It's Friday the 13th, but also Chypre Friday! (And surely a good chypre will save you from anything.) Our community project for today: wear a chypre fragrance of any sort — classic or modern or post-modern. (And a quick reminder: don't forget our yearly Haiku challenge is tomorrow!)
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 Parfum d'Empire Azemour Les Orangers. Tea at the moment is a meh Assam — I am still working on clearing out tea samples.
Reminder: on 5/20 we're doing The Art of the Understatement. (suggested by Anniky, and you can interpret that howsoever you like)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2016, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is detail from Azemmour, Georg Braun; Frans Hogenberg: Civitates Orbis Terrarum via Wikimedia Commons.
Sorry I missed the past few days posting, but I was in fact wearing chypres like vintage No 19 edt and AdP Iris Nobile edp (trying a “modern” chypre.) SOTD is the gloriously wonderful and season-less Ralph Lauren Safari. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!
You smell SO good.
Thanks!
Today I’ve dressed up a pair of grey jeans with black boots, a plain black shirt, a dark grey paisley tie, a light grey, lightly checked waistcoat and a damn good dousing of Evil Max by 4160 Tuesdays – a bitter, arid, smoky, barbed chypre with faint fruity undertones and a “don’t mess with me, fothermuckers” attitude. I look like I mean business. I smell like I mean business.
Go get ’em!!!
Full speed ahead!
You like a boss, and smell like you are in charge! Excellent!
Knock ’em dead, BobH!
My favorite Chypre today..31 RC
Tea at the moment is hazelnut coffee from Au bon pain -I was rushing to work..
Pairing 31 RC with a lace dress from Alberta Ferretti and Lanvin flats..all from discount consignment shops on sale..
That sounds truly fantastic all round, plus 31RC and hazelnut coffee seem made to go together now you suggest it.
Agree. Perfect combo.
Scent twins. I just love 31RC!
Wow, u must look and smell amazing!, that coffee sounds really nice too.
The coffee is a must since baby Buddha is going through a sleep regression
Joining you in 31RC. It’s pretty much always perfect.
I hope you get some sleep soon!
You look and smell AMAZING.
Hey Twin! Your outfit sounds lovely and of course, you smell fabulous!
You smell and look fab!
Much niceness!
Fabulous! I love shopping consignment, too.
FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!! How I’ve longed for thee all week! 🙂
COTD: (Chypre of the day!): Balmain Ivoire. Described as a “modern” chypre. I just know it’s fresh and clean, and great on a Spring day. Accepted as office friendly in my universe, which is a plus….
Have a fabulous weekend, Y’all!
That’s another topic — “office friendly chypres”!
I don’t get any peace around here in many areas……was getting flack for wearing a bright magenta lipstick yesterday! LOL I’m a girl, I like girly things, and it’s Spring! 🙂
Going to Walmart at lunch for some items…..Maybe I’ll bring back a bouquet of flowers for the pharmacy. That will get some trash talk from the “grinch”! LOL I like to poke the bear in the office! 🙂
Gosh, you mean you were given flack because your lipstick color wasn’t professional enough? I’m trying to imagine the basis for that.
I don’t respond very much on STC, but I had to respond to this! Fpfff f ff flubber! You got flack for your lipstick???! That is unbelievable. I could understand (somewhat but maybe not completely) if you were an ordained Catholic nun working with guys in prison, but in a normal working environment, it’s none of anyone’s business unless they want to compliment you.
Wow! Because taking 10 seconds to apply some pigment on your lips makes it hard to think and be productive for the rest of the day 😐
Magenta lipstick is awesome! And you smell great – Balmain Ivoire is such a great one for spring.
I’m hoping this was harmless teasing from your coworkers rather than criticism from your supervisor. The latter would be totally unacceptable.
Total flack….but in TOTAL FUN!!! Sorry if I led you to believe otherwise! HA HA
I’m one of 2 female pharmacists here…..my boss, and me. Of the 2 of us, I’m the only one that wears makeup, appreciates a fabulous shoe, and has a “PTA/SoccerMom” life, so I get a LOT of flack. It’s all in good fun, I promise! I would never take it otherwise! 🙂
The “perfume grinch” that I’ve mentioned a few times is the worst offender, but everyone calls him my “office spouse”. We spar back and forth. (We’re both happily married, thank GOD to other people! LOL) Life is good in the ol pharmacy…..
PS: Grinch watched me order the Sephora Travel Bag yesterday online, and wanted to know what I need with all that “crap”? LOL 🙂 I don’t NEED it….
There is a similar bias against noticeable makeup in my field (a male-dominated academic field). I’ve never gotten any flak for my red lipstick, but I know women who have a less intimidating aura than I do that have. And it was NOT in good fun. Thanks for doing your part for normalizing visible femininity in professional areas!
If it makes you feel any better, I keep a small dish of lipsticks near my computer right on my desk – colors from beige friendly to my fav mauve (and there are some 1 ml frag vials in there too!). I also have a compact mirror right next to it so I can reapply whenever I want. My lips are one of the last places on my face that aren’t showing any age, so I’m taking every advantage of it! Screw ’em!
Ah, good then. I thought you meant “official” type flak.
Trying Aromatics Elixir.
WOW.
This stuff is potent. It’s a good thing I’m working from home today.
Very much enjoying it.
One of my all time FAVORITES!!! I’m forbidden from wearing it at work (coworker HATES it), but I sure do love it at home…..
I can see this really alienating coworkers not keen on perfume. Definitely a personal indulgence.
I’ve never had anyone even comment on it at the office. I think they pretend not to be perturbed by anything.
You have very nice office mates.
That’s the one for me tomorrow. I’s my second favorite chypre.
I can see why this one gets so much love.
Vintage AE is one of my I’m-staying-at-home-today scents, too. So unbelievably good, but such a potent, dramatic, niche thing that I would never impose it on anyone else.
This isn’t even vintage and I’d not wear it in the office!
I have never smelled that one
If you like oakmoss and are a fan of old style chypres, you should definitely give this one a try.
Tried my friend’s gift to me this week of AE for the first time before bed. It is unto itself and the name gives fair warning! It’s almost like a bath oil, or as I remember my experiences with smelling Youth Dew 50 years ago.
Rich and enjoyable but potent beyond…
Way potent. I only put on two little sprays and I’m afraid of walking out of the house.
I am even meeker than that – when I wear AE, I spray some on a tissue first and then make small dabs from that on my wrists. It kind of advances it more quickly along and keeps the sillage under control. I really enjoy AE, but it’s a big one!
I’ve loved Aromatics Elixir ever since it came out, but it’s only in the last few years that I have been spraying a bit in my hand and then dabbing.
I agree that this makes it move to the gorgeous rose phase sooner and reduces the overwhelming aspect.
Another application method that Katie Puckrick says that she uses is one spray at the base of her back, so that if wafts gently up.
I remember the vintage as beautiful, but the current version smells like 80% cinnamon on me. Not sure if its the formulation or me….
I wored Aramis 900 today, which is said to be very similar to AE.
I’ve read that, but haven’t tried Aramis 900 yet. I’ll have to find it.
It’s very good and gentler – office safe!
My hubby wore that last weekend at a wedding, and he smelled sooooo good!! Good choice!!! 🙂
31 Rue Cambon over a whisper of leftover from Hiram Green Shangri La from last night.
Two of my favorites, together. I wish I could smell you from here!
You can’t? 😉 Over-applied today, I think, in my enthusiasm for Chypre Friday…
(Apologies for the double “from”.)
Double gorgeous.
Scent twins
Triplets
You smell lovely.
Hoping to be on holiday next week and celebrating with vintage Givenchy III topped up with some of the new version.
Hi Sophie, are we still meeting up next Saturday?
Will email you but yes!
Should add assuming you are ok to/if everything’s ok?
Wonderful, look forward to you’re email.
It’s a good time for me to have some time for myself to look forward to, thanks for asking.
Love Givenchy 111, how does the modern compare to vintage?, I know LT thinks it’s really good.
Enjoy!
I’ve never tried this. How does it smell?
It’s a rather elegant but slightly growly classic chypre – very springlike with a fair bit of hyacinth in the modern version to my nose.
GIII is great! So spring!
Thank you!
Eau Sauvage Parfum (Dior). Not technically sure it is a chypre, and it is dangerously close to being out of season, but I went with it anyway… 🙂
TGIF!
It’s Eau Sauvage, it must work!
If you like something, it’s never out of season.
This one is great at any time!
Initially I wore the old formula Diorella, but something in it made me slightly nauseous.
So I changed into Escentric 03 which is not a true chypre, I guess, but is still a chypre according to Fragrantica.
The weather is far too sunny and summery to wear a chypre, at least for me. So I’m wearing my most truly tropical of tropical fragrances: Manoumalia. If Diorelle makes you nauseous, this one will cause worse things to happen. To me the ultimate glorification of decay, I love it.
Manoumalia is amazing! You’ve given me an idea for tomorrow! With Manoumalia it’s either love or hate – personally I loved it from the first second. I have a friend who can’t stand it and says it makes her sick.
I think you are right, I fell for it very quickly as well, but then I adore perfumes that have a hint of decay in them. It’s too good to be pretty.
Your friend is not alone, remember March’s piece on it on the Posse? She was completely repelled, but fascinated as well. Worth a read.
Yes, I did read it! I had to go and search for other reviews as well, and there’s this mixture of fascination and carefully worded “I won’t wear it myself, but…”
And now everytime I take it out I think how talented Sandrine Videault was…
Oh lord. Yes. Musette said it was “powdery and greasy at the same time.” I thought I’d love it, being a huge BWF fan… but it has this very fleshy smell to me, like lochia. I. Can’t. Even.
Although it does not remind me of the smell of childbirth, (which I loathed, but then I didn’t enjoy OBGYN anyway) I can see what you mean.
The thought of something powdery and greasy is making me gag a little bit.
I’m definitely in the love at first sniff category… It’s on my wish-est of wishlists…
Have not tried this one though I can’t wait to. I had a sample of it in my cart during my last Luckyscent purchase but removed it at the last minute.
Even if you don’t like, it will be worth sniffing. There is nothing like it.
I love it, too. And that smell of decay is so true to life for the tropics (or at least where I live in Florida – the smell of decaying vegetation is almost always in the air).
I don’t think I have ever encountered a decay note in a perfume. But now that you say it, maybe in Joy? Could you name other perfumes where you smell it?
I think that vintage Diorella has a whiff of it. Victoria at BdJ thought that she saw a link to Schiaparelli Shocking
“Since we started talking about raunchiness, rotting swamps and classics, I immediately thought of Shocking. I have a mini bottle, and the perfume must have aged quite a bit, but it still smells pretty good. Dark leather, chocolate-like musk and plenty of that sweet, heady ylang ylang that makes Manoumalia such a voluptuous blend. It’s different from Manoumalia, but the provocative character is similar.”
She also mentions it’s bitterness, which is one of the things I so love about it. Some of the Goutals, Passion in particular have this slightly bitter not as well. Maybe the Ylang?
Also to me it’s more the illusion of decay, than decay itself. And it works so well, as the fact that life comes to an end is even more of an invitation to celebrate it, and this perfume surely does.
I’ve dug out my last two drops of vintage Balmain Jolie Madame. After today, I’ll only have one drop left, I’m making this count. It’s so… sooooo gorgeous. And elegant. And classy. It doesn’t suit me at all, but I wish I could be like that sometime, a woman who knows how to wear a hat and has an immaculate manicure.
You smell amazing.
I understand, even though I’ve never smelled Jolie Madame in any form. I’m so glad that hats are out of the question for me anyway, so I only have to regret the manicure 😉
Jolie Madame was my mom’s signature scent for years and years, until it was reformulated: she has a newer bottle and it’s criminal what they did to it. She keeps an old bottle with a few drops left, just for the memory of it.
God, it must be heart-breaking when they change your signature scent. A moment of silence for the greats we’ll never see or smell again…
LOVE Jolie Madame.
I actually found a very strange “Spray Mist” bottle of Jolie Madame, vintage surely, from an antique store this weekend. The contents are under pressure and it’s a very strange spraying experience, but the scent is heavenly violets and suede. It dyes my skin terracotta red though. I’d love to try it in a more conventional form one day.
Wow, terracotta? The perfume twilight zone! Three or four years into perfumistahood I’ve yet to experience color staining, knock wood.
It washes off but it is a bit intense.
You smell beautiful.
Mojito Chypre for me today. Sub in lime for the more traditional bergamot and strawberry for peach but keep the oakmoss and you have a fun Friday scent
I could go for a mojito right now….
Work is crazy and I’m wearing vintage Champagne/Yvresse – SophieC has sent me such a generous decant that I’ll probably have to be her slave forever. I have somewhat unexpectedly fallen really hard for this one.
My perfume karma has been so good lately that I feel unworthy.
Lovely!
Yep! I keep sniffing my wrist.
Not unexpected at all since Champagne is lovely
It is, but after sniffing the current version in passing a few years ago, I didn’t think it was me. Hence the ‘surprise’.
I’m glad that there is one Grojsman that we share, you smell amazing!
Oh, I didn’t realise it was hers! Excellent.
Glad you’re enjoying it – and you do smell good.
I’m enjoying it immensely – thank you so much! I couldn’t restrain myself and tested Salome, Anubis and Angelique all at the same time yesterday 🙂 Anubis is my favourite.
Anubis is fabulous. I thought it might be a bit much for Summer though – would you agree? I put off the FB decision until the Autumn. :^)
It’s possibly too much for a hot summer day, indeed. Then again, summer days here are not that hot most of the time and I’m a mood-based (not season-based) perfume wearer anyway, so I expect no trouble with using up my sample. But I’m sure it will be wonderful for autumn.
Oh yea, Champagne is really lovely.
Glad we agree on this 🙂
It is still warm here, tomorrow we take a plunge of 11 degrees C.! Chypre of the day is Cristalle EdT, so nice to wear it.
It’s hard to imagine that it will in fact be cold tomorrow. It feels like summer today.
I hope it will rain! Things are getting very dry around here. I don’t mind a little cooling off…hope you will have a nice whitsuntide (or is it pentecost?) break.
Whitsuntide, Pentecôte, at least as far as I know. I want some rain too. My plants are struggling.
I am visiting friends in Seatle tomorrow, and it’s gonna go from 85 to 65! WHAT.
Twins! I just bought this for myself for Mother’s Day. 🙂
Excellent present to give oneself.
This is such a ridiculously good scent. Although I think if Chanel bothered to change the bottle, they would immediately sell 10 times more of it.
Do you find it boring (the bottle)? I always enjoy its sort of 70’s feel.
I’m not sure why I hate the bottle, but I really do. The sprayer too.
Do you think it sprays too much, also? I’m glad this scent isn’t too strong because my bottle sends out a really powerful spray! I think the bottle looks boring.
I totally agree.
I must be missing something, but what is wrong with that bottle?
It looks (to me) cheap and clumsy, especially the big plastic cap. And especially if you have used it for a while. The design itself is not too bad, it’s the execution that ruins it for me. But I feel absolutely certain that if they put it into the classic Chanel bottle (or even a reinterpretation like Chance), it would sell infinitely better. I’m kind of angry that Cristalle has to stand there next to the elegant but shallow Coco Noir who got all the packaging budget.
🙂
Cristalle is one of my most fav summer fragrances and most fav all around chypres. We are supposed to get cold over the weekend too. Brr! I was hoping to get all into my gardening and pots, but I’ll have to wait until next week…..
I am wearing a bit of Dior Dior. Excellent green animalic chypre. I will be a little sad when my bit of this is gone.
I am drinking Adagio Key West Green Rooibos which is flavored with passionfruit, citrus, marigold, and mango.
You smell gorgeous! Would kill for bottles of Dior Dior & Diorama.
I had a sample of Dior-Dior and could barely smell it. I think it had aged badly, though, and wasn’t representative of the scent in good shape.
No. 19 EDP. So many chypres, so little smelling space! I may look for an ” understated” chypre for next week’s project 😉
Happy Friday to all.
You do smell good – I am looking forward to next week’s project, my instant thought was Chanel but clearly there are other ways to be understated!
I wore 19 EdP yesterday for the first time and it was heavenly. You smell fantastic!
Happy Friday to you a swell! I have to admit I’m envious, ☺️ I’ve really Ben wanting to sample No. 19, and Cristalle, for some time now but can’t find samples anywhere! ???? I live in Oklahoma City, and we have several malls and shops, but apparently the Chanel counters don’t carry those here, nearest distribution is in Dallas. Sigh, guess I’ll live vicariously for now. Hope everyone has a great day and I imagine you smell wondrous!
I can send you some of each, Inky. Email me at andreadeveto at gmx you-know-the-rest.
No 19 is the perfect chypre!
I love the EDP. You smell terrific!
The headache has let up, wearing a light dose of Parfum de Thérèse. Happy Friday!
Good; and you smell good too!
You smell great!
Glad the headache went away. Nice perfume!
Vintage Magie Noire for me. I tried to find out on the internet whether it is considered a chypre, and it seems there is no consensus. So I just declared it chypre 🙂 As much as I like vintage, I can not stand new Magie Noire, it is like a swarm of angry bees attacking my nose. Thinking that, to somebody, the vintage one may very well smell like that, is almost enough for me not to wear it.
I think of vintage Magie Noire as a classic oriental (there was an earlier scent, Magie, that actually was a chypre), but when you smell that great, who cares about classifications?
Vintage Magie Noire seems very chypre to me as well. Witchy stuff.
I think that Magie Noire, esp. the vintage (which I am very lucky to have a few bottles!) is BOTH a chypre and an oriental b/c of the the brilliant combo of ingredients. It has that lovely oakmoss and patch and vetiver and civet…. all chypre things, but those spices and rose make it part oriental too. It is one of my fav classic fragrances.
I had a feeling you would go with Azemour today, Robin – me too. Any excuse to wear Azemour! We smell amazing. 🙂
You both smell amazing. Love that Azemour!
We (predictably) do!
Noir Epices for Chypre Friday.
A fabulous choice, love it!
as do you! I was between Noir Epices and Thérèse today. Have you smelled Colle Noir yet?
Love Noir Epices too….
Mugler Chyprissime today.
You smell great. I like that one too.
I really need to test this already!
I’m wearing Mitsouko. I looooove it!
I thought a LOT more of us would be in Mitsouko: even I didn’t wear it today. But I’m glad you did!
I was thinking that same thing! I thought I might wear it, but then decided to try out AE instead.
PriscillaE smells great!
I love it too, but today’s weather did not match Mitsouko for me. Though it would be interesting to give it a try on a nice sunny day just to see what happens.
You smell wonderful!
It’s currently 97 here (on the way to 100). I did just a few light spritzes of the EDP, and I don’t seem to have killed anyone yet ????
Your human consideration is admirable. 🙂
I wear Mitsouko all year long. It is hot and humid in my part of Texas today, and I spritzed liberally. I love all stages of this thing. I sprayed about 8:30 am and at 2:15 pm, it is in this lovely spicy stage.
I wore it yesterday, and still had some on through a warm (75 degree) outdoor workout at 7pm. I still loved it through that, and so did my workout partner.
I’m wearing Mitsouko too!
Yaaaay Team Mitsouko!
I may have to wear Mitsouko this weekend simply b/c it’s going to be so cool and rainy. It is such a wonderful scent.
Hello, scent twin!
Chanel 19 in extrait to start the day, but my nose is already tingling for the Shangri La that I’ll be putting on later.
Lovely choices, both.
Gres Cabochard vintage parfum, such a magnificent leather chypre!
It is glorious! I have a tiny vintage micromini stashed in my travel bag today – going to wear it on Sunday to a wedding party for my brother and his wife! 🙂
I debated what to wear for a ridiculous amount of time and almost went with VC&A Gem but in the end I went back to the source, and I’m in literally my last two drops of Coty Chypre, unknown vintage but I suppose the mid-eighties revival? The top notes have vanished altogether but what’s left is dusky indistinct flowers and that classic black-earth base of oakmoss and labdanum with a bit of powdery vanilla to keep it from being eternal gloom.
That sounds heavenly.
Twins. I found a sample of vintage Coty Chypre parfum and decided today was the day to try it. It is very dark.
Isn’t it, though? I mostly think chypres should be dark, even though some of my favourites are fairly bright and cheerful (like Fête de Molyneux, Yvresse, and Gem). Mine was a sample, too (of EDT), and now it’s all gone. Luckily I have a lot of other chypres to keep me going.
I have some vintage Chypre that I am hording. I think it would be perfect for understated chypre! It is just so smooth and sublte.
Wearing today what must be my favorite chypre of all time: vintage Dioressence parfum. I have a tiny bottle of this, but don’t know what I’m saving it for!
Dire circumstances, Farouche. Survival instinct.
Skipping out on the community project today in lieu of the weather appropriate Bronze Goddess.
There were quite a few comments yesterday about this scent, so as soon as I get done with my post spin shower, I’m going to slather myself with the whipped body soufflé -right out of the refrigerator!!
Ahhhh! Friday, I love you????
Hey Deva! Did you ever order your salt samples? I was going through my samples and have Fleur de Sel, TDC Sel de Vetiver, and Harmatan Noir which I’m happy to pass along to you if you haven’t ordered yet. Let me know: pretsky 35 hawtmale.
Oh goodness, that’s very kind if you! Emailing you now!
Reminder to Boston NSTers. Sample swap tomorrow at 1:30!
Have fun! I am meeting up with jepster!
Thanks! Are you swapping or shopping?
I still have an abundance of choice for chypres today, but I ultimately went for Cristalle.
😉 Lovely!
Chypre of the day is Fleur de chine, so, so lovely, but I do wish it projected a little more, and lasted a little longer, off to re spray after my tea (Twinings English Afternoon).
Yeah it’s almost 10 am and I still haven’t showered yet, let alone gotten out of my pajamas. So I am wearing vintage Bal at the moment. I have so many old and new chyres that I am having a hard time choosing one. Givenchy III, Diorling, Ivoire are on my list.
I don’t think I got in the shower today until 10:30 either. Which chpyre did you choose?
Well, I was *going* to wear Mitsouko today, for the intellectual exercise, but it wound up not feeling right for the day. Chypres, to me, are adventuress perfumes. I’m reasonably certain that Beryl Markham wore chypres. But today I needed a fragrance that would serve as a kind of cuddly security blanket. Due to a family emergency my husband is flying back east tonight, and my teething babe and I will be on our own for some days, so we’re all feeling very vulnerable and strained. Thus, I went with Fate Woman, which to me smells like a cross between springtime and a beignet. Even Beryl Markham needed a beignet, sometimes.
Hope Fate helps.
I was going to do my yearly wearing of Mitsouko this week too…but wimped out.
Good luck, hope the next few days go better than you expect!
Fate is a great choice, hope it gives you comfort. My dad’s father died 3 days after I was born and my mom told me how hard it was to be alone with her first child like that with no family nearby to support her. I hope all goes well for you, sending comforting thoughts. Oh, and I am a big fan of Beryl Markham as well!
Good luck/best wishes for you all–hang in there. …Beryl Markham was the aviator, right?
My thoughts are with you, Isabella. And feeling I might have something in common with Beryl Markham made my day!
Best of luck!
I’m in one of my favorites, Vero Profumo Mito.
So good.
LT made me buy the sample set of Anatole Lebreton. I have not done a lot of active exploration of new houses in a long time since I have so much stuff I need to get through, but his description was so compelling I went for it.
I am really enjoying the style and I am wearing “L’EAU DE MERZHIN” today. The notes from their website are Galbanum, Angelica root, Violet leaf, Cassie, Hawthorn, Flouve, Green hay, Tonka bean, Orris, Oakmoss. I am considering a full bottle, and at 90 Euro that is still practically free, right? I am planning on holding out since the “Incarnata” may be full bottle worthy as well but needs more testing. LT smells oil cured olives, I get licorice/anise suede which is my cryptonite. There are two more samples in the set that I have not even cracked open yet…
I got that set off the back of his review too. It might form the basis of one of the planned community projects “Wear a sample you’ve not tried before and whose notes you haven’t looked up”. I think that comes up in 3 or 4 weeks?
Yes, I should hold on to the other samples for this!
Oh my, the notes sound really good!
Agent Provocateur today. Other than this one, though, I haven’t really mastered chypres yet. I can’t identify them in a lineup, and I haven’t totally figured out how to enjoy them either. Maybe I should look into some good intro chypres before I bother with my sample of vintage Mitsouko again.
You smell lovely
Scent twins! Quite possibly the sexiest chypre I own.
I had to learn to love chypres and still don’t love Mitsouko… that’s an advanced chypre!
Cristalle EDP from an older bottle. Mossier than the current version I first tried.
And the follow-up to what I got my niece:
I ended up at Osswald yesterday and Josie was very helpful, as always. I got PG Louanges Profanes which is a pretty neroli floral, but interesting enough with the whiff of incense. I hope she likes it.
Sounds beautiful.
Cristalle seems to be rockin’ the house today. Gorgeous!
Chypre of the day is Tom Ford “Noir de Noir”, held over from last week’s challenge. :^)
Smelled very nice going on and kind of disappeared afterwards, and today has not been horribly warm or humid so I’m afraid Uncle Tom has to take the blame for this one. :^)
Your post today has made me laugh!
And yes- Both Noir de Noir and Noir Extreme, while delicious, fade away to at most a skin scent, at least they disappear with a sexy whimper.
IF i was a man, I would wear Noir Extreme in the summer evening- it has a minty note that is very cooling.
SOTD-Cristalle EDP-Thank God , as it is crisp and clean and bracing, and I needed bracing this morning. I drove out of my driveway this morning with a flat tire….it came off the rim…ugh!…Friday the 13th.
UGH! What luck! 🙁
Hello good morning! Yikes. I hope things are looking up.
Hey twin! You’re smelling great. Hope the rest of your day is better than your morning.
Not sure, but someone said it is a full moon Friday the 13th.
Oh no! I hate surprise flat tires. The worst. A pair of new tires can buy quite a few lovely bottles. At least you smell great!
I was looking through Fragrantica’s list of chypres for perfumes I might have and was surprised at how few I was familiar with. There was only one Chanel, for example. But I have some of the scents y’all have been wearing this week. I guess criteria differ? SOTD is Cuir de Lancombe because it was dark and rainy earlier and I was in a cuir mood.
Cuir de Lancome is a marvel scent to wear anytime!
Chypres have those main notes BUT it’s all in the balance of hose notes that make them so different. Also: I think when people think of chypres, especially with that galbanum/oakmoss/herb note, they think kinda old fashioned and harsh, so many perfumes marketed to us may not have it.
I don’t think the Fragrantica list has all of the chypres because I was looking through that too and noticing that lots of classics weren’t even on the list.
You smell fantastic!
I was also surprised at the lack of Chanel representation but then found 2 more in the Woody Chypre category which includes 31RC and Sycomore.
I’m wearing No.19 parfum. The modern one. It still works for me – still gorgeous, but will always try to find and buy vintage. I sometimes don’t think of No.19 as chypre, but this morning it was the only “chypre” I fancied 🙂
Oh..Still gorgeous, one of my all time favorite. You smell good and classy!
I second that (wearing 19 EDP modern today).
I like the current No 19 as much as the vintage. The current is more of a fantastic iris-vetiver for me, and the vintage is more golden oakmoss goodness.
SOTD: It’s gonna very hot today (85-89F) and it feels a bit humid. But the morning is cool and my commute is 20 minutes, so I went with Aromatic Elixir Shower gel ALONG with very TINY sprays of Aromatics Elixir on arms and thighs. My apartment smelled AMAZING when I left this morning, and so did my train seat. Now that I am at work, AE is a rich, super rosy/herbaly V’Ger cloud of a scent, with no sweetness. I got of the shower gel in my hair, so anytime I turn my head I get a whiff. I have my own corner office cublcle so no complaints!
OOTD: Hot day, so a dress in pleated white cotton lawn. Fake Swedish clogs, and hair down- although the rising heat will send me for my bob pin soon enough!
You are a vision! Fantastic AE and white dress!
Have fun in Seattle!
That AMAZING smell in the room after spraying AE is one of the best things about it. When I used the spray-and-walk-through method my bedroom would smell fantastic when I got home. I think that smell in the room gives an excellent representation of what AE smells like from a few feet away — the best ever.
I went with Balenciaga Paris. The weather really seems to be having an effect the scent. It’s been raining on and off and the sun is hot. The violet seems extra green and heady, it’s lovely. I must make a note to wear this more often on hazy spring days.
TA-DA! Finally decided to bequeath Friday Chypre day to Paloma Picasso and it is delicious. Chose the edt instead of parfum (after a night with Aromatics Elixir) which gives my nose space to breathe in its beauty. Happy Friday, Robin and ladies and gentlemen.
My husband just walked into the room and I’m in shock. He just wanted to tell me that the perfume I’m wearing smells really good.
My husband tolerates handing me packages and having to sniff my wrist way too often and the most he usually says is, “Not bad” “That’s fine” or “I don’t like that (which is usually the other time he smells something that’s ‘fine’)”.
PALOMA PICASSO, y’all.
I think Paloma Picasso has a naughty-girl vibe that appeals to men – my husband likes it too.
Huh. My husband is the same way. Mostly just tolerant or indifferent, or it gives him a headache. Maybe I need to bring home some PP.
Yes! I would give my eye teeth for an authentic vintage bottle of Paloma….????
I’m going to attend my brother’s wedding later today. I had planned to wear a chypre but the only one I have with me for the moment is a sample of Aramis 900 which I wore earlier. So I’m going to wear Habit Rouge. Not a chypre but it’s great!
Loooove Habit Rouge.
You will smell fantastic!
Best wishes to the couple!
Legrand Chypre Mousse today, the chypre for people who don’t like chypres. Not bitter and the oakmoss is not raspy, the mushroom and dirt notes seem to temper them.
Oh nice! This scent is so… unique, I think. The fennel and mint really stood out for me.
Even though I’m trying to cut back these days, Chypre Mousse has been on my try list ever since thegoddessrena told me about it when we met up at Colonial Drug. It sounds really interesting.
What? You have not tried this yet???
Sajini, it is totally weird, and totally wonderful.
You smell terrific, Foxbins!
Scent twins! And I would argue that this chypre is also appropriate for those (like me) who love them. 🙂
Wearing Lumiere Noire today…a floral chypre according to Fragrantica…
I would like to give myself mad props for doing a split-shift sniffing session after work yesterday where I resurrected Rendezvous and Sous le toit de Paris from my purgatory sample bin.
Both smelled somewhat the same to me as they wore on and, I thought I was crazy, but someone on Fragrantica made the same comment so I can’t possibly be mad…
Hunt down those opportunities for split-shift sniffing before the sun fades!
Ah ha! I actually do own one chypre. ???? A small rollerball of Sunshower will be my SOTD, it’s a perfum oil I got years ago in collage. I worked at a Waldens/Borders bookstore and when they were closing we got a huge shipment in of bath and body products. I grabbed this and the shower gel, now long since used. Very light, low silage with a dry green scent, witch I take is the oakmoss, I don’t really get the lime and lily which is fine. My husband is floral sensitive, poor man. Don’t know where I’ll find a replacement, as this is half gone already. ☺️But I’ll enjoy it while it last!
Edit: official name is Happiology Sunshower by Illume, according to Fragantica. Which is where I got the notes. ☺️
Waldenbooks! There was one at the mall near me and I still miss it!
Not sure if it is technically a chypre, but I’m in La Via del Profumo’s Muschio di Quercia (thank you Pixel!). To me it is almost an olive oily oakmoss and vetiver blend. It is beautiful, and I love the color of the juice.
Hit on a perfume surprise yesterday that I wanted to share. Clarissa, in passing, had mentioned an indie perfume company, Jazmin Sarai. Last week I ordered two samples and last night I was really grooving (sorry couldn’t help using that word!) on Otis & Me.
Can’t remember who was asking about coffee scents, but this one is a winner. It is NOT a chocolate caramel candy coffee at all. It is not sweet. It is coffee and cardamom, with a teensy dash of oud that keeps it out of gourmand territory.
So, of course this morning I am drinking my coffee heavily laced with cardamom, cuz “We don’t, we don’t want nothing but joy, y’all. Nothing but joy.” O.R.
Otis & Me sounds wonderful!
I’m so glad I ordered the sample!
So cute. But we are leaving out the cigarettes…
Shhhh…my northern California anti-smoking prudery clashes with the fuel of artists since time immemorial–coffee and cigarettes… but I wouldn’t want my Otis any other way!
Oy vey, that Clarissa is such an enabler 🙂
Mmmmm, coffee and cardamom.
Chyrpe Week Day 6
SOTD = Chanel 31, rue Cambon
This is in the Woody Chypre category because Fragrantica classifed Woody Chypre with the other Woody and not with the Chypres.
I feel and smell grounded and gorgeous!
You are grounded and gorgeous. Duh!
LOL!
Scent twins..
It doesn’t bappen often that we’re scent twins!
I meant to say in my original post that I would have missed the entire Woody Chypre category were it not for several NSTers wearing 31RC and mentioning the Fragrantica classification!
Hey Twin- can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Yes! Yes!
You are! I’m loving RC. I’m a newbie to its powers.
I got my bottle earlier this year and I am hooked!
You smell fabulous!
Thank you dear!
You do, indeed, smell gooooorgeous!
🙂
Been perfume-less for the last couple of days and decided to go with an easy one today, so joining the Azemour crowd.
I’m also covered in feline calming spray since we had a cat-astrophe a couple of days ago. Doolittle managed to get the pantry door open and wrap the handle of a large Nordies bag around her neck. She then tore around the house screaming her silly head off and sending other cats scattering in all directions. I rescued her and she recovered within second seconds, Newburg and Haineko took a couple of hours more but are okay, Amelia is still suffering from feline PTSD. Amelia is my feline Valium, usually so relaxed that you have to shove her around to vacuum and honk to get down the driveway, but now she panics when the air conditioner kicks on and cowers beneath the bed when I walk by 🙁 It’s very distressing in a way that it wouldn’t be if it was one of the other cats. I suspect that she was deeply asleep when the bag monster attacked and now doesn’t feel safe anywhere.
I’m off to mop the floors in case it smells scary and spritz Feliway everywhere. Anybody have any tips other than to treat her like a semi-feral rescue and wait it out? I usually don’t have cat behavior disasters and have fostered many cats, but I’m stumped.
Aww, such a rough week for the kitties!
I can’t offer much advice about how to soothe a scared kitty (as far as I know, my little guy was born scared and has never once fallen out of character). Feliway’s great, though, and they also have a plug-in diffuser that works well when you don’t really know what to spray. Otherwise, I just let him hide and be weird and just try not to startle him until he calms down.
Something about the crackle snap of bags being whipped open scares cats more than most anything. One of our cats courts new experiences and loud noises–he runs towards children, dogs, and even the crash bang noise of our 1940s Wedgewood oven door slamming shut. But shake open a plastic or paper bag and he high tails it.
Hope time will help your traumatized kitties.
I have used catnip, both dried and in a spray with some success.
Poor little Amelia. One of my cats was traumatized for days after we had some people come and do some work in our last apt. He hid for days under the bed covers and didn’t even come out to eat. It did just take some time for him to come out(which I know you said you didn’t want to hear). I had a bad experience with Feliway with him. I got it on me and he wouldn’t come near me and would growl, which he never does. I think he thought there was another cat around. Maybe catnip might draw her out, like Hamamelis suggested?
Feliway is a good product – we used it on a cross country trip – so maybe keep it up. (I did have the trauma of a calming collar on one cat, who managed to get it into her mouth such that I had to cut if off her…kinda negated the effect) It may be just a matter of time. My cats don’t have long memories. Maybe some extra time just laying quietly on the bed reading so that she can come out and settle down by you?
Feliway is great, you can also use some Rescue Remedy made by Bach, available at health food stores. They make a non-alcohol base for animals, or you can rub the creme version on her ears. Poor baby.
I’ve probably been reading books on trauma psychiatry for too long, but maybe some exposure desensitization? Have someone softly rustle a bag in the next room while you provide intense soothing?
I like that idea (but know next to nothing about cats)!
My SOTD is SSS Jour Ensoleille.
One of my very favorite perfumes! You smell great.
Beautiful. So rich and warm and ripe!
I love that scent. It will be a FB someday…
I’m thinking FB too, or maybe just the small bottle. I am always excited when I live something that I can easily afford! And it is lasting a long time on my scent-eating skin today which is a huge bonus.
<3 that scent and I need to buy more soon.
You smell great!
JE is really a tremendously interesting chypre. One of the standouts in the SSS line.
Today is Eau du soir, Sisley. I am loving this week, not enough days!! I am in chypre heaven!! Yesterday started with knowing and finished with nikki de saint phalle. New to this blog and really enjoy.. Fun Fun! 🙂
Scent twins. I said recently I generally wear this at night, but had to sacrifice for the sister(and brother)hood. Have a lovely weekend, all.
Also in 31RC which I m enjoying even with a mild cold. Was wondering if Dior Dune is a chypre. I used to love it but it’s too strong for me now.
I would personally call Dune either a dry amber, or a light oriental. It doesn’t seem to fit in the chypre box in my mind. Too bad it doesn’t work for you now. 🙁
Twin!
Wearing the queen (IMO) of Chypres: Chanel 19 EDP. It’s just the right amount of wood/spice/powder. No clients today and my drawing project awaits.
Don’t know about you, but the last few days have been a series of wrong turns, misunderstands and cluster you-know-what’s for me. Wonder if something is up with the stars?
Happy Friday the 13th everyone!
My week has been exactly like this. Really horrible behavior at work: lying and deceit, intense narcissism, cluelessness, bad treatment of people of lower rank and pusillanimity in the face of those perceived to have power or be important. I could go on and on. Smelling good and try to stay above the fray has been my survival strategies, but also trying to protect people who can be hurt by all of this. The worst.
Yes, best to stay above the fray (good strategy) when it gets like that. I work for myself so I can opt to just stay at home and avoid people when it gets really bad.
Speaking of self-absorption! Sorry for my rant and for *your* bad week.
Nah, self absorption is a really good thing. I’m serious! (so is ranting)
Plus I learned a new word: pusillanimity!
Yep, same over here.TGIF!
That’s for sure. After yesterday I just holed up. The only person I saw was the guy at the post office (I was sending a perfume to a buyer in Tucson).
I think Mercury was in retrograde at the start of the week, actually.
A friend was trying to explain that Mercury has been doing something it only does like once every 80 years- and it’s worse than retrograde. Plus a full moon tonight. Glad I was off today but I’ve had a month like that.
I’m trying out Black Jade again as it is so pretty and good for a warmer day. I want to see if it has any legs. And I don’t quite get the chypre-ness of this one.
Actually it’s coming on now.
And did it have legs for you? I got middling performance out of it, but the scent was utterly charming. :^)
Not very long ones I fear, although I may get a small decant so I can spray. The dabbing method makes it so hard to tell. It really is very pretty.
SOTD is Mitsouko because, well, Mitsouko. I’m working at home today so I sprayed with lavish abandon and I’m reveling in the scent cloud.
Because Mitsouko! My Mitsy scent cloud is waving hello to yours.
I think I’m going to have to top off my day with some Mitsouko. It’s getting cooler and damper, and nothing will smell better on my faded Safari.
Une Rose Chypree today, which I never thought I’d like but I do. Once my samples used up, I may need a bottle or at least a decant.
Gave away my sample of En Passant to a coworker who I discussed lilac scents yesterday. Hope she likes it.
I didn’t like this on my first try but the second time I wore it for a performance and it kept wafting up while I was counting rests. Turned into a love.
You smell lovely. Une Rose Chyprée was not instant love but it has really grown on me.
oh, yes, that is a lovely one! I used up a sample in short order – I should get a decant of this…
BANDIT.
Love the capitals!
And BANDIT deserves them.
First chance I’ve had to comment this week, but I have been wearing Chanel all week–Cristalle, 19, and 31RC. Love me some Chanel!! But today it is 31RC all the way….and an extra spritz before I go out to dinner with friends tonight. Friday the 13th may not be lucky, but it sure smells good!!!
The only thing better than 31RC is an extra spritz!
Twins! I think 31RC is the most worn today!
Can’t board the chypre train today, I’m afraid, so I’ll have to make do with CdG Calamus. It’s milky sweet and green and rather perfect for this overcast morning.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Oh, but you do smell great!
Chypre Fiday–woohoo! I’m wearing Her Majesty the mighty mighty Mitsouko. She makes everything better. ????
Have a great weekend, everyone.
😉 She is the queen!
That she is! ????
Funny how so many of us almost wore Mitsouko but didn’t… I was also considering AE, since I have an unopened bottle. (Blind buy from TJ)
But, given I’m doing stuff around our new small apartment, I went with vintage Aliage. This and No. 19 were my favorites in the early 80s…
Sigh… I swore no new purchases, but when I heard that Ostara was discontinued I bought up some rollerballs from the website… (I called the Rockefeller Center store, and full bottles were at regular price.)
I really like Ostara. Does anyone know the reason they are discontinuing it? It’s a fairly new scent. Why take it off the market so quickly? It makes no sense to me.
Maybe an ingredient is no longer available to just tripled in price or something…
Was going to wear vintage y parfum for the warm day/chypre week, but today is my big interview/presentation. So LL Vanille, my decant is evaporating faster than I’m using it! I must transfer it to something more secure 🙁 but its sheer power will hopefully bolster
Good luck!
Thank you!
Hope it goes great!
Thanks! I saved falling on my face till I was finished and blocks away :-p
Vintage Coty Chypre pour moi! Happy Friday to all!
Cheers, scent twin.
I’ve only smelled this from a paper strip from Cristophe Laudemiele’s bottle that he opened at last October’s Sniffapalooza!
I figured that if ever there is a day to break out the Mitsy, it’s today, so that’s what I did. I debated a bit over whether to wear the modern formulation (though not the most recent), or take a little dab from my little vintage tester, and I opted for modern (EDP). There is a bit in the modern one that I have — probably whatever oakmoss substitute they used (Evernyl maybe) — that strikes me as slightly chalky, but fortunately I’m not getting that right now.
My bottle is from around 2011 or 2010 I think. I need to wear it more to really get a better sense of the formulation. It was something I hesitated to wear to the office, although the one time I really wore it I got compliments. I think I was just more aware of the fragrance than usual, which made me nervous. (I still haven’t gotten over the High School Shalimar disaster when I sprayed on some (a lot) of my mom’s and blasted my entire class…)
Twins! My EDP is from 2015, and it definitely smells different in the top notes for the first few minutes from my original decant. It’s more…acrid? I can’t say for sure, but I suspect it might have a trace of the ingredient that caused them to pull the EDP and extrait out of production. Still smells good to me, though!
Wearing vintage Coty Chypre. Today I need a force field of a shield, and this is it. So full, and I even enjoy the raugh edges. Chypres are the best: huge mood boosters, confidence enhancers, great companions. Yesterday I was not able to comment, but wore Rosine’s Une Folie de Rose, which is another good, old style chypre you can lean on.
Have a great weekend, you all!
You smell stunning! I was lucky enough to smell Coty Chypre once, and I was amazed by how modern it felt. I loved it.
On Rosines; my set of samples arrived yesterday so I intend to do a lot of roses in the foreseeable future.
These Rosine samples are so much fun!
They came with a pink bow! 🙂
It would be nice if more people had those same Chypre traits????
Yes it would!
Someday I will hunt down a sample of this, sounds appealing. How elusive is it?
I considered Rochas Femme (weather is too warm for it), Azemour, and Mary Greenwell Plum, but it’s Diorella for me today. I don’t wear it that often, and forget how great it smells.
I am in Rue Cambon 31 today. First time sampling this all day long. It’s very nice, and currently in a spicy phase. 🙂 TGIF!
You smell great. It is nicely long lasting for an EDT!
Yes, it is! Time to go home and still spicy!
Twins! I over sprayed (5) and the spiciness has lingered!
Yep! A slight over spray seems just perfect for this one. I am delighted to be enjoying so much!
In EL Jasmine White Moss. It took over from Cristalle when it changed, but what will take over from JWM when my bottle runs out? Oh, the dilemmas of perfumistas…
It’s too hot for chypres today, so I’m comparing some fig scents. Atelier Cologne Figuier Ardent on my left and Philosykos EDT on my right. There’s a distinct piscine undercurrent to FA, which I am NOT enjoying. I don’t remember it from the last time I tried the scent, either – though that was a spray sample and this is from a dabber. Anyway, Olivia Giacobetti is winning this round.
SOTD is my favorite chypre, vintage Miss Dior. I loved it then, when I was a young ‘Miss’ myself and the term’vintage’ had not yet been applied to fragrance (had you asked me what a ‘chypre’ was I would’ve stared at you, totally befuddled) and now that I’m as vintage as the scent itself I love it even more.
Diva edp from my very old, almost empty bottle. It’s breaking my heart that it’s almost gone.
Vintage Diva is very gorgeous. It is the mother of all rich roses.
SOTD = Mitsouko EdP, from a sample. It is on my “you outta get this” list.
On mine too. You smell great.
Hey, Jalapeno and solance, I don’t know how soon Mitsouko might be on your buying agenda, but in case you didn’t know Guerlain temporarily stopped production of the EDP and extrait in January. (I have no idea what that means for discounters, though.) As far as I know, it still is. But the EDT was unaffected!
http://www.monsieurguerlain.com/2016/01/lheure-bleue-and-mitsouko-suspended.html?m=0
Luckily for me, Mitsy is on the long-term list. I can wait until the EdP is back.
Thank you Solanace!
I know I am late, but I did participate today. Wearing my favorite, Fendi by Fendi. Sad that it is not vintage, but it still works for me.
Wearing a spray of Celestine this morning. This must be my most obscure perfume, it’s from a local perfumer here in Wellington – Fragrifert Perfumes. He describes it as a classic chypre, I’m not good enough with notes to be able to comment on that, but it is rather nice, with a old-fashioned feel.
Ii think you get the pin for most niche perfume line. Have a happy weekend. Hope the wind doesn’t blow you away!
Well, if it has the notes listed here, it sure looks like a chypre to me! Looks like it smells good, too!
http://www.parfumo.net/Perfumes/Fragrifert/Celestine
I am wearing vintage Imprevu by Coty. I bought a small bottle on evilbay last year and it smells like sunshine, leather and oak moss. Hmmm happiness in a bottle.
Love this one!
SotD is vintage Antilope from Weil. I guess this is my vintage chypre week! I was looking for my bottle of Ruth de Mastenbroek but couldn’t find it. I’m thinking it was a happy accident, since I love the Antilope but don’t wear it very often. Ruth will have to wait until later!
I have heard Antilope mentioned for years but have never tried it. I am very curious – what is your impression of the fragrance? Any opinion on the different formulations? On a side note I had to laugh that you were looking for your bottle of Ruth de Mastenbroek as I have never come across a perfume with my name before!
I am wearing Sisley’s Eau du Soir. Such a beautiful chypre. I have really come to love this fragrance genre.
Tired and had a headache today so I refrained from experimenting and went with my first perfume love and signature scent Mitsouko.
You can’t go wrong with Mitsouko!
Very late today. I enjoyed reading everyone’s choices. I wore Nikki de St. Phalle today because it was very humid. Post shower I am wearing Corps et Ames. It’s my first time trying this one and I quite like it. Particularly the opening which is very green. It fades fairly quickly to a skin scent. Wouldn’t mind a decant of this one.
MITSOUKO.
Totally!
Y, for the third day in a row.
Nice choice, you smell wonderful!