It's Almost-Friday, and it's Cole Porter's birthday. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Providence Perfume Co Branch & Vine.
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.
The late great Helen Humes with Count Basie, My Heart Belongs to Daddy.
I’m wearing Manoumalia and drinking Mao Feng Rose, which is a gentle green tea fragranced with rose. I love these colourful blocks as illustrations.
I love looking at Pantone color charts too — for some reason, it’s peaceful, like meditating.
You are absolutely right, it is.
Manoumalia! I hope everyone around you appreciated how awesome you smell!
Manoumalia is one of my dream wishlist perfumes. You smell perfect.
Sampling Bois Lumiere from Anatole Lebreton and so far liking it
I liked that one very much.
Ahh, you’ve reminded me that I need to smell this one! I recently tried Cocoa Tuberose and Moss Gown… Cocoa Tuberose was my favorite of the two, but I could have stood even more cocoa in it. 🙂
Heat wave here today, so I plan on wearing something refreshing, probably AdP Colonia… even if I do stay inside all day!
Do try Branch & Vine, it’s a lovely green.
Mitsouko edp because today feels like a beautiful, sunny, cool fall day. What a blessing in June!
What a crazy notion: cool sunny fall day in June. I think that is what is going on outside here too…. and it’s messing with my head and nose. I can’t figure out what to wear today! I think you are right that oakmoss is in order. It was only 37 degrees here last night!
Twins! It’s definitely not cool where I am, but you inspired me to go with Mitsouko. ????
And the week rolls on!
SOTD: Burberry Body. It’s OK, but it gave me a sneezy fit for the 1st few minutes. LOL It’s settling down now….
I like these blues and greens much better than I liked yesterday’s purples. 🙂 For some reason purple makes me feel down and full of a vague dread.
SOTD is the first Ines de la Fressange, one of the nicest and un-ditziest fruity florals I know. Peach, rose, sandalwood and so pretty.
We will see if we can’t hit everyone’s favorite colors. But yellow and orange (and especially brown) give me that same feeling, whereas purples, blues & greens calm me right down.
Most people do like purple.
I’m guessing the 1970s were a trial for you. 🙂
As a feminist in college circa late 1980s, I began to call the scourge “painful purple.” Also, I grew up in Berkeley (nuf said). So me and purple have a vexed relationship–except flowers. Very bluish purple flowers of all types are wonderful! But best of all are pale purple roses.
I actually have no idea what you’re talking about with the feminist scourge thingy (though I finished college in 1990)… I just don’t like purple, except in flowers. 🙂
Purple clothing, jewelry, candles, curtains, binders, bedspreads, etc., that is all, but it was everywhere, like a uniform or talisman… Also, lots of women just liked the color… but it had political overtones in some quarters (my quarters 😉 ).
Yes…everything was purple and black: purple doc martins, black baggy pants with purple applique stars and moons, purple broadsheets, lilac bedrooms, purple bed spreads…all that feministy, witchy stuff. I was a post graduate American Studies student and I can remember that The Color Purple had come out in the USA but had not reached NZ and we had to share and photocopy our visiting professor’s copy in order to do our research …so funny now that everything is instantly available to think about life back then.
Reading about purple and Berkeley reminded me of the “purple people” in the Lafayette area over the hill from Oakland Fresca. Kind of a sex commune that had a lot of its buildings and cars painted purple. Local legend…
Ha — yes! Gold shag rugs and striped orange couches!
Maybe Robin just focused on the avocado green?
Have we ever done a color-themed Friday project? Match your scent to the swatch?
I feel the need to defend purple. It is a lovely accent color! I think a touch of it can bring life and style to any outfit or room. The perfect plum bead, a lovely aubergine bag, a violet cashmere scarf. A purple door, a purple velvet footstool, an amethyst glass vase. The thought of all those things done in purple fill me with joy.
That sounds lovely! I have always wanted to try that one; Ines de la Fressange is my style icon!
It’s really, really good, if you can find it! There are two perfumes from her line – the first one was Calice Becker in 1999, and the second one was Alberto Morillas in 2004. The CB has a woody base and the AM is musky. I’ve tried the AM and found it perfectly pleasant, but I really love the CB. http://www.thenonblonde.com/2007/08/french-lessons.html#.V1mC2TX3hPk
Do you follow her line at Uniqlo? I’ve purchased a few items over the years.. not as stylish as I imagine she is in real life.
She also has her own shop in Paris now. I had it on my list to visit last year but wasn’t able to fit it in.
Floragal, I shop at Uniqlo but somehow never paid any attention to which line was a collaboration with which designer. Mind you, I rarely BUY, but I keep trying, hoping that I’ll find something that doesn’t make me look like a sausage 😉
Yes, I remember your purple post Mals… 🙂
LOVE these colors. Greeny blues and bluish-greens are my favorite.
I’m trying out Copal Azur today. It’s nice, but a bit too mid-summery for today’s weather, methinks.
It is darned cold today.
Continuing with my fake it Friday as I might be out sick tomorrow (cough…cough) and will participate early today!
My niece loves Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud but can’t afford that gigantic bottle (why doesn’t Jo Malone sell those 9ml travel sizes individually????) so I made her a poor gal’s version….. all with essential oils- Moroccan rose, bourbon vanilla, sweet orange, labdanum, new Caledonia sandalwood absolute, frankincense and agarwood (oud) and turned it into a portable solid with beeswax…..again, love it , but it doesn’t last as long as I would like…
Quick question for all of you NYC guys and gals….where are the good places to go perfume shopping within the mid to upper East Side (walking distance from GCT and by walking distance I mean 30 blocks in either direction)???? Advice /recommendations would be much appreciated…same for pastry/tea shops in the area????
Oh and Robin….I am literally sitting on my fingers because I desperately want to purchase the Providence Perfume Company sample pack of fragrances as well as the sample pack of her floral teas…you are NOT making it easy for me with your reviews 🙂 !!! But I must be strong! I am really trying to hold out on ANY fragrance purchases but hajusuuri tells me there is such a thing as a mid year holiday present to myself/-LOL!
Ack! and I just read Jessica’s review on Ivy Tower where she compares it to Annick Goutal’s Eau de Camille…NOW I am REALLY in trouble !!!!!
I am not an oil person, which is probably why I prefer Branch & Vine to Ivy Tower? But if you like oils, that set is worth trying too.
And of course, half Christmas!
I DO like oils so that set is on my list…and I can rationalize it when I finally get around to purchasing all three sets (samples of the EDT, oils and teas) by saying that I will score free shipping if I get all three at once 🙂 !!!!
I’ve been assured that half-Christmas is coming up!
🙂
Ha, I repeated you before I scrolled down.
Eleebelle is right on with balf-Christmas. I think everyone should celebrate half-birthdays, too!
You are naughty! (giving me yet another excuse to buy more perfume-LOL!)
Midtown is Saks and Bergdorf’s and Barney’s plus individual boutiques like Chanel and Hermes and Prada. Downtown you have Aedes, MIN and Osswald, and Atelier Cologne. Brooklyn has Twisted Lily
Oh thank you! Great list…will have to google all for addresses….although I am not ready to venture into Brooklyn!!!
Oh and is it safe to walk downtown from GCT? I don’t want to take a subway 🙁
It’s totally safe but that would be a far walk.
Thanks Elisa! I will stick to mid/uptown then…..I am sure there is plenty to sample there!
CM, it is very safe – don’t worry! New York is actually one of the safest large cities in the country right now, and actually the subway too is very safe if that’s a concern (though if navigating it is the issue, I can understand that too!).
When I take people on their first sniffing adventures in the city, I take them to Barney’s and Bergdorfs first, which are within a couple blocks from each other, and right near Central Park, and Saks is just a few more blocks south on Fifth Avenue.
When you get closer to the time, just let us know – there’s a large, friendly group of us in the city and we’ll be happy to provide suggestions and tips.
By the way, for a whimsical little tea shop, I’ve always liked a place called Alice’s Tea Cup, which is Alice in Wonderland themed. But there are certainly other options too.
Also, from my personal perspective – Greenwich Village (definitely downtown as compared to the Upper East Side) is the best part of Manhattan, and well worth exploring. Safe too.
Just got to give a shout out to my favorite neighborhood. 🙂
Ihadanidea-
thank you so much! for the subway it is the navigating part and also hajusuuri’s bit about smelly bodies-LOL! I have sensory issues and won’t not fare well on a crowded subway!!!!
I think for now I will stick to midtown/uptown and I love your suggestions…Barneys and Bergdorf will surely have the high end niche that I have never sampled and hopefully I can score some free samples as I don’t plan on buying anything if I can help it!!! Also, do any of the Sephoras in Manhattan have the LArtisans in stock? My local Sephora does not…would love to sample those and Serge Lutens (yeah….I am way behind the times :)!!!). and maybe find my way to the Caron store with the urns that everyone talks about on NST…..
next time around I will venture into the Village…I know that there are so many great places to go perfume shopping and it is probably the hippest part of the city, right?
Well, I think certain places in Brooklyn long ago stole the Village’s “coolest” title, but to me and to most people I know, it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of Manhattan to be in.
Barneys has all the L’Artisans as well as the full Serge Lutens line – non-exports included! I still get a thrill from being able to hold those bell jars.
My biggest tip, though, is to not let the sales people intimidate you. As someone who came from a small town, I felt like I needed to smell everything I was offered in order to be polite, but it’s fine to say that you’re just browsing. You’re there for your own enjoyment – and there’s so much to enjoy!
Ihadanidea-
Thanks for your advice….I won’t let the SAs steer me in the wrong direction or intimidate me….I do plan on sampling with no intent of purchasing and will enjoy every moment 🙂 !!! And maybe I will get lucky and hit a nice SA who will give me a few samples to take home!
Sometimes, Barney’s and Bergdorf’s will give samples but the hajusuuri tip is to bring a few empty vials with you. I find the smaller stores to be much better for getting samples
goddessrena-
thanks! I will put empty vials on my list!
Just want to pipe in that the JAR cave (if it is still there?) is a hoot. JAR’s perfumes have their own room/closet with the perfume counters at Bergdorfs. The gentleman who helped my husband and I test the fragrances was sweet, informed, and generous with his time. No samples of JAR perfumes of course, but tea- ceremony antics, excellent acoustics, and of course the chance to sniff interesting albeit inaccessible perfume is really fun. And zero pressure to purchase. I’d wager very few folks actually buy JAR perfumes after slipping behind the velvet curtain…
oaklandfresca-Oh goodness…you just gave me a good laugh…if I am brave enough I will definitely check it out!
I’m a bus gal. They go slow, but at least you can see stuff and eventually get to your destination.
Check out bus routes.
floragal-
thanks! the other option is to take a cab but that might be tricky if it is a weekday….(traffic and difficulty getting one)
Chocolate – I agree with flora gal that buses are the way to go since you have time and will get a seat during non-rush hours. I hate subways even though I used to take them every day – haven’t been on one in 15 or more years.
PrincessTonka-
Thanks for the tip….if the weather is nice I am actually going to stroll up Madison…I think walking the streets may be part of the whole experience and the stores seem to be relatively close to each other….I don’t mind walking 20 blocks to get there…..
I agree on the Saks, Barneys and Bergdorf suggestions. From GCT, it is a nice, easy walk up Park Avenue, if you want to avoid the crowded sidewalks and have a bit more pleasant walk. You can then cut over to Saks on 49th. There’s also the little Penhaligon’s in Rockefeller Center at street level. There are buses that go uptown on Madison and then back south toward GCT on Fifth Ave. I’ve taken both.
Downtown also has the Hermes Parfumerie, complete with a dreamy Gustav.
I think he has a crush on you too….
Hi CM! There’s Saks,Barney’s, and Bergdorf’s definitely within walking distance. There’s a Diptyque boutique in Grand Central. On the upper east (Madison in the 70s) is Frederic Malle, Jo Malone,and Annick Goutal all within a few blocks from each other. Hope this helps! When are you coming?
What ? What? What ? Frederic Malle and Annick Goutal within a few blocks? I will have to walk up Madison to try to find them….Not sure about the “when”…possible some time in July? And nothing is definitive but I want to be prepared in case it comes to fruition!!!!
You should also stop by Krigler at The Plaza if you be going from Barneys to Bergdorf. Also, if you like the claustrophobic boutique feel, there’s a Penhaligon’s at Rockefeller Center and a L’Occitane nearby..
Sadly, the Caron boutique is closed, and I never made it there 🙁 I’ve not seen L’Artisan at Sephora (except for Le Chasse rollerballs), but Barney’s will have those and Lutens. And the JAR experience at Bergdorf’s is fun.
REally? It closed? What a bummer! Ok Barneys it is for Lutens and JAR!
It just moved! Can’t remember where but I think it’s on our NYC shopping page.
And now I feel like a complete MORON! you would think after all this time I would have seen the link to “perfume shopping in NYC” at the bottom of the page in the lavender blue box???
Perfect…with exact addresses and all and no need to for me to google! Thank you , Robin!
Huh! I’ll have to find it.
Elisa-
Scroll down to the bottom of the page…it is in the lavender/blue box…..”Perfume Shopping in New York” in white lettering…Just click on the link…I have already started googling to get the cross streets…..
JAR is at Bergdorf. Also, both Bergdorf and Saks have Eric Butterbaugh which I haven’t yet sniffed.
Let us know if you’re coming out! I’d love to sneak away for a sniff if you want company.
Ok will do!
Me too although I may be away if you will be here in July (vacay from July 6 to 23)
Me three…
Hi CM,
I live in the upper east side, it’s a great place. Not sure where you will be but …
For tea and something sweet I would recommend Alice tea cup, Eric Kaysar, Francios Payard, Orens Daily Roast, Java Girl. It’s a chain but Le Pain is always a good bet..
The Milky oolong and cherry blossom green tea are really good from Francios Payard.
Oh my gosh! love those two types of teas….currently in my tea rotation is Republic of Teas Beginner’s Mind Spring Cherry Blossom and Republic of Teas Milk Oolong!
thank you for chiming in! I am adding those tea and pastry places to my list!!!!
Annick Goutal, Creed, Le Labo, jo Malone, and others all have shops on the upper east side. Not to mention some great pharmacies like Clydes!!! Great perfume and beauty
Oh, Clyde’s! I go in there to sniff but never buy anything. I think they got sick of me.
thanks, ladies! adding Clyde’s Pharmacy to my list……
Creed and Le Labo…yes!!!! need to sample those too!!!!
Alice’s Tea Cup – yes!!! The best scones.. and wonderful tea options too.
good to know! you are now the third to recommend Alice 🙂
Personally I think that the West Village and Soho areas are much more fun that going to big department stores. The neighborhoods are more charming, smaller scale, with trees, etc. If you’re afraid of the subway and don’t want to walk that far (I love to), just take a cab! It’s not at all dangerous just adorable (NYC has changed a lot since the 1970s).
In addition to MiN and Osswald in the Soho/Nolita area, there is also the wonderful LAFCo, which has only Italian perfumes and beauty products (huge beautiful shop), just a block a way from MiN. There is also a Le Labo boutique in the same area. In the West Village, which is super charming (think Sex and the City), there is Aedes, the Annick Goutal boutique, the Diptyque boutique, the Bond No. 9 boutique, and C.O. Bigelow, all very close to each other. And I’ve probably forgotten something. Be brave!
“be brave” -LOL! I am quite often overly cautious but I promise if and when I get to Manhattan and try mid/uptown with success I will definitely venture into the Village area next time around…sounds like there are many charming stores to enjoy down there! Honestly, I don’t mind walking….I would and could actually walk an hour to reach my destination….the city I knew in the early 1980s had areas you did not venture into (anything west of 7th Avenue or north of 96th Street)….now it is my understanding that so many of these areas have gentrified due to new structures (such as Chelsea Piers and the High LIne) and incoming young professionals (who have snatched up apartments further north)…..so you are right….I need not fear……
There are very few of those “don’t venture into” neighborhoods in Manhattan any more. And I’m with those who prefer downtown aesthetically to uptown. I also work in mid upper east so that skews my opinion of that area unfavorably. Also, if you take the subway when it’s not rush hour, they’re really not crowded. We have your back CM????
Elisa- YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST :)!!! (don’t know why the comment showed up below)
Oh dear, I spent much of the 80s west of 7th avenue when I was in NYC. But I was living on the south side of Chicago, so it didn’t seem so bad!
If you’re going to be downtown, there’s also the Santa ‘Maria Novella boutique. If you decide to go to the new Whitney, By Kilian is nearby and worth a visit. En plus, there are fabulous restaurants and you can walk the High Line!
Yes, you should visit the High Line! It’s a wonderful experience. And that is not too far from the West Village and the perfume destinations we’ve listed there.
You know, suddenlyinexplicably….I want to thank you for your encouragement to get me to explore another area that I am less familiar with…..I am seriously going to consider making downtown my first trip and uptown the next time around…..it is about time I came out of my comfort zone and not feel afraid to explore the world….LOVE your blog…by the way 🙂 !!! I have shared it as a link with my close friends….
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!! 🙂
I’m glad I was able to encourage you. Even though I live in California, I spend a lot of time in downtown New York City and love it there. Haha, and I guess you are a yoga person and we have some other names in a different life?
Lots of excellent suggestions already posted. Here’s my two cents, midtown and uppper east on one long day (lots and lots of spots!) Village/ Soho on a separate day. That’s how I’ve always done it. If you only have one day, decide which types of perfumes are higher on your must smell list. ^^Suddenly’s post is a great suggestion too.
Laura-
thank you…really do appreciate your “two scents”….agreed that it needs to be two separate days…not sure which perfumes are higher on my list as I have no familiarity with any of the high end niche (with the exception of Annick Goutal)…..so for me anywhere is good enough! I guess it is a question of whether I want to explore high end department stores or smaller boutiques….I am more familiar with midtown/Grand Central area so there would be my comfort zone…but maybe it is time to change that and try something new…as long as I don’t get lost in the Village-LOL! the streets uptown make a lot more sense to my middle aged brain!!!
Was that the longest ever thread in the history of NST? You guys sure know your perfume outlets!
I have added comments below comments bjt wanted to say something about Caron. You have to call them to make an appointment and since you are likely to be at GCT, and Caron is there as well, you may want to make that your first stop. I have not been to the new place (because too busy during a weekday). I really should update my Caron Post on Undina’s blog once I experience the new set up!
If you are going to Osswald, and I highly recommend it for its breadth of niche perfumes, you may alao want to stop by Birchbox which is also on Broadway, a few blocks from Osswald. Birchbox has all sorts of body products, many in travel size.
You of course know that the NYC NSTers would love to meet you when you’re in town! Maybe we’ll tag team if we can’t Ll be together at the same time.
No perfume today as I will be going to SF Barneys later for
“Paolo Terenzi, the nose and owner of the Italian niche brand of fragrances, Tiziana Terenzi. Thursday, June 9th. From 4pm to 7pm.”
Any others going?
Fun! Hope you get to connect with some other NSTers.
Do report back!
Very nice man, talked to people individually. Asked what I liked and did not like and started with ones he thought I would becasue he likes to break rules. Price point was a bit high for me but really nice scents.
Wearing Lubin Idole today as we also have a fall feeling June day, second in a row. I love the spiciness! Supposed to be in the 90s and humid over the weekend though…..I’m finding that the older I get, the narrower my range of tolerable weather, like Goldilocks – not too hot, not too cold. Anyone else?
Same here!!! I find the cold unbearable (and it gets cold in my part of the world in the winter) and the humidity and heat of the summer not so pleasant either…. my preference is 70 degrees all year long!!!!
I’d rather be stinking hot than freezing cold. The heat makes me grouchy, but it doesn’t hurt all my sport ruined joints like the cold. Since this is the second “fall in June” comment…. I am going to have to take serious heed of my choice today!!!!
Ditto Ann…If I had to chose it would be hot over cold…I get really cranky when my nose and toes are freezing!!!!
I’m with you. Hot over cold any day. Although, I wouldn’t mind cold as much if it didn’t bring snow, which I am already dreading. I figured I am going to pay for the mild winter we just had.
Repeatedly shoveling snow ….ack!!! Hate it! Crossing my fingers for ANOTHER mild winter!!!
My ideal would be 70-80 year round. I do love warm sumner nights.
Warm summer nights with a light breeze are the best!
Oh, me too. Was just having this discussion with my husband last week. Would FAR rather cold than hot, probably because I can always add clothes/socks/gloves/hats/heating pad/blanket.
I am with you on preferring the cold, mals!
Me too. Give me permanent spring and fall weather and I’d probably be happy. Though perhaps that’s not ideal because then I wouldn’t have my heart bursting out of my chest when spring arrives here in New York, and I do like that feeling.
I know exactly what you mean…I think what makes spring so magical for me is that we are finally out of the dreaded winter season! I love the smell in the air of early spring!!!!
My perfect day is about 72 degrees, cloudless blue sky, gentle breeze, low humidity. I can tolerate winter much better than I can a hot and humid summer–ugh!
That sounds like my ideal too.
This is me, absolutely, and May in my part of the US Midwest is usually full of those perfect days as the month progresses; sadly this May started out like winter and ended up like high summer. I feel cheated 🙁
And yes, I prefer winter to summer but have to admit last year’s mild winter was a nice change.
I’m wearing Chloe Love today.
I didn’t know it was Cole Porter’s birthday. Beautiful music! One of my favorite movies is De-Lovely, with Kevin Kline as Cole, and Ashley Judd as his wife, Linda.
I’ve not seen this movie. I’m going to request it from the library now 😉
I liked that movie. I have a Cole Porter “greatest hits” album which I always seem to want to listen to when cleaning and doing dishes. I wish it had the crackles of an old record.
De-lovely! Love it! I’ve watched it so many times and have the soundtrack too- such a great cast.
Me too
Ditto!
Do you remember the 1980s? RED HOT + BLUE – AIDS compilation album of Cole Porter tunes. That had some great covers from singers like Annie Lennox (Every time I say goodbye) etc.
Yes! I have that album. Too Darn Hot-Erasure gets a lot of play by me.
You old rocker, you!
It’s a cold, rainy, grey misery of a day so I wore the equally cold SL Gris Clair: too much? I warmed up by burning a strip of Papier d’Armenie and all is well. (I love that stuff: even the ashes smell good.)
Fleurs de Citronnier Serge Lutens
One of my favorites! You smell beautiful.
Bond No. 9 New Haarlem. Needed to wake up today. As I sprayed it, my houseguest (NOT a parfumista) perked up: “Oooh, this is sooo nice!” so I let her spray it on herself too
Nice! That’s the coffee one, right?
Yep
I have been on the hunt for a coffee scent for years and although this is a very well loved coffee scent it seems too strong for me.
How does it dry down, I wonder? I should get a sample and give it a real try soon.
It is kind of strong. I think it becomes a little milder as it dries down, but not by a lot. But of course, you will form your own opinion. Have you tried Intoxicated? To me, it smells like Turkish coffee. Not so strong, but less coffee too- more spice and sweetness
I like Intoxicated, but didn’t find the longevity very good. Maybe a few more sprays than usual would do the trick.
Really? I don’t remember having any problems with longevity, but then I do not remember anything about longevity at all. Have to wear it one of these days to test.
Have you tried Sebastiane Espresso? The most realistic coffee note (I do admire New Haarlem). Longevity of Sebastiane is amazing and you do feel like you have had a bunch of roasted coffee beans dumped on you. I later it with Rose sometimes and like it a lot
I like New Haarlem but I wish it was just a tad sweeter. Since I have that obscenely sweet Dis Moi (which is supposed to be milky), I’ve been layering that lightly over New Haarlem (kindly received from Ari) and they’ve been really lovely together!
Sounds great! I can’t seem to get layering work for me, I am always dissatisfied with results.
Green! My favorite color. I like swatch 354. House twins! I’m in PPC Rose Boheme and testing a small spritz if Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses, which is a musky rose. It’s ok, not loving it, especially compared to the PPC which is earthy and complex. It has a musk in the drydown which is smelling like laundry soap.
I had a bottle of AdR but gifted it to a family member who loved it….
Sounds like you are liking the Providence Perfume Co. Rose Boheme? have you tried any others from PPC? How is the longevity given it is a natural?
I am enjoying it (a surprise gift from Petunia 🙂 ) It seems to be lasting a bit longer today, but the other times I’ve tried it, it faded in a few hours. I should add I layered it over some rose otto EO which also fades fast, but the oil itself might be helping the longevity. I’ve only tried Moss Gown which was tart, green, earthy and a bit weird. I liked it but not enough to invest in it.
Pantone 2485 is making me happy.
It’s a very calming color.
I have a sample of Attar de Roses which I found very sweet, but also kind of loved. For me it was an ambery rose – not nearly so much about musk. Skin chemistry does it again.
that is what I remember too….very sweet thick ambery rose….
It’s quite sweet and jammy in the beginning, but I’m definitely getting a swig of some clean musk in the drydown.
Jammy! that’s it! Honestly, I don’t remember the drydown as I gifted that bottle away quite a while ago…..
My hand is on the dry side so maybe amplifying the musk over the sweet notes. Who knows, really.
Lagging behind, still on yesterday’s purple and sampling Prada’s Purple Rain which I did not achieve yesterday. The first ten minutes had me looking at the price of a bottle, and then after the bright effervescent champagne fizzy top notes disappeared in a flash, I started wondering where my Infusion d’Iris edp and edt samples are to compare. I haven’t worn those nor the Absolue in ages! Fie upon my fickle heart!
Oh, let us know the outcome of the comparison!
Purple Rain is gorgeous, and Lucas’s review is spot-on for me:
https://chemistinthebottle.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/prada-purple-rain/
I liked the top notes in particular, but unfortunately that phase was very brief on me, maybe ten minutes. It’s quite fizzy and sparkling and fun! I agree with hajusuuri that Purple Rain comes close to Infusion d’Iris Absolue, and after also comparing it to the edt and the edp I find Absolue the closest match of the three. If I didn’t already have those and was wealthy enough to buy Purple Rain, I would. If I ever wind up in Saks or some other purveyor, I’ll give myself a giant blast of it to see how much difference that makes. Which may be sheer folly …
Thanks for asking! I, uh, discovered a few things I’d forgotten about when I was looking for the samples, which turned out to be cute little 8ml minis. Nice surprise! 😉
Once upon a time, in the beginning of my rose obsession, the wonderful AnnS sent me a bunch of fantastic rose samples, leading me to fall in love with a number of them (most notably L’Arte di Gucci, which I almost immediately bought a bottle of on Ebay, and Mille et une Rose from Lancome, which is still on my list of bottles I want to buy). One of them that I fully expected to work didn’t seem to jibe with my chemistry, however, and I’d neglected it since then – Nahema. Vintage too. So many people love this one, and I felt like I was missing something. So I dug out that sample to use it up today on my wrists, and I hope it works for me this time. Not that it was bad the previous times, but I didn’t fall in love as I expected.
Took another friend on a sniffing adventure to Barney’s last night, and she had a ball. Wow is introducing people to this stuff so much fun. Highly recommended if you get a chance to do it for someone who’s interested.
I hope it works for you too! It is quite a big fragrance. Don’t forget I have a source for some Mille et une Roses. 😉
I’m know – I’m so far behind on a lot of my perfume correspondence. Finally got some packages out in the past two weeks that I’d promised people an embarrassingly long time ago. Must return to our email conversation from months ago and refresh my memory as to where we were. You are too generous dear Ann!
It’s hard to keep up! I finally fulfilled a swap with Hamemalis that took me nearly 7 or 8 months to finish!
Lately I’ve been bringing samples to work and letting my coworkers go through them. It’s really fun to see them get excited about trying them out.
Oh I like that idea! maybe I will put a basket of samples in the lunch/staff room…..
Fun! My coworkers don’t seem interested in trying what I have here, per se, but they do seem to enjoy smelling what’s on me and having discussions about their perfumes and what they could try.
I thought I’d love Nahema, too, and I didn’t like it one bit and gave my sample away almost immediately. I sorta wish I’d saved a tiny bit so I could reassess it later, but honestly, I have enough roses I love that aren’t discontinued. I hope your re-sampling goes well!
A very healthy attitude! I was not so wise, and now I’m liking it much more this time around…crap.
I had a similar experience with Nahema. On me, there’s a brief flash of a spicy rose that I just love, but after that all I get is peach Jolly Rancher. It’s a high quality, long lasting Jolly Rancher, just not what I expected or wanted.
I’m actually having a much better experience this time around, and definitely no Jolly Rancher. Instead of dabbing the thing, I dumped the remainder of the sample on my wrist, and I’m wondering if this was the issue.
I was surprised to not get on with Nahema, too. My first couple of trials involved a vintage parfum which I could not smell AT ALL. Sent it to a friend who told me it was gorgeous, so it was me and not the micromini causing problems! Third trial was of edp, from a different friend’s bottle, and all I got was soap.
Shrug.
How did you get on with L’Arte di Gucci?
Never mind, you said you almost bought a bottle!
I may decide to re-home one of my backup bottles of L’Arte… I bought one in 2010, thought it was awesome, and bought another (this was back when you could find testers on ebay for like $80, not the $150 I’ve seen them go for recently). Then someone else who’d bought one decided she didn’t love it and sold me hers, so I have two backups, when I really don’t need both.
I admire your ability not to hoard! That is one scent I would have real difficulty parting with a bottle of – I just adore it. Rose chypres 4 lyfe.
Nahema didn’t work for me
It’s getting better as it goes on – much better now than in the beginning. There’s more depth to the rose now.
I really like Nahema. I don’t quite think of it as a rose, per se, eventhough I notice it in the opening ceremony. There’s a cherry cola or root beerish quality that I find in it. If it’s a rose, it’s a very abstract one to me. I think of Chanels and Guerlains as being abstract, with Chanel in the treble clef and Guerlain in the bass clef, if that makes any sense.
Interesting – I can kind of see that.
I’m actually quite liking it this time around, and I think I just might not have put enough of it on the last couple times.
I saw a EDP on a discount site, but it’s probably a more modern version. Is the modern version as good as the vintage?
I think the sample I have is a current version. I’m curious how it compares to the older stuff.
I found it kind of jarring the first time I tried it, probably because I was expecting a more stereotypical rosy rose.
Nahema is my all-time favorite rose, but I do wear the vintage PdT (wish I had the vintage extrait). On me it smells like the most beautiful rich rose made from real roses. But then it appears I was born to wear Guerlain (and a lot of other lines don’t work on me at all). I also love L’Arte di Gucci, but tend to wear Nahema much, much more often.
I’m liking this more and more now as the day has gone on. I’m beginning to think that I was just too delicate in my application before to really get an understanding of it.
And now I’m looking at bottles online….
How do you feel the modern version compares to your vintage PdT?
I’ve actually never tried the modern EdP (which would be the closest concentration to the PdT, though the PdT is possibly richer than that). I have very good luck with finding vintage perfumes, and I got my 80s tester bottle of PdT from a cranky old man at a dusty old perfume shop for far less than a new bottle. So I never felt motivated to do a side by side. My advice for finding vintage is to be patient (hard for most perfumistas, I realize) and just tell everyone what you’re looking for, even cranky old men in dusty old perfume shops.
I’m in YSL Cinema today, and it’s very very nice. Tried it side by side with Alahiiiine last night, and in the beginning stages they’re noticeably different. Alahiiine has a little slick of dirt/dust that’s a bit incense-y and that Cinema doesn’t have. C has a light mimosa greenness that A doesn’t have. Further in, A is (as predicted) more complex and has less vanilla as compared to C. This morning, all by itself C is quite lovely and very office-friendly, and the mimosa note is more subtle than it was last night.
I love Alahine, sounds like I would love cinema too
Love Alahine but I remember Cinema being sort of… flat? a flat milky sweet thing. Haven’t smelled it for several years though, so my memory may be failing me there.
I was wondering if you’d tried Cinema, mals. Compared with Alahine, Cinema is very … well-behaved. On me it isn’t flat, exactly, but it is less incense-y and less amber-y. Actually, right now it’s a tiny bit blond-woody, which might come across as milky on some people. In the middle of my drive to work I was very afraid I had over-applied, but apparently that was just a stage in its development.
I really like Cinema! I haven’t tried Alahine but gosh is it mentioned here frequently… I should try it if they’re sort of similar, my love for C is mild-but-eternal, a kickier, more complex perfume in the same style might do me in 🙂
Ohhh, Alahine is definitely gorgeous and complex and wonderful, slightly more amber-y than Cinema (once you get past the opening bit). Sounds like it needs to go on your to-try list. 🙂 Alahine has good staying power too, although Cinema is lasting quite well on me today.
I don’t think of these two as being so alike as . Alahine is an amber. Cinema is a floral oriental, though a quiet one. Perhaps on me the floral (mimosa) comes through more?
Could be – both the mimosa and the amber are quite noticeable on me in the beginning stages, and it’s true that the amber fades to a non-sweet, woody vanilla after a few hours. Really a very nice fragrance – I’m falling for it more and more as the day goes on.
I was going to wear one of my faking it fragrances today, but I couldn’t get Putain des Palaces out of my head, so that’s what I’m wearing. Apparently, I’ve been really into “human” smelling scents lately…just in time for summer…
I love PdP. You smell human 🙂
I’ve finally made up my mind to deal with this sparkling sunny albeit cold and windy summer day: Ralph Lauren Safari. Good all year long.
YAAAAASS.
Safari really is seasonless, in the sense of a good trench coat.
Un Jardin sur le Nil. I still like other Jardins more, but this one is the most wearable.
I haven’t even tried the other jardins but I’m very curious about the mediterranean one (fig?!), I’m almost out of Nil & should perhaps branch out for my next hermes cologne… Which one’s your favourite? I’m not especially bothered by wearability (I’m sure people around me wish I were).
I love both Mediterranee and Apres la Mousson. Monsieur Li is wonderful, too. I liked the Toit one as well, that one is mostly dismissed by perfumistas, because it’s fruity, but it also has a mineral, earthy note, supposedly compost :). They’re all worth a try!
Second day of testing Carnal Flower. There’s a note when I first put it on that I’m not crazy about. In fact, I almost scrubbed it off. But, after about an hour it settles into something I really like. I found myself sniffing my wrist as the day went on yesterday. It lasts a really long time on me, and one spray is probably enough (tried two today, and it was a bit strong at first).
I do love that opening – the camphor/menthol SMACK right up top.
Kids have half days this last week of school, so I’ve only been working half days. I can’t get anything done! Sotd Boucheron Place Vendome
I know the feeling. 🙁
Wearing my absolute favorite scent, Mitsouko edt.
ohhh almost-twins! I prefer the edp and haven’t dared try the parfum for fear I’ll fall hopelessly in love… I haven’t tried the edt in several years though, haven’t they reformulated it (and well, too)?
This decant was my first experience with Mitsouko at all. I have almost emptied my decant, but I was so lucky, because Doc Sinister was so generous, and sent me a partial bottle of the edt. I am contemplating buying a decant of the edp to decide if I want to buy a full bottle.
I’m slowly surfacing from the depths of deadline-imposed work. Deadline whooshed passed yesterday, no casualties, and I’m in my summer mood with Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete. Firstly, because summer is finally upon us, at last, and secondly, because I have missed this week’s “fake it” thing.
I took the Terracotta Voile on a holiday to the Mediterranean a couple of years ago and it instantly puts me in a summery vacationy mood. And I’m very ready for it!
I love that one! I’m waiting for the heat to return to wear it again.
Enjoy your mental vacation!
I have no idea what to do for fake it Friday either
Body lotion that you love???
The sun is blasting down like a laser beam again, and I’m quite sure if I stepped directly in its path, my epidermis would sizzle and be turned to ash, drifting gently down to the ground since there is a complete lack of breeze. The turf is so sodden, you can hear water percolating and hissing due to that killer ball of fire as moisture gradually evaporates. The back yard is a full-on swamp with the horrid smell of damp moldy rotting vegetation, a veritable sponge that squelches even when grasshoppers move about. Grasshopper populations seem to be booming this year.
I plan on planting myself right in front of the AC vent and not moving (possibly I may blink once or twice) for the rest of the day since I seem to be overwhelmed with inertia. Thinking about what scent to choose for the day, but so far have been unable to shake this torpor to get motivated to get off my duff to peruse my stash.
Wah wah, I know, but it’s just SO ugly out.
Maybe ugly out, but your prose is beautiful 🙂
Yes, beautiful!!!
???? pouring rain again, streets already flooded, but I’m at least moving about and getting things done!
Agreed! Turn out the poetic prose. Sounds awful, though beautifully expressed. Don’t think I’d be moved to move either. Stay cool!
Thanks! Humidity and heat must stimulate my verbose prose, if nothing else! Staying cool with ice tea, ice cold Green Goddess salad, Corsica Furiosa, and the miracle that is AC ????
It’s good to see you here today! Hadn’t seen you in a few days, and I was hoping you and T-Rex were ok after the storms earlier this week in your neck of the woods. We’re expecting storms today with high heat and humidity immediately following, so I imagine your poetic description will aptly describe the state of affairs here by late tomorrow
Thanks for your concern. I fared very well compared to others, so I have nothing to complain about. Friends of mine lost electricity and within 2 hours, it was over 90 degrees in their house. They packed up their dog and went to a hotel because it was just intolerable. Standing water in my back yard but no flooding or loss of electricity at my humble abode. Thanks to Corsica Furiosa, I’m in a better mood and now out and about organizing my freebiemeet packages for posting????
Also meant to add that I hope you get through the coming weather ok. It’s just so odd these days. The weather and barometric pressure changes can really wreak havoc with ones internal stability. Hopefully your bad weather peters out before causing too many issues in your area????
It was like that here at the beginning of last week and I was SO thankful to be able to find little piddly inside jobs to do. Now it’s just hot and fairly dry with clouds of mosquitoes and all the tender new vegetation wilting in the sun and I still don’t want to be outside. I think I may need to organize the pantry 😉
Kudos to you for finding the energy for even indoor jobs! When you’re done organizing your pantry, hop on down and feel free to get creative with mine- it needs serious help ????
It’s a chilly morning again in Chicagoland, and I have been wearing all my favorite cool weather scents. I just could not decide today, so after all the talk of Chanels lately, I opted for vintage Chanel 19 EDT. I find myself wearing it mainly in spring and early summer. Simply gorgeous
You smell great.
It’s a bit cool over here too, so am in the office-appropriate No. 19 edp.
“Chilly” ????????????
In a workshop today where I am sitting closely to coworkers. I don’t want to offend anyone, so I wore Chloe. Enjoy your day everyone.
SOTD = L’Artisan Mimosa pour Moi
Never smelled mimosas, but my interest was piqued by the Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom I sampled on Sunday (it’s great, by the way). Apparently Mimosa pour Moi, though fleeting, is a pretty good approximation of the flower. Green, powdery, and subtly floral – not swoon-worthy but lovely nonetheless. I also appreciate how this soliflore is different from anything I’ve smelled thus far.
If you are on a Mimosa kick I would also suggest Dame Perfumery’s Mimosa….not subtle or fleeting at all and very powdery and lipsticky to my nose….I love it! And you can get an 8ml travel spray for under nine dollars including free shipping 🙂 (I guess I get the enabler pin for today 🙂 !!!)
I don’t know what mimosas smell like, but Commodity Mimosa smells very nice.
That is a nice one too and I am pretty sure that Sephora sells them individually in travel sprays….
I like really Mimosa and Cardamom, too.
Diptyqye’s Essences Insensees 2014 is a gorgeous mimosa, but sadly limited edition. Bottles are still available here and there. After buying a sample and falling in love, I found a bottle on evilbay which arrived empty, although the box smelled great! Already told the story here – suffice it to say that I got owning a bottle of it out of my system, but I will probably buy a decant if it is available by the time I get around to it.
85 comments and it’s only 11 o’clock ..yawsa!
I am in Chocolate Saffron body oil
Drinking some homemade chai and work is busy busy
No it’s not it’s 5 pm 😉
????
So what do you think? Like? Love?
I ❤️️ it!!!
that one did not work for me either but I am imagining it must go nice with your chai 🙂 !!!
It does go really well
I love that body oil, and in the full bottle version it kinda functions as a lava lamp type thingie, too. I find it mesmerizing to watch the chocolate bubbles disperse and then coalesce!
SOTD is Rouge Bunny Rouge Incantation, fig and blackcurrant and vetiver, mmm. I find that RBR’s have an icy slick quality to them, kinda like modern architecture, stainless steel and glass. When I’m in that mood I quite like them.
Sounds nice.. how’s the staying power on this one?
RBRs last all day for me.
I’m finally home. I mean where I actually live, not at Mom’s where I didn’t plan to stay for so long. The kitties are a bit confused about being trapped inside, but seem happy to be home. Looks like I will have to play “poke Newburg with a stick” more frequently than I would prefer since he can’t run about in the field playing gazelle. I guess I should be impressed that he likes a cat toy at all, but one would think the dangly end of the teaser wand would be more interesting than the handle 🙄
Now that I have my entire scent stash in reach, I’m a bit overwhelmed by my options. Decided to start the day in What I Did on my Holidays since I adore that minty-creamy opening and I can easily scrub the scratchy base or re-apply all day.
Over the years, most of my cats have preferred the stick end.
Then there’s one of our current cats who likes to watch me wave the feather end about (“this is not a spectator sport” i tell him, though clearly I am incorrect about that). The only time he really likes Feather Stick is when he’s sleepy, and then he has to find one, drag it around mewing through a mouth of feathers, and take it to wherever he’s decided to go sleep. There are many reasons why his name is Kooky.
Racing up and down the stairs is the only time they find the soft end useful, and that’s only fun in the middle of the night.
Both my kittens prefer the handle as well!
Yep, it’s unanimous. Doolittle says, “why are you waving that floofy thing at me? Ooh, a stick!” at which point her pupils dilate and I pull my hand back just in time.
Ha! Doolittle makes me laugh! Maybe she shares DNA with T-Rex, who got that nickname due to the fact she really LOVES to put her teeth to use ????
Speaking of rose (at least Chloe Sevigny was in the article below), does anyone know a rose fragrance that would smell like the rose in quite a bit of Chanel’s makeup and facial products? It’s in their foundations for sure. I love the smell and have never found a rose fragrance that smells similar. Thanks.
Oh, and I’m wearing Nicolai’s Balkis – not the rose I’m looking for, but I like this one. Raspberries and roses.
I get the iris and pepper in Balkis, too. It’s an interesting fragrance.
Balkis is lovely.
Chanel Misia?
That is what I am wearing and I would have to agree with you.
I love the color green; it’s such a happy color to me.
SOTD is Cocoa by Aftelier Perfumes. I’m thinking I need the next size up on this one.. so delicious!
Another one on my to try list!
Speaking of faking it, I’m testing Baruti Nooud this morning. I had the impression that virtually none of the oud bandwagon fragrances contain perceptible levels of real oud, so it seems to me that the novelty here is candor rather than composing a successful synthetic oud accord. Nonetheless, Nooud does smell very nice so far.
I plan to compare it with BK Pure Oud.
Also, while looking for information on the BK ouds, I found an interesting comparison of various rose-oud-saffron fragrances in the comments section here:
http://www.katiepuckriksmells.com/2010/06/perfume-pen-pals-by-kilian-rose-oud.html
Of the more recent rose ouds, Atelier Rose Anonyme is worth trying. Since they have 30-ml bottles, that’s one of the less expensive options.
The most attractive deal to me, however, are the BK Olfactive Harmonies travel discovery sets. That’s the attractive travel atomizer case plus four different 7.5-ml vials. (I’m seeing these on LuckyScent for $160.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYe4g_kUj4
When you get tired of those ouds try this
That was fantastic! You may like this: https://youtu.be/FMgRVV0RTB0
Nice! Thanks heaps, Deva.
SOTD is Gruhme “No. 14” – a pepper/citrus cologne. It’s fine, nothing very special, but so much better done than the Penhaligons I’ve tried of this genre. :^)
Sitting in vintage Miss Dior since I found a 4 ounce bottle for a song. Now I have plenty for a little while.
Good shopping!
I love that one!
Ok Robin don’t kill me for my overzealous commenting today but….are y’all aware that Sephora sells Histoires de Parfums travel sprays for a ridiculously low price….$35 for .5 ounces and you can purchase them individually and not in a coffret set!!!!??
Why can’t other perfume houses do the same…..looking at you Jo Malone as I want all of your fragrances available the 9ml travel sizes for sale individually!!!!
I just saw that, but I think I might need the sample set first, since I have no experience with these scents.
Agreed…then if you find something you like you can spring for a travel spray….
I would love if more houses offered their stuff in smaller sizes. I don’t need 100ml or sometimes even 50ml of most things, but I would happily buy 10 or 15ml.
No such thing as “overzealous commenting” when you’re providing a Perfumista Money Saving Announcement! Thanks, I didn’t even know Sephora sold this line ????????
Sampling Pulp today from an LKG NSTer…(lovely, kind and generous)
Lots of fruit and fig…good enough to drink. If only I could mix a little vodka and ice in…the workday would be that much more pleasant…
You smell great!
Very hot in the Midwest the next several days so wearing Chanel Misia today.
Oops. I meant to post that I like Pulp a lot.
🙂
Another chilly, windy day, and I’m wearing Coromandel.
TWINS!!!! And for the same reason!!!!!
Have we bonded?
Triplets!!! Although I might switch to something else for a graduation party
Robin you smell fantastic! I love Branch and Vine and anyone who likes fresh greens should give it a try. Wearing Mito today, a very different earthy green that makes me happy.
Mito has been sitting in my Luckyscent cart for ages because I can’t decide which concentration to sample. Why did she have to make it so complicated?! Which one are you wearing and have you compared it to the others?
I bit the bullet and samples in all three versions, then bought the EDP. For Mito it’s the winner on me. Now am going to do the same with Rozy and Onda. It’s expensive to try them in all three versions, but I think I may prefer different versions for each. When I initially sampled, I did an EDP of each of her fragrances and these three were the ones that worked for me.
Thanks. Yes, expensive as well as complicated. I think I’ll start with the EDP.
Onda!!
Thank you! (And Mito is Vero Profumo, for anyone who wanted to try it)
In Cavalli’s Oro from a 5 ml $2.99 decant from STC (5 ml sale) which I bought after reading The Non-Blonde’s rave review. It has a medicinal thing going, for me at least… almost oud-like but I am absolutely certain that no oud was harmed in the making of this perfume! I am enjoying testing this one enormously. When I am done, I won’t need more.
I blind bought Oro and have a similar opinion. It has a weird note in it that I don’t like. At least it was cheap.
I think I put my finger on it. Something very minerally… I like the perfume in the abstract, but I am not savoring it.
I’m trying Quel Amour for the first time and hoping that its gets wonderful after the peony-and-cough-syrup top notes die down.
Oh my. It doesn’t sound too promising.
It hasn’t much improved. I wonder if this has been reformed? I’ve always heard good things and I actually like a good fruity floral.
I personally don’t get the cough syrup association, but it’s quite dense. I happen to really enjoy it, but it’s perhaps not as easy to like as some other Goutals.
I sensed something medicinal in the pomegranate note.
The heat wave has finally broken and it’s cool and cloudy. I’m wearing En Passant.
I wore En Passant today too, though it was the oily, evaporated remnants of a spray sample I’ve had for a long time. Luckily, I have a fresh decant of it to start using. Tonight I’ll try out Desarmant to compare lilacs.
Today I wore Mitsouko EDP, it’s like a hug from an old friend.
Tomorrow at dawn I leave for Paris. If anyone’s got any wonderful tips (particularly perfume related ones!) I’d be extremely grateful! I’ve been before but there’s always more to explore…
I’m not bringing a single bottle to Paris since I’m betting on buying some there (ISM? Tubereuse Criminelle? The mind & my wallet boggle), but it feels very strange, like I’ve forgotten to pack underwear. O well!
Lucky you, have a fantastic time!
Thank you!!
If you go to the Rodin Museum, go early! And you can snag a lawn chair.
Oooo lawn chairs!! Thank you, the Rodin museum is on my list & I’ll make a note to be there bright and early!
Musee D”Orsay was my favorite museum….I went to Paris in more than two decades ago and the only perfume house I sought out was Annick Goutal….(which is now relatively accessible here) so I can’t give you too much advice…
have fun!
Musée d’Orsay is definitely on my itinerary! I stayed in Paris for a month as a teenager & went to Orsay extremely often (museum staff must’ve wondered what I was up to). I’m eager to see if it’s as I remember!
Ack!! I want to stow away in your luggage. You must update us when you get back- both on your new bottle(s) and sights and adventures ????
Cluny Museum if you like your Medieval stuff – old Roman baths turned into a Medieval mansion and now a museum on the Left Bank. Sainte Chapelle on the Ile de la Cité. Wander through the Marais, eat Jewish food on the Rue des Rosiers and try to find Etat Libre d’Orange HQ.
Cluny sounds perfect! Anything Roman is close to my heart as a classicist gone astray. I’ll make sure to check out your other recommendations too. Thank-you!!
I second both the Cluny and the Musée d’Orsay recommendations. I also enjoyed a small museum dedicated to some of Zadkine’s works. Close the Annick Goutal’s Saint Sulpice shop.
If you make it to Rue des Archives, which is where Etat Libre d’Orange is located, there is one of the Nicolaï shops on that street as well.
A great place to relax and watch other people do so is the Jardin du Luxembourg. Have a wonderful time.
Thank you for your lovely suggestions! Rue des Archives is one of my regular Paris haunts but I don’t recall having noticed any Nicolai shops there. Clearly I’ve been lazy in my exploring & must make amends 🙂
The exchange rate is very good for us Americans these days, so actually buying a bell jar in France right now is a surprisingly good deal (under $200).
Are there any french on-line stores?
I’m in Europe and the Euro exchange rate to my currency seems to have been rather stable lately. Buying a bell jar is still a pretty good deal – I’m used to heinous shipping costs for everything to get things sent to my remote location, so buying anything where I won’t have to pay twice feels like a treat! Last time I went I stumbled across a PdN close-out sale, here’s hoping my luck holds true 🙂
Twins! Have a great trip to Paris!
thank you! you smell delicious.
Have a wonderful trip, and when you’re tired of sniffing, stop and enjoy a macaron at Laduree for me, please?
thank you! I’ll eat several 😉
The necropolis in the Pantheon for the dead famous people (and Foucault’s pendulum) , the beehive collection in the Jardin de Luxenbourg for interest, and the Zadkine Museum near the Jardin de Luxenbourg for something wonderful.
It is cold today and I love it! Taking full advantage of it, I am wearing:
SOTD = Coromandel
Besides it being weather-appropriate, I also wanted to check how much of it I have left and I think I may need to replenish. The news about all the Exclusifs switching to EDP has a few missing facts but if there will be formulaic changes for it to be considered EDP, I’ll need to get a back-up now because the EDP concentration may be too strong for me. I also want an excuse to go smell Boy Chanel and get samples of it if I can.
I was wondering the same thing? I’m dithering as whether I should buy Bois des Iles now in EDT or wait for the EDP? … But I really love the EDT, although it has terrible longevity (on me anyway)… I can’t decide.
BTW, you smell great today.
I am curious if I would like Coromandel. I have Misia, Box of Eels and 31RC and love all of those. I did not care for Beige that much, but I wore it for a while anyway.
I love the three you own, don’t like Beige at all, and *do* like Coromandel, for what it’s worth. It’s very rich and sophisticated, like RC, good for when I want to feel like a grown up.
I like Coromandel, as well. I’d say you probably can’t hate patchouli to enjoy it.
For sure.
After a day doing housework in Bourbon Geranium trying to learn to love the chypre-ish part, I changed it tonight to Khol de Bahrein and went to the theatre. I love our State Theatre Centre, built maybe 5/6 years ago? The Heath Ledger Theatre is the main one and is all wood panelled and earth colours and the main stairwell to outside is a huge hall of hanging gold pipes all lit up with reflected light- so pretty in a sleek modernist way. Went to see Angels in America. Loved it 🙂 i had a great seat too but i did have to sit on a bit of an angle to avoid breathing in the guy next to me’s awful breath 🙁 His fragrance was really nice too but that kind of made it worse having this pleasant/foul mix of odours..
I had the bad breath experience too (breath that smelled like fart) from the guy sitting next to me on the train. Yuck!
Eurgh…poo breath…so so bad. Thankfully this guy just had regular gum rot halitosis… :-/
I totally get your train ‘experiences’. I drive dozens of services a week and in the older trains there’s a huge vent grille in the door that separates me from ‘the public’ and I get to hear and smell EVERYTHING. Half the reason I wear so much perfume to work is so I can bury my face down my shirt to escape.
I loooved the HBO series!! I should watch it again. In one sitting of course. Sorry about the halitosis, ugh. Hope the Khol won out. It’s a delicious one.
Oooh I didnt realise there was a series! And HBO make good shows so I can imagine it must be quality. Thanks for that I’ll seek it out.
And yes, my bubble of Khol saved me 🙂
Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, Meryl Streep, Mary Louise Parker, Jeffrey Wright?! I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
I have the DVDs somewhere!
Angels in America is so great. I saw the first part a few years ago, but moved before the theatre did the second. Sorry about your olfactory experience.
Im presuming part 2 will be next year. It isnt in their 2016 programme so hopefully, before I forget the storyline..
Just a spritz or two of L’Occitane’s very refreshing Verbena edt for me today. It’s my turn for bad headache day due to the barometric pressure change (storms on their way with high heat/humidity to follow). I’ll take cold over hot any day. I’m an ‘outside’ person and can still go outside no matter how cold it is by adding appropriate layers, but I hate going outside when it’s hot and humid, you can only take off so much and I can’t breathe. (I get – and stay – grumpy when I’m forced to stay inside, hate A/C.) Hoping to rouse myself later but for now I think a nap is in order . . .
And on top of the layers, when it’s cold and you’re outside, moving around helps to keep you warm too. (So, perhaps I mean “underneath the layers!”) Later, you feel pleasantly tired. Heat just makes me bloody-minded.
I’m with you on the weather preference (and I had my headache yesterday). As long as my ears are covered I can tolerate and enjoy cold but I don’t like to melt. Hope you feel better soon!
I had a really hard time choosing a fragrance today, but decided to take advantage of the cooler day to wear something a bit heartier – Rochas Femme. Love this stuff.
You ended up choosing well, I’d say! You smell great.
Ditto that!
LAP Rose Privée. I kind of dig this one, and it’s highly changeable on me. There’s always a rose somewhere (good thing, too!) but sometimes it’s MINT (and patchouli) and other times it’s a gentler, more anise/licorice (and patchouli) scent. Today is a MINT day. It’s energizing, but cooling.
Started in Nuits d’Hadrien to prepare to fake it tomorrow (my hypothetical, working recipe is lots of bergamot oil with a spritz of Pacifica Malibu Blossom for airiness). But then the scent of my neighbor’s lawn on the morning breeze propelled me to the Acqua Allegoria. Happily it layers just fine over N d’H.
Tea is Harney’s Anji Baicha for more grassiness. Little did I know I would match today’s NST photo!
Never had smelled Gucci Envy and just received some so I sprayed it on. The combination of a super sunny strangely cold and windy day (after beautiful Memorial Day weekend) and a new/old perfume is giving me an out of body experience. I think I must have smelled this on many others in the 90s. Much more pleasant than I thought it would be. Now I will try Gucci Rush again although I wasn’t so pleased with it when I tried it a few months ago. Victoria gave them both 5 stars so I persevere in trying to fit it into the time line and understand it.
I know it’s probably to late for you to see this, but where did you get Envy from? I have seen it on eBay, but don’t know enough really to try and get a good bottle.
Hi Lillyjo! Yes – I got it used, on ebay. I’ve never gotten a bad bottle of anything I’ve bought on ebay but if it doesn’t work usually you can return it. Since I knew it might be old, with no top, I was aware of the possibility that top notes might be wonky, but the scent is fine. I feel more comfortable not paying top price for a sealed bottle unless I’m really in love and familiar with the packaging of the formulation I want.
oh thank you for responding! I love and miss Envy so much, I think I’m just gonna have to go for it.
Since we’re blessed with cool weather without humidity for the last few days, I took full advantage and am wearing Lyric as my SOTD.
Mmmm. Lyric. You smell wonderful! That one did cross my mind this morning, but I’ll wear it in the summer, too. Just more sparingly. I’ve been craving roses lately.
Very hot in the Midwest the next several days so wearing Chanel Misia today. (posted in the wrong place the first time)
I had to join Team Mitsouko today. I was still commando and indecisive while I was scrolling through the comments earlier this morning, so I took it as a sign that there were several people wearing our lovely chypre goddess!
Alien Aqua Chic today. Thankfully it’s not super “aquatic” on me.. more like just a lighter version of Alien. It’s the version of Alien that I can get along with, basically.
Me too. Acqua chic is big enough an Alien for me.
It’s very aquatic on me. The one I get along with the least.
Day 1 of an experiment I’ve just decided to do. I have maybe 4 or 5 ml left in my bottle of Eau des Merveilles, and I’d like to finish it. I don’t even remember the last time I’d drained a bottle so I’m going to see if I can wear it every day until it is gone. Let’s see if I can do this.
YOU can do it!!!!!
Good luck! I also have a bottle of EdM that I feel compelled to finish (I said that about the same bottle last summer, too), but I have MUCH more than 5mL left
I think I am going to wear that tomorrow as it is very hot here and going to be worse tomorrow. That is a pretty good summer scent.
Your post made me smile, as I have the opposite thought! I have a bottle of EdM and love it so much I have to refrain from wearing it every day because I ‘don’t’ want to finish my bottle! (I have a sealed backup bottle, but will it smell just as good???)
Splashed on too much of Kenzo Parfum d’ete from a mini splash (and from a suggestion here earlier this week). I hope everyone in yoga will appreciate some light lilies.
Last night I slept in Le Chevrefeuille and it made me so deliriously happy that there was nothing to do but reapply it this morning, and with abandon. My husband’s take on it was lovely: he said it smelled like walking into a garden planted entirely in ferns of all shapes and sizes, in the just-freshening evening of a warm, muggy day.
What an eloquent husband! All mine can deliver is ‘nice’, ‘very nice’ or ‘odd’. (At least he is super cute and never says a perfume is bad because he is afraid I might love it. <3)
I’ve been loving the Pantone color charts for the pix of the day. The colors have been just what I needed. Yesterday was “Take two cats to the vet” day. Nothing serious, just time for shots. Unfortunately, one of them threw up in her cat carrier right before we reached the vet’s office. It was either stress or carsickness. I think they are doing better today.
SOTD = HdP’s 1804, from a sample.
Work night shift, so just starting my day in Bird of Paradise from Thorn & Bloom and celebrating my un-birthday! I have 364 of them, so as soon as I woke up, I ordered the sample set of the new Les Potions-Fatales collection from Parfums Quartana – really want to try the Digitalis, but they all sounded amazing, so sample set is on its way….
What do you think of it? I really like it a lot, but my husband says ‘head shop’ and so I’ve refrained from getting a full bottle. It doesn’t smell like that to me at all. Ah well.
I loved it, although I have to admit, I really didn’t get the ginger and pineapple notes or maybe they burned off too quickly, but then it went straight to the jasmine, champaca (isn’t that the flower in Joy?) heart & sandalwood/ frankincense base. I think it is the sandalwood and frankincense that might give your husband the “head shop” vibe, though personally I always associate patchouli with head shops.
I was really enjoying it and then disaster struck. I work for Amazon (official title: ISS Rep unofficial title: master problem solver) and I am responsible for all of the hazmats,(perfume/essential oil are classified in the USA as HTRC Class 3/ORMD – flammable liquids btw), and the hazmat liquid waste area for damages is near my computer. Anyway, someone broke about 40+ bottles of peppermint essential oil and brought it down to the waste area for disposal…well bye bye Bird of Paradise…it flew away after that. All I could smell was mint. Even when I thought I couldn’t smell it anymore, I kept getting whiffs of mint here, there, everywhere for 7 hours straight. It was driving me crazy, and as much as I love mint, now I am off it after that potent smell-a-thon. I just got in the door to house from work and I guess that is my Fake-it Friday scent—wearing no scent at all, but smelling like gum, or mouthwash, or MINT juleps…..lol..
or maybe I am faking Lush’s Dirty, which is about the minty-ess fragrance I have smelled recently until last night!
Wearing Lust again. So good, for someone with a sweet tooth like myself. Had a serious work meeting today, so I should probably be wearing some vetiver, but really, who cares?
Everyone at your serious meeting probably sat wondering where that gorgeous smell came from! Lust is amazing and I want to bathe in it. Sometimes it just smells like you’ve been rolling in jasmine flowers and fresh strawberries, which is all I want from life some days.
I also got Godiva shampoo, so jasmine feast it is! Thank you for the encouragement.
Checking in late today… Started in Botrytis, switched to LADDM for evening. Ahhhhh…..
Falling really hard for Amouage. I got Lyric thru the reverse swap and finally tried it on yesterday. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Then someone sent me samples of Journey, Epic, and Beloved, and I am seriously hooked up. I gotta stay strong, but feel like giving up.
So a question to you my wise friends – what is the most budget conscious way to get Amouage fix?
Work in or near a store that carries them so you can spray whenever you want? Of course, moving somewhere like New York or London would probably cost you more than you would save…….
Discounters often have Amouage for about half price. You can also pick up a travel spray set even cheaper. Try Fragrancenet or BeautySpin.
Fragrancenet 30 off HPGE6
I wait till Surrender to Chance has a 15 or 20% off sale and then I get a largish decant (usually 8mls) and that lasts me a really long time because they are so potent
Faking it Friday here. So, I’ve sprayed the dirty laundry with Demeter Laundromat and the dusty furniture with Demeter Beeswax so now, with housewrok behind me, I can sit down and read NST.
Anyone know if Demeter has done ‘clean dishes’ ‘vacuum clean’ ‘supermarket shopping’ or ‘dinner’s on the table’ scents…they are such time savers. Better than the real thing (except chocolate and wine, which I’ll keep real)
You so totally got this. I love it!
Okay, that takes care of faking it for us all! Thank you, this is absolutely priceless. 😀
😀 Pass those over here! I just realized I’m stuck at home without a car tomorrow and there’s a load of housework to be done.
LOL!
Clever girl. ????
Kanuka, so funny. Sometimes, so true. Can’t clean – light a candle.
Haha too funny. There’s also Demeter “dimmer switch” and “throw it in a drawer”
Followed by demeter ‘netflix and chill’ haha. Happy weekend
Once again an end of the day (east coast US) hello to everyone.
SOTD was a few drops of sandalwood oil which was just the ticket because my client was in need of soothing and it really helped keep me calm too.
I broke out the LDDM today, it was a weird cold, windy day, so I’m just loving that spicy campfire made out of exotic woods comfort smell.
I’m very sleepy and can’t decipher LDDM! But I just wanted you to know that I read your post 🙂 it’s kind of discouraging to post late and get no comments, to me anyway 🙂
That is so sweet of you, Natalya. L’air du Desert Marocain.
Aw thanks.
I joined you in L’Air du Desert Marocain, so good. Heading off to bed now, 11pm EST.
Nighty nite.