Happy Tuesday, and happy Bastille Day! What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm wearing Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne.
Reminder: this Friday, 7/17, will be Italian Niche Friday — wear something from Acqua di Parma, Lorenzo Villoresi, i Profumi di Firenze, Santa Maria Novella, or any other Italian niche brand.
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 Place de la Bastille by Tekniska museet at flickr; some rights reserved.
SOTD: Eau de Guerlain
Hey, you smell fantastic!
Ditto!
How do you find Parisienne Robin?
Click on the link above to see my review
You smell great, my favourite cologne!
I just got this late last week, I’ve been missing this all these years!
May try putting it in the frig to see what it is like chilled. Getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
Wearing DK Black Cashmere today, as after many years of stalking/yearning I finally bought a bottle off eBay and it arrived last night. It’s so nice to get to spray on liberally instead of eking out the last drops of the decant – I only wish the bottle were not opaque! How will I know when it is time to start stalking/yearning again?
Tap it. The sound changes depending on whether it is going through Liquid or air
Ooooh.
Nice buy, enjoy!
I’m in Ann Gerard Ciel d’opals today, and loving it.
Dang autocorrect! That’s Ciel d’Opale.
You smell gorgeous.
LOVE Ciel d’Opale! I recently tried Perle de Mousse and it’s lovely too, but probably better for spring.
Ciel d’Opale is really lovely – it’s my favorite of the line, with Perle de Mousse coming in a close second.
I am at a worK today for a workshop. My summer vacation is basically over and time to go back to school and put students schedules together. So not ready to go back.
My SOTD is Bronze Goddess by Estee Lauder. Even though my summer is almost over, I can at least smell like it.
Seems too early for summer vacation to be over!
I’m certain I wear BG more in the late summer/early fall than any other time of year for this very reason! Good luck with scheduling! I assume you have to wrestle with forecasting sheets?
Yes! The most dreaded time of the year for counselors! Got to get 1200 Elementary kids situated for the new school year.
You guys are making me feel guilty — have spent the last 2 days getting my son’s schedule rearranged. Sorry, counselors of the world!
Its quite alright. Part of our job. Once we get everyone in their proper classes, things will be fine. My job is extremely rewarding. This is just the toughest part. No worries though. I’m used to it.
I feel like summer only just began and now I’m feeling like it’s almost over. We only have about 6 weeks left before school starts again!
Seems like every year it gets shorter and shorter.
Purely by chance, Jardin sur le Nil, which seems like a solid French choice.
With a nod to Egypt in honor of Omar Sharif…
Aw, I always loved him …
Me too! So distinguished.
My Dame Perfumery samples were delivered at 7:15 this AM. I’m wearing Black Flower and a bit of Dark Horse. I’m not sure about them yet. Something in one of them is very volatile and bugging me a little. Maybe the spices? But he did send a generous number of smaller samples with my order. Very personal service which is nice.
Slept horribly, so I needed some strength today and put on vintage No. 19 parfum.
Hope the scent makes the day better
Thank you.
I’ve been really busy actually, but that’s a good thing.
Good choice!
SOTD is Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDT. I didn’t think I liked this scent all that much, but I just used up my sample and now I’m thinking I might need more. It’s good for a day like today when I’m starting to panic about getting ready for vacation and having a hard time making decisions.
Enjoy! I cannot smell the EdT at all. Like, can feel the molecules in my nose but zero scent. It’s trippy! (The edp i can smell fine. ..i think…)
All that to say, i just bet you smell great! I
I know what you mean! The molecules tickle my nose, too. Truth be told, though, I’m not sure whether I’m smelling them, or some of the other notes.
SOTD is Sycomore, one of the best vetivers ever.
Ooh, you smell lovely!
Yum!
Love Sycomore – you smell great
Sycomore is just amazing! It’s so earthy and elegant.
Inspired by running into my exroommate the other day, I am wearing vintage Emeraude. Since I moved out she has apparently turned into a vintage perfume fan looking for deals on eBay and at garage sales.
P.S. If anyone in the Boston area is interested a few of us are doing a little sniffa on Th. My screen name is my yahoo address if anyone would like to join us
How did that happen? Did she go from zero interest to vintage perfume stalker in 2 months?
This was over the course of 3 years while I was in NJ. I suppose it started with stocking up on a discontinued favorite, went to things she remembered from her youth,etc. I think I remember going on about ebay being a good source for discontinued perfumes when we were living together (I can be a bad influence sometimes…..)
Vintage Emeraude is so gorgeous. It’s one of my favorite winter bedtime scents.
Good afternoon to all!
I’m wearing Dark rain perfumed oil from Björk & berries, a swedish eco-beauty lable.
Love the name of the company!
Me too. And the products are great! The nose is Pierre Wulff, who also has done some work for Byredo.
Lush Karma solid perfume.
I’m in Dzing!, which I always enjoy in the summer heat. Wish I’d bought my bottle to work for touch ups though – two hours in and it’s already faded to almost nothing.
Yeah: I love wearing it in the summer too, but I do find it the heat makes it pretty fleeting!
found a bottle of bulgari omnia crystalline -it was hiding
love the lotus and wood in this
Bvlgari Green Tea – the only one that lives in my refrigerator, and wonderfully refreshing on summer days. I’ve been in a tea-ish mood lately, and want to try more (but what DON’T I want to try more of?).
My experiences so far have been limited to Osmanthe Yunnan (which is glorious, but sooo short-lived) and this one. Time to make my way through the rest of the Bvlgaris.
Thé Rouge is very nice. I also enjoy JM Earl Grey & Cucumber.
Definitely need to get to Thé Rouge. And I wish I liked cucumber, but unfortunately – even in lovely cocktails – not so much. I know I’m missing out!
I like The Rouge a lot too.
Have you tried five o’clock au gigembre? It’s one of my favorite tea scents. Works year round too!
Ooooh…you have my attention.
I read that this was being discontinued so my finger panicked. I will make you a.little decant.
#1 – noooo to discontinuation!
#2 – you are such a doll.
AG Mandragore has a nice spicy tea accord.
Adding that to my list as well – thank you dear!
I’m continuing on with Demeter and wearing one of my favorite roses, Pruning Shears.
Oh I just got to try that one yesterday! I was impressed, such a distinctive rose at such an amazing price(!!)
One of my favorite Demeter’s!
This sounds great. You guys make me want to try Pruning Shears. I’m vicariously enjoying Demeter week! Beeswax has been my favorite of the line so far. They are not like not long wearing scents, but low cost fun
Agree that Pruning Sheers is lovely. To me the green stalks (and even a bit of ash?) are as strong as the rose mentioned.
It’s only low cost fun if one can resist the breadth of choices. Robin or maybe one of the commenters published a discount code last year and I ended up abandoning my cart because I had selected way too many scents to justify going over what I had intended to spend.
I’m sampling Paestum Rose from Eau d’Italie. Not a fan.
Too bad, I really like that one.
Any use for a half mL of it?
You know, I wasn’t either. I think I didn’t like that particular combination of rose and incense, even though I wanted to. But may have to revisit and go back to the sample.
I like the rose and incense notes. It’s the cardamom-spiked fruit compote reaching the edge of fermentation that isn’t working for me. Me + Duchaufour + cardamom = a miss. I suspected it would be like this but wanted to know for sure. Now I do!
Weirdly, I have the problem with Rose Cut, which gets a ton of love from others…
I didn’t like that one either.
Eau de Shalimar and La Perla Eclix. I think I will finally have to admit to myself that I don’t like Eau de Shali. Something about that citrus note bugs me and reminds me of a cleaner or maybe those “refreshing” wet wipes. I liked it more when it was colder. Eclix, however, I love, but I’m not sure if I really want to splurge on a now ridiculously expensive bottle.
Eclix — yum. Wish they’d bring that back.
I’m wearing Mohur, which seems to work very well for me in the summer.
Ah, Mohur works well on me in any weather! I have like one drop left from the generous sample that I have used up in short order…..I will need to get more…. This is probably a good indication of which things I really should buy a larger supply of – the ones where I use the sample up in a matter of weeks, or even days….
I’m wearing CDG Play Red, which is light enough for another hot and humid day.
A little vintage Cabochard extrait. Vive la France!
Oui! You smell divine.
Scent of the morning was YR Tendre Jasmin. Floating citrussy jasmin, perfect for a wet summer morning. Scent of the afternoon is Kelly Caleche EdP, it doesn’t get a lot of love I think, but I find it such a happy scent, with quality and fitting the no brainer category (= a compliment).
Kelly Caleche is a favorite of mine in the fall…. !
I look forward to wearing it then, it is a recent and unexpected buy and love.
Kelly Caleche ESP gets a lot of love from me when it’s cooler out. It is one of a few bottles I’ve drained. Have you tried the parfum? It has more depth and could complement the EDP.
That would be EDP….I’ll blame it on the fat fingers…
First sampling of BV Knot. It’s nice, but I already know my heart still belongs to Hanbury, which I find to be a more radiant and natural smelling orange blossom, sweetened by a touch of honey and mimosa.
I love them both!
I guess I should consider myself lucky that I’m monogamous in this instance.
I haven’t tried Knot, but your descriptions of Hanbury makes me want to get some immediately! How does it compare to Seville a l”Aube, which is my favorite OB at the moment? I have this on today, actually…
Subtract just about all the benzoin (very sweet, amber-ish and very diffusive note) from Seville a L’Aube, and add in a touch of mimosa’s slightly bitterly floral honey/pollen edge, plus a distinct honey note (which also plays at the edge of sweet and bitter). I would also add a sense of pastoral context, perhaps some drying grasses somewhere in the distance. All these nuances together remind me of tea in Hanbury, which plays beautifully with honey and orange blossom.
I don’t know Seville a l’Aube well, but it seemed to evolve very distinctly from orange blossom with benzoin to more and more benzoin. In comparison, I find Hanbury relatively linear. It does shift a bit, actually getting perhaps less floral and more honey/pastoral, but it’s a subtle change over many hours.
Both have significant projection, and Hanbury has significant longevity. I don’t remember the longevity of Seville a L’Aube but I’ll bet you do!
I should also note that other reviewers have discussed Hanbury as primarily a citrus scent (I don’t get that), or as a calycanthus scent (which is a listed note, said by some to smell like bubblegum; all I know is that Hanbury doesn’t smell too much like bubblegum to me).
Gosh, I couldn’t be as articulate as leathermountain in a million years! (Thanks, leathermountain!)
I find Seville a l’Aube to be less linear than Hanbury, and more about the petitgrain than orange blossom. I find it altogether sweeter, sharper and denser. I find the orange blossom note in Hanbury to be the star, and it’s very warm, bright and playful. I’d been looking for an orange blossom fragrance that smells like the eo for a long time, and for me, Hanbury is it.
Hanbury is the wedding, and Seville a l’Aube is the honeymoon.
She’s almost a little scarey, isn’t she? I think you missed your calling, leathermountain.
You all are making me blush.
I like that about the wedding and the honeymoon, Holly! (You know I wore Hanbury to my wedding celebration.)
Yes, leathermountain,I remember. I sincerely can’t imagine anything better.
I try not to worry too much about what other people think of my favorites, but that is really a very sweet thing to say!
First I was in Un Matin d’Orage, from a sample. It’s beautiful yet was I imagining that there is an amonia note, or what is that? Then, I added lots of Montale Jasmin Full.
When in doubt, douse one’s self in jasmine. Thats a motto that works for me…
Some jasmine smell like mothballs to me.
I was debating between Theorema and vintage Chanel no 19 (edt). But I broke out the no 19 instead.
Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint is my SOTD. I’ve been wearing this one a lot this summer.
I dug into my baggie of Jo Malone’s last night b/c I had the itch for something new. I really like the White Jasmine and Mint. It reminds me a lot of AG Mandragore edt, but I almost like it better. It was very uplifting and soothing at the same time.
No scent today, on purpose! Heading to client site, and they are reportedly scent free.
Boo. What a boring site to have to visit :p
Ha! It was very strange getting ready for work: brush teeth, powder face, Don’t spritz fragrance. Weird! I always spray something!
By Night, White today by Profumi del Forte.
I do have a few Italian niche scents but realised this morning they are all warm weather scents.
Love By Night White.
Will celebrate by wearing my vintage Paris. Have a great day, everyone!
Great choice. You smell lovely!
Weird thought–my best friend in high school wore Paris, and I associate it with her now. It’s one of a handful of scents that immediately bring to mind one person. It makes me wonder if I should chuck all my samples and wear a signature scent. I don’t think I can. Could you? Are you looking for a signature scent, or are you a confirmed perfume explorer? Either way, be well.
Could never do signature scent. Nothing wrong with it, just, not for me. Too fun deciding between many favorites.
Same here, on all counts. Ironic, because I stumbled across NST while searching for a replacement signature scent after my old one (of 15 years or so) was DC’d.
It seems to me that the signature scent idea was more feasible (ironically) when there were fewer scents on the market. Today we’re all pursuing the holy gmail.
That’s “holy grail.” The autocorrect version was so funny I had to run with it.
Lol!
LOL!
A true winner!
Une Fleur de Cassie; classic French perfumery at it’s best.
You smell great! My favorite Malle and one of my favorites overall.
same for me!
Ok, I HAVE TO try this. The other day I tried Lys Mediterranee, and I can’t stop thinking about it…
UFdC wasn’t love at first sniff but it haunted me and I eventually caved and bought a travel sized. Definitely worth a try! I think it’s one of those “love or hate” scents.
Similar story to mine. Mind you, first time I tried UFdC it was the old version which wasn’t as radiant as the current one. Only difference is that I bought the large bottle:)
I’m wearing vintage Revlon Intimate. Released the year I was born, I remember the bottle on my mother’s dressing table when I was a child. I love the civet note in this.
I’m thinking about buying samples of the newer OJ line–Four Corners of the World. Any OJ lovers who could recommend them or tell me their general impressions? They are not cheap samples. . . . (and while I’m terribly curious about the new Black Gold, I will resist the urge to spend $72 just to find out if I like it).
I know, I was flabbergasted by that email! They should have called it something other than a sample, I think. WOOF, the mere thought of a $72 sample!! (Alas I have not smelled the Four Corners scents, so I can’t help, but just want to make sure you’ve seen that STC is having a sale? Maybe that’s what prompts the question!)
Yes! and Yes!
In fairness, the “sample” is 10mL, so it’s probably one of her purse sprays, but still!
I *was* wondering about buying smaller samples at STC, although now that I type this, I haven’t confirmed that they actually carry them! (Off to go check. . .)
Update: they only have 3 of the 4.
Yeah, and one is not the regular EDP, but the “intensivo” parfum (50% concentration)… I don’t know how that might complicate things if one did work and then you needed to decide what version to buy…
Oh wow, for that matter have you checked out the pricing on the full bottles? The options are a little bizarre–in Tsarina for example, you can have a travel set for $160 (I think it’s 4x10ml?), 50 ml of parfum for $280… and then the only bottle of EDP they seem to offer is 120ml for $448!! Holy mackerel. Almost makes it seem like trying the parfum versions would be more sensible anyway!
Holy smokes! I haven’t quite gotten to the point where $500 for a bottle seems reasonable. I agree, the parfum seems like a bargain in comparison!
Celebrating French easy elegance by wearing a generous amount of Cristalle (EDP)
Very elegant!
Cristalle is so perfect. It’s what I should have picked today!
Today I’m wearing Desert Rose from Dame Perfumery. Very nice. I’ve been in a rut lately with a steady rotation of Bois des Iles, Cristalle, Un Jardin sur Le Toit, and DK Gold. It’s a wonderful rotation, but I have so many samples to try so I’m attempting to break out of my rut this week …
What is Desert Rose like? I love the others in your rotation!
I’d consider it a slightly spicy, jammy (but not too sweet) rose.
I just sampled this today. I agree with rose pepper’s description as slightly spicy and not too sweet, although I find it to be more dusty than jammy. Like a dried pink rose pressed into an old book.
Sampled Dior Eau Fraiche today and found it to be a tenacious scrubber. It smells like the shampoo my dog groomer used. Not something I want to wear…
Completely spaced on Bastille Day. I grabbed Prada’s Candy this morning. I first smelled it in incredible heat the summer it was released. It was pretty and floral, with that come hither benzoin. I was hooked.
“Come hither benzoin”? I adore that. I shall seek out Candy on the strength of that phrase.
Un Air de First for me today. Yet another lovely I often plain forget about, though it is great for summer. Very radiant with a nice galbanum edge.
Wearing Carthusia Mediterraneo today. I’m early for Friday! I didn’t think I had anything for the challenge, but there it is. Lovely lemony goodness.
Ah, Carthusia is Italian? That gives me an alternative to Dolce and Gabbanna, since I noticed I am out of the Bulgari I usually have on hand…
It is – I had to look it up myself! I thought the name sounded slightly Italian.
Love Mediterraneo! You smell great. I’m considering that one for Friday … or may go with Santa Maria Novella Eva, if I’m in the mood for a bit of pepper with my citrus.
Good Girl Gone Bad for our good weather gone bad…. whinnnneee… If we cannot have rain, I would at least like sunshine!
Good morning to NST everywhere. Here, it’s a wet Wednesday, and I’m countering a case of the bad don’t-want-tos with Fate, because it’s golden and warm and enveloping on this cold day. Hope I can share its light with some others as we huddle against the winter.
By the way, you all smell scrumptious. As I read your posts, I kept thinking –well, where I could– “Oooh, I’ll wear that today….no, that…no, definitely that.” I’ve no idea what made me finally choose Fate.
You smell great.
It was fate!
(Very sorry. It sounded funnier in my head….)
It was funny enough!
I agree! I’m going to ponder happy randomness on my walk to work, which I’d better get underway right this very minute.
Prompted by Ajda’s post yesterday on Ellen Tracy Bronze, I decided to make that today’s SOTD and then to compare it to Dame’s Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli, from a follow-up comment by Oakland Fresca. Although both have citrus in the top notes (Bronze, lemon; Mate, lime peel) and mixed florals with a dominant heliotrope note, they are very different.
The Bronze stays lemony and powdery for a long time and paints a picture for me of a child’s balloon, free from her grasp, drifting aimlessly upwards to the heavens, where it plays amidst frothy white clouds and soft sunshine. The Mate on the other hand, speaks to me of the earth and my vegetable garden, the mate giving the scent a vegetal tone and the (soft) patchouli that wonderful sense of rich, deep dirt, (the lime peel making a very brief appearance and adding a freshness to the herbal mate). As the Bronze lifts me skyward, the Mate anchors me. I like them both very much – for me, Bronze is a summer (but not scorchingly hot) day scent and I would wear the Mate in the fall or or as an early spring daytime fragrance. Other than heliotrope, I don’t smell much of the other florals that Fragrantica lists as notes.
Gosh that was so satisfying! Thanks for taking the time to explain your impressions.
A very late entry: I’m wearing Amouage Sunshine, but am not overly impressed. I don’t dislike it, but I’m not excited either.
Good to read your comment! I’ve thought of you the last days, must have been a marathon (…).
I didn’t even find it uplifting. Only tried it once but found it a bit crass.
Hope you are keeping the EU together
I didn’t care for Sunshine either.
It didn’t work for me either. Initially I thought perhaps I just found the scent incongruous with the name and/or the bottle, but ultimately I came to the conclusion that the nose wins.
Happy Bastille Day! Celebrating with Guerlain Nuit d’Amour.
Cuir de Lancome for me today.
lovely!
Thanks AnnS. Do you see a similarity between CdL and Bottega Vaneta? BV is not as soft but I do think they smell similar. Not sure if you’ll see this since this is yesterday’s post.
Went to the mall to acquire testing paper so I also tried a random assortment of perfumes– Shanghai Lily, Gold Must de Cartier, Visa and Extravagance Russe. I’d forgotten how striking Shanghai Lily is and I can’t believe that I don’t yet own a bottle. Maybe for my birthday in Sept…..
I put on just a dab of AdP Iris Nobile edp in my cleavage today b/c I had meetings. Even just the little bit has so much sillage!
A little drop of globe rochas from my mini which came in the mail yesterday…
surprising fruit in the mix of the leather cologne and definitely deserves further exploration…
I’ve never heard of Globe Rochas!
a lost masterpiece of the early 90s? luca turin thought so and I might agree…
JJ, how do you discover these unknown gems?
I couldn’t decide on anything this morning, so I went with Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia, primarily because I used the body butter last night.
Today I’m wearing Bal d’Afrique from Byredo. I don’t wear it as much as my favorite vetiver (Sycomore) but I’m always charmed by it whenever I do.
SOTD = Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris
Perfect foil for the humidity!
In Matin d’Orage on a damp day. A not-bad pairing.