Another Monday morning! It's also President's Day, and it's Matt Groening's birthday. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Hermès Brin de Réglisse. Tea at the moment: roasted chicory with cinnamon.
Reminder: on 2/19 wear a perfume by Maurice Roucel, if you have one. (suggested by Elisa)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2016, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image via Dunkin Donuts Deutschland.
Indigo Vanilla for me today. Love this stuff
Vanilla sounds right for this weather. Brrr!
I’ve been refreshing and eagerly waiting for this!
I plan on splitting for the first time this weekend (Safran Troublant and Midnight in Paris – both going for a song on fragrancenet, as is Nahema, but that would be a blind buy for me, so I’m nervous on that one).
Supplies are in order but my question is, how does everyone figure out shipping costs? And do you just do PayPal “friends & family”?
Midnight in Paris is so good.
Remind me Squirrely, are you in the US? If yes, USPS will let you calculate pricing online–if you’ve got a kitchen scale, you can just put a mock package on it to find out how many ounces it is, and then enter the info on the usps.com.
Yup, in the US. And “duh” that I didn’t think to use my kitchen scale – thank you!
You are not alone–I also had to be told
I would be interested in some Nahema–I’ve never tried it, either. Which reminds me, I need to try to figure out what’s gone wrong with my PayPal account.
And, I am trying to finish the two remaining licorice-flavoured Drops!
Trying Idole Eau de Parfum.
Not sure what to expect, but it reminds me of the Monsieur. in the opening, but more intense liquor note. Very thick and clovey for a while before it turns into a combination of incense, saffron, and sandalwood.
Steer clear of this in summer probably…
I miss the original, packaging and all!
Ooh how was the vintage one?
It was light enough that you did not have to steer clear of it in summer, but still boozy and spicy.
Adding — it was very Olivia Giacobetti
I’m going for a theme this week – roses. My end game for the week is Tocade, and to mitigate that (because I dislike vanilla), I’m going to wear my favorite roses. So today it’s Marni.
I suspect I’ll end up the week in Tocade as well… I really don’t like it as much as I used to, because it has become so smoky. I don’t know whether it’s aging badly, or whether there’s some gets stuck in the sprayer in between uses and it goes bad, but it seems more like dried rose petals tossed onto a fire (and not in a good way).
Hmm – wonder if maybe I layered Tocade with a rose soli…
Is Tocade better sprayed than dabbed? I have mini but it reminds me of candy. Very sour/sugary and not much else.
I found that very sweet edge to temper by spraying, then walking through the mist.
I have the same plan!
Oh, and scent of the snowy morning is Liz Claiborne Bora Bora. Found the lotion at Goodwill for a dollar so why not? It’s actually pretty nice, and the nose was Olivier Polge. From Claiborne to Chanel – that’s a pretty good trajectory!
A dollar! Agree with why not.
Still “doggedly’ wearing 5-stars, I will start Roucel week on Wednesday. SOTD is Amouage Ubar, which is in my top 3 of favourite Amouages.
Scent twins today! I am wearing just a little bit of Ubar from a sample vial. I am rationing it carefully because (a) it’s pretty potent, and (b) I really like it and want to spend more time with it. It’s just lovely. There’s an opulent quality to it that makes me want to go on an Amouage sniffing spree now. I really want to try Lyric. What are your other top two Amouages?
Gold (woman) and Beloved (woman), they reign in that order. Ubar is very opulent, and more sensual than my other 2 Amouages, it took me a while to fall for this one, but now…
Also Dia. And it’s worth trying both of the Jubilations. I love Homage Attar, too, but that’s discontinued and long gone.
Hands down one of the worst Valentines day ever-husband had a stomach bug and spent most of the day hugging the royal bowl
Baby was also doing a lot of crying and throwing up, the other one seemed ok. Got 45 minutes of sleep last night and now I am trying to make breakfast..end of rant
Commando so far-but I am thinking NO 19
Oh, you poor woman! All my best wishes for a speedy recovery to your family and that you stay healthy!
Sorry about your Valentine sickies! Hope you don’t pick up whatever they had.
Eeep! I’m sorry it was such a rough day. I hope that today is better, healthier, and more restful for you and your family.
Oh no! I hope today will be better for you all.
Oh dear. Hope No. 19 can save the day!
Good Grief! I hope they improve and may you stay healthy
Ugh- so much for romance!
No. 19 sounds like a great pick me up!
Hope you can catch up on your sleep today.
Oh my! Hope you will all be well and rested soon.
I hope your week only gets better from here!
So sorry! Hope everyone makes a quick recovery.
Hang tough Mom!! Hope it’s over fast….and everyone gets good sleep tonight!!
Thanks! It’s been a tough day – No19 helped and thanks for the well wishes
Oh no! Is baby okay? Did he get the bug too? He’s too young to be sick.
My favorite kind of donut shop donut (strawberry iced with sprinkles)!
I’ve had a lazy morning so I still have time to decide. I think I’m going to go with Brin Dr Reglisse as well. Yum!
Hey twin!
At the beginning of last week I made a list of all the 5-stars I owned, and I’m still going down that list, so today is Angel, a recent mini which to give the Mugler people credit isn’t that different from its initial launch. It’s still really good and really powerful.
I came to Angel late, but in the past 2 months I’ve drained to samples and will probably grab a mini off fragrancenet. In the right doses, I adore it.
*two samples
It’s one of the love-hatiest scents ever but on the right person (and as you say in the right dose) it’s extraordinary. Despite the hundreds of knockoffs in its almost twenty-five years on the market — what house doesn’t have a version? — it’s still one of a kind.
In Hermes L’Ambre des Merveilles this cold Monday morning. Icy weather was forecasted to arrive overnight. Did not, so to work I go. Ice to arrive by commute home instead. Oh well. At least there’s L’Ambre. It’s a wonderful way to wrap oneself in comfort. : )
Hermes L’Ambre is a beauty – so cozy.
You smell great
SOTD: Midnight in Paris (Van Cleef and Arpels).
Great scent, especially in the winter.
It really is good. (Sometimes I snitch it from my 17-yo, shhh.)
Ha! I’ve been know to swap with decants made from my husband’s colognes – so Ii ain’t judging.
The price and reviews made me very tempted to blind buy a bottle in the past, but I managed to close the window and walk away.
Me, too. The bottle is so pretty, though!
Wearing (a teensy spray of) it too! It’s similar to Sels de Fleurs, I find.
Using Valentine’s Day as an excuse, I anointed myself with a full 1/4 mL of FM Portrait of a Lady yesterday. (Thank you, lizbee!) I started out with a few dainty dabs but it was barely registering, so I just dumped the rest of the sample vial on. It lasted a good long while, but it was very quiet and mild-mannered. A well put-together rose-patchouli combo with a tart berry accent at the start and a nice, refined incense feel that lingered. Pleasant and up my alley – will I ever have enough rose perfume?! – but very familiar smelling. I am glad to have dodged an expensive bullet, I guess!
Always good to find a reason not to buy!
There are never enough rose perfumes!
PoaL is huge on me. Interesting to hear how different your experience is.
It’s huge on me, too, and I’ve only ever dabbed it from a sample vial!
I was definitely anticipating a powerhouse of a fragrance, but it was so transparent! Mr. Minteacup could only detect it after going in for a hug, and nobody else I was around commented on it either. My skin doesn’t normally “eat” perfume like that, but every now and again I have experience at odds with the general consensus, and I’m reminded that reading a zillion reviews is no substitute for actually trying a perfume.
So true about reading reviews. In fact, it’s almost a guarantee that I’ll build up expectations of what something will smell like only to have them dashed.
Love POAL. One could go broke collecting rose scents. Rotating samples is a good way to satisfy the craving.
Mmmmm…. donuts…
Aside from the jug-o-Tea Rose I got, I also bought Prada Infusions d’iris, which was a total blind buy. I read up a lot about it and thought I’d like it. I love it. I wore it all weekend and today. It is very fleeting though. It’s already gone down to a skin scent. Since this is more of a spring scent maybe the warmer weather will help it last longer.
Infusion d’Iris grew on me.
I immediately liked it and that’s impressive for a blind buy. I scoured online for reviews of it first.
It grew on me too. Am even thinking of taking it to Thailand with me. Its going to be hot, its going to be muggy and everything else is likely to strangle me ????
I can see it as being a good choice for that kind of weather. Enjoy your trip!
Mariann, I take PdG Indochine to Thailand every year. The incense and thanaka powder feels just right in the Asian air. My second is Diptyque Volutes – wispy smoky, perfect for a boat ride on the Chao Phrya river.
Summertime is the time for this, for sure!
Yes, will definitely have to wear this again when it’s not sleeting outside.
Infusion d’Iris is wonderful in Spring.
Just realized I don’t have anything by Maurice Roucel. Hmm…I guess I’ll need to stop by the mall for a sample of 24 Faubourg, since it’s on my try list.
Databased my samples and discovered I have over 70! Yikes! So now I’m taking my New Year’s resolution to try them all seriously, and will be trying them at work…SOTD = Safran Troublant.
Since I’m sampling anyways I’ll post my thoughts on it later today. Wish me luck!
I don’t even want to count my samples. The last time I did that I discovered that I had a couple of hundred UNTRIED samples, and I didn’t even bother counting the ones that I’d already tried. I’m kind of a sampling junkie
Same. First thought: “Oh man I’d like to get down to 70.”
70 seems like a manageable number. What does that say about me? I’m not going to admit how many I have, but I’m surprised to see that the only Roucel creation is a tiny sample of Musc Rav and I can’t find it. I’m either going to have to head to the mall for a sample of something else or search it out by Friday.
24 Faubourg was the only Roucel I had, and I used it up (sob). It’s a stunner. Hope you score some!
Surprisingly, I find Safran Troublant a tad sweet for my tastes. Perhaps it is because I over-dabbed my sample, or perhaps it is because of the warmer weather, however the main note I get is sugar. Admittedly, I am not entirely familiar with saffron. However, there is a noticeable earthy/herby note tinged with spice (like clove?) apparent throughout the opening and drydown. The rose is only noticeable if I go looking for it, it is mostly there to smooth things out. After 8 hours I can still smell it on my skin, but the sillage doesn’t get much farther.
I have a horrible cold and with barely any air going through my nostrils I decided to start early with Maurice Roucel and wear Insolence EDP. THAT CUTS THROUGH ANY NASAL FOG!
This dentist stuff is annoying, every time I turn around, I have to go. Should I wear no 19, Iris Silver Mist or Infusion d’Iris? Anything iris dominant seems to get me through a dentist appointment.
They’re all great choices, but of the three, I prefer No. 19. Good luck with you’re appointment!
I love No. 19 best, but Infusion d’Iris has become my default dentist-visit choice because it’s gentle. I don’t think you could go wrong with any of them.
ISM is by Roucel, just saying
Good luck today. I hate going to the dentist. I’d probably pick Infusion d’Iris. It is very comforting
Dentist = Infusion d’Iris for me
All of those are good choices!
I hear you about the dentist. I went through a few years of that (which is really expensive!) After getting everything fixed and replaced I’ve been in the clear. My gum recession has improved, too.
Is wearing an iris perfume to the dentist a thing? It seems like it would amplify that icky metallic smell that seems to linger in all dentists offices.
Maybe it works on the principle of not veering too far off/clashing with the ambient smell. You know, a little like if you have a bathroom with violent green tiles you can’t paint like they’re not there, but work around them…
Today I’m in Guerlain’s “Habit Rouge” EDP. Started off very smooth with creamy spices, but whereas Friday’s Vetiver (in EDT) persisted through the day, HR was all but gone after 5 hours.
I seem to be coming down with a cold, so maybe my sense of smell is off. And whatever I wear on a Monday has to take an absolute hammering as I carry backpack and roller case on and off taxis, trains and tubes on my weekly commute. So maybe I should try HR again another time.
On the other hand, I have several perfumes that do stand up to the Monday commute, and in its drydown HR smelt very like Nanban on my wrists – except Nanban takes a lot longer to get there and travels a more interesting route too. So maybe HR is just “close, but no cigar”.
I’ll probably ‘longlist’ it and come back to it in Summer if I haven’t already found too many things I like better. :^)
Putting Nanban on my sample to acquire list.
As I work through my bundles of samples, I’m supposed to be restraining myself to mark each one down as shortlisted or longlisted or just not for me. But on me, Nanban was so beautiful I couldn’t wait until all this sampling is finished in 3 or 4 months’ time and I got the FB. My skin is odd though, so you could have a completely different reaction. But the uncertainty is half the fun, right? ;^)
The last time I wore Habit Rouge, I *thought* it disappeared after a few hours, and then it came back, in the guise of a beautiful, skin-hugging amber that lasted all day. At which point I decided that I love it!
SOTD -Tauer rose de Kandahar
First bottle my hand went to so I went with it.
You smell great.
Smart hand????
thanks!
I’m planning on an all-Roucel week, starting with L de Lolita Lempicka. Hadn’t worn this in a while and it smells fantastic.
I figured you would! I don’t think I have enough Roucel to do a whole week.
I don’t have enough full bottles but between bottles, samples, decants, minis I got this down!
Twins!
First time trying it and did not realize it was Roucel. It’s turning slightly sweet now, but was really an angora sweater vanilla for many hours.
Triplets!
Hanging out with the kids today (they are out of school), while Daddy has a teacher workday. Unfortunately woke up to a 10 yr old with a sore throat, and a Labrador with an eye infection! So…..we’ll be doing the vet visit and extra mothering today!
SOTD: Daisy Dream. I have to share: Yesterday, my 14 yr old presented me with a 3.4 oz bottle of this for Valentines. She spent some of her own Christmas money, figured out how to order it online from FragranceNet, and hid it until yesterday. My heart is so happy that she is becoming such a thoughtful young woman! And of course, I love the scent because it will remind me of my baby!
How sweet of your daughter!
Very sweet! Enjoy your Daisy Dream
Oh my gosh–that’s adorable.
What a sweet daughter you have! Enjoy your new perfume.
That’s so incredibly sweet of her! You must be so proud
That is an awesome story about your daughter buying you fragrance online! What poise! Congrats.
That’s a 5 + fragrance for you! What a thoughtful and resourceful daughter.
Very sweet. Love that she loves perfume, too!
I got goosebumps of emotion reading about your daughter’s sweet entreneurial gift. You are a lucky–and deserving–mama.
You have clearly brought her up properly
Oh my goodness, that’s so sweet!
Awww, that’s lovely!
Winner of best Valentine’s Day gift/story!
SOTD is Kalemat. I was going to do Carnal Flower, but the shirt I wanted to wear already smelled of something tobacco-y (Volutes or Chergui) so I went with something complimentary.
I’m crushed that Volutes is on the way out! I may have to try a split. I need more of that one.
Are both iterations being d/c’d?? ????
I don’t know. I heard someone here, probably MikasMinion say that a SA told them Volutes was going, but I was hoping it was a mistake. Then the email from Luckyscent came in and it seems to be correct. Luckyscent is currently only carrying the EDP, so I’m guessing it’s going too, but I don’t know for sure.
Egads! I love the edt and my bottle is only 3/4 full ????
Here’s a post from Fragrantica regarding the Luckyscent announcement:
http://www.fragrantica.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=146598
I was trying to figure this out– anyone know if they’re both being discontinued? My husband loves it.
If you scroll down on the Luckyscent newsletter, it does suggest both the EDT and EDP are being discontinued…
It’s being discontinued? I have dilly dallying over this and now will have to focus – thanks for the warning.
Luckyscent sent out an email about it yesterday. I’ve been sourcing bottles since then.
I was really surprised to see that. I wonder if it’s just one concentration too.
Both versions – there is a thing from Luckyscent about it….
Ah, thanks. Figures.
I knew the EDT was going, but the Diptyque rep at Nordies seemed to think the EDP would stay. They ran out of the EDT late last year in-store and said they couldn’t reorder. Perhaps something has changed? I thought Luckyscent was hinting they were both going too, or maybe they just won’t be carrying the EDP for some reason.
I hope the rep was right. It would be a shame for both of them to go.
I love it too. I have a FB unopened stashed away.
What?? Nooooooooooooooo… I still have my decants, but if it’s true that both versions are being d/c’d, this sucks.
sotd: Dior Gris Montaigne which is a perfect Office Scent, I feel all sorts of pulled together and sophisticated
As you should – you smell exactly that.
Yes, it is a beautiful, sophisticated scent.
SOTD is Le Galion Snob (new version). I really do love this scent! Went to the beauty event at my local Neiman Marcus and testing a sample of YSL Touché Eclat Le Teint foundation. I accidentally applied the whole sample so now I feel like I have a mask on. It actually looks pretty good, considering. Of course, I am afraid to touch it…!
I’m wondering what I’ll wear on Friday… I only have Tocade and a small decant of Musc Ravageur. I do have samples of ISM and Broadway Nite
Might depend on the weather. Speaking of which, we’re getting snow, more than we’d expected to get. The forecast was for 1-3 inches, and already there’s five out there! It’s a super-pretty snow, though.
Virginia Tech canceled classes, so The CEO is home, and of course there’s no school. The good thing about having everybody home – well, no, there are at least a couple. A, soup. B, fire in the fireplace. C, somebody besides me to help bottle-feed the lamb in the laundry room.
SOTD is Soivohle Centennial again, because it’s my “snow” fragrance due to its fuzzy-blanket aspect.
I definitely realize farm life is not all romance…but dang that sounds romantic
Agreed.
Oh, let the lamb come bask by the fire too! The heat will probably put it to sleep. Little lambs are the best babies. Course then they grow up to be sheep, but that is not their fault.
The last bum lamb I had was named Snickle, for some reason lost in the sands of time. One day when she was pretty big, she got into the house when we were all gone, and broke a bottle of peppermint schnapps and lapped a bunch of it up. We found her sprawled on the pantry floor unable to stand up, with the hiccups. My dad carried her outside and she slept it off in the shade of the lilac bush. The next day she seemed none the worse for her little bender. But she didn’t try to come into the house with the dogs so much after that.
Aww, Snickle’s a lush!
Snowflake is quite warm enough in the laundry room! He’s three weeks old now (he was a twin – the last big snow we had, he’d gotten lethargic from cold and/or lack of milk) and running all over the room relieving himself everywhere and bumping into the laundry sorter and the freezer. I’d rather not have lamb poo on the family room carpet…
This story is incredible. Visually, and from an olfactory perspective (a sun-warmed lamb under a lilac bush, a hint of mint in the air? Shall we bottle it and call it En Baa-ssant?).
Ha ha!
Hadn’t even thought about how it all smelled.
Living in the country gives one far more olfactory stimulation, I think…
LOL!
Aw, baby anythings make me just melt????
I had no idea sheep could get drunk! Hysterical story.
Lamb in the Laundry Room: Tales from Rural America
Sitting in a coffee shop with the hubs this morning since Presidents is a holiday acknowledged in RI. Wearing vinty Samsara from a bottle I bought off the bay. Life is good at this moment.
Sounds perfect, and I so love the old Samsara.
I was surprised by how much I love it. It’s a beauty, but I love sandalwood scents.
Coffee shop, husband and Samsara — your day is off to a great start!
Hey Barqs! We usually go on Sunday mornings but decided to get out of the house for a while today. We’re in a deep freeze right now so it is really nice to get out for a bit and avoid cabin fever. I hope you are fully recovered from your illness.
yes, I’m all better.
My husband now has it. He’s on his second set of antibiotics now.
Poor guy. It sounds like a bad one.
Lovely! That sounds like a nice morning. You smell great.
????
I am wearing Nautica Voyage (Roucel), which is very much in the Cool Water mode but with an interesting very green bit in the middle. Better than most of the things I smell on guys here at Suntan U, but kind of unremarkable.
I am drinking Lupica C’Est Parfait a tisane of hibiscus, rose hips, and black currant.
back from a longish tropical break (too hot&moist for any serious perfume wearing), so it’s Narciso today and all my favourite winter scents following in the next days
I’m wearing Azzedine Alaia today.
Yesterday, I treated myself to a bottle of Guerlain Pamplelune. Thanks to Pixel for the help in finding this scent.
You’re welcome
I was wearing mine yesterday. Mmmm grapefruity goodness.
Vanille Les N’ombres today. I haven’t tried this before that I recall and wow is it good – a clear nod to Shalimar and an incredibly grown up smooth boozy smoky and sophisticated vanilla. And I am not a particularly vanilla person – which could of course be why this works, as it’s very far from sweet and much more redolent of vanilla pods.
I liked that one too. I got a lot of spices with it as well. You smell great????
Continuing with teensy weensy decanted life with Papillion Salome today. Maybe my Skank-O-Meter is off, but this doesn’t seem super funky to me. I like it but don’t love it. Cha-Ching! Money saved????
Saturday, when my decants arrived, I spritzed the tiniest bit of Maai on my left wrist just to sample it, and it didn’t seem super funky either. That being said, T-Rex likes to come up to me and snuffle my neck and chest after I apply (I rarely wrist spritz because I’m always washing my hands) any perfume. She was transfixed by Maai and sniffed and snuffled very intensely, then tried to ROLL on my wrist! Hmmm, maybe I’m skank anosmic?
LOL! That puppy is your skanky detector!
Wow, you might be. Maai was downright fecal on me. It got progressively worse on me throughout the day. At first, it was light funk, then cat pee and by the end of the day I felt like I’d been rolling in a vat of cat poo. It made me feel ill it was so bad on me. It was awful. I was out running errands with my husband at the time and he even asked me to please never wear it again. He didn’t need to ask, I was horrified and ran into the shower as soon as we got home.
I think I actually wrote a year ago I was loving Maai. I think that must have been early in the day, because by 5pm I was thinking OMG I stink to high heaven.
Hahahaha I am glad I wasn’t the only one with this experience! I tried it multiple times since I had read so many wonderful reviews, but mostly I smelled like poo, too.
Well, I wish I had the guts to go up to someone and ask “Hey, do I smell like poo?” ????
I thought Maai was weird… I couldn’t smell any tuberose in it, for one thing, and for another it had this bizarre clean/dirty (not animalic, but actually dirty, like used engine grease) effect.
Honestly, I wouldn’t know a tuberose if it bit me. I’m not a floral lover at all, so if I see anything that seems predominantly floral, I run the opposite way. Florals in a supporting role are fine. I don’t even like the smell of a flower shop or refrigerator filled with blooms either. I have no idea why, but there it is. I’m terribly flawed ????
Does any perfume register as skanky to you? Maybe you just don’t think of it that way, like I don’t register most green scents as smelling green to me. If it isn’t clover or grass, it’s not green!
Also, perhaps your skank meter has adjusted due to your profession? (Trying not to be indelicate, I’m also a nurse.)
I’ve commented and wondered about my own nose on the skank front several times. I used to work in a vet’s office, and thus my skank meter is possibly quite skewed, so that’s probably part of it. I finally came to the conclusion that my skin transformed it, because nobody else could smell it on me either.
Ah, but then, then I met Rania J’s Jasmin Kama. Yes. I can smell THAT skank. It’s not unpleasant, and doesn’t ruin the scent; I’m actually quite fond of it. But there is an unmistakable level of unwashed human in there, and said human has been having a naughty roll in a jasmine bush apparently.
Ya, I was going to say that it could just be that the ones that work for you blend well with your natural skin and body scent. In a good way, that is!
Well, I’m not at all delicate and can only tolerate revolting stuff in limits doses. I have had to leave a patient’s room, runout in the hall, take a few deep breathes and plunge back in. Multiple times. Can’t stand the smell of gangrene, gi bleed, or cancer. Those smells, which I seem to be very sensitive to, make me want to hurl and I have had to leave a room because I started to heave. No one’s fault of course, except I seem to have an acute sniffer and a weak stomach for certain things.
That is funny! I don’t get skank from Salome, either; in fact, I love it. But maybe I should careful around dogs and other people.
I know, now I’m super self- conscious! I don’t *think* I smell like poo…I am smelling myself right now and I’m getting some very deep floraly thing…not fresh cut flowers, more like dark Amazonian jungle florals with a bit of fecund moist earth- very warm and humid-ish…
Salome only smells like a huge dose of cumin to me and that just doesn’t register as skanky… or very nice, unfortunately.
Maai has that weird juxtaposition of clean aldehydes, dirty skank… so it can really go either way I think, depends on your skin and your nose.
Fore some really skanky skank and nothing but skank I suggest Smell Bent Werewolf Lumberjack Reclining on a Bearskin Rug. That is a winter season LE though, so I don’t know if it is still available this year. Otherwise you might want to try Olympic Orchids Tropic of Capricorn. The hyrax note in it is natural and really fecal, in a good way! Xerjoff Mamluk is another of my go to skanks, really smooth and elegant but definitely still skanky.
Well, I’m not a fan of B.O…. Don’t mind sweaty “I’ve been working hard physically” smells, as long as it’s not unwashed body x three months kinda smell. Yech. No thanks!
I really like retro skank, that smells less like BO and more like the grand animalics of old, like Bal or Tabu! The greatest skank doesn’t come off as smelling very dirty at all, more warm and sensual!
One of my cats *loved* Salome.
Am working on this holiday. Very mild temps (just shy of 60F/15 C) but with occasional cold winds that come from the mountains. I need to pack up the desk since we are moving the office. For me, this means recycling 70% of the loose paper I have filed here and there and taking home my squirrel’s horde of pantry food I have for snacking.
SOTD: Chanel Eau Premiere, Oscar Blandi Jasmine Conditioner
OOTD: High waist jeans, yellow fitted blouse, short high heeled boots, white silk scarf, white raincoat.
We used to call our office snack area The Trough. Love Eau Premiere, and bet I’d like the conditioner, but probably too heavy for my hair at this time of the yr. During summer on the other hand…
Eau de Shalimar, again. This stuff is so good, and now my bottle is almost empty…
Is that the Shalimar by Mathilde Laurent?
The entire thing is so confusing, I had to check! It’s the iteration that came right after Shalimar Light by Mathilde Laurent (the latter tends to get higher praise, but I never tried it myself). Not sure who is the perfumer behind Eau de Shalimar, but I’m guessing it’s her as well, since they are said to be so close? ( As I said, confusing.) On the other hand, I tried the current Shalimar Cologne, and though I liked it, the dry down is not nearly as bright.
I’m wearing Lolita Lempicka, since it’s icy outside and I’ll be staying snuggled up at home. I don’t think I’ve ever worn this one out in the world (a bit too pungent for my style) but it’s perfect for a day like today.
Testing Cartier La Panthere this morning. The burst of fruit at the opening is short lived, thankfully. The heart is all about gardenia and leather. The dry-down is musky. If I was with a friend who wore this I would think that she smelled pretty, but I will be scrubbing this one off in the shower. Every time I test a gardenia fragrance, it feels nostalgic, reminding me of my teachers in grade school. I have come to the conclusion that I am not a gardenia and musk fan, so it is not fair of me to put this fragrance down.
I like gardenia and I usually like musk but I HATED La Panthere on me. It did the scratchy throat thing to me and reminded me of hairspray. Smells nice on other people and everyone else likes it but I think I must be anosmic to something vital in it.
Hmm…maybe there is a gardenia fragrance out there for me then.
Theoretically, I liked La Panthere, but it has the distinction of being the very first scent to EVER give me the scratchy throat thing. And it was so bad that almost everything I smelled for the next week caused a scratchy-throat flare up. It just about drove me crazy.
I started off this morning with a liberal application of Bois des Isles. After I washed my hands after breakfast, I wanted to refresh but grabbed No 22 instead! Now several hours later, I smell really really good!
I bet you do! Perhaps I need to try that combo.
That’s a great combo! Yum!
Oh. I bet that’s really nice!
No. 22 has an odd crunchy sugar-crystal thing going on that I don’t like, but now i’m wondering if BdI might tone that down…
Happy Monday Everyone! Also, Happy President’s Day!
My SOTD is Knot by Bottega Veneta. It just felt right for this Monday morning. Enjoy your day everyone!
SOTD is Natori edp. I am looking at the list for Friday and I’ve realized that I only had 1 of his frags – Tocade – which is now gone. And somewhere a sample of 24, Faubourg, which I always aspired to. It looks like the Hermes wins!
I’m wearing Spiriteuse Double Vanille, drinking chai with extra cardamom and pepper, and burning a cardamom/vanilla candle while a soft fluttery snow is falling outside.
Does anyone know of a good source for parafilm? And what width should I get for decants? I don’t want to buy a gigundo roll like I’ve seen on Amazon and evilbay, so if you know of somewhere else I can find it, please me know. Otherwise, is plumber’s tape as suitable?
I’ve used Teflon plumbers tape on the threads of decants and electrical tape over the outside. I’m not sure how they would work over the tops of sprayers or stoppered perfume bottles because I have one of those huge rolls of parafilm from Amazon, but it seems worth a try.
Do you use the parafilm grafting tape?
That’s what I use too. Cheap, readily available, and effective.
Thanks! I’ve read that plumber’s tape works, but I hadn’t heard from anyone who has used it. I actually received a couple of decants bought off of ebay that were wrapped in the fingers of latex gloves!
Ditto plumbers tape. Every once in a while if I am wrapping a bottle with a stopper, just to make sure it doesn’t fall out, I wrap the bottle with tissue paper first and then put on the plumbers tape, just to make extra sure there are no marks. But I’ve never had a problem with it. Very cheap and easy to find.
The fragrance/tea/candle combo is impressive! I have enough trouble trying to find two matching socks to wear every morning.
Well honestly, it was that or do my taxes.
Hi Holly,
I also have one of those enormous rolls of parafilm bought on Amazon. It will probably last me a lifetime. I will gladly send you some of it if you’d like. A little goes a long way. You can find me at arzeznik in the land of comcast dawt net.
Hi adanst,
That’s such a sweet offer, thank you! That will certainly solve my dilemma. I’ll email you now.
Electrical tape works really well; you can seal a bottle and take it off without leaving it tacky. And it comes in colors now!
It’s a glorious morning and I’m off to finish up the shed project. I actually woke up this morning knowing what I wanted to wear, which is mightily unusual. I’m experimenting with layering Azemour with Fleurs de Citronnier. So far it’s a successful combination.
Got dressed in the dark this morning (hubby has the day off and was sleeping in) so I grabbed something from my new Tauer sample tin. Turned out to be Le Maroc pour elle. Lots of jasmine on me, but I’m enjoying it. Just checked and one of the other options was Lonestar Memories which would have been an interesting scent for my handbell team rehearsal – I’m not sure the other women would have enjoyed it…
I love Maroc pour Elle! You smell great!
I adore MPE! It is a bottle I would love to have extra! So supremely deep and gorgeous. Rich hippie. Gorgeous jasmine and rose. It is my fav Tauer.
A discreet amount of Knowing by Estée Lauder layered with Yves Rocher Secret d’Essences Neroli. Knowing can be a bit harsh initially. It juxtaposes perfectly with petitgrain/orange blossom fluff.
Then applied a discreet amount of Ostara when I got home from work. I’ve come to the realisation I’m a terrible oversprayer. It’s just greed. Something is lovely with a single spray and I’m like I WANT MOAR MOAR MOAR and gas myself.
The only Roucel I own is a micromini of Tocade that I may have tried once or twice. That’ll be it for Friday methinks.
I love the Richer Neroli– so sweet and light.
ROCHER Neroli. Oh, autocorrect, you scamp.
I love that Neroli too!
Wearing Supra Floral today…
This one is interesting. Very green upon opening and reminds me of EL Private Collection. Then it morphs quite a bit throughout the day. Not linear imho…a changeling of sorts…
I have 5 of the 6 in the series in a Sample Discovery Set bought on the cheap from STC (I think it was mispriced or the gods of perfume were smiling upon me). Oriental Express was wonderful and I eneded up splitting 2 bottles at the last splitmeet (it was quite easy as the bottle os refillable). The only other one I tried in the set was Supra Floral and I also like it a lot.
Yes, I got a set of the 5 samples too and enjoyed them all. I found them all nicely done and not derivative as so many mainstream and (and even some supposedly niche) fragrances often are these days. Oriental Express seems to be the favorite for many and I think Victoria at BdJ really liked it too if memory serves.
We’re supposed to have record-breaking high temperatures here today, so I’m in a few beautiful, generous spritzes of Thé Pour Un Eté, one of my favorite warm spring scents. Way too pretty for sweatpants, so once my little man wakes up from his morning nap I’ll have to find something nicer to wear…
It’s one of my favorite spring scents, too. To me it smells like the beach (where I live beach = lying lakeside in dried grass) which is very provocative in spring when I’m anticipating and dreaming of summer…
NST is exploding! So many replies before noon every day, wow. But anyway … While sorting decants yesterday I came across Salome and gave myself one spray. I had tried it awhile ago and found it OK but not a scent I would need more of ( or … of which I would need more–in that kind of mood right now). But yesterday I loved it! It wasn’t overpowering but soft and warm. It will be my SOTD now that I’m home from errands.
I know right – I feel like if I don’t make it here by 10 am, I may as well give up. It’s all good, but wow.
I’ve been moping around in tea for two all weekend due to the cold but it felt kind of like spring today (or so I convinced myself, it’s 24F) so I’m wearing Kerbside Violet. It’s so forcefully sprightly that it sort of felt like spring anyway, despite the ice and snow!
Soivohle Carpathian Oud today. It’s snowing again and I need something to cut through the chill.
Carpathian Oud is a-maaaa-zing
Oh, so powerful and protective!
My SOTD is SL’s Five O’Clock au Gingembre.
Very good morning from Downunder, NST. Yesterday turned into Technology Trouble for me: computers mysteriously turned themselves off, the network went down, my food processor fritzed, and finally, and most importantly, a perfume spray stuck…I wriggled it and jiggled it, it suddenly came free and sprayed directly into my eye, which is now bright red, as though I have a burst blood vessel. Sigh. Oh, and my iron simply stopped working. It didn’t go pop or anything dramatic,it just cooled down and didn’t anymore. So today, I want a counteracting, I’m-in-command perfume, especially since I have a Board of Studies for three (!@@***) hours! I’ve chosen semi-vintage Femme. Let’s hope it works, on every level!
There should be a list of anti-gremlin perfumes. Or fragrances known to banish poltergeists, imps and minor demons. :). I nominate CdG Avignon…
I think something more herbal. Sage? Salt? Something with the essence of holy water? I guess it depends on what you’re actually trying to banish.
I do want to smell Avignon though. I keep hearing about it.
Wood, Sage and Sea Salt might do the trick!
Oh my goodness. When it rains, it pours. Poor Waterdragon! I hope today is better!
Wow, that sounds frustrating and kinda spooky (is Mercury in retrograde?) Hope your eye heals up.
Yep, Mercury is in retrograde!
Funny – some weird stuff like that was happening to me yesterday and I wondered if that’s what was going on. (After spending a few years in LA, this is of course, a perfectly plausible explanation :))
Holy water! I’d probably turn it to instant steam, but that’s a good idea. It has the absolute merit of sounding cool, too…so far today, so good, though just as I was making breakfast, Dakkie looked at me earnestly, turned green, then barfed hugely. The source of his indigestion appears to have been the tail of a knitted mouse. I think the tail might have belonged to the plaid mouse, MacKie. I noticed the other day that MacKie’s ears were missing. But a cat throwing up is just ordinary–it’s not like a day when all the technology fights back!
Today I’ve been wearing vintage L’Heure Bleue edc. I was also wearing a vintage black skirt with a blue floral pattern and I felt that L’Heure Bleue kind of matched that!
This evening though I’m indulging in some Jovoy Lys Epona. I got a bottle of it in the mail yesterday!
The scent is sublime! And the bottle is a beautiful piece of vintage opulence! <3
It’s cloudy but warm-ish today and some bulbs (bluebells? hyacinths? I’m terrible with plants) are showing quite a lot of green above ground. I’m going with a spring theme and wearing MDCI Promesse de l’Aube.
In Byredo’s Green today–drained the sample! I feel like project use-it-up is going really well. And the scent compliments the lovely weather in California. I’m on vacation, and life is good!
I love the idea of a separate meet up thread. However, I won’t be in California next week when it goes live. Is there anyone in the Bay area who wants to meet up, possibly on Friday, possibly on Wednesday? Sorry for short notice. You can email me at user name at yahoooooooo
Was staving off a sinus infection last week and woke up full-blown sick. Will go to the ENT tomorrow if it persists.
To add to foxbins’s spring theme, a bed of daffodils below my window are in full bloom this morning!
Am finishing 5-star week in Nahema which I’ll soon follow with
Bois de Violette. This is the 2nd time I’ve worn Nahema (current EDT) and last time I wasn’t thrilled by it. Now I remember why: it dies a quick death on my skin. When I walked back into my bedroom after applying it this morning, I smelled lovely rosey goodness – in my room, but not on my skin. Even liberally applied it just refuses to stick to my skin. It lasts all of about 10 minutes.
I’d decided to appoint Chanel Misia as my date night fragrance, and wore it yesterday to the symphony and dinner. (Elegant, romantic, and doesn’t project from my skin enough to annoy those sitting next to me at the theater.) I loved this one on first sniff, but appreciate it more with each wearing. Last night it smelled round and creamy with tonka. I’m thinking about doing a rose and violet week after I finish off the last few 5-stars.
Am drinking Upton Tea Rose Mun Chee, a green scented with rose petals. I’m going to add some ginger to the next cup. I’ve been wanting to try that combo since Robin mentioned a Kusmi green with rose and ginger… unless I made that up, which is entirely possible
I *was* wearing Misia but then my person, who has a cold, announced that it smelled like baby powder. Not a compliment from him, so I switched to Une Rose. I think the cold made him unable to smell the rose and violet in the Misia, leaving just the powder. He’s said on other days that he liked it and encouraged me to buy a FB — something that really doesn’t happen very often!
Normally I wouldn’t be bossed around about perfume, but we are home alone at the end of a three-day weekend so I thought I’d give him a break.
I may be wrong, but I know that Robin likes an MF tea with rose and ginger; Lune Rouge.
Trying to weed through some sample hand-me-downs again. This one is SSS Fig Tree, and while the vial smells nice, it turns into a dirt bomb on me. Hopefully no one minds the earthiness at my appointments!
I own exactly one Roucel fragrance, but it’s one of my favorites-Hermes 24, Faubourg. My Friday selection is made!
I’m in Bel Respiro this morning, but will likely switch to something more warm and cozy after I shower. Happy Monday to all!
OJ Champaca. Getting plenty of pepper from this lady today, the effect is quite atmospheric.
Didn’t put on scent until evening. Now tucked up under a blanket with a bit of Alahine and a good book, aaaaah.
Alahine is gorgeous! My fav happy amber.
Alahiiiiiiine!
I only have 2 Roucels, so I’m bookending the week with them. So today is L de Lolita Lempicka.
Also.. I saw someone above mention that Safran Troublant and Nahema are going cheap on FragranceNet right now, and of course I just haaaaad to go look, didn’t I? My ST decant is almost out, and now I want to spend money! I don’t need to be doing that.. but the prices are really good.
It was me.
I’ll probably be offering two 25ml decants from the ST bottle I buy, if you want to call dibs on Saturday (I’d offer to mark you down for some now, but idk if that’s against the rules…).
I would be interested for sure, thanks!
SOTD = Eldo Rossy de Palma Eau de Protection. Perfect on a cold day.
That is one wonderful rose!
I don’t have anything by Roucel, but I’m kinda tempted to find some Oh My Cat.
Today I’m wearing Mohur extrait, and figuring out what I’ll be taking with me on a trip to California starting tomorrow.
I’m wearing Relique D’Amour by Oriza L. Legrand — it is supposed to be the scent of wet stones in the rain, and that’s exactly what it is on me; however the sillage is so light as to be a vapor…how I wish it wasn’t the kind of thing I had to dab on again after a few hours! But for an ephemeral thing, this one is beautiful.
That was my experience with that whole line–lovely but barely there, even when I tried spraying heavily.
Me too – loved Reve d’Ossian but so fleeting.
I can’t get my head out of the chocolate. Gourmand Coquin for me again.
I’ll take that donut too.
Bel Respiro today — it’s warm and sunny and everything is starting to bloom (helloooooo allergies). Feels like spring, though winter is scheduled to return Wednesday.
Ugh, I know–I bet this year we’ll have two peak allergy seasons. Everyone in my house is sneezing, including the dog.
Just some jasmine and coconut body lotion with Pacifica Waikiki Pikake. Cold and dreary days create a white floral craving in me.
SOTD = Guerlain Cuir Beluga (love this and because family-safe for this Presidents’ Day holiday)
I have been decanting and I am currently smelling of Tauerville Rose Flash. Speaking of Tauerville:
1) my Amber Flash either has a crappy atomizer or Andy found a way to discourage splitting. I at first thought I had a leaky sample atomizer but NO, the backsplash and the leaky atomizer head of my bottle made it impossible to decant more than 1 mL grrrrrrr and I must have lost a good 3 mLs to paper towels.
2) I will wear Vanilla Flash one day this week to see if a statement I made at this past weekend’s Lazy Weekend Poll that it is more rose than vanilla on me is true.
3) I still don’t like Incense Flash – money saved!
I decant from the rollerballs – easy to just pop it out and use a pipette. My Amber Flash sprayer works fine for wearing, haven’t tried to decant from it though.
SOTD is Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower, a sugary grapefruit suitable for the heat we’re having here today. It was a blind buy, because I loved the bottle; fortunately, I like the perfume. I have three bottles, one mini, and an untested sample (whee!) of Maurice Roucel’s work, so I’m planning to wear his scents all week.
So Roucel week is prompting me to retest some FM samples and today it’s Musc Ravageur, which I’m liking better than I remembered. It’s almost a leather perfume. I might look for one of the travel sprays.