Happy Independence Day to all of you who are celebrating this weekend!
We're doing our usual open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the fragrance you wish you’d find on sale somewhere, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Fireworks [cropped] by maf04 at flickr; some rights reserved.
Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! (Happy Saturday to the rest of you!)
SOTM a bit of Delrae Mythique still wafting through my hair from last night. I’m going to need something with more pizzazz some time soon, but it’s fine for the lazy-coffee-and-waking-up part of the day.
Nice…you smell great of course. The lazy waking up part of the day is being massively extended in my house
The best part of the day!
(Said by someone who hates getting up and going to sleep equally)
It must be! I’ve been “just about” to go swim laps for about 4 or 5 hours now. Any minute…
Right! “10 more minutes. ..”
Ha! It can be tough breaking that inertia. Usually, it’s the end of my mug (or two) of coffee that indicates to me it’s time to get my day started.
Turns out the pool closed early because of July 4, so my gambit was successful — did not have to swim any laps at all.
Well played!
Good for you! It’s an important part of the day for me, too.
Happy 4th of July from another USer! I put on the last of my Diorissimo modern EDT, and a dab of Oriza Muget Fleuri this morning but it is overwhelmed by the odor of Cutters…the mosquitos have come out to celebrate our holiday, and my lawn mower doesn’t go fast enough to outrun them!
Ugh…have not seen mosquitoes here yet, but of course I will eventually.
Have finally discovered a bug spray that truly doesn’t reek at all: Cutter Dry Insect Repellent Unscented. Applied pre-parade, now back sans bites. I’ve only found it at a sole Home Depot, will have to stock up next time I’m there.
Ah, I will have to look for it. Actually the bug spray I had on today was OFF! Active in the orange bottle. I dislike them all intensely. I have read that a high concentration of Geraniol is an effective bug repellant, and just today I see on of the catalogs I get horse supplements for my Haflinger’s from, has this, so I have ordered some to see how it works.
Ugh. I hate the smell of Off! I lived in the stuff for several years. I now mostly use Liquid Net, which is somewhat less effective, but definitely less toxic. I don’t mind having to reapply more often if I don’t have to worry about getting sick from the stuff.
Happy 4th to my compatriots! Sballo for me today. It is cloudy and in the low seventies today and I love this scent. The EDP in this scent is nice but the oil makes my heart sing. Can anyone give me a description of Fate Woman? I love Lryic but know nothing about Fate, other than it is spicy. I am also interested in Ciel. Any thoughts?
Hi, Petunia. I have Fate, and I love it. The spices I perceive are very gentle, and in fact, it wears on me as a rather sweet scent, though not unsophisticated, linear or dull. Any problem I have with it is in the name. For some reason, I expected a perfume called Fate to be deep and dark, hinting at mysteries. Not so much. For me, Fate is golden, full of light and clear voices speaking good things, and something in me is always just a tiny bit disappointed that this Fate. I know I’m wrong to react this way, because after all, there’s no reason why fate can’t be kind. Anyhow, deeply shallow person that I am, I negotiate my way around this dilemma by thinking of the perfume as “Equivocal” : that is, I actually re-name it to myself when I wear it. Goodness knows what Mr Chong would think.
I haven’t smelled Fate but I have a wax sample of De Profundis, and it irks me for the same reason. It is a delicate and perhaps wistful scent – nothing like what is signified by the reference to the psalm nor the excruciating work by Oscar Wilde!
Thanks Waterdragon! I really appreciate your insight. I will get a sample of Fate. It seems to get top ratings from the reviewers but I am a little surprised by your description. I too thought it would be a deep resinous scent!
It’s been a while since I sniffed Ciel, but I remember thinking it seemed really mild and un-Amouage-y–more linear and less full or interesting than their other offerings.
Merlin, I do know what you mean. Sometimes a frag’s name can be misleading. DeProfoundis has been on my sample list for a while but based on your description, maybe I won’t bother. Oh well, Uncle Serge certainly has a flair for the dramatic !
The problem is that the drama he creates ends in a bit of an anti-climax way too often these days.
Thank you Marjorie Rose. I was reading the notes for Ciel thought that they would be beautiful. I am great full for your opinion. I can buy mediocre for a lot less elsewhere!
Stupid auto correct…grateful
Well, as ever, YMMV. The SA who made me a sample seemed to genuinely love it, but as my first Amouage was Memoir, I was expecting MORE. But yes, I personally don’t think you’d be missing out on anything.
I have a bottle of Fate. It was the first FB I bought of any Amouage after trying many (I began with the women’s sample pack you can get from Luckyscent.) I’ve tried decants of most of the others and loved Interlude, but it is too weird and moody. Fate just sort of hit me like a bolt of lightning. Nothing weak or faint about this scent on me! The bite of pepper and cinnamon at the start makes your nose pucker! It has leather, oak moss, and LOTS of incense. I don’t notice the florals all that much. It’s a bravura scent! Read the reviews on Fragrantica–I agree with most of them. Note: You can find many of the Amouage fragrances for a seriously discounted price on Fragrance Net. That’s where I bought my bottle of Fate. It is on sale there now for 20% off.
Happy 4th to those in the US, and to the UK readers–no hard feelings, right? I’m wearing Eau de Merveilles for another forecasted scorcher here. Wish it would rain.
And now for something completely different: Besides perfume, another indulgence for me is bed linen. I love sliding into soft sheets. Up to now I have been buying 100% cotton, but I’m wondering about linen sheets. Do they wrinkle badly? Are they rough? I know there are folks here with linen experience, please share, thanks!
I don’t know about linen, but i can recommend bamboo. My mom gave us a set about 6 months ago, and it is super cool and comfy in the summer months. It just breathes well.
Bamboo sounds interesting. What brand are yours?
You know, i am not sure of the brand. They are lightweight yet sturdy, and have been lovely in the hot weather (especially with a fan or three pointed towards the bed – we don’t have AC in my neck of the woods
I second and highly recommend bamboo sheets. They feel similar to cotton sateen- smooth, cool and silky and such a treat for hot summer nights. Nothing like the satin sheets of the 70’s/80’s where you and all your topcovers ungracefully slide off the bed into a heap on the floor
I have no experience with linen…so just sticking with 100% cotton, I just buy the highest threadcount my wallet is willing to accept.
I have an Eileen Fisher linen fitted sheet, which I bought as an experiment. It’s a fine weave, not as super-smooth as my high thread count cotton sheets, but it feels soft, not at all rough. It does wrinkle, but that’s because it’s designed to fit a taller mattress than what I have, so it doesn’t fit tightly. I will probably buy a matching flat sheet because it would be cooler than the high thread count sheets.
I have a bamboo towel that I love because it is extra soft and absorbent and lighter in weight, so I’m also curious to try bamboo sheets.
No linen experience, but I can recommend Comphy Co microfiber sheets. Smooth, soft, no wrinkles.
I have a set of microfiber I use in the winter as they seem warmer than cotton, but I haven’t tried them in summer for that reason.
“no hard feelings…”
That made me laugh!
I wanted to wear something by an American company to celebrate the 4th, so I’m in DelRae Wit. Enjoy the holiday, my fellow American NST-ers! (And enjoy your Saturday, everyone else!)
You smell great! I wore Wit yesterday, but no comment out of my husband, which means he probably didn’t care for it.
I still love it.
Maybe you just need to apply more to get him to appreciate it.
Heh, that’s the spirit!
Ha! I had the same impulse & picked the same house but I wore Debut instead! We’re are true patriots but leave it us to express it in perfume, lol!
I’ll join in the chorus of everyone wishing a happy 4th to those who celebrate. I hope you all have perfect weather for whatever your plans are today! (Fingers crossed that our fireworks don’t get rained out in DC.)
For now, I’m just lounging and testing out samples of Rozy EDP, Onda extrait, and Lumiere Blanche. So far, a good day.
Happy 4th of July to all that celebrates. Happy Saturday to everyone else. In honor of the 4th, I decided to wear a fragrance that was made by an American perfumer. I chose Black Orchid by the handsome Tom Ford. I received this beauty from a generous NST reader!
Great fragrance! Hope everyone has a safe holiday and a joyful weekend!
Hi scentfromabove-
Since I like so many of the scents you do I am wondering what you think of Black Orchid? I am wearing one you are not as fond of today-JM Cherry Blossom. It works well on me. Happy 4th to you too.
Happy 4th of July for our US neighbours!
Inspired by yesterday’s theme, I’d like to know which fragrances you guys like better (or as much) in lotion/cream form?
Mine would be Bronze Goddess, Infusion d’iris and Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay. (I’m very tempted to try the lotions of the Jardins collection from Hermes since reading the comments yesterday).
I love JM Blackberry and Bay and Bronze Goddess in lotion form. I am not a big fan of Infusion d’iris, but I know others love it. Just my opinion.
Hi Kris! Happy 4th of July to you. You smell spectacular! You know great minds think alike. Blackberry and Bay and BG are a few of my favorites!
Does Bronze Goddess smell at all like coconut?
yes but more like a gardenia coconut
AdP Iris Nobile body products are fabulous! I have the shower cream, body cream and the dry body oil. They are all highly scented and luxurious. I also really enjoy Amouage body products (esp the body butter), Marni and Cartier Baiser Volé products
Ooooh! Thanks for the suggestions!
Happy everything to everybody! It is still extraordinarily hot in Brussels, so I wore TDC Bergamote in the morning, but have now switched to Mohur. A lovely scent and I think I actually prefer it when it’s warm.
I’m having friends/colleagues over for lunch tomorrow and I’m trying to be reasonable for once and prepare at least some things in advance. So I’ll be making the Spanish cold garlic and almond soup (ajo blanco) tonight. If you are somewhere hot, I highly recommend it.
Ajo blanco is delicious! and yes, perfect for hot weather… Will the rest of your menu have a Spanish theme?
It’s not strictly Spanish-themed, as I’ve used Greece and southern France as inspiration as well, so it’s vaguely Mediterranean, I guess. Jamon Serrano, good olives and artichoke paste as appetizers; ajo blanco as first course; lemon-oregano-thyme roast chicken with oven vegetables and fig salad for main course and then lavender, almond and orange cake for dessert.
Lavender, almond and orange cake?!? May I come over?
The recipe is from Diana Henry’s Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons and it really is wonderful. I think perfumistas in particular would enjoy it, as it smells amazing. It’s not difficult to make: I skip the candied orange peel as garnish and just add some orange blossom water to the frosting.
Thanks for the tip, Annicky — I tracked down Ms. Henry’s recipe and am looking forward to making it.
Mmm, that sounds fabulous!
Thanks! Let’s hope I’ll not mess it up.
My heavens, what a fabulous menu! I must try the soup and just maybe the cake.
Now I want to have a party just to make all these fabulous things…
SOTD = Bvlgari Black
Egads, of all days I should have worn a perfume by an American but since I’ll be with family, I wore my least offensive virtually undetectable perfume! To make up for it, I am wearing red white and blue.
Well, you managed 6/7 days this week which was impressive. On behalf of the Founding Fathers, you’re forgiven. And you’re wearing red, white, blue , & Black
It’s a beautiful, slightly rainy day here in Virginia, and I am wearing an American perfume, Slumberhouse Norne, which smells like a bonfire in middle of coniferous forest, so it’s perfect for today. I will top it off later this evening with a true American classic, Clinique Aromatics Elixir.
Norne is one of my favorites. You smell great!
Inspired by all the love NSTers have for Bronze Goddess, I bravely tried it again this morning, thinking that my nose might have “grown” into it.
Well, no — apparently my nose is as childish as ever — I still can’t stand it. There was a flanker a few years back that I liked, but BG itself doesn’t suit me.
Just means there’s more for you guys, right?
Your nose might in fact be too sophisticated for BG – although I love it, it isn’t really the most complex and refined scent I know…
I thought I loved BG until I wore it in a heat wave and felt like it was going to smother me. After that I kept picking up that oily note and stopped being able to wear it at all… Can’t do Teracotta either!
I’m not particularly fond of beachy scents ala BG, Terracotta, Nuxe even though I grew up at the beach in So Cal . I just retried my sample of Kerosene Unforsaken which also has a beachy vibe and can’t do that one either. No shame in that though. It will hopefully move on to someone who can appreciate it.
Yes, none of those 3 work for me either. I do however like Bobbi Brown’s Beach (though not enough to own it). I also often like salty marine notes (though not the Merveilles). I think it might be that I find the natural beach smells pleasant, but the ones reminiscent of baking human bodies, laid out on towels, less so…
I think that’s it. Having baked on the beach, I actually associate that with feeling uncomfortably hot and verging on dehydration. Not a pleasant beach association.
Would be interesting to see what beach associations people have who like ‘beach scents’ and what associations are had by the rest…
For a beachy vibe without the coconuts or bronzed bodies, I recommend L’Artisan Jatamansi. They have released it in the standard 50ml bottle as an edt, but Im not sure on the distribution. I got mine at FragranceNet.
(not that ive ever been to a beach with that song playing, I just remember the cheesy video for it..lol)
It’s hard to describe, but I’d say milky herbal. The creaminess kind of replaces the coconut, and it is more reminiscent of a deserted beach where one can quietly stroll along collecting seashells, rather than piña coladas and The Ketchup Song blasting from tinny speakers
I had been curious about Jatamansi, but failed to get a sample when STC still had it. Dare I blind-buy from fragrancenet? Hmmm…
I must have been living right in 2002, because I never heard of this song until now. 30 seconds of it and I had a headache. LOL
But I love pop music trivia, so thanks for the heads-up, perthgirl! ;D
Lol!! For some reason it’s been in my head for weeks- complete with dance moves- so im happy to share the love
Reading these late, but I have to comment as just earier today I bought one of those bottles from fragrancenet! I am not sure how I ended up there, but maybe prompted by the discussion of body products (as I have a Jatamansi body cream; also bought on fragrancenet some time ago …) So, are you saying that these bottles are a new packaging? I was wondering about that as I was only aware of the special packaging until I spotted one of those regular bottles on fragrancenet. Also, I wasn’t able to find Jatamansi on the official l’AP website … I hope it still smells the same and is all natural … Please let me know if you have any info (and are still reading here …). thanks.
Hey Morgana
I have the bath milk too, and they still both smell like Jatamansi. I never smelled the orginal one though, so I’ve no idea if they are exactly the same or not :-/ It is rather odd though that the new packaging snuck in quietly without a peep. No mention anywhere! I love it though
perthgirl,
Thanks! I cannot wait to get it in the mail
Have you ever tried one of the French Monoï oils? They have that beachy, tropical smell but they are not so strongly scented. Here is a link to an extensive review of them: http://boisdejasmin.com/2014/09/monoi-tahitian-beauty-secret-body-scrub-recipe.html
I respect the Lauders more than I like them, I tend to find them too loud and insistent, White Linen however I adore. I know it’s a widely loved line, but it usually doesn’t quite click for me.
I’ve never tried Monoï oils before, because I just assumed they’d be too strong. Maybe I should experiment with the brand that Andy recommended.
The scent is actually very soft. I’ve tried the one in the picture of that review.
I love tropical beaches but despise sunscreen. It makes my eyes hurt. So I’m working on building a list of tropical beach-ish scents with no coconut or sunscreen that let me play along in spirit but not scent. So far on my list are House of Matriarch’s Woo, Must de Cartier vintage parfum (maybe other formulations and times are good too; I just don’t know them), Salvador Dali Laguna (so so near to those tricky smells but then amazingly non-tricky for me). I’ve just realized that I mentally substitute one or the other of these when people mention bronze or terracotta or nuxe.
Sunscreen makes my eyes hurt too! I’m sorry it happens to you, but I’m glad to know I’m not the only one. I switched to mineral powder sunscreen a few summers ago and have had much better luck. I use it all over my face (and my baby’s) with no irritation.
Try Rodan + Fields Unblemish Oil Control Lotion SPF 20: I had the same problem as you did plus it also made me break out- I found this & it worked like charm- no burning eyes & no breakouts! Also it didn’t make my face shine like a 70s disco ball! Win-win-win! You can get it online from the Rodan + Fields website.
Bronze Goddess and Nuxe are not my cup of tea because they are white floral-centric and a bit perfume-y. I don’t hate them, but I have no desire to wear them. I gave my bottles to my mom who really likes them.
Commando for the moment. When I woke up, I could still smell the remains of yesterday’s Wit. Later on, planning to go all-American with vintage Lauren. Happy Independence Day, y’all.
We’ve had hot & humid weather where I live for the past few days with hazy skies from the forest fires north of here, so I have been wearing mostly light florals and citrus scents and they seems to be working well.
Later today, I plan to go to a neighborhood July 4th celebration and view fireworks after that. Haven’t seen many mosquitos yet this year .I normally don’t get too many bites. Maybe they don’t like my choice of perfume!
I am wearing CB:IHP I Am a Dandelion which is a wonderful grassy green floral with a hint of sweetness. It makes me want to lay on the lawn and look for shapes in the clouds, except it is too darn hot for that.
Yes being a Dandelion is perfect for that. Reminds me of the grass-scented bubble juice I got from MFK. I see bubbles in my very near future.
grass scented bubble juice? Please explain
Blowing bubbles that smell like freshly cut grass!!
Here’s a sweet blog post that has a picture of the mint-scented version: http://nscharlieno5.blogspot.com/2012/08/tiny-bubbles-kurkdjians-les-bulles.html
I got mine at Osswald NY, where they also had mint and violet and maybe a fourth scent, and a story about the event that MFK was commissioned to scent with bubbles. I’ve forgotten the story, but… bubbles!!
:-0 bubbles! Grass ones would be my pick too
Thanks for that leathermountain
My pleasure!
Will wear my remnants of Slumberhouse Pear & Olive so that I’ll blend in with the hip, artisanal, Brooklyn kids when we go there later to try to watch fireworks. I am actually really liking the savory quality of this scent and in a sense it reminds me of FM Dans Tes Bras. Happy day to all!
Artisanal kids, locally grown in BK, heh.
Happy day to all fellow NST’ers!
It’s been exceedingly hot in the Netherlands the past week which once more has made me aware of how much I enjoy spring and autumn. The tropics would be wasted on me. I thrive in more moderate temperatures.
My SOTD is Fleur de Liane, which is a peppery, watery green floral. It suits warm and muggy weather, so it was a good choice for today.
I’m also a Spring and Autumn girl!
Happy 4th to all who celebrate.
I’m doing housework this morning and spending the afternoon in my office. What a way to pass a Sunday! I wanted something quite crisp –a sort of “state-your-business” perfume– so I’ve chosen DKNY Woman, the one in the see-through sky-scraper bottle. Smells to me of oranges and tomato leaves. It’s completely unseasonal, given that it’s only 12 degrees outside, but it’s cutting through my fog of reluctance and winter blues. Oddly, I love it more today than I do in high summer.
Trying L’Occitane Fleur d’Or & Acacia body milk this afternoon. It’s fading quickly, so I might top it off with a spritz of the EDT in the same line. On me, the EDT is tenacious and more jasmine than mimosa – both pleasant surprises.
Happy Independence Day to fellow USA folks and Happy Weekend to everyone else!
In honor of the 4th, I decided to go with an American perfumer and wore the versatile BFMV by Dame Perfumery. My 7ml is just about toast and I will probably get a FB because this is a great vanilla that’s NOT a cupcake, and more importantly, works well down here in the swamps year round.
Hope everyone had a FAB weekend! Stay cool and stay safe
A “great vanilla that’s not a cupcake” definitely makes me want to try it!
I was just perusing his website for the first time. Definitely want to try this one. Have you tried others from the line? He seems like such a genuinely nice guy that it would feel easy and “right” to spend money there.
I’ve sampled several scents from Dame Perfumery. Of those I tried, my favorite is Dark Horse. His Desert Rose and BFMV are also very nice. I also really like Herb Man on my husband. Jeffrey Dame sends personally written notes with your order and is extremely generous with samples. He really is a very nice man.
I just placed my second order, for some Dark Horse. I got the BFMW first. He sent three samples with my BFMW and a handwritten note!
Happy Fourth to all (whether it’s your independence day or not
)
SOTD: SSS Citrus/Vetiver. Perfect for rainy Summer day.
I’m wearing Holy Thistle from Union, to compare with Eau de Celeri from a couple days ago, but I think I’ll eventually do a side-by-side because there are important details about Celeri that I can’t bring to mind now. Ok, ‘important’ might be exaggerating. The details are central to my train of thought.
Important to an erudite and thoughtful perfumista! You know so much about perfume, it is entertaining to see your thought process.
Thanks, meredifay! Those are very kind things of you to say. I’m grinning hard.
Happy 4th to my fellow Americans and happy Saturday to everybody else! I decided to go American indie today and wear Tara by Sweet Anthem.
I don’t know this at all. What is it like?
Wearing Hermes le jardin pour monsieur lee.
Finally settled on a SOTD–Tauer’s Une Reverie au Jardins. The lavender mixes nicely with my garden right now. I cleared out some errant bits of lavender, oregano, rosemary and such–just tidying up–and my hands smell wonderful!
Sel de Vetiver for a day at the beach. It lasted for a little while, at least.
We almost went to the beach today but chickened out thinking it would be too cold and rainy. Then it seemed like the day was perfect for it. Glad you went! Sorry to hear it doesn’t last longer on you, but I’ve always meant to try Sel de Vetiver at the beach. Did it suit the locale while it lasted?
Happy 4th to my American friends- hope you’re all loving your long weekend!
I know it’s not the right season for it there, but Im wondering if anyone has tried Marni Spice? Any thoughts?
There’s a Marni Spice? I was so disappointed by Marni — no spice and quite generic to my nose. I will have to look for this new one.
SOTD is Fate which I sprayed on after my shower so I could write a response to Petunia up above. I am having a lazy day to escape the Houston heat and humidity outdoors. Went to a lovely friend’s party last night where we all ate hot dogs (turkey, beef, and vegan) and watched the downtown fireworks from her 4th floor terrace above the house. We are all cat friends and shared stories and pets with the hostess’s 10 kitties.
My latest buy was Amouage Honour Woman which I got at the London Duty Free at Heathrrow Terminal 5 two weeks ago. Until today I have worn absolutely nothing else–I just love that fragrance. It is so beautiful and the white florals are not overwhelming as they can be, plus the dry down is incredible and subtle and complex. It was such a treat to view ALL the Amouages in their beautiful, colorful glory at the airport shop–wow! I had a nice saleslady the first time who appreciated my excitement. The second time (I had a long layover) I got someone who only wanted to sell me the new Lalique–Nothing doing! I finally settled on Honour and have no regrets at all. However, there was one Amouage men scent (regrettably I am not sure which one) that had a remarkable cedar to it–maybe Silver. Must try that one in a decant soon.
I just checked all of the notes on Luckyscent and now think that the one I liked was Reflection Man, not Silver Man. It has rosemary which I now recall was also a strong note and unique but pleasant. I got confused because the bottle of Reflection is silver–go figure!
SOTD is Imaginary Authors Falling into the Sea…it gives me a vacation feel even though I’m not on vacation.
This morning I tried my sample of Aetlier Orange Sanguine, and it was OK but faded, so then I put on my favorite non-iris, Séville a l’Aube. Had a nice cookout lunch at my MiL’s house, and now taking a little rest before getting ready for the week. I make breakfasts and lunches ahead of time, because it makes the week go so much more smoothly.
I’ve been wearing EL Private Collection often recently, so I decided to also sample the Jasmine White Moss and Amber Ylang Ylang versions. I find the former lovely but not quite interesting, and the latter interesting at first but it becomes heavily rich and sweet. I’ve tried Tuberose Gardenia in the past. So far, I like vintage original Private Collection the best.
Nozknoz, I liked the original Private Collection (though I’v never tried the vintage version of it) long before I liked the 3 variations. Or, I suppose I liked the Amber Ylang Ylang first, but not enough to buy it as it didn’t stand out from all the other ambers I liked so much!
Much more recently I’v gone head over heels for Tuberose Gardenia! I’v tried it periodically over the years and not been bowled over, but all of a sudden I’m loving it – enough to have recently bought a bottle. It’s not as striking a statement as original PC, but its beautiful in a different way.
I also appreciate Amber Ylang Ylang more. Smelling it gives me a certain sensation – as if I’v just knocked down some very warming spirit! Its also very refined and smells like great quality. However, sweet amber gourmands were the first love in my perfume journey and so they are well enough represented in my collection. As such I can’t justify AYY!
I should try a lighter application of Amber Ylang Ylang, perhaps. I have a sample or decant of Tuberose Gardenia but couldn’t find it right away, but will also try that again. But original Private Collection is special – I can see why LT gave it five stars. We are in good company with EL PC, Merlin.
Yes, there is something about it that feels like a crack of thunder