Another Monday. What fragrance are you wearing?
I am commando this morning, since I'm heading for the beach later. I am still on vacation — normal posting levels won't return until next Monday.
Reminder: this Friday, 8/7, will be Perfumer Spotlight...name a perfumer you don't think gets as much attention as s/he should, and wear one of their perfumes.
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 Snow Library, Orleans, Mass. via Boston Public Library at flickr; some rights reserved.
SOTD is TDC Kashan Rose, and the house in today’s postcard is my dream house – both beautiful.
It is a library, but it does look like it might once have been a house!
That little house is just adorable, isn’t it? I imagine it filled with Wm Morrison wallpapers and the original chestnut woodwork, and black and white penny tiled bathrooms…
How lovely! Thanks for posting a library today Robin!!
When I was growing up, the library for my small town was housed in a beautiful 19th century mansion, a wonderful place to visit, and high school art classes were held on the top floor. It was a magical place to discover books or read magazines. I heard it’s no longer in use because not large enough for current demands and too expensive to maintain, which is sad.
Beach…. lucky you. Cant wait until it’s beach weather again!
31 Rue Cambon today, and now it’s late and almost bedtime and I’ve put on some Violette Fumee.
I think it was Pixel yesterday who pointed out that 50 bottles would be 7 wearings a year. Hmmm. I guess this will be my once every couple of years of VF then. Those stats are a little disturbing! I’m trying my hardest to change them by wearing more than one scent a day
Oh yike. Scary stat.
I need to divest myself of some bottles I’m not wearing.
You really need to wear more than one fragrance per day
Hence an morning, lunch, and evening fragrance application….
Seriously, I rarely complain about lasting power, especially since I am easily bored.
More than one scent a day is the way to go, even if it’s just a few times a week. I don’t do much layering of scents, but sometimes it’s fun just to play
Enjoy your vacation!
SOTD: Fruit Defendu by Terry de Gunzburg.
A fantasy tropical mango cocktail to kick the monday blues away!
Chanel 28 La Pausa which I blind bought last week and I love her! As a “broke grad student” (seriously, what a trope), I have been tired of not being able to try and buy any of the wonderful perfumes. So, I just made the plunge and invested in some large decants, splits, and bottles and am breaking them up into smaller decants and samples and opening an EBay store! So far, the response has been awesome and it’s been tons of fun! (Not trying to advertise FYI, Robin! Nor will I ever give out my EBay seller name!
)
Just as a head’s up–as a fellow broke grad student!–I think there may be some weird eBay rules about selling homemade decants/samples (if I’m not mistaken, I think getting kicked off eBay is how some of the existing decant websites got started–someone who’s been around longer than I may know more about this.) Def some decants are still being sold on the site, but thought you might like to be aware of the risk of being blocked, especially re: decisions about investing more money. I had a bummer of a thing happen to me when I picked up a sealed bottle of Tendre Poison at a thrift store, figuring I’d sell it–turns out eBay is, or was at the time, in litigation with LVMH and blocking all new listings of their products. Luckily I hadn’t spent much but it was unpleasant to be caught unawares!
Yikes! Yeah, I’ve bought tons of decants and there are tons up there — I had known that there were some issues in the past, but had thought it was “legal” again.
I double-checked the rules and they are a bit nebulous regarding “open cosmetics.” It does appear if they wanted to, they could enforce a no-decant policy. However, were an argumentative perfumista to fight the policy, there are enough loopholes in which to fight them. And this perfumista, as a social policy graduate student and mental health case manager and advocate likes to argue!
Oh ok, good, just wanted to make sure you didn’t get caught off-guard! It does seem like basically they’re allowing it at the moment–just wanted to send a head’s up about the possibility, given the arbitrary enforcement I encountered. As nozknoz points out, there are and were a zillion Dior products listed, and though I dealt with an EXCEEDINGLY helpful eBay rep in trying to sort it out–as in, he was bilingual and went onto eBay-France’s website to try to get more information in French!!–neither of us could ever figure out why my listing was getting automatically blocked when others were up :/ Hope you have better luck!!
Thanks — we don’t want advertising if we can help it. But you are free to link your username to your ebay store if you like (which you can do by adding a URL to your profile here)
I would never advertise here, but now I especially won’t because I want to keep the store running as long as possible!
Congrats on the initiative! I hope all the technicalities iron out
I’ve noticed an increasing number of decants on ebay over the last two or three years. I’ve wondered if the rules have changed, or if there are simply more broke or enterprising perfumistas who give it a go.
I’ve certainly been happy to find them, and I should probably say THANKS in case I’ve benefitted from your offerings. 
Agree that it’s probably worth doublechecking the rules. I wonder whatever happened with that LVMH suit; there still seem to be plenty of items listed.
That’s a good question about what’s happened! Even at the time that I had this difficulty, there were a ton of such listings and (I was just telling Kelly) even the eBay rep couldn’t figure out why I was getting blocked when other listings went up. (Also, the error message I got was in French! Despite using the U.S. site. Totally bizarre.) But maybe it’s all been resolved since then, perhaps I should try again…
In any case, La Pausa is beautiful.
It’s finally warm here, so I’m wearing Datura Noir. This is my last week before holidays, I cannot wait.
It’s so hard to pay attention that week before vacation …
Finally got my hands on a sample of Iris Silver Mist. There are several iris scents that I really love, so I figured I should try ISM. It’s really…something. I’m getting a lot of carrot and kind of a lipstick note? Which is funny because when I was little I wouldn’t eat cooked carrots because I thought they tasted like lipstick. I can’t really decide if I love it or hate it. It’s definitely weird. But at this point in my perfume sampling habit, I’ll take weird over boring any day.
ISM is weird! I love it, but find it hard to wear…
What’s weird is that I get a cool, sophisticated and understated scent after about an hour or two. Weird that I don’t get weird!
Anna if you’re still after more irises, the Le Galion Iris reissue is rather pretty, and perfect for warm weather.
I’m wearing Un Weekend à Deauville and have added some Thérèse and Cassie because of making a few decants for my mother. Pour Weekend is getting smothered.
I mean poor Weekend. All these languages ….
Felt like DK Gold today! Am enjoying it. My little 1-oz bottle is maybe 70% full now, and I know I’ll never get another for the fabulous price I got this one ($8. Ebay. 2010).
Band camp is over… and my 16-yo, “Gaze,” started his classes at the magnet school today at 7am. I think it was a wrench for him… he’s barely had a summer, much less an actual vacation.
Tobacco & Tulle from Soivohle. It starts out as a big sweet tobacco but now it’s all smoothness and cuddliness
Liz Zorn would be a good choice for the Friday spotlight.
Oh, yes! I was racking my brain, but that’s a good choice.
Her or maybe Shelley Waddington of Envoyage
Ditto that!
On yet another business trip and completely inexplicably, was craving something fruity and tropical this morning. I only brought a few fragrances with me, so the best I could do was Vetiver Fatal. Not a Caribbean vacation, but still bright and fresh enough to keep me going.
I tried Tropicana from Lorenzo Villoresi a couple of weeks ago– talk about a big fruity tropical floral scent. Try it if you can find some
Oooh, this is absolutely going in my next batch of samples! (Just in time for fall.)
My fav tropical is the PdN (or whatever Nicolai goes by now) Juste un Reve. It has the softest fruity coconut – really lovely.
It is, really nice. Also quite tropically floral. Very soft.
Blah, another Monday! SOTD is Nasreen.
I’m wearing one of my new minis today, Omnia Crystalline EDP. This is the newer version. I think that I’m going to go ahead and try to get a mini of the EDT version. According to Fragrantica, the notes are completely different.
I’ve developed a summer cold, and thus can’t smell much of anything. Feeling kind of bereft. Have an extra sniff on my behalf, friends.
Hope you feel better soon. It’s awful getting summer colds. I know because I suffer from them quite often.
Thanks dear, and sorry to you too.
By the way, how goes suburban life? Happier out there?
Hi, sorry it took so long to respond. I’ve been mega busy this week with our office move. I had a 10.5 hour day Friday finishing up the packing. Saturday I was bombarded with messages as the managers took care of the actual move and today I’ve shut off my phone. I need a break!
In general, suburban life is SO. Much. Better. I’m still not over the fact that I can drive to a store and park right in front of where I live and not have to plan for it like it’s a huge event! Having central air is incredibly nice as well.
Thanks for asking and I hope you are doing ok!
Ugh. I hope you feel better soon!
Thanks Holly!
Feel better soon!!
Thanks honey!
Drained my Ineke Chemical Bonding sample today and it’s so hot it’s already gone… *sigh*
Exploring 31 Rue Cambon again. I love it, but I don’t think I want a full bottle. I think 20mls would suffice. Does anyone else go ahead and just buy the more-expensive-per-ml decant and call it a day?
Yes. Or, rather, I jump in on bottle splits.
I keep seeing FB groups mentioned for splits, but I’ve never gone that route. Any recommendations?
FB groups got to be a major time suck for me (also probably way too enabling!) so I am not a member of any perfume groups there at the moment. There is Scent Splits on Google, which is where I obtain most of mine. You must ask to join and be vouched for by a current member (I’d be happy to) – assuming that they’re still accepting members. I think so.
You smell lovely.
I’m trying that strategy myself, and actually just ordered a decant of 31 Rue Cambon last week. If I come to work scentless, and the decant is on my desk, then it works. I haven’t really been successful at wearing decants at home regularly though – I tend to just reach for my bottles.
Thank you! I added an extra spritz for you!
I know what you mean – I find reaching for a bottle feels so much more satisfying than a measly decant or sample. I know this is completely irrational, but then again maybe that’s part of the whole process…
Yep. I doubt I’ll ever buy a FB again. Most of the scents I love, the Hermessences, the Malles, the Chanels, just aren’t in the budget. And I’d rather have variety in my collection than a huge amount of something.
Thanks annawilde – I know what you mean! I sure do have a LOT of variety here, and I recently came to think of full bottles as being like family – always available, reliable and something I can depend upon while dealing with the cacophony of everything else. Of course, like family, that’s usually not the case.
Ha!
I worry about never using up a big bottle. Have I ever voiced that concern before?
So yes, definitely.
Then I worry about losing the juice to evaporation or oxidation, which is more likely to happen faster in a decant or split (apparently I worry a lot), so I probably reach for those little guys more often. Sometimes I tell myself, “this is a bottle day,” to assuage any worries that the bottles will go bad while I’m busy using up the decants.
Perfume is so. ..worrisome! :p
I have a similar temperament. Add in the don’t-want-to-use-it-all-up mentality, and the poor decants would really be neglected. But then, decants are less easily available where I am, do the worrying is needless…call it superogatory worrying!
Superogatory, I like it. It makes it sound like a good thing!
I guess I’m lucky, leathermountain, as I don’t worry about using up what I have. I absolutely know I never will! But that does play into how I buy things now, as I don’t want to have extra stuff. It’s all so enticing, though, isn’t it? I wonder if all of my acquisitveness has been siphoned into this one particular interest that at times seems incredibly voracious.
You might say that I am releasing a few decades’ worth of acquisitiveness into this one particular interest. But still in a small apartment and still with that pesky finite lifespan. I think my naivete about such enticements has to do with it as well. I had been mostly uninterested in possessing a lot of objects, even books in latter years, until… we all know what happened. I wonder why.
Yes, exactly!
Yes! Amouage Lyric Woman; Amouage Gold for Men; Amouage Beloved; Grossmith Shem el Nessim; Penhaglion’s Amaranthine; ….. I could go on and on. Something like Rue Cambon will be around for a while, so if you change your mind later, you can still get a bottle!
Thanks, AnnS! Would you believe that for a time I actually imagined that I could buy x, y, or z and then be satisfied and all the rest is icing on the cake? It is only recently that I’ve realized that the carrot on the stick is ALWAYS one foot ahead of the donkey.
Yes, but, it’s not a panacea because decants seem to randomly evaporate sometimes. I have many that have lasted for years, but some are suddenly much reduced or empty. Also, I’m always worried that a perfume will be reformulated or discontinued, so I won’t be able to replace it. So, yes, I have decants but also more bottles than I’ll ever use. I guess I’d consider how much I love the perfume and perhaps how positive the reviews are (if they are more positive, my theory is that it’s more likely to be a work of art that I’ll love forever rather than tire of soon). It’s a balancing act, for sure.
Thanks, nozknoz! I overwhelmed myself with samples over the last year, and who knows what condition they’re in as they’re in The Sample Sea (aka gyre.)
It’s certainly a balancing act, and I definitely haven’t figured it out yet.
I def do buy decants and feel good about it–if anything I might actually suggest you start with a smaller decant, as I often surprise myself at how long something winds up lasting me. If it goes much quicker than expected, then a bottle is suddenly justified (and I’m glad I didn’t devote more $$, in absolute terms, to the pricier-per-ml decant), but more often it lasts way longer, and then I think nozknoz’s point about evaporation becomes a real issue. I wouldn’t recommends decants so big you need to count on them lasting for more than a few years. So if 20ml is a lifetime supply, or even a decade’s supply, I’d say go for a 5 or 8ml and then see if/when you need to replenish.
All that said, 31RC is truly gorgeous, so I do understand wanting to assure your supply against reformulation! In which case, maybe look for partial bottles? Some of the Facebook groups offer them pretty regularly, and I’d also consider eBay–I’ve had good experiences there especially from sellers with a good track record.
Thank you, C.H.! You’re absolutely right – I have a LOT of samples and decants and for the most part, I am working on passing them on. Slowly but (hopefully) surely I am finding my way and really focusing on what suits me and makes me happy. I have found that a lot of things are fun, but they’re not me.
That’s the way I feel about the few florals I’ve found that I liked – beautiful, but can’t actually wear them for longer than 10 minutes. (Sorry, En Passant, you beauty, you.) Same with 28 La Pausa. My loss, I know.
Snuggly Rose Musc on this Monday with way too much to do!
I am very very fond of this Rose Musc! Hope I didn’t make a mistake by getting a FB of Un Fille de Berlin.
ButI might have to get a bottle of Rose Musc as well as teh Mohur I am planning on acquiring, and just be a rosy woman for a while…LOL!
the…teh is why I can’t paly arpeggios on teh piano to my satisfaction!
Hee hee
If you ever want to unload that Fille de Berlin, just let me know!!! I’m sure I can swap something wonderful for it!!!
I love Rose Musc too!! IMHO you can’t have enough good rich roses!
I may be considering re-homing mine and just keeping a small decant. It was a love-at-first sniff purchase but I have a hard time wearing it. Stay tuned!!
My fingers are crossed. Swap or cash. Just let me know.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can uncross your fingers(you’ll get a cramp!) Send me an email to my hawtmale so I have yours. That would be for pretsky 35. When my head gets reattached to my body we can tawk…
Trying to ward off a cold, so wearing something gentle, la Chasse aux Papillons.
Ack! Monday again! Boo hiss!
Spent the entire rainy day yesterday binge watching Season 1 of Outlander. Can’t remember who informed me about it now because I’m old and senile, but I was able to watch it on Amazon Prime. (Huge thanks to the person who mentioned it!) I was a big fan of the book which I read way way back in 1991. I think I read a couple of the sequels but then lost interest. So…
As an ode to time travel, obviously a dominant theme in the series, and the fact I mentioned time travel in Friday’s post, I think today I chose a good scent to go day tripping in: Dune edt.
It smells just a bit out of this world and has a very mysterious personality. Familiar and strange simultaneously, it throws a person into a bit of confusing head space. Not a bad place to be
Love Outlander.
Who remembers my first fav time travel sci fi show: “Voyagers” with the gorgeous Jon Erick Hexum!
I vaguely remember the show but remember the man in much more detail!
Haha!I was a child back then!But watched it as well!I shed a tear when that gorgeous man died so sudden!!
I remember Voyagers. Jon-Erik was beautiful ((swoon)).
It’s on Amazon Prime? Yay! Now I know what I’ll be watching for next few days.
Oh, I’m a liar! Its on Amazon, but it’ll cost ya! Thought it was on Prime but it’s not, boo! Still not a bad deal for the entire season, though.
Yay! It was me! So happy to enable! Did you watch all 16 episodes?!? I watched it over 3 days I think and felt like I hadnt moved from the couch for ever! So worth it though, I loved it- and who could complain about watching (and listening to) 16 hours of Jamie Fraser?
Philosykos edp today. Compared to the edt, this is somehow softer, greener, and creamier. Beautiful, even in this heat.
SOTD is a sample of l’Artisan Parfumeur Rose Privee. On me the basil dominates, and the rose is very clean. It’s so pretty, though, and would be FB worthy if the dry-down were more interesting.
Thanks again to the kind perfumistas who gave me some “accessible” Oud recommendations! I’m waiting on samples of Montale Black Aoud and White Aoud, and Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud.
Missed this conversation the first time around, but did anyone mention Kilian’s Rose Oud? I’m typically an oud hater but I do think that’s really beautiful perfume. And if you also like rose fragrances! Along similar lines, I feel like I’ve heard people describe Atelier Rose Anonyme as a lightweight version of the BK Rose Oud–the Atelier’s not so much my thing but it def is a lighter and perhaps thus more accessible version?
Ooh, thanks for the recommend! I haven’t given Kilian much consideration after sampling Forbidden Games and Liaisons Dangereuses, which both smelled like very nice shampoo to me and thus weren’t worth the price. But I will try to track down a sample of the Rose Oud!
The BK Amber Oud is nice as well – very smooth.
I second that BK Amber Oud – I got a little sample of it, and somehow just used it up very rapidly over the Holidays last winter. It is very present without being overwhelming at all. I will get more when it gets cold…
Of course! I mentioned the above ones and totally forgot about the Kilians, even though the Rose and Amber Ouds are amongst my favourites. Good call
I really like BK Rose Oud. (And the Amber Oud is gorgeous too. Feels like a silk chiffon scarf – very light and smooth. And I don’t even LIKE amber.)
SOTD = FM Iris Poudre
I will bring this on vacation if I can easily find my atomizer holder. Has anyone travelled with the travel atomizers without the holder? I wonder how durable the glass is without the added protection?
I was just on the Malle website this weekend looking at those travel sizes and the corresponding carrier/case.
I may have drooled a bit
whispering … do it, do it
Yup, so far so good. I do wrap in tissue, but my En Passant spray has been on seven trips with me in the last five months and survived planes, trains, and automobiles in my purse! I will say, the purse in question has a lot of structure + there’s a side pocket which I devote solely to perfume, so it’s not like the spray is rolling around at the bottom of a burlap sack. (My other favorite purse. Really!) Otoh, I do frequently carry books and my laptop in the same purse, and still have not crushed the travel spray, so, pretty good sign I think?
C.H. !!! Haven’t seen you in these here parts lately! It’s good to know they are durable!
Hi!! Yes as you can tell, I’ve been living in airports with bad wifi lately!! But happily, accompanied at least by something to counteract airplane smell!
Oh, travel well, Hajusuuri! Then you can regale us with stories when you return….
Thank you, Meredifay! I will likely be online. for a short bit each day and will provide a running commentary of the happenings. I now can’t imagine life without internet!
I always have sample vials or sprays in my purse in small ziplocks and have never had a break or spill. Sometimes I put them in one of those little bubble wrap bags that Luckyscent et al use to ship samples or decants. Many of the decanters ship in bubble wrap envelopes; I could never bring myself to use other than a box for mailing, but I’ve only received one cracked vial.
Keep in mind that if you travel by air, you need to put them in that quart-sized ziplock with other liquids and gels if you carry them on. Also, I used to pack perfume in shoes for protection if I put it in my suitcase.
Oooh, good idea with using the inside of shoes. I’ve packed socks in shoes but never thought of envelopiing an atomizer with a sock to insert in a shoe!
Good reminder about the quart size bags although it seems the TSA had been inconsistent with requiring carry-on liquids to be in those bags nor are they consistent with taking it out of purse / luggage for inspection.
I am hoplessly careless with things like that and I carry my perfumes around all the time, so my En Passant has been everywhere without any protection – in the bottom of my bag, in my make-up bag with other stuff, in the bottom of another bag clinking against other perfume bottles… you name it. If it has survived me, it will survive anything short of being thrown against a wall with great force.
Wow! You and C.H. have had good experiences with the atomizers. This certainly expands my vacation perfume repetoir by a lot. Carnal Flower! Portrait of a Lady! Un Fleur de Cassie! Eau de Magnolia! Oh the possibilities!
I’m glad that I’ve provided an accidental public service
But seriously, if you take some precautions, you should be absolutely fine with the Malle sprays. And with the Hermes and Diptyque for that matter (I keep the Hermes 15ml ones in their fabric sheaths).
Chanel Cristalle edt is my SOTD. I have a small sample, and I am trying it for the first time. Its very nice!
The weekend went by too fast! Its Monday again — back to the old grindstone…
Scent twin! I didn’t get much from Cristalle the first few times I’d tried it, but it has become a beloved staple for me this summer.
I had trouble getting into Cristalle a few years ago from my sample. Now that I love it, I know that it shows it’s best self from a big spray.
I had a neurologist appointment for DD2 today so I went with Jour de Fete, which will always be her perfume. It was the only thing I wore when we came home from the hospital almost a year ago.
Everything is fine and I smell nice and calm and pretty.
That’s sweet.
What a beautiful association with Jour de Fete you have
Eau d’Hadrien again today. My sample is almost gone…
Using up the sample so fast you wonder where it went, is a signal for FB consideration…
After a weekend of small planes and helicopters flying over us dipping down into the river to get scoops of water to try and contain a wildfire that is only a few miles away, I need something calming today and I think Unum’s Opus 1144 fills the bill, it is such a beauty.
I wish I could send you the torrential downpours we have been having here! The ground is completely saturated after about two weeks of unrelenting rain. I’m going to say a prayer to the weather gods in hopes we can divert some of this wet your way. Stay safe and if you have to evacuate, do you have an EPP? (Emergency Perfume Plan).
Wildfires close to home are scarey! Hope they get it under control soon!
I hope your fire is out soon!
Oh, I feel anxious on your behalf. Those fires can spread so quickly and erratically. Are you in Northern California? Wherever you may be, I pray that your self, loved ones, and property are safe.
Thanks all, sorry I didn’t get back sooner. We’re in northeast WA in a beautiful mountainous and heavily timbered area. Today I went into the nearby village and saw big green trucks with the words ‘Hot Shots’ on them with lots of very serious looking people on them so the big guns have arrived, lol
I gave them a smile and a big thumbs up as I passed.
Google Earth shows the fire is just about 7 miles from our door. I’m up early to check the latest posts about it because we had some brief buy strong winds last evening that had to have some effect on the status.
I’ll take those rains, Deva, I’m afraid I see such weather on the news and am guilty of coveting
Yes, we do have some evacuation plans but, Lord willing, we won’t have to use them.
Just finished off my samples of TM Cologne. I really wanted to like this one for some reason, but it is just too soapy for my tastes.
Isn’t it? I actually love it, but I have to be willing to smell industrially clean on MC days.
OMG I love your descriptor of MC!perfect!!
Thanks!
Very good morning, all. I’m trotting out into the day wearing Shalimar. It isn’t vintage, but it is delicious, and that’s good enough.
Shalimar lifts my spirit on even the worst of days.I do believe in its aromatherapeutic value as well….
SOTD is current No 19 edt. I’ve not worn it for a while, but I also needed something tough for a crazy morning.
It’s a great office scent, especially for tough days.
Robin has posted that there is a sale at DSH, 15% off. I was thinking of buying a sample set, but she has several on her website. Can anyone recommend a specific sample set or discovery set from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz?
Wow, that is a daunting degree of choice, and I’m no help, never having tried one of these sample sets or even the individual perfumes.
Nonetheless, in case you decide to order individual samples, I can say that the DSH perfumes I have and love from that line are Mata Hari (apricot leather), Le Smoking (smoky vintage-style chypre), Cimabue (a fall scent), and Scent of Hope (a recreation of Iris Gris).
My fav DSH – only a few tested in a big line for sure! Giardani Segreti, Cardamom & Kyphi; 1000 Lilies & Cimabue.
I have and wear Scent of Hope regularly. I also have the spicy carnation, Oeillettes Rouges (sorry I am murdering the spelling – too many somethings there…) which is great, but I haven’t bought a bottle of it yet. Soon, perhaps. She is prolific. I like supporting American perfumers. She is in Colorado.
Oh, I forgot about OR – I just sampled that about a week ago. It is a lovely carnation! I’d love to get a bottle of that too.
Oh man, her site can be overwhelming . The good news is that she responds to her emails, so if you have a particular note or accord you’re exploring she will assist you.
Yeah, email her. She’s great.
My favorite DSH scents are Rose Vert (one of the very few all-naturals that lasts more than an hour on me), Oeillets Rouges, 1000 Lilies, La Fete Nouvelle (which smells to me like a hayfield where the hay is curing before being baled – so rare to find that) and White Lilac. Mostly florals, but that’s my taste.
She also used to do some “designer dupes” that were terrific! Those have been discontinued, unfortunately, because they were wonderful. My favorites from that series were Coty Chypre and Judith Muller Bat Sheba.
Ooh, I’ll have to sample La Fete Nouvelle!
I went with Providence Perfume Co. Hindu Honeysuckle today. I like it a lot. It starts out pretty and springy and drys down earthy and dry from the vetiver.
Nicely described! I find it has a surprising texture, sort of like a syrup-drying-into-lacquer, almost there but not quite, but also not sticky. I don’t mean a literal texture, but a texture impression. Any textural thoughts on it, sweetgrass?
Feeling pretty stressed out today. Just found out yesterday that my mother is seriously ill so I may have to go out to LA in the next week or sooner. I’m back wearing my much neglected old bottle of Lolita Lempicka which I unearthed recently while organizing. So comforting and just what I needed today.
I hope your Mom is better soon!
Thanks Ann!
Really sorry to hear about your mom. We’ll be thinking of you both.
Thank you!
I’m very sorry to hear about your mom. Sending positive vibes …
I also wanted to say that your comments on NST are so thoughtful, kind, and intelligent, so I’m sure that you will be a great comfort to your mother during this difficult time.
Thank you for that, kindcrow.
Hugs!
Thanks Annikky
I am sorry your Mom is ill, and hope she feels better soon. Glad you found something comforting to wear, sometimes even little things help when life is stressful.
Thank you. So true. I love that cat BTW. Also a source of comfort for me.
Sending you and your mom good thoughts.
Thanks so much!
I’m so sorry to hear that, Elisa P. I’m glad you are finding comfort in your Lolita Lempicka. Sending you best wishes and hugs.
Thanks you for your wishes
Perfumed hugs!!
Thank you!
Thanks for all the good wishes, lovely NSTers! I think it is unfortunately a one-way trajectory but it’s not coming out of left field. It’s challenging for me on many levels as she’s also a “complicated” woman. I will still look forward to checking in for some distraction, laughs, and just to be reminded that life has its ups/downs and unpredictability and it’s all a little easier to ride when we just smell delicious! XO
I like to think that it has been the ” complicated” people in our lives that have made us strong. I wish you love and strength.
Thank you! I think we learn a great deal through challenge as well.
Sending positive vibes and good wishes to you and your mom during this stressful time.
Thanks Laila!
Best wishes to you both Elisa. Hope it’s as least stressful as possible. Hugs.
Thanks PG!
Sending healing thoughts your mom’s way and I hope things work out. Do take care of yourself!
Thank you! And enjoy your trip. Looking forward to your tales.
Take care, dear. We will all be thinking of you.
Thank you!
Sampling Puredistance White. It disappointed most reviewers, but I generally love this line, so curiosity prevailed. White is a skin scent that one might think of as a combination of marshmallow cream and original Jovan Musk oil (not that exactly musk, but the same kind of thing). I’m reminded of LT’s description of the drydown of a discontinued PdN coconut perfume as “a bit high calorie.” White smells like what I expected Tova to smell like, based on some of the reviews, but Tova to me has unpleasant top notes and never smells this delicious. Clinique Aromatics Elixir White is similar but thinner (and possibly more interesting). So I would wear it if someone gave it to me, but no cash will ever change hands.
Went to see the Met’s “China: Through the Looking Glass” exhibit this morning so I essentially hosed myself down with Osmanthe Yunnan.
What did you think of the exhibit?
I enjoyed it! They had garments from a good mix of eras and a few very spectacular pieces, and in general they transformed the China wing really beautifully and incorporated film and musical elements well. There are even some perfume bottles on display!
I’ve heard about those perfume bottles but not made it to the exhibit yet. Thanks for reporting back! Was it very crowded when you went?
Jealous!
I’m wearing some Norell from a bottle I gave away a while back. I thought I might like to revisit the juice and kept a little decant. Still not for me, feeling pinched-soapy at the moment. But I have picked up a nice carnation note that wasn’t there before, thanks to vintage carnation week over on Fragrantica.
Have you smelled the new version? I don’t recall the original being anything like this new version and was curious! In my memory, Norell was a lot more bad ass than straight up pretty but I could be mistaken!
I haven’t smelled the new version, and I think mine is from a middle period that is generally not highly regarded by vintage buffs. My juice is not that pretty and not that badass, I’m sorry to say. Sounds like you’ve come across a much more interesting specimen!
Antiheros.Burnt Lavender fields while eating a Candy Apple.I love this lavender so much.
I really don’t know why I haven’t tried that one…
Are you a fan of lavender perfumes?I was not initially,but this one has been the strangest induction to admire the note off-kilter!Plus it made me appreciate Caron Pour un Homme for what it is:Simply fantastic.
I used to dislike lavender intensely. And then I changed my mind
Then you HAVE to sample this!hehe.
I wish i got candy apple! This to me is just lavender…
I’m wearing Infusion de Vetiver and organizing today. I just got a cabinet for my perfume (and mounted it to the wall, but will probably always worry that I didn’t do a good enough job and it will all come crashing down). It is really nice to be able to organize my perfume and actually see it all! Should be more difficult to neglect fragrances cause I haven’t seem them in awhile
Fun!
That’s so cool. It’s fun to play and organize all the treasures!
SOTD is PdE Azemour Les Orangers. I’m not usually a chypre gal, but this one I love.
Totally love it, so good.
My SOTD was Cristalle by Chanel.
A beautiful sunny and breezy Monday here, after a very scary Sunday. A severe, sudden storm gave rise to several mocrobursts in my area causing extensive damage from falling trees and the tragic death of a young father at a suburban town festival when the large tent he and family sought shelter in was blown apart in the storm. Luckily, we escaped with just a 12-hour power outage (albeit a hot one, as it was 87 degrees last night when I went to sleep, windows open, sans fan or a/c.). The power came on sometime during the night and life is back to normal today.
I’m celebrating the simple joys of life today on Keep-It-Simple Monday with C.O Bigelow Lemon & Orange Blossom No. 1807 edp. The lemon adds an extra zing to the already-refreshing orange blossom and it’s hard not to smile when I wear this one.
microbursts, not mocrobursts.
The Washington Post weather blog did an article on that severe weather in the Chicago area. There was large hail, even. Glad you are OK!
Glad you were okay; we missed most of it during the day but had huge storms starting at midnight.
I’m glad that you’re OK.
That lemon and orange blossom scent sounds nice!
I’ve experienced microbursts, scarey stuff. Glad you’re ok.
Nature is so fierce! Glad you came through with no damage.
Thank you all for your kind thoughts. It’s scary moments like these that help one appreciate and enjoy the precious and simple joys of life.