Happy Thursday! If you have a moment to spare, do tell us your fragrance of the day.
I'm wearing Kai, from Perfume Posse's Top 10 of Summer.
Reminder: tomorrow, 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: image via Kai Fragrance at Facebook.
I’m wearing leftover Tobacco Vanille- delicious- from a rousing performance of the Pokemon Symposium at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra last night. Try to control your jealousy! Tobacco Vanille is one of only two fragrances that my cat has ever attempted to lick off of my wrist (the other is CBIHP Burning Leaves).
I admit I’m not turning green just yet, but will have to see if this is playing somewhere I can take my son. Was it awesome?
What an adorable sounding symphony! Must be something about cats and tobacco because my cat licks my wrist when I wear Tabac Aurea.
I have one cat who will lick anything with oakmoss that he smells on me. He is kind of aggressive about it!
I AM impressed! One concert I could snooker my 12-year-old into attending! Here’s the link for other curious parents (or die-hard fans!)
http://bsomusic.org/calendar/events/2014-2015-events/pok%C3%A9mon-symphonic-evolutions.aspx
SOTD is Jour d’Hermès. Light and lovely but long-lasting, I got it at half-price in the closing-down sale at my local Sephora (sob).
You smell lovely! Too bad about Sephora closing down, but half-price JdH is amazing.
To make matters worse, although I’m a card-holder, they didn’t notify me until it was too late, so I missed a lot of bargains in fragrance and makeup. Probably a good thing for my bank balance.
I know what you mean, I spend a fortune on “bargains”.
Carven le Parfum. It’s gray and muggy here today and I needed something bright and fresh.
Gray and muggy here too. You smell great!
I really do like it a lot. Nothing groundbreaking, but I think it’s head and shoulders above the rest of the light, clean florals out there.
Agree, they did a great job. Hope they’re going to do more women’s scents.
I like it a lot as well. Sprang for the 1 oz bottle on ebay… and am pretty sure I’m going to use it up.
Delrae Emotionelle, a beautiful melon. I love it, and it blooms in the heat we are having here.
The melon to out-melon all others
I love it, it seems like Therese’s younger sister to me.
I love Emotionelle, too. Gorgeous drydown.
Yes it is
, but not as harsh as the “melons” of the 90’s
I love emotionelle. It’s been on my buy list for years..
Jour de Fete, my favourite almond, but I think I prefer it in cooler weather.
What other almonds do you like? It’s a note I’d like to explore more, especially after falling for Heliotrope Blanc.
Have you tried Heeley L’Amandiere? It’s very nice. Then of course there’s POTL….
Dior Escale a Portofino is a lemony almond – very light and summery, but with some lasting power.
Jour de Fete is so gorgeous! I wish they still had this for sale. I kind of missed the boat on it when it came out.
Parfum1 still have it in stock.. $100…
I almost bought 3.4 oz for $60 last summer, then didn’t, and am kicking self now.
But would probably be happy with a decant, so might add that to my 4th of July STC order.
About to apply the backup Crabtree and Evelyn Iris body lotion I ordered when I heard this may be discontinued. Light and refreshing. And maybe I have a little iris sample of some kind or other here at work…about to look.
I did the same with that lotion – it’s wonderful. Actually, try it layered with Chanel Bel Respiro and see if it doesn’t remind you of OJ Woman just a little.
And now I need a sample of Bel Respiro
Xerjoff JTC Ivory Route. I didn’t think much of the line but this one is good, a wallop of tar and patchouli and smoked tea. Overpriced and under-original (it has a lot in common with Annick Goutal Eau de Fier, now discontinued), but still nice.
Hey, that sounds nice. I almost want to try it, but I’d never pay for it anyway.
I’ve never felt any urge to try the line, but this one sounds good. Especially as Eau de Fier is gone, as you say.
I have tested only one or two Xerjoffs…the names and scents don’t stay fixed in my mind… but gosh I like their bottles!
Byredo Green on this pretty day
How is it? I have totally forgotten what it smelled like. Green, I presume
Bright and springy
I’ll sample Eau de Celeri today, for kicks.
I miss my sample on these hot days.
I’m very curious about this one. Do tell us what you think.
Sure. This might not help much, but I think it’s a cross between Sisley’s Eau de Campagne and Union’s Holy Thistle, skewing toward Campagne.
I don’t get lawn grass or galbanum, funnily enough, but it’s still green in the tomato-leaf sense. I don’t remember the first few moments but after that, it’s fairly linear, tomato leaf with a green aquatic stream running through it. As the stream quiets to a trickle, I get a grassy (but still not lawn grass) note that is close to what I imagine vetiver ‘really’ smells like. (I’m so tempted to keep going on about deltas and swamps, but I know too little about such places.) I bet a lot of people would love that ‘idealized vetiver’ phase.
The tomato leaf persists throughout the long drydown, supported by a better base than my recent bottle of Campagne has, closer to what vetiver essential oil actually smells like to me, which is a little earthy, woodsy, maybe bittersweet.
As a whole the scent is not a big projector, but it’s distinct enough that I like going searching for it and finding it so definitely each time.
I love Campagne, and I love portions of Celeri even more. But I really don’t love portions of Celeri’s top-into-heart that ring the aromachemical alarm bells in my brain, as is usual for anything aquatic. Now I want to re-test Holy Thistle for comparison.
Wearing Atelier Grand Neroli. I’m not incredibly excited by it so far, but I do like it, especially in today’s slightly cooler, rainy weather.
I guess I felt like smelling like the ’80s today: I’m wearing Basile, a very nice floral chypre.
Had to google it! I was probably wearing CK One or Calyx or something when that came out.
I only heard of it in the past five years or so — I think Brian Pera sent me a sample; I’ve considered ordering a bottle but am worried about not getting the right formulation.
I love Basile! Two or three years ago, it was selling on ebay for under $11, but it’s no longer that inexpensive or plentiful. The original has black plastic around the top edge of the bottle that gives a “shoulder pads” effect. I haven’t tried the newer white bottle.
Cristalle Eau Verte (lovely and refreshing) as it is still unusually hot here, with generous splashings of L’Occitane’s Eau Universelle throughout the day, from a large bottle I keep in the fridge which I only wear when it is so hot the sparrows fall from the roof (literal translation of a Dutch expression). Nothing special but refreshing for a few seconds!
I like that expression! Very cute.
“sparrows fall from the roof!”
It has suddenly turned very warm in Brussels, so I’m getting out my lighter scents. I put Tokyo Bloom on in the morning and it has worked very nicely, but I think I’ll add some Cristalle now on top (it’s late afternoon here already).
And I should really try Kai, I am certain I would like it and I even have a sample. But it’s one of those dabbing vials and I hate that.
Kai is very clean and very California
I was just thinking about Kai this week while working on a review of California Reverie — both very California!
I remember reading a list of what fragrance celebrities wear and being surprised about the seemingly huge number of them who wear Kai. I’m not sure if it was accurate or not, but a lot of Kai nevertheless!
Scent of the day Kai with Bronze Goddess. I live in Southern California. Lol
Now I cannot find the sample, of course. Typical. But my Neela Vermeire coffret arrived plus samples of Pichola and Mohur extrait – excited!
Oh, wonderful! Do tell us all about these, pleased
The only one I haven’t tried at all is Mohur extrait, so that is the most exciting part. I love the original trio and thought that 8ml is enough to decide if I need a full bottle of any of them. I wasn’t wild about Ashoka when I tested it a while back, but I’m giving it another chance – based on the notes, I really expected to like it. And I tried Pichola recently when shopping, but it wasn’t enough to make up my mind. Will report back
I got brave and went with Ciel d’Opale – we’re having ridiculously hot weather for the Pacific Northwest, and Ciel seemed like it might be a bit too heavy on first application. But I went with a very light dose, and I think it might be great in the air-conditioning at work. We’ll see!
Love Ciel d’Opale! You smell great
Orange Sanguine, what else is there to say?
You smell fantastic!
Orange Sanguine is lovely! Almost wore that today.
I tried my Orange Sanguine lotion today. It’s quiet and gentle. At first I wasn’t sure if I liked it, although I Iike the EDT very much, but it has stuck with me for most of the day and vice versa.
Cuir d’Ange. It’s overcast this morning and the texture of the perfume sort of matches the weather, in my mind at least.
It has been so chilly here lately that I have had a hard time choosing scents. I sniffed all the Chanel decants I had and none fit today. Then I had the Mugler Fougere Furieuse sample in my hand when I grabbed the NV Mohur instead. So pretty…
SOTD is Sakura Cherry Blossom by Jo Malone. Supposedly, it is considered one of the most popular on the line, but it’s just meh in my opinion. It doesn’t really last long on me. If you like really light fragrances, you might enjoy this one.
Sadly, I’ve yet to try a cherry blossom by any brand that isn’t basically meh.
I was thinking the exact same thing. Ditto peony. They’re in the same ‘pink meh’ category in my head
Like “pink meh.” Fragrance shorthand.
Has anyone tried Sakura by Olympic Orchids? I think I might have an unopened sample somewhere …
The cherry blossom note in Jo Malone Sakura Cherry Blossom reminds me of the cherry blossom note in a couple of Bath and Body Works perfumes, and I don’t like that note.
I really like Phoenix by MCMC (I have the oil version), which features cherry blossom in the top notes; it smells NOTHING like the JM or BBW frags, to my nose. Phoenix is beautiful, delicate, velvety, fruity, and long-lasting (which is surprising for something so delicate). I agree with Jessica that the name is too dramatic for the perfume
Her review is at https://nstperfume.com/2011/08/21/mcmc-fragrances-love-phoenix-fragrance-review/.
Maybe because cherry blossoms have little if any scent.
Another day off for me, so after yoga (ugh) I will be rewarding myself with some Fireside Intense, a favorite of mine that is running alarmingly low. But I kind of look forward to repurchasing, because I’m looking forward to ordering more SSS samples. There are so many in the line that I haven’t tried yet.
Is yoga ugh?? I admit I hate dragging myself and my gear to class, but I love it while I’m doing it.
It’s ugh for me because I’m just starting and I’m horrible at it. But I really need it, and I’ll probably start enjoying it more as I loosen up. It’s also hard because I’m so physically active when I’m at work, so I’m always already sore and tired.
Gotcha. Kudos to you for sticking with it then.
I wanted to wear something I dont wear often, so today I went for violets with My Queen by Alexander McQueen. I felt very girly
Tonight it’s raining and has cooled down a bit, so Im back to my Very Favourite Amber- MPG Ambre Dore. It’s an oudy amber, but tonight the oud part smells more like Patchouli 24, with amber. Yum
Today I am wearing Bottega Veneta Essence…light but very pretty.
That one really grew on me. At first I liked the beginning but then it went all weird and questionable, but I persisted, (because I want to like ALL of them!
) and found I rather like it. Glad it has a fan 
Would the weird and questionable be a combination of armpit and shampoo?
Lol! Quite possibly.. Im not sure what’s more strange- that those are the notes or that Im willing to keep testing until my nose becomes convinced they are nice things to smell
To celebrate my birthday, I decided to celebrate the generousity of my fellow NSTers (specifically cazaubon) by spraying generously some Rose Ikebana from my decant (given by said NSTer).
Happy Birthday Vanie! Hope you have a great day
Have a happy birthday!
Hope it is a perfect birthday!
Happy Birthday Vanie…enjoy your day~
Happy Birthday, Vanie!
Happy Birthday! Here’s wishing you a fantastic day!
Happy birthday! You smell great!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Vanie!
BTW, have you chosen your wedding scent?
Not yet, but at the moment I am tempted by Eau de Magnolia… Or Beige… Or Bois des Iles… Or …. !
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy day!
Happy rose-scented birthday!
Happy birthday!
Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes, it’s very kind of you and well appreciated!
Had a lovely relaxing day (so far) with my better half!
Happy Birthday
Hippy Barthday!
Ha!
I am in Ellie Nuit by Ellie D today. The bottle is small, but a little goes a long way, and it’s something I like in spring and summer.
I’m wearing Dame Perfumery’s Dark Horse. I like it, but it’s not going to be something I wear in warm weather again. Also, it has too much vanilla for me to love it. So far I’ve really liked the Dame Perfumery scents. I love the low price on their travel sizes. There are still a couple that I haven’t bought yet, so time to start spending in the July -September quarter.
Love the 7ml travel size option and wish this was the norm rather than the exception.
Twins!
Corsica Furiosa from a small decant today. I love that opening blast and think it might be time for a refresher!
Happy Almost Friday Day! I hope everyone celebrating US Independence Day has a safe and happy holiday weekend!
You all smell so good today! This is on my to-buy list too! Sigh… or maybe another decant. That opening is fantastic!
I would totally scoop up a bottle if PdE still offered 50ml, but pretty sure I will opt for another decant when my current one is done. 100ml is too much for me at this point. So sad for me
Speziali Fiorentini The Nero soap, then lotion, and body mist.
I’m wearing Speziali Fiorentini too, the Olive and Sunflower EDP. I was happy to see this here because I love Olive and Sunflower and so I was reading all about the line this morning and Te Nero is the one I most want to try! These are hard to find in shops, though. I almost never buy unsniffed but may have to give it a try next time I am feeling cavalier – at least the price tag is good.
I started out the day with splashes of refrigerated Duru Kolonya Limon from the Turkish grocery store. When we were taking long distance rides around Turkey, they would pass around a bottle of lemon cologne as a refresher at bathroom stops. Smells vaguely like Pledge but fond memories.
Yes, I use that stuff too! I lived in Turkey for a while, and on the buses Limon was for day and Lavanta (lavender) was for night. Fond memories indeed.
I missed the Lavanta or at least I don’t remember that one. Must have been fun living there. Was one of my favorite trips.
OMG, I remember that stuff from long bus rides in Turkey. I loved it! There’s a bit of lemon pledge, but also a bit of musk IIRC. And as for being a great smell-memory, there’s nothing like it! Bonus is it’s a “cheap and cheerful” scent. You smell great!
Thanks! $2.99 for 100ml is free. I think it’s such a wonderful custom. Maybe I’ll try passing it around on a NYC subway. They’d probably call security on me.
Tiziana Tirenzi White Fire this morning. I was a little underwhelmed by this in the winter, as I usually wear stonking big fragrances, but in the heat this is just perfect. It has imaginary accords like “oxygen” and “fresh ice” but in reality it’s a light, green jasmine.
Box of Eels for an overcast, quiet day.
Same here
Smelling lovely!
Hey, twin!
Yes, we do smell lovely.
It’s too early here to decide on a perfume (quarter to four on a very cold morning, and I have NO idea why I’m wide awake and reading NST), but I think you all smell gorgeous. It’s supposed to be warm-ish today but I just don’t believe my weather app, so I think I’ll end up in something big and soft and warm. An ambery sort of thing, or warm woods.
Marjorie Rose, if you’re reading this, I tried your wall yoga last night and nearly died, not from the stretching, but from laughing while I was pretty much upside down and inside out. I’m not sure the human body was designed for humour in that position, but my dear husband just would not refrain from telling me what I looked like. The cats thought I was wonderfully entertaining, and my dim-but-adorable one fetched his knitted mouse and stayed with me the whole time. I will persevere, if only because laughing is as good for the soul as stretching for the body.
Wonderfully mental image, thanks!
Darn, hit post instead of return.
I was going to say, I’m imagining the feline conversation thus: “what’s she doing?”
“Dunno, seizure? She’s forgotten how to stand. Doing it all wrong.”
“Ooh, maybe she wants my mousie!”
“She’s making that funny sorta hairball noise and shaking too. Weird.”
“Here, silly human. The mousie will make it better.”
Love it.
Also, you might enjoy this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2rMAzWm3a8
Or this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_urcJfQYE
Thanks for sharing. Adorable. I really like the first one where the cat seemed to initiate the whole thing. It links to the “famous” Rat Belly Rub video, which is effing adorable as well (https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_267702&feature=iv&src_vid=g2rMAzWm3a8&v=6Po_96PhXzI).
Oh, my goodness! Crikey! Did you see the way that chick can fold herself up? My word, she’s bendy! I’m impressed by the young woman, but I just adore the utter determination the purr displays. If I could concentrate like that cat, I could probably rule the world or, better still, remember where I left my reading glasses…
Thank you, ihadanidea. What fun! I’d never seen these before.
Perhaps you’re more suited for laughter yoga rather than wall yoga. Laughter yoga is very popular around here.
Hahahahahaha! I’m glad you’ve got a sense of humor about it, in any case!
“I just don’t believe my weather app…” I think that is very healthy!!! Humans worry that we’ll be taken over by robots, but it turns out we are already controlled by apps.
I suspect I always liked it more for its prettiness than its predictions. To be fair, though, I don’t think even satellite technology can keep up with the six-seasons-in-an-hour weather that we have in Auckland.
I’m so sorry that I won’t have time to meet you! I’m sure it would have been loads of fun.
We are now on Waiheke, meeting with wine producers. On to… um… oh yes. Waikato tomorrow.
Oh, fabulous! There are some excellent wineries and restaurants on Waiheke. Enjoy!
Waikato. Ugh. = soggy, foggy & boggy. Take Wellies and your Backhouse equivalent. Oh, and the American version of a swannie. And be warm, if that’s remotely possible.
Hahaha! When I do pilates at home, one of my cats thinks that ‘hands waving in air’ must mean ‘hands are looking for a cat to pet’ so he scoots in under the waving hands. It’s not helpful but does exercise the laugh muscles
SOTD is the remarkable Chamade edt. I don’t wear this for a while, and then when I do I am so overwhelmed by it’s beauty! I’m not going to be able to post tomorrow as I’ll be driving and visiting folks, so I want to comment that tomorrow I’m going to use my Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia body butter. Cheers & Happy 4th to anyone celebrating & a good weekend to everyone!
Oh yes, Chamade. Weirdly, I seem to be somewhat anosmic to all but the current version. It’s quite possible that what I’ve bought off of ebay is just not up to snuff. I do love it for the first hour, and then poof! But it is extraordinary for that brief moment. You smell lovely!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Tahitian Gardenia is fantastic! You smell amazing!
Correction, you will smell amazing tomorrow when you use Tahitian Gardenia.
I’ve not smelled Chamade but I’m sure you smell lovely!
Happy 4th dear!
Happy 4th t’ya!
Happy traveling and enjoy your holiday!
Glad to hear Charade mentioned as it’s in my next dose of samples. Happy 4th!
You and Mals love Chamade so much that you prompted me to keep trying it. After three wearings, I can’t say I love it, but I have gone from “Oh, this is not for me” to “This is actually really nice.” By this time next year I may be fully converted.
Piment Brulant I love it in the heat
I’m wearing Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia today. I don’t wear this one enough.. I got the roll-on, and I kind of wish I’d opted for the spray instead, so maybe that has something to do with it.
Yeah, I almost never wear roll-ons or solids.
Roll-ons and solids are great for me for work because the fragrance does not travel much and I am less likely to impose upon co-workers.
And, as was recently shared by an NSTer, the solids are great way to scent hair!
Parfums DelRae Debut is green and refreshing on another warm day. I think I can wear this one in any weather.
I’m in another Delrae (Emotionelle), but agree that Debut is great no matter what.
Love Debut!
Ooh. Look forward to wear my one fragranced body product (deodorants not included) tomorrow.
Since it’s so hot here today and Sweden hasn’t heard of AC I do what I love: wear the thickest, heaviest thing I got. Ambre Sultan.
You smell wonderful! I wore AS in the heat a few days ago, and it was great.
A spritz here and there of Christian Dior Gris Montaigne before heading out on this foggy morning for a walk to the park.
SOTD = Dame Perfumery Dark Horse layered with Black Flower Mexican Vanilla
I am continuing my American Perfumers Week leading up to the Fourth of July. Each individually is good and you can’t beat the sizing and customer service. Unlike PriscillaE who was hoping for less vanilla in Dark Horse, I was hoping for more. Layering BFMV achieved it. I also got a lot of tonka overall with this combo.
FM Iris Poudre, since I h as ve to sit in AZ little room all day training new medical residents on a dictation system.
Sounds nice.
The IP, not the training.
SOTD forThrowback Thursday is vintage EL White Linen, one of my favorite Fourth of July holiday scents. The sun is finally out but it’s still quite cool, making this a nice choice for today. It’s clean yet complex, a bit woody, and I smell the tiniest bit of incense. And did I decide to wear White Linen first and then decide to wash the delicate tablecloths and dresser scarves and hang them on the line to dry? Or was my fragrance choice the result of my laundry choice today? I’m not sure which subliminal suggestion was at work here but I’m happy with both. The linens, once dry and smelling of sunshine, will be tucked away in the cedar closet for now, and I will just smell good for the rest of the day!
No SOTD, yet. I was hoping for some inspiration, but nothing has quite hit me, yet. . .
BUT I have a question for ya’ll–What, if anything, have you done to ensure that your perfume is insured?
I ask because my fella, Mr. Spicebomb, works in insurance and deals every day with people who have lost everything to fire, etc. It has made me really realize that such things happen to people all the time! I asked him, “what do I need to do to take care of my perfume?” and he said it depends on my homeowner’s policy. Some of them would cover it as “personal property,” and some have exclusions for “collections.” He said if it’s covered, I’d need to remember EVERYTHING I have and include it in the inventory.
Could YOU remember every perfume you have?!
Ack. So, I began a project yesterday, making a list of my perfume bottles and taking a few pictures of the contents of my perfume cabinet. . . And at some point, I need to dig out my policy and check my limits. . .
Thanks for this helpful information. I never, ever thought about that. With all the flooding that has been going on the last couple of weeks in Texas, that is something to think about. I guess I need to look into my homeowner’s policy to see if they would / wouldn’t cover it.
I like your idea of taking pictures of your collection. I never wrote down my fragrances until I started doing the “damage polls” here at NST. It holds me accountable for when I purchased and the cost.
You definitely gave me something to think about.
You’re welcome! I know that chances are slim for any one of us to have a catastrophic loss, but it *does* happen literally every day. I guess I would rather be sure that I’m covered than leave it up to chance.
I have a perfume wardrobe on Basenotes so I would have a record of all the bottles I have. My homeowner’s policy covers 25K of personal property but that’s not very much when you have a total loss. However, on the bright side, I wouldn’t have to re-buy the perfumes I don’t like anymore.
I think that’s part of what makes me nervous–I have no idea how much coverage would be adequate for clothes, furniture, art, AND perfume?! I don’t want to get all OCD and start estimating everything’s value in the house, but I’m not sure how else one goes about it. Cross my fingers and hope for the best?
L’ombre dans l’eau – for the first time. This is nice and crisp, and I get the tomato leaf! Enjoying it immensely.
I smelt L’ombre dans l’eau for the first time just a couple of weeks ago, and was intrigued more than enamoured. I sought a second opinion, and my dear one told me my wrist smelt like well-made compost. Hmmm. That was enough to make me go back and try again, and at the second time of spritz’n’sniff, I began to see why lots of people give it love as well as respect. I think I’ll try it again, and see what happens next…
You smell fabulous in your warm weather up there, Rose Pepper.
Scent twins! My first time, too. It’s very pretty, but I haven’t yet decided if it’s for me.
In vintage Vent Vert–not that vintage–from the 1990s, musty green. Cheerful and opinionated. That’s what I needed to bring all three of our very odd cats to the vet for their annual check-ups. Damage? Almost $500, plus a $1,200 estimate for one cat’s dental work….. I better go apply more Vent Vert!
Wow. I’m looking into pet insurance. Emergency visits are especially wallet-draining.
I’ve always been inclined to the view that a good purr is worth $$$, but man, that is a lot pennies! Eye-watering! Aiee!
SOTD is Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau, from a sample. I thought it was pretty but too rose-focused for me at first, but it got mellower and sweeter (fruity-sweet, rather than candied) over the first 2 hours or so. It has good longevity, too. I love the name, but I’ll need to try it a few more times before I decide whether or not I love the perfume. It is certainly objectively lovely, though.
Forgot to add, still haven’t decided if I dare to wear only scented body products. If only I didn’t have to leave the house tomorrow….