It's Almost-Friday! What fragrance are you wearing?
I went with Balenciaga Paris. Looks like I will pull off an entire week of understated.
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: shown is the Balenciaga Multi-Bow bracelet in black lambskin, which was $285 before it sold out everywhere.
Inspired by the smell of a small daffodil that I inadvertently pulled out of the garden yesterday, I’m wearing Ostara. Understated enough to fit this week’s theme.
Lovely!
Is Ostara understated? White flowers are, to me, not understated, but seductive and carnal. Well, understated and sexy 😉
Ostara’s yellow and polleny rather than white, though. Daffodils obviously, but it’s also not a million miles from mimosa scents like Diptyque Essences Insensees.
I don’t think that Ostara is a typical white floral, like Carnal Flower or Fracas. I love it, but I do not find it sexy at all. Just blissfully like spring.
white flowers are big on me..
Love this one. I can’t say it is understated on me, but I still love it.
I’m with you austenfan, this one seems understated to me! And lovely.
Good morning, NST! Reached into my sample box, pulled out Si de Lolita Lempicka. An excellent hit of warm spice for yet another gray day.
I have a mini of this somewhere that I’ve never tried. Thanks for the reminder/recommendation.
That’s one of my beach scents. It’s a fun one.
This is one of my favorites for warm but not too spicy.
SOTD: Pour Homme Prive (Patou). Beautiful day here in the Midwest! 🙂
Agreed! After the snow we had this past weekend, this is a major improvement.
We agree on the Pour Homme team!
Pour Un Homme after sports for some freshness.
I almost wore this today. You smell good!
The Art of Understated ;D
You smell wonderful, Pour un Homme is perfect.
Thank you!
Haven’t smelled that in ages but remember it being fabulous.
I did try the Millesime which is more on lavender and herbs and diffusive. I am dying to get my hands on a sample of L’Impact which is the extrait; I have heard that it is true to the original formula. Have you smelled that?
I’m staying at a friend’s, drinking her iced coffee and wearing her Bronze Goddess 🙂
Sounds perfect. I hope you have a wonderful time with your friend and you smell great!
Have a good time!
Oh, very nice indeed!
That’s one of the things friends are for!
That bracelet is gorgeous.
I’m in Iris Cendre today, which I think is a little understated.
I recently got a barbell set from my BIL and finally started putting heavy weights on it. I realized quite quickly how weak I am and that’s actually really motivating me to get a lot stronger. I’m a bit sore today, but in that good exercise sore (DOMS) kind of way.
I have zero upper body strength. I discovered this when I took a class that heavily relied in the upper body. I ended up getting a chin up bar and was able to do 3 unassisted chin ups. It’s been a while, so would have to start from scratch. It’ll feel really good when you find you can add more weight to that thing. You’re inspiring me!
!!! A chin up bar is on my list of things to get. I tried doing a reverse row and realized I have zero upper body strength as well. I might actually buy a chin up bar today. I was researching them yesterday a bit.
I put 50 lbs on the bar yesterday and managed to do 10 deadlifts. This is after doing a few weeks at 35 lbs and 40 lbs, mind you. I’ve been working on it little by little.
I’d also get those assist bands which I didn’t do and ended up pulling something in my rib cage when I first tried it. My hubs became my assist band after that 😉
I think Iris Cendre fits the theme very well. I was in fact planning to wear it tomorrow 🙂
And getting stronger is such a great feeling. Good luck!
I thought so too! It is very pretty, but in such a subtle way.
I’ve come to the realization that I’m a token “skinny-fat” (thin looking-ish person but with zero strength and actually more fat mass than muscle mass) and want to change that. My mom has osteoporosis and I’ve been reading that most women get it because they don’t have any muscle mass as they get older. So I figured NOW would be the time to really start putting on the muscle.
And don’t forget bodyweight exercises as well! I find that together barbells and body weight exercises are GREAT for maintenance of strength and bones. And it’s never too late- check out Ernestine Shepard, who is consider the world’s oldest body builder. I think she is 79 or 80- and she is still going strong!
Oh yes, I actually started out doing body weight exercises with an app I got. I noticed how much stronger I felt from that and then started reading up on weight lifting for building more muscle.
I’ve seen photos of Ernestine, but I never knew her name before. Thanks!
Do it! My MIL is “skinny-fat”. Her osteoporosis is so bad that she broke her femur just by falling over on the lawn. … which turned their 5 day visit with us into 6 weeks. She still won’t believe that thin is not the only (maybe not even the best) measure of health.
Ugh, I’m so sorry. That is really bad.
My mom is pre-diabetic because she’s so thin and has osteoporosis so she’s been trying to build up muscle. She’s had some health issues that had her losing lots of weight fast, which was scary.
I realized I DO NOT want to end up in the same boat so it’s best to do what I can while I can.
I have an unsampled sample of this, I am sure. I have to dig it up now that you have reminded me of it.
It’s very nice and simple. I mostly get iris – very rooty at first, but then calming down with a bit of smoke.
I always find that working out to be stronger and healthier is way better motivation! I also think it’s interesting how “being in shape” has become a euphemism for being thin. When I say that I’m out of shape I mean that I don’t have muscle strength or can’t run a mile.
It is nice to see that thin doesn’t always equal healthy these days – because it doesn’t. Although being “in shape” I think doesn’t always have to mean “thin” per se because body types differ.
I can definitely run a mile. I run 2-3 regularly, but I have no upper body strength or muscle tone, so that’s something to work on.
If you can fit in plank work, utilizing your body as resistance, you will be pleasantly surprised at the results achieved in just a few weeks. ????
Hi! I’m wearing Roger & Gallet Eau des Bienfaits today. A favorite summer scent. Very uplifting!
In preparation for understated Friday I used my entire sample of Angel Muse! It is quite yummy and dry and dare I say, skews a little masculine. I think tomorrow it shall be Natori EDT as penance for my Angelpalooza.
They did a great job on that one.
This one had me circle back to the counter for some more sprays. I like it a lot, and wouldn’t mind a small bottle or travel sized option.
I’m continuing my understated week in Cacharel Noa. (Although I have to admit I’ve been cheating a bit by wearing stronger perfumes at night – last night my bedtime scent was KC Obsession which is anything but understated.)
I hardly ever wear Noa anymore. It is vey understated and clean in a good way. I especially enjoy it on a warm day after a shower.
Its a great office scent too – I can’t imagine anyone being offended by Noa.
I first smelled it on someone else and it wafted very gently. There was something very comforting about it, the way innocence can be moving and calming at the same time. Yes, very office friendly.
Understated Limon Verde
Have the day off and it is a nice sunny spring day. Spending times with my toddler and little baby Buddha
Every time you mention your little ones I want to meet them more. Do let me know if you ever want to get together on a weekend for tea, macaroons, and a stroll with the little ones – I would love it!
After reading your posts -I have to tell you we have a cat..a long haired rescue-he is my gravatar photo. I hope if we meet up you don’t have a runny nose fit!
Did you ever make it to Annick Goutal for that meet up?
I love your kitty photo – his expression is the best! He almost looks smug 🙂
I’ve been friends with many kitties in my life, and I hope to have some of my own some day – it’s just living with this guy for an extended period that has had such an effect. Unless I’m moving in with your kitty dude, we should be fine! And even then – maybe I wouldn’t be so allergic. I’ve certainly never been this allergic before, and as I mentioned, I volunteered with rescue kitties for years.
Kitty got a baby-wipe bath when I got home last night. He liked it at first, and then spent half an hour trying to clean himself where he had been cleaned, so it may have defeated the purpose.
And I’m so far behind on so many things I wanted to do that I feel a bit overwhelmed. My preferred strategy at such moments would be to go home to an empty apartment, get organized and start tackling each thing, but I’ve let the roommate drama of the past four and a half months distract me and when I go home late at night, I feel like I’m not even up to it. Time to get a bit more centered. But I do hope that he finds a new place soon…I want to make that space my own!
Eau Suave today, which has become one of my “no time to think but must spray something” scents. Effortless and pretty, but interesting. So glad I have a full bottle.
I hope you you could find something nice to distract yourself from the drama. I turn to the simple pleasure of our basic senses: eat good tasty food, see nice views, and, of course, sniff good scents!
Thank you! Indeed – I love all those things as well. And I promise to indulge – just have to get a bit more organized in my home life, and that will allow for greater indulgence. 🙂
Four and a half months? Is a new place that hard to find in NYC or he secretly enjoying staying there with you and his new furry Norwegian yoga instructor?
Well the girl broke up with him four and a half months ago, but the discussion about the fact that we shouldn’t live together anymore only happened a month ago. And yes, finding a new apartment here can be tough, but I’m going to be asking him about his timeline because I’ve seen no forward progress as of yet.
But yes, I do think that he’s enjoying his Norwegian yoga instructor and video game supervisor. They get along well, and thankfully, kitty seems to calm him.
Definitely get a timeline out of him for when he plans to leave. And then tell him to get a cat when he moves. It’ll give him something to focus on outside of himself.
I hope things slow down a bit for you so you can refocus yourself.
Testing a couple of things today– L’Eau Scandaleuse from Anatole Lebreton which is heavily animalic on me and Rose Mallow Cream from Solstice Scents which is a fun, happy scent. Neither of these would ever qualify as understated and I’m definitely not participating tomorrow since I’m going perfume shopping and intend to have lots of scents on my arms
I like the idea of “scandalous water.” Does it make you feel scandalous dear Rena?
Not really. It is animalic but not compelling on me as compared to Rozy voile d’extrait which is both.
I can’t wait to stink up Cleveland with you tomorrow!
I’m so looking forward to it!
stink up Cleveland – ha,ha.. cute
I’m wearing Pruning Shears today, since I haven’t worn any roses lately.
Oh, you smell great!
I had to look that up because I literally had an image of holding pruning shears and thought: why would she do that…. wait a minute…
I might need some more caffeine. Not awake yet.
????Edward Scissorhands just sprang to mind.
This made me laugh and I must say I was also a little confused by the pruning shears at first!
You smell lovely, Robin!
I’m wearing Hermes Narcisse Bleu, one of the most understated scents I own. I guess most Ellena’s colognes and Hermessences could be described like that?
I love Narcisse Bleu, but I won’t buy a bottle. I prefer going to the Hermes shop near my office and annoy the staff there by spraying it on myself, when clearly they think I shouldn’t even come near the sacred Hermes altar. A propos, I should pay a visit soon to try the new Rhubarbe Ecarlate whenever it comes out!
That is a good way to scent yourself without spending a dime 😉
I think they are quite nice. They even gave me samples of their Hermessence when I did not even ask. But that depends on the boutique, I suppose.
Hahahaa! The SAs at my closest Hermes are actually very nice ladies, much less snobbish than some who work for far cheaper brands. But I’m always in favour of a little epater la bourgeoisie 🙂
There is also Muguet Porcelaine to look forward to. I have more Hermes scents than I would otherwise have simply because they do the 4x15ml sets.
I think it suits you perfectly! Although it is in the cologne style, it is rich and understated.
I once smelled the actual white narcissus and it smelled so…heady. But, this Narcisse Bleu weaves in some nice violet and buttery iris, and is actually my gateway narcissus. I have not tried Bellodgia. I need to explore more of these obscure notes.
Thank you! Someone who knows a lot about perfume in fact said that it smells quite soft and violet-y on me. But in the general scheme of my collection it’s still one of the crispest scents I own. I like the touch of bitterness, too.
Ellena is understated.. 🙂
I read your blog post on Persian cook books..thanks for sharing
Thank you. I’m somewhat obsessed with Middle Eastern food, so it’s very difficult for me not to share 🙂
I enjoyed it too. Nothing better than a good list and since I love browsing thorough cookbooks right now, perfect timing as well 🙂
Why thank you, and so do you.
Thank you!
That sounds lovely and very understated.
Cuir de Lancôme and a new hairdo today! I love new hair day- I just dont love the price.
Yes to both of those things. 🙂
Yay to both of those things, and also – who’s the new icon kittyface?
Mr Kittyface is Fergus 🙂 he’s my sooky (half folded) Scottish Fold who chose me when his previous humans moved to a retirement home. Strange little thing he is, but super cute 🙂
Love his name.
It was funny. After my last beloved cat died at 19, I said I’d only get another cat if he was a Scottish Fold named Fergus. One day at work a colleage was scanning a classified site on a computer for a pet for his kids. I was standing behind him and there he was! An adorable pic of Fergus looking for a new home. It was fate, so I had to call. Lots of people called but I was the only one who he emerged from under the bed to greet so his owners asked me to take him. 🙂
Wow, that was fate! I bet he’s adorable and so lucky to have a wonderful home and a human servant who loves him.
That was a very specific request that the Universe fulfilled for you. Love it!
Great story! We also had a 19 yo that died and actually were not not looking for a new cat, and certainly not a Sphynx. When my husband brought home a picture of the litter from his friend at work, 2 of them melted my heart and she ended up giving us those 2, without having said anything to her. So I feel like they were supposed to be with us somehow, like you and Fergus were meant to be. And Scottish Folds are adorable.
He is adorable, and what a great story. It’s amazing how often the right pet finds us.
How cool that he decided to live with you.
And Geranium Odorata for bedtime freshness.
You smell and look fabulous.
Why thank you 🙂
Hi, CdL scent twin, you smell great! Hooray for new hairdos!
Essences Insensés 2014 from the solid, which I think is a perfect way to make any scent understated.
Twins but for the solid part, I’m in spray form.. we smell just wonderful!
I must admit, I would spray if I could…but dithered because it would have been a blind buy,and then was too late. But we do smell wonderful indeed!
Wearing my sample of SHL 2022 Generation Woman. It smelled like almond cookie on paper but on skin, the top notes have some aromatic spices that make it more interesting. I’m liking it so far.
It does sound interesting. Where did you get your sample?
I got it at Osswald NY last week when I was there shopping for a gift for my niece. But Luckyscent has that line.
I’ll have to order a sample. I really like her Rose de Petra. Thanks Elisa!
It’s a he, and you should Google his photo. You might appreciate the line even more 😉
Oops! I really should pay more attention. I actually knew that. 🙂
Did you end up buying a gift for your niece?
Nice aunt 😉
I ended up getting her Parfumerie Generale Louanges Profanes from Osswald. I made the mistake of not trying it on skin at the store. On paper it was a pretty neroli/lily. On skin it was both of those with a hit of nag champa incense. Made it interesting but I was going for light and pretty. This had a definite dark side. Though I did see a box of nag champa incense in her house, so hoping she likes it.
I’ll be wearing Kyoto for the fifth day in a row. Back during the damage poll I’d been complaining that my full bottle did not smell quite like my sample had but I think this one just needs warmer weather to really shine. It’s been everything I wanted and more this past week. It smells like a sauna, very understated add comforting.
Mmmmmmmmm you smell great. Love Kyoto
Testing Aedes Iris Nazarena today.
Thanks. How are you liking Iris Nazarena?
I love Kyoto and wish I had some here with me right now. It would be the perfect scent for today. You smell great!
Guerlain Ne M’Oubliez Pas. Yum
Ooh is it in a splash bottle? How do you normally apply the extrait? I have this ceramic stick from Chanel that I use and wipe off on my shirt before dipping it into the juice again.
I have a spray sample of this one, but normally when I wear extrait, I tilt the bottle with my finger blocking the opening, and then dab from my finger. Of course, that’s not really sanitary, and it probably isn’t healthy for the juice long-term….
I think it is fine so long as you do not have sweaty hands like me lol.
I just got a sample of this because you seem to really enjoy it. I’ve tried it once and thought it was very pretty. The only thing that surprised me was the cumin note which isn’t my favorite. Still a lovely scent. You smell gorgeous today!
I’ve noticed that some days I get a *lot* of cumin, and others I don’t get any – I wonder if it’s a weather thing or just something else is changing up the chemistry.
My skin amps cumin. It’s probably fabulous on other people.
i loooooooooooooove this one. is it an extrait? i’ve been spraying happily… 🙂
I mean, my decant is in a spray bottle, so that has something to do with it, haha. But I’ve been spraying heavily – especially considering I usually go with 2 sprays max of anything.
(Don’t tell, but between both sides of my wrist and my neck, I put on 12 sprays this morning.)
12! That’s impressive – especially because it’s so expensive, haha.
That one is definitely on my to-sample list. It sounds so nice.
I think that bracelet is the only thing I’ve coveted in all of Robin’s gorgeous photos. I need a lawn-mowing scent for today ….
You’d look good mowing the lawn while wearing that bracelet. I like it too.
I like the bracelet too- and it’s cheap compared to all the others! No wonder it’s sold out.
It was a bargain!
I often go for big, loud stuff for lawn mowing. To hell with understated, grab an Amouage or similar.
You go MM! 🙂
I do the same! Amouage Gold + dog park = perfection.
Amouage Gold will enhance any situation! Such a stunner and so easy to wear.
Agreed I like that type of unexpected contrast.
Yeah!!
I was thinking of something quite literal–dry and grassy–but have ended up in Equistrius. Yes, I would have looked fab behind the mower in that bracelet!
You smell great Karen B.
Balenciaga Paris is very nice, and I just may go with that for the Friday theme. Today, however, there’s nothing understated about my SOTD – No. 19 EDP, sprayed rather liberally. It’s cool and green outside, and 19 fits well with that.
I think no19 is understated- more so to me than Balenciaga.
I’m looking forward to everyone’s comments on Friday because of this very thing – it’s so interesting how different people’s impressions of fragrances – and whether they are understated, overstated or otherwise – are so different from one another. To me, 19 is, above all, elegant (which often goes hand in hand with understatement) but strong-spined (which somehow does not seem understated to me). On the other hand, Balenciaga Paris is lovely and sedate, very quiet and close to the skin, which my brain interprets as understated.
So do I in some way, glad you said that as I was thinking something like this and saw your comment.
No. 19 EDP seems to fit right in wherever, whenever.
Absolutely.
wearing Eau d’Ikar.
Is this Sisley? I remember trying it and was surprised by its uniqueness. Don’t remember what it was, but just that it was so unique.
Wearing Very Estee today…..have a full day that won’t end until 9pm or so, so needed a scent that will hang around in the background that long! This is a good one!
Plugging along…..Friday approaches! 🙂
You know, it’s interesting how i have grown to SERIOUSLY love Lauder fragrances- they are so diverse and so darned lovely!
Me too. I LOVE quite a few of them…..they just work, in so many situations/places/seasons!
I’m in Rochas Femme again. I love how it’s incredibly long-lasting, but it doesn’t stray too far. I can smell it on my hand through the day, but only when I bring it closer.
Femme is one of the great.
You smell great!
Wearing Lumiere Blanche from the end of a sample, or, not quite the end–looks like there’s more in there, but the spritzer only produced a bare wisp of scent. So it’s definitely understated today!
(I have to say, I tried to find Kevin’s hysterical line about inadequately sized samples smelling no stronger than a _____’s ____ but having failed to locate it, I’ll refrain from risking misquoting–does anyone else have a better memory than I?!)
No unfortunately not. I would love to know what the quote was.
Nun’s fart?
Hah! If it wasn’t, it should have been!
Ok I’m thrilled I’m not hallucinating: I could’ve sworn it was something like “angel’s fart” or “hummingbird’s fart”, but so far a riveting review of the NST search results for “fart” has not turn up any such turn of phrase! ????
Started out in L’Heure Bleue, but couldn’t get past the first five minutes :-(. Put on Alahine after my shower, but that’s not fitting my mood today, either. It’s another gray, rainy day today (I swear I saw an old man in a boat on my way to work); I’ll probably switch to Gucci Guilty after lunch.
I hope you live near water otherwise that would be VERY surreal 😉
I was thinking that too… unless Kyril lives in Venice. 🙂
Nope, it’s just been raining here a lot lately.
Ugh, I understand. We recently had eight straight overcast/rainy weather. It was mentally fatiguing after a while. It rains plenty in my area but there are usually some sunny days in between to balance it out. This spring has been difficult.
We’ve been in stage 2 water restrictions for about 2 years (I live near Austin, TX). The local lakes are full and overflowing for the first time in about 5 years. It feels like it’s been raining since January. Not that I’m complaining; they’re saying that this summer may be “hotter and dryer than normal”, however one defines normal now 🙂
I hope it gets better soon. Although, I’m not sure that 90 degree temps are better. I live in New England so we get all four seasons.
I hate when you can’t find something that fits your mood. Alahine always fits my mood-but I can see where it can be too much
Wearing beloved Jasmine de Provence today.
The understated Heaven….ethereal soft white florals that sit close to the skin…so pretty…..
Romanza! I’m still smitten!
I think I am not very sensitive to animalics, and am wondering if it’s just my nose, or maybe I’m more tolerant, or the fact that I’m old and simply used to animalics in vintage form. I *did* have an unfortunate experience with L’Air de Rien, though: I thought all was well until at some point I started thinking “did I step in something?” Ohhhh …
The interesting thing about that experience is that I couldn’t detect that fecal note when sniffing directly off of my skin. So today I have blasted myself with Romanza, and will also test on paper later. Wish me luck 😉
Oooh, I am curious what your thoughts are on Romanza! I currently have it in my sample cart and see such mixed reviews on the civet aspect.
A few of us were discussing it in yesterday’s thread, dstsauve. I simply don’t get any off-putting notes out of Romanza whatsoever, but I know that many do. I think it’s magnificent!
Btw, the sample I got is from Twisted Lily and although listed as a .7 ml, is actually a larger manufacturer’s carded sample.
Wearing Cartier L’Heure Fougueuse today, and pawing through my scent cabinet in search of something understated for tomorrow. I think I have a good one…
Love…
Not wearing an understated scent today – wearing Byredo Pulp. Working from home so able to wear it here.
Cristalle EDP is my SOTD. I had to use half of my sample before I could smell it. Still, It is a beautiful scent that has been on my FB list but I never actually get around to buying it. Although, I probably will once I run through my decants.
Wow you do smell good!
Another cool grey day… Decided to go with Bois d’Ascèse.
You smell great. And warming!
Great idea. I trotted off to try your sample 😉
We smell very good.
Did it last on you? Mine is long gone.
That’s funny. It lasts a long time on me, although I don’t know how much sillage it has. It’s one of the few things that if I put it on at night, it’s still very present in the morning.
It smells great but the lasting power is not fantastic. How did it perform for you jjlook?
Not awesome, either, as it turns out. I have to get my nose right to my skin to smell it…but it was nice while it lasted.
Good morning, all! Just a little bit of Aftelier Honeysuckle face elixer today, for understatement.
Last night it was hot and sultry here, and I wore a little Moon Bloom to bed. Every inhale was euphoric, like breathing some kind of happy gas! And I realized that I go one of two very disparate ways when hot weather strikes — I either want nothing but light, citrussy colognes, or I want to lean into the heat with rich, sweaty florals, usually tuberose, the sweatiest of them all. Some perfumes definitely feel too big for hot weather, but tuberose somehow harmonizes with it and makes the heat more beautiful.
I love sultry white florals on warm nights- they’re made for each other.
Phaedon Cendres de The. This one is pretty understated after the initial cardamom rush with a cedar wood and tea accord with a bit o not too clean musk.
I am drinking Harney & Sons Malachi Blend.
I’d planned on Cristalle today, but it is a bit cool and cloudy so my hand just reached for Mohur. I love this to bits.
Mohur is always right. You smell great!
I wore this last night. So good!
Best rose ever, to my taste. You smell like a Bollywood princess.
What they all said! Mohur is wonderful…
My SOTD is… Alahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine! I think I’m going to burn through my decant pretty quickly. I haven’t even looked at the price for a bottle yet.. eek.
Hi sweetgrass. I read yesterday’s post about starting the loan process for home buying. It’s understandable that you feel a bit unsettled yet excited. I want to wish you the best of luck. I hope you find a home that you love. And… You Smell Great!
Thanks, on both counts!
It actually isn’t that bad, at least in perfume math.
Yeah, I just looked, and it actually isn’t that bad. Less than I expected.
Wearing Jovoy Private Label from a sample. I’ve enjoyed it but don’t want a bottle. It’s a bit unrelenting and there was definitely a furniture polish note early on.
One that I’d love to smell on someone else but a bit much to wear all day.
I have been wondering about that scent!
It would probably be great on someone with scent-eating skin as it is tenacious. Even flimsy things last for hours on me so it was just a bit much. It does smell good.
I accidentally sprayed this on my nice coat and had to send it out for dry cleaning immediately.
I missed my bus, and so rather than wait, I walked 3 miles to the transit center- in 20 minutes! Thank goodness this is a casual day and I was wearing my Vans! I caught the train with literally 30 seconds to spare!
SOTD: A generous application of Body Shop Moringa as my ‘work shower ‘ ( I had a production meeting so a real work shower was out of the question) It feels wonderful going on and cools you down.
OOTD: Jeans, short sleeved pink shirt, teal blue suede Vans, short trench coat.
I love the Moringa body wash. It’s one of the few scented bath things that doesn’t get on my nerves when it sticks around.
It’s really nice, isn’t it? And it plays nice with other coognes or scents.
Above, I should have put BODY MIST as my shower. If you get a chance to sample the body mist, please do so- it’s very cooling, and dries off into a very gentle skin scent.
I want the body mist, but it was sold out last time I visited the store. I have sampled from the tester and it was lovely.
It’s very popular so I am not surprised! 🙂 If you can, get it when the store has a sale!
Oh, it does layer so nicely. I finally ran out of the body butter, and I miss it. Still have the shower gel, though.
The Moringa shower gel is perfect during the summer! 🙂
Wow! 9m/ph is quite some ‘walking’ pace. I think I’d need a bit more than a spray of body mist in that situation…well done, you!
That is seriously fast- I know I walk fast to work but certainly not at that pace! You smell nice I always think the moringa range smells both crisp and pretty.
I’m in Tea For Two. This would be perfect for someone who doesn’t like perfume.
You smell great!
Wearing Vetiver Extraordinaire (Frederic Malle, by Dominique Ropion) today. It is definitely understated and may be my favorite vetiver.
My favorite vetiver too 🙂 Waft some this way, please!
*waving arms in your direction*
You smell gorgeous. I may wear it tomorrow!
Oooohhh I need to try this! Somehow it has not made my radar but I adore vetiver.
SOTD is Dior Bois d’Argent. To me, ‘understated’ goes along with ‘elegant’ and ‘reserved’ — pearls and a chignon — no dancing on the tables and doing shots at the bar 😉 Bois d’Argent fits my definition of ‘understated’ quite nicely.
My hair’s not long enough for a chignon, but the rest of it sounds pretty good!
Love this bracelet! That’s all..
Hey floragal, I hooe you’re enjoying Austin! To answer your question yesterday re: the Prada perfumes (the new collection and the new Infusion d’ etc.), i saw them at the Prada boutiques. Saks had rhe Collection a month ago and was due to get the Infusions shortly thereafter which probably means they are already there; I didn’t get a chance to check during my breeze by yesterday because I waz busy charming the Dior guy into giving me a sample of La Colle Noire (it worked).
Hahaha! you charmer, you..
Curious about that new Dior as well.
Thanks for the info. on the Prada’s. I’m not sure I’ve actually ever visited a Prada store, not even for fragrance since it can be found so many other places, but mean eager to try not just the almond but the carnation.
Austin’s been mainly work so far, but the fun begins tomorrow when my brothers arrive from Houston.
BBQ, here I come!!!
Before lilac season 2016 is but a memory, I’m spending some quality time with En Passant.
Lovely.
Smelled some gorgeous lilacs out on my walk in downtown Montreal today, just glorious.
Wearing Sampaquita today…
It is nice but probably too conservative a jasmine for my tastes.
Happy “Friday Eve” everyone! We are bracing ourselves for yet another round of bad weather coming our way today. Keeping my fingers crossed. My SOTD is Bronze Goddess by EL. I actually just have on the whipped body cream – and its still going strong! Love it!
Should I be worried that I applied Memoir at 5 this morning and its almost gone? Now I can either wear Lyrica or reapply Memoir.
Sometimes Memoir skips out on me too, but the dry down is so comfortable I’m just unconscious of it anyway. I always spray it on clothes, where it sticks around much longer. All my nightwear smells of Memoir, since it’s one of my favorite evening scents.
I’ve been wondering if I should blind buy the extrait next time I run across it.
Not to enable, but Yes! to any extrait, is my motto…
For me, 7.5 hours is a good long run! Almost unheard-of long.
I wouldn’t blind-buy the parfum, unless your favorite part of it is the leathery stuff. (I LIKE the leathery stuff, I do, but my favorite part is the white floral.) It’s a gorgeous leathery thing, the parfum, but it is a) spendyspendyspendy and b) not as complex as the edp, in my opinion. I mean, it is really good, but sample first would be my advice because it is different in focus than the edp.
Hellooooo… drained my Eau Magnolia sample (courtesy of Laura) this morning. Pretty, and not uber-femme considering it is such a big white floppy flower. I don’t feel I need a full bottle, but I have really enjoyed wearing the sample.
Also feeling quite chuffed as last night I managed to prepare a meal for 8 in about 90 minutes. There were four guests (plus my family) visiting from Malaysia so I wanted to make something very un-pan Asian. I baked chicken thighs with peaches, wine, honey and lavender, which I served with roasted potatoes, sugar snaps, and a cucumber salad. We ate outside as it was a warm evening, and the garden was perfect. Had a little drama when my 3 year old, enormous “kitten” brought us a Robin as his offering to the guests mid-meal. Robin was not quite dead yet… ah well. Cats.
I love your chicken dish.
That sounds like wonderful meal. Did you use fresh peaches? And white wine? First fry the chicken a bit and then stew it? And…did you have any dessert?
Yes! Yes (and white Balsamic vinegar as well)! and yes to browning on the stove top first to crisp the skin… not stewing exactly, but the juices from the peaches, wine and honey settled in the bottom of the pan while roasting.
The guests brought a fruit tart ;-)!
(I love your questions!!)
Thank you! One last question, did you add lavender as a herb (like rosemary) or was it lavender honey? I am going to cook this coming summer when there will be fresh peaches.
So the lavender in our garden is not in full bloom so for the cooking I substituted with Herbs de Provence from the shops. I garnished with lavender sprigs from our garden. I did not have lavender honey–I don’t think it matters a whit. I more or less followed Diana Henry’s recipe from “A Bird In the Hand,” but I used more wine (then reduced), a tad less vinegar… I have to say it looked gorgeous when I pulled it out of the oven. If you want the recipe I’d happily scan it and email it to you!
Sounds wonderful. Echoing Hamamelis, I would love to hear more details.
Ah, the amazing circle of stuff. Cats are lovely entertainment. I watched Newburg and Meriwether play keep-away with a headless cottontail carcass the other day. It was half disgusting and half adorable. Looked like a limp stuffed animal except for the little bit of gore. Titania finally took it away and ate it, thank heavens.
It is a guilty pleasure of mine to watch the cats “play” with their prey. I know that is not very PETA of me.
Wow- what a feast! I make a similar dish with plums in the fall. And hey, the cat only want to make there was enough! 😛
Tart plums would totally work as well!
Kitties was just trying to add to the festivities!
Mimosa Indigo from Atelier Cologne was a good choice this morning.
Now off on a date
Good date, Lucas!
Oooh, enjoy the date and I want to hear all about it!
I am wearing Santa Maria Novella Melograno today.
Understated elegance. 🙂
I went with Roja Dove’s Lilac Extrait, one of the more understated from his line. I was lucky enough to pick up a bottle on clearance when it was discontinued, and between it and En Passant, I have my fresh lilac bases covered.
I just stumbled across my sample of The Afternoon of a Faun again and decided it was almost understated since I can’t really smell much. My allergies are dulling my senses, but I keep getting little whiffs of immortelle and furniture polish between nose-blowings. Some genius has apparently decided to try to burn a woodpile in spite of the rain and the outside smells like smoldering old soggy wood.
The smell of burning wood bothers my allergies too. I hope you feel better.
Thanks. Actually, a breeze has popped up and the sun is out so the nasty old smoke is mostly blowing away. I’m still sniffling (mold), but no longer choking and fearing a headache.
I have to try Afternoon of a Faun. The last time I tried it, I was scared away by a goaty smell.
Weekend in Normandy, which is perfect for a sunny day. I don’t know exactly what the thing in it is that I love so much. I read the note list and none of these things is distinct to me, but something is and I have to figure it out. It’s the part that smells salty, even thoufh I know salt doesn’t have an odor. Hmmmm.
I think salt has an odor… it’s salty-smelling :–) l All kidding aside, I get a salty note from Iris 39 and I love it.
Right?! That feels like an adequate description to me.
I’m sampling TDC Jasmin de Nuit this morning. From the notes, I should be swooning and pulling out my credit card, but it is not love, not even like. I’m not getting much jasmine but loads of cardamom and cinnamon and something vaguely green. It’s rather nauseating. I may have to wash it off and put on something else. In other news, the shelter kitty I adopted in December is now officially running the house. After living in the guest room for two months and refusing to come out, she now has appropriated my bed as her preferred napping spot, and the other evening the dog was sleeping in the middle of the hall when she wanted to pass. She meowed at him and he scrambled to his feet so fast I looked to see if she had clawed him, but no–it was just the Meow of Power that got him up.
They do tend to take over.
I thought JdN smelled like Juicy Fruit gum. I didn’t like it either. And Indult Isvaraya, also a sweet, fruity jasmine, smelled very similar.
Yes! I’m at the drydown now and it’s almost exactly Juicy Fruit.
Day 4 of understated perfumes —
SOTD = Prada Olfactories Collection Purple Rain
I was inspired by Lucas’ SOTD yesterday and his review over at Chemist in the Bottle. I got a 4 mL sample from a Saks SA oddly enough on the day Prince died (neither of us knew at the time and joked about the name).
How does it smell? Similar to Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue, only better :-). It has the earthy iris but is slightly more citrusy (or should I say vetivery). If you don’t really care about nuances, sticking to the absolue is perfectly fine and your wallet will thank you. My wallet and I have an understanding — wait for a deal and a bottle is mine
Thanks for the review, if I get a chance to try it I certainly will, but I will enjoy my Absolue in the meantime and not feel too itchy about tracking Purple Rain down.
Fire and Cream. Not exactly understated, but streamlined. And it lasts forever for a natural perfume!
I think streamlined qualifies as understated.
We have to adapt!
I have to look this up!
It’s a nice lavender.
SOTD is La Fille de Berlin. Not really understated.
I’m currently reading a book on cheese (Di Brino Bros House of Cheese by Tenaya Darlington) and it’s so amazing and making me hungry. In fact, I get a little antsy reading it because there are so many descriptions of delicious cheese and suggested food, wine and beer pairings that I get excited and have a hard time sitting still 😆
You smell great. …And now I really want some cheese!
Today’s understated SOTD has been Chanel ‘s “Bel Respiro”. This would be a good perfume to wear on a day when too much else is going on in your work or your life. It reminds me of a small number of people I know who stay on such an even keel that I’m never quite sure if they are too wise to be perturbed by the crisis, or too stupid to realise it’s happening. Bel Respiro doesn’t do a lot, but it does it well. :^)
I love that description of those sorts of people!
I know how you feel but sometimes I think people just have a knack for seeming calm while being less calm in reality-anyway you smell great and have reminded me I really like Bel Repiro, a good understated choice and a good name for what it smells like. Also a bit like Eau de Campagne I think.
I think you’re right – I can put up a good front even when I don’t feel calm inside and I assume others do likewise.
Yes, I know this is true. A late friend of mine could appear utterly calm in almost any circumstance. I asked her what her secret she was and she said, “I think of the color blue.” It didn’t necessarily mean she felt calm, but it gave her a place from which to emanate calm.
Yes, I know this is so. People always think I am cheerful even though I am very often not. I once gave a long talk about mourning after which someone described me online as “always so happy.” That one did befuddle me.
Not understated but my SOTD after a limb morning in the garden is SJP Covet. Smells like nothing else in my cabinet, but a favorite.
Nothing yet, as I had to hustle to physio this morning. If I put my nose to my wrist I can smell a bit of Heeley Phonecia which I sprayed on while dawdling at a store yesterday afternoon (hmmm maybe it is an extrait after all?)
Hmm, I have that (as the usual 2ml sample) at home somewhere. How do you find it?
Actually, I liked it, which was surprising for something marketed as a strong extrait and oud-y. Like Nelson said about Naked Lunch, “it was neither.”
I found it to be cedar and incense-y, and did have a bit of an ancient quality to it.
You should try your sample. (And I might have to go back to that store for another spray–Roden Gray for other Vancouverites)
SOTD is Cuir de Lancôme just because. I’m still deciding what to wear tomorrow that fits the ‘understatement’ bill. It’s an interesting challenge.
I’m sure you’ll find something :-). Happy day after your birthday. P.S. Have you emailed me yet?
Thanks! It was a good day yesterday. …No, I haven’t emailed you yet–I’m so behind on some tasks. ???? [shakes head in embarrassment] Will do, though.
SOTD is Neely Vermiere Bombay Bling. I love all five of her fragrances and Bombay Bling is especially cheerful and bright.
cheerful and bright is a good way to describe this one.. definitely cheerful!
So fun!
SOTD = Roja Dove’s Enslaved. Wasn’t really impressed with this spray sample when I first got it, but three wearings later it is growing on me. When I got in my car to run an errand at lunch, the car smelled fantastic. And what is on the back of my hand is particularly pleasant, right now, a slightly dusty powdering of spices underneath some petals that are familiar but I can’t quite place them. Afraid I will miss this when my sample is empty!
Lovely stuff, I need to wear it again soon.
I think my car smells like all the irises I had ever worn since I got it in November 2013. Egads! I just realized my car is 2 1/2 years old and it is inching along to 9,000 miles!
Wearing Blackbird because I love it and today is windy and cold and wet. I was out in the forest yesterday and noticed that someone had set gin traps next to the mountain bike tracks . As i bent down to look at one my small dog ran up and almost stepped in it and I had to kick both dog and trap away, the latter triggering with a mighty snap. This is a public recreational reserve….just unbelievable. Some poor possum was caught by its back leg in one…don’t know how long it took to die. Incredibly barbaric. Alerted the various councils and ministries… but will go out today with some tools to destroy any i find. Sorry for the rant but really beep beep beep angry.
Wow. People are idiots. Bad enough on private land, but really extra stupid in a public area. The only thing gin traps are good for is hanging on the shed as rustic decorations. If one really needs to kill something, there are ways that don’t involve torture. Hope whoever did that is caught and chained to a tree by their broken legs.
That’s awful! I am glad neither you nor your pup weren’t hurt and am sorry for the possum. So dangerous in a public area and inhumane anywhere.
How awful! So glad your pup was not hurt and good on you for going back to get rid of the others!
Hate thinking of any type of animal trap.. it is barbaric!
Traps on public land. Wow, that’s just… Wow. So glad you and your dog weren’t hurt. And glad you reported it. I’d destroy those things too! (Do you think they were for animals, or do you think someone was super-malicious and put them there to hurt people since they were near bike tracks?)
Lots of comments here that I can will enjoy reading after work. Meanwhile, winter has finally arrived here after the warmest autumn ever, and I’m going with Chinatown for today. I was thinking of Chambre Noir, but the auto complete offered Chinatown as i started to type, and that was too funny to resist. First time I’ve taken perfume guidance from my tablet 🙂
But clearly it’s not clever enough to recognise that Chinatown doesn’t really fit the theme.
Shhhh…I won’t tell. You smell wonderful!
Finally, a beautiful May day . . . warm sunshine and blue sky and everything green. It’s a day to colebrate with a joyous scent, and I’m doing so with one of my top five scents, Nina Ricci Bigarade. Not only does this scent from the early 70’s, billed as ‘the sexy French daytime scent’ (I still remember that after all these years, can you tell I was a young woman just starting out in the world of work then?) hold memories of a special time, it was a unique scent in its day and only available briefly. Fragrantica calls it a chypre and lists its notes as bitter orange, oakmoss, floral notes, citruses and aldehydes. I would say that’s quite accurate. When it was d/c (long before the Internet and fragrance discounters) the Marshall Field store in Chicago obtained what little was left from the Jacqueline Cochran warehouse in NY for me. I felt so special then – I had a treasure that was available nowhere else! Many years later, when the Internet did arrive, the first fragrance I searched for was Bigarade and I learned a few others also had it and were willing to sell it, so now I have a few backups of this beloved scent.
On a cat note, as I was packing and preparing for our weekend camping trip today, opening various bins and closet doors, I heard a plaintive cry from one of my kittens, as though she were locked in somewhere. I retraced my steps and opened and closed and opened and closed and couldn’t find her anywhere, and she was now silent. I searched the entire house and she was nowhere to be found. Finally, I opened the front door and there she was, wedged between the front door and the storm door. If someone had come and opened the exterior door, she would’ve been gone, and she’s never been outside. She waltzed in, threw a look at me over her shoulder, and sashayed down the hall. Cats!!!
I love how they go quiet once you are really searching for them. So helpful!
I’m glad it ended well!
I went with my sister today while she had outpatient surgery. I wore Commodity Mimosa. Understated and inoffensive ( I hope ), also very pretty, and uplifting.
You are a good – and good smelling – sister!
Best wishes for your sister!
Love the sisterly love!
Angelique today which is pretty but not understated. I will see what I can find tomorrow and am rather interested to see what everyone comes up with for understated.
You smell great!
In DK Gold edp today, and I smell so good.
The CEO and I went out and bought a mattress – finally! The one we’re currently sleeping on is giving us zero problems, and therefore it’s been a struggle to talk him into replacing it… but I bought it when I was single, and it’s five years past its 20-year warranty.
(Yeah, I know. Well past time to replace a 25-year-old mattress, but you know farmers. If they can make something work with baling twine, WD-40 or duct tape, they will, and the attitude carries over to other things too.)
I had my last mattress for 25 years too – it was so fantastic I hated to give it up.
I think what’s going to happen is that our daughter (who will turn 21 at the end of the month) will get our old mattress, and *her* old mattress, which had been a cheapie 20 years ago, will go to the dump, or maybe to the local college-student-moving-in-sale our church hosts.
The CEO? That’s hilarious. It’s good you replaced your mattress whether it needed it or not. I made my husband ditch his old mattress from before we were together (other sleepers were on it…) But I kept mine till just last year. It was really old and hurting my back, so I got a really beautiful deluxe memory foam and a beautiful wooden handmade bed to go with it. Now I love to go to bed early and read.
The kids called him that in his chalk-drawn parking space 🙂
It’s been a really good mattress… was pretty expensive in 1991, but worth it. I think I paid maybe $1200, on a 40% off sale.
This is on my list of big purchases items I need to get, ugh.
I know it’s important, just hate spending the $.
I’m more the CFO than the CEO, ha!
Well, that’s me. I’m the CFO. 🙂
(Once when the kids were little, they drew us official parking spaces on the driveway with chalk and then labeled them. Their dad was “CEO,” but they were confused as to what to label mine until I told them to call it “Goddess.” Hubby’s nickname sort of stuck.)
SOTD: one spritz of Costume National 21 under the shirt before clients. I figured minimal spraying would provide the understatement factor. I was walking home tonight and kept getting gorgeous whiffs of ambery musk. The dry down reminds me of everything I loved about Jovoy Ambre Premier.
I have to find my sample of this! BTW, whenever I think of pruning my collection, I think of it as Sajinifying.
Haha! Well I’d better walk the talk then!
Eeek,’I’m on the train on my way home and the person sitting next to me is stinking up my air space with Eau de Bad Breath! Yuck!
And people complain about perfume!
Oh that’s the worst smell: super ammonia-y halitosis breath
D’oh! I replied to this, but it’s below your post.
Oh dear, I hope you survived OK!
That made me picture Matt Damon in Ocean’s Eleven, when Don Cheadle has just come back from being in the sewer. ????
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUzNTA1OTEwMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzEzNzE3._V1_.jpg
Oops, I meant this to reply to hajusuuri’s comment above.