TGIF, everyone! Our community project for this week: wear a fragrance from Tom Ford, if you have one. If you don't, don't. Either way, don't forget to vote for the winner of the 2016 Prix Eau Faux!
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I'm wearing a little dab of Tom Ford White Patchouli.
Reminder: 5/13 will be Chypre Friday. Wear a chypre fragrance of any sort — classic or modern or post-modern.
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.
Hello Tom Ford Fleur de Chine today. I am always reminded of how truly stunning it is each time it put it on.
You smell fantastic, obviously.
Scent twin ;^)
Scent triplets!
Thanks to you, scent quadruplets
Quintuplets!
Oud Fleur. TGIF!
I am late getting to the comments today, but betting we are going to see more Private Blend than Signature…we’ll see if I’m right!
Scent twins!
I finally managed to get off the violet/leather train. Wearing TF Jasmin Rouge today. Happy Friday!
Twins!
Triplets!
Quads… I only have TF samples, and this is my favorite.
As a nod to today’s theme, I sniffed my little glass vial of TF Velvet Gardenia this morning. It’s my all-time favourite gardenia and among my favourite white florals ever. But it’s gone and doesn’t quite smell right any more. I’ve been watching a scary expensive bottle of it on e-bay, and would probably have bought it already, but the seller doesn’t ship to Europe. If you know of someone who would like to get rid of a bottle of this…
So I’m not wearing Tom Ford today at all. I’m at home – the Belgians are working, but Commission people have a day off for some reason – and wearing Hiram Green Shangri La on my left wrist and Moon Bloom on the right (I ordered 5 ml of both from the HG website). I think these are both great. Shangri La is a beautiful chypre that reminds me of Diorella. I will have no problem whatsoever with getting through my 5 ml. Moon Bloom is a creamy and coconutty, dark tuberose. I find the opening almost medicinal, spicy and rubbery, but I love it. It gets mellower and more floral as it progresses – it’s not a pure tuberose, there’s definitely som ylang ylang and jasmine in there, too. In a way it’s fitting that I’m wearing it instead of Velvet Gardenia – both are lush white florals with a noir touch. I very rarely find perfumes sexy, but these two smell sensual to me.
I thought that you would like Moon Bloom. It’s a nice rendition, but it doesn’t last, at least not on me.
Shangri La lasts a bit and then some, I found it interesting but it didn’t really grab me for some reason.
Perhaps the Commission is “making the bridge”. Faire le pont, means you link your free Thursday to your weekend by giving people the day off on Friday. Funnily enough I learnt this in Belgium, we don’t make bridges in Holland I suppose.
Moon Bloom doesn’t last as well as I’d like on me either, but it lasts enough for me to be considering a full bottle.
And yes, I think you are right about the bridge, I cannot think of any other reason why this day would be free. It’s especially nice because 9 May, Europe Day, is a Commission holiday as well. And it’s the first warm weekend of the year…
I got a bottle a little over a year ago I think, and while I enjoy it a lot, I really should have got Beyond Love instead.
Beyond Love is beautiful, I’ve been thinking about the travel spray.
What do you smell in the opening of the Moon Bloom? As I said, I like it, but have no idea what I’m smelling
I seem to remember that I found it quite peppery. I haven’t worn mine in a while so I need to respray and report back at some point. Right now I’m covered in Paris, so MB wouldn’t have a fighting chance
I’m crazy for Shangri La, it is on my desert island list.
I really enjoyed Moon Bloom too but in the end, tuberose just doesn’t go on me so I gave it to my sister who it works beautifully on.
I love tuberose, so it was not surprising Moon Bloom ended up being my favourite. But I think all three are really well done.
I only ever got to smell Velevet Gardenia once…and it was wonderful. I wish they would bring it back.
Me too. Alas.
You smell gorgeous.
Thank you! You started it all and I’m grateful.
Not having any Fords in my collection I chose a scent that I think he once oversaw the advertising for: Paris YSL. Basically, an intricate excuse to wear my top favourite, inspired by Elisa’s luck on acquiring some vintage. Have a great weekend everyone!
Any excuse works
You are very clever
Noir de Noir on this rainy New York morning. I think it was Lovestosmellgood who passed along a little decant of this one, and I quite like it. Reminds me of Lady Vengeance, but I think I like this one better.
Ah! Glad you are enjoying it!
Thank you so much for it!
I’m in Velvet Gardenia, because my transplanted gardenia plant is showing signs of new buds! And it’s finally spring everywhere! I give it two weeks, but I’ll enjoy every second of the sun this weekend, which is only a few hours away – TGIF!
I am so jealous (see above).
Ah! Well I’ve an almost full bottle (50ml) and I’m in the UK. Would you like a decant? I’m never going to use it all up I’m sure.
I would do anything – with the possible exeption of harming small children and kittens – for a decant. If you’re not regretting your offer by now, you can write to me at ykkinna snail gmail dot com. Or give me your address and I’ll drop you an e-mail, if you prefer.
Yup, just a moment!
I just bought a gardenia plant and it is blooming like crazy. It smells gorgeous up close. I’m hoping to transplant it if it ever stops raining here.
Gardenia’s are notoriously hard to grow. You must have a green thumb.
One of the ladies I work with has a bonsai gardenia plant that does beautifully on our office windowsill. It has been blooming like crazy and smells wonderful.
I can’t really take any credit, yet. I bought it when I was shopping for other stuff at Home Depot last weekend, and they had them kept indoors- it was being sold as an indoor plant. So, I’ve done nothing to it except put it outside. I’d bring it indoors to keep it from being too wet, but kitties.
That’s so true – I don’t have a green thumb and this my gardenia plant has been a source of constant fretting and anxiety. Didn’t produce any flowers last year and in fact nearly shrivelled and died. But it is not dead, now recovering and I’m celebrating that fact today!
Saw this today on a weather-related website. It’s not new, so you might have posted it (or some of the source papers) before but perhaps it bears rereading:
https://theconversation.com/the-smell-of-rain-how-csiro-invented-a-new-word-39231
Nice article, thanks!
Really interesting piece. Walking through the rain is not as innocuous as I had thought.
When I heard they were being discontinued I snapped up a few bottles of Purple Patchouli, Moss Breches , Bois Rouge , velvet Gardenia and Japon Noir and was going to give one an airing today as I don’t wear them often as I know I’ll never see them again, but It’s beautiful sunny day in London today so gardenia, patch and moss were too heavy so I went with the Japon Noir which i loooove. He never really has bettered the original line up of 12 scents
Moss Breches, yum… I had a decant of that but cannot find it now.
Kind of sad and relieved simultaneously the I never smelled the moss one… But I think he has done some really good scents since then, too – Fleur de Chine, Cafe Rose, Shanghai Lily, London come to mind.
Commando this morning
Yesterday I went to get my hair cut downtown. When I was checking out the host asked me what perfume I wear, or what perfume is on my jacket that she hung up. It was Ylang 49 (thanks to the reverse swap meet) I gave her a small sample that I had in my purse and she told me that everyone that works in the salon wanted to know..
Made my day that I was able to give her a sample that made her day. Spreading the perfume love..
That’s awesome.
That’s a great story!
I’m going to start carrying samples in my bag! What a great experience.
How nice! I think Ylang 49 is beautiful. Surprised they could smell it so well in the salon. I always find salons to be so smelly from hair dye, hair products already. Though, Ylang is pretty potent.
That’s fantastic!
I find it to be very potent and fantastic
Awww – yay!
What a wonderful tip!
My mom was a nurse to a very old rich lady, and for some reason she liked me. She let me borrow and play dress up with her costume jewelry* and once snuck a tiny bottle of perfume in my bag and told me not to tell Mom. It was something privately blended for her and i could not buy it if I wanted to. I still remember it, though- super rosy, super jasmine-y and almost coconutty. Freaking gorgeous.
*When she died, I found out that those were NOT costume glass BUT REAL JEWELS. Dear God, the innocence of a dumb 16 year old from Brooklyn.
That’s a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing, Ede.
Great story! What a memory. Somehow we should all have an eccentric and generous and spirited old lady in our lives!
Oh yes! She was great fun, very sweet, and put up with me somehow! We all need someone like Mrs. G in our lives.
Great story
That’s a great story! Thanks for sharing..
Great story – thanks for sharing!
Love this!
Really REALLY not looking forward to a meeting I have later today. In fact, I’m hoping I won’t have to be in for all of it. This week in general has been painful in a multitude of ways and very annoying in others. It’s also been nothing but clouds and rain. Seriously Spring, you’re drunk.
I’m in a hefty dose of 31RC because I need anything and everything fortifying to get me through today.
You smell polished, even if you don’t feel that way.
Thanks. I’m not particularly polished looking today either, but comfortable enough.
ditto on the kind of week, different reasons of course… love 31RC and hope it helps your day. I may have to get a bottle myself
Seriously, I was chatting with a friend yesterday and she said the crazies have been coming out of the woodwork for her too. Something about this week is hitting us hard.
I feel ya, sistah! The emergence of the crazies is not Li tied to the other hemisphere–quite a few have hurtled out of the woodwork here Downunder, as well. Maybe it’s being perched on the very edge of the new seasons?
31RC is fortifying. I would choose this if I wanted spine-strengthening AND sophisticated elegance. You smell great!
Thanks, I am really glad Annikky sent me such a generous sample of this so I could wear it for today when I need it.
I’m sorry about the stupid meeting and grateful to have contributed to making it a little less awful. Rue Cambon is exactly what I would wear in this situation, too. Hugs!
Sorry about the unwanted meeting. 31 RC will help you to stay poised. It’s almost the weekend.
We have a lawyer who will be doing most of the talking, but ugh, just sitting in the meeting and having to listen to all these idiots (it’s a really stupid situation to begin with) will be annoying enough in itself.
Aww… Things are a bit political (small town politics) where I work too. It’s exhausting. You have my sympathy.
Glad you have some fortification today. I have very few fortifying scents, so glad I have a decant of RC on its way! I’m starting to think something celestial is at play, because I’ve had my share of frustrating craziness, and other people are reporting the same. Is Mercury retrograde? I haven’t checked.
Seriously. It’s kinda weird how crazy it’s been.
Meeting over! It didn’t last nearly as long as I thought. Our stupid lawyer didn’t even show up! But that may have been for the better since we were prepared and other people were are dealing with were not so much prepared. In fact, everything rolled in our favor, so that’s a good note for me to finish the work day with! Mood (and the monsoon downpour from earlier) are lifted!
That’s good news. And soon it will be weekend
You smell like a boss, even though you don’t feel like it! And Hurray for being prepared for your meeting and getting over it!
TF Champaca Absolute which is both better and sweeter than I remember. It is much more of a fruity floriental, than a soliflore. It suffers from what a lot of orientals suffer from these days–the lack of real Mysore sandalwood. this is a scent that cries out for some sandalwood in the base.
I am drinking a bamboo leaf tisane. It is very similar to some Chinese green teas with a fresh sweetness.
Scent twins. But there is some note in Champaca Absolute that smells harsh and abrasive to me today so I may have to switch to something else.
I find most sandalwood scent constructions to have an abrasive/nose-rasping edge to them. It is almost as bad as laundry musk in terms of harming a fragrance I generally like.
I liked the early stages of that one, but last time I tried it, it smelled like dusty, stale wood after a while. The “woods” they use in that one don’t work for me.
Seriously, there is apparently nothing that cannot be made out of bamboo!
Ha! I found socks at a discount store that were made from bamboo. I guess it’s the new plastic.
I was always afraid that clothing and accessories made of bamboo will disintegrate in the wash but they are actually pretty hearty and very soft.
Interesting. I am in the same, and had exactly the same thought! Better, but also sweeter than I remember. I had another little 4 ml sample of it that I gave away a while back because I wasn’t falling in love. When I applied it this morning I had a pang of give-awayers remorse, but as the time passes I am getting a little bored again. Maybe it is missing a creaminess of sandalwood. I was thinking it needed something rich– oil, butter…
Both sound lovely, butI have to see where I can get some of that tea, sounds like my kind of thing
TF Noir Pour Femme. I am nestling the end of my sample and I think I may need to put this on the FB wish list. I worry it will be too much sprayed; I dab liberally but this is strong stuff!
Twins! I actually haven’t tried it dabbed (I got a spray sample before I bought a bottle), but I think it’s totally manageable in spray-form. I also think it mellows out a bit after a few minutes: still present throughout the day, but not overwhelming
Same for me – it is strong at first but mellows out quickly.
I almost put that on today. BUY IT. BUY IT. BUY IT.
You get VALUE here- one light spritz will ABSOLUTELY do you for a close . TWO spritzes will you and the people you are hanging out with. Take my advice and get the gift set, which includes the lotion.
Philosykos EDP today. It’s recognizably kin to the EDT, but more tart and and the fruit impression comes through more clearly. Actually, it was smelling a bit like Sweet Tarts at the beginning, but that seems to have faded.
The second great fig!
But better than the first
Really? I have not got into figs, but I remember trying Philosykos and my tongue was rolling, expecting to taste something.
I got into figs
(but of course it’s all personal taste. I do not think anybody has bested Philosykos, but not everybody agrees with me. )
It is really good! And more fig-like.
The only scent I have associated with Tom Ford is Youth Dew Amber Nude, so that’s what I’m wearing, very lightly applied.
Really surprised EL never brought that one back, I thought for sure they would.
Today it’s TF “Fleur de Chine”, which on me is a lovely smell but a so-so perfume. By which I mean only that it’s very reticent on my skin and doesn’t project as much as I’d like.
Incidentally last night’s TF “Ombre Hyacinth” was another excellent creation. Cool, crisp floral and green notes. Not really ‘me’, but can’t fault the juice. -^)
I have a decant of FdC and feel the same. Very beautiful, but even if I spray like crazy it fades too soon. It does seem to do a little better on fabric . . .
Finished the day in TF “Azure Lime”, which started off very refreshing in the evening warmth, but had no lasting power and a cheap smelling synthetic dry down. So that’s a good week in terms of despatching samples from the pile, smelling good and not falling for any of them. :^)
No TF yet- I have samples I will put on tonight, but I wanted something cheerful and comforting for my Friday grind, so I am wearing Memo Siwa, narcissus and vanilla, sweet and pretty on me.
Oh, that sounds nice!
By the way everyone, I’m taking a couple friends on a sniffing adventure at Barney’s today, and one of them is a lovely boy looking for a new scent. The stuff he’s worn before aren’t scents I’m particularly familiar with (I don’t know much about the “masculine” scents of the type sold at Sephora – something I should probably correct), so I thought I’d ask if anyone has any good recommendations based on his previous picks, both by Dolce and Gabbana – The One Gentleman and Light Blue Pour Homme. Any thoughts?
Every man should try Dior Homme, IMHO.
Not sure that Barney’s has that but I’m making a mental note of introducing him to it. Thank you!
I’m not familiar with your friend’s previous fragrances, but in my opinion Guerlain has a wonderful range of masculines, both classic and modern (and Mitsouko smells great on a man).
Maybe we’ll have to stop by Bergdorf’s too to check those out
Thank you!
I think he’d be able to find something in the Aqua di Parma range.
Yes this seems like a good idea. Or Hermes. Many approachable and well-done options.
Oooh – maybe I can get him into Terre d’Hermes. Such a good one!
Yeah, any of the versions of Terre, Voyage, Orange Verte–all winners.
I was thinking Hermès as well. Both Terre and Voyage. And the Colognes. And maybe MJ Bang? It’s a great take on woods and very polite, without being boring. I’ve never tried any of the masculine Bvlgari’s but I think Kevin rather liked Bvlgari Aqua pour Homme. And if Thé Vert is available he might want to try that. Chanel Pour Monsieur merits at least a sniff, he might find it a tad formal, but it’s a brilliant fragrance. Stay away from the CPM Concentrée, it’s not good.
I second Dior Homme, even in it’s current state it’s still a very nice perfume.
Hmmm those two are pretty different, I believe–one’s warmer, more vanilla-y, the other a citrus cologne, IIRC. Especially with the selection at Barney’s, the field is kinda wide open! I might be inclined to start with a particular line and see if anything jumps out to him–Malle maybe–and then go from there?
They do appear to be pretty different from what Fragrantica tells me, yes – I think he had one as a “winter” cologne and another for the summer. When I take people on sniffing adventures, I like to start with what they know they’ve liked before and go from there, but maybe going through a line is the way to go. But several people have mentioned the Acqua di Parma line as a starting place and that sounds like a good idea.
Thanks for the feedback!
Yeah likewise, although sometimes it does not yield a clear path–if anything these picks make me think he probably won’t want anything too “difficult” but then again maybe no one’s ever showed him anything very oddball and he’d actually love it!
I’ll make you a Pour Homme care package since I am already doing one for another person
Robin, you smell great. If i ever saw a good price of White Patchouli I’d snap it up.
I’m in Black Orchid, the only one I even have samples of now. I haven’t explored tge private blends in years.
Same here! I snagged a handful of samples and that’s all I have.
Trying the urinous civet and tuberose in Alter by Giovanni Sammarco. Natural ingredients are so rich in this one that it inspires awe and aversion!
Sounds really interesting! Can’t wait to try this line.
I would wear the Bond-T as an extrait; it is dense cocoa and patchouli and feels nicely dirty.
I’m looking forward to trying these this weekend (perhaps not at Mother’s Day celebrations
). My samples arrived when I wasn’t home so my husband is supposed to bring them to me tomorrow.
ooh don’t spill Alter, the civet will put Jicky to shame.
I’m wearing Tom Ford Soleil Blanc, the “classy coppertone” as longlegs2 said a few weeks ago. This is a perfect nickname for it.
I was given a sample of it last month at Saks.
“Classy coppertone”–I love it!
I’ve been wanting to try that one (the cardamom was what really got me excited). I bet you smell great!
TF Noir Pour Femme, which never fails to put me in the mood for a cocktail party.
Then I hope one will come your way
SOTD is Violet Blonde, one of my first FB purchases after falling down the rabbit hole. The woods in it are especially prominent this morning, which is good because it’s supposed to be warm here today. If the spices had decided to take over, I might have suffocated. But happily.
Scent twin! I expected to see a lot more of us wearing this for some reason. It’s the only TF I own, and I even bought a backup bottle when I heard it was being discontinued.
Hi twin! You were brilliant – I’m beginning to wish I’d bought a backup. At least I bought the big bottle.
Triplets! I only have samples of the signature collection scents. I hated this one initially – my skin magnifies even a trace of cedar, but a few years later I can enjoy it!
I love VB and happily wore it earlier in the week . . . you smell fabulous.
I have so many of the Tom Ford 4 ml minis they make for you at the store to count, in addition to a few full bottles, but I was in a rush this morning and crippled by indecision. There was a sample out on my bedside table that I was sent of Replica Lipstick On, and some makeup violet sounded good to me. But tonight it will be Tom Ford for sure. Fleur de Chine? Black Orchid? Sahara Noir? Amber Absolute? Jasmin Rouge? Shanghai Lily? Noir de Noir? and on and on and on. this is the problem…
That is quite a problem! ????
I couldn’t decide which of mine to pick either – Violet Blonde, BO Voile de Fleur, Jasmine Rouge? Or to use some of my Noir de Noir sample I’ve not tested yet…. I went with JR.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. Wonderful choice, you smell lovely!
So do you!!!
I have a decant of Velvet Gardenia but while I like the 1st 10 minutes of the huge mushroom note of the gardenia, the rest of the perfume sucks on me. Thankfully, it doesn’t last on me. But I am not participating in the challenge today, I’m in Shalimar and loving it.
Applied Shanghai Lily before bed and I still smell great 11 hours later.
You do smell great. I think that and Tuscan Leather are the only TFs I like.
Scent twin!
I have a sample of this that I’ve never tried and it will be my SOTE as soon as I get home. Glad to hear you can like it without loving much from TF!
Beautiful.
I don’t have so much as a sample of any Tom Fords.
Went with Cuir d’Ange instead.
I was walking past the Hermes boutique yesterday and there was a line up down the block to get in. I’m dying to know what was going on in there, I’ve never seen that before!
Wow! They must have had an extra Birkin
TF Tuscan Leather
It still smelled delicious at a late meeting yesterday so I just continued on with it.
That’s a good one.
I had to wear White Suede. If it was discontinued and truly brought back because of protests from lovers of the fragrance, I thought it deserved a revisit on TF day. It is an agreeable musky skin scent.
TF and I don’t typically get along. His scent are such powerhouses I always feel like I’m suffocating. That being said, I do have some random samples (something sahara, something with noir…) so maybe I’ll see if I can get them on skin at some point today. Today is a day for sampling I guess. On my right wrist I’m wearing Yesterday Haze and on the left Idole. Idole is growing on me minute by minute, but Yesterday Haze is making me realize that as much as I love figs, I don’t think I like fig notes. At least not the super lactonic ones.
They make my throat and nose feel scratchy.
I feel the same way about the majority of his scents, just overwhelming. And yet, when I hit an exception it is a 180: Italian Cypress, Santal Blush, and the original Neroli Portofino. I am quite sensitive to a lot of ingredients, and can usually differentiate just by sniffing the nozzle. Don’t know if this helps…..
I actually used to really like NP, and was so pleased to find a TF I could “handle,” but when I tried it again more recently I wasn’t as enthused – but I think it’s because I’ve grown a slight aversion to citrus. I’ll have to give the other 2 you mentioned a try sometime, thanks for the suggestions!
I adore huffing the fig trees in the sun and I love fig leaf perfumes as ambient scents and even on my clothes, but I don’t love fig perfumes on my skin. There is a scratchiness, even in the natural scent, that reminds me of the physical texture of the leaves.
yes, I agree!
The only TF sample I have left is Noir por Femme which I don’t love. Thought about wearing Armaf Club de Nuit Intense which is virtually a dupe for Noir de Noir, and which I prefer to the TF, but a new sample of PdN Odalisque was too tempting not to try out today, so that’s my SOTD.
)F!
It’s not what I expected: was expecting something greener with more LOTV, but it’s sweeter and has more emphasis on the white florals. It’s kind of giving me a Giorgio flashback. Not as loud, and more natural smelling. I’m definitely detecting something mossy in the base, which I really like. I need more time with it to decide how I feel about it.
TGI(raining again
It wasn’t my favorite either. I gave away my sample to a friend.
I have resigned myself to not being much of a TF fragrance fan. I had a bottle of Violet Blonde but I just couldn’t wear it comfortably and so as of this winter it has a happier home
I’m not much of a fan either, or at least, I think many of them are way overrated, so you’re not the only one.
Yeah I mean for the Private Blends, the price alone is already a LOT to live up to! I should say, I think some in the regular collection are nice (lately, Grey Vetiver could be someone’s just-right vetiver, for sure, and I didn’t think Velvet Orchid was half-bad) but there hasn’t been one that really clicked for me. Ah well, I have not had any trouble finding other things to spend my perfume pennies on
I’m with you on the TFPBs. There are a few that I like, but I find those flat or unpleasant in the drydown. They seem front-loaded to me.
Yeah, I have found some outrightly unpleasant, and overall nothing’s made my heart sing. Which for the price–there outta be singing, dancing, frankly some fireworks…
We probably agree then. In general I think the Signature range is better than the Private Blend range.
Fleur de Chine for me today…
I’ve also come to the conclusion that I have too many things to sample and things i don’t even have yet that I want to sample, so I need to start doing a second sniffing of perfume after work/in the evening with regularity…like split shifts during war time but more fun.
I sometimes don’t like to do this if I can still smell remnants of the morning’s fragrance but I must let go of this hang up and press on. Too much to sniff…too little time.
With you on both counts today. So many samples and too many bottles crying for attention! But there is always time for FdC. So so gorgeous!
me three. I need to start remembering to put something on after the workday is over but before I put on my cozy bed scent of choice. Most days I go to yoga straight after work, so when I get home I’m all sweaty and perfume isn’t high on the priority list at that point.
This is why I test in the morning before my shower. In the evening I can often still smell my SOTD and if I sample things I end up not liking, then I have to shower before bed too.
In Black Orchid Voile de Fleur today – not much like the original, a milky white floral that I find very comfortable. Orchid notes always seem to come across as sweet, in a floral way, to me, but I like that in this one. Shame it’s discontinued.
Cool and grey today, so not at all Neroli Portofino weather, so I went with my other option: Santal Blush. I really like this one — it has some of the foody lusciousness of Santal de Mysore, without all the blatant curry.
Like many others, I have no TF at all. Wearing Timbuktu instead, and loving it.
Yes! Timbuktu is great.
Still trying to get myself rolling, planning to wear Santal Blush. Hoping for sunshine for all!
I decided not to participate today. The only TF that I currently have is a dabber sample of Venetian Bergamot that came as a freebie with a perfume order, and I wasn’t feeling that today. I had a small decant of Noir de Noir but I ended up giving it away. So I am wearing De Profundis and hoping it chases away the rain, at least mentally.
you smell beautiful!
So do you! Too many TF perfume choices is a great problem to have!
De Profundis is on my FB want list – you smell lovely.
SOTD is Gucci Rush. It’s not technically a Tom Ford, but he was in charge at Gucci when it was developed. According to Luca Turin, TF approved the scent at first sniff. I’m happy to have a reason to wear it.
Happy Friday everyone!!!!
Fleur de Chine. 100% gorgeousness ????
you smell wonderful!
A bit too warm here today to wear my only TF, Fleur de Chine, lovely as it is. So I am wearing Dyptique’s Eau Rose, a successful blind buy after reading Elisa’s spring favourites. I realised blind buys are not that blind anymore, although I sample if at all possible, sometimes I know it will be right. This one is, a lovely fresh light weight rose, and the current weather allows me to spray it with abandon as it is almost an eau de cologne. And as always when I wear rose (which I don’t wear often but I hope this will be a good start) my husband complimented me, with ‘the look’ in his eyes.
Eau Rose is so pretty. you smell great!
Pretty exactly right!
I have a little story about this one–I am very fortunate to have a good relationship with the sales associate at the Diptyque boutique where I live. I asked for a sample of Eau Rose and they were currently out. He told me he would send me one in the mail once they got more samples in. As I was leaving the store he stopped me and instead just gave me a full size rollerball for free.
I have a sample of this! I’m looking forward to it much more, now!
It is fleeting but I don’t mind that at all.
No Tom Fords I’m afraid, but I’m very happy wearing the lovely Equistrius. Perfect for a rather chilly (for Andalucia) spring day.
You smell great! I almost wore that as a bedtime scent last night.
Love Equistrius! You smell amazing…and remind me I need to give it some skin time
So Andalucia is chilly while we have temps upward of 20ºC here. And you smell great, I love Equistrius.
Equistrius…yum!
It is a yummy one!
Since I have only the one Tom Ford (Noir) and I wasn’t quite feelin’ it today, I’m wearing Courreges Empriente and wishing this rain would cut us a break. Stay (reasonably) dry, everybody.
If this weather continues we should consider investing in a mushroom farm.
Or an ark.
Ha!
I spelled Empreinte wrong and forgot to say vintage (1970, not 2012 version). Battin’ a thousand ovah heah!
I can’t find my sample of Shanghai Lily so I’m not playing.
Most of the testers are out in the open but on shelves behind little counters, which I know I’m allowed to walk behind because I’ve done it before, and I kept being body-blocked by associates trying to spray me with Miss Dior. I was particularly disappointed with the Diptyque counter which has always been generous with manufacturers samples and this time wouldn’t even allow me to spray what I wanted. Might as well go to Neiman’s next time where I expect such behavior and have a better range of scents to sample.
I tried to do some sniffing yesterday at Nordstrom and planned to have some new samples to play with today, but found that they not only don’t have the little vials available to fill yourself, which totally makes sense to me, but claimed to only provide samples with purchase
Okay, rant over
Today I’m sampling Au Dela. I finally got around to acquiring some Bruno F samples and am trying to mete them out slowly so I don’t miss anything. Au Dela is so far one of those instant-comfort scents where I really have to work to determine the separate notes. I keep forgetting I have it on and then wondering what smells so great.
Au Dela was an instant love for me too. You smell great!
Ugh, that’s a terrible experience. The shopping one, I mean. Today’s perfume sounds great.
The entire shopping trip wasn’t a bust and there were some very nice SAs in other departments. In fact, the young woman in the lingerie dept. was extraordinarily helpful and nice. I was just disappointed for the third time in beauty/fragrance and it made me extra grumpy.
That’s too bad. We don’t have a Nordstrom’s in NYC, but sounds like they were the ONLY dept store that was generous with samples. Maybe they had too many tester thefts or something.
But you’re smelling great in Au Dela. Mossy goodness.
That is so strange. I haven’t been to Nordstrom in a while, but they were always very free with the samples. I can’t imagine why they would revert to a policy that would only upset people – samples only with purchase? That is crazy. Especially when they are so “customer service” oriented. I wonder if ours is the same now.
I have no trouble imagining why Nordstrom would change their policy – I overheard a young woman talking to a friend of hers one day, and bragging that she never had to buy perfume anymore; she just goes to Nordies and gets all she wants for free. (!) And I imagine this wasn’t an isolated incident.
I’ve seen the sample policy vary a bit at Nordstrom and if they decide to stop doing unlimited freebies, I couldn’t totally blame them, but not being even allowed to spray the tester you want–that’s really beyond the pale. (Though it too did happen to me at Nordstrom once, among other places. Sigh.)
Macy’s has their samples behind the counter for a few years now which makes browsing so annoying that I don’t even bother anymore.
Agree so much–clearly, I LOVE fragrance but even to me, it’s really not worth the bother if I have to debate an SA about whether I’ll like something even before I’ve gotten a whiff of it. (This is why I’ve never smelled most of the Guerlain L’Art et la Matière even though a Saks near me has them. I tried twice, both times was obliged to persuade an SA of why my particular fragrance preferences would be a good fit for the ones I wanted to smell even on paper; evidently did not present my case convincingly enough; ended up giving up entirely. Like, ok honestly in that case I will be delighted to keep my $260!)
I’ve had mixed experiences with the Nordstrom’s here in DC; never that bad, but it’s been more than a year since I’ve gone there. The Neiman Marcus at Tysons when I was there recently.
Wow – I guess the “nordstrom way” is not what it used to be. Don’t they normally have a big fragrance event every year around Mother’s Day… lots of samples all gratis, etc. I’m mail-order/online for over 10 years now with Nordstrom, and even when you “select” samples of fragrances, most of the time you don’t get them. I figure someone in the warehouse is selling all those lovely samples on ebay…
My Nordstrom does not carry Diptique or Jo Malone. I go there so often that many people recognize me and I had never been refused a sample. There are 1 or 2 SAs who I just look straight through as of I don’t see them because they had been witchy since day 1. I’m sorry for your awful experience.
Last time I visited my local Nordstrom, they didn’t have any empty vials, nor did they have carded sample vials available. I complained once to the manager, who apologized, but I haven’t been back since, so I don’t know if they ever rectified the sitiation. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end of Nordstrom’s once-generous sample policy.
*situation
TF Urban Musk for me today. It’s a dirty honeyed jasmine. I think it was discontinued, which is a shame. Urban Musk is such a fun scent. It reminds me of spring in a city–wet streets, eau de garbage and jasmine blooming along walls. Not for everyone, but neato. Be well!
Tom Ford for Men on me today. The only other one I own is Black Orchid but I wasn’t feeling it this morning. However, I am contemplating selling a kidney to get my hands on the decanter bottle of Tobacco Vanille!
Since it’s TF day, it was a good excuse to wear Soleil Blanc again today. We’re supposed to have close to record heat here today, so it’s right for that reason, too.
Off to an appointment this morning, so wearing the innocuous Trefle Pur. Will put on a bit of Tuscan Leather this evening.
Shanghai Lily for me, the only TF that ever wowed me, and even it was knocked down some on the “love” scale by VC&A Lys Carmin. It’s a beautiful sunny day here and this morning I am painting the fireplace mantel so I don’t have to buy a new one. It is the same ugly varnished elm as the now-demolished wall paneling. I’ll paint it matte black and it should work just fine.
Happy Friday!
1) SOTD: I love my TF Noir pour Femme, but dear God, it is gonna be hot, and even a spritz may have been way too much. I have a Violet Blonde sample BUT it just feels too sexy. I also have a sample of White Patchouli, which I would prefer later on in the summer, weirdly enough. So back to the ex boyfriend’s Grey Vetiver- but layered on top of this morning’s Rose Jam shower gel, and it is PERFECT- almost as perfect as Infusion d’Iris would have been this morning.
2) OOTD: Morning: Tunic blouse and slim white pants. Afternoon, after work: Fluttery embroidered top and white and green checked shorts, flat sandals. Perfect for bike riding and beer drinking after work.
I love to layer vetiver fragrance with rose soliflores – esp. Guerlain Vetiver. I’ve always wanted to test the Grey Vetiver but haven’t got their yet. I’m sure I’d love it.
I happen to think that Grey Vetiver is beautiful just as it is- so very clean and crisp. But layering with jasmine bombs (like Lush) or roses (like Rose Jam) takes it to another level.
Never thought of this – perhaps I’ll try it tomorrow. RJ with GV on top
It is chilly and rainy, even here in San Diego! Thank goodness, as we always need it. And it’s a nice chance to put on some heavier perfumes that would be too suffocating most of the time. CBIHP 7 Billion Hearts for me today. Wow, this is so nice. Very smoky, but not ashtray. I keep sniffing my wrist – I only have a decant, but need to wear this one more often.
I don’t think I can wear Tom Ford today, as I only have Black Orchid, and am not really feeling up to it. Am going with the much more subdued Dzongkha instead.
I’m wearing early Tom Ford today in the form of Azuree Soleile Eau Fraiche Skinscent. I usually don’t bring this one out until midsummer but it’s to be near 80 degrees today so the fragrance is a good match to the day. Now, if I could just find an outdoor swimming pool that was open, the day would be perfect!
I wore some of my decant Jasmine Rouge… Which only makes me realize how much I love these super rich jasmines.
Black Orchid. This scent reminded me of Hawaii the first time I sniffed it, and here I am in Hawaii, so of course. Aloha all!
I wish I were in Hawaii right now. I’ll enjoy vicariously. Have a fabulous time! One of the incentives my husband has for moving to LA is it’s 5 hours closer to Hawaii (he body surfs) and really wants to go there.
Enjoy your vacation. I have never been to Hawaii. I have 2 cousins who live there and have a standing invitation to visit.
You should go! We visit almost every year… One of the benefits of West coast living.
I love Hawaii and visit every year or two. Perfume shopping is nothing to write home about, but if you like other designer/expensive stuff the 4% sales tax is nice.
Aloha!
Enjoy!
Aloha! I spent the better part of the fall and winter daydreaming about moving to Hawaii. Enjoy your visit. It’s chilly and rainy and windy today in So. Cal.
I have a few TF frags and it was a bit hard to choose (not warm enough for Azuree Soleil, cold enough for Black Orchid or fancy enough for Noir de Noir among others), but I ended up going with Noir Pour Femme, gifted me by a lovely NST angel. While I have a cold so can’t smell as well as I usually can, I could still catch hints of it throughout the morning and love it more and more each time I wear it.
You smell fabulous!
Wearing Field Notes from Paris. I had thought I might zip out at lunch and spray on some Tom Ford at Sephora in order to play along with the theme, but it’s (still) raining and I’m not motivated to leave the office.
At least I smell good- this perfume reminds me of a store that used to be a few towns over from where I grew up, one that was located in an old house and that sold all sorts of random wonderfulness. I have no idea whether or not it actually smelled like Field Notes from Paris, but the association is very strong for some inexplicable reason.
Oh, don’t ruin the Field Notes — you smell perfect!
Ha! It was raining when I got up, so my Sephora sampling plan was out the window immediately. Otherwise, I would have gone with something a bit more short-lived and/or less wonderful.
I did the TF project yesterday with Amber Absolute layered with Tihota.
SOTD = Bvlgari Black
Another grey rainy day here…I really feel like I’m rotting from all the moisture. I normally gas myself with Black but since I’m with mom all day today, I dialed it down. The good news is that she had never once commented on it (all prior wearings) so I think either she’s anosmic to it or she likes it but will not admit to it (or risk losing her reputation as a perfume hater).
The mock cover of the June 2016 Cosmopolitan magazine featured a full page glossy ad of Angel Muse and then, get this, no scent strip in the magazine! The only scent strip was for Acqua di Gio Por Homme – what’s up with that??? Anyway, besides Robin and ellebelle and me, who else had tried it? What did you think? I sniffed it on paper strip and I like it and will buy a FB. If Sephora has it, I will purchase it because triple points.
Bvlgari Black is one of my favorites. You smell fabulous.
I have smelled it – there is a burst of Angel at the beginning mixed with gourmandy hazelnut, then it dries down to vetiver and a bit of the nuttiness and sweetness. I think you will like it if you like Angel.
Sent away for a sample mid-March from Thierry Mugler themselves.
Guess what ?
Still haven’t received.
Not going out of my way anymore for incompetent perfume companies.
No sample ? NO SALE !!!!!!
Tom Ford has like, what, 60 fragrances? And I don’t have a single one. So I’m in Body Shop Neroli Jasmin today.
Have a great Friday, everyone, and enjoy your weekend!
He must by now!
Lingering M7 Oud from a spray at my off-site perfume storage unit (known by some as the department store…for obvious reasons). Not quite M7, sadly.
Fascinating day yesterday. I hunted down a professor of genetics who was willing to indulge me in a conversation re. Nurture and nature in our ability to identify scents and train ourselves to be better at smelling. Turned out his ‘secret super power’ dream was also to possess a dogs sense of smell so we really hit it off. Sadly, the genetics side of things was quite complicated (bahaha) and we got sidetracked when he mentioned he was off to a conference in Europe and I gave him a list of Hermes perfumes to try, and report back on. The nurture side of the conversation was great. I believe that putting words to the way things smell is really valuable…as it makes me have to think more clearly about scent ( beyond the labels of nice, pretty, floral, woody etc.) It encourages me to try and be specific. So words are important in scent appreciation. Anyway, that was off topic…people /scientists/ busy academics have been so wonderfully generous with their time with my project. So grateful. And i may have found a perfume mule. What a laugh.
A perfume mule is an invaluable thing to have.
Very happy!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-smelling-test-the-genetics-of-olfaction-2192370.html
Quite interesting re. Genetics
Very interesting. Thanks for the link.
I own three Tom Ford fragrances: Black Orchid, Sahara Noir and Lys Fume. I love Black Orchid but it is a scent fit for a Valkyrie and I am just not feeling like a warrior Shield Maiden today. Sahara Noir is the best Frankinscense and Myrrh fragrance that I know of and Lys Fume is a really nice Ylang-Ylang and lily perfume. I purchased Sahara Noir and Lys Fume only after they had been discontinued and substantially discounted. So, I think the Lys Fume will do very well.
Twins! LF still not fitting in my budget, but I may get another decant.
Happy Friday Y’all! I own Black Orchid, but it’s too dang strong for daytime….. Maybe later!
Scored a FABULOUS deal today at Belk! Had a 20% off coupon for fragrance that expires 5/8, so I picked up Bvlgari Omnia Paraiba for $29! Includes large EdT, lotion, and bar soap! ( Also had $40 in Belk Rewards). Love a deal….and I really love this scent. My brother is getting married tomorrow, so this will be a good scent memory to attach to the occasion..
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all moms on NST!!
Nice! And do enjoy the wedding.
Good score! Have a great time at the wedding!
Other than a couple of samples that I know are floating around in my apartment somewhere, the only TF I have is a mini of Plum Japonaise, so that’s what I’m wearing today.
How do you like it?
Sorry I didn’t see your response yesterday. I like it, though I find it reminds me a lot of Feminite du Bois, just without the cedar. I think I like FdB better, though, so every time I wear PJ, I just find myself thinking I need to get more FdB. FdB is a lot less expensive anyway.
I like that one. Very rich.
Black violet. Good stuff. My sample was a gift from a generous member of this community. I have a blast every time I wear it.
SOTD = TF Oud Fleur. It’s a sample that will be missed when it’s gone. But I can’t justify the FB price in the budget.
Hello, all. I ended up in Noir yesterday, and I can still smell it on my inner elbow, just a little. It’s warm and delicious. Thanks forever to Angela, whose review encouraged me to buy it blind. Today I’m going to attack the housework wearing Queen: why not? I love her, and bought her because of Robin’s review– umm, there’s a pattern emerging here.
Last week was A Week, and as it progressed, I found myself dressing more and more like a Bovva Boy: boots, skinny jeans, shirts, leather jackets. People commented that I was looking…..focused. They looked slightly scared. Anyway, I’ve decided that next week will be a week of perfectly innocuous dresses (well, dresses, at any rate) and I’m already having fun in my mind curating this dress with that perfume. Sigh…I truly am deeply, deeply shallow. And I love it!
May your weekends be full of fun, everyone!
I don’t have any FBs of Tom Fords, thought I’ve tried quite a few and some of those are on my list of nice to haves (particularly Shanghai Lily and Plum Japonais). I do have a decant of Jasmine Rouge, which I think I’ll wear to my hair appointment this morning, and my SOTE might be the last drop of Lys Fumé.
I have a tiny decant of Noir de Noir, which I dabbed on this morning, but I think I’ll switch to Violet Blonde. I can’t believe he axed this one – wonder if it wasn’t popular enough?
The only TFs I have are a couple of samples, and it’s been such a chilly/rainy week that I’ve spent it wearing what are comfort scents for me: Anné Pliska , Natori, Terracotta Voile d’Eté, and Barbara Bui.
Happy weekend, all!
SOTD is Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land (alas, there is no Tom Ford in my arsenal). The soft ambery drydown of RONML sort of reminds me of a perfume my grandmother wore when she was alive, which according to my mother was Youth Dew. I’m not familiar with that YD, so can’t attest to their similarities. But I smell pretty darn good if I do say so myself.
If RONML smells like vintage Youth Dew, it must be a very beautiful perfume indeed.
I’ve been wearing Gucci Envy the whole week, which is technically Tom Ford too. Being a big TF fan, I snatched up one of the last tester bottles for cheap as a blind buy, just to add to my collection. Now the metallic green note is growing on me and I regret for not buying a back-up bottle.
Wear Tom Ford Voile d’Fleur today, about the only white floral I love.
A bit late chiming in here but enjoying reading the comments.
I don’t have any TF perfume so instead I’m wearing Parfum Sacre new formulation from a STC decant. I actually really like the newer formulations just as much as the vintage. They are not as heavy and for some reason smell better on my skin. There’s something very womanly about PS that I feel totally comfortable with. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I like that it’s not at all a flashy fragrance, but it’s still very sultry and unique. There are a couple of Caron perfumes that have this quality for me. The other is Nuit de Noel.
Happy Friday Everyone! I was soooo busy at work today, that I didn’t have a chance to post earlier . Better late than never, right? I started the week with my favorite TF fragrance and I finished with it. My SOTD is Santal Blush. I might have to get another FB soon because I am running low. Love this stuff!
SOTD is Lys Fume. I resisted trying it, because it’s pricy and discontinued, but I ended up getting a decant, and I really, really like it. The big blast of bubblegum I got the first time I tried it has lessened with every subsequent wear, and it is a pretty, spicy, sexy lily. If money were no object, I would buy it in a heartbeat. It isn’t really better than, say, Donna Karan Gold or Cartier Baiser Vole Essence, but it is different, and I would like to have all the lilies.