is Perles de Lalique
You could always wear Tubereuse Criminelle on Friday,and scare those men into submission,or death!Lol
Have you tried Arquiste Boutonnière no. 7? I haven’t, but remember it as a white floral aimed at men.
SOTD is Philosophy Falling in Love. Simple sweet blackberry. Yum. No BWF for me, so won’t be taking part on Friday. I did just order Chevrefeuille, so at least I have a floral to get partial points if it arrives in time. And thanks for the kick in the pants, AnnS! I waited just long enough to get a discount code for BE.
Hi, Odonata9 – I’m joining you in FIL for Keep-It-Simple Monday. Layered over BBW’s Sweet on Paris lotion, which adds an uplifting lemony note to the blackberry. I smell sweet! But my Little Ones are still with me and they like it when I’m sweet. 🙂
Made the first spring trip to the nursery today: Pansies and Johnny-Jump-Up’s to perk up the front windboxes and stock and alyssum for the large container on the front porch to make you go, Ahhhhh! and inhale their spicy scent as you walk up to my front door.
In total rebel mode today. I’m sampling Dior’s Leather Oud, because Dave over at the Fragrance Bros cracked me up with an April Fools post. I had a sample I’d never tried. Dave’s tolerance for oud is, erm, low, but I’m the person who’s considered changing my moniker to Skankincense. So at my fragrance averse work, I’m wearing a powerhouse. I enjoying it so far. It’s up there with MdO’s Oud for me. Now I want to find my sample of Cuir Mauresque to compare. Dunno if I’m up for BWF all week. Certainly for Friday!
Cuir Mauresque! Whee! That one took me on a wild ride-initially I was repulsed and then entranced.
I have been smitten ever since and would love to roll around in a vat of it 😉
CM Is great stuff. From memory, the Leather Oud is more dry, spare, and fewer spices, but it’s been a while since I’ve had CM on skin. I also heard it’s been reformulated (say it isn’t so!) and so would want to try a new sample before considering a purchase…now I need to locate my sample. Maybe I can wear it tomorrow!
Oh, that’s another sad reformulation story! The first time I tried CM I did two hefty, full blast spritzes. Hence, initially repulsed! But the dry down was heavenly and I learned quickly to be more conservative with my spritzing finger action 😉
Mine was from a small decant I got in a swap so I’m not sure of the “vintage”
Wondering if either of you know how Cuir Mauresque in perfume differs from the wax sample. In wax, its gorgeous, but the wax seems to soften and round the scents in a way that makes it difficult to judge.
Agreed. The wax softens everything (ha!), but I think it gives a general idea. CM is my favorite whip-crack leather. It softens down on my skin after the first 20-30 min, but I’ve only ever dabbed it. It may be a scent like MKK, that I enjoy best dabbed. I cannot imagine spraying either one.
Based on the wax scents I would have bought Foureau Noir and Borneo. But I did come across testers before I bought either, and decided against it. So much depends on subtleties in a perfume…
Merlin, I never got my hands on those wax samples so I have nothing enlightening to add, except to give it a whirl and remain open to the experience:)
Agree! Regarding the comparison, i do think Cuir Mauresque would be easier for a woman to wear. Many of my scents are marketed for men, and I wear them comfortably, but Oud Leather feels more masculine than I can do! CM is quite balsamic, it has some orange flower, myrrh and juicy mandarin along with the leather. Oud Leather is dry, dirty and has a real crack!
This impression could easily have to do with my experiencing the Lutens from wax and the actual Dior.
Actually Cuir Mauresque is much closer to Cuir Cannage in the Dior range. Both combine orange flower and leather. The Dior is cleaner; it has a powdery make-up feel – while the Lutens is a richer and oilier leather.
Oh, I think you hit the nail on the head! I am all over the scent map and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the scents I am really attracted to, but when I look closely, almost all of then are “balsamic” as you noted above, or have a hefty dose of benzoin. That seems to be a regularly recurring note in almost all the perfumes I like and I just realized that when I read your comment!
OMG- I am commenting you to death but I just realized another one I like is Musc Tonkin (extrait, I haven’t tried the edp version) has benzoin as well…!
It’s just so wonderful when you are able to start realizing patterns, which I rarely pay attention to, as I am directed by emotions rather than common sense;)
I also have a preference for balsamic scents! I’m in Cuir Cannage today, but if I had a choice between them I would probably choose the lucious Lutens over the somewhat more aloof Dior 🙂
Used up the last of my Ys Uzac Immortal Beloved sample I’d been hoarding. It’s been perfect! Need to find more…
SOTD = Rose Infernal (sp) which is growing on me- I need to get some more Rose Scents! Not sure what I am going to do for BWF Friday…
Nice! I’m in love with a sample of Jo Malone Red Roses today thanks to a lovely swapper.
Mmm, roses . . .
Scentless day, but now in Baume de Doge, which I find calming. Not sure if I can participate on Fri, in a train then. Maybe a dab of Seville a l’aube.
Oh, does Seville a l’Aube count as a BWF? I should just give up and wear that all the time for a while. I put on other things, and enjoy them for some amount of time, and then start thinking, oh, I wish I had that little waft of orange blossoms floating around me…
yep, orange blossom is a BWF.
I hope so, I can enjoy orange blossoms all day, light and fresh enough, but still with some oomph 🙂
I realized that I have an awful lot of white florals, so I will probably do a whole week. I started yesterday with Amarige, and today is SL Fleur d’Oranger.
Amarige! Can’t wear, used to have a boss who overapplied (and another boss who overdid Tresor. The thought of either makes me shudder). But your SOTD is great.
I have a ton of BWFs too, need to get started on that tomorrow. Today is Profumum Vanitas.
I’m looking for any excuse not to do a full week of BWF. I don’t really like flowery perfumes but as much as I don’t like them, I probably have a good variety from which to choose. Actually, anything I deem flowery I’ll consider BWF, just because.
Today’s excuse is Yankee.Baseball.Season.Opener! I wore Coach Leatherware No.1 and the notes say there’s baseball glove leather accord. It smells great and is perfect. I don’t follow baseball but I’ll take basball glove leather accord any day.
Got my travel spray of Dark Horse from Dame Perfumery tonight and I’m testing it. My husband sniffed it on me and said it smells lovely and is in his top five favorites. I will write more tomorrow.
Looking forward to reading your impression:)