Monday's ugly little sister. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm wearing Hermès L'Ambre des Merveilles. Tea at the moment is Harney's Tower of London.
Reminder: on 4/22 we're doing What's in a name, part 2 — we'll be wearing "misnamed" fragrances. You can interpret that howsoever you wish. The project was suggested by Dilana, who noted that Jardins d’Écrivains Orlando smelled like traditional honey cake instead of a modernist multi-gender novel or hero/heroine. If you like, tell us what your fragrance should have been called, and/or tell us what the fragrance you're wearing should have smelled like in order to fit its name.
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: shown is the Hermès Isatis pendant, buffalo horn and lacquer, $335.
Encre Noire Sport (Lalique).
Still haven’t smelled!
I am wearing Bois d’Arménie.
You smell great! I thought of Armenian papers and I wanted to spray this on paper blotters and burn it, but at 190€ a bottle, I think again and again lol.
You could also buy some papier d’armenie that you can burn, they smell similar.
That’s my strategy
Mmmmmmm…you smell great.
SOTD Indochine
Indochine is beautiful! You smell fantastically fabulous ????
Second that! You smell marvelous!
You smell beautiful! I put the Indochine away for the season but now I’m going to get it out and wear it today. A friend invited me as her guest to a Boston camera club meeting so I think Indochine will be just right for that.
Bois d’Armenie is one of my fav from Guerlain!
Wearing Le Parfum de Thérèse, drinking Thé des Vahinés.
gorgeous
I have not lived with this, but the first impression is a spicy, floral, melon. Interesting!
That’s a great one! I don’t wear that one often enough.
Just lovely.
you smell beautiful.
Tuesday already? I wouldn’t have minded a couple more hours of sleep before facing it……
SOTD: Taylor Swift’s Incredible Things. Another sweet, easy to wear fragrance that is office friendly and super affordable. Sometimes I just want to hit the “EASY” button in life…..
Have a super, fabulous, WARM Spring Day!!
I’d take a couple more hours sleep myself! And wonder if Taylor Swift is done with perfume or if we’ll see another?
After all these years of hearing that celebrity perfumes are on the downswing but still seeing tons of new celebrity launches, I do think it’s finally slowing down.
sotd: Penhaligon’s Ostara
Equally gorgeous
I love this one. I have found that I am reaching for it more and more often.
the daffodils are breathtaking in the first 30 minutes. It saddens me when they disappear and it turns into a milky sweet musk, but it’s still pleasant. But that first 30 though….
You know, I’ve actually come to prefer the drydown.
All 55 vials of the Etat Libre d’Orange and Atelier Cologne samples have arrived! Not sure what to pick. The bag reeks of Rose Anonyme even though it isn’t damaged. Not sure why, but if that is any indication of Rose Anonyme… Wow.
Oooooh!!! 55 vials to sample….Heaven!!!! Enjoy…..
Have fun!! I am wearing ELDO La Fin du Monde from my sample pack! It’s definitely going on the full bottle list.
There is no La Fin du Monde *growls* Where is my pop corn, ELdO!?
That one is on my FB list, too
how gorgeous!!! (You know, I don’t really get popcorn in it.) I guess I should get a sample first. It’s too bad it’s not in the sample pack 
Rose Anonyme is a powerhouse, surprisingly. Light application recommended.
I was passing by a guy on the street the other day and caught the scent of his fragrance. It took a minute to place it, but then I realized it was Rose Anonyme. That one is really nice on men.
Ooh what fun!
Hey there cuz, I’m in Eau de Merveilles. It’s definitely a good day to bring out these Hermes gems.
Don’t we smell great?
Absolutely. It’s been a while since I smelled the other flankers, but seriously, this line can do no wrong.
Well, they do less wrong than other brands, that’s for sure.
Oooh, yes, Eau des Merveilles for me today, too.
Perfect.
Hiya twin!
Triplets now.
SOTD is MFK Aqua Universalis Forte. My tea is the same kind every day STASH Chai Green Tea.
That makes it easy! I sometimes take longer to pick a tea than to pick a perfume.
I’m wearing Cinnabar. Hadn’t planned this but it is kinda misnamed; it doesn’t smell red or especially cinnamon-y to my nose.
It is quite a bomb, if I remember correctly. Along the same line as Youth Dew right?
It actually reminds me a lot of Youth Dew Amber Nude! It’s got kind of a metallic aldehyde angle.
When I was a little kid – about 10 maybe? – a great Aunt gave me a partially used bottle of Cinnabar. Or she gave it to my mom and it ended up in my room. Who can say. I don’t know why I ended up with it, and it was clearly a bit out of my league at that age. I used it to kill a spider in my bedroom which then strongly smelled of Cinnabar for many weeks thereafter.
bwa ha
hahaha! Don’t think I’ll ever forget that.
ELdO Encens Et Bubblegum. Fun. Still one of my favorites of the original line. The top notes make me smile and the warmish incense ash base lasts decently.
I am drinking a cup of Harney All India blend.
I need to do a Harney order. But must finish samples first!
I’m waiting for summer to wear L’Ambre because when I smell it I think “beach!”
I’m in Mohur Extrait compliments of hajusuuri(thanks!!). I can see why it gets so much love here.
Love this one too. I have some from the split meet and keep looking at the FB and planning ….maybe for a milestone of something??? It is so potent, though that what I have should last for a while.
I just used a few light dabs and can smell it pretty well on myself, so I think I’ll get a lot of mileage from what I have.
I was lucky enough to experience Mohur Extrait, from another NST fairy godmother recently, it really is so so beautiful.. If only money were no object!, still, Ihave a drop left for reference, and there are other rose perfumes that are more affordable, that I love as much, phew!
I would also consider it if it weren’t so spendy. My SHL 777Rose de Petra is fulfilling my need for a beautiful treatment of rose. It’s The sandalwood in Mohur that really makes it special for me.
You smell gorgeous!
Why, thank you, Petunia
As do you. I really like Au Dela.
I’m glad you’re enjoying Mohur Extrait!
SOTD is the voluptuous and melancholy Onda VdE from my teensy decant.
Onda, I just can’t get over you. I’ve tried walking away, limiting my exposure to infrequent interludes, and being completely rational about how much you cost me, monetarily and emotionally. But, every time I hook up with you, it’s like the first time all over again. It’s the worst kind of love. I will only be satisfied with all of you, not these little dribs and drabs of microscopic decants, but my bank account says “NO!”
Love, unfulfilled.
((giggles))
That makes my heart heavy. I hope you can be together one day. And now you’ve made me really need to smell this.
It took me quite a while to save up for it, but I recently purchased a bottle of Onda VdE. Love the stuff and voluptuous and melancholy are the perfect adjectives for it.
Heehee.. I know that feeling too, and will try to stay clear of Onda and her wily ways.. I am really tempted to try her now tho!
Loving Onda is like going to a gallery and seeing a painting that speaks to you but that is a bit out of reach. Sigh…
Definitely worth saving for. Rational brain is so silly for putting the brakes on true love
Unrequited love is so sad.
Maybe you can get in on a split?
Cousins as I am wearing Mito today from a small sample and wanting more more more.
Mito is fantastic.
I love it!
Haha! Well you know, absence makes the heart grow fonder… But once she agrees to marry you, will you suddenly have eyes on another? It’s kind of unrealistic for us perfumistas to be monogamous in our loves, but some manage to do it. Maybe you can introduce her to her sister wives..
Hahaha! With how many have I decided they were “The One”? Sister wives is a great idea. They seem to enjoy each other’s company, at least on reality TV shows.
So true! I thought I’d die if I couldn’t have Mohur Extrait and now that I have it I hardly wear it and I’m on the hunt for another love.
Truly this is a sickness!
If you resolve to buy no other bottles for one year, then you’ll have nothing to feel guilty about. I did this a few years ago and ended the year with one extrait of Bois des Iles (partially paid with birthday gift money), and one discounted bottle of Memoir Woman. Less than $400 for the both of them, when otherwise I’d likely had dribbled away more money than that on other bottles all year long.
This is such a wise resolution. I think about doing the same thing, but I am so like a dog walking beside its owner until….squirrel!!!
Another inexpensive bottle of something I like rather than a more expensive true love.
This week I am trying out some samples which I think will have some trouble living up to their names. Today’s is “French Lover” from Frédéric Malle. And here I am jus arrived in Lyon, where the sun is shining and my partner insists we have better things to do than post to a blog (he’s right!)
So how does French Lover perform on me? Strong and stinky? Lacklustre performance? Disappears leaving me frustrated? I shall tell all later this evening. ;^)
You’re right!, how could a perfume like this live up to expectations?
For me it was disappointing, (rather weak, and over too quickly!) love what I’ve tried from Pierre Bourdon otherwise. Still chemistry is everything, so u may have better luck!
Yeah, I liked the original name in French better: Bois d’Orage.
Ok, I was just thinking, how have I never seen French Lover? I thought I had missed one some how????
Well now, given Lyon was just a handy place to fly into before starting the holiday proper, we spent a very pleasant afternoon and evening pottering about. Took the funicular up to the basilica and walked down to the Roman ruins, then back to the peninsula for a beer in the sun and later a great Chinese meal.
I also found the hotel is half way between two Sephoras, directly opposite an Annick Goutal and a short walk from a Diptyque store. I am staying well away. :^)
So, on to French Lover. Not sure what I think of it to be honest. On me it’s a greeny-woodsy-incensey thing with noticeable vetiver, although everything is well blended. It’s probably a bit more astringent than I care for and overall I’m inclined to think “no”. But I could imagine myself revisiting this later. For the moment I think Hermès Vetiver Tonka and Guerlain Vetiver cover all my vetiver needs.
Pretentiousness factor 2/5 (and if there’s any pretentiousness about, how do I prove it’s the perfume’s fault? )
Incongruity factor 3/5 (rather a sober lover, so a Frank rather than a Gaul; but not preposterous)
Perfume score 3/5 (I can imagine myself revisiting this later and finding my tastes have evolved to like it more)
oops, the analogy comment was meant to reply to your initial tease.
Philosykos edp today. Enjoy this beautiful day everyone!
mmm creamy!
Philosykos is wonderful!
SOTD is BV Eau Legere, for what is allegedly our last warm sunny day for a bit. I don’t mind – I’ve been pining for Alahiiiine lately, but in 80+ degree weather it’s just a bit much for me.
Love Alahine, but I think it might kill me in warm weather. Once the calendar hits March 1, or the temps hit 55F – whichever comes first – I put it away.
It is probably obvious by now that I don’t really DO orientals.
I was thinking of BV Eau Legere today… it is a great fragrance. Alahine is awesome too. I can wear a tiny dab of it during a cool evening in summer though. Love it.
I wanted something familiar and comfortable, but also robust, so I’m in Cuir de Russie. It’s maybe not how must people would describe it (and yes, it’s also refined), but I’ve worn it so much by now that it’s a comfort scent for me – something I go for when I want more than a nice Jo Malone or a fluffy gourmand. Feminite du Bois is another one in the same niche: so ‘me’ and so delicious, but also quite some perfume.
Those are the best ones aren’t they?, beautiful and comforting at the same time, seeing u through all sorts of different scenarios and challenges.
‘Comfortable, but also robust’ — my thoughts exactly! It doesn’t have the typical cracks of leathery whip that are associated with leather chypre. Bandit is openly defiant, but Cuir de Russie is subtly headstrong.
You know I think you smell fantastic. I totally hear you on it being robust – especially when you need it to. It’s definitely a comfort scent.
I see CdR as VERY cozy- but in a sweater sort of way!
That’s a perfect description, Annikky. I wear CdeR for exactly the same reasons you do, and class it with 19 and Femme for comfort & strength. Not for fun, exactly, though it’s by no means a solemn perfume, but definitely for an assertive presence.
It is a very comforting scent for me also. And beautiful also!
It seems contradictory for a perfume to be both comfortable and robust, but CdR really is both, isn’t it? You smell fantastic!
Wearing Coco Mlle, in a vain attempt to use up one of two VERY generous decants given to me by a kind SA at Belk’s. It’s a pleasant enough scent and it reminds me of a summer afternoon spent wearing a breezy cotton dress. Guys especially seem to like it.
Lovely.
It’s really an easy one to wear.
SOTD = Wisteria Hysteria, which is now in it’s slightly old fashioned carnationy powdery makeup phase. This stuff smells really good on me, much better than on a scent strip.
I was so curious to try that one but then forgot and never did. Your description sounds nice.
Inspired by Lucasai yesterday, wearing my sample of Rose velour’s by van cleef & Arpels, really gorgeous, but silage and lasting power not great on my skin, so I’m relieved that I don’t need a FB of this one. For any one who does love it, a 75ml bottle is only £52 on beauty spin.co.uk at the moment!
Have you tried the Orchidee Vanille? I’m wearing it today and the two neck spritzes are still going strong at 4+ hours.
This one is growing on me.
OMG Rose Velours! I have a sample sent to me by a generous NSTer that I absolutely adore and that I will just eat up as soon as this cold goes away. Sadly it’s $130 on beautyspin.com
still a little outside of my reach for the moment.
SOTD Maison Martin Margiela Untitled. I think someone mentioned this yesterday and I remember that I had enjoyed it’s understated green woody presence. Perfect for a warm spring day.
I love the name Untitled, because it’s really easy to remember, unlike the Histories de Parfums names. Now that I thought of that house, I may wear all of my samples that I ignore this week because the year names with the prominent historic figures names is mind boggling to me. Then I can’t keep the fragrances straight. I like some of them, but I’m not sure of which ones, other than Ambre 114 (is that right?). I hope it’s not supposed to be an IQ test
I can’t keep the HdP names straight, either.
I really liked the smell of MMM Untitled, but I don’t want to wear it ON me. Would love to have my house smell like that, though.
That would be nice too. Yesterday I went to my daughter’s house to take care of her cats and wish I could have sprayed some Untitled all over the place!! I think they are saving money on the litter or the one if the cats is unhealthy, but it was quite unpleasant. They usually come over to our place so I’m not there often, but I don’t recall this aroma before. I don’t like to interfere with her housekeeping, so I just bought a lot of litter for them and changed it all.
We had dogs, so I’m not well schooled in cat affairs.
You are a very kind mother!
We have 2 cats, and it’s definitely a daily chore to take the litter OUT of the house and replace! LOL Cat poop is one of the most repugnant smells on earth!
I imagine if the house is closed up because your daughter is out of town (and you’re only in there once a day), that might be contributing to the smell as well….
I just discovered these babies to line the litter box, and it is HELPFUL!! Lavender scented, and much easier cleanup…..Maybe you can leave a box as a welcome home gift! HA HA HA
You’re a great mom!! http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/cat-litter-box-liners/so-phresh-lavender-scented-litter-box-liners
This looks fantastic! Maybe someday they will come in Box of Eels scent
Thank you!
Replenished my standard shampoo when Sephora had that 10% off deal, and my freebie was a sample of Monsieur Li. I don’t like it. Have a spotty & unpredictable relationship to JCE creations.
Sadly, me too. I was all in a bother about several, but I realize now I can live without them if I had too… I always want MORE of something. I won’t be replacing any of my travel bottles…The one Hermes I cannot live without is my beloved Concentre d`Orange Verte. And that one is not a JCE.
Agreed. I get what JCE is going for and in many cases I do actually like the scents. But I can never justify paying for any of them due to how fleeting they are. I want fragrances that will last.
Hermes just does work for me either. Sur la Nil is the only one I like and my daughter absconded with my bottle and I found I did not miss it that much.
I like M. Li, but I also have a spotty record with JCE. I like Kelly Caleche.
Chanel Misia
Wonderful.
Good Morning to all of you NST readers. First off, I want to say RIP to Doris Roberts (Marie from Everyone Loves Raymond). I just found out this morning that she passed on Saturday. I loved her so much.
Second, I hope that all my fellow Houstonians are doing okay. There are quite a few of us who comment on NST. Today is my 2nd day out of work (no school) because of flooding. It didn’t rain last night, but surprisingly the water is still rising in a lot of areas. We are still expecting rain for the remainder of the week, so it will be a while before we get back to normal. Again, some people were still recovering from the storm we had on Memorial Day. Thanks to everyone for their support. Continue to keep us in your thoughts.
My SOTD is Queen by Queen Latifah. This is a sultry, hypnotic jewel of a fragrance. I would rename it Temptation or Rapture. Its just one of those fragrances you can’t ignore or deny no matter how hard you try. Wishing everyone a great day!
At our most recent community chorus concert, someone was wearing Queen, and she smelled wonderful!
I liked it on me, but it was better on her.
Probably the best blind buy I ever made. So many people raved about it on here, I had to try it for myself. I also scored the body butter this morning on Fragrance net (no affiliation) for really cheap!
I have the body butter, which I really like, but have never smelled the perfume. Would love it if you could compare the two for us…
That flooding sounds devastating. Sometimes I take our moderate weather patterns here for granted. Keeping you all in my thoughts.
Thanks! Appreciate it so much!
Queen is definitely a winner!!! Beautiful AND affordable!! Lasts for hours on my skin. I’m probably gonna have to put mine away until fall/winter….
I know everyone keeps saying they will have to put theirs away until cooler weather…… IDK……kinda feel like I can pull it off for a few more weeks or so. And you’re right….I sprayed it on about 5 a.m. this morning and its still going strong. I love that!
I was wondering how your area was today. I think the flooding has receded for now on my side of town. My route to work wasn’t under water today, at least, so I’m back in the office. I feel for people in Meyerland and Westbury that got hit during the Memorial Day storms last year and are going through this all over again.
I’m on the northwest side off of 249. The water has receded, but I work in Conroe (in the back of the Woodlands). Every route I take was basically shut down. Luckily, all the school districts were closed again today. I just want to put this week behind us. Bracing myself for the unknown. Glad to hear you’re okay.
Texas! You guys go through these extremes in weather!
Doris Roberts was awesome- a grande dame!
And Queen is delicious- but then again it’s Queen Latifah- I love her makeup line as well.
Yeah, we don’t get snow, tornadoes, or earthquakes. We get flood, hurricanes, and plenty of water damage. Mother Nature has something special for everyone, and for Texas, its rain!
I love her makeup line also. All hail the Queen!
Sorry, Queen Latifah’s makeup line, not Mother Nature’s. LOL!
I’m old enough that my memory of Doris Roberts is from her Remington Steele days.
Hope that all are recovering from the deluge. It is amazing what damage water does.
So many positive comments about Queen that I’d like to grab it, but I am trying to buy only what I have actually tested.
The pictures have been insane to see!
Stay safe.
I’m in Dallas for work and it’s actually quite nice out.. crazy how a few hours away is major floods.
I wish I had the power to sidetrack the rest of your forecasted rain and distribute it around the rest of the SW, but alas… Stay dry and stay safe!
Another hot sunny day here in SoCal. Bruno Acampora Musc perfume oil, to wear to lunch with a perfume phobic person. She hates smelly florals so I am hoping a bit of musc will fly under the radar.
You smell great for ten minutes! That’s how long I can smell BA Musc before it disappears on me. I really like that ten minutes though… Have fun at lunch!
this one is really nice. very discreet.
Thanks to enablers everywhere, I now own a bottle of Queen for $9.99. Very rich and warm. Probably too much so for the weather for the next several months, but will be great come fall. No SOTD yet. Thought I was going to have a really bad allergy attack, but managed to fend it off. My Neela Vermeire coffret arrived (woo-hoo!), so looking forward to getting to spray rather than dab and will probably road test Bombay Bling. The box smelled of rose and there were drops of Mohur behing the bottle, so it looks like it leaked just a little, but I can’t find a crack in the bottle and it seems full. Hopefully just making sure to store it upright will do the trick.
On a not so fun note, my husband did not get a good performance review at his job. He has great technical skills, but gets so focused on what he is doing that other things wind up slipping his notice and causing a mad scramble. He also is reluctant to assert himself when he has to. I am trying to gently push him to assert himself and salvage the situation. I really don’t want to have to move again when we haven’t even been here two years. I already had to leave a 12-yr-old medical practice behind in Texas and start over in Arkansas. I guess if we could move back to Texas and be a lot closer to family, that would be an upside, but I hate making my patients find new doctors and the thought of moving house and having to find a new practice. Sorry for all the whining, but this is really the only outlet I have. It’s too embarassing to discuss with family and friends.
Oh, that is an uncomfortable situation for you and your husband. I hope it doesn’t come to another relocation. He sounds like someone who would be content if focused on an undertaking/hobby that he loves. The single-minded genius. But about Queen, I was on that trail, too, and enjoyed it on one of our cooler days, realizing I’d be putting it away in a week or two for several months.
Hope things work out
My sympathies to you and your husband and I hope things work out for you both. I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but I wonder if there is another kind of job he would be more suited for?
That’s really a definite possibility. He is an introvert, for sure.
This was my issue until very recently. Us introverts can indeed get stepped on. Please consider a life coach (I know, I know!) to help your husband handle social situations so that he can be efficient and productive BUT be able to handle people as well.
I second the life coach. A family member was forced to hire one for work, but the coach has given him some excellent professional insight.
I’m so sorry for your stress. You really have a lot on your plate. We moved a lot for my husband’s career as well and I always had to start mine over and get the family adjusted. There is a lot written recently about career counsellors/ coaches. He might benefit from outside advice to help him identify his strengths and weaknesses professionally. They also can help find which fields would best suit
his skill set. He might actually do better in something slightly different. Of course, he may be resistant , but with the burden you may have to face, it is a small compromise. A family member did this mid career and it really saved him during the economic downturn.
Can totally understand….and empathize too. My hubby FINALLY found out “what he wants to do when he grows up”…..at age 50!! LOL
After years of different jobs (and being fired from one, that upset him and hurt his self esteem greatly), he actually stayed home with our 3 kids for several years. That was great for the kids and our family, but we were broke! So once the time was right, he was in career crisis, not knowing how to get back in the job market. He also has SEVERE ADHD, and it has haunted him from childhood to now!
To make a long story short, thanks to some good advice from a friend, a little luck, and a few heartfelt prayers….he is teaching at our local high school and LOVES it! He teaching IT at the technical school (his expertise!), is working on his Masters at UGA, and FINALLY seems to have figured out what he’s meant to do…..
Hang in there with your hubby…..my goodness, it’s hard sometimes to do! I love WendySue’s advice too!
Oh, good luck. That’s so hard especially if you feel like you’re not allowed to talk to anyone else about it. Is it that he’s really private about these things, or just general embarrassment? If the latter, I think you shouldn’t worry too much about that–I think you’ll find that almost everyone has had similar experiences, and feels a lot of empathy for what you guys are going through.
I feel you on that front. It’s that trying to balance personal anxiety without wanting to seem to baggy or demanding. My husband has a similar disposition, and while he’s really smart and good at what he does, he falls behind because of over focus on other thingsand ends up leaving work really late which effects our lifestyle and time together more than his performance reviews. Interviewing was also really difficult for him when he got laid off years ago and was unemployed for nearly a year. I agree that either a coach or cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful with those kinds of issues. He did agree to the CBT and got a new job within 3 months of working with her so it really paid off.
I would second others’ recommendations for good career counseling and coaching that hopefully includes a CBT approach to strengthen any aspects of interpersonal skills that need it. Don’t underestimate the time and commitment required, but it will pay off in all aspects of life, ultimately. Good luck!
Many thanks to everyone for all the encouragement. I don’t know what kind of coaching is available around here. Hopefully something in-house at his work. I will try to gently encourage it.
My organization had a contract with coaches who worked by phone rather than in person. So you could probably track down something like that even if you aren’t living in a large metropolitan area. Of course, he should definitely take advantage of anything offered by his organization. That would show a constructive attitude toward feedback offered in the performance review.
To pick up on what Noz said, I think that it’s super important for your hubby to demonstrate that he’s taking action on the feedback he’s received. One bad performance review needn’t be fatal; it’s the appearance of not making any effort to correct things that can do a person in…
Chin up, Sapphire; we’re all rooting for you and hubby!!
My husband is 100% artist, something I think I’m just now coming to grips with (we’ve been married for 15 yrs!)
I continue to need to let him be who he is. This is not easy but.. it’s also why I fell in love with him.
Stay strong.
Whining? Phooey! Not at all what you were doing! That’ a substantial change you’re facing. The advice others have offered here is great, so I don’t really have anything to add other than to say, “Stay positive and optimistic.” Best of luck to you.
Hey Sapphire! I hope things work out for hubby. You’ve got a lot of good advice already. Does he feel comfortable utilizing the company’s Employee Assistance Program? Also, does he have an opportunity to work on his objectives for the current year so that there are no surprises with expectations. Considering that he may be in a specialized field, can he ask to focus more on it to achieve other goals?
Sorry to hear this
Best of luck!
Have been organizing my samples, getting them out of the myriad bowls and boxes and filing them in the compartmentalized craft boxes whether tested or not – I want to be able to FIND them. I am updating my Excel document with particulars (house, perfume name, concentration/age/LE/discontinued info, brief description and rating). After several years of not updating the document, I’m finding that I sometimes order another sample when I already had one (oops), and it really doesn’t take that much time to keep it up when it’s up to date.
SOTD is SL Sa Majeste la Rose, which I haven’t worn in a long time. Now I see why – it’s okay, but I don’t love it. Going to get my hair did soon, need a pick-me-up.
Wow- you are so so organized
I’m really REALLY not. I’m just overwhelmed with clutter and doing what I can to stop it making me ca-razy.
Relate to that so much!
Buying the same sample again is what prompted my recent sample organization, too. It’s so nice to see the top of my vanity table again!
With you there!
Ha! I’m expecting this to happen to me someday soon.
I need to do this, too… as soon as I get caught up with some other things. I’m definitely guilty of ordering the same samples more than once!
I found five duplicates so far (of more than OMG 200!), but I think two of them were sent by a friend and not ordered by me. All the same, the clutter was driving me nuts and I couldn’t find anything I wanted. Now they’re all in one place.
It’s nice and warm in my neck of the woods today, so I finally get to wear Fils de Dieu
You smell great and exotic! I’m loving my decant.
Fils de Dieu is sooooooooo good!!!
I just recently got to know this one and its so much fun!
Okay. I am not first on NST this morning, exactly, but I am number 62! Yea. (That is like #1 for California, right?!)
In Azemour…
Have a great day everybody.
Ah, someone smells really great!
SOTD Bat from Zoologist Perfumes
I love this strange little beast of a fragrance. You smell wonderful.
Chanel N°5 Eau Premiere today.
You smell wonderful! Love Eau Premiere!!!
Barkhane by Teo Cabenel
I feel like I should be crazy about Barkhane because I adore Teo Cabanel as a house and Alahine is my holy grail. Perhaps it’s because I have so many in the same category as Barkhane (amber orientals), it just wasn’t a must for me. But it’s nice!
That’s the *one* sample I haven’t tried from TC. Meloe and Hegoa are not really my sort of thing either, but they didn’t skeer me the way Barkhane does. Or rather the idea of Barkhane, woody orientals being this Grendel’s-mother of a personal nightmare for me. I mean, I might be wrong.
But I bet I’m not.
I really like it! However for some reason it fades fast..
It is a woody oriental so if its not your thing money saved I’d say!
SOTD is Au Dela by Fazzolari. Perfect for the weather.
I am sampling MFK Lumiere Noire Pour Femme – a beautiful spicy rose.
Love that one! I have killed a 10ml decant and am working on a 5ml… when it’s gone, I’m getting a bottle.
You smell great. Now I’m thinking about pulling out my own sample…
Michael by Michael Kors. I’d forgotten how great this smells. It’s a bright sunny day here and Michael is just perfect.
I have half a dozen family members named “Michael” so it’s tempting to go looking for a Michael Kors scent out of affection for the name alone.
What’s in a name, indeed.
Have you tried Michael? A lot of people thinks it’s too big white flower-ish, but I love it.
I haven’t tried Michael, but I’m tempted. I love florals, so I’ll look for it (and the many other Michael Kors scents) the next time I’m out shopping.
Wearing Theorema again today. I have 5 bottles of Theorema and a large decant and I’m wondering on why I am hoarding this. The price on Theorema keeps creeping up on Beauty Encounter but the prices on E-bay are horrid.
Theorema is so great! To me it smells like panettone, all mouthwatering and spicy with candied citrus.
You are wise to hoard! You will either use it or pay for a trip to Paris in a few years with your ebay proceeds!
Happy Tuesday all! Continuing the theme of gorgeous warm-weather scents, today I’m in Lys Mediterranee, another desert-island contender.
I love Lys Mediterannee. As soon as the weather is warm I reach for this one. You smell great
Very pretty. I’m not a big salty-note fan, but it really works in LM.
As I mentioned above to Deva I’m wearing Mito EDP today and wondering if anyone has thoughts about the EDP versus the Viole vs the extract on the Vero Kern perfumes. I feel like I *just* read something about this but now can’t find it. I love the EDP but don’t know if I should also try the other two also before anything so hasty as a purchase.
The formulas vary with concentration and can be very different perfumes. I’ve tried the edp and voile d’extrait for Rozy and loved both. Tried the edp and extrait for Rubj and adored the extrait while the edp felt like I was tasting soap. Haven’t tried the Mito variations but am guessing there’s also differences there. The edps all contain passion fruit if I remember correctly while the other variants don’t
For Mito the listed notes are the same for the EDP and the extract, slightly different for the VdE. I guess I’ll just have to try them all!
I would definitely try the different variations before buying. The edps in particular have a passionfruit note that can be troublesome. I love Rubj in extrait and voile d’extrait but the edp was awful on me.
I am wearing Brit sheer!! Been a long time and like it more than I remember..Great for a nice sunny day.
Nice to meet an old friend!
I drained one bottle of Burberry Brit Sheer one summer. but my BUB is untouched. You smell good!
I’m wearing Infusion d’Iris today, and although it’s one of my favorites, my records show that I haven’t worn it since Feb. 2015. The consequence of having too many favorites to choose from, I suppose.
Your records!!! Do you record what you wear each day? Or when you wear each perfume? What incredible organization!
Wearing Shiseido Inoui today. Haven’t worn it in a while since I tend not to wear it in cooler weather. Good stuff
Oh gosh, Inoui is gorgeous! I bought a 5ml split, and then about half of it leaked/evaporated where the lid wasn’t screwed on tight (my fault for not checking). Now I’m doling it out… I shall wear it tomorrow.
Sampling L’Artisan Seville a L’aube
Lots of NSTrs have been wearing this one, so I decided to try it out. Spicy orange blossom! I need a bottle of this now.
Beautiful and so versatile, too!
Pick one up for me while you’re at it
I am sampling the new Norell New York…
It is a white floral…nothing memorable or of interest. One wonders why they released it and how the use of the old name figures in. I imagine it smells nothing like the original but am not sure.
In other news, I spied an offer for a free sample of Angel Muse if anyone is interested (no affiliation). They promise we will #hatetolove it but I imagine many will #lovetohate it instead.
http://www.muglerusa.com/angel-muse-sampling-form/angel_muse_esampling_us/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=linkads_sample&utm_campaign=DigitalMediaAngelReveal_Mar16
Thanks for the info! I feel the same way about the Norell. I had high hopes and they were shattered.
Yeah, I just don’t get the sales/marketing or whatever people are making these decisions. Like the juice itself isn’t going to sell it, the packaging isn’t spectacular and I don’t know why they chose to license the Norell name unless they are trying to appeal to people of a certain age/generation…and did they think the name would be a selling point?
I just wonder why they think this fragrance would sell? I expect to see it at Marshalls soon enough.
I got a mini of it for free but have never smelled the original. I found it to be boring and generic but pleasant enough. I’m not sure who the target demographic is supposed to be. I imagine a more mature crowd who wants something more modern and adult and whose only exposure is dept store offerings. It does seem like it might appeal to the bridal crowd.
I tried the new version and I have some vintage. I would call them very distant cousins, ha. ????
I just recently bought on ebay a partial bottle of parfum which *seems* to be the original-original, pre-Revlon official Norell branded Real Deal. It’s amazing stuff and hard to categorize – the galbanum is fabulous in it, and it is RICHLY floral, and then it goes all Youth Dew (not surprising, same perfumer). I couldn’t wear it at all because of that base, but I can see how people that loved it are frustrated in finding something modern that’s similar.
Am sending this bottle to a new home, but on its recipient’s behalf, does anyone have suggestions for something modern for her to try? I have been utterly racking my brains and coming up with nothing!
How about the current Scherrer by Scherrer? Not up on Norell, but according to V at BdJ, the refo’d edp is perfectly nice, and $54.95 at Beauty Encounter. I’ve an ebay-acquired bottle of vintage Scherrer–gorge.
I’ll suggest it to her, thanks!
Wearing Iris Silver Mist today.
While I’ve never smelled that one, the name alone makes me think of a shimmering scarf or a sheer flouncy skirt. I’ll bet you smell lovely!
I love that – wish I had that in a big spray bottle (non-existent, I know) rather than a dwindling partial bell jar.
So awesome. You smell great!
Fabulous scent… Very dry and elegant. You smell great!
My very first bell jar so it is even more special than the fabulousness of the perfume!
SOTD: Sanborns Orange Blossom, sunlight in wearable form.
Addendum: husband is wearing Puredistance M and smells yummy.
That would be an interesting Friday challenge: post the SOTD of the person standing/sitting next to you… and if you don’t know what it is, ask them & get them to offer at least one adjective about it. (My spouse wants me to tell you his adjective for M is “rich”.)
That would be a toughy for me as I don’t smell that much perfume in the wild, and when I do, it’s almost always Chloe.
My sadly unscented universe
Oh, no! So Chloe’s adjective would be… “inescapable”?
Your hubby smells Mmmm good! I have never heard of Sanborns but I bet you smell nice!
Sanborns is a really nice soliflore agua de colonia you can sometimes find in Mexican groceries. I think it may be seasonal, so if you’re an orange blossom fan, grab it if you see it.
Apsara’s post inspired me to bring Indochine out of the back of the filing cabinet which I originally bought to house client files, but it works so much better as perfume storage. It’s an old wooden one that I got at a yard sale several years back. The drawers are deep and long enough to house taller items and everything is visible and accessible. Today is a bit overcast and cool so Indochine is just the ticket.
I was sorely tempted to get some decants and samples from the 20% off sale at STC yesterday and ended up staying up till the cut off time at midnight agonizing over what to get. I ended up just letting he deadline slip past and didn’t get anything because I just couldn’t decide. To compensate, I went over to another site and got a deeply discounted “back smoothing” purple bra with baroque lace and a leopard print which, in the rational light of morning, looks pretty hideous.
LOL!
Your cabinet sounds amazing!
Those flash sales are the reason I keep wishlists at the decant sites… so I can remind myself, “OH yeah, that was the one I wanted to test.” (My wallet wishes I would forget.)
You could always keep the bra just for a laugh, right?
I’m thinking of making it into a mini hammock for storing decants.????
Late to this thread:
Busy day! Huge fail with the IRS- have to do the old print and mail bit with them, because of issues with the IP PIN. Ugh! This is a law enforcement agency responsible for TRILLIONS of dollars and they have issues with something I do on a daily basis*! Argh!
SOTD: Another warm day today- so am dosed in Eau Universalle from L’Occitane and then a spritz of Sycamore. The combo is very refreshing and woodsy.
*The IRS somehow makes it possible for the country to work, and yet like every other Federal agency they are overwork and underpaid. I am sure you can make a lot more money being systems admin at Google/Alphabet than at the IRS. So I do have pity. But so frustrating.
It IS frustrating to deal with them. Once I had a question that ultimately took less than a minute for a CS agent to resolve on the spot. I had to wait over 75 minutes to get that point though. Shame.
You’ll get through this. We’re all pulling for you! <3
Ugh! And I know it’s not the agents but UGH!
Fortunately, I do not owe (in fact, I am due for a refund) but it is frustrating to supposedly have a tool for security…that breaks!
The pins used by the IRS have been compromised every year. Their online security is a joke, so sadly I do print and mail too. It’s better to be safe than sorry. From what I’ve read once you are compromised they have no good way of washing it out. You are compromised forever, for now. Lot’s of good articles online about their poor security if you are even in the mood to read on about it. That’s what you get when the gov wants to do important things on the cheap.
I’m wearing Shalimar OdlV(Mex) today. It felt right for the still gray (but fortunately not raining at the moment) weather. Also I wanted to break my habit of choosing from the first things I see on my dresser in the morning.
Nearing the end of my first go-round with Tauer samples: Carillon pour un ange. I’m getting a faint whiff of “12 year old boy after gym class” under the LOTV. Will not be a purchase, but it’s certainly interesting!
Oh lord. Preteen boys are SO stinky. (Well, to be fair, my 15yo is still pretty stinky. I think both his siblings were well out of the stink zone by that age, or maybe they had just mastered the art of the shower…) I really love CpuA, though I haven’t bought a bottle and probably won’t. It radiates like crazy, so you only need a drop, and I still have a couple of mls to work through.
Some of the Tauers, including this one, make me actively queasy. I feel like there is something used that just disagrees with my stomach, although I own and love Phi and Rose Flash (it can be a little overbearing, but in the right mood I like it a lot).
MMK, CPuA was what caused me to swear off LOTV. I know a dear perfumista scent twin friend thinks it is not the LOTV but I am still traumatized by it.
After 3 days of mostly rain, a bit of sunshine. So picked Pacifica French Lilac today
Yay, sun!
That’s a really nice one!
Hello, everyone. Great days and evenings to you all. I’m pootling about gently today in a soft wash of golden Fate, for no reason except that I like it. One of my doctoral students has to do her presentation for confirmation today, and the more tense she gets, the more relaxed I seem to be–my happy mood matches my perfume.
I read all your posts today thinking what a delicious-smelling lot we are. Deva’s love song to Onda was oarticularly entrancing. I’ve never smelt it, and probably won’t ever unless we travel to the States again, but her devotion and the responses started an instant lemming in me, yet I don’t even know what the notes are! I fear I am undisciplined and just plain greedy about perfume! Worse than that, I find I can admit this failing with unimpaired cheerfulness! On the other hand, to balance up my “Gimme Onda now!” reaction, I am seriously grappling with my inner Waterdragon over the purchase of a little black jacket. So far, resistance is winning, but…it’s got all these little buttons, and it’s really sharp…fitted…jeans or dressy…and did I say about the buttons? Oh dear, I am deeply, deeply shallow!
Embrace your deep shallowness. As one of my philosophy professors said, sometimes the most illuminating thoughts he has all day is what to eat for dinner.
What a wonderful gentleman! What a comforting thoughT! I’ll re-visit ithe jacket on my way home and we shall see what we shall see!
Perhaps you could alternate between buying a gorgeous perfume and buying a piece of gorgeous clothing. The jacket sounds worth it.
I agree. I have way too many bottles – time to lay off the perfume and buy some other things I could use for a change.
That jacket sounds lovely, Waterdragon, I vote for purchase. Onda is a vetiver/leather. I have a bottle of the extrait and love it, but you do need to be a fan of that slightly bitter leather chypre style.
I’m going to weaken and do it — I know I am. Ah me…a little black jacket with many buttons. Just what the doctor ordered.
FM Eau d’Hiver. This to me is a prime example of a misnamed perfume. It’s a warm, soft opaque cloud that smells like almond nougat, or those Danish wedding cookies that have a touch of anise. Perfect for the warmer side of spring.
I surprised myself by rather liking that one. Maybe it’s not one you’d WEAR in winter, just in times when you’re sort of longing for some cooler weather? If I remember correctly, there’s a “cold stone” note to it that I liked, but I don’t remember sweetness.
I probably associate the almond/anise notes with pastries, as I do cinnamon. Maybe there’s something cool about the top notes, but that goes away quickly for me.
I am considering this one for Friday myself! I see what Mals is saying about a certain coolness, but I don’t see it as a wintery coolness. More like after the sun goes down in Spring?
Good to know I’m not the only one to find it misnamed! That nearly kept me from wearing it enough to find out how much I love it.
I agree this is misnamed. Perhaps I am not recalling correctly but I think this one reminds me somewhat of a baby’s head after s/he wakes up from a nap.
That’s more like it!
Gucci Guilty is my SOTD. I saw the bottle in the back of my nightstand drawer, and decided to show it some attention today.
Hectic work day for me, so I’m very late to this party. SOTD is Ralph Lauren Safari. Perfect!!!
Day 2 for Oud Ispahan. Loving it, and the beautiful color of the juice!
You smell lovely. Such a great rose scent.
I agree! I know there’s a million rose/ouds, but this one is so pretty, and delicate enough that I can tolerate it for long periods of time. Sometimes strong ouds can get overwhelming with time for me.
No open windows, swing-sitting, or laundry on the line today. Weather has returned to what’s normal for early spring here, cool and breezy with a bit of rain in the air. I’m glad though, because too many plants/shrubs were opening so quickly I feared that spring would be over in a day if the time-lapse photography mode caused by our unseasonable warmth continued. And, just as I do with my perfume, I like to anticipate and savor my garden as well.
The pear and linden trees blooming in my neighborhood prompted my choice of fragrance today, the little-known Jean Patou, PanAme. I bought it on a whim at TJ Maxx years ago, as Patou scents work well on me. A fruity floral with notes of linden blossoms, violet leaves, pear, peach, sandalwood, oak moss and musk, it’s meant to evoke Paris in the springtime. Although pear notes don’t seem to be favored by the perfumista community, I really enjoy the juicy pear in this scent, joined by the blossoms and a tart greenness. I’ve been to Paris in the fall but never in the spring, so I have no idea if PanAme is a good representation or not of this season there, but I do like it very much on a cool spring day like today.
I recently tried Mair Remember When, which has a juicy pear note with jasmine. I actually really loved the pear! It was so fresh and mildly sweet, a really lovely note!
Eau de Merveilles for me today. Perfect after a number of gray days and a week of fatigue. All last week it was Escale a Portofino (Dior) that reminded me things would be looking up.
SOTD is a few dabs of Jivago 24K. I first smelled it way back in college while hanging out with my friend, so I chose it to wear to her funeral this morning. I’m glad I did because I think I will (happily) associate it with her even more now when I wear it.
So sorry for your loss. Glad you have a perfume to remember her by.
Thank you. ???? I have so many happy memories to remember her by. My sadness is in thinking of her family; I can’t imagine how hard it must be for her parents.
Crazy busy day and late to the party. Continuing on my theme of misnamed perfumes —
SOTD = Nicolai Amber Oud
It really should be named Lavamber. The main notes to me are lavender and amber with a teeny tiny bit of funk. I don’t smell any oud unless that little bitty bit of funk is the oud. If you don’t like lavender, stay far away. If you think you’ll smell heaps of oud because it’s in the name, you will be disappointed. While tbis is better when it’s cooler, for science and for the love of NST, I made a sacrifice.
I may not do a misnamed perfume tomorrow as it feels like I need some spine strengthening but we shall see.
Lavamber, exactly! This is the first one I thought of for this week’s challenge. This actually changed my heart for lavender…used to hate it, now I love it. But wow, what a misnomer!
Lavamber! I love it! I do like lavender, so I’ll have to try it. Thanks for your intrepid reporting and sacrifice for science! ????