It's Monday, yes, but it's also Ella Fitzgerald's birthday (it would have been her 99th). What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Hermès Eau de Néroli Doré. I wore it all weekend, and I'm really glad I bought this one. Tea at the moment is roasted dandelion + roasted chicory + cinnamon.
Reminder: on 4/29, wear one of your "top 10 of spring" fragrances (unless it's fall where you are, in which case wear one of your "top 10 of fall" scents).
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.
Mack the Knife!
I showered with that this morning 😀 and felt ‘golden’. Although I should have got the perfume instead of the shower gel :/
Well now you’ve made me want the shower gel! We need both, I’d guess.
lol for now I will have to stick to shower gel as I am saving up for any potential buy of this year or sample splurge.
The shower gels perfume the bathroom more than they stay on skin, I think. Except for the Gentiane Blanche, Narcisse Bleu, and Mandarine Ambrée that stay really well on skin.
I feel like a piece of linen with gentiane if that makes any sense.
I bought the Rhubarbe Ecalrate shower gel this weekend and it’s also lovely, although I wouldn’t mind if the scent was a bit stronger. But I want all scents to be stronger.
I think Rhubarbe is the next boldest in the collection after Mandarine for the shower gel. Perhaps more from Christine Nagel will come in bold shades. The juiciness is exhilarating in the shower also.
And your dresses tighter 😉
This about sums me up, yes.
I love scented shower gels for that reason- the atmosphere created by the shower with the scent can be very relaxing and invigoratng.
today I’m in Kenzo Amour.
You smell great!
Physical Therapy this morning and wearing Santal 33 this morning.
Someone mentioned Le Labo on the weekend thread so I dug out my samples from this line
Forgot to add tea this morning is a cappuccino ????
I am jealous of your tea!
That is a very yummy tea! 😀
SOTD is Vent Vert (I have the Calice Becker version) – definitely in my “top 10 of spring”.
It makes my eyes water in the initial stages. I like the new version as well.
Have you tried Untitled? It is also by her. It explores the musky side of galbanum, too.
I haven’t tried Untitled, but I’ll put it on my list to sample.
I have the same version, and it’s in my top 5 of spring, I love it!
SOTD is Penhaligon’s Ostara. It shouts “spring” to me!–as does En Passant which I plan to wear tomorrow.
Lovely choices, both.
Definitely a good spring scent.
Wonderful!
imperial tea (BK), I know it doesn’t receive much love, but I enjoy its greenish-tannic bitterness as well as the rather subtle jasmin notes.
I think it’s really nice! As L’Occitane’s Jasmine Green Tea is discontinued, I might in fact think about a travel set of Imperial Tea…
I have the travel set! The silver spray is itself quite covetable 🙂
I will have to try this one. It sounds really nice. I don’t mind the green-tannic bitterness.
Oh I love Imperial Tea!
I’m wearing Pal Zileri Viaggio d’Africa, a cheaper alternative to Vetiver Tonka. Pretty similar in the opening but goes a different route in the dry-down. Where Vetiver Tonka is more vetiver based, Viaggio is more burned sugar.
Never seen it, but good to know! I do like a little burnt sugar.
The Eau de Neroli Dore outlasted the Jo Malone Rare Tea Collection sprays going up my arm that I tried this weekend while walking up Madison Avenue in NY. I thought allergies were interfering with my fully appreciating them, but later, the Hermes was the only thing I could smell and really had a “golden” spring sensibility to it.
SOTD is FM En Passant.
You smell so beautiful. And I’m your older cousin today 😉
And you smell exquisite!
Can you tell me more about the JM rare teas? They have not arrived in my area yet.
There are 6 scents going stepwise from lighter to richer and from different tea regions. The concept is intriguing, but there wasn’t any one that was new- they essentially fell into generic perfume categories and come in large bottles for now. The SA did say they would be permanent, so maybe they will do a collection in little bottles in the future.
https://nstperfume.com/2016/03/21/jo-malone-rare-teas-new-fragrances/
I’d be interested to read the opinions of NST veterans on these going forward.
To me the Herb Garden Collection was a bit more distinctive and with no less longevity ,and at least in the small bottles, allowed for the possibility of purchase.
My Teo Cabanel sampler arrived this weekend so I’m trying out Alahiiiine! Thanks to the enablers. It is lovely.
Yay!
I had had Early Roses on my to-buy list, and was going to get it directly from Teo Cabanel – but I ran across a slightly-used bottle on ebay for cheeeep… so I bought it. I blush, but only a little bit. Mother’s Day is coming up! 🙂
Mals is the Alahiiine enabler and get a crown with jewels
Enjoying anything else from your sampler pack?
Hiram Green’s beautiful and comforting Voyage today. It is warming enough for the cold spring days we are having here, but it still has a light touch to remind me it is actually end of April. I have worn it often this relatively chilly spring.
I want to know how you smell :)!
Very soon you will!
Keeping the streak alive and wearing Lush All Good Things for the third day in a row. I’ve liked it more each time I’ve worn it, which is a treat, considering that I was slightly worried I bought it too impulsively.
Ooh congrats–I love when things shake out like that! I was just saying that Hermes Jardin en Med has been similar for me–picked it kinda impulsively from limited duty-free options when someone wanted to buy me a present (you can’t say no to a perfume present! but, it is sad to have have a bottle you never touch). Happily, it turns out I wear it a ton!
Yay for surprise victories! Jardin en Med is such an interesting one, too. I usually dislike fig, but something about it is so wonderfully savory. It actually makes me think of tomato sauce, which probably sounds unappealing, but is an element I happen to love. I think I might just pull out my sample to wear tomorrow!
So glad to hear!
I’m wearing my new bottle of La Parfumerie Moderne Desarmant – a luscious, voluptuous dark lilac. Despite the name of the brand, I find it very classic(al), although not old-fashioned. This is a proper perfume I would recommend not only to lilac fans, but people who enjoy old school florals and floral chypres. Or if you enjoy the work of Marc-Antoine Corticchiato.
The founder of the brand was there when I tried and bought it and apparently it wears in a very ‘English’ way on me, meaning that the lighter, more floral notes are prominent. On some people, it can be much more leathery (I’m kind of sad it isn’t on me!), but it’s beautiful as it is.
You make Desarmant sound so beautiful. I really enjoy perfumes with a chypre element. I’ll be adding it to my sample list.
YMMV, of course, but it’s definitely sample-worthy.
Desarmant was love at first sniff for me. You smell great
So glad to hear that! What does it smell like on you?
Lilac with a tinge of leather
Lilac and chypre? Yes, please.
Indeed 🙂
I loved Desarmant when I tried it, too. But I surely do not need 100ml of anything these days…
True that. But I’m telling myself that I can use some of it to make samples for other lilac lovers 🙂
I love lilac 😉
You are on my sample list, no worries 🙂
This is the problem that makes me wish there were another splitmeet coming up. Annikky, you make the scent sound extraordinary.
I hope I’m not over-selling it… But I do think it’s beautiful. I also like that the line only has four fragrances and while they aren’t all to my taste, they are all well done, very distinct and have a clear reason for being.
I have never known any lilac beyond the one in En Passant, would you say that it is very floral or dainty or bold?
It’s bolder than En Passant and more complex – it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better (I adore En Passant), but it’s different. Where En Passant is watery and light, Desarmant is denser and more powdery; while En Passant has hardly any bottom notes, Desarmant has a solid base (I’m getting a bit of leather now too, in the dry-down). It’s still not what I would call dark, but darker than other lilacs I’ve smelled – En Passant, Opardu, Vacances and Yves Rocher.
Ohh that makes me itchy for a sample!
It sounds very pretty indeed. May not be available yet here in PDX (Fumerie Perfumerie or the Perfume House *might* be a hookup) but it sounds like it would worth sampling! 🙂
Oh boy, this sound like something I would like!
Gosh, that sounds like a lovely perfume, like it might be right up my alley. I’m tying to ‘picture’ how it smells. ????
Promptly added to my to-sample list. A chypre-ish lilac? This sounds fantastic!
SOTD to prepare for a whopping few days at work is vintage Chanel No 19 extrait. And I love roasted dandelion root tea in the evenings….
Good luck with work!
I’ve become sort of addicted to dandelion & chicory, probably because the taste reminds me of coffee.
dandelions are high in iron.
Really….. *looks at yard*…hmm….
My husband is italian and he grew up eating Cicoria. I usually buy them at the market. 🙂
I like the heavy flavor of it too – very comforting – but I also like bitter greens as well. It works for me to help reduce puffiness.
Hi Ann, glad to see you!
I tried to buy the Essences Insensees 2014 solid…received an email that is was permanently out of stock, mistake on their part. But…she was ever so kind and send me the solid that they used for sampling in their shop for free! Maybe one or two smears have been taken out and it arrived in its dainty little pouch.
Needless to say I think it is utterly gorgeous, but from the solid and to my humble nose similar enough to Une Fleur de Cassie not to experience endless perfumista loss because discontinued.
Did my postcard arrive? Maybe they did send it by boat…
Great score! I find Essences Insensees much cleaner than Fleur de Cassie. The indoles in FdC were too much for me altogether.
Apparently FdC has been somewhat tweaked and is less indolic now, to my nose it is interesting enough without being too indolic. But I am very happy with the EI solid, and her excellent customer service.
H – I am so glad that you got the solid compact and that you think it is very lovely. It IS really lovely! I’ve never smelled UFDC so I cannot comment. The post card did arrive and E has been telling her teachers and the ladies I work with at the library that she got a postcard from Europe. She likes to read it out loud. We are working on sending one back to you with your package! It is a lot of fun, and she was interested to learn about wild boars.
Oh how nice to read E’s response! You can tell her the other night a female wild boar crossed the road with 20 piglets. We’ve had a mild winter so they did well on the offspring front!
Wore my darling Le Temps d’une Fete (2012 bottle) yesterday and was tempted to wear it again today, but wound up in the galbanum/marigold slap of Crown Bouquet. It makes me almost as happy as LTdF.
you’ve reminded me that it’s time for it again, it’s on my list for this week now!
I’m wearing HdP Moulin Rouge today.
I keep looking for Hermes Neroli Dore, but so far none of the stores have it here.
It does not seem to be in wide circulation yet…
SOTD passage d’enfer for my soul
Strong coffee for the commute
love this ! planning to pick a new bottle soon as mine has only a couple of drops left – i’ll just open it to sniff occasionally ????
Very tired this AM from not enough sleep over the weekend… Kusmi St. Petersburg tea waking me up slowly. After my shower it will be Kilian Black Oud.
I am very tired too, worked all weekend and then I had to wake up early for PT. I am so exhausted! Took today off and waiting for the babies to sleep so I can nap
SOTD Heeley Iris de Nuit – I didn’t know it was spring week but it fits quite well. It’s in my top 10 fragrances for anything.
Must try that one soon, it sounds lovely!
Did u get a chance to try the new Miller Harris, Vetiver Insolence?, the Iris is prominent in that one, and the opening is a lovely gingery, spicy Vetiver, but it pooped out early on me. I’ll send u what’s left of my sample if you haven’t tried it yet.
Hi – no, I haven’t, so if you’re sure you don’t want it that would be lovely. Thanks. I must get organised with decanting supplies, then I can send you some Iris de Nuit!
No worries at all, will send it this week.
I’m really nervous about decanting too- could be such an expensive accident, so please don’t worry, I’m going to try and sniff it out on next London expedition.
I real beauty! You smell great.
Was sick all weekend with a nasty sinus infection. I’m at work, but not really functional. Just an automaton, sitting here, staring at the screen and waiting until I can go home and pass out. Although I just remembered I can’t because I need to go grocery shopping. There’s no food at all, other than Passover desserts the hubs brought home from his relative’s last night (I stayed home).
Last night I had a short burst of energy and half hour when I wasn’t feeling like death, so I finished the laundry and then sprayed a few rooms with some old scents. I sprayed the study with The Vert au Jasmine (green tea with jasmine) by L’occitane (discontinued) and remembered why I like this one so much. So that’s my SOT. It’s very faint, but that’s fine. It’s not like I can smell all that great today anyway.
Poor you. I hope that you can go home early. feel better.
I left work early on Friday. I’ll see how I feel after lunch. I took some more medicine that won’t make me sleepy, so hopefully that will help.
If you’re not productive, it’s kind of pointless to stay. You’ll get better faster if you rest.
sorry… This sounds way to much like a lecture… not at all how I intended.
No worries 🙂 I get what you’re saying. My job isn’t overly taxing and part of the office is out for a conference, so just chilling out here is about as easy going as I could ask for on a Monday.
I hope you feel better soon!
Thanks, I do too. I really hate it when I have these flare ups.
Hope u feel better soon!
Thanks much. It sucks that I’m like this when we’ve had such great weather. I should be outside running, but that’s not happening while my head feels like fuzzy cotton and snot.
I am ordering you to not do house chores and rest
Hmmm… well if it’s an order then maybe I’ll order the hubs to do the shopping while I rest 😉
Yes..if he is feeling well he is able 🙂
I think that’s a great idea. You can rest and polish off those desserts! Hope you feel better.
Mmmm, yes, this sounds like a plan…
Thanks.
Feel better!
I will try. Thank you.
Ugh! Go home, go to bed, cuddle up with blankets and let that bug works itself out.
I definitely could’ve used some more sleep this morning, but that’s how I feel every weekday morning.
It’s gotten to the annoying stage more than anything. I was curled up on the sofa all weekend and eventually that kind of sloth mode when ill means my sleep schedule will end up messed up as well. For as much as I hate to admit it, it might be for the best that I actually keep myself going today – not in any stressful capacity! – but just enough to regulate myself.
So sorry to hear you’re not feeling well 🙁 But you smell lovely, I love Jasmine Green tea and actually mentioned it in response to Bee earlier. Such a shame it’s discontinued.
I saw your comment! I’m actually really surprised they discontinued this scent. I thought it was popular enough to become a staple of the brand. I’m glad I bought a bottle. I also have White Tea (also discontinued).
If we are sharing the same bug you need to be patient. Been at it for almost 3 weeks now and still sniffing but feeling less zombie like.
Noooooo! I don’t want to be sniffling for that long! I don’t know what it is I’ve got. My husband was bed ridden all last weekend and I didn’t feel bad at all. Last Mon-Tues the girls in the office behind me all fell down ill (one of them is still coughing a week later) and I was ok. Wednesday of last week sore throat hit me and then went away the next day but sinus pressure started up. We’ve also had fairly consistent spring weather and my car was a yellow pollen ball this morning. So I’m thinking it’s a combination of some sort of cold mixed with allergies that’s triggered my sinusitis. I’ve been doing my nasal rinses, which do help, but usually take a week to really knock it out.
I hope for you I have the European version ????
Rest and take care. Maybe you can order out if you can and skip the grocery store for awhile or send hubs if he’s able. It’s awful to be sick when spring has finally sprung. Hope you feel better soon.
Hope work goes by quickly and you feel better after getting some rest tonight!
I hope you feel better soon! “Fuzzy cotton and snot” is definitely not an ideal state. ????
SOTD is French Lilac by Pacifica. Shower gel, lotion and perfume. Although this scent is relatively inexpensive, it’s really nice.
Oooh, I may need to find this. Lilac seems to be having a renaissance of sorts this year.
It’s really great for the price.
I’m in same, but the roller ball version. I haven’t tried the shower gel or lotion (picky, picky skin, so it’s hardly ever worth the cost). Really, this is my favorite lilac. I’ve tried others, but nothing beats this one’s price/enjoyment ratio.
I have the rollerball too. I used to have trouble with scented shower gels and lotions as well but I seem to have grown out of it. You smell great!
$12 for a roller ball? I feel like I am losing money by NOT getting this. I loooove lilac, so I’ll have to try this out asap!
I have the rollerball too. I’m a bit allergic to lilac so I didn’t want the spray. I put it on this morning around 7AM and it’s still going strong.
Seems like a day of lilacs 🙂 I have a long-standing plan to get some Pacifica things from the Netherlands, where they sell them online (haven’t seen the brand available in Belgium, if anyone knows different, let me know). I’ve wanted to try French Lilac and Tahitian Gardenia for so long…
But I’ve just bought Yves Rocher Lilac shower gel this weekend!
Shizo.nl is a good and nice online shop which ships to Belgium for a reasonable rate, free from 75 euro’s onwards.
Yves Rocher has great shower gels. I have the Lagoon shower gel and the Monoi body oil. It’s very nice.
I was born in Rochester (home of the Lilac Festival), during the festival, and spent much time both in Highland Park (where the lilac collection resides) and sniffing any lilac perfumes I could find. There always seems to be something strong in (especially the truer) lilac scents that wallops me and makes them unwearable, long term. Pacifica really is wearable, especially surprising at it’s price point. I’ve also sniffed En Passant, and it seemed to qualify (as wearable), but needs further investigation. I sniffed it in Barney’s Las Vegas, a one time deal, sadly.
Sounds like you may need to seek out a sample of En Passant.
SicilianaNC, I can send some. You have my address from the meetup.
I have to find out about lilacs on the Great Lakes. I grew up near Lake Erie, and climbed in a beautiful tree in the neighborhood.
The Pacifica French Lilac and Yves Rocher’s original Pur Desir de Lilas are my favorite more-or-less lilac soliliflores, perfect for spring!
It really is nice–you smell great!
Burberry Brit Rhythm – mass perfumery it may be, but it’s got rhythm and I got a bit of the blues so together we are Rhythm&Blues.
On the 29/4 I’ll probably wear whatever I put on the 28/4 which is my B-Day.
Hope the blues vanish by your birthday! I’ll play/sing Ella in the car while running errands and send happy vibes your way. 🙂
4/28 (sorry, can’t help the American date order) is my son’s birthday too. He’s turning 13 and has been in cancer remission for 6 years and counting, so it will be a happy day.
Happy early birthday to you. I hope you get a fabulous new perfume and that the blues get chased away with the sun and scent!
Many, many, MANY happy returns!
Six years remission. That is cause to celebrate! What a terrible thing for you all to go through.
Happy early birthday in case I miss it later!
I have a bottle of this! The Brit flankers are usually way better than the typical mass market scents.
Here I am, still in my pajamas, wearing Deneuve and cruising E-Bay. That’s the odd thing about retail, you can get the strangest work schedule. I’m just happy that a coworker is coming back from vacation.
Sounds like a perfect morning.
SOTD L’Air d’Rien, this is a comfort perfume for me when it’s grey and miserable, one of my Top Ten’s, tho not when its sunny
& springy. Will start those one’s tomorrow!
I wore that this past rainy Saturday. I didn’t like it the first time I tried it, but I resmelled it when I was weeding samples to give away this pat winter and fell in love with it. It smells like old books to me. Very comforting, indeed!
First day back at work after the convention in Houston, and I’m wearing Dzing!
Nice choice!
I will try to do a work week of Spring perfumes until I get sick of it (flowery perfumes, many of which I associate with spring, do that to me but I may surprise myself).
First up:
SOTD = Parfums DelRae Wit
It’s a very pretty fragrance with an entire garden of flowers. Weirdly enough, I smelled vanilla early on but that could be from the Carmex hand cream.
Wit is gorgeous. I was really impressed with this one, but I’m not sure I want a FB of it.
Agreed on not needing a FB which is why I ended splitting my FB instead and the partial bottle will last me forever!
Based on the description of this perfume, I think I may have a (unfortunately discontinued) dupe in Anthopologie EauDe Vert.
I wish I have an Anthropologie near me. They seem to have more interesting perfumes than Urban Outfitters although when I did a quick walk-through of the UO Herald Square, I saw that they now carry Fiele. For old time’s sake, I wanted to resmell Pogestomon but the tester was missing in action.
1)We have a really huge, gorgeous Anthropologie in the Pearl District here in PDX. If you have time when you are here later on this year, go take a spin!
2) I know that line, and I remember LOVING Pogestomon! However, I did not smell this at UO or Anthro but at a charming store up in Seattle in the Ballard neighborhood.
2a) If sense memory serves me well, it kinda reminds me of a perfume put out by Royal Apothic called Dogwood (also sold by Anthro, and of course discontinued in stores) combined with a hint of Hinoki (from CdG).
Nahema parfum
“Luckyyyyyyyyy…..” (In my best imitation of Napoleon Dynamite)
I thought I might as well do a few more roses, so today I’m wearing HdP 1876, apparently inspired by Mata Hari. It’s called a masculine rose in The Guide, as well as a Victorian dandy fragrance. Either way, it’s a lovely spicy rose.
TODM is Osmanthe d’Or.
Don’t know what that tea tastes like, but the name sure is gorgeous.
It’s a lightly oxidised oolong. It’s very nice actually.
ELDO Rossy de Palma. I think this just might be my favorite rose.
It must be beautiful if you prefer Rossy to Rose de Petra.
They’re pretty different and I love both, but Rossy just gets me on a gut level.
Another one for the sample list! 🙂
You smell great! Rossy is a favorite of mine too.
Hi all, I haven’t been around much (and totally dropped the ball on corresponding about/attending the DC meet up) because I’m undergoing infertility treatments. I’m doing IVF and have egg retrieval this Thursday or Friday. It’s all a little scary (and expensive and time consuming – so I guess good practice for actually having a baby) but I’m just trying to stay hopeful.
I’m in Vanilla Insensée today because all I want are comfort scents right now (as my artificially stimulated hormones take over my life).
Fingers crossed for you!!! (And you smell great, btw)
Thank you!
Fantastic news for your IVF cycle-and you are a brave brave woman!
I just resigned from my job last Monday, but have been working in the field of Assisted Reproduction for the last 11 (long long) years…
All my best wishes for you and hope that your embryos have successful growth
Aww, thank you. The REs and the entire nursing staff at the fertility center I use are wonderful – it takes a special kind of person to be in that field, I’m sure. Lots of emotions to deal with.
Great! Glad you found a facility that connects with you
Good luck! I will stay hopeful for you! It worked for my parents 🙂 and that was ~29 y ago!
Yay! Thank you. Your parents were practically pioneers in the field – that’s awesome.
Wishing you the best of luck!
That is stressful. I hope it all goes well!
I have gone through similar issues, so I am praying for you. And keep taking care of yourself,
I think the DC meetup crew should send you good vibes collectively. Stay positive!
Good luck! You smell lovely. That is a comforting scent.
Thank, all!
Sending positive vibes your way. Hope all goes well.
Wishing you the best!!
Wishing you the best!
Wishing you the best. The result of my IVF is 12 now; I know how challenging it is. Stick with those comfort scents!
After showering off a sample that was bothering my eyes, I have reset by applying Milk of Flowers
What sample bothered your eyes?
Something from Il Profumo. I went to their event at Osswald with the NY folks and got a bag with samples but I am so far striking out with this house–2 weren’t to my taste and this one was an almost instantaneous sensitivity
I wanted to put on more VS Rose Bergamot today. It is exactly as advertised–a burst of crisp and sour green apple that quickly fades into a musky comfort that strongly reminds me of Granddad’s “Brut” aftershave, LOL–but I think I’ll save it since I seem to be running through my travel stick a bit TOO quickly! SOTD is the powdery comfort of Eau de Gaga instead.
Is that a solid stick? Really? Haven’t seen that since the old Danas. I’ll have to swing by the mall later…..
No, it’s a small spray .7 oz stick. I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to be confusing!
sotd is cuir d’ange; i’ve also added a couple of spritzes of N° 19 poudré on my wrists this evening. i guess the theme of the day is soft !
And pretty!
Eau de Neroli Dore is on my must try list.
SotD is Atelier Cologne Silver Iris
SOTD: Union Celtic Fire = my Monday morning brimstone. Get thee behind me, coworkers!
Sounds like a necessity! I’d love to arm myself that way.
I really want to try this one. And the other Union fragrances, too.
I think their packaging is so satisfying, but I have yet to try any of their scents.
You’re not wearing vintage Tabu so something must be getting better 🙂
SOTD is Deseo by Jennifer Lopez. This is one of the few celebrity fragrances that I enjoy. Its one of those cheap thrills that smells like it costs so much more than it does. I think its a perfect “spring” scent.
I need to sniff this one sometime. I love her Still fragrance, which i found at Ross, but haven’t seen Deseo in the wild yet.
Thanks for the reminder to keep it on my radar!
And I need to try her Still. If it smells half as good as Deseo, she would be the queen of celebrity fragrances to me. I got my last bottle of Deseo from FragranceNet. It was under $20. Since its been out a long while, you can find it for a good price.
I’m wearing Yves Rocher Cuir Vetiver. It’s surprisingly similar to atelier colognes Vetiver Fatal. I imagined leather would dirty it up a bit, this scent is very fresh, which is not what I expected.
Is it still in production? Sounds like something I should try.
I saw it at my local Yves Rocher ~1 month ago! On sale, even. It smells great: rich, dirty, and leathery. Not sure why I didn’t buy it; it was like 35€/100 mL.
Thank you! One good thing about Brussels is that you have YR shops everywhere. Will definitely give it a try.
Feeling all fluttery after an eventful weekend. We finally received and accepted an offer on our house! We have to pass the inspections, so we’re still on-edge, but we are cautiously excited. Spent all day yesterday looking for our next home and we think we found it. Hopefully making an offer tonight. Woot!
SOTD is Grisette, which is not especially grounding but smells lovely on this sunny and optimistic spring day.
Good luck Luna!
Wow, fast succession of events. Best of luck.
I remember being in that situation–full of possibilities. Enjoy!
Good luck on the house inspection and happy house hunting!
Nice — hope it all goes smoothly!
Yay! So exciting on both fronts! I know how stressful the process can be. Hope all goes well with the inspection and offer.
That’s exciting! Good luck!
Congrats!
In L’Occitane’s Jasmin & Bergamote from a freebie that came with an order… its okay. I should retry it in hot weather. It is a very clean jasmine, which in my mind kind of defeats the purpose.
I had a dream last night that I was in a new job. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, and I knew I was going to get fired. There was a pile of fabric on a couch in my office from the previous occupant. I didn’t think think the job had anything to do with fabric or design, but then again I could not be sure.
I woke up very anxious and I haven’t been able to shake it!
Most of L’Occitan’s fragrances I think do best in warm weather- they seem to need to bloom.
I do wonder what your dream means? That feeling of anxiety, cloth that did not fit, the couch…
Ha ha, if it were me, it would mean I reached down and grabbed a bit of the bed covers, then inserted it into my dream.
Without going into detail, I have a lot of experience with outside noises being incorporated into my dreams. Over the years I found that when I woke with a strong “feeling” it usually dissipated around 3 or 4 pm. I’d be interested how yours evolves.
I hope this feeling dissipates before 3 PM! I hate feeling anxious, especially for no good reason. I have to begin drafting a legal request for something to do with my son’s schooling. Now I am procrastinating because I am feeling anxious about it. Totally annoying!
I hate those dreams that shape the entire feeling of the morning. I hope it passed quickly!
Hate waking up anxious! Hope you manage to shake it asap!
Wearing Un Jardin après la Mousson today…
I think I like all of the Jardins…wish they weren’t so fleeting.
Carthusia Fiori di Capri today, summery flowers on this rather chilly spring day. Carnation, Lily of the Valley, Ylang ylang on top of Oak, Amber and Sandalwood.
Every time I wear this, I think I should wear it more. I have a little splash bottle, but I want to get a big spray bottle and put it in the frig for summer refreshment spritzing!
Sounds really nice.
when I was 18 years old many moons ago I went on a high school trip to Capri and bought a small splash bottle of this. I finished it and never thought about repurchasing because at that time you could only find it in Capri.. Its so lovely..enjoy
I now have a little list of lighter flowery perfumes, that I enjoy a lot and am surprised to say so – Hove Carnaval, Maria Candida Gentile Hanbury, Carthusia Fiori di Capri, also Kerosene Pretty Machine, DSH Fleuriste…friendly cheerful flowers! I am surprised that I like them because none of them have that “depth” that I think of as evidence of a “good” flowery perfume – Mohur Extrait, Le Maroc pour Elle, Chants des Aromes; Seville a l’Aube. Hmmm.
Chilly spring day- lots of moody fog and sprinkles of very cold rain. I was spoiled by the early warm spell! Very chilly and damp last night- I was far too cosy in my bed with my big old goose down comforter, and woke up late.
SOTD: Chanel Eau Premiere+ Moringa shower gel. Perfect for the chill and freshness of the day. Hot almond milk chai to shake up the cobwebs in my head.
Mmm, almond milk chai sounds good.
So good. So warming, gives a lift and sweet.
SOTD = Fracas extrait just because. 🙂
OOOH.
WOW. I only smelled the edp, so DAMN, YOU SMELL FAB!
Yes, to all that!
Well played!
And I’m still afraid to Fracas EDP!
So many colorful pretties blooming in my neighborhood today! The forsythias are still incredibly holding onto their yellow blossoms and the pear, linden, and amelanchers are cpvered in frilly white blossoms. But it’s pink that’s the star this week: Magnolias are beginning to fade but still clinging tenaciously to their flowers and they are joined by redbuds, crab apples, and my very favorite shrub, the Korean Spice viburnums. I have 2 in my backyard and luckily the weather’s been warm enough for open windows and their heavenly scent wafts through the house. No perfume smells as good as these! My redbud is tall and graceful and covered in tiny deep pink blooms, and I’m as proud as any parent can be since I grew it from a tiny Arbor Day twig. Ditto for a lovely crabapple that appeared one day in the rear of my yard. Perhaps a bird dropped a seed? We noticed it covered with pink blossoms in the spring and moved it a few years ago to a place where it’s become very happy!
So my SOTD has to be something Pink and Pretty but also in keeping with my Simple Monday theme – L’Occitane Magnolia & Mure is the perfect choice. It’s my favorite of the Grasse collection, although the new Violette and Rose de Mai that Robin mentioned today could vie for that distinction if I get a chance to smell it . . . black currant, roses, violet, geranium, orange, all favorite notes of mine.
Sounds beautiful – the flowers and the fragrance!
There is no comparison to fresh spring flowers.
Thank you for the lovely garden description. I have a viburnum Burkwoodii which smells wonderful as well, jasmine like.
All I’ve managed to do so far today is laundry, nursing sessions, and diaper changes, but I’ve been wearing my Chanel 31 RC sample, so that’s something. 🙂
That’s quite a bit, actually!
Well, it’s definitely more than I managed during the first seven weeks of extreme sleep deprivation!
I’m glad the sleep deprivation has eased up! You’re doing great. I recall how surprised I was to find that my little guy took an hour to nurse each time, and that multiplying that by twelve or more times a day added up to literally ALL I was able to do. I know you recently moved and might not have the strongest support network on hand, so I hope you’re feeling okay!
I am exhausted today after working all weekend. I have the day off today, and I keep telling myself is nurse, change diapers, and breathe.
I can’t imagine working at the same time as taking care of the little one. You definitely deserve to do as little as possible today!
Yes, breathe, and hydrate! Be gentle with yourself; the rest can always wait.
You smell gorgeous!
Happy Monday, all! Today feels kind of raw, here — a beautiful, cloudless sky, but chilly and very windy, and last night involved a 5-hour bout of insomnia for me, and this morning my babe cried all the way through his breakfast and all the way through the process of falling asleep for his first nap, for reasons utterly unknown. So I went with Vanilla Flash today, for its comforting, boozy warmth.
Hang in there- just when you think you have it all figured out babies will change their tune. Try not to go to “crazy town” and find some moments to take a breath. You smell fabulous
Seriously — it’s all such a lesson in, well, *not* thinking you have it all figured out! Which is a real mind-bender since there’s never been anything in my life so critically important, and so challenging, to figure out. 🙂 How’s your wee one doing?
SOTD is Dame Perfumery Mandarin, Neroli & Cedar.
I’m under a wind advisory today (or red flag warning, depending on which weather source you check). This may be a bit TMI, but right after breakfast I heard a Cooper’s in my backyard and looked out the window in time to see it in the nearest tree just starting to tear into a verdin or some other smaller bird it had caught. Ah, Nature! So, I suppose that was a sign that, in comparison, my Monday could be a heck of a lot worse!
Cooper’s Hawk, that is.
Wonderful sighting, we have a similar hawk and it is a joy to spot it.
Btw what is TMI?
“Too much information.” The hawks are indeed a joy to watch. You would have loved last week when there was one (probably the same) in that tree the same time as a great horned owl. It was hopping around in the tree squawking and trying to get the owl to leave. The owl, not surprisingly, was like “Whatever,” and the hawk eventually gave up and flew off.
????
Be the hawk, not the snack!
LOL!
Words to live by 😉 !
Ha! I think I’ll make that my new mantra! ????
We have a hawk that visits our backyard because we have numerous bird feeders and many birds. I have seen him snatch up an unwitting sparrow from a shrub and, yes, it is most unpleasant to see even though it’s nature; nonetheless, he’s a beautiful sight to see! Most of the time the birds are pretty smart, we’ll notice the birds depart suddenly or we’ll peek out the window and no one will be there, so we know the arrival of the hawk is imminent, and right we are.
How do you like the Mandarin, Neroli and Cedar? I have a sample but haven’t tried it yet.
I like the Mandarin, Neroli & Cedar a lot. Mine is a sample, too, so I think I miss the mandarin and other top notes a bit by dabbing instead of spraying. But the neroli and cedar seem to last throughout and are nicely intertwined. It’s a warm scent and crisp at the same time. I find even a few dabs have good projection and longevity.
Yes, it’s usually a sign there’s a hawk when a bunch of quail or doves suddenly freak out and take off! Our yard has 6 large mesquites and 2 bird feeders, so we’re pretty popular. It seems that at least one of the hawks has figured out how to either just wait for the odd smaller bird to fly into a window or actually chase it into one. Last week I heard something bang into the large picture window, so I went to check. I approached slowly and couldn’t see anything until I got righ up to it and looked down. There, not a foot away, was a hawk on the ground. I managed to see it had a small bird in one talon just before it turned its head and looked at me and promptly flew off with its meal. I just wish the Hawks would get more doves and horrid cowbirds instead!
I love, love, love Ella Fitzgerald! There’s a version of “Blue Skies” she does that never fails to make me happy. And “Air Mail Special” at Newport. And “Swingin’ at the Savoy” with Louis Armstrong. And….
Nahema EDT for me today.
I love her too 🙂
Theorema. It can be a sunny spring scent, too.
I have so much to do in the next two days, that I need a little lift and focus.
Good luck getting it all done!
I’m wearing a scrumptious sample of Jo Malone Dark Amber and Ginger Lily which is sadly starting to fade. It’s reminding me a bit of the original Bulgaria Omnia. Does anyone else make this association?
I haven’t tried Dark Amber & Ginger Lily, but it’s good to know that there might be a substitute if my Omnia runs out and I can’t find another one.
I’ll have to do a side by side comparison when I get home today…it’s not the same but feels really similar.
Hello, NST. I’m just pottering around today, taking a day’s leave. Later on, I’m going to take lunch to a friend’s house and help her replant the hanging baskets and pots on her verandah, which will be peaceful and restorative. SOTD is the strong but curiously boneless AG Myrrhe Ardente. I wonder how it behaves on others? On me, it wafts and twines and drifts off, then returns-it never seems to settle into anything definite. It’s always a hint of smokey sweetness in the periphery of my senses, never quite at the centre. I enjoy MA when I think to wear it, and much, much more outside than indoors-I suppose an outdoor breeze enhances its elusiveness– so it seems a good match for today’s plans.
That does sound like a lovely, restorative day, and I’m sure your friend will be glad of your help. I hope you’re feeling better after your frustrating automotive misadventures this past weekend!
Thank you! I’ve kinda found my equilibrium again, but I certainly did feel stupid, and then too, the scene with the truck driver was enormously embarrassing. And surprising! I’ve never been accosted in public by a total stranger before, unless he was drunk. Oh. Well, actually…..? But no, surely not. I think it made me suddenly realise that if someone is looking for a victim, a greyhead (me!???) is one of the ideal types. Fortunately, I had done nothing wrong–even the cop (best witness ever!) said that. Anyhow, that was Friday; this is Tuesday, and it’s all about friends and flowers, and rescuing Dakkie’s best knitted mouse from a light fitting in the sitting room. He must have tossed it up there in an excess of energy, and I’ve only just noticed it. I wouldn’t have, but that its tail is hanging sadly down. So. Another kind of restoration: Dakkie and Madeline reunited.
I imagine if one of your better students messed up an assignment you’d know this was atypical and might encourage them not to dwell on it. So worst case, even if everything you did on Friday was your mistake (and it wasn’t), really, so what? I’m going to go out on a limb and bet you’re not about to make a habit of driving the wrong way up the motorway or starting a blood feud with the truckers’ union. So I’m afraid you’re just not cut out for the life of a motoring menace and will have to learn to accept your boringly competent and responsible self. :^)
He got it all the way into a light fitting! What a talented one be is! I was angry on your behalf at the cursing trucker Friday. That is never ok, no matter what. Bullies are my least favorite form of human animal. I’m glad you are ok and moving onward and upward.
I have always worn MA to bed. I hadn’t worn for quite a while and loved it the other day when I did. I could smell many nuances. It stays pretty put on my skin, no wafting!
You’re lucky! I don’t mind the wafting at all, but I feel I have to let the scent creep up on me. It’s not direct and straightforward, but that’s not a bad thing sometimes.
I’m a big fan of Myrrhe Ardente as it sticks around all day and smells warm and comfortable and different. One of my first post-NST purchases and an eBay success too. :^)
Hi everyone, I just discovered a hair product that smells divine. It’s called Sacred Tiare Leave-in conditioner by Carol’s Daughter. It’s free of parabens and other toxic stuff and it smells like Bronze Goddess only much much better if you can imagine that. It looks like they use actual flower extracts. The best part, it’s affordable, $13 for an 8 oz spray bottle and you can get it at CVS.
I’m looking for a summer perfume to pair it with. Might be good with Ananas Fizz or even YR Neroli.
And looks like they make lots of products in the Sacred Tiare scent — I will have to give them a sniff!
I haven’t smelled the tiare, but Carol’s Daughter makes lots of good green/nontoxic products, and they’re easier to find now too, in stores and online.
I have this and it does smell divine. It’s quite strong and lasts all day, though, so it almost takes the place of perfume – otherwise it competes. It’s sold at Target as well.
HA! I just picked up a bottle of Carol’s Daughter Monoi Oil (serum for hair) last week. I am really enjoying it.
No scent this morning as I had a dental appointment, but now I’m in the lovely spring flowers of Promesse de l’Aube. I have the little squatty bottle that comes in the sample set, but truly this is so pretty I might need more. This, Desarmant, African Memo, a Mazzolari or two…Donatella may be getting an earful in July!
Now, don’t you be worrying about Donatella! I have so many plans for my trip to Melbourne that Donatella will be completely occupied with my confessions and won’t give anyone else even a sideways glance. There’s Ambre Narguile, and the new rhubarb at Hermes; 28 La Pausa and No. 22 extrait at Chanel, and I have to say, I love Fougeres, so I’m lusting for some Boy (that sounds just awful, but you see what I mean). Then too, I didn’t buy KM Peau de Peche last year, and regretted it, so there’s that. And a bottle of Beloved, but truly, that’s more for the dear man’s pleasure than mine. No, really. REALLY. Also, I like the sound of Angel Muse, and we don’t get many of the Angel flankers in A-NZ, so if I see that, I might get it, just to be on the safe side. And then there’s bound to be random discoveries. You see? She won’t even raise a perfectly-plucked eyebrow at you!
The perfect cover! Thanks for taking one for the team, I may just duck in right behind your little spree 😉
Started the day with Bulgari Black and am ending it with Cuir Vetiver, which has the “perfect” lasting power “according to Angela’s standards”. Nice read as always!
Wearing Prada Candy Kiss today. I walked into the coat room at work today, and smelled a perfume that I knew I had or had in the past. I couldn’t place it, and it drove me crazy.
Oh, that drives me bonkers when I distinctly recognize a scent but can’t actually place it! Maybe it’ll come to you belatedly…
I got a nice sized sample from the Nordstrom SA. I liked it on paper and will have to wear it.
Chanel Allure EdT. Back home after a week visiting family in Florida. DH was gifted with a beautiful urn with a portion of his older brothers ashes in it, which we brought home with us. Feels right having some of him with us. BIL is dearly missed.
Weren’t able to bring the sunshine with us, unfortunately.
Doesn’t matter since allure edt is total comfort to me and doesn’t fare well in 70F +
Happy Monday all!
Inspired by Angela’s post today, I’m wearing a dab of Balenciaga Le Dix parfum.
I have so little of this that I rarely wear it, so it was good to have the reminder.
I decided to test my hypothesis that Queen of Hearts would layer well with leather by combining it with Cuir Ottoman. I was also in a less-than awesome mood and find CO kind of comforting. Totally out of sync with the very warm day we’re having, but what can I say: the heart wants what it wants. 😛 And my hypothesis proved correct, btw.
Oh wow! I will have to try this!
For day 2 of Spring perfumes, I’m wearing “Hegoa” by Teo Cabanel. On the considerable plus side this successfully combines two problematic notes for me: a citrus opening and a rose inflected heart. This is a well-made scent and just about unisex in my book. On the negative side, it’s not very long lasting, 2-3 hours on my scent-eating skin.
Perfume score 3/5 ( would have been 4/5 with more lasting power). I know several people here have bought the Teo Cabanel discovery set. Frankly at €9.50 for 8 or 10 perfumes (forget which), free postage and cost recoverable against first purchase, why wouldn’t you? So, who else has tried Hegoa and how did you find it? :^)
So thrilling to hear Ella do Mack the Knife. And how thrilling was your new Hermes? I’ve only read one review–very negative–but I’d like to know what you, my perfumista mentor, think.
Click on the link in the article to see my review!
Very late after a rather bad day. I had on Mohur for comfort and am now taking a bath with Happy Hippy and will give my new decant of Dior Granville a test drive this evening. Or maybe Gris Montaigne for further comfort . . .
I hope tomorrow is a better day Amy.
Thanks Petunia.
It’s not quite Bronze Goddess weather here, but I put some on in anticipation of my soon-to-arrive reverse-swapped Guerlain Terracotta. It was a bit much and getting to be a touch overwhelming when I spied a sample of Atelier Oolang Inifini, which I splashed on rather liberally. Perfect! A winning combination. Oolang Infini never did much for me – maybe it just needed to be worn in combination with other scents.
Oolang Infini is so refreshing. I love eau de Cologne on top of Terracotta when it seems too much on its own, so I’m definitely going to try your Oolang Infini combination. Sounds delicious.
No perfume all day due to various appointments and the scentless seminar. Making up for it with La Via del Profumo Mecca Balsam.
I’ve never tried any Via del Profumo’s and it sounds such an interesting line. I remember Mecca balsam being quite a hit on the various blogs.