Monday, again, and the 72nd anniversary of D-Day. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm barely awake in Anya's Garden Kaffir.
Reminder: 6/10 will be Fake it Friday: wear a cheaper alternative (it can be anything: a different fragrance, an essential oil, layered products, a combination of perfume and body products) to a more expensive perfume. Suggested by Hajusuuri.
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 Citrus hystrixo, Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.), Flora de Filipinasvia via Wikimedia Commons.
In Kenzo Parfum d’Ete, vintage version, in the beautiful, oversized leaf bottle.
Enjoy this beautiful day, y’all.
That really was a pretty bottle! You have a lovely day too.
I like both versions but only own the old one (the one you’re wearing today). Such a pretty, light-hearted scent.
One of my all time favorite!! Enjoy!
I love that one!
How does the bottle stand?
I strongly dislike Kenzo Flower, so I have kept my distance from all other Kenzos. This is pretty foolish; PdE, for example, sounds absolutely lovely.
The old bottle (1992 release) is frosted glass in the shape of a leaf with veins and stands upright on a flat base. The newer version is clear glass with no veins and lies on its side. Both versions are very attractive, juice and bottle both, IMO.
http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Kenzo/Parfum-d-Ete-3402.html
Ooh, I have a thrifted mini of this I’ve been neglecting. Must make a note to bring it back out, since it’s definitely the season for it.
Delicious L de Lolita Lempicka today! Breakfast was leftover cupcakes from Zelda’s cat mitzvah this weekend, so I was in the mood for something sweet.
Cat mitzvah! I love it. Congrats to Zelda on her milestone. And you smell delicious.
Cat Mitzvah in human years or kitty years?
Also you smell good enough to eat!
Er, neither!
Saturday was her 5th birthday in human years. But 5 years with this beautiful, vicious monster felt like cause enough for celebration!
How wonderful! And did you give out little Zelda personalized perfume bottles to everyone
?
Awwww! Mazel tov!
Starting the fake it Friday week feeling like a “nut”….Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo and Coconut Curl Cream and Nubian Heritage Coconut and Papaya with Vanilla Bean soap (this brand has amazing scented soaps and body products and reasonable prices). After shower a body balm I made myself with organic coconut oil, rhododendrum leaf essential oil+ tangerine oil (creates a “pineapple” accord) and topped it off with my own homemade essential oil perfume of coconut pulp, ylang ylang and bergamot….very inexpensive stuff that has put me in coconut heaven!
Happy Monday, y’all!
Wow that sounds fantastic..
You smell wonderful! I love to wear everything-coconut in midsummer when I’m in swimming pool mode.
Coconut is just one of those notes that makes me feel comforted and happy
I’ve never heard of rhododendron leaf oil….what does it smell like?
This sounds amazing. I love their soaps!!
My hubby is away on business, so this morning I am with the babies and tea is a cappuccino. I just came off of a really busy working weekend..only one more working weekend left and then I am done..
I think it was monkeytoe whom likes vanilla smoke, since I love vanilla I am decided to give it a try-so Vanilla Smoke it is. \ The opening of this one reminds me of an old fashioned root beer..mabye my nose is off?
I am really enjoying this.
Hope everyone is having a lovely Monday and smelling fantastic!
Vanilla Smoke sounds delicious. So does cappuccino. Enjoy!
Yay for you about your upcoming last weekend! I’m sure it can’t come soon enough. Enjoy your root beer
I had a Virgil’s root beer last night.
That sounds fancy..I should find some!
Artisanal root beer cuz Brooklyn. But you can find it at most fancy bodegas or Fairway etc.
I will look our for it, I haven’t had a root beer is so long! We have a Fairway not to far from where we live
Ahhh, you,are making me want a root beer… Root beer seems to be a uniquely American fondness. Virtually all my non-American friends don’t care for it. Not even fresh, cold and in a frosted mug. They just shake their head.
When I was growing up I use to love a root beer float. So much sugar…
A rootbeer float and a hot soft pretzel from Woolworth’s….an old childhood memory…..
Wow, smoke-laced vanilla! That sounds fabulous. Root beer perfume sounds pretty interesting. It’s annoying that their sample size is 0.25 mL; that’s like a dab and a half >.<
Or one-eighth of a Koenigsberg sample. I could do maybe a wrist?
yes the sizes are too small and even worse when they leak..this happened to me twice….
AH, thats what happened to me with Vanilla Smoke, it leaked. I thought they forgot to fill it! HA! They were very responsive and sent another right away.
Yay for no more working weekends! And hello of course to your little nuggets.
Yes, the Aftelier samples are very small..and some of them don’t have much staying power. I am enjoying myself and Vanilla Smoke is worth the sniff if you are a vanilla lover.
The little angel and baby buddha say hello back!
I love vanilla as a note and am wondering if I would like this one…I have sampled many from Aftelier and none really worked for me either for longevity or for skin chemistry…how has your luck been with other samples from Aftelier? I have done better with SSS Naturals and once my self imposed purchase moratorium is lifted I was thinking about trying the sample pack from Providence Perfume Co….have you or anyone else tried any of those?
Which ones did you sample from Aftelier?
The body oils are nice,
I have not tried anything from SSS-have you?
All of the body oils (the only one I liked was Ancient Resins but it had no lasting power and I felt I could make my own cheaper version with frankincense e.o….the pear and fir??? body oil smelled too chemical to me and the saffron cocoa was a bit off putting…..I tried several of her fragrances (the honey one, sepia, secret garden, palamiset, the mushroom one(cepes and tuberose?), the fig one…I am really blanking on the exact names right now) and they either did not last or did not agree with my skin chemistry (cuir de gardenia was awful and had to be scrubbed immediately)…..sadly, none worked…so I did not even bother to report the leakage on either occasion…I also bought several of her fruit isolates to use for blending in unscented lotions and moisturizing body oils/balms…only to find the same exact ones at White Lotus Aromatics for a third of the price…(I ordered them later from White Lotus which is an excellent essential oil company that I highly recommend) and did a wrist to wrist comparison…exact match. As much as I want to experience the Aftelier adoration her products just didn’t work for me…
SSS Naturals, on the other hand, do work. I have drained full bottles of the first three (Cocoa Sandalwood, Spiced Citrus Vetiver and Amber Incense) and will eventually purchase a decant of Pacific Forest…..they last quite long on my skin for naturals and they really work with my skin chemistry…I have always gotten many compliments while wearing them….even the mixed media selection of SSS works well for me…..her fragrances definitely agree with my skin chemistry and I have been a happy customer for many years…..
Oh and to fully answer your question …with the exception of the newest release, Equestrian, I have tried every offering from SSS and have owned and drained approximately 10 full bottles..including some of her discontinued fragrances……
Thank you so much, I am so shocked (at myself) that I have never tried these scents.
Must get on that!
I am only dipping my toe into natural perfumery, because I don’t want to waste money on something that lasts for a new york minute. I really do try to keep it natural in all other aspects of my life, cosmetics, skin care etc etc.
Do you feel like the SSS have longevity?
I also looked up the Providence Co website, some of those scents look great. Where did you hear about them?
So embarrassed that I could not remember the Aftelier perfumes I sampled so I looked them up- Cepes and Tuberose, Fig, Cuir Gardenia, Honey Blossom, Palimpsest, Secret Garden and Sepia…which ones did you try besides Vanilla Smoke? Any of the others work for you?
Regarding Sonoma Scent Studio…I get much better longevity out of them than the Afteliers (around 4 hours) but low sillage…and please do get your hands on some samples including those from her mixed media collection!!!! They are gorgeous and I hope others chime in with what they love too…my all time favorite is Jour Ensoleille but I also adore Winter Woods and Lieu de Reves (just drained my bottle of this discontinued beauty but saved a sample for reference) Honestly, there is not one SSS I don’t like….SSS and Dame Perfumery are my current favorite perfume houses and I really like supporting one man/one woman shows…
Not sure how I found out about Providence Perfume Company…most probably on the perfume blogs….I am really sitting on my hands and trying desperately to not order that sample pack….she also has scented teas which are highly tempting and unique essential oils (like tomato leaf and cedrat) which I desperately want for my essential oil collection….if you end up ordering from either SSS or Providence Perfume Company do let me know how you are liking them!!! And if you are dipping into naturals I would also recommend experimenting yourself with essential oils….yes, they don’t last as long but you can always reapply or layer….I do this all the time…add essential oils to a carrier oil and use as moisturizer or add essential oils to a natural fragrance free moisturizer and then wear an essential oil perfume and reapply throughout the day….another great natural way to fragrance is to make your own facial serum…I am currently using an argan oil, hyaluronic acid, sandalwood oil, frankincense oil and lavender oil serum I made from scratch…it smells divine and makes my tired old face look “dewey” ….have fun and experiment!!!!
As for Aftelier, Gardenia and Palimpsest were scrubbers on me. I will try one more time and then hand it off..
Honey Blossom was very nice-I get some hay in there which I love. Bergamoss (in solid form) brought back a childhood memory, but I wanted more more more..but it faded in a new york minute. Maybe I will try the liquid. Vanilla Smoke I adore, but I love Vanilla so there you have it. Lumiere and Secret Garden are nice. I love the body oils, but like you said, I could probably find something cheaper or make it myself. Ancient Resins lasts on me for several hours and I also put it in my hair.
I visited the SSS sight and ordered a few samples ( things I can only do when the babies are napping) Cocoa Sandalwood, Jour Ensoleille, Amber Incense, Spiced Citrus Vetiver, Nostalgie. I hope this is good place to start. I will keep you posted.
also Oud Luban, I really liked from Aftelier, it lasts for hours on me.. and the Cepes one (though i wanted more..it faded)
I love Nostalgie… great cooler weather scents are Champagne de Bois and Tabac Aurea…
Thanks Oakland!
I haven’t tried any if the SSS naturals, but I most of the one’s I’ve tried from her mixed media have super longevity. Im also a fan of Nostalgie.
Does anyone know how this one compares to Memoirs of a Trespasser? They’re both smoky vanilla, but maybe vanilla smoke is less sweet?
Memoirs of a Tresspasser smells more of tonka beans to me than vanilla.
Wearing my sample of Lubin Black Jade today. It’s not something I ever would have picked up myself (the whole Marie Antoinette folderol) but it was included with something I ordered. And it turns out I like it! It’s a spicy rose that feels warm and lived-in. Almost reminds me of Jicky and I’m not sure why.
Something like Jicky smells good to me! enjoy your new find!
Black Jade is a pretty one. Hmmm. I don’t get Jicky in that one, which is good, since Jicky and I don’t really get along.
Agreed on all three counts: it is pretty, and I don’t get Jicky, which is good.
I think it’s the tonka and amber together that are giving me a Guerlinade vibe. Or maybe my chemistry is just weird! Who knows.
Black Jade is so pretty. I just treated myself to a bottle during the recent BeautyHabit sale. You smell lovely and spicy today.
When first applied, Black Jade and EL Amber Mystique are remarkably similar. It is undoubtedly the huge slug of amber in both that creates this impression. They take different paths about 2 minutes in. Honestly, I still find them remarkably similar because I am getting a dry rose note from them both!
Eau de Guerlain, citrusy Summer in a bottle.
Yes it is!
You smell gorgeous!
Serge Lutens L’Incendiaire (a generous sample I got in Montreal last month). Starts out with fruit, not the usual Lutens dried/stewed fruit but just fruit. Then ashy incense, and I’ll give it this: it smells more convincingly of fireplace ashes (something I’ve been looking for) than any other scent, ever. Borderline Lutensesque, very attractive, and if it came in the Vapo Tout Noir or the export spray I’d probably have it on my list, but it’s so not worth the completely deranged asking price.
Deranged is the right word for that price. I love L’Incendiaire but there is no way I’d ever pay the asking price for it. Unless I was Donatella.
Boy boy ???? for that fresh fougère and boosted the lavender with Pour Un Homme. Feeling — old-school rock solid!
They really should have called it Boy Boy.
Yeah, and called the first flanker Boy oh boy!
????
Yes! Followed by Boy Wonder.
I think Chanel just struck gold with this name
lol
Scent twin! I LOVE this stuff.
What do you like about it? I am curious!
I like how much it changes on my skin. When I first sprayed it at the boutique I was like oh, meh. Smells like an expensive, well done Chanel, but nothing I NEED to have. Then, within a minute or so I was like hmm…wait a second. On my skin it seemed like every 15 minutes I was getting another facet. Creamy Sandalwood. Musk. Crisp Aromatics. And what’s funny is that I normally don’t go for lavender in perfume. I like it at a spa, as an essential oil in my bath, or diffused as aromatherapy, not so much in perfume. But for some reason I still love Boy despite the inclusion of lavender. Maybe because I can’t necessarily separate the lavender out from the perfume as a whole. All the notes work synergistically. And fougeres aren’t normally my thing either…I can’t explain it. But I can’t get enough. I already bought a bottle.
ack! and now I must try this based on your description alone
!!!!
SOTD is Chanel Boy and I am really liking it. The longevity is much better in the EdP. Too bad, all the original Exclusifs were in the EdT, especially Misia, but that will be changing in the Fall.
Thank you for so clearly articulating my thoughts about Boy. I was hesitant about it just because of the lavender, but was so surprised at how it is blended. It near the top of my FB list.
What’s this news? There will be EDP versions of Les Excusifs? Oh, dear, poor wallet.
My first impression is also ‘expensive, well-done Chanel’ — nothing loud or shocking about it. Then, it changes to reveal various aspects; it is so multifaceted. It centres on that aromatic powdery musky mossy later, but still reminds me of the classical fragrance style we have with older perfumes — the really top-heart-fond kind. Like a streamlined grand parfum of 31 Rue Cambon style. It is different from Sycomore or Misia, which remain as solid accords i.e. they are essentially ‘I am vetiver’ and ‘I am rose-violet powder’. Boy is decidedly more complex in style, and also difficult for me in the heat of summer as well.
Around Christmastime, I swapped with Oakland Fresca and she sent the most lovely collection of green scents ever (complete with little images of the bottles on the sides of the decants!), and I have been craving those greens like crazy in the past couple weeks as the heat has risen. But for the life of me, I cannot find where I put them! I didn’t think my collection was *that* large, but evidently I was wrong. This will require a deep dive into perfume organization world, but it will be worth it in the end, because I’ll be reunited with all that deliciousness.
In the meantime, I’m continuing with my other craving – leather. You wouldn’t think it would be summer-appropriate, but my skin eats scent to such a degree that anything I put on ends up being soft. Today is Daim Blond, from a decant, which could easily turn into a bottle eventually. Soft and lovely.
Hope everyone is well!
Greenies FTW!
Yes!
Ahhh! But organizing samples can become meditative at times.
I’m with you on the summer/ leather phenomenon . While sniffing lately, I saw so many colognes and floral fragrances being promoted. But there is something about leather that makes one feel more grounded.
Grounded is definitely the right word. There’s a warm serenity to these scents, I find, and I love wearing them.
And you’re right, the organization will probably be even more serenity-inspiring, so I’m not dreading it.
Also – glad to know I’m not the only one into summer leathers.
I love greens! I also hate when I misplace samples. My house is small and there are only a few places I normally put samples. Good luck finding them!!
I have a small apartment, so you wouldn’t think it would be easy to misplace something in there – and yet!
Daim Blonde is gorgeous! That is one of the few bottles I have gone through..love it
It’s less apricotty on me today and more suede, which I am fine with.
I feel like I need this…
Has anyone tried Empreinte by Courreges? I just got a vintage mini and I’m loving it, and Fragrantica suggests that it’s not bad in its modern version either. (Clearly I have leather on the brain over here)
I haven’t tried those but maybe someone else can chime in.
Its ok to have leather on the brain..there are a lot worse things you can have on the brain
I like Ineke’s Evening Edged in Gold for a summer leather…
I can see how leather perfumes would work in summer – a lot of them start strong but end up more like skin scents (at least on me). It’s fun to try different scents in different seasons and see what works, sometimes surprisingly
Leathers can go rather salty on me, which I love, and which definitely goes with summertime!
I decided to wear old favorites this week, so I dabbed on some Krazy Krizia. I applied it quite lightly, since today I go back to work after my vacation. Also, its supposed to be in the 90s and humid today.
I got my Ann Gerard discovery set over the weekend so I’m in Perle de Mousse today. Lovely, short lived green opening, and now it’s settled into a sun-warmed yellow meadow with a hint of moss. It’s reminding me of both Ostara and Amaranthine, also done by Duchaufour. So far I’m liking it, but seems like it’s not going to last too long on me. It’s only been 2 hours and it’s already faint.
Not sure whether you have already, but I found that the Ann Gerards did better when moved to an atomizer and sprayed rather than dabbed.
The discovery set comes with 4 7.5ml spray vials and I gave myself a fairly good spritzing. I briefly tested all of them and Rose Cut seems to have the best longevity so far. They’re all fairly light-even Cuir Nacre. I don’t mind since light=good for work.
I’ve tried Rose Cut but not AG Rose Perle de Mousse. It sounds lovely. enjoy your discovery set!
Thanks! Rose Cut is my favorite from the lot.
is your skin dry? maybe some lotion will help it stay longer
No, I I don’t usually have scent-eating skin. Although the barista at my coffee place just complimented me on it saying it was soft and smelled like a field ???? So, someone can smell it!
Jubilation XXV. I visited Osswald Parfumerie while in NYC for a human Bar Mitzvah. How fortunate I was to go on an Amouage “journey” led by Daisy. I sampled the men’s fragrances, which are gorgeous. I also stopped in at Kayser for pastry and coffee. Sensory celebration!
Daisy is the best perfume saleswoman on the planet. I almost always prefer the men’s Amouages to the women’s, too! Jubilation XXV and Interlude Man are both outstanding.
Congrads Wendy! So glad you enjoyed yourself in the Big Apple, and visited Osswalds which I still have yet too! Did you have any Amouage favorites?
Kayser is amazing place, my hubby brought home some chocolate madeleines last week and I was in heaven..they have some good stuff!
I haven’t unpacked my notes, but Jubilation XXV was the sample I took home. The Lyric Man was nice ( they were out of Lyric Woman and Beloved). I’m not sure I would wear Honor Woman, but I like it, and Epic in both genders.
You should take the little “meatball” on a Saturday and hang out with Daisy at Osswald. She will be able to engage even him!
Jubilation is great, its has some skank to it.
I must visit there, and meet this Daisy!
You smell fantastic.
Sounds like a great time.
I’m with you on the craving leather kick, ihadanidea.. SOTM (sent of this morning) since I’m working from home, Cuir de Lancome.
We shall see what the afternoon mood is like
I love this Friday’s project idea and looking forward to learning what I can get on the cheap for those more expensive scents.. haha!
You smell great.
Thanks, mals86!
I must say, I got a new decant of this off of ebay and it’s better than ever. It’s sparkly and the florals are much brighter than versions I’ve tried in the past. Loving it even more than before.
Enjoy working from home today!
Thanks! My boss is very gracious to me.. since I’m back in school she’s OKd be to work from home 2 days a week. Helps so much!
That’s a really understanding boss. Nice.
Cuir is really lovely!
enjoy your day at home and you can spray as much as you want without offended anyone
If only! My husband works from home too!
Already called me ‘stinky’
You unknowingly enabled me to buy CdL unsniffed from eBay… You just kept making it sound so delicious. I sprayed it last night and got a waft 3 hours later that was just so lovely… I even got a hint in the crook of my arm this morning. You smell beautiful today.
Another enabler pin! That’s two for me in as many days.. hee, hee.
It’s so lovely, and there are many fans of it.
You smell lovely!
SOTD is John Varvatos Artisan, after yesterday’s Seville a l’Aube, heading into an orange blossom week?
orange blossom week sounds so lovely!
I love Artisan. Such a refreshing orange blossom.
I’m also on something of an orange blossom kick, sampled haubigants one the other day, which is really, really pretty,& then wore Seville on Saturday and B.V’s knot today.
I am also on an orange blossom kick! Great for this time of year. Have you tried the Les Couvent des Minimes Orange Blossom Body Cream? It’s pretty on its own, and leans green more than sweet.
Ohh, just looked this up. Is this like the orange blossom for the masculine shelf? How could I have missed this all along!
It’s hot and humid here today, and I was making some little decants of TDC Kashan Rose to thank people from the freebie meet, so I gave myself a nice covering of that. I think I gave myself a good…eight sprays. It was light and sour at first, but the humidity has turned it a bit more…old-fashioned? powdery? middle-aged? French? The first hour or two are much lovelier in hot humidity than they were in early spring, but I don’t know if I like this evolution.
this sound like something i would love!
Stay cool
Speaking as someone who is middle-aged… it is not too bad
!!
I think this is the second time I’ve referred to a scent as middle-aged, and the second time people have defended middle-age. I want to clarify that I don’t think there is anything wrong with being middle-aged! It is simply that I am not (yet), and thus I don’t really want to smell like I am. There’s nothing wrong with being 17 either, but I no longer wish to smell like someone who’s never left home!
Ha! And I’m not so sure what it – or I – smell like. Or maybe I think all perfume smells middle aged since I never wore it before I was 40?
SOTD is vinty Cristalle EDP courtesy of the generous Elisa P. I never understood the hype about Cristalle until I tried this version.
The original vintage Cristalle which I wore in the late 70s was in EDT format and had oakmoss in it to my recollection…it has been reformulated and doesn’t smell quite the same as I remember…..Cristalle EDP I was told has slightly different notes from the EDT….I am going to have to try it one of these days based on everyone’s ravings (including yours
!!!)
Several years ago I purchased vintage Cristalle EDT which I gifted to someone in the perfume community who really wanted it…later I found out that she sold it on ebay while she was going through a divorce
Wish I had kept it as a reference…..
Wow, so generous of you but I would imagine that you must have been ticked off. It’s a beautiful scent.
Yes, I kind of was because I had also gifted her many other full bottle beauties (such as Eau de Camille before I knew it was being discontinued, Champagne de Bois (my partner did not like it on me), Calyx (I preferred the original to the reformulation) and many , many other full bottles that were only partially used)….I am sure that she sold them all….Nowadays I pass things off to my parents, my nieces. my nephew and very close friends…..saves on shipping and I know where things are incase I want to “borrow” them back
!!!
Oh, it must have felt really ‘not nice’ when your treasured gifts were sold off
I’ve had this internal debate about giving away perfumes – do I care what happens to them afterwards? Part of me thinks I probably could recoup some perfume money if I sold them and then stopped myself because who am I kidding? I don’t have time! A gift is a gift and the recipient is free to do with it as he or she chooses.
You smell divine!
Cristalle is one of my fav citrus oakmoss. When I was young I didn’t understand it, but now it’s a summer go-to! I’ve never smelled vintage, but I can only imagine how lovely it must be.
It really was! If you can get your hands on it go for it! you won’t be disappointed!
Lovely in all forms and versions.
It really is!
Yes, I have been really enjoying all the incarnations that u sent me, all beautiful.
Pathetique by O’Driu. I am in love with this perfume. I am finishing up my decant and I definitely need a full bottle.
If you don’t mind my asking, why do you love it? What does it smell like? I am always curious when someone mentions something I haven’t heard of before.
Here are the notes from Luckyscent: Black truffle accord, bergamot, incense, juniper, black pepper, burned wood accord, moss, mimosa, vetyver and amyris
To me, it smells of earth and mushrooms (I assume truffles, but I never smelled them in nature), in a good, rich and almost edible way, of ever-so-slightly sweet chocolate, a bit of rich vanilla, but not too much, a mild distant burned wood, probably, like a tree struck by lightning awhile ago and rained upon, and a bunch of smells which I can not prise out separately, but which create a sense of richness and complexity. It is definitely somewhat gourmand-ish, but in unusual way. People’s reaction to it is highly polar, some love it, some detest it. I happen to be in the former camp.
You make it sound really good. Onto the sample list it goes and thank you!
I can send samples to everybody, just give me your addresses at librik on yahoo
I agree with Petunia – you make it sound amazing and I want to try it
Wow, now I want to try it. Have you tried Oriza L. Legrand Chypre Mousse? It is a polarizing scent as well.
I just read reviews of it on Basenotes: wow, the opinions indeed are all over the place! I have to try it for myself.
I completely forgot about Pathetique! I actually quite liked that one…even though the name/backstory kinda made me roll my eyes
Yes, O’Driu seems to be quite special when it comes to names and verbal description. However, the fragrance is excellent.
I’m in Le Galion Iris again today, and hoping the FB I ordered arrives today. It’s a very nice, light iris with something fresh and something slightly spicy.
I am intrigued by this one, and the other Le Galions. Must find to sniff!
I can send you some Le Galion Oris once I’m done sending out the freebies!
My friend told me that on her way to work this morning, a man told her she was visual perfume. How great a compliment is that! Sotd Chance eau vive.
Wow! How poetic.
I thought so. I’m going to start saying it now.
well.. could be great, but also could be saying way too much on.
hope it was the former!
Oh, I know she never wears to much perfume. She’s not like me:)
Was going to repeat yesterday’s Chanel 1932 parfum+edt, but decided it was a Silences pdt sort of day. I smell slap-you-upside-the-head fressssh.
I need a good slap on the head this monday morning!
I never warmed up to 1932, I have a decant somewhere..
I was wearing my sample of 1932 the other day and I have received compliments from a stranger which I never do , i find it great in spring and summer.
hmm have to re-smell this one
Silences. I am thinking mine has gone off. I had a small bottle of No. 19 parfum that had the same trajectory… sometimes it smelled fine, and other times it smelled seriously stale. I finally admitted to myself that the No. 19 was gone baby gone. Now the same thing is happening with the Silences.
Hey, Ihadanidea!, sorry if the Silences and No. 19 are now beyond wearing!!!
Have you tried Italian Leather by Memo? It is, to me, an offspring of No.19, but with an interesting use of green from tomato leaf and a different, soft, balsamic leather.
Trying EnVoyage Rainmaker. On first sniff it smells a lot like a Sonoma Scent Studio fragrance.
Which SSS one?
and as an aside…has anyone sampled Equestrian, Laurie’s new creation?
I haven’t yet but I really want to!
It kind of smells like “Laurie-ade” if that’s a thing — that slightly mossy woody base common to a lot of her fragrances.
Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about….Laurie-ade…I am very curious about Equestrian but I am on a “no buy” rule and am sticking to it so I will have to live vicariously through everyone else….
I keep telling people half-christmas is coming. Your cat, dog, real or otherwise can buy you something
I’ve always felt the Diptyque Oud Palao is a dead ringer for Laurie’s Tabac Aurea.
Oh really? Whew. (crosses Oud Palao off to-test list… adore Tabac Aurea and don’t even want to try to replicate or replace or duplicate it in my wardrobe)
I’m with you mals…Tabac Aurea is the only tobacco scent I love!
Ditto that!
I kept trying Oud Palao and each time I try it, I dislike it more, so I stopped trying. I love Tabac Aurea though so go figure!
Encre Noire for me today. I needed something bracing to help me face Monday, and the fact that it’s graduation week where I work and everything is bound to devolve into a mad scramble at any moment. The vetiver has me feeling very competent and put-together, and all is going well so far!
You smell great!
Thanks! This has really come to be one of my go-to fragrances.
Encre Noire is perfect for being put-together … there is just something about vetiver. Glad the week is starting off well!
And, the earthy vetiver matches with the scent of petrichor
So this week I am ducking out of the community challenge because (tick relevent box):
1. I can’t fake it coz I just gotta keep it real, man
2. I can’t fake it because the prison guards keep confiscating my supplies
3. I won’t fake it because only poor people can’t afford to buy the real stuff whenever they want (as I was just saying to my butler the other day).
4. I can’t fake it because I would have literally no idea what I was doing or what effect I was trying to achieve.
Anyway, I am instead belatedly running through the Blooms sample pack for April this week. SOTD is Parfumerie Générale “Hyperessene Matale”, which I like, to my own surprise.
Top: bergamot, jasmine, mint
Mid: black tea
Base: cedar, leather
At various points this has smelled citrusy, peppery, incensey (go figure), tea-like and woodsy, so it’s far from a one-note perfume. I didn’t get the dreaded ‘shoe polish’ leather. It lasted maybe 4 hours, which is not bad for a PG on my skin. I’ll probably ‘longlist’ it as a possible Summer cologne (officially it’s an EdP), not sure it’ll go any further because it isn’t particularly tugging at my heartstrings. :^)
That’s ‘*Hyperessence* Matale’ folks, in case anyone thought Pierre Gullaume had been refracting the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not that I’d put it past him.
Ha! And I totally identify with #3 in my rich and active fantasy world.
haha! very cute. #4 is me!
Wearing a heavy dose of Epic today as I drag my husband to the optometrist. Even if he can stand another day of horrible conjunctivitis, I can NOT! It’s either the Dr. or I’m dumping him somewhere miles away with one of those “Free! Take me” signs.
You smell great.
Perhaps you should also spray Epic on him. Why do the men wait until they need an ambulance before seeking care?
I was very tempted. Especially when he complained about being trapped in the car with my awful perfume and asked that I roll the window down.
He usually likes Epic but I know he finds it strong (or else I over apply).
We just got to the doctor’s office and I have requested that they either restore his sense of humor or keep him until he feels better. Why hasn’t anyone opened a kennel for ill and irrational spouses?
Brilliant concept!
In our house this situation is handled by me gently stroking my husband’s warm brow with my cool hand, and saying in my most loving voice, “Sweetness, it is time for you to cheer the f_ _ _ up!”
Dudes*. Whatchagonnado?
* at least the ones who expect to keep the health of an average college athlete as they edge ever closer to that 25th college reunion date
#yeahimarriedoneofthosetoo
And beyond ………..
…and continue to eat like a college athlete. Yeah.
I wish I’d thought of doing that with my husband this weekend! What a grand idea!
I am in Journey, including some of the body cream. Gorgeous.
I sampled Myths Woman but I am not falling for it at all. It smells rather masculine to my nose, I don’t think lavender is listed but it is lavenderish, with a hefty dose of musk. I don’t get any narcissus or any of the notes I associate with a green floral. The dry down is nice, to my nose an exact copy of Annick Goutal Eau du Sud. Actually I could wear Eau du Sud on fake it Friday.
I have a sample if any NST’er wants to try it.
Love Eau de Sud. Hard to imagine that is a money saving “fake-it”! But I guess for Amouage it would be.
I love it too…but not for 275,- euro’s…
I would love to sample it, if you’re still willing to send it! I would especially like to try it because I will probably never buy it, thanks to the price tag. Can you e-mail me at ko bhatta at jee male dot comme?
It’s funny that an AG perfume counts as “faking it.”
Just mailed you, hope I decoded your address correctly. And I agree about AG faking it, AG is my favourite house, I own more AG’s than any other. I was slightly grumpy I suppose, having had high hopes for a gorgeous green floral…I hope you will like it!
I have the most AGs too… So many excellent and lovely scents.
Agree wholeheartedly!!! And the bottles look so pretty lined up on a dresser!
Hmm, I still haven’t gotten your e-mail. Would you mind giving me your e-mail address so I can contact you instead?
You should have received it. Let me try and scramble: take the capitals of HostasSandpaperMarshmallowsVANVineEmilyEmilyNose at jeemail dot comme
I will try you again, but I mail from a different account that sometimes ends up in spam (MSN).
And I was thinking of faking it with some Chanel Les Exclusifs
Well, d***. I was looking forward to testing Myths Woman, but if it might feature lavender and the narcissus is unnoticeable, those are two big strikes against it.
I had to think of you Mals, and was disappointed for both of us, and all green floral lovers. BTW I enquired with Nicolai Parfums if I could order Le Temps d’une Fete. I received a very polite email back that they would come back on it…so far no news, they clearly have to think about it a lot!
That’s a shame they were so unhelpful, I ordered Le Temps from the Fulham rd shop in London, and had to wait about 2 months for it, it did come eventually tho. That was about 16 months ago, he did say at the time I could order it through them again tho.
I hope you are feeling better. How do you like it?
Oh, and also wanted to tell you that I’m expecting a used bottle of Heure Exquise edp from eBay, there’s about 80ml left, and I won it for £33!
I’m feeling better thank u, a bit up and down still, but that’s life.
Le Temps d’une Fete is one of my favourites, I never smelt it pre re formulation, but it’s one of the few perfumes that smells beautiful all day on me. I love it. It probably ties with Journey for first place for favourite spring perfume for me.
Oh and no. 19, and maybe Heure Exquise as well now!
Congratulations with your Heure Exquise! We share many favourites so I hope Nicolai will get in touch…best wishes to you!
It’s warm here! Wearing Hiram Green Moon Bloom to celebrate. It seems greener and less creamy than it did in colder weather. Still lovely, though.
I need to get some more of this one.. I just wish it would last longer on me.
Smelling good!
I think it’s great, too, but it lasted 20 minutes on me tops (unusual, because tuberose EO usually sticks around on me when nothing else does).
It’s such a pity it doesn’t last on you (and must be frustrating). I’ve had it on for almost 10 hours now and I can still clearly smell it, although I’m sure that at this stage, nobody else can – unless sniffing my neck or my wrist.
Some fragrances do seem rather different in higher temps.
I’ve been wearing my Moon Bloom a lot lately, especially at night. It might just be my favorite-ever tuberose! (And it lasts for hours on me, go figure).
I agree, it’s nice for evening/night and it lasts well on me, too.
I just got a notification of a Dutch perfumery announcing there will be a new Hiram Green soon, it will be an orangeblossom (which I am thrilled about).
Intriguing! Thank you for this. Orange blossom is the only white flower that I have difficulties with, but I’m interested in this one. It would seem logical that when they come out with the new packaging (end June?), they’ll also launch the new perfume. I’m just speculating wildly, of course.
I have a sample of it, and always dread the deep colour of its natural essence. It is one of those that I need to have a decant to enjoy a drop, just for its rich, natural complexity.
I only have the travel spray at the moment, so not scared
Putting together the freebie meet packages this morning. What fun! It’s like Christmas morning in reverse! My hands smell of Prada Infusion d’iris absolue from a mini with a leaky cap -probably going to give that away at home rather than ship. That stuff is really persistant and seems to go totally nuclear on me. I can see why a lot of people like it, but it’s just a bit too too something (girly? powdery?) for me. In any case I feel truly blessed to have the time and leisure this morning to do this fun project.
Not sure what the SOTD will be, probably something as un-prada iris absolue as possible. Maybe a dab or two of Bandit perfume.
I wrote this pretty late last night on yesterday’s NST comments, so just reposting it here. My question is: does anyone have a perfume that you are on the fence about or even don’t like that your SO really loves on you? If so, would you buy and wear that perfume just for that person? Here’s mine:
I was wearing Salome tonight and my husband said its in the top 5 of what he likes on me. When I asked why, he said its half attractive and half repellant and reminds him of a beer soaked wooden floor near the washrooms in an old bar. It’s very authentic and kind of dirty.
Wow, that’s quite a comparison your husband made! I don’t think I’d buy a bottle of anything I actively didn’t like, but if I were on the fence about something and my SO loved it, I’d probably see if I could find a decant. In my case at least, I’m pretty sure any such scent wouldn’t get much wear (especially during the day, when my SO and I are both at work so he wouldn’t be around to smell it), so a bottle just sounds like too much liquid.
Yeah for sure. Don’t think I’m wearing that one to clients or even the grocery store.. I have an 8ml decant of Salome from STC, bought about 3 months ago and have only used it a couple of times so it should last a good long while.
This is theoretical since my husband never comments on anything unless it gives him a headache, BUT if I were luckily enough to have him love something I didn’t like wearing, I’d keep a small amount and wear it for him at home.
Good idea. I think that’s what I will do.
Sajini, I’d wear it to sleep…
You’re a little devil, Princess Tonk!
My husband loves Salome too and I adore it but think it’s often too much for our hot climate (unless I’m really in the mood to wear it while mowing or something). I wear it when we go out or in the evenings and went with a decant since it would probably take me a decade to finish a bottle.
For some reason it seems like guys dig Solome. When I pressed my husband on why, he kind of grinned sheepishly and said it smells kind of dirty.
I usually have the opposite problem whereby my partner dislikes so many of my fragrances that I have given away many full bottles over the years…I there was something that my partner truly adored I would probably purchase it and wear it often…as long as it was tolerable to me…..I would love to have a scent that my partner associates with me….a private signature scent….I would stick with your 8ml and wear it just for him whenever he is around….
We spend pretty much all our time with each other when not working, so maybe I should ask him to spring for a bottle..
No never mind, I don’t think I could stand wearing it that much – my sniffer would become strangely disfigured I suspect.
Is there a perfume that your partner likes?
Not really…..there are some he has tolerated over the years but nothing that makes him say “Wow you smell great!”….and I have tried SO many different fragrances in our 20 plus years together that I don’t think there is one particular one he associates with me….
You should just stick with your 8ml and wear it on occasion to make him happy
It’s hard for us perfume lovers to imagine but some people are just not very scent oriented. They may be more tuned into visuals, sounds or touch.
SOTD is Chamade extrait. Swoon! I needed to make a decant for a swap.
If the weather is dreary on Fri I am going to use my fake-it for Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights, which, IMHO, is a dead ringer for Coromandel minus the heavy chocolate. Or, if the weather is nice, I’m going to wear some of this lovely vetiver eo I got a while back from Rappleyea that smells exactly like the smokey vetiver in Sycamore.
I’m swooning with you. Gorgeous!
I have been dying to get a decant of this one after so many comments on here!
I’m just about at the end of my decant of Safran Troublant. Having finished a sample prior to the decant, I think today might be the day I commit to a bottle.
On a related note, I’m trying to talk myself out of blind buying a bottle of Traversée du Bosphore at the same time (yikes, my buying is getting problematic). Does anyone have any opinions on whether this might speak to someone who likes Safran Troublant (and sweet scents, all around)?
Hi Eleebelle, I have and love both! Traversée is sweeter and has a lovely iris/leathery aspect to it.
Eleebelle, I love Safran Troublant but do not care for Traversee du Bosphore. I’m not sure why, but I have re-tested it many times and I still feel the same way about it. But that’s just my experience with it. Lots of people really like it.
fragrancenet has Safran at a really good price (under $67 for 3.4oz of EDT)……
I absolutely ADORE Safran Troublant–love it with a passion. Despite the incredibly wonderful-sounding notes for TdB, I’m pretty meh about it. I’ve held onto about 0.3 mL of a sample so I can try it out again in different weather to be sure, but…I definitely don’t think loving ST means you will love TdB.
Agreed on testing first. (I like TdB but am meh on ST.)
I like both, but TdB a bit more. If you like gourmand iris notes you might like TdB.
I love Safran Troublant.
The amazing thing about Traversee is that you are going on a scent trip and you are able to sit still and travel through discretely different scents on this trip. It also helps if you like a bit of Turkish delight which is the sweetest part of the journey and a bit of leather. Overall it is a transparent and glowing effect.
I didn’t mention the rose water and pistachio and tea. I just put it on after I wrote to you and my husband commented on me smelling good.
I’m also ST but contemplating buying a bottle of TdB…
I’m also not that crazy air ST but contemplating buying a bottle of TdB…
Oh dear. I can’t win.
Hm. I find TdB a little too sweet. In fact I have a little decant of it that I don’t wear, if you’d like to give it a try Eleebelle, and decide from there…email me, as I’m visiting the US soon and could send it even faster than from here.
Ellebelle I have a FB and I can send you a sample to try. Ping me at marianna_r in yahhoooo
SOTD is Dame Perfumery Verbena, Freesia, & Musk, perfect for a hot day. I spent part of my weekend trying to corral wayward samples… how do they end up all over the house??
You smell great….a perfect scent for a warm day!
I decided that I needed some AG Neroli today, so that is what I spritzed on. The temps are in the seventies here right now, but later this week it’s supposed to be in the upper eighties and the weather people are saying also very humid, so maybe I’ll have to get out some green scents to wear then.
Do you have the EdT or cologne?
Slept late today after not sleeping much last night. On cup of coffee number 3 and beginning to feel human.
SOTD Guerlain Vetiver to combat this horrendous weather. The air is so heavy, moist, and dense, I’m pretty sure you could scoop it with a spoon. Not a leaf is stirring and it’s literally the calm before the storm. Bold and brash T-Rex has decided she doesn’t much like thunder and the best way to avoid it is to hang out under the bed. I have to get moving as I have a few errands to run before everything cuts loose.
Have a great Monday all ????
poor T rex!
Stay safe and tuck in with T-Rex, I heard the weather forecast for your area a little bit ago. I used to have a dog so afraid of anything storm-related that he’d look up at the sky before going out and if he so much as saw a dark cloud, he’d say, ‘No, thanks.’
Love Guerlain Vetiver! I was almost wearing that today. Are you in the path of the tropical storm/hurricane?
Hey, i saw you bought a kayak. How cool. Now you just need to teach T Rex how to paddle. My small dog gets so nervous during thunder/ fireworks that she shakes but I found that if I swaddle her up tightly in a blanket she feels much safer and stops.
Felt like rose this morning and Montale Aoud Damascus came to mind. It was cool, windy and rainy this morning but now the sun has come out and it’s warmed up.
you smell great.
This is my fav oud and my fav of the Montale roses. I’ve almost bought a bottle a few times! Very lovely.
It’s a little bit cooler here today so I can get away with a summer fragrance with a little more heft than the citruses I usually wear in 90F+ weather. It was a tossup this morning between EL Tuberose Gardenia or Kerosene Unforsaken and the Unforsaken won.
Putting the second coat of paint on the hall today and talking to a rescue group about adopting another dog…because a Tibetan Mastiff doesn’t take up enough room in a 1000 sq ft house.
You smell great! Hope the painting goes well.
I’m wearing MPG Jardin Blanc today. It’s warm and sunny here and this white floral bouquet is great on these occasions.
Hm, this sounds nice. Would you mind describing?
I’ll send you some.
It’s an abstract white modern white floral. It reminds me a little of Olène, but while I think the latter is arguably the better scent, I find Jardin Blanc easier to wear. It’s fuzzier, softer, less distinctive.
http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.nl/2007/06/jasmine-series-part-3-rich-jasmine.html This review reminds me of the fact it resembles La haie fleurie as well.
http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2015/01/28/isabey-lys-noir-mpg-jardin-blanc/#more-14690
I hope this helps!
Yes! Thank you! I like the name, too, even though it’s French
Prada Infusion d’Iris is my SOTD.
Also, I’m on my second cup of White Sage & Wild Mint tea.
You smell great! I like its transparent iris effect.
An intensive gardening weekend has left me exhausted and sore all over, so I’m keeping life very simple today with only minimal exertion. We have a wonderful old glider swing with a shake roof we bought in Amish country years ago. It sits at the rear of the yard under a Norway maple tree and is so hidden it’s like an adult tree house at ground level. A wonderful spot for bird-watching, I plan on spending the afternoon there with my pillow, book, binoculars, and a cold glass of lemonade. Keeping me company today is Borsari Violetta di Parma, pretty and uncomplicated, just like my Monday.
Wow! Your day and your perfume sound absolutely sublime…..as I have gotten older peaceful days of doing nothing but relaxing are pure heaven to me….my wanderlust is gone
!!
Oh, that sounds heavenly!
Never hear about Violetta di Parma anymore, so glad someone is wearing it! Enjoy your afternoon of peace.
I have not heard of this mentioned in a long time in the gardening context. Now I am just dying to smell the sweet violet blooms that I managed to get started in March. I hope they open soon!
I’m trying out Wazamba today, courtesy of a generous NST-er.
It’s lovely — a slightly greener take on Fille En Aiguilles, with a whiff of Black Cashmere about it. If I didn’t already own those two, I’d probably want a bottle, but as it is, there just isn’t a Wazamba-shaped hole in my collection. (There is, however, apparently room for infinite roses!)
Agreed, you can’t go wrong with rose!
Now I’m dreaming of infinite roses…
I wanted something cheerful today, so I’m in Dame’s Cassis, Rose, and Sandalwood. Quite liberally sprayed! I smell a bit like dessert.
Yum! Love that one….I gifted a full bottle of it to my parents….(they share all of their fragrances !)
You smell great–definitely cheerful!
You smell wonderful! My favorite of Jeffrey’s edt’s.
SOTD is Misia, and I love it.
On an unrelated note, I’ve been searching for a vetiver body wash for ages and took the plunge on the only one I could find from Yves Rocher. They were so cheap that I ordered 5 of them! I sure hope I like it since I’ll be using it for a long time to come…
Misia is wonderful, you smell lovely!
You can always use the body wash as a hand soap if you don’t “love” it….
If this summer is as hot as it seems destined to be, you will probably be thanking yourself for your foresight.
It reminds me of candied fragrant violets from Demel. Beautiful and elegant. Speaking of vetiver shower gel, have you tried the Guerlain one?
Oh, that sounds lovely, thanks for the note. I didn’t know that Guerlain had a shower gel for their Vetiver. Uh-oh! How is it?
Marvelous, but a tad too pricey for me to wash down the drain!
Had to be at work today at 5 am and vintage Iviore is still going strong. Good thing my work day is almost over and I am looking forward to a day off.
Vintage Ivoire…blast from my past…you smell elegant!
I love vintage Ivoire, just took mine out for the June rotation.
Gorgeous springy weather here in the DC area, perfect for my SOTD: vintage Lauren.
Vintage Lauren….perfect! Loved that one many, many, many years ago…do they still make it?
They do! I think it disappeared for a while, may have been reformulated at some point, but I see it’s available on the Ralph Lauren website (as well as at many discounters). I don’t know how the current version smells, but I wore this way back when it first came out in 1978. I love it still!
Ha! I wore it in the late 70s as well
!!! I am imagining how wonderful it must smell still!!!
I always associate Lauren with my mother. That and Anais Anais were her most worn perfumes. You smell lovely!
Thank you!
SOTD is Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom, albeit turned into a cologne with a bit home mad science. There were a few sprays’ worth stuck at the bottom of the bottle, so I unscrewed the top, added a few mls of vodka, and let it cure for a few days. Bam, cologne!
Interesting…vodka also works to turn an essential oil perfume into an alcohol based fragrance…Malibu Lemon Blossom is such a refreshing scent…an affordable pleasure for sure!
MLB is summer-in-a-bottle! Vodka is also the weapon-of-choice for making linen/room sprays with essential oils.
Thanks for that great idea!
Just adjust the number of drops of oil(s) depending on how big a batch you’re making and how strong you want the scent. I think most ‘recipes’ would recommend 30-40 drops to start with for ~4oz of liquid. (You can technically use a vodka-distilled water split, but I think all-vodka or near it is better for a linen spray since it would evaporate quicker than water.)
How clever of you! And congrats on yesterday’s D’backs win. Arrieta is a genius of a pitcher and the team so good anyway, as a combo they’re almost impossible to beat. Despite his 12 strikeouts, timely hits by the D’backs broke his string. of 20 wins going all the way back to July of last year. A win to be proud of! (My Sox are so embarassingly horrific lately I must find my baseball excitement elsewhere, hopefully, temporarily.)
Thanks. And thanks re. the win. I think Arrieta’s as good as it gets right now, so it was a v. satisfying win. Though, lately, ditto your sentiment about the Sox: the D-backs have been inducing facepalms aplenty. Lots of atypical base-running and defensive Es. If you can, take a look at our box score from Friday’s game vs. the Cubs! (As my father so aptly put it: they looked like they were in a Little League game.)
Hi Creosote, You mentioned wanting a sample of Alaia? Email me llombardi underscore 42 where the mail is hot. I didn’t see your response until late Sunday night. Must have missed you.
Oops. No, I saw your response; I’m just abominably slow. ???? I’ll email you right now so I don’t forget.
Yes you are…just sayin’
Ha! Your electronic ears must’ve been burning because I just emailed you!
Hajusuuri is right… Still no email. ????
Crud! I sent you one at 8:08EST (subj. “Alaia sample”). Will go double-check your address and try again.
Eek, 200 comments already.
I am “faking it easy” today —
SOTD = Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue
The Absolue is a close enough dup to Prada Purple Rain that you can say you’re wearing Purple Rain with your fingers crossed. There is a nuancy difference in that I feel Purple Rain is more sparkly / brighter than the Absolue. Although I haven’t done this, I think layering the Absolue with 31 Rue Cambon or No.19 EDP could achieve that extra brightness!
Ooh! That sounds like a fun experiment! I have a manufacturer’s sample of Purple Rain on its way and I’m so excited!
Brilliant idea. Transparent iris on rooty iris!
SOTD is Ninfeo Meo on a fresh, breezy day. Can someone tell me what that means? It doesn’t look either French or Italian or even Spanish … I have it in a little splash bottle, and I want to decant it into a spray, which always seems far more satisfying. I hope there is no more flooding and the worst any of us can complain about today is heat. Except maybe you folks down under.
This should help! :
https://nstperfume.com/2010/01/11/annick-goutal-ninfeo-mio-fragrance-review/
It is a great scent. The creamy undertone of fig is just enough to my liking without taking over the gardens for me.
My summer standard– vintage White Shoulders. Always the correct choice if the weather is above 80°
Today seems to be the day where everyone is wearing all of the vintage fragrances that I wore and adored many years ago…you smell divine! But for me White Shoulders was always a scent I wore in the cooler weather…..
Started the day with Orange Blossom body cream (Les Couvent des Minimes). When it wore off, I put on Azemour les Orangers. It doesn’t seem to be lasting long, but I only dabbed from a sample. I may need to get at least a decant of this for the summer!
Not trying to fake anything pricey but did pull out the Borotalco talc, which is lightly scented, and very cooling.
Layering vintage Aliage on top. Had to transfer the Aliage to spray bottle. It doesn’t have same impact in non-spray..
You are now the fourth NSter wearing another vintage I love
You smell fabulous!
Hey, that is my deodorant spray
It is so different from the super sporty, intensely locker-room experience of Axe or Adidas, and yet it works really well in the heat with just light spraying.
Morning, all. So, I’m bounding about doing STUFF and the dear one is flopping about in bed watching me through swollen eyes, coughing miserably and wondering if he should, perhaps, start taking the doctor’s prescription. !!! %*+#. He’s not going to work– well, there’s a surprise!– and I can’t stay home with him, so he and Dakkie will just have to manage. I’m about to pootle out into the cold wearing Coromandel and layers of cream-coloured cashmere, which all old wives know is the sovereign defence against winter and an ominously sore throat! I love Coromandel without reservations: it’s warm and earthy and comforting but (I think) quite sophisticated. Years ago, I read a collection of Leonard Cohen’s poetry called “The Spicebox of the Earth “, and that’s the phrase Coromandel whispers to me all day long. Be well, NST.
It is the first from the new Les Exclusifs that I identify with the most. There is something comforting yet sensual about it. And, the beautiful sillage!
Wearing La Pausa today from a very generous NSTer…
It is wonderful. I think some reviews I read complained about longevity so I sprayed liberally.
You did good
And you smell beautiful!
Just read through the weekend comments and wanted to give my input on the Exclusifs. I have the large bottles, and they are not that bulky (just use both hands).
Also, I think I’ll offer to split 31 Rue Cambon at the next Splitmeet.
Yes! My last decant spoiled before I used it up. And I had more than half an ounce left; more’s the pity. It would be nice to have a bit again.
Whenever I pass by the local Chanel and my favourite SA is there, she often offers to drench me in one of fumes. It is a great way to try them, but I cannot bring myself to spray such precious juices for 20 sprays to create a mist XD
Hello I am new here. I have always loved fragrance and for some reason it just occurred to me there might be a whole community out there of like minded people. Today I am wearing Tokyo Milk Tainted Love. I have a bit of a cold so nothing too heavy or powdery or I will be sneezing all day.
Nice to see you here LadyLeia!
Welcome!
Hello! Kick that cold soon!
Welcome! I’m glad you found us.
You smell great!
Welcome to the rabbit hole
Woo hoo for joining in. Hope you feel better soon.
Welcome, and hope the cold is short-lived!
Glad you found us!
Home after a long weekend away: clear blue skies and the Southern Alps glistening powder blue with so much fresh snow. Think I will wear CB I Hate Perfume At the Beach and see how it goes with an icy cold wind, hat and mittens. Happy week everyone!
Happy week to you! That sounds like a great perfume choice. I’m wearing a beachy scent too. Though, I have the opposite conditions here: dusty, wildfire smoke skies, furnace temperatures, and a parched landscape (including the mountains, where I’m sure our snow is well and truly melted away by now!).
Yves Rocher Voile d’Ambre, which is very Shalimar-like- more so than most flankers, really. The citrus opening is high quality, natural-smelling, and the vannilic drydown is smoky and never cloying. Even the bottle is heavy and nice.
Huge rain outside! Glad I’m wearing this.
Interesting comparison, Voile/Shalimar. I love the Voile, don’t care for Shalimar, never really noticed a similarity. Will have to compare when I next take out my Voile, which is a fall fragrance for me.
Hmm, intriguing. I feel like I should investigate that one–thanks for the description!
Back at work and plowing through the field of emails. Wearing, or wore the Ivoire edp, which disappeared by lunchtime. Other than that it does work well as an office scent.
I am wearing Lubin Nuit de Longchamp vintage perfume. I found this unbelievable vintage bottle, so unique. I was afraid that the scent would have been turned but it smells out of this world.
I am in SSS Jour Ensoleille today. I think I need at least a travel spray of this. If I was out in the heat and humidity it might be a bit much but fine in the a/c, and it really lasts on me.
SOTD = Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom
Very nice, but not FBW. Skin scent that is primarily powder, but with a bit of green (in the open), spice (middle), and vanilla (dry down). Longevity is good for a Jo Malone (8 hours).
I like the musky dry down that marries so well with the powdery side of mimosa here. It is so different from the typical Jo Malone.
I totally drew a blank for a while on what I was wearing today, but I remember now: it’s Marni Rose.
Which I wore yesterday
Feeling like a perfume contrarian with the beautiful warm weather, so began the day in lightly applied Terveer Incense oil. Post gym and shower I applied Timbuktu…also lightly as it is a warm day…
I wore a light application of Santalum Slivers. I like it well enough, but doubt I will replace my sample when it is gone. I really like Pretty Machine, which is not showing up on the Kerosene website right now.
I hope I can find some somewhere when I am ready to purchase a full bottle. I really want one of those bottles, and I really want that Linden perfume…
Over the weekend and today I’ve been spritzing Eau des Minimes from Couvent des Minimes. The blood orange/citrus top notes are juicy and zesty. I like the floral dry down a bit less than the top, but it’s easy to re-spritz such a happy scent.
Eau des Minimes is a good stand-in for Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine (which I also adore), especially if you love blood orange but don’t enjoy the Orange Sanguine woody base. The prices for 100 ml are US $38 vs. $120.
I like all the Couvent des Minimes scents I’ve tried. I wonder if some of the others would be good swaps for other more expensive scents, too.
I’m always happy to share my SOTD which I did up above. Now I need an outlet to share something else. I had written about the trials and tribulations of a daily train commute and I am not even speaking of the NYC Subway, notorious for its smells. I’ve been subjected to farts (silent but deadly), unwashed armpit B.O., bad breath, sour milk and pungent food. Today, I experienced the ultimate insult to my sense of smelll – a guy rooting for gold (from you know where), speaking on his cell phone and whose bad breath smells like fart.
I need that Tiger Balm stat! Any other suggestions?
Oh, sweet Lord. For the smells, maybe you could do a highly-scented handkerchief or scarf and take it out to sniff as necessary like a Victorian or wear around your neck for the journey? As for the gold-digger, should a similar situation present itself, you could always go honest and just loudly exclaim, “Eww, are you actually picking your nose!?” That might do the trick. ????
In the winter, my scarf got a lot of use! I may have to keep a small scarf in my tote, as I don’t have any hankies.
Yeah, a small silk (or faux silk) one that would fit in your tote!
Hey hajusuuri, I feel your pain. You might try essential oils and scented lotions for combating ambient stink in public spaces. I like lavender, citrus, or cypress essential oil. The lavender hand and body lotion from Trader Joe’s is nice. I keep a small “decant” of it in my purse all the time. People tell me it smells great and then ask me where to buy it. Orange Ginger body lotion from BB&W is good, too.
Long ago when I rode the rails to the corporate home office, I kept a 5 ml bottle of lavender essential oil in my bag. I would sit down, open the bottle, and just hold it in front of me. Many essential oil bottles have a perfect drop-by-drop dispenser thingie (what is it called?) inside the neck of the bottle, so they are hard to spill on a moving train, even with the cap off. I avoid bottles with a glass dropper inside the cap. If I need extra help to clear the air I rub a drop of essential oil on my wrist. The scent stays near me and doesn’t seem to bother anyone.
I used a lot of scented lotion on the train. It’s a low-key way to scent the air around me without setting off anyone’s oh-please-not-perfume alarm bells. It’s nice to sit quietly on the train, staring off into space while massaging my hands and moisturizing my cuticles/nails and smelling absolutely fabulous.
The Body Shop has tea tree oil in those dropper bottles! I may look for a lavender roll on that I can whip out on short notice.
Oh man, people. That’s the worst. I have a dear friend who we always tease, asking her if she’s bringing some chicken wings on the train, because of a night many many years ago in a subway car with a guy sprawled across three seats chowing down and strewing the bones around him. He had the dubious excuse of extreme drunkiness.
Despite my love of perfume, scented lotions and such also kind of turn me off, or at least their application in public. I do the perfume on scarf, scarf around face, face buried in book thing.
Hajusuri I feel for you. I used to sit next to a woman – an extra loud chewer (and was eating all the time), who would also release loud burps and farts. I condidered moving seats – but it would have been very obvious since we were a tiny office.
I have a mental disorder around the whole loud chewing thing. It makes me *insane.* I am so glad you are out of that office situation. Farting and burping too? Argh.
Add nail clipping sounds to the mix and you have a trifecta!
Oy! There was a guy at work many years ago who stunk so bad his boss put him in a cubicle far away from everyone else. Half the floor was under constant renovation so we had room to spread out (thank God). Our poor temp had to sit next to him though.
I had to quickly wear my Carmex hand lotion, very lightly vanilla scented, and huffed my hands.
I am sorry, Hajuusri, but this is hilarious
I would try to smell perfumed clothes, but tiger balm sounds like the perfect remedy.
I need to find those little canisters and put it in a baggie. And speaking of baggie, maybe a Papiere di Armenie (sp?) would do!
Nooo what a waste of Papier d’Arménie!
Why? I use them to scent all kinds of things (my wallet, my bedside table) and then when the smell starts to fade, I burn them.
Try the bus?
Does it stop on the bus????? I walk, mostly, but sometimes it’s just too far!
If it’s practical to walk, yes…but unfortunately,I live too far
Ha! Maybe the exhaust fumes can mask the stink. Do two stinks make a right?
LOL Hajusuuri! Up here in Boston the whole subway smells like a colon, and I swear to god there are some ghostly farts that have been trapped down there since 1897! The worst is when you are seated and the sneak farter is standing, butt level with your face.
If I were you I would just wear a surgical mask with a carbon layer – or the more normal-looking version of that, as another person here suggested, a nice scarf that is pre-loaded with your favorite scent.
As far as nose-picking on the train, I would just look the other way and be thankful there isn’t a scent associated with that.
The problem with the nose picker was he picked the side of the armrest to deposit his efforts – yuck!
I’ve had the in-your-face gas release happen to me too.
Oh gross! Kind of makes you want to wear a hazmat suit with oxygen tank! Maybe a good reminder to never get so relaxed that you actually touch anything in the subway.
I shall remember not to fight for armrests any longer, be it on an aeroplane, a train, or a bus!
These stories make me happy that I live in a place where I have to drive in my car if I need to go somewhere. Sharing just doesn’t sound like much fun.
SOTD – Begamote Boisee, Miyako combination – was decanting for my favorite scent twins and of course got it all over self. I would not recommend the combination to anyone!!!