Last day of June, folks! Hope you enjoy it (and that also means the next damage poll is coming up, on Friday). What fragrance are you wearing today?
I'm wearing L'Occitane Arlésienne, from Elisa's Top 10 of Summer at Bois de Jasmin.
Reminder: this Friday, 7/3, we're doing scented body products. Skip the perfume if you dare, and wear one or more scented body products.
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.
Note: top image is detail from View of Arles (Flowering Orchards), April 1889 via Wikimedia Commons.
Carnal Flower for me.
I’m a little anxious to count my bottles for the damage poll. I did quite well the first quarter, but I bought 3 bottles this month alone.
We need some form of ‘income averaging’ like on taxes 😉
SOTD is Philosykos.
Yum!
Good choice!
Angelique today. I still can’t decide which Papillon is my favorite and now there’s a new one I need to try. Life’s so tough 😉
Did not know there was a new one, thanks!!
Went for Paprika Brasil today, since it lasts all day even post shower. I might need a shower after class since it is so humid I’ve already sweat off my sunscreen.
I have a confession: due to rising perfume prices and a lower budget than before, I’ve been buying vinyl records rather than fragrances. I don’t think I’ve smelled anything new since February, when I went to my local shop to buy myself some Tubereuse Criminelle with my tax return. I miss perfume a lot but it’s nice to focus on what I’ve already collected.
I really need to do that!
It’s almost more dangerous i n this specific case: it’s a lot easier to justify ~$20 a week than $120 a month.
Well, in your defense … vinyl records have a really interesting scent, especially now that they’re not as ubiquitous as they used to be.
I love petroderivitives and their smells! 8)
Ugh. SO sad I gave away all my vinyl.
Who knew it would come back so strongly? Even cassettes are seeing a resurgence.
I do not miss cassettes, but I do miss my old vinyl. Plus, had quite a few things that never did make it onto CD.
That last sentiment is how I feel about itunes. Some music you have to hunt for.
I still have all my wonderful cassettes from college in a box upstairs. Oh, I had the best collection ever! I am sure most of them would snap if I put them in my player. And yes, I still have a cassette boom box. It’s the way I roll, lol! I can’t spend all my money on a stereo or digital gizmo if I’m spending it all on frags!
Oh, the hours we spent making mix tapes! Such fun.
It’s always good to take a break and explore other hobbies and interests, especially when funds are an issue. I had a lean year about two years ago and it really changed how I think about developing my collection. And in the spring and summer I spend more of my available funds on gardening anyway. Vinyl is cool! Cheers!
Exactly right!
I love vinyl, I have collected a few older records on and off for years since I thought we a record player somewhere in storage, anyway I had 10 albums but nothing to play them with. So thankfully for Christmas, my big gift from santa was just a basic Crosely turntable and I love it. I have about 30 records now, mostly used since new vinyl and reissues are very expensive in my opinion. ($60 for Zeppelin Re-issues :O) Like vintage perfume, sometimes the vinyl is in less than mint condition but you can still appreciate it.
Some of my favorite albums are older treasures with some hisses and pops! I agree about represses though I am a sucker for colored vinyl. If a repress is colored, I have a harder time saying no.
There are a few records I will never forget the first time I heard them on my parents’ stereo. It had such amazing sound. Sting Nothing Like the Sun, U2 Unforgettable Fire, Astral Weeks by Van Morrison, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, and my dad’s Jimi Hendrix Are you Experienced. These were just so superlative on vinyl. The CDs just never compared. All my vinyl is long gone however.
I was raised on cassettes, to date myself. My mom had sold her collection long before I was born, sadly.
My teens and 20s were on cassette. All I have to do is listen to one of my mix tapes and I know exactly who were my friends and what guy I was crushing on, lol!! Cassette was really the best for creating and sharing.
Love vinyl. We have some great stuff by local punk bands that was only ever available on vinyl.
I found some Japanese pop from the 60’s at my local Half Price that is so amazing but I can only find a few cursory mentions of the singer, not to mention her albums from 50 years ago. Some records are expensive but some are priceless. I really need to get a preamp with converter.
Cool! My husband is the vinyl collector. We moved recently and he gave away around 50+ albums leaving him with only about 200 😉 we. Original album cover art is the best part for me. Also bought a victrola at one point(which is now broken and gone) and it was fun going to flea markets to find old records for it. The crackles and pops on those oldies transported me to another era. Happy hunting!
I’ve only had my turn table for maybe four years but have about three feet of records, old and new! I don’t even want to count them….
Really want to try Arlesienne–for some reason, my closest L’Occitane doesn’t have it. Pre-shower, testing my little Sensual Orchid (LM Parfums) sample. It’s a well made tropical scent, but not me somehow.
L’Eau Mixte by Nicolai today. I like this one a lot.
I like that one too!
Osmanthus Interdite today, and I’ve just spritzed myself with Osmanthe Yunnan. I guess osmanthus was calling me.
So lovely! You smell wonderful…
I love these. So pretty! Makes me crave these two, but I’ve already taken up all my skin real estate with the body butter.
I pulled out the L’Ambre des Merveilles today, drawn by comments of other NST’ers who have mentioned how cool-weather fragrances really bloom in the heat.
How’d it go for you Sheri? Bloom or smother?
I’m enjoying it so far, perthgirl, but it’s really too soon to know (it’s 7:20 a.m. where I am). I’ll chime in again at lunchtime, when it should have had a fair chance to bloom (or smother!). 🙂
So far it’s lovely, and not at all suffocating. Thegoddessrena is right about it being a sheer scent, which helps … and the summer heat is helping it linger a bit longer than it usually does on me. Thumbs up!
This is the sheerest amber and this works fine on me in the heat
I love L’adM but on skin in the summer the base comes off a bit bare. I usually spritz it on my shirt.
I’m trying to decide which I want more — Eau des Merveilles or Eau Clair des Merveilles. My quarterly damage is far under what it could be and I’m feeling inadequate. 🙂
Amouage Beloved. How are you enjoying Arlesienne? I really liked when I tried it last time I visited an Occitane shop.
Lovely image by the way. Van Gogh did such great pictures of Arles and it’s surroundings.
Oh, Beloved! One of these years….
I like it — keep meaning to try the hand cream.
I bought the hand cream yesterday (haven’t tried it yet). I went to test the fragrance in store since someone (Elisa?) mentioned it to me as a fragrance similar to Beige. I couldn’t really see the link between the two, maybe because of all the smells in the shop, so I decided to get the cheapest item of the collection with me investigate further.
I don’t think I get Beige either, but haven’t tried wearing them together.
It’s the honey connection for me. I get a ton of honey from Arlesienne.
There was me for a moment thinking: wait Amouage does handcreams now? But you mean Arlésienne of course. I’m waiting for l’Occitane to discontinue it and buy it on sale.
Amouage definitely does body creams! Don’t know about hand creams, but probably not.
SOTD is Thierry Mugler Alien Essence Absolue. I need something cheery loud and warm on this cool and rainy day. Bah.
I hope it brings you some warm cheer today!
SOTD = Aftelier Cuir de Gardenia
I decided to do an American Perfumer Week leading up to the Fourth of July. I am wearing the original Cuir de Gardenia that is very concentrated and what a gorgeous perfume. I will order a sample of the EDP to see how it compares.
Yesterday, I wore SSS Cocoa Sandalwood, one of three in Laurie Erickson’s all natural line. Wow! And it lasted all day on me. The dry down was spicy and wearing this confirmed my suspicion that my nose is attuned to cedar.
And they say patriotism is on the decline. Nothing like some good American made perfume to show your stars & stripes 😉
Absolutely!
Is that wow good? I’ve been meaning to order a sample from her.
I love it, especially for pre-dreaming in the winter.
I like that – pre-dreaming!
Wow as in good. Cedar if overdone could smell like a hamster cage. The cedar in Cocoa Sandalwood is warm and smooth.
I have one of the mini perfumes of Cuir de Gardenia and like it very much. I’ve never tried any of the solids, though, so I can’t compare.
Me neither on the solids but since Bergamoss only comes in that format and I really really want to try it, I’ll make an exception. My Cuir de Gardenia is also in a mini bottle but with the oiliness, I end up applying to hair instead.
So hot and humid again today. Trying to refresh with Goutal’s Vetiver cologne. I think the glacier lake we’re going to today will do the trick!
How do you do a glacier lake?
Scratch that. Auto-error in my reading app.
I am wearing Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument. I don’t often want a mostly vanilla soliflore, but this is a nice one.
Surrender to Chance’s Surrender, a lovely bright jasmine.
Opium Orchidee de Chine. It’s my day off so I can wear something big
Testing Hermes rouge, which I have heard almost nothing about. I am traveling and pretty much made a beeline for the Hermes boutique as soon as I could. The salesperson was wonderful, and recommended rouge for someone who could handle “stronger” perfumes. It is interesting, and doesn’t smell very Hermes to my naive nose… Maybe more of a guerlain? A powdery Amber leather with enough sweetness to balance the initial spices and woods, and it might also be okay in summer…
Also thrilled that she threw in a travel spray of narcisse bleu for free!!! To go with the set of lovely soaps I got as a wedding present. Score!
Going to Hermes is like a pilgrimage for me, they have always been so nice and most generous. Plus I love their frags 🙂
Congrats on the fine score!
I’m wearing another of my re-discovered minis, Cristalle. I kept seeing this mentioned as a favorite, and I kept thinking that I had to get it. Imagine my surprise when I found a long untouched mini of it in the box of minis I found.
Scent twins today! So good in the heat…and anytime really.
Oh lovely! I really must get a bottle of Cristalle before the summer’s out…
Coincidence! I have minis I never wear since they are in the back of my drawer in their boxes. Pulled out Lanvin Eclat D’Arpege this morning!
Trying Atelier Cedrat Enivrant at the moment. Will change it soon though. It is a little to soapy, clean smelling for me. Also, it is reminding me of the early nineties.
LOL! The early nineties weren’t so bad…
I actually miss the early nineties. However, I associate scent with time and memory very strongly. It is sometimes impossible for me to enjoy a scent if it triggers a time, place or event. Even if it is a positive association. It makes me crazy sometimes.
I got way too much soap from that as well. Money saved!
I actually love Cedrat Enivrant and it was the main perfume I wore last October when I went to New Orleans – it performed very well in the two showers a day heat and humidity.
Knowing is better on paper and clothes then on my skin, I have come to the conclusion. Or maybe spraying it generously in almost 100 degree whether was not a good idea!
Eau Claire des Merveilles. I have a bottle but hadn’t really thought about it yet this summer, but it’s working very well in the humidity.
Sous le toit de Paris for me today and loving its violet leaf/leather combo.. delicious!
It upsets me that this isnt in their standard line-up, and that they dont ship to Australia. Beautiful Perfumes That I Cant Buy is my least favourite category 🙁
Oh, that is sad! I’ve complained to them about this before when visiting their NYC shop. It’s such a great scent!
Perthgirl, I’m with you 100% about the worst perfume category being the one that doesn’t make it Downunder! I was just reading the comments above and thinking that I have never smelt more than a few of the perfumes mentioned. <>
My favorite atelier!! Works in almost all weather and any situation, I think.
You smell fabulous!
I stopped by the Body Shop last night and got some Night Blooming Jasmine body butter, which I’m wearing today, in keeping with this week’s theme. I already have the oil (to replace the Neroli Jasmine oil from a few years ago that I loved), but the body butter was on sale so I went for it. Nice stuff.
Being a rose fiend, you think I’d love the Atlas Mountain Rose too, but I wasn’t really feeling that one. What did everyone else think? Fellow rose fiends?
I tried that the other day when I bought some Satsuma body mist, but I’m with you, I just didnt feel the love. I cant remember why exactly now. Too sweet? Not rosy enough? But no great loss, I really have been going a little gung-ho on the rose purchases of late..
I’m a big fan of BS body butters. I like the Moroccan rose better than the Atlas Mountain, haven’t tried the Jasmine but I’ll keep it in mind if I ever run low on scented body butters and lotions (not likely).
TBS does have the BEST body butters. I need to venture out but always get the same two; Satsuma and Pink Grapefruit. I tried the Blueberry when it came out, but didn’t like it. The Moroccan rose sounds nice. I might have to give it a try!
I was underwhelmed with Atlas Mountain, even though I looooooved the body butter of Moroccan Rose. AMR seems so faint.
I got it at TJ Maxx very reasonably. I too was underwhelmed, but beefed it up in the container with one of the SSS rose scents. Much better.
Today I am wearing POTL. I keep it in rotation all year long, although it may be best in cooler weather than we’re having today.
I’m wearing Jour d’Hermes today; I haven’t worn it since last September! It’s so cheery in the heat and despite not being a “bottle” person, this one is nice to hold.
Jour is such a happy choice, you smell lovely. And I agree, great bottle design.
Today, I have a lot of doctors appointments and ended up grabbing the first fragrance I saw. My SOTD is Wild Fig & Cassis by Jo Malone. No method to my madness. Not a typical spring / summer fragrance. I would say it would be fall or winter even though there are figs in it. More of a calming, comfort scent.
I am wearing Lanvin Arpege today. I usually wear Arpege in fall or winter, but I wanted a break from my lighter summer fragrances, and besides my office is so cold that it may as well be winter. I love this one, especially the prominent ylang-ylang note.
Aha! Thank you. You have given me the inspiration I need for my scented day. It’s going to reach a high of 15 today, so it’s cold for Auckland, it’s raining, and I am sad because of the untimely death of a very dear colleague. Arpege will be just the ticket today. I feel all anyhow and upside down, but I have to hold things together for the sake of others.
So sorry for your sad news.
Thank you. You are so kind. I feel as though someone has chopped down one of the pillars that hold up the sky.
Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss waterdragon.
Thank you for your thoughts. My colleague was a thoroughly decent bloke, warm & funny, irascible but obliging & capable, and deeply honourable. I miss him minute by minute at the moment.
I would like to say I understand, but I know how insufficient that is. So all I can offer is a virtual hug and my sincere condolences.
Very sorry for your loss. He sounds like a wonderful colleague and person.
He really was. Thank you so much for your thoughts.
So sorry for your loss, waterdragon.
Thank you Hajusuuri. NST is so kind, as others have discovered before me. All your kindness has truly been a help.
I’m so sorry about your loss, Waterdragon.
Warm regards,
K
Oh Waterdragon….I am so incredibly sorry. He sounds lovely, and
I hope, while being strong for others, you give yourself a moment to feel as you need to. Take care.
My condolences. I hope that the Arpege was at least a small comfort.
Do you know, oddly, Arpege has been keeping me a little centred as I work with other people & their reactions. I don’t wear it often, and so I have been aware of my own scent all day, and that has somehow made me think more before I speak. Thank you!
It’s supposed to get to 109 degrees today, and 108 tomorrow. I’m wearing Brazilian Mango Grapefruit by Pacifica.
Good Lord.
It’s gonna be 93 today- not as hot as originally predicted, but still stifling! Your choice sounds VERY refreshing indeed.
Wearing Angel Eau Sucree. I think it’s stupid cute and I mean that in the best possible way.
Yes! I am irrationally attracted to this one.
I’m wearing Womanity again, but I was good yesterday evening and tested Love in Idleness. It’s nice, but too sweet for me: I prefer Annick Goutal’s La Violette for a simple violet.
I love that name, Love in Idleness. Will have to try it soon…
They have done a really good job with the names, I’m a bit less impressed by the perfumes themselves. But this one is worth a try.
Have you ever tried the LesNez violet? I think you might like it, it’s greener than La Violette but also a Doyen. It’s called the Unicorn Spell.
I almost ordered their sample set, but had trouble with the payment system. Will try again, as Unicorn Spell sounds exactly like my thing and I’ve wanted to try Manoumalia for ages. Thank you for reminding me.
All of this can be arranged you know 😉
Still Vulcan hot. I sprayed all over with 4711 and then Jo Malone’s Lime/Basil on pulse points.
Sounds like a good combination.
SOTD is YSL Paris Roses des Bois, marrying wild pink roses with tart blackberries and blackberry bramble. The original Paris is just way ‘too’ much floral for my taste, but I’ve always enjoyed the summertime annual flankers, and Roses des Bois is my favorite of these, with its subtle green note and woodsy finish. Like a walk through the woods discovering nature’s surprises along the way, I find it sparkling and uplifting as it brightens my day.
Mmm, that sounds lovely!
All the Paris flankers I’ve tried are nice!
That does sound nice! I like your descriptive poem.
Ha! I’m a poet and I don’t know it! Didn’t realize my last sentence rhymed unti I re-read it.
SOTD is Cologne Mahgreb!
It is very muggy today and Mahgreb is perfect for it.
Leaving today for New Zealand! Excited to be going back.
Unfortunately it does not look like I’ll get the opportunity for sniffery while there, or meeting up with Kiwi NST-ers (sadface), but I’m thrilled. SOTD is Chanel No. 19 cologne, from a very-vintage mini dab bottle. It’s pretty faint, which means that I doubt I’ll gas anybody out should I reapply on the plane.
Have an amazing trip!!!
Travel well!
Safe travels!
I hope you have an amazing vacation!
Have a wonderful trip!
Have a wonderful and safe trip. Hope you will share some of your adventures with us – good smells don’t have to come from a bottle.
Have a fun and safe trip!
Yay!!! Have a great time.
Have a wonderful time!! I’m so jealous. Hubby and I spent a month there several years back… so amazingly gorgeous. Gotta get back there someday.
Vintage Shalimar parfum. Goodness this stuff is wonderful… even if it doesn’t feel quite right for daytime in the summer (for me, at least).
Last summer on the hottest muggiest day of July in Michigan, I was walking across the parking lot at the hospital annex, and smelled something wonderful – a second sniff confirmed it was Shalimar, the real thing. I caught up to the woman walking front of me and asked her if it was her. She was delighted to be recognized – she said, ” Yes! So few people know what this is…” Shalimar is always a reasonable choice!
Divin’ Enfant for me today – a sexier, muskier summer scent than I’d usually reach for, but it feels right. Also feels appropriate as I’m going to my antenatal class tonight.
This is probably my favorite ELDO!
SOTD = Chanel No 5 perfume, the current version. Just lovely, but fading away at 6 hours on. Might have to refresh from my stash of samples I have in my drawer here at work…and a blind grab brings up Dame Mate, Heliotrope and Patchouli! I will report in a while on how it goes…
Looking forward to hearing about that one, I have a sample I haven’t tried yet.
Hotsy Totsy again with a heat index of 105F.
So I’m fighting back with Guerlain Vetiver today! Take that, blistering sunshine and hellish humidity!
A cool crisp breath of invigorating scent, not to mention a summer sanity saver 🙂
Excellent choice 🙂
A random finding, this link will take you to a picture of Roja Dove at a very interesting looking perfume organ associated with an article about some big doings he is involved in. Just thought someone here might be interested in the perfume organ. Very different than Mandy Aftel’s which can be seen in various images of her.
http://media.timeout.com/images/102754590/617/347/image.jpg
Nice photo. Looks very organized. I’d love to have one of those.
Yes, I was thinking that having all the scent samples in identical bottles would let your response focus on the odors themselves, rather than being influenced by how the containers look. It appeals to the little obsessive part of me that wants to line things up, and put identical colored covers on all my books…both things that I never actually do!
Yup. I think I’d spend more time looking for the bottles than making perfume (“How’d that get in the fridge?!”)
The new Balmain Ivoire. Loving it in this heat, have to say I am surprised because i wrote it off last year.
I guess you could say it blooms in the heat, more like it is softer, more natural and less aggressive in the heat. Eh, whatever it is, it is good 🙂
I agree, I prefer it (in subtle doses) in summer, too.
Yes, subtle is the word. Surprised me how big this scent is for something so …. so …. modest?
Its one of my favorite office scents, year round. Subtle but so pleasant.
Yay for Arlesienne! You smell great! That would be a nice choice for body product day, too.
For some reason I reached for my Apple Brandy sample this a.m. Definitely on the heavy side for the last day of June. This screams late fall to me.
I don’t have any of the body products, but yes it would. I might have to buy some eventually.
And agree, fall, but fun scent. Wish it had a fun price to match.
Ha, me too!
Warm day here and working from home, where there is no A/C. Maybe not the smartest plan! Got the fan going and put on some Lanvin Eclat D’Arpege. I don’t think I’ve smelled real Arpege but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have anything to do with this – it reminds me a bit of Light Blue! I have a cute little globe mini of it that I keep in the box and always forget about it.
My nose can’t suss out a connection between the two!
I’m wearing SL Vetiver Oriental today. Normally a fall one for me, but it works now too. It has a pretty quiet sillage so the heat doesn’t make it overwhelming.
FM Iris Poudre. It’s my go to for days when I’m in a rush and don’t have the luxuryof contemplating the right scent for my mood, weather, outfit etc. In my rushing I pulled on some pants that I haven’t worn in a long time forgetting the reason I haven’t : the zipper doesn’t stay up. So I’ve been trying to be discrete in checking its status every1/2 hour or so. At least I smell good!
LOL. I really should get rid of the pants I no longer wear.
TF Santal Blush. Substantial but not too heavy for summer. (99 here)
AG Ninfeo Mio – this is the time of year for it!
You smell wonderful 🙂
Right now, I am in the extreme dry down of vintage no 5 EDT and now looking for something else to wear. I got it! I’ll give no 22 in parfum form a try.
Thierry Mugler Angel EDT is my SOTD. We had a slight cool front come in, so I got my Angel out to take advantage of it. You learn to treasure the cool fronts down here in the south.
It’s currently 107 degrees here in the high desert, but give it another hour or so, and it should reach the forecasted 110. Just took my second shower of the day, and am happily contemplating the second spritz of fragrance (the first was Etro Etra) – I’m going with Ciel d’Opale, which somebody mentioned here yesterday. It’s just the ticket for briefly taking my mind off having to get back into the car this afternoon….
Oh my, and here I was complaining about 105F…
Honey, after it passes the hundred degree mark, it ALL falls into the general category of “Just too damn hot.” 🙂
I picked up some new goodies from Enfleurage Inc that I’m excited to wear but went with Mugler Cologne today in hopes of being inoffensive and non-distracting. It was time to shine for my mentee, and he did beautifully!
Now I want to wash it all off and wear something decadent, maybe my new Egyptian Jasmine Aromatic Mist, just Jasmine grandiflorum absolute in alcohol. Yep, I’ve just talked myself into that SOTE.
I’ve only been there once but it was interesting to smell all those essences. I kept going back and forth between the different white flowers to identify their differences because I don’t always know the difference in perfume. All I can ID is BWF. Anyhow, the mist sounds lovely!
Yes it’s my number one School of Notes!
SoTD was Fate, then I opened a sample of Etat Libre D’Orange Rien. Yikes. St. Josephs’s baby aspirin mixed with not sure what else.
I am spoiled by a husband who collects vinyl – 15 k records, 10 K albums and the rest singles approximately. Nothing else comes close. If you want to hear what the musicians intended, vinyl is the only path. CDs and streamed music are the IFRA version, all rolled off and synthetic.