Our usual weekend open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the last fragrance you smelled on the street, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is golden dawn [tripled] via psyberartist at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’m finally getting around to sampling Narciso Rodriguez “Narciso” EDP, and I like it very much. Has anyone compared the EDP to the new EDT?
On my list to review next week! But I definitely like the EdP better.
Thanks Robin, I look forward to your review.
Trying to determine what to buy myself for my birthday in a couple of weeks. I did order Indigo Vanilla since I was going to buy it anyway and Tigerlily had that fascinating looking Unreleased sample set as a gift with purchase ( I can’t wait until it arrives) but I may also get something on my birthday– Nine Reasons or Mimosa &Cardamom
Sample of the day–L’Erbolario Fiori Scuri
I’ve only tried L’Erbolario Meharees which I really liked but I’m curious about others. How’s the one you’re sampling?
Strong hyacinth but not very bright– it’s kind of a weird pull between hyacinth aspiring towards freshness and a heavier vintage musk base making things blurry. Not something I’m likely to buy
I vote for Mimosa & Cardamon. Just tried it at Bergdorf and I can’t stop smelling my arm. I can see it doing very well.
Now that one is tempting for a blind buy!
PS. The Mimosa & Cardamon has excellent longevity – still going strong after 6 hrs! The mimosa is mostly what I smell.
I’m in TDC Rose Poivree sample today. I like it so much I ordered a small decant. Not getting a lot of funk in it. Just wet, peppery rose.
Also testing HdP Noir Patchouli. I like the patchy aromatic opening but the heart and drydown smell like smoky soapy musk which I don’t like. Any patchouli recs that are not of the ambered type(ala Borneo 1834)?
ELO’s Nombril Immense doesn’t have a lot of amber. It has a certain lightness to it not expected in a patchouli perfume.
Thanks! I’ll have to hunt it down. The name is funny “enormous belly button”
From people’s descriptions, it sounds a bit powdery but always need to test for myself.
Im not dure if it still exists, but Patchouli Intense by PdN is pretty patchouli-ey!
It’s still available at Luckyscent. Thanks for the rec!
You might like Lorenzo Villoresi Patchouli. I haven’t tried it, but I was just reading this review, which covers it and Von Eusersdorff Patchouli (which I have tried and really liked).
http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2014/12/03/patchouli-von-eusersdorff-lorenzo-villoresi/#more-13915
I second the Von Eusersdorff!
Thanks sweetgrass ! Both sound worth trying but you’re right! It’s the Villoresi that sounds like what I want: more musty and dank.
She’s a very thorough reviewer. I always imagine her with a ruler measuring inches of projection. The ultimate in fragonerdism!
Etro’s Patchouli is low on amber…
Yes, I like that one too. It’s not complex but it is lovely acne very patchouli, very resinous, not sweet, really good stuff. My only question is: can I do just as well with some EO and some ethanol? I haven’t tried that one, oddly enough, but I just got some patchouli EO from Providence Perfume Co., to support that business following the fire, so maybe it’s time for that experiment
Probably could. Actually, I find the Demeter Patchouli to be quite nice. It’s just patchouli and all natural. It has the character I like: damp, tangy, resinous. I haven’t bought it yet. I wanted a blend that retains/enhances that quality.
This does sound nice. I’m not sure what artemisia smells like but seems noticeable in this fragrance.
You could also try Reminiscence Patchouli. Actually, if you’d like my 5ml decant, drop me an email and I’ll send it along – emc dawt 7 1 1 7 in geemail land.
Hmmmm. Released in 1970! (My birth year). Hippie patchouli potential… Thanks for the kind offer!
Oh good, can we talk about recognizing perfume in the wild? Like, why am I so bad at it? For starters I almost never smell anyone else’s fragrance in the first place–which ok, maybe many are wearing lighter fragrances than they would have at other moments–but even when I do notice, I almost never get much farther than “That smells nice, I wonder what it is.” Is it just my nose? Is there some trick to this?
I have the same problem, unless it’s heavy, heavy aldehydes or super sweet like Angel. I know my colleagues wear scents and yet I hardly ever smell them. In fact, I smell very few scents in the office. What’s with that?
You know, beyond overall trend for lighter fragrances, maybe people really are wearing lighter scents specifically to the office. It’s a little hard to imagine, given how much complaining about office perfume still goes on, but for me at least, I do think most of the instances when I’ve noticed perfume, it’s been at the mall on the week or at a social event. Maybe most people are saving their big ‘fumes for off-hours!
The trick is that it’s always La Vie Est Belle or something just like it
(j/k, but that’s usually what I smell. and think you’re right — many people are wearing very light, clean fragrances that aren’t very noticeable)
Haha! I’m not sure I’ve even smelled that one but I can imagine. Although the ubiquitous scent several years ago, at least on NYC subways, was Chloe.
Ha!! Yes that’s the horse to bet on.
Haha! So true. I’m usually good at noticing Pink Sugar and Angel because they are robust and abundant on my college campus. One time I was feeling overconfident and asked a server if she was wearing Flowerbomb. Turns out it was Sofia Vergara! She was flattered I asked, thankfully.
I’m still kicking myself for not asking someone sitting next to me at a play what scent she was wearing. It was a spicy floral of some sort, maybe lily, maybe carnation and it smelled so good!
I always get so nervous asking, but I was recently highly rewarded–made a friend at a wedding earlier this summer because his fragrance was just so terrific, I couldn’t not ask. It turned out he had on MDCI Invasion Barbare–only the best because, as it happens, he’s a scholar of historical fragrance!
So now I am emboldened about it, you never know when you might really hit the jackpot
Can you introduce me to your new friend?
I’ve found that if someone has a signature scent, they tend to overapply and you’ll recognize it. Think fewer people these days have one.
So true! My daughter has always been a sig scent girl. And compared to me, she douses herself, lol.
Oh smart, on both counts.
The only scents that have sillage strong enough for my nose to detect on others are Alien, also Absolue version, and Hypnotic Poison EDT, and probably Dior’s Addict. Funny thing is that I can’t really wear any of these myself as it’s too much for me – but I do enjoy on others!
Totally same, plenty of things I couldn’t bear to wear all day but I love catching a whiff off of others!
I agree that most people don’t wear enough to be noticeable at five paces, and that signature-scent wearers are easier to smell in that they tend to apply a bit more heavily (and it’s probably in their clothing as well). There’s one person in my office who wears Coco Mademoiselle, and on her it’s just the most wonderful fragrance. Big sillage – I usually notice it a minute or so after she’s walked through my area. Here’s hoping nobody will decide they’re allergic!
I rarely notice ehat people are wearing. Unless its a guy in too much Joop!. Most of the girls I smell are in the sugary sweet celebuscent dreck I hate, so I wouldnt be able to pinpoint what it was if i tried. A couple of exceptions: some teenage girls on my train a couple months ago in Red Door. That stood out as being a retro oddity! Today I followed a girl in SJP Lovely, lots of it, all down the street. And it was actually quite lovely
Oh good point that prob a big portion are wearing juice that’s kind of indistinguishable anyway. Whew, you guys are making me feel better about my nose
And so nice, your lovely Lovely encounter today!
The last time I noticed someone wearing a scent, it was Shalimar! I smelled her outside in the parking lot! The time before that, it was a very well kept up very old lady walking down the main hall at the hospital, and she smelled fabulous. I asked her what sketch was wearing that smelled so good, and she said, Diorissimo! It must have been vintage parfum..
In addition to agreeing with the comments above, I think sillage frequently does not smell the same as a fragrance close to the wrist. My husband, who has dutifully learned words like “dry down” and “linear” (all is fair in love and war! I had to learn words like “tatty bogle,” “oxters,” “pegs,” and “ta hen,” among many others being married to him…) has noted the sillage on something being really terrific. When I shove my wrist near his nose, he gets puzzled and says it is nice but doesn’t smell the same…
In Shalimar today. The EDT on one arm and the Ode a la Vanille on the other arm.
Ever since the food rush in post -I am thinking I really need to wear some of these fragrances I bought in a New York minute.
Both are so lovely.
Any try the newest flanker?
The Shalimar Cologne? I have not, yet, but mean to!
Yes- please let us know when you do
Anyone else on here smelled the new flanker! Love to know your thoughts
Scent twin! Almost. In the edp.
You smell fab!
Out sampling today since I had an appointment in midtown.. tried TF’s Venetian Bergamont which on first sniff was really lovely but need to spend time with it after reading Kevin’s review.
Also tried Dior’s Savage which I did not like at all and am curious to read how the “professional” noses view it.
The Mimosa Cardamon was the only one I felt I could purchase outright.
Happy Saturday!
I’m curious about all of these and the JM most of all, as I love cardamom.
Wow, I can’t wait to try the Mimosa Cardamom!
It’s really good
Really hoping there’s at least a scent strip in September’s Vogue. If not, will have to call the SA at the NM back in Dallas and see if she can send me a sample.
Just received a bonus freebie of TF Venetian Bergamot with my Luckyscent samples. I’ve had a bit on for the last 1/2 hour and also read Kevin’s review so was expecting something foul. I can’t say I like it but am not having the revolting experience he had. I just find it meh. Curious to hear how you find it.
I went back and reread his review and this time I noticed that he wrote he uses 3ml’s when reviewing fragrance. Wow! that is a lot of juice to wear at once and probably won’t pick up the fecal note with just a few sprays. Nevertheless, I think that I’ll try it on days that I’m at home and not in public
We had lunch in the garden with friends (green mango salad, salmon coconut curry and blueberry cake), so I’m in A la Nuit – no risk to suffocate anyone in the open air. It’s gorgeous.
Beautiful menu – yum!
That sounds fantastic, especially the salmon.
I tried two fragrances today. The first one is SL Une Voix Noire that I bought in Paris. I am not sure if I love this, in the store when i tried it, i smelled gardenia but now all I smell is cinnamon, I know it is strange.
The second one is Tommy Girl. I was curious about this after reading Luca Turin’s review and when i saw it today at Pharmaprix for 20 $, I couldn’t resist. This is great, smells fresh and perfect .
Happy weekend
Une Voix Noire is a strange one. I kind of like it, but it absolutely does not match the backstory. I get a lot of synthetic strawberry from it, to me it’s much closer to teen pop than Billie Holiday.
You are right, it doesn’t match at all the Billie Holiday story
Today is very hot and muggy AGAIN, and on a whim I wore Aromatics Elixir, maybe five to eight years old, so less furious than the vintage stuff. And it is AMAZING in the heat, sort of luminous and shimmery like a mirage. I had no idea.
I only wear Bandit in the heat, for much the same reason.
Wearing Bronze Goddess today. Couldn’t resist wearing the body cream this morning (you literally can wear it alone), so I spritzed on the perfume as well. I am spending my weekend preparing for Monday. Monday will be the first day of school and all our students will be returning. Where did the summer go?
Scent twins. About done wearing it for the year.
I’m in JM Vanilla & Anise. I like it the best in warm weather and need to wear it a few more times before fall temperatures come along. I can’t recall smelling anything on someone else lately that I might have taken note of, but I have noticed over the last week or so that my nasturtiums are smelling particularly good. Might be the humidity in the air.
Very pleasant stuff.
You might want to stock up on this one because it is being discontinued. The Wild Fig And Cassis was axed as well. I stocked up on the Wild Fig because it is one of my favorites.
I have a fragrance-related question…I found a perfect lampe berger on a thrifting mission. The ever-lovely AnnieA gave me some oil to get started, but having run out of that, I turned to the internet and found several recipes for fuel, mostly involving 15 drops of essential oil/100-150ml of isopropyl alcohol 91%. I could only find 99% locally, which shouldn’t be too much, I think the main point is that 70% won’t work.
Anyhow. I whipped up some mini batches last night after work, and just tried the first…and nothing. It doesn’t smell like anything.
Have any of you made lampe oil before? Should I just up my fragrance amounts? Other suggestions? I still have plenty of the alcohol and lots of EO…
Would also love to hear suggestions of EO combos that worked out…
I don’t know what lampe oil is, but if I am understanding the proportions, you are using less than 1ml of oil in 100 to 150 ml of alcohol. If that’s right, I can’t imagine it would smell like anything other than alcohol. When I was making soap I had to put at least an ounce of EO into a pound of soap batter to get any aroma at all. Although the two processes are different, I think you need a lot more EO in the mix.
Maybe this link will be helpful? Perhaps the recipe you found is for fragrance oils, which are much, much stronger than essential oils. This recipe calls for a tbsp in 16 oz alcohol, which is 14.78 mls of essential oil in 480 mls of alcohol.
http://fullofgreatideas.blogspot.com/2012/11/diy-scented-effusion-oil-easy-gifts-on.html
I’ve never done this with a lampe bergere myself, as I have an aromatherapy diffuser that mists straight eos. As far as blending, I would suggest that you read up a bit on the oils themselves and find out what effects they have. For example, I don’t want something sedative in the morning.
Then follow your nose, and pick what you like. Keep in mind that the heavier base notes like patchouli, sandalwood, and the like will linger in the air longer, so go easy on those in your blends at first. I like to use little glass bottles to mix up blends of oils, and then label them. I find it useful to keep it very simple at first, and be aware that the blended product will change over time as the ingredients meld together.
Happy experimenting! Let us know how it goes!
Oh, thank you.
There was this link, too, I was using: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/319438-Need-Lampe-Berger-fragrance-suggestions-please
It was my birthday this week and to mark the occasion I wore a perfume launched in the year of my birth, 1963. The perfume is Diorling and sadly I have the new version rather than the original…which I hear is a beautiful leather perfume. Diorling is a bit wishy washy so I don’t wear it much. Luckily I was also born on 19 August so I can also wear Chanel No. 19 and my son gave me Chanel No. 19 proudre as I had never tried it.
Interesting historical ‘experiment’ though. The Diorling seemed much more frumpy than I feel. I wonder what the rest of you could wear as your birth date perfumes?
Fun poll question!
I’m a 70’s baby, need to take a look at what was popular back then. I’d love to try all those older Dior scents before re formulation.
Happy belated Birthday to you!
There was some great stuff in the 70s (bad decade for fashion, great for perfume). If memory serves, I wore Diorella, Rive Gauche, White Linen, Chloe, Tatiana, Pavlova, VC&A First, and Halston. Other perfumes I didn’t wear but I remember from those days – Opium (ubiquitous), Cinnabar, and EL Private Collection, Magie Noire, and Anais Anais.
Revlon Intimate was launched in 1955, as was I. Fragrantica calls it “an animalic-floral chypre” and it is. I have a bottle that is quite old, I believe, and it smells amazing.
Happy belated birthday! The only one I could find from my birth year is Hermes Equipage(1970). There’s a wiki page for launch year for influential fragrances.
I’m going to check that page out….a History of the World in 100 perfumes would be a great book
Happy birthday, Kanuka! I love the time of year I was born– late May, in that hesitation between summer and autumn. These days, my birthday perfume is probably whatever I’m trying out with a view to buying: in the last few years, it’s been Lyric and some of the Chanels. If I had to choose my perfect match, though, it would be the same as yours: 19! I think it’s gorgeous and versatile, and it suits the season: it’s cool but not cold, the light hasn’t dulled into winter grey, the shadows are crisp, and there’s the exciting sense of imminent change. I think 19 rises to all those conditions, so if I never buy another perfume, that would be the one I’d turn to!
19 was recommended to me by an art historian – male – who claimed it was the only perfume worth buying. May is a great month, with clear skies. Yay!
I wasn’t sure what perfumes were released in my birth year (1979), but I found it here: http://www.parfumo.net/Perfumes/Release_Year/1979. Seems Nahema and Paco Rabanne Metal were both released in 1979, along with a whole bunch of stuff I’ve never heard of. Though I like Metal, Nahema would be my winner.
Thanks for the link!
I’m another 1963 baby. I tried the new Diorling recently because of the year of its launch and it didn’t really appeal. Mind you, I wasn’t really surprised, I’m not a great fan of leather in perfumes. But I had rather hoped for something wonderful to mark such an auspicious year!!
1963 is a very fine vintage, isn’t it?
It’s my birth year too, though my birthday’s not for a few months yet… I’ll have to check out the list of other scents “born” in our year.
Me three (or four or five?) I’m going to do some research too. Sounds fun!
Just keep off the Old Spice!
I agree with everyone. That would be a fun poll question!
Happy Birthday! Looks like for 1967, I would have Lancome Climat, Miss Balmain, YSL Y, and Mademoiselle Ricci to choose from. Not bad.
Not bad at all! Lucky you.
Happy birthday! Fun question–makes me realized Niki de Saint Phalle and I debuted the same year
So did L’Artisan Eau de Navigateur which I’ve never smelled but am sure I would love–but after getting to see Alyssa Harad give a talk on the Niki bottle, I’m pretty partial to that one! Should really grab a bottle the next time I place an order from one of the discounters.
I drained my bottle of Eau de Navigateur about a year ago. It was a lot of fun, but could on occasion drift into garbage territory…as in spices, vegetables and coffee grinds. I wound up not replacing it, but sometimes I crave a whiff.
My two main 1977 options are Oscar and Opium. I do like the original versions of both, and have plenty Opium. Wearing it at the end of January in West Aus may be too brave a gesture however..
I lived in opium and got a detention at school for wearing it…funny memories, eh?
My year is 1972 and i chose Diorella as my birthyear perfume ! not that many options in 1972, so thankfully i love it (got a friend to get it for me without ever having smelt it) and wear it occasionally.
There seems to be 2 main types of women at my workplace : the ones who wear light & sweet scents (aka forgettable meh fragrance) and the ones who don’t wear perfume. only a very few wear interesting scents (mitsuoko !) during their off days from yoga / pilates / barre / spin or other workout sessions. i can’t think of a worse way of layering perfume than with sweat !!
I’m wearing Box of Eels parfum today. It’s one of my top ten and I never want to be without it. A follow-up to a question I asked about linen sheets about a month ago: I bought some. I hate them, they are so scratchy, it’s almost like sleeping on burlap. They’re going back. Thank goodness for a no-questions-asked return policy.
Also, I’m going to have a 5-hour layover in Oslo (Gardermoen) airport. Any good shops I should visit?
Linen sheets are pretty nice, if you have the patience to wash them a few times. Burlapy linen sounds like it would have been a lot of preliminary work, though.
I never want to be without Box of Eels perfume either. It’s my top, period.
Woke up this morning feeling not so swell (tied one on a bit too thoroughly at dinner last night), so SOTD is Flowerbomb. Soft and soothing.
Hope you are feeling better! (hair of the dog?)
I’m much better now, thank you – coffee, bacon and eggs are great revivers.
Testing 10 Corso Como today from a sample, also a sample of Uncle Serge’s Santal Majuscule. The openings are very different but the dry down is similar. Has anyone else’s tested these two, or other sandalwood frags? If so, which do you prefer and why? I noticed that SM opens with a fairly strong cumin note which I’m not crazy about.
I’ve been testing Santal Majuscule too. I wonder if the cumin note is what bothers me about it. The rose/sandalwood scent that I adore is Mohur Extrait, but seeing as that one is not easily purchased nor in my price range, I’m on the hunt for other options. 10 Corso Como is one I’ve been meaning to try.
Bois Des Iles is my other sandalwood favorite.
Thanks Floralgal! I’ll have to look into Bois de Isles since the Mohur Extrait is so pricey. ????
Santal Exotique from the Exotic Island Perfumers is lots of real sandalwood and warm spices. Very cozy and I adore it
This sounds great! Thks!!
I adore Champagne de Bois, and no cumin in sight! (In…nose??)
(In smell, I suppose it should be!)
Me too!
I really like Tom Ford Santal Blush. A really nice sandalwood with very affordable price tag is the Arquiste for J. Crew No. 57, which is often on sale on their website.
Early Sunday with irritating weather: it’s cold-ish, it’s almost raining, it’s slightly windy. In other words, the weather’s not quite behaving winterly, but yet I still need all my winter accoutrements. I’ve countered the irresolute climate with liberal applications of Jean Patou Sublime. I have a tiny sample of vintage and a new FB. I love both, but (whispering shame-faced behind my hand in case Proper Perfumistas hear) I prefer the new version. It’s like a sheer silk scarf wrapping and floating around me as I work. Yum. The vintage is more interesting–deeper base, more oakmoss (I think) — but slightly harsh. Some days, pretty is good enough.
I just tried Sublime (recent version) yesterday — it is pretty. And yes, some days, pretty is just fine.
I prefer the new version too!
I’m wearing Delrae Wit today… it’s warm here but the breeze is slightly cooler, so it works. I’d forgotten how nice it was, since I hadn’t worn it since early spring! I’d delegated it to room freshener status and kept it by the front door for when visitors pop by (thanks for the idea, Kevin!), then forgot about it until this week! So now I’m enjoying it.
Is anyone else trying to get lots of use of their florals before autumn hits?
The perfume equivalent of keeping this summer dresses in rotation until the last sunny day!
Exactly!!!
This is such a nifty idea! I love it, and will borrow it. Thank you!
I’m wearing SL Cedre again today. I really like it, but I’m now trying to decide if I full-bottle-like it. Got plans with the fam for my mom’s birthday later.
I’m trying Jacques Zolty Van-ile from a sample, thanks to a generous NSTer with whom I’ve swapped and who had participated in several of my splits. It is very very nice and I wouldn’t mind a FB or a large decant. The vanilla is front and center, powdery, not sweet, not boozy and very softly floral (although I can’t distinguish what flowers were mixed in). I will file it under “safe” (from perfume-phobes) and very office-appropriate.
Wow, only 55 comments on a Saturday. It’s August alright.
I haven’t posted in several weeks. We’ve been busy; Baby Jack turned one last weekend. -And I only cried three times.- Today is my birthday and we’re at grandma and grandpa’s house. They and Mr. Lucy are all watching Jack so that I can have Internet time. It’s the greatest gift ever. I forgot to pack perfume so I’m at the mercy of my mom’s vanity. Luckily it’s stocked with bottles I’ve given her over the past few years. Today was Jo Malone Grapefruit and I think tonight will be Anais Anais. That was mom’s fancy scent when I was little. And I’m feeling fancy. I even put on a dress this morning. I never do that.
Happy Birthday! And belated birthday good wishes to Jack!
Thank you so much! Wishes for Jack aren’t really belated. He’s been spoiled by grandma and grandpa all week and will be allowed to feed himself cake for the second time. It pretty much is still his birthday.
Happy Birthday!
Thank you. It was a good day.
Happy birthday! And well done stocking your mother’s place with perfume you like to cadge.
Thanks. Funny how it’s still more fun to raid mom’s collection than my own.
Happy birthday!
Thanks, Poodle!
I’ve been sampling quite a bit this week, and had an unusual run of “likes”, which is pretty rare. I liked Natori (nice plums, one of my favorite notes), Gucci Rush (peach, another fave), Un Jardin en Mediterranee (fig, yet another favorite), and VCA Midnight in Paris (leather). Bonus, several cheapies in the group, which makes for an even nicer run of scent-luck
I did try a couple of ambers that didn’t work out though. Tried the new VCA Ambre Imperial, which to me is a gourmand vanilla with a chaser of amber; and Dior Ambre Nuit which my nose refused to recognize as amber at all… so I poked around various websites, befuddled at everyone’s “amber-y” reviews, til I thought to look at Dior’s website… it’s amberGRIS. Now THAT’s what my nose was smelling.
I did completely lose my self-restraint this week though and ordered a bottle of the re-issued Tom Ford Amber Absolute. My reward for a long summer of way too much work
Eeek, I’m very behind – I had no clue about the VC&A Amber Imperial. I think I need to stop by Bergdorfs soon. I am considering a purchase of TF Amber Absolute as well!
I went to a very nice birthday party today ( my day is nearly over) and wore Amouage Beloved. This one wears so easily and is just so gorgeous. It suits warm weather really well.
I don’t smell perfumes that often in the DC area and don’t usually recognize them, but I have encountered two unmistakeable scents: L’AP Timbuktu and Prada Infusion d’Iris.
I’ve discovered a new way to waste time online: the art site redbubble.com (no affiliation). I was looking for a cellphone case, but one can buy prints, note card, tote bags, and other items, as well. It appears there are millions of works from artists all over the world. Just looking, so far.
Oooh fantastic rec, you’ve just resolved a major birthday gift quandary for me! Thank you!
(And Timbuktu! I feel like whomever this was should raise his or her hand!
)
C.H. – I just googled reviews of redbubble, and the Yelp reviews are not very good, particularly for tee shirts. There aren’t many reviews, though – not a large sample. Another review site, sitejabber, has more and better reviews, but I’d never heard of sitejabber.
The items aren’t very expensive, so it’s not a huge gamble, but not ideal for something time sensitive. It’s fun to look at the art, though!
Ah thanks for these details! And yes I do think there are a few different sites like this, it reminds me I should poke around and try to figure out which one people seem to like best. I have one family member for whom a new tie, coffee cup or set of stationary on the theme of his favorite hobby is really the ideal, arguably the only gift he’d want, so something along these lines would be a great fit…
I just looked at CafePress and threadless (I think) because I’ve seen them mentioned, but I like the art on redbubble better. Let us know if you find a site you like!
My son has been very happy w/ the t-shirts I’ve bought him there, but admittedly he is probably not the most discerning t-shirt customer. Most of his clothing comes from thinkgeek, redbubble, skreened, etc, with a few things from cafepress. One of the things I like about skreened is that you can choose the actual brand of the t-shirt you’re getting (that they’re putting the artwork on, in other words) but mostly they all seem about the same.
I have a bit of a perfume mystery.
Oh hi everyone! I’ve been out of the loop for quite awhile. So nice to come back and see comments from the gang.
Ok so perfume mystery: I was in a great little antique/junk shop today and there was a vintage deco stopper bottle with some perfume decanted into it, not a lot left but enough to slosh around a bit. I took off the stopper to smell and a little of the perfume got onto my fingers. We left the shop and went out to eat and I couldn’t stop sniffing my hand. I have no idea what the perfume is because it was in a non-commercial bottle, but think it might have been L’heure Bleu from some bygone era. I happened to be wearing Imperial Opoponax and the similarity was notable except the vintage perfume has a much deeper resin/oakmoss chypre quality and a kind of creamy coconut note. At first I thought it was Mitsouko but now I”m thinking L’heure. Anyone else ever have that mystery vintage perfume experience?
We went back to the shop after dinner – I was in a lather about buying it – but the shop was closed.
I haven’t had that experience yet, but hope you can get back to the shop!
Me too! I will try to go there this week.
Yes, I’ve got mystery “WGP 1” perfume from online. No idea what the name refers to!
WGP could be white gardenia petals
Thank you for that suggestion. I know it’s not the Illuminum scent by that name, but perhaps there’s another one out there as well!
Ohh goodness, that kinda thing drives me bananas. Haven’t had just exactly this iteration but… man, I might go WAY down the rabbit hole searching out vintage samples to compare it with!!
Or, I suppose a saner person might just buy and enjoy what remains, stress-free; if you are able to do that, would you also be willing to be my life coach?
haha! Funny. I think I’m going to take your advice about being sane and just enjoy the mystery as a mystery.
Yes, I have a couple of mystery perfumes. One has a bottle that resembles some of the old Molinard and Jean Patou bottles. The other was an IFF perfume identified only by numbers. Was it a custom order, a mod, or what? I occasionally think I should e-mail IFF and ask, but have never gotten around to it.
Gaia wrote about mystery perfumes on The Non-Blonde:
http://www.thenonblonde.com/2013/10/vintage-perfume-mystery-accidentally.html#.Vdn1RNNViko
I hope you buy it! You could post photos on a photosharing site and we could try to help you identify it – that would be fun!
Yes that would be fun, and nk, thank you for sharing that delightful post!
Thanks for the link. She found some really interesting vintage perfumes. In reference to what someone posted further up the page, I looked up the perfume releases during my birth year and a bunch of other years and there were so many perfumes that are long gone and forgotten! The perfume I found in the shop had been decanted into an art glass bottle, an old one with lots of angular layers, so the perfume can only be identified by scent and not by container.
Hello everyone, I had a sudden airport shop splurge this past week and bought Bulgari Aqua Divina. I quite like it, even though I hardly ever buy a bottle of something on first sniff. My trip had some stressful aspects including an accident in my rental car (but no one was hurt), so I think I needed a little something as a pick-me-up.
Greetings from the Oven! Another scorcher with heat index that is not compatible with life! Yuck!
So, after spin and shower this morning, I wanted to get my steps in for the day and thought I would swing by a local mall to walk in the AC and get my nose on the new JM mentioned above- Mimosa and Cardamom.
I was hopeful because I love cardamom, but contrary to all the opinions expressed above, I didn’t care for it. It’s very, very sweet (and this is from a person who likes sweet gourmands too!) and so FLORAL! Where’s the spice? It missed me by a mile and all I got was screechy sweet floral. So, apparently I’m the odd man out. Alas, the story of my life!
What I DID find (and didn’t even know I was looking for!) was a pair of kick-a** faux leather leggings to wear this winter! They make your legs look outrageously good and you can really go edgy with them or all soft and girly by pairing them with a fluffy oversized sweater! So cute! And super comfortable! Wear them with pumps or a pair of Vans, it’s all good. Not perfume related, but you know…;)
And Happy Birthday to the Birthday Girls above. Have a great weekend and stay cool everyone =)
I’m slouching around in Musc Tonkin EDP again today. So good for a hot day when I may or may not smell naturally a bit human. Also, it smells great on the poor little Amelia kitten who got a dose of corporal cuddling this morning just after I sprayed myself. She tried to climb my leg after she had been playing with the water bowl in the bathtub and she was soaked. She looooves to splash water out and attack it as it shimmers down toward the drain, then thrash and slide around in the wet tub, so cute! Anyway, apparently she absorbed some Musc Tonkin because she smells amazing this evening.
I do actually have a question. My in-laws and some friends are going to Ireland next week and I asked for perfume (of course) in lieu of a touristy sweater. They are thinking of visiting Burren Perfumery, which I’m sure will be fun for them and is supposed to be a gorgeous place but I have to ask, does anyone know if their scents are any good? My MIL has a very good nose so I actually do trust her but I’m curious to know if and NSTers have a recommendation.
Oh neat! I hadn’t heard of them until now but it sounds very cool! Basenotes has some brief reviews–one’s compared to Ofresia which def catches my eye! Or alternately, it looks like Burren has some nice soaps, etc.–if it were me, it’s possible I’d be likely to use those than a blind-buy perfume.
I bought several perfume samples when I visited the Burren. The shop is enticing, but I was disappointed in the perfumes. If I remember correctly, they were all made from local herbs and/or flowers. They smelled lovely when first applied but didn’t develop and didn’t last. You can buy from them online, and they ship free, if you’re curious but don’t plan to be in Ireland.
There is an Irish indie, Cloon Keen Atelier, based in Galway. I wasn’t taken with the samples I’ve tried, but the perfume that got the best reviews, Castaña, wasn’t included in the set. The shop looks lovely:
http://cloonkeenatelier.com/home
oh, that sounds like a great place to visit–tea rooms, herb gardens & perfumes. I’d ask for Frond, but that’s just because I like ylang. Good thing MIL can be trusted to make the right decision!
Summer is almost over and I feel as if I’m still waiting for it to begin. The kitchen swallowed up a good portion of it I guess. Hope everyone is enjoying theirs. The dogs have kept me busy too.
I haven’t been to the mall in ages so haven’t sniffed much. I’m trying to avoid temptation and use some of what I have. I did buy a bottle of Cuirelle because I loved the sample but it smells different to me. Not sure if it’s a reformulation thing or inconsistency from one batch to another. It’s still nice, just weaker and not as long lasting.
My wedding anniversary today and am getting some perfume as a gift .
Not quite sure what yet. I do need to rant about the Guerlain prices going up again …
Also I have a new found love for Angel …surprisingly and ironically , the Mother of All Gourmands is really not all that sweet compared to newer ones …
Happy anniversary!
Happy anniversary! Let us know what you end up with.
Thanks so much for the well wishes ! @leathermountain and @ElisaP.
I bought Mortal Skin by Stephane Humbert Lucas .I was feeling daring . lol
Today I am wearing the end of my little decant of Attrape Coeur, which I just love. Guess I will get a bigger decant, as it seems possible to find any bottles of it…
So occasionally bottles do come along on eBay–especially if you search under AC’s other names, Guet-Apens being one and then I think also No. 68 and Royal Extract? something to verify–but they tend to be large bottles (4+ oz), which means that even if it’s a relatively good deal in terms of price per ml, it’s still a BIG chunk of money to plunk down all at once (i.e. $4/ml is not so crazy for a rarity like this, but if you’re getting 125 mls, it’s $500!) So decants seem like a very sensible way to go, unless it’s your favorite fragrance and you’ll def use it up! Or if your perfume budget is very flexible, which seems like a good way to live
Shorter: Guerlain, please reissue this
I got my current decant from TPC, but they don’t seem to have any now…I actually went to the Harrods website which seems to imply that there are bottles of Royal Extract to be had there, but not on the website. Very weird. Guess I better just move on…I can spend that much money on Mohur extrait!
Cartier L’Heure Fougueuse (IV) – perfect for a late August day with low humidity and the idea of summer coming to a close.
Mmmm. I thought about wearing that today too. Near the top of my FBs to buy when I win the lotto list. I wish my decant had more in it so I wouldn’t hoard it.
Do you also like Treizieme?
Yes! I love them both and always think that whichever of them I’m wearing is my favorite.
Enjoy the last if your weekend, NST, and to the rest of us about to embark on the working week, hope it flows smoothly. I was if a mind to hurry spring into being this morning by wearing Chamade, but I’m still wanting warm and rich as opposed to cool, so I’m softening my version of corporate clothes (they aren’t very) with Black Cashmere. Yum!
Argghhhh…. school starts next week for my boys and they are both in dark moods. We took them to an As game last night. It was a Star Wars themed night with a fireworks show to the music from the new movie… it was a lot of fun (our beloved As gave the game away
), but feels like a long time ago with school looming around the corner…
Here’s my question–a little late in the weekend…
What do you say when someone comes up to you and says, “I smell perfume,” and it is not exactly an insult but it is definitely NOT a compliment. This I get from both my mom and dad, divorced for decades, so I guess they did have something in common! I never know what to say, so generally do not say anything.
That comment also leaves me speechless.
Their meaning depends on a) their general attitude to perfume and b) their general attitude to you. Sounds like an observation with a hint of disapproval. You could say ‘yes, isn’t it gorgeous!!!!’ But then I tend to be oppositional
(While totally ignoring their response, of course.)
I have a friend who does that and I find it a little passive aggressive. If she liked it, wouldn’t she just say so? Usually it’s a statement like “You’re wearing perfume” or “your shirt is very pink” So my belief is it’s a couched criticism. Sometimes I just say “Yes! You’re right!” Or if I’m feeling like playing the game I’ll ask what she thinks. Or tell them how much *I* like it. Peoples can be strange sometimes…
Oh goodness. If you felt you had the energy to get into it, you could say mildly, “Oh, is it bothering you?” If the answer’s yes, for me at least, I’d usually prefer just not to wear perfume around someone who doesn’t like it, rather than endure comments about it… And who knows, maybe they really don’t intend it as an insult, and this will be a gentle wakeup call about how such remarks sound! I do think sometimes thoughtlessness is the culprit rather than malice!
(I mean, malice is too strong anyway, but you know what I mean!)
I hear ya, but I think the comment is more along the lines of “You cut your hair,” which might be bothering them, but in a way that I am unwilling to solve for them.
“Wow, thank you for noticing! You have a discerning nose for GRRREAT perfume! I’m not even wearing as much of it as I usually do! I must have inherited my sense of smell from you!”
Wait there’s more —
“Since you seem to like this, I’ll wear more of it the next time I see you.”
Thanks all! I think I just needed a little scented solidarity!
I just say, “Yep. That’s me.” and let the chips fall where they may.
The best response to that type of guerrilla verbal warfare it to just ignore it. Don’t nourish someone else’s rudeness with your energy. People like to poke but eventually will give up if they get no response. If you come at them and call them on it, then they are the “victim” and you become the aggressor. They especially like this response in front of witnesses. If your feelings are hurt, then you are “too sensitive.” You can’t win so just refuse to play
I don’t have a tactful suggestion. I would probably go the smart-alec route with a cool “oh?”
Ha ha – as in – really? Do you suffer from olfactory hallucinations a lot? You should have that checked out…
Exactly. But that kind of thing puts my back up and my usual tact goes up in smoke.
Hahahhaha
Why have my replies been posting out of the thread? Is it happening to anyone else or is it my phone browser? Twice last week and again today. Anyway, this was supposed to be in response to the above post. Sorry.
I’m pretty sure we all realised
Not sure…but this one threaded properly so guessing it was a phone problem.