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Lazy weekend poll ~ April showers

Posted by Robin on 25 April 2015 146 Comments

pluie

A quick and easy poll, suggested by Mals86: name a great perfume (or two) for a rainy day.

Note: top image is effet de pluie... [cropped] by sophie & cie at flickr; some rights reserved.

Filed Under: poll

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146 Comments

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  1. juicejones says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:19 am

    Tauer ‘ s Marcocain and Timbuktu are two I break out in the rain. We had a light shower yesterday- the first in two months- and that narcotic, wet creosote scent was in the air. Most of the rain we get comes in late summer monsoons. Calm and contemplative scents come to mind.

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    • Coumarin says:
      25 April 2015 at 11:48 am

      Timbuktu is perfect for the rain! I’m so glad it’s been successful for L’Artisan, given their policy on lagging fragrances.

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  2. Marjorie Rose says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:34 am

    I’m really enjoying L’Heure Bleue this spring! It has a warm, powderiness that seems cozy enough for rain but not stiffling. In fact, I think I’ll go put some on. . .

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    • Marjorie Rose says:
      25 April 2015 at 11:35 am

      Although should note, since I live in Oregon, “for a rainy day” encompasses pretty much all the scents I wear from fall through spring. ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • Robin says:
        25 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

        Ha!

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  3. stinker_kit says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:36 am

    Terre d’Hermes parfum seems just perfect for this cool, rainy day. Noticing the vetiver more today.

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    • Robin says:
      25 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

      Yum, love that one, and can see it being perfect for rain.

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  4. Coumarin says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:46 am

    It’s ironically raining here today. I plan to put on some Eau Sauvage and keep my travel atomizer handy.

    I always thought Piment Brulant was a great rain-soaked garden scent, but that might be due to the fact that I once wore it during some light flooding.

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  5. ringthing says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:53 am

    Two I like that are very different: Bond 9 New Haarlem and Gris Clair, both good for chilly rainy days like today in my corner of the world. NH feels more fallish and I have to be in the mood for Gris Clair as it’s kind of like having Pink Floyd playing in the background all day.

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    • Deva says:
      25 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

      Long time Pink Floyd fan here! ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • ringthing says:
        25 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

        ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • Holly says:
        25 April 2015 at 12:14 pm

        Ditto!

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      • Omega says:
        26 April 2015 at 1:01 pm

        +1 PF:)

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    • karen B says:
      25 April 2015 at 1:35 pm

      still and forever

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    • CobraRose says:
      25 April 2015 at 6:24 pm

      That describes my feeling about Iris Silver Mist perfectly!

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    • sweetgrass says:
      25 April 2015 at 9:37 pm

      I haven’t tried Gris Clair, but comparing it to Pink Floyd makes me want to. ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • Marjorie Rose says:
        26 April 2015 at 1:38 pm

        I am a fan of both, but it is not a connection I had made! Actually, I’m not sure I’ve ever really matched scents with particular songs or performers—might make a fun poll some time!

        In any case, I think I get it! Gris Clair has a depth to it that I could perceive as edgy and dark, but it’s not unapproachable. And I haven’t tried wearing it while watching Wizard of Oz. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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  6. Mary Carol says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:59 am

    When it’s raining or it looks like there might be storms sometime during the day, I like to reach for CDG Vettiveru or Mary Greenwell Plum.

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  7. Deva says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Rainy days here usually mean temperatures that are steamy, sweltering, and sticky. After a mid-day shower, you can actually need steam rising from the pavement. As the sun reappears, we are trapped in the natures equivalent of a sauna.

    I love Bvlgari Black on those days-it’s cooling and somehow oddly refreshing.

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    • Deva says:
      25 April 2015 at 1:45 pm

      *See! Not need ๐Ÿ™ pardon the many typos! I’m on my phone and suffer from FFS.

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    • Lucy says:
      25 April 2015 at 1:50 pm

      Bvlgari Black and steamy pavement seem like they were meant for each other! Somehow your description makes steamy and sticky sound appealing.

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      • C.H. says:
        25 April 2015 at 4:24 pm

        Too true!!

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  8. SunnyDay says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Coromandel or Sycomore worn together or separately, complement the scents of grass and trees that are amplified when it rains – even in the city.

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    • nancyg says:
      25 April 2015 at 1:38 pm

      Raining in Chicago – put on Coromandel today. I like your idea of combining with Sycomore.

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    • meredifay says:
      25 April 2015 at 4:17 pm

      I keep forgetting about Sycomore. I am going to go put it on my list of samples to acquire right now.

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    • AnnS says:
      25 April 2015 at 4:38 pm

      Sycomore smells *exactly* like the woods and damp earth in the very early summer after a pounding rain when the new vegetation – especially the ferns – get a bit bruised and release their aroma.

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    • Eleebelle says:
      25 April 2015 at 5:40 pm

      Great choices, and the combination of the two is such an interesting idea!

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  9. cazaubon says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:04 pm

    I am wearing Bois des Iles extrait today. We had some rain yesterday but I think it’s over for now.

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  10. foxbins says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:12 pm

    For cold rain, I like to break out the ambers–Aroma M Geisha Noir, Alahine, Ambre Precieux. For warm rain I like lilacs and other light florals-En Passant, Apres l’Ondee, Shanghai Lily. Like Marjorie Rose, I’m in Oregon so rain is pretty much a 9-month season.

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    • mals86 says:
      25 April 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Oh, agree on the temperatures making a difference!

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  11. Suzy Q says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:16 pm

    Wearing FM En Passant today, on cool spring day, 68 degrees and drizzling. It feels perfect!

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    • Annikky says:
      25 April 2015 at 5:50 pm

      It is!

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  12. hannahmom says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

    Apres lโ€™Ondee, Mitsouko or L’Heure Bleu in the winter/fall rain, but fresher scents (CDG Peppermint or AA Herba Fresca) in the Spring when things are starting to turn green.

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  13. Elisa says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:43 pm

    For some reason I like Lolita Lempicka au Masculin when it rains — maybe because it’s kind of the color of a cloudy sky.

    I’m wearing Smell Bent Mirror Ball this morning — one for your spring incense list, Robin!

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  14. nozknoz says:
    25 April 2015 at 12:50 pm

    I’m very fond of Miller Harris La Pluie, although it might be better to play against type for rainy days, especially cold ones. It’s a very cool and overcast spring day here in the DC area, with rain forecast. I’m actually following one of your warmer spring incense recommendations, Etro Shaal Nur. I almost put on Messe de Minuit by mistake. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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  15. johanob says:
    25 April 2015 at 1:12 pm

    Apres L’Ondee is definitely on top of my rainy-day list!It’s so cooling and seems to convey the feeling of rain washing the earth clean,perfectly!L’eau d’Hiver-although many people take it as a winter scent-seems also perfect for hot,steamy summer-shower days.Cool rainy nights call for the heavy gourmands:Iris Ganache,Shalimar,even L de Lolita.

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    • Oakland Fresca says:
      25 April 2015 at 5:50 pm

      New avatar? Fun!

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      • johanob says:
        26 April 2015 at 1:11 pm

        Well “old”-new Avatar…lol.Sunshine.

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  16. Cybele says:
    25 April 2015 at 1:14 pm

    I am just rediscovering Iris Ukiyoรฉ and I am pleasantly surprised. I used to find it too watery but it is actually really nice in spring and certainly goes well with a spring shower.

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    • nozknoz says:
      25 April 2015 at 8:02 pm

      I like this one better than the other Hermessences, actually, and it’s one of my favorite light florals.

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  17. Annikky says:
    25 April 2015 at 1:28 pm

    I was making asparagus soup on our gas stove today and suddenly smelled something really good and smoky and interesting. I was so absorbed in analysing the scent and wondering what it was that it took me some time to realize that I had set myself on fire. The smokiness made perfect sense as soon as I saw that my oven glove was aflame.

    Some people might argue that I spend too much time thinking about perfume…

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    • johanob says:
      25 April 2015 at 1:38 pm

      Oops…had the same happen today while preparing Lunch!Lol!I put on the backplate instead of the front one where my pasta pot was…on the backplate was a ceramic salad bowl and some oven-mittens,which subsequently started to melt and smolder…I WAS wondering what that weird basil-pesto-plus-plasticky-smokiness smell was!!Lol.

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      • Annikky says:
        25 April 2015 at 1:44 pm

        ๐Ÿ™‚ Smoke Twins.

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    • austenfan says:
      25 April 2015 at 4:31 pm

      I know that you like smoky scents but this seems to be pushing it! ๐Ÿ˜‰

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      • Annikky says:
        25 April 2015 at 5:26 pm

        Yes, even I do actually draw a line at bodily harm.

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    • AnnS says:
      25 April 2015 at 4:39 pm

      Ok, so that is a very funny story!

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      • Annikky says:
        25 April 2015 at 5:27 pm

        ๐Ÿ™‚ Nothing to do with rain, though, I must admit.

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    • missionista says:
      25 April 2015 at 8:18 pm

      That made me LOL! I’m glad you’re both OK, Anniky and Johanob.

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      • Annikky says:
        26 April 2015 at 7:28 am

        Thank you! Amazingly, I didn’t get burnt at all and am completely OK and rather amused.

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      • johanob says:
        26 April 2015 at 1:13 pm

        Haha!Well if my house went up in flames…I’m afraid the Perfume-Vault would smolder and sizzle for days and days and days….

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  18. Lucy says:
    25 April 2015 at 1:44 pm

    For most types of weather I like to wear something that complements it, but for some reason I love Dzongkha with a heavy, cold rainstorm like we are having today in Chicago. It is so dry in a hot, dusty, nose-tickling sort of way. The two just go together well for me.

    For a warm summer rain, I like the fruity dampness of Calyx or the light floral dampness of Aprรจs L’Ondee.

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  19. Meggo says:
    25 April 2015 at 1:49 pm

    This is fitting! I’m in a downpour today. ๐Ÿ™‚ I live in downstate Illinois, which is prone to them. I really love Kenzo Flower during the cold spring rains. It’s pretty much the only time I wear it, but it’s a great fit. Cartier Baiser Vole (the extrait) is quickly becoming another spring precipitation favorite. I also love “irises with presence” during chilly, wet weather: Iris Silver Mist and Iris Nazarena.

    I’m taking copious notes today! I love everyone’s suggestions!

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  20. pixel says:
    25 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Rain here in California is a winter thing, so it’s generally cool. Which means ambers and incenses for me, anything that feels ‘warm’.

    This week I tested Neela Vermeires… and to my total surprise, I liked them ALL. Usually when I test a bunch of scents from a house, I’ll like maybe 1 in 5. This time… all?!! Whoa. Fig & incense Ashoka, saffron & incense Trayee, dark spicy rose Mohur, fruity silly Bombay Bling… glad to have the 8ml discovery size for each of those.

    Even more surprising, I think Pichola is my favorite. It’s white florals and sososososo pretty, neither of which is usually my thing, but I really enjoyed Pichola from start to finish. Oh how I wish that had been in the discovery set! Now I have to figure out how best to get more… sure wish they sold the 8ml size for each scent individually.

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    • Gi says:
      25 April 2015 at 3:59 pm

      Oooh, now I really want to try the Pichola too! Ashoka didn’t happen to work so well for me but I really enjoyed the others. Went quite goofy for Mohur in particular.

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      • Annikky says:
        25 April 2015 at 5:49 pm

        Exactly the same here, although Trayee might be my favourite by a smaal margin. Really want to try Pichola now.

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    • foxbins says:
      25 April 2015 at 7:14 pm

      Pixel, Pichola didn’t work for me and I have a 5ml decant minus 2 sprays. Email me at my username at aol if you are interested.

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  21. jepster says:
    25 April 2015 at 2:24 pm

    Happy weekend everybody–it’s been a while since I checked in, but always glad to catch up on everybody’s ‘fumes.

    If it’s a cold rain, I like amber scents; but if it’s a warm rain, I reach for citrus. I am trying very hard to work through my samples and wonderful FBs of fabulous scents, but temptation is everywhere. Any strategies for squelching the shopping impulse?

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    • hajusuuri says:
      25 April 2015 at 10:20 pm

      Pretend you already own it but it’s at the very back of perfume storage so you never wear it ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • leathermountain says:
        25 April 2015 at 11:51 pm

        I like this one!

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    • pixel says:
      26 April 2015 at 11:51 am

      Put it on a list and think about it for a month. If at the end of the month you find you *haven’t* thought about it… you can probably live without it ๐Ÿ™‚ If you’ve thought about it a few times, perhaps a 5ml decant will do. If you’ve thought about it over and over… welll, perhaps that one really is a FB candidate ๐Ÿ™‚

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      • jepster says:
        26 April 2015 at 12:48 pm

        Good idea! The more I sniff, the more I am convinced that I will never need a full bottle again. Too many perfumes, too little time!

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  22. perthgirl says:
    25 April 2015 at 2:44 pm

    I crave Voyage d’Hermes in the rain.

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  23. ggperfume says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:26 pm

    For spring rain, I like Chanel no19, or perhaps Bas de Soie if I’m in the right mood. For winter rain, Chanel no5 parfum (especially for a cozy day at home) or Iris Poudre. Plus que Jamais is good for any rainy day, imo. (But note: I live in a dry-summer climate and have no experience with sweltering warm rain).

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  24. austenfan says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:33 pm

    I like rooty iris scents for rainy weather, and patchouli scents as well.
    I’m wearing something else entirely today, being covered with the insanely beautiful Enlรจvement au Sรฉrail.

    We had a good bout of rain today after several weeks of very dry weather. It smells wonderful out of doors.

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    • farouche says:
      25 April 2015 at 6:38 pm

      Oh, you smell good! I’ve taken to leaving my little bottle of EaS out so that I’m reminded to wear it.

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      • austenfan says:
        26 April 2015 at 10:06 am

        I snatched up one of the last full bottles available. It’s such an atmospheric scent. I’m currently saving up to buy a sampler set of MDCI perfumes.

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      • austenfan says:
        26 April 2015 at 10:11 am

        Oh and on another note I don’t know whether you’ve already finished creating the sample box for your daughter’s wedding perfume, but I’ve since thought of some other fragrances: VCA First, and Gardรฉnia Pรฉtale, and Guerlain’s Aprรจs l’Ondรฉe.

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        • farouche says:
          26 April 2015 at 12:47 pm

          Thank you, austenfan! I think I have a mini of First and I have full bottles of the other two, so it will be easy to make decants. I need to finish the box up by late May when she will be visiting.

          And now my other daughter is engaged, too!

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          • johanob says:
            26 April 2015 at 1:16 pm

            Busy times Patricia!Exciting times!Congrats!Think of all the occasions ahead where you can show off some lovely perfumes yourself!

          • nozknoz says:
            26 April 2015 at 1:32 pm

            Farouche, I didn’t see the original post on the sample box, but I did something possibly similar for a young friend. One of the perfumes she liked the most was Hermes Iris Ukiyoe.

          • austenfan says:
            26 April 2015 at 1:50 pm

            Congrats! Will she have her own perfume box in due course?

          • farouche says:
            26 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

            Thanks, johano and nozknoz. I’m not sure if my other daughter would be interested in sampling perfumes, austenfan. She hasn’t set a date yet, so I’m waiting for wedding planning to start before asking her about perfume.

          • hajusuuri says:
            26 April 2015 at 2:58 pm

            Congratulations, Farouche!

          • farouche says:
            27 April 2015 at 8:11 am

            Thanks, Hajusuuri! BTW I enjoyed your Caron article over on Undina’s blog. I love Caron perfumes, and would love to visit their showroom in NYC. Your pictures of it are great.

  25. Lovestosmellgood says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:36 pm

    In sunshine today ..Love this bottle
    Rain scents- no19,

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    • johanob says:
      26 April 2015 at 1:17 pm

      Oh my word you of course smell fantastic!!

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  26. C.H. says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:42 pm

    So if it’s unbearably grey outside and I must have an injection of sunny cheer, Blackberry & Bay does the trick.

    Otherwise, especially if it’s chilly and rainy as now (ugh, on April 25?!), I’ve been leaning toward warmer, cozier vanillas and their ilk–Vanille 44, JCrew/Arquiste 57, Boyfriend, Dzing.

    Warm rain? What’s warm rain? ๐Ÿ˜‰

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    • hajusuuri says:
      25 April 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Hi C.H. — I, too, would pick JM Blackberry & Bay for a rainy day!

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    • Annikky says:
      26 April 2015 at 12:51 pm

      For me, it’s one of the best scents for being outdoors, rain or not. It’s especially good for early autumn, I think, but I wear it almost in any weather (deep winter being a possible exception).

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  27. AnnS says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:51 pm

    Temperature is a big factor in this! Cool summer rain: Sycomore (or Encre Noir) and Teo Cabanal Alahine. Hot summer rain: AG Le Chevrefeuille, Chanel Cristalle, or Cartier Baiser Vole edp. Excessively humid summer rain that ends up in wicked good thunderstorm: AG Heure Exquise, Chanel No 19. Cold early fall rain: Guerlain Vol de Nuit vintage extrait, Chanel No 19 any version. Very cold late fall rain: FM Noir Epices. Miserable winter rain: Guerlain Bois d’Armenie or Bal a Versailles. Cool spring rain: Chanel No 5 edt or Esprit d’Oscar. Warm spring rain: Guerlain Chamade edt or AG Grand Amour.

    But seriously! It rains like dogs a large part of the year up here, so most of my collection is good for the rain!!!

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    • SunnyDay says:
      25 April 2015 at 5:40 pm

      You are the rainy day-perfume expert! I have to keep this list.

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    • Annikky says:
      25 April 2015 at 5:45 pm

      I was going to say – before I got distracted by my flaming left hand – that my rain scents depend on the season and on whether I want to go with/against the rain. Some of my “with” scents are Iris Silver Mist (very early spring), En Passant and Apres L’Ondee (late spring), Un Matin d’Orage (summer), Sel de Vetiver (autumn). In general, iris, violet and vetiver seem to work well. When I’m going “against” the rainy mood, I want something warm and cozy, but not quite as warm as cozy as the scents I use against snow and cold. Softer woods and leathers are good – Lumiere Blanche, Feminite du Bois, Cuir Mauresque. I was wearing Keiko Mecheri Cuir Cordoba today and that is actually a good candidate as well. But as you say, it rains so often here that it doesn’t always play much role in what I choose to wear.

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  28. Eleebelle says:
    25 April 2015 at 4:52 pm

    I usually like slightly sweeter, spicier scents in the rain (wearing Vanilla Flash in today’s chilly, overcast weather), but one scent that doesn’t fall into that category but I think is noticeably enhanced by cool, damp weather is L’Orpheline. Incense and smokey scents in general seem to hold up well, and I think something like Passage d’Enfer, Tea for Two, or CBIHP Fire From Heaven would be good, too.

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  29. meredifay says:
    25 April 2015 at 5:33 pm

    SOTD=Oeillets Rouges from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz…this is my current go to comfort scent these days. It makes my day go better when it is cold and rainy…

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    • hajusuuri says:
      25 April 2015 at 9:24 pm

      Great choice, meredifay. I have to check my atomizer again…I’m on my 2nd atomizer — the first one was damaged and DSH sent a replacement and that worked for a few spritzes and eventually died. I’m thinking that Oeillets Rouges may be “too thick” or maybe too oily for the atomizer?

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      • meredifay says:
        25 April 2015 at 11:39 pm

        Hmm, good to know…I have just been using up a little dabber sample and am going to get some more. If it doesn’t spray well, guess I will opt for the cute little antique bottle. But I like to spray and this doesn’t seem particularly oily to me. Maybe they just got a bad batch of atomizers. They are always so nice to deal with. Have you contacted them about this second problem?

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        • mals86 says:
          26 April 2015 at 4:55 pm

          I just bought the 4ml dram bottle of Oeillets Rouges. It’s a dabber, of course… such beautiful stuff.

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  30. SheriG says:
    25 April 2015 at 6:03 pm

    This morning it’s Jour d’Hermes on one arm and Jour d’Hermes Absolu on the other. The Absolu was a sample given to me by the SA who sold me a FB of the original formula, and for a bit I thought I was going to regret my purchase – I love the opening of the Absolu so much! But all’s well that ends well – now that they’re both an hour or so into their development I’m much happier with the original. Phew!

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    • SheriG says:
      25 April 2015 at 6:17 pm

      I got so caught up in my relief over the Jour smackdown that I forgot about the poll. After thinking about it this morning (on a typical Oregon spring day with weather including everything from cold, dark rain to brilliant sunshine), and reading through other posters’ responses, I don’t really have an answer. Temperature drives my daily fragrance selection often, but rain hardly ever does. It’s probably because it rains a LOT here (as a couple of other Oregonians have mentioned) so in my mind nearly anything fits a rainy day … although Bel Respiro is very nice in a light springtime shower.

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    • meredifay says:
      26 April 2015 at 12:43 am

      It does feel like a relief when you are able to clarify a preference like that, isn’t it?
      I’ve been thinking I should go through my collection that way, just to find out what scent I really like the best! I did it with two Iris scents, and Iris Poudre won. Hmmmm…..

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      • SheriG says:
        26 April 2015 at 3:11 pm

        What was the other scent in the contest? I’m in Chanel 19 edp this morning and loving it, but I could see a need to own both 19 and Iris Poudre. ๐Ÿ™‚

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        • mals86 says:
          26 April 2015 at 4:53 pm

          I need both my No. 19 and my Iris Poudre. NEEEED THEM. (Though I admit I went through two 10ml decants and two years of saving before buying IP.)

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          • SheriG says:
            26 April 2015 at 7:46 pm

            ๐Ÿ™‚

  31. CobraRose says:
    25 April 2015 at 6:29 pm

    Mitsouko feels “damp,” goes well with humidity, which we have a lot of here in the Ohio River valley.

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  32. annemarie says:
    25 April 2015 at 6:54 pm

    A few people have mentioned L’Heure Bleue. For me it’s great on really cold winter rainy days. Its patisserie warmth is a cocoon as you watch people and cars splash through icy wet streets. It’s also good to wear while reading Georges Simenon’s Maigret novels.

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  33. missionista says:
    25 April 2015 at 8:22 pm

    Vanille 44, definitely. Also Vetiver Tonka. Bet one of the Garden scents from Hermes would be great in a spring/summer rain.

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  34. Elisa P says:
    25 April 2015 at 9:41 pm

    I like SL Bois de Violette and SSS Wood Violet or Voile de Violette when it’s rainy. I think the moisture make them more diffusive. Something about violets in the rain…

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    • annemarie says:
      25 April 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Nice, yes, I like damp and woody violets. Less keen on the candied sort.

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    • Annikky says:
      26 April 2015 at 7:29 am

      Lovely choices. I think I’ll go and dig out my small bottle of Wood Violet – I love it, but haven’t worn in ages.

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      • Elisa P says:
        26 April 2015 at 1:50 pm

        I’m still trying to figure out if I like it enough to own a larger size. Reminds me of the SL which I really like but don’t want to pay for. I’m finding the SSS to have a pugency or aldehydic or powdery (?) quality that makes it a bit uncomfortable to wear breathing wise. I find it more interesting and longer lasting than the SL but not as smooth. Any thoughts on this one?

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        • Annikky says:
          26 April 2015 at 4:07 pm

          I tried desperately to find my travel spray, it has to be here somewhere, but alas… I went through 17ml of Wood Violet and had no problems when wearing it, but I don’t think it quite works as a replacement for the SL, if that’s what you really want (I love it as well). If you like WV enough in it’s own, certainly go for it, but my personal experience has been not to settle for half-loves. I don’t own Bois de Violette, but that’s mostly because I do have a bottle of Feminite du Bois that I absolutely adore and that fills a similar niche for me. And as it’s in the export range, it’s cheaper and can be sprayed, both important advantages. BdV is also a bit faint to my nose, that’s the other reason I’ve not splurged yet. Not sure it’s helpful, but can’t resist discussing violet perfumes if given half a chance…

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          • Elisa P says:
            26 April 2015 at 7:19 pm

            Good point. Not sure if I was thinking about it as a dupe for SL. They definitely share a theme. Each has its pros and cons for me. And I will probably own neither in the end! And Caron Ameiz Moi actually satisfies the sweet violet thing (I’ve a smallish decant). However, I have been known to go for 1/2 loves (more in clothes/shoes) for the sake of spending less. Which usually backfires as the nagging “it’s still not quite right” will make me keep looking for something else. I’m also trying to just sample for the sake of just having the experience of a scent rather than a quest to own it. There is just wayyyy to much out there. Of course it’s not always easy to resist.

  35. sweetgrass says:
    25 April 2015 at 9:48 pm

    I like Annikky’s grouping of scents going “with” or “against” rain. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I think I kind of do that too. I like green scents or springy florals when I’m feeling like going with the rain, but if it’s been raining a lot and I’m tired of it, I’ll go “against” and choose warmer scents, more like I would wear in fall/winter, even if it’s warm outside.

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    • Annikky says:
      26 April 2015 at 6:45 am

      Thank you! In reality it’s of course not that sructured and scientific, I often don’t take the rain into account at all, but I’ve definitely noticed these two responses in myself.

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  36. abutl28 says:
    25 April 2015 at 11:08 pm

    I have a question to everyone in the fragrance community. I am having a problem using all of the scents in my fragrance collection out of fear that I will run out of fragrance somehow. I currently own roughly 35 to 40 bottles of fragrance and I only got into this community and hobby about 6 months ago. In that time I grew from about 5 bottles to almost 40. How do I change my mindset and allow myself to feel ok using everything I own? Does anyone have any advice to offer?

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    • meredifay says:
      26 April 2015 at 12:30 am

      1. When you use up a bottle, you can “improve” your collection by getting something you enjoy even more.
      2. Perfume doesn’t last forever – it is sad to read about some one discovering that one of their bottles has gone “off”. Don’t let it go to waste! If you like it, wear it!
      3. For me at least the experience of wearing perfume is pretty situational, and my preferences for scent has shifted over the years. I recently gave away several bottles of perfume which no longer suited me emotionally. They were residual, and had nothing to do with my current life.
      4. Some people love having a large collection, but if what you have seems like a strain or problem, rather than a source of pleasure, I would suggest reducing what you have to what you feel happy with. Why keep a problem?
      5. Using up a whole bottle of an artistically complex perfume is often a surprising journey in itself, and I feel myself changed by that experience. By hanging on to those bottles you have, are you resisting some change in your life?

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      • leathermountain says:
        26 April 2015 at 10:18 am

        These are great ideas.

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        • meredifay says:
          26 April 2015 at 11:08 am

          I have just been thinking about these issues for myself….I come from a long line of people who are real problem hoarders, so I stay aware of the difference between my carefully tended collection and say, hoarding empty bottles that aren’t that pretty. Actually, as I write this, it occurs to me that I do not need to keep my empty Jour d’Hermes bottle! Time for more pruning!!

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          • leathermountain says:
            26 April 2015 at 7:15 pm

            meredifay, I wonder if I can help you prune that empty bottle. I’ve got a refill bottle, and I’d love to use it as intended. If you’re interested in working something out, drop me a line at alederberg@gmail.com

          • meredifay says:
            27 April 2015 at 9:32 pm

            Leathermountain,I have emailed you!

      • jepster says:
        26 April 2015 at 12:54 pm

        I don’t have quite as many FBs as you, but I have made a concerted effort this year to use (and fully enjoy) what I have, including a vast number of samples, while not adding to the collection. Maybe its age, maybe its spring, but I find I want to be burdened with less “stuff”–believe me, you will still have lots to choose from and when something is used up, take that opportunity to enjoy the empty space without the need to fill it right up again.

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      • Merlin says:
        27 April 2015 at 6:21 pm

        Wow, 5 has given me a lot to think about!

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    • Elisa P says:
      26 April 2015 at 1:41 pm

      I think with any hobby that involves collecting, it can easily become consuming and obsessive. My husband “collects” records, PEZ dispensers. It was becoming a space problem. There was emotional resistance to paring down and getting rid of the one’s he didn’t care about. With professional help(because he wouldn’t listen to me) he was abke to let go of a lot of stuff and now finds that he doesn’t miss them and feels less burdened.
      For myself, I own very few FBs(4 I think). I like change and variety so I can easily see my collection growing. I am conscious of this and limit myself to small decant or travel sizes and find that those are really enough to satisfy me and can usually be replaced when empty if I still want it that badly (which doesn’t happen often, actually ).

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    • SheriG says:
      26 April 2015 at 3:28 pm

      I have that problem with only one fragrance at the moment, and that’s because it’s dc’d and I worry about truly having to tell it goodbye. But I also crave variety and have noticed that I lose interest in most fragrances long before finishing a FB. My plan (IF I ever manage to finish a bottle) is to keep at least 5 mls of it and see whether (and how loudly) it calls my name again down the road. At the very least I’ll learn something about myself.

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    • thegoddessrena says:
      26 April 2015 at 5:17 pm

      Life is to be enjoyed and pleasure experienced. Why own perfume otherwise? (Said as a cancer survivor with dozens of bottles and hundreds of samples)

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      • meredifay says:
        27 April 2015 at 9:29 pm

        Celebrate abundance!

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    • abutl28 says:
      27 April 2015 at 6:20 pm

      Thank you everyone for all of the generous help and guidance! This really helped me put using my collection in focus and why I bought all of these scents to begin with!

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      • meredifay says:
        27 April 2015 at 9:30 pm

        Thank you for asking the question!

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  37. Eva S says:
    26 April 2015 at 6:01 am

    Like many above, I agree that both iris and vetivier works very well with rain, Guerlain Vetivier is a favorite, Onda should also fit. Hermes Hiris?
    I hadn’t considered violet- I should try Arquiste Alexandre (violet, leather) next time.

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  38. Hamamelis says:
    26 April 2015 at 7:12 am

    It is cool spring rain here (thank you Ann for the rain qualification) and I am going with it (thank you Anniky for this observation): Hiris!
    Malle’s Vetiver Extraordinaire would also fit.

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  39. leathermountain says:
    26 April 2015 at 10:20 am

    I have vivid memories of two scented rainy days: in Passage d’Enfer and in Oriental Mint (Phaedon). They suited perfectly.

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  40. Omega says:
    26 April 2015 at 1:07 pm

    Don’t get much rain really, so idk, lol.

    I think I’d like some kind of orange blossom or maybe something like Angel’s Trumpet..I really don’t know. Perhaps Ambre Nuit..not that I own that one, LOL. Wish I did. I could also imagine some Memoir Woman.

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  41. nozknoz says:
    26 April 2015 at 1:26 pm

    I decided to try something new: Lindt Excellence 99% cacao dark chocolate. I discovered it on the Lindt website while searching the internet for my favorite Lindt 90% cacao dark chocolate, which local supermarkets have stopped carrying.

    The chocolate was packed up as carefully as luxury perfume, along with reusable gel ice packs (which I’ve tucked into my freezer for picnics or emergencies). The 99% bars are much thinner than the regular bars, 1.8 oz versus 3.5 oz, and cost 20% more. They aren’t simply wrapped in foil, but rather sealed in a plastic tray to avoid breakage. There is detailed “Important: Tasting Advise,” such as progressively developing one’s palate through the full range of cocoa levels before reaching the 99% level.

    The 99% chocolate doesn’t actually taste sweet at all, but it doesn’t taste like unsweetened chocolate either. (To me, unsweetened chocolate tastes savory, and not exactly like chocolate.) Letting a small piece slowly melt in the mouth, as recommended by the instructions, is more like testing a new perfume than eating a candy bar. As Annikky said of her much more dramatic tale of the aromatic burning oven mitt, some people might argue that I spend too much time thinking about perfumeโ€ฆ ๐Ÿ˜‰

    I think I would have appreciated 95% chocolate as an intermediate step first, but I plan to order more. And by the way, I’m seeing on the website that the chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs are 40% off now. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Does anyone else have favorite extra dark chocolates?

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    • Robin says:
      26 April 2015 at 3:23 pm

      I am not a fan of even 70% chocolate, so should probably be disqualified from answering, but the Madecasse base chocolate is fruity enough that I can stand their much darker bars — I managed to eat an 80% without choking. I would not touch a 99% bar, although my son, who regularly eats 80-90%, ate one and said it was “interesting”. Not much help, eh?

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      • nozknoz says:
        26 April 2015 at 5:02 pm

        I’ve seen the Madecasse bars – will take one for a spin. 99% is a different experience, for sure. You can’t eat very much of it at one time, which can be an advantage.

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    • hajusuuri says:
      26 April 2015 at 3:29 pm

      I haven’t met dark chocolate I didn’t like ๐Ÿ™‚

      I tend towards any dark chocolate 70% or above. The brands I like include Lindt, Green & Black’s, Dagoba, Valrhona, Divine and Trader Joe’s.

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      • nozknoz says:
        26 April 2015 at 4:57 pm

        I’ve always liked dark chocolate, but Green & Black’s was my gateway to really dark! I also like Endangered Species 88%, and probably wouldn’t have gone on line if they hadn’t stopped stocking that one, too.

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    • Eleebelle says:
      26 April 2015 at 4:58 pm

      Generally, the darker the chocolate the better, in my book, but I admit that I tried some 99% once, and it was too much for me (although I obviously ate it all anyway ๐Ÿ™‚ ). You’re clearly stronger than I.

      Not super, super dark (75%), but I recently got a bar of El Ceibo Heritage Cocoa Beans chocolate from Whole Foods and liked that a lot. Normally I have a compulsion to buy chocolate with the weirdest combination of ingredients I can find, so I was surprised to find straight chocolate that really made an impression.

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      • nozknoz says:
        26 April 2015 at 5:06 pm

        I wonder if perfumistas have a greater predilection for weird chocolate flavors? ๐Ÿ™‚

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  42. Dawn says:
    26 April 2015 at 2:01 pm

    Right now, I am mentally cursing my boss out because I got whatever she has, so I smell a thing. Hoping this Sudafed will start working soon. But one of my rainy day scents is Jicky.

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    • nozknoz says:
      26 April 2015 at 2:36 pm

      My sense of smell has been unreliable recently, but it’s due to tree pollen allergies rather than a virus (which would really be a whole lot better since). Pollen in the Washington, DC, area is high now.

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  43. mals86 says:
    26 April 2015 at 2:48 pm

    I didn’t even remember suggesting this poll. Which makes me wonder if my head is even attached… wait, lemme check… oh good. it is. ๐Ÿ™‚

    As for rainy day fragrances, I agree with the observations that weather and temperature along with the rain itself seem to make a difference. If we’ve gone weeks of warm weather without rain and then we get a refreshing shower – ahhhhh! Apres l’Ondee, definitely. For the past week, though, it’s been unseasonally chilly and wet, and I don’t feel like celebrating that rain. For some reason, I think I like violets and floral leathers in spring rain – I think it was two years ago that we had a cold, wet spring, and pretty much all I wore was Jolie Madame, Cuir de Lancome, and Penhaligon’s Violetta, with the occasional foray into Memoir Woman. At this stage I’d add Cuir Cannage to that list.

    Winter rains call for coziness – Bal a Versailles maybe, Alahine, Black Cashmere.

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    • Robin says:
      26 April 2015 at 3:21 pm

      It says you did in my Evernote big list of poll recommendations. So you must have!

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      • mals86 says:
        26 April 2015 at 3:32 pm

        I’m not questioning your Evernote. I’m questioning my questionable memory, of course…

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        • mals86 says:
          26 April 2015 at 3:32 pm

          Can I blame my kids? I’m gonna blame my kids.

          THere, I feel better.

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          • Robin says:
            26 April 2015 at 5:09 pm

            Brainrot due to motherhood is the reason I need Evernote, so of course you can blame your kids.

        • nozknoz says:
          26 April 2015 at 5:11 pm

          Somehow, I think ideas are the hardest things to remember if you don’t write them down where you’ll find them again. Even without kids. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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  44. nozknoz says:
    26 April 2015 at 5:15 pm

    Is anyone else noticing new emoticons? I’m sure they weren’t yellow before here, and the expressions were more expressive. Maybe there are more expressions available, though.

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    • nozknoz says:
      26 April 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Looking at the chart on the Comment Policy page, I guess they were yellow but a lighter yellow. The chart still has the old ones. I wonder if it’s just something Chrome is doing on my system.

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      • austenfan says:
        26 April 2015 at 5:22 pm

        Firefox is doing the same to mine.

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      • Robin says:
        26 April 2015 at 5:46 pm

        They are from the latest update of WordPress. I like the older ones better — these are too fuzzy or something. I am going to see if there is a plugin to put the old ones back.

        On the other hand, betcha there are far more emoticons available in this set — have not investigated.

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        • Robin says:
          26 April 2015 at 5:46 pm

          And yes, the chart shows the old ones!

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        • nozknoz says:
          27 April 2015 at 1:47 pm

          The expressions are odd, especially the new winky face. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Ugh! ๐Ÿ™

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  45. Deva says:
    26 April 2015 at 6:09 pm

    So today I was at the health food store looking at all the unhealthy foods (dark chocolate covered almonds-YUM!) and ran across this spritzy thing called Zum Mist. It’s a body mist and comprised of EO’s, purified H2O, fragrance oils and vegetable glycerin.

    I chose the frankincense and myrrh one, which I need like I need a hole I the head, but it’s quite a nice low key scent. Great for layering I would imagine, or by itself heat of summer. I was wearing Hermรฉs Hiris at the time and this seemed to work well with it.

    Although, truth be told, I had spritzed about half a dozen Pacifica’s on too…I feel FRAGRANT! ๐Ÿ˜‰

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    • L says:
      27 April 2015 at 2:24 am

      I really like Zum’s frankincense and myrrh soap.

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  46. Merlin says:
    27 April 2015 at 6:26 pm

    Far too late to be chiming in, but wanted to say that Private Collection always gives me that feeling that it is about to rain – that feeling that some grand storm is in the wings ๐Ÿ™‚

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